In His Love Christian Center

DEDICATION, COMMITMENT & REDEDICATION

Dedication and/or Commitment

The subject of Dedication, Commitment and Rededication to God is one that may vary from church to church. In this writing we will explain a very general definition based on our experience at various churches. We believe that being dedicated to God is good and right. If one asks the question, “Do you need to make a public show of your dedication to God?” The correct answer is, “No”, but if you would like to it does not hurt. On that note, let us start with the definition of dedication. Dedicate according to the 1828 edition of the American Dictionary Of The English Language by Noah Webster means

To set apart and consecrate to a divine Being, or to a sacred purpose; to devote to a sacred use, by a solemn act, or by religious ceremonies; as, to dedicate vessels, treasures, a temple, an altar, or a church, to God or to a religious use.

To appropriate solemnly to any person or purpose; to give wholly or chiefly to. The ministers of the gospel dedicate themselves, their time and their studies, to the service of Christ. A soldier dedicates himself to the profession of arms.

The act of consecrating to a divine Being; or to a sacred use, often with religious solemnities; solemn appropriation; a the dedication of Solomon’s temple.

The act of devoting or giving to.

As Christians it is usually referred to as a Child of God dedicating their life and serve to our Heavenly Father and Lord Jesus Christ. The reason this is not always preformed as a separate practice is because some people do that when they come to the altar and get saved. Many others do it privately when they feel the Presence of the Lord tugging (prompting) they heart. The key is not where you make this dedication to God but rather will you make this dedication to God in your heart. I know their are some people who are Christians or they claim to Believe in Jesus Christ as the Son of God but they have never revered Him as Lord of their personal life. The two are quite different, it is the first step to call upon the Name of the Lord, Jesus Christ, as your personal Savior but a higher level of trusting in God is to acknowledge Him as your Lord. You and I both know to call Him Lord really means that you submit your will to His Word. These Believers can boldly say, “Lord whatever you tell me to say or do I am willing". This requires some forethought remember Luke 14:25-33

25 And there went great multitudes with him: and he turned, and said unto them,
26 If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.
27 And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple.
28 For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it?
29 Lest haply, after he hath laid the foundation, and is not able to finish it, all that behold it begin to mock him,
30 Saying, This man began to build, and was not able to finish.
31 Or what king, going to make war against another king, sitteth not down first, and consulteth whether he be able with ten thousand to meet him that cometh against him with twenty thousand?
32 Or else, while the other is yet a great way off, he sendeth an ambassage, and desireth conditions of peace.
33 So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple. KJV

And if anyone loves their own family more than Jesus they are not worthy to be His disciple according to Matthew 10:37-39

37 He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.
38 And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me.
39 He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it. KJV

It is a very easy decision (to me a no brainer) to except Jesus as your Savior. We know Jesus died for our sins and He is the only Savior for mankind upon this earth. That truth is fundamental to Christianity and as believers we all agree, but to acknowledge the Heaven Father and Lord Jesus Christ as Masters of your life takes a certain level of trust in God. Some people are able to do this more easily because they have had more of a dramatic conversion to Christ. Some other people have known God most of their life and even though they believe firmly on the Blood of Jesus for their salvation, they secretly fear giving God complete control of their life. They think if I tell God I will do whatever He tells me to do and say whatever He tells me to say the Lord may decide to send me to a far away land to be a missionary. While this could happen, it is not likely. Let us look at some various scriptures to show you what I mean by the example to Paul in Philippians 3:4-6

4 Though I might also have confidence in the flesh. If any other man thinketh that he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh, I more:
5 Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee;
6 Concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless. KJV

When we look at the conversion of Paul in Acts 9:1-7 we see a personal encounter with Jesus.

1 And Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest,
2 And desired of him letters to Damascus to the synagogues, that if he found any of this way, whether they were men or women, he might bring them bound unto Jerusalem.
3 And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven:
4 And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?
5 And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.
6 And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do.
7 And the men which journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing a voice, but seeing no man. KJV

Notice the Apostle Paul was already doing what God called him to do, because a Pharisee is a person who studies and teaches the Laws of God. Paul desperately needed a better message and more guidance on how to demonstrate the Love of God. The Apostle Paul was already in ministry and he was already traveling with a clear conscious that he was doing God's Will for His life. The problem was that he was rooted too deep into the laws of religion without having a personal relationship with God. This is quite common and a major problem for many people in the world today. A lot of nations, kingdoms, countries and lands have some form of religion because many believe that there is a God out there some where. However, knowing God personally to the place of being called one of His precious children is an entirely different story. We noticed in this story that Paul grew in the knowledge of God because the Mercy of God shined upon him and he correctly responded with the phase, "Lord, what would you have me to do". That statement is a statement of "dedication" and "commitment" which is why these terms are used interchangeably. Paul could of made this commitment a long time ago when he chose the path of a Pharisee because there are certain occupations that require complete dedication to God. Let us look at another Apostle of Jesus in the gospel of Luke 5:1-11

