Dear Beloved Reader,

Religion or relationship; which one do we have in the church in America? The answer to this question will determine which way our nation will go. If we can bear to see the truth of how far we have fallen from the Glory that the church was born with, perhaps, we can truly come to repentance and change our lives, church and nation.

Beloved, “the spirit of religion” is killing us just as it did when Jesus walked physically on the earth 2000 years ago. That same spirit was killing Israel and its present leadership and it is doing the same thing today with many in our nation as well.

Yet amidst this truth there is a stirring in the hearts of many believers that there must be more to being a Christian than going to church on Sunday or doing a ministry. Many are becoming discontented with the “business as usual” mentality so many of our churches have week after week. Our whole church function is based on a time and a day to meet, then a daily committed walk in the Holy Spirit following his leading.

For those who are being stirred and restless in the Holy Spirit for more of God realize that going to church each week is predictable and stale. They can almost predict exactly what is going to happen at our church services every time we gather to meet. These hungry ones can tell how long the service is going to be and what exactly will happen at the same time each week. Below is a typical church service in America every Sunday,

It starts with a person or persons standing at the door to greet you and give you a bulletin. You sit down until the worship leader comes out or the person who starts the service begins to address you. You get welcomed and are told, we are now going to start worship service. Depending on the size of the church the Worship Leader will start with at least 3 or 4 “fast praise songs.” Then there is a 2 songs of transition to get to the worship time with God. Then we sing 2 or 3 slow worship songs to bless the Lord even more and get in His presence.

Some churches “sing in tongues near or at the end of the worship if there is time left. Some churches wait for a prophetic word to come forth through the Body at the very end of this kind of worship. All the words of the songs are on the screen for everybody to sing along as well in this style of service.

Then the Pastor says a few words and then has someone read 10 minutes of announcements telling all the exciting things their ministry is doing. If the church is large, they may put the announcements like a commercial on the screen. They also might put pictures and music to it. Next it is offering time. Here we preach about Malachi 3, encourage them to give, sing another song.This takes 5 minutes.

Then it is time to hear the “message!" The message is the highlight of our gathering. Most Pastors preach about what is going on in America or some bible study topic, maybe even a series of teachings. They teach usually no more than 30 minutes to an hour. The whole jist of the sermon is to make it “funny, likeable and real to those who come.”The people must leave entertained, which we understand to be “changed.” Are they really changed, Beloved?

Next comes the alter call to save the lost, to have the backslidden return, or people to respond to the message given. A ministry team may come to pray over you and then after this time everyone goes home. This whole process is never more than 2 hours long.

The question I am presenting to you dear reader is this, have we developed a relationship with God or a “dead religion?” I assert to you that this is the heart of what religion is made of. The emphasis of our whole understanding of God is this, “church is a place we go to every SUNDAY to learn about God.”

Beloved, this is not God’s idea of church. Though no member of a church would disagree with my next statement and may even speak it, it is not a living reality in the hearts of the American church today. The statement i,s “we are the church, the Body of Christ.” If that is true, why is it most important thing we do is to go somewhere or do something called “church” then become somewhere and be something in Christ “the real church?”

Religion always wants you to make or do something for God. It always has to have a “type or a way to do something the same over and over again to be successful.” A relationship with God is spontaneous, living and vibrant and never the same! Religion usually reeks of death under a law of repetition instead of the law of the Spirit of Life.

Beloved, the church in the USA is powerless in comparison to the church in the Books of Acts. It is sickly according to the New Testament standard, and it is not even making an impact on our nation any more. We have taken the cross out of the churches that symbolize death to our old life and ways, and instead preached the gospel of convenience and prosperity or how to be “good people.”

There is no more preaching against sin in most churches or about coming out of darkness unless you are unsaved. But what about the sin in the church or the call to come out from the world as found in 1^st Corinthians chapter 6.

Would the book of James be taught in our services today? James directly speaks to the Christians in the churches under his leadership. Would the present leadership of the church in America say to our churches what is found in James 4:4? “you are like unfaithful wives having illicit love affairs with the world and breaking your marriage vow to God. Do you not know that being the world’s friend is being God’s enemy? So whoever chooses to be a friend of the world takes his stand as an enemy of God?

