The apostle John was one of the twelve our Lord selected to be with Him in His public ministry. Since he had been there and witnessed the entire campaign, it is no wonder, then, that the hand of inspiration was laid on him to record events as he remembered them. With the recording of the Christ-given gospel his primary burden, it is rather interesting to note his opening statement, "In the beginning was the Word." We are immediately curious as to what was present at the outset of all things that would have effect on the presenting of the gospel. The specific item mentioned was "the Word."

When we go back to the account of creation as it is given in Genesis, we encounter this statement repeatedly, "And God said let there be...and there was." Obviously, this is function beyond human capability. If man purposes to erect something he must first acquire the necessary raw material. That material must be shaped and formed into suitable components and means must be provided to attach the various pieces to their proper place, etc., but God is not confined to such detail. He conceived the desired commodity in His mind, spoke His visualized intent, and the product appeared. No other power known to human intelligence is capable of physical construction whose only implement in use is verbal expression. Now, if verbal command is given, and identifiable "something" becomes evident where nothing had been before, a beginning had to take place. We call it creation. The Scripture says, "And the earth was without form and void." By His continued speaking the original "void" took on shape and its various functions began to operate in accordance with His issued command. All of this came into being and began to perform in direct response to God's spoken Word. This allows us to identify a traceable pattern. It is only intelligent beings who are capable of comprehensive thought and design. It is the almighty God, the great I Am, who conceived the idea of a created world, and it was that same majestic God who began to speak and His creation began to take form. Thus we can see that before the world was, the Word was, and before the Word was, an active, performing, intelligent Being existed. The second verse of the ninetieth Psalm declares, "Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God." This is the God who spoke and the world appeared.

Verbal expression, or spoken word, within itself is nothing more than an implement that is serviceable to convey abstract thought. Words may be formed so that commonly accepted sounds convey commonly recognized thought, so intelligent beings are able to communicate with one another. When the apostle stated that "the Word was with God" he was indicating that available to God, as an intelligent Being, was this means of verbal communication. Obviously that medium of contact reaches to recipients other than human, for when He spoke, something, somewhere, comprehended and responded. He said, "Let there be...and there was." The Scripture tells us that He is able to converse with angels and with Satan of the spirit world, and who knows what all else it may include?

Next the apostle presents a statement that conveys an entirely different concept. He said, "And the Word was God." Here at the beginning, on the verge of creation, where mortal intelligence is about to come into existence and be exposed to the Being whose image it will ultimately bear, that Being, by means of divine inspiration, declares, "And the Word was God." This lets us know by positive declaration that whatever communication flows from God to man will always be the exact portrayal of what He is, what He has been, and what He always will be. God's word to man will always convey the exact personification of Himself.

This proclaimed uniting of verbal expression and Divine entity puts the Word, in an entirely different setting. It is no longer a simple vehicle or implement of communication, it is made an integral part of an active, dynamic, intelligent, living Being. Wisdom, speaking of itself, declared, "The Lord possessed me in the beginning of his way, before his works of old." Proverbs 8:22. This describes exactly the pattern portrayed when our God embraced "the Word" to Himself and they became one together.

Let us pause a few moments here and take note of some of the contribution wisdom is able to offer to intelligent beings. Proverbs 8, verse 1; It cries to all and provides understanding. Verse 2; She occupies the peak of moral excellence, the highest level known to man, and she makes her ways available in the haunts of humanity. Verse 3; She heralds to all men the path of entrance into the celestial city. Verse 4; Her appeal is to man, for it is man who has sinned and who has the mental capacity to comprehend a plan of recovery. Verse 6; The utterance of her lips are always right things. Verse 7; True wisdom speaks only truth, and wickedness she abhors. Verse 8; She speaks only righteousness. Verse 11; She exceeds every other commodity in value. Verse 12; Wisdom is the companion of prudence. Verse 13; The wisdom God embraces abhors all evil. Verse 14; Wisdom can advise, for it is understanding and it possesses strength. Verse 21; She will provide her sub scribers with durable substance and she will make them wealthy with her riches. Verse 35; To find wisdom is to find the favor of the Lord.

Reflect for a moment on the qualities and characteristics ascribed to wisdom, and we recognize immediately the attributes of our God. By embracing wisdom to Himself as an attribute, He is able to possess life; yea, even eternal life, for He has never known anything else. Wisdom is the embodiment of knowledge and understanding, and so by embracing wisdom in its fullness God is able to proclaim Himself Omniscient, or all-wise. Wisdom testified of itself that it had strength; therefore God, by embracing wisdom, is able to proclaim to all that He is Omnipotent, or all-powerful. The only thing known to man that is able to separate an intelligent being from perpetual life is the fact of sin. True wisdom occupies the highest positions where virtue dwells and where righteousness prevails. So completely has God embraced this aspect of wisdom until He boldly proclaims Himself the embodiment of Holiness. We are informed that He cannot even be tempted with sin. It is sin and its ways that rot, mold, rust, decay, deceive and destroy. It is the ways of purity, virtue, honesty and integrity that constitute righteousness, and these attributes are capable of perpetual duration. Having embraced these virtuous attributes to Himself, God is able to declare Himself eternal. All of these, along with a great deal more that could be listed, are present and functional in our God because He has embraced to Himself these attributes of wisdom. He is the personification of it.

