Honesty is the best policy.

Think about it. How many times have you walked into church, sang a song, lifted your hands, closed your eyes, and walked out never meeting God?
Question. When you talk to God what does it sound like? Are your prayers littered with "good-sounding-Christian" words?

Many people carry the burden of Religion. We think that everything should fit into a box. Our prayers should be structured: start with "Dear God", say something about "forgive our sins" and end with "amen". Our worship should be predictable: stand, second chorus close eyes, bridge lift hands, etc. These actions are robotic lacking meaning, substance, and intimacy.

Religion forces people to create a facade. The facade must be one that proclaims "everything is great because you love Jesus". It forces people to put on a "happy face" when going to church. To fit into the religion box you cannot have any current struggles, burdens, addictions, doubts, or fears. Because you have been delivered!

True. Deliverance is here.
False. We DO struggles, we STILL carry burdens, we STILL have addictions, we STILL have doubts, and we STILL have fears.

Fitting into the religion box requires you lie; it tells you to leave who you are and become someone else before encountering God or God's people.

Fact: the fruit religion produces is withered and useless.
Fact: religion will leave you hungry.
Fact: God wants you just the way you are.

Honesty. It is the foundation to all solid relationships, and a necessary element of worship. It is the topic God has been speaking to me about throughout this week. God desires to meet with us, not a religion robot. He wants us to bring our struggles, burdens, addictions, doubts and fears with us when we meet with Him. Ultimately He want's to take all of our mess away, but He can't take it unless we give it, and we can't give it unless we take it. Read that sentence again. Making sense?

Don't worry. It's Biblical. Look at all the prophets in the Bible; people such as Moses, David, Jeremiah, JESUS. Each one came into God's presence HONEST.

• Moses doubted His calling:"..What if they do not believe me or listen to me?..." (Exodus 4:1)
• David called out to God, but felt like he was being ignored: "Listen to my prayer, O God do not ignore my plea; hear me and answer me. My thoughts are trouble me and I am distraught.." (Psalm 55:1,2)
• Jeremiah asked God why bad things happen to good people and good things seem to always come to bad people: ".. Why does the way of the wicked prosper? why do all the faithless live at ease?" (Jeremiah 12:1)
• Jesus went face down before God in the garden before Judas betrayed Him. He anticipated the outcome, and honestly asked of the Lord: "if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me."(Matthew 26:39)
  

These men of God came into the Presence with all their mess. The SON OF GOD entered in with concerns and burdens. Be assured that it is not wrong to have struggles. Rest easy knowing that having doubts is normal. BEING HUMAN IS OKAY. :]

Following Christ involves a relationship, and like any relationship it requires honesty. Being honest with Him about our struggles, burdens, addictions, doubts and fears, allows Him to work in us! By taking our burdens to Him gives Him the opportunity to carry them. Revealing our doubts allows Him to answer questions. He want's to do a mighty work in us, but first WE must let Him in.

Okay, really, examine yourself. The religion facade does not satisfy you. Something is missing. So, start being honest with God. If you are having a crappy day tell Him, "Lord, I am having a really crappy day..." . Allow Him to council you, heal you, and deliver you. Following Christ IS a relationship. It requires time, effort, honesty, communication and all that other good stuff. IT'S WORTH IT.