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Prayer Life - Personal · Stornoway Free Church of Scotland - Sermons

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Would you please in your Bibles just now turn back to Matthew chapter 6 where we've read page 978 in our Bibles.
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!
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Well, let's just pray just for a moment before we study the Word together.
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Heavenly Father, we come as always to the Bible with that sense, Lord, of expectation.
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We want to hear your voice. We want to hear what you are saying to us out of Scripture.
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And so we pray that today you would guide our thoughts and our hearts to be fed and nourished from these things.
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That our faith may grow and deepen. That we may know our Lord and Saviour Jesus better because of what we discover.
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That we would live our lives to his glory and to the praise of your name.
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And so we ask today that these things will be done not through the effort of flesh and blood,
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but through the work and power of the Holy Spirit.
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So grant us that working in our hearts today. In Jesus' name we ask. Amen.
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There is a wonderful phrase that I discovered. It chimes with maybe some ideas that you'd find in other writers as well like John Piper.
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But certainly Derek Kidner writing a commentary on the book of Psalms has this wonderful phrase,
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The greatest happiness is to be in close agreement with God.
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The greatest happiness is to be in close agreement with God.
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And that's a theme that runs through the psalm that we've read today, Psalm 32.
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And I think looking together at Psalm 32 is perhaps an illustration of some of the points I'm going to make today.
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And some of the teaching that we can draw out of the Lord's Prayer in Matthew 6.
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I think it gives us an important insight into the prayer life of the Christian.
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So I want this week and next Sunday as well, while Calamurto's away, I want to take a little time thinking about our prayer life.
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Today, this morning, we're going to be thinking about it in terms of our private or personal prayer, our walk with God.
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And next Sunday evening, if we're spared, God willing, we'll think about public prayer.
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And immediately, as I say public prayer, people think, oh, you mean what happens in the prayer meeting?
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No, I mean corporate prayer.
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Because all Christians everywhere should and do pray with other Christians.
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It is inconceivable, in fact, that you could be a Christian and never pray with another Christian.
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And so we'll think about corporate prayer next Sunday.
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The key, of course, to both of these is actually the idea of fellowship.
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So as we go through our lives, we are, as Christians, we're in fellowship with God and also with one another in the church.
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There's a fellowship within the circles of our families.
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There's your fellowship within the circles that we have of the friendships that we have.
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And there's your wider fellowship within the congregation.
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And perhaps even wider still within the church at large in the world.
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And the key to good fellowship is always to walk in harmony with the person you're walking with.
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It's a proverb, a very simple one, that if two people are in disagreement, they cannot walk together.
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And that's especially true in our lives spiritually.
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If we're in disagreement with God over something, then we cannot walk together.
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That's why Derek Kidner's phrase is so apt.
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The greatest happiness is to be in close agreement with God.
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So the greatest happiness that we can experience in life is to be found when we are walking in agreement with those we share in fellowship with.
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With God in our private lives.
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With God in our own personal headspace.
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And with those around us, whether it's in your marriage or your family or even in the life of the church.
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And so I want this morning to suggest four ways in which your prayer life will deepen that close agreement with God.
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In which you will find the greatest happiness.
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And I hope these will be helpful to you.
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Now, as always, I just want to preface this with the three groups that I have in mind.
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I think, as a rule, this is how I preach.
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I always have three groups in mind when I'm preaching.
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The first of these is those who have not yet entered in by the narrow gate.
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The Bible speaks about following after God and being saved as entering by the narrow gate.
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And there are those who have not yet done that here.
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There are those who are still perhaps seeking.
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They're interested.
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They want to know what this salvation is.
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You today might still be looking for someone who can take away your guilt and your shame.
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Who will offer you a sure hope.
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Maybe you're seeking salvation.
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And I want to say to you that today, what I have today, I hope, is for you.
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The relationship that you need to have with Jesus as a Savior is found through prayer.
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And so if you are not yet already praying to God, and I would suggest that you do so urgently,
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I hope that what I have today will help you and give you some guides on how you would go about that.
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There's those today here who have entered by the narrow gate and who are on the road to salvation,
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but have not long been on that road.
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Perhaps you are new to walking together with God.
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A young Christian.
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Someone who has not yet taken many steps along that way.
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And I hope that today, what I have for you will be a blessing to you today to help you and encourage you
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as you think about how you pray, but more than just how you pray, just how you relate to God entirely.
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Like just what it means to be a Christian living today.
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And then there are many of you here today who, I suspect probably what I have to say today,
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you will think this is familiar, well-trodden material.
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You'll think, I've heard most of this before.
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And I would urge you today not to switch off.
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The reason I would say that is because when it comes to our relationships with people,
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what is often the greatest danger to these relationships is complacency.
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We become familiar with the beat and the rhythm of life.
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And so perhaps we neglect to spend time conversing deeply with our spouses.
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And that can lead to trouble in your marriage.
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And it's the same with God.
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Complacency can set in in our lives.
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And we can become slow to fellowship with God.
