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[ Silence ] [ Inaudible Remark ] >> Gracious God, our Father, we give you thanks for the gift of this day.

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Pray that as we celebrate your goodness, your presence in your power with us, that we may receive strength for the day, inspiration for the week, and help all along the way. Have mercy upon us. Grant unto us your spirit, that we may truly worship you in spirit and in truth.

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Bless our coming together we ask in Jesus name, amen. [ Pause ] (audience murmuring) (dramatic music)

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(dramatic music) (dramatic music) (dramatic music) (dramatic music)

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(dramatic music) (dramatic music) (dramatic music) [ Music ]

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♪ God bless thee, O ♪ ♪ Queen of glory ♪ ♪ Newborn son, King ♪ ♪ We hail thee, dear ♪

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♪ And still pray that I'll never ♪ ♪ Know that I'm in the right ♪ ♪ Right now ♪ ♪ Call him below ♪

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♪ And let me swear ♪ ♪ I'll be gone in ♪ ♪ This simple day ♪ ♪ Now I am free ♪

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♪ And I am found ♪ ♪ Open to the ♪ ♪ Of the ♪ ♪ Love of God ♪

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♪ My heart has known ♪ ♪ It's a new day ♪ ♪ Welcome to life ♪ ♪ And here to stay ♪

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♪ Lost down in hell ♪ ♪ Hell is where we are ♪ ♪ All black's my name ♪ ♪ All black ♪

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♪ All black ♪ ♪ I live for you ♪ ♪ I've got peace now ♪ ♪ I've been blinded ♪

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♪ The same old land ♪ ♪ Oh, I am me ♪ ♪ And I am you ♪ ♪ Nor let my name ♪

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♪ Forgotten be ♪ [music] The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not walk. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures.

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He leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul. He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.

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Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil. For thou art with me. Thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me.

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Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies, thou anointest my head with oil, my cup runneth over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. God blesses us and makes it possible for each one of us to

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commune with him in the fellowship of prayer. We respond now to the call to prayer for everyone ought to pray. We ask that those who feel moved to do so will come forward for the altar prayer. As a family, we pray together to the Heavenly Father.

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[MUSIC PLAYING] [MUSIC PLAYING] [MUSIC PLAYING] (eerie music)

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

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(gentle music) ♪ Sleep ♪ (dramatic music) (dramatic music)

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

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Let us pray. All wise, eternal, merciful, heavenly Father, as your children we gather together in this our time of prayer to express to you humble thanks for the multitude of your mercies.

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We acknowledge your kindness and the many expressions of your love. We confess our unworthiness

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We have not obeyed all of your commands. Sometimes we have faltered, we've stumbled, we've even failed. For we have fallen far short of the mark which you have set for us. We have not demonstrated the faith, and yet you have been gracious, and we pray now for

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your forgiveness. We ask for your helping hand as we face the challenges of this present moment and the days that are ahead. Gracious God our Father, we are disturbed by the many changes that we see taking place

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around us. We would remember those lives that have been taken, those families that have been affected by the earthquakes and the fires. We would remember those who are now suffering from sickness.

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Some are shut in in homes, some are in hospitals, but as they pass through this trying experience, O God, we pray for the manifestation of your healing mercy and for your sustaining grace. O God, we pray Thee the families that have had death to invade their ranks. We pray that You would comfort them and we pray that You would help us to be instruments used of You

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to bring healing health, so that they may be led to understand that Earth has no sorrow that Heaven cannot heal.

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O gracious God, help us in the perplexing problems that we face. Help us, O God, in our moments of temptation. And be with us as we would celebrate the coming of your son in this Advent season.

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We pray that you would help us ever to be watchful and mindful of your presence. And that we might labor together for the coming of your kingdom in its fullness. Have mercy upon us as your people here at Ebenezer. Grant that we may better understand your will, your purpose.

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That we may vigorously and enthusiastically engage in bold mission thrust. That each one of us may work while it is day, knowing full well that the night cometh when no one can work. O bless and use us to your glory, we ask in Jesus' name.

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Amen. (gentle music) (gentle music) (soft piano music)

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(dramatic music) (soft piano music) (soft piano music) [MUSIC PLAYING]

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(gentle music) (soft piano music) [MUSIC PLAYING] There's an Oldsmobile Delta 88 with license number I think it's QBT 973 that your lights are on.

