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Praise the Lord.
Again. Again.
The Spirit.
So far.
I presume.
With a praise refrigerator.
My birthday.
Takes over.
And they take time.
I'm happy.
Spring.
Manhattan Christmas.
Ever. I am taking the ball out.
And you're my heart.
Our every.
Door.
And we will.
Do.
Over 6.
Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us.
Prophecy. Let us prophecy according to the proportion of faith.
Or ministry, let us wait on our ministering.
Or he that teacheth on teaching.
For he that exhorteth on exhortation.
He that giveth let him do it with simplicity.
He that ruleth with diligence, he that showeth mercy with cheerfulness.
Let love be without dissimulation.
Abhor that which is evil, cleave to that which is good.
Be kindly affectioned 1 to another with brotherly love and honor, preferring one another, not slothful in business, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord.
Rejoicing in hope, patient and tribulation.
Continuing instant in prayer.
Distributing to the necessity of Saints given to hospitality.
Bless them which persecute you. Bless and curse not.
Rejoice with him that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep.
Be of the same mind, one toward another.
Might not high things, but condescend to men of low estate.
Be not wise in your own conceits.
Recompense to no man, evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men.
If it be possible, as much as life in you, live peaceably with all men.
Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath.
00:05:05
For it is written, Vengeance is mine. I will repay, saith the Lord.
Therefore the thine enemy hunger feed him. If he thirst, give him drink, for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head.
Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.
A comment this morning was made intentional with First Corinthians 12/18, and I read it. But now hath God set the members, every one of them, in the body, as it had pleased him? There is a a construction in case with that word set in the original, that not only is it God that has done it, which indeed He has in that sovereignty, but that the glory of having done it comes back upon the doer.
And so God has not only set the members in the body, as it had pleased him, and we had nothing to do with it.
But it's greater than just mere sovereignty. It's the the glory of you and I as individuals being sent in the body to function according to the power of the Spirit, is such that the glory of that function and of having put us in the body comes back upon God for glory. And isn't that the the essence of what God desires in the assembly? Each of us are different or in their function.
In case with evangelism or sharing in the word were each different.
An intense intended soul, but that the total effect is what God has intended for the glory to come back upon Himself.
1St Corinthians 12.
We have that same word brought out very beautifully in verse 27 and 28.
And God has set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, gifts of healings helps.
I like that helps, you know, we all have a place, we all have a purpose in the body of Christ.
And I was thinking as it's worded in Ephesians.
Chapter 4, it's very beautiful.
To see your purpose.
Verse 16. Well, verse 15 at the end.
Which is the head, even Christ, from whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplier, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, making increase of the body under the edifying of itself in love.
Every joint.
Supplier Now it's sad when some of the joints aren't functioning right. It happens. But when everything's functioning right and the Spirit has liberty, every joint in an assembly is supplying and we build up in that sense ourself in Christ. It's a beautiful picture that God has set for us.
Just to.
The young may think that we wake up some morning and all of a sudden we have a gift. It's not that way, is it? We find that a gift is associated with what the Spirit of God is working in us when we're young.
And very seldom can we just say this is my gift, like what brother Bob said to be a help. That's that's a wonderful gift. But.
It's what God works out in US and in every one of our lives it's different.
And as God has given us all kinds of fruit to enjoy.
So are the gifts that He has given to the church. If we have just one kind of fruit like apples to eat and that was it, it might get kind of tiresome. But all the variety that God has given in that way to teach us spiritually that we are not parrots, we are not learning what is acceptable, but we're learning.
00:10:17
The ways of God in our own lives. And then it comes out and gift. And then there's the thought of prophecy, which I enjoyed someone saying.
That prophecy is that spirit that steps out of time, out of the boundaries of time, just to enjoy the councils of God. Now Jacob is a classic example of one who went through great discipline in his life and none of us would change and trade our lives for him.
But we see him on his deathbed, and justice to see the vision of his soul.
I think it's Mr. Bella has said that curtains of dispensation fell to the floor as he looked right on to the end of God's counsels. So I just mentioned this by way to the young that that you have a gift and the Spirit of God is developing that gift in you and it's going to come out by and by. It may not be publicly, but it may be in private conversation. You may know how to give a word in season to him that is cast down or the breed.
All the gifts are varied and wide. May we be encouraged in this matter of gifts.
To ask a question on your remarks brother, in the 11Th chapter it says in the I think it's the 29th verse for the gifts and the calling of God are not subject to repentance. I'd like to have a few thoughts enlarged on that, that you would make your point.
Perhaps we could have one of our teachers.
And what's in that promise of God is in Christ and in Him. Amen. And that goes for gifts. You know, He's promised in Ephesians 4, gifts to the church. And Christ is the basis of all gifts. And I think that the thought of it is the gift is given and God doesn't change his mind. Now you may not be using a gift that he's given you and said thought, but it's still there.
And the Spirit of God can, can arouse that gift, like Paul told Timothy. But I think we're the last one to acknowledge we've got the gift we ought to be. The gift is acknowledged by brethren around and others. It isn't. I say, I got this gift that to be said. But if you have a gift, your brother will know and they'll rejoice in it. That's the thought in prophecy. I just might mention that. I think probably others have.
Better thoughts than verse 29, but prophecy is where we're getting into here.
The first first one in verse six, I think it is prophecy. Prophecy is not necessarily for telling the future. That's what many think it is. It's not it include prophecy includes that, but prophecy is foretelling God's mind and will. That's really what it is teaching is really bringing out the truth from the word of God, but prophecy is really bringing out.
God's mind and will. Am I right in that?
I will pray. I wanted to go back to 1129. It's a it's a verse that's quite often misunderstood.
The way to understand the difficult to understand verse is to look at it in its context. And the chapter says starts out with I say then hath God castaway his people?
