Commitment

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><tr> <td valign="top" colspan=2 height=100 BGCOLOR="#CCCCFF" TEXT="#080000" bgproperties="fixed" background="04000640egdysm.jpg"> <div> <FONT SIZE="5" COLOR="#000066" FACE="Arial" ><B>Church of God, In Truth</B></FONT><FONT SIZE="5" COLOR="#000099" FACE="Arial" ><B> </B></FONT><B>    |     </B><A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Church of God, In Truth"><B>home</B></A></div> <div> back to<B>  </B><A HREF="id18.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Edification Articles"><B>Edification Articles</B></A></div> <div> </div> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" width=200 BGCOLOR="#0000BF" TEXT="#F7F7FF"> <bR> <div> <A HREF="am_i_going_to_heaven.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Am I going to Heaven?">Am I going to Heaven?</A></div> <div> <A HREF="why_does_the_earth_have_a_mo.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Why does the Earth have a Moon?">Why does the Earth have a Moon?</A></div> <div> <A 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HREF="id336.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Righteous Judgment">Righteous Judgment</A></div> <div> <A HREF="id337.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="The physical and spiritual blessings of ">The physical and spiritual blessings of submission</A></div> <bR> </td> <td valign="top" height=380 width="100%" BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <B>“COMMITMENT”</B></div> <bR> <div> Dedication to truth-is the foundation for commitment.  Without dedication we are unable to offer God anything else.  Paul explains this process of dedication in Romans 12. “I beseech you therefore, brethren by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.  And be not  conformed to this world: but be you transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God"  </div> <div>      Paul emphasizes three things here, three keys for knowing God's will.  <B>One</B>, we are to be a living sacrifice for God's service; <B>Two</B>, we are not  to conform to this world; and<B> three</B>,  we are to be  transformed by the renewing of our mind.  These are character building attributes after being called, baptized, and having hands placed on us for the receiving of God's Holy Spirit.  After this dedication event we are to commit  our salvation completely to God.  </div> <div>      We are to <B>avoid</B> being conformed to this world.  Our striving is to be transformed through  the word of God.  By doing this, we can discover God's  perfect will for our lives.  In the Apostle Paul's second letter to Timothy, written while he was in prison, said "For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that He is able to keep that which I have committed unto Him against that day" (2 Timothy 1:12).       Paul was suffering loneliness while in imprison because he had not hesitated to declare the truth of God's word.  He understood  the Old Testament prophesies that showed him and tells us,  “We are to “commit our works unto the Lord. And your thoughts shall be established" (Proverbs 16:3).  The Apostle James put that thought this way, “But be you doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves” (James 1:22).</div> <div>      Our goals after being called - should be dedicated to God!! His ways are always the answer to life's trials. Job a man who faced  trials said,  "To seek unto God, and unto God would I commit my cause" (Job 5: 8). Job had the right attitude toward trials. </div> <div>      David in the Psalms states: “Commit your way unto the Lord; trust also in Him; and He shall bring it to pass" (Psalm 37:5).</div> <div>      We have all had to count the cost when we committed ourselves to God at baptism. Now we  must  renew our spiritual vitality and strengthen our minds, especially when a trial develops.  Notice, Paul speaks on this subject in Hebrews 12.  “Now no chastening for the present seems to be joyous, But grievous: never the less afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.  "Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees; and make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed" (Heb 12:11).</div> <div>      As disciples of Christ we should not cave in under any adverse circumstances.  This lapse of faith could have an unfavorable influence on others around us.  Drooping hands, should daily be  renewed  afresh </div> <div> to serve Christ, “Why,” because lazy hands get nothing accomplished. And feeble knees, should be strengthened  because, weak knees are not an asset in our race for God's Kingdom to come!  Wavering steps should be guided into straight paths. Being reluctant to accept the disciplinary actions in life often leads a person into devious paths away from the straight and narrow path that leads to God's kingdom.       Our path should be locked on to the committed authority from above, which is written in God's word, the Bible, which means <B><U>every inspired word of God.</U></B> </div> <div>      We are clearly told  - to not add to or take away from His statutes, Commandments or laws. <B>Example we are not to  postpone His annual Holy Days! </B></div> <div> <B>     </B>When we commit our lives to God, we must prove all things concerning God's truths and ways, from His word, not from the words of man!  