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The Simple Made Wise · Stornoway Free Church of Scotland - Sermons

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  This is section 129 to 136.
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  When I was here a few weeks ago, I looked at the very first part of this testimony,
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  !
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  about how our soul keeps them, and the wonder of the unfolding of God's Word giving us
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  the Word of God.
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  I'd just like to pick up on this from that point and really just to go through the rest
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  of this section and to try and explain parts of it and how it applies to ourselves in our
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  Christian lives as well.
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  Psalm 119 is the longest of Psalms, as we know, and it's a wonderful Psalm.
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  It's as if the Psalmist has taken a step back to reflect on all of God's goodness to him.
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  And the Psalm celebrates the gift of God's covenant instruction, the Torah, as a perfect
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  guide for life.
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  And this Psalm links in very closely to Psalm 19 as well.
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  And it reflects the view that the Lord, our Lord, who abounds in steadfast love and faithfulness,
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  that he freely and fully forgives his people when they confess their sins.
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  He loves his people without limit.
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  And therefore, he also guides the faithful in the way of life that is genuinely good and
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  beautiful.
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  So as we pick up here in this section, in the second part of verse 130 here, and what
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  it tells us was that this unfolding of God's Word, it imparts understanding to the simple.
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  And we might ask the question, first of all, who are the simple?
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  And if we refer to Psalm 19 for that, then Psalm 19 tells us that the law of the Lord is
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  perfect, reviving the soul, and the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple.
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  And I suppose we can ask ourselves the question, as we read these verses, as we sing these verses,
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  do we really think about the words there and how does that relate to us with this word, this
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  word that makes wise the simple?
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  Well, this making wise the simple basically means that God's Word and His revealed truth,
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  they provide a spiritual insight and understanding to those who are open and to those who are
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  teachable.
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  They are open to God's Word, they are teachable.
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  And it transforms them from being ignorant and inexperienced individuals into people of
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  true wisdom.
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  And if we are going to look to apply that to ourselves, then do we accept the fact that we
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  were ignorant and inexperienced previously?
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  And there is only one answer to that, and of course we were.
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  We might have learnt much of God's Word, but it wasn't applied to us, to our hearts.
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  And we were totally ignorant in that respect of the way of faith by salvation in Jesus Christ,
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  by believing in Jesus Christ.
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  So, we were inexperienced in that particular aspect of faith.
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  This term simple in this context, it doesn't imply foolishness as we might understand simple,
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  or people who lack education or intelligence as we might understand the word today.
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  It doesn't imply that at all.
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  But it implies that just people being open to instruction.
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  Ordinary people.
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  Ordinary people just like you and I, for each one of us here.
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  and as we know ourselves and we can apply to ourselves, there is no person who is so blind,
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  or who is so ignorant, that their mind and heart cannot be opened by God's
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  No matter where they have been, or what they have done, or anything that is in their lives.
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  If they are willing to accept God's word, if they're teachable in that respect, then God's Spirit can transform out of that darkness and into the light of his word.
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  This verse in Psalm 19 and here in Psalm 119, it highlights how God's law transforms and clarifies the nature of his word.
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  It emphasizes how the word gives us life, it provides wisdom and it guides believers towards righteous living.
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  And when we reflect on this word law, we can think about it as God's teachings and God's principles that are embedded in the scriptures.
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  Something that directs us towards righteousness.
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  And that righteousness is indeed wisdom.
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  And as we know from the word elsewhere, the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.
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  So this sure testimony, as we have it, acts as a guide that imparts divine wisdom to those who are willing or who have been made willing by the Spirit of God to receive it.
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  So what we have here is, it's a spiritual transformation.
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  A total transformation from the way that we were before into what now, the passion that God has made us.
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  The process transforms the simple or the ordinary passion, making them wise in the knowledge of God, giving real instruction and leading them to wisdom and godliness.
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  And it's very true, isn't it, that when we come to faith, we actually begin to really and truly understand the meaning of life.
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  And why we're here? We are here primarily to worship God.
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  As the Catholicism tells us, man's strength is to glorify God and to enjoy Him forever.
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  That's the purpose of our life.
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  That is what we didn't understand properly within our hearts.
