A Weekly Online Newsletter: Edition 909 October 21, 2026

Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful; and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near. (rf. Heb. 10:25)

They went out from us, but they were not really of us; for if they had been of us, they would have remained with us; but they went out, so that it would be shown that they all are not of us. (rf. I Jn. 2:19)

Our American culture teaches us that we are primarily consumers, looking to participate in the things that are designed to bring us personal joy and happiness. Indeed, these are the things that we are encouraged to prioritize in our lives. If our interest is in sports, then whenever our favorite sports are offered, we want to take part. If traveling, we take every opportunity to get away to new destinations and experiences. Whatever the interest may be, our culture pushes us to set all other things aside in pursuit of our desires.

Yet, if we are to please God, His people are encouraged by His Word to join together for the purpose of worship and service. Indeed, He knows how beneficial it is for God’s people to assemble together. God places a lot of stock in seeing His people “as one” in heart, mind and location. Christians visually show their devotion to the Lord and His Word by their faithful attendance to worship.

The New Testament makes it clear that, unless one is hindered by sickness or physical constraints that prevent one’s being a part of worship and service at the local fellowship, not to make worship a priority brings into serious question one’s own salvation at best, if not invalidating it altogether at worst. For those who voluntarily and willfully elect not to join in fellowship with the church in which they are members causes eventual spiritual harm to themselves and to the whole body of believers as well.

Note the encouragement by the Hebrews writer for those who are of the household of faith to “...hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering...(to) consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds”. Obviously, we must be together to do these things. That is why “forsaking (the) assembling together, as is the habit of some” is detrimental not only to do those who do it, but also to the rest of the fellowship because it weakens us all when we all are not present.

John shares above the principle that true faithfulness in fellowship is one of the key signatures in real and abiding salvation. We are drawn together because of Jesus Christ, and secondarily so because of our love for each other. If we have a problem with either of those two reasons, then the problem is with our own hearts, and shows our own relationship with God is out of sync, if present at all.

However, assuming that I have been saved and I am a church member, simply put, for me to be a part of Christ’s Church is a huge responsibility. Although the church body is responsible for displaying the love of Christ to its members (rf. Jn. 13:34-35) and for extending opportunities to worship the Lord and fellowship with His people, I am responsible to be a viable asset to the fellowship God has selected for me. I am responsible to worship Him there in the lifting up of my voice in prayer and praise as well as in the giving of my tithes and offerings consistently to the work of His kingdom. I am responsible for serving Him through the various ministries and missions opportunities afforded me through this particular local fellowship. If I expect this fellowship to honor God in their obedience and I refuse to fulfill my role for which I am responsible, then I am the one who is being self-centered, disobedient and sinful. In such a state, I cannot expect great blessings from God until I repent and return to the path of obedience and faith once again.

May this reminder toward faithfulness in worship serve to encourage us as we take a serious look at the great benefit God has given to us in being a part of Christ’s Church. After all, if Jesus gave His lifeblood for us, is it too much to ask that we be committed members in service to Him?

Pastor Chris

*All Scriptures quoted from the New American Standard version

A Weekly Online Newsletter: Edition 908 October 13, 2026

I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need. I can do all things through Him who strengthens me. (rf. Php. 4:12-13)

And He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.” Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ’s sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong. (rf. II Cor. 12:9-10)

Where does our strength end and Christ’s strength in us begin? Before we start to pursue the answer to this question, I believe that modern Christianity, indeed, Western Christianity at least from the 1800s, has taught its adherents two parallel concepts: (1) We must use up our own strength in service to Christ; and (2) We must surrender our strength in preference to Christ’s strength which He provides to us by the indwelling presence of His Holy Spirit. So, on the one hand, we want Christ’s strength pulsating through us to accomplish His will. On the other hand, we want to give all we have in our strength to His service. Whether we realize it or not, these are mutually exclusive concepts. They cannot nor should they coexist with one another in the same body. To attempt to marry these two concepts within one mind and body is to invite self-destruction and burnout, neither of which is useful to Christ and His work of the kingdom.

