Greetings my brothers and sisters in Christ,
I pray this message finds you well. In my walk with Christ over the past couple weeks, I have been faced with many trials and temptations with discipline and correction, as well as many revelations, one being the importance of knowing the Word of God so when the enemy is screaming at you lies and temptations you will be able to recognize the voice of the Holy Spirit reminding and guiding you in truth when we are tempting to go the way that seems right but leads to death. I have also been reminded of the importance of waiting on the Lord before making any kind of decision, whether it be small or large. For if we do not learn to go to God with the things that seem small and insignificant, how do we know to go and recognize him with the big and overwhelming things? As it is written:
“Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much. Luke 16:10 NIV
As I said, I have been through many trials as of late and my character has been tested immensely, yet I am grateful for it is written:
"In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed." 1 Peter 1:6-7 NIV
With all this being said, I want to share with you a lesson the Lord walked me through. With these trials, I faced the temptation to withhold something I had given my word to give. As I went to the Lord in prayer over this situation, I was led to these scriptures.
"When you make a vow to God, do not delay to fulfill it. He has no pleasure in fools; fulfill your vow. It is better not to make a vow than to make one and not fulfill it. Do not let your mouth lead you into sin. And do not protest to the temple messenger, “My vow was a mistake.” Why should God be angry at what you say and destroy the work of your hands?" Ecclesiastes 5:4-6 NIV
“Again, you have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘Do not break your oath, but fulfill to the Lord the vows you have made.’ But I tell you, do not swear an oath at all: either by heaven, for it is God’s throne; or by the earth, for it is his footstool; or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the Great King. And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make even one hair white or black. All you need to say is simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything beyond this comes from the evil one. Matthew 5:33-37 NIV
“What do you think? There was a man who had two sons. He went to the first and said, ‘Son, go and work today in the vineyard.’ “ ‘I will not,’ he answered, but later he changed his mind and went. “Then the father went to the other son and said the same thing. He answered, ‘I will, sir,’ but he did not go. “Which of the two did what his father wanted?” “The first,” they answered. Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you; the tax collectors and the prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God ahead of you." Matthew 21:28-31 NIV
And then, finally I was led to the story of Anaias and Sapphira which reads:
"Now a man named Ananias, together with his wife Sapphira, also sold a piece of property. With his wife’s full knowledge, he kept back part of the money for himself, but brought the rest and put it at the apostles’ feet. Then Peter said, “Ananias, how is it that Satan has so filled your heart that you have lied to the Holy Spirit and have kept for yourself some of the money you received for the land? Didn’t it belong to you before it was sold? And after it was sold, wasn’t the money at your disposal? What made you think of doing such a thing? You have not lied just to human beings but to God.” When Ananias heard this, he fell down and died. And great fear seized all who heard what had happened. Then some young men came forward, wrapped up his body, and carried him out and buried him. About three hours later his wife came in, not knowing what had happened. Peter asked her, “Tell me, is this the price you and Ananias got for the land?” “Yes,” she said, “that is the price.” Peter said to her, “How could you conspire to test the Spirit of the Lord? Listen! The feet of the men who buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out also.” At that moment she fell down at his feet and died. Then the young men came in and, finding her dead, carried her out and buried her beside her husband. Great fear seized the whole church and all who heard about these events. Acts 5:1-11 NIV
And I will ask you dear brothers and sisters the same question the Holy Spirit asked me: Do you need such an extreme example as Anaias and Sapphira to keep your word? Or will you be a child of the Lord and be one of integrity and high reproach?
Brothers and Sisters, we are to live out this life as ambassadors of Heaven, to be carriers of the light of Christ to be images of the highest God. I implore all of you, if you are struggling to keep your word, repent and go to the Father to be corrected and built up that you may be men and women of integrity, not just hearers of the Word but doers also.
May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you always and may his peace be with you.
Pastor Dakota Swinton