Where are the preacher’s of righteousness in our generation of leadership in the American Church? Are we afraid to lose the people because they will take their tithe, offerings and labor with them so we can’t build our vision?

Why is there little to no teaching about living Holy before God or what the requirements are of being His disciple? Why are there so few preachers who preach about the price of picking up your cross and following the Lord where he leads? Or about the daily surrender of walking in the Spirit so we won’t fulfill the lust of the flesh.

Today’s American church services are built to be entertainment centers to please the needs of the people instead of the needs of God. You may be asking, Brother Henry are you not being a little critical of all of us? But I want you to read an advertisement for one of the churches in a particular area of our country, and have you discern the state or condition of the church in America is truly in. This is a real ad!!!!

“Check out our friendly, totally relaxed, non-threatening, and yes even FUN approach to doing church.”

1. One hour services answering life’s’ toughest questions.
2. All Original live music
3. Women’s Fitness programs
4. Great programs for kids, pre-teens and teens
5. Café/Food Court
6. Special Events Each month

Fun day Sundays: BBQ: Jumping Castle Games and Events for Kids and Adults

Cool down Tuesdays” BBQ, Swimming, Water Games and a Live Guard on Duty, (Yes, we have a church with a waterfall”

You will see quickly why the ____________church is one of the fastest growing churches in America. Services 9:30 and 11:00 am.

Beloved, this is a real ad coming from a real church! Did you see what it does not say? What about God? What about the cross? This is a typical ideal American Church today. The church in America is an entertainment station at worst, and a place maybe to get saved at best. Please understand that I am not criticizing this church or Pastor, a few years ago I would have done the same thing, Yet thankfully God gave me a word of prophecy, "no longer would I build an Ishmael, but I would build and Isaac, after the kind God had truly placed in me."

My heart weeps as I write this today. How are all the things above not about religion? A form of godliness but denying the power there of is what we have become. We get more Christians at a Christian Concert than we do going to church to pray and seek the face of God.

Why is our nation so messed up? Look at us the “church of the living God.” Look at what we want as a church. The church ad I read you was based upon the fact of what “do the people” want when they come to church?” I know this for certain. I attended a meeting many years ago with 300 Pastors on how to make your church grow.

At this meeting they brought in a Christian marketing manager to give us ideas on “how to build the church.”They gave us a survey with many questions to pass out in our community. The survey asked questions like “how long would you go to a church service?” What would you like to see when you go? What things would make you comfortable?

The man who directed this meeting glowing told us how the survey worked to build a large church. He told us about one church in the Midwest that put a bowling alley in their building after passing out this survey in his region, The people wanted a Christian bowling alley so they didn't have to breath the smoke or put up with alcohol, and now that church has over 10,000 people attending,

What is happening to our Christians churches? Christianity has become a place to be entertained and not trained, a ritual and not spiritual, a religion and not a relationship with God.

Everywhere I go and have our conferences, people who are really hungry for more of God come to attend. Many of these people have been Christians for years and are faithful in attending churches. Yet, when God moves in the Holy Spirit at our meetings He goes right to them and begins to minister to the deep hurts and pains in their hearts and bodies they have had for years.

Many are filled with the hurts of rejection, suffering, afflictions and sicknesses for years. They went to church Sunday after Sunday and Wednesday after Wednesday, but they were never healed or set free, how can this be in the household of God? Many never had a prophetic word spoken to them or anyone lay hands on them to be healed.

Many of them don’t even know the word of God in which to fight the enemy. So many precious saints have told me that they don’t have to bring their bibles to church anymore. They get a handout with all the preaching notes on it. Others don’t even know the Word of God to stand upon in trials; they believe that God is not powerful enough, or big enough to help them. Worse, they believe that God may not want to help them and may not even hear their prayers at all.

I am not making this up! Travel with me and you will see that for yourself. Teenagers are cutting themselves with knives to get rid of the anger and pain in their hearts in Christian High Schools. Many of the “types of clicks” in secular schools are in Christian schools, (skaters and emo’s) and in the church today.

