WEBVTT

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 So I was 13 years old and it was the day of the year that I dreaded more than any other.

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 School sports day.

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 And yours truly was running in the 1500 metres.

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 I was selected to do that and in case you're tempted to think that sounds impressive, selected.

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 Let me just give you some of the back story.

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 We'd been asked to sign up to put ourselves forward for an event and everyone else in my class had done so.

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 Except for me.

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 And it seemed that nobody else wanted to run 1500 metres on a hot summer afternoon.

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 And I didn't have a lot of space for negotiation when the teacher confronted me with a clipboard that had been signed up for every single event except for that one and my name was missing from it.

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 So me and 1500 metres were united.

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 And I set off and I learnt a lot on that particular day about running distances.

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 In case you haven't guessed, I'm rubbish at sports.

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 I always have been, probably always will be.

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 But I do enjoy running now.

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 But I didn't much then.

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 I started off 1500 metres ahead and just went for it.

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 And very, very quickly found that I was in front.

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 And I thought, this is great.

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 Three quarters of a lap around the field.

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 And I was ahead of the pack.

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 And people were shouting me on and I thought, this has never happened to me before.

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 Naively, I hadn't really taken on board the fact that I still had another three laps to go.

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 And to cut a long story short, I was not only last, but I was spectacularly last.

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 But a lesson that it taught me was there is all the difference between a distance run and a short sprint.

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 Perhaps there is a danger that we can think that in our spiritual lives we can get through with the sprint.

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 But life is not about sprinting.

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 Life's a marathon.

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 That's the reality of it.

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 Those are the challenges.

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 That's why we need strength.

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 And the strength that we need is not just the short burst strength.

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 Christian faith, faith in Jesus, it's a lifelong thing.

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 It never stops.

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 From here, right the way through to eternity, we're called to follow him.

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 And some days that will be easier than others.

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 Jesus never said it would be easy.

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 And that strength that we need, that strength that Paul is talking about,

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 that strength in Christ,

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 it's not about the strength needed for a short dash.

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 It's the sort of strength that's needed for that marathon that we call life.

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 And that's the kind of strength that we need.

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 When we're dealing with that difficult boss,

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 whether we're dealing with a difficult marriage,

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 whether we're dealing with a difficult child, teenager,

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 whether we're dealing with a difficult health issue,

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 whatever difficult situation,

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 these situations come our way.

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 And whatever it is that we are facing in our lives,

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 we need strength.

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 But Paul says this,

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 that we can do all things,

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 not just some things.

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 We can do all of these things that come our way

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 through the strength that he gives us.

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 And this passage that we have before us this evening,

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 this morning,

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 I just want to pull out three things that we have.

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 It says, that explain why and how this is so.

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 And it begins, verse one, where he says,

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 therefore, stand firm in the Lord.

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 Therefore, stand firm in the Lord.

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 Now, it's intriguing, isn't it,

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 when something starts with the word therefore.

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 If I came up to you out on the street

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 or in a supermarket or something like that

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 and just said, therefore,

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 and then proceeded to speak,

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 you'd think that was a slightly strange thing to do.

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 Because you don't normally start a conversation

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 or indeed anything with that word.

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 Because it's a word that functions as a kind of a glue

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 between the sentence that's about to come

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 and that which has preceded it.

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 It joins two things together.

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 So when we come across that word therefore in Scripture,

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 we've got to think not what comes next,

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 but actually what comes before it.

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 And when we look back into chapter three of Philippians,

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 we see exactly what Paul was talking about.

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 Paul says in chapter three,

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 he's talking about our citizenship that is in heaven.

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 Our citizenship is in heaven.

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 Yet tragically, often people seem to think that Christianity,

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 that its message is about a ticket to heaven.

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 It's not.

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 It never has been.

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 And that's a profound distortion of what it is.

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 Nowhere in Scripture is faith in Christ

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 depicted as a ticket to heaven.

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 It is everywhere presented as a passport of heaven.

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 That word passport probably doesn't occur in Scripture,

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 to be honest.

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 But citizenship does.

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 And there's all the difference.

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 You see, whereas a ticket is something

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 that's just about getting you in,

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 citizenship is about who you are

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 and what your relationship is between a place.

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 And as a follower of Jesus,

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 it's not just about access to something.

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 It's far deeper than that.

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 It's about knowing who you are in Christ.

