THE LIVING WORD TRANSCRIPT<br> <br>

PROGRAM AIR DATE – 11-22-15<br> <br>



LESSON TITLE:  “WHAT MUST WE PUT ON?”<br> <br>



WELCOME<br> <br>

	HAPPY THANKSGIVING WEEK!  WE ARE TRULY EXCITED TO HAVE YOU WITH US TODAY AS WE TOGETHER BREAK INTO THE LIVING WORD OF GOD.  WE ARE CERTAINLY GLAD THAT YOU HAVE CHOSEN THIS DAY, TO GIVE THIS TIME TO OUR CREATOR - SO THAT TOGETHER WE MAY WORSHIP AND PRAISE HIS HOLY NAME! <br> <br>  



	AS WE COME TOGETHER THIS DAY, IT IS MY HOPE AND PRAYER THAT WE WILL EACH PARTICIPATE AND DO OUR PART TO MAKE THIS TIME ACCEPTABLE BEFORE GOD.  MAY WE TOGETHER OFFER THIS COLLECTIVE OFFERING AS THOSE WHO LOVE GOD, AND WHO ARE WILLING TO SUBMIT THEIR OWN SACRIFICES BEFORE HIS THRONE.   SO, AT THIS TIME, AS WE TURN OUR FULL ATTENTION TO THE REASON WE HAVE COME TOGETHER, LET’S APPROACH OUR FATHER’S THRONE IN PRAYER: <br> <br>



	PRAYER:  OUR GOD AND FATHER IN HEAVEN, WE THANK YOU FOR THIS DAY - THE LORD'S DAY - AND WE THANK YOU FOR LIFE. FOR FATHER, WE KNOW THAT ALL BLESSINGS COME FROM YOU. AND FATHER, WE KNOW THAT ALL SPIRITUAL THINGS - AS WELL AS PHYSICAL THINGS - ARE ONLY BECAUSE OF YOUR GOODNESS AND MERCY. AND FATHER, THAT YOU WORK ALL THINGS TO GOOD FOR THOSE WHO LOVE YOU. FATHER, WE THANK YOU AS WELL FOR THE GREAT GIFT OF JESUS - THAT SACRIFICE THAT HE MADE AS WELL AS HIS RESURRECTION WHICH ALLOW US THIS DAY TO BE FOUND PRESENTABLE IN YOUR SIGHT AND THROUGH YOUR GRACE LOVE AND MERCY TO HAVE HOPE, NOT ONLY IN THIS LIFE, BUT IN THE LIFE TO COME. THEREFORE FATHER, WE ASK THAT YOU'LL HELP US TO ALWAYS LIVE IN SUCH A WAY THAT WE ARE RECIPIENTS OF YOUR GOOD REWARDS AND YOUR GOOD BLESSINGS. IN JESUS NAME WE PRAY, AMEN. <br> <br>



	MANY OF THE PROMISES OF GOD ARE SO ENCOURAGING AND COMFORTING TO US AS HIS FOLLOWERS.  OUR FIRST SONG OF THE MORNING REMINDS US THAT WITH JESUS, WE HAVE A GUIDE EVERY STEP OF THE WAY.  SO THE QUESTION IS, ARE WE STANDING ON HIS PROMISES?    WON’T YOU JOIN IN AND PARTICIPATE WITH THE CONGREGATION AT THIS TIME AS WE SING TOGETHER, “STANDING ON THE PROMISES!”<br> <br>





DEVOTIONAL THOUGHTS<br> <br>

	THROUGHOUT THE HISTORY OF THE OLD TESTAMENT WE SEE THAT MAN NEEDED TO BE LEAD IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.  ULTIMATELY, MAN MUST BE LEAD BY GOD, ACCORDING TO HIS PERFECT WILL, HOWEVER WE SEE THAT GOD ALWAYS USED LEADERS OR REPRESENTATIVES TO ACCOMPLISH HIS PURPOSE.  <br> <br>



	I AM REMINDED OF A VERSE IN PROVERBS 11:14, THAT SAYS, “WHERE THERE IS NO COUNSEL, THE PEOPLE FALL; BUT IN THE MULTITUDE OF COUNSELORS THERE IS SAFETY.”  HERE WE LEARN THAT THERE IS A NEED FOR PEOPLE TO BE TAUGHT AND LEAD, THAT THEY MAY KNOW AND FOLLOW THE RIGHT THINGS.  THIS WRITER SAYS THERE IS SAFETY IN NUMBERS, WHEN WE CONSIDER THOSE WHO LEAD IN THE PROPER WAYS.  

