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my, what a wonderful audience we
have this afternoon, as we Come 

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together again on the Lord's 
day. 

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And, and also, to the final 
service of this gospel meeting 

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seems like, we just got started 
and now it's time to stop. 

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So, now, you know, Preachers 
Wives are just special special 

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women and they have to have a 
great deal of courage. 

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And they have to have courage to
tell the preacher, what he needs

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to hear. 
When others, Probably would not 

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and Cassie knows that. 
It's not unusual for preachers 

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to get a lot of praise and 
compliments along the way. 

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And and so she has to Humble me 
a little bit. 

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Here's what she reminded me of, 
just a little bit ago. 

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She said, no one Minds, a short 
sermon, the last Sunday night of

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the meeting. 
Not a single one of you had the 

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courage to come up and tell me 
that. 

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So you can thank Cassie for 
that. 

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After the, after the service is 
over. 

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And while nobody came up and 
asked for a short sermon, nobody

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came up and asked for a long one
either. 

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So I guess, I guess that's 
alright. 

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You know, the very final verses 
that I read in this morning's 

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sermon, were Hebrews chapter 12 
and this afternoon, I want to go

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to Hebrews chapter 12 and look 
at some things there that are in

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those first few verses of 
Hebrews chapter 12. 

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These are these are very special
words that I think can apply to 

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us. 
And can helpful, hopefully help 

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us and encourage us in our 
Christian walk. 

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Now, the concept of Hebrews 
chapter 12 prepares us for a 

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race and that's mentioned in the
latter part of verse 1. 

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There's a race that is set 
before us racing is something we

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forget to do. 
As we get older. 

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It's something that our children
just naturally do when they are 

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playing as youngsters. 
I doubt that any of us, 

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seriously. 
I remember the first time we 

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said, ready, get set go or 
somebody did and we had a little

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race of one kind or another. 
Those are fun things that we do 

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but as we get older, we forget 
about these things. 

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But actually we are in a race. 
You might say we're in the race 

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of life and we have a lot of 
things to accomplish. 

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We have a lot of goals that we 
want to that. 

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We want to fulfill. 
If we are blessed with life, Now

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this life can get so cluttered 
with all of the things that we 

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have going on and if we stop and
think for just a moment about 

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all the things that we have to 
do in the coming days, that can 

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be a pretty overwhelming, pretty
overwhelming list. 

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Now, having raised that topic, I
know that's what you're dwelling

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on. 
You know, when somebody says 

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don't think about an orange, I 
can't do that. 

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I don't think I'm alone. 
So if I say you know if we just 

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stop for a second and think 
about all of the things that we 

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have to do, all of a sudden is 
like a flood gate has been 

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lifted in. 
Our mind is just filled with all

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of those things. 
Just kind of makes you tired, 

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doesn't it? 
Now. 

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There are some folks that put 
more on their plate than others 

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and most things that we have on 
our plate of life to get done 

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are self-inflicted. 
Okay, I'll acknowledge that. 

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But it's very, very easy to get 
lives. 

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So full of this or that or the 
other That we end up neglecting 

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those things that are most 
important. 

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Now when I was meddling the 
other night about finances, 

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personal finances, I said, it's 
so easy to get into dead and to 

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have this, and that, and this, 
and that, that we pay for that. 

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We neglect, the Lord that we 
neglect. 

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Our ability to give, we abuse 
our ability to give when we do 

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that. 
It's also so easy to get our 

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lives. 
So filled with things that we 

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are caught up in, in doing that.
We forget the things that are 

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most important to us. 
Those things that are most 

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important to us, are those 
things of a spiritual nature. 

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Those things that will enable us
to have a home in heaven, are 

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absolutely the most important 
things that we could ever 

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consider in our life. 
But sometimes we lose sight of 

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that. 
Sometimes we take that for 

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granted now, we're told work out
your own salvation with fear and

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trembling. 
So that means we start with me, 

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you start with you, it has to be
very personal if we're going to 

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have a right relationship with 
God. 

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That means I need to pay 
attention to this myself and 

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make this a priority. 
You need to do that for you. 

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Your spouse cannot do that for 
you. 

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Your in-laws cannot do that for 
you. 

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Your parents cannot do that for 
you. 

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Children cannot do that for you.
You're in this first by 

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yourself. 
Every one of us shall give an 

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account before God of the life 
that we individually and 

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personally have lived. 
And so, we're going to have to 

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stand there with, no one beside 
us to hold our hand of our 

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family. and we're going to have 
to face God as we are and for 

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who we have been We cannot 
depend upon someone else to be 

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there in our place. 
And so that means things of God 

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become very, very important, 
don't they? 

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Things of a spiritual and 
eternal nature become very, very

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important. 
But now having said that, yes, I

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want to be saved myself, but, 
you know, when we, when we are 

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privileged to be married, when 
we are honored to be married and

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we pledge our life to a spouse. 
Remember First Corinthians 7 

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talks about our service to God. 
And in that respect, it relates 

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being married to a care of the 
world, not in a wrong sense, but

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that our service to God first go
sideways. 

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It is how we serve our spouse 
that determines how God sees 

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that we serve him and so 
husbands are to serve their 

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wives. 
And in that way, they are two 

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together than to serve God, 
wives are to serve their 

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husbands. 
And in that way, they together 

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are to serve the Lord. 
And so when we are married, our 

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service, go sideways first. 
Before it ascends to the throne 

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of God, you might say, And so it
is, if we are saved and in a 

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right relationship with God, who
do we want to be in that? 

