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Don't Be Afraid of the Future; It's All in God's Hands · Stornoway Free Church of Scotland - Sermons

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begin our worship and we're singing firstly tonight from Psalm 105.
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Psalm 105 on page 138, June of Saint Daniel, and we're singing verses 1 to 11.
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Give thanks to the Lord God and call on his name. His wonderful deeds to the nations proclaim.
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Sing praises to him and his exploits at record. Let all those who seek him rejoice in the Lord.
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You chosen ones look to the Lord and his might. Seek ever his face and his wondrous recite.
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His miracles too and his judgments divine. You children of Abraham, Jacob's own line.
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Reminding us how important it is to sing praise to God, to praise him for all his acts,
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and especially for those that we experience ourselves from day to day. Give thanks to the Lord God.
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Amen.
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Amen.
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Let our God and call on his name. His wonderful deeds to the nations proclaim.
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Sing praises to him and his ex-wife's regard. Let all those who seek him rejoice in the Lord.
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Amen.
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Mormon God and call on his side.
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This pardon me.
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Make us do, and each judgment's divine,
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You children of Israel and Jacob's own life.
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The Lord is our God, and He rules all the earth.
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Remember in His covenant, the word He set forth.
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He worked for the ages to come to make good,
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His promise to Abraham, to rise and renew.
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To take up this sovereign decree was made sure,
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With His service coming would always endure.
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To you I will give past your portion to stand,
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The country of kingdom, the beautiful land.
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Let's now call upon the Lord in prayer.
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We're going to join together in prayer.
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Our gracious and eternal God, we thank you that we too have come to receive your covenant blessings,
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That covenant which has been enforced throughout all the ages of your church.
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And we thank you that tonight we enter into further experience of your covenant promises,
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And your covenant blessings.
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Where we gather together as a people who worship the God who is mentioned in these words we have sung,
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The God of Abraham, of Isaac and of Jacob, the God of the living and not of the dead,
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The God who continues to bless His people,
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And the God whose promises we continue to enjoy and to anticipate those that have yet to be fulfilled.
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Oh Lord, we thank you for your commitment and steadfastness to all that you have promised to do for your people.
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We know that many of these have already been fulfilled,
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And fulfilled abundantly and wonderfully in the person of our Lord Jesus Christ.
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For that great promise that He would come and be the Savior of His people,
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That He would come into this world and give Himself a ransom for many.
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How wonderfully, Lord, that has been accomplished already.
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And we give thanks for the opportunity to remember His death that we engaged in last Lord's Day.
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And we thank you, O Lord, for all that accompanies your promises in the teaching of your word.
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We thank you that they are especially accompanied by your faithfulness and your power,
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Your ability to bring these promises to pass,
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And your faithfulness to ensure that they will do so.
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We thank you, O Lord, tonight that we come as a congregation of promises.
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For we are in some way or other the product of those who have come to reveal,
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To be recipients of your promises in generations before us.
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We thank you that we are the product of their prayers.
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As we have come into the possession of the blessings of your covenant.
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We pray tonight, Lord, for further blessing.
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The blessing of your Holy Spirit taking the things of Christ and showing them to us.
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And the blessing of instilling in our hearts an enlargement of that hope that belongs to your people.
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That hope that looks towards the fulfillment of the Canaan of the Old Testament in the heaven that you hold before us.
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As the final terminus of blessedness for your people.
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We pray tonight, O Lord, that your blessing will encompass us and come to involve each one of us.
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Lord, each one of us, as we gather before you, come to acknowledge our need.
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And come to acknowledge that we stand before you as those who once again come to open our hearts to receive that supply of your own holy blessing that will meet us in our need.
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And so bless us, we pray each one.
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Bless us together as a congregation.
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Bless us, Lord, in all our activities.
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Those that we anticipate in this week to come.
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We pray that your blessing will be with us in all our times of worship.
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And in all our other activities as well.
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And we thank you for all that we are able to engage in.
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And to participate in as a people.
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Your goodness, Lord, is opened up for us each day.
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And provides for us each day.
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And we give thanks, O Lord, that in your goodness you continue so to bless us.
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Lord, we remember tonight those who have different needs to our own in different parts of the world.
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And we think especially of those who are not able to be with us in our own community.
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Those who are confined to hospitals, to care homes, to their own homes as well.
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Through illness, through recovery, through various types of ailments that affect us from day to day, from time to time.
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And we ask your blessing, O Lord, especially on those whose faculties have begun to fail.
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Whether it be in terms of mental ability or physical.
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O Lord, we pray for them.
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We pray for those who care for them.
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Those who are anxious over them.
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Those who look to their needs.
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And pray that you would bless them, O Lord, as all of them together share in these difficult issues of life.
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We pray for those who mourn the passing of loved ones.
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We pray that you would grant them your comfort, your consolation.
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And we pray for your guidance for them, for your strengthening of them.
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Help them, we pray, to face the issues of living without loved ones.
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Especially, Lord, when we find that so often in life we have unexpected developments, even in the passing of loved ones.
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And we pray that you would bless all those who are tonight in such situations.
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We pray your blessing, too, for all that we, Lord, know of in our own midst, as difficulties in our community.
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Those who wrestle with addictions of various kinds.
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And those who seek to help them.
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Those who have loneliness to contend with day by day.
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Remember them, we pray.
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And grant to them that they may know your own company and your own fellowship.
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For that is above all what we prize in this life, O Lord, by way of companionship.
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To have the Lord with us.
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And to know that the Lord is indeed in our hearts and in our homes.
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In all aspects of our life.
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We pray your blessing on all who go out with the gospel to various parts of the world.
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We pray that you would remember her own Muriel.
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As she continues in Cambodia to serve you.
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Be with her there and grant her continued safety and continued blessing on her work.
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Remember the work of SGA, especially in these difficult times.
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In Central Europe, Ukraine especially.
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Grant them your continued blessing and provision for them.
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Oh Lord, we thank you for the account recently given to us by them.
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That they see further blessing despite the difficulties.
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And even increased blessing in places despite the challenges they face.
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Continue, Lord, we pray to provide for them.
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And all who witness to the Jewish people.
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All who witness to Muslim people in different parts of the world.
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Oh gracious one, we're so conscious of tensions.
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And of violence and conflict.
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Even between such people.
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And we pray for days of peace.
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We pray that you would come and show us your power once again.
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In the advancement of your kingdom.
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And in the love of Christ being shown amongst so many people throughout the world.
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Remember us then now we pray as we continue here before you.
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Grant us your blessing as we seek your word, Lord, to be once again placed in our hearts.
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By the power of your spirit.
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And help us in all of these aspects of our worship.
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To give glory and honor and praise to your glorious majestic name.
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We pray in Jesus name.
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Amen.
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We'll sing once again to God's praise.
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This time is Psalm 3.
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Psalm number 3 in the Sing Psalms version.
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That's on page 3.
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We're singing verses 1 to 6.
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The tune is Finart.
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Oh Lord, how many are my foes.
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How many up against me rise.
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They all are saying now to me, in vain, he on his God relies.
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But you are my protector, Lord.
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You are a shield around me spread.
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My glory comes from you alone.
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The one who raises up my head.
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When to the Lord I lift my voice in face of those who hate me still.
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The Lord will hear my cry to him and answer from his holy hill.
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I settle down and sleep in peace.
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I wake in God's upholding hand.
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I will not fear ten thousand foes whose circling round against me stand.
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Difficult to sleep on a battlefield, isn't it?
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Yet in the Christian battle, in the various conflicts of the Christian life,
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we find the psalmist so often pointing us to the place of peace in the Lord,
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where here he calls upon the Lord as his shield, his protector,
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the one who gives him the raising up of his head in victory.
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And we sing these verses knowing that the Lord has already given us that in Jesus Christ,
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that we come to share in that when we come to place our life in his hands.
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Oh Lord, how many are my foes. How many up against me rise.
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May Allah say in the hour of me rise.
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And may Allah say in the hour of me.
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And may he on his love.
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May Allah say in the hour of me.
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And may he on his love.
