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Is God Calling You? · Stornoway Free Church of Scotland - Sermons

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Let's begin our worship by singing to God's praise. We're going to sing in Psalm 119
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in the Scottish Psalter version, page 407. We're going to sing from verse 89 to 96,
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the section of the psalm. Psalm 119 at verse 89, page 407. As we sing from this psalm,
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we're often reminded as we were, we sang from it this morning. We're reminded of God's word,
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how it stands and endures forever, and how God's word ministers to us. The word, thy word forever
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is, O Lord, in heaven, settle fast, and to all generations thy faithfulness doth last. The
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earth thou hast established, and it abides by thee. This day they stand as thou ordainst,
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for all thy servants be. We'll sing this section, 89 to 96, the tune is,
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Evan, and we sing to God's praise.
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Amen.
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Amen.
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Amen.
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Amen.
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Amen.
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Amen.
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Amen.
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Amen.
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Amen.
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Amen.
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Amen.
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Amen.
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Amen.
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Amen.
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Amen.
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Amen.
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Amen.
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Amen.
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Amen.
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Amen.
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Amen.
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Amen.
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...
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Oh
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CHOIR SINGS
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CHOIR SINGS
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CHOIR SINGS
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CHOIR SINGS
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CHOIR SINGS
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CHOIR SINGS
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CHOIR SINGS
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CHOIR SINGS
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CHOIR SINGS
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CHOIR SINGS
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CHOIR SINGS
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CHOIR SINGS
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CHOIR SINGS
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CHOIR SINGS
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But I might just take only to consider with joy.
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Amen, no overation, here I sing, O Lord.
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But I must pour my heart, amen, it is a seeing road.
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Let's come to God in prayer.
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Let us pray.
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Amen.
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And we thank you, O Lord.
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There is nothing that can change it, nothing can take away from it, nothing can add to it,
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for it is your word complete and finished.
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We thank you that it is a word that directs us and teaches us.
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We thank you for all that it's done to instruct us in all our lives.
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Whether we have been listening or not, we thank you to have been, many of us, under your word for many years.
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And knowing the blessings of it, knowing the real privilege it is to have it.
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For the more we see our world now and the turmoil that exists all around us,
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we see the rejection of your word and what that causes, what it brings upon us.
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It brings that sense of judgment, that sense of rebuking from you.
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And yet we thank you that your word is still a word that speaks to us.
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And reminds us that we are to come, to come to you in order to know a blessing once again.
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And so as we turn to your word this evening, we pray that as we read from it and as we study it together,
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remind us of the power of your word.
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It is a power that gives light to the world in which we live.
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And even at times when the light almost seems to have gone out,
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we thank you that there are so many promises in your word that continue to uphold us and to strengthen us.
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For you remind us that your word will endure forever.
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And that your word is fulfilled in you sending your own son, the word that became flesh and dwelt among us.
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And we marvel at that, Lord, that you continue to remember us,
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even despite our sin, despite our rejection of you so often,
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that you remember us, that you have remembered many of us individually.
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You have called us by name.
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You have called us to yourself.
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We thank you that you remember us collectively as a church, as a congregation here,
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that you are faithful to us,
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that you are the God who blesses and blesses in abundance.
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We thank you that you are the God who reminds us,
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that you are working in our midst,
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that you are speaking to people,
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that you are calling our people to yourself.
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And help us, Lord, to be your witnesses here.
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Help us to speak a word in season,
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to remind ourselves of the precious truth that we have in your word,
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that Jesus Christ is a Savior for this world that is perishing,
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and that there is eternal life to be found in him.
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And so we thank you for that precious truth that we have,
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a truth that may bring rejection to us as a people,
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may bring mockery, may bring persecution,
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but yet a truth, O Lord, that we hold dear to,
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for there is nothing in this world that compares to knowing Christ Jesus as our Lord.
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And so help us, Lord, as we are your people here,
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to hold fast to your truth,
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to hear your voice through it,
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instructing us, building us up,
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challenging us and rebuking us as that is required,
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but all the time building us up in the faith.
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And we pray for those who are maybe hearing your voice calling,
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but not understanding it,
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that they would have understanding,
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have understanding of the one who is speaking,
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the one who is calling,
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the one who is saying,
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come to me and I will give you rest.
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We know, Lord, that even as your word goes out,
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whether it's here or far and wide,
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there are so many who are deaf,
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who do not listen,
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who do not want to listen to your word.
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But we thank you that we are reminded
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that you have a power with you,
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the Holy Spirit,
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the one that you have poured out into this world,
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the one who brings us to yourself,
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the one who this evening throughout this place
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and all places where your word goes out
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is ministering in a powerful way.
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And we pray, Lord,
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for the Spirit,
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the Holy Spirit,
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to open ears,
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to hear the word of God.
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And so we do pray, Lord,
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that you will bless
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all the proclamation of your word today,
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the ministry of it,
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near and far,
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to all ends of the earth.
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We thank you
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that your word goes out far and wide.
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And we do thank you too, Lord,
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that your word reminds us of
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the privilege of prayer,
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the privilege of coming to you in that way,
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calling upon your name,
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coming just with the words of our hearts
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and pouring out our hearts to you.
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We thank you that as we are gathered here just now
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that you hear every prayer offered up,
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even the groanings of our hearts are not,
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they're all known unto you.
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And we thank you
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that nothing is hidden from you in that way.
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And even before we open our mouths,
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Lord, you know the words that we will speak.
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And so we come to you this night anew.
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We come thankful,
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thankful that you hear us
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and that you listen to us,
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that you answer our prayers.
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And we pray, Lord,
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that you will help us to pray in that way
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that your will would be done.
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We so often come thinking
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we know the answer to all our problems,
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that we know what we need
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and how things should be done.
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But your answer is maybe so often different
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to what we might have wanted.
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or what we might have expected.
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The answers are not always easy for us.
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But we thank you that your ways are greater than ours,
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that your understanding of our needs
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is so much more
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than even we think we know ourselves.
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And so, Lord,
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guide us in our prayers
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to ask what is right
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according to your grace
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and to your mercy.
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And we do pray for one another, Lord.
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We thank you
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that that is a great privilege we enjoy,
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to be able to remember one another
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in all our different needs.
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We thank you that we can remember
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those unable to be with us
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for a great many reasons.
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We thank you that
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you are with people near and far
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who are going through difficulties
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and trials of different kinds.
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We thank you that we can commit them
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to you in prayer,
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knowing that you are near to them,
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knowing that they can call upon you
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themselves as well.
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And even if they feel unable,
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that there are many people
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praying for them,
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those who are unwell,
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those who are confined to their homes,
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those who are struggling
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in different ways.
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Oh, Lord,
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you know each one of us
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and we thank you that
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together,
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as we offer up our prayers,
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that we can
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commit them to you.
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And we do know, Lord,
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the struggles in this world
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are so many.
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We are such a fragile people.
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We are so easily tempted
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and let us stray.
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We are weak in ourselves
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in so many ways.
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But we thank you
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that you are able to give strength.
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And we pray, Lord,
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for those who feel
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a particular weakness just now,
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for you to be their strength
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and their help.
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We remember your world as well,
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oh Lord.
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We pray for our nation
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at this time.
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We pray, Lord,
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for those who govern us
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and rule over us
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in different ways.
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Remember our royal family.
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We continue to pray for them,
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for our king,
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as he continues to go
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through treatment at this time.
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Lord,
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may your hand be upon him
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for good.
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may you restore him in health
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and be with his family
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at this time too
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in all their different needs.
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Lord,
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give them your wisdom.
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Give them your strength.
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Give them your presence,
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oh Lord,
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to know
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that they are but
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feeble in themselves,
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but that you are a God
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who is full of mercy.
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Lord,
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watch over them,
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watch over our prime minister
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and first minister
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and the governments.
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We pray,
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Lord,
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for wisdom and guidance
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in these days.
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We know,
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Lord,
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that our world
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is just in such dire straits
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at this time
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with so much grief
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and anguish
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all around us,
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so much fear
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and worry.
