Words

Words

James 3:7-10(NKJV)

⁷ For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and creature of the sea, is tamed and has been tamed by mankind. ⁸ But no man can tame the tongue. It is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. ⁹ With it we bless our God and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the similitude of God. ¹⁰ Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be so.

In the New Testament book of James in the Bible, James talks about our mouths and words.  He tells us all kinds of animals in this world are being tamed and we humans can't even tame our tongues.  Our tongues are "unruly evil". He said we use our mouths/words to both bless and curse and it should be that way.

I think that can mean many things.  It means one minute were praising Jesus or talking about God and the next minute we are cussing, lying, being rude, crude, or something along those lines.  There is something wrong with that picture.  We live in a world today where people don't just talk like that, but they also post it online for the world to see.  People let their children talk like this or even talk like this in front of their children or others.

We also live in a world where people not only use bad or foul langue, but they also use their word to lie, deceive, and be dishonest.  People use their words to hurt, damage, slander, and be cruel to others.  People use their words to gossip, stir up dissension, or trouble for others. People use their words to gripe, complain, and be negative for selfish reasons.  Many of us slip up or mess up, but I'm talking about a lifestyle here.

The issue is a heart issue.  People who either haven't truly surrendered their lives to God or people who don't understand that if you want to be a follower of God you have to honor God in all areas of your life including your speech, your words, your honest, and how you treat and talk to people.

The bible puts it this way in the gospel  of Luke:

Luke 6:45(NKJV)⁴⁵ A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil. For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.

If our heart isn't in the right place, then what comes out of our mouths is going to show that.  So, if our heart is in line with God then our words/mouth is going to show proof(bear fruit) of that, but if our heart is not lined up with God, then our words/mouth are going to show proof of that too.  What will come out is a variety of bad things, whether is cursing, foul language, lying, mean words, etc...

We have to get our heart in the right place and allow God to work in our lives so we develop His character and integrity in our lives.  Our words really do represent us and how people see us, respect us, and take us.  How do you want to be seen? How do you want to present God? your spouse? your children? your parents? yourself?   Use your words and voice to be positive, helpful, encouraging, and something that will honor God.  Look at Apostle Paul's words His book to the Ephesians:

Ephesians 4:29(NKJV)

Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers.

Otherwise don't say it, don't speak it, don't post it, and don't share it if its not going to edify(help) those who hear you. If we all spoke with this attitude there would be a lot let trash coming out of our mouths and a lot less trash on the internet.  Our words really do matter.

I want to encourage you today to think about your words, your speech, your language, and how they effect you and others and how they represent you and others.  I want us to see the power in our words, our language, and our voices.  Let's use them to benefit others, bless others, encourage others, and let our light shine for God whether it's online, in texts, in emails, in person, or any form or fashion. Our words do matter, our example matters, our character matters, and our representing God matters.  May our lives reflect the words below.

Proverbs 16:24(NKJV)

Pleasant words are like a honeycomb, Sweetness to the soul and health to the bones.

Standing at the Gate

Standing at the Gate

Matthew 7:13-14 (niv)

“Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.

It is interesting the word picture Jesus paints here in the book of Matthew as He talks about eternity. I am not sure we grasp the direct language Jesus is using here to describe our eternity.  He is saying the gate and road to Hell is really big and wide and lots of people are entering through it.  However, the gate and road that leads to Heaven  is narrow and small and not many take it.

Do you understand how powerful this picture is?  Do we grasp the severity and seriousness of our eternity?  This illusion that everyone goes to Heaven and God wouldn't send good people to hell is false.  First, only people who have followed God's plan of salvation through Jesus (John 14:6) Christ and remain faithful to this road/gate will see eternity with God in Heaven.  Secondly, God doesn't send anyone to hell, we send ourselves by the gate/road we choose to follow in this life.

The gate/road to Heaven is narrow because it is specific. According to the Bible, Jesus is the only way to God, to salvation, to forgiveness of sins, and heaven.  That means that we must follow His plan and then stay on course.  People want to make the road to Heaven the large and wide gate/road, so that they can do what they want, live how they choose, and then still get rewarded at the end, that is a false hope. The truth is the road to heaven is narrow and the road to hell is the one that is wide open.

You and I have a choice to make.  Who are we going to live for? Ourselves(and the world) or God? Which gate and road are we going to follow? The world's or God's?  Who's Word are we going to believe? God's Word written in His Bible or the opinions of the world? If you were a gambling person, this would be a no brainer.   Yet, for a so many people who may not gamble, we gamble with our very souls every day by choosing this world, our flesh, and evil desires (the wide gate/broad road) over God and His way (the small gate/narrow road).

This blog isn't meant to guilt, scare, or pressure anyone into anything. It's a simple yet powerful reminder that the gate and path to God and eternity with Him is very small, narrow, specific, and direct and the gate to hell and an eternity without God is wide, wide, wide.

May we pick up our Bibles and study God's plan of salvation.  May we open our hearts and pray to God through His Holy Spirit for direction, discernment, wisdom, and guidance. May we surround ourselves with Godly examples, mentors, encouragers, and people who will teach us, help us, and show us the way. May we take and remain on the narrow road.

Finally, may we grasp the seriousness of God's Word and His truth as we stand at the gate of etnerity and make that choice every day.  God already provided the way, but we have to accept it, choose it, and live it.

Do's and Don'ts

Do's and Don't s

Many people who claim to be Christians live by rules, meaning their Christianity is based on what they do and don't do and that is also how they "share Jesus" by telling others what they are doing wrong and what they should and shouldn't be doing.   This wasn't God's intention for Christianity and keeping a bunch of rules really isn't faith as much as it is religion.

Religion is what Jesus had to fight against as He lived on this earth and did His ministry. As you read through the gospel accounts of the life of Christ, Jesus didn't spend His time giving the world a bunch for do's and don'ts's religious rules, He instead gave instructions on what being a follow of Christ looked like and He also spent much of His time debating and confronting the so-called "religious" folks of that day, who were so deep in their legalistic religious practices that they chose rule keeping over a relationship with Jesus and loving others.  Jesus came to not only become our sin sacrifice, he also wanted to do away with ritualistic legalistic religious practices.

It's not much different in our modern world.  We think if we do this we're a good Christian or if we don't do that were a good Christian.  We judge harshly and criticize those both in and out of the church who don't follow or keep our "religious rules".  Sadly, most of our rules come from our spiritual ignorance or immaturity, church traditions passed down by family or our church group.   We boldly claim that is what God said and what the Bible said, yet many times we can't find those words in the Bible or if we do they are taken out of context or misused entirely to back up our opinions, beliefs, and stances.  My friends, that is not Christianity. 

