Latest / Stornoway Free Church of Scotland - Sermons / Sowing in Peace for a Harvest of Righteousness

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Sowing in Peace for a Harvest of Righteousness · Stornoway Free Church of Scotland - Sermons

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Let's begin our worship then singing in Psalm 106. That's in the Scottish Psalter, page 378,
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to the tune Warwick. We're singing verses 1 to 5.
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Give praise and thanks unto the Lord, for bountiful is he. His tender mercy doth endure
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unto eternity. God's mighty works who can express or show forth all his praise?
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Blessed are they that judgment keep and justly do always. Psalm 106, verses 1 to 5.
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If you're able to stand, please stand to sing.
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His tender mercy doth endure come to eternity.
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God's mighty works who can express or show forth all his praise?
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Blessed are they that judgment keep and justly do always.
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We thank God thee, Lord, with the love which thou to thine dost bear.
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With thy salvation, O my God, to this safety from here.
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God's mighty works who can express or show forth all his praise?
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For thy thy chosen goodness see, and in their joy rejoice, and may with thine inheritance
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cry a prayer with cheerful voice.
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Let's call on the Lord now in prayer. Let's all join together and give our minds to prayer.
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Almighty and ever-gracious God, we do owe thanks to you once again for this privilege
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of being gathered in your holy presence.
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We pray that you would make us conscious that it is into your presence that we come
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whenever we gather together like we do now, or even individually when we come,
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to have our prayers addressed to you and our praise given to you.
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We thank you, Lord, for every privilege attached to this time of worship.
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And we give thanks for every promise that is attached to it also,
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that you will not allow your word to return to you empty,
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but you will bless it and you will use it for the good of your people
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and for the glory of your great name.
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We thank you, Lord, today that we come as a people who are not unfamiliar with the gospel.
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And we thank you, Lord, for the way that that familiarity with the gospel
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brings us more and more into a knowledge of those holy things
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that pertain to you and to your salvation.
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And we give thanks, O Lord, for every occasion we have,
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that when we're able to gather up our thoughts and our voices and sing your praise
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and come to join together in minds that are united in prayer.
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We thank you, Lord, tonight that you promise to meet with your people as they gather in your name.
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And we pray that as we are conscious, Lord, that the teaching of your word
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reminds us of how you dwell in your people.
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They dwell in their hearts.
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And in that sense, Lord, we know that they carry you even as they come together in this way,
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that each of your people carries your presence with them.
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But we pray that we may know that presence in our experience,
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and that we may know it more than a mere theological truth,
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though it is so precious to us,
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that we may know, Lord, your blessing through your Holy Spirit being with us
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and blessing your word to us once again.
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Lord, we thank you for every gift that you have given us
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and for all the variety of gifts represented here before us in this congregation.
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And for all the congregations of your people in the world today,
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we give thanks, Lord, for the variety and the sheer number of gifts
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that you have endowed them with.
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And we pray that you would remind us that all the gifts you give us,
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whatever nature they be of,
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that they are for the furtherance of your cause,
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for your glory,
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that we are not to keep them selfishly to ourselves
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or simply enjoy them for ourselves personally alone.
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Help us, Lord, to see that we need to use
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all the gifts that you have given us
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so that we may reach out into our community
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and show people around us the wonder of Christ,
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the worth of him in his grace,
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and the beauty of his holiness,
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the perfection of his being,
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the wonder of his salvation.
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We pray, Lord, tonight that your salvation
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will be further imparted to us
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in the work of your Spirit.
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Grant us, Lord, that we may know a further understanding
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of these things,
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that we may give ourselves and our minds once more
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to seek to understand and to read through
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and to come to dwell our minds upon
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those things that are of such importance.
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We give thanks tonight for all the ways
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in which you have blessed us already as a congregation.
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Even today we have known your blessing
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in the gatherings of your people.
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We pray, O Lord, that your blessing will continue with us
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in all that we have set before us
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by way of our concerns and plans for this week.
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Lord, while we know not what a day might bring forth,
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yet we give thanks for the ability you give us
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to look ahead and to seek to make provision
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for ourselves and for your cause.
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We pray for all the meetings that are already listed for us
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on this week.
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We pray for the worship services.
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We pray that you would bless all, Lord,
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who come to attend on the midweek services.
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We pray that your blessing will accompany them
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as well as the Saturday meeting
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and all other meetings associated with your cause
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here in the congregation.
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Bless the work amongst our young people.
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We thank you for them.
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We thank you for every household and every family
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that has a concern to have their children
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educated in the gospel
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and brought to know you and brought to follow you
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and brought to be for themselves
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a living witness to your grace and to your salvation.
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Lord, we ask, too, that you'd bless the meetings
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of Precept Scotland that are anticipated
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in the weeks to come.
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We thank you for Jonathan's organizing of it.
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We pray that you'd bless these meetings
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to young and to adults alike.
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And we ask that your own blessing will follow them.
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We pray that you'd bless the camps
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as they prepare, Lord,
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in the near future to come once again
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to gather as camps throughout the country.
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We thank you for the work of the church,
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the work of the church and those who give up their time
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so willingly, Lord,
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to give leadership at those camps.
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And we pray that once again,
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as these camps come to day by day,
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be prayed for and set before you,
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that they might once again be blessed, O Lord,
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and blessed to the young people especially
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who will come.
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We ask that many will come and fill up the spaces
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and that the teaching received
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will remain with the young people
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and will be a means by your blessing
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of truly buttressing their life with your truth
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and coming to give to them
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that biblical wisdom
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which you are pleased to impart
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to all who come to trust in you.
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Remember them and their families.
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Remember them, Lord,
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as we pray for each and every family
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with children in our midst.
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And we ask that you would bless them
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as they go about their family lives.
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We pray for them
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and pray for your protective care of them.
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We ask that you'd bless our community at this time.
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Bless us, Lord,
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in days when we know
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so much is done against the gospel,
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so many attempts are made
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to thwart the advance of the gospel.
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Once again, Lord,
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we pray over these proposals
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against so-called conversion therapy.
