Impulsive promises

DeerGlow said:

What is celebrate recovery?

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DeerGlow said:

So I have to pay all the thoughts I promise? What if I've promised more than I can pay?

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You don't have to pay for something that you couldn't control kid. Just seek His forgiveness for previous impetuousness. Happens to all of us. Just control your impulsive thoughts in the future. Hope that helps. God bless .

DeerGlow said:

I wish I could but it's extremely hard to control.

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All of us can honey and so can you. "We take every thought captive to the obedience of Christ." Practice this mental discipline a while and you'll be amazed how powerfully the Holy Spirit helps you . One day you'll be amazed as to how much mental and psychological control you've acquired. In the interim, don't worry or obsess. You'll master the Mind of Christ slowly .

DeerGlow said:

Every time I see money my brain starts trying to promise it all to God. I know we are not supposed to swear or if we promise to the Lord fulfill it quickly but I don't mean to promise everything in sight. It's already a problem when I have to support myself how do I handle it? I can hardly put my cash in my jacket or take it out to pay and my brain tries to start promising it all away. I feel like I'm being greedy wanting to save the money I'm being given but also like come on, I didn't mean to say that. I feel obligated to do something instead of willingly giving. Am I bound to these or is it wrong to ask God to release me from hasty promises I didn't mean to say? Am I having itching ears by asking this? Do promises have any weight if they're impulsive/compulsive?

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Sounds like you have a legalistic relation with God of your own doing. The Earth is the Lord's and the fullness thereof. Everything belongs to God, yet He needs none of it. He told Israel that he had no need for blood sacrifice because if He were hungry He had the cattle that belongs on a thousand hills. The tithe does not exist. There is no requirement to give a tithe or anything. What matters is your heart. When Ananias and Saphira lied to Peter and said that they sold all they had and gave it to the apostles, Peter told them that the stuff belonged to them (and indirectly said) that they were under no obligation to give any of it. Likewise, Paul tells us that God loves a cheerful giver, and that we are to give of what we have, not of what we don't have. Today, the tithe is only a guideline for giving if you want to use it. Today it is only a matter of sowing and reaping. Sow sparingly and you reap sparingly. Your promises are based upon a faulty premise in your expectation of God. He does not care about giving, He cares about your attitude in giving.

DeerGlow said:

I wish I could but it's extremely hard to control.

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Sent you some blessings. Don't worry kiddo .

Cturtle said:

Makes a lot of sense. Try this... purpose in your mind and heart to give 10% of all that you have. That's what is God's request. Then tell yourself that you will not think about giving anything else till you commit some time to prayer and ask God what He desires you to do. And then if any other thought come up... practice reminding yourself that you have already made a decision and keep focused on being gratefulnto all the people who blessed you with a present.

It's something you have to practice and it will get easier the more you do it.

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God owns 100% of everything I have. Can you explain to me how do I take 10% away from Him and then give it back to Him?

When you promise to give something to God......How do you give it to Him? How much money do you believe He wants/needs? And do you think He will ever stop needing your money?

DeerGlow said:

I know God doesn't need anything from me but it says in the bible not to delay in fulfilling promises to the Lord and I'm in over my head here.

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Sounds like you are simply not exercising self control. Resist the desire to make promises to God. As a young believer I erroneously thought that every thought that came into my mind was God talking to me. When I realized that was not true, I countered those thoughts with Scripture. Content determines what is God. God always speaks in agreement to His Word.

But through my errors and presumption, the grace of God carried me. It is true that we are not to make promises that we will not or can not keep, but God also knows your heart and gives you grace to work through your errors. Be encouraged that God is helping you even now in gaining self control.

DeerGlow said:

I know God doesn't need anything from me but it says in the bible not to delay in fulfilling promises to the Lord and I'm in over my head here.

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Ic. So you've built up a holy tab. Maxed out your visa from the Bank Of Heaven. Took out a Hallelujah Loan that you cant pay back.....

God has forgiven your debt....It is paid in full. He only ask that you forgive the debt of your brothers as well......Forgive and you will be forgiven. Go and sin no more.

DeerGlow said:

What is celebrate recovery?

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It's a Christian recovery based group (for any addictive or obsessive compulsive problems) that holds meetings about 30% similar to AA and follow a modified version of the 12 Steps of Recovery.

