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181.
#181.
When Satan appears.
To stop up our path and fill us with fears.
We triumph like this we cannot take from us.
Through off he has tried the heart cheering promise the Lord will provide 181.
Wednesday Tonight.
No.
You will learn, reply and explaining God's affairs.
On the.
Very 1St annual Chapter 7 and verse 12.
First Samuel 7 and verse 12.
Then Sam looked like a stone, and set it between Lisbon and Shen, and called the name of it. Ebenezer, saying, Hitherto we're up till now at the Lord helped him hitherto at the Lord help us.
OK for the last two readings were in Romans chapter 12.
What about a bill? There's still more there. Would you say quite a bit more?
How far did we get?
Minor 10 I think.
Sounds good.
Romans, chapter 12, verse 10.
The economy of sections, one to another, with brotherly love in honor. Preferring one another, not thoughtful in business. Servant and spirit serving the Lord.
Rejoicing in hope, patience and tribulation. Continuing instant in prayer, Distributing to the necessity of things given the hospitality.
Bless them which persecuted you blessed and cursed not. Rejoice with them that you rejoice, and weep with them that weep.
Be of the same mind, one toward another.
Minds not hide things.
On your Remington seats, recompense to no man, evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men if it be possible. As much as what I've been doing. Live peaceably with all men, dearly beloved.
00:05:09
Avenged not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath, for his written vengeance is mine I will repay, said the Lord. Therefore, if our enemy hunger feed him, is he thirst, give him drink, for in doing so thou shalt re keep colds of fire on his head.
Do not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good. I wonder if we could also read that.
Maybe just the last part of chapter 13 from verse 11.
Romans 13 verse 11 and that knowing the time that now it is high time to awake, better sleep. So now is our salvation here and when you believe.
The night is far spent, the day is at hand.
Let us therefore cast off the works of darkness. Let us put on the armor of life. Let us walk honestly.
As in the day, not in writing and dressing, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and engineering, but put me on the Lord Jesus Christ and make our provision for the flesh to fulfill the blood.
What do you have in mind, Brother Wally, in connection with these other verses? Well, it just seems there's still the, uh.
Versus at the end of their chapter 13.
Wrap was cold because of the fact that, uh.
The 90s charge spent. We often seen that in the United States.
I believe it's an encouragement to us to realize.
That the coming of the Lord has gone on and there is a manner of life that becomes those that are waiting for His return.
And I think one probably I just recently heard that his desire is to be found in a place to work with Gabion.
When he returned. So that's good to look up and to look and expecting this big Lord's return.
But I just start fasting my feet in order just to read that portion and not take away from what we're reading here. Chapter 12. Everything should be in view of his coming, shouldn't we?
Well, most of these exhortations in chapter 12 don't need a lot of.
Explanation. Uh, they're pretty straightforward.
Uh.
I would just point out one thing between verses 9 and 10.
There is a difference between the love that's mentioned in verse nine and the brotherly love mentioned in verse 10.
Divine Love.
Always seeks the good of its object according to God's thoughts and God's glory.
And so.
Love sometimes does that which is painful, and it ought to be more painful.
Or at least as painful to the one who has to say something in faithfulness as it is to the one to whom.
The thought there is unfeigned or if we could coin a word, a word unpretending, unpretending and so that's I suggest why it follows up with.
Abhor that which is evil, plead to that which is good.
Real love between brethren.
Real divine love is always according to God's thoughts, which.
The cleaves to what is good and of course that which is evil and if we see one another involved in evil.
Real love will not.
Passover it, or, as we say, sweep it under the rug for the sake of not stirring up any trouble, but rather be faithful.
But then in the next verse, there's to be brotherly love. That's a little different thought you get the same thing.
00:10:04
You're aware? In fact, we could turn to it just for a moment, because it's much the same thought. Second Peter, chapter one.
And there we have.
Uh, in verse 7.
Where we're adding various things.
To our face and it says and this is the way it is in the DND translation. And to godliness, brotherly love.
And to brotherly love, love.
So there's a difference between the two. Brotherly love is that enjoyment of one another because of what we have in Christ and what we are in Christ. And in that sense, it doesn't have the same thought of dealing with.
That which is evil, although you can't really separate the two but.
Real love would take cognizance of what is there that may not be according to God's mind and address it. But then we are to be kind the affection 1 to another with brotherly love in honor, preferring one another.
That is looking on, as it says in Philippians 2, looking on not every man on his own things, but on the things of others, and realizing the value that each one has in the body of Christ.
Is an interesting story that uh, was told to some of us by.
Our late brother Armstead Barry, who some here will remember.
