All Things For Good: Chap. 3 Pt. 3

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All Things Together for Good: Chap. 5 Pt. 4

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This evening, we are still in Chapter 3 of All Things Were Good by Thomas Watson.

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This is the third, our third part of doing Chapter 3.

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Going to try to finish it this evening. We'll see how it goes.

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But Chapter 3 is, the title of the chapter is Why All Things Worked for Good.

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And we've talked about the reason why, and God's near and dear interest in the people, and the fact that He's a covenant -keeping

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God, and we talked about the various relationships. And then we started talking about, last week, the inferences that we can learn from the proposition that all things work for good, and we talked about providence and such.

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And so now we are continuing on, and we come to point five under that, and point five as to why all things work for good, and the things that we can learn from that.

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So it says, see here the wisdom of God, who can make the worst things imaginable turn to the good of the saints.

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He can, by divine chemistry, extract gold out of dross. Oh, the depth of the wisdom of God.

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It is God's great design to set forth the wonder of His wisdom. The Lord made

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Joseph's prison a step to advancement. There was no way for Jonah to be saved but by being swallowed alive by the fish.

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God allowed the Egyptians to hate Israel, and this was the means of their deliverance.

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Paul was bound with a chain, and that chain which did bind him was the means of enlarging the gospel.

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God enriches by impoverishing. He causes the augmentation of grace by the diminution,

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I don't think I said that right, of an estate. When the creature goes further from us, it is that Christ may come nearer to us.

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God works strangely. He brings order out of confusion and harmony out of discord. He frequently makes use of unjust men to do that which is just.

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He is wise in heart. He can reap His glory out of men's fury. Either the wicked shall not do the hurt that they intend, or they shall do the good which they do not intend.

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God often helps when there is least hope, and saves His people in that way which they think will destroy.

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He made use of the high priest's malice and Judas' treason to redeem the world.

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Through indiscreet passion, we are apt to find fault with things that happen, which is as if an illiterate man should censure learning, or a blind man find fault with the work in a landscape.

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A vain man would be wise. Silly men will be taxing providence and calling the wisdom of God to the bar of human reason.

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God's ways are past finding out. They are rather to be admired than fathomed.

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There is never a providence of God but has either a mercy or a wonder in it. How stupendous and infinite is that wisdom that makes the most adverse dispensations work for the good of His children.

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That's a mouthful right there. But what are we seeing here in the fact that all things work for good?

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The wisdom of God. It's not our wisdom. In a million years, we could not imagine turning the things that God turns that are horrible by human standards and experience, and He's working it for our best.

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And so this is just a way that we should understand glory in the wisdom of God who can take those worst things and turn them to the good, bringing gold out of dross, out of the seemingly impossible.

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He brings them incredible victories and blessings. And He glories in that.

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Any questions or comments about that as we go through? I love how he says they are rather to be admired than fathomed.

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It's like, just appreciate what God's done. Don't try to figure it out.

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He can't. It's beyond our thinking. Just rejoice that, oh my goodness, in the midst of Jonah's being swallowed by the whale, how horrible.

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He saved him. Thank God for the whale and the fish. The fish. Thomas Watson had it.

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He had the fish. Puritan news on mammal, right? Whales are mammal.

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Anyway, and he says, you know, indiscreet passion that we would have to find fault with as if an illiterate man should censor learning or a blind man find fault with the work in the landscape.

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But how often do we do that? So wise in our own eyes and that we would take issue. We would find fault with God for what

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He's doing. Like, doesn't He see? Doesn't He understand? And really, we're the ones who are actually very foolish.

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But yes, we should glory in His wisdom. And we don't always, can't always figure it out.

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Be glad when you catch a glimpse of it and understand a little bit. Number six, learn how little cause we have then to be discontented at outward trials and troubles.

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What? Discontented at that which shall do us good? All things shall work for good.

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There are no sins God's people are more subject to than unbelief and impatience. When men fly out against God by discontent and impatience, it is a sign that they do not believe this text.

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Discontent is an ungrateful sin because we have more mercies than afflictions. And it is an irrational sin because afflictions work for good.

