All or nothing

I'm intrigued by gadgets, the things that make life easier (sometimes). Motors and machines fascinate me. It was even true when I was a little guy, who tore apart every mechanical toy I ever had just - 'to see how it works.' I can stand for hours watching an operator of a giant machine move tons of earth with just a flick of his wrist, harnessing the power of a big diesel engine, matched to gears and hydraulic lifts. I've taken apart and rebuilt dozens of personal computers finding the inoperable component and replacing it so the machine would work again. A giant bulldozer, an automobile, or a little laptop computer are complex machines made of many parts, each of which must be functioning as designed if the whole machine is to work well. One little component that is not functioning ruins the integrity of the machine!

The Christian life is a series of interconnected choices and values. We cannot enjoy the power of God and the blessings promises without an integration of the life of the Spirit in our thoughts, words, and actions. Let me illustrate.
Love is an important part of what Jesus taught us about living in a way that pleases God. But if we want to please God and reap the benefit of a loving life, our love cannot be selectively practiced only when it is convenient or easy. God says that our love must function for the lovely and the unlovely, when we are rested and when we are fatigued, when we are full of peace and when we are under great stress.
Worship is a critical part of the Christian life. When we worship we 'connect' with God and the Spirit renews the inner person, strengthening us. Again, we cannot enjoy the full benefit of worship if we only worship on Sunday morning and 'forget' God on the Monday morning commute. We will not experience the steady flow of of the Spirit's renewal if we worship only when things go wrong, or when it's raining, or when there is no football game to attend, or... you get the point, right?
Tithing (generous giving of our resources to God's work) is a means of breaking the slavery to our 'stuff.' A person who learns to practice the discipline of giving (time and material!) gains a generous heart and a richer life. But, if he only gives when he has 'enough,' or only serves when he 'has the time,' he breaks the process that could transform his life. The whole principle of tithing and giving only produces the benefit of a generous life when it is consistently practiced all of the time. I could go on and on, but I hope you're getting the idea.

Perhaps you find my comparison of the Christian life to a machine jarring or even offensive, but the truth remains that the only way to enjoy "life to the full" which Jesus promises to those who follow Him, (John 10.10) is to fully follow His ways. Whole-hearted commitment makes it work, for if He is not Lord of all, He is not the Lord at all! The Bible tells us that there will be people who practiced the religion of Christianity apart from complete commitment who will find themselves puzzled about why their religion didn't produce the Life they expected. Here's how Jesus says it. "So...the way to identify a tree or a person is by the kind of fruit that is produced.
“Not all people who sound religious are really godly. They may refer to me as ‘Lord,’ but they still won’t enter the Kingdom of Heaven. The decisive issue is whether they obey my Father in heaven. On judgment day many will tell me, ‘Lord, Lord, we prophesied in your name and cast out demons in your name and performed many miracles in your name.’ But I will reply, ‘I never knew you. Go away; the things you did were unauthorized.’
“Anyone who listens to my teaching and obeys me is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock. Though the rain comes in torrents and the floodwaters rise and the winds beat against that house, it won’t collapse, because it is built on rock." (Matthew 7:19-25, NLT)

Friend, do a fruit inspection today! What kind of fruit is being produced by your life - evidence of the Christ life or evidence of the Self life? "...when we live God’s way He brings gifts into our lives, much the same way that fruit appears in an orchard—things like affection for others, exuberance about life, serenity. We develop a willingness to stick with things, a sense of compassion in the heart, and a conviction that a basic holiness permeates things and people. We find ourselves involved in loyal commitments, not needing to force our way in life, able to marshal and direct our energies wisely." (Galatians 5:22-23, The Message) As surely as living apple tree will produce apples, a living Believer who is connected to the Vine, will produce spiritual fruit. If there is no fruit, then there is no life! If there is little, puny fruit the only answer is to connect to the One who gives us the life that produces the fruit. We do that by presenting ourselves to Him - every moment, every where, without reservation!

Is Jesus Christ the Lord of your life or just parts of your life? Are you fully committed to knowing, loving, and serving Him - responding with an instant 'yes,' whenever the Spirit calls? Or are you shutting Him out of certain areas of your life, closing the door to His leading?

We only can enjoy the full benefits of the Kingdom of God if we are fully resident in the Kingdom. It's really an all or nothing proposition.
_________________________
All to Jesus, I surrender;
All to Him I freely give;
I will ever love and trust Him,
In His presence daily live.

All to Jesus I surrender;
Humbly at His feet I bow,
Worldly pleasures all forsaken;
Take me, Jesus, take me now.

All to Jesus, I surrender;
Make me, Savior, wholly Thine;
Let me feel the Holy Spirit,
Truly know that Thou art mine.

All to Jesus, I surrender;
Lord, I give myself to Thee;
Fill me with Thy love and power;
Let Thy blessing fall on me.

I surrender all, I surrender all,
All to Thee, my blessèd Savior,
I surrender all.

Public Domain - Judson VanDeVenter