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Speaker 1: Hi, this is Joel and Victoria.

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Speaker 2: Thanks for listening to our podcast and thanks for supporting

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Speaker 2: the ministry.

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Speaker 3: If you enjoy today's message, why don't you be a

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Speaker 3: blessing and share it with a friend.

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Speaker 2: We appreciate you and pray for God's very best in

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Speaker 2: your life.

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Speaker 1: God bless you. It's great to be with you today,

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Speaker 1: and I hope you'll stay.

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Speaker 2: Connected with us during the week through our daily podcast,

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Speaker 2: our YouTube channel, social media, and you can come visit

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Speaker 2: us in person.

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Speaker 1: We'd love to have you be a part of one

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Speaker 1: of our services.

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Speaker 2: I'd like to start with something funny, and I heard

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Speaker 2: about this pastor.

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Speaker 1: He found a dead mule on the church grounds.

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Speaker 2: He called the health department and they said they couldn't

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Speaker 2: pick it up without authorization from the mayor.

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Speaker 1: Well, the mayor was known to be rude and hard

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Speaker 1: to get along with.

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Speaker 2: When the pastor called, the mayor didn't disappoint He started

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Speaker 2: ranting and raving, and he finally said, isn't it your

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Speaker 2: job to bury the dead?

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Speaker 1: Why did you even call me?

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Speaker 2: The pastor asked God to give him the right response.

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Speaker 2: He said, yes, Mayor, it is my job to bury

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Speaker 2: the dead, but I always like to notify the next

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Speaker 2: of ken first man. Say it like you mean it.

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Speaker 2: This is my Bible. I am what it says I am.

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Speaker 2: I have what it says I have. I can do

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Speaker 2: what it says I can do. Today I will be

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Speaker 2: taught the word of God. I boldly confess. My mind

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Speaker 2: is alert, my heart is receptive. I will never be

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Speaker 2: the same. In Jesus' name, God bless you. I want

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Speaker 2: to talk to you today about necessary endings. We all

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Speaker 2: have times when things come to an end that we

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Speaker 2: weren't expecting. We were going along fine, enjoying life. Then

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Speaker 2: the company downsizes and.

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Speaker 1: We're let go. A relationship doesn't work out.

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Speaker 2: The door closes on a dream we didn't have any

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Speaker 2: control over it.

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Speaker 1: It's easy to get discouraged. God, where were you?

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Speaker 2: But God is called the Alpha and the Omega, the

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Speaker 2: beginning and the end. He has designed certain things to

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Speaker 2: come to an end to move us into a new

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Speaker 2: level of our destiny.

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Speaker 1: We may not understand.

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Speaker 2: It doesn't make sense, but it's a necessary ending. Without

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Speaker 2: that door closing, you wouldn't see the greater things God

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Speaker 2: has in store. And we believe in holding onto our

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Speaker 2: dreams and standing on the promises. But Sometimes it takes

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Speaker 2: more faith to accept what God is doing, to recognize

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Speaker 2: that the ending is a part of his plan. The

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Speaker 2: same God that opens doors closes doors. The same place

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Speaker 2: you saw abundance in one season may seem like a

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Speaker 2: famine in another. You had a great friendship with that coworker,

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Speaker 2: but now things have changed, They've moved on.

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Speaker 1: If you don't.

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Speaker 2: Understand that God has necessary endings, you'll fight every closed

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Speaker 2: door and try to hold onto things that God has

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Speaker 2: done with. But the ending wasn't random. You're not just

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Speaker 2: unlucky a bad break. It was the hand of God,

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Speaker 2: the author and the finisher. When that door closes, keep

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Speaker 2: your fingers and.

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Speaker 1: Your feelings out of the door. You'll be tempted to

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Speaker 1: hold on, why did this happen? It's not fair. Let

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Speaker 1: it go. God is in control of your life.

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Speaker 2: He's the one that opens doors and closes doors. He's

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Speaker 2: the one that changes seasons. You were in spring, now

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Speaker 2: maybe you're going into winter. That means you're getting prepared

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Speaker 2: to blossom in new ways.

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Speaker 1: I've learned.

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Speaker 2: God never brings things to an end without having something

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Speaker 2: better coming, something more rewarding, more fulfilling, new relationships, new dreams, new.

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Speaker 1: Mountains to climb.

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Speaker 2: Instead of seeing it as a bad break, try a

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Speaker 2: new perspective.

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Speaker 1: This was a necessary ending.

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Speaker 2: God stopped it could see the greater things He has

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Speaker 2: in store. When God brought the Israelites out of slavery,

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Speaker 2: they were in the desert, headed toward the Promised Land.

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Speaker 2: There were two million people but nothing to eat. So

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Speaker 2: every morning God gave them manna. There's something like bread

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Speaker 2: that formed on the ground. For forty years, they had

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Speaker 2: this supernatural provision.

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Speaker 1: Wherever they went they could count on that manna would

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Speaker 1: be there.

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Speaker 2: But when they got close to the Promised Land, the

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Speaker 2: scripture says the manna ceased and they never saw mana again.

