The Lord says, 1 Samuel 2:30, …them that honour me I will honour… It’s God’s design - life’s true purpose. “Man’s chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy him for ever.”
Life’s true fulfilment is in knowing and trusting in Him. So - are we honouring God - or dishonouring God? Are we pleasing Him in how we live - or not?
Let us decide in our heart to honour God. Some will say they love God, but their heart is far from Him. They don’t have a living faith in Christ. Has our heart been made right with God? When He has our heart… our thinking will change, our priorities will change, our walk will change, and our eternity changes.
True liberty and freedom can only come as we seek God’s way for our lives. God shows us how how we can live right. We find true freedom and liberty as we follow His will. He delivers us from the bondage of sin. He helps us overcome.
The Bible says that some things are a dishonour. Ephesians 5:12 For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret. There’s some things we don’t need to know... Romans 16:19 …I would have you wise unto that which is good, and simple concerning evil.
It honours the Lord when we seek to learn of Him and His Word. The most needful thing we can know is the Lord Jesus and His saving love and grace. The key thing to honour the Lord is to get saved.
Honour the Word of God. Like Job. Job 23:12 …I have esteemed the words of his mouth more than my necessary food. Take the Bible into your heart and mind. It will help to bless and fulfil your life.
Honour God in your Love. Colossians 3:2 Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. Aim to do what is pleasing to God.
Honour God in your Lifestyle. 1 Thessalonians 5:22 Abstain from all appearance of evil. Yield yourself to Him. He will help you overcome.
1 Corinthians 10:31 Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God. Seek the glory of God. Honour God with your daily life.
Holiness is not some burden we can’t handle. It’s Christ in you. Empowering you. We love Him. And so we want to please the One we love.
Honour the Lord’s day. Isaiah 58:13 ...call the sabbath a delight, the holy of the LORD, honourable... Honour God with your time.
Honour God in your Workplace. Find some work to do, if you are able, and be a good worker. We ought to have a strong work ethic. Colossians 3:23 And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men.
Honour God with your Body. 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? (20) For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify (honour) God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.
Remember, we were bought with a high price – God lives in us – and we must honour Him with our body. Use your body to please and honour God. Your body is His temple. So use it to glorify Jesus Christ.
Our object is to glorify God - that our worship will be worthy for the worship of our precious Lord.
God has a purpose for each one of us. Let's honour God, by willing to be different from the world…
Our heart’s desire is to honour and please one Master - the Lord Jesus. We can determine to honour Him in our every day.
We ask ourselves… Is He Lord in my home? Is He Lord in my work life? Is He Lord in my recreation time? He makes our life complete as we honour Him.
As the children of God, who want to truly honour Him, we are called to be a people set apart. We're called to be like "strangers and pilgrims" in this world (Hebrews 11:13; 1 Peter 2:11).
What matters most now, above all things, is to please our master… Our whole focus of life is that we honour Him. That we please the Lord. "Our purpose for living is to let Christ live His life in us."
As a Christian, you are the righteousness of God in Christ. You may not feel like it. But that’s what God says you are. He says Christ is “in you”. So, choose to honour God with your life. Ask yourself: Who is my allegiance to? Does my life honour God? Am I willing to be different?
Commit to honouring God with your life. Determine to be different. Refuse to dishonour God - and Resolve to honour God. Let us honour God out of a heart of loving obedience.
He says, them that honour me I will honour. You will be truly blessed as you let God work in your heart. Honour Him with your life.
[0:00] Please be seated. Let's go to the Word of God. I'm going to be projecting the words largely here anyway.! 1 Samuel will take it from just chapter 2 verse 30. My message here tonight is honour the Lord. Honour God.
[0:20] It says in 1 Samuel 2 verse 30, in part it says this, This is the words of an unnamed prophet to Eli. And he says these simple but profound words that we can apply in the 21st century.
[0:43] Then that honour me, God says, I will honour. I want to urge you today to honour God, to honour Him.
[0:55] It's been said, you know that familiar quote, Man's chief end is to glorify God and to enjoy Him forever. It's our true purpose for life, isn't it? To know Him, to glorify Him, or honour Him, and to enjoy Him.