God forbid, and then he cites himself as an example. I'm an Israelite, seed of Abraham, tribe of Benjamin. God hath not castaway his people which he foreknew, but when he was writing this, lo am I was still a written upon the people, not my people. Israel was in a state of unbelief. Bail was upon their heart. But the gifts and calling of God are without repentance. They are irrevocable. They cannot be changed. God has purpose to bless Israel and they're going to be blessed.
And that's the point of the verse, that He's going to bless them according to His grace and His will and His calling, and nothing can stop that. In other words, in spite of their performance, Would that be all right? It's the sovereign will of God to bless them. What about our performance? Truth applies to us.
There are certain gifts that we saw in First Corinthians 12 and 28, just to show that that verse in Romans 11 shouldn't mean that because there are gifts there that are not any longer given.
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We don't have it, says there, and God has set some in the church. And so the Word goes from body to church or assembly because these things are to be worked out practically in the assembly. First apostles.
We don't have those anymore, second prophets, third teachers, but after that miracles. So there's not those gifts any longer in the church. So there are certain gifts that are permanent. Others were temporary.
But didn't repent of those gifts, they were used for the very purpose he gave them and tongues and so on. That's don't bring that into 1129. That has nothing to do with 11 People. I just meant no. I'm not saying idiot, but I'm saying we shouldn't mix those two there just because the word gifts occurs in both places.
The the sense of it is entirely different. 1129 is out of our bracket anyway, isn't it? That's right, but someone asked the question. And then sometimes that's used by charismatic to show that tongues are still in operations because of gifts and callings of God or without Repentance has nothing to do with it.
So that's why it's good to keep these verses in their context.
Mention was made of some of those that are in the camp that are ministering and their ministry for what they have is very good.
And we sometimes get caught up with it, enamored with it. But there's another verse of Scripture. Yet is a man not crowned, except he strive lawfully.
I'll leave those dear brothers where they are.
But there is a path that the Lord is marked out for each one of us here, and the gifts that are here are speak to us.
God has not forgotten His sheep that are not gathered to His name.
They're scattered all over and God says I've got sheep there and I want to feed them and he's given them gifts, but I don't know about the crowning of it. Perhaps I'm introducing a subject here. In fact, I know I am that I'm not thoroughly familiar with, but I'm just thinking of the fact that a man is not.
Crowned, except he strive lawfully. They're using their gifts.
I frankly think in the wrong place. Perhaps somebody could expand on that thought. God holds them responsible for the truth they have. He doesn't hold them responsible for truth they know not.
Now those that have been gathered and have had the truth and turn their back on it, God's sovereign, he can use what they do out there in the camp. Thank God for that. But as far as anything to their account.
At the judgment seat of Christ, I think there's a big question mark. That's the thought Mr. Patterson, FG Patterson in his book on the church and brother Clem, he put part of it in the.
Christian Treasury a year ago in the spring.
He made these comments, he said. I think I can give them pretty accurately. He said. There was never a time, and there never will be a time in the history of the church when there were not those that gave expression.
To the to the mind of God and that please God and they acted according to the light that they have. And he said morally, these are Philadelphians.
Not historically, not prophetically, but morally. These are, these are Philadelphians. What is a Philadelphian? One that keeps his word and doesn't deny his name. And if they live up to the light that they have, they are morally Philadelphians. They don't have the light that we have. And so our responsibility is much greater.
And if we fail in it, our guilt is much greater.
So it's a solemn thing. We often adopt the principle that the Jews adopted this people which knoweth not the law are cursed. The truth is this, people that keepeth not the law are cursed, but not those that don't know it. God does not hold responsible those that don't know that truth, but those that know it, like the Jews knew it. And we have so much more light. We're far more responsible.
So if one walks up according to the light that he has, and God is the one that determines that, who art thou that judges another man's servant to his own master? He standeth or follett. Yeah, he shall be made to stand. God is able to make him stand. So he has to answer to God.
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You have to answer to God. I have to answer to God. Each one of us has to answer to the Lord for the light that he's given to us.
And we shouldn't be so much like Peter. What shall this man do? He said, if I will, that he tarry till I come. What is that to thee? Follow thou me, and that's the word to you and to me, to follow the Lord, and leave the other with the Lord.
A happy thing if we had the attitude that JBEZ is expressed of having in First Chronicles 4. And Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying, all that thou wouldst bless me indeed, and enlarge my coast, and that thine hand might be with me, and that thou wouldest keep me from evil, that it may not grieve me. And God granted him that which he requested. Wouldn't it be beautiful if our daily prayer exercise was like Jabez, bless me?
And enlarge my coats to think of how much you know if a coastline is very smooth.
It's there are not as many miles of coast for this, for the same general contour. If there are Jags and and little bays and and and so on. We know this from elementary geography. And so to think of, of how that we want the Lord to bless us with with an enlarged coast, to think of how many little inlets and how many beautiful fjords of truth and and blessing that there are that the Lord wants to bring us into and you know.
It's found with digging, isn't it? And so the simile is brought out in the book of Job in connection with there's a place for the silver. There's a place for the gold. And I remember brethren without embarrassing them because they're here in this audience that have brought out some, some thoughts that the meanings of, of their names and, and the relation of, of them with certain circumstances. And they only got it. And they may have looked it up in a, in a concordance to get the meaning of the name, but they connected it by digging and that their coast is enlarged and by giving it out to others.
There are things that my brethren have mentioned to me.
I may never have told them that I enjoyed what they said, but I have and I've gained from it and I take it home and I, I, I masticate it. I, I search it and, and I make it good for, for my own soul. That's an enlarged coast. And, and in connection with gift to, you know, there are two spots that I would like to bring out. One is in connection with first Timothy. It's Paul tells him in the first epistle to not neglect the gift that is in him.