Serving and obeying truth is not being lukewarm-Laodicean. Without having God's Holy Spirit it is impossible to keep the truth and commitment to God's way of life.  Its our duty to feed upon God's word-in order to be committed wholly to our Creator. God then will give us  the wisdom and knowledge we need. to face daily trials in life.</div> <div>      Ambassador College in Pasadena CA, had on a plaque at the back of the Merritt house,  <B>“The word of God is the foundation of knowledge.”  </B>The college motto was to <B>“Recapture True Values.”</B>  These thoughts should never leave our thinking. Paul felt this way when speaking to Timothy. Paul's exhortation to Timothy in his first letter, encourages him to guard what was committed to him.  "O Timothy, keep that which is committed to your trust, avoiding profane and vain babblings, and oppositions of science falsely so called:  Which some professing have erred concerning the faith. Grace be with you. Amen” (1 Tim 6:20-21). Reading those two verses out of the Good News Bible “Timothy, keep safe what has been intrusted to your care.  Avoid the profane talk and foolish arguments of that some people wrongly call knowledge.   For some have claimed to possess it.  And as a result they have lost the way of faith. God's faith be with you.” These verses are not questioning Timothy's salvation, but his trust with God's truth.  Like money deposited in a bank,  the truth entrusted to Timothy was to be preserved entirely, whole and unharmed.  He was to avoid the profane and idle babble and contradictions of what is falsely called  knowledge.  As a minister he was to understand that idle babble or chatter is empty talk about matters which are not profitable.   </div> <div>      At the beginning of this article the statement was made; <B>“Dedication to truth is the foundation for commitment.”  </B>God's churches are scattered and divided today because  its  <B>leaders </B> were not loyal to the dedicated foundation of truth and commitment to God's word.  They were not loyal to recapturing true values or making the word of God their foundation for  knowledge. </div> <div> <B>     Example: </B>A few years back when the Church of God, In Truth first started we  were visited by two young Ambassador Collage graduates. They had started a church in Texas a year before and they wanted us to unite with their church group - in a social way.  They said the Churches of God are asleep today and they need to be awakened to God's truth.  They begin to expound and explain the parable of Matthew 25, where it speaks of the 10 virgins.   “Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the Bridegroom. And five of them were wise, and five were foolish.  They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them: but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept.  And at midnight there was a cry made, behold, the Bridegroom cometh; go you out to meet Him.  Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps.  And the foolish said unto the wise,  <B>give us of your oil</B>; for our lamps are gone out.  But the wise answered, saying, not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go you rather to them that <B>sell, and buy </B>for yourselves.  And while they went to <B>buy</B>, the Bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with Him to the marriage: and the door was shut” (Matt 25:1-10).  After reading these verses, they begin to tell us how the oil represented God's Holy Spirit.  Stopping them right there-  knowing what the Church of God, In Truth believed, asked if they could show me in scripture where oil represented the Holy Spirit?  After they thought about it- they could not, because Ambassador College deviated from letting the Bible interpret the Bible.</div> <div>       Reading Acts 8:14-20, reveals plainly we can </div> <div> not purchase -buy or sell God's Holy Spirit. “ Now when  the apostles which were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent unto them Peter and John: Who, when they were come down, prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Spirit: (For as yet it was fallen upon none of them: only they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.)  Then laid they their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit. And when Simon saw that through laying on of the apostles' hands the Holy Spirit was given, <U>he offered them money</U>,  Saying, Give me also this power, that on whomsoever I lay hands, he may receive the Holy Spirit. But 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 thy heart is not right in the sight of God.” What were the virgins to buy?  Proverbs tells us what they were to buy. Now; letting the Bible interpret the Bible - “Buy the truth, and sell it not; also wisdom, and instruction, and understanding”(Pro 23:23).  God's truth is a treasure that few today  have ever experienced. </div> <div>      God is grooming us to teach His truth and sell it not.  But the question arises, “Are we strong enough to stand up alone for the truth?  We need to understand that God deals with us as individuals. We are His sheep and <B>He</B> is our shepherd.  </div> <bR> <div> <B>                     </B>                                     Jesus, when explaining the signs of the end times, told His followers, “For I will give </div> <div> you a mouth and wisdom, which all your adversaries shall not be able to contradict nor withstand.  