LIFE

SONPOWER 2009
DEVOTIONS
Written by SonPower Leaders and Staff
 “Life”
Bill Coen, First Baptist Church, Statesboro, Georgia

HERE’S TO LIFE!

Abundant! Not a word most teenagers use. No, it doesn’t mean someone poked his finger in
your cinnamon roll at breakfast this morning: a-bun-dent.

It is a word that sounds old, but it is really a contemporary word. It means “more than adequate,
more than sufficient, well-supplied, overflowing.”

Think about it this way: An abundance of pizza, an abundance of gas for your car, an abundance
of iTunes gift cards, or an abundance of good grades. Jesus used the word in John 10:10, but He
wasn’t talking about pizza, gas, or tunes. Take a second and read it from your Bible.

Here’s the coolest thing about the word abundant. Jesus said, “I’ve come that you might have
abundant LIFE.” By that He means real, eternal LIFE, more life and better life than you could
have ever dreamed of, not only LIFE after you are dead, but a great LIFE while you are still
vertical. Who in their right mind wouldn’t want that kind of LIFE?

The truth is, abundant life shows up throughout the Bible. The word life shows up over 450
times, and that’s not counting the words living or lifetime. God must be trying to tell us
something. He put us here to enjoy LIFE.

Read John 1:3-4. What God created was LIFE, and the LIFE was a light to live by. Light-LIFE
blazed out of darkness, and the darkness couldn’t put it out. That certainly would qualify as
abundant life. All LIFE was and is HIS idea.

In John 6:32-37, Jesus said, “‘I am the bread of life.’” If we consume a sandwich, that bread
is in us. If we consume a lot of bread, it shows on us. We’ll have an abundant waistline, and
it could affect our vertical status.

On the other hand, if we “consume” Jesus into our lives, His life is in us. All that He has is in
us and is ours. It will really show on us, and we’ll be vertical forever.

In John 4, Jesus explains it another way. He met a lady while she was drawing water from a well.
She was a very troubled woman who had a bad past and a bad present. Her life was down the
well.

Jesus looked past her present condition and offered her LIVING WATER, meaning if she would
drink of the LIVING WATER He offered to her, she could receive that abundant, everlasting,
overflowing LIFE we’ve been talking about. Jesus said, “If you drink of ME, you will have
LIFE.”
Everything that exists—trees, water, bread, stars, mountains, sky, moms, dads, bratty little
brothers or bossy big sisters, you, and me—testifies of the LIFE Christ has for us. If you are
happy and strong, He gives LIFE! If you are sad, He gives LIFE! If you are weak, He gives
LIFE! Wherever you find yourself, Jesus gives LIFE!

What are you waiting for? Eat, drink, and consume that fantastic LIFE that is only found by
letting Jesus into yours.

HERE’S TO LIFE!
 “God of Our Yesterdays”
Matt Plunk, First Baptist Church, Springfield, Tennessee

What if your parents saw EVERYTHING you do? What if they heard EVERYTHING you say?
What if your best friend saw EVERYTHING you do? What if he or she heard EVERYTHING
you say? Would you be afraid of what they might think about some of your actions and words?
Would you change your behavior in any way? Psalm 139:1-4 reminds us that God is with us
every moment of every day AND every night!

“O LORD, you have searched me and you know me.

You know when I sit and when I rise;
you perceive my thoughts from afar.
You discern my going out and my lying down;
you are familiar with all my ways.
Before a word is on my tongue
you know it completely, O LORD” (vv. 1-4).1
I’m afraid that, for many of us, this may conjure up the image of a God who is waiting to slap
us down and punish us immediately for anything we do wrong—any mistake. But God’s watch
care over us is something to be cherished and not feared. Think about it this way: When you
find yourself in a dangerous situation, do you want to be there all alone? Have you ever been
exhausted or had a cramp while swimming? You probably longed for a lifeguard or friend to
come save you. Have you ever been in a situation where a fight was about to break out, and you
were afraid for your safety? The presence of a loving father or friend who is able to step in and
provide protection would be a great relief! Psalm 139 continues:

“You hem me in—behind and before;

you have laid your hand upon me.
Such knowledge is too wonderful for me,
too lofty for me to attain” (vv. 5-6).

