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This Sunday we are blessed with Reverend Israel's message based upon Ezekiel chapter 37, the Valley of Dry Bones. Let's prepare our hearts and ready ourselves to receive from the Lord today.

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Some years back I was watching a movie, and the title of this movie was Hotel Rwanda. Hotel Rhonda is inspired by true events that were taking place during the civil war in a nation. And the civil war happened and people from two different groups were killing each other. And so this hotel manager played an important role so that many lives were saved. He used his hotel as a place of refuge. And so what he did was to drive people through the watches of the night so that they couldn't be detected. And so the Jeep was driven through the terrain at night. And as the Jeep was going, you know, it was facing a lot of bumps. The Jeep couldn't drive through in a normal way, but it was always faced with lots of bumps. So it was like moving up and down. And so after they went through the conflict zone and uh passed through the darkness, and then the daylight was coming, the Jeep stopped and they came down and they looked behind. The bumps were actually dead corps on the road. They were all, you know, lifeless, body, and the hotel manager and the people who escaped death were so terrified, and they were all in tears looking at the dead corps uh surrounding the Jeep. This scene is very vivid in my mind and to recollect because it was it was literally a dead atmosphere without any life, without any hope. Today, as we have read the passage from Ezekiel chapter 37, Ezekiel the prophet was led by the hand of the Lord and the Spirit of the Lord to witness something very, very discouraging and lifeless. There was no life at all. He was brought to the middle of the valley, a valley that was just so different. It was full of bones, there was bones all over. And to have a closer look and feel to the situation, the Lord brings Ezekiel back and forth, back and forth, so that he would see the bones on the floor of the valley and realize that they were not just dry, they were very dry. Ezekiel needed to have a grasp of the full extent of the devastation. And the summary of what he experienced and found out is in verse 11. Then he said to me, Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel. Behold, they say, Our bones are dried up, and our hope is lost. We are indeed cut off, we are left alone, we are isolated, we are defeated, we are discouraged, we are so downtrodden. The whole house of Israel felt this heavy weight of pain, of grief, of so much of you know situation that they cannot rise up again. It was not just one person, not just one bone, it was the entire house of Israel. We know that the Bible says that if one part of the body suffers, all the other parts suffer as well. In other words, they suffer equally. We feel the weight for each other. When one part rejoices, all other parts of the body equally rejoices. On the day of Pentecost, they were all together in one place, and God moved so mightily, the Spirit of God came, and many nations were represented, and the Lord touched so many people, the spirit of the Lord moves so powerfully. The Lord shows here to Ezekiel in this vision, and he asked this question to Ezekiel, the prophet, Son of Man, can these bones live? Can they still live in a helpless environment and situation? What would we say? When all around us seems to be hopeless, and vision is blurred, hope is deferred. Can we yet answer this question that the Lord asks? Son of man, can these bones live? Can your heads be lifted up once again? Can your vision be renewed once again? Can you live again? And Ezekiel had an answer. Just like all of us may have an answer to the questions that we have in life. Ezekiel as well had an answer and he said, Sovereign Lord, you alone know. You are all knowing, so you are sovereign. It is an important question for all of us to examine carefully, isn't it so? We can only be raised up when we acknowledge that we have come to the end of ourselves. We have come to the cliff, and there's nowhere else to turn. And let the blind say I can see, let the poor say I am rich, and let the weak say I am strong. That's the irony of life, isn't it? So not everything turns out well all the time, but God is good all the time. His spirit is with us, he will always lead us into the green pastures. But some seasons can be really, really difficult. The people had to come to the end of themselves. They had no more hope left to hold on to. And so they're saying our bones are dried up. It is so dried up. I want to encourage us to leave enough room, enough space, so that God, by his spirit, will fill us. Keep the door ajar, keep the spaces there