Pam Redman | The Voice of Zion October 2024 - Home & Family Article --
Fellowship with our escorts in faith is a great blessing. We are fortunate to have services, camps and other gatherings where we can receive nourishment for our souls and create bonds of love with other believers. Involvement in activities of God’s kingdom is beneficial to believers.
It is secure to stay in the middle of the congregation where we can discuss matters of our hearts with those who are of the same spirit. We are advised, “Confess your faults one to another, and pray for one another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much” (James 5:16).
God has given us the gift of faith and gifts to serve. The book of James reminds us, “Be ye doers of the word and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves” (1:22). We are often encouraged to put our gifts on the exchange table for use in the kingdom. Each gathering and event requires people to work in various roles. This can be a great opportunity to meet and get to know others while working on the project, whether it is building a church, preparing for summer services or cleaning up after coffee lunch.
We may not recognize our own abilities, even thinking, “Why me?” If one is not able to serve, he or she can pray for other workers. “So built we the wall; and all the wall was joined together unto the half thereof: for the people had a mind to work” (Neh. 4:6). God blesses willing hearts and hands.
Another important aspect of believers’ gatherings is singing! “I will sing unto the Lord, because he hath dealt bountifully with me” (Ps. 13:6). We are the most fortunate people!
Joy in God’s Congregation
Steve Kallinen
What do I remember after I leave services? It is not the details, but it is joy like a child would have after washing a basket in the rain, as refreshment and preparing for a new day. There at the gatherings, friends have made me smile or laugh, the sermon has touched my heart and soul, and the singing has brightened the day.
As a natural plant grows, it needs more water and fertilizer, not less. People are like the plant that continues to need nourishment for the heart and soul, feeding the tender plants of God’s Word, so they would grow and flourish to produce grain for the harvest to heaven. How good to be under this refreshing moisture.
On a trip to Kenya last December, a young man waited from early morning at the service site, as he wished to “not miss the services when we would finally arrive for church to be held.” I figure he waited five or six hours for the services to begin.
The time of awakening in Africa creates a hunger for God’s Word. We heard several times, “We wish these services would last three to four days at a time in our area.” Likewise in Sierra Leone in May they sat and listened, they stayed throughout the day’s events and yet hungered for more. How we can also learn from them?
“Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water” (Heb. 10:22). Remember the children of Israel as they crossed the Red Sea, and the Lord destroyed those who attempted to capture them, so then Miriam led the children of God in unity and rejoiced singing, “Sing ye to the Lord, for he hath triumphed gloriously; the horse and his rider hath he thrown into the sea” (Exod. 15:19–21). Children hear His calling voice; they rejoice together that God had helped and we also must say, “Hitherto hath the Lord helped us” (1 Sam. 7:12).
I could also mention how camps have been a great oasis in the desert for me. They are precious opportunities for fellowship, for devotions, and for learning about faith. Yet, how often am I there?
The gathering of the community of saints is comforting to one who needs to feel the hand of God’s angels for support in faith. Lambs find comfort in a flock, not when they are alone in the pasture. In the flock the Shepherd is watching and protecting them—and us—from onslaughts of the enemy.
Faith Cometh by Hearing
Don Lahti
Children sometimes ask why we go to church. There could be multiple answers from the Bible to this question. In Romans, Apostle Paul said, “Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (10:17). He also said, “How shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?” (v. 14).
Living faith is not of us ourselves. God first calls us into faith, as is recorded in the first letter to Corinthians: “God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord” (1:9).
A child might next ask, how can one come into living faith? Jesus said, “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened” (Matt. 7:7,8 NIV). In His Sermon on the Mount, Jesus said, “Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness” (Matt. 6:33).
We understand, according to God’s Word, that living faith is of God and He gives it to the humble and penitent sinner who seeks to receive the absolution of their sins from another believer, one who has the authority from the Holy Spirit to forgive sins, as is recorded in 1 Peter 2:9. “Ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood.” Jesus gave this authority to His own disciples before He died on the cross, according to Luke 24:49, “Behold, I sent to promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.” John 20 also contains this: “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive anyone’s sins, their sins are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven” (John 20:22,23, NIV).
As we examine how the Bible instructs us about faith, we understand how important it is to gather around God’s Word. We desire to attend church, Sunday school, Bible class and other gatherings of God’s children. We need the constant reminders that are given us in the Bible and through the Holy Spirit. Jesus knew how necessary it was, as He instructed His disciples in His farewell sermon regarding how important it was for Him to go away. “But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you” (John 14:26).
