I heard a story recently about a father and his daughter who were driving down the road. The little girl was standing up in the back seat. The father told her to sit down, but she refused. He told her again to sit down and buckle her seat belt, but she again refused. Finally he said, "If you don't sit down and buckle up, I'm going to pull over and spank you!" The little girl sat down and buckled her seat belt. A few minutes later she looked straight at her dad and said, "Dad, I may be sitting down, but I'm standing up inside!"

We all know what it's like to obey because we have to, but to still be rebellious and really want to disobey on the inside. There were many times as I was growing up that I did what I was told to do b/c I didn't want to suffer the consequences...not b/c I wanted to do what was right! I know that there are lots of times that my own children do that same thing.

Read 1 John 3:4-10

The first time I read this as a young person I immediately began to think, "Well, I know I sin so I must not be a Christian!" It just stands to reason that if a person who is born of God doesn't sin...and I sin...then I must not be born of God! However, that's not the point John is trying to make here! What John is talking about is that inward attitude of rebelliousness. In other words, he's saying that a person who is geniunely a child of God will not be rebellious against God...we may make mistakes, but in our hearts we'll genuinely want to do God's will and be the person he wants us to be! On the other hand, that person who, deep down inside, doesn't want to do God's will...or doesn't even think about it - they're the ones who are children of the Devil!

It all makes sense to me when I think about it that way b/c I know how it feels to be tempted to sin and my body want to give in to the temptation, but my heart tells me, "Wayne, this is wrong...you don't really want to do this!" Sometimes, my flesh is stronger than that voice inside and I sin, but other times that voice is what keeps me from giving in. That voice comes from a heart that genuinely wants to serve God.

FAQ:
- Are you rebellious against God's ways or are you willing to do what He asks?
- Would you say that you love God?
- Which is easier...to obey someone simply b/c of their authority...or...to obey someone b/c you genuinely love them and care about what they think?
- Which of those two types of obedience would you say you have towards God?