Remix: Student Devotionals

Becoming a Disciple - Week 3, Day 3

Dignified Disciple: The Sequel (Partial Christianity)

Let’s continue the dignified theme for one more day. You remember, don’t you? That’s when you say you are giving your all to the Lord, but in reality, you are only giving half. Let me ask you a question today. What have you given up for the Lord? What was there in your life that you used to do, but now you do no longer because you love the Lord and want to follow His ways more than your own? Tough question, huh? Unfortunately, for a lot of students who claim to follow Jesus, they don’t have an answer. They claim that they have given all their life’s control over to Jesus, yet their lives are pretty much the same today as it was before meeting Christ. They watch the same shows, listen to the same music, talk the same way, treat their parents the same, go out and party on the weekends, but still find the time to go to church and keep up appearances with their student ministry.

The biggest problem with dignified disciples is they have the ability to compartmentalize their lives apart from Christ. Dignified disciples are masters of giving God portions of their life but keeping portions for themselves. Here’s how they break it up:

WHAT THEY KEEP:

Dating relationships: I don’t need God telling me who I should and shouldn’t date. If he or she is cute, I say go for it….regardless of whether or not the person loves my Savior.

Social life: What does God know about a social life anyway? Popularity wasn’t a priority for Him, but it is for me. If you want to be accepted in all the right crowds, you have to be willing to do certain things. I’m sure He understands….right?

Entertainment: Movies, TV, music…it doesn’t affect me. It’s just words, and I don’t listen to them anyway. It’s not like I’m going to actually do what the words say anyway. And as for movies, what’s the big deal with an R movie? A little violence, some language, and some nudity. I won’t open my eyes. It’s my life; if I want to see it, that is my business.

WHAT GOD GETS:
One hour a week in big church
One hour a week in small group
One hour a week in another church program.

We could go on and on with this analogy, but there isn’t enough paper in America. The problem with compartmentalizing your life with God is that when you separate God from certain areas of your life, you are in essence saying, “God, I know I said I gave all my life to You, but You only get this, this, and this.

A relationship with God doesn’t work that way. God wants all of you, not just part of you. Just as Jesus didn’t partly die on a cross, He doesn’t want a halfhearted commitment from you. It’s kind of like your boyfriend or girlfriend saying, I love you, and I will be faithful to you 22 hours a day. But as for the other 2 hours, I can do what I want with whom I want. Does anybody want a boyfriend or girlfriend like that?

Dignified disciples have got to let go of all of their lives and give themselves completely over to God and trust Him with their lives. Their whole life: Their dating life, social life, entertainment, everything.

PARTIAL CHRISTIANITY DOESN’T WORK.

Have the courage to let all your life go and trust God with the results. You’ll be surprised how great your life will be.

 

TIME OUT

Trusting God with all your life is where contentment starts. Knowing that God will take care of you no matter what is comforting.

Check out these verses on trusting God and write down your insights.
· Psalm 18:17
· Psalm 34:4
· Psalm 57:7
· Isaiah 40:12-15, 25-31
· Proverbs 3:5-6
· Romans 8:28

1. What areas of your life are you keeping from God?

2. What is your game plan to stop you from this destructive behavior?

God has plans to prosper you, not to bum you out. When you truly understand how much God loves you, trusting Him becomes easier. Tell the Lord you want to trust and love Him more so that you won’t ever be a halfway or dignified disciple.

 

Memory Verse

"Then He said to the crowd, "If any of you wants to be My follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross daily, and follow Me."

Luke 9:23