Conscience – Praying Pint

43.r. “Wilderness” – 7.y. “You shall not revile God, nor curse a ruler of your people”

Exodus 22:28  “You shall not revile God, nor curse a ruler of your people.

Ecclesiastes 10:20    Even in your thoughts, do not curse the king, nor in your bedroom curse the rich, for a bird of the air will carry your voice, or some winged creature tell the matter.

Romans 13:2-7   Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment.  For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you have no fear of the one who is in authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive his approval, for he is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God’s wrath on the wrongdoer.  Therefore one must be in subjection, not only to avoid God’s wrath but also for the sake of conscience.  For because of this you also pay taxes, for the authorities are ministers of God, attending to this very thing

Titus 3:1-2    Remind them to be submissive to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good work,  to speak evil of no one, to avoid quarreling, to be gentle, and to show perfect courtesy toward all people.

1 Peter 2:17   Honor everyone. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the emperor.

God cares how we talk about Him and those in rightful authority over us. Judges of the land, and the like, are meant, who are powers ordained of God, are in his stead, and represent him, and therefore respect should be shown them; nor should they be treated with any degree of slight and contempt. It is not an unlimited passive obedience to rulers in things sinful, but an obedience to the wholesome laws, enacted for the good of the community by common consent, or by those who, according to the constitution of the state, have the power of enacting laws. To these good laws the people are to give obedience, without examining by what title the magistrates, who execute these laws, hold their power; and even without considering whether the religion professed by the magistrates be true or false. These precepts, therefore, do not enjoin obedience to the magistrates in things sinful, but in things not sinful; and more especially in things morally good, and which tend to the welfare of the state. Opposition to a ruler who endeavours utterly to subvert the constitution, or to enslave a free people, is warranted not only by right reason, but by the gospel, which teaches that rulers are the servants of God for good to the people, and are supported by God only in the just execution of their office.” (Benson)

The grace of the gospel teaches us submission and quiet, where pride and the carnal mind only see causes for murmuring and discontent. Whatever the persons in authority over us themselves may be, yet the just power they have, must be submitted to and obeyed. In the general course of human affairs, rulers are not a terror to honest, quiet, and good subjects, but to evil-doers. Such is the power of sin and corruption, that many will be kept back from crimes only by the fear of punishment. Thou hast the benefit of the government, therefore do what thou canst to preserve it, and nothing to disturb it. This directs private persons to behave quietly and peaceably where God has set them. (Henry)

That is, they who rise up against “government itself;” who seek anarchy and confusion; and who oppose the regular execution of the laws. It is implied, however, that those laws shall not be such as to violate the rights of conscience, or oppose the laws of God. Resisteth the ordinance of God – What God has ordained, or appointed. This means clearly that we are to regard “government” as instituted by God, and as agreeable to his will. “When” established, we are not to be agitated about the “titles” of the rulers; not to enter into angry contentions, or to refuse to submit to them, because we are apprehensive of a defect in their “title,” or because they may have obtained it by oppression. If the government is established, and if its decisions are not a manifest violation of the laws of God, we are to submit to them. (Barnes)

The office of magistracy, and such as are lawfully placed in it, and rightly exercise it; who denies that there is, or ought to be any such order among men, despises it, and opposes it, and withdraws himself from it, and will not be subject to it in any form: resisteth the ordinance of God, the will and appointment of God, whose pleasure it is that there should be such an office, and that men should be subject to it. This is not to be understood, as if magistrates were above the laws, and had a lawless power to do as they will without opposition; for they are under the law, and liable to the penalty of it, in case of disobedience, as others; and when they make their own will a law, or exercise a lawless tyrannical power, in defiance of the laws of God, and of the land, to the endangering of the lives, liberties, and properties of subjects, they may be resisted. (Gill)

There are many ungodly people who proclaim, shout, and despise government of any kind. Likewise, there are those who despise a party of which the government is made up. Anything that party official states or tries to implement is deemed wrong and the official is disregarded and disrespected. Certain laws proposed or already implemented that are in conflict and direct disobedience to God’s Word should be stood up against. Far too often the masses proclaim talking points they have heard on the news or social media outlets. They are nothing more than parrots with no originating thoughts of their own. If as much time was spent in God’s Word as being fed from these other sources I truly believe their thoughts would be greatly different. Fear, anxiousness, hate, anger, confusion, etc…. are all fueled by these news and social media outlets. I do know that if you would leave news and social media news out of your life for 1 week you would begin to see the damage it causes and the way it affects how you think, speak, and act.

