Final Warning (Hebrews 12:25-29, Jeff Kliewer)

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Sermon Notes: http://notes.cornerstonesj.org Final Warning

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I want to say good morning to everybody here.
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Welcome to Cornerstone. We gather together. We come before the throne of God.
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The world has a lot of opportunities for you to do on a Sunday morning. I know that as we were raising our kids, there was opportunities for this and that and everything on Sunday morning, but I can't think of anything more fulfilling than to be with my brothers and sisters in the
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Lord and sitting in worship right in front of the throne room of God.
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I want to open us this morning in Psalm 89, verse 14. Psalm 89 is one of the great psalms.
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If you wanted to spend time reading a psalm, it takes you through so many truths of God.
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But I wanted to read verse 14, Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne.
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Steadfast love and faithfulness go before you. The things
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I observe about that, first of all, is that it's God who sits on the throne.
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All creation is under his authority and his rule. God allows, at this point in time,
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Satan is called the prince of the power of the air and that's under God's sovereign will. But we do know that above all and over all is our
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God who actually sits on the throne. And I also see from this verse that what he does is out of righteousness and justice.
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There is no compromise and there's nothing that can be critiqued.
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It's righteous. It's just. And how he rules is with love and faithfulness.
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We are children of God. When you have accepted and repented and asked him into your life, you are a child of God.
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And he is faithful and he is loving. My goodness, he loved us so much he sent his only begotten son to die for our sins.
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That's where we are. We're coming together this morning to worship, to praise, to learn about him.
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Let's take a moment in quiet prayer and push the things aside and turn ourselves to the very throne of God.
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Let's just pray. Lord God, this morning we are actually in front of the very throne of God.
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Your son sitting at his right hand, begging our cause in front of him.
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We don't come because we're worthy. We're worthy. We come because of his blood that has washed us clean.
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We come because he calls. We come because of the grace even that draws us here.
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Open our hearts to you and this morning we pray in Jesus name, amen. Some announcements to be aware of.
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Tomorrow evening at 7 o 'clock, Monday evening, 7 o 'clock is our quarterly business meeting.
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This is one of the important ones. We are going to be voting on some members. We are going to be establishing the nominating committee.
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That's the individuals that will work with you as the congregation under the authority of God to identify our next board elders and deacons.
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Other topics that we'll be talking about, I encourage you to come tomorrow at 7 o 'clock. If you cannot physically make it, there will be a
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Zoom option. Michael is going to be putting out an email later today with the link to the
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Zoom option. So please be part of it. Next Sunday, we're going to celebrate with some individuals their baptism.
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We're talking about individuals who are now children of God and who have a testimony and who want to proclaim that testimony and who want to stand out publicly and identify themselves as children of God in the obedient act of baptism.
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It will be after second service. So stick around with us as we celebrate with these individuals.
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And information for those of you who like to come Wednesday afternoons for our
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Isaiah study, we're not going to have it this week. Both Pastor Jeff and myself will be away at our
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Eastern District EFCA conference all day Tuesday and Wednesday. So the study will not be this week.
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So if you're looking for it on the link that Pastor puts out in his Thursday Pastogram, but you can study
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Isaiah on your own and God will help you through that. So anyway, don't come here
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Wednesday expecting the study. God has given us opportunities to witness, to share, to be within the lives of those around us.
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And we as a church are going to partake in one of those amazing opportunities to be a blessing to young children in the world.
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It's called Operation Christmas Child. We're going to hear about that. It's going to start with a video.
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Seeing a child open the boxes for the first time is just, it's incredible. We are so excited.
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Many of the children we see walking for the first time in their life. We pray that these boxes will be used to bring a lot of happiness and joy.
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But more importantly, the gospel to each heart. All these little children around the world.
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No greater need and no greater time than right now for us to go out and serve boldly. Oh my goodness!
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This is what these shoeboxes are all about. To go out and bring a hope of Jesus Christ around the world. I'm just so amazed at what
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God does each and every year. This is an opportunity to impact the lives of millions of children just like you've seen.
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But we need more boxes for next year. Every box is an opportunity for us to share the gospel of Jesus Christ.
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So thank you. And God bless each and every one. Good morning.
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I'm Cornelia Maneri, the project leader of Operation Christmas Child. And this is my very enthusiastic co -leader,
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Kristen Haynes. What's wrong with you this morning? Nervous? Well, Cornelia, I am in a box.
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But I would do nearly anything for a good cause. And Operation Christmas Child is a great cause.
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So tell us more. Okay. So you just saw a short refresher video about Operation Christmas Child.
