Two women sitting on a couch, holding and comforting each other while crying.
Bible, Companions, Crying, Fellowship, Rejoicing, Romans, Scripture

BE APPROPRIATE

ROMANS 12:15

“Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep.”

I have been weeping the past couple of weeks with a dear brother who lost his older brother and was unable to attend the funeral in another country due to the violence around his home village. We cried and prayed together a lot. He and I have also had times of rejoicing over a new discipleship group getting launched in a church or over a new believer in Christ. He knows I will rejoice and weep with him.

Why do you think Paul puts these two directives together? Do people really have to be reminded to be appropriate with their emotions toward others? I guess so. Nothing has changed since Paul’s writing these words to the Romans. People can still be very inappropriate in their expression of emotions toward others. Rejoice when it’s time and weep when it’s time.

APPLICATION

Paul uses the same word for “rejoice” as he did back in verse 12 when we are told to rejoice in hope. I don’t need to go over that word again, do I? Go back in this blog site and read that again, if necessary. Let me point out the little preposition there. It’s the Greek word meta which really points to the after effect of the activity. That’s important to what Paul is saying. The rejoicing is done with the after effect in mind.

The same preposition is used when Paul writes “weep with those who weep.” It’s more about the after effect of the weeping you do with someone. The friend I mentioned earlier has become a dearer brother because of my weeping with him. This weeping really means to wail aloud, to really cry out loud. It’s not the quiet crying. Do not be afraid to let your cries be heard.

Rejoice or weep – which do you prefer? I think we would all prefer rejoicing, right? But there is a time and place for both. I am reminded of Ecclesiastes 3:4 where it says, “A time to weep and a time to laugh; a time to mourn and a time to dance.” Whatever you are called on to do, do it with a pure motive for the benefit of the one you are joining.

Thank You, God, for friends who will rejoice and weep with me when I need them.

If the Lord should lead you to support our ministry, check out our ministry page at Trans World Radio (www.twr.org/carl-willis). 

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Woman kneeling at a prayer bench with eyes closed; man in military uniform seated behind her
Bible, Blessing, Commands, Curses, Persecution, Romans, Scripture

A TOUGH ONE

ROMANS 12:14

“Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse.”

You may have said to someone at some time, “Payback is h_ll!” You meant you would get even with them for something they did to you. Not me, Carl, I would never act that way. Yea right, and I’ve got some beachfront property for sale in Kansas. Lol. You may have not said those exact words, but like most of us, you probably had that thought. Paul addresses this in verse 14.

Personally, I think Paul has just started meddling. Can I get an “Amen”? Who, in their right mind is going to bless people who persecute them? How about Jesus? Isn’t that exactly what he did? And Paul lived this out as well. In his list of sufferings in 2 Corinthians 11:23-28, he writes these words in verses 23-25, “23 in far more imprisonments, beaten times without number, often in danger of death. 24 Five times I received from the Jews thirty-nine lashes. 25 Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned,” I am willing to bet Paul prayed for those who were persecuting him.

APPLICATION

Let’s be honest. Most of us have never experienced real persecution. If you have, I would love to hear your story and how you dealt with it. The worst persecution I have ever faced was someone calling me a bad name or shunning me for my beliefs. Paul was talking about aggressive persecution. In fact, the word Paul uses here is the same word he had just used in verse 13 which is translated “practicing.” (look back at yesterday’s devotional blog post to read more on this word). The point is, these people have made it a habit to persecute you. This is not a one-time thing. It’s ongoing.

And what does the Holy Spirit inspire Paul to write? He says for us to bless those people, “bless and do not curse.” What?! Bless them? And Paul writes this not once but twice. And he puts it in the Present Imperative Active. That means it’s a command that you follow consistently. Every time you think of this person(s) who is(are) persecuting you, bless them. The word means to speak well of. So, it’s not just a quick prayer of blessing on them. That means if you are asked about them, you speak well of them.

I don’t know about you, but that’s hard. It is not something I can do on my own. I know my flesh, and my flesh wants to retaliate, to get back at them. Jesus tells us to bless them in Luke 6:27-28. “‘27 But I say to you who hear, love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, 28 bless those who curse you, pray for those who are abusive to you.’” And if Jesus said to do this, He will enable you to do just that.

