Questions and why religion doesn't work

I believe most of us have at one time or another questioned religion or our Christian walk and wonder why it wasn’t working.

Let me be honest with you, years ago I remembered the words of Jesus from John 10:10, “I came that you might have life and have it abundantly.” Maybe it was the financial crisis I was in at one time that got me questioning Jesus’ promise. Maybe it was the broken neck my wife suffered that changed our life. Perhaps it wasn’t a crisis like the death of my dad, the betrayal in business from family … maybe it was just the monotony of life in general, but I have asked on more than one occasion, “Where is this abundant life Jesus promised?”

When one looks at the abundant life Jesus offers, it’s not attached to religion — the works of man; this abundant life (Zoe in the Greek) is the type of life that can only be found in a reciprocal relationship with Him. Like any relationship, what you put in is what you get out; the same is true of Jesus. When we rest in Jesus Christ and trust in Him and his good works, we find the abundant life He offers. This abundant life shouldn’t be equated with wealth or health, but it’s the hope, joy, peace, and strength that Jesus offers us to carry us through the highs and lows of this world.

For us to live out this abundant life, it requires that we trust in Christ and invest in our relationship with Him. One of the best ways we can invest into Him is by investing into others, and finding a church family is a great starting point. If you don’t currently have a church family, please join us at North Summit Church, or we will help you find a church that you can plug into. Go live the abundant life in Jesus.

Steve Brown is senior pastor at North Summit Church, 201 N. Division Ave., Sandpoint. He can be reached at 208-263-4818 or online at northsummit.com.