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S7Ep: 2015 GOD is with you · HAVE FAITH LET IT BEGIN®

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  Good morning, and welcome to the final Friday of May.
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  That's right, today is May 30th, 2025, and I thought it'd be a really cool idea
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  to take you back to last Sunday as I was up on the pulpit doing a sermon entitled, God is Always With You.
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  We hope you enjoy it, and have a great day, and never forget,
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  have faith, let it begin. We'll see you Monday.
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  God is always with you. God is with you.
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  That prayer got you a little bit, right? Okay, let's try it again.
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  God is with you. And also with you. How does that make you feel hearing that?
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  When I look at that and I think back about hearing that phrase said to me,
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  I remember saying, thank you.
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  And just kind of wandering off. I didn't think to say, and also with you.
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  One of the great things about God is that he is not just a spectator.
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  He's not a spectator in our lives.
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  He's a part of it. When we think about God, we sometimes view him as someone
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  that is just looking down on us, and he's watching us from above,
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  when the reality is, he's always with us.
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  He never leaves our side.
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  As I began my journey in ministry school, my first semester,
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  I took a course called the New Testament number 301.
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  Don't ask me about the 301. I haven't figured that out, but that means,
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  yeah. But that's something. I think it's just the course mean.
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  The description of the course stated that we would be covering all of the Gospels of the New Testament.
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  I got to be honest with you. I was a bit nervous, but don't get me wrong. I was excited.
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  I was excited to start the journey to become a pastor.
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  I even wore my t-shirt that my wife bought me that said, pastor in training.
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  Thanks, honey. But I was nervous.
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  I was nervous for three reasons.
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  Number one, it had been 14 years since I took any course of any type of schooling.
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  So that would have made me about maybe 22.
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  All right, I'm joking. I'm 47, so I was probably 33, but we move on.
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  Number two, I'm not the greatest test taker because I have test anxiety.
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  And I worried about the fact that now that I'm older, I would not be able to
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  retain all that information, all that material, and be able to balance my life
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  as a father, as a husband, maybe even a co-worker.
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  Number three, I never read all the gospels from start to finish.
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  I've never done that before.
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  I knew my scriptures. I knew many of them, but never really took the time to
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  read it chapter by chapter, word by word.
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  So I felt like maybe I was walking into that class behind. But guess what I
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  discovered? I wasn't alone.
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  Some of my classmates had the same feelings walking in as we talked amongst each other.
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  Now, the course is online, so you're constantly interacting with your classmates.
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  We were all on the same level. I felt at ease. I felt at peace.
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  I realized that God is with you. And also in you.
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  So after many nights of studying and driving to work and hearing the Gospels,
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  either by way of audible or reading after my family went to bed,
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  I began to understand what the scriptures meant and what the stories behind them were all about.
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  After completing my semester this spring, and now I'm into summer sessions,
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  I've read all the Gospels and I learned two things.
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  Giving God a few minutes of your time to read even just one chapter,
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  one sentence, one scripture at a time really makes you feel closer to him than ever before.
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  You start to realize that God is with you.
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  I wasn't alone during my test, which I had some bad ones, I'm not going to lie.
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  I felt like I was living up to my potential and I finally felt the Lord's presence.
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  I began to see God in all different ways. See, God is always with me.
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  I know that now more than ever.
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  And I want to share with you how I know that God is with you.
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  People at work started to study with me.
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  Some started to be helpful in prayer with me. They guided me.
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  People in this church texted me and asked me if they needed any help.
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  Yes God was with me because I know and he loves me and guess what he loves you.
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  So as I got concluded my first semester I did get an A.
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  One of my favorite Gospels out of Matthew, Luke, Mark, and John,
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  all those, comes from today's reading that I just read.
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  See, what that reading was about was that the Bible, the story of the Bible
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  was that Jesus was parting his words to his disciples.
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  The scripture reminded us that God is always with us.
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  Jesus told his disciples, I am with you always to the very end of the age.
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  He was demonstrating that God's presence is a consistent companion.
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  This passage from Matthew is a significant one because it's one of the few places
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  in the Bible where Jesus directly addresses his followers about his continued
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  presence after his ascension.
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  It's a promise of God, unwavering support and guidance for believers throughout
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  history and into the future.