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We pray that you'd bless your people
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so that we will come not only with prayer
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but also with the practice of responding
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to these proposals
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as we have opportunity.
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We give thanks for that opportunity.
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And whatever doubts we may have
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in our minds about it,
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help us to use it.
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Help us to appeal, Lord,
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to those who are in authority over us
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that they may take note of
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what your people have to say
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in regard to the moral standing
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that your word sets out for us.
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And help us especially to prize our freedom,
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not only the freedom that we have
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to promote the gospel,
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to preach the gospel,
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to witness to the gospel,
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to speak about the Lord,
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but the many other freedoms
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that have over many years, Lord,
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been obtained for us,
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sometimes at great cost.
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freedom to speak,
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freedom of religion,
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freedom of conscience,
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all the things that ought to mark us,
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Lord, as a free society.
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But we thank you especially
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for the freedom
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with which Christ makes us free.
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And we pray that that will more and more
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be the experience of our people
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and of our nation,
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and that you would deliver us, Lord,
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from all alternatives
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that will suggest to people
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that this is a better way
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than that of the gospel
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and that which the Lord
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has provided for us.
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Remember now,
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Lord,
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those of our number
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who are confined tonight
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to their homes,
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those especially who are ill,
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remember them,
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we pray.
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Remember all who are
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participating in the service
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online,
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not only locally,
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but in places
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throughout the world.
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We thank you
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that that facility
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is being used
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and blessed.
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We thank you
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for the messages
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we receive
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from time to time
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from different parts
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that give us, Lord,
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to rejoice
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that the gospel
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as it goes forth
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in that way
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is of benefit
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to others
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in different parts
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of the world.
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And so we pray
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that as we commend
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these to you,
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we ask that you'd bless
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those, Lord,
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tonight who have heavy hearts.
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Remember again
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those who mourn
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over the passing
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of loved ones.
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Remember those
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who are anxious
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over loved ones,
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seriously ill
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or terminally ill,
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we pray that you'd bless them.
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We pray for those
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receiving treatment,
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those anticipating such,
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those who have gone
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through surgery,
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those who are anticipating
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such as well.
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We pray that you'd bless us,
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Lord,
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by providing us
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further with resources
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that are required
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for our well-being
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mentally and physically.
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And we give thanks,
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Lord,
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for all who have
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given of their lives
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to dedicate themselves
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to looking after the sick,
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looking after those
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who are in need
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of special care.
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And we pray tonight
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for those who do need
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that special care,
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who through whatever
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incapacity
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have a life different
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from many others.
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And we pray for them
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and we pray for parents
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and loved ones
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who look after them.
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And we pray that you'd
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bless the facilities
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that are available to us
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in order that these things,
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Lord,
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may come to give us
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further encouragement
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and strengthening.
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Bless us then now,
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we pray and lead us
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into your word
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and help us
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in the singing
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of your praise.
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We ask it all,
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seeking the pardon
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and cleansing
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of all our sins away
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for Jesus' sake.
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Amen.
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Now we're going to sing
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further to God's praise.
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Our next psalm
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is Psalm 119.
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This time it's
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in Sing Psalms
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on page 159.
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We'll sing the verses
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33 to 40.
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The tune this time
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is rocking him.
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Teach me to follow
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your decrees
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and I will keep them
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to the end.
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Give insight
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and I'll keep your law
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with all my heart
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to it attend.
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Lead me in your commandments
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path
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for there, O Lord,
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delight I find.
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Incline my heart
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towards your laws
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from selfish gain.
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Preserve my mind.
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Verses 33 to 40
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on page 159.
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Teach me to follow
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your decrees.
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Teach me to follow
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your decrees
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that I will give
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back to the end.
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give insight and
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I'll be cured all
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with all my heart
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to it attend.
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take me to find
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as you know.
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Lead me in them
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near your Theme
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dogs
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for
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give
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rồi
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be
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light
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and
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hine
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and
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guide
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my
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heart
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To war still lost
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From selfish days
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Preserve thy might
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O turn my eyes
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On worthless things
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With life according
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To your word
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To be your servant
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In your flesh
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So that you may
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Be feared, O Lord
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Bring worth from me
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The ship I bear
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Your cross except
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In the uprightness
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O God, my Lord
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For your deeds
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Preserve me in your righteousness
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Let's now turn to read
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God's word
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And our reading tonight
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Is from the letter of James
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The letter of James
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In chapter 3
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And we can read through
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The whole chapter
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From the beginning
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That's on page 1216
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Or thereabouts
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If you're using the Pew
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Bibles
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So James chapter 3
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Not many of you should become
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Teachers, my brothers
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For you know that we who teach
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Will be judged with greater strictness
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For we all stumble in many ways
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And if anyone does not stumble
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In what he says
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He is a perfect man
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Able also to bridle his whole body
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If we put bits into the mouths of horses
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So that they obey us