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Same save relationship with us 
more than anyone else in the 

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world? 
Of course our spouse. 

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We want them to be saved as 
well. 

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Now, they may choose not to, but
we want them to with all of our 

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heart and if we're blessed with 
children, then, of course, we 

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want them to be saved as well. 
And as I've learned the last 11 

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years, when your breasts with 
grandchildren, You want them to 

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be saved too and so it is what I
think of heaven and who's going 

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to be there. 
I'll be the first to admit, I 

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don't know. 
Now here's what I do know. 

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God has guaranteed happiness. 
Remember, there's no sorrow in 

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heaven. 
None. 

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So what about that old question 
of? 

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Well, what if my mother is not 
there? 

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What if my dad he's not there? 
What if my wife or my husband, 

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or my children or my 
grandchildren of they're not 

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there? 
It's not that we won't care, but

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God has taken that knowledge and
no longer allowed us to be 

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sorrowful if he allows To know 
that because he's guaranteed no 

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sorrow in heaven, none. 
Well, that makes Heaven an 

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amazing place, doesn't it? 
I can't imagine Heaven from this

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side of Eternity without my wife
there, too. 

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I can't imagine that. 
I don't want to. 

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I cannot imagine heaven without 
my three children there. 

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I just can't. 
I cannot imagine heaven without 

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my for soon to be five 
grandchildren there I just can't

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and I don't want to. and now, I 
can't imagine heaven without all

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of you there, either. 
You see. 

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Terry showed us some video of 
when Galen and Paul went back to

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Africa, 50 years after they went
for the first time. 

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And we got to see some of those 
Brethren there, and where they 

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worshipped and our brothers and 
sisters in Africa. 

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I've never met them. 
But I hope to spend eternity 

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with them and Heaven couldn't 
understand a thing. 

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They were saying but you know, 
we'll be able to converse just 

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fine. 
All they love to saying? 

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We've got that in common, we 
couldn't keep up with them in 

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their singing, they couldn't 
slow down, the handle ours. 

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We just shouldn't try to imagine
heaven without them. 

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But we have to start here. 
We have to start with ourselves 

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and heaven, and its destination 
has to mean more to us than 

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anything else in this life and 
that then is the race along the 

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way, who are we? 
Well, we're a spouse were, we're

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a child of our parents? 
We're a grandparent, we're a 

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grandchild, were a worker where 
a student, where a neighbor. 

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We're citizen on. 
And on you go with roles that we

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have to fulfill. 
All of those can be wonderful 

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roles. 
But God has to be first. 

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We can't. 
You lose sight of God being 

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first. 
Now, Hebrews chapter 12, says 

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wherefore seeing. 
We also are compassed about with

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so great. 
A cloud of witnesses. 

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Let us lay aside every weight 
and the sin, which doth so 

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easily beset us, and let us run 
with patience. 

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The race that is set before us, 
the witnesses that are referred 

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to in verse 1. 
Are actually those anxious from 

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that chapter regarding the Hall 
of Fame of Faith from Hebrews 

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chapter 11. 
It's saying here that these 

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individuals are there to witness
this race this race and Hebrews.

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12 verse 1 is likened unto a 
race that's about to be held in 

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a stadium and all of us are 
they're getting ready to run and

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as we stretch and as we find our
starting blocks. 

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And as we find our Lane, Then 
which we're going to run. 

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We are able to look around at 
the stands and they're just full

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of folks. 
They're just full of all kinds 

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of people who are these. 
Folks, they're the ones named 

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in. 
Hebrews chapter 11 they are the 

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Ancients or the elders those 
that lived long long, long ago 

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in the ensuing Generations after
Adam, they are those Those of 

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the generation of able who's 
also named and Enoch who's also 

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named as an individual, that was
translated so that he should not

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see death, Hebrews 11 and verse 
5. 

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Also, those stadiums are filled 
with the likes of Noah and those

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of his family who were faithful 
to God and preserved by him in 

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the ark. 
Also, we have pictured in this 

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Stadium stands a Ham that 
wonderful man. 

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That was a friend of God and his
son of Promise Isaac and his 

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son, Jacob who was named Israel 
from whom the tribes of Israel, 

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come and also Joseph, and also 
Moses, and Moses parents and all

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of the Israelites and Rahab The 
Prostitute and all of those 

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individuals who did so many 
things plus verse 32 of Hebrews,

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11 mentions Gideon and Brew. 
Iraq and Sampson of jeptha of 

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David and Samuel in the prophets
who through faith subdued 

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kingdoms wrought. 
Righteousness obtained promises 

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stopped, the mouths of lions, 
quenched, the violence of fire 

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escaped, the edge of the sword 
out of weakness were made. 

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Strong waxed Valiant in fight, 
turned to flight the armies of 

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the aliens. 
Women received their dead raised

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to life again and others were 
tortured. 

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Not accepting Deliverance that 
they might obtain a better. 

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Resurrection. 
And others had trial of cruel, 

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mockings, and scourgings. 
A moreover of bonds and 

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00:13:01,300 --> 00:13:02,900
imprisonments. 
They were stoned. 

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00:13:02,900 --> 00:13:04,800
They were sawn. 
Sunday were tempted, were slain 

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with the sword. 
They wandered about in 

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sheepskins and goatskins being 
destitute Afflicted, tormented 

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of whom the world was not 
worthy. 

