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Celebration and Certainty · Stornoway Free Church of Scotland - Sermons

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time this evening to the passage we read in exodus exodus chapter 15 and we're looking at
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these verses 1 to 21 and not looking at every detail but some of the main strands of teaching
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in it if we take verse 11 to be equivalent to an unopened parcel who is like you oh lord among the
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gods who is like you majestic in holiness awesome and glorious deeds doing wonders we can then see
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the verses around that beginning from the beginning of the chapter through to where we finished as the
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unpacking of that parcel contents if you like of what's stated in verse 11 the wonder of god majestic
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in his holiness as he was seen in the various details that are described there throughout the
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chapter the awesomeness of god in glorious deeds especially as he gave the people of israel to be
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released from egypt to be redeemed from egypt and to come to the promised land ultimately as he would
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take them into so there's the unpacking if you like of that parcel in verse 11 the rest of it there
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just lies around it arranged in such a way that you can see content to some degree of what verse 11
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actually contains and there are two things anyway in summary of that that we can look at with a number
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of points under each of these first of all there's a celebration in looking back this is a song of moses
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and the people of israel at this juncture so they're celebrating as they're looking back they're
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celebrating their release their deliverance they're celebrating god's magnificent victory over their
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enemies it's a celebration as they look back but also from verse 13 especially it's a certainty as they
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look ahead there is a certainty in the language there's a certainty as they reflect on the past that
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feeds into the future as it will unfold before them and there's a confidence in what they say in this
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song to the lord that because god has done such great things in the redemption from egypt he will go on
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providing for them until they are settled in the land that he has promised them so these are the two
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main points that i want to just lay before you first of all a celebration in looking back and then
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there's certainly a certainty in looking ahead and we can relate these to our own experience as christians
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in the world and as we look back over what god has done as we've experienced god's deliverance from sin
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deliverance from our own lost condition so that gives us encouragement to look forward to know that god
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and be certain that god having done what he's done in our past is actually going to complete in our future
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what he has promised to do for us now there's a principle here that's somewhat difficult to deal
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with and that's the principle of actually singing this song at such a juncture and over such a specific
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issue how could it be that the people of israel founded right in their hearts to sing this song
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which contains so much emphasis about the destruction of their enemies the egyptians how could they actually
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have over such a solemn thing as the destruction of the egyptians or the egyptian forces in the red sea
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how could they then move immediately to sing such a song or to sing at all in the light of that solemn event
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of destruction well you find some other parts of the bible where very similar things take place let me just
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take your minds forward in the bible to the last book of the bible and you'll find revelation chapter 15
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and verse 3 they sang there when they saw this great sign in heaven
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where the for whom the wrath of god is finished this is the land the lord who had conquered the beast
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and his image and the number of its name standing beside the sea of glass and he sang the song of
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moses the servant of god and the song of the lamb saying great and amazing are your deeds o lord god
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almighty just and true are your ways o king of the nations who will not fear o lord and glorify your name
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for you alone are holy all nations will come and worship you for your righteous acts have been
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revealed and then even further forward even more remarkable in chapter 19 of revelation from the
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beginning of the chapter this is uh following on from the overthrow of babylon the great enemy
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represented by babylon by the word and uh the the history of of babylon as as the main enemy of the
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people of god through the old testament well babylon is overthrown and uh she's thrown into the sea it's a
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picture of utter destruction of god's enemies but then you find this um where after this i heard what
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seemed to be the loud voice of a great multitude in heaven saying hallelujah salvation and glory and
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power belong to our god for his judgments are true and just for he has judged the great prostitute
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to corrupt the earth with her immorality and has avenged on her the blood of his servants once more
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they cried out hallelujah the smoke from her goes up forever and ever now that's talking about eternal
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destruction a most solemn thing to think about and yet it's there as something that's celebrated in song
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just as here in this chapter in exodus the overthrow of the egyptians is celebrated in song well how can
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that be well some theologians refer to this as intrusion ethics or intrusion teaching when what they mean by
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that is that the final state after the judgment after god's people have been settled with them forever
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in eternity then the minds of god's redeemed people will perfectly reflect the mind of god himself
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and where god finds it just and proper and fitting to deal with his enemies and their enemies in the way
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he will then because the minds of his people are very much in tune with perfectly in tune with his will
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with his purpose with his act of destruction in regard to the wicked they themselves follow in the same way
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or similar way in which you find here in exodus 15 and in the book of revelation to sing praise to the lord
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for the way that he has manifested his power towards them in their deliverance carrying with it the destruction
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of their enemies of their enemies as well the ultimate purpose of our redemption is praise to god
