781 Salem Road, Rossville, GA 30741

www.rossvillechurch.com

1March 13, 2011

Come as you are; we will be glad to see you.

Romans 12 1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living living sacrificesacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.reasonable service. 2 And be not conformedbe not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed transformed by the renewing of your mindmind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, Will of God. 3 For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberlythink soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.

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4 For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office: 5 So we, being many, are one bodyare one body in Christ, and every one every one members one of anothermembers one of another.

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Each member is just as needfulas needful and importantimportant as anyas any and everyevery other member.

Rich or poor, fast or slow, book smart or smart in practical things, eloquent or shy,

pretty or homely, man or woman, black, brown, or white -- we are allwe are all needful and important.

"And every one members one of another"

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"No man is an island, entire of itself."John Donne, Meditation XVII

English clergyman & poet (1572 - 1631)

I am not completenot complete without the love and fellowship of my brothers and sisters in Christ.

We need the love of Jesuslove of Jesus, as manifested through the saints.

We need the gifts and talentsgifts and talents of each one.

6a Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us,

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Our gifts and talents are differenare different, but all are needfulneedful to the cause of Jesus Christ.

In a local assemblylocal assembly of believers, eacheach child of God is an essential partessential part of that group.

6b whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith;

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To speak a message from Godmessage from God is to prophesy:

Whatever GodGod is saying to the people.

But understand that there are no messages from from GodGod that are contrary to His Word.

Any book, any message, any revelation that is differentdifferent from the Bible,

Is not from GodGod; it is from SatanSatan.

7a Or ministry, let us wait on our ministering:

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Some people think of being in the ministryin the ministry as a loftylofty or prestigiousprestigious office;

Nothing could be further from the truth.

To minister is to serveserve -- nothing more nor less.

There are many ways to serve the Lord.

Jesus said that to serve the leastthe least of His isis to serve Him.

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It's all about mindsetIt's all about mindset::Do we see ourselves as ones to be servedbe served,

or as servantsservants of others?

Do you want to be helpedbe helped or to be a helpbe a help?

7b or he that teacheth, on teaching;

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Before anyone can teachcan teach the Word of God, he must first befirst be taught by God's Holy Spirit.

He must prayerfully studyprayerfully study the Scriptures, and not just books aboutabout the Scriptures.

He must be calledcalled by God and anointedanointed by the Holy Spirit to teach God's Word.

James 3:1 (NIV) Not many of you should presume to be teachers, my brothers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly.

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A teacher or preacher must be certainbe certain that his message is from God.

If we teachteach others and teach them wrongwrong,

We are in troublein trouble with God.

8a Or he that exhorteth, on exhortation:

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To give comfort, we must firstmust first be comforted.

To encourageencourage, we must first be encouraged.

8b he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity;

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Simplicity = sincerity and generosity

We give because we lovelove and wantwant to give.

When we sincerely lovesincerely love, we give generously.

We give what GodGod has first given first given usus.

To give with simplicity also means that we give expecting nothing in return;

(Without dissimulation or self-seeking) {Strong's}

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There is blessingis blessing for giving, but we do notdo not give to receive the blessing.

Love is not self-seeking.1 Corinthians 13:5

Proverbs 3 9-10 Honor the Lord with thy substance, and with the first-fruitsfirst-fruits of all thine increase: So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new wine.

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God wants us to be assuredbe assured that we will notwill not suffer need for our generosity.

But a self-seekingself-seeking mindset and generositygenerosity can not co-existcan not co-exist.

Give with a grateful heartgrateful heart for God's blessings.

Luke 6 38 Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.

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When we give freelyfreely and generouslygenerously, we will receivereceive freely and generously;

Then we have even more abilitymore ability to give.

8c he that ruleth, with diligence;

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Ruleth means "to stand before".Strong's Greek Dictionary

Diligence = carefully eager and earnest. Strong's Greek Dictionary

Leadership carries with it responsibilityresponsibility:

To lead in the rightright direction,

To motivatemotivate,

Especially to set a right exampleexample of eagerness to serveserve the Lord and an earnest desiredesire to do good.

We are all leading somebody.

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8d he that sheweth mercy, with cheerfulness.

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Grudging mercy is nono mercy at all.Psalms 86 15 But thou, O Lord, art a God full of compassion, and gracious, longsuffering, and plenteousplenteous in mercy and truth.

Mercy desires no vengeanceno vengeance, doesn't require penancepenance, doesn't want to rub saltrub salt in a wound.

Mercy Mercy freelyfreely forgives, as though forgives, as though no wrongno wrong has been done. has been done.

Do you see how God is teachingteaching us that we areare allall members one of another.

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There is no big II and little you.

All natural abilitiesnatural abilities and spiritual giftsspiritual gifts come from God to be usedbe used in His service.