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We guide their whole bodies as well
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Look at the ships also
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Though they are so large
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And are driven by strong winds
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They are guided by a very small rudder
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Wherever the will of the pilot directs
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So also the tongue is a small member
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Yet it boasts of great things
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How great a forest is set ablaze
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By such a small fire
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And the tongue is a fire
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A world of unrighteousness
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The tongue is set among our members
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Staining the whole body
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Setting on fire the entire course of life
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And set on fire by hell
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For every kind of beast and bird
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Of reptile and sea creature
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Can be tamed and has been tamed by mankind
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But no human being can tame the tongue
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It is a restless evil
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Full of deadly poison
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With it we bless our Lord and Father
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And with it we curse people
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Who are made in the likeness of God
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From the same mouth
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Come blessing and cursing
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My brothers these things ought not to be so
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Does a spring pour forth
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From the same opening
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Both fresh and salt water
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Can a fig tree my brothers bear olives
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Or a grapevine produce figs
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Neither can a salt pond yield fresh water
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Who is wise and understanding among you
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By his good conduct let him show his works
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In the meekness of wisdom
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But if you have bitter jealousy
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And selfish ambition in your hearts
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Do not boast and be false to the truth
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This is not the wisdom that comes down from above
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But is earthly
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Unspiritual
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Demonic
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For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist
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There will be disorder
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And every vile practice
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But the wisdom from above
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Is first pure
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Then peaceable
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Gentle
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Open to reason
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Full of mercy and good fruits
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Impartial and sincere
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And a harvest of righteousness
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Is sown in peace
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By those who make peace
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Amen
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May again
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God be pleased to bless
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That portion of his word to us
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Once again we'll sing to God's praise
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And then turn back to this passage in James
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Singing this time in Psalm 71
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Psalm 71 again in the Scottish Psalter
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Page 312
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We'll sing to the tune Colesville
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From verse 20
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To 24
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Thou Lord who great adversities
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And sore to me didst show
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Shalt quicken and bring me again
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From depths of earth below
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My greatness and my power
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Thou wilt increase and far extend
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On every side against all grief
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Thou wilt me comfort send
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A passage that wonderfully sets out
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God's ability
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To overcome those things
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In his providence
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Which cause us pain
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And anxiety and distress
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And even though these great adversities
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At times come to us
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The psalmist is here teaching us
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To place our trust in God
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But also to continue to praise him
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As the psalm finishes
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My tongue with just thy justice
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Shall proclaim continuing all day long
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For they confounded are and shamed
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That seek to do me wrong
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These verses then
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Thou Lord who great adversities
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O Lord who great adversities
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And sore to me didst show
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Shout with me wrong
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Shout with me wrong
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Shout with me wrong
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And bring me again
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From depths of earth below
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My greatness and my power
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Thou wilt increase and far extend
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On every side against all grief
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Thou wilt be come for send
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Thou wilt be come for send
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In my truth I also praise
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In my truth I also praise
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In my God with sottery
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Thou holy one
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Thou holy one
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All this triumph
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With hearts I sing to thee
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My soul which thou redeemest
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In my heart
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My soul which thou redeemest
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Unt witnesses
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In my heart
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Enjожет
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Sob
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Let us pray.
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I'll turn with me now, please, to James chapter 3.
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James chapter 3, and looking at the last verse of the chapter,
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a harvest of righteousness, is sown in peace by those who make peace.
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And I want to look at this verse in the context of the chapter as a whole, so we will be taking
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material from the whole chapter as it relates to this particular verse. Let me begin by reading to
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you a comment in one of the commentators on this book of James, Robert Johnston. This is what he
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says. James would have us take home this thought, that in proportion as a Christian advances towards
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complete government of the tongue, so he grows in spiritual maturity. We all know that nothing is
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generally esteemed to be a better evidence of the state of a man's heart than the habitual tone
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of his conversation. Very important words reminding us that our conversation betrays us
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as to what's in our heart. And tonight, as we're looking at this verse in the context of this
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chapter, we'll be conscious, I hope, by the end of the chapter that this is actually something
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that's very commonly referred to throughout the whole of Scripture. It's not simply an item dealt
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with by the likes of James, as we've seen before, a very practical letter, a very telling and cutting
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letter at times, in the way that it gives us to address issues that need to be attended to in our
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lives practically. But this actually is something that all the way through the Scripture you find
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given a different emphasis, but always set before us as an important topic. Our use of the tongue,
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by which it means our conversation, our use of words, the language we use, the words that we use.
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What is in our heart is exposed by the words we use and how we use them, the kind of conversation we
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have and how we actually engage in that conversation. You remember Jesus himself saying in the Gospels,
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Acts of Mark chapter 7, where in his teaching there he spoke very clearly about how the things that
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defile the person are not the things that go into the person or into the body. They are actually the
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things that come out of the person that show what he's like inwardly or internally. Mark chapter 7,
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very well-known words, I'm sure, where you find at verse 20, the Lord saying, this is actually what
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actually defiles a man. Well, we can read from verse 18, now you still without understanding, do you not
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see that whatever goes into a person from outside cannot defile him since it enters his heart, not his
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heart, but his stomach and is expelled? And he said, what comes out of a person is what defiles him.
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For from within and out of the heart of man come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery,
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coveting, wickedness, deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride, foolishness. What a list! And that's not a complete list.
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But the Lord who knew and knows our heart gave us this passage so that we would know that these are
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the evil things, he says, that come from within, and they are what defiles a person. And in a similar
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way, James is setting out for it in this passage, particularly to do with the use of language or words,
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these things that are indicative of what's in our hearts. Of course, as I said, going back over the
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Scripture takes you back right to the very beginning of things in Genesis, indeed in the Garden of Eden.
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Because when the Lord came to question Adam as to what he had done in eating the fruit that God had
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forbidden him, his immediate reaction was when he said, who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten of
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the fruit that I have told you not to eat of it? And he immediately said, my wife gave me, the woman
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you gave me. Now, effectively, he was really blaming God. He didn't just say, my wife or this woman gave me,
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the woman you gave me. Look at how quickly the language of human beings was corrupted by the entrance of
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sin and our fallenness. And of course, the woman then, she placed the blame on the serpent, on Satan.
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You see, the blame game comes with the wrong use of words, with the misuse of language,
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with conversation that's not honoring to God, with lies, with cover-up, with a blame game that's just
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part of this whole package of where we actually fall short in our conversation as sinners. And isn't it
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interesting that in Isaiah chapter 6, when Isaiah had that wonderful, amazing, stunning vision
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and experience of God high and lifted up in the temple as he saw it in his vision there,
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his reaction was this,
28:34
I am a man of unclean lips. Woe is me, for I have seen the Lord of hosts. I dwell among a people
28:49
of unclean lips. Isn't it interesting that that was what he focused upon? That's what he came to confess,
28:56
his language, his lips, the uncleanness of his mouth, and the uncleanness of the mouths of all
29:03
who lived with him in that society. That's what the Lord actually brought to him by seeing this
29:10
great vision. That was his first reaction, Lord, I'm unclean, and I'm unclean especially in the words of
29:15
my mouth, in my language. And that's a telling statement, isn't it? And then when you go to,
29:23
again, the New Testament, as I said, we're ranging all the way from the beginning of the Bible right
29:27
through into the New Testament. You remember Romans chapter 3, where Paul is demonstrating there that
29:35
there isn't a single person as a sinner who is righteous and can therefore claim the favor of God.
