Is it really necessary to attend every service of the church? We are not talking about those who are physically unable to be present because of sickness or the infirmities of age. Certainly God understands their situation and does not expect them to do what is impossible.

But what about reasonably healthy, active members of the church? What if I am on vacation? Or traveling? Or visiting friends or relatives who are not members? What if I just don’t feel like going sometimes? Is it okay to miss?

If I am a Christian, a member of the church, I do not belong to myself. I belong to Jesus Christ. I was purchased by His blood (I Corinthians 6:19-20). Christ is my Lord and Master (Acts 2:36; Matthew 6:24). As my Lord, it is His right to command and my obligation to obey (Luke 6:46). I cannot pick and choose which commands to obey, but I must strive to the best of my ability to do all His will (Matthew 7:21-23; James 2:10).

My Lord has told me to "seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness..." (Matthew 6:33). Am I seeking first the kingdom if I let my own pleasure, or convenience, or just plain laziness come between me and obeying His command to worship?

The command to attend the worship services of the church is stated plainly in Hebrews 10:25: "Not forsaking the assembling of yourselves together as the manner of of some is..." If I willfully forsake the worship assembly of God’s people, I am guilty of deliberate sin. Sin, if unrepented of, leads to spiritual death (James 1:15; Romans 6:23).

Faithful attendance at all the services of the church, except when prohibited because of illness or extreme circumstances beyond our control, is essential for all of God’s children. The fellowship of brothers and sisters in Christ, the knowledge gained from study of God’s Word, and the strength received from all aspects of worship are as essential to the spiritual health of a Christian as nourishing food, fresh air, and clean water are to the physical health of our bodies.

Those who fall away from the faith seldom do it immediately and deliberately. It is usually done gradually, one step at a time. The way it most often begins is by a gradual forsaking of the assembly. Each time one misses, it becomes easier to miss the next time. Eventually, one ends up back in the world with no regrets. In such a condition, he is lost eternally (Romans 6:23; II Peter 2:20-22).

Do you attend every service of the church that you are physically able to attend? If you do not, then you need to repent and seek the forgiveness of God whose law you have transgressed (Acts 8:22; I John 1:9). You need to confess your sin publicly before the church and ask the saints to pray for you (James 5:16).

The first Psalm only has six verses, but it has several great characteristics that can help us to use other parts of the Bible to to live a life that pleases God:

The true condition of the righteous and the ungodly are revealed.

Proper thinking is the source of true happiness and success.

It is a summary of the whole book of Psalms.

Everyone can see himself or herself very well in Psalm 1.

Matthew Henry gives this good outline of the first Psalm:

I. The Holiness and Happiness of a Godly Man

(1-3).

II. The Sinfulness and Misery of a Wicked Man

(4,5).

III. The Ground and Reason of Both

(6).

I would like to emphasize some of the high points of each verse in the space we have left.

VERSE 1: "Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful."

Just as the word "Blessed’ is the first word of this great poem, it is the first word of the great Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5:3). The lesson: God wants us to be happy! And He has clearly revealed the only way to true happiness. This first verse shows that there are three things that the happy person does not do:

He does not walk (follow the manner of life) according to the way of thinking of ungodly people.

He does not stand (slow down to consider) the conduct of sinners as an option.

He does not sit (become a part of the "assembly") where those who mock the way of truth sit.

VERSE 2: "But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law doth he meditate day and night."

What kinds of things cause the greatest joys for you? What are the delights of your life? The writer of this Psalm wants you to know that at the top of your list of delightful things should be the time you spend with the Bible: the law of the Lord. I don’t know if you have ever read law books, but I have an idea that they could be among the most dull and boring books in the world. But the law of the Lord is altogether different. It truly is a delight! And God has caused it to be written in such a way that it ought to be delightful for EVERYONE—not just those who are interested in "law." "This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou might observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success" (Joshua 1:8).

VERSE 3: "And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper." This verse gives the consequences of the life that follows the clear pattern of verses 1 and 2. The person who follows this path can EXPECT fruit, firmness of roots, the nourishment, great blessedness, and glory given to God (Matthew 5:3-16).

VERSE 4: "The ungodly are not so: but are like the chaff which the wind driveth away." Here is the poem’s description of the other way of living. In the final analysis, the life of the one who does not obey God has nothing truly solid or long lasting. As a result of this inner decision to not obey God, they cannot stand! The word he uses is "chaff"—it is easily driven, it cannot take root, it bears no fruit, it is stale (with no freshness of life), it lies loose on the floor—a PREY OF THE SLIGHTEST BREEZE! (cf. Matthew Henry).

VERSE 5: "Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous." When it comes time to receive that which his life deserves, this person has no ground to stand on—every thought, word, and action is compared to God’s standard, and he fails—forever (Ecclesiastes 12:14).

VERSE 6: "For the Lord knoweth the way of the righteous: but the way of the ungodly shall perish." The Lord knows! He knows both ways and He knows all about all of the people in both ways. Toward the righteous, His "knowledge" includes His living, close relationship with them both here and hereafter. Toward the ungodly, His "knowledge" includes the certainty of their doom unless they repent.

Let us all choose the right way!

which leads to life, and there are few who find it’

(Matthew 7:13,14).

(Scriptures used for this puzzle:

Acts 4:36,37; 9:26,27; 11:22-30; 13:15,16).

ANTIOCH        ELDERS         READING

APOSTLES FEET        RULERS

BARNABAS JERUSALEM SAUL

CHRISTIANS  JOSES        SOLD

CONSOLATION LAND        SON

CYPRUS         LEVITE         SYNAGOGUE

DAMASCUS      MONEY         TARSUS

DISCIPLES   OF            TIDINGS

EARS

(Last Week’s Answers)

ACROSS                        DOWN

5 LEPER                        1 MANTLE                      6 GEHAZI                              2 SEVEN                   8 CREDITOR                3 PROPHETS                                10 VESSELS                    4 FATHER                    13 NAAMAN                          7 WHIRLWIND             14 ELISHA                        8 CLEAN                              15 DOUBLE                9 GREAT               11 CHAMBER                                                12 BETHEL                                        16 OIL

SICK LIST: Donna Fields will be having chemotherapy this week. Katie and Aaron Gazzuolo, Alyssa, Kara, and Christina McAfee, Elijah Crawford, Jordan Bullard, and Thomas Lanier were unable to be with us Sunday. Terry Wallace was having back problems. Euple Calvert had surgery on her shoulder; she will be having surgery on the other shoulder soon. Belle Oliver will be having cataract surgery this week. Let’s remember those who are ill and their families in our prayers.

RESTORED: Loretta Barbosa and Elizabeth Adams asked for the prayers of the church Sunday morning. We rejoice with the angels in heaven at their decision to turn again to God. We pray we will be an encouragement to one another.

PLANTATION SOUTH: Group 3 is in charge of the services at 1:30 Sunday at Plantation South.

CHILDREN’S CLASS: Class at 5:30.

SING: Come and sing praises at 5:30.

VISITATION: Group 3 is asked to meet up front following evening services to pick up assignments.

LADIES’ CLASS: Ladies’ class will meet Tuesday at 10:00.

EVENING LADIES’ CLASS: The first evening ladies’ class is planned for Monday, February 22, at 7:30. All the ladies are encouraged to attend.

PANTRY ITEM: Crackers.

FOR THE RECORD:

Sunday Bible Class 106

Sunday AM Worship 129

Sunday PM Worship 98

Contribution $3881

Budget $4600