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the ultimate purpose of our redemption is praise to god and every aspect of our experiencing of redemption
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should reflect the praise of god what we do and what we say and how we sing
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and in this chapter that's what we find this this principle of celebrating of singing the praises of god
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who in his wisdom and power and majesty and holiness and might has dealt with his enemies and set his people free
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and that's going to be your experience and my experience fully and perfectly in the state of glory
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we can't get it into our minds it seems inappropriate in our present state of thinking
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it seems inappropriate because we are commanded to pray for our enemies to love those who despise us
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and that is not in any way shifted from the emphasis jesus gives to it by anything that's projected
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from what the future will be into consideration of it in the present
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it's still the case though that this is how the final order will be
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this when we are our minds are made perfect
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and in tune with the mind of god
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then what you find here will be brought to its own perfection and the celebrations
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of heaven itself
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and the god who is praised
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and the god who is praised as described in various ways down through
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the chapter verse 11 here
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who is like you oh lord among the gods
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who is like you majestic
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in holiness now all the elements that god has revealed all the attributes all the ways in which
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has revealed himself in delivering israel from egypt and all the way through from there into the present day
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everything that god does is marked by holiness whether it's in the deliverance of his people
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his love for his people his overthrow of their enemies
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every aspect of his work is like his being glorious in holiness
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is not just a holy god
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is not just the holy god
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he is the most magnificent holy god
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magnificent in his holiness
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splendid in his holiness
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and that's why we always need to keep before our minds
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that the god we worship is splendid as it says he is majestic
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in holiness
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perhaps one of the reasons
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why things are sometimes with ourselves
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personally speaking
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as they are in our relationship with god
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our relationship with the world
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our view of the world
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and all those things that are
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that are involved in that
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that we don't appreciate as we should
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the majesty of god
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and his holiness
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the majestic holiness of god
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and the way in which god in his majestic holiness
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makes it clear to us in that itself
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how worthy he is to be worshipped
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how worthy he is to be served
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how worthy he is to be praised
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how worthy he is of everything that comes his way
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from his redeemed church
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tonight as we gather here in this meeting for prayer
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for study of the bible
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for the praise of god
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this is what is before us
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we are here to worship the majestic god
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the god majestic in his holiness
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we are here not to cringe before him
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but we are here to fall before him
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in love
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and what the bible calls the fear of god
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fear of god
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being a respect and an awe
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of the majestic holiness of god
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or the majestic god
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in his holiness
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yes
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but secondly you have
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an emphasis here
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in celebration of looking back
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not just
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the majestic holiness of god
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but also the power of god
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there it is in verse 11
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awesome
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in glorious deeds or actions
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doing wonders
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go back to verse 3
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the lord is a man of war
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the lord is his name
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of course you've got to bear
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in context
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in mind the context for this
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some of those who would
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criticize us for believing the bible
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and who would suggest that perhaps
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a christian religion is responsible
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for much of the damage that's in the world
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would point to verses like that
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and say
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the lord is a man of war
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isn't your god
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one who delights in killing people
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one who delights in doing things
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which really cause pain and distress to people
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well i hope we know how to answer that
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first of all the context here
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the lord is facing
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those who are willingly
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and uh
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not just willingly
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but violently
