Living for God Outside the Walls of Religion. Done with Religion means we no longer follow the traditions and doctrines of religion, but live for God on a daily basis by the leading of the Holy Spirit.
In the gospel of John, it is written ‘In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God’. And further in that gospel is states ‘the Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us’.
To me, this says that when we speak of the Word of God, although many people assume we are talking about the Bible, we are actually talking about Jesus, the Living Word.
So many of us focus on the written word and which version is the true word of God. Yet the verses in John state that the true Word is not a book, but is Jesus who is alive and living within us through the Holy Spirit.
If we were never able to read from the Bible or hear it read to us, we still have the Living Word of God within us to teach us and guide us.
We can learn and be encouraged when we read the Bible no matter which translation we prefer, but we need to remember that the Bible was written by many men over many years. The living Word of God is Jesus who lives within each of us through the Spirit.
We can read the words on the pages of the Bible, but it is only by the Living Word within us that gives life and power to the words we read.
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Michael Donahoe was added as a writer as his views fit perfectly with those of Done with Religion. He also writes on Substack at https://personalmeanderings.substack.com/
It is so easy to enumerate what I am done with when it comes to religion. It is profoundly more difficult to figure out what to hang onto. I feel like I should occasionally ask myself this question to see if I am total heretic or just a free spirit.
Less and less, is an accurate description of what I am hanging onto, but I am hanging onto those things tighter and tighter.
I could make a massive list of stuff I let go of and another massive list of stuff I don’t know. But this list will be short.
I am hanging onto Jesus.
He is my model for how to live and it’s a model I very often fail to live up to.
He loved outcasts, the diseased, the foreigner, the poor, and the hated.
He rebuked the corrupt and powerful, especially, the religious power brokers.
He was humble, but shockingly truthful.
He told stories that people related to. He was not a theologian and did not preach an expository sermon.
He occasionally confounded and challenged people to go deeper in their understanding.
He was a healer. Though I do not possess divine ability, I can still be a healer of hearts.
He gave people hope for now and for eternity.
I am hanging onto love.
It’s hard to do when people are unlovely.
It’s hard to remember when we get consumed with ourselves and forget about others.
It’s hard to figure out what loves means for an individual.
It’s hard to be nice, or even decent, at time, let alone loving.
But love really works to touch people deeply, like nothing else.
It’s our primary responsibility here on earth.
I am hanging onto truth.
I do believe in objective truth, but what I am referring to is belief and behavior that is so true, it works its way out in regular life. It is real, raw, and not academic, esoteric, or theoretical. It doesn’t require its own subculture. It works in life with all its celebrations and challenges, achievements and disappointments, and triumphs and tragedies. It’s integrated not separated.
I am hanging onto hope.
I believe we can live in peace in this life. I believe we can become more loving. I believe we can live gracefully, gratefully, and joyfully. I believe we can reset to living life this way, even when we get thrown a few curve balls.
I believe there is hope for this life and the next and the next, though we have only a scant few clues and promises about that.
I don’t have any ideas about how to “fix church” or make it more relevant. I often wish I did because after all those years of church, that slot is still not completely filled.
It seems like it gets messed up when we begin to organize it and institutionalize it.
This is a pretty strange statement of beliefs, but it is mine.
Glenn Hager is a former pastor, newspaper columnist, magazine contributor, blogger (glennhager.com), and author of two books. He also designs lighting (http://doo-dads.com/). Glenn and his wife, Patty live in northeastern Illinois.
We often hear claims that the Bible is “THE WORD OF GOD.” A perfect, loving God can’t lie, so one may assume that all the Bible claims about God is true. But the Bible can’t be the definitive word about God since subject to interpretation (different scholarly views of the same passages). Besides, we can’t prove God controlled if the writers always accurately portrayed God.
The truth is we can’t prove God inspired the Bible
The biggest proof often given to suggest God inspired perfect thoughts written down is because the Bible claims that to be so (i.e. 2 Tim 2:16). But this passage has several different interpretations. Anyway, a Book isn’t proven to be inspired because it claims to be inspired. Those who claim God’s inspired the Bible would not accept the Koran to be divinely inspired because it makes such claims. It seems fair to ask if divine inspiration is so important and God is that controlling, why didn’t God preserve original manuscripts to remove doubts of editorial errors?
Even if God controlled everything written in the Bible . . .
