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[ Silence ] [Music] [music] [Music]

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[MUSIC PLAYING] [music] [music] Oh, oh, children.

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Children. Oh, oh, children. Children. Sometimes I think and I look back.

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Oh, what I wonder. Wonder. World, the way I've come. What it was.

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Every tedious journey I've gone through. And I wonder. I wonder. I wonder.

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♪ Oh yes I wonder ♪ ♪ Where in the world I'd be ♪ ♪ Lord, if the Lord is Lord and is with me ♪ ♪ Oh, oh, children ♪

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♪ Oh, oh, children ♪ ♪ Sometimes I think and I look back ♪ ♪ Oh, I wonder ♪ ♪ Wonder ♪

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♪ Over the way I've come ♪ ♪ How you do ♪ ♪ And the tedious journey I've run ♪ ♪ How you do ♪

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♪ And I wonder ♪ ♪ Wonder ♪ ♪ How you do ♪ ♪ Oh, yes, I wonder ♪

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♪ How you do ♪ ♪ Where in the world I'd be ♪ ♪ If the Lord, if the Lord, if the Lord had been in me ♪ ♪ And a mighty rocky road ♪

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♪ And a mighty rocky road ♪ ♪ And a mighty rocky road ♪ ♪ Mighty rocky road ♪ ♪ And a mighty rocky road ♪

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♪ And I wonder, wonder ♪ ♪ Oh yes, I wonder ♪ ♪ Where in the world I'd be ♪ ♪ If the Lord, if the Lord, if the Lord ♪

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♪ Had sent me to thee ♪ ♪ I'd have to hang my head and cry ♪ ♪ Yes, my Lord, I'd have to hang my head and cry ♪ ♪ Hang my head and cry ♪

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♪ And the river is flowing ♪ ♪ And the river runs to the way out front ♪ ♪ And the teacher's turning out front ♪ ♪ And I wonder, wonder ♪

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♪ Oh yes, I wonder ♪ ♪ Where in the world I'd be ♪ ♪ If the Lord, if the Lord, if the Lord has been with me ♪ ♪ Oh, children ♪

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♪ Children ♪ ♪ Oh, children ♪ ♪ Children ♪ ♪ Sometimes I think and I look back ♪

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♪ Lord, I ponder ♪ ♪ Ponder ♪ ♪ Over the way I've come ♪ ♪ I've come ♪

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♪ And the tedious journey I've come ♪ ♪ And I wonder, wonder ♪ ♪ Oh, yes, I wonder ♪ ♪ Where in the world I'll be ♪

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♪ If the Lord, if the Lord, if the Lord ♪ ♪ Can't get to me ♪ - Amen. for ourselves, but our competence comes from God.

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He has made us competent as ministers of a new covenant, not of the letter, but of the spirit, for the letter kills, but the spirit gives life. Now, if the ministry that brought death,

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which was engraved in letters on stone, came with glory so that the Israelites could not look steadily at the face of Moses because of its glory, fading though it was. Will not the ministry of the Spirit be even more glorious?

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ends our scripture, which is the basis of this message. And the subject is "Glory in Ministry." "Glory in Ministry." While in a number of years ago, our family developed a relationship with a Jewish family we met in a discussion group,

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an interracial group of us, about eight or 10 couples. And this family was recently in the news with this headline over the article, old love letters, Land Waco couple in Spielberg's Millennium Film. This couple, Nathan and Evelyn

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Hoffman met during World War II. She was from New York, and he was from Waco. And he was about to go overseas when this meeting took place. It so happened that he did go overseas. This love affair which began in that meeting continued overseas, and

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He continued to work in New York and he was a soldier in the 12th Armored Division. So they wrote letters to each other daily for 16 months. And what Spielberg has done is he has collected those letters. They have put the letters in booklet form to pass on to their children so that they

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could see this love affair that was carried on across the miles for 16 months, writing each other every day. I always have trouble writing any letter. I can talk it out, but I can sit down and write it.