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  We knew it in our heads, but not within our hearts, with the Spirit applying it.
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  But now we know it, because we've been transformed from that place of darkness to where we are now.
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  And that in itself is a miracle.
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  Every one of us is a miracle.
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  And we are here, we are now part of the family of God.
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  We are a child of God.
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  We are miracleful.
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  We are miracleful.
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  We are miracleful.
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  We are miracleful.
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  We are miracleful.
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  We are miracleful.
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  And just as I read out there, what gives us assurance with that as well is I read out in 1 Peter 2 there that we are a chosen race.
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  We are a royal priesthood.
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  We are a holy nation.
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  We are a people for his own possession that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.
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  And these words in verse 10 of 1 Peter 2, once you were not a people, but now you are God's people.
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  Once you have not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.
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  And how wonderful that is for each one of us.
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  And we understand from that that we are now seen by the Father, by God, as being righteous in his sight through Jesus Christ.
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  And I wonder how much do we really take that in?
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  Because there is no greater privilege than what we have as being the children of God.
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  We are righteous in his sight and it is the greatest of blessings that we can have.
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  It's just wonderful.
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  And out of that change, out of that change that has come into our lives, there is now this.
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  And we look here in verse 131 and verse 132.
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  In 131, first of all, I open my mouth and pant because I long for your commandments.
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  And as I work with you and I are tonight, are we panting, are we longing for more of God's word and to learn more often.
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  Wanting to be taught and guided and corrected and encouraged by the Lord himself.
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  Surely that is what we are looking for.
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  Yes, when we came to faith first, for each one of us, there was a real longing and we couldn't get enough of it.
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  But as life goes on, we have highs and lows, highs and lows.
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  But the steady thing ought to be for wanting more and more of God's word in our lives and God's presence in our lives as well.
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  As we've been led on in that way, just as the psalmist has here, I open my mouth.
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  It's like he's doing this physically, he's doing it spiritually, wanting, wanting and panting.
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  Because I long for your commandments, for your word.
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  And when we think of Psalm 42 that we've sung there, there again the psalmist says,
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  My soul longs for more of the living God in my experience.
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  And in Psalm 139 we have words there that tells us that God knows us so intimately.
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  He knows everything about us, but his thoughts and he thinks about us.
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  And we're told in that psalm and his thoughts are so precious to us.
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  How precious are your thoughts towards me, the psalmist says.
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  And when we think of that, does that in itself not make our soul long for more of God and his word?
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  The year in verse 132, it just starts to go a little deeper.
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  And the psalmist becomes a personal prayer for the psalmist.
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  Turn to me, he says, and be gracious to me, as is your way with those who love your name.
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  Turn to me, O Lord, and be gracious to me.
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  Turn your face towards me.
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  Or sometimes we have to plead with the Lord, O Lord, please turn your face back towards me.
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  How I need you now in my experience.
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  Perhaps we've wandered off somewhere.
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  Perhaps we're not in the place we ought to be and we have to cry out,
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  Turn your face back towards me, O Lord, I pray.
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  And that's the reality of our experience.
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  And it's reflected again in verse 135 here as well, where it tells, where the psalmist says,
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  He wants the Lord to shine, to shine upon his face.
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  And make your face shine upon your servant.
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  And he's saying, look upon me and help me to pray.
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  And help me to focus on you.
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  That's what I need to do, to focus on you and on your word.
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  And this is a genuine, holy desire to experience God's close presence.
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  Be gracious to me and be merciful to me.
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  As we read there in 1 Peter chapter 1, and that's exactly what we need, isn't it?
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  We need his grace and we need mercy.
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  And that's what he's gifted us.
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  So we have the emphasis here in the second line of verse 132.
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  He says, ask us your way with those who love your name.
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  Turn to me and be gracious to me.
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  Because the psalmist is reaching back and he knows that God's face was turned towards his own people in days gone by.
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  As he led them on the exodus.
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  As he took them through the wilderness.
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  As he took them into the promised land and so on.
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  Up to that point, he knows that that is a history of God.
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  And he's saying, look upon me and help me to pray and help me to focus on you.
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  This is a genuine desire.
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  And this is what you do, Lord.
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  Because you help your people and I know that from the past.
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  And that's what we can say as well.