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Oldsmobile Delta 88 with the lights on QBT 973 the license number. [ Pause ] [ Music ] [MUSIC]

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♪ How great ♪ ♪ Thou art ♪ ♪ O Lord my God ♪ ♪ In I am all ♪

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♪ Standard there ♪ I see the dawn of the life of the king. I see the stars. I hear the rolling thunder.

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♪ I'll now promote ♪ ♪ The unity of race in this way ♪ ♪ The insane fight so ♪ ♪ I say they belong to me ♪

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♪ I'll break the mold ♪ ♪ I'll break the law ♪ ♪ It seems my soul ♪ ♪ Has taken on to me ♪

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♪ I'll break the law ♪ ♪ A great God ♪ ♪ When Christ shall come ♪ ♪ His love shall have no measure ♪

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♪ And take me home ♪ ♪ But I shall live my life on the road ♪ ♪ Here I shall roam ♪ ♪ In humble adoration ♪

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♪ And in my way ♪ ♪ My God, how great Thou art ♪ ♪ These things I know ♪ ♪ I say them now to Thee ♪

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♪ How great Thou art ♪ ♪ A great power ♪ ♪ It saves my soul ♪ ♪ I sing around to thee ♪

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♪ A great power ♪ ♪ A brave heart ♪ - We worship the Lord now in our giving. Let us all give according to how the Lord has blessed us.

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For the Lord loves the cheerful giver. This is the last month in our church fiscal year. It is the last Sunday in the church year and you've been asked to give as liberally as possible

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that we might catch up the slack in our church budget. We are far ahead of what we did last year, but not quite where we pledged to be, where we set our goal to be,

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but with your giving we can reach it today. if everyone gives liberally and graciously. So let us give according to how the Lord has blessed and prospered us.

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Let us pray. Under your God, we offer ourselves, recognizing that we are not our own. We have been bought with a price.

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We offer not only ourselves, but our substance to you. Grant that we may worship you in this time of sharing our gifts. In Jesus' name, amen. Amen.

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(dramatic music) (dramatic music) (dramatic music) (dramatic music)

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(dramatic music) (ominous music) (dramatic music) (dramatic music)

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(dramatic music) (gentle music) (dramatic orchestral music) (dramatic music)

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(dramatic music) (dramatic music) (dramatic music) (dramatic orchestral music)

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(dramatic music) (dramatic music) (dramatic music) (dramatic music)

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(dramatic music) (dramatic music) [ Music ] Good morning.

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This is our announcement period. A Brown Buick licensed UTY673 has left its lights on. Now, I don't know if this is another car, but I have a note also.

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Mrs. Eunice Easley has left her lights on. The Buick number is UTYRV673. We'd like for you to please remember that tonight begins our observance of the Lighty Moon Week of Prayer.

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It begins tonight with Speakers Brother Gordon Abraham and Petrus Leblanus, and we know that these are our Ethiopian friends and members, and we certainly ask that you begin with us to observe our week of prayer. Please give attention to all other announcements that are found on your bulletin.

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I have one visitor's card, and when I call your name, I'd like for you to stand for words of welcome. That person is Brother George Sears of Killeen, Texas, and he is visiting with us for the second week, he says.

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Brother Sears, will you stand? Are there other persons who are visiting with us? Can you stand also? We want you to know, Brother Sears, that we are delighted to have you visit with us.

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Some more people in the back. We're happy to have you also. Would you give us your names? We want you to know that you're included in this welcome also.

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as Ebenezer's doors are open to visitors, I see that Brother Sears has been here the second week, and we consider you a member when you've been here that long.

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We just ask if you are in search of a church home, please consider Ebenezer. I know the pastor will want to welcome you at the end of the services at the rear of the church.

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This past week, two of our faithful members passed away. Brother Leon Cashaw, who has served as a deacon in Usher, and a member of this congregation for some time. I had the privilege of pastoring him

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even before coming here in Waco. His funeral will be on Tuesday at 11 o'clock, Tuesday morning at 11 o'clock, here at the church, Sister Suilla Brown,

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who is one of the veteran members of this congregation, served, is a very faithful member of our Missionary Society, and also is a member of the Gospel Choir,

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passed away, and will be funeralized on Wednesday at 2 p.m. Sister Sawilla Brown will be funeralized on Wednesday, and Brother Bjorn Cashaw on Tuesday at 11 o'clock.

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So let us remember these families in our prayers. Brother Sears, who is one of our guests today and was with us also last Sunday, has recently come to our city and is interested in housing.

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So if there are those of you who have a room and you would like to provide lodging, he would like to enter into some business transaction with you. He needs a place to stay.