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Lord,
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we pray,
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have mercy upon us
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and come in your power,
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Lord.
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Revive us,
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restore us,
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we pray.
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Hear your praying people
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throughout the world,
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Lord,
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those who are persecuted
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for their faith,
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those who are
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in many parts
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of the world
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unknown by many
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and heard of by many
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and yet known unto you,
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Lord.
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We pray for your mercy
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and your grace upon us.
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We pray,
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Lord,
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for ourselves
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as a people here
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in the week ahead.
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Go before us in it,
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Lord,
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lead us,
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encourage us
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and strengthen us
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day by day.
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Pray for our fellowship
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this evening
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and thank you for Donnie
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who will be with us.
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We thank you for his life
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and testimony
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of your grace
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to him
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and through him
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to many others as well.
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We pray for him
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and his family,
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Lord,
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bless him
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and be with him.
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Use him even this evening
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as he comes
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to minister to us,
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to encourage us
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and to build us up.
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May you bless him
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and be with him in that.
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So go before us,
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Lord,
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in all things
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as we commit ourselves
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into your hands now,
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as we open up your word
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and your truth,
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as we sing your praise,
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may we do all
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for your glory
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as we thank you
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for all your precious gifts
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to us.
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May we be ever thankful
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and ever praise your name.
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And we ask all,
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acknowledging all our sin
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as we fall short so often,
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Lord,
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have mercy we pray,
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cleanse us anew
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and we ask all these things
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in Jesus' precious name.
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Amen.
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We can sing again
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to God's praise
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this time in Psalm 138
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in the Singed Psalms version,
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page 179.
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Psalm 138.
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We'll sing from verse 1
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to verse 6,
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page 179.
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The tune is Rockingham.
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I'll praise you, Lord,
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with all my heart
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before you,
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the gods.
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I'll sing your praise.
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I'll bow towards
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your holy place
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and bless your holy name
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always.
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We'll sing from verse 1
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to 6
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to God's praise.
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Amen.
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I'll praise you, Lord,
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with all my heart
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Before the Lord and Savior's place
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I vow to watch your holy place
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And bless your holy name away
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I wish you for your faithfulness
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And for your God and love, O Lord
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For over all things you have raised
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Your holy name and faithful word
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The very day I call to hear
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You give an answer to my need
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You lead me whole within myself
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With beauty so you strengthen me
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O Lord let all that kings embrace
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When from your love they hear your word
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Let there may stone the ways of God
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Are raised and lowly of the Lord
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Although the Lord God dwells on high
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The holy person he protects
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Where else the blood that Lord be upon
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He knows the heart of the hand he cares
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We're going to read together in the Old Testament
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And in 1 Samuel
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1 Samuel chapter 3
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You'll find this around page 274
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Of the church Bibles
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1 Samuel chapter 3
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And we can read the whole of this chapter
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Now the young man Samuel was ministering to the Lord
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Under Eli
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And the word of the Lord was rare in those days
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There was no frequent vision
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At that time Eli, whose eyesight had begun to grow dim
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So that he could not see
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Was lying down in his own place
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The lamp of God had not yet gone out
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And Samuel was lying down in the temple of the Lord
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Where the ark of God was
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Then the Lord called Samuel
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And he said, Here I am
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And ran to Eli and said, Here I am
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For you called me
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But he said, I did not call
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Lie down again
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So he went and lay down
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And the Lord called again
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Samuel
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And Samuel arose
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And went to Eli
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And said, Here I am
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For you called me
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But he said, I did not call you
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My son, lie down again
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Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord
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And the word of the Lord
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Had not yet been revealed to him
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And the Lord called Samuel again
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The third time
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And he arose and went to Eli
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And said, Here I am
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For you called me
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Then Eli perceived
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That the Lord was calling the young man
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Therefore Eli said to Samuel
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Go, lie down
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And if he calls you
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You shall say
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Speak, Lord
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For your servant hears
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So Samuel went
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And lay down in his place
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The Lord came and stood calling
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As at other times
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Samuel, Samuel
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And Samuel said
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Speak
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For your servant hears
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Then the Lord said to Samuel
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Behold, I am about to do
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A thing in Israel
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At which the two ears
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Of everyone who hears
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It will tingle
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On that day
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I will fulfill against Eli
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All that I have spoken
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Concerning his house
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From beginning to end
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And I declare to him
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And I declare to him that I am about
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To punish his house forever
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For the iniquity that he knew
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Because his sons were blaspheming God
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And he did not restrain them
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Therefore I swear to the house of Eli
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That the iniquity of Eli's house
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Shall not be atoned for
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By sacrifice or offering forever
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Samuel lay until morning
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Then he opened the doors
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Of the house of the Lord
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And Samuel was afraid
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To tell the vision to Eli
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But Eli called Samuel
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And said
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Samuel, my son
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And when
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And he said
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Here I am
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And Eli said
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What was it
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That he told you?
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Do not hide it from me
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May God do so to you
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And more also
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If you hide anything from me
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Of all that he told you
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So Samuel told him everything
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And hid nothing from him
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And he said
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It is the Lord
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Let him do what seems good to him
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And Samuel grew
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And the Lord was with him
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And let none of his words
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Fall to the ground
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And all Israel
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From Dan to Beersheba
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Knew that Samuel was established
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As a prophet of the Lord
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And the Lord appeared again
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At Shiloh
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For the Lord revealed himself
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To Samuel at Shiloh
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By the word of the Lord
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Amen
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And may God bless that reading
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From his word
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We'll sing again
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Before we turn back
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To this passage
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In Psalm 130
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In the Scottish Psalter
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Page 421
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Psalm 130
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We'll sing the whole of this psalm
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We'll sing the whole of this psalm
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We'll sing the whole of this psalm
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To thee I cry
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Lord from the depths
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To thee I cry
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And to my supplications voice
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Give an attentive ear
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We'll sing the whole of this psalm
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Psalm 130
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To God's praise
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Lord from the depths
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To thee I cry
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Lord from the depths
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To thee I cry
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Thy voice for you
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Thou hear
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Unto my supplications
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Lord
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Give an attentive ear
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Lord who shall stand
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If the Lord
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Choose my name
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For iniquity
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And yet will be
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For inlessness
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But be here
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The giving us thee
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I pray for God
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Lord from the preparers
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On my soul
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My soul
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Thou hath
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My soul
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Thou hath
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My own
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LI dec Whether
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My soul
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Thou hath
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May
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Yes
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Lord
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For match
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For
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Lord
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the Lord.
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I say
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more than
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they have
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to watch
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the
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glory
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might
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to see.
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Let
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Israel
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open
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the Lord.
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I
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,
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And from all his lilies, the Israel shall redeem.
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We turn back to our reading in 1 Samuel, chapter 3.
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1 Samuel, chapter 3.
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We'll be looking at the whole of this chapter.
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We'll just read at the beginning again at verse 1.
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Now the young man Samuel was ministering to the Lord under Eli.
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And the word of the Lord was rare in those days.
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There was no frequent vision.
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The word of the Lord was rare in those days.
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It may sound quite strange to us to read in God's word itself, to read of a time when God had blessed his people so much and been with them through so much,
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as we're reading here in 1 Samuel, to read these words.
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It says the word of the Lord was rare in those days.
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There was no frequent vision.
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Because what does it mean when something is rare or scarce?
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We hear it used in so many different ways.
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We hear it used quite often these days, things that are becoming more rare or scarce.
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We hear it about resources that are becoming scarce.
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We hear it about jewels or things that are worth a lot of money becoming more rare.
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Or animals or birds become rare to be seen in different places.
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There are times when we hear these words used.
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And what it means is that there's something going on, as it were, behind the scenes that is causing them to become rare.
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And very often it's because, in the instances of a resource, a jewel or animals,
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that it's something that's very often of great value to people.
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People use these resources.
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They want these resources.
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And they become rare because they become so popular.
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Now, we're not here to speak about animal rights or anything like that.
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But it's interesting when you look at some of the things that are written and said about the world in which we live.
