MEMORISE:
Nevertheless, the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, let everyone that nameth the name of Christ depart from Iniquity. 2 Timothy 2:19
READ: 1 Samuel 2:30
30 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.
MESSAGE:
Honor is something you give to a man who has everything else that you can think of giving him. For instance, when a University says they are giving somebody an honorary degree, it is not because the fellow needs the degree to get a job. In fact, honorary degrees are given to those who have already achieved greatness. Now, if you will not honor a man, that may not be a problem, but when you decide to dishonor him when you decide to bring him reproach, then you are provoking him. If you will not honor God, it is advisable that you don’t dishonor him either. It is advisable that you stay away from anything that has to do with Him at all, including bearing His name, so that your actions will not lead to a reproach on Him. The sons of Eli refused to honor God; to make matters worse, they brought reproach to Him as they made people reluctant to come to the house of God to worship and sacrifice.
“Wherefore the sin of the young men was very great before the LORD: for men abhorred the offering of the LORD.” 1 Samuel 2:17
God killed them and their father in one day. If a child with a great father is seen on the news for committing a crime, we say that the child has brought shame and dishonor to his family. If you bear the name of God and you still dabble in sin, you are dishonoring Him. If for example, because of your greed, people say pastors are fraudsters, you are bringing a reproach to the body of Christ. It would be better for you not to even say you are a Christian at all, because when God comes down with His wrath, it would be dangerous. You need to recognize the kind of name you carry when you say you are a Christian. Once you announce that you bear that name, the whole world would start watching you. Run away from anything you could do that would make people say, ” But you call yourself a child of God”. People you don’t even know are watching.
I was on a flight from London to Nigeria one day. The fellow sitting behind me knew me but pretended not to. At the end of the flight, he tapped me
and said ‘”I have been watching you since you came in. I saw how you rejected the wine and your behavior all through and I know you are a true man of God”. Only God knows how many eyes are watching you, and all they are looking for is something that will dishonor your Father in Heaven.
Don’t dishonor Him.
REFLECTION:
Does your behavior in your office, home, school, church or anywhere else bring honor or dishonor to God?
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Leviticus 4-6
AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE
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