Author: Bryan Gibson

Weekly Bulletin
November 20, 2016

To One Who Has Fallen
by Bryan Gibson
What follows is an edited version of a letter I sent about 10 years ago to a brother in Christ who had fallen away from the Lord. He became involved in the sin of homosexuality, and has now become involved in a number of other sins.
I really need a few minutes of your time. I need to tell you some things that God wants you to hear. He has invested a lot of time in you, so hopefully you can take a least a few minutes to hear from Him.
Jesus spends every day before the throne of our Father, making intercession for His people (Hebrews 7:25). No doubt He has heard a lot of people praying for you, some of them probably with tears. Rest assured—there will be a response to their prayers. There will be divine efforts made to bring you back to the fold (Luke 15:3-7), and I hope you will respond. God made you with a will of your own, and He won’t override that, but I still hope you won’t “kick against the goads” (Acts 9:5). Paul, the apostle, tried that for awhile, but when he finally stopped kicking, he sure was a happier man.
You’ve left Jesus, but He still knows right where you are. You’ve journeyed into the “far country”, just like the man in the parable He told (Luke 15:11-32). You probably think the “far country” has a lot to offer, but it’s all just an illusion. There’s nothing substantial about it; it doesn’t last, and it leaves you feeling empty. On the other hand, what Jesus offers will ensure that you will never be hungry or thirsty again (John 6:35). The world can satisfy your flesh; He can satisfy your soul. You have much deeper needs beyond those of the flesh, and only He can satisfy those needs. The path you have chosen will get darker and darker, but the path of righteousness “is like the shining sun, that shines ever brighter unto the perfect day” (Proverbs 4:18).
I know what you’re thinking—that you were somehow made to follow the course you’re on now, that it’s somehow beyond your control. I really thought you trusted in Jesus more than that. I thought you understood that the course He prescribed for you was the best one, in fact, the only one. Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life (John 14:6). Remember, He left heaven, came to this earth, and then went back to heaven. Who do you think would know the way to heaven better than Him? One time, when many of His disciples turned away from Him, He turned to His apostles and asked, “Do you also want to go away?” (John 6:67). I love the response Peter gave—“Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life” (John 6:68). Did you hear that? Jesus has the words of eternal life. You can trust in Him, that what He tells you is the absolute truth. The path you are on now is not the truth, and you know that very well.
You do know how much Jesus loves you, don’t you? He was mocked, beaten, scourged, spat upon, and eventually crucified. He could have stopped it all, but He went through with it, because He loves you (John 10:15-18). He shed His blood for you, so that you could be saved, and so that if you ever left Him, you would have a way to come back. Back to the parable I mentioned earlier. There’s more to the story. The son who journeyed to the far country “came to himself” (Luke 15:17) and decided that he was a lot better off back in his father’s house. He decided to go back, “but when he was still a great way off, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him” (Luke 15:20). The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit are all waiting and watching for your return. What a joyful day that will be.
“Return to Me, and I will return to you,” says the LORD of hosts (Malachi 3:7).

Contact Information
	P.O. Box 680872 / Prattville, AL 36067
	(334) 365-5887 / (334) 868-0801
	prattmont@knology.net / prattmontchurchofchrist.org

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The Prattmont Church of Christ is just what the name suggests, a church that belongs to Christ. We are not a denomination; we are simply a group of Christians trying very hard to practice the teachings of our Head, Jesus Christ. The New Testament offers a complete pattern for what each local church should be like—its organization, its worship, its work, etc. We are committed to following that pattern. We cordially invite you to attend our services. We would also welcome any comments or questions about this bulletin.

TIMES OF SERVICES:
Sunday
Bible Study 9:00 A.M.
Worship 10:00 A.M.
Training Class 5:00 P.M.
Worship 6:00 P.M.
Wednesday:
Bible Study 7:00 P.M.