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MEDITATION:

Written by Toby Sumpter, a contemporary pastor and author. This is an excerpt from his article “A Brief Primer on God’s Ordained Spheres of Authority.”

In this world, authority is inescapable. The only question is whether human authorities will submit themselves to God—the origin of all lawful authority and power—and so limit their jurisdictions according to God’s word or whether they will make it up as they go along, blindly grasping and demanding and oppressing. Power is not evil, but power is only used for good when it ministers according to God’s creational design. The foundation for all right government and true liberty in this fallen world is self-government, and this is only possible through the regenerating work of the Holy Spirit. While God is free to cause great reformations working from the bottom of society to the top or from the top all the way down, He always works from the inside out, remaking people one at a time, saving them and empowering them for obedience in families, churches, and society. Families were designed to care for the health, welfare, and education of their members. Churches were designed to proclaim the gospel, administer the sacraments, and discipline their members. Nations were designed to adjudicate disputes, prosecute crimes, carryout just penalties, protect the innocent, and ensure equal weights and measures. These powers are the respective glories of these spheres of sovereignty. When each sphere does what it was created to do, the people of that land are happy and free.

PRAYER:

Written by Debbie McDaniel, a contemporary Christian writer.

Dear God, we pray for our churches, our workplaces, our schools, and our communities. We ask for your help in being a light in every place you’ve given us to walk. Give us care and wisdom as we live and work with one another. Help us to look to another’s needs before our own, and to always be ready to serve those around us by the power of your love within us. Even in every dark and broken place, for the times we feel like we’re barely making it through, give us your joy Lord, your grace, and the powerful presence of your peace.We pray for all those in authority, for every leader of our nation, that you would give them your wisdom and discernment as they lead. We pray that their hearts would be directed first to you, that they would recognize where their true help and strength come from. We ask that you guard their coming and going, that you would be their refuge and their peace. We pray that you would surround every leader with wise counsel, that they would be humble and kind, patient and loving through their actions and words. We pray that their faith in you would be unwavering, strong, resolute, and firm.

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MEDITATION:

Written by Allan Descheneau, a contemporary pastor and owner of the “Art of the Christian Ninja” blogsite.  This is an excerpt from his work “God’s Established Order.”

Part of fearing God means doing what He says, and none of us does that all the time. One of the most amazing things about the Gospel of Jesus Christ is that God sent His Son into a world full of rebels. We don’t want to do things His way, we hate Him to His face, we argue with His teaching and His plan, we corrupt His Law and His Word, and in our rebellion we become blind, lame, and deaf to truth. We can’t change our hearts. We won’t choose Him as our Lord. And God’s response was to send Jesus to break the power of sin and make it possible for us to come back to Him. He takes a world of rebels and invites them to admit He is King.

One of the main things that Christians recognize, that non-believers don’t, is that we absolutely need God to be our highest authority. We’re no good on our own. When humans set things up without listening to God, we end up creating all sorts of horrible and dangerous chaos…Christianity seeks to help the weak, sick, hopeless, helpless, downtrodden, poor, and outcast. We champion peace and humility…When humans abandon God’s rule and authority and set up our own kingdoms, we utterly mess things up. Why? Because in this world there are only two teams: Jesus and Satan. And where God’s Son is abandoned there is only one team left, and it isn’t a good one.

PRAYER:

Written by Scott Cairns is a contemporary American poet, professor, and spiritual  essayist.

Beloved Lover of humankind, soften our hearts so that we too may have compassion for those who suffer, so that we too may give gladly of our time and treasure to those in need. May nothing we do be done in strife, but in confidence and in  peace. May nothing we do be done in foolish pride, but in lowliness of mind let us esteem others as greater than ourselves. May we esteem the needs of others as greater than our own. May we look with kindness and compassion upon their burdens. May our hearts become as tender wombs prepared to receive your grace, that in due time may we bring forth the joyful fruit of your Spirit. May this mind be in us, which was also in Christ Jesus. That being God he made himself impoverished, and took upon himself the form of a servant, humbled himself, and was obedient unto death — yet a death that has brought all to life. May we suspect our own power to say yes to whatever our God asks of us. We ask this in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

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MEDITATION:

Written by Bobby Schuller, a contemporary Presbyterian pastor, author, and televangelist.