[1:11] And it's forever. It's God's design, it's His purpose for us, that we honour Him, that we know Him, that we find life's fulfilment in Him, in Christ. In knowing and in trusting Him.
[1:24] So consider this. Are we honouring God? Or dishonouring God? It's one or the other. There's two ways. There's two choices.
[1:35] Are we pleasing Him in how we live? Or are we not? And my plea, my urging to you tonight is that you make that decision in your heart to honour the Lord.
[1:50] Honour God. I mean, it's the best thing, the best choice any one of us can make. And let it be real honour. Honour that is real. Because through the prophet Isaiah we see that God says for some, they have an honour that is superficial, in part.
[2:07] It's not real, it's not full. It's not genuine. He says this in part. God speaking. Isaiah 29, 13. This people draw near to me with their mouth, and with their lips do honour me, but have removed their heart far from me.
[2:27] So it's possible to honour God just with, as we would call it, lip service. And as our Lord Himself quoted this same reference, it's possible to honour God partially or partly or superficially or just in words only.
[2:46] But yet our heart can be far, far from God. Some will say they love God, but their heart is far from Him. And we know that's a real issue, a real problem. They don't have that living faith in Christ, which is what matters most.
[3:00] And it's the most important step any of us can make, is to have that heart made right with God. That's what matters. We can have all the words right, and the heart is not right.
[3:11] It counts for nothing. And getting the heart right, that happens by faith. We know the Gospel shows us how Christ died for sins. He rose from the dead. He died for sinners.
[3:23] And we can know His everlasting life as a gift, as we trust Him. Receive it by faith. Receive salvation. Be born again, as we truly honour Him, as we know Him in our heart.
[3:36] I know we were talking with some folk just yesterday, reaching out to a religious lady, and trying to explain there's a new heart that He gives. There's a new heart. We can have all manner of beliefs, and ideas, and philosophies, and words, and thoughts of men.
[3:54] But if a heart is not right with God, that heart needs to be changed. We need a new heart. And when He has our heart, our thinking will change. Our priorities will change. Our walk will change.
[4:06] How we live, our eternity changes. When He has our heart, God is interested in the heart of men. We honour Him not merely with our lips, in singing or saying things, or spouting our claims, but that our heart is right.
[4:25] That our heart is close to Him. Our heart is in tune. Our heart is the new heart that He gives. Some people will say, it doesn't matter how we live. They will say, we aren't under the law.
[4:38] We can do what we like. Some that take that extreme idea that we can do just whatever we're pleased to do. But really, true liberty comes from law.
[4:49] Now, don't get me wrong here. I don't want to confuse the issue, but that sense that God has truth, and we must come to know that truth. Now, some people call it legalism, when preachers talk about some standards, or earth people to aim high, to aim to please God.
[5:07] But really, that is the call of the Word of God. And it's that standard, that awesome truth of the teaching of God's Word. It's something awesome, and something that we should want to take to heart.
[5:22] And sometimes when we get a hearing of the Word, and we see the challenges that are implicit in the Word of God, that it can sound too strong, too hard. When there's a challenge to do right, and some people would say, oh, that's legalism to talk like that.
[5:39] But I know Julie likes to make the quip that when you're driving your car, are you supposed to abide by the road rules? She's always telling me this, by the way, because I'm, you know, I should be confessing this here, that sometimes I might go a little bit over the speed limit.
[5:59] And that is breaking the law. We should be legalistic, in the sense of keeping to the road rules, right? And we know, there's a reason for it. You know, people get, people actually have car accidents, as we know, and that's not funny.
[6:15] I know what you're saying. I know, but I know, if you break the law, people could get hurt. Because the law is for our good. And it's the same in terms of God's word, God's way, is, He gives us rules, He gives us directions for life, and that's important.
[6:32] So true liberty and freedom comes from going God's way, and seeking His way for our lives. And legalism, as people would see it as, that legalism is something to avoid, is the keeping of man-made rules and regulations in order to earn salvation.
[6:50] It teaches us salvation by works. We do not teach that, because that's wrong, isn't it? Our salvation is not that. It's not a man-made religion.
[7:00] It's not man-made rules. Salvation is not earned. It's a gift received. So we know, look, we're inclined to not always keep the law, even let alone the man-made law, but what about doing what God wants for us?
