I am saddened by the decline of my beloved America. But I am also reminded of the fact that God, who created the Universe and raised up America to begin with - to be light reflecting God-(the Light) for all mankind started almost 400 years ago. Has God "allowed" America (through our free will) to fall into such levels of sin and rejection of God, departing from His Word and biblical ways to the point of no return? At the moment, we are still the light of the world, but that is changing rapidly. That light is fading rapidly I should say. As such, we as authentic believers in Jesus Christ have work to do here in America and abroad.

As I prepare for my trip to Europe in September, I am reminded of the Great Commission (Matthew 28) and the importance of missions here and abroad. We live in sober times. Fancy Christian programs (often shows) and emotional gatherings are limited in value. Emotion is good when kept in check with the mind. There is a place and time for each, but emotionally faith is shallow and limited.

on the other hand, communing with God is a serous thing. Executing the Great Commission in the USA and thoughout the world is a serious mission. Please pray for me and my travel companion as we prepare to minister to churches in Europe and a new class I am teaching inn Charlotte at a larger church from September through November.

I have been invited to two minister in multiple countries and will faithfully go as God calls me to each mission. I don’t have much is any time for recreation in my life as I have been called work while there is still light. It's God and family and mission and friends. What else is there?

“As long as it is day, we must do the works of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work” (John 9:4).

While Jesus was speaking in the immediate regarding the fact that "NIGHT IS COMING WHEN NO ONE CAN WORK", referring to the time of the crucifixion, when the disciples will be scattered and Christ will neither teach nor do miracles, in application, the exact same principle and command applies to you, me and all authentic believers in Jesus today.

WE must as well WORK WHILE IT IS STILL LIGHT/DAY BECAUSE DARKNESS/NIGHT IS COMING. Jesus said in 8:12, "I AM THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD" As the sun is the physical light of the world, so Jesus is the spiritual light of the world. As the light of the world, Jesus exposes sin (vv. 1-11) and gives sight (9:1-7).

You, me and all authentic Christians are called to reflect the Light of God in our dark world while it is still light. In other words, while we still can, because the time/day is coming when we will no longer be able to do so. It's like a race: Once time runs out and our Lord calls us home its game over. We all will eventually be called to give an account as to what we did with our gifts, calling, mission and time while it was light. This is all according to the New Testament. What does the Old Testament say about serving God while there is still light?

Looking at the Old Testament, King Solomon in Ecclesiastes 9:4 which says:

“But he who is joined with all the living has hope, for a living dog is better than a dead lion” (Ecclesiastes 9:4)

What the heck does this mean? The living really do have an advantage over the dead (v.4). WHY Because the dead have no further opportunities of securing compensation for their efforts (labors) for God on earth (v.5), and they no longer share in life on this earth (v.6). Here, Solomon is using a proverb that says a living lowly creature is preferable to a dead exalted creature. The point is not that death is the absolute end of all things but quite the contrary. Instead of death being “THE END”, his point is that while there is life, there is HOPE of doing something more for the glory of God. This is called mission. This does not have to be feeding the poor or evangelizing, but does require a few things as follows:

1. That we do all things for the glory of God. The truth and love of God will surface through those efforts and made apparent to the lost world by default.
2. We must be winsome in how we live out our faith in serving our Lord Jesus Christ. In business, we cannot and should not clobber people with the Gospel, but draw them in through a curious heart wanting to know, hear and receive the true God of the universe and the truth of exclusive salvific gift of eternal life in and through Jesus Christ.
3. Finally, we must be deliberate in all we do for God’s glory and the edification of others with God and His Word in mind. This is called “living out your faith”. It’s not done on Sundays or Bible study only, but is part of who we are in our daily life.

In the end, “But he who is joined with all the living has hope, for a living dog is better than a dead lion” (Ecclesiastes 9:4). Life is SHORT and if you are reading this, you are still alive and able to live out your mission calling while there is still light. The living really do have an advantage over the dead (v.4) because the dead have no further opportunities of securing compensation for their efforts (labors) for God on earth (v.5), but the dead no longer share in life on this earth (v.6). With that in mind, let’s start living out our MISSION TODAY-WHILE IT IS STILL LIGHT!