Christianity is being a devoted follower of Jesus Christ.  It means desiring our life to reflect His.  Yes, there are certain responsibilities we should do as Christians and yes, there are certain behaviors/attitudes we should avoid. However, trying to live out your faith with a religious list of do's and don't 's isn't going to save you anymore than it's going to keep you saved.  Having an on-going, daily relationship with Jesus Christ, tapping into the power of His Holy Spirit within you, being a student of His Holy Word, and being an active part of His body(as a church member) is what's going to help you grow and mature into a devoted and healthy follow of Jesus Christ.

Dogs and many other animals can be trained by do's and don'ts. Even people can keep rules and breaks rules, but rules aren't why were here or aren't going to take us where we want to go.  Jesus is the only way to God and salvation and He alone saves, not any rules.  Rules, rituals, and traditions do us no good especially when they are the main source and soul reason we claim to be a Christian.

We will not ever grow, learn, develop, or mature in a relationship of faith by keeping rules or living by a list of preconceived do's and don'ts.  Neither will be influence or lead someone to Jesus with enforcing a list of do's and don'ts on them.  Instead of having this attitude of rules, how about growing in your walk with the Lord and because of that growing relationship with Christ, Jesus will lead and guide you to do what He wants you to do according to His Word and Will or He'll lead you to what He doesn't want you to do, not by rules of do's and don'ts, but by relationship. 

If your Christianity is built upon the rules you keep or don't break, I pray you repent and change your attitude.  It's not enough to keep rules, it's about having a relations

hip with the Ruler.

Matthew 15:9(niv)

They worship me in vain; their teachings are merely human rules.’”

Colossians 2:21-23(niv)²¹ “Do not handle! Do not taste! Do not touch!”? ²² These rules, which have to do with things that are all destined to perish with use, are based on merely human commands and teachings. ²³ Such regulations indeed have an appearance of wisdom, with their self-imposed worship, their false humility and their harsh treatment of the body, but they lack any value in restraining sensual indulgence.

It's your salvation

It's your Salvation

Philippians 2:12b(niv)

"continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling"

Chapter 2 in the book of Philippians opens up encouraging us to "imitate" Christ and to have they same mindset/attitude of Christ, then Paul puts the focus back on us by telling Christians to "continue to work out their own salvation" , he then proceeds to tell us to do things without grumbling or complaining and become pure and blames, which will set us apart from the way the world is living/acting "crooked and depraved generation" is his words.

We cannot live or act or have the mindset or attitude of Christ unless we are truly taking our faith and our part in the body of Christ(the Church) very seriously.  But, Paul makes a crucial point about our faith, that our salvation though a gift from God through Jesus Christ, is up to us to work out.

Jesus saves, but the only way we stay saved is if we are faithful followers of Jesus Christ, who continue to build our faith, grow our faith, and mature our faith. It's a daily commitment to work out our salvation.  Too many people live with the mentality of I've been saved or baptized and I'm going to heaven, so my part is done and I'm just gonna coast in to heaven some day. Wrong!

If people truly took their faith seriously and they were trying to imitate the mindset of Jesus Christ, our churches would be full each service, our volunteer sheets would be filled up, and we've have a whole body of Christ that was each serving and doing their part.  Yet, that's not the case in many churches.   

In many churches, you have your Sunday morning only Christians,  fair weather Christians, the I'll go to church if I don't have better plans or if I feel like it.  Many who are inconsistent and sporadic in their attendance, giving, and involvement.  Some never attend a bible study, Sunday school class, or small groups. Others only come and warm a pew and never use their gifts to serve the Lord in the church.  So you have  a small minority (10-20% )of your church members who are doing 100% of the work, giving, teaching, and serving in the church. There is something wrong with this picture and the picture Paul is painting in Philippians 2.

People are not working out their own salvation.  They don't understand or care about church attendance, worship, service, involvement, giving, or what it means to even be a member/part of the body of Christ.  People aren't studying or participating in studying and learning God's Word like they should.  People claim they are bored, the topics don't interest them, they don't get anything out of the service, or they can't sit still that long,  the sermon is boring, or the teacher is boring,  they don't do things the way I want or like, and the list goes on and on of all the excuses people use for not being involved and faithful to the very Church they are supposed to be a part of, the body of Jesus Christ and besides the church is about Jesus not me or you!

Working out your salvation means it's up to you, it's your salvation.  You are the only one who will answer to God for you.  No one should have to beg you to attend church,  give to the Lord, or serve the Lord through His Church.  Yet what do many churches do?  Plead with members to volunteer to serve, plead with members to give faithfully to the church,  send out cards, make phone calls and visits  pleading and trying to get supposed members to come to church they are supposed to be a part of in the first place.

If you confessed Jesus as Lord of your life, if you repented of your sins and asked the Lord to save you, if you were baptized for the remission of your sins and gift of the Holy Spirit, then you shouldn't have to be begged to serve, attend, give, worship, participate, and grow.  You should have a desire.  Salvation isn't a free ticket where you get "saved" and do nothing else.  Working out your salvation implies that you have to make an effort to maintain your relationship with Jesus Christ. You have to work on your prayer life, your study of scriptures, your spiritual gifts, your worship, your giving, your faith, and your salvation.  There isn't anything wrong with your church, there is something wrong with your attitude or mindset.

I want to both challenge and encourage anyone who calls themselves a follow of Jesus(a Christian) to live daily for Jesus and working out your own salvation. If you're a Christian you need to be faithful to your local body of Christ(church) and be a faithful part their serving, worshipping, giving, attending, participating, and growing.  Letting God use you and develop your service and deepen your faith.   Stop making excuses for not going to church or not participating or serving. It's time you do your part and stop letting others carry a heavier burden because you're not doing your part.  

A church is only as strong, healthy, and thriving as its members and a Christians is only as strong, healthy, and thriving as their commitment to Christ is. Work out your own salvation daily. The church is the body of Christ, if you're a Christian, you're a part of that body, and your salvation is up to you.  Jesus already provided the gift of salvation, it's up to us what we do with it, and we will answer someday how we worked it out or didn't work it out. 

