THE TRAP OF RELIGION

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“Having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away!”

2 Timothy 3:5  

Are you a Christian? Do you pray faithfully every day? Do you study your Bible? Do you evangelise? Do you never miss a meeting at church? Are you faithfully sold out in service to God? Oh! Yes, you’re adequate in all of these. More grace to you!

These are very beautiful acts. As a matter of fact, the Lord expects these acts of faithfulness from us, and it is very dangerous to think they are unnecessary. They are very essential to the growth of every Christian.

However, it can also be very dangerous to be satisfied with doing these things that you forget that what is MOST IMPORTANT is the fact that you have an ongoing relationship with the Lord. It is that you have a relationship with the Holy Spirit and are submitted entirely to the word of God—not just reading it.

It can be so easy to fall into the trap of ticking the boxes that we assume we must be pleasing to God because we are serving, giving, and doing. But as important as those things are, they must be built on the foundation called STAYING.

Staying in the presence of God. Staying dependent on His approval. Staying sensitive to His Words. Staying at His feet in true worship and surrender. Dear Christian, for everything you can do for God, what He really wants is YOU. After you have surrendered yourself to Him, then the next thing God is interested in is what He can do in you, through you, and with you.

So, please, never let the things you do for Him make you forget that He wants you first of all. Do not be satisfied in yourself if you have not checked that the Holy Spirit is satisfied.

Prayer

1. Lord, please, remove the scales of religion from my eyes so I will do that which really pleases you, not that which I think is enough.
2. Daddy, help my heart. Draw me closer to yourself.
3. Jesus, please, do not let your death be in vain.  Let your church come to the full knowledge of you so much that we value our relationship with you over our service.
4. Help us not to be carried away by the distraction that come with our calling, but let our service be fueled by our love for you.

This is our message for today. May this message bless you on your spiritual journey. Please share your thoughts in the comments below, and click here for more resources to aid in your spiritual growth.

Have a pleasant day!