AA keeps itself neutral with regards to a specific religion in it's literature and encourages members to seek spirituality and a Higher Power (God) to direct their lives (though many members like myself eventually come to or return to follow Christ through that path. I needed to start at ground zero and was led back, gently).

Celebrate Recovery is specifically Christ focused with direct bible quotes emphasizing the different steps. Their meetings follow a different structure (the ones I have been to at least) with praise and worship for a period, then topic/Step discussion or speaker, then small groups. I've only been to a few, not a big fan, they seem a little like an AA rip-off to me. But to each their own, and AA originally descended from the Oxford Group which was a Christian organization

Celebrate Recovery
Celebrate Recovery - Wikipedia
https://www.celebraterecovery.com/index.php/about-us/twelve-steps

AA How it Works
http://www.aa.org/assets/en_US/p-10_howitworks.pdf

Putting the 12 Steps into practice is a discipline that could benefit any Christian or person though I feel and strengthen your walk with God. If you really follow them, you will know yourself better than probably 90% of the people on the planet.

RaymondG said:

God owns 100% of everything I have. Can you explain to me how do I take 10% away from Him and then give it back to Him?

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In all reality He is responsible for allowing us to have it, and is the one who gives us the ability to get it... but it is essentially ours to do with what we please. Giving Him 10% shows that you honor Him, and appreciate what He gave you the ability to have. It's all about the attitude of the heart and respecting Him and honoring Him. Thanking Him for blessing you.

Cturtle said:

In all reality He is responsible for allowing us to have it, and is the one who gives us the ability to get it... but it is essentially ours to do with what we please. Giving Him 10% shows that you honor Him, and appreciate what He gave you the ability to have. It's all about the attitude of the heart and respecting Him and honoring Him. Thanking Him for blessing you.

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I believe God deserves 100% of all of me and everything I have. Not just 10%

DeerGlow said:

But I mean, what do I do when I have these thoughts? Do I ask for forgiveness, pay them, or ignore them? Ignoring is so hard because I fear being accountable for some things on judgement day.

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Sounds like the enemy is abusing you a bit. You need to start to try to take authority over these thoughts, and yield your feelings of condemnation to Jesus. His burdens are heavy; if the enemy can't have you enslaved to sin, then he will try and enslave you to the law (of oaths, of tithes, etc.). Give grace a chance in your life.

DeerGlow said:

That's why I wonder about itching ears. At the same time, it feels like I'm just being put under obligations not free will. Like I just had the thought of selling everything and giving it to the Lord. It's not my free will but I feel like it's on my head now. It's like I'm being tricked by my own brain rather than giving because I want to.

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Don't give out of compulsion, even a 10th. The tithe is an old testament concept, if people want to use it as a guide, that is fine, but this is not required. Jesus is looking for cheerful givers who care about the Kingdom, the poor, leadership, and their brothers.

DeerGlow said:

This is so frustrating. I am trying to write thank you notes for graduation gifts and I can hardly keep my thoughts away from this. I feel like I'm guilty of itching ears that want to hear I am not bound to impulsive promises so I am not obligated to pay. It's like I should want to pay what I promise but also I didn't have the intention of promising it.

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Why don't you make a formal agreement with God; tell Him, "Heavenly Father I am having a lot of crazy money thoughts and make a lot of promises in my mind. Please ignore these. I will write my true intentions on a piece of paper and then the next day I will read it, and then if this is actually my desire and intention, then I will sign it. You can help hold me accountable to these written, slept, signed promises. Everything else please cover with your grace. Do help me to bring my thoughts under control, but in the meantime so that I am not constantly abused by enemy, ignore all of my 'thought' promises as non-binding. Thank you for your grace and mercy."

DeerGlow said:

Wish it was easy, but once they come in I feel guilty.

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Well, now you are Jesus 101 - he has removed our condemnation; cast your guilt on him; he took a real beating for all of your broken promises so that you don't have to.

DeerGlow said:

So I have to pay all the thoughts I promise? What if I've promised more than I can pay?

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I don't agree with what he said here. You need to focus on your relationship with the Lord and His Spirit and bring your thoughts under control. God does not want you a slave to every abuse the enemy can dream up and pop in your mind.

DeerGlow said:

I know God doesn't need anything from me but it says in the bible not to delay in fulfilling promises to the Lord and I'm in over my head here.

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Well it says he gives his angels charge over you; so are you going to jump off the bridge because the thought came to you?