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The Church and A Prayer for Personal Development · Stornoway Free Church of Scotland - Sermons

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I bow my knees before the Father, for whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, that according to the riches of his glory, he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his spirit in your inner being.
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And so on down to verse number 19.
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Now we want to return to consider what we've been looking at recently, that is, the idea of a church that is healthy, that is able to carry out the mission of God and do the things that God has sent the church to do.
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And in doing so, so far, we have looked at the church collectively as a community.
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We have noticed in 2 Timothy the way in which the church is God's household and the pillar of truth.
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We have noticed in John chapter 15 that the church is the vine.
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And we have noticed in 1 Peter 2 that the church is the temple.
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And we saw from these illustrations of the church as a community the way in which a healthy church works because of the way in which it is designed
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and because of the way in which people work and live and set themselves up within God's plan for his church.
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But we know that the strength or the success of an organisation is dependent upon the individuals within it.
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So I want to think this evening not so much about the church with regard to it being a community and a gathering of people,
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but to think of the individuals that make up the church, to think of you and I as those who are Christians,
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who have been called by God to serve in the church,
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the importance of ourselves being healthy and ourselves having the right relationship with the Lord Jesus.
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And as we go on, we can perhaps keep in our rear view mirror the whole picture of the church in Ephesus.
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We read in Acts chapter 20 that Paul is warning the elders in the church at Ephesus that after he goes,
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that wolves are going to come in and they are going to create havoc.
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We see here that he's trying to put them on the regard against the culture around them
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and teaching them the doctrines of grace so that they may be able to stand.
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We go to Revelation chapter 2 and we see the outcome.
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We see there that the church has lost its first love.
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So if we want to think of a church or think of individuals within a church,
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let's keep that picture in a rear view mirror, not just tonight, but every day that we live.
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It's important to remember the way in which a church can decline.
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Coming to this letter, Paul begins, this first half of the letter is all about teaching them the doctrines of grace.
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And then he moves on to the more practical aspects of their Christian living and how, because of who they are,
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the kind of people that they should be.
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And as we read through these chapters into chapter 4,
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we will recognize that there is the sense of their need to grow up and to develop
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and to be the kind of people that they must be if they're going to stand in the midst of a culture that is constantly against them.
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And looking at this prayer, we want to think of the church and a prayer for personal development.
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We want to think, first of all, of the fact that there is a process.
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There are steps to be taken to ensure that the Christians in the church in Ephesus,
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that they are healthy and strong and able to serve God in this city.
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And the process is one which focuses in particular on the Spirit of God and upon the Lord Jesus Christ.
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And at the very center of what must happen in this process,
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we see that Paul is speaking in verse number 16,
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that according to the riches of his glory,
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he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being.
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Paul is reminding them that they are weak.
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He is reminding them that in their inner passion,
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where everything takes place,
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where my thoughts are working,
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where my decisions are made,
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where I prose as the information that I receive,
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and where there are the outcomes of the way in which I live my life,
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in my inner being.
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The invisible part of me that nobody sees but God alone,
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but where everything does take place.
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And because of the weakness of that part of their lives and of our lives,
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he is praying that God will grant them to be strengthened with power by his Spirit.
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And we may ask,
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what kind of strengthening is Paul looking at?
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We may think of a person who is weak,
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and that person needs strengthening.
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But I want us to think this evening,
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not so much about a person,
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but to use the illustration of a container or something that has limited capacity.
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And it's designed for a limited amount of whatever it's going to contain.
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And if this container or this box,
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this utensil in any way,
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if it is going to house or contain anything more than that,
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a change needs to take place.
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In other words,
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this box,
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this utensil,
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it must be expanded,
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it must be extended,
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in order to accommodate something greater.
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And that is that sense of the weakness that Paul is referring to here.
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They need to be strengthened by the Holy Spirit,
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who already dwells in their hearts,
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to make them the children of God.
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And they need to be strengthened in order to have an increased capacity
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for a particular person to dwell within them.
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And we see that becomes obvious in the following verse.
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And wherever we are in life,
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as the people of God,
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this is something that we need,
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because we are weak.
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However far we have developed on our journey of faith,
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we need to be,
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go through this process under the Spirit of God
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that increases our capacity for God himself.
