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52 weeks ago we began First 
Thessalonians, and today we come

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to the conclusion of this 
marvelous book. 

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We began looking at chapter one.
That's where you usually begin 

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when you start a new book. 
And it was all about the model 

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church. 
And the Church of Thessalonica 

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sets a pattern. 
In fact, it's the only church 

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that God calls a pattern in the 
New Testament. 

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In other words, it's a church 
that we are to model our lives 

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after. 
So chapter 1 is all about the 

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model church. 
Chapter 2, verses 1 to 12 was 

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all about the model leader. 
Model churches have model 

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leaders, and Paul was that model
leader. 

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And then you move to verse 13 of
chapter 2 down to the end and 

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you have the model follower. 
Model churches have model 

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followers who follow model 
leaders. 

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And then you move into Chapter 3
and you see all about the model 

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friend, because model friends 
are model followers and model 

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followers follow model leaders 
that make up a model church. 

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And then you come to chapter 4 
and five. 

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You have what is called the the 
model life because the model 

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friends and model followers and 
model leaders live the kind of 

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life that others are to emulate.
So that you have a church that 

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is a model church. 
And we gave you 6 

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characteristics that describe 
the model life #1 The model life

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abstains from sexual immorality 
#2 The model life is that life 

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that aspires to a life of 
charity #3 the model life was 

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one who anticipates the return 
of deity. 

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And then #4 the model life is 
one that is alert to the world's

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destiny and their 
responsibility. 

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And then the model life is one 
that adapts within God's 

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wonderful family. 
And then lastly, the model life 

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is the one that adores their God
fully and continually. 

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That's chapter 4 and chapter 5. 
And now, now Paul is going to 

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bring everything to a 
conclusion. 

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And I wonder what must have been
going through his mind as he 

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concludes this, this epistle. 
You know, when you write a 

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letter to someone, you want to 
bring it to a conclusion, an 

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ending point. 
You want to bring it to a place 

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where you can kind of drive home
what has already been said, kind

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of summon it up so that others 
will will grasp it fully. 

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The difference between your 
letters, my letters and Paul's 

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letters is that Paul's letters 
were inspired by God. 

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Yours and mine are are not, but 
his was. 

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And yet it was all about his 
emotions and and thoughts that 

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played a a major part in his 
conclusion. 

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So let's let's look at it and 
let's read it and see what Paul 

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has to say as he concludes this 
epistle, verse 23 of chapter 5. 

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Now may the God of peace himself
sanctify you entirely, and may 

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your spirit and soul and body be
preserved complete without blame

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at the coming of our Lord Jesus 
Christ, faithful as he who calls

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you, and he also will bring it 
to pass. 

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Brethren, pray for us. 
Greet all the brethren with a 

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holy kiss. 
I adjure you by the Lord to have

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this letter read to all the 
brethren. 

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The grace of our Lord Jesus 
Christ be with you. 

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This is how Paul concludes. 
He gives a solemn, A solemn 

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request, and then he gives a 
sincere reminder. 

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The solemn request is is made-up
into three different categories.

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It's rooted in the peace of God.
It is revealed in his prayer to 

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God and it is realized in the 
promise from God That is his 

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solemn request. 
It's rooted in the peace of God,

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the God who is peace. 
He says now, now, now, may the 

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God himself, the God of peace 
himself sanctify you entirely. 

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It's all about the God of peace.
He, he's going to focus their 

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attention on their God and, and 
the peace that only God himself 

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can bring. 
So he wants to focus their 

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attention on the God who brings 
them peace because as he 

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concludes this letter, he wants 
them to be at peace not just 

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with the Lord, but with one 
another. 

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And having been justified by 
faith. 

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Romans 51, it tells us that you 
have peace with God. 

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So they're already at peace with
God because it's the church and 

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they believe in the Lord Jesus 
Christ. 

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So they're already at peace with
God and he is asking the God of 

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peace to do something unique and
special in their lives. 

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It's so important to realize 
that our Lord is the Lord of 

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peace. 
In fact, in in Second 

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Thessalonians, Paul says this in
chapter 3 verse #16 he says now 

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may the Lord of peace himself 
continually grant you peace in 

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every circumstance. 
The Lord be with you all. 

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So even in the second letter 
he's going to refer back to the 

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Lord of peace. 
Remember, it's the Father. 

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It's the Father who provides 
peace. 

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It's the Son who purchased 
peace, and it's the Spirit that 

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produces peace. 
It's God the Father who provides

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it. 
But in order to have it, it has 

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to be purchased, and the sun 
purchased that peace on 

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Calvary's tree. 
And once you embrace what the 

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sun has done, it's a Spirit of 
God that produces that peace. 

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For the fruit of the Spirit is 
Lovejoy and peace. 

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It all comes from the Spirit of 
God. 

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That's why the Old Testament 
says in Isaiah 26 verse #3 that 

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God will keep him in perfect 
peace. 

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Whose mind is stayed on thee? 
So Paul is drawing them back, 

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referencing the Old Testament 
and drawing them back to the God

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of peace. 
So they recognize that their 

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mind is to be stayed, to be 
focused on the God of peace. 

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A hymn that we used to sing 
growing up in the church. 

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Don't sing it much today, but 
it's a, it's a great hymn. 

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It's called like a River 
glorious. 

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It says like a river, Glorious 
is God's perfect peace over all.

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Victorious in its bright 
increase, perfect, yet it 

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floweth. 
Fuller every day perfect yet it 

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groweth deeper all the way. 
Hidden in the hollow of His 

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blessed hand. 
Never folk and follow, never 

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traitor. 
Stand not a surge of worry, not 

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a shade of care, not a blast of 
hurry. 

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Touch the Spirit there. 
Every joy or trial fall from 

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above traced upon our dial by 
the son of love. 

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We may trust him fully all for 
us to do they trust him holy 

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find him holy true saved upon 
Jehovah hearts are fully blessed

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finding as he promised perfect 
peace and rest So Paul as he 

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concludes with this solemn 
request. 

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It's, it's rooted in the peace 
of God. 

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But then notice this, it's 
revealed in his prayer to God. 

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Now may the God of peace 
sanctify you entirely, sanctify 

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you completely, he says. 
And may your spirit and soul and

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body be preserved complete 
without blame at the coming of 

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our Lord Jesus Christ. 
He wants him to understand 

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complete and total 
sanctification and complete and 

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total security. 
Now may the God of peace himself

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sanctify you, set you apart 
completely, entirely holy toward

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Him. 
Now. 

