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All right, good morning. 
We have been trying to finish 

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this series for about a month 
and a half. 

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I think something always comes 
up, whether it's the weather or 

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I think we had two lessons left 
in this series when we had our 

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Christmas breakfast. 
Believe it or not, that's how 

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long it's been that we've been 
trying to finish this. 

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But we are going to finish today
unless I get going long and then

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we'll extend it to next week. 
Now. 

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I'm kidding. 
No, we won't do that. 

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Brother. 
Josh is ready to go. 

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He's been waiting in the wings 
for a few weeks. 

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So he will, he will start up a 
new series next week, I hope. 

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I think, I think it was several 
months ago now, Pastor preached 

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a message and I don't remember 
what the title or anything was, 

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but that the idea was that, you 
know, hopefully we have a 

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little, a little spark left in 
us that the Holy Spirit can blow

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on it and ignite a, a fire 
within us. 

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And I hope that when he reads 
these, these articles and things

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that that, that you're not, I 
hope it, it stirs something in 

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you, not of anger necessarily, 
but of that we need to stand for

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truth, everybody. 
And, and it's the more you get 

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around, and I don't get around 
that much as far as churches go.

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But the more you get around, the
more you see that people are 

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just asleep. 
They don't care. 

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You know something that that DL 
Moody, whether he was would have

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claimed to be independent 
Baptist or not doesn't matter. 

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He was a Christian that was a 
soul winner and he was on fire 

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for God. 
And he did a lot to see people 

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saved. 
And now that campus is just 

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willing to, you know, give it 
up, give it up to ecumenical for

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ecumenical reasons. 
I hope that stirs something 

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inside of you that at least 
means there's something still 

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inside of you that wants to 
fight for the truth. 

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But it is, it is everywhere. 
And we don't have a choice. 

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I believe we don't have a choice
but to stand for the truth. 

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And we we've got to do it and 
hopefully raise our kids to do 

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the same thing. 
We don't know, I think we don't 

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know who who we have in our 
homes as far as what God might 

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do with one of our kids. 
I, I believe that when DL Moody 

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was growing up, his parents had 
no idea what he was going to 

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grow up and do. 
He wasn't even saved. 

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He wasn't even going to church 
at all until he was, you know, 

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6th, 7th grade. 
And so we're trying to raise our

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kids for God, but we have no 
idea what God has in store for 

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them. 
So we do the best that we can. 

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We, we lead them and teach them 
how to follow the Holy Spirit. 

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And then let, let him do that 
work. 

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And I hope, I hope that we're 
doing that. 

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I hope we're serious about it. 
Go to Psalm chapter 23. 

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And very probably one of the 
most, if more familiar, if not 

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most familiar passages in the 
entire Bible, Psalm chapter 23. 

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Even the unsaved use it at 
funerals. 

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But we're going to look at our 
last valley this morning and I'm

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sure you can figure out which 
valley we're going to look at, 

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the valley of death or the 
valley of the shadow of death. 

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I was thinking about this while 
I was driving this morning. 

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Has anybody never been to a 
funeral? 

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Good. 
It'd be more likely if we had 

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the kids in here. 
Maybe they, some of them have 

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not been to. 
I was going to say if anybody 

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raised their hand, that's 
probably purposeful that you've 

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not been to a funeral because we
all know somebody that has 

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passed away. 
Every one of us, it's something 

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that we, we can't get away from.
We can't get around death. 

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And, and so the Bible talks 
about it head on. 

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It doesn't try to skirt the 
issue. 

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It, it, it, it addresses it in 
Psalm chapter 23. 

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I'll just read these 6 verses 
and then we'll pray and then 

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we'll get into this lesson. 
But it says the Lord is my 

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shepherd. 
I shall not want. 

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He maketh me to lie down in 
green pastures. 

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He leadeth me beside the still 
waters. 

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He restoreth my soul. 
He leadeth me in the paths of 

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righteousness for his name's 
sake, which is an interesting 

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verse. 
We're not going to talk about 

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that this morning. 
But He leads us in those paths 

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of righteousness, not so that we
can be looked at as righteous, 

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but for His name's sake, so the 
world can see us, and for His 

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name's sake He's glorified 
because of our life. 

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But verse 4, this is where we'll
focus on this morning. 

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Yeah, though I walk through the 
valley of the shadow of death, I

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will fear no evil, for Thou art 
with me. 

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Thy rod and thy staff, they 
comfort me. 

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Thou preparest the table before 
me in the presence of mine 

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enemies. 
Thou anointest my head with oil,

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My cup runneth over. 
Surely goodness and mercy shall 

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follow me all the days of my 
life, and I will dwell in the 

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House of the Lord forever. 
And you see at the top of Psalm 

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23, it says a Psalm of David, 
and we're going to talk about 

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that here once we pray. 
I believe David had very good 

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insight as far as this valley of
the shadow of death. 

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We'll talk about it here in just
a minute. 

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But let's pray. 
Father, I thank you for this day

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you've given us. 
Thank you for another 

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opportunity We have to open your
word. 

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God, thank you that we're able 
to meet with the snow we had 

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earlier this weekend. 
And God, I just pray that the 

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those that are still coming 
would would be, you'd bring them

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here safely. 
And I got to just thank you for 

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the opportunity we have to meet 
in a church and under a pastor 

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who is still very serious about 
the truth being preached. 

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And God, I pray that we'd be 
very serious about it as well. 

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If we don't accept the truth 
being preached, that's that'll 

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discourage any man from from 
preaching that. 

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And I pray that you'd give our 
pastor the strength he needs to 

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continue to do that regardless. 
But I pray that you'd help us to

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want to hear the truth, to 
accept it, to make changes where

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we need to so that that truth 
can continue to be preached and 

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we can pass it on to our kids 
and and that next generation can

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go on living for you as well. 
Pray that you bless this hour as

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we talk about this valley of the
shadow of death in Jesus name, I

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pray Amen. 
You know, has anybody here ever 

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been to Israel? 
OK, good. 

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So what I say if I'm wrong, nod 
your head like I'm right, and 

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then you can correct me 
afterwards. 

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All right? 
I've never been there. 

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But they say that the valley of 
shadow of the shadow of death is

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an actual place, which makes 
sense. 

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Why would David? 
David's very poetic, but why 

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would he be talking about? 
Why would he put it that way? 

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The valley of the shadow of 
death? 

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I believe David probably 
actually took his sheep down 

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through this valley of the 
shadow of death. 

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Did anybody remember when, when 
pastor was doing the Bible 

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geography Wadi Kelt QQELT? 
Did anybody remember that? 

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It's it sounds familiar. 
You may not remember where it is

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or whatever, but Wadi Kelt, a 
Wadi is a dry. 

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It's not necessarily a riverbed,
but in the in the dry season, 

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there's no water in it. 
But then when in the rainy 

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season, it's basically a runoff.
Think of a retention pond that 

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doesn't have grass around it and
you'll see those channels 

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running through it when, when 
it's real heavy rain. 

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It's kind of like that, except 
probably 1000 times the size. 

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It's, it's a true valley that's 
been carved out by runoff. 