1 And it came to pass, that, as the people pressed upon him to hear the word of God, he stood by the lake of Gennesaret,
2 And saw two ships standing by the lake: but the fishermen were gone out of them, and were washing their nets.
3 And he entered into one of the ships, which was Simon's, and prayed him that he would thrust out a little from the land. And he sat down, and taught the people out of the ship.
4 Now when he had left speaking, he said unto Simon, Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets for a draught.
5 And Simon answering said unto him, Master, we have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing: nevertheless at thy word I will let down the net.
6 And when they had this done, they inclosed a great multitude of fishes: and their net brake.
7 And they beckoned unto their partners, which were in the other ship, that they should come and help them. And they came, and filled both the ships, so that they began to sink.
8 When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, Depart from me; for I am a sinful man, O Lord.
9 For he was astonished, and all that were with him, at the draught of the fishes which they had taken:
10 And so was also James, and John, the sons of Zebedee, which were partners with Simon. And Jesus said unto Simon, Fear not; from henceforth thou shalt catch men.
11 And when they had brought their ships to land, they forsook all, and followed him. KJV

Notice in this account of Peter's discipleship it started very simple. Peter simply did what the Lord asked him to do at a specific time in his life recorded in verses 3-5. It would seem when the Lord first encountered Peter that Peter really did not know just how special this meeting was. We can see from verse 8 that Peter began to get some revelation about who Jesus really was the more time he spent with Jesus. As soon as Peter caught all those fishes he immediately humbled his self and bowed down to Jesus knees and proclaimed, "Depart from me Lord I am a sinful man". It is interesting to note that departing from Peter was the last thing God wanted to do, but Peter just did not know enough about God at that point of his walk with God. Thank God, the Lord did not try to act mysterious but rather told Peter exactly what He wanted Peter to do in verse 10

10 And so was also James, and John, the sons of Zebedee, which were partners with Simon. And Jesus said unto Simon, Fear not; from henceforth thou shalt catch men.
11 And when they had brought their ships to land, they forsook all, and followed him. KJV

At this place in Peter's life he did make a commitment by his actions to follow Jesus according to verse 11. This is the second level of commitment, or we could say dedication. At this level of love for God we follow the Word of God, which is the Ways of God to the best of our abilities. This places us in the good and pleasing will of God. It is right for us to be doers of the Word of God according to James 1:21-22

21 Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls.
22 But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. KJV

Notice Peter reminds Jesus in Matthew 19:27-28 that the disciples were doers of the word and committed to Him.

27 Then answered Peter and said unto him, Behold, we have forsaken all, and followed thee; what shall we have therefore?
28 And Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. KJV

However, even though this sounds impressive it is not the ultimate level of Love the Lord desires for us. What the Lord Jesus Christ and Heavenly Father really want for each of their children is a totally dedicated son or daughter who is committed to doing God's Will continuously, not just for a season. This is made very obvious in John 21:14-19

14 This is now the third time that Jesus shewed himself to his disciples, after that he was risen from the dead.
15 So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs.
16 He saith to him again the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my sheep.
17 He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep. KJV

In this context we notice that being introduced to God is the first level - Salvation. Typically based upon a promise of future blessing and this level is easy to achieve if you only believe. The second level of being a true disciple of Jesus where you change your whole lifestyle by adopting God's principles into your mind and mouth enabling you to be a new person.

Romans 12:1-2
1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.
2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. KJV

Peter having passed the first two levels with flying colors is now asked to reach higher for the three level. The third level is to fulfill God's purpose for your life over the long haul in John 21:15-17. Some refer to this as the, "Fulfilling the Specific Calling of God upon your life for His Service". When you commit yourself to do whatever He asks you to do for the rest of your life, it takes total dedication. We are very happy for all those who choose to walk into this level of fellowship and love of God. To walk in this place with God it usually takes courage and boldness for those who are hungry for more of God's Nature. It is understood that the closer you get to God's Perfect will for your life the more you understand the perfected virtues of God. This is a beautiful position in Christ Jesus, Angela and I were so elated just to find out what His perfect will was for us, how much more happier we are to actually be doing it. Many who have experienced this peace and comfort in Christ remark that there is nothing better on the face of this earth. We encourage all Believers to join with us in making a total commitment to God, Angela and I believe you can trust Jesus and your Heavenly Father. To know God better is to love Him that much more.

We noticed with the Apostle Paul that a total commitment to God's Calling seemed to be right after conversion. For Peter it seemed to be a gradual process that developed over time. Never compare yourself with another Christian for that would be unwise according 2 Corinthians 10:12

For we dare not make ourselves of the number, or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves: but they measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise. KJV

This could of been because Paul was already doing something very similar to what God called him to do, it was just the wrong way with the wrong message. Your current career will have some influence on your decision to sell out to Jesus. The Apostle Peter on the other hand was slow and sporadic but he still prevailed victorious at the end. Peter was a fisherman, not a public speaker. Peter had a team working with him and he had to decide what he should do about providing for his family. These thoughts can not be ignored because Angela and I can tell you personally it demands some forethought and proper planning. You must know that God does not ask you to do something immediately that He does not have you ready for spiritually. Yes, you will grow in your walk of faith, but know with all confidence that it will not be a 100 yard dash with God. The Lord is patience and very understanding Angela and I can testify that the Lord waited on us for all major decisions without making us feel bad about it. We didn't even know He was waiting on us until we started to do His perfect will. God loves you and He is oh so gracious.

