The God of Honor
Today we will take a look at honor. This is your study, between you and Jesus. He is with you right now and will stay with you. Ask Him for whatever you need. He is the God of provision!
“For the Lord is great and greatly to be praised; He is also to be feared above all gods. For all the gods of the peoples are idols, but the Lord made the heavens. Honor and majesty are before Him; Strength and gladness are in His place,” 1 Chronicles 16:25-27.
God’s Word says that honor and majesty are before God. They kind of “usher the way” before God is seen. What exactly is honor? In Hebrew the word used in this verse is hadar (haw-dawr’). It means “magnificence, i.e. ornament or splendor: beauty, comeliness, excellency, glorious, glory, goodly, honor, majesty.”
God is definitely the Honorable One. In an English dictionary we read that honorable is described this way: “Possessing a high mind; actuated by principles of honor, or a scrupulous regard to probity (virtue), rectitude (correctness of judgment), or reputation.” God is marked by virtue, integrity, strict honesty, and rightness of principle and practice. Mr. Webster includes this note: “The more nearly the rectitude of men approaches to the standard of the divine law, the more exalted and dignified is their character. Want of rectitude is not only sinful, but debasing.” Without such honor, one actually degrades in character and value.
Which definition(s) of honor mean the most to you?
It is God who honors man and gives us worth, value. Life of mankind is valuable to God! He is why your life is precious. He is so in love with you!
Please read Psalm 8:3-9.
The Lord inspired David to write this. From verses 3-5, what made David think of the seeming insignificance of mankind?
Yet, far from insignificant, God has placed great value on mankind. Verse 5 tells us that God places honor and reality on the head of man as a crown (our ability to think).
Please see Ecclesiastes 3:11 and Philippians 4:8. What kind of thoughts would God desire for His children to think?
Psalm 8:5 tells us that God has crowned us with glory and honor, meaning that He has given us authority to think such lofty thoughts, even though we are made a little lower than angels. In 2 Corinthians 10:5 we read that we are to bring every thought into captivity so that it will obey Jesus. When thoughts come into our minds that dishonor others or rears up against the reality of God, we have the authority to hand them over to God in exchange for His peace. To keep our mind stayed on Him we will need His words to remember, or a song that worships Him (did you know that this is what your ability to ‘hear’ songs in your mind was for?). Do you have certain thoughts that seem to grab hold of your mind and don’t want to let go? Jesus has given you authority to think His thoughts. They are not of degradation, fear, or shame, but thoughts of honor, good judgment, peace, and His reality even though He is unseen.
Not only does God say He honors us in our thought-life, but He has entrusted us with His creation. From Psalm 8:6-8, what are the things God lists through David that He has given man dominion over?
God has so honored us! Now, even more importantly, if you are a human being, you have been given parents. If your parents are gone, you may have someone you look up to. If you are married, you have been entrusted with a man whom God created and loves.
Please write out Exodus 20:12:
There may be situations (i.e. past or present abuse) which require a separation for at least a time, so be in prayer as you consider these questions. These are not designed to lay guilt on you, but to encourage you with an eye on the future. How do you honor your father and mother in actions, whether you are near to them or far away? (If your parents are no longer here, are there others in your life whom this may apply to?)
Is your general heart attitude and thought-life toward your parents honorable?
Read Genesis 2:23-24.
Adam understood that Eve was part of him. God made marriage; it was His plan from the beginning. He is the one who makes two people one flesh.
Do you believe that God has joined your husband and you together as one flesh?
No matter how you feel, it is what you believe that matters, and the truth is that God has joined you and your husband as one! Sometimes you may not know what you believe. Then look for your actions. Actions have a way of speaking louder than words. Wherever we don’t believe God we are believing a lie of the enemy. God sees your husband and you as one flesh and that means you are one in body. You belong to him, and he belongs to you.
From verse 24, is it a parent’s or married child’s responsibility to ‘leave’ in order to ‘cleave’ to one’s spouse?
You cannot cleave to your husband if you continue a childlike relationship with your parents, depending on them as you did in your youth. Yet it is possible to continue to honor your parents, even though you no longer are under their authority. That will require your thought life toward them to be of honor, thinking highly of their good points, and being thankful to God for the provision He gave through them. Pray for your parents daily! That is one way to honor them before the Lord, and if your heart is hard toward them, God will use prayer to enable you to love them in truth!
The same is true in marriage. God uses prayer to heal not only those who are being prayed for, but those who are doing the praying! It is essential to believe the unity that God has created in marriage, and prayer is the key. God says it is true, He has joined us with Himself through faith, and to our husband through marriage, but you must believe it to be protected by God’s authority in these areas!
Ephesians 5:33 God tells a husband to love his wife, but a wife to see that she respects her husband. What does this reveal about the tendency of a wife toward her husband?
Please write Proverbs 31:10-12 here:
Marriage so pictures the relationship with Christ that a woman’s heart for Jesus is actually reflected in her heart toward her husband!
Please copy Philippians 2:4.
Is there an interest of your husband’s which you have resisted joining him in?
From Colossians 3:23 and 24, who is it you actually serve by being interested in your husband’s life?
What is the promise you can count on as you make an effort to walk in unity with your husband? See Philippians 4:19.
Real hope must depend on Jesus. He who instructs a woman to respect and honor her husband also will supply her need so that she can accomplish it!
Where we have failed, we can run to His open arms and know that He does not condemn us, but in the midst of our lack He teaches us to trust His willingness to supply!
At times we need to see an example of honor in person so we can better understand it. Ask Jesus for a glimpse, and He will show it to you. If your heart is to honor others with the honor God has given to you, He will see that you get what you need. If you do not feel honor toward someone, it doesn’t mean you cannot honor them. You begin by confessing to God your lack of honor toward others as sin before Him, and ask Him to put His honor in you! And then wear honor as clothing by your outward actions, and by His power He will change you inside.
If He reminds you to listen, listen. If He nudges you to watch the football game with your husband, do it. You will not always obey Him perfectly. But you are perfectly accepted in Jesus, the Perfect, Honorable One!
And the Lord will enable you to honor others. The woman who honors others finds her desires changing so that she is more concerned with giving honor than receiving it, because she sees the person she is honoring with eyes of compassion. This is a view from the eyes of God, with an eternal perspective.
Will you pray with me?
God of the heavens, You are the author of honor. If it wasn’t for You, there would be no such thing as respect among people. You honor me daily with Your attention and care. Thank You for Your Word where You tell me who You are. You respect me as an individual and You don’t override my will. Help me offer it to You freely, to honor You. Because You are God of all honor I am drawn to You. Thank You for loving me. In Jesus’ name, A-men.
1 comment:
beautiful post! Happy Tuesday love!
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