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But just in case you are new to this amazing ministry, you can go to samaritansprayers .org to find out more.
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Or you can just ask one of us. This year we set a goal of filling 300 shoeboxes.
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However, we know that with God's help, our church has the potential of filling many more.
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So we have a little homework for you. First, we encourage each of you to participate.
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Pray and ask God to multiply your boxes. Next, write a list of five to ten people that you will ask within a week or so also to fill a shoebox.
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You will be surprised how many of your neighbors and co -workers and friends are willing to participate.
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And who knows, maybe you'll even get to share the gospel with them. Our hope is that all 300 boxes will be taken by next
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Sunday, and we will need to order more. Kristen has more. Cornelia shared this story with me.
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As you listen, I ask you, what can a small church do? And as you hear the word box, think that each will be held in the precious hands of one child.
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Here are shoeboxes in my story. Think children. In Wild Peach, Texas, home to one convenience store and Grace Baptist Church, is a congregation of 25.
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In 2013, their pastor was ecstatic when they more than doubled their usual Operation Christmas Child contribution and packed 43 boxes.
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Sorry, that wasn't in the script, was it? The next year, though, he sensed
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God wanted them to pack 500. The congregation initially thought he was crazy.
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But guess what? They packed 532 shoeboxes. Still, the congregation was surprised again when
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Pastor Mark believed God wanted them to pack 2 ,000 shoeboxes.
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They report, since Grace Baptist Church has participated in Operation Christmas Child, they have seen the
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Lord's provision. Each year, God has provided more than enough money, including all 2 ,118 boxes they packed that year.
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Wow, a congregation of just 25. Yeah, there's more than 25 here.
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Now another short video, Operation Christmas Child comes full circle. Gift in Romania when
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I was 13 years old. My shoebox allowed me to understand God's unconditional love for me.
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And I understand firsthand the impact of a shoebox as it started me on a lifelong journey of discipleship and multiplication.
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Today, I want to pack a shoebox with prayer so another child can understand God's unconditional love for them.
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But I am not packing alone. I have some friends here to help. Addable item.
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And maybe put something like a slinky. Remember to pack school supplies.
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Add a special toy. A few hygiene items. Everybody needs a new toothbrush.
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Maybe a flashlight. Always make sure to include a letter and a photo.
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Wow, look at this shoebox, beautifully and intentionally packed with a lot of care. I love seeing how every single item means so much to those who packed it.
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And now it's time to finish off our shoebox with a label and a donation. And of course, we can't send off any shoebox without prayer.
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So let's pray. And now it's your turn to go and pack a shoebox.
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Matthew 5 .16 says, Let your light so shine before men, that they will see your good works, and glorify your
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Father in heaven. The mission never changed. Children receive boxes. Children hear the gospel.
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Children accept Jesus. And children take the gospel to the ends of the earth. Thank you.
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Don't forget your homework! I want to say thank you to Cornelia and Kristen.
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Let the Lord work in your heart, draw you out, blessing these children around the world.
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As each one of those individuals, if you read it, they were individuals who had received the shoebox.
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And now they're walking with the Lord. Let's pray. Lord, as we come to you, we're coming with hearts that are filled with gratitude.
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Not because of who we are, but because of your love. Because of Christ who died for our sins.
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Because of your grace. We come with hearts that are filled with gratitude.
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We come to your throne. We come under your rule. We come because of your grace. Thank you,
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Lord Jesus. Pray, Father, that you would be with those in our midst, those in our fellowship that are in need.
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I think of Bob Zellum. The good news that he has been able to transfer from a hospital to a rehab unit.
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Pray, Father, for his full recovery. And that he would soon be home and back with us. Pray for others in our midst who are in need, whether it's medical, whether it's issues.
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We pray for them. And also, Lord, for those in our midst who have recently lost. We are with them in their bereavement.
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We offer our prayers. Pray, Father, that you would be with them. Father, for our missionaries around the world proclaiming
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Christ, we ask, Lord, that you would give them your wisdom, your strength, the word through them that the lamp would shine light through them.
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We pray for Terri Kamlin, who continues through the process of her treatments for her cancer.
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We pray for her recovery. Lord, for our country, those in office, we think of our
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President, our Vice President, those in elected office. We pray,
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Lord, for their salvation. We pray, Lord, that they would submit to you who sits on the throne.
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For our country in division, then we pray, Lord, that division would be replaced by hearts that are united with love and your grace.
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Father, thank you for the lampstand that's lit here at Cornerstone. As your word is sent out without compromise with truth, we pray for our
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Pastor Jeff, that you would continue to support him, to uphold him, and to encourage him.
