Category Archives: Honor

Bible, Fear, Honor, Reverence, Scripture, Worship

NO FEAR

ROMANS 3:18

“THERE IS NO FEAR OF GOD BEFORE THEIR EYES.”

Some people aren’t scared of anything. That can be a good thing or a bad thing, depending on the situation. As I have gotten older, I have become a little more cautious. I have done some pretty stupid things in the past without regard of the consequences. I won’t elaborate on that. Suffice it to say, I was reckless. I had no fear. I want us to look at what no fear of God can do in your life.

Paul quotes Psalm 36:1 in today’s verse as he wraps up these pasts several verses of quotations. That verse says, “Wrongdoing speaks to the ungodly within his heart; There is no fear of God before his eyes.” Paul is referring to a healthy reverence for God, a humble approach to Him. I get the picture of Moses taking off his sandals when God told him he was standing on holy ground. I see David humbling himself before a holy God when he was confronted about his sin with Bathsheba. The fear of God is healthy.

APPLICATION

We are told in Proverbs 9:10 that, “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.” I remember writing my big brother, Tim, while he was at college and quoting this verse. I was a brand, new Christian, and he was in his fourth year at the University of Georgia. My brother was a brilliant guy, but I wasn’t sure he was walking with the Lord. I was just giving him something to chew on.

Right after the “Shema Israel” passage in Deuteronomy 6:4-5, Moses tells the people in 6:13, “You shall fear only the LORD your God; and you shall worship Him and swear by His name.” The Hebrew word for “fear” means to revere, to hold in awe. We have lost a lot of that today. We don’t seem to hold God in awe. We kind of take Him for granted and have made Him our buddy. He is a holy God deserving all our honor, glory and praise.

The result of not fearing, not reverencing God is a society that will tolerate anything. We are seeing that today. There are groups of people who do not see the importance of worshipping God and holding to His standards. The result is anarchy. The result is a lack of importance placed on life. The result is…exactly what the devil wants. Let me urge you today to bow and revere your God. He is worthy of it all.

O Lord, forgive me when I do not show You the reverence You deserve. 

If the Lord should lead you to support our ministry, check out our ministry page at Trans World Radio (www.twr.org/carl-willis). 

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Bible, Blessing, Glory, Honor, Peace, Reward, Scripture

THE PAYOFF

ROMANS 2:10

“but glory, honor, and peace to everyone who does what is good, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.”

As a parent and grandparent, I have loved blessing my children and grandchildren. When my children were young, my wife and I would praise them and do special things on their birthday. I have a 13 month grandson who gets all sorts of hugs and kisses from us for every little thing he does (of course). I can’t wait until he can truly understand the concept of rewards and blessings. I want him to know that his actions can determine the response he receives in positive ways.

Oh, what a contrast today’s verse is with yesterday’s verse. Instead of tribulations and distress for doing evil, we who do good will receive glory, honor and peace. Wow! Who doesn’t want that? All it takes is for us to get those awesome things is to “do good.” Now, wait a minute, Paul. Is that really all it involves? We need to break down those two words to get a picture of what Paul is saying because he is not negating the saving power of Christ in this.

APPLICATION

The word “do” is really a present participle in the middle voice. Okay Carl, you just lost me. Well, hang on. It may read better as “who is continually doing of their own choice.” It’s not a one-time event in this person’s life. It’s their lifestyle. They seek to honor God by doing what He says when He says and how He says. It’s not their plan. It’s His. Isn’t that what Jesus did? John 5:19 says, “Therefore Jesus answered and was saying to them, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, unless it is something He sees the Father doing; for whatever the Father does, these things the Son also does in the same way.’”

Then there’s the word “good.” That’s the Greek word agathós which “originates from God and is empowered by Him in their life, through faith.” (HELPS Word studies) We see this talked about all through Scripture. Jesus told us a good tree only bears good fruit. It cannot bear bad fruit (Matthew 7:17-18). We are filled with the Holy Spirit as followers of Christ. He enables all that is good in us.

