Day 169: Are These Like The Days of Elijah?
Read: Romans 13:1 - 7, 1 Kings 18:20 - 21, 30 - 39
Today I want to talk with you about something that over time will
significantly affect your relationships with other people, your
relationship with God, your success on the job, and your ministry
capacity. There are no easy answers in what I’m about to say- but
answers do come if we live this way. There are no quick fixes in these
words I've got today but to apply the basic principle to your life
will prayerfully take anyone of us a fair distance toward fixing a lot
of problems. My subject is a deep one talking about human authority and
God's authority. I am using the term Human Authority to refer to the
authority that God gives to people to rule over us in various areas of
our lives. It is God and Elijah versus Ahab, Jezebel, 450 Prophets of Baal for the hearts of the people. Will this be Elijah's day?
I do not guess that this will be an easy message for
some to swallow in light of our grave mistrust and dissatisfaction of
our currently constituted government. It is not an easy devotion to
write, because like so many, I too have my own set of misgivings. So, here we go. We all claim to be under God’s authority. That can get
very vague and wildly subjective. But I want to suggest to you that my
submission to God or your submission to God will be lived out in how we
relate to people in authority over us. I know for one thing and that is
if how we relate to people in authority over us was similar
as the people in authority over us relating to us, the same as God relates to us? Elijah, where are you!?
13:1 'Every person is to be in subjection to the governing authorities.
For there is no authority except from God, and those which exist are
established by God.' Here Paul is writing that Human Authority is
limited in its scope. Only God has the only absolute authority over our
lives. But God segments our lives so that different individuals or
governments have authority over different areas of our life - at home
there is meant to be an accountability to family members, on the job
there is meant to be a rightful accountability to a boss who has been
hires to be in charge, at church there is meant to be spiritual accountability between the Ordained Clergy, the congregation and God. Elijah, the people and God.
Submission to Human Authority is not based upon our respect for the
Person over us but for the Office or Position that person is given by
God. We saw this demonstrated in the life of David as he submitted
himself to King Saul and even though Saul was doing everything wrong and
treating David so unjustly, still David honored Saul as “the Lord’s
anointed.” Are there certain criteria they have to meet before I will or
even should submit to them? Or am I to recognize and respect the
sovereignty of God in my life and take the place God gives me? For me, I
don't know. To make such a choice seems to deny me of too much of my own power. Only God should be God. We should be declaring the day of Elijah is here.
Let Us Pray: King of kings, Lord of lords, today we offer prayer for
our leaders. We believe that they serve under your authority, whether
they recognize you or not. We thank you for the ways you use them for
your purposes. We thank you for the times they seek your guidance. We
pray that they would pursue your guidance more. Help them, and help us O
God, to discern the authority of your ways and walk in them.
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Read: Romans 13:1 - 7, 1 Kings 18:20 - 21, 30 - 39
Today I want to talk with you about something that over time will significantly affect your relationships with other people, your relationship with God, your success on the job, and your ministry capacity. There are no easy answers in what I’m about to say- but answers do come if we live this way. There are no quick fixes in these words I've got today but to apply the basic principle to your life will prayerfully take anyone of us a fair distance toward fixing a lot of problems. My subject is a deep one talking about human authority and God's authority. I am using the term Human Authority to refer to the authority that God gives to people to rule over us in various areas of our lives. It is God and Elijah versus Ahab, Jezebel, 450 Prophets of Baal for the hearts of the people. Will this be Elijah's day?
I do not guess that this will be an easy message for some to swallow in light of our grave mistrust and dissatisfaction of our currently constituted government. It is not an easy devotion to write, because like so many, I too have my own set of misgivings. So, here we go. We all claim to be under God’s authority. That can get very vague and wildly subjective. But I want to suggest to you that my submission to God or your submission to God will be lived out in how we relate to people in authority over us. I know for one thing and that is if how we relate to people in authority over us was similar
13:1 'Every person is to be in subjection to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those which exist are established by God.' Here Paul is writing that Human Authority is limited in its scope. Only God has the only absolute authority over our lives. But God segments our lives so that different individuals or governments have authority over different areas of our life - at home there is meant to be an accountability to family members, on the job there is meant to be a rightful accountability to a boss who has been hires to be in charge, at church there is meant to be spiritual accountability between the Ordained Clergy, the congregation and God. Elijah, the people and God.
Submission to Human Authority is not based upon our respect for the Person over us but for the Office or Position that person is given by God. We saw this demonstrated in the life of David as he submitted himself to King Saul and even though Saul was doing everything wrong and treating David so unjustly, still David honored Saul as “the Lord’s anointed.” Are there certain criteria they have to meet before I will or even should submit to them? Or am I to recognize and respect the sovereignty of God in my life and take the place God gives me? For me, I don't know. To make such a choice seems to deny me of too much of my own power. Only God should be God. We should be declaring the day of Elijah is here.
Let Us Pray: King of kings, Lord of lords, today we offer prayer for our leaders. We believe that they serve under your authority, whether they recognize you or not. We thank you for the ways you use them for your purposes. We thank you for the times they seek your guidance. We pray that they would pursue your guidance more. Help them, and help us O God, to discern the authority of your ways and walk in them.
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