The Midweek Service
It is one of the assembling of the saints together: “And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and good works: Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.” Hebrews 10:24-25. Christians caring for one another!
It is love for God, seeking to draw nigh to Him: “My soul longeth, yea, fainteth for the courts of the Lord: my heart and my flesh crieth out for the living God. Blessed are they that dwell in thy house: they will be still praising thee. Selah. For a day in thy courts is better than a thousand. I had rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God, than to dwell in the tents of wickedness.” Psalm 84:2,4,10
It is about maintaining the importance of worshipping God: “But as for me, I will come into thy house in the multitude of thy mercy: and in thy fear will I worship toward thy holy temple.” Psalm 5:7
It is where God imparts needed understanding: “When I thought to know this, it was too painful for me; Until I went into the sanctuary of God; then understood I their end.” Psalm 73:16-17
It is where the Holy Spirit meets with God’s people: “And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness.” Acts 4:31
It is the “breaking of spiritual bread” beyond the Lord’s Day: “And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart.” Acts 2:46
It is God’s cafeteria: “Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to received it.” Malachi 3:10
It is approximately one hour out of the other six days of 144 hours.
“WHY IS THE HOUSE OF GOD FORSAKEN?” Nehemiah 13:11
Not only will God hold His children responsible for having forsaken the assembly, but He will also hold churches responsible for forsaking to have the assembly. If there ever was a time when the assembly is important, it is now.
SHARING
The Calendar Of Events Surrounding The Death Of Christ
NOTE: In Biblical days, the 24 hour daily cycle was divided into two equal parts: night and day – the night preceding the day, Genesis 1:5,8,13,19,23,31. The sun controlled the day, and the moon the night, John 11:9. In Biblical days, the day started at 6:00pm (in the evening) and ended at 6:00pm the next evening. Our days are reckoned from 12:00 midnight to 12:00 midnight.
SATURDAY: Mark 11:1-11: Jesus entered Jerusalem. The world says He entered on Palm Sunday. He entered the Temple as His custom was on the Sabbath. Mark 11:11, He returned to Bethany.
SUNDAY: Mark 11:12-19: He returns to Jerusalem. On the way, He curses the fig tree. Mark 11:15-19, He cleanses the Temple. Mark 11:19, Jesus goes back to Bethany.
MONDAY: Mark 11:20: Jesus returned to Jerusalem by the same route and sees the withered fig tree. Mark 11:27–Mark 14:1, Jesus teaches and answers questions. Mark 14:1…In 2 days (Wednesday) would be the Passover.
TUESDAY: Mark 14:12-16: The day before the Passover, the Preparation Day. The Jewish Passover began on the 14th day of the month Abib or Nisan, by killing the lamb that was caught on the 10th day of the month, Exodus 12:3-6. The Passover is a type of Christ – 1 Corinthians 5:7. The Passover lasted 7 days. The first day of the Passover (the 15th) and the last day were High Sabbaths (annual). – Leviticus 23:4-8.
WEDNESDAY: Their Wednesday began at 6:00pm…our Tuesday (see above note.) During this time, Jesus ate the Passover with His disciples, and instituted the Lord’s Supper, Mark 14:22-25. Mark 14:26-52, Tuesday evening (Wednesday Jewish time) they go out to the Garden of Gethsemane, where Christ prays and is arrested. Mark 14:53-72, The trial of Christ before the Sanhedrin, in the night hours (our Tuesday, their Wednesday.) Mark 15:1-25, The trial before Pilate and the crucifixion in the third hour of the day, which would be 9:00am Wednesday, our time. Wednesday, He is on the cross. Mark 15:33, There is darkness from the sixth to the ninth hours (12:00 noon to 3:00pm.) Mark 15:42-47, In the afternoon before 6:00pm, His death and burial, which would make it before the beginning of the next day, which was a High Sabbath (not the weekly Sabbath)…see John 19:31. So, before 6:00pm Wednesday, Christ was placed in the tomb.
THURSDAY: Matthew 27:62-66: Guards are placed at the tomb.
FRIDAY & SATURDAY: He is in the tomb. Saturday ended at 6:00pm.