Even if we could prove the writers of the Bible always understood God perfectly, we can’t claim our interpretations are perfect. The truth is biblical scholars who have a deep respect for Scriptures don’t agree what God believes about many moral values. See here. See here.See here. Gays are often condemned, women’s leadership roles are limited despite their gifts, and it is suggested a fiery torturous afterlife awaits infidels – all in God’s name. Extremists often will advocate killing infidels in this life because they believe their Holy Book is inspired by God and of course their interpretation is the right one.
So, how do we know what God is like?
Over half the people born into this world didn’t have a Bible. Were they all clueless what a loving God would be like? If we can question if writers always understood God perfectly, we can naturally wonder if God’s actions would ever violate our moral intuitions of a loving God. See here. If a loving Creator exists, which is the only God worth believing it, it is only intuitive that a Creator loves the ways their creations ought to love one another. We all seem to know the question we ought to ask ourselves – am I loving others perfectly? Self-evident morals aren’t hidden in any Holy Book. We all have an inborn sense of good and evil. Our moral intuitions, unless you are a terrorist, aren’t the enemy!
Why bother to read the Bible if can’t prove God approved all written?
It doesn’t matter if you believe the Bible is inspired. You still must interpret the Bible and you may be right or possibly wrong. Uncertainty is a fact of life unless my son or son-in laws mistreat women! The Bible is God’s story beginning with Israel and culminating with the life of Jesus that we don’t possess in other documents. God may have inspired/encouraged the writers to write but didn’t necessarily approve of everything written about God. Enjoy what God is trying to reveal to you about your Creator and how to treat others. Insights contrary to how you know you ought to love your neighbor may be amiss. A Book must not replace our relationship with God and common moral sense. Questioning the Bible may lead to knowing God better!
Mike Edwards has been writing for Done with Religion for some time and has been a great addition to the site. He couldn’t find enough people to discuss God openly so he started blogging years ago. Mike also has his own site where he writes that can be found at What God May Really Be Like He can be contacted by email at: medwar2@gmail.com
You may not want to read this Post if you never question or doubt if God is real, if everything the Bible claims about God is true, and you are convinced hell or heaven is a certainty. For some though it is normal to struggle to believe in an invisible God, to wonder if Jesus really resurrected from the dead since they weren’t there. No one can prove if there is really an afterlife after death. God never informed Old Testament writers of such a place. See here. Some may have questions after hearing different opinions in biblical scholarship. Many didn’t grow up with religious teaching and so rightly wonder claims made by religious folks. Is there a reason to follow God with so many doubts or questions?
What if I am not sure the stories of Jesus resurrected from the dead are true?
I currently am convinced Jesus’ resurrection isn’t legend and has historical verification, but others may not. I don’t believe God hates me if I change my mind. Jesus’ disciples didn’t believe Jesus was coming back from the dead, despite witnessing Jesus’ miracles beforehand, until seeking Jesus after his death with their own eyes. I would like to think many of us seeing a man or woman coming back from the grave, after killed on a cross, would be convinced. I have a hunch God cares the most that you believe in the possibility of a loving God to begin a faith journey.
Who was Jesus really?
One may read, if not reading only conservation Christian viewpoints, that the Jesus’ sayings for accuracy in the Gospels has many problems. After all, the biblical writers wrote 40 years later what Jesus supposedly said through oral traditions handed down. You should read what my kids claim I said decades ago! Maybe it doesn’t matter if the biblical writers 40 years later recorded Jesus’ words exactly. Today, we take things so literally. Maybe back in NT times, they were writing not for historical accuracy but weaving a story about what they thought Jesus was trying to teach (the meaning behind the text).
Does the Bible always get God right?
Ever read the Bible closely. Claims made about God don’t seem like a loving God. Leaders tout that God inspired/approved all written in the Bible, yet some actions contributed to God by the writers make no moral sense. Unfortunately, newcomers will be directed to read the Bible and be horrified reading about some of God’s supposed actions. Rationalizations are given to explain such actions about God to protect God’s inspiration of the Bible (writers understood God perfectly). I suggest instead considering if biblical writers always understood God correctly. See here.
Is following God worth it with so many questions?
I am convinced living a godly life is worth it, even if God doesn’t exist. Go ahead and live like Hell while here on earth! You may have fun but your loved ones won’t. God only wants to help pursuing a life not full of regrets. Personally, following what I believe a loving God to be like has inspired and encouraged me to be the person I desire to be. The journey is worth it. Most are convinced Jesus was a very real person who lived in the first century. Let’s debate his teachings. We are often told the main message of the Bible is Jesus coming to save you from Hell. I am convinced Jesus spoke of loving God not to get into heaven but to receive help in loving others as you love yourself here on earth. What do we have to lose treating one another like we want to be treated?
