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Pressing On · Stornoway Free Church of Scotland - Sermons

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We begin our worship by singing to God's praise in Psalm 25.
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!
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Psalm 29 of the Psalm books.
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Psalm 25.
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We'll sing from verse 1 to verse 7.
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!
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To you, O Lord, I lift my soul.
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I trust in you continually.
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Do not let me be put to shame, nor let my foes gloat over me.
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Verse 1 to 7, we stand to sing to God's praise.
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To you, O Lord, I lift my soul.
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I trust in you continually.
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Do not let me be put to shame,
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nor let my foes gloat over me.
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No one who sets his hope in you will ever suffer such disgrace.
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But those who act with treachery, humiliating shame will face.
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O Lord, reveal to me your ways, and all your paths help me to know.
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Direct and guide me in your truth.
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Instruct me in the way to go.
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You are my Savior and my God.
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All day, I hope in you alone.
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Remember, Lord, your love and grace,
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which from past ages you have shown.
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Do not recall my sins of youth,
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or my rebellious evil ways.
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Remember me in your great love.
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For you, O Lord, are good always.
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Let's bow our heads in a word of prayer.
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Let us pray.
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Our Father in heaven, as we gather in your name today,
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we are thankful for the reminder in these words that we have sung,
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that you are a God who is good always,
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and you are the one who is worth remembering in your great love.
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And we pray, Lord, that as we worship you today,
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that we will have you in mind in all things,
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that we will be able to put away other distractions
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that so easily come in,
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that we will be able to just focus on you,
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upon your word, upon your truth to us,
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upon your mercy that is new each day,
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and thankful for all the gracious thoughts that you have towards us.
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We thank you for this day and a time to gather in worship.
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We thank you for even this morning,
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seeing the snow having cleared and the ice having cleared so much,
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and thankful to be able to be out and about more safely as well.
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And we just pray that you will continue to watch over us in the week ahead
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and keep us safe and guide us in it.
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We thank you for the Sunday school resuming today and the Bible class,
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and just pray your blessing on all our young people and the teachers to us well,
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Lord, that you will just be with us in these days
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and help us together to grow in our knowledge of you,
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to grow in the wonder of Jesus,
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the one who came for us,
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the one who is a savior for his people,
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and the one who will come again,
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the one who is with you even now,
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and we await his coming,
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not knowing when that will be, Lord,
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but making ourselves ready for it.
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Help us to do so.
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Bless us, Lord, we pray,
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as homes and families and as a community as a whole,
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look down upon us today
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and upon all your people who gather in this way,
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and far and wide, Lord,
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that your spirit would be poured out upon us.
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So, look, be with us now.
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Go before us.
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Pardon our sins.
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And all we ask, we ask in Jesus' name.
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Amen.
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Just a word to the young folks before we go out to Sunday school,
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Bible class and tweenies.
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It's good to be back together after a holiday time.
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I hope you all enjoyed a good holiday.
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It's nice to be back together.
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But it's been quite a strange week for us this week
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when all of a sudden it turned so cold
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and the snow and ice came.
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So we don't see it very often,
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but it was there pretty much all of this week.
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And it can be beautiful to look at in many ways,
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but it can also be very dangerous.
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People slip, cars slide in it,
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so it can be very dangerous as well.
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And that makes us thankful
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when there are those who go out
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to help us in these conditions.
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And especially this past week,
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thankful for gritters going out
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and putting salt on the road
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to try and keep the ice away.
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And I don't know if you've ever seen it,
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but in the last couple of years,
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everything seems to go online.
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And you get this map now that you can see of Scotland.
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And you can follow gritters around.
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You can see where different gritters are,
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the lorries are,
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and many of them now have names.
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I don't know if you've seen this,
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but many of the gritters have names.
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I don't think they do it in our own island here
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in terms of tracking them,
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but maybe they've given them names as well.
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But I was looking at some of the names that you see.
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And here's a few of them
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and see what you make of this.
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And these are all names that you see
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written on the lorry,
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on the side or on the front of the lorry.
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There was one that was called Control Salt Delete.
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Another was called Grit and Bear It.
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Ready Salted was another one.
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Snowmer Simpson.
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That was one of them.
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Salt Disney.
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Again, you can see how they're just playing on words.
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Another one had I Want to Break Freeze.
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And the last one I saw was Ready Spready Go.
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And what you see is they're giving them these names.
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And you see the whole idea behind it
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isn't just that we have a laugh about it,
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but what it does is it makes us aware of them.
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It sort of shows us the important work that they're doing.
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And it just makes us show an interest in it
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because maybe before we just thought nothing of it.
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The lorries were going out and doing their work
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and that was it.
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But it kind of highlights what they're doing
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and the importance of it.
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And it's all for our safety.
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All the names that you see there,
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they've got in mind that the work that they're doing
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is to clear the way for us.
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And it got me to thinking as well
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how many names we see of Jesus.
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Jesus has many different names in the Bible.
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And they're all associated with what he's doing for us.
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Just like the gritters go out and prepare the way
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for us to go about safely,
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Jesus came to go ahead of us
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and to prepare the way for us.
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And he was given more than one name.
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He was given many names.
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And I've just written down a few of the names
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that Jesus has as well.
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And they all speak to us about his power
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and his authority.
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Christ is one name that he's given.
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That is the anointed one,
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the one sent by God.
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He's given the name Jesus
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because that means he will save his people
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from their sins.
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He was called Emmanuel,
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which means God with us.
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He was called the rock
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because he's the foundation of the church,
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of our salvation.
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He was called Redeemer
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because he came paying a price for us.
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He was called Shepherd
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because he guides and watches over his people.
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He was called the Lamb
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because he came to give himself
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as a perfect sacrifice.
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So you see,
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gritters are given all these different names
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just to remind us of what they're doing,
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the importance of them going before us.
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But Jesus too is given many names.
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But they are all reminding us
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of the importance of remembering him
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and what he has done for us.
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That he is the one who goes before us all,
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preparing a way for his people,
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keeping his people safe,
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and ultimately bringing them safely home.
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So we're thankful that in conditions
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like we had this week,
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that there are so many people
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who help to keep us safe and well.
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We give thanks to God
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for everyone who helps in these times.
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But we thank God too
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for the reminder that he is the one
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who goes before us
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and prepares a way for us.
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Well, thank you for listening.
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May God bless these thoughts too.
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We're going to say the Lord's Prayer together now.
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Amen.
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We're going to sing again to God's praise
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this time in Psalm 119
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in the Scottish Psalter,
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page 407 of the psalm books.
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Psalm 119.
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We're singing at verse 89,
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page 407.
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Singing the whole of this section together.
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Psalm 119 at verse 89.
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We'll sing from verse 89
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down to the end of that section
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to God's praise.
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We stand to sing.
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Thy word forever is, O Lord,
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in heaven settled fast,
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unto all generations.
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Thy faithfulness at last.
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The earth thou hast established,
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and it abides by thee.
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This day they stand,
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as thou ordainst
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for all thy servants be.
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Unless in thy most perfect law
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my soul's delight
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have found,
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I should have perished
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when as my troubles did abound.
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Thy precepts I will ne'er forget,
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they quickening to me brought.
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Lord, I am thine,
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O save thou me,
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thy precepts I have sought.
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For me the wicked have laid weight,
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me seeking to destroy.
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But as I test him all he's true,
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consider will with joy.
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an end of all perfection,
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here have I seen, O God,
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O God.
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But as for thy commandment,
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it is exceeding broad.
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We'll turn together to read God's word
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in 1st Thessalonians chapter 5.
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1st Thessalonians chapter 5.
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You'll find it around page 1189.
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We read the whole of this chapter together.
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1st Thessalonians chapter 5 at verse 1.
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Now concerning the times and the seasons,
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brothers,
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you have no need to have anything written to you.
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For you yourselves are fully aware
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that the day of the Lord will come
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like a thief in the night.
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While people are saying,
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there is peace and security,
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then sudden destruction will come upon them
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as labor pains come upon a pregnant woman,
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and they will not escape.
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But you are not in darkness, brothers,
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for that day to surprise you like a thief.
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For you are all children of light,
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children of the day.
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We are not of the night or of the darkness.
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So then let us not sleep as others do,
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but let us keep awake and be sober.
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For those who sleep, sleep at night,
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and those who get drunk are drunk at night.
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But since we belong to the day,
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let us be sober,
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having put on the breastplate of faith and love,
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and for a helmet the hope of salvation.
