WHO OR WHAT IS THE AUTHORITY IN YOUR LIFE?

BIBLE PASSAGE:
Then Jesus came to them and said,
“All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me.”
(Matthew 28:18)

MEDITATION:
Would you agree that every person is under an authority of some type?
Workers are under the authority of their management. Presidents of
corporations are under the authority of the stockholders. Politicians
are under the authority of the voters. Everyone is ultimately under the
authority of Jesus.

However, there is a growing problem that is having a devastating impact
on the salvation of many. If we expect to receive salvation from the Lord,
we need to understand that we are under the authority of the Lord. So,
what is the growing problem? There are people who don’t respect any
kind of authority from anyone.

They don’t respect the authority of their parents, they don’t respect the
authority of the law, they don’t respect the police, etc. If they can’t show
proper respect for the ones they see, then how will they ever have respect
for the Lord, whom they cannot see?

Even Jesus Christ was under the authority of His Father in heaven. In fact,
He lived for one thing – to fulfill the will of the Father. Jesus established the
example for us to follow (to fulfill the will of the Father), and to do that, we
must respect and consequently, obey God and His position of authority in
our lives.

For us to respect and obey our Heavenly Father, we need to understand
the importance of respect. We need to respect others in authority so we
can respect the God of the universe. When we respect our Creator, we
find that we can understand His will for our lives. Once we understand
His will, we will be ‘gifted’ with the desire and power to fulfill His plans
for us.

ACTION:
Questions to consider:
    – Who or what is the authority in my life?
       Is it greed, lust, selfishness, disrespect for others, attitude, emotion, etc.
    – Do I currently respect the authority of those in my life?
       In God’s instructions to mankind, He includes a commandment
       with a promise:
           “Honor your father and your mother, as the Lord
              your God has commanded you, so that you may
              live long and that it may go well with you in the
              land the Lord your God is giving you.”
              (Deuteronomy 5:16)
    – Have I said to the Lord,
           “I choose You as the One with authority over me”?

In God’s plans for us, we might be placed into a position of authority.
If we are, then we need to understand that for us to assume authority,
we need to realize that we are also under His ultimate authority. That
means we will be dependent on God’s wisdom and direction in all that
we do, and the decisions we make which impact those we have been
chosen to lead.

A boss, bosses, but a leader, will lead with the type of authority that is
caring and considerate of others. This is a special characteristic God
requires of those placed into a position of shepherding others (pastors,
missionaries, teachers, etc.).

Leading as God intends for us to lead, requires humility that depends
on Him, as opposed to having an arrogant, self-sufficient attitude that
assumes we know more than those we have been chosen to lead. When
God places us in a shepherding position, we need to realize we are not
there to lecture and show others how much we know.

Our responsibility is to guide others in understanding God’s position
in our lives. To do that, we need to solicit input from others in a kind
of discussion format, rather than a structured lecture which can often
create a dogmatic attitude in us.

In addition, when we solicit input from others, we will get a better idea
of their thoughts and understanding, and that helps us to in our efforts
to ‘guide’ the discussions. God will not place us in a leadership position
so we can argue and prove that we are smarter. His goal is to advance
the understanding of His Word to all involved (including ourselves).

Pray,
“Heavenly Father, I am thankful that You are at the top of the authority
chain of command. It is comforting for me to know that ultimately You
are in charge. Help me to have proper respect for those You have placed
in authority over me. More importantly, help me to have proper respect
for You so I can understand and fulfill Your Will for me. Show me the
areas in my life that still need to be under Your authority. Give me Your
grace and strength to yield everything to You and to respect You as the
top authority in my life. Teach me to be humble so I won’t develop an
arrogant and overbearing attitude.”

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