“And from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace.” (John 1:16 ESV)

More of God?

Sometimes people say they want “more of God,” but in reality, they may be asking for what has already been given to them in Jesus. Scripture says, “For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily.” (Col. 2:9 ESV)

If you have received Jesus

Then you have received His fullness! Instead of asking for “more of God,” perhaps the better question is: how much more of yourself are you willing to surrender to Him?

As you yield more of your heart, time, and attention, and as you grow in your understanding of the Word, you'll begin to walk more fully in the reality of what He has already given you.

Know What You Have

“Having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints.” (Eph. 1:18 ESV)

Mature Through the Knowledge of Him
“And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.” (Eph. 4:11–13 ESV)

Therefore

“For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height—to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.” (Eph. 3:14–19 NASB)

“For we are God's fellow workers. You are God's field, God's building.” (1 Cor. 3:9 ESV)

If you had the opportunity to work closely with anyone in the world, who would you choose? A famous movie star? A world-class athlete? The president of the United States? Or perhaps the king or queen of a sovereign nation?

Now consider this

What if you had the privilege of working with God Himself? The truth is—you already do. You are God’s fellow worker! Look what the Bible says:

We Are His Workmanship

“For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” (Eph. 2:10 ESV)

An Approved and Unashamed Worker

“Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.” (2 Tim. 2:15 ESV)

Always Abound in God's Work

“Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.” (1 Cor. 15:58 ESV)

Therefore

“Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ.” (Col. 3:23–24 NLT)

“The LORD is my light and my salvation—whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life—of whom shall I be afraid?”
(Psalm 27:1 NIV)

FEAR: the feeling or condition of being afraid; the loss of courage in the presence or anticipation of danger; dread, fright, alarm, panic, terror, or trepidation.

Fear is a powerful weapon used by the enemy. But God calls us to stand firm, strong, and courageous in the face of fear—reminding us that He is always present to strengthen and uphold us. In fact, the command “Do not fear” appears 365 times in the Bible—one for each day of the year!

“Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” (Isaiah 41:10 ESV)

God has given us authority and power over fear:

“For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.” (2 Tim. 1:7 ESV)

We are not meant to carry fear on our own—God invites us to give it to Him:

“Casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.” (1 Peter 5:7 ESV)

Therefore

When fear arises, respond with faith and trust:

“When I am afraid, I put my trust in you. In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I shall not be afraid. What can flesh do to me? (Psalm 56:3–4 ESV)

Let the truth of God’s presence and promises be greater than your fear. He is with you—every day, in every situation.

“Addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart.” (Eph. 5:19 ESV)

Songs Stuck in Your Head

Have you ever had a song stuck in your head, with the same lines repeating over and over? I have—many times. Some researchers refer to this as a "brain itch," comparing it to a mosquito bite: the more you scratch it, the more it itches. When you hear a song, it stimulates a part of the brain known as the auditory cortex. According to research from Dartmouth University, when participants were played a portion of a familiar song, their auditory cortex filled in the rest—essentially, their brains continued “singing” long after the music stopped.

I personally believe God has given us this mental capacity for a greater purpose: so we can make melody in our hearts to the Lord, offering Him worship and praise (Eph. 5:19). We are the ones who choose which songs get stuck in our minds by what we allow ourselves to listen to. In many ways, our brains operate like computers—they are programmed by what we feed them. Whatever we take in through our ears becomes what our minds and hearts play back to us.

Sing with Your Mind

“What am I to do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will pray with my mind also; I will sing praise with my spirit, but I will sing with my mind also.” (1 Cor. 14:15 ESV)

Singing Praises with Your Soul

“My lips will shout for joy, when I sing praises to you; my soul also, which you have redeemed.” (Psalm 71:23 ESV)

God is Seeking Such People to Worship Him

“But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him.” (John 4:23 ESV)

Therefore

Let us be intentional about what we allow into our hearts and minds. By filling our lives with songs that glorify God, we allow worship to overflow in our thoughts, words, and actions—even when the music stops.

