Daily Bible Devotion - HONOUR — THE KEY TO A NEW DIRECTION

HONOUR — THE KEY TO A NEW DIRECTION

21. October 2026

Devotion by Reverend Joseph Antwi

Theme: Impacting generations with Kingdom VALUES

Sub-theme: New Direction

Main Scripture: 1 Samuel 2:30 (NKJV)

“For those who honor Me I will honor, and those who despise Me shall be lightly esteemed.”

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1. GOOD MORNING, CHURCH!

Good morning, church, and Shalom!

As we continue our theme, NEW DIRECTION, I want us to understand that God does not only want to change where we are going; He also wants to transform how we live, how we relate to Him, and how we treat the people He has placed around us. One of the principles that positions us for God’s direction is HONOUR.

Honour is demonstrated through our attitudes, obedience, words, conduct and decisions. We cannot claim to desire a new direction from God while continually dishonouring His Word, His presence or the responsibilities He has entrusted to us.

Today, I want us to pay particular attention to one of the greatest enemies of honour: FAMILIARITY.

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2. THE DANGER OF FAMILIARITY

Church, familiarity can cause us to lose respect for what God has placed before us. When we become too familiar with someone, we may stop recognising the grace, value and spiritual significance of that person. We may be around the presence of God, hear His Word regularly and witness His power, yet gradually lose our sense of reverence.

Jesus said:

“A prophet is not without honor except in his own country and in his own house.” — Matthew 13:57, NKJV.

The people who knew Jesus in His earthly environment struggled to recognise who He truly was. They knew His background, His family and where He came from, but their familiarity became an obstacle to receiving Him. Mark 6:1–6 shows how their unbelief limited what they were willing to receive from Him.

Church, we must be careful. You can be close to something God is doing and still fail to recognise its value. You can attend church every Sunday, listen to the same pastor, participate in the same worship and hear the same Word, yet become so familiar that you no longer respond with faith, reverence or expectation.

Familiarity does not mean that we should become distant or unfriendly. Jesus Himself was accessible to people. The danger comes when closeness causes us to lose honour.

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3. JESUS WAS ACCESSIBLE TO SINNERS, BUT HE WAS NEVER COMMON

Church, Jesus Christ was so integrated with the people He came to save that the religious leaders were agitated because He ate and drank with sinners.

“The Son of Man has come eating and drinking, and you say, ‘Look, a glutton and a winebibber, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’” — Luke 7:34, NKJV.

Jesus made it clear that He came to seek and save the lost (Luke 19:10). He reached people where they were, not to leave them in their condition, but to bring them into a new life.

This is why, in our church, we have Young Life Community—a community that seeks to reach unbelievers where they are and at their level, just as Jesus reached out to people. We must not become so religious that we lose the heart of Christ for those who do not yet know Him.

However, notice the difference: Jesus was accessible to everyone, but He was never careless about the Father’s presence or His divine assignment. He could sit with sinners without compromising His purpose.

We must be accessible to people without becoming careless with the things of God. We must be welcoming without losing reverence, and familiar with one another without becoming dishonourable.

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4. THE SAMARITAN WOMAN: SHE HONOURED THE WORD AND MOBILISED A CITY

Last Sunday, I spoke about the Samaritan woman in John 4. This woman encountered Jesus, received a prophetic word that exposed the truth about her life, and recognised that she had encountered someone extraordinary.

What did she do? She went into the city and told the people to come and see the man who had told her everything she had done.

“Come, see a Man who told me all things that I ever did. Could this be the Christ?” — John 4:29, NKJV.

Church, look at the power of her response! She did not keep the encounter to herself. She honoured the word she had received by sharing it with others. She mobilised people and helped bring an entire community to Jesus.

The disciples had been walking with Jesus, witnessing His works and hearing His teachings. Yet this woman, after her encounter, went straight into the city to tell others about Him. We cannot say the disciples never evangelised, but John’s account highlights the urgency and boldness of this woman’s response.