29:41
And he says, none is righteous. No, not one. No one understands. No one seeks for God.
29:48
All have turned aside together. And so he goes on, and then he says, their throat is an open grave.
29:54
They use their tongues to deceive. The venom of asps is under their lips. Their mouth is full of curses
30:02
and bitterness. Who's he talking about? He's talking about you and me. He's talking about the whole world.
30:07
He's talking about human beings, human society, human individuals, human together, humans together.
30:14
You see, the quality of our conversation, isn't it, again, is something right throughout Scripture
30:19
in line with the emphasis it gives to the wrong use of words. But the quality of your conversation
30:25
distinguishes you as a Christian from the world. If there's one thing that really distinguishes you
30:31
from that world that is so full of hatred and antipathy to God and the wrong use of conversation
30:39
and language and bad language and denigrating insults and so on, it's that your language is in keeping
30:47
with your heart as a Christian. It's one of the great distinguishing marks of a Christian
30:53
that they can tell you're a Christian by the quality of your conversation, the quality
31:01
of your words and how you use them. And that was really a mark of what set Jesus apart, wasn't it?
31:07
Remember in John chapter 7 that some officers were sent out by the Pharisees to try and bring him
31:13
into captivity, to take him in for questioning, and they came back without him. And the Pharisees asked
31:19
these offers, why have you not brought him? You remember their answer, no one spoke, no one ever
31:28
spoke like this man. They were more or less saying, such is the quality and power and authority of his
31:35
conversation, of his language, of his words. It just prohibited us from taking him into captivity.
31:41
We couldn't take him. He was so different in his use of language.
31:47
It's quite a thought, isn't it, that Jesus never thought a bad thought, never used a bad word,
31:58
never in all his life on earth sinned in the use of words or in anything else, of course.
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But when you think how easy it is for you and for me to let the sin that's in our hearts out by the
32:10
language we use, by the thoughts we have that then are put into words, it's such an amazing but wonderful
32:16
thing to realize that Jesus was always perfect in his speech and in his whole way of life.
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So we see verse 18 here. Let me turn to the context here. That was by way of introduction. Let me just
32:31
turn to the verse at the end of the chapter.
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And I'm taking the verse as something that really is a climax led into by the chapter as it unfolds.
32:48
The chapter is to do largely with the use of the tongue or the misuse of the tongue, really,
32:53
the misuse of our words and of language, and the damage that's done by the wrong use of language,
32:59
by injurious use of words. And it leads into this final verse. If we're going to sow a harvest of
33:07
righteousness, then we have to take care that we're dealing with our conversation, that we're
33:12
holding our tongues when we need to hold them, that we have purity of language as far as possible.
33:20
A harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace, by those whose words are committed
33:27
to peacemaking, as Jesus said in the Sermon on the Mount. So first of all, as we go through the
33:35
chapter, you can see first of all the tongue, our use of language, is always influential. Verses 3 to 5.
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Our language, our tongue, is always influential. Not always influential in a good way, although it is,
33:50
of course, possible, thankfully, to be influential in a good way with the use of your tongue,
33:55
the use of your words that you use, your quality of conversation. But James is really focusing on
34:01
the other side of things, because there must have been a problem amongst those that he was writing to,
34:06
or at least he was setting out a standard for them that they needed to keep to. What he knew about this,
34:12
we don't know. He doesn't say for sure, but he is saying, this is really how it should be with you.
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And the tongue is always influential, and he uses three metaphors here that are really powerful
34:24
illustrations. You find there in verse 2, a man also able to bridle his whole body, and that
34:32
leads him into the illustrations. We put bits in the mouths of horses. Look at the ships, though they
34:38
are large, yet they're guided by a very small rudder. And he moves thirdly to a little fire that begins
34:45
and leads to the whole forest being set ablaze. Look at what he's saying there. Small and yet
34:53
potential for really evil influence. Small and yet proportionally, it can do so much damage.
35:03
The wrong use of words, the wrong use of the tongue. Look at what he's saying there. He's saying if we put
35:09
bits in the mouths of horses. Well, you know what a bit is, what's put in the mouth of a horse,
35:13
that the rider then, through the reins, can actually pull and control the horse and get the
35:18
horse to stop. Hopefully. I've never tried it, but that's how they control the horses, as you know,
35:24
and change their direction. And if you look at the bit, the size of the bit, in proportion to the whole
35:29
size of the horse, the bit is much, much smaller than the horse. And the horse itself, in many ways,
35:35
you could say, is a far more powerful creature than that bit on its own. But when that bit in its mouth
35:42
uses the influence that it has by the rider's use of it, it controls that whole horse, that whole
35:49
powerful animal. And he's saying the same about the ships. The ships, although they're so large and
35:54
driven by strong winds, yet they're guided by a very small rudder, wherever the will of the pilot
35:59
directs. You see a massive big tanker, or some container ship, massive in size, and yet you think
36:08
of small rudder in comparison actually steering that ship. And whoever is actually controlling
36:15
the rudder, wherever it's controlled from these days, probably electronically, but it moves about
36:21
in such a way that the whole ship can be steered according to the will of the person that's in charge
36:27
of the direction of the ship. Small in size compared to the whole, but just look at the influence,
36:33
look at the effect, look at what it does to that whole ship, even when it's driven by strong winds.