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And things are becoming scarce and rare.
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One animal protection website puts it like this.
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All we have to do is to do exactly what we have been doing.
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We are in the middle of a major mass extinction event.
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In our willful pursuit of excess, we are pushing the other species off a cliff into non-existence.
30:16
That's talking about the animal kingdom and the devastation that's being caused by our pursuit of excess.
30:27
But can we not think about how that would apply to the gospel as well?
30:35
And especially as we look at this passage together this evening, when you see this word used in verse 1,
30:42
the word of the Lord was rare in those days.
30:46
Why is it that we see it in our own day today?
31:04
Could we not say, today, the word of the Lord is rare?
31:11
Why is that?
31:13
Well, as that website said, that if we want to see animals perishing and going extinct,
31:21
what we have to do is just exactly what we have been doing.
31:25
What we see right in our own eyes, as it were, is what we see in the scriptures as well.
31:32
It's exactly what was taking place in the days of this young man Samuel and Eli,
31:39
who had been ministering in the temple with him.
31:43
Hannah, Samuel's faithful mother, who you read of at the beginning of this book,
31:49
who gave birth to Samuel in a miraculous way,
31:54
and how she devoted Samuel to the service of the Lord.
31:58
There was good people, but on the whole, it was a generation that was doing what was right in their own eyes.
32:07
The word of the Lord was rare because it was being rejected and just pushed away.
32:15
In the days of the judges, the time of the judges, that's this period here.
32:19
With Samuel, we have the book of Judges just before this,
32:24
and it says in the book of Judges chapter 21, verse 25,
32:30
in those days there was no king in Israel.
32:34
And then it goes on to say,
32:35
everyone did what was right in their own eyes.
32:41
Everyone did what was right in their own eyes.
32:45
And isn't that the kind of world in which we live today?
32:51
A world where the word of God is rare.
32:55
We don't need it.
32:56
We don't want it.
32:57
We don't see how precious it is
32:59
because we just do what is right in our own eyes.
33:04
We all have our own opinions.
33:06
Friends, we all have our own ideas,
33:08
and no one can tell me how to live my life otherwise.
33:12
And especially not the word of God.
33:16
And what's the result of doing what is right in our own eyes?
33:22
What's the result?
33:23
What's the consequences?
33:26
Well, we see it time and again throughout Scripture,
33:29
and we see it in our own day as well.
33:33
The chaos that ensues.
33:37
The moral decline that comes.
33:42
The things that were once held precious
33:44
are no longer precious.
33:47
Things like the sanctity of life.
33:51
Things like looking after people all around us.
33:54
It all becomes about me.
33:58
And number one.
34:00
And the result is the word of the Lord
34:02
becomes rare.
34:05
Rarely do we hear it spoken publicly.
34:08
Rarely do we hear it mentioned
34:10
as something that is so important for us.
34:14
Rarely do we hear a call for prayer.
34:18
Rarely do we hear the word of God.
34:23
And for it to become rare
34:25
is to keep doing as we are doing.
34:28
Doing exactly what we think is right
34:31
in our own eyes.
34:34
But sometimes we need change.
34:38
And today, just like in Samuel's day,
34:42
we need change.
34:45
Change in the sense of
34:47
not pushing God's word away,
34:50
but actually coming to listen
34:52
to what he's saying.
34:54
The word of the Lord was rare.
34:59
But thankfully,
35:01
the word of the Lord was there.
35:04
And God was about to call
35:07
in a powerful way.
35:10
I want us to see three things
35:12
from this chapter.
35:14
Three things that we can think of
35:15
for our own day as well.
35:18
And the first is just this,
35:20
the word was rare.
35:23
The second thing is,
35:25
the word was calling.
35:28
And the third thing is,
35:31
the word was not wasted.
35:35
The word was rare.
35:37
The word was calling.
35:39
And the word was not wasted.
35:42
And that's what we see
35:43
about this young man, Samuel.
35:45
And how God used him
35:48
in the midst of everything
35:50
that was going on
35:51
to be faithful to God's word.
35:55
And to pray that we as a people
35:57
would have that courage of Samuel too,
36:00
that faithfulness of Samuel
36:02
to listen to God,
36:04
to hear God,
36:05
and to do as the Lord is asking.
36:09
So let's see first of all
36:11
how the word of the Lord was rare.
36:15
Hannah gave birth to Samuel.
36:19
But we ask,
36:19
what kind of world
36:20
did she bring Samuel into?
36:24
Well, as you read through
36:26
the book of Judges
36:27
and as you read in the early chapters
36:29
of Samuel here
36:30
and the book surrounding it,
36:32
this time period was a period
36:34
when God was being shunned
36:36
and rejected.
36:38
The amazing things that he had done
36:40
for his people
36:42
were being forgotten.
36:43
forgotten.
36:44
New leaders,
36:45
new rulers
36:45
were coming in
36:47
and the old
36:48
were being forgotten.
36:50
And with them
36:50
was all that the Lord
36:52
had done.
36:53
The ways that he had led them
36:54
out of Egypt
36:55
through the wilderness
36:57
into the promised land.
36:59
The way that he had been
37:01
with them throughout
37:02
and blessed them
37:03
in so many ways.
37:05
The warnings that he gave
37:06
to them
37:06
of not forgetting
37:08
the Lord
37:08
had become a reality.
37:11
they had started
37:11
to forget the Lord
37:13
and just,
37:14
as Judges says,
37:16
do what was right
37:17
in their own eyes.
37:20
We forget God
37:21
at our peril.
37:24
It was a time
37:25
of spiritual neglect.
37:27
It was a time
37:27
of just God's word
37:29
just being pushed away
37:30
subtly maybe at first,
37:32
gently and slowly,
37:34
but more and more
37:35
it was just getting pushed
37:36
out of society.
37:38
All of these things
37:40
were taking place
37:42
in these days
37:42
just as they are
37:44
in our own day.
37:46
God's word
37:46
just subtly
37:47
pushed out
37:48
little by little.
37:51
But what's coming in
37:52
is what's important
37:53
as well.
37:54
It's the decline
37:55
in society.
37:57
The way people
37:58
are treated.
37:59
You see it with
38:00
Eli the priest here
38:02
who had two sons,
38:04
Hophni and Phinehas.
38:06
They were turned away
38:07
from God
38:08
and just doing everything
38:09
immoral in life.
38:12
And Eli was not
38:13
saying anything
38:14
to them.
38:15
It's almost as you look
38:16
at Eli's life,
38:17
he's old now,
38:19
he's become blind
38:20
as we've read here
38:21
and he's just
38:22
so discouraged
38:23
by what he's seeing.
38:25
It's almost like
38:25
he's lost heart,
38:27
he's lost hope.
38:29
And as we'll see later,
38:30
what comes from God's word
38:32
almost doesn't surprise him.
38:35
But this is the kind
38:36
of society
38:37
that they were living in
38:39
just decline
38:40
all around them.
38:43
There were no
38:43
great preachers,
38:45
there were no
38:46
great prophets.
38:48
So that as we see
38:49
God calling Samuel
38:51
in this chapter,
38:53
it's a time when
38:54
God hasn't really spoken.
38:57
The word of the Lord
38:58
was rare,
38:59
it says in verse 1,
39:00
and there was no
39:01
frequent vision.
39:02
God had left them
39:06
to their own devices.
39:09
God had just given them
39:11
over to their own
39:12
heart's desire
39:13
at this point.
39:17
What kind of world
39:18
had Hannah brought
39:19
Samuel into?
39:22
A very similar world
39:23
to the one in which
39:24
we live in ourselves.
39:26
but that challenges
39:28
us to ask a question.
39:31
What kind of world
39:33
do we want to leave
39:34
for our children?
39:36
Or our grandchildren?
39:38
Or great-grandchildren?
39:40
What kind of world
39:41
do we want them
39:41
to have?
39:44
Not just
39:44
in an environmental
39:46
sense,
39:47
as we see
39:47
so much being said
39:49
of today,
39:49
but when it comes
39:51
to the word
39:52
of God.
