Behaviors Matter!

Some behaviors in church are learned behaviors such as; 

• Quickening (jerk), and jumping when you really don’t feel anything.

• People learn how to dance, clap on beat.

• How to say and use church jargon, lingo and phrases at the right time and for the right occasion.

• Learned church rhythm, call and response, when to say AMEN and Hallelujah!  The louder, the bolder the more impactful.

• Learned church protocol, how to work in the church to make the church congregation grow, but never grow spiritually themselves.

• They learn the power of suggestion.  It is suggested that when the preacher lays hands on the person he or she will automatically fall out onto the floor pretending the Spirit hit them) to represent the power of God.  That makes the person (Preacher) who is ministering look like they are anointed and have power with God.

• They learn which face to wear for the occasion: ugly tuned up face that says I am serious about the Lord, He is so Um,Um Good, or the face of piety that speaks “God Bless you darling”.

This is how men dressed in sheep's clothes get in among the congregation. This is how people go to church, participate in church but never surrender their life to Jesus Christ to live a clean holy life of purity.  This is how some children grow up in church playing church, living a lie and go into adulthood continuing to play Russian Roulette with their soul.  Never held accountable for their sins, just going through the motions.  Christian Behaviors Matter! 

A Christian’s behavior is representative of Jesus Christ himself.   A Christians behavior should not be phony, fake, like the devil who is the father of lies.  Why should a person be synthetic when he or she can be authentic? It is time to sell out and go hard after God.  1 Peter 1:15 But like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior  … holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord: Hebrews 12:14  An authentic relationship with God breads authentic Christian behaviors.  If we are going to imitate anyone let us Imitate Jesus Christ’s behaviors!

"Activation"

 

2022 Xavier University Commencement - Graduate Ceremony

Gridlock

 

 

Gridlock

Riding, talking, and laughing about the church from back in the day and trying to wrap our minds around behaviors of the modern church. A friend and I were riding on the highway reminiscing over old events. Opinionated, dialoguing about current events, and then we look out the window of the car over to our left. What did we see? Unbelievable! Traffic northbound was at a standstill for miles and miles and miles with absolutely no movement. The travelers had a location in mind, a planned destination, but nothing was moving for them. Not even a nearby exit in sight. All the travelers could do was sit in their vehicles and wait for the traffic to start moving again. Mercy on those travelers whose gas tank was a drip of gas away from empty and surviving off of fumes.

Our zest in life drives us to move forward only to find ourselves sometimes stuck in life’s traffic, not moving towards our personal goals with no exit to reroute us. There are times when it seems as though you are just stuck not making any progress. Nothing in life seems to be propelling you forward. You can not see what is ahead for you. Every time you start getting ready to move ahead then the traffic stops again. Frustrated, tired of sitting, hungry for a move, desiring a change in scenery.

My friend and I did not know what the hindrance was to the traffic jam. We were just joyfully moving swiftly to our desired destination. All that we could say is “girrrrrrrrllllll look at that traffic! Oh No! People are still getting on the expressway!” But what is a person to do when they are on the side of reality stuck in traffic? For some odd reason no green lights are flashing and you do not detect what is going on ahead of you. No goals towards your destination are being met. People along with yourself are thinking you should have arrived at your potential by now. Merely waiting for a move forward. Instead of stressing and complaining there are things that you can do when if feels like you are not moving forward “just stuck”:

• Talk with God. It is okay to ask God why am I not moving forward?

• Turn up the volume of praise and worship to God.

• Read, Read, Read, Study, Study, Study, Pray, Pray, Pray

• Read the good book (the Bible) and meditate on God’s word.

• Accept your break from the fast pace of life’s traffic and breath!

• Relish the rest from life's fast pace.

• Take a moment to observe your surroundings.

• Stretch your imagination. Plan and strategize your next move towards your goals, dreams, and aspirations.

If you do these things when you feel like you are in gridlock then you are not really stuck, you are actually making progress with time well spent. You will have taken a deep breath and will be ready to move forward when the traffic starts up again. One thing for sure we know is God’s timing is perfect and traffic will flow again. You will reach your destination!

If you do things while your goals, dreams, and aspirations are on pause then you will abound. You may feel like you are not moving, but literally, you are moving in the right direction. While you are at a halt patiently waiting for a forward move you are only adding to your faith virtue, and to virtue knowledge, and to knowledge temperance, and to temperance patience, and to patience godliness. 2 Peter 1:5-6 You may not be physically or socially moving now but as a matter of fact, you are forging ahead.

Your WHY!

Has the Church forgotten her WHY?

Why we should go to church.

Why we should be witnesses.

Why we live HOLY each day.

"Inseparable"

God's Love for us is so Sure and so Pure, Who can separate us from the Love of Christ?

"LIVE"

“Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:” John 11:25 "LIVE" Jesus was resurrected so that we may LIVE. So Just BELIEVE and "LIVE"