Dear Saints,
Greetings once again in the wonderful name of our Lord Jesus! It’s near the end of September as I write and we are feeling the first hint of the coolness of fall! It’s a welcome change from the summer heat.
Far more importantly, we continue to experience the Lord’s presence and working in many wonderful ways. At best, we all are “works in progress” but God is faithful and He has promised to complete what He has begun in us. (Phil. 1:6).
The lead article came to my attention back in the summer. It is a transcript of a message preached more than a decade ago, but very much needed by all of us. We have used preached messages before but this time I chose to leave it pretty much “as preached” instead of doing a lot of editing and re-writing.
I’m very thankful that even when we fall short and need forgiveness we have a perfect provision in what Christ did on the cross. It is good, and very necessary, that we understand a number of important truths about what repentance actually means. Sadly, so much of what is called “repentance” stops short of that for which God is looking. Through Christ, He has made full provision for saving us “from” sin and not “in it.” I’m very glad that God can take even our failures and enable us to “fail forward.”
I apologize for the smaller type font used in this (printed) issue but I had two articles I wanted to use and they just didn’t fit! Hopefully, we can get back to a more readable font next time!
The second article is a wonderful testimony by Bro. Jesse Phillips regarding a deliverance he has experienced. He is by no means alone in experiencing a need for such deliverance and so I hope his testimony can be a help to many others.
I believe we all at times just accept areas of our lives that are, in reality, strongholds of satanic bondage from which God desires to set us free. Satan deceives us into thinking, “that’s just the way it is,” and we limp forward spiritually unaware of the freedom available to us through the cross and the precious blood that was shed there. Meanwhile, demons hang around, using parts of our old nature to keep us in spiritual prisons and we often don’t even realize it is happening. May God help us to seek Him with an honest heart. It is one thing to profess our belief in the truths of scripture but another to actually lay hold of them and overcome through grace. And remember, grace is God’s power at work saving sinners.
Let’s continue to pray for one another. The nearer we get to the end of this present world, the darker it will become. The Lord is working faithfully even now to prepare us so that as that day approaches ever nearer, we actually, “be ready.”
Till next time may God’s rich blessings be yours.
Your brother in Christ,
Phil Enlow