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And weary, perhaps, along the way.
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And find that it's not God that has shifted, but it's us that have departed from a close walk with Him.
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And so I hope today these will be reminders to you of the basics that we can get right,
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so that we can discover the greatest happiness is found in a close walk with God.
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First of all, then, we should note that Jesus, when He teaches the disciples to pray,
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He teaches them firstly about the reputation of God.
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When Jesus teaches the disciples to pray, He says, pray like this,
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Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name.
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And just to very briefly unpackage the language there,
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the word hallowed means to make something holy.
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You know, we talk about hallowed ground.
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It's ground, normally talking about a cemetery, in fact.
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It's talking about ground that's been set apart for a special purpose.
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The church today is hallowed ground.
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Not because there's something intrinsically holy about the church,
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but because the building has been set apart for the worship of God.
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It's a place where we want to come to worship God.
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And we've created this space for that purpose.
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So if something's hallowed, it's simply set apart, kept special.
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And when we talk about God's name being hallowed,
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what we really mean is not simply the name of Jesus,
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but the whole reputation that God has.
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So if we were to think about Ali, who's presenting today,
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and there are a lot of things you could say about Ali's reputation,
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but a lot of the young people in the church know him by his alter ego of Captain Toothpaste.
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That's his reputation, his name.
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He's got a name for brushing your teeth.
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And when we think about our God, he has a reputation, a name,
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a reputation for salvation, for hope,
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for granting relief to those who are lost and in darkness,
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for bringing light into the world,
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for bringing hope into the hopeless darkness of our lives.
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And so when Jesus is teaching the disciples to pray,
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he begins by teaching them to adore God,
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simply to express adoration for God.
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Now, in our generation, certainly, there is a rush, isn't there,
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to meet our needs.
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We would tend to want to prioritize our needs.
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And it's very tempting to think of that as being a unique situation in our generation.
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People today are very interested in near instant gratification.
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If you want something, you just take it.
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If you want to order something off the internet,
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you can expect it to be delivered the next day,
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so long as you order before 12,
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and so long as the ferry goes.
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But we want things instantly.
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We want the immediate delivery of that need to be met.
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But the truth is, actually,
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in all of human history,
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the desire to put our wants and our needs first,
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even in prayer,
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has always been there.
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Because one of the fundamental problems
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with sinful human hearts
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is what I would call the idolatry of self.
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For most people,
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the idol is not something external
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that you fall down and worship.
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Rather, the idol is often something internal,
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whether it's our own ego,
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our own sense of self and worth.
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But we primarily want to put ourselves
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at the fore of all things.
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And so even in prayer as Christians,
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we can fall into that very easily.
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We can make our own reputation,
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our own glory,
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our own comfort,
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our own fame,
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whatever it might be.
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We can make these things,
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the first things that we rush with,
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into prayer.
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And we can almost say,
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well, God,
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the most important thing today
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is not my relationship with you.
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It's not your glory.
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The most important thing
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is what I'm getting out of this.
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My needs been met.
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But Jesus teaches us to pray
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firstly for God's reputation.
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Indeed, the greatest happiness,
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if this is truly the case,
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if the greatest happiness
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is to be found in close agreement
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with God,
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then the greatest happiness
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is to be found
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when we align our priorities
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with God's priorities.
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And what does God want?
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And what is God's desire?
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Well, we could say today,
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well, it's to save people.
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Yes, but to what end?
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Why does God save people?
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Why does God bless
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and prosper his children?
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Why does God give us
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the promise of himself
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as our everlasting reward?
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And it is simply because
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God is jealous
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for his own reputation.
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God being God
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wants and deserves,
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ultimately,
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he's entirely right
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in longing for this,
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wants the praise
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of the nations.
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There is nothing
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self-indulgent in that
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if you are the creator
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and sustainer
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of all things.
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If you are indeed
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the highest,
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then there is nothing wrong
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or flawed
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in God wanting
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to be glorified.
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and the way he is glorified
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is in showing us
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his salvation,
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principally,
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in rescuing
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rebels and sinners
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through the work
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and person
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of Jesus Christ,
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his son.
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And so,
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God's greatest priority
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is, in fact,
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for his own reputation.
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And so,
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of course,
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there are many things
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that God has promised.
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There are many things
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that we can claim
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and lay hold of
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in prayer.
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There are many things
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that we can ask God for.
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But above all of them
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and first and foremostly
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in all of them,
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there needs to be
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a desire
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that our own hearts
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will be aligned
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to magnify
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God himself.
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That we will adore him.
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And so,
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in our prayer life,
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that needs to be the case.
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You see it in Psalm 32
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where we've read
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that the center of the Psalm,
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in verse 7,
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there's these wonderful words
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that David uses.
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He says,
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you are my hiding place.
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The place of ultimate safety
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and security.
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Last Sunday evening,
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in fact,
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if you want a great sermon
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on this,
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go and find it on YouTube,
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Kenny I preaching
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last Sunday night.
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It's kind of
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a great example of this.