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And if we are going to develop in our faith,
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that is the thing that must happen.
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And how God does increase the capacity of our inner being
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to house himself and to house the passion of Christ
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may take place in different ways.
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And Joni Eriksson,
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Taddy,
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she speaks of the way in which
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her suffering increased her capacity for God.
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So when he is praying for them
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that they will have increased capacity for God,
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when we pray for ourselves
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and desire to have increased capacity for God,
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we don't know how God will answer that prayer.
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But he will because that is how God works.
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That is the process that God uses
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to ensure that you and I develop in our faith.
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In the prophecy of Isaiah,
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there's that sense in chapter 54
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of enlarging your tent
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and removing the pegs
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and stretching them out further
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so that the accommodation is greater.
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Tonight, that's how you and I
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will be healthy Christians.
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That God stretches our inner being
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in the spiritual way.
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Stretches it in such a way
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as to make space for more of Jesus.
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And that's what he's saying here.
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So that Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith.
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And the focus of this part of the prayer is
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that Christ will become
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a permanent resident in their hearts.
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And the suggestion is
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that as Christians,
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we can live and Christ Jesus
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in the sense of our experience
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he is an occasional visitor.
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He does not live in our hearts
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in the sense of our experience
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and of walking with them.
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And Paul is praying for them
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that their hearts will be increased
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in its capacity for the Lord Jesus
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so that the passion of Christ
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that comes periodically
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and then that is ushered out the door
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at different times in life,
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that he actually comes
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to dwell in their hearts.
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And for me,
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and I hope for you,
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that is really meaningful.
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Paul says in Galatians 2
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that it is no longer he who lives
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but Christ lives in me.
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He is a permanent resident.
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His heart is a place
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where Christ dwells.
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And we may ask ourselves this evening
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when we try to gauge our health
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as Christian people
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who are disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ,
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we may ask ourselves
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how much does Christ dwell in our hearts?
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Is he nothing more than
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an occasional visitor
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that our paths cross
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perhaps on the Lord's Day
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or occasionally during the week
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and other activities,
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but for the rest of our time
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that he is a distant friend?
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You will know in your heart tonight
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where the Lord Jesus is.
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Is he always with you?
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Or is it the case
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when we come to gather together
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for prayer
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that suddenly we're alerted
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to the fact
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that Jesus is not
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what I thought he was
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and that he is absent
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and that I move to cry out
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for myself in the first place
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that there will be this sense
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of Jesus coming home to my heart
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and to making his home in my heart
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and giving to me that sense
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of him being always before my eyes.
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There is a process.
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It's a process that we must all go through
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and we notice here
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that in version number 16
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that he's praying
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that God will grant you.
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It's the gift of God.
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It's what they need.
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It's what they cannot bring to themselves.
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It is what God has purposed
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to give to them.
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It is the gift of God.
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They are steps
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that God puts in our hearts
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so that Christ will dwell
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in our hearts.
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Secondly,
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because of the process
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there is participation.
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We actually take part
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in the activity of God
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in the activity of the Church of Christ.
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We are part of the mission of God
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and what God has sent his church to do.
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And when we look at the participation
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in this prayer
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we see there are two aspects to it.
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And the first of these is
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that there is a sense of being empowered.
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Once Jesus fills my heart
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there's a sense of power.
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not because of myself
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but because of him.
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And as soon as I sense
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he's home with me
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that's empowering.
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And the empowering here is
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in version number 17
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that you being rooted
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and grounded in love.
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There is the kind of
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horticultural picture
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of being rooted.
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There is the building picture
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of being on the foundation.
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it reminds us of the vine
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and of the temple
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in 1 Peter.
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There is that sense
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of being embedded.
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Being embedded in the sense
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that our life thrives
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and being embedded
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in the sense
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of being steady
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and being steadfast
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and being on the foundation
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so that we are immovable.
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And it is being grounded
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in the greatest place
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of all
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grounded
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in love
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in the love of God
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in the love of Christ.
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As soon as Jesus
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comes home to me
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then my heart is filled
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with energy
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because of the love
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of Christ
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and the love of God.
