Don’t become spiritually malnourished

Good morning everyone,

Our theme for this month: “Salvation past, present, and future”

Our Bible verse for today: “And let us watch out for one another to provoke love and good works, not neglecting to gather together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging each other, and all the more as you see the day approaching.” Hebrews 10:24-25 (CSB)

Our thought for today: “Don’t become spiritually malnourished”

You need your church and your church needs you. It has always been God’s plan that His people would congregate in groups as a community of faith. There are no examples in the Bible of Lone Ranger Christians (Christians being alone, out of fellowship with other Christians, and it being a good thing). Jesus was in the desert alone, but that was only for forty days. John the Baptist lived in the wilderness, but great crowds of people went out to be with him (they had church in the desert!)

As Hebrews 10:24-25 teaches, God wants us to gather on a regular basis so we can look out for each other, love, support, and encourage one another. Our time together is also to be a time of teaching, equipping, group worship, and planning for works of service.

This life as a saved person is a time for growing in spiritual maturity as we become more and more like Jesus. The church plays an important role in our growth as Christians. Church is where we most often engage with our preachers, teachers, counselors, and friends. The role the church plays in our lives is often subtle, and the benefits of it are realized a little at a time over a long period of time.

You may have heard the story of the elderly deacon who encountered a younger man who had been absent from church for a long time. The deacon asked him why he had stopped attending. The man replied that on most Sundays he just didn’t feel as if church attendance was doing much for him. He said, “I can’t even remember most of the sermons I have ever heard.”

To that the deacon wisely replied, “You know, I’ve been married for fifty-five years. My wife has prepared a meal for me every day of those fifty-five years but I can’t remember most of them. However, each of those meals nourished my body and helped to keep me healthy. If I hadn’t eaten those meals I would have been malnourished and physically sick. The same is true about every sermon you hear. It nourishes your soul and helps to keep you spiritually healthy.”

You need to be in church. It’s an important part of the transforming work God wants to be doing in your life. Otherwise, over time, you will become spiritually malnourished.

God bless,
Pastor Jim

(If you like what you are reading in these daily devotionals, and if you would like more content from Oak Hill Baptist Church, join us on Sundays at 10:00, in-person if you are nearby or, if you are geographically distant or if you just can’t make it, online at www.YouTube.com/@oakhillbaptistcrossville

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