He was gathered to the Lord's name all his life and had a pretty good memory. And sometimes he told stories about our older brethren that weren't in print. And he told a story which I've never read anywhere else, about, uh, Jay and Darby and JG Bella walking together to a meeting, a reading meeting. And their first names, of course, were both.
John, John Nelson Darby, and, uh, John Gifford Vela.
And Mr. Bellett turned to Mr. Darby and said, Brother John, at the reading meeting tonight, I want you to remember that the Saints have hearts as well as consciences.
Brother Darby turned to Mr. Bell. They were extremely good friends and he said, John, you remember that they have consciences as well as hearts.
Well, one's ministry tended to be more to the conscience. The other's ministry tended to be more to the heart. The votes were needed. Both were in the body of Christ, and each one was kind of in a gentle way reminding the other that don't forget about the other side of the picture. Well, in honor preferring one another, we need to recognize one another's gifts, one another's qualities, and recognize that if they're different from our own.
God can use every one of them, and they're necessary.
A lot full of John chapter one.
And the law is given by Moses. Grace and truth came by Jesus Christ, both Poseidon, grace and truth to men.
Do we have any patients?
Do you have any patients chapter uh?
It is chapter 4.
Go along with that. I believe it's would apply.
In verse 15 it says they're speaking the truth and love.
The weather.
It's, uh, on the Gray side.
Or the truth. Sometimes it just has to be stern. In some cases, we know that the Lord never compromised the truth for His gracefulness.
He spoke faithfully.
When he spoke, but uh, the men are rebuked. He gave it rebuked, but it was always a love.
Lord Jesus, always spoken love.
00:15:01
Only marvel your gracious words.
Get the screwed out of his mouth.
At at the same time you spoke to the authorities.
You can speak that way because he spoke the truth.
Well, verse 11 reminds us of several things, among them not to be slothful in business.
I wasn't at the reading meeting, but I remember a brother telling me about it for quite a few years ago now where he pointed out this particular brother that.
The emphasis here is on, we might say, the Lord's business.
Things for the Lord and he told me of how a fairly good businessman among the brethren spoke up in the meeting and he said, Oh brother, he said, I also think it means that the Lord really would have us to make a dollar whenever we can.
But I don't believe that's the thought here. Yes, we are to be diligent in whatever our hands find to do. And whether the Lord has given us a business to run, or whether he's given us a profession to practice, or whether He's given us manual work to do or to sit in front of a computer nowadays, or whatever it might be, we're to do it in a right way and in an upright way and to do it well. But I believe the emphasis here is on.
The Lord's work and on the Lord's interests. And if we're diligent in the Lord's interests, I believe that diligence will carry over into our natural lives. But the priorities will be ripped, won't they?
Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you.
That's why it says fervent in spirit, serving the Lord.
Somebody mentioned yesterday, maybe it was your brother's fan of a lazy Christians. No, Was it you that made the remark? And, and there is a danger of our being lazy in the work of the Lord. There is a danger of our being apathetic about things down here. And of course, if the heart is right, then if the work will follow. So it's not that the Lord wants us to rush out and dive into something when our heart is not ready for it.
And often when we're younger, the Lord puts us to a bit of a training school. But at the same time, the Lord is looking for those who have his interests before them down here. And what a privilege it is in the world where the Lord has been rejected to represent his interests. And so he has put us here for that purpose and.
We can understand.
Uh, for example, if there is an ambassador in a country.
He's generally well provided for. He generally has whatever he needs to carry out his duties well. But if he were to just lazy around and live the good life and not do very much, I believe his home country would be very disappointed in him, wouldn't they? They wouldn't. They would say, well, you're not. You're not representing our interests very well. We expect more than that from you. We didn't send you there for that reason.
Just to live it up and have a good life and then, uh, relax.
No, we are sent into this world to be living witnesses for him.
When I was speaking yesterday and pardon the reference, but.
I mentioned a brother by the name of JB Dunlop.
And uh, in connection with his diligence, but he made a remark that I read once, and this is over 100 years ago now.
But he said.
Remember, brethren, the Lord did not leave you and me here.
Simply to lead good, morally upright lives and then to go to heaven at the end.
He said we should do all that, but that is not enough. He left us here to be living witnesses to a lost world and to one another of the grace that sought and found us. I never forgot it. Not that I was back there when you said it, but I read it and uh, so I believe this is.
00:20:20
And it carries on into the 12Th verse, doesn't it? Fervid in spirit.
Serving the Lord.
Rejoicing in hope.
Yes, it's always in view of the Lord's coming.
Patient and tribulation, we're going to have that, the Lord said so.
And as a result of that continuing.
Instant in prayer.
