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[silence] The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, my God, my strength, in whom I will trust, my buckler and the horn of my salvation,

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and my high tower. I will call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised. so shall I be saved from the contradictions of human existence. Can we bow our heads for prayer?

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Dear Lord and Heavenly Father, we thank you for this day that we can gather together in this house of God to hear your word and to fill our hearts and minds with your words. We thank you for the many blessings you've given us this week. We ask it to be in your will to give us your additional blessings and your

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guidance for our upcoming week and month. Oh Lord, this is a mighty month, November. It is a month in which we start the church year anew. It is a time when we think of the many challenges and goals of the church, the house of your worship, faces in this daily world in which we live and struggle and work to

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carry out your name. Dear Lord, be with your servants, be with the people that have joined here today, be with those who could not be here for whatever reason that may be. Give us strength and courage, give us wisdom and hope. We ask these things in your name and in your son's name. Amen.

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Let's all turn to hymn number 388. Am I a soldier of the cross, a follower of the Lamb? And shall I fear to own his cause, or blush to speak his name? I be carried to the skies on flowery beds of ease while others fought to win the prize

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and sailed through bloody seas. If everyone has a hymnal, we want to sing the first two stanzas of this hymn and let us all join in singing together this great hymn of the church, "Am I a Soldier of the Cross."

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[ Music ] [ Music ] Am I a soldier on the cross, a follower of the Lamb? Must still my faith to all His men, the blood to steal His name?

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♪ Was proudly carried to the start ♪ ♪ Of foreign Italy ♪ ♪ Was proud to stand to win the fight ♪ ♪ And save the policies ♪

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[ Music ] Brother, Brother Houston, Brother Van Dyke, would you see if you can turn the lights on here? It seems like everyone is a little late today, the ushers and the like, and getting the things

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done and getting in order, but at 8 o'clock we start. We don't begin to start. We start at 8 o'clock, which means you have to be in your place and ready by that time. So some things have to be arranged.

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Organ has to be warmed up. You have to be here to get in your places in the choir, all that a little earlier to get started at 8, because most of the time in the congregation we're here. God has blessed us to begin a new day.

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This is a day which he has made, and let us rejoice and be glad in it. This is his worship, and we gather here to worship God and not ourselves. Let us listen to his word. I'm reading to you from the book of Psalms, 23rd Psalm.

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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 restores my soul.

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He leadeth me in the path of righteousness for his namesake. 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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I prepared a table before me in the presence of mine enemies. Thou anointed my head with oil. My cup runneth over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me

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all the days of my life. And I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. May God have the blessing of the reading of his word. May he bless you, the hearer and the reader.

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As a family of God, we have the privilege of praying together, for prayer is talking with God. It is the soul's sincere desire, unuttered or expressed, the motion of a hidden fire that trembles in the breast.

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So I want you to turn around and say good morning to the person that is in front of you or behind you, as the case may be, this morning. I'm going to ask that we talk with God, every one of us, and that we do it as a family. If you will turn around to the person that is next to you.

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We want everyone to pray during this period, everyone. Or at least when I say everyone, we want you to be in couples as nearly as possible, two to two and one do the praying aloud

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during this period of our prayer together. May we bow our heads. We want you to be in pairs and for one to pray aloud. Aloud.

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As we talk with God. [ Silence ] [Music] [inaudible]

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[Music] [silence] [Pause] God our Father, we are so grateful for the gift of this day and for these your people

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whom you have permitted to assemble here in this your house. We thank you for the gift of life and for the privilege of worship. Pray that you would forgive us of our sins. May your Spirit be manifested in us, that we may be refreshed and renewed.

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Guide us through this day and especially be with us in the celebration and music which we shall look forward to for this afternoon. Bless those who are still prisoners in a strange land. We were those who were in the hospitals and in the homes who suffer from the afflictions

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of this life. Help us, O God, to be the people that you called us to be in serving you faithfully and courageously. We ask in Jesus' name.