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  We know that from the past because that's what God does.
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  He turns his face towards us when we call out to him.
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  He does that for everyone who loves his name.
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  And that's what we have.
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  Those of us who love his name, each one of us because he has first loved us.
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  And we do the same, pleading for grace, pleading for mercy, pleading for forgiveness.
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  And we do the same, pleading for forgiveness, with that hunger in our hearts for God's close presence.
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  And here's the thing.
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  We didn't do that before.
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  Before God came into our lives.
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  But we do it now.
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  We didn't realise we needed to do that before.
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  But we realise we have to do it now all the time.
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  And it's all of God's grace unfolding through his word in our experience.
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  And that in itself should be an encouragement for us.
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  That now we do it when before we didn't do it.
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  And we had no concern of doing it.
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  But we do now.
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  Because God is working in our lives.
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  And that in itself leads us to want to be more pleasing to God in our own walk.
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  And to obey him and to praise him.
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  And to give him the honour and the glory that belongs to him alone.
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  To walk the walk.
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  And to fight the good fight.
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  That's what we have to do constantly in our Christian walk.
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  And as in verse 133 here.
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  The psalmist moves on.
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  Asking the Lord in that respect.
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  To keep his feet steady.
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  Keep my feet steady.
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  Keep me in your word.
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  Just the same.
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  As a psalmist.
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  We look for guidance.
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  Knowing God is with us.
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  His word tells us that he's with us.
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  And his word promises that he will never leave us.
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  And he will never ever forsake us.
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  Even as we have in John chapter 10.
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  Where Christ the shepherd says,
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  My sheep hear my voice.
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  And I know them and they follow me.
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  I give them eternal life.
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  And they will never perish.
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  And no one will snatch them out of my hand.
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  Forever safe and secure.
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  In Jesus Christ.
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  And so the psalmist is asking God.
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  To keep his feet steady.
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  Because at this point.
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  In his prayer.
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  He is acknowledging.
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  His sinful nature.
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  This is his personal prayer.
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  And he is effectively asking God.
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  For God's spirit to accompany his word.
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  And for it to be.
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  Engrafted within him.
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  So that he will be guided.
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  And ruled by it.
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  And not be led astray.
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  By his own desires.
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  Or his own wants.
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  Or whatever may lead him astray.
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  He is acknowledging.
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  That there are evil inclinations.
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  Within him.
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  And he doesn't want them to go over.
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  Any part of his life.
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  He is human.
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  And he is aware of the constant spiritual battle.
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  That is going on inside him.
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  Just as it is with each one of us.
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  That constant spiritual battle.
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  That is going on inside of us.
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  And just as we heard of last Wednesday evening.
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  From Colum's excellent address.
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  This battle of faith.
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  And the spirit.
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  Warring against the flesh.
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  And don't we have it so often.
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  For I do not do the good that I want.
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  But the evil I do not want.
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  That is what I keep on doing.
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  But now.
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  If I do what I do not want.
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  It is no longer I who do it.
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  But this sin.
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  That dwells within me.
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  And we can ask ourselves that question.
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  Why?
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  Why?
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  Why is sin constantly.
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  Trying to get the better of us?
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  And why does that happen.
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  All too often?
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  Well.
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  First of all.
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  This again is a sure sign.
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  That God is surely working.
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  In our hearts.
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  Because we have this awareness.
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  Of sin.
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  We have this awareness.
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  Of the constant battle.
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  But yet we also have a desire.
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  To know God better.
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  A desire to overcome this sin.
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  And a desire to please God.
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  And we are also given to us.
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  With the same words as Paul.
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  Aren't we?
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  When we do what we do not want to do.
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  O wretched man that I am.
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  Or O wretched woman that I am.
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  Whatever it may be.
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  For we didn't have that.
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  Before God came into our lives.
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  But we have it now.
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  We have it now.
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  And we need to take heart from that.
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  Hard as it is.
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  Sometimes in our circumstances.
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  With this sin that is continually around us.
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  We must take encouragement.
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  Because we never had this battle before.
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  But we do now.
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  And it gives.
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  It gives.
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  Every confidence and assurance.
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  That we are indeed a child of God.
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  Because it is a Lord that we look to now.