Just for clarity, would be correct to say that verse 9 forward out of the individual gifts and now it's general expectations to Christian.
Yeah, yes, I believe so.
And we can all be involved in all of this. It's not particularly tip that is in view in these verses, is it?
The remainder of this chapter makes you think of the proverb.
And I heard of her brother. We just recently say somebody went to visit him and the man was reading the book of problems and he's man he's so he'd probably never read it before. He said we followed this. We sure keep out of a lot of trouble.
And I think of these things too. It's easy to sit in a meeting, isn't it? Yeah, that's right. That's right. But then when it comes to doing it, that's a little different story. You could have a desire to improve with the Lord has in his words. We know them things, happier you can do them.
Umm, diversity. Jeremiah 48, verse 10.
Cursed be he that doeth the work of the Lord deceitfully.
And the margin of my biases? Negligence.
Emergency that keep the stack restored to the blood. But that's something pretty strong language to speak as one being first because it's not doing the work of the Lord in a diligent fashion. But that's some serious and uh, first week is 15. This is uh.
Let us steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord.
For as much as you know, your labor is not in vain in the Lord, and it's in view of His resurrection.
If we look up and see Christ there glorified, I know that he's inserting.
For us and then, you know, establish this Kingdom.
A motivation for us to serve him.
We're living in a day of lukewarmness, aren't we? Umm, the day of Laodicea. I really, I enjoy the way it's put in the new translation here. It says going back to verse 11, diligence in as to diligent zealousness, not slothful in spirit, fervent serving the Lord as regards hope, rejoicing as regards tribulation, enduring.
As regards prayer.
Persevering, sort of enjoy the way he puts it there. That's good.
So we're to be doing all these things.
But as Brother Bill was saying, there's a character for the way we should do them. Which, uh, you might say has a meaning to it rather than simply going through the motions.
Don't you think that it's almost every one of the epistles where it it finishes with practical exhortations?
And it finishes rather than starts with them. And the reason it seems to me why?
The, uh, the.
Often does it that way is that he brings us into the dignity of the position we've been brought into. And when we are rejoicing in that, we want to take and do the things that are part of the practical admonition at the, uh, at the end of the book, hmm. You know, umm, a child wants to please its father.
00:25:08
It's a natural thing, the the the the duplicate really imitate what they're what they're and and so we are to be imitators.
Well, that's based on the nature that we have received, and then we have the power of a new life.
And, uh, it makes it easier to do, doesn't it? And, uh, you know, this is a kind of a simple thing, but tell you what happened many years ago, uh, uh, in my own life, my wife and I alone, we only had two children at the time, right? We were leaving my father's home and, and, uh, going back to our home.
And he came over to the window of the car and he said to my boys.
Wind down the window.
And he said, do you want to be happy?
Make somebody else happy. Then he walked away.
Well, I think it's really the same principle that we have here. You know, the Lord's life was a life of service to others. And we have been given the nature, the desire to, uh, umm, to function in that way.
The world is is different in that everything is for self, isn't it? But that shouldn't.
It's not the motive of the Christian life.
Now, today, the world teaches you that you are a special, unique individual that only has so much in common with others. And perhaps if you're a young person, they may even teach you that you're not well understood.
Umm, but it's interesting to me that much of this is trained in.
Uh, the thought of whether we love because the simplest definition for a brother is someone with the same father and somebody with the same father.
You will have things in common and so even another believer that you've never met, you have the same father. So there is a certain level where you will understand that and be able to love them at that.
The family connection there isn't good.
Which I believe the spiritual bonds are even greater than human bonds. You know, natural connections out there.
Wonderful.
The relationship that we do enjoy with God is Father within one another.
Tell us, disciples, we all, our brethren, brothers.
Well, I came from 2 generations back, I think Stan, you'll remember.
In Ottawa, hearing that God has no paper in his family. Oh my, how we remember that.
You know, I'm thinking of this expression here too, given the hospitality, I really think that in a practical way, if you hear of somebody who's sick in your assembly.
Knock on the door with a casserole.
In your hand to give to them.
Would you agree, Dave? We don't have to wait until they're sick.
Invite them over when they're healthy enough to come to your home, too.
Uh.
It makes a, it makes a huge difference. And I would, I would, I would say it openly because hospitality.
Uh, an old brother now with the Lord used to remind us that God places a high premium on it, but it's becoming a thing that is not as common as it used to be, mainly because we lead busy lives and it just doesn't seem to be as easy to be able to get together the way it used to be.
Well, we recognize that in the world of today, things are not the same as they were 50 years ago and we.
Can't turn back the clock but at the same time.
The exhortations of Scripture remain.
