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Challenged but Courageous in the Work · Stornoway Free Church of Scotland - Sermons

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  But we begin our worship by singing to God's praise in Psalm 46.
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  In the Scottish Psalter version, Psalm 46, we're going to sing from verse 1 to verse 7, page 271 of the psalm book, the tune is Strathcathro.
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  It's a psalm I'm sure we know very well, but it's often good to again to remind ourselves of God as our refuge and our strength,
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  even when troubles arise and so much goes on around us that we find our safety, our help in him.
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  So we're going to sing from verse 1 to verse 7, God is our refuge and our strength.
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  Amen.
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  Amen.
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  Amen.
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  Amen.
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  Amen.
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  Amen.
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  Amen.
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  Amen.
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  Amen.
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  For although the air we live, we will not be afraid.
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  Though hills and hills the seas becast, though waters roaring me, and troubled me,
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  in all the hills, by swelling seas to shame.
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  The river is to stream to cloud, the city of our God.
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  The holy place where in the Lord was high and dear, God.
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  God in the midst of the heart of dwell, nothing shall ever remove.
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  The Lord to heart and ever will, and the uprightly blue.
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  The deep and bridge to mount us free, the kingdom's new bled web.
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  The Lord to come, the wicked's voice, the earth did melt for fear.
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  The Lord of hosts upon our side, that constantly remain.
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  The God of hosts upon our refuge, as safely to maintain.
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  Let's come to God in prayer. Let us pray.
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  Our gracious and eternal God, we come to you anew this evening hour.
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  We come dependent upon you for all things.
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  We come, O Lord, seeking your strength.
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  We come seeking your presence with us and your blessing upon all that we do.
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  In your name at this time, we thank you that we come opening up your word together.
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  We come looking to your word and seeing what it has to say to us.
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  And we are reminded even in these words that we've sung, words that we've probably sung many, many times together.
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  Or in different situations with different people.
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  And yet words that so often resonate with us.
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  They speak to us, Lord, again and again as we see an ever-changing world around us.
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  And yet we see and look to you as the unchanging God.
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  The one who is always there.
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  The one who is ever-present and unchanging and unchangeable.
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  When we think of these words, the heathen rage tumultuously.
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  The kingdoms move it well.
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  And when we look at our world today and we see so much of the devastation that surrounds us, Lord.
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  When we see kingdoms shaken by events.
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  When we see a people shaken by atrocities all around us.
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  We thank you that we can come to you.
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  That you are the Lord who has uttered his voice to us in the midst of it all.
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  You are the one who is speaking to us each and every day and each and every event.
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  And we pray, Lord, that you will help us to hear your voice.
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  And help many people in this world to hear.
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  But to heed your voice as well.
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  Not to turn away from it.
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  And not to ignore it.
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  Not to dismiss it and to mock it.
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  But to look to you.
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  For we need you, Lord.
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  We need you in so many different ways.
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  We need your help.
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  We need, oh Lord, your nearness to us.
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  We need that hope that you are able to give us.
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  That you gave your people even long ago.
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  The psalm here reminds us that you were Jacob's refuge.
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  And we thank you that you are our refuge too.
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  And so we pray, Lord, that near and far as your people.
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  Even as people gather for worship in this evening hour.
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  Even as people have worshipped you throughout this day.
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  Throughout the world.
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  We thank you, Lord, that you are the God who hears.
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  And is able to answer prayer.
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  And so we commit, oh Lord, ourselves into your hands.
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  And all your people.
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  We thank you that you are our God.
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  And there is no other.
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  And so, Lord, we come humbly before you.
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  Thankful for all that is ours in Christ Jesus.
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  That we are reminded that no matter the troubles of this world.
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  No matter what comes our way.
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  That our ultimate, our greatest security is in Christ Jesus, our Lord.
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  And help us, Lord, that we will find our refuge and our strength in him.
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  We pray, oh Lord, and ask for your goodness to us as a people here.
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  We thank you that we are reminded in your word that your kingdom comes.
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  That you are building your church.
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  And as we continue, oh Lord, our study in the book of Nehemiah.
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  As we again turn to it this evening and open it up.
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  We pray, Lord, that you will still us in your presence.
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  That you will help us to hear and to understand what you are saying to us.
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  Help us as preacher and hearers alike, oh Lord, to approach your word prayerfully.
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  And with a desire for it, Lord, to learn from it.
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  To apply it to ourselves.
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  Not just to see it as something from a distant past.
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  Thousands of years ago.
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  But something that is fresh and real for us today.
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  Something that encourages us as well as challenges us today.
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  Because we thank you that although the work is not the same in the sense of building the walls of Jerusalem.
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  That in many ways we are still fulfilling your commission to us.
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  To be your church.
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  To be your people.
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  And to seek the good of your name.
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  The praise of your name.
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  In our town.
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  In our islands.
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  In our lands.
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  And all lands of the world.
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  We thank you, Lord, for the great promise that you have given.
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  That you will build your church.
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  And that you will not allow the gates of hell to prevail against it.
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  And help us, Lord, when we feel weak.
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  When we feel discouraged.
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  When we feel the opposition great.
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  Even as we see in the day of Nehemiah.
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  To know and trust in you as our Lord and as our God.
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  So help us even in this coming week to go on in your strength.
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  To do all for the glory of God.
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  And for the good of your people.
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  And for people all around us, Lord.
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  We pray that you will help us and encourage us.
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  And bind us together in the work of the gospel.
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  That we would seek your good for all around us.
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  We would see your blessing upon us.
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  We thank you for the ministry of your word that takes place in so many different ways.
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  We thank you for the times of public worship such as we have just now.
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  And as we gather during the week for times of prayer and worship.
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  But we thank you too for the quieter ways your work goes on.
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  For individuals who take so much time to visit and to keep in touch with people.
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  To look out for others.
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  For so many people who help quietly in the background.
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  Doing so many tasks, oh Lord.
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  That maybe go unnoticed by many.
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  But we thank you, Lord.
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  That from all corners of our congregation.
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  You are using your people.
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  And we pray together that we be encouraged to give ourselves to the work.
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  To encourage one another.
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  To build one another up.
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  To ask, oh Lord.
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  What can we do in this place to help your cause?
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  To commit ourselves to the Lord first and foremost.
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  And then to commit each other to each other as well.
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  We thank you, Lord.
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  For your teaching and your word.
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  That reminds us of what our priorities are to be.
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  That we are to seek first the kingdom of God.
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  And that then all other things will be added unto us.
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  Give us wisdom, oh Lord.
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  To apply these words to our lives and to our hearts.
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  And we pray, oh Lord.
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  For your church far and wide.
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  That we thank you for a communion season in our midst.
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  We pray for the services taking place today.
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  Even this evening hour in Calanish and in Cross.
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  And those who have been together there for our communion weekend.
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  We pray there have been a blessed time.
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  We pray for the upcoming week as well.
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  For the congregation of Park.
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  And for Reverend Ian McCritchie there.
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  And the congregation as a whole.
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  That we pray for visiting ministers.
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  As they will have Reverend Paul Murray.
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  And Reverend Ian Thompson over this coming weekend.
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  And that you would bless the ministry of your word to them.
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  To them all together.
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  We thank you for encouragements in the congregation there.
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  And we pray, oh Lord.
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  To continue to see and to hear of great things happening throughout your church.
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  Far and wide.
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  We remember other ministries, Lord.
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  Today as well.
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  We are mindful of the congregation of Shabbos.
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  Today as Reverend Calum MacLeod.
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  Leads in his last services with them.
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  As he comes to the time of retirement from the ministry.
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  We pray for them that's gathered there this evening.
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  We pray for Calum.
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  And thank you for his ministry there over many years.
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  And pray, oh Lord, that you will bless that ministry.
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  Even in the days and months and years ahead.
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  We pray, Lord, for him and his family.
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  As he will soon be settling into retirement.
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  But still with much to do in terms of his work for the Lord.
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  Even especially in this week.
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  Having been appointed as moderator to our denomination.
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  For the next year.
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  Taking place at the assembly in May.
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  We thank you for that, Lord.
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  And for the acknowledgement of his years of service in the church.
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  We pray that you will continue to use him.
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  And to bless him.
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  And to uphold him.
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  In his ongoing ministry in different ways.
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  We pray for the congregation there as it becomes vacant.
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  Lord, may you bless them.
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  And guide them.
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  And shepherd them throughout these days.
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  And months ahead.
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  We pray, Lord, for your provision.