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

“Whoever conceals his transgressions will not prosper, but he who confesses and forsakes them will obtain mercy.” (Proverbs 28:13 ESV)

Everybody Stumbles

“For we all stumble in many ways. And if anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle his whole body.” (James 3:2 ESV)

Deal With It—Don’t Deny or Cover It Up

When you make a mistake, you can either deny it and try to cover it up, or you can acknowledge it for what it is and take appropriate steps to make it right. That may include repentance from sin, making restitution, and seeking forgiveness from those you have wronged—and most importantly, from God.

One biblical example is King David, who committed adultery and then tried to cover it up by having the woman's husband killed. But in Psalm 51, we see David’s genuine repentance:

“Have mercy on me, O God, because of your unfailing love. Because of your great compassion, blot out the stain of my sins. Wash me clean from my guilt. Purify me from my sin.” (Psalm 51:1–2 NLT)

Humble Yourself

“Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.” (1 Peter 5:6–7 ESV)

“Though he fall, he shall not be cast headlong, for the Lord upholds his hand.” (Psalm 37:24 ESV)

“But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.” (1 Peter 2:9 ESV)

Therefore

Don’t hide your failures—bring them into the light of God’s mercy. Confess, repent, and walk in humility. God's forgiveness is sure for those who turn to Him. No matter how badly you’ve stumbled, the Lord is able to restore you and use your life to proclaim His goodness.

“Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord” (Acts 3:19)

“If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.” ( 2 Chron. 7:14)

“If I just touch his clothes, I will be healed.” Immediately her bleeding stopped and she felt in her body that she was freed from her suffering.” (Mark 5:28–29 NIV)

The Substance of Things Hoped For and the Evidence of Things Not Seen

This is a remarkable story about a woman who, in desperation, reached out and touched Jesus’s clothes—fully expecting to be healed. By that courageous act of faith, she instantly received her healing. Jesus affirmed this by saying, “Daughter, your faith has healed you.”

Elsewhere in Scripture, we are given the definition of faith:

“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen.” (Heb. 11:1)

This woman demonstrated what true faith looks like in action—and it brought results.

A Woman in the Crowd with a Longtime Problem

“A large crowd followed and pressed around him. And a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years. She had suffered a great deal under the care of many doctors and had spent all she had, yet instead of getting better she grew worse.” (Mark 5:24–26 NIV)

“She Thought, ‘If I Just Touch His Clothes, I Will Be Healed’”

“When she heard about Jesus, she came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak, because she thought, ‘If I just touch his clothes, I will be healed.’ Immediately her bleeding stopped and she felt in her body that she was freed from her suffering.” (Mark 5:27–29 NIV)

“Who Touched My Clothes?”

“At once Jesus realized that power had gone out from him. He turned around in the crowd and asked, ‘Who touched my clothes?’ ‘You see the people crowding against you,’ his disciples answered, ‘and yet you can ask, “Who touched me?”’ But Jesus kept looking around to see who had done it.” (Mark 5:30–32 NIV)

“Daughter, Your Faith Has Healed You”

“Then the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came and fell at his feet and, trembling with fear, told him the whole truth. He said to her, ‘Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering.’” (Mark 5:33–34 NIV)

Faith is not passive—it takes action

This woman’s story shows us that when we reach out to Jesus with a believing heart, He responds with power and compassion. She didn’t let the crowd, her condition, or her fear stop her. Her faith moved her to act, and that made all the difference.

Therefore

Today, we may not touch Jesus' cloak physically, but we can still reach out to Him in prayer, trust, and obedience. Are there areas in your life where you need healing—physically, emotionally, or spiritually? Don’t let the crowd of doubt or fear keep you back. Come boldly, expecting that Jesus still sees, still knows, and still heals.