Membership has it privileges

Membership has its privileges

That's a popular slogan of a credit card company that wants to entice you to use their card and with it the privileges of being one of their members.  Many people join organizations and clubs for the "privileges" that come along with being a "member".  Unfortunately, we bring that same mentality into our churches.

Church membership is not the same as joining some country club or other organization, as a matter of fact, being a church member is a privilege that we get to even be considered a member of the body of Christ, which is what the church.

We live in a world with a consumer mentality, meaning, we want to know what benefits we're going to get or "what's in it for me" if we join this shopping rewards club, or use this credit card, or join that social club or group.  Church is the opposite, meaning, we get to participate and be a part of Jesus' spiritual body when we become Christians and the benefits are from God.

Not only that, but this membership is to honor Jesus and give Him glory and worship.  It's about Him and not about us.  We are blessed that He would even allow us to call ourselves "Christians" and be a part of His membership.  Not only are we privileged to be Christians and members of His Church, but He is also counting on us to grow and mature in our faith, build our hope, and use our gifts, talents, abilities, time, and treasures to build up His body by reaching lost people, sharing our faith, and discipling others.  

We must change our mindset and attitude that church is about us and what we want and what we get out of it and if I'm comfortable and getting my way.  Instead we must approach church membership as a privilege we don't deserve, but appreciative of God's grace and mercy and grateful we are allowed to participate in this Holy body.

Imagine how different the local church would be if Christians took their namesake serious and they took there membership into the Church with more reverence, commitment, and realizing it's all about Jesus and not us.

May we all realize the privilege we have of being saved, being Christians, and being members of the Lord's church.

Ephesians 2:19-22 (NIV)¹⁹ Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household, ²⁰ built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. ²¹ In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. ²² And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.

Is Church optional?

Is Church optional?

I think so many people misunderstand the Church or the role of the Christian as the Church.  The Church is not the building, it's the people. The Church isn't just worship services and programs you attend, those are things the Church has or does, but not who they are.  The Church is you and me. We are the Church.  The Church is the body of Christ, that God established after Jesus resurrected to represent Him on this earth to share the gospel message with the world, so we can reach the lost with the message and disciples followers to grow in their faith.  That is the Church.

Yet, we've turned the church into anything but what the church is supposed to be.  People claim to be Christians, yet do not attend, worship, serve, or aren't members of any local Church.  Some people who are supposed members attend on Sunday mornings only, as if attending a service once a week fulfills an obligation to God.  Some Church members are so sporadic and inconsistent in their Church attendance and involvement, you wonder why they even come at all? You have those who are faithful in attending church services, yet they won't life a finger to help serve, volunteer, or be involved in the ministries of the Church and leave the burden to the faithful few who do all the work.  Then you have those who just have to be busy doing "stuff" so they are always involved, yet they aren't allowing themselves to be fed spiritually.  That's not even counting those who aren't being transformed and who haven't totally surrendered to the will of God.

Friends, the Church isn't optional for the Christian.  It's necessary.  It's mandatory.  It's commanded from God.  The Church was created to be Jesus on earth and to share His message of salvation and then once people are saved, help them grow in their relationship(discipling).  Being a part of the Church body comes with being a Christian.  Wanting to be a Christian yet you don't want to attend church services, or  serve or give in the church, or be involved is like saying I want to have a job and get a paycheck but I don't want to show up and work.   It's like saying I want to lose weight, but I'm not going to diet, exercise, and participate in the process, but still expect to lose weight.  It's not going to happen.  You're not going to lose weight and you're not going to have a job. You're not being a Christian or acting saved when you aren't faithful to God and His Church.

Christians can't survive without being connected to the Church and the Church can't function without it's body parts(members) being present, active, and involved.  I've never really understood why someone would want to be a Christian, yet not be faithful to God's church?  It doesn't make sense? It's like saying I want to be married, but I don't want to be involved or faithful to my spouse?   A marriage is nothing but a piece of paper without a relationship, involvement, and faithfulness of both parties.   God even used marriage in Ephesians 5 to describe the relationship between us and His church.  That's how vital and important it is.

If we want God to save us, if we want to go to Heaven, and if we truly love Jesus and want a relationship with Him, we have to take His church just as serious.   While attending services won't save you, they are meant to help you, give you an opportunity to worship, fellowship, and serve, so you should take advantage of them and be faithful and committed to attending and being involved in the church services your local church provides.  If you church has bible studies, small groups, or sunday school classes they are providing you with opportunities to study God's Word with other church members and you should have a desire to want to learn and study God's Word.  While we need study alone, we also need to study together.

God has gifted you with a variety of talents and abilities that He wants you to use through the Church.  Serving God through the church isn't optional either, though many live like that.  I think part of the reason many of our churches are stagnant, dwindling, dying, and complacent is because so many so called Church members aren't actively involved in serving and giving back to God through the Church.   A small percentage of the church members end up having to do ALL the work and serving in areas they are not gifted, but their mentality is "someone has to do it".   The Church isn't optional.  Do you want a God whos part-time? Inconsistent? Unfaithful?  Do you want a God who's salvation is optional if He feel likes saving only some?  I doubt it.

We need the Church, but more importantly, we need to be the Church.  We are the Church. We are the body of Christ if we are Christians and its' time we start acting and living like it.  Be faithful to God and His Church.  Be a faithful commitment member.  Make a commitment to attend
Church services more faithfully than just once  week or here and there when you feel like it.  Get involved in a bible study.  Volunteer to serve without having to be begged or sign a sign-up sheet, see a need and fill it.  Invite people to church look for opportunities to share the gospel, serve, give, and be the Church out in the world.

Church isn't optional.  The body of Christ isn't optional.

 

1 Corinthians 12:27niv

Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.

 

Ephesians 5:31-32niv

³¹ “For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.” ³² This is a profound mystery—but I am talking about Christ and the church.

What matters

What Matters

It seems in Christian or religious circles we tend to focus on non-essentials or things that don't matter as far as salvation is concerned.  What I mean, is when we look at any subject, topic, or doctrine, we have to ask ourselves is this a command or instruction in God's Word or is this a preference, tradition, or a place where we have individual freedom to decide.

There are things in the Bible that are black and white, but there are also things that were cultural or social at the time of their writings.   There are also differences between the law of the Old Testament and the new covenant of Jesus Christ in the New Testament.  The problem we face in any case when discussing what is sin and what is no sin or what is right and wrong is our "interpretation" of scripture or sometimes our "lack of interpretation" of scripture.

