Beyond Sunday: Restoration of God

Catch up: this week’s Sunday morning message.

God and all of heaven rejoice at the return of a child into right relationship. Whether we are weighed down by guilt and shame or trying to earn our place at the table, God offers forgiveness and grace. We may find ourselves in a pit of despair or waiting for rescue and God meets us there, holds us up and restores us bringing about the joy of our salvation.

Catch up: this week’s Sunday morning message.

• Transcript

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  [Music] Hey guys, welcome to Beyond Sunday podcast. We're decided to take the conversation deeper and in this episode I'm joined with Sherea. Sherea, how you doing? >> Good. How are you? >> I'm great. Okay. >> Ready to have this conversation. Uh but before we dive into the conversation, take a look at this video. Heat [Music] up [Music] Heat. [Music] All right, guys. Welcome back. Um, so Devin, we are week two now of this new series, um, this journey of formation. So, uh, let's start with big idea. Um,

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  well, actually, let's start with like we got to team preach last week. We were on our own this week. Um, you also had a lot of team preaching this summer. So, this was like you were up there on the platform just like you and the Lord this time. How'd that land for you? >> That was great. I'm sure I'm sure my my church family was like, "I don't even know you could do this anymore." So, uh >> I said prayer for you. I was like, "God, he's by himself today. I don't know."

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  >> I know. I was lonely. Just me and a me and a little table. Um >> but uh it was good. And um yeah, and this one is is good is a good one for me even coming back in out of the summer um and we're you know into school season and and the fall uh but also the where this lands in in in Luke 15 that there is when I get to Luke 15 which was for for us one of the main texts um and the the the lost sheep the lost coin and the and the lost son Um, these are good reminders for me of who God is and and

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  this kind of character and nature and where I, you know, am in in that in that story, right? Where or at least where I read myself into that story. >> Yeah. Yeah. So, our our big idea um this idea that uh God is a God who offers restoration. Um and I think in the context of the of a journey of formation um be because we know that God restores. I mean that's that's language we use um Christian language maybe but or church language but um in that in the context of this this formation where last week

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  really starting with the understanding that we're all being formed like everything around me is forming me and shaping me and if I'm not intentional to choose what's forming me um it doesn't mean I'm not being formed it just means I'm not aware um or I'm not choosing that. And so this idea um last week with Luke 14 and the like uh am I aware like counting the cost of am I aware of what's forming me, what's shaping me, and then am I willing to to lay down the things that are shaping me into

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  something other than Jesus that doesn't look like Jesus and am I willing to take up the cross uh that makes me look like Jesus, right? And so then this this week um in between last week and this week for me was this um just this rem this recognition maybe of like when I when I do the work to take the things off that don't look like Jesus. Um when I when I'm willing to say, "Okay, God, I'm going to deny myself. I'm going to lay these things down. I'm going to tear them away." There is um sometimes that's

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  really painful and sometimes what's left is this open wound. Um, and even some of this came right after last um, not this last Sunday, but the Sunday before having a conversation with somebody um, about that very thing like God is in his goodness. He doesn't leave us there. He doesn't tell us like take this, take this off, take all of this that you've um, become comfortable with, lay that all down and now figure it out. Um, and that's where I think the restoration for me. And so then even reading the the

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  parable of the lost son and the um I just there's just this image as he's coming back towards the father like it it feels like he did that work. He laid this stuff down and in some ways he didn't have a choice. Um he was at the end of himself but that is like we get to that place of like okay like the these things aren't serving me anymore. And so we we lay them down. But I I I resonate in some way in some areas as he's coming back to the father with this like there's not a hope of like being

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  restored to what once was. He's just trying to survive and he's like uh this image of him standing like before the father like just broken and wounded and like I've got I've taken all this stuff off that didn't serve me that didn't look like uh like being your son. Yeah, >> but I like I'm left with just ugliness and rawness. Um, and what he's met with is a father who's like, "Come here and I will like I'll cover you. I'll wrap you in my arms. I'll wrap you in robes. I'll

