Now, when God tells us to do something and has a specific purpose for it, such as gathering together to worship and exalt Him, there are always good byproducts that surround it. And one of those is our edification. When one comes, enters into a service of this kind, worships God sincerely and according to Truth, he cannot keep from being edified. The word, “edify,” is an interesting word. It has its origin in the building and construction trade. That’s why we call a building like this [where we are worshipping] an “edifice.” It’s something that has been built, or edified. But the inspired writers, particularly Paul, take this generic and secular word and bring it over to a spiritual meaning having to do with “building up one another, and the church as a whole, in spiritual ways.” And so, to the Romans he wrote, chapter 14:19, “So then let us follow after things which make for peace, and things whereby we may edify one another.” We have a responsibility to one another to build one another up, brethren—to edify each other.

When Paul said what he thought were his final words to elders of the Ephesian church in Acts, chapter 20, and verse 32, he said, “And now I commend you to God, and to the Word of His grace, which is able to build (you) up, and to give (you) the inheritance among all them that are sanctified.” Through the Word of God, we’re built up. As the Word of God is taught in our Bible classes, as it’s preached from this pulpit, there is strength; there is building material in it for our souls and our spirits, brethren. And do we not need it in this wicked world in which we live!

Even the songs that we sing are designed for that purpose, according to Colossians 3:16 [“Let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly; in all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms (and) hymns (and) spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts unto God.”]. We’re to teach and admonish one another as we sing these psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. They edify us; the build us up.

As we join our voices in prayer, there is edification in that. Our minds are brought away from the mundane and the secular, and they’re brought into the spiritual and the sacred. There’s spiritual strength in that.

There’s edification as we remember the price that was paid four our redemption around this sacred table. And even as we give from the bounty that God has given to us, if we give as the Scriptures teach, that is, with forethought, with purpose, we are reminded of how abundantly we are blessed. We are, thereby, encouraged to give abundantly and generously. There’s edification and spiritual strength in that.

And so, IT IS GOOD FOR US TO BE HERE BECAUSE OF EDIFICATION. Do not all of us need it!

I’d never met your preacher [John Phillis] before yesterday. We had exchanged E-mails. I looked forward to meeting him. I got to know him a little bit better yesterday afternoon and last night. But I could tell you something about him before I ever laid eyes on him. I’d met two of your elders before coming here today. I didn’t know them well. But I could tell you some things about them. This one thing I can tell you about each one of you [members of the Northeast congregation], though I don’t know some of you, yet. You sometimes get discouraged living the Christian life. I get discouraged living the Christian life.

Living in the sort of world in which we live today, how could we not occasionally get discouraged in trying to fight the good fight of the faith? It seems sometimes that all of the odds are in Satan’s favor. Our nation is becoming increasingly not only secularized, but drawn into more and more humanism and hedonism. The movement to stamp out the very Name of God and His Son and to debunk the Bible on every hand can be seen and heard. It is politically incorrect to criticize and judge everyone nowadays except those who claim to be Christians. Now, it’s open season on us by the powers that be.

Discouraging, isn’t it? We go to work, and we work among people who, the only use of the Name of Deity they know is as a curse and a swear word. They never think of God, except in those terms, apparently. And some of the filthiest stories and words spew forth from mouths that were intended to bring forth the sweet waters of purity and Truth by the Creator.

Oh, we get discouraged! How can we not get discouraged? And yet, I’ve known some of our men to stand in pulpits and leave the impression that’s almost sinful for a Christian to ever be discouraged about anything. I sharply disagree. Now, that is totally unrealistic. It is not even Biblical!

Some of the greatest spiritual giants and heroes of the Bible were men who became discouraged at times! I know of no greater spiritual hero in the Old Testament than the prophet Elijah. But you read about him in 1 Kings, chapter 19, and see how that fleeing from the death sentence that wicked Jezebel had put upon him, he fled all the way to the desert south of Beersheba, and there said, “God, just kill me; take me out of my misery. I’m the only one left in Israel who has not bowed the knee to Baal!”