PAY WHAT YOU VOW – THE GLORIOUS CYCLE
From The HeartPublish date: 12/18/2005
And whoever offers a sacrifice of peace offering to the Lord to make a special vow to the Lord or for a freewill offering from the herd or from the flock must bring what is perfect to be accepted; there shall be no blemish in it. 22 Animals blind or made infirm and weak or maimed, or having sores or a wen or an itch or scabs, you shall not offer to the Lord or make an offering of them by fire upon the altar to the Lord. 23 For a freewill offering you may offer either a bull or a lamb which has some part too long or too short, but for [the payment of] a vow it shall not be accepted. Leviticus 22:21-23 AMP
Anytime you vow a vow, anytime you commit to do something for God or give something to Him it must be the best you have, not the worst. Under the Old Covenant, it was a matter of law; under the New Covenant it is a matter of the heart; however God has always emphasized how important our attitude is in everything we do—under the Old and the New. God is extremely generous. He does not do things in a measured way; neither does He hold back His blessing; He always gives His all and His best. You are the one who puts the limits on God when you have a bad attitude and when you refuse to give your all, and your best, to Him. It is your choice to give God your best or to give Him your junk, but be forewarned that He will not accept your offering of junk. An unaccepted offering is the same—or maybe worse—than no offering at all.
But cursed is the [cheating] deceiver who has a male in his flock and vows to offer it, yet sacrifices to the [sovereign] Lord a blemished or diseased thing! For I am a great King, says the Lord of hosts, and My name is terrible and to be [reverently] feared among the nations. Malachi 1:14 AMP
When you make God a promise to give God something that is your best and then you change your mind, God is not satisfied with your offering and does not receive it from your hand. It is an insult. Don’t think that He won’t notice or won’t care, because you could not be more wrong. Just how little respect do you have for Him? It is arrogant and stupid of you to try to deceive and cheat the Lord. He is not some stranger, who does not count in your life—He is your Father, the One who has always given you nothing but the best and who loves you with an undying love. What kind of ungrateful, spoiled brat child are you to give Him a blemished, diseased offering? What kind of a slap in the face have you given Him? You are cursed for giving God your rubbish when you committed to give your best.
If you return to the Almighty [and submit and humble yourself before Him], you will be built up; if you put away unrighteousness far from your tents, 24 If you lay gold in the dust, and the gold of Ophir among the stones of the brook [considering them of little worth], 25 And make the Almighty your gold and [the Lord] your precious silver treasure, 26 Then you will have delight in the Almighty, and you will lift up your face to God. 27 You will make your prayer to Him, and He will hear you, and you will pay your vows. 28 You shall also decide and decree a thing, and it shall be established for you; and the light [of God’s favor] shall shine upon your ways. 29 When they make [you] low, you will say, [There is] a lifting up; and the humble person He lifts up and saves. 30 He will even deliver the one [for whom you intercede] who is not innocent; yes, he will be delivered through the cleanness of your hands. Job 22:23-30 AMP
When you make God your precious treasure, you give Him His rightful place in your life; you delight in Him; you adore Him; you worship Him; you look to Him alone as your source and supply; you give Him both those things for which He has asked of you and the things which you have promised Him. All these things work together to get God’s attention and to cause His promise to you to be activated, and His blessing to be released onto your life. When you are faithful to keep covenant with Him and pay Him what is owed to Him—the things He has asked you for and the things you promised to Him—you will lack nothing. God’s favor will be upon your life. You have honored Him and He will honor you. You will ask for something and He will do it for you. He will even listen to you when you stand in the gap to pray a prayer for someone who is not deserving of His mercy. If you honor Him with your best, you position yourself as a person of covenant, a person after God’s own heart, and a friend of God Almighty, Himself!
Offer to God the sacrifice of thanksgiving, and pay your vows to the Most High, 15 And call on Me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall honor and glorify Me. Psalms 50:14-15 AMP
When you are faithful to keep your promises and pay your vows, God will be prompt and diligent to deliver you whenever you are in trouble. Then you will have yet another reason to praise and thank God.
In God have I put my trust and confident reliance; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me? 12 Your vows are upon me, O God; I will render praise to You and give You thank offerings. 13 For You have delivered my life from death, yes, and my feet from falling, that I may walk before God in the light of life and of the living. Psalms 56:11-13 AMP
I place my trust in my God. When it is time to pay my vows, I do it. I do it cheerfully and willingly and I praise and honor Him. Because I honor Him by paying my vows, He delivers me. Because He delivers me, I praise, thank, and honor Him by paying my vows! It’s a glorious cycle!