39:55
Because it's often
39:56
asked in the terms
39:57
of the greed
39:59
of mankind.
40:00
What kind of world
40:01
are we leaving
40:02
our children
40:03
and our grandchildren?
40:05
How we're destroying
40:06
so much
40:07
of this world
40:08
through greed
40:09
and how the climate
40:10
is changing
40:11
and all of these
40:12
things that come
40:13
to the fore.
40:15
But the word
40:16
of the Lord
40:17
is rare.
40:17
it's not being
40:19
heard in the sense
40:20
of what are we
40:21
leaving for our
40:22
grandchildren?
40:25
So what needs
40:27
to change?
40:30
Just this week
40:31
there was
40:31
the world's
40:33
richest people
40:35
list produced.
40:37
Elon Musk
40:38
had been
40:38
at the top
40:40
number one
40:41
position for some
40:42
time now,
40:43
but he's moved
40:44
down to number
40:45
two.
40:45
He's been replaced
40:46
by Jeff Bezos
40:47
as the director,
40:49
the main man
40:49
in Amazon
40:50
as the world's
40:51
richest person.
40:54
And you look
40:55
at the value
40:56
of these people
40:57
and it just
40:58
fills you
40:59
with a sense
41:00
of horror.
41:02
200 billion
41:04
dollars,
41:05
Jeff Bezos.
41:08
198 billion
41:09
dollars,
41:10
Elon Musk.
41:12
These figures
41:13
are just
41:13
crazy.
41:14
and you think
41:16
to yourself,
41:16
what needs
41:17
to change
41:17
in our
41:18
world
41:18
is that the
41:19
rich don't
41:20
just continue
41:21
getting richer,
41:23
but that this
41:23
is somehow
41:24
shared throughout
41:26
our world,
41:26
that there is
41:27
the need
41:27
recognized all
41:29
around us
41:30
and that people
41:31
are taken care
41:33
of.
41:34
We see that
41:35
as something
41:36
that would need
41:36
to change.
41:37
change.
41:39
But what about
41:40
the sense of
41:40
the word of
41:42
God being rare?
41:44
What needs
41:44
to change
41:45
for that?
41:48
Well, again,
41:48
it's a heart
41:49
change.
41:51
It's not about
41:51
giving away
41:52
all our possessions
41:54
in that sense,
41:56
but recognizing
41:57
what is precious
41:58
and what is
42:00
important.
42:02
There was an
42:02
old Christian
42:03
man who knew
42:05
he didn't have
42:05
long to live
42:06
and he wanted
42:07
to put everything
42:08
in order before
42:09
he would pass
42:10
away.
42:11
And he came
42:12
to the point
42:13
where he was
42:13
able to say,
42:14
I've now dealt
42:15
with everything
42:16
that I own.
42:18
All my property
42:19
is to be shared
42:21
out through
42:22
the family.
42:23
But he said,
42:24
there's one more
42:25
thing I wish
42:26
I could give
42:27
them,
42:28
and that is
42:29
faith in
42:30
Jesus Christ.
42:33
Everything that
42:34
he had,
42:35
his greatest
42:35
desire was
42:36
that he could
42:37
give his
42:37
children faith
42:39
in Jesus Christ.
42:41
Faith in the
42:42
Christ that he
42:44
knew himself.
42:46
And he said,
42:47
if they had
42:47
that,
42:48
and I had not
42:49
given them a
42:49
single penny,
42:51
they would have
42:51
been rich.
42:53
And if they
42:54
had not that,
42:55
and I had given
42:56
them all the
42:57
wealth in the
42:58
world,
42:59
they would be
43:00
poor indeed.
43:04
Our hearts
43:04
need to
43:05
change.
43:07
The word of
43:08
the Lord was
43:09
rare in
43:10
Samuel's day.
43:12
It needed a
43:13
change of
43:14
heart among
43:15
the people.
43:17
And in our
43:17
day, it
43:18
needs a change
43:19
of heart as
43:20
well.
43:21
To see what
43:22
is precious,
43:23
to see what
43:24
is important.
43:26
We can
43:27
mourn the
43:28
lack of the
43:29
word in
43:29
people's lives
43:30
or in public
43:31
places today.
43:32
And we
43:33
should.
43:34
We mourn
43:35
over it.
43:37
But we can
43:38
also make the
43:38
most of the
43:39
opportunities that
43:40
we have.
43:43
We have the
43:45
word of God.
43:47
And when you
43:47
look at verse
43:48
three here,
43:50
although the
43:50
word of the
43:51
Lord was
43:51
rare, in
43:53
verse three it
43:53
says, the
43:54
lamp of God
43:56
had not yet
43:57
gone out.
43:58
God had
44:00
not removed
44:01
the lamp
44:02
stand from
44:03
their midst.
44:04
Something you
44:04
see reflected
44:05
in the book
44:06
of Revelation
44:07
as it speaks
44:07
to the
44:08
churches there.
44:10
The lamp
44:11
stand being
44:11
removed.
44:12
It's like God
44:12
taking everything
44:13
away from us.
44:14
But here we
44:15
read, the
44:16
lamp of God
44:17
had not yet
44:18
gone out.
44:20
And praise
44:21
God today,
44:22
the lamp of
44:23
God has
44:24
not gone
44:25
out.
44:26
light.
44:27
The word
44:27
of the
44:27
Lord is
44:28
rare, but
44:29
there is
44:30
still that
44:31
light.
44:32
When you
44:32
look at the
44:32
church down
44:33
through the
44:34
generations, you
44:35
think of the
44:35
New Testament
44:36
and the
44:38
book of
44:38
Romans.
44:39
It's so
44:39
similar to
44:40
this time
44:41
of Samuel.
44:42
Again, God
44:43
gave them
44:44
over to the
44:45
desires of
44:46
their own
44:46
hearts, it
44:47
says in
44:48
Romans chapter
44:49
one.
44:49
Why?
44:50
Because they
44:51
exchanged the
44:52
truth about
44:53
God for a
44:54
lie.
44:55
They pushed
44:56
the word
44:56
of God
44:57
out.
44:58
You see
44:59
it down
45:00
through the
45:00
centuries in
45:01
the 16th
45:02
century, the
45:02
time of the
45:03
Reformation.
45:04
It was a
45:05
dark time.
45:06
The word of
45:06
the Lord was
45:07
rare.
45:08
And what
45:08
was the
45:09
motto in
45:10
the 16th
45:11
century at
45:12
that time of
45:12
Reformation?
45:14
After
45:14
darkness,
45:15
light.
45:18
The lamp
45:19
of God
45:19
had not
45:20
gone out.
45:22
And that's
45:22
true for
45:23
ourselves today
45:25
as well.
45:26
The word
45:26
is rare,
45:27
but we
45:27
praise God
45:28
the lamp
45:29
has not
45:30
gone out.
45:31
And that's
45:32
what God
45:32
is about to
45:33
remind the
45:34
people of
45:35
here in
45:35
Samuel's
45:36
day.
45:37
Samuel
45:37
would become
45:38
a prophet
45:38
who would
45:39
speak God's
45:41
word to
45:42
the people.
45:43
The
45:43
commentator
45:44
Dale Ralph
45:44
Davis
45:45
commenting on
45:47
this passage,
45:48
he has a
45:49
play on
45:49
words that's
45:50
very clever.
45:51
He says
45:53
this,
45:54
God's
45:54
people find
45:56
no profit
45:57
without a
45:58
prophet.
46:00
And God
46:01
is about to
46:02
profitably
46:02
profit them.
46:05
What's he
46:06
saying there?
46:07
No profit
46:08
in the sense
46:09
of no gain.
46:11
God's people
46:11
find no profit,
46:13
no gain,
46:14
without a
46:14
prophet,
46:15
one who
46:16
speaks the
46:18
word of
46:19
God.
46:19
but God
46:21
is about
46:22
to
46:22
profitably,
46:24
i.e.
46:24
Samuel
46:25
would be
46:25
the prophet
46:25
who will
46:26
speak,
46:27
profit them.
