For those who honor Me I will honor, and those
who despise Me shall be lightly esteemed.
1 Samuel 2:30
One of the many truths of the kingdom of God is that if we will honor God, He will honor us. If, however, we dare to treat Him disrespectfully, we will also be treated as least in His kingdom. The initiative rests with us. Our response to God determines His response to us.
Eli had been the priest of Israel for many years, and he knew the standards for righteous living that God required. Yet Eli faced a dilemma, for his sons were living in direct opposition to God. As their father, Eli had to decide whom he would honor. He could not defer to his immoral and ungodly sons and also exalt the God he served. By default, Eli chose to honor his sons, for he did not insist that their behavior conform to God's standards. Eli would have pleaded that he still loved God but that he simply could not bring honor to God with his family. Yet God viewed Eli's behavior differently (1 Sam. 3:13–14). Eli revealed his own heart when he failed to honor God before the people of Israel by the way he dealt with his sons. This is why God punished Eli and his sons severely (1 Sam. 4:17–18).
God is not pleased if you praise Him at church but not at your workplace. It is not acceptable for you to revere God when you are with other Christians but not in your school or neighborhood. He expects you to honor Him completely, with your words, with your actions, with your life. If you honor Him, He will honor you. - Blackaby Experiencing God Day by Day
How often, after waking up, do you honestly, really, think about honoring God in the next moment of your life?
How often do you take your next breath for granted?
How often are your rights, etc more important to you than your life with Christ?
Heavy questions for sure. But the answers you give point you in the general direction of whether or not you are 'wheat' or 'false wheat' aka 'tares'.
You really do need to examine yourself daily to see if you are walking with God or are walking ahead of Him or without Him.
How often?
Does Jesus only cross your mind when you are in a bind? Only when you have a spare moment to consider?
Are you whining more to Him than listening to Him? Are you in the place in your life where the things of God are more important than other things?
Life isn't about what you when you come to Christ. Scripture says for those who have come to Christ our lives are hidden in Christ. He paid our priceless debt and we owe Him our lives.
My life, for sure in the last 7 months, has changed in the way I approach the day. I have no clue what the day holds any more than anyone else. To say otherwise is to deceive yourself. You may have plans but anyone's can be changed in a moment's notice. Read yesterday's post. In many significant times in my life my life was changed in a moment.
Do you 'find time' for your relationship with Jesus or do you look forward to your time with Jesus?
Have you ever opened your Bible outside of Church if you go at all? I tell you I was hit between the eyes over a decade ago when I realized that I am supposed to be a Child of God and I had never read the love letter He wrote to me called the Bible.
I read through it every year now. Often some parts more so. It's a part of my Daily routine. As King David did, I get up early to be in it. The birds aren't awake yet.
Jesus made a statement and a warning. "These people honor Me with their lips but their hearts are far from Me."
Does this describe you?
You're in no position to hide or show me anything, that question is between you and Jesus.
Is your life more important than your walk with Jesus?
I have no clue what kind of day greets me after I leave my bed. Have had everything from easy to complicated when my alarm goes off. Sometimes I forget to turn it on. Which begins another problem.
I recall a poem called The Difference
It's about a person who rushed out into the day and didn't stop to pray. Yet all during the day the person complained that their problems were God's fault. By the end of that day the realization hit that it was because the day didn't begin with God that that God wasn't with them. The next day the person stopped to begin with God and it made all the difference in the world.
Are you honoring God? Are you resting in Him in your troubles? I have every reason to be distraught about the vacuum left at not having life be normal right now but I am not. I have every reason to cry but I am not because I know God's got this. I may not understand but that is ok. He does. My life is not my own, I was bought with a price. The Father's hands keep me in Christ.
Maybe it's time. This country of the United States claims to be a Christian nation, maybe it's time it put God back in the place of honor where He belongs.
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