Bible Teaching

Calvary Temple Teaching Library

Ordained of God Pt.4

Hallelujah! Let's turn to Romans 13. We'll be spending a few more sessions in this subject, and just allowing the Lord to speak to us again about that principle that's so necessary in our lives-series we did in detail years ago, Divine Order, Divine Life. When you're in this aspect of the order of God, the true zoe of God begins to manifest; and there's riches and honor and life that begins to be the consequences of walking in that, that is the ordinance of God and the wisdom of God.

Every time we move into our own strength, the Scripture says you try to retain it, and you lose it. You give it, and it returns unto you, good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over. God's principles work every time. The flesh is so fearful to move out into that aspect of total reliance and trust in His ability.

So we're always wanting to protect ourselves. It's something that comes natural to us from the Adamic nature, but God wants us to willingly die, and then He'll be able to protect us. When we humble ourselves, He'll exalt us. Let's see how we relate again to one another and to the different aspects of authority.

We've been talking about the civil, the domestic, and the ecclesiastical. In those three areas, we see that the principles are all the same. God's order is the same. His purposes are the same. The effects differ based upon each individual's circumstances. It differs whether or not you're a single, from whether you're married. It differs when children begin to come into the picture. We find that God's provided for order in every one of these areas of our lives.

Chapter 13, verse 1, "Let every soul . . ." You think that takes care of you? Every soul be subject [and we saw that, that word subject means to put ourselves under habitually. Every soul, every one of us here, work on getting yourself under authority. Begin to recognize where God has placed you in the scheme of things, and make sure that you're in proper order. Every one of us. It says as you become subject then to the higher powers, there will be consequences. There will be blessings and wisdom and strength that will manifest from it. He doesn't let it become an option here. It's a commandment. Every one of us subject to the higher powers. Then he clarifies for us, and he says, now, you have to understand that there is no power but of God. There is no power but of God. In other words, He is the supreme force. Don't worry about anybody being able to take advantage of you because everyone answers to Him. There is no power but of God, and the powers that be-now, he specifically speaks and he says, You have to understand that those that are, I've ordained or I've recognized, I've placed. I'm the source of this authority. Whosoever resists the power then resists the ordinance, the plan, the program, the will of God and they that resist shall receive to themselves judgment. This word "damnation" just talks about judgment. There's consequences to not ranking under. There's consequences to rebellion. Ultimately, then, damnation--separation from God--will be the final consequence.

Then he begins to define what the ruler's role is here a little bit. He says, "For [now] rulers [or the authorities] are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou [not then] be afraid of the power? do that which is good, and [you shall] have praise of the same: For [the power] is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger [that executeth] wrath upon him that doeth evil. Wherefore, ye must needs be subject, not only for [judgment sake but conscience]." It needs to become an attitude.

We saw that when you come into this position of honor and submission, we saw that submission is absolute, and obedience was relative. When we said it's relative, it's relative based upon the power or the ruler representing the authority of God. We don't have to absolutely obey, but we do have to absolutely humble ourselves and to subordinate ourselves. It's an attitude. We realize then--we've talked about the little boy . You remember we shared that years ago? We talked about the little boy; and his dad told him to sit down. He didn't want to sit down. Finally, father pulled out the sword, and the child knew it wasn't going to be in vain, so he sits down. Then he reveals his heart. He said, "I may be sitting down on the outside, but I'm standing up on the inside." Obedience but not what? - submission--because it's an attitude of the heart, and it's absolute. It recognizes the authority as God Himself, as God's representative. Once we can come into that understanding and be aware of it, it'll bring peace into our lives and cause us to recognize the wisdom of God.

