What a great day!

Yesterday I had the great opportunity to preach to a small church who has big goals. This particular church came from a sister church, but does not have a home of their own yet. For the first time ever, except in my own home, I had the great opportunity to preach in one of this church member's home. Counting my wife and I, we had 13 people. I preached from Hebrews 10:7, and 22 - 24. The title of the message was how to follow Christ. I believe the apostle Paul outlined this message very well. I have preached verses 22 through 24 a couple of times before and later found verse 7, which to me ties it all together.

Verse 7 says, "Then said I, Lo, I come to do thy will O God." What a great statement made here. God is looking for willing hearts to do HIS will. Paul wrote the following outline in this particular passage that is of great encouragement.

I. Let us draw near. (vs 22)
a. Drawing close to God is the way to have the greatest relationship to Him that anyone could have.

b. The way to draw near to HIM is;

* With a true heart.

* In full assurance of faith.

* Having our hearts sprinkled from a evil conscience, which to me means having a clear conscience.

* Our bodies washed with pure water. This does not mean baptism, but I believe it means the

change that only Jesus Christ, the living water can make in a person's life.

II. Lest us hold fast. (vs. 23)

a. Holding fast to the profession of our faith

* Don't let go of the faith, which God gives us, because it is the only way to please God.
* Faith without works is dead.

b. Hold fast to our faith without wavering.

* We are in a world that is does waver from its faith.
* Christians should maintain their relationship with Christ through faith.
* It doesn't matter what comes our way, Christ is the only stable in a Christian life.
* Let's not waver from our faith and turn back toward the world, which hates people
who stand for Christ anyway.

III. Let us Consider. (vs. 24).

a. one another to provoke.

* We should encourage each other instead of down grading each other.
* We should encourage each other in love, and not to make ourselves to look better
than anyone else.

b. We encourage one another through love by being as faithful to Christ and HE is to us.

c. We should consider the lost with brotherly love, by showing them direction to Christ in
and through our lives and testimonies.

This is not the complete message as I preached it, but anybody who chooses to study it out can sure get a blessing from it. I know I did, and I hope you do too. Pray for Faith MBC in Hewitt, Texas as they really are seeking God's direction in this church. Pray that if this is where God wants my family at that he will reveal it clearly to them and us too. I hope ya'll have a blessed day.