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Now we know that we're 
sanctified when we are saved. 

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We are set apart under God for 
his purposes. 

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When we are saved, we are 
justified and sanctified. 

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But that positional 
sanctification needs to be lived

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out on a regular basis so that 
we practically work out our 

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salvation with fear and 
trembling. 

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As Paul says in Philippians 
chapter 2, that we are setting 

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ourselves apart from the things 
of the world. 

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If Paul says the way that 
happens is because the God of 

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peace who's going to set you 
apart completely one day at the 

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coming of the Lord Jesus Christ,
but in the meantime stay 

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separate from the things of the 
world. 

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And then notice this. 
He says also realize that he 

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will secure you, He will 
safeguard you, He will watch 

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over you, soul, spirit, body, 
mind, everything. 

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He's asking God to help them 
understand the security they 

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have in the God of peace. 
And that security can only come 

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to the God who who gives peace. 
And so he makes this solemn 

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request that's rooted in the in 
the peace of God, and that is 

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truly revealed in his prayer to 
God and then is truly realized 

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in the promise of God, faithful 
as he who called you, who also 

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will bring it to pass. 
He appeals to the faithfulness 

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of God, not just the peace of 
God, but the faithfulness of 

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God. 
I love what Psalm 3311 says when

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it says that his faithfulness is
the the belt around his waist. 

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Faithfulness is the belt around 
the waist of God. 

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In other words, it's the 
faithfulness of God that holds 

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all of his attributes together. 
He's faithful in love, He's 

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faithful in grace, he's faithful
in mercy, He's faithful in 

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compassion, He's faithful in his
power, he's faithful in his 

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presence. 
He's faithful in everything. 

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And so because he is faithful, 
it's the, it's the belt that 

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holds all the attributes 
together. 

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The Bible says over in 
Revelation 3 verse #14 as well 

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as Revelation chapter 19 that 
our God is faithful and our God 

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is true. 
The Bible says in Psalm 37 three

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that we are to feed securely on 
the faithfulness of God. 

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In other words, God's 
faithfulness is our daily food, 

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it's our daily sustenance. 
Because God is faithful to do 

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everything he said he's going to
do, faithful as he who called 

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you, who will bring it to pass. 
In other words, he will sanctify

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you, He will glorify you, He 
will secure you. 

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Because it all depends on the 
faithfulness of God, not on 

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those who believe God does it. 
And so he appeals to the 

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faithfulness of God. 
I think so many times we we miss

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how faithful God is. 
God is faithful to take you 

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through temptation. 
First Corinthians 10/13 there is

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no temptation taking you such as
it's common to man, but God is 

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faithful. 
God's faithful to always provide

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a route of escape. 
Whenever you are tempted, 

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there's always going to be a 
route of escape because God's 

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faithful to provide that for 
you. 

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God. 
God is faithful to forgive you 

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all your sins. 
If we confess our sins, He is 

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faithful and just to forgive us 
our sins and to cleanse us from 

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all unrighteousness. 
That's what God does. 

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So we know that He will take us 
through temptation. 

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We know that when we confess our
sins, He is faithful and true to

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forgive us all of our sins. 
I don't have to worry about 

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whether or not God's going to 
forgive me or not. 

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He's already forgiven all my 
sins, past, present, and future.

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But when I go to him and I say 
the same thing about my sin that

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God says about my sin, that's 
what it means to confess. 

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Then God is faithful and just to
cleanse us from all 

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unrighteousness. 
It's important to know that the 

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Bible tells us that God answers 
prayer based on His 

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faithfulness. 
Listen to what the Psalmist said

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in Psalm 143 verse #1 Hear my 
prayer. 

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O Lord, give ear to my 
suffocations. 

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Answer me in your faithfulness. 
Answer me in your faithfulness. 

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God is so faithful to answer 
prayer. 

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Sometimes we forget about that, 
but He is because He is always 

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true to His word. 
Over in Second Thessalonians 

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chapter 3 verse #3 Paul says 
these words. 

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He says, but the Lord is 
faithful, and He will strengthen

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and protect you from the evil. 
God is faithful to protect you 

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from the evil one. 
He's faithful to strengthen you 

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so that you can withstand the 
evilness of the evil one. 

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God is so faithful. 
So Paul appeals to the 

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faithfulness of God as he 
concludes this epistle. 

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Faithful, as he called you, who 
also will bring it to pass. 

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And then he moves from a solemn 
request to a sincere reminder. 

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He's going to remind us of four 
things. 

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The first one is this engage in 
prayer for one another. 

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Paul says simply, brethren, pray
for us. 

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Now all throughout the letter, 
Paul has already prayed for 

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them. 
Chapter one verse #2 he said, I 

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pray for you continually in 
chapter 3. 

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Pray that their love would 
abound more and more. 

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And all throughout Paul's 
epistles, he, he begins to 

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always pray for his people. 
And then he says, now, now, 

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brethren, pray for us. 
But he didn't tell him what the 

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requests are. 
He just says, brethren, pray for

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us. 
And I think about that. 

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And I think that as we conclude 
this book, wouldn't it be good 

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for us to, to, to engage 
ourselves in praying one for 

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another? 
That is just so important. 

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And what do you pray for? 
Will you pray for the model 

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life? 
You pray that the people of the 

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church will abstain from sexual 
immorality. 

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You pray that they would aspire 
to a life of charity. 

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You pray that they would adapt 
within God's wonderful family. 

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You pray that they would adore 
their God sincerely and 

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continually and faithfully. 
But but think about our prayers 

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00:17:32,800 --> 00:17:38,040
and how we pray one for another.
The best way to understand how 

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00:17:38,040 --> 00:17:41,800
to pray for one another is to 
examine Paul's prayers in the 

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scripture. 
You should always pray the Bible

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00:17:47,160 --> 00:17:50,840
for people. 
Always pray the Bible for 

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00:17:50,840 --> 00:17:54,520
people. 
Follow Paul's prayers when you 

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00:17:54,520 --> 00:17:59,520
pray for the church because when
you do, you begin to pray 

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00:17:59,520 --> 00:18:05,560
biblically and you want to pray 
in line with what the Spirit of 

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00:18:05,560 --> 00:18:10,840
God wants. 
So you pray scripturally, You 

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00:18:10,840 --> 00:18:16,200
pray biblically. 
So many times our prayers are 

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00:18:16,920 --> 00:18:22,960
our prayer requests become so, 
so much more physical than 

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spiritual. 
You ever notice that we always 

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00:18:27,400 --> 00:18:32,200
want prayer for healing. 
We always want prayer for our 

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00:18:32,200 --> 00:18:34,800
health. 
We always want prayer for going 

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00:18:34,800 --> 00:18:37,720
into surgery. 
We always want prayer for our 

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00:18:37,720 --> 00:18:39,760
recovery after surgery. 
Right? 