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  put you um back into your place." And there's just something um I don't know that landed different for me this week because he's a God who doesn't just leave us in the like you do the work, get rid of this stuff that you decided to carry and then come on like you and your wounded self come on. It's like, no, there's this there's beautiful promise. Um, and I think even like Psalm so so we were in Luke 15 also, but also Psalm 51. >> Yeah. >> I was just thinking that too with

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  David's words. >> Yeah. It's this beautiful thing and and and there's power in when David's writing this and what this is in response to because David's in that place too of like, man, here's the ugliest parts of me and like I will I'll lay him down. But David understood like God is so good. He's not going to leave me there. And so I des I know what I deserve. Um I know I know what I've done and I know what I look like now, but I also trust that God's going to create

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  something new and clean and pure and restore my joy and restore my strength. Um and there's just something so like uh it's a beautiful promise, but it's also just again it's like look at how good God is. >> Yeah. I was going to say refreshing because even David's words in Psalm 51 of like wash me clean of my iniquity, right? And then even later on in the in the psalm, it's the, you know, create in me a pure heart of God and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Um just this

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  yeah this cleansing, washing, made new, made whole, made right. Um kind of in the way that I uh with the um the the lost son who returns that the the father wraps the the cloak or the robe around him. um which um for that in that regard always draws me to this um being clothed or wrapped in righteousness because of Christ. Um and then I I in my head always go to uh Elijah calling Elisha and uses his cloak or robe to call him, right? he takes as he's going down the mountain and uh comes upon Elisha. He

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  takes the the cloak and places it on him and then keeps going and then Elisha runs after him. Um and this is the same cloak that later on they they approach the Jordan. he um throws it down and the and the Jordan separates and they walk across and um and again just the anytime I think cloak or robe or that's where the the um places I go with that that there is so there's power in that and then there's a a covering that exists like you talk about when in um uh uh confession and and things that

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  I've attached to my identity or been formed by that are not of God that when those get removed or I lay those down, then there is this raw barren uh you know that needs to be covered and um and and if it's covered by anything other than Jesus, it won't last. It won't heal. Uh it it may it may um be a balm of some kind for a for a season and for a time, but it won't last if it's not Jesus. And and so um that piece uh the imagery of just the dad, the father putting the the cloak around him and

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  David even's words of like wash clean of my iniquity and his confession as he comes before God. That is a for me a beautiful invitation in my everyday life like okay God if I can if I can read of David um coming before God in the midst of what he's navigating might God also accept me to come to him in my um in my transgressions in my iniquity in my sin and confess it before him and and might he he offer me himself might he offer me this robe of righteousness that gets um you know, it's not covering up the

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  unrighteousness, it's wiping it away. >> Yeah. >> So that what only remains is the righteousness of Christ. >> Yeah. Yeah. And that was one of the um in the conversation that I was having uh two Sundays ago, I guess. Um uh the person was talking about a quote from Oswald Chambers that that is this idea of like um when Jesus is telling us to lay this stuff down and um and to carry the cross and to to look like him. Um this idea of like, hey, I want you to do this because I want to be able to call

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  you mine. I want to be able to write the word mine over you. Um, and it said he said something about um like uh because in in Luke 14, which I know we talked about last week, but that's the hard word of like hate your mother, father, whatever. And essentially it's like anything that's sitting in a place where I'm supposed to sit like you're supposed to hate that thing because I I'm supposed to be first in your life, right? Um, and this idea that when we when we don't do that, like even like

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  not even talking about salvation, salvation aside, but like God desires to write the word his over you, to call you his. >> Um, and there's something really like I don't know that uh in that for me of like, okay, I know what it is to say Jesus is Lord, right? Scripture says like if you confess with your mouth, if you believe in your heart Jesus Christ is Lord, you will be saved. So, like there's this salvation piece that's this beautiful promise and then there's this hope of like eternity and whatever, but

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  in the walking out of like the right here and the right now, we talk about the abundant life Jesus offers. And it's like um this hard word of like lay this stuff down and follow me. Um is like this is how you get this abundant life because then you can be mine and I can call you mine. And that's a restoration piece. like what I want to do is restore you to the place that I designed you to to exist in. Like what I had designed you for was to actually just be with me. Um and and because of sin and because of