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For God has not destined us for wrath,
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but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ,
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who died for us so that whether we are awake or asleep,
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we might live with him.
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Therefore, encourage one another
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and build one another up just as you are doing.
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We ask you, brothers, to respect those who labor among you
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and are over you in the Lord,
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and admonish you,
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and to esteem them very highly in love because of their work.
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Be at peace among yourselves.
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And we urge you, brothers,
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admonish the idle,
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encourage the faint-hearted,
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help the weak,
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be patient with them all.
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See that no one repays anyone evil for evil,
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but always seek to do good to one another and to everyone.
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Rejoice always.
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Pray without ceasing.
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Give thanks in all circumstances,
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for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
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Do not quench the spirit.
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Do not despise prophecies,
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but test everything.
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Hold fast what is good.
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Abstain from every form of evil.
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Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely,
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and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless
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at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
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He who calls you is faithful.
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He will surely do it.
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Brothers, pray for us.
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Greet all the brothers with a holy kiss.
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I put you under oath before the Lord to have this letter read to all the brothers.
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The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.
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Amen.
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And may God add his blessing to that reading of his word.
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We'll again engage in a word of prayer.
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Let us pray.
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Father, we do thank you for your word,
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and we thank you for all the instruction it gives.
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There is instruction there to discipline in the sense of admonish one another.
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But there is also the sense of encouraging one another,
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of being patient with one another.
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And we thank you for all the variety that your word reminds us of,
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that life isn't just a simple black and white in so many ways,
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but that we have so many differences in life.
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We are all made in your image, and yet we are all so different in ourselves.
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We live in parts of the world which are so different in many different ways,
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when we think of the extreme weathers that we see,
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and we see the surroundings that we see around us.
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And yet, Lord, we know that you are God and Lord of all.
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And so we thank you for the variety in life,
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but we thank you for the constancy that there is too,
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that you are one who does not change,
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that you are one God, and that there is one Saviour, Christ Jesus,
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and that there is one Spirit who you have poured out upon your people.
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And we thank you that in those we have that unchangeable Trinity.
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We have God who is one and yet three persons.
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And we pray, Lord, that we would know your power with us in that way,
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the power that you are as God and Lord of all,
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that as you speak, Lord, that you would give us ears to hear.
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The Saviour who is Christ Jesus, that we would see him more and more,
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that we would know him and love him and serve him.
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And the Holy Spirit who you have given,
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that we would seek not to quench that Spirit or to grieve it in any way,
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but indeed to be stirred up by that Spirit, to love and to good works.
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And we thank you for all the encouragement that you give us,
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for every blessing that is ours in Christ,
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and for your faithfulness towards us, that you are a God who remembers.
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And we thank you for that each day, Lord, that you are promised to be with us,
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that you meet us in all our different needs,
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and that you are one who is faithful always towards us.
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And help us, Lord, to live in light of your truth,
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the truth that we have just read of, that you are a,
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that the Lord Jesus will come again.
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And the truth that we have read, that we are to be prepared for that time.
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And that you would indeed bless us by your word and by your Spirit today,
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that we would be encouraged all the more to seek the Lord while he may be found,
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and to call upon him while he is near.
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And we do thank you, Lord, for your church that you are building.
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Even as we have reflected on the names given to Jesus, the one who prepares the way for us,
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the rock was there, the one who is the cornerstone upon which the church is built.
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And we thank you that you are indeed building your church.
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And we pray for your kingdom to come in power.
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For the church that you are building here in our own midst and in our town, Lord,
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that you will continue to be the one who guides and who helps,
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and who builds it to your glory.
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That you would call people to yourself.
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That sinners should be saved.
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That your people will be built up here.
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And we do pray, Lord, even in the week ahead,
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that you will show us your Spirit and your will for us.
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And we do pray for the meeting of the Vacancy Committee to that end
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and this coming week on Tuesday evening as they gather.
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And for all of us as a congregation that we would have that prayerfully in our minds at all times.
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Seeking your will for us, Lord.
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Seeking one who would come and minister, who would be called by you and shown to us by you.
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That you would give us a united spirit to that end.
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And that we would know the will of God in all of these things.
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We do thank you, Lord, for all who help with preaching.
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Not just here, but throughout our islands at this time.
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Especially with the many vacancies that we are experiencing just now.
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We thank you for all who are out proclaiming the gospel even at this time.
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Many who have served you over many years in congregations
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and who are now retired and yet still so willing to serve you.
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We thank you for each one.
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We thank you for those who are lay preachers too.
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For those who have other work during the week
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and who give time to prepare and to preach on the Lord's Day.
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We thank you for everyone who you equip to that.
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And we pray, Lord, that you will indeed build up others.
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Call others to come and proclaim the glorious riches of Christ.
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And to serve you even in the ministry, whether it be part-time or full-time.
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That we would see your hand upon us, Lord, providing for us.
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So remember our congregations.
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Remember our people.
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Remember our land at this time.
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We do commit all our ways to you.
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And just pray guidance and help and wisdom towards us as a people.
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Remember all ends of the earth.
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We see so much going on around us.
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We see the wildfires in America and Los Angeles there just now.
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And the devastation that's brought.
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So many lives lost there as well.
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And, Lord, it's hard for us just to imagine these circumstances
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and how quickly it changes.
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Lord, we pray for the fires to be quenched there and for lives to be rebuilt in the midst of it all.
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We think too of lands where there is war in the Middle East and the Ukraine.
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In many parts of the world, Lord, we know there are tensions and conflicts.
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So many even hidden from us.
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So many losing their lives day by day in the midst of it.
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Not just those who are soldiers, but innocent people too.
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Young people.
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We do pray for peace in our world.
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Thankful that you are a God who is able to do so much more than all that we ask or imagine.
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Thankful that we have that power in prayer to come to you.
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And to know that you are one who is able.
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So, Lord, we pray that as your church, as your people, far and wide,
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that you would hear our pleas towards you and have mercy upon us.
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Remember us as a people here in our homes, in our families.
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Remember those who are mourning and grieving at this time, whose hearts are sore.
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Remember those who are unwell.
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Remember those who are going through all kinds of trials and difficulties.
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Lord, we know the needs are so many around us.
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And we just pray, Lord, for your spirit, for your grace upon us, for your mercy to be with us.
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And we do thank you, Lord, that in all things we can look to you.
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For we know that if we look to ourselves that we are so weak and frail.
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But in you we have one who is Lord and God of all.
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Even as we think of Thomas of old, as he said,
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unless he would see your hands and your side, that he would not believe.
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And yet when he saw, he was so humbled.
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And all he could say was, my Lord and my God.
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We pray, Lord, that we would have these days when we, in all our doubts and fears and worries,
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are able to see your power at work and just come humbly before you, saying, in all glory to you, my Lord and my God.
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So may your will be done in all things.
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And may you hear our prayers.
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And may you pardon us for all our sins.
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That's all we ask.
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We ask in the precious name of Jesus and for his glory.
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Amen.
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We're going to sing again to God's praise.
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This time in Psalm 52.
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We sing Psalm's version, page 69 of the Psalm books.
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Psalm 52, page 69.
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The tune is Wetherby.
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We're singing from verse 5 down to verse 9, the end of the Psalm.
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But God will surely bring you down to ruin and disgrace.
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He will uproot you from your tent and from your dwelling place.
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There's a sense here of the judgment of God.
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And yet at the end of the Psalm, we see the Psalm is able to give praise and glory to God.
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But I am like an olive plant in God's house growing free.
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I trust in God's unfailing love to all eternity.
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We'll sing from verse 5 down to the end of the Psalm to God's praise.
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Psalm 52, verse 5, verse 10, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing, singing singing
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from your dead and from your dwelling place.
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He'll snatch you from the land of life
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and carry you away.
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The righteous seeing this will fear,
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then they will huff and sing.
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This is the man who for his strength
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on God did not rely.
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He trusted in his wealth and power
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to raise himself on high.
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But I am like an olive plant
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in God's house growing free.
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I trust in God's unfailing love
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to all eternity.
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I'll praise you ever for your deeds.
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My hope is in your name
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And in the presence of your saints
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I will extol your fame
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Well, we can turn back to our reading
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in 1 Thessalonians chapter 5.
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We can read again at verse 19.
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We're going to look at really verse 12
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down to verse 22.
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We can read again at verse 19.
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Do not quench the spirit.
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Do not despise prophecies.
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But test everything.
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Hold fast to what is good.
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Abstain from every form of evil.
