Sermon
5/27/26 Wednesday Evening Bible Study - Pastor Charlie Branch - Meadows Baptist Church
Publisher transcript
Transcript
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Heat.
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Heat. Heat.
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Heat.
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Heat. Heat.
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Yeah.
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Heat.
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Heat. Heat.
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Heat.
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Heat. Heat.
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Amen. Well, good evening everybody. Good
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to see you in the house of the Lord
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tonight. Forgive us for starting just a
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little bit late. We're going to go ahead
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and get started off with a song tonight.
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So, if we could have some youngans come
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forward and everybody stand. We'll sing
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together tonight. He keeps me singing.
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We'll sing all five verses tonight. If
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he keeps me singing,
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let's all stand together.
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All right, young and y'all come on. Get
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around your flag in your Bible. Let's
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sing it out tonight. There's within my
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heart a melody.
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Jesus whispers sweet and long.
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Fear not, I am with thee. Peace be still
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in all of life and flow.
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Jesus, Jesus, Jesus.
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Sweetest name I know.
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Fills my every longing.
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Keeps me singing as I go.
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All my life was wrecked by sin and
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strife. Discord filled my heart with
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pain.
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Jesus swept across the broken strings,
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stirred the slumbering courts again.
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Jesus, Jesus, Jesus,
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sweetest name I know.
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Fills my every longing.
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Keeps me singing as I go.
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Feasting on the riches of his grace,
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resting neath his sheltering wing.
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Always looking on his smiling face. That
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is why I shout and sing.
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Jesus, Jesus, Jesus,
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sweetest name I know,
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fills my every longing.
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Keeps me singing as I go.
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Though sometimes he leads through waters
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deep. Trials fall across the way.
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Though sometimes the path seems rough
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and steep. See his footprints all the
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way.
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Jesus. Jesus. Jesus.
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The sweetest name I know.
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fills my every longing,
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keeps me sing. I like this verse. Let's
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sing it out together tonight. Soon he's
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coming back to welcome me far beyond the
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starry sky.
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I shall wing my flight to worlds
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unknown. I shall reign with him on high.
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Lift your voice. Jesus. Jesus. Jesus.
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The sweetest name I know
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fills my every longing.
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Keeps me singing as I go.
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Amen. I enjoyed that. Didn't you? Amen.
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I'm glad there's a song on the inside.
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Amen. I appreciate you being here
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tonight. Let's get started off with our
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pledges tonight. All right. We'll do the
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American flag. Attention. Salute.
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Pledge. I pledge allegiance to the flag
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of the United States of America and to
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the republic for which it stands, one
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nation under God, indivisible, with
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liberty and justice for all. Now our
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Christian flag. I pledge allegiance to
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the Christian flag and to the Savior for
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whose kingdom it stands. One savior
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crucified, risen, and coming again with
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life and liberty to all who believe. All
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right. Now, our Bible. I pledge
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allegiance to the Bible, God's holy
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word. I will make it a lamp unto my feet
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and a light to my path, and I will hide
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its words in my heart that I might not
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sin against God. Amen. Thank you,
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youngans. Amen. And well, it's good to
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be in the house of the Lord tonight and
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I appreciate each one of you being here
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this evening. And I trust you've had a
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good week this week and I thank the Lord
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for his blessings and appreciate the
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rain. Somebody say amen and I thank the
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Lord for that. Appreciate God blessing
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us uh with those showers from heaven.
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Amen. We certainly need them and I pray
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that God will continue to help us. Amen.
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Bless us these days. All right, let's
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get into our announcements tonight. a
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few things make mention of here and then
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we'll go on uh with the service this
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evening. I do want to say thank you uh
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once again to everybody that came and
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all the labor that went in um to the
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service on Sunday. What didn't we have a
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good day on Sunday and I appreciate
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everything that was said and done. It
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was such a blessing and I appreciate God
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helping us and by grace was a blessing
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as they always are. And it was so nice
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to meet brother Anderson and I enjoyed
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his message. I believe it was a help on
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Sunday evening and I appreciate him uh
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coming and being with us and I
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appreciate him taking out time out of
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his busy schedule. I know he had a
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cancellation and uh come up and that was
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how he was able to be here with us. If
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you y'all know him, he's normally booked
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out um over a year in advance. And so um
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I was thankful that he actually sent me
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a message and said, "Preacher, I can
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come uh on this Sunday night if you've
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got to open him." And I appreciate him.
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He could have just went somewhere and
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rested for a night cuz I know that he
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probably needs that. But I do appreciate
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him coming by and being with us in that
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evening service. And I do thank you once
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again for all the hard work and labor
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that went in on Sunday. Do remember
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those souls that were here Sunday
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morning left lost. Amen. Dean spirit of
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conviction here on Sunday morning. Let's
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pray for those. Um but just a few
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announcements here. Um we are going to
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postpone youth Sunday. So remember that.
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I'm just going to hold that off for the
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time being. um just due to a few
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different things. So, we're going to
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hold that off for right now. I'll let
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you know when we get it rescheduled. Um
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but we will be having ladies and men's
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fellowships on next week um on Monday uh
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ladies there and on Thursday uh Monday
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the 1st and then Thursday the 4th. So
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remember that um ladies and men and then
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they're coming up in June. Got a busy
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schedule in the month of June. So
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remember the dates coming up. junior
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camp there the week of the 8th um
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through the 11th and uh then uh VBS will
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kick off on the 14th and we'll run
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through the 17th and so remember that be
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praying about that and we're going to
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try to hit some uh knock some doors real
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heavy in the coming weeks and the next
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two weeks leading up to that. So
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remember that if you would please. And
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then our Father's Day outing on the
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20th, don't forget about that, okay?
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I've got everything almost worked out.
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Not going to let you know what we're
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doing just yet. I'm going to try to make
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it uh have us make us have a good time
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that day and I'm looking forward to it.
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We had a great time on our men's outing
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earlier this year and so I want you to
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please mark your calendar for that and
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we're going to have a good time of
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fellowship that day. There will be food
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involved. Somebody say amen. And uh I
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know y'all can get on board with that. I
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thought anyway, somebody say amen to
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that. Amen. Food is involved. All right.
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But uh on the 20th, so remember that.
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And then homecoming and Father's Day
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will be on the 21st. No evening service
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that day, but there will be a meal um
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immediately following the morning
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service there, covered dish. So, um
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remember that uh coming up. And then I
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want to let you know if you have not
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already registered uh your children for
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Bible school, you need to go ahead and
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do that. Okay? And last we checked, I
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don't think anybody has at this point in
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time. And so, need to go ahead and get
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registered um for Bible school and be
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telling those that's going to be coming.
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If you got family and friends, things of
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that nature, that you've invited, be
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telling them to register as well. And
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then if you're going to teen camp, you
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need to see Sister Brooke for
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registration for that. Um they're at
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Power of Two. That's going to be here
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before you know it there July the 6th
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through the 9th. And so remember that if
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you would please. And then um I do want
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to make mention of this. Um I'll be
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helping there with you camp at Light on
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the Mountain the 22nd through uh the
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25th. And just due to um kind of the
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lateness of us getting involved with
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that, it's kind of last minute type
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deal. Um I wasn't able some asked me if
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we could if they could go to that and
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their camps already full. Um but what I
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want to do is is we will plan on um
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taking a group up there next year. They
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do two weeks of camp and they're pretty
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much always those same two weeks in
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June. And so um we'll try to get ahead
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on that a little bit, but just keep that
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in your mind. I know next year is next
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year, but just keep that in your mind.
