THE LIVING WORD TRANSCRIPT     <br><br>     

PROGRAM AIR DATE: 5-20-18    <br><br>     

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LESSON TITLE: “WE HAVE BECOME PARTAKERS OF SPIRITUAL THINGS”    <br><br>     

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WELCOME    <br><br>     

      TODAY WE ARE BLESSED WITH A WONDERFUL GIFT FROM GOD, THE BIBLE. THIS BOOK IS GOD'S LIVING WORD. IN ITS PAGES, WE ARE TOLD “FOR THE WORD OF GOD IS LIVING AND POWERFUL AND SHARPER THAN ANY TWO-EDGED SWORD.” IT IS IN THIS BOOK OF BOOKS THAT WE FIND THE ANSWERS TO ALL OF MAN'S QUESTIONS AND NEEDS. THIS MORNING YOUR AREA CHURCHES OF CHRIST WELCOME YOU TO A PROGRAM COMMITTED TO THAT PERFECT LAW OF LIBERTY AS WE PRESENT THE LIVING WORD. NOW HERE IS YOUR HOST, RAY SULLINS.    <br><br>     

      WHAT A PRIVILEGE WE HAVE THIS MORNING TO JOIN TOGETHER IN THE STUDY OF GOD’S LIVING WORD. WE WELCOME YOU TO OUR PROGRAM AND WE THANK GOD THAT YOU HAVE CHOSEN TO BE WITH US TODAY. WE ARE EXCITED ABOUT THIS OPPORTUNITY WE HAVE TOGETHER THIS MORNING TO GLORIFY OUR CREATOR. MAY WE EACH DO OUR PART TO MAKE THIS TIME ACCEPTABLE IN HIS SIGHT AND ACCORDING TO HIS WILL. NOW, LET’S APPROACH OUR FATHER’S THRONE IN PRAYER.    <br><br>     

      PRAYER: OUR GOD AND FATHER IN HEAVEN, WE THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THIS DAY AND EVERY DAY OF LIFE, THE PRIVILEGE THAT WE HAVE TO LIVE AND TO MOVE ABOUT THIS EARTH. AND FATHER, WE KNOW THAT ALL THINGS COME FROM YOU AND WE THANK YOU FOR ALL OF OUR PHYSICAL AND ALL OF OUR SPIRITUAL BLESSINGS. FATHER, WE ALSO KNOW THESE THINGS ARE ONLY BECAUSE OF AND THROUGH JESUS CHRIST OUR LORD. AND WE THANK YOU FOR HIS GREAT SACRIFICE, AS WELL AS HIS DEATH, BURIAL, AND RESURRECTION. AND FATHER, HELP US TODAY TO ALWAYS DO THOSE THINGS THAT ARE FITTING AND PROPER AND PLEASING ACCORDING TO YOUR PERFECT WORD: THE BIBLE. IN JESUS NAME WE PRAY, AMEN.     <br><br>     

      THIS MORNING WE WANT TO START OUR SONGS OF PRAISE WITH A HYMN THAT REMINDS US THAT OUR GOD IS THE GREAT REDEEMER.  SO, WON’T YOU JOIN IN WITH THE CONGREGATION AT THIS TIME AS WE TOGETHER SING, “BLESSED REDEEMER!”    <br><br>     

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DEVOTIONAL THOUGHTS    <br><br>     

      HOW MANY TIMES HAVE WE SAID SOMETHING WE REGRETTED? WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU SAID SOMETHING YOU WISH YOU COULD TAKE BACK? WORDS ARE SO VERY IMPORTANT! HOWEVER WE OFTEN THROW WORDS AROUND AND SAY THINGS THAT REALLY AREN’T WORTH REPEATING. HEAR THE WORDS OF THE WISE MAN SOLOMON IN PROVERBS 25:11, THERE WE READ, “A WORD FITLY SPOKEN IS LIKE APPLES OF GOLD IN SETTINGS OF SILVER.” YOU SEE, GOOD WORDS CAN DO SO MUCH GOOD AND CAN ACCOMPLISH SO MUCH, BECAUSE THEY ENCOURAGE AND EDIFY THE HEARER.     <br><br>     