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We looked at the first part of this chapter
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a couple of weeks ago,
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just before Christmas,
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and we were looking at
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how it speaks of
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the coming of the Lord.
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It was a time when so many
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were thinking of counting down
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to something significant.
31:55
Counting down how we often do
31:56
to different events
31:57
that go on in our life.
31:58
Whether we're thinking of Christmas
31:59
or something else in life,
32:01
we have a countdown towards that day.
32:04
But as we think of what it speaks of
32:06
in the beginning of this chapter
32:07
and the second coming of the Lord,
32:09
it's not a day we can just count down to
32:11
in that way
32:13
because it's not a day we know
32:14
when it will be.
32:17
And so there was the importance
32:18
of preparing ourselves
32:20
each day for that coming
32:22
of the Lord.
32:23
And we looked at it under three headings.
32:24
We had the awareness,
32:26
I think of being aware of the situation,
32:28
aware of the seasons,
32:30
and aware of the solution
32:32
in terms of making ourselves ready.
32:35
But it leads on to that,
32:37
another question,
32:39
in light of that,
32:40
when we think of the coming
32:41
of the Lord
32:42
and not knowing
32:44
when that day will be.
32:46
And the question would be,
32:47
well, what do we do in the meantime?
32:49
How do we live
32:49
in the meantime?
32:52
And that is what Paul addresses
32:53
as he goes on in this chapter.
32:56
He continues,
32:57
in light of the Lord's return,
32:59
as you see it,
33:00
as it goes on towards
33:01
the end
33:02
of the chapter,
33:04
in verse 23,
33:05
it says,
33:05
Now may the God of peace himself
33:07
sanctify you completely,
33:10
and may your whole spirit
33:11
and soul and body
33:12
be kept blameless
33:13
at the coming
33:15
of the Lord Jesus.
33:16
So,
33:17
at the end
33:17
of what we're looking at today,
33:18
it's speaking there
33:20
about the coming
33:20
of the Lord again.
33:22
And it's what we do
33:23
in the meantime,
33:24
how we prepare ourselves.
33:26
So,
33:26
Paul gives instructions
33:28
to us
33:28
in this section
33:30
in between
33:30
verse 12
33:31
down to verse 22,
33:33
how we are to live,
33:36
how we are to press on,
33:38
how we are to go forward.
33:41
So,
33:41
there are instructions
33:42
for our lives now,
33:44
but also instructions
33:45
in light of eternity.
33:49
And I read somewhere
33:50
this week
33:51
just how people
33:52
live their lives
33:53
differently
33:54
in light of life
33:55
and in light of eternity.
33:58
Some people will live
33:59
with that,
34:00
well,
34:00
life is short,
34:01
enjoy it,
34:02
that kind of attitude
34:03
towards things.
34:04
Life is short,
34:06
enjoy it.
34:07
Whereas,
34:08
more importantly,
34:09
we should look at it
34:09
this way,
34:10
eternity is long,
34:12
prepare for it.
34:14
It's not just a case
34:14
of life now.
34:16
Make the most of it,
34:17
enjoy it
34:17
as you want
34:18
to please yourself,
34:20
but in light of eternity,
34:22
which is long,
34:22
which is endless,
34:24
prepare for that.
34:25
So,
34:26
live your life
34:27
in that way.
34:30
But,
34:30
these two ideas
34:31
remind us
34:32
how often
34:32
we are pulled
34:33
in different directions.
34:36
How often
34:36
we have so many
34:37
things affecting us
34:39
and speaking to us
34:40
around us
34:40
that are pulling us
34:41
in these two
34:43
different directions,
34:44
especially.
34:46
It is that sense
34:47
of
34:47
life is short,
34:50
just enjoy it.
34:51
One way we're being
34:52
pulled in that direction
34:53
or other times
34:54
we're thinking of
34:56
eternity,
34:57
it is long,
34:58
prepare
34:58
for that.
35:00
What's more
35:01
important
35:02
to us?
35:03
Surely,
35:04
it is
35:05
eternity,
35:06
but we're pulled
35:07
in different directions
35:08
so often.
35:10
Just look back
35:11
over the last week
35:12
for yourself.
35:14
Beginning on Monday,
35:15
I'm sure we all
35:16
had plans
35:17
for different things
35:18
that we were going
35:19
to do.
35:23
But how did
35:23
these plans
35:24
work out?
35:26
Maybe you had
35:27
a list of things
35:27
you wanted to achieve
35:29
between Monday
35:30
and Saturday,
35:31
a to-do list
35:32
as we so often have.
35:34
And yet,
35:34
if you look back,
35:35
I'm sure,
35:35
like me,
35:36
you find that there
35:36
were many things
35:37
that you'd planned
35:38
to do at the start
35:39
of the week
35:39
that are still there
35:40
to be done
35:41
because something
35:43
has taken you away.
35:44
Your attention
35:45
has been taken away
35:46
to something else.
35:47
And sometimes
35:48
these things happen.
35:49
Interruptions come.
35:51
Distractions come.
35:52
There's nothing
35:52
we can do about them.
35:54
They're legitimate.
35:55
But other times,
35:57
we're distracted
35:58
just for the wrong reasons.
36:00
We think,
36:00
well,
36:01
this is important,
36:02
but I can go
36:02
and just procrastinate
36:04
and do something else
36:05
in the meantime.
36:06
I'll just put that away.
36:07
It's often the case
36:09
for us.
36:11
It can be like that
36:12
for things
36:12
during the week,
36:13
but what about
36:14
when we think back
36:15
to the last Lord's Day?
36:17
What you heard
36:18
last Lord's Day
36:19
was in the morning
36:20
or the evening.
36:21
Perhaps there was
36:21
something
36:22
that spoke to you,
36:23
something that
36:24
pricked your conscience.
36:25
and made you think,
36:27
there's something
36:27
I need to address
36:28
here in my life.
36:30
I need to prayerfully
36:31
look at this situation
36:32
in my life
36:33
and think,
36:34
how are things
36:35
going to change?
36:36
How are things
36:37
going to be different?
36:40
But did it happen?
36:42
Perhaps you're left here
36:43
with that sense of,
36:45
I need to look at this
36:46
seriously,
36:47
prayerfully.
36:48
But then there's
36:49
distractions.
36:49
You're pulled
36:50
in different directions.
36:51
Interruptions come,
36:53
distractions come.
36:55
And so it goes on,
36:56
the important things
36:57
are left aside.
36:59
And you become,
37:00
well,
37:00
life is short,
37:01
let me get this done.
37:03
And you forget,
37:04
eternity is long.
37:05
I need to prepare
37:06
for that.
37:08
The church
37:09
at Thessalonica
37:10
was a young church,
37:12
young believers,
37:13
young in the faith.
37:15
And as you read
37:16
through it,
37:16
you find
37:17
there were people
37:18
who were pulled
37:18
in different directions
37:20
themselves as well.
37:22
They knew
37:23
what they needed
37:25
ultimately was Christ.
37:26
And yet at the same time,
37:27
there were those
37:28
around them
37:28
who were pulling them
37:30
away from that
37:30
and pulling them
37:31
in different directions.
37:34
And so as Paul
37:35
is writing to them,
37:36
it's to encourage them
37:37
to have that focus.
37:40
And how to live
37:41
in light of the Lord's return,
37:43
how to live
37:44
in light of eternity,
37:46
is to have a focus
37:47
always on Christ,
37:50
to look to him,
37:53
because we're so easily
37:54
pulled in different directions.
37:57
And so I want us
37:58
to look at three things
37:59
from this passage today,
38:02
just to help us
38:03
to live in light
38:04
of the Lord's return,
38:06
enabling us to live
38:07
in light of
38:08
what our priorities
38:09
should be
38:10
with a focus
38:11
always on Christ.
38:14
The hymn
38:15
in Christ alone
38:17
it speaks at one point,
38:19
it says this,
38:19
as he stands
38:20
in victory,
38:21
since curse
38:21
has lost
38:22
its grip on me,
38:24
for I am his
38:25
and he is mine,
38:27
bought with the
38:28
precious blood
38:29
of Christ.
38:30
It speaks here
38:31
of since curse
38:32
has lost
38:33
its grip on me
38:34
as we're trusting
38:35
in him.
38:36
But sin is still there.
38:39
And that's the challenge
38:40
for us as we live
38:41
our lives.
38:42
Sin is still there.
38:44
And how do we seek
38:46
to live a more
38:47
Christ-glorifying life?
38:49
Well, in verse 19
38:51
into verse 21,
38:53
there's three things
38:55
there that we want
38:55
to see that helps us.
