The Ultimate Authority

PASSAGE FOR THE DAY:

Mark 3 (click the link)

REFLECTIONS:

THE TWO BIG QUESTIONS that the world demanded from Jesus was and is…WHO ARE YOU? And WHO GAVE YOU THE AUTHORITY TO DO WHAT YOU DO?  This chapter is divided up into five separate instances where Jesus exercised his authority loud and clear to show who he was… and no one UNDERSTOOD!

I love Jesus… he just rolls thru all these events with ease and complete control and everyone who THINKS they have control and authority are undone because Jesus isn’t performing to their standards and agendas.

The STANDARD and BASIS for his authority is OBEDIENCE to His Father’s WILL.

In another passage, John 5:19, “Jesus answered [the Jewish teachers], ‘What I'm about to tell you is true. The Son can do nothing by himself. He can do only what he sees his Father doing. What the Father does, the Son also does.’”

Throughout Mark, Jesus performs, through the power of the Holy Spirit, what he sees his Father doing. The Father GAVE JESUS THE AUTHORITY TO DO THEM. His Father is the ULTIMATE AUTHORITY and he told Jesus to do the things he did.

Who can argue with that? Most everyone, it seems.

Jesus' authority shook the establishment to the core, unseated the ruling authorities and freed everyone he touched.  It was a revolution!!!!

Then, as if that wasn’t enough, in Mark 3:13-19, Jesus turns to the rag-tag, mostly always confused, disciples that are following him, and gives them the SAME authority with the SAME Holy Spirit and commands them to perform the SAME works that he did.

That’s where my mind begins to TILT!

Today, right now, Jesus is calling me to follow and do the things I see him doing through the Holy Spirit.  Obey, for me, is not a word that invokes excitement; but because of negative authority issues in my own life growing up, I have had to overcome the fear of rejection and loss of control in order to obey.

Jesus continues to give me courage everyday to step out and do what I think he is asking me to do.  I have seen Jesus use me to heal and free others through prayer.

Obedience is beginning to be a positive now.  The promising results MAKE me WANT to obey as well as challenge areas of my life that need work.  It is a riveting realization that Jesus would trust me to obey and carry that kind of authority.  The kind where any one of us can shake the world and continue the revolution where he left off!

POINT OF ACTION:

Ask Jesus to let you SEE what he is DOING today and obey.  It will amaze you!

WHO AM I?

Greetings PRF!  I’m June Criner and I am privileged and honored to serve you as an elder(ette).  I have lived in Spicewood since 2004.  When my husband Barry and I moved to the area, we just fell in love with the scenery and the people here… even the deer… though they have eaten just about everything I have planted!  I quickly became an expert in xeriscaping and deer resistant yard care!!!  I am almost completely victorious over the deer!!!  But they still park at night in the yard just to let me know they are still here!