Meeting God In The Everyday Moments
“Honor all people. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the king” (1 Peter 2:17).
I will honor. What does that mean? If you look at the verse above, we are told who to honor. The first one is all-inclusive to me – honor ALL PEOPLE! Really? That command will cause most of us to squirm and question, “Is that what God’s Word really means?” Let’s see if it lines up with the rest of scripture. For example,
the Golden Rule states, “So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.” (Matthew 7:12.) Most of us learned from childhood to treat others the way we want to be treated, but God takes it further and says it sums up the Law. Another verse, Romans
12:10, encourages us to be devoted in love and to honor others above ourselves. These verses give no exceptions to the rule. Plain and simple, God’s Word means EVERYONE. Psalm 8:5 reveals that God has crowned all of mankind with glory and honor. That includes you, your family, your friends, your co-workers, etc. This
should make it easier for you to remember who to honor – EVERYONE!
Now that we understand that, let’s move on the more specific instructions
in 1 Peter 2:17.
• Love the brotherhood. This can be tricky sometimes, but we must learn to get along honorably with our brothers and sisters even when we disagree with them or they have hurt us in some way. Samuel has some encouraging words for us in his second book, chapter 1, verse 30, “those who honor Me, I will honor.”
• Fear God. This means to reverence and honor God. John, the Revelator, tells us in chapter 19, “Salvation and glory and honor and power belong to the Lord our God!”
• Honor the king. This represents governmental authority – the leaders of our countries, regions,
municipalities, and our employers. We must resist the temptation to say cruel things about our leaders. We must honor their position, not necessarily the evil they might have done.
If you are still squirming in your seat – read 2 Samuel chapter 9. As king, David wanted to show honor to his
friend, Jonathon, and King Saul (who had not treated David right). He could have been bitter, but he chose the high road of honor. You, too, can choose to honor.
mdz
Yes, be bold – you have no reason to be ashamed of what God has done for you! Speak with convincing enthusiasm that becomes
contagious among your family and friends. Do you want to be part of the force that enlarges the kingdom of God? Then, boldly speak of God’s favor in your life.
I recently asked God during one of our prayer services to use me to bring in some of the Lord’s Harvest. One of the best ways to do that is by sharing how God’s favor has impacted my life. God’s favor is a precious gift to us who have decided to follow Him. Psalm 5:12 says, “For You, O Lord, will bless the righteous; With favor You will surround him as with a shield.” Why wouldn’t I want to express that with others?
“His favor is for life” (Psalm 30:5b).
mdz
“Now then, my children, listen to me; blessed are those who keep my ways. Listen to my instruction and be wise; do not disregard it. Blessed are those who listen to me, watching daily at my doors, waiting at my doorway. For those who find me find life and receive favor from the Lord” (Proverbs 8:32-35).
How often have we failed to listen to the instructions of our parents, our teachers, or our bosses? We can all raise our hands! Yes, we tried to do it our way but failed because we did not listen to someone else who knew better than we did. Why are we so hard-headed? Especially when it comes to listening to God. We think we have to figure it out for
ourselves. There is only one way for us to do that – we must listen!
In the short passage above, the word listen appears three times. Each “listen” is followed by a great promise or benefit.
• The first “listen” promises that we are blessed when we are faithful to God’s ways. That’s why Grace Pointe members keep saying, “I am blessed and highly favored!”
• The second “listen” comes with the benefit of wisdom when we follow God’s instruction. We don’t have to be silver-haired to be wise – no age requirement exists. Remember, Jesus amazed the religious leaders when He was only twelve!
• The third “listen” opens us to the lifestyle of His holy presence as we daily commune with
Him. Immerse yourself in the experience of time spent with your Creator.
The last phrase of this passage sums it all up – when we listen, we receive God’s favor!
mdz
“You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you. Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord, the Lord himself, is the Rock eternal” (Isaiah 26:3-4.)
Peace and security have only once source. They do not stem from military might nor are they declared by government. Even the church cannot decree them for you. Peace and security come from the provisional promise in the
scripture quoted above. If you trust in God, He will keep you in perfect peace; it’s that simple.
Keep your focus on Him in the good times and during difficult days. This takes practice and a made-up mind. You must not waiver in today’s world. Bring back to remembrance scriptures about the peace of God; quote them
to yourself and write them down. Acknowledge God as the source of your peace. The more you do this, the more secure you will feel.
How can we trust God when it seems life is in such turmoil? We examine the historical accounts in His Word that demonstrate the times He, the Eternal Rock, delivered His people in great victory. The more we learn to trust God, the greater our faith will become; the greater our faith becomes, the greater our hope will become. (See Hebrews 13:7 AMP.)
For me, this can be summed up in three simple steps: Know the source of your peace and security, focus on that source, and trust the source. These keys will open up favor in your life.
mdz
He said to them, “Why are you troubled, and why do doubts rise in your minds? (Luke 24:38.)
We have all doubted before; that’s an understatement! However, we are in good company. The disciples who spent time with Jesus had doubts, too. I want to take you to the account written by Luke in chapter 24. It’s such an amazing story about thick-headed and dull of hearing human beings. Jesus had told them
what was going to happen three days after his crucifixion. Yet, the ladies who went to the tomb with the customary spices were alarmed when his body was not there. Their report of this incident sounded like foolishness to the disciples and followers of Jesus. Those closest to Jesus were full of doubt.
Later that same day, Jesus joined two men who were walking the road to Emmaus. They did not recognize Him and were surprised that He did not seem to know what had just taken place; hadn’t he heard the news? The risen Savior began to share prophecies and scriptures about himself which made their hearts burn, but they still had no idea who was walking with them. They implored their companion to join them as they rested for the night. When Jesus gave them bread to eat, their eyes were opened! Their doubt diminished only when they had received physical confirmation.
Immediately, they left to report this news to the disciples. As they were still speaking, Jesus appeared to them. Now, think about it the women had reported, the two men reported, and the disciples were still frightened at His appearance! Their doubt sounds very similar to our doubt. After Jesus taught them again and dined with them, they physically witnessed His ascension. Their doubt was finally erased by their sight.
Let’s not waste our time doubting; let’s believe every word spoken by our Savior!
mdz
“Therefore put on the full armor of God…to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then…” (Ephesians 6:13-14.)
God’s Word gives us clear instructions in the sixth chapter of Ephesians about victorious daily living. Paul includes honor, respect, and doing the right thing by all men.
Then he follows with detailed instructions on what we should wear.
What we should wear? Really? What difference does that make? Plenty, just read verses ten through seventeen for yourself, and you will see what I mean.
We must put on the armor of God!
• Stand firm with the belt of truth around your waist for wisdom and
courage.
• Put the breastplate of righteousness to guard your upright heart.
• Lace the shoes of the gospel of peace upon your feet so that you will
be ready for action.
• Take up the shield of faith to protect you from the onslaught of the
enemy.
• Don’t forget to wear your helmet of salvation; it’s a vital piece of equipment.
• Be sure to have the sword of the Spirit in your hand – the Word of God. This is the only offensive weapon in the armor. You can’t go into spiritual battle wearing a baseball uniform; the believer must wear the Full Armor
of God.
Now, stand firm in your place, praying in the Spirit. You can do this when you are appropriately dressed.
mdz