Monday, October 20, 2014

I Need Revival When...(Part 11)


Read: John 14:9-21

He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.                                                                          John 14:21


    When I view the commands of Christ as restrictions rather than as expressions of His love for me, I need revival.
     Young people are notorious for their dislike of rules. It seems that almost every teenager goes through some level of rebellion during their teenage years. They are caught somewhere in between the “I’m-not-a-kid-so-don’t-treat-me-like-one” stage and the “I’m-not-an-adult-so-don’t-force-responsibility-on-me” stage. Admittedly, that is a tough stage of life to be living through. A problem arises, however, when young people decide to take out their frustration at the awkwardness they feel on their parents, their authorities, and the rules. Many teens begin to long for the day when they will be free to follow the sin they crave. Although the rules their parents have set do not allow them to chase every sinful whim and desire, it does not keep a young man who needs revival from wanting to chase it.
     When you view the rules your parents have set in place as persecution rather than as protection, then you need revival. Those rules are not there because your parents hate you or because they want your life to be miserable. They are there because your parents know you very well, and they know what mistakes you are susceptible to making. They are trying to protect you from making a foolish and unknowing mistake that could ruin your life for years to come. Don’t fall prey to the devil’s lie when he tells you that your parents are just trying to keep you from having fun. Sure, worldly pleasures may be fun for a time, but they will not last – you will only be left with emptiness and regret.
     To get to the spiritual level that you are capable of as a young man and to truly be right with God, there must be a mindset shift. Think of everything God has given you – salvation, parents, home, clothes, protection, life, etc.  How can you not lovingly follow the rules laid out by those God has given to help us. If you follow God out of duty rather than out of love for Him and for righteousness, then you need revival. When it comes to rules and restrictions, it is not that I cannot follow worldly pleasures; the fact is that I don’t have to. There are millions addicted to drugs, alcohol, and smoking. I could go do those things tomorrow if I wanted to, but I don’t have to. I am not the slave, they are! When you begin to see the rules as a tremendous help rather than as a hindrance, then you are on the track toward revival and toward God’s blessing.


Quote of the day: “Life is full of obstacle illusions.” – Grant Fuller



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