From Jim’s Heart—
Membership in the body of Christ is the greatest of all memberships, and the privileges are exceptional, both in this life and the life to come. Hebrews 10:25 tells believers: “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.”
Church is important to God and His Son, Jesus. You and all fellow believers are “living stones, [and] are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood” (1 Peter 2:5). You can demonstrate that the church is important in your life in these ways:
- Attend faithfully—Obviously you can worship God anywhere and at any time, but worship is not just an individual experience, but a collective one as well. And as you worship God with other Christians, you also have the opportunity to develop and use your spiritual gifts.
- Give generously—When you invest your “treasure” in God’s church and God’s people, you have a much greater “heart” interest in the well-being of others. Why? Because “where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matthew 6:21).
- Pray regularly—The apostle Paul asked others to “pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people” (Ephesians 6:18). Pray regularly, not only for your family, but also for your church family, its leaders, and its ministries.
- Serve diligently—You are following Christ’s example when you serve others. Jesus said that “the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve” (Matthew 20:28). A key reason for serving is that when you serve others, you are serving the Lord Jesus Christ (Colossians 3:24).
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