Lord, I know my heart is wicked above all men so blessing those who persecute me cannot happen unless You do it through me.

If the Lord should lead you to support our ministry, check out our ministry page at Trans World Radio (www.twr.org/carl-willis). 

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Bible, Giving, Hospitality, Needs, Pursue, Romans, Scripture

DO UNTO OTHERS

ROMANS 12:13

“contributing to the needs of the saints, practicing hospitality.”

I am so thankful for the supporters of our ministry with Every Man A Warrior. These supporters, some monthly, some annually and some sporadically, are so appreciated. They are truly what keeps us going. They share from the resources the Lord has blessed them with. They are doing exactly what Paul is talking about today in verse 13. Let’s take a look.

Paul uses a Greek word for “contributing” that I am sure you have heard before. It’s koinóneó which literally means to share with other people. It can also mean to be partaker or an associate with someone else. You have probably heard the noun form before. It’s koinonia which means fellowship or contribution. Then Paul tells us to be “practicing hospitality.” The verb “practicing” is really an interesting word. It’s diókó, and we’ll look closer at it later.

APPLICATION

Back to koinóneó. This word is used eight times in the New Testament where it is often translated as “sharing.” Later in Romans 15:27 we read, “For if the Gentiles have shared in their spiritual things,” where Paul refers to the things the Gentiles have shared with the Jewish believers. And another verse that I really like where this word is used is Galatians 6:6. “The one who is taught the word is to share all good things with the one who teaches him.” Sharing with our brethren is an important practice for the body of Christ.

Diṓkō means to “aggressively chase, like a hunter pursuing a catch (prize). Diṓkō is used positively (earnestly pursue) and negatively (zealously persecute, hunt down). In each case, diṓkō means pursue with all haste (chasing after), earnestly desiring to overtake (apprehend).” (HELPS Word-studies) That’s an interesting way to talk about be hospitable, isn’t it. I’ve known people who practice this gift without hesitation. They welcome people in their homes or give them what they may need without any thought of being repaid.

How can we do these two things better? I can only think of one – be more like Christ. Put others before us. Be more selfless. That’s hard, isn’t it? But we are told to do this continually. Both of these words are in the Present Tense. That means to keep doing it. Ask the Lord how He wants you to put these two things into practice more. He will lead you to those in need.

Open my eyes, Lord, to see those around me who I can assist.

If the Lord should lead you to support our ministry, check out our ministry page at Trans World Radio (www.twr.org/carl-willis). 

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Bible, Devotion, Hope, Perseverance, Prayer, Rejoicing, Romans, Scripture, Tribulations

SOME IMPORTANT ACTIONS

ROMANS 12:12

“rejoicing in hope, persevering in tribulation, devoted to prayer,”

You may have heard of Newton’s Third Law of Motion, which states that whenever one object exerts a force on a second, the second object exerts an equal and opposite force on the first. This concept which is studied in physics applies to us in so many ways like walking or swimming. Thankfully, this does not apply in the spiritual realm. Even though the forces of hell may come against us, we have an overwhelming power available to us to combat it.

Paul gives us three actions that we need to take in this spiritual battle that we face every day. These actions are critical to a successful walk with Christ. He tells us to rejoice, persevere and be devoted. Let’s take a look at each of these and see how they are referenced in other passages.

APPLICATION

Let me ask you a question. When was the last time you rejoiced in hope? The verb “rejoicing” is xaírō. Spiros Zodhiates comments that “xará (joy) and xáris (grace) are cognate with xaírō (to rejoice), i.e. all share the same root and therefore the same core (fundamental) meaning.” I have heard once that a great word picture of this verb is a little lamb jumping and running around. Are you rejoicing in His hope like that? Philippians 4:4 tells us to “rejoice in the Lord always.”

Then Paul tells us to persevere “in tribulation.” What does that mean? The Greek verb here is hypoménō  which means “literally, remaining under (the load), bearing up (enduring); for the believer, this uniquely happens by God’s power.” (HELPS Word-studies) James 1:12 says, “Blessed is a man who perseveres under trial;” And the Greek word translated as “tribulation” can best be described as being between a rock and a hard place. Lots of pressure is being exerted, but we are told to bear up under that with God’s power.

