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Walking · Stornoway Free Church of Scotland - Sermons

• 0:00
  Let us begin our worship of God by singing in His praise to Psalm 23 of the Sing Psalms.
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  That's on page 28 of the Blue Book.
• 0:16
  Psalm 23, Sing Psalms version on page 28.
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  The Lord is my shepherd, no want shall I know.
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  He makes me lie down where the green pastures grow.
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  He leads me to rest where the calm waters flow.
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  My wandering steps He brings back to His way,
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  in straight paths of righteousness making me stay.
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  And this He has done, His great name to display.
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  Though I walk in death's valley where darkness is near,
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  because you are with me, no evil I'll fear.
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  Your rod and your staff bring me comfort and cheer.
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  In the sight of my enemies a table you spread.
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  The oil of rejoicing you pour on my head.
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  My cup overflows and I'm graciously fed.
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  So surely your covenant, mercy and grace will follow me closely in all of my ways.
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  I will dwell in the house of the Lord all my days.
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  A psalm that will align with our study today in Psalm 40.
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  It's a good psalm for the young ones to know and to memorize.
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  And to know, of course, that the Lord is their shepherd.
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  So we'll stand together and sing this,
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  The Lord is my shepherd, to God's praise.
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  The Lord is my shepherd, no one shall I know.
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  He leads me light on where thy green pastures grow.
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  He leads me to rest where the land and waters flow.
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  My wandering steps he brings back to his way.
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  In strength of righteousness making me sing.
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  And this he has done his great name to display.
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  So I walk in death's valley where darkness is near.
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  Because you are with me, no evil I'll fear.
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  Your rod and your staff bring me comfort and cheer.
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  In the sight of my enemies at table you spread.
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  The oil of rejoicing pure pour on my head.
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  Like apple-wurn close and I'm gracious he fed.
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  So surely your covenant mercy and grace
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  Will follow me closely in all of my ways.
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  I will dwell in the house of the Lord Almighty.
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  Okay, we'll just bow and say a short prayer together.
• 4:13
  Our Father in heaven, we thank you for this time that we have together.
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  We thank you for being able to come to church.
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  We thank you that we have Bibles to read.
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  And we thank you that you show us who you are.
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  And the Bible tells us all about Jesus Christ.
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  And what he has done for us.
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  And tells us about all the people that were with him.
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  His disciples that were so faithful to go out and share the good news about Jesus.
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  That though he died, he rose again.
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  And that gives us hope.
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  We pray as they go into Sunday school, tweenies.
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  And pray for those that are in church.
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  We pray that they would understand what they are being taught.
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  We pray that they would see who Jesus is.
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  And we pray for the teachers as well.
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  We pray that you would give them help to be able to do this.
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  In a manner that portrays how beautiful and amazing God is.
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  And what Jesus is to us.
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  We pray he would be with us in our time together.
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  Forgive us our sins we ask.
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  In Jesus name.
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  Amen.
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  Amen.
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  Okay.
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  So I want to say a short word to use before you go into your Sunday school classes or tweenies.
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  I've got something with me here.
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  Do you know what that is?
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  Do you know what that is?
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  Anyone?
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  Yeah?
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  A bulb.
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  That's a bulb.
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  That's what plugs into the light.
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  And that's what gives us light.
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  But I want you to imagine if you were a bulb.
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  If you were a light bulb.
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  Where would you go?
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  Where would you be?
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  Where would the best place for you to be?
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  Would it be in your welly?
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  No.
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  No.
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  Would it be in your hat?
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  No.
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  No.
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  Would it be in the sandpit outside?
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  No.
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  No.
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  This is made to be in a light.
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  And when you put it in the light and you turn it on, then it glows.
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  And what the light does is it helps us to see.
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  It helps us to be able to see what's around us and understand what's there so we don't crash into things and we don't bump into each other.
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  It helps us to see.
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  Last night I was at a house and the light was stuck on.
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  The switch was off and the light was going on by itself.
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  Now, there's our lesson in the light bulb.
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  And I want you to remember.
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  The light bulb is made for the light.
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  And you and every one of us here has been made by God.
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  And we belong with God.
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  The light bulb is meant to be with the light.
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  We are being created by God are designed to be with God and connected to God and belonging to God.
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  And if we are with God, we are in the right place.
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  And even coming to church and Sunday school puts us in the right place to be with God.
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  And we ask that God will be with us when we come to church and we come to Sunday school.
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  But God is the one that turns the power on.
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  We come and we might have to put the bulb in and we come and we wait.
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  We might have to wait to be switched on.
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  Many of us have had to wait before the light went on in our life.
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  Before the Lord made us his light.
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  And the Lord's light was in us.
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  But I want you to be like the light bulb.
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  And I want you to be like the light bulb that never goes out when you come to God.
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  And it will always glow and shine.
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  And you will be boys and girls that will show what things are there that we can crash into in life.
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  And the things that are bad in life.
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  And that you show how good God is.
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  By his light.
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  God is light.
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  And you are going to learn about someone today that was a light for God.
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  And he went and he spoke to someone about who Jesus was.
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  And he helped them to see.
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  One of Jesus' friends called Philip went to meet a man.
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  And he helped the person to see.
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  He was like a light bulb for God.
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  And he showed the man the way.
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  Where he should be.
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  And what God was like.
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  So I want you to remember the light bulb.
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  That we are in the right place.
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  And we belong to God.
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  We are designed to be with God.
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  And that we would be lights that never go out.
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  And always shine.
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  And tell people.
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  And show people.
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  How good God is.
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  And what God can do for us.
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  So I pray that would be blessed to you.
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  We'll say the Lord's prayer together.
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  Our Father which art in heaven.
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  Hallowed be thy name.
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  Thy kingdom come.
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  Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
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  Give us this day our daily bread.
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  And forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors.
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  Lead us not into temptation.
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  But deliver us from evil.
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  For thine is the kingdom.
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  The power and the glory.
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  Forever.
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  Amen.
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  Okay.
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  We'll continue in our praise to God.
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  By singing in Psalm 118.
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  Of the Scottish Psalter.
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  You'll find that on page 398.
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  118.
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  Scottish Psalter.
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  We'll sing from verse mark 8.
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  Down to verse mark 14.
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  Better it is to trust the Lord.
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  Than trust in man's defence.
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  Better it is to trust in God.
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  Than make princes of confidence.
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  You'll see the man here.
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  The psalmist that trusts in God.
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  But he's overwhelmed by something.