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They wandered in deserts and in 
mountains and dens and caves of 

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the earth and these all having 
obtained, a good report through 

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faith received, not the promise 
God having provided some better 

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thing for us that they, without 
us should not be made perfect. 

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These individuals are that cloud
of witnesses that surround us in

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this race we are about to run, 
figuratively. 

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00:13:32,000 --> 00:13:37,500
Speaking of course, Course. 
What a great crowd. 

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Now as you know, a race can be 
run without any Watchers but, 

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you know, you always perform 
just a little bit better when 

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there are folks there to cheer 
you on. 

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00:13:50,800 --> 00:13:53,900
Now we're these individuals in 
the stands Victorious because 

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they all live long healthy 
lives. 

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Not really, as we read many of 
them died, horrible deaths. 

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But in their death, their faith 
was intact. 

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Can you see that is the point 
that even though they had all 

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00:14:08,200 --> 00:14:13,200
kinds of adversity, their faith 
in God was still intact. 

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00:14:13,200 --> 00:14:18,000
Even if their faith in God 
meant, they had to give up their

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life. 
It says there in verse 35 that 

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they did not accept Deliverance.
Even in the face of torture, 

226
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individuals were tortured to 
give up their faith in God, and 

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they would not why, for the 
promise of a better 

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Resurrection. 
Section for the promise of being

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saved. 
If you've ever watched a boxing 

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00:14:41,200 --> 00:14:46,200
match of any kind, usually, 
there will be introductions of 

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00:14:46,200 --> 00:14:50,800
previous Champions before the 
boxing match actually begins and

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00:14:50,800 --> 00:14:54,500
they will let her Deuce this. 
This person that may or may not 

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still be agile at all, and they 
will come up and they will, they

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won't walk underneath the ropes 
and they'll go around the the 

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ring and they'll everybody will 
see them. 

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They'll praise them and cheer 
for them for just a moment. 

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And that is a reminder to the 
combatants. 

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This can be one, you can win. 
You Can Be A Champion. 

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You too. 
Can be victorious in this battle

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that you're about to have this 
race that you're about to have. 

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Now if you've ever spent the 
time to watch like a Miss 

242
00:15:29,400 --> 00:15:32,600
America Pageant or something 
like that, I don't advise that. 

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I'm just saying if you have you 
Probably noticed that along the 

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way they start about the time of
the Civil War saying this was 

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Miss America, 9 1864, and they 
start with everyone that has 

246
00:15:48,200 --> 00:15:52,900
ever won that contest in one 
fashion or another to say you 

247
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too. 
Can be a winner. 

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That's an encouragement to all 
of the contestants we can do 

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this. 
Well in this race, this 

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spiritual race to get from this 
life to heaven. 

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We want in those stands is 
encouraging us to say, we can do

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this, we can do this. 
It is as though they are 

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shouting. 
Don't ever give up, give it your

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best, you can, you can make it. 
You see, After All In This 

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00:16:20,600 --> 00:16:25,500
Crowd, there's not a single 
person who's against us. 

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00:16:25,900 --> 00:16:29,800
Every one of them are on our 
side. 

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00:16:30,400 --> 00:16:34,600
Now, that is a great crowd. 
Have you ever been in a sporting

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00:16:34,700 --> 00:16:38,100
An event where the opposing team
was introduced and you stood up 

259
00:16:38,100 --> 00:16:41,600
with everybody else and said be,
that's not going to happen in 

260
00:16:41,600 --> 00:16:44,400
this Stadium. 
They're all. 

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00:16:44,500 --> 00:16:47,400
They're all on your side, 
they're all on our side. 

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00:16:47,800 --> 00:16:52,800
I remember believe it or not 
playing basketball in high 

263
00:16:52,800 --> 00:16:55,600
school. 
Now, I went to a very small 

264
00:16:55,600 --> 00:17:01,300
school We're mediocre Talent, 
could be on the varsity team, 

265
00:17:01,400 --> 00:17:04,300
that was me. 
I got to play varsity 

266
00:17:04,300 --> 00:17:10,300
basketball, and I still remember
when my name was announced and I

267
00:17:10,300 --> 00:17:14,900
ran out to the appropriate line 
and the basketball court, and 

268
00:17:14,900 --> 00:17:22,900
the crowd cheered for me. 
I'll have to tell you That felt 

269
00:17:22,900 --> 00:17:27,599
good. 
It still does just remembering 

270
00:17:27,599 --> 00:17:32,200
it and that's been. 
Hmm, 37 years. 

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00:17:33,300 --> 00:17:37,300
We like it, when somebody's 
cheering us on it, feels great. 

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00:17:37,300 --> 00:17:41,300
When somebody says you can do 
this, you can do this, you can 

273
00:17:41,300 --> 00:17:46,700
make this happen. 
Well that's what that crowd of 

274
00:17:46,700 --> 00:17:51,000
Witnesses are saying to us, you 
can do this. 

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00:17:51,500 --> 00:17:56,100
But you know, in our 
congregations, we need 

276
00:17:56,100 --> 00:17:59,100
individuals who will be 
encouragers as well. 

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00:18:00,200 --> 00:18:03,800
We need individuals who will 
have the strength and courage of

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00:18:03,800 --> 00:18:07,800
their convictions to be able to 
look beyond their own life and 

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00:18:07,800 --> 00:18:11,700
look to others to be encouraging
to them to lift them up. 