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And now, Lord, as he brings to us your word, we pray that it would come with the power of the
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Holy Spirit and that you would prepare our hearts to be open to hear. In Jesus' name we pray.
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Amen. Let's magnify the Lord together. Exalt his name high above the heavens.
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I sought the Lord and he answered me and delivered me.
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Those who look on him are radiant. They'll never be ashamed.
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They'll never be ashamed. poor man cried and the
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Lord heard me and saved me from the sign of God.
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Surround his saints and deliver them.
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Come, exalt his name together.
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Come, exalt his name forever.
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Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good.
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Oh, bless his hand in your hearts and in your hearts.
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Oh, fear the Lord, you saviors.
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He'll give you heaven. Magnify the
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Lord. Come, exalt his name together.
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Come, exalt his name. Let us bless the
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Lord every day and night. Let us bless the
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Lord every day. Voices rise.
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Let us bless the Lord. Voices rise.
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We come together because of the hope we have in Jesus Christ. Nothing better than his righteousness and his redemption in our lives.
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Let's sing that. My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus' blood and righteousness.
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My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus' blood and righteousness.
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My trust, a soulless hope, only trust in Jesus' name.
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Christ alone conquers to make strong.
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In the same walks God through the storm.
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He is Lord. When darkness seeks to hide
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His face, I rest on His unchanging grace.
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When storm begins to storm, in the
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Savior's love, through the storm
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He is Lord. He shall come with trumpet sound.
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He shall come with trumpet sound. Oh may
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I bear to trust in His righteousness alone.
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Blessed stand before the Lord. Christ alone conquers to make strong.
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In the Savior's love, through the storm
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Christ alone conquers to make strong.
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In the Savior's love, through the storm
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He Christ, You are my reward.
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All of my devotion, nothing in this world can I fear because Your love is everlasting.
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Your faithfulness endures forever. Christ is my reward.
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And all of my devotion. Now there's nothing in this world that could ever satisfy.
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Through every trial my soul will see no turning back.
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I've been set free. Christ is enough for me.
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Christ is in me.
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Everything, Christ my only joy of my salvation.
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And this hope will never fade. It is our hope.
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Through every storm my soul will see
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Jesus is here. To God be the glory.
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Christ is enough for me. Christ is enough for me.
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Decided to follow Jesus. No turning back.
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No turning back. I have decided to follow
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Jesus. No turning back. Turning back.
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The cross before me. The world behind me.
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No turning back. No turning back.
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The cross before me. No turning back.
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No turning back. Christ is enough for me.
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Christ is enough for me.
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It is in you. Everything, follow
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Jesus. No turning back. No turning back.
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I have decided to follow Jesus.
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No turning back. No turning back. Decided to follow
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Jesus. No turning back. No turning back.
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I have decided to follow Jesus. No turning back.
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No turning back.
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Amen. Let's go to the Lord in prayer. Lord, we have decided to follow you and we are resolute in that desire to never turn back.
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But we also confess, Lord, were it up to us, each of us would stumble and fall off the straight and narrow, wander off to our own destruction.
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It is you keeping us. And so, Lord, we pray that you would keep us now through the preaching of your word.
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Open our eyes that we may behold wondrous things from your law. We pray even in the warnings that these would be a mechanism, an instrument that you use to keep us on the straight and narrow.
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We pray for your word to us this morning to come forth to us with power. Give us ears to hear, a heart to believe, eyes to see marvelous things in your word.
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In Jesus' name. Amen. There was a discovery made not long ago.
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Just outside of Jerusalem, 14 miles to the northwest of the
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Dead Sea. If you could put up the slide for me. Guys, take a look up here. This is the
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Dead Sea. And just adjacent and to the southwest of the
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Dead Sea is Jerusalem. Up here is an area that was once known as the city of Sodom.
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It was the largest city in the region almost 4 ,000 years ago. Next slide.
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They have begun to excavate this area and the project is called Tal El Haman excavation project.
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So they're digging things out. They're beginning to unearth it. This is 10 times larger than the city of Jericho being discovered.
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Next slide. So you see that they're unearthing houses and a temple and a number of things at this project called
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El Tehep or Tal El Haman. This excavation project began long ago and the more they discover things, the more it points to the truth of the
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Bible. However, those doing the excavation, not all of them are believers and I came across an article in nature .com
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which is a peer -reviewed journal with over 20 PhD scientists trying to explain what destroyed that city.
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Now some of you have read in Genesis 19 you already know the answer before I go there. But for those of you who don't, let's go along with nature .com
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for a moment. They made some fascinating discoveries. Let me begin by reading something from the journal.