Lastly, Paul returns to prayer by telling us to be “devoted” to it. The Greek verb here is a compound word, proskarteréō. It comes from pros (towards, interactively with) and karteréō (show steadfast strength). That word comes from krátos, (prevailing strength). Do you get the picture? Remain strong in prayer. The Apostles told the early followers in Acts 6:4 that they needed to devote themselves to prayer instead of caring for widow. In Colossians 4:2 we are told, “Devote yourselves to prayer, keeping alert in it with an attitude of thanksgiving;” 

There you have it – rejoice, persevere and be devoted. Those are some pretty strong actions to take this week. And as we take those actions in our spiritual journey, rest assured that the reaction from the Lord will far exceed our action. He will bless us as we take these actions steps with Him.

Help me today, O Lord, to rejoice in hope, persevere in my tribulations and be devoted to prayer.

If the Lord should lead you to support our ministry, check out our ministry page at Trans World Radio (www.twr.org/carl-willis). 

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Bible, Fervent, Laziness, Passion, Romans, Scripture, Servant, Service, Slothful

NO SLACKERS

ROMANS 12:11

“not lagging behind in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord;”

One thing that can kill a business is a slothful employee. When one person is not doing their job effectively, the whole team suffers. I remember years ago when I had a part-time job at Walmart. I worked a third shift job a couple of nights a week to earn a little extra money. There were so many employees there who did as little as possible. When I kept working all night, they would tell me to slow down or take a break because I was making them look bad. Sorry to say but I wasn’t the one making them look bad.

Paul addresses slothfulness in today’s verse with a caution. On the first hand, he tells us to be “not lagging behind in diligence.” The Greek word for “lagging behind” is oknērós. It occurs here and just two other places. Secondly, Paul tells us to be “fervent in spirit.” Zéō is the Greek word translated as “fervent.” Let’s look at these two words a bit.

APPLICATION

Oknērós means someone has a less than desirable attitude about the task at hand. It can result in tardiness or laziness. Getting a job done has as much to do with attitude as it does with aptitude. You have to get your head in the game, so to speak. This word in used in Matthew 25:26 to describe the servant who buried his master’s one talent rather than using it to gain more for his master. Don’t bury your gifts the Lord has given you.

Zéō means “to show great zeal; be ardently passionate (literally ‘boiling’ with interest or desire).” (HELPS Word-studies). Picture a pot of boiling water. The sound you hear is supposedly how this word sounds in the Greek. It’s an onomatopoetic word, according to some scholars. I don’t hear that myself, but then again, I’m not Greek, lol. This word was used one other time to describe Apollos in Acts 18:25. He showed that fervent spirit in preaching the truth.

Why do we need to not lag and to be fervent? Because we are serving the Lord. That’s the last phrase of today’s verse. You can’t effectively serve the Lord if you’re a slacker. You need to be passionate about your service also to be effective. Paul gives us some great advice today. Don’t be a slacker! Do be passionate! Serve the Lord with your whole heart and see what He does in and through you.

Thank You, Father, for the attitude You give me when I submit to You.

If the Lord should lead you to support our ministry, check out our ministry page at Trans World Radio (www.twr.org/carl-willis). 

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Family, Love, Bible, Scripture, Honor, Sacrifice, Devotion, Romans

DEVOTED AND ESTEEMING

ROMANS 12:10

“Be devoted to one another in brotherly love; give preference to one another in honor,”

Family is important. We should always show honor and love to our parents and children, grandparents and siblings. It’s just the right thing to do. I can look back at my life and see times when I wasn’t so devoted or didn’t show proper honor. I am sorry now because in some of those cases, I can’t make it right. Those family members have passed away. For instance, I wish I had spent more time with my paternal grandmother and great grandmother. They both loved Jesus. I know that now.

Today’s verse is a great memory verse. Why don’t we all commit to memorizing this one? I have already done that with some other brothers. Paul continues in this verse to give us some very practical and down to earth guidance for our walk with Christ and others. Don’t forget that every word Paul writes he has received from God through the Holy Spirit. We are not just reading Paul’s words. They are God’s words spoken to us through the hand of a man.