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And so that's what this Wadi 
Kelt was it goes from. 

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And like I said, I've never been
there. 

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So I'm, I'm taking somebody 
else's word for it, but it says,

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they say it's a valley located 
between Bethlehem and Jerusalem.

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And it goes from 2700 feet above
sea level at Jerusalem and 

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travels all the way down to the 
Dead Sea. 

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Remember, Pastor just mentioned 
this, I think Wednesday that 

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the, the Dead Sea has a lot of 
stuff running into it. 

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Nothing ever leaves. 
That's why it's the Dead Sea. 

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Nothing. 
There's no, no turnover of the 

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water coming in. 
Well, this, this water is the 

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same thing. 
And it has created this Wadi 

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Kelt, which has come to be known
as the valley of the shadow of 

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death. 
And I don't think it's a recent 

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term because we have David, I 
believe, talking about that 

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valley. 
What the Wadi Kelt here in Psalm

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chapter 23. 
Yeah. 

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Though I walk through the valley
of the shadow of death, I will 

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fear no evil, for thou art with 
me. 

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Thy rod and thy staff, they come
for me. 

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I think this was David 
impersonating his his one of his

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sheep, maybe. 
Yeah. 

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Though I walk through this 
valley, I'm not afraid because 

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my shepherd David is with me. 
And then David uses that to to 

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basically make that portrayal of
him and his his God walking 

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through the valley of the shadow
of death. 

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But it but I do believe it was a
a real place. 

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And in fact, I think it's very 
possible that this is where 

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David would have killed the the 
lion and the bear, probably in 

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this valley when he was taking 
his sheep down. 

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What would happen is the 
Highlands in the, in the dry 

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season would get very dry, 
hardly any, any grass. 

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And so these shepherds were 
almost forced to figure out a 

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way to, to feed their sheep. 
So they would take them. 

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It was a very much a shortcut 
without going all the way 

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around. 
They'd take them right down this

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Wadi because it was dry, because
it's the dry season and take 

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them down into the valleys. 
And they would during the dry 

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season would keep them there. 
And then once the Highlands got 

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rain again, they would back up 
the the Valley of the Shadow of 

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Death or Wadi Kelp, and they 
would graze them up in the 

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Highlands where they would like 
to be. 

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But the only way down there was 
through this valley of the 

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shadow of death. 
They had to do it. 

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And it was, it was a hideout 
really for think, think of any 

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animal, any prey animal. 
When it starts to realize that 

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there's a pattern, they just 
hang out there and wait for the 

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sheep to come down and then they
attack them. 

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And sure, the shepherd might be 
with him, but all he needs is 

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one, right? 
And now he's got a meal. 

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And so I, I think it's very 
possible this is where David 

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killed that lion and that bear. 
These, these prey animals would 

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hang out in this valley of the 
shadow of death because it was 

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so easy to hide all the, the, 
the Craigs and the, and the 

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rocky terrain, even in the 
daytime, they say. 

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And you can still go there if 
you've ever been there. 

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Ben too, is they say even in the
high noon, there's still all 

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these shadows. 
It's just a very eerie place. 

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And so I can imagine the 
shepherds don't hang out there. 

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They they use it. 
They get through there, but they

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get through there as quick as 
they can, as carefully as they 

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can with their sheep. 
So that's kind of a background 

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of, of what we see here in Psalm
chapter 23. 

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I believe David is talking about
this place. 

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It's also known to have a lot of
robbers hanging out there 

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because they knew people were 
taking this shortcut to get down

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to where they needed to go. 
A bit of a scary place. 

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But anyways, we the, the picture
here is that all of us are going

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to walk through this valley of 
the shadow of death. 

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And I want to look at that this 
morning. 

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This is not necessarily in fact,
it's not the valley of death. 

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It's the valley of the shadow of
death and the reason death is a 

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shadow to us. 
And we'll look at this in just a

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minute is because of what Christ
has has done to death. 

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And we can you can think of the 
verses that will be going along 

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with that and we'll talk about 
it in a minute. 

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So let's go ahead and get into 
it. 

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First of all, death is an 
acknowledged fact. 

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It's undisputed death is going 
to happen to every one of us. 

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Some of us have had death in our
in our families that closer 

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closer than others. 
All of us have had acquaintances

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of some sort, if not family 
members that have passed away, 

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but death is coming to every 
single one of us. 

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You've heard pastor say that 
they did a study and they found 

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out that 100% of all people die,
right? 

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There is no way to beat it. 
I just, I did just hear I was 

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listening to a a podcast that 
since somebody got to talking 

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about some different health 
things. 

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There are people, in fact, I 
don't know exactly who he is. 

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00:11:50,680 --> 00:11:55,160
I don't know him by by face or I
don't personally know him, but 

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00:11:55,160 --> 00:11:58,280
his name is Brian Johnson and 
you've probably seen him on some

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00:11:58,280 --> 00:12:01,680
some ads and things He does some
kind of a protein mix or 

227
00:12:01,680 --> 00:12:03,320
whatever. 
If you recognize that name. 

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00:12:03,760 --> 00:12:07,680
But he believes or he's trying 
to live forever. 

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That's literally his goal is to 
live forever. 

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00:12:10,040 --> 00:12:12,480
So he's trying to be super 
healthy so that he can live 

231
00:12:13,120 --> 00:12:15,000
forever. 
I have news for him. 

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He's not going to he will die at
some point because Hebrews 

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Chapter 9 verse 27 says it is 
appointed unto men wants to die.

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Does Nick say is set for a few 
It is appointed unto men wants 

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to die. 
But after this, the judgment and

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00:12:33,720 --> 00:12:38,680
you've heard in boxing somebody 
wins the heavyweight title and 

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00:12:38,680 --> 00:12:42,040
what do they call him? 
The undisputed champion of the 

238
00:12:42,040 --> 00:12:45,200
world, right. 
Well, death is physically the 

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00:12:45,240 --> 00:12:46,840
undisputed champion of the 
world. 

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You will die. 
It's an acknowledged fact. 

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00:12:49,600 --> 00:12:53,480
We, in fact, none of us except 
Brian Johnson think we're going 

242
00:12:53,480 --> 00:12:56,440
to live forever. 
We know it's coming all right. 

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00:12:57,280 --> 00:13:00,960
Romans chapter 5 verse 12 says 
wherefore as by one man sin 

244
00:13:00,960 --> 00:13:05,840
entered into the world and death
by sin, and so death passed upon

245
00:13:05,840 --> 00:13:08,640
all men. 
Now that's that's a physical and

246
00:13:08,640 --> 00:13:10,480
a spiritual death, but it is a 
physical death. 

247
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Death, death passed upon all 
men. 

248
00:13:12,840 --> 00:13:16,480
We are now falling creatures 
because of sin. 

249
00:13:16,480 --> 00:13:18,200
And so death passed upon all of 
us. 

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00:13:18,200 --> 00:13:21,400
It's an acknowledged fact. 
It is a promised thing. 

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00:13:21,400 --> 00:13:23,600
It's coming, but it's also very 
personal. 

252
00:13:23,600 --> 00:13:25,560
Look at Psalm chapter 23 and 
verse 4. 

