<html><head></head><body><div><div><div><div><br></div>Mark 12;16&amp;17<div><br></div><div><b>16. &nbsp;And they brought one </b>(a coin). <b>And he, </b>(Jesus)<b>&nbsp;</b><b>said to them, “W</b><b>hose likeness and inscription is this?”</b></div><div><b>They said to him, “Caesar’s.”</b></div><div><b>17. &nbsp;Jesus said to them, “Render to Caesar, the things that are Caesar‘s, and to God, the things that are God’s.” And they were amazed at him.</b></div><div><b><br></b></div><div>The apostle Paul, writing to us from the book of Romans teaches,&nbsp;</div><div><i><br></i></div><div><i>“ 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. Therefore he&nbsp;who resists the authorities, resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment. For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you have no fear of him who is in authority? Then do what is good and you will receive his approval, for he is God’s&nbsp;servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain; he is the servant of God to execute his wrath on the wrong doer. Therefore one must be subject, not only to avoid God‘s wrath, but also for the sake of conscience. For the same reason, you also pay taxes, for the authorities are ministers of God, attending to this very thing , pay all of them their dues, taxes to whom taxes are due, revenue to whom revenue is due, respect to whom respect is due, honor to whom honor is due.”&nbsp;&nbsp;</i>(Romans 13;1-7)</div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div>Paul, inspired by the Holy Spirit in his first letter to Timothy makes an extremely interesting and important point, saying,&nbsp;</div><div><i><br></i></div><div><i>“<u>First</u>&nbsp;of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all men, for kings, and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a quiet and peaceful life, godly, and respectful in every way this is good, and is acceptable in the sight of God, our Savior, who desires all men to be saved, and to come to the knowledge of the truth.” &nbsp;</i>(1 Timothy 2;1&amp;2)<u></u></div><div><br></div><div>Sadly, Christians have a natural resistance against praying for those in authority. &nbsp;This resistance is&nbsp;born of our rebellious&nbsp;sinful nature, which&nbsp;despises our&nbsp;parents and masters, the police, courts, judges, governors, legislators, kings, and presidents…even dictators. &nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>This is all evil in the sight of God. &nbsp;Our prayers for those in authority&nbsp;should be guided by the wisdom which teaches: ‘It matters not, who is wearing the badge and uniform. &nbsp;Show&nbsp;respect to the badge and uniform, (not to&nbsp;the person). &nbsp;Obey them as you would God Himself.’ &nbsp; God <u>is indeed working through them!</u>&nbsp;&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>The only time we are allowed by God to disobey those in authority, is when the authorities&nbsp;command us to disobey God.</div><div><br></div><div><span>As a Called and Ordained minister of the Gospel, I swore a vow to faithfully teach and preach God’s Word <u>AND</u>&nbsp;publicly&nbsp;administer the Sacraments of Baptism, Holy Communion, (the Lord’s Supper), (as well as the absolving of sins,&nbsp;both publicly in Divine Services&nbsp;and privately for all who seek to make confession of their sins).</span></div><div><span><br></span></div><div><span>If as a serving pastor,&nbsp;the government commands me to stop holding public Divine Services, preaching, teaching, and administering the Sacraments, I must disobey. &nbsp;If I am punished for it, it will be to God’s glory. &nbsp;I will be suffering for the sake of the Gospel. &nbsp;No greater earthly honor could ever be given me. &nbsp;</span></div><div><span><br></span></div><div><span>As parents, in <u>every</u>&nbsp;family&nbsp;we are all commanded&nbsp;by God (Deuteronomy 6;4-9 and Ephesians 6;1-4)&nbsp;to be the primary&nbsp;Spiritual leaders and&nbsp;teachers of our household, especially to our&nbsp;children.</span></div><div><span><br></span></div><div><span>In our communal walk of faith,&nbsp;with, and in Christ, God the Holy Spirit with all gentleness and love,&nbsp;is seeking, prompting, urging this&nbsp;same work be done in us personally.</span></div><div><span>The Spirit of God is ever drawing us into the Word of Life. &nbsp;It is our duty to obey the leading of the Holy Spirit by&nbsp;being students of God’s living Word throughout our entire lives.</span></div><div><span><br></span></div><div><span>Jesus said, <i>“ I have yet many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth; for he will not speak of his own authority, but whatever he hears, he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to&nbsp;come. He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you.” &nbsp;</i>(John 16;12-14) (see also, Matthew 4;4, and Psalm 1;1&amp;2)</span></div><div><i><br></i></div><div>Jesus amazed those who hatefully,&nbsp;foolishly, pridefully, presumptuously&nbsp;sought to trap Him with His own words. &nbsp;There is nothing in all creation which is able to refute the Truth of God, even the demons are silenced by the authoritative&nbsp;voice of God, (as well as evil men), when confronted with the perfection of&nbsp;God’s Truth. &nbsp;Never depart from it, it is your weapon, the sword of the Spirit in every spiritual battle. &nbsp;Boldly proclaim the Word of Truth, even if the enemies of the kingdom of God deny it. &nbsp;The Word of God stands forever. &nbsp;Jesus said, <i>“ Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.”&nbsp;&nbsp;</i>(Matthew 24;35)<i></i></div><div><br></div><div>Prayer: &nbsp;Merciful Father, grant us courage and boldness, powered by Your own loving&nbsp;indwelling presence,</div><div>to never cease to proclaim Your living Word, the very Light of Life, into the darkened souls of those lost in the death of unbelief. &nbsp;In Jesus, we pray, Amen.</div><div><br></div><div>Love,</div><div>Dad/Baba/Eric</div><div>Grandpa Pickle Pastor</div><div>“A chapter a day, every day, progressively, be transformed, ‘soak’ in the living Word. &nbsp;God’s Word is our habitation, and we are His.”</div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br><br><div><a href="https://mail.onelink.me/107872968?pid=nativeplacement&amp;c=Global_Acquisition_YMktg_315_Internal_EmailSignature&amp;af_sub1=Acquisition&amp;af_sub2=Global_YMktg&amp;af_sub3=&amp;af_sub4=100000604&amp;af_sub5=EmailSignature__Static_" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"></a><br></div></div></div></div></div></body></html>


