How do you spur someone to love and good works? These two things are the mark of true and intimate Christianity. Christians should never be judged by the confessions they make, or the faith they hold dear; it is always by their deeds. Have you manifested practical love in others? How far will you go to help someone crying out for help, someone who is destitute or disappointed, someone who needs an encouraging word or a helping hand or a generous check-in? This is the ultimate test.
A Call to Persevere in Faith
19 Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, 20 by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, 21 and since we have a great priest over the house of God, 22 let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. 23 Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. 24 And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, 25 not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching. Hebrews 10:19-25
How do you achieve this? I suggest two ways – First, never neglect meeting together, that is very important. Not giving up meeting together, but encouraging one another.
If meeting up together, everyone feels loved and encouraged, the character of the meeting is sound. They are not to be discouraging meetings, they are to be encouraging meetings. They are to be meetings where you can hear again the tremendous, radical principles of Christian faith and to see again in human lives the mighty power of the Father whom we worship and serve; and where you can understand how God works through human society, how He is transforming and changing men everywhere. To meet together is to encourage one another in these things. That is what Christian services should be like: To hear the Word of God so that it comes home with power to the heart, and to share with one another the results of our convictions. If our services were more like this, we would not have difficulty in getting people to come.
The second way is a watchful awareness of the time. All the more as you see the Day approaching.
The Day
is the certain return of Jesus Christ. As evil becomes more subtle, as it becomes more and more difficult to tell the difference between truth and error, good and bad, right and wrong; as the insistent voices of our age pour out deceitful lies, and we find the whole of society permeated and infiltrated with false concepts that deny the truth of the Word of God, we need all the more to gather together and encourage one another by sharing the secrets of life in Christ Jesus.
Prayer
Heavenly Father, we praise and thank You that we can the have confidence to enter the holy place through the blood of Jesus, which has washed us clean of our sins and cleansed our hearts.. by faith. Thank You that Jesus is our great High Priest and that we have access to God through the new and living way.. which He Himself gave for us through His flesh. I pray that we may draw nearer to You with every passing day so that our hearts may continue to be sprinkled clean from an evil conscience – so that we may walk in the newness of life in Christ.. to His praise and glory. thank You for giving Your only Begotten Son to tear down the wall of separation between Your perfection and our sinfulness. Thank You that by His death we have been proclaimed righteous and dressed in His eternal righteousness, to Whom be all honour and glory we praise and thank You Father for the wonderful assurance of faith we have in Jesus. Thank You Father that we have been washed in the soul-cleansing blood of the Lamb and covered in the righteousness of the Lord Jesus. Keep our ears open to Your voice and our hearts ready to follow Your guidance Heavenly Father, thank You for loving us so much that while we were still dead in our trespasses and sins, Christ completed His finished work on the cross.. so that by grace through faith in Him, we might have forgiveness of sin and life everlasting. Thank You for those who taught us about the Lord Jesus and who demonstrated the love of Christ in their own lives – provoking me to love and good works in our own lives. Help us to be so in tune with You that others may be provoked unto love and good works through our witness thank You that we are part of the body of Christ and thank You for the opportunities we have to meet regularly with our brothers and sisters in Christ. I pray that we may actively seek out opportunities to meet together with other Christians.. so that together we may give mutual encouragement and motivate one another towards godly love and good works. And Lord, as the world becomes increasingly dark, I pray that none of us may fall into the trap of becoming isolated in our Christian walk, but may we grow in grace and wisdom and in a knowledge of You – enjoying godly fellowship and sound teaching – to Your praise and glory.
In Jesus Name, Amen
Live Christ Centered 