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00:13:25,560 --> 00:13:27,320
This is really the verse we'll 
focus on. 

254
00:13:28,680 --> 00:13:33,480
But it says, yeah, though what's
the next word? 

255
00:13:34,240 --> 00:13:36,760
I walk through the valley of the
shadow of death. 

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00:13:37,120 --> 00:13:41,160
And every one of us, that's me. 
And you can say that about you. 

257
00:13:41,200 --> 00:13:43,520
That's me. 
Yeah, though I walk through the 

258
00:13:43,520 --> 00:13:46,320
valley of the shadow of death. 
We are going to die. 

259
00:13:46,560 --> 00:13:50,320
And you know, we talked about 
when we're sharing the gospel, 

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we tell people, you know, your 
sin has to be paid for and 

261
00:13:54,120 --> 00:13:56,920
somebody else can pay that debt 
for you, right? 

262
00:13:56,960 --> 00:13:59,320
Jesus Christ can't pay that. 
But when it comes to death, 

263
00:13:59,600 --> 00:14:02,920
nobody can die for you. 
They might die in your stead as 

264
00:14:02,920 --> 00:14:05,680
a punishment, but eventually 
you're still going to die. 

265
00:14:06,920 --> 00:14:11,000
And so we, but we all have to 
walk through this valley at some

266
00:14:11,000 --> 00:14:13,480
point on our own. 
It is a personal, very personal 

267
00:14:13,480 --> 00:14:15,840
event. 
Yeah, though I walk through the 

268
00:14:15,840 --> 00:14:20,200
valley of the shadow of death. 
But then if we're smart, death 

269
00:14:20,200 --> 00:14:24,480
is a prepared for event. 
James chapter 4 and verse 14 

270
00:14:24,480 --> 00:14:27,560
says, whereas you know not what 
shall be on the Morrow, for what

271
00:14:27,560 --> 00:14:30,560
is your life. 
It is even a vapor that appears 

272
00:14:30,560 --> 00:14:33,080
for a little time and then 
vanisheth away. 

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00:14:33,360 --> 00:14:37,520
I remember talking a few maybe 
months ago now, but it was in 

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00:14:37,520 --> 00:14:41,080
this in this series and we I was
it was as a way of introduction 

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00:14:41,080 --> 00:14:44,120
on one of these lessons. 
But I said I asked a question, 

276
00:14:44,120 --> 00:14:47,120
does the Bible try to prove that
God exists? 

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00:14:47,120 --> 00:14:52,040
Do you remember that? 
And the answer I believe is no. 

278
00:14:52,320 --> 00:14:56,240
It just gives us that fact. 
In the beginning God created the

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00:14:56,240 --> 00:14:58,160
heaven and the earth. 
It doesn't say there was this 

280
00:14:58,480 --> 00:15:00,280
being. 
OK, let me explain what God is 

281
00:15:00,280 --> 00:15:01,680
to you. 
He just says in the beginning 

282
00:15:01,680 --> 00:15:02,800
God created the heaven and the 
earth. 

283
00:15:02,800 --> 00:15:07,120
It's a fact. 
And yes, there are places in the

284
00:15:07,120 --> 00:15:10,520
Bible that give us a lot of 
detail about God, a lot of proof

285
00:15:10,520 --> 00:15:13,520
that he does exist as far as our
faith is concerned. 

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00:15:14,480 --> 00:15:17,200
But death is the same way. 
It doesn't try to explain what 

287
00:15:17,200 --> 00:15:21,040
death is. 
It just tells us our life is a 

288
00:15:21,040 --> 00:15:23,680
vapor that appears for a little 
time and then vanishes away. 

289
00:15:23,680 --> 00:15:26,520
You're going to die. 
It's an acknowledged fact and we

290
00:15:26,520 --> 00:15:30,080
need to prepare for it 
physically and spiritually. 

291
00:15:30,880 --> 00:15:35,360
I think if, and I'm not the 
best, I'm not the best at 

292
00:15:35,360 --> 00:15:37,800
planning or preparing or 
organizing. 

293
00:15:37,800 --> 00:15:41,960
I, I acknowledge that. 
But if, if it, it's very wise 

294
00:15:41,960 --> 00:15:44,720
from a very practical 
standpoint, very wise to have a 

295
00:15:44,720 --> 00:15:48,880
will and all the rest of that, 
Who was I talking to? 

296
00:15:50,560 --> 00:15:55,720
Oh, I'm in a, I'm in a, I'm in a
real estate group. 

297
00:15:56,000 --> 00:15:59,680
Anyways, we went to a meet up a 
few Saturdays ago and there was 

298
00:15:59,680 --> 00:16:04,080
a lady there and she said me and
my husband made the, made the 

299
00:16:04,080 --> 00:16:05,560
decision to get into real 
estate. 

300
00:16:05,560 --> 00:16:08,400
And, and I think she said eight 
days later, he dropped out of a 

301
00:16:08,400 --> 00:16:11,120
heart attack and they had 
already kind of joined the and 

302
00:16:11,120 --> 00:16:12,560
paid for their membership and 
everything. 

303
00:16:12,560 --> 00:16:14,080
And she said I had a decision to
make. 

304
00:16:14,360 --> 00:16:19,440
He left me no will. 
He had bought their house before

305
00:16:19,440 --> 00:16:21,600
they got married. 
So her name wasn't on the House 

306
00:16:22,240 --> 00:16:24,520
and her name was not on the bank
accounts. 

307
00:16:24,680 --> 00:16:27,640
She had nothing. 
He was not prepared for death. 

308
00:16:28,240 --> 00:16:30,120
And I say so from a practical 
standpoint. 

309
00:16:30,120 --> 00:16:32,440
We need to prepare for that 
physically, but we also more 

310
00:16:32,440 --> 00:16:35,120
importantly, need to prepare for
that spiritually. 

311
00:16:35,440 --> 00:16:38,680
And if you've come to this 
church for any length of time, 

312
00:16:38,680 --> 00:16:41,240
you have heard the gospel. 
If you have not made that 

313
00:16:41,240 --> 00:16:44,800
decision to accept Christ as 
your Savior, today is that day. 

314
00:16:44,800 --> 00:16:48,200
It's so important to prepare for
our physical and spiritual 

315
00:16:48,200 --> 00:16:50,880
death, but especially spiritual.
That man that I was just talking

316
00:16:50,880 --> 00:16:54,640
about, I had no idea he was in 
fact, he was going about his 

317
00:16:54,640 --> 00:16:57,240
life joining a real estate 
membership so that he could 

318
00:16:57,240 --> 00:17:00,800
start another business. 
And eight days later he's gone, 

319
00:17:00,800 --> 00:17:03,680
Not prepared. 
We need to prepare for it. 

320
00:17:03,880 --> 00:17:05,480
But but then I want to talk 
about this. 

321
00:17:05,800 --> 00:17:08,560
And this is this is key. 
And This is why it's called the 

322
00:17:08,560 --> 00:17:14,079
valley of the shadow of death. 
Death is an abolished foe. 

