Promises you made to God

[HomeBound]

Has anyone here made a promise to God at one point in their life?
Either to stop doing something, or to start doing something, and still haven't made good on that promise? Feel convicted for it? Feel you're missing out on God's best because of it?

Even if it wasn't a promise, but merely something you said you would do.

 

[thirsty]

I did once.
I was not a Christian at the time and I got busted for drugs in Thialand. While in custody I said God if you get me out this I promise I will never do drugs again. Well He got me out of it knowing all along I would do drugs again. Praise the Father He is so full of mercy.

 

[HomeBound]

Wow, that's pretty much the point of the thread. Amen.

 

[Ziwei]

Yes, that promise serves as a great help, thirsty. I made many promises back when I aged less than 14 years old. Many, almost all have failed, but since recently I have been standing true to my promises. I found that to dedicate my life to Jesus seems to be the best way. If one gives up his/her whole heart, all the "desires" leave, and with God having not just top priority, but ALL priority, it becomes much easier to fulfill promises.

And sometimes even God had to help me with my promises. I remember when I did not stand up to one He actually went in and disciplined me, reminding me who still ruled over me. Praise God for discipline!

 

[helmikaarina]

Yes. I have made several promises and not being able to keep them. But I know that it's a bigger problem to me than to God.

1 John 3: 20 "But God is greater than our hearts. He knows everything."

He knows better. Since then life has taught me and I just try to pray "Your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven" meaning also in my life and being happy to know that it's the best what can happen to me.

 

[cat has felt the light!]

I'm working on it! getting better at that you know!
C@ xx

 

[HoT-MetaL]

I promised God that I would never get drunk again, after doing really stupid things!

Me being Me, I got drunk again.


So I promised God that I would not drink anything alchoholic until September 4th (When I come back from the mission)... Its now been two months and three days (roughly) since ive touched alchohol.

And... I could NOT do it in my own strength! Praise Jesus!

God Bless, metal.

 

[Nikicarol]

I think the key is to do it in the Lord's strength and not our own. I got to a desperate point asking God how I could stop doing what I was doing, and God didn't say, promise you won't do it again, He asked for commitment to him in everyway. Will power is doing it in our strength - I promise I won't do it again Lord! But we have to be commited to doing it His way, turning always to Him and then we can stop, because we realise the implications of what we are doing.

 

[HomeBound]

The following verses are amongst my favorites. And they mean very much in my life as I attribute them to promises I've made to God. I love how they are similar to how some of us feel sometimes.

Jon 2:1 Then Jonah prayed unto the LORD his God out of the fish's belly,
Jon 2:2 And said, I cried by reason of mine affliction unto the LORD, and he heard me; out of the belly of hell cried I, and thou heardest my voice.
Jon 2:3 For thou hadst cast me into the deep, in the midst of the seas; and the floods compassed me about: all thy billows and thy waves passed over me.
Jon 2:4 Then I said, I am cast out of thy sight; yet I will look again toward thy holy temple.
Jon 2:5 The waters compassed me about, even to the soul: the depth closed me round about, the weeds were wrapped about my head.
Jon 2:6 I went down to the bottoms of the mountains; the earth with her bars was about me for ever: yet hast thou brought up my life from corruption, O LORD my God.
Jon 2:7 When my soul fainted within me I remembered the LORD: and my prayer came in unto thee, into thine holy temple.
Jon 2:8 They that observe lying vanities forsake their own mercy.
Jon 2:9 But I will sacrifice unto thee with the voice of thanksgiving; I will pay that that I have vowed. Salvation is of the LORD.
Jon 2:10 And the LORD spake unto the fish, and it vomited out Jonah upon the dry land.

 

[HumbleBee]

Tiz a lesson in reverence and being careful in what you say...Applicable verses for pondering...even insight about battle between spirit and flesh...

