Honor

Luke 14:8-11 is a great parable from Jesus, showing us a dimension of how the kingdom works. It speaks of honor, which is a lost art in the church, but an art that will return to the church with a comeback like no other. This verse shows us the fruit that comes if we hold true to its teaching and the curse that comes if we neglect it.

Luke 14:8-11

8.When you are invited by anyone to a marriage feast, do not recline on the chief seat [in the place of honor], lest a more distinguished person than you has been invited by him 9. And he who invited both of you will come to you and say, Let this man have the place [you have taken]. Then, with humiliation and a guilty sense of impropriety, you will begin to take the lowest place. 10. But when you are invited go and recline in the lowest place, so that when your host comes in, he may say to you, Friend, go up higher! Then you will be honored in the presence of all who sit [at the table] with you. 11. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled (ranked below others who are honored or rewarded), and he who humbles himself (keeps a modest opinion of himself and behaves accordingly) will be exalted (elevated in rank).

Honor is truly an art that has been lost in the modern church of the west. This parable speaks of the upside-down kingdom. A kingdom worth trusting. Not because our intelligence says that it's wisdom to trust, but because our Christ has spoken that IT IS wisdom to trust. It is foolishness to the world, but it is the wisdom of God to his children. Many would say "You have to fight for your place in this life," but Jesus, proposes a different approach to gaining the seat of honor in this life. He tells us to humble ourselves rather than being humbled by others. The first is always more fruitful. This goes in any arena in life. If you are a son or daughter of God it is your inheritance to be exalted in this manner. We must always take the low road if we want the favor and blessing of God on our life. There is no other road that will offer such an inheritance as this road offers. God calls this road "the Highway of Holiness" (Isaiah 35).

One thing that has to happen in the church before Jesus returns is that the people of God have to be made pure and spotless. Jesus is coming to marry a harlot that has been washed in the blood of the Lamb. She must not have any blemish on her, for who is worthy to partner with this Man? She must be purified and sanctified. In Malachi 3:1-3 God speaks of the Day of the Lord (the same day He sends the Spirit of Elijah) that 'He will sit as a refiner and a purifier of silver; and purge them (the church) as gold and silver.' He is speaking of his church being prepared for His coming.

Honor is one of the main issues, especially in the western church, that needs to be restored in order for the bride to be purified.

Ephesians 4:11-13

11. And His gifts were [varied; He Himself appointed and gave men to us] some to be apostles (special messengers), some prophets (inspired preachers and expounders), some evangelists (preachers of the Gospel, traveling missionaries), some pastors (shepherds of His flock) and teachers. (The 5 Fold Ministry)

12. His intention was the perfecting and the full equipping of the saints (His consecrated people), [that they should do] the work of ministering toward building up Christ's body (the church),

13. [That it might develop] until we all attain oneness in the faith and in the comprehension of the [full and accurate] knowledge of the Son of God, that [we might arrive] at really mature manhood (the completeness of personality which is nothing less than the standard height of Christ's own perfection), the measure of the stature of the fullness of the Christ and the completeness found in Him.

I believe God is restoring honor to us so that when we hear a man of God speak the words of God, our hearts and minds would truly be edified and we would draw closer to Christ. The church was originally set up in a culture of honor. 1 Corinthians 12:28 Paul speaks of the Gods appointed order in the church. If we begin to honor Gods order we will be a healthy church.

We need to be an honorable people. Daniel honored Nebuchadnezzar not because Neb was worthy of the honor but because Daniel was an honorable man. We can be honorable people to unbelievers because we have an honorable inheritance. But like Daniel we should never compromise our faith in God for the sake of honoring an crooked man, for we have a Father who is much more honorable. It's a heart posture. Its a lifestyle. Its a culture. Its an art.