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  For a new ministry there in your time.
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  And according to your will.
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  We pray, oh Lord, now that you will continue with us.
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  That you will help us to look to you.
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  And to trust in you with all our heart.
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  That you will build us up, oh Lord, in our faith.
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  That you will encourage us in our hearts, oh Lord.
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  And we thank you, Lord, for all that is ours in Christ.
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  We thank you for a great salvation.
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  And a great hope that we have in him.
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  And we pray, Lord, that whatever comes our way.
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  That you will always keep us looking to Jesus.
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  The author and the perfecter of our faith.
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  So hear our prayers, oh Lord.
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  Continue with us in our time together.
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  Bless us, we pray.
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  And pardon our sin.
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  As we ask it all in Jesus' precious name.
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  Amen.
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  So again, sing to God's praise.
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  This time we'll sing in Psalm 127.
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  In the Sing Psalms version.
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  Page 171 of the psalm books.
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  Psalm 127.
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  We'll sing the whole of this psalm.
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  The tune is Wiltshire.
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  Page 171.
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  Unless the Lord builds up the house,
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  Its builders toil in vain.
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  Unless he keeps the city safe,
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  Then they vainly watch maintain.
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  So we'll sing the whole of this psalm to God's praise.
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  We stand to sing.
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  Kung stolid, you are here in the kingdom of God is to live the hall.
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  The elders toil in vain, unless he keeps the seldomly safe, they mainly won't maintain.
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  In vain you rise before the dawn, and lift her skin with heat, that you may toil for food to eat.
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  He gives his cup of sleep.
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  Sons are a precious heritage, a blessing from the Lord.
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  The children that are born to us are to lead his reward.
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  Like an old sin, a warrior's hand, are children of one's youth.
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  The man whose whippers full of them is blessed by God in truth.
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  Such men will not be put to shame, but will not be their fate.
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  When they content are yet to boast, who takes them in the gate.
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  Amen.
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  We can turn together to read now in the Old Testament in the book of Nehemiah.
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  It's a continuous study in this book.
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  We read in Nehemiah chapter 4.
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  We can read the whole of this chapter in Nehemiah chapter 4.
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  Reading from the beginning down to the end of the chapter.
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  Now when Sanballat heard that we were building the wall, he was angry and greatly enraged,
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  and he jeered at the Jews. And he said in the presence of his brothers and of the army of
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  Samaria, what are these feeble Jews doing? Will they restore it for themselves? Will they sacrifice?
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  Will they finish in a day? Will they revive the stones out of the heaps of rubbish and burned ones
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  at that? Tobiah the Ammonite was beside him, and he said, yes, what they are building, if a fox goes
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  up on it, he will break down their stone wall. Hear, O our God, for we are despised. Turn back their taunt
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  on their own heads and give them up to be plundered in a land where they are captives. Do not cover
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  their guilt, and let not their sin be blotted out from your sight, for they have provoked you to anger
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  in the presence of the builders. So we built the wall, and all the wall was joined together to half
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  its height, for the people had a mind to work. But when Sanballat and Tobiah and the Arabs and the
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  Ammonites and the Astrodites heard that the repairing of the walls of Jerusalem was going forward,
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  and that the breaches were beginning to be closed, they were very angry. And they all plotted together
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  to come and fight against Jerusalem and to cause confusion in it. And we prayed to our God and set
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  their guard as a protection against them day and night. In Judah it was said, the strength of those
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  who bear the burdens is failing. There is too much rubble. By ourselves we will not be able to rebuild
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  the wall. And our enemies said, they will not know or see till we come among them and kill them and stop
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  the work. At that time the Jews who lived near them came from all directions and said to us ten times,
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  you must return to us. So in the lowest parts of the space behind the wall, in open places, I stationed
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  the people by their clans with their swords, their spears, and their bows. And I looked and arose and said
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  to the nobles and to the officials and to the rest of the people, do not be afraid of them.
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  Remember the Lord who is great and awesome and fight for your brothers, your sons, your daughters,
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  your wives, and your homes. When our enemies heard that it was known to us and that God had frustrated
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  their plan, we all returned to the wall, each to his work. From that day on, half of my servants worked
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  on construction and half held the spears, shields, bows, and coats of mail. And the leaders stood behind
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  the whole house of Judah, who were building on the wall. Those who carried burdens were loaded in such a
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  way that each labored on the work with one hand and held his weapon with the other. And each of the
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  builders had his sword strapped to his side while he built. The man who sounded the trumpet was beside me.
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  And I said to the nobles and to the officials and to the rest of the people, the work is great and
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  widely spread, and we are separated on the wall far from one another. And the place where you hear the
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  sound of the trumpet, rally to us there, our God will fight for us. So we labored at the work, and half of them
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  held the spears from the break of dawn until the stars came out. I also said to the people at that time,
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  let every man and his servant pass the night within Jerusalem, that they may be a guard for us by night
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  and may labor by day. So neither I nor my brothers nor my servants nor the men of the guard who followed
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  me, none of us took off our clothes, each kept his weapon at his right hand. Amen, and may God bless that
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  reading from his word. Well, before we turn back to look at this passage, we'll sing again to God's praise,
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  this time in Psalm 31 in the Scottish Psalter. We're singing from verse 13 down to verse 17,
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  page 242 of the psalm book, Psalm 31.
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  We sing from verse 13, the tune is Torwood.
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  We see here a similar situation to what Nehemiah and the people were facing when there was
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  slanderers all around them. Fear was in their midst, and there were those who were plotting against them
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  in so many different ways. But verse 14 reminds us, but as for me, O Lord, my trust, upon thee I did lay,
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  and I to thee, thou art my God, did confidently say. That we will be able to say these words for
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  ourselves as well, that we can take confidence in the Lord. So we'll sing from verse 13 down to
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  verse 17 to God's praise.
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  Thank you.
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  Thank you.
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  Thank you.
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  Thank you.
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  Thank you.
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  Let wicked men be shamed.
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  Let them be silent in the grave.
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  Amen.
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  Well, we can turn back to our reading in Nehemiah chapter 4.
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  We'll consider some of these sections before us here in this chapter together.
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  If you read again with me at verse 10, we see there some of the discouragement that the people were facing.
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  In Judah it was said, the strength of those who bear the burdens is failing.
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  There is too much rubble by ourselves.
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  We will not be able to rebuild the wall.
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  Then we can read again at verse 14 as well, where Nehemiah speaks to the people and says,
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  And I looked and arose and said to the nobles and to the officials and to the rest of the people,
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  Do not be afraid of them.
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  Remember the Lord who is great and awesome.
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  And fight for your brothers, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your homes.
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  This chapter is a real mix of ups and downs in the midst of the work that Nehemiah had come back to Jerusalem to do
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  and to encourage the people of Jerusalem to return to the work of rebuilding the walls that had been devastated.
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  What we have seen of Nehemiah so far as we began our study in this book,
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  we've seen him as one who was a servant for the king in Persia.
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  Some 900 miles away from Jerusalem.
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  He had been born in that place, born of parents who had been taken captive from Jerusalem
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  when they had been conquered and taken captive.
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  And Nehemiah had never seen Jerusalem for himself.
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  But we see that as he was a cupbearer to the king in Persia,
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  he heard news from Jerusalem, news that greatly troubled him.
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  That Jerusalem was in disarray.
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  And this led to him getting a confident vision of what the Lord wanted him to do.
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  And so he returned to Jerusalem or came to Jerusalem, not returning.
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  He came to Jerusalem, saw it for the first time himself and the devastation that there was,
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  and yet was still encouraged and an encourager to the people to get on with the work of rebuilding the wall.
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  But this was not without its challenges.
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  Every step along the way, there was challenges as they got on with this work.
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  But perhaps for ourselves, it's just important to think,
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  what kind of task did Nehemiah face as he returned to Jerusalem?
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  We've mentioned the rebuilding of the walls.
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  But what kind of walls are we looking at here?
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  What's the importance of these walls of Jerusalem?
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  Well, it wasn't just a nice little block garden wall to protect the flowers or to protect the vegetable plot.
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  That's not the kind of walls that he was returning to rebuild at all.
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  Remember what it said in chapter 1, verse 3.
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  They were given an insight as to the devastation of Jerusalem.
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  It says there in verse 3,
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  The remnant there in the province who had survived the exile is in great trouble and shame.
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  The wall of Jerusalem is broken down and its gates are destroyed by fire.
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  The walls of Jerusalem, walls of any city in those days, it had to be robust.
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  It had to be large.
