Theme for this week: “It’s Your Time”
March 10, 2022 (Thursday)
World War II with Japan ended with unconditional surrender by Japan. Emperor Hirohito realized that his war lords were never going to agree with the United States’ demand, and so confessed to his people that he was not a god, agreeing to unconditional surrender. Many of us perhaps do not realize that unconditional surrender of ourselves is what the Lord wants from us. That means that we request no exceptions and lay down no conditions of a total surrender of ourselves to our Lord.
A favorite song in our country has long been, “Just a Closer Walk with Thee.” After many years, it is still a very popular song among Christians. But another song, not as well known to us, dates from the 1880s and is entitled, “None of Self and All of Thee.” (Sometimes just “All of Thee”). I have used the words of this song as a poem in sermons, not realizing until recently that it is a song. Our closer walk with the Lord should become total surrender of ourselves to Him.
Another great hymn says this: “All to Jesus I surrender, all to Him I freely give. I will ever love and trust Him, in His presence daily live.”
Another song comes to mind, this time a secular love song: “All or nothing at all, half a love never appealed to me..” I think that those words could also come from God to us.
Our goal in life as Christians is “Total Commitment.” Jesus said, “Take up your cross and follow me.”
NONE OF SELF AND ALL OF THEE
Words, Theodore Monod
Music, James McGranahan
1886
Oh, the bitter pain and sorrow
That a time could ever be,
When I proudly said to Jesus,
“All of self, and none of Thee.”
All of self, and none of Thee,
All of self, and none of Thee,
When I proudly said to Jesus,
“All of self, and none of Thee.”
Yet He found me; I beheld Him
Bleeding on th’ accursed tree,
And my wistful heart said faintly,
“Some of self, and some of Thee.”
Some of self, and some of Thee,
Some of self, and some of Thee,
And my wistful heart said faintly,
“Some of self, and some of Thee.”
Day by day His tender mercy,
Healing, helping, full and free,
Brought me lower while I whispered,
“Less of self, and more of Thee.”
Less of self, and more of Thee,
Less of self, and more or Thee,
Brought me lower while I whispered,
“Less of self, and more of Thee.”
Higher than the highest heaven,
Deeper than the deepest sea,
Lord, Thy love at last has conquered:
“None of self, and all of Thee.”
None of self, and all of Thee,
None of self, and all of Thee,
Lord, Thy love at last has conquered:
“None of self, and all of Thee.”
IT’S TIME FOR YOU
Monday-It’s Time For You To Be Saved.
2 Corinthians 6:2 “Now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation.”
Tuesday-It’s Time for You to Find Your Purpose
Jeremiah 29:11 “I have plans for you”
Wednesday-It’s Time for You to Serve The Lord
John 9:4 “Night is coming, when no one can work.
Thursday-It’s Time for You to Surrender to The Lord
Psalm 31:15 My times are in your hands
Friday-It’s Time for You to Wake Up
Romans 13:11 “The hour has already come for you to wake up”