God provides protection for us in every danger. He provides a way through the greatest
challenges and darkest nights. God loves us more than we can imagine. His hopes, His
dreams, His desire for us is that we do good! God looks on our every thought, our every
decision, hoping that we’ll make the right choice. Here’s the amazing thing: HE LOVES
US WHETHER WE CHOOSE WISELY or POORLY!

1
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version, copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984
by International Bible Society.
Read the words of “God of Our Yesterdays” found in your music book. This song helps us to
remember that God is for us.

Now read the rest of Psalm 139. You will be encouraged to know that God is with you ALL
THE TIME and EVERYWHERE! He is your Protector, your Savior, your Strength, and your
Peace in every circumstance. When you get to verses 14 and 17, you will find that the psalmist
who wrote these words thousands of years ago breaks into a song of praise, just like we do today.
He writes:

“I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;

your works are wonderful” (v. 14).

“How precious to me are your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them!”
(v. 17).
 “Sing, Sing, Sing”
Joshua Duke, First Baptist Church, Montgomery, Alabama

Imagine you are at a game of your favorite football team, and the opposing team is a big
rival. You arrive several hours before the game to eat and have fun with friends. Once the
game begins, you are completely focused on the field. In the last quarter, the pass is caught,
and the quarterback runs for a touchdown! You and your friends are on your feet, screaming
and shouting for your team. The game goes into overtime, and a field goal is the only thing
standing between winning and losing. Everyone is standing, anticipating the final kick.
THE KICK IS GOOD! Your team won!

Let’s apply this illustration to our relationship with Christ. Focus for a moment on
Psalm 96:1-4, which says:

“Sing to the LORD a new song;

sing to the LORD, all the earth.
Sing to the LORD, praise his name;
proclaim his salvation day after day.
Declare his glory among the nations,
his marvelous deeds among all peoples.
For great is the LORD and most worthy of praise.”1

This Scripture says we are to sing to the Lord with joy in our heart—a new song. The chorus
of “Sing, Sing, Sing” says, “We will sing, sing, sing, grateful that You hear us when we shout
Your praise, lift high the name of Jesus.”2

Back to the football illustration, here are several things to consider:

1) Like tailgating before the game, we should prepare our hearts before we sing to the Lord.
2) During the game, everyone is standing and shouting, rooting for their team. We should
sing to the Lord with a grateful heart and lift high the name of Jesus. If we think about
God’s love for us, there is no response but praise and surrender. We now live our life for
Him and Him alone.
3) Lastly, if your team wins, you tell your friends, family, and even strangers. We are to
tell the world about God’s love and always be on mission for Him.

Next time you are at a football game, think about the excitement around you. We should be
even more excited about worshiping the Savior of the world! Pray that God will help you
focus your heart on Him and His love through Christ.

1
Scripture quotation is taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version,
copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society.
2
Words by Daniel Carson, Matt Gilder, Travis Nunn, Jesse Reeves, and Chris Tomlin.
© Copyright 2008 worshiptogether.com Songs/sixsteps Music/Vamos Publishing (all admin.
by EMI CMG Publishing)/Ryan House Music (admin. by Music Services). All rights reserved.
Used by permission.
 “The Blessing”
Lindsey Bloodworth, First Baptist Church, Quitman, Texas

“May the sun shine warm upon your face. And rains fall soft upon your fields.
And until we meet again, May God hold you in the hollow of His hand.”

Do any of these words remind you of anything: Terviseks, Yimarih/Yimarish,

Terveydeksi, à vos souhaits, à vos amours, Santé? Did you get it? “Not a clue,”
you say. How about, Gesundheit, jitses, geészségedre!, Guð hjálpi þér? If you
are still stumped, these should do it for you,

, , and .

Pretty silly, wasn’t it? These are all blessings. Some are blessings for good health;
some are blessings for good fortune and wealth. In earlier times, some people believed
that evil spirits entered the body through the mouth during a sneeze. So “bless you”
became a standard statement of protection spoken to a loved one.

