The general pattern of brethren assembling relates to 4 hours of the 168 hours of a week. Considering traveling time, the gathering times would likely require another 5 hours. This article, therefore, relates to some 9 hours of the 168 hours each member needs to consider per week.

Note the ways brethren relate to these moments of assembling. Brethren respond in some 4 different groups: 1. Some do not attend at all (Observations over the years indicate 40-50% of those who were bap-tized into Christ do not attend at all). 2. Some members attend occasionally (this includes those who attend a few services a month, or those who attend Sunday morning (or Sunday evening), but rarely attend any other services. 3. There are members who generally attend all the services but consistently rush in the last moment, or repeatedly show up 5 or 10 minutes late. 4. There are members who consistently attend all the services, arriving on time or early for each and every service. Brother or sister, where do you fit in the above 4 groups?

If you fit in groups 1 or 2, you seriously need to read the sobering Scripture of Hebrews 10:21-31. Any soul in Christ who willfully forsakes the assembling of brethren for worship or study will find in that passage some of the most fire-charged, terrifying terms ever assembled to warn wayward souls of their wicked ways! The Lord knew if warning was not cutting and clear related to willfully forsaking the assembling of brethren, there would be no chance for such souls to grow, to know, or to unite well as workers in God’s family.

Consider a real concern about Group 3— who rush in at the last moment, or consistently arrive five or 10 minutes late for worship or Bible classes. Have you paused to honestly consider what You are doing? 1. You keep a teacher—and the rest of the class—from starting "on time" for study relating to God’s eternal principles. 2. You "take over" the early part of the class, for everyone else must surrender to your "slothful study standard" of delaying a good and wholesome approach to study!

In recent weeks, I have been related to varied Adult and Teenage classes. Late-arriving students was a pattern in every class! Even our public schools, studying secular material, would be appalled at the late arriving students characterized by our study of God’s Eternal Word! If you are consistently late in arriving at classes in Public Schools You will be disciplined! How much does this indifference to starting time attitude account for a genuine concern about limited and deficient knowledge of God’s Word by so many church members??? What kind of a student of God’s Word are YOU (II Tim. 2:15)?

Thank God for Group #4. Your interest and consistent standard related to study and worship surely form the future of the Lord’s work in the congregation. You are heeding Paul’s plea for "redeeming the time because the days are evil" (Eph. 4:16). J.H. Thayer defines redeeming (Gk. exagorazo) the time is "to make a wise and sacred use of every opportunity for doing good" (Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament, p.220). Jesus stated that we are known by our fruits (Matt. 6:16-21).

Brethren, please give prayerful thought to these words concerning current trends related to our assembling moments. We surely do not want to be victims of Charles Swindoll’s statement, "We are often so caught up in our activities that we tend to worship our work, work at our play, and play at our worship."