Convenience or Commitment !!!!!

[kathiresan jeyapandian]

Many are not committed to the things of God but they live a life of what is CONVENIENT in God. A clear example of this lifestyle is this: “I go to church on Sunday morning, isn’t that enough?”

Webster’s - Convenient - suited to one’s comfort or ease.

Jesus could have said it was not convenient for Him to die, but He did not. He made a commitment to His father even on cross. 

Being committed can be anything that has to do with giving of your time, energy, and possessions for God. Many of us have idols in our lives that are not just money.

young rich ruler wanted to follow Christ, BUT he wanted it to be convenient

it is more convenient to stay at home and watch the service online, even if the church is only a couple of Kilometers away. We know the word of God says in Hebrews 10:25 to not neglect the gathering of the believers. 

commitment takes priority over convenience. 

Living a life of convenience has made many people lazy in every aspect of their lives including their spiritual lives.  

Proverbs 26:15 The lazy man buries his hand in the bowl; It wearies him to bring it back to his mouth.

when it come to relationships and serving God we must be committed in these areas whether they are convenient or not.

Solomon dealt with different countries he found it convenient to take a kings daughter as a bride to make there relations work better and he ended up with 700 wives, but,

1 Kings 11:4  For it was so, when Solomon was old, that his wives turned his heart after other gods; and his heart was not loyal to the LORD his God, as was the heart of his father David.

 

John 6:49 to 65

As long as following Jesus was easy for them, they didn’t mind it at all, but as soon it became inconvenient for them they turned away from Jesus.

Many Christians are like this today. They have no problem following God and calling Jesus their Savior as long as its convenient for them, but as soon as a spiritual speed bump comes along, they want to turn away from God because they cannot understand why God would want them to change certain parts of their life.

 

When you get right down to it, it is not that they can’t understand, it because they don’t want to understand, they don’t want accept the truth. They are unwilling to submit themselves to God’s wisdom and allow it to be their guide because they are to prideful and self centered. Jeremiah said it best;

Jeremiah 10:23  O LORD, I know the way of man is not in himself; It is not in man who walks to direct his own steps.

 

The writer of Proverbs says:

 

Proverbs 3:7 Do not be wise in your own eyes; Fear the LORD and depart from evil.  8 It will be health to your flesh, And strength to your bones.

 

We must not think so highly of ourselves that we allow our opinions to override the Word of God. I don’t care how smart you think you are or how reasonable your arguments may seem, we cannot match the wisdom of God, and we must learn to have that attitude that the Psalmist did in:

 

Psalm 119:133 Direct my steps by Your word, And let no iniquity have dominion over me.  134 Redeem me from the oppression of man, That I may keep Your precepts.  135 Make Your face shine upon Your servant, And teach me Your statutes.

 

In order for us to do this, we must be committed to serving God whether it is convenient or not.

If you are hoping that Christianity is going to be convenient then I promise you are going to be disappointed, and it won’t be long until you join the ranks of many other Christians who have turned from the Lord. Jesus makes it clear that living a Christ centered life takes commitment because Christianity can be hard at times, which is why Jesus said:

 

Matthew 7:13 " Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it.  14 "Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.  

 

Are you willing to serve God with your whole heart, mind, and soul ? 

Are you willing to travel down that difficult road that leads to life or it that to inconvenient for you?

 

If you want to pleasing to God and make to heaven, you must be committed to serving God. God told Joshua,

 

Joshua 1:5 "No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life; as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave you nor forsake you.  6 "Be strong and of good courage, for to this people you shall divide as an inheritance the land which I swore to their fathers to give them.  7 "Only be strong and very courageous, that you may observe to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may prosper wherever you go.  8 "This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.  9 "Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go."

Convenience tells you to go to right or to left if it is convenient for you, but commitment to Lord tells you do not stray from His Word, do not get off that difficult path that leads to that narrow gate. Are you going to be one of the few or are you going to join the masses that travel down that broad road that leads to destruction? 

[kathiresan jeyapandian]