Honor will return to the church with a comeback like no other! You will hear more and more preaching and teaching on honor before Jesus comes back. Why, you ask? Because it is part of the culture of Gods Kingdom. If we want to live and dwell with him in the next age, we must begin to go after honoring our fathers, elders, brothers and sisters above ourselves. We must honor the way our Father in heaven ordained the church to function. God spoke of a day that would take place before the great and dreadful day of the Lord when the Spirit of Elijah would again "turn the hearts of the fathers to the children and the hearts of the children to the fathers" (Malachi 4:5-6) The spirit of Elijah is the restoration of God's children. The the fullness of the Spirit of Elijah is not limited to honor being restored, but honor is its foundation, unto a church being made ready for a coming King.

The Spirit of Elijah looks like an honorable people, where the fathers honor the children and encourage them to run farther than they ever did. And where the children honor and respect the the fathers, and the grandfathers, and the elders, where they sit and listen to there words with attentive hearing ears. We must understand that we are not sitting at a round table, but we are sitting at a rectangular one. Don't put yourself in a position to be brought low. Posture your heart low to be brought high at the day of the resurrection.

Run To The Cry

Its good to write out the scripture. Hope this read benefits you.

Hebrews 2 (AMP). 1. Since all this is true, we ought to pay much closer attention than ever to the truths that we have heard, lest in any way we drift past [them] and slip away. 2. For if the message given through angels [the Law spoken by them to Moses] was authentic and proved sure, and every violation and disobedience received an appropriate (just and adequate) penalty, 3. How shall we escape [appropriate retribution] if we neglect and refuse to pay attention to such a great salvation [as is now offered to us, letting it drift past us forever]? For it was declared at first by Lord [Himself], and it was confirmed to us and proved to be real and genuine by those who personally heard [Him speak]. 4. [Besides this evidence] it was also established and plainly endorsed by God, Who showed His approval of it by signs and wonders and various miraculous manifestations of [His] power and by imparting the gifts of the Holy Spirit [to the believers] according to His own will. 5. For it was not to angels that God subjected the habitable world of the future, of which we are speaking. 6. It has been solemnly and earnestly said in a certain place, What is man that You are mindful of him, or the son of man that You graciously and helpfully care for and visit and look after him? 7. For some little time You have ranked him lower than and inferior to the angels; You have crowned him with glory and hour and set him over the works of Your hands, 8. For You have put everything in subjection under his feet. Now in putting everything in subjection to man, He left nothing outside of man's control. But at present we do not yet see all things subjected to him [man]. 9. But we are able to see Jesus, Who was ranked lower than the angels for a little while, crowned with glory and honor because of His having suffered death, in order that by grace (unmerited favor) of God [to us sinners] He might experience death for every individual person. 10. For it was an act worthy [of God] and fitting [to the divine nature] that He, for Whose sake and by Whom all things have their existence, in bringing many sons into glory, should make the Pioneer of their salvation perfect [should bring to maturity the human experience necessary to be perfectly equipped for His office as High Priest] through suffering. 11. For both He Who sanctifies [making men holy] and those who are sanctified all have one [Father]. For this reason He is not ashamed to call them brethren; 12. For He says, I will declare Your [the Father's] name to My brethren; in the midst of the the [worshiping] congregation I will sing hymns of praise to You. 13. And again He says, My trust and assured reliance and confident hope shall be fixed in Him. And yet again, Here I am, I and the children whom God has given Me. 14. Since, therefore, [these His] children share in flesh and blood [in the physical nature of human beings], He [Himself] in a similar manner partook of the same [nature], that by [going through] death He might bring to nought and make of no effect him who had the power of death -- that is, the devil -- 15. And also that He might deliver and completely set free all those who through the [haunting] fear of death were held in bondage throughout the whole course of their lives. 16. For, as we all know, He [Christ] did not take hold of angels [the fallen angels, to give them a helping and delivering hand], but He did take hold of [the fallen] descendants of Abraham [to reach out to them a helping and delivering hand]. 17. So it is evident that it was essential that He be made like His brethren in every respect, in order that He might become a merciful (sympathetic) an faithful High Priest in the things related to God, to make atonement and propitiation for the people's sins. 18. For because He Himself [in His humanity] has suffered in being tempted (tested and tried), He is able [immediately] to run to the cry of (assist, relieve) those who are being tempted and tested and tried [and who therefore are being exposed to suffering].

You, Jesus, have defeated death, Hell, and the grave.