Weekly Devotional 5-1-17 Without Commitment, Failure
One’s Christianity without commitment is due to fail. Not that Christianity fails, but the individual fails in his or her Christianity. This is a truth that every Christian must learn if they are to be fruitful in their walk. This was a truth that Jesus’ disciples had to learn. He had told them that in their commitment they must be connected to Him. He likened this connection to the need of a branch being connected to its life-source, a vine. We read from John 15:1-8 (NKJV); “1I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. 2Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit. 3You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. 4Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. 5I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. 6If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned. 7If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. 8By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples.” The branch abiding in the vine speaks of a continuum, of dependence, and of commitment, this Jesus said was their necessity.
Jesus, in another venue (Luke 14:16b-33 NKJV) said; “16b A certain man gave a great supper and invited many, 17and sent his servant at supper time to say to those who were invited, ‘Come, for all things are now ready.’ 18But they all with one accord began to make excuses. The first said to him, ‘I have bought a piece of ground, and I must go and see it. I ask you to have me excused.’ 19And another said, ‘I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I am going to test them. I ask you to have me excused.’ 20Still another said, ‘I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.’ 21So that servant came and reported these things to his master.
Then the master of the house, being angry, said to his servant, ‘Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in here the poor and the maimed and the lame and the blind.’ 22And the servant said, ‘Master, it is done as you commanded, and still there is room.’ 23Then the master said to the servant, ‘Go out into the highways and hedges and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled. 24For I say to you that none of those men who were invited shall taste my supper.’
25Now great multitudes went with Him. And He turned and said to them, 26‘If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple. 27And whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple. 28For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not sit down first and count the cost, whether he has enough to finish it— 29lest, after he has laid the foundation, and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, 30saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish.’ 31Or what king, going to make war against another king, does not sit down first and consider whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand? 32Or else, while the other is still a great way off, he sends a delegation and asks conditions of peace. 33So likewise, whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple.”
As we consider these two passages concerning the vine and the branches, and true discipleship, it is not a stretch to see the absolute necessity of commitment, total commitment. How often we fail when not being truly committed. We pray for instance that God will move on behalf of a certain person, or a certain situation with no thought of being involved ourselves. Then we wonder why we don’t see God answering the prayer. Remember He told His disciples, “If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you” (John 15:7).
Abiding in Him will move us to fulfill His will. Oh that you, that I, be so committed!
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Transforming Power; The Work of God on Behalf of Man