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  what exists the brokenness that exists in our world, like there actually something has to take place to get you back into that. But that's what I want for you. And I want that for you here and now, not not in a someday. And so that um that's the picture of restoration. And and the the thing about that is too like God does that work. >> Yeah. >> Like I I have to lay this stuff down, but the healing and the restoring and the like he's like if you just get close to me if you just come here um I'll

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  heal. I'll heal and restore and cover you and clothe you. Um in fact, I'm watching for you. I'm watching and waiting. And the second I see you coming, I'll run. I will run to you. Um >> yeah, and that's where the with Paul's words to Timothy in 1 Timothy 1 that we were reading in on on Sunday was this the that the grace abounds that the the the grace of of our Lord was poured out on me abundantly. Uh and and again just the um it just overflows. It's just not it's

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  it's so abundant. It's it's uh it it reaches any depths. Um and and Paul even writes in in this letter, this is the the extent in in which Paul recognizes the life before his life before Christ and and that his grace has covered it, right? Uh it's a it's it's a it's it's been abundant. Um and and what Jesus who Jesus is and what he's done and then how Paul is walking this out, right? He calls attention to it like I that was a I was rescued in this >> Yeah. from this and and invited to live

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  out uh my call or live out life with Christ in this kind of way. Um, yeah. So I I just the the abundance of that also the the the peace too that Moses offers as he's on the mountain with God is the as God's anger burns against his his own people for their sin and their stiff necked um presence be I mean just like uh frustration anger and Moses is interceding on behalf of of God's people who are living in a in such a way that is a is aborant to God like it angers him and he just wants to wipe him out

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  and start over with Moses. But but that piece of interceding what Moses does before God for God's people to intercede for for a group of people who um have missed it. Not only they've missed it, they gone the opposite direction. But Moses stands in a place to intercede and for me in that way like for me I I too um recognize that I have been rescued in the same way that that Paul talks about from what once was and and and God's grace is is is um is abundant. Uh but also to to those that um maybe are far

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  off from God. Do I have that willingness to go before God and intercede in the way that I see Moses read Moses doing that? Uh, and in some ways I'm like, I don't know if I want to spend the time or um >> if you're worth it that >> I'm not, >> and we've talked about that with enlarging the circle, like now I've determined who's in and who's out. If I'm if I'm not going to intercede or willing to go before God and say, "Lord, have mercy on them." Right? And in the

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  way Jesus, again, I'm not Jesus on the cross, but Jesus like, you know, forgive them. They don't know what they're doing, >> right? >> As he's hanging on the cross, sacrificing himself for the life of the world. >> Yeah. And isn't that I mean, that's a that's the most perfect picture of intercession. And that's the only reason I stand where I stand today is because Jesus did that for us. And so that's the like and and again the um that's part of the restoring work. And

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  that uh on Sunday we took communion. Um that's a regular rhythm for us on the second Sunday of the month, but um typically it sits earlier on in our um in our gathering, but it it sat at the end of the message this week because it felt like um it felt like there was something to the invitation of like do we recognize first of all um that all of this that we're talking about like the even the ability to lay down these things, the ability to come to the father like that is because of what

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  Jesus did on the cross. So, uh, when we when we take these elements to remind ourselves of the the the way that his body was broken and that his blood was spilled out, like that's what I'm reminding myself. Like I I actually can't even do any of this if it's not for what the work that Jesus did on the cross. Um but then also this invitation of like uh before we come before we come and and um participate in this this beautiful like communion where we get to enter into this um this intercession

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  that Jesus has done on the cross like before that um what's God saying right now and what's the thing like what are you holding where are the places that you don't look like him um that he's asking you to like would you set that down so that I can make you a little bit more like me. Um, and that felt really powerful for me. Um, like just personally even of like, yeah, I um I want to recognize that in the places where I'm I I am still trying to wrestle myself out and look more like

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  you, um, that I actually only can do that because of what you've done. And so, um, I want to I want to remain in that heart posture that says like I'm not taking that for granted. I'm not taking it lightly. And so, I'll put I'll I'll do the work knowing that you'll you'll restore and you'll redeem um because I recognize the sacrifice you made. >> Yeah. And isn't that the place of like we get to move into a a celebration as we read in that's repeated in in Luke 15

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  that when um when those return or when the lost is found that all of heaven rejoices and if all of heaven is rejoicing of this action and this movement back towards God ought not our response be the same should should we be rejoicing as well? And and the question I'm, you know, I was asking myself in preparation for Sunday and even afterwards is in what ways have I have I left celebration on the table when restoration and redemption in place? Um, and I haven't called out I haven't called out the or celebrated. Um, yeah.