In Deuteronomy 28, God blesses Abraham and his people. In Matthew 5, Jesus begins
His mountainside sermon with wonderful blessings. In fact, the Bible is full of God’s
promises, leadership, and encouragement in the form of blessings.

In “The Blessing,” we are encouraged to stand DAILY for Him. As Christians, we are
such a blessed people. God has given us new life and freedom through the sacrifice of
His Son, Jesus Christ. This “blessing” is free to all. All we need to do is accept and
receive His blessing. The choice is ours. The blessing is His.

Read Deuteronomy 28:1-13, and list the blessings that God gives His people.

In Matthew 5:3-11, Jesus lists nine blessings. What are they?

In Romans 4:7, what is forgiven? ________________

Why? _____________________
Luke 11:28 tells us to ________ and __________ the Word of God.

Finally, as the hymn states:

“While passing through this world of sin,

And others your life shall view,
Be clean and pure without, within,
Let others see Jesus in you.”1

Your life is a book before their eyes. They are reading it through and through. Does it
point them to the skies? Do others see Jesus in you? Let it be said of us we shared His
blessing well. Gesundheit!

1
B. B. McKinney, “Let Others See Jesus in You.” © Copyright 1924. Renewed 1952 Broadman Press (SESAC)
(admin. by LifeWay Worship). All rights reserved.
 “The Motions”
Randall Crawford, Kernan Boulevard Baptist Church, Jacksonville, Florida

Second Timothy 3:15 says: “from infancy you have known the holy Scriptures, which
are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.”1

Many Christians have someone they look up to, or someone who was instrumental in
their coming to faith in Jesus Christ. It could be a parent, a grandparent, a Sunday School
or Bible study teacher, a coworker, or a friend. It could be a stranger that Christ placed in
your pathway who asked you the most important question you could be asked: Do you
have a personal relationship with Christ? Then they led you, right there, in a prayer
that would change your life forever.

Do you remember that moment? Do you remember that first love? I’m not talking about
that first boyfriend or girlfriend that you fell head over heels for and thought that’s the
one I’m going to spend my life with forever. I’m talking about that First Love that loved
you so much He was willing to leave heaven’s throne and be born of a virgin named
Mary and a carpenter named Joseph. That First Love who was mocked, laughed at,
falsely accused, beaten and bruised beyond recognition, spat upon, cursed, and nailed
to a cross. And in spite of everything, He could look down from the cross at His accusers
and say, “Father, forgive them for they know not what they do.” That First Love who
could have called ten thousand angels to rescue Him from the agony and pain of the
cross. That’s FIRST LOVE…THAT’S TRUE LOVE.

It is no accident that you are reading this devotion. Maybe you are that Timothy
who was brought up in a Christian home, is well educated in the Scriptures, has a
vast knowledge of who Jesus is and what He has done for you, and has been to church
every time the doors were open since your birth. Personally speaking, by the time I
was 18, I had heard 2,700 sermons or Bible studies.

Or maybe you are not a Timothy, and your upbringing was totally the opposite of his.
The name Jesus was never mentioned in your home; the Bible was a foreign book to you.
You never heard John 3:16 or the song “Jesus Loves Me.” Regardless of whether you are
a Timothy or not, it is WHAT YOU HAVE DONE with your relationship with Christ
since you accepted Him as your Lord and Savior…since He became your First Love.

Read the words of the song “The Motions.” They say it all.

This can be a new day for you, a time of recommitment. As Paul says in Philippians
3:13-14: “Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do,
forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which
are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ
Jesus” (KJV).

1
Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New International
Version, copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society.
First you have to admit that you are going through the motions. Go back to your First
Love, Jesus Christ. Quit going through the motions. You know what I mean: the ritual
of going to church, the ritual of going to Bible study, the ritual of reading the Bible and
praying because “that’s what a Christian is supposed to do.” Remember how it was
when He became your First Love? Remember how you wished that you could hold that
moment forever? Remember how it was when you couldn’t wait to sit down and read
His Word and spend time with Him in prayer instead of going through the entire day,
forgetting that quiet time with Him, realizing you forgot, reading a verse to say you
read your Bible, praying a prayer, and falling to sleep in the middle of it. We have
ALL been there.

