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<v SPEAKER_00>Good morning, First Baptist Wimberly.

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<v SPEAKER_00>This is Mike Gippens.

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<v SPEAKER_00>Welcome to Friday.

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<v SPEAKER_00>Last Sunday, the Israelites were celebrating the Feast of Booths.

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<v SPEAKER_00>As we enter chapter 9 this Sunday, we see that the feast has ended, but they were assembling again.

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<v SPEAKER_00>And we saw in chapter 8 the importance of the Word of God, and Nehemiah emphasizes that in this chapter as well.

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<v SPEAKER_00>So the people of Israel in this chapter confess their sin and repent of their wrongdoing.

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<v SPEAKER_00>But I think it's really important to notice that it was the reading and exposition of God's word that started that confession.

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<v SPEAKER_00>Let me read verse 3 of chapter 9.

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<v SPEAKER_00>And they stood up in their place and read from the book of the law of the Lord their God for a quarter of the day.

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<v SPEAKER_00>For another quarter of it, they made confession and worshiped the Lord their God.

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<v SPEAKER_00>God's word reminded them of the goodness of God and the depth of their sin and the history of Israel's sin through the generations.

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<v SPEAKER_00>It is only as we see God in His greatness, His love, and His mercy that we truly see what we are.

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<v SPEAKER_00>We will never see our sin properly without the revelation of God's character and grace.

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<v SPEAKER_00>This assembly consisted of a quarter day of reading, understanding, and taking to heart the Word of God.

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<v SPEAKER_00>And it was followed by a quarter day of confession and worship.

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<v SPEAKER_00>Now, again, there is no expectation that a half day be spent in this as they did.

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<v SPEAKER_00>It's not a prescriptive passage, but rather a descriptive passage.

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<v SPEAKER_00>That doesn't mean that there isn't a pattern here that we would be wise to take note of.

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<v SPEAKER_00>It's only as we see God in His Word and all His grace, goodness, and power that we truly see ourselves.

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<v SPEAKER_00>And praise wells up in our hearts, which then expresses itself in a surrendered life to the Creator who loves us.

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<v SPEAKER_00>Martin Lloyd Jones has said that the ultimate test of our spirituality is the measure of our amazement at the grace of God.

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<v SPEAKER_00>And the measure of our spirituality is the amount of praise and thanksgiving in our prayers.

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<v SPEAKER_00>I am praying today that your awe of God and his character from the word drives you to your knees in thankfulness and submission.

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<v SPEAKER_00>This is Mike Gibbons, and I love being your pastor.