Those We Love Who Are Living In Rebellion To God

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DAILY DEVOTIONAL WEDNESDAY JULY 17, 2002
(James 4:7)

So give yourselves humbly to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.

Those we love who are living in rebellion to God. One of the hardest things in life is when someone we love, someone that we care about, a husband or wife, a son or daughter, a mother or father, a brother or sister, a family member or friend is living in rebellion to God. It breaks our heart because we know that there will not only be consequences for their rebellion, but much pain for them and many others in their life as well.

YOU CANNOT LIVE APART FROM GOD AND NOT PAY A PRICE! A quick note for those who may be living in rebellion to God. Sin is selfish! You cannot sin in a vacuum. Your rebellion not only affects your life, but many other lives as well.

One of the biggest traps of the enemy that people fall into when someone they care about is living in rebellion to God, is to blame themselves. Especially when it is your spouse or child. Hear what I have to say very clearly. ***YOU ARE NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR THE ACTIONS OF SOMEONE ELSE!!! One more time. YOU ARE NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR THE ACTIONS OF SOMEONE ELSE!!! God has given each one of us free will. The ability to make choices. Every day, literally hundreds of times during each day, we each make the choice to obey God, or to rebel against God. When someone that you love makes the choice to rebel against God, THEY made that choice, NOT you.

When someone you love is living in rebellion to God, it is actually a time for you to make your faith real. We all go through life claiming to have faith, but hoping to never have to see if it really works. However, there will be those times in life, there will be situations when you have absolutely NO CONTROL over the situation at all. The choices someone you love makes is exactly that type of situation. YOU HAVE ABSOLUTELY NO CONTROL OVER WHAT THEY CHOOSE TO DO. Your only weapon is your faith. It is one of those times in life where the rubber meets the road in regard to the faith we claim to have in God. It is at those times in life we must make our faith real and trust Him.

Practically speaking, we can do three things. First, do our best to talk to the person we love to try and help them see that the choices they are making are only going to cause them great heartache and pain. Sadly, most people living in rebellion are not very receptive to advice from anyone. Sin has a way of blinding a person to the point where they rarely listen, but we have to at least do our best to talk to them.

Second, love them. Love them does not mean to enable them in their rebellious choices. But never let them forget, no matter how much hurt and pain they may cause, that you will always love them. One of the greatest powers in the universe is the unconditional love that we show others, especially those who may hurt us.

Third, pray. Prayer changes things. Obviously, when someone we love is living in rebellion to God, only THEY can make the choice to change. When they make the choice to change, God will help them. That is your prayer. Pray that they will have a desire to change.

I love you and care about you so much. I realize that most of you probably have someone close in your life that is living in rebellion to God. You are not responsible for their choices. What they chose to do is not your fault. You have to make your faith real and turn them over to God. Talk to them, love them, and most of all, pray for them. God is still in the heart changing business!!! I will stand in prayer with you today for the one or ones you love and care about that are living in rebellion to God. Our God is able!!!!!

In His love and service,
Your friend and brother in Christ,
Bill Keller

If I can help you in any way you can contact me through my personal email at bkeller@liveprayer.com.

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