Articles published in 2003

Below is a summary of articles written by Elder Neil Phelan for the Malvern newspaper. They are numbered according to publication order. To see the complete article simply click the title. You can also jump to other newspaper article collections using the menu on the left or search for words in the Google search engine. Soon we will complete a topics page, to help you find articles by subject.

"A FAITHFUL SAYING"

"A FAITHFUL SAYING"

"This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief"-1 Timothy 1:15

Paul felt himself to be the chief of sinners.  He did not feel himself to be just one of the many sinners, he felt to be the worst of the worst.  This was not a one time experience that he felt prior to his conversion and baptism, this was the way he felt all the time.  If one were to tell their doctor, "Sir, I feel to be the chief of sinners and I am prone to depressed spirits from time to time", they would probable be…

Dec 31, 1903 7:00 PM

"PRECIOUS DEATH"

"PRECIOUS DEATH"

"Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints"- Psalms 116:15


There are many precious things in the world.  Their being precious is owing to their rarity and worth.  If we were to dig diamonds in our yards who would wear them on their fingers or give them as tokens of love? And if gold grew on trees it would be worth little for exchange.  So, things being scarce, become precious in our sight.  

The bible sets things aright concerning what is truly precious.  Though we have heard of people paying millions of dollars for a trinket that belonged to a movie star,…

Dec 31, 1903 7:00 PM

"THE FATHERHOOD OF GOD"

"THE FATHERHOOD OF GOD"

"After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven…"-Matthew 6:9

What a blessed invitation we have before us today.  The Creator of heaven and earth encourages His children to talk to Him and to ask for their needs.  This invitation to come before our heavenly Father is  well noted in William Bradbury's song, "Sweet Hour of Prayer" with these words: 

"And since He bids me seek His face,

Believe His word, and trust His grace,

I'll cast on Him my every care

And wait for thee, sweet hour of prayer!"

The language of our Master in this model prayer is given as a …

Dec 31, 1903 7:00 PM

"Who Knoweth"

"Who Knoweth"

"Who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this?"-Esther 4:14

Our thoughts today are centered around the soul searching question of Mordecai, which question all believers have mused in their own hearts from time to time.  The question is one of speculation, as to whether or not God had orchestrated the events surrounding their present plight.  It concerns the beautiful thought of  God's providence and His divine intervention in the lives of His people.

The word providence is pregnant with thought and imagination.  Not only does it mean that God is…

Dec 31, 1903 7:00 PM

"Who hath saved us"

"Who hath saved us"

"…God; Who hath saved us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began"-II Timothy 1:9

Are you saved?  If you are then who saved you?  Did the preacher save you?  Did a particular message save you?  Were you saved by ceremonies and traditions?  In his affectionate letter to Timothy, Paul did not claim his personal salvation to any of these, nor did he claim to have saved Timothy.  He gave the honor and glory to the only savior of sinners: "God, who hath saved us". The…

Dec 31, 1903 7:00 PM

"THE FAITHFULNESS OF GOD"

"THE FAITHFULNESS OF GOD"

One of the greatest comforts in the believer's heart is the knowledge of their Lord's faithfulness.  When it seems that the Lord has forgotten us and that our prayers go no higher than our heads, it is of great consolation to remember the words that Paul gave as encouragement to his Hebrew brethren that God had spoken long ago: "I will never leave thee nor forsake thee."

Faithfulness is the backbone of anything good: a marriage, being a parent, an employee, a church member, even being an American citizen.  Without faithfulness, things, good things, are broken down…

Dec 31, 1903 7:00 PM

"MAKE HASTE, O GOD, TO DELIVER ME"

"MAKE HASTE, O GOD, TO DELIVER ME"

Psalms 70


Many were David's persecutors.  They lurked in secret places, constantly looking for a slip of the tongue, an improper gesture, a wrong move or any thing that might bring a reproach upon his stewardship.  We, as David, are not exempt from those who would seek our hurt.  As Christians, we should know that Satan, can not stand those who honor our Lord Jesus Christ, his sworn enemy.  So, he constantly hunts for the precious soul, to defame and cast down.  Let our language be as David's, "Make haste, O God, to deliver me; make haste to help me, O Lord. …

Dec 31, 1903 7:00 PM

"COMFORTERS"

 "COMFORTERS"

"…that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God"-2 Corinthians 1:4

Today, we find the apostle comforting the Church at Corinth with the same comfort he had received of God. To reach out and comfort a brother or sister in Christ is one of the greatest marks of Christianity.  

