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Many years ago, I took notes on a sermon preached by Evangelist Jim Van Gelderen. I found these notes in a drawer yesterday as I was doing my spring cleaning. Even now as I read over them, I am convicted and see areas of parenting in which I need to be more consistent.
[I am posting a summary of my notes from that evening church service. If you would like to hear this message in its entirety, you can listen to it here.]
How to Raise a Rebel
1. Be bitter. Hebrews 12:15 says, “Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled;”
2. Blame everyone else but you and your kids for their problems.
3. Don’t support God-ordained authorities in their lives. “Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God. Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation.” [Romans 13:1-2] When you resist God-ordained authorities, you resist God.
4. Put sports (or other activities) above God.
5. Don’t be vigilant on media choices.
6. Be a hypocrite.
7. Have an imbalance between strong discipline and unconditional love. Failing to implement discipline in your child’s life equals self love, not child love.
8. Be a stranger to God’s grace. A great example of this is prayerlessness. Failing to pray is a declaration of our dependence on self and our independence from God.
These were obviously given tongue-in-cheek, so let’s seek to miss all of the items on his list!
Thanks for sharing, Tracey ~ I definitely want to listen to the entire sermon! I noticed that his brother pastors in Wisconsin ~ neat!
Thank you also, so much, for your prayers for my son ~ I'm so humbled and grateful that you and your family took the time to do so.
Praying you are having a wonderful week~
Katie