At our first Omega Generation conference last month in Greeley CO, I had to preach against what “emo’s are and do. Emo’s is name for a group of teens means “emotionals.” Emotional’s form friendship where they can be “real” with one another and allow all their emotions to come out, even bad ones, and they will still love each other.

These young people cut themselves with knives to get rid of the pain in their hearts or anger. They often are close to being homosexuals physically and spiritually. The boys wear girl tight jeans, girly converse sneakers, girly hair and nails. This is not just in secular highs schools but in the Christian schools beloved!

Why I am writing all this? Is it to be critical of my fellow members of the Body of Christ? God forbid! This is not them, this is US! Beloved reader, We must look at “our true state” and condition as the church and a family of God in America. This is not about we and them, but this is “us.” This is what we look like to the world and yet even worse to God Himself.

Ask yourself this question today, did the Glory that came down at Pentecost ever intend to make a church like we see in America today? Was that Glory to be reduced to something we “do” once a week on Sunday’s? Was that Glory to be reduced to doing ministry, or having a BBQ or a swimming pool? Was it to boast that we are “one of the fastest growing churches in America?” Was the Glory to bring us just Christian Television shows?

What happened to Jesus Christ the Son of God? Where is He in what we have built in His name? Is His presence and Glory really in our midst when we gather together? Can we tell that He personally in our midst when 2 or more gather together? Is He really able to come and be with us when our concern is to get out of there in an hour or two?

When will we wake up Pastor’s and Leaders and see what we are building? It doesn’t look anything like what Jesus was crucified, died and rose again for. It doesn’t look anything like we saw on the day of Pentecost and after? We look, talk, and taste exactly like the world, the difference is that we are "religious” and they are not.

So the question is this, do we have a “religion” in the church in America or a “true and genuine” relationship in Jesus Christ in the power of the Holy Spirit? I will let you and God decide the answer to the question. If this blog is getting you angry, then ask yourself why are you angry?

Hers is the New Testament standard we can compare ourselves with. Is our shadow filled with glory that people are being healed? Are we working miracles at your work place like Steven did in handing out food? Are we seeing angels come and rescue from persecution when you were thrown in prison like Paul and Silas? Is God using us at our Gate Beautiful to say silver and gold have I no to a lame man? Is that lame man rising up and walking in the name of Jesus? Are we selling our possessions and giving the money to all who had need as in Acts 2:42-46?

If the answer is yes to those questions in your church or in the American Church, than you can throw this blog in the garbage. If the answer is no, and you go to church every week, pay your tithe and do your ministry but don’t see those things happening in you or your church than pay attention.

Be honest with yourself. Is Jesus Christ your first love? Are you laying your life down to do His will everyday? Are you truly a disciple of His by denying yourself, picking up your cross and following him? Do you love your house, job or family more than you love God as in Luke 14? Are you to busy to answer the call of God to truly know Him and be His disciple?

The Pharisee’s thought by all they did everyday, and doing their ritual worship at the temple, and doing all the law of Moses they were right with God. Yet these same men couldn’t recognize the Messiah in front of them, can you?

They wanted to kill Jesus because he called them “brood of vipers, white washed tombs, Hypocrites!” He told them their spiritual condition and they gnashed their teeth at him, will you do that today Christian brother, sister, Pastor, Evangelist, Prophet, Apostle and teacher?

I want to leave you with this passage of scripture in John that testifies of what this whole blog series is about. This blog series is to reveal this one question, and it is a great and deep question the Holy Spirit is asking all of us today. Do we have a “ religion that is dead”, or a “true and genuine relationship with God.”

Please read this passage carefully. Is God truly our Father in the American Church today? Are our ears open to His words and His desires?

John 8: 39-44

They retorted, “Abraham is our Father, Jesus said, “If you were truly Abraham’s children, then you would do the WORK of Abraham, and follow His example. But now instead you want to kill Me, a man Who has told you the truth, which I heard from God. This is not the way Abraham acted.

You are doing the works of your father. They said to him, “we are not illegitimate children and born out of fornication: we have one Father, even God. Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you WOULD LOVE ME AND RESPECT ME AND WELCOME ME GLADLY FOR I PROCEED FROM GOD (OUT OF HIS VERY PRESENCE.) I did not come on my own authority or my own accord, but He sent me. Why do you MISUNDERSTAND what I say? It is because you are UNABLE to hear what I am saying.