So, you have a choice. You can choose evil things and receive tribulations and distress, or you can choose to do good and receive glory, honor and peace. I’m on the second train, folks. Is it always easy to do what is good? No! Why? Our flesh gets in the way. Only by yielding to Him every second of every day can you continually do what is good. Go and to do that and receive glory, honor and peace.

O Lord, You are so gracious to bestow glory, honor and peace on me for simply obeying You. It is a joy to obey.

If the Lord should lead you to support our ministry, check out our ministry page at Trans World Radio (www.twr.org/carl-willis). 

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Bible, Honor, Respect, Scripture, Servant, Service

HONOR GOD’S SERVANTS

PHILIPPIANS 2:29

“Receive him then in the Lord with all joy, and hold people like him in high regard,”

When I was growing up in Southwest Georgia in the 1960’s and 70’s, preachers and missionaries were held in high regard. I can still remember the awe I felt every time a missionary visited our church. Their dedication and sacrifice hit me hard even as a child. Little did I know that in late 1977, at 17 years of age, God would call me into full-time ministry. I had no idea what that meant, but He has guided me all these years.

Paul gave the church in Philippi some instructions regarding the return of Epaphroditus. He wanted them to “receive him…with all joy” and “hold…him in high regard.” Epaphroditus had served faithfully and was deserving of the honor and respect due any servant of the Lord. Why would Paul have to ask the church to do that? Because, as Christ said, a prophet is not honored in his own town. Right?

APPLICATION

The Greek word used here for “high regard” is only used five times in the New Testament. It’s the word entimos, which means to hold in honor or to treat with respect. In Luke 7:2, entimosis used to describe the servant of the centurion who was sick. “And a centurion’s slave, who was highly regarded by him, was sick and about to die.”

But the verse I really like that uses this word is 1 Peter 2:4. “And coming to Him as to a living stone which has been rejected by people, but is choice and precious in the sight of God,…” The Topical Lexicon says this about the use of this word there. “Here, entimos highlights the intrinsic value and honor of Christ, despite human rejection, affirming His esteemed position in God’s redemptive plan.” Christ was precious to God.

Just as Christ is highly regarded and precious in the sight of God, we are to hold His servants in the same way. This week show your Pastor that kind of respect. Bless a missionary or church volunteer. Honor those who serve. Bless those who sacrifice for kingdom work.

Father, help me show honor and respect to those who are serving you sacrificially this day.

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Bible, Children, Honor, Parents, Promises, Scripture

THE PROMISES OF GOD

EPHESIANS 6:3

“SO THAT IT MAY TURN OUT WELL FOR YOU, AND THAT YOU MAY LIVE LONG ON THE EARTH.”

God’s promises are true, no matter what. One of my favorite promises is found in Isaiah 41:10. “‘Do not fear, for I am with you; Do not be afraid, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, I will also help you, I will also uphold you with My righteous right hand.’” There are so many promises to quote, but I want to limit myself to just a few. If you want a fuller list, check out this site: https://www.biblestudytools.com/topical-verses/gods-promises-verses-in-the-bible/

In today’s verse we see Paul continuing to quote from the Old Testament command to honor your parents. Here we see the promise He gives to children for that obedience. He says things “may turn out well for you” and “you may live long on the earth.” Those are some good promises. That does not mean every child who obeys will be rich and live to be 100. But it does promise that He will care and watch after them.

APPLICATION

Albert Barnes says this about the promise of long life. “(1) that long life is a blessing. (2) it is still true that obedience to parents is conducive to length of life, and that those who are most obedient in early life, other things being equal, have the best prospect of living long. This occurs because: (a) obedient children are saved from the vices and crimes which shorten life. (b) Obedience to parents is connected with virtuous habits that are conducive to long life. (c) Many a life is lost early by disobeying a parent. (d) We may still believe that God, in his providence, will watch over those who are obedient to a father and mother.” Those are pretty good, huh?

I was walking this morning and listening to praise music and a song came on that speaks to this issue of God’s promises. Part of the chorus says this, “I’m reaping the promises God gave to me, taking back what the devil stole from me.” (From Faithful – Faithful is Our God) Don’t you just love that? As I obey the Lord, I can reap those promises He has given me. The devil comes to kill, steal and destroy. (John 10:10) But with God’s strength, I can reclaim those promises.

