FROM CHAPTER 11

...God is eager to graft in anyone who will earnestly seek after Him and not some form of godliness acquired or deduced from experiencing Him. That’s what makes the trap of religion one of the most perilous. For we as humans tend to experience life as a cause and effect unfolding. “A” causes “B”. Prayer causes change. Therefore, it is easy to conclude that we ought to pray always. This can lead to the establishment of a rule which is the framework that both defines and separates religion from spirituality. However, there is a fundamental flaw in this approach. For, we as people tend to equate the tangible action, the “prayer”, with the effect, the “change”. Yet, anyone with any sense knows that prayer in and of itself cannot change anything (The Bible even says that we can pray amiss [James 4:3]). GOD causes change and “prayer” is a tool that He commands us to use (along with other tools) as a manifestation of our faith so that He is pleased to cause the said change. Therefore, true faith CANNOT be described or interpreted by what someone is doing in this realm, for praying when God calls a fast is just as disobedient as eating the fruit of a certain tree when God says not to. True faith is therefore best described as one’s ability to hear and know the will of God and then respond to it with both obedience and expectancy...