36:41
Yes, the same with a small campfire. We know how easy it is for a small campfire. You look at it,
36:48
and it's nice. You have a nice evening out, perhaps, with a campfire. But if you're not very careful,
36:55
that campfire can set the whole forest ablaze. That's why people need to be very careful when
37:01
they're out actually lighting fires or having barbecues out in public places where there are
37:06
trees or shrubs or bushes nearby. You need to make sure that it's kept from spreading and that it's out
37:11
before you leave it. Because he's saying here, so also a great forest is set ablaze by such a small
37:20
fire. So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great things. And it goes on to speak
37:28
about the tongue is small among our members, staining the whole body, setting on fire the entire course of
37:34
life, and set on fire by hell. Come to that in a minute, but just look at the point that we're making
37:43
just now the smallness of it, the apparent innocuousness of it, the apparent innocuousness
37:49
of our words. They don't seem to be really in any great danger of causing very much damage, but you
37:56
know very well that it doesn't take many words to cause a great deal of damage. And you can't get them
38:02
back. And when you put a forest on fire, it takes a lot of effort and a lot of resources to put it out.
38:08
And that's the same James is saying about our use of the tongue, our use of conversation, how we use
38:14
our words, what words we choose, and how we present them, and how we go about setting out our thoughts
38:20
and words. It has a capacity to be immensely destructive. And sadly, we all know that to our
38:28
cost to some extent. I doubt if there's anyone here, myself included, that haven't at some point or
38:34
other regretted saying things or saying things in a certain way. And you realize then, I really
38:41
shouldn't have said that. Or I shouldn't have said it in that spirit. I shouldn't have said it in that
38:45
way. And you can't take that back. The damage is done. You can repair it to some extent, but then it's
38:52
sometimes too late. Well, he says, this is what it's like. This with the tongue as well.
38:59
Now, you know that the sixth commandment is a commandment not to take human life. You shall
39:07
not kill. You shall not murder, as it's put in some translations. You shall not kill. You shall
39:13
not commit murder. We mustn't confine that, though it is certainly primarily about committing murder,
39:21
taking a person's life. Nevertheless, as you go through the whole of Scripture, you can see the
39:27
capacity of words to wound and even to kill reputations. All of that is part of what's
39:35
envisaged by that commandment, you shall not kill. Slander, innuendo, using a rumor to actually just
39:46
carry out further damage against somebody or against a family or against people in our society.
39:52
That's the same thing in that commandment as it is with these words of James.
40:01
This little member, this little in proportion, these words, this conversation, this tongue we
40:09
use to speak literally, it's very small compared to the damage that it can do, the capacity it has
40:16
for creating havoc and real damage. And that happens, of course, in the church as well.
40:24
And you notice in verse 9 here that James is actually saying, with this tongue,
40:29
we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God.
40:36
From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so,
40:41
and so on. And he's saying, here is what we find ourselves as sinners confronted with,
40:48
our own capacity to cause great damage by our misuse of the tongue.
40:54
You know what he's saying? He's saying, with it we bless our Lord and Father, with it we curse people.
41:00
It's quite possible to go from a worship service, where we sing praise to God,
41:06
where we preach the gospel, to go from that context to another context all too soon,
41:15
where we're engaged in something destructive of a person's reputation, or personality, or relationships.
41:25
We're really, it's telling how James is putting here, we curse people with the same tongue as we sing with,
41:32
people who are made in the likeness of God.
41:37
That's not just Christians.
41:39
Everybody's made in the likeness of God, created in the likeness of God.
41:45
And you know, the telling thing about it is, it's not just something that's aimed at people themselves.
41:51
Why does he say, made in the likeness of God?
41:53
Well, because our misuse of words is actually indirectly an assault on God himself.
42:02
You remember Jesus saying to Paul, to Saul of Tarsus, on the way to create further havoc,
42:10
Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?
42:15
Who was Paul persecuting?
42:16
He was persecuting the church.
42:17
He was destructive of the church of God, of the gospel, as far as he could.
42:23
But Jesus said, why are you persecuting me?
42:26
You see, indirectly, his words and his actions were an assault upon Jesus himself.
42:31
And that's the telling thing here.
42:32
We actually assault the image of God.
42:35
We assault God himself indirectly when we actually misuse our words and our language to wrong people.
42:42
And character assassination and all of that stuff that you have so readily nowadays.
42:50
He puts it here, the whole course of life in verse 6.
42:53
The tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness, set among our members, staining the whole body,
42:59
setting on fire the whole course of life.
43:03
What does he mean by that, the whole course of life?
43:06
Well, it means certainly from our infancy through to the time that we leave this world,
43:11
our tongue has to be controlled.
43:13
Our tongue has the capacity to cause huge damage.
43:16
Our words have to be carefully chosen and carefully used and carefully presented.
43:21
He's saying here really from the beginning to the end of life, the whole course of life.
43:27
But I think it's more than that.
43:29
It's the words that are indicative of something more than just a personal matter.
43:33
It's not just the whole extent of a person's life individually.
43:37
The whole course of life means really pretty much all of human society is susceptible to being damaged
43:44
by the wrong use of tongues, by the wrong use of language, by misuse of language.
43:50
I mean, all you've got to look at and think about, just to take a primary example nowadays,
43:55
is the use of social media.
43:57
And if you're at all involved with social media, with the likes of X or Twitter, as it used to be called,
44:05
it's a toxic environment.
44:08
It doesn't mean that Christians shouldn't be involved with it at all,
44:11
because you can make points through it, briefly at least,
44:14
in answering some of the stuff that comes up there.
44:17
But it is so, so toxic, especially when you actually write something or put something up
44:24
that's supportive of the gospel, supportive of gospel principles, gospel practices, the truth of God.
44:32
And when you counter the evil of the world, whether it's the evil of abortion,
44:36
the evil of other things related to the ways of the world,
44:41
you will soon find that you're in a toxic environment where words are used simply to try and destroy you
44:49
and destroy your reputation, to annihilate you, to wound you, to deliberately just take it out on you.
44:57
That's the world we live in.
44:58
That's the world as it's always been.
45:00
But all of these present-day means and media are actually usable by those who want to use them in the wrong way to that end.
45:12
And sadly, as you well know, people, many young people sadly, have ended up really drastically taking their lives,
45:22
committing suicide,
45:23
because of the unending attack on social media by others who are bombarding them,
45:31
not just with criticism, but with the nastiest of stuff.
