Religion? Or Relationship?
By Kyle Blackwell
I rarely listen to country music anymore because all it talks about is sex and boose; however, I listened the other day and I got one of the best sermons I’ve heard in a long while. The lyrics go like this: “I only talk to God when I need a favor, so who am I to expect a savior” (by Jelly Roll). This really sounds like the westernized church of today, where people only come to God on Sundays, maybe Wednesdays and whenever they need help.
This thing called Christianity is not a one and done kind of religion, but it is about a relationship with the Lord “AND” Savior, Jesus Christ. We love to call Him our Savior, but accepting Him as Lord of our life is a whole other ballgame.
Have you ever put on a holy cloak before going into church? This was my life for 22 years. Unfortunately, this sort of thing is not uncommon. Like my old self, there are many in the church today who put their trust in a prayer they once said instead of putting that hope in Jesus.
If my testimony sounds a lot like your own story, pay attention.
Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who substitute darkness for light and light for darkness, who substitute bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter (Isaiah 5:20). No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other (Matthew 6:24). The Good News: the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it (John 1:5). Even the darkness is not dark to you; the night is bright as the day, for darkness is as light with you (Psalm 139: 12). Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them (Matthew 5:17). And if you love me, you will keep my commandments (John 14:15).
Westernized Christianity teaches that all you have to do is “invite Jesus into your heart”. The problem with this theology is that you do not do the inviting, but Jesus does; although, we do have a choice to accept or deny His Majesty.
The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned. -1 Corinthians 2:14
The natural man is unable to understand the gravity of their sins without the cultivation of their heart, which is done through the anointing power of Holy Spirit.
Now, let’s say one has genuinely surrendered their life to Christ, what is the evidence? The evidence is seen through the wonder working power of Holy Spirit.
But when the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, he will bear witness about me. And you also will bear witness, because you have been with me from the beginning. -John 15:26-27
When you are filled with Holy Spirit, you cannot hide Him. You are born again. You will begin to hate the things you once loved, and love the things you once hated.
You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. -Matthew 5:14
It’s time the Church gets back to the basics. Let us get away from religion and get back to a relationship with Jesus. He left us with 66 books which are all love letters from Heaven. Each of these love letters speak of Jesus (read my articles Old Testament Gospel and Faith To Absolute to see why I believe the Bible as truth). The world will tell you that the Bible is no longer relevant. My friend, the world cannot be further from the truth. When you earnestly seek Him, He will reveal Himself to you.
Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart. -Jeremiah 29:12-13
If we truly love someone, we will read the love letters they send us. Please visit our Road To Salvation tab if you desire to join us in a transformed life, a new beginning, a Reborn Identity.
-My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge - Hosea 4:6