38:58
And Paul,
38:59
putting it in three I's,
39:01
if you like,
39:02
we have inflame,
39:03
ingest,
39:05
and inspect.
39:06
Three things
39:07
that we want to do
39:08
in life that will help us
39:09
live a life
39:11
that's more focused
39:12
on Christ.
39:13
And the first
39:14
is this inflame.
39:16
In verse 19,
39:17
it says,
39:18
do not quench
39:19
the Spirit.
39:21
So the opposite
39:22
in terms of
39:23
don't quench it
39:24
would be to make sure
39:25
that the Spirit
39:26
is giving life.
39:28
The Spirit is the fire
39:29
in your soul.
39:31
The one that is
39:32
guiding you
39:33
in life.
39:35
There is to be
39:35
obedience
39:36
to the Holy Spirit.
39:38
And that's
39:38
the first thing
39:39
that we want
39:40
to see here.
39:43
When we're pulled
39:44
in different directions,
39:46
it can be that
39:46
quenching effect
39:47
on the Spirit
39:48
because we know
39:49
the Spirit
39:49
is working.
39:50
When the Spirit
39:51
is speaking to us,
39:53
and yet we can
39:54
grieve the Spirit,
39:55
we can quench
39:56
the Spirit
39:56
by being disobedient.
39:59
And when you look
40:00
at how Paul
40:01
and Silvanus
40:02
or Silas
40:03
is another translation
40:04
and Timothy,
40:05
how did they end up
40:06
in Thessalonica?
40:08
Was this where
40:09
they were going to?
40:10
Was this where
40:11
they were aiming for?
40:13
No.
40:15
But they were led there
40:16
by the Holy Spirit.
40:18
When you go back
40:19
to the book of Acts,
40:20
it shows us more
40:21
of how Paul
40:22
came to Thessalonica
40:24
and other places.
40:26
And when he came
40:27
to Thessalonica,
40:28
it was in this way,
40:29
in Acts 16,
40:30
verse 7.
40:32
They were on
40:33
their journey,
40:33
they were making
40:34
their way,
40:35
but it says,
40:35
when they had come
40:36
to Mysia,
40:37
they attempted
40:38
to go to Bithynia,
40:40
but the Spirit
40:41
of Jesus
40:42
did not allow them.
40:43
You see,
40:44
the Spirit of Jesus
40:45
did not allow them.
40:48
So passing by Mysia,
40:49
they went down
40:50
to throw us.
40:51
And a vision
40:52
appeared to Paul
40:53
in the night.
40:54
A man of Macedonia
40:55
was standing there,
40:56
urging him
40:57
and saying,
40:58
come over to Macedonia
40:59
and help us.
41:02
The Spirit
41:03
was prompting.
41:04
The Spirit
41:05
was moving.
41:06
And they could have
41:06
just said,
41:06
well, no,
41:07
we're going this way.
41:09
But they knew
41:10
that would be
41:11
quenching the Spirit,
41:13
being disobedient
41:14
to the will of God.
41:16
And so they put
41:17
themselves
41:17
into the Lord's hands.
41:19
They followed
41:20
the prompting
41:20
of the Spirit.
41:23
Otherwise,
41:24
they would have
41:24
been disobedient.
41:26
They would have
41:26
been grieving
41:27
the Holy Spirit.
41:30
And so we,
41:30
in our own lives,
41:31
we so often
41:32
quench the Spirit,
41:34
I'm sure.
41:35
We all do it
41:36
at some point.
41:37
Because the Spirit
41:38
is working,
41:39
and yet we're
41:39
disobedient.
41:41
We go in a
41:41
different direction.
41:43
We're pulled
41:43
in different directions.
41:45
And we follow
41:45
our own feelings.
41:47
We follow
41:47
our own emotions.
41:48
We follow
41:49
our own desires.
41:50
All of these things.
41:51
And we're quenching
41:52
the Spirit.
41:54
Because the work
41:55
of the Spirit
41:56
is to fan
41:58
into flame
41:58
the life
41:59
that is in us.
42:00
the Spirit
42:01
was poured out
42:03
on the day of Pentecost,
42:04
as you see
42:04
in the book of Acts.
42:06
It's the power
42:07
of the church.
42:10
We are alive
42:11
in Christ
42:12
through the Spirit.
42:14
It is
42:14
the fire
42:16
that
42:16
is not there
42:17
when we are dead
42:18
in our trespasses
42:19
and sins,
42:20
as Ephesians
42:20
speaks about.
42:22
But by grace
42:23
we are made alive.
42:24
That fire
42:25
comes into
42:26
our soul.
42:27
And the Lord
42:29
puts this fire
42:30
in us.
42:31
But we are not
42:32
to quench
42:33
that Spirit.
42:34
We are to keep
42:35
it alive
42:36
and flame it
42:37
in our lives
42:39
and our hearts.
42:41
Somebody spoke
42:42
of it as
42:42
the wick
42:44
that burns
42:45
in oil
42:46
in this way.
42:47
Imagine a wick
42:48
that is placed
42:48
in oil
42:49
and then lit.
42:50
If the oil
42:50
runs out
42:51
the wick
42:51
burns.
42:53
But as long
42:54
as there is oil
42:55
the wick
42:55
doesn't burn.
42:58
See,
42:58
when you watch
42:59
the wick
42:59
in the oil,
43:01
it's the oil
43:01
that's burning.
43:02
It's not the wick.
43:04
But as soon
43:04
as the oil
43:05
is gone,
43:05
the wick
43:05
will soon
43:06
burn out.
43:07
So the person
43:08
said,
43:08
as long as
43:09
we are living
43:09
in dependence
43:10
on the power
43:10
of the Holy Spirit,
43:12
we do not
43:12
burn out.
43:15
But the question
43:16
is,
43:16
what's burning?
43:19
What's burning?
43:22
And that's
43:22
the question
43:23
that the people
43:23
in Thessalonica
43:24
had to face up to.
43:26
What was burning
43:27
in their lives?
43:28
What were they
43:28
feeding into
43:30
their souls?
43:31
What fire
43:32
were they
43:32
feeding?
43:34
In terms of
43:35
what direction
43:35
they were being
43:36
pulled in.
43:38
And being pulled
43:39
in different ways,
43:41
different directions.
43:43
It's pulled away
43:44
from the Word of God
43:45
just like pouring
43:46
cold water
43:47
on the fire
43:48
and it goes out.
43:50
And we can
43:51
experience that.
43:52
We can experience it
43:53
in our own lives.
43:54
We go away
43:55
from church.
43:55
We go away
43:56
from a place
43:56
where we enjoyed
43:58
good fellowship
43:58
or good preaching
43:59
or just a good spirit.
44:01
We go away
44:02
and yet so soon
44:03
afterwards
44:04
we quench that.
44:05
The fire just
44:06
seems to go out.
44:09
And sometimes
44:09
it's by our own
44:10
choosing,
44:11
our own making
44:11
the wrong decisions.
44:13
We don't feed
44:14
that flame
44:15
the way that we
44:16
should.
44:17
See,
44:18
there's two types
44:19
of fires
44:20
in life.
44:22
There's one
44:23
we could say
44:24
it's the essential
44:24
fire.
44:26
The fire
44:26
for our boilers.
44:28
The fire
44:28
in our fireplace.
44:30
The one that
44:30
gives off warmth
44:31
and heat
44:32
and keeps us
44:33
well and happy
44:35
at home
44:35
in that sense
44:36
and keeps things
44:37
moving along.
44:39
But there's another
44:39
fire that we see
44:40
that's destruction.
44:42
It's full of
44:43
destruction.
44:44
And we see it
44:44
in this past week
44:46
in Los Angeles,
44:47
the devastation
44:48
that a wildfire
44:49
can bring.
44:51
How these homes,
44:52
it's a horrendous
44:53
picture to see.
44:55
Hard to comprehend
44:56
the destruction,
44:57
the devastation.
44:59
Places just
44:59
wiped out
45:00
in no time.
45:03
And that's
45:04
the danger
45:04
with the fires
45:05
that we have
45:06
in life as well.
45:07
The fire of sin
45:08
that can so easily
45:09
just devastate
45:10
our lives.
45:12
Or the fire
45:13
of the spirit
45:13
that just keeps
45:14
us going.
45:15
But which one
45:16
is it that we're
45:16
feeding?
45:17
And which one
45:18
are you
45:19
extinguishing?
