Don’t lose the Christ of Christmas

Sadly, religion has taken away our Lord, and we do not know where it has laid Him. He has been misplaced in a labyrinth of religious rhetoric.

This is the challenge of our times—the recovery of Christ.

We will not discover Him in the study halls of religion, but in the secret places of the Spirit. Christian knowledge will do us no good, in the darkness of a life without a love life relationship with God.

We need the relationship – the “knowledge” isn’t a condition for approaching God.

Jesus said, “But a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth, for the Father is seeking such as these to worship Him.  God is Spirit, and His worshipers must worship Him in spirit and in truth.”

Where did we lose Christ Jesus – or for those who are interested, how can we find him?  To me, one of the most haunting verses in the Bible is

Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’  Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you workers of lawlessness!’

How can we “know” God?  I am especially concerned for the people of today, who know about God, but do not know him in a working one-on-one relationship.  Many of us do not know how to reach God.  And I understand their position that they would not like to do things for a God they do not know.

1. We can get to know God when he chooses to reveal himself to us, personally.  This does not always happen – it is up to him.
2. We can get to know God by studying what he and others say about him, in the Bible.  By doing this, we understand what he acts like, and has said.  This is a prerequisite for the next item.
3. We can begin trying to discern God’s voice in our spirit, by asking him to speak to us and guide us.  Carefully filter what MAY be his voice, by bouncing it off of the nature of God, which you have learned about in the Bible.  When he may be speaking to you, gently experiment/refine your ability to hear God’s voice by following his guidance when he asks you to do something.  He speaks with a still small voice, but he can be heard.  If your following him brings results that honor him, it is likely you heard him speak, and he will build on that.
4.  Relationships grow from taking time for them.  Take time to talk and listen to God.

But Jesus makes this even easier, and gives us hope… Look again at the verse above – Jesus specifically says “I never knew you“.  He did not say “You never knew me”.  So what does this mean?

To me, it means that if I pour out my heart to God, he will HEAR me, and come to know me.  Even just once.  And by this act, I may be saved.  A man or woman can even be saved in the final moments of life…

One of the criminals who were hanged there [on crosses near Jesus’] kept deriding him and saying, “Are you not the Messiah? Save yourself and us!” But the other rebuked him, saying, “Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? And we indeed have been condemned justly, for we are getting what we deserve for our deeds, but this man has done nothing wrong.” Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” He [Jesus] replied, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in Paradise.”

But for those of us with more life to live, it’s so pleasing to God to live that life following him!  Don’t waste your life…  Please – Take time to talk and listen to God.