Dedication...
05/05/09 18:10
Dedication...it is something that seems to be in very short supply in this world and something that is increasingly misunderstood and forgotten. It is an obscure remnant and forgotten virtue of some past era, that is no longer deemed necessary, or respected. Dedication requires commitment, it requires sacrifice, desire, vision and love. Dedication requires perseverance, humility, courage, passion, focus and selflessness. All of the great and admirable men down through history, have been dedicated to a cause and to a purpose far greater than themselves and they remained committed, no matter the cost and with no regard for the things that they had to endure, or for the personal cost that they would incur.
There was a man who came to this earth and that man was the greatest man that has ever been seen upon this world, or that will ever be seen in this age. That man was Jesus Christ, the Son of God. Jesus lived a life of dedication, He was dedicated to God the Father and to seeing the work that He had been given was complete, no matter what He personally had to face or endure, even to the complete disregard for His own life and well being. Jesus Christ understood dedication, He was committed and He gave everything...all the way down to His very last breath to see that the work God had given Him to do was complete.
What Christ did...the incredible sacrifice and devotion to what He was given to do is the epitome of dedication and commitment. He gave Himself for those who had not even been born yet, He provided a way for all of mankind to have life. He personally made sure that God’s Plan was a success and that God the Father was glorified in all that He did. Christ left us with an incredible example of what it means to be dedicated. That same dedication is required of those who follow Him. The life of a Christian is a life of dedication.
There is no place for those who are indecisive, who are unable or unwilling to commit, who will only endure for a short time, or for those who are not willing to go all the way and give anything and everything. Jesus Christ spoke very plainly and made it very clear what was required of those who would follow Him...there can be no misunderstanding, or misinterpretation.
Mark 8:34-37
34 When He had called the people to Himself, with His disciples also, He said to them, “Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. 35 For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel’s will save it. 36 For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? 37 Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? 38 For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him the Son of Man also will be ashamed when he comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels.”
It is all or nothing, there is no middle ground. A follower of Christ has to be absolutely 100% committed and dedicated to the path and the course that has been laid out in front of them. When a Christian accepts Christ and through baptism enters into that covenant relationship with God and His Son, it is an all or nothing proposition! It is a commitment to make a change in our life and to become a new person. It requires dedication to a cause and to a purpose much larger and greater than ourselves. It is setting ourselves to go God’s way and to do God’s bidding no matter what it takes!
John 15:11-14
11 “These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full. 12 This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends. 14 You are My friends if you do whatever I command you.
Jesus Christ was absolutely and completely dedicated and committed to the work that God had given Him to do. He did exactly what He said, He laid down His life and not only that, but He suffered the pain, the beating, the humiliation, the mocking, everything that He was put through, because He was dedicated to completing what He had been given to do, all the way through to the end.
Not one of us really knows the things we will have to go through, or what may be required of us, to go all the way and enter into God’s glorious and awesome Kingdom. We must continually pray that we do not fall short and that we will not falter, or weaken. We must be prepared to give all and to lose all in pursuit of the goal. It will take dedication, commitment, perseverance and a deep abiding love and faith in God and His Son Jesus Christ.
Are you dedicated?
Until next time...
There was a man who came to this earth and that man was the greatest man that has ever been seen upon this world, or that will ever be seen in this age. That man was Jesus Christ, the Son of God. Jesus lived a life of dedication, He was dedicated to God the Father and to seeing the work that He had been given was complete, no matter what He personally had to face or endure, even to the complete disregard for His own life and well being. Jesus Christ understood dedication, He was committed and He gave everything...all the way down to His very last breath to see that the work God had given Him to do was complete.
What Christ did...the incredible sacrifice and devotion to what He was given to do is the epitome of dedication and commitment. He gave Himself for those who had not even been born yet, He provided a way for all of mankind to have life. He personally made sure that God’s Plan was a success and that God the Father was glorified in all that He did. Christ left us with an incredible example of what it means to be dedicated. That same dedication is required of those who follow Him. The life of a Christian is a life of dedication.
There is no place for those who are indecisive, who are unable or unwilling to commit, who will only endure for a short time, or for those who are not willing to go all the way and give anything and everything. Jesus Christ spoke very plainly and made it very clear what was required of those who would follow Him...there can be no misunderstanding, or misinterpretation.
Mark 8:34-37
34 When He had called the people to Himself, with His disciples also, He said to them, “Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. 35 For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel’s will save it. 36 For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? 37 Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? 38 For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him the Son of Man also will be ashamed when he comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels.”
It is all or nothing, there is no middle ground. A follower of Christ has to be absolutely 100% committed and dedicated to the path and the course that has been laid out in front of them. When a Christian accepts Christ and through baptism enters into that covenant relationship with God and His Son, it is an all or nothing proposition! It is a commitment to make a change in our life and to become a new person. It requires dedication to a cause and to a purpose much larger and greater than ourselves. It is setting ourselves to go God’s way and to do God’s bidding no matter what it takes!
John 15:11-14
11 “These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full. 12 This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends. 14 You are My friends if you do whatever I command you.
Jesus Christ was absolutely and completely dedicated and committed to the work that God had given Him to do. He did exactly what He said, He laid down His life and not only that, but He suffered the pain, the beating, the humiliation, the mocking, everything that He was put through, because He was dedicated to completing what He had been given to do, all the way through to the end.
Not one of us really knows the things we will have to go through, or what may be required of us, to go all the way and enter into God’s glorious and awesome Kingdom. We must continually pray that we do not fall short and that we will not falter, or weaken. We must be prepared to give all and to lose all in pursuit of the goal. It will take dedication, commitment, perseverance and a deep abiding love and faith in God and His Son Jesus Christ.
Are you dedicated?
Until next time...