45:21
So Paul is
45:22
saying here,
45:22
do not quench
45:23
the spirit.
45:26
When the spirit
45:26
is working,
45:28
you know yourself
45:29
when it is.
45:30
Don't quench it.
45:31
Don't turn away
45:32
from it.
45:32
Don't let yourself
45:33
be pulled away
45:34
in a different
45:35
direction.
45:36
Seek the Lord.
45:37
Pour out your heart
45:38
to him.
45:38
Pray to him
45:39
to help you
45:40
along the way
45:41
and to keep
45:42
that fire
45:42
aflame.
45:43
to keep
45:44
that fire
45:45
burning
45:46
in your heart.
45:48
So do not
45:49
quench
45:49
the spirit.
45:52
You see
45:52
then in verse
45:53
20,
45:54
immediately
45:55
Paul says
45:55
then,
45:56
do not
45:56
despise
45:57
prophecies.
46:00
So again
46:01
we think
46:01
here,
46:02
what's he
46:02
saying to us?
46:03
Do not quench
46:04
the spirit.
46:05
Keep that
46:05
fire going.
46:07
But here
46:07
we think
46:08
of what we
46:09
ingest,
46:09
how we
46:10
ingest
46:11
something.
46:11
Do not
46:11
despise
46:13
the prophecies.
46:15
How do we
46:16
feed the fire?
46:18
Well we
46:18
feed it
46:19
by giving
46:19
it fuel.
46:21
If you
46:21
cut the
46:22
fuel,
46:22
the fire
46:22
goes out.
46:23
Simple as
46:24
that.
46:26
And so
46:26
we need
46:26
to
46:27
fuel
46:29
the fire
46:29
of our
46:30
souls
46:30
as well.
46:31
And what
46:32
he says
46:32
here is
46:32
do not
46:33
despise
46:34
the
46:34
prophecies.
46:37
What
46:37
were the
46:37
prophecies
46:38
that he
46:39
was speaking
46:39
about
46:40
here?
46:41
Well the
46:41
people would
46:42
be familiar
46:42
with the
46:42
prophets
46:43
of the
46:44
Old Testament
46:44
such as
46:45
we are
46:45
too.
46:47
Prophets
46:47
role was
46:48
to proclaim
46:48
the word
46:49
of God
46:50
that was
46:50
given to
46:51
them.
46:52
And it
46:52
didn't
46:52
matter
46:52
what was
46:53
given,
46:54
they had
46:54
to tell
46:55
the people
46:55
what they
46:56
needed to
46:57
hear.
46:58
But what
46:58
so often
46:59
happened
46:59
was as
47:00
they
47:00
proclaimed
47:00
these
47:01
words,
47:02
they were
47:02
hard words
47:03
for the
47:03
people and
47:04
the people
47:04
just pushed
47:05
it away.
47:06
They
47:06
despised
47:07
the
47:07
prophecies,
47:08
they
47:08
despised
47:09
the word
47:10
of God,
47:10
they despised
47:11
the prophets
47:12
themselves for
47:13
bringing this
47:14
word to
47:15
them.
47:17
And again
47:18
we see what
47:19
Paul is
47:19
saying here,
47:20
he's saying
47:20
do not
47:21
despise
47:22
prophecies,
47:23
do not
47:23
despise
47:24
the word
47:25
of God
47:27
because it's
47:28
so important
47:29
for you.
47:31
God spoke
47:32
in the Old
47:32
Testament
47:33
through his
47:34
prophets.
47:35
as we
47:35
come into
47:36
the New
47:36
Testament
47:37
we see
47:38
that in
47:38
the days
47:39
gone
47:39
past
47:39
he spoke
47:40
through
47:40
the
47:40
prophets
47:41
but now
47:41
he has
47:42
spoken
47:42
through
47:43
his
47:43
son
47:43
Jesus
47:44
Christ.
47:46
And so
47:47
as he's
47:47
saying
47:47
do not
47:48
despise
47:48
prophecies,
47:49
he's talking
47:50
here not
47:51
just about
47:51
the prophets
47:52
of old
47:52
but he's
47:53
talking about
47:53
Jesus
47:53
Christ
47:54
as well.
47:55
Do not
47:56
despise
47:56
his word,
47:57
do not
47:57
despise
47:58
him.
47:59
this is
48:01
the word
48:02
that has
48:02
been given
48:03
for you.
48:05
This is
48:05
the word
48:06
that has
48:06
been given
48:06
to the
48:07
church,
48:08
to the
48:08
people of
48:09
God.
48:10
And we
48:11
are to
48:11
hear
48:11
what the
48:12
word of
48:13
God
48:13
says.
48:15
But so
48:16
many people
48:17
just want
48:17
to push
48:18
this word
48:19
away,
48:20
despise
48:20
the word,
48:21
despise
48:22
Jesus
48:23
who is
48:24
the word
48:24
that became
48:25
flesh.
48:27
Push
48:27
him away.
48:29
But there's
48:30
a warning,
48:31
do not
48:32
despise
48:32
it.
48:33
Don't
48:34
live your
48:34
life in
48:35
that way.
48:35
Life is
48:36
short,
48:36
enjoy it.
48:37
Push
48:37
this away
48:38
because God
48:40
has given
48:40
his word
48:41
to us
48:41
that we
48:41
might
48:42
prepare
48:42
for
48:43
eternity.
48:45
We
48:46
have
48:46
the word
48:47
of God
48:48
but so
48:49
many people
48:50
only hear
48:50
part of
48:52
this word.
48:53
They focus
48:53
on just
48:54
maybe parts
48:55
of the
48:55
text.
48:57
What
48:57
does
48:57
Jesus
48:58
say
48:59
to his
48:59
people?
49:00
What
49:00
did people
49:01
so often
49:01
hear from
49:02
him?
49:04
Words
49:04
like,
49:05
in this
49:05
world
49:06
you will
49:06
have
49:06
troubles
49:07
and they
49:08
stop
49:08
listening.
49:11
Stop
49:11
listening at
49:12
that point.
49:13
Troubles.
49:15
I don't
49:15
want
49:15
troubles.
49:16
I just
49:17
want to
49:17
do things
49:17
my own
49:18
way.
49:19
Blessed
49:20
are the
49:20
persecuted.
49:21
Again,
49:22
stop
49:22
listening at
49:23
that point.
49:25
Persecution.
49:26
I'm going
49:26
to have to
49:27
suffer that
49:27
to follow
49:28
Jesus.
49:28
I want
49:29
nothing of
49:29
that.
49:30
Push it
49:30
away.
49:31
Despise
49:31
it.
49:33
Take up
49:33
your
49:33
cross.
49:36
Again,
49:36
it's just
49:37
like stop
49:37
listening at
49:37
that point.
49:38
There's
49:38
going to
49:38
be
49:38
hardship.
49:39
There's
49:39
going to
49:39
be
49:40
trials.
49:41
That's
49:41
not
49:41
for me.
49:42
I
49:42
despise
49:43
these
49:43
things.
49:45
So
49:46
instead
49:46
of
49:46
ingesting
49:47
it,
49:48
instead
49:48
of
49:48
taking
49:48
it
49:48
in,
49:49
they're
49:49
just
49:49
pushing
49:50
it
49:50
away.
49:52
But
49:52
by doing
49:52
this,
49:54
they're
49:54
not
49:54
seeing
49:55
what
49:55
God
49:56
has
49:56
given
49:56
to
49:57
us.
49:57
The
49:58
full
49:58
word
49:59
of
49:59
God,
49:59
the
49:59
full
50:00
prophecy
50:00
as it
50:01
were,
50:02
because
50:02
we
50:02
stop
50:03
listening
50:03
when
50:03
we
50:03
hear
50:04
the
50:04
hard
50:04
bits.
50:06
But
50:06
when
50:06
Jesus
50:07
says,
50:07
blessed
50:08
are those
50:08
who are
50:08
persecuted,
50:09
it doesn't
50:10
stop
50:10
there.
50:12
Blessed
50:13
are those
50:13
who are
50:13
persecuted
50:14
for
50:14
righteousness
50:15
sake,
50:15
for
50:16
my
50:16
sake.
50:17
And
50:17
he
50:18
says,
50:18
for
50:18
theirs
50:18
is the
50:19
kingdom
50:19
of
50:19
heaven.
50:20
And
50:21
you
50:21
miss
50:21
out.
50:23
You
50:23
listen
50:23
to
50:23
the
50:23
first
50:24
part
50:24
and
50:24
think,
50:24
I
50:24
don't
50:24
want
50:25
that,
50:26
but
50:26
then
50:26
you
50:26
miss
50:26
out
50:26
on
50:27
the
50:27
second
50:27
part.
