February                                                                                            April

The Fixed Stars    What He Has Accomplished    God's Delight    The Death of A Saint   Uncle Ed's Philosophy   Silver  And  Gold  Have  I  None    Absolutes vs. Relatives?     Big church crowds  Tour Through the Bible    Meetings    Obituaries

The word Star is mentioned 15 times in the Bible and Stars 51 times. Webster's Dictionary gives the definition of star as: any of the heavenly bodies seen as small, fixed points of light in the night sky.

From early childhood we have been amazed at the vast expanse of the night sky, and the numberless stars giving their light.

Strong's Concordance: lists stars as; strewn over the sky, and also those that are unfixed stars vacillating [wavering] and unstable. Jude tells us of wandering stars, verse 13. We have seen shooting stars that make a bright light, then are gone. There are also distant stars from which we do not receive very much light.

The greatest star in our solar system is the Sun. It is stated in Webster's New World Dictionary this way: "The incandescent body of gases about which the earth and other planets revolve and which furnishes light, heat, and energy for the solar system. It is the star nearest the earth.

In Numbers chapter 24 and verse 17, we have the wisdom of God coming through the mouth of a soothsayer saying, "There shall come a star out of Jacob, and a scepter shall rise out of Israel." This same star is mentioned by the Prophet Malachi chapter 4 verse 2, "But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall."

These Old Testament scriptures are prophesies of the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ, who is the sun of righteousness and who holds the scepter, kingship, and rule of authority.

He is known as the Morning Star, Rev. 2:28 and 22:16, the Day Star 2nd Peter 1:19, and the light of the world, John 8:12 and 9:5.

The word, Star is used as a verb as, "She will star in the leading role, " It is used also as an adjective as, "He was known as a star player," and as a noun as, "He was the star of the show." These illustrations meaning that these excelled above all others. Many have desired to shine as a movie star, a singing star, and other high positions in our society. Once they have reached the brightness of their profession, they have to fight to maintain their standing.

Our Lord Jesus Christ is the fixed star in which we trust. The scripture tells us in Hebrews 13:8 He is, "the same yesterday, today and forever."

God's servants are listed as stars in Revelation chapter 1 verse 16 and 20. John the Baptist was a burning and a shining light; And ye were willing for a season to rejoice in his light: John chapter 5 verse 33 - 35.

We have seen servants that remain faithful to their calling through the years. It could be said of them that they are fixed stars.

We have seen those that rise up quickly, grow fast in God's service, then like a flash are gone. We have seen those that make a brilliant appearance and then are gone. We have seen those that wander from place to place and seemed to have no field of labor in the Kingdom. We see those that are received as ministers that give us very little light on the scriptures.

We should receive the fixed stars among us, as they are fixed on serving the Sun of righteousness in His cause and kingdom. Let us be careful of the wandering stars, shooting stars, and distant stars.

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"He hath done all things well." Mark 7:37. In our limited knowledge of all the things Jesus Christ did while he was here on earth, we can think of nothing that He hasn't done well.

His birth on this earth presented both the simple and the august. He was wrapped in swaddling clothes and laid in a manger and yet an angel heralded His birth with the good news to to the shepherds: "For unto you is born this day in the city of David, a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord." There was suddenly with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, glory to God in the highest and on earth peace, good will toward men. He hath done all things well.

The fact that the Bible described Him as a Saviour at the time of His birth is fundamental for the Lamb had arrived to do the will of the Father; "Lo, I come, to do thy will of God."

He was tempted forty days of the devil and did eat nothing. He was shown all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time by the devil, but there was no doubt, He would not yield He hath done all things well.

He taught in the synagogues and read from the Prophet Isaiah regarding His anointment to preach the gospel to the poor, heal the brokenhearted, deliverance to the captives, recovering of sight to the blind and set at liberty them that are bruised and He indeed did preach like no one has preached since.

The great Teacher established His doctrine and His Church. He hath done all things well. He preached the glorious sermon on the mount and did not sound like a great ruler for He preached to the poor and to the mourning and to the meek and forever established Himself as the great advocate of mercy.

He was the great Teacher of charity and love.

How much more our Church would mean to us if we would but follow the precepts of this great Minister of love. He hath done all things well.

The great advocate of forgiveness set the example. No wonder the Apostle Paul said later to the Church at Corinth, 2 Cor. 2:10, "to whom ye forgive anything, I forgive also; for if I forgave anything, to whom I forgave it, for your sakes forgave I it in the person of Christ" and then indicated to do otherwise is a device of satan.

