This editorial will answer some honest question that have been asked.

Phil. 4:14-19 seems to have reference to material things---such as we need to sustain our life. Paul says: "Moreover, you do ideally in your joint contribution to my affliction. Now you Philippians also are aware that in the beginning of the evangel, when I came out from Macedonia, not one church participated with me in the matter of giving and getting, except you only, for in Thessalonica you sent, once and twice, into my need. Not that I am seeking for a gift, but I am seeking for fruit that is increasing into your account. Now I am collecting all, and am superabounding. I have been filled full, receiving from Epaphroditus the things from you, an odor fragrant, a sacrifice acceptable, well-pleasing to God. Now my God shall be filling your every need in accord with His riches in glory, in Christ Jesus".

This seems to teach that while Paul was detained in Rome, the saints in Philippi sent, by the hands of Epaphdoditus, money, or food, or clothing, or other material things, to take care of Paul, who was in need. Does it not seem that he was writing of his need for the means of a livelihood? If so, does he not include material things, as well as "spiritual" blessings, whom he promised that God would fill their every need? I am merely teaching what the scripture SEEMS to teach. If it does not mean this, I frankly confess that I have no way of knowing what it means.

And is this passage intended for the Phillipians only? Am I not justified in believing that it means saints of today, as well?

There are those who honestly think that our appreciation of the soon coming of our Lord is conditioned on the fact that we are poor and needy, here, and His bodily presence is necessary for us to have the things we need. If this is so, it seems to me that our loving His bodily presence is in order that our material needs shall be satisfied. This seems to be an unworthy motive. We desire Him and His coming, for HIMSELF, alone. He is precious to us, and, no matter how well we are supplied now, it should not detract from the value of His coming.

We find the following in Phil. 4:4-7: "Be rejoicing in the Lord always! Again I will declare, Be rejoicing. Let your lenience be known to all men; the Lord is near. Let nothing be worrying you, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, let your requests abe made known to God, and the peace of God, that is superior to every frame of mind, shall be garrisoning your hearts and your apprehensions in Christ Jesus.

Must we conclude that the only benefit to be realized from prayer is peace? We need peace, but we also need food and clothing and other things for the body. When we make our REQUESTS, (plural), known to God, are we to do so with the understanding that none of our requests will be granted except one---peace? It seems to me that the peace comes when we have turned all our needs over to God, having thanked Him. We then feel that the granting of these is in good hands, and we are at peace about it. We don't worry about it. As I see it, this peace is the thing that is spoken of when we are told to not let anything be worrying us.

I think that we are not justified in doubting that God does fill our every need, just because the messenger of Satan, whom Paul called a thorn in the flesh, did not withdraw from the apostle, II Cor. 12:2-10. The withdrawal of the messenger was not one of Paul's needs, since, without this buffeter, he would have been beside himself because of the great revelation which he had.

In II Cor. 1:8-11 Paul tells of a great sickness which he had at one time, and declared that he was healed through the petition that many saints made for him. I have often wondered why this is seldom stressed in men's writings. To me it is a very important passage.

When Paul wrote the Philippian letter he was being held prisoner in Rome. He said in Phil. 1:19 that he was aware that he would be saved from this imprisonment, through the petition of the saints and the supply of the spirit of Jesus Christ. There is every reason to believe that he was saved. The tradition that he was beheaded, has no sanction in scripture. There is no doubt that he was sent free, just as he believed he would be, and as the saints prayed that he would be.

Paul tells us about the operation of the law of faith. In Rom. 3:25-27 he tells us that those who believed in the efficacy of the blood received its benefits before the blood was actually shed. The sacrifice had already been made, in God's reckoning. See Rev. 13:8. The blood was as efficacious to faith, before Christ was crucified in the sight of men, as it is today. And this establishes a principle that is often overlooked. God does fill our every need. It is a fact, even before we receive any benefit from it in our experience. Prayer, based on faith, brings these blessings into manifestation. Faith is accompanied by thanksgiving.