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  Here's why the story reminds us of God's presence.
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  There are three promises on that, just that very small scripture.
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  So I broke it down this way. There's a personal promise.
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  Jesus' word was not just a general statement, but a personal commitment to his
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  followers, assuring them that he will be with them always.
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  Then there was an enduring presence. The phrase to the very end of age signifies
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  that God's presence is not limited to a specific time, or place,
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  but it is an ongoing reality for believers.
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  And then there was comfort and encouragement.
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  The passage provided comfort and encouragement, especially during times of uncertainty
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  or hardship, as it reminds us that we're not alone in our journey of faith.
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  In essence, the story of Jesus' promise of his continuous presence services
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  the powerful reminder that God is always with us because God is with you.
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  And also with you. He's providing you support. He's providing you guidance.
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  He's giving you hope. throughout our lives.
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  Many of us here today, many of you
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  that are here today or watching at home understands what that feels like.
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  Many of us today have prayed to God and wondered if he's listening.
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  Many of us have shared tears and at times wondered if God was truly with us.
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  So I speak to you today. If you're struggling, if you're struggling to remember
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  or believe that God is with you.
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  I hope you're able to find comfort.
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  I hope you're able to find and know and share that with you today,
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  before you, in his presence, he's telling you right now, I am not going to leave your side.
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  So God is with you. And also in you.
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  When I hear that, it gives me hope. It gives me joy. It provides me endurance and strength.
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  I feel like we don't hear this enough. It seems to me that the only time we
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  hear God is with you is when we're all in the midst of a storm.
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  In fact, some of us here feel as if during those tough times when we are struggling,
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  we are usually followed by those ugly feelings and worry, fear and doubt or confusion.
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  We try our best to seek God and hope that he is listening.
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  Let me take you back to October of 2001.
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  When I was in my 20s, struggling with a depression after a breakup,
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  and not having the relationship with Christ as I do now, I sometimes was left
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  wondering, where was God during all those miserable times?
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  I used to sit in my tiny apartment. I used to cry. I'd cry in my pillow.
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  I'd cry with my little dog, Buster B, who's gone on to be with the Lord.
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  I would cry into my pillow and then I would find myself yelling out loud,
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  God, why is this happening to me?
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  God, why are bad things consistently happening to me?
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  Why, God? Why me? Does that sound familiar?
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  There was even a moment that I said to myself, Life is so difficult to believe
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  that God is with me when my life feels everything but good.
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  Boy, was I wrong. Do you want to know why? Because God is with you. And I'll see you.
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  That week was a very difficult time for me. It was so bad that I eventually,
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  I was living in Rhode Island and I had to call my parents.
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  I had to reach out to somebody that I knew they had that strength,
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  that faith, that encouragement. and I called my two best friends, my parents.
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  They showed up that weekend. We had a great time.
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  I lived next to the Riverside Congregation, Riverside First Performed Church of Riverside.
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  And my mom looked me up one morning, that Sunday morning and says, we're going to church.
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  Okay, mom. We walked into the church and the first words they said was,
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  good morning, everyone.
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  Today we have unveiled our brand new piano. and they unveiled it.
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  I guess what they were doing was their piano had been broken.
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  So they were raising money and they finally got their piano.
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  So before we begin the service, we're going to sing a song. Stay in your seats. And he said, hit it.
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  And they played Amazing Grace.
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  How sweet that sound.
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  After the service, we all began to eat because let's be honest, we're church people.
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  We love that fellowship. We got to have that coffee. We got to have those baked goods.
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  As I was eating in a corner there and saying hi to certain people,
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  little did I know that my mom was doing her own fellowship.
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  She was talking to some of the congregational members, letting them know that
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  I was new to the area, letting them know that I was struggling.
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  My parents left that weekend. My mom told me she left me a little gift on my nightstand.
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  And I still have it to this day. It was a napkin and it said,
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  angel, when you were born, all the angels came from heaven.
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  Do you know why? Because you are special.
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  I stopped crying that morning.
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  Afternoon, somebody was at my door.
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  I opened it up, and there was one of the congregational members with banana and uproar.
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  How they knew that was my favorite, you knew. And they welcomed me to the neighborhood
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  and said, if there's anything we can do for you, let us know.
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  God is with you. And I'll sustain you.
