Letter
Dear Fellow Pilgrims,
As people, we fall into the category of women, but in this world there is a wrong conception of what this means. As people, we want to know our purpose in life, and our greatest desire is to be heard, understood, and loved. There has been a reaction in our society against the oppression of women in times past. Women are encouraged to rise to their highest potential, and be recognized by those around them. In human reasoning, it seems right and noble to encourage personal accomplishment and glorification of the flesh. This is what the people of this world magnify.
We are reminded in Ecclesiastes 1:14 that “all is vanity and vexation of spirit.” It is needful for us then to be watchful, for it is natural to think more highly of the flesh—whether ourselves or others—than we ought to. It is self that desires honor, and pride that encourages it. Who should be glorified and honored? Where does all good come from? If there is any praiseworthy thing in our lives, its source is God, the Creator of all that is good. In ourselves we are but dust. In a minute’s time we can be brought low, for our very breath and well being comes from God.
We were created to be heard, understood and loved, for God designed for us to walk in communion with Him. God is the only one who truly knows and understands our needs. “So are my ways are higher than your ways.” (Isaiah 55:9) So, it is to God that we must go for understanding and direction for our lives. There is a way that God has planned for us to be raised up. It is a raising up to heavenly places. This is the only type of raising up that gives true meaning to our lives. This is true attainment.
But how can we get back to this purpose for which we were created? It was sin that separated man from God in the beginning, so “being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life. For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” (Romans 6:22-23) We aren’t able to do this on our own. No amount of our own efforts will get us anywhere. It is only in and through the precious blood of Jesus. It is only through the death of Jesus on the cross that we can receive God’s grace. It is by God’s grace that we are saved and cleansed “from all sin.” (1 John 1:7) In this state of reconciliation to God we are able to receive the many precious promises and privileges that are ours.
So many that are seeking to follow God all the way have bought into the error of the “sin you must” doctrine. Oh, it is grievous to see how the enemy of our soul has taken this advantage! “Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?” (Romans 6:1-2) Can we not be kept from sin by the same power by which we were saved? By denying this foundational truth we are a reproach to the name we hold, and are not living to the privileges that Jesus bought for us. Jesus came to “grant unto us, that we being delivered out of the hand of our enemies might serve him without fear, In holiness and righteousness before him, all the days of our life.” (Luke 1:74-75) If God is big enough to save us from our sins, wouldn’t He have enough power to keep us from yielding to the temptations of the enemy? Jesus paid for a delivering salvation. When we allow Jesus to work in our lives, the sins that beset us will no longer have controlling power.
So many have not heard, let alone experienced, the works of God to this extent. Oh, do not go away deceived and believing less! If you do, you can not possibly experience the peace of mind and heart that God has for all His dear children. You may be yearning for more of God, but you cannot receive fully when you only see a limited view of Him. We serve a big, great, and wonderful God who dearly loves us and holds the key for our real deliverance. Satan knows that a great advantage is gained for God when a saint gets a hold of the deliverance in salvation, and he will take every effort to keep the truth from being received. Let us not blindly take on what is taught us, but search the scriptures to know what God desires for us to know and receive from Him. Seek God to help you trust Him as He deserves to be trusted. If we do not get a hold of this profound truth the enemy is sure to keep you from ever experiencing a victorious life. Do not get me wrong: I am not talking about not having any faults, for we are still human and we will still make mistakes. The Lord continually works on us through the fiery trials of life. If we will let Him, He will refine and perfect us into His own image. It is a continually dying to self and allowing Jesus to have the reins.
The Lord knows how to lead each one of us into all truth. Because of our different backgrounds, we may have gained much ground or been greatly hindered along this line. In James 4:8, it says that if we draw near to God, He will draw near to us. This is a precious promise. God knows each of our hearts and knows when a heart is earnestly seeking after Him. If you do not sense that you are any closer to the Lord than you were before, then it is your part to ask why. It takes a great deal of humility to get into a place where we really can sense our need of God, and allow Him to do His work.
In the Word it says that the older women are first of all to be examples of holiness, which then enables them to be teachers of good things to the younger women. When we are walking in the way of holiness, then the workings of God can be accomplished. Let us first seek the Kingdom of God, and then all (patience, soberness, contentment, etc.) shall be added unto us. Are we humble and willing to be taught of God in His way? By walking with God, we are raised up together, and made to “sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus.” (Ephesians 2:6)
—K. E.