email : Webview : Duane Brooks - Every Day with Jesus

February 18, 2019

Numbers 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.

New International Version (NIV)

                 Deal, or no deal? Have you ever made a deal with God? I heard about one who told God, “If you bring me home from this war I am fighting, I will take my family to church for the rest of my life.” He came home, but he did not actually keep his word to God. This increased his guilt and pushed him farther from God.

                Moses taught the people the seriousness of taking an oath before God. His bottom line was, “If you make a promise to God, you have to keep it, so be careful what you promise.”

                In the book of Judges, one of Israel’s leaders, Jephthah promised God he would kill whatever came out of his house first, if he won his battle. Sadly, when he came home, his only daughter emerged first from his house. We know for sure that his pledge was foolish. Knowing what we know about God, would God have wanted him to keep that promise?

`               Thankfully Jesus taught us in the Sermon on the Mount that we should not make oaths to God at all. We should be careful what we say and be people of our word (Matthew 5:33-37). Jesus teaches that God is not looking for you to make a deal with him, which you have to keep and which binds him to give you what you want. That may be shamanism and superstition but it is assuredly not Christianity.

                The gospel is the real deal: you were worse off than you thought and more loved than you ever dreamed. God takes all of our mistakes and sins and pays for them on the cross. You can receive his gift of life or reject it. Deal, or no deal?

Pray with me:

Father, teach us so that we move beyond superstitions about you to true relationship with you. Today we say “yes” to you and to your plan for us. We say “no” to all that displeases you. Thank you that all of your good promises to us come true in Christ. Amen.

This year our Every Day with Jesus readings will follow The Bible Project Read Scripture Plan. Copies of this reading plan are available at Tallowood Baptist Church, or download
the app at readscripture.org. Read through the Bible with us in 2019!
Joyfully,
Duane

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