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	ON THE OTHER HAND, WHEN PEOPLE ARE NOT LEAD AND THUS THEY DO NOT GROW AND GO THE PROPER DIRECTION, THERE IS ALWAYS DISASTER.  FOR EXAMPLE, CONSIDER THE PERIOD OF THE JUDGES.  IN THIS BOOK IT IS SAID THAT, “EVERYONE DID WHAT WAS RIGHT IN HIS OWN EYES.”  WE ALL KNOW THAT THIS PERIOD OF THE JUDGES WAS ONE OF GREAT DISOBEDIENCE FOR THE MOST PART.  ISRAEL CONTINUED TO TURN AGAINST THEIR GOD TO DO THEIR OWN THING AND GOD CONDEMNED THEM FOR IT.  

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	IN HOSEA 4:6, WE READ, “MY PEOPLE ARE DESTROYED FOR LACK OF KNOWLEDGE. BECAUSE YOU HAVE REJECTED KNOWLEDGE.”  HERE AGAIN WE FIND THAT A LACK OF COUNSEL AND LEADERSHIP UNTO KNOWLEDGE LEADS TO DESTRUCTION.  

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	NOW GO OVER INTO THE NEW TESTAMENT WITH ME.  I AM REMINDED OF A GREAT STATEMENT MADE BY THE ETHIOPIAN EUNUCH IN ACTS 8!  THE HOLY SPIRIT HAD SENT PHILLIP TO MEET HIM AND TEACH HIM THE TRUTH.  SO WHEN PHILLIP FOUND HIM AND CAME NEAR TO HIM, HE HEARD HIM READING THE SCRIPTURES.  NEXT, NOTICE WHAT PHILLIP ASKED THE EUNUCH, “DO YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU ARE READING?” NOW HEAR THE ANSWER OF THE MAN FROM ETHIOPIA, “HOW CAN I, UNLESS SOMEONE GUIDES ME?”  BRETHREN, THE REALITY IS WE DO NEED TO BE TAUGHT, WE DO NEED LEADERS AND WE DO NEED COUNSEL.  WE AS WELL NEED TO BE GUIDED TO UNDERSTAND THE PRECIOUS TRUTHS OF GOD, AND WHEN WE LEARN THEM THERE IS SURELY SAFETY IN THE THINGS OF GOD.  ARE YOU WILLING TO LOOK FOR COUNSEL TO GROW IN THE THINGS OF CHRIST?  ARE YOU WILLING TO TURN AND OBEY HIS PERFECT WORD?

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	IN JUST A FEW MINUTES IT WILL BE TIME TO BEGIN OUR MAIN STUDY OF THE DAY. OUR TOPIC OF STUDY TODAY, WILL AGAIN DEAL WITH, “THE ELECT OF GOD.”  THE SPECIFIC LESSON OF THE MORNING IS ENTITLED, “WHAT MUST WE PUT ON?” SO PLEASE CONTINUE WITH US THIS MORNING AND I WILL BE LEADING OUR MAIN THOUGHTS FROM GOD’S PRECIOUS WORD AT THE APPROPRIATE TIME.  NOW LET’S JOIN TOGETHER IN OUR NEXT SONG OF THE MORNING.  THE NAME OF THIS HYMN, “SWEET HOUR OF PRAYER.”<br> <br>



	 

