Religion: November 2, 2009

TODAYS WORD FOR MONDAY NOVEMBER 2, 2009

RELIGION

Defined by Webster:
A set of beliefs; concerning the cause and purpose of the universe; a particular set of beliefs and practices; something a person believes in.

GODS WORD

“If anyone among you thinks he is religious, and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this one’s religion is useless. Pure and undefiled religion before God and the father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their time of trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from this world.” James 1:26-27

“How great is the love the father has lavished on us that we should be called the children of God; and that is what we are.” I John 3:1

“Now if we are children of God then we are heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ.” Romans 8:17

WORDS FROM KEN AND DOTTIE

Many people get very confused and even defensive when we talk about religion. This is because there is so many “religions” in our culture today and one hears so many conflicting concepts and ideas. When we talk to someone about our “religion”, we make it clear that we are talking about a “relationship” not a series of concepts or “do’s and don’ts”.

Very simply we have a personal relationship with Jesus. This relationship began when we accepted Jesus into our hearts as our personal Savior. God sent His Son to this earth to pay the penalty for our sins and we accepted His offer. There is no other religion that makes this offer. All other “religions” offer a series of rituals like doing good works, church attending, penance etc. The difference is the “RELATIONSHIP.”

We have with Jesus a family relationship grounded in love. It was because God loved us that He sent His Son so that by believing in Him we could become children of God and joint heirs with Jesus Christ. What a privilege to be the recipient of such great love and to be able to call God “Our Father.” And just think of all the untold and unseen riches that will be ours as joint heirs with Christ.

In the verses that we have written above from the book of James, we read that the fruit of our religion is in what we do and what we say. When we have a relationship (our religion) with Jesus we will watch what we say --- bridle our tongue --- and our deeds will be a commitment to honor our Lord by helping those in need --- including widows and orphans. When we have a relationship with Christ it is important that the people around us are able to see evidence of our relationship with Christ by the way we live our lives. When we do not live by God’s Word and practice what God teaches James tells us that “our religion is useless.”

Is your “religion” just a series of rituals that you do your best to try to honor? In your “religion” do you have a certainty that you will spend eternity with God? Is your “religion” a relationship with Jesus that gives you the certain hope for an eternity with God? You can know about God, but you cannot know God until you have entered a relationship with God and become a “child of God.” It is our prayer that you will become a “Child of God” if you have not done so already.

TODAYS FAMILY PRAYER

Help me today to allow others to see in me my relationship with Jesus. Help me to watch what I say that every word that proceeds out of my mouth glorifies Your name. Give me today a caring attitude that compels me to reach out and help those in need.