Even though we are forgiven, we still have that sin nature, and Satan will do
EVERYTHING in his power to draw you away from your relationship with Christ.
The ONLY way you can stay close to Him is to go back to the beginning of the
relationship when you surrendered your ALL to Him, to set aside QUALITY time
to read His Word and spend time with Him in prayer, to go to church and Bible study
with ANTICIPATION and the EXCITEMENT of praising Him and learning more
about Him. Put Him FIRST. Put Him before your cell phone, texting, Facebook, friends.
Remember: HE GAVE HIS LIFE FOR YOU. Decide today to quit going through
the motions.

If you want to commit to God that you will quit going through the motions,
print out the commitment below, fill in the blanks, and put it in your Bible.

Today [date]__________________________, I [your name]__________________am

going to quit going through the motions. I am going back to that moment when I invited
Christ into my heart to be Lord of my life. I am going to set aside quality time to read
His Word and talk with Him DAILY.

I promise that if your fire is almost out, it will ignite to a brighter burning flame if
you seek HIM. Remember: He never left you; you left Him. He’s waiting right now.

If you are reading this and want that First Love, you can have Him right now.
All you have to do is:
A: Admit that you’re a sinner. We all are.
B: Believe that Jesus Christ died on the cross for your sins, was buried in a tomb, rose
on the third day, and is coming back for those who have trusted Him as their Savior.
C: Confess in a prayer, asking Him to forgive you of your sins, come into your heart,
and become Lord of your life.

Pray this prayer right now:

Father, I know that I am a sinner. I know that Jesus died on the cross for my sins.
I know that He was buried and rose from the grave and is coming back one day.
Please forgive me of my sins and come into my heart and become Lord of my life.
In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Praise God if you prayed that prayer. You are now part of the family of God. Please
tell your leader and tell others of the most important decision you could ever make.
 “Today Is the Day”
Jason Hoffman, First Baptist Church, Rusk, Texas

My grandfather was a giant of a man. The few memories I have of him are full of
laughter and joy. His hands were huge and would reach all the way around me when
he tickled me. The sound of him blowing his nose was like a trumpet blast. Riding to
town in the pick-up with him was the best treat.

I specifically remember his hands. Their size made it impossible for me to hold his,
but it was easy for him to hold mine. Walking along between his house and mine, he
would hold my hand, and I would marvel at how tiny mine looked in his.

The line from verse one of “Today Is the Day” states:

“I’m setting my heart and mind on You, Jesus.

I’m reaching my hand to Yours.”1

Singing that line causes me to think about my grandfather. I have always been proud that
he was my PawPaw. Putting my hands into the nail-pierced hands of our Savior fills me
with comfort and peace, knowing how capable those hands are.

Read Psalm 25. In verses 4-5, David declares his relationship to God: “You are God my
Savior, and my hope is in you.”2 In verse 7 he says, “According to your love remember
me.” Use this space to record the phrases from Psalm 25 that describe why we can put
our hope in God.

As you pray, thank God for being faithful and for being big enough to handle anything
that comes your way. Declare your desire to walk in His path.

1
Words by Paul Baloche and Lincoln Brewster.
© Copyright 2008 Integrity’s Hosanna! Music (ASCAP)/Integrity’s Praise! Music (BMI)/LeadWorship Songs (ASCAP)
(all admin. by Integrity Media, Inc., 1000 Cody Road, Mobile, AL 36695). All rights reserved. Used by permission.
2
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version, copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by
International Bible Society.
 “You Reign”
David Harbison, Grace Baptist Church, Nashville, Tennessee

The idea of someone reigning over us escapes our thought pattern these days. What
does it mean to reign? Well, Webster’s Dictionary defines it as “royal authority”
or “the dominion, sway, or influence of one resembling a monarch or king.”

In England there is an order of rank and authority beginning with the King or Queen
and the royal family, followed by archbishops, lords, dukes, marquises, earls, viscounts,
barons, and knights. These are then followed by, of course, the common people. And
you thought just obeying your parents was tough!

