Pray for authorities

TODAY'S SPECIAL: 1 Timothy 1-2; Psalm 19

TO CHEW ON: "Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence." 1 Timothy 2:1-2


The instructions to pray for rulers and authorities must have been especially difficult for members of the early church. Their rulers were often cruel and repressive with no qualms about giving Christians a bad time. Followers of "The Way" were frequently scapegoats, accused of and then killed for crimes they had never committed.

In spite of this, Paul tells Timothy to instruct the people in his congregation to intercede and give thanks for all in leadership and authority positions. Still today, whether we like them or not, agree or disagree with their politics and decisions, we are to pray for those who rule and have authority — in our land and all over the world.

Dick Eastman in his book Love On Its Knees gives us some specific ways we can pray for leaders and authorities. First, he lays out a general "Micah Plan." It is based on praying out of Micah 6:8 — Micah's description of the lifestyle and conduct of a leader:

"He has shown you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?" 

From this Eastman suggests:

"- We must pray that a particular leader will do justly....that he or she will govern truthfully with a spirit of sincerity.
- We may pray that a leader will love mercy. This means he or she will govern compassionately with a spirit of generosity.
- We may pray that the leader will walk humbly with God. This means he or she will govern modestly and with a spirit of sensitivity."

Eastman then goes on to list seven specific things we can pray for leaders of our country and countries around the world:

1. That unjust leaders will make mistakes that help advance the Gospel of Jesus Christ (Psalm 109:26-29).

2. That tyrannical leaders will fall from power by receiving unsound advice (Psalm 5:10).

3. That godly leaders will discover spiritual wisdom to govern their nations (Proverbs 28:2).

4. That all leaders will receive a personal message of God's love (Isaiah 52:7).

5. That leaders in troubled nations will grow weary of continuing bloodshed in their lands (1 Kings 5:3-4).

6. That corrupt leaders will recognize their evil ways and turn to God (2 Chronicles 33:11-13).

7. That all leaders will realize that God alone gave them their positions of authority (Daniel 2:20-21) — Dick Eastman (Dick Eastman On Prayer: Love On Its Knees, excerpted from pages 97-101).

Let's spend some time praying for those in authority today.

PRAYER: Dear God, I confess I have often neglected to pray for the leaders of my land, province and city. Today I pray for my Prime Minister (or president or king...), the premier of my province (or governor of my state...), and the mayor of my city. May they be blessed with Your wisdom, have a personal sense of Your love, and acknowledge Your role in bringing them to their position and helping them carry out their responsibilities. Amen.

PSALM TO PRAY: Psalm 19

The Bible Project VIDEO: 1 Timothy (Read Scripture Series)




MORE: More authorities to pray for...

Elected, appointed, or self-appointed political rulers are not society's only authorities. Many other people have such positions, not formally recognized perhaps but by reason of their influence. Other authority figures for which we can and should pray could be:

1. Judges and members of law enforcement, including the police and the military.

2. Educators which would include teachers, college and university professors, even our kids' sports coaches.

3. Cultural authorities such as entertainers and sports figures.

4. Commercial authorities such as business leaders, and members of the media.

Perhaps you can think of even more...

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Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Exploring Jesus' authority

Image: Pixabay

TODAY’S SPECIAL: Matthew 7:15-29

TO CHEW ON: “And so it was when Jesus had ended these sayings, that the people were astonished at His teaching, for He taught them as one having authority and not as the scribes.”  Matthew 7:29

Oh, I wish I could have sat in on one of Jesus’ hillside lectures! Mathew puts his finger on at least one aspect of Jesus' appeal—the authority with which He taught. Our passage contrasts it to the scribes.

What was the scribe’s teaching like. The IVP New Testament Commentary says:

“Other Jewish teachers regularly cited earlier sages' opinions, and though later teachers sometimes came to regard their tradition as tantamount to God's Word, Jesus' contemporaries never would have claimed, like Jesus, that people would be judged according to how they treated their words.

With greater authority than the scribes who expound the law, greater authority than Moses who gave it (5:1), the authority indeed of the One who will judge humanity on the final day (7:21-23), Jesus declares God's word, and the people recognize that he speaks with authority unlike their other teachers” - IVP New Testament Commentary accessed through Biblegateway.com.