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00:18:39,960 --> 00:18:41,120
And there's nothing wrong with 
that. 

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00:18:42,840 --> 00:18:47,200
But when you think about prayer,
are we asking God's will to be 

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00:18:47,200 --> 00:18:51,200
done? 
We want God's will to be done in

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00:18:51,200 --> 00:18:54,200
your life. 
Maybe it's God's will that you 

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00:18:54,200 --> 00:18:58,760
be sick or that you stay sick. 
I don't know. 

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00:19:00,240 --> 00:19:01,880
Maybe it's God's will that you 
be healed. 

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00:19:02,680 --> 00:19:07,440
I don't know that either. 
So I pray God's will to be done.

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00:19:08,680 --> 00:19:10,280
Why? 
Because I want God's will for 

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00:19:10,280 --> 00:19:13,360
your life more than I want my 
will for your life. 

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00:19:14,520 --> 00:19:17,480
But when you think about our 
prayers, we pray along the lines

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00:19:17,480 --> 00:19:21,160
of more our will than God's 
will, right? 

254
00:19:22,760 --> 00:19:27,280
We need to think about that. 
How do we pray for God's will to

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00:19:27,280 --> 00:19:28,960
be accomplished in people's 
lives? 

256
00:19:30,400 --> 00:19:33,320
Because that's the direction of 
our prayers. 

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00:19:34,680 --> 00:19:42,200
I'm reminded of of the nurse who
thought of a way that she could 

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00:19:42,200 --> 00:19:47,160
pray for people's lives. 
And so it says. 

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00:19:47,960 --> 00:19:50,560
The story is told of a special 
nurse who who knew the 

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00:19:50,560 --> 00:19:55,320
importance of intercessory 
prayer because each day she used

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00:19:55,320 --> 00:19:58,920
her hands as instruments of 
God's love and mercy toward 

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00:19:58,920 --> 00:20:02,600
those in her care. 
She found it natural to use her 

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00:20:02,600 --> 00:20:10,280
hand as a scheme of prayer. 
Each finger represented someone 

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00:20:10,280 --> 00:20:16,680
she wanted to pray for. 
Her thumb was nearest to her and

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00:20:16,680 --> 00:20:21,560
reminded her to pray for those 
who were closest and dearest. 

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The index finger was used for 
pointing, so it stood for those 

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00:20:29,360 --> 00:20:32,960
who instructed her. 
The third finger was the 

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00:20:32,960 --> 00:20:34,600
tallest. 
It stood for those in 

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00:20:34,600 --> 00:20:36,480
leadership. 
The fourth finger was the 

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00:20:36,480 --> 00:20:39,840
weakest, representing those in 
distress and pain. 

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00:20:40,720 --> 00:20:45,720
The little finger, which was the
smallest and least important, 

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00:20:46,400 --> 00:20:51,440
reminded the nurse to pray for 
her own needs. 

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00:20:54,080 --> 00:21:00,080
Wise words because usually the 
thumb represents our own needs 

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00:21:00,760 --> 00:21:04,000
because it's closest to us. 
And so we're going to pray for 

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00:21:04,000 --> 00:21:07,920
our own needs. 
Have you ever, have you ever 

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00:21:07,920 --> 00:21:11,120
thought about how you pray and 
what you pray for? 

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00:21:12,520 --> 00:21:14,160
Have you ever wrote those things
down? 

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00:21:15,560 --> 00:21:21,400
Have you ever monitored your own
prayer time and think about how 

279
00:21:21,400 --> 00:21:25,840
often are our prayers are more 
physically related and 

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00:21:25,840 --> 00:21:30,000
spiritually related? 
Paul says, brethren pray for us 

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00:21:30,120 --> 00:21:33,720
and he doesn't give them any 
particular requests, but he's 

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00:21:33,720 --> 00:21:40,400
given them five chapters to look
at and to realize that Paul had 

283
00:21:40,400 --> 00:21:43,440
already engaged in conflict with
Satan. 

284
00:21:44,560 --> 00:21:48,680
He'd already been kicked out of 
Thessalonica, and so he knew 

285
00:21:48,680 --> 00:21:52,440
that the enemy was at work. 
So he even knew what they, they,

286
00:21:52,440 --> 00:21:53,760
they would know what to pray 
for. 

287
00:21:55,240 --> 00:21:58,800
So he says, brethren, pray for 
us. 

288
00:21:59,840 --> 00:22:09,560
So engage in prayer for one 
another #2 I like this one. 

289
00:22:10,600 --> 00:22:16,120
Ensure affection for one 
another. 

290
00:22:17,680 --> 00:22:24,080
This is how Paul says it. 
Greet one another with a holy 

291
00:22:24,080 --> 00:22:30,880
kiss. 
My translation Ensure affection 

292
00:22:32,200 --> 00:22:36,680
one for another. 
You know the church is to be 

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00:22:36,680 --> 00:22:40,640
personally involved in each 
other's lives. 

294
00:22:42,440 --> 00:22:47,360
And it is true that in Paul's 
day that when people greeted one

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00:22:47,360 --> 00:22:50,480
another, they kissed one another
on the cheek. 

296
00:22:51,600 --> 00:22:55,440
It's a holy kiss. 
That's very important to signify

297
00:22:55,440 --> 00:23:01,640
the kind of kiss that it was. 
But but it reminds us of, of, of

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00:23:01,640 --> 00:23:05,880
the affection and the devotion 
that the early church had one 

299
00:23:06,520 --> 00:23:10,720
for another. 
And I think that so much is is 

300
00:23:10,720 --> 00:23:16,680
lacking in today's church when 
it comes to being affectionate 

301
00:23:16,680 --> 00:23:19,160
one toward another. 
Paul would say it this way in 

302
00:23:19,160 --> 00:23:23,240
Romans chapter 12. 
He said be kindly affectionate 

303
00:23:23,240 --> 00:23:27,320
toward one another in brotherly 
love. 

304
00:23:28,840 --> 00:23:33,560
Be be kindly affectionate toward
one another. 

305
00:23:34,640 --> 00:23:38,120
Kindly affectionate translated 
one word, philos, which means 

306
00:23:38,520 --> 00:23:44,480
friendly kind of love, Storgay, 
which is a maternal familial 

307
00:23:44,480 --> 00:23:46,520
kind of love, a family kind of 
love. 