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his enemies
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and the enemies of his people
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what is god going to do
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well you might say god
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could have converted all of us
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really he could
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but that's not his purpose
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and you fall into line with his purpose
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whatever that purpose
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may be
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and however difficult it may be
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for us to follow it
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he is god
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he knows what's right
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he knows
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what he's doing at all times
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and you notice here
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the right hand of god is mentioned
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you stretched out your right hand
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the earth swallowed them
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now
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um
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apparently it was the case that
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representations of pagan idols
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very often had
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in the right hand
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a symbol of their power
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whether it be a sword
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or a crown
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or something like that
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they were represented by
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the images of them
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as having this capacity
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this power
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this ability
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this overriding
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power and influence
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over those who came to worship them
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and over those
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uh
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that they were represented
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to to protect
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wrongly of course
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but here is god
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and here is the song of
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of triumph to god
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you stretched out
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your right hand
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their right hand
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whatever they had
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on their right hand
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was pretty useless
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when it came
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to the matter of
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facing you oh lord
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because you stretched out
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your right hand
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the right hand of your might
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and there's also
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uh
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an emphasis here
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to to floods
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um
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the earth swallowed them
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but uh
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all the way through
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you've got
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emphasis on
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on on floods
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uh
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here through the red sea
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of course being
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itself
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uh
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a volume of water
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look back to verse 5
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uh
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the floods covered them
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they went down into the depth
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like a stone
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now this is
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a really interesting thing
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for you yourselves
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to to pursue through
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i'm just going to
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lay it out
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you can follow this out
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yourselves
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especially if you've got
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a concordance
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just look up the word
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floods
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and look at the number
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of times that the word
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floods is used
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in a similar way to this
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because floods
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especially in the old
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testament
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represent
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the powers of enmity
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against god
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the powers of
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those who
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gather together
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against the lord's
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people
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and against god himself
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and who gather in
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all the might that
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they can muster
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in order to try and
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prevent the lord
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from carrying out
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his purpose
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and again you find
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that same thing
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uh
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through the bible
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but you find it
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very frequently
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and interestingly
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significantly
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in the book of psalms
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book of psalms
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that we
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of course use
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in our worship
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psalm 29
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verse 3
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the voice of the lord
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is over the waters
