This question can make one of two things happen. You want to run for the hills, or proudly stand tall declaring your faith.
But, what’s the real purpose of this question?
Depending on what part of the world you live in, it may be a question that holds your life in balance. Answering this question can turn your friend quickly into your adversary. It’s as if your religion tells someone all they need to know about who you are. It creates another category to classify you. No one can be pigeon-holed into categories. Every person is a unique blend of character and charisma.
Disclaimer:
Your religion may be an integral part of your identity. Before you continue reading, I want to make it clear that I believe in Jesus Christ as the Son of God who came to earth, died, defeated death and sin, and rose again. I am writing this to prompt reflection about the truth of God using the New King James Version of the Bible. In no way is this meant to shame, reject, or outcast any other beliefs or religions. If anything, I encourage you to read forward.
If you don’t agree with me, please understand, I am not your enemy. You are entitled to your choice. I can only plant the seed, but it’s God who gives the increase.
You are welcome here.
Let’s focus on 7 questions that you think, but don’t ask.
1. What is the difference between religion and a relationship with God?
Your religion says nothing about your relationship with God.
Is that hard to hear? I’m sorry, but it’s true.
Going through the motions of religion without your heart transformed is just empty work. Jesus transforms you through His Holy Spirit. He works within you, it’s not your works, but by God’s grace. Jesus changes your heart, and you are a new creation.
The more you let Him work inside you, the more you will share the fruits of the Holy Spirit. You can go to church every week, tithe, and even be on the church council. And, if your heart isn’t circumcised by Jesus Christ as the Son of the living God who died and rose again, then you won’t able to do what He needs. He says “without Me you can do nothing” John 15:5.
Read through Ephesians 2 for more about God’s grace through faith and circumcision of the heart.
This isn’t necessarily bad as long as it’s rooted in God’s word. But, things get misunderstood when the flesh tries to overpower the spirit. Centuries of religious leaders who’ve used traditions as a way to twist the word of God for selfish reasons prove that the flesh is no match for the spirit; it always falters.
Over thousands of years, religions have been poked and prodded so much we can barely keep up. Traditions made by man are the foundations of many churches.
Even the people who vow to these traditions can’t keep up with them.
Futhermore, traditions not rooted in God’s word are stumbling blocks for those looking for Him. Religion itself is so complicated that scholars can’t even agree on the definition of the word.
Religion isn’t your defining character. And, once you accept Jesus Christ as your personal Savior, it’s Him who lives inside you. His Holy Spirit.
Your relationship with Him is what matters.
3. What is the fruit Jesus is talking about?
Fruit of the Spirit:
Kindness
Gentleness
Patience/longsuffering
Peace
Joy
Self-control
Love
Goodness
Faithfulness
Jesus sums everything up in that passage. Your relationship with Jesus is like pulling your fruit from His vine. If He is your source, you will have an endless supply. If He lives in you when you accept Him, you just have to seek Him and spend time with Him.
4. Who can I trust?
I’m sure you wouldn’t want someone to lie to you about the word of God. However, you face lies every single day. Someone tries to feed them to you, so you don’t even come close to knowing and loving the truth of Jesus. It is a battle within your own flesh and spirit.
Good and evil. It’s a very real fight.
Certain religions don’t address this internal fight without using shame as a way to say you should be better at it. Well, there’s no shame here.
I’ll admit that I’m terrible at it because I have no strength in my flesh at all. So, I simply step aside and let Jesus do it. Even stepping aside is hard for me.
I am weak in my flesh, and guess what? You are too. We can’t handle it. We’re not supposed to be able to handle it.
Your weakness is something to celebrate.
5. Why celebrate weakness?
Because the Lord says “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness” 2 Corinthians 12:9.
Now, the battle takes many forms. Are you fighting the I’m not good enough battle? Perhaps you face the I don’t need God because I can do it myself struggle. Or even this … Why would God let this happen to me?
Anxiety, grief, anger (and many more) all take hold of our spirit. Because of this, our spirit silently suffers the more we try to do things on our own. Our flesh squeezes tighter and tighter, slowly choking the truth out of our heart and mind.
