Today the Lord your God has commanded you to obey all these decrees and regulations. So be careful to obey them wholeheartedly. You have declared today that the Lord is your God.
Deuteronomy 26:16-17a NLT
I tend to multitask, and I used to think that was a good thing, especially in my line of work. However, lately I have come to realize that it is now a habit - a way of life that bleeds over into my time with family or friends, and worse! My time with the Lord. I am easily distracted, and I hate it. Jesus tells us in Mark 12:30, "And you must love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength." What if Jesus only half-heartedly listened to me?
There is no half in Christ. He didn't come halfway here and then change His mind and go back. He didn't half-heal people. He did not go halfway to Golgotha. He wasn't half-dead on the Cross. When Scripture tells us He gave His life for ours, there is not ONE mention of Him doing it halfway. No place does it indicate that He gave half His life for ours. No buy-one-get-one-half-off. He was completely committed. He gave it all. Should He expect less from us?
Jesus Christ gave His all - sacrificed His whole life - so that we could be cleansed from ALL our sin (1st John 1). Not for all the ones except those things we might really like to do, or the ones we think aren't "that bad"...
What will we do with the life He's purchased and paid full price for? Will we hold out? Or will we wholeheartedly embrace the life He has bought for us and give Him our all?
Prayer:
Father,
Give us Your strength to walk in wholehearted obedience to love You with all of our heart, all of our soul, all of our mind, and all of our strength. We can only do this by Your grace. We want - we choose - to bring everything into obedience to Your Word. Forgive us, Father, for dragging our feet and getting distracted with the things of this world. Help us, O Lord, in Jesus' Name we pray. Amen
Showing posts with label all. Show all posts
Showing posts with label all. Show all posts
Wednesday, April 8, 2026
Thursday, February 5, 2026
Promise for Today - No Bounds
On the Sabbath we went a little way outside the city to a riverbank, where we thought people would be meeting for prayer, and we sat down to speak with some women who had gathered there. One of them was Lydia from Thyatira, a merchant of expensive purple cloth, who worshiped God. As she listened to us, the Lord opened her heart, and she accepted what Paul was saying.
Acts 16:13-14 NLT
Paul and Silas went outside the city because Philippi prohibited bringing an unrecognized religion within the city limits. There they met Lydia, a wealthy woman, who listened to their message and received Jesus Christ as her savior - she and members of her household.
Later, they were harassed by a demon-possessed servant girl (vvs 16-18), until Paul commanded by the demon to leave her and it had to obey. That caused a world of problems for both Paul and Silas, and they wound up in prison after having been stripped and beaten.
You may know the story of Paul and Silas after midnight, praying and singing hymns to God. Acts 16:25-28, The Bible says "and the other prisoners were listening. Suddenly, there was a massive earthquake, and the prison was shaken to its foundations. All the doors immediately flew open, and the chains of every prisoner fell off! The jailer woke up to see the prison doors wide open. He assumed the prisoners had escaped, so he drew his sword to kill himself. But Paul shouted to him, “Stop! Don’t kill yourself! We are all here!”
ALL of them - not just Paul and Silas. All the prisoners were still there! None of them left. They WERE listening...I think all the prisoners became believers that night! We certainly know the jailer did and all of his household.
The salvation message knows no bounds. It crosses all socio-economic boundaries, from the wealthy to the servant, to the prisoners, and their jailer. All of them listened. All of them believed. All of them forever changed. God's perfect love knows no bounds. Aren't you glad?
Prayer:
Father,
Thank You that Your "whosoever will..." includes everyone, no matter who or what we are. Help us to hear and know the Truth of Your Word and to be as eager to share it with others as Paul and Silas - no matter the circumstances. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen
Paul and Silas went outside the city because Philippi prohibited bringing an unrecognized religion within the city limits. There they met Lydia, a wealthy woman, who listened to their message and received Jesus Christ as her savior - she and members of her household.
Later, they were harassed by a demon-possessed servant girl (vvs 16-18), until Paul commanded by the demon to leave her and it had to obey. That caused a world of problems for both Paul and Silas, and they wound up in prison after having been stripped and beaten.
You may know the story of Paul and Silas after midnight, praying and singing hymns to God. Acts 16:25-28, The Bible says "and the other prisoners were listening. Suddenly, there was a massive earthquake, and the prison was shaken to its foundations. All the doors immediately flew open, and the chains of every prisoner fell off! The jailer woke up to see the prison doors wide open. He assumed the prisoners had escaped, so he drew his sword to kill himself. But Paul shouted to him, “Stop! Don’t kill yourself! We are all here!”