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Um we'll try to do that uh on next year
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and be praying for those weeks. I'm
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excited uh that they've asked me to come
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help with that. It's a I was down there
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in that meeting in Connesty a few weeks
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ago, couple weeks ago, and the preachers
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that were there, a lot of the young
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preachers my age were preachers who had
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either gotten saved or saved and called
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to preach. And it happened at Light on
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the Mountain. And that God had used that
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camp in a great way down through the
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years. Um, some great men of God. Um,
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Brother Paul Moss, um, Brother Steven
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Aldridge, lots of great preachers. They
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grew up going there and God used them.
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They got married there, called to
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preach, all kinds of different things.
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And God has used that in a mighty way
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over the years. And so, we want to
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support that. Amen. That's things been
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going on for probably 30 years. And so,
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um, if you would just pray for them as
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that gets closer. And that's all I'll
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say at this time. Uh, do remember the
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cleaning schedule is out there in the
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foyer for those of you that want to help
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with that. I appreciate everybody that
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works so hard cleaning the church. Thank
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you for doing that. And all everybody
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that labors, we appreciate it this
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evening. All right, let's get to our
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prayer request here. Forgetting
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anything, dear.
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Prayer request tonight. If you would
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please this evening, remember little
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Miss Charlie, that is Marty uh uh Robin
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and Marty's granddaughter. She is still
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at the hospital Brinards as of right
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now. and the last I heard and he he gave
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us an update, but I don't want to just
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disclose everything, but we do want you
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to pray, okay? Um, pray for the little
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baby and looking like a little it's
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going to be a pretty lengthy stay there
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for a while till they can get some more
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answers. I've not heard anything else.
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Have you heard anything? So, let's pray
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for them uh during this time. Please
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pray that God uh would help and touch
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them. Scary thing. I will say this, they
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did do think that she had a seizure.
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That's what they think she had um there
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when she was with I guess they was with
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Marty and Robin when it happened. I
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think that's what he told me. So
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>> it wasn't a seizure.
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>> Okay.
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>> Okay. All right.
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>> Okay. Well, that's great. Did was that
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sent out earlier?
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Okay, that's okay. Yeah. All right.
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Everybody's got these text chains and I
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don't know anything about what's going
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on. So, anyway, if you gossip on that,
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God help you. All right. But anyway,
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oh me, where do I where am I at now?
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Continue to remember baby Charlie.
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That's good news though. Praise the Lord
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for that. Um it's not seizures.
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Hallelujah for that. Um let's remember
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Miss Tracy Fortune.
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The text there come out. She fell
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yesterday and broke her ankle. Okay, so
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let's remember her in prayer. Bless her
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heart. Let's remember that this evening.
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And uh something else I was going to
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make mention of. It just left me. I've
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got about 50 thoughts that just hit my
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mind all at the same time. Has anybody
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else got a prayer request tonight before
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we pray?
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Yes, ma'am.
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there.
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I'm still in shock.
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I'm just so grateful for
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everything.
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>> Amen.
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for him. I know it's hard to say.
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>> Amen. God bless you, sister. Let's do
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indeed pray um for Chase. And uh tell
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you this, God gave him another chance.
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>> And uh we ought I y'all to never take
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that for granted. And uh I I thought
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about that. There's been some days in my
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life and accidents I could have been in,
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I was just seconds away from and uh God
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spared me. And uh he's got a reason for
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us to be here. And uh let's indeed pray
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pray pray that God will touch him and
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help him. Amen. All right. Someone else
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tonight. Yes, sir.
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Amen. Let's continue to pray for John.
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Let's remember Don and Eric as well.
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Pray for them,
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their family. God knows
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someone else.
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Amen. Let's remember Miss Haley in
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prayer.
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What's her last name now?
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>> Blackwood.
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All right. I won't have no trouble
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remembering that.
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That's a lie. Amen. Anyway,
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go ahead, sister.
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All right, let's remember that, brother
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Todd.
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>> Yes.
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Pray for Miss Marylu and Todd tomorrow
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to go to the doctor. Maybe they get some
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help.
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Amen. Someone else. Yes, ma'am.
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He was here. Where'd he go?
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>> Okay.
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>> All right.
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Let's remember brother Paul in prayer.
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All right. Some
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>> Okay,
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let's remember that this evening.
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Someone else tonight.
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All right,
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let's remember brother David in prayer.
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Someone else.
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Yes, ma'am. Amen.
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Someone else tonight.
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Yes, ma'am. Amen. Let's remember brother
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Mike in prayer. That was the one I was
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trying to think about. If y'all wouldn't
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remember him, they had a long day today
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and uh doctor's appointments, different
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things, and he was in a lot of pain um
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this evening. So, um, pray specifically
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God will give him rest from the pain,
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but also pray specifically there's
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nothing wrong because he didn't go to
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the doctor after he had his fall last
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week. And, uh, pray that God will just
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fix that. Amen. Pray God will bless him.
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He can do that, you know. He He very
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well can do that. Amen. So, let's
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remember him in prayer. Miss Carolyn as
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well.
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Anything else tonight before we pray?
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>> Amen.
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>> Amen. Praise the Lord for that.
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Anything else tonight before we pray?
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Amen.
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Amen. Well, let's remember our
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missionaries in prayer and pray that God
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will bless that. Be praying for upcoming
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services here. Got pray for special days
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coming up, different things going on.
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Let's pray especially for young people
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these days and devil's fighting them.
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And uh and I don't want I don't want to
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give him the victory. And so what I
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choose to do is I'm going to keep
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preaching.
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>> And uh whether it's a house full,
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whether there's five of us here,
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>> Amen. I'm going to preach anyway. And uh
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long as God will keep the Hey, I God can
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keep the lights on. Amen. I'm not
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worried about that. And Brother Grley
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said this one point in time. He was
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talking about preachers pastoring in in
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rural places where there's just a
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handful, five or 10 people coming. He
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said, "I think the greatest work of God
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is done in those little towns where God
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has just kept the light of the gospel
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shining every Sunday and Wednesday night
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for 10, 20, and 30 years with just a
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handful of people. Because if that
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church shut down, they wouldn't be a
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gospel witness there. And uh I really
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believe we need it in these days. And
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you say, "Preacher, well, churches are a
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dime a dozen around here." Well, this is
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the church in Meadows.
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>> Amen. And God put it here for a reason.
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>> And we going to serve and we going to
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stick with it until Jesus comes back.
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Can I get an amen right there?
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>> Amen. We're going to hang with this
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thing. Amen. Praise the Lord for it. I
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love each one of you and thank the Lord
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for you. And uh Miss Stacy, did we reach
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the $5,000
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on Sunday?
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Not sure. Okay. Didn't know if we looked
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over that or not. Know Sunday was a
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hectic day. So, um but anyway, thank you
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to all that gave. I think all that we
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needed was like $1,000 for that and the
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offering plate was full last when I we
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put it in there. So, um thank the Lord
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for that. I appreciate God's blessing uh
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there. We'll get that to them here just
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directly. Do pray for our missionaries
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and pray for the places that they serve.
