The Devotional - R042

The Devotional

Comment:

As a young person approaching the end of their school years, one could set their ambitions on service to their country. Now I understand that there are many variables to this career start, in that any ethical work is a service to one’s country. However and since I have a military career experience, what I am intending to say relates readily to the subject at hand. All of the preparation and decision making before entering service is necessary, yet it is just that since it does not provide experience! Once the event happens you are now in the same position as everyone else. The past life style is laid aside and the new one is established. Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us. Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Hebrews 12:1-2.

Challenge: Romans 13:1-7

Praise to the LORD God that in His Word we have favorite sections that when it comes time to read, research and re-apply the subjects to our soul we become spiritually excited. So it is with me in Romans 13. It is my hope and prayer that some of this same excitement will rub off on my readers. Today in many churches there is a false sense of spiritual blessing and maturity. The reasons are plentiful and the evidence of such counterfeiting of the Holy Word of God is the spiritual maturity of us so-called “faithful”!

Let every SOUL be subject to the governing authorities! This not only applies to civil government, it also applies to the everyday operation of the church of the Living God. God has called us to “holiness and righteousness” to “brotherly kindness and to love”. If we fail to apply (be obedient) to this within the congregation of our local assemblies, I ask you; “how do we expect to carry out this obedience in our local or national governments”? To add a little more salt to this wound… how too shall we apply (obedience) of God’s word in the governing of our homes and families?

Our churches are a spiritual mess, our country is IMMORALLY crushed and our home life is nearly non-existent. Can we not see that whoever resists the authority in any area of responsibility, that we are resisting the ORDINANCE of God? Note please the word “ordinance” it is singular, in other words there is only one ordinance to obey! Be HOLY for I AM HOLY! Says the LORD God. Why? Because it is written and commanded in the Word of God. Just as we observed yesterday in 1 Peter 1:16.

Someone can say! “Well now Jesse, you have no right to speak with such authority about how I conduct my life in the governing disciplines associated with Romans 13. Yea and Amen, I agree since I deal with these issues every day of my life as well as you. But we have “faith” faith in Jesus, Oh friend and reader; we have Jesus the Son of the Living God who was tempted in every manner of life that we are faced with daily, yet He did not sin – Hebrews 4:14-16. Therefore I stand by faith on His Authority and if you back up to verse 13 of Hebrews 4:11-13, woe is me when the Living Word reveals our spiritual condition.

The rest of Romans 13:1-7 is practical; rulers are not troublesome when our service to the LORD is correct. It is only when we do what is evil that we suffer. Today our nation is suffering because we are failing God’s appointed ministers. How literal is this? If the apostle Paul was told by Jesus that his religious zeal was incorrect, we should search our soul as this apostle did when his name was Saul. 

Religion does nothing but persecute Jesus. Picking up the words of Luke in Acts 9:4, then he (Saul) fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me” and Saul responded! “Who are you LORD?” And the LORD said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting, it is hard for you to kick against the goads.” Or the “sting” of spiritual truth.