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  As he sings through the psalm.
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  The sins that are about him.
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  The evils that are around him.
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  The emotion of it comes through in this psalm.
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  As we sing down to verse mark 14.
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  So let us sing this to God's praise.
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  Better it is to trust in God.
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  And trust in man's defence.
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  Better it is to trust in God.
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  And trust in man's defence.
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  Better it is to trust in God.
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  Better it is to trust in God.
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  And trust in God.
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  And trust in God.
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  Princess of confidence.
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  The nations joining all in one.
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  Did compass me about.
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  But in the Lord's Lord's holy name.
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  I shall then call return.
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  They compass me apart.
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  I say.
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  They compass me apart.
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  But in the Lord's holy name.
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  I shall then call return.
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  Like peace they compass me apart.
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  Like God to thorns that flame.
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  They quenched out.
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  For them shall I destroy in God's own name.
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  Thou sore hast trust that I might fall.
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  But my Lord helpeth me.
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  God my salvation is given.
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  My strength and song is here.
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  We turn now to the reading of the word of God.
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  And we'll take our first reading from the book of Ephesians.
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  Chapter 5.
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  At verse 8.
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  Book of Ephesians.
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  Paul's letter to Ephesians.
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  Chapter 5.
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  At verse marked 8.
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  Let us hear God's word to us today.
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  For at one time.
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  You were darkness.
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  But now you are the light in the Lord.
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  Walk as children of light.
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  For the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true.
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  And try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord.
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  Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness.
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  But instead expose them.
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  For it is shameful even to speak of the things that they do in secret.
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  But when anything is exposed by the light.
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  It becomes visible.
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  For anything that becomes visible is light.
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  Therefore it says.
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  Awake, O sleeper.
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  And arise from the dead.
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  And Christ will shine on you.
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  Look carefully.
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  Look carefully then how you walk.
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  Not as unwise.
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  But as wise.
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  Making the best use of the time.
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  Because the days are evil.
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  Therefore do not be foolish.
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  But understand what is the will of the Lord is.
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  And do not get drunk with wine.
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  For that is debauchery.
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  But be filled with the spirit.
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  Addressing one another in psalms, hymns and spiritual songs.
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  Singing and making melody to the Lord with all your heart.
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  Giving thanks always for everything to God the Father.
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  In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
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  Submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.
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  We'll continue in reading in Psalm 40.
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  Psalm number 40.
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  And we'll read from the verse marked 6.
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  Psalm 40.
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  Behold the glad news of deliverance.
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  In the great congregation.
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  Behold I have not restrained my lips as you know O Lord.
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  I have not hidden your deliverance within my heart.
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  I have spoken of your faithfulness and your salvation.
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  I have not concealed your steadfast love and your faithfulness from the great congregation.
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  As for you O Lord.
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  You will not restrain your mercy from me.
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  Your steadfast love and your faithfulness.
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  Will ever preserve me.
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  For evils have encompassed me.
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  Beyond number.
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  My iniquities have overtaken me.
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  I cannot see.
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  They are more than the hairs of my head.
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  My heart fails in me.
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  Be pleased O Lord to deliver me.
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  O Lord make haste to help me.
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  Let those be put to shame and disappointed altogether.
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  Who seek to snatch away my life.
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  Let those be turned back and brought to dishonor.
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  Who desire my heart.
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  Let those be appalled because of their shame.
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  Who say to me.
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  Aha.
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  Aha.
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  But may all who seek you.
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  Rejoice and be glad in you.
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  May those who love your salvation say continually.
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  Great is the Lord.
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  As for me.
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  I am poor and needy.
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  But the Lord takes thought for me.
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  You are my help.
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  And my deliverer.
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  Do not delay.
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  O my God.
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  May the reading of God's words be blessed to us.
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  Let us join our hearts together in prayer.
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  Our Father in heaven.
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  We thank you again.
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  That we are gathered like this as your people.
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  And Lord we pray that you would make us still before you.
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  Let us hear your word to us today.
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  May it speak to our hearts.
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  May it speak to our soul.
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  Our minds Lord.
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  Lord.
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  Unrestrict our minds.
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  From the things of the world.
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  Open us up to the knowledge of who you are.
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  And let us come with reverence before you.
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  As the God who is almighty.
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  And over all things.
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  Lord we see.
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  In the power of your word.
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  Your self revealing who you are to us.
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  So that we may know you.
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  Lord give us diligent minds to understand.
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  Exactly who you are.
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  Open our minds up.
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  To see the greatness of God.
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  The wisdom of God.
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  The holiness of God.
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  Different aspects of God.
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  Things that we do not.
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  Cannot.
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  Understand in full.
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  Never can we.
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  But as we approach you.
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  And give our worship to you.
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  Lord be great to us.
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  And that you would be one.
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  That we confess within our hearts.
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  And say.
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  Great is the Lord.
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  As we read in the psalm.
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  Give us light.
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  We pray.
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  As we look at your word.
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  Lord.
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  Our minds are so full of darkness.
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  And it is.
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  Not because of our ability.
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  That we can unearth.
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  The deep treasure.
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  And riches of your scripture.
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  But it is by the power of your spirit.
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  Enabling.
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  Our minds to understand.
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  It is you.
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  Who illuminates.
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  Our mind.
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  It is you.
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  Your spirit.
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  Does give that power.
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  To illuminate.
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  Lord.
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  We pray that you would be with us.
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  As we gather.
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  Together.
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  To hear.
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  What you say.
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  Lord.
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  We are aware.
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  That there are temptations.
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  Before us.
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  Thoughts.
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  Words.
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  And deeds.
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  That distract us.
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  From gathering.
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  From coming here.
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  From understanding your word.
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  That we pray.
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  Oh Lord.
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  In your name.
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  That you would restrain.
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  These distractions from us.
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  And the power of the evil one.
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  Keep us from.
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  Keep him from us.
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  We pray.
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  Exclude him from our gathering.
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  And that our hearts and souls.
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  May come and rejoice in you.
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  Great is our Lord.
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  Be our confession.
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  And Lord.
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  Great is the salvation.
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  That you have provided.
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  Through your son.
• 21:51
  The Lord Jesus Christ.
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  Who bore our sins.
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  As if they were his.
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  And so.
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  We are set free.
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  Because he took.
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  What we deserved.
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  On the cross.
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  At Calvary.
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  Lord.
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  Again.
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  We cannot fathom.
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  Or understand.
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  The weight.
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  Of these things.
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  But when we look.