      IN FACT, NOTICE WHAT PAUL SAID TO THE CHURCH AT EPHESUS, “LET NO CORRUPT WORD PROCEED OUT OF YOUR MOUTH, BUT WHAT IS GOOD FOR NECESSARY EDIFICATION, THAT IT MAY IMPART GRACE TO THE HEARERS.” EPHESIANS 4:29. THERE WE FIND IT AGAIN. OUR COMMUNICATION SHOULD ONLY BENEFIT THOSE WHO HEAR IT. MAKING THEM BETTER PEOPLE, ENCOURAGING THEM TO BE MORE CHRIST-LIKE. ALSO NOTICE THAT THE IDEA OF UNDESERVED FAVOR IS MENTIONED IN THIS VERSE. WE SAY THAT WHICH IS GOOD AND RIGHT, NO MATTER WHO WE ARE TALKING TO, WHETHER THEY DESERVE IT OR NOT!     <br><br>     

      THERE IS A FINAL REASON WHY OUR WORDS ARE SO IMPORTANT. READ WITH ME THE WORDS OF JESUS FOUND IN MATTHEW 12:37, THERE HE SAID, “FOR BY YOUR WORDS YOU WILL BE JUSTIFIED, AND BY YOUR WORDS YOU WILL BE CONDEMNED.” ALSO LOOK BACK IN VERSE 36, WHERE HE SAID, “BUT I SAY TO YOU THAT FOR EVERY IDLE WORD MEN MAY SPEAK, THEY WILL GIVE ACCOUNT OF IT IN THE DAY OF JUDGMENT.” THERE YOU HAVE IT. OUR WORDS ARE OF THE UTMOST IMPORTANT BECAUSE BY THEM WE WILL BE JUDGED IN THE LAST DAY. EITHER FOUND JUSTIFIED BEFORE OUR GOD FOR THE GOOD WE SAY, OR CONDEMNED BY GOD BECAUSE WE HAVE MISUSED OUR WORDS.     <br><br>     

      THINK ABOUT OUR FRUITS THIS MORNING.  ISN’T THAT HOW PEOPLE KNOW WHAT WE ARE ALL ABOUT? AGAIN BACK TO OUR TEXT IN MATTHEW 12, BACK IN VERSE 35, JESUS PREFACED THESE PRIOR COMMENTS BY SAYING, “A GOOD MAN OUT OF THE GOOD TREASURE OF HIS HEART BRINGS FORTH GOOD THINGS, AND AN EVIL MAN OUT OF THE EVIL TREASURE BRINGS FORTH EVIL THINGS.” AS WE STATED IN THE BEGINNING, PEOPLE WILL EITHER KNOW WE ARE OF GOD OR NOT BY WHAT WE DO AND SAY. AGAIN, NOT FORGETTING THAT OUR WORDS WILL EITHER PROVE US ACCEPTABLE BEFORE GOD OR CONDEMNED. ARE YOU USING THE PROPER TYPE OF COMMUNICATION IN YOUR DAILY LIFE THAT WHICH IS TO THE GLORY OF GOD?      <br><br>          

      TODAY WE WILL AGAIN STUDY GOD’S WORD BY FOCUSING ON OUR SERIES ENTITLED, “WE HAVE BECOME PARTAKERS OF!” THIS MORNING OUR SPECIFIC TOPIC OF STUDY WILL DEAL WITH “SPIRITUAL THINGS!” SO STAY WITH US AND AFTER OUR NEXT SONG I WILL RETURN WITH THIS LESSON FROM GOD’S WORD. IT’S NOW TIME TO JOIN IN OUR SECOND HYMN OF THE MORNING, THE NAME OF THE SONG, “UNTO THEE O LORD.”

