The Old & New Testament laws governing oaths and vows is found in: Numbers 30:2 (VOICE) Moses: 2 Whatever a man promises to God or others, whether a vow or a binding oath with a pledge, he must do. He is bound by his word: no excuses and no exceptions. Ecclesiastes 5:4 (VOICE) 4 If you make a promise to God, do not be slow to keep it; for He takes no pleasure in fools. So do what you have promised. Matthew 5:37 (VOICE) 37 You need not swear an oath—any impulse to do so is of evil. Simply let your “yes” be “yes,” and let your “no” be “no.”

When making a commitment to God, it can be helpful to be a part of a group where you help hold each other accountable in your walk with God.

What did the Israelites commit to?

Commitment #1: Submission to God’s Word Nehemiah 10:28-29 28 Then the rest of the people—the priests, Levites, gatekeepers, singers, Temple servants, and all who had separated themselves from the pagan people of the land in order to obey the Law of God, together with their wives, sons, daughters, and all who were old enough to understand— 29 joined their leaders and bound themselves with an oath. They swore a curse on themselves if they failed to obey the Law of God as issued by his servant Moses. They solemnly promised to carefully follow all the commands, regulations, and decrees of the Lord our Lord.

In Nehemiah 10, the people were saying that they were so seriously submitted to God and His Word that they were willing for the curses of God to fall on them if they did not carefully obey what He said. I wonder if we have that same submission and dangerous devotion today? Does God have all of us?

Commitment #2: Separation From the World Nehemiah 10:28, 30 28 Then the rest of the people—the priests, Levites, gatekeepers, singers, Temple servants, and all who had separated themselves from the pagan people of the land in order to obey the Law of God. 30 We promise not to let our daughters marry the pagan people of the land, and not to let our sons marry their daughters.

Commitment #3: Remember the Sabbath Day and Keep it Holy Nehemiah 10:31 31 We also promise that if the people of the land should bring any merchandise or grain to be sold on the Sabbath or on any other holy day, we will refuse to buy it. Every seventh year we will let our land rest, and we will cancel all debts owed to us.

This is an important model for us today This is an important model for us today. From the very beginning of the church, Christians made the Lord’s Day their appointed day for worship, rest, service, and witness.

Vow #4: Support For God’s Work & care for His Temple Nehemiah 10:32-39 32 “In addition, we promise to obey the command to pay the annual Temple tax of one-eighth of an ounce of silver for the care of the Temple of our God. 33 This will provide for the Bread of the Presence; for the regular grain offerings and burnt offerings; for the offerings on the Sabbaths, the new moon celebrations, and the annual festivals; for the holy offerings; and for the sin offerings to make atonement for Israel. It will provide for everything necessary for the work of the Temple of our God. 34 “We have cast sacred lots to determine when—at regular times each year—the families of the priests, Levites, and the common people should bring wood to God’s Temple to be burned on the altar of the Lord our God, as is written in the Law.

35 “We promise to bring the first part of every harvest to the Lord’s Temple year after year —whether it be a crop from the soil or from our fruit trees. 36 We agree to give God our oldest sons and the firstborn of all our herds and flocks, as prescribed in the Law. We will present them to the priests who minister in the Temple of our God. 37 We will store the produce in the storerooms of the Temple of our God. We will bring the best of our flour and other grain offerings, the best of our fruit, and the best of our new wine and olive oil. And we promise to bring to the Levites a tenth of everything our land produces, for it is the Levites who collect the tithes in all our rural towns. 38 “A priest—a descendant of Aaron—will be with the Levites as they receive these tithes. And a tenth of all that is collected as tithes will be delivered by the Levites to the Temple of our God and placed in the storerooms. 39 The people and the Levites must bring these offerings of grain, new wine, and olive oil to the storerooms and place them in the sacred containers near the ministering priests, the gatekeepers, and the singers. “We promise together not to neglect the Temple of our God.”

TOP TEN Signs You Need a Work Day at Your Church

Dust bunnies outnumber church mice 3 to 1. # 10 Dust bunnies outnumber church mice 3 to 1.

The baptistery was declared a wild life refuge by Ducks Unlimited. #9 The baptistery was declared a wild life refuge by Ducks Unlimited.

the rest room at the gas station next #8 Members are using the rest room at the gas station next door.

#7 Mildew on the sanctuary wall has appeared in the image of The Virgin Mary.

#6 Teenagers feel right at home.

#5 The ushers kick up a rabbit out of the orange shag carpet during the offering.

#4 Guests stick to the pews after their third visit.

#3 A Volkswagen van of hippies who’ve been missing since 1969 are pulled from a parking lot pot-hole.

#2 A local farmer offers to buy the hay off your church lawn.

#1. The pigeons in the. belfry have. petitioned for. better living #1 The pigeons in the belfry have petitioned for better living conditions.

Mother Teresa said, “If you give what you do not need, it isn’t giving

Someone has said that we make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give. Jesus put it this way in Matthew 6:21: Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

The key to spiritual renewal is not to apply God’s truth to those we know. It is to apply it personally and specifically. If you look at your friendships, your calendar, and your checkbook, you can determine whether or not you are fully submitted to God and completely committed to His cause.

References Putting God’s Truth into Practice – Stephen Cole Make the Commitment -- Anthony Craver Making Investments that Last – Brian Bill Committed