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  In the depths of our hearts.
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  And the sin.
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  That lies within.
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  We see the greatness.
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  Of it.
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  And how it can overwhelm us.
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  If we were to focus upon.
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  And yet.
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  Everyone.
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  Has been taken.
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  By you.
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  And justly.
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  Paid for.
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  For the one.
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  Who has faith.
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  In Jesus Christ.
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  Lord.
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  We pray.
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  That you would be with us.
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  In our walk.
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  With you.
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  In the direction.
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  That you take us.
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  May we be willing.
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  To go with you.
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  Wherever you show us.
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  Give us the strength.
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  To go forward.
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  Often in things.
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  That we do not think.
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  We are able to do.
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  And to places.
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  That we do not think.
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  That we should go.
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  But let us have an ear.
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  To hear.
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  What you say to us.
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  We do not rely.
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  On our own confidence.
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  In these things.
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  But again.
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  Trust in you.
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  So many things.
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  Can encompass us.
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  As the psalmist sung.
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  The psalmist's expressions.
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  To us.
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  Are so real.
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  And we are so thankful.
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  For it.
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  That we can associate.
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  With what he says.
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  Lord.
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  To make Christ real to us.
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  As we look at your word.
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  Help us to understand.
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  Who he is.
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  To the best of our ability.
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  As you enable us.
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  To.
• 23:49
  Lord.
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  We pray for this congregation.
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  We pray that you would give.
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  Each person.
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  Assurance.
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  In their spirit.
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  Confidence.
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  To go with you.
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  Give us conviction.
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  Of our sins.
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  If that is what is needed.
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  Lord.
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  You know us.
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  As our father.
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  And you are our shepherd.
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  That is trustworthy.
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  To rely upon.
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  To whom else.
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  Can we go.
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  Especially.
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  When the valley of darkness.
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  Is upon us.
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  Who will guide us.
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  Except the Lord.
• 24:26
  Jesus Christ.
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  May we be people.
• 24:30
  That trust in him.
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  As we live our lives.
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  Lord.
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  Be with.
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  All those.
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  Who share your word today.
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  Who proclaim.
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  The unsearchable riches.
• 24:42
  Of Christ Jesus.
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  May the power.
• 24:45
  Of your spirit.
• 24:45
  Accompany it.
• 24:47
  We remember.
• 24:48
  Those who gather.
• 24:49
  In.
• 24:49
  Gaelic service.
• 24:51
  Nearby.
• 24:52
  We pray.
• 24:53
  That you would be with them.
• 24:54
  Also.
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  In spirit.
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  And in truth.
• 24:58
  Lord.
• 24:59
  Go amongst our nation.
• 25:00
  We pray.
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  A nation.
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  That largely.
• 25:03
  Lives for themselves.
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  But open their eyes.
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  May.
• 25:09
  Your illuminating truth.
• 25:10
  Be set before them.
• 25:11
  By your servants.
• 25:14
  As Philip.
• 25:15
  Went to that.
• 25:16
  Ethiopian.
• 25:16
  You know.
• 25:18
  As the children.
• 25:18
  Look at that.
• 25:20
  And they see.
• 25:21
  The man.
• 25:22
  That was obedient.
• 25:23
  To God's word.
• 25:25
  And helped.
• 25:26
  The one.
• 25:27
  To understand.
• 25:29
  What you are saying.
• 25:30
  To us.
• 25:31
  And what you have done.
• 25:32
  For us.
• 25:33
  Through Christ.
• 25:35
  He just came.
• 25:36
  Alongside him.
• 25:37
  And we can all.
• 25:39
  Come alongside.
• 25:40
  One another.
• 25:41
  To help.
• 25:42
  And encourage.
• 25:44
  To support.
• 25:46
  And to.
• 25:47
  Help us understand.
• 25:49
  So be with us.
• 25:50
  We pray.
• 25:51
  As we look on.
• 25:52
  Your word.
• 25:53
  Forgive us.
• 25:54
  Our sins.
• 25:55
  We ask.
• 25:56
  In Jesus.
• 25:57
  His name.
• 25:58
  And in his power.
• 26:00
  Amen.
• 26:02
  We continue.
• 26:03
  In a.
• 26:04
  Praise to God.
• 26:05
  By singing.
• 26:05
  In Psalm 71.
• 26:07
  Of the Scottish Psalter.
• 26:09
  Version.
• 26:09
  Page 3.
• 26:10
  1.
• 26:11
  1.
• 26:16
  Psalm 71.
• 26:17
  Page 3.
• 26:20
  311.
• 26:20
  Scottish Psalter.
• 26:21
  From verse 14.
• 26:22
  Down to verse mark 19.
• 26:24
  But I.
• 26:26
  With expectation.
• 26:27
  Will hope continually.
• 26:29
  And yet.
• 26:30
  With praises.
• 26:30
  More and more.
• 26:32
  I will.
• 26:33
  The magnify.
• 26:35
  Down to verse mark 19.
• 26:37
  And I.
• 26:38
  Most perfect righteousness.
• 26:39
  O Lord.
• 26:40
  Is very high.
• 26:41
  Who has.
• 26:42
  So great things done.
• 26:43
  O God.
• 26:44
  Who is.
• 26:45
  Like unto thee.
• 26:46
  We'll stand.
• 26:47
  Lift our hearts.
• 26:48
  To praise to God.
• 26:49
  But I.
• 26:49
  With expectation.
• 26:50
  Will hope continually.
• 27:09
  And yet.
• 27:12
  With praises.
• 27:16
  More and more.
• 27:20
  I will.
• 27:22
  The magnify.
• 27:29
  Thy justice.
• 27:32
  And salvation.
• 27:37
  Thy matter.
• 27:53
  Thy lives o'ervola delivery.
• 27:56
  Thou'reSpeaking.
• 27:57
  The Empire.
• 27:59
  Cheers.
• 28:01
  Once.
• 28:02
  And I will constantly go on in strength of God the Lord.
• 28:22
  And I, O righteous, testify, alone I will recall.
• 28:40
  For even from thy good, O God, like thee I have been taught.
• 28:58
  And hitherto I have declared the wonders thou hast wrought.
• 29:18
  And now, Lord, leave me not when I hold and regret it all.
• 29:36
  Till to this age my strength and power to all to come I show.
• 29:53
  And thy most perfect righteousness, O Lord, is very high.
• 30:12
  Who has so great things done, O God, who is like God to thee.
• 30:29
  Amen.
