Why Not?

Monday, September 22, 2025

Good morning, Lord

Father in Heaven, I seek You first-the knowledge of Your kingdom and Your righteousness. Fill my consciousness constantly and complete Your joy in me as I take up my cross and follow...In Jesus' name…

Memory verse: Jeremiah 15:19 ESV

Therefore thus says the Lord: “If you return, I will restore you, and you shall stand before me. If you utter what is precious, and not what is worthless, you shall be as my mouth. They shall turn to you, but you shall not turn to them.” 

Verse of the day: Romans 15:7

7 “Therefore welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God.”

Today’s reading: Ecclesiastes 10-12 Galatians 1

Why Not?

Why not cross your heart to make a promise?

This is what Jesus said:

“Don’t make an oath(swear) by the Heaven-it is God’s throne”

Don’t swear by the earth-it is God’s footstool.

Don’t make an oath by your head(don’t cross your heart)(Matthew 5:33–37 )

In Matthew 23:16-22, Jesus started by saying, “Woe to you, blind guides, who say, “If anyone swears by the temple, it is nothing, but if anyone swears by the gold of the temple, he is bound by his oath.” You blind fools! For which is greater, the gold or the temple that has made the gold sacred?

Then, He says, “And whoever swears by the temple swears by it and by him who dwells in it. And whoever swears by heaven swears by the throne of God and by him who sits upon it. “

The point is that God is greater than all-our hearts-the earth-gold-so He is the one we must make our promises on. He is our guarantee behind our words and our life. Without Him, our words fall meaningless.

One of the weapons of our enemy is to destroy trust. When we make an empty promise, one not made in the sight of God and by His will, we say in our hearts, “All promises can be broken”. This destroys trust in our relationships. If people can not trust us-take our word as truth-they have no faith in us, cannot trust us-neither can we trust ourselves. This results in a weak existence with low self expectations. This is a life in darkness. You may look and smell good-but be empty inside.

This goes back to hallowing the name of God-yes it does. When we honor God, we want to uphold His righteous principles.

John 5:23 

That all may honor the Son, just as they honor the Father. Whoever does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent him.

Look at the way you reason-do you reason in truth? Do you consider the way you speak in the world to be by God’s direction? Confess the darkness in your heart. Don’t cross your heart-take up your cross(Luke 9:23).

2 Timothy 2:21 

Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from what is dishonorable, he will be a vessel for honorable use, set apart as holy, useful to the master of the house, ready for every good work.

...because He loves you, He will do it…

Father in Heaven,

I want to hallow Your name but I fall so short. I want to know Your kingdom and do Your will. Forgive me for walking in darkness and not honoring you in my thinking and in my words. Deliver me from this evil.

Honorable God above all,

In the name of Christ Jesus,

Amen