All to Jesus

Each day in a believer’s life is one step closer to full dependency on God and a total abandonment of selfish desire.

“Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God.”  Colossians 3:16 (NASB)

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Let this be a time of worship to God.  Pray each prayer and add your own personal message to God.  Read each scripture as though reading it for the first time – listen carefully for the voice of God.  Listen to each song paying close attention to the lyrics provided.  These songs were carefully chosen.  Even if the music is not your favorite style of music, know that the musicians performing are sincerely making music to the Lord.  Try to feel the passion in their words and their musical expression.  Give thought to the message presented and confirm the truth therein by opening your Bible and taking some time to do your own personal study.  May you be greatly blessed.

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Let’s Pray Together

Father God, King of Kings, Lord of Lords, we worship and adore you.  Fill our hearts with that which is your will and control our steps as we celebrate your approaching kingdom.  We look to you for all our basic needs and thank you for all that you provide.  Please forgive us Father for all the mistakes we make along the way and soften our hearts so that we may forgive others.  Keep us safe from the enemy who wanders about looking to devour our souls.  Fill our minds with your wisdom and our hearts with your love.  We ask these things in the Holy name of Jesus.  Amen.

All to Jesus

Those who have trusted Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior, through faith in his death and resurrection as payment for their sins, have been born again into a new life.  Imagine a white board at the front of a classroom covered in mathematical calculations wiped clean and returned to its original pure white condition.  That is what it means to be baptized in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

“Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me.”  Matthew 16:24 (NASB)

Following Jesus is a new beginning – a fresh start with a clean slate.  Believers no longer allow this world to dictate their destiny.   Believers have been transformed into children of God with an eternal destiny in the kingdom of God.

“Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.”  2 Corinthians 5:17 (NASB)

Followers of Jesus are a new creation.  Believers think different, experience things in a new and different way, and are motivated to act in totally different ways.  The life of a true believer is completely restructured.

“I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.”  Galatians 2:20 (NASB)

Being a Christian is not something you only do on Sunday, or periodically throughout the week.  Christianity is all encompassing.  Christianity is a heart centered on loving God and loving others.  Christianity is an all or nothing proposition.

Allow this song to speak to your heart.

He Wants It All – Forever Jones

There’s a voice that cries out in the silence

Searching for a heart that will love Him

Longing for a child that will give Him their all

Give it all, He wants it all

And there’s a God that walks over the earth

He’s searching for a heart that is desperate

And longing for a child

That will give Him their all

Give it all, He wants it all

And He says love me, love me with your whole heart

He wants it all today

Serve me, serve me with your life now

He wants it all today

Bow down, let go of your idols

He wants it all today [x3]

He wants it all

And there’s a God that walks over the earth

He’s searching for a heart that is desperate

Longing for a child that will give Him their all

Give it all, He wants it all

And he says love me, love me with your whole heart

He wants it all today

Serve me, serve me with your life now

He wants it all today

Bow down, let go of your idols

He wants it all today [x3]

He wants it all

All of you, more of you

He wants it all today, oh oh oh oh

All of you, more of you

He wants it all today, oh oh oh oh

All of you, more of you

He wants it all today, today, today

He wants it all today [x2]

So give it all

There’s a voice that cries out in the silence

Searching for a heart that is desperate

Longing for a child that will give him their all

Give it all

He wants it all

More Like Jesus

Believers are no longer ruled by sin.  Believers are given power through the Holy Spirit to overcome sin in their lives.  The mission of all believers is to become more like Jesus every day.

“In reference to your former manner of life, you lay aside the old self, which is being corrupted in accordance with the lusts of deceit, and that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth.”  Ephesians 4:22-24 (NASB)

Believers are compelled to reach out to others in love.  These acts of love are not a demonstration of their faith, they are evidence of their new life connected to God.  Empowered by the Holy Spirit, believers carry out the will of the Father according to his ultimate plan.

“For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.”  Ephesians 2:10 (NASB)

Followers of Jesus, in harmony with other believers, gradually walk away from their human existence and depend more and more on the guidance of the Holy Spirit.  Each day in a believer’s life is one step closer to full dependency on God and a total abandonment of selfish desire.

“Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.”  Colossians 3:1 (NASB)

True believers give all of their life to Jesus.

Let this song move your spirit.

More Like Jesus – Kristian Stanfill

You came to the world you created

Trading your crown for a cross

You willingly died

Your innocent life paid the cost

Counting your status as nothing,

The King of all kings came to serve

Washing my feet

Covering me with your love

If more of You

Means less of me

Take everything

Yes, all of You

Is all I need

Take everything

You are my life and my treasure

The one that I can’t live without

Here at your feet my desires and dreams, I lay down

Here at your feet my desires and dreams, I lay down

If more of You

Means less of me

Take everything

Yes, all of You

Is all I need

Take everything

If more of You

Means less of me

Take everything

Yes, all of You

Is all I need

Take everything

Oh Lord

Change me like only You can

Here with my hearts in your hands

Father I pray make me more like Jesus

This world is dying to know who You are

You’ve shown us the way to Your heart

So Father I pray make me more like Jesus

Oh Lord, change me like only You can

Here with my heart in Your hands

Father I pray make me more like Jesus

This world is dying to know who You are

You’ve shown us the way to Your heart

So Father I pray make me more like Jesus

More like Jesus I pray Make me more like Jesus

Oh Lord, oh Lord

Father I pray, Father I pray

Make me more like Jesus

If more of You means less of me

Take ev’rything

Yes, all of You is all I need

Take ev’rything

If more of You means less of me

Take ev’rything

Yes, all of You is all I need Take ev’rything

One with God

If you’ve experienced a full immersion baptism, I know you came up from the water feeling completely changed.  In that moment you were, without question, one with God.  For most however, that complete transformation gradually fades as the enemy uses the challenges of this world to chip away at your new connection to God.  Our enemy is real and he is all about driving a wedge between believers and God.  Regardless of the enemy’s persistent effort, we are safe in the hands of Jesus.

“My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. I and the Father are one.”  John 10:27-30 (NASB)

The power of God overwhelms the enemy and no measure of temptation can overcome a true believer’s connection to Jesus.  The good shepherd fulfills his mission to safely preserve all those the Father has given him.  Through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, believers are bound together in loving cooperation, following the teaching of Jesus.  This single mindedness establishes believers as the family of God.

“I do not ask on behalf of these alone, but for those also who believe in Me through their word; that they may all be one; even as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be in Us, so that the world may believe that You sent Me.”  John 17:20-21 (NASB)

As per the request of Jesus to his Father, believers are one spirit with him.  Those of us who are followers of Jesus are connected to the ultimate power of the universe in a very intimate way.  There is nothing in this world that can sever that connection.

“But the one who joins himself to the Lord is one spirit with Him.”  1 Corinthians 6:17 (NASB)

When the awesome power of God is connected together with every believer, there is absolutely nothing that can’t be accomplished.  That kind of total unity should be our mission.  We are each individually responsible for our part of this connection.  We must push away all distraction and seek to be one with God.

Let this song speak to your heart.

Make Us One – Jesus Culture

One with the father

One with the spirit

One with the son of God

One with our sister

One with our brother

One family by the blood

Make us one, make us one

Your will be done

Make us one

One heart with heaven

One mind connected

One body unified

Bind us together

Now and forever

Jesus be glorified

Make us one, make us one

Your will be done

Make us one

Oh, make us one, make us one

Your will be done

Oh, make us one

We confess all our offenses

We confess we’ve been afraid

We repent of all the pride

Let all the hurt be washed away

For all the wars and violence

Against our enemies

Come heal our land with your great river

Restore the family

Make us one, make us one

Your will be done

Make us one

Oh, make us one, make us one

Let your kingdom come

Make us one

Oh, make us one

Thank you for spending this time worshiping God.

His door is now open to you.  You are in God’s presence.  Don’t leave without Him.  Keep Him with you throughout your day.

Go in peace.

All scripture references are linked to Bible Gateway so that you can read each verse in context.  Bible Gateway allows you to change the verse to your favorite translation and compare it side-by-side with multiple translations.  In addition, you can select to hear an audio version of any verse by clicking on the speaker icon.  Keep the Bible Gateway App on your phone so that you can visit the Word of God at any time during your day.

The Book of John