It's easy to pick and choose bible verses out of the Bible forgetting that the bible wasn't originally written in this book and chapter and verse format.  Also, not all books of the bible are written the same, meaning some are historical accounts, some are letters, some are poetry, and some are eyewitness accounts, etc.

We also forget that when we read God's Word we need to read it in context, meaning we can't just pull out random verses to defend our arguments, justify our actions, or back up our doctrinal stances. We need to look at the text as a whole and ask the Who, What, When, Where, and Why and stop taking individual verses out of context or trying to use or misuse certain scriptures to defend or support our beliefs.

Sadly, many people don't study the Bible as they should, they rely on others to tell them what it says or they are influenced by their parents, a preacher, an author, their own agendas, or someone else to tell them how or what to believe. They are indoctrinated by their particular denominational or church group as to what or how to believe and reality and truth is these groups aren't all teaching the truth or biblical doctrines correctly.

Even more sadly, is the fact that many of us judge, condemn, condone, or support things based on our skewed  or ignorant view of scripture based not on actual study of scripture, but on what we are taught about scripture from our parents, family, preacher, or church group, or what we do on our own We look down on others faith, will not fellowship with them, or even like to argue/debate with others in a negative way, none of which honors or glorifies God, even if you were correct.  You can be right and still have the wrong attitude.

We are lying to ourselves if we don't think the devil is using Christians and churches to do his bidding.  Satan is the father of deception and confusion and he wants Christians and churches splitting, fighting, arguing, dividing, and fighting amongst ourselves, so that the world will see that and not want anything to do with God or His Church, but also if Christians are busy always fighting, arguing, or on their personal crusades with their favorite doctrinal issues, then you aren't focused on busy on things that really matter, which is reaching the lost, making disciples, and serving others.

It's time we all get back focused on what matters.  Don't be known for what you're against, be known for what you're for.  Instead of boycotting, picketing, debating, or blasting people on social media, how about praying for others, sharing your faith with others, serving in your community, and finding ways to love people, or read your bible.

When we stand before the Lord someday, I don't believe He's going to be asking us if we sung with or without instruments, if we sung hymns or contemporary songs, used the King James or NIV bible version, if we went to the Baptist or Methodist Church, or how many religious debates are arguments we won.   He won't asked us if we dressed up for church, or accepted changes is society and culture. Yet, many of us live like this is the case every day.

We've got to get back to reading our Bibles and studying God's Word.  In it, is how we should be living, how we should be acting, what our attitudes should be, what we should be doing , and what really matters.  We need to ask ourselves in any situation, is this really a salvation issue? Is this really essential or non-essential to mine or others salvation? Is this a command or personal preference?  Is this truth? God is God, and He desires our obedience and faithfulness to Him and His truth, but at the same time he's not as fundamental, legalistic, liberal, and narrow-minded as we try to make Him out to be.   The truth is we don't really know Him, we are just doing what we've been taught, modeled for us by others, or we've allowed satan to use us to hurt the church.

Let's all get back to being people of the Bible and being people who focus on the things that really matter. 

Romans 14:1
Accept the one whose faith is weak, without quarreling over disputable matters.

2 Timothy 2:15

Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.

Easily Offended

Easily Offended

Proverbs 19:11(NIV)

A man's wisdom gives him patience; it is to his glory to overlook an offense .

We live in a world that is so easily offended.  People sit around looking and waiting to be offended by something.  They troll the internet and they listen intently at conversations looking for something to be offended about. On the side of every issue or topic, there's a party waiting to be offended by the other.

It's in our homes, in our schools, at our workplaces, and yes, even in our churches.  People offended.  If someone doesn't speak to me, or act friendly to me, I'm offended.  If someone doesn't invite me or ask me to do something, I'm offended.  The list is really endless of the things people get offended over and that's not even counting all the stuff going on in our culture and society today. 

There is a time and place to be offended.  We should be offended when sin. We should be offended if someone is done wrong or treated bad.  We should be offended if someone attacks God or His Church or His Word, but those aren't the things that usually offend us.  What offends us is usually selfish or self-centered things.  Our easily offended is usually because we are insecure, moody, angry, hurt, or have a bad or wrong attitude to begin with.  So, we are basically just a person sitting around waiting to be offended by something.  If you look for trouble, you'll find it every time.

My goal today is for us to understand that many times our "being offended" is not  because of the perpetrator, but a lot of times its us, because we have a wrong or bad attitude or underlying issues that cause us to be upset because we didn't get our way, we misunderstand something someone said, or we simply are overly emotional and sensitive and get our feelings hurt, or we're "looking" for things to be offended about. 

In my line of work, working in churches, I have had my share of dealing with the easily offended.  I'm not saying I don't put my foot in my mouth at times or make someone mad, Lord knows anyone who knows me knows I'm an expert at that, but people are offended because you don't ask them to do something, or you didn't invite them to something, or you didn't mention them from the pulpit, or you forgot to give them credit for something, etc...even though it may be because they have a wrong attitude or something else, I think we come to church or serve in the local church we need to never be "offended" because everything we are doing or a part of in the church should be for God and His glory and not our own in the first place.

I've never understood people getting upset, offended, or feelings hurt within the body of Christ? Why? Because everything we do is supposed to be for God and about God, so if our feelings are getting hurt or something is offending us, its because we're making it about us and not about God.  So, maybe we need to have some folks get the focus off themselves and back on God where it belongs?

Also, in the world, there are going to be legitimate things that offend us or go against our faith and convictions, but that doesn't give us a right to be mean, ugly, or hurtful towards those outside or inside of the church.  Whatever we do or say to defend God or His Word we need to do out of love and represent Him well in this world.

I think the best advice I can give anyone, is "Chill out!"  Stop being so easily offended by anything and everything.  Put your energy and focus on being the best person and child of God you can be and pick and choose your battles wisely and make sure your "offended" is legit and not because of your own ego, pride, feelings, failings, or sin.

Stability

Stability

Proverbs 12:3(niv)

No one can be established through wickedness, but the righteous cannot be uprooted.

Last night in Bible study we talked about "stability" as a Christian and in order to be righteous in God's sight, we need to be firmly grounded and rooted in our faith. In other words we need to be firmly planted and stay consistent in our faith in order to continue to grow and please the Lord.

I think many folks have a problem with being consistent and have stability and balance in their life, especially when it comes to their faith and that is why their faith is all over the place.  One week they're praising God and think He's awesome and the next week they're blaming God and don't understand why He's not answering their prayers.  

