HE'LL FILL YOUR MOUTH WITH LAUGHTER

 By Rev.Michael Benson Ajayi

 Gen.22:2 "And he said, Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of."

          The word 'Isaac' is the Hebrew word 'tsachaq' which means to 'laugh outright.' Abraham had waited for the birth of this son of promise for about twenty-five years and his birth brought laughter to the Abraham's household. Isaac was a symbol of pride and a trophy of Abraham 's love and unalloyed faith in God.
       Abraham's loyalty was tested when God requested for the sacrifice of Isaac. Abraham's choice as the patriarch of those who shall be saved by grace through faith was informed by his understanding of the importance of sustainable development  in the propagation of godly ideals. The scriptures says in Gen 18:19 "For I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the Lord, to do justice and judgment; that the Lord may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him." The greatest business brands and nations are founded upon the principle of sustainable development, this ensures that improvements are made by incoming administrations on projects started by previous administrations and requires the highest level of loyalty . 
           It is against this backdrop that Abraham was told to sacrifice the only thing that made him laugh out-rightly : Isaac. Abraham had another son; Ishmael , born by his maid Hagar , He was a product of an inappropriate relationship and would have been the best choice for a sacrifice by all standards.      Isaac was described as the one 'that thou loveth ' and had taken God's place in Abraham's heart. Abraham's loyalty was suspect thus  necessitating the test of his faith.This test was to confirm  Abraham's belief in God as the giver of life with the ability to raise the dead and foreshadowed the death and resurrection of  Jesus Christ for the redemption of mankind.

         Greater responsibilities and opportunities are given to those with  the capacity to stand by their words regardless.Integrity is the most valuable currency in the world.  The ability to keep a promise positions us among the distinguished members of God's household (Psalm 50:5).The level of revelation of God's grace given to an individual is determined by his or her ability to pass the test on sustainability through loyalty.

           Jesus taught us to keep our promises , the scriptures says in Acts 13:32-33 "And we declare unto you glad tidings, how that the promise which was made unto the fathers, God hath fulfilled the same unto us their children," and 2 Corinthians 1:20 says God is committed to fulfill every promise made in His word towards us. He expects us to do likewise. Marriages, businesses and relationships tend to wax stronger when they are driven by the principle of integrity and it starts with our relationship with God. It is the lack of integrity that is behind the crisis in the world today.
         God expects us to be true to our word with Him, the scriptures says in Ecclesiastes 5:4-6 AMP "When you vow a vow or make a pledge to God, do not put off paying it; for God has no pleasure in fools (those who witlessly mock Him). Pay what you vow. [Ps. 50:14; 66:13, 14; 76:11.] "It is better that you should not vow than that you should vow and not pay. [Prov. 20:25; Acts 5:4.] Do not allow your mouth to cause your body to sin, and do not say before the messenger [the priest] that it was an error or mistake. Why should God be [made] angry at your voice and destroy the work of your hands? [Mal. 2:7.]. Words can either make or brake a person, when we make vows, word- seeds are sown with great expectations and when these expectations are not met ,seeds of disappointment are sown ( Prov.13:12). Whatever we sow, we reap ( Galatians.6:7) . This was the case of Ananias and Sapphira in Acts 5 also Jacob made a vow in Genesis 28:22 to give the tenth and other promises but never fulfilled them and suffered a divine dislocation in Gen 32:24-25. God's angels resist those who make vows(marital inclusive)  and renege on their promises (James4:6). May you not reap a harvest of disappointments and dislocations in Jesus name.
         We demonstrate our love for the lord by keeping promises ( Romans 13:8-10) failure to fulfill an obligation is an act of unfaithfulness to the lord ( Ephesians 6:7, Matthew 25:45) it hinders the spread of the gospel and puts a dent on the profile of those involved. The scriptures says in Proverbs 22:1 "A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches, and loving favour rather than silver and gold." Men and women of strong character are celebrated and given preferential treatments .

      Keeping to a promise isn't always convenient but the reward is worth the pain. Broken promises gives Satan the advantage over our lives , Proverbs 20:25 AMP says "It is a snare to a man to utter a vow [of consecration] rashly and [not until] afterward inquire [whether he can fulfill it]." Most so-called 'deliverance' cases and running from pillar to post in search of solutions to spiritual problems are as a result of unfulfilled vows (psalm50:14-15). A simple repentance by approaching the aggrieved party is all that is needed for healing to take place ( James 5:16). This is why it is not advisable to make a rash vow (James 5:12), we should always weigh the consequences and be ready to make necessary changes if the lord says to do otherwise( John 13:8-9,7Genesis 22:2-18). You shall be distinguished as you read this now in Jesus name. Prayer /counseling +2348098536911, +2348035536911 Email :Michaelbensonajayi@gmail.com