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Pray for these ones that'll be coming uh
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to missions conference uh that God will
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provide the funds to take them on. Pray
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for the classes tonight and that God
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will bless the teachers and help us
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tonight. So, let's all can and will come
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to the altar and pray uh this evening.
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Didn't mean to take all that long. A lot
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of stuff to pray about. And let's pray
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tonight. Pray for each other and uh
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pray God to keep us strong.
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He'd love to tear your home all to
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pieces. He'd love to tear mine up. And
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uh
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there's men and women falling out left
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and right. Stay with it, church. Stay
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with it. Love the Lord and love your
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family. And uh be everything God wants
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you to be. Let's pray tonight.
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Father, thank you for this day. Thank
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you for your grace and kindness to us,
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Lord. We realize, Father, that we're
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we're nothing tonight and undeserving of
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the least of your mercies. But God,
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you've been so good. We thank you,
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Father, for your kindness towards us.
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Thank you, God, for the blood of Jesus,
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Lord, that was shed on Calvary, Lord, to
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pay the sin debt, Father, Lord, that I
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owed and that the world owed, Father.
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God, I know, Lord, if it were not for
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the grace, Lord, that was manifested
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that day, Lord, as that crimson blood
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poured out your side, Father, Lord, the
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grace that was manifested there, Lord, I
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know I'd be lost, God, even today if it
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were not for your hand. And I thank you
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for that. God, I pray tonight, Lord,
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number one, you would cleanse me of sin
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and self forgive me. I pray, God, that
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you would help me. Lord, I realize,
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Father, that we need you in these days.
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And God, if we're going to have any help
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from you, Lord, we're going to have to
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get ourselves right and clean. And so,
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Lord, I pray you cleanse us of all sin,
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draw us near unto you. Rid us of the
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flesh. God, we pray that all the will of
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God would be done, Lord, in this service
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tonight in every heart and every life. I
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pray, God, that you would bless each one
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that's here. God, thank you so much,
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Father, for how you've helped us in
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these days. God, I thank you, Father,
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for these faithful ones, Lord, that
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you've blessed, God, in these days to be
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here. here. And Lord, thank you for our
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health and strength that allows us to be
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here. I know there's many, God, that
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would love to be here tonight, but Lord,
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because of their health, they're not
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able, God. We pray you'd be with them
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tonight. And we ask you for the many
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requests of prayer that were mentioned
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this evening. God, you know each and
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every situation, every heart and life.
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And God, we know, Father, Lord, that
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you're able to help us. And God, I pray,
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Father, that you would help us according
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to your will tonight. Lord, I ask you,
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God, humbly, Lord, that you would exalt
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your word tonight. Get glory unto
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yourself. And God, I pray, Father,
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you'll give strength, Lord, to each one
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that's downtrodden. I pray you'll
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encourage those, Father, uh, Lord, who
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are discouraged tonight. And, God, I
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pray tonight, Father, we'd all leave
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closer to you than we were when we came
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in. God, I pray that you'll help each
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home and each heart here that's tonight.
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God, I pray, Father, Lord, more than
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anything, if there's somebody here in
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our midst that's lost, God, I pray you'd
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save them by your grace. God, please
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help us tonight. God, we need you, Lord.
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We're asking you, Father, would you
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please help us, God? We need your touch
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in these days. And know we pray, God,
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that you would continue to build a hedge
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about this church and about each family
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that's here. And God, that you would get
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glory and honor, Lord, in the way that
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only you can. Well, we sure love you.
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And thank you so much for loving us. We
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ask all this in Jesus name. Amen.
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Genesis chapter 12 tonight.
Genesis 12 chapter mention
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Genesis chapter 12. We'll begin reading
Genesis 12 chapter mention
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in verse number four
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tonight.
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Two messages here in the life of
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Abraham. This will be our third this
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evening. And uh just praying what the
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Lord would have us to do. Series is
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good, but series without God is just a
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waste of breath. And so um I just want
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to follow him. Um but I do believe he's
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led us back here again this evening. So
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let's look in verse 4 of Genesis 12
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tonight. The Bible says, "So Ab Abram
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departed as the Lord had spoken unto
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him, and Lot went with him. And Abram
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was 70 and5 years old when he departed
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out of Haran. And Abram took Sarai his
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wife and Lot his brother's son and all
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their substance that they had gathered
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and the souls that they had gotten in
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Haran and they went forth to go into the
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land of Canaan and into the land of
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Canaan they came. And Abram passed
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through the land under the place of
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Sycam unto the plain of Mora. And the
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Canaanite was then in the land. The Lord
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appeared unto Abram, and said, Unto thy
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seed will I give this land. And there
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builded he an altar unto the Lord, who
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appeared unto him. And he removed from
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thence unto a mountain on the east of
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Bethl, and pitched his tent, having
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Bethl on the west, and Ai on the east.
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And there he builded an altar unto the
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Lord, and called upon the name of the
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Lord. And Abram journeyed, going on
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still toward the south. Father, I ask
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you humbly tonight that you would help
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us. God, I realize, Father, Lord, that
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once more, I have nothing to say if you
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do not speak through me. And Lord, I
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pray that you would hide the ignorance
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of my youth. And Lord, allow me to speak
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with the tongue of the learn tonight.
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Lord, give me liberty and give me
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uncction. God, I pray that you would
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fill me with the spirit of God. And
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Lord, I pray, Father, Lord, for each
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person that's here tonight, God, that
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you would bless and touch every life as
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a result of this time. May we take your
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word and apply it to our hearts and
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lives. And Lord, may we live what we
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read out in shoe leather these days.
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God, I thank you for this church. Please
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bless each one that's here. And we'll
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thank you for it because we ask it in
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Jesus name. Amen. Genesis 12. Of course,
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we have studied the life of Abram up to
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this point in the text. We have
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considered uh the beginning of Abraham.
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We've considered the blessedness of
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Abraham. And if you want to alliterate
-
it, you can call tonight's sermon the
-
building of Abraham. But I just want to
-
look at the text tonight and simply give
-
you uh what the Lord has put on my heart
-
this evening. And uh we noted here
-
concerning the blessedness of Abraham on
-
last week that it was only found when
-
Abram stepped out in faith. And I'm
-
reminded of this fact in my life and
-
yours that we will never experience
-
God's blessing in our life until we just
-
simply obey. And it just seems like
-
that's been the thought that the Lord
-
has driven home in every one of these
-
sermons. It's been the the beginning and
-
the ending of all of these messages
-
really. And I want you to notice in the
-
text tonight, the Bible tells us that
-
Abram left Haran there in verse number
-
four when he was 75 years old. Lot is
-
with him. And the Bible says in verse 5
-
that he took Sarah, his wife, Lot, his
-
brother's son, and all their substance
-
that they had gathered, and the souls
-
that they had gotten in Haran, and they
-
went forth to go into the land of
-
Canaan, and into the land of Canaan,
-
they came. And so Abram here in the
-
text, he is finally obeying God. He is
-
finally doing what God had asked him to
-
do. But what I find is interesting in
-
this text, and you could look at it one
-
of two different ways. I'm going to
-
choose to look at it in one manner, is
-
Abram is still hindered in this text.
