Daily devotion – fellowship opportunties
Seizing the Time to Fellowship and Grow in Faith
1 Peter 4:17: “For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?”
Yesterday, the women of Calvary Chapel Secret Harbour gathered for a powerful time of studying God’s Word and uplifting one another in prayer. This Friday evening, the men of CCSH will gather to do the same, seeking strength and growth together in Christ.
One of the clearest paths to maturing in your relationship with God is through constant immersion in the Word of God, daily seeking the Lord in prayer, and regularly fellowshipping with other believers. Meeting once a week for a brief time hardly allows the deep connection, spiritual input, and encouragement needed to grow in faith. Yet, in much of the Western world, where we face little persecution for gathering as Christians, many have settled for minimal fellowship—often just 90 minutes on a Sunday.
This is a stark contrast to what we see in countries where Christianity is outlawed or believers face the threat of violence for attending church. Those believers long for more time with their brothers and sisters in Christ, praying fervently for the opportunities to fellowship.
The Bible warns of a coming “falling away” in the Last Days—a sifting within the Church. As 2 Thessalonians 2:3 tells us, “Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first.” We’ve already seen the beginnings of this during the pandemic when many Christians, unable to attend church, never returned once restrictions were lifted.
Pastor Jack Hibbs of Calvary Chapel Chino Hills recently spoke about how God has continued this process of sifting, and how he actively participated this process by teaching the book of Romans during Covid. His goal was to “weed out the genuine from the disingenuous” by offering solid, in-depth teaching of God’s Word. Only those truly committed to Christ would stay.
So now is the time to seize every opportunity for fellowship, connection, and spiritual growth. Don’t take the freedom to gather with your fellow believers for granted, because there may come a day when it will no longer be possible. Let us build one another up, encourage one another, and deepen our commitment to Christ while we still can.
We must be intentional in making fellowship and spiritual growth a priority. These gatherings—whether it’s at the Men’s Night this Friday, or the next women’s Bible study—are opportunities for us to strengthen our faith together as the body of Christ. Don’t let these precious moments pass by.