One day as I was microwaving my lunch, The Lord dropped this thought into me, how that "religiosity" (the traditions of men) have the effect on people like how a microwave effects whatever is put in it.
Religion works its way outside in unlike a relationship with Christ that works its way inside out!
Well as microwave heats things from the outside working its way in and the food does its time that you think it needed and then open the door, it looks well underway. The food could be steaming and when touched, it "feels" hot. However solely based by the food's LOOKS and FEELING it makes one to think that the food is ready, until you take a bite and another and another and work your way in to where the food remained lukewarm, if not completely cold and out of touch with what it should have been like!
Religion today will do just that! You may have said ten hail Marys and serve your time in the confessional booth or you may have even told God you are sorry for your sins and yet live your life unchanged for His glory, and you may FEEL like you're holy, you may LOOK like you're holy, but the only holy you got is the hole that remains in your heart both cold and void of the presence of the living King... being filled with a lukewarmness that doesn't measure up to what God's taste is after! Friend that's just a life not worth experiencing...
The Bible says we walk by FAITH and not by sight...nor by feelings!
You may feel good hearing a good preached word, but God doesn't want your walk to be lukewarm or even cold! He doesn't want you to be like a man after looking in the mirror, forgetting what manner of man he is. (James 1:23)
Jesus said to the church of Laodicean I will spit you out of my mouth because you are lukewarm! (Revelation 3)
Peter was able to curse Jesus out to others when He fled from Jesus in the time of great persecution and sat himself next to the fire of religion and got lukewarm because he was cold between the time he left Jesus and arrived at the campfire! (Matthew 26)
There are too many I see even on Facebook, judging by their posts and pictures who have left Jesus and settle for a lukewarm spot next to their own campfire fire of self-centeredness. I am not talking about those who never received Christ.
Perhaps those people at the fire could be demonstrated as present day tailgaters to the Superbowl! Jesus' crucifixion was The Event or all events, and Peter found himself trying to blend in with the tailgaters, rather than being found out in the game field in Pilot's court standing next to Jesus and risked of being persecuted with Him! I mean C'mon, Peter was like Jesus' running back! Giver Peter's the ball of revelation and he will run with it! In other words, the lukewarm stance Peter took, is like an all star Quarterback found tailgating with the fans before the game and wanting to watch the game from the sidelines, shout, holler, anything but be an active part in the game because he is afraid of getting hurt! Oh sure it is in him to be on the winning team and contribute to the winning score, but doesn't want to do what it takes to get there! That spirit is a religious, self-righteous, self-preservation, self-reliant spirit.
I am simply here to encourage us to get out of the spiritual microwave of religious self, because the longer we spend time in their, you'll eventually burst, get burned out and not live in the abundant life that Jesus Christ offers!
Rather let us not resist the times in the spiritual oven, when we know God has yet to perfect areas in our lives! Don't settle always for the conclusion of your prayer time to be only from beginning to end of your requests being made known...spend time marinating in His presence, listen to His heart.
You see Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego didn't settle for a microwave walk with God. They were willing to be a slow roast in the fiery furnace! It was only in that place did God show up in their midst and they marinated in His presence and the miraculous! (Daniel 3)
God wants you to marinate in His miraculous power, but only if you are willing to get out of the microwave of self-preservation and go into the fiery oven of His purification for your life! THAT is a relationship with Jesus! THAT is when your life begins to measure up to divine God's taste!
Though a microwave can NOT cause cancer immediately; exposure to microwave radiation for extended periods may well cause certain cancers to occur. So does a religious spirit that encourages the premise of your own works to acquire Salvation rather than the receiving of God's grace through Jesus Christ. A religious spirit may seem to encourage a "positive" value, but without the daily active POWER of Holy Ghost, you get nothing but microwaves of deception spreading a deadly spiritual cancer in your life!
Like myself, many of times we want things quick and convenient and so we pop open the microwave, but when you have a meal that has been prepared all day and heated up properly, then we have more reason to cherish the flavor and all the time and effort that put in!
God wants you to enjoy the reward of the time and effort of His process and preparation for your life!!! Do you desire to enjoy the rest in Christ and all He has done in your life? Do you find it hard to believe or value what He has done, always feeling you never measure up? Well I got good news for you...only in Christ we measure up, because apart from Him we are nothing. (John 15)
If you are looking for quick convenience that will satisfy your present state or taste pallet, than settle for the microwave; but if you want something that is REAL and will last and make your life and everything you touch, say to God "bon appetite", well then do not fear your time in the furnace, because only God can make beauty from ashes! (Is. 61:3)
O taste and see that the Lord is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him. -Psalm 34:8
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