WEBVTT 00:00:00.560 --> 00:00:04.080 So we've been making our way through the book of Ephesians, studying it. 00:00:04.160 --> 00:00:13.359 We are in the last sermon, the last Sunday in the book of Ephesians, this New Testament letter that Paul wrote to a church in Ephesus. 00:00:13.519 --> 00:00:15.119 Here's what we've been saying along the way. 00:00:15.359 --> 00:00:19.440 Chapters 1 through 3 teach us what God has done for us in Christ. 00:00:19.600 --> 00:00:22.559 And there's a transition in the letter about halfway through. 00:00:22.800 --> 00:00:27.920 Chapters 4 through 6, we learn how we should live in light of it. 00:00:28.079 --> 00:00:34.320 So what we've been saying is our walk with Jesus is not for God's love, but from God's love. 00:00:35.439 --> 00:00:47.920 In those early chapters, Paul took us through all the promises we have in Jesus, just promise after promise, lavishness of Jesus' sufficiency for us. 00:00:48.159 --> 00:00:53.679 And then he began in chapters four and five to say, well, this is how you should live in light of it. 00:00:53.759 --> 00:00:56.320 This is how you should live in your relationships. 00:00:56.479 --> 00:01:04.560 And now at the end of the letter, he tells us, hey, by the way, all that will not be easy. 00:01:05.680 --> 00:01:06.799 And that's what we just read. 00:01:06.959 --> 00:01:07.840 Be strong in the Lord. 00:01:07.920 --> 00:01:09.920 The devil's gonna, we're fighting, there's a fight. 00:01:10.000 --> 00:01:11.599 Okay, how are we gonna withstand? 00:01:11.920 --> 00:01:13.920 Verses 10 through 13 that I just read. 00:01:14.000 --> 00:01:15.040 And that's point number one. 00:01:15.200 --> 00:01:19.840 The devil is a liar whose schemes against our flourishing. 00:01:21.280 --> 00:01:28.879 Now, maybe the idea of a devil or the idea of a person of the devil has always felt sort of cartoonish to you, but that word devil means liar. 00:01:28.959 --> 00:01:30.560 That's how you can think of him. 00:01:30.719 --> 00:01:31.760 He's a liar. 00:01:32.000 --> 00:01:34.319 There's two main lies of the liar. 00:01:34.480 --> 00:01:38.959 Lie number one is this you need something else. 00:01:39.840 --> 00:01:41.760 That's the lure of temptation. 00:01:41.920 --> 00:01:43.519 You need something else. 00:01:44.000 --> 00:01:47.519 The second lie is you aren't worthy. 00:01:48.239 --> 00:01:50.959 And that's the despair of accusation. 00:01:51.519 --> 00:01:52.879 And we all know these lies. 00:01:53.040 --> 00:01:55.920 These are the motives and the thoughts under the service. 00:01:56.079 --> 00:01:58.319 Maybe you don't even tell anybody. 00:01:58.799 --> 00:01:59.760 But they're there. 00:01:59.920 --> 00:02:01.519 It's the sin under the sin. 00:02:01.840 --> 00:02:03.840 So how are we going to resist? 00:02:04.319 --> 00:02:15.199 How do we walk through a world where we're constantly hearing you need something else, or you are not worthy? 00:02:16.800 --> 00:02:18.479 Well, Paul has something to say for us. 00:02:18.639 --> 00:02:42.240 Verse 14 stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace in all circumstances, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one, and take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the spirit, which is the word of God. 00:02:43.840 --> 00:02:47.840 Two weeks ago, my wife Christy and I we went fly fishing up in North Carolina. 00:02:47.919 --> 00:02:48.639 Here's a picture of us. 00:02:48.719 --> 00:02:54.400 We're on the east fork of the Broad River near Brevard, North Carolina, between Brevard and Cashers. 00:02:54.639 --> 00:02:56.080 Aren't we cute there in the river? 00:02:56.240 --> 00:03:00.400 And so here's a picture of one of the fish that Christy caught, a good brookie, that's a little brook trout. 00:03:00.560 --> 00:03:01.680 See that orange belly? 00:03:01.840 --> 00:03:03.759 Beautiful, beautiful North Carolina fish. 00:03:04.000 --> 00:03:07.599 But when we first pulled up to the river, we pulled over on the side of the street. 00:03:07.680 --> 00:03:13.360 And the first thing I did is I pulled a huge bag of gear out of the back of the car and dropped it on the ground. 