Letters from Our Fellowship and Readers

FROM OUR MAILBOX

From Malawi, Africa – D. Kaletso writes: I am happy to let you know that I have received the gift sent. May God bless you. I had phoned the Nkhoma Mission Hospital in Lilongwe because of the severe pain in my eye and the treatment would cost about 250 delas. It is more money than a sick person can manage. But through God on your behalf and others, I shall be cured. Pray for me all the time. God bless you.

From Somewhere in the U.S. – His Servant writes: Greetings in Jesus’ Name! Please use this donation in whatever way God guides. Food for thought: Negative thinking causes problems; Positive thinking brings solutions. Circumstances do not make a man; they reveal him. May God give you and yours blessings beyond measure.

From Aitkins, MN – R.E. Frye writes: Grace and Peace to you. Just a brief letter to make mention that I always enjoy reading the opening comments in each issue of the New Creation. The November/December 2008 issue was no exception. The “Tyranny of the Ought” addresses a common misunderstanding regarding God’s means of salvation in relationship to our works. As pointed out, the obtaining of salvation, which means the ultimate obtaining of eternal life, will always remain a gift. It was good, I believe that you went further to point out that acts of faith are essential in establishing our discipleship. As I understand the matter, we are put right with God (justified) through our response in faith to God’s provision in Christ – His sacrifice which atones for the sinful legacy inherited from Adam (Romans 4:5). Once justified we no longer bear any guilt before God, but are viewed as an adopted child (son) of God. The only “works” that proceed from that point on that have any value are the works that proceed from faith. I though it was well pointed out that such works constitute the “works God has prepared in advance for us to walk in them” (Eph. 2:10). So, certain works are essential in the sense that they validate our faith which is the premise upon which we are justified in the first place (James 2). Of course, if the works of faith are not present in one’s life, then the process of justification based on faith never got started in the first place. How wonderfully simple and yet so profound.

FROM OUR EMAIL

From South India – P.M. Kumar and P.M. Babu (NC Magazine distributors in Asia) report: Previously we sent NC magazines to the subscribers in Bangaldesh, Oman and Iran by ordinary mail and none of these magazines were returned to me. But one time I mailed the magazines to the subscribers in those countries by registered mail. To my surprise, many magazine packages were returned back to me. Some of them were returned from Muslim government postal dept. authorities after who after checking their contents saw that the NC magazines were “Christian literature.” They were returned to me only because they were “registered” post. I think that the other NC magazines sent by ordinary mail were thrown away by those Muslim people. Very unfortunate. This time also, I am again mailing the NC magazines by registered post. Let’s see what happens!

From Zambia, Africa – W. Ngulube and D. Maliye (CMF Bible Correspondence Courses Coordinators in a Zambian Prison ) write: We would like to thank God for His mercy and love for awarding us this opportunity to correspond with you. We are hereby informing you that your lessons have been a blessing to us and we have had our spiritual eyes opened because of what we have learned in your lessons. On behalf of the 006 group at the Kamfinsa State Prison, we would like to request a Strong’s Concordance so that we can learn more from its contents. We know it is expensive to send each one of us a copy, but you can send any number so that we can keep the copies in our prison library and the chapel. May God richly bless your ministry.

From Tamil State S.India – W.S. Vedha (CMF Trust) writes:

Christian greetings in the sweet and precious Name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. He was good enough to see us through all the years and we praise Him. I have serve the Lord Jesus Christ for the last 35 years. I have a great concern for our orphans in India. In the tribal and destitute areas orphans are dragged into child labor and many girls are forced into prostitution. This situation causes much a pain and concern and I feel it needs immediate care and attention. I can understand their plight because I was an inmate of an orphanage when I was a child. I am contemplating starting an orphanage with 25 children at the beginning. This was and is my long cherished hope and prayer to which I aspire. I am sending you a brochure for your information and philanthropic action. (Editor: If anyone is able to help in this undertaking, please write to Dr. W.S.Vedha, PO Box 54,

Pollachi Town, S. India 642 001.