Now, let's take a look for just a moment at the overall plan of God, and we were talking about the different aspects of rule and government. I Peter 2 speaks toward this, and it tells us how we're to respond to civil authorities. We want to look for just a moment at the civil authorities that we are all very aware of. We look back and we understand that government as we know it initiated from God's heart. It started with the family in our father Adam. It went into the different aspects of government when the nations began to emerge. The I Peter, Chapter 2, verses 13 and 14 tell us what our responsibility is to the civil. It says, "Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake . . ." Now this word ordinance is an interesting word. It really is the word for institution or a colony. It really speaks of that that was established for God's purposes. What were they? the purposes of God, you'll read very clearly in the Scriptures, is to bring judgment upon the wicked and to do good and commend the righteous and the obedient. That's the purpose of government. It's why God put authority in place--to judge the evil and to commend that, that's good. He speaks to us, and he says, Submit yourselves to that, that was created, to government and the institution of it, the ordinance of man for the Lord's sake, "whether it be to the king as supreme, Or [of] governors as unto them that are sent by Him for the [what?--look at it--the] punishment of evildoers, and for the [say the next word] praise of them that do well." You see this is what government's for. Now if government's not doing what God told it to do, then are we obligated to unconditionally obey? No. No more than you obey your parents except they be in the Lord. The problem we have here is that many Christians begin to think because now they were citizens of the Kingdom, they didn't have to submit to civil authorities. Peter's writing here, and Paul's speaking and saying, You guys are missing the point. Government's of God. It's here for a purpose. It's to protect you from the evil, and it's to commend and to honor those that do well. That's why God established government. Government, in and of itself isn't bad. Bad government is, of course, of men. When the righteous are in office then the people rejoice, the Scripture says. We realize that there's going to be the good and the bad, but he says, You have to understand that as Christians you still have to operate within the system. You're in the world, but you're not of it.

Now, you're going to have to relate though and understand that not everything the government does, even though it has been set by God is going to be something that God is instructing you to do. Case in point--the image was erected. Those that had pure hearts, those that were worshipping the true living God, would they bow down and worship? No. To what extent? To even the offering up of their lives. We realize, then, that though the decree is made that when the trumpet sounds, everyone will bow, you say, "I'm not bowing." When the government sounds the trumpet and says, "You can't pray in school," you say, "I'm praying anyway." When the institution rises up and says, "You can't share Jesus on the job," "I'm sharing Jesus anyway." Amen? We realize the purpose of authority and government, and that it can never transcend it's original intent. It's very important for us to understand that in how we relate.

Now, we have to be careful because every one of us are rebels within our flesh. We have to understand what it is that we're resisting. It has to be then that we walk in the same spirit of humility that Jesus did, and that's spoken to in the context of this second chapter. He says that government then is for the purpose of doing good to men. It's for the praise of them that do well. It's for the punishment of the evildoer, for so is the will of God that with well-doing, you may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men.

Who are the foolish men? The rebels, the anarchists, those even who are professing to be Christians that are running lawlessly an entity unto themselves in the guise of liberty. He goes right back and says in the sixteenth verse, you're free but not using your liberty as a cloak for maliciousness. Though we're free from quote absolute authority, in other words, authority that would contradict it's original intent or the will of God, you can't use your freedom maliciously, but we're to be servants of God. "Honor all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the king. Servants, be subject to your masters with [reverence] not only to the good and gentle but also to the [ones that aren't, that just really, self-willed and belligerent]" (I Peter 2:17-18). It says if you're a Christian, that we have a responsibility to be subject. Thank God if you have a good master, but if you don't, then you still serve and work as unto the Lord. It's an attitude of heart. "For this is thankworthy, if a man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully. For what glory is it, if, when [you're] buffeted [it's] for your faults, [and then you] take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer [and] take it patiently, this is acceptable with God" (I Peter 2:19-20). So we see the attitude. You're not always going to get a fair shake, but he says that if it's authority, and they're not moving contradictory to the law of God, and they're not causing you to move in an area of disobedience, then you subordinate yourself in recognizing the intent of government. God's just. He raises up, the Scripture says, and He brings them down. We need to have that confidence in Father. We just continue to serve as unto the Lord in whatever capacity it is that we find ourselves. We begin to see here in Peter that government is of God.

Jesus speaks toward it over in Matthew, Chapter 22. Very, very familiar passage in Matthew 22:21. We all remember this story, and verse 17 as you pick up the context here, " . . . Is it lawful to give tribute unto Caesar, or [to] not? [And] Jesus perceived their wickedness [they weren't really wanting to know the truth; they were trying to trap Him, He] said, Why [are you tempting] me, ye hypocrites? Show me the tribute money. And they brought [it] unto him . . ." "[He said] unto them, Whose is [the] image and superscription [that's on this]?" They said, It's Caesar's! Jesus responded then, "Render therefore unto Caesar the things [that] are Caesar's; and unto God the things that are God's." So we see the wisdom of the Lord here, and He's saying, Caesar is in authority. God has placed him here. God established government. He's not doing a real good job as it pertains to God's original purpose, but what you're trying to get me to say is that I don't recognize civil authority. And Jesus said, I do. What you don't understand is that it was initiated of God, and there is a higher authority. So my answer to you is, render to Caesar what's Caesar's, and I'll obey and I'll run with Caesar's rules as long as it doesn't contradict the authority of the Word of God, the lordship of Jesus in my life.

