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Oh, my girlfriend, you're gonna play?
I'll grant you.
On the Road star and sore that way.
Love and what's the name And I believe.
Hey Cortana, that's where we live.
Everywhere.
And all.
1St Corinthians 14 from verse 23 to the end.
1St Corinthians 14, verse 23 to the end.
First Corinthians chapter 14 beginning at verse 23.
If therefore, the whole church become together into one place, and all speak with tongues, and there come in those that are unlearned or unbelievers, will they not say that ye are mad? But if all prophecy, and there come in one that believeth not, or one unlearned, he is convinced of all, He's judged of all, and thus are the secrets of his heart made manifest, and soul falling down on his face, He will worship God, and report that God is in you of a truth.
00:05:17
How is it then, brethren, when you come together, every one of you have a song?
Have a doctrine half a tongue at the revelation at an interpretation let all things be done unto ediflame. If any man speak in an unknown tongue, let it be by two.
We're at the most by three, and that by course, and let one interpret. But if there be no interpreter, let him keep silence in the church, and let him speak to himself and to God.
Let the Prophet speak two or three, and let the other judge if anything be revealed to another that sitteth by.
Let the first hold his peace, for you may all prophecy 1 by 1.
That all may learn, and all may be comforted, and the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets. For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace. As in all churches of the Saints, let your women keep silence in the churches. What is not permitted unto them to speak? But they are commanded to be under obedience, as also set the law. And if they will learn anything, let them ask their husbands at home.
For it is a shame for women to speak in the church. What came the word of God out from you, or came it unto you? Only if any man think himself to be a prophet or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things that I write unto you are the commandments of the Lord. But if any man be ignorant, let him be ignorant. Wherefore, brethren, covet to prophecy, and forbid not to speak with tongues. Let all things be done decently and in order.
We have 40 verses here.
And right at the middle of it, in the 20th verse, we ought to speak on this.
It just seems like it's something introduced out of context, but it is not the 21St, says Brethren. Be not children in understanding.
Have hidden malice be children, but in understanding the men.
We've had.
Spear teaching that we have the assembly of the 12Th chapter and we have love in the 13th, and we have the assembly and Her function, particularly in the party of Red from verse 23 on, and the necessity and the function in the assembly.
Of love to make things run smoothly.
Now going in this way at 1St I believe.
Which the children before all of us as an example that will help us also to get along well together. We know these dear little children, that they do not hold malice. They have a plural in a few minutes.
A few hours have completely forgotten it. That's something for us older folks.
When there's trouble in the gatherings, usually it's the older folks in the closet. If you've got little, what, you have little trouble. And then we can learn from these little ones, but they can learn from us. And God wants us to grow up in intelligence, to get the truth and to get to where the Lord is in the midst. And you notice there was a report that God was in this assembly.
Here when she went on according to this instruction, particularly from verse 23 on, it's supposed if the whole, therefore the whole church be come together in one place, that is the assembly.
Meet the assembly met together.
And we have them. We believe in three special assembly meetings like yesterday, when by the goodness and grace of God, he brought us together to give to Him.
Our highest privilege, praise and worship.
00:10:02
At the remembrance of the Lord, as we commemorate him in his death for us.
And we see the globe on the table.
Which reminds us of his body in which he suffered, but also reminds us of the one body of which every believer is a member. And being a member, we have the right and dribbling and expectation to be there, to participate in the breaking of bread, and to be there with our baskets full. We've had good ministry on this to give, and we have got as a prayer meeting when we are met in a praise meeting.
It operates like these verses here.
Operates like these workers here. We're in a reading meeting, our ministry meeting, in order to operate like it does here. That is, there are things not to do and there are things to do, and the things to do is to have the liberty of the Holy Spirit and not to call a human director. As we have said Saturday, the church is not an organization.
She is a living Organism.
Livingly connected up to the head of glory.
By the Holy Spirit.
Sat down here and livingly connected together other members. And God wants a collective worship. He wants the people together to ask of him. He wants the people together to learn from him. And if we're going to hold the truth, brethren, I believe we must practice what we have in these versions. This is the way.
What has been given to us? The faith once delivered to the same to have the freedom for the Holy Spirit to instruct us and to get this understanding and to practice that. I think that first brother, the 20th, is really the key for what's before and after. And it says notice in the middle in malice be babes and doesn't say children in the in the translation, that's right. Or the original be placed.