The word authority here is exousia. It means:
1. The power of choice - liberty of doing as one pleases.
2. Physical and mental power - the ability or strength with which one is endued.
3. The power of authority (influence) and of right (privilege).
4. The power of rule or government (the power of him whose will and commands must be submitted to by others and obeyed.

The lexicon I used to look up exousia lists other places in the Bible this word is used. I checked out the ones from the gospels and have tried to pair the times Jesus claimed or showed this authority with the various definitions:

1. Power of choice:

“'Therefore My Father loves Me, because I lay down My life that I may take it again. No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again.'" John 10:17,18

2. Physical or mental power, ability or strength:

"Then they were all amazed and spoke among themselves, saying, 'What a word this is! For with authority and power He commands the unclean spirits, and they come out'" - Luke 4:36

3. Power of authority (influence) and right (privilege): 

"But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name'" John 1:12 

"'For as the Father has life in Himself, so He has granted the Son to have life in Himself, and has given Him authority to execute judgment also, because He is the Son of Man'" John 5:26,27.

4. Power of rule or government:

"Then Pilate said to Him, “Are You not speaking to me? Do You not know that I have power to crucify You, and power to release You?”
Jesus answered, 'You could have no power at all against Me unless it had been given you from above. Therefore the one who delivered Me to you has the greater sin'” John 19:10,11

 Furthermore, Jesus gave His followers His authority:
- Over demons, disease and Satan’s power: 

"Then He called His twelve disciples together and gave them power and authority over all demons, and to cure diseases" Luke 9:1.

"'Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you'" Luke 10:19.

- At Jesus' ascension, on the strength of His authority He commissioned His followers—us—to use that authority:

 "And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, 'All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.' Amen"  - Matthew 28:18-20.

PRAYER: Dear Jesus, help me to experience Your authority coursing through me by the presence of the Holy Spirit to fulfill Your great commission. Amen.

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Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Under whose authority do we live?

 Jesus' authority extended over nature. 

(Image from Standard Bible Story Readers Book 2 

Used with permission)

TODAY’S SPECIAL: Luke 20:1-8

TO CHEW ON: “Now it happened on one of those days, as He taught the people in the temple and preached the gospel, that the chief priests and scribes together with the elders confronted Him and spoke to Him saying, ‘Tell us by what authority are You doing these things? Or who is it who gave You this authority?’” Luke 20:1,2

The religious leaders were justified, in their own minds, to challenge Jesus’ authority. As this IVP New Testament Commentary article points out:

“He has had no official training. He comes from Galilee, an area not known for its religious instruction or anything else of stature (John 7:52). He has never sat under a rabbi. Where does his authority come from? How can he justify the things he has been doing? This is really a fundamental question for the entire gospel (Luke 4:32,36; 5:24; 9:1; 10:19)” - IVP Commentary accessed through BibleGateway.com.

Jesus’ answer with another question was right in line with the back-and-forth discussion style of the day. (“This style of disputation was popular in the ancient world. It was designed to show who could ask the wiser question and expose the weaknesses in the opponent” - IVP Commentary).

His question (“’The baptism of John—was it from heaven or from men?’”) accomplished several things:
- It equated the authority of His ministry with the authority of John the Baptist’s.
- It revealed the religious leaders as unwilling to believe that either John or Jesus came from God.
- It put them in a dilemma (Luke 20:5,6)
- It silenced them for now (but they would be back - Luke 20:19-22).

The claims of Jesus’ authority are still an issue today, to unbelievers and believers alike.

To unbelievers, His words, “‘You must be born again’” (John 3:7) are an affront to the human spirit, which is quite happy with its state.

To believers, His words: “‘If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily,and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it ‘“  (Luke 9:23,24) show how demanding living under His authority will be.

PRAYER: Dear Jesus, when Your authority challenges my self-will, help me not to play mind games but to be honest with myself and deal with heart issues. Amen.

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Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Authority over spirits

“Jesus casts out an unclean spirit” 
Engraving by Bernard Picart, published 1728

TODAY’S SPECIAL: Luke 4:31-44

TO CHEW ON: “Then they were all amazed and spoke among themselves saying, ‘What a word is this! For with authority and power He commands the unclean spirits and they come out.” Luke 4:36

Our society’s reaction to occultic phenomena is mixed. On one hand there is a fascination with the paranormal. (For example, stories involving occultic and paranormal themes have been a recent popular trend in young adult fiction.)  On the other hand, most psychiatrists and psychologists would pooh-pooh the possibility that some people with mental disorders could be experiencing demonic oppression or possession.