Ecclesiastes 5:2-7 Do not be quick with your mouth, do not be hasty in your heart to utter anything before God. God is in heaven and you are on earth, so let your words be few. As a dream comes when there are many cares, so the speech of a fool when there are many words. When you make a vow to God, do not delay in fulfilling it. He has no pleasure in fools; fulfill your vow. It is better not to vow than to make a vow 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? Much dreaming and many words are meaningless. Therefore stand in awe of God.

Romans 7:14-25 We know that the law is spiritual; but I am unspiritual, sold as a slave to sin. I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do--this I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it. So I find this law at work: When I want to do good, evil is right there with me. For in my inner being I delight in God's law; but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members. What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? Thanks be to God--through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself in my mind am a slave to God's law, but in the sinful nature a slave to the law of sin.

Galatians 5:16-18 So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under law.

The spirit man and the flesh man war within...been said that whomever you feed becomes the strongest...so...

Galatians 6:7-8 Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.

 

[Yamagi]

I should promise to stop drinking... but when I get in a depressed mood and I am alone I always find myself drinking until I get drunk. I hate this and I am just too weak to stop. I sin the most when I am alone.

 

[HoT-MetaL]

I should promise to stop drinking... but when I get in a depressed mood and I am alone I always find myself drinking until I get drunk. I hate this and I am just too weak to stop. I sin the most when I am alone.

Youre 16 mate, you should NOT be relying on drink when youre depressed... youve not experienced life yet, if youre drinking now, what are you going to do when youre older?

Seek some advice from somebody v. mature in the Lord, and from somebody who maybe has been through the same thing.

Turn your sorrows to the Lord, and pray for his strength. He died on the cross for a reason, if you lay down your emotions to him, he will deal with them in HIS strength.

God Bless, metal.

 

[HomeBound]

I should promise to stop drinking... but when I get in a depressed mood and I am alone I always find myself drinking until I get drunk. I hate this and I am just too weak to stop. I sin the most when I am alone.

WELL, STOP IT!

 

[Faith In God]

WELL, STOP IT!

 

[HoosierCanuck]

I'm always promising to read the Bible more, pray more and I never make good on it. I know I'm missing out on some awesome blessings but it doesn't stop me from moving these things to the bottom of the priority list. I also promise to stop eating certain foods because they are harmful to me (in my opinion this is as bad is doing drugs or drinking) but next thing I know I'm in my car driving to the place that serves the particular food. Not only am I sinning by gluttony, I'm being careless with what little money God has blessed me with by eating at this place because they aren't exactly value-meal priced.

 

[cat has felt the light!]

WELL, STOP IT!

its funny but I think thats the whole point, I know that every time I think of stopping something I want to do it more! so I think he's probs thought of stopping already, if only it were that easy!
C@ xx

 

[kanga22]

I was just thinking about this recently! When I first accepted Christ at the age of 17 (20 yrs ago) I was running up to 10 miles a day just because I enjoyed it. One day I was feeling so thankful to God for giving me the ability and pleasure of running and promised that I would use it for His glory.

Well, now I have a problem in my hips (maybe arthritis) and can barely walk some days. Do I feel like it is God reminding me that I said I would use my legs for His glory - and haven't yet? Yes

 

[vinc]

I have never promised God anything so far in my life. Maybe bcoz i fear that i may not be able to keep a promise. But, without promising God, i would just make-up my mind to be committed to Him in a particular area of my life and seek His help to remain committed.

 

[HomeBound]

its funny but I think thats the whole point, I know that every time I think of stopping something I want to do it more! so I think he's probs thought of stopping already, if only it were that easy!
C@ xx

I agree, but sometimes I feel that people just need to hear it once in a while by another person.

 

[HomeBound]

I have never promised God anything so far in my life. Maybe bcoz i fear that i may not be able to keep a promise. But, without promising God, i would just make-up my mind to be committed to Him in a particular area of my life and seek His help to remain committed.

Good idea, because I promised God something about 7 years ago, and not a day goes by that I'm not convicted of this broken promise I've yet to commit to.