Month: September 2020

‘Everyone must submit to governing authorities. For all authority comes from God, and those in positions of authority have been placed there by God. So anyone who rebels against authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and they will be punished. For the authorities do not strike fear in people who are doing right, but in those who are doing wrong. Would you like to live without fear of the authorities? Do what is right, and they will honor you. The authorities are God’s servants, sent for your good. But if you are doing wrong, of course you should be afraid, for they have the power to punish you. They are God’s servants, sent for the very purpose of punishing those who do what is wrong. So you must submit to them, not only to avoid punishment, but also to keep a clear conscience. Pay your taxes, too, for these same reasons. For government workers need to be paid. They are serving God in what they do. Give to everyone what you owe them: Pay your taxes and government fees to those who collect them, and give respect and honor to those who are in authority.’ Romans 13:1-7(NLT)

Last time we learned from Romans 13:1-3 that we need to submit ourselves to the laws of the land if we want to live lives free from fear. I want to focus your attention today on the remainder of that passage, Romans 13:4-7, 

For he is God’s minister to you for good. But if you do evil, be afraid; for he does not bear the sword in vain; for he is God’s minister, an avenger to execute wrath on him who practices evil. Therefore you must be subject, not only because of wrath but also for conscience’ sake. For because of this you also pay taxes, for they are God’s ministers attending continually to this very thing. Render therefore to all their due: taxes to whom taxes are due, customs to whom customs, fear to whom fear, honor to whom honor. 

What I want to address today is the need to pay our taxes with honesty, not trying to dodge our responsibility. It is a critical part of obeying the laws of the land as we discussed last time. 

While I do not like working hard and in the end sending a large portion of every dollar to support the government, it is the right thing to do. I am absolutely amazed when I learn of Christians who try to dodge their responsibility to pay taxes. 

Friend, you must be honest and pay your taxes. Certainly take advantage of all that the law allows, and do not pay more than you need to, but don’t hide anything. You need to make sure you do this because when you do, you are being obedient to God.  

And there are always blessings tied to obedience—even if it is obeying God by paying your taxes! 

from Develop God’s Heart For Others

‘Everyone must submit to governing authorities. For all authority comes from God, and those in positions of authority have been placed there by God. So anyone who rebels against authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and they will be punished. For the authorities do not strike fear in people who are doing right, but in those who are doing wrong. Would you like to live without fear of the authorities? Do what is right, and they will honor you. ‘ Romans 13:1-3(NLT)

In Romans 13:1-3, the apostle Paul gives us some clear instruction on how we are to relate to our civil authorities, 

Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God. Therefore whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves. For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to evil. Do you want to be unafraid of the authority? Do what is good, and you will have praise from the same. 

I remember the days before I was saved. If I saw a police car when looking in my rearview mirror, I was struck with instant paranoia. There was a good reason for my fear.  

At that time in my life, I would have gotten in a lot of trouble if I had been pulled over. I was constantly high on drugs and alcohol, and there were rarely times I was completely sober.  

Thank God I have been saved! Today if I look in my rearview mirror and I see a police car, I may slow down a little bit; but I am not gripped with this feeling of paranoia because I live within the parameters of the laws of the land. And if I do break a law, it is going to be out of ignorance and not out of willful rebellion.  

If you live your life in fear of civil authority, it is time to check out why. If you search your heart and find that you are not subject to the laws of the land as you should be, I encourage you to make that change today.  

You will be able to live your life without fear, and honor God in the process.

from Develop God’s Heart For Others

‘“See, I am sending an angel before you to protect you on your journey and lead you safely to the place I have prepared for you. Pay close attention to him, and obey his instructions. Do not rebel against him, for he is my representative, and he will not forgive your rebellion. But if you are careful to obey him, following all my instructions, then I will be an enemy to your enemies, and I will oppose those who oppose you. ‘ Exodus 23:20-22(NLT)

Exodus 23:20-22 says, 

“Behold, I send an Angel before you to keep you in the way and to bring you into the place which I have prepared. Beware of Him and obey His voice; do not provoke Him, for He will not pardon your transgressions; for My name is in Him. But if you indeed obey His voice and do all that I speak, then I will be an enemy to your enemies and an adversary to your adversaries.” 