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 That's what this series is about.

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 It's about your identity.

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 And so if we were to talk about faith at all,

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 let's not talk about tickets.

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 Let's talk about passports.

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 You see, if you've got a passport in your hand,

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 wherever you are in the world,

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 it reminds you of where your true place of belonging is.

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 You may be far from home,

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 but that is where home is for you.

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 When we're in those difficult places,

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 those times of situations where we need that strength,

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 we need to be reminded of where our home truly is.

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 And that is the promised future of God,

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 that eternity that nothing can destroy.

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 You may have heard that just recently

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 the great American preacher Tim Keller passed away

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 after a very long struggle with cancer.

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 One of the things that Tim Keller once said,

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 one of the many profound things that he said,

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 disarmingly simple at face value,

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 but very, very profound.

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 He said simply this,

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 if the resurrection of Jesus is true,

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 everything's going to be all right.

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 That's where his citizenship is.

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 Citizenship in him.

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 Identity, that's where we belong.

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 And it's knowing that Paul says that

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 and unpacks that in Philippians 3

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 that he's able to then start by saying,

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 therefore,

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 therefore.

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 So then what does he go on to say?

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 Well, he goes on to say many things,

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 but knowing that life is not just about sprinting,

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 but it's a marathon.

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 He says,

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 verse 11,

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 I've learnt to be content.

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 Notice he doesn't say,

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 I'm content.

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 I've learnt to be content.

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 See, learning is a process.

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 It might happen quickly.

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 More often,

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 it tends to happen over a period of time.

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 And you get the fear,

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 as Paul is saying this,

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 that he's referring to the latter.

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 That contentment is not something

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 that just happened for him.

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 He's had to wrestle really hard.

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 Remember,

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 this is a man

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 for whom life was not a walk in the park.

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 whose life was constantly on the edge

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 for what he was trying to do

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 in planting churches.

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 A man who was put in prison.

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 A man who was beaten.

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 A man who went without.

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 And so,

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 being content with those situations

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 in all circumstances,

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 he says,

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 was something that he has had to learn,

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 to learn over a period of time.

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 So if we ever look at our own lives

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 and we think,

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 what's gone wrong?

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 Don't be surprised

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 because contentment is something

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 that is supposed to take a long time

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 if Paul is somebody

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 that we're meant to be learning from.

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 And sometimes we've got to dig deep.

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 It doesn't come naturally.

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 It's not immediately obvious.

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 It can be hard work.

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 So don't be surprised.

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 Don't think that somehow

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 you're getting it wrong,

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 that you're stumbling,

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 that somehow you're not a real Christian,

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 that you're not really safe,

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 that there's some hidden formula somewhere

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 that you're not following.

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 No.

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 That's how it is.

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 Contentment is something

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 that has to be learned.

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 That was true for Paul

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 and we shouldn't be surprised

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 when it's our reality too.

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 That strength that we need

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 for that marathon that is life

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 is something that comes gradually.

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 But of course,

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 to go back to that therefore,

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 we can come back to it

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 and we should go back to it

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 over and over again.

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 Our citizenship is in heaven.

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 Our citizenship is in him.

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 That's where we are.

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 Or that is where we are on our way to,

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 but that is where our home is.

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 Remember,

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 the resurrection of Jesus is true.

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 It's going to be alright.

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 So we've got to dig deep,

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 but how do we dig deep?

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 Well, Paul goes on even more

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 and he says,

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 in verse 4,

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 he says this,

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 rejoice in the Lord always.

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 I will say it again.

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 Rejoice.

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 So he's not happy just to state that.

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 He's really got to emphasise.

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 He's got to bring this home.

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 This is serious stuff,

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 he's saying.

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 You've got to rejoice.

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 I'm going to say it again.

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 Repeat.

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 Rejoice.

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 Now,

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 how do we do that?

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 How do we do that

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 when we actually don't feel

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 that we've got that strength?

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 What do we do?

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 Well,

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 rejoicing actually

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 is the greatest weapon

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 that we have.

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 I'll tell you a story.

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 It's during the Napoleonic War

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 and

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 18,000 troops

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 marched upon

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 an Austrian town

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 where there was no military presence.

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 The town council

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 were getting ready

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 to surrender

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 to Napoleon's troops.

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 except that the

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 parish vicar

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 begged with them

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 and said,

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 no,

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 let's worship.