To have authority, we must live under authority. The Centurion didn’t have authority because he was tough, he had authority because he knelt to Caesar. Similarly, we have authority because we kneel before the throne of God. If we are not submitted to the authority of His Kingdom in our lives, we can’t act in His authority. This doesn’t mean that we have to be perfect; we live by grace, right? But we still should strive to live humble and holy lives in light of Jesus’ goodness to us. We should not live in blatant iniquity and pretend that everything is fine. Instead, we should really desire to do things God’s way!  Here’s an example. Imagine you were traveling internationally and you lost your ATM card. You have a bank account, conceivably with some money in it, but since you lost your card, you lost access to your money. It’s not that the funds were stolen or disappeared, it’s just that you couldn’t retrieve them. I think this is what happens when we are living in rebellion against God: when He presses something onto our heart to change and we continue to resist His truth, it’s like losing that ATM card. Jesus isn’t going to take all your cash, but you are going to lose access to it until you get your card back. Friend, I encourage you to “get your card back” and take told hold of your authority in the Kingdom of Heaven! Submit to Jesus and remember that His ways are not harmful, but helpful; they are designed to empower you to live your best life. God is a good Father and He loves you, so activate His strength in you by letting Him have your life — body, mind and spirit!

PRAYER:

Written by William Temple (1881-1944), a bishop in the Church of England and Archbishop of Canterbury.

O Almighty God,

the Father of all humanity,

turn, we pray, the hearts of all peoples and their rulers,

that by the power of your Holy Spirit

peace may be established among the nations

on the foundation of justice, righteousness and truth;

through him who was lifted up on the cross

to draw all people to himself,

your Son Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

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MEDITATION:

Written  by Cindy Trimm, a contemporary speaker, author, and advocate. This is an excerpt from her work “Walking in Supernatural Power and Authority.”

The word for authority in Greek is “exousia”…which,  according to Strong’s Concordance means, “authority, especially moral authority, influence, (b) of a spiritual power, and hence of an earthly power: right or privilege, conferredpower; delegated empowerment (authorization): delegated power as in authority God gives to His saints.” So what can we glean from this word study?  Spiritual maturity gives you the divine right to exercise God’s divine might!  If I were to ask you, “How is the power of God being manifested in your life?”…what would your answer be? If you’re not seeing God’s power evidenced in your everyday life, I would challenge you to consider where you are in the spiritual maturation process. Consider whether your lack of answers or breakthroughs or whatever it is you need that isn’t transpiring is a power problem or an authority problem…God’s will is that you mature spiritually so you can walk in the kind of authority that allows you to wield the power He has made available through His death and resurrection, This type of spiritual growth is a process. It requires intentionality. It requires you to be deliberate about what you are thinking, studying, speaking, pursuing, and doing. You ware always one decision away from walking in the fullness God has for you.

PRAYER:

Written by Luci Shaw is a contemporary American writer of poetry and essays.

Lord Jesus, you gave away your divine power to become enfleshed–one of us. Help us to give away what power we receive from you, that we, though insignificant, may be like showers of refreshing water to those around us. Amen.

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MEDITATION:

Written by Joel Vande Werken, a contemporary American pastor.

The ascension changes the way God’s people understand history. As faithful Jews, Jesus’ first disciples knew Psalm 2 well. They understood how futile it was for humans to try to stand against God. They knew that someday God would call the world to account. And now they knew how. Originally, Psalm 2 probably celebrated the crowning of Israel’s kings. But those who knew Jesus saw more in its words: a prophecy of the reign of Christ. As the author of Hebrews notes, God did not even give the angels—much less human kings—the kind of authority we read of the Son having in this psalm. In the ascension and reign of Jesus, God proclaims that his Son is the “heir of all things,” appointed to rule over world history and the universe (Hebrews 1:2).

There is a warning in these words. If Jesus truly is God’s Son and Lord of all, we must take his power and authority seriously. We have to surrender our lives to him. He suffered the punishment for human sin, so Christ can rightfully pour out his wrath on sin and its effects and call on the world to resist it. But the goal is not merely for people to submit to Christ, but also for them to find refuge in the ascended Lord of all. Jesus is God’s appointed provider of salvation. Will you receive his refuge today?