Obey doesn't have any malice, obeyed sins, but it doesn't have malice. And we ought to really take that to heart. But it says be not children in understanding, but the perfect. That word men is perfect. And this is the key. And you know, Solomon, the wisest that ever lived In Proverbs first nine chapters 3 words are emphasized.
Knowledge, Wisdom. Understanding those three if you just look for a minute. Proverbs chapter 4, but it starts right away. However, chapter 4, verse 7.
Wisdom is the principal thing.
That's that's the that's the key there. Wisdom is the principal thing get wisdom and with all thy getting get understanding. Now if you look at chapter 8 where we do have wisdom and verse one I verse 12 I'm sorry I wisdom dwell that's wisdom let's Christ.
But now notice if you down the verse 14 at the middle, I am understanding now where we haven't had knowledge yet, have we? We just use wisdom and understanding. But without knowledge you can't have understanding. You may have wisdom but you won't have any understanding. You've got to know and digest and read this your necessary food to get knowledge. And then.
This is applied to. It is understanding.
And that's a 9th chapter. Wisdom has builded her house. That's the church. By by application, she has you and her seven pillars. That's perfection down here. And now notice the 10th verse. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom and knowledge of the holy. That's the word of God is understanding. And you get the formula K + W = U and there's no other way to have understanding.
Knowledge feed on the Word of God, wisdom applied by the Spirit of God to what you read, understand it. And you know many in Christendom have more knowledge than many of us. I meet them and they can put me to shame as quickly. They quote scripture, but they don't understand any of it. They may not even be saved, but they got a lot of knowledge. It's worthless without wisdom. And with wisdom we have that 20th verse in our chapter.
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That's the perfect.
You know, we're children, and what holds us back is flesh. And so with the Corinthians, that was their problem. You are children. I can't speak to you except as children. I think it's the third chapter in our book right here. And why were they? Well, let's. Let's look at I shouldn't quote it wrong.
This was a problem.
Verse one, Chapter 3 I, brethren, could not speak unto you.
As spiritual, but only as Conde carnal as the unto faith in Christ. I have said you with Bill, not me, for hitherto you're not able to bear it. You're carnal. Now that's flesh that holds you back. Flesh using your own thoughts will make you wrong every time. Even if you're quoting the word of God, it'll be wrong. You'll need wisdom. Now what was wrong with the Hebrews? Well, it wasn't carnality.
Let's look, Hebrews, because this is this is our problem.
And in in Hebrews, I think it's five. Let's see.
Hebrews chapter 5 verse eleven, of whom we have many things to say and hard to be uttered. They're not difficult, but seeing he are dull hearing that's the problem. Ye are dull of hearing. For when the time you ought to be teachers you have need that one seats you again. It's tradition, of course that made them dull of hearing, but which be the first principles of the Oracle of God and are become such as have need of milk and not of strong meat. Everyone that uses built is unskillful in the word of righteousness. He's a faith, but strong me.
To them that are perfect, you know perfect is something in Christianity. We should strive for it. I don't say I'm there. That's not the point we should strive for. Perfect for a Christian is full grown in the word of God and by wisdom. And then you're perfect. You can discern the wrong and the right. You can choose righteousness. You can walk in that path. So our verse is the key really to what we're in.
In the 14th chapter, and I think it's nice rather you brought that up. First, let's don't let our thoughts or play get mixed up with the word of God. Let's don't get traditions or things of the past or today. Even in Laodicea, let us get mixed up in the word of God. We need the pure word of God by the Spirit, and we understand in a practical way.
I was thinking of this 23rd verse.
Where The whole church coming together into one place. What's the purpose to to come and be brought together in one place. This is to remember the Lord Jesus, isn't it? It's it's not a place for teaching or a place for, you might say, exhortations. The place of worship, isn't it? I I think of the example that was many of us. I'm sure we've confronted this.
There are some that will say without this knowledge that her brothers been talking about their come and they're in the meeting, as it were, seem to be in fellowship. And they say, well, they don't get much out of the morning meeting. We don't get anything out of it. I said that's not the purpose of the morning meeting. The purpose is to come to give really as I've been brought before us gathering up through the week our little basket of first fruits, which is the speech of Christ.
And presented it to God. Really. If there's anyone here that has that thought that the morning meeting may be dull, just remember it's not you. Don't come there to get something. You will come away with something. That's true, But you come to give. That's the point.
Well, that's right. The morning leading of worship. But it says that all things be done for edifying. And we're not there on the morning meeting to edify God, that's for sure. And we're not there to edify each other. I'm not punished into you, but when we come together in one place, it could be for prayer, it could be for reading, or it could be for open meeting or whatever. We come together in one place and that's where the Spirit is needed.