323
00:17:14,359 --> 00:17:20,880
I like to, I think often we read
the Bible and we familiar 

324
00:17:20,880 --> 00:17:23,200
passages, we just mow right 
through them, right. 

325
00:17:23,200 --> 00:17:27,200
Especially if you're if you're 
reading on a on a schedule to 

326
00:17:27,240 --> 00:17:29,120
for your devotions or something 
like that. 

327
00:17:29,320 --> 00:17:32,000
We mow through these passages. 
Oh, this is a familiar passage. 

328
00:17:32,960 --> 00:17:34,160
Good. 
I got through that chapter. 

329
00:17:35,320 --> 00:17:38,160
But think about Christ on the 
cross. 

330
00:17:38,160 --> 00:17:40,960
The Bible says this in First 
Corinthians chapter 15, and you 

331
00:17:40,960 --> 00:17:44,760
can turn there if you'd like, 
but First Corinthians chapter 15

332
00:17:44,760 --> 00:17:50,440
and verse 55, in fact, I will go
there as well, 1st Corinthians 

333
00:17:50,440 --> 00:18:00,600
15 and verse 55. 
Very familiar passage, but think

334
00:18:00,600 --> 00:18:04,440
about what it's saying. 
O death, verse 55, where is thy 

335
00:18:04,440 --> 00:18:07,320
sting? 
And O grave, where is thy 

336
00:18:07,320 --> 00:18:09,920
victory? 
And maybe, maybe we could read 

337
00:18:09,920 --> 00:18:13,400
it another way, almost in your 
face to, to, to death. 

338
00:18:13,520 --> 00:18:16,120
Oh death, where's your sting? 
Where, where is that sting at 

339
00:18:16,360 --> 00:18:18,000
engraved? 
Where is thy victory? 

340
00:18:18,280 --> 00:18:21,120
The sting of death is sin, and 
the strength of sin is the law. 

341
00:18:21,120 --> 00:18:24,560
But thanks be to God which 
giveth us the victory through 

342
00:18:24,560 --> 00:18:27,320
our Lord Jesus Christ. 
Therefore, my beloved brethren, 

343
00:18:27,320 --> 00:18:30,080
be steadfast, unmovable, always 
abounding in the work of the 

344
00:18:30,080 --> 00:18:31,560
Lord. 
For as much as you know that 

345
00:18:31,560 --> 00:18:35,160
your labor is not in vain in the
Lord, but thanks be to God, 

346
00:18:35,160 --> 00:18:39,720
verse 57, which giveth us the 
victory through our Lord Jesus 

347
00:18:39,720 --> 00:18:42,200
Christ. 
This is, this is, we hear it 

348
00:18:42,200 --> 00:18:44,480
preach this way. 
But this is not necessarily 

349
00:18:44,480 --> 00:18:49,640
talking about victory over 
temptation or or victory over 

350
00:18:49,640 --> 00:18:52,560
other things in our life. 
This is talking about victory 

351
00:18:52,600 --> 00:18:55,840
over sin and death, death 
particularly. 

352
00:18:55,920 --> 00:18:58,320
O death, where is your sting 
grave? 

353
00:18:58,600 --> 00:19:01,120
Where is thy victory? 
So I like to think about it this

354
00:19:01,120 --> 00:19:03,320
way. 
When Jesus Christ was on that 

355
00:19:03,320 --> 00:19:07,520
cross, he came face to face with
sin and conquered it. 

356
00:19:08,240 --> 00:19:11,080
He took it on himself and then 
conquered sin. 

357
00:19:11,360 --> 00:19:14,680
And when he went to the tomb 
and, and, and lay there for 

358
00:19:14,680 --> 00:19:18,360
three days, he was dead. 
We don't deny that fact, right? 

359
00:19:18,360 --> 00:19:22,400
There are some that try to try 
to explain it away, a swoon or a

360
00:19:22,400 --> 00:19:26,040
coma or whatever. 
But he was dead and he came face

361
00:19:26,040 --> 00:19:28,160
to face with death and conquered
it. 

362
00:19:28,840 --> 00:19:33,440
And so for us, death is no 
longer something to be afraid 

363
00:19:33,440 --> 00:19:36,440
of. 
It's a shadow of death. 

364
00:19:38,280 --> 00:19:42,160
Think about this. 
Pastor mentioned this a few 

365
00:19:42,160 --> 00:19:45,960
weeks ago that if he saw sees a 
picture of his wife or whatever,

366
00:19:45,960 --> 00:19:47,960
he doesn't go hug the picture, 
right? 

367
00:19:47,960 --> 00:19:50,520
It's not the real thing. 
It's a picture of the real 

368
00:19:50,520 --> 00:19:54,600
thing. 
Well, so is a shadow a shadow? 

369
00:19:54,800 --> 00:19:59,920
I'm not afraid of a shadow. 
I I do remember when Emma was a 

370
00:19:59,920 --> 00:20:02,360
little girl. 
And, and probably most kids come

371
00:20:02,360 --> 00:20:04,600
through this the first time they
see their shadow, they're scared

372
00:20:04,600 --> 00:20:06,640
of it and they're running from 
it and it's chasing them. 

373
00:20:07,000 --> 00:20:09,440
They don't know what it is. 
But a shadow is nothing to be 

374
00:20:09,440 --> 00:20:11,640
afraid of. 
It's the thing that's making the

375
00:20:11,640 --> 00:20:13,720
shadow that we're afraid of, 
right? 

376
00:20:13,800 --> 00:20:18,640
But Christ conquered death. 
So we do have the shadow of 

377
00:20:18,640 --> 00:20:21,160
death on us. 
We do go through death, but it's

378
00:20:21,160 --> 00:20:22,800
nothing to be afraid of. 
It's been conquered. 

379
00:20:23,320 --> 00:20:26,080
And so that's an exciting thing,
but it is just a shadow. 

380
00:20:26,640 --> 00:20:30,120
It is not the real thing that we
need to be afraid of. 

381
00:20:30,120 --> 00:20:32,200
But then there's also something 
that's important. 

382
00:20:32,480 --> 00:20:35,680
When you have a shadow, you have
to have two things. 

383
00:20:35,680 --> 00:20:38,000
You have to have the physical 
thing that's making the shadow 

384
00:20:38,000 --> 00:20:40,880
right. 
And you have to have light. 

385
00:20:40,960 --> 00:20:44,320
Yeah, some, some light source, 
the sun or a flashlight or 

386
00:20:44,320 --> 00:20:46,680
whatever else. 
I remember being in Sunday 

387
00:20:46,680 --> 00:20:49,080
school and, and the Sunday 
school teacher doing object 

388
00:20:49,080 --> 00:20:53,120
lessons and, you know, using a 
flashlight to make big shadows 

389
00:20:53,120 --> 00:20:55,520
on the wall when it's really 
just this tiny little thing not 

390
00:20:55,520 --> 00:20:58,360
to be afraid of. 
I think Patch the pirate does a,

391
00:20:59,160 --> 00:21:02,040
does a story and I'll, I won't 
remember Emma or one of the kids

392
00:21:02,040 --> 00:21:07,480
would know it, but there's this 
legend of, of this, you know, 

393
00:21:07,960 --> 00:21:12,400
this, this beast that they are, 
are coming up to and they're 

394
00:21:12,400 --> 00:21:15,080
trying to, to conquer this or 
figure out what it is. 