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  It had to be strong in order to stand up against attacks from the enemies.
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  It had to surround the city entirely.
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  Just one breach in the wall could mean disaster for that city because the city would be conquered.
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  And here is Jerusalem.
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  There's no wall left all around it.
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  So the enemy is free to come in and to go out.
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  The people can't get on with their lives as they would wish.
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  They're influenced by outside enemies all the time.
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  And in order to be themselves once again, to be a people once again, they need these walls rebuilt.
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  And the wall itself stretched around Jerusalem for about two miles length to get right around the city.
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  The walls were, in some places, 12 meters high.
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  Probably as high as the walls on the side of the church here.
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  Two and a half meters thick, even thicker than these walls.
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  So that the task wasn't small.
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  If you think about it in our own situation here, it's like building a wall like that from the church here,
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  up to the manse and plaster field, and back again.
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  Who's up for that task?
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  What would it be like to even just think of starting a work like that?
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  It would just seem impossible in our eyes.
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  And for a time, it seems like it may be impossible in the eyes of the people in Nehemiah's day.
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  But what was at stake here with Nehemiah and the people of his day, it was more than just the security of the city.
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  It was the worship of the Lord and the salvation of the Lord's people.
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  That's what was at stake.
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  And as we think ourselves today of how this applies to us,
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  we're not going to start building a wall from here to plaster field and back.
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  That's not what the Lord is calling us to.
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  But we are involved, or we should be involved, in a building project that's even greater.
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  To be involved in the kingdom work of God.
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  Because God is building his church.
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  Of that we are assured through his word.
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  Until the day that he returns, he is building his church.
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  And in order to build his church, he uses his people.
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  We may not be building a physical wall,
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  but he has commanded us in his word to the work of mission.
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  To the work of building his kingdom.
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  The Lord has told his church in the New Testament.
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  He has commanded his church to go in the Great Commission.
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  To go and make disciples of all nations.
• 34:09
  He has given his church through every generation today,
• 34:13
  before us and after us, that commission, that work,
• 34:16
  to be involved in.
• 34:19
  And as we think of that task,
• 34:21
  a little like it would be for those who are looking at Jerusalem in their day,
• 34:25
  when the walls were in ruin,
• 34:27
  it's a task that maybe seems beyond us.
• 34:31
  It's a task that maybe makes us feel overwhelmed in it all.
• 34:35
  How are we going to do this work?
• 34:38
  Where do we start?
• 34:39
  We just don't have the resources.
• 34:42
  We just have to maybe try and hold our own.
• 34:45
  Look after what we've got.
• 34:48
  But that's not the command of God's word.
• 34:51
  The command of God's word is not to stand still.
• 34:55
  The command of God's word is not to look after what we've got.
• 34:58
  The command is still the same.
• 35:01
  Go and make disciples of all nations,
• 35:04
  of all people,
• 35:06
  all around us,
• 35:07
  near and far.
• 35:09
  We still have that great commission.
• 35:14
  But what was happening in Nehemiah's day was,
• 35:18
  for the past 13 years or so,
• 35:20
  up till this point,
• 35:22
  Jerusalem had been at a standstill.
• 35:25
  All they were trying to do was just hold their own.
• 35:30
  The focus had been lost from looking to God
• 35:34
  and loving his people to just trying to survive day by day.
• 35:40
  There was no encouragement.
• 35:42
  There was no sense of joy.
• 35:43
  There was no sense of mission or vision for the people.
• 35:47
  It had been lost.
• 35:49
  But as we have seen in the opening chapter here,
• 35:52
  a simple question that Nehemiah asked
• 35:55
  changed his life upside down.
• 35:58
  When he asked that question,
• 36:01
  how are they in Jerusalem?
• 36:03
  And when he heard the disarray that they were in,
• 36:06
  the shame that was upon them,
• 36:08
  and the danger that they were in,
• 36:11
  it gave him this burden,
• 36:14
  that this vision was needed,
• 36:17
  that there was work to be done,
• 36:20
  that there was a renewed confidence in the Lord required.
• 36:24
  And that is what Nehemiah came to Jerusalem with.
• 36:31
  Realism as to the work,
• 36:33
  the enormity of it,
• 36:35
  but yet a passion,
• 36:37
  a passion to stir up a people to the work.
• 36:42
  And last week we saw that he arrived in Jerusalem.
• 36:46
  He had taken this journey,
• 36:47
  maybe taking about four months,
• 36:49
  to travel from Persia down to Jerusalem.
• 36:52
  And he arrived there.
• 36:55
  But he didn't immediately start with the work.
• 36:58
  He got his priorities right first.
• 37:01
  He spent a time, first of all, resting.
• 37:03
  It says for three days he was in Jerusalem.
• 37:06
  He rested for a time.
• 37:09
  But then he went out for himself to review the situation,
• 37:12
  to see what was actually had happened in Jerusalem
• 37:16
  and the devastation that there was.
• 37:18
  He saw for himself.
• 37:20
  But then he spoke to the people and said,
• 37:23
  it's a time to rise.
• 37:25
  It's a time for the work to go on.
• 37:29
  And in chapter three, we didn't read it,
• 37:31
  but it outlines those who were involved in the work.
• 37:35
  You can read through it in your own time.
• 37:37
  It's worth looking through.
• 37:39
  Again, it seems like a list of names of people,
• 37:43
  but they're always significant.
• 37:45
  And we'll see that as we go on this evening.
• 37:48
  But it just shows you those who were involved in the work
• 37:51
  and the huge task that was involved in rebuilding these walls.
• 37:58
  And they were enthused and they rose to the challenge.
• 38:02
  And initially things seem to be going well.
• 38:05
  But as is often the case,
• 38:08
  when things are going well in the Lord's work,
• 38:11
  what happens?
• 38:13
  Attacks come.
• 38:16
  Discouragements will come.
• 38:18
  But it's how do we deal with these things?
• 38:21
  That is the key.
• 38:23
  And that is what we want to take from chapter four this evening.
• 38:27
  How do we deal with these challenges?
• 38:31
  And how do we remain courageous in the work of the Lord?
• 38:37
  So I want us to think of four things from this chapter.
• 38:41
  First, conflict is inevitable.
• 38:44
  It's a sad thing to say, but conflict is inevitable.
• 38:49
  Secondly, we'll see discouragement is understandable.
• 38:52
  But then thirdly, we'll see keeping focused is crucial.
• 38:58
  And then fourthly, God is invincible.
• 39:04
  So I want to look at these four things from the chapter this evening.
• 39:07
  Firstly, conflict is inevitable.
• 39:12
  In chapter four, as we read here,
• 39:14
  we join with the people as the work is going on.
• 39:18
  The walls are being rebuilt.
• 39:20
  The people have engaged and they're enthused for it.
• 39:25
  But what we see is soon after the work's starting,
• 39:28
  that when God's people respond to the call to focus on God's work,
• 39:35
  the enemy will quickly rise up in opposition.
• 39:41
  And the enemy will use all kinds of means
• 39:44
  to put the work into disarray once again.
• 39:49
  But maybe the obvious question to ask is,
• 39:52
  where has this opposition been for the last number of years
• 39:56
  when the walls lay in ruin?
• 39:59
  Well, it's the opposition that has been keeping things down,
• 40:05
  not needing to do much.
• 40:07
  When people are discouraged,
• 40:09
  the devil doesn't have to do much to keep his people down.
• 40:13
  When they're discouraged, when they've got no vision,
• 40:15
  they're not doing anything.
• 40:19
  But as soon as Nehemiah arrives with this vision for this work,
• 40:25
  the enemy is on the case.
• 40:28
  The enemy is there.
• 40:31
  And isn't it so true to this day?
• 40:35
  Whenever we're involved in the Lord's work,
• 40:38
  whenever we feel a sense of encouragement,
• 40:40
  whenever we feel that good things are happening,
• 40:45
  the attacks come.
• 40:48
  The enemy attacks.
• 40:50
  It's always the case.
• 40:53
  The devil doesn't want the church to grow.
• 40:57
  The devil doesn't want the gospel to spread.
• 41:00
  The devil doesn't want people to be saved.
• 41:03
  So as soon as something good is happening,
• 41:06
  he becomes more active.
• 41:08
  You see it in the days of Ezra.
• 41:13
  The previous book to this.
• 41:14
  When Ezra came back,
• 41:16
  was involved in the work of rebuilding the temple at Jerusalem.
• 41:20
  There was chaos in the midst of that.
