Wednesday, November 15, 2017 The Way of the Cross in Submitting to Authority: The Discipline of Submission, Part 12 of 12 (Inspired by Celebration of Discipline by Richard Foster)
Good morning! Thank you for joining me today. God bless you as we pray together for our children!
Wednesday, November 15, 2017
The Way of the Cross in Submitting to Authority: The Discipline of Submission, Part 12 of 12 (Inspired by Celebration of Discipline by Richard Foster)
Scripture:
Romans 13:1-7
Submission to the Authorities
13 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. 2 Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment. 3 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, 4 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.5 Therefore one must be in subjection, not only to avoid God's wrath but also for the sake of conscience. 6 For because of this you also pay taxes, for the authorities are ministers of God, attending to this very thing.7 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.
Hebrews 13:17
Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you.
Titus 3:1
Remind them to be submissive to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good work,
1 Peter 5:5
Likewise, you who are younger, be subject to the elders. Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”
1 Peter 2:13-25
Submission to Authority
13 Be subject for the Lord's sake to every human institution,[a] whether it be to the emperor[b] as supreme, 14 or to governors as sent by him to punish those who do evil and to praise those who do good. 15 For this is the will of God, that by doing good you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish people. 16 Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants[c] of God.17 Honor everyone. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the emperor.
18 Servants, be subject to your masters with all respect, not only to the good and gentle but also to the unjust. 19 For this is a gracious thing, when, mindful of God, one endures sorrows while suffering unjustly.20 For what credit is it if, when you sin and are beaten for it, you endure? But if when you do good and suffer for it you endure, this is a gracious thing in the sight of God. 21 For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps. 22 He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth. 23 When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly. 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. 25 For you were straying like sheep, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.
Devotional:
The subject of submission is drawing to a close, and so appropriately on the subject of submission to authority. Pastor Foster poses the important question of the difference between spiritual authority and authority that is without spiritual power. I am thankful that the Lord put the above scriptures before me at the beginning of my walk with the Lord. It was hard at that time for me to hear, but the truth of the Lord’s authority being behind those in natural authority was made clear to me in the study of the Word on the subject. I share this to relate that I realize it can be hard to be subject to the authority of flawed humans who do not seek the Lord. However, in honoring their authority and coming alongside them in their flawed state, we are carrying the cross of Jesus Who expected us to honor the authorities when they did not require that we sin. Let us pray that the Lord would search our hearts and show us if there is a place that needs to be surrendered in this area, and that He would work a deeper humility in us that we might be able to walk it out.
Prayer:
Thanksgiving:
Father, I thank You even for the hard truths You put before us in our daily walk. You are the Authority to Whom we bow, and we give You honor and glory. Take Your place in our hearts and lives in a richer and new way today, God! You are holy, majestic, mighty, and truly worthy of praise.
Confession:
Lord, we come before You needy, wretched, poor, blind and broken and desiring to be made new and whole this day. Jesus, You are the Answer to our needs. (Take time to confess sin or wrong attitudes, anxieties, areas of control. Mine today: I am still struggling with impatience this week. Lord, flow through me with Your Spirit. Let the fruit of patience grow and choke out the fruit of the flesh of impatience. Let me increase also in love, joy, peace, kindness, goodness, gentleness, meekness and self-control.)
Supplication:
Lift up prayer needs. Mine today: Lord, here comes another cold in the house. Forgive me for my frustration about it. Heal me, heal my family, please help us to not have to keep going through this all winter. God, I am exhausted as a mama of having to fight the sickness. I need Your strength and stamina and energy. I need You to heal us, Lord. I also lift up needs surrounding my business and ask for clarity, direction, witty ideas, and perseverance. I ask You to send help from the sanctuary and encouragement for this road.
Intercession:
I lift my children to You today. I thank You that You hear our prayers and answer them. (Journal needs, progress and victory. Chloe today: I thank You that she is so imaginative and such a wonderful story teller. I pray for her today, as she is sick with a cold. Help her to be pleasant and not challenging, but most of all heal her little body and help her to rest. Christian today: I continue to pray that he will have a regular bowel movement, and that he will initiate using the toilet to void and for BM. I pray that he will not have fear or anxiety, but would see this as a healthy and positive support to his quality of life. I also pray that we will be approved for financial assistance for his pull-ups.)
Thanksgiving and Consecration:
Lord, I thank You for this time and give this day to You. Seal this time in Your Word and in prayer for Your Kingdom and Your glory. In Jesus’ Name I pray, amen.
