Honoring God — E.A. Johnston

The Father’s Love and the Value of Honoring the Son

There is a story that always stirs my heart's friends in relation to honoring God. A Very wealthy man had an only son whom he loved dearly. The son also loved and honored his father. But one day to his father's inconsolable grief the boy died.

The devastated father never forgot his son and eventually the old man himself passed away. When the lawyers came to settle the estate no trace could be found of the old man's will. They searched on successively for some time until finally the authorities Ordered that the property should be sold and the estate Settled according to law at the estate auction.

One of the articles put up for sale was a portrait of the son who had died. The picture had little or no value to most of the people present but Among the bidders was an old woman who had nursed the wealthy man's son when he was a child.

She bought the picture for a very small amount and she cherished this reminder of the little boy. She had loved and cared for years before one day while cleaning and repairing the Picture frame the old lady discovered a document on the back of the picture.

Which turned out to be the old man's will? He had left all of his property to anybody who thought enough of his son to Want his portrait. The old lady became rich overnight. Well that story always stirs me friends and our text today speaks of ways we can honor God with our lives.

Trusting God’s Word in Proverbs 3:5–10

We will be in Proverbs chapter 3 and in verses 5 through 10. You may turn in your Bibles there now friends and may God attend the reading of his holy word. Trust in the Lord with all thine heart and lean not unto thine own understanding in all thy ways.

Acknowledge him and he shall direct thy paths. Be not wise in thine own eyes. Fear the Lord and depart from evil. It shall be held to the navel and Merrill to the bones. Honor the Lord with the substance and with the firstfruits of all thine increase.

So shall thy barns be filled with plenty and thy presses shall burst out with new wine. I will stop there friends. In our passage today we see ways in which we can honor God in our lives. You see friends when you preach a God-centered gospel.

The Contrast Between a God-Centered and Man-Centered Gospel

Then your hearers will want to live their lives to the glory of God. But if we preach the man-centered gospel so prevalent in our day. Then your congregation will want to live unto themselves and please themselves.

This passage from Proverbs is for the God-centered crowd that follows Jesus along the narrow way. There are four ways spoken here in our text of how we can honor the Lord with our lives. Number one By honoring him with our whole heart in the seat of our affections.

Honoring God Through Wholehearted Allegiance and Obedience

Number two by honoring him with our whole allegiance in our daily actions. Number three By honoring him with our whole obedience in a life of consecration. And number four by honoring him with our whole tithe with our finances.

You see friends God wants all our heart. Too many fail here and try to serve God with a divided heart and I can tell you I've Tried it and I can assure you friends a half-hearted worship of God will only result in a half-baked Religion that has no witness to the world and no power from on high.

Honoring God With Our Finances and Expecting His Blessing

Like that rich man who left his entire estate to the one who would honor his son so to God will open heaven's blessings and Resources to the person who honors a son with his life as it is lived unto God for his great glory.

Let us pray.