The writer's presentation of wisdom in Proverbs 8 would make it easy to feel that wisdom is an attribute that God was at one time without. Since wisdom is an abstract attribute, requiring an agent in order to perform, and recognizing in God the great I Am, the first Cause, the all Cause, the Originator of everything, then it would seem likely that by His own intelligence He devised the excellence of what wisdom embraces, so He made His own concept the director of His own being. Thus He is the original Author of true wisdom.

Let us go back and pick up the idea of "the Word" that was embraced into God's own Being. His declarations from henceforth would be something more than a mere pronouncement of verbal expression, for He is the embodiment of what His Word proclaims. Language structure is still the framework which conveys the issued message, but when that message is prompted from, and accentuated by, the intelligence, the concepts, the sentiments, of a divine Being, it will automatically reflect the prevailing disposition of its source. It springs from a level that is infinitely superior to human concept. Its understanding far surpasses human ability to comprehend. Its attributes are impeccable, for it embraces nothing but the utmost in moral performance. Its sentiments are the reflection of that heavenly atmosphere where total, divine influence prevails. Its inflections and insinuations will convey hearing and intent that is entirely foreign to unregenerate humanity.

Now, here is a realization that at first glance is rather startling: regardless of the vast difference that exists between this world and that divine realm, this medium of "Word" communication is the agency our Lord has selected to bring the two back into compatibility with each other.

This helps us understand why the apostle John went clear back to the beginning to start his gospel presentation. Experience had already taught him that words that are void of divine inspiration and that lack Holy Ghost unction are empty words and are useless for the needs of the soul. The words, expressions and experiences he was preparing to record, in obedience to the impulse of the Holy Spirit, he wanted all who read to know that they were not the result of his own human ability at all, but the divine prompting of "the Word that became God" at the beginning. That divinely prompted Word, when it was faithfully conveyed to human intelligence and believed and obeyed, would be able to lift men up and out of the pits of sin to the plain of God's holiness. Praise our God forever! We note that His own Son, in delivering the message He was sent to convey, insisted repeatedly that the words He spoke were the words He received from His Father. We spent some time observing wisdom's contribution to divine purpose; let us notice a bit of contribution supplied by the Word. "All scripture [Word] is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works." II Timothy 3:16-17. All of this is delivered to human understanding through the faculty of the inspired Word.

But this is only the beginning. Isaiah 46:9-10 presents this: "Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me, Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure." James 1:17 offers this: "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning." These are words sent to man out of the mouth of the very God whose Word is an integral part of Himself which He has proposed to use in an effort to recover His sin-blighted creation. Take note of some of its pleading: Proverbs 2:1-12. "My son, if thou wilt receive my words, and hide my commandments with thee; ...If thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding; If thou seekest...the Lord, and find the knowledge of God. For the Lord giveth wisdom: out of His mouth cometh knowledge and understanding. He layeth up sound wisdom for the righteous: he is a buckler to them that walk uprightly. He keepeth the paths of judgment, and preserveth the way of His saints. Then shalt thou understand righteousness, and judgment, and equity; yea, every good path. When wisdom entereth into thine heart, and knowledge is pleasant unto thy soul; Discretion shall preserve thee, understanding shall keep thee: to deliver thee from the way of the evil man,..."

CA-Dear Bro. Wayne: Greetings in the name of our Lord and Master, Jesus Christ, from whom all blessings flow. I surely appreciate the Faith and Victory....

Things are well with me. It is now five years since I have been to church. This grieves me, but is unavoidable as my wife is not well and needs full-time attention. The Lord has been good to me during this period of frustration and disappointment. This surely is a learning way, for during this period I have been taught much. It is possible that I would not have understood these things any other way. The Lord is good. He is seeing to it that I make it into heaven. My joy has remained, I am at peace and fully satisfied.

I am still looking for the day when I am at liberty to go to church. I am praying that it will be with my wife and three children, two of whom were once in church, but are not at present.

Pray for me as I need grace. Strength is also needed as I am 81 years old.

I am thankful to God for this period in the desert, for as we all know, His way is best.