Mark 12;16&17
16.  And they brought one (a coin). And he, (Jesus) said to them, “Whose likeness and inscription is this?”They said to him, “Caesar’s.”17.  Jesus said to them, “Render to Caesar, the things that are Caesar‘s, and to God, the things that are God’s.” And they were amazed at him.
The apostle Paul, writing to us from the book of Romans teaches, 
“ 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. Therefore he who resists the authorities, resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment. For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you have no fear of him who is in authority? Then do what is good and you will receive his approval, for he is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain; he is the servant of God to execute his wrath on the wrong doer. Therefore one must be subject, not only to avoid God‘s wrath, but also for the sake of conscience. For the same reason, you also pay taxes, for the authorities are ministers of God, attending to this very thing , pay all of them their dues, taxes to whom taxes are due, revenue to whom revenue is due, respect to whom respect is due, honor to whom honor is due.”  (Romans 13;1-7)

Paul, inspired by the Holy Spirit in his first letter to Timothy makes an extremely interesting and important point, saying, 
“First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all men, for kings, and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a quiet and peaceful life, godly, and respectful in every way this is good, and is acceptable in the sight of God, our Savior, who desires all men to be saved, and to come to the knowledge of the truth.”  (1 Timothy 2;1&2)
Sadly, Christians have a natural resistance against praying for those in authority.  This resistance is born of our rebellious sinful nature, which despises our parents and masters, the police, courts, judges, governors, legislators, kings, and presidents…even dictators.  
This is all evil in the sight of God.  Our prayers for those in authority should be guided by the wisdom which teaches: ‘It matters not, who is wearing the badge and uniform.  Show respect to the badge and uniform, (not to the person).  Obey them as you would God Himself.’   God is indeed working through them!  
The only time we are allowed by God to disobey those in authority, is when the authorities command us to disobey God.
As a Called and Ordained minister of the Gospel, I swore a vow to faithfully teach and preach God’s Word AND publicly administer the Sacraments of Baptism, Holy Communion, (the Lord’s Supper), (as well as the absolving of sins, both publicly in Divine Services and privately for all who seek to make confession of their sins).
If as a serving pastor, the government commands me to stop holding public Divine Services, preaching, teaching, and administering the Sacraments, I must disobey.  If I am punished for it, it will be to God’s glory.  I will be suffering for the sake of the Gospel.  No greater earthly honor could ever be given me.  
As parents, in every family we are all commanded by God (Deuteronomy 6;4-9 and Ephesians 6;1-4) to be the primary Spiritual leaders and teachers of our household, especially to our children.
In our communal walk of faith, with, and in Christ, God the Holy Spirit with all gentleness and love, is seeking, prompting, urging this same work be done in us personally.The Spirit of God is ever drawing us into the Word of Life.  It is our duty to obey the leading of the Holy Spirit by being students of God’s living Word throughout our entire lives.
Jesus said, “ I have yet many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth; for he will not speak of his own authority, but whatever he hears, he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you.”  (John 16;12-14) (see also, Matthew 4;4, and Psalm 1;1&2)
Jesus amazed those who hatefully, foolishly, pridefully, presumptuously sought to trap Him with His own words.  There is nothing in all creation which is able to refute the Truth of God, even the demons are silenced by the authoritative voice of God, (as well as evil men), when confronted with the perfection of God’s Truth.  Never depart from it, it is your weapon, the sword of the Spirit in every spiritual battle.  Boldly proclaim the Word of Truth, even if the enemies of the kingdom of God deny it.  The Word of God stands forever.  Jesus said, “ Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.”  (Matthew 24;35)
Prayer:  Merciful Father, grant us courage and boldness, powered by Your own loving indwelling presence,to never cease to proclaim Your living Word, the very Light of Life, into the darkened souls of those lost in the death of unbelief.  In Jesus, we pray, Amen.
Love,Dad/Baba/EricGrandpa Pickle Pastor“A chapter a day, every day, progressively, be transformed, ‘soak’ in the living Word.  God’s Word is our habitation, and we are His.”



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