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Speaker 1: Life Audio. Thank you for listening to your Daily Prayer,

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Speaker 1: a podcast dedicated to helping you find the words you

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Speaker 1: need to connect with your Father in Heaven. No matter

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Speaker 1: what is going on in your life today, you can

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Speaker 1: trust that God wants to hear from you. Right after

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Speaker 1: this short word from our sponsor, you will pray through

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Speaker 1: today's prayer to worship like the Shepherds Together A Prayer

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Speaker 1: to Worship Like the Shepherds, written by Christine F. Perry,

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Speaker 1: read by Carrie Eichberger. Then the shepherds returned, glorifying and

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Speaker 1: praising God for all the things that they had heard

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Speaker 1: and seen, as it was told them Luke to verse twenty,

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Speaker 1: Imagine going about your day, making sure you and your

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Speaker 1: family is fed, ensuring your house is in order, attending

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Speaker 1: to things that are broken, and being interrupted by an

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Speaker 1: angel informing you of something the Lord is doing in

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Speaker 1: your town. This is what happened to the shepherds. Luke

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Speaker 1: to verse eight through fourteen gives us more context. And

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Speaker 1: there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping

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Speaker 1: watch over their flocks. At night, an angel of the

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Speaker 1: Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord

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Speaker 1: shone around them and They were terrified, but the Angel

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Speaker 1: said to them, do not be afraid. I bring you

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Speaker 1: good news that will cause great joy for all the people.

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Speaker 1: Today in the town of David, a savior has been born,

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Speaker 1: born to you. He is the Messiah, the Lord. This

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Speaker 1: will be assigned to you. You will find a baby

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Speaker 1: wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger. Suddenly, a

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Speaker 1: great company of the heavenly host appeared with the Angel,

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Speaker 1: praising God and saying glory to God in the highest

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Speaker 1: heaven and on earth, Peace to those on whom His

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Speaker 1: favor rests. It would be scary, exciting, and unbelievable, all

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Speaker 1: wrapped up in one moment. Shepherds were the outcasts of society.

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Speaker 1: They were lowly and of humble means. It wasn't a

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Speaker 1: glorious job. It took patience, as sheep are skittish and dumb.

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Speaker 1: It took courage to fend off predators. It took wisdom

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Speaker 1: and foresight to find pastures where their sheep could eat

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Speaker 1: in peace and safety. The last thing these shepherds were

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Speaker 1: expecting was an angel to come to them. Yet see

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Speaker 1: how they responded. In Verses fifteen and sixteen, when the

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Speaker 1: angels had left them and gone into heaven. The shepherd

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Speaker 1: said to one another, let's go to Bethlehem and see

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Speaker 1: this thing that has happened which the Lord has told

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Speaker 1: us about. So they hurried off and found Mary and

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Speaker 1: Joseph and the baby who was lying in a manger.

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Speaker 1: It then says that after the shepherd saw Jesus, they

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Speaker 1: spread the word concerning what had been told them about

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Speaker 1: this child. You may be wondering what this means for

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Speaker 1: us today and what we can learn from shepherds. First,

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Speaker 1: the shepherds were where they usually were, living out in

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Speaker 1: the fields. Friends, wherever you are, God is there too.

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Speaker 1: Psalm one thirty nine seven and eight says where can

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Speaker 1: I go from your spirit? Or where can I flee

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Speaker 1: from your presence? If I ascended into heaven, you are there.

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Speaker 1: If I make my bed in hell, behold, you were there.

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Speaker 1: Many of us think we have to be in a

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Speaker 1: certain school, job, or vocation for God to meet us.

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Speaker 1: The truth is God is everywhere and always at work.

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Speaker 1: The question is are we looking for him? Second, the

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Speaker 1: shepherds didn't do anything out of their regular routine. They

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Speaker 1: simply went about their tasks, keeping watch over their flocks

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Speaker 1: by night. I think many of us believe we have

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Speaker 1: to be in the ministry, hold a degree, be healthy,

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Speaker 1: have a family, or be single for God to use us.

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Speaker 1: The truth is God can use you right now where

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Speaker 1: you are. We can all pray for one another, and

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Speaker 1: God delights in hearing his children pray. Third, the shepherds

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Speaker 1: obeyed immediately, and it evoked praise. Obedience brings joy. Their

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Speaker 1: response was immediate. They found Mary, Joseph, and Jesus. Because

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Speaker 1: they did, they had left glorifying and praising God. I

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Speaker 1: want us to remember that it's not always about doing

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Speaker 1: or being somewhere new. Maybe this holiday season you're caring

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Speaker 1: for an aging parent or sick child. Perhaps you're single

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Speaker 1: and wondering if you will ever spend a holiday with

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Speaker 1: a significant other. Maybe your life has recently fallen apart

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Speaker 1: and you're trying to rebuild. Wherever you are, the Lord

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Speaker 1: is there and He is waiting to meet with you.

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Speaker 1: So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do,

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Speaker 1: do it all for the glory of God. Perse Corinthians ten,

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Speaker 1: verse thirty one. Do laundry for the glory of God.

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Speaker 1: Clean your house to the glory of God. Work hard

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Speaker 1: for the glory of God. Every single thing you do

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Speaker 1: you can do for the glory of God. And that,

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Speaker 1: my friends, is worship. Let's pray, dear heavenly Father, thank

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Speaker 1: you that you are everywhere and you can use everyone.

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Speaker 1: Thank you that you're intimately acquainted with all our ways.

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Speaker 1: Thank you that you are good and you do good,

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Speaker 1: even in the challenging seasons of life. Father, Please open

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Speaker 1: our eyes to see how you are working in our

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Speaker 1: midst Help us to live fully where we are, and

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Speaker 1: to do all things for your glory, honor and praise.

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Speaker 1: We love you. Help us to worship you in spirit

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Speaker 1: and truth, in love, and indeed, thank you for sending

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Speaker 1: Jesus to be our savior. If you did nothing else,

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Speaker 1: you have already done enough. Please help us to live

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Speaker 1: with eternity in mind, and help us to share as

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Speaker 1: the shepherds did, the good news of You. Amen. Your

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Speaker 1: Daily Prayer is a production of Life Audio and Sale Media.

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