Church is taking a big hit in today’s societal “push ‘n shove” for attention.  For a large part, this intended godly entity has been moved to the back of the bus due to both neglect and indifference.  I have no idea how I have contributed to this misalignment of spiritual significance. 

Religion is a slight-of-hand of Satan.
  He doesn’t care that we go through the motions.  He just doesn’t want Jesus to become our conviction of Life.  He doesn’t mind that we have Bibles or even believe in them.  He just doesn’t want us reading them.

In my own fragment of the Christian world, we have strong emphasis on three, what we might call, vital signs; (1) Command, (2) Example, and (3) Necessary inference.  Go to the Bible and find where these three things are clearly taught, spelled out in its simplicity.  The latter of the three, necessary inference, is inserted by Restorationists to make the Word say what we couldn’t get it to say otherwise. 

This three-fold, man-made, guide shoots ourselves in the foot.  The latter one permits a student to make desires of the mind or preferences of our practice to reach any conclusion for which we might inwardly yearn. 
     1.  Believe in the Bible; but seldom open it? 
     2.  Believe in prayer; but seldom practice it? 
     3.  Believe in evangelism; but seldom personally engage in it? 
     4.  Believe in giving; but seldom surrender to it?
     5.  Believe in loving one another; but seldom beyond those we already love?

Why do I think from this slant?  Granted, it is very likely that there are a hefty number of church members who would not fit the above inclinations.  Yet, I think this way….because as the preacher…I was this way.  I was a Bible-promoting, Bible-pounding, smart-mouth who was guilty of each of the above five charges.  That’s….how I know. 

I had the rules down…best I could anyway…with intent of mastering them all.  My problem was that I didn’t know Jesus and I didn’t believe that I, personally, could make an eternal difference for people.  Welp, there went the Great Commission right out the window!  So, my alternate route was to be egotistical in what little I knew and critical of other religious people because they apparently weren’t as sharp as me.

Why is it such a challenge to follow the Son of God?  Mankind (men and women) (just like you and me) have an inordinate amount of bias within our religious veins.  This leaning or preference has formed a barrier to the heart; the heart of self and the hearts of others.  It, then, keeps us from learning….learning of the perpetual, continual, vast wonders of our mighty Creator. 

May we prune away some of our own dead limbs before we approach the forest of glorious community.  Hope is for them.  They learn of it via those of us who find it ourselves.