• 41:22
  There was confusion.
• 41:24
  There was discouragement in the midst of that.
• 41:29
  And Ezra says that this will be the case
• 41:32
  down through all the generations.
• 41:34
  So it's happening here in Nehemiah's day.
• 41:39
  And you see it right throughout the scriptures.
• 41:43
  Discouragements.
• 41:44
  Attacks always come.
• 41:47
  And so when we think of that ourselves,
• 41:50
  we see it happening again and again.
• 41:54
  Conflicts always arise
• 41:56
  when the work of the Lord is going on.
• 42:00
  And Jesus himself faced these conflicts too.
• 42:03
  When you look at the life of Jesus in this world,
• 42:07
  here in Nehemiah's day,
• 42:09
  you've got Sanballat and Tobiah.
• 42:11
  Their names keep appearing.
• 42:14
  When you look at Jesus' days,
• 42:15
  you've got the Pharisees and the Sadducees
• 42:17
  and all of those who were opposed to him.
• 42:20
  Again and again, he faces conflict from them.
• 42:24
  The enemy is attacking all the time.
• 42:27
  And there are times when the enemy seems to be victorious,
• 42:32
  when he's got on top of the people.
• 42:36
  That's what we see in verse 10 here.
• 42:39
  That's what you see when you look in the life of Christ
• 42:42
  and the cross especially.
• 42:44
  When he's crucified there,
• 42:46
  the people think,
• 42:47
  this is it, we've won.
• 42:49
  But as we're often reminded,
• 42:53
  Christ is victorious.
• 42:57
  And the cause of Christ will not be put down
• 43:01
  even in the midst of conflict.
• 43:03
  So we are reminded here
• 43:07
  that even as conflict comes,
• 43:09
  even though conflict is inevitable
• 43:12
  in so many ways,
• 43:14
  because Jesus reminds us in the Gospel of John,
• 43:17
  chapter 15, he says,
• 43:19
  if the world hates you,
• 43:21
  know this, it has hated me first.
• 43:25
  We are reminded again and again
• 43:27
  that troubles will come.
• 43:30
  Tobias and Sambalat are here again.
• 43:34
  We hear them mentioned.
• 43:36
  And we're going to come back to them again,
• 43:39
  not this evening,
• 43:40
  but another time, God willing,
• 43:41
  and see how they keep appearing.
• 43:43
  We'll see it in chapter 6, God willing.
• 43:47
  There's opposition in so many ways.
• 43:50
  There's conflict in so many ways,
• 43:52
  inside, outside, from outside forces,
• 43:55
  but also from within.
• 43:56
  But tonight, the question is this.
• 44:02
  Do you want to be a builder or a wrecker?
• 44:06
  What side are you on?
• 44:10
  Are you seeking to be involved
• 44:12
  in the work of building the kingdom of God?
• 44:16
  Or are you seeking to tear it down?
• 44:20
  Surely, we are all builders.
• 44:22
  Surely, we would all long to be builders
• 44:26
  in the kingdom of God,
• 44:27
  but be on our guard,
• 44:30
  because it's easy to become a wrecker,
• 44:34
  easy to be someone who brings it down.
• 44:38
  There's a poem called this
• 44:40
  A Builder or a Wrecker,
• 44:43
  and it goes like this.
• 44:45
  As I watched them tear a building down,
• 44:48
  a gang of men in a busy town,
• 44:51
  with a ho, heave, ho, and a lusty yell,
• 44:55
  they swung a beam,
• 44:56
  and the side wall fell.
• 44:59
  I asked the foreman,
• 45:00
  are these men skilled,
• 45:02
  and the men you'd hire if you wanted to build?
• 45:06
  He gave a laugh and said,
• 45:08
  no, indeed, just common labor is all I need.
• 45:12
  I can easily wreck in a day or two
• 45:15
  what builders have taken years to do.
• 45:18
  And I thought to myself as I went on my way,
• 45:22
  which of these roles have I tried to play?
• 45:26
  Am I a builder who works with care,
• 45:29
  measuring life by rule and square?
• 45:32
  Am I shaping my work to a well-made plan,
• 45:36
  patiently doing the best I can?
• 45:39
  Or am I a wrecker who walks to town,
• 45:44
  content with the labor of tearing down?
• 45:48
  O Lord, let my life and my labors be
• 45:52
  that which will build for eternity.
• 45:57
  Are we builders or wreckers?
• 46:01
  The second thing we see here
• 46:06
  is that discouragement is understandable.
• 46:10
  As well as the opposition,
• 46:12
  they also faced times of discouragement
• 46:15
  when everything just seemed too much.
• 46:20
  Nehemiah 4, verse 10,
• 46:22
  is probably a low point in their experience here
• 46:26
  where it says there,
• 46:28
  the strength of those who bear the burdens is failing.
• 46:32
  There is too much rubble.
• 46:34
  By ourselves, we will not be able to rebuild the wall.
• 46:40
  It's understandable in so many ways.
• 46:44
  When you think of the picture of Jerusalem at this time
• 46:47
  and the walls,
• 46:48
  just a bunch of rubble lying around,
• 46:51
  even though the work had gone on
• 46:53
  to a fair degree at this point,
• 46:55
  there was still much to be discouraged about.
• 47:00
  So it's understandable
• 47:02
  that there was discouragement.
• 47:05
  It seemed that no matter how much they did,
• 47:08
  there just seemed to be more to do.
• 47:11
  And again, it maybe rings familiar to ourselves
• 47:14
  as well as a church.
• 47:16
  No matter how much we seem to do,
• 47:18
  there's always just so much more to be done.
• 47:23
  It feels like that.
• 47:24
  The task is never ending.
• 47:28
  But where does the real problem here lie?
• 47:33
  Well, when you look at it,
• 47:34
  it's not so much the circumstances that they're in,
• 47:38
  it's their attitude.
• 47:41
  Their attitude is being influenced
• 47:43
  by those enemies that have come alongside them,
• 47:47
  who are discouraging them.
• 47:49
  And because of that,
• 47:50
  they feel this way,
• 47:52
  that their focus is on themselves.
• 47:54
  Our strength is gone.
• 47:57
  There's too much to do.
• 48:00
  Where do we start?
• 48:02
  By ourselves,
• 48:03
  we're not able to rebuild this wall.
• 48:07
  So they're at this low point.
• 48:11
  And so often,
• 48:12
  that's the problem within ourselves too.
• 48:15
  It's when we begin to feel
• 48:17
  that sense of discouragement,
• 48:20
  that nothing's changing.
• 48:21
  Even whatever we do,
• 48:23
  it doesn't seem to make any impact
• 48:25
  in our town or among our people.
• 48:27
  They're not listening.
• 48:28
  They're not coming.
• 48:29
  They're not engaging.
• 48:32
  The task just seems too much for us.
• 48:35
  We are not able to rebuild the wall.
• 48:38
  We are not able to rebuild the church.
• 48:41
  We cannot do it.
• 48:42
  What makes the difference?
• 48:47
  But we need to remember
• 48:48
  what we have in the Lord
• 48:51
  and what He has done for us.
• 48:55
  Psalm 1, 2, 6, at verse 3,
• 48:57
  it says,
• 48:58
  The Lord has done great things for us.
• 49:01
  We are glad.
• 49:03
  Restore our fortunes, O Lord,
• 49:06
  like streams in the Negev.
• 49:08
  We need to focus
• 49:10
  on what the Lord has done.
• 49:12
  The Lord has done
• 49:14
  great things for us.
• 49:17
  They could be reminded of that
• 49:18
  in Nehemiah's day,
• 49:19
  and we'll see that in a moment,
• 49:21
  but surely we reminded that
• 49:23
  of ourselves.
• 49:25
  The Lord has done
• 49:27
  great things for us.
• 49:30
  He has come to us.
• 49:33
  He died for us.
• 49:37
  He rose from the grave for us.
• 49:40
  He prayed for us.
• 49:42
  He will come again for us.
• 49:46
  All these assurances we have
• 49:49
  in the Word of God.
• 49:52
  The Lord has done
• 49:54
  great things for us.
• 49:56
  And that is what we have
• 49:58
  to stay focused on.
• 50:01
  That is what keeps us going.
• 50:03
  The more we see
• 50:04
  what the Lord has done for us,
• 50:06
  the more we see
• 50:07
  service to Him
• 50:09
  as just something we owe,
• 50:11
  something we love to do,
• 50:14
  something we're delighted
• 50:15
  to be involved in.
• 50:19
  And there's an example
• 50:20
  here for us.