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May Allah say in the hour of me.
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But you are my,
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How many up against me rise.
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How many up against me rise.
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May Allah say in the hour of me.
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And may he on his love.
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May Allah say in the hour of me.
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But you are my protector, Lord.
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You have a shield around me, say.
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My glory comes from you alone,
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The one who raises up my head.
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When to the Lord I lift my voice,
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In face of those who hate me still,
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The Lord will hear my guide to him,
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And answer from his glory.
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I settle down and sleep in peace.
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I wake in God's upholding hand.
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I will not fear ten thousand holes,
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Who serve the man against his hand.
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Now let's turn to read God's word.
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Our reading tonight is from the book of Genesis.
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The book of Genesis and chapter 45.
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At verse 16.
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And we'll read into the first part of chapter 46.
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Down as far as verse 7.
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So that's Genesis chapter 45.
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From verse 16.
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This is when Joseph's brothers had arrived in Egypt.
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The report was given in Pharaoh's house that they had arrived.
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And so we read from that point as Pharaoh speaks.
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And then on into the next chapter.
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So from verse 16.
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When the report was heard in Pharaoh's house,
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Joseph's brothers have come.
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It pleased Pharaoh and his servants.
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And Pharaoh said to Joseph,
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Say to your brothers,
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Do this.
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Load your beasts and go back to the land of Canaan.
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And take your father and your households and come to me.
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And I will give you the best of the land of Egypt.
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And you shall eat the fat of the land.
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And you, Joseph, are commanded to say,
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Do this.
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Take wagons from the land of Egypt for your little ones and for your wives.
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And bring your father and come.
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Have no concern for your goods.
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For the best of all the land of Egypt is yours.
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The sons of Israel did so.
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And Joseph gave them wagons according to the command of Pharaoh.
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And gave them provisions for the journey.
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To each and all of them he gave a change of clothes.
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But to Benjamin he gave three hundred shekels of silver.
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And five changes of clothes.
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To his father he sent as follows.
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Ten donkeys loaded with the good things of Egypt.
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And ten female donkeys loaded with grain, bread and provision for his father on the journey.
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Then he sent his brothers away.
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And as they departed he said to them.
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Do not quarrel on the way.
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So they went up out of Egypt and came to the land of Canaan to their father Jacob.
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And they told him,
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Joseph is still alive.
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And he is ruler over all the land of Egypt.
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And his heart became numb.
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For he did not believe them.
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But when they told him all the words of Joseph.
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Which he had said to them.
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And when he saw the wagons that Joseph had sent to carry him.
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The spirit of their father Jacob revived.
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And Israel said,
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It is enough.
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Joseph my son is still alive.
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I will go and see him before I die.
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So Israel took his journey.
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With all that he had.
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And came to Beersheba.
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And offered sacrifices to the God of his father Isaac.
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And God spoke to Israel in visions of the night.
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And he said,
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Jacob, Jacob.
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And he said,
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Here am I.
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Then he said,
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I am God.
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The God of your father.
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Do not be afraid to go down to Egypt.
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For there I will make you into a great nation.
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I myself will go down with you to Egypt.
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And I will also bring you up again.
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And Joseph's hand shall close your eyes.
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Then Jacob set out from Beersheba.
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The sons of Israel carried Jacob their father.
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Their little ones and their wives in the wagons.
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That Pharaoh had sent to carry him.
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They also took their livestock and their goods.
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Which they had gained in the land of Canaan.
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And came into Egypt Jacob and all his offspring with him.
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His sons and his sons' sons with him.
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His daughters and his sons' daughters.
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All his offspring he brought with him into Egypt.
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Amen.
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May God again bless us as we read his precious word.
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We'll sing once again in Psalm 37.
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This time Psalm 37 on page 254.
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And the tune this time is Weatherby.
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Psalm 37 from verse 23.
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Down as far as verse 28.
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A good man's footsteps by the Lord are ordered aright.
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And in the way wherein he walks he greatly doth delight.
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Although he fall, yet shall he not be cast down utterly.
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Because the Lord with his own hand upholds him mightily.
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I have been young and now am old.
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Yet have I never seen the just man left.
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Nor that his seed for bread have beggars been.
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And so on down as far as verse 28.
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A good man's footsteps by the Lord.
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I have been young and now, but I am young and now.
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And so on down as far as verse 28.
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And the Lord is in the way.
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I have been young and now.
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And so on down as far as verse 28.
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And so on down as far as verse 28.
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And the words or whilst white are ordered air aright.
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And in the way where he walks, he greatly glad he lies.
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O glory, O yet shall he not be cast of lottery,
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Because the Lord with his own hand upholds him mightily.
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I have been young and never old, yet have I never seen
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The just one left, nor the ungecee, Forbred a beggar dream.
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He's never merciful and blessed, His seed is blessed before.
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Depart from evil and new good And dwell forevermore.
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For God loves judgment and his saints, Bleeds not in any case.
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They are death, ever but the Lord Shall lead the sinners with him.
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Well, if you turn with me now, please, to Genesis chapter 46.
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In Genesis 46, we're going to look at the first four verses of Genesis 46.
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Let's just read these verses again.
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So Israel, that's of course Jacob,
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He took his journey with all that he had and came to Beersheba
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And offered sacrifices to the God of his father Isaac.
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And God spoke to Israel in visions of the night and said,
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Jacob, Jacob.
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And he said, Here am I.
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Then he said, I am God, the God of your father.
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Do not be afraid to go down to Egypt,
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For there I will make you into a great nation.
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I myself will go down with you to Egypt,
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And I will also bring you up again.
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And Joseph's hand shall close your eyes.
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The fear of the future, to some extent at least,
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Is very common, I'm sure, to every human being,
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To some extent or other.
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It's a very natural part of our experience,
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To have some element of fear,
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As we look into the future.
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Especially when we consider certain possibilities.
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They may never happen,
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But they come to our minds as possibilities.
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But there are also things which you know are going to be inevitable,
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Which also may instill a sense of fear in our hearts about the future.
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For all of us as individuals.
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For all of us as individuals.
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Serious illness.
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The issue of death itself.
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Unemployment.
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For younger ones, the development of our career.
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Various other items like that,
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And many other items like that.
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As they form part of our daily experience in life,
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Can be a source of fear for us.
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As we look into a future,
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Which we ourselves actually cannot control.
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Which we ourselves cannot see clearly,
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At least most of the time.
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So the fear of the future is a natural element in our thinking.
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And that also applies to groups of people.
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It applies to congregations like yourselves.
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There are many things in the experiences of congregations,
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As congregations,
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That they may have some sense of foreboding,
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Or fear, or anxiety over.
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For example,
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A vacancy such as you yourselves are going to experience,
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Very shortly.
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And for me,
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Fear may actually be part of
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What looks,
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As I look ahead to retirement,
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Which I don't know anything about just now.
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Even though I've taken some soundings
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From some people who are already retired.
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But there are certain aspects of that,
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When it's something you're not being used to.
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There are aspects of that,
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That may instill some anxiety,
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Or doubts,
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Or even fear in one's mind.
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And it really means that
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Congregations,
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As well as individuals,
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Need from God,
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From time to time,
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From God,
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A reassurance,
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That everything is well in His hands.
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And that's what we're going to look at tonight.
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And we're going to try and apply this
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To the future,
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Whatever it may hold for us,
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Not to be afraid.
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We're giving it the title,
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Don't be afraid of the future.
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It's all in God's hands.
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And we're looking at it
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From the perspective of Jacob,
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And his meeting with God here,
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And what God said to him,
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As Jacob prepared to go,
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Down into the land of Egypt.
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Believers need reassurance,
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From time to time.
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We all need reassurance,
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And our great reassurance,
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Comes from God Himself,
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Primarily.
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That is the kind of reassurance,
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We require.
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Now that's not contrary,
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To faith.
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Just because somebody needs reassurance,
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Or comes to God with certain questions,
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About an unknown future,
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That doesn't mean,
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Even if there's fear accompanying it,
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And some doubt accompanying it,
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Doesn't mean it's not real faith.
