12.21.10 "Chain of Command"

"Chain of Command"

Zechariah 1:1-21
Revelation 12:1-17
Psalm 140:1-13
Proverbs 30:17

Everyday is like Christmas when it comes to reading God's word. Each morning as you sit down to read the word you have no idea what's wrapped in the pages for you. Every day the Spirit has something new. Some days it's fresh and exciting like a new toy, and other days it's something very practical like a pair socks. Don't get me wrong. We NEED socks! As we mature, we find our desires to be more for necessities. But no matter what it is, it's something the Spirit has wrapped for you.

Do you ever have a child draw you a picture? You say, "Oh wow! that's beautiful!" In your mind you're saying "I have NO idea what this is a picture of!" Sometimes reading the Word is the same way. It takes a little bit of meditation and explanation from the Spirit for you to understand the gift.

I've listed all of the scriptures that were a part of today's reading. Zechariah is prophesying about judgment and horsemen and the Angel of the Lord, and world powers. Revelation speaks of a red Dragon, and a woman giving birth to a ruler of all nations and a war in heaven. The Psalm is a prayer for deliverance from evil men and accusers, and the Proverb says, "A man who mocks his father and despises his mother shall have is eye plucked out by ravens and eaten by vultures."

When reading verses like this, you may initially have one of those "that's beautiful/what is it" moments. Take a look this key scripture: Rev. 12:10 "Then I heard a loud voice shouting across the heavens, 'It has happened at last! God's salvation and the power and the rule, and the authority of his Christ are finally here;"

As we read through prophecies it's can be easy to get caught up and confused with the specifics of "who is the woman?" "What is the dragon?", "What do the horsemen represent?". There are times when the Spirit will unwrap those gifts for us too, but today let's just look at the word "AUTHORITY". In all of the scripture we read we need to see that God always lays out a Chain of Command. This covers everything from "the Accuser of our brothers has been thrown down from heaven to earth" (Rev. 21:10b) to "A man who mocks his father" in Proverbs.

The Chain of Command is a big thing to God!

The Psalmist's prayer today acknowledges this by the way he prays: "O Lord, deliver me from evil men. Preserve me... Keep me out of their power... Let their plots boomerang... don't let liars prosper..." God is in control! the last verse of this Psalm says "Surely the godly are thanking you, for they shall live in your presence." Those who live in the presence of God understand that HE is the authority. There is no "death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation," that "will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Rom. 8:38-39)

What freedom it is for a soldier to know that his commanding officer is in control. What freedom there is for us to know that God is the authority. There is a day coming (very soon) when all will see and acknowledge this authority, but what a privilege it is to know NOW and live in the freedom and protection of our God and King, our Commander in Chief.

This applies to every area of life. In our workplace, in our home, in our extended families, we need to understand first that God is in control, and that he has commanded that those in authority over us AND "under" us be placed where they are. We have to be careful to rightly handle the authority that has been given us. Paul gives this charge in I Tim. 6:20 "Timothy, guard what has been entrusted to your care." We must do the same. As you're together with family this Christmas season, honor your family. If you don't... stay away from birds... (remember the whole raven/eye thing!) and guard what has been entrusted to your care!



Through the Power of the Spirit,
Live the DREAM!

P Greg


Dynamic Lifestyle of Worship
Relationships Devoted to Unity
Empowered Through Biblical Training
Active Ministry Involvement
Mission to Reach our World for Christ