February 10

There are two responses to the call of Christ; one is to religion, the other is to relationship.

Religion is a substitute for relationship. Religion allows for self control rather than being controlled by a living relationship to God. Religion is based on rules which are agreed upon as the basis for fellowship, whereas relationship to God opens one up to the direct leadership of the Holy Spirit.

Religion crushes individuality and produces uniformity; a relationship with Christ will foster diversity and individuality and produce unity of the Spirit; religion is manward, relationship is Godward; religion is worldly, relationship is heavenly; religion is carnal, relationship is spiritual.

In religion there is strange fire on the altar; in relationship there is true worship. Religion tends to focus on the One Who was; relationship is involved with the One Who is.

The blood of Christ should be, in our soul, as the scarlet thread was in the window of Rahab; a visible mark signifying to the spiritual powers that we rely utterly on the blood for our salvation. It is like its forerunner, the blood of the lamb painted on the doorposts of Israel in Egypt.

We can rely utterly on the promises of God, for both good and ill; if He said it, He will do it. A promissory note drawn on the bank of the Kingdom can never be dishonoured; this applies to all that God has said, both the things that bode well and the things that bode ill. His faithfulness is to His Word. It is as Joshua and Israel found; “There failed not ought of any good thing which the LORD had spoken unto the house of Israel; all came to pass” (Joshua 21:45).