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[silence] [unclear] Father, Lord, blessings seen and unseen. Father, this day you blessed us with life and just a measure of health and strength and and so many blessings, undeserved blessings, and we can't even count them all.

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Yes. But Father, we come this morning thanking and praising your holy and righteous name. Father, grateful that you're the kind of God that we can come before in this way. Father, we just ask you ever keep us mindful that, Lord, we are members of a eternal kingdom,

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of a heavenly number, Father, and this earth is not our home. Father, we're just thankful, Lord, for you today, for the way that you hold us in the palm of your hand, Father, the way that you bless and keep us. Father, truly it's more than we deserve. Lord, when our time on this earth is over, we don't want any trouble at the river, Lord.

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We know that when we come that you're going to be there with us, guiding us every step of the way, Father, just like you've always been with us, and help us over into that eternal and heavenly kingdom. Father, just continue to bless this church and let it grow in the knowledge and holiness of your Son, Jesus Christ. All these blessings we ask in his name. Amen.

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Amen. (eerie music) (eerie music) (wind blowing)

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[MUSIC PLAYING] (gentle piano music) ♪ Jesus, you are my joy within ♪ ♪ You are the shelter from the wind ♪

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♪ You're the forgiver of my sin ♪ ♪ Jesus, you are an angel ♪ ♪ To all the poor, who can I call ♪ Who's there to catch me when I fall?

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Your hands are holding me through it all. Everything I need, You are. Jesus, you are my cornerstone. You are my friend when I'm alone.

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You're the connector when I'm wrong. Jesus, you are heaven. ♪ You are the peace within my soul ♪ ♪ You are the shelter from all harm ♪

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♪ I love when you hold me in your arms ♪ ♪ Everything I need you are ♪ ♪ You are ♪ ♪ Jesus ♪

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♪ You are my joy in the end ♪ ♪ You are the shelter from the wind ♪ ♪ You're the forgiver of my sin ♪ ♪ Jesus, you are his ♪

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♪ Where can I go ♪ ♪ Who can I call ♪ ♪ Who's there to catch me when I fall ♪ ♪ Your hands, they hold me through it all ♪

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♪ Everything I need, you are ♪ ♪ You are my healer ♪ ♪ Thank you Jesus ♪ ♪ You are my shelter ♪

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♪ Thank you Jesus ♪ ♪ You are my lawyer ♪ ♪ Thank you Jesus ♪ ♪ You my provider ♪

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♪ Thank you Jesus ♪ ♪ Thank you Jesus ♪ ♪ Thank you Jesus ♪ ♪ Thank you Jesus ♪

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♪ Thank you Jesus ♪ ♪ Thank you Jesus ♪ ♪ Thank you Jesus ♪ ♪ Thank you Jesus ♪

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♪ Thank you Jesus ♪ ♪ Thank you Jesus ♪ - Amen. - Amen. (audience applauding)

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(slow jazz music) (slow jazz music) (slow jazz music) (slow jazz music)

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(gentle music) (gentle music) (music) [ Music ]

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How many times must I prove how much I love you? How many ways must my love for you I show? How many times must I rescue you from trouble so you would know just how much I love you?

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How many times, how many times must I prove how much I love you? How many ways must my love for you I show? ♪ How many times must I rescue you from trouble ♪ ♪ So you would know just how much I love you ♪

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♪ How many days ♪ ♪ Must I be your fence all around you ♪ ♪ How many nights must I wipe your tears away ♪ ♪ How many storms must I bring you safely through ♪

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So you would know just how much I, I love you. Oh, didn't I wake you up this morning? You were closed in your right mind when you walked upon a problem.