00:20:12
And that's where edifying is done. Yes, that's very true. And the Lord is just as much there in the prayer meeting and the meeting for ministry as He is in the worship meeting. And so we follow this instruction given in a in grace here without commandments. And we have a place where the Lord is in the mid. Let's go to the 132nd song to see maybe a key to.
The presence of the Lord.
Going back to.
David's desire to build a house with the Lord.
And.
The failure come in in Israel.
And the art, the divine symbol of the Divine Presence, was lost in the woods.
And he says.
In verse six, lo, we heard of it and effort it. We found it in the fields of the wood. We go into his Tabernacle. We will worship at his footstool. While David was troubled about that, and he desired to find a place for the arm to build a house for it and his desire what comes out here and he says.
In verse 8.
Arise, oh Lord, into thy rest thou in the heart of thy strength.
I should have gone back and read from earlier verses. I'm going to get what he says in verses four and five. This is David's desire for a place for Jehovah in the midst of his people. Now that's what Philadelphia does.
She preserved a place for the Lord in the midst of his people. But this was David and he says in verse.
3 Surely I will not come into the Tabernacle of my house. He wasn't putting his own house in a place of preeminence, nor go up to my bed. I will not give sleep to my eyes or slumber to my eyelids and kill I find out a place.
For the Lord and habitation for the mighty God of Jacob. Now we have the same God, and he desires to claim a rest in the midst of his people, and he's going to find it where the word of God is practiced. According to our chapter today. Very simple, very instruction. And the Lord is present. We get and we know Matthew 1820 so well, but preceding that there is the prayer meeting.
And he is there in a prayer meeting declared in the worship meeting. There am I in the middle. And He's there in a meeting like this to give us instructions.
Now you're saying that we're to be perfect. The last verse of Matthew 5 says be therefore perfect. Even as your Father, which is in heaven, is perfect. God gives us a perfect standard, and he never lowers the standard because of our lowering it. He always seeks to draw us up there and have us there.
Now, what you've said about wisdom and knowledge and understanding is very helpful and in a practical sense. Let's go to Second Timothy 3 to find out in a simple way for us where we get that.
Second Timothy 3.
And where is the last days in this chapter? And where's the last days of the last days? And what's going to help us? Well, we had some of this, but we want to get verses 15 and 16 and 17.
And then from a child thou hast known the Holy Scripture. We have got the Holy Scripture and we have got the Holy Spirit who broke the Holy Spirit to give us understanding which are able to make the wine. There it is. We need, we're going to get it out of the Holy Scripture. Why can the salvation free faith that is in Christ Jesus? Then he said all scripture back, but Genesis clear the revelation. Now we have it.
00:25:08
Is given by inspiration of God.
And his profitable for doctrine. We need that teaching for recruit, who certainly need recruit and corrections but for instruction in relationship. This brings us into the practical things that understanding will give us. In a practical look down here that the man of God, Timothy was called a man of God. I think Moses was called a man of God. It's one of the best titles a person can ever get.
Well, let God apply it. The man of God do you want to be that may be perfect? There is. He wants us to be perfect. We're going to get it back, this understanding out of the scripture and in the practice of it truly for each unto all good works we get in this place, there's plenty to do.
Don't say I'll never be perfect.
Perfect for a Christian is achievable. And God will do it if you allow the Spirit to have his way. Now you know it isn't overnight. It's a lifetime. Isn't that right? It's a lifetime. It's here a little. There a little. I'm speaking to the younger ones. Line upon line. That's the way it is here. A little. You don't get it all at once. There's no crammed horse or perfection for Christians, and you better get it that way. You're getting a little loud.
But you remember in Ezekiel, the spirit of God had a line and he measured. And when he went into the water with the man, he was in up to his ankle. And that's where I was for many years. I used to go to conferences and I'd say afterwards, I can't take in any of this. I wish I knew what they were talking about. I know they're right, but I wish I knew what they were talking about. I'm talking about the Harry Ahold and the and the Paul Wilson and the and Browns. And you know, I was way over my head.
Did I say I want to ask a bunch of questions and break this thing up? No, I listen. And pretty soon we left conferences. Not pretty soon before you. And I'd say, isn't that beautiful? I want to know more about that. And I started to read a little more where I should. You know, brethren, the dumb people, you've got to get it that way. There's no other way. There's no, there's no crash course. You've got to take it and you'll be surprised how it comes. And that's what we need to be perfect. Pretty perfect. Means you can take in the things of God.
