Daily Bread – May 11, 2022 (The Fourth Day – Genesis 1:14-19) Matthew 8:9 – For I am also a man 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. One of the more important aspects of functioning in the authority that has been given to us in Christ Jesus would be to recognize our need to be under authority. To be under authority, we must submit ourselves to the governorship of God; both the authority of His Word, and His divine order in the Church. When we come face to face with the reality that it is an act of rebellion to not be under authority, we begin to realize it would be impossible for the authority of Christ Jesus to function in our lives while we are under the influence of an evil spirit of rebellion. One example of this would be Saul, whom God gave the authority to be king over His people Israel. Unfortunately, he departed from being under the authority of Samuel, and the Word of God spoken to Samuel; and he lost his position with God. It was at this time that Samuel said, “Rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft; and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry” (1 Samuel 15:23). Korah also thought that because he was a leader and a chief person in Israel, he did not have to be governed by Moses – and the word of the Lord that was given to Moses. He, too, discovered that God would not side with those who refused the governorship God had instituted (Numbers 16:1-49; Jude 1:8, 11-12; 2 Peter 2:10). Consider what would have happened to the centurion had he refused to submit himself to those who had authority over him; or what would happen to those who would refuse to obey his authority. How can we deceive ourselves to believe that somehow we can circumvent the governorship of God, and behave ourselves according to our own preferences? It is a remarkable state of deception and arrogance to believe that we can each turn to our own governorship; and claim that we are no longer in need of God’s Church and of His authorities He has placed in His Church to both rule and to perfect His people (Hebrews 13:17; Ephesians 4:11-12; Matthew 18:17-18; 1 Peter 5:2; 1 Timothy 3:5; 1 Corinthians 4:19-21; 2 Timothy 4:2). The Biblical definition of authority could not be more simply explained than it is in this passage. The question demanding an answer is: Are you under the authority of the governorship of Jesus Christ and His Church? Is the Lord Jesus truly the Shepherd of your soul, and the Lord of your life? Blessings, Pastor Mark Spitsbergen
Daily Bread 5/11/2022