• 50:23
  As said, chapter 3,
• 50:24
  it just seems like a list
• 50:26
  of names.
• 50:28
  But there's a name
• 50:29
  on that list
• 50:31
  that's an example to us.
• 50:33
  And it's worth looking at this
• 50:35
  just to see it.
• 50:37
  Looking for those
• 50:38
  who were enthused
• 50:40
  for the work.
• 50:41
  In Nehemiah 3,
• 50:44
  verse 11,
• 50:46
  we read there
• 50:48
  of a man called
• 50:50
  Machijah,
• 50:51
  the son of Haran.
• 50:53
  Just a passing comment
• 50:57
  there on him.
• 50:58
  And it says that
• 50:59
  together with another man,
• 51:01
  Hashab,
• 51:02
  repaired another section
• 51:03
  on the tower
• 51:04
  of the ovens.
• 51:06
  Now,
• 51:06
  it's just
• 51:07
  a passing comment,
• 51:09
  isn't it?
• 51:10
  But so often
• 51:11
  with these lists,
• 51:12
  you have to look deeper.
• 51:14
  We saw it
• 51:15
  in Colossians
• 51:16
  as we were looking
• 51:17
  at the list of names there.
• 51:19
  There's so much
• 51:19
  behind the name.
• 51:21
  And for this,
• 51:22
  you have to go back
• 51:23
  to Ezra chapter 10.
• 51:26
  And there's another
• 51:27
  list of the names
• 51:29
  there for us.
• 51:30
  Beginning at verse 18,
• 51:32
  it says,
• 51:33
  those guilty
• 51:34
  of intermarriage.
• 51:37
  So,
• 51:38
  there are those
• 51:38
  who had failed
• 51:39
  to trust the Lord.
• 51:41
  And in
• 51:43
  verse 25,
• 51:49
  you see there
• 51:50
  a list of names
• 51:51
  and of Israel
• 51:52
  of the sons
• 51:53
  of Parosh,
• 51:54
  Ramiah,
• 51:55
  Isaiah,
• 51:56
  Machijah.
• 51:58
  His name
• 51:59
  is on that list.
• 52:01
  So,
• 52:01
  you find his name
• 52:02
  in two different lists here.
• 52:04
  Initially,
• 52:05
  he's on the list
• 52:06
  of those
• 52:07
  who are guilty
• 52:07
  of intermarrying,
• 52:09
  disobeying,
• 52:10
  the Lord.
• 52:12
  But now,
• 52:12
  here he is
• 52:13
  in Nehemiah's day
• 52:14
  in chapter 3,
• 52:15
  verse 11.
• 52:16
  He's involved
• 52:17
  in the work
• 52:18
  of the Lord.
• 52:21
  He has done wrong
• 52:22
  before God,
• 52:23
  but he's been made
• 52:25
  right with God.
• 52:27
  And that is
• 52:28
  what enthuses him
• 52:29
  for the work.
• 52:31
  That is what
• 52:31
  keeps him going
• 52:32
  in the work.
• 52:35
  So,
• 52:35
  it's a great
• 52:36
  reminder to us
• 52:37
  of the power
• 52:38
  of God
• 52:39
  to save
• 52:40
  and of what
• 52:42
  we owe
• 52:42
  the Lord
• 52:43
  for our salvation.
• 52:45
  We remember
• 52:46
  Onesimus
• 52:47
  in Colossians 2.
• 52:49
  He had a past
• 52:50
  where he'd failed God,
• 52:51
  but he was restored
• 52:53
  by God
• 52:54
  and was used
• 52:55
  by him.
• 52:57
  So,
• 52:57
  what keeps us going
• 52:59
  in times
• 53:00
  of discouragement?
• 53:01
  Surely,
• 53:02
  to remember
• 53:02
  that the Lord
• 53:03
  has saved us.
• 53:04
  So,
• 53:06
  whether
• 53:07
  what we see here
• 53:08
  is opposition
• 53:09
  or discouragement,
• 53:12
  we fix our eyes
• 53:13
  on the Lord.
• 53:16
  And what you find
• 53:17
  here is that
• 53:17
  as they do that,
• 53:19
  as they keep
• 53:20
  restoring their faith,
• 53:21
  returning their vision,
• 53:23
  their focus
• 53:23
  to the Lord,
• 53:24
  you see it
• 53:25
  even in this chapter
• 53:26
  again and again.
• 53:28
  Verse 6,
• 53:29
  in the midst
• 53:30
  of the conflict
• 53:31
  that they were
• 53:32
  seeing around them,
• 53:33
  it says in verse 6,
• 53:34
  so we built
• 53:35
  the wall.
• 53:37
  In verse 16,
• 53:39
  again,
• 53:40
  they had faced
• 53:41
  opposition
• 53:42
  and what does it say?
• 53:43
  From that day on,
• 53:44
  half of my servants
• 53:45
  worked on construction.
• 53:47
  They returned
• 53:48
  to the work.
• 53:49
  Verse 21,
• 53:50
  so we labored
• 53:52
  at the work.
• 53:54
  They keep coming
• 53:55
  back to the work.
• 53:57
  They keep doing
• 53:58
  the same thing.
• 54:00
  And so,
• 54:03
  let's not lose heart.
• 54:05
  Let's not be discouraged.
• 54:08
  Even when it seems
• 54:09
  we're maybe just doing
• 54:10
  the same thing
• 54:11
  again and again,
• 54:13
  we are doing it
• 54:15
  for the Lord.
• 54:16
  Lord.
• 54:17
  And that's what's
• 54:18
  the key.
• 54:20
  And we think of
• 54:21
  even roles
• 54:21
  in our own congregation
• 54:23
  and how people,
• 54:24
  many of you are involved
• 54:26
  in so many different roles
• 54:27
  in the church.
• 54:29
  We've got Sunday school
• 54:30
  teachers.
• 54:31
  We've got people
• 54:32
  working with toddlers,
• 54:34
  with creche.
• 54:35
  We've got people
• 54:36
  on door duty
• 54:37
  and tea duty.
• 54:38
  We've got people
• 54:39
  who are visiting,
• 54:40
  doing the work
• 54:41
  of the deacon's court,
• 54:42
  the Kirk session,
• 54:43
  serving in so many
• 54:45
  different ways,
• 54:46
  even preaching
• 54:47
  of the word.
• 54:48
  It can all seem
• 54:49
  so often we're just
• 54:50
  doing the same thing
• 54:52
  again and again.
• 54:54
  And we maybe
• 54:55
  feel discouraged.
• 54:56
  What difference
• 54:57
  is it making?
• 54:59
  Is it doing any good
• 55:00
  and the devil
• 55:01
  will come in?
• 55:02
  There'll be conflict.
• 55:03
  There'll be discouragement.
• 55:06
  But we take heart.
• 55:08
  We are doing it
• 55:09
  for the Lord.
• 55:12
  And the work of the Lord
• 55:13
  is a great work.
• 55:16
  As Paul says
• 55:17
  to the church of Galatia
• 55:19
  in chapter 6,
• 55:20
  verse 9,
• 55:21
  he says,
• 55:21
  let us not grow weary
• 55:22
  of doing good.
• 55:25
  Let us not grow weary
• 55:27
  of doing all the tasks
• 55:29
  that we are involved in,
• 55:30
  even if it seems repetitive.
• 55:33
  Even when it seems
• 55:34
  that there's no good
• 55:35
  coming out of it.
• 55:36
  let us not grow weary
• 55:38
  of doing good.
• 55:39
  For what does he say?
• 55:40
  For in due season
• 55:41
  we will reap
• 55:43
  if we do not give up.
• 55:46
  And that's what you see
• 55:47
  here in Nehemiah.
• 55:50
  He keeps saying to them,
• 55:51
  don't lose heart.
• 55:54
  Don't give up.
• 55:55
  Don't grow weary
• 55:56
  in doing good
• 55:57
  because you will reap
• 55:59
  in due season.
• 56:01
  And that's the third thing
• 56:03
  that we see here.
• 56:04
  That keeping focused
• 56:06
  is crucial.
• 56:08
  You know,
• 56:09
  there was times
• 56:10
  when Nehemiah was afraid.
• 56:13
  When you go back
• 56:14
  to chapter 2,
• 56:15
  verse 2,
• 56:16
  as he stood
• 56:16
  before the king there.
• 56:20
  It said,
• 56:20
  And the king said to me,
• 56:21
  Why is your face sad?
