Romans 13:1-5 “All of you must obey those who rule over you. There are no authorities except the ones God has chosen. Those who now rule have been chosen by God. 2 Wo whoeve opposes the authorities opposes leaders whom God has appointed. Those who do that will be judged. 3If you do what is right, you won’t need to be afraid of your rulers. But watch out if you do what is wrong! You don’t want to be afraid of those in authority, do you? Then do what is right, and you will be praised. 4 The one in authority serves God for your good. But if you do wrong, watch out! Rulers don’t carry a sword for no reason at all. They serve God. And God is carry8ing out his anger through them. The ruler punishes anyone who does wrong. 5 You must obey the authorities. Then you will not be punished. You must also obey them because you know it is right.”

We seem to be living in a time and culture that wants to buck the authorities placed over them. All the way from the White House to the church house. This passage of scriptures is very clear in how we are to conduct ourselves. We are to obey those God has put over us. The only time this is to be ignored is if it directly opposes God’s Holy Word! We are not told to like what is done or said, but we are told to obey it!

This goes against the culture of today. People everyone want to decide how and what they will and will not do, based on their likes and dislikes. If they do not respect or like the person over them they try to go around or are just blatantly rebellious. We as the body of Christ should already know that anyone placed in a position of authority from your office all the way up the ladder to the White House had been put there by God himself. God is Sovereign over every detail of our lives. We seem to forget that and decide to pick and choose what we will and will not obey.

We also forget that when we attend a church and participate in activities there, we still need to obey whoever it is. They have been put in the position they are in by God, from your Pastor to Sunday School teachers to Music leaders and so on. We certainly should in these cases be willing to set aside our personal preferences to obey what we have been told to do or not to do. Again, if it violates scripture, you need to leave the church anyway! But if you are in a God fearing, Jesus preaching church that obeys the word, that listens to the word and the word is preached in truth, then you need to obey the guidelines set forth in whatever way they are set forth.

If it is something as small as do not eat or drink in the sanctuary, then don’t! It is that simple. If you are told not to wear something that seems less modest than it should be, then for one day a week on Sunday, don’t!
It does not tell us to like it, it tells us to do it and when we do and especially if we do it with the right attitude it pleases God. And don’t we all want to please God and not be a distraction to those around us?

I want to please God in all I do. What I say, how I say it, what I do and how I do it. Where I go or don’t go. What I look at or don’t look at. God is always watching always listening, He is everywhere at all times. Someone jokingly said to me the other day that sometimes they forget God is always present listening and watching. Listen, I myself am guilty of the same thing. But as I read and pray and continue to walk in faith and grow in my spiritual body I desire more and more to please him and I am more and more aware of his presence with me at all times.

As the body of Christ shouldn’t we set the example and be the first to do the right thing? Shouldn’t we be willing to set self aside and our desires aside for the good of the body? These are just some things to think about. I believe Jesus is coming soon and I want to be found living my best self for Him. I love him so much and I am so very thankful for each new day, breath in my lungs, hands, and feet that work and eyes that see. I am so very thankful for the price He paid for my sin and rebellion, I am so very thankful that He called me and I am his child. I want to live as though it could be today!

Blessing to you as you walk out your faith each day. I pray that the choices you make will be in line with the scriptures just as I pray it for myself and that you will truly be the salt and light you are called to be!