WHY IS THERE HOPE IN LIFE? Because God has a MISSION for us. Solomon explains this in Ecclesiastes 9:4 which saying:

“But he who is joined with all the living has hope, for a living dog is better than a dead lion” (Ecclesiastes 9:4)

What the heck does he mean? The living really do have an advantage over the dead (v.4). WHY Because the dead have no further opportunities of securing compensation for their efforts (labors) for God on earth (v.5), and they no longer share in life on this earth (v.6). Here, Solomon is using a proverb that says a living lowly creature is preferable to a dead exalted creature. The point is not that death is the absolute end of all things but quite the contrary. Instead of death being “THE END”, his point is that while there is life, there is HOPE of doing something more for the glory of God. Let me explain this in three ways:

1. That we do all things for the glory of God. The truth and love of God will surface through those efforts and made apparent to the lost world by default.

2. We must be winsome in how we live out our faith in serving our Lord Jesus Christ. In business, we cannot and should not clobber people with the Gospel, but draw them in through a curious heart wanting to know, hear and receive the true God of the universe and the truth of exclusive salvific gift of eternal life in and through Jesus Christ.

3. Finally, we must be deliberate in all we do for God’s glory and the edification of others with God and His Word in mind. This is called “living out your faith”. It’s not done on Sundays or Bible study only, but is part of who we are in our daily life.

In the end, “But he who is joined with all the living has hope, for a living dog is better than a dead lion” (Ecclesiastes 9:4). Life is SHORT and if you are reading this, you are still alive and able to live out verse one as Solomon lays out for us! The living really do have an advantage over the dead (v.4) because the dead have no further opportunities of securing compensation for their efforts (labors) for God on earth (v.5), and they no longer share in life on this earth (v.6). With that in mind, let’s start living out our MISSION TODAY!

We live in a world where people, including Christians “say” they are going to do something, but fail to carry through and deliver on their word. Today, I am going to show you through the Scriptures that God expects us to keep our word and carry through with our promises. WHY? Because when we give our word, we are making an oath made before God and man. And failure to do so leads only to God’s judgment and broken relationships here on earth.  

According to full focus.com, “KEEPING YOUR WORD is the essence of integrity. As Stephen Covey points out, “HONESTY IS MAKING YOUR WORDS CONFORM TO REALITY. INTEGRITY IS MAKING RALITY CONFORM TO YOUR WORDS”. 

Keeping your word is essential to leadership as without it you cannot be an effective leader. According to Merriam Webster Dictionary, an “OATH” is “A SOLEMN ATTESTATION OF THE TRUTH OR INVIOLABILITY OF ONE’S WORDS” OR “SOMETHING (SUCH AS A PROMISE) CORROBORATED BY AN OATH”. 

WHY IS IT IMPORTANT TO KEEP YOUR WORD?
Whether you make a promise to a friend, a job obligation, or even a personal goal you made to yourself, it crucial to stay true to what you say and to honor your commitments. Not only can keeping your word generate trust and credibility, it can also help you achieve your goals and sustain and grow relationships. 

It’s important that we honor commitments, even when it is difficult, expensive, or inconvenient. When I was growing up, I was told that you keep your word, even when it costs you something. Simply put, our word is sacred, and keeping our word is essential to the sacred vows and promises we make. Without it, society falls apart.  When I was a young man, a man’s bond was his word and a handshake was giving his word. The failure to keep one’s word was considered an insult and no one for the most part  were wiling to risk their social capital or relational equity by breaking their word. 

THINGS HAVE CHANGED
Sadly, I continue to experience people not keeping their world (breaking their word), even within in the church. This is tragic-especially for them because it destroys all trust I have or I should say "had" in them as keeping one's word and speaking the truth is the very foundation of our relationship. With all this being said, I want to look at some biblical truths and wisdom to see what God says about an "OATH" and a "VOW" becuase keeping our word to make a vow. 

