As we know, we are living in challenging times.
And there are freedoms that have been taken from us in our life
that we've never experienced before.
In my 53 years of living, I have lived a life free to do whatever
I wanted to do. And worshipping God in the way
that we have done. So all my life and freedoms have
not been taken from me. In fact, persecution, really has
avoided me and persecution really from the standpoint of
what the Bible declares. As people that really suffered
for their faith really. In my life.
The greatest thing that ever happened to me or the worst
thing that ever happened to me is perhaps somebody made fun of
me because of what I believed. But there are challenging times
around us, I get that, I know that.
And I know also that it may be that in the future.
It may get worse in our country, in our world, we may be looking
to war someday, I don't know. There may be some difficult
things that lie ahead. So, in this very short little
sermon this morning, I want to talk about one aspect or one
idea. And that is this in the midst of
trials in the midst of persecution, in the midst of
Whatever comes our way, please understand.
God is still in control. Focus on that focus on that and
not all the individual things that are standing in our way
focus on the fact that God is still in control.
What about the government's that are around us?
Very familiar passage of scripture in Romans 13:1.
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. In other words, God is Still
ultimately in control and the governmental structure that is
around us is ordained of God. In verse 1, there is no
Authority except from God and notice where it says and the
authorities plural. Are appointed by God.
You know, there are three institutions that God gave for
the benefit of man. Number one, goes all the way
back in the garden, when God ordained or God instituted
marriage. Marriage was the first
institution given to man for the benefit of man?
Personally, by God, secondly, we find.
Also there's the church and that is for the benefit spiritually
of, man. And number three, Is government.
And that's for the public well-being of man.
So marriage, personal well-being Church, spiritual well-being,
government, public well-being, and God has ordained them all to
carry out his purpose. And for the benefit of man, in
Psalm 62 and verse 11, the Bible says God has spoken once twice.
I have heard this that power belongs to God.
I think we give too much power to people.
And forget that God is ultimately in control the
psalmist, David recorded in Psalm 62 and 11 power belongs to
God. God is also determined the times
of Nations. You know?
I've heard that all of my life, but wrap your head around that,
for just a minute, God has determined the length of
Nations. He determines the beginning and
the ending of that. In fact, in Acts chapter 7, In
verse 26, get a notice to passages here.
Acts chapter 17 and verse 26. He has made from one blood every
nation of men to dwell on the face of the Earth and has
determined their pre appointed times and boundaries of their
dwellings now, who did that the one that did that was God
himself. Another passage Daniel chapter 4
and verse 17. Listen to this.
The decision is by the decree of Watchers and the sentence by the
word of the Holy ones in order that The living may know get
this that the most high rules in the Kingdom of men and get this
and gives to it whomever he will and sets over it.
The lowest of men. If you don't think God is
involved in the governmental structure or those in authority
over us. Please consider that passage.
It says the most high. The who is the most high, the
most high is God, the most high Reigns and rules and dwells in
the kingdoms of men. He gives it to whoever he will
and he sets the lowest of men over it.
That's what God does governments and the men that will power in
it are chosen by God. In fact, government was an
institution that's ordained by. God is well it was God
appointed. Now, may I just add this though
and I got to tell you I'm a positive person by Nature.
And I love the country that we live in.
I do. And I appreciate those that have
died for our freedom. Those that have fought and died
in our country for our freedoms. And we enjoy those freedoms and
I'm appreciative of that. And I do enjoy being an
American. But all of that being said, I
got to tell you, contrary to what some people think, God is
not American. God is a spirit and they that
worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth.
So dot God does not love Americans more than he loves
Filipinos or Africans. In the mind of God, we are all
the same. There's no difference between
all of us and I guess I would say and I hope it's not
disrespectful to God, but in that God is colorblind, it
doesn't matter. All that matters is The Souls of
men and God, Everyone to turn to him.
So, all that being said, the Bible does not uphold a specific
theory of government or various type of government.
In fact, you cannot find a democratic social civil
structure in the Bible can't find it.
So, however, the rulers come to power, whether it's by dynastic
descent inherited, whether it's by aristocratic family
connection, or even a democratic election.
All of it is ordained of God. But I have to make this point
because maybe you're thinking this What about the evil rulers?
What about the evil rulers in days?
Gone by in history. What about immoral leaders?
What about them? Is God over them to?
What about the unjust? Well, first of all, cruel abuses
in government, Are no reflection on God's nature.
They don't taint, his Purity, you know.
Just make this little illustration about marriage.
In the very beginning, when God brought the woman to the man
after she he created the woman because it was not good for him
to be alone. He said, she's now bone of my
bones Flesh of My Flesh. She shall be called woman for,
she was taken out of man. And then the institution of
marriage. He said a man shall leave his
father and mother and be joined to his wife.
And the two of them would be one flesh.
We get that. That is the marriage
relationship and Union that God has established.
And yet people have abused the marriage relationship, going all
the way back through history and time.
But if somebody abuses the marriage relationship, it
doesn't mean it's an indictment on God.
And marriage is still what God has said that.