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An early crucial clue in this investigation was the discovery of highly vesicular potsherds in the debris matrix that appeared to have melted at high temperatures but with no clear evidence for a formation mechanism.
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This first discovery led to some general observations about the uniqueness of the destruction layer debris. Example, its unusual high temperature characteristics and its consistent southwest to northeast orientation.
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The site excavators speculated that the cause of the destruction may have been a cosmic airburst.
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Now this theory is that a meteor entered the atmosphere and prior to hitting
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Sodom it exploded. It was an airburst about six miles above the earth which is the reason why there's no crater.
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But this explanation may actually have some merit so let's look in a little deeper.
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They needed to explain three things. One, very high wind velocity that leveled the city from the southwest to the northeast.
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In other words, from the direction of Jerusalem through the city laying everything flat.
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Secondly, extreme high temperatures and thirdly extreme high pressure.
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So to the line of evidence regarding the temperatures they discovered that mud brick and roofing clay had melted at over 1400 degrees
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Celsius. The vesicular pottery melted at greater than 1500 degrees
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Celsius. There were also diamond -like carbon, that formed at high pressure and temperature.
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The soot, charcoal, and ash indicated high temperature fires. Fe and Se rich sephirols,
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I'm not a scientist so forgive me if I mispronounce these things, some of which melted at greater than 1590 degrees
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Celsius. Platinum melted at 1768 degrees
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Celsius and iridium, they discovered there, had melted at greater than 2466 degrees
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Celsius. How do you explain this kind of temperature? Well, they had different theories that they tested and ruled them all out.
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Volcanism, lightning, crater -forming cosmic impact, earthquakes, midden fires, normal city fires, warfare, all of these things were tested against the evidence and found wanting.
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The only explanation they could come up with was what they called a cosmic airburst, a meteor that entered and then exploded over the
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Earth's surface from about six miles and rained down fire and sulfur from above.
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The cosmic airburst theory may be true. Providentially, God may have timed the sending of a meteor to explode in the air and rain down fire and sulfur on this city.
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Whether it was providentially that or just some supernatural manifestation of fire and sulfur doesn't matter because what we understand from Genesis 1924 is the
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Lord rained down on Sodom and Gomorrah sulfur and fire from the
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Lord out of heaven. Point being, our God is a consuming fire.
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If he sees fit to judge a city, he can rain down fire from heaven for he himself is a consuming fire.
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I find that terrifying because I stand here as a preacher today to tell you
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I deserve that fire as much as any Sodomite for different reasons.
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All of us deserve the fire that rained down on Sodom for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.
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None of us could have escaped it by any merit of our own. But here's some good news about our
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God being a consuming fire. 2 ,000 years ago he sent a fireball from heaven and it did not destroy the earth.
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Instead, it entered a room where 120 believers in Christ were gathered and it separated out over the heads of these believers like tongues of fire.
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And then those tongues of fire entered into the believers and they began to speak languages they did not know proclaiming the glory of Jesus Christ.
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And that fire went from one generation to another and for 2 ,000 years has been passed on to crowds of rooms just like this.
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Some gathered in little huts in India. Others in great big churches in Dallas.
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And all over the earth tongues of fire are blazing this morning preaching that Jesus Christ is
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Lord. He has risen and all who believe that message are indwelt with fire from above.
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You begin to burn with passion. You want to hear the words of God. Your heart burns for Him and you will spend all eternity like a ball of fire.
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Like the seraphim and the cherubim, the burning ones in heaven who worship day and night and never tire of singing, holy, holy, holy.
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That's how we will be for all eternity. Because we're touched by fire. It's a merciful fire that burns away all the dross and purifies us to be a people for His own possession.
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We've been touched by fire. This morning, turn with me to Hebrews 12, 25 to 29, and we're going to memorize a verse.
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We'll do it right now. For our God is a consuming fire.
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Some of you have memorized John 11, 35. Jesus wept. Shortest verse in the
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Bible. You got that one, right? Can we get verse 29 right here? For our God is a consuming fire.
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Memorize it, learn it, remember and visualize God as a consuming fire. This morning, we're going to see the final warning in the book of Hebrews.
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Final warning. Which implies that He's been warning us all along, right?
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For those of you who have studied with me as we've studied and preached through the book of Hebrews, there have so far been four warnings.
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Remember them? Jesus presented as the King of kings greater than angels.
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Right into chapter 2, the author says, I want you to pay more careful attention to what you have heard, so that you do not drift away.
