Devotion for Monday, December 5
24 And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works:25 Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching. Hebrews 10:24-25
As We continue this week with our Voices series, we’re going to look at voices that should be in our lives.
Today’s text tells us that one group of peole we need in our life is others in the church. The word translated church can be literally translated “assembly” and speaks in this context of a local assembly of baptized belivers who assemble to worship God, learn from God’s Word, fellowship together and develop relationships where we can “consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works”. There is no replacement for the church in your life. You need the voices of fellow brothers and sisters who know you and love you, and will encourage you to do and be who God’s called you to be.
The writer says this is why it’s important to be there when the church assembles. You need the preaching, teaching, fellowship and encouragment that only church can provide.
Application:
Are you connected to our church to the degree that you have been provoked to love and good works? Have you encouraged others to love and good works? Are you skipping services thinking that it’s no big deal? You need to be there every chance you get.
Study the Scriptures with Ben Jennings 
I came to this church in 7th grade…I remember tristian giving me those your invited things and I came and when I came I just fell in love with the church I loved it, I loved the people, I loved everything about it. I think I am connected with the church in a way that I do, do good works. Everytime I don’t come to church I feel sad I feel like oh no matter how sick or bad I feel I have to go but I know I can’t because I don’t want to get everyone sick either but when I don’t go I feel like I’m missing this whole bunch of information. I only missed church twice. I have tryed to encourage other to love and do good works, I have tryed to invite them to come to this church…I’m a little bit shy I might look like I’m not but inside I’m a little shy. I have not been skipping services.
Aw ya I member when I invited u!!! 🙂
This is cool because it doesn’t just tell you what you need to get out of your life but it gives you things that need to be in your life to help you grow. Church is something that if we come with an open heart we can really get good instruction for our life. The other really cool thing is the people, the people are a huge blessing that can help each other when times are tough and rejoice when times are good.
Growing up I wasn’t raised in church so church was never a big part of my life until I came to Sonshine the summer before my sophomore year of high school started. I can agree with church being such a positive voice in our lives. To me, church is like my second home. It’s a place where I feel so comfortable at, all of you are truly like family to me, and I know that everytime i come to church, that God is going to teach me something. I’ve totally been effected to the degree where I completley fell in love with God, and realized my relationship with Him is so crucial that it isn’t a joke. We all need godly influences in our lives whether it is a pastor, youth pastor, a leader, other students in the youth group, etc. We all need them, and what better place to find them then church. Church has made such an impact on my life, especially in the past year. Because of church I’ve grown so much and gotten to experience so many things. In America, church is just another freedom to us. We can come and go as we please. Imagine living in China, where you can be killed or thrown in jail just for what you believe, meeting in secret to have church, or hiding the only bible you have because you don’t have access to one otherwise. Church is something, I think here in America, that we really take advantage of. Church is so important and is necessary.
Church is definitely something I know I need! I grew up in church and have always loved it, but before it was for all the wrong reasons. I used to love going to church to hang out with my friends and have a good time (which isn’t a bad thing, it’s good to have fun!) but I was missing the real reason we should go to church, to learn from God’s word. I’ve come to realize that while hanging out with my friends and having a fun time isn’t necessarily bad, it shouldn’t be the only reason I go to church. It’s really different now, I actually come to church because I want to learn about God! It’s a bonus being able to fellowship with other believers 🙂 I think church is a great thing to be involved in, I couldn’t imagine not going to church all the time! I love my church and my church family so much! But reading this verse I kinda realized that I don’t really encourage others to love and good works as much as I should be. Church is always a happy place, so sometimes it’s easy for me to forget that people there might be going through something and need some encouragement. But I need to do that more often!
I have two prayer requests today.. Traveling mercies for my family, we’re going on vacation for two weeks! (I’ll be missing a lot of church too :() and I’ve just been having a rough time at home lately. So I’m not sure if vacation is either a bad idea, being away from home, or it could be just what I need!
I’m not sure if I’ll have internet or not, but I’ll try my best to keep up with the devotions! I’ll mss you guys 😦 see you in a couple weeks!
i came to this church in second grade (2007) i was here before when i was younger but then i moved away.so i’ve been here a while! i grew up in church and my parents teaching me his word.this church has really made an impact on my life.i mean i have the best teenagers surronding me along with the awesomeist leaders.like alexis said,i would go to church and be there to hang with friends.i don’t do that anymore.i really only miss church if someones sick and we all can’t go or im out of town or something.otherwise,im there! i really hate to miss church but sometimes i have to for a reason.i sometimes not allthe time encourage people to love and do good works.i try my best though.sometimes it goes in one ear and out the other with some people.hope you guys had a fantabulous day today! 🙂
A lot of you guys are talking about growing up either in church, or not & coming to church later. Well my situation was kinda different I guess. I wasn’t raised in one particular church, but I went and visited a lot of other churches, and I grew up in a Christian home. But, I will say that my relationship with God didn’t start to grow until I started coming to Sonshine in 8th grade. Every week, my goal is to learn something new about my Father, and I think I have 🙂 I think I’m connected to our church to love, and to do good works. Not because I feel like ‘oh well I’ve been coming to church, I gotta do this’ but I feel like it’s what I love to do! It’s what makes me all happy inside and smiley 🙂 I know I can do better with encouraging others, but I try to! I hope I can be an encourager to you guys! I love coming to church, being with you guys and discussing the bible, and helping teach the kids the bible. Sometimes I miss service & when I do, my entire weeks thrown off! I’m like man, I’m missing something big. I agree that it important to go to any service possible! I’ve been with the kids Sunday mornings & nights for the past few months so i feel like woah Im probably missing some important stuff. But then I think God’s gotta reason for surrounding me with these kiddies so much, preparing me for a possible future of teaching 🙂 but don’t get me wrong, any service is a great service!!
Church is obviously important, we need to surround ourselves with this atmosphere whenever possible!
I’m so thankful for the impact that different churches have had on my life. I’m really thankful to be a part of Sonshine Baptist!
church is important for us to grow! I grew up in a christian home, i’ve always gone to a christian school, and I’ve always gone to a church. Since I had so much “God” all the time for as long as I could remember….i took Him for granted! I didn’t really learn anything that helped me grow in Him. It was just a ritual thing. Only until last year at camp …I’ve started to take God seriously and realize that what I have……ITS A GIFT! I’m soooooo lucky that I have the gift of salvation. Especially now that I’m going to a public school I realize how much of the world doesn’t have this amazing gift that I have! I feel selfish that I have this gift and I don’t share it, but I’m trying. It’s sooo hard. I try to shine my light in all the little ways I can. Hopefully someone realizes and I can share it.
I grew up in this church! Really my family has been going to this church for 22 years! I hope to stay at this church for a very long time cause no one can ever get enough God! I grew up in a family where I would go to church read the bible go to wedneday night church! But as I got older I would stop going witch really messed up my God time. When I did go to church I though I really didn’t fit in. When I got in the teen group I felt so happy and not left out anymore cause Zack was there to help me and introudce me to all of the teens, when I got in the teens I became really into God and going to church and telling people about him, and just getting involved in all the activities that where going on! I am really happy to be a part of a church family like the one I have now and Hope to become a bible college grauite! I think I spelt that wrong! But I hope my kids and there kids will grow up in this church just like i did! 🙂