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Today’s Scriptures

Today’s Bible reading plans include:

Ready – Romans 13
Set – Proverbs 20; Romans 13
Go! – Proverbs 19-21; Romans 13

Romans 13
¹ It is important that all of us submit to the authorities who have charge over us because God establishes all authority in heaven and on the earth. ² Therefore, a person who rebels against authority rebels against the order He established, and people like that can expect to face certain judgment. ³ You see, if you do the right thing, you have nothing to be worried about from the rulers; but if you do what you know is wrong, the rulers will make sure you pay a price. Would you not rather live with a clear conscience than always have to be looking over your shoulder? Then keep doing what you know to be good and right, and they will publicly honor you.

⁴ Look at it this way: The ruler is a servant of God called to serve and benefit you. But he is also a servant of God executing wrath upon those who practice evil. If you do what is wrong, then you’d better be afraid because he wields the power of the sword and doesn’t make empty threats.

⁵ So submission is not optional; it’s required. But don’t just submit for the sake of avoiding punishment; submit and abide by the laws because your conscience leads you to do the right thing. ⁶ Pay your taxes for the same reason because the authorities are servants of God, giving their full attention to take care of these things. ⁷ Pay all of them what you owe. If you owe taxes, then pay. If you owe fees, then pay. In the same way, give honor and respect to those who deserve it.

⁸ Don’t owe anyone anything, with the exception of love to one another—that is a debt which never ends—because the person who loves others has fulfilled the law. ⁹ The commands given to you in the Scriptures—do not commit adultery, do not murder, do not take what is not yours, do not covet—and any other command you have heard are summarized in God’s instruction: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” ¹⁰ Does love hurt anyone? Absolutely not. In fact, love achieves everything the law requires.

¹¹ And now consider this. You know well the times you are living in. It is time for you to wake up and see what is right before your eyes: for salvation is nearer to us now than when we first believed. ¹² The darkness of night is dissolving as dawn’s light draws near, so walk out on your old dark life and put on the armor of light. ¹³ May we all act as good and respectable people, living today the same way as we will in the day of His coming. Do not fall into patterns of dark living: wild partying, drunkenness, sexual depravity, decadent gratification, quarreling, and jealousy. ¹⁴ Instead, wrap yourselves in the Lord Jesus, God’s Anointed, and do not fuel your sinful imagination by indulging your self-seeking desire for the pleasures of the flesh.

Today’s Devotional

From today’s background scripture God might say:

I’m always surprised by the number of people who want to revolt against the authorities I allow to sit in power over them. They forget that no one sits in seats of power unless I allow it. No election surprises Me. No person in a place of authority shocks Me. No one who wields power moves Me from My throne.

I still know what goes on in every country, every state, every city around the world. I allow people to sit in seats of power for a reason. Sometimes it’s to bring peace and order to the people they govern. Sometimes I use people who sit in positions of power to punish another nation’s people who have grown cold in their love for Me or their fellow man.

Occasionally, I will put someone in a place of authority to punish the people of their own land because of their apostasy. But rest assured I always have a reason for allowing the person to hold their position of authority. It’s never an accident. You may never understand the reason why, but you’re not Me. You don’t have the infinite wisdom I have and cannot see into the future to know why I allow the events to unfold as I do.

You can read the Old Testament and see how I used kings and nations to reward and punish My chosen people and the nations around them. Reading their histories might help you understand I’m always in charge. I never make mistakes. And I use a variety of tools and instruments, sometimes even politics to meet My ends.

You can trust that I know what I’m doing by sometimes allowing unbelievers, even evil people, to hold positions of authority. But ultimately, they too will answer to Me for their actions. I may use them to further My ends, but they still make the choices to act the way they do.

So, in the end, obey the authorities over you. I allow them to be there. Obey Me. And trust Me to help you through even the most corrupt governments. They are only there at My pleasure after all.

The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.
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