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Of the security
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that David found
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in the Lord
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in times of distress.
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Psalm 32,
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it's in that same vein.
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of that great security
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that is to be found.
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David then,
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he goes on
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and he says,
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you are the one
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who preserves me
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in time of trouble.
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You know,
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the great troubles
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that afflict the child
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of God in the world,
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there are many.
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The New Testament
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kind of itemizes them
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almost quite helpfully
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in this way.
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It says,
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we face enemies
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in the world
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and the flesh
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and the devil.
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So the world around us
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that are going to be
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people who despise
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the Christian faith,
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who despise
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us for following Jesus,
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they despise us
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for Jesus' own sake.
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And it wears us down.
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And it's distressing
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and it's troubling
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to experience that
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and the hatred
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that comes our way.
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And David says,
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you are my preserver
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in times of trouble.
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when the world
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despises me,
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you're the one
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who preserves me.
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And the way he
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adores the Lord
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for this,
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he says it's the same
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internally.
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Psalm 32,
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it's really interesting.
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The enemies,
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the greatest enemies
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that David actually faces,
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he feels,
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are not actually
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outside and external,
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but that his own heart
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and the sinful desires
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that rise up there
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and that want to
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overtake our lives
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and want to blot out
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and push out
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our fellowship with God.
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And these things
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God preserves us from.
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How many of us
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can say that,
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in fact,
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as we think about our lives,
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that God has preserved us
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not from external threats,
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maybe he has,
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but more so,
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in fact,
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from the reckless
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things that we would
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do ourselves.
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And from the ways
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in which he has brought us
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through troubled waters
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and preserved us
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from that chaos.
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And also,
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he says,
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you have taken me,
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and there's this wonderful
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expression that he uses,
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you surround me
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with shouts of deliverance.
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When I read that phrase
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in Psalm 32,
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actually,
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I always think about
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old kind of cowboy
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and Indian westerns
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or old war movies.
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You know,
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when the good guys,
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you know,
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defeat the enemy,
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whether it's the Germans
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coming and they're
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beaten back in the fight
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in a World War II movie,
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or whether it's the Indians
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that have come
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and the cowboys
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have beaten them back
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and the sheriff
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and all the rest
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and they're beaten back.
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And as they're running away,
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you know,
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the good guys are there
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shouting for joy
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because of the deliverance
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that they've experienced.
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There's a real cry
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of happiness
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that comes from
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being victorious
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and sharing in victory.
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And David says,
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you surround me
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with these kind of shouts.
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What David's actually doing there
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is he's talking about
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the character,
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I think,
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of a triune God.
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Because when we think about it,
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we can see the Father
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operating in his love
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towards us
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as the ultimate safety
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and shelter
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and hiding place
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for his people.
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God the Father
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is our solace.
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He is the one
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that we run to.
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It's his love
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that we shelter in.
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That's where we find
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our comfort
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and our joy.
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We're talking about
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God the Son
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and the grace
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by which he delivers us
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through his victory
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at the cross,
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offering himself
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as one who will take away
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our sin.
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He is the one
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who preserves us
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in times of trouble,
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the one who delivers us
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from the evil one
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who would attack us.
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Or we think about
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the Holy Spirit
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who unites us to God
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and to one another
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and who literally
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today
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in this church
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has surrounded you
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with shouts of deliverance.
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And that's one of the
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most important things
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really about corporate praise.
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That's why we sing together.
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We don't just participate
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in watching someone
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sing in worship.
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We participate.
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And often it's because
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the people around us,
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there's probably people
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there sitting
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who need to hear
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the praise
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of God's people.
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And the Holy Spirit
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has brought us here today
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to participate in that.
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And so when we pray,
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let us pray
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as people who know
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God is jealous
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for his own glory.
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And let's remember
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that our greatest happiness
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lies
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in being close
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in agreement with that.
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In aligning
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our prayers
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prayers
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with God's
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desire
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for his own glory.
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Now what does that
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practically look like?
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Just very briefly.
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I think simply
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it is that
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this.
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I would urge you
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to spend time
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sitting alone
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reflecting
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in adoration
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on God's character
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and expressing
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that in his presence.
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It's a challenging
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discipline.
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It's something
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that I find
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in fact
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when it comes
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we'll think about this
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next week
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God willing
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but when it comes
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to corporate prayer
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this is something
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that I find often
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is lacking
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because we don't
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maybe do enough
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of it in our
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private prayer life.
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It's just taking
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the time
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to express
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adoration
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for God
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in his presence.
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The second thing
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I'm seeing the time
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so we'll rattle
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through the other points.
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The second thing
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is confession.
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God
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Jesus
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teaching us
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to pray
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teaches us
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to pray
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forgive us
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our debts
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as we have
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forgiven our debtors.
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And
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there's an awful lot
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that we could say here
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but it comes back
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to
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the primary
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relationship
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that we have
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with God
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just now
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in this world.