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And those who have that room and can provide it for a price I would like for you to see him following the services today. I can deeply sympathize with him because I can remember when I was in that situation some years ago when I went to Cleveland and the minister was instrumental in

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providing through his congregation a place for us to stay and we stayed there until we moved back to Texas. So he's come to the church asking for this kind of help so if you have or you know someone who can respond to this request we I would appreciate you contacting me or him following the services. Now I

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would like for let me see all the deacons stand all the deacons all the deacons fine now the deaconess see where you are all right that's good now we talk a great deal about our guests and we want during this period that if there's anybody here that you don't know you really don't even know they're

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members of this church and you've been seeing them here all the time we want you to move around and greet that person during this time. We might say good morning to each other and then we're going to sing hymn number 12 after you've done that. Let's all stand. This is a family so we need to get to know the members of the family.

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(crowd chattering) (car door closing) (audience chatter) (chattering)

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(chattering) [ Background noise ] (crowd murmuring) (people chattering)

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Now let us turn to hymn number 12 as we sing together, "Praise Him, Praise Him." Hymn number 12. [MUSIC - "PRAISE HIM, PRAISE HIM"]

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[MUSIC PLAYING] (dramatic music) (dramatic music) ♪ Praise Him, praise Him

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♪ Jesus, our praise to You be given Sing, O sing His wonderful love proclaim. Hail Him, hail Him, Christ the Son of the Glory. Sing the Lord's name into His holy name.

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♪ God go shed thy ♪ ♪ Jesus, the God who's here today ♪ ♪ In his arms he ♪ ♪ Lays the army low ♪

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♪ Praise him, praise him ♪ ♪ God of love's love and greatness ♪ ♪ Praise him, praise him ♪ ♪ Ever in joyful song ♪

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Praise Him, praise Him, Jesus our blessed Redeemer, All saints, kings, supper and bed and wine. We are all, all, all, all, all rejoiced at His show. Hail Him, hail Him, Jesus the most divine.

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♪ Love is praising ♪ ♪ Jesus, who bore the sorrows ♪ ♪ Now and again ♪ ♪ Life is full of joy ♪

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♪ Praise Him, praise Him ♪ ♪ Love is blessing and weakness ♪ ♪ Praise Him, praise Him ♪ ♪ Every love will show ♪

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Hear this word recorded in Psalm 23 and verse 6, the 23rd Psalm and the 6th verse. "Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life. I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever. The subject of the message, the company we keep, the company we keep. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days

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of my life. It seems that the 23rd Psalm moves to a mighty crescendo, marking a grand finale in the symphony of life when we come to these words, "Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life. The Psalmist has enumerated all of the blessings and benefits that are

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behind the satisfaction of green grass, still waters, healing health which makes for wholeness, safe and sure guidance in the right way, the delightful presence of the shepherd in providing,

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protecting and comforting his sheep so that there is joy beyond measure. He's talked about all of these and these are behind and now he gives attention to that which is before.

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So you see he looks behind and before and declares with a victorious shout, "Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life." The psalmist is surrounded by good company. The kind of company we keep reveals the quality of our life.

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When we want to have a good time, we carefully select the persons we want with us. Oftentimes we extend an invitation stating that we wish to have the pleasure of their company. We can tell a great deal about people by observing the kind of company they keep. The psalmist is in good company. He's surrounded by goodness and mercy.

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As he considers the past years, months, days that have come and gone, then views the present predicament and contemplates hope for the future. He is radiant with confidence. He's strengthened by unwavering faith.

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How an individual fares in the future may well be determined by the company he keeps. Warnings are often given saying beware of the company you keep because there is concern about the company one keeps. When a man and woman remain each other's company constantly over a period of time,

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often it is the case that what began as a casual acquaintance blossoms into a budding romance and culminates in marriage. So a great deal depends on the kind of company we keep. Parents of my generation were particularly concerned about who their children associated with.

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They wanted to know who that child was playing with, what kind of reputation the person had, whether it was good or bad. Because the kind of company one keeps is a powerful influence in the formation of one's character. who we are, and who we become, may well be determined by the kind of company we keep.

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So let us consider the company of the psalmist. He says, "Goodness and mercy shall follow My, my, what splendid company, goodness and mercy. It's the best company. Goodness is the kind of company we need in life's struggle.

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When we speak of goodness, we speak of that which is pleasant. We speak of that which is joyful, agreeable. It has reference to the aesthetic, the beautiful, that which is good, that which is true. Goodness is precise.