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00:18:11,700 --> 00:18:15,600
When they may be fallen to help 
them understand how important 

281
00:18:15,600 --> 00:18:19,700
they are to the body of Christ. 
You see, because we need each 

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00:18:19,700 --> 00:18:24,300
other in every possible way. 
And when Paul discussed our 

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00:18:24,300 --> 00:18:28,000
part, each of our part in the 
body of Christ, he talked about 

284
00:18:28,000 --> 00:18:32,600
comely parts and uncomely parts.
You know, that beauty pageant 

285
00:18:32,600 --> 00:18:36,200
would never be anything, I would
be invited to as a contestant. 

286
00:18:36,200 --> 00:18:39,200
I understand that that would 
just never happen. 

287
00:18:39,500 --> 00:18:43,500
But you know, we need everyone 
in the Lord's Church, who will 

288
00:18:43,500 --> 00:18:48,600
come together and be serious 
about doing his will. 

289
00:18:49,000 --> 00:18:53,800
We need everyone who will give 
it the old College, try, who 

290
00:18:53,800 --> 00:18:57,800
will be willing to not only work
out their own salvation with 

291
00:18:57,800 --> 00:19:00,900
fear and trembling. 
But also be Ready and willing to

292
00:19:00,900 --> 00:19:04,900
help someone else to also be 
faithful to God. 

293
00:19:05,000 --> 00:19:08,200
Jesus said in John 13, verse 35,
by this shall all men. 

294
00:19:08,200 --> 00:19:12,400
Know that ye are my disciples. 
If you have love one to another,

295
00:19:12,600 --> 00:19:15,600
that is who we are to be 
individuals. 

296
00:19:15,600 --> 00:19:20,700
That love one another enough to 
do because Allah of only of 

297
00:19:20,700 --> 00:19:27,700
words doesn't get very far that 
love of words must be backed by 

298
00:19:27,700 --> 00:19:32,400
the actions that we are willing.
To make it's fine for us to say 

299
00:19:32,400 --> 00:19:35,300
that we love the Lord and we 
should be ready and willing to 

300
00:19:35,300 --> 00:19:38,700
say that but our feet should 
walk where our word say were 

301
00:19:38,700 --> 00:19:42,900
trying to go. 
And we need to put action to our

302
00:19:42,900 --> 00:19:45,800
words. 
So that all may know beyond a 

303
00:19:45,800 --> 00:19:49,600
shadow of a doubt that we are 
doing our best to serve the 

304
00:19:49,608 --> 00:19:51,700
Lord. 
So we stand there today, in the 

305
00:19:51,700 --> 00:19:55,500
presence of these Witnesses and 
we are about to run a race. 

306
00:19:55,800 --> 00:20:00,900
And we are as verse 1 says, to 
lay aside every Every wait. 

307
00:20:02,300 --> 00:20:08,000
Now this is not about dieting, 
let's but we can talk about that

308
00:20:08,000 --> 00:20:11,000
for just a my happen to notice. 
I have a spoon and a knife still

309
00:20:11,000 --> 00:20:13,500
in my pocket. 
So I've only got one utensil 

310
00:20:13,500 --> 00:20:17,900
down and I've got to go go. 
Oh what a wonderful meal we had 

311
00:20:17,900 --> 00:20:22,500
today and all of you who 
contributed to that in any way, 

312
00:20:23,100 --> 00:20:27,400
what a wonderful example of 
service that is to be willing to

313
00:20:27,400 --> 00:20:31,400
share your talent, your 
god-given talents, and preparing

314
00:20:31,400 --> 00:20:34,900
food or in Making money with 
which to purchase food so that 

315
00:20:34,900 --> 00:20:39,300
you might share with everyone. 
What a wonderful wonderful thing

316
00:20:39,300 --> 00:20:45,300
it is. 
Now if we, if we are going to 

317
00:20:45,300 --> 00:20:50,800
have extra weight as far as 
life's burdens are concerned, 

318
00:20:51,500 --> 00:20:54,500
then we're going to have trouble
running a spiritual race. 

319
00:20:55,000 --> 00:20:57,700
We're going to have a lot of 
trouble with a spiritual race 

320
00:20:58,100 --> 00:21:01,200
and so if we're in this Stadium,
getting ready to run. 

321
00:21:02,000 --> 00:21:05,900
And we see somebody come up to 
the starting line with heavy 

322
00:21:05,900 --> 00:21:11,200
heavy boots, heavy clothing a 
big Overcoat carrying something 

323
00:21:11,200 --> 00:21:13,800
in each hand, what would we 
think about them? 

324
00:21:13,800 --> 00:21:16,500
Well ever might say we might 
think that there are fire person

325
00:21:16,500 --> 00:21:19,100
you know but but really we 
wouldn't think they're going to 

326
00:21:19,100 --> 00:21:21,100
be able to run very fast. 
Would we? 

327
00:21:21,400 --> 00:21:24,000
They're just not going to be 
able to run very well, a lot of 

328
00:21:24,000 --> 00:21:27,600
times and you know, in our 
spiritual lives, if we're not 

329
00:21:27,600 --> 00:21:32,300
careful, we will have a lot of 
stuff on us that just Weighs us 

330
00:21:32,300 --> 00:21:38,300
down, it is possible to be so 
hindered by our own selves that 

331
00:21:38,300 --> 00:21:42,600
we just really can't get started
in this spiritual race. 

332
00:21:42,600 --> 00:21:47,800
Sometimes our lives are filled 
with our own problems to the 

333
00:21:47,800 --> 00:21:51,500
point that we are unable to look
beyond our own issues. 