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Discontent is a sin which puts us upon sin. Fret not yourself to do evil.

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He who frets will be ready to do evil. Fretting Jonah was sinning Jonah. The devil blows the coals of passion and discontent and then warms himself at the fire.

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Oh let us not nourish this angry viper in our bosom. Let this text produce patience. All things work for good to those who love

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God. Shall we be discontented at that which works for our good? If one friend should,

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I remember reading this before. If one friend should throw a bag of money at another and in throwing it should graze his head.

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He would not be troubled much seeing by this means he had gotten a bag of money. Just so the

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Lord may bruise us by afflictions but it is to enrich us. These light afflictions work for us an eternal weight of glory.

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And shall we be discontented? It is interesting. I mentioned this last time just already looking ahead.

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Because like he says this seems to be the most common sin that the redeemed deal with.

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Unbelief and impatience. Unbelief like no of course we're believers after all right.

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If the Bible says it I believe it and that's it right. But here it is. Our actions betray our words.

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Because if we really believed it we would not be discontent. If we really believed it we would not be impatient.

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But we are struggling with our unbelief. And you can take comfort. Even one of the famous accounts in scripture has the father crying out.

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Lord I believe help my unbelief. We do understand. We apprehend. We want to cling to this truth and yet we struggle.

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And so it is a good and right prayer to ask God to help us with our unbelief.

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Help us with our impatience. And that's one of those those prayers that are always scary.

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When you're praying to the Lord help me with my patience. Help me with my pride.

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Oh how the Lord delights to answer those prayers. But it can be a painful a painful help to us.

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Throwing a bag of money at our head. Hitting a square in the forehead to enrich us with the grace that we need.

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So the point here. Learn how little cause we have to be discontent.

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The fact of the matter is we have more mercies than afflictions.

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And the afflictions do us good. And so we want to grow in our holiness. We want to grow in our sanctification.

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That we would consistently manifest this attitude. That we would see it for what it is. And we would have a right response to it as well.

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That we wouldn't be discontent. We wouldn't be ungrateful. And we would not worry. I wonder how the health, wealth, and prosperity people would take to this seriously.

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It's got to be tough. They'd be rebuking this. Right. Until things go bad.

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And they're like well maybe we can learn a lesson here or there. Number seven. See here that scripture fulfilled.

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God is good to Israel. When we look upon adverse providences. And see the

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Lord covering his people with ashes. And making them drunk with wormwood. We may be ready to call in question the love of God.

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And to say that he deals harshly with his people. Yet God is good to his people. Because he makes all things work for good.

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Is not he a good God who turns all to good? He works out sin. And works in grace.

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Is not this good? We are chastened of the Lord. That we should not be condemned with the world.

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The depth of affliction. Is to save us from the depth of damnation. Let us always justify

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God. When our outward condition is ever so bad. Let us say yet God is good.

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That's a uh. How many of us can say that?

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We do have that saying here. And I appreciate that. Um you know.

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When we ask each other how are you doing? He'd say better than I deserve. And I've had a couple times where I just had to stop myself and go.

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Yeah still better than I deserve. Because it was a tough day. You know it was tough circumstances

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I might have been reflecting on. But still better than I deserve. God is good to Israel.

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God is good to his people. Um and so. When we are. In our outward condition.

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Struggling. Let us justify God. Let's say he is good.

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Questions or comments about that? No? Okay. He's working out sin.

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And working in grace. Disciplining us. So that we aren't condemned with the world. Alright number eight.

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See what cause the saints have to be frequent in the work of thanksgiving. Thanksgiving.

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Slow it to New York there. In this Christians are defective. Though they are much in supplication.

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Yet little in thanksgiving. The apostle says. In everything give thanks. Why so?

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Because God makes everything work for our good. We thank the physician. Though he gives us a bitter medicine.

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Which makes us sick. Because it is to make us well. We thank any man who does us a good turn.

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And shall we not be thankful to God. Who makes everything work for good to us. God loves the thankful Christian.

