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Let all that seek thee rejoice and be glad in thee. Let such as love thy salvation say continually, "The Lord be magnified." Let us bow our heads for morning prayer. Dear God and creator of all life, we thank you for this morning that we can gather together

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in worship in your name and in your house. Today dear Lord we have many blessings to offer to you and many thanks. none is greater or as important as what we celebrate in this month is the birth of your son. It is a time that we renew our faith, we renew our understanding, and renew our

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quest to walk in the right path with you. We ask you, dear God, to give us the strength and the wisdom and the understanding to learn what your son did when he came upon this earth. how He died to save us from our sins, how He gave instruction and strength to those in His own time while He walked on this earth, and how He continues to give us strength in

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our time today. Dear Lord, we ask that we can understand, maybe just a glimpse, maybe partially, but maybe understand the true meaning of Christmas at this time. Christmas does not come in the tinsel and flattery and glittering gold that we see so

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many people celebrating it by. But it goes back to the story of the little boy in the manger, of the strength and courage and faith of his parents, and what he, your son Jesus Christ, did after that birth. Dear God, we are also blessed today for being able just to join in and worship with you

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this morning. For people to gather together, to get up out of the bed after a nourishing night of rest, to gather together to hear your word. Bless the pastor today and his message. May it enter our hearts and minds and be with us throughout the week, wherever we may be. We ask you this morning to bless those that are not here this morning, especially

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be with those that are sick and those that are in sorrow. We all know that you walk with everyone Lord, whether in the midst of happiness or sorrow, you are there as a rock and a leaning shoulder. Now bless these things, help us in our many walks of life, and give us the courage to be Christians. We ask these things in your name and in your son's name. Amen.

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We turn to hymn number 247, "Savior like a Shepherd Lead Us." Number 247. [Music] (soft music) (gentle music)

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(gentle music) [MUSIC PLAYING] (gentle music) (dramatic music)

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(gentle piano music) [Music] [ Music ] [MUSIC]

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♪ In my presence that you may be known ♪ ♪ For I am the hope and care ♪ ♪ Mercy Jesus, mercy Jesus ♪ ♪ God and brothers, guide me on ♪

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♪ Mercy Jesus, mercy Jesus ♪ ♪ He leads us ♪ ♪ Through the darkness ♪ ♪ And beyond ♪

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♪ He is with us ♪ ♪ When we need him most ♪ ♪ He is by in our way ♪ ♪ He guides us ♪

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♪ Through the evening ♪ ♪ And at night ♪ ♪ Christ, make me joyous, pray ♪ ♪ Blessed Jesus, blessed Jesus ♪

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♪ Hear our prayers, sin we pray ♪ ♪ Blessed Jesus, blessed Jesus ♪ ♪ Hear our prayers, Christ, make me joyous, pray ♪ - Just a moment before we sing that last phrase,

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Some of you may not have hymnals next to you, so look about you if you don't, and let's sing that last one together. Is it we haven't quite awakened ourselves this morning?

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Let's sing that last one all together. Early, as we are here early, let us seek thy favor. Early, let us do thy will. Let's sing this to the glory of God.

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It's number 344 in the blue hymnal. And the other hymnal is 244. 344. 344 if you have the blue hymnal is 344.

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This is the congregational song. Alright. [ Music ] [MUSIC]

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[MUSIC] ♪ Blessed be God, blessed be God ♪ ♪ Thou has brought us, Thou has given us ♪ ♪ Blessed be God, blessed be God ♪

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♪ Thou has brought us, Thou has given us ♪ ♪ God is King ♪ (music) [ Music ]

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(footsteps) (footsteps) [ Pause ] Brother Boucher, would you mind turning off that water there, please?

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Someone. We come to our period of prayer together. I would like for everyone to get a prayer partner. You will pair yourself with some person for our prayer period.

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Everyone ought to pray. Everyone needs to pray. And as we pray together, no musical background, musicians, choir members, audience, preachers, would like for you to join hands with some person,

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two, two as far as possible, two and two. And during this period, we would like for one of the two to pray aloud, all of us during this prayer period, to do that as we pray together as a family, God's family, giving thanks, making

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confession for our sins, making petition for others as we pray together. So let us pray. [inaudible] (inaudible)

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[inaudible] So, let's give the presence of the will and my prayers to the power of the will, and pray that you would give healing to the world through this kind of healing that is taking place. [INAUDIBLE]

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[INAUDIBLE] [INAUDIBLE] (inaudible) [inaudible]

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[inaudible] [inaudible] [ Silence ] Amen.