334
00:21:51,500 --> 00:21:54,800
And I know that could happen and
I think that that can be 

335
00:21:54,800 --> 00:21:57,600
appropriate for a little while 
and whenever something happens 

336
00:21:57,600 --> 00:22:01,800
to overwhelm me and my life, I 
expect my brothers and sisters. 

337
00:22:01,800 --> 00:22:06,100
To Rally around a lift me up but
I also expect me to be one that 

338
00:22:06,100 --> 00:22:09,300
needs to go to where they are 
sometime when they're surrounded

339
00:22:09,300 --> 00:22:12,800
by problems to Rally around them
to lift them up. 

340
00:22:13,000 --> 00:22:17,300
But you know when individuals 
are only caught up in their own 

341
00:22:17,300 --> 00:22:22,500
life's problems then they are 
just weighed down by that and 

342
00:22:22,500 --> 00:22:25,500
they're not able to help anybody
else. 

343
00:22:25,700 --> 00:22:29,900
So we need to do our best to to 
be able to look Beyond ourselves

344
00:22:29,900 --> 00:22:33,300
and to help others. 
We hinder our Selves, when we do

345
00:22:33,300 --> 00:22:39,900
not trust in God. 
God says, trust me, believe in 

346
00:22:39,900 --> 00:22:41,700
me. 
That's what walking by faith is 

347
00:22:41,700 --> 00:22:43,800
all about. 
There's a lot of problems in 

348
00:22:43,800 --> 00:22:46,500
this life. 
We cannot handle a lot of 

349
00:22:46,500 --> 00:22:47,900
issues. 
We cannot solve. 

350
00:22:47,900 --> 00:22:50,200
What do we do? 
We turn those over to God. 

351
00:22:50,200 --> 00:22:53,500
That's one of the one of the 
reasons we pray so that we can 

352
00:22:53,500 --> 00:22:57,800
just say, Lord here is my life 
bless me as you will within your

353
00:22:57,800 --> 00:23:00,400
will. 
And we turn those things over to

354
00:23:00,400 --> 00:23:04,000
God, we hinder ourselves when we
don't trust God, you know, we 

355
00:23:04,000 --> 00:23:07,700
need to trust God to keep his 
word because he always have, we 

356
00:23:07,700 --> 00:23:11,800
met Not be able to always keep 
our word, but God always has, he

357
00:23:11,800 --> 00:23:14,900
promises to save us? 
If we will obey him, he will 

358
00:23:14,900 --> 00:23:16,500
save us. 
He promises. 

359
00:23:16,500 --> 00:23:19,700
If we will obey the gospel, he 
will forgive us of our sins. 

360
00:23:20,200 --> 00:23:22,500
And if we step back and say, 
well, I just don't know about 

361
00:23:22,500 --> 00:23:26,200
God, God can't help us. 
He cannot help us if we will not

362
00:23:26,200 --> 00:23:28,300
trust in him. 
But there's ample evidence 

363
00:23:28,300 --> 00:23:31,300
Matthew, Mark, Luke and John are
all written, so that we might 

364
00:23:31,300 --> 00:23:33,500
believe that Jesus is the 
Christ, the son of the Living, 

365
00:23:33,500 --> 00:23:35,300
God, all of those things are 
there. 

366
00:23:35,300 --> 00:23:37,600
Clearly written easy to 
understand. 

367
00:23:38,000 --> 00:23:40,600
And if we end up reading through
all of that, and we say, I just 

368
00:23:40,600 --> 00:23:45,200
don't know about God. 
Well, we can understand, we can 

369
00:23:45,200 --> 00:23:48,900
understand individuals who can 
get through any degree of school

370
00:23:48,900 --> 00:23:51,800
individuals, who can drive a car
individuals, who can manage the 

371
00:23:51,800 --> 00:23:55,200
financing to rent or own, a home
individuals who can manage to 

372
00:23:55,500 --> 00:23:58,400
pick out clothing and where it 
etcetera, Etc individuals, who 

373
00:23:58,400 --> 00:24:01,000
can recognize the difference 
between right and wrong and 

374
00:24:01,000 --> 00:24:04,500
rules and laws have everything. 
They need to be able to believe 

375
00:24:04,500 --> 00:24:08,700
in almighty God. 
And you see what God does is 

376
00:24:08,700 --> 00:24:13,200
say, I'm here, it's up to you. 
He gives us all the evidence 

377
00:24:13,200 --> 00:24:16,500
anybody needs and we hinder 
ourselves when we don't trust 

378
00:24:16,500 --> 00:24:19,700
God, we also hinder ourselves. 
When we're not, able to forgive 

379
00:24:19,700 --> 00:24:23,900
others and to work with them as 
best we can, we hinder 

380
00:24:23,900 --> 00:24:25,700
ourselves. 
When we do not use the talents, 

381
00:24:25,700 --> 00:24:27,400
God has blessed with, with 
blessed us. 

382
00:24:27,400 --> 00:24:30,200
With, in his service, we hinder 
ourselves. 

383
00:24:30,200 --> 00:24:33,200
When we attempt to bring worldly
practices into our lives and 

384
00:24:33,200 --> 00:24:37,300
justify them as being part of 
Christianity, we Or ourselves 

385
00:24:37,600 --> 00:24:41,200
when we attempt to justify sin 
in our own life by pointing out 

386
00:24:41,200 --> 00:24:43,800
problems that other people 
happen to have. 