LESSON <br> <br>

BY RAY SULLINS<br> <br>

	THANK YOU FOR CONTINUING WITH US THIS MORNING NOW AS WE GO BACK TO GOD'S WORD AND CONSIDER OUR NEXT LESSON IN OUR SERIES CONCERNING THE ELECT OF GOD. AND AS THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE ALWAYS WITH US - NO, WE'RE ACTUALLY IN THE BOOK OF COLOSSIANS AND THERE WE ARE STUDYING FROM CHAPTER 3 WHERE IT IS THAT PAUL, SPEAKING TO THE COLOSSIAN BRETHREN, CHALLENGES THEM TO UNDERSTAND THAT THEY ARE NEW CREATIONS IN AND THROUGH JESUS CHRIST. THAT THEY HAVE SET THEIR MIND ON THINGS ABOVE, HAVING DIED AND PUT OFF THE OLD MAN, AND NOW ARE LIVING ACCORDING TO THE NEW MAN - WHICH IS IN THE IMAGE OF GOD - STRIVING TO LIVE ACCORDING TO THE CHARACTER OF CHRIST. AND THEREFORE, THEY ARE THE ELECT AND CHOSEN OF GOD - HOLY AND BELOVED. AND SO TODAY WE LOOK AT THE NEXT CHALLENGE THAT HE GIVES HERE WITHIN THIS TEXT AS HE NOW BEGINS TO DESCRIBE WHAT IT MEANS THAT THEY ARE THE HOLY AND BELOVED OR CHOSEN OF GOD. WHAT HAVE THEY DONE? WHAT HAVE THEY PUT ON? BECAUSE WE KNOW THEY HAVE DIED AND PUT OFF THE OLD SINFUL MAN AND THEY HAVE PUT ON THE NEW MAN. 

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	SO WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO PUT ON THE NEW MAN? LET'S LOOK AT THE REMAINING PORTION THERE OF VERSE 12. HE ADDS THIS, “PUT ON TENDER MERCIES, KINDNESS, HUMILITY, MEEKNESS, AND LONG-SUFFERING.” AS WE BEGIN TO LOOK AT THE TEXT HERE THEN - WE FIND SOME SPECIFIC CHARACTERISTICS THAT CERTAINLY ARE, ONCE AGAIN, GODLY CHARACTERISTICS THAT WE CAN LEARN FROM AND THROUGH THE EXAMPLE THAT CHRIST LEFT US TO FOLLOW. THE CHARACTERISTICS NONETHELESS THAT WE NEED TO ALL BE FOCUSED ON, AND WE NEED TO BE INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE DOING OUR VERY BEST TO PUT ON THESE THINGS.  TO EQUIP OURSELVES WITH THESE GOOD-GODLY THINGS WHICH ARE FROM ABOVE, ACCORDING TO THE THINGS WHICH ARE ABOVE WHERE GOD IS, SO THAT WE'LL NOT RETURN TO THE OLD WAYS OR TO THE MAN OF SIN. <br> <br>



	AND THE FIRST THING THAT HE MENTIONS THERE AS IS GIVEN IN THE TEXT ARE CALLED TENDER MERCIES. AND AS WE THINK ABOUT THE IDEA OF THE CONCEPT OF TENDERNESS IS PRETTY OBVIOUS - WHAT IT MEANS TO BE MAYBE TENDER OR TO HAVE SOMETHING WHICH IS HEARTFELT - SOMETHING THAT IS IT MAYBE VERY CLOSE TO THE HEART OR DEAR TO THE HEART - AND THEN THE IDEA OF MERCY WHICH REALLY THE IDEA OF MERCY IS THE FACT THAT WE ARE DESERVING OF PUNISHMENT BUT THAT WE WILL NOT RECEIVE THAT PUNISHMENT. BUT REALLY WHAT HE IS SAYING HERE IS A LITTLE BIT MORE ACCORDING TO THAT TENDER MERCIES, IT'S MORE ABOUT THE COMPASSION. IN FACT, SOME TRANSLATIONS GIVE THE IDEA - THE HEART OF COMPASSION. PUT ON THAT HEART THAT IS COMPASSIONATE. WELL, CERTAINLY THE IDEA OF GOD EXTENDING MERCY TO MAN OR THE IDEA OF YOU AND I SHOWING MERCY TO OTHERS. THEY MIGHT NOT DESERVE GOODNESS, THEY MIGHT DESERVE PUNISHMENT BUT WE STILL TREAT EVEN OUR ENEMY AS SOMEONE THAT WE LOVE. WE DO GOOD TO THEM AND SO WE STILL HAVE THAT HEART OF COMPASSION EVEN THOUGH MAYBE SOMEONE IS NOT WORTHY OF SUCH TREATMENT OR OF SUCH ATTITUDE. <br> <br>

