Intelligent Worship Brings Us Into The Presence of God. We Honor God.
How do we Honor God?
Proverbs 3:9
Honor the LORD with your wealth and with the firstfruits of all your harvest.
In the Berean Study Bible the word 'wealth' is used. In the King James Version, the word 'substance' is used. In the New King James Version it says 'possessions'. They all mean the same thing.
The word 'harvest' can also mean 'crops, income, revenue.' What do we learn from this? God requires us to willingly and obediently give Him the first portion of our income. We call this tithing.
Leviticus 27:30, 32 “One-tenth of the produce of the land, whether grain from the fields or fruit from the trees, belongs to the LORD and must be set apart to him as holy. --- Every tenth animal from the herd or flock that passes under the shepherd’s rod will be holy to the LORD."
This is where we get that ten percent that we give to our church. A mere fraction of what God has given us. But we don't have to stop at just one tenth of our income. When the Spirit moves over the heart, we become more generous with our wealth, our possessions, our income. This is called a "Love Offering" and can be given to one's church and/or given as a donation into another's ministry: such as Missionary Support, or a nonprofit that also honors God with their works.
How else do we Honor God?
Malachi 3:16
At that time those who feared the LORD spoke with one another, and the LORD listened and heard them. So a scroll of remembrance was written before Him regarding those who feared the LORD and honored His name.
We Honor God's Name when we think about Him. Philippians 4:8 tells us how to think about God:
Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.
Psalm 10:4
The wicked, through the pride of his countenance, will not seek after God: God is not in all his thoughts.
Psalm 20:7
Some trust in chariots, and some in horses: but we will remember the name of the LORD our God.
Psalm 94:19
In the multitude of my thoughts (anxieties) within me Thy comforts delight my soul.
First we see the results of not thinking, not honoring, God with our thoughts. Then we see that as a result of thinking about God, we remember His Name in our troubles and He comforts us with Himself.
The Lord Is, indeed, My Shepherd.
1 Corinthians 6:19-20
Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself, for God bought you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body.
How do we Honor God with our bodies?
Romans 12:1, 2 is a good place to start.
Therefore I exhort you, brothers, through the compassions of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy to God, well-pleasing, which is your reasonable (logical) service.
And do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of the mind, for you to prove what is the good and well-pleasing and perfect will of God.
Here we learn that we are to give more than mere possessions and the wealth of our bank accounts; we are to give God our bodies: willingly, obediently to His service. When we do this, and we may have to do it often for we fail Him at times, we give God all of what makes us who we are.
We Honor God when we give Him our talents and abilities, the very things He has blessed us with and created within us. We Honor God when we give Him our desires, our self-will and our me attitude. These things get converted into His desires, His will and embrace His mercies into our thoughts that our attitudes submit obediently to His Word.
His Word is Honest, Faithful, True. His Word is Alive. His Word fills our souls and overflows within us. His Word strengthens us in our weaknesses. His Word. We Honor God when we read His Word, study His Word, take His Word into our hearts and minds and souls. We Honor God when we believe His Word, trust His Word, embrace His Word.
We Honor God with the works of our hands. We Honor God with our feet, choosing wise destinations. We Honor God with our eyes, endeavoring to see what He wants us to see. We Honor God with our ears, hearing and listening to only what glorifies Him. We Honor God with our every being, reaching out to Him and following close behind Him, that we not lose our way.
We Honor God. And God is glorified with our honor.
