A Convicting Month

 Well... I can tell you I have many thoughts and opinions at this moment. This is my blog and I need to vent my inner feelings in order to instruct, justify, and insult. My opinion matters so listen to me! Blub! I cannot stand the endless drooling and salivating of Twitter. Facebook is a fairly useless format for me as well as it has become a political microphone rather than a microscope of personal happenings. 

Then over the last few weeks it does not help that I have experienced some major conviction from the Holy Spirit about submitting to authority. 1 Peter 2:13-17:

13 Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human authority: whether to the emperor, as the supreme authority, 14 or to governors, who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right. 15 For it is God’s will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish people. 16 Live as free people, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as God’s slaves. 17 Show proper respect to everyone, love the family of believers, fear God, honor the emperor. 

Really? I cannot tell you how many times I have left angry messages on my governor's Facebook page. Then I come to this passage. Romans 13:1-5:

13 Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. 2 Consequently, whoever rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. 3 For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and you will be commended. 4 For the one in authority is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for rulers do not bear the sword for no reason. They are God’s servants, agents of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer. 5 Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also as a matter of conscience.

What? That is not American. I am being suppressed. Exactly. I am to trust God is in control and believe nothing is beyond His attention. There is a perfect plan being orchestrated to bring God's glory and he does not need me to justify my grievances. My outbursts diminish the message of love and truth to attract attention to Christ. "Show proper respect to everyone, love the family of believers, fear God, honor the emperor." Oooo, That stings. Yet what are the two greatest commandments? "‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’[c] 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’" Matthew 22:37-39. People are not going to see truth when I am bashing with insults, so called "Truth bombs." God's message is heard and seen by a submissive caring love.

Isaiah 8:12-17

12 “Do not call conspiracy everything this people calls a conspiracy; do not fear what they fear,
      and do not dread it.
13 The Lord Almighty is the one you are to regard as holy he is the one you are to fear, he is            the one you are to dread.
14 He will be a holy place; for both Israel and Judah he will be a stone that causes people to          stumble and a rock that makes them fall. And for the people of Jerusalem he will be
     a trap and a snare.
15 Many of them will stumble; they will fall and be broken,
    they will be snared and captured.”

16 Bind up this testimony of warning and seal up God’s instruction among my disciples.
17 I will wait for the Lord, who is hiding his face from the descendants of Jacob.
     I will put my trust in him.

More truthing! If it wasn't for the old saying History is bound to repeat itself, I would guess this passage was written recently. Again, I am asked not to look for hope in man. It will only bring disappointment. I must trust in the Lord. I must build my foundation on the truth of Christ. Christ is everlasting. The age of man and buildings is fleeting, temporary. The message of Jesus Christ endures forever.

1 Corinthians 3:10-23:

10 By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as a wise builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should build with care. 11 For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12 If anyone builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, 13 their work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each person’s work. 14 If what has been built survives, the builder will receive a reward. 15 If it is burned up, the builder will suffer loss but yet will be saved—even though only as one escaping through the flames.

16 Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in your midst? 17 If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy that person; for God’s temple is sacred, and you together are that temple.

18 Do not deceive yourselves. If any of you think you are wise by the standards of this age, you should become “fools” so that you may become wise. 19 For the wisdom of this world is foolishness in God’s sight. As it is written: “He catches the wise in their craftiness”[a]; 20 and again, “The Lord knows that the thoughts of the wise are futile.”[b] 21 So then, no more boasting about human leaders! All things are yours, 22 whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas[c] or the world or life or death or the present or the future—all are yours, 23 and you are of Christ, and Christ is of God.

Rather, God wants us live lives like in 1 Timothy 2:1-2:

2 I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people— 2 for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness.

I am not saying we should live as the world to keep the peace, particularly if asked to do anything that completely contradicts the Words of the Bible. Remaining firm in our beliefs is important as well. Renouncing Jesus or committing murder (any termination of human life) or ignoring evil is not an option. The early Church along with Peter and Paul where persecuted for following Jesus. They disobeyed higher authorities for the truth of Jesus. Not to prove themselves right. The most important commandment is to love the Lord our God with all our heart and soul allowing the early Christians to live boldly for the name of Christ. However, the second commandment is equally as important to love your neighbor as yourself not lording your importance and intellect. It is not my place to reticule or allow anger to control me. If I feel called to serve as a public servant for the people that is one path, but using social media as a cowardly megaphone to spew hate is not commendable, nor Godly.

I will end with John 16:33. It may not be the image of American blissfulness driving that new Cadillac down Route 66 with the Rockies in view, but lives are short on this earth. Therefore, take every opportunity to make it amazing spiritually and humbly, because it is going to fade. Also, dwell on the Word of the Lord for his words are everlasting, never ending, eternal, and where our hope is found.

“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”