WEBVTT

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Grace, mercy, and peace

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be unto you from God, our Father and from our Lord, and Savior Jesus

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Christ.

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Amen.

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The text is the lesson read to you a few moments ago, it's the

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introduction to the reign of one who is called "The Good King Hezekiah."

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It was 715 BC when there was a transition in the monarchy similar to

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what we've witnessed in England in the last few days.

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Hezekiah, whose name means the Lord is my strength ascended, the

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throne and immediately set in motion a complete reversal of all the

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policies of his predecessor

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his father, King Ahaz. Who was one of the most corrupt and evil Kings

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in all of the history of Judah.

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Under a Ahaz's reign, the religious life of God's people fell to an

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all-time low. He looted, and then he shuddered the doors of the

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temple, so that no one could worship there.

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He offered sacrifices in the high places to all of the pagan idols.

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He even sacrificed one of his own children.

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The man was an abomination.

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And so Hezekiah set out on a nationwide Reformation to completely wipe

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out all vestiges of these false gods. He demolished the idols and

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their altars. He even destroyed the bronze serpent that Moses had made

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in the wilderness because as we heard, the people had begun to offer

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sacrifices, they worshipped it as an idol.

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And so Hezekiah reopened and cleansed the temple.

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He renewed the sacrifices. He reinstituted the celebration of the

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Passover. And there was a revival that came among God's people as they

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returned to the Lord and his word.

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We're told that Hezekiah held fast to the Lord.

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He was faithful.

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He was tenacious. He didn't depart from following him but kept the

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Commandments of the Lord.

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And the Lord was with him.

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Whenever he went out

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he prospered.

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He succeeded.

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Then Hezekiah turned his attention to rebuilding the army.

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Refortifying, the city of Jerusalem.

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He even built a secret tunnel to build what to bring water into the

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city, and the event of a siege.

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He defeated the the Philistines who had been harassing Judah for

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hundreds of years.

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He rebelled against the Assyrians who had already conquered a number

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of the neighboring nations.

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And the Lord was with him.

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And whenever he went out, he prospered. He succeeded.

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We Lutheran's aren't always comfortable with words like prospered and

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succeeded.

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We often associate them with a Theology of Glory.

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But the scriptures use several different words to describe people as

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prosperous and successful. In the Book of Genesis, we hear that God

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blessed the prophets Abraham, Isaac

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and Jacob. They became wealthy men and they prospered because the Lord

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was with them.

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We read about Joseph who overcame all the difficulties in his life and

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rose to become a successful man in the land of Egypt.

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Kings, David and Solomon were successful in all their undertakings

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because the Lord was with them.

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And even Daniel, who came safely through the Lions den was

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considered prosperous before King Darius. In our formation Labs, we

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often talk about success.

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What it means to be a successful student.

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The successful Pastor, Deaconess servant of the Lord.

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But the Lutheran question, always arises what does it mean? What is

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success?

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How do we measure it?

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Certainly not the way the world does.

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So, what does success as a servant of the Lord really look like.

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Perhaps there's one episode from the account of King Hezekiah that can

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help us.

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It was in 701

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BC 14 years into his reign.

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The Assyrian King Sennacherib invaded Judah.

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The Assyrians had already defeated, the northern kingdom.

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And so Hezekiah, fearful a prosperous King wanted to appease the enemy

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and save his country.

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And so he emptied his own Treasury.

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But it wasn't enough.

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Sennacherib demanded more and marched his armies against Jerusalem.

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And on the way he taunted and he defied the Lord comparing the Lord

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to all of the powerless gods of the nations

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he'd already defeated. And he threatened, that Jerusalem would never be

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able to

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stand.

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The Lord God would never be able to protect the city from his mighty

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hands.

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And so when Hezekiah the successful King heard the threat, he tore his

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Royal robes.

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He put on sackcloth and he went into the temple.