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I'm filled with a sense
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of wonder
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at the God
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who loved
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because he loved
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God
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and for no other reason
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than he purposed
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to do so.
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I'm filled with a sense
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of wonder
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that this is love
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that God sent his son
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into the world.
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I'm filled with a sense
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of wonder
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that as Paul says
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in Galatians 2
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that
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he loved me
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and gave himself
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for me.
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It's to be empowered
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with a sense
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of the love of God
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and to have
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the strength
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to comprehend
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that
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as we go into
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version number 18.
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It's having
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the ability
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to be
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fully capable
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of experiencing
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all that the love
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of God is
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all that the love
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of Christ is
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to grasp it.
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And we're going
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to see that
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it is impossible
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to do so
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because
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it's an everlasting love.
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but it is
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the sense
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of being empowered
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to lay hold
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of more
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and more
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of the love
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of Christ.
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And in
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laying hold
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of it
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and grasping it
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and having
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the capability
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of entering
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into it
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then there is
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the participation
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of experience.
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to know
15:16
the love
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of Christ
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in version number 19
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knowing something.
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I can spend
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my time
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reading the greatest
15:30
doctrinal books
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alongside of my Bible
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and I can learn
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so much
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about what the Bible
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is saying.
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I can know it
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in my head
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but there's knowledge
15:43
that Paul is speaking
15:43
of.
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it's a prayer
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that's knowing
15:46
through experience.
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It's something
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that not only
15:50
do I process
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in my mind
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but it descends
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into my heart.
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It becomes
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the controlling
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influence
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in my life.
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Having the
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capability
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to experience
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and then coming
