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Alright, if you guys would please turn to Philippians 4.

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So we are in the last part of this amazing letter.

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As I told you before, the church of Philippi, there's really no rebuke in this letter to

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the church of Philippi.

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There is something extremely special about this church and we kind of gleaned that from

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last week where Paul, or two weeks ago, where Paul talks about that they are the crown jewel

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of the ministry that he has done.

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And an amazing work and just amazing heart of the people of Philippi.

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And what's interesting is that many of us go around, especially when we're challenging

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you to study the word to God and to learn and to reason through the word of God, we

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say be a good Berean.

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One of the terms that we talk about in this letter is be a good Philippian.

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Because they studied the word well and really challenged and made sure that people were

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learning and teaching sound doctrine where the Philippians live the word well.

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And there's not many church examples in, matter of fact this is probably the only one, where

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this church just really lives out the gospel, really lives out the Christian life and Paul

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just exhorts and encourages and entreats them to continue to do so.

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And this is really this last part where Paul in chapter four verse 10 through 23, where

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Paul challenges this church to continue caring and being concerned with one another.

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It's pretty amazing to see the consistency that Paul does and the life of the Philippians.

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So my challenge is when you read this, pay attention to the heartbeat of the Philippian

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church.

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The heartbeat of the church is Christ and the blood that flows through her is the gospel

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and they are fully committed to Yahweh God in every way.

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And so I want to encourage you with that.

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So we're going to start off in verse eight of chapter four and read right into verse

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10.

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And this is what it says, it says, finally brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable,

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whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there

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is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.

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What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things and

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the God of peace will be with you.

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I rejoice in the Lord greatly that now at length you have revived your concern for me.

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You were indeed concerned for me, but had no opportunity.

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Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am

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to be content.

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I know how to be brought low.

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I know how to abound in any and every circumstance.

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I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need.

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I can do all things through him who strengthens me.

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So when you hear this conversation that Paul's doing, he exhorts, he entreats, he challenges

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them, he tells them to think about these things, set their mind on Christ, keep their mind

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on Christ, and then he leaves them with this encouragement.

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I rejoice greatly that you are concerned for me.

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That is really the reality of how God's people should be living with one another.

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Are we genuinely concerned for each other?

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I think that in some cases, I can't help but to think that regardless of some churches,

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there's a tendency for people to not show or there's a lack of concern, a lack of connecting,

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a lack of really following through.

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But one of the things I think, one of the principles I want to give you is this, make

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the Lord your refuge and he will keep and sustain you.

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Make the Lord your refuge and he will keep and sustain you.

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That's an important principle.

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And that's what Paul's understanding concerns.

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He has made the Lord his refuge and as a result, God keeps and sustains him.

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And you see that principle at work here as he's talking to the Philippians.

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I know, I've learned, I know that I am to be content.

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He is my refuge.

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He is all I need.

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But he leaves another principle in this conversation.

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And the principle he leaves with them is be careful to maintain your concern for one another.

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The world watches to see if we love one another by the measure of concern we have for one

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another.

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It's not just you're going out and feeding the hungry and that's important.

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But the world is watching not what we do for them, but what we do with each other.

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The world is seeing, if they're real believers, how come they hate each other so much?

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How come they argue so much?

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How come they fight so much?

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How come they can't agree on anything?

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It's never about they'll take your free stuff.

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But what they're really watching is the measure of concern that you have for one another.

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So be careful to maintain your concern for one another.

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And here's what it says in verse 10, I rejoice in the Lord greatly that now at length you

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have revived your concern for me.

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Now I want you to understand this word revived here.

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It's not that they stopped being concerned, but there was these moments in the life of

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the Philippian church when they wanted to show their concern by providing and giving

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and caring for Paul that they couldn't.

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There was really no opportunity, that was close, really no opportunity for them to do

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so.

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And so for Paul when he says you revived your concern for me, he's like you're still looking

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to care for me.

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You brought this genuine concern for me again and I am very thankful.

