Some thoughts.
***This morning the scripture came to me of “Forsake not the assembling of yourselves together”.
***I recognize the phrase and the context and decided to flesh out the impressions that came and tie them into other scriptures that I feel reinforce the concept. The scripture I referenced is from Hebrews chapter 10 and I am quoting from the New King James Version as this is the way I remembered most of these passages.
Heb 10: 23 Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful. 24 And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, 25 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.
** We are encouraged to stir up love and good works amongst each other. The church body, local congregation. This is a challenge from the lord with an emphasis that this becomes even more important as we see the day approaching. What “day” is “the Day” that is being spoken of? It is The Day of The Lord and the return of Christ for His church.
*** I have been hearing about the signs which would point to the return of the Lord for most of my life and have embraced the fact we are the generation that these things were written for. There is no doubt that we are seeing those signs in abundance each day as we view our world. The Lord is returning soon and there is no more time for complacency or divided loyalties. Our hearts must be steadfast on His kingdom and His commission. The things we are worrying about and striving for are not going to last much longer.
** The Lord has told us that as we enter into the end of days that it will be imperative that we remain in fellowship with one another. We know that among the signs of the last days would be the sign of people’s hearts growing cold and causing them to fall away. We also know that there will be a strong delusion that will be so believable that it could almost deceive the very elect of God. People will gather around teachers who say what they want to hear instead of preaching the truth. Remember the parable of the virgins, half were ready when the Lord returned, and half were not. Oil is critical in this hour and oil is only found one place. Our being filled with the Spirit of God and in fellowship with his people is literally a matter of life and death.
Luke 21: 34 “But take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness, and cares of this life, and that Day come on you unexpectedly. 35 For it will come as a snare on all those who dwell on the face of the whole earth.
*** Jesus in speaking about the last days tells us that people will neglect the more important issues of eternal life and continue to party and carouse as they have before and hear this ‘ they will allow the cares of this life to “divide their attention”. We must have a single heart in the areas reserved to the Lord. That Day is soon upon us, we are not ready.
1 Thessalonians 5:4 But you, brethren, are not in darkness, so that this Day should overtake you as a thief.
*** A promise to the people of God during this time is that those who are looking and watching will not be caught by surprise. We are not of the darkness but of the light. I must stay in the light to be able to see. This is a promise, there are many. The passage we saw in Luke continues with a promise
Luke 21: 36 Watch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man.”
*** There will be a group of people alive who see things taking shape on the earth who will recognize the times and seasons and they will call out to the Lord and be heard. The Word says they will escape the things that are coming upon the whole earth and will stand before the Son of Man. Jesus told us to watch and pray and to pray that we will stand before Him at that time
1 peter 5: 8 Be sober, be vigilant; because[c] your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. 9 Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world.
John 10: 10 The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.
Job 1: 6 Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came among them. 7 And the LORD said to Satan, “From where do you come?” So Satan answered the LORD and said, “From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking back and forth on it.”
*** Let us not lose sight of the fact that there is a very real devil out there and he is roaming throughout the earth like a hungry lion looking for who he May devour. The implication is one who he has power to devour. That is not the child of God who is staying close to the lord in intimacy. He is looking for the weak, distracted sheep who have left themselves isolated from the body and helpless.
Mathew 13: 3 Then He spoke many things to them in parables, saying: “Behold, a sower went out to sow. 4 And as he sowed, some seed fell by the wayside; and the birds came and devoured them. 5 Some fell on stony places, where they did not have much earth; and they immediately sprang up because they had no depth of earth. 6 But when the sun was up they were scorched, and because they had no root they withered away. 7 And some fell among thorns, and the thorns sprang up and choked them. 8 But others fell on good ground and yielded a crop: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. 9 He who has ears to hear, let him hear!”
18 “Therefore hear the parable of the sower: 19 When anyone hears the word of the kingdom, and does not understand it, then the wicked one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is he who received seed by the wayside.
***Satan comes to steal, Kill and destroy
20 But he who received the seed on stony places, this is he who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; 21 yet he has no root in himself, but endures only for a while. For when tribulation or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he stumbles.
***The roaring lion devouring who he may
22 Now he who received seed among the thorns is he who hears the word, and the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and he becomes unfruitful.
***Why would anyone in their right mind allow the daily cares and anxieties of this life pull them away from an intimate and ongoing relationship with Jesus? I do understand as this is a daily battle but I cry out to the Lord to strengthen me and help me remain steadfast to the end.
23 But he who received seed on the good ground is he who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and produces: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.”
*** That I may be good soil and give him a return on
investment of 30, 60, 100 times or more on what he has sown into my life.
Phillipians 3: 12 Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. 13 Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, 14 I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
*** How could it be better said. Do not allow the test, trails and demands of this life keep you from pursuing a vibrant spiritual life through the Holy Spirit.
Phillipians 3:13-14 “one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.”
Hope Echos 
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