• 56:23
  Seeing as you are not sick,
• 56:25
  this is nothing
• 56:25
  but sadness
• 56:26
  of the heart.
• 56:28
  Then I was very much
• 56:29
  afraid,
• 56:31
  he says.
• 56:32
  And I said to the king,
• 56:34
  he went on,
• 56:36
  he was afraid,
• 56:37
  but he went on.
• 56:40
  It was Robert Louis Stevenson
• 56:41
  that once said,
• 56:42
  Keep your fears
• 56:43
  to yourself,
• 56:44
  share your courage
• 56:46
  with others.
• 56:47
  Well,
• 56:49
  that's what we see
• 56:49
  in some ways
• 56:50
  with Nehemiah here.
• 56:52
  He wasn't keeping
• 56:52
  his fears to himself,
• 56:54
  though.
• 56:54
  He was sharing
• 56:55
  his fears
• 56:56
  with the Lord.
• 56:58
  But he was sharing
• 56:59
  his courage
• 57:00
  with others.
• 57:02
  And Nehemiah
• 57:03
  always keeps
• 57:04
  this vision in mind
• 57:05
  of the restoration
• 57:07
  of the wall.
• 57:08
  And it's much more
• 57:09
  than that.
• 57:10
  It's about the people
• 57:11
  of Jerusalem.
• 57:12
  The salvation
• 57:13
  of the people.
• 57:16
  And they needed
• 57:17
  to be reminded
• 57:18
  what they were
• 57:19
  fighting for.
• 57:21
  And that's what he does.
• 57:23
  He refocuses them
• 57:24
  on the Lord
• 57:26
  and on the work.
• 57:27
  And that's what we see
• 57:28
  in verse 14.
• 57:31
  What he says
• 57:31
  to them there,
• 57:32
  he says,
• 57:32
  I looked and I rose
• 57:33
  and said to the nobles
• 57:35
  and to the officials
• 57:36
  and to the rest
• 57:37
  of the people,
• 57:38
  do not be afraid
• 57:39
  of them.
• 57:40
  Remember the Lord
• 57:42
  who is great
• 57:42
  and awesome
• 57:43
  and fight
• 57:45
  for your brothers,
• 57:46
  your sons,
• 57:47
  your daughters,
• 57:47
  your wives
• 57:48
  and your homes.
• 57:51
  He reminds them
• 57:53
  and he gives them
• 57:54
  a focus.
• 57:57
  What were they
• 57:58
  fighting for?
• 58:00
  It was more
• 58:01
  than just walls.
• 58:03
  It was a people.
• 58:05
  And that's the fight
• 58:06
  that we are in
• 58:07
  today as well.
• 58:08
  We are in the fight
• 58:10
  of faith
• 58:11
  and the fight
• 58:12
  for our people.
• 58:15
  Here,
• 58:16
  in verse 14,
• 58:17
  they're reminded
• 58:17
  that they were
• 58:18
  fighting for the faith.
• 58:20
  More was at stake
• 58:21
  than just the wall
• 58:23
  being built.
• 58:24
  It was the worship
• 58:25
  of God
• 58:26
  in Jerusalem.
• 58:28
  That was in the balance
• 58:30
  here.
• 58:32
  And that's what
• 58:32
  we're fighting for.
• 58:34
  For people to come
• 58:36
  and worship God.
• 58:38
  He was fighting
• 58:41
  here.
• 58:42
  They were fighting
• 58:42
  here for their
• 58:43
  families.
• 58:46
  Fight for your
• 58:47
  brothers,
• 58:47
  your sons,
• 58:48
  your daughters,
• 58:49
  your wives.
• 58:51
  That's the fight
• 58:52
  that we are in.
• 58:54
  When those of our
• 58:54
  family are lost,
• 58:56
  when those of our
• 58:57
  community are lost,
• 58:58
  we are fighting
• 58:59
  for their salvation.
• 59:01
  We keep that
• 59:02
  in view.
• 59:02
  our focus is on
• 59:07
  the work
• 59:08
  of the Lord.
• 59:10
  It seems
• 59:11
  an impossible
• 59:12
  task,
• 59:13
  but it's so
• 59:15
  necessary.
• 59:17
  And in many ways
• 59:18
  here,
• 59:18
  they were fighting
• 59:19
  for their very
• 59:20
  future.
• 59:22
  The future of
• 59:23
  Jerusalem was at stake.
• 59:24
  So long as these
• 59:25
  walls were broken
• 59:27
  down,
• 59:27
  they were open
• 59:28
  to attack
• 59:29
  the enemy
• 59:29
  and the people
• 59:31
  of God
• 59:32
  could be done
• 59:33
  away with.
• 59:35
  But we know
• 59:36
  in the word
• 59:36
  of God
• 59:37
  that the Lord
• 59:38
  will keep
• 59:39
  his people.
• 59:41
  That he will
• 59:42
  always have
• 59:43
  his people.
• 59:45
  But surely
• 59:46
  we too
• 59:47
  are fighting
• 59:47
  for the future
• 59:49
  here as well.
• 59:50
  That a generation
• 59:51
  after us
• 59:52
  will still
• 59:53
  worship God
• 59:54
  here.
• 59:55
  That a generation
• 59:56
  after us
• 59:56
  will serve
• 59:57
  the Lord
• 59:58
  here.
• 1:00:00
  We're in a fight.
• 1:00:01
  But it's a fight
• 1:00:02
  worth fighting.
• 1:00:04
  It's worth
• 1:00:05
  fighting for.
• 1:00:07
  And that's
• 1:00:08
  what Nehemiah
• 1:00:09
  does.
• 1:00:09
  He stirs
• 1:00:10
  them up
• 1:00:11
  here
• 1:00:11
  to fight.
• 1:00:14
  And he says,
• 1:00:15
  do not be
• 1:00:15
  afraid of them.
• 1:00:17
  Remember
• 1:00:18
  the Lord.
• 1:00:21
  Are we up
• 1:00:22
  for the fight?
• 1:00:24
  Are we
• 1:00:24
  willing to
• 1:00:25
  fight
• 1:00:25
  in that
• 1:00:26
  way today
• 1:00:27
  to fight
• 1:00:29
  for your
• 1:00:29
  brothers,
• 1:00:30
  your sons,
• 1:00:31
  your daughters,
• 1:00:32
  your wives,
• 1:00:33
  your homes?
• 1:00:36
  Charles Spurgeon
• 1:00:37
  have used
• 1:00:37
  this quote
• 1:00:38
  before,
• 1:00:39
  but it
• 1:00:39
  seems to
• 1:00:40
  tie in
• 1:00:40
  so well
• 1:00:41
  with this
• 1:00:42
  as well.
• 1:00:42
  He said,
• 1:00:43
  if sinners
• 1:00:44
  be damned,
• 1:00:45
  at least
• 1:00:46
  let them
• 1:00:46
  leap to
• 1:00:47
  hell over
• 1:00:48
  our dead
• 1:00:48
  bodies.
• 1:00:49
  And if
• 1:00:50
  they perish,
• 1:00:50
  let them
• 1:00:51
  perish with
• 1:00:52
  our arms
• 1:00:53
  wrapped
• 1:00:53
  about their
• 1:00:54
  knees,
• 1:00:54
  imploring
• 1:00:56
  them to
• 1:00:56
  stay.
• 1:00:57
  If hell
• 1:00:58
  must be
• 1:00:58
  filled,
• 1:00:59
  let it
• 1:01:00
  be filled
• 1:01:00
  in the
• 1:01:00
  teeth of
• 1:01:01
  our
• 1:01:01
  exertions,
• 1:01:03
  and let
• 1:01:03
  no one
• 1:01:04
  go unwarned
• 1:01:05
  and
• 1:01:05
  unprayed
• 1:01:06
  for.
• 1:01:08
  That's the
• 1:01:09
  challenge
• 1:01:10
  to us,
• 1:01:11
  to fight.
• 1:01:15
  The fourth
• 1:01:16
  thing and the
• 1:01:16
  final thing
• 1:01:17
  we see here
• 1:01:18
  just briefly
• 1:01:18
  is tied
• 1:01:20
  into these
• 1:01:21
  words,
• 1:01:22
  remember
• 1:01:22
  the Lord.
• 1:01:25
  God is
• 1:01:25
  invincible.
• 1:01:28
  The danger
• 1:01:28
  with going
• 1:01:29
  through Nehemiah
• 1:01:30
  is that we
• 1:01:30
  can make
• 1:01:31
  it about
• 1:01:31
  ourselves.
