Interactions with God #38
While in Houston, at Victory Chapel, which was Pastor Taylor’s church. Taylor invited a traveling evangelist friend of his to come and speak. After the guy spoke, Taylor had asked people to make a pledge to support this guy’s ministry for a time. I did so. It was only $10 or $20 a month if I remember. I am not sure how long it was for either. It could have been 6 months or a year, I just don’t recall. What I do know, is that after I left Houston, I stopped sending the guy my money. This was a problem.
What problem? The guy was a friend and affiliate of Pastor Taylor, one of the loon pastors that clearly had heart issues. Why should I send him ANY money? Well, I did something I should not have done, but since I did, I was seriously committed. I made a pledge.
A pledge is very serious business in the eyes of God. It is a vow, a commitment. When you do this thing before God, HE will expect you to follow up with it. The scriptures really speak against making a pledge or vow. The reason why is simple really. It is because we are NOT God, therefore we have absolutely no power to make good on our word. Sure I can commit before God to do something very simple, like say hello to my wife the next morning…so what is the big deal? Well, if I died in the night, my commitment is poop. Making a pledge or vow is frankly, arrogant. Yet, there are some very real circumstances where it is required, like a marriage.
A marriage is a vow before God. A covenant. It is EXTREMELY serious and also to the death. That means, there is no way out, until one dies or breaks the covenant. That is why making such a vow be done with much consideration. God will hold you to it. Yea, but so many divorce. True, but breaking a covenant before God comes with penalties. For men or women who cheat on their spouses, it usually comes in the form of health or financial problems. Look, this is no small matter. And no, it doesn’t matter if you believe in God or not, if you make the covenant before Him, well, it is a big deal. “But what if I am not happy?” Your happiness is not required. Your trust and obedience is.
I made a pledge to send this guy a small amount of money each month for a specified time period. Truthfully, I had also forgotten about it. However, on this particular day, He reminded me.
It was a few months after my escape from Houston. I was on my knees praying and I thought I was having a good conversation then, all of a sudden, it turned a bit darker. I could feel that He was not real pleased. He reminded me of my pledge. I reminded Him that the people I pledged to were not very honorable. Then, He reminded me of the passage in Luke 16:10: "Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much.
I sent the money and finished my allotted pledge.