Israel’s success in possessing the promised land lay in their obedience. The same is true for us as we endeavor to possess the things promised to us by God. 

I like the thought of God being an enemy to my enemies and an adversary to my adversaries, but that hinges on obedience as well. 

The difficult thing about obeying God is that it always requires faith. He asks us to do things that sometimes make no sense. Other times He demands that we face seemingly impossible situations armed with nothing but His Word. 

But He is faithful. He keeps His promises. And He can be absolutely trusted—in everything and with everything. 

So today if you are desiring to enter some aspect of your “promised land”, or if you are faced with difficult or seemingly insurmountable obstacles, listen for His voice, search His Word for instructions, and then obey. 

He will be an enemy to your enemies, and you will possess the promises.

from Develop God’s Heart For Others

‘Now regarding the questions you asked in your letter. Yes, it is good to abstain from sexual relations. But because there is so much sexual immorality, each man should have his own wife, and each woman should have her own husband. The husband should fulfill his wife’s sexual needs, and the wife should fulfill her husband’s needs. The wife gives authority over her body to her husband, and the husband gives authority over his body to his wife. Do not deprive each other of sexual relations, unless you both agree to refrain from sexual intimacy for a limited time so you can give yourselves more completely to prayer. Afterward, you should come together again so that Satan won’t be able to tempt you because of your lack of self-control. ‘ 1 Corinthians 7:1-5(NLT)

In our last devotional, we looked at 1 Corinthians 7:1-5 and a word to married couples on the importance of sexual intimacy. Today I want to continue in that passage with verses 7-9 and speak to singles, 

For I wish that all men were even as I myself. But each one has his own gift from God, one in this manner and another in that. But I say to the unmarried and to the widows: It is good for them if they remain even as I am; but if they cannot exercise self-control, let them marry. For it is better to marry than to burn with passion. 

If you are single, and you long for physical intimacy, and you sometimes struggle with your sexuality, and you want to be married, it is God’s will for you to be married. In fact, I can tell you that you do not have the gift to be single that Paul talks about. 

On the other hand, you may be single and completely content, with no desire to be married. You need to know that does not mean there is something wrong with you. You just may be operating with a gift God has given you. In fact, Paul says it is better. You can serve the Lord undistracted that way. 

If you do not have that gift, I believe it is God’s plan for you to get married. If you are tortured with unsatisfied desire, it is better to marry.  

That does not mean to go out and marry the first person you would like to have sex with. You have to take this into the context of all of God’s counsel. You need to realize marriage should be the highest form of agreement between two people. No marriage should be entered into lightly or just based on physical attraction. 

But if you are single and desiring to be married, I believe God does have someone for you.

from Develop God’s Heart For Others

‘Now regarding the questions you asked in your letter. Yes, it is good to abstain from sexual relations. But because there is so much sexual immorality, each man should have his own wife, and each woman should have her own husband. The husband should fulfill his wife’s sexual needs, and the wife should fulfill her husband’s needs. The wife gives authority over her body to her husband, and the husband gives authority over his body to his wife. Do not deprive each other of sexual relations, unless you both agree to refrain from sexual intimacy for a limited time so you can give yourselves more completely to prayer. Afterward, you should come together again so that Satan won’t be able to tempt you because of your lack of self-control. ‘ 1 Corinthians 7:1-5(NLT)

It grieves my heart, as I look across the country, at the number of Christian marriages being destroyed by adultery. It should not be that way! 