• 1:01:34
  But Nehemiah
• 1:01:35
  is always
• 1:01:36
  focused on
• 1:01:37
  God.
• 1:01:39
  He prays
• 1:01:40
  to God.
• 1:01:41
  He points
• 1:01:41
  to God.
• 1:01:42
  His passion
• 1:01:43
  is for
• 1:01:44
  God.
• 1:01:46
  One preacher
• 1:01:47
  puts it
• 1:01:47
  like this,
• 1:01:48
  Nehemiah,
• 1:01:49
  the book,
• 1:01:50
  is ultimately
• 1:01:51
  about Jesus
• 1:01:52
  Christ,
• 1:01:53
  about his
• 1:01:54
  great project
• 1:01:55
  of building
• 1:01:55
  his church
• 1:01:56
  against which
• 1:01:58
  the gates
• 1:01:58
  of hell
• 1:01:59
  will not
• 1:02:00
  prevail.
• 1:02:01
  Nehemiah is
• 1:02:02
  not mainly
• 1:02:02
  about leadership
• 1:02:03
  or church
• 1:02:04
  growth or
• 1:02:05
  business
• 1:02:05
  management.
• 1:02:07
  Nehemiah is
• 1:02:08
  mainly about
• 1:02:08
  Jesus.
• 1:02:10
  Jesus is
• 1:02:10
  the one
• 1:02:11
  who builds
• 1:02:12
  the new
• 1:02:12
  Jerusalem,
• 1:02:14
  the church
• 1:02:14
  of the
• 1:02:15
  living God.
• 1:02:16
  God is
• 1:02:18
  building his
• 1:02:20
  church
• 1:02:21
  today.
• 1:02:23
  And the
• 1:02:23
  gates of
• 1:02:24
  hell will
• 1:02:25
  not prevail
• 1:02:26
  against it.
• 1:02:28
  In verse
• 1:02:29
  20 here,
• 1:02:30
  we're reminded
• 1:02:31
  of that as
• 1:02:31
  well.
• 1:02:32
  In the place
• 1:02:33
  where you hear
• 1:02:33
  the sound of
• 1:02:34
  the trumpet
• 1:02:35
  rally to us
• 1:02:36
  there,
• 1:02:36
  our God
• 1:02:37
  will fight
• 1:02:38
  for us.
• 1:02:41
  God is
• 1:02:42
  on our
• 1:02:42
  side as
• 1:02:44
  we fight
• 1:02:44
  for him.
• 1:02:46
  But do
• 1:02:46
  we remember
• 1:02:47
  that?
• 1:02:49
  We don't
• 1:02:49
  look to
• 1:02:50
  ourselves.
• 1:02:51
  The psalm
• 1:02:52
  that we sang
• 1:02:52
  at the start,
• 1:02:53
  Psalm 127,
• 1:02:54
  reminds us,
• 1:02:55
  unless the
• 1:02:56
  Lord builds
• 1:02:57
  the house,
• 1:02:58
  the builders
• 1:02:59
  build in
• 1:03:00
  vain.
• 1:03:01
  The Lord
• 1:03:02
  is building
• 1:03:03
  his church.
• 1:03:04
  He uses
• 1:03:05
  us, but we
• 1:03:06
  are to put
• 1:03:06
  ourselves
• 1:03:07
  into his
• 1:03:09
  hands.
• 1:03:11
  There's a
• 1:03:12
  story of a
• 1:03:12
  little boy
• 1:03:13
  who was
• 1:03:14
  traveling to
• 1:03:15
  see his
• 1:03:15
  grandparents.
• 1:03:16
  He was
• 1:03:16
  flying an
• 1:03:17
  airplane to
• 1:03:18
  see his
• 1:03:18
  grandparents.
• 1:03:20
  And sat
• 1:03:21
  beside him
• 1:03:22
  on the
• 1:03:22
  plane was
• 1:03:23
  a professor
• 1:03:23
  from a
• 1:03:24
  university.
• 1:03:26
  And the
• 1:03:26
  professor
• 1:03:27
  sitting beside
• 1:03:28
  him wasn't
• 1:03:28
  a Christian
• 1:03:29
  at all,
• 1:03:31
  but he saw
• 1:03:31
  this little
• 1:03:32
  boy sitting
• 1:03:33
  beside him
• 1:03:33
  reading a
• 1:03:34
  Sunday
• 1:03:34
  school
• 1:03:34
  magazine.
• 1:03:36
  And the
• 1:03:36
  professor
• 1:03:37
  thought to
• 1:03:37
  himself he'd
• 1:03:38
  had some
• 1:03:38
  fun with
• 1:03:39
  the young
• 1:03:39
  boy.
• 1:03:40
  He turned
• 1:03:41
  to him and
• 1:03:41
  said,
• 1:03:41
  young man,
• 1:03:42
  if you
• 1:03:43
  can tell
• 1:03:44
  me something
• 1:03:44
  God can
• 1:03:45
  do, I'll
• 1:03:46
  give you a
• 1:03:47
  big shiny
• 1:03:48
  apple.
• 1:03:50
  Well, the
• 1:03:51
  wee boy
• 1:03:51
  thought to
• 1:03:52
  himself for
• 1:03:52
  a moment
• 1:03:53
  and replied,
• 1:03:54
  sir, if
• 1:03:56
  you can
• 1:03:56
  tell me
• 1:03:57
  something God
• 1:03:58
  can't do,
• 1:04:00
  I'll give
• 1:04:00
  you a whole
• 1:04:01
  barrel of
• 1:04:02
  apples.
• 1:04:05
  A simple
• 1:04:06
  faith.
• 1:04:08
  He wouldn't
• 1:04:09
  let God
• 1:04:09
  be mocked,
• 1:04:10
  no matter
• 1:04:11
  how intelligent
• 1:04:12
  this professor
• 1:04:13
  was.
• 1:04:14
  He turned
• 1:04:14
  it right
• 1:04:15
  back to
• 1:04:16
  him.
• 1:04:16
  If you
• 1:04:16
  can tell
• 1:04:17
  me
• 1:04:17
  something
• 1:04:18
  God
• 1:04:18
  can't
• 1:04:19
  do,
• 1:04:20
  can you
• 1:04:22
  tell me
• 1:04:23
  something
• 1:04:23
  tonight
• 1:04:24
  God
• 1:04:24
  can't
• 1:04:25
  do?
• 1:04:26
  Can you
• 1:04:27
  look around
• 1:04:28
  this town
• 1:04:28
  and say
• 1:04:29
  God
• 1:04:29
  cannot
• 1:04:29
  save
• 1:04:30
  the
• 1:04:30
  people
• 1:04:31
  of
• 1:04:31
  this
• 1:04:31
  place?
• 1:04:33
  God
• 1:04:34
  cannot
• 1:04:34
  rebuild
• 1:04:35
  his
• 1:04:35
  church
• 1:04:36
  here.
• 1:04:36
  If you
• 1:04:39
  say that
• 1:04:40
  you've
• 1:04:40
  lost
• 1:04:40
  faith
• 1:04:41
  because
• 1:04:43
  God
• 1:04:43
  is
• 1:04:43
  invincible.
• 1:04:45
  God
• 1:04:45
  is
• 1:04:46
  building
• 1:04:46
  his
• 1:04:47
  church.
• 1:04:49
  We
• 1:04:49
  ask
• 1:04:49
  ourselves
• 1:04:50
  are we
• 1:04:50
  builders
• 1:04:51
  or are
• 1:04:52
  we
• 1:04:52
  wreckers?
• 1:04:53
  Do we
• 1:04:54
  long to
• 1:04:55
  be involved
• 1:04:56
  in building
• 1:04:57
  his
• 1:04:58
  kingdom?
• 1:04:59
  Do you
• 1:04:59
  believe
• 1:05:00
  that he
• 1:05:01
  is building
• 1:05:01
  his
• 1:05:02
  church
• 1:05:02
  church
• 1:05:03
  even
• 1:05:04
  here
• 1:05:04
  in
• 1:05:04
  Stornway?
• 1:05:07
  Yes,
• 1:05:07
  there are
• 1:05:08
  challenges
• 1:05:08
  for us,
• 1:05:10
  many of
• 1:05:11
  them,
• 1:05:13
  but we
• 1:05:13
  have to
• 1:05:14
  have
• 1:05:14
  confidence
• 1:05:15
  and faith
• 1:05:16
  in him.
• 1:05:18
  We
• 1:05:18
  fight.