	

	WE EVEN MIGHT CAN TAKE IT TO THE EXTENT OF UNDERSTANDING THE SPIRIT OF PITY ON ANOTHER. THERE'S NOT A ONE OF US MAYBE WHO HASN'T AT TIMES HAD A FRIEND IN NEED, OR A FAMILY MEMBER IN NEED, OR MAYBE JUST SOMEONE THAT WE'VE NEVER MET WHO HAS A SPECIFIC NEED AND WE'RE MOVED WITH PITY FOR THEM. BUT SOMETIMES IT'S EVEN MORE BECAUSE WE'LL SEE THAT, NOT ONLY ARE THEY STRUGGLING, BUT MAYBE THEIR WIFE AND THEIR CHILDREN ARE ALSO SUFFERING. AND SO THEN WE BEGIN TO BE THOSE THAT HAVE HEARTS OF COMPASSION OR THESE TENDER MERCIES THAT REALLY CERTAINLY EXEMPLIFY THE VERY WONDROUS AND BEAUTIFUL CHARACTER OF OUR GOD. AREN'T YOU THANKFUL THAT GOD HAS THAT HEART OF COMPASSION FOR US? THAT HE HAS THAT HEART THAT WILL MELT IN HIS MERCY THAT HE EXTENDS TOWARD US. AND DON'T YOU KNOW THAT THEREFORE THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE MUST HAVE FOR ONE ANOTHER.  LATER HE'S GOING TO TALK ABOUT THE NEED THAT WE HAVE TO FORGIVE ONE ANOTHER, AND WE'LL LOOK AT THAT NEXT WEEK. BUT THAT IDEA OF FORGIVENESS CERTAINLY IS A BEAUTIFUL THOUGHT WHERE, ONCE AGAIN, THAT FORGIVENESS USUALLY COMES FROM THE HEART ARE BEING MOVED BY THAT HEART OF COMPASSION. AND SO YES, WE MUST PUT ON THAT HEART OF COMPASSION - THOSE TENDER MERCIES AS GOD HAS DONE WE MUST DO. 

