God, Our Present Help

TURN to 1 Samuel 23

Intro:

(Q) HOW MANY of YOU HAVE EVER PURCHASED a MEMBERSHIP FOR a SERVICE or BUSINESS && HAVEN’T USED IT??

**I’M SURE MANY of US HAVE BOUGHT GYM MEMBERSHIPS & WENT ONCE,, MAYBE TWICE,,, && STOPPED.

MEMBERSHIP GIVES OPPORTUNITY FOR ACCESS,, BUT THERE’S NO BENEFIT to MEMBERSHIP IF YOU DON’T USE IT, RIGHT??

OR PERHAPS YOU SPEND EXTRA on CREDIT CARDS for POINTS/AIRLINE MILES… && HAVEN’T USED THEM...

THERE’S NO BENEFIT to THESE THINGS WITHOUT THEIR USE!

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WELL, I WANT US to CONSIDER,, THAT IF WE HAVE BEEN SAVED,, & BROUGHT FROM the DOMAIN of DARKNESS INTO the KINGDOM of GOD’S BELOVED SON…WE HAVE the PRIVILEGE to GO to GOD in PRAYER, TO FIND GRACE & MERCY DURING TIMES of NEED...

**BUT DO WE USE THIS??

CHRIST PAID the HIGHEST PRICE FOR US to HAVE RELATIONSHIP W/ GOD...

(Q) HAVE WE USED THE BENEFITS of THIS GRACE LATELY?? HAVE WE USED WHAT GOD HAS ENTRUSTED to US??

LIKEWISE, GOD HAS GIVEN US HIS WORD & HIS SPIRIT THAT WE MIGHT KNOW HIS WILL

HAVING ACCESS to THRONE of GRACE DOESN’T MATTER IF WE DON’T USE the ACCESS WE’VE BEEN GIVEN!

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Recap:

Last week:

ATROCITY— SAUL’S KILLING of PRIESTS @ NOB.

DAVID HAD RUN to NOB & RECEIVED HELP

SAUL ACCUSED THEM of CONSPIRACY && HAD DOEG EXECUTE PRIESTS

FULFILLMENT of PROPHETIC WORD of JUDGMENT:

GOD HATES SIN && SIN HAS CONSEQUENCES

BUT W/ SON of DAVID, JESUS CHRIST, THERE’S ETERNAL SAFEKEEPING

(T) So, now IN LIGHT of the TRAGEDY of last week, the STORY is GOING to TURN to DAVID AGAIN, and we’re going to see once again how he is more fit to rule in Israel than Saul is. If you’d look with me at CH. 23, VS. 1 It says,

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Text (1 Samuel 23:1-29, ESV)

Setting/Inciting Incident (v1)

1 Samuel 23:1–29 (ESV)

1 Now they told David, “Behold, the Philistines are fighting against Keilah and are robbing the threshing floors.”

TEXT LAST WEEK ENDED:

ABIATHAR, ONLY SURVIVING PRIEST, RUNNING to DAVID

DAVID HAD ARMY of APPROX. 400 MEN.

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NOW, DAVID HEARS: KEILAH (CITY) = ATTACKED BY PHILISTINES

PHILISTINES = STEALING HARVEST FROM THRESHING FLOOR

THRESHING FLOOR = PLACE for SEPARATING GRAIN FROM CHAFF...

ESSENTIALLY: PHILISTINES = STEALING HARVEST FROM ISRAELITES.

(T) And so, DAVID HAS HAD BAD TRACK RECORD LATELY of FLEEING FROM PROBLEMS..., running from Saul, instead of facing issues with faith.

But David has now been told by the prophet that He was supposed to stay in the land of Israel, so WE’LL SEE IF DAVID DOES ANYTHING ABOUT THIS NOW…

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Rising Action: (v2-3)

2 Therefore David inquired of the Lord, “Shall I go and attack these Philistines?” And the Lord said to David, “Go and attack the Philistines and save Keilah.” 3 But David’s men said to him, “Behold, we are afraid here in Judah; how much more then if we go to Keilah against the armies of the Philistines?”