PRAYER:

Written by Ambrose, a bishop in Milan in the 4th century (339-397).  He contributed to theology and doctrine of the early Christian Church and influenced Augustine of Hippo.

Creator God, O Lord of all, who rule the skies, you clothe the day in radiant color, bid the night in quietness serve the gracious sway of sleep, that weary limbs, restored to labor’s use, may rise again, and jaded minds abate their fret,  and mourners find release from pain.

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MEDITATION:

Today’s reflection  is an excerpt from the  book “Seeking God’s Peace in a Nuclear Age: A Call to Disciples of Christ.”

As members of churches we are also members of other groups and institutions –political parties, economic organizations, regional, and national associations. Each of these constituencies has its vested interests, its value systems, and its authority figures. We cannot deny our participation in these groups; in fact, it is of the utmost importance that these memberships be acknowledged, lest we become unconsciously possessed by them. But the challenge before us as followers of Jesus Christ is to make conscious decisions, as Christians, honoring our commitment to Him above the claims and assumptions of every other authority.

PRAYER:

Written by Francis de Sales (1567-1622), Bishop of Geneva. He was known for his deep faith and gentle approach to the religious divisions resulting from the Reformation. He wrote on the topic of spiritual direction and formation.

Lord, I am yours, and I must belong to no one but you. My soul is yours, and must live only by you. My will is yours, and must love only for you. I must love you as my first cause, since I am from you. I must love you as my end and rest, since I am for you. I must love you more than my own being, since my being subsists by you. I must love you more than myself, since I am all yours and all in you. Amen.

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MEDITATION:

Written by Tony Evans, a contemporary American pastor, speaker, and writer. 

In a football game, the players tower over the referees. The players are bigger, stronger and more powerful than the older, smaller and, often, out-of- shape referees. In a game, the players can use their power to knock you down, but the referees can use their authority to put you out of the game. Never confuse power with authority. Satan may be able to knock you down. He has more power than you. But he has absolutely no authority over you if you’re a believer. Of course, Satan knows that, but he doesn’t want you to know it. So, Satan tries to intimidate with lies and pressure and to deceive you into believing he has authority over you…Satan still has power. He still dominates the world in which we live and influences people’s lives in countless ways. His tactics are both real and destructive. But what he doesn’t have is final authority. Jesus has the authority. Jesus is exalted “far above all rule and authority and power and dominion.”  Satan knows if he can get you to ignore the authority and rule of Christ in your day-to-day activities and decisions, he can deceive, trick and harm you however he chooses. Yet acknowledging and remaining under Christ’s lordship and authority will protect you from Satan’s onslaught. God “made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus.” You were made to function in concert and cadence with Christ. For you to gain access to the authority which comes through the perfect union of Jesus Christ—bringing heaven to bear on earth—you must abide in Him. To abide means to dwell, to align your thoughts, choices and perspective under God’s thoughts, choices and perspective. It means connecting with Him and honoring Him in everything you do. God doesn’t want weekend visits with His kids; He wants full custody. This is such an important part of the victorious Christian life. You can go to all of the church services you want, read all the spiritual books you want, even do all the Bible studies that you want, but experiencing all God has planned for you comes only through aligning yourself under and abiding in the one who reigns over all, the exalted Lord Jesus Christ.

PRAYER:

From the The Mozarabic Rite, also called the Visigothic Rite or the Hispanic Rite, is a liturgical rite of the Latin Church once used generally in the Iberian Peninsula (Hispania), in what is now Spain and Portugal.  Developed during Visigoth (Arian Christian) rule of the Iberian peninsula in the 500s AD.

Raise up Thy power, and come to deliver us, O Lord our God; that as we are overwhelmed by the storms of temptation so we may be raised up by the aid of Thy strength. We beseech Thee to hear us, O Lord. Amen.

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MEDITATION:

Written by Laura Georgakakos, a contemporary editor and writer. This is an excerpt from her book “Grace Notes.”

