Do you have enough of King Jesus? Christians are supposed to focus on Jesus, not on any mere human being or any mere thing.
Is the risen Christ moment-by-moment ruling and reigning within you as your King of Kings and your Lord of Lords? Is He your absolute Master? Is Jesus leading a day-by-day revolution within your heart against self-focus, carnal desires, sin, and the world system?
It’s not enough to know about Jesus. You need to grow close to Him.
It’s not enough to learn about Jesus. You need to yearn for more and more of His presence.
It’s not enough to be correctly informed about Jesus. You need to be transformed by His power.
It’s not enough to say that you love Jesus. You need to faithfully obey Him throughout each day.
It’s not enough for Christians to legislate our religion and morality. We need to demonstrate the love, kindness, and compassion of Christ to everyone we meet.
As Dan Wilt said: We need to be “helping everyone encounter Him for themselves, up close and personal, for all of history to come.”
The kingdom of God is anywhere that King Jesus rules and reigns. The kingdom of God is at hand. King Jesus is continually knocking on the door of human hearts waiting for people to let Him come in and rule and reign as Lord and Absolute Master within them. The more we surrender our lives to the inner government and direct leadership of the risen Jesus, the closer we are to the kingdom of God. How close are you?
Which is biblical? Attending a church service? Or meeting together with other believers to encourage one another?
The Bible never tells Christians to go to church, however, there is a verse pastors often twist to try to get people to people to attend church. (Hebrews 10:25) The first part of that verse says that Christians shouldn’t give up meeting together. The second part is conveniently not quoted by manipulating pastors. It says, “but encouraging one another — all the more as you see the Day approaching.”
Christians are not told to meet together to hear a sermon, but to meet together to encourage one another. The verse before that verse (Hebrews 10:24) tells Christians to spur one another on to love and good works. This aligns with what Paul wrote: “When you come together, each of you has a hymn, or a word of instruction, a revelation, a tongue or an interpretation. Everything must be done so that the church (a gathering of the body of Christ) may be built up.” (1 Corinthians 14:26)
Jesus told His disciples that if they couldn’t settle a dispute to “tell it to the church (a gathering of the body of Christ).” (Matthew 18:17) How can people “tell it to the church” if they aren’t allowed to speak up in the meeting? They can’t. That’s why that command of Jesus is almost never obeyed by Christians.
We say we believe the Bible. If that is so, shouldn’t we meet together to encourage one another the way the Bible says to?
Free Gas for Your Think Tank -- Short Reflections, Lasting Encouragement 