Are You Religious or in Relationship?
The following article was first pulbished by Apostle Bill Click of River of Power Ministries:
I am resending this today because of our tendency at the beginning of a year to overreact to some Christmas-time lethargy that often accompanies the previous year’s end. When that happens, we tend to make monumental efforts to “right the ship” and exhaust ourselves by setting a pace that is impossible to keep in the New Year.
Bill Click (Philippians 1:6).
| Religious: Whether Evangelical, Pentecostal, Charismatic, Prophetic, Apostolic, etc. | Relationship: regardless of setting, knowing the Father thru Christ by Living in the Holy Spirit |
| Prayers to a God who needs to be told repeatedly, eloquently and according to circumstance in order for God to listen & respond | Spends time with Heavenly Father & personal Lord, declaring His sufficiency and trusting for needs while seeking to conform to His desires |
| Makes references to Scripture, past religious events, and heritage or history to commemorate what God has done | Walks in revelation of what God is doing in the present, looking forward in faith for more of God, anticipates promises will be established |
| Needs “sights” for authenticity – building, auditorium, colors, banners, pews, garments, overhead, bulletins, programmed dancing, procession | Worship of God provides “vision” which makes life spring up from where it lives: inside each person, flowing in and through them to others |
| Familiar sounds – grand piano, organ, hymnal in some settings; keyboards, guitars and drums in others; familiar hymns, lyrics, &/or soundtracks | Spiritual “Body Function” makes life– ministering to the Lord, ministering gifts to others–with or without set program, title, “status” of leadership, etc. |
| Familiar touch items – head covering shawl, laying on of hands, holy water, anointing oil, offering plates or arks | Touch of God on the inside – Spirit impartation & manifestation: fulfilment of the types & shadows which came only to point to Christ |
| Uniform motion – kneeling, raising hands, rhythmic sway, clapping in unison (appearance of unity) | Devotion in the Spirit, individual expressions leading to varied physical acts and emotional impacts during worship (unity in the Spirit) |
| Familiar Smells – candle, incense, sandalwood, joss sticks, coffee, pot luck | Becoming sweet incense to God; the fragrance of Christ’s life– being freshened by God and releasing freshness to one another in Spirit and truth |
| Familiar pronouncements, Catch phrases – “praise the Lord,” “God willing,” “hallelujah,” repetitive prayers, responsive readings, Latin, Lectionary, etc. | Child like prayers which cannot be programmed or planned, authoritative decrees which are spontaneously authentic, heartfelt interactions with God |
| Grudges and religion easily mix well – “love” God, hate world, tolerate (or avoid) those who are different or difficult | Forgiveness & Reconciliation: the first sign of true spirituality – trusts God, building bridges for evangelism, loving all, especially believers |
| Passive, corporate “Priesthood of all believers” Others have to do it (to you & for you)- prayers, prophecies, counsel, wisdom, accountability | Active, personal Priesthood: praying and receive from the Lord, God directing, prophesying & comforting others in the Spirit |
| Needs presence and accompaniment of others to feel good about self | Fulfillment comes from God – Christ based & centered self-esteem |
| Insecure with God (efforts are made to assuage fear of punishment or withholding of blessing, or from duty, obligation, guilt &/or shame) | Assured of God’s love: freely giving due to having freely received; serving as lifestyle, desiring to help, trusting God to provide so others can receive |
| Manipulates God –what can God do for me? How can I get “the best” from God? How will God bless me? | Seeks the desire of God, receives enablement for what God has personally called individual to be and to do |
| Doing for God is the focus (in order to “be” something to self & others) | Focused on being with God (individual life released by the Spirit) |
| When ministering –self-focused: how do I seem, look, impact, and “come off” in exercising the gift? (“Lord, help me do a good job!”) | When ministering- Christ focused: priority that God be seen. (“God, do whatever you want to thru me”) |
| Associated with a “place” | Relating to God & with His people |
| Associated with the “meeting” | Committed to & personally part of congregational body of Christ |
| Identifies with “the teaching” or Camp emphasis | Submitted thru personal discipline & development to “The Teacher“ |
| Developing “my ministry” to reach “my destiny” | Ministering to the Lord, follows Leadership of Spirit & Designated Authority |
| Does a meeting so as to receive offering or honorarium | Honors God by obeying the Lord to minister, being faithful, trusting the Father |
| Fears to get close to people (aloof, distant, even secretive); uses past as excuse for being defensive, leading to no commitment or consistency | Allows new relationships to be built, older ones to be nurtured and grow, & what’s broken to become reconciled, giving Hell no opportunity to attack |
| Must only be part of a group with status– lots of “we” and “us” emphasis | Allows Christ to position, seated: becomes part of what God is “building” |
| Right “connections” (‘up’) made to establish self & build public image | Serves (‘down’), decreasing in eyes of others with no concern about result |
| Measured dose on Sunday (“go” to church) | Living for Christ 24/7/365: (lives to “be” the church) |
| Driven by rejection (must please man, appease guilt &/or compete) | Lives accepted; experiences God’s love (healthy & functional – 1Ths.5:23) |
| Task/program oriented (must achieve in order to avoid failure to accomplish) | Prioritizes God & people (must obey to fulfill God’s purpose for existence) |
| “How did he/she treat me?” (regarding minister, leader, or anyone else present- must be recognized & honored- NEEDS ATTENTION) | “How am I treating others?” (in private & public) WANTS GOD GLORIFIED/OTHERS TREATED RIGHTEOUSLY) “How do I treat God?” |
| “Am I going any place with my gift?” “Am I being recognized for my talent?” “Is there room for me here?” | “Lord, use the gift you placed in me to bless others for your own purposes” “God, how can what you’ve given me enhance others?” |
| Competing, one-upping, exhibiting, acting out, end justifies means | Sharing, effacing, advancing others, not needing to “win” socially |
| Name dropper of “important persons” | “Knowing only Christ & Him crucified” |
| All that is done is perfect, any problem originates with others (irresponsible) | Recognizes limitations & weaknesses, not wanting others to stumble |
| Laws/Legalism/numerous pet peeves (blame, shame & every “game”) | Grace (overlooks, covers & loves those who are different, or who’ve erred) |
| Self righteousness (looks at what self does, as evidences for who they are) | Christ-Righteousness (lives by who Christ is, what He has done) |
| Battling within & also with others continually (conflicted) | Peaceful (agreeable, not prone to arguments, restrained & steady) |
| Discontented (with self, others, church, & life) | Contented (regardless of what has yet to take place or is difficult) |
| Obligated & must (driven) | Willing, but doesn’t “have to” if others are selected (responds to “call”) |
| How will I look better? (pride) | How will God get the glory? (humility) |
| Gives in order to feel good about self and/or to obligate/receive from God | “God gave His best; I give my all, it’s all His!” |
| I have arrived & others need to also (be like me) | I’m still growing & am glad to be included in God’s plan (be like Christ) |
| Patch the old garment & wineskins with religious “patches:” church work, adding knowledge, growth endeavors & non-stop activities | Seeks new wine of intimacy which brings revelation, increased sense of purpose & rest which regenerates for scaling new heights with God |
RIVER OF POWER MINISTRIES
401 Curryer Rd. Middletown, OH 45042 rpm5clicks @ juno.com
RIVER OF POWER MINISTRIES is a continually developing matrix of foundational callings and anointings positioning themselves under the authority of the Lord Jesus Christ as released through Apostle Bill Click. To inquire further about participation and relationship with “RPM” write postal mail to address above or
Email at rpm5clicks @ juno.com
This message may be forwarded, posted on your website or distributed to your news group as long as it remains unedited and all ministry contact information is included.
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