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Now let’s see how we
are to trust God in all circumstances, regardless of how even futile or
life-threatening it may be. And even if people mock you; and even if people
just say you’re foolish to do this. We’re going to face something like this
when we come to the mark of the Beast, aren’t we, if we live into that time,
right? Yes, indeed! Because to the world it would be foolish to
reject the mark of the Beast. But God says that’s the way we are going to
enter into the Kingdom of God, if we don’t receive the mark of the Beast.
Now let’s see how even
the prophecy of Jesus—let’s come to Psalm 22 and let’s see some select
verses here out of Psalm 22, so we can understand that Jesus was the
forerunner for us in trusting in God, in giving His life as a sacrifice for
the sins of the whole world—to be able to save us. So He is able to help. He
is able to intervene. He has the power. He has the experience. He’s gone
through the worst thing that any human being could ever do through the
crucifixion—and that is portrayed by the Passover.
Psalm 22:1: “My God,
my God, why have You forsaken me… [So there will come times when you will
feel that you have been forsaken by God. And Christ had to experience this.
Imagine the one Who used to be part of Elohim, becoming a human being and
now these thoughts were coming to Him. And God did have to leave Him so that
He could bear the sins of all the world! And He did it by Himself (Heb. 1)]
…and why are You so far from helping me, and from the words of my
groaning?”
Now come down here to
v 6—here’s how He felt: “But I am a worm… [Have you ever felt less than
nothing? Well, that’s part of our experiencing the futility of human life so
that we will desire the Kingdom of God and eternal life even all that much
more.] …and no man; a reproach of men and despised by the people…. [And this
prophecy happened. When they saw Him up on the cross, they said, ‘If you be
the Christ come down, we’ll believe You.’ Well, they had 3-1/2 years to
believe Him. Miracles will not make people believe if they don’t want to
believe. That’s why we have to choose and love God and believe God and trust
in God.] …they shoot out the lip; they shake the head, saying, ‘He trusted
on the LORD; let Him deliver Him; let Him rescue Him, since He delights in
Him!’” (vs 6-8). Lots of times there’s going to be a mocker. Lots of times
there’s going to be things where the whole world will think that you are an
idiot for trusting in God! So, we need to understand: Christ went through
that.
Now, let’s come here
to Psalm 40, and let’s see how we are to handle these things, and what God
will do for us—every one of us. So what I want you to do is just, as we’re
going through this and trusting in the Lord, I want you to examine your life
and examine the circumstances and just ask God to help you see things from
His perspective. Let the Spirit of God lead you in understanding and joy in
spite of the circumstances that you are in.
Now here’s some pretty
dire circumstances: Psalm 40:1: “I waited patiently for the LORD, and He
inclined unto me and heard my cry. He
brought me up also out of a horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my
feet upon a rock, and established my steps…. [Now notice what happens when
God intervenes to deliver you. Notice the blessing and the exhilaration and
the uplifting that comes from that.] …And He has put a new song in my mouth,
even praise to our God; many shall see it and fear, and shall trust
in the LORD….
[So your example, my example, can be those things which will help people to
trust in God.] (Now, v 4): …Blessed
is the man who makes the LORD his trust and does not respect the proud, nor
those who turn aside to lies” (vs 1-4).
Now, doesn’t that
remind you of the political campaigns that are going on? “Oh trust me. Let’s
make the change. Oh, it’ll be a nice form of Communism that you will like.
You see, we’re going to tax the rich. We’re going to take everything from
them and give it to you. Won’t that be nice? We will be just all
self-centered and we are going to bring our troops out of Iraq and we’re
going to spend all this money on ourselves. And we’re going to let the rest
of the world go to hell in a hand-basket. And if Al Qaeda raises its head,
well then we’ll have to do something about it. But you know what’s going to
happen if it happens here.” So don’t trust in vain men. As I’ve said many
times, you cannot solve spiritual problems by political means. So,
“Blessed”—that’s a blessing that comes from God—“…is the man who makes the
LORD his trust and does not respect the proud, nor those who turn aside to
lies …” (v 4).