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We relate
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to God
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just now
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in this world
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as men
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and women
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who have
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offended
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a holy God
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who have
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affronted him
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with our sin.
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We haven't
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lived as we should
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we haven't
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done what we should
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we haven't
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said the things
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we should
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we haven't
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gone to the places
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we should
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we haven't
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devoted ourselves
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as we ought to
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to a holy God
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perhaps because
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we don't adore him
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enough.
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We miss him.
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we fall short
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of the standard
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that he has set
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and
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the great
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challenge
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for us
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is to
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recognize that
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and to come
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to God
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to deal with it.
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To come to God
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and to acknowledge
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our sin
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so that we will be
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continually fit
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for his
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presence.
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I was trying
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to think of a way
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of illustrating
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this and
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what actually
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you know my love
22:48
of movies
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particularly science
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fiction
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I was thinking
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about Star Trek
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and sometimes
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you see the
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Enterprise
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it's caught in the
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grip of an
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enormous force
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maybe it's a
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black hole
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or something
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but the ship
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just can't
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escape
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and Kirk's
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there on the
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bridge
23:01
and he's
23:02
saying Scotty
23:03
you've got to
23:03
get us out of
23:04
here
23:04
you've got to
23:04
give us
23:04
everything we've
23:05
got
23:05
and Scotty
23:06
will come up
23:06
with some
23:06
completely
23:07
harebrained
23:07
ingenious plan
23:08
and he'll
23:08
say something
23:09
like I'll
23:09
eject the
23:10
warp core
23:10
and it'll
23:10
blow up
23:11
and so Scotty
23:12
ejects the
23:13
warp core
23:13
and it blows
23:14
up behind
23:14
the ship
23:15
and the
23:15
ship's set
23:16
free in an
23:16
instant
23:17
it just
23:17
like it
23:17
it hurtles
23:18
away from
23:19
the danger
23:19
and that's
23:22
what confession
23:23
is like in
23:24
the life of
23:25
the Christian
23:25
it's that we
23:27
have to
23:28
eject that
23:29
that sin
23:30
we have to
23:30
acknowledge that
23:31
sin
23:31
instead of
23:32
clinging on to
23:33
it
23:33
instead of
23:33
clinging on to
23:34
the crazy
23:35
idea that
23:36
our sin
23:36
isn't a
23:37
big deal
23:37
it needs to
23:39
get jettisoned
23:40
out the
23:40
back
23:41
and in
23:43
the great
23:44
grace of
23:45
God and
23:45
in the
23:46
love that
23:46
he shows
23:47
us and
23:48
in the
23:48
wonder of
23:49
the cross
23:50
and the
23:50
magnificence of
23:51
what Jesus
23:52
has done
23:52
that guilt
23:54
is taken
23:54
by Christ
23:55
and it's
23:56
replaced with
23:56
his righteousness
23:57
and we
23:58
are set
23:59
free
23:59
and we
24:01
can blast
24:02
off into
24:03
God's
24:03
service
24:04
and that
24:06
today is
24:07
why
24:08
confession
24:08
remains
24:09
so
24:10
important
24:10
in the
24:11
life of
24:11
the
24:12
Christian
24:12
we need
24:14
to keep
24:15
continually
24:15
divesting
24:17
ourselves
24:17
of all of
24:18
the stuff
24:18
that clings
24:19
to us
24:19
and slows
24:20
us down
24:20
we need
24:21
to lay
24:21
it all
24:21
before the
24:22
cross
24:22
of
24:22
Christ
24:23
and discover
24:26
that we
24:26
can be
24:27
set free
24:28
and
24:30
liberated
24:30
and
24:32
allowed
24:32
to go
24:32
on
24:33
so
24:38
there's
24:38
adoration
24:38
there's
24:39
confession
24:39
there's
24:42
also
24:42
thanksgiving
24:42
and
24:43
thanksgiving
24:44
in this
24:45
way of
24:45
thinking
24:45
about
24:45
our
24:46
life
24:46
and
24:46
prayer
24:47
you
24:47
almost
24:48
think
24:48
it's
24:48
strange
24:48
because
24:49
it's
24:49
not
24:49
explicitly
24:50
there
24:51
in the
24:51
Lord's
24:51
prayer
24:52
you
24:53
work
24:53
through
24:54
the
24:54
Lord's
24:54
prayer
24:54
you
24:54
can
24:55
read
24:55
through
24:55
it
24:55
you
24:58
don't
24:58
really
24:58
find
24:59
many
24:59
expressions
25:00
of
25:00
thankfulness
25:01
and
25:02
that's
25:02
a
25:02
good
25:04
and
25:04
important
25:04
question
25:05
for us
25:05
to maybe
25:05
ask
25:06
why
25:07
isn't
25:09
it
25:09
explicit
25:09
I
25:11
think
25:11
one of
25:12
the
25:12
reasons
25:12
is
25:12
because
25:13
Jesus
25:14
is
25:14
teaching
25:15
throughout
25:16
the
25:16
New
25:16
Testament
25:16
throughout
25:17
the
25:17
Gospels
25:17
there's
25:17
a
25:18
theme
25:18
emerges
25:19
and
25:20
the
25:20
theme
25:20
is
25:20
there
25:21
at
25:21
the
25:21
beginning
25:21
of
25:21
the
25:21
Lord's
25:22
prayer
25:22
our
25:22
Father
25:23
in
25:23
heaven
25:23
the
25:25
relationship
25:26
of
25:27
God's
25:27
people
25:28
of
25:29
Christians
25:30
to
25:31
God
25:31
the
25:31
Father
25:32
is
25:33
that
25:33
of
25:33
children
25:34
coming
25:35
to
25:35
a
25:36
Father
25:36
I
25:38
think
25:38
it's
25:38
really
25:38
important
25:39
to
25:39
understand
25:40
how
25:40
thankfulness
25:42
works
25:42
in that
25:43
context
25:44
and to
25:45
see that
25:45
in the
25:46
context
25:46
of a
25:46
relationship
25:47
with
25:47
God
25:48
as
25:48
Father
25:48
how
25:50
does
25:51
thankfulness
25:51
work
25:52
in your
25:52
family
25:52
does it
25:55
work
25:55
on the
25:55
basis
25:55
that
25:56
as
25:58
children
25:59
you
25:59
would
25:59
be
26:00
very
26:00
diligent
26:01
always
26:01
to
26:02
say
26:02
thanks
26:02
is
26:05
that
26:05
how
26:05
thankfulness
26:06
really
26:06
works
26:07
I
26:07
think
26:08
about
26:08
my
26:08
family
26:08
there's
26:09
times
26:09
where
26:09
the
26:09
kids
26:09
do
26:09
there's
26:10
times
26:10
where
26:10
they
26:10
don't
26:10
we
26:11
really
26:12
wish
26:12
when
26:12
they're
26:12
out
26:13
we
26:13
really
26:13
wish
26:13
that
26:13
they
