LIVING BELOW THE BOTTOM LINE

He who has a why to live can bear almost any how –

I am blessed or cursed with a black and white personality. Someone said to me, “Ken pray for a gray day”. When it come to my Christian walk,  I migrate toward an attitude of  “my way or the highway”, “us 4 and no more”, or  “the chosen frozen”. These attitudes of mine are a robust enemy of the Grace of God and the Good News of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  From my view, religion is antithetical to spiritual freedom in Christ or what we call the Grace of God. Biblical grace is amazing!

We are in what I think are  expanding  days of uncertainty. This can result in some unhealthy dependence on religion, e.g., churches that have a benevolent hierarchical leadership that emphasizes spiritual authority of its leaders.

I know. I allowed myself to be caught up in such a scenario years ago. I do not blame the leaders, but myself. I placed an unhealthy reliance/dependency on church leaders for my spiritual maturity. I gave place in my heart and mind, putting spiritual leaders on pedals that the Gospel abhors. It is subtle, cunning and baffling, that is, religion.  A religion that binds, gives place to personalities rather than biblical principles. Religion demands conformity and control at the “end of the day”.

SOME SYMPTOMS

1. Over emphasis on serving God rather than worship of God.

2. Unhealthy loyalty to church policies and the personalities of church leaders.

3. When one questions church authority and policies, leaders constantly remind followers of spiritual headship and church authority. (this can be very subtle, this dogma usually found in 2nd tier leaders)

4. A over structured environment of church life. Slowly religion sets in, real life goes out. From my view point, real joy is demeaned. Reverence for God is dismantled, reverence for icons, statues, Church buildings is supplanted. When one reads the Gospel for what its really says; the church is organic, ripe with problems galore, spiritual turbulence, discord, and strife. Religion wants to pour concrete over it, the Gospel brings Grace, healing, truth, pain, suffering, and transparency. All issue are brought to the light, nothing is hidden, grace and truth prevail. Not so with religion.

I do not want to live below the bottom line of my life in Jesus, often amd regrettable I do. I need Mercy. I hope you do to.

Jeremiah said it this way in chapter 5 verse 31 (NI V)  The prophets prophesy lies, the priests rule by their own authority, and my people love it this way. But what will you do in the end?

Parenthetically, I know what I have written is one sided but I will let others balance me.

I hope you liked my photo. I shot this last week in my garage with a poster from a recent movie. The model is a lovely young lady named April. It it what  I call a concept shot.

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