Religion and Rules-

Religion and Rules-
Being Friends with God

As I was reading one of my favorite authors, Joyce Myers, I am amazed how God works. He knows exactly what I need to hear out loud. In Joyce’s book “Joy redefined – Loving Jesus” Joyce is speaking on a truth I have been carrying around for years. Of course the thoughts get stronger every time we leave a church, we have become members of, because of some rule or regulation “THEY” have set that determines if we are appropriate for this job or that within the church. What happened to Christians being led by the Holy Spirit and not the rules and regulations of the church? I have a few things to say to those churches who believe they are the authority; My God knows me better than your rules writing committee and your bylaws. If I listen with my heart He will lead my path through this life.
I have been so hurt by so many religious organizations (churches). They preach forgiveness but don’t forgive. They preach love for all but don’t love all. We were members of one church where the preacher stood in the pulpit and said that the best thing for the homosexuals would be for all “us” Christians to round them up and kill them all. A preacher in the pulpit!! I only wish that were the worst thing he ever said.
We have been members of 3 different churches since we have been married –we have been hurt by each church in different ways. Preachers that won’t lead and church members who won’t follow, Preachers who do not stand up for their convictions so they can be people pleasers. Church members who only go to check off their list-went to church √ .
Each one of the churches has taken a little bit of my spirit and left me questioning my Christianity. I stopped questioning my Christianity and started questioning theirs. I have held animosity and bitterness towards them. God is opening my eyes that they are not my problem and that if they need to be told how to live it is His job.
I have always wondered if anyone else believed the same as I did –of course I know there are a lot of people who condemn the church for hypocrisy and have their own ill will toward the churches. But I mean someone who thinks that all the rules the church sets forth is just not right. Listen to God and let him lead your life not people. And low and behold here comes Joyce Myers!

Religion and Rules will never give you true Joy-JM
Being a Christian is not about following rules and adhering to some sort of religious code-JM

Jesus loves everyone and no one is excluded. Do not worry about being allowed into some churches because Jesus would say “Don’t worry they don’t want me in there either”.
It is not the place of Christians or the church to judge others –we need to focus on bringing people into God’s circle- having a personal relationship with Him. Christianity is not about rules and regulations is about the Relationship – The Holy Spirit will guide and lead new Christians (and old ) in the right and wrongs of their walk.
I will never become a member of another church but I will always be a Christian.
God is my commander and he believes in Me and my Marriage.

Scott and I have been talking for years about how nice it would be to have just a small group meet here at the house- no one “in charge” but a group of Christians fellowshipping and learning about God without someone telling them its time to do this or let me tell you the rules. This is the way the author of “Purpose Driven Life” book started one of the largest churches in America. He and group of friends would meet in his living room because he saw that the way the churches were doing wasn’t working to bring people closer to God. As Doug Kaufmann says “If you always do what you have always done; you will always get what you always got” in this case dead in the water Christians just going through the paces of theirs lives. We will see what God thinks…..