There is a catalyst that is always chasing you. He wants you to believe you are the center of the world. His devious ways make you think you are the reason for everything happening in your life, good and bad. His darts are fired at you in such a cunning way, you think you are the one shooting them. He lingers, waiting to influence you with twisted truth.
Confusion, chaos, and hate are his dwelling places. So, when you feel doubt and anger, he swoops in trying to penetrate your mind, because He wants you to keep that mess going. The longer you are stuck in it, the farther you get from focusing on Jesus.
You alone simply cannot match this power. It exists, and it’s not your battle to fight.
Have you experienced complete exhaustion from it? You’re torn by choices or riddled with guilt making you think God could never love you. Or, you’re angry and beaten down from a palpable pressure in your life, influencing every moment.
Yes, I’ve been there too.
7. What am I supposed to do?
Take heart in this …
You have everything you need in Jesus Christ.
He already defeated death and Satan
He overcame what has you struggling right now
Becasue of YOU, He laid down His life
And, He’s on your side.
When you believe in Jesus, and I mean that very moment, He is with you.
Your relationship with Him is very personal and holy. Also, your relationship looks different than what someone else has with Him, so you can’t get stuck in comparing or setting expectations about what you think it “should” look like.
This is what Jesus says it’s like …
“I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned. If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples” John 15: 5-8
Again, you have everything you need in Jesus Christ.
Your relationship with Him is what matters and His purpose for your life is revealed in that relationship. Also, once you abide in Him, He wants you to keep His words. He looks for you to love other people as He loves you. You can share the fruits of the spirit. Use the special gifts He’s equipped you with to be a witness to Him in your everyday life.
Your relationship with Jesus helps you to understand your purpose.
Please share this post with one person who needs to hear this message.
What is something you crave and can’t live without?
A need that you have to fulfill. You’re active in searching for it. It gives you chills because your heart is full. The only thing you fear is being without it because it defines your purpose. It makes you feel like a better person.
You were created to have needs that supply you emotionally, spiritually, and physically.
Humans crave connection. Desire leads to a passion that you must satisfy. Passion drives you to connect with something in a powerful way. It’s an insatiable devotion; you can’t get enough of it.
So, what are you passionate about?
In my own reflection on passion and purpose, I remember a part of the movie Sister Act 2. Have you seen it? Sister Mary Clarence (Whoopi Goldberg) was talking to the young girl who wanted to sing but was too afraid because her mother wouldn’t let her.
“If you wake up in the morning and you can’t think of anything but singing first, you’re supposed to be a singer girl.”
So, what is that thing you wake up and think about first?
Recognizing what you are passionate about in your life can help you become very self-aware. It’s hard to stay focused in a world full of distraction. But passion drives your motivation.
As a child, you had an endless supply of free-spirited optimism, but situations in your life caused that to dry up.
I believe that’s why Jesus said to be as little children (Matt 18:3, NKJV). Children aren’t inhibited by the world like you and me. They haven’t learned to distrust people because of hurt and rejection. Their hearts are warm and open, ready to accept God whenever He chooses to reach them.
Their innocence isn’t just because of lack of experience, but because their heart is humble.
God rewards humility
While teaching his disciples, Jesus called over a child to sit with them and said, “whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. Whoever receives one little child like this in My name receives Me” (Matt 18:4-5, NKJV).
We’ll get back to humility, but first let’s think about your desires.
What is the one thing that excites you the most?
Be honest. If you can’t be honest with yourself and with God, who will you be able to trust?
It’s ok. You’re not alone in desiring things that may not be the best for you. Maybe you’re hitting a wall and can’t think of anything, and that’s ok too. The purpose of taking a minute to think about your true desires is to reflect on what you are really chasing.
Getting to the root will help you get raw.
Raw is good, but doesn’t always feel like it. Tearing away the layers you’ve built to make you acceptable in the world takes time. Maybe you don’t even realize you’ve created them, which takes even longer to break them down.
Think of a beating heart: Lub dub, lub dub … and so on. At it’s most raw form, the heart beats freely and vigorously.
Nothing inhibits it, it just pumps.
With each pump, it sends life to every cell in the body. That’s what it was created to do … beat.
Over time, something goes wrong. Layers of thick muscle build up around the heart.
The heart keeps beating.