It always should be. Sometimes churches congregations
of the body of Christ digress, and go the way of the world.
That's not a reflection on God. And when a ruler decides to go
and be Wicked, it's not a reflection on God either.
It's not a reflection on God's Purity.
Okay, one writer noted this though.
Listen to this. Wicked rulers are part of God's
plan to punish Wicked Nations and to allow evil to run the
course toward destruction. But you know what, in the
beginning, in the beginning God ordained government to protect
and preserve man, for the protection of life and property.
It was for two reasons, one for the repression of evil and crime
and two for the rewarding of virtue and good.
That's the reason for the Structure of government.
Now, maybe you're sitting there and you're saying this.
Yeah. But Frank, I don't like what's
going on in our country. I just don't like it.
You know, God doesn't like it either.
When things happen that are ungodly.
You think God likes that? You might say, well, I just
don't like what's happening in our country.
You know what? God had neither.
But isn't it entirely possible though?
As one man wrote it this way? Just maybe God will choose a
form of government that suits. His purpose for a country that
has turned their back on him. God did in the Old Testament.
How many times do we read about those things that happen?
I don't have time to go into it. And when we go back to normal,
length of services, I'm going to preach on habakkuk.
But in that specific sense, God raised up horrible, people
called the Chaldeans to do some damage and to inflict
punishment. God did that.
So just maybe if things are getting more difficult in our
life just maybe it's because we are a nation that has turned
their back on him. But may I say this from a
spiritual perspective, please get this from a spiritual
perspective no matter what happens.
God's people will be just fine. Even if we suffer.
Even if we're persecuted, even if we have terrible things
happen, around us. Even if terrible things happen
to us in life, from a spiritual perspective, God is still in
control and God's people will be just fine.
So what should be our mindset moving forward?
And really this is a lesson of encouragement, remember God
still in control, what should be our mindset?
We got all these rulers that have to make decisions that
affect all of us. What should we do?
And I'll tell you it's really easy to bad-mouth a ruler.
It's easy to bad-mouth the governor.
It's easy to bad-mouth the president.
Let's notice what the word of God says.
Very briefly in Exodus. 22 and 28.
You shall not revile. God nor curse a ruler of your
people. What did Paul say?
Paul told Timothy pray for those in Authority, pray for them.
Pray that they'll have wisdom. You know, I'm going to tell you
in our lifetime. We've heard people pray prayer
after prayer. After prayer in the assembly
that God would never allow a law.
That would be enacted, that would take away our freedom of
worship. We've always said that do those
are those words that we meet, or do we just say them and are they
just words? Pray for those that are over us.
Pray for them. There are ordained of God and I
don't care if it's the president, the governor.
Or the police. Verse 2 of our text.
And I'm just about finished verse 2 says this.
So number one. Why would we submit to them?
Well, because there are date of God.
Number 2 verse 2. Therefore whoever resists The
Authority resist, the ordinance of God, you know, that word
resist, there's very interesting word.
You know what it means. It means to literally stand a
post. If we resist, the authoritative
structure that is over us. We are literally lining, our
self up against God. That's why.
Now, if the laws of the land said, no, you can't worship God.
What do we do? We worship God.
Anyway, if the law says, we cannot be a Christian.
What are we going to do? We're going to be a Christian.
Anyway, if the law states stipulated, those things we
would serve God, rather than man, but until that happens, we
have to submit to those ordinances that are around us.
So let's remember please in these challenging times.
That God is still in control. From a spiritual perspective,
it, it doesn't matter. God's people will be just fine.
I'm gonna read you a couple verses and I'm finished Romans
chapter 8. In verse 28.
And we know that all things work together for good to those who
love God to those, who are called according to his purpose.
One of the most misunderstood verses in the Bible.
People think that means you know what?
This terrible thing that's happening to me is going to work
for good. It's going to work out.
I got news for you sometimes it doesn't work out and that's not
what Paul meant. Paul was not saying every little
thing that's terrible in your life's going to work out.
If you love God, it's not what he meant.
What he's talking about is the structure of all that God has
promised. All of that God's plan.
All of that will work together for good, even if you suffer in
life, and even if it doesn't work out, Beginning in verse 35,
here's what's going to work together.
For good, in conclusion, who shall separate us from the love
of Christ, shall tribulation, or distress or persecution or
famine or nakedness or Peril or sword as it is written for your
sake. We are killed all day long.
We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.
Yet in all things we are more than conquerors through him who
loved us. But I am persuaded that neither
death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities nor powers nor
things present, nor things to come nor height nor depth, nor
any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the
love of God, which is in Christ Jesus, our lord that will work
together for good. So, let's focus on who's really
in control who's got the power. God is ultimately in control
regardless of what's happening in the circumstances of our
life, put our faith and trust in him.
And let's pray for those rulers that are over us.
They've got some real decisions to make very very soon.
And also pray to God that he'll give us the strength and the
courage to be the Christians. We should be regardless of the
circumstances in life. We thank you for listening to
our podcast, put on by the Church of Christ at 22:15 plans.
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