God's Word is an open letter to his people. The New Testament specifically is filled with actual letters to local churches.

Today, on enjoying the journey, we open one of those letters and hear the heart of Christ for each church member.

Let's join Scott Pauley now in the 10th chapter of the book of Hebrews.

Dear church member, there is no substitute for the local assembly. That's right. Hebrews

chapter 10, verse number 25 says, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together. You see,

a church is not just something to belong to, it is something to be engaged with.

It is not simply something to say, oh yes, oh yes, we have some connection there.

No, you have a vital connection, you have a living connection, you are to be constantly engaged with your local church.

I repeat, dear church member, there is no substitute for the assembly.

And if you don't believe me, just study the word itself.

The word church, ecclesia, first used by the Lord Jesus Christ.

Remember, he said upon this rock, I will build my church,

and the gates of hell should not prevail against it.

He said, if there are issues within the relationship of believers, then you deal with that

and tell it to the church. He used the word ecclesia. It literally means a called-out assembly.

You see, the devil's work is a scattering work. God's work is always a gathering work.

That doesn't mean that every believer can gather together at one time. Oh, that day's

going to come. I'll share that in just a moment. We'll all be together. But it does mean that

the Lord always designed it so that his people would want to be together.

If I didn't want to be with my wife and children, something would be wrong with our relationship.

If I didn't look forward together and with my family, you would say, something's not right there.

And for people to say, well, I'm a follower of Jesus Christ, but I have no desire to assemble with

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