• 30:34
  We can turn back to Psalm 40.
• 30:38
  And we'll continue and conclude in a study of Psalm 40 from verse 11.
• 30:47
  Last week we looked at the section from verse Mark 6 down to the end of verse Mark 10.
• 30:53
  And we saw there David as he came to worship God.
• 31:00
  Where David drew near to God.
• 31:04
  As opposed to the first section where God drew near to David at the beginning.
• 31:10
  He took him from the mire and the pit.
• 31:12
  From verse 6, God now returns to worship God and draw near to him.
• 31:17
  And we remember the image of the servant who was so willing to devote his life to the Lord and to his service.
• 31:28
  He was willing to have his ear pierced.
• 31:32
  And the willingness to delight in whatever was the will of the Lord for his life.
• 31:38
  And we noted that even the Lord Jesus Christ struggled in a sense with the will of God.
• 31:49
  And we will too struggle with what God has for us.
• 31:54
  But are we people to say nevertheless,
• 31:58
  whatever I feel and whatever I want, I will trust in you, O God.
• 32:04
  So the third and final part of this psalm we will call the walking with God.
• 32:14
  We have the waiting, the worship and now the walking from verse Mark 11.
• 32:21
  And the sentiment of the words here was expressed in what we sung.
• 32:26
  As a hopeful expectation upon the God that would continue with each of us.
• 32:33
  And constantly we will be people that will go on in the strength that God gives to us.
• 32:41
  And if we use the image of a walker to help our thoughts as we look at this concluding part of the psalm,
• 32:46
  we know that if you are to set out on a walk, you have some rough idea of where you want to go.
• 32:52
  You have a plan or a destination that you would like to reach.
• 32:55
  You may have a route planned out, you may use a map or more modern devices that you get on your phone,
• 33:05
  something like that.
• 33:06
  But you would have confidence that you are able to reach the point of your destination.
• 33:12
  And if you did not have any confidence to reach that point, well, you wouldn't depart.
• 33:17
  There would be no point in going if you knew it was impossible to reach the place you wanted to go to.
• 33:25
  And as you set out on that walk, you may find out that, well, if you had that confidence to go,
• 33:33
  you may come across things that, well, it wasn't in the plan.
• 33:37
  And I didn't expect these things to happen.
• 33:40
  You may have times where your walk is hindered.
• 33:43
  You may have times when you have to stop and take a break.
• 33:46
  Often there's times where we have to just look back and be encouraged by where we've been.
• 33:53
  Often we have to just say, this is a lot harder than I expected it to be.
• 33:59
  The walker requires confidence.
• 34:01
  The walker requires courage to go on.
• 34:05
  The most important thing for the walker to do is to keep going.
• 34:09
  To keep making steps forward and to reach the destination that he has desired to go to.
• 34:17
  The person needs to continue.
• 34:20
  And much of this is applicable to the Christian's life.
• 34:23
  And you may already have thoughts of Pilgrim's Progress going through your mind and your favorite part of it.
• 34:29
  But we see the sentiments of this.
• 34:32
  Throughout this psalm, it was one that relied on God in confidence.
• 34:36
  He had the courage to go with him amidst fear.
• 34:40
  But he is a person that continues in God.
• 34:47
  So let us look quickly at the confidence the psalmist has.
• 34:51
  And we'll read from verse Mark 11.
• 34:53
  Firstly, you can notice his direction and his focus.
• 35:09
  As for you, O Lord, it is towards his God.
• 35:14
  As he thinks upon his God, he has confidence.
• 35:19
  And it is expressed in his words.
• 35:24
  You can see that they are sure words.
• 35:29
  You will not restrain.
• 35:32
  And you will show your steadfast love and faithfulness.
• 35:43
  God is a God that will and will not.
• 35:46
  And understanding who God is is fundamental to having confidence in God.
• 35:55
  And the most reassuring thing about God for David and for you and for me is that God is a God that will and will not.
• 36:06
  He is not a God that might.
• 36:08
  He is not a God who is vague.
• 36:11
  He is not a God who changes his mind.
• 36:13
  He is a God that does not change.
• 36:18
  In whom there is no change or variation.
• 36:21
  So as he was in the scriptures that we read, so he is.
• 36:26
  And so we can have confidence in what we read within the scriptures.
• 36:31
  And as we read the scriptures, we actually get to know who God is.
• 36:38
  Because he hasn't changed.
• 36:40
  He is still the same.
• 36:42
  We have confidence in God.
• 36:48
  We know what he will not hold back from us.
• 36:51
  And we learn, too, what he will do for us.
• 36:55
  What does David highlight about that assured confidence he has in God?
• 37:02
  The first thing you can see is that he will not, you can see is he will not restrain his mercy from me.
• 37:10
  Now, the wording of that, there's more feeling to it than just not restraining his mercy.
• 37:17
  You may remember the Psalter version has tender mercies.
• 37:25
  There's a compassionate element to the mercy that is shown here.
• 37:31
  There's a deep feeling in compassion where the person who exercises compassion is sympathetic.
• 37:41
  As for me, you will not restrain your mercy from me.
• 37:48
  God will not withhold his compassionate mercy from you.
• 37:57
  Compassion is a comfort for us.
• 38:00
  And we often need comfort in our lives.
• 38:03
  And compassion that is shown by this God was also a compassion that was shown by the wonderful counselor.
• 38:11
  Christ Jesus.
• 38:13
  He is the one who can sympathize with every need that we have.
• 38:18
  And he showed himself when he was on this world to be a person of great compassion.
• 38:26
  He was one who felt compassion to the one who lay in need.
• 38:34
  He did not restrain his compassion to the afflicted and to the needy.
• 38:39
  The same Christ is here as a man that will not withhold his compassion and mercy from you.
• 38:51
  And you can be confident in this.
• 38:54
  Secondly, we see that your steadfast love and your faithfulness will ever preserve me.
• 39:01
  As he has done and as God has preserved him and shown him his love to the psalmist from the beginning,
• 39:12
  he will continue to do so.
• 39:15
  As he's saying that my preservation is not upon myself.
• 39:20
  He relies on God to preserve him.
• 39:23
  Your steadfast love, your faithfulness are not things that only last for a moment.
• 39:34
  There are things that are eternal.
• 39:37
  There are things that are everlasting.
• 39:39
  The one who keeps me and holds me forever.
• 39:42
  These assurances are personal to him because he says they are for me.
• 39:55
  You will not restrain your mercy from me.
