Introduction
Illustration: I read of a man who was running a
training program and gave some rules for the training. He said; before we start
the training we must agree for some things. No body will ask questions until
the presentation. No coffee until the coffee beak. He asked if they agree and
everyone said yes. Many people violated the agreement during the training. At
his conclusion he remarked that how easy is it to carelessly take commitments
and carelessly dishonour them.
Several
Sundays ago I asked them men to stand up and we regrated that we failed in our
commitment to fellowship together. I asked those who agreed with me that we shall start meeting on
Mondays to sit down and all the men sat down. The following Monday I was there
and only 5 men were present. We carelessly take commitments and carelessly
dishonour them. Some sit in meetings and agree that the discussion will end
there but the next second they dishonour that commitment and they are spreading
gossips and messages all around.
Honoring
your commitment is part of your character. It is a quality that attracts people
to you and enhances your relationships and opportunities. Failing to honour our
commitments will tarnish our image and have a negative effect on our
reputation. It can create a barrier to personal achievements and erect a
roadblock against success. Honoring your commitments makes you a person of integrity and character- Someone
others can trust.
Do you honour commitments you
make to your team, friends, family members, yourself? Do you honour the
commitments you have made to God? The people of Juda failed in their covenant
agreement with God. They treated God with disrespect, dishonouring His name.
They treated sacred things as common, turn away from God’s law, disobeying His
commandments. Some divorced their Jewish wives and married the Pagan women.
Malachi provides a strong rebuke to them. Why should we honour our commitments?
1. Responsibility: We must respond in
obedience to what we say
God wants
us to listen and to obey. Read Mal 2:2a
It is one
thing to believe something is true. It is another thing to obey it. James
1:22 says “But be doers of the word and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.”
Two Sundays ago we learned about young Samuel who responded after hearing God’s
voice in the middle of the night the third time. “Speak, for your sevant is
listening”(1 Samuel 3:10). Can you say that now? Ayre you listening to God? Are
you obeying God’s instructions? Are you honouring your commitments?
To know if
you are doing that, you need to test yourself and Malachi gives the details.
a. Revere God (v.5)
Many of us
play games with God. We compromise, disobeying whenever we feel like disobeying. Revering or fearing our awesome
God inspires obedience.
b. Receive truth (v.6)
To know
that you honour your commitment for God, you have to see if you teach and
receive the truth from God’s word. You must maintain a steady intake of the
Bible. You fail to teach Bible study or devotions at home. You fail to come and
be taught the pure word of God because you don’t honour your commitment with
God. Levi had the law of truth in his mouth; that is what the Bible says.
c. Righteous living v.6
Those who honour their commitments walk in a manner that is good and
upright, turning away from sin. The Bible says iniquity was not in the mouth of
Levi.
2. Warning
Malachi
reminds the hearers that if they fail to honour their commitments, God will
curse them (Mal 2:2). Failure to honour your commitment will damage
your personal testimony, it will impact your success in life, and strain your
relationship with God.
3. Benefits of honouring your
commitments v.5
Life and
peace was the Lord’s covenant promise to those who honour their commitments
with God. Life here speaks of a qualitative, and satisfying life. Peace is more
than a quiet soul, but also welfare of every kind.
But listen,
the priests failed in their responsibility to teach the law of God. The people
also failed to revere God, to receive his word and to live a distinct life. Malachi says 5 times in this
chapter that they were faithless, breaking faith, or that they deal
treacherously. They did not honour their commitments. They broke their vows,
God no longer had to fulfill his side of the obligation. Some of us are in this
situation today and you are wondering why God is not doing something for that
situation. It is because you have not honoured your commitment with God.
You alone
are responsible for your life. Stop blaming others, stop rationalizing or
justifying, stop excusing your failure to honour your commitment. We have a God
who honours His commitments; He keeps His promises. When we honour our
commitments, we are like God.
Shalom!
You are
yaweh eh You are Yaweh 2x
You are
Yaweh, alpha and Omega
Present our
sins in dishonouring our commitment with God (Bible studies, giving, tithing,
fellowship, lukewarmness, who cares attitude). Pray for the grace to stand
faithfully for the truth. Desiring the truth, teaching the truth obeying the
truth. Make prophetic declarations of blessings to those who honour God.
Healthy
life and prosperous life. Quality life with maturity. Peace of the soul, peace
with men; happiness, goodnesss, safety to their lives and their children in
Jesus name.
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