for him to do his work. God is not done with all of us. When he breathes his life, and even as we cry, Lord, more, Lord more, even as we hunger and thirst for his righteousness, he will hear our cry and fill us to the brim. Not just to the brim, he will fill us to the brim and we will experience the overflowing of his spirit. Isaiah 41, verse 18 to 20, we read, I will open rivers on the bare heights. I will, the Lord says, I will do it. None other, I will take charge, I will open rivers on the bare heights and fountains in the midst of the valleys. I will make the wilderness a pool of water and the dry land springs of water. God wills. He is able to. He's more than sufficient. God is never empty. God doesn't run on an empty thing. He's always full. For us Singaporeans, we know what we need to do when we drive into Singapore, right? Isn't it so? Even if we forget, also, when we are nearing the checkpoint, there is a blue color sign with the you know the fuel indicator. E for empty, f for full. Three-quarter, turn around, go and pump, come back. I know all of us, you know, we all we all break the rules. No, not all. I mean, sometimes we break, sometimes we pretend, right? That we didn't break, but we break. Right? So there's an indicator to say that, hey, you need to top up, right? But God doesn't need any indicator, he's altogether full and sufficient. God is all together, he's altogether good, he's altogether filled with hope, filled with love. He's an abundant God. There's no short shortcoming when it comes to God. He has more than sufficient to give to his children. He's more than sufficient to give us life. And so in this passage, if you read Ezekiel 37, you'll constantly read these words life, live. Life, live. God wants us to live and live well, not just to make it through life. Sometimes we like make it true, but God will give us enough grace and strength so that he will sustain us, so that not just we will survive, but we will thrive. Hallelujah. Not just survive, there will be seasons that we will survive, but God will give us enough strength that we will strive, and he is able to do that. God wills, he wants to fill his children enough so that we can glorify his name. And so we learn three things here this morning that the spirit gives life. The spirit always gives life. This is what the sovereign Lord says to these bones I will make breath enter you, and you will come to life. Hallelujah! And you will come to life. This is the promise from the Lord. When the Spirit of the Lord comes, we will be quickened, we will be strengthened, we will be energized, we will receive new power, we'll receive enough strength for the day, for the season, for the task ahead. The spirit gives life. The Bible says the flesh profits nothing, but the spirit gives life. Paul often acknowledges the work of the spirit, and he acknowledges the power of the spirit, and he constantly encourages the believers in the in the churches to be filled constantly with the spirit. In other words, we leave enough room so that God can impart, God can fill us once again, again and again, and again, and again, and again. The experience of being filled with the spirit is not just the seasons that we call the Pentecost season. It is to remember, but the work of the spirit is daily, it is every moment, it is every second. When we call unto him, he answers and he comes us and he gives strength. Today, if you feel that you're all dried up, let me just encourage you that God can fill you up once again. His spirit is always with us, he has promised that he will never leave us nor forsake us. He's engraved our names in the palm of his hands, engraved, so that he will always be mindful of us. If there's one person who is always mindful of us, it is him. He is always mindful of us. And so this spirit is giving life, and Ezekiel is watching and is observing what is happening, and not only that, he is hearing, and hope is being restored, renewed, and offered once again, and and and it is a start, it is a beginning, and as the beginning you know moves on, there's a process involved, and Ezekiel is watching and seeing how the Lord is promising him that he will give life to the dry bones. You shall live, you shall come to life. Jesus said, I've come that you may have life, and life in abundance. The enemy comes only to steal, to kill, and to destroy. But Jesus said, I have come that you may have life. Hallelujah. In him is life, in him we live, we breathe, we have our being. Hallelujah. Praise the Lord. The moments that we feel that we don't want, even want to get up, you know what? The Lord will come alongside with us, and his spirit will enable us, and he will come and strengthen us and help us through the seasons of life. And I know he is faithful to his word, and he will give us all that