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the glory of god
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thunders
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the lord
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over many waters
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the voice of the lord
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is powerful
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the voice of the lord
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is full
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of majesty
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go to psalm 77
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and there again
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you find
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in psalm 77
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a similar emphasis
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in verses
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16
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in verse 16
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there you find
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when the water
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saw you
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oh god
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when the water
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saw you
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they were afraid
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indeed
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the deep
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trembled
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you'll find for
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yourselves
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other
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i'll read one more
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than that
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in the book of psalms
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there are many more
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that you can find out
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for yourselves
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it's a very useful
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interesting exercise
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to do that
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and to follow out
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the teaching there
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of the waters
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and what they represent
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and how the lord
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overcame them
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on behalf of his people
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well psalm 124
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one of the
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all-time favourite psalms
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of the covenanters
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in scotland
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well i'm sure
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know what that
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terrible situation
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was like
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for the covenanters
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having to meet
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sometimes in secret
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of the moors
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on the moors
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pursued by
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red coat soldiers
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and so on
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this was one of
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their favourite psalms
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and it's for good reason
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you can see
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why it was one of
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the favourite psalms
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if it had not been
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the lord
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who was on our side
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let israel now say
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if it had not been
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the lord
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who was on our side
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then when people
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rose up against us
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then they would have
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swallowed us alive
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when their anger
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was kindled against us
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then the flood
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would have swept us away
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the torrent
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would have gone over us
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then over us
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would have gone
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the raging waters
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see three references
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there to the power
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of the waters
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the power of the floods
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and all the time
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there's an emphasis
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god has not given us
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to that
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god has overcome that
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god has delivered
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his people
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and of course
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you find the same
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in the red sea
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this was what stood
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in the face
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of the people
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moving forward
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and the lord
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showed his might
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that these great waters
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that were sometimes
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used to represent
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this body
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of enmity
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against god
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he just
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cut it in two
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and let his people
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pass through
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now all of that
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follows through
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into your experience
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as well
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as the people
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of god
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because you can see
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it in your own
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personal experience
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how waters
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so very readily
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represent
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the various
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aspects
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of the difficulties
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and the trials