46:29
He will
46:29
give them
46:30
gain.
46:31
He will
46:32
give them
46:32
the word
46:33
of God.
46:35
And that's
46:36
what we
46:37
have for
46:37
our own
46:38
day as
46:38
well.
46:40
We have
46:40
no profit
46:41
without
46:42
the word
46:42
of God.
46:44
And the
46:45
only way
46:45
to profit
46:46
is through
46:47
the word
46:48
of God.
46:49
and the
46:50
word of
46:51
the Lord
46:51
stands
46:52
forever.
46:55
The word
46:56
was rare,
46:58
but the
46:59
lamp had
46:59
not
47:00
gone out.
47:01
And so
47:01
the second
47:02
thing we
47:02
see is
47:03
the word
47:04
of God
47:04
was
47:04
calling.
47:08
About to
47:09
lose
47:10
something,
47:10
what do
47:11
we do?
47:12
We have
47:13
to do
47:13
something
47:13
differently.
47:15
And in
47:16
the midst
47:16
of the
47:17
deafening
47:17
silence,
47:18
of the
47:18
absence
47:18
of God
47:19
here in
47:20
1 Samuel,
47:21
God is
47:22
about to
47:23
call.
47:25
God is
47:25
about to
47:26
speak.
47:28
And what
47:29
needs to
47:29
happen then?
47:31
What needs
47:32
to happen
47:32
when God
47:33
does call?
47:35
We need
47:36
to listen.
47:38
We need
47:39
to listen.
47:40
And we need
47:40
to recognize
47:41
who it is
47:42
that is
47:43
speaking.
47:43
God is
47:46
calling.
47:48
And what's
47:48
interesting
47:49
here is
47:49
that when
47:50
the Lord
47:51
called
47:51
Samuel
47:52
three times,
47:54
he didn't
47:55
recognize it
47:56
was God.
47:58
He ran
47:59
to Samuel
48:00
and said,
48:00
here I
48:01
am.
48:02
And
48:02
Samuel
48:02
said,
48:03
I didn't
48:03
call you,
48:04
just go
48:05
back.
48:07
How
48:07
did he
48:08
recognize
48:08
the voice
48:10
of God
48:10
calling?
48:11
Well,
48:12
it just
48:12
shows us
48:13
what had
48:14
come,
48:14
become of
48:15
the temple.
48:16
It was
48:17
a place
48:17
where God
48:18
was not
48:19
worshipped,
48:20
where God
48:20
was not
48:21
heard.
48:22
So he
48:22
didn't
48:22
recognize
48:23
the voice
48:24
of God.
48:25
He thought
48:26
it was
48:26
Samuel
48:26
calling him.
48:29
Two things
48:30
of interest
48:30
to us
48:31
here.
48:32
One is
48:32
Samuel
48:33
himself.
48:35
You read
48:35
in verse
48:36
seven,
48:37
after the
48:38
second time
48:39
that he'd
48:40
called,
48:41
now Samuel
48:42
did not
48:43
yet know
48:44
the Lord
48:44
and the
48:45
word of
48:46
the Lord
48:46
had not
48:47
yet been
48:47
revealed
48:48
to him.
48:49
He didn't
48:49
understand.
48:51
He didn't
48:52
know the
48:53
word of
48:54
the Lord.
48:55
Even though
48:55
he'd been
48:55
around it
48:56
for so
48:56
long,
48:57
he still
48:58
didn't
48:59
know it.
49:00
And I
49:01
think there's
49:01
a warning
49:01
to ourselves
49:02
there as
49:03
well.
49:04
Whatever
49:04
age and
49:05
stage we're
49:05
at,
49:06
whether we're
49:06
young,
49:07
middle-aged
49:07
or old,
49:08
how often
49:09
we can be
49:09
around the
49:10
word of
49:11
God.
49:11
How often
49:12
we can
49:12
hear the
49:14
word of
49:14
God and
49:15
yet still
49:15
not
49:16
understand.
49:18
We can
49:19
just let
49:19
it flow
49:20
past us,
49:20
go away
49:21
from us.
49:23
But there's
49:24
also a
49:24
challenge to
49:25
ourselves as
49:26
believers too.
49:27
How do we
49:28
deal with a
49:29
world in
49:29
which the
49:30
word of
49:30
God is
49:31
rare?
49:33
What are
49:33
our
49:33
expectations?
49:35
What are
49:36
our assumptions?
49:37
Christians?
49:37
When we
49:38
speak to
49:38
people around
49:39
us,
49:40
we so
49:41
often think
49:42
they'll
49:43
know what
49:44
the Bible
49:44
is.
49:46
They'll
49:46
know when
49:47
I speak
49:47
to them
49:48
about the
49:49
word of
49:50
God.
49:51
If I
49:52
tell them
49:52
to read
49:53
in the
49:54
book of
49:54
Matthew
49:55
or Mark
49:55
or Luke
49:56
or John,
49:56
we assume
49:57
they'll
49:58
know.
49:59
When we
49:59
speak of
50:00
characters in
50:00
the scriptures,
50:01
whether it's
50:02
Samuel,
50:03
whether it's
50:03
David,
50:04
whether it's
50:04
Paul,
50:05
Noah,
50:06
Ruth,
50:06
whoever,
50:07
we expect
50:08
they'll
50:08
know.
50:10
Even when
50:11
we speak
50:11
of God
50:12
and Jesus,
50:13
we think
50:13
they will
50:14
know who
50:15
we're
50:15
speaking
50:15
about.
50:17
We assume
50:18
they know.
50:21
And this
50:21
may come
50:22
as a
50:22
shock,
50:24
but there
50:24
are people
50:24
around us
50:25
who do
50:26
not know,
50:28
who do
50:28
not know
50:29
what the
50:30
word of
50:30
God is,
50:32
who do
50:32
not know
50:33
who Paul
50:34
or Noah
50:35
or Samuel,
50:37
who they
50:37
were or
50:38
what they
50:39
mean.
50:41
And sadly,
50:41
people who
50:43
hear the
50:43
word God
50:44
and who
50:45
hear the
50:45
word Jesus
50:46
and think
50:48
of it only
50:48
as a
50:48
swear word.
50:50
That's all
50:51
they know
50:52
of these
50:52
names.
50:54
We think
50:55
these people
50:56
cannot exist
50:57
in our own
50:58
midst.
50:59
They do.
51:00
And so
51:01
there's a
51:01
challenge there
51:02
for us.
51:03
how do
51:04
we deal
51:04
with a
51:05
world in
51:05
which the
51:06
word of
51:06
the Lord
51:07
is rare?
51:11
Well,
51:11
like Samuel
51:12
here,
51:13
like Eli,
51:15
was to
51:15
come back
51:16
to the
51:17
word of
51:18
God,
51:19
to look at
51:20
the word
51:20
of God,
51:21
to study
51:21
the word
51:22
of God,
51:23
to be able
51:23
to share
51:24
the word
51:25
of God
51:25
in an
51:26
informed
51:26
and an
51:27
instructed
51:27
way.
51:28
just this
51:30
past
51:30
Wednesday
51:31
at our
51:32
Bible study
51:32
in the
51:33
hall next
51:33
door,
51:34
we started
51:35
a study,
51:35
six steps
51:36
to speaking
51:37
about Jesus.
51:40
And one of
51:40
the questions
51:41
I asked at
51:41
the start
51:42
was,
51:43
hands up
51:43
if you want
51:45
to be able
51:45
to speak
51:46
to people
51:46
about Jesus.
51:48
and of
51:50
course we
51:50
all do.
51:53
But if you
51:53
ask who
51:54
feels able
51:55
to speak
51:56
about Jesus,
51:57
we so
51:58
often feel
51:58
that we
51:59
can't.
52:02
And so
52:03
that challenges
52:04
us.
52:05
If we want
52:06
to be a
52:07
light in
52:08
our community,
52:08
a people
52:09
who witness
52:10
in our
52:10
community,
52:12
are we
52:12
learning
52:13
from the
52:14
word of
52:15
God?