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For if the message spoken through angels was binding, and every violation received its just punishment, how shall we escape if we ignore so great a salvation?
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That's the first warning. Pay attention so you don't drift. Then in chapter 3, the example is given of the
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Israelites who came across the Red Sea, headed for the promised land, and yet that whole generation died in the wilderness.
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And we're told, therefore, let us be careful, lest we fall away.
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Hebrews 3, 12. Then we move into chapter 6, and we're told that there are some who have tasted the heavenly gift, and the powers of the coming age, the goodness of the word of God, and yet fall away.
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They're crucifying the Son of God all over again, and exposing Him to public disgrace.
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So to fall away is the great danger. It would be like land that constantly drank in the rain, but never produced any harvest.
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To hear the word of God, to sit in the assembly, to hear the preaching of Jesus Christ and Him crucified, and yet ultimately to not believe and to depart, to fall away.
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This is the great danger. The fourth warning is chapter 10, verses 26 to 31. The person who goes on deliberately sinning after receiving the knowledge of the truth is trampling underfoot the
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Son of God, and the blood of the eternal covenant. And it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living
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God. So we come now to the fifth warning in the book. Things are very serious at this point.
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It is a good warning because it is one of the instruments that God uses to keep us on the straight and narrow.
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Let's read it. Hebrews 12, 25 to 29. See that you do not refuse him who is speaking.
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For if they did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, much less will we escape if we reject him who warns from heaven.
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At that time his voice shook the earth, but now he has promised yet once more
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I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens. This phrase yet once more indicates the removal of things that are shaken, that is things that have been made in order that the things that cannot be shaken may remain.
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Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken.
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And thus let us offer to God acceptable worship with reverence and awe, for our
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God is a consuming fire. So the big idea here is that God is a consuming fire and we therefore should be warned not to fall away.
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It is a warning against apostasy. The early Hebrews, the Christians who had come out of Judaism were tempted to go back to Judaism because that was a much easier life.
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It was a state approved religion. They weren't being persecuted the way Christians were. Thrown to the lions, lit up as torches in Rome.
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And so it would be easier just to go back to Judaism, do the temple rituals and blend in.
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And many people chose that. They departed from the faith. They fell away. But the warning here is unto those
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Hebrew Christians to hold on to Christ. To not depart because there's no salvation apart from Christ.
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The same is true for all of us. Maybe you've come from a different religion or from the world and the appeal of the secular world and all that it has to offer at times draws you back.
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The warning to you is the same as that given to the Hebrew Christians. You must not depart.
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So it says first of all, verse 25 See that you do not refuse him who is speaking for if they did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, much less will we escape if we reject him who warns from heaven.
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That first word, see is in the present imperative which means it's an ongoing action.
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You're not just to once and for all have seen something, but to see, to continue to behold, to continue to listen.
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See that you do not refuse him who is speaking. Well, who is the him in that verse?
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The context begins in Hebrews 1 .1 In the past, God spoke through the prophets at various times and in various ways, but in these last days, he has spoken to us through his son.
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That's him who's speaking. When God sent his son into the world, he definitively spoke to the world and said this is my son in whom
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I am well pleased. He presented Christ to the world and Jesus is the speech of God.
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In the beginning was the word and the word was with God and the word was God. God has spoken from heaven by sending his son once and for all definitively, but the nearer context to verse 25 is the preceding one, verse 24.
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Look at that. We've come to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.
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Cain killed Abel and Abel's blood was spilled to the ground and it called to God vengeance, justice, vindicate me.
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The blood of Abel cried out from the ground, but the blood of Jesus spilled forth from the cross and it speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.
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It says mercy, father, forgive them for they know not what they do. His blood was given willingly as a sacrifice for our sins and it speaks a word.
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In other words, the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.
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God has spoken in his son who lived a perfect life, died on the cross and rose from the dead and that blood that was spilled is speaking to you this morning.
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Appealing to you to hear what God has to say. The gospel is in view here.
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See that you do not refuse him who is speaking. That is Christ and his message of the cross.
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For if they did not escape when they refused him, who didn't listen? That first generation of Israelites.
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They received the law on Mount Sinai and it shook the mountain when
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God spoke. They were terrified but they went on in disobedience making golden calves right away.
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Remember how Moses had to smash the ten commandments and get a new set of tablets? Israel never obeyed the law of God.
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They kept departing and finally God sent judgment in the form of Babylon who came and crushed
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Jerusalem and took them into captivity for 70 years. Again and again they refused him who spoke.
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Much less will we escape if we reject him who warns from heaven.
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This communicates the seriousness of the gospel. Very often we as Christians think that the gospel is just some suggestion that we have for the world.