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and the challenges
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that face you
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in the christian life
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and how so often
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they seem to be
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just ready to
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overthrow you
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overwhelm you
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and come and just
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swallow you up
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well there's
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the emphasis
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all the way
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through scripture
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your trust in the lord
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unites you to someone
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who stands over the waters
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who presides over them
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in such a way
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that they will not
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swallow you up
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even though sometimes
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they may seem to come
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very far up
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in your experience
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and then of course
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he refers to
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his love
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and his fury
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and they're both
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together here
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interesting in verse 13
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you have led
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in your steadfast love
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the people
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whom you have redeemed
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you have guided them
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by your strength
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to your holy abode
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and he mentions
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the fury of the lord
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elsewhere
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and the anger
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with which god
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dealt with his enemies
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well verse 13
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the steadfast love
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of the lord
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is his loving kindness
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to his people
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so often
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we come across
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this word
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in the old testament
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but there's one thing
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that it carries
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with it as well
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and it's important
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because alongside
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of god's steadfast love
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for his people
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and these words
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are important
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as a translation
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loving kindness
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or steadfast love
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it really means
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the absolute
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commitment of god
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to his people
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and to his own purpose
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in them
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and through them
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and for them
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but his own absolute
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commitment to that
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means
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that his enemies
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are bound
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to be overthrown
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the loving kindness
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of god for his people
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the steadfast love
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of god for his people
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carries with it
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inevitably
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the destruction
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of all those
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who themselves
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choose willingly
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to stand against him
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and against his people
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and all of that
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is brought before us
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by way
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of a song
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for worship
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love is committed
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to god's people
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and the love
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in which he's committed
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to his people
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also carries with it
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the way in which he
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engages with his enemies
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who steadfastly refuse
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to bow to him
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you see there in verse 9
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the enemy said
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i will pursue
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i will overtake
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i will divide the spoil
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my desire shall have
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its fill of them
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i will draw the sword
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my hand shall destroy them
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there's a reflection
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of the society
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in which you and i live
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just as these waters
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of the red sea
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represented us
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the floods of waters
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that which stood
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against god
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and his people
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so you're finding
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that in verse 9
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the emphasis there
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very much fits in
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with the attitude
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that faces you today