• 40:00
  Your steadfast love and your faithfulness will ever preserve me.
• 40:05
  He has a personal confidence that God will always be with him.
• 40:16
  That the light of the Lord dwells within him.
• 40:22
  The light of revelation is in him.
• 40:26
  He is a child of light from Ephesians 5.
• 40:30
  And he is someone who has decided to walk carefully.
• 40:36
  But he is walking confidently.
• 40:40
  Because as you remember from the beginning of the psalm,
• 40:43
  he was one who had his steps established.
• 40:47
  His steps were set securely by the God that relied on him.
• 40:52
  The God that brought him from the pit and the mire and set him upon a rock.
• 40:56
  Believing in Christ Jesus gives us confidence.
• 41:00
  That he will always be with us.
• 41:02
  He will not withhold his compassionate mercy from you and from me.
• 41:09
  And that is a great encouragement and confidence for us to go with this Christ.
• 41:18
  Do you have the confidence that David has?
• 41:22
  Do you have that personal confidence that can say,
• 41:26
  God is always with me?
• 41:28
  No matter what experience I am going through.
• 41:33
  He will not withhold his compassion from me.
• 41:36
  He will not withhold his steadfast love from me.
• 41:40
  He is faithful to me.
• 41:42
  What about this walk of life?
• 41:48
  Is it in darkness or is it in light?
• 41:53
  And the Christian walk, as you look at it,
• 41:56
  you may ask yourself, as we probably all have,
• 42:00
  how can I do it?
• 42:02
  Well, here is the answer.
• 42:05
  Relying on God.
• 42:07
  Trusting in him who will keep our steps,
• 42:11
  who has established our steps,
• 42:13
  who knows the direction we go in,
• 42:15
  who will be with us faithfully,
• 42:17
  who will not withhold his compassion from us
• 42:19
  and shows us steadfast love.
• 42:21
  David says and admits that he cannot do it alone.
• 42:29
  He relies on this God of whose.
• 42:31
  Psalm 40 is often one of conversion,
• 42:39
  with reference to conversion.
• 42:42
  The one that took a step in faith,
• 42:46
  trusting in this God.
• 42:48
  The God that revealed himself to David.
• 42:53
  The God who reveals himself to us.
• 42:55
  It's a step in faith, often.
• 43:01
  But we must ask ourselves,
• 43:03
  well, where is your confidence for this walk of life?
• 43:07
  What is the ultimate destination that you want to get to?
• 43:12
  Are you confident in yourself?
• 43:15
  Or are you confident in Christ?
• 43:19
  The one who has faith in Christ
• 43:21
  and understands who Christ is to him.
• 43:26
  He gets courage to face the difficulties
• 43:29
  that come before him.
• 43:31
  And we see that courage from verse 12.
• 43:34
  For evils have encompassed me beyond number.
• 43:37
  My iniquities have overtaken me.
• 43:39
  I cannot see.
• 43:41
  They are more than the hairs of my head, my heart.
• 43:43
  My heart fails me.
• 43:45
  Be pleased, O Lord, to deliver me.
• 43:47
  O Lord, make haste to help me.
• 43:49
  Let those who put to shame and disappointed altogether,
• 43:53
  who seek to snatch away my life.
• 43:57
  Let those who be turned back and brought to dishonor,
• 43:59
  who desire to my hurt.
• 44:02
  Let all those be appalled because they're shame,
• 44:05
  who say to me,
• 44:06
  Aha, aha.
• 44:07
  Aha.
• 44:09
  There is a fear in this section that comes through to us.
• 44:13
  The psalmist there.
• 44:14
  You'll see there's actually two sections to it.
• 44:17
  From verse 12.
• 44:19
  Well, verse 12 is one section.
• 44:21
  You have a cry to God in verse 13.
• 44:25
  And then verse 14 and 15 is another sort of section
• 44:28
  that you can take.
• 44:30
  Where verse 12 is something from within.
• 44:35
  And the second part from 14 to 15 is something external to himself.
• 44:42
  Yeah, that war, as a Christian often does,
• 44:45
  from within ourselves and externally,
• 44:48
  from things that are outside in this world.
• 44:53
  A Christian needs courage
• 44:54
  because there are many things that make us afraid.
• 44:59
  I looked up this word courage
• 45:00
  in one of the dictionaries that I usually use.
• 45:02
  And it said,
• 45:04
  The quality of mind or spirit
• 45:06
  that enables a person to face difficulty,
• 45:09
  danger, pain, etc.
• 45:10
  without fear.
• 45:12
  And I thought,
• 45:13
  Well, that's not right, really.
• 45:15
  I mean, if there's no fear,
• 45:17
  where's the courage?
• 45:19
  So I had to look at another dictionary
• 45:21
  and that confirmed my ideas.
• 45:24
  Courage is really incomplete fear.
• 45:28
  When we are fearful of what lies ahead of us.
• 45:32
  And you may be fearful of the next steps of your walk.
• 45:36
  Whether you are a Christian
• 45:37
  or whether you have to make a beginning with Christ.
• 45:42
  There are many fears set before us.
• 45:46
  And there are many fears
• 45:47
  that will rob our confidence in Christ
• 45:49
  and in his word.
• 45:51
  There's people out there
• 45:52
  dismissing this as a story.
• 45:55
  But it's not.
• 45:59
  And the believer in Christ Jesus,
• 46:01
  the one who has had himself rescued
• 46:03
  from the mire and the pit of destruction,
• 46:07
  who has felt the power of salvation of God,
• 46:11
  knows that this is no story.
• 46:13
  And we wish that everyone would understand it.
• 46:18
  That it was true.
• 46:20
  And it reveals to us who God is.
• 46:24
  There are many fears to rob our confidence.
• 46:27
  But courage has confidence amid fear.
• 46:30
  Courage has confidence amid fear.
• 46:34
  The defining factor is,
• 46:36
  where is our confidence?
• 46:38
  In fear.
• 46:40
  In the valley of the shadow of darkness.
• 46:44
  Courage conquers fear.
• 46:48
  The inward fears that David has briefly.
• 46:53
  They're surrounding him.
• 46:55
  They're encompassing him.
• 46:57
  Iniquities have overtaken.
• 46:59
  It says for evils there
• 47:01
  at the beginning of verse Mark 12.
• 47:02
  For evils have encompassed me.
• 47:04
  We may think that this is
• 47:05
  almost an external element for evils.
• 47:09
  But the word is sort of a misery distress.