ALL of them - not just Paul and Silas. All the prisoners were still there! None of them left. They WERE listening...I think all the prisoners became believers that night! We certainly know the jailer did and all of his household.
The salvation message knows no bounds. It crosses all socio-economic boundaries, from the wealthy to the servant, to the prisoners, and their jailer. All of them listened. All of them believed. All of them forever changed. God's perfect love knows no bounds. Aren't you glad?
Prayer:
Father,
Thank You that Your "whosoever will..." includes everyone, no matter who or what we are. Help us to hear and know the Truth of Your Word and to be as eager to share it with others as Paul and Silas - no matter the circumstances. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen
Sunday, December 4, 2022
Advent - Day Eight
For Advent this year, we are reading A Weary World Rejoices written by Brittany Rust **************************************************************
Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him.”
Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him.”
When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born. So they said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it is written by the prophet: ‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, Are not the least among the rulers of Judah; For out of you shall come a Ruler Who will shepherd My people Israel.'”
Then Herod, when he had secretly called the wise men, determined from them what time the star appeared. And he sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the young Child, and when you have found Him, bring back word to me, that I may come and worship Him also.” When they heard the king, they departed; and behold, the star which they had seen in the East went before them, till it came and stood over where the young Child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy. And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him. And when they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
Then, being divinely warned in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed for their own country another way.
Then, being divinely warned in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed for their own country another way.
Matthew 2:1-12 NKJV
The shepherds in Luke 2 were the first visitors to gaze upon the Savior, but they weren’t the only ones. The Bible also tells of the visit the magi made to the young Jesus.
When the men from the East saw a bright star in the night sky, they followed it to Bethlehem, where they brought gifts and rejoiced at the birth of Jesus. This would have taken place sometime within the first two years of His birth and signified the arrival of the King of the Jews.
God announced the birth to the lowly within the Jewish people—the shepherds—and then He included the high-ranking officials from the East (who were not included in God’s chosen people). Quite a contrast but rather indicative of who Christ came for: all people, even the ones not deemed respectable and those who were not Jews.
We celebrate the coming of Jesus for all men and women, amen!
The shepherds in Luke 2 were the first visitors to gaze upon the Savior, but they weren’t the only ones. The Bible also tells of the visit the magi made to the young Jesus.
When the men from the East saw a bright star in the night sky, they followed it to Bethlehem, where they brought gifts and rejoiced at the birth of Jesus. This would have taken place sometime within the first two years of His birth and signified the arrival of the King of the Jews.
God announced the birth to the lowly within the Jewish people—the shepherds—and then He included the high-ranking officials from the East (who were not included in God’s chosen people). Quite a contrast but rather indicative of who Christ came for: all people, even the ones not deemed respectable and those who were not Jews.
We celebrate the coming of Jesus for all men and women, amen!
*****************************************************
Prayer:
Father,
Thank You for including ALL of us in Your master plan of redemption. Thank You for love so pure that there are no exceptions to it in Your plan. Open our eyes to see the wondrous beauty of Your love as it enfolds us. Open our hearts to be able to receive it and to offer it to everyone You place within our sphere of influence. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen
Thursday, June 8, 2017
Half Measures
And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength.’ The second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.' No other commandment is greater than these.
Mark 12:30-31 NLT
As we read through the Bible, it becomes crystal clear that God is NOT a God of half anything. We, as followers of Jesus Christ, must guard against half-measures and "good enough". Think about that for a moment because those are sub-standards. It amounts to settling for less than the best.
What if we only received half measures from Christ? For instance, what if we are half forgiven? What about half redeemed? What if He only loved us in half measure - enough to come to Earth and teach us, but not enough to go to the Cross?
He gave His all. He gave His best. Why do we think we can do less and get away with it?
Prayer:
Father,
Forgive us for giving You less than our all. Reveal to us where we are lacking in You. Holy Spirit, teach us, we pray. In Jesus' Name. Amen
Mark 12:30-31 NLT
As we read through the Bible, it becomes crystal clear that God is NOT a God of half anything. We, as followers of Jesus Christ, must guard against half-measures and "good enough". Think about that for a moment because those are sub-standards. It amounts to settling for less than the best.
What if we only received half measures from Christ? For instance, what if we are half forgiven? What about half redeemed? What if He only loved us in half measure - enough to come to Earth and teach us, but not enough to go to the Cross?
He gave His all. He gave His best. Why do we think we can do less and get away with it?
Prayer:
Father,
Forgive us for giving You less than our all. Reveal to us where we are lacking in You. Holy Spirit, teach us, we pray. In Jesus' Name. Amen
Tuesday, March 28, 2017
* Make Every Effort
For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But whoever does not have them is nearsighted and blind, forgetting that they have been cleansed from their past sins.