And in the second epistle he says to stir it up. Now some of us that have had to do with suspensions in our work where if you let something go and don't stir it up, it settles to the bottom. And so I think the apostle was telling Timothy in the first epistle, make sure that you don't neglect it because what's going to happen is going to settle to the bottom. And you know from experience that when you stir something up, it takes a lot of energy. It takes more energy to keep something in suspension than it does to stir it up from the bottom.
And I'm afraid that in the second epistle, Paul is really saying, brother, you've neglected it, and now you're going to have to stir it up. And each of us need to be encouraged. You can say, oh, I don't have this, I don't have that. But you know that they've run an experiment in medical things, and it's very true that they bind an arm with a bandage and they make that arm immobile. Nothing wrong with it, but after two weeks, there is something wrong with it because it hasn't been used.
And that's what we need, isn't it? We need to use it according to the work in the spirit, not the flesh, not to flaunt ourselves. But if we use it, then it's going to increase in strength. And you know, synergism is a word that means that if you can lift 20 lbs with one arm, you can lift 50 with the two arms. And so there's synergism. There's a working together of what God has given us to be able to to make the most use of it. And it's never going to grow.
It's going to become.
Absolutely dormant, settled at the bottom of the of the 55 gallon drum that I've often worked with is going to settle down. If we don't stir it up and don't neglect it, then you'll and then take the the admonition of stirring it up when each need it, don't we? Because God has given us each something that can be used and useful.
There's a lot mentioned here in six and seven and eight. Great variety. You've got prophecy, you've got serving, you've got teaching, and it brings in exhorting and leading and.
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Showing mercy very important. So on. But in in the.
In First Corinthians 14 we have this thought at the end of verse 26. Let all things be done unto edifying. That is the building up of the assembly. That's really the the reason for it all and it says that verse 12.
Seek that he may excel to the edifying of the assembly. So all of this is for that purpose.
Is to build itself up in love.
That's Ephesians 4. So these different gifts.
They're they're, they're for purpose of the assembly. And if they're used properly and we acknowledge them properly and receive them properly, the assemblies in a healthy condition and then the testimony goes out. The gospel naturally goes, I mean, there's a lot that are forcing gospel in assemblies, a lot of them giving them up.
But brethren, let's don't give up the gospel either. I mean, it's very important.
They say, well, we're all Christians here, just a handful. Well, they need it, right?
Restore unto me the joy of my salvation. That's the gospel. And then Monday you go out and you're ready to tell somebody again afresh. Now let's don't give up the gospel. And so we, we, we, we decide what's right. That isn't that isn't the thought here we were edifying, building up.
Assembly. And then the light shines bright. That's wonderful, isn't it?
Put a little more light on that eighth verse. Some of those things are those gifts. Some people just have the gift of exhortation and and where would we see examples of that in Scripture? Like he that ruleth or he that leadeth with diligence?
You don't have to spend very long in an assembly to know there are leaders.
They're the last to say they are, but they're there. Thank God for them. And I love to see it. You know, there are ones that have the chair of the Saints in their heart too. They're the ones that just sort of lead in in that, in that meeting. God places them there. And and if that's your position, if that's really what you're doing, well, what does it say? Let's see that leaders with diligence, that's very important. Well, someone else may have a different thought, but that's a gift.
That's a gift, he'd be the last to say. I'm the Bishop here, right?
I mean, the one with the gift doesn't.
Exalt himself, he humbles. He's humble. I think it's beautiful.
Difference between gift and office is the office is a local charge applying to a local assembly that's an elder, an overseer. He that's an office, that's not a gift. And these were appointed by the apostles or the Apostolic delegates and they had authority in their local assembly. But this is a gift of rule. Now, for instance, take Mr. Darby. He, he was not an overseer, he couldn't have been, he was not married.
He was not the husband of one wife and with his children in order. He didn't have children, but he had he had the gift of rule, I believe.
He and he exercised that wherever he went.
He guided the Saints in many ways.
He had probably more gifts than most of us, any of us today, but.
That was he exerted an influence.
Of a ruling character over the whole body of Christ where he went. And that's most extraordinary gift. I'm sure the apostle Paul had that.
Well, you must remember that God raises up gifts for certain purposes too, that are very special. But I think we're talking about Brother Darby, Brother McIntosh, Brother Kelly and others. That was a special period of the restoration of truth. Those vessels were very special vessels, and we have to acknowledge it. And the truth that came out at that time is beautiful and don't expect it to happen again. God doesn't repeat those things.
They're not going to be vessels raised up today like Macintosh or Darby. No, we've got it, the Lord did it. And so we have to remember that there's special reasons for gifts too, but generally in an assembly.
00:30:08
There's gift. It may be real prominent, but there, it's there.
Later, there's some instances in the Old Testament of this.
I can't recall one exactly but he that rule it with diligence and we will read in either Kings or Chronicles that so and so. One of them I remember was 8 years old when he began to reign.
And he destroyed this, and he destroyed that, and he put away the evil priests.
It shows that he had that gift, God had given it to him, and he immediately started to exercise it. And I think that's one of the things he defined these things in the Old Testament, I think is something that should exercise us. And when we read of some of the things in the Old Testament.
Just like that. It's it's a gift that he was given and he started to exercise it and he used it.
And I think your House of that was one of them. But as was mentioned this morning.
He tried to bring back that which God had separated.
At the time of Solomon, God separated the 10 times from the 2 tribes.
He just, he just separated them and, and until the Lord comes, they're not coming back. But Jehoshaphat said, well, we ought to get them back. And he tried it and I think somebody has put out a track.
World bordering on about Jehovah's as a very, very good track. But there was another problem, another king there.
That sent out messengers up to them and said come back to the center. They were refused, except certain ones did come back.
And that is the same to us today.
We have contacts with those in the systems. We can tell them that well, we've enjoyed the meetings here and feel them out. No, they don't want to come.
Yeah, just leave it right there. But certain ones you've contacted, well, I'm one of them.