• 47:13
  Again, the Psalter words it,
• 47:15
  ills, I think.
• 47:17
  Now, misery and distress
• 47:18
  is not something externally from ourselves.
• 47:21
  It is within us.
• 47:24
  Misery and distress has encompassed me
• 47:26
  beyond number.
• 47:28
  Misery is all distresses.
• 47:30
  They are his own
• 47:32
  and they weigh him down.
• 47:34
  They are surrounding.
• 47:38
  There are innumerable pains,
• 47:41
  iniquities,
• 47:42
  his sins that have overtaken.
• 47:44
  They are more than the hairs of his head.
• 47:47
  They are so overwhelming,
• 47:52
  they are so overwhelming, you see.
• 47:53
  David's looking at himself
• 47:55
  within his heart
• 47:56
  and he's overwhelmed
• 47:57
  because of who he is.
• 48:00
  The sin that lies within him
• 48:01
  overwhelms him
• 48:02
  and that is exactly the same for us.
• 48:04
  When we look at ourselves
• 48:07
  and we see that
• 48:08
  there's things that we've done wrong,
• 48:12
  we wouldn't want to tell anyone.
• 48:14
  They're overwhelming to us.
• 48:17
  And if we give our attention to them,
• 48:21
  they will overwhelm us
• 48:22
  and they have an effect there,
• 48:23
  as you can see.
• 48:25
  Well, David couldn't see.
• 48:27
  I cannot see
• 48:28
  because of these iniquities,
• 48:30
  the sins before God.
• 48:33
  His heart fails.
• 48:36
  He loses courage.
• 48:39
  He loses confidence
• 48:41
  when he focuses on his sins.
• 48:45
  It's almost like that
• 48:47
  when we look at ourselves.
• 48:49
  It's almost like I spot the difference
• 48:50
  where you may see one thing straight away
• 48:54
  and then you may,
• 48:56
  the longer you look at it,
• 48:57
  the more you see, basically.
• 48:59
  And that is exactly the same with us.
• 49:01
  The more we look at ourselves,
• 49:03
  the more sin we see
• 49:05
  and the more overwhelmed we feel.
• 49:11
  But David cries out to God,
• 49:16
  Be pleased to help me,
• 49:18
  to deliver me.
• 49:20
  Make haste to my help.
• 49:22
  He knows these things
• 49:23
  are weighing him down.
• 49:24
  But there's an outward strain on him as well.
• 49:31
  There's people
• 49:31
  who do different things to him
• 49:33
  from verse 14.
• 49:36
  People who snatch to take away his life.
• 49:38
  People who want to bring dishonor.
• 49:40
  Who want to bring him hurt.
• 49:43
  People who mock him
• 49:44
  by saying,
• 49:46
  ah, ah, ah, ah.
• 49:46
  People who laugh at him.
• 49:49
  And that goes without saying.
• 49:51
  That is hard for us.
• 49:54
  When people slander us
• 49:56
  because of who we believe in
• 49:57
  and have faith and trust in this walk
• 50:00
  and tell people the direction of our walk,
• 50:04
  people will do all sorts to us
• 50:06
  to stop us in the walk that we are on.
• 50:09
  Yet, David has compassionate thoughts towards them.
• 50:15
  He doesn't want God to destroy them.
• 50:17
  He wants them to feel their shin.
• 50:18
  He wants them to be disappointed.
• 50:20
  He wants them to understand
• 50:22
  who God is.
• 50:24
  That they would be turned back
• 50:26
  and brought to dishonor.
• 50:27
  And through all this suffering,
• 50:33
  you can see Christ.
• 50:36
  Undeniably, Christ is there.
• 50:40
  The only one I questioned was my iniquities.
• 50:43
  But then, Christ bore all our sins
• 50:48
  as if they were his sins.
• 50:50
  And he could say
• 50:52
  that they were my iniquities
• 50:55
  that he paid the price for.
• 50:58
  When you look through that section,
• 51:01
  you can see Christ.
• 51:03
  And I encourage you to do so
• 51:04
  because we don't have time at the moment.
• 51:06
  But amidst all these fears,
• 51:12
  he looks in himself.
• 51:14
  He sees what's going on before him.
• 51:17
  But he doesn't stop crying to God.
• 51:20
  Be pleased to help me.
• 51:23
  And then the last section there.
• 51:26
  Regardless of what fears are said before him,
• 51:29
  he has courage.
• 51:31
  And he says,
• 51:32
  But may all who seek you
• 51:35
  rejoice and be glad in you.
• 51:37
  May those who love your salvation
• 51:39
  say continually,
• 51:40
  Great is the Lord.
• 51:42
  As for me, I am poor and needy.
• 51:44
  But the Lord takes thought for me.
• 51:46
  You are my helper, my deliverer.
• 51:48
  O Lord, do not delay.
• 51:51
  O my God.
• 51:54
  The psalmist continues with God.
• 51:59
  He has courage amidst fear.
• 52:02
  And he continues with God.
• 52:08
  He looks to him.
• 52:11
  Himself.
• 52:12
  But you can see in verse 16,
• 52:14
  it's almost like he desires
• 52:16
  that everyone would look to him.
• 52:18
  It's almost like there's a congregational
• 52:20
  desire there.
• 52:23
  But may all who seek you
• 52:25
  rejoice and be glad in you.
• 52:27
  May those who love your salvation
• 52:29
  say continually,
• 52:30
  Great is the Lord.
• 52:32
  And then there's a personal aspect to it.
• 52:34
  As he looks now,
• 52:36
  As for me,
• 52:38
  I am poor and needy,
• 52:39
  but the Lord takes thought of me.
• 52:42
  You are my help and my deliverer.
• 52:45
  Do not delay.
• 52:47
  O my God.
• 52:50
  As we join in worship together,
• 52:52
  we kind of touched on it last week.
• 52:54
  That we would have our eyes opened
• 52:58
  and our ears unblocked
• 52:59
  to understand and know who God is
• 53:02
  and who he tells us he is.
• 53:05
  That we may know the breadth,
• 53:07
  the height,
• 53:07
  the depth
• 53:08
  of his character
• 53:10
  in every aspect.
• 53:12
  and the greater he would become
• 53:15
  that we would be people.
• 53:18
  As we gather together,
• 53:21
  we'd say,
• 53:22
  Great is the Lord.
• 53:24
  Again,
• 53:25
  that word doesn't really
• 53:26
  take out the greatness
• 53:28
  of what
• 53:29
  he means.
