Nehemiah 9:38 “In view
of all this, we are making a binding agreement, putting it in writing, and our
leaders, our Levites and our priests are affixing their seals to it.”
Pastor JJ preached an
enlightening, yet challenging sermon last Sunday at our Worship service. Here
are my notes and thoughts. What does it take to get our attention and change
us; changes in our life? What will drive us to a binding agreement, compulsory
covenants, fervent oath, earnest pledges, and solemn vows with the Lord? Swearing hastily-made empty
promises do not accomplish anything, but sincere promises to God are important
and shows how important our faith is to others; making a clear statement of our
change: who we are, who we love and who we belong to (Jeremiah 31:33).
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.
We don’t succeed as Christians because of what we promise
to God, but by the promises of God being faithful to us. Christianity evaluates
the performance of mankind not by a low common denominator of human behavior. Christianity
asserts that normal natural man is a “fallen” man. The standard of goodness is
found in the holiness of God and the blood of the new covenant from God to us.
Some make no commitments to God, but all need to “stake their lives” on the
Lord; examining our hearts and our lives, discovering where do we not conform
to Christ and change to be faithful, that God has every part of us and
proclaiming: “I will follow the Lord!”
Nehemiah 10:28-29 “The
rest of the people—priests, Levites, gatekeepers, musicians, temple servants and all
who separated themselves from the neighboring peoples for the
sake of the Law of God, together with their wives and all their sons and
daughters who are able to understand— all
these now join their fellow Israelites the nobles, and bind themselves with a
curse and an oath to
follow the Law of God given through Moses the servant of God and to obey carefully
all the commands, regulations and decrees of the Lord our
Lord.
Four areas of our lives
that we need to commit to the Lord are:
(1)
Submission
to God’s Word (obey carefully all the
commands, regulations and decrees of the Lord our
Lord). Be serious about everything
spelled out in the Bible. Listen to, trust and obey what God says and make His
holy Word our guide for life. Focus our life on the Lord: to know Him and know
Him more in devoted regular appointment of personal relationship and prayer as
our path.
(2)
Separate
ourselves from the God-rejecting secular world system (all who
separated themselves from the neighboring peoples for the
sake of the Law of God). Be in
the world, but not of the world by distancing ourselves from ungodly and unholy
people and situations as a regular way of life in where we stand and walk
compared to what is pleasing to the Lord. Add godly people, places and things
to our lives, and subtract ungodly people, places and things that are sinful
and harmful to worship of and obedience to the Lord 92 Corinthians 6:14b). Holy means set apart by God for God’s purposes.
In our relationships, who changes who? Don’t be drug away and lost. We are the
light of the world (Matthew 5:14-16).
(3)
Renew
your covenant with a vow, seeking first his kingdom and his righteousness. The word “Sabbath” literally means the seventh
day of the week. It is a planned day of rest and worship of the Lord. We need
to sit down, relax and refresh our mind, body and soul together with family,
while trusting in and declaring the truth of God’s supremacy and sovereignty;
resting on the promises of God. Saying, “No” to a life of busyness,
distractions and covetousness’.
(4)
Restore
the temple, supporting the house and work of God: proclaiming the power of God,
assuming responsibility and owning it, obedient and committed to the Word of
God, systematically with structure, time and place. Nehemiah 10:39“We will not neglect the house of
our God.” Give sacrificially of yourself, back faithfully of
resources: time, talents and financial tithes and offerings: not what we can
spare. Give with the right motive, for the kingdom of God
Ecclesiastes 5:4 When you make a vow to God, do not delay to fulfill it. He has no
pleasure in fools; fulfill your vow.
What is the plot of your life on God’s stage? Who do you
make promises to and why? What in the world do we commit to? When we examine
our lives, despite what the world says, we find that it is not really all about
us. In our promises to God, we discover who we truly belong to, who we are in
Him and why? So, what is your next step?
In Christ, Brian
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