00:03:13.439 --> 00:03:17.680 Now, if I'm holding a bag, I love bags and I love gear and gear in a bag. 00:03:17.759 --> 00:03:18.400 I like it even more. 00:03:18.479 --> 00:03:28.879 If I'm carrying a bag full of gear, I'm just in a happy place and we begin to get that gear out, and we put on our socks, we put on our waiters, we put on our boots, right? 00:03:28.960 --> 00:03:30.000 We're suiting up. 00:03:30.080 --> 00:03:35.759 I put on my vest and my pack, I got my net, like I mean, it looks like you're going into war into this river, right? 00:03:35.840 --> 00:03:40.719 And you want the boots so you don't slip, you want the waiters so you don't freeze. 00:03:41.039 --> 00:03:44.560 You put on all the armor so you're ready. 00:03:45.039 --> 00:03:47.919 You suit up so you can thrive. 00:03:48.639 --> 00:03:54.080 Paul says we need to suit up to live in a hostile world. 00:03:54.800 --> 00:03:56.560 You need something else. 00:03:56.800 --> 00:03:58.400 You aren't worthy. 00:03:59.199 --> 00:04:03.919 Point number two is this our Christian walk is steady through God's provision. 00:04:04.159 --> 00:04:07.919 That's what this armor is, God's provision, not our achievement. 00:04:08.240 --> 00:04:12.479 Paul's desire is for us to be steady, not wobbly. 00:04:13.039 --> 00:04:14.319 So, how do we become steady? 00:04:14.479 --> 00:04:22.480 Well, Paul uses that familiar image, the Roman soldier, because all his readers would have known exactly what he's talking about. 00:04:22.800 --> 00:04:24.879 And gives six pieces of armor. 00:04:25.040 --> 00:04:25.680 The first is this. 00:04:25.759 --> 00:04:27.040 Let's look at these six. 00:04:27.199 --> 00:04:28.079 The belt of truth. 00:04:28.160 --> 00:04:36.319 So the belt would have held up the soldier's tunic, would have also held his sword, and this teaches us truth gives us security and confidence. 00:04:36.959 --> 00:04:47.120 I mean, what if the only basis for truth in your life about who you are and what you should do and how you should live and what you should think and how you should relate to people and how you should handle it? 00:04:47.199 --> 00:04:50.079 What if the only is your feelings? 00:04:51.040 --> 00:04:52.399 Well, I'd be a mess. 00:04:52.560 --> 00:04:57.120 I mean, because sometimes my feelings are good and solid, and sometimes my feelings are horrible. 00:04:57.759 --> 00:04:58.639 Sometimes I don't even know. 00:04:58.720 --> 00:04:59.680 Like, I'm not sure. 00:05:00.000 --> 00:05:01.360 How am I to discern that? 00:05:01.519 --> 00:05:06.000 Well, we have a truth outside of ourselves, a standard in the Word of God. 00:05:06.639 --> 00:05:08.480 What is true about me? 00:05:09.040 --> 00:05:10.079 What's true about God? 00:05:10.160 --> 00:05:12.079 What's true about how God feels about me? 00:05:12.160 --> 00:05:13.360 What's true about relationships? 00:05:13.439 --> 00:05:14.160 What's true about money? 00:05:14.240 --> 00:05:15.920 What's true about this world? 00:05:17.199 --> 00:05:19.040 Gives us security and confidence. 00:05:19.199 --> 00:05:21.040 Second, we have the breastplate of righteousness. 00:05:21.199 --> 00:05:22.720 That's a soldier's breastplate. 00:05:22.879 --> 00:05:27.199 He covered his back and his front, the core of who he was. 00:05:27.360 --> 00:05:34.720 Now, for Paul, whenever he mentions righteousness, he almost always means Christ's righteousness to us. 00:05:35.040 --> 00:05:39.920 Not our righteous behaviors, but Jesus' gift of righteous to us. 00:05:40.079 --> 00:05:50.800 2 Corinthians 5, 21, God made him, Jesus, who had no sin, to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. 00:05:51.040 --> 00:05:58.560 So you're righteous not based on your righteous behavior or your record or resume, but on Jesus'. 00:05:59.680 --> 00:06:14.399 And so what this means is the core of who you are, the breastplate of righteousness, the core of who you are, is protected by a justification that you do not achieve and you don't even maintain it. 00:06:14.800 --> 00:06:17.199 It is a gift of grace in Jesus. 