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Amen. Thanks be to God. [MUSIC PLAYING] [MUSIC PLAYING]

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

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(snoring) (growling) (snoring) (snoring)

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[ Music ] In peace like a river, as it ended my suffering, in sorrow like sea billows roll, ♪ Forever my God ♪

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♪ Thou hast taught me to say ♪ ♪ It is well, it is well with my soul ♪ ♪ It is well, it is well with my soul ♪ ♪ In my soul ♪

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♪ In my soul ♪ ♪ It is well ♪ ♪ It is well ♪ ♪ With my soul ♪

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♪ Oh, Satan ♪ ♪ Should come ♪ ♪ And the troubles ♪ ♪ Who should come ♪

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♪ With his mercy ♪ ♪ Sure in control ♪ ♪ When Christ has begun ♪ ♪ In my selfless estate ♪

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♪ Then his name is all that ♪ ♪ For my soul ♪ ♪ It is well ♪ ♪ With my soul ♪

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♪ It is well ♪ ♪ It is well with my soul ♪ ♪ And the rocket's red glare, the bombs bursting in air ♪ ♪ Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there ♪

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♪ Oh, say does that star-spangled banner yet wave ♪ ♪ O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave ♪ ♪ We sing even so ♪ ♪ It is well with my soul ♪

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♪ It is well ♪ ♪ With my soul ♪ ♪ It is well ♪ ♪ It is well with my soul ♪

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It is well with my soul. It is well, it is well with my soul. Amen. We worship the Lord now in our giving that every person give according to how the Lord has prospered you. After the offertory prayer we will have our

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announcements so Sister Smith if you will be positioned here immediately following the prayer to give the announcements during this offertory period. This is November loyalty month and every person is asked to give at least the tithe in order that we might raise our budget. We are running somewhat

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behind and this is the last month in our church year. If everyone does what he or she can we will reach our goal. Let us pray. Father, we bless your name for the multitude of mercies showered upon us as thy children. Pray that each one of us now will be open to your spirit as we give, that our giving

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Anything may be a manifestation of our dedication and our spirit of sacrifice and love. In Jesus' name, amen. Good morning. This is your announcement period, and we would ask that you please give strict attention

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to all of the announcements that are listed on your bulletin. Are there any visitors present? If so, will you please stand? Will our visitors stand?

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I'm almost sure there's somebody out there because just before I came in, I saw somebody. Maybe that person calls herself one of us and we surely accept her as one of us, but we're delighted to have Delores Brooks come back today. We know Delores as the past president of the Chancellor's Choir, and I know she's here

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to celebrate with them today. Thank you Delores for coming to worship with us and welcome to all of you on this bright sunny first Sunday in November. Today is the day for the musical, the annual musical presented at 3.30 today by our Chancellor

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It's entitled "Magnifying the Lord Through Song" and is dedicated to the memory of Sister Virgia Carrington B. Whithey. Let us all come and rejoice in the Lord together. There will be several guests, musicians with us, including James McKinley, who was with

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as the director of the chancel choir, as well as Bara Franklin, as organist, and the Voices of Zion. So let's all come.

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Let's come and bring someone with us, and let's have a great and glorious celebration as we worship together through the medium of music at 3.30 this evening.

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Now we only have a few more hours before election. And that's a very, very important event in the life of our community, in the life of our city, our state, our nation. It will affect every one of us.

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Let's take time to vote. There will be some important decisions to be made on not only the various offices, but also there will be other matters on the ballot. One will have to do with banking.

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And another will have to do with bingo, legalizing bingo. The convention last week urged its constituency to vote against that particular measure because it will give rise to legalized gambling in the state, and that is a danger. There will be other issues which you need to give attention, but above all, go to the

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polls and vote your conscience. That's your voice at the ballot box, and it will determine in large measure what will be happening in our country for the next four years. You notice the fact that in our training union, we have been giving attention to the issue

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of abortion. This is one of the single issues that the moral majority has been addressing, and many people have been affected unwittingly of some of their actions, and this is due to the fact that the church hasn't given attention to some of these issues.

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We're going to be doing that in our training union. We started last time and we had a wonderful discussion. I thought it was not completed. We will continue it and we will be giving attention to other issues of vital importance

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in the life of every person as we go from month to month. the, um, the church will be providing transportation. Many bus will be in action. Uh, we'll be assisting in the move in the actions that will be taken to get out the

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vote. So persons who do not have means of transportation, uh, with the church is going to be involved in the action of the community and getting out that vote with the use of its, uh, many bus on election day. [ Pause ]

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[ Music ] [ Music ] [MUSIC] ♪ O weary heart, stand at last ♪

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♪ Carry the sunshine where darkness is lost ♪ ♪ And keep the sorrowing light ♪ ♪ Make thee a blessing ♪ Make me a blessing out of my heart, make me such love.