Who of us has the courage to refuse forgiveness to one who seeks forgiveness and has repented. This is the doctrine of Christ. He hath done all things well.

He administered the last supper knowing that He was betrayed, but He continued to do all things well. He took the bread and wine and also washed the disciples feet and admonished them to continue and proclaimed happiness in the doing.

He went to the cross and the Lamb had arrived for the great sacrifice. He suffered the absence of the presence of the Father and recognized that He had been forsaken at the very moment that all our sins were on Him. He was laid in a rich man's tomb and then our Lord arose. He hath done all things well.

He left the promise that when He went away He would send a Comforter. He hath done all things well because He knew we would need a Comforter. All our iniquity was laid on Him, He bore it well. By His knowledge the righteous servant justified many. He hath done all things well.

He was numbered with the transgressors and He bore the sin for many and made intercession for the transgressors. Paul says all of this was a gift of God and that in due time Christ died for the un-Godly.

How can we be lukewarm when there is an opportunity to go to Church and worship a God and Savior such as this. How are we able to forego the opportunity to follow the admonition of the Apostle Paul to let brotherly love continue, when Jesus said to continue ye in my love.

I cannot find anything that Jesus Christ has not done well. He hath done all things well.

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KEEP BALANCE

Enclosed is check for my renewal for two years. Keep balance to help your cost.

I enjoy the Banner of Love so much.

Thanks so much,

Kitty Register

Hamilton, Texas

Note: Thank you Sister Register for the extra.

Thank you for your hard work printing the comforting articles. More than all, thank you for refraining from printing and promoting things that disrupt our peace and fellowship.

May He continue His blessings.

Elder Jesse Doyle

Poteau, OK

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GOD'S DELIGHT

"The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord; but the prayer of the upright is His delight." [Pr. 15:8]

It is stated in Romans of those that are in the field, or unregenerate, that they "cannot please God." This verse does mean that they cannot do acts that might be commendable as far as their outward form is concerned, or from the fact that others may gain benefit from them. For example, a man may donate money to some worthy charitable case and the poor may benefit from it greatly but that does not make it a good act in the sight of God unless it is done from a good heart and a pure motive.

Even good men can do right things for sinful reasons, and thus those individual actions are not pleasing to God even though done by godly men; but wicked men cannot please God under any circumstances, no matter what their actions are.

Sometimes the wicked are very vigorous in prosecuting their causes. They frequently

go to greater lengths in the pursuit of evil than do God's people in following righteousness, much to our shame. On occasion they may even be very punctual in the allowing of some outward religious duty, termed here a "sacrifice," but though the wicked offer a sacrifice, it will not please God, but is said to be an abomination or a hateful thing in His eyes.

Why? It is because He knows their heart. He knows that the act is not done in humility, from a principle of love and to the glory of God, but for some base, self-serving reason or for the gratification of their flesh or pride.

The idolaters on Mount Carmel cut themselves with knives and lancets in their vain attempts to induce their idols to grant rain, but their foolish frenzies were vile in God's eyes. It was the humble prayer of Elijah that was heard by God. Prayer is a small thing, as some men value things.

Usually it is not even perceived as being offered, for it is offered from the heart or in a "closet." God hears those offerings of the saints, however, and they are His delight. It is a pleasing thing to the Almighty to hear the humble petitions of those who could not afford a bullock, but must offer the small pigeons of their poverty.

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THE DEATH OF A SAINT

Did you know that you died? You died nearly two thousand years ago. You did not die alone, for there was someone there with you which was Jesus Christ our Savior! This was the time of his true baptism when he was buried in the earth for three days and three nights and resurrected that third and appointed day. The apostle Paul tells us in Romans 6:3, "Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Christ were baptized into his death?" verse 4, "Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life." verse 5, "For if we have been planted in the likeness of his death, we shall also be in the likeness of his resurrection: Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin." verse 7, "For he that is dead is freed from sin."

When Christ went to the cross, He did not go alone. He took us with him, for we were in The Lord's covenant, having been chosen in the Lord by the father before the foundation of the world, so that he could redeem us from our sin. Paul tells us in Ephesians 2:4-5, "But God who is rich in mercy, for his great love where with he loved us , even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, [by grace ye are saved:] And hath raised us up together and made us sit together in heavenly places."

