I’m Not Religious, I Just Love the Lord- Scott Wesley Brown sang. In James 1:26 we read: If anyone among you thinks he is religious, and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this one’s religion is useless. (James 1:26 NKJV)

The very word religion has fallen into disfavor in the last fifty years. Many will say that they aren't religious, they are Christians or whatever it is that they are or are not. Religion is seen as phony, ineffective, irrelevant, old, useless, passe` or evil. What happened? How did the word that described the faithful and devout transform to mean the phony and predatory?

The answer is simple, a deceived heart. Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks, so therefore unless the heart is changed and remains in Christ the mouth will speak the evil that abides in the heart of a man; and once spoken, soon evil deeds will follow.

Some believe that if we use our mouth to utter religious words and we do religious works that we have good religion; but the mouth is not the source, the heart is. Therefore, we must be converted and then remain in Christ in order that pure and undefiled religion will flow from our lips and our lives. It is time to return to good religion which starts and remains with those converted, changed, transformed, renewed and continuing in life with Christ.