God is Not Fickle

The dictionary defines fickle as : marked by a lack of steadfastness, constancy, or stability : given to erratic changeableness : not constant or loyal in affections.  It amazes me the lack of loyalty that people have today.  We are fickle when it comes to our friends, marriages and jobs…but even scarier, today’s society is fickle when it comes to God…and we are teaching our children to be the same.  

Many Christians today are not even sure what they believe.  They just follow a man or a group of people.  They think that just as long as they go to church, God is happy.  But God is expecting you to grow and mature and develop a relationship with Him.   In Ephesians 4:14 Paul is talking to Christians about maturing.  “Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming.  Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ.”  He wants us to “grow up”  and become more like Him.  He wants us to be loyal to Him.

We must always be on guard!  Acts 20 warns this “Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them.  So be on your guard!”  If you are already attending church and being fed God’s word, be very cautious of someone who tries to draw you away to another church.  Unless God is calling you to minister somewhere else, be loyal to your church, you were led there for a reason.  Don’t follow a person, follow God.   

Our feelings are unstable and unpredictable.  Therefore, instead of following our feelings, we need to follow God, for He is the only source of true stability. Our motto needs to be like the old hymn…"On Christ the solid Rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand."

God is unchanging and constant.  He is not fickle.  And he expects his children to be like Him.  Be loyal. Be stable. Be committed.

Straddling the Fence

During a sermon at church on day, our pastor talked about Christians who are “straddling the fence”.  This brought to my mind one particular day in my childhood when my brother and I were trying to get from one pasture to another.  The fences we had to cross were made of barbed wire and were too dangerous to climb over, so we would take turns prying two of the strands open for the other to crawl through. This day, I let my brother through first and then he pried it open for me to crawl through.  As I put one leg over and placed my foot on to the ground on the other side, I realized that my hair was stuck on the top strand and I couldn’t move!   I was literally straddling that barbed wire fence! 

Now just imagine how uncomfortable that was being stuck there atop that razor sharp barbed wire with one leg on each side!  I couldn’t go back the way I came from and I couldn’t move forward to the other side.  Isn’t this just like the Christians that want to keep one foot in the old way of life and one foot in their new life with Christ?  They are stuck.  They cannot be fully surrendered to either side. 

One side of this fence is the old sinful life.  Think about a new Christian that hangs on to past sins.  They have the Holy Spirit residing in them, so they experience conviction.  No matter how hard they try, going back to the old sinful life will never make them happy.  So, they are not full surrendered to sin.  (2 Timothy 2:19 “God's solid foundation stands firm, sealed with this inscription: "The Lord knows those who are his," and, "Everyone who confesses the name of the Lord must turn away from wickedness.")

On the other side of this fence is a new life in Christ.  They see others that have peace and joy and seem to flourish in the Lord’s work, but they just can’t get to that place in their walk because that familiar sin keeps them tied to their old life.  They are afraid to step over into the unknown.  So, they are not fully surrendered to God. (Galatians 5:22 “But when the Holy Spirit controls our lives, he will produce this kind of fruit in us: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self control.”)

This is a very uncomfortable position to be in!  The bible tells us in Matthew 6:24 "No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other.”  Christians straddling the fence are trying to serve two masters and they are miserable.  Why would we choose to live this way? 

As I crouched there, stuck between those strands of barbed wire with my hair holding me in place, all I wanted was to be free. I think that’s what Fence-Straddling Christians want- just to be free.  My brother was there to help me and untangle me from that fence.  He pulled me through to freedom on the other side.  I believe our job as Christians is to help our brothers and sisters get free.  I  John 5:16 “If you see a Christian brother or sister sinning in a way that does not lead to death, you should pray, and God will give that person life.”

Are you straddling the fence, stuck between two lives?  Ask the Lord to rescue you today.  Do you know someone that needs your help getting off of that fence?  Commit to pray for them today.  Abundant life is waiting…