When Christ died, we died. When Christ was buried, we were buried with him, and when he was raised, so were we. In Colossians 2:12 we read: "Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him from the dead." The key phrase in this passage is "with him." No wonder the apostle Paul wrote in Galatians 2:20, "I am crucified with Christ, nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me."

The Apostle Peter in the third chapter of 1st Peter expresses all of this in the 18th verse: "For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit."

But in this same chapter after he has dealt with the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ he moves from the reality of his crucifixion to the figure of it by water in verse 21: "The like figure where unto even baptism doth also now save us [not the putting way of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,] by the resurrection of Jesus Christ."

We can see by his statement that the figure [water baptism] does not take away sin, but is only a figure [a picture] of the death, burial and resurrection of Christ. Sin was removed by Christ himself in his suffering on the cross, his death, burial, and resurrection.

What a wonderful privilege it is to be able to witness to Christ work in this ordinance. We do it joyfully feeling and knowing our freedom from the bondage of sin. Thank God we died when he died. Thank God as he resurrected and is gone back to heaven, we can arise from this work and walk in true freedom from sin praising his name every day! We died but we live! AMEN:

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There is a knock on the door, and the elderly gentleman arose from his chair, and slowly went to the door and opened it and exclaimed,, "Well, come in Brother Tom, I am so glad to see you. Someway, I had been expecting you."

Tom: Good, I just thought since its been some time since I have seen you, I would drop by this morning on my way to the post office.

Ed: Sure thing. How was it been going with you? Did you have a good service Sunday?

Tom: Well, the people seemed to think so. You know, I have sort of been in a rut lately. I have had this same subject on my mind for several Sundays, and I had to take another round with it yesterday.

Ed: Well, I wish I could have been there. I remember a few years ago, when I could go every Sunday, I especially enjoyed it, when you would take a subject and stay with it several Sundays, and do some in-depth preaching on it. When you have finished, all your congregation that are listening, are really well informed on the matter.

Tom: Well, what I came by for, really, is to discuss this song I heard this fellow Wagonner say the other night, you know about the church house being closed because the pastor had gone on a vacation, and there would be no more church until he got back.

Ed: Well, I guess I missed that one. I don't recall right now of very many pastors going on vacation. Sometimes when he wants off for a particular Sunday, they will let him off, if he gets someone to fill his place.

Tom: Now, that is what bothers me. The church rides herd, so to speak, on the pastor very closely. Wouldn't he be in trouble, if some Sunday he just failed to show up? They might even vote him out of a job for such a thing. It bothers me that most church members, unconsciously live under a double standard. They expect the preacher to live up to one standard, and they have another.

Ed: Just how do you mean?

Tom: Just what I am talking about. It's awful if the preacher fails to show up, but many of he church members can miss a meeting, and hardly bat an eye If they expect the preacher to get some one to fill his place, why not the members get someone to take their place when they are absent.

Ed: I see what you mean. It's just different for the preacher to miss, than it is for the people. But it shouldn't be.

Tom: Right. You get the point. But, I guess the preacher has "a fire" that most of the church members don't have. Most preachers don't want a vacation.

Ed: Well, now, if I recall, in the last ten years you have had about three vacations. One time you were gone three weeks and the other times ten days each. And what did you do?

Tom: You know it. Each time I visited churches. Every one of those times I averaged preaching somewhere at last once a day.

Ed: That's what I don't understand about you preachers. When you get a vacation, the first thing you think of is going some where to preach.

Tom: I don't know about the others, but the gospel of Christ is such a wonderful thing. I want to shout it from the roof tops. Every available moment, if I can get people together, there are many things I want to tell them.

Ed: You say this, but I know you have a lot of problems of your own, and others ask you to help them with their problems. And all this, it seems like too much for me.

Tom: That is true. But the greatest joy of this life, is when the spirit of the Lord gives you liberty, and you are proclaiming the beauties of the gospel, and you look into the faces of the people, and see how they love it, and are enjoying it--and this is better than any vacation. I wouldn't exchange it, for the fish, a baseball game, a hike in the mountains, or anything else.

Ed: I am so glad you look at it this way. I guess this is the reason the old prophet of God said a long time ago, "It is like a fire shut up in my bones, and I cannot stay."

Tom: Right. Well, I must go, I will be seeing you again.

Ed: Sure thing. Anytime.

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I love the Banner of Love and thank you so much for mailing it to me; will be out in April. Am sending a check; hope the extra will help some on the postage.