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Faith needs to be assured.
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The believer needs to be assured,
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I should say.
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And that happens all the way through the Bible.
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You find people coming to Jesus Himself,
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With questions relating to the future,
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The disciples especially were anxious,
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About Jesus no longer being physically with them.
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He had told them that he had to go away,
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That it was expedient for them.
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They couldn't,
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Of course,
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Then understand that at the time.
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And so they came to him,
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With perplexed minds,
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And you'll find in John's gospel,
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Especially these great chapters,
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Verse 15,
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16,
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14,
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15,
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16,
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17,
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The way in which Jesus addressed that fear,
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And especially,
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Let not your hearts be troubled.
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You believe in God.
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You believe also in me.
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And here is Jacob,
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Leaving Egypt,
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Leaving,
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To go to Egypt,
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Leaving Canaan,
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And taking his journey with all that he had,
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On his way to Egypt,
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To go back to sea,
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To go down there to see Joseph,
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Who he thought for many years was dead.
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And here his heart revived again.
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It's hard to imagine just how he must have felt,
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When this news came to him,
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That Joseph was still alive.
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And not only was Joseph still alive,
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He was under Pharaoh,
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The most important man in Egypt.
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He was in charge of Egypt.
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He was a ruler in Egypt.
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And when it came to him,
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That this was indeed the case,
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When he saw the evidence for himself,
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The goods that Joseph had sent to him,
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The spirit of Jacob revived.
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And he said,
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It's enough.
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Joseph, my son, is still alive.
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I will go and see him before I die.
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And as he came to take his journey,
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God came to meet with him.
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And God spoke to him in visions of the night,
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And said,
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Jacob, Jacob.
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And he said,
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Here am I.
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And then he said,
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I am God,
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The God of your father.
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God came to address a very real fear
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In Jacob's mind,
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In Jacob's heart.
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What would be the point of trying to reassure him
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If there was no fear there to begin with?
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And it may well be that
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What had been passed on,
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Because we believe that,
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Of course,
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His father Isaac,
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And grandfather Abraham,
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Would have passed on much of what they themselves
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Had come to learn from God
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During the course of these long years.
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And one of the things that
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God revealed to Abraham
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Was that
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His descendants would be
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In Egypt,
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Would be in Egypt
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At a very difficult time.
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In chapter 15,
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You find God revealing this to Abraham.
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Know for certain
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That your offspring
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Will be sojourners
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In a land that is not theirs
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And will be servants
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By which he meant slaves there
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And they will be afflicted
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For four hundred years.
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But I will bring judgment
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On that nation.
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It will appear that
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I'm sure that
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That was passed on to
