Keep going. Don’t stop meeting. Be encouragers.

Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, 20 by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, 21 and since we have a great priest over the house of God, 22 let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. 23 Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. – Hebrews 10:19-23.

We have confidence to enter the Most Holy place, only because we have been cleansed by the blood of Jesus. Once tasted, our desire for His presence grows and our sorrow for things which keep us away increases. This scripture goes on to point out that if our desire for sin is greater than our desire to be in Gods presence, then it is a sign of rejection of the sacrifice and there is no salvation.

If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left – Hebrews 10:26.

This is not describing a true follower of Christ, but those who make a claim to be, while rejecting His lordship. Another example of this is found in Johns description of the last days before Christ’s return.

They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us; but they went out that they might be made manifest, that none of them were of us. – 1 John 2:19

We don’t know the state of another’s heart, so we need to be those who encourage one another to keep going, in the hope that less people fall away when temptation or discouragement comes. I believe this is part of our disciple making.

Hebrews 10 goes on to give three important commands.

1. Spur one another on to love and good works.

2. Don’t stop meeting together.

3. Encourage one another.

And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, 25 not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching. – Hebrews 10:24,25.

With this in mind, we should ask ourselves some honest questions.

Are we spurring one another on to love and good works or encouraging bad habits?

Take time to think about how we can help those around us to love and do good.

Do we have a genuine desire to meet together?

This is not speaking of our natural choice, but a God given desire to be in fellowship, because of all it brings and means to God. It is vital that we understand the value God places on our meeting together. God made us to be in fellowship and we work best that way. Eternity in heaven will not be spent in isolation.

Are we encouraging or critical of each other?

A critical word can spoil someone’s day and bring them down for much longer, taking away motivation. On the other hand, a positive word of encouragement lifts a person and helps them go further than they expected.

Mark Twain once said, “I can live for a week off one good compliment”.

The bible backs this up in many places, including the following:

Anxiety in the heart of man causes depression, But a good word makes it glad. – Proverbs 12:25

So today, keep looking to show love and for good works to be engaged in. I pray that a desire to meet would grow even stronger within all of us. I want to encourage you today, to be the people of faith God made you to be. So that you will enjoy His love and presence in your life and encourage others to do the same.

But we do not belong to those who shrink back and are destroyed, but to those who have faith and are saved. – Hebrews 10:39