Checklist Jesus: A Journey from Religion to Relationship

By Jeremy A. Walker

Many believers are under the assumption Christianity consists of a system of rules to live by, but God never intended for us to be chained down by religion. He wants an intimate, honest relationship with usbut many of us do not know how to foster such a relationship.

In Checklist Jesus: A Journey from Religion to Relationship author Jeremy A. Walker, elaborating on stories from the Bible, explains how the Lord hopes to commune with us. He guides us from the religious world of dos and dontswhich has ruled the Christian community for many yearstoward a more intimate relationship with God. Walker demonstrates how to move from a journey dominated by repetitious activity to a system of pursuing Lord Jesus Christ through Christian living and shift our focus away from the things we do and toward the One we do them for. He also provides character studies of biblical figures with intimate fellowships with the Lord. They exemplify how the Lord hopes to have relationship with each of us and can help us find that same relationship.

Checklist Jesus explains how the things we do and the where we do them have little eternal value. But if we focus our lives and activities on growing the kingdom of God and exalting the name of Jesus, we can know our efforts will be sustained throughout eternity.

• Language: English
• Publisher: WestBow Press
• Release date: Jan 3, 2017
• ISBN: 9781490887111

Jeremy A. Walker

Jeremy A. Walker earned a bachelor of music degree in church music from Wayland Baptist University in 2006 and a master of education degree in mental health counseling from the University of the Southwest in 2013. He is an associate pastor to students and worship arts in his local church. He and his wife, Krystle, live in Texas. This is his first book. Jeremy A. Walker blogs at www.jeremyawalker.com

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Copyright © 2017 Jeremy A. Walker.

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ISBN: 978-1-4908-8709-8 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4908-8710-4 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-4908-8711-1 (e)

WestBow Press rev. date: 01/03/2017

Table of Contents

Acknowledgements

Prologue

Introduction

1.   Adam and Eve

2.   The Personal and Living God

3.   Abraham

4.   Checkmark One: Pray

5.   Moses

6.   Checkmark Two: Read the Bible

7.   Ruth

8.   Checkmark Three: Go to Church

9.   David and Mephibosheth

10.   Checkmark Four: Look Like a Christian

11.   Jesus

12.   Checkmark Five: Baptism

13.   Simon Peter

14.   Checkmark Six: Communion

15.   Paul The Apostle

16.   Checkmark Seven: Fasting

17.   Timothy

18.   Checkmark Eight: Giving

19.   The Illusion of Control

20.   The Investment

21.   Reflective Relationships

22.   The Journey

About the Author

Glossary

References & Related Books

To my sweet wife Krystle,

Thank you for loving me, and encouraging me to be the man God would have me to be.

As we open our eyes to the revelation of Jesus,

we grow in intimate relationship with the only one

who will satisfy.

Acknowledgements

Thanks to…

Krystle Walker for being my best friend, and for living life with me each day.

Bill and Kathie Walker for showing me what it means to love the Lord with your whole heart.

Shane Walker for sharpening my mind.

Steven Walker for softening my heart.

Rick Wood for teaching me to serve.

Jimmy Allen for teaching me to seek the Lord’s face.

Bessie Morris for teaching me to think.

Debe and Josh Allen for your hours of editing.

Prologue

Have you ever worked as hard as you could on a project, only to find out that you were doing it all wrong, or that the goal you achieved has nothing to do with the original project?

As a minister, I have seen countless men, women, and children attempt to reach the front door of the Kingdom of God by following a roadmap-like checklist of Dos and Don’ts. Not only have I seen this happen to others, I spent the first few years of my Christian life pursuing a god that was unable to fulfill me; a cold and invaluable pursuit that cost me a decade of real relationship with the One True God.

The religion that I, and so many others pursued was one that preached a message of devotion to activity, rules, and cheap grace. For whatever reason, I believed the Bible was a book that chained me down to a series of acceptable activities. Activities that included daily recitation of prayers, weekly attendance at a church, and a list of other activities I saw as mandatory for anyone who hoped to buy their way into the good graces of God.

I attempted to approach God by way of good works, and found myself even further from Him; I attempted to pray with power by trying to use my religious activity to obligate God to serve me; and I used these same religious activities in an attempt to achieve a higher status among other Christians. Without fail, my endeavors resulted in extreme frustration, and in the end, it became apparent that I was not growing closer to the Lord. I was pursuing religion, not Jesus.

Far too often, we forget that the scripture itself is filled with instances where God created and maintained relationships with individuals who were unworthy of such a substantial relationship. When we fail to understand the true nature of God’s desire for mankind, we also forget that we are included in that same desire of God. For whatever reason, many of us believe that we are not good enough for God’s love and either reject God altogether, or attempt to clean ourselves up before we let Him in the door.

The truth is we are completely unworthy of the love of God, but He has shared that love with us in spite of our condition. We all have sinned and fallen short of the Glory of God (Rom3:23), but Jesus died so that we might be able to join in relationship with Him. You and I have been offered a gift that is beyond anything else available to mankind. We have been offered a life filled with the wonder of God; a wonder made clear to us by the Holy Spirit, and made eternal by the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

This book is a venture into the truth about God’s pursuit of mankind through His Son, Jesus Christ, as well as, our pursuit of Him through the elements of worship He provided, and illustrates throughout the Bible. My hope for you, as a reader, is that you would recognize the intense nature with which the Lord pursues you, and realize that He has made it possible for us to have an authentic and intimate relationship with Him.

