Friday, February 4, 2011

Rebellion, Rebuke, Receive

Installment #2 of my self-assigned project to study the "re" words in God's Word. (For further explanation of this undertaking, refer to the entry titled "Reach, Read and Reap" from February 3, 2011.)

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As what seems to be God's confirmation that I am on the right track with my little project, and as He would have it, the next word on my list is "Rebellion". Tonight starts a discipleship weekend with our middle and high school students, of which I am a part of, and the theme is called "The Rebellion". I love it when God does stuff like that!

Rebellion

(noun) resistance to or defiance of authority, control or tradition

"An evil man is bent only on rebellion; a merciless official will be sent against him." 
Proverbs 17:11

Rebellion is most often used with negative connotation and when referring to a person, is one you would want to avoid if you are walking on the straight and narrow road with Christ.

In the case of our discipleship weekend, we are turning it into a positive thing. Taken from the idea behind the book Do Hard Things by Brett and Alex Harris, we will be encouraging the students to live a life that is counter-cultural. One that rebels (as a teenager) against the world's immoral standards and low expectations.

Rebuke

(verb) to express sharp, stern disapproval of; reprimand

"You rebuke and discipline men for their sin..." Psalm 39:11

"Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you." James 4:7

In the first passage God is the One doing the rebuking. He disapproves of sin and He reprimands or disciplines as a loving Father should. In the second passage, I am reminded that when the enemy comes prowling around my life I have authority in Christ to rebuke him so that he will flee.

Receive

(verb) to take into one's possession as something offered

"And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life." Matthew 19:29

"...everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.” Acts 10:43

There are so many uses of the word "receive" in the Bible that I had to just pull a couple of favorites. First, to the one who has lost much in this life, God promises to give much. A hundred times as much! But only if the second passage has come into play... God's promises are for those who have received His forgiveness for their sins, believed on His name and accepted the precious gift of eternal life!

Father God, thank You for the ability to turn rebellion into a positive thing. Help me to teach the girls I will spend time with this weekend to live counter-cultural. To live in rebellion to the immoral standards of this world, the shady practices of some, and choose to live a life that honors and values what You honor and value, like purity, a good work ethic, honesty and integrity. Lord, where I/we fall short and fail You, would You rebuke me/us in a loving way and set my/our feet on the path to righteousness. And thank You that in Christ I have authority to resist and rebuke the enemy so that he will flee. I gratefully receive all that You desire to bless me with and thank You for my salvation. In Jesus' name, amen.

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