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 He reminded them

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 that it was actually Easter

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 and said,

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 okay,

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 we're surrounded here

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 by troops

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 and we don't have any.

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 But it is Easter.

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 Let's ring the church bells,

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 go in and worship

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 and commit this to God.

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 And that's exactly

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 what they did.

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 By the time

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 they came out of church,

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 the Napoleonic forces

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 had fled.

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 They had heard

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 the sound

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 of the church bells

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 ringing

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 and the people

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 praising God

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 and assumed

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 that they were

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 giving thanks

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 because their own armies

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 had clearly arrived.

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 Rejoicing sends

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 the enemy packing.

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 it gives

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 them

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 his marching orders.

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 The sound

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 of rejoicing

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 should never

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 be underestimated.

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 And why is that?

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 Well,

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 here's three reasons.

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 Or sorry,

00:12:42.559 --> 00:12:44.240
 three things,

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 three ways

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 in which we can

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 go about doing this

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 when we don't

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 necessarily feel

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 like rejoicing.

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 The first thing

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 is this.

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 Quite simply,

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 make God

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 your highest joy.

00:12:58.639 --> 00:12:59.340
 Make God

00:12:59.340 --> 00:13:00.019
 your highest joy.

00:13:01.100 --> 00:13:01.800
 That may seem

00:13:01.800 --> 00:13:02.860
 a really obvious

00:13:02.860 --> 00:13:03.580
 thing to say

00:13:03.580 --> 00:13:04.480
 but it's important

00:13:04.480 --> 00:13:05.100
 for us to latch

00:13:05.100 --> 00:13:05.480
 onto it

00:13:05.480 --> 00:13:05.940
 because there are

00:13:05.940 --> 00:13:06.460
 so many other

00:13:06.460 --> 00:13:07.139
 choices around.

00:13:08.379 --> 00:13:09.180
 So many things

00:13:09.180 --> 00:13:09.620
 that face us

00:13:09.620 --> 00:13:10.600
 every day of our lives

00:13:10.600 --> 00:13:11.620
 that could become

00:13:11.620 --> 00:13:12.399
 our highest joy

00:13:12.399 --> 00:13:13.220
 or things

00:13:13.220 --> 00:13:13.860
 that we pursue

00:13:13.860 --> 00:13:15.759
 but it's actually

00:13:15.759 --> 00:13:17.300
 it's a choice

00:13:17.300 --> 00:13:19.340
 who we choose

00:13:19.340 --> 00:13:20.420
 or what we choose

00:13:20.420 --> 00:13:21.879
 to be the

00:13:21.879 --> 00:13:22.860
 most important

00:13:22.860 --> 00:13:24.080
 thing in our lives.

00:13:24.080 --> 00:13:27.160
 and if we are

00:13:27.160 --> 00:13:27.680
 to follow the way

00:13:27.680 --> 00:13:28.340
 of the New Testament

00:13:28.340 --> 00:13:29.460
 there is only one

00:13:29.460 --> 00:13:30.720
 that can ultimately

00:13:30.720 --> 00:13:31.940
 be that source

00:13:31.940 --> 00:13:33.020
 of joy.

00:13:34.220 --> 00:13:35.139
 Make God

00:13:35.139 --> 00:13:36.879
 your highest joy.

00:13:39.060 --> 00:13:39.580
 Secondly,

00:13:41.580 --> 00:13:43.400
 forgive me

00:13:43.400 --> 00:13:43.920
 if I'm stating

00:13:43.920 --> 00:13:44.379
 the obvious

00:13:44.379 --> 00:13:45.400
 but focus

00:13:45.400 --> 00:13:46.280
 on the Holy Spirit.

00:13:48.280 --> 00:13:49.460
 Now it's no accident

00:13:49.460 --> 00:13:50.360
 that in Scripture

00:13:50.360 --> 00:13:52.039
 there is such

00:13:52.039 --> 00:13:52.960
 a strong

00:13:52.960 --> 00:13:53.759
 correlation

00:13:53.759 --> 00:13:55.060
 between joy

00:13:55.060 --> 00:13:56.680
 and the presence

00:13:56.680 --> 00:13:57.560
 of the Holy Spirit.

