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[ Silence ] >> Four, seven, one. [Music] ♪ The last day of the spring of your youth ♪

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♪ The last of the seasons ♪ ♪ All the land of dreams ♪ ♪ And the path of the free ♪ ♪ She was the steady example ♪

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♪ Of the wisdom she had been given ♪ ♪ She gave you all your freedom, my love ♪ ♪ He will come and set you free ♪ ♪ He will come and set you free ♪

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♪ He will come and set you free ♪ ♪ And His salvation for all of you ♪ ♪ For His people for you ♪ ♪ He will come and set you free ♪

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♪ To live as we see now ♪ ♪ Live as we see and say ♪ ♪ God's will bring it in through us ♪ ♪ In other words you shall be needed ♪

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♪ For it's been a blessing for you ♪ ♪ And for us he brings it safely ♪ ♪ Here I arise to the pasture ♪ ♪ Here I arise to the pasture ♪

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♪ Where the lost children are raised ♪ ♪ Where in salvation's pure water ♪ ♪ Children of bread grow ♪ ♪ Here I arise to the pasture ♪

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♪ The rest is vanity and tongue ♪ ♪ Begain to stumble and landslide ♪ ♪ Give up this glory and love ♪ ♪ When I was born in the land of ♪

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♪ The unseemly to sin ♪ ♪ Give in your heart and your face, love ♪ ♪ We honor and thank you, God ♪ ♪ We honor as you have blessed him ♪

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♪ We honor and thank you, God ♪ ♪ Thanks for making you our God ♪ ♪ God in love and hope for you ♪ I've just received word that Reverend Dawson had a stroke in Fort Worth and the family

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desires your prayers. The Reverend J.L. Dawson who pastored here among us for some time at David Chapel has had a stroke in Fort Worth and your prayers are solicited. Scripture lesson today is taken from Ecclesiastes the 12th chapter, first through the 12th verses.

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Remember now, thy creator, in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them, while the sun or the light or the moon or the stars be darkened, nor the clouds return after the rain, and the day when the keepers of the house shall tremble and the strong men shall bow themselves

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and the grinders cease, because there are few, and those that look out of the windows be darkened. And the doors shall be shut in the streets when the sound of the grinding is low, and he shall rise up at the voice of the bird, and all the daughters of music shall be brought low. Also, when thou shalt be afraid of that which is high in fears,

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shalt be in the way, and the almond tree shall flourish, and the grasshopper shall be a burden, and desire shall fail, because man goeth to his long home, and the mourners go about the Or ever the silver cord be loosened, or the golden bowl be broken, or the picture be broken at the fountain, or the wheel broken at the cistern.

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Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was, and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it. Vanity of vanities, saith the preacher, all is vanity. And moreover, because the preacher was wise, he still taught the people knowledge, yea,

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he gave good heed, and sought out, and set in order many proverbs. preachers sought to find out acceptable words and that which was written was upright, even words of truth. The words of the wise are his goals and the nails fashioned by the master of assemblies which are given from one shepherd. And

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father, by these my son be admonished of making many books there is no end and must study is weariness of the flesh." [ Background Sounds ] [ Music ]

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If you confess the Lord, call Him up! if you believe on the mother and the holy ghost, call him up and tell him what you are. If you confess the Lord, call Him up! Can you believe I'm a mark and a hole in your heart?

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Call him up and tell him what you want. Without a scourge of will, call him up. Get right in love with him, call him up. ♪ When I was young to play the calling of ♪

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♪ If I ain't up to day, the calling of ♪ ♪ And you can leave on the father's song ♪ ♪ And the holy ghost ♪ ♪ Call it off ♪

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♪ And tell him what you are ♪ Try the best in the Lord And He will give you the desires of your heart Even though sometimes you stumble

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Even though sometimes you fall Go ahead, love And tell Him what you want ♪ Trying to test you alone ♪

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♪ And he will give you the desire to have more ♪ ♪ Even though sometimes you stumble ♪ ♪ Even though sometimes you fall ♪ ♪ Cut it off ♪

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♪ And tell him what you want ♪ [Music] Can't stop praising his name, I just can't stop praising his name, I just can't stop praising his name, Jesus. Can't stop praising his name, I just can't stop praising his name, I just can't stop praising his name, Jesus.

