[Ohio-Communities-of-Faith] DONNIE DAILY GEMS FOR MONDAY SEPTEMBER 19

[preacherdp1961 at gmail.com]

DONNIE DAILY GEMS FOR MONDAY SEPTEMBER 19

MEMORY SCRIPTURE FOR THE WEEK

Zechariah 4:6
Then he answered and spake unto me, saying, This is the word of the LORD
unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith
the LORD of hosts.

___

THOUGHT OF THE DAY

In the word scent, is the "S" silent or "C"?

___

DAILY DEVOTION

Ten Reasons to Go to Church, Even When You Don't Feel Like It


"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." (Hebrews 10:25)

"I don't go to church anymore. They're all hypocrites!" Tara said to Pastor
Tim. On more than one occasion Pastor Tim had heard this sort of comment.
He'd be first to agree the church is made up of people who were not
perfect--neither was he for that matter. But each time Pastor Tim heard such
comments, his heart would break because he knew the incredible value of
doing life together with the body of Christ. 

Pastor Tim had long ago learned how Satan uses people and circumstances to
disappoint Christians to pull them away from the very people God would use
to bless, train, and encourage them at church. But recognizing the enemy's
schemes did not ease the sorrow of his (or any pastor's) heart for his
people.

Maybe you don't have issues with anyone at church; you're just really busy
on weekends doing other things--good things. Attending your kid's soccer
games, going on family getaways, and fixing stuff around the house are all
"good things" but if they regularly take you away from church attendance,
you would do well to realize you're choosing the captivity of activity over
what God says is more important. 

Going to church is not about getting your attendance gold star, nor is it
about gaining God's favor for the week because you assembled together with
His people. Church is not a place to go, rather it is a living body where
God wants you to become a part--for your good and His glory.

Over the next two weeks we are going to look at only 10 of many reasons to
go to church, even when you don't feel like it.

Reason #1. To Hear the Preaching of the Word

If the word of God is quick, powerful, and sharper than a sword (Hebrews
4:12), then hearing the preaching of Scripture is vital to your spiritual
well-being. Watching preachers on TV is often how people justify giving up
on church attendance.* They may be listening to good preaching (if they're
discerning), but without living in close fellowship with real people, one
can never really experience the help and hope Christ offers His bride
through faithful involvement in a local church. 

These days people are more accustomed to getting their information through
entertainment, so sadly more and more preachers are replacing preaching with
drama, skits, videos, etc.  While our culture craves entertainment, God
never instructed His ministers to entertain the troops. Rather He commanded
them to preach Truth with urgency. It is through the preaching of sound
doctrine that the Word of God:
.Penetrates hearts and transforms lives
.Calls sinners to repentance
.Encourages the downtrodden
.Inspires the Lord's servants to love and serve Christ 
.Lights the way God would have you go

When facing certain death, the Apostle Paul revealed the importance of
preaching with this final instruction to Timothy: "Preach the word; be
urgent in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all
longsuffering and doctrine" (2 Timothy 4:2).

*Please note if you are physically unable to attend church, watching it on
television or online is a wonderful resource. Especially if the church where
you are a member streams it's sermons weekly. This allows you to stay in
communion with your church family, learning what they are learning, and
growing as they grow.

___

DAILY BIBLE READING

Hosea 4-6 New King James Version
God's Charge Against Israel
4 Hear the word of the Lord,
You children of Israel,
For the Lord brings a charge[a] against the inhabitants of the land:

"There is no truth or mercy
Or knowledge of God in the land.
2 By swearing and lying,
Killing and stealing and committing adultery,
They break all restraint,
With bloodshed [b]upon bloodshed.
3 Therefore the land will mourn;
And everyone who dwells there will waste away
With the beasts of the field
And the birds of the air;
Even the fish of the sea will be taken away.

4 "Now let no man contend, or rebuke another;
For your people are like those who contend with the priest.
5 Therefore you shall stumble in the day;
The prophet also shall stumble with you in the night;
And I will destroy your mother.
6 My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.
Because you have rejected knowledge,
I also will reject you from being priest for Me;
Because you have forgotten the law of your God,
I also will forget your children.

7 "The more they increased,
The more they sinned against Me;
I[c] will change [d]their glory into shame.
8 They eat up the sin of My people;
They set their [e]heart on their iniquity.
9 And it shall be: like people, like priest.
So I will punish them for their ways,
And [f]reward them for their deeds.
10 For they shall eat, but not have enough;
They shall commit harlotry, but not increase;
Because they have ceased obeying the Lord.