Blessing and Benediction:
1 Cor. 15:58
Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.
Wednesday, November 15, 2017
The Way of the Cross in Submitting to Authority: The Discipline of Submission, Part 12 of 12 (Inspired by Celebration of Discipline by Richard Foster)
Scripture:
Romans 13:1-7
Submission to the Authorities
13 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. 2 Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment. 3 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, 4 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.5 Therefore one must be in subjection, not only to avoid God's wrath but also for the sake of conscience. 6 For because of this you also pay taxes, for the authorities are ministers of God, attending to this very thing.7 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.
Hebrews 13:17
Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you.
Titus 3:1
Remind them to be submissive to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good work,
1 Peter 5:5
Likewise, you who are younger, be subject to the elders. Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”
1 Peter 2:13-25
Submission to Authority
13 Be subject for the Lord's sake to every human institution,[a] whether it be to the emperor[b] as supreme, 14 or to governors as sent by him to punish those who do evil and to praise those who do good. 15 For this is the will of God, that by doing good you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish people. 16 Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants[c] of God.17 Honor everyone. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the emperor.
18 Servants, be subject to your masters with all respect, not only to the good and gentle but also to the unjust. 19 For this is a gracious thing, when, mindful of God, one endures sorrows while suffering unjustly.20 For what credit is it if, when you sin and are beaten for it, you endure? But if when you do good and suffer for it you endure, this is a gracious thing in the sight of God. 21 For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps. 22 He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth. 23 When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly. 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. 25 For you were straying like sheep, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.
Devotional:
The subject of submission is drawing to a close, and so appropriately on the subject of submission to authority. Pastor Foster poses the important question of the difference between spiritual authority and authority that is without spiritual power. I am thankful that the Lord put the above scriptures before me at the beginning of my walk with the Lord. It was hard at that time for me to hear, but the truth of the Lord’s authority being behind those in natural authority was made clear to me in the study of the Word on the subject. I share this to relate that I realize it can be hard to be subject to the authority of flawed humans who do not seek the Lord. However, in honoring their authority and coming alongside them in their flawed state, we are carrying the cross of Jesus Who expected us to honor the authorities when they did not require that we sin. Let us pray that the Lord would search our hearts and show us if there is a place that needs to be surrendered in this area, and that He would work a deeper humility in us that we might be able to walk it out.
Prayer:
Thanksgiving:
Father, I thank You even for the hard truths You put before us in our daily walk. You are the Authority to Whom we bow, and we give You honor and glory. Take Your place in our hearts and lives in a richer and new way today, God! You are holy, majestic, mighty, and truly worthy of praise.
Confession:
Lord, we come before You needy, wretched, poor, blind and broken and desiring to be made new and whole this day. Jesus, You are the Answer to our needs. (Take time to confess sin or wrong attitudes, anxieties, areas of control. Mine today: I am still struggling with impatience this week. Lord, flow through me with Your Spirit. Let the fruit of patience grow and choke out the fruit of the flesh of impatience. Let me increase also in love, joy, peace, kindness, goodness, gentleness, meekness and self-control.)
Supplication:
Lift up prayer needs. Mine today: Lord, here comes another cold in the house. Forgive me for my frustration about it. Heal me, heal my family, please help us to not have to keep going through this all winter. God, I am exhausted as a mama of having to fight the sickness. I need Your strength and stamina and energy. I need You to heal us, Lord. I also lift up needs surrounding my business and ask for clarity, direction, witty ideas, and perseverance. I ask You to send help from the sanctuary and encouragement for this road.
Intercession:
I lift my children to You today. I thank You that You hear our prayers and answer them. (Journal needs, progress and victory. Chloe today: I thank You that she is so imaginative and such a wonderful story teller. I pray for her today, as she is sick with a cold. Help her to be pleasant and not challenging, but most of all heal her little body and help her to rest. Christian today: I continue to pray that he will have a regular bowel movement, and that he will initiate using the toilet to void and for BM. I pray that he will not have fear or anxiety, but would see this as a healthy and positive support to his quality of life. I also pray that we will be approved for financial assistance for his pull-ups.)
Thanksgiving and Consecration:
Lord, I thank You for this time and give this day to You. Seal this time in Your Word and in prayer for Your Kingdom and Your glory. In Jesus’ Name I pray, amen.
Blessing and Benediction:
1 Cor. 15:58
Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.
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