Today's encouragement comes from Deuteronomy 12:30b & 31a, where we read these words:
" . . . Do not inquire after their gods, saying, ‘How did these nations serve their gods? I also will do likewise.’ You shall not worship the LORD your God in that way . . . "This is a very "relevant" Scripture (above), because many (if not most) con-gregations today are *doing* the very thing we are told not to do (here). They look at the sinful, idol-worshipping society in which we live, and they ask, "How do these people worship their gods? Let us design our services around their ways, so as to be ‘relevant.’ "
. . . But once a church sets out to be "relevant" to the culture with regard to its Sabbath Worship Services, that congregation has instantly become "irrele-vant," (especially to God Himself). We are to look to Jesus and the scriptures, and get our instructions from above, rather than looking to earth, to do as all the heathen do. The faithful church sets the standard for the culture, and in-vites sinners to come up to a life of dignity and worth (in Jesus).
[Puritan quote of the day: "It is a greater mercy to descend from praying par-ents than from the loins of nobles.” —John Flavel, in, "The Mystery of Provi-dence"]