00:06:17.360 --> 00:06:18.560 Imagine the freedom. 00:06:21.680 --> 00:06:28.079 Paul's speaking of a boot that would have been made for long marches and a solid stance. 00:06:28.480 --> 00:06:36.639 We can walk in this world in peace, ready for whatever comes, because God is for us. 00:06:37.040 --> 00:06:38.639 And God is with us. 00:06:39.519 --> 00:06:40.800 That gives us a steadiness. 00:06:40.959 --> 00:06:42.160 Fourth, the shield of faith. 00:06:42.319 --> 00:06:52.399 Paul's speaking of a shield, not a small little round shield, but a huge shield that would have covered the whole body, and it was made to withstand arrows that were even lit on fire. 00:06:52.639 --> 00:07:04.399 The commentary worded it this way: for faith takes hold of the promises of God in times of doubt and depression, and faith takes hold of the power of God in times of temptation. 00:07:05.279 --> 00:07:09.839 We have a resource outside of ourselves, strength beyond our strength. 00:07:10.000 --> 00:07:11.360 Fifth, the helmet of salvation. 00:07:11.439 --> 00:07:16.240 The helmet's worn over our being, and that's our salvation. 00:07:16.480 --> 00:07:20.399 That we have a confidence that we're already fully forgiven. 00:07:20.879 --> 00:07:29.759 That you're already fully righteous, you're already fully God's beloved, by God's grace and gift to you, nothing for you to add. 00:07:30.959 --> 00:07:33.120 Just a life of response. 00:07:33.759 --> 00:07:41.920 Meaning that we walk in this world already justified, already righteous, already forgiven because of Jesus. 00:07:42.079 --> 00:07:44.079 Six, the sword of the Spirit. 00:07:44.240 --> 00:07:48.639 Out of the six pieces of armor, this is the only one meant for defense and attack. 00:07:48.959 --> 00:07:55.279 In verse 17, it's very clear that this spirit is going to use the word of God to protect us. 00:07:55.600 --> 00:08:03.759 So with all the armor, what is clear is God supplies this kind of life, and we walk in it. 00:08:05.839 --> 00:08:08.000 Okay, on to verse 18. 00:08:09.439 --> 00:08:17.279 Paul connects this to prayer, relational communion with the Father, praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. 00:08:17.439 --> 00:08:32.639 To that end, keep alert, with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints, and also for me, that words may be given to me, and opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel for which I am an ambassador in chains, that I may declare it boldly as I ought to speak. 00:08:33.600 --> 00:08:48.559 So Paul is connecting, how we're becoming aware of what God's providing for us so that we might live steady, and in that steadiness, we're going to live in a communion and a relational attunement, alignment, centering with the Heavenly Father. 00:08:48.799 --> 00:08:52.559 Verse 21, last three verses of the letter. 00:08:53.279 --> 00:08:57.679 So that you may also know how I am and what I am doing. 00:08:57.919 --> 00:09:03.039 Tecaicus, the beloved brother and faithful minister in the Lord, will tell you everything. 00:09:03.279 --> 00:09:09.200 I have sent him to you for this very purpose, that you may know how we are, and that he may encourage your hearts. 00:09:09.519 --> 00:09:11.279 Closing two verses. 00:09:11.519 --> 00:09:14.480 Peace be to the brothers and love with faith. 00:09:14.720 --> 00:09:22.960 From God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, grace be with all who love our Lord Jesus Christ with love incorruptible. 00:09:23.200 --> 00:09:27.200 That word incorruptible, love Jesus with incorruptible love. 00:09:27.440 --> 00:09:29.919 That word can also mean undying. 00:09:30.399 --> 00:09:31.600 Love Jesus. 00:09:31.840 --> 00:09:36.799 You are to love, I am to love Jesus with undying love. 00:09:37.440 --> 00:09:47.919 So pondering verses 23 and 24, last point, point number three, God's undying love for us creates our peace and love back toward him. 00:09:49.600 --> 00:09:56.799 In our house, we watch the TV show The Office, just on repeat over and over, just kind of start at the beginning, work your way through, and go back. 00:09:57.200 --> 00:10:01.840 We're season six right now, so that means Jim and Pam are married. 