HONOR and FAITH: FIVE KEY INSIGHTS

In this episode of the 'Where Is Your Voice' podcast, host Erika delves into the concept of honor from a biblical perspective, exploring how its absence can deteriorate one’s relationship with God. Erika outlines five critical areas where a lack of honor, such as treating God casually, disrespecting authority figures, being unfaithful in marriage, mistreating parents, and neglecting the environment, can create spiritual turmoil. Drawing from various scriptures, Erika emphasizes the importance of showing respect and reverence to foster a stronger relationship with God. The episode also includes insightful anecdotes and a concluding prayer for guidance and strength. #Honor #BiblicalHonor #Respect #Faith #ChristianLiving #GodsWill #SpiritualGrowth #Relationships #Marriage #Environment #Authority #ParentalRespect #Podcast00:00 

Introduction to Honor00:28 

Understanding Biblical Honor01:25

 Treating God with Reverence05:43

 Respecting Authority Figures11:10

 Faithfulness in Marriage13:21

Honoring Your Parents15:30 

Caring for God's Creation18:43 

Conclusion and Prayer 

Transcript

  Honor and Your Faith: Five Key Insights
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Introduction to Honor
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[00:00:00] 

We often hear about honor, but do we understand its power? Do we live it out? I know we hear that word a lot, but do we truly live it out in our lives? Before I get into it, my name is Erica and welcome to Where Is Your Voice Podcast, and today's topic is Five Reasons How, . Your lack of honor could be ruining your relationship with God.


Understanding Biblical Honor
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So what is honor? Honor in the Bible derived from Hebrew? Words like kava means weight or glory. And Greek words like time, meaning, reverence, and personal value signifies esteem, respect, and reverence given to individuals. God, our principles. Honor is also mentioned in the Bible 355 times, so you must know that [00:01:00] honor is a big deal to God, but in today's society you wouldn't think so.

You see people dishonoring the president, police. Teachers, their parents, judge, family, friends, ministers, and their managers. You would think the word honor doesn't exist. Today, so let's get into it. 


Treating God with Reverence
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The number one way your lack of honor may be ruining your relationship with God is that you treat God casually, not reverently.

Yes, God. Jesus is our friend and he is a servant leader. He died for us and will do anything for us, but you still need to give him the respect and honor he truly deserves. There are three things the Lord requires from us, and that's love, worship, and fear. See, a lot of other [00:02:00] cultures did fear God, but they didn't love nor worship him.

Let's go to one Samuel chapter five. The whole chapter, after the Philistines had captured the art of God, they took it from Ebenezer to Ashdod. Then they carried the art into Duggan's Temple and set it beside Dagan. When the people of Ashdod rose early, the next. Day there was the gone, falling on his face on the ground before the art of the Lord.

They took the gone and put him back in his place. But the following morning when they rose, there was the gone, falling on his face, on the ground before the art of the Lord. His head and hands have been broken off and were lying on the threshold. Only his body remained. That is why to this day, neither the priest of the God nor any others who entered the God's [00:03:00] Temple of Ashdod, step on the threshold.

The Lord's hand was heavy on the people of Ashdod and its vicinity. He brought devastation on them and afflicted them with tumors. When the people of Ashdod saw what was happening, they said, the art of the God of Israel must not stay here with us because his hand is heavy on us. And the gone our God. So they called together all the rulers of Philistine and asked him, what shall we do with the art of the God of Israel?

They answered, have the art of the God of Israel moved to Gath. So they moved the art of the God of Israel. But after they moved it, the Lord's hand was heavy against that city, throwing it into a great panic. He afflicted the people of the city, both young and old, with the outbreak of tumors. So they sent the art of [00:04:00] God to Ekron as the art of God was.

Entering Ekron, the people of Ekron cried out. They have brought the art of the God of Israel around to us to kill us and our people. So they called together all the rulers of the Philistines and said, send the art of the God of Israel away. Let it go back to its own place or it will kill us. And our people for death had filled the city with panic.

God's hand was very heavy on it. Those who did not die were afflicted with tumors, and the outcry of the city went up to heaven. So the Philistines were scrambling to get rid of the art of God. So the humiliation of their God, the gone, falling, and being broken, serves as a powerful reminder that no idol or false God can stand in comparison to the [00:05:00] one true God.

The plagues that afflicted the Philistines show that God's holiness cannot be ignored, are taken lightly. This chapter serves as a lesson that honoring God means recognizing his supremacy and holiness. It also warns against trying to trivialize. Our Defy God's power as it leads to destruction in a broader sense, it encourages reverence for God's presence and authority.