That's how we respond to civil authority. That's how we respond to our employers, the officials that we deal with in the secular realm. It's the same way in the domestic as we've said. Children don't have to obey their parents unconditionally. Wives are not unconditionally in submission to their husbands. What we see then is the ultimate authority. When we see that distinction, we can rest in God.

Exodus 22 speaks toward civil authority and the ordination of it. It's an interesting passage in Exodus 22. Look down at verse 28-the many ordinances that are taking place here concerning recompense. If you've stolen from somebody or damaged somebody's property or whatever it is, and the need to recompense and to make things right; that you're not to lend with any interest, verse 25 says of this 22nd chapter. Then he comes down into verse 28, and you see a very-one verse-but listen to the magnitude of this. "Thou shalt not revile the gods, nor curse the ruler of thy people." Very interesting thing that's going on here, and I don't want to get off too far into this but remember they're in a theocracy. When we look at our rulers today in America we're not a theocracy. Government is instituted of God. God is in charge of the king's heart. He can raise them up and bring them down. We have to move in a heart of submission and in humility. At the same time, we realize that there's not the same relationship to the president of the United States that Israel had to their king, David. They were all of the same covenant and the same heart, and they were following the same God. And so he says, Be very careful here that you don't curse the ruler of your people. They are the ministers of God to thee, Romans says, for good. It shows how we relate to those that are in oversight, even in the secular, the civil aspect. Government then is the genius of God to protect us from the wicked and to praise those that are doing well. Isn't it sad how far we've drifted from that in our nation?

What do you do? The Scripture says that we're to pray for those that are in authority. Now, what do we pray? Well, if you study the Scriptures out, and you begin to look at the context as you study those passages out, you'll find that what we're praying is not, "God, give them wisdom, and speak to their hearts." God will sovereignly move the hand of the king. But you have to understand that God doesn't speak continuously to unregenerated people. These are people that are not part of the Kingdom. They're moving in this secular, civil institution. God, ultimately, in His sovereignty is going to order the nations to effect His will. He can sometimes distinctly and specifically deal with kings and their hearts such as Cyrus. He can deal with those such as Pharaoh for His own glory and His own purposes. On a daily basis, God is not speaking to these men like He speaks to you and I. To pray, "Oh, God, speak to the president. Lord, just lead him." You have to understand God is leading him in a sovereign way and is not necessarily going to lead him in the way that we would prayerfully think he should go. It's important for us to pray according to the will of God.

How does God tell us to pray for those that are in authority? That they might come to the knowledge of God. Pray for them to get saved. I'm not praying that God would lead our president to make us the mightiest nation on the earth. If you're going to pray, pray that the guy will get saved and those that are around him and that God will be honored. So that's the scriptural mandate of how we pray for those that are in authority.

As it pertains to those that are in our community, the household--as you pray for pastors and deacons and husbands and parents and whatever, we're praying at that time that they would fulfill the specific purposes of their office and that God would lead their steps, so that we then could follow and be the beneficiaries of what the Scripture says. They'll be a terror to evil works.

In other words, they're going to protect us from the wolves and from heresy and false doctrine, and they're also going to bring about praise to those of us that are doing right. They're going to encourage us in the way that we're going and to continue to finish this course. We pray for their wisdom, and we pray for their counsel to be spoken into our lives. It's very important for us to realize God's original purpose. When you encounter authority, you encounter God. You have to understand that. If you can't submit to parents, and you can't submit to husband, and you can't submit to spiritual authority, you not only are not submitting to God but you cannot submit to God because you're a rebel. You're an authority to yourself. The Scripture speaks very clearly that God's going to have to then contend with that aspect of your life. We see that authority is instituted of God in the civil, in the secular, and also in the domestic.