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to discover
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what the love
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of Christ
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is like.
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what the love
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of God
16:14
is like.
16:15
How great
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is
16:16
his love.
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And we know
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of course
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that we
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cannot
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become
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Christians
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without
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knowing
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the love
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of Christ.
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But
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our knowledge
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can be so
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limited
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that we
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can be
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infants
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on the ladder
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of the development
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of the children
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of God
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and remain
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in that
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infancy state
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with regard
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to our knowledge
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of the love
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of Christ
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because
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the pros
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isn't working
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because we're
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hindering
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the work
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of God
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and the work
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of Christ.
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Infants
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in our knowledge
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of the love
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of God
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in Jesus
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Christ.
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And
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in this prayer
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and because
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of the
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expansion
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and because
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of the
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increased
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capacity
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for God
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there is
17:10
the
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increasing
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awareness
17:13
and experience
17:14
of
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the love
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of God.
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It's
17:19
Christian
17:20
experience
17:20
and the
17:23
Bible
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shows to
17:24
us
17:24
in
17:25
different
17:25
places
17:25
that
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God
17:26
is
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speaking
17:27
to
17:27
his
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people
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because
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they
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are
17:28
not
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producing
17:29
the
17:30
fruit
17:30
that
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he
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called
17:31
them
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so
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to do.
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And
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that
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can be
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so often
17:35
that the
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kiss
17:36
in our
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own
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lives
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that we
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are not
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producing
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the fruit
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that we
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are not
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basking
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ourselves
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by faith
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in the
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great
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ocean
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of the
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redeeming
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love of
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God
