Empty promises? Ecc. 5:2-6 & Ps. 66:13-14AMP

I shall come into Your house with burnt offerings;

I shall pay You my vows,

14 

Which my lips uttered

And my mouth spoke as a promise when I was in distress. Ps. 66:13-14 AMP

Do not be hasty with your mouth [speaking careless words or vows] or impulsive in thought to bring up a matter before God. For God is in heaven and you are on earth; therefore let your words be few. 3 For the dream comes through much effort, and the voice of the fool through many words.

4 When you make a vow or a pledge to God, do not put off paying it; for God takes no pleasure in fools [who thoughtlessly mock Him]. Pay what you vow. 5 It is better that you should not vow than that you should vow and not pay. 6 Do not allow your speech to cause you to sin, and do not say before the messenger (priest) of God that it was a mistake. Why should God be angry because of your voice (words) and destroy the work of your hands?  Ecc. 5:2-6AMP

In light of both of these scriptures, I'll explain it in plain English:  Do not make promises to God, that you know in your heart of hearts, you do not plan to keep.  Furthermore, in other words, none of those, "Oh God, if you get me out of this," promises. 

That is what Ps. 66:14 means by "my mouth spoke as a promise when I was in distress".  Ecc. 5:2; 4-6a:  Do not be hasty with your mouth [speaking careless words or vows] or impulsive in thought to bring up a matter before God. For God is in heaven and you are on earth; therefore let your words be few; When you make a vow or a pledge to God, do not put off paying it; for God takes no pleasure in fools [who thoughtlessly mock Him]. Pay what you vow. 5 It is better that you should not vow than that you should vow and not pay. 6 Do not allow your speech to cause you to sin, and do not say before the messenger (priest) of God that it was a mistake. 

Don't be hasty with your mouth, if you're going to be, then pay what you owe.  If not, it's better to not promise than to promise.  Don't allow your current circumstances, and/or sin you want out of, to cause you to add more sin on top of it, by claiming you made a mistake, by uttering an empty promise.  

Yes, He already knows you're not always gonna get it right thus the reason for John 1:16, however, we still have to put forth our best effort as believers because it is what we are called to do.

Furthermore, He kept His promise (John 3:16-17) & always does (2 Cor. 1:20); so we owe it to Him to keep ours to Him when we make one. 

#prodigalpastor #promises #PromisesMadePromisesKept #distress #vows #Ecclesiastes #devotional