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      LESSON    <br><br>     

      RAY SULLINS    <br><br>     

      THANK YOU FOR CONTINUING WITH US TODAY AND AS WE GO TO GOD'S WORD WE CONSIDER THE LAST LESSON IN THE SERIES THAT WE HAVE BEEN LOOKING AT TOGETHER IN RELATIONSHIP TO THOSE THINGS THAT WE ARE PARTAKERS OF. AND SPECIFICALLY TODAY WE'LL TAKE OUR THOUGHTS FROM ROMANS CHAPTER 15 THERE AROUND VERSE 27 WHERE WE READ THIS, “IT PLEASED THEM INDEED, AND THEY ARE THEIR DEBTORS. FOR IF THE GENTILES HAVE BEEN PARTAKERS OF THEIR SPIRITUAL THINGS, THEIR DUTY IS ALSO TO MINISTER TO THEM IN MATERIAL THINGS.” YOU NOTICE HERE THE CERTAIN IDEA THAT WE'VE BEEN CONSIDERING TOGETHER THAT THEY BECAME PARTAKERS OF THEIR SPIRITUAL THINGS. WHAT EXACTLY WAS IT THAT PAUL WAS SAYING TO THE ROMAN CHURCH HERE AS HE WAS ADDRESSING THEM AND STATING THE FACT THAT I HOPE TO COME TO YOU AND TO BE AROUND YOU AND HAVE OPPORTUNITY TO CERTAINLY SHOW THE POWER OF GOD BEFORE YOU? WHAT WAS BEING DEALT WITH? LET'S BACK UP IN THE CONTEXT AND THEN SEE WHAT HE'S DEALING WITH HERE.     <br><br>     

      LET'S BEGIN THERE IN VERSE 22, “FOR THIS REASON I ALSO HAVE BEEN MUCH HINDERED FROM COMING TO YOU. BUT NOW NO LONGER HAVING A PLACE IN THESE PARTS, AND HAVING A GREAT DESIRE THESE MANY YEARS TO COME TO YOU, WHENEVER I JOURNEY TO SPAIN, I SHALL COME TO YOU. FOR I HOPE TO SEE YOU ON MY JOURNEY, AND TO BE HELPED ON MY WAY THERE BY YOU, AT FIRST I MAY ENJOY YOUR COMPANY FOR A WHILE. BUT NOW I'M GOING TO JERUSALEM TO MINISTER TO THE SAINTS.” SO PAUL SAYS I LONG TO COME TO YOU AND I WANT TO BE HELPED BY YOU AND ENJOY YOUR COMPANY AND SPEND SOME TIME WITH YOU AND GROW TOGETHER IN THE THINGS OF CHRIST AND ENCOURAGE ONE ANOTHER. BUT HE SAID RIGHT NOW I'M ON MY WAY TO JERUSALEM. AND IN CONNECTION TO JERUSALEM, WE KNOW THAT CERTAINLY PAUL TRAVELED THERE SEVERAL TIMES AND THIS WOULD'VE BEEN BEFORE HE ACTUALLY ENDS UP BEING TAKEN TO ROME BUT WE KNOW THAT HE WAS GOING THERE FROM TIME TO TIME ACTUALLY TAKING GIFTS TO JUDEA TO HELP BECAUSE OF DIFFERENT MAYBE FINANCIAL ISSUES OR PROBLEMS OF THE BRETHREN IN JUDEA BECAUSE THEY WERE POOR AND THEY WERE STRUGGLING TO MAYBE HAVE THE THINGS IN LIFE THAT THEY NEEDED TO SIMPLY MAKE DUE AND TO HAVE THE FOOD IN THE DAILY SUBSTANCE THAT THEY HAD NEED OF. AND SO NOTICE WHAT HE THEN SAYS AFTER HE SAYS I'M ABOUT TO HEAD TO JERUSALEM. HE SAYS THIS IN VERSE 26, “FOR IT PLEASED DO THOSE FROM MACEDONIA AND ACADIA TO MAKE A CERTAIN CONTRIBUTION FOR THE POOR AMONG THE SAINTS WHO ARE IN JERUSALEM. IT PLEASED THEM INDEED, AND THEY ARE THEIR DEBTORS. FOR IF THE GENTILES HAVE BEEN PARTAKERS OF THEIR SPIRITUAL THINGS, THEIR DUTY IS ALSO TO MINISTER TO THEM IN MATERIAL THINGS.”     <br><br>     