• 53:31
  He means
• 53:31
  the Psalter version
• 53:33
  is magnified,
• 53:34
  the Lord.
• 53:35
  It's an increasing thing
• 53:39
  that goes on.
• 53:41
  But where God is not
• 53:42
  becoming smaller to us,
• 53:44
  God should be becoming
• 53:45
  greater.
• 53:46
  As we sit under his word
• 53:47
  and learn about him,
• 53:49
  we see the greatness of God.
• 53:54
  And when you see
• 53:55
  they are what he writes,
• 53:58
  I am poor and needy
• 53:59
  as we are.
• 54:01
  But the Lord
• 54:04
  takes thought of me.
• 54:08
  And I think
• 54:08
  that verse
• 54:12
  becomes more significant
• 54:13
  the greater God becomes.
• 54:18
  When we really
• 54:19
  grasp
• 54:20
  and start grasping
• 54:22
  who God is
• 54:22
  and continue to grasp
• 54:24
  who God is,
• 54:26
  he thinks upon you.
• 54:28
  And he thinks
• 54:29
  and knows
• 54:30
  and hears
• 54:31
  your prayers
• 54:32
  and your cries,
• 54:34
  whether you be in the pit,
• 54:35
  whether you be overwhelmed
• 54:36
  by
• 54:37
  your own
• 54:40
  feeling of sinfulness,
• 54:42
  whether you're overwhelmed
• 54:43
  by
• 54:43
  an external
• 54:44
  evil
• 54:45
  that
• 54:46
  makes you question
• 54:48
  everything,
• 54:50
  God knows.
• 54:53
  And God
• 54:53
  has an everlasting
• 54:55
  compassion
• 54:56
  and steadfast love
• 54:57
  towards you.
• 55:00
  You have confidence
• 55:01
  to be with God.
• 55:04
  God hears
• 55:05
  all our cries,
• 55:08
  whatever they are.
• 55:10
  And you'll remember
• 55:11
  we started
• 55:12
  in the pit
• 55:13
  and the psalmist
• 55:14
  was looking back
• 55:15
  upon this experience
• 55:19
  that he had
• 55:20
  and how he had to
• 55:21
  wait
• 55:22
  patiently
• 55:23
  upon the Lord.
• 55:24
  but he wrote
• 55:26
  it
• 55:26
  when he's in a state
• 55:28
  of feeling
• 55:29
  poor
• 55:29
  and needy.
• 55:32
  The Christian
• 55:33
  life,
• 55:34
  many may portray
• 55:35
  it to be wonderful
• 55:36
  and it is
• 55:37
  wonderful,
• 55:39
  but it's not
• 55:40
  easy.
• 55:41
  It's not
• 55:42
  that feeling
• 55:43
  that
• 55:44
  everything's
• 55:45
  okay,
• 55:46
  in a sense
• 55:46
  they are,
• 55:47
  but it's not like
• 55:48
  everything's going
• 55:49
  to go so well
• 55:50
  and we're never
• 55:51
  going to question
• 55:51
  anything
• 55:52
  or need to
• 55:53
  question
• 55:53
  anything
• 55:53
  in our life.
• 55:55
  Because we see
• 55:56
  the emotion
• 55:57
  of David
• 55:58
  coming through
• 55:58
  in this psalm.
• 56:00
  As we look
• 56:00
  through,
• 56:01
  regardless of
• 56:03
  anything else,
• 56:04
  he is one
• 56:05
  that wants
• 56:05
  to come
• 56:05
  to God.
• 56:07
  Nevertheless,
• 56:08
  continually,
• 56:09
  O Lord,
• 56:09
  I am with thee.
• 56:11
  That's almost
• 56:11
  what he's saying
• 56:12
  when he gives
• 56:14
  himself
• 56:14
  and devotes
• 56:15
  himself
• 56:15
  to worship
• 56:16
  in God.
• 56:16
  You are my
• 56:18
  help,
• 56:19
  you are my
• 56:20
  deliverer.
• 56:21
  Do not delay,
• 56:22
  O my God.
• 56:26
  What about
• 56:27
  your walk?
• 56:30
  This
• 56:30
  Psalm 40
• 56:32
  resembles
• 56:32
  and speaks
• 56:34
  to us
• 56:36
  about our
• 56:36
  walk in
• 56:37
  many different
• 56:37
  ways.
• 56:38
  And we can
• 56:39
  associate
• 56:41
  ourselves
• 56:41
  with the
• 56:42
  words of
• 56:42
  David.
• 56:44
  And that is
• 56:44
  where the
• 56:44
  richness of
• 56:45
  the psalms
• 56:46
  comes through.
• 56:46
  He is
• 56:51
  overcome
• 56:51
  by the
• 56:52
  evils of
• 56:53
  this world.
• 56:55
  He does
• 56:55
  question
• 56:56
  things.
• 56:57
  He is
• 56:57
  battled
• 57:00
  with the
• 57:00
  will of
• 57:01
  God for
• 57:01
  his life,
• 57:02
  his
• 57:03
  experiences.
• 57:04
  That's
• 57:05
  where the
• 57:05
  psalms are
• 57:05
  so rich.
• 57:07
  And I
• 57:07
  feel like
• 57:08
  if we
• 57:08
  didn't have
• 57:08
  the psalms
• 57:09
  that express
• 57:11
  these words
• 57:12
  and feelings,
• 57:13
  we would
• 57:14
  be asking
• 57:14
  ourselves,
• 57:14
  well,
• 57:15
  what's wrong
• 57:15
  with me?
• 57:16
  Why am I
• 57:17
  feeling
• 57:17
  overcome
• 57:18
  by my
• 57:18
  sin?
• 57:19
  Why am I
• 57:20
  feeling like
• 57:21
  the people
• 57:21
  of this
• 57:22
  world are
• 57:22
  squashing
• 57:23
  me?
• 57:29
  We must
• 57:30
  have confidence
• 57:31
  in God.
• 57:33
  We must
• 57:34
  have courage
• 57:34
  in trusting
• 57:37
  that God
• 57:37
  will be
• 57:38
  one that
• 57:38
  will never
• 57:39
  leave us
• 57:40
  nor forsake
• 57:41
  us in
• 57:41
  our walk
• 57:42
  and that
• 57:43
  we continue
• 57:44
  in that
• 57:45
  walk.
• 57:47
  The walker
• 57:48
  has a
• 57:49
  destination
• 57:50
  planned
• 57:51
  before he
• 57:53
  sets out.
