“If a man receives circumcision on the Sabbath, so that the law of Moses should not be broken, are you angry with me because I made a man completely well on the Sabbath?" John 7:23 There they were, the religious leaders criticizing Jesus because he healed a person on the Sabbath. Jesus is pointing out the foolishness of the religious leaders in that they might circumcise a child on the Sabbath, but take offense if Jesus heals a man on that day. When I left the church I grew up in, I left it after reading the Bible for the first time and seeing that the message of the church contradicted what was written in the Word of God. I was stunned. It was a total shock to me. I knew I had a very difficult choice to make because I knew it would incur the wrath of my family. I wondered if maybe I could just stay there to keep the peace. But the more I read, the more I realized that the church was in gross error. It substitutes ritual in place of the Word of God, and many of the rituals I would come to realize were worthless and in some cases even sinful. After awhile I knew I had to leave, no matter what. And yes, it did incur the wrath of my family. It was very painful. Ritual is something that makes up most religions. Religions set up rites, rituals, expectations and demands that have absolutely no grounds in the Word of God, and the Lord says these things are a stench in his nostrils. (Isaiah 65:2-5). "But in vain they do worship me, TEACHING FOR DOCTRINES THE COMMANDMENTS OF MEN." Matthew 15:9 Those who have gained understanding from the Word of God will realize that rites and rituals are the work of Satan himself. Satan will do all he can to prevent people from reading God's Word. Why? Because a person who abides in the Word of God is a threat to the Satanic kingdom, so Satan creates false doctrines and blinding deceptions. He sets them up with candles and statues and rosaries and medals and feast days and pilgrimages and rites and rituals, making people believe that by abiding in these "religious" practices, they find favor with God - when the very opposite is true. “Surely our fathers have inherited lies, Worthlessness and unprofitable things.” Jeremiah 16:19 "God is Spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and TRUTH.” John 4:24 What is truth? You won't find it in religion. Truth is the Word of God. On the night before he died, Jesus prayed: "They (my followers) are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. Sanctify them by your TRUTH. YOUR WORD IS TRUTH." John 17:16-17 Friends, let go of all "religious" things that you practice. They make you feel “religious,” but they keep you away from knowing the truth. Turn and surrender your HEART to the Lord, for this is what he desires. Turn to the Word of God (the Bible) and read it, to find truth. If your life is ruled by religious practices, pray with me: Father God, I grew up practicing the things my forefathers taught us to practice, and I admit that I would feel very guilty if I stopped doing those things because that's the way I grew up. This message is distressing to me, because it's shining a light on something you call idolatry - religious practices that have been created to give a person the FEELING that he/she is practicing these things with your approval. Your Word says that is NOT the way. I surrender my heart to you and ask you to show me if there are any "religious" things that I do which are useless, and show me in my heart what you would have me do about it. I choose your Word, Father, for your Word is truth. Help me to embrace it, and to let go of anything that has become a substitute for it, for substitutions for the truth are not only worthless, but are gross error and sinful. I will wait on you to show me, and I ask for grace and strength to follow your lead in what to do about it. In Jesus' Name. Amen.
"You will keep him in perfect peace,
whose mind is stayed on you,
because he trusts in you."
Isaiah 26:3
I heard an eye-opening teaching that when you approach God with a request, you should formulate your prayer as a lawyer would prepare an argument before a judge. What that means is that the Lord desires that we use his Word as the basis of our request.
For example, the Word of God says in this passage that if one's mind is stayed on God, and if his trust is in the Lord, THEN one can request the perfect peace he promises here. But these are two very important "ifs" which we must settle beforehand. Our mind, our FOCUS during the storm must remain NOT on the circumstances, but it must remain "stayed" on the Lord. And our heart must choose to trust him, even when our way is very difficult. Especially in a difficult time, we are not to focus on our feelings. It's difficult for sure, especially if one hasn't walked with the Lord for a long time and had time to learn his ways. But it's a choice, not a feeling. Then upon that basis, the basis of his Word, we can ask for perfect peace.
The bottom line is that nothing touches us without God's approval, and if he allows something hard, then we are to know he has a specific purpose in it. If you can trust that purpose, then you can go before the Throne of grace with your request.
This can be vitally important when one is in a circumstance that overwhelms him. Some of the trials and afflictions in our lives greatly shake us and peace is far from us as we stagger under the weight of it. The Word of God warns us that our faith must not be just "a form of religion," but a living, vital faith in the God we claim to belong to. It must be an active faith, a total trust, a belief that we will see the power of God active in our lives. To so many, their religion is just religion, something they do because they were brought up that way, or something they do so as not to feel guilty; but that is a religion that is powerless and empty. Seek the God of the religion, not the religion itself.