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	THE NEXT THING THAT HE MENTIONS WITHIN THE LIST IS HE SAYS KINDNESS. AND CERTAINLY WITHIN MANY PLACES OF THE NEW TESTAMENT, WE SEE THIS IDEA OF BEING KIND. AND KINDNESS WOULD BE ONE OF THE MORE EASY THINGS TO UNDERSTAND HERE BECAUSE WE KNOW WHAT IT MEANS TO BE KIND TO ONE ANOTHER. KINDNESS CAN BE SHOWN IN REALLY MANY RESPECTS, PERHAPS IN JUST SAYING SOMETHING KIND OR ENCOURAGING TO SOMEONE ELSE. MAYBE DOING A KIND DEED FOR SOMEONE ELSE. AND SOMETIMES THAT KINDNESS AGAIN CAN BE EXPRESSED TO THOSE WHO WE ALREADY LOVE - IN FAMILY OR FRIENDS OR COWORKERS. BUT SOMETIMES THAT KINDNESS ALSO NEEDS TO BE GIVEN TOWARDS WHO? EVEN THOSE WHO WE DON'T KNOW. EVEN THOSE WHO WE MIGHT EVEN CONSIDER OUR ENEMIES. AND SO TO BE KIND; TO PUT ON KINDNESS. AND WITHIN THAT IDEA OF KINDNESS THAT REALLY PROBABLY IS THIS IDEA NOT JUST BEING KIND, BUT A GODLY KINDNESS WHICH IS A GOODNESS. KIND AS GOD IS KIND, YOU KNOW, IT'S ONE THING TO MAYBE DO A KIND GESTURE, BUT IT'S ANOTHER THING TO GO THE EXTRA MILE WITH SOMEONE WHO HAS A NEED. NOT JUST TO HELP THEM BUT TO GO THE EXTRA MILE. YOU SEE, NOT JUST BEING KIND BUT THAT KINDLY GOODNESS OR THAT GOODNESS OF GOD BEING EXPRESSED. WHAT DOES GOD DO FOR US? DOES GOD JUST GIVE US ENOUGH TO GET BY? OR DOES GOD SAY HE'S GONNA BLESS US WITH JUST ENOUGH MAYBE TO DO TO MAKE IT BY THE SKIN OF OUR TEETH? OR DOES GOD AS A FATHER WANT US TO AGAIN SEE HIS KINDNESS? HIS GOODNESS? IN THE FACT OF THE ABUNDANCE THAT HE DOES IN OUR LIFE IN SO MANY WAYS. CERTAINLY WE ALL CAN ADMIT WE ARE WELL BLESSED PEOPLE - AND GOD HAS SHOWN A GREAT KINDNESS. AND SO NOT JUST THE IDEA OF A HEART OF COMPASSION BUT A KINDNESS TOWARD ONE ANOTHER. AND AS GOD HAS BEEN KIND TO US, BUT WE ALSO IN TURN SHOULD BE KIND TO OTHERS. <br> <br>



	HE ALSO MENTIONS HUMILITY AND HUMILITY IS CERTAINLY A BEAUTIFUL IDEA. HE TALKS ABOUT THE IDEA OF HUMILITY IN THE SENSE OF WHAT WE ARE TOWARDS OTHERS; THAT WE HUMBLE OURSELVES, THAT WE ASK, EVEN THERE IN THE PHILIPPIAN LETTER WE READ, THAT WE PUT THE INTEREST OF OTHERS ABOVE OUR OWN INTEREST. SO WE'RE NOT FOCUSED ON SELF AND SELFISH THINGS AND WHAT'S IN IT FOR ME OR HOW IT CAN BENEFIT ME. BUT WE REALLY HAVE AN INTEREST IN OTHERS AND THEREFORE WE HAVE HUMBLED OURSELVES. BUT REALLY IT GOES FARTHER THAN THAT BECAUSE THE EXAMPLE OF HUMILITY THAT HE LATER MENTIONS IN PHILIPPIANS CHAPTER 2 BEGINNING AROUND VERSE 5 IS THAT EXAMPLE OF JESUS CHRIST, WHO NOT ONLY WAS WILLING TO TAKE THE FORM OF HIS CREATION - MAN, BUT HE ULTIMATELY DIED FOR THAT CREATION TO BE OBEDIENT TO THE WILL OF THE FATHER. AND SO WHAT HUMILITY HE WAS WILLING TO SHOW. AS GOD IN THE FLESH, WHAT SUFFERINGS HE WAS WILLING TO BEAR IN ORDER THAT WE MIGHT HAVE HOPE OF ETERNAL LIFE. THAT WE MIGHT HAVE EXTENDED TO US THE GRACE THAT IS FOUND THROUGH JESUS CHRIST. 