That's really what it means. You're able to take it in, you're full grown.
In Ephesians 4 and 13 you have it referred to there as a perfect man.
Ephesians 413 says, Well, the 12Th verse says that have to go back to the 11Th verse. He gave some apostles, and some prophets, and some evangelists and some pastors and teachers for the perfecting of the Saints for the work, or with a view to the work of the ministry for the edifying of the body of Christ, till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God unto a perfect man.
And to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ. And brother Darby gives that little part in the middle there unto perfect man, as at the full grown man. So I venture to say that perfect doesn't mean 0 defects, rather it means full grown.
The maturity, a girl. So if anyone says, well, we can attain that, I can be perfect in the sense of saying I never make any mistakes. That's not what it means. It has to do with the full growth and understanding things. And you know, it's infinite and it's one of those things where you say, yes, God has set that before us, but let's not any of us ever think that, well, I'm now perfect. I have fully matured. I know it all.
Because we don't know at all. We never graduate from class school. Do we know that that verse 13? Though now I will be corrected gladly, but from 9 to 16 it is for growth to be the perfect band. But that 13th verse, I believe is glory.
I believe that's glory, don't you? Or maybe run off. I'll listen to my brother till we all come in the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God unto a perfect man. Under the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, that can only be glory.
In this way that there's no such thing as perfection in the flesh? No, we're always going to have the flesh, but we ought to grow up. Now, that's right. We ought to be there. That's right. But in the 14th verse.
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The object is in stature, the fullness of Christ. Can you be constituted? Never. No, no. But but that 14th verse is for here. But I'll leave it.
If you're applying the 14th to the 13th I.
Peter tells us that we should grow in grace and in the knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ. And so when in our spiritual maturity we come to know Him and the power of His resurrection, fellowship of His sufferings, we are, in the sense of the word, perfection.
So when we know the Lord, we know the Father, we have reached a measure of maturity that enables us to go on into communion, judge the flesh, condemn that which has been condemned and walked in communion with God, and walk in the Spirit, And therefore not fulfilled flesh is lost. This I apprehend is somewhat it means to reach full growth or perspection, in the sense that we have it in our chapter.
Could I just read 11 and 12 together? This is why he gave these gifts. I won't read well. And he gave some apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers for the perfecting of the Saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ. How long till we all come? All of us will come into land in glory. And then it goes on to tell us how these are used.
It's for this purpose that we're not tossed about with all kind of doctrines down here. But notice 16. From whom The whole body. That's the church fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint. You're a joint. I'm a joint supplier according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, making increase in the body under the building up of itself in love. Now that's the purpose of it all. But it's skilled.
Glory. And now, if I'm wrong, why don't we hear from my brother? So we ought to go on with this kind of meeting to give the liberty.
Of the Spirit of God to use those gifts that Christ has set down, and especially when we're in assembly, that we might get these truths and be able to pull them. And there are the five gifts. There's the apostles and prophets, but we don't have them living.
We have that writing, and we must use the Scripture. But then Christ, he loved the church, and he nourishes his churches it He's made a probation for us collectively to be together, to be instructed and get all this wisdom and knowledge, and to grow up unto him, and to learn of him. Now in order for that we have to allow the liberty of the Spirit of God to direct. I'll say what the Lord did direct by the Spirit, because He's here too.
And he's going to yield those who have something from the holy scriptures to teach us, to instruct us, to comfort us together, to prophesize. We've had edification, exhortation and comfort. So again I say this is the only way the truth is ever going to be preserved. That's the most blessed thing to realize the Lord's presence. Because if I invite you to my home and you're at my table and I look after.
Your needs at my table and the servants that I may use to do that is my business. The Lord said, gather my people together and give them water. No, I will give them water. And so we can come together in confidence in an assembly, we can say, well, there's no gift in the assembly. Leave that to the Lord. If you come together, he'll take care of that.
We need to have that confidence and one of the blessed things to read the epistles, because the Colossians were told to read the epistle in the assembly and to read the one that Laodicea. One of the blessings of that is that Paul was a teacher and he was a prophet, and so we can read the epistles, and that is in and of themselves teaching. The Lord may send along servants to help us understand that further, but Paul was a prophet and there's a blessing we read in Revelation from simply reading the book and hearing it.
