It's the Law by Gail Purath

I'm on the left in the photo taken on this 1980 tour to Prague

• Location: Communist Czechoslovakia, 1980, on a tour with some girlfriends 
• Situation: I ran out of money on Sunday when banks were closed. 
• Possible solution: Black-market money-changers were everywhere even though this was explicitly forbidden by international law. 
• My thoughts: My $2 worth of Korunas wouldn't pay for supper, no legal exchange available, everyone was doing it, and black-market rates were more fair. 
• Solution #1: I bought black-market money from our tour guide, getting twice as many Korunas as the legal rate. 
• Wrestling: God and I wrestled...all afternoon....me telling Him I had no choice...Him telling me that the bank law didn't violate His Law, so I needed to obey (Romans 13:1-6).
• Solution #2: I returned the black-market money and prayed my $2 would be enough. A friend (who knew nothing about my situation) surprised us by buying our supper, and my $2 worth of Korunas was a great tip for the waiter. 

35 years later, I'm still learning that God wins all wrestling matches.

You can listen to this devotion HERE.
This devotion is followed by a Bible study if you'd like to do it. It is a sample of the kind of study Gail offers each Monday on her site Bite Size Bible Study. Click HERE to sign up for a subscription to Bite Size Study.


Bible Study
How are we supposed to respond to unfair, unjust, or stupid rules from authority, especially when dealing with ungodly, oppressive systems like Communism? As always, we can trust God's Word to guide us.

When you combine the messages of the verses below, what do you learn? This isn't as straight-forward as some answers in Scripture, but there are some clear guidelines just-the-same. Please read through these verses and thoughtfully ponder and pray about the overall message. Then, if you still have questions, read this very thorough Biblical explanation of Biblical civil disobedience. But please do your own study first.  When is civil disobedience allowed for a Christian?

After you work through this study, please check out my insights HERE. I want to share something I did on that same trip to Czechoslovakia that was illegal but right.

♥ Romans 13:1-6: Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. 
2 Consequently, whoever rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. 3 For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and you will be commended. 4 For the one in authority is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for rulers do not bear the sword for no reason. They are God’s servants, agents of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer. 5 Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also as a matter of conscience. 6 This is also why you pay taxes, for the authorities are God’s servants, who give their full time to governing.

♥ 1 Peter 2:13-17:  Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human authority: whether to the emperor, as the supreme authority, 14 or to governors, who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right. 15 For it is God’s will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish people. 16 Live as free people, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as God’s slaves. 17 Show proper respect to everyone, love the family of believers, fear God, honor the emperor.

♥ 1 Timothy 2:1-4: I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people— 2 for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. 3 This is good, and pleases God our Savior, 4 who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.

An angel releases Peter from prison (BPG)

♥ Acts 5:27-32:  The apostles were brought in and made to appear before the Sanhedrin to be questioned by the high priest. 28 “We gave you strict orders not to teach in this name,” he said. “Yet you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and are determined to make us guilty of this man’s blood.”29 Peter and the other apostles replied: “We must obey God rather than human beings! 30 The God of our ancestors raised Jesus from the dead—whom you killed by hanging him on a cross. 31 God exalted him to his own right hand as Prince and Savior that he might bring Israel to repentance and forgive their sins. 32 We are witnesses of these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him.”

For additional study: ♥Acts 4: 1-22  & ♥Matthew 22:15-22

copyright 2013, Gail Burton Purath, BiteSizeBibleStudy.com 
All Scripture NIV unless otherwise noted

You can also find Gail's 1-minute devotions on Bible Love Notes.

Thankfully, God Said "No" by Kim Jackson

“I think I’m supposed to pay for your mission trip to Guatemala.” 

I stared at my friend. "What did you say?"

“I’ll pray about it, but I plan to write you a check for the whole amount.” 

I couldn’t believe my ears. What a gift!

My excitement was short-lived, however. 

“Um, Kim…. God said ‘No.’” 

“What?” 

“He doesn’t want me to pay your way. 

“Are you sure?” 

She nodded. 

“OK. I guess I should pray about what He has in mind instead.”

 “Good idea.” 

Jesus, what’s Your plan? 

After praying I felt led to write a creative fundraising letter. Ideas dropped in my mind and flowed out through my fingers. Soon I was smiling at my “Participation Invitation.” 

So the letter was written. But should I send it to everyone on my contact list? Jesus, who should I send it to?

Scrolling down the list, I felt drawn to certain names. When I finished, I counted the ones I’d highlighted. Thirty five! That’s not enough, is it, Lord? Waiting in the silence, I felt I’d heard correctly. The next day, I put 35 letters in the mail. 

The first response came from an unemployed friend. She handed me a five-dollar bill and said a prayer that God would multiply it again and again. And He did. Friends and family responded with joy and generosity. A large check arrived from my best friend from high school. Her note said she’d been saving money to give to missions. When opportunities arose, she would pray, “Is this it, Lord?” Each time she felt she should wait. When my letter arrived, she felt God say, “This is it!” 

Out of 35 letters, 31 people responded. When the donations were totaled, there was so much beyond what I needed I was able to give our team leaders $500 to buy medicines and supplies. 

Years have passed since this experience, but the lessons I learned serve me well to this day. For example: 

• God’s “No” grew my faith. It required more to believe for the funds than to deposit a single check from one donor. 
•  I felt joy in hearing and obeying God’s direction in writing  and sending the letter to specific people. 
•  Because each recipient was asked to pray, I had broader prayer support. 
•  Those who had been waiting to give experienced God’s pleasure in their obedience. 
•  The additional $500 would not have been received if only one person had paid for my trip. 
•  When I returned from Guatemala I had the pleasure of sending photos and “brag on God” stories to 31 people in 6 states, not to just one donor.

All these blessings could have been missed. 

But thankfully, God said “No.” 

 “My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,” says the Lord. “And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine” (Isaiah 55:8 NLT) 

Postscript: Three years after I returned from Guatemala, the friend who heard God say “No” invited me to lunch. She slipped an envelope across the table. To my astonishment, it contained $1000. With a smile she said, “God said ‘Yes’ this time.”

Kim serves as a missionary/advocate for homeless elderly in Romania through Elder Orphan Care. She brags on God each week at her Wow Dee Wow! blog. Kim prays that her brief stories recounting God's amazing ways will inspire and challenge you to brag on God, too!

To subscribe to Wow Dee Wow! click HERE.