50:28
Miss
50:28
out
50:29
on
50:29
the
50:29
kingdom
50:29
of
50:30
God.
50:33
In
50:34
this
50:34
world
50:34
you
50:34
will
50:35
have
50:35
many
50:35
troubles,
50:36
Jesus
50:36
said.
50:38
Oh,
50:38
I
50:38
don't
50:38
want
50:38
to
50:38
know
50:39
that,
50:39
I
50:39
don't
50:39
want
50:39
to
50:39
hear
50:40
that.
50:41
But
50:41
Jesus
50:41
says,
50:42
but
50:42
be
50:42
of
50:42
good
50:42
courage,
50:43
for
50:44
I
50:44
have
50:44
overcome
50:45
the
50:45
world.
50:47
So by
50:48
just
50:48
listening
50:48
to
50:49
parts,
50:49
by
50:49
pushing
50:50
it
50:50
away,
50:51
by
50:51
not
50:51
ingesting
50:52
it,
50:52
we are
50:52
seeing
50:52
just
50:53
half
50:54
the
50:54
story,
50:55
half
50:55
the
50:56
truth.
50:57
And
50:58
we're
50:58
not
50:58
listening,
50:58
we're
50:58
despising
50:59
the
50:59
prophecies,
51:01
and
51:01
despising
51:02
the
51:03
one who
51:03
is the
51:03
word
51:04
himself.
51:07
But
51:07
when it's
51:08
proclaimed,
51:09
we need
51:09
to hear
51:10
it in
51:10
all its
51:10
fullness.
51:12
When
51:13
you think
51:13
of Romans
51:13
8,
51:14
that
51:14
wonderful
51:14
passage,
51:15
it
51:16
speaks
51:16
of
51:16
so
51:16
many
51:17
of
51:17
the
51:17
trials
51:17
of
51:18
life,
51:19
but
51:19
yet
51:19
nothing
51:20
shall
51:21
separate
51:21
us
51:21
from
51:22
the
51:22
love
51:22
of
51:22
God
51:23
that
51:23
is
51:23
in
51:24
Christ
51:24
Jesus.
51:26
There
51:26
are
51:26
difficulties
51:27
along
51:28
the
51:28
way,
51:30
and
51:30
do
51:30
not
51:30
despise
51:31
the
51:31
fact
51:32
that
51:32
there
51:32
is,
51:32
do
51:32
not
51:33
despise
51:33
the
51:33
word
51:34
of
51:34
God
51:34
that
51:34
says
51:35
there
51:35
is,
51:37
but
51:37
instead
51:38
ingest
51:39
it,
51:39
receive
51:39
it,
51:40
be
51:41
thankful
51:41
to
51:42
God
51:42
for
51:43
it,
51:43
because
51:43
it
51:44
is
51:44
a
51:44
wider,
51:44
a
51:45
whole
51:45
truth
51:45
to
51:46
be
51:46
seen,
51:47
that
51:47
he
51:48
has
51:49
overcome,
51:50
that
51:50
nothing
51:51
shall
51:51
separate
51:52
us
51:52
from
51:52
that
51:52
love
51:53
of
51:53
God
51:53
in
51:54
Christ
51:54
Jesus.
51:55
So we
51:55
need to
51:56
hear
51:56
the
51:57
word
51:57
of
51:58
God.
51:58
That
51:59
is
51:59
what
51:59
prepares
52:00
us
52:00
for
52:01
eternity.
52:01
God
52:03
the
52:03
third
52:04
and
52:04
final
52:04
thing
52:05
I
52:05
want
52:05
us
52:05
to
52:05
see
52:05
here
52:06
is
52:06
it
52:06
says
52:06
in
52:07
verse
52:07
21,
52:09
but
52:09
test
52:10
everything.
52:12
Inspect,
52:13
look for
52:14
yourself
52:14
at this
52:15
truth.
52:17
As with
52:18
the Old
52:18
Testament
52:19
into the
52:19
New,
52:19
there was
52:19
a
52:20
problem,
52:21
same
52:21
problem
52:21
that
52:22
exists
52:22
today.
52:23
How
52:23
do
52:23
we
52:23
know
52:24
what
52:24
to
52:24
believe?
52:25
How
52:25
do
52:25
we
52:25
know
52:26
what
52:26
is
52:27
right?
52:27
Because
52:27
we
52:27
are
52:28
indeed
52:28
pulled
52:28
in
52:29
all
52:29
kinds
52:30
of
52:30
different
52:30
directions.
52:31
But
52:32
Paul
52:33
says
52:33
but
52:33
test
52:34
everything
52:34
and
52:35
hold
52:35
fast
52:36
to
52:36
what
52:37
is
52:37
good.
52:38
Abstain
52:38
from
52:39
every
52:39
form
52:40
of
52:41
evil.
52:43
In
52:43
Thessalonica,
52:45
as in
52:45
many
52:45
cities
52:46
of
52:46
Paul's
52:47
day,
52:47
there
52:47
was
52:47
the
52:48
place
52:48
at
52:49
the
52:49
gate
52:49
or
52:50
the
52:50
marketplace
52:51
where
52:51
information
52:52
was
52:52
shared,
52:53
where
52:54
people
52:54
gathered
52:55
and
52:56
everybody
52:56
had
52:56
all
52:57
kinds
52:58
of
52:58
different
52:58
opinions
52:59
that
52:59
they
52:59
would
53:00
hear
53:00
this
53:01
is
53:01
what
53:01
you
53:01
are
53:02
to
53:02
believe.
53:03
No,
53:03
this
53:03
is
53:03
what
53:03
you
53:03
are
53:03
to
53:04
believe.
53:05
And
53:05
that's
53:05
very
53:05
often
53:06
where
53:06
you
53:06
would
53:06
find
53:06
Paul
53:07
himself
53:07
going
53:08
to
53:08
the
53:08
midst
53:08
of
53:09
the
53:09
marketplace,
53:10
to
53:10
the
53:10
city
53:11
gate
53:12
where
53:12
the
53:12
people
53:12
were
53:13
gathered.
53:13
He
53:14
would
53:14
hear
53:14
what
53:14
they
53:14
were
53:14
thinking
53:15
but
53:16
also
53:16
speak
53:17
to
53:17
them
53:17
the
53:18
truth
53:18
of
53:19
God's
53:19
word.
53:19
And
53:19
the
53:20
people
53:20
then
53:20
had
53:20
to
53:21
test
53:21
for
53:21
themselves
53:22
inspect
53:30
messages
53:30
that
53:31
we
53:31
hear.
53:32
An
53:32
abundance
53:33
of
53:33
voices
53:34
speaking
53:35
to us
53:35
opinions
53:36
being
53:36
put
53:36
across.
53:38
Said
53:38
last
53:39
week,
53:39
we're
53:39
drowning
53:39
in
53:40
information
53:40
but
53:41
lacking
53:41
in
53:42
wisdom.
53:44
And
53:44
if you
53:44
want to
53:44
believe
53:45
something
53:45
from
53:46
God's
53:46
word
53:46
that
53:47
suits
53:47
any
53:47
position
53:48
in
53:49
this
53:49
world,
53:49
you
53:50
will
53:50
find
53:50
someone
53:51
who
53:51
will
53:51
tell
53:51
you,
53:51
here's
53:52
a
53:52
text.
53:55
But
53:55
so often
53:55
it's
53:56
twisted.
53:57
So often
53:58
it's not
53:58
truth.
53:59
It's
53:59
just
53:59
something
54:00
that's
54:00
a
54:00
truth
54:01
that
54:01
is
54:01
a
54:01
half
54:02
truth.
54:03
And
54:03
it's
54:03
not
54:03
the
54:03
full
54:04
word
54:04
of
54:05
God.
54:05
So
54:05
what
54:05
are
54:05
we
54:05
to
54:06
do?
54:07
Well
54:07
Paul's
54:08
advice
54:08
for us
54:08
here
54:09
is
54:09
test
54:09
everything.
54:11
What
54:12
do we
54:12
test
54:13
it
54:13
against?
54:13
We
54:14
test
54:14
it
54:14
against
54:14
the
54:15
whole
54:15
word
54:16
of
54:17
God.
54:18
What
54:19
does
54:19
the
54:19
Bible
54:19
say
54:20
in
54:20
its
54:20
entirety?
