WISDOM FOR LIVING DAILY DEVOTIONAL
MAY 05, 2026
TOPIC: 6 REASONS YOU SHOULD KEEP YOUR PROMISES
BY T. O. BANSO
“They make promises they don’t intend to keep. Therefore punishment will spring up among them like poisonous weeds in the furrows of the field” (Hosea 10:4 Living Bible).
In relationships with fellow human beings, it is essential to discipline yourself to fulfil your promises. Making promises is voluntary. If you make a promise, make sure you fulfil it. Don’t make promises that you have no intention of fulfilling.
Some people are quick to make promises and forget about them immediately because they have no intention of fulfilling them. Such people could be called liars. They have no integrity.
In Hosea 10:4, God says this about the Israelites: “They make promises they don’t intend to keep. Therefore punishment will spring up among them like poisonous weeds in the furrows of the field” (Living Bible).
It is the same attitude that such people extend to their relationship with God. They do not redeem their pledges or fulfil their vows, which nobody forced them to make. However, I am not talking about keeping your promises to God in this message. I am limiting myself to keeping promises to fellow human beings.
In law, a contract is an agreement, written or oral, that creates an obligation binding on the parties. Therefore, don’t enter into a contract hastily without understanding or being ready to fulfil your obligations. Many have entered into contracts unadvisedly and are suffering the consequences. Oral agreements are binding but hard to prove in a dispute.
Some contracts must be written and signed for them to be enforceable. Do not hurry to sign a document you don’t understand. If you need to consult a legal practitioner, please do so. It may cost you some money, but it is ultimately cheaper than what you may pay if you fail to fulfil your obligations. Don’t be penny-wise, pound-foolish. Keep your promises.
6 reasons you should keep your promises
1. God demands that you keep your promises. Failure to keep your promises amounts to lying. And the Word of God forbids lying. Leviticus 19:11 says, “You shall not steal, nor deal falsely, nor lie to one another” (New King James Version). A lying tongue is one of the seven things that are an abomination to the LORD (Proverbs 6:16-19).
As a Christian, you must eschew all forms of lying. Lying is a sin; it’s one of the sins that come from the heart that defiles a person (Matthew 15:19-20). “Therefore, putting away lying, ‘Let each one of you speak truth with his neighbor,’ for we are members of one another” (Ephesians 4:25 New King James Version).
2. God is a promise keeper, and if you’re truly His son or daughter, you should emulate Him. If you’re a promise-breaker, you don’t resemble God. The psalmist asks in Psalm 77:8b, “Has His promise failed forevermore?” (New King James Version). No. God’s promises have never failed. Hebrews 11:11b says Sarah believed that God would keep his promise. And God fulfilled the promise of a child of promise, Isaac!
Solomon said, “Blessed be the Lord, who has given rest to His people Israel, according to all that He promised. There has not failed one word of all His good promise, which He promised through His servant Moses” (1 Kings 8:56 New King James Version). In 2 Corinthians 1:20, it is written, “For all the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God through us” (New King James Version). The New Living Translation puts it this way: “For all of God’s promises have been fulfilled in Christ with a resounding ‘Yes!’ And through Christ, our ‘Amen’ (which means ‘Ye’) ascends to God for his glory.” Hebrews 10:23b says, “God can be trusted to keep his promise” (New Living Translation). As His child, you should also be trusted to keep your promises.
3. It is a good testimony of your faith as a Christian. Being a promise-breaker makes people question the authenticity of your claim of being a Christian. Matthew 5:16 says, “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven” (New King James Version).
If non-believers are breaking their contracts and you also do, in what way are you different from them? If some non-believers could fulfil their promises, why shouldn’t you? If you’re a child of God and you habitually break your promises, you’re not representing God well, especially before non-believers.
4. It earns you people’s respect and trust. Promise-breakers are not treated as honourable people. The respect and trust people have for them is a valuable asset. It goes before them in many places, working for them, even with people who have never transacted with them.