-
And you say, "What do you mean by that?"
-
Well, I notice in verse number five,
-
four five four things that I want to put
-
on your heart by way of introduction.
-
And I don't want you to miss these
-
thoughts this evening. The Bible says
-
there in the text that he gathers his
-
family. Now, it mentions Sarah, his
-
wife, and Lot, his brother's son. And
-
so, his family is found there in verse
-
number five. And then there's also a
-
fortune that's mentioned there in verse
-
number five. And all their substance,
-
their possessions, notice this, that
-
they had gathered. And then not only
-
there's his family, his fortune, and
-
then there is his followers or his
-
servants. The Bible says, "And the souls
-
that they had gotten in Haran, and they
-
went forth to go into the land of
-
Canaan, into the land of Canaan they
-
came." And and this thought has been
-
really just rolling around in my mind.
-
Abram leaves Haran in this text with a
-
lot of baggage. You say, "What do you
-
mean by that?" Well, notice what's said
-
there in the text. Now God highlights
-
everything that Abram has. And we know
-
that later on in Abram's life, it would
-
be considered a prosper prosperous
-
blessing. What Abram his blessing was
-
given to him. It was a land. It was
-
inheritance. It was a I I guess you
-
would say a possessional or a monetary
-
inheritance. But what I find in this
-
text is Abram's disobedience is
-
following him. You say, "What do you
-
mean by that?" Well, the Bible says that
-
these the souls that are mentioned, the
-
substance that's mentioned, and also
-
this son of of uh his brother here in
-
the text, Lot is mentioned. All of these
-
were gotten to Abraham in Haran. Now,
-
what do we know about Haran? Haran was a
-
place Abram was never supposed to be.
-
>> Right?
-
>> Amen. Abram picked up a whole lot of
-
baggage in Haran because he went to a
-
place that he was never supposed to go
-
in the first place.
-
>> I want to say this to you tonight. You
-
need to be careful where you spend your
-
life, what you invest your life in,
-
where you allow yourself or a husband or
-
a wife where husband where you allow
-
your wife to go, wife, where you allow
-
your children to go. You ought to be
-
careful where you find yourself because
-
Abram in this text picked up a lot of
-
baggage that he would not have had
-
otherwise.
-
And the Bible says here in the text that
-
his future is seen. In verse five, they
-
went forth to go into the land of
-
Canaan. And into the land of Canaan they
-
came. And so we're thankful that Abram
-
has made it out of where he was. He's
-
made it out of Haran. He's come into
-
Canaan land. But we know there's going
-
to be problems that go from this day
-
forward. And I don't want you to miss
-
tonight the truth that's found in this
-
text concerning the building of Abram.
-
But Abram's building is going to be
-
hindered in this text because of his
-
disobedience. But when Abram finally
-
leaves the place where he was never
-
supposed to be, the Bible says that into
-
the land of Canaan they came and Abram's
-
75 years old and he's finally getting
-
where God has desired for him to be. I
-
would I would hate to know that I waste
-
over half of my life
-
>> just trying to get to the place where I
-
know I was supposed to be anyway.
-
And that's what I'm convinced and I I
-
don't really the the rest of the message
-
is not this real tone, but just
-
something that's ringing in my heart
-
this evening is I'm convinced that 50 to
-
75% of Christian saved Bible believing
-
church people who are faithful, who love
-
God, will spend the majority of their
-
Christian life wasting it, wandering
-
around in a place they never should have
-
been. Right?
-
>> And so I want to exhort you tonight. If
-
God's telling you to go, get out and go.
-
I'm not talking about the church. I'm
-
saying and whatever he's telling you to
-
do, get out of that place and go where
-
he's telling you to be. Right?
-
>> You say, "What is that?" Well, it it
-
could be anything. You know, in your
-
heart what that is tonight. And so, I
-
notice in this text, you say, "Well,
-
preacher, if you're telling me that I've
-
got to go, what what what is the reason
-
why I should go?" Well, number one, God
-
told you you should go.
-
>> You're right. But number two, there's a
-
lot of things awaiting you over there
-
that you're not going to realize. You're
-
not going to be you're not going it's
-
not going to be revealed to you until
-
you get there.
-
And so in the text, I noticed the Bible
-
says in verse number six, look what your
-
Bible says. And Abram passed through the
-
land. He's finally come to the place
-
where God has desired for him to be. And
-
we know that the land of Canaan is still
-
Israel's ownership to this day. Can I
-
get an amen?
-
>> Right. That whole land belongs to Israel
-
and they're going to get it one of these
-
days regardless what Donald Trump or
-
Benjamin Netanyahu or anybody else has
-
to say about it. They will get their
-
entirety of their land. Amen. God shows
-
it to Abraham in Genesis chapter 13.
Genesis 13 chapter mention
-
We'll look at that in the coming weeks.
-
But they will inherit that land. And I I
-
notice what's mentioned in this text.
-
The Bible says Abram passed through the
-
land into the place of Sych the plain of
-
Moa. and the Canaanite was then in the
-
land. And I want to lay just a few
-
things I I guess if you uh numbered them
-
tonight, five things on your heart
-
concerning what you'll find when you
-
enter the land of Canaan, the place
-
where God desired for you to be.
-
I notice in this text and this is just a
-
simple simple uh thought directly out of
-
the verses tonight. I notice first of
-
all the first place Abram comes to when
-
he enters into the land of Canaan is a
-
place called syum. Now when you look up
-
that word syum in your Bible, it
-
translates to a city that many of us
-
would know well is called Sheckchum. And
-
Sheckchum all through the Old Testament
-
is mentioned as a place where the word
-
of God was heard. And I'm not going to
-
run references tonight because I don't
-
want to get ahead of myself, but I
-
simply want to give you the definition
-
tonight. And so what Abram found when he
-
entered into the land of Canaan, when he
-
got out of Haram and when he got to the
-
place he was finally supposed to be,
-
number one, I would say Abram found
-
instruction.
-
He found instruction. Now, what do I
-
mean by instruction? Well, the Bible
-
says he came, he passed through the land
-
unto the place of Sheckchum. Notice
-
this. Unto the plane of Mori of Mori.
-
And so this plane of Mori here in the
-
text, that word plane literally means a
-
tree. It's not talking about a piece of
-
land or a or a a parcel of ground or
-
even a large parcel of ground. What's
-
mentioned later on in the text when Lot
-
chose him all the plain of Jordan. It's
-
a different word. That word plain means
-
a tree. And that word mory in the text
-
means this. It means uh let me get this
-
get the definition up here. It's teach
-
it means a teacher or instruction. And
-
so when Abram come to the place of
-
Sheckchum here in the text, he come to
-
this tree in that place called Mory. And
-
this this tree represents instruction.
-
Now what's interesting to me in this
-
text is all the typology that's seen
-
here in the text. Now Abram has believed
-
God. He has left his father. He's left
-
his brethren in the Caldes. He left his
-
father in Haran. He's finally journeyed
-
to where God is wanting him to be. And
-
he gets to this place. And what's the
-
first thing he finds? A tree.
