TOPIC: BEFORE YOU MAKE THAT VOW
MEMORISE:
*It is a snare to the man who devoureth that which is holy, and after vows to make enquiry.* *Proverbs* *20:25*
READ: Proverbs 6:1-5
1. My son, if thou be surety for thy friend, if thou hast stricken thy hand with a stranger,
2. Thou art snared with the words of thy mouth, thou art taken with the words of thy mouth.
3. Do this now, my son, and deliver thyself, when thou art come into the hand of thy friend; go, humble thyself, and make sure thy friend.
4. Give not sleep to thine eyes, nor slumber to thine eyelids.
5. Deliver thyself as a roe from the hand of the hunter, and as a bird from the hand of the fowler.
MESSAGE:
The world, from the beginning, has been full of deceit. This is why, today, the Lord is warning all His children to beware of being guarantors for people who would not keep their promises. Some people have lost all their life savings because they stood as surety for people who defaulted in repaying bank loans. Today’s memory verse reveals the folly of making enquiry after already vowing. That action can have eternal implications; Romans 13:8 warns that we should owe no man anything except love. Ecclesiastes 5:5-6 further says:
*Better is it that thou shouldest not vow, than that thou shouldest vow and not* *pay. Suffer not thy mouth to cause thy flesh to sin; neither say thou before the angel,* *that it was an error: wherefore should God be angry at thy voice, and destroy* *the work of thine hands?*
God is warning us through today’s Scripture reading to avoid standing surety to those we do not know very well, unbelievers in general and particularly unstable or inconsistent ‘brethren’ in the Church. This is because such people could turn out to be heartless foes when they begin to default.
Marriage vows are more serious, and as believers we must honour them. There are many wolves in sheep’s clothing in the Church today- pretenders who take innocent souls to the altar deceitfully just to wreak havoc on the spiritual lives of their victims. You must beware and take today's warning seriously. If you are among the deceivers in the Church, you must repent today, before the judgment of God comes upon you.
As a young person preparing for marriage, pay close attention to getting to really know your potential spouse very well. Do not forget: marriage is for better and for worse. It is better for you not to make a vow at all than to make one and then be seeking to annul it. Be wary of presumptuous love affairs and love at first sight. Take your time to investigate the life and background of the fellow you want to spend the rest of your life with. I have always said *“If love is blind, marriage would heal the blindness”.*
Beloved, as children of God our integrity must never be questionable, so before you commit yourself in any way, always exercise due diligence and seek God’s guidance.
PRAYER POINT:
Please Lord, I seek Your guidance in all that pertains to me. Help me to always rely on Your leading before I make any decision, in Jesus’ name.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: MICAH
AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE
HYMN 24: TAKE MY LIFE AND LET IT BE
1. Take my life and let it be Consecrated, Lord, to Thee. Take my moments and my days, Let them flow in endless praise.
2. Take my hands and let them move At the impulse of Thy love. Take my feet and let them be Swift and beautiful for Thee.
3.Take my voice and let me sing, Always, only for my King. Take my lips and let them be
Filled with messages from Thee.
4. Take my silver and my gold, Not a mite would I withhold. Take my intellect and use Every pow’r as Thou shalt choose.
5. Take my will and make it Thine, It shall be no longer mine. Take my heart, it is Thine own,
It shall be Thy royal throne.
6. Take my love, my Lord, I pour At Thy feet its treasure store. Take myself and I will be
Ever, only, all for Thee.
Comments
Post a Comment