Are You A Religious Fanatic? I Hope So.

…they found Him in the temple….And He said to them, "…Did you not know that I must be about My Father’s business?" —Luke 2:46, 49 

“Am I continually in touch with the reality of God, or do I pray only when things have gone wrong— when there is some disturbance in my life? … Are you so closely identified with the Lord’s life that you are simply a child of God, continually talking to Him and realizing that everything comes from His hands? … You must allow Him to have His way with you, staying in perfect oneness with Him.” OSWALD CHAMBERS

Do you know any religious fanatics?  You know who I mean.  The people that are always over the top with their expressions about their faith in Jesus.  Those emotional people that make you feel tired after being around them for only a few minutes.  In a large measure what you see is more a reflection of personality than of spirituality.  That is not to say they don’t love the Lord, rather it’s their expression of that love that makes you uncomfortable.  I don’t think Jesus wore a bracelet that had WWID on it. (What Would I Do) He didn’t hand out tracts.  But, He was nevertheless the greatest witness to the Love of God the Father that there ever will be.  By the way, just because a person seems over the top about their faith does not mean that they are that way in their heart.  That behavior can be a mask for someone who is struggling and trying to convince themselves, even more than they are trying to convince you, of their faithfulness to and love for God.

So, setting personality differences aside, what would God have us do.  Micah 6:8 is a good start. “Do justly, love mercy and walk humbly with your God” John 15:13 “Lay down your life for others” Matthew 16:24 “Pick up you cross and follow Jesus”  Romans 12:1-2 “Offer yourself as a living sacrifice … don’t not be conformed to this world, but be transformed”  Galatians 6:2 “Bear one another’s burdens … fulfill the law of Christ” Matthew 22:37-39 “Love God and love people” 

Now that is what I would call being a religious fan-atic.  Being a fan of God and not the world. And if you feel like shouting now and again, go ahead on.  Like the song says “I’ll shout it from the mountain tops.  I want the world to know.  The Lord of love has come to me.  I want to pass it on.” And remember, your new life in Christ is fully dependent upon faith and the presence and power of the Spirit of God in your life.  You can’t do any of those things on your own, by yourself.  Someone can certainly put a smile on their face, tell everyone about the love of Jesus, and their heart is cold as ice toward God. CHARLEY