* The first 12 verses of Ezekiel 47 talk about the life-giving spirit that flows from the Temple.

* This is an OT pic of how God’s Spirit flows through us to others.

* We are to bring life wherever we go and with whomever we are in relationship with.

* Then in verse 13 through the end of the chapter God talks about boundaries.

* This is such a good picture of what we need in our relationships.

* We first need God’s Spirit to breathe life into our relationship, then we need to erect boundaries to protect it.

* This is what boundaries are for - to protect the life of what’s inside.

* Boundaries allow us to flourish in community with others.

* Women in the first century and before were not treated as equal with men.

* They were seen as servants and a means to an end (children).

* Christianity busted that up and placed extreme value on women.

* Peter uses a picture to describe how men are to treat their wives - with honor as a weaker vessel.

* Think about a 50-gallon oil drum used on a farm for feed and water and whatever else.

* It’s left outside and you can beat the dog-mess out of it but it won’t break.

* Now think of a priceless vase passed down to you from your great grandmother.

* You take that vase and put it on top of the fireplace for everyone to see, but you treat it delicately.

* The reason you treat it delicately is because of its value.

* There are other breakable things you don’t treat with such honor as the vase. The vase is far more valuable.

* This is how Peter sought to change the paradigm of how husbands saw their wives.

* God wants husbands to treat their wives like this so much that He tied our prayer life to the carrying out of this command.

* When men treat their wives this way their prayers will be answered.

* Everything in your life rises and falls on the thoughts you think.

* Peter tells us that the power of Christ in our lives starts with our thinking.

* He’s telling us to “take control of your thinking!”

* Whatever you think you will become.

* Good thinking leads to life.

* Bad thinking leads to death.

* Brain science has caught up with this truth as we see the thoughts you think actually create physical cells in your brain.

* Good thoughts look like flourishing trees.

* Bad thoughts look like dead trees.

* Good thoughts are based on truth.

* Bad thoughts are based on lies.

* vs 2:11 - lust takes place in the mind and wars against your soul.

James 5:7-8 - Harnessing Ambition

* The principle of patience is one of the keys to living a fulfilled life.

* Here’s the principle - wait for the Lord!

* There’s a difference between God’s “yes” and God’s “go.”

* There’s a waiting period between the two.

* It’s far too easy and dangerous to jump out and do the thing He said “yes” to without waiting.

* in the waiting you’re becoming the person who can handle what He said “yes” to.

* It’s the waiting period we have to learn how to harness ambition.

* Here’s the process I’ve learned to harness ambition:

* 1) Receive God’s “yes.” This is the birth of your dream or goal or vision.

* 2) Make preparations. This is moving toward it with your hands and feet.

* 3) Wait for the assignment. This is where you die to your dream by letting it go in your heart, allowing God to do what He wants.

* Don’t kick doors open - just wait. This is the key stage.

* 4) Receive the assignment. This is where you can unlock ambition but make sure you stay in the driver’s seat.

* You’ll know it’s from God when the door opens automatically.

* The assignment accelerates ambition.

* Three steps to help you communicate better:

* 1) Be quick to hear - your attitude should be that of understanding, not winning.

* Conflict gives us a chance to better understand others.

* This is also saying, “speak Lord,” and then just listening.

* 2) Be slow to speak - think before you speak.

* Put a bridle on your tongue.

* When you speak it should be to speak LIFE.

* 3) Slow to anger - anger is an emotion with a purpose.

* The purpose of anger is to see justice done.

* Justice is God’s department, not ours.

* LEARN method - listen, empathize, ask questions, take responsibility, never undervalue.

* Everything that’s good in your life comes from God.

* This is a powerful principle:

* You need to see through the stuff of life to God.

* In marriage, my wife does not meet my needs, God does.

* God uses her to do it.

* When I see through her to God it releases all pressure off of her.

* It also allows me to be thankful to Him, which gives me His presence in my life.

* God is our source. People are the conduits through which God meets our needs.

* When we see “through” others we don’t overly praise them or overly blame them - we see God doing good through them or the enemy doing bad through them.

* Good advice for a young person:

* The people who speak into your life need to be where you hope to be.

* I don’t ask a 300lb dude what diet I should try.

* I don’t ask a broke dude how to properly budget.

* I look at the person, see the fruit of their life, and ask them to speak into mine.

* Paul gives us the secret to staying away from the love of money:

* Contentment!

* Contentment is a matter of FOCUS.

* Your heart goes where your mind takes it.

* When you focus on God you know that He has given you and will give you all you need.

* When you focus on anything other than Him you will either want or worry.

* Problem - when God blesses you it takes faith to keep your focus on Him and not the stuff He’s blessed you with.

* Key - when you’re content because you’re focusing on God you can now see “things” as tools and not toys.

* Everyone before you has run their lap, now it’s time to run yours.

* How are you going to get through it?

* The same way Jesus did - He kept His eyes on the finish line.

* He focused on the joy He would experience when He finished His lap.

* This is what discipline is - doing what you don’t want to accomplish what you do want.

* Apply this to your work.

* The requirement for work is faithfulness.

* The reward for work is fruitfulness.

* The result of work is that you are now a nourishment to yourself and others.

* Completing the work cannot be done apart from FAITH.

* This is why the preceding chapter was about all those who finished their lap by faith.

* We can finish our lap by focusing on the joy of completing it.

* God had a hard message for the Israelites, but He first had to make Ezekiel the message.

* Before God used Ezekiel greatly He hurt him deeply.

* God battered Ezekiel into the shape of the person who would deliver the message.

* This is the difference between gifting and anointing.

* Ezekiel was a gifted speaker, but his anointing came through suffering.

* He had to experience the message first-hand.

* Gifting comes directly from God.

* Anointing requires our participation - it comes as we go through the fire and still hold on to our faith.