we need so that we can soar with wings like eagles, and we will soar so that his name will be glorified, he will be lifted up, and God will help us to be overcomers, more than overcomers, and in him we can shine the light. As the spirit lights us, we can light up the lives of those who are around us, and that's what the spirit does. The spirit gives life. And we are here at the valley of the dry bones, and you know, never underestimate what God can do, not just at the moments up on the mountaintop where we can sing the hallelujahs, but down the valley, never underestimate what God could do at those valley experiences. The Bible promises us that God is close to those who are crushed in spirit. Yes. And down the valley, as we lift up our praises, we will experience God, his spirit, giving us that strength, that ounce of energy, so that we can soar for his sake. The spirit gives life. Hallelujah. Even as we breathe in, breathe out, remember God's spirit is always with us. And so as we partner with him, no matter how dry our situations in life may be, God will give us a glimmer of hope, and God will help us to soar beyond the stress, the challenges and struggles in life. Secondly, the Spirit gives revelation. Ezekiel needed that revelation. Verse 6. Ezekiel 37, verse 6. I will, once again, the Lord takes charge of the situation, I will attach tendons to you and make flesh come upon you and cover you with skin. I will put breath in you and you will come to life. Hallelujah. Praise the Lord. Second time, this phrase is used, and you will come to life. Then you will know that I am the Lord. The Spirit, brothers and sisters, gives revelation. Hallelujah. He gives revelation. He gives revelation. Not just information, not just knowledge, but we need revelation. Isn't that so? He reveals mysteries to his children, his prophets. He's a God who reveals, unveils the mysteries to us. When we are in line with God, his spirit, the spirit will give something that we never thought of, something that we never imagined or put together. He reveals that to us. And in this context, what is that revelation? It is the revelation that He is the Lord. Hallelujah. That is the revelation. You know, sometimes God gives us revelations that, wow, it's so spiritual, and you know, it's like dreams and visions. It is like, you know, mysteries that we never thought of. But this revelation is the revelation that He is the Lord. Then you will know that I am the Lord. Hallelujah. That is the revelation. The bones are no more just bones, they are to be whole now. And we will live and we will proclaim to say that the Lord is our Lord. Hallelujah. This Lord is my Lord. This Lord who said that I will attach tendons to you. I will make flesh come upon you. You can't do it on yourself. And I will cover you up with skin. You can do it on yourself. And I will put breath in you. It is I, the Lord, who says, friends, we can and always should declare that He is the Lord. He is the sovereign Lord. Try doing it every day as you wake up in the morning, you know. I know we are all our tendency is quickly to check what is the latest like and what is the latest dislike, what is the latest trend, right? And we have all the facilities, all that, you know, available for us to just tap and to know. But why not? As we wake up every morning to say the Spirit gives us the revelation that He is the Lord, He goes ahead of us, He knows what is ahead, He knows what we are going to face. Why not we say that the Lord will do it and I will see it, the Lord will seal things, the Lord will see me too. Declare that He is Lord, hallelujah. No matter how discouraging our situations may be, declare that He is Lord. Declare that He will do something, He will add goodness, He will add life, hallelujah. Declare that our children will do well, declare that our grandchildren will do better. Declare that our ministry will flourish because He is Lord. You are not Lord, I am not Lord, He is Lord, hallelujah. Every knee shall bow, every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, hallelujah. We cannot dethrone him, he's enthroned forever and ever. He's the King of Kings, the Lord of lords, he's the high and mighty one, the ancient of days, the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. Hallelujah. He has so many names. He is the Lord, hallelujah! He's the Holy One, the Spirit gives us revelation of whom we are worshiping. Hallelujah! Praise God! You know, there will be there will be seasons that we fill with despair, but you know, even through the seasons, friends, even through the seasons, declare do not walk by sight, but walk by faith and say, The Lord reigns, hallelujah. I will exalt him, the Lord reigns, the Lord reigns. I can't see it, I can't see it. My house seems to be in turmoil. My relationship with