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Job thanked God when he took it all away. The Lord has taken away. Blessed be the name of the

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Lord. Many will thank God when he gives. Job thanks him when he takes away.

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Because he knew God would work good out of it. We read of saints with harps in their hands. An emblem of praise.

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We meet many Christians. Who have tears in their eyes. And complaints in their mouths.

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But there are few. With their harps in their hands. Who praise God in affliction. To be thankful in affliction.

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Is a word peculiar to a saint. Every bird can sing in spring. But some birds will sing in the dead of winter.

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Everyone, almost. Can be thankful in prosperity. But a true saint can be thankful in adversity.

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A godly Christian will bless God. Not only at sunrise. But at sunset. Well may we.

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In the worst which befalls us. Well. Well may we.

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In the worst which befalls us. Have a psalm of thankfulness. Because all things work for good.

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Oh be much in blessing of God. We will thank him who befriends us.

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And makes all things work out. To our good. And so.

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Here. This other thing about. Why all things work for good. And what we can learn. Says what cause the saints have to be frequent.

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In the work of thanksgiving. And he points out the fact of how. Defective we often are.

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Because we're often in supplication. And. And it's not a criticism.

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But just something for us all to think about. If we consider the ratio.

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On your average Wednesday night. Of prayer requests to praises. Some nights are good.

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We have lots of praises. Sometimes it's. Mostly prayer requests. Guilty.

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Just as guilty. But. How many of these. Things that the

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Lord does for us. Day in and day out. Do we just take for granted. If it's not something special.

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You know. It's almost like we're entitled to it. What's so special. And yet we have this grace.

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Mercy is anew every morning. And so. Something for us to think about. To have that.

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You know. He says. Gratulation. Feeling. Expression of joy. That we would be giving thanks and everything.

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Knowing that all things work for good. Knowing that everything good that we have. Is from God. And even the things that we would say are not good.

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Are still good. And that's the whole point of this. You know. These last couple of chapters especially.

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It says many will complain. Fewer praise. It's the saint though. That's what really sets us apart.

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It's the saint who is able to be thankful in affliction. And so. Let us be reminded of that.

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And he said. Almost everyone thankful in prosperity. And how true. How true.

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Even back then. Some people were just never satisfied. But most people are thankful in prosperity.

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But the true saint can be thankful in adversity. It's a constant reminder of how. We are different than the world.

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We're radically different. Questions or comments? No? Okay.

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So we have a lot to fit in. But we're going to sail through. Number nine. Think.

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If the worst things work for good to a believer. What shall the best things. Christ and heaven.

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How much more. Shall these work for good. If the cross has so much good in it.

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What has the crown. If such precious clusters grow. In Golgotha.

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How delicious is that fruit which grows in Canaan. If there is any sweetness. In the bitter waters of Mara.

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What is there in the sweet wine of paradise. If God's rod. Has honey at the end of it.

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What has his golden scepter. If the bread of affliction. Tastes so savory. Then how savory is his manner.

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What is this heavenly ambrosia. If God's blow and stroke. Work for good. What shall the smiles of his face do.

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If temptations and sufferings. Have a matter of joy in them. What shall glory have.

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If there is so much good out of evil. How great is that good. Where there shall be no evil.

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If God's chasing mercies are so great. What will his crowning mercies be. Therefore comfort one another.

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With these words. That's something else. I had to stop for a second.

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You can do this. Glorious. You know we're talking.

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About all the worst things. And we are comforting ourselves. That God is using the worst.

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Things for our good. He's blessing us in those afflictions. Because he's growing us.

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In our sanctification. He's giving us a more appreciation for him. But there's going to be a time.

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Where this is going to come to an end. And we're not going to have to struggle. We're not going to have to ask the

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Lord. Help me in my unbelief. With these afflictions. And with our impatience. And with our discontent.

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We will have the full shining countenance. Of the Lord upon us. There will be no more sin.

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There will be no more suffering. It will be blessings and blessings. Wall to wall. That's amazing.

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How good is that going to be? Comfort one another. With these words.

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Of the things we have to look forward to. It's okay to remind ourselves.