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  And it is a Lord that we cry out to.
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  And I ask a question.
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  For each one of us.
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  Are you more aware.
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  Of sin today.
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  Than you were say 5 or 10 or 15 years ago.
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  However many years.
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  Are you more aware of sin.
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  In your life today.
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  Than you were when you began.
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  Your Christian walk.
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  I think the answer to that is.
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  We are.
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  We see more of sin.
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  As we continue.
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  In our Christian walk.
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  And we might ask a question.
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  Then why do we see more of sin.
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  As we go on.
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  When it.
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  It is liable to just pull us down.
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  And it is just liable to.
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  To.
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  To.
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  Bring us to.
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  To.
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  To discouragement.
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  And to.
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  To take us down.
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  From where we were.
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  The reason is.
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  Because we are becoming more holy.
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  At the same time.
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  It may not seem like that.
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  But God's spirit.
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  Is constantly.
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  Applying.
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  His word to us.
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  Leading us to more awareness.
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  Of sin around us.
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  And at the same time.
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  Giving us more understanding.
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  Of his word.
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  And his ways.
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  And his requirements.
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  We are being sanctified.
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  That progressively.
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  That is.
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  Made more like him.
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  More like Jesus.
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  Progressively.
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  In our lives.
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  And that's what the.
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  Psalmist was praying here.
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  About.
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  He didn't want this sin.
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  To take him over at all.
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  He's praying to God.
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  Keep my footsteps straight.
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  And that's what we need to do.
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  Keep our footsteps straight.
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  As we see more of sin.
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  Then.
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  We.
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  We.
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  Should be seen more.
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  Into God's word.
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  And in God's word.
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  And understanding God's word.
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  More.
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  I mentioned this was a personal prayer.
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  Of the psalmist.
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  But.
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  It's also a prayer.
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  As we can see.
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  To.
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  It's also a prayer.
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  To keep him safe.
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  From all the external.
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  Influences.
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  Round about him as well.
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  Whatever they may have been.
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  At that time.
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  He says in verse 134.
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  Redeem me.
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  From man's oppression.
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  That I may keep.
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  Your precepts.
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  He would have had.
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  His own distractions.
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  In his day.
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  Some very strong distractions.
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  Some perhaps not so strong.
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  Just as we have.
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  In our day.
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  Different distractions.
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  Some very strong for us.
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  Some not so strong.
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  All different for us.
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  As we heard last week.
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  That whatever.
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  Whatever.
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  I may be attracted to.
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  That gives me a great desire to sin.
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  May not bother the next.
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  The Christian beside me.
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  One iota.
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  And vice versa.
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  But that's the way we are made.
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  Because.
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  God knows each one of us personally.
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  And he helps us through.
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  All of that.
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  So we.
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  We too.
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  Need to be aware of this external influence.
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  Around us.
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  Constantly.
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  Divine for our attention.
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  And wanting to lead us.
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  Away.
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  From God.
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  For example.
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  I'm just moving towards the end.
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  For example.
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  When we look on.
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  Maybe on our televisions.
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  And what we see.
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  And hear.
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  On our televisions.
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  What we hear on the radio.
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  What we.
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  What we see.
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  Maybe our work colleagues doing.
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  Or perhaps.
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  What we see.
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  What we see.
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  Or perhaps.
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  Or perhaps.
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  What we see.
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  In the behavior.
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  And conversations.
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  Or friends.
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  Or other people.
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  And of course.
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  What we see in ourselves.
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  What we see in our own lives.
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  That perhaps.
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  Prior to this.
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  We don't really think too much about.
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  But when we see.
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  This particular thing.
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  Whatever it may be in our own lives.
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  Now.
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  That is sin.
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  And that is something.
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  That really.
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  I need to keep on check of.
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  Because we become more aware of these things.
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  As we go on.
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  And why do you think that is?
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  Well.
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  I believe.
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  It's because.
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  We are growing in grace.
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  Now.
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  This is something that.
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  There are many debates about.
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  How do we know that we are growing in grace?
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  Well.
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  I think this is one of the ways.
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  Because we begin to see more of sin.
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  And more of sin.
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  In our own lives as well.
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  We may not see our growth in grace.
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  We may not.