Mike Edwards has been writing for Done with Religion for some time and has been a great addition to the site. He couldn’t find enough people to discuss God openly so he started blogging years ago. Mike also has his own site where he writes that can be found atWhat God May Really Be Like He can be contacted by email at:medwar2@gmail.com
It is often assumed Jesus is speaking directly to you when recorded speaking to an audience in the Bible! Jesus’ words don’t always apply to every situation in one’s life 2000 years later. Jesus often used hyperbole for emphasis without stating exceptions: “But I tell you that anyone who is angry with a brother or sister will be subject to judgment”(Mt 5:22). Was Jesus subjecting himself to judgment when calling out religious hypocrites – “you blind fools” (Mt 23:17)? Sounds angry to me! God is mad as hell as you are in certain situations. Discern if your angry is what Jesus is addressing.
Did Jesus think we should always turn the other cheek?
Sermons are preached advising we must always “turn the other cheek” (Mt 5:39). Scholars have suggested a possible literal translation of Mt. 5:39 is “do not resist by evil means.” Nations can defend against evil dictators. We shouldn’t rape and torture those captured as some enemies do. Jesus isn’t advocating domestic violence if a woman is being abused by a man. There may be times to seek justice and others times to resist.
Did Jesus think we must always forgive?
Jesus is often represented saying we must always forgive. Should we always forgive those who deny their evil actions? Isolation can bring one to their moral sense and prevent further abuses. Every situation is different. The Bible also says God forgives if we forgive others (Mt. 6:14-15). Forgive if they repent (Lk. 17:3). For some forgiving can cause feelings of further victimization and bitterness; for others forgiving can control bitterness and possible acts of revenge. God may not be as non-empathetic as thought. Seek the mind of God what actions in relationship difficulties lead to your best interest in a world full of disappointments.
Did Jesus really condemn all religions?
Jesus said: “I am the way, the truth, and the life, no one comes to the Father except through me” (Jn 14:6). Did Jesus really mean God only saves those who accept Jesus? Keep in mind the majority of people born into this world have never heard of Jesus or had a Bible. This verse could easily be interpreted to mean Jesus’ way of life is the best path toward God. The path to God is through love. (See God After Deconstruction, Oord/Fuller Chapter 9). We Christians need to be less condemning and more open to God’s love and message to people of all religions.
How to read the Bible
Read the Bible to discern for yourselves, perhaps with the help of friends, what the application is in your circumstances. Consider how to go the extra mile. Consider what actions might possibly lead to reconciliation or change in hearts if others open. The Bible isn’t a question-and-answer Book. Besides, there are different opinions on meaning and application of the same passage. The Bible was never meant to be a rules book but for reflection in one’s circumstances. The Bible is valuable because it suggests handling certain circumstances from a spiritual than human perspective. It challenges us to a life of love and treating others like we want to be treated!
Mike Edwards has been writing for Done with Religion for some time and has been a great addition to the site. He couldn’t find enough people to discuss God openly so he started blogging years ago. Mike also has his own site where he writes that can be found at What God May Really Be Like He can be contacted by email at: medwar2@gmail.com
So often, when we think of Jesus we think of Christianity. Many seem to think that Jesus actually started Christianity. The fact is, Jesus did not start Christianity and he does not belong to any particular religion. He loves and accepts people no matter what they believe. He came to show the love of God to the human race, not start a new religion for people to fall in line with and follow.
The word Christian originated to describe those who were spreading the good news of Jesus. People in the city of Antioch started calling those who followed Jesus Christians because they were doing the works of Jesus and sharing the love of Jesus so much, they thought of them as little Christs.
When we use the term Christian as described above, there is certainly nothing wrong with it. Being Christ-like, loving God and loving others. Doing the works of Jesus is the true meaning of the word. Yet, if we use Christian in a sense of belonging to a particular church, following a particular doctrine or specific pastor, if it relates to a specific country or political party, then it becomes just a religion and for me, I would rather not define myself by this term.
Jesus came to show us what God was really like, a God that loves all people. God does not see Muslims, Jews, Christians or any religion. God loves all people of the world. The only way people are going to come to true fellowship with God is through Christ…not Christianity.