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in
17:50
Christ
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and
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sailing
17:53
on that
17:53
ocean
17:54
and
17:54
having
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our
17:55
hearts
17:55
filled
17:56
with
17:56
a
17:57
growing
17:57
sense
17:57
of
17:59
wonder
17:59
and
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it's a
18:02
question
18:02
for me
18:03
and I
18:03
think
18:03
it's a
18:04
question
18:04
for all
18:04
of us
18:05
that
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as I
18:06
spend
18:07
each
18:07
day
18:07
how
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much
18:10
is my
18:12
day
18:12
spent
18:12
experiencing
18:13
more
18:14
and more
18:15
of
18:16
the
18:16
love
18:17
of
18:17
Christ
18:17
that's
18:19
the
18:19
health
18:20
that
18:20
Paul
18:21
is
18:21
looking
18:21
for
18:22
in
18:22
the
18:22
Christians
18:22
in
18:22
Ephesus
18:23
it's
18:25
a
18:25
health
18:25
that
18:25
God
18:25
is
18:26
looking
18:26
for
18:26
in
18:27
the
18:27
hearts
18:27
and
18:27
lives
18:27
of
18:28
all
18:28
of
18:28
his
18:28
people
18:29
to
18:31
know
18:31
to
18:31
experience
18:32
the
18:33
love
18:33
of
18:33
Christ
18:34
that
18:36
surpasses
18:37
knowledge
18:38
there
18:41
are no
18:41
limits
18:42
of course
18:42
to
18:43
the
18:43
love
18:43
of
18:43
God
18:44
and
18:45
our
18:45
experience
18:46
of it
18:47
is
18:47
limited
18:48
only
18:48
by
18:49
our
18:49
capacity
18:50
and
18:52
God
18:52
increases
18:53
our
18:53
capacity
18:54
we will
18:55
never be
18:55
able
18:55
to
18:56
understand
18:56
it
18:57
all
18:57
but
18:58
there's
18:58
a
18:58
growing
18:59
sense
18:59
of
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discovering
19:01
more
19:01
and
19:01
more
19:02
of
19:02
the
19:03
love
19:03
of
19:03
God
19:04
learning
19:05
to
19:06
appreciate
19:06
because
19:07
we're
19:08
learning
19:08
to
19:08
experience
19:09
and
19:09
we're
19:10
learning
19:10
to
19:10
wonder
19:11
more
19:11
and
19:12
learning
19:12
to
19:13
worship
19:13
more
19:14
so
19:16
there's
19:16
a
19:16
process
19:16
there
19:17
is
19:18
participation
19:19
and
19:20
finally
19:20
there
19:20
is
19:21
a
19:22
product
19:22
what
19:23
is
19:23
the
19:24
outcome
19:24
and
19:26
in
19:27
the
19:27
wonderful
19:27
words
19:27
that
19:28
we
19:28
have
19:28
in
19:28
verse
19:28
19
19:29
we
19:29
read
19:30
of
19:30
the
19:30
outcome
19:31
that
19:31
you
19:32
may
19:32
be
19:32
filled
19:33
with
19:34
all
19:34
the
19:35
fullness
19:36
of
19:37
God
19:38
that
19:39
it
19:39
goes
19:40
back
19:40
more
19:40
to
19:40
capacity
19:41
to
19:43
be
19:44
filled
19:44
completely
19:45
and
19:46
we
19:46
have
19:46
seen
19:47
in
19:47
the
19:48
past
19:48
looking
19:49
at
19:49
the
19:50
way
19:50
in
19:50
which
19:50
the
19:51
Old
19:51
Testament
19:52
the
19:53
priests
19:54
in
19:54
the
19:54
temple
19:54
their
19:55
hands
19:55
were
19:55
filled
19:56
to
19:57
equip
19:57
them
19:57
for
19:57
their
19:58
work
19:58
God
19:59
equipped
20:01
them
20:01
to
20:01
serve
20:01
in
20:02
the
20:02
temple
20:03
and
20:04
the
20:04
product
20:05
is
20:05
now
20:05
that
20:06
we
20:06
are
20:07
filled
20:07
we
20:08
are
20:09
equipped
20:09
we
20:10
have
20:10
the
20:11
capacity
20:11
to
20:12
receive
20:12
more
20:13
of
20:13
Christ
20:13
and
20:14
we
20:14
now
20:14
have
20:14
the
20:15
capacity
20:15
and
20:15
the
20:16
ability
20:16
to
20:17
serve
20:17
him
20:17
better
20:18
that's
20:19
the
20:19
product
20:20
that's
20:21
what
20:21
Paul
20:22
is
20:22
looking
20:22
for
20:22
in
20:23
Ephesus
20:23
that's
20:24
what
20:24
God
20:26
is
20:26
looking
20:27
for
20:27
in
20:28
us
20:28
what
20:29
are
20:30
we
20:30
to
20:30
be
20:30
filled
20:32
with
20:32
the
20:34
words
20:35
that
20:35
are
20:35
a
20:36
great
20:36
mystery
20:37
in
20:37
many
20:37
ways
20:37
that
20:37
we
20:38
are
20:38
to
20:38
be
20:38
filled
20:39
with
20:39
all
20:41
the
20:41
fullness
20:42
of
20:42
God
20:43
Paul
20:45
tells
20:46
the
20:46
church
20:46
in
20:47
Colossians
20:47
chapter
20:48
1
20:48
that
20:49
in
20:49
Christ
20:50
Jesus
20:50
the
20:51
fullness
20:51
of
20:52
God
20:52
is
20:52
pleased
20:53
to
20:53
dwell
20:54
if
20:55
Christ
20:55
is
20:55
dwelling
20:56
in
20:56
our
20:56
hearts
20:56
then
20:57
the
20:57
fullness
20:57
of
20:57
God
20:58
is
20:58
dwelling
20:58
in
20:58
our
20:58
hearts
20:59
we
20:59
we
20:59
we
20:59
are
21:00
filled
21:00
with
21:00
a
21:00
sense
21:01
of
21:02
who
21:02
God
21:02
is
21:02
and
21:03
who
21:04
Christ
21:05
is
21:05
but
21:07
the
21:07
filling
21:07
has
21:09
more
21:09
to
21:09
do
21:10
with
21:10
maturity
21:12
and
21:12
capacity
21:13
and
21:15
we
21:16
read
21:16
further
21:16
on
21:16
the
21:16
letter
21:17
and
21:17
we
21:17
see
21:19
in
21:19
chapter
21:19
4
21:19
the
21:19
way
21:20
in
21:20
which
21:20
Paul
21:20
is
21:21
speaking
21:21
of
21:21
the
21:22
need
21:22
to
21:23
attain
21:23
mature
21:24
manhood
21:25
and
21:26
the
21:26
stature
21:27
of
21:27
the
21:28
fullness
21:28
of
21:28
Christ
21:29
chapter
21:30
4
21:31
verse
21:31
13
21:31
it's
21:33
the
21:33
maturity
21:34
the
21:36
growing
21:37
up
21:37
into
21:37
adulthood
21:38
it's
21:40
growing
21:40
in
21:40
the
21:41
likeness
21:41
of
21:41
Christ
21:42
the
21:44
hands
21:44
filled
21:45
to
21:45
to
21:46
equip
21:46
to
21:48
be
21:48
equipped
21:48
to
21:48
serve
21:49
the
21:49
Lord
21:49
Jesus
21:50
and
21:51
walking
21:52
as
21:52
those
21:52
who
21:53
have
21:54
a
21:54
clean
21:54
bill
21:54
of
21:55
health
21:55
because
21:57
God's
21:57
process
21:58
is
21:58
working
21:59
God's
22:00
Son
22:01
is in
22:01
our
22:02
hearts
22:02
God's
22:03
love
22:03
fills
22:04
our
22:04
hearts
22:04
and
22:06
we
22:06
walk
22:06
on
22:07
life
22:07
with
22:08
a
22:08
sense
22:09
of
22:09
wonder
22:10
at
22:10
what
22:10
he
22:10
has
22:11
done
22:11
for
22:11
us
22:11
and
22:11
in
22:12
us
22:12
and
22:13
with
22:13
the
22:14
sense
22:14
of
22:14
wonder
22:15
at
22:15
what
22:15
he
22:16
will
22:16
yet
22:17
do
22:17
and
22:19
in
22:19
many
22:19
ways
22:20
the
22:21
product
22:22
should
22:23
inspire
22:23
us
22:24
to
22:24
pray
22:25
for
22:25
the
22:25
process
22:25
to
22:27
rescue
22:27
us
22:27
from
22:28
perhaps
22:29
our
22:29
slowness
22:31
and
22:32
perhaps
22:32
our
22:33
sloth
22:33
in
22:33
our
22:33
faith
22:34
to
22:34
rescue
22:35
us
22:35
from
22:35
that
22:36
to
22:37
pray
22:38
earnestly
22:38
!