There's a further blessing if we get ministry to explain it to us. But there's a blessing in just reading it. And if there's weakness, then we can come together in confidence. Perhaps you come from a long, small assembly, and you rarely have a gifted brother come to explain things to you. We can read the word of God and be taught and fed in the assembly because the Lord is there. We're at His table. He would. I would invite you to my home and put you at my table and not feed you. And the Lord's not going to do the same either. And so there's a special blessing in connection to that.
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That doesn't bar a brother from gathering some together in his home to read the word. But when we come together, even if the whole assembly is there, that's not an assembly meeting. But when we come as the assembly together with the Lord in the midst, he takes care of those things and we can have that confidence. And I know and I've heard of some that came together in that way in weakness. All they did was could read the word, and they really was nobody gifted in the assembly to do more than that. And there was rather a good teaching came out of that assembly because the Lord was there. He took care of it.
That side of things, that is the answer. If it's his house, his table, his presence, let him provide. That's the thought. And your 132nd Psalm turn back to it, is the answer, and it's beautiful to see it. You were right there, brother, and I thought you were going to pick up verse 13, which is the key to that Psalm, verse 13. For the Lord has chosen Zion. What is Zion? It's his chosen place.
He can bless and grace can pour out to us. He has desired it for his habitation. I'll notice verse 15. I will abundantly His word surely bless her provision. I will satisfy her poor with bread. You know, I've been young and now I'm old and I haven't seen a St. Bacon for bread yet. But if you're at Zion, it's abundant. So that's the key. It's His chosen place.
Not not David's house. That would be wrong. It's his I didn't do it on purpose to take.
His desire, But it's so precious. This is my breast forever here will I dwell, for I have desire. No, We read about the Lord Supper at the last half over and moved, and is so tough and so tender.
With desire. I have desires to keep this Passover with you before I suffer every time we meet together. We can be sure His desire to be there is greater than our desire, but He puts a desire in our heart to be there where He is too.
In that beautiful, I want to just ask one thing on that 22nd of Luke, you just voted and this is so beautiful to me. It's the end of 27/22/27 and he says this is Christ Jesus. I am in the midst of you as he that served.
Now, it does say a month, but the original is in the midst and J&D is in the midst, and I like it in the midst. And brethren, don't ever.
Ever let anybody take in the midst out of the word of God? There is a translation that's taken it out from Genesis to Revelation.
We don't need KND in the midst either.
The 27th, 1St at the end. J&D word for a model part of the question.
Luke 2227 I give references a little too fast, but I'm going to get a chance to get into Chapter 14. Well, I was going to go back there. We are tending to go off on tangents rather.
We are so quick, we don't even leave any room. I'm guilty of it at times myself, but we are like popcorn, Reverend. Well, you got the port. We we ought to use it. Wait on another. And we ought to go into the passage that we read. Now, let me suggest that what we have in the 14th chapter is for edification. It's an edification meeting, primarily.
Not that it would be limited to that edification, encouragement and comfort, but in Acts chapter 20, the Church came together to break bread. So the specific purpose for coming together was to break bread. Then earlier in eggs, we have meetings where they came together for prayer, and so we do have the Church coming together at times for specific purpose.
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And his prayer. What is the breaking of prayer? But I believe here what Paul deals with is the edification of the Saints, the functioning of the body to supply needs. And then he speaks of those that are unlearned or unbelievers.
Now there are then those that attend the meetings, although they might be saying yet they are in the position of unlearned, who might become stumble by the display of the flesh and it was important or as it might be amongst us today. So we have to realize that that the purpose is that the needs of the same we met. Now we already know that the.
Speaking in tongues is out, you know. We don't have to dwell on that very much except to point out that they should speak in turn. And we do not find that in the movements in Christendom where they claim to speak in pounds. And then we have that the Prophet should be two or three and the others judge now.
There we have a limit given.
In a reading meeting such as we have here, we are not abiding by that limit and we are really not carrying out that part in a reading meeting, but is given here. We in an open meeting that has more character of what we have here in First Corinthians 14. And then I have always felt that in an open meeting there should not be more than three brothers speaking. Why? Because.
They do not necessarily always follow the same thing that the first one has followed. They might bring something else in and the third round bring in again something else. But it is all to meet the needs and the Saints can only take in so much. That's why Paul says not more than three should participate and not more than three Different things at one particular meeting should be brought before the same because.
Their capacity of taking in is limited, so I believe these are things that speak to us.
And we should remember that there are those who are unlearned and those who might be unbelievers. But if the spirit of God is in control and really a leap and guide, the individual and even the unbeliever that is present is convicted. Here is an edification meeting for the Saints. It's not a gospel reading, but they realize that God is indeed among them. They are convicted. We don't need just the gospel meaning.
