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Let Loose of Control

2 Corinthians 3:17 (NIV) Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.

It has been seven years since it snowed here in Opelika, Alabama. Just last week, an hour and a half north of us had snow, we did not. The infrequency for snow here means we do not prepare our roads before hand. The snow started to fall around noon yesterday and a couple of hours later the roads were already getting impassable. My husband works in Georgia and he said that the interstate started backing up by the time he got off, at two in the afternoon. Some people were stranded in their cars all evening. Do you know how much snow we got? Less than three inches, not even enough to cover my foot.

One of my sons went out with a friend and they drove around an recreational all terrain golf cart. They walked down to the convenience store to get some drinks and just did what teenage boys do. Whatever came to their minds. He said he liked it when he drove the all terrain, but it was not nearly as fun as the passenger. He preferred to be in control. Why is that we want to call all of the shots? How different God is with such! We feel safer when we call all of the shots, but what happens when we let the Holy Spirit lead?

I am reminded about a story in Ezekiel. Ezekiel had a vision in Ezekiel 47. In his vision water was flowing from under the threshold of the temple. As the water was flowing through the outer gate they measured it four times. It measured ankle-deep, then knee-deep, then to the hips and finally the water had risen so high they could not pass through it. They had to swim. God revealed to Ezekiel in verse 12 (AMP), “By the river on its bank, on one side and on the other, will grow all kinds of trees for food. Their leaves will not wither and their fruit will not fail. They shall bear every month because their water flows from the sanctuary, and their fruit will be for food and their leaves for healing.”

1 Corinthians 6:19 (AMP) Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is within you, whom you have [received as a gift] from God, and that you are not your own [property]?

John 7:38 (AMP) He who believes in Me [who adheres to, trusts in, and relies on Me], as the Scripture has said, ‘From his innermost being will flow continually rivers of living water.’”

God is very intentional with His Word. That is why it is important that we see it as one voice. God will not contradict Himself and He always reveals His heart to us. The vision given to Ezekiel was in regards to how to divide the land to the Israelite tribes. When I read it this time, it reminded me of the rivers of living water that flows from us because of the Holy Spirit. What an illustration of the flow. It is not until the waters overtake me that I lose control. I can swim freely.

Have you ever floated in the waters? I have. I would spend summers at the beach and my favorite part was to get a donut shaped float, lay in it face up, and just float. I would float for hours. Keeping an eye on the shore. I knew where I was and knew how to get back to the shore. In the evening I would still feel the effects of the day, as I felt the floating in my sleep. That is what it is like to be engulfed by the Holy Spirit during the day. At night you should feel the effects and float.

Luke 6:47-49 (AMP) Everyone who comes to Me and listens to My words and obeys them, I will show you whom he is like: he is like a [far-sighted, practical, and sensible] man building a house, who dug deep and laid a foundation on the rock; and when a flood occurred, the torrent burst against that house and yet could not shake it, because it had been securely built and founded on the rock. But the one who has [merely] heard and has not practiced [what I say], is like a [foolish] man who built a house on the ground without any foundation, and the torrent burst against it; and it immediately collapsed, and the ruin of that house was great.”

There are going to be times, like today, that you are not going to be in control. We are not able to travel outside of walking today. It just is not safe. I am okay with that. I am going to adhere to wisdom. Some do not like that because, “ain’t nobody gonna tell me what I can’t do.” What foundation are we building our homes on with that mindset? God is so different than the world. It is through my surrender that I have freedom. It is through me letting the flow of the rivers of living waters take over me that I have my security. Ankle deep is not doing it for me any longer. Sure you can fish in it, but what are you limiting yourself to? It is time to let loose of the controls.