395
00:21:15,360 --> 00:21:18,880
And it ends up being this tiny 
little little elf or something. 

396
00:21:19,480 --> 00:21:22,680
But because of the shadows, he, 
he portrays himself as this 

397
00:21:22,680 --> 00:21:25,120
giant monster. 
And I think death does that to 

398
00:21:25,160 --> 00:21:30,160
us. 
So many people are afraid to 

399
00:21:30,160 --> 00:21:32,480
die. 
And, and pastor says this as 

400
00:21:32,480 --> 00:21:34,240
well. 
I don't want to die, but I'm not

401
00:21:34,240 --> 00:21:35,760
afraid of death. 
Why? 

402
00:21:36,000 --> 00:21:40,120
Because we, we know it's been 
conquered and we have the light 

403
00:21:40,960 --> 00:21:44,880
of Jesus Christ in our lives. 
Think about think about an 

404
00:21:44,880 --> 00:21:48,880
unsaved person, maybe you before
you were saved and when you 

405
00:21:48,880 --> 00:21:52,720
would think about death, that's 
a fearful thing. 

406
00:21:53,240 --> 00:21:55,640
It really is. 
Who knows what's going to happen

407
00:21:55,640 --> 00:21:58,120
after I die? 
Who knows what the afterlife 

408
00:21:58,120 --> 00:22:01,520
holds until we come to 
understand that Christ conquered

409
00:22:01,520 --> 00:22:03,520
death. 
He paid for our sins. 

410
00:22:04,320 --> 00:22:08,000
He he redeemed us back to 
himself. 

411
00:22:08,360 --> 00:22:11,120
Now all of a sudden death is is 
not a a scary thing. 

412
00:22:11,200 --> 00:22:15,800
There's a light that is throwing
that shadow, but there's a light

413
00:22:16,280 --> 00:22:21,320
for the believer. 
But then lastly, and and we're a

414
00:22:21,320 --> 00:22:23,080
little bit shorter today, but 
that's fine. 

415
00:22:23,760 --> 00:22:28,400
Death is an accepted not thing, 
but an accepted friend. 

416
00:22:28,640 --> 00:22:30,360
And you've heard pastor say this
before. 

417
00:22:30,840 --> 00:22:33,000
You can't threaten me with 
heaven, right? 

418
00:22:33,440 --> 00:22:38,720
Death for the believer is not 
only not scary, it's it's a 

419
00:22:38,720 --> 00:22:40,000
friend. 
We're going we're going to be 

420
00:22:40,000 --> 00:22:45,200
going to our Savior and I I 
couldn't, I didn't write this 

421
00:22:45,200 --> 00:22:46,520
and I didn't I'm not going to 
memorize it. 

422
00:22:46,520 --> 00:22:47,600
So I'm just going to read it to 
you. 

423
00:22:47,600 --> 00:22:51,360
It says this though, if we 
carefully consider we will see 

424
00:22:51,360 --> 00:22:54,560
that death is for the benefit of
the believer. 

425
00:22:54,680 --> 00:22:57,480
And here here's what he says 
physically, those who die in 

426
00:22:57,480 --> 00:23:00,880
Christ gain freedom from pain 
and temptation. 

427
00:23:01,040 --> 00:23:05,040
Have you ever I can't speak for 
the ladies, but I can speak for 

428
00:23:05,040 --> 00:23:06,840
the men. 
Have you ever had some, some 

429
00:23:06,840 --> 00:23:11,560
temptation that you constantly 
deal with and look forward to 

430
00:23:11,560 --> 00:23:14,880
the day that Christ comes? 
So you're just done with that 

431
00:23:14,880 --> 00:23:18,360
temptation? 
I, I think that's humankind in 

432
00:23:18,360 --> 00:23:20,440
general. 
Every Christian I believe comes 

433
00:23:20,440 --> 00:23:22,960
to that point. 
I can't wait till I go to be 

434
00:23:22,960 --> 00:23:26,160
with Christ so I can be done 
having to fight this temptation 

435
00:23:26,480 --> 00:23:29,880
and the pain. 
There are some I think of this, 

436
00:23:30,320 --> 00:23:32,520
I think of this often and I 
don't know if they're listening 

437
00:23:32,520 --> 00:23:38,200
or not, but JJ, most of you, in 
fact very few of you have 

438
00:23:38,200 --> 00:23:41,360
actually met JJI believe, but 
they live right behind the 

439
00:23:41,360 --> 00:23:45,040
church here. 
And for the last it's been 5 or 

440
00:23:45,040 --> 00:23:48,120
6 years. 
He's he's he's dying with ALS 

441
00:23:48,760 --> 00:23:52,240
and the pain that comes from 
just laying in that bed. 

442
00:23:52,440 --> 00:23:56,200
His mind is perfectly capable. 
He understands everything, but 

443
00:23:56,200 --> 00:24:00,120
he cannot communicate. 
He can't move the pain that 

444
00:24:00,120 --> 00:24:03,160
comes with that. 
What an accepted thing death is 

445
00:24:03,400 --> 00:24:06,960
a friend to be done with that 
pain and then to be present with

446
00:24:06,960 --> 00:24:10,000
the Lord. 
But then he says mentally, those

447
00:24:10,000 --> 00:24:13,680
who die in Christ gain 
liberation of mind and perfect 

448
00:24:14,080 --> 00:24:16,480
heavenly wisdom. 
Wouldn't that be nice to have 

449
00:24:16,480 --> 00:24:18,720
that perfect heavenly wisdom 
here on this earth? 

450
00:24:18,720 --> 00:24:21,160
And that's why we pray for it. 
We ask God for it. 

451
00:24:21,160 --> 00:24:25,760
We are. 
We do have access to it through 

452
00:24:25,760 --> 00:24:28,600
our God. 
But when we die, we will have 

453
00:24:28,960 --> 00:24:32,040
liberation of mind and perfect 
heavenly wisdom. 

454
00:24:32,040 --> 00:24:36,360
Think about them, the mental 
health crisis or the issues that

455
00:24:36,360 --> 00:24:42,000
people have in our world today. 
I think a lot of it is, is 

456
00:24:42,000 --> 00:24:44,480
oppression from Satan. 
That's where it comes from. 

457
00:24:44,480 --> 00:24:49,400
But I can't I can't speak as an 
expert on that, but for the 

458
00:24:49,400 --> 00:24:51,920
Christian to finally be 
liberated from that the the 

459
00:24:51,920 --> 00:24:55,360
liberation of our mind. 
And then he says socially, those

460
00:24:55,360 --> 00:24:58,400
who die in Christ gain friends 
and experience and eternal 

461
00:24:58,400 --> 00:25:02,080
reunion with loved ones. 
And then spiritually, and I 

462
00:25:02,080 --> 00:25:05,320
think this is key, those who die
in Christ gain the pure, 

463
00:25:05,360 --> 00:25:08,680
undefiled, uninterrupted 
enjoyment of the presence of 

464
00:25:08,680 --> 00:25:12,720
God. 
We will be made like Christ in 

465
00:25:12,720 --> 00:25:16,560
the next life. 
And so in verse 4 of chapter 23 

466
00:25:16,560 --> 00:25:19,760
of Psalm, yeah, though I walk 
through the valley of the shadow

467
00:25:19,760 --> 00:25:21,320
of death, we're walking through 
it. 