DAVID’S RESPONSE = TAKING MATTER to GOD in PRAYER.... (PROBABLY THROUGH PROPHET, GAD)

**THIS WILL BECOME COMMONPLACE in DAVID’S LIFE.

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(Q) CHRISTIAN, HOW OFTEN DO YOU TAKE MATTERS to GOD in PRAYER?

PRAYER = STEERING WHEEL, NOT EMERGENCY BRAKE!

WE LOVE the LYRICS of FAMOUS HYMN:

“What a friend we have in Jesus, all our sins and grief to bear, what a privilege to carry, everything to God in prayer, oh what peace we often forfeit, oh, what needless pain we bear, all because we do not carry, everything to God in prayer.”

WE ALL AGREE WITH THIS...BUT DO WE ACTUALLY DO THIS?

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NOTICE: DAVID TURNING LIFE AROUND

DAVID DIDN’T SUDDENLY GAIN ACCESS,, HE JUST HADN’T BEEN USING IT...

***DAVID HEARS of PROBLEM && TAKES PROBLEM to GOD in PRAYER—GOD SHOULD WE GO & ATTACK PHILISTINES???

GOD RESPONDS: GO & ATTACK & SAVE PEOPLE

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BUT DAVID’S MEN = GREATLY AFRAID

“IF WE’RE on DEFENSE & RUNNING in OUR OWN LAND....HOW CAN WE GO on OFFENSE AGAINST GOD’S ENEMIES???”

LOGICAL CONCERN: THEY HAD BEEN RUNNING FOR THEIR LIVES!

(T) So, DAVID FINDS HIMSELF in a HARD PLACE...

HEARD BAD NEWS of KEILAH’S PLIGHT

GOD TOLD HIM to ATTACK

BUT MEN = SCARED

WHAT WILL DAVID DO??

LOOK @ VS. 4

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Climax (v4-5)

4 Then David inquired of the Lord again. And the Lord answered him, “Arise, go down to Keilah, for I will give the Philistines into your hand.” 5 And David and his men went to Keilah and fought with the Philistines and brought away their livestock and struck them with a great blow. So David saved the inhabitants of Keilah.

BECAUSE EVERYONE = AFRAID… DAVID BASICALLY ASKS GOD, “ARE YOU SURE?”

(Q) ANYONE ELSE DO THIS W/ GOD?

IMAGINE DAVID’S SITUATION:

PRAYS & HEARS from GOD...

GOING to FIGHT PHILISTINES

NO ONE ELSE WANTS to FIGHT...

CONCLUSION, “DID I REALLY HEAR GOD??”

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GOD = GRACIOUS, ANSWERS AGAIN...

GOD WILL DELIVER PHILISTINES INTO DAVID’S HAND!

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REMINDER: WHEN GOD SPEAKS, YOU CAN TAKE IT to the BANK!

GOD ISN’T a MAN....HE WON’T LIE…HE WON’T CHANGE HIS MIND or REGRET

GOD DOESN’T MAKE MISTAKES

GOD KNOWS BEGINNING FROM END.

GOD’S WORD = 100% RELIABLE. TRUST in IT. GOD WILL BRING IT TO PASS!!

OUR PLANS = FALLIBLE...

OUR PLANS = DON’T SEE the FUTURE, CAN’T ACCOUNT FOR EVERYTHING...

GOD’S PLAN = PERFECT & INFALLIBLE.

GOD = OUTSIDE of TIME… && WHEN HE MAKES PROMISES INSIDE of TIME to US,, WE CAN TAKE to BANK!

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(V5) && GOD’S PROMISE WORKED,, & GOD DELIVERED CITY of KEILAH FROM PHILISTINES W/ DAVID

&& DAVID PLUNDERS PHILISTINES, TAKING SPOILS of WAR, COMING OUT AHEAD,, PTL!!