“And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.” (Heb. 11:6 NIV)

“For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.” (Rom. 8:13 ESV)

Every day we are faced with choices

We decide what to wear, what to eat, what music to listen to, what programs to watch on our devices, how to respond to online posts, and how we treat others. What determines our behavior is where we place our trust. It is either in God—with a desire to please Him—or in ourselves, seeking only self-gratification.

When you seek to please God, it is called “living according to the Spirit.” When you live to please only yourself, it’s called “living according to the flesh.” The Bible has much to say on this subject.

The “Flesh” Defined

“Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.” (Gal. 5:19–21 ESV)

Being Made Alive Together with Christ

“And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved.” (Eph. 2:1–5 ESV)

Walk by the Spirit

“But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.” (Gal. 5:16–18 ESV)

Therefore

Every choice we make reveals something about who or what we are living for. Are we feeding the flesh or walking in step with the Spirit? God, in His mercy and love, has given us new life through Christ so that we are no longer slaves to our old nature.

Therefore, let us be intentional in our daily decisions—choosing what honors God, reflects His character, and leads to life. When we live by the Spirit, we not only resist the pull of the flesh, but we also experience the freedom, peace, and purpose that comes from walking closely with our Savior.

"Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth." (Col. 3:2 ESV)

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At the funeral of a famous personality, his status and wealth were clearly represented in many ways—in the lavish flower arrangements on stands and draped over the expensive casket, the number and prominence of the guests in attendance, and finally, the massive stone already placed at the gravesite. As he was being lowered into the grave, someone whispered the question that was on many people’s minds: “How much did he leave behind?” Someone nearby gave the correct answer: “He left everything!”

It’s true—you cannot take it with you

Billy Graham once said in a sermon, “I’ve never seen a hearse pulling a U-Haul.” The fact is, everyone—rich or poor—will eventually die, and none of their earthly possessions will go with them. The only thing that truly matters, and will last, is what was done in obedience to God’s calling—the assignment (ministry) for which each person was created.

The Bible says we will all stand before God and give an account for how we lived our life on earth:

“For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.” (2 Cor. 5:10 ESV)

While You’re Still Alive

“I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom: preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching. For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths. As for you, always be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.” (2 Tim 4:1-5)

Therefore

“Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.” (2 Tim 2:15)

“But the steadfast love of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear him, and his righteousness to children's children,” (Psalm 103:17)

“The righteous who walks in his integrity—blessed are his children after him!” (Prov. 20:7)

“And he said to them, “Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.” (Luke 12:15 ESV)

We had accumulated so much stuff!

Susan and I have moved several times over the past fifty-plus years. The first two moves were into larger homes to accommodate our growing family. But as our children grew up and moved away, we found ourselves needing to downsize into smaller spaces.

What has amazed us most is the sheer amount of possessions we’ve managed to accumulate over the years. Our garage and storage sheds became full. Going through it all has been a chore—deciding what to keep and what to toss. A big part of the challenge is that so many of our things are tied to memories, and letting them go can feel like giving away a part of our past. It’s an emotional process.

However, looking at this with common sense—and having dealt with the estates of our own parents—we realize that if we don’t take care of our stuff now, our kids will have to later. So, we’re doing our best to view our possessions through a practical lens and address them accordingly.

Our conclusion

It’s okay to have possessions—but don’t let them have you. In other words, priorities must be in the right order. God must come first in your life. Look to Him alone as your provider, and when you put Him first, He will supply all that you need—including your possessions. (See Matthew 6:33)

Don’t put your hope in the uncertainty of riches

“As for the rich in this present age, charge them not to be haughty, nor to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy. They are to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, thus storing up treasure for themselves as a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is truly life.” (1 Tim. 6:17-19 ESV)

Treasures in heaven

“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” (Matt. 6:19-21 ESV)

“For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul?” (Matt. 16:26 ESV)

Therefore

“Honor the Lord with your wealth and with the firstfruits of all your produce; then your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will be bursting with wine.” (Prov. 3:9-10 ESV)