Remember, in that society, women often faced significant social limitations. Yet this woman did not allow her background or past to stop her from becoming a witness.

“And many of the Samaritans of that city believed in Him because of the word of the woman who testified.” — John 4:39, NKJV.

Later, the people told her that they believed not merely because of her testimony, but because they had heard Jesus themselves (John 4:41–42).

Hallelujah!

This is what honour can do. When you value what God has done in your life, you share it. When you honour the Word you have received, you act on it. When you honour the grace upon your church, you invite others to experience it.

Church, are you just a regular church attender, or are you also honouring God by inviting people from your school, workplace, family and circle of friends to come and see what the Lord is doing in our church? Are you sharing the testimonies, the Word, the praise and worship, and the lives that God is transforming?

You honour God when you obey Him, offer Him your life and use your testimony to bring others to Christ.

Romans 12:1 calls us to present our bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is our reasonable service. We also honour Him with our substance and the firstfruits of our increase (Proverbs 3:9), and we honour one another by showing genuine love and respect (Romans 12:10).

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5. HONOUR YOUR SPIRITUAL LEADERS: PRAY FOR THEM, DON’T JUST CRITICISE THEM

Church, I have been pastoring for some time, and I have experienced a great deal of honour from the people God has given me. When I consider those who remain in our lives alongside those who have left, I am grateful that so many continue to stand with us. I see this as an encouragement and a reminder of the grace of God at work among His people.

But I want us to understand something important: one of the ways you honour a man or woman of God is by praying for them, rather than becoming a critic.

The pastoral ministry carries spiritual, emotional and practical burdens that many people do not see. When a member is struggling or falls into sin, they often come to the pastor and leaders for prayer, encouragement, counsel and restoration. We stand with them, pray with them and help them rise again.

But let me ask you: Who is praying for the pastor? Who is encouraging the leaders? Who is standing with them when they are tired, discouraged or going through their own battles?

When leaders make mistakes, they can quickly be rejected, condemned, labelled false prophets or called unworthy. Yes, those who lead must maintain a godly standard, and spiritual leaders are accountable to God and His Word. Honour does not mean excusing wrongdoing or preventing legitimate accountability. But correction must be handled with truth, fairness and godliness, not gossip, contempt or public humiliation.

Paul understood the importance of prayer and asked the churches to pray for him and his fellow workers.

“Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may run swiftly and be glorified.” — 2 Thessalonians 3:1, NKJV.

If Paul asked for prayer, how much more should we understand the need to support those who labour in the Gospel?

Church, honour your spiritual leaders by praying for them, encouraging them, helping them carry the work, and supporting them as God enables you. A sincere message, a thoughtful gift, a practical act of service or a financial blessing given willingly can communicate appreciation.

Do not only look to your leaders when you need help. Stand with them as they fulfil the assignment God has given them.

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6. HONOUR GOD WITH YOUR TIME AND ATTENTION

Church, one of the ways we honour God is by being punctual. God established order and appointed times throughout creation (Genesis 1:14). When we commit to gathering for worship, we should make a genuine effort to arrive on time and prepare our hearts for His presence.

Let me ask you: if we do not want to arrive late at work because we value our employment and responsibilities, why do we sometimes treat gathering in the house of God differently?

“Let all things be done decently and in order.” — 1 Corinthians 14:40, NKJV.

Honour is also demonstrated through our attention. Sometimes, during prayer and worship, people are talking to one another, looking around or checking their phones. At other times, we listen to the Word while scrolling through social media.

Church, when we gather to pray, let us pray. When we worship, let us worship. When the Word is being preached, let us give it our attention. We are gathered before the King of kings, and our hearts and minds should be engaged in what we have come to do.

I must also say that I have been guilty of distraction myself. There have been times when I was praying, but my mind was occupied with other situations. This is something we must all examine in our own lives.