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Can't stop praising his name, I just can't stop praising his name, I just can't stop praising his name, Jesus. Can't stop praising his name, I just can't stop praising his name, I just can't stop praising his name, Jesus. Jesus Jesus

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Jesus Hallelujah, Jesus. Hallelujah, Jesus. Hallelujah, Jesus.

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Hallelujah, Jesus. Hallelujah, Jesus. Can't stop praising his name. I just can't stop praising his name.

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I just can't stop praising his name. Jesus. Jesus. Jesus.

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Jesus. Jesus. Jesus. Jesus.

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Jesus. Jesus. Hallelujah, Jesus. Hallelujah, Jesus.

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Hallelujah, Jesus. Hallelujah, Jesus. Can't stop praising his name. I just can't stop praising his name.

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I just can't stop praising his name. Jesus. Amen. Let all the people say amen.

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Amen. For our text, I call your prayerful attention to a passage of Scripture recorded in the book of Ecclesiastes, the twelfth chapter and the first verse. Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not, nor the

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years draw nigh when thou shalt say I have no pleasure in them. The subject of the message in the days of thy youth remember now thy creator in the days of thy youth. These words come from the aged to the young from the old to the new from one generation to another, from the sage to the unlearned. They come from one

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who is old enough, one who has lived long enough, and has experienced enough to know what is right and best for the individual who has just arrived on the seen. First of all, this is a word to youth. "Remember now thy creator in the days of thy youth." These words are drawn from the wisdom literature of the Bible. It is a wise saying

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collected from what has been learned from many people through many generations. This is a precious gem, a word of advice which should be heard and obeyed. Youth is a time when we are prone to be in a hurry. It's a time when we are in a hurry to get on with living. We're in a hurry to grow up and to do what

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grown folk do. When I was a child I wore short pants and I was in a hurry to wear long pants. The time could not come soon enough. I was in a hurry to become 21 and And many times when I was asked my age I moved it up Because I was in a hurry to become 21. I

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Was in a hurry to go where the big folk go and to do what the big folk do Youth is a time when we are tempted To move fast Here is a word of advice

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"From yesterday to the youth of today, remember now thy creator in the days of thy youth." Youth is a time of innocence. It is the impressionistic stage or the impressionable stage. It said life is like a paper white on which to write a line or two and then comes the night

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Before Your life becomes Fully fashioned Before your life becomes

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Blemished before your life becomes spoiled before your life becomes confused and disordered Remember now, thy creator. Youth is a period when one is enthusiastic and energetic,

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when we are filled with vim, vigor, and vitality. In the days of our youth, we are anxious about many things. In such a time as this, the word of the preacher is,

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Remember now thy creator. In the days of our youth, we are dreamers. We have high hopes and aspirations. We expect great things.

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We look to the future. In the days of our youth, there is the motivation to dare and do, to engage in exciting adventure. It's also a time of restlessness and a time of recklessness.

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It's a good time to remember the Creator in the days of our youth. In the days of our youth, there was a temptation toward rebellion against authority coupled with the determination to go it alone. But here is a word from the wise.

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Remember now, now, thy creator in the days of thy youth. What is worth doing? Do it now. Don't wait.

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Do it now. Youth are called the now generation. There is value in realizing the importance of the now. There was a man who always put off that which should be done today for tomorrow.

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It was said of him that he reveled beneath the moon. He slept beneath the sun. He lived in a world of going to do and died with nothing done. Now is the time.

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Now is the day of salvation. Remember now thy creator." This is a word that gives direction. And if there is anything that youth needs, it is a sense of direction, the course that

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should be followed in life. There was a story told of the building of the famous Biltmore House, which is located near Asheville, North Carolina, that when that building was under construction, that the owner was concerned about hiring the workers.

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And when the advertisement was given for workers, one man came and he was given the assignment of moving a pile of stones to a particular place. When he had moved the stones to that place, then he was given the order to move those same stones back to the same place that he had moved them from.

