Religion or Christianity?
Matthew 6:1“Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven.
Religion ruins people’s lives; relationships make lives worth living. Religion is based on what others think God thinks; relationships are based on proximity and inclusion of God in our lives. Religion is based on doing; relationships are based on being. Religion is based on feelings; relationships result in feelings that come from intentionality in time and energy. Religion forces man's way upon God; relationships allows God's love to permeate our very being. Religion creates guilt; relationships promote grace. Religion demands conformity; relationships demand unity within diversity. Religion is about me; relationships are about others. Religion promotes a caste system; relationships promote equality. Religion uses people; relationships celebrate people. Religions give rules; relationships create behavioral distinctions. Religions give false answers to imagined problems; relationships give real answers to real problems. Religions breed guilt; relationships foster forgiveness. Religions use the fear of people to control; relationships use the fear of God to set free. Religions run airplanes into buildings to destroy life; relationships give their own life to preserve life. Religions abuse power; relationships give power. Religions mask sin; relationships expose sin and deal with it. Religions are of Satan; relationships are of God.
Religion is man’s attempt to make God into man's image when God created man in His image. Religion drives people from God, whereas relationships drive people to God. Religion is a pretend relationship with God; relationships are real relationships.
Religion may be the most harmful thing sinful man ever created, more harmful than weapons of mass destruction, more harmful than drugs, alcohol, pornography, Hitler, and Stalin combined.
Matthew 7:22-23 On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name? ’ 23 And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness. ’
There will be many who come to God one day thinking that their religion appeased Him, when He never wanted appeasing, He wanted loving. There will be many who follow the rules of man, the rules of the church, who are good in the eyes of men, but who do not know God, never knew God, and promoted darkness with their life rather than light.
Through religion, Satan has blinded eyes. He has given millions false hope and destroyed their lives on earth as well as giving them no hope for eternity.
Religious people are not trustworthy because, in the end, they do what they do for themselves. Their religion is about them, their status, and their comfort. Their God is a made up God, made from Scriptural sound bytes mixed with cultural norms, personal preferences, family traditions, and human wisdom.
Religion is Satan's greatest counterfeit. A counterfeit has no value and is falsely circulated as if it has value and even accepted by the untrained eye as valuable.
Counterfeits have value until one who knows the original shows up and points out the imitation. Jesus came to earth as God's Son, pointed out the imitation, and those in charge of the charade crucified Him. In a strange way, Jesus used them to accomplish His will, to allow Him to demonstrate His love. The trouble with that is those He used were miserable people trying to protect their pretend system. In their lives, they were liars and miserable creatures. In their death, they faced an eternity with no hope. Tragic indeed.
God loves man and desires a real relationship with him. He loved us when we were sinners, when we were undeserving. He loves us as we are and calls us to Himself to have a relationship with us. He has reached out His loving hand in invitation to have a relationship with Him.
John 3:16-17 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.
This is not religious or a religion. This is an invitation to be in relationship with Him. The tragedy of relationships that are offered is that they are offered, but never realized. The real tragedy in relationships is separation.
Think of the feelings that we have had when someone we love dies. We are often devastated. It is not that we did not know man would die. It is that, at least for now, we will be separated from the one we love. We all know it is coming, but the idea of separation is not pleasant.
The ultimate tragedy in life is that we have been separated by sin from a God who made us and loves us. This sin is tragic because it separates us from Him and causes us to live lives that are out of sync with reality. The sin in our lives keeps us from God and keeps us from truly enjoying life. God, knowing our problem, made a provision so that we could end the separation we have with Him and give us the freedom from the power of sin in our daily lives. His love is extended to all, no matter their status, no matter their country, no matter their past sins. He knows us and knows that we have sinned, and He loves us and extends His offer to us.
His offer is one of incredible value. He did not offer us an opportunity to be a part of His family at our own cost, but at His cost. He saw our need and knew that He had the power, authority, and resources to meet our need, and decided to pay the entire price of our adoption Himself. He wants to repair the damage of sin, and it starts with making us aware of it, and Him making provision for it.
John 1:10-12 He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. 11 He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. 12 But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God,
Religious people reject the love and forgiveness of God given us through Jesus. They will continue to do, do, do, hoping that someday they did enough. God has said that He wants to be our Father, and that He has already made provision for you. He only asks that you accept His provision, His son, Jesus Christ.
You see, God sent Jesus to save, not condemn. He sent Him to die so that we can live. He sent Him to repair the devastation of sin. God sees us as helpless wandering children in need of a loving parental relationship, and offers to be our Father. He offers us a chance to be in His family, to be loved by Him, to be in relationship with Him. But, because it is an offer not based on guilt or coercion, but on love, He leaves us the choice of accepting His gift.