And you shall be betrayed both by <B>parents</B>, and <B>brethren, and kinsfolks, and friends;</B> and some of you shall they cause to be put to death. And you shall be <B>hated</B> of all men for my name's sake.  But there shall not an hair of your head perish. In your patience possess you your souls” (Luke 21:15-19).  </div> <div>      Many in God's scattered churches have already experienced seeing this hatred and root of bitterness set in that was prophesied to take place at the end time, just as it has down through history.  Christ advice for this kind of misguided action is found in the book of Matthew.  “You have heard that it has been said, you shalt love your neighbour, and hate your enemy.  But I say unto you, love your enemies, bless them that Curse you, do good to them that hate you, and<B> pray for them</B> which despitefully use you, and persecute you” (Matthew 5:43-44).  A root of bitterness in mans heart creates in them a mean spirited attitude. This is why some in the God's churches have been marked. You can read about this subject in Romans 16:17 and 2 Thess 3:14.  When a person opens there heart to bitterness, spreading untruths by lying, deceiving and back biting, God says to “have no company with them.”  A person with this kind of character is not considered a lost sheep.   They are just  looked upon as having a root of bitterness.  They are Satan's aids in sheep's clothing, just as Judas Iscariot was!!  Christ call's them destroyers and deceivers.  They say one thing and do another. <B>They speak what they no not of, behind a persons back, </B>gossiping and causing strife among God's called out ones.  There is nothing new about this; pick up a concordance and look up the word <B>“Deceive.”  </B>God has a lot of evidence that identify them.  It has been going on in the churches for years.</div> <div>      Mr Armstrong experienced this when God used him to start  the Philadelphia church era  and college.</div> <div> <I>“Previously I have mentioned the opposition faced in getting the college started.   There had been plans, plots, and schemes to stop the broadcast work before it started, and to kill it after it started.  Not from  lay members, either at Eugene or up in the Willamette valley - but from jealous and coveting ministers. I suppose these opposing ministers thought they were doing right.   There is a way that seems right to a man.   God says these ways are wrong, and end in death.   But a deceived person cannot comprehend that.    I do not wish to impute motives.    I could not read these mens  hearts.   But I do know that, regardless of intent, their actions sought at every turn to destroy what has proved,  by its fruits, to be the true work of God!”  </I></div> <div> ( Hard copy of the Autobiography, Vol-I and II,  pages 517 / 234.)   <I>     </I></div> <div>      Those who are not deeply rooted in God's truth and do not have a solid foundation are going to be offended by God's truth.  In the book of Matthew,  Christ compares a seed with His word.“He that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that hears the word, [God's truth] and immediately  with joy receives it;  yet has he not root in himself, but endures for a while: for when tribulation  or persecution arises because of the word, [God's truth] by and by he is offended” (Mat 13:20-21).  </div> <div>      If we have God's law deep within us- the Psalmist  tells us we will not be offended by His truth. “Great peace have they which love the law: and nothing [meaning God's word and truth] shall offend them” (Psa 119:165).  This brings us to the conclusion that those who are offended have not learned to “Obey and love God's law or God's proven  truths.” Satan, “the prince and power of the air” is watching for this kind of weakened attitude.         </div> <div>      We read in 2 Thessalonians that God sends a strong delusion to those who don't love His truth!!  “For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now lets will let, until he be taken out of the way.  And then shall that wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of His mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of His coming:  even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,  and with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; Because they <B>received not the love of the truth</B>, that they might be saved. And for this cause God shall send them <B>strong delusion,</B> that they should <B>believe a Lie:</B> that they <B>all might be damned who believed not The truth,</B> but had pleasure in unrighteousness” (2 Thess 2:7-12).   A strong delusion means: 1).  Error; 2). Something that is falsely deluding belief; 3).  A false belief, despite the facts; 4).  Something accepted as true that is actually  false; 5).  The contradiction of truth; 6).  An instance of false belief; 7).  A departure from what is true and right. This strong delusion is believing a lie and not God's truth. They would rather follow Satan's ways than God's. In Paul first letter to Timothy he wrote: “Now the spirit speaks expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;  Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron” (1 Tim 4:1-2).  </div> <div>         The devil seduces those who are ripe for rebellion!  