52:17
Are we
52:17
trusting
52:18
the word
52:19
of God?
52:20
Are we
52:21
listening
52:22
to the
52:22
word of
52:23
God
52:23
ourselves?
52:27
Samuel
52:28
was young.
52:31
But it
52:32
doesn't matter
52:32
what age
52:33
we are.
52:35
We cannot
52:35
just assume
52:36
that people
52:36
will have
52:37
a knowledge
52:38
of everything
52:38
that the
52:39
Bible teaches.
52:41
So we
52:42
need to
52:43
learn
52:43
together.
52:45
The word
52:45
of the
52:46
Lord is
52:46
rare.
52:47
Today,
52:48
people don't
52:48
know it.
52:50
And so
52:51
we have
52:51
to teach
52:51
it and
52:52
come around
52:52
it in
52:53
a way
52:54
that people
52:54
can
52:55
understand.
52:58
But what
52:58
else do we
52:59
notice here?
53:01
Well,
53:01
we see
53:02
that Samuel
53:03
was called
53:04
by God
53:05
by name.
53:08
And this
53:09
is something
53:09
that should
53:10
thrill us.
53:11
this is
53:13
something that
53:14
we should
53:14
marvel at
53:15
because God
53:17
today knows
53:18
our name.
53:20
He knows
53:21
your name.
53:22
He knows
53:22
my name.
53:24
And what
53:24
he does is
53:25
he still
53:25
calls us.
53:28
God knows
53:29
your name.
53:30
He knows
53:31
you personally.
53:32
Maybe tonight
53:33
you say,
53:34
but he's not
53:34
calling me.
53:35
I haven't
53:37
heard God
53:38
call out
53:39
my name.
53:41
Samuel here
53:41
we read of,
53:42
he heard,
53:43
he heard
53:44
someone who
53:45
he thought
53:46
initially was
53:46
Eli saying,
53:47
Samuel.
53:48
but it was
53:50
God.
53:51
But I
53:51
haven't
53:51
heard God
53:52
calling me
53:53
by name.
53:56
But he
53:57
does.
53:59
And you
53:59
ask,
53:59
well,
54:00
how?
54:02
Well,
54:02
he calls
54:03
you through
54:04
his word.
54:06
He speaks
54:07
to each
54:07
of us here
54:08
this night
54:09
by his
54:10
word.
54:12
In John,
54:13
the gospel
54:13
of John,
54:14
Jesus reminds
54:15
us of this.
54:17
He says,
54:18
my sheep
54:19
hear my
54:19
voice.
54:20
And I
54:21
know them.
54:22
And they
54:23
follow me
54:24
because they
54:25
hear my
54:26
voice.
54:27
And I
54:27
give them
54:27
eternal
54:28
life.
54:29
And they
54:29
will never
54:30
perish.
54:31
And no
54:31
one will
54:32
snatch
54:32
them out
54:33
of my
54:33
hand.
54:35
The word
54:36
of God
54:37
calls you.
54:39
And what
54:40
is it
54:40
saying
54:40
tonight?
54:42
It is
54:43
saying
54:43
to come.
54:46
To come
54:47
and hear
54:47
what I
54:48
have to
54:49
say.
54:50
To come
54:50
and hear
54:51
what the
54:51
word of
54:52
God is
54:53
telling you.
54:54
It is
54:55
talking about
54:56
a world
54:56
that is
54:57
perishing.
54:58
A world
54:59
that is
54:59
in chaos.
55:01
Days
55:01
when people
55:02
are doing
55:02
right in
55:03
their own
55:03
eyes.
55:04
That's
55:05
Samuel's
55:05
day.
55:06
That's
55:06
our day.
55:08
The word
55:08
of God
55:09
is relevant.
55:10
The word
55:11
of God
55:11
is speaking.
55:13
And as
55:14
God's
55:15
word
55:15
speaks,
55:16
what is
55:17
it telling
55:17
us?
55:18
It's
55:18
telling
55:18
us to
55:19
respond.
55:21
To come
55:22
and listen
55:23
to what
55:24
God
55:24
has to
55:25
say.
55:27
Samuel
55:28
was young.
55:29
Eli
55:29
was old.
55:31
But he
55:31
knew what
55:32
Samuel had
55:33
to do.
55:35
He said
55:36
Eli recognized
55:39
that the
55:40
Lord was
55:41
calling
55:41
Samuel.
55:45
Excuse
55:45
me.
55:47
In
55:47
verse
55:47
8 he
55:48
said,
55:49
the third
55:50
time he
55:50
had been
55:50
called,
55:51
here I
55:51
am for
55:52
you called
55:52
me.
55:53
Then Eli
55:53
perceived
55:54
that the
55:55
Lord was
55:55
calling the
55:56
young man.
55:57
Therefore
55:57
Eli said
55:58
to Samuel,
55:58
go and
55:59
lie down
55:59
and if
55:59
he calls
56:00
you shall
56:00
say,
56:01
speak
56:02
Lord for
56:02
your servant
56:03
hears.
56:04
He has
56:04
the wisdom
56:05
to guide
56:06
Samuel.
56:07
And that's
56:09
what we
56:09
need to
56:10
do as
56:10
well,
56:10
to guide
56:11
people,
56:12
to listen
56:12
to God
56:13
and to
56:14
understand
56:15
how God
56:16
is calling
56:17
and how
56:18
God is
56:20
speaking to
56:21
us in
56:22
a powerful
56:23
way.
56:25
The word
56:25
of God
56:26
is calling
56:27
tonight.
56:29
But the
56:30
question is,
56:31
are you
56:31
listening?
56:33
Are you
56:33
listening to
56:34
what the
56:35
Lord is
56:35
saying?
56:37
the
56:38
final thing
56:39
I just
56:39
want to
56:39
take from
56:40
this is
56:40
the word
56:42
was not
56:42
wasted.
56:44
The word
56:45
was not
56:45
wasted.
56:47
You see
56:47
it at the
56:48
end of
56:48
this chapter
56:49
in verse
56:49
19,
56:49
but it
56:50
ties into
56:50
everything
56:51
that comes
56:51
before it.
56:53
Samuel
56:53
grew and
56:54
the Lord
56:54
was with
56:55
him and
56:55
let none
56:56
of his
56:56
words
56:56
fall to
56:58
the ground.
57:00
He let
57:01
none of
57:01
his words
57:02
fall to
57:03
the ground.
57:05
Nothing
57:05
was wasted.
57:07
We often
57:09
say to
57:10
ourselves,
57:11
maybe,
57:12
what's
57:12
the point?
57:14
People
57:15
aren't
57:15
listening.
57:18
But
57:19
nothing is
57:19
wasted
57:20
with God.
57:22
Is it
57:23
possible to
57:23
say no
57:24
to God?
57:26
Eli told
57:27
Samuel to
57:28
say,
57:29
here I
57:29
am.
57:30
God is
57:32
calling you
57:33
and he
57:33
responded in
57:33
a positive
57:34
way.
57:35
But is it
57:35
possible to
57:36
say no
57:36
to God?
57:38
If God
57:39
is calling
57:40
your name,
57:40
can you
57:40
say no?
57:43
Of course
57:43
it is.
57:45
It happens
57:46
every time
57:48
the word of
57:48
God is
57:49
preached.
57:51
People
57:51
will say
57:51
no.
57:53
But that's
57:54
disobedience.
57:55
because God
57:58
is calling
57:59
you,
58:00
your response
58:01
should be the
58:01
same as
58:02
Samuel.
58:04
Speak,
58:05
Lord,
58:06
for your
58:06
servant
58:07
hears.
58:09
But we
58:10
say no.
58:11
I won't
58:12
listen.
58:13
I don't
58:13
want to
58:14
listen to
58:15
what God
58:15
has to
58:16
say.
58:16
It's of no
58:17
interest to
58:18
me.
58:20
And you have
58:20
examples all
58:22
the way through
58:22
Scripture where
58:23
they haven't
58:23
listened to
58:25
the voice of
58:25
God.