I have heard it said; “to not read daily news you are uninformed, and to read it you are misinformed”. Let the wisdom of the Holy Spirit guide you and teach you discernment in what you read and hear.

35.m. “Where shall I go from your Spirit? Or where shall I flee from your presence?”

Genesis 3:8 And they heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God among the trees of the garden. But the LORD God called to the man and said to him, “Where are you?” And he said, “I heard the sound of you in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked, and I hid myself.” He said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten of the tree of which I commanded you not to eat?” The man said, “The woman whom you gave to be with me, she gave me fruit of the tree, and I ate.” Then the LORD God said to the woman, “What is this that you have done?” The woman said, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.”

Job 34:21-22  “For his eyes are on the ways of a man, and he sees all his steps.  There is no gloom or deep darkness where evildoers may hide themselves.

Psalms 139:1-12 O LORD, you have searched me and known me!  You know when I sit down and when I rise up; you discern my thoughts from afar.  You search out my path and my lying down and are acquainted with all my ways.  Even before a word is on my tongue, behold, O LORD, you know it altogether.  You hem me in, behind and before, and lay your hand upon me.  Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high; I cannot attain it.  Where shall I go from your Spirit? Or where shall I flee from your presence?  If I ascend to heaven, you are there! If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there!  If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,  even there your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me.

Proverbs 15:3   The eyes of the LORD are in every place, keeping watch on the evil and the good.

Job 34:22  There is no gloom or deep darkness where evildoers may hide themselves.

Jeremiah 23:24   Can a man hide himself in secret places so that I cannot see him? declares the LORD. Do I not fill heaven and earth? declares the LORD.

Romans 2:15 They show that the work of the law is written on their hearts, while their conscience also bears witness, and their conflicting thoughts accuse or even excuse them

Hebrews 4:13   And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account.

Adam and Eve knew that their attempt to cover themselves failed. They didn’t proudly show off their fig-leaf outfits; they knew their own covering was completely inadequate, and they were embarrassed before God. “Where are you?” Obviously God knew where Adam and Eve were. Could the question have been asked to arouse their sense of being lost, or to confess sin, or to show God seeks after man, or to show that that we have accountability before God on the choices we make?

God’s question demanded an answer. They couldn’t refuse to answer God the way a criminal might keep silent when questioned. “In our courts of law, we do not require men to answer questions which would incriminate them, but God does; and, at the last great day, the ungodly will be condemned on their own confession of guilt” (Spurgeon).

Upon this first sin man no longer was looking for God or with expectant hope of seeing and talking with God. They would not seek Him out, but God sought them out.