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	BUT WE MIGHT ALSO THINK, NOT ONLY ABOUT THE IDEA OF JUST HUMILITY, BUT REALLY MAYBE ABOUT A HUMBLENESS OF MIND ITSELF. A LOWLINESS OR EVEN MAYBE ANOTHER WORD, A MODESTY OF MIND; A POSITION OF MIND THAT CERTAINLY ALLOWS US TO UNDERSTAND THAT REALLY WE ARE NOTHING, IF IT WERE NOT FOR GOD. WHAT ARE WE AS MAN? WHAT CAPABILITIES DO WE HAVE? WHAT POWER DO WE HAVE OVER OUR OWN EXISTENCE OR LIFE OR DEATH? REALLY.....YOU SEE WITHOUT GOD WE ARE HOPELESS. BUT WHEN WE HUMBLE OURSELVES BEFORE SUCH A GOD AND WE HUMBLE OUR MINDS BEFORE SUCH A GOD, NOT ONLY DO WE FIND OURSELVES BEING MORE RESPECTFUL IN RELATIONSHIP TO HOW WE HONOR GOD, BUT WE SHOW OURSELVES TO BE MORE RESPECTFUL TO HOW WE DEAL WITH GOD'S CREATION; THOSE WHO HE HAS MADE IN HIS LIKENESS OR HIS SIMLITUDE - THOSE WHO LIKE US HAVE BEEN GIVEN A SOUL AND THEREFORE HOW MUCH MORE IMPORTANT THAT WE HAVE A HEART OF COMPASSION - THAT WE ARE KIND - AND THAT WE ARE STRIVING TO SHOW A HUMILITY OF MIND TOWARDS OTHERS THAT THEY MIGHT SEE IN US, NOT OURSELVES OR OUR OWN HUMANITY, BUT THAT THEY MIGHT SEE IN US THE HUMILITY OF GOD. THE HUMILITY OF CHRIST, THE EXTENT, AS GOD WAS WILLING TO GO FOR US THAT WE ARE WILLING TO GO FOR OUR FELLOW MAN. OH WHAT A BETTER WORLD IT WOULD BE IF WE WOULD LEARN TO PUT ON HUMILITY IN RELATIONSHIP TO BEING MORE CHRIST-LIKE. 

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	THE NEXT THING THAT HE MENTIONS AFTER TENDER MERCIES, KINDNESS, AND HUMILITY IS THE CONCEPT OF MEEKNESS. AND SOMETIMES MEEKNESS IS MISUNDERSTOOD TO REALLY BE THE CONCEPT OR THE IDEA OF THAT WHICH IS BEING KIND, AND THEY ARE CLOSELY RELATED. BUT REALLY WHEN WE THINK ABOUT THIS CONCEPT OF MEEKNESS THERE'S A SPECIFIC ELEMENT THAT WE MIGHT SAY OF GENTLENESS. EVEN THE IDEA OF BEING MILD IN DISPOSITION. BUT REALLY WHAT WE'RE THINKING ABOUT IS A SPIRIT THAT IS GENTLE. AND WE ALL KNOW THOSE MEMBERS OF THE CHURCH MAYBE OR THOSE FRIENDS OR FAMILY MEMBER THAT WE HAVE THAT ARE JUST AS WE MIGHT SAY GENTLE SOULS OR GENTLE SPIRITS. OH TO BE MEEK. YOU KNOW, JESUS WAS A MAN WHO DID WHAT HE NEEDED TO DO, WHO SAID WHAT HE NEEDED TO SAY, BUT HE WAS A MAN WHO WAS GENTLE. A MAN WHO WAS MEEK AND HE CHALLENGED US TO BE MEEK, AS HE WAS MEEK, UNDERSTANDING THAT THE MEEK WILL WHAT? INHERIT THE EARTH - AS WE READ THERE IN MATTHEW CHAPTER 5 AMONGST THE BEATITUDES. SO AS JESUS STROVE TO BE MEEK, WE ALSO MUST STRIVE FOR THIS PRESENCE OF MIND - THIS DISPENSATION OF MIND THAT HELPS US TO UNDERSTAND THAT OUR SPIRIT IS WHAT IT SHOULD BE. THAT IT IS ACCORDING TO THE PATTERN THAT CHRIST HAS LEFT US - AND NOT ONLY ARE WE INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE A KIND DEMEANOR AND THE ABILITY TO STRIVE FOR GOODNESS BUT WE ALSO ARE GENTLE AMONG MEN. THAT WE ARE APPROACHABLE, THAT WE ARE THOSE WHO ARE WILLING TO BE EMBRACED OR WHO OTHERS DESIRE TO BE AROUND TO KNOW MORE BECAUSE OF WHAT WE HAVE PUT ON IN THE LIKENESS OF CHRIST. 