Thankfully, in the United States we don’t have to submit to such hierarchy. But there is
one King and Lord to whom we should submit—Jesus. In addition, did you know that
one day “At the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under
the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the
Father” (Philippians 2:10-11).1

The question is then: When will you bow? Now or later? When will you allow Jesus
to be your Lord, King, Boss—Savior?

This song, by Steven Curtis Chapman and MercyMe, speaks of God’s being on His
throne even before time began as we know it. He has always been and will always
be on His throne. He rules!

Do you know that there is a throne in each of our lives? Until Jesus Christ comes into
our lives, our self, or ego, is on the throne. In this self-directed or self-centered life,
we direct all of our interests, which often leads to confusion and frustration.

But, when Jesus comes in, He wants to assume His place of authority on His throne.
We must step down and surrender the authority of our lives to Him. When Christ
becomes the controller of our lives, He becomes Lord of every activity, and that
results in purpose and harmony with His plan. Read 2 Corinthians 5:17.

So the second question is: Which king is reigning on your throne? You or Jesus?
You can’t serve both Jesus and yourself, for someone will be neglected. If we are
truthful, Jesus is the One who gets the backseat most of the time. When we serve
Him wholeheartedly, He takes care of the rest of our lives. Jesus told us that He
came to give us life and for us to have it in all its fullness. See John 10:10.

1
Scripture quotation is taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version, copyright © 1973,
1978, 1984 by International Bible Society.
If another “king” is on your life’s throne, he is taking the place of Jesus. Remove
him, put Jesus on the throne, and see your life begin to change. It’s time to put things
in order. When Jesus is on the throne of your heart, He will control your life, and
you will live in harmony with Him.
 “O Mighty Warrior”
Paul Marth, Pleasant Garden Baptist Church, Pleasant Garden, North Carolina

If you were asked to describe the character of God, I suspect Mighty Warrior would
not be the first words from your lips. Rather, you would probably use words like Love,
Holy, Creator, and Judge. While all of these words are accurate descriptions, the Bible
frequently uses military terms to describe God and to give us a different picture or side
of God. In fact, the book of Revelation almost exclusively describes God as a Conqueror,
Victor, Commander in chief, and certainly as a Mighty Warrior. Look at the words to
the song “O Mighty Warrior” and notice the different military terms and images:
“Warrior,” “conquering Savior,” “sword,” “shield,” and “tower.” The Bible, particularly
the Old Testament, is full of accounts of military battles. The word sword is used over
400 times in the Bible.

So what does the song “O Mighty Warrior” tell us about God? Let’s break out some
of the military terms used in the song.

Sword—In addition to being a weapon of war, the term sword is used in Scripture to
symbolize God’s Word. Hebrews 4:12 says it this way: “For the word of God is living
and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword” (NIV).1 Ephesians 6:17 refers to
“the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God” (NIV). So when our song says
“Your Word is a sword, dividing the truth,”2 it means that God’s Word is like a sword,
cutting away things that are false and showing us the truth. We live in a world that
teaches there is no longer any absolute right or wrong. Everything depends on the
“situation.” This teaching is contrary to Scripture, which says, “You shall” and “You
shall not.” God’s Word, the sword, cuts through our excuses for justifying wrong.

Conqueror—The word conquer appears more in the book of Revelation than in the rest
of the Bible. That is not surprising since Revelation is the story of the final battles of
history, both spiritual and physical. The dictionary definitions of the word include “one
who wins by overcoming obstacles or opposition” or “one who overcomes by mental or
moral power.” That is a great description. In Revelation 12, a great battle is described
involving the dragon (Satan) and his angels. The forces of heaven win this battle. How
is it won? Verse 11 says, “They conquered him [Satan] by the blood of the Lamb and
by the word of their testimony” (HCSB®).3 We can’t win the spiritual battles we face
daily by our own authority or power. It is only by the blood of Jesus and His moral
authority that we have power to conquer the spiritual battles we face daily. How is
YOUR testimony? Is it clear to those you come in contact with that the blood of
Jesus is making a difference in your life?