30:21
His son Isaac
30:22
And then on to his son
30:24
That he would pass on
30:25
Orally these great teachings
30:27
From God
30:28
That had come to them.
30:29
And you can really understand
30:31
Why there might be
30:33
In Jacob's mind
30:34
A certain anxiety.
30:36
He had reasons to be anxious.
30:38
Was this going to be something
30:39
That enveloped him
30:40
If he went down to Egypt?
30:42
Was this going to be
30:43
The beginning of troubles?
30:45
Were the things that were revealed there
30:46
To Abraham
30:47
Going to start with him?
30:48
Going down to Egypt?
30:50
At that stage
30:51
He wouldn't know.
30:54
But here God comes
30:55
To address his mind
30:57
And address his anxiety.
31:00
And notice how he calls him
31:01
Jacob
31:02
Jacob
31:03
Personally
31:06
He comes
31:07
To this individual
31:09
Jacob
31:10
He's got all of these
31:11
Other people with him
31:12
But he's coming now
31:13
Especially to him
31:14
To address his
31:16
Sense of anxiety
31:18
As he's going down to Egypt
31:20
With all of those people
31:21
With him
31:21
And all his goods.
31:23
And he says
31:23
Jacob
31:24
Jacob
31:25
You see Jacob
31:27
Like ourselves
31:28
Had a specific need
31:31
At that time
31:32
And God came to him
31:34
Not in a general fashion
31:35
But he came to him
31:37
To address that specific need
31:39
And to speak into that specific need
31:42
To assure and to reassure Jacob
31:45
That he need not be afraid
31:47
And that very personal call
31:51
Jacob
31:51
Jacob
31:52
Showed Jacob
31:53
That God already knew everything about him
31:56
And when you come to have
31:58
Your own heart
31:59
And it's anxiety
32:01
Brought before God
32:02
When you come before God
32:03
And you receive
32:04
From the Bible
32:05
That reassurance
32:06
That you're seeking
32:07
At least you're praying
32:08
That that assurance
32:09
Or reassurance
32:10
Would be your
32:11
God doesn't go to somebody else with it
32:13
God doesn't say
32:14
Well I'll tell so and so
32:16
I'll tell your minister
32:16
And then he'll come and tell you
32:18
Or I'll tell your elders
32:19
It comes to yourself
32:20
That's why you've got a Bible
32:21
In your possession
32:22
So that you'll hear God
32:23
Speaking to you through it
32:24
That's why it's such a wonderful privilege
32:27
To have that particular word of God here
32:31
And of course you find similarly
32:33
When Jesus came to Peter
32:37
And he said to him
32:39
Simon, Simon
32:40
Luke 22
32:41
Simon, Simon
32:42
Satan has desired to have you
32:45
That he might sift you as wheat
32:47
He meant his desire to have all of you disciples
32:50
So that he might sift you like wheat
32:53
Just scatter you
32:55
Like you scatter wheat into the air
32:57
To get rid of the dross
32:58
He's desired to have you
33:00
That's Jesus coming to Peter
33:02
And saying
33:02
Simon, Simon
33:04
Individually
33:05
You, personally
33:05
I want to tell you this
33:07
Satan has desired to have you
33:10
But I have prayed for you
33:13
I've prayed for you
33:16
And today
33:19
And tonight
33:20
And always
33:20
If we are Christ
33:22
Then we are inside
33:23
His intercession
33:24
We are inside
33:26
What he is setting before
33:28
God the Father
33:29
What he himself
33:31
Is committed to
33:32
To protect us
33:33
And to keep us
33:33
And to guide us
33:35
Well here he says
33:36
Jacob
33:37
Jacob
33:38
And Jacob
33:40
Responds here
33:42
Am I
33:43
That brings us really to the crux of our study this evening
33:46
Where Jacob
33:48
Hears the voice of God
33:50
And said
33:50
I am God
33:53
I am God
33:56
Now you can pause there
33:58
Because these words themselves
33:59
Are really special
34:00
And very important
34:01
And very powerful
34:02
Because what God is saying is
34:04
This is the fundamental point
34:06
That you have to remember
34:07
This is what you must have
34:09
Underlying all your thoughts
34:10
Jacob
34:11
Whatever lies in the future for you
34:13
Never depart in your mind
34:15
From this great fact
34:16
I am God
34:18
And the word God there in Hebrew
34:20
Is the word El
34:21
Which you find attached to many Hebrew names
34:23
Elijah
34:24
Elusha
34:25
All of these names beginning with El
34:27
El is the name for God
34:29
And it particularly in Hebrew
34:31
That shortened form
34:33
Means
34:34
God Almighty
34:36
It has an emphasis on God's
34:38
Almightyness
34:39
On God's power
34:41
On God's ability
34:42
That limitless
34:44
Eternal
34:46
Ever unchanging
34:48
Ability and power
34:50
Of God
34:51
And there is this
34:52
Jacob hearing God
34:53
Saying to him
34:54
I am
34:56
God
34:57
I am God
35:01
The mighty God
35:06
The omnipotent God
35:09
The omnipotent God
35:09
That's who I am
35:12
He's saying
35:12
Why is he saying this
35:13
To Jacob
35:14
Why is that his introduction
35:15
Because he's going on to say
35:17
What that means
35:19
And it's working out
35:20
In the future of
35:21
Of
35:22
Of Jacob
35:23
As he will go down to Egypt
35:25
Spend some time there
35:26
And experience things there
35:28
I am
35:29
God
35:30
I am
35:31
El
35:32
A psalm we sang together
35:33
Psalm 3
35:34
Brings similar matters
35:37
Before us
35:38
The psalmist
35:38
As we sang there
35:40
Really saying
35:41
In his
35:42
His prayer to God
35:44
He is saying
35:45
Lord how many
35:46
Are my foes
35:47
Many are rising up
35:49
Against me
35:49
Many are saying
35:51
Of my soul
35:52
There is no salvation
35:53
For him
35:54
In God
35:55
But
35:56
You
35:57
You oh Lord
35:58
Are a shield
35:59
About me
36:00
My glory
36:01
And the oblifter
36:02
Of my head
36:03
You know it doesn't really
36:04
Matter in a sense
36:06
To any
36:07
Great extent
36:08
What somebody says to you
36:09
What somebody's
36:10
Opposition to you
36:11
Might be
36:12
What anxieties
36:13
May come into your mind
36:14
And whatever source
36:15
They may be from
36:16
What you really want to hear
36:18
Addressing
36:19
That is God
36:20
Saying to you
36:20
And God assuring you
36:21
I am God
36:23
I am ill
36:26
I am the almighty one
36:27
What he's effectively
36:28
Saying
36:29
To
36:30
To Jacob here is
36:32
I am God
36:33
You're going to go down
36:33
To Egypt
36:34
But I'm the master
36:35
Of Egypt
36:36
Egypt is in my hand
36:38
Just as Canaan is
36:39
I'm the boss
36:40
When it comes to Egypt
36:42
Not Pharaoh
36:42
So don't be afraid
36:44
To go down to Egypt
36:45
I am God
36:47
Not Pharaoh
36:48
Not the Egyptians
36:49
I am God
36:52
You know in 1 Kings
36:55
In chapter 17
36:57
Remember that incident
36:58
With Elijah
36:59
Where Elijah was
37:01
At the brook
37:01
Kerith
37:02
He was being fed
37:04
There
37:04
Ravens brought him
37:05
Food
37:06
And then God
37:07
Came to him
37:08
And he said to him
37:09
Get up from here
37:11
And go to Zarephath
37:13
A city in Sidon
37:15
For I have commanded
37:17
A widow woman there
37:19
To feed you
37:20
To look after you
37:21
Just think about that
37:23
Here is Elijah
37:24
By the brook
37:26
Kerith
37:26
Being cared for
37:27
By God
37:28
Through aspects
37:29
Of the creation itself
37:31
Of the natural world
37:32
And here is God
37:33
Saying to him
37:34
Get up from here
37:35
You need to move
37:36
From here
37:36
You need to go
37:37
To Zarephath
37:38
And what are you
37:40
Going to find
37:40
In Zarephath
37:41
Elijah
37:42
You're going to find
37:43
A woman
37:44
Already prepared
37:46
By God
37:47
To look after you
37:48
You know
37:50
In other words
37:50
Wherever you go
37:52
In life
37:53
If God is your guide
37:54
If God is your God
37:55
Wherever you go
37:56
In life
37:57
If this mighty
37:58
Ale is on your side
38:00
If this God
38:02
Who introduces himself
38:03
And says
38:03
I am God
38:05
You can be sure
38:06
Not only is he
38:07
Looking after you
38:08
Where you are
38:08
But he's going
38:10
To be ahead of you
38:10
Wherever you go
38:11
And he's going
38:13
To make preparation
38:14
For you
