I am feeling grateful again today for the liberty that is mine (and yours) to choose an experiential faith as my life guide and not an established religion that is required by the government and strictly enforced. It is sad when people are enslaved to a religious system.
Religion can give you a name or title but it can never offer the dynamic personal testimony of a changed and changing life. It is not a question of where and what you were born but how you were “born again”. (John 3:1-7)
Here is a scenario: A person discovers the Bible and begins to read. There is a cumulative effect of the teachings stored in the mind on how special you are in God’s eyes. Almost daily there is a personal invitation from God to join him in a “from here to eternity” journey. A personal promise like “I am with you always to the end of time” (Matthew 28:20) offers too much assurance to turn down.
I believe in the Biblical doctrine of “Individual Soul Competency” and so I know that I am responsible for my answer to God’s free offer.
Some folks count the Commandments the way weight-watchers count calories; seeing how close they can walk to the edge without getting caught or how many chocolates they can eat before it is too many. This kind of motivation negates the effect of the religion!
A faith-based relationship is like a magnet drawing me to do as much “good” as I can rather than seeing how much “evil” I can do and not get caught. Religion promotes fear! A relationship promotes peace and assurance because “no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand”, said Jesus in John 10:29.
Becoming a child of God means just that, experiencing a spiritual birth that keeps on changing your life while deepening the assurance.
“How sweet it is to say ‘Our Father’ since Jesus came to live in my
heart and is constantly reaffirming our relationship. Amen”
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1 comment:
So glad to find you here, faithful as usual. Say hello to Miss Faye. Grace and Peace to you, Pastor C.
--Sally Moore
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