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as a christian
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where the world
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and where
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in many aspects
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of political life itself
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and many other aspects
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of our society
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sadly
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they will say
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i will pursue
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i will overtake
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i'll follow my own
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inclinations
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i'll pull through
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with this
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i will actually
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be determined
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against what
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is represented
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as god
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and the gospel
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and the church
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i'll stand against that
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i'll overthrow that
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i'll deal with that
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and sadly
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throughout the world
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that of course
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is the case
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you've only got to
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look to
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ukraine
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and see someone
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like putin
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who is determined
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that his own will
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will carry
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as far as the future
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of the ukrainian people
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is concerned
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well god
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may very well
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have other ideas
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and we hope
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that it will turn out
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eventually
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to be
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a defeat
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for a dictator
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like putin
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but there is the
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emphasis there
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in verse 9
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and here is god
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saying
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here are my people
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and they are
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celebrating the victory
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that i have given them
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because here's
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their song
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over the destruction
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of their enemies
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here's their celebration
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of the majestic holiness
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the power
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the love
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and the fury
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of god
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this is our god
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as we sang
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one of the songs
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and psalms tonight
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this is our god
21:00
the god we worship
21:02
the god we love
21:04
the god we pray to
21:06
the god we seek
21:07
to show his power again
21:10
now there's a certainty
21:11
of looking ahead
21:12
the time is going
21:13
certainty
21:14
in looking ahead
21:15
from verse 13
21:17
there's a certain hope
21:18
involved in this
21:19
you have led
21:20
in your steadfast love
21:21
the people
21:22
whom you have redeemed
21:23
you have guided them
21:25
by your strength
21:25
to your holy abode
21:27
it's as if the people
21:28
are there already
21:29
in the promised land
21:30
the peoples have heard
21:32
they tremble
21:33
you see that certain hope
21:34
how is it that they can be
21:36
so sure
21:36
about the future
21:38
as they reflect
21:39
on the past
21:40
well because of
21:41
arguing this way
21:43
i think
21:43
they're saying really
21:44
god has already
21:46
done this for us
21:47
so
21:49
we are right
21:50
in thinking
21:51
and believing
21:52
that he's going
21:53
to continue
21:53
to bless us
21:54
and to carry us
21:55
through
21:55
until he has
21:56
actually settled us
21:58
in the promised land
21:59
it's really
22:00
an argument
22:01
from the most
22:03
difficult if you like
22:04
though nothing is
22:04
difficult with god
22:05
but in human terms
22:07
an argument
22:08
from the greatest
22:09
to the least
22:09
or an argument
22:10
from the most
22:11
difficult to the
22:12
more easy
22:13
the most difficult
22:15
being to deliver
22:16
the people
22:16
from their thralldom
22:18
and bondage
22:19
in egypt
22:19
and to carry
22:20
them safely
22:21
through
22:21
having been
22:22
pursued by
22:23
the egyptians
22:24
that you might
22:25
say is the way
22:26
the song here
22:27
reflects on the
22:28
most difficult
22:28
aspect of their
22:29
deliverance
22:30
and what it's
22:31
really saying
22:31
is when god
22:33
has already
22:33
done this
22:34
we can be
22:36
certain
22:36
that he will
22:37
do the lesser
22:38
for us
22:39
and carrying
22:39
us through
22:40
the wilderness
22:40
into the
22:41
promised land
22:42
that's of course
22:43
speaking
22:43
relatively
22:44
because as i
22:45
said nothing
22:46
is difficult
22:47
with god
22:47
anything
22:48
nothing is
22:48
more difficult
22:49
than anything
22:49
else for him
22:50
but you carry
22:51
that through
22:52
into the new
22:52
testament as
22:53
well and in
22:54
your own
22:54
experience
22:55
when you can
22:56
argue that
22:56
well when god
22:57
has already
22:57
delivered me
22:58
from my sin
22:59
from the guilt
23:00
of my sin
23:01
when he's brought
23:02
me out from
23:03
the darkness
23:03
in which i once
23:04
lived when he's
23:05
done that
23:06
when he's shattered
23:07
the power of sin
23:08
in my own life
23:09
that's something
23:10
from which i can
23:11
argue that god
23:12
is bound to be
23:13
true to his promise
23:14
that he will bring
23:15
me safely home
23:16
he's already done
23:18
the most difficult
23:19
if you like
23:19
using that language
23:20
and he's going
23:22
to actually be
23:22
be sure to bring
23:23
us home
23:24
and in fact you
23:25
find in the new
23:27
testament a very
23:28
similar argument
23:29
used by paul
23:30
in romans
23:31
chapter eight
23:33
and again it's a
23:34
chapter we saw
23:35
recently some of
23:36
it that's set
23:37
out there for the
23:38
encouragement and
23:39
for the assurance
23:40
of god's people
23:42
who trust in
23:43
christ
23:43
verse 32
23:44
of romans
23:45
chapter 8
23:46
you read as
23:47
follows
23:48
well he's
23:48
verse 31
23:49
what shall we
23:49
say to these
23:50
things if god
23:52
is for us who
23:53
can be against
23:53
us he who did
23:55
not spare his
23:56
own son but
23:57
gave him up for
23:57
us all how will
23:59
he not also with
24:00
him graciously give
24:02
us all things you
24:03
see there's the
24:03
same principle
24:04
paul is saying
24:05
look at this
24:06
god has already
24:08
done this amazing
24:09
thing he did not
24:10
spare his own
24:12
son but he
24:13
delivered him up
24:13
for us all
24:14
now when he's
24:15
done that paul
24:16
is saying how
24:17
shall he not
24:17
with him in
24:18
union with him
24:19
also freely
24:20
graciously give
24:21
us all things