308
00:23:47,760 --> 00:23:50,880
He says we are to be so kindly 
affectionate toward one another 

309
00:23:51,000 --> 00:23:54,120
that we treat each other as if 
we're part of the same family 

310
00:23:54,200 --> 00:23:58,360
because we are we're all part of
the family of God. 

311
00:24:00,960 --> 00:24:07,320
But but I wonder how how 
affectionate we are with one 

312
00:24:07,320 --> 00:24:14,800
another. 
We live in a a digital age and 

313
00:24:14,800 --> 00:24:21,480
it's hindered the way that we 
relate one with another, and 

314
00:24:21,480 --> 00:24:26,080
that's unfortunate. 
In fact, think of it this way. 

315
00:24:28,200 --> 00:24:36,080
We substitute communicating 
technically. 

316
00:24:37,520 --> 00:24:44,680
Instead of connecting 
personally, we communicate 

317
00:24:44,680 --> 00:24:51,960
technically, but we do not 
connect personally. 

318
00:24:52,560 --> 00:24:55,920
Do not substitute communication 
for connection. 

319
00:24:57,800 --> 00:25:01,000
Connection can only happen face 
to face. 

320
00:25:02,440 --> 00:25:05,960
Communication can come through 
emails and and texts and 

321
00:25:06,120 --> 00:25:09,320
Instagram and all kinds of 
modern day technology. 

322
00:25:10,560 --> 00:25:16,720
You can communicate that way, 
but you cannot connect that way.

323
00:25:18,160 --> 00:25:24,200
Connection comes through 
personal experience, eye to eye 

324
00:25:24,480 --> 00:25:30,280
gaze, the the ability to embrace
one another. 

325
00:25:31,600 --> 00:25:35,400
It's like, you know, people 
today are into digital church. 

326
00:25:35,720 --> 00:25:38,680
They want to stay home and watch
church on television. 

327
00:25:39,600 --> 00:25:45,080
That's not church, right? 
We told you months ago that that

328
00:25:45,080 --> 00:25:48,240
when you do that, it's like 
watching a fireplace on your TV.

329
00:25:49,160 --> 00:25:51,320
You know that it's flickering, 
you can hear it. 

330
00:25:52,240 --> 00:25:55,800
You know that it's moving 
because you see it, but you 

331
00:25:55,800 --> 00:25:57,600
don't feel any warmth because of
it. 

332
00:25:59,240 --> 00:26:00,760
Why? 
Because there's no connection. 

333
00:26:02,520 --> 00:26:04,960
You can get as close to your TV 
as you want, but there's no 

334
00:26:04,960 --> 00:26:07,920
warmth coming from that 
fireplace on your television. 

335
00:26:09,400 --> 00:26:12,200
In order to experience the 
warmth of a fireplace, you got 

336
00:26:12,200 --> 00:26:16,200
to be by the fire. 
And the closer you get to the 

337
00:26:16,200 --> 00:26:21,720
fire, the hotter it becomes. 
Well, the same way it is true in

338
00:26:21,720 --> 00:26:29,920
the church. 
We don't connect digitally, you 

339
00:26:29,920 --> 00:26:33,600
connect personally. 
In fact, think of it this way. 

340
00:26:34,880 --> 00:26:42,840
The more distracted or 
distracted we are digitally and 

341
00:26:42,840 --> 00:26:50,680
technically, the more displaced 
we are spiritually and 

342
00:26:50,680 --> 00:26:53,800
personally. 
Think about that. 

343
00:26:55,200 --> 00:27:00,040
The more distracted we are 
digitally and we are. 

344
00:27:00,200 --> 00:27:04,400
Just go to a restaurant, watch 
people sitting in a booth, 

345
00:27:04,840 --> 00:27:08,720
sitting around a chair. 
All the phones are on the table 

346
00:27:09,320 --> 00:27:12,760
or in their hands. 
Why? 

347
00:27:13,880 --> 00:27:16,000
Because what's going to happen 
on that phone is more important 

348
00:27:16,000 --> 00:27:18,400
than what's going to happen 
across from me on the table. 

349
00:27:20,560 --> 00:27:23,960
So if you're out on a date, 
ladies, and you're with a man 

350
00:27:23,960 --> 00:27:28,760
and he has his phone out on the 
table, recognize that whatever 

351
00:27:28,760 --> 00:27:32,160
is going to pop up with that 
phone is more important than you

352
00:27:32,480 --> 00:27:36,560
across the table from him. 
That's just send a loud and 

353
00:27:36,560 --> 00:27:40,200
clear message to you that this 
guy is not that into you. 

354
00:27:41,640 --> 00:27:44,800
He's more into what's going to 
happen on his phone and who's 

355
00:27:44,800 --> 00:27:48,520
going to contact him. 
That's very important to realize

356
00:27:48,520 --> 00:27:53,440
this and it's and it's 
convenient and it's easy. 

357
00:27:53,440 --> 00:27:56,280
It is today to communicate with 
people. 

358
00:27:56,680 --> 00:27:58,880
It's very difficult to connect 
with people. 

359
00:28:00,080 --> 00:28:02,720
Why is that? 
Because you got to be 

360
00:28:02,720 --> 00:28:05,360
vulnerable, you got to be 
personable. 

361
00:28:06,600 --> 00:28:10,880
And as time goes on in the 
church, we are less and less 

362
00:28:12,000 --> 00:28:16,520
personable and we are separating
ourselves one from another. 

363
00:28:17,920 --> 00:28:22,720
That's why we don't necessarily 
have to greet one another with a

364
00:28:22,720 --> 00:28:27,320
holy kiss, but to be able to, to
be kindly affectionate toward 

365
00:28:27,320 --> 00:28:31,800
one another and to be able to 
embrace one another and express 

366
00:28:31,800 --> 00:28:36,840
our love one for another, face 
to face, is so incredibly 

367
00:28:36,840 --> 00:28:41,480
important. 
And so not only do we engage in 

368
00:28:41,480 --> 00:28:48,520
prayer one for another, but we 
are to ensure affection one for 

369
00:28:48,520 --> 00:28:57,040
another and #3 enact the reading
of God's Word. 

370
00:28:58,240 --> 00:29:05,160
Paul says that this way in 
chapter 5 he says these words. 

371
00:29:05,840 --> 00:29:16,280
I adjure you by the Lord to have
this letter read to all the 

372
00:29:16,280 --> 00:29:22,800
brethren. 
One thing you need to do is read

373
00:29:24,000 --> 00:29:27,280
the Bible. 
You don't have to necessarily 

374
00:29:27,280 --> 00:29:28,680
study the Bible, although you 
should. 