One of my all-time favorite verses on God’s promises is found near the end of Joshua. In 21:45 we read, “Not one of the good promises which the LORD had made to the house of Israel failed; everything came to pass.” That is still true today. It is for Israel, and it is for us. If God said it, that settles it. Amen? So, today walk in the promises of God.

You are so faithful, Lord, to keep all Your promises to us.

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Bible, Children, Honor, Obedience, Parenting, Scripture

WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO HONOR?

EPHESIANS 6:2

“HONOR YOUR FATHER AND MOTHER (which is the first commandment with a promise),”

I have to say I had some pretty good parents. They weren’t perfect but who is. They raised four children who all grew up to be pretty responsible adults. I can’t think of a reason why I would not have honored my parents. I didn’t always agree with them, and I sure didn’t like some of their rules, but I feel like I honored them pretty well.

In yesterday’s blog, I began discussing Paul’s address to the children. Let’s talk a little about this “honor” word, though. The Hebrew word which is what Paul is quoting here, is kabad or kabed. It has a lot of definitions ranging from heavy, weighty, burdensome or honorable. Context tells us how it is being used. And here it means to show honor. In other words, to obey. It is not a complicated command, is it? Simple – just honor.

APPLICATION

But Carl, what do you do if your parents aren’t honorable? What if they are abusive or tell you to do things that are wrong? God does not expect children to honor such individuals. He would never tell you to submit to that kind of treatment. God is our protector and defender. I know, I know, children still get abused by parents. It breaks my heart, and I don’t understand it. I think hell will have a hotter corner for those who abuse innocent children.

When the command is mentioned again in Deuteronomy 5:16, it is expanded upon. “‘Honor your father and your mother, just as the LORD your God has commanded you, so that your days may be prolonged and that it may go well for you on the land which the LORD your God is giving you.’” We have a specific promised blessing for honoring our parents. God will bless us with a long life and prosperity in the land.

I don’t know your circumstance, but everyone of us reading this blog is a child of someone. Perhaps your abusive parent is still alive. You are grown now and are safe. How do you honor them now or do you? Ask the Lord. He will tell you what to do. Perhaps He will use you to draw them to a saving knowledge of Jesus. Just remember – God loves you and desires your obedience in all things.

Father, for some it is hard to show honor to their parents. Protect their hearts and show them how to obey Your command.

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Bible, Blessing, Bowing, Heart, Honor, Humility, Prayer, Scripture

BENT KNEES

EPHESIANS 3:14

“For this reason I bend my knees before the Father,”

Eusebius of Caesarea quotes the writing of Hegesippus, a chronicler of the early Church concerning James, the half-brother of Christ and leader of the early church. “He alone was permitted to enter the holy place, for he did not wear woolen but linen garments. And he frequently entered the temple alone and was frequently found situated upon his knees asking forgiveness for the people, so that his knees became hard after the manner of a camel, on account of always bending down upon a knee while worshipping God and asking forgiveness for the people.”

I wonder if Paul’s knees were also calloused due to kneeling in prayer. I know mine aren’t. Paul begins a prayer in today’s verse that goes through verse 21. It is one of the most encouraging prayers in Scripture. It is one of many of Paul’s prayers recorded in the New Testament (some say his writings contain as many as 45 prayers or prayer “snippets”). “For this reason” points back to the preceding verses. Paul had many reasons to pray, but the salvation offered to the Gentiles was at the top of his list.

APPLICATION

Okay, this is one of those “duh” verses. What do I mean by that? I mean we can all see how to apply this our lives. I need to bow my knees before the Father a lot more than I do now. I cannot pray enough. In 2 Chronicles 6:13, we see Solomon, the king of Israel, bow in humility. “For Solomon had made a bronze platform, five cubits long, five cubits wide, and three cubits high, and had set it in the midst of the courtyard; and he stood on it, knelt on his knees in the presence of all the assembly of Israel and spread out his hands toward heaven.” At this point in Solomon’s life, he was not ashamed to humble himself and pray.

