"Covenant of Peace"

 "When thou vowest a vow unto God, defer not to pay it; for he hath no pleasure in fools: pay that which thou hast vowed." (Ecclesiastes 5:4 KJV)

  "Your word is a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path. I've promised it once, and I'll promise it again: I will obey your righteous regulations. I have suffered much, O LORD; restore my life again as you promised. LORD, accept my offering of praise, and teach me your regulations. My life constantly hangs in the balance, but I will not stop obeying your instructions." (PSALM 119:105-109 NLT)

 Over the last two days, I have heard several different messages which have spoken about the dangers of making a vow to God that cannot be kept or not properly carried out. Tithes and offerings were the most talked about, as we have the opportunity to give according to what we promised, but when we put it off, the opportunity passes, and we end up not fulfilling the vow, that we ourselves, established. 

 I know it sounds rather difficult to follow, but you have got it understand what God sees in this, because He has the ability to give and take away; but we, on the other hand, are totally and completely reliant upon His great mercy and grace! So, you can see what it means to look like a fool! 

 Tithing and giving of offerings is the one thing God challenges us to test Him with, which we have the ability to responsibly do. Letting ourselves get bitten by venomous snakes, or jumping off a cliff, those are not very responsible things to test Him with; but to give up a portion of what we have been given, that is the way we not only trust Him, but it is the way we praise Him for what He has given us! 

 The other, more interesting vow is the promise of following His commands. Like those New Year resolutions, which were quickly forgotten and slipped under the rug; we promise to do something or not do something, even sharing it with others, as to the vow you have committed to; and then one slip-up, and you vow is undone. 

 It is best to not even vow, if you are going to mess up! I know I shared this before, but Jay Carty's book Counterattack, is one that speaks quite well into this, as to looking at pink elephants; Don't look at pink elephants! What do you see? Pink elephants! 

 The best prescription for combatting doing what you don't want to do, is to do what God wants you to do, to the best of your ability; and even then, you will still need God's help...

"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race that God has set before us." (Hebrews 12:1 NLT)