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Verbal agreements today are worth nothing

Have you made a verbal commitment before? Did you stick to it? If you said yes, congratulations. Many today hold lightly to their verbal commitments. And so we need trained lawyers (in the old days there used to be letter writers who did this job) to draft proper agreements that penalize those that break the agreement. In the chapter of Nehemiah that I read yesterday it concluded by saying there was going to make a written agreement to obey the Law of God.

Nehemiah 9:38, “And because of all this,
We make a sure covenant and write it;
Our leaders, our Levites, and our priests seal it.”

This Nehemiah generation took obedience for God very seriously. Many details were mentioned in today's reading. I find it very fascinating to see that they talk much about contributions and money. They were ready and willing to give.

Nehemiah 10:35, And we made ordinances to bring the firstfruits of our ground and the firstfruits of all fruit of all trees, year by year, to the house of the Lord;

It says firstfruits. That means your first income. No, not for you to spend on yourself or your family. Or, to keep it in some savings or investment plan. You give it to God. The Jews made a written covenant. Perhaps this Christmas I need to get the whole family together and reaffirm in writing all that we have been doing and ought to do. I have made many mistakes in my life in relation to money and I need to make sure they are not repeated in my life or my family.

Father, help me to obey your Word completely.

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