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Walked upon a problem. ♪ Did not step right in on time ♪ ♪ When you were weak ♪ ♪ You had long life's journey ♪

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♪ My angel carried you home ♪ ♪ So you would know ♪ ♪ So you would know how much ♪ ♪ So you would know just how much I ♪

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♪ I love you ♪ ♪ Oh, did not put food on your table ♪ ♪ Show up when the meals were due ♪ ♪ When the pains were wracking your body ♪

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♪ When the pains were wracking your body ♪ ♪ And I sit here down to you ♪ ♪ When you were lost ♪ ♪ Lost in sin and sorrow ♪

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♪ I died to set you free ♪ ♪ To set you free ♪ ♪ So you would know ♪ ♪ So you would know how much ♪

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♪ So you would know just how much I love you ♪ ♪ Oh, didn't I put food on your table ♪ ♪ Sure, when the wheels were due ♪ ♪ When the pains were wracking your body ♪

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♪ I did not send healing ♪ ♪ Healing after you ♪ ♪ When you were lost ♪ ♪ In sin and sorrow ♪

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♪ I tried to set you free ♪ ♪ So you would know ♪ ♪ So you would know how much ♪ ♪ For you would know just how much, how much I, I love you ♪

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(audience applauding) - Amen, let's all say amen. - Amen. - Amen. (gentle piano music)

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[ Music ] [MUSIC] ♪ Arise, the hosts of simple blessing ♪ ♪ For to draw thee from the stars ♪

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♪ O watch and fight and pray ♪ ♪ No matter ne'er give o'er ♪ ♪ Renew the glory ever ♪ ♪ With the anthem we have ♪

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♪ Chanted for ♪ ♪ Ne'er think the victory won ♪ ♪ Nor lay my homeward gone ♪ ♪ The work of faith will not be done ♪

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♪ 'Til thou obtain thy throne ♪ ♪ Fight on, my soul, 'til death ♪ ♪ Shall bring thee to thy Lord ♪ He'll take me at my party when to his he can afford.

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You may be seated. That is great. [Silence] Speak to our hearts, O God,

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[Silence] in the strong and perfect name of Jesus Christ, our Lord. [Silence] Amen.

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[Audience] Amen. [Silence] I'm going to read the scripture again using another version, revised standard version.

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1 Samuel 13, 19-23. There was no blacksmith at all in the land of Israel in those days. For the Philistines wouldn't allow them, for fear of their making swords and spears,

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for the Hebrews. So whenever the Israelites needed to sharpen their plow shares, this, axes, or sickles, they had to take them to the Philistine blacksmith.

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The schedule of charges was as follows. For sharpening a plow point, 60 cents. for sharpening a disc, 60 cents, for sharpening an ax, 30 cents,

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for sharpening a sickle, 30 cents, for sharpening an ox goad, 30 cents. So there was not a single sword or spear in the entire army of Israel that day except for Saul's and Jonathan's.

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The mountain pass at Mishmash had meanwhile been secured by a contingent of the Colusten Army. The subject, "Sharpening Tools at the Enemy's Shop." Sharpening tools at the enemy's shop. Our text occurs during a dark period in biblical history.

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The Israelites had been promised the land of Canaan, but there were seemingly insurmountable circumstances arrayed against them. The Philistines occupied the land the Israelites were promised,

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the land that they were to possess. So conflict confronted the Israelites. How could they occupy the land that the Philistines possessed? The Philistines were a more advanced nation.

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They possessed more advanced military weapons. Because the Philistines had iron weapons. Their spears, their swords, their armor were made of iron. The Israelites had to fight with sticks and stones.

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I imagine the giant Goliath of Gath with his iron weapons coming against little David with his sling and five smooth stones. That was the situation as far as the nations were concerned when one nation faced the other. It's difficult enough for Israel when the Philistines have better trained soldiers and superior equipment, But in addition to that, the Philistines would not allow the Israelites to have a blacksmith.

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Blacksmiths are of supreme importance. They were then, especially at that particular time. The blacksmith molded metals and produced tools and weapons. Tools and weapons are means of evaluating human progress.

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progress. We talk about how advanced humanity was during a particular period by the weapons were used. So here the Israelites are enslaved. They are denied the tools that they need to to make progress in taking the land. Not only are they denied the tools,

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they do not have access to the skills essential for their progress. The Philistines did not allow the Israelites to have a blacksmith.