00:14:00.180 --> 00:14:00.659
 Repeatedly

00:14:00.659 --> 00:14:01.960
 over and over

00:14:01.960 --> 00:14:02.860
 and over again

00:14:02.860 --> 00:14:04.100
 it's when

00:14:04.100 --> 00:14:05.100
 the Holy Spirit

00:14:05.100 --> 00:14:05.639
 is present

00:14:05.639 --> 00:14:07.120
 that joy is present

00:14:07.120 --> 00:14:08.220
 but when joy

00:14:08.220 --> 00:14:08.600
 is present

00:14:08.600 --> 00:14:08.899
 it's because

00:14:08.899 --> 00:14:09.539
 the Holy Spirit

00:14:09.539 --> 00:14:10.019
 is present.

00:14:10.519 --> 00:14:11.159
 That doesn't mean

00:14:11.159 --> 00:14:12.039
 to say that problems

00:14:12.039 --> 00:14:12.639
 aren't present

00:14:12.639 --> 00:14:13.340
 just the opposite.

00:14:13.560 --> 00:14:14.139
 Think of Paul.

00:14:14.980 --> 00:14:15.460
 Think of Paul

00:14:15.460 --> 00:14:16.200
 having to learn

00:14:16.200 --> 00:14:16.960
 his contentment.

00:14:16.960 --> 00:14:20.379
 but it is

00:14:20.379 --> 00:14:21.180
 when the Holy Spirit

00:14:21.180 --> 00:14:21.720
 is present

00:14:21.720 --> 00:14:22.200
 that joy

00:14:22.200 --> 00:14:22.900
 is to be found.

00:14:25.080 --> 00:14:25.920
 Make God

00:14:25.920 --> 00:14:26.540
 the focus.

00:14:26.680 --> 00:14:27.139
 Make God

00:14:27.139 --> 00:14:28.620
 the supreme

00:14:28.620 --> 00:14:29.300
 source of joy

00:14:29.300 --> 00:14:29.980
 and secondly

00:14:29.980 --> 00:14:32.040
 focus on the Holy Spirit.

00:14:32.360 --> 00:14:32.860
 Thirdly,

00:14:34.420 --> 00:14:34.820
 cultivate

00:14:34.820 --> 00:14:36.139
 what is often

00:14:36.139 --> 00:14:36.400
 called

00:14:36.400 --> 00:14:36.980
 an attitude

00:14:36.980 --> 00:14:37.820
 of gratitude.

00:14:39.740 --> 00:14:40.660
 Give thanks.

00:14:42.400 --> 00:14:42.840
 Continually

00:14:42.840 --> 00:14:43.480
 give thanks.

00:14:43.980 --> 00:14:44.440
 Sometimes

00:14:44.440 --> 00:14:44.940
 as I say

00:14:44.940 --> 00:14:45.420
 like Paul

00:14:45.420 --> 00:14:45.780
 to learn

00:14:45.780 --> 00:14:46.259
 to be content

00:14:46.259 --> 00:14:46.660
 we've got to

00:14:46.659 --> 00:14:47.360
 dig quite deep

00:14:47.360 --> 00:14:48.139
 to bring

00:14:48.139 --> 00:14:48.600
 those things

00:14:48.600 --> 00:14:48.919
 to mind.

00:14:49.079 --> 00:14:49.439
 That's why

00:14:49.439 --> 00:14:49.759
 it can be

00:14:49.759 --> 00:14:50.079
 helpful

00:14:50.079 --> 00:14:50.539
 to actually

00:14:50.539 --> 00:14:51.019
 write things

00:14:51.019 --> 00:14:51.339
 down.

00:14:52.379 --> 00:14:52.899
 Have a book

00:14:52.899 --> 00:14:53.559
 write things

00:14:53.559 --> 00:14:53.879
 down

00:14:53.879 --> 00:14:54.779
 start the day

00:14:54.779 --> 00:14:55.319
 end the day

00:14:55.319 --> 00:14:55.939
 perhaps start

00:14:55.939 --> 00:14:56.600
 and end the day

00:14:56.600 --> 00:14:56.959
 with it.