Let's talk about that just a little bit. The classic Ephesians passage--we'll look at that--but let's go to Corinthians first. Over in I Corinthians, there's some interesting Scripture that talks about the order of the home, and how God expects us to relate. I Corinthians, Chapter 11--you don't hear this talked about very much. It was interesting. About a year ago, maybe eighteen months ago, how many of you remember seeing on the news that the Southern Baptist made the nation's news over one of their-they were having their general counsel meeting, and as they were establishing some of their tenants of faith, one of them made the news. How many of you remember seeing that? Anybody remember seeing that? Do you remember which one it was? It was about wives lovingly submitting to their husbands. It made the headlines, man, all across the nation. I wonder why that made the news of all the things that they could talk about. You see there's a spirit that we're dealing with that we've shared with you in the other sessions. How many of you have noticed a trend since . . . Ever since I've been a little guy and (well, I was never little) when I was young, long before I was saved, something really stood out to me. In fact, I can remember one time as a little kid. I don't remember how old I was, eighteen, nineteen. I remember watching this thing on TV, and I started crying. I can still remember this happening. The tears-I was so angry that something that was jumping out to me, and it's the theme through situation comedies, through commercials. It's a common denominator, and it's the man is an idiot and the woman's always having to get him out of trouble, is always coming to the rescue, wanting him to think that he did it but secretly it's done by her behind the scene. Whether they're over coffee discussing the newest whatever it is out there, and finally he goes, Hey, look, here's something. She had ordered it two weeks earlier or whatever. It's that theme that the man's an idiot. What is that? First of all, how many of you are, know what I'm talking about? Do you all know what I'm talking about? You see it just in, it's in so many different ways that it's portrayed. Now, why is that? The women probably say, "Well, cause it's true." It's the spirit of anti-Christ. You can't-it's nothing else. You need to understand it for what it is. It so absolutely flies in the face of this passage of Scripture.

If you go out and start quoting this Scripture-try it out. See if you live to come for prayer tomorrow night. Go out there, and just begin to really herald verse 3. "But I would have you know that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man . . ." Go out there and just start talking about that, and see if you don't begin to cause an uprising. The Scripture speaks very clearly and tells us that man was not created for woman but woman for the man. It talks about the relationship here. It says, "Every man praying or prophesying, having his head covered, dishonoureth his head [Christ]. But every woman that prayeth or prophesieth with her head uncovered dishonoureth her head [man] for [as even though] as if she were shaven." (I Corinthians 11:4-5).

Now, we know the Corinthians historically, we know the ones that were shaven were the prostitutes. A woman then that's not in subjection to her husband is no different than a prostitute. We understand that as God is speaking to this spirit, He says, "For if the woman be not covered, let her also be shorn: but if it be a shame for a woman to be shorn or shaven, let her be covered" (I Corinthians 11:6). Now, we're not talking here about the little baskets of the Amish or the little lace hankies of the Catholics. We're talking about the covering of authority, submission to your husband, divine order. "For a man indeed ought not to cover his head [don't abdicate; don't break order; don't allow there to be a usurping of your role], forasmuch as he is the image and [the] glory of God: but the woman is the glory of the man. For the man is not of the woman; but the woman of the man. Neither was the man created for the woman; but the woman for the man" (I Corinthians 11:7-9). Go out there and quote this. You're going to get beat up; I'm telling you. You will be hit with everything from handbags to hairpins because it spans a lot of generations, man. People don't realize it. All of these things that seem so innocent. Aunt Bee was a devil, man, all of that lying and sneaking and gossiping. You realize that as the Spirit of God's speaking to us here, it says, "For this cause [the glory of God] ought the woman to have power [authority, epi, over] on her head because of the angels. Nevertheless, neither is the man without the woman, neither the woman without the man, in the Lord. For as the woman is of the man, even so is the man also by the woman; but all things [are] of God" (I Corinthians 11:10-19). Equally dependent--we're not whole by ourselves, and, yet, there is an order.

As you begin to see this, the magnitude, the power of God's statement here in the 11th chapter of Corinthians, and you see the blatant defiance of the authority of God's Word, can you see it as anything other than the spirit of anti-Christ? We have to be aware of what it is. We have to understand then what our true worth is in the role where God has placed us, and to allow ourselves to be content in the wisdom of God, as God places us in the body, the Scripture says, as it pleases Him.

