The Right, Responsibility and Authority

My Tennessee family and I went out to a casual dinner last night at a farm called Breeden’s Orchard, out here on the outskirts of Mt Juliet.*  It would seem that their specialty is all things apple, but I also noticed groves of peaches and other fruit trees on the vast property.  The location reminded me of the old Twin Hill Ranch in the hills by the little town of Sebastopol near our hometown in northern California, on the way out to the coast.  It looked like it, felt like it… but I would have to admit… didn’t smell like it.  In its location near the coast, Sebastopol has a unique fragrance with hints of ocean breezes, the orchards, fog and the surrounding Redwoods!

I enjoyed watching all the families that filled the place.  It most definitely had a friendly atmosphere as the adults and kids enjoyed the various activities available along side the shops, live music, small restaurant and the onsite Friday Night Market.  I will assuredly return… when it’s less crowed… to purchase some of the unique apple products and merchandise that they have on hand.

This has been a busy week for me as I had a lot of different activities on my “To-Do” list to accomplish.  I even had my annual eye exam and finally ordered some new prescription sun glasses.  I realized that my current pair is at least ten years old, having got them way back when we lived in North Carolina… and even though my eyesight hasn’t changed that much… it will be nice to see things more clearly!

I discovered during my morning walk earlier in the week, that I was having to deal with some anxious thoughts about all the new things that were filling my upcoming calendar.  This may sound silly… but I still have a difficult time figuring out just who I am, in this season of my life, without my sweet wife Piper at my side.  But as I walked around the back portion of the complex, I had a startling revelation that made me pause on the path and consider a very familiar verse of scripture from Philippians 4:13 where Paul wrote… and I personalized for myself and declared…

“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” (EMTV)

And then as I stood there for a moment thinking about that verse and its meaning to me, I heard myself saying aloud:

“As a Christian, I don’t have the RIGHT, the RESPONSIBILITY nor the AUTHORITY to be anxious about anything, because the Word tells me that ‘I CAN-DO and I CAN-HAVE all things through Christ who strengthens me!’” **

But what I DO have is the RIGHT, the RESPONSIBILITY and the AUTHORITY of God’s Word to NOT BE ANXIOUS about anything because Jesus has commanded me and all Christians to,

“Be ANXIOUS FOR NOTHING, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, (to) present your requests to God.” (Philippians 4:6 / BSB)

With the promised corresponding following result

“That God’s peace, which goes beyond anything we can imagine, will (then) guard your thoughts and emotions through Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:7 / God’s Word ©) 

Wow!  Think about the effect that walking in that truth can mean in YOUR life!  It’s one of the foundational truths that we looked at last week that can cause us to,

“Consider it pure JOY, my brothers (and sisters), when you encounter trials of many kinds…” (James 1:2 / BSB) 

The daily TRIALS that we encounter in life… when we give them to the Lord and fight them in HIS heavenly courts… are covered under the laws of HIS truth as found in His Word and thereby demonstrate the RIGHTS, RESPONSIBILITY and AUTHORITY that are given to us as members of the Royal Family of God!***

Knowing that we have RIGHTS, RESPONSIBILITIES and AUTHORITY that is backed by the TRUTH of God’s Word can and should make us approach the events of our daily lives with a whole new level of excitement, adventure, expectation and determination!

Wouldn’t you agree?

Remember that Jesus prayed to His father before He went to the cross and asked Him

“to sanctify or set-apart those of us who are Born-again Christians by the TRUTH (and then declared that) THY WORD is TRUTH!” (John 17:17 / KJV)

And… just before He left this world and was ascended up into heaven to sit at the right hand of God, He gave us the RIGHTS, RESPONSIBILITY and the AUTHORITY to be His representatives here on the earth!

WOW! 

That reality kinda stirs up a lot of positive and highly EXPECTANT energy and excitement in me… HOW ABOUT YOU?

Have a great weekend.  When I stepped out onto my balcony around 6:30 this morning it was in the 50’s with a light but totally refreshing breeze!  It looks like fall has finally come upon middle Tennessee and I’m definitely ready for it

 

*https://www.breedensorchard.com/

** Also see Paul’s additional statement a few verses down from this verse in Philippians 4:19

*** See Jesus’ GREAT COMISSION in Matthew 28:18-20 and Mark 16:15-20 where HE declared His Authority over everything in heaven and earth and then conferred that Authority on us… His Body… in order to be His living examples on this earth and to bring the Good News to the world around us.