Dear Father,

Forgive me for the times that the flesh has sought for honor, depriving the spirit of honor that only comes from you! Teach me and mold me, I pray!

Dear Child,

When your heart motivation is truly just to please Me, who sees all things, you will receive a reward and honor. 

You will have the reward of contentment knowing you can commit all things to My faithful hands. The stress and sweat of trying to prove oneself to others will be overcome by My peace that passes understanding.

You will be able to love and accept others because you will not be in competition with others!

Yes, you are running a race, but you will be running to please Me, not to prove anything to others.

Your life is hid in the cross!

The source of your life is hid beneath the soil of your heart and in your spiritual root structure, which is developed in secret times with Me, which no man sees. 

                                                     Thus saith Papa

Matt. 6:5 And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly. 

When we minister only to be seen and approved by men, the word tells us we already have our reward, but that temporal reward comes at the expense of an eternal reward which we would receive if we minister only for our Audience of One.

John 21:21-22  Peter seeing him saith to Jesus, Lord, and what shall this man do? Jesus saith unto him,If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee? follow thou me.

In the above scripture Peter questions Jesus about the calling of John. Jesus’ reply helps me understand  that I should not be competitively concerned about what He has called others to do, but only be responsibly concerned about what He has called me to do! 

CHALLENGE: “Honor is like the shadow, which flees from those who pursue it, and grasp at it, but follows those who flee from it.” Matthew Henry’s Commentary

Seek the honor that comes from solely serving your Audience of One, rather that temporarily satisfying the flesh with the honor and approval of man.

 For more information about your quiet time with God read “Developing a Secret History with God”