My wife and I were in the systems and God spoke to us through His gifts and brought us in. Some of you were raised in the meeting, perhaps do not understand this, but we should be diligent in speaking. If they take it, mind. If they don't take it, we leave them where they are.
Just one other thing on gifts in First Corinthians 12.
I know there's different thoughts on this, but without getting into.
Tedious things.
1St.
4 Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same capitalist spirit. That's the Spirit functioning in assembly. And I do believe it. And there are differences of services, that administration is services, but the same Lord. There are diversities of operations, but the same God which worketh All in all, but the manifestation of the Spirit is given.
To every man to profit with all. For the one is given by the Spirit, the word of wisdom to another, the Word of knowledge by the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another, the gifts of healing which have ceased by the same Spirit, and so on.
But all these all these workers verse 11 That one and the self same spirit.
Dividing every man severally as the Spirit will and I think that's beautiful to see that. Now I know some say these are the gifts to the church, but I I hesitate there are gifts, these could include the gifts to the church, but I believe it's the gifts that the minister, the ministry of the Spirit of God.
Brings out in a meeting and it happens.
One meeting a man may be particularly.
In faith, because of his experience, I weak and he brings it out that beautiful faith that it that never fails and and I could go on, but we have it in our meetings and it's a spirit, brethren, that moves and manifests among those that are truly gathered there and I and I do believe those kinds. I would I know Chuck says I'm not going to get into that, but I do think it's it happens in our assembly.
00:35:12
And it's a manifestation of the Spirit in assembly.
I'm not.
And say we're in trouble, our assembly has no gift. I would like to hear that.
The Spirit can do it.
A little bit like the story that's told of an age rule that when he was leaving, he must have told the story on himself because no one else would have known what he did. He was leaving an assembly where a sister said, well, there's nothing in the assembly for the young people. And he, he had some tears and he said to himself, to think that they have Christ in the assembly. And the sister says they have nothing. And so in an assembly, let's admit that there is an instance where there might be an assembly where there is a weakness.
But to say that there's no gift is to defy what our brother has brought out, that the Spirit of God can give us to see Christ in the midst. And let's forget about for the moment in the weakness. Let's forget whether it's a gift or not, but let's just enjoy Christ together. And if there's someone that adds a thought and and we later say, oh, that brother has a developed gift, well, he probably wasn't thinking of it. He just simply enjoyed out loud what the Spirit of God had given him concerning Christ. And believe me.
I'd like to be in that weak assembly.
But the overall key is verse nine. Let love be unfair or without dissimulation. That's the key. I mean, brethren, you come to meeting to show love, not to find it. You, you don't come to find it, you know, you come to show it. You're going to find it. That's the that's it. Let love be unfeigned as you sit down. You ought to look at everyone there.
And thank God they're there. That's the way we ought to do it. You know, there's a little ditty I like, it says. I went out into the world to find a friend and I couldn't find one anywhere.
Then I went out again to be a friend and I had friends everywhere. Well, put love in there and you got the idea for a meeting and that's what this is. Let love be unfeigned. That's the truth. That's then, then we'll be fed by the Spirit of God. You know, it reminds me of a brother that told me he went out visiting among the Lord's people and he says, you know, I says, well, how did your trip go, brother? Did you, what did you find among the brethren?
He said I found what I looked for. I said, what did he look for? He said I looked for Christ and my brethren. And he said I found Christ in my brethren. And he was excited about it, you know, and I thought that that was good. That's a word to my own soul that we find what we look for. If you and I go out to find trouble, you know, like my little boy when he was three years old.
By his mother told him, Eric, when you go outside, don't get into mischief.
So what did he do? He goes outside and he looks down the the curb this way and he looks down the curve that way. He was looking for the mischief because they didn't know what it was.
He had to learn later that Mischief was getting into trouble. Well, he had lots of ways to do that. You know, every one of us did only.
He's a medalist with strife not belonging to him. Is like one that takes a dog by the ears, Solomon.
But love isn't quite if it's divine love, you got the rest of that verse. Don't you abhor that which is evil, not just moral, doctrinal, and cleave to that which is good. Now that is divine love.
Everyone of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ.
And so it says in verse 6, having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given unto us, and then he names the gift of prophecy.
Let us prophecy according to the proportion of faith.
Faith must be operative in the exercise of the gift.
But or ministry or service? Let us wait on our ministry, our service.
Or he that teacheth on teaching.
A teacher doesn't just happen.
He has to be in the word.
Paul says to Timothy.
Meditate upon these things, give thyself holy to them, that thy profiting may appear to all. And.
00:40:08
That's that's why we encourage the young, especially don't wait till you get my age to start studying the scriptures. You've waited too long.
Way too long.
Our minds are not as keen, our memories are very poor, but when you're young?
Mine is plastic and receptive to these precious things. Fill your souls with these things with the Word of God Study. Be diligent. Diligent souls should be made fat and then you'll have a a firm foundation to build upon.
A teacher is one that has been in the word.
And so he can teach.
And any other gift that is mentioned.
There has to be a, as we've already mentioned that there has to be.
1/5 state of soul so that the gift can be effective.
And the one who's a teacher, he's interested in the Word and, and what the word means. The one who's a shepherd, that's not mentioned here, but it's mentioned in Ephesians, He's interested in souls and he's dealing with souls. And you'll notice those two gifts are put together. Shepherds and teachers, pastors and teachers are put together.
When we're dealing with souls, we have to be able to set the word before them and explain it and give the sense. That's the function of a teacher. But a shepherd is dealing with souls and with the sheep, an evangelist. He goes out one leg in the assembly, sweeping out to bring the gospel and bring them in. Bring them in the trouble with evangelism as we see it so often carried out.
Today is the evangelist doesn't have one foot in the assembly, so he doesn't have any place to bring them to. And it's important when souls are saved that they they're not told go to the Church of your choice. How can they choose? They don't know anything. They've just come to know Christ. They're babes. How can they possibly choose where to go?