(T) And so, now that this PROBLEM HAS BEEN SOLVED and DAVID is ONCE AGAIN WALKING in OBEDIENCE to GOD, WE’LL SEE WHAT HAPPENS NEXT, LOOK @ VS. 6

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Inciting Incident (v6-7)

6 When Abiathar the son of Ahimelech had fled to David to Keilah, he had come down with an ephod in his hand. 7 Now it was told Saul that David had come to Keilah. And Saul said, “God has given him into my hand, for he has shut himself in by entering a town that has gates and bars.”

ABIATHAR (PRIEST) W/ DAVID = BIG DEAL...

DAVID HAVING PROPHET & PRIEST SHOWS GOD is WITH HIM, NOT SAUL.

ABIATHAR COMES W/ EPHOD (PRIESTLY GARMENT, USED in DISCERNING GOD’S WILL)

BUT SAUL BELIEVES GOD HAS DELIVERED DAVID to HIS HANDS!!

GREATEST IRONY

SIN = DECEITFUL

SIN CAUSES HEART to CALLOUS & LOSE SENSIBILITY.

***NO ONE THOUGHT GOD WAS on SAUL’S SIDE!! BUT SAUL DID.... HE’S COMPLETELY SELF-DECEIVED.

THIS is WHY WE MUST GO OFF GOD’S WORD & NOT FEELINGS,, BECAUSE OUR FEELINGS CAN ERR HORRIBLY...

SAUL BELIEVES GOD DELIVERED DAVID to HIM…TRAPPED in WALLED CITY...

(T) So, WILL SAUL’S PLAN WORK?? Was this really just a plan of God to deliver David into the hands of Saul? LOOK @ VS. 8

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Rising Action (v8-13)

8 And Saul summoned all the people to war, to go down to Keilah, to besiege David and his men. 9 David knew that Saul was plotting harm against him. And he said to Abiathar the priest, “Bring the ephod here.”

10 Then David said, “O Lord, the God of Israel, your servant has surely heard that Saul seeks to come to Keilah, to destroy the city on my account. 11 Will the men of Keilah surrender me into his hand? Will Saul come down, as your servant has heard? O Lord, the God of Israel, please tell your servant.” And the Lord said, “He will come down.”

12 Then David said, “Will the men of Keilah surrender me and my men into the hand of Saul?” And the Lord said, “They will surrender you.” 13 Then David and his men, who were about six hundred, arose and departed from Keilah, and they went wherever they could go. When Saul was told that David had escaped from Keilah, he gave up the expedition.

SAUL GATHERS MEN to GO & DESTROY DAVID

&& DAVID, AGAIN, TAKES MATTER to GOD in PRAYER!

NOTE DAVID’S POSTURE in PRAYER:

DAVID = SERVANT

GOD ISN’T OUR SERVANT/HEAVENLY BUTLER.

WE ARE HERE to DO GOD’S BIDDING,, NOT the OTHER WAY AROUND!

WE CAN GO WITH CONFIDENCE/BOLDLY to THRONE of GRACE…BUT WE SHOULDN’T GO INDIFFERENTLY....IT’S a GREAT PRIVILEGE!!

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DAVID’S QUESTIONS:

IS SAUL FOR SURE COMING???

WILL CITIZENS of KEILAH DELIVER ME to HIM???

GOD ANSWERS:

SAUL IS FOR SURE COMING

&& PEOPLE of KEILAH WILL FOR SURE BETRAY YOU.

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DAVID FLEES. (NOT in FEAR, BUT W/ FAITH in GOD’S WORD)

&& SAUL GIVES UP.

***NOTE HOW GOD in OMNISCIENCE KNEW NOT ONLY WHAT WILL HAPPEN, BUT WHAT WOULD HAVE HAPPENED in DIFFERENT CIRCUMSTANCES...

