Recognizing Gods Authority

Recognizing God’s Authority

Isaiah 42:8

"I am the LORD: that is my name: and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images."

INTRODUCTION: Tom Eliff in his book Unbreakable lays out seven pillars for Kingdom Families, families that will have a positive impact on the church and the world. One of these pillars is "honoring God’s Authority". In 1520 when Martin Luther was asked to recant his position on authority in the life of the Christian said, "I cannot and I will not recant anything, for to go against conscience is neither right not safe. Here I stand, I cannot do otherwise, God help me." Today unfortunately many Christians have compromised their stand on God’s Authority. Kingdom Families accept the facts that God is sovereign and His Word is absolute truth. Kingdom families recognize the authority of God to govern their lives and have a high regard for the authority of God’s Word as the only sufficient rule for faith and practice in the life of the believer.

I. Recognize the Authority of God

A. The Bible teaches that God does not tolerate competitors with His Lordship.

B. Ecclesiastes 12:13 "Fear God and keep His commandments"

C. Exodus 20:3 "Thou shall have no other gods before (besides) me."

D. Recognizing and Honoring God’s authority is putting God first in your Affections, Associations, Ambitions, and Allegiance.

E. Luke 16:13 "hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon."

F. Along with much bad thinking that has come down to us from the last four hundred years, goes split living. ... People who live compartmentalized lives worship God and go to church and do their “religious” bit on Sundays; then they switch that off and pursue their professions, weekday work, weekend hobbies, and all their relationships as though these were matters entirely separate from their Christian commitment. They don’t even try to see their lives as a whole in terms of God and his Word. Instead they slip into their religious compartment on Sundays and their secular compartment of the other days of the week and allow no communication between the two. - J.I. Packer in Your Father Loves You. Christianity Today, Vol. 31, no. 16.

G. Luke 6:46 "And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?"

H. John 14:15 "If ye love me, keep my commandments."

I. Tom Eliff talks about listening to a man, caught in immorality and unfaithfulness confessing without remorse or tears to his affair. The man’s final words stunned Eliff as he said, "I know what you are thinking preacher. Your thinking I’m probably not a Christian and that I don’t love the Lord. But you see I really do love the Lord with all my heart. I guess I’m like King David." Eliff replied, "No you don’t love the Lord with all your heart and your not like King David who melted when confronted by the prophet of God! Time will tell if you are a Christian because if you are He will treat you like one of His kids who needs discipline. But one thing is certain, you don’t love the Lord. You see if you love the Lord you will do what He says. You are determined to leave your wife and family and live in an immoral relationship. Say what you will but you do not love the Lord." – Tom Eliff, Unbreakable, Broadman & Holman Publishers, 2003, p. 31

J. 1 John 5:2-3 "By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments. [3] For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous."

K. If God be God over us, we must yield him universal obedience in all things. He must not be over us in one thing, and under us in another, but he must be over us in everything. – Peter Bulkeley, Leadership, Vol. 9, no. 1.

L. 1 Samuel 15:22 "And Samuel said, Has the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams."

M. Trust that God has your best interests in mind and be willing to do what he asks of you, even if you don’t understand why. Obedience starts with having a heart that says yes to God. - Stormie Omartian, author and fitness authority, as quoted in Especially for a Woman. Marriage Partnership, Vol. 12, no. 3.

II. Regard for the Authority of God’s Word

A. An interesting survey revealed that 80% of Americans believe the Bible is the inspired Word of God: while 48% who believe there is no one set of values that is right. - U.S. News & World Report, 4/4/94. "To Verify," Leadership