And generally speaking, in my experience and observation, if I may say so, uh, in assemblies where people are used to being in and out of each other's homes, there is much less tendency for difficulties and problems to develop. Things get nipped in the bud, things get dealt with, misunderstandings don't arise.
00:30:23
At least not as easily, anyway.
And so the Word of God would place a high premium on hospitality. And as you say, Dave, it does say distributing to the necessity of Saints. So that takes in those that are in need and those that are sick and so on. Very, very definitely. But it's nice to get together when there is no special reason for it except just to enjoy one another's company and.
It makes a huge difference to our relationships with one another, doesn't it?
We were mentioning equivalent Priscilla yesterday as being an example of some who showed hospitality. Another one in the scripture that I've enjoyed is in 3rd John in connection with Gaius.
Remember gayest with that uh, the apostle wrote to.
And he says they're, uh.
Uh, verse 5, beloved, thou doest faithfully whatsoever thou doest to the brethren and that strangers. I think that's the way it should read. In other words, Gay has not only showed hospitality to those he knew, but even to those believers that were not so familiar to them. Umm, he was hospitable and encouraging to them. He goes on and says in the sixth verse, in the middle of verse, if thou bring forward on their journey, after all, godly sorts also do well so.
When there were Saints traveling from 1 area to another, he was willing to put them up into his home, wouldn't you say?
I think it's nice to see there is, uh, love for the Saints.
And if I could just add to that stand.
Be careful that we don't restrict all this simply to those who are gathered to the Lord's name. There's an opportunity to show kindness.
To anyone.
It says, but specially then of the house or those of the household of faith. So if there's a stranger to whom we can show hospitality, even if he isn't a believer, we should take the opportunity. And if there is a fellow believer, even if he isn't gathered to the Lord's name, he's a member of the body of Christ.
Uh, we ought to be ready to do it as the Lord leads, of course. Uh, we need wisdom in these things.
But I believe we should keep our hearts as broad as that of Christ, even if we have to walk a narrow path on these last days. If you say that's what we have in Hebrews chapter 13, yes. It's uh, I think the first part of the first verse would apply to ourselves.
And I love brothers in love continue.
Entertain strangers, too.
So, uh, not be not forgetful to entertain strangers.
For there thereby some of entertain angels unawares.
Well, Brother Enos was mentioning and I appreciated the remark and I'll repeat it because somewhere in here in the first reading meeting that largely this 12Th chapter deals with the relationships between brethren. And then the next chapter deals more with relationships with the world. But it leads into it toward the end of this chapter, doesn't it? And so things like.
Persecution are brought in and further down, uh, inverse.
17.
We're to provide things honest in the sight of all men, where to seek as much as lieth in us to live peaceably with all men.
We're not to reward evil for evil, we're to reward evil with good. And so we're being LED into a relationship with those that are not of light, precious faith.
00:35:10
Are we going to encounter persecution in one form or another? Yes, we are.
Paul reminds us of it in Second Timothy 3. All that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.
In one way or another.
Where to react in the right way, where to bless them and not to curse. And there is to be, and I know we're jumping ahead here, but there's to be a right way to react in the presence of the world in order to show a good testimony for Christ, whatever it might be, whether it's in the face of persecution, whether it's in business dealings and financial dealings with them, whether it's in.
Shall we say it having to get along with someone that's unreasonable?
It happens. We have to work sometimes and rub shoulders with and deal with people who are very difficult. And I'm not saying that we can't be difficult too. And if we're not careful, we can add to the mix. But just the same, there's a right way of dealing with the world according to what Christ has given us. And so these are very practical things that we're to pay attention to in our dealings with the world.
I believe they're in that, uh, eighteenth verse.
It's impossible. As much as live in you look peaceably involved, that doesn't mean that you hold your temper for a while and finally you let it loose. I think it means that there's going to be trouble, but the other ones stop it. Don't you have anything to do with making the trouble? There might be trouble. Don't let it be in your car.
Good easy to read here.
Use it practically. Something else is that.
I saw yesterday in the playground, uh, number of children playing on the climbing arthritis and the slides. And I noticed a little boy who wasn't, I'll say from our group, his mother was on the bench and I noticed that he was.
Spitting a bit and pushing a bit and being kind of mean, I thought by my judgment I went up to this little red headed girl who was the recipient of some of his.
Mistreatment and I said to her is that little boy being mean to you in this little redhead? 8 year old said yes. I said what are you going to do about it? She said well I think I should be kind to him and then he won't be mean to me. I thought that was a good answer. I should be kind to him so that he won't be mean to him.
She didn't want revenge.
Overcome evil with good.
8 year old, how do we practically bless someone?