The problem is not God and His consistency or stability, the problem is us.  People want to be inconsistent in their church attendance and involvement, their bible study and reading, their prayer and devotional times and then they won't why their faith is unstable?  Most people who lack stability in their personal lives is because they lack direction, goals, purpose, or discipline and the same can be said for the "Christian" who is all over the place in their faith.

Christianity is a 24/7 365 personal relationship with Jesus Christ.  You can't love God on the good days and blame Him on the bad.  You can't just come to church or be involved sporadically or whenever you feel like it.  You can't just pray when you need something or read your bible occasionally. Do you see how the inconsistency has your life out of balance and that is why you're faith is so unstable?

God requires faithfulness of His followers, to receive the rewards or salvation and eternal life, we must be and remain faithful.  Salvation is a free gift, but it does require great sacrifice on our parts to be and remain consistent and faithful because the sacrifice for our salvation was great on Jesus' part. We aren't going to grow, mature, or be what God wants us to be if our lives lack direction, no purpose, no consistency, and all over the place.

People wonder why they struggle, don't feel God, don't see God, or their lives are a struggle and not blessed? I'm not a detective, but I bet I can trace it back to that person having no consistent or stable relationship with Jesus. We all have got to truly surrender to God, make a commitment, and

be faithful to God. This includes creating a stable environment in our lives that will cause us to grow, mature, and know God on a deeper level. 

We have got to be consistent with our Bible reading and study both individually and then with our church body.  We have to be consistent in our church attendance and involvement and getting connected to God and His church Body and doing our part as a body part in the Church.  We also need to be consistent in our service to God.  That is how we create stability in our lives is by having spiritual goals, direction, and purpose and by creating consistency in our lives.   All of this will help us know God better, become more like Him, continue to grow our faith, be used by God, and lead us to a better understanding of God so that we won't drift away, but up and down and all over the place, or in and out of church, or always struggling in our faith.

Deal with it or blow up

Deal with it or blow up

Everyone is human and we're fallible and make mistakes.  We also all have different personalities so we may handle situations different.  How do you handle when your upset with someone? Get your feelings hurt?  Disagree with someone?  Don't get your way? Offended? Let's be honest sometimes in these type of scenario's we're the problem, because we're easily offended, looking for something to be mad about, insecure, jealous,  or other reasons.  But, sometimes it's legitimate and how we handle it makes all the difference in the world.

Our goal in situations like this should be resolution.  Many times the offender or the person you may be hurt or angry toward might not even know you're upset or they did anything wrong.  Sometimes it's a matter of perspective and we're too sensitive and need to get over it and sometimes it's legit and we need to address it. 

However, what happens many times is we don't address it or deal with it.  We keep it inside and we might act different toward the person, being cold  or rude or unfriendly to them subconsciously or even more dangerous we let it build up inside of us until we blow up on that person or someone else.  That is not healthy and I also believe it can lead to sin.  In the Lord's prayer it tells us to "forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us." 

I also think the Bible backs ups the fact that we shouldn't allow things to fester on the inside and that when we have problems or struggles or issues that we need to deal with them while they are small before they become bigger or out of control and take on a life of their own.   So many conflicts and problems could be avoided if people would just be honest and talk to each other when things arise, instead of ignoring them or letting them build up and before you know it, there's tension, a fight, argument , hard feelings, etc...and for what? Many times for silly, stupid, or unknown reasons.

I would encourage everyone to first make sure you're not the problem and your own worst enemy, making sure the reason you are mad, upset, hurt, offended, or angry isn't because you've got issues going on.  Secondly, if it is a legitimate case of it, then deal with it at the lowest level, is it worth talking to them or letting it go?  Thirdly, if you do decided you need to confront or talk to them, do it in love, sincerely, and with your goal being resolving or finding resolution.  

Whatever you do, don't let those negative feelings build up in you because they will cause you to sin and not be a very good person and they will cause you to have strained relationships if you're going around blowing up on everyone because you let it fester.

Luke 17:3

So watch yourselves. “If your brother or sister sins against you, rebuke them; and if they repent, forgive them.

 

Ephesians 4:26

“In your anger do not sin”: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry

Its about people

It's About People

I heard a saying a long time ago, "you can have nice things, or you can have children" and if you've raised kids you understand that children have a tendency to break, scratch, tear up, and stain furniture, carpet, the walls, and everything in between.  Most of the time its by accident or by children being rambunctious, hyper, or playing a little too hard or careless.  If you want to have nice things then you better not have children or live in your house because things overtime are going to become used, tattered, torn, stained, scratched, knocked over,  dented, or worn over time.

Sometimes we take this same mentality into our church buildings.  We treat these places like they are holy shrines.  I am not sure exactly where this practice began, but the truth of scripture is God's presence is no longer in a place, but in a person.  God dwells inside of each and every believer and the church is people, not a building or a place.  There is nothing special or holy about a church building other than when the "church" meets there to worship. Holy is God and Holy is His people. 

While I understand churches use God's money collected to provide places of worship, learning, and fellowship, and we want to take care of these facilities and take care of them like we would our homes or personal belongings. At the same time, they are meant to be used for ministry, service, fellowship, and worship and are not be worshipped or too much emphasis put on material things.

I've been in churches where it looked more like a museum than where ministry takes place, and it was treated like a shrine that couldn't be used or touched. In the bible they met in homes and local places and so they didn't have this type of distraction or problem. Its sad, but many folks care more about the carpet than they do lost souls, they care more about marks on the tables or dings on the wall then they do about loving people where they are with the love of Jesus.  Do you see how easily it is to lose our focus and get distracted by worldly things?

I know many would argue, we paid a lot of money or that or this is God's house or something to that effect, but remember the things we spent God's money on were bought or built,  so that they could be used by people for people.  The house of God is each of us, not buildings or facilities.  I'm all for taking care of our church properties and making them look good.  We need to make good first impressions to people when they full in the parking lot, look at the outside of our buildings, or go in our auditoriums, classrooms, or gyms. We want our church vans and buses to be clean and taken care of, but again remember all these things are to be used to minister to people.  God is to be worshipped, not things.  People matter over things. 

Even though we may try to keep our facilities updated, clean, looking fresh, or honor God with them, we also need to realize God is within us and that our focus should be all the people young and old who enter our doors. We want them to feel welcome, accepted, and loved.   And yes, sometimes they are accident prone, thoughtless, or messy.

