Commitment
Rev. John W. Gerald
11-7-04
I. My Cause Committed to God
Job 5:8 I would seek unto God, and unto God would I commit my cause:
1. My Ministry
I may desire to pastor a great and growing church, but God gave me a great prison ministry instead. I may like to serve God in the city, but he wants me to go where He chose.
Acts 8:5 Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria, and preached Christ unto them.
6 And the people with one accord gave heed unto those things which Philip spake, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did.
I remember that Philip was doing a great work in Samaria, then God sent him to a lone traveler on the road to Gaza. Acts 8:26-34 Did he know that the Ethiopian eunuch would start
a lasting church in central Africa? This could be modern Sudan or Africa, where war between Muslems and Christians has brought thousands of Christians under persecution and death for the cause of Christ.
2. My Family
Commitment to my family should be next to my commitment to God. There should be an order for our priorities: God, Family, Others then self. Most of the time the order is reversed.
3. My Protection
We may fear the dangers of serving the Lord where he is sending us. A missionary to Africa had a family of small children. One day the twins were out in the back yard playing, and began to complain about the worms biting them. They had gotten in a bed of snakes. The father decided then to leave the mission field and return home to Louisiana. Not long afterwards, the twins were out in the back yard again. This time they were playing in a bed of young rattle snakes. When the father discovered their danger, he grabbed them up, called to his wife, who did not hear him, to say that he was taking them to the hospital. He backed out of the driveway and headed to the hospital. He did not see the baby behind him. When his wife looked out and saw the baby dead in the driveway, she had a heart attack and died. The twins died on the way to the hospital. This man was left without his family because he did not trust the LORD to keep them on the mission field, and he could not keep them safe at home.
4. My Guidance
Psalms 31:3 For thou art my rock and my fortress; therefore for thy name’s sake lead me, and guide me.
Psalms 73:24 Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel, and afterward receive me to glory. Our LORD is our only safe guide!
5. My Needs
Matthew 6:8 Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.
God does not promise to supply our wants, but our needs. While we were raising our children, we tried to see to it that they had clothes, shoes, food and shelter. We sent them to school with only lunch money. They wanted candy and coke money, too. Many times they complained that we were just too poor. We may complain to the LORD sometimes, too, but He will supply what we need!
II. My Spirit Committed to the LORD
Psalms 31:5 Into thine hand I commit my spirit: thou hast redeemed me, O LORD God of truth.
1. Man’s spirit is God-breathed
Genesis 2:7 And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.
1 Corinthians 6:20 For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.
2. Man’s spirit is eternal
3. Man’s spirit can be polluted
1 Thessalonians 5:23 And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
4. Man’s spirit must be controlled by God
5. Man is dead when his spirit departs from him
Ecclesiastes 8:8 There is no man that hath power over the spirit to retain the spirit; neither hath he power in the day of death: and there is no discharge in that war; neither shall wickedness deliver those that are given to it.
III. My Way Committed to the LORD
Psalms 37:5 Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass.
1. Man wants to control his own life and destiny
Out of the night that covers me, black as the pit from pole to pole, I thank whatever gods may be for my unconquerable soul... Invictus
We know that our lives are in God’s hands. Why not surrender the control of life to Him?
2. He reluctantly releases control to the LORD
Surrender of oneself totally to the LORD seems too hard for some, but that is the only way to have success and peace with God.
3. Man makes a mess of his life
There are an abundance of examples of failure made by people who try to run their own lives.
When we see what a mess we have made of it while we were in charge, why could we not let God take it over for a while and see if He could not do a better job of it?
4. Only God can straighten it out
Deu. 4:9 Only take heed to thyself, and keep thy soul diligently, lest thou forget the things which thine eyes have seen, and lest they depart from thy heart all the days of thy life: but teach them thy sons, and thy sons’ sons;
Only by keeping God’s laws in our hearts can our lives be clear, free from pollution and the confusion created by sin.
IV. My Works Committed to the LORD
Proverbs 16:3 Commit thy works unto the LORD, and thy thoughts shall be established.
1. Man wants to feel a sense of accomplishment
Those are great who do great deeds, but do not care who gets credit for them. We should not do good deeds to be seen of men, but to be seen of God.
2. He wants to choose his own occupation
Every child has an answer when asked what he wants to be when he grows up. Sometimes that goal changes from day to day. Sometimes one may cling to the vision. Some of the astronauts on the Columbia
space craft, had a dream of being an astronaut from early youth. It was said that they died doing what they wanted to do.
3. God will fulfill the desire of those who trust Him
Psalms 145:19 He will fulfil the desire of them that fear him: he also will hear their cry, and will save them.
If your desire is to do God’s will, it should be easy to see that God would grant it. If your desire is to win souls for Christ, surely he will help you do that! We should desire with all our hearts to please Him!
You can never do anything, except to fail, unless you are committed to it. It takes commitment to be a winner in any sport or occupation. It certainly takes commitment to be of service to the LORD! There will be plenty of opposition, trials and difficulties in the way of those who would serve Him.
Do you want to serve Him? Do not start out without the deepest commitment to it. Those who are not sufficiently committed bring shame upon the LORD.
You must make your choice today!
