Honor

Honor

John 8: ⁴⁸ Then the Jews answered and said to Him, “Do we not say rightly that You are a Samaritan and have a demon?”

⁴⁹ Jesus answered, “I do not have a demon; but I honor My Father, and you dishonor Me. ⁵⁰ And I do not seek My own glory; there is One who seeks and judges. ⁵¹ Most assuredly, I say to you, if anyone keeps My word he shall never see death.”

============

“Let’s go in this store and laugh at the clothes” I suggested to my friend. We pretended to be customers and picked up, what we felt were outlandish, clothes to place in front of us. “I can were this to the prom and the gym at the same time” I said in ridicule. The salesperson was offended. “You don’t know clothes!” was my response to being asked to leave.

• My past insults may not have been honorable.
• My past ridicule may not have been uplifting or encouraging.
• My past thoughts of what would be a good idea may not have been good idea.

The Jewish church leaders began insulting JESUS with their questions. They questioned HIM being a Jew and they questioned HIS relationship with GOD. “Aren’t YOU a Samaritan and don’t YOU have a demon?” They asked slanderously. JESUS replied “You dishonor ME”

• GOD wants me to honor HIM with my belief.
• GOD wants me to honor HIM with my worship.
• GOD wants me to honor HIM with my trust in HIM and HIM alone.

JESUS is GOD, whom shall I fear. HE is the One who seeks and judges through the FATHER. HE writes my name in HIS Book of Life because I believe I need HIM. Many times I have questioned HIS authority and many times HE has forgiven me for doing so. HE has grace enough to accept the few times I actually honor HIM with praise. I thank YOU LORD for YOUR grace!

• How are you dishonoring GOD?
• Do you question HIS authority to execute HIS plan HE has for you?
• Will honor GOD by listening to HIM and seeking those only you can reach?

GOD means “no other gods”

1 Samuel 5: After the Philistines had captured the ark of God, they took it from Ebenezer to Ashdod. ² Then they carried the ark into Dagon’s temple and set it beside Dagon. ³ When the people of Ashdod rose early the next day, there was Dagon, fallen on his face on the ground before the ark of the Lord! They took Dagon and put him back in his place. 

⁴ But the following morning when they rose, there was Dagon, fallen on his face on the ground before the ark of the Lord! His head and hands had been broken off and were lying on the threshold; only his body remained.

============

“Ooo $5” I said to myself! I looked around and grinned because no one was there to claim my windfall. Days later I found some coins on this same lawn, then an old but useful umbrella.  Finally I found the cream of the crop, my lucky gold chain and playboy stick pin.

I was hooked on the lucky lawn and would go there daily to see what gifts the lawn would bestow. Wearing my lucky chain I was driving down the street and a car came out of nowhere smashing the front of my already beat up car. Wouldn’t you know it was right next to my lucky lawn? Oh, and the guy didn’t have insurance!

• There have been times where I put my trust in luck over GOD.
• There have been times where I thought a piece of metal or a shirt or sitting in a certain place would bring me luck rather than seeking GOD.
• There have been times where I put my trust in bank accounts, investments and insurance rather than trust in GOD.

It’s not that I was down on my luck or sad, I just happened to get something unexpected and called it lucky. I began to think luck would be with me if I carried it around with me in the form of trinkets. BUT GOD wanted me to think differently.

• GOD wants me to put my trust in HIM rather than things.
• GOD wants me to seek HIS ways instead of constantly seeking the “lucky windfall.”
• GOD wants me to have faith where others fail to see what HE is doing.

I have to be honest, faith is the harder road. It’s easy to believe in luck because when things go wrong I can just blame it on “bad luck” and change my trinkets. GOD wants me to grow up and put my trust in HIM. HE wants me to maturely see that blessings and trials have to ask HIS permission.

HIS sovereign plan is ultimate, supreme and somehow loving and caring. I should worship HIM.

• Are you putting your trust in “Luck?”
• Do you think if you buy more trinkets, even crosses, then you will have better luck?
• Won’t you put your trust in the Living GOD who loves you and wants the best for you?

Churchy stuff doesn’t always help

1 Samuel 4: ³ When the soldiers returned to camp, the elders of Israel asked, “Why did the Lord bring defeat on us today before the Philistines? Let us bring the ark of the Lord’s covenant from Shiloh, so that he may go with us and save us from the hand of our enemies.”

============

“Please pray about the parking lot” were my standard words I read in the announcement at the church meeting. I did not see a barricade to having the high priority parking lot redone so if people prayed then “good”, but if they didn’t then oh, well.  I just thought that since I was in church I needed to say “pray.”

A short time after the meeting, I met with one of the leaders. He confessed to “changing direction” with some of the funds. A battle ensued, I was “kicked out” and to this day I don’t think the parking lot has been finished. I wonder if I was blind to GOD’s plan.

• Just because I use churchy terms doesn’t mean I’m following GOD at the time.
• Just because I spray churchy words around doesn’t mean GOD is excited.
• Just because I hold what I’m saying up with scripture, doesn’t mean I’m directed by GOD.

It is very true that GOD’s word does not go out void, but it is also true that faithless actions will not be blessed by GOD. In this instance, I decided to move forward without consulting GOD, because I figured that it’s for church so it has to be good. I was so caught up in church that I forgot GOD.

• GOD wants my effort to be on prayer rather than programming.
• GOD wants me to place HIM above buildings rather than trying to get more comfortable.
• GOD wants me to seek HIM first and HE will provide the means to sustain those who are reached.

Please don’t get me wrong, I believe the “church” needs to meet in whatever building GOD desires and programs are important. BUT GOD needs to be first, not an excuse. I need to not checkmark prayer and GOD as if those things had to be included as a default. GOD demands to be heard and HE deserves faithful prayer. Without HIM my plans are nothing.

• Are you planning something without truly consulting GOD?
• Are you going through the motions thinking GOD is with you?
• Won’t you stop for a moment and ask GOD if HE will bless your efforts?
• Can you accept “No” as an answer from GOD?
• Won’t you seek HIS kingdom first before you proceed with your plans?