If you desire to make a full commitment to God today by doing whatever He tells you to do. Do it in Jesus Name with the simple prayer listed below.

Lord Jesus and Heavenly Father, I dedicate my life, my talents, my abilities to you. I will do what you ask me to do because I love you with all my heart, and with all my soul and with all my body. I am committed to do your perfect will on this earth for the rest of my life. Be glorified in my words and deeds in the Holy Name of Jesus. Amen!

Now rest assured that God will give you the grace and wisdom to answer that prayer in a way that is better than what you could imagine because He will always Love You more than you can ever phantom. For those who made this commitment your faith has spoken, now just rejoice in the fact that you will have whatsoever you say consistently, in the Name of Jesus.

Now if you did not pray that prayer, rejoice also because you are not required to make that prayer to please God. You can just as easily do whatever God is asking you to do and you will be just fine. Remember it is not the hearers of the Word of God that are justified but rather the doers of the Word of God.

Romans 2:13
(For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified. KJV

We are instructed in Matthew 6:34 not to take much thought about the future because we have enough on our plates right now to deal with. So our advice to you would be just continue to be a strong disciple of God and then you will grow in the knowledge and revelation of Jesus. At a certain point of your walk with God, the Lord may ask you to be a Preacher, a Business Man, a Minister, a Manager, an Usher, a Sunday School Teacher, a Nursery Worker, etc.... all you need to do is obey. At the place where your obedience meets His expressed will to you specifically, you are walking in His Will for your life. Don't concern yourself with future questions like, “Does the Lord want me to do something else more influential?” because if He does He knows how to ask you. Thus, wisdom declares know how to rest in the peace of God by being content with whatsoever your hands are doing because you do everything in the Name of Lord Jesus. Amen!

Colossians 3:15-17
15 And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.
16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.
17 And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him. KJV

Rededication

I will not say much about Rededication because I am not a big fan of re-doing anything. Angela and I try to model our lives by the slogan, "If you do things right the first time, you don't have to do it again". We may not always hit that mark right on target but in heart we know re-doing something is not God's Perfect Will for our life. I will explain this principle a little further, if you dedicated your life to God at a particular time in your walk with God, that is fine. We are giving most people the benefit of the doubt by stating that you probably did not pray something contrary to that dedication with God at a later time of your life. You may not of done something God asked you to do, but generally people don't pray, "Lord, I undedicated my life to you in Jesus Name. Amen!". If you are one of the few that actually prayed that way, then by all means rededicate your life to God if you desire. However I would recommend just a simple repentance, by confession of forsaking that sin in heart and deed to move on forward with God. Then start reading your Holy Bible and doing what you see in it. As we stated earlier dedication is not required with God but rather obedience to His Word is. Just do the verses you understand and know. Eventually, your Heavenly Father and Lord Jesus Christ will ask you to do something specific when they want to. Jesus told us in Matthew 11:30 that His yoke is easy and His burden is light. Please don't make doing God’s Will complicated or a legal work of the flesh. Just enjoy your fellowship with God and enjoy your freedoms in Christ Jesus.

2 Corinthians 3:17
Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. KJV

Since most Christians don't undedicated themselves unto God we are not big fans of rededication. We never want to bring God down to our carnal level of thinking. This means that you do not have to do something spiritual to get God's attention or favor. The Lord Loves you period, He always has and He always will. His all seeing Eyes are continuously upon you, therefore thinking that God is waiting for you to rededicate yourself to Him before He will reveal something to you concerning His will for you is probably not spiritually or mentally healthy. In most of the cases inside of the Holy Bible our Lord Jesus was very clear about His intentions for the people He dealt with. In both the Old and New Testaments God spoke or showed Himself to the person that He wanted something from and it was not mysterious. Throughout history man has been slow to respond to God, but the patience of God far exceeds the patience of Job spoken of in James 5:11. Thus, God is good and He is always Good and His Love for you will never fail. Make your life a lot less complicated by simply obeying God's Holy Written Word, then obey His guidance when He gives you a specific assignment. Amen! Jesus came that you might enjoy your life more abundance, so do it by enjoying your life one day at a time. Amen!

John 10:10
The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. KJV

If you want to dedicate (commit) your life to God then do it with peace in the Name of Jesus.

If you want to rededicate (recommit) your life unto God then do it with joy in the Name of Jesus.

If you walk in the light of 1 Corinthians 6:17-20 you do just as well in the Name of Jesus.

17 But he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit.
18 Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body.
19 What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?
20 For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's. KJV

Just remember you are bought with a price, therefore whatever you say or do know with all confidence that you are the Lord's. Amen!

Isaiah 64:8
But now, O LORD, thou art our father; we are the clay, and thou our potter; and we all are the work of thy hand. KJV

In His Love, Eric & Angela Foster

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DEDICATION, COMMITMENT & REDEDICATION

Dedication and/or Commitment

Rededication