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	BUT THEN THE FINAL THING THAT HE MENTIONS HERE IS TO BE LONG-SUFFERING. AND THE IDEA BEING LONG-SUFFERING MAYBE ONE OF MY FAVORITES. IT'S TRANSLATED IN SEVERAL WAYS - SOMETIMES THE IDEA OF A PATIENCE IS USED THROUGHOUT THE NEW TESTAMENT TEXT. BUT WHEN I THINK ABOUT THE IDEA OF JUST THE ENGLISH WORD LONG-SUFFERING, CERTAINLY IF YOU BREAK IT DOWN IT MEANS THAT WE ARE WILLING TO DO WHAT? SUFFER LONG. AND WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT BEING IN LONG-SUFFERING WHAT DOES IT MEAN? IT MEANS YOU'RE GONNA PUT UP WITH A LOT. AND SO WHEN I THINK ABOUT THIS AGAIN I THINK OF GOD BECAUSE I THINK ABOUT WHAT GOD HAS BEEN WILLING TO PUT UP WITH IN MY LIFE. HOW MANY TIMES GOD HAD BEEN WILLING TO PUT UP WITH THE WAY I LET HIM DOWN OR THE WAY THAT PERHAPS MAYBE I CHOOSE SIN AT TIMES OR THE WAY THAT MAYBE I DON'T KEEP HIS COMMANDMENTS AS I SHOULD - AND HOW THANKFUL I AM THAT NOT ONLY DO I HAVE A GOD THAT HAS A HEART OF COMPASSION AND KINDNESS AND GOODNESS OR GENTLENESS - A GOD WHO IS HUMBLE - BUT A GOD WHO HAS SHOWN ME WHAT IT TRULY MEANS TO AN INDIVIDUAL WHO IS LONG-SUFFERING - WHO PUTS UP WITH, AND PUTS UP WITH, AND PUTS UP WITH TIME AND TIME AGAIN - BUT PATIENTLY GIVES ME THE TIME TO SORT IT OUT EVEN THOUGH MAYBE I HAVE A HARD TIME GETTING IT RIGHT. 

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	YOU KNOW, I LIKE THAT IDEA AS WELL BECAUSE IT SHOWS US, NOT ONLY WHAT WE HAVE WITH GOD, BUT WHAT WE HAVE WITH OTHERS. HOW MANY TIMES HAVE YOU PUT UP WITH FAMILY MEMBERS? HAVE YOU BEEN SUFFERING LONG OR WILLING TO LONG-SUFFER IN RELATIONSHIP TO THE WAY THAT THEY ACT OR THE WAY THAT THEY TREAT YOU OR WHAT THEY'VE DONE AND YET YOU STILL, LIKE CHRIST, STRIVE TO SUFFER LONG....STRIVE TO KEEP THE DOOR OPEN....STRIVE TO HAVE THE SPIRIT THAT YOU NEED, THE HUMILITY AND THE MEEKNESS AS WELL AS THE KINDNESS, TRYING TO DO ALL YOU CAN TO HAVE THAT HEART OF COMPASSION SO THAT WHAT? YOU MIGHT KEEP SUFFERING LONG - THAT YOU MIGHT BE PATIENT AND ENDURE WHAT IT IS THAT YOU KEEP PUTTING UP WITH. BUT AREN'T YOU GLAD THAT GOD HASN'T GIVEN UP ON YOU? AREN'T YOU GLAD THAT GOD HASN'T TIRED OF EXTENDING THAT MERCY TO RAY OR I'M TIRED OF EXTENDING GRACE - I'M TIRED. AREN'T YOU THANKFUL THAT GOD IS LONG-SUFFERING? BUT THEN CAN YOU NOT TRANSLATE THAT INTO YOUR OWN LIFE AND UNDERSTAND, JUST LIKE THAT ONE UNDERSTOOD WHO HAD BEEN FORGIVEN THE GREAT DEBT BUT THEN TURNED AROUND AND TRIED TO ASK FOR THAT SMALL DEBT FROM HIS FELLOW SERVANT. DON'T YOU UNDERSTAND THAT BEING LONG-SUFFERING MEANS THAT WE LEARN FROM THOSE WHO HAVE SHOWN US WHAT WE NEED TO BE, AS OUR GOD HAS SHOWN US IN HIS WORD. BUT THEN THAT WE TREAT OTHERS AS WE WANT TO BE TREATED - WE TREAT OTHERS THE SAME. HOW CAN I NOT BE PATIENT AND LONG-SUFFERING WITH MY FELLOW MAN - HOW CAN I NOT BE LONG-SUFFERING WITH MY BRETHREN WHEN GOD HAS BEEN SO LONG-SUFFERING WITH ME? 