How about this example of kneeling in prayer, despite the danger. In Daniel 6:10 we read, “Now when Daniel learned that the document was signed, he entered his house (and in his roof chamber he had windows open toward Jerusalem); and he continued kneeling on his knees three times a day, praying and offering praise before his God, just as he had been doing previously.” We know the consequence of this. He was thrown into the lions’ den but escaped death because of his obedience to be faithful in prayer.

What is stopping you from kneeling today? Maybe you have bad knees or a bad back and can’t physically kneel. Bowing our knees before God in prayer is about much more than our physical position. It has more to do with our spiritual position. Bow yourself in humility. Recognize the awesomeness of our God. Give Him the honor that is due Him when you pray.

O Lord, forgive me, cleanse me, purify my heart. I bow my heart and spirit before You today.

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Attention, Bible, Commands, Faith, Honor, Love, Relationships, Scripture

OH, I’VE HEARD ABOUT YOU

EPHESIANS 1:15

“For this reason I too, having heard of the faith in the Lord Jesus which exists among you and your love for all the saints,

We have all probably met someone for the first time and upon introductions, they say, “Oh, I’ve heard about you.” I usually respond, “Well, I hope it has all been good.” People hear things about you. Sometimes that is good. Other times, well… We are never quite sure what they heard or who told them. Who told them matters because they could have swayed the story in one direction or another. That’s why we should live above reproach, right?

Paul is bragging on the Ephesians in today’s verse. He had been told, since his absence from them (he had spent about three years there), how they were showing love for each other and about their faith in the Lord. Living in Ephesus wasn’t easy for a believer. Paul knew that firsthand. They were surrounded by pagan temples and occultic behaviors. But they were remaining faithful.

APPLICATION

1 John 4:7 tells us, “Beloved, let’s love one another; for love is from God, and everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God.” What better way to show we love Jesus than by loving each other. We are told over and over again how important it is to love one another. The world is watching how we treat one another. Believers must love one another.

I love what Romans 12:10 says. “Be devoted to one another in brotherly love; give preference to one another in honor;” I really like the last part of that verse in the ESV. “Outdo one another in showing honor.” Isn’t that good? “Outdo one another.” Look at that combination. It is possible to honor someone without loving them. But it is not possible to truly love someone if you don’t also honor them. Remember that.

Love one another. It sounds so simple, but we let the things of the world influence us. We allow our flesh to creep up and snatch that love right out of the air. We allow the influences of the evil one to spout forth from our tongue. Before you know it, we have damaged the very one God has called us to love. Today, love one another. Let the words told about you shout love.

Father, I want to be known as someone who loved his fellow man. Love through me.

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Adoration, Bible, Glorify, Glory, Honor, Ministry, Praise, Scripture

ALL GLORY TO HIM

GALATIANS 1:5

“to whom be the glory forevermore. Amen.”

Okay, be honest. Who doesn’t like a little glory? You know, that recognition and tribute you get from achieving something great. I always wanted that before coming to Jesus. In high school, I thought I could achieve it by excelling in sports. Even after becoming a Christian, I secretly wanted it for excelling in (wait for it….) ministry. That’s right! I was a closet glory seeker.

Today’s verse plainly tells us that the glory belongs to Jesus. Paul started right off talking about the One who gave him life, the One who rescued him. Now, he is pointing to Him and saying, “to whom be the glory forevermore.” Paul did not want any glory. He had seen how the Pharisees and Sadducees craved attention and glory. He wanted nothing to do with that. Instead, everything he did was to bring Jesus glory.

APPLICATION

Are you a glory seeker or do you point to Jesus? It’s easy to get caught up in the praise and adoration, even in ministry, and begin to crave that glory. Oh, the devil loves that. He will whisper in your ear that you are worthy of it. Proverbs 18:8 says, “The words of a whisperer are like dainty morsels; they go down into the innermost parts of the body.” I love that verse because it gives us such a great picture.

So, what does it mean to give Jesus glory? To begin with we must start by humbling ourselves. We must give all credit to the One who gave us any abilities to do anything. We live in a perpetual attitude of reverence for our Lord. Ellicott’s Commentary says this about this verse, “In the insertion of this brief doxology the mind of the Apostle obeys an involuntary impulse of reverential awe.”

