Religion Vs. Relationship [from a previous blog]

Several years ago I spoke at a small conference for young women. The title of my message was "Religion vs. Relationship: Does God Really Love Me?" I shared with those young women the value of possessing a strong and healthy relationship with God based on a heart that was truly thirsty for God and not religion or religious acts. From what I could tell, the message was well received. Still, I had no idea that the questions I was asking about religion then would come to a head and cause me to challenge everything I'd ever learned about God now.

I firmly believe in Jesus Christ and the sacrifice that He made on the cross for me and all of humanity. What I no longer believe in, however, is the grotesque portrait of the Christian Church that religion, dogma and doctrine has painted. Religion is the reason Christianity is such a joke. I'll have no part in that anymore ... and I'm deeply apologetic for the part I played in the past.

Religion is the reason Christians all over the globe bicker and complain about doctrinal differences instead of coming together to celebrate the Focus of their faith. Religion is what people do to make them feel that they've done their part to win the heart of God when Jesus Christ did all the "doing" for them. We don't have to "do" anything. We just have to "be." But, alas, religion has taught us that if we are not "doing" for God then the blood Christ shed for us was in vain where we are concerned. Religion recruits us then tosses us out into the world and tells us to go "spread the news about God" and " be good" and "do good." And even though we go out into the world and do what Religion told us to do, we are plagued with a sense that we aren't doing "enough."

Religion is a box constructed in the minds of men to capture and harnass the absolute power of God only letting Him out to perform magic tricks like a "good trained monkey" when they need Him.. Religion has nothing to do with a relationship with the Creator whatsoever. In fact the very motive behind it is impure.

Maybe this isn't you. Perhaps you've scored all of the answers. But, I know plenty of people whose hearts are singing the same song mine is singing right now. So, next time you go to church ask yourself why are you doing it? Are you really going to worship God or going because the practice is rooted deep within you and because you just should. When you pray are you doing it because you truly want to communicate with Him or because you should? When you do good deeds do you do them because your heart is truly filled with the love of God or because you should?

I'm not knocking church, praying or doing good. In fact, anyone who knows me knows that I love my church and the spirit of freedom that abounds there. I love to pray because I believe God truly understands me like no one else. I love to do good things and be a good person because I love people and I love to be an encouragement to others. I don't like for people to hurt or to be sad and if there is any way I can help them to smile, I will. But, what I am knocking is the religious motive behind doing these things if you're not doing them simply because you love God and not because you think He'll be displeased with you if you don't.

I was listening to the radio a few days ago and a pastor was talking about religion versus Christ. He said that religion was spelled 'D-O' because religion tells you have to "do" to please God. He also said that Christ is spelled 'done' because Christ already did it. We just have to "be."

Look, what I'm trying to say here is: Religion is not God. Religion is man-made. Man is flawed. You see my dilemma?

If you're offended, I can't apologize. Maybe you should check your motives. If you agree, that's good ... you are truly on a journey to the heart of God ... not religion. That's where I am ... I hope to take some more people with me. But, if not ... I am fully prepared to go it alone even though I won't really be "alone."

I've committed the rest of my life to knowing God for myself and NOT what religion has taught me to think about Him. I'm entrusting my entire heart to Him and trusting Him to teach me the things I didn't know before ... without feeling like I haven't learned enough or done enough to please Him. I'm committing myself to Him and only Him ... not to religion, not to the church ... to GOD. I choose to believe and have faith in HIS ability to lead me and help me to "un-learn" the business of church as usual. And, in doing so, I believe that I'm going to find the true essence and heart of what matters ... God. Nothing more, nothing less. Just God ... without all of the religious theatrics.

Thanks for listening.