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It's so much more than that. It is a command from almighty God when we speak the message of Christ in his blood we do so with authority.
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All authority in heaven and on earth has been given unto me says the Lord. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations baptizing them in the name of the
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Father, Son, and Holy Spirit and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.
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These are words of authority from a king and when you go out as an ambassador of the king you go in his authority with his signet ring stamped on the words that you speak.
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That's why in Matthew 16 Peter was given the keys of the kingdom because when he went to the
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Jews he unlocked the gospel to them and when he went to the Samaritans confirming
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Philip's testimony in Acts 8 he unlocked the gospel to the Samaritans and then to the
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Gentiles in Cornelius' home in Acts chapter 12. The keys of the kingdom were unlocking but in Matthew 18 we learn the whole church has this binding and loosing authority.
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When we preach Christ we unlock the kingdom to those who are lost that they may enter in to the unshakable kingdom.
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We go forth in authority. The very authority of God himself when we speak the gospel.
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Is that how you preach the gospel? You know I've stopped saying to people at the outset
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Christ died for your sins. Why wouldn't I lead with that?
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Because very often people will hear that which is not a biblical articulation of the gospel by the way.
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To tell them Christ died for your sins you don't find that in the apostolic preaching because people will hear that and say well okay fine you go your way
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I go mine I guess I'm forgiven. What the scripture does say in 1
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Corinthians 15 3 and 4 Christ died for our sins according to the scripture that he was buried that he rose on the third day according to the scripture.
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And those who belong to the our our sins for whom
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Christ died are the church. Those who have come to saving faith and according to 1
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Corinthians 15 2 it's those who continue to believe until the end. And so what we do as gospel preachers is we go with the command of God repent and believe the good news.
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That's a tougher pill to swallow isn't it? To go and call people to repentance from sin and to believe in the son of God with the good news that if you believe you will find him to be a perfect savior.
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If you beat your chest and say Lord have mercy on me the sinner and you believe that Jesus died for your sin and rose on the third day then you will be saved.
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You must be repentant to believe. It's two sides of the same coin.
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Repentance and faith. The genuine gospel call carries this authority and the seriousness.
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Do you see it there in verse 25? The listener is told see to it that you do not refuse him who is speaking.
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Christ is speaking through the preacher. Through you Christian, the priesthood of all believers.
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When you bring the gospel to people the spirit working through you, giving you the words to say as you speak the word of God it's invested with the authority of God.
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Great seriousness. And so the warning is you need to pay attention lest you drift away.
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Listen to him who speaks from heaven. Next verse 26. At that time his voice shook the earth but now he has promised yet once more
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I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens.
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We have here a time marker which is meant to indicate how imminent is the second coming of Christ.
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The quote is from Haggai 2 6, right? You guys knew that, right? Haggai 2 6?
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It's where Haggai has called the people to rebuild the temple. They've come out of captivity back into the promised land and as they begin to rebuild they're commended
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God is with you. But Haggai tells them yet once more in a little while I will shake not only the earth but the heavens.
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Haggai. And then he'll repeat it later in the second chapter of Haggai. But notice in our text what part of that expression is missing.
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Hebrews 12 26. Yet once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens.
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Haggai said yet once more in a little while or still a little while in the
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Hebrew. I will shake not only the earth but the heavens. The expression that is missing is in a little while.
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In Haggai's day in the Old Testament there were still things yet to be accomplished.
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Christ was still yet to come. There would be the 400 silent years. Then Christ would come at his first coming.
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Then rise from the dead send the spirit and the church age would bring the gospel to all the ends of the earth.
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And so Haggai said in a little while. But the author here quoting the substance without using that term does not say in a little while.
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The idea of time here at that time but now in the text is indicating that the return of the king is imminent.
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Any moment. There's nothing left to be fulfilled. No little while. It's any day now.
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Open your eyes church. Israel is back in the land since 1948.
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The Messiah is soon to come and plant his foot on the Mount of Olives. Look at the world in which we live.
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Jesus said there would be a great apostasy. And Paul added that this apostasy would be just before the lawless one.
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Look at Europe. Once a continent that professed faith in Christ. Now in deep darkness.
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Look around us. There's a believing remnant. Praise the Lord. But look at the broader culture.
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How America is departing. Apostatizing from the faith. The signs of the times are everywhere.
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Look at the vaccine mandates that this government is issuing. Because of not just this government but worldwide governments that unless you take this vaccine you lose your job.
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In other words you cannot buy or sell and provide for your family without taking that mark.