-
Now, there's no coincidence in that
-
tonight. What did Jesus tell his
-
disciples? Matthew 16:4. I'm just going
-
to be real simple tonight because I
-
believe this is what we need. Amen. He
-
said this. Matthew 16:24, "If any man
-
will come after me, let him deny
-
himself, take up his cross
-
>> and follow me." And the truth is, in all
-
of our lives, when you get to the place
-
where God wanted you to be, the first
-
thing you're going to find is a cross.
-
>> You're right.
-
>> You're going to find a tree. And what is
-
this tree represents? It represents
-
instruction. Now, I mentioned sheckchum
-
already, but here's what that word
-
psychum. Sheckchum means in the text it
-
means shoulder or strength. And so what
-
I'm finding here what the emphasis of
-
this text by application sense is Abram
-
came to this tree and it was a place of
-
teaching. It was a place of instruction
-
for him that did what? It gave him
-
strength. You're not going to find
-
strength in a church service in an
-
emotional heightened moment. You're not
-
going to find strength somewhere uh
-
having a a spell or on a creek bank or
-
even on an altar in such a sense as
-
having an experience. And experience is
-
not going to give you strength. You're
-
>> right.
-
>> Strength comes from instruction. And you
-
know where instruction comes from?
-
>> It comes from the word of God. You're
-
>> right.
-
>> Prayer functions. What does prayer
-
function off of? It functions based off
-
of the scripture. And so if you're
-
needing strength tonight, if you're
-
needing encouragement, that word
-
sheckchum literally means shoulder.
-
Abram found out when he left Haran, the
-
place where he was never supposed to be,
-
he would come to a place called
-
Sheckchum. The first place he came, and
-
the name of it means shoulder, he would
-
find a shoulder to lean on. He would
-
find strength that he did not have
-
before.
-
>> And now, let's be real honest tonight.
-
How many of you need a shoulder?
-
>> Amen.
-
>> How many of you need some strength?
-
That's right.
-
>> Get out of her.
-
>> Get out of the place where God never
-
told you to be.
-
>> Right.
-
>> You say, "Preacher, how is that?" And I
-
keep going back to this because it's
-
just it's just on my heart right now.
-
You realize that Haran I did some more
-
studying on this today. You realize that
-
Haran between the Caes where Abraham
-
began, the Bible tells us that God spoke
-
to him there in Haran and then in the
-
Caldes and and so when God spoke to him
-
there, they left there and went to Iran.
-
Well, Haran is some 600 miles from the
-
Caldes. But you know how far Haran is
-
from Canaan's land from where God wanted
-
him to be? It's about 600 miles. And so,
-
you know what Abram did? He got halfway
-
>> and stopped.
-
You know what? I'm seeing that happen a
-
lot,
-
>> right?
-
>> I'm seeing people put one foot in
-
and the other one's out.
-
And here's the thing about the Christian
-
life. It don't work that way.
-
>> You're right.
-
>> You're either fully invested.
-
You say, "Preacher, well, I'll dab my
-
toes and what you'll find is you going
-
to fall off the back and drown." Amen.
-
on the other side
-
>> because a double-minded man's unstable
-
in all his ways. But when ca when when
-
Abram got to the place where he was
-
supposed to be, there was instruction.
-
Now, I know this tonight. We're all
-
looking for answers. We've got different
-
problems. We've got different
-
situations. We are in different places
-
and we're all looking for instruction,
-
but it's not going to be found until you
-
get out of the place where God never
-
wanted you to be. But when you get to
-
Canaan land, there will be instruction.
-
There will be strength. And it comes
-
through this teaching, this instruction,
-
this tree. It is your cross. Now, people
-
talk about a lot of times, you know, my
-
suffering. You know, well, it's my
-
cross. No, that's not the way that
-
works. A cross is something you had long
-
before your suffering. You're
-
>> right.
-
>> If you got saved, what you were called
-
to do the after you got saved, you were
-
saved to do what? Serve. Isn't that
-
right? And so, you know what? Since the
-
day you've got saved, you've had a cross
-
to bear, and that is obedience to
-
Christ.
-
>> You're right.
-
>> Amen. Now, there's a lot of things that
-
get hung on the cross.
-
There's a lot of things that you need to
-
hang on the cross.
-
>> You're right.
-
>> I'm not preaching this tonight, but I
-
just I don't know. I'm just trying to
-
mind the Lord. Okay? Just bear with me.
-
There's some things in your life that
-
unless you bring them to that place of
-
instruction and let them die there, you
-
know what it'll do? End up taking you
-
out.
-
>> You're right.
-
>> The strength comes through the
-
instruction that's given at the tree.
-
Notice this. You see, there's a lot of
-
things that happen at this tree. And you
-
say, "Preacher, is instruction the only
-
thing that happens here?" No. Look what
-
else takes place here in the text. The
-
Bible says there in verse number seven
-
or verse number six, "And Abram passed
-
through the land and the place of Saikum
-
under the plain of Mory and the
-
Canaanite was then in the land." All
-
right. Now, you probably going to be
-
able to identify a little more with
-
this. Okay? When you get to the place
-
where God wants you to be, there'll be
-
instruction. Let me just remind you of
-
something. There's going to be some
-
irritation.
-
>> You're right.
-
>> Look what your Bible says. And the
-
Canaanite was what? Then, that's present
-
tense. right now then in the land. What
-
was the Canaanite people to Israel? They
-
were a thorn in their side,
-
>> right?
-
>> For all of history. And here's what you
-
got to realize that just because you're
-
out of har just because you are headed
-
to the place where God wants you to be.
-
You're finally getting there. You are
-
not free or exempt from struggles.
-
You're
-
>> right.
-
>> You're not exempt from the enemy. Matter
-
of fact, you're going to meet an enemy
-
that you never met before when you get
-
in that lane. You're right.
-
>> Because look what the Bible says there
-
in the text. The Canaanite was then
-
what's them last three words? In the
-
land. The Canaanites wasn't fought with
-
on the outside.
-
>> You're right.
-
>> You were dealing with yourself. Abram
-
was fighting with his family. When he
-
was in Haran, you know what he found
-
out? When he got over into where God
-
wanted him to be, then the enemies from
-
the outside started working in. When he
-
finally done what God told him to do,
-
then he realized there's another enemy
-
that he's going to have to deal with.
-
And let me say this to you, child of
-
God. Do not think, listen to me, do not
-
think that you're ever going to get to a
-
point in your life as a Christian that
-
you will not have an enemy.
-
>> You're right.
-
>> If you are saved, you have an enemy from
-
the moment that you were saved before
-
you were saved. From the moment you were
-
saved until the day of your death,
-
>> you're right.
-
>> You will have an enemy. You say,
-
"Preacher, but it's but but right now
-
I'm okay." Well, just beware. You may
-
not see him.
-
>> You're right.
-
You see, this text reveals to us that
-
when you get to where God wants you to
-
be, there will be some irritation. And
-
and the thing about is I think our
-
problem this day and time is we paint
-
the Christian life as some pretty rosy
-
picture that always works out perfectly.
-
But you know what happen? You know what
-
the problem with that is? There's people
-
we pray for that die loss without God,
-
>> right?
-
>> There's people that we witness to that
-
don't come to church. There's people
-
that we try to help and try our best to
-
give them aid, but for some reason they
-
don't get right. You say, "Preacher,
-
THAT'S DOOM AND GLOOM." NO, IT'S THE
-
TRUTH.