Is that in reference to how we speak to them? Is it going forward, verse 20, where it talks about feeding your enemy and giving him a drink? What's the practical act that we do to bless them that first treats us?
You know what we should have together on that? I used to be blessed to.
Music Plus.
Plus, on the curve less than the first two, you've less than curve not.
Well, the word blessed and the word curse in Scripture are very frequently put in opposition to one another because they're opposites, aren't they? And to curse someone is to, uh, bring down upon them, at least with our voice, the idea of, uh, judgment. And so, for example, we know that Valax wanted Balin to curse the children of Israel.
He couldn't in that sense, physically go and do something, at least not to a whole nation, but he could curse them with the idea that ultimately the Lord would follow it up and bring down evil upon them. And so I believe the word blessing is the opposite of that, and that is.
Imploring the Lord to bring down good upon them rather than evil. That's the thought I believe. And.
What is that practically for you and for me? It's going to the Lord about them that they might be safe.
There is the avoidance as this little girl that, uh, we just heard about.
00:40:02
That Clem was telling us about. She was going to treat him kindly. That was what she could do in a direct relationship with someone. But we know, particularly today, that if.
Anything wrong is done to other people. What what happens? There's usually a stream of foul, vindictive language in the most filthy words that they can think of in order to, as it were, bring down upon you every possible piece of rock that passes through their mind. Even though they don't dare to lay hands on you because they get in trouble for it, but they will use their mouth to bring down upon you every wrong thought that passes through their minds.
Well, for the believer, he's to do the opposite. He's to go to the Lord on their behalf in order, first of all that the Lord might do good to them, and secondly that they might be saved.
And I think it's a good point, Matt, because the the whole rest of the chapter, and I know it's anticipating, but our time is going and if we want to have a minute or two to talk about the last few verses of chapter 13, we won't have much. But the whole rest of the chapter, I believe, is summed up in the last verse.
And that is?
There are two sides to the Christian character in this world.
One is negative.
Be not overcome of evil.
But that's only one side of it.
Yes, we are not to be overcome of evil. We are, to use Mr. Dunlop's words, to live good, morally upright lives.
But that's not all. Overcome evil with good. In other words, go on the offensive. Get out there and bring before the souls what you have in Christ. Now there's a right and a wrong way of doing that.
We don't go and ram it down people's throats in the wrong way. There's a right and a wrong way of doing it, and most of what we say to a world today is the way we live.
But the point is we're to overcome evil with good. So on the one hand there's not to be the falling into the evil, but on the other hand there's the the the positive.
Introduction of the good. And that's what the Lord Jesus did in this world, didn't he?
He didn't fall into the evil, He didn't become part of it, but he brought all the goodness of God in himself into this world. Now you and I might say, boy, that's a mouthful.
And I freely admit, and I think brother Bill Roach's comment is well taken, Yes all very nice to talk about it here in the quiet over reading meeting. But where the rubber hits the road is another story. But.
We need His strength to do it, don't we? We need constant dependence and looking to the Lord to do it because we aren't capable. I'm not capable of it anyway. And uh, if someone does something wrong to me, my first reaction is to fight her back. I freely admit it.
It's there, and only the grace of God can give us the positive ability to.
Overcome evil with good, and as it says here, to, uh, bless them, which Curtis is blessed and cursed not. And then not to avenge ourselves and so on, but rather to do the opposite, to turn around and do good to the enemy.
Because that way you're demonstrating, we're demonstrating.
The character and mind of Christ. I know we didn't uh, include the 10 first in the next chapter, but uh, we started with the 11Th, but it might be nice to look at the 10th 1St because it's tight and nicely with what we had at the end of the chapter, the chapter that we're in now, chapter 12.
Or uh yeah, Chapter 12.
It says a lot of work and no oil to its neighbors. One thing about showing love to her neighbor, we know that.
Umm, not much I can say if you show love to them and you're not going to be.
Bothering them too much if you if you be kind to them and show love.
So it's kind of good advice there for us to what we can do for our neighbors. I remember years ago, uh Ervin Clawson was on our house and he was talking about this 20th verse in chapter 12. And I don't know if I can explain it exactly the way he did, but he says, what does it mean when it says heat, colds of fire on his head?
00:45:25
And he used the illustration of the blacksmith. And the blacksmith, of course, when he's working with a piece of iron, he puts the iron in the fire and, uh, the fire heats up the bottom of the, uh, of the iron, but the top remains cold. And so in order to make it bendable, uh, you have to take hot coals and put them on top of the iron so that the whole thing's become flexible and then it bends easily. And so he says when.
If you're as it says here, if thine enemy hunger, feed him well if you don't.