00:10:02.000 --> 00:10:10.240 We're on the other side of the torture, of the romance torture that they put you through for five seasons because Jim just loves her so much. 00:10:10.399 --> 00:10:11.519 I think that's in season one. 00:10:11.600 --> 00:10:16.559 She in a meeting she falls asleep, and then the meeting adjourns and everybody leaves, and Jim won't even move, right? 00:10:16.639 --> 00:10:19.360 He's just so enamored that you know Pam's on his shoulder, right? 00:10:19.519 --> 00:10:21.919 The meeting ends, he won't, he loves her so much. 00:10:22.080 --> 00:10:26.320 And then the end of season two, finally, Jim confesses his love for her. 00:10:26.399 --> 00:10:28.000 Do you remember that just outside the building? 00:10:28.080 --> 00:10:29.759 And she says, No, no. 00:10:30.000 --> 00:10:31.200 Like I'm good at it. 00:10:31.279 --> 00:10:32.720 It's heartbreaking. 00:10:33.039 --> 00:10:38.399 And then finally, in season five, episode one, we get the same stuff. 00:10:38.639 --> 00:10:40.320 The audio's a little weird, you can read a lot. 00:11:25.840 --> 00:11:29.039 I mean, we we've been on an emotional journey with Jim and Pam. 00:11:29.120 --> 00:11:30.720 I mean, we lived through Pam and Roy. 00:11:30.879 --> 00:11:32.000 Roy is so horrible. 00:11:32.159 --> 00:11:35.039 And then Jim moved away, and Jim got with Karen. 00:11:35.279 --> 00:11:35.919 I liked Karen. 00:11:36.320 --> 00:11:37.039 Anybody else like Karen? 00:11:37.200 --> 00:11:38.960 I was always kind of like, what about Karen? 00:11:39.200 --> 00:11:40.799 Like, I think Karen's pretty great. 00:11:40.960 --> 00:11:43.919 But the entire time Jim loves Pam. 00:11:44.720 --> 00:11:48.000 He just waits on her, encourages her, supports her. 00:11:48.320 --> 00:11:50.960 He knows her and he loves her. 00:11:51.120 --> 00:12:00.799 I mean, we could say, in the modern world of television metaphors for sermons, Jim's love for Pam is undying. 00:12:01.519 --> 00:12:04.080 No matter what happens, it just doesn't stop. 00:12:04.639 --> 00:12:08.559 This word undying, it's interesting when we look through the New Testament. 00:12:09.200 --> 00:12:11.279 We can learn a little bit more about it. 00:12:11.679 --> 00:12:16.960 It also can be worded immortality, so it's never stopping. 00:12:17.440 --> 00:12:20.399 Incorruption, it's never warping. 00:12:20.720 --> 00:12:24.240 Sincerity, it's never faking. 00:12:25.279 --> 00:12:30.799 So we're called to undying love to Jesus. 00:12:31.679 --> 00:12:34.879 Never stopping, never warping, never faking. 00:12:35.039 --> 00:12:37.200 I get to the end of that lesson, I'm like, uh-oh. 00:12:37.840 --> 00:12:46.320 Like I don't know about you and your life, but I have not loved Jesus with undying love. 00:12:46.480 --> 00:12:48.240 I love the encouragement. 00:12:48.480 --> 00:12:49.840 I love the call. 00:12:50.159 --> 00:12:52.240 But my life has not always looked like that. 00:12:52.399 --> 00:12:58.080 Now, fortunately, we're in the book of Ephesians, and we've already read Ephesians 1 through 3. 00:12:58.480 --> 00:13:08.159 We have already learned, we've been grounded and rooted in Ephesians 1 through 3, that God loves us with undying love. 00:13:08.399 --> 00:13:15.600 Never stopping love toward you, never warping love toward you, never faking love toward you. 00:13:15.840 --> 00:13:22.480 That's why we can say God's love for us creates our love, our imperfect love toward Him. 00:13:22.799 --> 00:13:26.559 This had me thinking about the Luke 15 prodigal son story. 00:13:26.720 --> 00:13:29.919 Remember the young boy asked the dad for his inheritance? 00:13:30.240 --> 00:13:31.600 Would have been offensive. 00:13:31.840 --> 00:13:33.840 The dad gives him his share of the inheritance. 00:13:33.919 --> 00:13:41.679 The boy runs off to a foreign country, begins to spend his money, he's having a good time, throwing some parties, so he has lots of friends. 