Ephesians 2:8-9 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast.
God wants us to be in relationship with Him. He does not want us to appease Him. He wants us to enter a relationship with Him and live our lives with the purpose He created us to have from before time was ever created. He gets no satisfaction from our efforts to be religious, to pay homage to some angry deity, but delights in our childlike faith, our love, our time with Him, and our obedience to Him.
God is older than us, smarter than us and loves us. We can trust Him.
You can trust Him.
If you have been involved in a religious system, you have many doubts. You wonder if you will ever be good enough since the system is set up for doing and not being. You think constantly about what others think when others have no control of your relationship with God, or your eventual destiny. Religion, or trying to appease a God who wants our love, is wearing you out and you are tired, lonely, and discouraged when no one is around to impress.
I invite you to find a place to sit a while, a place with no distraction, no noise, no electronics, and no media. Sit and think about your life. Have you had a relationship with God, or have you been involved in a religion? Would you be willing to start a relationship with Him....because He is waiting for you, to be actually be a part of His family, to be your loving Father and forever Friend. Will you be one of the many who stand before Him one day and see God reject you because you rejected Him through your religious practices? Or, will you be one whom He identifies as His adopted child, who was in relationship with Him, and for whom He has made a place for eternity where we will never be separated from those we love again?
In this quiet place read the following verses, think about what they say, and talk to God. (Just talk aloud, or think; He will hear you. He is waiting for you to respond to Him!) Then respond to God's invitation.
Romans 1:20-21: "For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened."
Romans 3:23 “For all have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God.”
Romans 5:8 “But God demonstrates His love toward us, in that, while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
Romans 6:23 “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Romans 10:9-10 “That if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation."
Romans 10:13 “For whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved.”
John 14:1-6 “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. 2 In my Father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. 4 And you know the way to where I am going. ” 5 Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way? ” 6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”
1 John 5:11-12 And this is the testimony, that God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. 12 Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.”
Titus 3:3-5 “For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy, hated by others and hating one another. 4 But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, 5 he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit….”
John 3:16-17 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.”
Matthew 11:28
28 Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
Dave Wager davewager.com
Religion ruins people’s lives; relationships make lives worth living. Religion is based on what others think God thinks; relationships are based on proximity and inclusion of God in our lives. Religion is based on doing; relationships are based on being. Religion is based on feelings; relationships result in feelings that come from intentionality in time and energy. Religion forces man's way upon God; relationships allows God's love to permeate our very being. Religion creates guilt; relationships promote grace. Religion demands conformity; relationships demand unity within diversity. Religion is about me; relationships are about others. Religion promotes a caste system; relationships promote equality. Religion uses people; relationships celebrate people. Religions give rules; relationships create behavioral distinctions. Religions give false answers to imagined problems; relationships give real answers to real problems. Religions breed guilt; relationships foster forgiveness. Religions use the fear of people to control; relationships use the fear of God to set free. Religions run airplanes into buildings to destroy life; relationships give their own life to preserve life. Religions abuse power; relationships give power. Religions mask sin; relationships expose sin and deal with it. Religions are of Satan; relationships are of God.
Religion is man’s attempt to make God into man's image when God created man in His image. Religion drives people from God, whereas relationships drive people to God. Religion is a pretend relationship with God; relationships are real relationships.
Religion may be the most harmful thing sinful man ever created, more harmful than weapons of mass destruction, more harmful than drugs, alcohol, pornography, Hitler, and Stalin combined.
Matthew 7:22-23 On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name? ’ 23 And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness. ’
There will be many who come to God one day thinking that their religion appeased Him, when He never wanted appeasing, He wanted loving. There will be many who follow the rules of man, the rules of the church, who are good in the eyes of men, but who do not know God, never knew God, and promoted darkness with their life rather than light.
Through religion, Satan has blinded eyes. He has given millions false hope and destroyed their lives on earth as well as giving them no hope for eternity.
Religious people are not trustworthy because, in the end, they do what they do for themselves. Their religion is about them, their status, and their comfort. Their God is a made up God, made from Scriptural sound bytes mixed with cultural norms, personal preferences, family traditions, and human wisdom.
Religion is Satan's greatest counterfeit. A counterfeit has no value and is falsely circulated as if it has value and even accepted by the untrained eye as valuable.