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Of course we have work to do here. And focus to do here. We can take comfort. We can have that moment of respite.

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Where we just think. We're not going to have to do this forever. Forever is going to be glorious.

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It's not going to be like this. Questions or comments? There's coffee in the back.

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Someone put on another pot. Alrighty. We're flying. Good. We'll have more prayer.

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I know people are just racking their minds. What am I going to praise God about tonight? Number 10.

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Consider. What if God makes all things to turn to our good? That if. I'm sorry.

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Consider. That if God makes all things. To turn to our good.

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How right is it that we should make all things. Tend to his glory. Do all to the glory of God.

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The angels glorify God. They sing divine anthems of praise. How then ought.

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Redeemed man to glorify him. For whom God has done more. Than for the angels.

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He has dignified us above them. In uniting our nature with the Godhead. Christ has died for us.

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And not the angels. The Lord has given us. Not only out of the common stock of his bounty.

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But he has enriched us. With covenant blessings. He has bestowed upon us his spirit.

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He studies our welfare. He makes everything work for our good. Free grace has laid a plan.

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For our salvation. If God seeks our good. Shall we not seek his glory? And so he's about to.

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Mention a few ways. In which we do. Glorify God.

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But that's the command of scripture. Is to do all to the glory of God. We see.

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We have that prayer. That the Lord gave us. That thy kingdom come.

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And thy will be done. On earth as it is in heaven. I remember the question came up.

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When one of our brothers was preaching. On a Sunday afternoon. How is God's will done in heaven?

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The answer was perfectly. It's perfect. The angels.

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All those heavenly beings. They glorify the Father. They do everything.

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They're at his beck and call. And they're constantly. Giving him glory. Constantly giving him praise.

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And we have. A better. Situation than the angels. We have been made.

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Image bearers of God. And when he says unite to the Godhead. God took on flesh.

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And walked among us. Died for us to redeem us. And then gave us all these covenant blessings.

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Bestowed upon us his spirit. Go ahead. Do we have any idea.

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How they are possessed?

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Elaborate. Elaborate. The vision that Isaiah has.

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Of God with the holy. You know. You know like.

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I didn't say. I feel like there's so much more than just that. You know.

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Because like everybody pictures. Just singing. And you know. I feel like that almost goes along with it.

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Like shouting for the holy holy. Well.

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Lots of theologians including Origen. Have kind of compared. And like.

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Engagement with like the father. And almost like comparative to the son. Like. Part of it is like the unknowable aspect.

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In the sense that we can't like. Look at the son directly. Because it would blind us.

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It would overpromise what we can feel. And so. I think one of the beautiful aspects.

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Is about the father. Is that it's like. He's very unknowable. At the same time.

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Does that make sense? I know you were facing that way. So I lost the last half of what you were saying.

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You got to speak up. We got dead air going on over here. So talking about. Well I'll tell you what.

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I'll repeat it back. Well she's shared some stuff with you. As we go on. He's actually going to ask a question.

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Well how do we glorify God? And so we'll see where we go. See where we are when we go a little further.

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Yes. Sorry just to add. That idea of like how is

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God's will done. Perfectly. Because like God's will is done.

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Here on earth. The contrast is though. Like the nature of our obedience. Or disobedience.

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In terms of like. There's that decorative will. Which is fulfilled always. But then.

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Is it prescriptive or prescriptive? Prescriptive. Which we.

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Either. Submit to. Or we rail against. And Jonah's like the biggest example of this.

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In which God's plan was fulfilled. It just entailed Jonah kicking and screaming.

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While going through it. Where it's like in heaven. There's that perfect harmony. Where there's no rebellion.

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Against. The will. That's pretty good. Alright. So here's the question.

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On the screen. How can we be said properly. To glorify

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God? He is infinite in his perfections. And can receive no augmentation from us.

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He's God. He's perfect. How do we bring him glory? How do we make him glorious?

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He is glorious. He doesn't need us. Answer. It is true that in a strict sense.

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We cannot bring glory to God. In that we can't add to him. He is perfect.