-
>> RIGHT.
-
>> AMEN.
-
>> But that's not to affect you.
-
>> You see, Abram's present in the land was
-
not stringent on the Canaanites present
-
in the land.
-
>> They would always be present. You're
-
always going to have problems present in
-
your life, but you should not allow that
-
to kick you out of the land.
-
>> You're right.
-
>> Getting ahead of myself here, but what
-
happens just a few verses after this,
-
Abram goes through all this great
-
spiritual awakening in this text and
-
just literally less than six verses
-
away, Abram leaves the land because he
-
decides it's too bad there.
-
You got to stay in spite of the
-
irritation
-
there. And there will be, believe me,
-
irritations. Irritants. Amen. People.
-
Amen.
-
>> Some people I think their last names
-
irritation.
-
>> Amen.
-
I'm just being real tonight. They have
-
no concept of who God is or how God
-
works. And when you talk to them, you
-
might as well be talking to that pull
-
pit trying to talk spiritual sense into
-
them. And you know the reason why that
-
is? Number one, they probably not saved.
-
Number two, if they are, they ain't
-
never read enough Bible to know right
-
from wrong or up from down. Amen.
-
>> Right.
-
>> And the truth is, you know what that is?
-
That's a that's an enemy. Not the
-
person, but that mindset,
-
irritations.
-
There's instruction here. There's But
-
there is irritation here. And I'll say
-
this, all right? And I don't think I've
-
got any more negatives after this. The
-
Lord may change that, but we're going to
-
try to stay positive. Okay, notice verse
-
7. And the Lord appeared unto Abram,
-
said, "Unto thy seed will I give this
-
land." Now number three, we see not only
-
there's instruction, not only there's
-
irritation, but there is inspiration.
-
I don't know about you, but in these
-
days, I need something more than just a
-
a quote
-
on a Facebook post to encourage me.
-
>> Go ahead. I need something that's going
-
to give me some life. It's going to get
-
me from one day to the next. Here's what
-
I think's happened to us. We've become
-
so shallow, we've forgotten what it's
-
really like for God to move.
-
>> Amen.
-
>> Notice this. The Bible says, "And the
-
Lord appeared unto Abram." Now, you know
-
what had not happened since the day that
-
Abram was in the Caldes? God's not
-
spoken to him again.
-
Do you realize that God does not speak
-
to him while he's in her?
-
>> Right?
-
>> According to what Steven said in Acts
Acts 7 chapter mention
-
chapter 7, Acts chapter 7:2, Steven said
-
God spoke to him when he was in
-
Mesopotamia. That was of the Caldes. God
-
didn't speak to him when he was in Iran.
-
But he gets to Canaan's land. Who shows
-
up?
-
God does. You know why? Because God was
-
there
-
>> waiting on him to get there.
-
>> Amen.
-
>> You say, "Preacher, well, God's always
-
with you." You know what I'm saying?
-
God, you know where you're supposed to
-
be. And until you get to that place,
-
God's not going to speak to you
-
>> the way he did. You say, "Well,
-
preacher, he spoke to me when I was out
-
in sin." He ain't obligated to do that
-
at all. If he does it one time, it's his
-
grace,
-
>> right?
-
>> Abram was called out of vericalities by
-
God's grace, and that alone, that was
-
it. God saved you by his grace. But if
-
you do not follow his will or obey his
-
word, God is not obligated to speak to
-
you again. You're
-
>> right.
-
>> The Holy Ghost will convict you because
-
he lives on the inside. But the longer
-
that you shut that out, the less he will
-
speak to you. That knocking that Jesus
-
talked about the church of Leosy in
-
Revelation chapter 3, that knocking just
Revelation 3 chapter mention
-
gets quieter and quieter.
-
And the truth is, if we need some
-
inspiration, we're going to have to
-
realize when we get to this place, we're
-
going to have to have God appear. Now, I
-
put this in in my in my margin here. You
-
see, where there's an appearance of the
-
Lord, there should be an altar
-
built to the Lord.
-
You say, "What do you mean?" Well,
-
notice the text. And the Lord appeared
-
unto Abram, said unto thy seed, will I
-
give this land. Notice this. And there
-
buildeth he what? An altar. He built an
-
altar. You see, where God shows up, that
-
ought to be a place you want to come
-
back to,
-
>> right?
-
>> This what I can't figure out for the
-
life of me. Why would anybody want to
-
leave a church where God has been has
-
has moved and we've seen him move and
-
it's going in the right direction?
-
>> Why would we walk away from that?
-
>> Amen.
-
>> Why would we do that?
-
>> Here's what it is. It's because our
-
flesh has decided it's better back in
-
Haran.
-
>> You're right.
-
>> Because you know what? all them
-
irritations, irritants
-
that wasn't in her hand or present.
-
>> You're right.
-
>> I don't know who needs this tonight, but
-
I pray that you'll take this. I'll be
-
honest with you. Truth is for my life. I
-
understand we all need what I'm saying,
-
but God's nailing somebody tonight. I
-
hope you'll listen to him. This
-
inspiration, you see what what is this
-
inspiration reveal in the text? Well,
-
the Lord appeared unto Abram and he
-
speaks to him and the Bible says, "And
-
he said, "Unto thy seed will I give this
-
land." Now, what does that mean? Well,
-
that phrase speaks of three things.
-
There's a people under thy seed. There's
-
a promise will I give. And then there is
-
a place, this land.
-
You say, "How what does that fit?" Well,
-
this is a deeper revelation of what God
-
is going to do. You remember when Abram
-
was given the command, notice it just a
-
few verses earlier, the Bible says in
-
verse one, he said, "Thy he Abram, the
-
Lord had said unto Abram, get thee out
-
of thy country and from thy kindred and
-
from thy father's house unto a land that
-
I will show thee."
-
Abram would have never saw the land if
-
he hadn't left.
-
>> Right?
-
>> But in this text, God gets him to the
-
pl. He finally gets to the place where
-
he's supposed to be. And God says, "All
-
right, this is the land that I'm going
-
to give to you. what you're treading
-
upon. This belongs to you.
-
You say, "What is that?" Well, it's the
-
inspiration. You say, "Preacher, why why
-
should I go on another day?" Because
-
there's a land that you're called to
-
inherit.
-
>> You're right.
-
>> You know what that is? That's victory in
-
Christ
-
>> over yourself. You know what your number
-
one problem is? Go
-
>> ahead.
-
>> It's not the regrets you have. It's not
-
the fears you have for somebody else.
-
It's it's not the disappointment you
-
have in somebody or something else. Your
-
number one biggest problem is yourself.
-
You're
-
>> right.
-
>> Your reaction, Amen, is more important
-
than anybody else's action.
-
>> You're right.
-
>> Did you hear what I said? Your reaction
-
is more important and will always be
-
more important than anybody else's
-
action. Abram in this text could have
-
missed a blessing if he hadn't come to
-
where God told him to be. But you see,
-
when he got to this place, he realized
-
that there would be some people who
-
would be blessed because of his
-
obedience. There would be a promise that
-
would be fulfilled because of his
-
obedience. And this place would be the
-
symbol
-
forever of Abram's obedience.