We should bring them to the end. We should bring them where they're going to be nurtured and fed, cared for. The assembly, those gathered to the Lords name. That's why if you're gathered to the Lords name and you're an evangelist, you have a tremendous advantage over other evangelists because you can bring them to a place where they can be taught.
And nourished and fed and cared for. Otherwise you, you say well.
Go to the Church of your choice, which is which is horrible. You think of it, it's it's horrible. It's turning them loose to the confusion of Christendom.
It's a horrible thing, isn't it? We can bring them to where the the truth is they can be taught.
Chuck was bringing out those gifts to the church in Ephesians 4, and we have to be thankful for them.
That those that gift is one that is to the whole church. Yeah, the whole all the assemblies. But just because there's no gift of a teacher present.
That that isn't mean we're done at that meeting or that assembly. There are those apartment to teach, not particularly a gift to the church, but they're apartment to teach. And I think that's precious. And they know as I go around and I think everybody who goes around will say that.
Just feel funny at times because there are those who are better taught there have to teach too, but they really know the word of God in assemblies and I I rejoice that they do well. I go to when you go to sit to the church. That isn't the point. He is a teacher. He's apartment to teach. He loves to feed on the word of God and give it out.
Wonderful, really. Did I read a verse that you just alluded to in Second Timothy 2?
In Second Timothy 2 it says there.
And we just take one verse, verse 24.
The servant of the Lord must not strive, but be gentle unto all men. Apartment to teach. Apartment to teach. Now here's the servant of the Lord. Now you might say, you might say, well, I'm a follower of Christ. Or you can be a you're a servant of the Lord too, in your in your position. But you say, well, I don't have any gift. Yeah, but are you a servant of the Lord? Now here comes the answer. See. What does it say about the servant? The Lord have to teach? Well, but I'm not a teacher. That's all right. You're apartment.
To be a help.
I say that in a good sense, you and I are privileged to be a helper. And So what does it say next? I have to teach patients. Sometimes we want to rush them into the some kind of a decision or something, a patient. And then it says in meekness, instructing those that oppose themselves. Well, we, we meet people that oppose themselves all around us. I got a neighbor that comes in all the time and he says, oh, brother, I feel terrible. I got this trouble and that trouble and and yet he's opposing himself. I have most of the time.
00:45:29
And So what do we do?
Instructing those that oppose themselves, if God perhaps will give the repentance to the acknowledging of the truth. And what is this one? I'm thinking of one person at this time. He's in the snare of some of this mixed, mixed business of religion.
The Church makes truth.
Misapplied truth and all the rest. So what do we do? Well, we take our time and and patience apartment to teach and then we give them a little bit of gold. You know you and I have each got gold Nuggets. So wonderful.
We got a treasure and what are we doing with it? Are we passing it out? Well, if the Lord gives the occasion, you and I can share the gold Cancer.
Let's just go come to a reading meeting in our assembly with the purpose of teaching either. You know that that never works. If we're all coming to enjoy Christ, then we're bound to learn. If you don't have to just be a teacher in that sense, if we all want to enjoy Christ from the precious Word, the Holy Spirit, who is the only teacher, will teach us.
That it should be done while we are still young and not at the age bracket that we're in.
And I'm thinking of that. Scripture says remember now thy creator in the days of thy you.
And I think through scripture there is much about opening the word of God and reading it the first thing in the morning.
Brethren.
I do not roll out of bed full of them vigor and vitality. It takes me a little time.
But I like to get into something in the Word. There's a song that has been written. Take time to be holy. And you, if you don't start the day with the word of God, you're in it before you have a chance to really know what the mind of the Lord is for the day. I had occasion the other day to talk to a young couple. Both of them are in medical school.
And my wife and I have been praying for them for quite some time.
She, incidentally, was saved when he was when when she married the young man.
But he was brought up under the truth and in talking with him, I said, well, there's one thing my wife and I are praying.
They've got to study, let me use the expression 24 hours a day in their medical career. Where do they have any time to read the word of God? I said. That's what I fear for you.
And his wife, I was not talking to them together. His wife, who was, shall I say, recently said she said, yes, we're afraid the world will come in. Oh, we have to take time to be holy. And I think it's been brought up, it costs something to be a Christian. You have to take the time. Otherwise the day starts and you don't have any more time.
Recently I was looking up who wrote our hymns and I read about Francis Havergale, I think it was, and she died very young, 42 years old.
She could recite the entire New Testament by memory, the book of Isaiah, the minor prophets.
Read the scriptures of the Old Testament in the original Hebrew and the New Testament in the original Greek. She died when she was 42 years old.
I when I read that I said impossible.
It wasn't impossible.
She gave herself wholly to these things.
Two, let love be without the simulation in verse 9.
It's a very sensitive thing.
Thinking of the privilege that my wife and I have had of visiting an assembly where there's three couples.
Can you imagine that situation? Three couples, three is a crowd, as we sometimes speak.
And yet to visit in this assembly to find them going on year after year. What is the secret?
00:50:00
They're different from one another, have different advantages.
And it would be easy for two to pair up against one and leave them out.
But in visiting among them, I hear them say, you know, we have to constantly reach out to the other, and if we don't, there's going to be trouble.
Well, three couples in an assembly and it goes on, doesn't it? The assembly is enlarged and there has to be that reaching out and as in marriage.
Marriage is a miracle of love, and I believe that it reflects itself right into the assembly. The assembly is a miracle of love, and if the assembly is growing, there has to be love. But the simulation is an awful thing, as we have it noted in Galatians chapter 2, where Peter comes to Antioch and there's Gentiles there and the Jews kind of gravitate together.
And the Gentiles are left on the other side of the room. Well, Paul, he saw the situation. He rebuked it sharply.
And so it's wonderful how it goes on here before that which is evil, and cleave to that which is good, and be kindly affection 1 to another.