APPLICATION

I wanted to concentrate on the two verbs in todays’ verse – “be devoted” and “give preference.” Both of these verbs are only used right here in today’s verse. Isn’t that interesting? The first one, “be devoted,” is the Greek word philóstorgos “(from phílos, ‘lover, friend’ and storgē, ‘natural or family love’) – properly, a lover of family. Philóstorgos (‘devoted love, shown by family-members’) is that special affection shared between members of God’s family – people born-again (divinely adopted) and serving the same (heavenly) Father!” (HELPS Word-studies) That’s pretty clear, huh? Instead of trying to find fault in our brothers and sisters in Christ, we are to be affectionately bonded to them.

The second verb, “give preference,” is the Greek word proēgéomai. Again, it is only used here in Romans 12:10. I love what the Topical Lexicon said about this verb. “The term … carries the idea of stepping forward first so that others may be elevated. It describes an intentional initiative that puts another believer’s worth ahead of one’s own, not by passive acceptance but by active, deliberate action.” Wouldn’t the church be so much better off if we all did that?

Now, put those two verbs together. Paul is telling us to love each other so well that we are always looking to put others first. Isn’t that exactly what Jesus did? Jesus tells us in John 15:13 that we can show no greater love than to lay down our lives for our friends. That doesn’t just mean physically die for someone. Jesus means to sacrifice for others. Can we do that for each other today?

Lord, I need Your help to do what You have asked me to do. I am willing, but my flesh is weak.

If the Lord should lead you to support our ministry, check out our ministry page at Trans World Radio (www.twr.org/carl-willis). 

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Add sign reading Love Evil Good
Bible, Choices, Evil, Good, Love, Romans, Scripture

CHOOSE WHAT IS GOOD!

ROMANS 12:9

“Love must be free of hypocrisy. Detest what is evil; cling to what is good.”

We make a lot of choices in our lives, don’t we? Some of those choices end up being very good and others not so good. We choose colleges, houses, spouses and careers. But God gives us some guidelines on how to make the right choices in His Word. In today’s verse, we will see the right choices to make time and time again.

Paul abruptly changes subjects from spiritual gifts to practical guidelines for Christian living. Wait a minute – isn’t that what exhortation is? Paul is actually exhibiting one of the gifts he just listed by giving us some great tips on how to live for Christ in the remainder of chapter 12. These are going to be fun to examine, so hang on over the next couple of weeks in this blog.

APPLICATION

MacLaren says this about Paul’s description of the kind of love we are to show to one another. “Love stands at the head and is the fontal source of all separate individualized duties. Here Paul is not so much prescribing love as describing the kind of love which he recognizes as genuine, and the main point on which he insists is sincerity.”  The Greek word for “free of hypocrisy” means to not act like a phony, no hidden agendas. That’s pure love. We see that same word used in 2 Corinthians 6:6 where it says, “in genuine love.”

Then Paul tells us to “detest what is evil.” Well, that’s pretty direct. What a great choice for us to make! The Greek word for “detest” is apostugeó which is only used here in the New Testament. It literally means to utterly hate or abhor. In this day we in which we are living, we are surrounded by evil. It seems the world is embracing evil as an actual choice today.

Paul goes on to say, “cling to what is good.” I love that, don’t you? My two youngest grandchildren cling to Papa and Nana whenever we hold them. They have a tight grip on us, so as not to fall. The Greek word for “cling” means “to glue.” It’s the same word used by Jesus when He says in Matthew 19:5 for a man to be “joined” to his wife. Glue yourself to good!

What great practical advice for us as followers of Christ! Love genuinely, hate evil and glue yourself to good. Do you think you can make those choices? God does!

I praise You, Lord, for giving us such wise counsel in Your Word.

If the Lord should lead you to support our ministry, check out our ministry page at Trans World Radio (www.twr.org/carl-willis). 

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Bible, Cheerfulness, Exhortation, Gifts, Giving, Leading, Mercy, Romans, Scripture, Zealous

THE GIFTS LIST – EXHORTATION, GIVING, LEADING, MERCY

ROMANS 12:8

“or the one who exhorts, in the work of exhortation; the one who gives, with generosity; the one who is in leadership, with diligence; the one who shows mercy, with cheerfulness.”