When the Apostle Paul shares, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me”, he is not saying that he is draining himself dry to serve Jesus. Rather, he is stating that he is using the strength and power of Christ to “do all things” as directed by Jesus. Paul recognizes the same truth that all humans know well, but often deny in our arrogance: our physical, mental, emotional strength is limited, yes, very limited! Out of sheer stubbornness and pride we will push ourselves beyond our limits, somehow trying to prove our worth to God, all the while believing that we are doing a good thing for the Lord! Then, when we experience the collapse of our strength, the fruit of our willfulness, we feel like utter failures because we could not measure up to the task.

Thankfully, the Apostle Paul learned how to surrender himself and his strength to the Lord, realizing that there was no way he would fulfill his mission for Jesus by solely relying on self and human capacity. Instead, Paul placed himself fully in the Master’s hands as an empty vessel to be filled with all God gave him to complete his task of taking the Gospel of Christ to the nations. God in His wisdom even gave Paul “a thorn” to be a constant reminder not to shift to his own strength, but to always rely on God’s grace which “is sufficient… for (His) power is perfected in weakness.” Paul could not have survived all that he did if he depended on himself and his abilities to get him through. His faith would have been shipwrecked at the outset. He chose purposefully to set himself aside and to offer himself as an instrument unto the Lord. In God’s strength Paul went forth and did more for the kingdom of heaven than he could ever have thought possible (seeing new places and meeting new people all along the way, I might add).

To repeat the original question, then: Where does our strength end and Christ’s strength in us begin? The answer is found in two words—surrender and resting. To do God’s will we must yield completely to Him. Like a knight of old before the king, we lay ourselves and our weapons at His feet and pledge our fealty/allegiance to Him, letting Him use us as He wills. As we surrender ourselves to Him, we also choose to rest in Him. We mortify our pride and self-centeredness, committing ourselves to resting under His protection and allowing His strength to permeate and fill our being. When we have fully surrendered and are fully resting in His care, He will then send us out to do His bidding. We can be totally confident that with these commitments in place, He will use us to glorify Himself as He continues to fulfill His will and extend His kingdom and grace to others. Surrender and rest—this is the way that He would have us to serve Him.

Pastor Chris

*All Scriptures quoted from the New American Standard version

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The Connection A Weekly Online Newsletter: Edition 907 October 6, 2026

Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but desire fulfilled is a tree of life. (rf. Prov. 13:12)

Not that I speak from want, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am. I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need. I can do all things through Him who strengthens me. (rf. Php. 4:11-13)

And He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.” Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. Therefore, I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ’s sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong. (rf. II Cor. 12:9-10)

Unrealized expectations. This is surely a universal affliction of mankind. It affects every area of our lives, especially within the relationships we possess. We have expectations of our bosses, our employees, our wives or husbands, our children, our church family, our ministers, etc. Men expect women to think like men. Women expect men to respond like women. Parents have expectations of their children and children of their parents. You get the idea. We have a certain set of criteria that we believe ought to be met by others. We also do the same with the Lord.

Our youngest son, Gabe, is in seminary as he also leads worship in a PCA church in the Atlanta area. He sent me a paper this week to edit and correct for his Apologetics class in which he unpacks the emotional argument regarding what is known in theology and philosophy as “the Problem of Evil” (i.e. Why does a good God allow evil to exist?). In any case, as Gabe shares his information on the subject, he also discloses his own expectations of how he believed God was supposed to respond to his own affliction since he suffers from daily chronic pain throughout his body. His own journey of discovery led him to realize that God is sovereign, and, yet, compassionate and kind. Yes, He allows Gabe to live with this constant companion of pain, but He has promised to be with him every step of the way, undergirding him with His strength and grace. Like with Job, God does not always provide answers to our issues, but He does fulfill His promises of Presence and support to His children…always.