26:14
would
26:14
always
26:14
say
26:14
thanks
26:15
to
26:15
people
26:15
who
26:15
give
26:15
them
26:16
something
26:16
so
26:17
there's
26:17
a
26:17
place
26:18
for
26:18
saying
26:18
thank
26:19
you
26:19
it's
26:19
really
26:19
important
26:20
but
26:22
actually
26:22
the
26:24
real
26:24
thankfulness
26:25
that
26:25
children
26:25
have
26:26
I
26:26
think
26:26
for
26:26
their
26:26
parents
26:27
for
26:27
their
26:28
for
26:28
the
26:28
provision
26:29
that's
26:29
made
26:29
for
26:29
them
26:29
in
26:30
their
26:30
homes
26:30
it
26:31
really
26:31
gets
26:32
expressed
26:32
in the
26:33
boldness
26:33
in which
26:33
they
26:34
come
26:34
they
26:36
appreciate
26:37
the
26:38
provision
26:39
that's
26:40
been
26:40
made
26:40
for
26:40
them
26:41
they
26:42
rely
26:43
willingly
26:44
joyfully
26:45
on
26:46
their
26:46
parents
26:46
breakfast
26:49
is going
26:49
to be
26:50
there
26:50
for
26:50
them
26:50
dinner
26:51
is going
26:51
to be
26:52
there
26:52
for
26:52
them
26:52
lifts
26:53
are going
26:53
to be
26:53
there
26:54
for
26:54
them
26:54
when
26:54
they
26:54
want
26:54
to
26:54
see
26:54
their
26:55
pals
26:55
and
26:58
it's
26:58
not
26:58
that
26:59
they
26:59
come
26:59
with
27:00
it's
27:02
not
27:02
that
27:02
they
27:03
come
27:03
with
27:03
a
27:05
greediness
27:06
about
27:06
that
27:06
but
27:08
it's
27:09
rather
27:09
that
27:09
they
27:09
don't
27:09
come
27:10
to
27:11
parents
27:12
who
27:12
are
27:12
going
27:12
to
27:12
be
27:12
begrudging
27:13
in
27:14
what
27:14
they
27:14
do
27:14
they
27:17
joyfully
27:17
ask
27:18
and
27:20
I think
27:20
that's
27:20
why
27:20
when
27:21
Paul
27:21
talks
27:21
about
27:21
prayer
27:22
with
27:22
thanksgiving
27:22
it's
27:23
that
27:23
sense
27:23
of
27:24
asking
27:24
boldly
27:24
for
27:25
things
27:25
and
27:25
asking
27:25
for
27:25
big
27:26
things
27:26
of
27:26
God
27:27
because
27:28
we
27:29
have
27:29
that
27:29
boldness
27:30
to
27:30
come
27:30
to
27:30
him
27:30
because
27:30
we
27:31
are
27:31
so
27:31
thankful
27:31
for how
27:33
he has
27:33
always
27:34
answered
27:35
us
27:36
that we
27:37
learn
27:37
that God
27:38
is a
27:38
worthy
27:39
loving
27:40
parent
27:41
the perfect
27:42
example of
27:43
what a
27:43
parent would
27:43
be
27:44
and so
27:45
therefore we
27:46
can come to
27:46
him with that
27:47
sense of
27:47
boldness
27:48
and you see it
27:50
in Psalm 32
27:51
where David
27:52
talks there about
27:53
the blessing of the
27:54
one whose
27:55
transgression is
27:55
forgiven
27:56
the great
27:57
happiness
27:57
happiness
27:58
that that
27:58
person
27:59
has
27:59
because
28:00
his
28:00
life
28:01
is so
28:01
closely
28:02
aligned
28:02
to
28:03
God's
28:03
priorities
28:04
sin
28:06
is dealt
28:06
with
28:07
the glory
28:09
of God
28:09
is advanced
28:10
and David
28:12
what he's
28:12
really saying
28:13
that is
28:13
he's
28:13
discovered
28:13
that God
28:14
in his
28:15
great provision
28:16
is someone
28:16
that he can
28:17
rest on
28:18
and joyfully
28:19
trust
28:20
in
28:20
and therefore
28:22
thankfulness
28:22
becomes
28:23
just an
28:23
automatic
28:24
overflow
28:25
in the
28:26
continual
28:27
expression
28:27
of his
28:28
life
28:28
and so
28:31
when we
28:31
want to
28:33
think about
28:33
our
28:33
prayer
28:33
life
28:34
that's
28:37
where
28:37
thankfulness
28:37
has to
28:38
come into
28:38
it
28:38
isn't it
28:39
that we're
28:41
continually
28:41
expressing
28:42
our thanks
28:42
to God
28:43
directly
28:43
yes
28:44
but that
28:45
actually
28:45
more so
28:46
our prayer
28:46
life
28:46
and our
28:47
dependence
28:48
on God
28:48
is informed
28:49
by that
28:50
experience
28:50
of his
28:51
faithfulness
28:52
that God
28:53
has always
28:53
been there
28:54
for us
28:54
that God
28:55
has always
28:56
secured us
28:57
that God
28:58
has always
28:59
made it
29:00
safe for us
29:01
has always
29:01
made it
29:02
possible for
29:02
us to go
29:03
forward
29:03
even when we
29:05
are surrounded
29:05
by distress
29:06
where grief
29:08
comes in
29:08
like a flood
29:09
he's still
29:11
there
29:11
and he
29:15
still gives
29:16
himself
29:16
as our
29:18
highest
29:18
reward
29:19
until we
29:23
come to
29:24
him
29:24
continually
29:24
with
29:24
thankfulness
29:25
which
29:27
ultimately
29:27
feeds into
29:28
all of
29:28
our
29:28
requests
29:29
the S
29:30
in this
29:31
word
29:31
is
29:31
supplication
29:32
so we
29:33
have
29:34
adoration
29:34
confession
29:34
thanksgiving
29:35
supplication
29:36
I hinted
29:38
at it at the
29:38
beginning
29:39
it's a very
29:39
familiar
29:40
structure
29:40
those of
29:41
you who
