sincere thoughts
I HATE RELIGION. Don't get me wrong. What the world views as religion and what I view as religion might be different. We all call things by multiple names now that we all can define things as we see them in this culture. Relevant truth, right? Ugh....
Last night someone labeled me as "religious". It made me want to vomit. However, to someone who doesn't know how Jesus defines that word, this probably made perfect sense to them... "Kate talks about God, therefore she is religious." So I guess the counterpart would be never considering God at all makes someone non-religious...?? Trying to wrap my head around the logic here. You see, I view religion as a set of ways/rules made up by man to connect with God through ritual... What I believe is that God came to seek me, and He did so through Jesus. My job? Receive what Jesus is offering. Himself. His Sacrifice. Freedom. And out of me receiving Him, a relationship is formed between the God of Heaven and myself... It's out of this, that I live. I believe in God. I believe He created earth, and all people and things that dwell here. I believe there was a garden and original people, yes Adam and Eve. I believe God wants to dwell on earth with us. I believe sin separated us from God. Man did something God told him not to do...this was/is called sin. God still wanted to have a relationship with His creation. According to Heaven's Laws (yes, Heaven is a Kingdom, with laws of its own), a blood offering had to be made to restore relationship between God and man. I believe in Jesus Christ. I believe He is the Son of God. I believe God desires a relationship with His creation so much so He sent His one and only Son to reconcile His creation to Himself. He gave His Son as the perfect offering to all mankind so we could reconnect to God. Why so drastic? I don't know. That's God's ways, and His ways are higher than mine. But what Jesus did was make a way to the Father without us having to pay for our sin. Jesus took all our sin upon Himself, and opened up a way to the Father. I believe in the Holy Spirit. I believe Jesus sent us the Holy Spirit when He resurrected after his death on the cross and burial for three days. I believe the Holy Spirit is the third 'person' of the Holy Trinity and helps us. I believe He reveals truth to us. I believe He comforts us. I believe He leads us. I believe He counsels us. I believe the Bible. I believe it when it says how this world will end and Jesus will come again. I believe He will defeat Satan, and Jesus will reign here on earth for 1,000 years in peace. I believe the enemy will ultimately be destroyed and God will come and live in the earth with His children...as originally planned. Radical? Absolutely. Make me an outcast? To some. How do I know it's real? Because I've experienced God the Father, Jesus His Son, and Holy Spirit firsthand. No one can beat down my personal testimony because they cannot change it or make me believe it didn't happen. What I have experienced in my life is personal. My story. And I would never stand for something that I didn't believe in... It takes someone who is willing to die to reputation to follow Jesus Christ. Everyone wants to "fit in," including me. But what is MOST important to me is pleasing my Father because I LOVE Him... He is the One who desires me. The One who pursues me in relationship with Him. He has proven Himself faithful and loving over and over and over. We are called to love others, as the Father has loved us. And I do. However, my focus/attention/life's purpose is on the Father, not people. Guess that means I'm "religious" to others. Well, good news? I don't accept labels from people anymore. I used to... I used to believe what people said about me...good and bad. The problem with that is when praise turns to hate, it can really mess someone up. Or if praise turns to a greater amount of praise, it can really mess someone up. We aren't meant to be torn down or built up in people's eyes. We are meant to be shaped by the One who created us. God labels us. Because He is a perfect Father, we can believe what HE says...all the time. He calls us His Beloved. He calls us Chosen. He calls us Redeemed. He call us Forgiven. He calls us Treasured. He calls us Blessed. He calls us Delivered. He calls us Free. He calls us Lovely. He calls us Worth it. He calls us Righteous. He calls us Mighty. He calls us Warriors. I would take God's label over man's label any day of the week... How I live requires faith. Ya, it might be "out there" to some, but the way the world lives (without God) is "out there" to me. Having faith requires a lot of rejection from this world, but that is nothing compared to what is waiting for me in eternity. I choose to live for a greater purpose, one beyond myself; one that fears God (in respect), and one that honors Him (by loving others). So, religious is what you call me? I just call myself LOVED BY GOD...and so are you. I am just aware of it and you're not...(yet). "God so loved the world, that He gave His One and Only Son, that whosoever believes in Him will not perish, but have everlasting life." John 3:16
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August 2018
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