Romans Chapter 13

Check out this chapter, dear readers!  Don't be scared about the "authority" stuff.  We are all under some kind of authority.  God calls us to act respectfully, but He does not call us to disobey His supreme authority. This is a balance we must pray to keep.

Read the chapter below (note that my subtitles are in red, I did not take these from the Bible!) I'll share more thoughts later!  -                                - Laurie

ROMANS 13

Our Bosses and Us
13 Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. 2 Consequently, whoever rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. 3 For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and you will be commended. 4 For the one in authority is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for rulers do not bear the sword for no reason. They are God’s servants, agents of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer. 5 Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also as a matter of conscience.


6 This is also why you pay taxes, for the authorities are God’s servants, who give their full time to governing. 7 Give to everyone what you owe them: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor.


If you are struggling with someone in authority over you, consider the way in which you interact with them. God calls us to LOVE -- even our enemies. 

If the authority is asking you to disobey God, then you should consider a right and honorable way to protest.  Pray about it.

In our culture today, we may find authority figures demanding we do things that do not honor God.  Again, as the Romans 12 says: "Do not conform to the pattern of the world, but be transformed..."

Stand for what is right - Think how this fits into this election year.  Please pray about this.

Debt and Love
8 Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for whoever loves others has fulfilled the law. 9 The commandments, “You shall not commit adultery,” “You shall not murder,” “You shall not steal,” “You shall not covet,”[a] and whatever other command there may be, are summed up in this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”[b] 10 Love does no harm to a neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.

This speaks volumes to our CREDIT CARD mania!  Consider your amount of debt.  Guard your spending. As Romans 13:8 says -- don't let your debt remain outstanding.

LOVE is a debt we owe to Jesus.  Continue to pay this debt to all mankind.  But...watch that financial stuff.  God calls us to be good, frugal, and thoughtful stewards of His money.

It's time to take a stand
11 And do this, understanding the present time: The hour has already come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. 12 The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. 13 Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy. 14 Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the flesh.[c]

We talked about this at Mothers DeLIGHT.  Never have we seen so much DARKNESS celebrated as "good"   It IS time to stop sleeping.  Put on the armor of God and make your voice heard!   

We should not simply accept the media messages.  We should protest the oversexualization of everything from food to clothing lines -- from women to toddlers in tiaras.  You can speak through those sponsors who advertise - DON'T BUY... WRITE...CALL... let them know what they are promoting through their ads!

To tell you the truth - many companies - mass buy ads and do not even know the content of some of their sponsored shows.  They buy by demographics.  Let them know what the show promotes!

Also - help your children be discerning about what they see and hear.  You cannot totally insulate them from the messages, but please don't be shy about telling them what is TRUE and PURE and HONORABLE!

Romans Chapter 13: 11-13 is almost chilling in its depiction of our culture today. 

Let's listen to verse 14 and continue to focus on Jesus and His Word so much we are "clothed" in the GOOD STUFF!  Only then can we step away from the world and take a stand.