To comfort another, we must have empathy, even pity for those who are distressed.  I remember a little girl falling on the ice one cold, winter morning as we waited for the school bus.  She came from a very poor family and was sadly…

Dec 31, 1903 7:00 PM

"ELECT ACCORDING TO THE FOREKNOWLEDGE OF GOD"

"ELECT ACCORDING TO THE FOREKNOWLEDGE OF GOD"

"Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father…."-I Peter 1:2

Today, we hope to encourage God's people in the same way that Peter encouraged and strengthened the scattered strangers of his day.  Though they were persecuted, and could have thought that God had forgotten them, Peter reminds them they are of God's elect.  Peter had found great comfort in this glorious doctrine, so he comforts his brethren with the same comfort he had enjoyed in being a member of a chosen and redeemed family.  He could find no words more fitted for the occasion…

Dec 31, 1903 7:00 PM

When we see God's wonderful grace, many questions always come up in our minds, because grace remains to be a mystery to us

'"WHO AM I"

Our thoughts today are centered around a prayer of David as he expresses his gratitude for the Lord's mercy and kindness towards his house, "Then went king David in, and sat before the Lord, and he said, Who am I, O Lord God? And what is my house, that thou hast brought me hitherto?"(II Samuel 7:18)

As David spake thus to his Lord, he was not asking who he was in regard to his person, but rather who he was that the God of glory would take notice of him and bless him thus.  His speech concerned the lowliness of his character.  As a country song once went, "Why me Lord; what have I…

Dec 31, 1903 7:00 PM

"THE SECRET PLACE"

"THE SECRET PLACE"

"He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High 

shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty- Psalms 91:1,2

There is a place where the believer may go to find comfort and protection, a place to renew strength. It is the secret place of the most High.  As the psalmist describes this secret place, he alludes to the Most Holy place, that sacred cubicle the High priest alone had access to in the time of this writing.  The most prominent figure therein were the golden Cherubims, perched above the mercy seat, with glittering wings outstretched from wall to wall, for in verse…

Dec 31, 1903 7:00 PM

"ONLY TRUST HIM"

"ONLY TRUST HIM"

"They that trust in the Lord shall be as mount Zion, which cannot be removed, but abideth for ever"-Psalm 125:1

It is difficult for us to trust in the Lord, to put our lives, our hopes, our fears and our labors in the hands of another.  Yet, there is a great peace given to those who do so: they cannot be removed.  This does not mean that we should not pray for a desired end, nor does it mean that we should sit on the stool of do nothing.  David fought the Philistines, but he prayed.  The apostles trusted in the Lord, yet they were busy in their righteous endeavors to serve the…

Dec 31, 1903 7:00 PM

"HE WENT A LITTLE FARTHER"

"HE WENT A LITTLE FARTHER"

"And He went a little farther, and fell on His face, and prayed."- Matthew 26:39

Today, I share with you a selection from "Morning and Evening".  This is a devotional book, containing short, but instructive articles by the late Charles H. Spurgeon.  This book is still in print and contains a morning and evening devotional for every day of the year as the title suggests.  Here are his thoughts on our Lord's garden prayer.

"There are several instructive features in our Saviour's prayer in His hour of trial.  It was lonely prayer. He withdrew even from His three favoured…

Dec 31, 1903 7:00 PM

"THUS FAR"

"THUS FAR"

There is a song in our book which begins with these words, "Thus far the Lord has led me on, thus far his power prolongs my day."  As we approach the new year, I find these words to be of great comfort for if our eyes are open, we know it is by the Lord's mercy and grace that we are here today and that we have made it……"thus far".  It is good to reflect upon this truth, for if our Lord has been with us in the past, he will not desert us today, tomorrow or in the years to come.  When David wrote of the Lord's abiding presence, he said, "Thou hast beset me behind and before, and laid…

Dec 31, 1903 7:00 PM

"LOVEST THOU ME"-John 21:15

"LOVEST THOU ME"-John 21:15

Today we focus our attention to a most heart searching question concerning our love for Jesus.  As our Lord questioned the heart of the apostle, let Him equally question ours today.  Try to imagine that Jesus is sitting next to you and has spoken the same words to you as He did to Peter: "Lovest thou me?"

Peter was of the highest office in the church.  The question was not to a nominal follower of Christ.  It is indeed a question for us all.  Those who have sacrificed much are not exempt from the question for Peter had "Left all" to follow Jesus.  Even the most…

Dec 31, 1903 7:00 PM
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