Abba, our Father, our Jehovah, You are so Wonderful. You are so Holy. Thank You for Your Son, our Restorer. Thank You for the Holy Spirit, our Teacher. In Your Word it says that rivers of flowing water would come through us. We recognize that cannot be done without the surrender of our will to the Holy Spirit. Let us stop wading in waters that we still have control, keeping one foot on the shore at all times. Let us step into the overflow. Let us become engulfed so that true freedom can be placed in our lives. Let us be as you envisioned, fruitful and healing to others. You gave us all that You are through Your Son. Let us cultivate the fruit of love in our lives so that it is all that flows out of us. We repent for holding onto areas of control and when the trials of life took over us, we were not secure in You. We choose surrender today. We choose forgiveness today. We choose love today. We choose hope today. We choose joy today. In Jesus Name, Amen.

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Defog the brain

Ephesians 5:25b-26 (AMP) just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her, so that He might sanctify the church, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word [of God]

When we got back from Peurto Plata I did not feel right for the first few days. It was hard for me to concentrate. I was dizzy, sitting down and standing up. I felt like I was in a fog. It turns out that I was dehydrated from the humidity and not drinking very much water on the flights home. The water consumption was a choice I made due to the inability to get to a rest room. I am not one who will use it on the plane if I can help myself. There were consequences for the next few days.

A quick google search and I found out that dehydration will effect the brain. Dehydration can negatively impact the brain’s structure and function. If we do not replenish our fluid intake our energy levels can plummet and we could experience fatigue and brain fog. Then I asked the question, “what does the lack of water do to the brain?” The answer, via osha.gov: “Researchers have also found that tension, depression, and confusion scores decrease as water intake increases. In contrast, they found that low water consumption tends to lead to worse moods, as well as headaches, confusion and tiredness.”

So, let us apply this above scripture like we should our water consumption. If we wash our minds, with the water of the word, we should see a decrease of tension, depression and confusion. Being born of water and Spirit takes on a new meaning (John 3:5). We are not just talking about water baptism, He is talking about the way you think. Jesus, the Word (John 1:1), even describes Himself as the Living Water.

John 4: 10-14 (AMP) Jesus answered her, “If you knew [about] God’s gift [of eternal life], and who it is who says, ‘Give Me a drink,’ you would have asked Him [instead], and He would have given you living water (eternal life).” She said to Him, “Sir, You have nothing to draw with [no bucket and rope] and the well is deep. Where then do You get that living water? Are You greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well, and who used to drink from it himself, and his sons and his cattle also?” Jesus answered her, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again. But whoever drinks the water that I give him will never be thirsty again. But the water that I give him will become in him a spring of water [satisfying his thirst for God] welling up [continually flowing, bubbling within him] to eternal life.”

When He revealed this to the woman at the well, she no longer took on the identity of an outcast and a throw away person. She knew who Christ was and drank all of Him in. She even wanted to share it with all of Samaria. Renew your mind with the Word today. Do not look for substitutes that taste better and just get some of the benefits. I live the south and sweet tea is a staple here. Water is used to make tea, but it is will not give you the same benefits as pure water. We even have the sparkling water. That will not give the same benefits as pure water. After you start drinking water, you will start craving water. I should know, I carry a water with me every where. I do not leave the house without my water. Can we say that about getting in the Word? I make it a point to get to my reading spot daily. If I don’t, I have a sweet pit bull that will nudge me there. Allow the Word of God to do its complete work within you.

Hebrews 4:12 (AMP) For the word of God is living and active and full of power [making it operative, energizing, and effective]. It is sharper than any two-edged sword, penetrating as far as the division of the soul and spirit [the completeness of a person], and of both joints and marrow [the deepest parts of our nature], exposing and judging the very thoughts and intentions of the heart.

Thank You, Father, for the Living Water. We are choosing today to allow the full work of the Word in our lives. Let us not just read our Word, we are choosing to allow the Word to fill us, so that freedom in Christ is grounded with us. We are rooted and grounded in the Love of Christ. That is part of the fullness that You desired for us. We choose joy today. We choose forgiveness today. We choose hope today. We choose love today. In Jesus Name, Amen.