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Romans Chapter 12
Living holy is just our reasonable service. It is actually the least we can do. Because of God's mercy, we have been made free from sin. How much more then should be desire to live and walk in the paths He sets before us. To say we are saved by grace and believe that it doesn't matter what we do, we are covered by His grace is a gross misrepresentation of all the things Paul taught. We are saved by grace to do works of righteousness because we have a new spirit, a new master and a new life. It is a better covenant and a better way. There is provision for failures and mistakes but we are not to purposely desire to return to our old ways and expect to be accepted by God. He gave us His best. The life of His Son. How much more should we give Him our best in return because we love Him and are grateful for the redeeming blood that was shed to cover our sins and make us partakers of His holiness?
The more we have fellowship with God the less we are going to identify with this world. Our minds have to be renewed to think like God. We can by searching the written word and by seeking His face constantly to prove what is good, acceptable and the perfect will of God. To those in the world that do not have access to the written word in their own language or cannot read, God has a way through those that already know Him or through His own divine intervention to teach those that have never yet heard. The Holy Spirit, through dreams and visions or any other method He chooses to use. God's power is not limited to our methods. Yet God desires mostly to send us and use us to reach those that have never yet heard. How blessed it is to be used of God to reach the lost. To those that already know the Lord and have received His way of salvation, how can we say we love Him and never seek His will? How can we say we are born again Christians and do not live by His words? God did not save us and fill us with the Holy Spirit for us to be only concerned about this life, getting a good job, buying a house and car, or picking the right college. God did not save us and fill us with the Holy Spirit just for us to figure out the latest video game. I'm not saying all these things are necessarily wrong but He didn't save us to have us be wrapped up in material possessions. He called us out of the world for a reason. To become part of His kingdom and be clothed in His righteousness and bear the fruits of righteousness. Actually the church is really the "Called out ones". That is what a congregation of believers in Jesus actually become: Called out ones.
Not one of us is superior or higher than the other. What God can give to Benny, He can give to Sarah. If God is healing at the church on 55th Street, He can heal at the church on 44th street. There is no difference except He wants willing vessels to use, not people consumed with with present world only. When He begins to use us, we must stay humble and not think we are more spiritual or better than someone who has not yet learned to allow God to use them. God may use someone else in a different calling that is quiet, busy and sort of in the background and not particularly outgoing and visible to everyone as a teacher or preacher would be. They may be faithfully doing His will even though we may not see it. We cannot assume the visible outgoing people in the forefront are greater than they. Obedience is the key. Not conformed to this world but seeking to obey one's own particular calling so the work of God is not hindered. I will add here something every important. A stay at home mother that rasies her children to seek the Lord and learn His word is just as important as the missionary that goes to other lands to preach the gospel.
No one is higher or lower. A good way to see this is to start to pray for one another in the spirit never assuming we are more spiritual than the one we are praying for but praying nevertheless. We all have a place and we are all called in some capacity or another in the body.
Prophecy is a word from the Lord given to the church to edify, comfort, correct and admonish. It may not necessarily be about the future although it might be on occasion if necessary. It could come in the form of a short message similar to interpretation of tongues or it could be a long message similar to preaching. Some preaching may be prophesying but not all preaching is prophesying. It could also come in the form of a testimony.
Ministry is some task or duty that is necessary for the work of God to continue. This could involve many different things. Feeding the hungry, tending the sick, praying with someone that is troubled. I could go on and on for the list probably is never ending. Teaching is a very important responsibility and it is a responsibility and is badly needed. There is nothing I would rather do than sit and listen to an anointed godly teacher who trusts in the Holy Spirit for His understanding and will labor, study, pray and seek to teach God's word. What a blessing a good teacher is to any group of believers.
I've been around many people who are used of God to exhort fellow believers. This is someone who by the Holy Spirit sees the need to encourage a troubled individual or even the whole church body. Sometimes just one or two words of comfort is exhortation. Giving is actually a gift also. I've met people who just love to give. It is a joy to them and a blessing to any group. They never seem to run out of any supply. Good rulers are mandatory. Even in the secular world, a weak, spineless ruler will cause chaos, disorder and confusion. We need godly called of God workers in the church, not to Lord over by constraint but to lead and guard the door against the wolves or those who would fleece the flock of God or teach false doctrine. Here is another need often overlooked. We can sit and speak of a wayward saint who is in serious error and desire that they be soundly corrected and then comes the one with mercy that speaks up and shows compassion toward the person that is in trouble spiritually. God shows mercy to each one of us, and we also should show mercy. Those that do these things are truly gifted in that area. This is not to excuse and allow sin for we see in the warnings to the seven churches how much we need to guard against returning to sin, but all must be done in mercy, humility and meekness always remembering that we too could be tempted.