So, how then do I manage these unrealized expectations of God and others? I must first get myself out of the way. If I cannot live up to my own expectations of myself, why on earth should I expect others to fulfill my expectations of them? As the writer of the proverb above points out, unrealized expectations (i.e. “hope deferred” or put off) only results in the sickness of my heart and further misery. Rather, I should bring my expectations “down to earth” where there is an actual chance of seeing them met, of having my “desire fulfilled”, giving me more of a sense of satisfaction (i.e. “the tree of life”). We should also factor the grace of God and the fruit of contentment into the expectation equation. God’s grace is more than sufficient to meet our every unfulfilled desire according to His will for us. If others are not rising to our level of expectation, God’s grace can reengineer our perspective so that we begin to see others through His lens of grace instead of our lens of how we want them to be or act. Indeed, the more of the grace of God we pursue, the greater level of contentment we will actually experience. We will begin to realize that for ourselves and others, it is not our own expectations that we and they need to fulfill. God’s expectations alone are paramount. And, thankfully, because of the finished work of Christ, He has filled the gap that exists between where we are and where He wants us to be. Remember: it is God who is at work in us to sanctify us and make us more into the image of Jesus, actions which He will not complete until we stand before Him in glory.

Therefore, we need to revisit our expectations of ourselves and others to see if they are truly unreasonable and impossible. If so, these expectations need to be jettisoned promptly. Let us be reminded of how God in His grace has already given us all we need to be content. Let us look at ourselves and each other through the lens of the love of Christ. And, finally, let us cut ourselves and others some slack with the understanding that God is not finished with any of us yet. Thankfully, only in Christ Jesus is His standard of acceptance fully met and through Christ we, too, are included in His completed work.

Pastor Chris

*All Scriptures quoted from the New American Standard version

As He was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things happen, and what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?” And Jesus answered and said to them, “See to it that no one misleads you…” (rf. Matt. 24:3-4)

“But of that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone. Take heed, keep on the alert; for you do not know when the appointed time will come.” (rf. Mk .13:32)

Wars in the Middle East. Unusual and highly impactful weather phenomena, resulting in famines, drought, flooding and widespread destruction. Economic turmoil throughout the world causing uncertainty for the future. Many are running to the Scriptures to find not only comfort and peace amid troubling times, but also reasons for the things that are happening. A number believe that God revealed 21st century happenings to a waiting 1st century audience, assuming the latter would understand and clearly inform the former. Those who feel very self-certain and convinced of their own answers and expertise, provide running commentary on happenings and their supposed validation in God’s Word online and in printed form.

If we are to be Biblical Christians and follow the words of Christ specifically, we should be a people of hope and not despair. After all, as the Apostle John tells us in I Jn. 4:18-19, “There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves punishment, and the one who fears is not perfected in love. We love, because He first loved us.” Fear of the future should not be a part of our makeup. Ours should be trust in God without question. He has promised to take care of His people...period. Therefore, we should live our lives in perfect peace, knowing that we are totally secure in Him. Whether we live or die, we are His and He will never leave us nor forsake us ever. He has promised to provide for our every need regardless of the circumstances. So, again, we should not fear the future.

Therefore, having such an encouragement, let us look at what the Scriptures actually state above so we will not fall prey to foolish nonsense that desires to captivate the unsuspecting and naïve among us. Jesus makes it clear in Matt. 24 while answering His disciples’ questions that He wants no one to be misled by what the signs of His coming and those of the end of the age, two separate events, will be. Correctly interpreting this passage, we must understand that Jesus is speaking to His disciples in the 1st century, not the 21st century. We must never look at Scripture through the lens of our own time first, but in the time in which the passage was originally spoken or written to correctly exegete or grasp the meaning. Secondly, Jesus’ use of “coming”, especially in reference to clouds, power and glory (vs. 30) is Old Testament language for judgment (rf. Ps. 97:1-6; 104:1-4; Nah. 1:2-3). This “coming” refers to Him bringing wrath upon those who rejected His Messiahship, especially Jerusalem and the Jewish leadership, a wrath that resulted in the utter destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD at the hands of the Romans. This judgment was foretold by Jesus in Matt. 23:37-39 within the same context. Indeed, Jesus warns His disciples to flee from Jerusalem when these signs appear because the judgment “coming” will be terrible (rf. Matt. 24:5-31).