I am a member of Odessa Primitive Baptist church; have very few members, but we all love the Lord and thank Him for His blessings to all of us. We don't have a pastor at this time. Have two ministers that come twice each month. We are thankful for them. Elder Raymond Kirkpatrick from Midland, TX on 2nd and 4th each month and Elder R. C. Hand

from Carlsbad, NM on 1st and 3rd Sunday.

Thanks again for sending the paper.

Sincerely,

Sister Louise Hughes

Odessa, Texas

Note: Sister Hughes, we are sorry you lost you pastor through death. Pray the Lord will send your church a pastor. Thanks for the extra. Opal Richards

Silver  And  Gold  Have  I  None

By Elder George Walker

We read in the 3^rd. chapter of Acts, verse 6,  “Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk.”   As I was looking at this subject today, I was made to wonder at this lame man that day after day had to be carried to the temple gate called Beautiful to ask alms of them that entered into the temple. The name of the gate carries this thought, the right season, the right time, the instant, as belonging to the right hour or season as in flourishing. Each and everyday this lame man was carried, this man did not have the ability to carry himself, he was totally dependent upon someone else.  Each day that he was carried to that gate he had an expectation of receiving alms from someone that he might have bread enough to eat.

The Bible does not tell us how many days, months, or years that he was carried to that Beautiful gate, but the context insists that this was a daily trip; this was a way of life with this man. Day after day he would sit there and beg alms.  Then we find that he saw Peter and John about to go into the temple at the hour of prayer and asked alms. The word alms carries the thought as to show compassion, to have pity, beneficence, as to share what you have with the one that has not.  Peter looked at this man and said to him,  “Look on us.” And he looked on them truly expecting to receive something from them.  “Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none;” I can only speculate at this moment of how he must have felt when Peter told him that there was no silver or gold, but went on to say, “but such as I have give I thee:”  My thought at this moment is that if the Lord gives us a gift, it is to be used to help someone else.  Sometimes we want to take what the Lord blesses us with and say thank you Lord and not share the good news with anyone else.  You see these blessing that the Lord bestows upon us is to be shared with God's people everywhere. Oh, for a heart this day that we might be able to say with Peter, but such as I have give I thee. Peter and John had something much more precious than silver and gold to share with this lame man.  I am sure that it was a lot more precious than what this lame man ever dreamed of.    We as the Church of Jesus Christ, we as the ministers of Jesus Christ, we as lay members in the church that has experienced the rich abounding grace of God and the good news of it that came to you through the preaching of Jesus Christ have something far greater than silver and gold, it is far greater that anything this world has to offer. Oh, how we ought to have a desire to share the good news of this deliverance. 

“Then Peter says, “In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk.”  We find then in verse 8, “And he leaping up stood, and walked, and entered with them into the temple, walking, and leaping, and praising God.” This man at the very moment that he was healed begins praising God and went into the temple at the hour of prayer and continued in his service.  How many of us that have felt God's grace, felt that our sins have been forgiven, and have had some bad illness and had to go through some serious surgery of one kind or another felt so thankful for the healing that you received at his own right hand and then come home and never enter into his temple?  My prayer today for the church is that by God's grace once we have experienced that healing, we might enter into his temple leaping and praising God and share this good news with everyone we meet.  AMEN:

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I enjoy reading and giving the news to my friends. It's a way of keeping in touch with everyone and activities of our churches of our Lord.

Juanita Anderson

Sundown, Texas

I would like a subscription to the Banner of Love. As a child I grew up on the Banner, through my mother, Ina McCarty Hudson Ford. She is now in heaven with our Lord. I don't travel as much as my mother did, but if I do get to, I want to know where to go. Also she always loved the singing school. Please accept my donation and use the extra where necessary.

Jean Hudson Sheldon

Porterville, CA.

Note: Sister Sheldon, we appreciate your generous gift.

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Big church crowds

by Don R. Richards

I like to see a big crowd at church. Most of us want all the pews filled. We want the front seats occupied, we want lots of children in attendance.

I like good singing, which always seems to go along with a big crowd at church. With a large number it is usually easier to find all the singing parts, including good bass and good tenor. That’s why it is important to have a big crowd at church.

And when know something will prohibit a large crowd, we should cancel the church meeting for the day.

Are you still with me? Or did I say something in that last paragraph that made you feel a little uneasy. It made me feel uneasy when I wrote it.

What’s wrong with wanting a large crowd at church? Nothing really, as long as our motivation for it is right with the Scriptures. After all, we read about Christ holding church when he preached to the “multitudes”. (Matt. 5:1, 9:33; see also Acts 2:6, 5:14, 13:44-45).