      HOW INTERESTING! WHEN HE TALKS ABOUT THE IDEA OF JERUSALEM AND JUDEA AND CERTAINLY THE FOUNDATION OF THE CHURCH AND GOD'S PEOPLE, THE JEWS WERE THERE AND MANY OF THE JEWS NOW HAVE BEGUN TO BECOME CHRISTIANS. BUT NOW THROUGH THE CHURCH AND THE BLOOD OF JESUS, THE CHURCH WAS SOMETHING THAT WAS SOMETHING FOR ALL NATIONS AND ALL PEOPLES. AND SO HOW SIGNIFICANT THAT IT SAYS THAT THOSE IN OTHER PARTS OF THE WORLD LIKE MACEDONIA, LIKE ACHAIA, EVEN THE GREEKS WERE INTERESTED IN THE NEEDS OF THE JEWISH BRETHREN, THOSE FROM THE AREA OF JUDEA OR JERUSALEM, AND THEY WERE SO INTERESTED THEY WERE WILLING AS THIS CHURCH WOULD'VE BEEN NO DOUBT ENCOURAGED TO THINK ABOUT THOSE NEEDS AND TO HELP.     <br><br>     

      SO THESE CHURCHES THERE IN MACEDONIA HAD CONTRIBUTED TO THE NEEDS OF THOSE SAINTS IN JERUSALEM. THEY WERE READY TO HELP AND THERE ARE A FEW WORDS THAT REALLY STAND OUT THERE WHY AS TO WHY THEY DID IT. NOTICE THERE THAT IT SAYS IN VERSE NUMBER 27 BECAUSE THEY FELT THEY WERE DEBTORS. THE IDEA OF BEING A DEBTOR HERE IS THE IDEA OF ONE WHO FEELS AN OBLIGATION TOWARD OR OWES. WELL, THESE PEOPLE ARE LOCATED OR THEY LIVE WHERE THE CHURCH BEGAN. THEY ARE A FROM THE VERY AREA WHERE THE CITY OF DAVID IS AND THE KINGDOM OF GOD REALLY FOUNDED ITSELF EVEN UNDER JUDAISM. AND MANY OF THESE INDIVIDUALS CERTAINLY WERE TRUE TO GOD LONG BEFORE WE OR OUR PEOPLE WERE TRUE TO GOD. SO THEREFORE, WE ARE INDEBTED TO THEM FOR THEIR FAITH OF THE PAST AND NOW THEIR FAITH IN JESUS AND WE WANT TO HELP OUR BRETHREN WHETHER THEY BE JEW OR GENTILE ALIKE. AND THEN HE SAYS HERE SPECIFICALLY ANOTHER WORD THAT'S INTERESTING AND THEREFORE HE SAYS WE WANT TO MINISTER TO THEM. AND THAT IDEA OF MINISTERING IS THE IDEA OF SERVING TO ACTUALLY PERFORM A SERVICE OR TO ACCOMPLISH SOME WORK FOR ANOTHER. AND SO HE SAYS WE FEEL INDEBTED OR THEY FEEL RATHER INDEBTED TO THOSE WHO LIVE IN JERUSALEM AND THEY WANTED TO SERVE AND SO WHAT DID THEY DO? IT SAYS THAT THEY GAVE A CONTRIBUTION, VERSE 26.     <br><br>     