A person with a bitter attitude is ripe pickens for aiding Satans cause. “For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; (sound instruction on truth) but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears. [Speaking of superficial desire for religion desirous of hearing something pleasant and smooth, don't make waves- don't stand out from the crowd - embarrassed by truth].  They shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables” (1 Tim 4:3-4).   Fables meaning: 1).  To write or talk about something as if it is true;  2). Speaking a  falsehood.       As God's chosen, we always have to have on God's guard of armor because there is going to be heresies to separate the just from the unjust.  In 2 Peter: we read of God's truth being evil spoken of.  “But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in <B>damnable heresies</B>, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.  And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom <B>the way of truth shall be evil spoken of.</B>  And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingers not, and their damnation slumbers not” (2 Peter 2:1-3).  Damnable heresy means: 1). Adherence to a religious opinion; 2). Contrary to church dogma; 3). Denial of a revealed truth; 4).  An opinion or doctrine contrary to the truth.</div> <div>      We must learn to go God's way, and voluntarily embrace it.  We also must be humbled  through the knowledge of our own ineptness.  We have to learn to glorify God, giving Him all the credit- not the self.</div> <div> The Apostle Paul understood this.  “Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, In necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong” (2 Cor 12:10).  We are allowed to have weaknesses so we might learn to trust in God for our strength just as: Moses, David, Jonah, Isaiah,  Jeremiah and others had to do.  We live in a world today that Satan is waging a battle for our minds.</div> <div> We can learn from Paul's warning the Corinthian Church of God, to beware of Satan's craftiness. “But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ” (2 Cor 11:3 ).  The simplicity that is in Christ is His personality, not self seeking, free from  pretense and dissimulation. He is infused by God the Father through the Holy Spirit. If we did not have God's Holy Spirit we would not believe what we read in His word  as Truth.</div> <div>      God challenges us, to “PROVE ALL THINGS”! God puts importance on believing  His words as He instructs us!  But  are we going to activate His word and do what He says ?            </div> <div>      Down through history Israel has had an attitude of disbelief in what God says. The book of Deuteronomy  is history of Israel laws being restated by Moses.  “The Lord your God which goes before you, He shall fight for you, according to all that He did for you in Egypt before your eyes; and in the wilderness, where you have seen how that the Lord your God bare you, as a man doth bear his son, in all the way that you went, until you came into this place.   Yet in this thing you did not believe the Lord your God” (Deu 1:30).  Those words can still be echoed today.  Our  action  is active proof. </div> <bR> <div>                             <FONT SIZE="5" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I><B>Ask your self?</B></I></FONT></div> <div> Am I a doer or a hearer only of God's word?</div> <div> Am I daily involved in God's activity's.</div> <div> Am I being a servant for God or do I just want</div> <div> to be served? </div> <div>  Do I believe God's truth or man's fables?</div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> James Russell</div> <div> <I>“For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works......”</I><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" >(Eph 2:10).</FONT></div> <div> ------------------------------------------------------------------</div> <div> <I><B>LABOR NOT IN VAIN</B></I></div> <div>      <B>R</B>ecently a young man wrote to a  noted business magazine asking advice about his job.  He said he had fallen into a position at work-because there were no other options for him, but it was a job he hated. He detested arriving at the office every morning,  bored out of his mind all day, so left as early as possible every afternoon.  He so disliked his work that it was affecting his sleep and his relationship with his girlfriend and his parents.  He found his clients “boorish,” his position “worthless,” and his work was mindless, menial, miserable, and it was plan drudgery every waking day.”</div> <div>            Perhaps we all have faced an unpleasant job or situation at one time or another, but our prayers and  work for God's Kingdom [His Government to come]  is a different matter. As God's called, we are each given a personal job, a work, and a responsibility to accomplish.  What is that responsibility? It is to “Put on the <B><U>new man</U></B>, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of Him that created Him”(Col 3:10).</div> <div>      Every day we have the obligation of fulfilling the Divine laws of His words. These are not burdensome or  boring. They are enriching, fruitful, and pleasing to our Creator. “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord”(1 Cor 15:58).</div> <div>      How wonderful that the Divine Employer has a task for us today!  Serve Him with joy and always abound in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.</div> <bR> <div>         </div> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>