REBEL WITHOUT A CAUSE???
Today is the 26th of this month. The Biblical number means the GOSPEL of JESUS CHRIST. As I woke this morning, had been dreaming about rebellion. Don’t recall a lot of the dream, but do recall something else. When I woke my husband was up, still working. Even though, He had promised around 1:30am that he would be done in 5 minutes. I woke up, looked at the clock, and I got very frustrated.
After, I calmed down and he and I talked, I realized that he had already been praying and seeking GOD on it. I sort of had a moment with God, where I thought, “Wow, my work here is done.” The funny thing is, it was never my work to begin with. It was a real revelation. I had been telling myself for years, that I was a REBEL with a cause. But, all of the sudden, the CAUSE was gone. I had to repent for trying to FIX problems, and thank GOD for HIS GRACE in the circumstances.
Beginning to reflect on it all there was revelation. We tend to try and fix problems as humans. WE, myself included, figure if we fix it in others, then we will get fixed. Then tell ourselves that if we can control something or someone then our life won’t be or feel so out of control. But the fact is, that is just a LIE. It is one the enemy planted a long time ago, in the garden of Eden. He convinced Eve that if she would just disobey, of course he did not say that, but if she would just TRY it, it would be better. THIS awful LIE, wow. It has been floating around ever since. Not to mention, the other lies that followed.
Do you see how in this picture, it looks like they are hiding, scheming, gonna get in trouble???
Looked up the plot line for the James Dean film with the same title as this post. Have never really seen it, just recall people talking about it. It was fascinating to see how similar it is to the NOW movies, that Hollywood is still trying to create. The film has a lot of tragedy that comes from the rebellion. Here, will encourage you to see what God says about rebellion.
Here is the info on the movie- http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/rebel_without_a_cause/
When we REBEL for our purpose, and our plan, we defy GOD. The word of God is clear about this. In scripture Paul talks about this. He says that no matter how much He tries, He just cannot stop sinning.
Here is the chapter that covers this in Romans :
Romans 7
Amplified Bible (AMP)
7 Do you not know, brethren—for I am speaking to men who are acquainted with the Law—that legal claims have power over a person only for as long as he is alive?
2 For [instance] a married woman is bound by law to her husband as long as he lives; but if her husband dies, she is loosed and discharged from the law concerning her husband.
3 Accordingly, she will be held an adulteress if she unites herself to another man while her husband lives. But if her husband dies, the marriage law no longer is binding on her [she is free from that law]; and if she unites herself to another man, she is not an adulteress.
4 Likewise, my brethren, you have undergone death as to the Law through the [crucified] body of Christ, so that now you may belong to Another, to Him Who was raised from the dead in order that we may bear fruit for God.
5 When we were living in the flesh (mere physical lives), the sinful passions that were awakened andaroused up by [what] the Law [makes sin] were constantly operating in our natural powers (in our bodily organs, [a]in the sensitive appetites and wills of the flesh), so that we bore fruit for death.
6 But now we are discharged from the Law and have terminated all intercourse with it, having died to what once restrained and held us captive. So now we serve not under [obedience to] the old code of written regulations, but [under obedience to the promptings] of the Spirit in newness [of life].
7 What then do we conclude? Is the Law identical with sin? Certainly not! Nevertheless, if it had not been for the Law, I should not have recognized sin or have known its meaning. [For instance] I would not have known about covetousness [would have had no consciousness of sin or sense of guilt] if the Law had not [repeatedly] said, You shall not covet and have an evil desire [for one thing and another].
8 But sin, finding opportunity in the commandment [to express itself], got a hold on me and arousedand stimulated all kinds of forbidden desires (lust, covetousness). For without the Law sin is dead [the sense of it is inactive and a lifeless thing].
9 Once I was alive, but quite apart from and unconscious of the Law. But when the commandment came, sin lived again and I died (was sentenced by the Law to death).
10 And the very legal ordinance which was designed and intended to bring life actually proved [to mean to me] death.
11 For sin, seizing the opportunity and getting a hold on me [by taking its incentive] from the commandment, beguiled and entrapped and cheated me, and using it [as a weapon], killed me.
