Be With Me: 7 Minutes of Biblical Wonder
Be With Me is a daily 7 minute chronological walk through the New Testament hosted by Michael Smith. It is for everyone who is curious about what Jesus actually said and did in the gospels. Most episodes will leave you with at least one good thought to chew on for the rest of the day. We start with the Bible and hopefully end with Awe. We are walking through the chronological events of Jesus' life and then thoughtfully considering them. It is meant to spur the devotional life of the Christian and the not-yet-Christian. We occasionally venture into the Old Testament when it helps our understanding of the New Testament events. Everybody has 7 minutes. Everybody needs to wonder. Be With Me is hosted by Michael Smith who has absolutely no special qualifications to do a podcast. He is not a pastor. He has not been to seminary. He does not lead a mega-church. He is not a professional and he has no more credentials than you do. He does, however, follow a great God with an observant eye and a curious heart. Each day, he starts with a study bible and aims for astonishment. ‘be with him’ for 7 minutes as he sets out daily to discover the God who invites us to ‘Be With Me.’
Be With Me: 7 Minutes of Biblical Wonder
Why should FLY to church this Sunday? S29e55 Dt23:14
There is something special about Sunday church. It is supposed to be SOOO special, that to be prevented from attending would be a grief to you. This could happen from church discipline, illness, or force of habit.
It should be painful because it is there that "the Lord walks in the midst of your camp." That is, His presence is uniquely and powerfully present in the center of His people. Missing church should hurt so much, that I will FLY to the Assembly of God this Sunday. See you there. Subscribe, comment, like.
https://youtu.be/Hgyz7tBaI18
Why should FLY to church this Sunday? S29e55 Dt23:14
Crashed bike couldn’t ride. I was prevented from riding.
Previous day, before I was prevented from going for a ride, I was meh. Plus minus.
But after my crash, after I was prevented from riding, something unexpected happened:
Do you know what the first thing I wanted to do was?
I Never wanted to go for a ride more.
It is supposed to be an amazing experience and and awesome privilege to go to church. So good that if you are prevented from going, it is supposed to be PAINFUL
If you are a shut-in: it is a grief. Too old and too sick in my case too injured. Here’s how you define a shut in. Cant come. But want to.
Want nothing more than their cancer, age, sickness NOT to prevent them from coming.
Would like nothing other than to be free from what afflicts them and FLY to the Body of Christ
In Dt ch 23 people are prevented from coming to church. Told: You Can’t come to church, for entire generations you cannot come.
If you are under church discipline: it is a punishment
Because: It is of value to assemble, privilege it is a treasure to assemble
To be Excluded from the privilege to assemble as the people of God is the ultimate censure. It is the pulling out of the final hammer of church discipline that is rarely done. Why? Because it is so brutal!
Why is all of this?
What is so special about the people of God?
What is so special about going to church on Sunday?: 14 Because the Lord your God walks in the midst of your camp, to deliver you and to give up your enemies before you, therefore your camp must be holy, so that he may not see anything indecent among you and turn away from you.
14 Because the Lord your God walks in the midst of your camp,
to deliver you and to give up your enemies before you, midst therefore Your camp must be holy so as He walks,
he does not see anything indecent among you and turnawayfromyou
you have the Lord’s presence and His undeserved favor.
He’s chosen to set His face and His favor upon you
He’s turned toward you. He walks in the midst of your camp
DON”T mess this up!
Conclusion: Why should I so strongly desire to go to church this Sunday?
Because God is there in a uniquely observable way
You can meet God there in a way you cannot meet Him anywhere els
How? The manifestation of the Spirit. The indwelling of His people gathered. In the eye opening process, soul opening preaching of Word
God is still UNIQUELY present in the assembly of His people
Yup. Rag tag. Struggling with sin. Yet redeemed, chosen, favored for nothing that they have done. Standing unworthy before Him.
But it is partially about the PEOPLE
they may have particular aspects of God Himself
Mainfold gifting of His people with His holy Spirit
It is about God: God uniquely inhabits the place where His people are. AND God uniquely inhabits the People who are in His place
He there walks in their midst of your Camp.
It is the place where He has turned His face toward
THAT is why you should Go to church this Sunday.
If I told you He walks in the midst of your camp
You should want to FLY to the body of Christ . Fly there this Sunday.