WE CAN GUESS WITH “COULDS”

WE CAN REGRET WITH “SHOULDS”

BUT ONLY GOD KNOWS BUT “WOULDS” & “WILLS”

HOW WORTHY of OUR TRUST is OUR GREAT GOD.....

(T) And then the text says in VS 14,,

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Resolution (v14)

14 And David remained in the strongholds in the wilderness, in the hill country of the wilderness of Ziph. And Saul sought him every day, but God did not give him into his hand.

NOTE: GOD’S SOVEREIGN HAND,, PROTECTING HIS CHOSEN SERVANT!!

SAUL = DECEIVED THINKING HE’S DOING GOD’S WORK… BUT DAVID = WALKING in FAVOR & PROTECTION in THE SHADOW of THE ALMIGHTY...

(T) And so, we’ve seen this THEME of SAUL SEEKING, DAVID FLEEING, && GOD DELIVERING become pretty routine, if you’d LOOK WITH ME NOW @ VS. 15,, it says,

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Inciting Incident (v15-18)

15 David saw that Saul had come out to seek his life. David was in the wilderness of Ziph at Horesh. 16 And Jonathan, Saul’s son, rose and went to David at Horesh, and strengthened his hand in God.

17 And he said to him, “Do not fear, for the hand of Saul my father shall not find you. You shall be king over Israel, and I shall be next to you. Saul my father also knows this.” 18 And the two of them made a covenant before the Lord. David remained at Horesh, and Jonathan went home.

IN MIDST of CRAZY SITUATION… DAVID ENDS up IN DESERT....

HERE: BROTHER in LAW & FRIEND,, JONATHAN,, FINDS DAVID,, RENEWS COVENANT,, & ENCOURAGES DAVID.

WILLIAM BLACKIE: “JONATHAN PUT DAVID’S HAND in GOD’S HAND”

ALL of US @ TIMES NEED ENCOURAGEMENT.

(Q) HOW MANY of US HAVE HEARD, “IF YOU DON’T HAVE ANYTHING NICE to SAY,, DON’T SAY ANYTHING AT ALL…”

***YET HOW MANY of US,, WHEN WE HAVE SOMETHING NICE to SAY,, STILL DON’T SAY ANYTHING!

IF YOU HAVE SOMETHING NICE to SAY,, SAY IT!

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GREAT BENEFIT of CHURCH: ENCOURAGEMENT.

IF YOU’RE DOWN & in NEED…GO to THRONE of GRACE

IF YOU’RE DOING WELL…ENCOURAGE OTHERS.

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&& CONTENT of ENCOURAGEMENT SHOULD BE in PROMISES of GOD.

JONATHAN WASN’T “SELF-HELP” COACH…BUT POINTED DAVID to FAITHFULNESS && PROMISES of GOD!!

DAVID,, YOU’LL BE KING! GOD HAS PROMISED!

THEY REAFFIRM COVENANT,, & DEPART,, NEVER SEEING EACH OTHER AGAIN in THIS LIFE...

**WE HAVE NO IDEA IF DAVID WAS READY to GIVE UP…SOMETIMES the WORD of ENCOURAGEMENT is ALL it TAKES FOR SOMEONE to PERSEVERE ANOTHER DAY…

(T) Now, we see that DAVID in TODAY’S TEXT has GONE on THE OFFENSIVE @ KEILAH and SAVED the PEOPLE THERE.... but THEN HE HAS to FLEE and he now finds himself in the wilderness, so we wonder WILL HE FINALLY BE SAFE SOMEWHERE and able to stay? LOOK WITH ME @ VS. 19, it says,

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Rising Action (v19-24a)

19 Then the Ziphites went up to Saul at Gibeah, saying, “Is not David hiding among us in the strongholds at Horesh, on the hill of Hachilah, which is south of Jeshimon? 20 Now come down, O king, according to all your heart’s desire to come down, and our part shall be to surrender him into the king’s hand.”

