Place of Worship

24 Let us think of ways to motivate one another 25 And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near.

Hebrews 10:24-25 (NLT)

Most arguably one of the arguments I hear when I try to invite people to church is I can worship God right where I am and be fine doing it. Well you can but when we realize that we are created to be in relationship first with God than with those who also believe and have a relationship with God through His Son Jesus that is when we have to begin considering going to a church. I am not promoting one church over another but in times of trouble and trial which always comes we need a group of people who will support us and give us council that will be in the same manner that we believe to be right. You see I know my strength is encouraged by spending time with those who have accepted Jesus and live a life honoring Him. Now not everyone that goes to church is a blessing some go for the wrong reasons but you must not allow their lack of wisdom to affect your walk with God.

I know you are probably thinking that Jesus never taught that we had to meet in a particular place or even in a group to have a better relationship with God. Yet there are only three times recorded that he was alone with someone sharing about the kingdom. (That I see.) The Samaritan women, Nicodemus and Pontius Pilate there might be others but those are the only three that come to mind. All the other times he is in a group of no less than four.  He went and taught in the temple and synagogues on the Sabbath and kept that portion of the law. Found in Deuteronomy 12:

  4 “Do not worship the Lord your God in the way these pagan peoples worship their gods.5 Rather, you must seek the Lord your God at the place of worship he himself will choose from among all the tribes—the place where his name will be honored.6 There you will bring your burnt offerings, your sacrifices, your tithes, your sacred offerings, your offerings to fulfill a vow, your voluntary offerings, and your offerings of the firstborn animals of your herds and flocks.7 There you and your families will feast in the presence of the Lord your God, and you will rejoice in all you have accomplished because the Lord your God has blessed you.8 “Your pattern of worship will change. Today all of you are doing as you please,9 because you have not yet arrived at the place of rest, the land the Lord your God is giving you as your special possession.10 But you will soon cross the Jordan River and live in the land the Lord your God is giving you. When he gives you rest from all your enemies and you’re living safely in the land,11 you must bring everything I command you—your burnt offerings, your sacrifices, your tithes, your sacred offerings, and your offerings to fulfill a vow—to the designated place of worship, the place the Lord your God chooses for his name to be honored.

Deuteronomy 12:4-11 (NLT)

God gave instruction through Moses that they would come together to worship when they arrived in the place of rest. Today if you are walking with Jesus and living by the word of God than you have found a place of rest; is it not also time for you to seek fellowship and be obedient to what God has instructed of those who love Him. He does not tell us to worry about those who are hypocrites or to worry about that family down the road you really can’t get along with but that you are to come together to worship Him and to gain strength from the unity found in that worship. Have a truly blessed day and I challenge you to find a place to worship so that you can find strength for what lies ahead.