[7:16] Thankfully, His gift, His pardon, is freely received, if we all trust Him. So there's a right way, there's a wrong way. And God shows us how we can live, to honour Him.
[7:28] It's how He lays it out for us, how we can honour God. He puts it out for us in His Word. So we ought to abide by that law of the Lord, the Word of God.
[7:38] And it's interesting to note, in terms of this kind of, this twofold aspect of law and liberty, that they're actually, they're actually not contrary.
[7:53] It's interesting that the truth of law and liberty, they actually can be complementary. They're tied together, as we see here, in Psalm 119, which is a psalm all about the Bible, the Word of God.
[8:08] And the writer says, So shall I keep thy law continually, forever and ever, and I will walk out liberty, for I seek thy precepts. So, there's nothing wrong with the law here.
[8:20] That we should want to, that we should seek to keep the law. And there's liberty there. In other words, we should actually take heed to what God's directions are, and we want to keep it.
[8:34] And there's liberty in that. It's like, our Lord says, the truth shall make you free. And there's that wonderful truth, it's the Word of God, the Word of God that sets us free, the truth of it, the saving truth of His salvation, that's delivered to us in it.
[8:50] So, what am I saying? The Bible shows us the right thing to do. That's the point. The Bible shows us how we can live. And that's a good thing. We should seek that. We should seek to be like the writer here.
[9:03] I want to keep thy law. I want to do it forever. And I'm going to walk at liberty. So, good laws are a good thing. Now, I know one of my friends is always going on about speed cameras.
[9:16] He thinks, oh, this rotten South Australian government, oh, we've got these speed cameras everywhere. And he's always going on about it, saying, oh, they're just money making schemes. But then, when you actually think about it, well, actually, if you weren't breaking the law, you wouldn't have to worry about the speed cameras.
[9:33] So, I mean, the speed cameras are actually a good thing, because they're keeping people honest. So, even such things as, I know, look, they're not the most popular of things.
[9:45] They're actually good for us. It's the same with the things in the Bible. It says, thou shalt not, thou shalt, they're good things for us, aren't they? And so, imagine an Australia without any law, without total chaos, wouldn't we?
[9:58] Mob rule, there'd be no road rules, no speed limits, no limits on drugs or crime or police, no police. And police, if they do their job honestly, they actually help keep our country a safer place.
[10:12] So, laws are there for our good. And it's the same with the law of the Lord, the word of God, this is for our best, it's for our good. And to honour God, we ought to take heed of what he actually tells us to do, to be.
[10:25] And the Bible speaks of a freedom, of a liberty in Christ. So, there's that expectation, that direction from the Lord, his will, his word, and then there's the walking, the walking which is at liberty.
[10:39] And so, when we get that liberty, when we save, we're truly set free. He delivers us, and he helps us overcome, and to win through in daily battles, with sin. And to find that Christian life, that is a discipline.
[10:53] So, in honouring God, there's a discipline. The Christian life involves discipline, it involves some standards, and obedience. But these are not goals, that we cannot reach.
[11:05] He will help us, to acquire them, to fulfil them. So, when you think about it, true commitment, in any field, it brings a reward.
[11:19] Look at it, as you see down at the footy field, the players there, they've got to commit, to strenuous regular practice sessions. And it pays off. It's true in life. It's true, we're champion athletes.
[11:30] It's self-denial, and strain, and application of energy, and effort. Yeah. And it's like that, in the Christian life, God shows us, how to, he shows us the way, and he helps us get there.
[11:43] And that's honouring God, as we listen to, what is his way? And we do it. The Bible says, some things are a shame, they're a dishonour. As we read, for example, Ephesians 5, it says, for it is a shame, even to speak of those things, which have done, of them in secret.
[12:02] It's a shame for us, to speak of sinful things. We don't even want to think, about them, do we? There's enough out there, when you read the news, or you see the signs, and sights around you.
[12:14] But there's some things, we don't need to know about. It's actually good for us, to not know about them. It says, likewise in Romans 16, it says, that the Lord wants us, to be wise, unto that which is good, and sinful, concerning that which is evil.
