Book of Romans - Ch. 12, Vs. 7-Ch. 13, Vs. 4 (04/23/2000)

Park Meadows Church

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Don't bury it. The gift given makes possible the good works that we can do.

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Whatever we have, whatever we have received of God, we have received it not for ourselves, but for the good of the church body.

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The best and most useful man in the world is no better or no worse than the

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Spirit of God makes him each day. Prophecy is not foretelling, it is the declaring that which cannot be known by natural means.

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Verse 7, Our ministry, or ministry, let us wait on our ministry, for he that teaches on teaching.

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Now the key word here is wait. For he that exhorteth on exhortation.

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What does exhort mean, Clarence? I would take exhort would mean to, it's not like boast, but it's to expound upon, to pronounce, or to clarify, make a statement about.

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Alright, it has a little bit more to it. That's good.

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Bill, can you elaborate on that? The intent is to correct or to instruct.

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To urge by a strong, often stirring argument, exhort somebody.

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He that exhorteth on exhortation, he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity. Always work for the

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Lord on the very. With diligence, he that showeth mercy with cheerfulness.

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Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil, cleave to that which is good.

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Dissimulation, Greg, that's a $10 word. What's it? I have an idea.

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That's good. I'm trying to put it in the right words. It's kind of like saying let it be the true kind and not a false one or a fake one.

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Alright. Anyone else? Debbie? Dissimulation.

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I agree with Greg. And let it be real from the heart.

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And real love from the heart is constant and never failing.

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Alright. Without any deceitfulness. To disguise under an imp's sincere appearance.

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To conceal one's truth in ignoring. Always be honest.

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Honest as being on the outside exactly what you are on the inside. And you both were.

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Verse 10. Be kindly affectionate one to another with brotherly love.

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Well, it's not hard to understand to be kindly affectionate one to another.

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But what does this mean preferring one another? Is David with us at home?

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Do you prefer one another? Yes, I do. Explain that term.

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Well, I think it means preferring one another to people of the world. Give me an example.

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Well, let's say we had a family in our church that had some hard economic times or whatever.

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Whatever monies were available in the church should go to help that family as opposed to some street person that you don't know that may not.

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I mean, if you had those two choices, it should go to the brother or sister first. The church is to take care of its own family first.

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And you're exactly right. I'd rather be in the presence of another. Not slothful in business.

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Firm in spirit, serving the Lord. Slothful. Selfish. Selfish.

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Indulgent. Go to 1

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Corinthians 10 .31, please. Diane, would you read that?

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It's 10 .31. Whether therefore you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.

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What's that mean to you? That means everything that I do should be done in God's name.

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All right. Then everything you do, how many times during the day will you do it?

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All the time. Are you talking to me still? Talking to you. Okay. All day long.

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All day long. Well, if you get up in the middle of the night, do that and that.

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Can you sleep to the glory of God? I think you can sleep a peaceful sleep to the glory of God.

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That would be the glory of God. Now, you cannot start to sleep if your heart is uneasy.

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Peaceful sleep is glory to God. So, Russell, all of our life, everything about us should be in relation.

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Verse 12. Rejoice and then hope. Patient in tribulation. Now, that's where Greg and I fall out.

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Patient in tribulation. Now, I think Greg is one of the most patient.

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Dennis, patient in tribulation means what to you?

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To persevere. Just be patient.

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Stand firm. Wait on the Lord. Hard times. How do you wait on Him?

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Because you're trusting Him and you know Him. Is that all you do?

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It's willful. It would probably be impatient.

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Do you go sit down someplace and wait on Him? Continue where you're at.

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Just never take your eyes off Him.

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We have people that are lazy.

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We don't like to watch. We don't like to take. Do and say everything as in the very presence.

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Now, that means since we have never littered, then we act 13.

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We are saints given to hospitality. In the eastern world, even today, the people are more hospitable.