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  We may not.
• 24:59
  Have an awareness of it.
• 25:02
  But it's happening.
• 25:03
  That's my belief.
• 25:05
  And personally.
• 25:07
  And I have no other explanation.
• 25:09
  For seeing sin more now.
• 25:12
  Than I used to see it.
• 25:13
  In my younger Christian days.
• 25:15
  I have no other explanation.
• 25:17
  For seeing it.
• 25:18
  For what it is.
• 25:19
  Other than.
• 25:21
  God is revealing that to me.
• 25:25
  That's my understanding of it at least.
• 25:28
  Perhaps.
• 25:29
  Others have a different understanding.
• 25:31
  But I believe that God is doing this.
• 25:33
  Because he is.
• 25:34
  Making us more like Jesus.
• 25:36
  As we go on.
• 25:38
  As we go on.
• 25:39
  In our Christian lives.
• 25:40
  And it's only.
• 25:42
  Because.
• 25:43
  Of the grace of God.
• 25:45
  Working in our lives.
• 25:47
  That we have this desire.
• 25:49
  To live more.
• 25:50
  By his word.
• 25:53
  In verse 135 here.
• 25:55
  As we just move on towards the end.
• 25:56
  And.
• 25:57
  This is why.
• 26:00
  Just like the psalmist.
• 26:03
  We also keep.
• 26:05
  Asking God.
• 26:06
  To draw near to us.
• 26:08
  To make his face shine upon us.
• 26:10
  And to teach us more and more.
• 26:12
  Of his word and statutes.
• 26:14
  Deciding more of his close presence.
• 26:15
  And that's why we.
• 26:18
  Also.
• 26:18
  Like the psalmist.
• 26:20
  In the final verse of this section.
• 26:23
  We shed.
• 26:25
  Streams of tears.
• 26:26
  In our hearts.
• 26:27
  And we do so.
• 26:28
  From our eyes as well.
• 26:29
  At times.
• 26:30
  Don't we.
• 26:31
  For.
• 26:32
  When we look around us.
• 26:33
  And we see the state of our society.
• 26:36
  When we look around us.
• 26:37
  And we see so many people.
• 26:40
  Who have no concern.
• 26:41
  For the word of God.
• 26:43
  We see it in our families.
• 26:44
  We see it in our circle.
• 26:45
  Of friends.
• 26:46
  We see it in Warf colleagues.
• 26:48
  We see it all around us.
• 26:49
  In our town here.
• 26:51
  In our communities.
• 26:52
  And we see.
• 26:53
  So many folk.
• 26:55
  Who have no concern.
• 26:57
  For their souls.
• 26:59
  No concern for Jesus Christ.
• 27:00
  And want nothing to do with Jesus Christ.
• 27:03
  Want nothing to do with his word.
• 27:04
  Want nothing to do with.
• 27:06
  Anything with the gospel.
• 27:09
  And certainly don't want to come out here.
• 27:11
  On a Wednesday night with us.
• 27:12
  That's the last thing they want to do.
• 27:16
  And yet.
• 27:18
  What they don't realise is.
• 27:19
  This is the greatest blessing.
• 27:21
  They could ever have in life.
• 27:23
  And they're missing out on it.
• 27:24
  Not to be with us.
• 27:25
  But to be with God's people.
• 27:27
  Whatever it may be.
• 27:28
  Whatever it may be.
• 27:31
  And we look at our country.
• 27:33
  And we look at the UK today as well.
• 27:36
  And we see.
• 27:36
  And just evil.
• 27:41
  Against the word of God.
• 27:43
  Against the scriptures.
• 27:44
  Against Jesus.
• 27:46
  Against anything to do with following in the paths of righteousness.
• 27:50
  A real angst against it.
• 27:53
  Don't we?
• 27:53
  Surely that will bring us to tears in our hearts.
• 27:57
  And tears in our eyes as well.
• 27:59
  When we look at that.
• 28:00
  Crying out for the.
• 28:01
  We should be crying out for the Lord.
• 28:03
  To have mercy on us.
• 28:05
  And mercy on the decision makers.
• 28:07
  Who are leading us the wrong way.
• 28:09
  That God would have mercy on each one.
• 28:11
  And so the psalmist.