[12:29] So it honours the Lord, when we seek to learn of him, of his word, and to be ignorant, of the world, and its sin. Now, if we get that, thinking right, that we want to be wise, about what is good, we want to be wise, to God's word, to know the truth, of his word, but we want to be simple, about the things, of this world.
[12:48] That's honouring God, that's a good thing to do. And here are some ways, we can honour God, some areas we can honour God. Job said this, he said, I've esteemed the words, of his mouth, more than my necessary food.
[13:01] He esteemed the words of God, he esteemed that, more than his necessary food. honour the word of God, that's a good thing to do. It's been said, a Bible that's falling apart, probably belongs to someone, who isn't.
[13:14] Because if you get the Bible, and the Bible gets you, it'll hold you, and guide you, get you straight, and sure. Take the Bible, into your heart and mind.
[13:28] Honour the word of God. Another thing we can do, is honour God, with your love. Now I talked a little, on this line, already today, but it says, set your affection, on things above, not on things, on the earth.
[13:40] Where do we set our affection? Do we love the things, God loves? Do we love the things, God wants us to love? Is our aim to please God, to love what he pleases, please be pleased, with our loving?
[13:53] It's been said, Christ does not take us, out of the world, he takes the world, out of us. Now if we, if we love God, will have, that love will be, that which moves us, and motivates us.
[14:07] Now the Lord doesn't want us, to be cloistered away, in some kind of monastery, but he actually, sends us deliberately, into the godless world. So we, honour God, with our love, and, we're willing to be different, from the world around us, but we're actually sent, as missionaries, into it.
[14:24] Another, area we can honour God, is honour God, with our lifestyle. It says, 1 Thessalonians 5, 22, abstain from, all appearance of evil. So avoid any appearance of it.
[14:37] Let's aim, that our lives, will be, live, to the glory of his name. And we don't want to do anything, that will bring, dishonour, to his name. Oswald Chambers said this, I can't live a holy life.
[14:51] He said, it's quite true to say, I can't live, a holy life, but you can decide, to let Jesus, make you holy. You know, that's a good quote really, isn't it? It's true to say, I can't live a holy life, it's just, not, natural, or, easy.
[15:09] But, I can decide, to let Jesus, make me, holy. That's the secret, isn't it? Let God have his way. Yield yourself to him, to his power, and he'll help you overcome.
[15:21] Let him work in you. And, such that, whatever we eat, drink, or, whatever we do, will be all to his glory. In the daily living of life.
[15:33] Someone has said, true holiness is doing God's will, with a smile. Now, holiness is not some irksome, burdensome thing, that's, impossible. It's, our, gladness is found, in pleasing our God.
[15:49] In honouring God, there's a, there's a joy there. There's a blessing. Christ in you. Empowering you. And, we, we want to please the one we love.
[16:01] He'll help us steer away, from questionable things. Another thing we can honour, is to honour the Lord's day. That's what we're doing here, right now. It says, call the Sabbath a delight, the holy of the Lord.
[16:13] Honourable. And honour him, it says. Not doing thine own ways, not finding thine own pleasure, not speaking thine own words. The Sabbath, that, that setting apart, of that, one day in seven, is honourable.
[16:28] It's the, it's a delight. So, attending church is good. It's good for your soul. And, there was one survey, apparently, recently, I'm, I'm told, I haven't got the, the details of the, the credit of it, but, it said this, this recent survey said, the risk of fatal heart diseases, is almost twice as high, for the non-church goer, than for men who attend, once a week or more.
[16:53] So, there you go, you're, you're, keeping yourself free, from, facial heart disease, just by being here. Now, I'm not sure about the, that, but I think it's a good thing, isn't it? It's good for your soul, it's good for your, for your family, it's good for, your well-being, to set apart, a holy day.
[17:09] Set apart, set aside a day to worship, and it's just another way, we can gladly, honour, our God. Another thing we can do, is honour God, with our time. You know, whatsoever we do, whatsoever we do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not, unto men.
[17:27] Honour God, in your workplace. That can be a challenge. Some workplaces, can be, not easy going, when you're surrounded by, non-believers.
[17:38] But, honour God, God helping you, be a witness in your workplace. Be a testimony. So that, you're above reproach, they can't come, bagging you, saying, you're one thing here, and another thing there.