375
00:29:30,560 --> 00:29:38,280
You should at least read the 
Bible because reading does all 

376
00:29:38,280 --> 00:29:40,480
kinds of things. 
In our lives. 

377
00:29:41,640 --> 00:29:45,040
We miss this. 
We know that Paul has already 

378
00:29:45,040 --> 00:29:50,640
said in chapter 2 verse #13 that
God's work effectively works in 

379
00:29:50,640 --> 00:29:55,320
those who believe. 
So if the reading of God's Word 

380
00:29:56,040 --> 00:29:59,920
is important, and Paul told 
Timothy in first Timothy 4 verse

381
00:29:59,920 --> 00:30:04,920
#13 give yourself to the reading
of the text, to the instructing 

382
00:30:05,000 --> 00:30:09,760
of the text and the teaching of 
the text, but give yourself to 

383
00:30:09,760 --> 00:30:14,000
the reading of it. 
There's something about reading 

384
00:30:14,000 --> 00:30:15,840
the Bible that's very, very 
important. 

385
00:30:17,080 --> 00:30:19,280
And I hear people all the time 
say, well, well, I read that 

386
00:30:19,280 --> 00:30:22,720
chapter or I read that book, and
I didn't get anything out of it.

387
00:30:24,400 --> 00:30:27,040
And they don't understand that 
that's a commentary on them, not

388
00:30:27,040 --> 00:30:30,840
the Bible. 
Because when you're looking and 

389
00:30:30,840 --> 00:30:34,320
reading the scriptures, you're 
looking to see and understand 

390
00:30:34,480 --> 00:30:38,320
the character nature of God. 
But we approach the scriptures 

391
00:30:38,440 --> 00:30:40,960
because we have a certain need 
or a certain one. 

392
00:30:41,080 --> 00:30:44,920
We want God to meet that need. 
So we read a a passage or a 

393
00:30:44,920 --> 00:30:48,280
chapter or a book and well, that
didn't really meet my needs. 

394
00:30:48,280 --> 00:30:51,120
So I guess the Bible really is 
not relevant to where I am 

395
00:30:51,120 --> 00:30:57,520
today, but it is because the 
need you have before you is not 

396
00:30:57,520 --> 00:31:03,080
nearly as the need above you. 
And the need above you is God, 

397
00:31:03,720 --> 00:31:06,360
and you need Him more than you 
need that which is around you. 

398
00:31:07,360 --> 00:31:11,040
But we forget that. 
So you you need to come to 

399
00:31:11,040 --> 00:31:17,200
understand who your God is, what
He has done, and the more you 

400
00:31:17,200 --> 00:31:20,720
do, the more you realize how 
much you truly love Him. 

401
00:31:22,600 --> 00:31:24,400
Just a simple reading of the 
word. 

402
00:31:24,680 --> 00:31:28,640
Paul would say the same thing in
Colossians chapter 4 when he 

403
00:31:28,640 --> 00:31:36,240
said when this epistle is read 
among you, very important 

404
00:31:38,480 --> 00:31:45,120
reading is a lost art today 
among those in America and 

405
00:31:45,120 --> 00:31:49,600
around the world. 
We don't like to read much like 

406
00:31:49,600 --> 00:31:55,000
to read in snippets, short 
little essays, but but to 

407
00:31:55,000 --> 00:32:00,120
actually read the Bible, people 
don't like to do that. 

408
00:32:01,520 --> 00:32:04,120
In fact, I was I was thinking 
about that this past week and I 

409
00:32:04,480 --> 00:32:11,880
I went back to Psalm 119 and I 
realized that just the cursory 

410
00:32:11,880 --> 00:32:18,560
reading of the of Psalm 119 does
so much in our lives. 

411
00:32:19,960 --> 00:32:21,760
Psalmist begins Psalm 119 this 
way. 

412
00:32:22,600 --> 00:32:25,680
How blessed are those whose way 
is blameless who walk in the law

413
00:32:25,680 --> 00:32:28,600
of the Lord. 
How blessed are those who 

414
00:32:28,840 --> 00:32:33,160
observe his testimonies, who 
seek him with all their heart. 

415
00:32:34,760 --> 00:32:37,000
There there is a certain 
blessing that comes through 

416
00:32:37,120 --> 00:32:42,880
observing the testimonies of 
God, but it only comes to those 

417
00:32:42,880 --> 00:32:50,320
who read, look, observe what is 
written. 

418
00:32:52,040 --> 00:32:57,880
But the blessing does come with 
a simple observation of the 

419
00:32:57,880 --> 00:33:00,880
text. 
He does talking about how 

420
00:33:00,880 --> 00:33:05,080
blessed is a man who who studies
day and night at the word of 

421
00:33:05,080 --> 00:33:06,440
God. 
He does talk about meditating 

422
00:33:06,440 --> 00:33:08,920
day and night. 
Here he's just talking about 

423
00:33:08,920 --> 00:33:13,920
those who observe the statues, 
something that comes to them, a 

424
00:33:13,920 --> 00:33:19,840
blessing, a reward. 
The Bible says, I shall run the 

425
00:33:19,840 --> 00:33:24,000
way of your commandments, for 
you will enlarge my heart. 

426
00:33:24,000 --> 00:33:27,600
There's something about reading 
the commandments of God that 

427
00:33:27,600 --> 00:33:33,040
does something to my heart. 
It makes it long for God and 

428
00:33:33,040 --> 00:33:38,240
seek after God. 
He says in verse #37 Turn away 

429
00:33:38,240 --> 00:33:43,440
my eyes from looking at vanity, 
and revive me in your ways. 

430
00:33:45,000 --> 00:33:49,400
When I read the word of God, it 
causes my eyes to turn away from

431
00:33:49,400 --> 00:33:53,000
that which is vain, that which 
is empty, that which is futile, 

432
00:33:53,800 --> 00:33:57,560
that which makes absolutely no 
difference. 

433
00:33:58,320 --> 00:34:02,160
He says in verse #93 I will 
never forget your precepts, for 

434
00:34:02,160 --> 00:34:05,160
by then them you have revived 
me. 

435
00:34:06,440 --> 00:34:10,480
Revival comes because I do not 
forget what God has said. 

436
00:34:12,040 --> 00:34:13,480
Well, how do I know what God has
said? 

437
00:34:13,480 --> 00:34:15,159
It's because I read what God has
said. 