• 28:13
  He shed tears.
• 28:15
  Streams of tears.
• 28:16
  Because people do not keep your law.
• 28:24
  Hordes of people.
• 28:26
  Having no care for anything.
• 28:29
  Except what they can get for themselves in this life.
• 28:33
  Doing the opposite of what God asks and instructs.
• 28:39
  And yet the sure hope that we have in Christ.
• 28:42
  It should never stop us praying for them.
• 28:48
  Because we were there once ourselves.
• 28:51
  Many if not most of us.
• 28:53
  Depending on our previous experience.
• 28:56
  In a very similar position.
• 28:59
  In the same position actually.
• 29:01
  Because without Christ.
• 29:02
  Every one of us was the same.
• 29:04
  No matter what we did.
• 29:06
  Without God.
• 29:07
  And without Christ.
• 29:08
  In this world.
• 29:09
  An enemy of God.
• 29:12
  So we have this sure hope in Christ.
• 29:16
  But all of this should also put us on our guard.
• 29:19
  That we won't be sucked in by the world.
• 29:21
  And by the devil's craft.
• 29:23
  It is this devil who is going about at all times.
• 29:26
  Looking to see who he might devour.
• 29:28
  Who he might lead us through.
• 29:30
  To be on our guard.
• 29:33
  May this word keep us in prayer.
• 29:35
  Just like the psalmist.
• 29:36
  Longing and panting for more of God.
• 29:39
  And more of his word.
• 29:40
  And to keep us from falling.
• 29:45
  And to be kept.
• 29:47
  Until that day.
• 29:49
  When we are taken home to be with Jesus.
• 29:54
  What a wonderful section of Psalm 119 this is.
• 29:58
  There's so much teaching.
• 29:59
  And so much comfort.
• 30:00
  So much consolation.
• 30:02
  So much encouragement.
• 30:04
  And I've really just touched on here.
• 30:05
  But each of us.
• 30:08
  We have.
• 30:09
  We have.
• 30:10
  Both a personal.
• 30:12
  But we also have.
• 30:14
  A shared.
• 30:16
  Understanding.
• 30:17
  In this experience.
• 30:19
  In other words.
• 30:20
  We are in this together.
• 30:22
  Each and every one of us.
• 30:23
  And just as we read.
• 30:27
  And as we sang.
• 30:29
  Surely.
• 30:29
  That should lead us.
• 30:31
  To love one another more as well.
• 30:33
  And especially to pray for one another.
• 30:37
  And to look out for one another.
• 30:40
  All.
• 30:41
  As we are all within this same family of God.
• 30:44
  And to truly give thanks and praise to God.
• 30:48
  For all his goodness to us.
• 30:51
  Just as the hymn writer wrote.
• 30:54
  Then sings my soul.
• 30:57
  My saviour God to thee.
• 30:59
  How great thou art.
• 31:03
  Let's close with prayer.
• 31:05
  Father we just.
• 31:07
  Bless you and thank you for.
• 31:09
  For all of your goodness to us.
• 31:14
  For all of your leading.
• 31:16
  All of your guiding.
• 31:18
  For your word that helps us.
• 31:22
  So much in our lives.
• 31:23
  Where we can.
• 31:25
  Relate to the experience of.
• 31:27
  Your people and your word.
• 31:28
  And.
• 31:29
  That your word helps us in every single situation.
• 31:33
  And any situation we could find ourselves in.
• 31:36
  In our lives.
• 31:37
  Just bless us and keep us.
• 31:39
  We pray.
• 31:40
  Bless each one of us here this evening.
• 31:43
  And.
• 31:45
  Lord.
• 31:46
  Be close to us.
• 31:48
  Individually and collectively.
• 31:51
  We just pray that you would.
• 31:53
  Lead guide and encourage.
• 31:55
  Each and every one of us.
• 31:56
  As we step out of this building this evening.
• 31:59
  We just pray that you would be with us.
• 32:01
  And that your word would indeed be.
• 32:03
  A lamp to your feet.
• 32:05
  And a light to our path.
• 32:07
  For Christ's sake.
• 32:08
  Amen.
• 32:09
  Amen.
• 32:11
  Well can we.
• 32:12
  Can we close.