Then, changing gears, Jesus goes on to state (rf. Matt. 24:32-25:30) what the signs of the end of the age and His Second Coming would be by virtue of parables, a famous feature of Jesus’ teaching. The parables of the fig tree, the thief in the house, the ten virgins and the talents all give different dynamics of what signs His disciples should look for as the end of the age approaches. He encourages his followers to prepare themselves for when He returns. He then discloses what the last judgment will look like (rf. Matt. 25:31-46) with Christ separating the people into two groups, His sheep and the unbelieving “goats”.

Jesus will return in His own time according to the Father’s will. When He does, He wants us to be about the Father’s business. This should be our primary concern. We should be ready to welcome Him when He comes again, not wringing our hands about when His coming will be! If our hearts are pure, it will not matter when He returns. That day will be one of great rejoicing and relief! Let us then look forward to His return and work diligently while we wait.

*All Scriptures quoted from the New American Standard version

Pastor Chris

Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful; and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near. (rf. Heb. 10:23-25)

In generations past, the church was the spiritual, social and physical center of a community. Indeed, prior to the advent of denominations, each village had a parish church where everyone in the area came for worship. Sunday attendance was a given, church being the place of connection and mutual encouragement. Unfortunately, such days are only found in the recordings of history.

Things are obviously much different now. We have a multiplicity of churches and denominations to choose from, which only encourages more of a consumeristic view of spirituality. We also have so many distractions, things that grasp our attention and call out for our allegiance as to keep us from pursuing spiritual growth and being together as God’s people. Organizations, sports, entertainment and many other choices clamor for us to participate in them instead of going regularly to the place God has established for the benefit of His people, the local church.

It appears from the above notations in Scripture by the writer of Hebrews that the early Church experienced similar difficulties. It is as Solomon famously stated in Ecclesiastes, “there is nothing new under the sun” (rf. Eccl. 1:9). God’s people being distracted from God’s worship and the fellowship of believers has obviously been a long-standing problem.

Just to be clear, God’s Word here is not chastising those who are providentially kept from coming to church because of sickness or physical affliction. Often, those so afflicted would gratefully choose to be in worship if their circumstances allowed them to do so and they were able to come. Thankfully, there are online services and other avenues of spiritual growth that are available to them which they need to be encouraged during their experience. These are not included in the group referenced by the writer as those “forsaking our own assembling together”.

However, the writer of Hebrews not only points out the issue of irregular attendance to the corporate worship of God but also gives us the solution. Even as he points out the need to “hold fast the confession of our hope” and to “stimulate one another to love and good deeds”, he implicitly shares the necessity of faithfulness and commitment. How are we going to fully understand this “confession of hope” unless we are consistently under the teaching of God’s Word? How can we encourage each other to do “good deeds” unless we are together regularly to do that? His message is clear: being together as God’s people is a requirement of our faith, not an option to consider when we feel like it or when we have nothing else to do.

Not coming faithfully to church is a “habit” all of us can easily fall into. All it takes is missing a couple of Sundays for even legitimate reasons, then we are faced with the choice of going back which becomes even more difficult when we consider all our options. Before we know it, we find ourselves pursuing our own priorities rather than the desires of the Lord who brought us out of darkness into light.