But the layers get thicker and thicker. Eventually, the layers are so thick, the heart can’t beat.
It can’t move like it was designed. Eventually, the blood carrying life to the cells is limited. The heart can’t survive in this condition, and neither can the body.
Peeling the layers helps us to get humble.
There is a purpose that was put inside of us, not by the world, but by our Father and Creator.
Being humble isn’t something we are naturally good at. We want reward for our good work. But the lowly in heart perform for no reward.
Working hard to get rewards is the human way, right?
Our reward for work is getting paid, which is one of the most basic principles we learn as an adult.
Working is one thing, but success is another. You want to be successful, but it’s essential to understand what success means to you … and to God.
Working hard at your job so you can have a nice retirement to enjoy might be your definition of success. If you’re a motivated individual who has many gifts in your work, that’s wonderful.
But what is God pulling you to do?
God cares about your heart, no matter what your bank account says. He’s not concerned with how much you know, or do in the world. He wants your heart to seek after Him and His Son.
Having humility is the key
When you humble yourself before God, something changes.
You view yourself as someone who needs Him. Crying out to Him displays your acceptance of your limitations. It also shows your faith.
Getting on your knees and saying that you need His help is an extremely spiritual experience.
This world will deceive you in thinking you can have all the answers.
Not enough money? No problem, you get a second job or invest.
Need a bigger house? Get a huge loan and pay it back later.
Feeling down in the dumps? Not an issue … take a few pills, and you’re fixed.
The more you look to the world and find answers yourself, the more you believe you can.
You were created by God with a purpose, just like a heart is meant to beat.
He loves you and gave His only Son so you could be reconciled back to Him.
Your body is a temple to Him. When you accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, His Holy Spirit meets you right in your heart.
If you don’t receive Him, your heart has a void that yearns to be filled.
You’ll search the world to try and fill it, but there’s no replacement for Jesus Christ.
You may not realize it in your everyday motions. That is why humility is necessary. You have to be willing to take a step back and look at yourself with a humble heart. The more you peel the layers, the more you see the purpose.
God wants you to come back to Him. He wants to walk with you in your life, or carry you if you need it.
He is the only One who can truly help you.
If you’re wondering how to do that, start with your desires.
What is the job you would do even if you didn’t get paid?
Feeling broken makes you uncomfortably vulnerable. But it could transform your entire life. As difficult as it is to accept, you are blessed in the brokenness you feel.
Is there something in your life that you can’t seem to get past?
It’s a thorn in your side that continually prods you. Maybe you’re mourning the death of someone you love, which paralyzes your heart from moving forward. Perhaps your struggle is internal, and you continually become your own worst enemy.
You go through a barrage of coping from anger to anguish. You are set on autopilot and pace through your everyday duties, but your heart is hollow. Your passion is gone, and you don’t know your purpose. You believe in God, but question His belief in you. You can’t feel His strength. Faith becomes hidden behind your fear that it will never change.
In life, something will always break you. That something will not honor your timing but operate on its own. The hardest part about your brokenness is accepting it as an opportunity, and trusting God through it.
Do you feel most in need of God when things are going right … or wrong?
If you’re like me, you are on your face praying when things have gone so wrong all you can do is weep. I thank God every day for His blessings in my life. There was a time when I wasn’t so sure of God. I didn’t feel worthy of Jesus because of my terrible mistakes. But, I remember the moments I’ve been crushed even more because they sparked a change that may have never occurred otherwise.
Get alone with Him
Even if you question God’s motives, and are so mad at Him it’s hard to breathe, tell Him. Get alone with Him. When it’s just you and Him, there’s no hiding, no running, no lying … just facing Him and the truth. Confront the raw truth of how you feel about your life. At that moment, you are humbled in a way you don’t expect. Your faith emerges behind the fear you’ve been living with, by merely asking Him why. God knows when you exercise your faith, and most of the time it’s not Him that needs to see it, it’s yourself.
I came across a passage when listening to a Bible study and couldn’t pass it up. God has that exciting way of taking you somewhere you didn’t expect, but needed to experience. The journey led me to a woman in the bible named Hannah. You may know the story but I didn’t, and I want to share it with you. It’s in 1 Samuel chapter 1, NKJV.