You are of your father, the DEVIL, and it is YOUR WILL TO PRACTICE AND GRATIFY the desires of YOUR FATHER, HE WAS A MURDERER FROM THE BEGINNING AND DOES NOT STAND IN THE TRUTH. For he speaks what is natural to him, a falsehood, for he is a liar and the father of all lies and of all that is false.”

So Beloved Reader, what is the truth? Do we have a “religion” or a relationship with God? One produces death and murder to all that is spiritual in God, the other remains abiding in the vine and brings forth good fruit that remains.

Shalom!

Labels: Religion verses Relationship 3

Dear Beloved Reader,

This is the second article I have previous written on another site that I felt was important for us in this nation right now. I am realizing more and more that many in the church do not have a correct understanding of Biblical repentance. This is quite important because with out the Holy Spirit of God convicting our spirit and causing us to have a true repentance, we and our nation will always stay in the condition we are in. This is true also of the church that Jesus birthed as well.

I pray this article will help us understand what true and genuine repentance consists of and that we would be the first ones to truly repent for ourselves, families, cities, states and nation and for the church. Please take these words to heart. They are necessary for this moment in time in the life of the church here in America.

Today's article is going to be about "true" repentance. I understand what the bible says it means, but I want to talk about repentance in reality. As I look at my own life, there are still things in my heart that I know doesn't please God. There are attitudes, habits, mannerism and much more that so contradict the nature of the God I love.

As I have been listening to the Lord for myself, the church, and the nation, I realize that we must truly and genuinely repent. But what is repentance? Is it being sorry for what we have done? Does it come from feeling guilty about what we have done wrong? Is it like getting caught with your hand in the cookie job, and saying to your mom, I am sorry?

Why should we repent? Is it because we were caught in someone's eyes, our own or Gods? I believe the Lord is impressing on my spirit for a nation to repent it has to start with one. I know that may be absurd to your mind, but one person genuinely repenting can change a nation. The Lord reminded me of the prophet Daniel. This man cried and wept over his sin, his forefather’s sins and the sins of the nation. Even though he was righteous in God's eyes and highly favored, he did not see the nation’s sins as theirs and not his. He identified with the sin and the sinners and cried out to God, "We your people, this nation have sinned."

The classical definition of repentance is the feeling or act in which one recognizes and try's to right a wrong. It always includes an admission of guilt, and it also includes at least one promise or resolve NOT TO repeat the offense; an attempt to make restitution for the wrong, or in some way to try to reverse the harmful effects of the wrong where possible.

The word in the Hebrew written in the bible is from two verbs, SHUV, which means "to return", and NICKHAM meaning "to feel sorrow." So the definition in the Hebrew is to turn and feel sorrow of the wrong.

The Greek word also has a meaning. METANOIA is broken up into two words. The first is META meaning "after with." The second NOEO meaning to perceive, think differently. The compound of these two words gives us the Greek meaning, "to think differently after." It is a new afterthought, or a new way of thinking different from the former thinking that caused you to sin. What does a nation need to do to truly repent? Nothing more than one individual needs to do.

It seems to me that in the church the USA, we have a serious problem with repentance that changes our life completely. Many seem to believe that once we repent of our sins and receive Jesus Christ as our savior, we never need to repent again. They believe that their past, present and future sins are wiped out by praying that one prayer. Other Christians recognize the continual need to repent, but don't seem to get the results from their repentance about sin in their life.

They receive very little deliverance from the things that have plagued their life. If they do receive deliverance in an area, there are 10 more popping us in their life, they become hopeless on ever really being free. Lastly, there is the last group of Christians who don't want to repent. They feel sorry for what they have done, as being caught. The idea to truly charge, think and act differently has little place in their life. Each one of these heart conditions keeps us where we are being spiritually sick and powerless.