38:14
As he sees your need
38:16
As he sees fit
38:18
And so he's saying
38:20
Don't be afraid
38:21
Because I
38:22
Am God
38:24
What is making you
38:28
Anxious tonight
38:29
Where is the anxiety
38:32
In your heart
38:32
Coming from
38:33
Is it something
38:35
In your own life
38:36
Personally
38:37
Is it something
38:39
Happening in the world
38:40
Or in our community
38:41
Or in your family
38:43
Or in your neighborhood
38:45
That brings you
38:47
That anxiety
38:47
Is it a loved one
38:50
That's a source
38:51
Of anxiety
38:52
To you
38:53
Well here is God
38:55
Saying to you
38:56
I
38:57
Am God
38:59
It's all within
39:01
Who I am
39:03
As God
39:03
And what I am
39:04
And the fact
39:06
That I am God
39:07
Means that
39:08
In your
39:09
Particular
39:10
Personal
39:11
Circumstances
39:12
All that I am
39:14
Can be directed
39:16
To look after you
39:17
To guide you
39:19
To comfort you
39:22
To assure you
39:23
To bless you
39:25
You know
39:27
God being with
39:28
His people
39:28
Is a great truth
39:31
For us to actually
39:32
Have comfort from
39:33
But not only
39:34
Is it the fact
39:35
That God
39:36
Is with us
39:37
We'll see more
39:38
Of that in a minute
39:38
But there is also
39:40
The fact that
39:41
God actually
39:42
Is always ahead of us
39:44
Always
39:45
Ahead of you
39:46
You never have to
39:48
Have God
39:50
Catch up with you
39:51
But sometimes
39:52
We have to catch up
39:53
With God
39:54
And come to realize
39:55
Well yes
39:56
That preparation
39:58
Has been made for me
39:59
It's just like God said
40:00
I
40:02
Am God
40:04
But then he went on
40:05
To say I am God
40:05
The God of your father
40:07
He didn't just
40:09
Introduce himself
40:09
As God
40:10
The mighty one
40:11
He added to that
40:13
I am the God
40:14
Of your father
40:14
I'm your covenant God
40:16
I'm the God
40:18
Who has entered
40:18
Into covenant
40:19
With your father
40:20
Your grandfather
40:22
And others before them
40:25
And that covenant
40:26
Is a covenant
40:28
To which God
40:29
Is committed
40:29
A covenant
40:30
Which would involve
40:31
Which involves
40:32
So much blessing
40:33
So many assurances
40:35
And as we said earlier
40:36
All that would have been
40:37
Passed on to Jacob
40:38
From his father Isaac
40:40
And grandfather Abraham
40:42
That this God
40:43
Was a God
40:43
Of covenant
40:44
And covenant blessings
40:46
And covenant mercies
40:47
And covenant
40:48
Privileges
40:50
Abraham
40:52
You remember
40:52
Himself went down
40:54
To Egypt
40:54
And he was afraid
40:56
He was afraid
40:58
That the Egyptians
41:00
Would see that
41:01
Because his wife
41:02
Was very beautiful
41:03
Sarai
41:04
They would take her
41:06
And something would
41:07
Happen to him
41:08
Perhaps even be killed
41:10
And so he
41:12
Made a pact
41:13
With Sarai
41:14
And said
41:15
Don't say that
41:16
You're my wife
41:17
Tell them
41:17
You're my sister
41:18
That came out
41:20
Of fear
41:21
An unneeded fear
41:24
On the part
41:25
Of Abraham
41:27
And it didn't work
41:28
Well for him
41:29
Never does
41:31
When we pass
41:32
Something off
41:33
As untruth
41:33
Or even as a
41:34
Half truth
41:35
As it was then
41:35
He didn't tell
41:36
The whole truth
41:37
And so that fear
41:39
That was in Abraham
41:41
Some of that
41:42
Might have been
41:42
Here in
41:43
Jacob's heart
41:45
As well
41:45
As we said
41:46
The prospect
41:46
Of going down
41:47
To Egypt
41:48
Especially the prospect
41:49
As we said earlier
41:50
That maybe that
41:51
Would involve him
41:51
In what had been
41:52
Revealed to Abraham
41:54
Would happen
41:54
To his descendants
41:55
But God
41:58
Is committed
41:59
To his covenant
42:01
People
42:02
And his covenant
42:03
Promises
42:04
And wherever
42:07
God has promised
42:08
Something
42:08
You must never
42:09
Doubt that promise
42:11
You must never
42:13
Think that God
42:13
Is different
42:14
To what he has
42:14
Promised
42:15
That God is going
42:16
To change
42:17
His promises
42:18
That God is going
42:19
To suddenly not
42:20
Look after you
42:21
When all of
42:22
The way through
42:23
To this moment
42:24
He said
42:24
I am here
42:26
To look after you
42:26
I will guide you
42:27
I will keep you
42:28
I will bless you
42:29
And because
42:30
Something's happened
42:31
In your life
42:32
Or my life
42:33
That was unexpected
42:35
That doesn't mean
42:36
God has changed
42:37
Doesn't mean
42:39
His promises
42:39
Are no longer valid
42:41
Doesn't mean
42:42
He's no longer
42:43
Trustworthy
42:43
That's what the devil
42:45
Will try and persuade you of
42:47
That's what the world
42:48
Will try and persuade you of
42:49
That's what the psalmist
42:50
Had in Psalm 23
42:51
In Psalm 3
42:53
As we sang
42:54
How many say
42:56
There is no help
42:58
For him in God
42:59
The world's influence
43:02
Pouring into his mind
43:03
And saying
43:04
What's the point
43:05
Of actually trusting
43:07
In God
43:07
And of course
43:09
Then he realized
43:10
Well God's actually
43:10
My protector
43:11
He's my shield
43:12
He's the one
43:14
Who looks after me
43:15
And always will
43:16
I am the God
43:18
Of your father
43:20
I am your covenant
43:21
God
43:21
I am God
43:22
I am the God
43:23
Of your father
43:24
And then he goes
43:26
Into reasons
43:27
More in more detail
43:29
As to why Jacob
43:30
Need not
43:31
And must not
43:32
Be afraid
43:32
I am the God
43:34
Of your father
43:35
Do not be afraid
43:36
To go down
43:37
To Egypt
43:38
He didn't just
43:39
Leave it at saying
43:40
I am God
43:41
So don't be afraid
43:42
He added
43:43
In his kindness
43:43
Other things to that
43:45
That would actually be
43:46
Experienced by Jacob
43:49
Do not be afraid
43:51
For there
43:52
I will make you
43:53
Into a great nation
43:56
Now there's something
43:57
Here is a man
44:00
Who's been told
44:01
Through what's been
44:02
Passed by his father
44:03
And grandfather
44:04
That is descend
44:05
That his people
44:06
The people he belongs to
44:07
Are going to be
44:08
In great distress
44:09
In Egypt
44:09
They're going to be
44:10
Slaves in Egypt
44:11
They're going to be
44:12
Mistreated
44:12
They're going to be
44:13
There for a long
44:14
Long time
44:15
And here is God
44:17
Saying to him
44:18
There I will make
44:20
You a great nation
44:21
Now somebody reading
44:23
That or hearing
44:24
That might say
44:25
But God
44:26
Didn't you say
44:26
That there were
44:27
Going to be
44:27
All of these years
44:28
When these people
44:30
Of Abraham
44:30
And Isaac
44:31
And Jacob
44:32
And their descendants
44:33
Would be intensely
44:34
Persecuted
44:35
And in distress
44:36
And afflicted
44:37
How can it be
44:39
That they're going
44:41
To be multiplied
44:42
That they're going
44:44
To actually increase
44:45
That they're going
44:47
To be made
44:47
Into a great nation
44:48
There
44:49
Yes they're going
44:50
To be made
44:51
Into a great nation
44:52
But surely
44:52
It's when they
44:53
Come out
44:53
And end up
44:55
In Canaan
44:55
At last
44:56
Whenever that will be
44:57
Surely that's where
44:58
They're going to
44:59
Become a great nation
45:00
No that's not
45:00
What God is saying
45:01
There I will make you
45:04
A great nation
45:06
God knew very well
45:10
How they would be
45:10
Treated
45:11
Or mistreated
45:12
And yet here
45:13
He is assuring
45:14
Jacob
45:15
That's where
45:16
I'm going to
45:17
Make you a great nation
45:18
That's where
45:20
You'll know
45:20
My blessing
45:21
In your descendants
45:22
That's where
45:24
You will know
45:24
That I am God
45:26
That I am the
45:28
God of your father
45:29
That's where
45:30
You will know
45:31
That the difficulties
45:34
The afflictions
45:35
Of Egypt
45:35
The persecution
45:37
Your people
45:37
Will experience
45:38
In Egypt
45:39
Is no barrier
45:40
To my making
45:41
My promise
45:42
Fulfilled
45:43
To make you
45:45
A great nation
45:46
Now there's
45:49
So much of that
45:49
That we can
