Thoughts
on Michael Wells’ teachings in My Weakness for His Strength - # 262
Michael’s book is
available through:
Abiding Life Ministries
International
Littleton, Colorado
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ANNOUNCING:
Volume 2 of My Weakness for His Strength is now in print! Available at ALMI. May I encourage you to get one soon!
When
something or someone tries to be anything it/he/she is never intended to be:
UGLY is the result! Michael gives us
just how “ugly” Christianity IS as a “religion.”
DAY 297
The
Ugliest Religion in the World
I am the vine, you are
the branches; he who abides in Me, and I in him, he bears much fruit; for apart
from Me you can do nothing.
--John 15:5
What, exactly, is the most ugly religion in the world?
I have come in contact with countless religions, and I believe that I have
found the absolute worst one. Christianity! That is right, Christianity! Why? Every other religion is created
to be a religion, centering in laws, sites, chants, and ceremonies, things that
signify the very nature of a religion. However, Christianity centers on and in Jesus. Christianity
centers on a relationship with the Founder, who is not a teacher of new rules
but is the Son of God, who was raised from the dead, actually living in and through the
followers. When reduced to a list of behaviors to be imitated,
Christianity is just too high of an ideal to attain. Since no one can imitate
Jesus, the religious have to come up with a set of laws that they can imitate
to exalt themselves over others. Take Jesus out of it and Christianity becomes
ugly, if not out-and-out goofy. The religious cannot emphasize Jesus, else in so doing they hold up a
model they are not able to imitate. Therefore, they hold up everything else
that appears spiritual. Things I have heard during my travels are nearly
unbelievable. “Wear a white shirt when you preach. White allows the Holy Spirit
to get out of you easier!” “Jesus said to love your neighbor. That is why I am
right to have an affair with my neighbor.” “The color red is never to be worn
by a Christian; it is evil.” “A woman is never to enter the sanctuary in
anything other than a dress.” “Command God to give you wealth and health in the
name of Jesus. He has to obey you.” I could go on and on, but to what end? Christianity as a religion is
undeniably ugly. By
bringing Jesus back to the center where He belongs, letting Him live through us
and lifting Him up without fear, no religion on earth can comparably measure up
to Christianity. The
world would be so uncomfortable by the contrast that they would have to rid
themselves of us, just as they did Jesus.
Yellow – VIP, Very Important Point Green
– IT, Incredible Truth
Red – GP, Greatest Promises
Turquoise – UR, Unfathomable Riches Pink
– PV, Priceless Victory
One of the most hilarious activities I have observed in over 30 years of
pastoring is this: the great number of Believers who are constantly talking
about “lifting up Jesus,” but NEVER DO SO in their ordinary speech, day-to-day
life, or “spiritual teaching.” They have
one focus: self/flesh. How sad. Their “do-do” religion just plain stinks.
Isn’t it interesting that exactly what Michael points out in his last
statement is the exact thing that is happening in too many churches (forget
the world!) by bringing the world into the church, and leaving
out Jesus. Worldly Believers are
uncomfortable with Jesus.
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NOTICE: another blog on
Michael Wells’ book, Sidetracked In The Wilderness, called Getting Out of the
Wilderness. You can access by logging onto
www.leemcchristianministries.blogspot.com
Lee McDowell Christian Ministries
P.O. Box 633244 Nacogdoches,
TX 75963 936-559-5696
