Keep Your Promise To Serve The Lord

Compiled by: Herman Abrahams (Pastor), Cornerstone Faith Ministries, P.O. Box 740, Westridge 7802, Rep. of South Africa.

E-Mail: Mentorship2003@yahoo.co.uk

Note to the reader:

If you have been blessed with this sermon compilation, I would be honoured to receive an e-mail from you merely telling me where in the world you are based- I do not need any other information. This is merely so that I can have the pleasure of giving thanks to Almighty God that all over the globe the ministry which he has entrusted to me, is blessing the body of Christ and helping to extend the Kingdom of God. Thank you. Herman Abrahams, Cape Town, South Africa.

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KEEP YOUR PROMISE - TO SERVE THE LORD

INTRO

„X Do you make New Year¡¦s resolutions?

„X Do you keep them?

„X What does the Bible say on this subject?

„X In O.T. times some Israelites made vows to God.

„X Definition: Vows are commitments to God to perform some duty or abstain from some activity.

ILLUSTRATION - Promised to Give a million Dollars

As the wealthy oil tycoon lay on his deathbed, his pastor talked of God¡¦s healing power. ¡§Pastor,¡¨ he gasped, ¡§if God heals me, I¡¦ll give the church a million dollars.¡¨ Miraculously, the man revived and within a few short weeks was out of the hospital.

One day, several months later, he and the pastor chatted on the sidewalk in front of a hardware store. ¡§You know,¡¨ the pastor said, ¡§when you were in the hospital dying, you promised to give the church a million dollars if you got well. We haven¡¦t got it yet.¡¨

¡§Did I say that?¡¨ the tycoon asked. ¡§I guess that goes to show how sick I really was!¡¨

(Today in the Word, July, 1990, p. 34)

PROMISE MADE IN THE PRAYER OF SALVATION.

Dear Lord Jesus, I believe that you have died on the cross for my sins.

I ask you now to come into my heart and to make me a new creation.

Forgive me of all my sin.

Wash me. Cleanse me.

I promise to follow you for as long as I live.

I thank you Lord jesus for coming into my life.

„X You made a promise to be faithful to Jesus.

„X You made a promise to serve Him and Him alone.

„X This was your resolution.

„X It was a resolution that has eternal consequences.

„X The best New Year¡¦s resolution one can therefore make is to remain loyal to Jesus and

to excel in our service to Him ¡V to obey His Word !!

„X Obedience brings joy ¡V the joy of the Lord is our strength.

„X The way of obedience is the way of blessing.

„X Many New Year¡¦s resolutions deal with physical issues like losing weight, increasing

exercise, getting more sleep, or eating healthier foods.

„X Some people pledge to learn a new skill or to take up a new hobby.

„X There may be a commitment to be more devoted to your studies.

These are all good things to accomplish but let your number one motivation be continued faithfulness to the Lord; obedience to His Word.

„X When making a New Year¡¦s resolution or promise, make sure it includes Jesus.

„X Evaluate your resolution it in the light of eternity.

„X How will this pledge help you to be more like Christ or move closer to the heart of God?

1. ONCE A VOW WAS SPOKEN IT BECAME A IRREVERSIBLE CONTRACT WITH GOD.

Num 30:2

¡§When a man makes a vow to the LORD or takes an oath to obligate himself by a pledge, he must not break his word but must do everything he said.¡¨

Numbers 30 goes on to explain that parents guarded their children¡¦s vows; husbands judged vows made by their wives.

2. IT IS A SIN TO MAKE A VOW AND NOT TO KEEP IT.

Deut 23:21-23

21 ¡¥If you make a vow to the LORD your God, do not be slow to pay it, for the LORD your God will certainly demand it of you and you will be guilty of sin. 22 But if you refrain from making a vow, you will not be guilty. 23 Whatever your lips utter you must be sure to do, because you made your vow freely to the LORD your God with your own mouth.¡¦

„X Vs 23 shows that vows or resolutions were made voluntarily, but was binding once made.

„X Failure to fulfill a vow was called sin (vs 21) and would result in God¡¦s punishment.

3. IT IS BETTER NOT TO MAKE A VOW THAN TO MAKE ONE AND NOT KEEP IT.

Eccl. 5:5-7

5 ¡¥It is better not to vow than to make a vow and not fulfill it. 6 Do not let your mouth lead you into sin. And do not protest to the temple messenger, ¡§My vow was a mistake.¡¨ Why should God be angry at what you say and destroy the work of your hands? 7 Much dreaming and many words are meaningless. Therefore stand in awe of God..¡¦