1
Scripture quotations marked NIV are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version,
copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society.
2
Words by Dennis and Nan Allen. © Copyright 2009 Van Ness Press, Inc. (ASCAP)
(admin. by LifeWay Worship). All rights reserved.
3
Scripture quotations marked HCSB® are taken from the Holman Christian Standard Bible®,
copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission.
Shield—The word shield in the Old Testament is a symbol of God’s protection.
The shield was an extremely important piece of a soldier’s armor during biblical
times. It was used to deflect arrows and blows from a sword. In many verses of
Scripture, God promises to be our shield and our protection. As early as Genesis 15:1,
God says, “Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield” (HCSB®). In Psalms there are
several references to God being a shield. Psalm 33:20 says, “We wait in hope for the
LORD; he is our help and our shield” (NIV). Psalm 3:3 says, “But You, LORD, are a
shield around me” (HCSB®). Psalm 84:11 says, “For the LORD God is a sun and shield”
(HCSB®). One of my favorite expressions of the word shield appears in Proverbs 30:5:
“Every word of God is pure; He is a shield to those who take refuge in Him” (HCSB®).
Aren’t you grateful that God desires to protect us against the “arrows” that come at us
daily? But to receive that protection we must be holding up the “shield”! In the New
Testament, faith is compared to a shield. Ephesians 6:16 says, “In every situation take
the shield of faith” (HCSB®). It is only when we put our faith and trust in God that we
can be fully protected.

Tower—In biblical times, towers were very important for protection of cities. Major
cities were surrounded by thick walls with gates that could be shut during times of
invasion. For example, the wall that Nehemiah rebuilt around Jerusalem was nine feet
thick! Built within the wall were towers where watchmen could look out over the
countryside to detect invading forces. In some cases, the townspeople would actually
flee to the tower and lock themselves in it for protection (Judges 9:51). Proverbs 18:10
says, “The name of the LORD is a strong tower; the righteous run to it and are protected”
(HCSB®). Psalm 61:3 says, “For you have been my refuge, a strong tower against the
foe” (NIV). An old hymn puts it this way: “A mighty fortress is our God, a bulwark
[solid defensive structure] never failing.”4 God is our Rock. As our song reminds us,
He is our Strength.

In an unstable world, it’s great to know we have a Mighty Warrior who is willing to
fight the battles of life for us and lead us to victory. But as the end of the song reminds
us, God can only do that after we invite Him to reign in our lives. If you have never
invited the conquering Savior to be the Lord of your life, He is patiently waiting for that
invitation. If you have invited Him in, He wants to reign in your life every hour of every
day. Invite Him to do that now.

4
From “A Mighty Fortress Is Our God,” words by Martin Luther; translated by Frederick H. Hedge.
 “Jesus, Messiah”
Ryan Shipp, First Baptist Church, Inverness, Florida

Growing up on the beaches of Northwest Florida allowed me and my church youth

group countless opportunities to enjoy days roasting in the sun. However, there was
one particular venture to the beach that I will probably never forget.

It was quite possibly the most daring rescue ever attempted (at least it was in my
14-year-old mind). Two friends of mine were floating out in the Gulf of Mexico
on a little inflatable raft. Suddenly, they found themselves sucked further away
from shore in a pretty powerful riptide. We all watched helplessly as they drifted
further and further toward Cuba. Out of the blue, our youth pastor dashed into the
water, swam out to the raft, got the guys out of the riptide, and began to paddle
them back to shore.

OK, so perhaps it isn’t the most daring rescue of all time. That award would certainly
have to go to “Jesus, Messiah.” I love the line in the song that states that He is “the
rescue for sinners.”1

Read Isaiah 50:2. What does it mean for God to ransom us? Or for Him to rescue us?
What are some things in your life that Jesus has rescued you from?

Put yourself on that raft. Think about your life…drifting further and further into the
ocean of godlessness and selfishness. Then, out of the blue, Jesus steps in and offers
us rescue.

How did He do it?—by becoming sin for us, by taking our place.

Read Romans 8:1-3. Those of us in Christ have been set free! Give God thanks today
for setting you free through “Jesus, Messiah”!