45:50
Pass into
45:51
Our own
45:52
Situation as well
45:54
For example
45:55
We had a recent
45:56
Vision from SGA
45:57
Who told us
45:59
About the situation
46:00
In Ukraine
46:01
And how challenging
46:02
That situation is
46:03
In Ukraine
46:04
For them
46:05
With all that
46:06
Still going on
46:06
In Ukraine
46:07
From the oppressive
46:09
Regime in Russia
46:11
That are trying
46:12
To still press on
46:14
And overtake
46:15
People of Ukraine
46:16
The church in Ukraine
46:18
Is active
46:20
In all of these
46:21
Difficult circumstances
46:22
But we heard
46:23
We heard
46:24
With tremendous
46:25
Encouragement
46:26
For ourselves
46:27
And a sense
46:28
Of gratitude
46:29
To God
46:30
And a sense
46:31
Indeed
46:31
Of feeling
46:32
Absolutely humbled
46:33
By hearing
46:34
Of these things
46:35
That there are
46:35
Churches there
46:36
And they are
46:37
Queuing to get
46:38
Into the churches
46:38
Even under
46:42
Such situations
46:43
And perhaps
46:45
Because of
46:46
Such situations
46:47
God as he is
46:49
Blessing that
46:50
Situation to them
46:51
Is not saying
46:52
To them
46:53
Don't go to
46:53
Churches now
46:54
It's too dangerous
46:55
God's spirit
46:58
At work
46:59
In them
46:59
Is bringing
47:00
People to see
47:01
As we heard
47:02
From the SGA
47:03
Representative
47:03
Derek Maxwell
47:04
Is bringing
47:05
People to see
47:06
The things
47:07
Of this world
47:08
Can disappear
47:09
Just like that
47:10
And we need
47:12
Something
47:12
More than this
47:14
World can offer
47:15
Us
47:15
As a foundation
47:16
For life
47:17
And a foundation
47:18
For eternity
47:19
Where is it
47:20
It's in this
47:20
I am God
47:22
I am the God
47:24
Of your father
47:24
There I will
47:26
Make you into
47:26
A great nation
47:28
The God of blessing
47:29
The God of power
47:30
The God whose power
47:31
Ensures that
47:32
Even in the depths
47:33
Of oppression
47:34
In Egypt
47:35
Jacob's descendants
47:37
Will multiply
47:38
They will become
47:39
A great nation
47:40
Because God
47:41
Had said so
47:42
And because
47:43
God will do so
47:44
Now you take
47:47
That with you
47:48
Into
47:48
Your own life
47:50
As well
47:50
Into the history
47:52
And experiences
47:53
Of the church
47:54
Of God
47:55
Of ourselves
47:56
As a congregation
47:57
Or denomination
47:58
Of your own life
48:00
As an individual
48:01
Think of the challenges
48:04
The difficulties
48:06
The trials
48:07
The pains
48:11
You've already
48:11
Experienced
48:12
As a Christian
48:13
The things
48:15
That were not
48:16
Expected
48:16
That caused you
48:18
Some bewilderment
48:19
And that you
48:21
Found difficult
48:22
To adjust
48:22
To
48:23
Loss of loved
48:25
Ones
48:26
Other providences
48:27
That
48:28
Were surprising
48:30
Unexpected
48:31
And caused
48:34
Affliction
48:34
To some extent
48:36
In your life
48:36
But here is something
48:38
You can go back to
48:39
And I can go back to
48:40
I know it's not
48:41
Always easy
48:42
We have to
48:43
We have to readjust
48:44
Sometimes our
48:44
Vision and come back
48:46
To God
48:46
And to what God
48:47
Is saying
48:47
Rather than just
48:48
Let our own thoughts
48:50
Dictate as to how
48:51
The way ahead
48:52
Should be
48:52
Here is God
48:54
Saying to you
48:55
And to me
48:55
In all the
48:56
Difficulties of life
48:57
I am God
48:58
I am the God
49:00
Of your Father
49:00
I am your covenant
49:01
God
49:02
And there
49:03
There in your
49:05
Afflictions
49:06
I can do things
49:08
That you just
49:09
Could not
49:09
Possibly measure
49:10
Or possibly expect
49:13
Isn't that why
49:17
Paul wrote to the
49:18
Corinthians
49:18
In the way he did
49:20
Our light
49:22
Affliction
49:23
Which is but
49:24
Temporary
49:25
Is working for us
49:27
A far more
49:28
Exceeding
49:29
And eternal
49:30
Weight
49:31
Of glory
49:31
You see what he's doing
49:32
He's saying
49:33
Afflictions
49:34
These Corinthians
49:34
Knew affliction
49:35
Paul knew affliction
49:37
He knew the difficulties
49:38
Of and the challenges
49:39
Of living as a Christian
49:40
And an apostle
49:41
In this world
49:42
But he calls them
49:42
Light afflictions
49:43
How can he possibly
49:45
Call them light afflictions
49:46
When you read later on
49:48
Of the list of things
49:49
That he went through
49:49
In the providence of God
49:51
That hurt him deeply
49:52
That caused him
49:53
To find such suffering
49:55
In his life
49:56
As he cried out
49:57
To God from
49:58
How can he call these
49:59
Light afflictions
50:00
Well because he's putting it
50:02
In the balance
50:03
If you like
50:03
And on the other side
50:05
There is
50:05
The glory that's in Christ
50:07
The glory that's in salvation
50:10
That exceeding
50:13
Weight
50:13
Of glory
50:14
And he says
50:16
These afflictions
50:17
Are working for us
50:18
By God's blessing
50:19
An eternal weight
50:22
Of glory
50:22
While we look not
50:25
At the things
50:26
Which are seen
50:27
But at the things
50:29
Which are unseen
50:30
For the things
50:32
Which are seen
50:33
Are temporal
50:35
Short lived
50:38
But the things
50:40
Which are unseen
50:41
Are eternal
50:43
And in a sense
50:46
That's what he's saying
50:47
To Jacob
50:48
Don't be afraid
50:50
To go down to Egypt
50:51
For there
50:52
I will make you
50:53
Into a great nation
50:54
There is where
50:55
Jacob's people
50:56
Are going to multiply
50:58
What God has purposed
50:59
What God brings about
51:00
Can't be reversed
51:01
You could say
51:03
There's more power
51:04
In a gram
51:06
Of grace
51:07
Than in a ton
51:09
Of affliction
51:10
And that follows
51:13
Through
51:13
Into
51:14
The Christian life
51:16
Today
51:16
But it's not just that
51:17
I will go with you
51:18
And I will make of you
51:19
There a great nation
51:21
I myself
51:22
Will go down
51:24
With you
51:25
To Egypt
51:26
It wasn't enough
51:28
For Jacob
51:29
And it wasn't as far
51:30
As God was concerned
51:31
It wasn't enough
51:32
That he would say
51:33
To Jacob
51:33
Don't be afraid
51:34
To go to Egypt
51:35
For there I will make you
51:36
Into a great nation
51:38
Full stop
51:38
No he added to that again
51:41
I myself
51:43
Will go with you
51:44
What a remarkable statement
51:46
God
51:48
Going down
51:50
To Egypt
51:51
To be with this man
51:52
Jacob
51:53
And that's what he's saying
51:54
I myself
51:55
Will go down
51:56
With you
51:56
To Egypt
51:57
He's not just going
51:59
To send an angel
52:00
He's not going to send
52:01
A representative
52:02
From heaven
52:03
To accompany Jacob
52:04
To go with him
52:05
And to be with him
52:06
In Egypt
52:06
I myself
52:08
Will go with you
52:09
Are there any words
52:12
More precious
52:12
In human experience
52:15
Than that
52:15
And God
52:17
Saying to his
52:18
Believing people
52:19
I will go with you
52:21
Into your afflictions
52:22
Into your challenges
52:24
Into your difficulties
52:25
Into your trials
52:27
I'll not just take you
52:29
To the borders
52:29
Of Egypt
52:30
If you need to go
52:31
Right into Egypt
52:32
Jacob
52:32
As you need to
52:33
I will go down
52:34
With you
52:35
You'll find me
52:36
In Egypt
52:37
There are no barriers
52:39
To my entrance
52:40
To Egypt
52:41
And so it is true
52:45
Still
52:45
You can depend
52:48
On God
52:48
To have his company
52:51
As he has promised
52:52
There are so many
52:53
Instances in the Bible
52:55
Of that
52:55
Daniel
52:56
The fiery furnace
52:58
You remember
53:00
Nebuchadnezzar's
53:02
Astonish
53:03
When he was astonished
53:04
That he had thrown
53:05
Three of these Hebrew lads
53:07
Into the fire
53:08
Not only were they not burnt
53:10
But there was a fourth figure
53:12
And he was just astonished
53:14
When he saw this
53:15
And he said
53:15
Did we not cast
53:17
Three men
53:18
Into the fire
53:19
But I see a fourth
53:20
And his appearance
53:23
Is like
53:23
A son of the gods
53:25
I think we should
53:26
Translate it that way
53:27
Rather than
53:27