Let us then take this encouragement from Hebrews to view our joining with each other in worship, fellowship and discipleship as a necessity for our personal and corporate spiritual growth and maturity. Let us accept nothing less than faithfulness and commitment in our attendance. Let us pursue means of service and the use of our gifts to the benefit of all. If we all have this perspective, every local church would thrive and “grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (rf. II Pet. 3:18) as our God desires. May it be so!

*All Scriptures quoted from the New American Standard version

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Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit. And there are varieties of ministries, and the same Lord. There are varieties of effects, but the same God who works all things in all persons. (rf. I Cor. 12:4-6)

Diversity. This concept is a huge byword in our day. It carries with it the idea that all differences are welcome, all viewpoints are considered and respected, all approaches are on equal footing. Granted, this term also “covers a multitude of sins” and sinful behavior which is antithetical to the clear teachings of Scripture. It is an idealistic term with a boatload of realistic baggage. But that is only because the culture uses it with sin-tainted hands. In its purest form, it is a positive.

Uniformity. This concept also has many adherents in our present society. This word is a declaration of the opposite of diversity. The goal of uniformity is a people of like-mindedness, like action and like attitudes and motivations who are all working toward the very same goal, which is usually dominance of all other people, thoughts and ideas. Imagine a set of cookie cutter figures and you have uniformity. Again, our human view is a perverted one. Uniformity at its zenith is a reflection of eternal truth which should be a common foundation.

Unity. This is concept whereby different people can be brought together to accomplish the same goal and vision. Within unity, diversity is celebrated and seen as a strength upon which the commonality of diverse people can be the foundation upon which something much greater can be built. By contrast, uniformity is created under pressure and compulsion. Unity is derived by mutual love, appreciation and respect, pulling together what is different to make something truly meaningful. In the eyes of our Creator, unity is a beautiful thing, indeed.

The Christian faith and the teachings of Scripture pull together all three of the above concepts to weave an enduring tapestry of the love, grace and strength of Almighty God as He discloses Himself to His people. The Bible paints a picture of God’s people working together toward the common goal of accomplishing God’s will and the establishment of His spiritual kingdom on earth. He uses diversity as He includes Jews and Gentiles in His plan with the outworking of His actions being the presentation of “people of all tribes, nations and tongues” before His judgment throne in Rev. 7:9. Uniformity is seen when God places foundational truths before His people for them to live out and believe, namely the Ten Commandments, the Law of Moses and the teachings of Christ/the Gospel. Unity is the holy prayer of Christ Himself for His people that they all “be one even as You, Father are in Me and I in You” (rf. Jn. 17:21). The Lord brings all three of these seemingly contrasting concepts into play in a perfect blend to show His greatness and His plan for His beloved people.

As God has meant for His people to be diverse in makeup, uniform in belief, and united in heart so we should be diligent about seeing His desires become reality. By His Spirit He has given “a variety of gifts” intended for the upbuilding and edification of the whole Church and, especially, the ministry of the local church. When we respect these differences, we honor the Lord and bless each other. By His Word, we have a common foundation of faith upon which we build our lives and ministries. When we abide by His teachings, we fulfill His calling and are blessed of Him to be living examples of His peace and mercy. By His grace He has given this variety of elected people, His Church, the same grace that results in our salvation, growth in spirit, and, ultimately, our perfection when finally presented before Him at His throne in heaven.

It is only when we see the value of these concepts in our own church do we appreciate the wisdom of God in how He has chosen to accomplish His will. Therefore, rather than bemoan our differences, let us be thankful for them. Let us encourage each other in the strength and growth that comes with our being built together on the same foundation of truth. Let us rejoice in the network of different believers in Christ being joined in a familial network of love and mutual respect. Finally, let us be grateful that our Lord uses these concepts positively to bring us together as His people. We should reject any effort by the world, culture or the enemy to use them to divide us. Rather, let us live in the wonderful love of Christ which enables us to “bear all things, believe all things, hope all things, endure all things, (knowing this) love never fail” (rf. I Cor. 13:7-8a).

Amen!

Grace and peace,

Pastor Chris