RELATIONSHIP in 2007
By Dick Evans

As we start this New Year, I believe we should reevaluate relationship.

Relationship is defined in Encarta as a significant connection or similarity between two or more things, or the state of being related to something else. As Christians, we speak about our relationship with God. Those who consider themselves to be born again, say their walk with Christ is not about religion, it is about relationship.

With this in mind, it does not matter which religious group we belong to; what brick and mortar church building we attend each week. What matters is our personal relationship with Christ, our walk with Him each day. Church is the body of Christ; the gathering of two or more believers.

Some believe their relationship with God is centered on time spent in “the Word”. By this they are referring to the Word of God, the Bible as we know it. They bicker back and forth as to translations to use and often refer back to the original text to accurately discover what the original author meant to say to his intended audience. Their relationship is with the Word of God.

Each book of the Bible was penned by man, inspired by God. However, are we not reading about another human being's relationship with God? I believe we are. As we read his book, we discover more about his relationship with God. In a similar way, as we read current day Christian literature and listen to sermons available in all forms, we receive further insight into the relationship those authors have with God.

What we should want is our own relationship with the living God. Yes, we are to be in the Word daily. The Word is Christ, He is in us, and we are in Him. Is reading the Bible the same as being in Him? I do not think so. I believe one way God speaks to us today is through His written Word. It does not matter which translation we use. He knows and will direct us to the scripture pertinent to our situation for today. Be it NIV, NLT, KJV, NASB, NKJV, or any other, He knows how to communicate to us. He knows how to reveal to us a Word for today, a Word to guide us, to instruct us, to comfort us, or to encourage us.

I am not trying to tell you not to read and study the Bible. Nor am I inferring you should stop reading or listening to wisdom from other Christians; not at all. In all we do, God can bring revelation to us. He can take the worldly means of communication and point us to His truth.

Being religious is not bad unless it is a replacement for relationship with Jesus Christ. Daily reading of His word is necessary, but should not be mistaken as having that relationship. Reading other authors or listening to them is good, but is not a replacement for reading and studying His Word for you. He wants us to grow in Him. To do that we must communicate with Him; we speak to Him and listen to His answer. And always rely on the Holy Spirit to guide you into all Truth.

POPUPS
Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. (NLT Hebrews 13:8 )

One annoying aspect of some web sites is the way other screens filled with ads pop up as you are working. Because of this nuisance, the latest browsers include a popup blocker feature. Often this eliminates some windows we really do want to pop up, so we have to learn how to turn the feature off and on.

Soon after Jesus left, new religions began to popup. They purported to be believers and followers of Jesus, but they added their own twist. Some differences had to do with their culture, and others from their previous pagan traditions. Encarta tells us religion is a set of strongly held beliefs, values, and attitudes one lives by. It also states that it is a particular institutionalized or personal system of beliefs and practices relating to the divine. We usually think of the institution. Catholicism is what we think of as the first organized Christian religion. Then years later, there was another popup, the protestant religion, and then one popup after another right up to today.

Jesus did not tell us to believe in an institution. He said we were to follow Him and be guided by the one He sent, the Holy Spirit. Man added the religious component. Jesus Christ is the same today as He was yesterday, and He will never change. We have to stop looking for the latest popup and go back to just listening to the Holy Spirit as we walk out each day.

When it comes to Windows or worship, we need to keep our popup blockers on.

TUG OF WAR
Try to live in peace with everyone, and seek to live a clean and holy life, for those who are not holy will not see the Lord. (NLT Hebrews 12:14)

Most outings include many competitive games to play. Usually found are horseshoes, volleyball, and often tug of war. The later is simply a rope. One team grabs an end and the other team grabs the other end. Both teams pull with all their might trying to cause the other team to fall or be dragged over a middle line.

It is easy to say you want to go to heaven, but not as easy to live a holy life. It is like that game of tug of war--the world on one side and our desire to follow Christ on the other.

We spent most our life on the other side. We know many of the team members and are even trying to convince them to switch sides. The activities they are into are the ones we always had fun with. Temptation is great to go back, if just for a little while. What could it hurt?

The choices we make do count. It is important for us to try to live in peace with everyone, and to try to live a clean and holy life.

Is going over to the other side worth the possibility of not seeing the Lord?