"...having A FORM of godliness but denying its power. "
2nd Timothy 3:5
In other words, the Gospel is a relationship with God, NOT a theology. Theology is good if used correctly, but the Word of God tells us that if it doesn't work for us, then something is wrong. If one is in right relationship with God, having his heart in total surrender, then one can EXPECT that the Word of God will "work" - not necessarily as one wants it to turn out, but in the knowledge that God is right there IN it with him, and working it out according to his plan for the person's life. It's ALWAYS with purpose.
So ...if you are in a situation that is tearing you apart, a situation that is overwhelming you, a situation that has drained you, then go and stand before "the Throne of grace" and request the grace you need. Present your case based on the Word of God, speaking that Word before him, and you will find that the Gospel of Jesus Christ is not a form, not a theology, not a religion, but that it is a Gospel offering to us the very power of God if we handle it correctly.
"Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace,
that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need."
Hebrews 4:16
Meteorologists tell us that in the center of a hurricane, all is calm. There can be peace in the center of your storm. Get that peace at the Throne of grace.
Prepare yourself before you pray, and then approach God boldly, in the Name of Jesus Christ, and receive from him the help you so desperately need.
"Enter into the rock, and hide in the dust,
from the terror of the Lord
and the glory of his majesty."
Isaiah 2:10
There is a similar Scripture that says "woe to you who are at ease in Zion." That could be easily said about America, the land of ease. In America the focus is on eating, drinking, playing, on acquiring more "toys," truly a land of ease ...dangerously so. But that is going to change. Most would never believe it if they were told. Ease has gone on so long that it's just the general expectation that it will go on forever. But that IS going to change, and many will be shocked. Unprepared. Lost.
The day of judgment will come upon the pride of man, the "talking heads" in the mainstream media, the men with lofty looks, the "experts" who go on television and declare their privileged knowledge, leading many astray and unaware that they've been led astray themselves. There are things coming that will render them silent, when their haughtiness is brought down.
vs 11:
"The lofty looks of man shall be humbled,
the haughtiness of men shall be bowed down,
and the Lord ALONE shall be exalted in that day."
On the day the twin towers were brought down in New York everyone was taken by surprise, no one expected it, no one forecast it, no one had any idea that before that beautiful sunny morning was over, 3,000 people would be dead in New York City and many more injured. In like manner, America will be taken by surprise once again, but this time it may be a whole lot worse. Why say that? Because September 11 was a warning, and the masses have refused to believe that. Hurricane Katrina and other hurricanes were warnings, and anyone who says so is laughed at. There will be no more laughter when the judgment of God falls upon an unbelieving, unrepentant and a defiant people. God has put an X across America. Mene, Mene, Tekel, Upharsin. America, you've been found wanting. (Daniel 5:25)
vs 12:
"For the day of the Lord of hosts
shall come upon everything proud and lofty,
upon everything lifted up,
and it shall be brought low."
Friends, we are living on borrowed time. The judgment of God is overdue. Someone said that if God doesn't judge America harshly, he'll have to wake up Sodom and Gomorrah and apologize to them. Sodom and Gomorrah were totally destroyed. The ash remains there to this day. Surely society is worse today than what is recorded about Sodom. The sins of America are terrible. God is patient for the sake of his people, those who believe. But like at Sodom, the day of destruction is looming. It will probably come on a bright and sunny day.
It's so ironic - people avoid God, thinking that he would make their lives miserable, while the very opposite is true. He who created each and every unique individual has the perfect plan for that one, the plan created only for him/her. Happiness is finding that plan and walking in it. He is a God of love, not the demanding tyrant that he's made out to be by the scorners.
"For I know the thoughts that I think toward you,
says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil,
to give you a future and a hope."
Jeremiah 29:11
Surrender to him and find out that he is the answer to all that your heart has yearned for. Truly he is.
There is still time folks, still time to get right with God. He has granted an extension of time for the sake of anyone who might yet come to salvation. But that extension has a deadline. Come now. Get right with God. Surrender to his will for your life. Don't miss it.
"The Lord is not slack concerning his promise,
as some count slackness,
but is long-suffering toward us,
not willing that any should perish
but that all should come to repentance."
2nd Peter 3:9
What could be sadder than regret when one finally stands before God and realizes what could have been?