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So is it the mark of the beast? No it's not. It's a precursor to it.
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It shows the totalitarian worldwide government rising.
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Which claims authority over individual Christians whose lives are made in the image of God.
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Each one of us has authority over our bodies because we're made in the image of God. That individualism which
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Americans celebrate is actually because America found those principles in the word of God.
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But the world doesn't accept that. And so you see this totalitarian precursor to the mark of the beast.
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You see the signs of the times? The rumblings are everywhere. They say that now seismologists are registering 55 earthquakes every day.
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20 ,000 per year. Part of that is increases in technological ability to sensitively detect even the smallest rumblings.
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But what it tells us is that the earth is rumbling. The earth is shaking.
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Los Angeles in 1989 was leveled by an earthquake.
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And still to this day people in San Francisco and all across California are waiting for the big one.
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Right? The big one? Little do they know what
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Revelation 6 describes of the coming big one. The sixth seal after the horsemen of the apocalypse ride out will be so devastating it will shake the entire earth.
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And those who live through it will be hiding in the clefts of the rocks calling on those rocks to fall on them to hide them from the wrath of God and of the
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Lamb who sits on the throne. A coming shaking as we see here in verse 26.
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Yet once more. It's soon. I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens.
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It's real. Verse 27. This phrase yet once more indicates the removal of things that are shaken.
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That is things that have been made in order that the things that cannot be shaken may remain.
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The real. The spiritual that we can't see with our eyes. Faith is seeing invisible things that God has promised with the eyes that he gives.
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Think of the kingdoms of this earth. The Aztecs in Mexico.
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Their grand pyramids and all the gold of the continent. The splendor of Montezuma.
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Hernan Cortes came there and climbed the steps of that temple and there he saw 50 hearts warm from sacrifice to the gods of the
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Aztecs. And this great kingdom was shaken when the conquistador laid it waste.
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Justly because of the horror of sacrifice. Human sacrifice.
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But they thought they were unshakable. So did Nebuchadnezzar when he built Babylon which even crushed
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Jerusalem. And he paraded on the wall saying, is this not
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Babylon that I have built? And then Nebuchadnezzar, because of the pride of his heart, was reduced to the state of an animal and crawled around, grazing on the grass outside of his kingdom.
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Herod standing on the wall, shining in bright clothes, reflecting the sun.
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The people said, is this not the voice of a god and not a man? He received that praise and God struck him dead.
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He was eaten by worms. The Roman Empire in all of its glory, supposedly invincible, it eventually fell.
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And so it could be with America if this country does not repent. Every earthly kingdom is shakable.
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But let me tell you what's unshakable. Mount Zion. That invisible mountain on which
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God dwells and all of his people. The heavenly Jerusalem where there are no tears.
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The glorious city that comes down from above is unshakable. The innumerable angels in festal gathering cannot be shaken.
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The church of the firstborn whose names are enrolled in heaven cannot be shaken.
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God, the creator of all, invisible to our eyes, but here unshakable.
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The saints of old, that cloud of witnesses of Hebrews 11, now made perfect, unshakable.
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Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant and the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.
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These realities that we cannot see with our eyes are real and they cannot be shaken.
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Set your mind on things above, not on things below. Everything else in this world can be shaken.
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We're seeing that, aren't we? This virus that ran across the world reminded a lot of people that nothing is secure in this life.
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Sicknesses and earthquakes, hurricanes, in all of these things we are reminded that this earth will be shaken, but the eternal kingdom to which we belong cannot be shaken.
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So finally in application verse 28 and 29, therefore let us be grateful.
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Pause there at that word grateful. Yesterday I was looking to replenish my Christian shirt repertoire, because all my
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Christian shirts are getting old and raggedy. So I found one where all it says is grateful, and the
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T has been turned into a cross. That's what I'm ordering. I commend that to you.
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Go online, get some grateful T -shirts, because this is the appropriate response.
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Christ has done it all. It's nothing of our own merit. It's Christ crucified for us. Our response is to be grateful, but we must come with reverence and awe, we're told.
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Let us offer to God acceptable worship, not flippantly, but with reverence and awe.
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Lastly, in verse 29, it says, our God is a consuming fire.
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We talked at the beginning of this message about the destruction of Sodom, right?
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And there's physical evidence that Sodom was destroyed by incredible heat, winds coming from the area of Jerusalem, and wiping the city out, laying it flat, and incredible pressures that can't be explained, forming daimonoids.
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That's pretty cool. The evidence that what the Bible tells us in Genesis 19 is actually true.
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But take that teaching a step farther. In Lamentations chapter 4, we're told that the sins of Israel were punished not less severely than Sodom, but more severely.
