Reflecting God - Embrace Holy Living from Wordaction of The Global Church of the Nazarene Publishing House in Kansas City, Missouri, United States "Life Without Fear" by Scott and Sherry Sherwood for Saturday, 5 November 2016 with Scripture: Romans 13:1-10

Reflecting God - Embrace Holy Living from Wordaction of The Global Church of the Nazarene Publishing House in Kansas City, Missouri, United States "Life Without Fear" by Scott and Sherry Sherwood for Saturday, 5 November 2016 with Scripture: Romans 13:1-10
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"Life Without Fear" by Scott and Sherry Sherwood
Romans 13:1 Everyone is to obey the governing authorities. For there is no authority that is not from God, and the existing authorities have been placed where they are by God. 2 Therefore, whoever resists the authorities is resisting what God has instituted; and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves. 3 For rulers are no terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you like to be unafraid of the person in authority? Then simply do what is good, and you will win his approval; 4 for he is God’s servant, there for your benefit. But if you do what is wrong, be afraid! Because it is not for nothing that he holds the power of the sword; for he is God’s servant, there as an avenger to punish wrongdoers. 5 Another reason to obey, besides fear of punishment, is for the sake of conscience. 6 This is also why you pay taxes; for the authorities are God’s public officials, constantly attending to these duties. 7 Pay everyone what he is owed: if you owe the tax-collector, pay your taxes; if you owe the revenue-collector, pay revenue; if you owe someone respect, pay him respect; if you owe someone honor, pay him honor. 8 Don’t owe anyone anything — except to love one another; for whoever loves his fellow human being has fulfilled Torah. 9 For the commandments, “Don’t commit adultery,” “Don’t murder,” “Don’t steal,” “Don’t covet,”[Romans 13:9 Exodus 20:13–14(17), Deuteronomy 5:17–18(21)] and any others are summed up in this one rule: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”[Romans 13:9 Leviticus 19:18] 10 Love does not do harm to a neighbor; therefore love is the fullness of Torah.
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Would you like to live a life without fear of authority or discipline? Do what is right. Live a life of integrity and submit to authority. This is not about learning a set of behaviors and customs that are socially acceptable and copying them. This is about letting God transform you into a new person, changing the way you think and the way you live.
So, as God daily transforms you and you grow in your faith, what will your life begin to look like? It will begin to look like integrity. It will begin to look like holiness. It will begin to look like love.

We are God’s creation and we worship Him only. Yet, He teaches us to submit and show respect to those who govern us and who are in authority over us–not out of fear but because it is the right thing to do. We are committed to living a life of integrity. We give to everyone what we owe them (including love), and we owe nothing to anyone.
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Hymn for Today: "Come, Thou Long Expected Jesus" by Charles Wesley
1. Come, thou long expected Jesus,
born to set thy people free;
from our fears and sins release us,
let us find our rest in thee.
Israel's strength and consolation,
hope of all the earth thou art;
dear desire of every nation,
joy of every longing heart.
2. Born thy people to deliver,
born a child and yet a King,
born to reign in us forever,
now thy gracious kingdom bring.
By thine own eternal spirit
rule in all our hearts alone;
by thine all sufficient merit,
raise us to thy glorious throne.
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Thought of the Day: Deuteronomy 4:29 However, from there you will seek Adonai your God; and you will find him if you search after him with all your heart and being.
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Please Pray: That many people in the Turks and Caicos Islands will come to know Yeshua the Messiah and receive the fullness of the Ruach HaKodesh.

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