58:26
Jonah is
58:27
one great
58:28
example for
58:29
us.
58:29
He was
58:29
called by
58:30
God to
58:31
go to
58:32
Nineveh to
58:32
proclaim the
58:33
word of
58:33
God there.
58:35
And he
58:35
went completely
58:36
the opposite
58:36
direction.
58:39
But what
58:39
happened to
58:40
him?
58:42
How did he
58:43
get on running
58:43
away from
58:44
God?
58:44
Did it all
58:45
go well?
58:46
No.
58:47
Of course
58:48
not.
58:50
And if
58:50
you try and
58:51
run away
58:51
from God,
58:52
if you don't
58:53
listen to
58:54
him, is
58:55
it going to
58:55
end well
58:56
with you?
58:57
No, it's
58:58
not.
59:00
That's a
59:01
stark reality
59:02
that's made
59:02
plain as
59:03
God speaks
59:04
through Samuel
59:05
to Eli.
59:07
And it's
59:08
almost as
59:08
if Eli
59:08
was just
59:10
waiting and
59:10
expecting
59:11
this.
59:12
The message
59:13
that God
59:14
had through
59:14
Samuel to
59:16
Eli was
59:16
that his
59:17
house, his
59:18
people, were
59:19
going to be
59:20
afflicted.
59:22
They had
59:22
rejected God,
59:24
they had
59:24
shunned God.
59:27
And that's
59:27
the warning
59:28
to ourselves
59:29
as well.
59:31
If we
59:31
will not
59:32
listen to
59:32
God, there
59:34
are consequences.
59:37
And the
59:38
word of God
59:39
makes clear
59:39
for us,
59:41
on the one
59:42
hand, God
59:43
calls us to
59:44
Jesus to
59:44
come to
59:45
him, that
59:46
we might
59:46
have eternal
59:47
life.
59:48
God
59:49
will
59:50
perish.
59:51
But if we
59:52
don't listen, what's on the other side of the coin?
59:53
We will perish.
59:56
We will perish
59:57
eternally.
59:59
Because we have not
1:00:00
listened to the voice
1:00:02
of God.
1:00:02
Even though we've been hearing it,
1:00:05
even though we've been
1:00:06
under it,
1:00:08
we have said no.
1:00:11
And God is saying
1:00:12
to us, even tonight
1:00:13
again,
1:00:14
do you hear my voice?
1:00:17
Do you hear my voice
1:00:19
calling you?
1:00:21
Will you not
1:00:21
listen?
1:00:25
God's word
1:00:26
is never
1:00:27
wasted.
1:00:29
We are reminded
1:00:29
of that
1:00:30
in Isaiah
1:00:31
55,
1:00:32
where he speaks of
1:00:33
the word of God
1:00:34
accomplishing
1:00:35
every purpose
1:00:36
for which
1:00:37
he has sent
1:00:38
it out.
1:00:40
And what's
1:00:40
its purpose
1:00:41
here tonight?
1:00:42
it's to call
1:00:45
you to him.
1:00:47
To come
1:00:48
to him.
1:00:50
And God
1:00:50
is speaking.
1:00:52
Of that
1:00:53
there is no doubt.
1:00:55
Again and again
1:00:56
he speaks
1:00:56
to us.
1:00:57
And you say,
1:00:57
but how?
1:00:58
How does he speak?
1:01:01
Well, he speaks
1:01:01
to you
1:01:02
through the scriptures.
1:01:04
He speaks
1:01:05
to you
1:01:05
through the word
1:01:06
of God.
1:01:08
He calls
1:01:09
you to himself.
1:01:09
But he speaks
1:01:10
to you in another
1:01:10
way as well.
1:01:11
through providence.
1:01:14
Through things
1:01:15
that happen
1:01:16
in this world.
1:01:18
Whether it's
1:01:19
to you
1:01:19
or to others
1:01:20
that are always
1:01:21
reminders to us
1:01:23
that God
1:01:24
is speaking.
1:01:26
That he's
1:01:26
reminding us
1:01:27
that our time
1:01:28
here is short.
1:01:30
Whether it's
1:01:31
illness
1:01:32
or death
1:01:33
or tragedies
1:01:34
throughout the world.
1:01:36
He's speaking
1:01:37
to us
1:01:37
again and again.
1:01:39
but are you
1:01:41
listening?
1:01:43
And that's
1:01:44
not just
1:01:44
for those
1:01:45
who are
1:01:46
sitting here
1:01:46
maybe no
1:01:48
thought of God.
1:01:50
That's to
1:01:50
all of us.
1:01:53
You see
1:01:53
who he was
1:01:54
speaking to
1:01:54
here
1:01:55
in Samuel.
1:01:57
He was
1:01:57
speaking to
1:01:58
Samuel
1:01:58
who was
1:01:59
ministering
1:01:59
in the temple.
1:02:01
Speaking to
1:02:02
him
1:02:02
who had
1:02:03
heard the
1:02:03
word of
1:02:04
God
1:02:04
for many
1:02:04
years.
1:02:05
and as a
1:02:06
reminder to
1:02:07
ourselves
1:02:07
as a church
1:02:08
as a people
1:02:10
to awaken
1:02:11
to what
1:02:11
God is
1:02:12
saying.
1:02:13
To awaken
1:02:14
to the world
1:02:15
in which
1:02:16
we're living
1:02:17
in.
1:02:17
A world
1:02:18
where the
1:02:18
word of
1:02:19
the Lord
1:02:19
is rare.
1:02:21
Where the
1:02:22
people in
1:02:22
this world
1:02:23
are perishing.
1:02:24
But where
1:02:24
we have
1:02:25
the lamp
1:02:26
of God
1:02:27
that has
1:02:28
not yet
1:02:29
gone out.
1:02:31
And that
1:02:31
we have
1:02:31
this to
1:02:32
share
1:02:33
with the
1:02:34
world.
1:02:35
Listen
1:02:37
to what
1:02:38
God
1:02:38
is saying.
1:02:41
The
1:02:41
missionary
1:02:41
C.T.
1:02:43
Studd
1:02:44
he once
1:02:45
said this
1:02:45
I had
1:02:46
known about
1:02:47
Jesus
1:02:47
dying for
1:02:48
me
1:02:48
but I
1:02:49
had never
1:02:50
understood
1:02:51
that.
1:02:52
If he
1:02:52
had died
1:02:53
for me
1:02:53
then I
1:02:53
didn't
1:02:54
belong
1:02:54
to
1:02:55
myself.
1:02:58
Redemption
1:02:58
he said
1:02:59
means
1:02:59
buying
1:03:00
back
1:03:00
so that
1:03:02
if I
1:03:02
belong
1:03:03
to him
1:03:03
either
1:03:05
I
1:03:05
am
1:03:05
a
1:03:05
thief
1:03:06
and
1:03:07
I
1:03:07
keep
1:03:08
that
1:03:08
which
1:03:09
isn't
1:03:09
mine
1:03:09
or
1:03:10
else
1:03:11
I
1:03:11
have
1:03:11
to
1:03:11
give up
1:03:12
everything
1:03:12
to
1:03:13
God.
1:03:15
When I
1:03:16
came to
1:03:17
see that
1:03:17
Jesus had
1:03:18
died for
1:03:18
me
1:03:19
it didn't
1:03:20
seem hard
1:03:20
to give
1:03:21
up
1:03:21
all
1:03:22
for
1:03:23
him.
1:03:24
I
1:03:24
said I
1:03:25
will do
1:03:25
it for
1:03:26
your
1:03:26
glory.
1:03:27
I
1:03:27
will do
1:03:28
it
1:03:28
for
1:03:29
your
1:03:29
praise.
1:03:31
What a
1:03:31
challenge
1:03:32
in those
1:03:32
words.
1:03:33
Being
1:03:33
bought
1:03:34
back
1:03:34
redeemed
1:03:36
by God
1:03:37
we're
1:03:38
not
1:03:38
our
1:03:38
own.