45:35
That's killing with words.
45:39
That's annihilating people's reputation.
45:42
That's attacking people for the sake sometimes of just attacking them.
45:48
And the Lord is saying to us here,
45:50
The tongue with which we bless our Lord should never be used to curse people with,
45:58
to bring destructive forces down on people's heads.
46:03
It has the capacity to cause great damage.
46:07
It is always influential, even the whole force of life.
46:11
And you see, not only that, but does it say that the whole course of life,
46:18
it also says the tongue is a fire in itself, a world of unrighteousness,
46:24
sustaining the whole body, setting on fire the whole course of life,
46:29
and set on fire by hell.
46:33
It's the word Gehenna he used, which is hell,
46:38
the literal sense of the word hell in the teaching of the New Testament.
46:43
Because, you see, Satan has access to our tongues.
46:48
Satan has access to our use of the tongue.
46:51
Satan has access to our use of words, our choice of words,
46:55
our thoughts, and how we're going to present things in the words that we choose.
46:59
And that's always been the case since the fall,
47:05
since Satan had access to our first parents, Adam and Eve.
47:08
And, of course, his first question was, with regard to the words of God,
47:13
Has God indeed said?
47:17
Isn't that telling us well,
47:18
that the first assault on our human lives in Adam and Eve,
47:23
came to Eve, first of all,
47:26
that the first assault from evil, from the evil one,
47:29
was to do with words,
47:30
and to do with the words of God?
47:33
Can you trust God?
47:35
Has he been truthful?
47:37
Has he told you things as they really are?
47:39
That was his thrust.
47:41
And he fell for it, sadly.
47:44
And we fall for it ourselves all the time.
47:48
Because he's still active,
47:49
even in the case of Christians as well.
47:52
Let's not imagine tonight that,
47:53
just because we're Christians,
47:55
we're converted people,
47:56
we're people who follow the Lord,
47:57
and confess the Lord,
47:59
that Satan doesn't have access to our minds
48:02
and to our use of words.
48:04
Of course he does.
48:05
You have to watch against that.
48:07
You have to pray against that.
48:09
You remember how it was with Peter?
48:11
In Matthew 16, verses 22 and 23,
48:14
the Lord had just divulged to them
48:16
that he needed to go to Jerusalem
48:18
and suffer many things
48:21
and be put to death.
48:23
What did Peter do when he heard these words by Jesus?
48:27
It says that he took Peter aside.
48:29
He took the Lord aside.
48:31
Peter actually took him,
48:32
you can imagine,
48:32
just him putting his arm on him
48:34
and taking him away from the rest,
48:36
as it were,
48:36
at that time,
48:37
just a wee distance.
48:38
And what did he say to him?
48:39
This shall not happen to you.
48:41
This is not going to be the case with you at all.
48:46
Put that out of your mind,
48:48
he's saying to Jesus.
48:49
That's really what his words amounted to.
48:51
Don't think those thoughts.
48:53
Don't go down that route.
48:55
That's not for you.
48:57
How did Jesus answer him?
49:00
Get behind me,
49:03
Satan.
49:04
Satan.
49:04
An apostle of the Lord.
49:10
And Satan has access to his mind
49:12
and to his words.
49:14
And got him to use words
49:16
by which he tried to deflect the Lord
49:19
from the course that he was on
49:21
towards the cross.
49:23
Get behind me,
49:25
Satan.
49:29
So what we said at the beginning is important.
49:32
That the whole of Scripture
49:33
brings us teaching
49:35
that we need to take stock of
49:37
every single day we live
49:39
in regard to our use of the tongue,
49:42
our use of language.
49:44
It is always influential
49:45
for good or for evil.
49:48
And as we said,
49:49
James is dealing with that evil side of it.
49:52
And you notice he's saying
49:53
it's an untamable evil
49:55
from verse 7 there.
49:56
He says,
49:57
every kind of beast and bird
49:59
and reptile and sea creature
50:00
can be tamed
50:01
and has been tamed by mankind,
50:03
but no human being
50:04
can tame the tongue.
50:05
And that's a telling
50:06
and a really solemn point
50:08
that he's making there.
50:09
There is no human being
50:11
that's a mere human being
50:13
that can actually tame the tongue.
50:16
To some extent,
50:16
you can control it
50:18
and to some extent,
50:19
you can keep watch
50:21
over how you use it.
50:22
Of course, it's necessary.
50:23
But he's saying,
50:24
literally,
50:25
no human being
50:26
can tame the tongue.
50:27
It's a restless evil
50:29
full of deadly poison.
50:33
All of these animals
50:34
that I mention
50:35
is possible for a human being
50:36
to tame a lion.
50:39
I understand the only creature
50:41
that's totally untamable
50:43
is what's called
50:43
the Tasmanian devil,
50:45
made famous by the
50:47
Looney Tunes cartoons.
50:48
But that animal
50:51
seems to be untamable.
50:54
Whereas even other animals
50:55
like lions, tigers,
50:57
to a great extent,
50:58
they can be tamed.
51:00
They can become your pets.
51:03
You can have them
51:04
as in friendship with them,
51:08
human and animal terms.
51:09
But he says,
51:10
the tongue,
51:11
nobody can tame.
51:12
No human being
51:13
can tame the tongue.
51:15
It has never been tamed
51:16
by mankind himself.
51:19
What do we need
51:20
when we can't tame it ourselves?
51:22
We need every day to say,
51:24
Lord, help me today
51:25
by your grace
51:26
to tame my tongue.
51:27
Help me today, Lord,
51:28
to think about the words
51:29
that I should say
51:30
before I say them.
51:31
Help me, Lord,
51:32
today to use words wisely,
51:34
to use words cleanly,
51:35
to use words in such a way
51:37
that will not be destructive.
51:39
Help me to think even,
51:40
especially when I'm feeling angry
51:41
or annoyed,
51:42
or concerned about something.
51:44
Help me to choose words
51:45
and to say them
51:46
in such a way
51:47
that honors you,
51:48
that keeps to a purity of speech,
51:51
and that doesn't set out
51:53
in any way
51:54
to destroy reputations.