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Make me a blessing, O Savior, I pray. ♪ Making a blessing ♪ ♪ To someone today ♪ ♪ Tell the sweet story of Christ and his love ♪

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♪ Tell of his power for you and him ♪ ♪ Others will trust in him only if you do ♪ ♪ Till every moment you live ♪ ♪ Make me a blessing ♪

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♪ Make me a blessing ♪ ♪ Out of my love ♪ ♪ May Jesus shine ♪ ♪ May He a blessing ♪

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♪ Our Savior, our King ♪ ♪ May He a blessing ♪ ♪ To someone today ♪ Hear this word which is recorded in the Holy Scripture.

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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. Psalm 23 and the fourth verse. The subject of the message, weapons for the warfare,

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weapons for the warfare. I will fear no evil, for thou art with me. Thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me. Weapons for the warfare.

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On every journey A traveler needs certain equipment. Some things are basic and considered essentials. They are necessary.

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There are life experiences for which special equipment is needed. in order to make the journey safely and successfully. Although going through the dark valley of the shadow of death is a grim and dangerous experience, The Psalmist says, "I will fear no evil.

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I have nothing to fear. I'm not afraid. I'm not disturbed by anything that may happen as I walk through this dark valley

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because ample preparation is made for the journey. Therefore, I have nothing to fear. The testimony of the Psalmist, I will fear no evil,

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is not the word of an outlaw, braggadocio or a bully. It's not the utterance of an arrogant warrior, but these are the words of the humble, the helpless sheep whose only defense is the shepherd. The sheep have no equipment of their own for the journey, but there are

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weapons needed for the warfare because hidden dangers are in the Dark Valley. Vicious animals reside there, determined to destroy. Lions, cobras, bears, snakes, wolves, and other dangerous beasts inhabit the dark valley through which the sheep must pass. The threat of violence and destruction is ever-present.

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Yet there is in the testimony of this word strong confidence. I will fear no evil. This is the word of one who has no fear of the future. This is the word of one who is confident of victory before the battle is fought.

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Though the way through which the sheep must travel is fraught with difficulty and danger and even death, there is the testimony, I will fear no evil. I have nothing to fear. Now no coward can make such testimony.

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No weakling can say this. Only one who trusts in the shepherd, who is committed to the shepherd. For the psalmist tells us why he says what he says. He is saying to the eternal shepherd, "I'm not afraid of where you are going to lead

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me, no matter where it is, or how dark or how dangerous, I'm not afraid because you are with me." You see, the shepherd's presence inspires calm confidence and gives precious peace. There is nothing to be afraid of, nothing that may happen.

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There is no predicament, no matter how complicated in the present, no uncertainties that the future may hold. I will fear nothing because thou art with me." This is the abiding assurance of the shepherd's presence.

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It is the personal relationship of the shepherd with the sheep and the sheep with the shepherd. The shepherd's presence provides the sheep with guarantees. The shepherd is with the sheep, so there is nothing to fear. We are not alone.

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We're not orphans in this world. And that's good news in a world of bad news. God is with us in the struggle. He is with us and gives us victory over fear.

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Victory suggests a battle, struggle, warfare. There are battles to fight. And the question is, what weapons will we use? We boast of our ability to make nuclear weapons,

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but we are fearful of the use of our own weapons. Ryan O. Reuber says that the irony of American history is that we are stronger militarily than we have been at any other time in our history,

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and yet we are more fearful than we have been at any time in our history. We are afraid of our weapons. We have the capability of destroying ourselves

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and the entire human race. And we are afraid that a nuclear war will mark the end of civilization as we know it. What weapons will we use?

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H. Red Brown says that the gun is the great equalizer. You have a gun and your enemy has a gun and that equalizes everything, but it does not say who will win.

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It only puts us on an equal basis with our enemy and that's really not enough. What weapons will we use? The sheep who are fateful have no choice, they have no weapons of their own, and this

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decision is made by the shepherd. He says, "I will fear no evil for thou art with me." It is utter dependence upon the shepherd, and he goes on to say, "Thy rod." This is the weapon, "Thy rod."