00:13:42.080 --> 00:13:48.559 And then the money starts to run out, so the parties stop, so the friends start, stop, and then eventually he has nothing left. 00:13:48.879 --> 00:13:49.919 He wastes it all. 00:13:50.159 --> 00:13:52.159 He has nothing, he's starving, he's broken. 00:13:52.879 --> 00:13:55.679 The world did not deliver. 00:13:57.600 --> 00:14:02.159 But he thinks, maybe dad, maybe dad'll love me. 00:14:03.519 --> 00:14:05.600 Maybe the father would just still have me. 00:14:05.919 --> 00:14:07.200 Maybe I could go home. 00:14:07.600 --> 00:14:12.799 Maybe if I make it home, maybe if I go home, dad'll accept me. 00:14:13.919 --> 00:14:17.679 Do you remember this piece of artwork by Charles Mackie, a British artist? 00:14:18.480 --> 00:14:20.720 That's his piece on the prodigal. 00:14:22.320 --> 00:14:26.879 Just the worn and weary son being embraced by the loving father who ran toward the sun. 00:14:27.200 --> 00:14:28.720 That's what we read in Luke 15. 00:14:28.799 --> 00:14:34.240 The father comes off the porch, runs toward the sun, a lavish welcome, lavish acceptance. 00:14:34.399 --> 00:14:38.399 The father wraps his arms around that boy. 00:14:39.679 --> 00:14:42.000 And then there's that elder brother. 00:14:43.279 --> 00:14:44.480 Self-righteous. 00:14:45.200 --> 00:14:47.039 Probably went to church a lot. 00:14:47.679 --> 00:14:50.480 Like he was consumed with how good he was. 00:14:51.120 --> 00:14:53.279 He's proud, he's judgmental. 00:14:53.840 --> 00:14:55.440 He's unaware of his need of grace. 00:14:55.519 --> 00:14:58.080 And he says to the father, hey, I've what about my party? 00:14:58.240 --> 00:14:59.919 Like you're throwing throwing him a party. 00:15:00.159 --> 00:15:02.159 The guy wasted all that money. 00:15:02.320 --> 00:15:02.879 What about me? 00:15:02.960 --> 00:15:04.639 Look what I've been doing. 00:15:05.039 --> 00:15:07.519 The father says, You've always been with me. 00:15:08.000 --> 00:15:08.320 Right? 00:15:08.480 --> 00:15:10.320 He invites both of them to the party. 00:15:10.399 --> 00:15:12.639 The older brothers invited the party. 00:15:12.960 --> 00:15:16.240 The older brother has no awareness of his need of grace. 00:15:16.879 --> 00:15:32.960 For both the boys, the rebellious and the self-righteous, for us, whether you're the rebellious or you're the self-righteous, we're invited to a party to enjoy the free forgiveness and acceptance that is lavish from the Father because of Jesus. 00:15:33.360 --> 00:15:51.200 And what Paul knows and why he writes his letter like he does in Ephesians 1 through 3, giving us and leading us to Ephesians 4 through 6, is if we become aware of how lavish the acceptance, the justification, the free forgiveness we have in Jesus, this will change everything else. 00:15:51.840 --> 00:15:53.840 Can you imagine being loved like that? 00:15:55.120 --> 00:15:56.080 Undying. 00:15:58.639 --> 00:15:59.120 You are. 00:16:01.600 --> 00:16:02.639 God loves you like this. 00:16:02.960 --> 00:16:05.679 My prayer is that you just would come alive to it. 00:16:05.919 --> 00:16:08.720 He moves toward you with undying love. 00:16:08.879 --> 00:16:12.000 The world won't give you that, religion won't give you that. 00:16:12.960 --> 00:16:14.080 But the gospel. 00:16:14.559 --> 00:16:16.639 God's love to us in Jesus' will. 00:16:16.799 --> 00:16:21.200 God is not reluctant toward you, He's not half interested in you, He delights in you. 00:16:21.840 --> 00:16:26.159 The image we have is a father coming off of a porch running toward us. 00:16:26.799 --> 00:16:28.960 And that we are held by that love. 00:16:29.759 --> 00:16:36.320 This is why the end of the letter, verses 20, return to this idea of grace and peace. 00:16:40.080 --> 00:16:45.120 Because a life of endless scorekeeping on yourself, it'll keep you in fear and anxiety. 00:16:45.279 --> 00:16:51.360 You will not achieve enough in the world, you won't achieve enough in the church, you won't achieve enough in your spiritual religious activities. 00:16:51.519 --> 00:16:53.919 You won't even love God enough. 00:16:55.120 --> 00:17:00.000 Here's how Martin Luther spoke of grace and peace as he wrote in his Galatians commentary. 