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He does have. He has no need of us. And we cannot add to him.

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This will go against the grain. For some people who say. Oh the Lord is just pining away. And he was lonely without us.

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That's not what the Lord says. He speaks from self -inscription. And that's not it. But.

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So we can't bring glory to him. In one sense. But in an evangelical sense. We may.

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When we do what in us lies. When we do what in us. Simple words.

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I can read them. I don't know why. When we do what in us lies.

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To lift up God's name in the world. And to cause others to have high. Reverential thoughts of God.

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This the Lord interprets. As. As glorifying of him.

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Or interprets as glorifying of him. Likewise. A man is said to dishonor God. When he causes the name of God.

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To be evil spoken of. So how do we bring him glory? Well in one sense. He is glory.

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He is glorious. And we can't. On the other hand. What's the

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Lord's prayer? Father in heaven. Hallowed be your name. Right. So we want his name.

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To be honored. We want his name to be exalted. In all the earth.

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And we actually pray that. But then we go about doing that. And he has. He's going to give us three ways.

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In which we advance God's glory in a moment. But when we seek to.

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Highly esteem him. You know. So that others would also. Highly esteem him.

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That they would reverence him. When we speak of him the way we ought to. When we speak of him as being glorious.

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And as being good. And we go on and on. About the promises of God.

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And the majesty of God. The creation of God. All these different things. We are ascribing glory to him.

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And we are helping other people. To think the same way. And to bring him glory.

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And so we can either. You know mention on Sunday. You know

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Charles Bridges. I was quoting from about Proverbs. Saying that there's nothing. That we don't do throughout the day.

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Little things. Big things. Where we're either adorning the image of God.

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Or we're defacing the image of God. And so. In like manner. This is how we can bring him glory.

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Or we can dishonor him. He says. We are said to advance God's glory.

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In three ways. Number one. We glorify God when we aim at his glory.

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When we make him the first in our thoughts. And the end of our life. As all the rivers run into the sea.

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And all the lines meet in the center. So all our actions should terminate. And center in God. And so when he says.

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At the end of our life. Not just at the very end of our life. But the goal.

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The purpose. What we're about. And so. The ends justify the means.

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What are we seeking? What do we want to accomplish? Glorifying God. Making him first and foremost.

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Preeminent. And so. Everything that we do. As all the rivers run into the sea.

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And all the lines meet in the center. Everything we do. Should be. With a God focus.

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And so that's our way. By God assigned. To glorify him.

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Number two. We advance God's glory. By being fruitful in grace. Herein is my father glorified.

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That you bring forth much fruit. So right here. From the lips of Jesus. My father is glorified that you bring forth much fruit.

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Barrenness reflects dishonor upon God. We glorify God. When we grow in beauty.

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As the lily. In tallness as the cedar. In fruitfulness as the vine. And so.

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How do we do that? By growing in our sanctification. He's talking about the fruit of the spirit.

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That the good works that he gives us to walk in. We do that. We're his workmanship.

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And so we reflect his glory. By doing the good works assigned to us. And that's what fruitfulness is.

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According to Jesus. And to advance his glory. And number three.

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We glorify God. When we give the praise and glory. Of all that we do. Unto God.

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It was an excellent and humble speech of a king of Sweden. He feared. Lest the peoples ascribing that glory to him.

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Which was due to God. Should cause him to be removed before the work was done. Then. I'm sorry.

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When the silkworm weaves her curious work. She hides herself under the silk. And is not seen.

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When we have done our best. We must vanish away in our own thoughts. And transfer the glory of all to God.

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The apostle Paul said. I labored more abundantly than them all. One would think the speech savored of pride.

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But the apostle pulls off the crown from his own head. And sets it upon the head of free grace. Yet not

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I. But the grace of God. Which was with me. Constantine used to write the name of Christ over the door.

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So should we. Over our duties. Therefore whether you eat or drink. Or whatever you do.

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Do everything for God's glory. And so. How do they glorify God in heaven?

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In a similar way. Their focus is always on him. They live to serve him.

