Topic: Where is my honour?
Bible Reading: Malachi 1-4; Revelation 22.
Memory Verse: “A son honoureth his father, and a servant his master: if then I be a father, where is mine honour? and if I be a master, where is my fear? saith the LORD of hosts unto you, O priests, that despise my name. And ye say, Wherein have we despised thy name?” Malachi 1:6 (KJV)
God expects you to honour Him. He said to Eli in 1 Samuel 2:30 (KJV), “Wherefore the LORD God of Israel saith, I said indeed that thy house, and the house of thy father, should walk before me for ever: but now the LORD saith, Be it far from me; for them that honour me I will honour, and they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed.”
Are you honouring God in all you do? Whether in your conduct in the church, business, social gathering or home, God expects you to put Him first. He said to the Israelites concerning their sacrifices to Him; in Malachi 1:7-8 (KJV), “Ye offer polluted bread upon mine altar; and ye say, Wherein have we polluted thee? In that ye say, The table of the LORD is contemptible. [8] And if ye offer the blind for sacrifice, is it not evil? and if ye offer the lame and sick, is it not evil? offer it now unto thy governor; will he be pleased with thee, or accept thy person? saith the LORD of hosts.” You may not be offering bread or animals this day but what kind of offering do you give to God or brethren around you? Do you give things you cannot use anymore as gift to your neighbour or brethren in your fellowship? Can you offer such quality of gifts to your biological brothers and sisters or even to your colleagues in the office if they need such items? If not, then examine your items before giving them to others. Even when you want to give out things you no longer need, how do you package them? Do you wash and iron your used clothes before giving them out? Or you pack all your dirty items together to give to the needy saying beggars have no choice? Remember the word of God in Proverbs 19:17 (KJV), “He that hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto the LORD; and that which he hath given will he pay him again.”
Beside gifts, God’s honour is in your everyday life. To honour Him, you will need to ask yourself before you do anything, will God be honoured by your action? As a child of God, will God be proud of your action or will it bring shame to Him as your father? That is the standard God expects you to live by and that’s why He says in Matthew 6:33 (KJV), “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” If you truly seek His righteousness first, you will be honouring Him and His word in Malachi 1:6 (KJV), “A son honoureth his father, and a servant his master: if then I be a father, where is mine honour? and if I be a master, where is my fear? saith the LORD of hosts unto you, O priests, that despise my name. And ye say, Wherein have we despised thy name?” will not apply to you.
And God does not owe any man, if you honour Him, He will honour you more and you will be amazed at His blessing as He says clearly in 1 Samuel 2:30 KJV.
Action Point: Today is the last day of the year, please make a pledge to honour God in everything that you do going forward.
Bro. Biodun Oyapero