Or how about when the apostles when out after Pentecost when they had been filled with the Holy Spirit, and preached in the native languages of the mixed crowd, and that day 3,000 people joined the church and were baptized? Acts 2:41.

Do not we also rejoice when we have a large crowd and several people join the church seeking baptism? We all have fond memories of specific large attended meetings with wonderful preaching and the numbers which were added to the church rolls.

Who is it that would begrudge our desire to have a large attendance every Sunday. And who today does not have some worry with the decline in attendance at most churches, and the gradual closing of many of our small and rural churches? This past summer I attended three associational meetings at which the crowd was considerably smaller than the associations I attended as a youth.

With small crowds, there sometimes comes the desire to come up with new ideas to attract people to the church. This is a popular concept with most other churches today. All sorts of youth programs and adult study groups, trips and social events are added to attract and retain church attendees. Maybe we should “tailor” or sermons to meet the expectations of today’s world. What do you think? Sounds like a workable idea; after all others are doing it.

There are memories I have of traveling with my father when he was serving as pastors of churches in two states. He always enjoyed seeing a big crowd at meetings. But he always reminded me of an important lesson that I strive to retain when the crowds are small.

As he told me “When the church is doing good, and the crowds are strong, you want to preach the Gospel of Christ and Him crucified, and God’s unconditional love for us.”

Then, with a stern face my dad would add: “And when the crowds are small and the church does not seem to be doing so good, you want to preach the Gospel of Christ and Him crucified, and God’s unconditional love for us.” Then he would add a smile. I remember that lesson, and that smile, especially every time I read First Corinthians 1:17-31.

There is one memory that is very distinct in my mind. I routinely returned home from college one Friday night a month to travel with my father early Saturday and help him drive to the church he was pastoring at Elk Creek, Oklahoma. Of course, it didn’t hurt my motivation that one of the deacons at the church had a couple of attractive daughters, but that fact did not deter my dad from my driving assistance.

One Saturday in January, the weather was terrible. We had an ice storm that left the roads in extremely hazardous condition. The farther we got toward Oklahoma, the worse the roads got. About halfway, I started encouraging my dad that we should turn around and go home. Surely, no one would be at church on a Saturday morning in an ice storm.

I gave him my best arguments for calling and canceling, and turning back home because there might not be even one person show up. He agreed with the “logic” of all my reasoning, but said he thought we should continue. “There will be some people show up, and if they are there, then I want to be also. I know the Joneses (Bro. Guy and Sister Rosa) will be there.

The worst thing possible that can happen to a teenage boy happened to me that day. My father turned out to be right, and I was wrong.

The Joneses were there, and so were a few others. As we walked into the church, they indicated they were not sure we would make it, but they thought they would just sing if we had not made it. My father preached that morning, and I remember he was particularly blessed with the Spirit even though only a few were there.

We have biblical examples of large multitudes attending services. But the Lord also makes very clear that the size of the crowd is unimportant. The “reason” we gather is important.

“For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.” Matt. 18:20.

Large crowds are fine, and can indicate a wonderful blessing if the motivations for the crowd are correct. Small crowds, gathered in His name, can many times be an even greater blessing.

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We enjoy and look forward to receiving The Banner of Love.

Brother Don Richards' "Tour Through the Bible" is very enlightening, especially the one of the Tabernacle finished, January issue.

May God bless you all,

Albert and Anna White

Gardendale, AL

ABSOLUTES vs. RELATIVES ?

By Elder Hulan Bass

The introductory word here is prejudice. This is a key lead-in word to the finely-tuned subject of the title above. Who can know what real prejudice is, without being such within themselves, even in their defining of such? If a person is tenacious about a certain point to the extreme extent of being somewhat adamant therein, he will probably be referred to as being a "prejudice" person. Even a fanatic.
 

There seems to be a mind-set in this current environment, that of relative rather than absolute. It is being taught in schools and in many classes today to our children that there are no Absolutes. We are to "roll with the flow." Don't make a wave.
 

There are some varying shades of meanings of most words, yet God's Word does have absolutes that are not variables. Even at school our children are taught the "Sliding Scale," even in grading "on the curve." I do not find such in God's Word. I have heard for many years, to be firm in the essentials and charitable in the non-essentials. One would be a test of fellowship and the other would not. Where do you draw the line?
 