Observe the steps of the transgression: not steps upward, but downward toward the pit. 1. She saw. A great deal of sin comes in at the eye. Let us not look on that which we are in danger of lusting after, Mt 5:28. 2. She took. It was her own act and deed. Satan may tempt, but he cannot force; may persuade us to cast ourselves down, but he cannot cast us down, Mt 4:6. 3. She did eat. When she looked perhaps she did not intend to take; or when she took, not to eat: but it ended in that. It is wisdom to stop the first motions of sin, and to leave it off before it be meddled with. 4. She gave it also to her husband with her. Those that have done ill, are willing to draw in others to do the same. 5. He did eat. In neglecting the tree of life, of which he was allowed to eat, and eating of the tree of knowledge, which was forbidden, Adam plainly showed a contempt of what God had bestowed on him, and a desire for what God did not see fit to give him. He would have what he pleased, and do what he pleased. His sin was, in one word, disobedience, Ro 5:19; disobedience to a plain, easy, and express command. He had no corrupt nature within, to betray him; but had a freedom of will, in full strength, not weakened or impaired. He turned aside quickly. He drew all his posterity into sin and ruin. Who then can say that Adam’s sin had but little harm in it? When too late, Adam and Eve saw the folly of eating forbidden fruit. They saw the happiness they fell from, and the misery they were fallen into. They saw a loving God provoked, his grace and favour forfeited. See her what dishonour and trouble sin is; it makes mischief wherever it gets in, and destroys all comfort. Sooner or later it will bring shame; either the shame of true repentance, which ends in glory, or that shame and everlasting contempt, to which the wicked shall rise at the great day. See here what is commonly the folly of those that have sinned. They have more care to save their credit before men, than to obtain their pardon from God. The excuses men make to cover and lessen their sins, are vain and frivolous; like the aprons of fig-leaves, they make the matter never the better: yet we are all apt to cover our transgressions as Adam. Before they sinned, they would have welcomed God’s gracious visits with humble joy; but now he was become a terror to them. No marvel that they became a terror to themselves, and full of confusion. This shows the falsehood of the tempter, and the frauds of his temptations. Satan promised they should be safe, but they cannot so much as think themselves so! Adam and Eve were now miserable comforters to each other! (Henry)

The sinful conscience flees God’s presence, at least tries to. Man will try to hide their sin, shame, and guilt by any means possible. They will even try to deny it or justify it. How far has man continued to fall away from God in their justification of sinful acts of disobedience? Nothing is hidden from God no matter how hard a person tries to hide it or deny it.

34.u. “let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith”

Matthew 27:51 And behold, the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. And the earth shook, and the rocks were split. The tombs also were opened. And many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised, and coming out of the tombs after his resurrection they went into the holy city and appeared to many. When the centurion and those who were with him, keeping watch over Jesus, saw the earthquake and what took place, they were filled with awe and said, “Truly this was the Son of God!”

Leviticus 21:23    but he shall not go through the veil or approach the altar, because he has a blemish, that he may not profane my sanctuaries, for I am the LORD who sanctifies them.”

Mark 15:38    And the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom.

Luke 23:45    while the sun’s light failed. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two.

Hebrews 6:19  We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters into the inner place behind the curtain,

Hebrews 10:19-22  Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus,  by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh,  and since we have a great priest over the house of God,  let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.

The veil was what separated the holy place from the most holy place in the temple. It was a vivid demonstration of the separation between God and man. Notably, the veil was torn from top to bottom, and it was God who did the tearing. (Guzik)

“As if shocked at the sacrilegious murder of her Lord, the temple rent her garments, like one stricken with horror at some stupendous crime.” “It is not a slight rent through which we may see a little; but it is rent from the top to the bottom. There is an entrance made for the greatest sinners. If there had only been a small hole cut through it, the lesser offenders might have crept through; but what an act of abounding mercy is this, that the veil is rent in the midst, and rent from top to bottom, so that the chief of sinners may find ample passage!” “Men’s hearts did not respond to the agonizing cries of the dying Redeemer, but the rocks responded: the rocks were rent. He did not die for rocks; yet rocks were more tender than the hearts of men, for whom he shed his blood.” (Spurgeon)

Not only was the veil torn but nature itself was shaken by the death of the Son of God.

I have read numerous commentaries on this section of scripture and nothing is more clear than what is stated in Hebrews 10:19-20 Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.

Oh, that our hearts would be like rocks that split and our souls be torn open at the death of Christ and we would, with God give wisdom, understanding, and knowledge, humbly bow in repentance, evermore remembering the great price that was paid for us to have eternal life if we would but, as it were, walk into the Holy of Holies and look upon our Redeemer, Savior, King of Kings, Son of God – Jesus Christ – and come to Him in faith for the forgiveness of our sins, forevermore living to honor and glorify Him alone in all we say, think, and do.

27.a. “Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out”

Ephesians 1:7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.

Acts 20:28    Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood.

Matthew 20:28     even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

Hebrews 9:14      how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God.