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And Mr. Vanderbilt, the owner, said that he gave this test because in the course of the construction, there would be many difficult assignments, and the person would not know why he was doing what he was doing, but he would need to know how to follow orders. And so these are orders from headquarters.

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Remember now thy creator in the days of thy youth. This is a word from the sages of the ages, the preacher of the book of Ecclesiastes who have crystallized the wisdom of the centuries into a capsule of helpful advice for the young. Remember now thy creator in the days of thy youth.

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the right start early. Don't forget that which is of prime significance. If you want your life to be worth living, then make the right start now. Hook up with the eternal now. Life is meaningful if we make the right start, if we relate ourselves to the eternal. It's meaningful when the temporary is rightly related

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to the eternal. During the formative years, during the time when we are getting set, remember the Creator. Youth often think that companionship with God is for the seasoned saint, for the person who is ripe with experience and has mellowed with age. And sometimes we plan to make all of my our mistakes while we

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young do all the wrong things, sow all the wild oats when we're young. And some say, "Well I'll live it up when I'm young and when I get older then I'll straighten up. I will seek to get my life filled with the thrills now while I'm young. I'll run footloose and fancy-free and when I get older I'll settle down and

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and I'll live the godly, righteous, and sober life. That's not the advice of the sage of the ages. That's not the advice of the wise. The advice of the wise for us all is,

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remember now thy creator in the days of thy youth. So here is a word of caution. Here is a word of guidance providing divine direction. Remember now thy creator in the days of thy youth.

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Youth is a time to decide to be our best. It's the time to purpose in our hearts to do our best. If we plan to engage in a difficult study, we ought to start while we're young.

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If you plan to climb any high mountains, it's a good thing to start while you're young. If you plan to be true to yourself and true to your maker, it's a good thing to start while you're young.

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And if you plan to develop spiritual strength, don't wait till you're old and feeble, but start out while you're young. Remember now thy creator in the days of thy youth.

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This is a word of advice for the young. It seems to me that it's also a word that parents will do well to consider. In order for you to remember, there has to be something that has happened in prior experience. There has to be an example to follow.

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We remember what has happened. If nothing has happened, then there's nothing to remember. Parents have the responsibility of helping the young in forming the right relationships, in making them aware of that which is of utmost significance.

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Parents are to train up the child in the way that he should go. Teach your child that which is worth remembering. So as it is set forth in the book of Deuteronomy, parents are to teach the young the law of the Lord.

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They are to teach the young the responsibilities that they have, not only in regard to themselves and to society, but the responsibilities that are theirs to their Creator. In order to do that, parents need to be good role models. We have to walk in the right way before our children.

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We are responsible for our children, in many ways, being the way they are. We have certain physical features because our parents have had certain physical features.

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And so not only is this true, but it's true of certain characteristics. And so it's important that certain things that are passed on from generation to generation

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ought to be the best things. So the parents need to watch the kind of model that they provide, the kind of lifestyle that is introduced to the young,

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the kind of direction, the kind of guidance given. Parents are responsible for this. Not only is it true that parents need to help in this way, but Sunday school teachers and the pastor

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and other community workers. For if the young think that what we claim to be is phony, then that which they remember becomes a stumbling block. It hurts rather than helps.

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So provide a good example, give them good experiences, give them pleasant memories. Let these words find meaningful expression. Remember now thy creator in the days of thy youth.

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In order for this to have meaning and full expression in the life of young people, it means that youth must receive a chance. Youth, many times, are maimed and crippled.

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crippled in the cradle of their existence. It often happens in child abuse. It often happens when they are introduced to drugs at a very young age.

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It often happens in various ways in the formation of bad habits. They experience what one writer calls death at an early age. They die before they learn what life is all about.

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But here is a word of caution, here is a word of help. Remember now, not tomorrow, but remember now. Use this day, live now, act in the living present. Remember now, thy creator in the days of thy youth.

