Do you have relig= ion or relationship?

This morning I am coming to you with a question. Do you have religion or a relationship?=

Whenever you hear= of the word “religion,” what pictures come to your mind? Perhaps attending a church service, someone worshipping a Buddha statue, a baptismal service, someone praying, someone fasting, someone making an animal sacrifi= ce, or someone meditating? Each of these things involves some form of “action.”

Whenever you hear= of the word “relationship” what pictures come to your mind? Perhap= s a husband and wife, walks on the beach, dinner for two, writing love letters,= and talking on the telephone. Each of these things, while some of them require action, involves “spending time” with someone getting to know them better.

I was curious to = hear different people’s definitions of what a relationship was so I asked a few people and they came up with these definitions.

Relationship - To share. To share=
 with understanding. To share without fear. An intimacy=
 between two persons who are willing to share without hesitation.

A connection that is united by oneness and communication. You can’t relate if you can&#= 8217;t communicate ... and there has to be a likeness

being able to give of your ti= me and energy to be there for someone else. Admitting when you are wrong,= and not always boasting when you are right, being able to forgive especially wh= en it hurts.

Knowing someone a= nd that person knowing me that when I am hurting they know I am hurting and know what I need. That thing where I know what makes them laugh and they know what makes me cry. That thing between you that makes you feel comfortable and safe th= at only they know. Its almost like a connection of my soul and spirit with another.

To know someone intimately, meaning, like you know your husband.&nbs= p; You know what he likes, you know how he smells y= ou are acquainted with his persona. To know the Lord is the same. A relationship with the Lord is similar to that of a husband or wife. We must know his likes and dislikes. Realize when to go and whe= n to stop. To know him in the power of his resurrectio= n and the fellowship of his suffering, being made conformable to his death. The bonding and connection that is not easily broken.

After reading the different definitions of relationship coming from people, I thought to myself. What happened to our relationship with God? It’s so easy to have a relationship with a physical being. Someone you can see. Someone you can to= uch. But what about who you can’t see with your physic= al eyes, or touch with your physical hands. Is it easy not to have a relationship because we only come to church once a week and for some twice = if they come to Bible Study or prayer? Some people know the concept of having a true relationship and some just know religion. You see, it’s easy to hide b= ehind religion. As long as I can si= ng on the choir or take the offering or watch the children in the nursery or work= in the food bank they can see I am busy. I am giving of my tithes, cooking for the church, making sure I am at every visible meeting and service and if anyone needs help, I am right there. So= busy doing and forgetting the most important thing, the relationship. Religion is that action that takes= up your time, but Relationship involves the spending of your time. =

Religion involves action and doing, while relationship involves sp= ending time with someone you love and care about. In our walk with the Lord, relig= ion can become a distraction by always doing and by always coming and going, however a relationship can draw us closer to the Lord as we are able to take the time to be still and know he is God (Psalm 46:10). I am going to take s= ome time to contrast religion and relationship and hopefully by the end of this message you will be able to see that religion is not what we should set our priorities on, but that a relationship with Jesus should be our main focus.=

The Lord began to show me a picture of the church today… As I looked at this, I began to realize that many of us don’t want to hear the Word… We just wa= nt to be entertained… Amused… Pacified… We want to shout and= cut a step, just for the sake of doing it and then say, “We had church…!” We want to shout and holler for the preacher, and then can’t tell you what he/she was talking about at the end, but say, “Chile, he/she preached…!”

I’ve discovered that some people have religion, but not a relationshi= p…! We have gravy, but no meat…! The question that I want to ask is, “Have You Got Religion Or Relationship…?” It’s an important question, because we ne= ed to know the difference between religion and relationship… You seeR= 30;

Religion is what you do over and over…
Religion is what you do continuously…
Religion is your rituals, your customs, your habitual activities… Even the devil is religious…!

The Bible says, “He walks about as a roaring lion seeking whom he can devour…” (1 Peter 5:8) He’s constantly (religiously)= going around looking for you and for me so that he can take us out…! (“He’s on the prowl…”) Religion is that which you do habitually… But relationship is something altogether different…=

Relationship is a connection, an association between you and something or someone else…
Relationship is the kinship that exists between you and someone else…=
Relationship is the companionship that exists between you and those that you are close to…

And in order to have relationship, there must first be a fellowship…. What I’m trying to say is that you need more than just religion; you = need more than just a habit… You need a relationship with God…!