As we continue today with Paul’s list of spiritual gifts in Romans 12:8, I am reminded of another analogy. I played high school football. I really loved the game. But the position I played on offense wasn’t the flashy one. I wasn’t the quarterback, running back or receiver. I was one of the grunts, a lineman. I played all three positions (tackle, guard, center) during my high school career. Although my position wasn’t the one noticed each play, it was important. Without those positions blocking and protecting, the players making the scores would be overwhelmed with the defense.

So, as we look at four more gifts from the Lord, remember that each one needs the other. In today’s verse, Paul gives us four very different kinds of gifts. They don’t seem to relate to each other at all. How does exhortation compare to giving or how does leading compare to showing mercy? Looked at separately they really don’t. But when you step back and look at the whole body of Christ, you can see how each play their part to make the body function.

APPLICATION

What is exhortation? The Greek word is paráklēsis which can be described as a “holy urging.” This is when you encourage others to carry out God’s commands and practices. This gift can be closely tied to someone who serves as a teacher or preacher. But this word can also be translated as “comfort” (2 Corinthians 1:3-7) which gives you a fuller picture of what exhortation can include.

Next Paul mentions “giving,” which is an absolute beautiful gift. People with this gift don’t give to gain recognition and have buildings named after themselves. They give to further the kingdom of God without any concern about how they will get thanked. I have known people with this gift who sold property to give the money to the church. This is a selfless gift focusing on the needs of others. This is found in the way one should give, with “generosity.”

I have this next gift of “leading” but have to admit that I don’t always do it in the way Paul says we should lead – with “diligence.” Sometimes leadership is cast upon us, and other times we make the conscious choice to lead. The Greek word for “leading” is proístēmi which carries the idea of one who has the character to direct others and model behaviors and actions. “Diligence” is spoudḗ (which, by the way, is a just a fun word to say). This means with speed and with zeal. It means “quickly obeying what the Lord reveals is His priority.” (HELPS Word-studies)

The last gift in Paul’s list today is showing mercy. The Topical Lexicon says about this Greek word, “Each occurrence unveils God’s heart toward the helpless and models the believer’s calling to reflect that heart toward others.” Compassion is a word often used in connection to this gift. And how are we to do this? With cheerfulness. The Greek word there is hilarótēs which comes from hilarós. It’s having an attitude that is ready to respond from a willing spirit. We get our word “hilarious” from this. Hilarótēs is only used here in Romans 12:8 and hilarós is only used in 2 Corinthians 9:7 in relation to being a “cheerful giver.”

This is not Paul’s only list of gifts. He mentions other gifts in other letters, but these give us something to ponder, don’t they? Have you found yours in this list? If not, keep asking the Lord to reveal how He wants to use you in the body of Christ.

O Lord, I am so thankful how You have gifted the body of Christ with the various gifts and knitted them all together as one.

If the Lord should lead you to support our ministry, check out our ministry page at Trans World Radio (www.twr.org/carl-willis). 

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Woman explaining from open book to girl sitting beside her while man sweeps floor in classroom with blue walls
Bible, Gifts, Romans, Scripture, Servant, Service, Teaching

THE GIFTS LIST – SERVING AND TEACHING

ROMANS 12:7

“if service, in the act of serving; or the one who teaches, in the act of teaching;”

Have you ever known a really good servant of the Lord or a really good teacher of the Word? I have had the pleasure of knowing both. I have seen church deacons who really took their role as deacon seriously. They were there to assist the pastor in any way possible. And my late brother-in-law, Dr. Wayne Barber, was probably the best Bible teacher I have ever known. Let’s look at these next two roles we see gifted by the Lord in Paul’s list.

The original Greek text simply reads, “or service, in the service or the teaching in the teaching.” Not much fluff there, is there? The Greek word for “service” is diakonia. HELPS Word-studies says it means “ministry; active service, done with a willing (voluntary) attitude.” And the Greek word for “teaches” (didáskō ) is the root word for “teaching” (didaskalía). Both service and teaching are vital to the body of Christ.