Well, this is a needful exhortation to my own heart to reach out to our brethren. We are so different, and in the assembly I don't believe there's a body of people.
That lived closer together in this world than in the assembly.
Sometimes things, rumors or things come out that don't sound too good and it kind of begins to separate us. But what is going to preserve us is to let love be without dissimulation.
Colossians 3, I believe it brings that out so beautifully. And in Colossians 3 at the end of verse 11.
Christ is all and in all. Put on, therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, long-suffering for bearing one another, for giving one another.
Any man have a quarrel or strife against any, even as Christ forgave you.
So also do ye, and above all.
These things put on love, which is the bond of perfectness.
Now that's a pretty good prescription for assembly in the in a healthy condition. And I believe, you know in First Corinthians 13, we don't turn to it.
It brings out three things, faith, hope, and love. But the greatest is divine love. The greatest of all, it's going to go on for eternity. That's the really bond of perfectness in assembly. Is that love of Christ.
Corinthians 13, that well known chapter incensed with love. It's I believe.
Important to notice as it starts in the fourth verse love suffers long and is kind. This in general this word for suffer in the fourth verse is not the same as the word in the seventh verse where it says endureth all things. In the fourth verse it has more to do with people. And notice that it says love suffers long and is kind because love. Without love we suffer long and we become unkind.
The ineffable decline of our attitude when we've suffered too long without love is to be very unkind. But it says love suffers long and is kind because.
We know from experience that unless it's divine love, we we start to rank her and we think things and say things at home about a certain individual that has nothing to do with with really suffering long according to scripture.
And then the end of that little section, the fourth verse, this 6th, 7th, and it says hope with all things endureth all things, and that's an endurance in connection with circumstances. So it starts with a suffering long endurance and catch with people and catch with our brethren and suffering long and is kind, and it ends up with an endurance and catch you with circumstances and all of the other things in between that only divine love.
Can surmount.
For this divine love in verse nine, it will not overlook.
00:55:02
The evil or the air that is loving a brother or sister, you really love them, you're going to help them. You're not going to compromise, overlook, turn your head. That's not love. That's not divine love at all. And so that's what it brings out and more, that which is evil cleave to that which is good. Now that's divine love. And then of course, practical things, which is 10 and on. It's very nice that we get this practical truth. We need it.
It's interesting Stan was just reading from First Corinthians 13.
That's set. It's interesting to see where that chapter is set in Scripture. It's set between the 12Th and the 14th of First Corinthians. The 12Th is that the giving of the gifts, the endowment by the Spirit of the spiritual gifts in the 14th chapter is the exercise of those gifts.
And the 13th chapter is the.
Is the element that is needed that those gifts be exercised for edification and profit and blessing of the Saints and not for self exaltation, which is what the Corinthians were doing? And you get that same feeling as you read these verses, having been gifts differing. We have different gifts. We should not be envious of the gift that another one has or they shouldn't be envious of the one that we might have. We we have different gifts and all of these gifts are necessary.
For the general building up and blessing of the Saints, so we don't have to be envious for anyone else's gift about anyone elses gift, but just the exercise, whatever the Lord has given us to do, to do it to Him and with His approval, and for the good and blessing of all. And when we all do that, there'll be a harmonious functioning of each member for the good of all. That's God's thought, isn't it, in the giving of these gifts.
You know, I've heard that illustration on what you just told us, Chuck, getting back to kind of.
The mechanical world, you know, here's we've got what we call the engine in the car. So the mechanic, he takes the engine out and he overhauls it. He's got all the pieces on the bench and he's looking them over and they're all, you know, that's the 12Th chapter. He's got all the pieces. So he puts it all back together in the 12Th chapter. Spiritual Gifts.
And the working of all these things and then he has to put something in before he starts it up. Oil. If you try to start an engine without oil, it's not going to work. It's going to seize up and and not run. And the oil, I like to think is like the 13th chapter of First Corinthians. It's the oil of, of love that makes things function in the assembly. And you got the result, the smooth rolling engine, the 14th chapter. But then you also get some adjustments in the 14th chapter too, don't you?
How to keep it going smooth? You know, you adjust the spark a little bit.
Adjust the carburetor a little bit. It's a poor analogy to this beautiful picture. But sometimes we need a poor analogy to get down to the how do you say the practical? You know, the kids understand about running the lawn mower, but if you don't put all in it, it doesn't work. So you could even compare it with the lawn mower engine. Is that all right?
The kindly affectioned 1 to another verse 10.
Brotherly love in honor, preferring one another.
Now that's contrary to our nature, isn't it?
Our own nature that we don't like to prefer others to ourselves and we shouldn't, as Paul said, think more excellent of another than yourself.
As they're more excellent and be occupied with their qualities.
Well, you know, this is contrary to the old nature, this contrary to flesh, but it's the spirit. It is beautiful to see that we can do this. We ought to be thankful for every brother and sister and for their contribution. You know, some contributions are not outwardly noticeable or heard either. I think of the sisters and they don't, they're not audible except singing and things, but.
Their contribution, especially I think, at the remembrance of breaking of bread, is tremendous.
And a lot of times, you know, the brothers are in such a bad state of soul. It is a sad thing, isn't it, as we hear it. But and the sisters, they're not in that state, thank God they're there. And the Lord reads the heart and the Spirit of God takes their thoughts and it's a sweet smelling savor in that breaking your bread. And we all profit by it. Isn't that nice? But we all have a place. And that's the thought here, preferring one another. Don't think just because.
01:00:07
We do a lot.
Were preferred. That isn't the thought at all.
Mary of Bethany didn't do much.
According to the apostles, the disciple, you know, she was, she was wasting stuff. That's what they said. But the Lord said that's not waste, that's worship. Leave her alone. She has wrought a good work.
That's a real lesson for all of us, isn't it? Worship is the 1St and the greatest work of all.
Then the new translation says as to honor each taking the lead.
