Day #7 God's Word & Faith,
Rather than Religion
"For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart." ~Hebrews 4:12
"You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that--and shudder." ~James 2:19
you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings.
My sacrifice, O God, is a broken spirit;
a broken and contrite heart you, God, will not despise." ~Psalm 51:16-17
Today we are wrapping up week one of our Spiritual Shift; remember that our overall goal is to realign our relationships, and this first week we were attempting to right our most important relationships: our Spiritual relationships.
Understanding of the above verses can be key elements in having a strong spiritual life. First, believe in the power of God's Word. The second verse has two key elements: first and foremost, believe in God, secondly, an awareness of the fact that demons exist and are a part of life: "For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms "~Ephesians 6:12. Finally, David shares the ultimate key to a strong spiritual life: surrender. Give up fighting for our own way and surrender our lives to our Maker.
Our routine:
Assessment: What is the current condition of my relationship with God's Word?--With faith?--With religion?
What is the purpose of this relationship?
What is the state of this relationship? What is going well? What isn’t?
What changes need to be made to this relationship?
Adjustment: What is our current relationship with God's Word? How would we explain our faith? What role does religion play in our lives? These are complex, soul-searching questions that are probably going to take some time to unpack and reflect upon before formulating a coherent response.
Psalm 12:6
"And the words of the LORD are flawless,
like silver purified in a crucible, like gold refined seven times."
2 Timothy 3:16-17
“All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”
In order to know our Creator better, we need to know God's Word. It does take time; it does take commitment. It is definitely worth it.
Hebrews 11:1-3 (if time permits, read all of Hebrews 11)
"Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. This is what the ancients were commended for.
By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God's command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible."
Matthew 8:5-10, 13
Jesus said to him, 'Shall I come and heal him?'
The centurion replied, 'Lord, I do not deserve to have you come under my roof. But just say the word, and my servant will be healed. For I myself am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. I tell this one, 'Go,' and he goes; and that one, 'Come,' and he comes. I say to my servant, 'Do this,' and he does it.'
When Jesus heard this, he was amazed and said to those following him, 'Truly I tell you, I have not found anyone in Israel with such great faith'...Then Jesus said to the centurion, 'Go! Let it be done just as you believed it would.' And his servant was healed at that moment."
Matthew 8:23-27
He replied, 'You of little faith, why are you so afraid?' Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm.
The men were amazed and asked, 'What kind of man is this? Even the winds and the waves obey him!'"
Faith is complicated and personal. This is probably why Hebrews 11 records so many examples of faith revealed in the lives of various individuals across generations. Beyond those, the faith of the centurion is remarkable considering that we can safely assume his religious background was steeped in Roman mythology. Jesus himself marveled at the depth of the centurion's faith which was possibly based solely on stories the centurion had heard about Jesus. Finally, we looked at a time in which the disciples were scolded for their lack of faith. Why? Like them, we are human. Like them, we have experienced Jesus' miracles and his power. Like them, we too, forget and still have times of doubt.
So, we know we need to submit to the guidance of the Spirit as we grow in knowledge of God's Word, which will in turn, strengthen our faith. Where does religion fit into all of this?
As with everything, we must be careful and discerning and prayerful about religion. The Holy Spirit will guide us. One clear example to learn from is the account of Saul/Paul. He certainly held fast to his "religion" UNTIL he was introduced to a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. May that also be the case with us; let us not be so caught up in our religion that we miss a relationship with Almighty God.
Acts 26:1-19
So Paul motioned with his hand and began his defense: 'King Agrippa, I consider myself fortunate to stand before you today as I make my defense against all the accusations of the Jews, and especially so because you are well acquainted with all the Jewish customs and controversies. Therefore, I beg you to listen to me patiently.
'The Jewish people all know the way I have lived ever since I was a child, from the beginning of my life in my own country, and also in Jerusalem. They have known me for a long time and can testify, if they are willing, that I conformed to the strictest sect of our religion, living as a Pharisee. And now it is because of my hope in what God has promised our ancestors that I am on trial today. This is the promise our twelve tribes are hoping to see fulfilled as they earnestly serve God day and night. King Agrippa, it is because of this hope that these Jews are accusing me. Why should any of you consider it incredible that God raises the dead?
I too was convinced that I ought to do all that was possible to oppose the name of Jesus of Nazareth. And that is just what I did in Jerusalem. On the authority of the chief priests I put many of the Lord's people in prison, and when they were put to death, I cast my vote against them. Many a time I went from one synagogue to another to have them punished, and I tried to force them to blaspheme. I was so obsessed with persecuting them that I even hunted them down in foreign cities.
On one of these journeys I was going to Damascus with the authority and commission of the chief priests. About noon, King Agrippa, as I was on the road, I saw a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, blazing around me and my companions. We all fell to the ground, and I heard a voice saying to me in Aramaic, 'Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.'
Then I asked, 'Who are you, Lord?'
"I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,' the Lord replied. 'Now get up and stand on your feet. I have appeared to you to appoint you as a servant and as a witness of what you have seen and will see of me. I will rescue you from your own people and from the Gentiles. I am sending you to them to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.'
So then, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the vision from heaven.'"
When confronted with Jesus, the religion that Saul knew had to change, evolve, or more precisely, be set aside. When righting our spiritual relationship, our past beliefs will most likely grow and change; the Holy Spirit will guide us as we get to know God's Word and more specifically, Jesus better. Jesus doesn't want a relationship of religious obligation; Jesus does desire a relationship based on honoring His sacrifice.
Acts 2:46-47
"Every day they [believers of Jesus] continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved."
Hebrews 10:23-25
In other words, find a Christ-following community. This community does not need to be a certain religion. This community does need to rely on God's Word; this community does need to help individuals grow in genuine faith rather than religious ritual. Jesus himself cautioned us against such false faith during His Sermon on the Mount:
Matthew 7:21-23
"'Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?' Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!'"
Forgive me for taking liberties with this verse, but if I would update it to modern objections, it could be as follows: "But, Jesus, I went to church every week, and I served on all these committees for You!"--The answer from Jesus could still be very much the same: "I never knew you." This could also sadly mean, you never knew Jesus. Commit to righting this relationship with God's Word and with being clear about your faith. It can't wait.
James 1:26-27
"Those who consider themselves religious and yet do not keep a tight rein on their tongues deceive themselves, and their religion is worthless. Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world."
Prayer:
God, thank You for Your Word. Help us to know the Bible better. Guide us to stronger faith and surround us with those who will help to strengthen our relationship with You, Lord God. In Jesus' Name. Amen.
“He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you?
To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.” ~Micah 6:8
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