my sons, my daughters still seems to be so distant. I can't see it, but I declare the Lord reigns. Hallelujah. Declare it, friends, even if you can't see it, if it is still dry, even if it's no life, declare it. Because that's a revelation that the Lord gives us in the spirit, even as we declare, God will do what He said He will do, and He said, and you will come to life. Hallelujah. You will come to life. Hang on there. Things may not seem to be working together, the pieces are not coming together, but hang on there. Do not look at those little pieces, look at the bigger picture that I'm going to form. Hallelujah. I have something in store. Hang on there, you are in a process. You are in a process. Even as you are in the process, know that I am Lord. Know that I'm in church. Hallelujah. This is what the Lord is saying to Ezekiel, and it takes time. When he says that I will add tendon, when he says that I will cover with flesh, when he says that I will put on skin, it takes time. Let God do his work and it takes time. In his time, what does he do? He makes all things beautiful. Shall we say that? Say, all things, all things works for good to those who love him. All of us gathered here love the Lord. You didn't come here because you hate the Lord. You have come because you love him so much. Do you have disappointments, discouragement? Of course, certainly. But yet you still love the Lord. Hallelujah. Amen. You did not escape. Oh, Pastor Daniel, not here. Never mind. One day off you came. Pastor Jesus is here. Reverend Jesus. You came because you love him. He is Lord. Hallelujah. You've dedicated your life to him, Lord. The world is not for me. No, no, no, no, no. I am in for Jesus' life. I'm in the lifestyle of Jesus. And he is the Lord. And so today the Spirit gives us revelation. No matter what, trust that God is doing something good. He's working out something. And so Ezekiel is observing this. And he's also trusting in the Lord. You know? The Spirit gives life, but at the same time, he's walking slowly. The Lord saying, I'm doing something, the dry bones, that something is going to happen. He's saying slowly. Friends, even if you're walking slow, never mind, walk slow. Plan plan. Maman lie. Life is a marathon. Don't spring, you'll pull your hamstring. Wow. That's a flow, no? Don't spring, you'll pull your hamstring. Right? Not every time you can run. No, chang, chang, chang. No, no. Sometimes I'll be slow, you know. Don't even want to get up. Some of us even pray, Lord, please take me out. Skali, you wake up. Alama, I'm still alive.

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Why?

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That's a reason. Hallelujah. If all of us are alive today, God has kept us for a reason. God has a purpose for us. And you will come to life. Come to life. Come to life. My last point. The spirit gives freedom. Hallelujah. Say freedom. Say freedom. He gives us freedom. Hallelujah. Where the spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. Ezekiel 37, verse uh 13 and 13 and 14. And this is what the word says. Then you, then you, my people, hallelujah. God is, you know, he's holding us close to himself. Then you, my people, will know that I am the Lord when I open your graves and bring you up from them. Hallelujah. God can open graves. Those that are dead, those that are despised, rejected, isolated. God can open up graves and bring you up from them. I will put my spirit in you. Hallelujah. Not just open up the graves. My God, it's quite traumatic to even think about opening up graves, right? God doesn't want to just open up all this stench and all this negativity and all this sorrow once again, you know, just for the sake of opening up. But he's opening up the graves. Not just that. When I open up your graves and bring you up from them, I will put my spirit in you. Hallelujah. And you will live. Praise God. He brings up something, not that we get entrenched in the negativity. The grave speaks about death, sorrow, despair. But he's a resurrected God. Hallelujah. There's no death in God. God can't die. God's not dead, he's alive. There's no death for him. Hallelujah. He's conquered death. He's victorious. And he says, and you will live. And you will live. Hallelujah. Not only that, and I will settle you in your own land. In other words, he gives us rest. Then you will know that I, the Lord, have spoken and I have done it, declares the Lord. When God says it, he does it. Amen. When he promises, he will deliver that promise. Mankind will fail, you know. But God will never fail us. When he says something, he will do it, he will complete it. The challenge for us is the timeline. For some of us, it's just one year. For others of us, it's five years, some seven years, some even more than that. You