The Shattered Woman
Hannah was the wife of a man named Elkanah. He had another wife named Peninnah as well. (I don’t really know how to pronounce them either, so no worries). Peninnah had children with Elkanah, but Hannah couldn’t have children. Every year Elkanah made an offering to the Lord according to the Jewish faith. This offering involved animal sacrifice. When he would give portions of his offering for his family, he would always double Hannah’s amount. He was madly in love with her.
Being that Penninah was also Elkanah’s wife, she was in constant competition with Hannah. Not only did she share in the life of her husband, but she was also able to give him children. Peninnah provoked Hannah, trying to hurt her emotionally 1 Sam 1:6, NKJV. She was a constant threat to her, harassing her year after year. Peninnah was most likely jealous of Hannah because of the love Elkanah had for her. His offering for Hannah was always more than for Penninah. He loved her and blessed her, even in her brokenness.
Hannah felt hopeless
Year after year, she endured the aggravation from Peninnah. The rivalry between them really affected her. Despite her situation, Elkanah loved her, and it didn’t matter to him that she couldn’t have children. But it mattered to Hannah. She wouldn’t eat, but only wept 1 Sam 1:7. Hannah became bitter out of the overwhelming grief she experienced.
Have you ever felt that way?
Tightness in your chest, clenching your jaw, and putting on a fake smile. You feel forced to isolate and unable to move past the negativity. You don’t trust anyone. You’ve been so involved in the cycle of your own despair that you can’t see the way out. Frustration soon turns to apathy.
Bitterness is like a chisel to your spirit. It slowly breaks away the love in your heart until there’s nothing left. Your spirit becomes broken. It’s in desperate need of repair, but there is only One who can truly make you like new.
Hannah’s brokenness brought her to the point of no return.
She finally had enough. She decided to go to the altar during the yearly sacrifice and cry out to God. While there, she wept profusely to Him. She spoke to Him with her heart, not her voice. She prayed so hard the priest Eli thought she was drunk! Her lips moved but no words came out.
“O Lord of hosts, if You will indeed look on the affliction of Your maidservant and remember me, and not forget Your maidservant, but will give Your maidservant a male child, then I will give him to the Lord all the days of his life, and no razor shall come upon his head” 1 Sam 1:11. Hannah called to her Lord. She was pleading with Him to hear her and not forget her. Desperation turned to devotion to God.
She let it go
Hannah “poured out her soul” to Him 1 Sam 1:15. Once she placed all her grief on the Lord, she left it behind. She left her grief at that altar. Her faith in God overpowered any doubt from the life she was in the habit of living. Her spirit connected with Him through her suffering. She surrendered her sorrow to Him and never looked back. She finally ate again and felt restored! Many were blessed from her brokenness.
What changed in Hannah?
Her faith overpowered her fear
God honored her faith. She conceived a son and named him Samuel. When he was weaned from her but still a young boy, she fulfilled her promise to God. Hannah wanted him to live a life with God. She hoped for him to be blessed and covered by God’s grace. They traveled to the altar where she made the promise to God. After all her despair, she still followed through on her promise to devote Samuel to a life with God.
God kept His promise, and so did she
“As long as he lives he shall be lent to the Lord” 1 Sam 1:28 Hannah promised. The faith in her heart prevailed over the misery of her situation. God blessed her, and she praised Him by offering Samuel to Him.
God protected Samuel, and he continued to live a holy life as one of God’s chosen. He ministered and judged all of Israel with righteousness. God blessed Hannah and Samuel very much. It all started with Hannah deciding to take up her cross, step out in faith, and give her sorrow to God. She was given a great blessing, but she may not have seen it without her brokenness.
In this world, we always have a choice. We live with the result of our choices, whether they are good or bad. Sometimes you have sorrows that push your faith into a dark place in your heart. You get used to it being there and start trusting things in the world. You may not notice your faith sinking deeper, especially if you aren’t turning to God with your needs. But without a relationship with Him, you become lukewarm in your faith.
Lukewarm is a dangerous territory
When you’re lukewarm, you’re not invigorated by God. You’re not broken by the world, you’re right in the middle. You go through the motions, but you’re neither cold or hot. You may go to church, but just because it’s part of your routine. There’s no craving for God. You keep trying to handle your life on your own without Him. “So then because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth” Rev 3:16 .