It is time we stop looking to the organized world of religion as our way of becoming acceptable and pleasing to God. We need to look to Christ and allow the Spirit to live through us and love those we meet each day. Stop demanding that people follow your doctrine, your rules, your beliefs. Accept people as they are, the way Jesus accepted them. Show the love of Christ to them and let God work in them through the Holy Spirit.
We are never going to completely agree with each other on doctrine and religion. Only through Christ and the love of God will we be able to share that love with others. Let us be known by the true sense of the meaning of Christian, someone who is doing the works of Jesus and who loves God and one another.
Jim Gordon and his wife left the institutional church after spending over fifty years within the system. Jim wanted a way to express his thoughts and concerns about the religious system and why he and his wife decided to leave the institution but not their faith in God. Jim can be contacted by email at: jimgordon731@gmail.com
National polls suggest the majority of people believe there is a God. Many seem to have a strong inclination that there is an afterlife after time here on earth. I’m all “in” with God for some reason, but we all have different journeys. I may be needy, scared to accept reality, etc., but how do you explain billions believing in a God. Many would admit they believe in God but don’t have a close relationship with God. I wrote possible reasons why here .
I have a hunch God especially loves skeptics!
Most agree an unloving or tyrannical God isn’t worth believe in. It is only intuitive, if a Creator exist, that a Creator loves the ways their creations ought to love one another. A parent obviously loves a child who finds it easier than their others children to accept them and their ways. But we don’t unlove our skeptical children. A greater pain may be when our children ignore us. Spiritual or human parents don’t desire forced love, which isn’t genuine, but hope for consideration and to prove the possibility of a better relationship.
Don’t believe everything you hear about God?
Many may be skeptical about God because of claims made about God which are contrary to our deepest moral intuitions. One’s understanding of the Bible may be the reasons some Christians seems unloving. But biblical scholars who have a deep respect for Scriptures don’t agree that the God in the Bible condemns homosexuality, that God forbids women in leadership roles, or that the Bible teaches there is a literal Hell where unbelievers are tortured forever. Don’t believe everything you hear claimed about God! See here.
Do I have to believe in Jesus’ resurrection or that Jesus was both God and human?
I am convinced Jesus’ resurrection isn’t legend but others may not. Jesus told followers He was coming back from the dead and they didn’t believe Him despite witnessing Jesus’ miracles beforehand. They only believed after witnessing or hearing Jesus resurrected. I would like to think more of us if we witness a man or woman coming back from the grave, after killed on a cross, would be convinced of their message. But none of us lived during biblical times.
Some can’t logically wrap their heads around Jesus being both man and God. Exactly how does one do that chromosomally? Isn’t it logically impossible to be God and not God? Some may be willing to accept that Jesus was an extraordinary man who epitomized who God was. Why can’t we begin there discussing what teachings of Jesus seem to represent what a loving God is like?
Don’t we want the Jesus story to be true?
Jesus didn’t use His power if really God in human form. Who doesn’t respect Jesus was willing to hang out with those despised by society and take on the snobbish religious and political leaders? Jesus, when ask what was the greatest commandment, simply said love others like you want to be loved. Try it! You might have fewer relational regrets. Jesus risked being crucified by the powerful and didn’t bother to save himself from pain on the Cross, though reported capable of miracles. Maybe Jesus wanted other to consider His message. If the biblical writers were making up stuff, you don’t report your leader was crucified, rejected by your family, and followers doubted Jesus’ claims including being God in flesh. Jesus simply was not the stuff legends were made up.
What is the risk of following God?
It’s okay to be skeptical and take a leap of faith. Faith is a part of life. We still get on an airplane, not because we know but have reason to believe it is safe. A God worth believing in only desires to help you in your journey of becoming the person deep down you want to become. I am not sure there is anything to lose in beginning a journey of faith if the desire is to live life with fewer regrets. Personally, the biggest reason for being a God-follower is the inspiration and encouragement I sense in striving to be a better human being than I would be otherwise.
Mike Edwards has been writing for Done with Religion for some time and has been a great addition to the site. Mike also has his own site where he writes that can be found at What God May Really Be Like He can be contacted by email at: medwar2@gmail.com
While trimming some flowers in our backyard, I accidentally cut a new bloom that had just come out. I tried to replant the root and watered it good, but I noticed within half an hour the bloom was already starting to fade away.
This made me think of the bible verse in John 15:5, ‘I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing’. Once this nice, colorful bloom was cut from the vine, it could do nothing but wither away.
As followers of Jesus, we are attached to the vine. God is our source of life. As long as we are attached to God, we will grow and mature in our love for God and for one another.
