The greatest disease known to mankind!

Do you know what the most deadly disease known to mankind is? It is something that is so incredibly contagious and deadly that it has spread throughout generation to generation for hundreds of centuries without dying out. People have tried to cure this "disease" by applying different tiresome and backbreaking methods...but it persists alive and well, still undefeated. Their failed attempts are like a foolish man pouring gasoline on a fire to put it out - it just simply isn’t going to work!

You may say this disease sounds like aids? Aids (acquired immune deficiency syndrome) is a virus that silently attacks the immune system, leaving the victim vulnerable to all kinds of fatal infections. There is over 3 million people who die from this a year! Every day, it is said that nearly 8,500 people infected with this pass away. However, that is NOT the most deadly.

Well how about cancer, you may think? It is reported that nearly 7.6 million people die from this disease yearly! People have worked diligently for years to find cures and have only done so to varying degrees. It has gained media attention and known to originate across the globe...but yet, it is still NOT the deadliest.

How about we upscale. What about the bubonic plague?! Reaching worldly, 75 million people are said to have died from this plague. It is estimated that 1/3 of the entire population of Europe was wiped out, all within a 3-4 year period! Can you imagine that kind of destruction? That is certainly deadly...but again, it is NOT the deadliest.

So what is this disease then, you ask? What is it that is more deadly than all the pandemics and plagues recorded in the history of the world? What could possibly be worse then that?! I say, it is the very thing that has caused swarms of individuals to kill others and massive wars to break out. It is the very thing that has caused fear and pride to spring up in the hearts of man. It is what has encircled into man-made institutions that enslave the ones who partake of them.

I will use some terms that Webster has in his 1828 dictionary on "disease" to help illustrate my point. I find it very fitting for what I want to share next. Check it out: 

-The shafts of disease shoot across our path in such a variety of courses, that the atmosphere of human life is darkened by their number, and the escape of an individual becomes almost miraculous.
-A disordered state of the mind or intellect, by which the reason is impaired.
-To pain; to make uneasy.

Now with those words in mind, "darkened," "to make uneasy," "disorder state of mind," "reason is impaired," etc...I want to say those sound exactly like the symptoms of religion! Religion will cause you to be uneasy, to have a disordered mind, to have your reasoning impaired, to be double-minded, to live in a state of unease, to be in pain. Religion will cause guilt to spring up inside of you. It is the very fruit that rises from “self-righteousness” which religion pettles and preaches. Religion secretly alters the one TRUE God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob to be just the same as all the other "gods" in the world (Buddha, Allah, etc) who demand you to follow their rules and commands to be saved and blessed (that you do good to get good and do bad get bed). This god is easily angered and revengeful. It has people in fear working themselves to death TRYING desperately to PLEASE this god by doing good and following all his commands. It is a "SELF-RIGHTEOUSNESS" disorder! It has them focusing on themselves and walking in utter darkness. It is cleverly disguised as the truth, but it is in fact rejecting the very gospel (GOOD NEWS) of Jesus Christ!

Watch out for people who try and infect you with this false message of works righteousness. It does not produce life but instead produces death. The ones who wrap the law on you are putting a yoke of bondage and a heavy burden that they themselves cannot even live up to! It is time for the virus to die away. Let’s not negate the finished work of Jesus Christ! When Jesus died, the law fleshly way of relating to God died with Him. We are no longer people who are justified by our actions, but by one man, the man Jesus Christ Himself! It is a FINISHED work. If you want to be "obedient" to God then throw away your striving and self-righteousness. Simply receive the good news of Jesus and your innocence before God. Realize your "right-standing" is ENTIRELY based on the sacrifice of Jesus alone. You can rejoice in the fact that Jesus has already completed the job and has made you a new man!

I used to be infected with works-righteousness. I used to be loaded down with guilt and stress always trying to carry my cross for Jesus. I would try to cure this thing by striving harder and by doing more...but it never worked for me no matter how hard I tried! It left me burned out and fustrated. Life was a roller coaster ride until I finally came to the end of myself and began to open my eyes to Grace. Suddenly, my vision began to behold Him in a new light. Jesus said come to Me all you who are weary and heavy laden and I will give you rest. I used to try and try to enter into this rest by my actions. I thought if I prayed enough, read the Bible enough, and acted good enough today then I will be at rest. It was all based on "my performance" and it never was lasting. If you want to enter in, stop trying (stop jumping over the fence, enter by the gate). Take My yoke upon you and learn of Me. It is EASY and it is LIGHT. Not hard and not heavy. It also does not say "take my yoke upon you and WORK for me." It says "LEARN of me," and that's a big difference!

Remember when the prodigal son came back to his father, he said just take me in as one of your hired servants...I'll do anything. But his father didn't want another servant, he wanted his son back (no expectations, no nothing)! In the same way, when you come falling on your face telling God how you will try harder, how you will serve better, etc...he isn't looking for that. He isn't looking for another servant (besides He has enough of them anyway, they're called angels) He wants a son and you are that son He wants! He loves you and demands nothing in return - that's love! "He has made perfect forever those who have been made holy." You are perfect (not just sometimes) but forever. He made you that way. He does not see your sins, Jesus became your sin at the cross. You and Him switched places then and now you are His righteousness! When you realize just how FINISHED the finished work of Jesus really is, you will find that your life is brand new and born of love. He IS love. You will never be the same; you are joined with Him. Rest in that. Amen!