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But they did it for 16 months. This is considered a marvelous record so that it was placed on national TV and in the news, Wall Street Journal and New York Times about these letters that were written for 16 months. My wife and I wrote love letters and the like, but after we got married, she found those

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letters and destroyed them. So a love letter, sometimes you say in a love letter what you don't mean and different times I counsel with a couple that says, "Rev. I don't love him anymore." love that lasts and to recognize the significance of love, that

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it's the greatest thing in the world. Paul is in trouble with the Corinthians. They are critical of him because they say The first thing is they say, "He has no authority to say the things that he is saying." And the next thing is they say, "He

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has no credentials." Where are your credentials? Where is--by what authority do you say? They raise this question with Jesus. "By what authority do you do this?" So here's one who's Jesus in Corinth, pagan city, and they are raising this

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question there. People in the church are raising the question, "By what authority do you say what you say and do what you say?" There's a great deal of discussion going on today within religious circles concerning the authority of the Bible. Some

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people say, "Well, you know, that was for that time, not for this time." What authority does the Bible have in your life and in my life? Here is a situation where Paul responds by reminding that he doesn't need any letters of recommendation.

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In other words, I don't need them from you, he says in so many words, and from anyone else. I don't need them. You know, when we want to get a particular job,

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we try to get someone of influence to make recommendations. Sometimes I've been placed in positions where two of my members wanted me to write letters of recommendation for the same job.

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So I informed them, I said, "Both of you are all fine people." They said, "Well, go ahead and write them, Reverend." In other words, letters of recommendation

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are considered significant. People wanna know who recommends you. Sometimes people try to go with forged recommendations. One gentleman was in my office and he said that one of the leading persons in the city

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supported him in the effort. I said, "He does?" So when I got a chance, I called him. "I understand that you're supporting this man."

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He said, "Is he there?" I said, "No, he's not." He said, "Well, he's just a crackpot." In other words, don't pay any attention to him.

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In other words, he had said one thing to the man and another thing when it really came for giving a recommendation. By what authority, what recommendations do you have? What recommendation? What recommendation? A gentleman was seeking the job of principal.

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And so he asked another principal who really didn't want him to get the job that he wanted to write a letter of recommendation. He said well how shall I write he said well put to whom it may concern. So he wrote the letter and he put to whom it may concern and so there

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were several positions open in surrounding towns so he sent the same letter to all of them and but behold he got the job in several of these places they offered him the job and among those places that offered him a job was Waco where he was living and working in another position.

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And the man who didn't want him to get the job who had written a letter to whom it may concern, he didn't know that he had sent that letter to the superintendent.

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And when the superintendent hired him, he asked the superintendent, "Why did you hire this man?" He said, "Well, didn't you recommend him?" So sometimes we get letters of recommendation

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but under false pretenses. But Paul says, "I don't need your letter of recommendation or anyone else's." You see, a favorable recommendation introduces a stranger and opens a door of acceptance, which otherwise may be closed.

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So what is said in a letter of recommendation has a way of shutting certain people out and shutting others in. It has to do with one's character, it has to do with one's competence, and it provides additional information about the person who claims to know him or her because of previous

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encounters and shared experiences. Often letter recommendations and you talk about the person, how his character is, her character and all of that and then say if there is more information that you desire that I can give, feel free to write me again. But Paul doesn't need any of that. So even though he has

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He's gone to this community of Carith. He's come there as an outsider. He needs no recommendation. The whole matter that the Carithians have resolved around letters of recommendation

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have no place in his mind as he addresses it. you. You are our letter, our recommendation. What we have done, the work we have done in your life, the words we have delivered unto you, and the way you have responded, you are our

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recommendation. Not in stone as were the tablets of the Ten Commandments, not in ink, but in your hearts. And so often we think of material things. Reverend so and so, we remember him because he built this building. So and so did this. He

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added this and he added that. And we often pick out some material things as the measurement. But Paul doesn't talk about anything like that.

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He's talking about spiritual things. In other words, how much in Christ have we grown? How much in his likeness have we developed? You are our recommendation.

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So there ought not be any murmuring among the congregation. You yourselves are our letter. You are the message that is sent to the world. A letter of recommendation written in your hearts.

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You are a letter from Christ. In other words, you may be the only letter that some people will read of Christ. Sometimes it may be that influence in the home. You are the only letter.

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You're the Bible that they're reading. And they look for the likeness of Christ in you. This is what Paul is saying. You are our letter.