Feed them and you refuse nothing to do with them. He becomes hardened, but by he can pull the firearm with your your showing your love towards him and it becomes bendable. You know, if I'm making it as plain as I should, but he was illustrating it in connection with the blacksmith. That's good.
To bless.
I guess the bottom line means to be made happy or to be happy. So when we are called to bless someone.
We have to make them happy. And it was mentioned the first thing we should do, of course, spray the wisdom and discernment as to what would make that person particularly happy. And then the second part is Bill put out probably the more difficult how to do it and to to work on it and to actually make that person happy. Because sometimes it might cause us to sacrifice a bit or put us in a dangerous position for ourselves or something we might feel uncomfortable with. But that's what the Lord would have us to do is to bless, not to curse.
But to make that other for what it takes to make that person happy. And the one thing I could think the only scripture version I can think of that kind of relates to that parking lot is the book of, uh, Ephesians where it talks about how the Lord gave himself for the church and husbands that do that for their wives. You know, there are times when we have to give up things and, and it's not much of A sacrifice, but in the sense it, it, it sometimes might make sense, comfortable and whatever. But that's what we have to do in order to maintain the peace sometimes is to, to give a little on our part, but it takes wisdom and discernment from the Lord in order to do that. We can't just haphazardly.
Say, all right, I know what Bill wants, so I'll do this because sometimes I, an older brother used to tell me kindness unwanted is unkindness.
And I always used to think about that. In the end, it's, it was a wide saying. When you think about kindness, unwanted is unkindness because many times we have the idea of what that person wants. And sometimes it may not be that at all. And because of that, it sort of backfires on totally need that discernment first from the Lord, But then we have to act upon what he tells us in order to properly molest someone. You may have somebody that that he just can't, you just can't deal with like, uh, David.
When he was cursed.
Going up.
Yeah, there's one who was going to go over and take care of it. And David said no, we've got the four Lords. He left it with the Lord. And sometimes there are people that are just so obstinate and difficult to get along with, there's nothing much you can do.
In that case, there we just have to commit it, uh.
They're just looking at Timothy might be Second Timothy 4 and, uh, verse 14.
It says Umm Alexander the copper Smith. It'd be much evil.
The Lord's reward him according to his works.
Well, there was a man that the Apostle Paul had a lot of difficulty with.
But he didn't, Uh.
Supposed to say here that he he took a strip out of them and where he called them names or anything, but he got nothing with the Lord, said the Lord, Deal with it. Hmm. And that sometimes that's all we can do.
I was just thinking of, uh, the Apostle Paul and uh.
When you said the I am less than the least of all the Saints, well, umm.
He couldn't have accomplished, uh, what he accomplished unless he took that position And, umm, he really felt it in the soul. It wasn't pain or it wasn't the, it wasn't pained. It was true, uh, feeling of, uh, of loneliness on his behalf. And of course, that's the way the Lord was, uh, lowly in mind and, uh, very humbling, but, umm.
00:50:02
One thing, umm, that's very helpful. Umm, you know, we realize that we have the old mates in ourselves and umm, but we have to realize too that our fellow believer, they also have the old nature on them and umm, it's a great help and I might relate it kind of a funny story.
Uh, but it puts it in perspective, uh, Don Bilasoli, I still miss him when I think of him is uh, his last for especially he is such a lovely way of laughing.
And uh, he told me a story one time of chapter Brown, other brothers around and umm.
Chapter Brown's umm, maybe you heard, many have heard the story, I don't know. But uh, his grandson come up running up to him and he had a little teddy bear and the button for the eye and uh, he said, uh, grampy, grampy.
Teddy lost his eye, what happened And the chapter brown just.
Uh, bent down and umm. He pointed to the place where the eye was missing and he said.
You see this?
Heavy uh lost his eye in a brothers meeting.
And it was really It brought it into context.
You know, it brought it into, uh, brought, brought to light. A very important lesson is that we all have the old nature. We recognize it in ourselves. We know, we know, we know. We know how bad we are, but we have to realize that, umm.
Our brother and our brothers and sisters and the Lord, they have a new nature that cannot sin the same as ourselves. And so it really helps, you know.
We're all failures.
Quality versus speak of our response to someone persecuting us directly. What if we see a brother or a sister being persecuted? What is our responsibility? Our response?
Probably the first thing it looks at the end of verse 12.
Right for me.
I believe we should stand with them in that sense. Uh, Matt, uh, uh, scripture says remember them that are in bonds as bound with them.
And so obviously, uh, that would be those who perhaps are what we would call at arm's length and a distance from us. And they are, sad to say, many dear believers in bonds in the world today.