You see, if we can't be content in life in the role that we have, in the natural, we're not going to be content in where places us within the community. There's always going to be, no matter where you are, there's going to be that insatiable appetite to be the focal point, to have it your way, to not allow anybody to tell me what to do. You say, "Pastor, I think you're talking about me." I'm talking about everybody. You think that's unique to you? Well, I, you mean everybody's going through that? Yeah, you're just the only one letting it control you. No, not the only one. Seems like it sometimes, doesn't it? When you realize what's in your members, and you understand that every child of Adam deals with this in our lives, and that it's the most destructive force that you're going to contend with, I'd get serious about getting the armour of God on, getting the shield of faith up to quench the fiery darts, all of those accusations, everything that the world is hurling at you, and all of the wisdom of men-that you have to watch out for yourself, and you have to protect yourself, and you can't trust God really, and all of these things that'll bring you down and destroy you.

Ephesians, Chapter 5, let's look at it for just a moment. Powerful statement concerning the relationship of man and woman. Now when we talk about this, let me just . . . I shouldn't have to say this, but I will. This isn't just talking about males and females. You know, Little Feeling His Oats, man, thirteen-year-old comes strolling in there to school, man, just expecting all the women up there to submit. First of all, you're not a man. What we're looking at here is the fact that as this is speaking it's talking about not males and females. It's talking about husbands and wives. Ladies, if you don't want to be submissive, don't get married. You say, "Alright, I'm staying single." Now, wait a minute. Let's go a little further. All you've done now is take yourself out of a domestic role of subordination, but there's still a civil and an ecclesiastical role that you're involved in that you have to submit to. None of us can live outside of authority. Once you move and recognize that sphere, whatever it is. You see there's one way to be free from ecclesiastical authority. What is it? Don't get saved, and don't get married. I'm free. Still got the civil to deal with, and that's the worse one of the whole bunch. And so we begin to realize that no man lives to himself or dies to himself. God has ordained us. He's gifted us. He's placed us as it pleases Him.

The classic passages in Ephesians, of course, when we're talking about the home and the authority that's within the home. I don't want to take a whole bunch of time going over this. We've dealt with it so many times. Chapter 5, we'll start down at verse 21. "Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God. Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord." Now this word submit here very clearly, it means to yield or to rank under. It tells the wives that there's to be that subordination spirit to your own husband. To what degree? What's the phrase here, the four-word phrase? As unto the Lord. You are being as subordinate to Jesus as you are daily being subordinate to your husband, no more. "Yeah, but I do everything Jesus tells me. I only do the things I want to do that this guy's telling me." No, it's unacceptable. Guilty of one what? You can't obey the Lord and not be obeying your husband period.

As Paul speaks here and makes it clear to us that the submission to the husband is as unto the Lord, when you encounter authority, you encounter God. The powers that be are ordained of God. They do not bear the sword in vain. Your opinion is not on the same level as your husband's decree. Your opinion's on the same level as his opinion, but your opinion's not on the same level as his decree. When he speaks as one in authority, everything else is subordinate. We understand then and recognize that authority as being ordained of God. Now, we're not going to get into all the ins and outs of relationships, but we've taught so many times. We all know that the wise ruler, one that's in authority, will always seek counsel, that in husband and wife relationships, he realizes the role of the helpmeet, the one that's alongside to assist. He receives the counsel. He receives input. Let me say this. He is not obligated to tell you why he's doing what he's doing but most of the time it's wise to let people know why you're doing it to deal with different areas of frustration or whatever, but not to the point of having to create a bottleneck in all of the explanation as to why so that you're not able to do anything else. You men have to make that determination when you want to share and when you don't want to share. If the man in authority feels he wants to clarify and speak toward some of them, then you do it. If you don't, if it's not necessary, if you feel that there's more than just bringing comfort, that somebody's expecting to be answered to, then at that time, you don't. It's discernment, and you understand what's taking place in the relationship. It's very important to understand the role that I Corinthians 11 and Ephesians 5 place you in. Wives, yield yourselves. Rank under, do it habitually, Romans 13 says, as unto the Lord. "For the husband is the head of the wife [To what degree? What are the next words?] even as Christ is the head of the church . . ." (Ephesians 5:23) I think that pretty much says it; doesn't it? The husband's the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church.

How many opinion polls does the Lord take of the church? Isn't it amazing? Is it amazing to you? Does it stand out to you? People can't come in out of the rain without an opinion poll anymore. What's everybody think? What do you think? We got it, 70 to 69, let's get out of the rain.