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Speaker 2: Imagine going out one morning to get breakfast, like you've

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Speaker 2: done for four decades, all of a sudden, there's no manna.

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Speaker 2: They were confused, God, what's going on? Where are you?

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Speaker 2: Did we do something wrong? What do you do when

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Speaker 2: what's worked in the past doesn't work anymore? Seems like

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Speaker 2: the favor is gone. I'm sure they were worried. But

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Speaker 2: the reason God stopped the mana is they were about

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Speaker 2: to go into the Promised Land. Had he not stopped

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Speaker 2: that temporary provision, they would have been satisfied to live

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Speaker 2: off the manna the rest of their lives. They were comfortable,

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Speaker 2: they were satisfied. But God was not satisfied. He didn't

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Speaker 2: want them to live off a mana. He was taking

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Speaker 2: them to a land flowing with milk.

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Speaker 1: And honey, a land of abundance.

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Speaker 2: Where the clusters of grapes were so large it took

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Speaker 2: two people to carry them.

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Speaker 1: The manna ceasing wasn't a bad break.

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Speaker 2: It wasn't random, It was a necessary ending. God stopped

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Speaker 2: the mana to push them in to the fullness of

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Speaker 2: what he had in store. They could have been stubborn.

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Speaker 2: I'm not going to this new place. I'm gonna keep

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Speaker 2: believing for this manna. I've seen it before.

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Speaker 1: I believe it come back again.

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Speaker 2: When something comes to an end, don't stay where God was,

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Speaker 2: Go where God is. Go into the new thing. It

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Speaker 2: doesn't mean the old was bad. The manner you had

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Speaker 2: that was a good season.

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Speaker 1: You were grateful.

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Speaker 2: You can celebrate the time you had, celebrate the friendship,

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Speaker 2: the opportunity, the life of that loved one that passed.

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Speaker 2: That was all a part of God's plan for your life.

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Speaker 1: But now you have to accept the new thing. God

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Speaker 1: is doing.

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Speaker 2: Don't get stuck in the old. God likes freshness. He's

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Speaker 2: not going to let you get stagnant. He changes seasons,

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Speaker 2: He closes doors to force us into new opportunities, new growth,

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Speaker 2: new relationships. If you don't understand that he has necessary endings,

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Speaker 2: then you'll get bitter when the man of ceases. Why

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Speaker 2: did this door close? Why did this person walk away?

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Speaker 2: Why did this contract get canceled? God knows what he's doing.

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Speaker 2: Without that ending, you wouldn't see your promised land. But

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Speaker 2: we get comfortable with the Man of too. We don't

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Speaker 2: lie change, We don't want to have to stretch. But

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Speaker 2: God loves us too much to let us stay in

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Speaker 2: the desert. He's not gonna let you stay at one level.

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Speaker 2: He'll close doors, stop provision, cause people to walk away.

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Speaker 2: When the Man of ceases, it's not because you've lost

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Speaker 2: his favor.

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Speaker 1: It's because a new door is about to open.

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Speaker 2: You're gonna see favor in greater ways. You're gonna discover

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Speaker 2: talent you didn't know you had, see friendships, opportunities, fulfillment

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Speaker 2: more than you've imagined.

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Speaker 1: The right attitude is God, I trust you.

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Speaker 2: I don't like this, but I know it's a necessary

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Speaker 2: ending that you're ordering my steps, that you wouldn't have

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Speaker 2: allowed this man of to cease unless you had something

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Speaker 2: better coming. When I was nineteen years old, I came

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Speaker 2: back from college to start a television ministry here at Lakewood.

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Speaker 2: My brother and sisters all got their four year degree,

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Speaker 2: but I took the one year plan.

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Speaker 1: I didn't need as much much is them.

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Speaker 2: I always knew I wanted to work at the church,

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Speaker 2: and I loved production, editing, lighting. I was young, had

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Speaker 2: a lot of enthusiasm, but I didn't have a lot

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Speaker 2: of training. So we hired this man that was in

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Speaker 2: his sixties, very seasoned producer. He'd work for the Today

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Speaker 2: Show and went on to produce big network specials.

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Speaker 1: He was very talented and very experienced. He and I

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Speaker 1: hit it off. He was so friendly. I was with

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Speaker 1: him night and day, learning.

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Speaker 2: So much, and he taught me about what the right

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Speaker 2: camera angles were, about good pacing, about lighting. As I

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Speaker 2: watched him direct the program with my father up there speaking.

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Speaker 1: I was in awe. I thought he was so amazing.

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Speaker 2: How does he know how to do all this? I

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Speaker 2: felt so blessed to have him. But one morning, after

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Speaker 2: about a year He came in and said, Joel, I'm

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Speaker 2: moving back to California. I've done everything I need to

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Speaker 2: do here. Almost passed out.

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Speaker 1: I said, are you kidding?

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Speaker 2: You can't move. Everything's going to fall apart. Who's going

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Speaker 2: to do the program? He looked at me and said.

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Speaker 1: You are. You know how to do what I do.

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Speaker 2: You can direct, you can edit, you can put the

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Speaker 2: program together.