And I trust we do in that sense remember them. And because we're members of the body of Christ, we.
Say we remember them as being bound with them, but uh, you're talking about a, an opper, an opportunity when we were right there, Matt, is that what you mean?
And and someone being persecuted by the world, I believe we it would be good if we could identify ourselves with them. Most of us in North America here don't have that opportunity very often.
But uh, if it would arise.
Uh, uh, I know, uh, uh, sometimes in years gone by, we used to have more what we called open air meetings than we have today. And once in a while some, what you might call hecklers would come along. And it was always nice if someone came and stood alongside of you and, uh, at least was with you to identify with you.
And I believe that's a wonderful thing for believers to do. I don't believe it's right for us openly to interfere in that because.
The Lord has told us in the Word, ye shall have tribulation, and I don't believe we have any pattern in Scripture for believers getting involved physically and taking up arms. That's happened all too often in the church's history and it's never gotten anywhere. The Lord Jesus said to Peter all day to take the sword shall perish with the sword.
00:55:00
And in principle, I believe that applies to that situation. But it's a wonderful thing to identify with those who are going through trouble and difficulty if the opportunity presents itself.
A lot of teacher after class who doesn't believe in evolution.
And one girl put her hand up. Pretty soon another one put her hand up too good.
I think we have an example of what you're talking about, maybe not be a little further over normally.
Just after 16.
There's three months. We'll mention this number of times.
To sell an equivalent.
Umm. It says here that, uh.
I'll read from verse one commend not to use Phoebe or sister which was a servant of the church, which is actually a Yuri Saber and the Lord is becoming Saints and that you assist her whatsoever visits she has need of you for she has been a help to of many. Now myself also reach for Priscilla and Aquila of my helpers in Christ Jesus, who have for my life laid down their own necks on to whom not only I give thanks, but also all the churches against ours.
And so they were willing to risk their own necks in the work for the for the, for their brother.
I think one of the things, uh, umm, you know, the Lord Lord says, uh, the world is going to hate you, so we're going to receive persecution from the world and, umm.
Another story I read about a story I read, but I'm not sure it was John White put up with one of those older, umm, ones way, way back in the 1600s or whatever. But umm, he was down there and he was praying and he said, uh oh, Lord, I'm not receiving any persecution.
And I deal with something wrong and he, uh, he didn't feel right about it. He said he felt he was getting away from the Lord because he wasn't getting any persecution. And as soon as he said the prayer of the Lord, a rock come flying through his window.
And then he said, oh, there it is. And and made him happy again, you know, so it should should make him happy.
That's the effect it should have on our souls.
Yes, it should. Uh, if you be reproached for the name of Christ, Peter reminds us. Happy, are ye?
Uh, I believe there are two sides to it if you turn back to the book of the Acts.
If I can put my finger on it here.
Uh.
Yes, Acts Chapter 9.
And verse 31.
Up until this point.
Saul of Tarsus, later the apostle Paul.
Had been causing all kinds of havoc and persecution among the believers.
But now he gets saved. What happens in verse 31 of Acts 9?
Then have the churches wrapped throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria.
And we're edified.
And walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost.
Were multiplied. So the Lord allows periods of persecution and he allows periods of relative rest and peace. That's the history of the world and it's the history of the Christian testimony. And so I appreciate the brother, whoever he was during the Reformation who got concerned because he wasn't feeling any persecution and the Lord had to reassure him by.
Having a rock come through his window.
But I suggest that we shouldn't go looking for persecution. The Lord says it'll come depend upon it. We shouldn't go looking for it because if we do, then the moment the Lord gives us a chance for rest and peace and up building, we're going to be thinking, well as this year man thought, well I must be out of the path of the Lord's will and somehow not walking with him, otherwise life would be rougher. Not necessarily.
There are periods of rest and, uh, a chance to be edified. And if I might mention.
01:00:02
The century from, uh, the time of the Battle of Waterloo until the outbreak of the First World War.
Was generally a century of peace and the Lord used it to raise up men who brought back to us the truth of the church. He used as a used it as a time of almost unprecedented gospel activity and spread of the truth truth in this world and generally speaking, believers were thankful for the peace that God gave.
So if persecution comes, we're told how to react to it. If God allows peace and rest, we can be thankful for it. Uh, first Peter 2, let's just say first Timothy chapter two, we find that, uh, we're exhorted to, uh.
Supplications, Prayers, Intersections.
Giving a thanks to me for all men, for thanks, for all that are an authority.
What for? They buy Prosper in their range.
Well, it says here that we may need a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honor.
The one that's praying is the one that's looking for the benefits, you know? Yeah. Of a piece that finds a piece of her life.