• 57:54
  we must
• 57:55
  ask,
• 57:57
  do you
• 57:58
  have
• 57:58
  confidence
• 57:59
  for this
• 58:00
  Christian
• 58:00
  life?
• 58:03
  Are you
• 58:04
  assured,
• 58:05
  persuaded,
• 58:05
  and enabled
• 58:06
  that Christ
• 58:08
  will not
• 58:09
  leave you
• 58:09
  or forsake
• 58:10
  you?
• 58:13
  If you're
• 58:13
  going to
• 58:14
  go on
• 58:14
  this walk,
• 58:15
  trust in
• 58:16
  him,
• 58:17
  devote
• 58:17
  yourself
• 58:18
  to him
• 58:19
  and he
• 58:21
  will be
• 58:22
  your God.
• 58:25
  He will
• 58:26
  rescue you
• 58:27
  from every
• 58:28
  pit and
• 58:29
  rescue you
• 58:30
  from the
• 58:31
  pit that
• 58:31
  will be
• 58:32
  eternal
• 58:32
  if you
• 58:33
  trust in
• 58:34
  him.
• 58:37
  I pray
• 58:38
  that as
• 58:38
  we gather
• 58:39
  here,
• 58:41
  we may
• 58:42
  rejoice
• 58:44
  and be
• 58:45
  glad in
• 58:46
  God
• 58:46
  as we
• 58:47
  seek him
• 58:48
  and that
• 58:50
  we may
• 58:50
  love the
• 58:51
  salvation
• 58:51
  that we
• 58:52
  have in
• 58:52
  Christ
• 58:52
  Jesus.
• 58:55
  You
• 58:55
  are
• 58:56
  great,
• 58:58
  O Lord.
• 59:00
  May that
• 59:01
  be your
• 59:01
  confession
• 59:02
  today.
• 59:04
  May these
• 59:05
  thoughts be
• 59:05
  blessed to
• 59:06
  us.
• 59:06
  We'll
• 59:06
  conclude by
• 59:07
  singing in
• 59:07
  Psalm 40,
• 59:10
  sing
• 59:10
  Psalm's
• 59:12
  Version on
• 59:13
  page 51.
• 59:18
  Psalm 40,
• 59:28
  on page 51,
• 59:30
  verse
• 59:31
  marked
• 59:31
  11,
• 59:34
  down to
• 59:34
  the end
• 59:34
  of the
• 59:35
  psalm.
• 59:36
  Do not
• 59:37
  withhold your
• 59:38
  mercy,
• 59:38
  Lord,
• 59:39
  surround your
• 59:39
  servant
• 59:40
  constantly
• 59:41
  with your
• 59:42
  great love
• 59:42
  and faithfulness
• 59:43
  for many
• 59:45
  troubles
• 59:45
  threaten me.
• 59:46
  And down to
• 59:48
  verse
• 59:48
  17,
• 59:49
  Lord,
• 59:51
  think on
• 59:52
  me.
• 59:53
  I humbly
• 59:53
  pray,
• 59:54
  you are my
• 59:55
  saviour and
• 59:56
  my help.
• 59:57
  Come,
• 59:57
  O my
• 59:57
  God,
• 59:58
  do not
• 59:59
  delay.
• 1:00:00
  We'll stand
• 1:00:01
  and we'll sing
• 1:00:02
  these words
• 1:00:02
  to God's
• 1:00:03
  praise.
• 1:00:03
  Amen.
• 1:00:03
  Amen.
• 1:00:03
  Amen.
• 1:00:03
  Amen.
• 1:00:03
  Amen.
• 1:00:03
  Amen.
• 1:00:03
  Amen.
• 1:00:03
  Amen.
• 1:00:03
  Amen.
• 1:00:03
  Amen.
• 1:00:03
  Amen.
• 1:00:05
  Amen.
• 1:00:07
  Amen.
• 1:00:07
  Amen.
• 1:00:07
  Amen.
• 1:00:07
  Amen.
• 1:00:07
  Amen.
• 1:00:08
  Amen.
• 1:00:09
  Amen.
• 1:00:09
  Amen.
• 1:00:11
  Amen.
• 1:00:11
  Amen.
• 1:00:12
  Amen.
• 1:00:13
  Amen.
• 1:00:15
  Amen.
• 1:00:24
  Amen.
• 1:00:25
  Amen.
• 1:00:26
  Amen.
• 1:00:34
  Amen.
• 1:00:38
  Amen.
• 1:00:41
  Amen.
• 1:00:41
  Amen.
• 1:00:45
  Thy sins have overtaken me,
• 1:00:56
  Theremore thy flesh upon my head,
• 1:01:06
  Thy heart within me fails for grief,
• 1:01:15
  I cannot see the rain ahead.
• 1:01:25
  Be pleased, O Lord, to rescue me,
• 1:01:35
  O Lord, come with me to my aid,
• 1:01:45
  May all who seek to take my life
• 1:01:55
  With shame and turmoil be paid.
• 1:02:04
  May all who've got my overthrow
• 1:02:14
  Turn back this grace of living him,
• 1:02:23
  May those who walk me to my face
• 1:02:33
  Become a pall that there won't shame.
• 1:02:43
  But let all those who seek your face
• 1:02:53
  Be joyful in you all their days,
• 1:03:03
  Let those who love salvation say,
• 1:03:13
  Exalted be the Lord always.
• 1:03:23
  Yet I am pure and in great need,
• 1:03:33
  Lord, think of me, I humbly pray,
• 1:03:41
  You are my Saviour and my help
• 1:03:50
  Come, O my God, do not delay
• 1:04:00
  Close in prayer.
• 1:04:02
  Our Heavenly Father, we thank you for this time we have,
• 1:04:05
  Aside from the world.
• 1:04:06
  Lord, we thank you for everyone that is gathered here
• 1:04:09
  And those who are gathered online.
• 1:04:10
  We pray that we would know your blessing as we study your word.
• 1:04:14
  Lord, we know that many are the anguishes and cries of your people,
• 1:04:18
  But you are one who hears.
• 1:04:21
  Let your name be exalted, O Lord.
• 1:04:28
  We pray this in your name.
• 1:04:31
  Amen.
• 1:04:40
  Amen.
• 1:05:10
  Amen.
• 1:05:14
  Amen.
• 1:05:15
  Amen.
• 1:05:16
  Amen.
• 1:05:17
  Amen.
• 1:05:17
  Amen.
• 1:05:35
  Amen.
• 1:05:39
  Amen.