Jesus wasn’t ambivalent about the reality of dark spirits. He acknowledged their existence by speaking to them. He commanded they come out of those they tormented, often forbidding them to speak of Him and who He was. He had authority (exousia) over them.

The whole of Luke 4 is an interesting study in Jesus’ authority. In today’s reading He is recognized as an authoritative teacher. He takes authority over demons. And He commands sickness to leave a woman’s body. At the beginning of the chapter is the account of Jesus’ authority encounter with Satan after His 40-day fast.

Jack Hayford says in a sidebar article about this passage:

“Here we see the Adversary as administrator of the curse on this planet, a role he has held since man’s dominion was lost and forfeited at the Fall. Because of this, Jesus does not contest the Devil’s right to make that offer of this world’s kingdoms and glory, but He pointedly denies the terms for their being granted. Jesus knows He is here to regain and ultimately win them, but He will do so on the Father’s terms, not the Adversary’s. Still, the present world systems are largely grounded by the limited but powerful and destructive rule of the one Jesus calls “the ruler of this world.” (John 12:31; 14:30).” New Spirit Filled Life Bible, p. 1394.

However, we don’t need to be intimidated. For Jesus, who demonstrated His authority over Satan while on earth, lives in us now by the Holy Spirit. As John reminds us, quoting Jesus' words:  “'You are of God, little children, and have overcome them (every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ came in the flesh), because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.'” 1 John 4:1-4

PRAYER: Dear Jesus, thank You for demonstrating Your power over Satan when You were on earth. Help me to live with Your authority in this Satan-administered world. Amen.

MORE: Spirit of the Rainforest is a powerful modern story of demon spirits and their reaction to Jesus. In my review of it you will find the testimony of a shaman and his account of how his spirits reacted when he visited his brother-in-law who had accepted Christ.

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Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Ultimate authority

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Luke 7:1-10

TO CHEW ON: " '…But say the word, and my servant will be healed. For I also am a man placed under authority, having soldiers under me. And I say to one, "Go," and he goes; and to another "Come," and he comes; and to my servant "Do this," and he does it.'" Luke 7:7-8

We know intuitively that in order to get action on an issue—from better service in a store to a change n the laws of the land—we need to appeal to the people who have the authority to make those changes [authority - the right to command and to enforce obedience; the delegated right or power, authorization; the official or group having administrative control in a specific area].

In our story today, the servant of a Roman centurion begged Jesus, through Jewish friends of that centurion, to come to the home of his boss and heal his sick son. While Jesus was on the way, the centurion's friends came with a strange request. They asked Jesus, on behalf of their Roman friend, not to come, but instead to simply give the command to heal. The centurion's rationale: Just like he (a Roman solder with rank) had the power and authorization to get things done by simply commanding the soldiers under him, so he recognized that Jesus had authority over sickness: "Just say the word and my servant will be healed" he said. 

Jesus was impressed. This Gentile Roman soldier recognized something that evaded the Jews and especially their leaders. The Gospel writers got it though. Their writings are full of the many aspects of Jesus' authority:

• They reported that Jesus taught with authority (Mark 1:22).

• He took authority over crowds  and activities in the temple (Matthew 14:19; Matthew 21:12).

• He commanded evil spirits with authority (Luke 4:36).

• He demonstrated His authority over nature by stilling storms, multiplying food, healing people from sickness, and even raising them from the dead (Mark 4:37-39; Matthew 14:19-21; Mark 2:8-12; Luke 7:11-15).

• He had authority to forgive sins (Matthew 9:6).

• Jesus was aware of and declared His authority, as did God the Father (Matthew 28:18; Mark 9:7).

• The exciting part of all this is that we are implicated in Jesus' authority. On the basis of His authority, He sends us out to fulfill His great and final assignment (Matthew 28:18-20).

In the light of all this, two questions come to mind:

1. Do you and I recognize His authority over all the areas in which He demonstrated and declared that He had/has it? Do we really believe He has authority over nature, sickness, death? Do we claim His authority over sin and dark spiritual forces?

2. Do we let His authority operate in and through us? Do we speak, pray, and minister with authority?

PRAYER: Dear Jesus, You have all authority in heaven and earth. Help me to live every day under Your authority and as an agent of Your authority. Amen.

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Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Who says so?