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He says you were indeed concerned for me, which we know.

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You showed your concern for me, but there was no opportunity.

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You had no opportunity to do so.

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Not that I'm speaking of being in need.

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I'm not coming to you and sharing this with you because I want something from you.

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It's not what he wants.

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For I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content.

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Now I want you to understand something.

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This word I am to be content is this thought is implying that we are to choose contentment.

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It's hard to be content when life is terrible.

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When life's not going your way, when finances are difficult, when you're trying to pay the

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bills and you can't.

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It's like how can I be content when I'm struggling and suffering?

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I don't know about that.

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That's not something I'm really looking forward to.

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What do we do instead of being content, instead of making that decision to be content, instead

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of making that decision to make God my refuge, knowing he will keep and sustain me, we trust

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in other things.

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Paul doesn't do that here.

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He has made a conscious decision that in every situation, in every situation I am to be content.

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I must choose contentment.

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Difficult.

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Not easy.

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But when you go through life and you struggle and things are difficult, it helps you to

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understand what contentment really means.

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This is what Paul says in verse 12, I know how to be brought low.

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You're going to learn that shortly in 2 Corinthians 12, verse 8 through 10.

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I know how to be brought low and I know how to abound.

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Trust me, Paul knows when it's been difficult and he just can't make it, he feels like he

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can't make it and he's done.

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After all, he was stoned to the point of death and left.

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He was shipwrecked, bit by snakes.

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They were seeking to kill him.

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He knows what it means to be brought low, but he also knows what it means to abound.

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There's been moments in Paul's ministry where you go, wow, that is miraculous in every way.

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But then he says, in any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty

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and hunger.

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I want you to hear that word secret.

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It's a very important term.

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In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance

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and need.

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You want to know what the secret is?

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Here's the secret.

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I want you to hear that list.

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Here's the secret.

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I can do all things through him who strengthens me.

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I can be content.

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I can abound when there's little.

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I can make it.

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I don't need to worry about my needs.

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Jesus clarifies this when he says to them, look at the birds of the air.

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They need a little toil to reap.

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Look at the flowers of the field.

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Not even Solomon and all of his splendor was addressed like one of these.

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Your heavenly father knows what you need before you ask him.

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But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you.

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You ever notice that the real true victory of the Christian is abiding in the refuge?

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It's not begging for the need.

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God knows the need.

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Abide in the refuge.

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He is my refuge.

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He will provide for you.

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God will keep his promises.

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You will not go without.

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But we're too worried because we think we have to do it.

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But there are moments in our lives just like Paul where he goes, I can do all things through

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Christ who strengthens me.

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I can be fully content in the plenty and the little.

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Let's prove this out a little bit.

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Second Corinthians 12 verse eight through 10.

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There's this moment in Paul's life when he's got this thorn in the flesh thing.

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All of us got thorns in the flesh.

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And it's sort of like, I think it's the way God tells Paul, get over it.

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But he doesn't say it like that.

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He kind of encourages him.

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It's sort of like get over it.

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It's all right.

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It's no big deal.

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So three times, he says, three times I've pled with the Lord about this.

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And this thing, this thorn was a thorn that was given by the adversary, Satan, that it

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should leave me like, please, get this thing away from me.

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And this is what God says to him.

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But he, Jesus, said to me, my grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.

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I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

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My power is made perfect in weakness.

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I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

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It's the same thought, same idea.

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And then he says, therefore, this is the, I know what it is to be brought low and I know

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what it is to abound.

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Therefore, I will boast, I will be content.

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I will brag about my God all the more gladly of my weakness.

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I will boast of my weakness so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

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Do you get that?

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When you're not content in your weakness, you lose the power of God in your life.

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Thus, no victory.

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You walk defeated for the rest of your life.

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Now let's continue.

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This is what he says.

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Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weakness so that the power of Christ

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may rest upon me for the sake of Christ.

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Then I am content with weakness.

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I am content with insults.

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I am content with hardship.