468
00:25:22,280 --> 00:25:26,960
We're But I will fear no evil, 
for thou art with me. 

469
00:25:26,960 --> 00:25:29,960
What a comfort that is for the 
Christian. 

470
00:25:30,200 --> 00:25:32,200
The unsaved cannot know that 
comfort. 

471
00:25:32,280 --> 00:25:35,240
They can't. 
They may act like they're not 

472
00:25:35,240 --> 00:25:39,080
afraid of death, but in the 
quiet of their home and they're 

473
00:25:39,080 --> 00:25:42,120
sitting there thinking about it,
they are afraid to die. 

474
00:25:43,360 --> 00:25:46,120
However macho they may come 
across, they're afraid of death 

475
00:25:46,480 --> 00:25:53,560
because God put that in US so 
that we would turn to the 

476
00:25:53,560 --> 00:25:55,840
answer. 
We would search for the truth of

477
00:25:55,840 --> 00:26:00,400
what happens when we die. 
And David encourages us here 

478
00:26:00,840 --> 00:26:02,440
that even though we're walking 
through that valley of the 

479
00:26:02,440 --> 00:26:06,160
shadow of death, all of us are, 
we don't have to fear evil. 

480
00:26:06,360 --> 00:26:09,840
And so we'll close with this, 
the shepherd's goal. 

481
00:26:10,160 --> 00:26:13,760
Remember, I told you the reason 
these shepherds would take their

482
00:26:13,760 --> 00:26:17,120
sheep through this valley, 
through this Wadi kelp was for 

483
00:26:17,120 --> 00:26:20,640
what reason? 
Not to scare them, not to, you 

484
00:26:20,640 --> 00:26:24,240
know, to practice fighting off 
and predators. 

485
00:26:24,240 --> 00:26:28,880
What was the reason to get them 
down to fresh grass, right? 

486
00:26:29,000 --> 00:26:33,000
He always had a reason and and 
it was always with the sheep's 

487
00:26:33,000 --> 00:26:35,680
best interest in mind. 
And think about that. 

488
00:26:35,680 --> 00:26:41,320
For, for us, we must die to go 
to be with Christ. 

489
00:26:41,320 --> 00:26:45,000
We have to, for that to happen 
unless he comes in and and takes

490
00:26:45,000 --> 00:26:47,960
us in the rapture. 
But we have to die. 

491
00:26:47,960 --> 00:26:52,440
But there is a purpose in it. 
It's to to get us to a better 

492
00:26:52,440 --> 00:26:55,520
place to heaven. 
And the same thing with us in 

493
00:26:55,520 --> 00:26:57,560
our lives going through this 
valley. 

494
00:26:58,440 --> 00:27:03,280
There are trials that we run 
into, but it's always it's for 

495
00:27:03,280 --> 00:27:06,000
our good. 
And and because of that, we 

496
00:27:06,000 --> 00:27:11,080
don't have to fear evil because 
God is with us and that guidance

497
00:27:11,680 --> 00:27:13,680
from the shepherd. 
Thou art with me. 

498
00:27:13,880 --> 00:27:18,720
I, I, I picture this and 
remember the staff of a 

499
00:27:18,720 --> 00:27:20,640
shepherd, right, has the, the 
hook on it. 

500
00:27:20,800 --> 00:27:26,160
And I remember in, in as a kid 
in Sunday school thinking, if 

501
00:27:26,160 --> 00:27:29,880
you can reach down, first of 
all, here's what happens in my 

502
00:27:29,880 --> 00:27:33,600
mind. 
There's a ledge and then, you 

503
00:27:33,600 --> 00:27:35,640
know, 10 feet down there's 
another ledge and the sheep is 

504
00:27:35,640 --> 00:27:38,000
down on the ledge and he's 
reaching down there to, to pull 

505
00:27:38,000 --> 00:27:39,440
them out. 
And in my mind, I'm like, what 

506
00:27:39,440 --> 00:27:42,680
is the sheep doing down there? 
Unless he fell, why would he be 

507
00:27:42,680 --> 00:27:43,760
that? 
There's no grass. 

508
00:27:44,120 --> 00:27:46,240
What is the sheep doing now down
there? 

509
00:27:46,240 --> 00:27:50,560
But this valley of the shadow of
death, this physical place kind 

510
00:27:50,560 --> 00:27:51,840
of makes a little bit more 
sense. 

511
00:27:52,040 --> 00:27:57,880
You can you can picture a sheep 
getting to an edge of maybe a 

512
00:27:57,880 --> 00:28:00,760
rocky outcrop and and knowing it
needs to get down there. 

513
00:28:00,760 --> 00:28:03,120
And sheep are too stupid to go, 
OK, let me figure out another 

514
00:28:03,280 --> 00:28:04,960
path. 
So they just jump, right? 

515
00:28:05,120 --> 00:28:07,880
You can, you can imagine that 
and they're either hung up in 

516
00:28:07,880 --> 00:28:10,960
the rocks or, you know, or they 
hurt themselves when they land. 

517
00:28:10,960 --> 00:28:13,200
And then, and then here comes 
the shepherd and he helps them 

518
00:28:13,200 --> 00:28:15,320
up and he carries them or 
whatever. 

519
00:28:15,400 --> 00:28:19,960
So that's, that's what I picture
here in this, this valley of the

520
00:28:19,960 --> 00:28:24,040
shadow of death, the shepherd 
guiding them and, and leading 

521
00:28:24,040 --> 00:28:27,320
them and, and sometimes a sheep 
doing something stupid and 

522
00:28:27,320 --> 00:28:29,840
getting out of the way, but the 
shepherd's there with them and 

523
00:28:29,840 --> 00:28:33,000
he brings them back on the path 
and keeps them on their way. 

524
00:28:33,320 --> 00:28:38,440
The shepherd is guiding us, and 
I'll give you a quick story, and

525
00:28:38,440 --> 00:28:41,720
then we'll be done. 
How many of you ever met my dog 

526
00:28:41,720 --> 00:28:44,400
Pete? 
I know a few of you have. 

527
00:28:44,480 --> 00:28:46,400
Yeah. 
He's really stupid. 

528
00:28:46,720 --> 00:28:50,440
He's a stupid dog. 
You know, he's he's really 

529
00:28:50,440 --> 00:28:52,760
friendly, but he is so, so 
stupid. 

530
00:28:53,160 --> 00:28:56,680
And he's just a dummy. 
He's 9 1/2, I think, years old. 

531
00:28:56,920 --> 00:29:00,120
And he's been dumb since we got 
him and he's still, he hasn't 

532
00:29:00,120 --> 00:29:03,560
learned anything. 
That might be my fault. 