      NOW SPECIFICALLY NOTICE THE TWO THINGS THAT HE SAYS THAT THEY WERE INTERESTED IN. HE SAYS IN THE WAY THAT THEY HAVE BECOME A DEBTOR AND PARTAKING OF THEIR SPIRITUAL THINGS. IN OTHER WORDS, THEY TOOK OF THE TRUTH OF GOD'S WORD AND BECAME A PART WITH THEM IN SPIRITUAL THINGS AS THE FAITHFUL. HE SAID THAT WASN'T ENOUGH, THEY UNDERSTOOD AS WELL THEIR THEN DUTY THAT THEY MINISTER TO THEM IN MATERIAL THINGS. YOU KNOW, THAT'S A BEAUTIFUL CONCEPT THAT I'M AFRAID SOMETIMES THOSE OF THE RELIGIOUS WORLD DO NOT UNDERSTAND. MANY RELIGIONS THAT REALLY DON'T PRACTICE THE SPIRIT OF BENEVOLENCE OR CARE! THEY WILL WITH THEIR OWN, THEY WILL WITH PEOPLE THAT THEY LIKE OR THAT THEY KNOW OR WHO YOU BELIEVE, AND CERTAINLY THAT IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE WE ARE TO TAKE CARE OF OUR OWN AND THOSE WHO ARE BRETHREN, EVEN AS IT HAS BEEN INDICATED IN THIS TEXT, BUT DID NOT JESUS SAY THROUGH THE HOLY SPIRIT THERE IN GALATIANS CHAPTER 6 VERSE 10, IT SAYS THAT WE ARE TO DO GOOD TO THE HOUSEHOLD OF FAITH ESPECIALLY BUT TO ALL MEN WE ARE TO DO GOOD? WHEN WE SEE MEN HUNGRY AND SUFFERING OR NEEDING CLOTHING, THOSE BASIC THINGS OF LIFE, ARE WE SUPPOSED TO DO GOOD TO ALL MEN? CERTAINLY THAT IS THE CASE.     <br><br>     

      AND SO WHAT A GREAT LESSON HERE THAT NOW THE GENTILES THOUGH, MAYBE FROM BACKGROUNDS THAT WEREN'T AS MAYBE AS INTERESTED IN OTHER NATIONS OR OTHER PEOPLES OR WOULD'T HAVE BEEN MAYBE AS CARING TO SOME OF THE KINGDOMS AROUND THE WORLD ESPECIALLY NOW THAT ROME IS IN CONTROL AND THEY HAD CONQUERED SO MANY OF THESE KINGDOMS, BUT WHAT IS THEIR ATTITUDE TO THESE CHRISTIANS FROM GREECE? THEIR ATTITUDE IS WE WANT TO HELP OUR BRETHERN. AS WE HAVE SHARED WITH THEM IN SPIRITUAL THINGS, WE ALSO FEEL A DUTY TO SHARE WITH THEM IN MATERIAL THINGS. AND HOPEFULLY AS CHRISTIANS WE CAN UNDERSTAND THAT AS WELL.     <br><br>     

      THIS IS REALLY SOMETHING THAT IS THROUGHOUT THE BIBLE AND IF YOU'LL GO AHEAD AND BEGIN TO TURN TO THE BOOK OF SECOND CORINTHIANS WE'RE GOING TO LOOK THERE AT ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF SECOND CORINTHIANS CHAPTER 8. BUT AS YOU TURN, THERE I WANT TO REMIND YOU THAT UNDER THE OLD LAW  BENEVOLENCE WAS KING. IT WAS A REQUIREMENT. THAT PEOPLE WERE REQUIRED TO HELP THEIR BRETHREN, TO TAKE CARE OF THEIR BRETHREN, EVEN FORGIVE THEIR BRETHREN, AND MAYBE NOT CHARGE INTEREST TO THEIR BRETHERN. THERE WERE A LOT OF LAWS IN CONNECTION TO THE BRETHREN BUT ALSO THE STRANGER, THE SOJOURNER. I'M ALWAYS REMINDED THERE OF LOT WHEN THOSE STRANGERS CAME TO THE CITY THERE. WHAT DID LOT DO? HE INVITED THEM TO HIS HOME. WHY? BECAUSE THAT WAS A PART OF WHAT PEOPLE WHO LOVED GOD DID. PEOPLE WHO LOVED GOD AND THEREFORE THEY LOVED THEIR FELLOW MAN, NOT ONLY THOSE WHO ARE JEWS OR WHO AGREED WITH THEM RELIGIOUSLY, BUT HE WAS INTERESTED IN THE SOULS OF THOSE WHO HAD NEEDS, WHO HAD NOT YET BECOME PARTAKERS OF THE THINGS OF GOD. AND BRETHERN, WE HAVE TO HAVE THAT SAME SPIRIT!     <br><br>     