I will always work as a Minister to have updated, nice, and useable places to worship, serve, meet, gather, fellowship, and study. But, I always pray those things will only be means to reach the lost, make disciples, worship, fellowship, and gather as the church family. 

Always remember church and ministry are about people and when you deal with people things will get worn, stained, broke, scratched, dented, used, ripped, and have natural wear and tear because of being used.  Things can be replaced, repaired, or fixed.  Souls and people cannot.  Let's be the church and use our buildings, properties, vehicles, and whatever else we own to share the gospel and minister to people as we worship and serve the Lord.

1 Corinthians 3:9(niv)

For we are co-workers in God’s service; you are God’s field, God’s building.

1 Corinthians 3:16(niv)

Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in your midst?

Where do you turn?

Where do you turn?

Galatians 1:6

[ No Other Gospel ] I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you to live in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel—

 

1 Thessalonians 1:9

for they themselves report what kind of reception you gave us. They tell how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God,

 

1 Timothy 5:15

Some have in fact already turned away to follow Satan

Where do you go for hope? Purpose? Meaning?  Where do you go when times get tough, you struggle, or have problems?  Where do you go for strength, comfort, and encouragement?  We have to turn somewhere.  For some, they turn to alcohol or drugs.  Others turn to hurting themselves or others.  Some turn to a needle, a bottle, or a pill.  Others turn to their own ego, strength, or power.  Some look to one night stands, the internet, and using others.  Others turn to the world, money, position, titles, and control.

The truth is we turn somewhere in both good and bad situations and times.  We turn somewhere or to something or someone when we are looking for healing, forgetting, to bury, or to celebrate something.  The problem with all the things we turn to in this world whether its ourselves, someone else, a substance, activity, event, or thrill, they all are temporary at best and only mask the pain, hide the hurt, fill the void, or make us feel good for a bit. Then back to reality and possible more problems because of where you turn.

We were designed by a creator and that creator is God.  God created us and therefore is the only one who can give us purpose, hope, meaning, and value.  God is the only one that can heal us, protect us, comfort us, give us strength, or unconditional love.  God is the only one who understands our needs, feels our pains or joys, and knows what we need and how we need it.   God is the one who created us with feelings, emotions, expressions, and needs.  Therefore, creator knows His creation in both good and bad times, in both need and want, and both happy and sad circumstances.

God knows our strengths and weaknesses, hopes and dreams, struggles and temptations, and our past, present, and future.  God knows all, is all, and is everywhere all the time.  He is God after all, and He created me and you, so creator knows His creation.

There is no problem, struggle, temptation, or sin that God can't help you overcome.  There is no past to big for God to forgive.  There is no tragedy, depression, sadness, or pain that God can't give us hope, comfort, compassion, love, and strength to endure.  There is nothing on this earth that brings joy, peace, and hope like an honest and sincere relationship with the creator.

But what happens?  We don't turn to God, we don't stay in touch daily by talking to God in prayer.  We don't study, learn, and grow because we don't take time or make effort to read and study God's Word He gives us alone or in our church.  We don't tap into the gift of the Holy Spirit, that God gives all baptized believers so we have an unlimited resource in God's Spirit that we neglect to use to draw strength, guidance, and power.  We aren't faithful to God's church in attendance or involvement, so we are disconnected and out of touch with God and because of that the body(church) suffers, but you also suffer  because you are not attached or connected to the body.

So I ask you again today,  Where do you turn?  No matter the situation, no matter the issues, and no matter what turn to God.  Let God be the first and only place you turn.  No thing, no person, and nothing in this world will take the place of God, so stop trying to fit the round peg in the square hole and turn to God in all things in all ways and for all times. 

Psalm 121:1-2

¹ I lift up my eyes to the mountains—
    where does my help come from?
² My help comes from the Lord,
    the Maker of heaven and earth.

 

 

What's it gonna take?

What's it gonna take?

What motivates you?  for some, it's money, for others, it's power.  Some, it might be recognition or the limelight or others it could be trophies and awards?  But, what about your faith? What motivates you?  As a Pastor of a church, I can tell you that not all the supposed members or Christians at your church are motivated to attend, serve, give, or be involved.  It's a sad fact in many churches.

Something at sometime motivated you to give your life to Christ.  To ask Jesus to forgive you of your sins, you confessed His name as son of God and Lord of your life, you were baptized and given the Holy Spirit, and you received grace, mercy, forgiveness, and hope in that moment, but what happened or changed?

You used to attend faithfully, serve faithfully, give generously, be involved, and actively being the church and now what? You attend sporadically and aren't consistent.  You don't attend any bible studies? You don't volunteer or serve in any place, and you seldom give of yourself or you time let alone financially.  What happened?

I know different things cause different people to be this way, but the bottom line is they are all excuses and those excuses don't match up to the gift God gave you through His son Jesus Christ.  He deserves your worship, attention, service, giving, attendance, involvement, gifts, time, abilities, and you!  There is no excuse to not living or being a Christian if you claim to be one and there is no excuse for missing Church or not being involved in your local church if you are supposed to be a member.

We make lots of excuses and blame a lot of people why we don't like our church or serve or go like we used to.  We make a lot of excuses about being busy, or working too hard, or the kids, or the job, or your age, or something, but the truth is there isn't a legitimate or good enough excuse you can give God to why you aren't "being the church" or worshipping or serving Him like you are called to do.

I've been there, many of us have been there, and we don't need to stay there and we need to avoid allowing ourselves to get in a place where our faith and our church commitment becomes a thing of the past.  We are risking, jeopardizing, and gambling with our eternity.  Do we seriously think we will stand before the Almighty God someday after what He has done for us and given us through Jesus Christ and think our selfish, lame, no good excuses for not being a faithful Christian or member of His Church body are going to be accepted by Him?

So the question i'm asking today is, "What's it gonna take?" What's it gonna take for you to get serious about your faith and be and remain faithful? I think a God creating me,  a Jesus dying for me, and a Holy Spirit given to me should be enough to motivate us to be faithful.  That's not counting the Bible He gave us and the Church He established for us and all the other blessings and benefits that come from being a Child of God. 

We need to start seriously evaluating our priorities, routines, schedules, and lives and see if God is truly first in our lives. We need to remove and get rid of all excuses we make and give and get off our backsides and get back to worshipping, serving, giving, leading, being involved, sharing our faith, and all the things we should be doing because we Love God and love others and for all the things God has done for us!

I pray that God is enough to motivate me and you to live for Him and remain faithful to Him and His church. 

2 Corinthians 5:14

For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died.