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[ Background noise ] [MUSIC PLAYING] [MUSIC PLAYING] (gentle music)

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[MUSIC PLAYING] [MUSIC PLAYING] [MUSIC PLAYING] [Music]

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♪ Now as I think my Savior dead ♪ ♪ I did my sorrow now ♪ ♪ Good Heaven, for my sake did end ♪ ♪ The sweetest wonder of all ♪

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♪ And the most exalted verse of all ♪ ♪ Oh, I've had a burden of my heart's own weight ♪ ♪ It was there one day I received my song ♪ ♪ And my life could be all the weight ♪

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♪ Was it the worms that I have done ♪ ♪ He grown upon the tree ♪ ♪ Amazing beauty ♪ ♪ Grace unknown ♪

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♪ And love beyond degrees ♪ ♪ It's a cross that calls to my prayers all night ♪ ♪ And I'll find no more awful day ♪ ♪ It is death I pay ♪

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♪ I receive the still ♪ ♪ Oh, how I long for your name ♪ ♪ The drops of grief can never break ♪ ♪ The depth of love I own ♪

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♪ Dear Lord, I give myself away ♪ ♪ 'Tis all that I can do ♪ ♪ Where the cross and cross-cutters are ♪ ♪ And the burden of your arms away ♪

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♪ In this day of my death I receive my star ♪ ♪ And now I am happy all the day ♪ [Music] [Music]

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[Music] Amen. You will notice at the bottom of page 11 in your bulletin, there is a note concerning January the 17th, 1981,

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as being the time for an election for the Austin Community College. The Austin Community College was organized just a short time ago and has grown, not quite 10 years old, has grown remarkably. We have some 20,000 students enrolled in that college.

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It is just about developed to the point where we will have to have a tax base in order to provide the kind of facilities and services that the community is now calling for. So an election will be held on that date, January the 17th, and

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there will be a slate of persons who would serve as the trustees for the college. The Austin Independent School District Trustees have been serving a dual function. It's very necessary that the college would have its own Board of Trustees, its own tax base.

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In that number of seven persons is one of our own Sister Ada Anderson. Sister Anderson, just stand up so all of them can see you. I think all of us know you. Some may not know. She is going to be on that seven.

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And it's necessary to have petitions signed in order to have that election with that slate of trustees And that tax base and all of that we need the signature of Several thousands of persons brother Roland Hayes who is the Dean at the college has some of those petitions and

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We would appreciate it if you would sign them during the operatory period and before you go you're not remaining for the Second service. We certainly hope that you will arrange to sign it the time is short And I think the Community College gives its best service Well, it serves all the people but it certainly serves a need

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for the Deprived the coat the disadvantaged our people and people who ordinarily wouldn't get in the University of Texas

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and possibly may not go to college we can stay at home work go to college as well as adults so we're really helping ourselves sure it's gonna cost a little something but everything cost something that's worth something so it's and it's not very much that it will be affecting us but it will certainly be rendering a

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service. It brings industry to town. It creates jobs because we train the people in industry to do what the industry needs done. So if you move about brother, and if there's someone who will help him with that either a man or a woman who will assist with that, we have several of those and we would like for you to, Sister Kennedy, that's good,

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to circulate those petitions. during this time. Now following the offering, I'd like to say that the deacons would like for you to sit together and be down near the front so that we can move into our communion service immediately following the sermon. Mary, bow your heads. Bless us, O Lord, in

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in this time of sharing. We thank you for your goodness and your bounty and for the privilege to offer ourselves and our substance to you.

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In Jesus' name, amen. - Shall we continue to hear the announcements? This I have won, Alexander Franklin Productions, December 1st, 1980.

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Dear Christian friends, you are cordially invited to attend the first anniversary celebration of Alexander Franklin Productions. It will be held Sunday, December 7, 1980

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at the St. James Baptist Church. The program will start at 3.45 p.m. Our guest will be the Austin Citywide Youth Chorus and soloist, Joe Carroll Moffitt.

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Special guest for the afternoon will be the dynamic and versatile Houston Post Office Chorale. Please come and help us spread God's love through music on December 7th

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at St. James 345 in the evening. We wish to thank you in advance for your support. May God continue to bless you. Yours in Christ, Lisa Alexander, President, and Barry Franklin, Vice President.

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I have no other announcements. Please keep in touch with your bulletin for the week. I have one person, one card for one person visiting. And her name is Verna Marcus, Verna and Marcus Hodges.

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Would you stand? Let us see you, Verna and Marcus Hodges. Are there others present whose names I do not have cards for?