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The further north you go here, if you go into the eastern country, if you were traveling across the country and there wasn't enough time to eat or enough time to rest, you'd go to the nearest dwelling place where people lived and they would give you food and a place to sleep.

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No questions asked. Well, it was almost like that when

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I was young. But it's not. Bless them which persecute you.

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Bless and not curse them. Why did He say do not curse those that persecute you?

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Bill? That's not your job. Your job is to bless them.

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If He wants to curse, He'll do it. What's the normal reaction to someone that curses you?

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You want to curse them, that's why you curse them. So you do and then they do. We do.

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Where? She said we do. All right.

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Why would they persecute you? John? Because you're a

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Christian. They don't believe the same way that you do. All right. Then if they persecute you for that reason, what does that prove to you?

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You're doing something right. The reason to bless is that they're cursing.

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Fifteen. Rejoice with them that do rejoice. Roger, is there?

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Curse those people that this is not the end and this all will be over with.

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All right. But if somebody is very dejected, very low, very...

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You have to have tact in that you don't go in there and say, Oh, come on, buck it.

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Just be something for them to lean upon through that difficult time. In any situation, to help someone, even to sell something to a person, you have to start where they are.

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If you're trying to discuss a subject with a person, first you have to find out what is their thinking about the subject.

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You cannot just present your views and expect them to automatically believe it.

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You have to start where they are. So always be sensitive to them.

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But, Brother Otis, when you love someone, as we love each other here, when they hurt, we hurt as well.

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And it's not any problem if they are hurting for us to have tears about it.

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If your feet hurt, you hurt all over, don't you?

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Be of the same mind, one toward another. Mind to not hide things, but be not wise in your own consciousness.

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Of one considered inferior, you certainly do not go...

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It's a very dangerous thought, very dangerous thought. So often people that you might think outwardly look like that they would be less than you might be.

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If you're not careful, you'll find that they overshadow you. I know that for brilliant men, they can carry on a confident conversation with anyone on any subject or any level.

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They can speak to the scientist. They can speak to the janitor. To be able to do that requires a

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God -like spirit. It requires a will until it's needed.

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And I think that is great for someone that is so well -educated and knows all medicine or whatever and still can converse with me.

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I knew of another. He was very brilliant.

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But I was never... He feels like I knew a whole lot more when

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I knew it. It's a gift. Recompense to no man evil for evil.

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Provide things honest in the sight of all men. Now in the sight of all men and we have in the sight of God, I want us to understand something this morning that has been repeated several times.

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We're justified before men by what? We're justified before God by what?

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Faith. By our faith. And we call it our faith, but whose faith?

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Jesus Christ. He gave it to us, didn't he? He imputed it to us.

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What's imputability? Fred knows that. He makes you think it's the way you are.

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He gave you credit for it, but it's actually his. All right.

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Do we have any responsibility in it? No. We don't? No. Did you say no?

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We did not have any responsibility in the acquire... You scared me for a moment.

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It is that that is given to you that belongs to another on the earth. We own nothing.

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We're not capable of owning anything. Like the old Indian said when he was in Canada shore, he said, we think we own this land, but we die.

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Dearly beloved, it takes a little... You skipped one. Skipped what?

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Eighteen. Eighteen. Oh, good. If it be possible, if it be possible, as much as lies in you, live peaceably with all men.

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Now, Bill, explain those words to me so that I can understand. I guess that implies that there's a time when it is acceptable not to be peaceful, but that should be the last thing, not first.

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Whatever that you can do to live peaceably with your brethren, you should do that.

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All right. John, you have any thoughts? But I like it where it says, as much as lies, be peaceful.

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But also, I guess it takes two people to war, so you could be peaceful.

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You possibly can't have the party to bring you into the conflict, right? That's right. But live peaceably with all men as much as they will allow young people thrive on arguments.

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Dearly beloved, avenge not yourself. It means to get back what was given.

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But rather give place unto wrath. David wants wrath. Anger. Anger.

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For it is written, vengeance is mine, I will repay.