Leadership does not lead based upon opinion polls. We've seen it throughout the Scriptures. God has not established authority in that way. We've seen it, of course, with Moses, and we saw the classic. We all know that. If there had been a vote whether or not to enter into the promised land the vote would have been 2,999,997 to three. In fact, there was a vote, wasn't there? It was all in the attitudes and the hearts of the people. They were murmuring, and they were, you know, and they were really fearful. Joshua and Caleb said, "Man, let's go up at once and possess this thing." Everybody voted, and the vote was 2,999,997 to three, and the three won. It was a majority. Why? When you resist the power, you resist what? You see, God's always on the side of authority. It always wins. That's how it works. Of course, in the natural, everybody wants some kind of an input. We all know what happens when you get too much input in decision-making. We've all heard the story that a camel is just a horse designed by a committee. You can get so much input, and people that are wanting to speak.

We're getting ready to celebrate our 25th anniversary of being here at these facilities and the birth of Calvary Temple Ministries which really is distinct from that, that was birthed a few years earlier by Vienna Assembly, that was the Herndon Assembly of God and those different areas. Thank God for the fruit and that, that was born and God allowed it to become foundational. There was a whole different thing that God did 25--actually it was about 26 years ago, but 25 years ago that we moved up here. God speaks to authority, and He moves through them. At that particular time, some of you remember the story; but at that particular time, we were in Herndon and the church there. I felt the Lord was wanting us to start a radio ministry and the deacon board at that time said, "No, there's just, you know, there's not enough money; and it's really not necessary," and the different reasons were given as to why it wouldn't be a good idea. I got a check from someone for ten dollars. Someone that didn't have a clue what I was thinking and in the memo it said-what do you think it said in the memo? Radio ministry. We didn't have a radio ministry except in my heart. Radio ministry. A few weeks later, another person came up and handed me a check. They said, "I really feel led of God to give you this check for . . ." At the mouth of . . . so we started a radio ministry, Sword of the Spirit. "Well Praise the Lord Friends. This is Pastor Star Scott coming to you on the Sword of the Spirit broadcast and we're here to proclaim that Jesus Christ is Lord to the Glory of God our Father." Anybody ever heard that? We begin to start this radio ministry. To do it, we had to start our own, a separate organization because the authority in the church at that time wouldn't do it. It was governed by congregational rule and their representatives, a deacon board, and a recognized pastor. We started the radio ministry.

God began to bless, and people began to be added to us. And the Lord spoke to me and said, "You know, one of the things that we really need to do, the Scripture says that, Jesus grew in wisdom and in stature and in favour with God and men. You really need to put together a program that will train the children more than twice a week. You need to begin to train up your own kids in the way that they should go." We really felt the Lord was leading us into starting a school. I won't go into all of the story at this time.

By the way, Richard is just totally wearing himself out in the preparation of this surprise for Sunday. It's-he's just working, I mean, he's working morning to night. Steve's jumped in with him, and the two of them are just spending hours and hours and hours and hours. I don't know exactly what it is they're up to. I just know they're up to something. I haven't been led in on very much of it. They did tell me I couldn't come to church Sunday morning, so I was going to go to Community Church.

As this is working and the vision began to unfold-the point I'm making is that we were told, "You can't start a radio ministry, don't start a radio ministry. Don't even think about starting a Christian school." We found this five acres here with a school. They said, "Don't even think about buying that school." Then we bought the school, and there was twelve acres down there. They said, "Don't even think about buying the twelve acres." We bought the twelve acres. Then there was like fifteen more, and we bought those. Then they said, "You know, we need to buy the other fifty. You know, where all these houses are. Let's buy the other fifty. What an investment! I said, "Man, we shouldn't buy that other fifty." "Yeah, we gotta buy the other fifty, man. We're buying the other fifty." Well, at that time, the government had changed, and we didn't buy the other fifty. If we had, it would have sunk us when the split came. I believe God has us where He wants us, and I believe that our steps have been ordered of the Lord. I shared with you the other night that I take absolutely no credit because I know what my abilities are. I've told you how amazed I am when I hear the words at some of these junctures that will be spoken of the Holy Spirit. It is the Holy Spirit of God, and I recognize His voice. I'm not naive. I know my own heart.