The next time you do something that brings you praise, simply point to Jesus. He is the One who is worthy of all the praise, honor and glory. We bow before Him. We praise His holy name. We magnify Him above all others. That’s giving Him glory. To quote an old praise song – “Shout to the Lord, all the earth let us sing. Power and majesty praise to the King.”

We give You all the praise. We glorify Your name, King Jesus.

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Bible, Glory, Honor, Praise, Reverence, Scripture, Sincerity, Truth, Worship, Worthy

DEFILED WORSHIP

MALACHI 1:7

“‘You are presenting defiled food upon My altar. But you say, “How have we defiled You?” In that you say, “The table of the LORD is to be despised.”’”

Worship is something I take seriously. I hope you do also. In my ministry experience over the past 4+ decades, I have seen quite a diversity of worship. Some has been pointed more at man than God, unfortunately. As I preach or sing in worship, it is my prayer that everything done is pointed heavenward.

The Lord is chastising the priests of Israel because of their manner of worship. They were bringing defiled offerings to Him, and He was not pleased. Their excuse was that since the people were not taking it seriously, it did not matter what they did. They missed it. They were wrong.

APPLICATION

So, how do you know if you are doing it right? By listening to Him. By making it all about Him and not you. If you are a singer, sing to the Lord. If you are a preacher, preach to draw people to Christ, not yourself or your church. If you are sitting in the pew or chair, forget about yourself and concentrate on Him. If we shy away from the truth, we have despised worship as much as those priests who brought defiled offerings.

Psalm 96:7-9 is a beautiful picture of worship. “7 Ascribe to the LORD, you families of the peoples, ascribe to the LORD glory and strength. 8 Ascribe to the LORD the glory of His name; Bring an offering and come into His courtyards. 9 Worship the LORD in holy attire; Tremble before Him, all the earth.”

Now, if we do that, we are truly worshipping. This Sunday, as you are in church, reflect on today’s verse and this Psalm. Check your attitude at the door. Spend time BEFORE you go to church worshipping in your Quiet Time. Prepare your heart for worship before you ever set foot inside the church. Let Jesus see your heart and feel your reverence.

O Lord, my God, You are too wonderful for words. I worship You.

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Allegiance, Bible, Blessing, Commands, Fatherhood, God's Will, Honor, Love, Scripture

HONOR THY FATHER

MALACHI 1:6

“‘A son honors his father, and a servant his master. Then if I am a father, where is My honor? And if I am a master, where is My respect?’ says the LORD of armies to you, the priests who despise My name! But you say, ‘How have we despised Your name?’”

I had a great dad. My dad was not a perfect father, but I never doubted for a second that he loved me and would have done anything in the world for me. I showed my dad honor by visiting him, by listening to him, by listening to his advice. In fact, as I got older, I would often run something by him just to give him the opportunity to give me advice, whether I needed it or not.

In verse 6 today, the LORD is beginning a chastisement of the leaders of Israel, the priests. We will see in the following verses in the days to come how they were dishonoring the LORD. But in today’s verse He just reminds them of their obligation to honor Him, just as they would honor their earthly father. The word “honor” is a Hebrew word that means numerous, rich, honorable, to make weighty. Interesting definition, huh?

APPLICATION

I am instantly reminded of the fifth commandment (Exodus 20:12) which says, “Honor your father and your mother, so that your days may be prolonged on the land which the LORD your God gives you.” Do I need to remind you that this is a commandment, not a suggestion. And this commandment is the ONLY commandment that comes with a promise, a promise to prolong your days. That’s a pretty good reason to honor your parents, isn’t it?

How do you show honor to your father? So many families are fractured today because of dishonor. So many fathers are wounded because of it also. Did you realize when you dishonor your father you grieve his heart? When we dishonor God through our sins, it grieves His heart. Our earthly father relationship is supposed to mirror our relationship with the Father.

You may be estranged from your earthly father right now. You may even feel justified to do that. Biblically speaking, unless your father has abused you in some way, you are still commanded to show him honor. Listen to the Lord. Ask Him how you are supposed to honor your father. That will also honor Him.

I show You honor, my Lord, by honoring my father here on earth. Now, that he is with You, I show him honor by thanking You for him.

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