00:14:57.719 --> 00:14:58.179
 Try and think

00:14:58.179 --> 00:14:58.759
 of one thing

00:14:58.759 --> 00:14:59.360
 or three things

00:14:59.360 --> 00:15:00.000
 whatever it is

00:15:00.000 --> 00:15:00.639
 but bring some

00:15:00.639 --> 00:15:01.559
 structure into it

00:15:01.559 --> 00:15:02.740
 to write some

00:15:02.740 --> 00:15:03.779
 things down

00:15:03.779 --> 00:15:04.079
 and think

00:15:04.079 --> 00:15:04.839
 okay what have I

00:15:04.839 --> 00:15:05.159
 got to be

00:15:05.159 --> 00:15:06.000
 thankful right now?

00:15:07.759 --> 00:15:08.179
 Sometimes

00:15:08.179 --> 00:15:09.000
 they may be

00:15:09.000 --> 00:15:09.839
 really really

00:15:09.839 --> 00:15:10.759
 massive things

00:15:10.759 --> 00:15:11.899
 probably most

00:15:11.899 --> 00:15:12.259
 of the time

00:15:12.259 --> 00:15:12.699
 they will be

00:15:12.699 --> 00:15:14.339
 extraordinarily

00:15:14.339 --> 00:15:15.879
 ordinary

00:15:15.879 --> 00:15:16.720
 mundane

00:15:16.720 --> 00:15:17.320
 things

00:15:17.320 --> 00:15:18.399
 but those

00:15:18.399 --> 00:15:18.820
 are important

00:15:18.820 --> 00:15:19.460
 things

00:15:19.460 --> 00:15:20.580
 and it's

00:15:20.580 --> 00:15:20.919
 when we

00:15:20.919 --> 00:15:21.620
 cultivate

00:15:21.620 --> 00:15:22.419
 that sense

00:15:22.419 --> 00:15:23.000
 of gratitude

00:15:23.000 --> 00:15:23.500
 and being

00:15:23.500 --> 00:15:23.840
 thankful

00:15:23.840 --> 00:15:24.320
 and knowing

00:15:24.320 --> 00:15:24.700
 what we

00:15:24.700 --> 00:15:25.019
 have

00:15:25.019 --> 00:15:25.799
 that we

00:15:25.799 --> 00:15:26.220
 are set

00:15:26.220 --> 00:15:26.480
 free

00:15:26.480 --> 00:15:27.120
 to rejoice

00:15:27.120 --> 00:15:27.659
 more

00:15:27.659 --> 00:15:28.200
 and to

00:15:28.200 --> 00:15:28.639
 make more

00:15:28.639 --> 00:15:29.299
 room for God

00:15:29.299 --> 00:15:29.700
 and more

00:15:29.700 --> 00:15:30.100
 room for his

00:15:30.100 --> 00:15:30.679
 Holy Spirit

00:15:30.679 --> 00:15:31.519
 and therefore

00:15:31.519 --> 00:15:32.000
 more room

00:15:32.000 --> 00:15:32.740
 for that strength

00:15:32.740 --> 00:15:34.059
 that only he

00:15:34.059 --> 00:15:34.580
 can bring

00:15:34.580 --> 00:15:36.100
 that strength

00:15:36.100 --> 00:15:36.679
 that we need

00:15:36.679 --> 00:15:37.399
 not to sprint

00:15:37.399 --> 00:15:39.759
 but to run

00:15:39.759 --> 00:15:40.539
 that marathon

00:15:40.539 --> 00:15:41.059
 of life.

