Yes You Can!

Religion is man-made. It is how man approaches something he/she worships.  I'm not a fan of religion  because it is man deciding how to reach God. God is dynamically loving. He's bigger than the human mind. Man is puny in comparison, but God does not see 'puny' when he sees us. He sees us through the spiritual genetics of his son. His desire for each and every person is strength, wisdom and success and victory over our messes. He reaches down gives us all the tools to do just that. Our job is acceptance and belief.

Jesus called the pharisees 'whited sepulchers'. because they maintained a facade of whitewashed piety. There is no life inside a sepulcher. The pharisees were the ultimate experts in the fine art of 'virtual signaling'. 'Virtual signaling' is a buzzword in our digital culture referring to the practice of propounding or rather pounding moral correctness into the megabyte airways of our society. It is a sneaky way to get people to adhere to moral law pushing and obfuscating grace right out of out of view. 

 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; Romans 3:23 

There is no human being that ever lived or is alive today that can dispute this. We all sin!

Being justified freely by his grace (downward action of God) through the redemption (lifting us up) that is in Christ Jesus: 25 Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance (patient endurance) of God; Romans 3:24-25 (Romans 3 is such a great chapter!)

It is the difference between God's righteousness (grace) and self-righteousness (works) that we need to understand. What a relief it is when we finally get it! Religion, when based on self-righteousness is tiring, boring, self-defeating and an ultimate path to burn-out. Grace encourages, loves, lifts the heart, soothes, calms, enlightens, patiently endures with expectation of victory. It is the basis for:

I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me. Philippians 4:13

*A great record to read about works and grace is John 8:1-12

Jesus went unto the mount of Olives. And early in the morning he came again into the temple, and all the people came unto him; and he sat down, and taught them. 

And the scribes and Pharisees brought unto him a woman taken in adultery; and when they had set her in the midst, They say unto him, "Master, this woman was taken in adultery, in the very act. Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but what sayest thou?"

6 This they said, tempting him, that they might have to accuse him. But Jesus stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground, as though he heard them not. So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, "He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her."

And again he stooped down, and wrote on the ground. And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last: and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst.

 When Jesus had lifted up himself, and saw none but the woman, he said unto her, "Woman, where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee?" She said, "No man, Lord." And Jesus said unto her, "Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more."

Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.