Therefore, my brothers and sisters, make every effort to confirm your calling and election. For if you do these things, you will never stumble, and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
2nd Peter 1:5-11 NIV
Therefore, my brothers and sisters, make every effort to confirm your calling and election. For if you do these things, you will never stumble, and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
2nd Peter 1:5-11 NIV
God is NOT a god of half-measures. Jesus didn't go halfway to the Cross. He wasn't half crucified. He wasn't half-raised from the dead. There are no half-measures of grace or mercy. And we are called to be like Him.
I was a little surprised by the number of Scriptures that encourage us to make every effort. Just to offer a few...
Make every effort to enter through the narrow door, because many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able to. Luke 13:24 NIVI was a little surprised by the number of Scriptures that encourage us to make every effort. Just to offer a few...
Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification.
Romans 14:19 NIV
Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will perish by following their example of disobedience.
Hebrews 4:11 NIV
Hebrews 4:11 NIV
Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord.
Hebrews 12:14 NIV
Hebrews 12:14 NIV
So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him. 2nd Peter 3:14 NIV
God doesn't hand out half-measures and He does not want half-measures from us, either. What does Jesus say is the first and greatest commandment? (Matthew 22) Jesus replied: Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment...So let's use all of our heart, our soul and our mind and make every effort to do exactly that.
Prayer:
Father,
Help us to focus all our efforts on loving You and becoming like You. Help us, God. We can only do this through You; with Your power. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen
Sunday, March 12, 2017
Defining ALL
He realized that Jesus had answered well, so he asked, “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?”
Jesus replied, “The most important commandment is this: ‘Listen, O Israel! The Lord our God is the one and only Lord. And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength.' The second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ No other commandment is greater than these.”
Mark 12:28b-31 NLT
It may seem silly to define the word ALL, but it sure seems to be of serious intent when repeated for each part. So how is ALL defined? According to Google's online dictionary:
predeterminer, determiner, & pronoun
Jesus replied, “The most important commandment is this: ‘Listen, O Israel! The Lord our God is the one and only Lord. And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength.' The second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ No other commandment is greater than these.”
Mark 12:28b-31 NLT
It may seem silly to define the word ALL, but it sure seems to be of serious intent when repeated for each part. So how is ALL defined? According to Google's online dictionary:
predeterminer, determiner, & pronoun
1. used to refer to the whole quantity or extent of a particular group or thing.
adverb
1. used for emphasis.
adverb
1. used for emphasis.
noun
1. the whole of one's energy or interest
1. the whole of one's energy or interest
The Strong's Concordance (@ www.BlueLetterBible.org) defines it this way:
ὅλος hólos, hol'-os; a primary word; "whole" or "all", i.e. complete (in extent, amount, time or degree), especially (neuter) as noun or adverb:—all, altogether, every whit, + throughout, whole.
It leaves no question regarding how much of our heart, our soul, our mind and our strength, does it? So the question is, DO we love the Lord our God with ALL? Selah...
Prayer:
Father,
I am guilty of not loving You with ALL. Forgive me, Father, and teach me how to do as You have commanded. In Jesus' Name I pray. Amen
Sunday, March 6, 2016
* All of It
And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, who will never leave you. He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth. Jesus replied, “All who love me will do what I say."
But when the Father sends the Advocate as my representative - that is, the Holy Spirit - he will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I have told you.
John 14:16-17a, 23, 26 NLT
I have been amazed at how many times I see and read the words 'all' and 'everything' within Scripture.
God is not a god of half-measures. 1st Corinthians 15:28 NLT reads, Then, when all things are under his authority, the Son will put himself under God’s authority, so that God, who gave his Son authority over all things, will be utterly supreme over everything everywhere. Other translations of the Bible end that verse with God being all in all.
ALL glory, ALL honor, ALL power are His. He doesn't want half-measure from us, either. Mark 12:30 reads, And you must love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength. ALL of it.
Jesus Christ doesn't do anything half-measure, either. Every word He spoke was what He heard from the Father. Everything He did was the Father's will. Jesus Christ gave His all - sacrificed His life - so that we could be cleansed from ALL our sin (1st John 1). Not all the ones except for those things we might really like to do or the ones we consider aren't "that bad"...
But when the Father sends the Advocate as my representative - that is, the Holy Spirit - he will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I have told you.
John 14:16-17a, 23, 26 NLT
I have been amazed at how many times I see and read the words 'all' and 'everything' within Scripture.