Jesus warned against honouring God with our lips while our hearts remain far from Him (Matthew 15:8). Sometimes our mouths are praying, but our minds are elsewhere. Sometimes we sing the words of worship while worrying about something completely different.

Of course, distractions and worries can arise, and God invites us to bring our burdens to Him (Philippians 4:6–7). The lesson is not that every wandering thought is deliberate dishonour, but that we should continually return our attention to the Lord and approach His presence with sincerity.

Honour means giving God not only our words, but also our attention, reverence and willing hearts.

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7. HONOUR AS THE KEY TO A NEW DIRECTION

Our main Scripture says:

“For those who honor Me I will honor, and those who despise Me shall be lightly esteemed.” — 1 Samuel 2:30, NKJV.

God spoke these words in the context of Eli’s household, where the conduct of his sons dishonoured the Lord. The passage reminds us that spiritual position alone does not replace the need for reverence, obedience and faithful conduct.

As we pursue a new direction, we must examine the areas where familiarity, pride, distraction or disobedience may have weakened our honour for God.

* Honour God through obedience, worship, giving, service and sincere devotion (Proverbs 3:9; Romans 12:1).

* Honour His Word by putting it into practice, even when it challenges our preferences (John 14:23).

* Honour your church community by inviting others to encounter Jesus and by supporting the work of the Gospel.

* Honour spiritual leaders through prayer, encouragement, practical support and respectful communication (1 Timothy 5:17).

* Honour God’s presence by approaching prayer, worship and the preaching of the Word with reverence and attention.

Church, we must not allow familiarity to make holy things ordinary in our eyes. Let us remain approachable, loving and connected to people, while maintaining reverence for God and His Word.

A new direction begins when we change not only where we are going, but also how we honour the Lord who leads us.

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THREE PRAYER POINTS

1. A HEART THAT HONOURS GOD

Father, give me a heart that honours You in my thoughts, words, decisions, worship, giving and daily conduct. Remove pride, disobedience and every form of dishonour from my life. Help me to remain sensitive to Your presence and obedient to Your Word.

Scriptures: 1 Samuel 2:30; Proverbs 3:5–6; John 14:23.

2. FREEDOM FROM FAMILIARITY AND DISTRACTION

Lord, deliver me from unhealthy familiarity, spiritual complacency and distractions that cause me to take Your presence, Your Word and Your work for granted. Renew my reverence, strengthen my devotion and help me to give You my full attention in prayer, worship and service.

Scriptures: Matthew 13:57; Matthew 15:8; Romans 12:11.

3. GRACE TO HONOUR AND SUPPORT OTHERS

Father, teach me to honour my family, church community and spiritual leaders with humility, love and wisdom. Give me a heart that prays rather than gossips, encourages rather than condemns, and supports rather than criticises. Help me share my testimony and invite others to encounter Jesus.

Scriptures: Romans 12:10; 1 Timothy 5:17; 2 Thessalonians 3:1; John 4:28–30.

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DECLARATION

I declare that my life will honour God. I will not allow familiarity, pride or distraction to weaken my reverence for His presence. My heart will remain humble, my ears attentive to His Word, and my steps obedient to His direction. I will honour God with my life, support those who labour in His work, and boldly invite others to come and see what the Lord is doing. By His grace, I will walk in the new direction He has prepared for me, in Jesus’ name. Amen.

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TODAY’S REFLECTION

In which area of my life have familiarity, distraction or complacency weakened my honour for God, and what practical change will I make today?

Let us continue growing in the Word and impacting generations with kingdom values.

God bless you. Shalom.

Reverend Joseph Antwi

Author: Rev. Joseph Antwi

Rev. Joseph Antwi is the District Pastor of the Basel City Churches District. He is passionate about teaching God’s Word, raising young disciples, and empowering believers to live purposefully and impact their generation through Christ.

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Rev. Joseph Antwi has released his first book called; "How to know if he or she is the right one" in which he dives into seven biblical keys to a succesfull relationship.  

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@revjosephantwi

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