Conscious that his times are in God's hands, and delighted that his very imprisonment has enhanced the progress of the Gospel, Paul faces the future with a calm and confident heart. His brethren are praying for him, and the Holy Spirit is his ever-present comforter and guide, (vs. 19; comp. Lk. 24:49; Acts 16:7; Gal. 4:6).
    Paul's attention is rooted in his earnest expectation and hope that Christ will continue to be magnified in his body, (vs. 20; Rom. 5:5; I Pet. 4:16) - whether in LIFE or in DEATH! Thus, he does not care what God may do with him, so long as (through his conduct and witness) Christ is exalted in the hearts and lives of men! (I Cor. 6:20; Rom. 14:8). If Christ is exalted he will have no cause for being ashamed, (Psa. 25:2, 20; 31:1, 17; 119:116). It is for this cause that he is able to face whatever God chooses for him, and to do so with a heart of joyful boldness, (2 Cor. 3:12; 7:4).
    For Paul to live was for Christ to be manifested and magnified

    Man's chief problem springs from the heart - the centre of emotions, reason and will - which is deceitful and easily deceived, (Jer. 17:9; Isa. 44:20; Obad. 3; Mk. 7:21). The natural heart, in its rebellion against God, imagines, conceives and devises evil, (Gen. 6:5). The proud, arrogant and haughty heart, in essence, still asks with the ancient Pharaoh, "Who is THE LORD? that He thinks He can RUN MY LIFE?" (See Ex. 5:2; Prov. 16:5; 18:12).


    It was a proud heart that led to the fall of Lucifer, (Isa. 14:12-15; Ezek. 28:17). It was heart-rebellion against the decree of their Maker (instigated by Satan) that led to the Fall in Eden. It is IN HIS HEART that the fool says, "NO GOD!" (Psa. 14:1). It is in her heart that the "whore of Babylon" is pictured as boasting: "I sit a queen, and am no widow, and shall see no sorrow!" (Rev. 18:7). But, in a single day, death, mourning and famine will come upon her; she will be utterly destroyed by the fire of God's indignation!
It was with an uncircumcised,

stubborn, rebellious and froward HEART that Israel forfeited her covenant-relationship with God - bringing about His ultimate rejection of the nation as the instrument through which He would bring all nations to bow before the glory and majesty of His divine presence! (Psa. 81:12). All day long He stretched forth His hand to a disobedient and gainsaying people; eventually, He said, "ENOUGH!" And his hand fell in judgment.
    If men persist in hardening their hearts against the voice of God, He may, as in the case of Pharaoh, FIX THEIR HEARTS IN THIS ADAMANT condition so as to ultimately get glory to Himself by means of the judgment He executes upon their contemptuous rebellion! (Ex. 14:4, 8, 17; 15:8; Prov. 28:14).


    Through the gracious power of the Holy Spirit the heart of man is: 1) Smitten with a consciousness of

sin-guiltiness before God, (2 Sam. 24:10). 2) By this same power man is brought to an attitude of REPENTANCE, and the repudiation of his sin, TOWARD GOD, and to FAITH in Jesus Christ as his Saviour and Lord. 3) It is God Himself Who inclines the heart of man to know Him (Phil. 2:13); but He wants the WHOLE heart, (Jer. 24:7; 29:13; comp. I Sam. 7:3; Psa. 119:2, 10). God will not despise ANY heart that is humble and contrite before Him, (Psa. 51:17; Isa. 57:15).


    It was with perfect, willing and joyful hearts that the people of Israel brought of their gold, silver, brass and iron to provide far building the temple that David so greatly desired for Jehovah, their God, (I Chron. 29:1-19). David called upon Solomon, his successor on the throne, to serve the Lord with a PERFECT heart - a heart that would respond in INSTANT OBEDIENCE and submission to God's revealed will, (I Chron. 28:9-13). And, in response to Solomon's prayer, God gave him a wise, understanding and liberal heart with which to rule over Israel, (I Kings 3:9-14; 4:29-30, 32-34).