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Galatians 1:1-12

TO CHEW ON: "But I make known to you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached by me is not according to man. For I neither received it from man, nor was I taught it, but it came through the revelation of Jesus Christ." Galatians 1:11,12.


Over the next several months we'll be reading all the way through Galatians. Today we'll start with a bit of background (information gleaned from the Introduction to Galatians in my New Spirit-Filled Life Bible authored by Jerry Horner).

Author: Paul

Date written: A.D. 55-56.

Recipients: A group of churches in a region of Asia Minor (not just once city) called Galatia. It included towns of Antioch, Iconium, Lystra and Derbe.

Occasion: After a meeting in Jerusalem (Galatians 2:1). Scholars aren't sure which meeting Paul referred to—the one described in Acts 11:27-30 or the one in Acts 15.

Purpose: Paul wrote to contradict prominent people in the Galatian churches who insisted that Christians must continue to observe parts of the law (like circumcision) to be assured salvation.

To truly understand the scope of the change Paul will be talking about in this letter, let's put ourselves in the place of his readers. Their only Bible was the Old Testament. In it practices like circumcision were required. But new development were being debated and promoted by the apostles. They contradicted some of the key teachings of Judaism, like the need for circumcision, the old food prohibitions, and the need for animal sacrifices.

And so we come to the question Paul's readers would legitimately ask: "Who says this changes now?"

The Bible subtly answers that:

1. The risen Jesus conducted a sort of Kingdom of God Ministry school for the disciples. During the 40 days (between His resurrection and ascension) He spent time with them "… speaking of the things pertaining to the Kingdom of God" - Acts 1:3; Luke 24:13-35, 44,45. So He may have planted the seeds of change during this teaching time.

2. Of course we read the experience of Peter and Cornelius in Acts 10, which led to changes in enforcing Jewish food rules and the acceptance of Gentile believers.

3. Here Paul, who was not one of the original twelve apostles (and so didn't hear Jesus' teachings first hand) made a bold claim. His assertion was that the teaching he was about to give them came through the revelation from Jesus Himself (Galatians 1:11,12). He doesn't say how that revelation came—a vision, a dream, an audible voice. But his claim alerted his readers to the fact that what followed should be taken seriously.

What about us today? Does Jesus still give people in our time new revelations of the gospel?
Through the centuries Christians have worked through this, and determined, No. We believe that revelation is completely contained within our 66 Bible books.

One of the requirements necessary for a writing to be included in the Bible was that it be the writing of an apostle. Wayne Grudem in his Systematic Theology chapter "The Canon of Scripture" says:

"It is primarily the apostles who are given the ability from the Holy Spirit to recall accurately the words and deeds of Jesus and to interpret them rightly for subsequent generations. … Furthermore, those who have the office of apostle in the early church are seen to claim an authority equal to that of the OT prophets" - Wayne Grudem, Systematic Theology, p. 60.

And so we trust the early church councils—groups of believers who determined which writings should be included in the canon of the Bible and believe that the Bible's revelation to us is complete and reliable.

PRAYER: Dear Father, thank You for the Bible, our standard for Christian life and practice. Thank You for all those who have preserved it, copied it, and translated it Amen.

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Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Holy Spirit-Comforter

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Acts 9:19b-31

TO CHEW ON: "Then the churches throughout all Judea, Galilee, and Samaria had peace and were edified. And walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, they were multiplied." Acts 9:31

After a time of hounding and upheaval the church had a period of peace and grew as its members walked in the "... comfort of the Holy Spirit." I can imagine them in almost a daze of relief as the winds of persecution eased and they experienced a stretch of smooth sailing .

In His role as Comforter, Holy Spirit is sometimes referred to as Helper.

["Comfort - paraklesis - means a calling alongside to help, to comfort, to give consolation or encouragement. The paraklete is a strengthening presence, one who upholds those appealing for assistance" - New Spirit-Filled Life Bible, p. 1508.]

Jesus spoke to His disciples about the coming of the Holy Spirit and how He would help them in John 14, 15 and 16. He said:

• Holy Spirit would be with them forever - John 14:16.

• He would live with them and in them - John 14:17.

• He would teach them the things of God and help them remember these things when they needed to recall them - John 14:26.

• He would come with authority ("sent from the Father"), speak truth and testify of Jesus - John 15:26.