Counterfeits have value until one who knows the original shows up and points out the imitation. Jesus came to earth as God's Son, pointed out the imitation, and those in charge of the charade crucified Him. In a strange way, Jesus used them to accomplish His will, to allow Him to demonstrate His love. The trouble with that is those He used were miserable people trying to protect their pretend system. In their lives, they were liars and miserable creatures. In their death, they faced an eternity with no hope. Tragic indeed.
God loves man and desires a real relationship with him. He loved us when we were sinners, when we were undeserving. He loves us as we are and calls us to Himself to have a relationship with us. He has reached out His loving hand in invitation to have a relationship with Him.
John 3:16-17 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.
This is not religious or a religion. This is an invitation to be in relationship with Him. The tragedy of relationships that are offered is that they are offered, but never realized. The real tragedy in relationships is separation.
Think of the feelings that we have had when someone we love dies. We are often devastated. It is not that we did not know man would die. It is that, at least for now, we will be separated from the one we love. We all know it is coming, but the idea of separation is not pleasant.
The ultimate tragedy in life is that we have been separated by sin from a God who made us and loves us. This sin is tragic because it separates us from Him and causes us to live lives that are out of sync with reality. The sin in our lives keeps us from God and keeps us from truly enjoying life. God, knowing our problem, made a provision so that we could end the separation we have with Him and give us the freedom from the power of sin in our daily lives. His love is extended to all, no matter their status, no matter their country, no matter their past sins. He knows us and knows that we have sinned, and He loves us and extends His offer to us.
His offer is one of incredible value. He did not offer us an opportunity to be a part of His family at our own cost, but at His cost. He saw our need and knew that He had the power, authority, and resources to meet our need, and decided to pay the entire price of our adoption Himself. He wants to repair the damage of sin, and it starts with making us aware of it, and Him making provision for it.
John 1:10-12 He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. 11 He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. 12 But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God,
Religious people reject the love and forgiveness of God given us through Jesus. They will continue to do, do, do, hoping that someday they did enough. God has said that He wants to be our Father, and that He has already made provision for you. He only asks that you accept His provision, His son, Jesus Christ.
You see, God sent Jesus to save, not condemn. He sent Him to die so that we can live. He sent Him to repair the devastation of sin. God sees us as helpless wandering children in need of a loving parental relationship, and offers to be our Father. He offers us a chance to be in His family, to be loved by Him, to be in relationship with Him. But, because it is an offer not based on guilt or coercion, but on love, He leaves us the choice of accepting His gift.
Ephesians 2:8-9 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast.
God wants us to be in relationship with Him. He does not want us to appease Him. He wants us to enter a relationship with Him and live our lives with the purpose He created us to have from before time was ever created. He gets no satisfaction from our efforts to be religious, to pay homage to some angry deity, but delights in our childlike faith, our love, our time with Him, and our obedience to Him.
God is older than us, smarter than us and loves us. We can trust Him.
You can trust Him.
If you have been involved in a religious system, you have many doubts. You wonder if you will ever be good enough since the system is set up for doing and not being. You think constantly about what others think when others have no control of your relationship with God, or your eventual destiny. Religion, or trying to appease a God who wants our love, is wearing you out and you are tired, lonely, and discouraged when no one is around to impress.
I invite you to find a place to sit a while, a place with no distraction, no noise, no electronics, and no media. Sit and think about your life. Have you had a relationship with God, or have you been involved in a religion? Would you be willing to start a relationship with Him....because He is waiting for you, to be actually be a part of His family, to be your loving Father and forever Friend. Will you be one of the many who stand before Him one day and see God reject you because you rejected Him through your religious practices? Or, will you be one whom He identifies as His adopted child, who was in relationship with Him, and for whom He has made a place for eternity where we will never be separated from those we love again?
In this quiet place read the following verses, think about what they say, and talk to God. (Just talk aloud, or think; He will hear you. He is waiting for you to respond to Him!) Then respond to God's invitation.
Romans 1:20-21: "For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened."
Romans 3:23 “For all have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God.”
Romans 5:8 “But God demonstrates His love toward us, in that, while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
Romans 6:23 “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Romans 10:9-10 “That if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation."
Romans 10:13 “For whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved.”
John 14:1-6 “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. 2 In my Father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. 4 And you know the way to where I am going. ” 5 Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way? ” 6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”
1 John 5:11-12 And this is the testimony, that God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. 12 Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.”
Titus 3:3-5 “For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy, hated by others and hating one another. 4 But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, 5 he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit….”
John 3:16-17 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.”
Matthew 11:28
28 Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
Dave Wager davewager.com
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