51:58
It's all too easy, isn't it,
51:59
to throw back at someone
52:02
when they've come at you
52:03
with something
52:04
that accuses you wrongly,
52:06
that denigrates your name,
52:09
that just calls into question
52:10
or speaks about you
52:14
in such a way
52:14
as to really cause
52:16
your hackles to rise
52:17
and easy to return
52:21
in kind, isn't it,
52:22
just to do the same back.
52:25
And here is James saying,
52:26
don't do that.
52:28
Ask the Lord for His help.
52:30
Ask the Lord for the help
52:32
of His Spirit.
52:33
Remember whose cause
52:34
you belong to.
52:36
Remember who your Lord is.
52:38
Remember who your fellow
52:39
Christians are.
52:40
Remember who your fellow
52:41
human beings are.
52:43
Remember the reputation
52:43
of the Lord especially
52:45
is at stake.
52:47
And that's why he's saying
52:48
a greater power is needed
52:50
than actually we have ourselves.
52:53
And you go back to
52:54
the likes of the book of Proverbs.
52:57
The book of Proverbs
52:58
is one of the great books
52:59
of the Bible
52:59
in terms of wisdom.
53:01
And we'll see in a minute
53:02
James is going on
53:03
to speak here about wisdom
53:04
or different kinds of wisdom.
53:06
The book of Proverbs
53:07
chapter 10, for example,
53:09
just picking out a couple
53:10
of example verses.
53:12
There's many in the book
53:13
of Proverbs.
53:14
It's a book to do
53:14
with wisdom
53:15
and how we have wisdom
53:18
from the Lord
53:18
that we need to carry through.
53:21
Proverbs chapter 10
53:22
and verse 19.
53:24
When words are many,
53:27
transgression is not lacking.
53:29
But whoever restrains
53:31
his lips is prudent.
53:33
The tongue of the righteous
53:35
is choice silver.
53:37
The heart of the wicked
53:38
is of little worth.
53:41
Whoever restrains his lips
53:42
is prudent.
53:44
I think we should give thanks to God
53:46
if we're people of few words.
53:50
Because if we're people
53:51
of many words,
53:53
if we're people who speak incessantly
53:55
so that others can hardly
53:56
get a word in edgeways,
53:57
we're in much more danger
53:59
than somebody
53:59
who's not given to that sort
54:01
of volume of speech.
54:04
Because many words
54:05
will undoubtedly
54:06
at some point
54:07
lead to hurtful words
54:09
and harmful words
54:10
and words that we regret.
54:14
Proverbs 13 and verse 3
54:15
also has something similar to that.
54:18
Whoever guards his mouth
54:20
preserves his life.
54:22
He who opens wide his lips
54:24
comes to ruin.
54:26
In other words,
54:27
think before you speak.
54:29
Weigh up your words,
54:30
weigh up your thoughts,
54:31
ahead of speaking.
54:33
And James is really saying that.
54:35
That's what he's teaching here,
54:37
teaching us against.
54:40
And remember again,
54:41
Peter, to go back to Peter,
54:42
not that we're picking on Peter,
54:44
but he's there
54:44
as an example in the Bible for us.
54:47
Chapter 14 of Mark,
54:49
where he comes to be questioned
54:50
about his relationship with Jesus.
54:54
And of course,
54:55
he came to deny Jesus
54:56
in that context three times.
54:58
The third time,
54:59
Mark tells us,
55:00
that he invoked curses upon himself
55:03
and vehemently denied
55:05
that he was ever one of his disciples.
55:08
There's a disciple
55:09
telling lies,
55:13
contradicting himself.
55:16
His use of words
55:17
is the opposite of what it should be.
55:20
And there is,
55:23
again,
55:24
an example
55:24
in the Bible
55:25
of where words
55:26
are so important
55:28
in the wrong use of them.
55:30
But our tongue
55:31
finally should be
55:33
an instrument of wisdom.
55:34
Verses 13 to 18,
55:36
that we said,
55:36
that we're using the chapter
55:38
as it leads up
55:39
to the final verse.
55:41
Evidence of true wisdom,
55:43
the wisdom the Bible speaks of,
55:45
the wisdom you gain
55:45
from coming to know your Bible,
55:48
but especially coming
55:49
to know the Lord
55:50
and to follow him
55:51
and be taught by his Spirit.
55:52
The evidence of that wisdom,
55:54
that true wisdom,
55:55
is that it is meek.
55:57
It is teachable.
55:58
The person that's wise
55:59
is a teachable person.
56:00
That's why he begins the chapter,
56:02
not many of you
56:02
should become teachers.
56:04
Because in what seems
56:06
to be an incessant drive
56:07
towards teaching others,
56:09
not only in our day
56:10
but previously,
56:11
there's always a great danger
56:12
in that.
56:13
A great danger in the fact
56:15
that we take to ourselves
56:16
to be teachers
56:16
when we have far more need
56:18
to be taught at times.
56:21
And verses 14 to 16,
56:24
you find this description,
56:26
if we have bitter jealousy,
56:27
selfish ambition,
56:29
do not boast or be false
56:30
to the truth.
56:31
This is not the wisdom
56:32
that comes from above,
56:34
but is earthly
56:34
and spiritual,
56:36
demonic.
56:37
For where jealousy
56:38
and selfish ambition exist,
56:40
there will be disorder
56:41
in every vile practice.
56:42
Now, just in passing,
56:43
you can see from that,
56:46
again, that it's what's
56:47
in your heart
56:47
that comes through
56:48
in your words.
56:50
You won't have words
56:51
that are destructive
56:52
if you don't have
56:54
selfish ambition,
56:56
if you don't have
56:56
something that's
56:59
marked by jealousy
57:00
and so on.
57:01
It's when you're
57:01
marked by these,
57:03
when these exist
57:04
in your heart,
57:04
when they lurk
57:05
in your soul,
57:06
that's when your words
57:07
accordingly show
57:08
that that's what's
57:09
in your soul
57:09
and you'll use words
57:11
that you regret sometimes.