And that's I think too, Wally, you know, umm, they both go together, you know.
Wherever there's positive, there's negative and so forth and so on. But I was thinking I'll just read it quickly. Uh, exit chapter one verse 12. But the more they have flip book at them.
I'm just chilling with Israel. The more they multiplied and grew and they and they were grieved because of the children of Israel. So when we received persecution, it seems.
Uh, we broke.
Well, we just might comment, if we may, for a minute or two before the meeting comes to an end on the last few verses of the 13th chapter. I think they're a very good, shall we say, fitting ending to what we said before us because they bring before us, even though at this point in time things were going on relatively well in the church, but.
That all reminds us here.
In verse 11.
Knowing the time that it is high time to awake out of sleep, and then he says the night is far spent, the day is at hand.
If that were true way back when Paul penned the words that we have here, how much more it is true today?
Now of course, in one sense Paul could write that because as far as the world was concerned.
Its judgment had been pronounced at the cross, Man's trial was over, and it was only a matter of.
The day of grace, however long it might be until that judgment was carried out. But how much more? It's important for you and me today to be alive and awake to the days in which we're living, not to be sliding through it asleep. And Paul reminds us of that in a number of places. He reminds us in Thessalonians, they that sleep, sleep in the night, and they that are drunk and drunken in the night and so on.
But we that are of the day and so on.
There are exhortations that would give us what is conventionally called today, a wake up call.
And sometimes we need that, don't we? We can slide along very easily, especially in these favored lands where, generally speaking, we don't have to worry about where our next meal is coming from and whether we'll have a roof over our heads and one thing or another. But we need to have these.
Exhortations.
To walk in a way that is in keeping with the times in which we live.
Our salvation being nearer than when we believe, Well, I believe our salvation will be complete when our bodies have changed, and that'll take place at the Rapture.
As far as the salvation of our souls, we know that that has been accomplished through the finished work of Christ with the cross itself. It also tells us that we're being saved by his life, and that's a wonderful plot of what Jesus at the present time lives.
01:05:00
To make the intercession for you and.
And, uh, you know, the Hinrich could put it, uh, through manifold temptation or trial.
My soul falls on its course. Christ mighty intercession alone is her resource. So the Lord Jesus said desire upon us 24/7 and uh, I believe we're being saved from.
Many, uh, pitbulls. Difficult times if I did as he does.
There is some it's our great husband. The salvation I think we've spoken of is will take place at the Rapture, which is nearer than when we believe.
Well, that could be overcome by the angle in the world. Are you saying Roman curse?
It's just a an avalanche view. It seems it's taking place.
Abdominal effect, you know, going on, but uh, as it tells you here, lettuce, yeah, software let us put on diameter blood.
Despite the condition of the oldest movie.
I will handle.
Burning surprising in the night.
You have no small phone or not either mine.
This would have been particularly apropos in an epistle to believers in Rome because at this time the Roman Empire was at its height and they really lived it up in Rome, as anyone that knows history would affirm to us and.
Uh, those that were connected with, with Rome could see the affluence and everything that flowed into it.
And if you wanted to get take part in that, you could. And unfortunately it did have an effect on some people. And Paul has to write later on in Second Timothy, he has to say dimeth have have forsaken me having love, not this present evil world, but just this present world. Somehow the tug of everything that was there in the world.
Uh, made him not want to be connected with a man who followed A rejected Christ and who landed in prison as a result.
But you and I are to look beyond all that. Yes, we can thank God for what we have in these favored lands. And if I may speak for myself, when someone says in a foreign country where they don't have as much where you've got a lot in America or in Canada. I don't usually apologize for it or become defensive about it. I say yes, we are very thankful for what the Lord has given us. But on the other hand, as we get and I think it's.
The 12Th of loop we're reminded that to whom those is given much of the same shall much be required.
And so we're more responsible, aren't we? And, uh, there's a danger, on the one hand, of falling into the evil of the world. There's a danger, on the other hand, of falling into the ease of the world and just enjoying it all rather than being alive to the seriousness of the day in which we live.
168.
Oh no, it is.
For farewell.
My day is right.
But staying good run around, you hear me?
I'm well done.
I'm crowding Corrine of the world and you will be very good.
01:10:11
Gentlemen, or stop breaking behind.
Lord of your Gods and then compared.
To the last day of education, to physical authority that.
Dangerous.
God.
'S day. All right, everything.
All over the way.
I'll respond and our behavioral.
It is OK, great, so.
The.
Break it back.
For my children.
Along with the La La La La.
Oh please be strong.
Like that which is the other problem.
Because it's wherever I'll buy them.
What if we can't?
Do goodbye, they should be home.