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Goodness is right. Goodness is the kind of company we need to keep. All of us need to be good. And therefore we need to keep company with goodness.

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The problem we face is how to live the good life in a world where there is so much evil. How can we be pleasant when there is so much unpleasantness in the world? How can we be joyful when there is so much misery? How can we be agreeable when there is so much conflict?

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How can we be beautiful when we are surrounded by that which is ugly? This is the dilemma that Ryan Honeever talks about in his book, Moral Man and Immoral Society. How can we be right when there is so much wrong? Paul says, "When I would do good, evil is always present.

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O wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from the body of this death?" And since evil is always present, since evil is always on our trail, following us wherever we go, we go, at home, on the job, church, wherever we go, since evil is always on our trail, we desperately need goodness in order to overcome evil.

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What happens to us and our response depend on the kind of company we keep. Booker Washington said, "I will let no man drag me so low as to hate him." This kind of testimony indicates that here is a man who was possessed by eternal goodness. He was keeping company with goodness.

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Franck in the face of the Nazi persecution and even in the face of death. With all of the trials and the struggles that she faced she said in spite of all that happens I still believe that people are really good. She was possessed by eternal goodness. Watch the company you keep. Well you see

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goodness is that quality of being which is eternalized and not only is it internalized and externalized, it's within and also without. It enables us to somehow establish a union with our inward spirit and our outward actions and to have a kind of inner satisfaction no matter where we are and no matter what may happen.

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You see, goodness has a way of making the bitter sweet goodness, surely goodness. To be able to approach life with this kind of testimony, understanding full well that goodness has a way of sweetening the most bitter circumstances that we face. What are the uses of adversity, which like a toad, ugly and venomous, wears yet a precious

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jewel in his head enables one to find books in running brooks and sermons in stones and good in everything. Goodness helps one in such a way that we have a a different view of life. Goodness enables the mind to alter external objects in order to carry out its purpose, no matter what happens. It's to somehow recognize that goodness is on our trail,

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that there is good company, we are in the fellowship of one who is eternally good. That's what the psalmist is talking about when he says, "I had fainted unless I had believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living." Goodness not only gives pleasure but goodness makes for survival. It's God's goodness that keeps me going, not

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mine. It's God's goodness that keeps you going and this is what the psalmist is talking about. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life. Goodness, you see, the same. Oh you see people put on you know when a person is being phony can't hold out very long. Sort of like a man who was a beggar who came to our house

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once and so he was asking for food and he gave the impression that he had just one eye but my mother was so long getting the food for him he changed eyes from having this right eye out to having the left eye. We can't really put on very long. We often say well a little bit of this just sort of fills me up but here is a testimony that that goodness you see remains the same. Not just for a moment, but goodness is goodness always.

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Goodness and mercy, surely, surely goodness and mercy shall follow me. Goodness never changes. So none of us is wholly good.

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None of us is wholly good. We're sinful creatures. Sinful creatures. utilitarian philosophy the highest good for the greatest number well that

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doesn't work too well with when we consider how it's applied in our human relations the highest good for the greatest number that means the majority will have their way. And many times when we apply this rule,

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the highest good for the greatest number, the minorities are persecuted and have a hard way to go in our society. But what is really good?

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What is really absolute? What really is sustaining and lasting? How can I be sure that goodness will follow me? Well, goodness, you see, is accompanied by mercy.

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Goodness and mercy. You see, goodness needs to be tempered with mercy. Righteousness needs mercy. It's good to be generous, but generosity

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needs to be tempered with loving kindness. Remember when I was working in Dallas a number of years ago, there was a lady who would always be generous when I would go to her for help for the less fortunate. She was well to do,

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she had money and she'd always be generous. But when she got through talking about that gift before she gave it to me. I really didn't want it. And there are some people like that who will be good to you, but my goodness, you'll owe them for the rest of

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your life when they get through talking about what they have done and why they did it and the praise which they want to receive for having done it. But here is a situation where of good acts being performed in loving kindness. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me.

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Mercy, loving kindness, not only goodness, not only is there pleasure, I know many times one has pleasure, but it's not really good.

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But we're talking about that which is good and lasting and that which is tempered with mercy, which means that it's accompanied with loving kindness. What this really says is that God puts up with us.

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We don't deserve it. But he's so good and merciful. And though we have done nothing to deserve it, he puts up with us.

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His divine pity helps us in our weakness, He comes to us in our misery and in our helplessness, He is there to save. So God is merciful in His forbearance. He strives with us.