Let’s come back here
to Psalm 26. We’re going to spend most of the rest of the sermon here in the
book of Psalms because there are so many things here that teach us how to
trust in God. What were the circumstances that David went through? And
others went through? Because we’re being judged by God now. Everything we
do, every day we’re being judged, for judgment is upon the house of God.
This is why, as I’ve mentioned so many times in the model prayer. We come to
God, we ask forgiveness, we forgive those who have sinned against us. We ask
God to deliver us from Satan the devil, which is also part of the meaning of
this day—being delivered from Satan the devil, miraculously by God.
Psalm 26:1: “Judge me,
O LORD, for I have walked in my integrity. I have trusted also in the LORD
without wavering. Examine me, O LORD, and prove me; try my reins and my
heart, For Your lovingkindness is before my eyes; and I have walked in Your
truth” (vs 1-3) Notice how trusting. This is what trusting in God does. It
means that regardless of the circumstances that are around; regardless of
what people may think; regardless of the mockings that they may bring upon
you; regardless of the disparagement that they may bring upon you; God
is there and He loves you and He is going to lift you out of it and you can
trust in Him completely.
Now let’s come to
Psalm 71. You will see each one of these Psalms—it gives us a little bit
more on how we trust in God. A little bit more on how God is going to fight
for us. A little bit more of how our approach needs to be to God, depending
upon our circumstances. Because you see, we come all the way from the
terrible circumstances, God leads us through it, into things which are not
so terrible; and then all of a sudden, God lifts us up and the way becomes
clear, and we can overcome.
Now Psalm 71: “In You,
O LORD, do I put my trust; let me never be put to [confusion] shame…. [If
you always rely on God you’re not going to be put to confusion. You know
you’re trusting in Him. (Now notice): …Deliver me in Your righteousness and
cause me to escape… [Now that ties right in with 1-Cor. 10 that we read,
that God will always provide a way of escape.] …incline Your ear unto me,
and save me. Be my strong Rock of refuge to which I may always go… [day
after day, hour after hour, minute after minute.] …You have commanded to
save me; for You are my Rock and my Fortress… [Boy, that’s something. We’ll
talk about this a little bit later.] …Deliver me, O my God, out of the hand
of the wicked, out of the hand of the unrighteous and ruthless man, For
You are my hope, O Lord GOD,
my trust from my youth” (vs
1-5). God will bless us when we come to Him with that. God will be with us
in everything that we do. Yes, He will. He will help us under all
circumstances.
Now let’s come back
here to Psalm 62, quite a Psalm! I know we covered part of this on the first
Holy Day. Psalm 62:1: “Only for God does my soul wait in silence… [You just
really understand that. ‘Patiently wait for God.’ See, God is going to work
it out.] …from Him comes my salvation…. [Not through schemes of men; not
through schemes of self; but from God.] …He only is my Rock and my
salvation; He is my fortress; I shall not be greatly moved” (vs 1-2). No,
because you have built on that Rock. Isn’t that what Jesus said?
Let’s come back here
to Matthew, the seventh chapter—hold your place right here in the book of
Psalms—and let’s see the promise that Jesus gave. And this is how we are to
trust in God; and how we are to build our Christian life; and how we are to:
But here’s what we need to be doing so we
can have the faith, have the confidence and have the trust that we need.
Matthew 7:24:
“Therefore, everyone who hears these words of Mine and practices them…
[That’s the key. We are to practice the Truth; live in the commandments of
God—as we have explained before—a three step way:
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walk in faith,
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believe in hope,
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and live in love.
…hears these words of
Mine… [and that includes the Old Testament, the New Testament.] …and
practices them, I will compare him to a wise man, who built his house upon
the rock… [Christ is our Rock. We just read it; we read it back in 1-Cor.
10.] …And the rain came down, and the floods came… [because it always does]
…and the winds blew, and beat upon that house… [and you can liken that to
life-experiences that we go through] …but it did not fall, for it was
founded upon the rock” (vs 24-25).