54:23
Thessalonica
54:23
was a
54:24
place
54:24
that
54:24
was
54:25
pulled
54:25
in
54:25
different
54:26
directions.
54:27
But
54:27
in
54:27
the
54:29
place
54:29
where
54:30
Paul
54:30
and
54:31
Silas
54:31
went
54:31
to
54:31
after
54:32
being
54:32
in
54:33
Thessalonica
54:33
a
54:34
place
54:34
called
54:35
Berea.
54:36
You
54:37
read of
54:37
this
54:37
in
54:38
Acts
54:38
chapter
54:38
17.
54:40
Again
54:40
you
54:40
see
54:40
just
54:40
that
54:41
missionary
54:41
journey
54:42
continuing
54:43
and what
54:43
it says
54:43
of the
54:44
people
54:44
in
54:44
Berea
54:45
was
54:45
this
54:45
now
54:46
these
54:46
Jews
54:47
were
54:47
more
54:47
noble
54:48
than
54:48
those
54:48
in
54:48
Thessalonica
54:49
they
54:50
received
54:50
the
54:51
word
54:51
with
54:51
all
54:52
eagerness
54:53
examining
54:54
the
54:54
scriptures
54:55
daily
54:55
to see
54:56
if
54:56
these
54:56
things
54:57
were
54:57
so
54:57
it's
54:59
what
54:59
Paul
55:00
is
55:00
saying
55:00
here
55:00
to
55:00
Thessalonica
55:01
they
55:02
were
55:02
doing
55:02
in
55:02
Berea
55:03
test
55:04
everything
55:05
so
55:06
they
55:06
received
55:07
the
55:07
word
55:07
with
55:08
eagerness
55:08
examining
55:09
the
55:10
scriptures
55:10
daily
55:11
to see
55:11
if
55:11
these
55:11
things
55:12
were
55:12
so
55:12
so
55:13
it's
55:13
a
55:14
case
55:14
of
55:14
being
55:15
immersed
55:16
in
55:17
the
55:17
word
55:17
of
55:17
God
55:18
testing
55:19
the
55:19
truth
55:20
inspecting
55:20
it
55:21
for
55:21
ourselves
55:22
we
55:23
see
55:24
so
55:24
many
55:25
fake
55:25
products
55:26
in
55:26
the
55:26
markets
55:27
today
55:27
something
55:29
that
55:29
looks
55:29
so
55:30
good
55:31
and
55:32
so
55:32
like
55:32
the
55:32
real
55:33
thing
55:33
but
55:33
the
55:34
price
55:34
is
55:34
so
55:35
much
55:35
cheaper
55:35
you
55:36
think
55:36
well
55:36
I'll
55:37
take
55:37
it
55:37
but
55:39
it's
55:39
fake
55:39
and
55:40
it's
55:41
dangerous
55:41
and
55:43
so
55:43
it
55:43
is
55:44
with
55:44
the
55:45
word
55:45
of
55:45
God
55:45
we
55:47
inspect
55:47
it
55:48
to
55:48
make
55:48
sure
55:48
it
55:49
meets
55:49
the
55:49
standard
55:50
and
55:51
what
55:51
we
55:51
hear
55:52
we
55:52
are
55:52
to
55:52
hear
55:53
and
55:53
examine
55:54
for
55:54
ourselves
55:54
and
55:55
see
55:55
if
55:56
these
55:56
things
55:57
are
55:57
so
55:58
and
55:58
we
55:58
thank
55:59
God
55:59
that
56:00
we
56:00
have
56:00
the
56:01
whole
56:01
word
56:02
of
56:02
truth
56:03
for
56:03
this
56:04
and
56:05
that
56:05
we
56:05
have
56:05
the
56:06
spirit
56:06
who
56:07
prompts
56:07
us
56:08
in
56:08
this
56:09
way
56:09
and
56:10
it's
56:11
this
56:11
word
56:11
that
56:12
tells
56:12
us
56:13
the
56:13
need
56:13
to
56:14
be
56:14
together
56:15
in
56:15
this
56:15
you
56:16
see
56:16
back
56:16
in
56:16
verse
56:17
12
56:17
he
56:18
begins
56:19
this
56:19
section
56:19
by saying
56:19
we
56:20
ask
56:20
you
56:20
brothers
56:21
there's
56:22
this
56:22
togetherness
56:23
in
56:24
all of
56:24
it
56:24
and as
56:25
he
56:25
goes
56:25
on
56:25
you
56:26
see
56:26
in
56:27
verse
56:27
13
56:27
and
56:28
14
56:28
how
56:29
he
56:29
speaks
56:30
of
56:30
being
56:31
at
56:31
peace
56:32
among
56:32
yourselves
56:33
and
56:33
then
56:33
he
56:33
says
56:34
we
56:34
urge
56:34
you
56:35
brothers
56:35
admonish
56:36
the
56:36
idle
56:37
encourage
56:38
the
56:38
faint
56:38
hearted
56:39
help
56:39
the
56:40
weak
56:40
be
56:41
patient
56:41
with
56:42
them
56:43
all
56:43
as you
56:45
read
56:45
through
56:46
this
56:46
passage
56:46
and read
56:47
through
56:47
it in
56:47
its
56:47
whole
56:48
in this
56:49
whole
56:49
section
56:49
and just
56:50
see
56:50
how we are to
56:51
live our
56:52
lives in light
56:53
of the
56:53
Lord's
56:53
coming
56:54
it's
56:54
in this
56:55
togetherness
56:56
inflaming
56:57
the
56:58
spirit
56:58
and
56:58
not
56:59
quenching
56:59
us
57:00
ingesting
57:01
taking
57:01
in the
57:02
word
57:02
of
57:02
God
57:03
and
57:03
inspecting
57:04
it
57:04
in
57:04
that
57:05
way
57:05
where
57:05
it
57:05
leads
57:06
to
57:06
a
57:06
more
57:06
God
57:07
glorifying
57:08
life
57:08
not
57:09
just
57:09
individually
57:10
but
57:11
collectively
57:12
so
57:14
when it
57:14
says
57:14
admonish
57:16
discipline
57:17
it's
57:17
always
57:18
with
57:18
the
57:18
love
57:18
of
57:19
Christ
57:19
in
57:19
mind
57:20
for
57:20
people's
57:20
good
57:21
and
57:22
when it
57:22
speaks
57:22
about
57:23
encourage
57:24
the
57:25
faint
57:25
hearted
57:26
again
57:27
it's
57:27
that
57:27
sense
57:28
of
57:28
doing
57:28
it
57:29
for
57:29
the
57:29
glory
57:29
of
57:30
God
57:30
not
57:31
looking
57:31
down
57:32
on
57:32
people
57:32
but
57:32
encouraging
57:33
people
57:34
help
57:35
the
57:36
weak
57:36
again
57:38
it
57:38
just
57:38
goes
57:39
on
57:39
be
57:39
patient
57:40
with
57:40
them
57:41
all
57:41
we're
57:42
pulled
57:43
in
57:44
different
57:44
directions
57:45
we go
57:46
away
57:47
from
57:47
here
57:47
with
57:47
the
57:48
spirit
57:48
stirring
57:48
in
57:49
our
57:49
heart
57:49
but
57:49
no
57:49
sooner
57:50
are
57:50
we
57:50
out
57:50
the
57:50
door
57:51
and
57:51
something
57:52
takes
57:52
us
57:52
away
57:52
and
57:52
instead
57:53
of
57:53
encouraging
57:54
we're
57:55
putting
57:55
down
57:55
instead
57:56
of
57:57
being
57:57
patient
57:57
we're
57:59
impatient
57:59
!