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  >> You know, the what God is is the work God is doing and uh those that things that were once lost or those that were once lost or those that now are returning uh and finding their their way back uh to to God to be clothed with righteousness, right? that whole image of the sun coming back into the fold and a feast being prepared like you know where where am I not doing that kind of rejoicing um >> it's going to take it's going to take me to slow down and stop and and and and to

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  um to notice and and to yes this is big let's not miss it even if it is um maybe in the grand scheme of my everyday life something smaller but I boy I don't want to miss celebrating rejoicing. If all of heaven is going to do that, boy, I don't want to sit be like, "That's good for you, right? I do not." >> Yeah. >> Yeah. Yeah. >> Yeah. Uh Kase, so you know, our kids um kids and adults like all of our teaching aligns. And so Kase came out of kids church on Sunday and they had painted

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  cupcakes. Um, so it's like this big. It's like a uh to go in your window, like a window catcher, suncatcher thing cut in the shape of a cupcake that he painted. >> Okay. >> Yeah. It's like this big. And I He's like, "Can I put this in the window?" And I was like, "Yeah, it's like 40 different colors and like so great." I was like, "Why did you paint cupcakes?" And he's like, "Mom, we we heard a story about a party." And he starts telling me

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  about this party that was had and he's talking about the prodigal son. But what I thought was really cool was that he I when I think of that story, the the party is not the descriptor I use, right? So if you talk about the story of the lost son, I'm gonna the emphasis of that story for me is like look at this man who did all these things and like he comes back and yeah the father comes but this the party was the emphasis um for Kase and for and that's what they were that's what they did in kids zone was

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  like look at this party and so even what you're talking about that like flip of like >> that's the point of the story is like there's a celebration cuz the sun has come home and like restoration has taken place because of who the father is. Um, and that's a there's a celebration there and that's that's actually the point of this story. Um, and so it's yeah, I don't know, children teaching again. But um, >> well, right. For sure. Who's quicker to

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  go to a party, right? Adult, an adult or a child or who's quicker to recognize like the fun that exists of what a party is to bring and the rejoicing that is repeated and the the sheep has been found. So the the shepherd's like, "Come rejoice with me. I found the the sheep or the the coin that was once lost that in his found. It's like come I' I've found the coin. Let's celebrate and rejoice. And then the the lost son who was far off doing uh their own thing then returns that the father runs to and

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  embraces. Like that's the full picture of like this is some of what who of of who God is and his character to want to run out to us and embrace us and uh wrap his arms around us and um put the robe of righteousness on us and the ring that signifies like you're you're mine. You're >> mine. Yeah. You're >> mine. And then prepare the feast. Yeah. Like uh it's good. So, >> thank you to children who help us know how to what a party looks like. >> Yeah, exactly.

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  And shout out to Giant Cupcakes in my window. >> Hey, Shereo, as we wrap this episode up, what is Zakyros? What's God saying is how and how is he inviting you to respond? >> Um, okay. So, uh, this is actually, uh, I don't know that this comes just from Sunday, um, as much as it does just the week, but it does wrap into even what we were just talking about with celebrating and and, uh, I guess there there's celebration. Scripture tells us about the celebration when the lost return. Um, but the other

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  side of that is like, am I celebrating how good God is? um which is also all throughout scripture, right? Um and so for me, yesterday was a really uh heavy day. And so um just in the morning time, something hit that just felt like a just felt like a weight all um all throughout the day. And uh yeah, just it just felt heavy. And um just navigating stuff that navigating brokenness um in the world at large, but also in my world um and in in relationships and um spaces that are close. And so um last night we had

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  worship practice as we do on Tuesday nights. And even as I was putting I was late this week getting the songs in. Um, and as I was putting the songs together yesterday, I was like, um, typically typically when we put a set together, it it builds off of like what's what are we gonna be talking about? And you know, um, and this time yesterday, I was like, I you know what, these are the songs it feels like I need to sing tonight. Um, and so I even told Andy, our our worship leader, like, uh, these really have