1:03:40
We
1:03:40
don't
1:03:40
belong
1:03:41
to
1:03:42
ourselves
1:03:42
we
1:03:44
belong
1:03:44
to
1:03:45
him.
1:03:46
He
1:03:47
has
1:03:47
redeemed
1:03:47
us.
1:03:49
He
1:03:49
has
1:03:49
bought
1:03:49
us
1:03:49
back
1:03:50
with
1:03:51
a
1:03:51
price.
1:03:51
Christ
1:03:52
gave
1:03:52
himself
1:03:53
for
1:03:54
us.
1:03:56
It's
1:03:56
not for
1:03:57
us to
1:03:57
say
1:03:58
we
1:03:58
will
1:03:59
do
1:03:59
what's
1:03:59
right
1:03:59
in our
1:04:00
own
1:04:01
eyes.
1:04:02
It's
1:04:03
for us
1:04:03
to
1:04:03
say
1:04:04
we
1:04:04
will
1:04:05
do
1:04:05
your
1:04:05
will
1:04:06
and
1:04:06
delight
1:04:07
in
1:04:08
that.
1:04:10
To
1:04:10
be
1:04:10
called
1:04:11
a
1:04:11
thief
1:04:12
because
1:04:13
we're
1:04:14
not
1:04:14
giving
1:04:14
to
1:04:15
Christ
1:04:15
what
1:04:16
is
1:04:16
his
1:04:17
and
1:04:18
what
1:04:18
he
1:04:18
deserves.
1:04:20
To
1:04:21
give
1:04:21
our
1:04:21
lives
1:04:22
to
1:04:22
him
1:04:22
our
1:04:23
all
1:04:24
to
1:04:24
him
1:04:24
as
1:04:25
Samuel
1:04:25
had
1:04:25
been
1:04:26
given
1:04:26
by
1:04:26
his
1:04:26
mother
1:04:27
for
1:04:27
the
1:04:28
service
1:04:28
of
1:04:28
the
1:04:28
Lord
1:04:29
and
1:04:29
as
1:04:30
Samuel
1:04:30
lived
1:04:31
in
1:04:31
that
1:04:31
service
1:04:32
to
1:04:32
him
1:04:33
listening
1:04:33
to
1:04:34
the
1:04:34
voice
1:04:34
of
1:04:34
the
1:04:34
Lord
1:04:35
as
1:04:35
he
1:04:35
grew
1:04:35
in
1:04:36
stature
1:04:36
and
1:04:37
none
1:04:37
of
1:04:37
the
1:04:37
words
1:04:38
were
1:04:38
wasted
1:04:39
through
1:04:39
him
1:04:40
may it
1:04:41
be our
1:04:41
prayer
1:04:42
to have
1:04:42
that
1:04:43
obedience
1:04:43
to
1:04:45
recognize
1:04:46
to
1:04:46
the
1:04:47
call
1:04:47
to
1:04:47
listen
1:04:50
to
1:04:51
come
1:04:52
to
1:04:53
believe
1:04:53
and
1:04:55
to
1:04:55
share
1:04:56
the
1:04:56
word
1:04:57
of
1:04:57
God
1:04:57
the
1:04:58
word
1:04:59
is
1:04:59
rare
1:04:59
but
1:05:01
people
1:05:01
need
1:05:01
it
1:05:02
because
1:05:03
without
1:05:03
it
1:05:03
they
1:05:04
are
1:05:04
perishing
1:05:05
and
1:05:06
so
1:05:07
as
1:05:07
we
1:05:07
have
1:05:07
it
1:05:08
let us
1:05:09
speak
1:05:09
of the
1:05:10
wonder
1:05:11
of
1:05:11
Christ
1:05:12
who
1:05:13
would
1:05:13
save
1:05:13
us
1:05:14
let us
1:05:15
pray
1:05:15
our
1:05:17
father
1:05:17
in
1:05:18
heaven
1:05:18
we
1:05:18
thank
1:05:19
you
1:05:19
that
1:05:20
even
1:05:20
with
1:05:20
your
1:05:20
word
1:05:21
rare
1:05:21
in
1:05:21
our
1:05:21
midst
1:05:22
that
1:05:23
you
1:05:23
are
1:05:23
a
1:05:23
God
1:05:23
who
1:05:23
is
1:05:24
speaking
1:05:24
and
1:05:25
help
1:05:25
us
1:05:26
to
1:05:26
hear
1:05:26
your
1:05:26
voice
1:05:27
Lord
1:05:27
whatever
1:05:27
our
1:05:28
circumstances
1:05:29
to
1:05:29
hear
1:05:30
your
1:05:30
call
1:05:30
to
1:05:31
us
1:05:31
and
1:05:32
to
1:05:32
come
1:05:32
to
1:05:33
you
1:05:33
and
1:05:34
to
1:05:34
live
1:05:35
for
1:05:35
you
1:05:35
and
1:05:36
we
1:05:36
ask
1:05:36
it
1:05:37
for
1:05:37
Jesus
1:05:38
sake
1:05:38
Amen
1:05:39
Psalm
1:05:44
43
1:05:44
is our
1:05:45
final
1:05:45
singing
1:05:46
in the
1:05:46
Sing
1:05:47
Psalms
1:05:47
version
1:05:48
page
1:05:48
54
1:05:49
Psalm
1:05:54
43
1:05:54
we'll
1:05:55
sing
1:05:55
the
1:05:55
last
1:05:56
three
1:05:57
stanzas
1:05:58
from
1:05:58
verse
1:05:58
3
1:05:59
the tune
1:05:59
is
1:06:00
Old
1:06:00
100
1:06:01
send
1:06:02
your
1:06:02
light
1:06:03
forth
1:06:03
and
1:06:03
your
1:06:03
truth
1:06:04
let
1:06:04
them
1:06:04
direct
1:06:05
me
1:06:05
in
1:06:06
your
1:06:06
grace
1:06:06
and
1:06:06
bring
1:06:07
me
1:06:07
to
1:06:07
your
1:06:07
holy
1:06:08
hill
1:06:08
and
1:06:09
to
1:06:09
your
1:06:09
sacred
1:06:10
dwelling
1:06:10
place
1:06:11
we'll
1:06:11
sing
1:06:11
verse
1:06:12
3
1:06:12
to
1:06:12
5
1:06:13
to
1:06:13
God's
1:06:14
praise
1:06:14
oh
1:06:20
send
1:06:21
your
1:06:22
life
1:06:23
for
1:06:24
time
1:06:25
to
1:06:25
and
1:06:28
let
1:06:30
let
1:06:31
thy
1:06:31
hand
1:06:32
be
1:06:33
in
1:06:34
your
1:06:35
face
1:06:37
coming
1:06:39
me
1:06:40
to
1:06:41
your
1:06:41
holy
1:06:43
hill
1:06:45
hill
1:06:47
to
1:06:48
your
1:06:49
sacred
1:06:50
dwelling
1:06:52
place
1:06:55
bring
1:06:57
to
1:06:58
God's
1:06:59
of
1:06:59
the
1:07:00
Bible
1:07:02
home
1:07:04
to
1:07:05
God
1:07:07
my
1:07:08
joy
1:07:09
almighty
1:07:11
light
1:07:14
and
1:07:15
I
1:07:16
will
1:07:17
praise
1:07:18
you
1:07:18
with
1:07:20
a
1:07:21
heart
1:07:23
oh
1:07:24
God
1:07:25
you
1:07:26
are
1:07:27
my
1:07:28
home
1:07:29
might
1:07:32
why
1:07:35
are
1:07:36
you
1:07:36
the
1:07:40
death
1:07:41
my
1:07:58
heart
1:08:01
oh
1:08:02
I
1:08:03
see
1:08:03
And my God is thee.
1:08:12
After the benediction, I'll go to the door to my left.
1:08:15
We'll close with the benediction.
1:08:17
Now may grace, mercy, and peace from God,
1:08:20
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit
1:08:22
rest upon and abide with you all
1:08:25
now and forevermore.
1:08:27
Amen.