The son of God
53:28
His appearance
53:30
Is like
53:30
A son of the gods
53:31
In other words
53:32
Nebuchadnezzar
53:33
Was astonished
53:34
At what he saw
53:35
And what astonished him
53:38
As much as anyone else
53:39
Not as anything else
53:40
Not just that these three men
53:41
Were untouched by the fire
53:43
There was another person
53:45
And that person
53:47
Was divine
53:47
There was something about him
53:50
Different to the other three
53:51
The presence
53:54
Of the Lord
53:56
Was with them
53:57
Even there
53:58
I will make you
53:59
A great nation
54:01
All the way through
54:03
To
54:04
Matthew's
54:05
Jesus in Matthew 28
54:07
Lo I am with you
54:09
To the end of the age
54:10
Go into the world
54:11
And
54:11
Make disciples
54:13
And I am with you
54:14
But if you remember
54:15
Moses
54:17
In Exodus
54:18
Chapter 33
54:19
It's a wonderful passage
54:20
That personally
54:22
I've many often found
54:24
As
54:25
Something to enter
54:26
Into my own prayers
54:27
As well
54:28
Moses
54:30
In his
54:31
Speaking with God
54:33
There
54:33
As they were going to
54:34
Move on
54:34
As a people
54:35
Here is Moses saying
54:38
Chapter 33
54:39
Of Exodus
54:40
And verse
54:42
12
54:43
Moses said
54:43
See now you say to me
54:45
Bring up this people
54:46
But you have not
54:47
Let me know
54:48
Whom you will send
54:49
With me
54:49
Yet you have said
54:51
I know you by name
54:53
And you have also
54:53
Found favour
54:54
In my sight
54:55
Now therefore
54:55
If I have found
54:57
Favour in your sight
54:58
Please show me
54:59
Now your ways
55:00
That I may know you
55:01
In order to find
55:02
Favour in your sight
55:03
Consider too
55:04
That this nation
55:06
Is your people
55:06
And God said
55:08
My presence
55:10
Will go with you
55:12
And I will give you rest
55:14
And then what did
55:16
Moses say
55:17
Well he took
55:18
Encouragement from that
55:19
And he immediately said
55:20
If your presence
55:22
Will not go with me
55:23
Do not bring us
55:25
Up from here
55:26
For how shall it be known
55:30
That I have found
55:31
Favour in your sight
55:32
I and your people
55:33
Is it not
55:34
In your going with us
55:35
So that we are distinct
55:38
I and your people
55:39
From every other people
55:42
On the face of the earth
55:44
And the Lord said to Moses
55:47
This very thing
55:49
That you have spoken
55:50
I will do
55:52
You see
55:56
God had said to them
55:57
Previously
55:58
Shortly before that
55:59
Because of the grievous sin
56:01
Of this golden calf
56:03
That they had made
56:03
This image
56:04
That he would not
56:05
Go with them
56:06
That he would send
56:07
His angel
56:08
And Moses knew
56:10
Well we need more
56:12
Than an angel
56:12
Lord we need yourself
56:14
And if you do not
56:17
Go with us
56:18
Don't take us up
56:19
Just leave us here
56:20
What will be the point
56:22
And so for you
56:25
And for me tonight too
56:26
Surely
56:27
That's what you find
56:29
Included in these words
56:30
To Jacob
56:32
I myself
56:33
Will go with you
56:35
Aren't you thankful
56:37
Tonight
56:37
To have all kinds
56:39
Of assistance
56:40
From God
56:41
Aren't you thankful
56:42
Tonight
56:43
To read in the Bible
56:44
That the angels
56:45
Of God
56:46
Surround his people
56:47
That they accompany
56:48
His people
56:49
That they have
56:50
Manifested themselves
56:52
At times
56:53
To his people
56:54
But here's the most
56:56
Wonderful truth of all
56:57
That God is with you
57:00
That God will always
57:03
Be with you
57:03
That he will go with you
57:05
Into every Egypt
57:07
He has for you
57:07
In his providence
57:08
And that you will
57:12
Know him there
57:13
As the God
57:15
Whose presence
57:16
Is invaluable
57:18
To you
57:19
And always
57:20
Will be
57:21
I am God
57:24
I am the God
57:26
Of your Father
57:26
I myself
57:28
Will go with you
57:29
Into Egypt
57:31
And then
57:33
And I will bring you
57:36
Up again
57:36
I will bring you
57:38
Up again
57:39
Not only am I God
57:41
And am I your
57:42
Covenant God
57:43
And not only
57:44
Is there with that
57:45
That I will go with you
57:46
Into Egypt
57:47
But I won't leave you there
57:48
I will bring you
57:51
Up again
57:51
You see
57:53
There is God
57:54
Assuring
57:54
Jacob
57:56
As he's about to
57:57
Go on his journey
57:59
To Egypt
57:59
Egypt's not going
58:01
To be your resting place
58:03
Jacob of course
58:06
Was buried in Canaan
58:07
And the people
58:09
That descended from him
58:11
Having spent all of these years
58:13
Oppressed in Egypt
58:15
Yet they were brought out
58:17
By God
58:18
And led onwards
58:19
To the land of Canaan
58:21
The land of promise
58:22
I will not leave you there
58:23
It's interesting
58:24
And it's significant
58:25
That a number of times
58:27
In this passage
58:27
The word Israel
58:29
Is used along with
58:30
The word Jacob
58:30
As well as the word Jacob
58:32
Israel of course
58:32
Being the name
58:35
That God gave
58:36
To Jacob
58:38
At a certain juncture
58:39
Before this
58:40
And here is the word again
58:42
Israel
58:42
Just putting us in mind
58:44
And anticipating really
58:46
What you find in the book
58:47
Of Exodus onwards
58:48
That Israel means
58:49
Not just Jacob in person
58:51
But his descendants
58:53
The people
58:53
That came from him
58:55
Israel took his journey
58:58
Then Jacob sent out
59:01
Set out from Beersheba
59:03
Here is Jacob
59:06
Being assured
59:07
That Egypt's not going
59:09
To be the final
59:10
Dwelling place
59:10
For himself
59:11
Or for his people
59:12
And so it is too
59:14
With whatever afflictions
59:16
Come your way
59:16
God's not going
59:18
To leave you there
59:19
As Jeremiah found out
59:23
And as he tells us
59:24
In his Lamentations
59:25
In that great chapter 3
59:26
Of Lamentations
59:27
Though the Lord
59:29
Cause grief
59:30
Yet will he have
59:32
Compassion
59:33
According to his
59:35
Steadfast love
59:36
For he does not
59:37
Willingly afflict
59:38
Or grieve
59:39
The children of men
59:41
God doesn't bring us
59:46
Into afflictions
59:47
To leave us there
59:48
They have their own use
59:51
And as they've made
59:53
As they are made
59:55
By God
59:56
A means by which
59:57
We get to know him
59:58
Better
59:58
So the assurance
1:00:00
Is that's not
1:00:01
Your final resting place
1:00:02
That's not where
1:00:03
I'm going to leave you
1:00:04
I will take you up again
1:00:06
And that ultimately
1:00:08
Of course
1:00:08
Applies to death itself
1:00:10
Because you have
1:00:12
The language here really
1:00:13
Which in other parts
1:00:14
Of the Bible
1:00:15
Is used as the language
1:00:16
Of resurrection
1:00:17
I will bring you up again
1:00:19
I will raise you again
1:00:21
I will bring you up
1:00:22
Out of Egypt
1:00:23
So if you think of
1:00:23
Egypt as a temporary
1:00:25
Place for Jacob
1:00:26
To dwell in
1:00:27
A place of oppression
1:00:29
A place of difficulty
1:00:30
For his descendants
1:00:31
I'm not going to leave you
1:00:32
There God is saying
1:00:33
I will bring you up again
1:00:34
And so you find
1:00:38
Jesus in John chapter 6
1:00:41
You remember his teaching
1:00:43
There saying
1:00:44
In verse 40 especially
1:00:46
Where he spoke of himself
1:00:48
In that chapter
1:00:49
As the bread of life
1:00:50
And where he came
1:00:52
In verse 40
1:00:53
For this is the will
1:00:54
Of my father
1:00:55
That everyone
1:00:57
Who looks on the son
1:00:58
And believes in him
1:00:59
Should have eternal life
1:01:02
And I will raise him up
1:01:04
On the last day
1:01:06
I will bring
1:01:08
His body back up again
1:01:10
On the last day
1:01:11
I will raise him up
1:01:12
I will not leave him
1:01:13
In the grave
1:01:14
They will come to be with me
1:01:16
God says in heaven
1:01:18
And you see he's saying
1:01:20
In a marvelous way
1:01:22
Of finishing this
1:01:23
Just allow me to
1:01:24
To say this point
1:01:26
In verse 4
1:01:26
I myself will bring
1:01:28