58:00
All
58:01
of
58:01
these
58:01
things
58:01
can
58:02
so
58:02
quickly
58:02
be
58:03
taken
58:03
from
58:04
us
58:04
and
58:06
so
58:06
as
58:06
Paul
58:06
is
58:07
saying
58:07
here
58:07
live
58:08
your
58:09
life
58:09
not
58:10
just
58:10
in
58:11
the
58:11
short
58:11
time
58:12
life
58:13
is
58:13
short
58:13
enjoy
58:14
it
58:15
but
58:16
in
58:16
light
58:17
of
58:17
eternity
58:18
preparing
58:19
for
58:20
that
58:20
and
58:21
to
58:21
do
58:21
so
58:22
is
58:22
to
58:22
take
58:23
heed
58:23
of
58:23
the
58:24
word
58:24
of
58:24
God
58:25
what
58:26
it
58:26
is
58:26
saying
58:26
to
58:27
us
58:27
do
58:28
not
58:28
quench
58:29
the
58:30
spirit
58:30
inflame
58:32
it
58:32
feed
58:33
that
58:34
in
58:34
your
58:34
soul
58:35
not
58:36
despise
58:37
the
58:37
prophecies
58:38
don't
58:38
turn
58:38
away
58:39
from
58:40
the
58:40
word
58:40
of
58:40
God
58:41
because
58:41
some
58:41
of
58:41
the
58:41
things
58:42
are
58:42
hard
58:42
for
58:42
us
58:43
to
58:43
see
58:43
or
58:43
hear
58:44
but
58:46
see
58:46
the
58:46
fullness
58:47
of
58:47
the
58:48
word
58:48
the
58:49
one
58:50
who
58:50
has
58:50
overcome
58:50
the
58:51
world
58:52
and
58:53
test
58:53
everything
58:55
look
58:56
to
58:56
yourself
58:57
but
58:58
look
58:58
to
58:59
God
58:59
and
59:00
see
59:00
Lord
59:01
your
59:02
word
59:02
is
59:02
truth
59:03
help
59:04
me
59:04
to
59:05
understand
59:06
and
59:07
to
59:07
know
59:07
you're
59:07
not
59:07
alone
59:08
but
59:09
that
59:09
we
59:09
do
59:10
this
59:10
together
59:11
even
59:12
when
59:12
we
59:12
think
59:13
of
59:13
our
59:13
Bible
59:13
study
59:14
once
59:14
a
59:14
month
59:14
these
59:15
truths
59:16
alone
59:17
it's
59:18
so
59:18
good
59:19
to
59:19
gather
59:19
and
59:20
share
59:20
together
59:21
around
59:21
these
59:22
important
59:23
truths
59:23
to
59:25
inspect
59:25
them
59:26
to
59:26
test
59:26
them
59:27
and
59:28
to
59:28
share
59:28
them
59:28
together
59:29
and
59:29
see
59:29
here
59:30
is
59:30
the
59:31
word
59:31
of
59:31
God
59:31
that
59:32
fans
59:33
the
59:34
flame
59:34
of
59:34
faith
59:35
in
59:35
our
59:35
life
59:35
that
59:36
feeds
59:37
our
59:37
soul
59:37
through
59:38
the
59:39
word
59:39
of
59:39
God
59:39
that
59:40
keeps
59:40
us
59:40
going
59:41
in
59:42
life
59:42
and
59:43
prepares
59:44
us
59:44
for
59:45
eternity
59:46
so
59:47
may
59:47
we
59:47
hear
59:48
God's
59:49
word
59:49
today
59:49
and
59:49
may
59:50
it
59:50
be
59:50
blessed
59:50
to
59:51
us
59:51
and
59:52
help
59:52
us
59:52
to
59:52
live
59:53
in
59:54
light
59:54
of
59:54
the
59:54
Lord's
59:55
return
59:55
preparing
59:56
ourselves
59:57
even
59:58
now
59:58
let
59:59
us
59:59
pray
59:59
our
1:00:02
father
1:00:03
in
1:00:03
heaven
1:00:03
we
1:00:03
do
1:00:04
thank
1:00:04
you
1:00:04
for
1:00:05
your
1:00:05
word
1:00:05
and
1:00:05
help
1:00:06
us
1:00:06
even
1:00:06
today
1:00:07
as we
1:00:07
go
1:00:07
out
1:00:07
of
1:00:07
here
1:00:08
that
1:00:08
we
1:00:08
would
1:00:08
not
1:00:08
quench
1:00:09
the
1:00:09
spirit
1:00:10
that
1:00:10
we
1:00:11
would
1:00:11
not
1:00:11
despise
1:00:12
the
1:00:12
prophecies
1:00:13
that
1:00:14
we
1:00:14
would
1:00:14
even
1:00:14
go
1:00:14
home
1:00:15
and
1:00:15
test
1:00:16
everything
1:00:17
that
1:00:17
we
1:00:17
have
1:00:18
heard
1:00:18
and
1:00:19
hold
1:00:19
fast
1:00:20
to
1:00:20
what
1:00:20
is
1:00:20
good
1:00:21
and
1:00:21
abstain
1:00:21
from
1:00:22
every
1:00:22
form
1:00:23
of
1:00:23
evil
1:00:23
Lord
1:00:24
we
1:00:24
thank
1:00:24
you
1:00:25
for
1:00:25
your
1:00:25
spirit
1:00:25
that
1:00:26
helps
1:00:26
us
1:00:26
and
1:00:27
we
1:00:27
pray
1:00:27
to
1:00:28
know
1:00:28
the
1:00:28
power
1:00:29
even
1:00:29
in
1:00:29
our
1:00:30
midst
1:00:30
today
1:00:30
of
1:00:31
you
1:00:31
ministering
1:00:32
to
1:00:32
us
1:00:32
as we
1:00:33
ask
1:00:33
all
1:00:33
seeking
1:00:34
your
1:00:34
glory
1:00:34
amen
1:00:35
we're
1:00:40
going to
1:00:41
conclude
1:00:41
by singing
1:00:42
to God's
1:00:43
praise
1:00:43
in
1:00:43
Psalm
1:00:44
146
1:00:45
verse 5
1:00:47
page
1:00:49
446
1:00:50
of the
1:00:50
psalm books
1:00:51
psalm 146
1:00:55
at
1:00:56
verse 5
1:00:56
oh happy
1:00:57
is that
1:00:57
man
1:00:58
and
1:00:58
blessed
1:00:58
whom
1:00:59
Jacob's
1:00:59
God
1:00:59
doth
1:01:00
aid
1:01:00
whose
1:01:01
hope
1:01:01
upon
1:01:01
the
1:01:02
Lord
1:01:02
doth
1:01:02
rest
1:01:03
and
1:01:03
on
1:01:04
his
1:01:04
God
1:01:04
is
1:01:05
stayed
1:01:06
we're
1:01:06
going to
1:01:07
sing
1:01:07
verse 5
1:01:07
to 7
1:01:08
the tune
1:01:08
of
1:01:08
Stroud
1:01:09
Water
1:01:09
and we
1:01:10
stand
1:01:10
to
1:01:11
sing
1:01:11
O
1:01:18
happy
1:01:20
is
1:01:22
that
1:01:23
man
1:01:24
and
1:01:25
blessed
1:01:26
whom
1:01:27
Jacob's
1:01:30
God
1:01:31
doth
1:01:32
hate
1:01:34
whose
1:01:35
hope
1:01:37
upon
1:01:38
the
1:01:39
heart
1:01:41
doth
1:01:42
rest
1:01:43
and
1:01:44
on
1:01:46
his
1:01:47
goddess
1:01:48
stay
1:01:50
who
1:01:53
made
1:01:54
the
1:01:55
earth
1:01:56
and
1:01:57
heaven
1:01:59
spy
1:02:01
who
1:02:02
made
1:02:04
the
1:02:04
swelling
1:02:06
deep
1:02:08
and
1:02:09
all
1:02:10
that
1:02:11
is
1:02:13
within
1:02:14
the
1:02:16
same
1:02:18
who
1:02:18
truth
1:02:20
doth
1:02:21
ever
1:02:23
keep
1:02:26
who
1:02:27
righteous
1:02:29
judgment
1:02:32
executes
1:02:33
for
1:02:37
those
1:02:39
oppressed
1:02:42
that
1:02:43
be
1:02:44
who
1:02:45
to
1:02:46
the
1:02:47
hungry
1:02:49
giveth
1:02:51
food
1:02:53
God
1:02:54
sets
1:02:55
the
1:02:57
prisoners
1:02:59
free
1:03:00
free
1:03:01
after
1:03:04
the
1:03:04
benediction
1:03:04
I'll go
1:03:05
to the
1:03:05
door
1:03:05
to my
1:03:05
right
1:03:06
we'll
1:03:06
close
1:03:06
with
1:03:07
the
1:03:07
benediction
1:03:07
now may
1:03:08
grace
1:03:09
mercy
1:03:09
and peace
1:03:10
from
1:03:10
God
1:03:11
Father
1:03:11
Son
1:03:12
and
1:03:12
Holy
1:03:12
Spirit
1:03:13
rest
1:03:14
upon
1:03:14
and
1:03:14
abide
1:03:15
with
1:03:15
you
1:03:15
all
1:03:16
now
1:03:16
and
1:03:16
forever
1:03:17
more
1:03:17
amen
1:03:30
to