SPUR ON ONE ANOTHER

Can I pray for you in any way?

Send any prayer requests to TheChristianWalkPrayers@gmail.com.

In Christ, Mark

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The scriptures. May God bless the reading of His holy word.

And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, 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

This ends this reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.

I have had the opportunity to play on a lot of sports teams in my lifetime. The best ones were where everyone on the team mutually supported each other, cheering others on when they succeeded and picking them up in times of difficulty and failure...and those times are sure to come on everyone.

Now not everyone may have competed in sports or other competitions but everyone has lived life and frankly, it can seem like a game that we’re all playing. To affirm this, there has been a board game that has been around for a very long time and it’s called...you guessed it...”The Game of Life”.

If life is a game, then this means that we win at times and lose at others as we play day by day. And since we’re all playing the same game, we’re all on the same team because we’re not competing against one another but life itself.

Within this team which is comprised of every person in the world, there are two divisions but again, these divisions aren’t in competition because despite the division, members of each side are the same in that they are sinners before a God who hates sin. The only item that divides one division from the other is belief in Jesus Christ, the Savior of the world.

The division of Jesus believers is comprised of Christians and it is to them that we find today’s verses speaking out from the tenth chapter of Hebrews. Look at these words again here:

And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, 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. Vv. 24-25

Every day, Christian believers are taking one more step forward to “the Day approaching”, the day when Jesus comes back for all those who placed their hope and trust in Him as He promised (John 14:3). As they walk through the days of life together, they are expected to do so as a part of a community of faith, a team playing the game of life together with Jesus as their leader. And just as any good team has players who mutually support one another, members of the Christian side are to always “consider how (they) may spur one another on toward love and good deeds”. There is a call for intentional fellowship, a “meeting together” in order to “(encourage) one another”. Proper Christian communities integrate, celebrating victories and lifting people up when tough times happen.

Christian fellowship happens within a church and even more so within a small group within the church where there are smaller numbers and an opportunity for increased intimacy. I have had the privilege to be a small group teacher and leader for around thirty years now and can’t express enough the importance for Christian believers to be connected this way, studying the Word together and sharing life in general with all its associated wins and losses, joys and sorrows.

As you read this today, are you connected to a Christian community within a church, a place where you can plug in and be a part of a small family of like-minded believers, a family where people spur one another on toward love and good deeds while encouraging one another?

If not, I would encourage you to change that this weekend. Seek out a small group and engage at your church, participating in an active fellowship of the saints. I assure you that you’ll be very glad that you did.

Amen.

In Christ,

Mark

PS: Feel free to leave a comment and please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it. Send any prayer requests to TheChristianWalkPrayers@gmail.com.