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He puts up with us. And in His mercy, God provides for us tender, loving care. And so we cannot have goodness and mercy apart from God. God, you see, is the highest good.

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God doesn't need anyone to help him be good, but we need him to help us be good. God himself is the embodiment of goodness, and the psalmist recognizes that he

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is in the good company of the shepherd, as he says, surely, even though I must pass through the dark valley of the shadow of death, surely, surely, surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life.

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Because of the company I keep, we say one rotten apple ruins the barrel. One apple ruins the barrel. bad company, overcoming the good.

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And that's really what happened as we look at mankind. In Adam, all die. In Adam, the poison of sin is injected into the system of humankind.

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And in Adam, all die. watch the company we keep. But there comes a word of hope. There is a word of redemption for while in Adam all die, in one man all die, in Christ, in Christ the new man, the new humanity, Christ, the new Adam, all are made alive in Christ.

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So the Psalmist here points up the fact that there is good company to accompany the one who is committed to the eternal shepherd. No matter where one goes, no matter what happens, there is good company. For if I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost part of the sea, even

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God is there, his goodness and his mercy follow me wherever I am. where I can go, there's nothing that I can do where His goodness and mercy do not follow. That's good news. Even if I make my bed in hell, even there, He's there, His goodness and His mercy no matter where I am. Goodness and mercy are on my trail. That's good news.

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matter how we may fight against God and how we may rebel, but here is one who recognizes the goodness and mercy of the eternal Shepherd and he's comforted by that fact and he says this is a blessed assurance, a blessed assurance, blessed assurance. So often, so often we're doing a good work and we are prone to stop

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doing what we're doing because of what somebody else says or what somebody else may do. But here is one who is eternally committed to the eternal shepherd. He says now no matter what happens surely goodness and mercy shall follow me because he's going to remain committed to the eternal shepherd. And when one is committed to the eternal shepherd, one is committed to eternal goodness. Do you have that blessing assurance?

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It's a kind of testimony that comes as a result of the company we keep. What kind of company we keep because the kind of company we keep somehow shapes our lives. Not only does it shape our lives, but the kind of company we keep determines our destiny, determines how we're going to come out. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow

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me. When one is committed to the eternal shepherd, one is committed to eternal goodness, eternal goodness. In the maddening maze of life, though tossed by storm and flood, to one fixed hope, my spirit cleansed. I know that God is good. No matter what happens. Some people get angry with God when they get sick.

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They get angry with God when things don't go to suit them. But here is a testimony for every person. Here is a testimony for those who belong to what and true blood calls thee the company of the committed. For those who belong to the company of the committed there is a blessed assurance of goodness, goodness and mercy to follow all the days of our life.

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The Lord is good. Everything about God is good. The Lord is good. When he made the well he looked at it he says good very good the Lord is good and those who are related to him must be good goodness and mercy yes the Lord has promised good to me his word my hope secure he will my shield and comfort me as long as life

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life endures, surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever. Now is our hymn of commitment. This is the testimony of the psalmist.

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What about your testimony? This is the commitment of the psalmist. What about your commitment? Commitment to the eternal goodness of God.

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And as the choir sings now, we invite you to make this testimony your own, to join with this fellowship in proclaiming Jesus Christ as Lord of your life. (dramatic music)

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

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♪ In the cold I will stand ♪ ♪ Oh, I'm free ♪ ♪ In the cold I will stand ♪ ♪ Oh, I'm free ♪

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♪ Jesus, the God-Shepherd ♪ ♪ Will come to me ♪ ♪ If I am on my way home ♪ ♪ Surely goodness and mercy ♪

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♪ Shall follow me all the days ♪ ♪ All the days of my life ♪ ♪ Will be goodness and mercy ♪ ♪ Shall follow me ♪

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♪ All the days ♪ ♪ All the days of my life ♪ ♪ It's blowing ♪ ♪ My soul ♪

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♪ Like the wind ♪ ♪ He gave me strength day by day ♪ ♪ He gave me sight to see further ♪ ♪ I'm still here ♪

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♪ Eager each little dip of the way ♪ ♪ Where I walk through the dark, lonesome valley ♪ ♪ My Savior will walk with me there ♪ ♪ And safely His great hand will lead me ♪

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♪ 'Til that mansion He's gone to prepare ♪ ♪ Shall prepare ♪ ♪ Shall be goodness and mercy ♪ ♪ Shall follow me ♪

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♪ All the days ♪ ♪ All the days of my life ♪ ♪ Shall be goodness and mercy ♪ [ Silence ]