Assembly required.
 
A Word from Bro. Josh We hate to think about it but we are already less than six months away from Christmas! When buying gifts for kids there are two words that fathers fear more than anything else on this earth: Assembly required. Just the other day I read these words in Hebrews: “Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful. And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much more as you see the Day approaching” (Heb 10:23-25 NKJV). At some point in our “Bible-belt culture” church became optional. To so many today, even among those who would profess Christ, it doesn’t matter where you go or when you go. It doesn’t even matter if you go. That reminds me of a song by one of my favorites, Derek Webb. The song is sung as if Christ was singing it: You cannot care for me/ with no regard for her/ if you love me,/ you will love the Church. Assembly is not an option. It is required. If we do not love the Bride of Christ enough to meet together, how can we profess to love the Groom? As the writer in Hebrews shows in the verses following the above passage, rejection of the church is evidence of rejection of Christ himself. What a fearful fate! However, if we remain faithful to Christ and his church, there remains for us a promise of reward kept in Heaven! May we all take hold of the assurance of that promise. Amen. It Is Well...
August 2007