God wants you to be filled with the Holy Spirit and make an effort for Him. When you feel you don’t need Him, you are on the road to destruction. The worst part is, you may not even notice. This happens more with people who are doing well in their life, believe it or not.
You are blessed in your brokenness
When you come to the point of sheer exhaustion from doing things your own way, your eyes start to see the truth. You face a choice between yourself and God. On your knees, blinded by your own tears, you face a moment of transformation. You are completely vulnerable, which breaks even the most prideful heart. That moment is when you have the opportunity to let God help you. You are not lukewarm, but instead burning with desire for Him because you realize you can’t do it on your own.
He will make a purpose where you didn’t know one existed
Hannah was barren, and she longed for a son. If she wasn’t utterly crushed in her spirit, she might not have prayed so hard to God. Her overwhelming desire for Him shattered her grief. She chose to give it to God instead of carrying her burden any longer. When God answered her prayer and gave her a son, it demonstrated the purpose of her anguish.
Let it go
I hope you feel encouraged to choose as Hannah did. Whatever is breaking your spirit right now, you do not have to handle it alone. Jesus is standing at your door and knocking. You can give it to Him. Let it go. He has a great purpose for your life. In every moment, both joy and despair, there is a purpose. Trials produce patience and help you grow in your spirit. The more you rely on Him, the more you will trust. You won’t go wrong in your faith when you take a chance on Him. You’re blessed in your brokenness because it brings you to a point of surrender. Call on God
What holds you back?
It’s hard to trust, especially when you’ve been burned. You’ve been hurt and you don’t trust anyone. Especially when you take a chance on someone only to find they’ve hurt you just like the others. God isn’t like that. He already chose you because He loves you. His intent is to help you, not hurt you. You can be confident He hears you when you call out to Him.
Here are a few reasons to help you confide in God:
1. Trusting Him is different
“It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man” Psalms 118:8, God says to trust in Him. He isn’t like the people who’ve hurt you. He loves you and already accepted you through His Son Jesus. You only need to believe.
2. He hears you
“The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears, And delivers them out of all their troubles” Psalms 34:17,. You know that He is listening to your cry. When you are alone in your room and reaching out for Him, He hears you. If you don’t get the answer you expect, that doesn’t mean He isn’t listening. We are slaves of instant gratification. We always want things right now. God doesn’t work according to our will, we work according to His, in His time. He hears you, so keep reaching out in faith. He will help you.
3. You can ask Him for help
“Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.” 1 John 5:14. When you are in a broken state it’s cathartic to let it out. Cry, yell, scream … do whatever you have to do to let it go and give it to God. He hears you and wants to help you. Ask Him for what you need. Maybe you don’t know what you truly need, and that’s ok. Ask Him to help you follow His will and submit. You may be surprised at what happens.
4. He will get you through it
“I sought the Lord, and He heard me, And delivered me from all my fears” Psalms 34:4, NKJV. Faith is not just believing He hears you, but that He can do something about your situation. The more you grow in your faith by trusting Him each day, you will start to see with your heart. You will notice how He helps you in ways that prove only possible by God. Putting your faith in Him frees you of the burden of fear. The fear of rejection, failure, and pain no longer hovers over you because in Jesus you are completely accepted and loved.
Being afraid of things you can’t control in the world don’t plague you once you give it to Him. Truly letting go and watching Him work is a glorious experience. You heal in ways you don’t expect. He knows your heart because you are His child. You will never go wrong turning to God for help.
I hope you trust in God in whatever is troubling you. I pray you hear His voice and find peace. You can be confident in Him. He loves you and accepts you for who you are through His Son Jesus Christ.
We are experiencing a global pandemic. This event is showing the world its own vulnerability. We aren’t invincible. Everything you care about can change in an instant. Yesterday you were worried about having enough time to get to work. Today you don’t have a job because your workplace is not considered an “essential” business.
An invisible virus has impacted everyone. It silently travels and spreads from person to person, no discrimination whatsoever. Cunning and calculated, attacking in just the right conditions. But sometimes it doesn’t, then travels onward. No rhyme or reason, which overwhelms you with fear.