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I am content with persecutions and I am content with calamities.

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That's what he's saying here.

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Comma.

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He says weakness, comma, insults, comma, hardships, comma, persecutions, comma, and calamities.

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So you can put I am content between each of those words.

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The question for you is are you truly content?

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Because if you don't embrace your weakness, you will not experience the strength of the

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living God.

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You will walk in a life of complete defeat all the time.

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This is not some prosperity gospel nonsense.

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This is the reality of a person completely and totally content that Christ is their refuge

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and he through their weakness pours out his power in their life.

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It's interesting that we have a hard time I think as reformed preachers to talk about

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these realities because we don't want to make a come off kind of weird.

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It's not that.

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This is the reality of what a real true surrendered life looks like.

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It doesn't mean that we're not going to have trouble.

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In this world you will have trouble.

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Does not mean you're not going to go through struggle.

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You will.

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You're going to take up your cross daily and follow him.

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That's part of the deal.

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Life is not easy.

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But it can be winning.

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And even in the losing, you're still winning.

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This is what he says, for when I am weak, then I am strong.

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The purpose, principle number two, purpose to carry each other's burdens and God will

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supply every need in Christ Jesus.

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You must purpose to carry each other's burdens.

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You must find the burdens that we are all carrying with one another and help us help

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each other carry them.

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And you know the amazing part, like I said last week is Christ's burden is light.

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His yoke is easy.

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There's nothing he can't carry.

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And then he calls you to also walk with one another.

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So it gets kind of easy to do.

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Now this is what it says in Galatians chapter two, chapter six, verse two, bear one another's

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burdens and so fulfill the law of Christ.

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In carrying each other's burdens, you are being a shining example of an obedient believer.

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You have opportunity to live out Christ likeness every single day of your life.

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Philippians four, 14 through 23 says this, yet it was kind of you to share my trouble.

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It was kind of you to do so.

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I'm thankful that you're sharing my trouble.

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And this is what he says, and you Philippians yourselves know that in the beginning of the

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gospel when I left Macedonia, no church entered into partnership with me in giving and receiving

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except you only.

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So here's what happens.

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Paul gets saved, radically changed.

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He is the killer and the destroyer of the church.

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He goes to Philippi and all the other churches and all the other churches are like, I'm not

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giving any money to you.

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I'm not going to give you any provision.

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You're the guy who was trying to kill people.

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I don't know about that.

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I don't really trust you.

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So until you prove yourself, what's amazing is the Philippians saw Christ in Paul.

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There was something specifically different about Paul that the Philippian church was

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able to observe in him.

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And that was number one, the only thing that Paul cared about was the gospel.

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That was his main focus when he was first called to go on mission.

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That's all he preached.

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He says, I've come to you to know nothing but Christ in him crucified.

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There's nothing else that matters in Paul's life.

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And the Philippian church saw that.

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The second thing is they were absolutely committed to the gospel and to Christ.

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And so they were going to invest in that.

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They were going to pour into Paul's ministry in order to help him accomplish what God has

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called him to do.

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And they are the only church that did so.

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So they vetted him well.

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They watched his life.

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And through prayer and constant evaluation, they said, we're going to invest in this.

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This is where God is doing the work in that man's life.

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He's going to bring the gospel everywhere.

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And they did that.

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Paul did that.

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Have we ever really thought about that?

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It's interesting.

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Now you kind of understand why Paul says to the Philippian church, you are the crown jewel

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of all the churches I've ministered to.

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You're the only one.

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And even in Thessalonica, verse 16, you sent me help for my needs once and again.

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You continue to care for me and be concerned for me and invested in me and to take care

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of the ministry that was for me.

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If I could not take care of myself, I wouldn't be able to do the ministry.

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And they knew that.

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There was no hesitation in the reality of what was happening here.

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Paul's ministry was extremely effective and they knew it.

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And he says this, verse 17, he says, not that I seek the gift.

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I'm not asking for anything from you, but I seek the fruit that increases to your credit.