It is much easier to love those that love us and we tend to love some above others but we must allow the Holy Spirit to shed love in our hearts toward those that is hard to love. This has to come from the Holy Spirit because it is impossible to have on our own. Hating evil because we see the destruction it has upon people and not hating the people themselves is good. Satan comes to steal, kill and destroy the work of God. We must hold onto that good things of God with all our strength.
Be so full of the pure love of God that we actually prefer someone else is praised and honored above ourselves.
The fruits and gifts of the spirit must radiate from us even outside the church in business and in the world around us. We are not just "Christian" on Sundays. Fervent in spirit means to never give up or quit. Keep going, praying without ceasing, determined and on fire for God.
Not losing hope at the first sign of trouble, having patience when bad happens is easier when we continue in prayer night and day. We can't pray enough but the devil will come to you and say that you are becoming so heavenly minded that you are no earthly good. Praying helps us. We don't pray down the Holy Spirit or pray to earn an answer to prayer. We are not heard for our much speaking or because we pray for 3 hours non stop. Praying is a way to communicate with God and is a form of worship also. It increases and builds up our faith. It is the faith that pleases God. The more we study the word and communicate with God the more we remember He is with us. Some people think fasting and prayer moves the heart of God but in reality, it builds our faith and without faith it is impossible to please God. The more we pray the more our faith is increased. I don't know why God recognizes faith but I would venture to guess it is a way for all of us to receive, even a little child. A little child will believe when its mommy or daddy promises them something. Child like faith and trust reaches the heart of God. A child with faith that prays for one minute can reach God just as much as an adult who prays for an hour. It's just that some of us need to pray more to remind ourselves that we are children of God. The more we talk to people around us, the more we know who they are and what they are like. When we speak to God often, we learn who He is and what He is like. That also comes by studying the inspired word of God that has been preserved and written for us also. A church that prays is a powerful church because when we come together to pray, it is building fellowship with God, increasing our faith and increasing our love one to another. Prayer is a way the Holy Spirit is released within us. It is powerful.
Just saying the words, "Be ye warmed and filled" when we have the means to help someone who struggles should never be once among us as children of God. Hospitality is being friendly and waiting on one another. Being a servant. None of us are too high to serve another when needed.
This is when we will be blessed by the Lord when we refuse to speak evil or curse those that persecute us. Lawsuits???? This should never be among us who are brethren or sisters in the Lord. If at all possible. There may be times in the secular world that this may be a necessity but we must avoid it if possible.
One thing that bothers me and I have been guilty of it myself is seeing someone in need of prayer or going through a hard time and we knowing that, are carelessly laughing and fellowshipping with one another and we are not praying with or comforting that person. It's one thing to do this in ignorance but it is quite another to know someone is suffering and we ignore them. On other hand, if someone is happy because the Lord has spiritually blessed them, great it is to rejoice with them and be exceedingly glad.
This whole chapter seems to admonish us wisely to stay humble and not become conceited, self seeking or think ourselves above another. Avoid clicks and favoritism. This is hard, we love our friends but lets try.
Getting back at someone, getting the best of someone or getting even is not to ever be our "thing". Better to be honest and above reproach and suffer loss than to render evil to someone who has done evil to you. Wars and fighting never cease if one does not decide to stop.
We must strive for this following peace with all men and holiness without which we will not see the Lord. This cannot be forced on everyone and sometimes people get rebellious and contrary so that peace is impossible and we must go our own way, yet in love.
Set our face like a flint to totally follow the Lord and when someone hates us, we do not hate back. When someone robs us, we do not rob them. Do good to them that use us and pray for them. It is not easy to do all these things but the joy, peace and fellowship we will have with the Lord will be greater than anything we could possibly have with the praise and approval of men. God has got something better than the world has. The things are deep, holy and spiritual and cannot possibly be compared to the things this world offers. The world cannot satisfy. God can satisfy the innermost longings in our soul. All we have to do is look to Him and ask Him to fill us with the Holy Spirit and keep pouring the spirit into us daily as we choose to seek Him instead of being wrapped up in things that are going to pass away. DC
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