These aren’t my words or any others for that matter. The words I write today come from The Book, the Book that was breathed by the God of Love who speaks to His people and shows them the way:
“Hear, O Israel, the decrees and laws I declare in your hearing today…” (Deut. 5:1).
“Wait a minute…, what’s that got to do with me? It’s just religion, and I just want God. I can have God in any place of creation, please just don’t ask me to ‘Go to Church!’
“I hear what you say, and it’s a rough and rocky road at times to sit in a seat in a building made with brick, filled with people who, well, yes, quite honestly…are hypocrites! But can you suffer to hear some persuasion -not from me! But from God Himself! Yes, He speaks and quite honestly, to get the focus off of ‘us’ and on to what matters most – the Cross!”
“Don’t even think for a second that any of this points to you – of something ‘you’ve got to do!’ Please read a bit of God’s word to hear that He’s already done it! “It is finished!” Complete! And quite honestly the only reason we step foot in church is to say, “Thank You Jesus for giving me breath and when the day comes – I don’t have to fear death!”
“…Because the blood of bulls and and goats is powerless to take sins away. Hence, when He (Christ) entered into he world, He said, Sacrifices and offerings You have not desired, but instead You have made ready a body for Me [to offer];” (Hebrews 10:4,5. Amplified).
“In burnt offerings and sin offerings You have taken no delight. Then I said, Lo, here I am, come to do Your will, O God; [to fulfill] what is written of Me in the volume of the Book.” [Psalm 40:6-8]. (Hebrews 10:6,7, Amplified).
And just to let you know, it seems all the same is repeated. I don’t know why God says the same thing twice, but maybe…well, He knows, the Bible says He is All Wise:
“When He said just before, you have neither desired nor have You taken delight in sacrifices and offerings and burnt offerings and sin offerings, all of which are offered according to the Law.”
“He then went on to say, Lo [here] I am, come to do Your will. Thus He does away with and annuls the first (former) order [as a means of expiating sin] so that He might inaugurate and establish the second (latter) order.[Psalm 40:6-8).
So out of curiosity I turn to Psalm 40 to read what it says. I write it down here so we can hear it again, oh my – for the third time. (There must be something here that the Good Shepherd wants His sheep to hear:)
“Sacrifice and offering You do not desire, nor have You delight in them; You have given me capacity to hear and obey [Your law], a more valuable service than] burnt and sin offerings which You do not require. Then said I, Lo , I come; in the volume of the book it is written of me. I delight to do Your will, O my God; yes, Your law is within my heart.” (Psalm 40:6-8)
People, just so you can be reminded, Jesus obeyed the will of His Father. And if He didn’t say, Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.” (Luke 22:42New Living Translation). We would have no hope. No hope for this life and life eternal. No hope to get through the walk we must make on this thorny ground, no hope for peace, no hope for a mind that is sound!
Go to church for ONE REASON ONLY: To give thanks to God and give Him the praise He deserves – for being ‘patient and kind’ and so ‘longsuffering’! For being willing to walk the ‘Via Dolorosa’ as an innocent Lamb being brought to the slaughter. He didn’t wait for us to ‘get it right’ and ‘get our ducks all in order!’ He said to His Father who art in Heaven, “Your will be done as it is in heaven…”
“Whereas this One (Christ), after He had offered a single Sacrifice for our sins [that shall avail] for all time, sat down at the right hand of God, Then to wait until His enemies should be made a stool beneath His feet.” (Hebrews 10:12,13).
“For by a single offering He has forever completely cleansed and perfected those who are consecrated and made holy.And also the Holy Spirit adds his testimony to us [in confirmation of this]. For having said,
“This is the agreement (testament, covenant) that I will set up and conclude with them after those days, says the Lord: I will imprint My laws upon their hearts, and I will inscribe them on their minds -on their inmost thoughts and understanding.” (Hebrews 10:15, 16.)
So I will repeat the words of Psalm 40 because the Holy Spirit is alive in me, for anyone who thinks there is no proof – the proof that God will show you each day – is courage and faith in other lives you see. “I proclaim righteousness in the great assembly, (here on the keys of my computer!) I do not seal my lips, as you know, O lORD. I do not hide your righteousness in my heart; I speak of your faithfulness and salvation. I do not conceal your love and your truth from the great assembly.”(Psalm 40: 9,10).
I desire to persuade people to ‘go to church’ to give thanks to Jesus for giving us life…but not only that, Psalm 40 has penned for us, the focus of our cry. So get your eyes off the people and get them on GOD – talk to Him, cry to Him, just go to give thanks, seek His face with all of your heart, the words are written, here is a start:
“Do not withhold your mercy from me, O LORD; may your love and your truth always protect me. For troubles without number surround me; my sins have overtaken me, and I cannot see. They are more than the hairs on my head, and my heart fails within me. ” (Ps. 40:11,12).
“Be pleased, O LORD, to save me; O LORD, come quickly to help me. May all who seek to take my life be put to shame and confusion; may all who desire my ruin be turned back in disgrace. May those who say to me “Aha! Aha!” be appalled at their own shame.
‘But may all who seek You rejoice and be glad in You; may those who love your salvation always say, “The LORD be exalted!” (Psalm 40:13-16).
Yes, I write too many words to have many readers, but let me end with more of what God says, my words aren’t important, but He…is all Wise:
“Therefore, brethren, since we have full freedom and confidence to enter the [Holy of] Holies [by the power and virtue] of the blood of Jesus, By this fresh (new) and living way which He initiated and dedicated and opened for us through the separating curtain [veil of the Holy of Holies], that is, through His flesh; And since we have [such] a great and wonderful and noble Priest [Who rules] over the house of God,
“Let us come forward and draw near with true (honest and sincere) hearts in unqualified assurance and absolute conviction engendered by faith, [that is, by the leaning of the entire human personality on God in absolute trust and confidence in His power, wisdom and goodness,] having our heart sprinkled and purified from a guilty (evil) conscience and with our bodies cleansed with pure water.” (Hebrews 10:19-22, Amplified).
Yes, in all of that, we go to church with our eyes on ONE Person only! “So let us seize and hold fast and retain without wavering the hope we cherish and confess, and our acknowledgment of it,
for He Who promised is reliable (sure) and faithful to His word! (exclamation point mine, Hebrews 10: 23).
“GO TO CH__CH!” This was a sign we would see as we drove down the road at a local church. The sign then said, “What’s missing?”… UR!
Can I persuade you to ‘go to church’! I have already given you the reasons why, but there is one other reason: because someone will be encouraged when they see you there!
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