-
I wonder what land, let me listen to me,
-
mom and daddy. I wonder what land your
-
children are to inherit because of your
-
obedience. But if you don't obey, what
-
are they going to miss?
-
>> Right?
-
>> What inheritance are they going to have?
-
>> Because we're too afraid to face that
-
irritation. Go ahead.
-
this inspiration. He says in the text,
-
notice that he said, "I unto thy seed
-
will I give this land." And Abram, look
-
what his response is there. He builded
-
an altar unto the Lord who appeared unto
-
him. You say, "What does that
-
represent?" Well, I I've said all that
-
to say these these truths here. There's
-
instruction. There's irritation. There's
-
inspiration here. But there ought to be
-
an indication
-
when you get to the place where God
-
wants to be. And what is that? An
-
indication is not something that God
-
sets up, but it's something that you put
-
up to go back to the place where God
-
showed you something that you couldn't
-
see. You say, "What is that?" Well, God
-
didn't write a deed.
-
>> You're right.
-
>> All right. Hang with me. Okay. God
-
didn't give Abram a deed.
-
>> You're right.
-
>> That was handwritten by the fingers of
-
God and said, "This is your land and
-
sign God at the bottom of it."
-
>> He didn't do that. You know what? God,
-
your salvation that you've got, he
-
didn't write you a letter of salvation.
-
>> Amen. I know we've got the word of God.
-
Just hang with me. I'm making a point
-
here. God didn't write you a letter of
-
salvation say such and such date, such
-
and such time, such and such was
-
preaching. You got saved. sign God on
-
the bottom of it because that's not how
-
it works.
-
>> Right?
-
>> You say, "How does it work, preacher?"
-
Well, when God meets with us, he has
-
designed us in such a way that we're to
-
mark where he met with us.
-
>> Right?
-
>> You say, "Preacher, I don't understand."
-
Well, you remember when Noah got off
-
that ark, what was the first thing he
-
did? Built an altar,
-
>> right?
-
>> To remember that God brought him safely.
-
>> You know what? There was nothing. No, he
-
couldn't go through that storm again.
-
Thank God he couldn't. Amen.
-
But you'd be honest with me tonight and
-
say there's probably some of you that
-
wished at some point in time in your
-
life you could get saved again so you
-
could feel what it feels like to do it
-
again.
-
You know what your problem is? You
-
didn't set up a marker. You're
-
>> right.
-
>> You say, "Preacher, what's that
-
indication?" Well, let me say this. I I
-
want to draw your attention back to the
-
text here for just a minute. Look what
-
he says. There builded he an altar unto
-
the Lord. He doesn't only build one
-
altar in this text, but he builds two.
-
Look what the Bible says. Verse 8. And
-
he removed from then unto a mountain on
-
the east of Bethl and pitched his tent
-
having Bethl on the west and a on the
-
east. And what's the Bible say, church?
-
And there he builded an altar unto the
-
Lord. So here he builds a second
-
indication. All right. He comes into the
-
land. the first place he goes, that
-
place of instruction, that place of
-
strength, that place of encouragement,
-
that place where he found the shoulder
-
that he would need to lean on for his
-
stay in Canaan land. He leaves that
-
place, but only after he'd made an
-
indication.
-
He set up some tent pegs.
-
Remember what I believe it was Jeremiah
-
said? He said, "Remove not the ancient
-
landmark
-
which thy fathers have said." You know
-
why this generation struggles so much?
-
Because we've watched a bunch of people
-
go around pulling up landmarks. You're
-
>> right.
-
>> Because here's the thing about it. Those
-
indications in your life, there's so
-
much I could say about this. All right?
-
Those indicators in your life are put
-
there for you to have a place to come
-
back to.
-
>> Because in your flesh, just like Abram,
-
you know what he does just a few short
-
verses later? He goes back to Egypt. And
-
I'm getting ahead of myself so much, but
-
notice what the Bible says in verse one
-
of chapter 13.
-
Actually, notice verse three of chapter
-
13. After Abram left out of Egypt,
-
according to verse one, verse three, and
-
he went on his journeys from the south,
-
even to Bethl unto the place where his
-
tent had been, what's that say? At the
-
beginning, between Bethl Ai, unto the
-
place of the what? Altar which he made
-
there at the first. And there Abram
-
called on the name of the Lord.
-
Let me ask you, how long's it been since
-
you've been back to that place? I'm not
-
talking about a physical place. I'm
-
talking about that spiritual place in
-
your life where you know that God met
-
with you.
-
You say, "Preacher, what is that?"
-
It's not a geographical location,
-
>> right?
-
>> You're not going to find it on a map.
-
But you know what you'll do? There's
-
some verses that God will give you and
-
it's all diff different for all of us,
-
but I got some
-
indicators stuck up in here in a few
-
places where God spoke to me at once and
-
I can go to that verse and you know what
-
immed immediately will happen to me.
-
It's a good reason why you write in your
-
Bible too. You're
-
>> right.
-
>> Write dates, times, events when God
-
helped you. But I can go back to that
-
place and most time I don't even I don't
-
even have to have a date or time. I can
-
look at them flags that stuck up and
-
find where God spoke to me. There's an
-
indicator left.
-
God spoke to you there using this vi
-
this verse. Notice this. I'm moving
-
quickly. I need to get done.
-
When you get to where you're supposed to
-
be, there ought to be an indication that
-
you put up, but there also ought to be
-
some identification that's given.
-
I ain't got time to labor this point,
-
but I want you to miss this. All right.
-
The Bible says that when he removed from
-
Sheckchum in the text in verse number
-
eight, he removed from then unto a
-
mountain on the east of Bethl and
-
pitched his tent. Notice this, having
-
Bethl on the west and Ai on the east.
-
Now, simply put tonight, Bethl means
-
what, church? The house of God, right?
-
What does Ai mean? Means a heap of
-
ruins,
-
a heap of ashes. You say, "What does
-
that represent?" tent. Well, notice
-
where Abram built his altar and pitched
-
his tent in the text. He pitched his
-
tent having Bethl on the west and Ai on
-
the east. And there he builded an altar
-
under the Lord. He pitched his tent,
-
that's his dwelling place. And he built
-
his altar
-
between the house of God and the heap of
-
ruins. Now, what does that represent?
-
That represents the life of you and I.
-
When we get saved, what happens to us?
-
We get saved and one becomes two.
-
>> And you know what we spend the rest of
-
our life doing?
-
Choosing
-
between the flesh, that heap of ruin,
-
>> right?
-
>> And between the house of God, that
-
spirit. You see, the Bible tells us that
-
our body is the temple.
-
>> Ain't that right?
-
>> We're the house of God.
-
>> Abram built his tent between this. And
-
you know what this does? This sets up
-
the scope for the rest of Abram's life.
-
every decision that he makes is going to
-
go one of two ways.
-
Why did he do this? Because he needed to
-
realize where his center point is.
-
You see, he could have built that tent.
-
He could have put that tent. He could
-
have put that that altar anywhere. But
-
what does this represent to us? Well,
-
the tent, one writer put it this way. It
-
represents that we're pilgrims.
-
We're living between the house of God
-
and a heap of ruins. This world is not
-
our home. Abram was what? He was a
-
pilgrim in Canaan land. Paul said it
-
this way. He said he looked for a city
-
that hath foundations whose builder and
-
maker's God. What was it? That's an
-
eternal city. That's heaven,
-
>> right?
