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THE RIVER OF THE WORD "And it shall come to pass, that every thing that liveth, which moveth, whithersoever the rivers shall come, shall live: and there shall be a very great multitude of fish, because these waters shall come thither: for they shall be healed; and every thing shall live whither the river cometh." (Ezk. 47:9) This is a literal river that flows from the LORD's house in the Kingdom, but it also serves as a fine picture of the word of God today. Like the word of God, this river has life-giving power. In fact, the text says, "whithersoever the rivers shall come, shall live." Jesus said, "the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.” (John 6:63) Revelation 22:17 says, ". . . whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.” The word of God is ALIVE, and it can impart LIFE to all who partake of it, so God wants this heavenly river flowing into all parts of the world and into the life of every soul that breathes. In fact, Paul said, "Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may have free course, and be glorified, even as it is with you." (II Ths. 3:1) Every time we witness, hand out a tract, display a Scripture sign, sticker or magnet, or even when we wear a Scripture t-shirt or cap, we are furthering the river of the word by making new channels for its flow. But Satan isn't sitting idle and watching it all from the banks. No, the beavers of Beelzebub are continually about their business of dam building in hopes of hindering the life-giving flow of God's words. They can be seen and heard on the city commissions and councils trying to pass ordinances against public preaching, tract distribution and Scripture signage. They are about their work in our various governing bodies, eating away at the First Amendment and building dams to keep the word out of our schools, out of the work place and out of the public arena in general. They are at work in our churches building dams of vain tradition, thus rendering the word of God of none effect (Mat. 15:1-9). Many of these devils have worked their way into the pulpits where they lord over God's flock without properly feeding them the word (Ezek 34:2, 8; John 10:12-13; 21:15-17). Then sometimes the fault belongs totally to the individual believer who builds his own dam by personally neglecting Bible reading, Bible study, Bible meditation and sound Bible preaching and teaching in a good church. He has access to the river, but he builds his own personal dam and stops God's word from influencing his life. There are also those of us who were fortunate enough to have the river flow our way and deep into our hearts and lives, yet we erect a personal dam of fear and refuse to allow this river of blessing to reach our loved ones and our acquaintances. We praise the First Amendment only to turn around and plead the Fifth Amendment by damming up our mouths instead of speaking out for the Lord! Instead of assisting the devil in stopping the river, may we be bold and brave dam busters for Christ. May the word go everywhere that I go, and may it transform the lives of others just as it has transformed mine. "There is a river, the streams whereof shall make glad the city of God, the holy place of the tabernacles of the most High." (Psa. 46:4)