533
00:29:03,680 --> 00:29:05,960
Maybe he's around me. 
He hasn't learned anything. 

534
00:29:05,960 --> 00:29:09,480
But he's a really, he's really, 
really a silly dog. 

535
00:29:09,880 --> 00:29:12,760
And I take him on a walk every 
single night. 

536
00:29:12,960 --> 00:29:15,560
And that is his the highlight of
his day. 

537
00:29:15,680 --> 00:29:18,760
About 9:00 I'll take him for a 
walk and he soon as I get home 

538
00:29:18,760 --> 00:29:22,040
from work at whatever time that 
is until 9:00, he follows me 

539
00:29:22,040 --> 00:29:23,880
around the house ready to go for
his walk. 

540
00:29:24,480 --> 00:29:28,680
And anyways, we'll see rabbit 
sometimes and he's a he's a he's

541
00:29:28,680 --> 00:29:30,600
a puggle. 
So he's a pug and a Beagle, 

542
00:29:30,680 --> 00:29:32,640
right. 
Beagles chase animals. 

543
00:29:32,640 --> 00:29:34,880
They they sniff them out and and
chase them down. 

544
00:29:35,400 --> 00:29:39,400
Not Pete, he I will see a 
rabbit, I'll put the flashlight 

545
00:29:39,400 --> 00:29:43,640
on the rabbit, go get it and 
it's 15 feet away and he'll put 

546
00:29:43,640 --> 00:29:46,000
his nose to the ground and, and 
head off that direction and I'm 

547
00:29:46,000 --> 00:29:49,080
like, it's, it's right there. 
Then he comes to the road where 

548
00:29:49,280 --> 00:29:52,000
what, what's right here? 
I don't know how he does it, but

549
00:29:52,000 --> 00:29:55,800
he's, he's a goofy dog. 
But last night I knowing this 

550
00:29:55,800 --> 00:29:59,040
lesson in my mind. 
So we came back from 

551
00:29:59,040 --> 00:30:02,840
Pennsylvania last night and for 
the, the, the couple's retreat 

552
00:30:02,960 --> 00:30:06,160
and you all got a bunch of snow.
What was it Friday? 

553
00:30:06,200 --> 00:30:10,240
I think Friday night. 
So, but they put a bunch of salt

554
00:30:10,240 --> 00:30:13,040
down, but the snow was so fine 
and blowing around, they 

555
00:30:13,040 --> 00:30:15,040
couldn't really plow it. 
So they just melted it. 

556
00:30:15,440 --> 00:30:20,640
Well, we went for our walk last 
night and those puddles now had 

557
00:30:20,640 --> 00:30:23,160
started to sort of freeze over, 
but not really. 

558
00:30:23,400 --> 00:30:26,600
So on our walk, he's walking 
across that ice and, and fell 

559
00:30:26,600 --> 00:30:27,920
through. 
It's only, it's only, you know, 

560
00:30:27,920 --> 00:30:29,600
an inch thick. 
It's not like he fell through, 

561
00:30:29,600 --> 00:30:33,640
but he but his feet are wet now.
So what happens to wet feet when

562
00:30:33,640 --> 00:30:37,960
you now walk in the snow? 
It's binding up in his paws and 

563
00:30:37,960 --> 00:30:39,960
he can't figure out what is 
going on. 

564
00:30:40,000 --> 00:30:43,600
So I'm walking. 
I it's a walk for me too. 

565
00:30:43,600 --> 00:30:46,760
It's a little exercise. 
So I walk and I turn around 

566
00:30:46,760 --> 00:30:50,000
because I don't hear him behind 
me and I wish I could have get a

567
00:30:50,000 --> 00:30:52,440
video of it. 
He's got his front foot in the 

568
00:30:52,440 --> 00:30:54,000
air and his back foot in the air
like this. 

569
00:30:54,960 --> 00:30:57,640
And then he's switching 2 feet 
at a time. 

570
00:30:58,360 --> 00:31:01,320
And I look back, it looks so 
funny and I'm like, what is he 

571
00:31:01,320 --> 00:31:03,120
doing? 
And I came back to him and sure,

572
00:31:03,120 --> 00:31:06,160
that's what I figured out. 
Oh, he's got ice in his paws and

573
00:31:06,160 --> 00:31:07,480
he can't figure out how to get 
it off. 

574
00:31:07,480 --> 00:31:12,760
So he's shaking like a cat. 
And anyways, so we started 

575
00:31:12,760 --> 00:31:15,160
walking on the dry pavement. 
Now there's puddles on both 

576
00:31:15,160 --> 00:31:17,720
sides of the road. 
There's about a foot of pavement

577
00:31:17,720 --> 00:31:21,200
that's dry in the middle. 
And if he walks on that, he's 

578
00:31:21,200 --> 00:31:23,320
not going to get ice in his, in 
his paws. 

579
00:31:24,040 --> 00:31:28,520
And so I, I got him up to me and
he does pretty good. 

580
00:31:28,600 --> 00:31:30,080
I don't even put him on a leash 
or anything. 

581
00:31:30,080 --> 00:31:31,760
He, he follows me and we're out 
in the country. 

582
00:31:31,760 --> 00:31:35,440
So I said, stay with me. 
And if he, if I say that he 

583
00:31:35,440 --> 00:31:38,280
normally stays with me. 
And so he's walking right down 

584
00:31:38,280 --> 00:31:42,320
this path right behind me. 
We get through there and we 

585
00:31:42,320 --> 00:31:44,680
continue on our walk. 
We come to some more water. 

586
00:31:45,520 --> 00:31:48,760
He has not put any of that 
together that it's the water in 

587
00:31:48,760 --> 00:31:50,400
the snow, right? 
I don't really expect him to, 

588
00:31:50,400 --> 00:31:53,600
but he's dumb. 
He's very, very silly dog. 

589
00:31:54,080 --> 00:31:55,720
And what's he do? 
Walks right through the puddle 

590
00:31:55,720 --> 00:31:58,880
again and right into the snow. 
And then he starts doing like 

591
00:31:58,880 --> 00:32:00,840
this. 
Can't figure out what's going 

592
00:32:00,840 --> 00:32:03,320
on. 
And I thought about this, you 

593
00:32:03,320 --> 00:32:07,400
know, we're, we're like that so 
often with a, with our pastor 

594
00:32:07,400 --> 00:32:11,320
and then also with God. 
He's leading us. 

595
00:32:11,320 --> 00:32:14,360
He shows us the path. 
This is the path you've got to 

596
00:32:14,360 --> 00:32:16,200
take to stay out of this 
trouble. 

597
00:32:16,840 --> 00:32:20,040
And we go OK and then right into
trouble again. 

598
00:32:21,360 --> 00:32:24,880
But on the way back home, I got 
him right with me. 

599
00:32:24,880 --> 00:32:27,840
We walked through the dry patch 
so he wouldn't happen again and 

600
00:32:27,840 --> 00:32:30,080
then got and that's what God's 
trying to do to us. 

601
00:32:30,480 --> 00:32:32,280
That's what this is talking 
about. 

602
00:32:32,680 --> 00:32:35,320
I will fear no evil because 
you're with me. 

