What Does it Mean to Honor God

Disciple U
Read Psalms 103 Honoring God

How do you honor God?
a) I serve His will. b) I hunger for His presence. c) I worship Him.
d) I thirst for His truth. e) I give Him my best. f) I obey His commands.
g) I struggle honoring God because I don’t know enough of God.
h) I don’t know how to honor God. i) No one has taught me how to honor God.
What are some of the good things God has done for you?
How much of your heart does God have?
Is it hard for you to honor God because He has not given you what you need?

What is your favorite blessing God gives?
a) He forgives all my sins (3)
b) He heals my diseases. (3)
c) He rescues me from death. (4)
d) He crowns me with love and tender mercies. (4)
e) He fills my life with good things. (5)

f) He renews my strength. (5)
g) He gives me righteousness and justice. (6)

Rank your top three. Why did you pick these three?
Will this help you praise and worship God for the blessings He gives you? Explain.
Have you experienced any of these blessings? Share.

What is your favorite attribute of God’s character?
a) He is compassionate and merciful. (8)
b) He is slow to anger and filled with unfailing love. (8)
c) He will not constantly accuse us. (9)
d) He will not remain angry forever. (9)
e) He does not punish us for all our sins. (10)
f) He does not deal harshly with us, as we deserve. (10)

Rank your top three. Why did you pick these 3?
What is more important: what God gives or who God is? Why?

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*Psalms 103 Honoring God
Which of these verses do you love the most?
a) His unfailing love is as great as the heights of the heavens above the earth—to those who fear Him. (11)
b) He has removed our sins as far as the east is from the west. (12)
c) He is like a father to his children—He is tender and compassionate to those who fear Him. (13)
d) The love of the LORD remains forever—with those who fear Him. (17)
e) His salvation extends to the children’s children of those who are faithful to His covenant—those who obey His commandments. (18)
Why is unfailing love, freedom, and compassion so important in your life?
Why do you think fear, faithfulness, and obedience are linked together in v. 18?

What is the toughest condition of humanity to read?
a) We are weak. (14)

b) We are only dust. (14)
c) Our days on the earth are like grass. (15)
d) Like wildflowers, we bloom and die. (15)
e) The wind blows and we are gone. (16)
f) Life moves on as though we have never been here. (16)
Why is it so important to believe in and worship God—especially after reading these verses?

Which quote is your favorite quote?
a) Our purpose in life is to bring honor to God through our thoughts, words, and actions. **Dietrich Bonhoeffer
**b) True honor to God is not found in external rituals or religious traditions, but in a heart that is fully devoted to Him. Andrew Murray
c) Honoring God means seeking His glory above our own and surrendering our desires to His perfect will. **Charles Spurgeon
**d) Honoring God is not just about singing hymns and attending church services; it's about living a life that reflects His character and love. John Scott
e) Honoring God requires humility, reverence, and a deep desire to align our lives with His divine purpose. Francis Chan

Which words in these quotes capture your soul? Why?

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LearnHisWords FollowHisWays TrustHisWisdom

READ: Psalms 103
LEARN: What are the themes, truths, commands, and promises God wants you to learn?
EXAMINE: What is the Holy Spirit telling you?
APPLY: How does God want you to change?
PRAY: How can you pray these principles back to Jesus?

GOT QUESTIONS: What does it mean to honor God?
Revelation 4:10–11 describes a scene in heaven: “The twenty-four elders fall down before him who sits on the throne and . . . lay their crowns before the throne and say: ‘You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power.’” The words translated “glory” and “honor” are closely related and often used interchangeably in the Bible. But there is a subtle difference between them. The word most often translated “glory” means “something that has inherent, intrinsic worth” while the word translated “honor” means “perceived value; to render or esteem glorious.”

Glory is a quality inherent in the one being glorified. Glory can be thought of as a mirror that accurately reflects what is there. When we accurately reflect the character of God, we glorify Him. To glorify God is to honor Him for who He really is. God has glory because He is infinitely valuable. Human beings have glory because we are created in the image of the One who is all-glorious (Genesis 1:27). We glorify God when we demonstrate through word or action His glorious character or deeds. Modeling the character of Jesus is a way to glorify God, because we are showcasing His attributes. When we glorify God, we bring Him honor.

Honor originates in our hearts and refers to the value we personally place on something or someone. Collectors hold certain items in higher esteem than non-collectors do. What others overlook may be highly valued by someone else and therefore honored. We honor other people to the degree that we consider their position and contributions significant. We are commanded to honor people because of their position, not necessarily their performance. We are commanded to honor our fathers and mothers (Deuteronomy 5:16; Mark 7:10), the elderly (Leviticus 19:32), and those who rule over us (1 Peter 2:17). When we honor God, we are demonstrating the high regard we have for Him. We are reflecting His glory back as praise and worship.

The Bible shows many ways to honor and glorify God. We show Him high regard and reflect His character by being sexually pure (1 Corinthians 6:18–20), by giving of our income (Proverbs 3:9), and by living lives devoted to Him (Romans 14:8). It is not enough to merely honor Him outwardly. God desires honor that comes from our hearts. “The Lord says, ‘These people come near to me with their mouth and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me’” (Isaiah 29:13). When we delight in the Lord (Psalm 37:4), seek Him in everything we do (1 Chronicles 16:11; Isaiah 55:6), and make choices that reflect the place He has in our hearts, we bring Him the greatest honor.