Breaking Away From “Religion”

by | Jan 12, 2017 | Bible Study, Discipleship, Faith, Faith-Walk | 69 comments

In this new season, the Lord has instructed me “Come out of religion and refocus on Me.”

What is religion?

Earlier this year the Lord showed me that when we do anything regularly we’re in danger of doing it without any heart connection; and coming under a “religious spirit,” which is dead and lifeless. He challenged me that my weekly congregational attendance had become just that – a burden; dead and lifeless. Once I repented and put my focus back on loving God and loving People (everyone – Believer and Pre-Believer) I experienced such joy and life each time I joined my brothers and sisters in fellowship and worship.

So what does coming out of religion mean to me in this new season? I believe it refers to “…a particular system of faith and worship.” Each of us has built preconceptions about the systems of our faith and worship that have been influenced by our experiences. I think God wants to erase those experiential foundations, or at least the ones that aren’t pleasing in His sight.

The beautiful thing about new seasons, whether they come from a big move, a new year, or just a conviction in your heart, is that newness gives us the opportunity to make changes in our lives that can draw us nearer to God and His perfect plans.

Now don’t get me wrong. By “coming out of religion” I’m not talking about pulling away from the Body of Messiah in isolation. I believe it’s very important to gather as often as possible with God’s people for worship, fellowship, prayer and Bible study. By doing so we remain protected in the strength of the “flock.” And while no “flock” of humans is perfect, it also gives us opportunities to exercise real love, humility, grace and forgiveness; thereby making us more like Yeshua/Jesus in the process. But I think what the Lord is trying to show me is that there are “man made” traditions in our “religion” that actually separate us from God and People.

So what does coming out of “religion” look like? I’ve been letting God lead and teach me in that regard and here’s what I’ve come up with:

  • Coming back to the simplicity of developing a hunger for God’s Presence, Love and Voice.
  • Worship (devotion and obedience) to the Word of God as first priority; not to what we’re doing for God.
  • Cultivating true bridal love and passion for God in our souls by spending time with Him.
  • Lining up and participating with all of God’s Scriptural times and seasons.
  • Acting in obedience to God’s Voice and Word even when we’re hurt or disagree; and in so doing, laying down our own opinions, thoughts, likes and dislikes, thereby cultivating true humility.
  • Seeing/judging others through eyes of love and compassion vs. criticism and accusation.
  • Desiring to grow in God’s spiritual gifts to build up the Body and bring unbelievers to Messiah, and ultimately to God.
  • Seeking unity.
  • Continuing to grow in our understanding of heavenly things; and knowledge of God.
  • Truly being believers based on the Mark 16:17-18 definition.
  • Demonstrating our position as Ambassadors of God’s Kingdom on earth, everywhere we go.

 

This morning I was reading Psalm 135 in the Passion Translation.  Take a look at verses 15-18.  These jumped out of the page to me concerning this topic.

“The unbelieving nations worship what they make. They worship their wealth and their work. They idolize what they own and what they do. Their possessions will never satisfy. Their lifeless and futile works cannot bring life to them! Their things can’t talk to them or answer their prayers. Blind men can only create blind things. Those deaf to God can only make a deaf image. Dead men can only create dead idols. And everyone who trusts these powerless, dead things will be just like what they worship – powerless and dead!” 

God help us in the Body of Messiah to not worship what we make and idolize our work and what we do, even when we say we’re doing it for You! Open our eyes and our ears to You, God.  Restore our passion for your Presence, Love and Voice. Help us walk in the simplicity of pure devotion to You; and give us life and power, as we put all our trust in You!

Other Scriptures for consideration:

Psalm 133

Revelation 2:1-7

2 Corinthians 11:3

Mark 16:15-18

Psalm 16:11

1 Corinthians 12 – 14

2 Corinthians 5:18-20

 

God’s Weapons

by | Dec 21, 2016 | Bible Study, Discipleship, Spiritual Warfare | 26 comments

Lately I’ve seen many of my brothers and sisters in the Lord fighting incredible sickness and emotional distress. Some have been hospitalized with extremely serious conditions and others tormented, as they await the manifestation of their healing. My heart goes out to them and to you, if you too are currently in a fight for your health, and the well-being of both your body and your soul.

I was putting on God’s Armor last week, as we’re commanded to do (Ephesians 6:10-18); and I had an epiphany that I think was from the Lord.  I had always thought and experienced the Armor of God as protecting and re-aligning my soul to come into agreement with the spiritual truths that are ours according to God’s Word. Last week I felt the Lord encourage me that His Armor also protects our physical body in this “earth realm.”

Since then I’ve been putting on the Armor of God very intentionally, declaring it to not only protect and cover my soul and its well being, but my physical body too.  I’ve updated the Armor of God bible study and you can read it HERE.

I implore you to not forget to put on the Armor of God daily.  If God instructs us to do something, it’s coming from a place of provision and protection; and how prideful it is for us to ignore, or get lazy with the instructions He’s given us as our Heavenly Father, Creator and Lord. 

Red Alert

by | Dec 13, 2016 | Bible Study, Discipleship, Faith, Faith-Walk, Spiritual Warfare | 23 comments

I arrived in Israel one month ago and this morning I heard my first “red alert.”  Red Alert is an app that provides real time alerts every time a terrorist fires rockets, mortars or missiles into the State of Israel. It happened at 8:03 a.m. just as I had finished journaling these words.

Lord, in praying with Ruth yesterday You revealed something to me.  In my mind I’ve been battling…

I was shocked in that instant to hear the siren go off on my phone.  I looked and found out that the rockets were only 37.2 miles from where I was.  Having absolutely no fear, I looked to God and discerned the truth of the “battle” we are in, both in the natural and spirit realms.

Here’s what I’ve been seeing and wondering. Many mature believers have been experiencing severe spiritual and physical attacks in the last month, bringing hospitalizing sickness, disease and even death. Why?

For quite some time I had been experiencing an onslaught of negative thoughts toward my brothers and sisters in the Lord. I continuously fought them with the Word and with truth.

Could the enemy be seeding our minds with thoughts against each other? Could the thoughts that we entertain and agree with (that line up with an “accuser of the brethren”) ultimately give the enemy legal rights to attack our brothers and sisters, doing them and ultimately the entire Body of Messiah harm?

Whether or not this is true we must always fight to take those kinds of thoughts captive and renew our minds with God’s Word.  Here are some Scriptures the Lord has encouraged me to read, ponder and take to heart on the matter.

Philippians 4:4-9; Philippians 2:1-5

1 John 3:14-19; 1 John 4:20-21

1 Cor. 13:1-7

2 Cor. 10:3-7

Romans 8:1-14; Romans 12:1-5

Please take time to read and meditate on these scriptures so we can press forward, together, in love, unity and victory – in Yeshua’s/Jesus’ Name!