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And they do it perfectly. Those angels who are elect. Who have not fallen. They don't have.

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The misfortune that we've had to struggle with. Where we're not always obedient. We're not always faithful.

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We're not always bringing glory to God. Sometimes the accusation is true. That we're dishonoring God. With our speech.

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With our conduct. With our thoughts. He says. We must vanish away in our own thoughts.

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The angels who are elect. Are always glorifying him. Always thinking about God. Always being faithful.

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Always giving praise. Always looking to make others. When angels show up on earth.

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To testify to man. What is their process? What is their motive?

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What are they doing? They are helping men. To be reverential of God. To exalt him.

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To lift him up on high. Telling of his plans. Telling of his glory. What he's going to do.

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We have that same opportunity. Does that make sense? Any other questions?

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A follow up question? Anyone else? We're moving right along here.

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Actually we're almost done. Go to prayer. Have your praises ready.

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Thus. Let us. It's getting dead silent here. I don't even want to give a request now.

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Thus. Let us endeavor to make the name of God. Glorious and renowned. If God seeks our good.

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Let us seek his glory. If he makes all things tend to our edification. Let us make all things tend to his exaltation.

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So much for the privilege. Mentioned in the text. And so. That's it.

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That's what we're called to. Is to make the name of God glorious and renowned. He's seeking our good.

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We should seek his glory. He's doing all things for our edification. We should do all things to his exaltation.

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I can't add to it any better. The Puritan. Just stumbling along here. Limping with my vocabulary.

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To just. Expound just a tiny bit more. On what he's laid out for us.

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But he says it very well. And so. That's what we're called to do. And that's part of why all things work for good.

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And the things that we can learn. From the fact that all things work for good. How do we respond? How do we view it?

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And so. Next time. He said we'll proceed to the second. General branch of the text.

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The people interested in this privilege. All things work for good for those. Who love

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God. Right. I think it's reverse. For those who love God. All things work for good. So.

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Questions. You zipped through that. Did really good. Questions.

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Comments. I'm ready for anything. You know.

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Obviously going through this. And recognizing the afflictions. Of these things. That God is working for good.

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I have to question. When these afflictions and when these things happen. What would be my best good?

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And my best good is to glorify God. So that. When someone sees me suffering.

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Okay. And they say oh my goodness. How or why does this guy still have a smile on his face. And I can be a witness to what

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God has done for me. I have my sins paid for. I have an ear with the almighty. I have more than I could ever deserve.

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I have peace with God. So this happened. Big deal. And that ends up turning.

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The testimony and the praise. Turns out to give glory to God. And shine his glory in a place.

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Where it would not normally be seen. So we have to take advantage of all these good things. That are happening to us.

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Whether the world perceives them as good or not. To glorify him. Right.

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I mean. When we have the good. Those good things that happen to us. You can go back to chapter one.

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And flesh it out more. And again. If you forget. We are reminded of the promises of God.

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And what he is going to do. In us and through us. And ultimately in the consummation of all things.

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And we come into glory. And so these good things. Are just promises.

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Promises of even better things to come. But even the things that struggle with.

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Our greatest good. You follow along in chapter eight there. Our greatest good is to be conformed.

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To the image of his son. It takes a lot of conforming.

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We are big blocks of stone. That have to be chiseled away.

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To get to the point. That we are starting to look like Christ. Sometimes we have good days.

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And you know. We are walking more faithfully. And we can thank God for his grace.

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And then there is other days. When we are like Lord I need more grace. Because I am not feeling very much.

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Like I look like Christ. And my response. And my thought patterns. And even what

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I am saying and doing. Is not reflecting the fact. That I am identifying with Christ.

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That he has died for me. And he lives for me. And I have died to my sin. And I live in him.

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So we pray. We come. And we receive the means of grace.

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And we continue to. Take a day at a time. Recognizing that his love is steadfast.

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His mercies are new. Each and every morning. We praise God for that. Next time we will talk about the people.

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But I will give you one last chance. Nothing huh?

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That's alright. Alright we got done in time though. So that's good. I know you guys are just trying to work with me.