WLMO's Newsletter September 2001
Greetings in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ: Praise be unto our God! Folks...I’ll be honest...for the longest time now...it has been one struggle after another and most of the time we are fighting just to keep our heads above water. Finances, discouragement, and just plain old apathy...have aided in our inconsistency to keep up with the publishing of the monthly newsletter...and we apologize for that. Every time we catch our breath and start to get a second wind...along comes another blow dealt by the enemy to knock us backwards. It’s been very frustrating to say the least and we pray that you can find it in your heart to understand and forgive us. Sometimes...we just don’t know WHAT to do...and unfortunately during those times...we have a tendency to do nothing. At the present time, things are changing fast and we aren’t quite sure where they’re going. We feel like we have suddenly gotten on a roller coaster and God is saying, “Ready or not...here we go!” All we can do is hold on tight and go where ever it is that He is leading. Please...lift us up in your thoughts and prayers in the days ahead. We would greatly appreciate it! In the meantime...I’d like to share with you some thoughts that have been on my mind... I have been so discouraged lately. Where is everyone? It’s so funny. When things are going good and you’re saying and doing what people want you to say and do...everything is fine! But the moment something happens that is the least little bit contrary to what they want to hear...boom! They’re off and running! The Lord never promised us that being a Christian was going to be easy, folks! In fact...it’s quite the opposite! That’s why the Apostle Paul exhorts us to “...continue thou in the things which thou hast learned...” (2 Timothy 3:14), to “...watch thou in all things” (2 Timothy 4:5), to “...endure afflictions...” (2 Timothy 4:5), to “...fight the good fight of faith...” (1 Timothy 6:12), and to “...be not weary in well doing...” (2 Thessalonians 3:13). My heart breaks! I see so many people... (people that I love dearly) ...giving up the ship because of impatience and discouragement! They are like them that the Lord Jesus Christ speaks of in the parable of the sower found in Luke 8. “And some fell upon a rock; and as soon as it was sprung up, it withered away, because it lacked moisture And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprang up with it, and choked it.” (verses 6 and 7) Jesus goes on to explain in verses 13 and 14 that, “They on the rock are they, which, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, which for a while believe, and in time of temptation fall away. And that they which fell among thorns are they, which, when they have heard, go forth, and are choked with cares and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to perfection.” It’s a tough time in which we’re living, folks! We are being pulled in so many directions at once and it’s hard to tell what’s what sometimes! How can we know what we’re supposed to do? As you can probably tell from some of my earlier statements...even we who are in ministry battle these same things. It’s hard! And we all get off track sometimes. The important thing though is...that we get BACK on track...before it’s too late! Proverbs 24:16 says, “...a just man falleth seven times, AND RISETH UP AGAIN...” That’s the secret! Have you fallen down? Spiritually speaking...has the enemy dealt you a potentially deadly blow? If so...it’s up to you! You can choose to just lay there and let him win...or...hard as it may be...you can choose to get back up and go at it again! If you’re down...I’d like to encourage you and challenge you today...GET BACK UP! Get back into the race! Fight the good fight of faith and keep on keepin’ on! You may be asking, “But how? Where do I start?” Folks...there is only one place that you can go that has the answers to life‘s most difficult questions and trials...and that is the Word of God! I know...when you get down the first thing to go is your prayer and Bible study time. (Remember...I’ve been down myself! And I’m just as guilty as you are!) But praise God! Isn’t it comforting to know that...God...in all His infinite love and wisdom is standing there...right beside us...ready and willing to forgive us! Romans 3:23 says that, “...all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.” All! That includes you and I! None of us are born righteous! (That term, by the way, means “in right standing with God.”) We can’t “earn” our salvation. There is nothing that we can do! We can only become “righteous” through the shed blood of Jesus Christ. If you’ve got something standing in the way between you and the Lord today...please...lay it down. Ask the Lord to forgive you! Let the Lord begin a new work within you! He loves you so much! Also...know that regardless of how flakey things seem to be with us at the moment we ARE praying for you and we love you. We’d appreciate your prayers, too. If there is anything that we can do for you...PLEASE...let us know! God bless you! In The Holy and Precious Name of Jesus Christ, John and Rebecca Knox & Family
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