Message topic: Are you committed to God?
Scripture text: Ruth 1: 14-18
Our topic for sharing this morning is, Are you committed to God?
This can be taught of as a personal question; yet it can be relevant and will be seen as such as we proceed, because we know that God does not accepts partial commitments, it must be committed or not.
Quite often in conversations we will hear a word used and quite often we miss the full understanding of the conversation because we did not get the full understanding of a particular word used.
For that reason, we are going to take a look at the word committed, what does it means? And what place does it has in our lives? There are those who believe that it has spiritual implications, while others believes that it has both spiritual and natural implications to us all.
We know that when God made us, mankind, he made it possible that though we are in human form, yet we are able to communicate with him both spiritually and physically as he desires to hear from us, so now you know why the question is being asked are you committed to God?
What does the bible have to says about commitment? Many times in scripture, the commitment of God’s people was intensely challenged when facing hardship and adversity. Whether it’s commitment within a relationship or a goal, God promises to provide endurance and strength! although commitment to our beliefs, our goals, or significant, other may be difficult at times, the outcome is always rewarding. Find encouragement to stay commitment from our list of bible verses below.
We find these words in 1st John 4: 20. Whosoever claim to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar, for whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen.
The Israelites made this commitment to God as they were traveling through the wilderness when they said to Joshua; the Lord our God will we serve, and his voice will we obey. So Joshua made a covenant with the people that day, and set them a statute and an ordinance in Shechem.
Then Joshua wrote the words in the book of the law of God, and took a great stone, and set it up under an oak, that was by the sanctuary of the lord.
Then Joshua said to all the people, behold this stone shall be a witness unto us; for it hath heard all the words of the Lord which he spoke unto us; it shall be therefore a witness unto you, lest you deny your God.
The word commit is mentioned one hundred and sixty fore times in the bible. To be committed is to keep the promise or decision to do or not to do something or to keep a promise.
There is such a story recorded for us in the book Ruth chapter one starting at verse sixteen through eighteen of one who was fully committed, and one who was partially committed.
This is a story from the past which is applicable to us today; it is about a family who tried to escape hard tines in their own country for a better condition in a Neighboring country, whose people did not fear or believe in the God of Israel.
This was a family of four, husband and wife with their two sons, it was not long after they settled in this land before the father died: the two sons has also taken themselves wives of this heathen country.
Again tragedy strikes for this woman when her two sons died, leaving this woman with nothing but sorrow for the loses of her husband and her two sons: then she decided to return to her own country: but her loving daughters in law decided to go with her.
She then turn and said to them both, go, return each of you to your mother’s house: the Lord deal kindly with you, as you have dealt with the dead and with me. The Lord grant you that you may find rest, each of you in the house of your mother, or another a husband.
Then she kissed them; and they lifted up their voice and wept; and said to her surely: we will return with thee unto your people; again she replied, I am two old to have a husband, and if I should have a husband and also to-night bear sons, would you tarry for them till they are grown?
They again lifted up their voices and wept, then Orpah kissed her mother- in law: but Ruth clave unto her: then she said to her, behold thy sister in law is gone back unto her people, and unto her gods: return, return after your sister in law. Now, listen to the words of a person who had made a commitment to be with her mother- in law comes what may.
Then Ruth said unto her mother-in law; Entreat me not to leave you, or to return from following after you, for where ever you go, I will go; and where you lodge, I will lodge; your people will become my people, and your God will become my God.
Wherever you die, there will I die, and there will I be buried: the Lord do so to me, and more also, if aught but death part you and me. She was saying to her mother-in law I have committed myself to be with you and to give up my god, for your God, and nothing can separate us but death. That was her firm commitment.
Daniel was cast into a den of hungry lions because of his commitment to stand firm for the God in whom he was committed, his three friends were cast into a fiery furnace as they would not go back on their commitment to steadfast to Jehovah God.
Listen to the result of a partial commitment in Matthew 7: 22-23:
Many will say to me in that day, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? And in thy name done wonderful works?
Then I will profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me you that work iniquity. Jesus did not say you used to walk with me, but you do not anymore, He said I never knew you, you may have been in the church, or did something to make you feel good, but you were only pretending, that is why Jesus said I never know you.
What do we receive when we are partially committed? Blessings or cursing: there was a man in Samaria by the name of Simon, the people feared him because he used sorcery to bewitched them, but they lost their of him when Philip the man of God came in the city and began to tell the people of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Those who accepted Christ as Lord and Savior were baptized in his name and followed Philip without any fear of Simon the sorcerer any more to the point that Simon himself after listening to the preaching of Philip, believed and was himself baptized.
The story of Philip’s work in Samaria reached the brethren in Jerusalem, so Peter and John came to work with him, and when they would pray for them and laid their hands on them, they would receive the Holy Ghost.
Now when Simon saw that through laying on of the apostles hands the Holy Ghost was given, he offered them money, saying give me also this power, that on whomsoever I lay hands, he may receive the Holy Ghost.
Then Peter said unto him, thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money: thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter: for your heart is not right in the sight of God. repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven you. I perceive that thou art in the gall of bitterness, and in the bond of iniquity. Are you fully committed?
Or are you partially committed?