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So, the Israelites are cut off from the means of rising above the conditions of their servitude. It was like a society of free people make it illegal for slaves to possess weapons. So the Israelites are not allowed to have a blacksmith of their own. Now they have access to blacksmiths, but the blacksmiths to whom they have access are Philistines.

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Israelites had to go to Philistines, black men. And of course, this entire situation is quite disturbing. There's an old saying, for one of a nail, a shoe was lost.

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For one of a shoe, a horse was lost. For one of a horse, a rider was lost. And for one of a rider, a battle was lost. Very, very significant

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to have a blacksmith and a well-trained army which the Israelites do not appear to have. So any people is in a bad state of affairs when they are forced by sheer circumstance

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to sharpen their tools in the enemy's shop. It's a sad state of affairs when a nation must depend on the enemy to provide the skills or the materials or the resources

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for that nation's ongoing and strength. It's a sad state when a people has a monopoly on materials and techniques that contribute to the enslavement of others.

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The Israelites had to go to the Philistines in order to have the sharpening of their tools to take place. They had to go there to have their plow in order,

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because the plow was essential to planting and harvesting. It's related to the whole process. But the plow must be sharpened. And they had to go to Philistines for that.

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And then there was a price to pay, sharpening the axe. that cuts down trees for fire and for building and other dwellings. They had to depend on the Philistines for that. And when we have to depend completely on others for supplies,

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they have a tendency to take advantage of us. I'll have to remind you of what we're going through now. The Opeque nations determine how much gas they want to produce,

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so they determine what we have to pay at the pump. And so they go up, up, up, up. They have the advantage. They have oil and gas,

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and we don't wanna use what we have, so we have to pay their price for what they have. So the first thing I want to lift up, first thought in relation to this,

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is mine your own ore, O-R-E, mine your own ore. Do your own mining, get your minerals, mine your ore. The Philistines did not allow the Israelites to have blacksmiths of their own

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because they did not want them to be able to mine their own ore. So learn to use what you have access to. Use what you have.

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There is ground waiting to be mined. There is ore there waiting to be discovered discovered and used. So there must be persons who have the will

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and the skill to mine them. Some have the will, but don't have the skill. Some have the skill, but don't have the will. The kind of mining that I'm talking about

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requires both the will and the skill. One of my college instructors would often say to us when he'd given a rather heavy assignment sending us to the library, he'd say,

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"There's gold in them down hills." So it was a word to encourage us to go out and dig that gold, find it, it's there. Do your mining.

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The Philistines did not allow the Israelites to have blacksmiths. They did not encourage them at all. They discouraged them when it came to the matter

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of doing their own mining. So mine your ore and learn to think for yourself. Learn to think for yourself. You have someone come up to you and say,

00:28:19.840 - 00:28:28.120

don't you think such and such a thing? They're trying to brainwash you into what they think. When they say, don't you think? No, I don't think that.

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And a man did that on the streets here some time ago when I was downtown. I didn't know he just walked up and said, don't you? I said, no, I don't think.

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He was shocked because he thought many people say, yeah, in order to get rid of you. But do your own thinking. Sharpen your own plow.

00:28:54.080 - 00:29:11.820

That's what enables us to cultivate our fields. Sharpen our own bits. They need to be sharpened. And we need to sharpen our own ax.

00:29:12.880 - 00:29:31.080

In order to cut down the trees, we must sharpen the axe. The spades that we use need to be sharpened. So in the course of time, Israel did arrive at the point in history

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where she was not depending on the enemy. She did not have to sharpen her tools at the enemy's shop. She had her own shop. That took time. She was not controlled by the Phoenicians. She was controlled by

00:29:50.200 - 00:30:20.640

her own inner spirit. She was motivated by the spirit of the eternal. Not only is it necessary for us to mind our own or think for ourselves, don't let anyone Place a ceiling on your aspirations. Don't let anybody place a ceiling on your aspirations.

