I’ve got this word on my heart and I’m not sure what to do with it. It’s a word for the mature believer. I am aware that maybe not everyone reading this even knows Jesus. But I must also trust and obey and my pen must yield. So take my words, I know they are strong, and sift them with the grace of the Cross where Jesus stained the ground red and bled and died for both you and me.

This is a challenging word, but I believe it is thick with ripeness for a ready heart... here it is:

“Just give me Jesus”...

You hear people say it...”Just give me Jesus”. Like a declaration that He is all we need.
It is a frequent lyric theme in songs...but I’m kind of wondering....

Really?

I mean, if Jesus came knocking on your front door and said, “Time to go. Leave. I will take your house, your job, your car, your everything and the shirt off of your back as well. But you can keep all the love in your heart for me and then just trust me to feed you and provide for you.”

Would you do it without hesitation?

Or maybe you’d be spending overtime “checking the spirit”.

I’m thinking I would struggle on deep levels with that request—and my testimony is one that bears a lot of obedient sacrifice and giving up of a whole lot. A WHOLE LOT! Houses (more than one), jobs (more than one), cars (more than one), money (much more than $1, lol, gotta keep it a little light). I have discounted as loss my reputation and comfort to wrap myself up in His reputation and comfort. I literally have personal experience with being down to nothing because of obedience not poor choices. All to say, I am speaking to myself just as much as you.

And what did all of that sacrifice get me?

•COMPASSION for those in situations I had never experienced before.

•LOVE for the broken hearted.

•EMPATHY for the heart and feelings of others to deeper levels than I had previously known.

•TRUST in a phenomenal God who blessed beyond blessed me with intimate friendship and a lot of wisdom about timing.

Through all the suffering and growing came a knowing that God would use it all to build a warrior in me and equip me to use my Voice for Him.

I remember sitting on the side of the road with gang members to my left flashing their colors and a smashed car, my smashed car, that had been robbed of most valued possession inside. I felt nauseated and disappointed and I asked God quietly, “Why?” I’m only sharing part of the story because so much more heartache was happening in my life at that time. It felt like I couldn’t sink any lower. Then I heard an answer that was louder and stronger and bolder than my question in the depth of my soul...

”I want to use your Voice.”

And despite stories like these, I STILL know it would be hard to give it all to Him. I know it is hard to give it all to Him.

God may never ask you to do any of those things. But what if they are taken from you? Are your priorities in such a place that you could survive the deepest of heartache and loss? Is your faith ready? Is your faith resilient? Is your faith on fire or merely luke warm? God wants all of you. And He wants you to hold loosely every possession and person, too. Yes, even people. They are not ours—they are His.

I’m not looking for an answer—just something to ponder.

“All of Me”

What does loving God with “All of Me” mean anyway? I sing that song by John Legend straight to the heart of God every time I hear it.

Am I giving all of me?  Because He sure did.

He is not coming back for a somewhat interested Bride.
He’s coming back for one flaming with passion for His Cross.

Could you imagine marrying someone who was only “somewhat” interested in you?

He’s coming for a Bride willing to put some stuff down and willing to pick some stuff up.

I hope and pray—
He is coming for you.💗

~Nicole