APPLICATION

I think back to the first “deacons” appointed by the church leaders. In Acts 6:1-6 we see the twelve disciples lay hands on seven men to assist them in caring for the widows. They were to be men “of good reputation, full of the Spirit and of wisdom.” Other qualifications for deacons can be found in 1 Timothy 3 and Titus 1. In fact, the ministry I serve is founded on those very passages. We teach men to be the leaders who can serve as deacons and elders in their local church. Where most churches use those qualifications to disqualify men from serving, Every Man A Warrior uses those qualifications to help qualify men to serve.

Teaching is mentioned in three other passages in the New Testament and is considered a major role that is served through this gift from the Lord. In 1 Corinthians 12:28 it says, “And God has appointed in the church, first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, and various kinds of tongues.” Then in Ephesians 4:11 Paul writes, “And He gave some as apostles, some as prophets, some as evangelists, some as pastors and teachers,” Finally, in 1 Timothy 5:17 we read, “The elders who lead well are to be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who work hard at preaching and teaching.”

Serving and teaching – two parts of the body of Christ. They are no more important than the other parts of the body but are still important for a healthy body. Don’t look down on anyone who is a servant in the church as if that gift is less important than those who are teaching. Remember, the foot needs the hand as much as the heart. Every gift works with the other gifts to keep the body of Christ healthy and alive.

Father, I thank You for the gifts of service and teaching and for all those who are living out those gifts in the body of Christ.

If the Lord should lead you to support our ministry, check out our ministry page at Trans World Radio (www.twr.org/carl-willis). 

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Decorative text reading 'Gifts from God' with a cross and wings and the quote 'Every blessing comes from above James 1:17'
Bible, Gifts, Grace, Prophecy, Romans, Scripture

THE GIFTS LIST – PROPHECY

ROMANS 12:6

“However, since we have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, each of us is to use them properly: if prophecy, in proportion to one’s faith;”

Whatever your talents and abilities are, you need to use them correctly. We will be looking at a list of several gifts that Paul mentions over the next few days. God-given gifts are not the same as one’s talents or abilities. I have heard way too many people say, “Boy, that guy is sure talented. If God could get ahold of him, he could really be used.” That is not necessarily true. You may be the most gifted singer, and God may have a totally different plan for your life. Don’t equate talents with gifts.

Paul begins this list of gifts, and we find a phrase that is not in the original text. The phrase “each of us is to use them properly” is not there. The NASB, which is what I use mostly, throws that in to add some clarity to what Paul is about to say. It’s an implied thought, but not in the original. That’s why it’s in italics. This is another reason to always go back to the original language if possible. Paul says that we all have different “grace gifts” that are different according to the “grace” given to us. These gifts are gifts given by God for a specific purpose. Let’s jump into the first one.

APPLICATION

The first “grace gift” Paul mentions is prophecy. The Topical Lexicon says this about this gift. “Unlike ecstatic tongues, prophecy is immediately intelligible, convicting unbelievers and strengthening believers.” In 1 Corinthians 14:22 we are told, “prophecy is for a sign, not to unbelievers but to those who believe.” Some will argue that this “grace gift” is not present in the modern church, but I would argue if you hold to this strict definition of prophecy, it still has a place to help strengthen believers.

Ellicott’s Commentary this gift “was a kind of powerful and inspired preaching which, unlike the gift of tongues, was strictly within the control of the person who possessed it.” I’ve known people with this gift and have learned to listen closely when they speak forth from the Lord. These individuals have always been very humble and slow to speak unless they knew and had confirmed what they were about to share.

This “grace gift” when properly exercised is always meant to build up the body of Christ, never cause a division. It can mean to “declare the divine will; to interpret the purposes of God; or to make known in any way the truth of God.” (Barnes) Why would the Lord not use that gift in today’s church. Don’t we need that more than every? Sure, we do. I pray we have more believers making known the truth of God. Don’t you?

Lord, whatever our gifts, let us exercise them with humility knowing they from You and for You.

If the Lord should lead you to support our ministry, check out our ministry page at Trans World Radio (www.twr.org/carl-willis). 

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