UNDER WHOM AM I?
First of Kingdom Kids devotion series explaining Jesus’ LORDship over our lives.
Isaiah 45:12: “It is I who made the earth and created mankind on it. My own hands stretched out the heavens; I marshaled their starry hosts.”
People either love or hate government. We love protection but hate obeying laws. We love police’s taking charge when someone robs us but hate being hauled off to jail when we forgot our key and break into our own home.
What do you think of when the word “government” is mentioned? The root word “govern” doesn’t work for those who are proud and want everything to go their way. The reason that God made (and oversees) government is to delegate authority to people on earth. Government is God’s hierarchy [HI-ER-ark-ee] meaning God’s chain-of-command.
Our Father has brought His influence from heaven to earth. In this fallen world, someone must have the ability to make things right. Our Father organized every star’s place in the heavens. (Psalm 147:4 says that He knows every star by name!) God directs kingdoms on earth down to caring for every detail in His kids' lives.
More than anyone, our Father is o-r-g-a-n-i-z-e-d!
On earth, God designated four areas under which His kids are organized. The first is individual. The second is family. Church is the third area—and we know that Jesus is the boss, there! The fourth area is civil. Civil government contains all areas outside the home and church, like political, domestic, city, state, and federal areas (in a democracy).
Each area is governed, or organized to perform specific tasks.
Each area is further classified by: 1) Sovereignty [sov-e-RIN-i-tee] means that someone gets to rule. 2) Representation designates accountability levels over the rule of others. 3) Laws list what’s allowed. 4) Jurisdiction [jur-is-DIKT-shon] means having power to enforce laws. 5) Continuity [kon-tin-U-i-tee] establishes permanence.
No one likes the rug being ripped out from under one’s feet.
Each of these classifications is determined by our Father in heaven.
Under whom am I?
All of them!
Take Home Nugget
Certainly, everyone is under individual rule. Each person gets to govern his or her own thoughts, words, and actions. Christians allow for another level of rule when we name Jesus as LORD over our individual lives. Check out the lesson linked below for more on Jesus’ LORDship.
“Your kingdom come,” is the second petition in the Lord’s Prayer. That’s praying for Jesus to launch God’s rule on earth! His 1,000 year (millennial) reign on earth will shock people (Revelation 20:4c). Everyone who hasn’t chosen Jesus as LORD over their individual lives will be in for a rude awakening.
Heavenly Father, please help me to obey everyone to whom I must give account, including Jesus! Amen.
Adapted from “Four Forms of Government” by Dr. Tony Evans. December 27, 2017. Check out the Urban Alternative at www.lightsource.com/ministries/
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