IN

God has placed honor on you, so you need to honor whoever He honors.  He honors you - so you need to honor IN.

God has constructed you delicately - uniquely - intentionally.

If I brought a Rembrandt in the room and started kicking it and destroying it, I would be dishonoring not only the painting, but the painter.

When we beat on ourselves - when we don't recognize what God has done in us - we don't just dishonor ourselves, we dishonor the God who made us.

It's even bigger than that.  We aren't just valuable because we have a God who made us but because of the price He paid for us.  In fact, He created us and then He bought us back again.

God made you in His image.  He crowned you with glory and honor.  He sent His Son to die for you on a cross.  He made you - and then He bought you back.

He did that to honor you.  So we learn to honor ourselves because God thinks very highly of you and me.

Ladies -- you're dating some guy and he exerts pressure to go further than you should and you think you have to or he won't want to be with you.  That guy isn't worth two cents!  Because the Bible says you're worth much more than you could imagine.  That guy doesn't understand your worth in Christ.

Guys -- hooked on porn or whatever -- you're dishonoring your own body.  You don't need to hear 'Stop it.'  You need to hear 'You're more valuable than you comprehend.'  You're a man of honor.  Porn isn't your gig.  You're better than that.

If you've been self-harming - cursing yourself - cutting yourself because you think you're nothing, you need to hear that you're more valuable than you can ever know.

The story of the lost son in the Gospel of Luke is that he took his dad's money, went to a distant country, squandered his wealth, came home covered in filth, his father saw him from a distance and ran to meet him, grabbed a robe and put it around him, and covered his son's shame and guilt.

When you came to Jesus, the Father covered your shame and guilt with the blood of His Son.  God honored you by that act at great cost to Himself and His Son, Jesus, and any part of you that's still stained or broken, Christ died for it and He's covered it.

So stop beating yourself - because God honors you.  Honor IN.

And be blessed.