1 Peter 2:24    He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed.

Daniel 9:9     To the Lord our God belong mercy and forgiveness, for we have rebelled against him

Acts 2:38   And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Acts 3:19     Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out,

Acts 10:43   To him all the prophets bear witness that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.”

1 John 1:7-9    But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.  If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.  If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

The redemption and forgiveness given to us come according to the measure of the riches of His grace. It is not a “small” redemption or forgiveness won by Jesus on the cross. It is immense. It is huge. It is all-encompassing. We don’t deserve it. We can’t earn it. We can never be good enough to be worthy of it. We can’t buy it. Such it is a free gift, to all who would believe. If you can’t earn it and you aren’t good enough to deserve it how does it work that we can receive it? We or a least a majority of us were brought up knowing there are consequences for our actions. We were taught that doing bad or wrong things got punishment. We would know right from wrong and choose to do wrong hoping we might not get caught. If we did get caught we knew there was a price to pay. Sometimes we might even do something not a thing was bad but it was.

When we start to become aware of God and His Holiness, and we realize our sinfulness, we see a huge gap. Scripture says “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God”, “No one does good, no not anyone”. We see our sin in the reflection of God’s Holiness. Try as hard as we might there is nothing we can do to make ourselves right before God. We know the consequence of sin is death and separation from God and the consequence of this is eternal hell. What must we do? How can a person be saved from this? When the people in Jerusalem heard the message of the Gospel of Jesus Christ it says they were cut to the heart and asked; “What must we do to be saved?” With mankind it is impossible but with God it is. “For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son that who so ever would believe in him should not perish but have everlasting life.” The debt no man can pay was paid in full by Jesus Christ for all who would believe, trust, rely on, and cling to, by faith, in Jesus Christ for their redemption.

How many will end up in Hell because they choose to not believe? How many will end up in Hell because they think they are good enough to be allowed eternal life in heaven? How many voids their minds of thinking about eternity at all? How many neglect this offer of salvation because of pride in themselves? How many we be tormented forever and ever in Hell for eternity because they do not believe the consequences of their sin deserve Hell?

There is but one way to Heaven. Jesus Christ. He paid the full price of your sin debt. Humbly surrender, repent and turn away from what you once were, and fully trust, believe, rely on, and cling to Jesus Christ by faith. At the moment you believe in Him you are born again and your sin before God is as if it were never there. He has forgiven you and remembers it no more. The new life begins and you are a new creation. The life you will now live has a singular purpose, to honor and glorify Jesus Christ in all you say, think, and do forevermore. Do not neglect or reject the gift of salvation.

109. The Pursuit of God

1 Samuel 20:1 Then David fled from Naioth in Ramah and came and said before Jonathan, “What have I done? What is my guilt? And what is my sin before your father, that he seeks my life?”

Psalms 7:3-5     O LORD my God, if I have done this, if there is wrong in my hands,  if I have repaid my friend with evil or plundered my enemy without cause,  let the enemy pursue my soul and overtake it, and let him trample my life to the ground and lay my glory in the dust.

Psalms 119:112    I incline my heart to perform your statutes forever, to the end.

1 John 3:21     Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence before God;

Psalms 18:21-22       For I have kept the ways of the LORD, and have not wickedly departed from my God.  For all his rules were before me, and his statutes I did not put away from me.

2 Corinthians 1:12     For our boast is this, the testimony of our conscience, that we behaved in the world with simplicity and godly sincerity, not by earthly wisdom but by the grace of God, and supremely so toward you.

Trials and troubles come into our lives. We can take note of God’s word when He was angered and past judgment on people or nations. Their guilt was evident and the action taken by God was righteous. Other times, people were victims of the consequences of others actions. This is why David is speaking like this. What have I done? What is my guilt? What is my sin? These are very good questions to ask ourselves when trials and troubles come our way. Note the heart of David; “I incline my heart.” “I have kept your ways.” “Your word is before me and I kept it close to me.” “I’m committed to the end.”