 

Revelation 3:16

So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth.

 

1 Corinthians 4:2

Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful.

Do you Listen?

Do you Listen?

There is a big difference between not hearing and not listening.  Not hearing usually has to do with being hard-hearing or having trouble hearing. However, listening is a skill that must be developed and practiced.  You can hear and not listen. 

It is important for Christians to listen to God. We need to listen to His voice.  He may speak to use  through His Word(meaning you have to read your Bible regularly).  He may speak to you through the Holy Spirit who lives and dwells inside of you and acts as a conscience and guide. He may speak to us through prayer. He may speak to us through a person or an event.  He may speak to us through your small group leader, Sunday school teacher, or through the preacher's sermon.  God speaks to us in a variety of ways, but are we really listening?

It's easy to have God's voice drowned out by our busy lives, the distractions around us, by the undealt with sin in our lives, our bad attitudes, narrow minds, or own opinions.  Maybe we don't listen to God because we are too busy talking or trying to control our lives or situations?  Truth is God is always speaking to you and me are we listening?

God isn't always speaking to us like a scolding parent or boss.  He speaks to us to encourage us, remind us of things, comfort us, strengthen us, give us wisdom and discernment, and all sorts of things.  Yes, He may speak to us to warn us of danger, remind us of consequences, or convict us of sin, but God desires a relationship with us and in order for us to have a healthy relationship with God it has to be through Jesus Christ.  We have to truly surrender to God and His plan of salvation.  We have to allow God to transform us and work in our lives and we do that by listening to Him.

Many of you continue to struggle in your sins or faith because you refuse to listen to God in order to develop or grow your faith.  Many of you try to do your own thing and have become set in your  religious routines or ways and refuse to listen to God's guidance and promptings.  It's time you truly learn to not only hear and recognize the voice of God, but to look for it.  To be sensitive to it and not only hear it, but listen to it and respond. 

We have too many churches and too many Christians who do not listen to God and who are missing out on truly growing and experiencing God because they refuse to listen or don't take the time or know how to listen to God.  If you learn to listen to God in your daily lives you will experience greater peace, purpose, healing, love, contentment, hope, forgiveness, and wisdom.  I encourage you to start practicing better listen skills so you can fully experience the power and love of God in your daily lives as we prepare for eternity.

 Proverbs 1:5
let the wise listen and add to their learning, and let the discerning get guidance—

James 1:22

Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.

John 9:31

We know that God does not listen to sinners. He listens to the godly person who does his will.

Seriously

Seriously


I've been told before "you're never serious", because I like to laugh and joke a lot, and truth to told I enjoy laughing and making others laugh.  But just because I love humor, being funny, funny things, laughter, making others laugh, etc...doesn't mean I'm not serious about certain things. I am serious when it comes to my faith. That doesn't mean I don' t fail or struggle in anyway, it simply means my eternity isn't something to joke about and not take serious.

I have noticed however, that a lot of folks don't take their salvation, eternity, Christianity, or their part in the church body very serious.  You can tell in their lack of commitment or consistency.  Being a Christian is all about totally surrendering yourself to God and becoming a devoted follower to Him. It should mean transformation for our lives. Change.  Commitment. Devotion. Service. Yet, most church I've been a part or have seen  lacks serious committed members. 

Churches are full of those who claim to be Christians and church "members" yet, they aren't consistent in their attendance, giving, or serving.  They are hit and miss and aren't consistent in their faithfulness to God and the church.  This is why churches attendance numbers fluctuate up and down because of inconsistent worshippers.  People don't give of their time, talents, or finances to the church like they should.  They are not using their gifts to serve God faithfully through the church.  People aren't willing to step up and lead. Yet, they will give all of these things to little league, their hobbies, social organization, and other things? Why? Is something temporary suddenly more important than something eternal?

I think the truth is many just don't take their salvation and faith seriously. Many think if they've been baptized or "saved" they have secured their place in heaven and they can go back to living their normal earthly lives that is primarily about them and their wants and little about God. This is the wrong attitude to have and one of the tricks satan uses to blind us to the truth and reality.  We need to take our faith serious and getting saved or baptized isn't just a free ticket to heaven at the end of your life, its only the beginning of your faith journey as you should be preparing for eternity.

We need to take our faith serious.  We need to take our church attendance/involvement  serious. We need to take our giving to God through the church serious, whether that is financially, our time, or our service.  We need to realize that while salvation is a free gift from God, it's not a free ride to heaven.  It requires us to follow Jesus daily and grow in our faith and mature into a growing Christian.  We need to take our faith more serious than we do anything else, it's not a joke. Hell isn't a laughing matter. 

If you take your faith seriously, then you'll be taking time to study your bible regularly, you'll develop a serious prayer life, you'll be a faithful member of the church and be committed to being there faithfully for services, bible study, small groups, Sunday school, worship services, special programs, or whatever your local church does.  We all take vacations and get sick and sometimes our jobs take us away but that should be the exception not the norm,  otherwise we should be committed to being involved in our local church.  So, yes going to church services, being involved in the local church, and being the church does matter and should be taken seriously.

Finally, we need to take ourselves seriously when it comes to our faith. We all have talents, resources, and abilities we can be using for God.  Why should our jobs, hobbies, or kids sports get all of our money, time, and talents and then give God little or nothing?  It really means we really don't take God or His church or salvation all that seriously or we misunderstand the importance of it all? This world we live in is temporary and while we are here for a little while, it's about being the church, serving, growing, maturing, giving, and doing for the Lord through His Church.

I pray you start taking your faith serious.  You get real about your Christianity and be faithful to God. Be faithful to His Church.  Be committed and consistent in your walk with God, and take it serious and be and remain faithful. We don't want to be like the christians God mentions in the book of Revelation. Eternity is coming, are you taking it serious?

Revelation 3:16(NIV)

¹⁶ So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth.

Church camp

Church Camp

I recently spent a week at our local church camp during a High School Week of camp and just had a great time.  As I get older, my body physically doesn't like the lack of sleep, but my oh my how my spirit is strengthened by the experience there!

I had the thought and I've had it before I wish our churches were a lot more like church camp.  It's really sad to me that students and adults have to go somewhere else to experience the type of fellowship, worship, and spiritual renewal you get at a week of church camp.  Wouldn't be nice if our local churches had this type of atmosphere, attitude, or experience? 