WHAT IS A VOW?
Vows are voluntarily expressions of devotion usually fulfilled after some conditions have been met. Vows made in the OT were usually conditional based on things to be done for the Lord or for others. A common vow may say something like: “IF X…THEN Y”. Genesis 28:20 for example says: “THEN JACOB MADE A VOW, SAYING, “IF GOD WILL BE WITH ME AND WILL KEEP ME IN THIS WAY THAT I GO, AND WILL GIVE ME BREAD TO EAT AND CLOTHING TO WEAR, SO THAT I COME AGAIN TO MY FATHER’S HOUSE IN PEACE, THEN TEH LORD SHALL BE MY GOD, AND THIS STONE, WHICH I HAVE SET UP FOR A PILLAR, SHALL BE GOD’S HOUSE. AND OF ALL THAT YOU GIVE ME I WILL GIVE A FULL TENTH TO YOU”. 

A vow is more than an oath in the it specifically holds a response of condition. For example, when we get married, we “EXCHANGE VOWS”. These are promises we make to get and KEEP MARRIED. BUT-making a vow, especially before or to God can be very dangerous if not kept. Let’s look at MATTHEW and 1 JOHN for some guidance as the the importance of keeping one’s oath and the dangers of failing to keep an oath made to God.

Matthew 5:33 in the NIV says, “Again, you have heard that it was said to the people long ago, but fulfill to the Lord the vows you have made” (Matthew 5:33 NIV). 

1 John 2:5 says, “But if anyone obeys his word, love for God is truly made complete in Him, This is how we know we are in Him” (1 John 2:5). IN OTHER WORDS, IF WE FAIL TO FULFILL OUR VOWS, WE ARE NOT IN HIM-MEANING IN CHRIST? I would say that a person who fails to consistently keep their word has a very shallow faith at best and not faith at worst. WHY do I say that? Because-HOW can one make a vow to trust the Lord and then not keep their word to God there-forward. I would submit that their confession of faith and vow before God was not authentic to begin with in most cases. 

HOW ABOUT MATTHEW 5:27?

“LET WHAT YOU SAY BE SIMPLY ‘YES’ or ‘NO’; anything more than this comes from evil” (Matthew 5:37). I think that is pretty clear. God’s law says, “DO NOT LIE UNDER OATH” (Leviticus 19:12). Jesus makes clear here that to make a vow involved the pledge to “DO SOMETHING”, TO CALL UPON GOD TO WITNESS THE DISCHARGE OF THE ACTION , AND TO PUNISH IF IT WERE NOT CARRIED OUT”. That is why Jesus warned us to keep our word and to keep it simple with either a “YES” or a “NO” in effort to make things complex and break our VOW or our WORD. 

“But above all, my brothers, do not swear, either by heaven or by earth or by any other oath, but let your “yes” be yes and your “no” be no, so that you may not fall under condemnation” (James 5:12).  [On one hand, oaths themselves are not prohibited; on the other, a believer should not be forced to take an oath in order to tell the truth. Unrepentant deception WILL cause the believer to FALL UNDER GOD’S JUDGMENT (DISCIPLINE) now, and ring disapproval at the judgement seat of Christ (See James 2:12, 13).

REMEMBER
Keeping your word is the essence of integrity. As Stephen Covey points out, “Honesty is making your words conform to reality. Integrity is making reality conform to your words”. It is essential to leadership. WHY? 

FIRST: Because INTEGRITY IS REQUIRED FOR TRUST: If people can’t trust what you say or “YOUR WORD”, they won’t trust you.

SECOND: TRUST is NECESSARY FOR INFLUENCE: And all of us are called to live a life of influence as followers of Jesus Christ. People “CHOOSE” those they allow to influence their them-and this is based mainly on TRUST.

THIRD AND LASTLY: INFLUENCE IS ESSENTIAL FOR IMPACT: You cannot make the impact you want to make unless you can influence others and help change or shift their behavior.

In the end, KEEPING YOUR WORD can be DIFFICULT, EXPENSIVE, and INCONVENIENT. But the cost of not doing so is even MORE EXPENSIVE. It will ultimately cost you relationships, your reputation, and your ability to lead. And THIS IS THE IMPORTANCE OF KEEPING YOUR WORD.