00:15:42.000 --> 00:15:42.480
 One last

00:15:42.480 --> 00:15:42.860
 story

00:15:42.860 --> 00:15:45.200
 is a story

00:15:45.200 --> 00:15:45.700
 about

00:15:45.700 --> 00:15:46.659
 Corrie

00:15:46.659 --> 00:15:47.240
 Ten Boom

00:15:47.240 --> 00:15:48.279
 Corrie

00:15:48.279 --> 00:15:48.659
 Ten Boom

00:15:48.659 --> 00:15:49.200
 her sister

00:15:49.200 --> 00:15:49.659
 Betsy

00:15:49.659 --> 00:15:50.480
 were middle

00:15:50.480 --> 00:15:51.159
 aged Christian

00:15:51.159 --> 00:15:51.860
 women who

00:15:51.860 --> 00:15:53.139
 during the

00:15:53.139 --> 00:15:53.899
 Second World

00:15:53.899 --> 00:15:54.340
 War

00:15:54.340 --> 00:15:56.000
 they were

00:15:56.000 --> 00:15:56.419
 living in

00:15:56.419 --> 00:15:56.680
 Holland

00:15:56.680 --> 00:15:57.300
 and they

00:15:57.300 --> 00:15:57.779
 resolved

00:15:57.779 --> 00:15:59.100
 to conceal

00:15:59.100 --> 00:16:00.220
 fleeing

00:16:00.220 --> 00:16:00.879
 Jews

00:16:00.879 --> 00:16:01.419
 from the

00:16:01.419 --> 00:16:01.759
 Nazis

00:16:01.759 --> 00:16:04.019
 they rescued

00:16:04.019 --> 00:16:04.560
 many

00:16:04.560 --> 00:16:05.659
 but eventually

00:16:05.659 --> 00:16:06.360
 they were

00:16:06.360 --> 00:16:07.279
 arrested

00:16:07.279 --> 00:16:08.779
 and they

00:16:08.779 --> 00:16:09.240
 were taken

00:16:09.240 --> 00:16:10.180
 to Ravensbrook

00:16:10.180 --> 00:16:10.920
 concentration

00:16:10.919 --> 00:16:11.379
 camp

00:16:11.379 --> 00:16:13.120
 Betsy

00:16:13.120 --> 00:16:13.519
 died

00:16:13.519 --> 00:16:13.939
 there

00:16:13.939 --> 00:16:15.959
 but Corrie

00:16:15.959 --> 00:16:16.699
 miraculously

00:16:16.699 --> 00:16:17.479
 survived the

00:16:17.479 --> 00:16:17.919
 concentration

00:16:17.919 --> 00:16:18.500
 camp

00:16:18.500 --> 00:16:19.279
 and later

00:16:19.279 --> 00:16:19.860
 witnessed

00:16:19.860 --> 00:16:21.399
 to the

00:16:21.399 --> 00:16:21.959
 strength

00:16:21.959 --> 00:16:22.740
 that God

00:16:22.740 --> 00:16:23.539
 gave her

00:16:23.539 --> 00:16:25.839
 when she

00:16:25.839 --> 00:16:26.279
 was asked

00:16:26.279 --> 00:16:26.819
 how she

00:16:26.819 --> 00:16:28.860
 prepared

00:16:28.860 --> 00:16:29.860
 how to

00:16:29.860 --> 00:16:30.259
 prepare

00:16:30.259 --> 00:16:30.539
 for

00:16:30.539 --> 00:16:31.219
 persecution

00:16:31.219 --> 00:16:32.719
 she used

00:16:32.719 --> 00:16:33.000
 to tell

00:16:33.000 --> 00:16:33.500
 this story

00:16:33.500 --> 00:16:33.899
 about her

00:16:33.899 --> 00:16:34.379
 childhood

00:16:34.379 --> 00:16:35.779
 she said

00:16:35.779 --> 00:16:35.980
 this

00:16:35.980 --> 00:16:36.539
 when I was

00:16:36.539 --> 00:16:36.799
 a little

00:16:36.799 --> 00:16:37.199
 girl

00:16:37.199 --> 00:16:37.959
 I went

00:16:37.959 --> 00:16:38.279
 to my

00:16:38.279 --> 00:16:38.699
 father

00:16:38.699 --> 00:16:39.339
 and I

00:16:39.339 --> 00:16:39.740
 said

00:16:39.740 --> 00:16:40.560
 daddy

00:16:40.560 --> 00:16:41.560
 I was

00:16:41.560 --> 00:16:42.000
 afraid

00:16:42.000 --> 00:16:42.360
 that I

00:16:42.360 --> 00:16:42.519
 will

00:16:42.519 --> 00:16:42.860
 never