12 The Law therefore is holy, and [each] commandment is holy and just and good.
13 Did that which is good then prove fatal [bringing death] to me? Certainly not! It was sin, working death in me by using this good thing [as a weapon], in order that through the commandment sin might be shown up clearly to be sin, that the extreme malignity and immeasurable sinfulness of sin might plainly appear.
14 We know that the Law is spiritual; but I am a creature of the flesh [carnal, unspiritual], having been sold into slavery under [the control of] sin.
15 For I do not understand my own actions [I am baffled, bewildered]. I do not practice or accomplish what I wish, but I do the very thing that I loathe [[b]which my moral instinct condemns].
16 Now if I do [habitually] what is contrary to my desire, [that means that] I acknowledge and agree that the Law is good (morally excellent) and that I take sides with it.
17 However, it is no longer I who do the deed, but the sin [principle] which is at home in me and has possession of me.
18 For I know that nothing good dwells within me, that is, in my flesh. I can will what is right, but I cannot perform it. [I have the intention and urge to do what is right, but no power to carry it out.]
19 For I fail to practice the good deeds I desire to do, but the evil deeds that I do not desire to do are what I am [ever] doing.
20 Now if I do what I do not desire to do, it is no longer I doing it [it is not myself that acts], but the sin [principle] which dwells within me [[c]fixed and operating in my soul].
21 So I find it to be a law (rule of action of my being) that when I want to do what is right and good, evil is ever present with me and I am subject to its insistent demands.
22 For I endorse and delight in the Law of God in my inmost self [with my new nature].
23 But I discern in my bodily members [[d]in the sensitive appetites and wills of the flesh] a different law (rule of action) at war against the law of my mind (my reason) and making me a prisoner to the law of sin that dwells in my bodily organs [[e]in the sensitive appetites and wills of the flesh].
24 O unhappy and pitiable and wretched man that I am! Who will release and deliver me from [the shackles of] this body of death?
25 O thank God! [He will!] through Jesus Christ (the Anointed One) our Lord! So then indeed I, of myself with the mind and heart, serve the Law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin.
In this picture, he looks so lost, and yet posing like he is trying to keep it together. How many of us live this way, performance based?
The point is not to beat anyone up or judge them for sin. Yesterday, God opened a door for us to see a film. I knew when going to see it, that it would be healing to watch. As we did, God moved for both my husband and I, and even others God had been using us to minister to and mentor. When we ask GOD to multiply, with a sincere heart, for HIS purpose, He does not hold back.
In fact, something interesting was, in this film we watched that was one of the last things said, “Nothing good ever came from holding back. ” When we do it FOR GOD, this is absolutely true! We must not hold back on sharing HIS LOVE. We must at least offer.
After this film, we walked outside, really feeling weary from the emotional message, yet on FIRE for how GOD is undoing the plans of the enemy. I personally, realized that I had been having some challenges staying joyful that day. It had been a very ODD morning. God had been sending us signs, so to speak that it would be a ministry day. Those are days where he puts people in our path that need healing from HIM.
So, again, we were walking outside, and I felt led to hold my husband’s hand. When I did, something happened. Just a simple gesture, that was done without control, or holding back, broke down a wall. I sit here in tears typing this. Because we have really been through HELL and back, quite literally. I have known for a while that God was restoring, and still is.
But, to see HIM move is something that seemed so small to me, BLEW my mind and was used by GOD to heal deep wounds on my soul, and his, and from what we have heard, many others. God’s love cannot be limited. We cannot hold back. That simple act, led my husband to open the door for me. Now, my husband does this once in a while, usually after we have disagreed, so, I was kind of shocked.
But, GOD says that we reap what we sow, and I promise daily to sow LOVE. Do I keep that promise every moment, no way. But, if I am used by GOD, to be loving at all, it is a success. We can sow LOVE or we can sow HATE. We can sow agreement with GOD or agreement with the enemy.
Are we rebels without a CAUSE or are we WARRIORS with ONE?