The writer to the Hebrews reminds us of the importance of fellowship with believers, “Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching” (Heb. 10:25).
If we keep a distance from other believers, on the edges of God’s kingdom, there are dangers. The enemy of souls can begin to tempt with lies, which can corrupt the human mind, causing us to doubt. Doubts could eventually lead one away from God’s kingdom. Instead, we wish to heed admonition to travel in the “middle of the flock.” By doing so we are protected in faith.
Living Away from a Congregation
Gladys Lahti
When I was growing up, we did not have a church nearby to go to. My dad was in heresy. My mom repented from the heresy when I was just a small girl.
After Mom received the grace of repentance, she came home on the train from the cities. Dad had asked the minister from his church to pick her up from the train station and bring her straight to the church and he would get the cows milked before going to church. When Mom got off the train, she was able to confess her faith to the minister. She told him she would not be going to church with him because she had found God’s kingdom.
So the minister brought her home. He only brought her as far as the end of the driveway that led to the house. Yet to this day, I can picture Mom walking up the driveway, seeing Dad standing in front of the barn watching. I’m sure he was wondering why she came home instead of going to church.
I remember how much it meant to my mom and to us kids when the believers would stop by to visit. We would always sing songs of Zion together and Mom would discuss faith with our company. It was so special when Dad would bring us to the believing services. It meant so much to be able to get to church.
We don’t want to take it for granted when we are able to get to services, especially remembering that this didn’t happen often in the past.
God has preserved me in faith to this day, and I pray that He would continue to protect me and guide me in faith until the end of my journey.
Attending Church Services
Hannah Keranen
Why would a believer not want to go to Church Services? When we are believing, it seems natural that we get hungry to hear God’s Word spoken.
We desire to be in the middle of the flock of believers. Where are we likely to find them? We find them at church services and other service events and occasions, or at the homes of believers.
As a child we always attended Sunday school and then the church service that followed. During church we sat quietly while the minister delivered a Finnish sermon, followed by an English sermon. All was well and we felt refreshed.
Nowadays, people appreciate the fact that services can be listened to online at home, in a vehicle while traveling, any time of day or night. This is very acceptable but it feels important, if possible, to incorporate fellowship also. This helps us to remain on the straight and narrow pathway to heaven.
If we endeavor, young and old, with a clean conscience, having sins forgiven, we can be joyful and live in God’s peace.
Susan Kiviahde
In pondering the importance of attending church, the first thought that came to my mind was the Bible portion, “Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the day approaching” (Heb. 10:25). It is very important to remain in the love and fellowship of the believers.
It is a wonderful option to be able to listen online when we cannot make it to church, but we should not make that an excuse to not attend services at the church. It is important to attend the meetings of the believers.
This is especially true in times of conflict and turmoil in God’s kingdom. During the heresy of 1973 and also in the recent heresy, it became very evident in meetings that there were two voices in the congregation. By attending meetings with an open mind, we can see for ourselves the fruits that are revealed in different speeches. “Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them” (Matt. 7:20).
Leading up to the 1973 heresy, I listened to both sides until it was revealed to me which side was the true kingdom of God. To remain as a child of God, it was most important to remain in this true kingdom, regardless of the fact that most of my family and many dear friends were going the other way. “Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness and all things will be added unto you” (Matt. 6:33).
Although I then lost many dear ones, I have experienced Jesus’ words to be true: “Everyone that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name’s sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life” (Matt. 19:29). This is what we all hope for when our days on this earth come to an end.
It Is Important to Gather
John and Esther Martin
We enjoy singing together Sunday evenings at the manor. We enjoy when we get visiting families with children to church on Sundays. The children brighten our day. It is important to gather with believers.
It is good to teach children by example the importance of attending services and having fellowship with believing friends.
We often feel our own poorness in many ways. We can enjoy evening devotions. We live day by day and putting sin away as it attaches.
Discussion Questions
How does it help you in your faith to attend services? How do camps help you along the narrow way?
Why is fellowship important? How does talking with others help us believe?
How can serving in God’s kingdom keep us close to the center of the flock?
What words can encourage and support ones who seldom attend services?
Discuss where and how we might extend an invitation to services to those who have not yet found God’s kingdom.