Yet, when we get separated from God (the vine), we will wither and fade in our love for God and for one another.
Notice I am not saying if we separate from the church or from the religion of Christianity, but if we separate from the life and example of Jesus. If we separate from loving God and loving our fellow human beings we will begin to wither in our walk of faith.
Religion and the church organization are man-made ways of learning about God, but they are not necessary parts of living the example of Jesus. The Spirit lives within us and we are the house of God. The Spirit is our teacher and guide and we do not need an intermediate (pastor) to teach us.
Just as the bloom needed the vine to grow, we need connection to our source, the vine who is Jesus. In this way we will continue to grow and share the love of God with others.
Jim Gordon and his wife left the institutional church after spending over fifty years within the system. Jim wanted a way to express his thoughts and concerns about the religious system and why he and his wife decided to leave the institution but not their faith in God. Jim can be contacted by email at: jimgordon731@gmail.com
When we think about Jesus, we automatically think of Christianity. Although the two are completely different. Christianity mostly means a religion that is based on the Bible and God. Yet it is more of things we do rather than who we are in Christ.
Jesus did not come to start Christianity. Jesus was not a Christian. We are missing the whole point when we focus on religion rather than the real reason Jesus came to live among us. He came to show us what God is really like, and the love God has for each and every one of us.
According to Wikipedia it is stated that there are roughly 4,200 religions in the world. Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam, Jewish, Christianity and every other religion, and in a sense, they are all actually related. They are all human based ways of trying to please the God (or gods) they believe in and serve.
In regard to just Christian denominations, World Christian Encyclopedia says that Christianity as a whole consists of 6 major ecclesiastical-cultural blocs, divided into 300 major ecclesiastical traditions, composed of over 33,000 distinct denominations in 238 countries. It certainly cannot be stated that people are not interested in some type of higher power.
The sad part is that we want to argue over which religion is right or wrong. We constantly argue over whose interpretations are right, and most often we do not even want to associate with those who feel differently.
Needless to say, we all have our interpretations, thoughts and ideas, but those just make us unique individuals. They were not intended to cause separations and divisions among us. We should be able to be ourselves and yet love and accept those who see things differently.
If we could get past the religious part of our beliefs and live in the freedom God provided, things would go much better. Rather than defend our denominational interpretations and our personal ideas, if we would love and accept others with the love of Christ, people would be more open to hear about our God.
Often, rather than love and accept one another, we are normally busy pointing out the mistakes of others and condemning those who we consider sinners. When we do so, the love Jesus told us to show everyone seems to get missed. I personally do not think it is our job to convict people of their sins. The Holy Spirit will convict those who need it, and will draw them to God. We are just told to love God and love others.
When we focus on the gospels and the life of Jesus and realize that he did not condemn people for their sins, we can see a distinct difference from the way we act today. He only had an issue with the religious leaders who thought they were better than everyone because of their works.
When it comes to saying I am a Christian, I am hesitant anymore because of the meaning it often has to many people. If being a Christian means being part of a religious organization, trying to live by following the law and being discriminatory, exclusive and condemning others, I am done with that. In that sense, Christianity is not the answer, nor is any other man-made religion. If being a Christian means a follower of Christ, someone who wants to be like Christ and show the love of God to everyone, then I am all in.
Jesus is not into religion. Jesus came to show the love of God to every human being no matter who they are or what they believe. Jesus crosses the barriers of religion and loves everyone. In the world today, we are the Jesus that people see. We should be ready to show the love and acceptance that God showed us to everyone we meet.
Jim Gordon and his wife left the institutional church after spending over fifty years within the system. Jim wanted a way to express his thoughts and concerns about the religious system and why he and his wife decided to leave the institution but not their faith in God. Jim can be contacted by email at: jimgordon731@gmail.com
The Word of God is important to us today, just as the Word of God has always been important. The question is what actually is the Word of God?
Growing up in church, I was always taught that the bible was the perfect, inerrant word of God. People would tell me if the bible was not perfect, then how could we believe anything about God? To me, that seems to put a lot of emphasis and importance on the bible rather than on God. Remember, it is not the Father, Son and Holy Bible.
Just because a book written by many men over many, many years is not inerrant does not mean God does not exist or cannot be trusted. God is much bigger and more powerful than to be controlled by a book.
The bible was written by men who were inspired but not controlled by God. It was writings of their views, opinions and experiences learning about God, and trying to relate to and follow God. They were not over powered and used as God’s hands to write the words of the bible.