438
00:34:16,320 --> 00:34:19,679
The psalmist knows that in order
for his soul to be revived, this

439
00:34:19,679 --> 00:34:23,560
is what happens. 
It says I have restrained my 

440
00:34:23,560 --> 00:34:26,600
feet from every evil way that I 
may keep your word. 

441
00:34:26,600 --> 00:34:29,560
In other words, when when I read
the Word of God, it restrains my

442
00:34:29,560 --> 00:34:33,960
feet from going the evil way. 
It's just a simple reading of 

443
00:34:33,960 --> 00:34:36,239
the Scripture. 
The observation of the 

444
00:34:36,239 --> 00:34:40,719
Scripture, the looking at the 
Scripture, will do a marvelous 

445
00:34:40,719 --> 00:34:43,360
work in the life of the 
believer. 

446
00:34:44,679 --> 00:34:47,840
Paul knows that. 
So he says, I want this epistle 

447
00:34:47,840 --> 00:34:51,679
to be read among you. 
I want you to read it over and 

448
00:34:51,679 --> 00:34:56,280
over and over again. 
You know, it's like when you 

449
00:34:56,280 --> 00:34:58,120
receive a, a letter from a loved
one. 

450
00:34:58,120 --> 00:34:59,480
Of course we don't receive 
letters anymore. 

451
00:34:59,480 --> 00:35:02,400
We get emails and and texts. 
But in the olden days, when I 

452
00:35:02,400 --> 00:35:05,240
was growing up, we used to have 
to write letters to people, 

453
00:35:05,720 --> 00:35:07,680
right? 
You had to really write a thank 

454
00:35:07,680 --> 00:35:10,200
you note to people. 
And sometimes when you, when you

455
00:35:10,200 --> 00:35:13,800
got a letter from your loved 1, 
you just kept it and you read it

456
00:35:13,800 --> 00:35:19,400
over and over and over again. 
Because the words which they had

457
00:35:19,400 --> 00:35:25,640
said, I, I've kept cards from my
wife from years ago, years ago 

458
00:35:26,480 --> 00:35:29,880
that she has written to me. 
And every once in a while I'll 

459
00:35:29,920 --> 00:35:34,400
just go back from, through those
cards and read what she said. 

460
00:35:36,040 --> 00:35:37,960
And then I want to go back to 
her when she's mad at me and 

461
00:35:37,960 --> 00:35:40,640
say, Hey, this is what you said.
Remember that 10 years ago? 

462
00:35:41,720 --> 00:35:43,880
No, I don't do that. 
But the bottom line is, is that 

463
00:35:43,880 --> 00:35:45,280
it just go back and read those 
things. 

464
00:35:45,280 --> 00:35:48,480
It's so powerful. 
Well, that's just a that's not 

465
00:35:48,480 --> 00:35:51,480
the inspired word of God. 
That's just a a note from my 

466
00:35:51,480 --> 00:35:54,680
wife. 
But the inspired word of God, 

467
00:35:55,600 --> 00:35:58,600
you read it over and over again.
It never gets old. 

468
00:36:00,160 --> 00:36:04,840
It never it's crusty, it never 
becomes routine. 

469
00:36:06,080 --> 00:36:11,320
It's a life giving, life 
breathing word of the living 

470
00:36:11,320 --> 00:36:15,520
God. 
So engage in prayer for one 

471
00:36:15,520 --> 00:36:24,520
another, ensure affection one 
toward another #3 enact the 

472
00:36:24,520 --> 00:36:31,080
reading of the Word of God. 
And lastly, enjoy the grace of 

473
00:36:31,080 --> 00:36:35,000
God. 
Paul began by talking about 

474
00:36:35,000 --> 00:36:40,760
grace in chapter 1, and he ends 
talking about grace in chapter 

475
00:36:40,760 --> 00:36:47,080
5. 
God's grace is undeserved, 

476
00:36:49,640 --> 00:36:56,960
unmeasurable, unearned, and 
unrepayable. 

477
00:36:59,360 --> 00:37:03,480
God's favor upon fallen man is 
unbelievable. 

478
00:37:05,600 --> 00:37:16,760
So how do you enjoy the grace of
God #1 Abide in the God of 

479
00:37:16,760 --> 00:37:23,640
grace. 
Abide in the God of grace. 

480
00:37:25,520 --> 00:37:27,880
This is what Christ said in John
15. 

481
00:37:28,480 --> 00:37:32,160
I am the true vine, and my 
Father is the vine dresser. 

482
00:37:33,400 --> 00:37:36,080
Every branch in me that does not
bear fruit, He takes away. 

483
00:37:37,560 --> 00:37:40,400
In every branch that bears fruit
he prunes it so that it may bear

484
00:37:40,400 --> 00:37:43,840
more fruit. 
You are already clean because of

485
00:37:43,840 --> 00:37:45,240
the word which I have spoken to 
you. 

486
00:37:45,840 --> 00:37:52,040
So abide. 
Remain in me, and I in you. 

487
00:37:53,280 --> 00:37:57,000
As the branch cannot bear fruit 
of itself unless it abides in 

488
00:37:57,000 --> 00:38:03,440
the vine, so neither can you 
unless you abide in me. 

489
00:38:05,440 --> 00:38:09,960
Remain steadfast with me. 
Abide in the God of grace. 

490
00:38:09,960 --> 00:38:12,240
You want to enjoy the grace of 
God. 

491
00:38:13,400 --> 00:38:17,960
Abide in the God of grace, 
because from Him comes that 

492
00:38:17,960 --> 00:38:22,280
which you do not deserve. 
And then not only do you abide 

493
00:38:22,400 --> 00:38:26,400
in the grace of God, but you 
also approach the throne of 

494
00:38:26,400 --> 00:38:31,120
grace. 
That's Hebrews 415 and 16. 

495
00:38:32,360 --> 00:38:34,040
You approach the throne of 
grace. 

496
00:38:34,320 --> 00:38:37,320
We're to come boldly before the 
throne of grace that we might 

497
00:38:37,320 --> 00:38:42,800
receive mercy and grace to help 
in time of need. 

498
00:38:44,360 --> 00:38:45,920
You want to enjoy the grace of 
God. 

499
00:38:46,080 --> 00:38:50,200
Abide in the God of grace. 
Approach the throne of grace, 

500
00:38:50,440 --> 00:38:59,320
and then #3 make sure that you 
apply the message of grace. 

