No King BUT Christ no. 21

“Everyone is to obey the governing authorities. For there is no authority that is not from God, and the existing authorities have been placed where they are by God. Therefore, whoever resists the authorities is resisting what God has instituted; and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves. For rulers are no terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you like to be unafraid of the person in authority? Then simply do what is good, and you will win his approval; for he is God’s servant, there for your benefit. But if you do what is wrong, be afraid! Because it is not for nothing that he holds the power of the sword; for he is God’s servant, there as an avenger to punish wrongdoers. Another reason to obey, besides fear of punishment, is for the sake of conscience. This is also why you pay taxes; for the authorities are God’s public officials, constantly attending to these duties. Pay everyone what he is owed: if you owe the tax-collector, pay your taxes; if you owe the revenue-collector, pay revenue; if you owe someone respect, pay him respect; if you owe someone honor, pay him honor” (Romans (Rom) 13:1-7). And Paul wrote this after having been persecuted and imprisoned by governments. He paid everyone what they were owed. He respected the authority of the earthly government because it was part of God’s plan. BUT he didn’t join the government. He didn’t run for office. He didn’t enlist in enforcing its laws. He knew its place, subordinate to God. And Paul chose the Kingdom of God.

Paul knew that, “No servant can be slave to two masters, for he will either hate the first and love the second, or scorn the second and be loyal to the first” (Luke (Luk) 16:13). So he served God and the Kingdom while respecting and honoring the authority of the earthly governments. He didn’t lead a violent revolution. He didn’t cease the means of production. He didn’t march. He spread the Kingdom message.

And, in the Kingdom, the servants are the model. We show Jesus in washing feet, healing the sick, feeding the hungry, helping the hurt, encouraging the depressed, and doing for others. There is a lot about loving our neighbor and loving God and much less about arguing about laws. And that isn’t because Jesus isn’t political. It’s extremely politically polarizing to say that The Christ is King because it says that Caesar, Biden, Trump, Obama, Bush, and the like are not King. So just as we are to love our neighbor, those folks are our neighbors. And despite not liking their actions, despite not agreeing with their sinful natures, I can still love them enough to pray for them.

Love is expecting others to be better. Too often we expect the worst from each other. Jesus wants us to expect the best from each other by being the best version of ourselves. And all the time that means being His servant and respecting God’s plan. If I trust God with my life, don’t I trust Him to handle the whole government thing? I mean, He is enthroned. I am working on His Kingdom and His Kingdom has a great way of transforming people and places. And His Kingdom is here when we work toward bringing it to being through Him.

That’s our choice. Are we going to walk like the Goyim? Or are we going to walk in His freedom? Who really died for my freedom? I choose the one that did die to make me free, Jesus.

Grace and Shalom to your home. The Kingdom of God is now!

I love you. I forgive you. Have a blessed and abundant day!

#ThinkBetter #BeBetter #NoKingButChrist #EmbraceTheWithin #NotMyWayYHWH

No King BUT Christ no. 20

“I may speak in the tongues of men, even angels; but if I lack love, I have become merely blaring brass or a cymbal clanging. I may have the gift of prophecy, I may fathom all mysteries, know all things, have all faith — enough to move mountains; but if I lack love, I am nothing” (1 Corinthians (1 Co) 13:1-2). Yesterday I ran into a situation where I tried to act in love BUT I was still blaring brass and a clanging cymbal. I was being misrepresented in what I wrote. And I tried to first stop him from moving forward with his accusations and allegations. I failed. I then tried to explain what he was doing and then I was the problem. It ended with him being the victim and me feeling stupid. I say all that not to spurn him or call him out but to prove how difficult relationships are even among Christians. He thought he was acting in love and so did I BUT we still ended up as blaring brass and clanging cymbals. We still ended up not talking. Dude even blocked me. And that is an embarrassing situation for any Christian. It makes me feel like I failed to show God’s love.

“'Love is patient and kind, not jealous, not boastful, not proud, rude or selfish, not easily angered, and it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not gloat over other people’s sins but takes its delight in the truth. Love always bears up, always trusts, always hopes, always endures. Love never ends; but prophecies will pass, tongues will cease, knowledge will pass. For our knowledge is partial, and our prophecy partial; but when the perfect comes, the partial will pass” (1 Corinthians (1 Co) 13:4-10). I don’t know if I failed God or not in that moment BUT I do know that working on His two commandments is a lifelong process because of people. I am a people having relationships with people. And underneath all that peopleness is brokenness. I am broken and you are broken. BUT we all need to learn to love like Jesus. And let me tell you, Jesus wasn’t out to do anything BUT love the hell out of everyone. So, maybe I failed to do that yesterday because I didn’t love the hell out of that dude even though I tried. Folks can be frustrating. Folks can be mean. Folks can be stubborn. Folks can be rude. Folks can be anything they want. BUT I am still to be loving. And that is something I always need help in doing. And thankfully God is there to help.

BUT I didn’t fail God yesterday. “'But for now, three things last — trust, hope, love; and the greatest of these is love” (1 Corinthians (1 Co) 13:13). I still have trust in Him and hope for my brothers and sisters and me. I may still need to work on how I show love. I may still be a broken person among other broken people. BUT as long as He is enthroned, I can’t fail. He has already won. He has already planned it all. And He will always be King. You and I can beat ourselves up over failing Him or we can forgive and move forward. And forgiving ourselves for failing is often most important. God didn’t call me to be perfect. He has the perfect part covered. God called me to be a flawed person working for His Kingdom. And every day that is enough.

Grace and Shalom to your home. The Kingdom of God is now!

I love you. I forgive you. Have a blessed and abundant day!

#ThinkBetter #BeBetter #NoKingButChrist #EmbraceTheWithin #NotMyWayYHWH