MAKING A PERSONAL DEDICATION

There is another important step to take before being baptized.  You must dedicate yourself to Jehovah God.  

When you dedicate yourself to Jehovah God in earnest prayer, you promise to give him your exclusive devotion forever.  (Deuteronomy 6:15)  Why, though, would someone want to do that?  Well, suppose a man has begun to court a woman. The more he learns about her and sees that she has fine qualities, the more he finds  himself drawn to her.  In time, it is natural that he would ask her to marry him. True, getting married will mean taking on additional responsibilities.  But love will move him to take that important step. 

 When you come to know and love Jehovah, you are moved to serve him without holding anything back or setting any limits in worshiping him.  Any one who wants to follow God's Son, Jesus Christ, has to "disown himself." (Mark 8:34) We disown ourselves by making sure that personal desires and goals do not stand in the way of our complete obedience to God.  Before you can be baptized, the, doing Jehovah God's will must be your main purpose in life. -1 Peter 4:2.  

Next time: OVERCOMING FEAR OF FAILURE 

From the Book: What Does the Bible Really Teach? 2005 and 2006