I will go down with you
1:01:29
To Egypt
1:01:29
And I will also
1:01:30
Bring you up again
1:01:31
And Joseph's hand
1:01:33
Shall close your eyes
1:01:35
That's so beautiful
1:01:38
Because this man
1:01:40
Jacob had said
1:01:41
Of his son Joseph
1:01:42
He is undoubtedly dead
1:01:45
When you go to chapter 37
1:01:47
And in 37 verse 35
1:01:50
Just read the words there
1:01:52
Of Jacob
1:01:53
In chapter 37
1:01:55
35
1:01:56
Well in 33
1:01:58
He identified the garment
1:02:01
As the son's robe
1:02:03
Joseph's robe
1:02:04
He said
1:02:05
A fierce animal has devoured him
1:02:07
Joseph is without doubt
1:02:08
Torn to pieces
1:02:09
Then Jacob tore his garments
1:02:11
And put sackcloth on his loins
1:02:13
And mourned for his son
1:02:14
For many days
1:02:15
All his sons
1:02:16
And all his daughters
1:02:17
Rose up to comfort him
1:02:19
But he refused
1:02:20
To be comforted
1:02:21
And said
1:02:21
No
1:02:22
I shall go down to Sheol
1:02:25
I shall go down to the grave
1:02:26
To my son
1:02:28
Mourning
1:02:29
And here he is
1:02:31
In chapter 46
1:02:32
What a difference
1:02:35
To what he had envisaged
1:02:36
And feared
1:02:37
I shall go down
1:02:39
To the grave
1:02:41
Mourning
1:02:42
With my son
1:02:44
And here's God
1:02:46
Saying to him
1:02:46
Joseph
1:02:47
Shall close your eyes
1:02:49
In other words
1:02:51
He's saying to Jacob
1:02:52
When you die
1:02:53
Joseph will be there
1:02:56
And the closing of your eyes
1:03:00
In death
1:03:00
Most people die
1:03:03
Or some people anyway
1:03:04
With their eyes open
1:03:05
They pass away
1:03:06
Their eyes need to be closed
1:03:08
Then by somebody there
1:03:09
Just to take their eyelids
1:03:10
And close them down
1:03:12
Joseph
1:03:13
Shall close your eyes
1:03:16
He'll be there
1:03:19
To take care of your need
1:03:22
When you die
1:03:24
Don't be afraid
1:03:26
To go down to Egypt
1:03:29
And don't you be afraid
1:03:32
Of the future
1:03:36
Don't be afraid
1:03:38
Of the future
1:03:39
For yourself
1:03:39
Personally
1:03:40
If you're in Christ
1:03:41
Tonight
1:03:42
You have no need
1:03:43
To be afraid
1:03:44
All of this
1:03:45
Your property as well
1:03:47
Don't be afraid
1:03:49
As a congregation
1:03:50
Of looking into the future
1:03:53
Unknown as though it is
1:03:54
To a great extent
1:03:56
Don't be afraid
1:03:58
I am God
1:04:01
He says
1:04:01
I am the God
1:04:03
Of your fathers
1:04:04
I will go with you
1:04:07
I will take you
1:04:09
Back up again
1:04:10
I will not leave you
1:04:12
I will be there for you
1:04:15
All the way through
1:04:16
And of course
1:04:20
The Bible itself
1:04:22
Closes with the wonderful words
1:04:24
Of
1:04:24
Or more or less
1:04:25
Closes the wonderful words
1:04:26
Of Revelation
1:04:26
Chapter 21
1:04:28
They're not exactly the same
1:04:30
As what you find here
1:04:31
In Genesis 46
1:04:32
But
1:04:32
There's a very close relationship
1:04:34
I'm sure you'll be able
1:04:35
To work that out
1:04:36
For yourself
1:04:36
Where the final order
1:04:39
Of things
1:04:40
In heaven
1:04:40
Is revealed
1:04:41
To John
1:04:42
I heard a loud voice
1:04:44
From the throne
1:04:45
Saying
1:04:46
Behold
1:04:47
The dwelling place
1:04:48
Of God
1:04:49
Is with man
1:04:49
God's presence
1:04:51
Is now with man
1:04:53
This is heaven
1:04:54
He will dwell with them
1:04:56
And they will be
1:04:57
His people
1:04:58
And God himself
1:04:59
Will be with them
1:05:00
As their God
1:05:01
He will wipe away
1:05:03
Every tear
1:05:04
From their eyes
1:05:05
And death
1:05:07
Shall be no more
1:05:08
Neither shall there be
1:05:09
Mourning
1:05:09
Nor crying
1:05:10
Nor pain
1:05:10
Anymore
1:05:11
For the former things
1:05:13
Have passed away
1:05:14
So for you
1:05:16
As a Christian
1:05:17
Whoever closes
1:05:20
Your eyes
1:05:20
In death
1:05:21
Physically
1:05:21
In a higher sense
1:05:24
Jesus will do
1:05:26
That spiritually
1:05:27
And when you arise
1:05:30
From the grave
1:05:32
There'll be no mourning
1:05:34
No crying
1:05:36
No tears
1:05:38
God himself
1:05:40
Will wipe away
1:05:41
Every tear
1:05:43
Every tear
1:05:43
What a hope
1:05:45
What a prospect
1:05:47
What a God
1:05:50
You see
1:05:52
Your God
1:05:52
Your God
1:05:53
Your ale
1:05:54
Your covenant God
1:05:56
Your protector God
1:05:59
The God
1:06:01
The God of your future
1:06:02
As well as the now
1:06:05
And the past
1:06:06
Let's pray
1:06:07
Almighty God
1:06:10
We thank you
1:06:11
For every assurance
1:06:12
You give us
1:06:13
Of the sovereign care
1:06:15
That you have
1:06:16
For your people
1:06:17
Bless us then
1:06:18
Tonight
1:06:19
Lord we pray
1:06:20
Make us to know
1:06:21
That we are indeed
1:06:22
Under the care
1:06:23
Of this great God
1:06:24
The God of covenant
1:06:26
Promise
1:06:26
And blessing
1:06:27
The God of power
1:06:29
And might
1:06:30
The God who is faithful
1:06:31
To his every promise
1:06:33
Lord we pray
1:06:35
That you would speak
1:06:35
To us out of your word
1:06:36
And especially
1:06:38
At times of anxiety
1:06:39
Times when we may
1:06:41
Question things
1:06:42
Times when we may doubt
1:06:44
Times when we may be afraid
1:06:47
O Lord
1:06:48
Calm our hearts
1:06:49
We pray
1:06:50
By giving us
1:06:51
A renewed vision
1:06:52
Of yourself
1:06:53
Of your greatness
1:06:55
Of your grace
1:06:56
Of your love
1:06:57
Of your steadfast love
1:06:59
And of your own
1:07:01
Presence with your people
1:07:02
On into eternity
1:07:04
Bless any tonight
1:07:05
Who have not
1:07:07
As yet come
1:07:08
To give themselves
1:07:09
Into your hand
1:07:10
Who have not come
1:07:12
To trust in you
1:07:13
Who have not yet come
1:07:15
To leave the world
1:07:16
And come into Christ
1:07:18
Lord bless them
1:07:20
We pray as well
1:07:21
Not only here
1:07:22
But elsewhere
1:07:23
And guide us
1:07:24
Continually through
1:07:25
The path of life
1:07:26
And receive us
1:07:28
Finally at last
1:07:29
Into your own
1:07:30
Everlasting mansions
1:07:31
For Jesus' sake
1:07:32
Amen
1:07:33
Our final psalm
1:07:36
This evening
1:07:37
Is
1:07:37
Psalm 118
1:07:40
Psalm 118
1:07:43
That's in the
1:07:44
Scottish Psalter
1:07:45
Page 397
1:07:47
The tune is
1:07:48
Colesill
1:07:49
Verses 1-6
1:07:53
O praise the Lord
1:07:54
For he is good
1:07:55
His mercy lasteth ever
1:07:57
Let those of Israel
1:07:58
Now say
1:07:59
His mercy faileth never
1:08:01
Now let the house
1:08:02
Of Aaron say
1:08:02
His mercy lasteth ever
1:08:04
Let those that fear
1:08:06
The Lord now say
1:08:07
His mercy faileth never
1:08:10
And then in verses 5 and 6
1:08:12
Again talking of distress
1:08:14
And how the Lord
1:08:15
Answered his cry
1:08:17
He in a large place
1:08:19
Did me set
1:08:19
From trouble
1:08:20
Made me free
1:08:21
The mighty Lord
1:08:22
Is on my side
1:08:24
I will not be afraid
1:08:25
For anything that man can do
1:08:27
I shall not be dismayed
1:08:31
These words
1:08:31
O praise the Lord
1:08:33
O praise the Lord
1:08:42
For he is good
1:08:46
His mercy lasteth ever
1:08:53
Let those of Israel
1:08:59
Let those of Israel
1:09:05
Say
1:09:06
His mercy faileth never
1:09:08
Let the hearts of Aaron
1:09:18
Say
1:09:19
His mercy lasteth ever
1:09:26
Let those of Israel
1:09:36
What the Lord
1:09:37
him say
1:09:43
His mercy faileth never
1:09:47
His mercy faileth never
1:09:48
In distress
1:09:49
Doshint James
1:09:50
hall
1:09:51
The Lord may answer me.
1:10:00
The evil earth's place did me stay.
1:10:08
From trouble made me free.
1:10:14
The mighty Lord is on my side.
1:10:24
I will not be afraid.
1:10:31
For anything that man can do, I shall not be afraid.
1:10:48
After the benediction, I'll go to the door to my right this evening.
1:10:52
Now may the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God the Father, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you now and evermore.
1:11:01
Amen.
1:11:02
Amen.
1:11:32
Amen.
1:11:34
Amen.
1:11:40
Amen.
1:11:42
Amen.