(Why?) Because there are some dangers in just simply ha= ving religion and no relationship… You see, when you only have reli= gion and not a relationship, you…

Can’t handle storms…
Can’t deal with tough times…
Won’t be able to persevere in the midst of adversity…
Won’t be able to deal with the attacks of the enemy…

Your faith will become faulty…
Your praise will become passive…
Your witness will become weak… and your
Your testimony will become tired…

And so Paul paints for us a picture of what happens to those who only have religion and no relationship… He says that the problem with having on= ly religion and no relationship is that they…

I. Refuse The Word…
II. The World Pleases us to easily…
III: Run From Wise Counsel…

I. THEY REFUSE THE WORD

“The time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine…

They only want wh= at makes them feel, look, and sound good… And instead of learning the Wo= rd, they get caught up in meaningless discussions and disputes…

But the Bible says (1 Pet 2:2) that we should be “Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation…” The reason most of us can’t progress in God is because we refuse to learn and live by His Word… And many of those th= at do are satisfied with the ‘milk’ of the Word only… We wan= t to stay on the basics and not delve off deep into the Word…

Relationship invo= lves getting to know the one you have the relationship with…! Relationship requires intimacy (Not always sex… But a time of closeness, familiari= ty, confidence…) And the only way to have a relationship with God, is to = KNOW Him and KNOW His Word…! (They Refuse The Word…)

The problem with having only religion and no relationship is that

II. The world pleases us too easily&#= 8230;

The pleasures of this world are like cotton candy: It looks good, tasty, and inviting; but when you bite into it, you discover it’s nothing but air…! (Problem) The World Pleases Us Too Easily…!

(1 Jn 2:15-17) “Love not the world, nor the things= in it. If any man loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For a= ll that is in the world, the lust of the flesh… And the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passes away, and the = lust thereof: but he that does the will of God abides forever…”

The world pleases us too easily… That’s why we spend money we don’t have on things we don’t need, to impress people we don’t even like … Because THE WORLD PLEASES US TOO EASILY…= ;!

The problem with having only religion and no relationship is that

III. THEY RUN FROM WISE COUNSEL

“They will turn away from the truth and turn aside to fables…”

·They to t= hat which looks and sounds good

·Truth: wi= ll hurt sometimes, crush ego, make you reevaluate

But God is looking for a people who are willing = to develop and maintain a meaningful, productive, and fruitful relationship wi= th Him… And if it is our desire to have relationship instead of religion… Paul says that there are few things we ne= ed to do… Paul says that we need to…

1. Be watchful in all things:

Watch the company= we keep…
Watch the things that we say…
Watch the places that we go…
Watch the example that we set…

Paul said; “Whatever things are true… noble… just… pure… lovely… of good report… if there is any virtue̷= 0; if there is anything praiseworthy… meditate (think) on these things…” (Phil 4:8) (If you’re going to have a relationsh= ip you need to Be Watchful…)

2. We have to Endure afflictions:

Endure hard times…
Endure heartache…
Endure heartbreak…
Endure persecution…
Endure scandal…
Endure being misunderstood…
Endure being unappreciated…
Endure suffering and affliction…

(Why?) Because Paul tells us that; “Our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, 18while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the thin= gs which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the th= ings which are not seen are eternal…” (1Cor 4:17)

3. Fulfill your ministry: Why? Because God has called y= ou to a new leveling in Him...

A new level of life…
A new level of service…
A new level of giving…
A new level of prayer…
A new level of praise…
A new level of worship…
A new level of stewardship…
A new level of commitment…
A new level of holiness…
A new level of relationship…

I Don’t know about you… But I want a relationship and not just religion… I want to know Him and not just k= now of Him… And if you’re going to have relatio= nship instead of religion… You’ve got to do what Jesus didR= 30;

He Watched… As they turned their backs on HimR= 30;
He Endured… As they falsely accused Him…
He Did The Work… Even while He hung on the Cross
He Fulfilled His Ministry… By giving His life so that we might live…

