I am not one to practice or endorse "Bumper Sticker Religion." That term describes the behavior of some as they plaster bumper stickers touting their religious and political beliefs all over their car, or they wear T-shirts that have some religious saying and a picture that they think is cute. I just don’t believe that is where our religion ought to be observed. But when you are taking three and four lights to get through an intersection you take notice of bumper stickers, and some stick in your mind.

That is what happened to me the other day. The sticker I saw wasn’t clever or witty, but it was profound. The sticker read "Christianity is an everyday religion." Our faith is for everyday, not for just one day of the week. The aim of our religion is to change our lives, not our weekend schedules. A lot of people don’t understand that, and so their lives don’t change much when they become Christians except on Sunday mornings.

It is said of the earliest disciples, "And every day, in the temple and at home, they ceased not to teach and to preach Jesus as the Christ" (Acts 5:42). We infer from this text that our faith must be practiced everyday. Again, some of us don’t. Our faith is like a Sunday suit that we can take off and put on at our leisure. Too many see our religion as an opportunity for social contact, an opportunity to make friends or be a part of a group. To some it is merely the outlet for the practice of traditions, the "faith of our fathers." Such people often practice their faith yearly, not daily, coming to worship only on Christmas or Easter. But unless our faith is practice everyday, it does not accomplish what the Lord designed it for.

"But refuse profane and old wives' fables. And exercise thyself unto godliness: for bodily exercise is profitable for a little; but godliness is profitable for all things, having promise of the life which now is, and of that which is to come" (1 Tim. 4:7-8). "But solid food is for fullgrown men, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern good and evil" (Heb. 5:14). Physical exercise is important for the health of the body. Doctors tell us that frequent and regular exercise builds the body, making it stronger and better able to resist disease. Regular exercise also trains the individual to better coordinate his body and develop skills that may not have been apparent before. "Bodily exercise is profitable for a little; but godliness is profitable for all things," Paul says.

As the condition of the soul is more important than the condition of the body, so is the exercise of the soul to godliness more important than physical exercise. Over the years I have tried to keep myself in shape by going to the gym and lifting weights. For the last couple of weeks I have missed because of our Gospel meeting here and the one that I held in California. When I got back from California my intention was to go straight to the gym and work out, but my first inclination was to put it off. I was tired. But early Monday morning I was in the gym pumping iron. I have to admit that some of the exercises had gotten a little more difficult, and I have been sore as could be all week. But if I keep after it, that will hopefully pass, and I will be back in the regular habit. But I will have to resolve myself to do so.

When one does not exercise himself unto godliness, as Paul speaks of it, on a daily basis, there is a cost. The first inclination is that one little sin is not too hard to take care of, missing one service won’t really have a negative effect. So we let up a little. Our religion becomes one of "every other day," or even "every now and then." We grow fat and comfortable in our sin, and when we find ourselves compelled to have a good "spiritual workout," we find that we can’t do too much and, even so, we are really sore and uncomfortable in what we were able to do.

For some, that is the wake-up call. For most, that is the beginning of the end. Surely, we must see the importance of practicing our faith everyday if we are going to be the kind of people we ought to be, able to discern between right and wrong and withstand the wiles of the devil.

We expect God and Jesus to be there whenever we need them. We recall the encouraging words of Paul, "Rejoice in the Lord always: again I will say, Rejoice. Let your forbearance be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand" (Phil. 4:4-5). And Jesus promised, "Lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world" (Matt. 28:20).

Suppose that when we called upon the Lord for comfort or help he wasn’t there. Suppose that we found out later that he had something else better to do. Suppose that occasionally he got together with those who despise us to plot evil against us, or that he was so busy with them, that he forgot us and our needing him. Maybe one day he was gone fishing or hunting or on a trip or to a concert, and he couldn’t be reached.

You say that is ridiculous, because God has promised not to do that, and he never breaks his word, but when our service to him is not daily, but rather haphazard, have we not broken our word?

To be a true child of God, one must be baptized for the remission of sins, wear the name of Christ without shame, he must attend services whenever he can, he must study his Bible and pray. But the most visible sign of true discipleship is the life that he lives. "Jesus therefore said to those Jews that had believed him, If ye abide in my word, then are ye truly my disciples" (John 8:31).

Paul tells us, "Howbeit the firm foundation of God standeth, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his: and, Let every one that nameth the name of the Lord depart from unrighteousness" (2 Tim. 2:19). The seal is that which identifies us. The term goes back to the signet rings men wore with their symbol or seal. When they sent a letter, the ring’s design would be impressed on the sealing wax, so that the sender could truly be identified. That which identifies us is the fact that we have departed from unrighteousness.

The expectation of grace is that we should order our lives to fit God’s plan for us. Hear again the words of Paul, "For the grace of God hath appeared, bringing salvation to all men, instructing us, to the intent that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly and righteously and godly in this present world; looking for the blessed hope and appearing of the glory of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ" (Titus 2:11-13). Not only do we live in the hope of going to heaven when Jesus come, but we live the way God wants us to – Everyday!

Ours is an everyday religion. Have you been living the way God wants you to live? Have you been absent from you commitment to him? Once a week religion is a dishonor to God.