Read James 1:26-27. How important is it to keep a promise and what does it mean from God’s perspective? According to this passage it is very important to keep a tight reign on your tongue, because the words you speak are often directly connected to the promises you make. And any promise you make in relationship with others is like making a promise to God.

• Do you think you make too many promises and commitments?  Why or why not?
• Name a promise you have made that you are working hard to fulfill?  Have you made a promise you wish you never made? Explain.

Read Ecclesiastes 5:5, Luke 14:28 & Matthew 5:37. Since promises are easy to make but much more difficult to keep, you must make sure that your words align with your actions. A recurring theme in James is that God-talk is meaningless apart from God-walk and you must be careful not to over promise or over commit. Jesus was clear that every decision you make must be thought through and every commitment you make should be a God opportunity not just any good opportunity.

• Are you good at saying 'no' to people or do you over commit too easily?
• Are you a person who totally thinks through a commitment or decision before you commit or do you commit before thinking it through?  Give an example.
• How do you personally distinguish a good opportunity from a God opportunity?  

Read I Samuel 20:16-17; II Samuel 9:1-11. After you have thoroughly thought through your commitments and promises it is also vital that you follow through on what you said you would do. Since God’s priority is right relationship with you as well as your right relationship with others, keeping your word to another person is like keeping your word to God. And how we live towards one another reflects our own faith and relationship with God.

• Are you a person that normally follows through on a promise, or do you really struggle coming through?
• Describe a time somebody didn’t follow through on a promise or commitment to you. How did that shape/change your opinion of that person?

Read Number 30:2 & Matthew 6:7. Just as you need to follow through with your commitments and promises to others, you need to follow through with God.  Sometimes it’s easy to substitute religious words and traditions for sacrificial service. But when you gave your life to Jesus, you promised to live your life in service and sacrifice to him. To fulfill your own baptism vows you must focus less on religious talk and more on a Christ-like walk.

• How are you working to fulfill your baptism vows both to God and to the Church?
• What are some promises you have made to God recently?  How are you in keeping those vows?
• What commitment/promise do you need to make in order to focus on the walk and have less talk?