The Holy Spirit has been deemed the core of the issue, concerning reliance. Yes, I agree - Amen.
 

Ecc. 11:5 - "As thou knowest not what is the way of the spirit, nor how the bones do grow in the womb of her that is with child: even so thou knowest not the works of God who maketh all."
 

Now this is no relative variable. This is absolute. The dependence upon the Spirit can and does over-rule many, if not all, of the faults of men, especially their ignorance's. The Spirit works and none can hinder. The Spirit creates, then continues, as a cultivator. It soothes, comforts, maintains, sustains, nourishes and feeds, enlightens, informs, teaches, directs, instructs, and edifies that which it had first created. It does this beyond knowledge, into that realm of "much assurance" - feeling within. This 2nd function is known as the Holy Ghost.

The Spirit absolutely works without our understanding its way, nor how, when or where or to whom, no more than medical science can explain how a bone grows in the womb. Our understanding or lack thereof, does not affect the sovereignty of the Spirit.
 

Now, no man has the call to determine who the Spirit will or will not benefit or withhold from.
 

Well, then how do I proceed? God's word is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God (previously created - born-again) may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works – 2nd Tim. 3:16- 17. Eph. 2:10 - "For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them." That's clear enough. Point: The Holy Divinely Inspired Word of God is the complete handbook for Spiritual Profitability, plus nothing.
 

Another avenue and angle of consideration in this vital fine-tuned subject is that of God's absolute purposes embracing all Eternal Doctrines, and many timely Practices. However, that does not mean that God did not also embrace a permissive allowance toward the timely practices of all mankind within which also were His Elect. So let us consider the absolute purposes vs. the timely permissive allowances of God. God absolutely purposed many timely institutions as Godly Procedures of implementing Holiness, Righteousness and Sanctity, including that of marriage. However God did not force any participants to comply with this Institution, but the Guidelines – Guide-Book spells out clearly the consequences of violations, with, from mild to severe chastisement for the Elect, and harsh Judgment upon others. Relativity is the norm seemingly in 2002, that of, just moving in and living together without the Institution of Marriage. This violates the purposed institution of marriage and one of God's Commandments declares such as Adultery, which is sin. Now God's Institution of Marriage was a purpose of God, but not the participating therein. God did not require or force marriage upon any couple, yet is permissive therein. Does God allow sin? Oh, yes, but the consequences are dire.
 

Back to the theme. Again, I restate, the wise man Solomon wrote by divine inspiration - Ecc. 12:9----13. 
 

"And moreover, because the preacher was wise, he still taught the people knowledge; yea, he gave good heed, and sought out, and set in order many proverbs. The preacher sought to find out acceptable words: and that which was written was upright, even words of truth. The words of the wise are as goads, and as nails fastened by the masters of assemblies, which are given from one shepherd. And further, by these, my son, be admonished: of making many books there shall be no end; and much study is a weariness of the flesh. Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man." These are some of the most weighty words in the Bible to me. Commentary: The wise preacher and his preaching was profitable. First, he gave good heed - paid attention with his mind concentrated; Second he sought out, that is he found the various scriptures that developed the picture or scenario of his theme or subject; Thirdly, he set in order - that is he rightly divided the Word of Truth. The many proverbs means the Holy Scriptures and such only. This is all under the umbrella of one shepherd and all such is the word of pure holy truth.
 

Next, we find that many books are coming off the press daily, and there will be no end to that, in this time world. Then much study is tiresome and wearisome to the flesh. It is hard work, but brace up. Get with it. Finally, he concludes that of the conclusion, of the total sum thereof is = Fear - Respect, Reverence, Holding Holy in Praise, Adoration, Honor, Glory and Extolling His Blessed Name, according the keeping of His Commandments. This is plural and refers to much more than just the big ten. It refers to the entirety of God's Word - as Testimonies, Statutes, Ordinances, Precepts, and especially now, the N. T. Church Rules, as described by Jesus Himself, in Matt. Mark, Luke and John. Then such is reaffirmed by the Acts of the Apostles, then Paul's writings, James, Peter and John. If this is the whole duty of man, what shall we add, beyond this "whole duty?"
 

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Thanks for the encouraging paper. I just love all the articles, past and present.

Carol Watts

Lubbock, TX

It's really precious to be reminded of John 6:35-40 real often in this age of time.

Our Dear Lord will see us through. May He strengthen you all.

In Dear Hope,

Sister Loretta Lilly,

Akron, Ohio