SUNDAY: The tomb is visited, Matthew 28:1-7. Matthew 28:1 – as it begins to “dawn,” speaking of daylight. NOTE: Sunday (the first day of the week) had begun at 6:00pm Saturday, our time. Matthew 28:6, The tomb is already empty. He was in the tomb Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday nights…three nights. He was in the tomb Thursday, Friday, and Saturday…three days, just as He had said – Matthew 12:39-40. This is essential to have the gospel according to the scriptures – 1 Corinthians 15:1-4. He arose after 6:00pm Saturday evening, which was the Jewish first day of the week. So, we observe the first day of the week as the Lord’s Day. It is to be observed weekly on the first day of the week, rather than on an annual basis, just as the Old Testament Sabbath was observed weekly. If it were an annual observance, God would command it and it would fall on a different day of the week every year, just as any other annual holiday does…see 1 John 2:21.
SHARINGWhen Do We Really Need God?
The general thought about this would be times such as–when I am sick, when I am hurt, when I am poor, when I am in distress, when things are falling apart, etc. In times like this, it is good to be on good terms with God. The book of Psalms reveals how important it is to be able to call upon the Lord and be heard by Him in our time of trouble. God should be our hope.
There is a song that contains the words, “Ere you left your room this morning, did you think to pray?” No doubt if we are in some distress, under some pressure, that will easily come to mind. We will then plead for God to order each step we take, give us clear focus on what we should do or not do, and wanting His good will and way to determine the outcome.
God warned Israel that the most vulnerable times of their lives, when there would be the most potential for a spiritual breakdown, would be when they had achieved success, were full and in control of their lives, see Deuteronomy 8:10-18. When we are in control, it has a tendency to make us indifferent towards seeking that which is beyond ourselves. But that would be when they would really need to reach out to God for His understanding and assessment of what their interests and concerns should be. When things are going well, we don’t feel the need for God so much, and it’s easy for the things of God to just be put in the background of our lives. The things of this world that appeal to the flesh tend to distract and wean us away from maintaining spiritual priorities.
God wants us to judge ourselves rather than just let things go until we are called out for slackness. If we judge ourselves and make things right on our own, we will be happy for it. But if we let things go until someone else, say the preacher, calls us out, this will hurt and be somewhat offensive.
Yes, we can find the answers we need through prayer and taking into consideration all the teachings we have received from God’s Word. We can also seek and obtain the leadership of the Holy Spirit for the way we should go. God stands ready to manifest His will for us, if we are willing to deny ourselves unto seeking it with all our heart.
This will afford us a blessed life!
SHARINGThe Truth
“And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” John 8:32
“Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.” Matthew 24:35
When all else has come to nought, when man’s strength has sputtered and perished, when all outrage has been extinguished and all other recourses have fizzled, the Truth will stand forth triumphant!
The masses are missing the mark on the Truth! Many choose to think of truth as that which distorts real living rather than that which defines reality. Truth is not warped fiction; it is eternal fact. Truth does not deprive; it rather prevents one from being swindled. Truth does not withhold; it rather guarantees possession. Truth does not obstruct; it rather opens the door.
God’s Word is Truth (John 17:17). People’s response towards God’s will and way as set forth in His Word is the manifestation of their personal preference and decision concerning the Truth.
Some respect not the New Testament Church. Yet local New Testament churches are God’s established institutions of truth, whereby people learn of and profit from the Truth (1 Timothy 3:15 “…the pillar and ground of the truth.”)
In the Garden of Eden, God gave man the truth to set him free from that which would deceive and bring death unto him. Through the deceitfulness of sin, the truth was made out to be as if it were a locked door unto what was best for man. The truth was then felt by man to be a hindrance to enjoying what was “good for food, pleasant to the eyes and desired…” To have abode in the truth would have enabled Adam and Eve to see through even what the lust of the eye, the lust of the flesh and the pride of life longed for. The truth will manifest the real flavor of every cup, if it is chosen to do so.
The Truth shall stand. It shall be salvation for all who abide in it. It shall judge all who forsake it.
The Truth is never forsaken because it lacks in merit. But it is rejected for being “the obstacle” that stands in the way of one gratifying their own selfish desires.
The wrath of God is revealed to be against the regarding of the way of truth to be inferior or unfit (holding it in unrighteousness, Romans 1:18.) Men cross over the line with God, by doing spite unto the Spirit of grace, when they refuse to receive the love of the Truth that they might be saved, 2 Thessalonians 2:10.
The Truth is our lifeline: “Buy the truth and sell it not.” Proverbs 23:23
SHARING