To reach those who are unbelievers, they can be reached and are convicted many times by attending a meeting which is primarily for the purpose of edifying and building up the Saints. This is a these verses are very beautiful as you pointed out here just going on in this verse.
Verse 23 tells us if they all speak with tongues and so on. That's confusion.
But verse 24 But if all prophecy and there come in.
One that believeth not, or one unlearned, he is convinced of all. He is judged of all. Why? Because the Spirit of God has been leading, is leading. Thus are the secrets of his heart made manifest, and so falling down on his face, he will worship God and report that God is in you of a truth that can only be done by the work of the Spirit of God. That is the observance of the Spirit of God, using whom you will in that in that gathering. But his prophecy, isn't it? The testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.
So that has to do to be helpful to those who come in. Our experiences, we've had it at home, experiences of people who came and they were invited and perhaps we had someone who was very vocal and and they did, they did a lot of talking and this person went away and they said, well, I thought you said the spirit of God LED and instead just one man did all the thought or it's gone. So we have to be careful on that and we find a job further in the chapter, let the prophets speak.
Two or three and let the others judge. That is determined, whether it's of God or not. And speaking in order also, isn't it? But what I was what I've enjoyed here is the fact that it says but if all prophesied and prophecy really is the power of the Spirit of God in the testimony of Jesus in the midst to whom we're gathered.
00:45:23
I enjoyed a comment that was made about being at the assembly to get the truth, the fruit that could have found weed in another field, but she wouldn't have got Boaz. And I think that's a wonderful thing to realize the Lord's presence in the midst and to have that. And when one who is unlearned comes in and he sees the Lord in the midst, I know when I came into the assembly and I was unlearned, I can properly say that.
I had all kinds of arguments with what they said, but I went away and I said the Lord is there.
And I believe that that's what it's Speaking of here.
That if one's unlearned, there's an unbeliever comes in That the secrets of his heart were manifest. Were all kinds of things roots of unbelief in the heart that you're not aware of until you get into the truth. That's why you can explain to an unbeliever at work how you gather and they think, say, well, yeah, I know that's the way it should be.
But you explain that to a believer and they get angry with you because the secret of their heart is manifest. The truth of God manifests the secrets of the heart, and you'll often find with a with a believer arguments about the truth that you won't get from an unbeliever. They'll recognize the comeliness of the truth of the word of God. But if prophecy is given to a believer, it may raise antagonism because the secrets of the heart are manifest. But if things are done in order, they'll fall down on their face and own that God is there.
Is this I like to ask this question?
The end of verse 25, the report that says they will fall down, falling down on their space, He will he will worship God and report that God is in you of a truth. This is in you in a collective way, isn't it?
Is that right? I should think so. Pardon. I should think so, Yes, it's a demonstration of there. Am I in the midst of them? Yes. That's why I wanted to know it, Mr. Darby Render said. God is indeed amongst you.
Is it clear that now it says at the end, let all things be done decently and in order. The order is God's order and we're getting some of it here. And you know, I would like to clear up something of the.
Monday, because I was asked by many people about an answer I gave and I don't like to let it hang. It says let your women keep silence in the assemblies. It's not permitted for them to speak. Well, that's important. God's order. We know why I don't win to that. But they asked me should the sisters be able to say Amen?
My answer was absolutely, but silent, not audible.
I'll give you the answer to that, and I should have given it. Then verse 28. But if there be no interpreter, let him keep silence in the assembly and let him speak to himself and to God. How do you speak? Silently to God? That's our sisters, and that's what they contribute. The Lord reads the heart. Let's go forgether to God, but not audibly. And Hannah, who was a godly woman.
She prayed in the temple before the high priest.
Didn't she pray silently? Of course. Did God answer her prayer? Of course. Should women Amen. A prayer? Of course, not Audibly. That's what my answer and it was misinterpreted. God hears he was a beautiful illustration of this in connection with Sarah when he came to the tent door. And she laughed and he said, why did she laugh? He had to rebuke what was done audibly.
But he could commend what was said privately, because Peter takes it up thousands of years later and says she called Abraham Lord. And she didn't do that audibly, she did it in her heart. So the Lord, I believe, had to rebuke what she did audibly, but he could commend her for what she said in her heart. And so not to make a rule of it, that Scripture makes these things plain to us. And the other thing is that it deserves a careful reading and Numbers 30. And in connection with the Church too, our various ones of commenting on the fact that the the wonder of the reading meetings, if there's a wrong thought, it can be corrected.