God is not a god of half-measures. 1st Corinthians 15:28 NLT reads, Then, when all things are under his authority, the Son will put himself under God’s authority, so that God, who gave his Son authority over all things, will be utterly supreme over everything everywhere. Other translations of the Bible end that verse with God being all in all.
ALL glory, ALL honor, ALL power are His. He doesn't want half-measure from us, either. Mark 12:30 reads, And you must love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength. ALL of it.
Jesus Christ doesn't do anything half-measure, either. Every word He spoke was what He heard from the Father. Everything He did was the Father's will. Jesus Christ gave His all - sacrificed His life - so that we could be cleansed from ALL our sin (1st John 1). Not all the ones except for those things we might really like to do or the ones we consider aren't "that bad"...
ALL of it.
Likewise, the Holy Spirit also doesn't deal in half-measures. Verse 17 of our text begins, He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth. No half-truths; therefore, no deceit. He will expose every lie of the enemy if we will listen and obey.
In Ephesians 4, we are instructed, And do not bring sorrow to God’s Holy Spirit by the way you live. Remember, he has identified you as his own, guaranteeing that you will be saved on the day of redemption. Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior. ALL of it.
Prayer:
Father,
We submit our lives to the Authority of Christ. We choose to walk after the Spirit so we can walk in righteousness. Father, be our All in all. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen
Likewise, the Holy Spirit also doesn't deal in half-measures. Verse 17 of our text begins, He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth. No half-truths; therefore, no deceit. He will expose every lie of the enemy if we will listen and obey.
In Ephesians 4, we are instructed, And do not bring sorrow to God’s Holy Spirit by the way you live. Remember, he has identified you as his own, guaranteeing that you will be saved on the day of redemption. Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior. ALL of it.
Prayer:
Father,
We submit our lives to the Authority of Christ. We choose to walk after the Spirit so we can walk in righteousness. Father, be our All in all. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen
Monday, September 1, 2014
* All of It
And they brought one. And he said to them, “Whose likeness and inscription is this?” They said to him, “Caesar's.” Jesus said to them, “Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's.” And they marveled at him.
Mark 12:16-17 ESV
Many are the discussions I have heard centered around this text - especially those who are passionate about taxes! However, that's not what leapt out at me on this verse today.
Jesus said to them, “Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's.” How did they know what belonged to Caesar - what they were to give to him? They knew by the likeness and inscription on the coin.
By the same token then, how do we know what is God's? Exodus 19:5, God speaks to us, Now if you will obey me and keep my covenant, you will be my own special treasure from among all the peoples on earth; for all the earth belongs to me. In 1st Samuel 2:8c, it reads, For all the earth is the Lord’s, and he has set the world in order.
Do we know? Is there an inscription? Yes, there is! In Hebrews 8:10, the writer reiterates the promise of God from the prophet Jeremiah, For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people...
A little further down in our text for today, vvs 29-30, Jesus said this is the greatest commandment, 'The Lord our God is the one and only Lord. And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength.’ With everything - ALL - that we are! Have we rendered ourselves to God? ALL of it?
Prayer:
Father,
We are guilty of holding back and rendering unto ourselves what belongs only to You. Forgive us, O God! We don't want our love for You and our service to and for You to be only partially given. We want to love You as You demand - with ALL our heart, all our soul, all our mind, and all our strength. Break off the blinders we have so willingly kept in place. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen
Mark 12:16-17 ESV
Many are the discussions I have heard centered around this text - especially those who are passionate about taxes! However, that's not what leapt out at me on this verse today.
Jesus said to them, “Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's.” How did they know what belonged to Caesar - what they were to give to him? They knew by the likeness and inscription on the coin.
By the same token then, how do we know what is God's? Exodus 19:5, God speaks to us, Now if you will obey me and keep my covenant, you will be my own special treasure from among all the peoples on earth; for all the earth belongs to me. In 1st Samuel 2:8c, it reads, For all the earth is the Lord’s, and he has set the world in order.
Do we know? Is there an inscription? Yes, there is! In Hebrews 8:10, the writer reiterates the promise of God from the prophet Jeremiah, For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people...
A little further down in our text for today, vvs 29-30, Jesus said this is the greatest commandment, 'The Lord our God is the one and only Lord. And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength.’ With everything - ALL - that we are! Have we rendered ourselves to God? ALL of it?
Prayer:
Father,
We are guilty of holding back and rendering unto ourselves what belongs only to You. Forgive us, O God! We don't want our love for You and our service to and for You to be only partially given. We want to love You as You demand - with ALL our heart, all our soul, all our mind, and all our strength. Break off the blinders we have so willingly kept in place. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen
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