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Verna, I think I know you. At least you have my name. We certainly are happy to have you and Marcus visit with us and Please come back. We know that you're going to benefit from today's service. Come back

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This bulletin is a little different from previous monthly bulletins in that We carry in this bulletin only the names of the contributors. We have from time to time

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observed the fact that about one half of our members do not contribute regularly as far as making a contribution during the month is concerned and we want to focus attention on that in

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in the year that is before us. But I want to express appreciation. My heart overflows with gratitude for the kind of support which is given

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by the faithful few who support this church from year to year, who express their love, their dedication to God in their service and in their giving.

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These are unaudited figures that you see on page 10. With the secretaries gotten together, we'll have a report from the auditor in the next few days. And we will see where we come out.

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It seems that according to this figure, we almost raised our budget, which was a tremendous increase over last year. And we have to be commended.

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You have done a wonderful job. If this figure is right, then we probably raised our budget if we came this close to it.

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We have grown each year and it is a marvelous expression of our ability of Christian growth when we can have the kind of pledges and the kind of support which you have given to the church this year. I think the budget this year was around $20,000 more

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than last year, and we came just about to the point of raising that budget. So I want to thank you and I do hope that each person who claims membership will increasingly recognize the responsibility of membership. There is a cost of belonging that we just don't belong because we grew up here and keep

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our names here without the kind of support. That is not the case. And of course, as we accept this stewardship responsibility, we will be doing what God expects of us.

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He's given us a great deal here at Ebenezer, and he expects a great deal from us. And as we do that, we fulfill his will and his design for our lives. May God bless you. You notice that we are asking that the deacons and trustees will meet at 7 o'clock.

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Sometimes we've had a little competition with the cowboys and the oilers and the like. We're going to have it at 7 o'clock and we'll try to have you out by 8 o'clock tonight. [ Background Sounds ] [ Music ]

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[Music] ♪ You leave me nothing ♪ ♪ You are so my desire ♪ ♪ You leave me nothing ♪

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♪ You are so my desire ♪ ♪ I'll be taking you ♪ ♪ When I need you ♪ ♪ For I can't wait ♪

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♪ I'll walk this way ♪ ♪ And I'll be here ♪ ♪ With me, I'll be home ♪ ♪ Oh, when I'm gone again ♪

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♪ I'm not asking for the riches of the land ♪ ♪ I'm not asking for a man to know my name ♪ ♪ Please give me, Lord, a cleaner ♪ ♪ That I may fall happy ♪

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♪ If we are free ♪ ♪ And love our fears ♪ ♪ Sometimes I am up ♪ ♪ And sometimes I am down ♪

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♪ I'm almost never to the ground ♪ ♪ Sometimes I am almost never to the ground ♪ ♪ But just give me love ♪ ♪ I will follow thee ♪

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♪ Give me a freedom ♪ ♪ And I'll follow thee ♪ ♪ Give me a freedom ♪ ♪ I deserve it ♪

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♪ 'Cause these are the love ♪ ♪ I have ♪ ♪ Made for you ♪ ♪ So please ♪

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♪ I deserve it ♪ ♪ All coming once again ♪ ♪ If we are free ♪ ♪ And love for all is free ♪

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Let us now hear the word of the Lord as recorded in Psalms 23. The Lord is my shepherd I shall not want; he maketh me to lie down in green pastures; He leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul.

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He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for thou art with me.

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Thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies. Thou anointest my head with oil. cup runneth over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and

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I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. In this particular word, as the passage around which the morning message is woven, "Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever. I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

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The subject of the message, shelter for all seasons, shelter for all seasons. There are many things which we have designed for our use that are not meant to last. They are manufactured in such a manner that they must be replaced in a short time. They're just designed for short duration.

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This is one of the problems that we face today in our industrial establishments. Making of products which are characterized by inferior materials and shoddy workmanship.

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products that are not designed to last. Listen again to this word, "I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever." So here the psalmist ends his testimony with the resolve to stay with the shepherd always. The houses that we build are built to last for specific periods, depending on the materials

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and the workmanship which may go into them. The kind of house that is built, when we have such a construction, one of the questions that is uttermost in our minds

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is how long will it last? in their early history, the Israelites had no permanent dwelling places. They were nomads, wandering from place to place, pilgrims on a journey, camping wherever they found water and pasturage.