How does genuine repentance come? I know I need it in my own life. I too often am sorry, but sometimes stumble again and again over the same area of my life. The question is why? Have I truly repented from the sin that still springs up in my heart and life? I am asking these questions to help myself and all that are hearing begin to truly repent. I am praying for a true breakthrough in our lives that would cause us to truly "turn" to God with our whole heart and soul. I know we must turn back to God, but it must begin with "Godly repentance coming from a true Godly sorrow.

When we just say were sorry because we are caught we are not repenting. This is not the broken and contrite heart the Lord's needs to receive His forgiveness and cleansing. So what steps do we need to do, and what does God give us to help us truly repent?

Isaiah 55:7 declares, "Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts, and let him return to the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon." Beloved reader, repentance qualifies a man for pardon, but does not entitle him to it. It is a free act of God who will forgive sins even up to a thousand generations.

Repentance brings pardon and forgiveness of sin. Joel 2:13 says, " Rend your heart, and not your garments, (outward change, but not of the heart) and turn to the Lord your God, for He is gracious and full of compassion, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy."

There is a three-fold idea that exists in true repentance. The first is that "true "repentance must touch the intellect. True repentance brings awareness to the mind that which was done is wrong and not pleasing to God. In Mathew 21:29, the Prodigal son realizes what he has done wrong in his mind as he is eating food that pigs eat. He reasons in his mind that, at first he would not go back to his father, but then he realizes and says, "I will not, but afterward he repented and went."

The son changed his mind and TOOK AN ACTION, he went back to see his father.The second thought is that "true" repentance must touch the emotions. Paul writes to the church in Corinth his feelings when he called them to repent of their sin. 2nd Corinthians 7:9," now I rejoice, not that you were made to feel sorry, but that your sorrow led you to truly repent, for you were made sorrowful in a Godly manner, that you may receive no damage by us." When the publican was in the temple repenting it says that he beat his breast indicating a sorrow of the heart.

The third thought is the "true" repentance must touch your will, or your innermost being. Psalm 51:10 is an example of David's heart cry when the repentance touched his will. "Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me." David knew that he not only had to say he was sorry with his mind, but with his heart, intellect and will. Verse 11 says, "Cast me not away from your presence, and take not your Holy Spirit from me."

David writes this because he saw King Saul give lip-service repentance for his sins. Saul was afraid of the people and what they thought and his position as King. This lip service repentance of Saul caused the Kingdom to be ripped from him and the Holy Spirit removed from his life. David saw Saul then be given over to an evil-tormenting spirit. David was afraid that this would happen to him because of his broken fellowship with God.

Lastly, how does repentance get produced? A human being is incapable of producing it. I think this is where our true problem is in the church in the USA. We try to repent, we try to change, but we do it in our own strength. Even though we know we can't to be saved, somehow we think the little sins can be removed in our own ability to repent. We are so wrong.

We have a state-wide prayer network in Arizona praying, and repenting, but we are seeing such little fruit of the change God promised for Arizona. Why? I think the question needs to be more personal. Why don't we see a greater change in our own lives, mine included? Maybe we are doing what the church did in Galatia. Paul asks a question to them in Chapter 3:1-3, " Oh foolish Galatians, (foolish Henry) who has bewitched you, (cast a spell over you,) to whom it was made clear that Jesus Christ was put to death on the cross?

Give me an answer to this question, did the Spirit come to you through the works of the law (in your own strength or goodness), or by the hearing of faith? Are you so foolish? having begun your new life in the Spirit, will you now be made complete, (mature, perfect) in the flesh? (depending on what you can do to make yourself better?)

In Acts 11:18, Peter says, "then has God also granted to the gentile’s repentance onto life?" Where did the repentance come from? God! God calls us to repent by the hearing of the Gospel. The message comes with a word, Repent; the Kingdom of God is at hand. This repentance is also a gift from God because it can come only from God into a human heart.

God calls each one of us to repent over each sin in order for each one of us to feel our "inability" to repent and change in our own strength. Therefore: our true forgiveness from our sins that came from God's grace at salvation is the same grace we need to be free from every sin and hindrance in our life. We are unable to produce this, so we must receive from the Lord, the power to repent as an act of grace in our hearts.

