As we go to press this week, the latest word is that the condition of Bro. Dick Ferris continues to deteriorate. Due to the spread of cancerous growth into his lungs, he has required hospital care since August 12. He is presently being cared for at:
    The American Medical Center
    6401 W. Colfax Avenue
    Denver, Colorado 802l4.
    A recent letter from the Ferris family expressed wonder, awe and deep gratitude for: the sufficiency of divine grace, the overwhelming expressions of brotherly love that have come their way in recent weeks and for the liberality that was manifested in special offerings -- love-money that has made possible the purchase of a home for this disabled missionary and his family.
    The mysterious ways of God no finite mind can discern. His wise providences none can anticipate. But we can trust Him -- knowing He will ultimately make it all plain. In the meantime, we can deeply appreciate the exemplary attitude of this suffering servant who has utterly, and gladly, yielded himself into the hands of the Lord he loves -- be it for life or for death. EG

    Spiritual prosperity is impossible where carnality is regarded as an acceptable ingredient of Christian living. The inability of the Corinthians to receive spiritual meat was diagnosed by the apostle Paul as being caused by the flesh domination of their lives. "For whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, ARE YE NOT CARNAL?" These things are SURE evidences of carnality -- piously as one may insist on the high quality of his spirituality. Envy leads to strife, confusion and all manner of evil, (Jas. 3:16).
    An envious desire for vainglory has often driven men; once wonderfully endowed of God, to pursue an ever-descending path into darkness, disappointment, despondency, despair, desolation, defeat and ultimate destruction. It is very enlightening to observe what sort of things envy is associated with in the Scriptures -- murder, debate, deceit, strife, railings, malice, etc., (Rom. 1:29; I Tim. 6:4; Titus 3:3).
    Cain was envious of his brother, Abel; his offering had been accepted of God at the same time that Cain's was rejected. Cain's envy

led to wrath; wrath to the murder of him whom God had accented. And, it was all SO UNNECESSARY!!
    Did not God deal patiently with Cain? Did He not condescend to "reason" with Him -- explaining the cause of his rejection? In effect, God said: "Cain, your offering I cannot approve because it is not according to my 'order'. And the cause for this lies in the pride of your self-centered heart. Your brother sees his need of my grace and has admitted it in the offering that I HAVE ACCEPTED. Because of this you are humiliated -- seeing the definite prospect of his getting the ascendancy over you. But, it doesn't HAVE to be that way. I will give you an opportunity to rectify the stubbornness of your heart that is so deep-rooted in the pride of self-sufficiency. There is a 'sin offering' lying at the door. I have provided it for you. Take it. Offer it NOW as an admission of your sin, a confession of

your guilt, and a recognition of your NEED of my grace. When you have done this, then I WILL ACCEPT YOU TOO; and you may still have the rule over your younger brother".
    But, in the stubbornness of his pride, and in a spirit of defiant INDEPENDENCE, Cain: rejected the counsel of God against himself, determined that his own plan was far superior to that of his unjust Creator, and followed through with an abortive attempt to solve his dilemma by the murder and secret burial of his brother. But this independent course of action brought to the heart of the murderer NO PEACE. God would not permit that. Sin will not stay hidden. It must inevitably be exposed. The voice of his brother's blood cried out to God for vengeance. Instead of bringing satisfaction it brought disillusionment and fear. It made of Cain a suspicious coward. He constantly expected retaliation from some avenger of blood.
    Carnality is QUARRELSONE; it can bring a lawsuit against a brother, and go to court before a pagan judge, rather than trust spiritual brethren to judge righteously, (I Cor. 6:1-11). Carnality is PRESUMPTUOUS; it has no qualms about coming to the Lord's table with sin unjudged, unconfessed, unrepented and unforsaken, (I Cor. 11:28-32). Carnality is UNLOVELY and UNLOVING. It WILL NOT BE SUBDUED by the law of love.
"Love is so patient and so kind; Love never boils with jealousy; It never boasts, is never puffed with pride; It does not act with rudeness, or insist upon its rights; It

never gets provoked; it never harbors evil thoughts; Is never glad when wrong is done; But always glad when truth prevails; It bears up under anything, It exercises faith in everything, It keeps up hope in everything, It gives us power to endure ANYTHING", (I Cor. 13:4-7).
    Closely associated with jealousy, ENVY is the "rottenness of the bones", (Prov. 3:31). It is an evil affliction, which makes men grieve, fret and chafe at the prosperity of others. It involves a pollution of spirit that: "slays the silly" (Job 5:2); destroys fellowship; stops the descent of blessings from above and turns one's prayers into imprecations against himself.
    The only solution to the problem of carnality is a DAILY DYING with Christ. Self MUST be nailed to the cross, and left there, if Christ is truly to reign within.
    Has carnality robbed YOU of the joy you once knew in the Lord? Then abandon the foolish attempt to manipulate God, and your brethren, into fulfilling YOUR short-sighted purpose. Accept God's goal for your life. It is both worthwhile and attainable. In the path of His order, and there alone, will you ever know HIS peace. E.G.

    In Ephesians 4:17-21 Paul commands his brethren to turn aside from the sort of living that characterizes the ungodly. Specifically, he mentions: vain thinking, darkened understanding -- a condition that comes as the inevitable consequence of heart-blindness and alienation from the life of God -- and such a lack of feeling as permits abandonment of high, Christian principles to indulge the flesh in a greedy pursuit of unclean lasciviousness. It was the apostle's understanding that ANY child of God MIGHT turn back to such wallowing in the mire. However, he hastens to remind his brethren that "ye have NOT so learned Christ".
    Instead of giving place to the devil (vs. 27), who is able to take carnal men captive "at his will" (2 Tim. 2:26), we must cease to play into his hands. Devoting ourselves to the true service of God will involve the abandonment of: thievery, evils of the tongue, bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor and malice. These things grieve the Holy Spirit who had marked us off with ultimate redemption in view.
    That which we have learned of

Christ requires that our hearts; which reveal themselves in our talk, he characterized by: kindness, tender-heartedness, forgiveness and a LOVE THAT IS REAL. Mere words of pious intention only add iniquity to iniquity. And "ye have not so learned Christ!" E.G.

    A recent letter from Pastor Jerry' Thomas, of Lexington, Kentucky, informs us that Bro. James Little has felt and surrendered to God's call for the ministry. Our hearts always rejoice to hear of God's call for laborers in His harvest field. Though we question this brother's qualifications for pastoral work, there are many areas of ministry where he ought to be able to serve faithfully and effectively.
    May he BE such a witness!!