— DAY 1 —
Monday 3 AUGUST, 2026
Before we can effectively lead the people entrusted to our care, we must first examine how we follow.
THE POWER OF HONOUR
SCRIPTURES FOR TODAY
Listen to Intro & Today’s Scriptures here:
For full context open your bible and read Numbers 12:1-16
SETTING THE SCENE
Miriam and Aaron were Moses’ older siblings, co-leaders, and key figures in leading Israel out of Egypt. Yet despite their high calling, familiarity with Moses’ humanity eventually bred friction. As the wilderness journey grew demanding, hidden heart issues rose to the surface.
SCRIPTURES
Miriam & Aaron’s heart attitude comes to the surface:
Numbers 12:1-2 (NLT)
"While they were at Hazeroth, Miriam and Aaron criticised Moses because he had married a Cushite woman. They said, 'Has the Lord spoken only through Moses? Hasn’t he spoken through us, too?' But the Lord heard them."
What God said:
Numbers 12:7-8 (NLT)
"But not with my servant Moses. Of all my house, he is the one I trust. I speak to him face to face, clearly, and not in riddles! He sees the Lord as he is. So why were you not afraid to criticize my servant Moses?"
God’s presence & what happened to Miriam:
Numbers 12:9-10 (NLT)
"The Lord was very angry with them, and he departed. As the cloud moved from above the Tabernacle, there stood Miriam, her skin as white as snow from leprosy. When Aaron saw what had happened to her, he cried out to Moses."
Numbers 12:15 (NLT)
"So Miriam was kept outside the camp for seven days, and the people waited until she was brought back before they travelled again."
What the Bible says about our leaders:
Hebrews 13:17 (NLT)
"Obey your spiritual leaders, and do what they say. Their work is to watch over your souls, and they are accountable to God. Give them reason to do this with joy and not with sorrow, for that would certainly not be for your benefit."
COMMENT
THE POWER OF HONOUR
Honour is a powerful thing! It is one of the key truths that unlocks the flow of God’s grace, authority, and blessing in our lives. The Biblical word for honour (kabad in Hebrew) literally means to weigh as valuable, precious, or heavy.
Honour: Treating someone as precious and worthy of deep respect.
Dishonour: Treating someone as common or ordinary.
Dishonour is rarely outright hatred or active rebellion. More often, dishonour is simply treating a leader as ordinary, taking them for granted, or letting familiarity diminish how you treat the position God has given them.
One of the greatest enemies of honour is familiarity. When we get close to our leaders, we naturally see their humanity, their quirks, and their flaws. If not kept in check, this leads straight into familiarity. When Jesus returned to His hometown of Nazareth, the locals only saw Him as the carpenter's son. Because of their familiarity, Jesus was unable to do many miracles among them. Their dishonour blocked the supernatural flow of God's power.
THE DRIFT OF MIRIAM AND AARON
In our scripture reading for today, we see dishonour surfacing in Miriam and Aaron. They had become so familiar with Moses that they began gossiping about him behind his back. Their criticism of his marriage to the Cushite woman was really just a smokescreen for their own desire for influence and control. It slipped out when they said:
"Has the Lord spoken only through Moses? Hasn't He spoken through us, too?"
In that moment, their choice not to honour was destructive. God’s presence departed, Miriam was struck with leprosy, and the whole community was brought to a grinding halt. Who would have thought that a lack of honour could cause such chaos? Their decision did not just affect them, it impacted the whole community.
They had become so familiar with Moses that the lines became blurred between their calling and Moses' unique role. They completely lost sight of the fact that God had placed Moses over them. God had to step in and remind them directly:
"But not with my servant Moses. Of all my house, he is the one I trust. I speak to him face to face, clearly, and not in riddles! He sees the Lord as he is. So why were you not afraid to criticise my servant Moses?" (Numbers 12:7-8)
WHAT HONOUR UNLOCKS
How God dealt with this scenario gives us a clear picture of how vital honour is in the Kingdom. When we choose honour, it completely transforms the spiritual climate around us. It is one of the keys to unlocking divine favour:
It Brings Protection: We get to rest safely under God’s established covering.
It Brings Impartation: The grace and wisdom resting on our leaders flows naturally down to us.
It Creates Space: It gives our leaders the freedom and confidence to lead in the way God called them to.
It Releases Supernatural Power: It opens the way for the anointing to flow downward and for God's power to move.
Choosing to honour is not about agreeing with every decision, it is a choice! It is a choice to respect the structure God has put in place for our benefit and for the benefit of our entire community. It is a choice to see our leaders as appointed by God, placed there directly by Him. When we choose to honour our leaders, we are honouring God Himself and honouring His design.
Who are the leaders God has placed in your life? How can you better honour them and bring joy to their hearts? Honour is one of the greatest keys to unlocking all that God has for us. There is true power in honour!
PRACTICAL WAYS TO SHOW HONOUR
Honour Inwardly: Guard your heart against familiarity and unhealthy comparison. When critical thoughts or self focus arise, choose to trust God with your specific assignment rather than coveting someone else's position.
Honour in Speech: Refuse to participate in backbiting or gossip. Speak well of your leaders both publicly and privately, using your words to build trust and shut down complaining.
Honour in Approach: Disagreement may happen, but dishonour is never an option. Bring questions or concerns respectfully behind closed doors rather than airing them in public or group chats.
Honour in Action: Actively champion the direction set by your leaders. Step in immediately to stop toxic chatter and help steer conversations back toward the overall mission.
THE HONOUR SELF ASSESSMENT
Pick the number that best describes where you feel you’re at right now with each of the leaders God has placed over you (ALL OF THEM):
Resistant & Critical: I frequently struggle with authority, find fault with my leaders' decisions, or express my frustrations to others.
Passive & Disconnected: I do what is required on the surface, but I keep my distance emotionally, hold onto quiet doubts, or struggle to fully get behind my leaders' vision.
Growing in Alignment: I still face occasional moments of pride or disagreement, but I process them quickly, choose humility, and actively work to support my leaders.
Fully Aligned & Championing: I deeply trust God's placement, wholeheartedly champion my leaders, and actively protect the unity and vision of the house.
ACTION POINTS
Give Him Fifteen: Give God the fifteen minutes of your day in silence. Ask Him to search your heart for any hidden pride or a desire to control outcomes.
The Unity Guard: If a conversation today begins to drift toward questioning a leadership decision, consciously choose to steer it back to supporting the mission and protecting team momentum.
The Champion's Choice: Go out of your way to publicly or privately encourage a leader today. Let them know you trust their calling and want to help carry the vision forward.
MAIN QUESTION
(Self Reflection)
Let’s Talk in the Chat
(on the Boot Camp group in Planning Center)One of the best parts of this journey is that we aren’t doing it alone. We’d love for our chat to be a place of real connection. As you go through each day, please jump in and share:
God’s Voice: What is one specific thing you feel the Holy Spirit is whispering to your heart?
Self-Reflection: What did the "self-assessment" reveal to you today?
Testimony: Share a testimony of how you have grown in your journey of honouring the leaders that God has placed over you?
Please Read:
Don't worry about sounding 'spiritual' The most encouraging thing you can share is your honest process. This is a self-reflection about what God is speaking directly to you about in YOUR life. Words like “I” and “Me” are encouraged, “we” and “us” less so.
PERSONAL PRAYER STARTER
"Lord, forgive me for the times I have allowed familiarity to breed criticism in my heart. Give me the humility of Moses. Help me to trust Your placement, honour the leaders You have ordained, and find complete joy in the role You have given me today. Amen."