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Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

  Good morning. Finally, to recap what he’s been saying in the previous verses, Paul writes: do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. Now we get to a verse that can be controversial. Every person is to be in subjection to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those which exist are established by God. We can’t say that just because we don’t like the political party in charge that we don’t have to obey them. Of course the exception would be if they required us to disobey the word of God. That then puts people who work in certain positions in a bad place when their bosses require them to perform activities that are contrary to the word of God. Of course some people use any excuse to refuse to do what is required. I pray that we are never put into a situation where we have to decide whether or not to obey a requirement. Therefore whoever resists authority has opposed the ordinance of God; and they who have opposed will receive condemn...
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Never pay back evil for evil to anyone

  Good morning. Never pay back evil for evil to anyone. Sounds like Jesus again - turn the other cheek. Respect what is right in the sight of all men. It does not say to respect everything that everybody believes, which is how a lot of people today feel. If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men (blessed are the peacemakers). It doesn’t mean that you have to agree with them; just that it should not be you that is stirring up the trouble. Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written, vengeance is Mine, I will repay, says the Lord. After all, He can do a much more thorough job of repaying. Again just like Jesus: but if your enemy is hungry, feed him, and if he’s thirsty, give him a drink; for in so doing you will heap burning coals on his head. That is something that would be hard for us to do in the natural. It is, however, exactly what God did with us. Even though we were against Him, He still blessed us, even...
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Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse.

  Good morning. Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. That is so not going to happen in the natural. This, of course, is the same thing that Jesus said. Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep. Too many times people want to gloat over those who are sad, and become jealous when someone else gets a blessing. If we truly love them, we will “feel their pain“. Be of the same mind toward one another; do not be haughty in mind, but associate with the lowly. Do not be wise in your own estimation. We should not look down on others. When churches start to grow and the members start to get blessed, it’s too easy to start thinking that you are better than those that are not blessed. When you start to think too highly of yourself, as one of my friends in high school and college used to say, “you are cruisin’ for a bruisin’”. God has a way of using our “wisdom“ to cause us to get ourselves into deep trouble. Father thank You that we all have the same worth i...
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Be devoted to one another in brotherly love; give preference to one another in honor.

  Good morning. Be devoted to one another in brotherly love; give preference to one another in honor. Are you kidding? Do you realize what he/she is like? If you truly love without hypocrisy, you will be devoted to one another and give preference to the other person. (I didn’t say it would be easy). Not lagging behind in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord; rejoicing in hope, persevering in tribulation, devoted to prayer, contributing to the needs of the Saints, practicing hospitality. It’s hard to be diligent, fervent in spirit, to keep serving the Lord, rejoicing, and persevering in the midst of good things. It definitely takes the actions of the Holy Spirit to do all of those things when things are really, really bad. On the other hand, people devote themselves to prayer when things are going bad; but sometimes have trouble doing that when things are going good. When things are bad, people are desperate. But even the pastor has mentioned several times about people fal...
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Let love be without hypocrisy

  Good morning. Let love be without hypocrisy. Of course we know from I Corinthians 13 that God’s love could not possibly be with hypocrisy. Too many Christians say, “I love you brother/sister.”, but don’t really mean it. And too many times it can be a “I’ll love you as long as you love me (better). Abhor what is evil. Today’s Christians don’t. They not only tolerate it, many even accept/embrace it. Whatever you tolerate, eventually becomes the norm, and even becomes expected. Cling to what is good. If you cling to what is good, you won’t want what is evil. You won’t know what is good unless you immerse yourself in God’s Word. Remember that they train bank tellers to recognize counterfeit money not by handling counterfeit money, but rather by constantly handling real currency. Father help us to have Your love which is without hypocrisy; to look out for the well-being of others. Help this to be a great day for the reader and his/her family.
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For just as we have many members in one body and all the members do not have the same function, so we, who are many are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another

  Good morning. For just as we have many members in one body and all the members do not have the same function, so we, who are many are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. When we say something bad about a member of the body of Christ, it’s like saying something bad about a part of our own body - “Johnny, my foot has been a bad boy  lately”. Since we have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, each of us is to exercise them accordingly: If prophecy, according to the proportion of his faith; if service, in his serving; or he who teaches, in his teaching... Each should do his/her best in exercising his/her gifts, not for his/her own benefit or glory, but for the benefit of the body of Christ. One should not be envious of the gifts of others and strive to obtain them. Father thank You that we have (and need) other members of the body of Christ. Help us to find and exercise our gifts for the benefit of the body of Christ.
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That we may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.

  Good morning. So why are we to be transformed by the renewing of our minds? So that we may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect. This transformation of us is God’s will, and it is good; it is acceptable; and it is perfect. That is the meaning of this verse in context. I have said before that I do not like the term “permissive” will of God. I understand what is meant by it, but I disagree with the use of the term. There needs to be a different way of designating this concept (perhaps: permissive boundaries of God). God has only one will (desire); and it is perfect. Again, in context it is not necessarily talking about God’s will in general; but only in our transformation. Got any uppity friends? For through the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think more highly of himself then he ought to think; but to think so as to have sound judgment, as God has allotted to each a measure of faith. When God is using you and it seems th...
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