• He would be the One to convict unbelievers of sin, righteousness, and judgment (and hadn't those early Christians just seen that play out in living color in the life of Saul!) - John 16:7,8.

• He would reveal things to come - John 16:13.

Holy Spirit Comforter/Helper is still with us today. We don't ever need to feel that we're stuck doing God's work alone. We believe that He is with us and in us. He will help us understand the things of God and bring them to our memories. He is the One who convicts unbelieving family members, friends, neighbours, and associates of their sin and their need for salvation. He can prepare us for what's ahead.

Let's walk in the comfort of the Holy Spirit today.


PRAYER: Dear Holy Spirit, thank You for Your comforting presence in my life. Please help me to experience You as teacher, prompter of what to say, the one who convicts of sin, prophet, and revealer of truth in Jesus and the Father. Amen.


MORE: "The Comforter Has Come" - Jars of Clay





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Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

What authority determines your course?

TODAY'S SPECIAL: 2 Timothy 4:1-18

TO CHEW ON: "For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth and be turned aside to fables." 2 Timothy 4:3,4

Such a time has come for the church, especially over the issue of blessing same sex marriages. Numerous books have lately come out by professing Christians that are pro same-sex unions (see this Publisher's Weekly article).

Writers of these books usually argue that Bible passages that speak clearly against homosexuality* have been misinterpreted and are saying something different than what they seem to say.

Dr. Albert Mohler, president of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, has put together a book (God and the Gay Christian? A Response to Matthew Vines**)) refuting one of these books (God and the Gay Christian by Matthew Vines). In Mohler's book, Mohler and four other theologians speak to the arguments Vines makes.

In the chapter titled "What Has the Church Believed and Taught?" Denny Burk quotes liberal theologian Luke Timothy Johnson who, to his credit, is one who admits that the Bible doesn't come out favoring same-sex relationships. In fact, he names the authority that proponents of gay marriage are really following. He says:

"I have little patience with efforts to make Scripture say something other than what it says, through appeals to linguistic or cultural subtleties. The exegetical situation is straightforward: we know what the text says. But what are we to do with what the text says? … I think it is important to state clearly that we do, in fact, reject the straightforward commands of Scripture, and appeal instead to another authority when we declare that same-sex unions can be holy and good. And what exactly is that authority? We appeal explicitly to the weight of our own experience and the experience thousands of others have witnessed to, which tells us that to claim our own sexual orientation is in fact to accept the way in which God has created us" (quoted in God and the Gay Christian - A Response to Matthew Vines? p. 54)

More and more churches and individual Christians that hold to the traditional interpretation of the Bible on contentious issues like gay marriage are being pushed into a corner by the powers of political correctness and public opinion. In this context it's really important that we settle for ourselves (corporately and personally) who and what our authority is in these matters.

Do we set our course by the Bible's authority or are we too heaping up for ourselves fables (new authorities like experience)? We need to determine to set our course by the true North Star of God's word, not the flashy satellites of experience and public opinion that orbit the sky of our culture.

PRAYER: Dear God, in these times when the authority of Your word is being questioned, help me to stay true to it and You. Help me to live my life by Your standards, not the standards of the society around me. Amen.


* Bible passages that speak about homosexuality are: Genesis 19:5; Leviticus 18:22; Leviticus 20:13; Romans 1:26-27; 1 Corinthians 6:9; and 1 Timothy 1:10. 

** Download the free pdf of God and the Gay Christian? A Response to Matthew Vines HERE.


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Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Our setting according to God

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Genesis 2:4-25

TO CHEW ON: "This is the history of the heavens and the earth when they were created; in the day that the Lord God made the earth and the heavens." Genesis 2:4

When a science fiction writer sets out to spin her tale, she describes early on in the story the setting, letting us observe her made-up universe and explaining its rules. In some ways our reading today does that for our home — the earth. We find at least seven foundational pillars that hold up and explain, according to God, the way life on earth came about and functions best:

1. God created the heaven and the earth (Genesis 2:4).

2. God formed man and gave him life (Genesis 2:7). Out of the lowliest, commonest part of creation — dust — God shaped him and intimately "breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being."

3. God gave man work — a purpose for living as the keeper of a garden (Genesis 2:15).

4. God set boundaries for human behaviour — an opportunity for man to exercise his will to obey and live or disobey and die (Genesis 2:17).