[17:52] Find some work to do, and do it well. Be a good worker. It's a Christian work ethic. The Bible says, we should work, as unto the Lord. Another area, to honour the Lord, is honour God, with your body.
[18:07] In 1 Corinthians 6, 19, it says, What? Know ye not, that your body, is the temple, of the Holy Ghost, which is in you, which you have of God, and you are not your own? For ye are, bought with a price.
[18:21] Therefore, glorify God, in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's. And this, the same word, glorify, is elsewhere, translated, in our King James, as honour. So we can even put, that word there, quite, would be quite appropriate, to say, to honour God, glorify God, with your body.
[18:42] Now remember, that high price, Christ paid for your sins, that he paid, for your saving. And God lives in us, the Bible says. So we ought to glorify God, honour God, with our body, with our everyday living.
[18:55] Use your body, to please and honour, the Lord. Your body, is his temple. And what is the Holy Spirit's purpose? To glorify Jesus Christ.
[19:07] John 16, 14. So use your body, use your, whole being, to honour, the Lord Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit, would have you do that. And you are his temple.
[19:18] And so, our body was not made, to fulfil, our own various pleasures, but for God's service, that's the ultimate. That is the ultimate aim. Honour God, with your body.
[19:29] Another, aspect of honouring, is honour the Lord Jesus Christ. It says, John 5, 23. Our Lord says, that all men should honour the Son, even as they honour, the Father. He that honoureth not the Son, honoureth not the Father, which hath sent him.
[19:44] Friends, believers here tonight, we're all called to this, to this end. So glorify, to honour, the Son of God. Honour the Lord Jesus Christ. And as we do that, we honour the Father.
[19:56] So, it's that sense of, our way of living, should bring him honour. We should bring him praise. I suppose that's, what you could call, holiness too.
[20:08] If we live, in a way that honours, the Lord Jesus Christ, we'll live, holy. There'll be something, of Christ, showing. As we live, for his glory.
[20:20] And, one recognised preacher, Campbell Morgan, said this, holiness is not inability to sin, but ability not to sin. Now, that's a telling quote too, isn't it?
[20:32] Holiness is not inability to sin, but ability not to sin. Now, we've got the, God gives us the ability, to say no to sin. God helps us, to say no.
[20:42] God helps us, to say no to sin, to reject it. God helps us, to say yes to God. When we honour the Lord, we'll be different. There'll be something, to show. There'll be some, evidence, that will manifest, as he works, that work in us.
[20:58] There'll be an overflow. There'll be, something, apparent. And he'll help us, to honour him, in our everyday life. Think of the world, we're living in. It's godless.
[21:09] Society, around us, is pagan. In it's thinking, in it's ways, in it's ideas. But we're going to stand out, like a sore thumb, as Christians. That is what we do. Then we're going to think, that we are, odd, peculiar.
[21:22] And that's, what God says too, peculiar. In that sense, different. So as Christians, we're meant to be, standing out, from the world. Not of the world. But we are, in the world.
[21:34] Not meaning to say, as I said earlier, that we'd, to be some kind of, sort of, little secret sect, that, just has little, holy clubs, and doesn't engage, with the world.
[21:46] We're meant to be, permeating, infiltrating, going behind, enemy lines, as they, as they were, parachuting in, and taking back, territory. But we're actually, going into the very, heartland, of our enemy.
[22:01] And, and we should be, as it's been said, as C.T. Studd said, that he wants to open, a rescue shop, within a mile of hell. And there's a sense, where that's what we should be. We need to be, missionaries.
[22:13] Not, of the world, but, yet we are, in the world. And so, as God's people, we're going to be different. We're going to be, people are, we're going to say, oh, they're, you're one of those, kind of people.
[22:24] You're going to be, one of those, oh, you're one of those, bigots. That's what they would call us. Or, you're one of those, right wing zealots, or, you know, fruit cakes. That's what they'll call us.
[22:36] But, yeah, God sees that, our object is not, other than to honour him. That's, that's what our motivation is. We don't, go out there to look like, we're kooky, crazies.