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He immediately sent a messenger to the prophet

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Isaiah. He was seeking the wisdom and counsel of God.

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And it came, Isaiah told him not to be afraid because Sennacherib was

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going to hear her a simple rumor

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and return home and he would die by the sword.

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But Hezekiah, but Sennacherib continued marching.

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And continued to defy the Lord and he sent a threatening letter to

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Hezekiah who once again knew what he had to do.

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He took it into the house of the Lord laid it before the Lord and he

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prayed a simple prayer.

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Oh Lord, our God

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please save us from his hand. That all the kingdoms of the earth

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may know that you O Lord Our God alone. And once again the Lord's

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answer came through the prophet

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Isaiah, Assyria would never fire a shot.

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They would never enter into the city of Jerusalem.

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The Lord promised that he would defend, and save the city.

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And that very night, the word of the Lord came to pass. The angel of

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the Lord,

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one angel, killed 185 thousand Assyrians.

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Sennacherib fled in terror back to Nineveh where he was murdered by

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his own sons.

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You see the Lord was with Hezekiah.

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And so, we prospered he succeeded.

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The story continues, when the sun arose

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the next morning, people of Jerusalem looked out on all of that

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devastation.

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Picture the scene as they peaked over the wall, fearful of what was

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about to come.

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All they saw was dead bodies.

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185,000 dead bodies.

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Their their enemy had been destroyed, their God had saved them,

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imagine they're awe.

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There are some commentaries that connect this account with Psalm 46.

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, the great Reformation psalm.

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And you can hear them that morning singing a song of praise.

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God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in time of

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trouble. And the song goes on and on as it comes to the refrain, the

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Lord Almighty is with us.

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Picture them running through the streets that morning spreading the

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news come and see the works of the Lord, the desolations that he's

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brought on the earth, the earth.

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He makes wars cease to the ends of the Earth.

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He breaks the bow and shatters the spear.

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He burns the shields with fire and as the celebration goes on,

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suddenly the word of the Lord rings out.

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Be still

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and know that I am, God.

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And in that moment since the peace that would have pervaded the city.

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The Lord Almighty is with us.

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That's the message we Christians hear every year at Christmas time. A

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message of good news of great

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joy of a baby who is called Emmanuel,

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God is with us.

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Of a perfect King, who emptied his treasury emptied himself and became

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a man.

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Who came down to earth to save his people from their enemies.

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It was at the cross that he defeated sin. At the empty tomb

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He annihilated death. He saved you.

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He saved you.

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When there was nothing that you could do.

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No treasure that you could offer.

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He saved you by grace through faith, which is in Christ Jesus.

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And as this Jesus, our King, ascended to his throne

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He promised I am with you.

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I am with you always even to the end of the age.

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The Lord Almighty is with you

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that is the word for today.

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The Lord who came to save you has been with you since that day

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He washed you, cleansed you claimed you as his own and water in the

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word of holy baptism.

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He has enriched you. He has strengthened you. He has protected you in

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times of illness pain

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and persecution and suffering, and sorrow and loss.

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The Lord Almighty

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is with you every time the enemy attacks.

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The Lord is with you

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when everything else around, you seems to be failing.

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The Lord is with you

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and that's the key to success.

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Our text today is one bookend, the beginning of the reign of King

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Hezekiah.

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In second Chronicles chapter 31, we have the other bookend a summary

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of his reign.

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Thus Hezekiah did throughout all Judah.

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And he did, what was good and right and faithful before the Lord his

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God. And every work that he undertook in the service of the house of

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God and in accordance with the Law and the Commandments, seeking his God,

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he did with all his heart.

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And he prospered.

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That's what success looks like.

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Brothers and Sisters in Christ

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come and see the works of the Lord.

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See what the Lord has done for you.

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He has saved you.

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He is with you when you go out.

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In Him

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you will succeed.

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You too, will prosper.

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In the name of Jesus.

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Amen.

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May the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding

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keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.

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Amen.