A J-BAR PRAYER
Father, we come before you now on bended knee, hoping to honor you with our integrity. Please make our judgement as sound as steel and be our hands upon the wheel. Give us strength and vigilance on our routes and help us to serve others, as You did, Lord, without any doubts. Remind us to be gentle, humble and kind, and help us when we stumble in body and mind. Please shelter our families whilst we are away and bring us safely back to them at the end of this day.
This morning we are discussing rules and regulations
Why do we follow rules and regulations? Usually because something bad is done to us if we don’t? Do we think that rules and regulations are enacted just to keep us from having fun? Are we able to have fun without breaking the rules and regulations, and is there a larger purpose behind them?
Is it easy to follow the rules and regulations that we are asked to follow? I would tell you that it is easier if we actually understand why they are there and believe in the goodness behind them. For instance, our rules about wearing seat belts are an attempt to save lives, much as the rules about maintaining a safe speed. The vast majority of our rules and regulations are in this same vein.
Our living guide, The Bible, is divinely inspired – I challenge anyone who does not think so to explain to me Kashrut Law, thousands of years before any understanding of microorganisms. The Bible is full of verses on following rules – the Book of Deuteronomy is FULL of laws and consequences for breaking them. I found at least 94 verses on following the law – here are just a few:
Titus 3:1 Remind them to be submissive to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good work,
Romans 13:1 Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God.
Hebrews 13:17 Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you.
Throughout history, we the human race have traditionally found it difficult to follow the laws as they have been given to us (that’s why we were thrown out of The Garden to begin with. . .). Thankfully, we had a leader who finally gave us one that it is easy to follow:
Matthew 22:34-40 34 Hearing that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, the Pharisees got together. 35 One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question: 36 “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” 37 Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”
I am so thankful that Jesus found me when He did and helped me to start living the way He wants me to live, to the best of my ability, instead of a life of self-will and hopelessness. Many others here have found that life too. I hope you will join us in this life. I encourage you all to search out God’s will for your life, it is a very peaceful spot to be in. I love you all.
We are J-Bar — we are blessed beyond measure. We love — we are thankful beyond measure. We serve, and in so doing become the leaders that God wants us to be.