1
Words by Daniel Carson, Ed Cash, Jesse Reeves, and Chris Tomlin. © Copyright 2008 Vamos
Publishing/worshiptogether.com Songs/sixsteps Music (all admin. by EMI CMG Publishing)/
Alletrop Music (BMI) (admin. by Music Services). All rights reserved. Used by permission.
 “Come to Me”
Celia Powers, LifeWay Worship

Read Matthew 11:28-30.

Have you ever felt so tired that you were sure you could not take one more step, catch
your breath, or handle any more drama in your life? Are you discouraged in your walk
with Christ? Maybe you are struggling in a particular class or you have a parent that is
ill. Do you have a classmate or friend that constantly rejects your invitations to church?
Jesus wants us to lay down ALL of our burdens at His feet.

In Matthew 11:28, God does not say, “Come to Me, after you have taken care of your
burdens and trials yourself, and I will give you rest.” He says, “Come to me, all you
who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”1 We find our rest and a peace
in Christ that we cannot find any other place. That is the gift we receive when we submit
to His authority and learn from His humble and gentle spirit. Hebrews 12:3 tells us to
“Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow
weary and lose heart.” Just think: We can tap into the strength of the same Jesus that
conquered death and rose victorious! How powerful does that make you feel?

One of my favorite passages of hope and encouragement is found in Isaiah 40:28-31.

It is a great reminder of the strength we have in our Savior. Read the passage aloud
and fill in the blanks below.

“He gives ________ to the weary and increases the ________ of the weak.” (v. 29)

“But those who ________ in the LORD will renew their ________.” (v. 31)

Go a step further and commit these to memory. When you are faced with a seemingly
impossible situation, cling to these promises for renewed strength.

As you sing this song, imagine the Father singing these very words over you. What
burdens or hardships in your life come to mind? Will you lay them at His feet instead
of letting them weigh you down? Now think about Jesus singing these words over every
person who crosses your path. Are you showing them the way to Jesus and His rest?
Many of you will participate in mission projects throughout your week at SonPower.
Start praying now for ways you can tap into His perfect strength and encourage those
around you. We can use the power we have received from Christ and praise His name
to those we meet.

1
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version, copyright © 1973, 1978,
1984 by International Bible Society.
 “Before You”
Jeremy Johnson, Exclusive Songwriter, LifeWay Worship, Nashville, Tennessee

One of my favorite hymns is “Just As I Am.” I remember growing up in church and

hearing this song played at the end of almost every service. The message is so simple:
“Just as I am…O Lamb of God, I come! I come!”1 This is such a simple statement,
but sometimes so difficult to get our heads around.

If you’re like me, you find it extremely hard to come before God when your life isn’t
in order. I feel so guilty sometimes approaching Him with all of my “stuff.” There is
a part of me that wants to fix the broken things in my life on my own before I bring
them to God. I want to sort out all of the issues I’m dealing with so it’s not so painful
to face Him. Let’s be honest: It is embarrassing to admit to God how far away from
Him we have strayed.

But the beautiful thing about God’s grace, and what we often forget, is that it is designed
for the broken. Throughout the Bible, God spoke to many people at their time of greatest
desperation. Since God never changes, we must assume that He deals with us the same
way. It is in these times that we feel completely unworthy to even call out to God that
He reminds us that He loves us and cares about us.

“All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy
rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away. Yet, O
LORD, you are our Father. We are the clay, you are the potter; we are all the work of
your hand” (Isaiah 64:6,8).2

The song “Before You” was written as a prayer, a modern interpretation of “Just As
I Am.” The message of the song is a reminder that we need to come before God for
EVERYTHING: mercy, refuge, freedom, life. It also reminds us that there should be
NOTHING that stands in the way of seeking Him. God is our safe place. If we cannot
go to Him with our most painful situations, who can we turn to?

He is there. He is listening. All we have to do is talk to Him.

1
Words by Charlotte Elliott
2
Scripture quotation is taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version, copyright © 1973, 1978,
1984 by International Bible Society.
 “Tell Me”
Angela Cook, Beaver Dam Baptist Church, Knoxville, Tennessee

When was the last time you could not WAIT to tell a story to one of your friends?
Maybe it was about something that happened at school, or maybe it was about a
person (friend or enemy). You were absolutely busting at the seams! In this
electronic age, we can get our news out fast—text, e-mail, Facebook, MySpace,
etc. We don’t even have to wait to tell our stuff!