29:42
have been
29:42
Christians
29:42
a long
29:42
time
29:43
have heard
29:43
and used
29:44
the
29:44
acts
29:44
way of
29:45
thinking
29:46
about
29:46
prayer
29:46
but we
29:49
come to
29:49
God
29:49
with all
29:49
of our
29:50
requests
29:50
whether
29:51
they are
29:51
big
29:51
things
29:52
or small
29:52
things
29:52
it's
29:54
illustrated
29:54
in the
29:54
Lord's
29:55
prayer
29:55
with the
29:55
expressions
29:56
give us
29:56
this day
29:56
our daily
29:57
bread
29:57
on the
29:58
face of
29:58
it
29:58
that's
29:59
such a
29:59
simple
29:59
prayer
30:00
isn't
30:00
it
30:00
give us
30:01
bread
30:01
for today
30:02
but you
30:05
know when
30:05
you
30:05
burrow
30:05
into it
30:05
and you
30:06
start to
30:06
see
30:06
what
30:06
does
30:06
daily
30:07
bread
30:07
actually
30:07
involve
30:08
it's
30:10
not just
30:10
that there's
30:11
an entire
30:11
food chain
30:12
behind that
30:12
that has
30:12
to deliver
30:13
for you
30:13
it's
30:14
that there's
30:14
an entire
30:15
emotional
30:15
chain
30:16
behind that
30:16
that has
30:16
to be
30:17
there
30:17
and supportive
30:17
of you
30:18
as well
30:18
it's not
30:18
enough
30:19
simply to
30:19
have
30:20
bread
30:21
you need
30:21
to have
30:21
love
30:22
and affection
30:22
and family
30:23
and care
30:23
around you
30:24
so Lord
30:25
give us
30:26
this day
30:26
that
30:27
give us
30:28
this day
30:28
the means
30:29
to have
30:29
the bread
30:29
so it's
30:30
a prayer
30:30
for employment
30:31
and the
30:32
structures
30:32
for employment
30:33
to be in
30:33
place
30:33
they're
30:34
vast
30:34
it needs
30:35
society
30:36
to be
30:36
at peace
30:37
for society
30:39
to function
30:39
for trade
30:40
to operate
30:41
all of these
30:41
things have
30:42
to be in
30:42
place
30:43
for us
30:44
to have
30:44
jobs
30:45
there has
30:47
to be
30:47
someone
30:48
levying
30:48
taxes
30:49
to pay
30:49
for you
30:49
as a
30:50
teacher
30:50
or as
30:52
a fireman
30:52
or whatever
30:53
else it
30:54
might be
30:55
I mean the
30:57
prayer
30:57
give us
30:58
this day
30:58
our daily
30:58
bread
30:59
is not
30:59
a small
30:59
thing
31:00
at all
31:00
it's an
31:01
enormous
31:02
vast
31:02
prayer
31:03
for daily
31:04
provision
31:05
to be
31:05
made
31:05
in our
31:06
lives
31:06
and for
31:06
God
31:07
to bless
31:07
us
31:08
and to
31:09
keep
31:09
us
31:09
and then
31:12
on the
31:12
other end
31:13
of the
31:13
scale
31:13
you almost
31:13
think
31:14
well
31:14
they
31:14
deliver us
31:14
from evil
31:15
and you're
31:16
thinking
31:16
well
31:16
evil
31:16
that's such
31:17
a little
31:17
thing
31:18
but it's
31:18
not
31:18
the words
31:20
in the
31:21
prayer
31:21
are actually
31:21
used
31:22
to speak
31:22
of delivering
31:23
us
31:23
from
31:24
the evil
31:26
one
31:26
from Satan
31:27
himself
31:27
the great
31:28
enemy
31:29
of the
31:29
church
31:29
who is
31:30
going about
31:30
like a
31:30
roaring
31:31
lion
31:31
seeking
31:32
whom he
31:32
may
31:32
devour
31:32
that's
31:33
the
31:34
battlefield
31:34
that we
31:35
are in
31:35
the conflict
31:36
that we
31:36
are involved
31:36
in as
31:37
Christians
31:37
it is a
31:38
conflict
31:38
against
31:39
cosmic
31:40
powers
31:40
far
31:41
beyond
31:42
the
31:42
things
31:43
that we
31:43
see
31:43
in this
31:44
world
31:44
and be
31:46
no doubt
31:47
Satan
31:47
that great
31:48
evil
31:49
one
31:49
is out
31:50
to get
31:50
you
31:50
that's
31:53
why the
31:53
Christian
31:53
armor
31:54
in
31:54
Ephesians
31:55
6
31:55
ends
31:56
with a
31:56
point
31:56
of
31:56
prayer
31:57
that having
32:00
done all
32:01
we will
32:01
stand
32:01
and pray
32:02
and so
32:05
today
32:06
as we
32:07
think about
32:07
this
32:08
and as
32:08
we
32:08
wonder
32:08
how
32:09
is it
32:09
that we
32:09
can
32:09
experience
32:10
the
32:11
greatest
32:11
happiness
32:12
let us
32:14
remember
32:14
it is to
32:14
be found
32:15
in close
32:16
agreement
32:16
with God
32:17
in praying
32:19
according to
32:19
God's will
32:20
and the
32:22
things that
32:22
God has
32:22
willed for
32:23
us to
32:23
pray
32:23
the things
32:23
that God
32:24
has shown
32:24
us
32:24
the things
32:25
that he
32:25
teaches
32:26
us to
32:26
pray
32:26
for
32:26
they are
32:27
these
32:27
four
32:27
things
32:28
adoration
32:28
of him
32:29
of his
32:29
character
32:30
they are
32:32
confession
32:32
of our
32:33
sins
32:33
there is
32:35
a spirit
32:36
of
32:36
thanksgiving
32:37
that has
32:37
to
32:38
underline
32:39
all of
32:39
this
32:39
and then
32:40
a coming
32:41
with an
32:42
expectation
32:42
for the
32:43
greatest
32:43
and most
32:44
profound