      AND NO DOUBT THE CORINTHIANS, LIKE THE ROMANS, ARE BEING TOLD A VERY SIMILAR THING ABOUT THIS IDEA THAT WE HAVE JUST LOOKED AT OF THEIR NEED TO CONSIDER AS OTHERS HAVE, THE BRETHREN IN JUDEA AND THE NEED THAT THEY HAVE. LOOK WITH ME THERE SPECIFICALLY WITH ME THEN IN CHAPTER 8. AND REALLY, IF YOU MIGHT HAVE TIME LATER, I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU TO READ CHAPTER 8 AND CHAPTER 9. ALL OF IT. BUT THERE ARE A FEW THINGS I MIGHT ASK YOU TO CONSIDER WITH ME BRIEFLY FROM THIS TEXT AS WE LOOK AT IT TOGETHER. HE FIRST OF ALL BEGINS THERE AFTER TALKING ABOUT THE GREAT AFFLICTIONS AND THE PROBLEMS THAT MANY HAVE SUFFERED THROUGHOUT THE WORLD AND HE BEGINS TO TALK ABOUT A GIFT IN VERSE FOUR. HE SAYS THERE, “IMPLORING US WITH MUCH URGENCY THAT WE SHOULD RECEIVE THE GIFT AND THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE MINISTERING TO THE SAINTS.” YOU SEE, INDIVIDUALS THAT HAD AN ABILITY LOOK OUTSIDE OF THEMSELVES, THEIR OWN NEEDS, THEIR OWN WANTS, THEIR OWN DESIRES, THEIR OWN FLESHLY THOUGHTS AND TO CONSIDER WHAT OTHERS HAD NEED OF. AND SO THEN WE GO ON DOWN THROUGH THE TEXT AND IT SAYS THAT'S THE WAY THAT CHRIST WAS. CHRIST WAS INTERESTED IN SUCH THINGS. AND THEN IN VERSE 19, WE'RE STILL IN SECOND CORINTHIANS 8 BUT IN VERSE 19 NOTICE WHAT HE SAYS, “AND NOT ONLY THAT, BUT WHO WAS ALSO CHOSEN BY THE CHURCHES TO TRAVEL WITH US WITH THIS GIFT, WHICH IS ADMINISTERED BY US TO THE GLORY OF THE LORD HIMSELF TO SHOW YOUR READY MIND.” AND THEN IF YOU'LL THINK AGAIN THE IDEA OF HOW A COLLECTION WAS BEING TAKEN UP TO HELP SAINTS IN OTHER PLACES, SPECIFICALLY HERE IN JUDEA WHO WERE STRUGGLING. WHO WERE SUFFERING, WHO WERE PERSECUTED, WHO DIDN'T HAVE MANY OF THE BASIC NECESSITIES OF LIFE! AND WHAT WAS IT THAT MANY OTHERS, AS WE'VE ALREADY SEEN IN MACEDONIA OR THE GREEKS, WERE WILLING TO DO? THEY WERE WILLING TO HELP THEIR BRETHREN. WHAT WAS IT THE ROMANS WERE BEING ENCOURAGED TO DO? THE VERY SAME THING! WHAT WAS IT THAT WE LEARN HERE? THAT THEY WERE DOING WHAT THEY SHOULD TO TAKE THIS LAVISH GIFT. MAN, THEY HAD REALLY GIVEN WELL AND PEOPLE REALLY WERE SHOWING THEIR LOVE TO HELP THE BRETHREN THERE IN JUDEA.     <br><br>     