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  nothing to do with Sunday. I don't like I'll trust the spirit will figure that out. Um but tonight these are the songs that I feel like u my heart needs to sing. um saying goodness of God and great are you Lord and >> um the and and in that and in conversation um with Andy and with others but also really just through worship last night um the reminder of like how good God is but also like why is that not the loudest thing that comes from us um in a world where there's so much noise um in all

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  different places and spaces. Um there's just this thing of like I uh why would I ever stop talking about how good God is? Um and why wouldn't that be the thing that that I'm most known for, the thing that comes from me the most? Um and so I think that's the thing that's sitting um yesterday as we were talking about like um just what it looks like to be a Christian right now. um and and how even um like that means different things depending on who you are and where you are and um and so

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  coming back to this idea of like formation and like actually what I want to do is I just want to look as much like Jesus as I possibly can. Um, and I want to I want to step into places and and talk about how good God is. And even the like in the places that we see brokenness and how often like as humans we we recognize brokenness in the world and there's this thing in us this tendency to say like here's how we fix the brokenness. And so whether we're trying to fix it ourselves or we're

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  trying to tell people like this is what I've decided is the way you fix it. And then we have all got different opinions and whatever. Um, and I just wonder if Jesus isn't like, "Actually, I just need you to tell him how good I am and and about a God who will fix like I don't you don't have to fix the brokenness. I'll do it. Just tell him about this good God that will fix the brokenness." And so, um, in that all all through yesterday, the the scripture that kept coming to mind was this like, "Come come

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  to me all who are weary and I'll give you rest." And and the reminder that his yoke is easy and his burden is light. And that last night, so that was all day running through my head. And then last night that reminder of like that's what's easy. What's easy is for me to be so close to Jesus that I look like him and to tell people like can I can I tell you about how good my God is? Can I tell you about a good God? >> Um and that uh that feels like a yoke that's easy and a burden that's light.

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  Um and I and I felt it yesterday because I left. Nothing's resolved. The heaviness is still there. The the the stuff is still there. And in fact, it'll get harder. Um, but I walked away like uh worship changed the posture of my heart and it changed the um it didn't take the burden away but it made it lighter. And so um >> yeah. >> Yeah. That's that's the chyros for me is like God God's reminder yesterday of I just need you to look like me and tell people about a God who's really good.

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  >> Yeah. And isn't that what it is to be formed by Christ? Right. um the things in this world, they don't disappear. Um but it it is a reminder that I'm not I'm not to carry them. Uh I've that's what that's what Christ is for. So good man. So for me, the chyros has been an echo of this phrase, it's too good not to share. And in some ways, it's it's the rejoicing piece. God is too good not to share. Uh and then in other spaces like it this thing that's taken place it

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  that's too good not to share because it proclaims the goodness of God, the blessing of God, the providence of God, the sovereignty of God. So too good not to share. And that has been a an echo that I have I have said I have um shared with others. uh it's come up in conversation in in different things whether somebody's sharing with with me something's going on in their life or um or just in what I'm noticing in an everyday kind of manner like too good not to share uh that God is good and and

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  that uh and that he sees us and he welcomes us and he all the things we read there in Luke 15 and um that we've covered even in this conversation but yeah too good not to share and so I uh I feel like when I say that I I was just want I I want to share it in other spaces and um yeah like hey Lord where is that where is it that I get to share that because it's too good it's too good for me to keep it's too good for me to hold here in this moment I I've got a there's feeling like a there's a

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  motivation to now go and and tell go and share go and rejoice >> by then and maybe it's not even with words just in some places showing up and offering this joy of my salvation this hope of redemption and renewal. So, um and and I don't always feel like showing up to to be joyful and rejoice, but that that has been the echo and the chyros of uh God is too good not to not to share, not to show up and share the joy of my salvation. So, yeah, >> familiar. [Music] >> Yeah. Well, guys, thanks for joining us

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  in this conversation. We hope and pray that your conversations are going beyond Sunday and uh and that you're hearing from God and responding to him. So, have a blessed week and until next time, take care. [Music]