A teaching by Rev. Barbara Williams, President of the Ministry of the Watchman International
Week of February 13-17, 2023
MONDAY
Render therefore to all their due: taxes to whom taxes are due, customs to whom customs, fear to whom fear, honor to whom honor.
Owe no one anything except to love one another, for he who loves another has fulfilled the law. For the commandments, “You shall not commit adultery,” “You shall not murder,” “You shall not steal,” “You shall not bear false witness,” “You shall not covet,” and if there is any other commandment, are all summed up in this saying, namely, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”
Love does no harm to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.
Romans 13:7-10
There is an expectation that God has made of all men. The expectation is that we show love to one another. There is a law here that must be obeyed: that we love one another as ourselves. In order to fulfill this, we must regard every man as our neighbor. If we fail to do this, for all the law can be accomplished in Christ Jesus, then we are law breakers and covenant breakers, for love is the fulfillment of the law. When you obey God’s standard of love, then there is nothing that can stop your prayers from being answered, and nothing between you and God that would be judged against you. What is due our neighbor? What type of behavior constitutes love?
If you are in need of healing, there is good news! Proverbs 4:20-22 SAYS:
My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings. Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart. For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh.
So there is life and health in God’s word. Since God’s word is medicine, we must take it like we would a prescription. I suggest three times a day, like you would your food. Remember, healing is the children’s bread. Consider this your “dose” for today. Remember, read, and meditate three times a day the following:
Rx: Psalm 118:17 ~ I shall not die, but live, and declare the works of the Lord.
“Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”
2 Timothy 2:15
If you’ve never studied the Bible from Genesis to Revelation, we invite you to join us as we read through the Bible in a year. Read and meditate on these chapters this week:
February 13: Genesis 46, Mark 16, Job 12, Romans 16
February 14: Genesis 47, Luke 1:1-38, Job 13, 1 Corinthians 1
February 15: Genesis 48, Luke 1:39-80, Job 14, 1 Corinthians 2
February 16: Genesis 49, Luke 2, Job 15, 1 Corinthians 3
February 17: Genesis 50, Luke 3, Job 16-17, 1 Corinthians 4
February 18: Exodus 1, Luke 4, Job 18, 1 Corinthians 5
February 19: Exodus 2, Luke 5, Job 19, 1 Corinthians 6
TUESDAY
Render therefore to all their due: taxes to whom taxes are due, customs to whom customs, fear to whom fear, honor to whom honor.
Romans 13:7
This verse clearly states how we should show love. We must give to people what is their due. When we fail to love, we rob people of their just reward. We must pay taxes to our government, because this tribute is due them in exchange for the privilege of being a citizen with all that it entails. When we travel to a foreign nation, we must pay customs, or a tax levied on foreigners for the hospitality service that is rendered to them.
We must give respect to all men, and honor to those who are honorable. When God places people in positions that demand a certain level of respect, we must give that, or we violate God’s laws.
I have made it a policy in our ministry that in all of our meetings, we arrange special seating for ministers of the gospel. It amazes me how many churches do not afford ministers that honor, or if it is done, it is done grudgingly. Many times women are denied this honor simply because they are women, and do not “look” like ministers. People who do this violate the law of love. No revival will happen in a place like that. It is a lawless house.
WEDNESDAY
Owe no one anything except to love one another, for he who loves another has fulfilled the law.
Romans 13:8
We see here the answer to debt. When we violate the law, we incur debt. The Bible tells us that the wages of sin is death. Debt leads to death. Debt imprisons, or binds us. God’s law brings liberty. When we violate the law of love, we sin. Sin is a type of indebtedness. This is a spiritual debt…one that the natural man cannot pay.
We must throw ourselves on God’s eternal mercy. His mercy endures forever. When we allow this mercy to reign, we are forgiven, and the debt is cancelled. We must be debt-free in order to fulfill the law. Have you been wronged? Forgive, for that is the law of love. Has anyone stolen from you? Forgive, for that is the law of love.
When we forgive, that allows God to vindicate us, for vengeance belongs to Him and Him alone. We must not owe people money, as well. How often we resent the one who has money to lend, and when we find ourselves in that person’s debt, we will do everything first before paying that which we owe. This also violates the law of love.
THURSDAY
For the commandments, “You shall not commit adultery,” “You shall not murder,” “You shall not steal,” “You shall not bear false witness,” “You shall not covet,” and if there is any other commandment, are all summed up in this saying, namely, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”
Romans 13:9
All the other commandments are merely extensions of this main one. Love does not kill, steal or destroy. Those are works of the flesh and of the devil.
Desiring what belongs to another is sin, as it leads to violating the other commandments. God wants to lay the axe to the root of the tree of jealousy, covetousness and selfishness, so that we can live freely in His law.
I remember the days in my walk with God when I desired to give large sums to the Lord’s work. I had no job, but I was careful to give the best I could, even of small things. I spent time creating craft items, writing books, plays, and poetry. I gave every gift and talent I had to God. This is where some people stop.
Sometimes we rationalize our squandering God’s money if we give our talents to the Lord. We rob ourselves and God, and we violate the law of love when we do that. God is interested in what we keep, more so than what we give. Remember Gehazi, the taker? He felt it was appropriate to receive gifts all the time. We must watch ourselves in this area.
FRIDAY
Love does no harm to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.
Romans 13:10
Loves works no ill to his neighbor. Do you make others uncomfortable in some way? Is there a simple change that you can make, a heartfelt change that will cause others to be more at ease with you? Are there things that you believe that are contrary to the law of love that may hinder your walk with God, and cause harm to your neighbor?
Many times our faults are easily rationalized in our minds. We easily excuse ourselves from obedience to this law. This law is perhaps the most violated because it is easy for us to take our own side in a matter and put the neighbor second. This in itself is a violation of the law of love, for we are to esteem the other person more highly than ourselves.
“What about me, Barb… when do I get what I want out of life?”
If you ask this question, you haven’t loved the Lord yet. He has already given His best to us in the person of His son. Why do we still whine and covet? Why not obey the law of love, and see what happens? God rewards obedience with untold blessings.
Love, and let God give you the wages of righteousness. You will never be the same.