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  The next morning, after having a very difficult day, because let's be honest,
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  we feel like we start doing well and then we get smacked with a bad day, right?
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  So I go home and I'm like, oh man, I wish Sunday would come faster.
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  It was another person in the congregation with a dinner. We thought maybe you'd be hungry.
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  Take it, clean it, bring it back to us, or you can even keep it.
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  We just want you to know we're praying for you and always remember God is with you.
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  That happened for a month, probably gained about eight pounds from the bread,
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  but that's okay. and I started to go to church.
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  I started to help. I started to volunteer. I started to read the scriptures
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  and I realized something.
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  God started to fill me and surround me by people that had the same faith that
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  I needed. And I watched others struggle.
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  I prayed for them. It wasn't always about me.
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  It was about us working within our community to help and strengthen each other.
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  Being in ministry school and reading the Bible allowed me to reflect on those days.
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  When I think back, knowing what I know now, I understand today what was missing
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  in my life then. My relationship with God.
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  My ability to take the time to hear God's message to me.
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  The love letter he wrote to me. The love letter that he's writing and has written for you.
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  If you don't know what that love letter looks like, it's in front of you right
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  now. It's called the Bible.
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  Reassuring us that we're not alone, letting us know that he knows what you're thinking.
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  I know what you're saying right now, angel.
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  I have a good understanding of God. You don't have to preach to me this morning.
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  I know what God is. I go to church every Sunday.
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  Angel, I know what you're saying. I give the offering every week.
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  I even do the Lord's prayer every night. I pray to God. I have a relationship
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  with him. I'm sure you do. I'm sure you do.
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  Some of us have said to me in the past, I have the daily devotion that comes to my phone.
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  That is my church. That is great. No one is judging. I have that app too.
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  As I prepare to become a pastor, I'm learning different ways to spread the word of God.
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  I can stand up here and be direct with you. I can tell you what you should be doing.
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  Or I can do what I believe God has prepared me to do.
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  I believe that God has prepared me to be more personal, to provide you with
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  personal testimony, to inspire you to what we all strive to be,
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  and that is closer to him.
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  Our Lord Jesus Christ is speaking to us.
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  So when I look back on how God changed my life, I go back to those three words,
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  those three phrases, the personal promise that he gave me.
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  He's assuring that God was with me, His enduring presence Knowing that God is our GPS,
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  God is a direct He's a direct path and is directing our path To righteousness,
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  He's providing me comfort and encouragement So let me speak to you now With one more story,
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  Just yesterday I'm on Facebook And I see one of the gentlemen that Is in our
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  church communities Struggling Somebody that I always thought Man,
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  he's just got it He's so close to God that nothing breaks him He was at his
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  lowest point I told my children, get in the truck And I went over to his house,
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  Knocked on the door and we prayed outside.
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  Need to come out together. We need to come together as a congregation.
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  We need to come together as a community. We need to pray for one another.
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  We need to tell everyone, as you look to your left and right,
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  God is with you. And also with you.
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  So I leave you with one question.
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  Do you know that God is with you? Do you know that God is always with you?
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  Do you know that You can hear and read God's word Every message and every day,
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  You can pray to him You can even yell at him You can read the Bible and yell You can stomp your feet,
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  You can come to Sunday worship And hang out with us If you don't want to get
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  up You can look at us on Facebook.
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  We are all brothers in Christ We all have the DNA of our Lord and Savior Who
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  created each and every single one of you In his image God is speaking to you
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  this morning and he is saying the following close your eyes,
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  God is saying right now I love you,
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  I believe in you I know what you're feeling I know that you're hurting,
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  I know what you're asking of me and I know that you need me as much as I need
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  you I haven't left you I am not far away from you I will never leave you I am right here for you.
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  I hear your prayers.
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  I leave you with a verse from Psalms 121, verse 7.
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  The Lord will keep you from all harm. He will watch over your life.
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  And surely I am always with you to the very end of age.
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  May God be with you because he is always with you. Amen.
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  Let's do a prayer of blessing real quick. Thank you, Jesus, for allowing your
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  words from the Bible to keep us connected to you.
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  Allow my words to inspire us to go out into the world, to spread your word and
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  your wisdom to others we encounter.
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  In Jesus' name that we pray. Amen.
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  Music.