00:16:42.860 --> 00:16:43.100
 be

00:16:43.100 --> 00:16:43.500
 strong

00:16:43.500 --> 00:16:43.879
 enough

00:16:43.879 --> 00:16:44.659
 to be

00:16:44.659 --> 00:16:44.879
 a

00:16:44.879 --> 00:16:45.200
 martyr

00:16:45.200 --> 00:16:45.519
 for

00:16:45.519 --> 00:16:45.799
 Jesus

00:16:45.799 --> 00:16:46.379
 Christ

00:16:46.379 --> 00:16:47.980
 tell

00:16:47.980 --> 00:16:48.320
 me

00:16:48.320 --> 00:16:49.399
 said

00:16:49.399 --> 00:16:49.779
 father

00:16:49.779 --> 00:16:51.200
 when you

00:16:51.200 --> 00:16:51.600
 take a

00:16:51.600 --> 00:16:52.000
 train

00:16:52.000 --> 00:16:52.240
 to

00:16:52.240 --> 00:16:52.860
 Amsterdam

00:16:52.860 --> 00:16:55.200
 when

00:16:55.200 --> 00:16:55.919
 do I

00:16:55.919 --> 00:16:56.399
 give you

00:16:56.399 --> 00:16:56.840
 the money

00:16:56.840 --> 00:16:57.240
 for the

00:16:57.240 --> 00:16:57.560
 train

00:16:57.560 --> 00:16:58.000
 ticket

00:16:58.000 --> 00:16:59.659
 do I

00:16:59.659 --> 00:17:00.000
 give it

00:17:00.000 --> 00:17:00.519
 to you

00:17:00.519 --> 00:17:01.480
 three weeks

00:17:01.480 --> 00:17:02.000
 before

00:17:02.000 --> 00:17:04.539
 no daddy

00:17:04.539 --> 00:17:05.140
 she said

00:17:05.140 --> 00:17:06.800
 you give

00:17:06.800 --> 00:17:06.920
 me

00:17:06.920 --> 00:17:06.940
 you give me

00:17:06.940 --> 00:17:07.300
 the money

00:17:07.300 --> 00:17:07.620
 for the

00:17:07.620 --> 00:17:07.960
 ticket

00:17:07.960 --> 00:17:09.259
 just

00:17:09.259 --> 00:17:09.960
 before

00:17:09.960 --> 00:17:10.880
 we get

00:17:10.880 --> 00:17:11.160
 on the

00:17:11.160 --> 00:17:11.560
 train

00:17:11.560 --> 00:17:13.840
 that is

00:17:13.840 --> 00:17:14.140
 right

00:17:14.140 --> 00:17:14.980
 my father

00:17:14.980 --> 00:17:15.360
 said

00:17:15.360 --> 00:17:17.460
 and so

00:17:17.460 --> 00:17:17.920
 it is

00:17:17.920 --> 00:17:18.700
 with God's

00:17:18.700 --> 00:17:19.400
 strength

00:17:19.400 --> 00:17:21.640
 our father

00:17:21.640 --> 00:17:22.060
 in heaven

00:17:22.060 --> 00:17:22.740
 knows

00:17:22.740 --> 00:17:23.700
 when you

00:17:23.700 --> 00:17:24.180
 will need

00:17:24.180 --> 00:17:24.840
 the strength

00:17:24.840 --> 00:17:25.480
 to be a

00:17:25.480 --> 00:17:26.720
 martyr

00:17:26.720 --> 00:17:28.280
 for Jesus

00:17:28.280 --> 00:17:28.840
 Christ

00:17:28.840 --> 00:17:31.020
 he will

00:17:31.020 --> 00:17:31.520
 supply

00:17:31.519 --> 00:17:32.740
 all you

00:17:32.740 --> 00:17:33.079
 need

00:17:33.079 --> 00:17:35.119
 just

00:17:35.119 --> 00:17:35.740
 in time

00:17:35.740 --> 00:17:39.039
 let's

00:17:39.039 --> 00:17:39.339
 pray

00:17:39.339 --> 00:17:46.819
 we

00:17:46.819 --> 00:17:47.200
 started

00:17:47.200 --> 00:17:47.460
 this

00:17:47.460 --> 00:17:47.779
 service

00:17:47.779 --> 00:17:48.259
 by asking

00:17:48.259 --> 00:17:48.819
 the question

00:17:48.819 --> 00:17:49.359
 what sort

00:17:49.359 --> 00:17:50.019
 of things

00:17:50.019 --> 00:17:50.420
 do we

00:17:50.420 --> 00:17:50.680
 need

00:17:50.680 --> 00:17:51.200
 strength

00:17:51.200 --> 00:17:51.660
 for

00:17:51.660 --> 00:17:53.660
 for each

