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Bro. Otis Fisher
We start today in Romans the 12th chapter and the 7th verse and it says. Or ministry. Let us minister. Let us wait on our ministering. Or he that teaches on teaching. Now the key word here is wait. I want you to tell me How it is.
That a person Can discover their gift. Greg. Brandon, how does a person discover their gift? All right. That's pretty good Dennis do you know? What your gift is before you go into it. Yes, and you may not realize that you have the gift David.
How did you discover your gift? I think that's true more times than not. I Have a problem with a young man. Now, I'm not saying it doesn't happen. But he's he's called to the ministry we say. He says and he spends his whole academic year years studying for the ministry.
When maybe Dennis he can't minister at all that is pitiful. Well, we are to wait. The word wait, I Think that applies to the person. We are to wait on the Lord. We get in a hurry sometimes or most of the time.
I want it and I want it right now. But that's not the way of the Lord may wait their whole life. May never know what their gift is. Eight or he that Exhort us on exhortation. Russell what is exhortation?
That's good. Would you care to elaborate on that? Greg tell him what is exhorting and anybody or everybody do that? He that giveth let him do it with a simplicity. He that ruleth with diligence. He that showeth mercy.
With cheerfulness. He that giveth let him do it with simplicity. He that giveth with simplicity. Dennis. Explain all of that. Is that simplicity? All right, David. What does it mean to? Give let him do it with simplicity.
All right. I Admonish all of you again do something this next week without anybody knowing except the Lord. Suppose you can do that. Do it with no one knowing. He that ruleth with diligence. He that showeth mercy with cheerfulness.
Fulfill your gift at the lowest possible level by this I mean Do not make it so complicated. Do not install a switch That turns on another switch. That will light up the barn so you can see where the proper switch is to turn off.
Now that may seem ridiculous to you, but We used to have a man working for us years ago. But absolutely he put one switch in that would turn on another switch that would turn the thing on. I Never did understand that.
I Guess he did let love be without Dissimulation. Now, that's a $10 word dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil. Cleave to that which is good. Greg what does dissimulation mean? Very good means to Disguise under an in severe insincere appearance.
To conceal one's true feeling. Always be honest. Dennis what is honesty? Oh, that's true but. Could a crook be honest. The crook has nothing to do with it. To be honest is to be on the outside exactly what you are on the inside.
Honest now if you're one thing on the outside and another thing on the inside. That's hypocrisy. So let's all be honest simple and honest. Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love in honoring preferring one another.
Now that says a whole lot. Be kindly affectioned one to another. Russell. What does all of that mean? Kindly affection one to another all right. Did I see John come in back there? Was that him at an answered?
John what does it mean? Expound a little bit on. In honor preferring one another all right to choose or be in the habit of choosing as More desirable or as having more value. Christian man or company.
Now Dennis suppose you have a company out here and You're trying to raise money. What's the first thing you look for other than somebody with money as a last resort you take? The Non-christian, I won't go into that but we are to Look for the Christian man in everything.
Not slothful in business fervent in spirit serving the Lord. Greg what's lawful mean very very lazy. You're in business for whom. What is your business? One answer. Yes. Who do you work for why? Why do you say that?
When we become saved and we know it That is we've been notified. We went in the business for the Lord. You really work for the Lord. First Corinthians 10 31. Somebody looked that up for me. Whether you're eating or drinking or whatever you do now.
What does that leave out Dennis. Whatever we do do it all for the glory of who? Why should we do that? Brandon, why should we? Why should we do everything for God? That's true. In the end, that's all that matters.
So why not jump to the end? Rejoicing in Hope. I'm beginning to get a ring Greg. Well the people coming in changed hope. Patient and tribulation continuing instant in prayer. Do and say everything as you as though you were in the presence of the Lord as Though you were.
Now are we David? Yes, we are Distributing to the necessity of Saints. Given to hospitality. This is a fine time of year for this although This time of year it comes out. It should be present throughout the year.
Bless them which persecutes you bless and curse not. Dennis why did he say curse not? Curse not because that's the first thing you want to do. Why are we told to bless them? Joy. Bless them which persecutes you we're told to bless them now.
Why is that Russell? All right? David. Greg. Absolutely, I wish we all could learn that that's so basic so true. Well, we're told to bless them because. If we were not told to I doubt if we do it. The reason to bless them Is as Greg says their cursing proves that we belong to who?
To God. Rejoice with them that do rejoice. Now that's easy to do. Weep with them that weep. That's a little more difficult to do. David what does this mean in order to do this? John what is the first thing that you have to be able to do?
