Psalm 100:3 – Know that the Lord, He is God; It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves; We are His people and the sheep of His pasture. (NKJV)

This prolonged pandemic has impacted all of us spiritually. In our imposed isolation, some folks have developed a sense of religious independence and now don't see the need of being part of a congregation or denomination anymore. We've managed to survive this long without the church programs or projects influencing our lives and using up our precious time. Some of us have become reliant on our own ideas, opinions, and choices. We're in danger of being loosely attached to God, but only when we really need Him to help us, and otherwise making our own way and asking Him to follow along.

With the psalmist in today's verse, we need to be reminded that we are creatures and not the creator of ourselves. The purpose of our lives always has been and always will be to worship God and to enjoy Him forever. We may have convinced ourselves that being in church is not necessary so long as we are being church. That's never been true — after all, Jesus was always in the synagogue every week on the Sabbath, and His apostles always gathered together for Sunday worship after the first Easter.

Another dangerous side to this religious individualism and church independence is that prophetic churches with cult-like leaders are on the increase. People with no sound biblical teaching are more gullible and susceptible to accepting conspiracy theories and being manipulated by unscrupulous prophets who make outrageous claims. Those false teachers are leading many astray, which is precisely what Christ and His apostles constantly warned His followers about.

So, today, I make this invitation: let's get back to church, be with God's people, and seek sound teaching.

Hebrews 10:24-25 – And let us consider how we may spur one another on towards love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another — and all the more as you see the Day approaching. (NIV)

Question: When was the last time I attended worship at a local church?

Prayer: Lord Jesus, You know us better than we know ourselves, and You clearly see how vain we are. Help us to reconnect with Your church, so that we can grow spiritually through worship and sound teaching. In Your holy name, we earnestly pray. Amen.

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About the author:

John Stuart <traqair@aol.com>
Knoxville, Tennessee, USA
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