210423 02 – Hebrews 10:25
Hebrews 10:25
Not forsaking our own assembling together,
as is the habit of some,
but encouraging one another;
and all the more
as you see the day drawing near.
Devotional
Attending services doesn’t depend on how FAR one lives from church, but how CLOSE he lives to God!
The writer of Psalm 116 found great pleasure in praising the Lord and joining with others in worship. How different is the attitude of many professing Christians today!
Paul Rees writes, “Our churches are not being weakened and thinned out by the people who would like to be present and can’t, but by the folks who could be present and aren’t.”
He then proceeds to consider four excuses that are often used:
- The “weather excuse” — This doesn’t keep people from their work or attending a banquet or enjoying a football game in freezing temperatures.
- The “minister excuse” — This is the practice of criticizing the preacher for talking too loudly or too softly, too rapidly or too slowly, or of being too careless in his grammar or too precise and academic. Those who use this subterfuge forget that the minister is God’s servant and that his message, even though poorly delivered, when combined with the prayers and hymns, will make the meeting worthwhile.
- The “people excuse” — This effort to avoid guilt for not attending services is centered upon the problem of church members who are unfriendly and hypocritical, but it ignores the fact that the warm and sincere people could use some help.
- The “mood excuse” — This finds expression in such statements as “I’m too nervous today,” or “I’m just not in the right state of mind.” Folks who use this pretext don’t realize that public worship may be just the tonic they need. Failure to attend church is not only a sin, but also a barometer of spirituality (Hebrews 10:25). Remember, you can’t fool God with excuses!
Help me to recognize my need
Of fellowship with others,
And therefore wend my way each week
To worship with my brothers.
Twitter: @SchoemakerHarry
Website 1: https://devotionals.harryschoemaker.nl
Website 2: http://bijbelplaatjes.nl
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