Now then, look at the
contrary to that: “And everyone who hears these words of Mine and does not
practice them shall be compared to a foolish man, who built his house upon
the sand… [oh, it’s easy building, yes, indeed!] …And the rain came down,
and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it
fell, and great was the fall of it” (vs 26-27). So you see the two
differences. That’s what’s going to happen to the world. They’re going to
fall. We’re going to be resurrected and given eternal life.
Now let’s come back
here to Psalm 62 and continue on here. “…I shall not be greatly moved….
[Because you’re trusting in God, trusting in the Word of God.] …How long
will you imagine mischief against a man? You shall be slain, all of you; you
shall be like a bowing wall and as a tottering fence…. [Because why? The
rains came, the wind blew and beat upon it and it fell!] …Surely they have
plotted to cast him down from his great height; they delight in lies; they
bless with their mouth, but inwardly they curse. Selah…. [And that’s the way
human nature is: sinful from within.] (so then he says): …My soul, wait in
silence for God alone; for from Him comes my hope. He only is my Rock…
[We’re going to see this all the way through the Psalms. Many of the Psalms
that we talk about, talks about the Rock. And when you’re anchored on that
Rock, then you have the salvation of God.] …He only is my Rock and my
salvation; He is my strong tower; I shall not be moved.
In God is my salvation and my glory, the Rock of my strength; my refuge
is in God” (vs 2-7).
And this is almost
like the song that the children of Israel sang after God destroyed the
armies of Pharaoh and their chariots and horses in the Red Sea. They said,
“God is a Man of war; God is my strength; God protected us; God saved us.”
And He is. Look at how God intervenes in many different ways. Look back in
your life—your Christian walk—and see how many times God has delivered you;
how many times God has spared you; how many times God has changed the
circumstances so you could avoid disaster and problems and difficulties.
Now v 8: “Trust
in Him at all times,
you people… [This is what it needs to be for us. Trusting in God!
For everything! Trusting in Him in the good times; in the difficult times;
in the trying times.] …pour out your heart before Him; God is a refuge for
us. Selah.” Now, it can’t get any better than that, can’t it? Remember this:
God is for you! God loves you! And we need to understand that.
It doesn’t matter how inadequate you feel, because feeling inadequate means
that you’re going to rely more on God. So if you put that all together, that
really is a tremendous thing for you to understand.
Now let’s come to Psalm 112. I tell you, if you want a good study, go
through all the Psalms and read them. Just make a regular study in reading
through it. Psalm 112:1: “Praise the LORD! Blessed is the man who fears the
LORD, who delights greatly in His commandments.” That’s our strength,
brethren. We hear the words of Christ and we practice them. And we delight
in the commandments of God. We delight in the Word of God, and that becomes
the whole focal point that draws us to God.
That’s why Jesus said
back there in Mark 10 when the disciples wanted to know how they could have
their prayers answered. He said, “Have the faith of God!” That faith which
comes from God to you.
Now let’s continue: “His seed shall
be mighty upon earth; the generation of the upright shall be blessed” (v 2).
Now what I want you to do is think of this going on into the Kingdom of God.
And I want you to think beyond the trials of this world, and think into the
Kingdom of God when we have completely overcome sin and self and Satan and
have been resurrected—which then is pictured by the next Holy Day, the Feast
of Pentecost.
Now notice: “Wealth
and riches shall be in his house… [because you’re going to dwell in the
house of the Lord, right? Yes!] …and his righteousness endures
forever. To the upright there arises light in the darkness; he is gracious
and full of compassion and righteousness” (vs 3-4). That’s how we are to
lead our lives, brethren. And God will bless us and hear us.
