WHOLEHEARTED COMMITMENT (DEUTERONOMY 6: 1 - 12)

I was in the church one Wednesday for bible study, and our teacher brought home the “Parable of the Talents” to our day to day life style. He made me understand the more that in as much as we are in the church and in different departments, we should be sincere and fully committed to what we are doing. Because when we appear before God we will not give excuses such like: your colleague, or your brother, or your spouse, or your boss, or even your departmental leader is not fully committed to what he or she is doing that is why you became nonchalant and also refused to do your work. You and I should not follow the multitude to do evil (Exodus 23:2; Daniel 3: 8 – 18). May the Lord have mercy upon us all in Jesus name…Amen!!

This is a hard saying: It is easier to manage poverty than to manage wealth. This was the reason why Moses taught the people of Israel all that God had commanded him to teach them. He (Moses) urged them to be careful in listening and obeying all that was written most especially when they gain entrance into the Promised Land. They need to prepare themselves so that they will not allow the comfort of the land make them forget the Lord their God. Not only were they to obey they were also to teach their children and grand-children for the fear of the Lord brings peace, security and progress in life.

What does whole hearted means? The freedictionary.com defines it simply as – completely sincere, genuine, or enthusiastic. While commitment means a pledge or an obligation as to follow a certain course of action.  Let us look at three points to ponder on as you read through:

1) Wholehearted Commitment to our Duties: How committed are you in your place of work, business place, church, family, studying the word of God and praying, etc? Is your whole heart in what you are doing or is it when you see your boss, leader or pastor around that you become over-zealous? (Servants, be obedient to them that are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in singleness of your heart, as unto Christ; Not with eye service, as men pleasers; but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart; With good will doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men: Knowing that whatsoever good thing any man doeth, the same shall he receive of the Lord, whether he be bond or free. Ephesians 6: 5 – 8 KJV). When you look around today, you see how friends, brothers, sisters, employers, colleagues, and leaders betray each other. Why, because most of us are not sincerely committed in our relationship or committed to our duties rather we are busy looking for whom to blame when things go wrong but when things are working well everyone likes to claim responsibility. I pray that you will be committed and be faithful in your duties knowing that as you go about doing it brings glory to our Lord Jesus (John 12:26; Hebrews 6:10; 1 Peter 1:12).

2) Wholehearted Commitment to Family Values: When we parents are committed to family values by teaching our children the ways of the Lord as instructed by the Lord, our children will always be proud of us and look up to be like us when they grow up. Children learn easily by our actions and they will definitely make us proud as they grow to choose the right path to follow because we did not grieve them. They will honour us daily because they see the love and respect we have for our spouse. A healthy marriage produces healthy children that will tend towards healthy lives and they will eventually give back to their parents and to the world at large (Exodus 20:20; Proverbs 22:6; Ephesians 5:33; Colossians 3:20 – 21).

 A saying goes like this that charity begins at home. I believe this statement was derived from the Book of Deuteronomy 6. When parents teach their children the word of God and living also by examples, talk about it when driving them to school, going to football, on camping, etc. I tell you that moral values will be instilled in them for life. The children will not be law breakers, neither will they be emotionally or mentally sick as per the way they reason. When the Spirit of God comes upon a man, there is always a change from the inside this happens when the word of God is taught to our children, they won’t be disobedient, they won’t be nosy or have itchy ears (eavesdropping), associating with gangs of any type because the more they hear the word of God the easier it is for them to differentiate between good and evil. In life, “gift without character is catastrophe”. No one wants to deal with someone of a questionable character. Armed with the word of God these children are bound to also use it to teach their own children and grandchildren as they grow old (Romans 12:2; James 1:22; Romans 8: 1 – 4; Eccl 7:21; 1 Corinthians 15:33; Proverbs 20:1).

3) Wholehearted Commitment to Biblical Principles: When your children are impacted with God’s Word, they will have the understanding of what Biblical principles mean. They will know that their source of power, their purpose in life, security, main source of income and every other thing in life starts and ends with God. This way they will know that every decision they are about to make should be driven towards God’s purpose (towards a life of fulfilment). No one will deceive them by saying there is no God. For the Lord will always show Himself mighty in their lives because He is their source, their rock and salvation. They will not bear grudge or bitterness against men when they are betrayed or spoken badly of because they know the word of God will teach them how to handle complicated matters such like that. The Word of God will heal their souls, give them grace to forgive those who have sinned against them because Christ forgave us all. When they fall sick and they are admitted in the hospital they also commit everything in the hands of God knowing that He can heal all manner of diseases from abdominal pain, cancer to zika virus, name it. From that same word of God, they will know how to trust God during difficult times and make good decisions in times of crisis in their homes, offices, and business place. Why because the principles of life is applied, and this principles of life is Biblical principles. There is no problem that you want to solve you cannot find in the Bible, so if someone asks you why are you still going through trials, or why are people still hurting, tell the person that you are being prepared for your home above which is heaven.

Beloved, have you given your life to Jesus Christ, if not I must say you need to do so before it is too late. Please say after me. Lord Jesus, have mercy upon me, I confess my sins and ask that You come into my life and make me new. Cancel my name from the Book of Death and write my name in the Book of Life. Help me to live for You daily in Jesus name….Amen!!