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This 14th verse:

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To make every effort;

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to be diligent He says.

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Be diligent.

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And in what direction?

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Well, you've got to seek 
food for your souls.

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You've got to get away...

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to a conference;

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travel a long distance to be here.

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Drive 15 hours.

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Drive through the night.

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Drive just to be here.

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And search for things that can nourish you

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and build up your knowledge

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and your graciousness.

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You don't want to be unfruitful

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and static, but there's a dynamism,

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and a maturing, and a beauty;

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and a fragrance,

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and a loveliness about your life.

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You're seeking for 
truths that will do that;

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that will produce love,

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and joy, and peace,

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and long-suffering, and gentleness,

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and goodness, and faithfulness,

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and meekness, and self-control.

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You've got to fall in love with the Bible.

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You've got to search it.

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You've got to ransack it.

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You've got to sit under the best ministry

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you can on a Sunday.

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You've got to read the best books.

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You've got to sit and listen

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to older Christians as they talk together

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and they reminisce

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about how God has dealt 
with them over the years.

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And learn from them 
the mysterious influence

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that one Christian can have over another.

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You seek good fellowship

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with other Christians,

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and you hunger after truth.

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You want the Word of God to come

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not in word only,

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but in power and the Holy Spirit

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and much assurance.

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Fall in love.

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Meditate upon Scripture.

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And, praying Scripture.

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So you read a verse like this,

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"But grow in the grace and knowledge

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of our Lord and Savior," and you say,

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"Lord, me too. I want to grow.

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I want to grow.

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This week, I've got a special time here;

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special privileges.

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Help me to grow

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in the grace and knowledge of my Savior,

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Jesus Christ."

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Because your souls won't grow

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without food.

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And there's no food for the soul

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like the Word of God.

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There's no place to be better

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than before the face of Jesus Christ.

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Taken from the 2018 Fellowship Conference.