In 1 Corinthians 7:1-5, the apostle Paul gives us a safeguard against adultery. He says, 

Now concerning the things of which you wrote to me: It is good for a man not to touch a woman. Nevertheless, because of sexual immorality, let each man have his own wife, and let each woman have her own husband. Let the husband render to his wife the affection due her, and likewise also the wife to her husband. The wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband does. And likewise the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife does. Do not deprive one another except with consent for a time, that you may give yourselves to fasting and prayer; and come together again so that Satan does not tempt you because of your lack of self-control. 

Now, if these verses are saying anything, they are telling us that married couples should enjoy sexual intimacy. In fact, the more they enjoy it, the better safeguard it is against immorality.  

Notice Paul even goes so far as to say the wife does not have authority over her own body; and the husband does not have authority over his body. As husband and wife, you belong to one another. It says do not deprive one another unless you are going to be fasting and praying, and then only with consent. 

I want to challenge you to make sexual intimacy a priority in your marriage. Don’t consider it as unimportant, or leave it to your spouse. Take the responsibility to light the fire of sexual intimacy, and close the door to Satan’s temptation.

from Develop God’s Heart For Others

‘Dear brothers and sisters, if another believer is overcome by some sin, you who are godly should gently and humbly help that person back onto the right path. And be careful not to fall into the same temptation yourself. Share each other’s burdens, and in this way obey the law of Christ. ‘ Galatians 6:1-2(NLT)

In Galatians 6:1-2, Paul admonishes us, 

Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted. Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. 

We need to bear one another’s burdens. Paul, in this passage, gives us some keen insight into what that looks like. 

First, the word overtaken means to be taken by surprise, to suddenly fall into. In other words, the sin Paul is referring to is not a premeditated sin, but rather a temptation that suddenly came up, the person stumbled in, and now they are having trouble getting out. 

Notice Paul also says, “If you’re spiritual, restore that one.” The word restore actually brings with it the thought of setting a dislocated limb. The role of the spiritually mature person is to skillfully and gently relocate the “limb” that has been knocked out of its socket. 

I think this happens most often to baby Christians. They are suddenly invaded, they give in to some temptation, and they feel awful. Then the devil goes to work on them, “Some Christian you are! You hypocrite! You better never go back to church again! You’re so wicked. You’re probably not even saved.”  

They do not know how to pull themselves out, and you and I need to help them get back in right relationship with God and the Church. 

I had a friend who dislocated a shoulder one time. It took him 45 minutes to work it back in by himself. It would have been easier to have someone help him. 

And, that is true for us as Christians. We need to be there to help restore that brother or sister whose spiritual life has been dislocated.

from Develop God’s Heart For Others

‘About that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Who is greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven?” Jesus called a little child to him and put the child among them. Then he said, “I tell you the truth, unless you turn from your sins and become like little children, you will never get into the Kingdom of Heaven. So anyone who becomes as humble as this little child is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven. “And anyone who welcomes a little child like this on my behalf#18:5 Greek in my name. is welcoming me. But if you cause one of these little ones who trusts in me to fall into sin, it would be better for you to have a large millstone tied around your neck and be drowned in the depths of the sea.’ Matthew 18:1-6(NLT)

Matthew 18:1-6 is our reading for today,

At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, “Who then is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” Then Jesus called a little child to Him, set him in the midst of them, and said, “Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. Whoever receives one little child like this in My name receives Me. But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to sin, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were drowned in the depth of the sea.”

This is a powerful truth God desires you and me to understand. He takes very seriously the protection and nurture of children.

First, it is important to understand that the word sin in this verse means to entrap. It means to set a snare for someone. Jesus was talking about someone who purposely entices an innocent child to do wrong.

Second, the millstone He refers to was about five feet across and would take an ox or a donkey to turn it. Get the picture?! Better for that millstone to be tied around a person’s neck and to drown in the depths of the deepest sea than to entice a child to do wrong.

The exploitation or abuse of children is not overlooked or taken lightly by God. We read in Scripture that some sins incur a worse judgment from the Almighty. Causing children to sin is one of the worst. Never take their exploitation lightly.

from Develop God’s Heart For Others