I grew up in Church. In fact, before I was born, I was in church. My family did not believe in going every now and then, they believed in being there every time the doors were open. They sang in the choir, my Mom led teen missions and my Dad drove the bus to pick folks up on Sunday mornings. Church was a part of our life and living and our lives would not be the same without it.

We are so faithful to church, because of our faith. We believe in God and that God is love. We believe that because God loves us, He gave His most precious gift, His Son Jesus, which is God in the flesh making a way for us, where there was no way. It’s really not complicated, it’s very simple and I think that is where a lot of folks get messed up. I think some folks are looking for complicated.

God created us and because He loves us, He gives us the ability to choose the life we are going to live. Our choices have consequences and as we live our life, those consequences usually teach us what we do and do not want, which is why God offers us: Mercy and Grace. Mercy is not getting what we deserve, which is eternal separation from God and whatever punishment our sins bring into our lives, while Grace is getting what we don’t deserve, which is a relationship with God that allows our Spirit (the real us) to grow on with God through all Eternity.

When you read through the the life of Jesus in the Gospels, you do not find Him going on and on about rules, regulations or religion. You find Jesus, over and over again, inviting people into a relationship and it is because of the loving relationship that people want to get it right with rules, regulations and religion.

“He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.” -John 1:10-13

The important thing to remember and never forget is that it is all about RELATIONSHIP with the ONE, who brought us to the dance. When we are really connected to God, the our Spirit can see, feel, hear and experience His presence, power, protection and direction. The most important thing we can ever do, is get into a relationship with our Creator. The second most important thing we can do, is grow in that relationships. The Bible, Church and Prayer are the keys that unlock the doors to help make that happen.

I want to encourage you today, if you don’t know God in a personal way, start looking for Him, because He will allow Himself to be found by you. Get into a church that encourages and teaches you how to get into and grow through this personal relationship. And above all, enjoy the amazing journey, because it’s what you were created for…