True Religion

If there are any who still read this blog...

I have come to find the last post quite interesting, strangely prophetic. Sometimes in life it's so easy to get caught up in reading the Bible, practicing spiritual disciplines, and claiming repeatedly that God is our desire. But so often we forget to put wheels on what we read or pray. This has been the case for me for quite some time. I think I'm too fat spiritually because I'm not working out enough.

But there are people in my life who love me enough to tell me so - and sometimes in harsher language than that. Once I made the mistake of telling a friend that I needed a good kick in the pants every now and then, and it was the best mistake I have ever made. It hurt. But it helped. There is a love called brutality.

The name that starts with a J, has an o in the middle, and ends in an n has been too frequently on his mind lately. The ninth letter of the alphabet has been the starting word of far too many sentences (even in this post). There is no excuse. The couch is now sinking in because the legs are not moving.

And what has God said about this? That pure and undefiled religion is to care for the orphans and widows. It does not matter how much of God's word can be crammed into the Pharisee's heart if the listener does not act upon God's words. Jesus said that listener who doesn't put his faith to practice is like an idiot who built a house on the sand. He had no foundation. He fell.

And so will be the destiny of all who build on anything other than the Cornerstone of Christ.
Beach homes are nice, but they don't weather the storm.

Thank you to all who push me to build on the Rock. Forgive my hypocrisy and laziness; I have no excuse. And may God forgive me for all the times I've failed Him and sought other things. By His grace, this life will not be on the couch forever but pressing onward and upward toward conformity to Christ, love for the church, and true religion in the world.