32:44
of help
32:45
in our
32:46
lives
32:46
and that
32:49
is not
32:49
I want to
32:50
finish by
32:50
saying this
32:51
that is not
32:51
merely
32:52
a formula
32:53
for how
32:54
you pray
32:54
that's not
32:57
merely a
32:58
formula for
32:59
the sort
32:59
of things
32:59
that you
32:59
would go
33:00
through as
33:00
a checklist
33:01
and say
33:02
well my
33:02
prayer tonight
33:03
when I go
33:04
to bed
33:04
I want to
33:05
pray in
33:05
adoration
33:05
of God
33:06
I want
33:06
to confess
33:06
my sins
33:07
I want
33:08
to give
33:09
thanks for
33:09
all of his
33:10
goodness to
33:10
me today
33:10
and I want
33:11
to ask
33:12
him for
33:12
his help
33:12
and everything
33:13
that lies
33:13
ahead of me
33:14
tomorrow
33:14
I mean
33:15
that's fine
33:15
but actually
33:18
that same
33:18
template
33:19
in a way
33:20
is a
33:21
pattern
33:22
for Christian
33:22
living
33:23
it's a
33:25
pattern
33:25
for what
33:25
characterizes
33:26
the whole
33:27
of your
33:27
Christian
33:28
life
33:28
day by
33:29
day
33:29
and that
33:31
if you
33:31
seek to
33:32
walk
33:32
in close
33:34
harmony
33:34
with God
33:35
and to
33:36
know his
33:37
friendship
33:37
and his
33:37
fellowship
33:38
then these
33:40
are the
33:40
things
33:40
that you
33:41
would
33:42
prioritize
33:42
and make
33:43
much of
33:44
let's pray
33:44
to him
33:44
just now
33:45
heavenly
33:47
father you
33:47
are good
33:48
and we
33:49
rejoice in
33:50
that love
33:51
that you
33:51
have towards
33:52
your people
33:52
we rejoice
33:53
today that
33:53
you are a
33:54
god who
33:54
wants to
33:55
save
33:55
sinners
33:56
you are a
33:59
god today
34:00
who wants
34:00
to bring
34:01
us
34:01
as the
34:02
finished
34:02
article
34:03
of that
34:03
salvation
34:04
to be a
34:05
worthy
34:05
bride of
34:06
christ
34:07
in the
34:07
new heavens
34:07
and the
34:07
new earth
34:08
and so
34:10
all that
34:11
you are
34:11
doing
34:11
is designed
34:12
towards
34:12
growing our
34:13
character
34:13
and shaping
34:14
us
34:14
and so
34:15
we pray
34:16
today that
34:16
we would
34:16
learn to
34:17
adore you
34:17
for who
34:17
you are
34:18
that we
34:20
would come
34:20
speedily to
34:21
confess our
34:21
sin
34:22
that we
34:22
wouldn't hide
34:22
these things
34:23
from you
34:23
that we
34:24
would discover
34:25
the liberty
34:25
that belongs
34:26
to people
34:26
who walk
34:27
closely with
34:29
their god
34:29
and may we
34:31
know therefore
34:31
the greatest
34:32
happiness
34:33
the greatest
34:33
blessing
34:34
in our
34:35
lives
34:35
in knowing
34:37
you
34:37
and following
34:38
after you
34:39
help us in
34:40
this we pray
34:41
and we ask
34:42
it all in
34:42
jesus name
34:43
amen
34:44
we are going
34:48
to sing in
34:48
conclusion in
34:49
the scottish
34:50
psalter the
34:50
second half
34:51
of the blue
34:51
book
34:51
psalm 116
34:54
singing at the
34:56
beginning
34:56
this is page
34:57
395
34:58
and we're going
35:11
to sing
35:11
four stanzas
35:12
verses one
35:12
to six
35:13
in conclusion
35:13
today
35:14
i love the
35:14
lord because
35:15
my voice
35:16
and prayers
35:16
heeded here
35:17
while i live
35:18
will call on
35:19
him
35:19
who bowed
35:20
to me
35:21
his ear
35:21
the great
35:22
truth of the
35:22
bible that
35:23
god who
35:23
sits in
35:24
heaven
35:24
has bowed
35:25
down his
35:25
ear to hear
35:26
what his
35:26
people are
35:27
saying on
35:27
earth
35:27
and he
35:28
hears us
35:29
and he
35:30
answers us
35:30
and he is
35:31
full of
35:32
grace in
35:33
what he
35:33
does
35:34
so let's
35:34
stand and
35:35
sing to
35:35
his praise
35:35
these verses
35:36
from one to
35:36
five
35:37
one to six
35:38
or to god's
35:38
praise
35:38
i love
35:39
the lord
35:39
because my
35:40
voice and
35:40
prayers
35:41
heeded
35:41
here
35:41
i love
35:45
the lord
35:47
because my
35:51
voice and
35:53
prayers
35:55
heeded
35:57
here
35:59
i
36:00
i
36:01
i
36:02
!
36:02
i
36:03
will fall
36:05
on
36:07
him
36:08
who
36:09
will
36:10
to
36:11
me
36:13
!
36:13
is
36:14
near
36:15
!
36:17
of death
36:19
the
36:20
hearts
36:21
and
36:22
sorrows
36:25
did
36:26
about
36:27
me
36:29
come
36:30
thus
36:31
right
36:33
the
36:35
things
36:36
of
36:37
heaven
36:38
to
36:39
ward
36:41
on
36:42
me
36:43
cry
37:13
my soul, O Lord, I do thee hungry pray.
37:26
O merciful and righteous is, yea, gracious is our Lord.
37:44
O sister me, I was brought to, he did me help her for.
38:05
Now the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God the Father, and the fellowship of God the Holy Spirit be with each one of you now and always. Amen.
38:14
Amen.