It is striking---how often we are told to be thankful. This is not because God is vain, and requires that we be thankful in order to satisfy His vanity. Thanksgiving is the "lubrication" that enables the blessings that God has in store, to come to us in usable form. Jonah thanked God that he was out of the whale, before he even asked to be delivered. Paul and Silas praised God while still in prison in Philippi. Christ thanked God before he brought Lazarus from the grave. I give thanks before I eat. Thanksgiving is to be always a prelude to petition. Faith, thanksgiving, and prayer changes us. God needs no change. He is ready to bless us, when our faith claims the blessings, and thanksgiving lubricates the channel, and petition makes the request. These are not an effort to overcome God's unwillingness to bless; they are preparations on our part to accept the blessings.

The power of god to rouse the dead, and His power to grant physical healing are thought of in the same breath, II Cor. 1:9, 10. He Who is the Life-giver is also the Health-giver. Paul expected to be able to do all, in Christ who was invigorating him, Phil. 4:13. When the faith of Abraham embraced the promise of God that he should be father of a son, it was based on his belief that God vivifies the dead, Rom. 4:17.

Paul meant something when he said, Rom. 15:4, that whatever was written for this teaching of ours. He has a special message concerning our destiny (celestial), but it seems quite evident that other promises, not found in the Pauline scriptures, are ours, also. When Christ tells those to whom He ministered in body, that if they believe they have what they are requesting, they shall have it, are we to say it is not true of us, in view of the fact that Paul says so much about faith and its benefits?

If we believe God looks after our temporal needs does this detract from what is called "the blessed hope"? Are we to give up all thought of the promised glory when we expect our God to fill our every need here?

Why not avail ourselves of ALL His benefits?

PROVING GOD

In a recent magazine a man tells of his need being supplied when he was on a desert at one time. He had told a companion, on starting out, that God would take care of them. The companion sneered at the idea, and asked him whether or not God would supply water if the radiator should become dry on the desert. The reply was, that if they should need water it would be forthcoming.

Before they reached their destination their water all boiled out, as they tried to travel an unpaved road. The driver---the one with faith---stopped his car and sat down to wait on the Lord. He even went to sleep. But the companion, in frantic haste, got out and announced that he would walk back to the highway. It was dark.

While the driver slept a man came along in a truck. Waking the driver, he supplied him with water, and explained that he had not intended taking that particular road, as he usually avoided it. But he explained that some power told him to take the bad road. He did not know why, but he obeyed.

The next job was to find the fellow who had started back to the paved highway. This was no trouble for the fellow had become lost, and was wandering in circles only a few hundred yards away.

The driver, as he had sat down to wait for the water, had said, "The Lord is my Shepherd and I shall not want. God is love and the substance of my supply". He repeated these words several times, and then went to sleep, waiting on God.

There are thousands of similar incidents. It was told of a woman in England, that she always, when retiring at night, asked the Lord to keep an eye on her. It was when the Germans were bombing London. She was asked how she could sleep so well. Her reply was, "Well I always ask God to keep an eye on me, and I don't see any point in both of us staying awake".

This is the beginning of the new year. I wonder if we will trust God through Christ, more implicitly than we did last year. As for me, I want to forsake every idea that would limit God in my thoughts. I want to have, instead, ideas of plenty, health, success. I want to fill my mind with these thoughts.

God is interested in plenty---plenty of health, possessions, happiness, usefulness. The prodigality of nature shows that God is interested in plentiful supply. The grain of corn, in an attempt to perpetuate itself, will produce hundreds of grains. God is behind all this. In spite of man's blunders, God supplies all living things with food. Yes, He is interested in plenty of everything.

One outstanding text is, "Oh, Lord, blessed is the human who trusts in Thee".

FORGIVENESS
By LILLIAN M. DENIS

"For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father with also forgive you", Matt. 6:14.

Many of us are prone to give up to unhappiness because we hold too closely to our remembrance of the little things that have hurt us. It may be an unpleasant circumstance in connection with another person, or it may be a little act of thoughtlessness.

If we will turn within and recognize the Christ presence implanted within the heart of people, we shall find that we can forgive all unkind things that have been said to us or about us, and we can forgive every act of others that has caused us unhappiness. Each time we have an opportunity to forgive someone, it is a chance to prove that we have grown enough in Christ way of love and understanding, to be able to meet the various tests that come to us, such as losing faith in another, or condemning ourself for some shortcoming.

As we let go of all thought of grudges and resentments, our mind and our heart are opened to the forgiving love of Christ.

3 May St., Saco, Maine.