5. God created animals and charged Adam with the task of naming them (Genesis 2:19,20). This implies a human precedence over the animal kingdom. We're not the same. For example, killing an animal is not murder, like killing a human being is.

6. God made woman and Adam recognized her as his "comparable" (Genesis 2:22, 23). "'Comparable to him' denotes complementarity. The needed help is for daily work, procreation, and mutual support through companionship" - Russell Bixler, notes on Genesis,  New Spirit-Filled Life Bible, p. 7.

7. God established marriage (vs. 24).
"Therefore shall a man leave his father and mother..." Leave tells us there is a change of priorities here. Mom and Dad (Mom-in-law, Dad-in-law) are no longer the focus of this relationship.
"...and be joined to his wife..." They are to be joined in passion and permanence.
"...and they shall become one flesh." One flesh implies sexual union, conceiving children, being spiritually and emotionally intimate, and living with each other in the same way one does with one's blood family of birth.

These pillars have been under attack from the first Eden days ("Then the serpent said to the woman, 'You shall not surely die.'" - Genesis 3:4) till now. However, ignoring or flaunting any one of them in belief and behaviour does, I think, put us on a wrong track and cause our lives to be out-of-kilter with the way God designed us to work best.

The challenge for us is to stand firm on God's order of things in spite of society's clamouring against aspects of it, like the questioning of God's existence, the fact that He is the creator, the existence of an objective moral standard, the eternal implications of disobeying God, and the sanctity of marriage, to name a few.

PRAYER: Dear God, thank You for laying out our setting so clearly. Help me to stay focused on the way You say things are and not be distracted or swayed by the world's arguments against Your order. Amen.


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Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Our authority through Jesus

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Revelation 1:1-20

TO CHEW ON: "John, to the seven churches which are in Asia: Grace to you and peace … from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler over the kings of the earth. To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood, and has made us kings and priests to His God and Father, to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen." - Revelation 1:4-6

What a lot of information about Jesus and what His life, death, and resurrection have accomplished for us is crammed into this greeting from John to his readers.

John begins by calling Jesus a witness [martus - our word martyr comes from martus. It means one who testifies to the truth he has experienced.] Though martus doesn't in itself imply death, many first-century  witnesses gave their lives for what they had witnessed. May some of us be called to do the same?

John calls Jesus "the firstborn from the dead" reminding his readers of how Christ defeated death at the resurrection. "Firstborn" tells us that He was only the first and that others will also be triumphant over death.

Now Jesus is exalted the "rulers offer the kings of the earth." We recall the martyr Stephen's view of him: "'Look! I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God'" - Acts 7:56.

The next line of John's greeting brings Jesus close and personal to each one of us who accepts Him: "To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood." We are clean and accepted!

But our life with Him doesn't stop there. John addresses our future (or is it also our present?): "Jesus Christ … has made us kings and priests to His God and Father." Jack Hayford sums it up well in my Bible's sidebar article:

"In prefacing the broad arenas of prophecy about to be unfolded, John addresses two very important present truths: 1] We, Christ's redeemed, are loved and are washed from our sins—a present state. 2] We, through His glorious dominion have been designated 'kings and priests' to God—also a present calling. Thus these dual offers give perspective on our authority and duty and how we most effectively may advance the kingdom of God" - Jack Hayford, "Worship and the Kingdom" - New Spirit-Filled Life Bible, p. 1816, 1817).

I don't know about you, but on most days I don't feel like a king or priest. By faith I want to believe and live in this fact, praying that Jesus' life in mine will give it such kingly, priestly authority.

From a book I've been reading:

"The Kingdom of God is not a matter of talk; it is a matter of power. This is not arrogance, as though you and I did something to deserve this authority. It is about Jesus, for Jesus and with Jesus …. Praying with authority is not about being cocky, it is about exercising His power. The authority to do so is cultivated through deep and consistent intimacy with Him" - Chad Norris, Signs and Wonders and a Baptist Preacher, Kindle Locations 1195, 1247.

PRAYER: Dear Jesus, thank You for these reminders that I am a witness, that I am clean, and that I now have authority. Help me to exercise that authority in my day-to-day life. Amen.

MORE: "On the Authority" - Gaither Vocal Band

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The Holy Bible, New King James Version Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. - Used with permission.