501
00:39:01,360 --> 00:39:05,600
Paul says in Acts at the 20 
verse #32 I commend you to God 

502
00:39:05,600 --> 00:39:08,200
in the word of His grace, which 
is able to build you up. 

503
00:39:09,880 --> 00:39:11,920
Paul says, look, I'm leaving 
you, but I'm going to give you 

504
00:39:11,920 --> 00:39:15,200
the word of His grace because 
this is what's going to build 

505
00:39:15,200 --> 00:39:22,040
you, sustain you, stabilize you,
secure you, strengthen you. 

506
00:39:22,920 --> 00:39:25,520
So I commend you to God in the 
word of His grace, which is able

507
00:39:25,520 --> 00:39:29,840
to build you up. 
So you need to apply the message

508
00:39:31,360 --> 00:39:36,560
of grace because God's Word is 
the word that gives the message 

509
00:39:37,720 --> 00:39:41,440
about grace. 
So abide in the God of grace, 

510
00:39:41,440 --> 00:39:46,600
approach the thought of grace, 
apply the message of grace, and 

511
00:39:46,600 --> 00:39:56,160
then #4 understand this, that 
you are to articulate with words

512
00:39:57,520 --> 00:40:02,360
of grace, articulate with words 
of grace. 

513
00:40:03,320 --> 00:40:06,840
Colossians chapter 4. 
Paul says this in verse number 

514
00:40:06,840 --> 00:40:11,920
six. 
Let your speech always be with 

515
00:40:11,920 --> 00:40:21,800
grace, seasoned with salt, 
articulate with words of grace. 

516
00:40:21,800 --> 00:40:25,120
That's why you would say in 
Ephesians 4, Let no unwholesome 

517
00:40:25,120 --> 00:40:30,960
word proceed out of your mouth. 
None, but only the kind of words

518
00:40:30,960 --> 00:40:35,200
that are useful for building 
someone up. 

519
00:40:37,720 --> 00:40:41,800
When we articulate the with the 
words of grace, we are actually 

520
00:40:41,800 --> 00:40:45,640
doing something in someone's 
life that will enable them to 

521
00:40:45,640 --> 00:40:48,600
understand the beauty of God's 
grace. 

522
00:40:50,520 --> 00:40:54,920
Think about your conversation 
with your wife this morning, or 

523
00:40:54,920 --> 00:41:01,720
your husband, or your children. 
Were they words of grace, words 

524
00:41:01,720 --> 00:41:06,160
of kindness, words that would 
move them on to maturity? 

525
00:41:06,280 --> 00:41:09,960
Or were they bitter, angry 
words? 

526
00:41:10,960 --> 00:41:15,320
Were they yelling words? 
Were they the kind of words that

527
00:41:15,520 --> 00:41:22,240
that that you would be ashamed 
of had they been put on a screen

528
00:41:23,200 --> 00:41:25,400
for announcements this morning 
in church? 

529
00:41:29,920 --> 00:41:39,040
Here's #5 5 is really good, and 
that is you need to accept the 

530
00:41:39,040 --> 00:41:47,400
hand of grace, abide in the God 
of grace, approach the throne of

531
00:41:47,400 --> 00:41:52,960
grace, apply the message of 
grace, articulate with words of 

532
00:41:52,960 --> 00:42:03,200
grace, but accept, accept God's 
hand of grace. 

533
00:42:04,640 --> 00:42:10,240
This is hard, but let me read to
you what that great Old 

534
00:42:10,240 --> 00:42:16,080
Testament character did and 
said, Joseph in Genesis chapter 

535
00:42:16,080 --> 00:42:19,920
45. 
Joseph had just revealed 

536
00:42:19,920 --> 00:42:26,000
themselves to his brothers. 
They did not recognize him, but 

537
00:42:26,000 --> 00:42:30,880
when he finally revealed 
himself, it says this verse 4 of

538
00:42:31,360 --> 00:42:34,680
Genesis 45. 
Then Joseph said to his 

539
00:42:34,680 --> 00:42:36,560
brothers, please come closer to 
me. 

540
00:42:37,160 --> 00:42:39,720
And they came closer. 
And he said, I am your brother 

541
00:42:39,720 --> 00:42:49,080
Joseph, whom listen carefully, 
you sold into Egypt, whom you 

542
00:42:49,080 --> 00:42:51,840
sold into Egypt. 
Now listen carefully. 

543
00:42:53,320 --> 00:42:58,520
Now do not be grieved or angry 
with yourselves because you sold

544
00:42:58,520 --> 00:43:09,160
me here comma for God sent me 
before you to preserve life. 

545
00:43:10,560 --> 00:43:14,400
You sold me. 
God sent me. 

546
00:43:16,080 --> 00:43:20,560
What a what an incredible way to
explain all of his turmoil. 

547
00:43:21,240 --> 00:43:25,880
You sold me, but God sent me. 
This is this. 

548
00:43:25,880 --> 00:43:30,520
This is so good, he says, for 
the famine has been in the land 

549
00:43:30,520 --> 00:43:33,880
these two years, and there are 
still five years in which there 

550
00:43:33,880 --> 00:43:37,880
will be neither plowing nor 
harvesting for seven. 

551
00:43:38,040 --> 00:43:43,920
God sent me before you to 
preserve for you a remnant in 

552
00:43:43,920 --> 00:43:47,880
the earth and to keep you alive 
by a great deliverance. 

553
00:43:48,280 --> 00:43:52,800
You sold me. 
God sent me that I might save 

554
00:43:52,800 --> 00:43:56,840
you. 
That is a great perspective. 

555
00:43:58,400 --> 00:44:04,400
He says verse 8 Now therefore it
was not you who sent me here, 

556
00:44:05,440 --> 00:44:10,320
but God don't take credit for 
for what's going to happen here 

557
00:44:10,440 --> 00:44:14,000
because you sold me and you sent
me here because it was God who 

558
00:44:14,000 --> 00:44:16,760
sent me. 
You sold me. 

559
00:44:16,760 --> 00:44:20,920
God sent me that I might save 
you. 

560
00:44:22,920 --> 00:44:28,640
He says He has made me a father 
to Pharaoh, and Lord of all his 

561
00:44:28,640 --> 00:44:32,440
household, and ruler over all 
the land of Egypt. 

562
00:44:32,640 --> 00:44:38,160
Hurry and go up to my father and
say to him, Thus says your son 

563
00:44:38,160 --> 00:44:45,400
Joseph, God has made me Lord of 
all Egypt. 