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So parents, help this word to come true the lives of the young. It's the duty of parents to teach their children the law of the Lord. Listen to what is written in the book of Deuteronomy, "And thou shall teach them diligently unto thy children, and shall talk of them when thou sittest

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in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou lies down, and when thou rises up." The commandments of the Lord, thou shalt teach them. This is to be done in the home. And then the word says in the New Testament, "Children obey your parents. Fathers, provoke not your children to wrath." And Jesus himself said,

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suffer the little children to come unto me, forbid them not for such is the kingdom of heaven." Yes, this is a word to children, to youth, it's a word that parents would do well to consider and obey. It's a word about life. The time we are allotted in this world is to be spent wisely. We're sent to live zestfully.

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In other words, we ought to give life all we've got. We're not merely to exist and pass the time of day. We have only one life to live. I used to hear it said a great deal when I was a boy about a cat. You know the cat has nine lives. Well, that's just a proverbial statement. We only have one life

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to live we are only upon the face of this earth once and We need to live it. We need to take care of it. We need to preserve it Life is not lost by dying life is lost minute by minute Day by day dragging day in all the thousand small

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caring ways," said the poet. "We can live our life, provision is made for us, help is provided along the way. Every individual in this world can live his or her life. So I say to you young people, live your life, give yourself to that which is greater than you are. Life for Christ, be a witness for freedom,

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Demonstrate a loving and caring spirit. Commit your way unto the Lord. Walk in the steps of the Master. Remember now thy Creator. You only have one life to live, so live it. Don't waste it, use it. Don't lose it, find it. Find what is the divine design, discover what it is that God has equipped you to do and do it. Do it with

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all of your heart. Do it so well that when you depart from this earthly scene that people will be glad that you were here. Remember now thy creator in the days of thy youth. Yes, this is a word to children and youth. It is a word that parents will do well to consider and obey it is a word about life then lastly

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it is a word about God. You know so often we get stunted in our youth by not having access to and not having been cultivated in the right way. The Japanese have developed this art of dwarf trees. It's called bonsai, boonsai. It's an art by which they take these plants and and they're able to you take the roots and

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work with them in such a way that instead of a tree growing up normally that tree becomes dwarfed. And many times this can happen and that's why the word of caution and a word of advice and a word of strength is given here by the wise, "Remember now thy Creator." It's a word about God. It's a word that we ought

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to remember the highest and best. It's a word about truth, goodness, honesty, faith, hope, love. It's a word about the source of our being. It's a word about the ground and goal of our striving. It's a word about our beginning and our ending. Remember now thy creator in the days of thy youth. In other words my friends

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remember God in the morning of your life. Remember God at the time of sunrise. Remember God when you are getting ready to start out on your day's journey. Remember now thy Creator, remember the one who has made this world in which we live, remember the one who provides every day that we are permitted to witness,

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remember the one who makes possible every journey and who has promised to be with us on that journey. Remember the one who is our guide, remember the one who is our guard, the one who will protect us from every hurt, harm, and danger. Remember now thy creator in the days of thy youth. There is a story about that

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famous Jewish teacher Yaakov Yitzhaf, the Holy Seer of Lebanon. At the age of three he ran away from his religious school into the forest and his teacher punished him for that. He kept doing it and his father wanted to know why and His father said to him, "Why are you wasting your time in the forest? Why do

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you go there?" And the child replied, "I am looking for God." And the father said to the child, "Isn't God everywhere?" And the child said, "He is, but I am not. God is everywhere, but I'm not." It was a three-year-old child remembering the Creator in the morning of his life. You see, God is everywhere and we need him. We need to

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develop an awareness of his presence and we need to develop the understanding that we must somehow relate ourselves to him in order for us to understand who we are, in order for us to be what God wants us to be, we have to somehow get ourselves in relationship to him. It is only when the creature is related to the

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create it. I have a watch that I wear and it's a Rolex watch and when I bought it the salesman said this is one of the best watches made. He said now you need to have this watch when anything happens to it you don't have just an ordinary repairman to deal with it. He said send it to the manufacturing company. They

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understand it, they made it, they know all about it and they'll keep it working in the order in which it should be and when it needs any attention send it to them. Well God made us. He's the manufacturer, He's the one who understands all about us, He's the one who has created us, He has made us to