Your thoughts are stuttering. Your hands are clammy. Constant worry is scrambling in your mind. You weren’t expecting it… Your heart starts racing. I’m crazy, but am I? What if I can’t handle this? I have no control. I’m not strong enough. What about my family? How am I going to protect them? Too many questions and not enough answers.
Does that sound familiar to you?
Any time in your life that you feel this way, it brings your world to a screeching halt. It doesn’t necessarily take a pandemic, sometimes it doesn’t take anything. The clever ways of anxiety don’t need a catalyst. It’s an enemy that silently attacks and makes you think it’s all your fault. Its root is fear and it conquers you.
The prince of the power of the air is the one who facilitates these enemies. Fear and anxiety lead to doubt because a spirit of fear is not from God. Any doubt placed in your mind is like a festering mold. It continues to grow slowly and infect.
Uncertainty keeps you broken. You’re in limbo, not understanding the promises God has made for you. It causes aimless wandering in your life, leading to desperate searching. Your vulnerability is a perfect situation for you to be attacked again … and again.
God is your protection
Jesus Christ defeated those enemies the moment He gave up His Spirit on the cross, died, and rose again. He fought your battle. He has already mastered your struggle right now with fear. Even He was tempted by Satan, who used scripture to try and make Jesus doubt God. It didn’t work because Jesus is the living Word of God. He is your Savior, who defeated sin and death.
Satan has no power over Him.
When you are covered with the blood of Jesus Christ by confessing He is the Son of God who paid your sin debt in full, Satan has no power over you either. These silent enemies have no weight in your life. You can overcome it in Jesus Christ. No matter what kind of fiery arrow is launched your way, the armor of God is your protection.
How do you overcome your fear?
Trust in God
Rely on Jesus
Submit to God
Let go of your fear
Each of these will guarantee strength. Just because they are simple answers doesn’t mean they are easy. You will have to fight yourself because you will want to take the path of least resistance. That’s where you are the most vulnerable. But when you do each of those things, it’s no longer your fight. You’ve given it up to God. And His power is insurmountable.
It doesn’t take away the merit of why you are afraid or diminish the reason to fear. Fear is real and so is the anxiety you feel.
But so is God.
His power surpasses all understanding. He has given us power through His Son Jesus Christ. Once you have Jesus within you, you no longer are fighting alone.
Your spirit and flesh battle each other constantly in this world. When you let go and let Jesus step in for you, He will do amazing things. You are not tagging in an equal. You are choosing a superior, One who has defeated what you are going through right now. Your power comes through Him.
Whenever you are afraid, His peace overcomes it.
He gives you comfort and joy even in the terrifying times of your life.
You have to trust Him.
You have to let go.
Stop trying to deal with everything on your own.
You don’t have the strength to battle without the armor of God.
You may find relief for a short time in medication, hobbies, or other substitutes that pass the time. But there is no replacement for Jesus. He is the prince of peace. He is the only One that defeated death and rose again, vanquishing the sin of the world and all that comes with it.
I pray you will find His peace in this difficult time. If you haven’t accepted Jesus as your personal Savior, I pray that you open the door when He knocks. He will not give up on you. You do not have to be afraid, He is always with you.
The state of emergency to stop the spread of the coronavirus prompted the evaluation of places to be “essential” and “non-essential.” I understand this concept well as a nurse because it’s similar to the triage of what’s important and urgent against what is non-urgent. But how are you supposed to grasp that a place where you’ve come to know God, joyfully worship Him, and fellowship with His children is non-essential?
You may feel like a wandering sheep looking for your shepherd now that many churches have closed. It’s disheartening to think of you and your fellow Christians to be without a place to meet God.
The moment you set foot in the building, you know you are in a special place. You immediately feel at home. You know there are people you can trust all around you and feel invigorated by the Holy Spirit. It’s a time to sing praise and have fellowship in the good news of Jesus Christ. Your kids are safe and happy when learning in the daycare during the service. It’s a place you can truly be filled with joy.
But church isn’t the building, it’s the people.
