Keep Your Word

I once heard a great a man of God that I had the privilege to know say, your word is your bond.

Numbers 30: 1 – 2 “And Moses spake unto the heads of the tribes concerning the children of Israel, saying, This is the thing which the Lord hath commanded: If a man vow a vow unto the Lord, or swear an oath to bind his soul with a bond; he shall not break his word, he shall do according to all that proceedeth out of his mouth.”

The word, bond, in this verse means an obligation or a vow.  

The dictionary defines the word bond, an obligation imposed by a contract or promise.

Your word is your bond.  I think some people have no idea how powerful the words we speak are.  Proverbs 18: 21 says that death and life are in the power of the tongue.

As believers in Jesus Christ, we need to properly represent the character and nature of Jesus and the Word of God.  

The Bible says that God elevates His word above His name.  Jesus said that heaven and earth will pass away, but His word will last forever.  

Psalm 15: 1 says, “Lord, who shall abide in thy tabernacle? Who shall dwell in thy holy hill?

One of the things this Psalm mentions is found in verse 4b, “He that swears to his own hurt and changes not.”

Psalm 15: 4b says, “Keep your word even when it costs you…”

I hope everyone is getting the point the Word of God is trying to convey to us. Keep your word.  If you make a promise, keep your word, even if it is inconvenient, even if it costs you something.

It always amazes me how many Christians don’t understand how important this is.  Some say, I will do it or I will be there, then they don’t show up.  They are not keeping their word.

Other times we have sign up sheets for events.  We prepare food or other things for the number of people who signed up for the event and on the day of the event they fail to show up.

I hear people give excuses such as, I was busy, or something else came up or I slept in.  They have no idea that they did not keep their word.  If you give your word or sign up for something and just don’t show up without a very serious reason for not keeping your word, you have violated what we just have seen in the Word of God.

It may cost you something if you keep your word, but that is what the word of God has been addressing.  Keep your word.  Your word is your bond.

If you don’t take seriously what comes out of your mouth, your words will be powerless when you speak against the enemy or pray for others.

So take seriously when you give your word or make a promise.

Remember the old saying: liar, liar, pants on fire.  

Keep your word.  Your word is your bond.

- Pastor Jim