If you have not already made plans to be in Rockford, for our Fellowship Meeting, on June 24-25, we hope that you will soon do so. This special meeting is one in which we want you to SHARE OUR JOY, and gratitude to God, for the completion of a 30-year witness in this city.
    Since 1954 we have entertained such Fellowship Meetings on a fairly regular basis, and the Lord has blessed us with some spiritually enriching times together. Though I hope it will be possible for brethren to meet regularly for such meetings in the future, I will not be asking Landmark Church to sponsor them as often as in the past.
    It will greatly assist us, in the provision of accommodations, if you will write, or call ahead, and let us know that you plan to be with us. And, do pray that the Lord will bless with such a meeting as will find all hearts united in the fear and praise of our Saviour's name.
    God's love for us is not such as always exempts us from trial; it is, rather, a love that sees us safely through.

    There is terrific conflict in the world over possessions; but, this should not be stirred by the people of God. Possessing Christ, Whom no one can take from us, we have immense, indescribable and inexhaustible treasure and lasting peace. Nor is it right that we permit this peace to be disturbed through selfishness or the corruption of our own hearts.
    The Word of God admonishes: "Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love, in honor preferring one another ... if it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men ... Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord", (Rom. 12:10, 18; Heb. 12:14).
    Let us learn that wrath and anger, which change our countenance and urge us to utter dreadful words, are abominable in the sight of God. The flesh-loosened tongue is as a fire from hell -- reflecting the image of the old dragon who is the chief enemy of our souls. But, we have been called to bear the image of our Maker, and to reflect His glory -- bringing forth spiritual fruit and possessing both the mind,

gentleness and selflessness of Christ.
    To fulfill our high, peaceable calling, it is necessary that we: avoid all occasion for contention and strife; bridle our tongues against a multiplicity of careless words; suffer patiently in trials for Jesus' sake; and seek God's help in quenching the sparks of resentment within our own hearts -- lest they burst forth into a roaring volcano of vituperation. For, we are not only called to peace; we are also called upon to be "peacemakers".

Blest are the men of peaceful life,
Who quench the coals of growing
    strife;
    They shall be called the heirs of
    bliss,
    The sons of God, the God of peace.
    "Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on Thee: because he trusteth in Thee".

I LOOK NOT BACK -- God knows the
    fruitless efforts,
The wasted hours, the sinning and
    regrets;
I leave them all with Him that
    blots the record,
And graciously forgives, and then
    forgets.
I LOOK NOT FORWARD -- God sees all
    the future,
The road that's short or long, will
    lead me home;
And He will face with me its every
    trial,
And bear for me the burden that
    may come.
I LOOK NOT AROUND ME -- then would
    fears assail me,
So wild the tumult of life's
    restless sea;
So dark the world, so filled with
    war and evil,
So vain the hope of comfort and
    of ease.
I LOOK NOT INWARD -- that would
    make me wretched,
For I have naught on which to stay
    my trust;
Nothing I see but failures and
    shortcomings,
And weak endeavors crumbling into
    dust.
BUT, I LOOK UP -- UP into the face
    of Jesus
For there my heart can rest, my
    fears are stilled;
And there is joy, and love, and
    light for darkness,
And perfect peace, and every hope
    fulfilled.

DOES GOD'S PEACE KEEP YOUR HEART?

"parousia" (coming, body presence) and kingdom (Matt. 2)4:3, 27, 37-39; I Cor. 15:23; I Thes. 3:13; 4:l5; 2 Thes. 2:1, 8-9; Rev. 11:15-18).
    By the use of two metaphors, Paul illustrates his belief in the sanctity of the whole nation -- as related to God's strategy, (vs. 16). First, he refers to God's ancient requirement for the Israelites to offer a cake from the first batch of dough made from the freshly-ground flour that came from the threshingfloor, (Num. 15:17-21). When the heave offering was so made, the whole batch of dough was sanctified.
    The "firstfruit" here may refer to those of Jewish birth who, like Paul, had already acknowledged the rightful lordship of Jesus Christ over their lives. Or, it may refer to the ancient patriarchs, whose faithful dedication to God's will and program sanctified their offspring. In either case, God has not finished with Israel -- though the nation is presently in rebellion and unbelief.
    Paul then uses a second metaphor involving the relationship of root and branches. The "root" here surely looks back to the Patriarchs with whom God anciently established His covenant (Deut, 7:8; 9:5; lO:15-17). Upon the basis of their holiness and devotion, He anticipates the same from their offspring -- and, mercifully, waits until they are ready to say: "Blessed is He that cometh in the name of the Lord!" As Christians, however, we are to be rooted, grounded and built up IN CHRIST -- whose faith and love are reproduced in our lives, (Col. 2:6-7; 1:21-23;

Eph. 3:17).
    As the heave offering consecrated the whole batch of dough; and, as the branches of a tree are one with its roots, so the principle which led to the origin of Israel will also control her destiny. In the Old Testament it was called "hesed" -- involving the stedfast love and faithfulness of God to His covenant-promise. In His own time and way God will still bless the rebellious nation -- and make her a blessing to others. Remember, He is able to make even the WRATH of men to praise Him! E.G.


    "When ye pray, say OUR FATHER" ... "Ye ask, and receive not because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts", (Lk. 11:2; James 4:3).
    Many people "repeat" the Model Prayer without praying. They SAY: "Our Father"; but, if God is their Father they never show Him the honor that is His due, (Mal. 1:6). They say: "which art in heaven"; but, if they really believe it, how can they dare sin as they do upon earth? They say: "Hallowed be Thy name"; yet, think nothing of taking God's holy name in vain, or of dishonoring it by their very lives.
    It is easy to say; "Thy kingdom come" but, instead of making that kingdom (and its righteousness) their highest priority (Matt.6:33), their very lives are characterized by everything but "righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit", which express the very essence of

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that kingdom, (Rom. 14:17). And it is hypocritical to say: "Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven", while the will of God is for one's personal sanctification (I Thes. 4:3), and the one repeating the Model Prayer has no desire or intention of devoting himself fully to the loving and willing service of the One Whom he presumptuously calls Father".
    Why will one vainly say: "Give us this day our daily bread"; yet, refuse to feast his soul upon that true bread which came down from heaven", (John 6:31-58)? And, how blindly ignorant, or foolishly presumptuous, to say: "Forgive us our debt as we forgive our debtors";

yet, heart is inflamed by a spirit of malice and revenge toward his offenders, (Matt. 6:l4-l5).
    What is the good of saying: "Lead us not into temptation", when one's own heart is already set on such a destination? Or, "Deliver us from evil"; when one can hardly wait "to fulfill the lusts of the flesh"? And, it is nothing short of blasphemy to say: "Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever. AMEN! -- if, having said it, one rejects the rule of that kingdom over his own life, rebels against the authority of the King, and refuses to live in such a way as to glorify God by his present life.
    Paradoxically, the people who most persistently refuse to be guided by the principles set forth in the Model Prayer, are the most insistent on the importance of repeating it; but, such is "vain repetition"! Until one has such a sense of God's majesty, holiness and mercy that his prayer is fervent, and from the heart, he need not expect God to hear and bless.
Assist & teach me how to pray;
    Incline me fully to obey;
What Thou abhorrest, let me flee,
    And only love what pleases Thee.


    We are thankful that Jeanette Thompson and Adina Garner have faithfully continued their studies until both are graduating from High School next month. It will be my privilege to bring the Baccalaureate Message for class, of some 45O graduates, on June 6.