21 And Saul said, “May you be blessed by the Lord, for you have had compassion on me. 22 Go, make yet more sure. Know and see the place where his foot is, and who has seen him there, for it is told me that he is very cunning.

23 See therefore and take note of all the lurking places where he hides, and come back to me with sure information. Then I will go with you. And if he is in the land, I will search him out among all the thousands of Judah.” 24 And they arose and went to Ziph ahead of Saul.

DAVID = HIDING AGAIN && ONCE AGAIN HE’S RATTED OUT....

LOCALS GO to SAUL & TELL HIM WHERE DAVID IS...

SAUL STILL DECEIVED, BLESSES THEM in NAME of LORD…

&& TELLS THEM to GO BE SURE to LOCATE DAVID & REPORT to HIM...

(T) And THEN the TEXT SAYS,

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More Tension (v24b-26a)

Now David and his men were in the wilderness of Maon, in the Arabah to the south of Jeshimon. 25 And Saul and his men went to seek him. And David was told, so he went down to the rock and lived in the wilderness of Maon. And when Saul heard that, he pursued after David in the wilderness of Maon.

26 Saul went on one side of the mountain, and David and his men on the other side of the mountain. And David was hurrying to get away from Saul.

DAVID GETS NEWS in ANOTHER WILDERNESS PLACE...

DAVID CONSISTENTLY TRAVELING SOUTHWEST in 5 MILE (APPROX.) INCREMENTS...

&& SAUL PURSUES DAVID in WILDERNESS of MAON.... && IT’S TENSE… SAUL = ON VERGE of CATCHING DAVID in OPEN FIELD & KILLING HIM THERE....

CHASING AROUND the MOUNTAIN,, SUPER CLOSE....

(T) So, with David on the run, WILL SAUL CATCH HIM this time? LOOK W/ ME @ 2ND HALF of VS. 26,,

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Climax (v26b-27)

As Saul and his men were closing in on David and his men to capture them, 27 a messenger came to Saul, saying, “Hurry and come, for the Philistines have made a raid against the land.”

DON’T YOU LOVE GOD’S TIMING & PROTECTION?!

JUST as SAUL is CLOSING IN,, GOD SENDS PHILISTINES to RAID ISRAEL && DRAW SAUL AWAY FROM DAVID to PRESERVE HIS LIFE AGAIN!

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SAUL SHOULD’VE BEEN FIGHTING PHILISTINES…BUT WAS NEGLECTING HIS RESPONSIBILITY....

DAVID RESCUED PEOPLE of KEILAH,, SAUL’S JOB...

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DALE DAVIS: && NOW DAVID’S ENEMIES in VS. 1-5 BECOME HIS SAVIOR THROUGH GOD’S HAND in VS 26-27

(T) And if you’d look with me at VS. 28 and 29 now as our TEXT CLOSES TODAY it says,

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Resolution (V28-29)

28 So Saul returned from pursuing after David and went against the Philistines. Therefore that place was called the Rock of Escape. 29 And David went up from there and lived in the strongholds of Engedi.

SAUL LEAVES DAVID BEHIND

&& GOD in HIS PROVIDENCE,, DELIVERS DAVID FROM HAND of SAUL VIA PHILISTINES!!

***DAVID NAMES PLACE, “ROCK of ESCAPE”

TEXT CLOSES: DAVID LIVING in STRONGHOLDS of ENGEDI by DEAD SEA...

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(T) And so we can learn from this text today, the idea that,

Homiletical Idea:

As believers we should consistently live by faith through prayer and trust in God’s promises...

knowing that through His providence, the guiding of His Spirit, and the encouragement of His people His will will be done in our lives.

TODAY: DAVID TURNS BACK to GOD in FAITH & TRUST

DAVID HAS PROPHET & PRIEST to CONSULT GOD REGARDING EVERYTHING...

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Gospel:

THOSE of US WHO BELIEVE TODAY = UNDER a MUCH BETTER COVENANT!!