Your Brother,

-Bob Mickelson

CA-Dear Bro. Murphey and the dear saints who are dedicated to the work of getting the precious testimonies and articles published: I am so happy and thankful for the tracts and papers that are available for us to distribute everywhere we go. The testimony by Sis. Katherine Williams in the March Faith and Victory was so wonderful.

I have passed 90 years old, and am getting more feeble every day. But the Lord is blessing me with fairly good health, although my eyes are causing me much trouble. I am determined, by His grace, to follow the dear Savior all the way. Pray for me. Also pray for my unsaved family.

Your Sister saved by the blood,

-Ruth Donnelly

CA-"O give thanks to the lord of Lords: for his mercy endureth for ever." Psalm 136:3.

I thank the Lord for His mercy and patience to me. I don't deserve it, but I guess He thinks I do since He keeps on bestowing them. I love Him, and aim to serve, please and praise Him as long as I live. I desire your prayers.

-Romando Matthew

MO-Dear Bro. Murphey and workers at the Lord's Print Shop: I do want to thank each and every one who prayed for me. I am much better. I give the Lord all the praise. I began to feel better shortly after Sis. Gladys called for prayer for me. I was very sick and had a lung disease, although I did not drink or smoke in my life. I still have heart problems, so please pray for my complete healing. I believe God will heal me.

Christian love,

-Hallie Pinkerton

OK-Dear saints: I realize more today than I ever have in my life how closely knit the family of God is. I am so very glad to be a part of that family. We have felt the strength of your prayers holding us up. Through this trial of my husband's sickness and death, the Lord has shown us how little strength we have within ourselves, yet how all-sufficient His strength can be. The comfort God has given our family is supernatural.

Several years ago Bob and I made the complete consecration of our lives to the Lord, to be used as He saw best. At that time Bob felt a very heavy burden to reach out to the people in Malawi, Central Africa. After his first trip with Bro. Michael Smith in 1996, Bob was never quite the same. It was as though he left part of his heart with the people he met on that trip. They were frequently in our conversation and prayers. It is almost impossible to live with a person who has such an intense burden without sharing in it. Our whole family shared an interest and concern for the work on the mission field in general, but especially in Malawi. Few people knew, but prior to Bob's last trip in March we received our itineraries for the whole family to spend a month this summer working with "our" people whom we loved so much.

On the trip Bob made to Malawi in March, his main purpose was to distribute food and Bibles provided by the saints in America. He returned from that trip very tired, but satisfied that he had completed his mission. The Lord miraculously helped him to establish contact with a potential translator for translating our literature into the Chichewa language.

One outstanding miracle I must share happened when Bob first arrived in Blantyre. Their Congress was in session and all the motel rooms were full. They called to confirm reservations, seeking for a room for him, but everyone wanted to keep their reservations. At last, after a long wait, they took him to the only room available. It was the same room he and Karen had stayed in last year when she was so gravely ill. That room is like an Ebenezer stone to us of the many miracles God worked for us on that trip. The picture was still on the wall with the praying hands that had been such an inspiration. That blessing was just another confirmation of God's presence on this trip likewise.

When Bob came home he was feeling well and was able to go to work. Soon after returning he developed flu-like symptoms, a condition we were sure would pass with prayer, rest and TLC. It was very jolting when after less than two short weeks God called Bob home.

Naturally, the ever-present question of "why?" was on our hearts. With time, God in His mercy has given us a very small glimpse into His plan. I see now that it never was His plan for us all to go to Africa, but because he gave all of us a burden, as well as dreams and plans for fulfillment of that burden, none of our children are bitter or resentful to God for taking their dad, nor resentful of the cause for which he gave his life. That alone has made my job of guiding the home much simpler.

Our concern now is for the people over there who still need the gospel, not only in Malawi, but in all parts of the world; yes, even our own U.S.A. The question is, "Who will go?" I Chronicles 29:5 states it clearly, "Who then is willing to consecrate his service this day unto the Lord?"

Bob's burden went far beyond Africa. He was deeply burdened for the Church, that we remove not the ancient landmarks. Not for tradition's sake, but that God's power in our midst will be in direct proportion to our compliance with the "ancient landmarks" laid down in the Bible. This is a very sobering thought to me. The moment man takes control by establishing the landmarks, it ceases to be God's Church.

We extend our deepest appreciation to everyone for all the cards, calls, flowers, food and most of all, for your prayers. Never underestimate the power of a simple prayer for a broken heart. We are experiencing the slow but effective healing process that results from the earnest prayers of His people. Thank you.

Our prayer now is that we will have an unbroken circle in heaven. We want to reach out to as many souls as possible along the way. Please keep us in your prayers.

