Family or Religion?

Religion or Family?

Most of us like to say “family” yet we get stuck in the ways and hindrances of religion. Heard a great message and wanted to share my notes on some of it. I highly recommend listening to the entire message (link below). It’s a great message for everyone—from the one running the church for years to the newbie in the back pew.

You can decide for yourself if you really want a family or if you are happy with the superficial religious organization that leaves us comfortable in our flesh, but spiritually drowning.

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Family in Christ and religion are quite different.

Religion lets you show up and leave and no one cares.

Religion lets you pretend you’re doing good when no one knows that you’re not.

Family means openness, honesty, accountability.

Family means walking together through good times and hard times and ugly times.

Part of being a family means learning to receive things you don’t deserve and learning to walk in things you have not earned.

There’s no going back, only forward. We have to jump in as family—family loves each other, forgives each other, and walks with each other through hard times and mistakes. We all have problems and mistakes. In religion, we learn how NOT to share those struggles. In religion, you can go to church and do great and no one will know anything about you. 

As Christians, we are not just setting a trend for prayer or hunger for God; we are setting an example of family. No one is higher than another in the kingdom of God. No calling is more important than another’s…just different. In family we don’t have to show off. We don’t have to be more important; we don’t have to be special because we’re all special. There’s a part of family that we all have to understand: you’re just as important as the preacher.

Learning how to live in family takes time and submitting to God’s Spirit. His grace allows us to grow as a family, where the ones who are struggling get swept up and caught with the ones who are strong. There are days you may do great and weeks you may struggle, but God’s love for you does not change.

It’s easier to sit under religion because then you don’t have to be mature. Becoming a family means maturity. It means dealing with yourself. It means a commitment to praying in the Holy Ghost. It means a commitment to meditating the Word, fasting and the tools we have to help us to overcome ourselves. It takes time and it takes love.

There’s so much we have to learn about family. God wants us to sit and get comfortable in His presence as a family. Being able to sit in His presence, to love our neighbor, to do no harm to our neighbor, to learn to receive from each other, and to appreciate each other is just as important as signs and wonders and miracles. If all we do is pursue miracles, we miss out on the good stuff—holiness, character, love. God doesn’t want us to self-destruct because of lack of character or holiness. He wants us to grow as a family.

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I got so much out of this message. More than I could even write down. You can listen to it here: http://www.daveroberson.org/Media/1172/GS111003B.mp3 (I recommend listening all the way to the end).

Praising the Lord!

I just gotta praise the Lord! We’ve been going through trial after trial it seems. One extended trial we’ve been stuck in for over a month now. A financial trial. I posted about it a couple weeks ago so you may have read it. Well, my husband still has not been paid. The last regular check he received was at the end of August and he’s supposed to be paid between the 3rd & 6th of each month. So here we are…beyond the sixth yet again…and still no deposit. But you know what? I am so happy right now it’s ridiculous. Sure, we have bills and a car payment and rent and so on like everybody else, but how can I worry about something that God already told me was going to happen? I mean really? Talking about it with someone earlier and the only thing I could say was, “All we can do is trust God.” That’s it. Plain & simple.

You know what the most amazing thing is? I feel like I had a glimpse of what Paul experienced – on a very small scale in comparison – but still. Knowing what was coming through the forewarning of the Spirit, saying “OK,” and making preparations. Then tonight-- after we just paid some bills that were due knowing that we have no idea when his money is coming--I was filled with so much JOY. Ha! Doesn’t that just sound like madness? I wish you could have experienced it. If I could share the feeling I totally would. I just wanted to laugh and shout and praise God because I know that it is through this trial that we are going to see God’s awesome power manifest. What a blessing! I remember praying a while back, “Lord let my life be a testimony of your goodness and power.” I saw something not long ago that said it’s the test that brings the testimony. Well…here it is! Maybe not the way we would have planned or wished upon ourselves, but nonetheless it’s here. Exactly according to His perfect will. How can I not praise Him?!?

My Testimony of How God's Ways/Thoughts Are So Beyond Ours

I want to share some things that have gone on in our lives since the New Year, but God has just allowed me to see the big picture.

About 6 mo ago (shortly after the New Year), God led me to start stocking up on food. I saw all the different viewpoints of this particular topic from Christians around the world:

Stocking up is fear-based (paranoia)
It contradicts when Jesus said, Take no thought for tomorrow…
If God says so, then do it.

These are all very different perspectives. Bringing it to Sam (my husband), it sounded a little “out there” to him, but he was open and willing to do whatever God was leading us to do. I still wasn’t sure…as sure as I felt I needed to be to know that I wasn’t just being a paranoid person. God then brought to my remembrance Joseph. Joseph, the son of Jacob, had been given instruction on how to PREPARE for the famine that had not yet come. Shortly after this, a similar topic came up in church and a brother confirmed God’s word for me—knowing nothing of all this. I knew now what God was showing me…even if no one else understood. But Lord? Is there a famine coming? I still wasn’t totally convinced—wavering, unbelief, doubt. I knew, but being thoroughly convinced to DO was different. How? Why? We always want to know why, don’t we?

Then I’m not exactly sure what happened. Life maybe. The thoughts faded and eventually were dismissed.

Two weeks ago God spoke to me and told me (the way He does) that we are going to go through a financial trial. My first thought? “I’m not claiming that one.” LOL! Regardless of my thoughts or desires, I knew what He said. I shared it with Sam and understood that it was time to start watching where every dollar went. Within a couple of days, we were notified that his paycheck (GI Bill) would take an additional 3 weeks to get to us because of mistakes on THEIR end. It was already a week behind and like everyone…we have bills to pay! A whole month without his primary source of income? Ordinarily, I might have freaked out a little, but God had forewarned me and I found much comfort in knowing that He already had it all worked out. As long as we stay close in obedience, everything will be fine. He will not leave us lacking what we need. I know my God, my Provider!

Right around this same time my neighbor kept coming and telling me of how she’s using coupons and saving so much money, even getting things for free at times. I would think, “that’s cool” and go on my way. Until finally one day, what she was saying sparked a great interest. I wanted to see for real what the buzz was all about. So Sam & I started that Sunday clipping coupons and making our store lists (honestly, not even thinking about our financial trial, but simply sharing in the excitement with our neighbor). Over the last week—through two Sunday papers—we have saved about $200 on our shopping trips. And! have been able to buy so much more that our deep freezer is full and we had to start storing food in the storage room behind our refrigerator.

Now, what do all these things have to do with one another? Last night while lying in bed I was able to see the big picture. Though He forewarned us of a financial trial (which I do believe we are only in the beginning of), He provided a way at the same time for us to save on necessities through it. I was thanking Him for this and THEN… I saw the WHOLE picture. What He was leading us to do six months ago was now coming to pass. We are stocking up on food and supplies. Amazing, isn’t it? If God wants to bring something to pass, He most certainly will!

I will not doubt or hold back on whatever God wants us to do this time. If what we do now can help my family or someone else's in the future, may God be glorified!

Father, bring Your will to pass. If our time of trial or suffering can be used to help other people, let it be Lord. I know that no matter what I think or understand, my own understanding is just a speck of sand on an eternal seashore. It’s Your wisdom and understanding I desire. Thank you Lord. May You alone be glorified! Amen.