Do you remember that feeling of excitement and anticipation while waiting to tell
your story to others? God has that same desire—even MORE intense—to tell you
His story. The one where you can have eternal life and unconditional love, be forgiven
from all the bad things you have done, and even be forgiven from the bad things
you will do in the future. WOW! What a story! Do you know where you can read
that story? In your BIBLE! We have God’s Word—His awesome love story for
us—written where we can read His story that becomes our story. This story is
written all over the Old and New Testaments about His amazing love for us.

The question is: Do you have the desire to read it? Do you want to know about
God’s love for you? We have never deserved God’s love. We are sinners. According
to Romans 6:23, “The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in
Christ Jesus our Lord.”1 God gave that gift to us. We have been taught from preschool
about John 3:16: “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that
whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” We have been told God
loves us, but do we desire to embrace His love? If you have accepted this gift, do you
have a day-to-day desire to bask in God’s love, or do you only feel it when you have a
problem or are depressed? God wants us to seek Him so He may reveal His love for us.
Look up the following Scriptures and fill in the blanks.

Psalm 53:2

“_____ looks down from heaven on the ____ of ______ to see if there are any

who ____________, any who _______ ______.”

Psalm 63:1

“O God, you are my ____, earnestly I _____ you; my soul _________ for you,

my body longs for you, in a ______ and ________ land where there is no water.”

1
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version, copyright © 1973,
1978, 1984 by International Bible Society.
Matthew 7:7-8

“_______ and it will be _______ to you; _______ and you will _______; _________

and the _______ will be opened to you. For ____________ who asks ____________;

he who _______ finds; and to him who __________, the _______ will be opened.”

I have a three-year-old son that asks to listen to the same story almost every
bedtime. Although he has heard this story 50 times, he cannot wait to hear it
again. His excitement is contagious. Although I really don’t want to read that
story AGAIN, the look of eager anticipation in his eyes gets me excited to tell
him the story. I wonder…do I have the same eager anticipation I see in my son’s
eyes in MY eyes when I think about the love story God wants to share with me?
Am I willing to sit and listen to God speaking to me through His Word? I pray we
all desire for God to tell us—remind us—of His redemptive love, the love that set us
free from sin, the love that made us His children. As He tells us, may we tell others!
 “All Because of Jesus”
Tim Henning, Judson Baptist Church, Nashville, Tennessee

Have you ever taken something for granted? Some things that I take for granted
are my next meal, my next breath, and getting home safely from work. I just
expect these things to happen. I think they happen so often that I forget
they are gifts from God.

Write down four day-to-day things that you sometimes (or often) take for granted.
1.
2.
3.
4.

What about the important things? Don’t get me wrong, eating and breathing are
important, but aren’t there things that are even more important?

Read James 1:17.

Write a few gifts that God has given you.

What about our salvation? Could we take that for granted? Is it possible? I think it is.

Have you ever taken your salvation for granted? (circle one)

Yes No

I know I would have to circle “Yes” to that question. Sometimes I think it’s easy for
us to expect God’s love and salvation, almost as if we deserve it. Let’s all remember:
WE DON’T. There is nothing that says God has to give us breath, life, His love, or
even salvation. These things come to us from the Giver Himself because He wants
to offer them to us.

So what’s our response to knowing that all we have is from God?

Hebrews 13:15 says, “Therefore, through Him let us continually offer up to God a
sacrifice of praise, that is, the fruit of our lips that confess His name.”1

We should live a life of praise—praise to Jesus for all He’s given…which is everything!

1
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holman Christian Standard Bible®, copyright © 1999, 2000,
2002, 2003 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission.
Let’s also remember what Psalm 40:3 says: “He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn
of praise to our God. Many will see and fear, and put their trust in the LORD.”

So don’t be quiet and take God’s blessings for granted. Sing “All Because of Jesus”
at the top of your lungs. Sing about what Jesus has done. Let the world hear and see
your praise that they might trust the Lord!