"Them That Honor Me I Will Honor"

I Samuel 2:30

We cannot add to or diminish the honor of God. He is glorious with or without us! However, we do affect the regards of others toward him. We are the cause of God being either honored or blasphemed by those we influence. How careful we ought to be that we honor our God! Here are seven ways we can and must honor our God:

1. By Believing on the Lord Jesus Christ (John 5:22-24).

2. By Confessing Our Sin and Glorifying His Justice (Psa. 51:1-4).

3. By Submitting to the Rule of Christ as our Lord (Phil. 2:9-11).

4. By Trusting His Unerring Providence (Rom. 8:28-32). With Job, every tried and afflicted believer ought to make this firm resolution and make it known to all around him, "Though he slay me, yet will I trust him!"

5. By Extolling His Greatness (Psa. 30:1; 68:4; 145:1; Dan. 4:37). See that God's name is extolled in all your doctrine,in all your prayers,in all your songs of praise!

6. By Rejoicing in the Lord (Phil. 4:4). God's elect ought to be the happiest people beneath the sky. We are forgiven of all sin! We are heirs of God and joint-heirs with Jesus Christ!

7. By Consecrating Ourselves to Him Continually (Lk. 14: 26). Obey the Word of God, all of it; all its teachings, all its ordinances, all its precepts. Seek the will of God in all things (Prov. 3:5-6). Honor the Lord with your substance (Prov. 3:9; Mal. 3:8-12). And love one another (I John 3:23). These are the things that flow from consecration to Christ!

God's promise is sure to all his saints. "Them that honor me I will honor. He will honor the preacher who honors him. He will honor the household that honors him. He will honor the church that honors him. He will honor every believer that honors him, both in this life and in the life to come (Mark 10:30). You will never impoverish yourself by serving God. You serve his interests and he will serve yours (Read John 12:26).

How does God honor those who honor him? The answer is much larger than the question. But this much is certain. He will give you respect among men (Mk.6:20), influence in the world for good, peace of conscience, and everlasting honor in the end (Matt. 25:34; Mal. 3:17).

Don Fortner