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So you see, the shepherd provides the weapons for the protection of the sheep. The shepherd's rod is a stout wooden club studded with sharp pieces of metal. The rod is a means of protection. The rod is an instrument of punishment used to wound and drive off wild beasts.

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The rod is made from a young sapling which is dug from the ground. It is carved and whittled down with care and patience. The enlarged base of the sapling where the trunk joins the roots is shaped into a smooth rounded head of hardwood.

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It is shaped to fit the owner's hand. The rod is used to beat back the brush and discourage snakes and others that would disturb the flock. The rod is a weapon of warfare, a means of protection and security for the flock of God,

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the rod. Moses is a shepherd, and while he watches over his father-in-law's flock in the land of Midian, he responds to the call of God to go tell Pharaoh to let God's people go. Moses said, "Well, what will I use? How will I go forth in this struggle?" And God says to him,

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"What do you have in your hand?" And he says, "A rod." And God says to him, "Use that rod." And Moses' rod became God's rod, the shepherd's rod. Moses stretched forth the rod, and miracles are performed in the land of Egypt,

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miracles that contribute to the liberation of Israel. Moses stretches forth his rod, and plagues come which frustrate the enemy. Moses stretches forth his rod and the waters of the Red Sea are separated.

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The rod of God. For the rod is an instrument of correction. The rod is the Word of God. Rod is the Bible.

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The rod is God's authority. The rod is God's power in the human situation. The rod is the weapon of warfare. The rod of God, the shepherd's rod.

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It is the shepherd's weapon for the warfare. So if we would make the journey safely through the dim, through the dark valley of the shadow of death, it is the rod of God that gives us comfort. If we would be prepared to travel in the dark, we must depend upon the shepherd's rod, for

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we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities and powers, against the rumors of darkness in high places, against spiritual wickedness. And we need the shepherd's rod if we would travel through the valley. for the struggle. The shepherd's rod. The shepherd has something else. He has a

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staff. And the shepherd's staff is a long slender stick with a hook on one end which is shaped, smoothed, and cut to suit one's need. The shepherd's staff is useful in climbing rocky cliffs. The shepherd's staff is used to help the sheep.

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It's used to lift them when they fall. It's used to extricate the sheep from perilous situations, the shepherd's staff. Whenever the sheep get entangled in the brush, they find themselves caught and are able to get out, the shepherd is able to reach out with his staff and lift the sheep, bring them

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closer to him, the shepherd's staff. The shepherd's staff is used to put the sheep in direct contact with the shepherd and with The other members of the sheepfold, the shepherd's rod. Sometimes the sheep is far away from the shepherd.

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Sometimes the sheep feel timid and somewhat fearful, and the shepherd reaches out with his staff and brings the sheep closer to him. One who has taught school knows how it is when you have maybe a child who doesn't really feel at home with the others, and you recognize that and so you say, "Come, you sit close

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to me, and that is in order to establish a closer relationship and to make the child feel a part of the group. And so the shepherd's rod is used to establish an intimate relationship between the shepherd and the sheep.

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It's used also to establish an intimate relationship of the sheep with the other sheep. Sometimes there are those who really don't feel a part of, and so it is the shepherd's rod, the shepherd's staff rather, that helps to establish this kind of intimacy. The rod is used for correction.

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It's God's Word, it's God's power, it's God's authority, but there is the staff, and the staff is a symbol of the Spirit of God. You can't make it through this valley without the Spirit of God. You can't make it without God's power!

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You can't make it without His authority! not only his rod, but also his staff, the Spirit of God. That's the only way to walk through this dark and lonesome valley, the shepherd's staff.

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And so the staff is used, you see, also to guide. We don't know how to get through the valley, we have to have the staff to guide us in the darkness, walk, yes, yes, walk, but to have the guidance of the shepherd's staff to direct the sheep.

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As the sheep get to the gate and along the dangerous and difficult routes through which we must pass, we need the shepherd's staff. So one needs the Spirit of God. Not my own selfish spirit, but the staff, the spirit of God, and to let his spirit guide.