57:13
But he says,
57:13
the wisdom from above
57:14
is first pure,
57:17
then peaceable,
57:19
gentle,
57:20
open to reason,
57:21
full of mercy
57:22
and good fruits,
57:24
impartial and sincere.
57:26
And a harvest
57:27
of righteousness
57:28
is sown in peace
57:29
by those who make peace.
57:33
One of the great verses
57:34
of the Bible
57:35
is in Matthew chapter 5
57:37
and verse 9,
57:39
part of the Sermon,
57:40
the Mount,
57:41
one of the Beatitudes
57:42
as we call them,
57:44
blessed are the peacemakers,
57:47
for they shall be called
57:49
the children
57:49
or the sons of God.
57:51
See what it's saying?
57:52
Blessed are the peacemakers.
57:56
It's all too easy
57:57
to be a peacemaker,
57:58
but it's not so easy
58:01
to be a peacemaker.
58:02
It means self-denial
58:04
and many other things
58:05
like that.
58:06
But he says,
58:07
a harvest of righteousness
58:08
is sown in peace
58:10
by those who make peace.
58:11
If our heart is set
58:13
on making peace
58:15
and being peaceful people,
58:16
then we're sowing
58:17
a harvest of righteousness,
58:19
not just for ourselves,
58:20
but for others as well.
58:25
And that's why
58:26
in Colossians chapter 4,
58:28
we can finish with that.
58:29
Paul also picks up
58:30
that same theme
58:31
in Colossians chapter 4,
58:34
verses 5 to 6.
58:36
Salt applied to speech
58:58
in the sense in which
58:59
salts apply to food
59:01
to make it savory,
59:02
to make it more palatable,
59:04
to give it a particular taste
59:06
without which it
59:06
wouldn't be the same.
59:08
Well, speech,
59:09
she's saying,
59:09
is the same.
59:11
Let your speech,
59:12
let your speech be
59:15
with that sort of quality
59:19
in it,
59:20
as you find it there
59:21
in the fourth chapter.
59:25
Let your speech
59:25
always be gracious
59:26
or with grace,
59:28
seasoned with salt.
59:29
Now, these things
59:30
are hugely challenging
59:32
for us.
59:32
I haven't been led to this,
59:35
I believe,
59:36
part of the Scripture tonight
59:37
because I know
59:38
that there's something
59:39
wrong in the congregation
59:40
in this respect.
59:41
I'm not choosing,
59:42
I haven't chosen this passage
59:44
because I'm targeting
59:45
some people here
59:46
that I know
59:47
are maybe not living up
59:48
to what they ought to be
59:50
as Christians.
59:50
Nothing like that.
59:51
I'm simply saying,
59:52
here's something
59:52
for me to live by.
59:54
Here's something
59:55
the Bible tells us
59:56
from beginning to end
59:57
is an important feature
59:58
of a believing life.
1:00:00
Here's something
1:00:01
we can't afford
1:00:02
to dismiss
1:00:02
any day we live
1:00:04
because our words
1:00:06
can be hugely destructive
1:00:08
and cause massive harm
1:00:11
in the church
1:00:13
or in society,
1:00:15
wherever we are.
1:00:16
Instead,
1:00:17
we need to come
1:00:18
to God daily
1:00:19
and come to God daily
1:00:21
with that concern,
1:00:22
with that prayer.
1:00:24
Lord,
1:00:25
keep me,
1:00:25
I pray,
1:00:27
from unwise,
1:00:28
damaging speech.
1:00:29
May God bless
1:00:30
these words to us.
1:00:32
We're going to conclude
1:00:33
with words
1:00:34
that are very much
1:00:36
in keeping
1:00:37
with our thoughts
1:00:37
this evening
1:00:38
in Psalm 141.
1:00:42
Psalm 141
1:00:43
and sing Psalms
1:00:44
to the tune Selma.
1:00:46
That's on page 185.
1:00:51
And it's interesting
1:00:52
how the Lord here,
1:00:53
how the psalmist here
1:00:54
is calling on the Lord
1:00:56
in a very difficult circumstance.
1:00:58
He's obviously
1:00:59
surrounded by enemies
1:01:01
and in many ways
1:01:04
he says,
1:01:05
verse 9 there,
1:01:06
protect me from the traps
1:01:08
the wicked set for me.
1:01:11
And he's also
1:01:11
obviously being
1:01:13
attacked
1:01:14
and buffeted
1:01:15
by traps
1:01:17
and by the
1:01:18
doings of the ungodly.
1:01:21
And it's interesting
1:01:21
in that context
1:01:22
that he says
1:01:23
in verses 3 and 4,
1:01:24
keep watch,
1:01:25
Lord,
1:01:26
on my mouth.
1:01:28
And guard my lips,
1:01:30
I pray.
1:01:31
Let not my heart
1:01:32
to evil thoughts
1:01:33
be drawn
1:01:34
and led astray.
1:01:36
We'll sing these three verses
1:01:37
from the beginning.
1:01:38
O Lord,
1:01:39
I call to you.
1:01:40
O Lord,
1:01:50
I call to you.
1:01:51
Come with me,
1:01:54
I hear thee.
1:01:58
And when I cry to you forever,
1:02:05
do my love,
1:02:09
you give me.
1:02:12
thee will murail,
1:02:22
before earth
1:02:24
his eyes.
1:02:26
The mercy of our hands
1:02:34
be Panic.
1:02:34
Let not hide the act, let delight, be me in sacrifice.
1:02:44
It was short on my heart, andissioned by my Welcome Sea,
1:02:51
and down thy lips I play.
1:02:58
Let not thy heart to evil's laws
1:03:06
be torn and let us stay.
1:03:14
If you allow me to get to the main door, please,
1:03:16
tonight I'll greet you at the door.
1:03:17
Now may the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ,
1:03:21
the love of God the Father,
1:03:23
and the communion of the Holy Spirit
1:03:24
be with you now and always.
1:03:27
Amen.