[22:50] But, we, our object is to honour the Lord. And if that's what the world thinks, we're not going to be, deterred from that. So, when we, we honour God, we'll make those godly choices.
[23:02] And we'll be that kind of church, that God wants for us to be, which is a, a, a, a glorious, spotless church. That's, that's the object, ultimately, isn't it?
[23:12] That would be such a church, not some social club, not some holy gathering, that is just a, kind of, insulated, isolated, you know, not reaching the world, kind of church.
[23:26] But there will be a church, that glorifies God. And that will be seen as, we're actually making an impact, on our neighbourhood. Because our purpose is not, to, to build a mega church, not, not some social entertainment, kind of church.
[23:40] But that, when we, when we are together, it's a holy worship. It's to honour our God. And our worship, will be worthy of him, who is precious. And awesome, and righteous.
[23:51] And that will be that church, that's called to be salt, and light. That our testimony, our witness, will be undiminished. It'll be, full and, enriching, this well, for his glory.
[24:04] And so, friends, let's determine, God helping us, to honour, our Lord. That's the, the point I'm trying to drive home, here tonight. To honour our Lord.
[24:16] To honour him. Is he Lord? Is he Lord in my home? Is he Lord in my work life? Is he Lord in my recreation time?
[24:27] When we, endeavour to honour him, it's not compartmentalised, to just, church. Now some would, have that, view, or that, thought, that, I'll just be holy, when I'm around Christians.
[24:43] But no, we want to honour God, 24 by 7, don't we? Whatsoever we do, in my home, in my work, in my recreation, in my family, we're called to be, such a people.
[24:59] The Lord Jesus says, of us, as his followers, he says, they are not of the world, even as I, am not of the world. Now, that which motivates, and drives us, is to please our God, to honour him.
[25:12] Now some people, would be people pleasers, trying to please the crowd, please the ones, that, that go the, the world's way. But, the Lord Jesus says, we're not of the world, even as I am, not of the world.
[25:28] Our purpose is to live, the life of Christ, to let Christ's life live, his life in us. So friends, as we think, really, in the context of these days, that we're living in, we read in 2 Peter 3, where it tells us, of the day of the Lord, that he's going to come, as a thief in the night, it tells us, how the heavens, shall pass away, with a great noise, and the elements, shall melt, with fervent heat.
[25:56] The earth also, and all the works, that are therein, shall be burnt up. Friends, this is a, a day coming, we read on verse 11, 2 Peter 3, seeing then, that all these things, shall be dissolved, what manner, what manner of persons, ought ye to be, in all conversation, holy conversation, and godliness, looking for, and hasting unto, the coming, of the day of God, wherein the heavens, shall be, on fire, shall be dissolved, and the elements, shall melt, with fervent heat.
[26:29] Nevertheless, we, according to his promise, look for, new heavens, and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness. Wherefore, beloved, seeing that you look, for such things, be diligent, that you be found, of him, in peace, without spot, and wrinkle, sorry, without spot, and blameless.
[26:51] What manner, of persons, ought you to be? That's a really, important question, isn't it? I'll just go back to that. Yeah. What manner of persons, ought you to be?
[27:03] We're talking about, honouring the Lord. That's the point, I'm trying to, drive home, is something that should be, our primary, priority, for life. To honour the Lord.
[27:14] To honour the Lord. The day of God is coming. Friends, I don't know about you, but, to me, it seems, that things are escalating, very, very much.
[27:26] It seems like, it's ramping up. When I think, when I was just, only a few years younger, the world seemed to be different. And, the day of God is coming.
[27:38] So, what manner of persons, ought you to be? We ought to have, something that, that is different. We've got a different master, from this world, haven't we?
[27:49] We've got a different destiny. There should be a distinction. We've got a, a different purpose, of life. And as a Christian, the Bible says, Christ is in you. That should make a difference.
[28:03] He's working in us. It motivates us, to honour him. That is our primary motive. And, if that is our motive, to honour him, then, that which dishonours him, ought to drop off, shouldn't it?
[28:25] The things, you could think for yourself, the things that dishonour God, unbelief, bad language, the lust of the eyes, the lust of the flesh, the pride of life.
[28:36] What manner of persons, ought you to be, considering the day of God, is coming, and it surely is? Are you prepared? Let's not, pretend.