00:17:00.240 --> 00:17:04.240 These two terms, grace and peace, constitute Christianity. 00:17:04.480 --> 00:17:09.279 Grace involves the remission of sins, peace, and a happy conscience. 00:17:09.599 --> 00:17:14.799 Sin is not canceled by lawful living, for no person is able to live up to the law. 00:17:15.039 --> 00:17:19.519 The law reveals guilt, fills the conscience with terror, and drives men to despair. 00:17:19.759 --> 00:17:23.680 Much less is sin taken away by man-invented endeavors. 00:17:23.920 --> 00:17:30.319 The fact is, the more a person seeks credit for himself by his own efforts, the deeper he goes into debt. 00:17:31.279 --> 00:17:40.480 Luther's saying, stop scorekeeping, stop comparing, stop rooting in your love for God, begin to root in God's love for you. 00:17:40.960 --> 00:17:47.119 Live in Ephesians 1 through 3 so you might live out Ephesians 4 through 6. 00:17:49.039 --> 00:17:50.720 And that's why Paul's saying, grace and peace. 00:17:50.799 --> 00:17:53.440 He says it at the beginning of the book, and he says it at the end of the book. 00:17:53.759 --> 00:17:57.759 And that's why we've been saying, we'll say it again, we'll close the series with it. 00:17:58.000 --> 00:18:01.200 Our walk with Jesus is not for God's love. 00:18:02.000 --> 00:18:03.279 It's from God's love. 00:18:03.920 --> 00:18:06.000 Now to close, it's Thanksgiving week. 00:18:06.160 --> 00:18:09.920 So I'd love to just have a little bit of Thanksgiving reflection. 00:18:10.559 --> 00:18:14.160 I'm gonna read three verses from a psalm, give you a little bit of quiet. 00:18:14.799 --> 00:18:19.119 And maybe you're gonna hear every little noise that this building has to offer you. 00:18:19.759 --> 00:18:22.079 Maybe it's the first time you've been quiet all week. 00:18:23.200 --> 00:18:28.240 Maybe you just need to just enjoy the rest that nobody's asking anything of you. 00:18:28.960 --> 00:18:31.519 And you can just sit and be quiet for a moment. 00:18:32.319 --> 00:18:33.839 Can we read the passage once? 00:18:34.079 --> 00:18:36.240 You just sit quiet, let it kind of wash over you. 00:18:36.720 --> 00:18:37.839 I'll read it a second time. 00:18:38.000 --> 00:18:40.720 Maybe a word or a phrase will jump out to you. 00:18:41.119 --> 00:18:46.160 And in a second bit of quiet, just let that word or phrase find its home in your heart. 00:18:46.559 --> 00:18:47.359 Let's pray together. 00:18:48.240 --> 00:18:52.319 God, in this time, as we open our hearts to you, would you soften us? 00:18:53.440 --> 00:18:56.400 Would you center us, ground us in Jesus? 00:18:57.119 --> 00:19:01.759 Would you give us thankful hearts in all the places that we tend to be greedy or discontent? 00:19:03.359 --> 00:19:05.839 Psalm 100 verses 3 through 5. 00:19:06.160 --> 00:19:08.400 Know that the Lord, He is God. 00:19:08.880 --> 00:19:11.440 It is He who made us, and we are His. 00:19:12.160 --> 00:19:16.079 We are His people, and the sheep of His pasture. 00:19:16.400 --> 00:19:19.200 Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise. 00:19:19.359 --> 00:19:21.920 Give thanks to Him, bless His name. 00:19:24.480 --> 00:19:30.160 His steadfast love endures forever, and His faithfulness to all generations. 00:19:53.039 --> 00:19:54.160 And we are His. 00:19:54.799 --> 00:19:57.359 We are His people and the sheep of His pasture. 00:19:58.000 --> 00:20:00.960 Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise. 00:20:01.519 --> 00:20:03.759 Give thanks to Him and bless His name. 00:20:05.039 --> 00:20:11.359 Our Lord is good, his steadfast love endures forever, and His faithfulness to all generations. 00:20:20.799 --> 00:20:34.799 Heavenly Father, we thank you for the blessings of this life for our homes, for our families, friends, for daily bread, for daily care, for the love and mercy you show without measure. 00:20:35.279 --> 00:20:42.160 Teach us to live in grateful hearts, rejoicing always in your provision and giving thanks in all circumstances. 00:20:42.559 --> 00:20:44.319 Through Jesus Christ our Lord. 00:20:44.559 --> 00:20:44.960 Amen.