To Hell With Religion

To Hell with religion. There, I said it. No apologies made, for religion is the worst thing that's ever happened to Mankind, outside of the Garden of Eden. Why is this? What's so bad about religion? Religion is bad for several reasons. Here are a few of them:

1.  Religion bases belief on experience. Every religion is based upon someone's personal experience that he/she came to embrace as truth. Enough convinced seekers later and, voila, a new religion is born.

2. Religion has no relationship. In religion, people pray, at best, to some mystical, far-off deity who no one knows on a personal basis. No conversation, no personal interaction, no intimate knowledge of a Living God because, in religion, none exists.  Fables, fabrication, and fairy tales, yet millions around the globe give their possessions, time-even lives-to follow what someone else told them is truth.

Spiritual blind leading other like-blinded.

3. Religion maintains its status quo through fear, intimidation-even death. With no relationship to draw from, religion  resorts to fear to keep its members. Fear of being isolated from those you're leaving. Fear of failure to merit approval of those in the know. Fear of forfeiture of reward in the afterlife. Intimidation-even death-is another tool religion uses to prevent once ardent followers from revealing insider secrets of the truth about its plans, purposes, and pursuits.

Do you have religion, or a relationship? Does your god love you as you are, or is unconditional love still on your bucket list of things yet to accomplish?

Check out my next post, as I talk about the opposite of religion, and what it means for you.

Don't Forget the Outside Information

"We have inside information" means that an organization has information not generally available to those on the outside. Inside information has come to light in recent years, often in reference to the stock market. Those with inside information see and know things other cannot, at present time, see in the same manner. In churches and other ministries, relying on inside information can also have unintended consequences. What do I mean by that? Relying on information/perspectives from only those on the inside, so to speak, robs organizations of an outside pair of eyes, the insightful perspective of someone on the outside, looking in.

Let's say you're the pastor of a growing church. Your messages are relevant, your technology is changing with the times, people are coming, and finances are solid. Good news, right? What ain't broke, don't fix, yes? Let's take a closer look.

Where are the ideas coming from? Whose ideas-whose suggestions-are being heard, considered, and, implemented? Is it just from those who have been there since the beginning, the ones who don't remember anything else? Or are you secure enough to risk the status quo's future through those who moved to where you are, through those who are too old for children's and youth ministry, but are career/ministry-minded singles yearning to be accepted for who they are-not for what they can do?

How many "outside" ideas are not just heard, but actually listened to? Many an organization has suffered from the delusion that only those on the inside have relevancy, then wonder why they fall short of their God-ordained destiny.

A good way to expose yourself to new ideas is to include those new to your church or organization, the outsiders. Get to know them for who they are, then for what they can do. In time their perspective may be just the answer you've been praying for. Choosing to rely upon just your inner circle produces unintended consequences of unintended comfort and convenience.

Here's some inside information: The answer you need may well be lying dormant in that "outside" person who's been coming, the one with outside information to propel your church/organization to the next level. Don't forget the outside information.

Now that's information you can grow with. So, what are you doing about it? What are you willing to risk to get the best answer?

Easter Egg Hunts in Life

As a boy, Easter egg hunts were part mystery, part tradition. The tradition was having them while being young; the mystery was finding all those colored eggs and candied "accessories." The hunt began with one written clue that, when properly understood, directed me to another clue in either our house or yard.The reward of finding and following successive clues resulted in possessing many brightly-colored eggs, as well as enough edible goodies to last at least a few days-maybe less. Our Christian walk is similar to those hunts of yesteryear. God gives us enough information to get us from one point to another in life. He never gives us the whole picture, so to speak-never gives us every clue at the outset. Doing so would eliminate having to walk by faith, not by sight (2 Corinthians 5:7). Doing so would cause us to take steps out of God's order, depending on our own wisdom and strength. In addition, we would miss out on the character development we acquire doing things God's way. Like the Easter egg hunt clues, God's steps are given in order, in order for us trust Him for the next clue, if you will.

The rewards for trusting God are more than any earthly Easter egg hunt ever promised. God not only rewards us in Heaven, but rewards us along the way, of obedience to walking in His steps.

What about your life? Are you trusting God for each life-step, or do you prefer to know all the steps at once, then hope you get them in the right order, each one taken at just the right time?

LifeChange, Episode Seventy Five

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How's Your Framing?

For a few months I worked as a framer, a carpenter's helper on a construction crew. Once the foundation was ready our job was to frame both the outside and inside walls of the home we were building, With enough workers and decent weather, we could frame a two-story home in under two weeks. Framing changed a flat foundation into the beginnings of rooms, closets, and the garage. As a framer I used a lot of wood and nails, an electric saw, and my 24-ounce framing hammer. Building your life on a solid foundation is great (for more on foundations watch our Life Change episodes). The best foundations, however, still need something on them to fulfill their purpose. For a home it starts by framing bedrooms, kitchen, living, and laundry areas, plus a garage and bathrooms. For your life it starts by "framing" it with what God says about you in His Word.

