Friday, March 4, 2016

How Do We Honor Our Commitments?

We heard last Sunday about the importance of honoring our commitments.  Here are a few reasons why.

1.  Responsibility. Respond in obedience.
God desire for us to listen and to obey. It's one thing to believe something is true but quite another to obey it. 
The litmus test of obedience is whether or not we are living what we know to be true.

2.  Warning. Recognize the downside.
The heart is the command center of a person's life. It is where we collect and consider knowledge when we make decisions and plans that determine the direction of our lives. Here is where we determine to honor our commitments and to keep our promises. If we fail to honor our commitments, we will damage our personal testimony, impact our success in life and strain our relationship with God.

3. Remember the benefits.
Life and peace are the Lord's covenant promise. Life speaks of a satisfying life known only to those who receive God's favor.  Peace is more than a quiet soul, but also welfare of every kind. Those who obey God will be blessed.

4. Failure  Resorting to unfaithfulness.
A covenant was a solemn and binding mutual agreement between two parties. When one party failed to fulfill his obligation, the covenant was said to be broken. In our day, many a marriage, friendship or business partnership has been rendered useless because someone failed to honor a commitment.

5.  Action.  Erecting boundaries. 
To 'watch' means to hedge with thorns or protect by attending to. 
Some boundaries to consider for today can be...

  • I alone am responsible for my life. I will stop blaming, rationalizing and excusing my failure to honor my commitment.
  • I can't do everythign, so it's okay to say no.
  • I will speak with purpose.
  • I will only make commitments I intend to keep.
  • I will write down all teh agreements I make.
  • I will clear up any broken agreement at the first opportunity.
  • I will follow through on the commitments I have made even though it may requre sacrifice, work and cost. 


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