Escaping dead religion. The tyranny of works.

A common trait of dead religion - of man's religion - is the unnatural focus on works. Usually when an individual is heavily involved in a works (performance) based religious system, they don't realize it. Only when freedom from that tyranny comes can one look back and see how works-based their religion truly was. This dangerous way of thinking has always been a common difference between man's way and God's way. Man tries to earn God's favor, but he cannot. Jesus Christ offers freedom from that hopeless state. He says that favor with God is free, and it doesn't require more religious exercises, but faith in His finished work as the God-sent savior of our souls.

However, many (if not most) Christian religious groups have fallen into the age-old trap of performance based religion. It may be subtle, but is present nonetheless. For those of us who were in a system like that for a good length of time, the process of re-learning and changing ones way of thinking is lengthy and difficult.

For example, just yesterday I noticed remnants of that old way of thinking while I was working. I was feeling far from God, and my relationship with Him had seemed distant for a few days. Frustrated, my mind started going down one of those old paths. Maybe I need to read my Bible more. Maybe I haven't been living out the great commission enough. Thankfully, I caught myself almost immediately, all glory to Him.

No. No -- Rightness with God doesn't come from those things. Closeness with God is not a result of working harder. Those things are a result of healthy intimacy with God, they are not what gives me intimacy with Him. So instead I went for a walk and and spent some time talking with Him.

That old way of thinking is like saying, "I feel distant from my wife, so I need to make more money, or I need to work harder around the house." Yes those things are important in keeping a household running, but they have very little to do with intimacy with my wife. If I want that, we need to spend more time together. True intimacy only comes from consistent and healthy communication.

Intimacy is not the result of right works, rather it is the root and seed of them. True kingdom work must be built upon a strong foundation of intimacy and walk with God.

Man's religion says: Work hard to reach God. Deny the body, deny enjoyment. Change your ways and do penance. Pray, fast, and read your Bible more. Go to church more. Yet God's grace says: Come to me. Sit at my feet. Seek to know me. Stay with, and in, me - and I in you.

So man's religion is backward. It says work harder and do more, and rightness with God will result. But Jesus has taught us the opposite: Get right with God, know Him. Then He will clean up your act, and right works will follow.

Escaping Dead Religion. The mystery of God's life.

I continue to be baffled by the life that God gives to us His children.

Today started great but since has gone a bit downhill. I have been caught in this funk for the past few hours. Frustrated with work, feeling incredibly impatient and annoyed by little things. Feeling trapped. Feeling tired. Feeling far from Him. In fact, the last few days have left me feeling distant from my Lord...

Life just gets busy, especially when working full time and going to school part time, and marriage and kids and chores and finances and church family - oh boy - perhaps you can relate. Sometimes it feels like a grand juggling session.

At least without Him it does.

But then during my afternoon break at work I take a long walk in the sun, and pour out my heart too him bit by bit. Even praying and connecting with Him seems hard right now. But I press through. I've been through this before, and I trust Him enough to know that He has a purpose, even in this. I know that walking with Him is all about faith, and faith requires less-than-par circumstances. Faith wouldn't be faith if circumstances didn't require faith in the first place. As I struggle through my broken conversation with Him I remember this.

About 1 min before I make it to my desk, heading back inside, my countenance begins to change. Frustrated goes to freed and tired goes to peaceful. I feel a freedom in my spirit from Him. I suddenly feel like singing his praises and quoting Psalms about His wonder and goodness and life. His uncreated life which he gives to those who seek to know Him.

I don't understand it and probably never will, how God imparts peace and life into my innermost being. Without realizing it, after spending time with Him, even frustrating, hard time - trying to connect with Him and feeling like I'm not - He pours life into me. He rubs off on me and I can't put my finger on it.

Wonderful mystery. Glorious King.

Escaping dead religion. To find Him. (Day 1)

I received a forward today. It was labeled "I agree, it is so!" and had the picture of a big-name evangelist-pastor personality and then a handful of affirmative prosperity statements listed to believe and accept by faith. At the end, it read:

"Very, Very, soon and I say Very, Very, Very soon, GOD is going to do a miracle and lift u up 4 GOOD. Here is a test: if you love God and you're not ashamed of Him, send this to ten people and watch what He does for you tonight. "

This last statement grieved me in my spirit. Since when was serving God about what He does for me, especially about my prosperity? Not to mention the very slight mysticism (forward to 10 people and God will do something amazing tonight for you) -- which may be harmless, yet effectively distracts folks from what God would have them do, which is seeking to know Him. Regardless of what He does or does not give to us, he would have us Know Him above all else.

When Jesus the Christ walked this earth, His teachings were about as far away from prosperity teaching as you can get. Instead of "You will find favor with men", he told his followers, "Men will hate and persecute you... If they hated me, they will hate you too". Instead of "God will give you more and more", Jesus said "In this life you will have trouble, but be happy, because I have overcome the world". Instead of "Trust God for more material blessings in this life", our Saviour taught the masses, "Don't be concerned for what you will eat or drink, or where you will live, or how you will be clothed, for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. Seek first the kingdom of God, and all these things will be added to you."

Jesus was the antithesis of getting ahead in this world. He was homeless, jobless, and sometimes even friendless. Instead of furthering his own causes, he focused solely on doing the will of the Father. He did not seek long life, but voluntarily died a premature death for those he loved. He was often acquainted with loneliness and abandonment. It's no wonder we don't hear much about these realities of Jesus' life and teachings. Truth simply doesn't sell as well.

I wonder what would happen if Christians today took all of their stock out of this world and re-invested it in the kingdom of God... Jesus said, "Don't lay up for yourselves treasures on earth... but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven." What would happen if we became completely content with having our basic needs met, and then focused all the leftover time, energy, and resources on Him and His kingdom?

Lord, give us the grace to be content with what we have, and focus all our efforts on knowing you and on helping others (as you lead) to know you.