America,  it is long past time to quit playing "Christian".  It is time to  truly be Christian.   Being a "Sunday" Christian isn't going to cut it.  Many people express a desire to be closer to God, but few are willing to pay the price.  Recently God's given me the opportunity to talk with quite a few people about "Religion".  I can't say what's in people's hearts, only God knows, but what I seem to be hearing a lot of is "Rationalization".  Here are some topics that's come up in these conversations and just some of the excuses given by people who consider themselves faithful Christians. 

TOPIC: We make so many excuses why we can't go to church. 
COMMENTS: I'm too busy, there are too many hypocrites there, I can find God w/o going to church, The preacher makes me mad, Football season, It's a day of rest - so I rest, Who are you to tell me I should go to church - that's judging me, I can worship God at home, Jesus doesn't just stay in a church building so why should I go to one to worship him?
SEEMS TO ME: Very few people have valid reasons, we're just too prideful or lazy or hardened.  Or we simply want to do something else more.

TOPIC: We make so many excuses why we don't tithe. 
COMMENTS: That's Old Testament, I can't afford to, They're just after my money, They don't need my money, God doesn't need my money. You can't tell me to tithe - you're judging me! 
SEEMS TO ME: We love that money don't we?

TOPIC: We make so many excuses why we don't control our tongues. 
COMMENTS: I'm not gossiping - I'm just relaying facts!, (Very few excuses given here, the general consensus seemed to be that it's just too hard to do so why even try?) 
SEEMS TO ME:  It is incredibly hard to control our tongues - but we have to pray and trust that God will help us, we can't just give up - break that habit!

TOPIC: We make so many excuses why we can't forgive. 
COMMENTS: I've been wronged, They talk about me, He/She started it, I'm right - he/she is wrong, It's unfair, I've been mistreated, God understands.  (general consensus seemed to be that it's just too hard and so we don't try very hard) 
SEEMS TO ME: We like holding our grudges - we like to dwell on how we were wronged.  I know how hard it is to forgive and to pray for one's enemies - but that doesn't absolve me from doing it.  I pray for strength in this area frequently.

TOPIC: We make so many excuses why we can't humble ourselves or serve others. 
COMMENTS: I'm right - he/she's wrong, I'm not going to beg!, What about my needs? (general consensus seemed to be that we think we're too good to be servants) 
SEEMS TO ME: We do think we're too good to be servants, We have too much pride to humble ourselves.  It's too important to us to WIN or be right in an argument.  I pray to God to help me follow the perfect example set by Jesus Christ.

TOPIC: We make so many excuses why we chase the dollar and riches, yet never have enough to help others. 
COMMENTS: It's the way the world is today, I've got to survive, What about my retirement?, It's ok to give in theory but you can't do that and live in today's world, I'll start giving after I've got enough built up.  God doesn't expect us to because he knows how little I have. 
SEEMS TO ME: We're way too attached to our possessions - we're very much afraid of poverty.  We have taken luxuries and made them NEEDS.  We think our need is always greater than someone else's need.  We have got to trust God to provide for us.   Oh I pray for strength to break the chains that love of money and possessions place on me!  

I learned a lot talking with people these last couple weeks.  It is good to do some critical self-examination occasionally.  Pray to God that he gives you strength and wisdom to examine yourself.  I especially pray for the strength to deal with what he shows me.  I desire to  put away all hypocrisy and excuse making. The problem with the excuse making is that deep down we know that is all we are doing.  We know that God knows our hearts, no matter how much we try to hide.  Praise Jesus and thank God for his sacrifice for us. Don't wait for a rainy day to listen to God -  talk and walk with him in your daily life.  This will help you in the daily struggles against temptations.  Be on guard in yourself against rationalizing sin away.  There's only one way to get that sin wiped out and it goes through Jesus Christ.  Don't treat that casually, don't be tolerant of sin in your life.