The guys were giving me a hard time just Tuesday in staff meeting. I know what I'm like. They know me very well. We were talking about some different things. One of them was sharing a commercial with me they saw on TV, and I hadn't seen it. It's something like, there's a bunch of guys sitting on a couch, and one of them is saying, "Yeah, we're going mud wrestling, and we're going to do this." The guy says, "Yeah, and we're going to hang curtains." They go, "Oh, no, man, you're not getting it." Buddy's on the other side, and he said, "We're going to go, you know, out four wheeling, we're going to you know a strangle wild pigs." The other guy goes, "Oh, we can like make potpourri bags." They were really concerned about him. I've never seen this commercial. I shared with them, I said, "Well, you never know." We were talking about some different things that we were doing. I said, "I may change some of the things I'm involved in right now and doing, and maybe I'll go hang out at Ben Franklin and make some potpourri bags or something." They started laughing. I didn't understand what was so funny about that. Chuck said, "Yeah, I can see it right now, hundred pound potpourri bag, man." Then one of the other ones pipes up and says, "Smell it for a hundred miles, man. It's the biggest potpourri bag ever made." Yeah. Truth hurts, doesn't it? And you know your own heart, and when you do, you know when God's speaking, and you know the wisdom of God and the Spirit of God and the methods of God. It causes you to rejoice and be thankful.

Men, you should be able to hear that voice and speak with that wisdom in the midst of your household. Ladies, you ought to have a meek and quiet spirit to where you can hear and know the voice of God when it speaks. Even when it doesn't appear as though it's God's to have a meek and quiet spirit that with your chaste conversation you can win your husband's confidence. The context of that is to win them unto salvation, but even in the relationship that you have with a saved man, to win his confidence and to know that you're believing God and praying. Don't you think your husbands know when they're blowing it? You don't think your husbands know when they're being selfish. God will speak to them, if you'll move in a meek and quiet spirit. These are not malicious things usually that are being done. They're warring with the same things in the flesh that you are, it's just with different responsibilities.

Your responsibility is made very clear as Christ is the head of the church. God sets up rulers, authority, individuals to oversee in the homes and in His churches. When we'll humble ourselves as we started off in Peter, God will be exalted through it being done totally contrary to the world's system.

Let me share a couple of other passages, and we'll unhook it for this evening. You go down into Chapter 6, "Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right. Honour thy father and mother; which is the first commandment with promise." (Ephesians 6:1-2). "And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord." (Ephesians 6:4). We've spent many hours on that. Dads, how can you expect your children to obey you, if you're not teaching them and training them? All of the disciplines become provocation if there isn't sufficient instruction. If they're not able to see a humility in you and a transparency in you. They have to see through you to Jesus. They have to understand that what's being done and required of them is a commission that's been placed upon you, that you're representing His lordship.

You begin to take your own preferences out of it, and you begin to lay your life down and become the servant in representing the Father. Don't provoke the children. Don't make them bitter. That's not saying that kids aren't going to get their nose of joint, and that they're just going to respond so gleefully every time that they're told to go make their bed or to do their homework. Their flesh is going to rise up. There's going to be times when you have to contend with disobedience, rebellion. You begin to discern what the intent was, what the real root of their lack to perform is. Then you deal with that. If it's rebellion, you deal with it one way, if it's lack of instruction, you deal with it another way. There's way too much presumption that our children understand what we want them to do. Many of us are very poor communicators. We need to make sure that they're understanding what's expected, that there's a consistency in the program of homework and play time and everything else. There's not confusion. Young people are very easily confused. They need schedules. They need to have consistency in their lives. These are some areas that are important where you that are in authority in the home can set these standards and help your children to accomplish them. We're going to have to stop here. If I go any further, we'll-I think we'll get in trouble.