Now, let’s come down
here to—let’s just continue on: “A good
man shows favor and lends; he will guide his affairs with discretion…. [That
is with wisdom and understanding.] …Surely he shall not
be moved forever; the righteous shall be in everlasting remembrance. He
shall not be afraid of evil tidings; his heart is steadfast, trusting
in the LORD”
(vs 5-7). And that’s what the Sabbath and Holy Days do to us. God wants us
to have all of these things fixed in our minds and in our hearts and in our
lives—and they become a very part of how we think, how we live, how we look
at everything. That’s what this last day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread is
all about—that we can completely overcome all of these things through
Christ. And it doesn’t matter what the circumstances are. It doesn’t matter
what the odds are that appear impossible to do. Verse 8: “His heart is
established; he shall not be afraid until he sees his desire upon his
enemies.” So, that’s quite a thing, isn’t it?
Now, let’s come over
here to Psalm 118:1—and we will see how God does these things for us. And
what we are to do, and how it establishes our minds and our trust and our
faith and relying upon God in everything. “O,
give thanks to the LORD,
for He is good because His steadfast love [mercy] endures forever.
Let Israel now say that His steadfast
[mercy] love endures forever. Let the house of Aaron now say that His
steadfast love [mercy] endures forever…. [And you can go to Psalm 136 and
every verse ends—32 verses—they all end in ‘His mercy endures forever.’ Now
please understand: those are not vain repetitions, but praising God and
honoring God because God is interested in mercy and not sacrifice. So His
mercy endures forever.] …Let those who fear the LORD now say that His
steadfast [mercy] love endures forever. [Notice v 5]: I called upon the LORD
in distress… [Just like Hezekiah. just like Moses. Just like all the saints,
where God has delivered them.] …the LORD answered me, and set me in a large
place. The LORD is on my side… [Why is the Lord on our side? Because
we’re on His side.] …I will not fear. What can man do to me?…. [Even as
Jesus said, ‘Don’t fear men who can kill the body, but can’t take your
life.’ Fear God!] (Notice v 7): … The LORD takes my part with
those who help me; therefore I will see my desire upon those who hate me….
[Isn’t that something? Yes! God’s going to take care of it.] (Now,
here’s the middle verse of the whole Bible—v 8]: …It is better to trust in
the LORD than to put confidence in man…. [Because men are always going to
fail you. Men have their shortcomings, their weaknesses, their sins, their
downfalls—and the only way that any of us can overcome any of that is
through the power of God, through His Word, through His Spirit and through
trusting in Him.] …It is better to trust in the LORD than to trust in
princes” (vs 1-9). Now, that talks about a political situation, right?
Yes!
How many people have
had great confidence whenever a new President takes over? You see, don’t
look at how it starts out; you look at how it ends up. And almost every
single President that has been elected with great hopes and great promises
and great slogans—what happens? Well, after four years, or eight years, it
all comes apart. How many people were thrilled and excited when Jimmy Carter
squeaked out a victory over Gerald Ford? Ooooo, after four years, couldn’t
stand it! How many people were excited when George Bush was elected? Look at
where we are today! How many people are excited in “Messiah Obama”? They’re
going to be disappointed. Let’s carry this another step further. What’s
going to happen when the Beast rises in power and everyone believes he’s God
manifested in the flesh, and he’s going to save the world. I’ve got a new
book—I’m going to have to bring a sermon on it—I think this week I got about
a total of 15 books. And Delores keeps saying, “Don’t we have enough books?”
I said, “Yeah, but we need these.” And this one is: A New Earth—Your
Purpose in Life—which is New Age Satan worship. Sponsored by—the friend
of millions of women—Oprah! Yes, “it’s better to trust in the Lord than to
put confidence in princes [man].”
Now, v 14: “The LORD
is my strength and song, and He has become my salvation. The voice of
rejoicing and salvation is in the tabernacles of the righteous; the right
hand of the LORD does mighty things. The right hand of the LORD is exalted;
the right hand of the LORD does valiantly. I shall not die, but live and
declare the works of the LORD. The LORD has sorely chastened me; but He has
not given me over to death…. [Now notice what’s going to happen.] …Open to
me the gates of righteousness; I will go through them… [That’s at the
resurrection] …and I will praise the LORD. This is the gate of the LORD
through which the righteous shall enter. I will praise You, for You have
heard me and have become my salvation.