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Sometimes we sing in the church, "Let the Holy Ghost guide me, let the Holy Ghost guide me." Shepherd, shepherd's staff. And so this is the testimony of one who recognizes the presence of the shepherd. the shepherds equipment, thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me. Sometimes we seek

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our comfort at the wrong places, but if we would have comfort as we walk through the valleys of life, here is the comfort of the shepherds presence to know that the shepherd is with me. that's enough to know that the Shepherd is beside me. I will not fear any darkness, I'll not be afraid of anything that may happen to me because the Shepherd is with me. I'll not be afraid of the arrow that flyeth by day, or the pestilence that walketh in darkness, or the destruction that wastes at noonday. I'll not fear anything because the Shepherd is there.

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And I know that there are dangers in this darkness, yes! I know that there are dangers, hidden dangers that await me there, I know that! There are contradictions in life.

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They're there, they're lurking in the valley. But the shepherd is there, and the shepherd's rod and his staff, they comfort me. They comfort me. That's why one is prepared for the struggle.

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Without that, there's no preparation for the struggle. Without that, we don't have the weapons for the warfare. The shepherd provides. Doesn't depend upon how old you are.

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depend upon one's physical strength, but they shepherd's weapons. Little David was called, and they said, "Well, this is just a lion. He can't engage in the struggle to fight the giant. He's just a shepherd.

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What does he have? What kind of equipment does he have?" says, "Well, look, you take my armor." David tried it on, he said, "No, no, I can't go in this.

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We can't fight in the struggles of life with the armor that is provided by the forces of this world." He'll not do. David said, "I have the shepherd's equipment."

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He had the sling, he had the rod. "Well, David, how do you know how to work?" So well, I've been out there watching over the sheep, and while I watched, there came a lion,

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and I was able, through the Spirit of the Lord, to kill the lion. And there came a bear, and I was able to kill the bear. It was with the shepherd's equipment

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that I was able to do it. Thanks be to God. Thanks be to God that we have a shepherd who's come to us.

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Thanks be to God. He came all the way from heaven down to walk with us through this dark valley. Thanks be to God that He is with us right now,

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wherever we are, no matter how dark that valley may be, there's comfort there, for His rod and His staff comfort us. Thanks be to God that as we walk in the midst of darkness, that we have nothing to fear, for the Shepherd is with us.

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The Shepherd's rod and the Shepherd's staff, they comfort us. Let us sing now the hymn of invitation. And I want everyone to join in singing this hymn,

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make it your testimony, hymn number 346, "Close to thee, thou my everlasting worship." As we sing now, we extend the privilege of the Church to accept Jesus Christ, the Eternal Shepherd, as Lord of your life, as the one who will walk with us through the darkness, through the valley,

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providing us weapons for the warfare on his rod and staff comfort. [Music] ♪ Oh, say can you see ♪

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♪ By the dawn's early light ♪ ♪ What so proudly we hailed ♪ ♪ At the twilight's last gleaming ♪ ♪ Whose broad stripes and bright stars ♪

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♪ Through the perilous fight ♪ ♪ O'er the ramparts we watched were so gallantly streaming? ♪ [ Music ] Now for years a worldly pleasure, now for fame thy prayer shall be.

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Where he will, my fallen son, Only that he walk with thee. ♪ Close to thee, close to thee ♪ ♪ Close to thee, close to thee ♪

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♪ Up above the golden sky ♪ Only let me walk with thee. Lead me through the vale of shadows, Where you hold my sinful sleep.

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In the gate of my prison cell, may I hear your Lord with me. Close to thee. Close to thee.

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

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♪ Vain from thee ♪ ♪ For I am thine alone ♪ ♪ May I live ♪ ♪ Alone ♪

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[music] Let us bow our heads. Gracious God our Father, we thank you that thou art our eternal shepherd. Thou has come to be with us through Jesus Christ in all of our experiences, in the sunshine and in the shatters, in the light and in the darkness.

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We thank you that you provide the weapons for the warfare. And then we thank you, oh God, that you also provide a table for us in the presence of our enemies.

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We're so grateful that we have the privilege through Jesus Christ to come to this table. Grant that we may commune here not in the boldness of our goodness, but in the humility of our weakness.

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So bless us that this may be a time of holy communion with thee and with thy people. In Jesus' name, amen. [BLANK_AUDIO]