OCTOBER 19 "EVER BREAK A PROMISE TO GOD?"

   There's nothing wrong with being moved by emotion and then making pledges, promises or commitments based off of that. Is it possible that we could be manipulated by others, of course, there's always that chance. Are some people mentally or emotionally week and very susceptible to people with strong personalities, of course, that's where we get cults from. You have one strong, charismatic, type-A personality who preys and draws upon the weaker to follow him by his manipulation. So now that we got all that out of the way, for the rest of us, that are able to guard ourselves, and make sensible decisions, while being moved with emotion, we have an obligation to follow through on those. Even more so when we have been moved upon to "do good" and we do it not. For one reason or another, the people make a decision to release the Hebrew slaves and not for no apparent reason either. God had established the year of Jubilee, where all slaves and debts were released. Bankruptcy Courts still follow this rule today! The slaves had not been released as prescribed by the law, they are convicted, agree to release the slaves, but then renege on their promise and God is quite perturbed over the whole affair. Why did they go back on their promise, do you think? The answer is obvious, that their good deed, the right decision, the moral thing to do, not actually to play out in "real time" and cost them. Often we renege on good and moral decisions we have made, when it begins to cost us,...and all God's people said...AMEN! It starts with Salvation and continues from there. Many are moved to give their lives to Christ, to surrender all, to give up their sin.......until.....it begins to cost them, then they renege. Then they say, "oh it was just a low point in my life", "oh, I was just manipulated by the Preacher". No, it was none of those, the truth is you, we, were moved "yes by emotion" but it was to do a good thing and there was no manipulation involved, it is simply when the cost began to play out in your life, you reneged on that promise. We don't hear God speak often do we! We make promises everyday day, week, month and year, to God, and half the time don't follow through. Do we hear any displeasure from God, does lightning strike us.....of course not. So we go on with our merry lives thinking "it's no big deal". Our story reveals to us that it is a big deal. God's not speaking audibly today because He has already said all He has to say, in His Word, if we will just take the time to read. And over and over in His Word, it is stated, "better not to make a vow to God, then to make it and then not follow through". It's never too late to go back and follow through or to re-commit to a promise, a pledge, or commitment you made to God.  I guarantee if you do, you will sleep a lot better tonight and have a much better experience next time your Worship God in church. Guilt is a nasty burden to carry, but it is a good thing, if we respond to it!