An Awaken Church: More Than A Seat Warmer

In this age of religion where one can confidently say “I’m a Christian!” simply because they grew up in a Christian household, many fail to understand what Christianity really is. In simplest form, Christianity is not a religion but a vibrant, ongoing, alive relationship with the person of Jesus Christ.

                Sunday Morning is rapidly becoming a religious routine for some families. You know, wake up Sunday morning, go to church (because that is what good people do), tip the church with a two maybe a twenty dollar bill, nod and smile at the Pastor, let the words he is saying go in one ear and out the other but never in your heart and then leave the same way you came until next Sunday. That my friend, is not Christianity.

                God is not interested in your outward appearance of being a Christian. He is interested in you. He is interested in your heart and He is interested in you coming to Him, not just warming up a church seat. 

                Have you ever actually read the Bible? The prophet Elijah prayed for the rain to stop, it didn’t rain for 3 years then he prayed for it to rain again and it rained! Not only that  but before the rain started, he picked up his robe and outran the King’s Chariot to town! Can you say Supernatural? I mean Red Sea’s were being parted, leprosy’s were being healed, sin’s were being forgiven, lames were walking, prophecies were being fulfilled, poor’s were being made rich, fatherless children were being fathered again. God was restoring all these things back unto Him. And these things are still happening right now.

                Why aren’t we seeing them? Why are we not we experience this? Is it only for those people back in Bible times? Have you heard of Azusa Street or ever go to any place where God’s Presence and Power is reverence and honored?

A portrait of Jesus painted by Akiane Kramarik called the Prince of Peace

                It is more than just 2 or 3 songs on Sunday morning and a 30 minute short message. God says, if you seek Him with your whole heart you will find Him. He is not hiding; He is waiting for you to come to Him. As I’m studying Jesus’ ministry, I’m learning that there were very large crowds that constantly follow him. I would think in these crowds, you would find people who were just following along. They don’t really understand what’s going on, they probably stumble upon the crowd asking “What’s going here? Why is everybody gathering around this guy? Who is he? Whatever, I guess I will follow along too.” Those people were just there, absolutely no connection to the person of Jesus in the midst of the crowd. Then there were people who have been hanging around the crowd so much that they felt they were actually gaining something just by being part of the crowd, they probably thought something along these lines when they get to Heaven, “I’ve been traveling with this crowd for awhile, I don’t really know Jesus but I know someone who know Him. Can I come in too?” 

Finally in the middle of the crowd, you will find the disciples of Jesus; the Twelve. They not only saw Jesus being praised, but they experienced Jesus being booed, they experience the shame of walking with Jesus, the ridicule, the persecution. These Twelve, after the crowd went home, stayed up late asking Jesus questions that boggled their mind. These disciples spent intimate quality time with Jesus.  And that is the same thing God wants his disciples even in the 21^st century to do. Jeremiah 33:3 says “Ask me and I will tell you remarkable secrets you do not know about things to come”. God wants to speak worlds of mysteries to you. He wants you to ask Him, “Lord, I don’t know which fruit juice to buy can you help me?” or “Lord should I go shopping now or on Wednesday. I want a good sale.” He knows when the sale will be. He wants to be part of your everyday life, not just Sunday Morning. The only question is will you allow Him?