Command and Commitment

'I was glad when they said to me, "Let us go to the house of the Lord." '(Psalm 122:1)
I am so thankful that this is my sentiment! I have always loved meeting regularly with my brothers and sisters in Christ! Whether it was a small country church like the first church that Trey pastored in SE Colorado, larger churches like Bannockburn Baptist Church in Austin, TX and NWBC in OKC, OK, or churches where I barely catch what's going on due to the language barrier; for example, Palisady Baptist Church in Bratislava, Slovakia!

Sometimes there is no known body of believers, yet we still need to..."Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a sabbath of the Lord your God;" (Exodus 20:8-10 NASB) The Lord wants us to set aside a day for Him that is holy and restful. If the God of the Universe chose to do this to leave us an example when He created the world, then we better listen up and take this one seriously! 'For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day; therefore the Lord blessed the sabbath day and made it holy.' (Exodus 20:11 NASB)

Oftentimes, Sundays can be one of the busiest days for those of us who are in the ministry and I think it is imperative that we take another day for R&R. The Lord will show us individually how He would want us to enter into His Sabbath rest as we allow Him to have full control of our lives so that we follow Him in obedience. 'So then, there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God, for whoever has entered God’s rest has also rested from his works as God did from his. Let us therefore strive to enter that rest, so that no one may fall by the same sort of disobedience.' (Hebrews 4:9-11 ESV)

It is also essential that we walk in love, unity, peace, and humility with our brothers and sisters in Christ so that the world will know that we are Christ's disciples. "By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” (John 13:35 ESV) Our love for one another and being at peace with one another also extends peoples' knowledge of Jesus and His role...'I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me.' (John 17:23 ESV)
'If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. '(Romans 12:18 ESV)

'Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: "May they prosper who love you. "May peace be within your walls, And prosperity within your palaces." For the sake of my brothers and my friends, I will now say, "May peace be within you." For the sake of the house of the Lord our God, I will seek your good. (Psalm 122:6-9 NASB)
Let's pray for God's peace to rule and reign in our lives, the family of God and in the towns and cities to which He has called us to live for the good of our lives, our brothers and sisters in Christ, the world and our God!