Religion vs. Relationship

     I was at a friend's home for lunch today and we were talking about religion. She was saying how she had gone to church with people and they seemed bored and uninterested, yet they never missed a service. I mentioned that to me that is the difference between religion and relationship. Jesus Christ simply calls us to have faith in Him, trust Him to be our Savior and ask Him to forgive us our sins and make us new people in Him. We can do that in our home, in a park, or anywhere else as long as we ask and believe with sincerity of heart.
     For me religion is often lacking a relationship with Jesus Christ. There are lots of steps, rules, regulations, formalities, but very little time getting to know the Lord Jesus through prayer, reading the Bible and faith that He is who He says He is and will do what He says He will do according to the Word of God. Religion often dictates to others, requires an intercessory beside Christ to pray to God, and lacks the love, grace, peace, patience, mercy and other qualities that are Father God, Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit who are One.
     God makes it simple to worship Him, man makes it complicated. God wants us to draw near to Him and He will draw near to us. I can say I know the clerk at the local Safeway, since I've since him there the last 11 years that I've lived here in Arizona, but that doesn't mean he knows me or that we have a relationship. Just going to Safeway each week doesn't make us friends. God is calling us to relationship, not religion.

Friendships grow through time together~Hugs girlfriend:)

^{James 4:8} Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.