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function in a certain way and when we function in that way we don't have to as long as we are relating to Him. God you see is the one. Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth. Well how shall we remember our Creator? How shall we fulfill this word? Children, youth, older persons as well, how shall we

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do it? Well, we do it by the way we submit ourselves to Him. That's the way we do it, by submitting ourselves to Him. Stories told of a young woman who was in the service on the mission field, and in that worship service the offering was taken, and as the offering was being taken and the offering plate came this young woman didn't have any

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money to give and she said to the one who was bearing the offering plate to let it down and he let it down a little and she said still further he let it down further still further until finally it was on the floor and she put herself in the offering plate she stepped in the offering plate that's what it really

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means to remember. To remember God is to put ourselves and to commit ourselves to Him. I say, "Lord, I'm giving myself to you. Take me just as I am. I'm young, I'm innocent, I'm inexperienced, I don't know the way, but here I am. You take me. Lead me, guide me, strengthen me. Take me over the hills and through the valleys." That's what it means

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to give ourselves. Take my life and let it be consecrated Lord to thee. Take my hands and let them move at the impulse of thy love. Take my feet and let them be swift and beautiful for thee. Take my voice and let me sing always only for my king. Take my silver and my gold, not a mite would I withhold. Take my moments and my days, let them

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fall in ceaseless praise. Take my will and make it thine, it shall be no longer mine. Take my heart, it is thine own it shall be thy royal throne. That's what it means to remember God. Remember it while you're young in the days of your youth and the wonderful thing about it is when we grow old and feeble and our bodies are weak and the way gets rough and we're

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wondering how we're going to make it that same God who was with us when we were the days of our youth is with us to the end of the journey he's with us always so here's the conclusion of the matter of the matter fear God and keep His commandments for this is the whole duty of mankind. This is all that we're

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asked to do. Fear God, keep His commandments. Remember now Thy Creator. This is a time of dedication, it's a time of commitment, it's a time of decision for every one of us. It's a personal decision that we're called upon to make. Every person has to make this decision for himself or herself in our own heart of hearts to remember God and to make the decision to follow Him, be obedient to His commands.

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So as the choir leads in singing the hymn of invitation, we invite you to come. We invite you to become a part of the family here at Ebenezer. We invite you to obey this word, this word of the wise. We invite you to walk in this good service of remembering God, honoring Him.

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[ Music ] Remember Christ in the days of our youth. Remember what the Master has done for you. Look at His mercy, His kindness, His goodness always. Remember Christ in the days of our youth. While the blood is yet boiling away

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While you yet have each wonderful day to complain Just remember Christ when you stare He is a friend willing to share Remember Christ in the day of the year

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Remember thou our Creator in the days of our youth. Remember there the God above was always guiding you. Remember His grace was best to you, His love to bear you through. Remember thou our Creator in our youth. Father, brother, chef, oh, oh, oh, make your base Why do you get, that is what your forebears do proclaim

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Remember Christ when you're in need Your troubled voice you'll always hear Remember Christ in your days Oh, yeah, you will

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♪ Father, God, Chef, Lord is your name ♪ ♪ Are you yet ♪ ♪ In heaven's wonderful name to proclaim ♪ ♪ Just remember Christ in your days yet ♪

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♪ To you to win, willing to share ♪ ♪ Remember Christ in your days ♪ ♪ Love are you ♪ [MUSIC]

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>> Okay, at this time, on behalf of the youth, I would like to present the keys of the kingdom back to Pastor Griffin. Let's all say amen. This has been a great observance by our youth. They began today at

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seven o'clock with a breakfast here and we had a glorious time as I said earlier in the service. Only the the young men of the group made it out to breakfast. I don't know whether that says something about the ladies or not, but the lady said that men just love to eat more and

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We had a glorious time and I want all of the youth that have been in some way part of this Particular observance in some capacity which you stand all of the youth All right

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Let's say amen. All right. Amen Now as the choir gives us the closing we're going to ask that you will join us here as we march to the rear of the sanctuary. [BLANK_AUDIO]