The Stone which the builders refused has become the Head Stone of the
corner…. [And that’s a prophecy of Jesus Christ. Christ even quoted this. So
did the apostles.] … This is from the LORD; it is marvelous in our
eyes. This is the day which the LORD has made; we will rejoice and be glad
in it…. [That is this Holy Day] …Save now, I beseech You, O LORD; O LORD, I
beseech You, cause us to prosper now. Blessed is he who comes in the name of
the LORD; we have blessed You out of the house of the LORD. God is the LORD
Who gives light to us. Bind the sacrifice with cords even unto the horns of
the altar. You are my God, and I will
praise You; You are my God, I will exalt You. Oh, give thanks to the LORD,
for He is good, for His steadfast love endures forever” (vs 14-29).
Then it goes into Psalm 119. I tell you what, the Word of God is tremendous,
brethren, when you understand it, put it all together in what God is
teaching us. These are the living words of God:
It’s all there for us.
Now let’s come to
Psalm 27—and let’s see the rejoicing when we know that God is for us. And it
doesn’t matter what the circumstances are. Psalm 27:1—there’s even a song,
wonderful song, that is made from this Psalm: “The LORD is my light and my
salvation; whom shall I fear?…. [We don’t fear anyone. We don’t become
obnoxious and repugnant and lifted up in our own vanity. No! We don’t fear
anyone. We don’t fear any circumstances. Now, we’re to be wise and cautious
and all that. We’re not to be reckless and go around in stupidity. We’re to
run our lives with discretion. But we’re not to fear any man. We’re not to
fear any circumstances.] …The LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall
I be afraid? [No one!] When the wicked, my enemies and my
foes, came upon me to eat up my flesh, they stumbled and fell” (vs 1-2).
Just like what happened during the days of Hezekiah. They all died—185,000
in one night—and they were all stiff corpses the next morning. Sennacherib
got up and said, ‘All right, men, let’s go,” and he looked out there and
they were all dead! Because God promised it.
Verse 3: “Though an
army should encamp against me, my heart shall not be afraid; though war
should rise against me, even then I will be confident. One thing I have
desired from the LORD… [Notice the focus that David had on the purpose of
life]: …that I will seek after: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD
all the days of my life…
[And that also means eternal life] …to behold the beauty of the LORD
and to inquire in His temple, For in the time of trouble He shall hide me in
His pavilion, in the secret place of His tabernacle He shall hide me; He
shall set me upon a rock” (vs 3-5). God will do that.
Now, let’s come here
to Romans, the eighth chapter, and let’s look at all of the circumstances—a
lot of them Paul went through. Let’s look at the circumstances here on how
we are to face the trials and difficulties in life and trusting in God: in
faith, in confidence, in hope and in love. And these are words that we are
to read on this last day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread. To trust in God.
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It doesn’t matter if the
ocean is ahead of you.
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It doesn’t matter if the
enemy is encompassing about you.
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It doesn’t matter if you are
coming to the end of your life.
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It doesn’t matter what the
circumstances can be in anything.
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God is with you!
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God is for you!
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God has called you!
And He will see you through—that’s the
promise of this day!
Now let’s begin here
in Romans 8:28—here’s how with this confidence and trust that we know: “And
we know that all things work together for good to those who love God,
to those who are called according to His purpose… [Let’s understand
something: Loving God with all the heart, all the mind, all the soul and all
the being; loving our neighbors as ourselves; loving the brethren; and yes,
even loving our enemies, God blesses us in that. And that all comes from
God. Doesn’t come from something that we work up in ourselves. It comes from
God!] …All things work together for good… [now v 29]: …Because those whom He
did foreknow… [and if you have the Spirit of God, God foreknows you.] …He
also predestinated to be conformed to the image of His own Son… [And
in God’s plan, that He developed before the creation of the world, He
predestined that those He has called will be] …conformed to the image of His
own Son that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.
Now whom He predestinated, these He also called; and whom He called, these
He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified” (vs
28-30). Because God is going to make us shine like the stars of heaven,
isn’t He? Yes! That’s where we have the strength and spiritual power
that comes from God, to overcome.