387
00:24:44,800 --> 00:24:46,700
We can hinder ourselves really, 
really well. 

388
00:24:46,700 --> 00:24:49,800
Can't we we can really slow 
ourselves down. 

389
00:24:50,200 --> 00:24:54,800
We really can ever have any 
slugs in your yard and he slugs 

390
00:24:54,800 --> 00:24:57,700
and snails. 
You know, they just kind of Eco 

391
00:24:57,700 --> 00:25:00,300
long, they leave a trail 
everywhere they go. 

392
00:25:01,500 --> 00:25:04,500
They're not really attempting to
contribute much, are they? 

393
00:25:05,400 --> 00:25:08,700
And you know, we can really 
hinder ourselves if we're not 

394
00:25:08,700 --> 00:25:12,100
careful. 
The verse also says, we're to 

395
00:25:12,100 --> 00:25:15,600
lay aside. 
The sin that doth so easily, 

396
00:25:15,600 --> 00:25:19,800
beset us, or is one translation 
says the Sin that so easily 

397
00:25:20,200 --> 00:25:26,400
entangles us. 
You know, it is not hard to get 

398
00:25:26,400 --> 00:25:30,700
entangled to end up falling to 
just lose our sense of balance, 

399
00:25:30,700 --> 00:25:33,500
our sense of purpose and end up 
falling down. 

400
00:25:34,100 --> 00:25:36,700
Now, some years ago, I was 
working on a little crown 

401
00:25:36,700 --> 00:25:42,000
molding project in a living room
and you'll be glad to know that 

402
00:25:42,000 --> 00:25:44,300
I didn't continue throughout the
rest of the house. 

403
00:25:44,300 --> 00:25:47,000
I was working away, and I'm not 
very good. 

404
00:25:47,000 --> 00:25:49,800
No, I am not at all good at 
stuff like this. 

405
00:25:49,800 --> 00:25:52,700
I'm really not, but I knew I 
could do it, and I was bound and

406
00:25:52,700 --> 00:25:54,100
determined to get it. 
On. 

407
00:25:54,500 --> 00:25:58,300
And at one particular point, we 
have this ladder that, you know,

408
00:25:58,300 --> 00:26:02,800
you step up onto kind of a 
platform and I was working away 

409
00:26:02,800 --> 00:26:05,300
up there and I just forgot I was
on a ladder. 

410
00:26:06,600 --> 00:26:12,100
And I stepped back. just as 
Cassie happened to be walking by

411
00:26:13,700 --> 00:26:16,500
all of those things were not a 
good combination. 

412
00:26:16,600 --> 00:26:19,600
They really weren't. 
I hit the couch. 

413
00:26:19,600 --> 00:26:24,000
Thankfully, the couch is okay, 
you were worried about the couch

414
00:26:24,000 --> 00:26:29,000
first, weren't you You know, 
that was really, really a shock 

415
00:26:29,000 --> 00:26:32,200
to me to fall. 
It really was, I'll tell you 

416
00:26:32,200 --> 00:26:35,700
about one more of Mine Falls 
before I tell you about one of 

417
00:26:35,700 --> 00:26:39,600
Cassie's. 
Now I have told you earlier in 

418
00:26:39,608 --> 00:26:43,400
the week that I retired from 
golf and I meant that sincerely 

419
00:26:43,800 --> 00:26:46,500
but I have played quite a bit of
golf through the years. 

420
00:26:46,600 --> 00:26:49,100
Never, well, in fact always 
horribly. 

421
00:26:49,800 --> 00:26:54,300
We had lost one of the balls 
that I had hit predictably and 

422
00:26:54,300 --> 00:26:56,900
so I was with another fellow in 
a Art. 

423
00:26:57,200 --> 00:27:00,400
And I'm the passenger because I 
was never trusted to drive on 

424
00:27:00,400 --> 00:27:02,700
the golf course because I 
couldn't play. 

425
00:27:02,700 --> 00:27:07,000
Why would they trust me to dry? 
And so we're looking for my ball

426
00:27:07,200 --> 00:27:12,700
and I am going like this peering
peering out in the tall 

427
00:27:12,700 --> 00:27:16,400
bulrushes to see if we could 
find my ball and just as I went 

428
00:27:16,400 --> 00:27:19,400
like this, the driver went like 
this. 

429
00:27:19,700 --> 00:27:25,800
I found myself floating and 
didn't last too long and that 

430
00:27:25,800 --> 00:27:29,900
really Hurt me. 
We are in Walmart, just a few 

431
00:27:30,000 --> 00:27:34,000
weeks ago. 
And as I went to the restrooms 

432
00:27:34,000 --> 00:27:36,700
before, I'd let Cassie out, went
to the restrooms. 

433
00:27:36,900 --> 00:27:39,700
And along the way, as I was 
walking there, I looked over by 

434
00:27:39,700 --> 00:27:42,000
one of the registers and there 
was a chicken bone. 

435
00:27:42,200 --> 00:27:46,000
Well, that's kind of bad. 
I went, I went on and then I 

436
00:27:46,000 --> 00:27:48,700
went and found Cassie and she 
said well, why don't you take 

437
00:27:48,700 --> 00:27:50,200
the basket? 
And I'm going to run to the 

438
00:27:50,200 --> 00:27:53,900
restroom for a minute. 
She was gone forever forever. 

439
00:27:54,300 --> 00:27:57,400
She finally came back and she 
said, you'll never believe this.