24:22
there's paul's
24:23
argument so that
24:24
these christians
24:25
in rom are
24:26
encouraged by
24:27
what he has to
24:27
say he's saying
24:28
to them look at
24:29
what god has
24:30
already done
24:30
look at the
24:32
cross look at
24:33
what the cross
24:34
is look at the
24:35
fact of the
24:36
cross not the
24:38
liberal theology
24:39
version of the
24:41
cross but the
24:42
new testament
24:43
pauline version
24:44
of the cross
24:45
the lord's own
24:47
presentation of
24:48
his cross and
24:48
of his death
24:49
when you see
24:50
what that entails
24:52
what that has
24:52
done what has
24:53
been included in
24:54
that what that
24:54
involved well
24:56
how is he going
24:57
to not fulfill
24:59
what remains of
25:02
your own christian
25:03
journey to heaven
25:04
and entrance to
25:06
glory that's why
25:08
he's saying here
25:08
he has taken
25:09
out the people
25:10
he has redeemed
25:11
them you have
25:12
guided them by
25:13
your strength to
25:14
your holy abode in
25:16
other words from
25:17
what already has
25:18
happened in their
25:19
deliverance he's
25:20
now saying you've
25:22
taken us out
25:23
you're now looking
25:24
after us and you
25:26
will take us home
25:27
that's exactly where
25:29
you are in your
25:30
christian thinking
25:31
isn't it tonight
25:32
you're saying to
25:33
god lord you've
25:35
done the great
25:36
thing of delivering
25:37
me from sin and
25:38
from the guilt of
25:38
my sin you've
25:40
done such a great
25:40
thing in the cross
25:41
to provide salvation
25:43
for me you're
25:44
looking after me
25:44
now you're
25:46
providing for me
25:47
every day you've
25:48
given me your
25:48
holy spirit how
25:50
shall you not
25:51
also with christ
25:54
freely give me
25:55
all things your
25:57
future is secure
25:59
and you can argue
26:01
that from the
26:02
certainty the
26:03
factuality of your
26:06
redemption in the
26:07
past and of
26:09
course he mentions
26:10
here cringing
26:11
enemies as well
26:12
as well as the
26:13
certain hope
26:14
terror and dread
26:16
the chiefs of
26:16
edom the peoples
26:18
have heard they
26:18
tremble the chiefs
26:20
of edom are
26:21
dismayed trembling
26:22
ceases the leaders
26:23
of moab all the
26:25
inhabitants of
26:25
canaan have
26:27
melted away terror
26:28
and dread fall upon
26:29
them because of the
26:31
greatness of your
26:31
arm they are still
26:34
as a stone till
26:35
your people oh
26:36
lord pass by until
26:38
the people pass by
26:39
whom you have
26:40
purchased you will
26:41
bring them in and
26:42
plant them on your
26:43
own mountain
26:44
well don't you wish
26:48
that that was more
26:49
the case in our
26:51
own experience in
26:52
the day in which we
26:53
live that the
26:55
reputation of god
26:57
not just of his
26:59
church the reputation
27:00
of god and
27:01
delivering his
27:02
people the power
27:03
and the might and
27:04
the presence of
27:05
god as was
27:06
mentioned in both
27:06
prayers tonight
27:07
that is something
27:08
we would pray and
27:09
earnestly plead for
27:11
more of in our
27:12
experience in the
27:13
church and along
27:14
with the gospel
27:15
today friends we
27:16
stand and instead
27:18
of the church
27:19
actually causing
27:20
by the power of
27:21
god in our midst
27:22
to cause his
27:23
enemies to cringe
27:24
and to fall into a
27:25
state of dread
27:26
what we're finding
27:27
sadly all too often
27:28
is that it's the
27:29
church that's
27:30
cringing against
27:31
the power of
27:32
the world
27:32
why is that
27:34
what's the reason
27:36
for that well
27:36
whatever the cause
27:37
of it is is
27:39
because we lack
27:41
the immense power
27:42
of god shown
27:44
through the gospel
27:45
that we would
27:46
like to see
27:47
we pray for that
27:49
we pray that the
27:50
days will come
27:51
when these people
27:52
in the streets
27:53
around us who
27:53
presently stand
27:55
against god and
27:56
stand against his
27:56
gospel that they
27:58
would actually come
27:58
to think and
28:00
hear of god at
28:01
work in his
28:02
people and that
28:03
what they hear of
28:04
god at work in
28:04
his people would
28:07
actually cause them
28:08
to reflect on
28:09
their own situation
28:10
on issues of
28:12
eternity well you
28:13
know there's it's a
28:14
very solemn thing
28:15
that it doesn't
28:17
really appear that
28:18
throughout our own
28:19
locality and
28:20
throughout the
28:21
nation that the
28:24
covid pandemic
28:25
has really had
28:27
much effect on
28:28
people's thinking
28:28
of eternity
28:29
and that's a very
28:31
solemn thing
28:32
that god in his
28:34
purpose should have
28:36
brought such
28:37
devastation
28:38
through this
28:40
pandemic
28:40
and yet people
28:43
have not really
28:45
given consideration
28:46
to god himself
28:48
through it all
28:49
well that
28:51
demonstrates for us
28:52
that not even
28:53
the most grievous
28:54
providence by
28:55
itself can change
28:57
people's hearts
28:58
for that we need
29:01
the power of god
29:03
the presence of god
29:05
the blessing of god
29:07
of his gospel
29:07
to his people first
29:09
of all to you
29:10
and to me
29:11
to make ourselves
29:12
come more alive
29:13
to bring his power
29:15
to bear upon our
29:16
own thoughts and
29:17
upon our own
29:18
actions and upon
29:19
our own daily
29:20
doings
29:21
and from there
29:22
to spread out
29:23
into the community
29:25
around us
29:26
not that we
29:27
should wait
29:29
until we feel
29:30
or know
29:31
or expect
29:31
and experience
29:32
that god is now
29:33
in our midst
29:34
to a great extent
29:35
beyond what we
29:36
have presently
29:37
before we start
29:38
doing outreach
29:39
and trying to
29:41
bring the gospel
29:42
out into a
29:42
community
29:43
I'm not saying
29:43
that at all
29:44
what I'm saying
29:45
is that we have
29:46
to be doing
29:47
that
29:47
but at the same
29:48
time recognize
29:49
that it's the lord
29:50
and his presence
29:51
and his power
29:52
that alone
29:53
can change
29:54
the hearts
29:55
of people
29:55
and that can
29:57
alone bring
29:58
that that sense
30:00
of eternity
30:00
that sense of
30:01
what the what
30:02
this passage
30:03
calls this sense
30:04
of terror and
30:04
dread that falls
30:05
upon these those
30:07
who stand against
30:07
the lord and
30:08
tremble in the
30:09
presence of god
30:10
that's what we
30:12
have seen in the
30:13
past
30:14
when god came
30:15
in reviving
30:16
power
30:16
when god came
30:18
and blessed
30:19
his word
30:19
and empowered
30:20
his people
30:21
and quickened
30:22
them
30:22
that was part
30:24
of the effect
30:24
of it
30:25
it registered
30:26
in the community
30:27
it registered
30:29
in people's
30:29
minds
30:30
people actually
30:31
said there's
30:32
something going
30:32
on here
30:33
it's unusual
30:33
what is it
30:34
what's happening
30:35
in our town
30:36
what's happening
30:37
in our village
30:37
what's happening
30:38
in our streets
30:39
well what was
30:40
happening was
30:41
that god was
30:42
at work
30:42
that god was
30:44
busy changing
30:45
people's lives
30:46
for the good
30:47
there is where
30:48
we really need
30:49
to bring this
30:50
passage into
30:52
our own personal
30:53
experience and
30:54
prayer
30:54
that the arrogant
30:57
defiance against
30:59
god that we
30:59
find sadly
31:00
marking so much
31:02
of our society
31:02
would actually
31:04
come to be
31:05
dispelled
31:05
by the working
31:07
of the holy
31:08
spirit
31:08
and to that
31:10
end
31:10
that we would
31:11
pray
31:12
and work
31:13
and work
31:15
and pray
31:16
till the lord
31:17
establishes his
31:19
people
31:19
and makes us
31:21
cause a praise
31:22
in our midst
31:24
may bless these
31:25
thoughts
31:26
on his word
31:27
lord of god
31:28
we thank you
31:29
that in your word
31:30
you bring us
31:31
so many things
31:32
that both
31:33
challenge and
31:34
encourage us
31:35
to live the
31:36
lives that we
31:37
ought to live
31:37
before you
31:38
we thank you
31:39
for the relevance
31:40
of all of
31:40
these issues
31:41
from so long
31:42
ago
31:43
relevance that
31:44
they have for
31:45
our own day
31:45
we pray lord
31:47
that you would
31:47
bless us to us
31:49
as a congregation
31:50
your own truth
31:51
amongst us
31:52
bless the gospel
31:53
so that we may
31:54
come more and
31:55
more to be
31:56
brought vibrantly
31:57
into your service
31:59
and forgive us
32:00
we pray lord
32:01
for our lack
32:02
of zeal
32:02
forgive us
32:03
for when we
32:04
ourselves fall
32:05
short of what
32:06
we should be
32:06
yet we give
32:08
thanks lord
32:09
for all that
32:09
you enable us
32:10
to do
32:10
and we give
32:11
thanks for
32:12
those especially
32:12
who so give
32:14
of their time
32:15
and of their
32:15
talents to the
32:17
work of the
32:17
gospel in our
32:18
midst as a
32:19
people
32:19
may that
32:20
continue lord
32:21
to be blessed
32:22
blessed by you
32:23
and continue
32:24
now to bless
32:25
us and watch
32:26
over us
32:27
hear our prayer
32:28
accept our
32:28
worship and
32:29
cleanse us
32:30
from all our
32:31
sins
32:31
for jesus
32:32
sake
32:33
amen
32:33
well final
32:35
singing this
32:36
evening is
32:36
psalm 71