O Come, And Be Faithful - Faithfulness Series

Back to Heb. 10:25

“exhorting” = “encouraging” How many of you enjoy church more when there’s a good crowd than when it’s half empty and you’re wondering where the rest of your body is?!

I know what a struggle it is for me, personally, to fight against this world, my flesh, and the devil, and I’m in church all the time. I don’t know how some can claim to truly fight the fight w/out the support of the local church, the way God intended us to do it.

I’m afraid to miss church…I’ll miss a blessing. Often I’m told by people that they “heard” they missed a good service and “wished” they would have been there. Thank God, I’m also often told by some that though they had to work or were out of town, they were blessed by listening later on the website or on tape.

I can point to about 10 sermons that have absolutely changed my life in the last 2 decades…one of them just a few weeks ago at a Preacher’s fellowship in Effingham. And I was present for each of those life changing sermons. What if I wasn’t present? Several of you have said the same thing about a message you have heard here, and some of you could say the same thing except for the fact that it was on a Wednesday or a Sunday night and you weren’t there, and didn’t take advantage of technology to catch up either, and only eternity will tell what God intended to do in your life!

We ought to be faithful to our church, trusting that God has our number and His messenger will “ring our bell” if only we follow the basic command to be faithful!

Every time you come to church you’re saying to God, “you’re important to me.” But you’re saying more than that…you’re also saying, “pastor, you’re important to me”, and you’re saying to the people you sit near, “you’re important to me!” It’s selfish to skip to church and say, “it won’t hurt ME.” Truth is, yes it will, and it hurts others too!

Ill.—Bro. Carl is a good example to all of us. 2 weeks ago he took on the challenge of a s.s. class that needed a teacher, and he’s now working on recruiting more men for his class…his idea! Last week he suggested we set up a greeter schedule that will help welcome people inside…great idea! And he’s 89 years young! And he knows you don’t just come to church to see what you can get, but what you can give…no wonder God has left him around so long…we need people like him!

To family, in finances, to the fellowship…

• To the faith—now I’m talking about the Word of God. Many today are doubting some parts of God’s Word, and approaching the Bible “cafeteria style”, taking only what you like and leaving the rest behind…putting question marks after some commands of the Scriptures. Well, today is no time to be putting question marks down, but exclamation points!!!

Some who doubt the Word today even call themselves “theologians”, which I have a problem with. For that term comes from 2 Greek words:

Theos = God

Logos = Word

They don’t believe the logos so they must not know the Theos! It’s like Grape Nuts…they’re neither grapes nor nuts!

Folks, we’re not to judge the Word of God, we’re supposed to let the Word of God judge us!