-
>> And he built he put up his tent here.
-
But you know what he also built? He
-
built an altar unto the Lord. What is an
-
altar? It's a place of sacrifice. It's a
-
place of supplication. And it's
-
mentioned the last phrase in verse
-
number eight. Notice the text. And there
-
he built an altar unto the Lord. what
-
your Bible say and called upon the name
-
of the Lord. You see, God will give you
-
instruction.
-
There going to be some irritations, but
-
he's going to give you some inspiration
-
to help you. The spirit of God will
-
inspire you. The scriptures will
-
instruct you. But you see, out of that,
-
you have a responsibility.
-
You ought to put up some indicators.
-
You ought to make a place of
-
identification. You say, "What? What is
-
that, preacher?" Well, this is the
-
bottom line. This is who I am. You ought
-
to decide in your heart tonight and
-
realize, all right, you're not perfect.
-
When you got saved, God didn't make you
-
sinless. You're
-
>> right.
-
>> And so, what is this place of
-
identification? It's showing, all right,
-
I've got to b I've got to battle myself,
-
>> right?
-
>> Every day. But then thirdly, not only
-
this indication and identification, but
-
there is for sake of literation, and I
-
probably need to stop doing this, but I
-
I do it because it helps me. So, just
-
forgive me. There's a place of invoc
-
invocation in the text. He called upon
-
the name of the Lord. You see, this is
-
the fulfillment of who we are as
-
Christians.
-
The only desire that God has for his
-
people is that they would speak to him.
-
Do you realize that out of talking to
-
him? You say, "Preacher, but he wants me
-
to read his word." You understand that?
-
That all that goes hand in hand,
-
>> right?
-
>> Your conversation with God is prayer and
-
Bible study. That's what it is. And all
-
he asked of us is that we speak to him.
-
And Abram decides that that indicator
-
was the altar, the place of his
-
sacrifice. The in the identification
-
showed his dwelling where he would
-
ultimately live his life between these
-
two places.
-
And his prayer was made on that altar to
-
his Lord. And you say, "Preacher, but
-
what if I fall?" Well, you notice in the
-
text, he falls right after this,
-
>> right?
-
>> Notice verse nine.
-
And Abram journeyed going on still
-
toward the south. Now, some writers in
-
their ignorance have said this. Abram
-
was always going forward.
-
You better be careful with somebody
-
that's always going forward.
-
You say, "Preacher, but some change is
-
good
-
sometimes."
-
But notice what's happened. You see, up
-
to this point, Abra Abram moving has
-
been good. But you see, his journeying
-
was not good in verse number nine
-
because of his direction.
-
You ought to be careful to never be
-
still, but you also ought to be careful
-
about where you're going when you're
-
moving. You're
-
>> right.
-
>> Say, preacher, well, how do I know what?
-
Well,
-
simply put, David said it this way. Thy
-
word is a lamp into my feet and a light
-
into my path.
-
the instruction that you're going to
-
find at that tree.
-
That's the only way you can keep it in
-
the bounds. You're
-
>> right.
-
>> And you're going to have to hide it in
-
your heart. Thy word have I hid in my
-
heart that I might not sin against thee.
-
And then and only then will you pray and
-
then will you find deliverance. You see
-
these build this building that Abram
-
does in the text. And I didn't really
-
get time to emphasize this. There was a
-
lot more I wanted to say, but I believe
-
the Lord got across what he wanted to.
-
Abram could have built a lot of things.
-
He could have went to one place, you
-
know, he could have built his house and
-
put his stakes down and did all of that,
-
but that wasn't what God wanted him to
-
do. All throughout this this story of
-
Abram, you'll find in chapter 13, he
-
journeys on, leaves that place at
-
Sheckchham, goes to the plains of Mamry,
-
and God blesses him there in the plains
-
of Mamry, and then he journeys all
-
throughout the rest of his life. Why?
-
Because he was a stranger.
-
But you know, Abram was all was fine
-
traveling as long as he was in the place
-
where God called him to be. And what was
-
that? That was Canaan land. Anytime
-
Abram got out of Canaan land, what
-
happened? There was trouble.
-
You've got a realm of life that you can
-
live in. And in that realm, there's
-
freedom.
-
But you say, "Preacher, well, that's not
-
enough freedom for me." What you're
-
going to find is there's going to be
-
destruction on the outside of it. You're
-
>> right.
-
>> And you know what sets the bounds?
-
Where this thing stops,
-
>> right?
-
Because the land of Canaan is your
-
Christian life.
-
And that victory is only found when you
-
live inside the bounds
-
of the map.
-
You're
-
>> right.
-
>> I hope you don't miss that. Father,
-
thank you for the time tonight.
-
Lord, it's different service tonight. My
-
flesh don't like it, but God, I pray
-
somebody's got some help tonight. Lord,
-
I know there's so much so many things
-
going on. We all got stuff in our minds,
-
thoughts, heaviness, burdens.
-
But Lord, I pray that each individual
-
before they leave here tonight would
-
realize, God, that just because there
-
wasn't an altar called doesn't mean this
-
altar wasn't open.
-
And Lord, I believe tonight that each
-
one of us, Lord, ought to put up one of
-
those indicating marks on this altar
-
cuz Lord, I've watched you do it in the
-
last two years. these precious people.
-
Some have been here 30, 40 years and
-
they've seen you do it over and over and
-
over again. And Lord, they've got those
-
marks up. Maybe it's time for them to
-
revisit them again. Lord, would you help
-
us to be obedient to you? God, help us
-
to identify ourselves, who we really
-
are, and put ourselves in perspective to
-
make the right decisions. And Lord, help
-
us to always be people of prayer. God, I
-
realize that many of us live busy
-
schedules and God, we don't have the
-
time that we want to. But Lord, I pray
-
that you would help us throughout the
-
day, Lord, to be in a mental state of
-
prayer. God, as we go, Lord, you bring
-
somebody across our mind, Lord. We know
-
that we can bow our head in just a
-
moment and pray and lift their name up
-
to you. Lord, we know if there's a
-
sinner, Father, that we come in contact
-
with, God, we know that we may not even
-
know their name, but you do. and we can
-
call out to you and pray for them. But
-
Lord, I pray you would help us all stay
-
in the place where you put us. And God,
-
if there's somebody here tonight in a
-
place where they're not supposed to be,
-
halfway between where they was lost and
-
where they're found, God, I pray you'd
-
get them to the place where they need to
-
be tonight. Lord, I love you. Thank you
-
for loving us. We ask it in Jesus name.
-
Amen. I love you.
-
>> Thank you for joining our service today.
-
We'd love it if you'd join us in person
-
the next time you are able at Meadows
-
Baptist Church. Our physical address is
-
2988
-
Stewart Road in Walnut Cove, North
-
Carolina. Our service times are Sunday
-
school at 10:00 a.m., Sunday morning
-
worship at 11:00 a.m., Sunday evening
-
worship at 6:00 p.m., and Wednesday
-
evening Bible study at 7:00 p.m. For
-
more information, visit us at
-
meadowsbaptisturch.com.
-
Thanks again for tuning in.