When you come before me, who ever gave you the idea of acting like this, running here and there, doing this and that – all this sheer commotion in the place provided for worship? Quit your worship charades. I can’t stand your trivial religious games: Monthly conferences, weekly Sabbaths, special meetings – meetings, meetings, meetings – I can’t stand one more! Meetings for this, meetings for that. I hate them! You’ve worn me out! I’m sick of your religion, religion, religion, while you go right on sinning. When you put on your next prayer-performance, I’ll be looking the other way. No matter how long or loud or often you pray, I’ll not be listening. And do you know why? Because you’ve been tearing people to pieces, and your hands are bloody. Go home and wash up. Clean up your act. Sweep your lives clean of your evildoings so I don’t have to look at them any longer. Say no to wrong. Learn to do good. Work for justice. Help the down-and-out. Stand up for the homeless. Go to bat for the defenseless. Let’s Argue This Out. Isaiah 1:12-17 The Message
Even in the time of Isaiah… God was sick of the ‘religious’ practices without any ‘heart’ involved. How much of our ‘religious’ devotion / habits are done today without any real heart? Jesus and the Holy Spirit are no fan of religious manipulation in their ‘name’. Why is it so many institutional religion systems are set up like man-made worldly authority top-down management business models? Did Jesus set out to make more Pharisees? To establish a ‘new religion’? What did He come for? Do you know why? What does Jesus and the Holy Spirit require of us? Can you answer this using non-religious ‘speak’? People need to begin reading their Bibles and asking questions. People NEED to discuss these things. People NEED to be able to think critically and understand, which will mean lots of questions and discussion.
Don’t even get me started on how much people need to understand the relationship with the Holy Spirit and begin to ‘hear’ His voice… for themselves. If the Holy Spirit isn’t convicting you of your sin – you’re not listening to Him. If the Holy Spirit isn’t drawing back to the Word, you’re not listening to Him. If the Holy Spirit isn’t teaching you, you’re not listening to Him. How much time do you spend with Him? Be honest with yourself… please. We will first deceive ourselves before anyone else. That’s called denial.
What does Jesus really want of you? Have you ever asked Him? Don’t rely on ANY other voice to answer that question for you. KNOW THAT YOU KNOW, what Jesus is saying to you PERSONALLY.
Let’s get REAL with God. Let’s just ask Him flat out. Are you willing to listen to His answer to you? Are you really ready for the Truth?