I know their are differences between being away somewhere and enjoying time away from your normal routines and buys lives, I still think the local church could implement and adopt some of the things we experience at church camp.  First, the worship is typically intimate and awesome. We settle for traditional,same ole same ole, predictability in our worship services at the local church and even in our children and youth ministries at our local bodies. We should learn to have worship services at our local church like camp, that are more touching, involve the worshipper, and move you.  After all, worship is about God and for God anyway, not us.

Secondly, I think the relationships you build at church camp are more authentic and real.  We really open up and make ourselves more vulnerable and accessible, while at the local church we come in and sit on our pew, closed off, silent, guarded, and go home without allowing someone to get truly close to us or us getting close to someone.  We need each other and the Bible tells us to carry each others burdens.  We need to rely on the body of Christ and be someone others rely on when we hurt, struggle, or have problems. 

Thirdly, the spiritual aspect of camp is always something I think we need to experience more back at home in our local churches.  While church camp typically has a great setting and you're away from your world, I think the local church should be an oasis too for the Christian and those seeking God.  Our churches have become too much business as usual, and doing the same things the same way for decades, and really becoming more religious social clubs and gatherings, and not the true body of Christ and a place for people to find refuge, healing, love, and change. I think we need to do a better job as a church at being relevant, practical, realistic, and loving.

Finally, I think church camp is a little glimpse of what the church is supposed to really look like and be like. While, we need our church camps and should support them, use them, and be involved in them, we also need to have the same type of attitude/atmosphere for both our members and visitors at the local church.  When they walk in our churches they need to sense the spirit of God there. They need to feel welcomed and loved.  They need to experience God in a variety of ways. 

I pray that all of our churches can learn to be more like we are when we go to church camp.  For most us who go to camp a lot, we love camp, miss camp when gone, and can't wait to go back.  That sounds like the way church should be.

Galatians 6:2(niv)
Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.

Vacation from God

Vacation from God

Well it's that time of year June-August where many folks will be taking a vacation somewhere or someplace.  Vacations are great, we all need time away, time off, and a vacation from our busy lives, our jobs, our normal routines, etc.   I think many people would benefit from taking more time off and not being too busy, or workaholics, or burning themselves out.

However, one thing that we should never take a vacation from is God.  If you need a vacation from God then your doing Christianity/Church wrong.  We need God 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. You are also a part of His Church that same amount of time.  While you may need a break from teaching a class, or leading a church program, or something, that doesn't mean you take a vacation from God or His Church.

We always need to be striving and working toward growing our faith.  If we get burnt out, discouraged, or frustrated with Christianity and/or the Church, remember it's not really God or His Church that you have those feelings/emotions with.  It's probably because you've allowed satan a foothold in your life in someway to discourage or upset you, or satan is using someone else to cause you those feelings/emotions.  Our God does not bring about those type of negative feelings/emotions that would cause us to want to take a break from Him or His Church. 

We as individual Christians have to be very careful to protect our hearts, keep our thoughts pure, and strive to for holiness like God.  We need to find balance in our service to God and not do too much.   We also need to not get so busy doing "church stuff" that we neglect our own personal spirituality.  You need to take time to be in church worship and bible studies too and not always being teaching a class, or with the children or teens, or whatever it is you do.   Make time to be in worship and Sunday school class, a small group, or bible study and participate.

I would also encourage you to that when you do go on physical vacations somewhere or weekend getaways that you don't skip church.  I know there are cases where you may be camping or in a place where going to church isn't possible, but more the most part wherever you are traveling there are churches.  It's very good for us to visit other churches  and see what they are doing and how they do things. It's also great just to go somewhere and be a visitor and enjoy worship. I would encourage you to take advantage of going to church somewhere when you are out of town, traveling, or on vacation somewhere.   Most importantly, don't take a vacation from your prayer life, or reading/studying your bible, your devotional time, or reading some good Christian related books.

God never vacations and we weren't designed by God to take a vacation from Him.  You will find the more time you spend with God if you're doing it right, the more rested in Him you'll be. 

Matthew 11:28(niv)

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.

Yo Yo Christianity

Yo Yo Christianity

What is Yo Yo Christianity?  Well, a yo yo goes up and down and a lot of people who are Christians or claim Christianity are like that in their faith.  They are in and out of church.  They are not consistent or committed in their relationship with Christ and they go back and forth being involved and not involved, reading and studying their bible and not, attending church services faithfully and then not, and they are in and out of church and their faith.

I think the Bible speaks about how God desires us to be once we become Christians and a part of the body of Christ(The Church) when Paul wrote to Timothy in His 2nd letter (2 Timothy 4:7 ) "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith." Paul was near the end of His life on this earth and He was able to write with confidence these words.  Can the same be said about you?  Will you remain faithful to God all the days of your life and stop yo-yoing in and out of relationship with God or in and out of His church?

I think the problem for people who "yo-yo" is that they either never really took their salvation serious in the first place, so i'd question whether you are even saved? Or it could be that when you become a Christian you never got involved or plugged into your local church and because you weren't focused on serving the Lord you continue to put yourself first.   Maybe the devil still has a foothold in your life and because of that you seem to always struggle because you live for the world, yourself, and not God. 

Faith is like anything else, it needs attention and nurture to grow.  Your Christian walk can be neglected, ignored, put on the back burner, or only used when you think you need it.   What if you have a spouse that wasn't committed to their relationship with you and they were in and out of your life, always in turmoil, and inconsistent would that relationship be healthy? Last? Bring joy? Give you peace? Grow? Absolutely Not! Then why do we think we're going to grow as Christians if we treat God this way?

Being a Christian is a commitment and an eternal one at that!  It means you, yes you, has to make the to read/study your bible, develop and grow your prayer life, and be faithful in attendance, service, giving, worship, and activity in the body of Christ(that is your local church).  If you don't make an effort and a commitment to Christ and His Church you will always struggle, be in and out of church, blame God, make excuses, and be just like a yo yo.

That is why Paul also told the Philippian church members in Philippians 2:12 "continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling" because your faith and eternity are your responsibility.  Our salvation is solely based on what Jesus Christ did for us and not anything we've done or can do.  However, our salvation is always based on our faith and faithfulness.  We should not gamble away or give up our salvation because we lack commitment, we won't truly surrender to Jesus, or because we won't take the steps necessary to grow and mature in our faith.

Don't be a yo yo Christian,  be faithful, stay faithful.  Be proactive and productive in your relationship with God.  Be committed and stay committed.  Your salvation and eternity are too valuable to not stick with it!