The final authority

TODAY’S SPECIAL: 1 Corinthians 15:20-41

TO CHEW ON: “Then comes the end, when He delivers the kingdom to God the Father, when He puts an end to all rule and all authority and power. For He must reign till He has put all enemies under His feet. The last enemy that will be destroyed is death.” 1 Corinthians 15:24-26

When you have a problem with the service you get in a store, you don’t lodge your complaint with the janitor, the boy who stocks shelves, or even the cashier. If you want action on your issue, you go to the person who has the authority or power to make a difference – the supervisor, manager or, if it’s serious enough, the president of the company.

The verses we’re looking at today talk about who has ultimate authority over the universe. They speak of a time in the future – a “Then…” telling us it’s not yet so.

For reasons known to God, He has for a time allowed Satan some authority on earth. When we witness sickness, chaos, confusion, hatred and death, we see evidences of that authority. But Satan's authority won't last forever. Our verses speak of a time when God rescinds or puts an end to all other rule but His on the earth. It's a time that is foreshadowed by the resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:20-23).

The Greek word for authority used here is exousia. One meaning for exousia is the right to use dunamis – another authority word that means “strength.” We could paraphrase “He puts an end to all rule, and all authority and power” as “He (Jesus) puts an end to all rule and all the right / permission to use strength and power.”

I love how my Bible’s footnote to verse 28 expands on this: “The goal of history and the consummation of the covenant will occur when the kingdom is delivered up to God. When creation will be completely free of all dissident antilife forces.” (The New Spirit Filled Life Bible, p. 1603 - emphasis mine)

Nice thoughts. But how do they impact you and me today? Here are three ways:

1. We can choose to live under ultimate authority – the authority of the Kingdom of God – now. (Jesus’ teaching in the Gospels are full of the ‘laws of physics and gravity’ of that kingdom.)

2. We can appeal, in prayer, to the One with the highest authority.

3. We can live with hope and expectation, knowing that someday God’s authority will be established in real time on earth.

PRAYER: Dear God, I acknowledge Your ultimate authority over my life, over history, over the earth. Help me to live out this belief today. Amen.

MORE: Handel's Messiah Alert!

1 Corinthians 15:21, 22 are words in Handel's Messiah:
"Since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive." 

Chorus # 46 "Since by man came death"- Tafelmusik version


 

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The Holy Bible, New King James Version Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. - Used with permission.

The final authority

TODAY’S SPECIAL: 1 Corinthians 15:20-38

TO CHEW ON: “Then comes the end, when He delivers the kingdom to God the Father, when He puts an end to all rule and all authority and power. For He must reign till He has put all enemies under His feet. The last enemy that will be destroyed is death.” 1 Corinthians 15:24-26

When you have a problem with the service you get in a store, you don’t lodge your complaint with the janitor, the boy who stocks shelves, or even the cashier. If you want action on your issue, you go to the person who has the authority or power to make a difference – the supervisor, manager or, if it’s serious enough, the president of the company.

The verses we’re looking at today talk about who has ultimate authority over the universe. They speak of a time in the future – a “Then…” telling us it’s not yet so.

For reasons known to God, He has for a time allowed Satan some authority on earth. When we witness sickness, chaos, confusion, hatred, and death, we see evidences of that authority. But Satan's authority won't last forever. Our verses speak of a time when God rescinds or puts an end to all other rule but His on the earth.

The Greek word for authority used here is exousia. One meaning for exousia is the right to use dunamis – another authority word that means “strength.” We could paraphrase “He puts an end to all rule, and all authority and power” by saying “He (Jesus) puts an end to all rule and all the right / permission to use strength and power.”

I love how my Bible’s footnote to verse 28 expands on this: “The goal of history and the consummation of the covenant will occur when the kingdom is delivered up to God. When creation will be completely free of all dissident antilife forces.” (The New Spirit Filled Life Bible, p. 1603 - emphasis mine)

Nice thoughts. But how do they impact you and me today? Here are three ways:


1. We can choose to live under Kingdom of God authority now. (Jesus’ teaching in the Gospels are full of the ‘laws of physics and gravity’ of that kingdom.)

2. We can appeal, in prayer, to the One with the highest authority.

3. We can live with hope and expectation, knowing that someday God’s authority will be established in real time on earth over everything and everyone.

PRAYER: Dear God, I acknowledge Your ultimate authority over my life, over history, over the earth. Help me to live out this belief today. Amen.