In paying it to the other, there was a time when I had to go to a tire store and I was coming to this tire store from the north and I saw another car coming from the South. And as soon as he turned in, I knew what was going to happen. So I slowed down a little bit and took more time in parking and I got out of my car and I knew exactly he wanted to beat me to the door because he wanted to be in line before I did. Well, if we want to be in line, if we want to beat the other brother, here's what it says as to honor each taking the lead and paying it.
To the other, and if we each would take that kind of an attitude, I'm going to take the lead, brother. In what? Well, I want to pay you honor. There's not going to be anyone that's going to be offended.
I want, I just want to back up to verse 9 for a minute. Let love be without the simulation or without hypocrisy or pretense or.
Have you ever heard anyone talking on the phone? Very sweet words and so on, and they hang the phone up.
Glad I'm through with that.
The the real attitude is reflected after the phone is hung up, not before.
Paul says don't do that.
Don't do that. Don't be a hypocrite. Don't be.
A. The word, the word that.
That we get our word hypocrite from is a play actor. It means a play actor, someone that's playing another part on the stage. It's not the real person that's he's not playing his own life, he's playing another life. And that's what a hypocrite is.
Then he goes on to say Horat, which is evil, cleave to that which is good. Sometimes you hear we only want to hear positive ministry. We don't want to hear any negative ministry.
The Word of God is filled with negative ministry.
Abhorred that which is evil. That's very negative, isn't it?
Separate from evil, abhorrent. The fear of the Lord is to hate evil. Pride and arrogancy in the evil tongue I hate. There's things we are to hate.
We're in a wicked world and then cleave to that which is good, and that's what holiness is. Holiness is the abhorrence of evil and the cleaning and delight in what is good. That's holiness. God would have us to be holy. I just wanted to make those comments on that verse that we, because we can so quickly go right by these verses and fail to get the real force of them.
Now this use, an idea of love among us is abused often too, and we just have gone through maybe four years ago a terrible time, but there was purpose for it. But at any rate, I heard more and more at that time, even if we don't think alike and agree, can't you love us anyway? How can you do that? You know, that's the thought.
All you can say is.
I always love you.
Just don't like what you're doing, that's all. But I always love you. It's sort of they were giving us back to kindergarten, you know, in our care meetings and things. I guess you all experienced it just because we don't agree with what you say and and what that like touch and love us anyway.
Well, that's kindergarten. Of course I love them. Can't walk with you. I love you.
There's a difference, you know.
Well, that was good lesson time, wasn't it?
We had we did those lessons.
That's compromised this. We know that we love the children of God. When we love God and keep His commandments, we have to walk in obedience to the Word. And when we do that, we are showing love to those that are round about us. If we compromise love and compromise holiness and walk in fellowship with what we know is wrong and call that love, that's not love.
That's not divine love at all. That's what you're talking about.
01:05:03
John's epistle, isn't it? And John's epistle is the character of the family, the household, isn't it?
And so here we are. We get right back to the character of what we should have in the view of who we belong to.
Suggestion as to.
The possibility that there may be someone that we love less than someone else or we think possibly we may even dip so low as to think ill of them. I I think something that has been in each of our lives and we each have proved it that if we earnestly would pray for their blessing, for their children, for their encouragement and are really fervent before the Lord and in honesty.
We cannot in in a in a good.
Conscience continue to pray for them and not have a sense of love for them. We can't be in the presence of the Lord and speak to him about his children, to God, about his children, to the Lord about his own and and have an attitude that's going to last, an adverse attitude that's going to last very long.
How important there shouldn't be. For instance, if we all knew one another and we maybe don't. I don't know everyone that's here, but let's say I knew everyone of you. There shouldn't be one person that I would should could continue with a harsh thought before I go to bed. I should go to bed and and not have one harsh thought and if possible, and it's impossible, but if if we could to pray for each and everyone with as much sincerity as as the next brother.
To think of the love.
That would thus be expressed, and believe me, each of our hearts know from experience that this is not always the case. And we need it, don't we?
But it works.
It works.
Thank God I can hold up my hand and say it works. Never cease to pray for those that have offended or you feel that way about, because it works. God has given you and me a spirit of power and of love and of a sound mind.
And we should exercise it. I don't know if that next verse tells about.
Not slothful in business, but maybe I could apply it. You know, the Lord's business is your business and mine is to care for one another. And if we're in earnest about it in that regard, we're going to find it works. God asks his prayers and we can rejoice and we'll rejoice more. I believe in that day. If we're occupied with the welfare and the good of our our brethren, whether they're the the mean kind like me, I might be mean sometimes.
Or otherwise when Paul commended the Saints in his epistles for their love, he always committed them for their love to All Saints. You have that in Ephesians. And then if you look at Colossians, it says don't have to look at it. I got it here. We give thanks. It's a chapter one, verse three. We give thanks to God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus.
And of the love which you have to All Saints. Now that is the key of Pauls mentioning love and if you'd look at Philemon or Phillipon depending where you are Philemon he says in verse 4I thank my God making mention of the always in my prayer hearing of thy love which thou has toward the Lord Jesus and.
Toward All Saints.
Now he said Philemon ones of us is a St. now.
You love All Saints. Your runaway slave is a St. Isn't that beautiful how he brings it in? But I do believe that characterized by Lehman, I think he loved all things. And brethren, we ought to do that. We ought to really hereby we know we pass from death and delight. We love the brethren, all of them.
And that's a wonderful thing, isn't it, that we love all the brethren?
In Elijah I believe it was that said Lord.
All the people are against me and I'm the only one left.
The Lord says I have 7000 that have not bowed the need to bail.
Now I believe that when we get over in the New Testament, somebody can probably bring the Scripture out. God says that He spoke in condemnation against Israel, and He brings Elijah to task for it.
01:10:10
Forgotten the scripture, but God did not consider that lightly. I'm the only one, but he didn't consider it lightly.