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In other words, every time you give, God bounds a credit to you.

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You get credit for the fruit that you're investing in.

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I have received full payment and more.

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In other words, you have given beyond what I could ever want and desire or need.

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I'm done.

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You don't need to send me anything.

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And if you send anything, remember that is to your credit, not to mine.

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Why?

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Because he says, I am well supplied having received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent.

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You've already taken care of me.

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A fragrant offering and a sacrifice acceptable and pleasing to God.

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Look at this amazing statement he says after this.

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You see the heartbeat of a healthy church.

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It's one of the reasons that at Mount Eaton we are, we have committed to work hard at

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getting one third of our budget to missions.

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We want the gospel everywhere, not only here in our backyard, but we want it everywhere.

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Now Paul says this, verse 19, because he sees the heartbeat concern, the reality of the

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people of Philippi, he gives this encouragement.

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And my God, because you have given this offering, this fragrant offering, a sacrifice acceptable

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and pleasing to God, my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches and

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glory in Christ Jesus.

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And Paul states this, he absolutely knows that everything on the planet belongs to the

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living God, even the wicked are to do his will.

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Everything that happens on the earth, God is sovereign in control of all things.

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It is accomplishing his plan.

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If you have any questions about that, look at the Pharaoh.

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He hardens the Pharaoh's heart.

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I have raised you up so that my name would be great among the nations.

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That's sovereignty.

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I am the king, not you Pharaoh.

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And after that, I'm going to kill you.

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Because that's exactly what he does.

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He drowns him.

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You're like, well, that's a mean God.

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No, that's an amazing, powerful God, because only God deserves the glory.

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The chief end, the chief end, the chief and highest end of all mankind is to glorify God

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and to enjoy him forever.

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That's the chief end of man.

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Westminster, large catechism, question number one, if you have any questions.

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Now after that amazing, amazing statement that God will supply every need of yours according

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to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus, he leaves them with this encouraging statement

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on the way out of the letter to our God and father be glory forever and ever.

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There it is, chief end of man, to God be glory forever and ever.

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Amen.

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So be it and so be it.

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Greet every saint in Christ Jesus.

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Greet every saint.

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Thank you for being here.

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I greet you in the name of Jesus Christ and of God the father and of the precious Holy

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Spirit who has been given as a guarantee of our inheritance.

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I greet you in his name.

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Thank you.

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So Paul states here, and then he says, the brothers who are with me greet you.

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And all the saints greet you, especially those of Caesar's household.

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And then he leaves them with this last statement, in the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with

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your spirit.

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What an amazing letter.

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I mean, to be honest with you, when I read this letter, I go through this letter, I'm

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thinking out of all the letters, this is like the most encouraging letter.

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It's one of the reasons why James Montgomery Boyce and several others who have wrote commentaries

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on this letter called the letter of joy.

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Yes, it is a letter of joy.

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But I'm going to tell you this, when you read this letter, do you not walk away with do

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you walk away without seeing the amazing doctrine of the perseverance of the saints?

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Not only do we persevere in the reality of our eternity with him, we persevere every

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single day in our life with him.

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So I really look at Philippians as the letter of the perseverance of the saints.

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If you want to learn to persevere, read the letter.

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Let's pray.

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Father, I want to thank you so much for your faithfulness and goodness.

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Thank you, in that you are just so good.

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Thank you for the families that are here.

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Thank you for the little ones that have come.

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Thank you for the baptisms that have been accomplished in your name.

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Thank you that you are high and lifted up and you have made a promise that if you're

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lifted up, you would draw all men unto you.

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We thank you that you have given your life as a sacrifice for many.

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And Lord, we are reminded of this amazing day when you have walked into your precious

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city riding on a donkey as king.

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You are the king.

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You are the king of kings and you will remain the sovereign king for all eternity.

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No one reigns but you.

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Lord, we thank you and praise you.

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Reign in our hearts and help us, Lord, to sanctify you as Lord.

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In Jesus' name, amen.