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You are our letter of recommendation. When we were small, we used to write our little love letters and put YKW. You know who.

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As long as the moss grows around the stump, you are my sugar lump. But every now and then, and every now and then, the teacher would intersect,

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you know, one of those letters and read it to the class. And we would be ashamed, you know. But Paul is saying here that no letter written on parchment, no letter written on stone,

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You are our letter written in your hearts. And so what makes God's recommendation recognized in the world is how much of the spirit of Christ we communicate through our lives.

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So we are sent to communicate His Spirit, His love, His power, His rule. In other words, we are God's autograph. So letters of recommendation that we represent to others.

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You know, it's a wonderful thing when you think about it. We represent Christ. We represent Christ. In other words, we re-present Christ to others. In our own time, in our own way, we are the means of making Christ known to others.

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Now the early church understood that and sometimes I think we become too concerned about being a mutual admiration Society where we greet one and we meet and greet each other and we sort of lose sight of the main objective of presenting Christ to the world you

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are our Recommendation your spirit your love the hope that you manifest the actions that you take you our letter of recommendation." Oh, what a testimony he gave to those Corinthians. In other words, when you've met Christ,

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you don't need any recommendation from anybody else. You really met him yourself. In other words, Paul, as he journeys on the Damascus Road, he's going to Damascus and description tells us that he has letters of recommendation to the sheriff. He had some

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letters. He knew what was the importance of recommendations. He had used them. But when he was on his road to Damascus, a red light shone around about him and he heard a voice Saying Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? And he said, who art thou?

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And he said, I am Jesus whom thou persecuted. He fell from his beast and he said, Lord, what will you have me to do? So the power of Christ permeates his life

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from that moment onward. Wherever he goes, whatever he has to say, he talks about what it really means to be in Christ. So, He has sent us. That's the purpose of a letter. You have a

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message to send. So, He has sent us to be His witnesses, His letters, not in stone, not in ink, but in the Spirit. And the Spirit gives life. The Spirit permeates.

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It's the Spirit that keeps us and strengthens us. It's the Spirit. So you are our letter of recommendation. And so then when we do it,

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when we do the witness for Jesus Christ, he says that there is glory in the ministry of God. in the ministry. Glory. Glory in the ministry. The Roman Catholics elevated to sainthood Sister Drexel. And she came

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from a family where she had at her disposal $20 million. And she took a vow of poverty. And this poverty was not to gain glory for herself. Some people with $20 million would have felt they had enough glory. But she took a vow of poverty and gave

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the $20 million to mission work for the glory of God. Oh, for the glory of God to hide ourselves behind the cross and to suffer, to sacrifice for the glory of God, not for ourselves, but to say to God be the glory.

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Great things he hath done. And that's why we gather here Sunday after Sunday to give God the glory. To give God the glory for our creation.

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To give God the glory for our salvation. To give God the glory for our lives. Thanks be to him that we can represent him to others.

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As we sing the hymn of invitation, we extend the privilege of the church to those who would become a Part of the family of God here at Ebeneezer. We invite you to come It pays to serve Jesus it pays Every day it pays every step of the way. It's an open door. He sets before us

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to accept him to walk with Him, to have fellowship with His Spirit, to present Him to others. [MUSIC PLAYING]

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(SINGING) The services of Jesus through benediction of God, ♪ In Him there is joy ♪ ♪ Without ever more ♪ ♪ It's heaven to trust Him ♪

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♪ And rest on His word ♪ ♪ It pays to serve Jesus ♪ ♪ Each day ♪ ♪ Give praise to the Lord Jesus ♪

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♪ Give praise every day ♪ ♪ Give praise every step of the way ♪ ♪ Of the way ♪ ♪ Go that way to glory ♪

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♪ May sometimes be grim ♪ ♪ You need a name ♪ ♪ Instead of the way ♪ ♪ It pays to serve Jesus ♪

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♪ More than any time ♪ ♪ It pays to be true ♪ ♪ Whatever you may do ♪ ♪ His riches of mercy ♪

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♪ In him to abide ♪ ♪ It pays to serve Jesus ♪ ♪ Each day ♪ ♪ It pays to serve Jesus ♪

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♪ It pays every day ♪ ♪ It pays every step ♪ ♪ Of the way, of the way ♪ ♪ The pathway to glory ♪