What you got?
What she not for a Romans 11/2?
What the scripture saith of Elijah, how he maketh intercession to God against Israel, saying, Lord, they have killed thy prophets.
And dig down thine altars, and I am left alone, and they seek my life. But what say it? The answer of God unto him I have reserved to myself. 7000 men have not bowed the knee to the image of Bale.
Well, he wasn't pleased with that. God does not like to hear from us.
Anything speaking against our brethren?
And how many times we do that, I'm guilty. But he does not like to hear that from us. Satan is the accuser of brethren, and when you do that, you're serving him and doing his work.
Now, that doesn't mean we don't discuss things of our brethren of concern, but it's not a matter of of accusing them. That's Satan's work.
God, if we think we see a fault in a brother, it's better to tell God about it than another brother.
Think if he stands, take heed lest he fall. I can remember the occasion told of a man that come back after being disciplined and he was very much humbled by it. And he came back and he said, oh, brother, and I've sinned, I've failed. And you know, he was received back. But there was one brother that didn't agree with Grace. He said, well, I hope you learned your lesson.
And three months later the Lord took him.
Out God has a broom that he sweeps his house with once in a while and that we can get in the way of it pretty quickly with the wrong spirit. Is that right?
If you get away or put away or whatever, you can't be restored without repentance. There's repentance absolutely necessary for salvation. There's repentance absolutely necessary for restoration. But if you are saying, yes, I was guilty, but you'll never be restored, but my brethren, you'll never be restored till you drop the ****.
You can't get back.
And some have been 2520 years away and I've talked to them is because they admit they were rightfully set aside, but their brethren did this.
Yeah, but right.
No, yeah.
Well, it's sad. It's enough that you confess your own condition and and admit it. Leave the rest with the Lord.
Go.
Say I have sinned and not used that, but I remember years ago. Some others may remember. Our brother Gladings spoke of several in scriptures. I'm going to take the figure 5. I've said I have sinned but they never got saved.
I have sinned this time, said Pharaoh.
Sin this time.
That's all he'd send every time.
Well, it's sad.
Of Daniel it was said in chapter 6.
That we shall not find any occasion against this Daniel, except we find it against him concerning the law of his God. So this, this man was impeccable in his behavior, his manner of life. And yet when you go to Chapter 9.
No doubt with an exercise of realizing that the time of captivity was nearing. A close reading in the scriptures of Jeremiah about that. But anyway, he says in Chapter 9.
He says, O Lord, verse 8, to us belongeth confusion of faith. He doesn't say to them, to those out there, He says to us.
01:15:09
The longest confusion of faith to our kings, and to our Princess, and to our fathers, because.
We have sinned, and I think that's something appropriate for us today. As we see the state of things is to not lay blame on a previous generation. He could have done that. Daniel was impeccable in his own behavior. He purposed and he continued. And yet when it comes to this matter, he says we have sinned. And he counted then upon the mercies of a God who delighted to show mercy.
And did bring in restoration blessings. And that's the Spirit, isn't it, that we need today.
We intercessory prayer and you can't be an intercessor unless you confess your own condition. Nehemiah said we have sinned. I and my father's house have sinned. Well, he was an intercessor. Moses too, You know, to be a true intercessor you have to say, but the grace of God there am I.
And I've done worse anyway. I mean, that's the only way. Then you can pray for another.
I believe in the offerings the priest had to 1St bring an offering for himself.
Then he was able to bring an offering for the congregation.
Lawful and business in verse 11, I believe the primary thought is the Lord's business dreading the Saints. You know we shouldn't be slothful in our ordinary menial business. That's right. There's a testimony whatsoever things you do, do them heartily is under the Lord. That's right. But I do believe the Lord's things are in thought here. I don't know what dealing.
I think it's that it means what you get in the proverbs. I think it is whatsoever thy hand find it to do. Do it with my might.
Do it with energy, do it with purpose, do it with intent and not carelessness and well, it doesn't really matter, but I do this well.
I think that's the point.
We preach the gospel with our hands. You know you can't say a word to the guy, but you help him on something, like maybe help him fix his house or his car breaks down or something and you go out of your way to help him.
That's the Lord's business because you have a motive. You say, I'd like to hear this. I'd like to give the gospel to this man. But he's looking at me like I'm coming at him with, you know, a 10 ton truck or he's scared that I'm going to put him on a guilt trip. But how maybe a kind word on the some or a kind act, you know, the hammer and the, and the, the nails, you know, doing something. And I think this is an area that is included here anyway.
That's the way the doors opened by the Lord. Would you help another? They're ready to listen.
Used to be you could pick up anybody in the highway and or something. We can't do that anymore. We should be wise as as serpents and simple as dunks. But I was told by a state trooper, don't pick up anybody anymore. He followed me and the one was going to roll me, you know, all that stuff. So I but when I wife and I saw a little girl with her car and she was starting to walk and so I picked her up. Now the door's opened. She was so grateful the doors opened.
And before we got near to where we're taking her, I said, you're going to go to heaven. I hope so.
So the doors open, you know, you should know, and then we go, you know, she receives the track happily because she was indebted to me for grace, you know. But I think you get more your opportunities that way. That's what we're talking about with your boss, who may be mean. You get an opportunity that way. Sometimes it's unknown too.
When I was first saved, we had telephone operators.
He didn't dial. He had a telephone operator.
And one telephone operator that got mixed up very, very often, and she rang him in the middle of the night when she was supposed to be calling the doctor.
And he said, oh, that's all right, and hung up.
And this did not happen once, it was a regular thing.
The operator said.
What makes that man tick?
And she found Christ.
01:20:11
There's oh how he loves. Where is that? I think it's in the appendix.
Where is Grand Theft Auto?
3.
In the middle, these four love.
Yes, the dear God.
Why should I breathe?
Oh.
We are.
Horrible.