Religion is often a vaccine that keeps people from catching a clear, captivating vision of the risen Jesus. Routine religion can easily become a distraction that traps people in spiritual inaction and self-righteous satisfaction. It often hinders people from being continually aware of the glorious, never-ending attraction of the living Jesus.
Being taught about Jesus without being brought into ongoing surrender to and interaction with Him, misses the point of Christianity. Learning religious information without being inwardly transformed by the living Jesus doesn’t accomplish much.
The most important thing that a Christian needs to do is to be always aware of, attentive to, and obedient to the inner presence of the risen Jesus. We’ve made Christianity mostly about never-ending learning about religion when it should be more about never-ending yearning for a closer and closer relationship with the living Jesus.
Churches, Bible schools, and seminaries (where people are taught information about Christianity) abound, but where are the discipleship centers where people are trained and mentored to daily listen to and obey the risen Jesus? Too many Christians stay stuck in acquiring more religious information through sermons, conferences, and seminars, when what is really needed is first-hand awareness of and full surrender to Christ’s inward presence and power that transforms people from within and continually produces the godly character of the fruit of the Holy Spirit.
Perhaps Christians need training centers more than preaching centers — gatherings for practical hands-on training in listening to and obeying the risen Jesus. Yet it’s hard to find such a spiritual gift encounter group where Christians gather to receive and demonstrate the gifts of the Spirit.
Christians aren’t called to be comfortable. We’re called to be led by and obedient to the Spirit moment-by-moment. (Romans 8:14.)
Here’s an example: The humility to “bless those who curse you” is not weakness. It’s Christianity in action! It is alignment with the presence and power of the living God. Be courageous enough to try it and see. This very day say something kind to someone who has said bad things about you. Too many Christians don’t have the courage to “Bless those who curse you.”
Is the body of Christ relational or institutional? I believe that the body of Christ is relational, not organizational. I believe that Jesus wants to build His body by connecting people heart-to-heart with Himself and with each other — not by dividing His followers and lining them up under multitudes of divisive, independent human hierarchies.
It’s easy to be
Stuck in doctrinal info
And religious status quo
With little spiritual
Get up and go.
Christianity
Isn’t what you know.
It is how you grow
Closer and closer
To the risen Jesus.
Religious routine
Focuses on things
That are seen.
It notices the number
Of people present
But often overlooks
The unseen
Presence of Jesus.
Instead of continually
“Looking unto Jesus,”
So His blood can clean
Hurting human hearts,
It looks to the scene
Of its weekly routine.
Jesus doesn’t belong
In a religious cage.
Let Him engage
You heart-to-heart,
Till you’re on the same page
As the Holy Spirit.
The world’s Top Talking-Topics are things such as: sports, the economy, politics, the weather, music, conspiracy theories, entertainment, travel, cooking, movies, current events, accusations, media, history, health problems, patriotism, and on and on. My Top Talking-Topic is the living, resurrected Jesus Christ! I can’t say enough about Him.
Talk about Jesus. Tell people about Him, don’t just listen to a talk about Him.
Free Gas for Your Think Tank -- Short Reflections, Lasting Encouragement 