, Emphasizing that true honor is reflected in respect and obedience to him. Okay. 


Respecting Authority Figures
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Number two way that your lack of honor may be ruining your relationship with God is if you speak about people of authority. And this includes everyone, good and bad. No matter how they treat you, you must [00:06:00] still honor them in front of their face and behind their back.

In Ephesians chapter six, verse five through nine, slaves. Obey your earthly masters with respect and fear and with sincerity of heart. Just as you would obey Christ, obey them not only to win their favor when their eye is on you, but as slaves of Christ doing the will of God from your heart. Serve wholeheartedly as you were serving the Lord, not people, because you know that the Lord will reward you.

Each one for whatever good they do, whether they are slave or free, and masters. Treat your slaves in the same way. Do not threaten them. Since you know that he who is both their master and yours in heaven. There is no favoritism with him. So as you heard, [00:07:00] it is not by what you say or do when you're in front of them, but even behind their back, and this is for all authority.

This includes. Presidents, police judge, country leaders, bad managers, and the list goes on, you must honor them in front of their face and behind their back where God can see you the most. And in Luke chapter 22, verse 16 through 39. The soldiers led Jesus away into the palace that is and called together the whole company of soldiers.

They put a purple robe on him, then twisted together a crown of thorns and set it on him, and they began to call out to him. Hell, king of the Jews again and again. They struck him on the head with a. Staff [00:08:00] and spit on him falling on their knees. They paid homage to him and when they had mocked him, they took off their purple robe and put his own clothes on him.

Then they led him out to crucify him. A certain man from sar, Ron Simon, the father of Alexander and Rufuss was passing by on his way in from the country and they forced him to carry the cross. They brought Jesus to the place called. Gha, which means the place of the skull. Then they offered him wine mixed with Mer, but he did not take it, and they crucified him, dividing up his clothes.

They cast lots to see what each would get. It was nine in the morning when they crucified him. The written notice of the charged against him read the King of the Jews. They crucified two rebels with him, one on his right, one on his left. Those who passed by hurled insults at him, shaking their heads and saying, [00:09:00] so you.

Who are the going to destroy the temple and build it in three days? Come down from the cross and save yourself in the same way. The chief priests and the teachers of the law mocked him among themselves. He saved others, they said, but he can't save himself. Let this Messiah, the King of Israel, come down from the cross that we may see and believe those crucified with him.

Also heat insults on him. At noon, darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon, and at three in the afternoon, Jesus cried out in a loud voice, my God, my God, why have you forsaken me? When some of those standing near heard this, they said, listen, he's calling Elijah. Someone ran and filled a sponge with wine vinegar and put it on his staff and offered it to Jesus to drink.

Now leave him alone. Let's see if Elijah comes down to take him. He said with the [00:10:00] loud cry, Jesus breath, his last, the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. And when the satum who stood there in front of Jesus saw how he died, he said, surely this man was the son of God. Jesus. Our savior who within us, didn't say a word when he was yelled at, insulted.

They beat him. They dishonored him. They disrespected him, and he didn't do anything. He is the example of what we are to do when we are in the same situation and we know for a fact he was innocent. We can't always say the same about ourselves, but even if we truly are innocent, we still have to honor them because to dishonor is to view God.

Like he doesn't have the power to change them. So [00:11:00] our faith in God is why we honor them, knowing that at any moment, he can change everything in the blink of an eye. 


Faithfulness in Marriage
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Okay, so number three way of how your lack of honor could be ruining your relationship with God is that you're unfaithful in your marriage.

So God views marriage as an example of Jesus and the church. So how you are in your marriage to your spouse can , hinder your relationship with God. Also, I. Now your house is divided and it can't stand as stated in Mark chapter three, verse 25, and in Peter chapter three, verse seven, it says, husbands in the same way, be considerate as you live with your wives and treat them with res.

Expect as the weaker partner and as heirs with you [00:12:00] of the Graces gift of life so that nothing will hinder your prayers. So as you've read, well, as I read how you are in your Marriage displays your lack of honor to yourself. Fouls and that can hinder your relationship with God. And this even goes to just making sure that your marriage is in the proper order.

As stated in Corinthians, and I don't mean why submitting. Submitting to your husbands as if you are a slave, but allowing your husband to lead you and both of you submitting under God is the proper order that gives balance and that life of abundance that Jesus wants you to have. And when that is not aligned, it can cause a lot of hardship in your life.

Which of course would make it harder for you to hear from God, and that's what the enemy wants. His goal is to tear the marriage apart and [00:13:00] for you to be too distracted to even focus on God because you're so focused on the chaos that is happening in the marriage and how. Can we honor our spouse in a way that strengthens both the relationship and our connection with God?

