LRC, Houston - the weekends-free church in Houston, Texas

Ah the folly of it all. For how long have we been seeking to fulfill the desires of the Spirit by thinking it could fulfilled by some sort of religious regimen. Do this and do that and all will be well with your soul. Soul? Maybe! Spirit? No way Jose! Being a better person is an admirable human trait: it should be desired. However, to think that you will find God, transformation, and that peace that passes all understanding by good works is laughable. Well, maybe sorrowful. Here’s why.

Trying to get to heaven by being good is strictly egoic madness.

And when you add to that effort all the religious encumberments, you’ll be a wreck before you get too far down the road. The object of our lives here on earth is not to be good, to be moral, to be religious. Good and moral are great places to start, but as end goals- forgetdaboutdit!

Once you get on a righteous, religious treadmill, it’s hell to get off. No pun intended.

Do this and then do that, and then do it better, and do it more often. Add this to your daily religious things to do, serve the church as it beckons and before long you’re be totally stressed out and most probably greatly disallusioned. And God will then probably be the last thing you’re interested in. I’ve been there, done that, not doing it any more.

I’ve been backing off the “must do religious tests” for nearly 20 years now. But, in the last two years, I’ve really gotten serious about it. I’m not throwing the baby out with the bath water, as many unfortunately do. I’m just spending more time trying to have intimacy with God.

I got up Sunday morning at 8:30, spent some great quiet time with the Lord, journaled a little, played with my dogs, went to Starbucks (but of course!) with my wife, shopped at Costco, and ALL of that before the church crowd got out at noon! LIBERTY! There’s absolutely nothing wrong with church on Sunday, even if you want to go ALL day, as I used to in my denomination. But now, Sunday is really a DAY (can you say 24 hours) of REST! And so is Saturday!

For me though Friday night church works best!

It’s relaxing. I don’t have to be somehwere to eat before the crowd shows up. And, once I’ve fellowshipped with other people seeking God, I can crash and have dreams of a weekend free!

I’m done with religious regimens- as many as I can see and know.

But before you think, hey what a world. Following the Spirit is much harder than following man made rules. After all, when following man and his concepts of God, at least I am in control of much of the religious agenda. In spiritual transformation, I am not in control at all. God is!