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Verse 6. For the chastisement of the daughter of my people has been greater than the punishment of Sodom, which was overthrown in a moment, and no hands were wrung for her.
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God says the punishment on Jerusalem was worse than what Sodom got.
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Why? Because when Sodom was wiped out, it was just laid flat, and that was it. Nobody wringing their hands.
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Nobody even saw it coming. It was just done. They're dead. But when Jerusalem was surrounded by Babylon, they saw it coming, and they trembled, and they wrung their hands, and some of their loved ones died, and some of them escaped as exiles.
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It was a harder punishment. And if that's the case, then what we can learn is that greater revelation brings greater responsibility.
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Sodom was wiped out, but the punishment on Tyre and Sidon, Chorazin and Bethsaida, according to Jesus, some of those cities would have repented if the miracles done in the other were done in them.
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So the punishment will be greater for those cities that rejected the revelation of Jesus.
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In the same way this morning, maybe you've been in church for a long time.
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You've heard about Jesus, His blood on the cross, and you're still deciding,
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I might take it or I might leave it. Listen, when you've heard the word of the cross, that comes with a seriousness, a heaviness, that you take the gift that's being offered.
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Because our God is a consuming fire. If you come under His protection, if you run into the rock, the cornerstone,
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Christ Jesus, you are safe. But see to it that you do not refuse
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Him who is speaking. Maybe you're here this morning and you're not sure that you've come safely into Christ.
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This is your opportunity to do that. We're going to close in a word of prayer. Maybe you're a
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Christian and you've been toying with sexual sin like Esau. The Lord is reminding you this morning, see to it that you do not refuse
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Him who is speaking. Maybe you're about to depart from the faith because it's getting hard.
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See to it that you do not refuse Him who is speaking. This warning is how
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God keeps us. It's Him who's keeping us. So whether you're a Christian or an unbeliever here this morning, here is your opportunity to listen to the word of God and respond.
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If you're unsaved, let's all just bow our heads. If you're not sure that you're a Christian, just pray this prayer in your own heart.
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It's not the prayer that saves you, it's the heart of faith responding to the word of God. In your own heart, just say these words.
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I'm a sinner. I deserve what Sodom got. God, you are a consuming fire.
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I deserve punishment, but this morning
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I'm putting my faith in Jesus Christ. I believe
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He died for me. He rose from the dead and so I come in faith.
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Please forgive my sin. Give me eternal life.
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Hide me in the rock. Shelter me from the storm of judgment.
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I'm sorry for my sin. Please forgive me.
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Please save me. In Jesus' name, amen.
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Hey guys, let's ask everybody who's a Christian, just close your eyes and just keep praying for your own heart. If you just prayed that prayer then, just lift your hand so I can see that.
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Awesome, awesome. Praise the Lord. Talk to me. I want to get you a Bible. I want to encourage you in the faith.
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You can be baptized. So keep listening. Now Christians, just pray for your own heart.
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Lord, keep me. Thank you for warning me again and again. I take your warning as a sign that you love me.
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Keep me, Lord. Don't let me wander. Keep me on the straight and narrow,
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I pray in Jesus' name. Amen. Let's stand. Praise the Lord for what He's doing here.
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Awesome. Let's stand and sing. We won't be the battle.
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We will walk by your side. You will go before us.
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You will lead the way. We have found a refuge only we can stay.
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Sing with joy now. Our God is for us. The Father's love is so strong and mighty for us.
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Raise your voice now. We know how it's made. Who can stand against us?
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Our God is for us. Even when
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I stumble, even when I fall, even when I turn, still your love is sure.
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You will not abandon. You will not forsake. You will cheer me on with never -ending praise.
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Sing with joy now. Our God is for us. The Father's love is so strong and mighty for us.
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Raise your voice now. We know how it's made. Who can stand against us?
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Our God is for us. Your death can separate us.
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Hell and death will not divide us.
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His son to free us holds me in His love.
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Your height nor death can separate us. Hell and death to free us holds me in.
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Sing with joy now.
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His love is so strong and mighty for us. Raise your voice now.
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We know how it's made. Who can stand against us? Our God is for us.
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Sing with joy now. Our God is for us. The Father's love is so strong and mighty for us.
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Raise your voice now. Your life is for us.
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Amen. Now to him who is able to strengthen you, according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery that was kept secret for long ages, but has now been disclosed, and through the prophetic writings has been made known to all nations, according to the command of the eternal
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God, to bring about the obedience of faith, to the only wise God be glory forevermore, through Jesus Christ.