WEBVTT

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And you're receiving this message because you

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opted in to be encouraged. I'm thinking today

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of 1 Thessalonians 5 .3. It says, While people

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are saying, peace and safety, destruction will

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come on them suddenly, as labor pains on a pregnant

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woman, and they will not escape. Jesus, of course,

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is talking about the second coming, the ultimate

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justice, and also the ultimate delivery of grace.

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When it's all said and done, this will be one

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of the greatest upheavals. the kind of thing

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that we all might want to avoid. But here they

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are crying peace and safety, and it makes the

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gospel look harsh to think that Jesus will come

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again and the judgment will ensue and people

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who were crying peace and safety will not get

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what they were asking for. At the same time,

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think about a pregnant woman. Well, pregnant

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women, as they come to the end of their pregnancy,

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they know they could experience labor pains at

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any time. And so the truth is, while they're

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crying peace and safety, somewhere within them

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they know that things can't go on the way they

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are forever. There will be a change. Whatever

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you're going through today, as difficult as it

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may be, be encouraged. God loves you, and he's

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taking you to a place in a way that will bless

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you beyond what you can understand, beyond what

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I can understand. And we can experience a great

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peace on earth just knowing that's true. but

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there will be those who are crying out peace

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and safety. Even those who are crying out, Lord,

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Lord, Jesus says, who will not enter into the

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kingdom of heaven, but rather those who love

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God through his Son, Jesus Christ, and do the

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will of their Father the best they know how through

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his Son, Jesus Christ. Let that be us. God bless

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you today. Be encouraged.