22:38
for
22:39
ourselves
22:39
in the
22:39
first
22:39
place
22:40
to
22:41
pray
22:41
earnestly
22:41
for
22:42
each
22:42
other
22:43
that
22:44
all
22:45
of us
22:45
together
22:45
here
22:46
this
22:46
evening
22:46
would
22:47
have
22:47
an
22:47
increased
22:47
capacity
22:48
for
22:48
the
22:48
Lord
22:48
Jesus
22:49
would
22:50
have
22:50
an
22:50
increased
22:51
capacity
22:51
for
22:51
the
22:51
love
22:52
of
22:52
God
22:52
and
22:54
would
22:54
grow
22:55
up
22:55
from
22:55
being
22:56
infants
22:56
in
22:56
the
22:57
faith
22:57
where
22:57
we
22:57
all
22:58
begin
22:58
to
23:00
be
23:00
mature
23:01
and
23:02
there
23:03
were
23:03
giants
23:04
in the
23:04
faith
23:04
in
23:05
every
23:05
generation
23:05
of
23:06
the
23:06
church
23:06
and
23:07
perhaps
23:08
we
23:08
can
23:08
think
23:08
of
23:09
ourselves
23:09
of
23:10
those
23:10
around
23:11
us
23:11
in
23:11
past
23:12
generations
23:12
and
23:13
they
23:15
were
23:15
giants
23:16
in
23:16
the
23:16
faith
23:16
they
23:17
never
23:17
saw
23:17
themselves
23:17
as
23:18
giants
23:18
but
23:19
others
23:19
saw
23:20
them
23:20
as
23:20
giants
23:20
because
23:21
they
23:21
were
23:21
going
23:22
through
23:22
this
23:22
process
23:23
they
23:24
were
23:24
walking
23:24
with
23:24
the
23:24
Lord
23:25
the
23:25
Lord
23:25
was
23:26
in
23:26
their
23:26
hearts
23:26
and
23:27
that
23:28
spoke
23:29
for
23:30
itself
23:30
and
23:32
so
23:32
tonight
23:32
let's
23:32
reflect
23:33
on
23:33
this
23:33
prayer
23:33
let's
23:34
keep
23:34
in
23:34
our
23:34
rear view
23:35
mirror
23:35
the
23:36
whole
23:36
history
23:36
of
23:37
this
23:37
church
23:37
in
23:37
Ephesus
23:38
that
23:39
they
23:39
were
23:39
warned
23:42
and
23:42
that
23:43
ultimately
23:44
God
23:45
left
23:45
them
23:46
but
23:47
that
23:47
we
23:47
will
23:48
not
23:48
be
23:48
like
23:49
them
23:49
this
23:50
will
23:50
be
23:50
our
23:51
prayer
23:51
as
23:52
we
23:52
leave
23:52
the
23:53
seminary
23:54
this
23:54
evening
23:54
and
23:55
that
23:55
we
23:55
will
23:55
know
23:55
in
23:55
our
23:56
hearts
23:56
that
23:57
you
23:58
are
23:58
praying
23:59
for
23:59
the
23:59
person
23:59
next
23:59
to
24:00
you
24:00
that
24:01
I
24:02
am
24:02
praying
24:02
for
24:02
all
24:03
of
24:03
you
24:04
and
24:04
that
24:04
you
24:04
are
24:04
praying
24:04
for
24:04
all
24:05
of
24:05
us
24:05
for
24:06
this
24:07
product
24:07
to
24:08
be
24:08
evident
24:08
and
24:09
that
24:10
kind
24:10
of
24:10
healthy
24:11
christian
24:12
humanity
24:13
and
24:13
that
24:14
developing
24:15
faith
24:15
will
24:16
be
24:16
effective
24:17
and
24:18
will
24:18
show
24:19
itself
24:19
in
24:20
a
24:20
powerful
24:20
light
24:21
and
24:21
witness
24:21
in
24:22
our
24:22
congregation
24:23
in
24:23
our
24:23
community
24:23
in
24:23
our
24:24
town
24:24
and
24:25
wherever
24:25
we
24:25
go
24:25
as
24:26
people
24:26
of
24:27
God
24:27
may
24:28
God
24:28
grant
24:28
that
24:28
he
24:29
will
24:29
bless
24:29
us
24:29
in
24:30
such
24:30
a
24:30
way
24:30
so
24:32
we
24:32
conclude
24:33
by
24:33
singing
24:34
in
24:34
Psalm
24:34
91
24:35
may