The bible, even according to the bible itself, is not the word of God. We are told in John 1:1 that in the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God and the Word was God. It later says that the Word became flesh and dwelt among us. The bible is not the word of God but it leads us to the Word of God (Jesus/God) and to our own experiences with God.
The bible is certainly worth reading, especially since it does say in 2 Timothy that all scripture is inspired by God and beneficial for teaching, for rebuke, for correction, for training in righteousness. Inspired and directly written are two different things. I may be inspired by someone to write an article or a book, but what I write will be from my experiences, opinion and knowledge.
The bible comes to life when the Spirit illuminates what God has for us. Apart from the leading of the Holy Spirit, the bible is only man’s views and experiences with God. It is the Spirit that lives within us that teaches and brings to life the words that were written. It is the Spirit that leads us to a life with God that has purpose and meaning. And it is the Spirit that gives us strength to show the love of God to other people as we live our lives daily for him.
Read the bible, ask the Spirit to speak to you while doing so, but do not elevate the bible to a position it does not even ask for. The Word of God is alive, powerful and inerrant, but the Word of God we are talking about is Jesus, by his Spirit, living in you.
Jim Gordon and his wife left the institutional church after spending over fifty years within the system. Jim wanted a way to express his thoughts and concerns about the religious system and why he and his wife decided to leave the institution but not their faith in God. Jim can be contacted by email at: jimgordon731@gmail.com
There is an old hymn that says “On Christ the solid rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand”. This leads me to think about the organized church. As important as the church is in our lives, we have to be careful not to put our hope in it. I have received a lot of help through the church and a lot of good basic teachings. I also learned of salvation but my hope is not in the church. My hope is in “Christ the solid rock”.
There are times when we are alone in our walk with God and without regular fellowship with our brothers and sisters in Christ. Many of us have left the organization and are deconstructing our faith and may have to stand alone for a while. Fortunately, we can rely on our relationship with Christ because his Spirit lives within us. The church is no substitute for Christ. It is where we can learn about Him but it is not the goal. The point is that we have a relationship with Christ and not the church, and He is our source of strength.
The modern-day organized church is a place for believers to get together, but it is not the main source. Going to church does not make us Christians, it does not make us better people or more dedicated believers. It is a place to get ideas, different interpretations and encouragement from others, a place to meet other believers and enjoy fellowship, and a place to reach out and help others.
We need to stop putting the focus and emphasis on church, stop putting our eyes on pastors and realize that they are not the answer. We need to put all focus and attention on Christ. It is Jesus who we follow and worship. He is the Shepherd and the rest of us are his sheep. There are no co-shepherds and no intermediates between Christ and us. We are to follow Christ and Him alone. We are to learn from Him and love others equally.
There is nothing wrong with going to church, but do not put your eyes on it and the leaders therein. Keep your focus on Christ. Whether you go to church or do not go to church, Christ is the one we look to and serve. Do not worry so much about going to church, but rather be the Church. It is not a building we go to, but it is the people who love and follow Christ.
If you have been going through the deconstruction process from organized religion like I have, you will learn that you can depend on Jesus to lead you into his truth. He will prove His love and care for you over and over just as he has done for me. Bottom line, let’s be careful that we do not put our dependence on an organization but on Jesus. All other ground is sinking sand.
In our world today, there are certainly many things that distract us and draw our attention away from our daily life. A world-wide pandemic, terrorism, racism, equality issues, conspiracy theories, these can all draw us away and cause strife, worry and depression.
I like to concentrate on a verse we all have read many times, but it is so easy to pass over how important this verse is for each of us. In John 15:5 Jesus said “I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing”.
Jesus is our life source. It is in Him that we live, move and have our being. He supplies all we need. He provides us daily with the requirements for life and what we need to truly live. We cannot do anything worth doing or that makes a real difference apart from Him.
Jesus has done all the work that is needed for us to be forgiven, made new and have a loving relationship with God and with our brothers and sisters in Christ. All the spiritual things we think we need to do to put us in right standing are so unnecessary. Jesus is the one who has done everything needed to fulfill the law and put us in right standing with the Father. All we need to do is accept his work and rest in Him.
Our main focus should be on Christ, not on things about Him. He is our life. He is to be our all in all. We need to give Christ the preeminence in all things. He is the Vine and we are the branches. Apart from Him we can do nothing. He lives within us in the form of the Spirit. Remember to focus on the Spirit that is within to teach, lead and guide you each day.