THROUGHOUT O.T. BELIEVERS WOULD GO to GOD THROUGH PRIESTS & PROPHETS

***BUT CHRISTIANS TODAY HAVE a GREAT HIGH PRIEST, LORD JESUS CHRIST,, THROUGH WHOM WE HAVE ACCESS to GOD.

JESUS CHRIST:

HAS UNDERGONE TRIAL & TEMPTATION

CALLED “MAN of SORROWS” ACQUAINTED W/ GRIEF...

HE INTERCEDES FOR US...

YOU DON’T HAVE to GO THROUGH PRIEST, PROPHET, PASTOR,, DEAD SAINTS, or MARY...

JESUS CHRIST = the ONLY INTERMEDIARY.

John 14:6 (ESV)

6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

JESUS CHRIST = THE ONLY WAY to COMMUNE W/ GOD.

HAVING SON = HAVING FATHER… CAN’T HAVE ONE or THE OTHER....

WE CAN GO W/ CONFIDENCE TODAY to THRONE of GRACE,, BECAUSE of JESUS CHRIST.

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WITHOUT JESUS,, THERE’S NO RELATIONSHIP W/ GOD...

THRONE of GRACE = PRIVILEGE of THOSE WHO’VE RECEIVED GRACE THROUGH JESUS...

Acts 4:12 (ESV)

12 And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”

IT BEGINS W/ FAITH...

JESUS SUFFERED & DIED in YOUR PLACE… SO YOU CAN BE FORGIVEN & RECEIVE CREDIT FOR HIS PERFECT LIFE...

BELIEVING:

HE DIED FOR YOU

&& WAS RAISED

&& PROFESSING HIM to BE LORD.

**YOU CAN RECEIVE HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS BY FAITH.

IF YOU’VE BEEN SAVED,, YOU SHOULD GO REGULARLY to THE THRONE of GRACE....

&& IF YOU DON’T KNOW WHERE YOU STAND W/ GOD,, HAVE QUESTIONS,, TALK to US AFTER SERVICE...

(T) And now in closing, I’d like to share a few takeaways with you all today,

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Takeaways:

LEARN ABOUT GOD??

GOD = PRESENT HELP in TIME of TROUBLE...

GOD WILL LEAD & GUIDE US THROUGH SPIRIT & WORD...

GOD WILL USE HIS SPIRIT & HIS PEOPLE to BRING ENCOURAGEMENT WHEN NEEDED...

GOD = READY & ABLE to HELP US THROUGH ANYTHING...

GOD = OMNISCIENT...

WE CAN TRUST GOD BECAUSE HE KNOWS NOT ONLY WHAT WILL HAPPEN, BUT WHAT WOULD HAVE HAPPENED...

WE CAN SPECULATE,, BUT GOD KNOWS IT ALL...

GOD KNOWS ALL the WOULDS,, COULDS,, WILLS,, && WON’TS....

ALL WE KNOW is COULDS...

LEARN FOR US??

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App.

USE the TOOLS GOD HAS GIVEN && THE PRIVILEGES THAT CHRIST BOUGHT FOR YOU...

WE HAVE GOD’S WORD & GOD’S SPIRIT to GUIDE US in THIS LIFE....TO KNOW GOD’S WILL

&& WHEN WE HAVE NEED,, WE CAN GO to THRONE of GRACE FOR HELP in TIME of NEED...

***DON’T NEGLECT THIS GREAT PRIVILEGE...

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IF YOU’RE NOT SOMEONE WHO’S STRUGGLING,, YOU CAN BE an ENCOURAGER,, ONE WHO WILL HELP OTHERS to MAKE it THROUGH,, STRENGTHENING THEIR HANDS in GOD...

**ALL of US, NEED REMINDED of GOD’S PROMISES… REMIND OURSELVES, REMIND OTHERS,, && WE’LL ALL HAVE STRENGTH to MAKE IT THROUGH...

NOW, LET’S APPROACH the THRONE of GRACE TOGETHER to CLOSE THIS SERVICE...