What or who is God’s church? God’s church is at least two people gathering together in the name of Jesus. “For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them” (Matthew 18:20). God’s church refers to all believers in Jesus Christ, both living and dead, and to local gatherings of believers. God loves His church so much He asks His people to not forsake the assembly of God, and He demonstrates to us throughout His word that Christians need the fellowship of one another to make it to the end of their race. Unfortunately, many nonbelievers are detoured from coming to church because of the attitudes of some in the assembly. Others choose to not attend, because of their idleness or lack of knowledge. Whatever the excuse, the one that pricks my heart the most is, “I don’t like going to church because church people are judging me.” This is a sad lie the devil likes to use to create an atmosphere of dissension and turmoil. He will try anything to keep people away from God’s church. The truth is, ALL people are judgmental. It isn’t just church people. In fact, the most judgmental person is ourselves. We judge ourselves nonstop throughout the day, and when we are judging our own flaws, Satan likes to tell us lies about ourselves and others. Some of those lies are that we aren’t good enough, or that no one likes us. Satan’s desire is to steal and destroy anything that God wants to give us. Satan is trying to hold us back from experiencing a freedom that our souls desperately need. The freedom that only comes from the fellowship and worshiping with our brothers and sisters in Christ. God wants us to have this freedom, and He wants us to experience all of His blessings. The only way we can truly be blessed is to do what He asks, and God asks us to meet with Him and His children weekly. God’s church is His pride and joy. It is a group of imperfect people worshiping a perfect God.
Hebrews 10:24-25, “And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.”
Dear God,
Thank you so much for giving us the freedom and opportunity to meet together with our brothers and sisters in Christ. Help us to tune out the lies of satan. Teach us to consider each other and lift one another up in Your love. Amen.