Good morning! How are we faithing? Had a conversation recently and it was said that church numbers ebb and flow. I started wondering why. Is it the human condition? Do people just search for the next cool thing? Is this an emotional high and when it subsides the desire leaves? We in the churches are dropping the ball. We surround them when they make a confession of faith, hug them when they get baptized and then leave them alone. Wrong wrong wrong! There they are, saved, washed clean and not a clue where to go from there. They don't even know what to ask. We fellow believers must be in the Word and help these new believers on the path the principles of God make. It's just to darn easy to revert. Gee whiz man, I'm old and I catch myself doing that. We need to prop each other up. We need to stop the bumper sticker platitudes and speak truth in love and help each other. Remove your opinions and speak truth from the Word. We need not care how so much as what. Each of us see things from a different angle so show Jesus by living truth. Our reflection is much more of an indication of truth than our finger pointing. Rather than barking, "you need to be at church when the doors are open", we need to show God's love and encourage those lives so they want to come to church. Burdening new believers with do's and don'ts does not work hence the ebb and flow of the churches. We need to surround people with truth in love not just the truth. Without love it's just another set of rules and that doesn't work by itself or we wouldn't even need this savior. Think about this..

2 Peter 2:20-22
For if after they have escaped the defilements of the world by the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and are overcome, the last state has become worse for them than the first. For it would be better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn away from the holy commandment delivered to them. It has happened to them according to the true proverb, "A dog returns to its own vomit ," and, "A sow, after washing, returns to wallowing in the mire."
NAS

Galatians 4:9
But now that you have come to know God, or rather to be known by God, how is it that you turn back again to the weak and worthless elemental things, to which you desire to be enslaved all over again?
NAS

Heavenly Father,
 Lord we worry about things here. We  lose sight of your grace and we ask forgiveness. Help us be wise and seek wisdom that we act and love  in a manner worthy of your grace. Lord, keep us mindful of the enemy so we don't stray off the path you set for us.  In Jesus name we pray, amen