You are part of the church led by Jesus Christ. He is the High Priest and King of Kings. He said where two or more are gathered, I am there (Matt 18:20, NKJV). There’s no instruction saying you have to go to a building to worship Him. The most important part of being a Christian is having a relationship with Jesus Christ. It’s an intimate, daily walk with Him. Submissive and humble to His instruction in your life. The Holy Spirit comes into your life as a gift when you receive Jesus as your Savior, not because you entered a specific building. Your body is your temple.
The relationship you have with Jesus Christ is an unbreakable bond that no man can destroy. It doesn’t matter what is going on in your life, your connection with Him is entirely yours. You don’t need a church building to foster it. You just need to give Him the time.
We are all part of His church. We are essential.
In America, we see mega-churches becoming a popular trend. When I see thousands of people gathering to celebrate Jesus it absolutely warms my heart. All those people reaching out to Him is glorious! But sometimes the church is more simple than that.
It’s you with your friend who desperately needs to talk. Your friend is going through a difficult time and needs to be encouraged by your faith and comfort. She needs you to pray for her, so hold her hand and pray together.
Jesus is there.
Those moments won’t always occur in the church, but rather in your everyday life. Your heart needs to be centered on Jesus, so you can be ready to provide the faith gift He needs you to use to minister to His people. We are all part of His church. There is no shortage of people who need the encouragement that you can provide through your faith and love in Him.
3 essential attributes of the church
1. God-Centered
Jesus said, “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves” (Matt 7:15, NKJV). The truth is God’s word. False teachings that involve self-centered concepts are rampant throughout the world. Jesus Christ is the only begotten Son of God who came to earth, fully man and fully God, to sacrifice Himself for the salvation of the world. He died and rose again after He defeated death. This is the truth from the word of God. You know the truth when you test the spirits and whether they confess Jesus is the Son of God. “By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God, and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God” (1 John 4:2-3, NKJV).
God’s word has to be the center of the church, or it’s not of God. Jesus is His living Word, who became flesh (John 1:14, NKJV). Wolves in sheep’s clothing are those that twist and turn God’s word to be for their own benefit. When Satan tried to tempt Jesus, He used God’s word but manipulated it to try and make Him falter. These ways, whether intentional or not, are not of God and have serious repercussions.
2. Relationship with Jesus
The way you meet Him and learn with Him does not have to be within a church building. You can meet Him every morning in your room when praying. You can be part of mission trips that reach out to people desperately(new word) in need of Him. Maybe on your way to work, you listen to a bible study or podcast. Or even late at night when everyone in your house is asleep, you like to read and pray. The way you spend time with Jesus is between you and Him. Therefore, the most important thing is that it occurs.
3. The People
One of the best parts of the church is the fellowship. Fellowship with other people who have a love for Jesus like you is indescribable. It gives you hope. You see other people trying to live a life just like you. They struggle, they’re not perfect, and they don’t judge you for your mistakes. A church of people filled with humility is truly sharing the mission of Jesus. You can find comfort in their grace. You celebrate the life of Jesus together in a way that fosters the purpose in your heart for God. These people help you in your difficult times and celebrate your joyous moments.
Jesus is the Good Shepherd.
People thirsty for the truth, but can’t find it, are like wandering sheep. They need a shepherd to care for them and lead them. The shepherd nurtures the sheep and does whatever it takes to make sure they are safe. Anyone who doesn’t care for the sheep leaves them to face the wolves alone. Jesus is the Good Shepherd. The Shepherd knows His sheep, and they know Him. They hear His voice and see the way. “I am the good shepherd and I know My sheep, and am known by My own. As the Father knows Me, even so I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep” (John 10: 14-15, NKJV).
The bond of Christ to His church is like the marriage bond between a husband and wife. The wife is submissive to her husband as she is to God. The husband honors and loves his wife. He gives himself for her, and loves her as he loves himself. “For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as the Lord does the church” (Eph 5:29, NKJV).
Christ is the Husband and we are the wife. “For we are members of His body, of His flesh, and of His bones” (Eph 5:30, NKJV). We submit to Him out of love and He cleanses us through Himself.
Christ wants you to walk in wisdom and understanding. Spend time with Him to realize His will for your life so you can grow in your knowledge. You can trust in Him. He will never separate Himself from you.
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