603
00:32:35,320 --> 00:32:39,280
You're guiding me. 
If we listen, the only sheep 

604
00:32:39,280 --> 00:32:44,360
that get hurt when they're going
through this Wadi Kelt down to 

605
00:32:44,360 --> 00:32:47,000
the to the grass at the bottom 
are the ones that aren't 

606
00:32:47,000 --> 00:32:49,200
following. 
If they're following the 

607
00:32:49,200 --> 00:32:50,960
shepherd, he's not jumping off 
the Cliff. 

608
00:32:51,080 --> 00:32:54,120
He knows better, right? 
And he's not sending you off the

609
00:32:54,120 --> 00:32:56,560
Cliff. 
He's not pushing you here. 

610
00:32:56,560 --> 00:32:57,680
Hurry up. 
Just go that way. 

611
00:32:58,080 --> 00:33:03,360
He's guiding you carefully and 
and knowledgeably. 

612
00:33:04,000 --> 00:33:06,400
But here come the sheep. 
Here come, Here we come and we 

613
00:33:06,400 --> 00:33:09,400
don't follow. 
That doesn't mean necessarily 

614
00:33:09,400 --> 00:33:11,760
that won't, we won't eventually 
get to the bottom. 

615
00:33:14,080 --> 00:33:16,280
But if we want to get to the, if
we want to get through this 

616
00:33:16,280 --> 00:33:20,920
valley of the shadow of death 
all in one piece, if we want to 

617
00:33:20,920 --> 00:33:27,360
get to the end of our life not 
in pieces, we've got to follow 

618
00:33:27,880 --> 00:33:31,000
the shepherd. 
I will fear no evil because 

619
00:33:31,520 --> 00:33:34,520
you're with me. 
You're Rod and thy staff, they 

620
00:33:34,520 --> 00:33:36,320
comfort me. 
And we, and we know all those, 

621
00:33:36,920 --> 00:33:38,320
we've heard those in Sunday 
school. 

622
00:33:38,320 --> 00:33:43,120
But the rod and the staff, it 
was, it was one thing, but one 

623
00:33:43,120 --> 00:33:46,600
was for correction and one was 
for, for the comfort of the 

624
00:33:46,600 --> 00:33:49,840
sheep, the, the, the shepherd 
would, you know, nudge them 

625
00:33:49,840 --> 00:33:52,880
along. 
And the other one was sometimes 

626
00:33:52,880 --> 00:33:56,280
he's correcting them and 
sometimes he's rescuing them. 

627
00:33:56,280 --> 00:33:59,520
But that rod and that staff, it 
doesn't need, we don't need to 

628
00:33:59,520 --> 00:34:03,040
be afraid of it. 
It's a comfort to us if we will 

629
00:34:03,040 --> 00:34:06,080
listen to the guidance of our 
Shepherd. 

630
00:34:06,080 --> 00:34:07,720
So hopefully that's a help to 
you. 

631
00:34:07,720 --> 00:34:09,719
But we are all going to face 
death. 

632
00:34:09,920 --> 00:34:13,719
There's no way around it. 
But if we listen to the shepherd

633
00:34:13,719 --> 00:34:17,760
on our way through, we death has
been conquered. 

634
00:34:18,320 --> 00:34:21,600
There's no, we don't have to 
fear that, but we need to listen

635
00:34:21,600 --> 00:34:25,159
to the Shepherd as he guides us 
through this valley of the 

636
00:34:25,159 --> 00:34:27,560
shadow of death. 
All right, I hope you've enjoyed

637
00:34:27,560 --> 00:34:30,000
it. 
I know we had so many weeks off,

638
00:34:30,000 --> 00:34:33,199
you probably can't hardly 
remember the lessons, the 1st 12

639
00:34:33,199 --> 00:34:36,080
lessons, but hopefully it's been
a help to you, brother Josh. 

640
00:34:36,080 --> 00:34:39,639
We'll pick up with a new series 
starting next week. 

641
00:34:40,040 --> 00:34:42,719
And I know he's been, he's had a
month to prepare. 

642
00:34:42,719 --> 00:34:44,760
So I told him his first one 
better be really good. 

643
00:34:44,760 --> 00:34:46,760
We don't care about the rest of 
them, but the first one better 

644
00:34:46,760 --> 00:34:49,840
be good. 
So anyways, let's pray and then 

645
00:34:49,840 --> 00:34:52,960
we'll be dismissed. 
Father, I thank you for this day

646
00:34:52,960 --> 00:34:56,080
you've given us. 
God, I thank you for all these 

647
00:34:56,480 --> 00:34:59,600
passages in Your Word that help 
us as Christians. 

648
00:34:59,600 --> 00:35:01,840
God, we do get fearful. 
I know we do. 

649
00:35:02,280 --> 00:35:05,880
It's human nature. 
I do at certain times. 

650
00:35:06,160 --> 00:35:08,800
But God, I pray that we would 
put our full weight and our full

651
00:35:11,360 --> 00:35:13,360
trust in you. 
Your word says that. 

652
00:35:13,560 --> 00:35:16,400
And in all our ways acknowledge 
you and you'll direct our paths.

653
00:35:16,400 --> 00:35:19,000
I pray that we would do that. 
God, I pray when we get tempted 

654
00:35:19,360 --> 00:35:23,480
to just figure it out on our 
own, that we'd stop and get on 

655
00:35:23,480 --> 00:35:25,520
our knees and we would ask you 
for the guidance, for the 

656
00:35:25,520 --> 00:35:27,680
wisdom, and for the 
understanding that we need. 

657
00:35:28,160 --> 00:35:31,320
And God, we're so thankful that 
you conquered sin and death for 

658
00:35:31,320 --> 00:35:33,400
us. 
And I pray that we would, as we 

659
00:35:33,400 --> 00:35:37,200
come through this life, that we 
would let you lead us. 

660
00:35:37,360 --> 00:35:40,440
And, and God, we look forward to
the day when we'll finally be 

661
00:35:40,440 --> 00:35:41,960
with you. 
God, we envy those that have 

662
00:35:41,960 --> 00:35:45,240
gone before us and been done 
with this life. 

663
00:35:45,240 --> 00:35:47,600
And they're and they're in your 
presence now. 

664
00:35:47,600 --> 00:35:50,480
I pray that you'd, God, just 
help us to look forward to that 

665
00:35:50,480 --> 00:35:52,200
day. 
God, I pray that you would come 

666
00:35:52,200 --> 00:35:55,560
soon and come, come back and get
your, your people. 

667
00:35:56,160 --> 00:35:59,240
And God, I just pray that as 
with the time that we do have 

668
00:35:59,240 --> 00:36:02,880
left here on this earth, you'd 
help us to rescue those that are

669
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perishing and care for the ones 
that are dying. 

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00:36:05,400 --> 00:36:08,800
And we'd and we'd show them the 
way, show them the the truth of 

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your word and the gospel and 
they would come to know you as 

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their savior. 
Pray that you bless the next 

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hour. 
Be with our pastor, give him 

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power as he preaches and feed us
from your word. 

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In Jesus name, I pray, Amen. 
We're dismissed.