Luke 22:42; Deuteronomy 12:10 - "The River"

I love this new song by Jordan Feliz called "The River" ...

We're going down to the river
Down to the river
Down to the river to pray
Let's get washed by the water
Washed by the water
And rise up in amazing grace
Let's go down, down, down to the river
You will leave changed
Let's go down, down, down to the river
Never the same

Every time I hear this song I am reminded of Doc re-baptizing me in the Jordan River last spring. It is interesting to think about the Jordan River and it's significance years ago. 

When you cross the Jordan and live in the land that the LORD your God is giving you to inherit, and He gives you rest from all your enemies around you so that you live in security,” Deuteronomy 12:10

The Israelites had to cross the Red Sea in order to leave Egypt. We, as believers, need to cross the 'Jordan River' in order to make passage into the Promised Land. We need to be delivered from a life of self and do as the Israelites did and lay our twelve stones down. We need to make sure we are not like the Israelites who still longed to go back to Egypt after crossing the Red Sea. The only way to do that is to die to self. That will be when we cross the 'Jordan River' and become as Christ desires of us. I think about how John baptized Jesus in the Jordan River after He had already been in ministry. The timing of this event shows that His ministry was not out of Himself but instead out of the Father. He received the Holy Spirit and accepted what was before Him. “Not My will” (Luke 22:42) were His words in the way He lived after His baptism. He was changed just as we, as believers, are changed when we take the step to be totally surrendered to Him. Before we cross the 'Jordan' we can teach the Scripture but once we cross the 'Jordan' we live the Scripture. We still live on the earth but we live in the heavenly life. Matthew 22:29 tells us that when we don't know the Scripture, we don't know His power. I believe this means we need to live the Scripture in order to know His power. Ephesians 4:13 gives us the purpose to crossing the 'Jordan' as being finding "...fulness of Christ."  Yes! It is only in living a life of surrender that we can experience His fullness.

Dear Jesus,
Thank You for the reminder of what it takes to have fulness in You. Thank You for Your love, mercy and grace that enables us to come into such relationship. Lord, I pray for more of You and less of me in order for me to be the servant You so desire. Fill me to overflowing is my prayer. Father, I also pray for more believers to get to the end of themselves and realize this is the only way to live. Thank You for being My Fullness! Amen.