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No matter who it is, don't let them place a ceiling on your aspirations. After I finished college, I was waiting to go to seminary, and I overheard my mother and dad talking in the bed

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late at night. I was still awake, they didn't know it, But I was listening. And so my father said to my mother,

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the boy has enough education. He's finished college. I made it without all of that. She said, well, he needs to go home.

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No, I don't see where he needs to go. Well, I was determined to go home without any help from home or anything. I was trusting God that somehow I was going to make it.

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But no matter who it is, whether it's parents, No matter whether it's some acquaintance or anyone that you may know, let nobody put a ceiling on your aspirations.

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You can be what you want to be. And if somebody else puts the ceiling on your aspirations, they may put it so low that you'll have to stoop in order to stand.

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Let nobody put a ceiling on your aspiration. Let, look at the Philistines here as they are in a commanding position.

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They are in the land, they possess the land, they have the weapons, and the Israelites do not have weapons, They have sticks and stones.

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How can they ever reach their goal of possessing the land? That's something that depends upon their will, blended with their skill. Because there were people putting ceilings

00:32:25.760 - 00:32:37.720

on their aspirations. You read the autobiography of Malcolm X, and he says that one of the things that was crushing to him in his growing up in school

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is that he wanted to be a lawyer. And when he was asked in the class what was his desire, he said to become a lawyer. And the teacher said, "Oh, you don't need to be a lawyer.

00:32:52.160 - 00:33:09.380

"You don't have the ability for a lawyer. "What you need to do is probably be a carpenter. Let no one put a ceiling on your aspirations. When you go and see the ability of Malcolm,

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he could probably have been an outstanding lawyer because he, while in prison, educated himself a great deal and had a great mind. And everyone has a gift that is yours

00:33:24.340 - 00:33:52.220

that you need to cultivate. You can cultivate it, it's your field to cultivate and to use it and to develop according to the will of the eternal. Now those who are successful in the war against the Philistines need to have super human help.

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They need to have the help of the eternal. With all of those things that I've mentioned, working against them, the Israelites certainly needed some help higher than the Philistines. They needed the help of the Lord in the struggle. And during this critical period in the history of the Israelites, there were those who rose up to contend against the Philistines,

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and they had considerable success. Samson rose, and he was considered the strong man of his time, and he fought successfully against the Philistines. He won one battle after the other, but it was because of the spirit of the Lord. You read there, each time he won a great victory, it is said the spirit of the Lord came upon Samson. And he marched off with the gates of the city. The spirit of the Lord came upon Samson, and he slew so many Philistines.

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Only at this time two weapons in the camp, Saul and Jonathan. They're the only ones that have any weapons that are made of iron to match the weapons of the Phoenicians. Just Saul and Jonathan. But with only these two equipped, Jonathan decides with his army bearer to go into the camp of the Philistines.

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And they said, "Well now, if the Philistines say that you are to stay where you are, stand still, let's just stay where we are. But if they said, "Come and get us," that would be a signal that we ought to go and gain the victory. So the Philistines said, "Come and get us, you know, if you can." And they went, and just the two of them were successful in slaying 20 Philistines.

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And that so disturbed the other Philistines that they became panic-stricken and ran away. God, the Scripture says, caused a panic to come and they ran away. Well, they end up by saying not only did they run away, but those that were in hiding, Israelites who had gone to the hills, And when hiding they came out of hiding some that had forsaken to the Philistines

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They they arose and began to fight against the Philistines others came out of hiding and Israel won a great victory

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that day God Is a mighty warrior He's a mighty warrior and and and it's it's having him on

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Our side, our being on God's side is a better way to put it. That's what determines how we can make it. That determines how we can make it as a nation. That determines how we can make it as a family.

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It determines how we can make it as individuals, to have God to lead us, to have God as the warrior, to have God as the one who somehow gives us the courage to go on even in the midst of overwhelming opposition.