Your life should be "framed" with God's Word concerning peace, walking in love, health, and prosperity. Your life will include  framing of individual direction, from God's Holy Spirit. Whether it's business, ministry, sports, teaching, or other field of endeavor, a whole lot of framing has, hopefully, been going. Not with wood, nails, and hand tools, but with words-those things you speak. Words which are framing, covering, and reinforcing the "rooms" of your life. Your life is being framed-outlined-by the everyday words you have been/are saying about yourself. Good or bad, positive or negative,  your words are creating your life room by room, so to speak.

What are you saying about yourself? Whose words are you allowing to dominate your thinking and, thus, your speaking? The media's? Your relatives'? God's? Successful framing of your life includes saying what God says about you in the New Testament epistles, letters written to fellow Christians. That's the best place to find out who you are and what you have, as God's child.

So, how's your framing? How are the rooms of your life coming along? Whose words are being used to frame your life?

What's Going On?

Regardless of your political preferences, it's quite obvious that there's a lot going on in the world today. Whether it's about the unborn, marriage, race relations, or the economy, this world as we know it is changing before our eyes. While presidential candidates position themselves for next year's general election, our current leaders flail in their own strength, against unending crises. What's going on? Are we out of control? Is there an end in sight to all this? To repeat the title of an early '70s song, What's going on?

This much I know: Things are going to get worse for those who have put their trust in people, politics, and power. Those who are looking for natural answers will be, once again, disappointed by yet another promiser of better things to come.

Dream on.

It's time for those who claim to believe the Bible start acting like it. Preaching what you practice makes for a better audience than failing to practice what you preach. It's time for the Church-those who have believed on the Name of Jesus-to buckle down, remember who they are, in Christ, and live in such a way that gives a reason for the lost to want Who and what we have.

Only those whose lives are founded on doing what the New Testament says are going to make it. Sobering thought, but true. Like the song of old says, it's time for the Church to be the Church. While the world system gets darker, the light of the glorious Gospel shines brighter and brighter, through us. We can't stop some things from taking place, but we don't have to allow them in our homes, schools, churches, and individual lives.

What's going on? Will this be us asking this out of fear, or the world asking this of what God is doing through and for His people?

What's going on in your own life? Fear? Disappointment? Uncertainty? Or a life worth introducing to others?

Where is Jesus?

No, Jesus isn't missing; He's not lost. He knows exactly where He is. The problem isn't with Jesus. The problem is with people who think they know where Jesus is-only to find out that He isn't where they thought He was, who then taught others what they thought. I've heard for years, as many of you have, that we should bring people to Jesus, at the Cross. Yes we should bring people to Jesus. He's our Savior, Deliverer, Healer, Friend, and so much more. But to the Cross? No, not to the Cross. Why? Because Jesus isn't there.

Where is Jesus? When Jesus left this earth He went to Heaven, sitting down on His throne, at the right hand of God, according to Hebrews 10:12. As many have said, you don't sit down until the job's done. It took Jesus's death, burial, resurrection, and seating for our salvation to become a reality. His job wasn't complete until He sat down in Heaven, at the Father's right hand.

Where is Jesus? He's in Heaven, seated at God's right hand. Getting people to Jesus means going into His Presence in Heaven. Not at the Cross; not at the empty Tomb; not to anything made with hands. No, get people to where Jesus has been for nearly 2,000 years-in Heaven, at the right hand of God. That's where Jesus is. That's where we need to bring people who need Him: to His Throne.

We should commend all those who are bringing the lost to a saving knowledge of Jesus. The Cross and Tomb are, however, empty. There's a throne in Heaven for everyone in need of salvation, healing, deliverance, and supply. That's where Jesus is.

I hope that this simple truth will help you in ministering to others, as well in your own life. Write and let me know how it is.

Summer: Slump or Surge?

Summer is here. Officially it begins June 21, but it's here. Swimming pools have opened, schools are out-or nearly so-and temperatures are rising across much of this and other countries. Yes, summer is here. Churches and ministries traditionally experience a summer"slump." By that I mean a drop in attendance and income. Fortunately, decreased income used to happen more, before online giving became available. Technology has its benefits.

A number of  churches have found creative ways to experience summer "surges", rather than slumps. They've actually grown in number. How about your church: does it grow, decrease, or stay about the same during summer months?

This summer will your life experience a slump or surge? Will this summer be one of spiritual decrease or increase for you? At the end of the summer-traditionally Labor Day-will there be a difference in your life, as seen by others? What will the difference(s) be?

What you do with your life is up to you, summers included. Naturally speaking summer is a time between school years. For others, it's that first summer after graduation from college or trade school. In your walk with God, however, learning is for more than  seasonal; it's for a lifetime. These next few months are more than days and nights of good times and staying cool. This summer can be the "season" where your life bears more evidence that God is your Heavenly Father, that He is working in and through your life.

What kind of summer are you going to have? Relaxing? The same as other years? Or, perhaps, a summer that comes to define your life in ways neither you nor others could ever see for you, up to now? The choice is not others', or even God's. The choice is yours.

Your summer: slump or surge?