big or small government

Role of Government

Dr. Mike 2024 , , ,

Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.   Isaiah 9:7

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Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne; steadfast love and faithfulness go before you.   Psalm 89:14

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Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.   Matthew 6:10

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Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.   Matthew 25:34

Most governments operate from a top-down sphere. Those at the top exercise lordship. They control others to produce the end result they desire. God’s government though operates differently. HE works through the hearts of all. God unleashes the individual to serve others. The govern lead by following the Spirit that resides in them.

Today’s government bureaucrats design systems to benefit themselves rather than the citizen. Visit any DMV and notice how the center of their operations are the employees, not the citizen. Policies are established for the employee sake, not the citizen. When one enters the room, one quickly recognizes the bureaucracy of the process. The citizen is expected to jump through all the hoops to make it easier for the government employee.

Likewise, standards are established for the masses. But if you are a privileged person, you get preferred treatment. Everyone must follow the rules except those who they determine don’t have too. Justice is now determined by those in power.  Those citizens who don’t agree with their viewpoint are treated as second-class peons.

As a society, we have murdered the concept of justice and righteousness. We ignore the Creator’s instructions for human relationships and governmental operations. The end result is people suffer. When a society loses sight of the government’s primary purpose, the people always suffer.

Those in power pursue ambitions rather than altruistic service to their fellow citizens. Again, they have thrown out God’s instructions of leadership. In its place, they follow principles of lordship.

If they knew God, they would see the beauty of HIS ways. They would recognize the importance of justice and righteousness for all. They would be committed to serve their fellow citizens in love and faithfulness. They would seek what is best for all rather than reward their personal donors. They would not make exceptions that would only benefit a few. Justice would be blind. The same rule would apply to the rich and poor. The formally educated or uneducated. The right extremist and well as the left ones. The liberal and the conservative. Everyone would abide by the same standards.

This is how God’s government operates. Everyone is included under Jesus Christ. He is King. His word and purpose is the standard of righteousness and justice. As we follow HIM, he shares HIS Spirit within us. We follow the lead of the Holy Spirit. There are very few rules and laws to follow in God’s Kingdom. Everyone is treated with love and respect. Everyone is a child of the living God and thus is valued by God and others within HIS government.

Bureaucracy doesn’t not exist in God’s government. Each citizen serves the other as they would want to be served. But of course, human nature doesn’t want God’s Spirit leading them. They want the benefits without the responsibility and accountability. They want to be lord of the house. But they lack the character and willpower to lead and serve like Jesus. They do not want to be told what to do. But rather create the rules for others to follow. They are above the rules. They are the exception. They are the elite.

What they don’t see is how blind, poor, and ignorant they are. They compare themselves to others in their insecurity. But when they look in the mirror of Jesus, they fall short. So they destroy the mirror and live in their self-denial and fantasy world of make believe. The sad truth though, they inflict pain and suffering on those they lead or influence. If they ran a business, the owner would fire them. But because they are in a position of power, there is no one in their way.

God’s government, HIS Kingdom, sets the standard for all to follow. When practiced, the people prosper. When ignored, the people suffer. I pray that HIS Kingdom fully comes sooner than later.  

PS: For those who want an in-depth study of Biblical principles of government, the Institute for Principle Studies offers a course. I have no association with their organization and only make this suggestion for those who want to know more. There link is: https://principlestudies.org/product/biblical-principles-of-government-course/

Rooting For You in Christ!

Dr. Mike

Faith-Integrator, Encourager, Scribbler

“We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives,” (Colossians 1:9)

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What Type of Government Do You Want?

Dr. Mike Kingdom Paradigms , ,

1 Samuel 8:4-9

Then all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah 5 and said to him, “Behold, you are old and your sons do not walk in your ways. Now appoint for us a king to judge us like all the nations.” 6 But the thing displeased Samuel when they said, “Give us a king to judge us.” And Samuel prayed to the Lord. 7 And the Lord said to Samuel, “Obey the voice of the people in all that they say to you, for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected me from being king over them. 8 According to all the deeds that they have done, from the day I brought them up out of Egypt even to this day, forsaking me and serving other gods, so they are also doing to you. 9 Now then, obey their voice; only you shall solemnly warn them and show them the ways of the king who shall reign over them.”

How often does history repeat itself because human nature fails to learn the lessons of yesterday?

Back when the nation Israel was ruled by Judges, the people were basically being self-governed. They had the Ten Commandments and the Torah (first 5 books of the Bible) as their constitution and bill of rights. The people though weren’t happy with the way things were and their solution was to become like the other nations around them. They wanted a king.

They wanted someone else to handle their problems and were willing to surrender their freedom of self-government. Like most governments today, they reject God as their binding authority and think they have a better solution for governing the nation.

Samuel explained to the people what will result from their decision and yet the people were willing to exchange their life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness for servitude to a king. The king will take their sons and place them into armies for war; make them work for the king rather than for themselves and their families. The king will take the choice land and have the people plow it for his sake. He will take whatever is yours and use it for his own ambitions and plans. Read 1 Samuel 8:10-18 and you capture a glimpse of people relinquishing their freedom and rights to become servants and serving at the pleasure of the king.

Today people struggle with similar ideologies. Rather than accept personal responsibility for making their life more fruitful, they want their cake without making the effort to bake one. Rather than accept personal responsibility to govern oneself, they want others to tell them how to think, work, and have fun as long as they are taken care for.

There are those who want big government without realizing what they are asking for. History continues to show the larger a government grows; the less freedom people experience. Governments need to be fed. When 50% of the nation’s workforce is producing wealth so the other 50% can get paid, something eventually breaks. And like the frog sitting in the kettle of water simmering in slow rising heat, until one day the frog finds itself being cooked, people slowly are taxed until there is nothing for them to live on. Then when their eyes are open to realize they are working only to subsidize the lifestyle of others without anything left for themselves, then its too late. They have become slaves of a government plantation with no one to rescue them.

This is why government and religion are constantly battling with each other. You have to decide who you are going to serve. Do you want a large government which needs to be fed and makes life’s decisions for you? Or a small government built upon King Jesus and his eternal values which operates through the individual’s heart in service for others? Earthly governments coerce you to comply. God’s way is built upon law and order for both the individual and community to flourish and share their wealth with others without persuasion.     

When people allow the Triune God to be the center of their life, they respect and govern themselves and others knowing they are answerable to Him. They welcome open discussion without fear always searching for the truth of the matter. They are learning to govern under the tutelage of Jesus Christ understanding all humans are made in the image and likeness of their Creator. They build their foundation upon the values and attributes of God. Yet they recognize evil in themselves and others. But also accept the finish work of Jesus Christ who gracefully forgives the sins of their parents, their grandparents, their children, and their own personal caveats. They allow their individual character to reflect the glory of God which magnifies the light on their community.

In today’s world, most governments replace God’s role in people’s lives. Yet imagine a world where the Triune God is the governing agency. How large of a government would be needed? Now you can understand my longing for Jesus Christ to return and establish his government throughout the land. But today it is always a battle to choose the best of “what is available.” As a people, we need a government to keep law and order and protection from evil forces. The question always seems to be – which one?

Rooting For You in Christ!

Dr. Mike

Encourager & Founder of
Vocational Leadership 360
Author of e-Books:

 *  Dancing With God: Life-Giving Theology Explained
 *  Great Business Emulates a Good God
 *  Be Radical…Follow Christ!
 *  Simply The Messenger
 *  Unequally Married

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