Tozer wrote this in his book “The Pursuit of God.” We pursue God because and only because He has first put an urge within us that spurs us to the pursuit. “No man can come to Me,” said our Lord, “except the Father which hath sent me draw him,” and it is by this drawing that God takes from us every drop of credit for the act of coming. The impulse to pursue God originates with God, but the outworking of the impulse is our pursuit (following hard) after Him. All is of God. God is always previous. In practice, where God’s previous working meets our present response, we must pursue God. On our part, there must be positive reciprocation if this secret personal drawing of God is to become an identifiable experience of the presence of the Holy Spirit in our life. David said, As the deer pants after water, so pants my soul after thee.”

It would seem we have watered down and diluted the conversion of becoming a child of God. Has it become mechanical and spiritless? Has faith been diluted to the point where there is no shake-up to our moral life and no embarrassment to our self-centered, non-hungering and non-thirsting pursuit of God? Are we in danger of losing God because of our lack of hunger and thirst for His word? Have we lost sight of what it means to be a humble servant? Does the lack of time set aside for His word and subsequent lack of knowledge and understanding give any indication of how non-existent our pursuit of God is?

Now is the time to assess your heart. Do you hunger and thirst for His word, or are you eating and drinking the way of the world.

1. ‘You shall not speak evil of a ruler of your people.’

Exodus 22:28 “You shall not revile God, nor curse a ruler of your people.

Ecclesiastes 10:20     Even in your thoughts, do not curse the king, nor in your bedroom curse the rich, for a bird of the air will carry your voice, or some winged creature tell the matter.

Acts 23:5     And Paul said, “I did not know, brothers, that he was the high priest, for it is written, ‘You shall not speak evil of a ruler of your people.’”

Romans 13:2-7     Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment.  For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you have no fear of the one who is in authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive his approval,  for he is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God’s wrath on the wrongdoer.  Therefore one must be in subjection, not only to avoid God’s wrath but also for the sake of conscience.  For because of this you also pay taxes, for the authorities are ministers of God, attending to this very thing.  Pay to all what is owed to them: taxes to whom taxes are owed, revenue to whom revenue is owed, respect to whom respect is owed, honor to whom honor is owed.

Titus 3:1-2     Remind them to be submissive to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good work,  to speak evil of no one, to avoid quarreling, to be gentle, and to show perfect courtesy toward all people

1 Peter 2:17     Honor everyone. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the emperor.

It surely takes godly wisdom to apply these verses. How do you honor a leader you do not respect or trust? How do you not speak evil of one who is authorizing the murder of innocent men, women, and children? How do you not speak out against the Leader who is taking people into unrighteous paths for their life? How do you follow a leader who rejects Christ?

These are human questions but are not the right way to approach the situation of a bad leader. God wants and expects us to come to Him alone for the resolution of a bad ruler, authority, leader. We are to go to Him confessing the sin of what we see and ask His intervention. We are to seek Him for our refuge. We are to rely on Him alone. We are to find peace in the midst of trials and troubles in Him. We are to find strength in God to face the injustice. He is our refuge, hope, rock, fortress, and calm in the storm.

We are to pray for our leaders not complain about them. We are to seek God not speak evil. We are to be submissive and obedient. There are times when we don’t like or approve of our leadership. However we must respect and honor the position.

There may be time when you have to take a stand when asked/told to do something that is against what God teaches us. We accept the consequence gladly as serving God is our goal. We do not speak evil. We speak the truth.

Daniel 3:16 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered and said to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter. If this be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king. But if not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.”

Model of Good Works

“Show yourself in all respects to be a model of good works, and in your teaching show integrity, dignity, and sound speech that cannot be condemned,”

” please remember how I have walked before you in faithfulness and with a whole heart”

Psalms 26:1 Vindicate me, O LORD, for I have walked in my integrity, and I have trusted in the LORD without wavering. Prove me, O LORD, and try me; test my heart and my mind. For your steadfast love is before my eyes, and I walk in your faithfulness. I do not sit with men of falsehood, nor do I consort with hypocrites. I hate the assembly of evildoers, and I will not sit with the wicked.

2 Corinthians 1:12 For our boast is this, the testimony of our conscience, that we behaved in the world with simplicity and godly sincerity, not by earthly wisdom but by the grace of God, and supremely so toward you.

