I remember when the Holy Spirit convicted my heart and I had a conversion experience. I had a sense of pure panic and urgency that Jesus was coming and I had lost so much time...
Jeff and I started to search for material to study and watch online and was afraid that we'd run out!
I still feel that urgency but not as much as I first did but I still feel the sense that time is so close to the close of this world.
I'm not sure others feel an urgency - tomorrow is never guaranteed. Seeing all the empty seats at Sabbath School is a pattern and I worry that people are not feeling that urgency. Ofcourse there are people who physically can't come or caring for someone, but, not the majority of the church.
When 911 happened, the churches were full. After a while, it became empty once again.
Tomorrow isn't guaranteed...
The story of the 10 virgins, they were all invited to the wedding and all did go to sleep, but 5 of them before they slept ensured that they were going to be ready when the bridegroom came.
When our Bridegroom comes, will you be ready or you feel you're ready enough?
If we're able to stand at anytime, you need to be able to give the reason for your faith.
If someone asked "why do you believe in this... 'Bible'"? You may answer:
"Oh the prophecies"
"Well, I know it's true"
"Because I believe that God is real"
For a non-believer, that won't mean anything.
Unless you have a personal close relationship with Jesus, you won't be able to answer this question effectively and you can't gain a personal, close relationship with Jesus without spending quality time with Him and gathering and discussing with fellow believers.
2 Tim 2:2 says:
Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching.
You can't do this without coming together, gathering together, to assemble together and talking, sharing experiences like we do in Sabbath School or Lunch and Learn.
Isaiah 58:13-14
13 " If you turn away your foot from the Sabbath, From doing your pleasure on My holy day, And call the Sabbath a delight, The holy day of the LORD honorable, And shall honor Him, not doing your own ways, Nor finding your own pleasure, Nor speaking your own words,
14 Then you shall delight yourself in the LORD; And I will cause you to ride on the high hills of the earth, And feed you with the heritage of Jacob your father. The mouth of the LORD has spoken."
It's comfortable to stay home and sleep in and just login to listen to a sermon, but, if you're not joining Sabbath School, Worship, Bible studies, Prayer meetings to talk together, spending time together and share, you won't grow as effectively than if you're able to come to church and participate.
Testimonies of the church vol 2 chapter 71 says the following:
The mind cannot be refreshed, enlivened, and elevated by being confined nearly all the Sabbath hours within walls, listening to long sermons and tedious, formal prayers. The Sabbath of the Lord is put to a wrong use if thus celebrated. The object for which it was instituted is not attained. The Sabbath was made for man, to be a blessing to him by calling his mind from secular labor to contemplate the goodness and glory of God. It is necessary that the people of God assemble to talk of Him, to interchange thoughts and ideas in regard to the truths contained in His word, and to devote a portion of time to appropriate prayer.Â
We’re all stewards – and if we treated coming to church like work, you would come to Sabbath School on time. You’d come to church on time.
If it's once-in-a-while, things happen but if regular, that's a pattern. What is your priority? Or why do you feel you don't need to participate? It's not always just about you. Others would love to learn from you and your experiences as well!
Come and convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching together as a church.
Think of someone famous - for some it's an actor, maybe Denzel Washington or a famous singer. Maybe it's an incredible pastor like Doug Batchelor. If they came to our church for Sabbath School, would you just log in and watch? Or would you make it a point to get here early to get the best seat?
Then how much more should we come to our Father's house, the God of the universe, who created you on the Day He set aside as Holy (sanctified). A celebration of Him as our Creator and Saviour! Don't try to fit God into your schedule. Show your gratitude by fitting your schedule into His for Him and Glorify Him!
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Remember the list of things God hates (see below)? If at work you knew what your boss hates you wouldn’t do it. You'd want to do what makes your boss happy! How much more should we please our Lord our God.
We need all to be an example to others especially the children – teach them like my parents did to make it a "custom" – Jesus as His custom was…
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Everything belongs to God including your time and on Sabbath, God gave this day for us as a precious gift. Let’s spend the Sabbath filling ourselves with Him and our church family not just for ourselves and interchange thoughts and ideas in regard to the truths contained in His word,
Tomorrow isn't guaranteed. Live your life as if it's your last and put God first in your life.
If you want to know what your boss hates, how much more should you know what God calls an abomination and He never changes - you can watch the sermon on "The Fear of God is the Beginning of Wisdom" that will go through this here:
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