A reputation for breaking promises is a great liability. It works against you, even with people who have never done business with you. You don’t demand respect and trust; you earn them.
5. It helps you not to get into trouble. Failing to honour agreements, such as contracts, can lead to legal consequences. Many individuals have faced lawsuits for failing to fulfil their contractual obligations. Take steps to avoid a breach of contract.
Matthew 5:25-26 says, “Come to terms quickly with your enemy before it is too late and he drags you into court and you are thrown into a debtor’s cell, for you will stay there until you have paid the last penny” (Living Bible).
The penalty for breach of contract is rarely imprisonment because it is a civil matter. Therefore, those who are liable are usually ordered to pay damages. However, where there is a criminal intention or criminal activities, there could be criminal liability. Fulfil your contractual obligations.
6. You will reap what you sow. According to Galatians 6:7b, whatever a man sows, he will also reap. The Golden Rule says to do to others as you want them to do to you.
I have seen some promise-breakers really get annoyed when those who made promises to them did not fulfil them. That was a good opportunity for them to experience what they had subjected other people to with their failed promises!
God says of the Assyrians: “You expect others to respect their promises to you, while you betray them! Now you, too, will be betrayed and destroyed” (Isaiah 33:1b Living Bible). Kindly read that again. Verse 8b says, “The Assyrians have broken their peace pact and care nothing for the promises they made in the presence of witnesses—they have no respect for anyone” (Living Bible). Do you care about the promises you make to others? If you don’t, it means you have no respect or regard for them.
Promise-breakers will reap what they have sown. 2 Timothy 3:13 says, “But evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived” (New King James Version). Note the phrase “deceiving and being deceived.” The Contemporary English Version says, “As they fool others and are fooled themselves.” You will reap what you sow.
How do you feel when people fail to keep their promises to you? You feel bad, of course. So don’t break your own promises if you don’t like others breaking theirs.
Don’t rush to make promises. Don’t try to impress people with your promises. Think before you commit yourself. Be sure you can deliver on what you want to promise. “One who doesn’t give the gift he promised is like a cloud blowing over a desert without dropping any rain” (Proverbs 25:14 Living Bible).
If, for unforeseen reasons, you cannot fulfil a promise, inform the person you’ve promised in good time. As much as it is humanly possible, fulfil your promises.
TAKE ACTION!
If you are not born again, you must give your heart to Jesus now. Please take the following steps: *Admit that you are a sinner and you cannot save yourself, and repent of your sins. *Confess Jesus as your Lord and Saviour. *Renounce your past way of life – your relationship with the devil and his works. *Invite Jesus into your heart. *As a mark of seriousness to mature in the faith, start attending a Bible-believing, Bible-teaching, and Bible-practising church. There, they will teach you how to grow in the Kingdom of God.
Kindly say this prayer now: O Lord God, I come unto You today. I know I am a sinner, and I cannot save myself. I believe that Jesus is the Son of God who died on the cross to save me, and God raised Him on the third day. I repent of my sins and confess Jesus as my Lord and Saviour. I invite Jesus into my heart. By this prayer, I know I am saved. Thank You, Jesus, for saving me and making me a child of God.
I believe you have said this prayer from your heart. Congratulations! You must join a Bible-believing, Bible-teaching, and Bible-practising church where they will teach you how to live your new life in Christ Jesus. I pray that you flourish like a palm tree and grow like a cedar of Lebanon. May you grow into Christ in all things and become all God wants you to be. I will be glad to hear from you. The Lord be with you.
PRAYER POINTS: Father, I shall not be a promise-breaker. As much as it lies within my power, I shall fulfil my promises. Holy Spirit, help me not to make rash promises. Help me to think well before I make promises. Father, I pray that God’s children who make promises and don’t fulfil them will repent and keep their promises henceforth, in Jesus’ name.
(For over 900 in-depth and powerful messages by T. O. Banso, visit www.cedarministry.org).
T. O. Banso is the President of Cedar Ministry International, Abuja, Nigeria.
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