MORE: Chris Tomlin sings “All Hail the Power of Jesus Name”

(From the archives)

Authority to heal

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Luke 9:1-9

TO CHEW ON: "Then He called His twelve disciples together and gave them power and authority over all demons, and to cure diseases. He sent them to preach the kingdom of God and to heal the sick.... So they departed and went through the towns, preaching the gospel and healing everywhere." Luke 9:1-2,6

Today as I read this passage I am conflicted. Coming at this time it seems an almost cruel reminder of my own lack of power and authority. For I am writing this far from home. We have gathered to be near my brother who is in palliative care.

"Palliative." That adjective says it all. He has, the doctor says, two weeks to live at most.

We have prayed for him to be healed, but so far God has not answered yes to that prayer. Many thoughts crowd in...If only Jesus were here — He could heal him. But we have the Holy Spirit, the spirit of Jesus. So why is he not healed? Is it sin in our lives, or lack of faith or simply not claiming and acting on the authority we have?

Jack Hayford comments about this passage:

"The Gospel throbs with confidence in the full transparency of power and authority for ministry by Jesus to His disciples then and now:


- We may expect victory over the power of darkness and their operation (Luke 10:19).


- We are assigned to "do business" as authorized representatives of our Lord until He returns (Luke 19:13).


- We are promised the Father's pleasure "to give" us the kingdom that is to supply us with His peace and power (Luke 12:32).


Dominion over evil has been given, but we can expect to see spiritual breakthrough to the degree we receive and apply that authority in prayer, preaching, teaching and personal ministry." Jack Hayford - "Authority for Ministry" Spirit Filled Life Bible, p. 1403.

So far my brother has not been healed. But I will keep praying for that until he takes his last breath. For I believe that physical healing is part of the atonement ("...by His stripes we are healed") and if God has more earthly purposes for my bro to fulfill, he will be healed.

PRAYER: Dear God, I long to see more of Your power evident in my life as authority over sickness and evil. Am I missing something. Please show me. Amen.

MORE: "Come Walk Among Us"

Michael Hansen wrote this beautiful prayer asking for Jesus' presence. Here is a snippet. (It's on the Freedom / Kelly Carpenter, Loralee Thiessen & Michael Hansen
 (Cafe 4)" project.)

Do your 8-12-year-olds have daily devotions? Point them to Bible Drive-Thru.

The final authority

TODAY’S SPECIAL: 1 Corinthians 15:20-34

TO CHEW ON: “Then comes the end, when He delivers the kingdom to God the Father, when He puts an end to all rule and all authority and power. For He must reign till He has put all enemies under His feet. The last enemy that will be destroyed is death.” 1 Corinthians 15:24-26

When you have a problem with the service you get in a store, you don’t lodge your complaint with the janitor, the boy who stocks shelves, or even the cashier. If you want action on your issue, you go to the person who has the authority or power to make a difference – the supervisor, manager or, if it’s serious enough, the president of the company.

The verses we’re looking at today talk about who has ultimate authority over the universe. They speak of a time in the future – a “Then…” telling us it’s not yet so.

For reasons known to God, He has for a time allowed Satan some authority on earth. When we witness sickness, chaos, confusion, hatred and death, we see evidences of that authority. But Satan's authority won't last forever. Our verses speak of a time when God rescinds or puts an end to all other rule but His on the earth.

The Greek word for authority used here is exousia. One meaning for exousia is the right to use dunamis – another authority word that means “strength.” We could paraphrase “He puts an end to all rule, and all authority and power” by saying “He (Jesus) puts an end to all rule and all the right / permission to use strength and power.”

I love how my Bible’s footnote to verse 28 expands on this: “The goal of history and the consummation of the covenant will occur when the kingdom is delivered up to God. When creation will be completely free of all dissident antilife forces.” (The New Spirit Filled Life Bible, p. 1603 - emphasis mine)

Nice thoughts. But how do they impact you and me today? Here are three ways:

1. We can choose to live under ultimate authority – the authority of the Kingdom of God – now. (Jesus’ teaching in the Gospels are full of the ‘laws of physics and gravity’ of that kingdom.)

2. We can appeal, in prayer, to the One with the highest authority.

3. We can live with hope and expectation, knowing that someday God’s authority will be established in real time on earth.

PRAYER: Dear God, I acknowledge Your ultimate authority over my life, over history, over the earth. Help me to live out this belief today. Amen.

MORE:

Chris Tomlin sings “All Hail the Power of Jesus Name”