Don’t Dishonour God
Memorise: Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity. – 2 Timothy 2:19
Read: 1 Samuel 2:30 (KJV)
30 Wherefore the LORD God of Israel saith, I said indeed that thy house, and the house of thy father, should walk before me forever: 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.
Bible In One Year: Leviticus 4-6
MESSAGE:
Honour 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 honour a man, that may not be a problem, but when you decide to dishonour him when you decide to bring him reproach, then you are provoking him. If you will not honour God, it is advisable that you don’t dishonour 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 honour 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 behaviour 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 dishonour your Father in Heaven.
Don’t dishonor Him.
Reflection:
Does your behaviour in your office, home, school, church or anywhere else bring honour or dishonour to God?
Hymn 24: Take My Life, And Let It Be
1. Take my life and let it be
Consecrated, Lord, to Thee.
Take my moments and my days,
Let them flow in endless praise.
2. Take my hands and let them move
At the impulse of Thy love.
Take my feet and let them be
Swift and beautiful for Thee.
3. Take my voice and let me sing,
Always, only for my King.
Take my lips and let them be
Filled with messages from Thee.
4. Take my silver and my gold,
Not a mite would I withhold.
Take my intellect and use
Every pow’r as Thou shalt choose.
5. Take my will and make it Thine,
It shall be no longer mine.
Take my heart, it is Thine own,
It shall be Thy royal throne.
6. Take my love, my Lord, I pour
At Thy feet its treasure store.
Take myself and I will be
Ever, only, all for Thee.
