Religious and
spiritual used to have similar meanings and were used interchangeably in a
sentence or paragraph. However, today they are polar opposites.
Religious denotes
a person who goes through the motions, one who attempts to earn a place of
recognition in society and with God, and one who puts agendas and money above
people.
Spiritual
pertains to people who follow hard after God (Psalm 63:8). They seek a
relationship with Him, which is personal and intimate. They walk in the Spirit
and focus on people and the spiritual matters of life (Galatians 5:15-25).
What category do
you fall into, religious or spiritual? Are we just going through the motions
and playing the part, or are we genuinely repentant of our sins and wanting to
mature in our spiritual walk?
Do we attend
church out of duty or desire, or not at all (Hebrews 10:25)? Do we serve in a
ministry or just show up to Sunday morning service to get brownie points with
God and then go home?
Is Christ our
whole life, with everything else as lesser priorities (Colossians 3:4)? Do we
seek God before we do anything and allow Him to direct our paths (Proverbs
3:5-6).
No one is perfect
yet; we all fail or get lazy now and then; but are we striving to enter God's
rest (Hebrews 13:5?), and to allow His Spirit to transform us with the
character and divine nature of Christ (2 Peter 1:4; Galatians 5:22-23)?
There is only one
mediator between God and mankind, and that is Jesus. Once we surrender our life
to Him, we have confidence as co-heirs of God's Kingdom to enter His throne
room at any time day or night (Hebrews 9:8-9; Isaiah 66:1).
Prayer:
Father God, in
Old Testament times, You gave Your Saints a tabernacle, priests, a method of
worship that included laws and precepts and the sacrifice of animals - shed
blood that covered sins that started with You shedding blood to cover Adam and
Eve's nakedness when they sinned and had to leave Your Paradise.
Since Jesus came
as our ultimate sacrifice (John 2:19-21), You now engrave Your laws on our
heart; You make us kings and priests; and we hear from You for our self rather
than through a priest (Jeremiah 31:33-34; Hebrews 8:8-12). We no longer
sacrifice animals to You to cover our sins, and we trust in You alone as our
Savior and our God.
Thought for the
Day:
God helps us in
any time of need and He disciplines us as His children when we get off the
straight and narrow road and wander onto the wide road that leads to
destruction.
- Matthew 7:13-14