00:17:53.660 --> 00:17:54.200
 of us

00:17:54.200 --> 00:17:55.019
 that will

00:17:55.019 --> 00:17:55.759
 perhaps

00:17:55.759 --> 00:17:56.819
 have a

00:17:56.819 --> 00:17:57.019
 different

00:17:57.019 --> 00:17:57.460
 answer

00:17:57.460 --> 00:17:58.099
 right now

00:17:58.099 --> 00:17:58.759
 but let's

00:17:58.759 --> 00:17:59.460
 just think

00:17:59.460 --> 00:18:00.539
 right now

00:18:00.539 --> 00:18:00.920
 of what

00:18:00.920 --> 00:18:01.420
 things

00:18:01.420 --> 00:18:02.460
 we can

00:18:02.460 --> 00:18:03.019
 think of

00:18:03.019 --> 00:18:03.539
 that we

00:18:03.539 --> 00:18:04.759
 need

00:18:04.759 --> 00:18:05.620
 God's

00:18:05.620 --> 00:18:06.180
 strength

00:18:06.180 --> 00:18:06.840
 for

00:18:06.840 --> 00:18:08.100
 and let's

00:18:08.100 --> 00:18:08.759
 hold them

00:18:08.759 --> 00:18:09.660
 before him

00:18:09.660 --> 00:18:10.980
 in prayer

00:18:10.980 --> 00:18:17.220
 Lord thank

00:18:17.220 --> 00:18:17.600
 you

00:18:17.600 --> 00:18:19.900
 that it's

00:18:19.900 --> 00:18:20.500
 not because

00:18:20.500 --> 00:18:21.080
 we are

00:18:21.080 --> 00:18:21.560
 strong

00:18:21.560 --> 00:18:22.279
 but because

00:18:22.279 --> 00:18:22.620
 we are

00:18:22.620 --> 00:18:23.019
 weak and

00:18:23.019 --> 00:18:23.340
 broken

00:18:23.340 --> 00:18:23.920
 that you

00:18:23.920 --> 00:18:24.300
 have come

00:18:24.300 --> 00:18:24.779
 to us

00:18:24.779 --> 00:18:25.660
 in Christ

00:18:25.660 --> 00:18:27.100
 and that it

00:18:27.100 --> 00:18:27.759
 is because

00:18:27.759 --> 00:18:28.460
 we are not

00:18:28.460 --> 00:18:28.940
 strong

00:18:28.940 --> 00:18:30.120
 but that we

00:18:30.120 --> 00:18:30.600
 are actually

00:18:30.600 --> 00:18:31.000
 weak

00:18:31.000 --> 00:18:32.059
 that you

00:18:32.059 --> 00:18:32.579
 come to

00:18:32.579 --> 00:18:32.900
 us

00:18:32.900 --> 00:18:33.660
 in the

00:18:33.660 --> 00:18:34.079
 power of

00:18:34.079 --> 00:18:34.220
 your

00:18:34.220 --> 00:18:34.460
 Holy

00:18:34.460 --> 00:18:34.839
 Spirit

00:18:34.839 --> 00:18:36.819
 come to

00:18:36.819 --> 00:18:37.339
 us now

00:18:37.339 --> 00:18:37.920
 we pray

00:18:37.920 --> 00:18:39.740
 come into

00:18:39.740 --> 00:18:40.599
 those situations

00:18:40.599 --> 00:18:41.079
 that we

00:18:41.079 --> 00:18:41.859
 hold in our

00:18:41.859 --> 00:18:42.460
 hearts before

00:18:42.460 --> 00:18:43.059
 you now

00:18:43.059 --> 00:18:45.279
 those situations

00:18:45.279 --> 00:18:45.839
 that lie

00:18:45.839 --> 00:18:46.539
 before us

00:18:46.539 --> 00:18:48.039
 we lay them

00:18:48.039 --> 00:18:48.680
 before you

00:18:48.680 --> 00:18:51.279
 come Holy

00:18:51.279 --> 00:18:51.680
 Spirit

00:18:51.680 --> 00:18:52.700
 come in your

00:18:52.700 --> 00:18:53.599
 strength and in

00:18:53.599 --> 00:18:54.259
 your power

00:18:54.259 --> 00:18:56.640
 fill us

00:18:56.640 --> 00:18:57.759
 and renew us

00:18:57.759 --> 00:18:59.020
 in your

00:18:59.020 --> 00:19:00.120
 perfect strength

00:19:00.120 --> 00:19:00.840
 we pray

00:19:00.840 --> 00:19:03.180
 in Jesus name

00:19:03.180 --> 00:19:05.060
 Amen