God has all things in hand. When we are feeling close to Him and trust Him, that can be a great relief. But when things aren’t going the way we wish we can be frustrated or angry by the fact that He rules and we don’t. How we feel about God’s sovereignty – grateful or irritated—can tell us a lot about how yielded we are to Him and His will. It can be a valuable barometer of something needing attention in our relationship. Notice that during those times when we trust in God’s unfailing love, we live more peaceably with His sovereignty. This week, set aside what seems to be a more pressing task and intentionally choose to be alone with God. The Sovereign Lord does not rule your life with a fist or a scowl; His hands are open, His arms outstretched. The most amazing truth and gift is this – that the supreme authority and power of the universe, He who controls the motion of the planets and governs the kings of the earth, wants to draw near to you, to sit with you in a comfortable spot to talk and to listen and to laugh. He has things to share, and He longs for your approach.

PRAYER:

Written by Laura Georgakakos, author of today’s meditation.

Sovereign Lord, I get busy and harried and pretend not to hear it, but please keep knocking at the door of my heart. Insist on our time together. Alone with You is where I am supposed to be and I know it. That is the place of greatest blessing and peace; only there will I get the proper perspective on all that is demanding my attention. Thank you for all You are waiting to bestow. My heart says of you, “Seek His face!”  Your face, Lord, I will seek.

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MEDITATION:

Written by Dale Melenberg, a contemporary American pastor.

The chief priests and elders of the people figured that they had all the authority for teaching in the temple, so they did not want to recognize Jesus’ authority.  Questioning authority can get sticky. The ones questioning authority are not going to accept the truth even if they are proved wrong, because they won’t believe that the person they are questioning has due authority! It is a no-win situation. Nonetheless, Jesus answered the religious leaders with a question about the work of John the Baptist, and that put them in a bind. Jesus painted them into a corner. But not wanting to leave them there, he also asked, “What do you think?” Then he told this story about two sons. Jesus pointed out that the problem here was about obedience rather than authority (note that obedience is a response to someone in authority). He asked, “Which of the two sons did what his father wanted?” The elders and priests recognized that the first son obeyed his father. Then came Jesus’ authoritative response: prostitutes and tax collectors who were obeying God in repentance were entering the kingdom ahead of the religious leaders. Moreover, like the ­second son, the religious leaders were being disobedient. They refused to listen to God’s Word and repent. Jesus wants us to know that obeying God and recognizing his authority is what counts in his kingdom—and with the Spirit’s help, we can be faithful.   

PRAYER:

Written by Dr. Charles Stanley, a contemporary pastor, author, and speaker.

Dear Lord, as we rise to meet each new day, please let us be filled with Your spirit. Wherever we go, let us spread love, joy, peace, goodness, and faithfulness. Let us desire to become more like you and to worship you in all we do. Help us desire these things so much more than the sin that entices us. Thank you for always going before us. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

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MEDITATION:

Written by F.B. Meyer (1847-1929), a Baptist Ambassador for Keswick holiness spirituality. He was one of the most prominent English Baptist ministers.

God’s loving appointment in making Jesus King will be apparent when we remember how beautiful He is in his personal character; how closely He is identified with our nature; the might of his arm with which He shields, the patience wherewith He bears, the redemption which He has wrought out and brought in for all who believe. What could God’s love have done better to approve itself? Is He your king? Never till He is so, will you know the fulness of God’s love. Those who question or refuse His authority are always in doubt about the love of God to themselves and to the world. Those, on the other hand, who acknowledge his claims, and crown Him as king, suddenly find themselves admitted to a standpoint of vision in which doubts and disputations vanish, and the secret love of God is unfolded. Then they experience the wise and gentle tendance of the Divine love in its most entrancing characteristics. All is love where Jesus reigns. Nothing is more indicative of God’s benevolence than his incessant appeal to men to make Jesus King. “Go, spread your trophies at His feed, and crown Him Lord of all!”

PRAYER:

Written by Augustine of Hippo (354-430), an early Christian theologian and philosopher. He was the bishop of Hippo Regius (modern day Annaba, Algeria) and is viewed as one of the most important church fathers in Western Christianity.

Lord Jesus, let our minds rest in your Word, so that when doubt and grief would overwhelm us, faith will open our eyes to see your hand at work in our life and enable us to turn toward the future with hope and toward each other in perfect charity. Amen.

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