440
00:27:57,400 --> 00:28:07,600
I Fell on a chicken bone. 
It was bad. 

441
00:28:08,900 --> 00:28:13,400
Now I will say my dear sweet 
wife can fall when there's 

442
00:28:13,400 --> 00:28:18,400
nothing and has proven that 
through the years, but every one

443
00:28:18,400 --> 00:28:23,100
of us can physically fall. 
Can't we what? 

444
00:28:23,100 --> 00:28:27,300
About spiritually falling? 
Can we do that? 

445
00:28:29,500 --> 00:28:34,000
The Apostle Peter long ago said.
I'll never do that. 

446
00:28:37,500 --> 00:28:42,100
That's an apostle. 
He said, I will never, I will 

447
00:28:42,100 --> 00:28:45,600
never leave you. 
I will never forsake you, I will

448
00:28:45,600 --> 00:28:52,000
never deny you, Jesus. 
Jesus said, yes, you will and 

449
00:28:52,000 --> 00:28:59,200
even when Jesus told him, Peter 
said I will not And before very 

450
00:28:59,200 --> 00:29:04,500
many hours were passed Peter had
denied him again and again and 

451
00:29:04,500 --> 00:29:09,600
again and was even willing to 
take Oaths that he didn't know 

452
00:29:09,600 --> 00:29:14,400
him. 
If we look at our lives and we 

453
00:29:14,400 --> 00:29:17,400
say, well, I'm never going to be
bothered by sin. 

454
00:29:17,600 --> 00:29:22,700
Never is a pride filled 
dangerous, word, we are all 

455
00:29:22,700 --> 00:29:26,900
capable of falling, we're all 
capable of falling hard. 

456
00:29:27,400 --> 00:29:30,800
We're all capable of falling 
when we least expect it. 

457
00:29:32,000 --> 00:29:36,600
And we need to be humble. 
And always watchful those who 

458
00:29:36,600 --> 00:29:40,300
are the leaders of the 
congregations are to watch for 

459
00:29:40,300 --> 00:29:45,000
The Souls of the flock. 
That implies a Sleepless group 

460
00:29:45,000 --> 00:29:48,800
who are willing to lose sleep. 
So that the flock might be 

461
00:29:48,800 --> 00:29:53,000
protected, any kind of a 
doctrinal attack that might come

462
00:29:53,000 --> 00:29:56,200
to a congregation. 
The leaders are ready to say 

463
00:29:56,400 --> 00:30:00,200
that is not the direction. 
We're going to go anything that 

464
00:30:00,200 --> 00:30:03,300
threatens a family. 
The leaders of that family in 

465
00:30:03,300 --> 00:30:05,700
the leaders of the congregation 
need to be ready. 

466
00:30:05,700 --> 00:30:08,900
And willing to say, we just 
can't allow that to get started 

467
00:30:08,900 --> 00:30:12,500
because of where it might end up
and it's just not going to be a 

468
00:30:12,500 --> 00:30:14,900
good thing because it could 
cause us to fall. 

469
00:30:14,900 --> 00:30:19,300
And a lot of times we stand back
and say, well who are you to 

470
00:30:19,308 --> 00:30:21,300
tell me? 
I should be careful with this or

471
00:30:21,300 --> 00:30:23,300
that of the other. 
That's kind of what the Apostle 

472
00:30:23,300 --> 00:30:26,200
Peter did said, you don't know 
what you're talking about. 

473
00:30:26,200 --> 00:30:31,200
Jesus, Jesus says, you're going 
to have trouble and he did, you 

474
00:30:31,200 --> 00:30:33,900
know, if we Arch saying we're 
never going to have trouble. 

475
00:30:34,000 --> 00:30:37,000
We've already got trouble. 
We've already got trouble in our

476
00:30:37,000 --> 00:30:41,000
lives and so if we are blessed 
to live as long as Methuselah 

477
00:30:41,300 --> 00:30:45,700
we're still going to be dealing 
with temptation in that 960 

478
00:30:45,700 --> 00:30:48,600
ninth year and we're not going 
to be blessed with that long, a 

479
00:30:48,608 --> 00:30:51,800
life. 
But we do need to know that we 

480
00:30:51,800 --> 00:30:55,600
can fall. 
And so if something is going to 

481
00:30:55,600 --> 00:31:01,300
entangle us, we need to be on 
guard against whatever it might 

482
00:31:01,300 --> 00:31:03,500
be. 
B and we need to be ready to 

483
00:31:03,500 --> 00:31:07,600
help others to get up and we 
need to always be willing to 

484
00:31:07,600 --> 00:31:11,100
reach out a hand. 
So somebody can help us up too 

485
00:31:11,800 --> 00:31:16,100
because we all need everybody's 
help and none of us can do this 

486
00:31:16,100 --> 00:31:19,800
alone. 
And we're also told that we are 

487
00:31:19,800 --> 00:31:23,600
to run with patience that's hard
for us. 

488
00:31:23,600 --> 00:31:27,100
You know, it's hard for us to be
patient with others. 

489
00:31:27,400 --> 00:31:31,300
It's hard for us to be patient 
with ourselves and being patient

490
00:31:31,300 --> 00:31:34,600
with some He doesn't mean we 
take the holy book, and we just 

491
00:31:34,600 --> 00:31:38,300
want it up and throw it away. 
Being patient, means, we always 

492
00:31:38,300 --> 00:31:40,600
look for a direction of 
righteousness. 