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We know that for 40 years they camped in the wilderness. We read that Abraham, the father of the faithful, left Ur of Chaldeas not knowing where he was going, looking for a city whose builder and maker is God,

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a city with permanent foundations. He was in search of a lasting dwelling place, a shelter for all seasons. Now as we consider the welfare of sheep, sheep in order to be properly cared for must remain with the shepherd in all seasons, spring with its signs of newness of life, spring with

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its manifestation of the new creation, with its luster and with its laughter, with the babbling brooks and the budding flowers, the sound of singing birds, springtime, with all that it presents, such a lovely sight, so that one might say with Browning that it seems that God is in his heaven and all is right with the

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world. Sure, the leadership of the shepherd, the care of the shepherd, is is needed in spring. We need him at the beginning of our existence. We need him also in the summer during the hot season, during the time when we find ourselves in the midst of stress and strain. The sheep need the shepherd in the summer. They need him in times of persecution,

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They need him when life seems to get hard and we do not know how we're going to make it when the burden seems too much for us to bear. We need him in the summer. And we need him in the autumn, the cool and pleasant days of autumn when we observe the changing of the leaves, nature seems to change clothes.

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The shepherd's care, his leadership, his guidance is needed there. It is needed also in the cold winter season, during periods when there is ice, when there is snow, when the weather conditions seem to be very unpleasant. The care, the leadership of the shepherd are needed during the winter season.

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And here is what the testimony of the psalmist is about. I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever. Here he is concerned about that shelter which is provided by the eternal shepherd for all seasons.

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So the sheep look to the shepherd for shelter. There are certain experiences where we trust in our own strength, but we need the help of the shepherd. There are times when we do not know which way to go.

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We need the help of the shepherd. And there are times when we do not know what to do. We need the help of the shepherd. We need protection from the weather, and there is not anything, you see, we can do about

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the weather. There are just certain things in life that are going to come. we live this life there are certain things that are just a part of life. The weather is something that we do not change, but somehow we must learn how to

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adjust to the changing weather conditions. And here the shepherd is concerned about a relationship to the eternal that remains steadfast and secure in the midst of all of the changing scenes and that's really what is important in life. Our bodies change. Many times the experiences that we have

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change and we go through all of these changes and yet in the midst of these changes there needs to be that which is constant, that which is abiding, that which remains from one season to the other the same. And so this is what the psalmist does, he looks at the human scene, he knows the limitations of houses

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constructed by human hands, houses that do not last, and so he looks to one who is able to provide the kind of shelter that lasts, a dwelling place for all seasons. So when the children of Israel you see were camping in the wilderness they had the tabernacle, the tent, and as they camped with their tents that were

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around the tabernacle, the tabernacle somehow represented the presence of God, the dwelling place of God in the midst of his people and as they camped at a place for a given period they would put the tent there and then when they would move on they would take up the tent and move on to another place. So God's

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dwelling place symbolized by the tabernacle was a portable tent that moved with the people. And later they came to the land of Canaan where they had a permanent dwelling place and there the temple was erected, a permanent structure. And there the people from all over the land would come, they would make

00:41:31.220 - 00:42:04.760

their pilgrimages to the temple. And they took great pride in that temple. It was God's house, God's dwelling place, and we can hear the worshiper as he shouts, "Oh, I was glad when they said unto me, 'Let us go into the house of the Lord.'" And here is a word that says, "I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever."

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Thomas is looking beyond the earthly scene. He's looking to that which does not change. He's looking beyond stone and brick and mortar. He's looking beyond the timber that we have in this world,

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and he's looking to that which is eternal, that which changes not, that which is able to shelter us in all conditions and circumstances. Oh, sometimes we don't have the kind of shelter we need because so often we find ourselves living in glass houses.

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The least little thing sometimes upsets us. And we cannot stand because we are living in dwellings that are affected by every wind that blows. But what we really need is the kind of shelter that God provides in his love, the kind of

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shelter which is provided through faith which is exercised in him. The kind of faith that is somehow grounded in that hope which is eternal. That is the shelter for all seasons. And it's the kind of shelter which one has in the valley. It's shelter which one has when it's in the midst of mountaintop

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experiences. It's the kind of shelter which is provided not just during the period of our youth in the springtime, not just in our adolescence, not just in early adulthood, but even as we come to the evening of our years and as we walk to the last mile of the way that we somehow are fully confident that there

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is something beyond that God provides that care which is eternal that his dwelling with us is in every condition and every circumstance. That's what we celebrate this season. That God has come to be with us, that the great shepherd of all the sheep has come to be with us in Jesus Christ." We celebrate that. Jesus

00:44:47.080 - 00:45:21.160

came and dwelt among us. Someone has translated this that Jesus came and pitched his tent among men. And so he is saying that I shall dwell, he's talking about his personal commitment. We know how the shepherd provides, we have read all during that psalm how the shepherd provides all of the good things of this life. But what about

