Book 4 of Musings Groups and Individuals

Religion tends to work with groups of people.

God tends to work with individuals, teaching them how to relate to Himself and to other people. Religious forms and ceremonies do not benefit us unless God is working with us as an individual.

You know, the true Christian salvation is not actually a religion. Neither is true Judaism.

Well-intentioned people have constructed the religion of Judaism and the religion of Christianity. These are related to true Judaism and true Christianity but are not really the same.

You can see the great difference in the fact that the members of true Judaism and true Christianity are one new man in Christ. But the members of the religion of Judaism and the religion of Christianity are not one new man. They are members of separate religions.

Religion tends to work with groups of people. In fact, religious institutions often keep careful records of the number of their adherents. I am not certain of the reason for this fascination with statistics. The reason for the concern of secular institutions over their statistics is understandable, because their wealth, their influence, their political power, are indicated by their statistics showing the number of followers they have.

But this is not true of Judaism or Christianity. The importance of Judaism and Christianity does not reside in wealth, or influence, or political power, but in the fact that they have come from God. God does not need nor is He measured by wealth, or influence, or political power. God is God and possess all of everything. So the fascination of religion with membership is not reasonable, to my way of thinking.

One person with the Lord Jesus Christ is a majority. We know, don't we.

No, true Christianity is not an institution. It is a personal relationship of an individual with Jesus.

Religious institutions carry on numerous activities and programs. Of course they include prayer, hymns, and exhortations concerning the objectives of the organization. But all of this is kind of dry spiritually.

The real program of redemption operates in terms of a single person practicing the Presence of God.

Do you practice the Presence of God? This expression comes from a member of a monastery, as I remember. Brother something or other. I can't remember his name. You probably can. The point is, this person decided to practice the Presence of God in all he did during the day. As I remember, he worked in a kitchen in the monastery.

It is said numerous people were drawn to him because of God's Presence.

Today we might say, "Let's try to practice the Presence of God to see if it will bring in more people."

I remember reading footnotes associated with the fifteenth chapter of the Gospel of John. What the author got out of the passage was that if we remained in Christ and Christ remained in us we could get whatever we wanted out of God.

I don't know what has happened to us in present-day America. I think we are so success oriented that we see salvation as a means of furthering our prosperity.

We are pretty near dead spiritually.

The purpose of abiding in Christ is not so we can get something out of God.

The purpose of practicing the Presence of God is not so we can get more people into our building.

We abide in Christ and practice the Presence of God because it is good to know God and to learn from Him and be with Him each day. It is good to be with God in and of itself, not because it accomplishes some objective we have.

Practicing the Presence of God is a simple matter. As we go about our business each day we keep inviting Jesus into what we are doing.

Right now I am working at my computer. I am aware of the Presence of Christ while I am doing this. Back in my mind I am looking to Him for His guidance and approval.

When I eat lunch I will ask the Lord to guide me and help me eat the right thing in the right amount.

I do not mean by this that I wait until I hear a voice, I just kind of keep up a running commentary in my mind to the Lord, knowing that He is answering my questions and guiding me.

The Lord does speak to me several times a day, especially when I ask for guidance. I realize Christ does not speak to everyone that way. But according to the Scriptures He does guide each one according to that individual's own personality. For the Bible directs us to acknowledge the Lord in all our ways.

We are to pray without ceasing, according to the Apostle Paul.

Does it seem difficult to you to pray continually? It really isn't difficult, you know. Your mind is always working on something or other. You can choose to keep on praising God, asking questions, seeking guidance, giving thanks, all the time. You can do this continually. It really is not all that difficult; it is a choice we make.

We keep on inviting the Lord to enter and dine with us, and we with Him. We talk to Him as soon as we awaken in the morning; throughout the day; at night when we go to bed; in the middle of the night if we are sleepless.

To pray all the time brings peace and assurance. I think sometimes people bear burdens day after day, never taking the time to get down and pray until they know God has provided the solution. How distressing to labor under fear and dread when you could just as well have the assurance of the Lord.

I read somewhere that a minister claimed if we look to the Lord about every little thing we are minimizing the importance of God speaking to us. It is as though God is too busy to attend to the small things, so we should just figure these out for ourselves.

Have you found that most big problems result from a number of "minor" problems?

It is a huge mistake to believe God is reduced in importance because we go to Him about every little detail. Christ covets our attention. He will cause problems for us if necessary to get our attention. No decision we face is ever too small for His attention.

Let me give you an example. I have made a practice of reading three pages of the Bible each day before I do much else. Lately I have found that I was racing through the pages so I could get to work on the computer.

I came to the Book of Proverbs. I began to realize the short paragraphs were not sinking in. They weren't registering in my mind. Each proverb says something, and you have to think about it.

So I have asked the Lord for the last two days to tell me how many pages to read, instead of just reading three pages. You know what? I read one page, thinking about each proverb, letting it soak in. After one page I felt clearly that I had read enough. But what I did read registered in my understanding.

I make it a practice to read after I go to bed. But before I read, I look up to the Lord and ask Him if it is time to read. Sometimes I know I am supposed to read. On other occasions I know the Lord wants to speak to me before I read.

By the way, I usually don't read religious books. I like mystery stories. And I bring these to the Lord's attention also.

Everything! Everything! Everything is held before the Lord for His guidance and approval.

Pray without ceasing! Pray continually! "What shall I pray for?" Pray about everything!

How wonderful to set the Lord before us always. Then we are not moved.

It is not all that difficult! We do not always have to get down on our knees, or say anything audibly, or keep repeating our "grocery list." It is a dance, a song, a way of controlling our thoughts so they are not running amok.

I hope my brief exhortation will encourage you to launch out on the ocean of the Presence of Jesus Christ. He will help you do that, if your desire is to follow the Lamb wherever He goes.

"You are my witnesses," declares the LORD, "and my servant whom I have chosen, so you may know and believe me and understand I am he. Before me no god was formed, nor will there be one after me." (Isaiah 43:10)