And.
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In Numbers 30, that if a woman vows A vow and her husband is present and he doesn't disavow it, then it stands. And so the place for me to correct my wife is not here in the meeting, but at home and so. But if he's not there and he corrects it, then she's not bound by that vow. It's worth reading that because we're living in great days of confusion as to that whole subject of.
And so in the assembly, if there's a wrong clock, even though the church doesn't teach, and the Lord can correct that thought right there publicly at the time, and and there's no harm, the harm is taken away. I learned many things by the gracious way in which a brother was corrected in the assembly. It was done so graciously, didn't realize it was being done. And I had a lot of the same wrong thoughts. I was helped by the gracious way in which it was done because and so it can be profitable even that if it's done in the spirit of love and without malice.
I wonder if there are any sisters who are wondering whether they should sing a hymn at the end of this meeting.
Edda Burton, I had sympathized with your feelings. You don't want to argue, but I don't agree with the cross expressed. But we leave it with the law and but they also.
A point that is well to consider that two and two speak and the other judge in this adoptery rendering that says others are plural and some have said that meets the other prophets.
That is not what is covered here. I believe the ones who minister the word are subject to all.
And after Saturday meetings, the local brother came to me and he gave what I believe was a.
Constructive criticism And that was, he said. We say that we should wait on one another. We don't really wait on one another. You know, we hardly get in a word edgewise. Sometimes that is the kind of criticism that is constructive. And if they do well, we can take heed to it, you know, And we get into this kind of the thing and.
I believe it is much more commendable for the audience if we wait on one another and not just.
Pop up right away after somebody has finished his thought. I believe this is a commendable.
Exercise that the brother has expressed that we do well to keep to them, then his criticism or judging in a constructive way.
We look at Psalm 103.
Psalm 103 and verse 7.
He made known his ways unto Moses.
His head unto the children of Israel.
Psalm 106.
Permanent verse 7.
Our fathers understood not.
Thy wonders in Egypt.
They remembered God, a multitude of thy mercies.
And let's look at 2nd Corinthians 12.
Perhaps first verse chapter 13 and verse 8?
Where we can do nothing against the truth.
But for the treatment.
Chapter 12 and verse 12.
Truly, the signs of an apostle were wrought among you in all occasions.
In size and waters, and lightly these.
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1St 19.
The second since we speak before God in Christ.
But we do all things dearly beloved for your.
Let's do a second epistle.
I was thinking of this.
In First Corinthians chapter 14.
The Apostle is.
1/2.
Is acquainted with the waves of the world.
Their condition was such that their acquainted with his hat.
You read and saw 160.
Now we're we read in Psalm 106 about.
His facts that they didn't remember this belief again.
What I'm saying is.
Many wrongly speak power or size.
But it's a much greater thing to apprehend the heart.
He says We do all things for your edifying.
That is, that the heart may happen and the God who wants to be home when he missed the signs of an apostle, he says. First of all, all patience.
Amazing.
We think of their moral conditions and things that have to be corrected, and get the patience in the first epistle laying out the order.
That directs disorder.
It seems to me that a teacher can teach.
And by communion with the Lord Jesus, I will profit and escape a lot of communion. I may not profit at all.
So when a prophet prophesized he can arrest the soul that's out of community.
That's why there needs to be.
That's waiting upon the spirit of God in the day of much intelligence.
And we have many wonderful writings and.
Teach you if we're only displayed how much we know?
May not arrest targets that are headed the wrong way.
But if there be prophecy, it can awaken and arrest the soul.
And of course the world where there's that falling down and saying God is among you.
If there's enough patience.
Wait, from the Holy Spirit? No, you're not going to hear that kind of problems.
Is there a love?
Sets forth his ways.
That can so wait upon him.
The word that comes forth.
His conviction in the soul of Lord.
You need to be very terrible, brother.
Because they're living in the last days.
The Holy Spirit's powers and souls. Its own greed.
He's not quenched.
There's going to be very much problems.
True. We can do nothing against the truth before the truth. What about the truth? If I won't have the truth, it remains the truth.
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If the word of thought is set forth.
It convicts it encourages whatever it is quality is. It's true. Would I believe it or not?
You can misuse this verse saying you can do nothing against the truth all you can, so grieve your spirit God.
What we say.
Waiting upon that Divine Person.
That we expected to do something against.
Does it change the truth?
Marvelous today, that blessed living God, the Apostle of this this happened here is seeking to convey to them that they might know the way of God.