00:45:21.160 - 00:45:55.520

the sheep? He says, "I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever. I shall commune with God all the days of my life. I shall have fellowship with God all the days of my life that wherever I go and whatever I do that I shall have fellowship with God. So often there is a time when we say, "Well, I'll go here and I'll go there and I'll sort

00:45:55.640 - 00:46:32.680

to let my hair down. And some say, "Well, when I get away from home as a youth, I'll do what I want to do." But here is a relationship. There is something inside. There is that inner light, that relationship with the eternal that guides the sheep, that strengthens the sheep, that sustains the sheep in such a way that the testimony of the psalmist is, "I

00:46:32.680 - 00:46:59.440

shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever." Communion with the Lord that lasts. It's difficult to have that kind of relationship in a world where there are so many changes. You find people who run from church to church.

00:46:59.440 - 00:47:19.120

Something happens in this church, they run to that church, and something happens in that church, they run to the next church, because their relationships are so fickle, and they're expecting certain things to go certain ways. people run from place to place. They run from Texas to California and from

00:47:19.120 - 00:47:48.140

California to Texas and back again and they don't seem to find themselves. But there is a place, there is a relationship, there is a way of communing with one who helps us to understand ourselves. And this is really what it means to worship God, it means to somehow understand ourselves anew. And in this

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understanding of ourselves anew, we become related to him in such a way that we become fully confident that we can approach life with courage. "I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever. One thing have I desired of the Lord, that will I seek after that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my

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life. Not just a building made with hands, but to look upon ourselves as being God's building, being a building in which God dwells, and that our relationship to him will be of such that he will commune with us and we will commune with him always. Thanks be to God for this testimony, the testimony of the psalmist which each one of us is privileged

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to make our own. I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever. That I shall commune with God in all of the seasons of my life, because in him I find shelter for every season, for the springtime, for the summer, for the autumn, and for the

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winter. Guide me, O thou great Jehovah, pilgrim through this barren land. I am weak but thou art mighty. Hold me with thy powerful hand. As we sing now we extend the privilege of commitment,

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the invitation to discipleship, to accept Jesus Christ as Lord of your life, to Unite with the family of God as we say we invite you to come [ Music ] [Music]

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

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♪ We are heroes in the field of infantry ♪ ♪ We are heroes, we are heroes in the field of infantry ♪ ♪ We are heroes, we are heroes in the field of infantry ♪ ♪ In my anxious years of joy ♪

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♪ Very soon I'll be coming ♪ ♪ Let me break the veil of joy ♪ ♪ Come my angel ♪ ♪ I will ever give you peace ♪

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[Music] We come now to commune at the Lord's table. For God provides a banquet for us, the banquet to which he invites every person to come, trusting in Jesus Christ his Son. Let us pray.

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Gracious God, we have resolved to dwell in the house of the Lord forever, no matter what happens. Changes that may occur, seasons that come and go, we shall remain in the house of the Lord, in the house of faith, in the house of love, the house of hope.

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Bless us now as we come to your table. us of our sins, grant that these may be moments of holy communion in Jesus' name. Amen. We are privileged to come to this table through the grace of God shed forth in Jesus Christ. one communes at this table who comes apart from that. So we come not in the boldness

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of our goodness, but in the humility of our weakness. As we partake of the bread representing his body and the cup representing his shed blood. May this be a time of recommitment to him, rededication to serve as suffering servants of God in this world. [ Inaudible ]

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You cannot be my disciple except through faith and faith in Christ. You cannot be my disciple except you eat my body and drink my blood. who heard it said this is a hard thing who can bear it? This is our menu, this is our diet, the body of Jesus Christ. The Jesus Christ, his spirit is the substance of our

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life. His body is our bread. It is his body, his life, his work, his deeds, his words that strengthen us, give us life, give us hope, everything that we need. You cannot be my disciple, except you eat my body and drink my blood." The cup. Cup of suffering, cup of persecution, the willingness to suffer for righteousness sake.

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You cannot be my disciple, you cannot be a follower of mine, except you drink the cup, Jesus. My body, my blood. But this cup, it's not only a cup of suffering, it's a cup of joy, wine of joy, for those who drink of this cup will have that joy which is everlasting. We commune at the Lord's table.

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The one who has prepared a banquet for us, no matter what our condition may be, we can enjoy our lives, we can live our lives, because God has provided a banquet. There is someone who desires to be served and you've been omitted, would you raise your hand. Let us commune together. Amen. Let us go forth now to serve the Lord in faith,

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in hope, in love. You are excused. [MUSIC PLAYING] [MUSIC ENDS] [ Silence ]