Jude 1:24-25

Introduction

Shortly after I completed this manuscript, a close friend of mine asked me if this topic of relationships was relevant to Christians today. The main question he was asking was, Does anybody not know that God wants a relationship with us? This question did haunt me for a few weeks, and I diligently asked the Lord for His answer. Is there any reason for this book to be published?

As I was putting the final touches on this book like font, font size, page size, dedication pages, and all that other publication nonsense, my wife and I decided to have a date one Saturday morning at an upscale Lubbock eatery. Being the classy guy that I am, I decided to take my wife to experience the tantalizing tastes of Whataburger.

At this most elegant dining establishment, Krystle and I were deciding what movie we were about to watch, and discussing the next book we would read together when a man approached our booth with a stack of bright green cards in his hand. He casually spoke to us and told us that he would like to give us a bookmark.

As this silver-haired man tossed two pieces of paper on our table, we each smiled and thanked him, and he moved on to the next table in the restaurant. We broke from our meal to see what he had given us, only to find the answer to my recent prayer. I had been praying that God would show me if the idea of building a relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ was a relevant topic for believers today, in light of all the good teachers, books, and studies available to believers at this present time.

I looked at the paper in my hand, and found a piece of religious propaganda, which was meant to enslave a congregation to a FALSE GOSPEL of works, instead of relationship. It read:

The Way to Heaven

Seek and love God first:

Matt. 22:37

Hear the Gospel of Christ:

John 6:45

Believe in God and Jesus:

Heb. 11:6

Repent of Sins:

Luke 13:3-5

Confess Jesus Christ:

A. Matt. 10:32-33

B. Acts 8:36-37

Be Baptized into Christ:

A. Mark 15:15-16

B. Rom. 6:1-5

Worship with Christians:

Heb. 10:25-26

Pray to God:

1 Thess. 5:17

Sing Spiritual Songs:

A. Heb. 13:15

B. Eph. 5:19

Partake of the Lord’s Supper:

A. Acts 20:7

B. 1 Cor. 11:23-26

Study God’s Word:

2 Tim. 2:15

Live Righteously:

Gal. 5:14-26

Be A Faithful Soldier:

Eph. 6:11-20

Rev. 2:10

Give:

2 Cor. 9:6-15

My prayer was answered because the gospel that was in front of me was a gospel of works. The idea that we, as humans, can earn our way into heaven if we only follow a few simple rules is preposterous. The problem with this gospel is that it is not found in the Bible. In spite of all the scriptural references given on the card, there was not a single reference to relationship. In fact, the goal given on the first line of the card was, The Way to Heaven. I’m sorry folks, Heaven is not our goal, God the Father is.

Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. John 14:6 [ESV]

The question about where we are going is not one of geography, but one of relationship. We are pursuing the Father, through the Son, being guided and strengthened by the Holy Spirit. That is relationship. The checklist of things to do, presented on this tract was a gospel of Religion, not relationship. It is only after we have built a Relationship with God, that the things we do have any real meaning for that relationship.

After we have a relationship with God, the things we do are acts of Spiritual Discipline that enable us to look more like Jesus, and direct more people to him. Assuming that our discipline here on earth could earn a way into Heaven is completely wrong.

²⁰ I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. ²¹ I do not nullify the grace of God, for if righteousness were through the law, then Christ died for no purpose. Galatians 2:20-21 [ESV]

The relationship we have with God must come before all other things. After relationship has been established, our acts of Spiritual Discipline will be useful for the development of our relationship with God. Discipline is a good thing, and as you will see, it is also a hard thing at times, but discipline only comes after a loving relationship has been established. Otherwise it is not good for anything.

Relationship and discipline are interwoven throughout the fabric of our human experience. It is present in our relationships with each other, as well as, our relationship with the Lord. Never forget, the discipline that God gives those he loves, is for their growth and their protection, but God never gives discipline to a person to whom he has not first developed a relationship.

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A young girl named Avery flings herself across the couch in her living room, acting defiantly in response to her parents’ unwillingness for her to attend school in her current outfit.

What’s wrong with what I’m wearing? she begs.

Her eyes glare up at her father and mother who are genuinely attempting to hold back giggles as they take in the grandiose display of their daughter’s costume. A spackle job of makeup, consisting of hues which pale greatly in comparison to the natural tan of her skin, is accented by an almost raccoon-like eye shadow which appears to be a self-made mixture of green glitter and lavender. A purple top made of crushed velvet, with a ruffled front and three-quarter sleeves hangs loosely above her brown corduroy skirt, all of which is accented by jet-black leggings. Each element is unique, and seemingly at odds with the next. All of which is finally pulled together by the addition of almost knee-high, black combat boots, with six-inch soles. The boots foreshadow an all-but-certain fall in the near future, which will undoubtedly result in a trip to the emergency room.

The sight provokes her father to mention something about how Halloween comes but once a year. Quickly covering for her husband’s comment, Avery’s mother overpowers the conversation.

It’s not happening! Avery’s mother exclaims, as she points to Avery’s room. Go change now, or you’ll be grounded for a month.

Still holding back their laughter, Avery’s parents watch as she takes the pillow from the edge of the couch, and presses her face into it as she screams at the