When my husband responded in LOVE and opened the door, he saw a man in a truck. God led him to talk to this man. This man was very deeply wounded. He had been sitting outside smoking. We did not worry abt the cigarettes or FEAR getting sick from the smoke. Yet, before we came out there, and we were leaving the movie, the enemy had been trying hard to stir FEAR in our hearts. Thankful that GOD gave us 100% peace to be used by HIM. We talked with the man for a bit, knowing we had something to do, but feeling led to hold off on it.
This wonderful man, who GOD loves so much and died for, just like me and you, had simply fallen into bad hands. He even mentioned that he had been reading his bible and trying to do right. He had been in Chicago recently, and had been in the hospital with chest pains. From life stress, and what not, he had begun smoking.
So, we asked him, if we could pray for him. Because if he had said no, we would have walked away. God is not forceful, and we have repented for ever being used by the enemy to be that way. May GOD shine the GLORY LIGHT of JESUS on the soul wounds so that we act in peace, led by HIS SPIRIT alone. After, we prayed for this man, and God used us, there was immediate breakthrough. Praise GOD!!!
The funny thing was, we ran out of gas. Now, this man, a virtual stranger, was led to take my husband David to the gas station to get some more gas, so we could travel home. SO much praise to GOD here. I went inside the theater, where it was cool, and called a sister in Christ to pray, and thank God. The man brought my husband back, we called the person who we were supposed to get back to, and explained what was going on, and GOD kept moving.
See, He moves when we OBEY, much more effectively than when we DISOBEY. It is NOT that He cannot use disobedience, cause GOD can use anything. But,it is more complicated, and confusion ensues, and GOD must undo the confusion. For His word says, He is not the author of confusion, He is not the tornado itself, but He is the greatest EYE in the storm.
So, this man said to me, “Well you got my attention.” I looked at him asking, “How so?” He said, “After you prayed, I went for a cigarette and did not want one.” I said Praise GOD! That is wonderful!!!! This man thought we got his attention, yet we said, “God got your attention.” Hallelujah! May the healing and deliverance multiply!
We cannot effectively throw the baby out with the bathwater, and ignore our enemy. WE must be very aware, his tactics are not changing, they just seem to be intensifying, as the word says they will. But, SO IS GOD’s LOVE!!!!!!!!
Today, will you commit to GOD that you will be HIS WARRIOR with a CAUSE?
Because being a REBEL means being LOCKED into DEATH. The wages of sin is death, as God says. Be redeemed from the curse of the LAW, the letter of the LAW kills.
It cannot be ALL LAW…. there must be LOVE.
THERE IS NO HALF WAY with GOD. YOU receive HIS GRACE and become healed from THIS world. or you DO NOT.
We must watch what we think and even more so what we SAY, for now is the time that when we speak it becomes. It has never been more important to walk by FAITH and NOT by SIGHT.
This verse has been our verse for the week. 🙂
WE PRAY YOU DO…because this world appears to be getting DARK and HIS LOVE is the only LIGHT that will LAST for ETERNITY!!!
In His Grace,
E
That was a very interesting day. Learned a lot. God gave me the name of the man during the conversation. I heard it just a tiny bit off and that was a dear friend of his name so two for one. Then God confirmed that the heart pain which the doctors didn’t understand was actually delayed emotional heartache. This time the time horizon was three years for him which extended a bit from the two years I had seen before. But the onset was tied to a new safety on his life where he felt like he could catch his breath. God showed me that the onset trigger of being safe and taking a deep breath is also the perfect time for our enemy to decide to be afraid that we will overcome so he chooses that time to strike at our heel. I though about the shepherd metaphor in which the shepherd leaves the 99 to go find the 1 lost one. The same applies for the enemy as he won’t spend energy on those who are conforming nicely, but he will expend energy to keep the one from straying away too far.
It was neat to have the same life story as in the movies play out right in front of us, then it was confirming that he called me right afterwards about an out brake light. So I took that as a sign to get it fixed immediately so I made it daddy daughter time,
Writing this right now my wife just said sinless which I thought was interesting, we are not called to be sinless but to sin less. As Jesus said to the adulterous woman : go forth and sin no more. To sin less and less over time.