know, in our Tamil congregation, I'm doing a series when God is silent. When God is silent. How do you handle God when He is silent? Shabash, if you do well in that, you can saw very well. When God appears not to hear, He appears not to hear, not to listen, appears not to answer. What do you do? When God is silent, He may seem to be silent, but He's at work. Way maker, you know that song, right? Way Maker, miracle, you know, Waymaker, miracle worker, promise keeper, light in the darkness. That is who you are. Even when I do not know you're working. In our sleep, we think that Alama, what a bad day. What's tomorrow gonna be like? He's ahead of us. Let's just believe. Let's trust in him more. Believe. Believe. He's got the dry bones in his hands. He will add the tendon, he will add that flesh, he will add the skin, and above all, he will breathe live. Hallelujah. He breathed live. And the beautiful part of this passage, when the spirit of the Lord is there, is liberty, the whole dry bones rose up as a vast army. Hallelujah. From nothing, from lifelessness to a vast army, you know. God can do that. From no training, no experience, suddenly a vast army. Wow. In other words, if we would allow God to bring life, he will just do that. And we can see that he will help us through. When Lazarus was dead, Jesus went to the tomb and said, Lazarus, come out. Come out. Take off your grave clothes. Friends, yes, the grave clothes can cause us to remain in the valley of dry bones. Let's ask the Lord to give us the grace to take off the grave clothes. Put on the garment of praise. No matter what. Sound the hallelujah. Sounder, Amen. Not when things are okay. The music is fantastic. The preacher is fantastic. The worship leader is outstanding. The church is filled. My son and daughter are listening to me. My husband listens to me. My wife is so cooperative. My work is so beautiful. Not just in the good moments, friends. Precisely when everything is in disorder, you lift up your praises to Him. Hallelujah. That's a different experience. Hallelujah. I choose to trust you, Lord. And God will breathe within you the breath of life. And you will come to life. You will come to life. You know, the beautiful part about this passage is that in this context, the Lord uh gave Ezekiel visions, but the Lord told Ezekiel to prophesy, right? Because of time, I'll just end in a bit. The Lord told Ezekiel to prophesy. What did he say? Prophesy to the bones, prophesy to the breath, prophesy to the bones. Once again, in other words, friends, life and death is in the power of the tongue. I'm not saying that everything is there, that we can outdo God, not that. But we need to cooperate with God, His Spirit. When He says He wants to breathe in life, He wants to give us that strength. We need to come alongside with Him and say, Yes, Lord. Yes, Lord, yes, Lord. And you speak life in the situations that seem to be without hope. Speak life, speak positivity. Say it, I trust in the Lord and He will do it. He will do it. He will do it. He will do it. He is with me. He will do it. Yes. Prophesy. Son of man, prophesy. Prophesy. Speak it out. I will do it, but you speak it out. I will do it, but you come alongside with me. Hallelujah. Living this life on earth, we need to cooperate with God. And when we do that, God will do the rest of it. And He said, I'll finish once again reading this verse, Ezekiel 37, verse 14. I will put my spirit in you, and you will live. And I will settle you in your own land. Then you will know that I, the Lord, have spoken, and I have done it, declares the Lord. Hallelujah. Brothers and sisters, and you will come to life. All of you here this Sunday, and you will come to life. Your family will prosper. Your ministry in church will prosper. Your husband relationship with your children will prosper. Whatever your hands finds to do will prosper. Hold on to God and His promises, and He will sustain us and make us thrive for His name's sake. Amen. Let's pray. Hallelujah. Will you bring your dry bone to God? Hallelujah. Don't hold on to it. Bring that bone to God. Bring it to God. Identify it. Bring it to God. And He will He will do something marvelous. Something marvelous. Something marvelous. Are you in that valley? Down at the valley. Bring it to God. Bring it to God. Hallelujah. Bring it to God. Just have the keyboard to just come. Just come. Just play just some music. Just a minute prayer, that's all. But all of us need to respond to God's word. All of us respond to God's word. And you will come to life. And you'll come to life.

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We pray that you've been ministered to by the Word of God today. If you'd like to know more about the Eastern Christian Church, please visit our website at yccanglican.com. Have a blessed day.