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It is written in times past. It is written, which is imperative, perfect, meaning it was written one time, what's the result?

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That it's still written. Do not avenge yourself.

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Roger, for the average person, and I'm not speaking of you, but for the average person, when someone does wrong to them or insults them or anything, what's the normal reaction?

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First thing to do is to strike out or strike back, to react. Either physically or verbally, one or the other.

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So we need to grow in our Christian life, Dennis, to where that's not the first impulse.

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As you go through your daily life, different things occur. Then before you go to sleep that night, think back over the day and inspect your first thought after an event.

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That is one of the best ways for you to check if the first one was to get even or to do something not right, then you need to grow.

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Now, it says, do not avenge yourself. Why can't I get even with somebody?

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Clarence, why can't I get even with somebody? Well, I think it does two things.

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One, it harms you, and two, you're trying to play God and the vengeance is

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His. He can inflict all the vengeance that needs to be on that person.

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Okay. And we never could really get even? No. Because one side or the other would always be ahead.

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Well, to get even would imply that you put things back like they were. Yes. And we can't do that. We can't help what's done, really.

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But isn't this a case where you repay someone with goodness who has done you bad, so to speak, and thereby he calls a fire upon their head?

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Yes, and that's being more than a victor by doing that. That's good. Well, vengeance is not about getting even.

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It is payment for what they have earned. And then it's the only one that knows the sum of that payment is weeping on.

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Therefore, if thy enemy hunger, was it

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Lincoln that said, If he thirsts, give him a drink.

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For in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire. David, can you help me out on that?

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Excuse me. To heap coals of fire upon their head is not something that you do at all.

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The thing you do is you're returning an evil deed with a good deed. And it's something that happens as a result of that.

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Either God causes it or their own conscience causes it.

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But all of a sudden you take the higher ground and it becomes evident to them.

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What should you do if you're in a situation and people are mistreating you, arguing with you?

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What should you do? Do the unexpected. What is that?

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It's the opposite of what they're thinking because they're expecting a harsh reaction. And you diffuse the situation by doing something nice and now they're back on their heels.

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They will stand there in awe. The moment you do that...

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Brother Ellis, I'm not apologizing. I'm not trying to pre -read what you're going to say just as it sounded like.

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I had not read that this morning and I did not remember that it read it.

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Because that's what you did. And it was fine. Be not overcome...

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Can you do that? How many say you can do that? How many say you cannot?

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Well, you're all wrong. Do not overcome...

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Do not... Be not overcome of evil, but overcome... We can't overcome the power of God.

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We can't. And He is the one that does it. That's right. He does it in us.

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We're in the mouth. Be not overcome of evil...

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Wouldn't that be right if you read it this way? Overcome evil with God. Yes.

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Who said that? All right, come to chapter 13.

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That's a good one to start on this morning. Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers.

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For there is no power but of God. The powers that be are ordained of God.

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Now, Greg, does that mean what

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I think it means? That's right. How do you know what I think it means?

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I'm psychic, too. I knew that.

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You know, the way he's talking about things like the governor of this state, the president of this country, we ought to be subject to them.

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We don't have to like them, but they're in that office because God put them in there. All right.

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Let's be sure we understand one thing. We're not subject to them, we're subject to the office.

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Right. When a judge comes into a courtroom, and I suppose some of you have been in a courtroom when a judge enters, and the audience stands, why do they stand?

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Yeah, they're subject to the court. Huh? They're threatened to. Yeah. It's the office that you're honoring, not the man.

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Uh, we had a judge here for a while and he wouldn't even let you stand.

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Neither did he wear his robe. Well, it says here, let every soul, every soul, every person in the church be talked about.

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It means even the leaders, including the preacher. This is a problem in some churches, the old parasaical syndrome is still alive.

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Higher powers. Is there anyone that does not honor

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God? Was it Kathleen? God was invisible, so that was good.

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But Deborah was right. That we are ordained of God.

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Is there an office, any place to your knowledge, in the world, that is not authorized by the heavens?

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I hear heads shaking. Really, you mean that? Yes, sir.

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Even the office of the president of this country? Absolutely. Is God disturbed by what is happening here on earth?

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Looks to me like he ought to be. That's our point of view. That's what? That's our point of view.

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David, do you really think God's not disturbed by any of this? Well, I think that's a question where you really do have to look at it from which point of view you're asking.

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Because from the human viewpoint, when he looked down before the flood, he was already repenting to me that I've made a man.

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It makes my heart sick that I've made a man. And yet, if you're asking if it surprised him or if he's worried about it, no, he's not.

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Well, in the sense that I was thinking about it, he's not disturbed. Knowing what is different than being heartbroken, we know what they're going to do sometimes, and it breaks our heart.

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But it doesn't disturb us to the fact. So he's really not disturbed in the sense

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I was thinking about, for he is sovereign and in control. And it's true now that over 1633,

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God is the one that is ordained. Remember that Christianity is not a movement to improve.

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It is not a movement to help society or to clean up a town.

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That's not the purpose of Christianity. What is the purpose? To glorify

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God. To glorify God. To glorify God and to become more

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Christlike. The gospel is the power of God unto the salvation of the called ones.

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Paul never preached about the deplorable conditions in a Roman jail. Do you remember any?

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Could he have expounded upon that? Not Paul.

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Others could, and others didn't. Well, I've talked about it from his experience.

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He could have told you about it. Oh, he could have told you about it. I don't think he'd be criticizing

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God for it. No, that's not what I mean. Okay. We just do not find him referring to anything that was not permanent under God.

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Our business is to get the word out. Our business is not to save souls.

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America is in the hands of those who do not understand the spiritual imperatives that we have.

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The spiritual truth cannot be reasoned out. It must first be what?

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The truth must first be revealed. Believed. Believed.

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Then comes the understanding. The rest of you understand.

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In school we had done. May go through an experience that brings it home to you.

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There's a wonderful teacher. Verse 2,

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Whosoever, therefore, resisteth the power, and the power, we just decided, did not exist by the authority of God, resisteth the ordinance of God, and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation for judgment.

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I just said that. I thought it was the weatherman.

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The word damnation here actually means by God, God's use of the earthly laws, and most certainly of it, the rulers are not a terror to, well, without them not be afraid of the power.

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The rulers, talking about the law enforcement, governors, people,

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How many times have you ever received a citation from the city because you stopped at a stop sign in town?

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How many ever received a citation from the city if you did not stop at a stop sign? The law is to keep us from breaking it.

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The rulers do not affect you as long as you obey the law, but for those that go against it.

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For he is the minister of God to need for good, talking about his rulers. But if thou do that which is evil, then you should be.

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For he beareth not the sword in vain. A revenger to execute wrath.

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How did that. What? God's people.

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That's right. We thought we elected evil. But only those that are. This is very hard.

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And even the. It's even more difficult. Brother Otis, also, we have to understand, too.

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We live in the United States and we actually have it a lot easier. People that live in socialism, communism, dictatorships.

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Obviously they're in all the time of the Roman rule. It's very difficult to understand that a

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Hitler or a Mussolini or a Stalin, a Mozart, They're all part of God's plan.

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We just. We cannot understand that. In the news, of course, kind of newspaper.

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Sometime last week. Do you ever read Cal Thomas' article about the

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National Churches? Do you remember that? I started to rank the article.

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And then it's too long to read here. But if you can go back a few years, we can give you.

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Well, try to find that and read it. If you. We think we know a lot about the

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National Council of Churches. So we know nothing. Well, we need to start.

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We'll start with the recipe. I guess not.

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Then let's stand. And Russell, I'll ask you to do this business, please. Thank you for this great day and another opportunity to be in your house as a brother.

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Thank you for your love for us and our salvation. The resurrection power which dwells in us.

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Thank you for this work with her. We ask your strength to send it. We go in at the time of the message. You speak to our hearts and change our lives.