• 1:05:20
  We
• 1:05:20
  fight for
• 1:05:21
  those
• 1:05:21
  who we
• 1:05:22
  love.
• 1:05:24
  We
• 1:05:24
  fight for
• 1:05:24
  those who
• 1:05:25
  we do
• 1:05:25
  not know.
• 1:05:27
  We
• 1:05:27
  fight for
• 1:05:28
  those who
• 1:05:28
  even just
• 1:05:29
  now are
• 1:05:29
  our
• 1:05:30
  enemies
• 1:05:30
  and
• 1:05:32
  enemies
• 1:05:32
  of
• 1:05:32
  God,
• 1:05:34
  but we
• 1:05:34
  pray that
• 1:05:35
  God will
• 1:05:36
  build his
• 1:05:37
  church.
• 1:05:39
  Nehemiah
• 1:05:40
  encouraged the
• 1:05:41
  people not
• 1:05:42
  to be afraid
• 1:05:43
  to remember
• 1:05:44
  the Lord,
• 1:05:45
  to fight
• 1:05:46
  and to
• 1:05:46
  build.
• 1:05:48
  Let us
• 1:05:49
  do likewise.
• 1:05:50
  Let us
• 1:05:51
  rise and
• 1:05:53
  build,
• 1:05:54
  trusting the
• 1:05:55
  Lord.
• 1:05:56
  Let us
• 1:05:56
  pray.
• 1:05:58
  Our
• 1:05:59
  Father in
• 1:05:59
  heaven,
• 1:06:00
  give us
• 1:06:01
  eyes of
• 1:06:01
  faith,
• 1:06:02
  even as
• 1:06:02
  we look
• 1:06:03
  around
• 1:06:03
  us,
• 1:06:04
  and give
• 1:06:04
  us a
• 1:06:05
  prayer of
• 1:06:06
  faith offered
• 1:06:07
  up to
• 1:06:07
  you,
• 1:06:08
  that we
• 1:06:08
  would come
• 1:06:09
  before you,
• 1:06:10
  trusting in
• 1:06:10
  you,
• 1:06:11
  in all your
• 1:06:11
  goodness to
• 1:06:12
  us,
• 1:06:13
  in all that
• 1:06:13
  you are
• 1:06:14
  able to
• 1:06:14
  do,
• 1:06:14
  never doubting
• 1:06:15
  that there
• 1:06:16
  is anything
• 1:06:17
  that you
• 1:06:17
  cannot do,
• 1:06:18
  for with
• 1:06:19
  God all
• 1:06:19
  things are
• 1:06:20
  possible.
• 1:06:22
  So Lord,
• 1:06:22
  hear our
• 1:06:23
  prayers,
• 1:06:23
  continue with
• 1:06:24
  us as a
• 1:06:25
  people,
• 1:06:25
  build us up
• 1:06:26
  as a
• 1:06:27
  church,
• 1:06:27
  here and
• 1:06:28
  all throughout
• 1:06:29
  the world,
• 1:06:29
  we pray,
• 1:06:30
  Lord,
• 1:06:30
  that your
• 1:06:31
  people will
• 1:06:32
  glorify your
• 1:06:33
  name,
• 1:06:33
  day and
• 1:06:34
  night,
• 1:06:35
  young and
• 1:06:35
  old,
• 1:06:36
  all throughout
• 1:06:37
  our lands,
• 1:06:38
  for we ask
• 1:06:39
  it for the
• 1:06:39
  glory of our
• 1:06:40
  Saviour.
• 1:06:41
  Amen.
• 1:06:41
  Amen.
• 1:06:46
  We're going to
• 1:06:47
  conclude by
• 1:06:48
  singing to God's
• 1:06:49
  praise in
• 1:06:49
  Psalm 18,
• 1:06:52
  in the
• 1:06:52
  Sing Psalms
• 1:06:53
  version,
• 1:06:53
  Psalm 18,
• 1:06:54
  verse 27,
• 1:06:58
  verse 27.
• 1:07:01
  The tune for
• 1:07:02
  this is
• 1:07:02
  Talis
• 1:07:03
  Canon.
• 1:07:04
  We'll sing
• 1:07:04
  from verse
• 1:07:05
  27 down
• 1:07:07
  to verse
• 1:07:08
  30,
• 1:07:08
  three stanzas.
• 1:07:10
  You save
• 1:07:10
  the humble
• 1:07:11
  and the
• 1:07:12
  meek,
• 1:07:12
  but bring
• 1:07:12
  the proud
• 1:07:13
  down from
• 1:07:14
  their height.
• 1:07:15
  You,
• 1:07:15
  Lord,
• 1:07:16
  will keep
• 1:07:16
  my lamp
• 1:07:17
  aflame.
• 1:07:18
  God
• 1:07:18
  turns my
• 1:07:19
  darkness
• 1:07:20
  into light.
• 1:07:21
  And again,
• 1:07:22
  verse 29,
• 1:07:23
  we're reminded
• 1:07:23
  that with
• 1:07:24
  God we
• 1:07:25
  can advance
• 1:07:26
  against
• 1:07:26
  a troop.
• 1:07:28
  So we'll
• 1:07:28
  sing these
• 1:07:29
  three stanzas,
• 1:07:30
  verse 27
• 1:07:31
  to 30,
• 1:07:32
  to God's
• 1:07:33
  praise.
• 1:07:33
  Amen.
• 1:07:53
  Lord,
• 1:07:54
  will keep
• 1:07:56
  my
• 1:07:57
  lamp
• 1:07:57
  aflame.
• 1:07:59
  God
• 1:08:00
  turns
• 1:08:01
  my
• 1:08:02
  darkness
• 1:08:03
  into
• 1:08:05
  light.
• 1:08:09
  With
• 1:08:10
  help
• 1:08:11
  from
• 1:08:12
  God
• 1:08:13
  I
• 1:08:13
  can
• 1:08:15
  advance
• 1:08:16
  against
• 1:08:18
  a troop
• 1:08:20
  and
• 1:08:21
  and
• 1:08:21
  rarts
• 1:08:22
  them
• 1:08:23
  all
• 1:08:23
  and
• 1:08:25
  with
• 1:08:25
  the aid
• 1:08:27
  my
• 1:08:28
  God
• 1:08:29
  will
• 1:08:30
  give
• 1:08:30
  I
• 1:08:31
  can
• 1:08:33
  leap
• 1:08:34
  over
• 1:08:35
  any
• 1:08:37
  wall.
• 1:08:40
  For
• 1:08:41
  perfect
• 1:08:43
  is
• 1:08:44
  the
• 1:08:45
  way
• 1:08:46
  of
• 1:08:47
  God
• 1:08:47
  no
• 1:08:48
  flaw
• 1:08:49
  is
• 1:08:50
  found
• 1:08:51
  within
• 1:08:52
  his
• 1:08:54
  word.
• 1:08:55
  To
• 1:08:56
  all
• 1:08:57
  who
• 1:08:58
  put
• 1:08:59
  their
• 1:09:00
  trust
• 1:09:01
  in
• 1:09:01
  him
• 1:09:02
  a
• 1:09:03
  shield
• 1:09:04
  and
• 1:09:05
  refuge
• 1:09:07
  is
• 1:09:08
  the
• 1:09:09
  Lord.
• 1:09:11
  After
• 1:09:12
  the
• 1:09:13
  benediction
• 1:09:13
  I'll
• 1:09:13
  go to
• 1:09:14
  the
• 1:09:14
  door
• 1:09:14
  to
• 1:09:14
  my
• 1:09:14
  right
• 1:09:15
  this
• 1:09:15
  evening.
• 1:09:15
  We'll
• 1:09:15
  close
• 1:09:16
  with
• 1:09:16
  the
• 1:09:16
  benediction.
• 1:09:18
  Now
• 1:09:18
  may
• 1:09:18
  grace,
• 1:09:19
  mercy
• 1:09:19
  and
• 1:09:20
  peace
• 1:09:20
  from
• 1:09:21
  God,
• 1:09:21
  Father,
• 1:09:22
  Son,
• 1:09:23
  and
• 1:09:23
  Holy
• 1:09:23
  Spirit
• 1:09:24
  rest
• 1:09:24
  upon
• 1:09:25
  and
• 1:09:25
  abide
• 1:09:26
  with
• 1:09:26
  you
• 1:09:26
  all
• 1:09:26
  now
• 1:09:27
  and
• 1:09:27
  forever
• 1:09:28
  more.
• 1:09:29
  Amen.