On a cold winter evening, two Christian men were warming themselves sitting before a cozy fireplace. They were discussing their Christian life and experiences.

The younger man expressed the reasons he did not believe attending church services was important to his Christian experience. The older, more experienced man listened carefully to the younger man’s excuses. By this time the flames of the fire had diminished and only the glowing coals were left in the fireplace.

Carefully the older man reached out with the fireplace poker and pulled one coal away from the rest of the glowing coals. The one coal, separated from the others, was alone on the hearth. The fire in the single coal quickly died and instead of a bright red glow, the coal became cold and gray.

Nothing needed to be said. The younger man got the message.

When we separate ourselves from the fellowship of Christian believers, we give up one of the great benefits of the Christian life. The fellowship of other believers is one of the invisible strengths that God has given His people. In corporate worship, we draw strength from the Lord by the encouragement of one to another.

One of the most powerful statements the Apostle John made is recorded in his first epistle. He says if we walk in the light of Jesus presence and teaching “we have fellowship with each other, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.” (1 John 1:7)

The fellowship of Christian believers is a gift of the father to His children. We deprive ourselves of God’s best when we do not meet faithfully with others who share our Love for the Lord.

This is why we are taught in the Scriptures to continue assembling ourselves together and exhorting one another with encouragement. (Heb. 10:25) It is signally important that you meet with fellow Christians to worship together and encourage each other.

www.firstagcc.org. Write the Pastor at PastorBill@firstagcc.org.