[Jesus continued:] " But I say, do not make any vows! ... And do not say, 'By the earth!' because the earth is [God's] footstool. And do not say, 'By Jerusalem!' for Jerusalem is the city of the great King. Do not even say, 'By my head!' for you can't turn one hair white or black. Just say a simple, 'Yes, I will,' or 'No, I won't.' Anything beyond this is from the evil one."
—Matthew 5:34-37 NLT
Don't break your word! In the Kingdom family of God, the truth is ensured by our integrity, not by something outside us. We shouldn't have to swear to ensure our word! Jesus carries this integrity of your word one step further when he tells us not to use a vow to guarantee our words. Let the truthfulness of your speech be the standard mode in which you live, so you do not need to reach out and grab for reliability in something external.
Almighty and dependable God, I want to be a person of integrity. I want my words to be true. I want people to be able to trust what I tell them. Please give me strength and courage not to exaggerate, lie, or stretch the truth and courage to do what I say. As your child, blessed by the many promises you have kept, I want to bless others by speaking only the truth and always doing what I say I will do. In Jesus' holy name, I pray. Amen.
Ⓒ 1996-2021 Heartlight, Inc. This material may not be reproduced in part or whole for commercial use without written consent. What Jesus Did! is written by Phil Ware and is available in book form. Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2007, 2013, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
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—Matthew 5:34-37 NLT
Key Thought
Don't break your word! In the Kingdom family of God, the truth is ensured by our integrity, not by something outside us. We shouldn't have to swear to ensure our word! Jesus carries this integrity of your word one step further when he tells us not to use a vow to guarantee our words. Let the truthfulness of your speech be the standard mode in which you live, so you do not need to reach out and grab for reliability in something external.
Today's Prayer
Almighty and dependable God, I want to be a person of integrity. I want my words to be true. I want people to be able to trust what I tell them. Please give me strength and courage not to exaggerate, lie, or stretch the truth and courage to do what I say. As your child, blessed by the many promises you have kept, I want to bless others by speaking only the truth and always doing what I say I will do. In Jesus' holy name, I pray. Amen.
Related Scripture Readings
Ⓒ 1996-2021 Heartlight, Inc. This material may not be reproduced in part or whole for commercial use without written consent. What Jesus Did! is written by Phil Ware and is available in book form. Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2007, 2013, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
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