      BUT NOW IF YOU'LL GO TO CHAPTER 9 THAT'S WHERE WE REALLY BEGIN TO SEE WHAT TAKES PLACE BECAUSE IT SAYS, CONCERNING THE SAINTS THERE, HE SAYS, IT IS SUPERFLUOUS FOR ME TO WRITE THERE TO YOU ABOUT THESE THINGS. BUT THEN HE SAYS THIS. ‘I KNOW YOUR WILLINGNESS, AND THEREFORE I BOAST OF YOU THAT THE MACEDONIANS AND THE ACAIANS EVEN A YEAR AGO HAVE ALREADY SHOWN THEIR ZEAL.’ HE SAYS ‘OTHER CHURCHES HAVE ALREADY DONE IT AND I KNOW YOUR SPIRIT. I KNOW YOUR ATTITUDE.’ CORINTH WAS A GREAT CITY, A BIG CITY, AND THESE PEOPLE WOULD'VE MOST LIKELY HAD MORE MONEY, THEY WOULD HAVE HAD A GREATER ABILITY TO HELP THE JUDEAN SAINTS. AND SO HE IS SAYING ‘I KNOW THAT YOU'RE ABLE. I KNOW YOU'RE WILLING. AND THEREFORE WE SENT TO TELL YOU ABOUT THIS NEED.’ AND THEN IN VERSE FOUR IT SAYS TO REMIND YOU THAT WE HAVE HAD TOLD ABOUT YOUR GREAT CARE, YOUR WILLINGNESS TO HELP OTHERS. AND THEREFORE HE SAYS WE HAVE SENT THIS BOOK BEFOREHAND THAT YOU MIGHT PREPARE AND MAKE READY FOR THIS GIFT. NOW THAT'S WITHIN THE BEAUTIFUL PASSAGE THAT IS VERY FAMILIAR TO ALL OF US IN SECOND CORINTHIANS 9 VERSE SIX WHEN IT SAYS, “BUT THIS I SAY: HE WHO SOWS SPARINGLY, WILL ALSO REAP SPARINGLY, HE WHO SOWS BOUNTIFULLY WILL ALSO REAP BOUNTIFULLY. SO LET EACH ONE GIVE AS HE IS PURPOSED IN HIS OWN HEART, NOT GRUDGINGLY OR A NECESSITY; FOR GOD LOVES…” WHAT? “A CHEERFUL GIVER.” SO HE IS SAYING YOU BE READY TO GIVE. YOUR BRETHREN NEED HELP! OTHERS HAVE GIVEN. THE ROMANS HAVE BEEN ENCOURAGED TO GIVE. THE GREEKS HAVE ALREADY GIVEN AND NOW YOU'RE GIVERS, YOU'RE WILLING TO HELP SO YOU BE READY TO GIVE. AND GIVE IN A WAY THAT'S NOT GRUDGING BUT IS FROM THE HEART, THAT REALLY HELPS, THAT IS LAVISH AS HE'S ALREADY MENTIONED HERE. YOU SEE WHAT IT MEANS TO BE A GOOD GIVER? AND WE ARE TALKING ABOUT MONETARY GIVING IN RELATIONSHIP TO SPECIFIC PHYSICAL NEEDS. BUT CERTAINLY THIS IS APPLIED IN THE IDEA OF EVERY WAY WE MIGHT GIVE TO OTHERS IN SHOWING LOVE AND IN HELPING AND SHOWING COMPASSION AND CARE AND BE WILLING TO LISTEN AND SO ON AND SO FORTH. EVEN THE IDEA BEING THOSE WHO HAVE FRIENDS OR SHOWING OURSELF FRIENDLY THAT WE MIGHT BE AN ENCOURAGEMENT TO OTHERS.     <br><br>     

