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In the name of Jesus.

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Amen.

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Why weren't we ready for this?

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People been asking that question a lot this year.

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Why weren't we ready for this back in April which seems like a long

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time ago,

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doesn't it. Back in April, National Public Radio had a podcast in

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which they tried to answer this question.

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Why weren't we ready for this?

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Here's what the host said again

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and again, the world was warned that it was not ready for a pandemic.

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Warned by the World Health Organization and the World Bank in a big

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study last year. Warned by research scholars and in long magazine

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articles warned even by Bill Gates in a famous Ted Talk in 2015.

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Whatever you think of the pandemic.

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The world was not ready.

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Why weren't we ready for this?

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The podcast went on to explore some of the potential reasons.

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One is probably simply a matter of Economics, economic efficiency.

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People don't tend to spend money on the potential for disaster,

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especially when they haven't experienced it themselves. How many

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airlines were cutting profit margins to install bulletproof cockpit

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doors on September 10th.

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Another reason would be what some people call optimism bias know some

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of you don't suffer from optimism bias because you're so you're so

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pessimistic.

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But for most of us, even if we know there's a disaster coming even if

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we see it on the horizon we tend to think it's not going to hurt us.

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This would explain how most high school boys drive.

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Or there's simply the herd mentality. When there's just a few people

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worried about something than most of us

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don't worry about it.

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But when everyone's going crazy, then it's a whole frenzy.

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It's a free-for-all.

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Did you try to buy toilet paper this last spring?

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There are all sorts of reasons.

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Why we were not ready for this pandemic but ultimately they all come

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down to one.

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We weren't ready

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because we can't see into the future.

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We plan

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and we calculate.

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And we develop contingencies.

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But if there's one thing we're learning and I think we're learning it

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actually in real time right now is that we don't know what's coming

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next.

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This isn't new of course.

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In Noah's day

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the people didn't see it coming.

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They were eating and drinking marrying and giving in marriage.

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They were living their lives going about their business

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completely oblivious to

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the storm that was gathering.

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Then the rain came.

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And then the waters rose.

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And they were swept away

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except for Noah.

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Noah was prepared. Noah was ready not of his own accord not of

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his own doing but because the Lord had favor on him the Lord let him

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in on the secret.

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He told him about what he was going to do the Judgment the water the

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boat the salvation.

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Noah heard this from the Lord and miracle of miracles

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he actually believed it.

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There was no economic efficiency here.

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Can you imagine the waste of money?

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People must have thought

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optimism bias, I can't imagine Noah was a very happy person.

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And the herd mentality.

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There was no heard it was crazy Noah and his crazy wife and his crazy

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sons and their crazy wives the herd was nowhere to be seen.

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Noah simply had the word

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of the Lord.

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The promise of God

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and he believed.

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His wife and his sons and their wives they believed and their belief

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spilled out into their lives their belief built that boat and in that

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boat that was built by their belief.

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They were safe.

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They were prepared.

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They were ready.

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Jesus brings up Noah in the reading we heard from Matthew chapter 24.

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It was just just days before his crucifixion.

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Jesus had gathered his disciples together and taking them outside of

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the city outside of Jerusalem.

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Sat them on the Mount of Olives and there on that Hill he gave them a

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private lesson.

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He let them in on the secret.

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He told them about

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his impending death.

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He told them about the coming destruction of the city that they looked

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at from the Mount of Olives.

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He told them about his second coming as it was in the days of Noah.

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He said so it will be with the coming of the Son of Man. Two

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will be together in the field one will be taken

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the other will be left. Two will be grinding at the mill one will be

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taken

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the other will be left.

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Be prepared.

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See I've told you, you know that it's coming.

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Be ready.

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He's let you in on the secret too.

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Your Lord is coming back for you.

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He's coming back in judgement.

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But you have already been judged.

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You have already been drowned.

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You have already been buried with him.

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You have already been raised to life with him.

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Your Lord who is coming has already pulled you into the boat.

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He has already made you safe you my brothers and sisters in Christ.

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You are ready.

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And he's shown you

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what is the come.

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Richard John Neuhaus,

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says that the church is a people ahead of time.

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We are a people who live in the present.

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Knowing the future.

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We are a people who live in the present knowing how it will end. Not

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how the pandemic will end whenever it will end if it will end.

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But we know how all things will end.

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We live in the present as a people ahead of time and as we do so we

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live ahead of time and the way we interact with one another.

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After telling his disciples to be prepared.

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Jesus ask them a question who then is the faithful and wise servant

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whom the master has said over his household to give them their food in

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the proper time?

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Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he

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comes. Blessed is that servant who's doing what the master has given

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him to do

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when the Lord returns.

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So what has the master given you

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to do?

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Has he given you the teach?

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Then teach well.

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Teach the truth.

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Teach with humility.

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Teach by example.

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Has he given you to learn?

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Then study,

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study for the sake of those who are supporting you study for the sake

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of those who will depend on what you learn.

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Study with a teachable heart

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with a willing spirit.

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Has the master given you a spouse,

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children?

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Give yourself to your spouse.

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Give yourself

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for your children.

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Has the master given you authority

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then exercise it with honor

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and integrity.

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Exercise authority

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above reproach.

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Has he given you a position under authority?

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Then receive it

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as from the Lord.

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Honor your father and your mother

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and all

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who are in authority over you.

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And in all things in all things

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rejoice.

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In his letter to the Philippians

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Paul talked about his struggles his difficulties and he called the

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people of Philppi the Christians in Philippi those who have been

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let in on the secret.

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He called them to rejoice.

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He put it like this.

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I know how to be brought low.

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I know how to abound in any and every circumstance.

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I have learned the secret.

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I've learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and

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need.

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I have learned the secret of dealing with a pandemic of dealing with

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frustration and exasperation and exhaustion.

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I've learned the secret of dealing with people who are so hard to deal

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with.

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I can do all things.

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I can endure

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all things

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through him who strengthens me.

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Through him

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who is brought me in

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on the secret.

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In just a moment

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when I get done talking.

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We're going to have an extended.

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Of silence.

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During that time of silence.

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I want you to imagine what it looks like in your life in your specific

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circumstances.

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I want you to think about what does it look like for you to live ahead

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of time?

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To live with the present struggles

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but to live with the sure and certain hope that you are Lord your

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Risen Lord is coming back for you.

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And then

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after that time of silence

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I invite you to to rejoice

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with me

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in the Lord.

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I'll be ever thankful.

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In the Lord

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I will rejoice.

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Look to God.

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Do not be afraid. Lift up your voices.

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The Lord is near.

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Lift up your voices

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the Lord is near.

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In Jesus name.

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Amen.