During my June trip to Tanzania, the Lord led me to share several messages that included the idea of honor. The picture below is from a Sunday morning service in Arusha. Pastor Eric and leaders from the church helped me illustrate the men who came alongside of Moses during the battle with the Amalekites. I also used this story in one of the branch churches.
A simple truth was revealed as the man of God confronted the old high priest Eli, “Those who honor me I will honor, but those who despise me will be disdained (1 Samuel 2:30 NIV).” Consider that fact for a moment – when you honor God, He honors you! To honor something, means we respect or value or highly esteem that thing in our life. God should certainly be deemed worthy of respect.
Honor is the essential key to receiving from God and has the power to greatly enhance your life. For this reason, the enemy of our souls has fiercely fought to eliminate it from our modern-day mindset and has, to a great degree, been successful. Honor carries with it great rewards—rewards God desires you to have in the here and now. Popular culture fights against the practice of honoring parents, leaders, and children. Society’s resistance to authority produces consequences of that disobedience. [John Bevere from: www.messengerinternational.org]
Honoring God releases tangible and intangible blessings of God in every arena of your life. Honor OPENS DOORS. Honor opens windows, gateways, channels, paves the way for God’s best. Honor benefits your relationship with God, your associations in the marketplace, your bond with a local congregation, your conversations with family members, your advancement in an occupation, your intimacy in your marriage.
When you honor God, He honors you, but when you dishonor Him, you limit your access to God’s best. When Jesus walked the rural paths of Palestine, He did numerous miracles – except for one particular area. “He [Jesus Christ] COULD NOT do any miracles there, except lay his hands on a few sick people and heal them” (Mark 6:5 NIV). That is a startling assertion. What was it that prevented Him from doing more? Jesus provides the answer in the preceding verse, “A prophet is not without honor except in his own town, among his relatives and in his own home” (Mark 6:4 NIV).
I don’t want to impede God’s desire to honor me. How about you? So, how do we honor God? Here are four practical areas:
#1 Honor God in congregational PRAISE and WORSHIP.
Honoring God in public worship may seem pretty basic, but how many come to corporate services for a multitude of other reasons? Real worship doesn’t occur until spirit touches Spirit. Thousands of years ago, Isaiah penned God response to people “going through the motions” without heart-engagement. “These people come near to me with their mouth and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship of me is based on merely human rules they have been taught” (Isaiah 29:13 NIV).
#2 Honor God with your FINANCES.
God doesn’t need your money, but He does want your heart. Truly honoring God as first in your life will translate into how you handle money. What does your bank account reveal about your level of honor? Putting the Lord first in your finances facilitates reception of God’s blessings.
- Jesus said, “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matthew 6:21 NIV).
- “Honor the Lord with your wealth, with the firstfruits of all your crops; then your barns will be filled to overflowing, and your vats will brim over with new wine” (Proverbs 3:9-10 NIV).
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#3 Honor God by honoring PEOPLE.
Honor is to be applied to everyone: God, Spouse, Family, Godly servants (Philippians 2:29), Elders who teach & preach (1 Timothy 5:17 “double honor”), Brothers and Sisters in Christ, and every person you encounter!
- “Show family affection to one another with brotherly love. Outdo one another in showing honor” (Romans 12:10 HCSB).
- “Honor your father and mother”—which is the first commandment with a promise— “so that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth.” (Ephesians 6:2-3 NIV)
“Anyone who welcomes you welcomes me, and anyone who welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me. Whoever welcomes a prophet [SPIRITUAL LEADERS] as a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward, and whoever welcomes a righteous person [PEERS, CoLABORERS, FAMILY] as a righteous person will receive a righteous person’s reward. And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones [CHILDREN or THOSE WHOM YOU HAVE RESPONSIBILITY] who is my disciple, truly I tell you, that person will certainly not lose their reward.” (Matthew 10:40-42 NIV)
#4 Honor God with your LIFESTYLE.
Honor is an attitude, a manner of speech, a language, and a lifestyle.
- “So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God” (1 Corinthians 10:31 NIV).
- “And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God the Father” (Colossians 3:17 NLT)
Honor:
- Stands at attention (American flag, anthem, pledge);
- Bows in respect;
- Serves with passion;
- Prioritizes under pressure;
- Gives with thoughtfulness;
- Protects from slander;
- Speaks with affection;
- Looks past offenses;
- Praises potential;
- Believes the best;
- Preserves unity.
Honor opens doors.