Titus 2:7 Show yourself in all respects to be a model of good works, and in your teaching show integrity, dignity, and sound speech that cannot be condemned, so that an opponent may be put to shame, having nothing evil to say about us.

Acts 20:33 I coveted no one’s silver or gold or apparel. You yourselves know that these hands ministered to my necessities and to those who were with me. In all things I have shown you that by working hard in this way we must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’”

2 Kings 20:3 “Now, O LORD, please remember how I have walked before you in faithfulness and with a whole heart, and have done what is good in your sight.” And Hezekiah wept bitterly.

Proverbs 20:7 The righteous who walks in his integrity— blessed are his children after him!

Proverbs 29:25 ……but whoever trusts in the LORD is safe.

What would our lives look like if we showed integrity, dignity, sound speech, or did not covet another money or position, working hard, helped the weak, walked in faithfulness, trusted God fully, and did not waver in our purpose to humbly serve, honor and obey God? These all are aspects of growing in understanding and knowledge of God and choosing to apply them in our lives. There has to be commitment, sincerity, and desire that is more than a thought. It has to be a continually growing heart deep desire. The confusion in this life-walk is to often the food that fuels our actions and is derived from what our mind takes in. How much daily time is given to reading God’s word, meditating on it, praying, seeking Him and His purpose, listening to what His word is speaking to your heart, and discerning what is right? James says if we read it and do not have works aligned with what we have read it is like looking into a mirror and forgetting what you look like. Our lives should be a reflection of what we have read, God’s leading and our obedience to follow and apply/obey.

Governing Authority

“Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God.”

Rom 13:1
Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment. For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you have no fear of the one who is in authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive his approval for he is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God’s wrath on the wrongdoer. Therefore one must be in subjection, not only to avoid God’s wrath but also for the sake of conscience.

Titus 3:1
Remind them to be submissive to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good work,

1 Peter 2:13-17
Be subject for the Lord’s sake to every human institution, whether it be to the emperor as supreme or to governors as sent by him to punish those who do evil and to praise those who do good. For this is the will of God, that by doing good you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish people Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God. Honor everyone. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the emperor.

Proverbs 24:21
My son, fear the LORD and the king, and do not join with those who do otherwise,

2 Chronicles 7:14
If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

In light of the election I deviate today from Joel. I see a great country divided on so many issues. There are people in public view, from opposing sides, unable to respectfully communicate to the issues. This does not mean the masses have to participate or mimic this behavior in their lives or how they talk. I know it is easy to come back with words aimed to hurt but we are called to be different, to act in such a way that our God is honored and glorified. We are to be set apart and reflect His light in the darkness. I read this comment recently “So far as our life in a community goes, there must be some form of government, which may be modeled according to the varying opinions of men, whether monarchical or republican, autocratic or socialistic; but when once it has been agreed upon, it must be obeyed”. This form of government has spoken and we are called to be humble servants of God, respecting the position and the person in it. Let your confidence be in God and His purpose and plan. Let God’s word direct your heart, mind, and soul. There is a verse in a hymn I quote often “Turn your eyes upon Jesus, look full into His wonderful face, and the things of earth will grow strangely dim in the light of His glory and grace.”

Doers of the Word

What keeps us from being more than hearers of the word? Do we treat our commitment to being doers like New Years resolutions? People are trying to find something to give purpose (light) to their lives. We are to be the light, isn’t it a shame to let that light shine every day. Will we fail some days, absolutely. Each of our lives have to be more than a partial commitment (a light so dim that it has no effect in the darkness). Our desire must be to know, live, honor and glorify God continually.

Matthew 7:21
“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven

Romans 2:13
For it is not the hearers of the law who are righteous before God, but the doers of the law who will be justified. For when Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do what the law requires, they are a law to themselves, even though they do not have the law. They show that the work of the law is written on their hearts, while their conscience also bears witness, and their conflicting thoughts accuse or even excuse them on that day when, according to my gospel, God judges the secrets of men by Christ Jesus.

James 1:22
But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves

Luke 6:46
“Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do what I tell you