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He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most high shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. God will fight our battle if we trust him. God will give us the strength to go over the hills

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and through the valleys of our lives if we trust him. If we commit ourselves to God, he will empower us to overcome the opposition. I will say of the Lord, he is my refuge and my fortress, my God in whom I trust. Surely, surely, surely he shall deliver thee

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from the snare of the fowler and from the noise of pestilence. Thou shall not be afraid of the terror by night, nor for the arrow that flies by day,

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nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness, nor for the destruction that wastes that noonday. God will be with us. God is a warrior.

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And we need not fear whatever may be the power of the Philistines. That's why Israel eventually overcame the Philistines and occupied the land, because they trusted God.

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They believed his promise. And they were rewarded with victory. And they possessed the land. Brothers and sisters, we can possess the land.

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I know there are some of us that are moving into new situations, that they're facing new challenges, and we wonder what will be the outcome. Trust God.

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Trust God. Put your hand in the hand of God and walk with Him. And He will empower us to overcome the disappointments, the discouragement, the obstacles.

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He'll empower us even though we cannot sharpen our tools, ourselves with our own blacksmith, that God somehow will work miracles in our lives if we will but trust Him.

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So as we come to the hymn of invitation, we invite you to become a part of the family of God here at Ebenezer. As we sing, we invite you to walk down that aisle,

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put your hand in the hand of the preacher as a symbol of the fact that you wish to become a member of the family here at Ebenezer, we invite you to come.

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It's an open door that he sets before us. Come. (gentle piano music) [MUSIC]

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♪ More than prayer or my true need ♪ ♪ All alone I feel from burning ♪ ♪ Savior, let me walk with Thee ♪ ♪ Close to Thee, close to Thee ♪

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♪ Close to thee, close to thee ♪ ♪ One of hope and human purity ♪ ♪ Savior, let me walk with thee ♪ ♪ And for years the world we've measured ♪

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♪ God for me ♪ ♪ My prayer shall be ♪ ♪ That He will my toll and suffer ♪ ♪ Only that He walk with me ♪

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♪ Close to Thee ♪ ♪ Close to Thee ♪ ♪ Close to thee ♪ ♪ Close to thee ♪

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♪ God and Queen ♪ ♪ Thy God and Son ♪ ♪ And only let ♪ ♪ Me walk with thee ♪

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♪ Close to thee ♪ ♪ Close to thee ♪ ♪ Close to thee ♪ ♪ Close to thee ♪

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♪ And He will ♪ ♪ Like morning sun ♪ ♪ Only bend ♪ ♪ He will ♪

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[ Music ] We come now to commune at the table of the Lord. The psalmist says, "He prepares a table for me in the presence of my enemies."

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God prepares the diet that we need for the journey. In the midst of all of the contradictions,

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He prepares this table to strengthen us, give us the power that we need in every hour. This is the Lord's table. Everyone is invited to come to this table

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who accepts Jesus Christ as Lord of his or her life. But the scripture says, first let a person examine himself, examine yourself. It's a soul-searching moment before coming here,

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just as it was in that upper room when Jesus looked at his disciples and said, one of you will betray me. And they looked one to the other and said, is it I?

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So God expects us to examine ourselves, to confess our sins, to be cleansed by his Holy Spirit before commuting at this table.

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So in that spirit, let us bow our heads as we ask God's blessings upon us. Oh, gracious God, our Father, how we praise your name for the gift of your grace

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every day, grace that is new every morn. We thank you for the gift of Jesus Christ, who came to this earth, demonstrated the way that we should live,

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who endured suffering and even death, but rose again. So we remember him because we have encountered him in our lives. He's our eternal contemporary.

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He walks with us, he talks with us, and we know that he is our Lord. So we ask that you will bless the bread representing his broken body,

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the cup representing his blood. And as we partake of it, grant that each one of us may rededicate our lives to you. We may be strengthened to accept the challenges

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that await us. We ask this in Jesus' name, amen. [BLANK_AUDIO] [BLANK_AUDIO]