That's what you have to ask yourself. Okay? 


Honoring Your Parents
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Number four, way on how honor could be ruining your relationship with God is how you treat your parents. Of course. I'm sure everyone knows the classic verse, Ephesians six, one, honor your mother and your father for your days shall be longer. My mom used to punish us with this when we got in trouble, we had to write that verse down a hundred times.

So I do know that this is an obvious honor. But what I also want you to know is that once you become an adult, you do not have to obey your [00:14:00] parents in this same way. You still have to honor them, but you don't have to obey them. Because I struggled with this. My mom was using this against me, and I'm 41, and she is acting like I still have to cater to her every demand, and I will feel.

As if, if I didn't listen to everything she asked me to do, that I was dishonoring God and I would get in trouble. With Jesus. But then Jesus freed me from this and he let me know that like, honor her, but you don't have to obey her and to set firm boundaries in a kindful way that still honors her and God.

Because if I cater to my mom over my own needs, that means now I am. Idolizing my mom and acting as if she is my God. And that freed me because doing too much for her was causing me to be mean to her and not have patience with her. So God allowed [00:15:00] me to see that we do things for our parents out of love, not obligation because.

We think we have to. So I still honor her, but I don't have to obey her. Honoring parents doesn't mean enabling unhealthy behaviors, but respecting them as individuals, which still shows to respect for God's command. Okay, lastly, number five, way. 


Caring for God's Creation
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Of how your lack of honor could be ruined in your relationship with God is how you treat the environment.

God's creation. You're careless about how you litter. You leave the buggy out in the row, you're mean to animals. God love doesn't stop at people. He loves the whole earth and everything he created. And he created these things [00:16:00] for us to enjoy them, not to treat them poorly. In Genesis chapter two, verse 15, the Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it.

As you heard, take care of it. And also the earth will be our home forever, and you should wanna take care of it. In Revelations chapter 21, verse two through five, then I saw a new heaven and a new Earth for the first heaven and the. First Earth had passed away and there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God prepared as a bride, beautifully dressed for her husband, and I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, look, God's dwelling place is now among the people.

He will dwell with [00:17:00] them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain for the old, older of things have passed away. Is that not beautiful? Can we just take a moment and just dwell on how amazing that is?

Because that scripture gave me Holy Ghost chills. It gives me Holy Ghost. Energy of knowing that we have a promise that is so much better than what we are going through today, and that heaven will be here on earth. So knowing that that should make you wanna take care of the earth a lot better. Heaven is coming down to earth and we should honor the thing that God created, knowing that he will make it even better than before.[00:18:00] 

And in Proverbs chapter 12, verse 10, it says, the righteous care for the need of their animals, but the kindest act of the wicked or cruel. So what are some small ways we can honor God's creation today? So the way we care for God's creation, plants, animals, humans, is also an indicator of an heart condition as well that you may need to tap into with God and let him know what's going on there.

He will set you free From that honor is a reflection of the heart. Where does your heart need to realign with God's will today? 


Conclusion and Prayer
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All right, so those are all my five tips. I hope that , truly encouraged you and , I'm gonna go ahead and pray and I hope you come back too. All right. Lord, I. We come to you in the name of [00:19:00] Jesus, humbly God, and just thanking you, Lord, for everything that you've been doing for us, God.

And we wanna first just repent, Lord, for any times that we have lacked honor Lord for any misinformation that we have. Receive Lord and held it close to our chest. God, we want to discount that now and allow the Holy Spirit Lord to lead us in all truth, Lord, and guide us in the way that truly pleases you Lord, and let our desires decrease.

And your desires increase Lord and strengthen us God. So we know how to do the will of God in the way that you need us to, so we can be an example of your truth, your love, your kindness, your mercy for others so we can all get to heaven one day, Lord, and enjoy your glory forever. In Jesus' name we pray.

Amen. All right. So like I said, I hope you tune [00:20:00] back in and I just wanted to share that because I used to truly struggle with honor and God humbled me. 'cause that's the thing, like when you lack honor, how does God fix it? He humbles you And, , I saw that I was talking to people in ways that was not okay.

I thought that if someone was harsh to me, I can be harsh to them back regardless. If it was a manager, if it was my mom, if it was anyone in authority, if they was mean to me, I could be mean back to them, and that is not okay. We cannot do that. We have to follow the way that God wants us to do it, because that way is freeing it's freedom .

But anyway, have a wonderful blessed day. Bye.