Religion or Religious?

Religion – The force that’s driving many Christians today!

RELIGION: – AN ORGANIZED SYSTEM OR INSTITUTION OF BELIEF BASED UPON THE TRADITIONS OF MEN INSTEAD OF THE PURSUIT OF FRIENDSHIP WITH GOD – THE ACT OF PLAYING CHURCH, EXCHANGING INTERNAL TRUTHS FOR EXTERNAL PERFORMANCES; SUBSTITUTING SPIRITUAL REALITIES WITH CARNAL RITUALS.

Let the church shout praise the Lord; the church shouts praise the Lord! Let the church say glory to God; the church says glory to God! Let the church say thank you Jesus; the church shouts, thank you Jesus! Turn to your neighbor and give them high five. Jump up and down to receive your miracle. Run around three (3) times and watch God show up! I can go on and on for weeks listing the various clichés or sayings that is so loosely used in this day’s modern church. Terms I deem to be nothing more than religious tactics to hype persons up to get them in the “mood” to worship; To get them “excited” about the message that is being presented to make them “feel good” and leave happy but yet emptier than they came in.

How about the everyday characters traits that each of the members possesses? We all know one or know someone that knows them. You the ones; they walk into the sanctuary; head held high wearing their Sunday’s best.  Hats so big and bright; putting any Kentucky derby attendant to shame. Their dresses matching their shoes; their accessories even the handkerchief that they place ever so neatly over the top of the skirt that they know is too short to begin with yet they sit with backs arched and that smug look on their faces. 
     Suits that are tailor made to co-ordinate with the shoes imported all the way from Italy; “only the best I can and do wear”!  You now the kind....they’ll be sure to tell you that  they must wear Crocodile skinned shoes and how it is made of the most popular parts of the skin being that from the back and stomach. Yet they stroll in with heads held high, looking left to right as their grimacing, deceptive smiles so effectively seduces and warmth’s the hearts of the unsuspecting at the same time.

Come on over and sit next to me, you know that this my very special reserved Sunday seat.  The place I chose to sit each time to hoot and holler and sing jump dance and praise right on time. This is the place I sit and wait to hear the word that’s coming to my ear. “I need a word lord knows I do so rev better preach good today!”

“Who is sitting in my seat? Now they know I sit there every Sunday the lord sends and they actually have the nerve to sit in MY seat - ya see - My spirit den cross!”

Who does she think she is? Walking in here with tight skirt no matching looking shabby all the time self? Do you think that she actually believes that because her body is tight and she’s shaped just right that she can just walk up in here causing my man to look at her with her nasty self! “You know das da jezebel spirit right? Yea gyal ya ca see it all over her; Why you tink she does act like so….tinkin she better than ppl..hmph..chal please I can only imagine how much man in here den run through dat mess!”

 (oh yes they in church talkin like this)

Why you stressin me man? You don’t know that the gift is without repentance? So what if I just come from da club last night and wan go up there are play the keyboard? What does that have to do with you? That is between me and God! So stay out of my business please!  Yes I do know that people will talk but they ga jump and down and fall on the ground once I start playing cuz why? I hard like dat! Nothing they can do can stop the flow, so why don’t you just sit back relax and enjoy the ride?

This is the very type of behavioral patterns that are pulling persons away from God rather than too Him. Simply because of the “theatrics” that are going on in today’s modern church system; and this type of recklessness and lack of respect for God’s house must STOP! He’s calling us higher.

God is calling us to a real and genuine relationship with him. Not a store bought, soap opera or Tyler Perry like production of what we deem to be worthy to him. We are to worship the Lord in spirit and in truth not on the praises or the accolades of others! So many times it’s not seen THOUGH said by those who are in the ‘world”; or even those who may be in a back slid-den state “who me? What am I going to church for and the ones in there doing the very same things I am doing or even worst; the only difference with me and them is they saying lord, lord and playing Christian or playing church!

I personally am tired of the poor image that is being portrayed in society by the so called “true worshipers"-  The true believers; the water baptized bible teaching, speaking in tongues Holy Ghost fired up ready to die for Christ or so they pretend to be! 
    Christians need to be the ones to set the standard and maintain it; Not only in church but in every area of their lives. It’s what we were delivered from. We are to put away the former things and become new as a child of God as His words says in 2nd Corinthians 5:17 not to take off some and to keep the rest.

The double life-style that has become so accepted is what’s hindering the growth of the church and worst of all its hindering the growth and expansion of the kingdom. Today persons are in church with “holy hands” lifted, tears streaming down their faces every time the door opens but yet as soon as they leave the sanctuary their “other” lifestyle resumes. Being un-friendly; treating those whom they know poorly. Lying, cheating, stealing, fornicating, and doing everything else but what is required of God. Yet they sit and wonder why souls aren't being won and why in their own lives yokes are not being broken. It is because of this type of yo-yo behavioral patterns that they have become so accustomed to. Double mindedness! The word of God says that a Double minded man is unstable in all his ways. Hence the instability in their walk with God which then results in the ones that need to be reached being turned off and sadly turned off from the very one they need to be tuned into and tapped into – GOD!

When will we learn?

The only way that change is going to come or true change rather is with us! Our mindsets; the way we treat people; the way we show love, compassion, kindness, meekness, gentleness & most of all, the way we are supposed to mimic Christ.

 We have become a fleshy generation caught up in the things of this world; walking after the flesh rather than in the spirit.  Paul warned of this in 2nd timothy 3:1-5 that perilous times shall come. Men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, unthankful, unholy, Without natural affection, truce-breakers, false accusers, despisers of those that are good, Traitors, heady, high-minded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.  Meaning from this type of wrong behavioral patterns, habits, traditionalism, religiousness that we think is right and that we portray every day of our lives these are the things and or ways that are turning those in the world more and more OFF from wanting anything to do with this God who we claim to love, honor and obey! This type of carelessness needs to stop and the accountability that was missing needs to found rebuilt and restored so that God can not only move in our lives but in the lives of those that Jesus bled and died for.

God is calling us higher!

We are to be the light that sits on top of the hill that the world can look to.

Can look up to, to come to when they are hurting, when they need to be healed, uplifted, when then they just simply need a refreshing. He’s calling us Higher and we must go there. Jesus died so we can go higher, don’t allow his blood to have been shed in vain. Do your part. Search yourself, better yet ask God to search you tell him Search me, O God, and know my heart today, Try me, O Savior, know my thoughts, I pray; See if there be some wicked way in me; Cleanse me from every sin, and set me free. We must allow God to set us free; free from everything that’s hindering us, every spirit every bad habit every wrong mindset and every pattern of religion that we have become accustomed to. Let Him free you today the world is depending on you AND ON ME!

BY:- Zinnia A. Williams

Smile Big - God Loves You :-)