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	AND SO THIS MORNING I HOPE THAT WE CAN SEE, AS WE THINK ABOUT THOSE THINGS THAT WE PUT ON AS OPPOSED TO WHAT WE PUT OFF IN RELATIONSHIP TO SIN, THAT WE MIGHT BE THE ELECT OF GOD STRIVING TO IMITATE THE IMAGE OF GOD, HOLY AND BELOVED IN HIS SIGHT. THAT WE MIGHT STRIVE TO BE THOSE WHO HAVE PUT ON THE CHARACTERISTICS OF GOD, SUCH AS TENDER MERCIES OR THE HEARTS OF COMPASSION; KINDNESS, HUMILITY, MEEKNESS, AND LONG-SUFFERING. WE'LL LOOK AT MORE OF THESE THINGS NEXT WEEK AS THEY CONTINUE WITHIN THE TEXT. BUT EVEN WITHIN THESE THINGS HOPEFULLY WE WILL ALL BE CHALLENGED TO UNDERSTAND THAT WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO ACHIEVE IS GODLINESS. WHAT WE'RE  TRYING TO ACHIEVE IS THE IMAGE OF GOD. WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO SHOW FORTH IS THAT WHICH BRINGS GLORY TO HIM - THAT NOT ONLY WE MIGHT BE SAVED, BUT THAT ALL WHO SEE THAT GLORY MIGHT KNOW AND OBEY HIM AS WELL. WON'T YOU LIVE FOR YOUR GOD TODAY AND EVERY DAY ACCORDING TO HIS WILL.



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CLOSING COMMENTS<br> <br>

	LET ME THANK YOU AGAIN FOR CHOOSING TO BE WITH US TODAY.  I HOPE OUR TIME TOGETHER HAS BEEN AN ENCOURAGEMENT AND BLESSING TO US ALL.  WE INVITE YOU TO JOIN US EVERY FIRST DAY OF THE WEEK, AT 7:30, AS WE COMMIT OURSELVES TO THIS TIME OF WORSHIP BEFORE GOD! <br> <br> 

	BUT FOR NOW, LET ME ASK IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS ABOUT TODAY’S LESSON?  MAYBE, YOU WOULD LIKE A FREE TRANSCRIPT OR A CASSETTE TAPE OF THIS PROGRAM?  POSSIBLY, WE COULD ASSIST YOU WITH FREE BIBLE MATERIALS OR CORRESPONDENCE COURSES?  NO MATTER WHAT YOUR NEED IS, PLEASE CONTACT US AT THE FOLLOWING ADDRESS:  <br> <br>



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	THANKS BE TO GOD FOR HIS CLEAR DIRECTIVE IN THE BIBLE, THAT WE MIGHT KNOW WHAT IT TRULY MEANS TO BE THE ELECT OF GOD.  ARE YOU WILLING TO DEMONSTRATE THE CHARACTER OF CHRIST AND THUS BE THE CHOSEN OF GOD?  MAKE THE CHANGES NECESSARY TO BE WHAT GOD WANTS TODAY!