Every day, I get closer to God. Every day, my will to do the right thing gets stronger.
Dedication takes a willingness on our part. What is dedication? It’s the act of giving to; being committed to a task or purpose.
What have we so far this year dedicated ourselves to? I can’t say it enough, if we keep doing the same things we have always done we will keep getting the same results we have always gotten. When nothing changes, nothing changes! New Year promises made to self, are we dedicated? Time will tell and most will stop their dedication, oh excuse me that’s not dedication is it? The Sunday after the New Year many promised to go to Church but by the second Sunday or third Sunday they have lost their dedication. If we can’t keep a promise to ourselves then how in the world will we keep it to others? The Apostle Paul dedicated himself by a presentation. I remember my Pastor James Peppers telling the story of a man who had fallen into deep water and was drowning. There were many people standing there watching but that’s all, just watching. Then a man from the rear ran and without stopping jumped in and saved the man from drowning. After he got him to a safe place out of the water. He asked the man if he would come to his home on Tuesday evening and gave him his address. The man was grateful and on Tuesday evening he left to go to his home. He entered a very wealthy neighborhood thinking this couldn’t be the right address. Surely a man with this kind of status would have never jumped in to save him. He knocked on the door and a butler opened it and invited him in telling him to go into the dining room and lead him there. As the man opened the door he saw a large table with the man who saved him from drowning sitting at the far end. As he stood there in awe of all he was seeing, the man at the other end said please come here and sit beside me so I can get to know you better. The man that was saved from drowning dedicated himself to go and then to present himself. Why? Because he understood that without the man who saved him he would have drowned. Now this man with all this wealth and prestige, wanted to get to know him? I completely understand and you will too if you were ever saved from drowning in your own stupidity. The King of Kings asked me and you that He might get to know us. Oh happy day.
Psalms 95:2 (KJV) Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving, and make a joyful noise unto him with psalms.
Psalms 100:4 (KJV) Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name.
Psalms 119:170 (KJV) Let my supplication come before thee: deliver me according to thy word.
One day I was drowning and the Lord Jeus came and saved me. Because He first loved me I want to come before His presence so I can get to know Him. Oh I haven’t been to His neighborhood yet to thank Him personally but I will. How do I know that? Because He said;
John 14:2 (KJV) In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.
John 14:3 (KJV) And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.
That is when I’m going to thank Him personally and every day I’m getting closer and closer to His neighborhood.
