The One Thing God Wants From You February 19, 2009
Posted by stevensc in Decision Making, Growth, church.Tags: Christian, church, confused, desert, direction, disappointment, dispair, God, hard times, heartache, Jesus, job, john 6:29, lost, purpose, sovereign, wilderness, winter
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Life sure doesn’t always go the way you planned. The longer I live, the more I realize that God’s purpose for me will play itself out. It won’t come one day sooner that He has willed it. We could all rest a little better at night if we would begin to trust in the complete sovereignty of God. Too often, we can find ourselves wondering what MY PURPOSE in life is. What has God created me for? Am I doing his will? Did I miss my chance? You feel that life has shifted out of gear and into neutral.
Some of you reading this truly understand what living in the winter season feels like. At the most crucial points thoughts begin to ring louder and louder in your ears. You begin to question if all the heartache and disappointment are worth it. You begin to despise the church’s religious side. You get frustrated with doors that have been slammed in your face. Patience has not just wained thin, but has become non-existant. Before long, you begin to almost prefer the life of little or no responsibilities. The world’s goals of mediocrity feel less painful and thus more appealing. The battle rages in your mind every day as wonder about God’s “supposed” presence in your life.
But if you step back to look at the big picture, you’ll realize that God has been with you all along. Even when you were in sin, He never give up on you. Blessings still come in your life (health, bills being paid, food on the table, cars to drive, family, etc.). So who has allowed your life to be protected? Who has allowed to have all that you still have? A SOVERIGN GOD! Who has been there to accept you back after each time you willingly and knowingly sinned? A SOVEREIGN GOD!
He does it because you ARE chosen. You DO have a purpose, and its much more than your career. It’s much more than the position you hold in the church. He has more for you, but everything will come in His time. He wants to take you out of the wilderness and into the promised land, but he would not be doing you any favors of allowing you to possess the next level if your character is not ready to handle it.
So take a deep breath. Read this scripture, rest in HIS SOVEREIGNTY, and let faith rise up. Your best days are still ahead.
“Jesus told them, ‘This is the only work God wants from you: Believe in the one he has sent.” John 6:29 NLT
Why You Should Submit To Governing Authority (Part 1) January 12, 2009
Posted by stevensc in Growth, Leadership, church.Tags: anarchy, authority, boss, church, evil, good, parent, romans, soverign, spouse, submit
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Romans 13 has a lot to say about how we should relate to those who have authority over parts of our life. This could be a spouse, parent, boss, pastor, etc. In this three part series, I want to explain WHY God wants you to submit to those who are in positions of authority.
1. They are in their position because God allowed it.
People who have a hard time submitting also have a hard time with the sovereignty of God. They usually don’t have a problem believing that God CAN do anything He wants. Their problem lies in pointing out that if something DID INDEED HAPPEN, then God allowed it. Because they got overlooked for a promotion, they take every chance to talk negativly about the one that actually got hired. Because their political candidate did not get elected, they scream like a religious zealot that we have become a godless nation. Romans 13:1-2 then says:
“Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God. Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation.”
When you resist their authority over you, you resist God. Even the boss, the political candidate, and that pastor in the pulpit have been “ordained by God” to be in that position. By submitting to them, you in essence are telling God, “I TRUST YOU AND THOSE YOU’VE PLACED OVER ME.”
2. Good works can come through organization, but never through anarchy.
God created positions of authority from the very beginning. He place Adam and Eve in charge of the garden. He told them to name the animals, to dress and keep the garden. A hierarchy existed from the start. Authority is intended to organize so that good can come about. Otherwise, you’re left with nothing but evil and problems. Can you imagine a world left to itself with no authority? Romans 13:3 says:
“For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? Do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same.”
So for those of you who think you’d be better off without your boss, be thankful that at least he’s there keeping things from getting worse. Thank God for your spouse because you could have that other person’s spouse (who is much worse) instead! Honor your authorities. They are the best way to show God your faith in Him and allow good to rule in your life.