493
00:31:40,900 --> 00:31:44,700
Yes, someone may fall. 
But when they get up, are they 

494
00:31:44,700 --> 00:31:47,900
more in the direction of 
righteousness than they were the

495
00:31:47,900 --> 00:31:51,000
day before? 
That's what we always want in 

496
00:31:51,000 --> 00:31:54,400
ourselves when we attain 
Perfection immediately. 

497
00:31:54,400 --> 00:31:59,300
When we but obey the gospel. 
No, it's a daily struggle. 

498
00:31:59,500 --> 00:32:01,600
It's a daily race. 
It's a date. 

499
00:32:01,700 --> 00:32:06,200
Early time of putting one foot 
in front of the other to run. 

500
00:32:06,200 --> 00:32:11,600
As the verse says that race that
is set before us, you see, we 

501
00:32:11,600 --> 00:32:14,500
don't choose the course God 
does. 

502
00:32:14,700 --> 00:32:18,600
God says, here's who I want you 
to be as you work your way 

503
00:32:18,800 --> 00:32:23,400
through life. 
And so we are, if we are 

504
00:32:23,400 --> 00:32:29,100
Christians, we are on this 
course that the Lord has set and

505
00:32:29,100 --> 00:32:34,300
we are to do our very best. 
To remember the encouragement of

506
00:32:34,308 --> 00:32:39,200
the crowd of witnesses of Faith.
But then we also are to look 

507
00:32:39,200 --> 00:32:42,300
unto Jesus. 
The author and finisher of our 

508
00:32:42,300 --> 00:32:44,500
faith. 
Who for the joy that was set 

509
00:32:44,508 --> 00:32:47,500
before him. 
Endured the cross despising, the

510
00:32:47,500 --> 00:32:51,200
shame and is set down at the 
right hand of the Throne of God,

511
00:32:51,300 --> 00:32:53,600
for consider him. 
That endured such contradiction 

512
00:32:53,600 --> 00:32:58,000
of Sinners against himself, lest
ye be wearied and faint in your 

513
00:32:58,000 --> 00:33:01,300
minds. 
Are we going to get weary in 

514
00:33:01,300 --> 00:33:04,600
this Christian Walk of Life. 
Oh yes. 

515
00:33:04,900 --> 00:33:06,900
Are we going to get faint in our
minds? 

516
00:33:06,900 --> 00:33:09,700
We're we're just weak sometimes.
Yes, we are. 

517
00:33:10,000 --> 00:33:14,800
But all together we can look to 
Jesus and we can consider what 

518
00:33:14,800 --> 00:33:19,300
he has done and we can be 
encouraged by others around us 

519
00:33:19,600 --> 00:33:24,600
and encouragers of faith of old 
to keep doing exactly what we 

520
00:33:24,600 --> 00:33:27,400
know the Lord wants us to do 
tonight. 

521
00:33:27,400 --> 00:33:31,200
If you're not a Christian, then 
you're just kind of looking on 

522
00:33:31,200 --> 00:33:35,300
from the sides. 
Not yet in that race where all 

523
00:33:35,300 --> 00:33:38,300
of the people who have had faith
in God and been willing to die 

524
00:33:38,300 --> 00:33:42,500
for it, are ready to encourage 
you on, but you can do that, you

525
00:33:42,500 --> 00:33:46,000
can obey the gospel on this side
of Eternity, if you know the 

526
00:33:46,000 --> 00:33:48,800
gospel well, enough to 
understand it to know what it 

527
00:33:48,800 --> 00:33:50,500
means. 
When I say those steps of 

528
00:33:50,500 --> 00:33:53,500
Salvation, our faith and 
repentance confession and 

529
00:33:53,500 --> 00:33:56,800
baptism, if you understand the 
gospel, well enough to know what

530
00:33:56,800 --> 00:34:00,100
those things mean, then you can 
also make up your mind whether 

531
00:34:00,100 --> 00:34:04,100
or not you're ready to do them. 
And If you are all we'd love to 

532
00:34:04,100 --> 00:34:09,400
assist you to become a child of 
God if you are a child of God 

533
00:34:09,400 --> 00:34:11,900
and your life is not right, why 
don't you make? 

534
00:34:11,900 --> 00:34:15,600
Now the time when you asked for 
the prayers of the Brethren that

535
00:34:15,600 --> 00:34:18,800
you might be acceptable in your 
life in the sight of God, 

536
00:34:18,800 --> 00:34:20,600
there's one to obey the gospel 
order. 

537
00:34:20,600 --> 00:34:22,699
Repent of wrong. 
Won't you please come forward 

538
00:34:22,699 --> 00:36:35,400
while we stand while we sleep? 
We thank you for listening to 

539
00:36:35,400 --> 00:36:40,200
our podcast, put on by the 
Church of Christ at 22:15 plans.

540
00:36:40,200 --> 00:36:43,700
Road in Bakersfield, if you 
would like any additional 

541
00:36:43,700 --> 00:36:47,000
information or you would like to
receive a free Bible 

542
00:36:47,000 --> 00:36:52,500
correspondence, course by mail. 
Please email us at info at True 

543
00:36:52,500 --> 00:36:54,900
Church of Christ 
Bakersfield.com. 

544
00:36:55,600 --> 00:37:00,800
Our service times are on Sundays
at 10:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. and 

545
00:37:00,800 --> 00:37:05,200
Wednesdays at 7:30 p.m. p.m. 
please make plans to join us. 

546
00:37:05,700 --> 00:37:07,900
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