      BUT THEN FINALLY I WANT YOU TO NOTICE WITH ME IN VERSE 8 THE RESULTS OF SUCH TYPE OF GIVING. WHEN WE ARE INDIVIDUALS WHO SHARE IN THE SPIRITUAL THINGS AND THEREFORE INTERESTED ALSO IN THE PHYSICAL THINGS THAT OUR BRETHREN DEAL WITH AND SUFFER. WHAT DOES HE SAY IN VERSE 8? “AND GOD IS ABLE TO MAKE ALL GRACE ABOUND TOWARD YOU, THAT YOU, ALWAYS HAVE ALL SUFFICIENCY IN ALL THINGS, MAY HAVE AN ABUNDANCE FOR EVERY GOOD WORK.” WHAT IS GOD ABLE TO DO? BOY! HE IS ABLE TO TAKE YOU AND BLESS YOU EVEN MORE AND MORE AND MORE WHEN HE SEES YOUR FAITH, WHEN HE SEES YOUR COMMITMENT HE'S ABLE TO DO THAT. AND CERTAINLY THEN WHAT IS THE CHURCH ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH? WHAT IT DID FROM THE VERY BEGINNING IN ACTS CHAPTER 2. THEY HAD ALL THINGS IN COMMON. THEY WERE INTERESTED IN TAKING CARE OF THE NEEDS OF THEIR BROTHERS AND SISTERS. ISN'T THAT WHAT PAUL FOUND FROM THE PHILIPPIAN CHURCH? THE BOOK OF PHILIPPIANS IS A BEAUTIFUL BOOK THAT CONTINUES THERE IN CHAPTER 4 TO SHOW HOW THANKFUL HE WAS THAT THE CHURCH AT PHILIPPI HAD HELPED HIM TIME AND TIME AGAIN WITH HIS PHYSICAL NEEDS. SO THEY WERE INTERESTED IN SPIRITUAL THINGS AND THEY HAD LEARNED SPIRITUALLY FROM PAUL AND THEY KNOW DOUBT HAD ENCOURAGED PAUL SPIRITUALLY BUT THEY ALSO WERE WILLING TO HELP PHYSICALLY, MATERIALLY.     <br><br>     

      SO LET'S BE A PEOPLE WHO SHOWS CHRIST IN SPIRITUAL THINGS IN TEACHING THE TRUTH! BUT LET'S ALSO BE A PEOPLE WHO SHOWS FORTH CHRIST IN MATERIAL THINGS AND SHOWING PEOPLE HOW MUCH WE LOVE THEM BECAUSE WE ARE CONCERNED ABOUT THEIR IMMEDIATE NEEDS. AND IN HELPING TO MEET THOSE NEEDS MAY THEY KNOW GOD! AND IN KNOWING GOD MAY THEY HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY OF ETERNAL LIFE AS ALL THE FAITHFUL DO OF THIS WORLD!    <br><br>     

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CLOSING COMMENTS    <br><br>     

      LET ME THANK YOU AGAIN FOR CHOOSING TO BE WITH US TODAY FOR THE LIVING WORD PROGRAM. I HOPE AND TRUST THAT TOGETHER WE HAVE ALL BENEFITED FROM THIS SERVICE TO OUR LORD. LET ME ALSO INVITE YOU TO JOIN US EVERY LORD’S DAY MORNING AT 7:30 AS WE GIVE THIS TIME TO OUR CREATOR.    <br><br>     

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

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      PRAISE BE TO GOD FOR ALL OF THE BLESSINGS WHICH HE GIVES THE FAITHFUL. WE HAVE CERTAINLY RECEIVED GREAT SPIRITUAL THINGS FROM GOD AND WE ALWAYS WILL AS LONG AS WE STRIVE TO PUT HIM FIRST IN ALL THINGS. THANKS BE TO GOD FOR HIS WONDROUS SPIRITUAL BLESSINGS!    <br><br>