As we close, let's go back to the basic point that we were wanting to make tonight and that's that when you encounter authority, you encounter God. Ladies, as you relate to your husbands, Jesus takes it personally how you respond to them. Men, how jealous are you for the glory of God? For you to pray and prophesy with your head covered is an abomination. If you're letting your wife show disrespect to you, you're standing there and letting them tread upon the blood of Jesus and not having anything to say about it. If your wife is out of order and moving out from under you they're mocking the name of Jesus and you're standing by silently. Who is it that's bought you with their blood? What is the commission that's been placed upon your life? What is your role? What does God expect from you? If you're going to be able to stand before Him in the last days and present to Him a wife that's been washed with the water of the Word, that's without spot or wrinkle or any such thing. If you're going to be able to present children that are holy, a godly seed that's been raised up, a generation of kings and priests, then you're going to have to come to understand you're not just one of the crowd. You're God's set man. He's ordained you. He's given you a mission. He's given you sufficient grace to affect it and for you to fail to prepare yourself through prayer and communion with Him and preparation of the Word of God is to ultimately bring the greater judgment that the Scripture speaks of. It's one thing to walk around and say, "I'm the power," and you're not doing anything. You're going to answer to God. It better be real authority and not like the Jackie Gleason one. You all remember that, right? "To the moon, Alice, to the moon." Right? He's always going to send old Alice to the moon. She was really intimidated. "I'm the boss, you're nothing. Did you hear that? I'm the boss, you're nothing." "Big deal, Ralph, you're the boss of nothing."

Do you know who you are tonight? Your wife ought to fear when you stand before her in authority, and you ought to fear and tremble when you stand to represent Him. Then there will be order. Then there will be peace, and there will be life.

Father, we thank You for the Word of God. We ask that we would be very conscious of Your presence in our midst and that we would see this subject that's so neglected in our generation. That we would be able to study the Scriptures and understand the wisdom of God and properly apply this wisdom to the sphere of our responsibility. We only have the authority that those around us recognize. The one thing the Scripture makes clear is, when you determine you'll no longer recognize it, then you must go; and you'll find out the power and the sword is not born in vain. It's very real. As you saw in the Scriptures so clearly in Corinthians 11, it's for the glory of God. Read it over again tonight, that eleventh chapter, and meditate upon it and see that it's the glory of God that's being spoken of, and how great a reproach is brought on Him when order is broken, and when the man's head is covered. What a reproach it is on the name of Jesus when the woman's head is uncovered. What an abomination in the sight of God, a stench in His nostrils. Father, make it real, and let Your name be glorified in our midst, we ask in Jesus' name. Amen. Let's stand before the Lord tonight.

We'll take a moment as Gary plays, and ask ourselves the question, "How much have I been affected by the world system, by the kingdom of Babel, the revelry of Sodom and Gomorrah?" Have we lost sight of the theocracy of our God, the church? You see, these principles are not for the nations, it's for the people of God. You see, they don't love their kids, they kill them. Oh, even the best, even those that would be treated in what we would call an idealistic environment, the parent has killed that child and sent him to hell because they've never introduced them to Jesus. They kill their kids. They boast in self-will and accomplishment. We teach ours humility, to be servants, to subordinate their own will to an invisible God who may ask us to leave mother and father and our common surroundings and go into a land that we know not. We teach them that there's a God who's, though invisible, the Creator of the invisible kingdom, the builder and maker is God. We're not living for this world, for its treasures. That's the course that God's leaders have set. If you have a heart for God, a heart for the Kingdom, you can hear where the real treasures are.

Help us, Father, as the priests of our homes. Help us to set a true course as we seek the Kingdom, and we proclaim this message with all boldness without compromise, where all the idols of the world are mocked and our God exalted. Give us the strength, Father, in Jesus' name. Let's sing this together as we prepare to go our way. Just rejoice in Him. You are God. Ah, we exalt You, Lord. Lord Jesus. Hallelujah! Lord, we do praise You, and we thank You for Your Spirit that leads us into truth. We ask that You would open our eyes, Father. Give us ears to hear what the Spirit would say. We're not naive. We know what's in our members, and we know the powers we contend with in this world, but we accept Your grace to yield ourselves as living sacrifices, holy and acceptable unto God, for that is our spiritual service. Make it real, Father, we ask in Jesus' name.

Numerous times, I try to reflect what may have been the course had we stayed in Herndon, where would we be today. Had we continued the course that we were on here, no doubt in my mind, we would have been the largest social religious club in the area. I believe we're where God has directed us, and that there's fruit that's going to remain.

There's a lot of forks in the road that you're going to come to. Choose the old paths. Let God be glorified in our midst. The new religion of the false prophet has a lot of different methods that aren't of God. Don't be seduced. The spirit of Antichrist in the secular has a lot of different ways to cause you to be a success. Don't be seduced. The highway of holiness--there's no lion there.

Order our steps, Lord, in that straight and narrow, and we will glorify You, in Jesus' name. Amen. Before you go, turn to somebody next to you and say, "The power's of God." Go in peace; God's love go with you.

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