    With true "purpose of heart" we must set OURSELVES to do God's will, (Josh. 22:5; Dan.1:8; 10:12). "My son, give me thine heart!" is the appeal of our Heavenly Father! (Prov. 23:26). But the door of our hearts must be kept with diligence, (Prov. 4:23). God's word, hidden within our hearts, will safeguard

us against sin, (Psa. 119:111). So, we must apply our hearts to the knowledge of the Holy, (Psa. 22:17).
    The Lord searches, tests and discerns the motives and intents of our hearts, (Psa. 7:9b; 15:11; 21:2; 24:12). If we regard iniquity in our hearts, the Lord will not hear us, (Psa. 66:18).


    God is deeply concerned about the heart-attitudes of His children. He wants our hearts to be comforted and established - SETTLED! (I Thes. 3:13; 2 Thes. 2:17). He invites us to draw near unto himself with true, pure, clean, humble, confident and fervently trusting hearts. Instead of having "double", or "divided" hearts, we should ask the Lord to so UNITE our hearts as to reverence His name! (Psa. 86:11).
    The Psalmist prayed that His heart might be sound in God's statutes - solid, established and firmly rooted, (Psa. 119:36, 80). His heart so fully rejoiced in God's testimonies that it was inclined to walk in His way TO THE END! Psa. 119:111-112). Before the Word of God his heart stood in AWE! (Psa. 119:161).
    The heart of the righteous should be merry, content and joyful - filled with thanksgiving, praise, adoration, worship and awe before the marvelous, gracious, undeserved love and mercy of our Heavenly Father, (Psa. 138:1-2). How lovely are the melodies of the heart when we are able to sing "with grace in our hearts" unto

the Lord! (Eph. 5:19; Col. 3:16).


   Hearts that are right toward God will care for others. It is with this in mind that we sometimes sing:
"Down in the human heart, Crush'd
      by the tempter,
   Feelings lie buried that grace
      can restore;
Touch'd by a loving heart, Waken'd
      by kindness,
   Chords that are broken will
      vibrate once more.
Rescue the perishing,
   Care for the dying;
Jesus is merciful,
   JESUS WILL SAVE!"
   To His little flock, the Lord Jesus still speaks, saying: "Let not your heart be troubled; neither let it be afraid" ... "Come unto me ... and I will GIVE YOU REST!" (Jn. 14:27; Matt. 11:28).


among men, (vs. 21; Gal. 2:20). Christ was, to him, the origin, essence, model, aim, comfort and reward of life, (Jn. 11:25; 14:6; Col. 3:4). He saw himself so eternally ensphered in the interests, service, fellowship and love of Christ that he could not choose between LIFE and DEATH! To him, CHRIST WAS ALL! In dying, he would not LOSE; he would GAIN! He would, then, be with Christ FOREVER! This would be FAR BETTER than living as it is experienced in this mortal flesh, (Jn. 12:26; 14:3; 17:24; comp. 2 Cor. 5:8).
    In reality, Paul was in quite

a quandary - actually longing to look, with adoration and worship, Into the face of His risen and ascended Lord, (2 Tim. 4:6-8); yet, yearning for the spiritual prosperity of brethren who seemed so dependent on his counsel and leadership, (vs. 24).
    Realizing that there was a NEED for further labor among his brethren, Paul was confident that God would spare his life, grant him liberty and permit him to return to Philippi - for the furtherance and joy of their faith, (vs. 25; 2:24). Their joy, in Christ, would be abundant when their prayers were answered in his release, (vs. 26).
    How long since you earnestly prayed for your pastor, and for others who preach the word?

    Within a couple of weeks after publication of this issue, Louise and I plan a trip to Hawaii for the wedding of our son, Derek, to Miss Maria Gonzales. The wedding is scheduled to take place on September 5, at Kilohana Estate, Puhi, Kauai, Hawaii. Derek and Maria have asked me to officiate at the ceremony.
    We will appreciate your prayers for our safety, for the welfare of the church in our absence, and for the Lord's blessings on Derek and Maria - that their partnership may be such as will count for the glory of God, as they serve Him together.
    Should any of our readers desire to contact them, you may address them at: