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Bro. Otis Fisher
All right, we stopped last week at the middle of the discussion of Romans 1 5. I want to go back to Romans 1 5 if you will, please. By whom we have received grace and apostleship for obedience to the faith among all nations.
For his name. I want to ask have we received this obedience. Because we were obedient. John. Dennis. Greg, well, did we just conjure it up by herself? Not talking about faith talking about obedience. Dennis.
John. Greg. We did not receive it because we were obedient. He gave us the obedience. Yes, I think the answer is yes. Yes, we have received obedience grace faith everything. What it comes forth from faith?
Now Dennis, where'd this faith come from the faith that originates with the father? Greg can man produce faith. John is it used? In man by faith no faith. Yes. And the faith comes from the father. All right.
Now you must know and put in your mind That God accepts only that which has his beginning in him. Romans 1 verse 5. God accepts only That which originates with God. Is that right. Debbie, that's right.
If you can originate anything He will not accept it. And the only thing you can originate is sin. All right verse 6. Among whom are ye also the called of Jesus the Christ? Now turn to 1st John 3 310 and Greg you go to John 644.
1st John 310. Dennis read that for me. All right. Can you paraphrase that verse right the do's and the don'ts? The called and the uncalled. Now Greg John 644. Read it again, please. Explain that verse.
All right John I want to know the definition of the word draw. Except the father draw him. All right. All right to be compelled by a superior irresistible force. Close those doors if you will, please.
Russell got here in the air. Come on the one being drawn. Has no power to resist. Fix that in your head. He cannot Not be drawn. But it's never against his will. Joy, how can we reconcile that but. Well, that's true, but how are we going to answer people when they say I have a choice.
Whether I go to heaven or go to hell. Turn to Philippians 2 13. Greg go to Philippians 1 29 and Dennis go to John 6 25. The rest of you go to Philippians 2 13. All right, Debbie read the Philippians 2 13.
It is God that works in you. You don't work in you. God does. Now Philippians 1 29. All right, explain that verse. That's right. It's good to look at the first part of that verse to believe on him but the second part is just as important and also to suffer for him.
John 6 65. It's given to the one that comes to Jesus. Is that right? What? Is that right? Yes, it's given to that one. To come to Jesus. Romans 117 117 to all that be in Rome beloved of God called to be saints.
Grace to you and peace from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Now he wrote this to Rome. The church at Rome the metropolis metropolis of the world. It could be written to us. Or to someone in the country or wherever you are.
The little words to be you see them in italics. To be saints. I can't see heads shaking. All right. Read it without that. To all that be in Rome beloved of God called saints. We're not to be we are the Saints.
Grace to you and peace. Dennis why does grace always appear first? Did you ever try it the other way around? You don't have peace do you. Grace always comes first. It is impossible To experience peace without first experiencing the grace of God.
For those of you that just come in we're in Romans 1 8. Now, first of all, I thank my God Through Jesus Christ for you all that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world. Now the whole world does not mean Every place it is the whole world of the Roman Empire.
Which to these people was the whole world? First I thank my God through Jesus Christ. David are you here? Are you awake? Why does he say through Jesus Christ? That's right. You'll find this every place that Paul is speaking of the Godhead now is your faith spoken of beyond your own home.
We should live in such a way that it would be Nine for God is my witness. Whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of his son that without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers. God is my witness.
Then it's what does witness mean? All right, turn to Matthew 5 34 and Greg you go to James 5 12. Debbie read Matthew 5 34. All right. Is there a difference in Calling God for a witness to what you're doing and swearing by God.
John, but you don't know what. All right, let's read James 5 12. Fred and I grew up. When a man gave his word and they shook hands on it that was as good as swearing by. The word for witness here is Marcos one who is a spectator of anything.
This is exactly why? We cannot witness to someone else except what's happened to us. Why is that Dennis that's right. Now if you saw an accident out here, could you witness? As one of the participants, that's it you have to see or experience.
Whatever it is that you're witnessing swear. Amuno amul to swear to to affirm to promise threatened with an oath. To swear by is different from To call as a witness. Genesis 1 26 and says. And God said let us make man in our image after our likeness now.
For God is my witness. Let us make man after my likeness then in Ecclesiastes 12 7 Shall not the dust return to the earth as it was and The spirit shall return unto God who gave it. You remember God made Adam from the dust of the earth and It was in the image of God not physical likeness.
I forget the connection for God is my witness whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of his Son. All right. God is my witness. Whom I serve and with my spirit in the gospel of his Son in the gospel of his Son.
That is how the gospel got here. Jesus Christ Brought it to earth brought it from outer space beyond space. He brought the mind of God down and Translated it into human language so that we could understand the father.
Paul is Saying as a witness of God. I mentioned of You always in my prayers. Paul was ever Had had always had these people in his prayers. Making requests if by any means now At-length I might have a prosperous journey.
By the will of God to come unto you the will of God. Do you do we ever? Do anything? But worship God or worship the devil. Debbie. Are you sure? David a group of few words this morning. No matter how hard you try or how much you want to you're either worshiping God or worshiping the devil.
There's no in-between. The flesh belongs to the devil. If he's using it. The flesh belongs to God if he's using it. The will of God. Now I'm going to say something that may get me in trouble, but You think about it before you criticize?
Even when people sin They're doing the will of God. Is that right? Russell you think about that the choice. The will of God is a choice with definite purpose. The will of God has a definite purpose desire with a definite purpose.
A It is all for God to God and from God 11 for I long to see you that I may impart unto you some spiritual gift. To the end that you may be established. First we have His desire to be with them and to impart.
What's that mean John? All right. To give you. That that I desire. Which is some spiritual gift. Spiritual gift. What is that Greg? All right, Paul wanted to give to these people The Word of God. He wanted to teach the Word of God.
When a preacher does not want to teach the word He ceases to be a preacher and he becomes a clergyman. This is one who has no business trying to be a minister of the word. No one has any business in the field of teaching or preaching.
If they do not love to teach the word Write it down. Then we have the word establish. Joy what does establish me stay. Rizzo to make stable place firmly. Set fast fix to strengthen make firm to render constant.
Confirming one's mind. Establish you now have no doubt. Because doubt cannot exist where you are established. Twelve that is that I may be comforted together with you. By the mutual faith both of you and me.
John is it true that while we minister to others They're ministering to us. Now I would not have you ignorant brethren lots of people stop there that oftentimes I Propose to come unto you. But was led hitherto That I might have some fruit among you also even as among other Gentiles.
Joy what does the word let me? What does it mean in modern-day English? Dennis what does let mean today? What does let mean today? Allow. I'll let you do that. But it didn't mean that in the old English.
The old English was just the opposite and this is what joy was telling us. It means to hinder to prevent to forbid to withhold a thing from anyone to Deny or refuse a thing. Now the fruit that Paul wanted to bring and give to these people was spiritual growth.
That is always our aim spiritual growth. Romans 14. I Am debtor both to the Greek and to the barbarians both to the wise and to the unwise. Russell tell me the meaning of the word debtor. All right, Fred.
He owed This he is a debtor to this. Is that the way you feel? I Hope so Paul had a personal encounter with Jesus the Christ. Which had put him in debt to all the other people. So have we also? We've had a personal experience with Christ.
That which God has given me I am to use for the betterment of others thereby bettering myself. The word barbarians used by the Greeks of any foreign Ignorant of the Greek language. I Imagine most of us would have been barbarians that the word barbarian takes on a different meaning today, but In that day it was anybody that didn't speak Greek 15.
So as much as in me is I like that I am ready to preach the gospel to you that are at Rome also. So Paul wanted to preach to these people to teach these people the spiritual gift of Learning and he says I was only prevented by the providence of God from Visiting you long ago now the providence of God.
I Cannot see who's on the back row. But I want one of them to answer. What is the meaning of providence? You get together and elect one of you to speak. You're having trouble voting David who's back there?
Alright, Arlen. What's the meaning of providence? Well, do any of the rest of you on the back row other than David? No David. David tell them now you all listen anything that happens. Anything that occurs in history.
Yes. Well provided comes from the same root. Yes. I was only prevented by the providence of God the providence of God. Can you alter the providence of God John? No. That's what we've said all the way through this the providence of God is rule it is but the will of God providence.
His timing is best. In the meantime I write by this direction to comfort and instruct you when we are hindered from coming to a thing. What is that that hinders us? David. Providence. Do you begin to see that everything is programmed?
If we see this then we should find not find fault with anything. Oh. It's so good self-satisfying and justifying to find fault in others if you learn nothing else. This morning the providence of God is his will.
And his will is being worked only. Do you understand that? Do you grasp the meaning? The all-inclusive will of God. Dennis that's what occurs. We shouldn't find fault with anybody anytime anyplace. No, how and I'm talking to myself as much as you.
Don't find fault. Don't make a suggestion unless you have a solution. All right, we'll move on 16. For I am NOT ashamed of the gospel of Christ. For it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth to the Jew first and also to the Greek in Acts 3 26 we find unto you first.
God having raised up his son Jesus sent him to bless you in Turning away every one of you from his iniquities. This is why this was the Commission that he had. To go to seek and to save that which was lost.
This proves that the gospel is has the power unto salvation. Russell what is the very first inkling that you had? When you realized that you were Lost. All right. All right. You heard about the gospel.
Now you may not remember. All of you may not remember. But you heard the gospel either in word form or printed form. Someone spoke about the gospel. I think that's wonderful. We have a Unbroken Mouth-to-mouth all the way back to Adam.
It is the powerful verse to support the fact. Let me read it again for I am NOT ashamed of the gospel of Christ. For it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth to the Jew first and also to the Greek.
This is a powerful verse in support of the fact that Jesus is called the Son of God. The word is shame John. What's that mean to you? All right. Where did that guilt come from? Ashamed to have no fear.
If we are ashamed we have fear. Feeling inferior inadequate. Reluctant. Through fear or humiliation. Then we come to the word believe to everyone that believe. Believeth to the Jew first and then to the Greek believe believe the word believe this is something you can all do.
What does the word mean Dennis the word believe. All right. Can the carnal mind Believe the truth. Believe the spiritual God. Can can your carnal mind app operate apprehend such a Spirit such a state.
Yes, then. How did you Come to believe. The carnal mind cannot believe and Would not even if it could. But what did we just read in Philippians? What? It's God that's working in you. God is the one that causes you to believe.
Your carnal mind didn't believe and it wouldn't even if it could. God prevents it. You remember he said that if it forgets the scripture and exactly how it goes, but if they should believe and Repent then I would have to save them so he has limited those that believe.
Now we cannot explain why I believed other than to say it was God belief. The analytical decision. The analytical Description of belief is. It is a decision at which I have arrived based upon facts outside of myself.
Write that down. It is a decision at which I have arrived based upon facts outside of myself. How do we get this belief? Philippians 129. For unto you it is given in behalf of Christ. Not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake.
Yet it was given to you John. It was the will of God that gave it to you. Yes. Yes well. No, it's a decision at which you arrive now. You may arrive at a decision that that's not true. But the the belief was a decision that which you arrived you're going to buy a new car.
You don't just go buy one and never look around. Never ask you just come on just purchase what is on the showroom floor or wherever? No to buy a car you compare prices you look at What the car can do in all aspects and everything.
Then you arrive at a decision and It's based upon all of these facts that you took. So the the belief can be that it's true or that it is not true in the analytical use of the word believe but to believe in Christ.
Now, we've limited it and That that belief was given to me. We'll start with 17 the next week if you eat fat if you don't eat fat for a hundred years. You'll live longer that I could find. Dennis dismisses, please.