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. 18

“This is my command: that you keep on loving each other just as I have loved you. No one has greater love than a person who lays down his life for his friends. You are my friends, if you do what I command you” (Yochanan (Jhn) 15:12-14). Loving like Jesus loved is to love God and to love all people. Just to love people so much that there is no doubt of our love for them because there is no doubt that Jesus loves us. What is that kind of love? “Beloved friends, let us love one another; because love is from God; and everyone who loves has God as his Father and knows God. Those who do not love, do not know God; because God is love. Here is how God showed his love among us: God sent his only Son into the world, so that through him we might have life. Here is what love is: not that we have loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the kapparah for our sins” (1 Yochanan (1 Jo) 4:7-10). Jesus loves us enough to live a perfect life of love that ends in His own death for us. A death for us that conquers sin and death.

Too often folks our job, our calling, our gift is to judge the world. BUT our calling, our job, our commandment is to love. What is that kind of love? “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. I may give away everything that I own, I may even hand over my body to be burned; but if I lack love, I gain nothing. 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” (1 Corinthians (1 Co) 13:2-8). Love is the most important thing because God is love. The sacrifice of our life means nothing if it is done without love. Everything we do is to be filled with the love that Jesus showed to us by living a life of love. Living a life that was patient and kind like God. If many of us were in the place of God, The Bible would end on page one. Once Adam and Eve disobeyed, there was no need to continue the story. BUT God had a plan that was patient and loving. And where we deserved to not exist, He gave us a chance to love Him and walk with Him and be part of His plan. Nothing I do is ever going to be deserving of that chance. He gives me that chance whether I want it or not, whether I choose to use it or not. The patience and kindness of God is only surpassed by His love. “For God so loved the world that he gave his only and unique Son, so that everyone who trusts in him may have eternal life, instead of being utterly destroyed. For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but rather so that through him, the world might be saved. Those who trust in him are not judged; those who do not trust have been judged already, in that they have not trusted in the one who is God’s only and unique Son” (Yochanan (Jhn) 3:16-18). Trust in God by loving like God.

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