With
Dr. Franklin Senters
March 15th
O - Openness
GETTING PEOPLE INTO THE WORD OF GOD:
Joshua 9: 18, 19
And the children of
Israel smote them not, because the princes of the congregation had sworn
unto them by the LORD God of Israel. And all the congregation murmured
against the princes. But all the princes said unto all the congregation, We
have sworn unto them by the LORD God of Israel: now therefore we may not
touch them.
GETTING THE WORD OF GOD INTO PEOPLE:
When is a pledge or promise no longer a promise? Maybe a better way of asking this question would be when may a pledge or promise no longer to be kept. Some might say, “If I make a promise to you and you make a promise to me, if you do not hold up on your promise, then I am no longer obligated to keep my promise.” The problem is, that sounds more like a business agreement or a contract that a promise. It all comes down to integrity. If you make a promise, it should be based on what you are able and willing to do no matter what. The children of Israel understood this. When representatives from surrounding nations lied and tricked Israel’s leaders into believing that they were from a far off land, the leadership made a league with them that they would not harm them or the people of their country. A league is another way of saying, a pledge, to swear an oath, or make a promise. Three days later when they found out that these representatives had lied and tricked them, it did not change their league or promise. You see their promise was not based on the representatives. They made a promise based on their relationship to God. For them to go back on their promise regardless of how it was obtained was the same as saying to those to whom they made the promise that their God could not be trusted. This is why the Bible warns us about making vows or promises we may not keep. Today the divorce rate around the world is astounding. Partly because people are basing their willingness to keep their promise on what someone else says or does. Marriage vows do not ask “Will you if they do.” When you say I do it is not “I do if they will.” Just as with the children of Israel, when you have a Christian wedding you are making these pledges not only in front of the people present, but also before God. People tend to forget. God never forgets. We would all do well to think through our promises carefully to keep our integrity tact.
LETTING THE WORD AFFECT OUR LIVES:
Today might be a good day to go over the oaths and promises you have made. Ask God to help you keep your part of every promise no matter what others do.
Daily
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