564
00:44:48,240 --> 00:44:57,720
He accepted God's hand of grace 
long before he was ever made 

565
00:44:57,720 --> 00:45:02,400
Lord of Egypt. 
He accepted God's hand of grace 

566
00:45:02,400 --> 00:45:07,600
when he was sold into slavery. 
He accepted God's hand of grace 

567
00:45:07,600 --> 00:45:12,640
when he was thrown into a pit. 
He accepted God's hand of grace 

568
00:45:12,640 --> 00:45:16,960
when he was raised to a level of
supremacy in Potiphar's 

569
00:45:17,200 --> 00:45:20,640
Potiphar's house. 
He accepted the hand of grace 

570
00:45:20,640 --> 00:45:22,760
when Potiphar's wife lied about 
him. 

571
00:45:23,160 --> 00:45:29,200
He was thrown into prison. 
It was all about accepting God's

572
00:45:29,200 --> 00:45:33,920
hand of grace. 
So it's all said and done. 

573
00:45:35,840 --> 00:45:39,200
You meant it for evil, God meant
it for good. 

574
00:45:40,520 --> 00:45:46,960
And God saved two nations, the 
nation of Egypt and the nation 

575
00:45:46,960 --> 00:45:51,360
of Israel. 
What you meant for evil, God had

576
00:45:51,360 --> 00:45:58,720
greater purposes. 
You sold me, God sent me so that

577
00:45:59,240 --> 00:46:05,360
I might save you. 
What a perspective. 

578
00:46:07,040 --> 00:46:10,120
In the moment, it's hard to 
accept the hand of grace, isn't 

579
00:46:10,120 --> 00:46:12,440
it? 
So Peter says in first Peter 5 

580
00:46:12,440 --> 00:46:17,680
verse #6 humble yourselves under
the mighty hand of God. 

581
00:46:18,480 --> 00:46:22,160
What's the mighty hand of God? 
The mighty hand of God is a a 

582
00:46:22,160 --> 00:46:26,200
phrase from the Old Testament 
that's used in the book of 

583
00:46:26,200 --> 00:46:31,400
Genesis and the book of Exodus 
to speak of God's mighty hand of

584
00:46:32,000 --> 00:46:36,600
of discipline, God's mighty hand
of destiny. 

585
00:46:37,840 --> 00:46:41,880
His hand was always used in the 
discipline of Israel and the 

586
00:46:41,880 --> 00:46:45,160
destiny of Israel. 
Peter picks up on that, says, 

587
00:46:45,160 --> 00:46:49,960
now I want you to humble 
yourselves under God's mighty 

588
00:46:49,960 --> 00:46:56,280
hand of discipline, God's mighty
hand of destiny, because with 

589
00:46:56,280 --> 00:47:00,320
that mighty hand comes God's 
deliverance. 

590
00:47:02,040 --> 00:47:07,360
But you must accept the hand of 
God's grace. 

591
00:47:08,760 --> 00:47:13,680
You want to enjoy the grace of 
God, abide in the God of grace. 

592
00:47:14,720 --> 00:47:19,680
Approach the throne of grace. 
Make sure that you apply the 

593
00:47:19,680 --> 00:47:24,520
message of grace so that you can
articulate with words of grace 

594
00:47:26,840 --> 00:47:30,480
and then accept the hand of 
grace. 

595
00:47:32,000 --> 00:47:41,560
And lastly, this would be #6 
accomplish your ministry with 

596
00:47:41,560 --> 00:47:46,320
grace. 
Paul said this in Ephesians 

597
00:47:46,320 --> 00:47:56,040
chapter 3 verse #7 I was made a 
minister according to the gift 

598
00:47:57,680 --> 00:48:03,680
of God's grace. 
I was made a minister according 

599
00:48:03,680 --> 00:48:08,840
to God's gracious gift of his 
favor. 

600
00:48:10,400 --> 00:48:13,800
So you accomplish your ministry 
with grace. 

601
00:48:13,880 --> 00:48:17,160
And what is your ministry? 
Number one? 

602
00:48:17,160 --> 00:48:21,280
Your marriage, right? 
Your marriage is your ministry 

603
00:48:22,480 --> 00:48:27,560
#2 your family #3 the sphere of 
influence. 

604
00:48:27,560 --> 00:48:30,760
Wherever God's placed you, 
whatever your work environment 

605
00:48:30,760 --> 00:48:33,400
is, that's where God placed you.
That's your ministry. 

606
00:48:34,960 --> 00:48:38,320
And so you can only accomplish 
that through the grace that God 

607
00:48:38,680 --> 00:48:44,960
supplies. 
That's why the poem was written.

608
00:48:45,520 --> 00:48:49,480
Lord, I am willing to receive. 
What you give, I'm willing to 

609
00:48:49,480 --> 00:48:53,360
lack. 
What you withhold I'm willing to

610
00:48:53,360 --> 00:48:57,200
relinquish. 
What you take, I'm willing to 

611
00:48:57,200 --> 00:49:02,920
suffer. 
What you inflict, I'm willing to

612
00:49:02,920 --> 00:49:05,640
be. 
Whatever you require. 

613
00:49:07,000 --> 00:49:11,200
Is that you? 
That's what Paul wants, for us 

614
00:49:11,920 --> 00:49:16,400
to enjoy the grace of God. 
Let's pray. 

615
00:49:17,200 --> 00:49:21,200
Father, we thank you for today, 
One more opportunity for us to 

616
00:49:21,840 --> 00:49:25,400
hear what Your Word says. 
Thank you for the opportunity to

617
00:49:25,400 --> 00:49:29,880
study this epistle. 
It's been very convicting, very 

618
00:49:29,880 --> 00:49:36,200
challenging, at times very 
confrontive, but always very 

619
00:49:36,200 --> 00:49:39,000
comforting because it is the 
Word of God. 

620
00:49:40,800 --> 00:49:44,960
My prayer for all of us, Lord, 
is that we would truly, we would

621
00:49:44,960 --> 00:49:47,160
truly ensure affection one for 
another. 

622
00:49:48,840 --> 00:49:54,640
Enjoy the grace that you you 
offer and pray that we would 

623
00:49:55,680 --> 00:50:02,600
truly enact and engage in prayer
one for another, that we live 

624
00:50:02,600 --> 00:50:08,600
out this epistle that you wrote 
so many years ago to the pen of 

625
00:50:08,600 --> 00:50:11,640
the Apostle Paul. 
We have read it. 

626
00:50:12,400 --> 00:50:16,800
We have studied it. 
Help us Lord to apply it by your

627
00:50:16,800 --> 00:50:22,360
grace and for your glory in 
Jesus name, Amen.