Jesus gave them this answer: “I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does. For the Father loves the Son and shows him all he does. Yes, to your amazement he will show him even greater things than these. For just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, even so the Son gives life to whom he is pleased to give it. Moreover, the Father judges no one, but has entrusted all judgment to the Son, that all may honor the Son just as they honor the Father. He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father, who sent him. “I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life.
Pastor Ron Musch
Lighthouse Regional Church (Concord)
This passage sheds some interesting light on the power of honor. Jesus was being harassed for healing a man on the Sabbath. In response, Jesus said His ability and authority to heal the man did not come from Himself, but it flowed through Him because He honored the Father! How did Jesus honor the Father? He lived out the Father’s will on earth. How did Jesus discern the will of the Father? Jesus withdrew to a quiet place to be with the Father in prayer. There He spent time in the Father’s presence, waiting to hear and discern what was on the Father’s heart and mind.
Jesus’ only desire was to determine what the Father was doing and join Him in doing that. When we seek to discern the mind and heart of our Heavenly Father (e.g., what His perspective is, how He sees people, what He wants us to do) and then honor Jesus by doing and saying those things, then His life, power and authority open up to us and flow through us more abundantly. From this posture of honor, the Father showed Jesus even greater things and that is the posture we need, if we too are to discover the greater things God has for us.
This truth is so pervasive that it even flows to our natural relationships. Exodus 20:12 says “Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be prolonged…” Once again we see that life flows out of honor. We cannot say we are honoring God if we are not also honoring people. As we grow in giving honor, our heavenly Father, who intensely loves us, promises to release greater things our way.
Jesus, thank you for making it possible for me to boldly come to the Father. Father, help me draw close to You — just like Jesus did. Come and reveal to me what You are up to and help me to grow in how I give honor to You and to others. I also ask You to help me discover this week someone to whom I can give honor. Thank you. Amen.
Here are three more suggested habits. The purpose of these habits is to allow God to use them to shape us more and more into the image of Jesus. Solid food is for the mature, who because of practice have their senses trained to discern good and evil. Hebrews 5:14 (NAS) Consider your spiritual habits as training in discerning and living out spiritual truth. 