Notice what Paul
says here: “What then shall we say
to these things? If God is for us, who can be against
us?” (v 3). Think of that now. You have God and Christ and the
angels. God has called you. God has predestinated you. God has given you His
Holy Spirit. NOTHING can be against you! NOTHING! Not even death! Because
He’s going to resurrect you. And boy, won’t that be something when the world
sees all the saints resurrected?
Let’s go on here: “God
is for us, who can be against us? He Who did not spare even
His own Son, but gave Him up for us all… [Think on that! God gave Christ up
for every one of us!] …how shall He not also grant us all things together
with Him?” (vs 31-32). All things! He upholds the Universe by
the Word of His power. We are joint heirs with Christ. He’s going to grant
us ALL things. And eternal life and living forever; and being in New
Jerusalem is going to be so great and so marvelous down through the ages of
eternity. That’s why we need to ask God to help lift us up mentally and
spiritually and think beyond what we are going through just as physical
human beings and what God has promised us.
Verse 33: “Who shall
bring an accusation against the elect of God? God is the one
Who justifies. Who is the one that condemns? It is Christ Who
died, but rather, Who is raised again, Who is even now at the
right hand of God, and Who is also making intercession for us….
[Think about that in all circumstances. Christ is there interceding,
watching over, dispatching angels, helping, comforting, opening doors,
fighting the enemy.] …What shall separate us from the love of Christ?…. [So
that’s why we have to be, as we read back there in the Psalms, our hearts
are fixed. And we place our trust and confidence in God.] …What shall
separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress,
or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword?…. [And we can
look down the road and see, not too many years removed from us, this is
going to be the way that it is. So we need to ask God to strengthen us
now—to fill us with His Spirit now and continue to do so when those days
come upon us. We will be able to endure and survive.] …Accordingly, it is
written, ‘For Your sake we are killed all the day long; we are reckoned as
sheep for the slaughter’…. [And that day will come.] …But
in all these things we are more than conquerors… [and that means
overcomers—you can read back there in Rev. 2 & 3: ‘to the one who
overcomes.’—could also mean to the one who conquers.] …we are more
than conquerors through Him Who loved us” (vs 33-37).
Now here is the
mindset that we need to learn from this last day of the Feast of Unleavened
Bread. And here is the fixing of our mind and the trusting in God and
walking in faith, and believing in hope, and living in love, that
God will give us this strength and understanding so that we are going to be
faithful and to attain to the Kingdom of God. Let God work in your life
-
to rescue you,
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to lead you,
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to help you,
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to uplift you.
All right, v
38: “For I am persuaded… [And this is where
we need to come to, brethren.] …that neither death, nor life, nor angels,
nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor
height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us
from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (vs 38-39).
That’s the meaning of
the last day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread. Complete, absolute trust and
confidence in God. To see us through any trial no matter how great; no
matter how overwhelming; no matter how the odds are stacked against us.
Scripture References:
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Exodus 31:12-13, 17
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Exodus 34:12-15, 17-22
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Leviticus 23:7-8
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Deuteronomy 16:16-17
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Exodus 14:9-18
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1 Corinthians 10:1-13
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Isaiah 36:1-7
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2 Kings 19:1-7, 14-19, 34-37
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Psalm 22:1, 6-8
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Psalm 40:1-4
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Psalm 26:1-3
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Psalm 71:1-5
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Psalm 62:1-2
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Matthew 7:24-27
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Psalm 62:2-8
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Psalm 112:1-8
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Psalm 118:1-9, 14-29
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Psalm 27:1-5
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Romans 8:28-39
Scriptures referenced,
not quoted:
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Ezekiel 20
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Numbers 28
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Leviticus 16
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Malachi 3
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2 Corinthians 9
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Romans 10
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Hebrews 1
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Mark 10
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Psalm 136
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Revelation 2 & 3
Book: referenced:
Awakening to Your Life’s
Purpose by
Eckhart Tolle
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