WORD FOR THE DAY: Honor

WORD FOR THE DAY: Honor

Okay….so my “day 1” yesterday wasn’t as successful as I had wanted it to be. But that’s okay. I can’t give up. I can’t stop trying. I need to keep moving forward.

Thought of the Day:

Do I have honor? How am I honoring God? How am I honoring others? What exactly is honor?

HONOR – (dictionary version)
High respect, as that shown for special merit; esteem: the honor shown to a Nobel Laureate. Good name; reputation. A source of credit: was an honor to the profession. A code of integrity, dignity, and pride, chiefly among men, that was maintained in some societies, as in feudal Europe, by force of arms.

But what is honor in God’s eyes?

HONOR – (God’s version)

Proverbs 15:33 –
NKJV: The fear of the Lord is the instruction of wisdom, and before honor is humility.
NCV: Respect for the Lord will teach you wisdom. If you want to be honored, you must be humble.
The Message: Fear-of-God is a school in skilled living—first you learn humility, then you experience glory.
NIV: The fear of the Lord teaches a man wisdom, and humility comes before honor.

Proverbs 29:23 –
NKJV: A man’s pride will bring him low, but the humble in spirit will retain honor.
NCV: Pride will ruin people, but those who are humble will be honored.
The Message: Pride lands you flat on your face; humility prepares you for honors.
NIV: A man’s pride brings him low, but a man of lowly spirit gains honor.

1 Peter 2:11, 12 –
NKJV: Beloved, I beg you as sojourners and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul, having your conduct honorable among the Gentiles, that when they speak against you as evil-doers, they may, by your good works which they observe, glorify God in the day of visitation.
NCV: Dear friends, you are like foreigners and strangers in this world. I beg you to avoid the evil things your bodies want to do that fight against your soul. People who do not believe are living all around you and might say that you are doing wrong. Live such good lives that they will see the good things you do and will give glory to God on the day when Christ comes again.
The Message: Friends, this world is not your home, so don’t make yourselves cozy in it. Don’t indulge your ego at the expense of your soul. Live an exemplary life among the natives so that your actions will refute their prejudices. Then they’ll be won over to God’s side and be there to join in the celebration when he arrives.
NIV: Dear friends, I urge you, as aliens and strangers in the world, to abstain from sinful desires, which war against your soul. Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.

I want to more honorable for the Lord—somewhere along this train ride, I jumped off of the train. Can I jump back on? Please?

Lord, please give me honor so that I can honor You.

HEY…..WAIT A MINUTE!!! An epiphany!! An “AHA!” moment for me!!!

I get something from God, so that I can give back to Him! So, I only wanna give God the very best……and only God can give “the very best” of anything and everything! Why would I want anything else? Why would I want fake, artificial man-made stuff to give to God? I only want what God has to give, so I can give back to Him the very best!!!

Wow.

Lord, everything I need to survive in EVERY way, I can only get from You. I don’t want the artificial things of this world that are man-made – I only want the things I need to survive – FROM YOU! The real things!! Then my heart’s desire is to give those back to You.

So….that has me thinking of all the things my heart desires at this very moment….permit me to list them here:

Peace
Contentment
Happiness
Honor
Good reputation
Health
Giving spirit
Thankful spirit
Thoughtful spirit
Friendly
Considerate
Encouraging
Holy
Wealth (only for things I need)
Comfort
Adventure
Good fulfilling job
Leadership qualities
Beauty (deep within)
To be a good wife & mom
To be trustworthy
Slow to anger
Non-judgmental
Lots of friends
Purity

Whoa…..whoa…..wait a minute. I could keep going and going…..I need to stop here for a minute.

Lord, I know now, that if I need or desire any of these things I listed, that I only want to receive them from You. If I receive anything from anyone or anything else, it’s only artificial, not the real thing, fake. It’s when I accept all of the things NOT FROM YOU, that I feel artificial, not the real thing, and fake.

I get it now Father!!!

Thank You for opening my spirit, soul, mind and eyes for giving me this knowledge and understanding….and for giving me this great message today.

I love You Lord….thank You!

Love,
Tammy

P.S. Something else for me to ponder:

CONSIDER THE SOURCE OF THE THINHGS I RECEIVE. My Source will determine whether or not the things I have are honorable, blessed and perfect.

Jesus, please always be my Source in and for everything. Amen.