Pathways Press.com

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.