[28:49] Don't be amongst those, that honour God, with your lips, but your heart, is far from you. Are you prepared, to be different, to be made right? To be purified.
[29:01] You know, we hear of, this coming of the day of God, and it talks about, we should be found of him. We should be diligent. We should be found of him.
[29:15] Without spot, I'm blameless. There's a purifying here. And purifying can mean, a refining process. Think of it, as a Christian, don't shy away, from some refining.
[29:28] That's good for you. That's a good thing. And it will cost you, to be a wholehearted Christian. It'll be worth it. It says this, them that honour me, he says, them that honour me, I will honour.
[29:40] So, really, to make it personal, just as we wrap up here, that, that would be, the consideration, that we make, when we're making decisions.
[29:54] Does it honour, him, or does it dishonour him? Who is my allegiance to? Does my life, honour God, or not? Am I willing, to be different?
[30:08] Am I willing, to take up my cross, and follow him? Am I willing, to be refined, even if it means, great testing? That, that I would be purified, my faith would be, purified.
[30:22] I urge you, tonight, to commit to honouring God, with your life. Determined to be different. Determined to, to honour God, even if it's going to cost you.
[30:33] Determined to, be different. Determined to honour God, even if the crowd, will, will mock you, and spurn you, even family members. And that hurts.
[30:45] But, because you want to honour God, you're willing to go, the distance. Determined to be different. And so, a couple of things, refuse to dishonour God.
[30:56] If you've come across, a situation, a circumstance, something that, that is facing you, refuse to, dishonour God. And secondly, resolve, to honour God.
[31:11] Resolve to honour God. Let that be that, prime, loaded, let that, be the first consideration, when you're making, a decision, a choice of life.
[31:22] He says, then that honour me, I will honour. It's his promise. We can take that, from his word, can't we? We can believe his promise. And you will be truly blessed, as you let, God work, in your heart.
[31:36] Honour him, with your life. Now friends, we've been talking really, about honouring the Lord, and really, ultimately, and absolutely, the, the most critical, truth, of the word of God, of the, the, the law, that we've got to abide by, is, you must be born again.
[31:55] That is, that is God's law. You must be born again. There's no other way, there's no, there's no second way. And he says, I am the way, exclusively.
[32:06] Now the Bible's not inclusive, it's exclusive, in terms of, his, his appeal is, inclusive, but, but the way, is exclusive.
[32:18] It's exclusively Christ. One way, one, and only one way. Christ. I am the way, the way.
[32:29] It's exclusive. That, that, way of salvation is, entirely and only, of Christ. To be saved, to truly honour God, you must be saved.
[32:40] That's the, first and essential thing, isn't it? To be saved. To trust in Christ. To have faith, in Christ. To, to come, seeking, his forgiveness, and receiving, his pardon, his salvation.
[32:57] Christ. That is the ultimate, to honour him, to be saved. And then, as believers now, what manner of persons, what manner of persons, ought you to be?
[33:09] Friends, the day of God is coming. And, honour God. Make that your decision, as a believer. when every consideration, of life comes your way, refuse to dishonour God, and resolve to honour God.
[33:23] Amen. Let's pray. Lord, we thank you, that we can honour you, in our homes, in our hearts. We pray, each one might know you, personally know you, as Saviour and Lord.
[33:34] And Lord, that's the only way, is, as we trust you, as our Lord and Saviour. Lord, we pray, each one might have that heart peace, to know that, that saving grace of God.
[33:46] And help us, Lord, to know, that our holiness, as we let you, as we let you, have your way, in us. As we let you, move us, and shape us, to be the people, you want us to be.
[34:02] That in the workplace, in the home place, in every place, that whatsoever we do, our object, our truth end, is to glorify you, to honour you, and to enjoy you, forever.
[34:15] Lord, we pray, each one might have that heart, and that commitment tonight, that we will resolve, to honour you, that we will refuse, to dishonour you. We'll make that choice, when life's questions come, and choices come, we'll make the right one.
[34:31] That our object, our intent, that our commitment, will be to honour you. We pray, Lord, this things in, your precious, and worthy name, our Lord Jesus.
[34:41] Amen. Okay.