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♪ May sometimes be dreary ♪ ♪ To thee I give each step of the way ♪ ♪ Though sometimes the shadows may hang on the way ♪ ♪ And sorrows may come to better those homes ♪

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♪ How precious Redeemer ♪ ♪ His love will be paid ♪ ♪ Give praise to serve Jesus ♪ ♪ Each day ♪

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♪ Give praise to serve Jesus ♪ ♪ Give praise every day ♪ ♪ He pays every step ♪ ♪ For his people the way ♪

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♪ Oh, that way to glory ♪ ♪ May sometimes be drear ♪ ♪ You will be happy ♪ (Singing)

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(Singing) (Singing) >>All persons who stood earlier celebrating birthdays, would you go back to the rear of the sanctuary, please, for all those

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who stood celebrating birthdays this week. Right there with the ushers that you see in front of that plaque, all of you who stood. "Now unto him who is able to keep you from falling, to before His glorious presence with exceeding joy,

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to the only wise God, our Father, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, now and forevermore. Amen. (organ music)

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♪ Amen, Amen, Amen ♪ ♪ Amen ♪ Amen. ♪ Amen ♪

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Amen. ♪ Amen ♪ [MUSIC] (gentle music)

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[ Music ] ♪ Cherish for Jesus ♪ ♪ Who brought our nation ♪ ♪ Home, home, home ♪

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♪ God, I never saw ♪ ♪ He will not perish ♪ ♪ Hear my honor ♪ ♪ My best hopes ♪

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♪ Glory, joy, and power ♪ ♪ Fair are the meadows ♪ ♪ Fair sit the rulers ♪ ♪ Oh, did you know me ♪

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♪ Long lost sleep ♪ ♪ Jesus is here ♪ ♪ Jesus is here ♪ ♪ Who makes the walls of our Jerusalem ♪

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♪ To see ♪ ♪ There is the sunshine ♪ ♪ There's still the moonlight ♪ ♪ And moonbeams gleaming ♪

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♪ Starry night ♪ ♪ Jesus shines brighter ♪ ♪ Jesus shines clearer ♪ ♪ Than all the angels ♪

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♪ Heaven and earth ♪ - It pays to serve Jesus. It pays every day. It pays every step of the way.

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It's an open door he sets before us to accept him, to walk with him, to have fellowship with his spirit, to present him to others. ♪ The servant of Jesus ♪

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♪ To pleasure of those ♪ ♪ In Him there is joy ♪ ♪ Without ever more ♪ ♪ If ever to God's gift ♪

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♪ That breath on His word ♪ ♪ It pays to serve Jesus ♪ ♪ Each day ♪ ♪ Give thanks, good sir, to Jesus ♪

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♪ Give thanks every day ♪ ♪ Give thanks every hour ♪ ♪ For the way ♪ ♪ For the way ♪

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♪ Through the valley, through the rain ♪ ♪ You may sometimes be dreary ♪ ♪ You may have been ♪ ♪ Instead of the way ♪

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♪ It may seem to be ♪ ♪ Those quiet and hazy times ♪ ♪ It pays to be true ♪ ♪ What can you pay to ♪

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♪ His riches of mercy ♪ ♪ It pays to abide ♪ ♪ It pays to serve Jesus ♪ ♪ Each day ♪

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♪ Give praise to the King of kings ♪ ♪ Give praise every day ♪ ♪ Give praise to every step ♪ ♪ Of the way, of the way ♪

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♪ Oh, how great you know me ♪ ♪ May sometimes be near ♪ ♪ We shall walk away ♪ ♪ Though the sun and the shadows ♪

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♪ May rain all the way ♪ ♪ And sorrows may come ♪ ♪ To Bethlehem's home ♪ ♪ Our precious home ♪

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♪ How precious Redeemer is ♪ ♪ Lo, who in faith ♪ ♪ Gives praise to the people he saves ♪ ♪ Gives praise to the people ♪

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♪ He praises every day ♪ ♪ He pays every step ♪ ♪ For those left on the way ♪ ♪ Oh, that way to glory ♪

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♪ Can sometimes be drear ♪ ♪ To be happy ♪ [Music] [BLANK_AUDIO]