PERCEIVING OUR COVERING | Romans 13:1-2

SCRIPTURE: Romans 13:1 "Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God. 2 Therefore whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves."

OBJECTIVES:

1.    To emphasize the Biblical way of developing our spirituality and relationship with God;

2.    To inculcate in everybody's consciousness the benefits of perceiving the principle of divine covering thru submission to delegated authorities that God placed over our lives;

3.    To show everyone the wisest way of investing our time.

INTRODUCTION

➢    The Core Values of a Disciple of Jesus Christ are foundational for every Kingdom Citizen and Servants of God's Kingdom, without which, we cannot be true disciples or remain to be true disciples for lack of standards of attitude, behavior, culture and actions. 

➢    Core values are our driving force or motivation for serving the Lord and His people.  These are our reasons for living, and our cause that's worth fighting for and dying for. 

➢    Show me a person without stablished core values in life, and I'll show you a person who is so vulnerable with every wind of change, unstable in belief and many times thrown into confusion.

➢    We have previously noted that God's ultimate calling for everyone is not just becoming a believer, or a Christian, but becoming a Disciple maker (Mat 28:19-20).  Anybody can easily say that he/she is a disciple, but without the core values by which they can be reasonably identified with the Lord, then his/her confession is mere mouth service and lacks the reality.  Let us be disciples both by our words and by our application.  Why are we putting so much emphasis on these Core Values?

1.    The Core Values are crucial to the fulfillment of The Great Commission.  Developing the Core Values of a Disciple would guide us and develop in us the behaviors, attitudes and cultures of helping people. 

2.    The Core Values add worth and significance to you as disciples.  You will be worth your Core Values. 

THE IMPORTANCE OF COVERING.

➢    "Being subject to" or "submitted to" pertains to our covering by God's authority.  It is like the roof of our house protecting us from hostile climate: scorching heat during the day or rain fall.  We can survive a rainy night without walls but not without a roof.  Don't get outside your covering so you won't get wet.  In other words, be submitted to God's covering (by His delegated authority) so you won't get targeted by satanic works of darkness. 

CORE VALUES OF THE VISION:

➢    The first three Core Values is thus summarized, "I am a true disciple, caught by the Vision and committed to cell life".  This is an affirmation of identity as a true follower of Jesus Christ.

➢    Lets us take up the next three Core Values of a Disciple of Jesus Christ:

4. PASSIONATE SPIRITUALITY. (Devotional Life, Prayer and Fasting and Holiness.)

➢    Act 2:42 "They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer."

➢    God's calling requires Consecration.  Being consecrated means being separated unto God.  This is the process of sanctification or holy living!  Being holy? Yes! God commanded us to be holy!  (1Peter 1:16) That means He is also giving us the enabling grace to become holy!  (Hebrew 12:14 "Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord.")

➢    Practice being "Passionate in Devotional life"; Passionate in Prayer life"; Passionate even in abstinence"; "Passionate in your personal Transformation".  Get serious with God! 

➢    Bring intensity in whatever pertains to your spirituality!  Be active, enthusiastic, motivated and fiery when it come to spirituality!  Bring enthusiasm in your Cell gathering; in Church services etc!

5. SUBMISSION TO AUTHORITY. (Love, Honor, and Respect my Leaders.)

➢    Romans 13:1 "Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God.

➢    Levels of authority over us: God, the highest authority; Civil leaders - President, Governors, Mayors, Barangay Chairman etc; Institutional leaders - Principal, Supervisors, CEO; Church leaders - Pastor, Leaders etc.  They are all God's Delegated authorities to implement order in every area of our lives.

➢    Submission to authority is about God's Covering over us.  By being Covered by God's Authority, you can enjoy the protection, provision and blessings of His Redemption.  In the same way, that by submitting to the discipline of your parents, you are protected, provided and blessed in your family.

➢    Many people, sadly even Christians do not understand the implication of God's Covering over their lives.  It is to one's loss and disadvantage having such kind of attitude of rebellion and resentment for discipline being implemented at home.  As a matter of fact, discipline is a token of love in the family circle, and not otherwise.  Don't misunderstood discipline as a form of rejection. 

➢    When our kids were growing, we impose beating to discipline them to instill fear of God and fear of going to hell by doing wrong.  But after each disciplining session, I would ask them the question, "Why did Daddy beat you? And they would always rehearse my indoctrination: "kaya po ako pinalo, dahil mahal po ako at para hindi ako mapunta ng impiyerno".  This is very biblical.  (Pro 22:15 Foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child; The rod of correction will drive it far from him." Pro 12:1 "Whoever loves instruction loves knowledge, But he who hates correction is stupid."

➢    "Being subject to" is manifested in rendering love, honor and respect due to our leaders, in the same manifestation that we would love, honor and respect the Lord.  As long as our leaders fulfill their mandated leadership obligations, then we should manifest our being subject to them as God's delegated authority over our lives. 

6. COMMITMENT TO TIME. (Manage and invest your time for the Kingdom.)

➢    Eph 5:15-17 "See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is."

➢    Time is one of the most precious of commodities or gifts that man could have in life.  Time lapsed is time gone forever, you cannot retrieve it anymore.  Yet the Scripture admonishes us to redeem the time.  That is why it tells us not to be fools, but wise by investing the time we have for the Kingdom. 

➢    We had long been deceived wasting our time in darkness, there is no more time to waste in things which do not matter: in acts that would jeopardize our future and eternal destiny! 

➢    Understand that the will of the Lord for you is contained in fulfilling His Great Commission! (Matthew 28:18-20).  This is the most fulfilling and the most rewarding investment of your precious time! 

➢    Do you spend or invest your time?  In barkada or in Cell gathering?  In Facebook/Internet or devotional and study of Scriptures?  In worrying or in praying?  In going to gimmicks or making disciples?  Commit your time for the King and His Kingdom!  Your time is God's gift to you, by committing part of your time for the works of His Kingdom is the only way we can express our gratitude for the gift of time!  Eliminate time related excuses (no time or being late)! 

➢    Honor God with your time!  Six days God has given you, be cheerful to give Him one whole day!  That belongs to Him.  So we don't discount the time due to Him! 

➢    Kung may minamahal ka, ibibigay mo nga sobra sobra, e si Lord, di ba mas worthy Siya?

CONCLUSION:

Let us declare: "I am a true disciple, caught by the Vision and committed to cell life; who is passionate spiritually, submitted to authority and invest my time eternally.