“Religion&#= 8221; is based on the keeping of numerous relegations and laws; however “relationship” is not. Religion can’t make us holy before God. It is shallow and focuses more on people than on the Lord. Religion depends on man’s own righteousness to get to heaven, and we can never earn our way into heaven. The apostle Paul tells us over in Ephesians 2:8-9, “For by grace you have been saved through faith,<= /span> and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.” Man’s keeping of the law and observance of relig= ion can never result in entering the Lord’s kingdom, but a relationship c= an. A relationship is built on grace, and it is by grace that we have been save= d. Romans 6:23 states that “The gift [or grace] of God is eternal life i= n Christ Jesus our Lord.” The grace that leads us to eternal life is found in a relationship with Jesus Christ, and Jesus died on the cross to make us holy= and blameless before God so that we might also have a relationship with God the Father.

Did you ever wond= er why we don’t have power? Did you ever wonder why we aren’t effective? Did you ever wonder why our praise isn’t effective? You can’t have a relationship once a week and expect it to grow. Relationships take time. You can&#= 8217;t come into church on Sunday and think you have the power of the Holy Spirit = and you haven’t spent time with the Holy Spirit that week. God wants us to be totally committ= ed to Him. He wants and desires that relationship that we desire with human beings.

***There are different degrees of relationships. And we also have different degrees of relationships with the Lord.

You have friendsh= ips that are just acquaintances.

You have A boyfri= end/girlfriend whic= h is not a true commitment

Then you have a H= usband/wife – commitment – covenant relationship – intimacy.

That’s how = we are with the Lord. Some of us= are just acquaintances, some are just boyfriend/girlfriend – you know, not totally committed, and then some of us have married Christ. We have that intimate, covenant relationship with him. Where = do you stand?

Jesus’ inner circle had a different relationship with those who weren’t in his inn= er circle.

Jesus had a diffe= rent relationship with those who were interested in material things. They weren’t interested in a= true relationship; they were interested in the blessings of the relationship. Many times people seek blessings without the intimacy; they seek the hand of God instead of t= he face of God. Like a big Santa Clause, want to take, take, take. Different from what David said, Bl= ess the Lord oh my soul, they want to be blessed, not to bless. The relationship is always taking = and not giving.

Why is there a re= ason to have to go to him? We should just want to go to him f= or a relationship. To say thank you, to cuddle in his presen= ce.

What level of relationship are we with the Lord? For example, you are= busy working and get a call,= you will tell person to wait, but if it’s someone you love dearly, you will st= op what you are doing to see what they want. It’s because of the level of intimacy, the relationship they have with you. That’s how our relationship should be with the Lord.

Intimacy with God will always bring about blessings, but the pursuit of blessings won’t always bring about intimacy. = How would God feel if we always come to Him only when we want something or are = in trouble?

Many times people= do things because they are driven. Am I driven or come to God by what I want to receive or am I driven by what I want to give to Him.

The most powerful= men and women of God are those who gave their lives to God.

Ask yourself this question. Do I have the father’s attention? Is God eager to suspend the schedules of his king= dom to listen to my prayers? Is he eager to stop what he is doing to listen to my prayers?

Religion can be o= k if you have a relationship. Don’t get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with religion unless you don’t have God in it. When it’s a form of godliness and denying the power thereof, it’s wrong. If we have that relationship, you consult God for everyth= ing from the prayer, to the music, to the way your meetings are conducted, even= to eating downstairs in the social hall.

Many people know = Gods commandments but they don’t know his heart. If we can touch the heart= of God, if we can move the heart of God, then we will move the hand of God.

Getting closer to= God is a process that requires time, dedication and commitment and it’s o= nly done by the spirit of the Lord. When we try to do it on our own, that’s when it turns into religion. The basis of any relationship is honesty. We have to be honest with God and ourselves. We have to be honest to him and stand naked before him. He can o= nly heal what we expose.

The maturity level doesn’t come at once. The friendship and relationship take time also.= In a relationship there is always dialogue.&n= bsp; You want to get to know the father; you have to spend time with him. Sometimes we talk so muc= h we don’t give God a chance to get anything in – and sometimes we don’t talk to him at all and aren’t listening.

=

So tell me, do you have religion or relationship? Are you having a form of godliness or are you intimate with the Lord?