Either one. All right. Do you not have to be sensitive to other people. To me that comes first? Sensitive to the feelings of other people. I know people that This is the furthest thing from their mind.
If there's not a dollar in it, they don't want to do it. Yes. They're what we have to. Perhaps that is harder than than the other to rejoice with those that rejoice. We're told to do that should be but it isn't.
I guess the older you get the more you turn that way, but I I can remember when I was younger. Back when I was an adult I Didn't want that man to get ahead or to be happy. Be of the same mind one toward another mind and not high things.
But condescend to men of low estate be not wise in your own conceits. Condescend to men of low estate. Condescend. Greg. You're the encyclopedia this morning. What do you get out of that? Condescend that's so true.
Don't make it a point to show the difference. You can get down on their level. Perhaps you're on their level and you think you're not. Don't be wise in your own conceit. Recompense to no man. Evil for evil.
Provide All things honest in the sight of all men. Abraham was an honest man. An honest man in Abraham's day gave exactly What the person had bought? Or required payment. Recompense means payment in Return for something.
Recompense if it be possible. As Much as lieth in you give peaceably. Live peaceably with all men. Live peaceably or as much as they will allow you to. It's difficult sometimes to live with people in this world.
I Try to but I just don't go around them as much. Yes. Yes, there's several people in this world that I just don't. I Don't look forward to going around them. I suppose I'm peaceable with them. But they won't allow me to very much dearly beloved.
Avenge not yourself. But rather give place unto wrath for it is written vengeance is mine. I Will repay as saith the Lord. Now first of all, what does it mean to give place to wrath? Brandon, all right.
David what's it mean to give place unto wrath. Did you ever try to get even with somebody? John I won't ask the rest of you. I'm honest and not asking you. Where did that lead you? John, where did? What come next?
Now if we're in business for the Lord, which we've decided earlier that we are how can we? Do something that is not for him. David. Well, you know I. Yes, all right, let me ask the question again, how can we Do something that is not for the Lord.
Dennis. Well, that was in the mind. But how then how can we do something that is not for the Lord. Thank you. Give that time to soak in. You cannot do anything If he is Lord if he is sovereign the sovereign God Has regulated everything not just some things that we see.
But he controls everything. Even That that we perceive to be evil to us. I hear sometimes it It said God's not in that but it was. I Don't claim to understand. I Just know it's a fact. We cannot do anything do anything That is not for the Lord.
Therefore it's thine enemy hunger feed him if he thirst give him drink. For in so doing thou shalt heat coals of fire on their head. When you're kind to those who are finding fault with you It takes all of the fun Out of it for them know it works.
And if there's no fun in it They'll move on someone else. Be not overcome of evil. But overcome evil was good. That every Christian should not only take heed that he be not overcome of evil but also work an Endeavor that it is in In him to overcome evil with good it is in him the Christian to overcome evil was good.
What are we to understand? Here by evil. Greg all right. What is it to be overcome of evil? David how do we do this joy? But when we are overcome. Have we not dwelled on it too long. Do we not think about it too much too often.
Too long. We dwell on the injury part as a man that was to take a bitter pill. He knows it's bitter. But he doesn't want to swallow it. He just chews on it. Just swallow it. We're overcome with evil when we commit the same evil.
By studying to take a spiteful Recompense of others were overcome by the evil act. If we spend time in plotting how I can get even how is it good for me to overcome evil? With good. How is it good for me in overcoming evil with good?
Russell. How is it good when when this happens when you overcome evil with good? Why is that good for you? All right. It makes you more like God though. We do evil against him. He does good to us continually.
Can God do evil to you because he's you're his child. You Would not do evil to your child. If there's anyone here this morning that does evil to their children. I want to talk to you. We overcome our Way we make them to become our friends.
That's the only way when we overcome evil with good. We are taking the first step on making them to become our friends. How how should we overcome evil with good? Dennis how do we go about doing this?
All right. Let me ask you another question Dennis. What is it that you have to have in order to do this? That's right. We cannot accomplish Any of these without having the Holy Spirit. I trust that we all enjoy him.
Today, yes, that's right. Yes. Knowing that and practicing that are two different things. That's right, that's right. Just on. Just understand. From the day forward We know that everything we do is of the Lord.
No exceptions then. Well, that's true. Most Well, do you see how far you are? Ahead of other people and understanding. Let's have a word of prayer. Heavenly Father. We have presented this portion of your word this morning and we trust that everything we have said.
Everything that is accomplished Is of you. We thank you for that fact. We have nothing. We own nothing it is all of you. Go ahead of us now. Teach us today what you would have us to learn in the name of Christ.
Today as we go to prayer.