-Irma Sallee and family

IN-Dear saints: I send greetings this beautiful morning to each one at the Publishing House. You are so faithful to print the wonderful messages and send them out all over the world. It is the only encouragement some people get. I thank God for your labor. I enjoy reading the saints' testimonies of how God has healed them.

I am not too well. I have arthritis. My brother is very sick. He had open-heart surgery and is very low at this time. Please remember him and my unsaved loved ones in prayer.

I mourn the wasted time in which I failed to direct my precious children in the ways of the Lord. The devil cheated me out of my time-time that I should have been teaching and loving my children. I hate my past. It is full of sin.

I came to our loving Lord fourteen years ago, asked His forgiveness, and the Lord in His great love and mercy forgave me. I had served the devil for so long that he didn't want to let me go. He made it difficult for me to forgive myself. Everything which had been done or said to me that was hurtful, I would take into my heart and use to martyr myself. I was crowding out God's love and mercy-I would tell myself, "You deserve everything hurtful which you receive. Now you can pay for your horrible sins."

If ever we have a need, it is when we have trouble forgiving ourselves. If Jesus, whom we sinned against, can forgive, how much more should we be able to forgive ourselves. When we don't forgive ourselves, we are withholding ourselves from Jesus.

I had grieved the Lord by not forgiving myself. The Lord had to heal my mind. I received help at the Monark Springs, MO, camp meeting. The minister of God was prayed up, and with a precious discerning spirit helped me pray through to deliverance.

Bro. Bob Sallee June 4, 1947-April 11, 1998

In 1975, Bro. Bob Sallee felt led of the Lord to join the Print Shop in its effort to spread the gospel. During the years he sacrificed much as he labored to accomplish that which would benefit the Church and the work of the Lord in general. Recently he exhibited even greater fervor for the cause of Christ, laying the groundwork for missionary outreach in Malawi, Central Africa. All of these efforts will serve as a reminder of his passionate love for God.

The workers here at the Print Shop feel deeply for Sis. Irma Sallee and her family. We share in their extreme loss, and will miss Bro. Bob's fellowship and the daily association with him. Our comfort is drawn from memories of his kindness and the assurance that he is enjoying the presence of the Lord.

If you would like to send your condolences to the family, address all correspondence to: Sis. Irma Sallee, Rt. 3, Box 101, Guthrie, OK 73044.

On April 4 I left Oklahoma City for the Philippines to visit and fellowship with Bro Matias Tangunan, a native minister with whom we have corresponded for years.

Throughout my stay I greatly appreciated the care he and his family provided. They looked after my every need, and graciously extended the fellowship of Christ.

Many of the people I encountered in that area manifested a buoyant spirit and deep interest in God. I left with an appreciation for the saints there, a belief that opportunities exist to extend the Gospel into places where it would be heartily embraced, and with an inspiration to increase efforts in promoting the gospel in that region.

Please pray that Bro. Matias Tangunan will have strength to continue his labor of ministry with the people in the mountains around his city of San Jose, and that the work will prosper in an even greater way. Pray also for the eight other ministers working with Bro. Tangunan who are dedicated to preaching the news of salvation. I'm sure all would appreciate your prayers and support.

Congratulations to Bro. Mike Woodruff and Sis. Rhonda Doolittle. They were united in marriage in the Guthrie chapel on April 25. Bro. Mike is the son of one of our co-workers here at the Print Shop, Sis. Janie Woodruff. Sis. Rhonda is the daughter of Bro. Mancil and Sis. Shirley Doolittle, members of the Guthrie congregation.

Bro. Mike and Sis. Rhonda are making their home in Oklahoma City, and we pray that their years together may be many and joyous.

May 10 is celebrated as Mother's Day, an observance we hope will long remain a part of American tradition, for good mothers need to feel rewarded for their caring hearts.

We generally visualize our nation's strength as the buildup of armed forces, but of greater value to our country's might is the security resulting from a mother's love.

A child is not likely to prosper without the fulfillment which comes from the affection of a family. When the youth of our country engage in violence in order to be part of a gang, they're often searching for love and acceptance. What they often find, however, is trouble. Eventually, a nation with such social problems will crumble from within, and all the national defense systems money can buy will fail to cure its ills. A nation can fail for want of Godly mothers.

If your mother has done her part in providing you the security and guidance of her love, May 10 is one of the days in which to show your appreciation in a special way.

We would like to remind our readers of the hundreds of books and tracts available at this publishing house. If you are unfamiliar with what we print, please write and ask for a book and tract list. A free sample of tracts is also obtainable upon request.

Although we mail out many books and tracts, we still carry a burden that more might be done for our Lord. A multitude has yet to be challenged by the Word of God. We ask each of you who love the truth to pray with us for God's guidance in our labors. We desire to be effective in reaching hungry souls. -Wayne Murphey