The Idolatry of Israel
11 "Harlotry, wine, and new wine enslave the heart.
12 My people ask counsel from their wooden idols,
And their [g]staff informs them.
For the spirit of harlotry has caused them to stray,
And they have played the harlot against their God.
13 They offer sacrifices on the mountaintops,
And burn incense on the hills,
Under oaks, poplars, and terebinths,
Because their shade is good.
Therefore your daughters commit harlotry,
And your brides commit adultery.

14 "I will not punish your daughters when they commit harlotry,
Nor your brides when they commit adultery;
For the men themselves go apart with harlots,
And offer sacrifices with a ritual harlot.
Therefore people who do not understand will be trampled.

15 "Though you, Israel, play the harlot,
Let not Judah offend.
Do not come up to Gilgal,
Nor go up to Beth[h] Aven,
Nor swear an oath, saying, 'As the Lord lives'-

16 "For Israel is stubborn
Like a stubborn calf;
Now the Lord will let them forage
Like a lamb in [i]open country.

17 "Ephraim is joined to idols,
Let him alone.
18 Their drink [j]is rebellion,
They commit harlotry continually.
Her [k]rulers [l]dearly love dishonor.
19 The wind has wrapped her up in its wings,
And they shall be ashamed because of their sacrifices.

5 "Hear this, O priests!
Take heed, O house of Israel!
Give ear, O house of the king!
For [a]yours is the judgment,
Because you have been a snare to Mizpah
And a net spread on Tabor.
2 The revolters are deeply involved in slaughter,
Though I rebuke them all.
3 I know Ephraim,
And Israel is not hidden from Me;
For now, O Ephraim, you commit harlotry;
Israel is defiled.

4 "They[b] do not direct their deeds
Toward turning to their God,
For the spirit of harlotry is in their midst,
And they do not know the Lord.
5 The pride of Israel testifies to his face;
Therefore Israel and Ephraim stumble in their iniquity;
Judah also stumbles with them.

6 "With their flocks and herds
They shall go to seek the Lord,
But they will not find Him;
He has withdrawn Himself from them.
7 They have dealt treacherously with the Lord,
For they have begotten [c]pagan children.
Now a New Moon shall devour them and their heritage.

8 "Blow the ram's horn in Gibeah,
The trumpet in Ramah!
Cry aloud at Beth Aven,
'Look behind you, O Benjamin!'
9 Ephraim shall be desolate in the day of rebuke;
Among the tribes of Israel I make known what is sure.

10 "The princes of Judah are like those who remove a landmark;
I will pour out My wrath on them like water.
11 Ephraim is oppressed and broken in judgment,
Because he willingly walked by human precept.
12 Therefore I will be to Ephraim like a moth,
And to the house of Judah like rottenness.

13 "When Ephraim saw his sickness,
And Judah saw his wound,
Then Ephraim went to Assyria
And sent to King Jareb;
Yet he cannot cure you,
Nor heal you of your wound.
14 For I will be like a lion to Ephraim,
And like a young lion to the house of Judah.
I, even I, will tear them and go away;
I will take them away, and no one shall rescue.
15 I will return again to My place
Till they [d]acknowledge their offense.
Then they will seek My face;
In their affliction they will earnestly seek Me."

6 Come, and let us return to the Lord;
For He has torn, but He will heal us;
He has stricken, but He will [e]bind us up.
2 After two days He will revive us;
On the third day He will raise us up,
That we may live in His sight.
3 Let us know,
Let us pursue the knowledge of the Lord.
His going forth is established as the morning;
He will come to us like the rain,
Like the latter and former rain to the earth.

Impenitence of Israel and Judah
4 "O Ephraim, what shall I do to you?
O Judah, what shall I do to you?
For your faithfulness is like a morning cloud,
And like the early dew it goes away.
5 Therefore I have hewn them by the prophets,
I have slain them by the words of My mouth;
And [f]your judgments are like light that goes forth.
6 For I desire mercy[g] and not sacrifice,
And the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings.

7 "But like [h]men they transgressed the covenant;
There they dealt treacherously with Me.
8 Gilead is a city of evildoers
And [i]defiled with blood.
9 As bands of robbers lie in wait for a man,
So the company of priests murder on the way to Shechem;
Surely they commit lewdness.
10 I have seen a horrible thing in the house of Israel:
There is the [j]harlotry of Ephraim;
Israel is defiled.
11 Also, O Judah, a harvest is appointed for you,
When I return the captives of My people.