One of my spiritual fathers told me to pray for the 'Gift of repentance", or the "Gift of tears". Tears meaning the fruit of a broken heart that God convicts of their sin and helps them turn from it. This same Gift of tears causes us to change our heart and mind to meet what God desires in our life, and without it, we can try to change but we will continually fail.

This is where the church is in USA as well. We are sorry, but we are not pursuing the Lord until He gives the "Gift of Tears" for our own lives, families, church and our nation. Without this gift, we will continually fall short of the Glory of God, but worse we may end up strengthen the very sin we are trying to get rid of. May God today give me, you, the church in the USA, the real "Gift of tears" and turn back to the Lord our God. It just takes one, let it begin with you or I!

Labels: religion verse relationship 2

Hello Beloved Readers,

It is becoming more clear in these last days that many in the Body of Christ are believing Christianity is a religion based on doing something for God instead of a Born Again experience from above by the Holy Spirit.

Many believers are content to "do something" for God instead of "becoming" someone with God. I am attaching an article I wrote over a year ago for Helium writers club about this very topic. I felt it would bless those who need to see the difference between Christianity as working for God, "the big guy" upstairs and the true intimate relationship of Bride and Bride and Bridegroom.

I also wanted to show the difference between "WORKING" for God verses the Work of God in our life in developing a true relationship with God. I hope you enjoy the article and share it with those who think Christianity is trying to be good instead of dwelling in the goodness of God.

God bless each one of you as you read this.

Is Christianity a religion or a relationship?

Have you ever seen wax fruit? From a distance it looks just like the real thing until you get close enough to really look at it. Even then if you were not sure if it were real enough, as soon as you pick it up or tried to bite it you would tell it was made of wax.

If I could explain the difference between being religious and a Christian it would be as comparing wax fruit with real.

Real fruit has a real texture to it, a real skin, a real smell and of course a real taste and it is good if it has ripened properly. Wax fruit could have an artificial smell, but it has a wax type plastic texture, an artificial skin and it is hollow or empty on the inside.

That is what the difference is between religion a true living relationship with Jesus Christ. Religion looks good from a distance. It has all the appearances of being fruit until you get up close and personal. The closer you get to it, the more artificial it becomes including when you handle it or even try to bite into it. It is impossible for it ever to be real.

So it is with religion. Religion is based on the moral needs for men to be "good enough" to please God. They try in their own strength to be what they think they should be by going to mass, church, Bible Study or some type of "good" works. From the outside the person looks kind, generous, and devout. However, the true test is how the person is when no one is looking.

Is he kind, gentle, meek, full of goodness, faith, love, joy, peace, and patience. What kind of person is he or she when they are driving or at work, home or in the supermarket? What really comes out of that person when the pressure is on? Does the person "try" to be good enough or do enough to prove their religion? Do they try to make excuses for their short comings or blame others for their problems? All of this is wax fruit.

True Christianity is not the bumper sticker,"Christians are not perfect, just forgiven." It is much more than that. Real and genuine Christianity means to be born again after the Spirit of God. It means a regeneration happens in a persons heart where they come out of darkness into the Glorious light of Jesus Christ. In the words of the late Keith Green, "going to church makes you no more of a Christian than going to McDonald's makes you a hamburger."

Christianity is not "works" it is a new life being lived in you by the Holy Spirit. It is giving up your ways and will to God with the power of the Holy Spiritworking this in you. It is living your life no longer for yourself as the Apostle Paul's writes, " I have been crucified with Christ, nevertheless I live, but not I but Christ lives in me, and the life I now live I live in the faith OF the Son of God who loves me and gave Himself for me." True Christianity allows the life OF the Son of God to live in you and everything about you changes. It changes from living to do your will, your plans, desires, and trying to be good enough, to doing God's will for His Glory alone.

Religion allows you to keep your old life. You can live life as you please doing a few good things for God like going to church or helping someone that makes you feel good about yourself. Religion is always SELF-CENTERED and SELFISH Christianity is the absolute surrender of your life to God and is SELFLESS.

True Christianity commands that you no longer live for yourselves, but for Him who saved you and purchased you with His own blood. Yes beloved reader there is a big difference between being religious and being a true Christian, the difference being compared as a wax piece of fruit against real kind.

Labels: Religion verses Relationship 1