We want to show off with his *** like children of new toys.
And lay aside this thing of showing off.
God will succeed.
You'll be perceived by the soul.
To defray an eternal strike.
At general meetings, I believe we have to hang ourselves. They were guilty.
What are you so interested in each other?
We can't be in our seats early.
The Way upon the Holy Spirit.
He is a Divine person.
He's with us.
He's been sent to be witnessed ever, say Altaka.
No, brother, he wants to speak to this.
I'm impressed From where? In our seats early and waking in quietness.
With some reverence has shown to me.
It comes to remembering the Lord have often been in prison.
That the greater blessedness which requires the forehead.
I think we need to recognize.
Society we live in? Is that an awful lot to do with our invitation?
Spirit.
Verse 33 says God.
As the author.
Of peace.
As Deutsche.
He's never gone into a nursery in the hospital.
Never happened.
Yes, I think.
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A wonderful area we are heading over to.
But it better be careful that they aren't sharing the truth apart.
I've got it before. I was very scared.
There is a thought that I believe might still be helpful, and that is in verse 6. Already we have the thought of Revelation.
Paul says that I shall speak to you either he wouldn't promise them anything except I shall speak to you either by revelation or by knowledge, or by prophesying, or by doctor. What is the difference between revelation and knowledge?
In the early days of your church, when they didn't have the word of God complete.
There was revelation that a person would speak by revelation.
He would give something to the Church that he himself had not heard before. But the Spirit of God was so active that He by revelation would communicate truth to the Saints. That also is the point in verse 30. If anything be revealed to another, that's his body. We don't have that kind of a thing in the church today. The Spirit of God does not speak by revelation.
But we have knowledge.
The difference is that knowledge is something that I have gleaned and gathered before, and I'm in the possession of, and we could do well to keep that in mind. Sometimes we have a mystical notion about a reading meeting in the assembly, as if we can come without knowing anything about the passage that we have under consideration, and then expect that the Spirit of God is going to, by revelation, to open it up with us. I think that's a mystical notion.
That exists sometimes amongst the people of God. I believe we have to have come into the good of what we can pass on to others today. Now that preparation might be.
Months or years before, like the little boy for whom the lunch was prepared for himself. Yet the Lord used it to feed the multitude. It was for his own need, without any thought that it was used to feed the multitude.
And I would suggest that you better are in a small assembly where there are not outstanding gifts that you do well to familiarize yourself with the passage that is under consideration in the reading meetings so that you have something to give. I'm not saying that the Spirit of God cannot give you some thoughts that you have not had before while you're in the reading meeting, but I do believe, generally speaking, we have to have come into the good of that passage.
Before we can, It's founded and minister about it to the benefit of others. And there is nothing wrong with a brother who is in the place of responsibility to read and meditate on the portion that he knows will come up next Wednesday in the reading meeting. Because if he doesn't understand it, he better get into the understanding of it so that he has something to offer to the second service. So we are not in the days of revelation. Remember that we are in the days where.
Knowledge is their doctrine, and all of these things suggest that we have come into the good of it before we present it through others. Could I suggest this in connection with Revelation? Because I believe the word means to uncover something, and that even at Corinth the Paul said 10 times, know ye not? And he appealed back to scriptures that they knew, but they were covered in the dust of rubbish of tradition, and he had to uncover them again, just as in the days of PMI.
And I don't want to attack your thought, but I think that even in Florence the thought of revelation was not that they received revelations apart from the Apostle Paul, but that we that there was there at Corinth. That there were truths that were known to them on which they could have acted as an assembly. That had they been revealed or uncovered, that would have been profitable and helpful to them. No, you, not that. A little 1111 at the little, the whole lump. That was a principle in Scripture that needed to be uncovered from all the rubbish of tradition and their own habits. Know you not that.
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You're not the Mazzolo key, the muzzle, the ox. It trends out the corn. And so in that sense, if I may put it that way, there is the uncovering of the word of God. And as you say, if we're not familiar with the word of God, there's nothing for God to work with there. And that's the trouble. That's the trouble. Often when we read ministry is that we're not familiar enough with the word of God. There's nothing for God to work with there. I just suggest that because there is definitely this false idea of new revelations.
But I think even in Corinth, there they have sufficient word of God, though they didn't even have false revelations, to act as an assembly in in administering the laborers, in in conducting orderly meetings, in putting away a wicked person, even though they didn't have that from Paul and the revelation said he received.
183 hymn #183 verses one and four.
Save your come, I say.
Away.