Welcome to another day the Lord has made that we should rejoice and be glad in. (Psalms 118:24)

Today, let’s end the week examining our dependence on Jesus.

In today’s first scripture, John 15:5 (NLT), Jesus declared…
“Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing.

And in the second scripture, Philippians 4:13 (KJV), the Apostle Paul declared…
I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.

Consider…
Jesus is an all-or-nothing proposition.

Oxford Languages defines all-or-nothing as having no middle position or compromise available.

Yesterday we praised God for His grace. However, the Holy Spirit also inspired the Apostle Paul to write…
Well then, should we keep on sinning so that God can show us more and more of his wonderful grace? Of course not! Since we have died to sin, how can we continue to live in it? Or have you forgotten that when we were joined with Christ Jesus in baptism, we joined him in his death? – Romans 6:1‭-‬3 NLT

While God’s grace covers our weaknesses, it’s not a free pass to continue the same old life of sin, after claiming to have accepted Jesus.

In fact, 2 Corinthians 5:17 (KJV) unequivocally states…
Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

And Ephesians 4:21‭-‬24 (NLT) doubles down on the 180 degree change expected of those who truly know Jesus. It exhorts…
Since you have heard about Jesus and have learned the truth that comes from him, throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception. Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes. Put on your new nature, created to be like God—truly righteous and holy.

There is no middle ground with God. We’re either all-in or completely out. Don’t agree? James 4:4 (NLT) admonishes…
You adulterers! Don’t you realize that friendship with the world makes you an enemy of God? I say it again: If you want to be a friend of the world, you make yourself an enemy of God.

All of the scriptures referenced thus far should leave no doubt that God is an all-or-nothing God. But if you still aren’t convinced, I will let His words speak for Him…
“You must not have any other god but me. “You must not make for yourself an idol of any kind, or an image of anything in the heavens or on the earth or in the sea. You must not bow down to them or worship them, for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God who will not tolerate your affection for any other gods. I lay the sins of the parents upon their children; the entire family is affected—even children in the third and fourth generations of those who reject me. But I lavish unfailing love for a thousand generations on those who love me and obey my commands. – Deuteronomy 5:7‭-‬10 NLT

Notice the Holy Spirit inspired Moses to transcribe…
I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God who will not tolerate your affection for any other gods.

Reading that revealed another key fact about God’s grace, it covers sin, but it doesn’t tolerate it. Indeed Grace saved us from the penalty of sin, but it didn’t sanction us to continue in it.

Today’s scriptures frame the all-or-nothing life with God. In the first scripture, Jesus said without Him we can do nothing. That’s because there’s no access to God the Father other than through Jesus the Son. (John 14:6) And 2 Corinthians 5:21 (NLT) explains…
For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ.

Simply put, without Christ we’re just wrong. Which also means we can’t do anything right without Him.

Today’s second scripture (Philippians 4:13) is a testimonial I hear lots of Christians quote. But, do they truly understand the context in which it was written. In the preceding verses, the Apostle Paul who had a rollercoaster life wrote…
Not that I was ever in need, for I have learned how to be content with whatever I have. I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little. – Philippians 4:11‭-‬12 NLT

When Paul says I can do all things, he’s saying I am good in every situation because Christ’s power is flowing through me. Nothing can ever deter me from living Christ-like because Christ lives in me. To be full of Christ means to operate with His mentality and spirituality in every situation. Paul explained it this way in Galatians 2:20 (NLT)… My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

Paul’s Christ-is-everything attitude is shared in Philippians 3:8 (NLT)…
Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ

That just made me hear…

God is
My protection
God is
My all and all
God is
My light in darkness, oh
God, God is, He
He is my all and all

God is
My joy in the time of sorrow
God, God is
My all and all
God is
My today and my tomorrow
God my God is
My all and all

God is the joy and the strength of my life
(God is) He removes all pain misery and strife
(God is) He promised to keep me
Never to leave me
He’ll never ever come short of His word
(God is) I’ve got to fast and pray
Stay in this narrow way
(God is) Keep my life clean every day
(God is) I want to go with Him when He comes back
I’ve come to far
And I’ll never turn back

God is
God is
God is
God is
God is my all and all

That about sums it up.

Jesus is my all and all, because without Him I can’t do anything right.

If you need or want more than Christ, you don’t want Him at all.

Either Jesus is Lord of your life, or you need to reevaluate if you truly have a relationship with Him.

Jesus wants to be your all, and He won’t settle for anything less.

Today’s song is…
All I Need Is You

Blessings 4HG (1 Corinthians 10:31)