Good morning. We are back
in Romans. Paul talks about we are many members though we do not have the same
function. We have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us. And
whatever the gift, exercise it to the best of your ability. Let love be without
hypocrisy. The word hypocrisy is intriguing in the context. When you are a
hypocrite, it usually means that what's OK for me is not OK for someone else –
like in the political world. Possibly it means that I can do what I want, but
you still have to love me; but you can't do just anything you want and expect
me to still love you. Abhor what is evil. I guess that's the same feeling like
you have when you see something really gross, and you simply will not touch it.
You even shudder to think about touching it. We should feel the same way about
"touching" evil. Cling to what is good – like shirts in the dryer. If
we cling to the good, we won't be tempted by the evil. Be devoted to one
another in brotherly love; give preference to one another in honor. That
relates to the pastor's messages about love your neighbor. We need to be other
person minded. We need to be: 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. Whew! I'm exhausted just reading it. And then a really hard verse:
bless those who persecute you; bless and curse not. That is definitely not the
way we feel. We want to react like Donald Trump. We want to fire back at those
who persecute us. Rejoice with those who rejoice. In other words, don't get
jealous when God blesses someone else, and we haven't been blessed like they
have. Weep with those who weep. 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. Too many Christians are haughty in mind. They look down on others
and despise them. They look down on people who don't come in "church"
clothes. When you think you are wise, then you are most vulnerable. Father
thank You that the reader is excellent in all of these areas. Heal his/her body
completely. Provide the best transportation for him/her. Provide him/her with
all of the finances that he/she needs. Help everything to be great with his/her
family!
Unless one is born of water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God
Good morning. While Jesus was in Jerusalem at the Passover, during the feast, many believed in His name, observing His signs which He was doing. Jesus was not entrusting Himself to them, for He knew all men. Now there was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. It doesn’t say, but I assume it is still during this time of the Passover. This man came to Jesus by night. Rabbi, we know that You have come from God as a teacher; for no one can do the signs that You do unless God is with him. It just said that the people believed in His name because of the signs He was doing; yet it does not say what those signs were. Unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God. That is why unbelievers cannot tell what is of the kingdom of God and what is not – they’re not born again. Nicodemus doesn’t have a clue. How can a man be born when he is old? He cannot enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born, can he? Unless one is born of water and the Spirit ...
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