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Speaker 1: Thought there's no way. We offered him more money.

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Speaker 2: We said, you can live in California just flying a

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Speaker 2: couple of weekends a month. None of that worn't. He

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Speaker 2: was set, I'm done here. When God closes a door,

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Speaker 2: you can't open it. If someone wants to leave, you

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Speaker 2: have to accept that their part in your story is over.

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Speaker 2: Some people are like scaffolding. They come into your life

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Speaker 2: for a season to get you to a certain point,

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Speaker 2: but if they stayed, they would limit your growth. That

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Speaker 2: scaffolding has to come off so you can rise higher.

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Speaker 2: I was praying God changes mind, God calls him to

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Speaker 2: want to stay.

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Speaker 1: Sometimes we're praying against what God has ordained, what he

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Speaker 1: is set in motion.

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Speaker 2: We think, man, the enemy is shutting this door. No,

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Speaker 2: the enemy is not in control of your doors. God

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Speaker 2: is your doorkeeper. He's the one that opens and closes doors.

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Speaker 2: He brings people in and moves people out. My friend

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Speaker 2: left and went back to California. I had to get

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Speaker 2: out of my comfort zone, stretch grows, start doing things

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Speaker 2: I never thought I could do it. As I stepped up,

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Speaker 2: I discovered it wasn't as hard as I thought. First

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Speaker 2: month went by, I thought, I'm not too bad at this.

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Speaker 2: Six months went by, I thought I'm pretty good at this.

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Speaker 2: A year later, I thought, what did we ever need.

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Speaker 1: Him for that?

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Speaker 2: Had God not closed that door, I would have never

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Speaker 2: stepped into my potential.

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Speaker 1: Had that manner not ceased, I'd still be in the desert,

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Speaker 1: so to speak.

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Speaker 2: I wouldn't have seen the abundance, the fever that God

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Speaker 2: had in store for me.

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Speaker 1: And at the time I didn't like it. I was

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Speaker 1: fighting it. But I realize now it was a necessity.

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Speaker 2: Ending was the hand of God shutting a door to

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Speaker 2: force me into my purpose. Quit being discouraged over who

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Speaker 2: walked away.

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Speaker 1: If they left you, you didn't need them. If they

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Speaker 1: walked away, let them go.

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Speaker 2: God has new relationships, new opportunities.

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Speaker 1: If you had to have them to fulfill your destiny,

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Speaker 1: they wouldn't be able to leave.

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Speaker 2: In the scripture, Ruth and her sister in law Orpah,

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Speaker 2: both lost their husbands. Their mother in law, Naomi, since

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Speaker 2: her sons had died, she was moving back to her

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Speaker 2: hometown of Bethlehem. She told Ruth and Orpah to go

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Speaker 2: back to their hometowns, hopefully they'd find another husband.

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Speaker 1: Orpah said, that's a great idea.

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Speaker 2: She kissed Naomi and moved on, but Ruth said, Naomi,

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Speaker 2: I'm not going to leave you. Your God will be

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Speaker 2: my god, your home will be my home. Naomi said, no, Ruth,

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Speaker 2: I'm an old woman.

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Speaker 1: Don't come with me.

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Speaker 2: There's no future here. Go live your life. But Ruth

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Speaker 2: wouldn't leave her.

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Speaker 1: She went back with Naomi.

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Speaker 2: She met her husband there ended up becoming the great

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Speaker 2: great grandmother of King David. My point is, the people

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Speaker 2: that are supposed.

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Speaker 1: To stay with you you won't.

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Speaker 2: Be able to get rid of. You can't talk them

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Speaker 2: out of it. They'll stick with you through thick and thin.

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Speaker 2: On the other hand, the people that are supposed to go,

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Speaker 2: you can't convince them to stay when God closes the door.

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Speaker 1: You can't pay them enough, compliment them enough, treat them

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Speaker 1: good enough.

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Speaker 2: You have to accept that it's a necessary ending, that

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Speaker 2: God is changing the.

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Speaker 1: Season, and they may be a good person.

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Speaker 2: You enjoyed the time together, but to become who you

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Speaker 2: were created to be, they have to exit the stage.

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Speaker 2: You have to move forward into new relationships, new opportunities,

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Speaker 2: and new growth.

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Speaker 1: I think one of the hardest things for us is

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Speaker 1: to let things go.

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Speaker 2: Closed doors, get discourage over who walked away, and bitter

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Speaker 2: over the dream that didn't work out. You have to

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Speaker 2: realize God stopped it not to make your life miserable,

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Speaker 2: but to get you into your promised land. The man

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Speaker 2: has ceased because He's taken you into something bigger, better,

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Speaker 2: more fulfilling. May not make sense right now, the disappointment,

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Speaker 2: the loss, the rejection, but later on you'll see what

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Speaker 2: God was up to. If he hadn't closed that door,

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Speaker 2: you wouldn't have stepped into the new level.

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Speaker 1: If he hadn't caused that person to move on, you

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Speaker 1: wouldn't have met that divine connection.

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Speaker 2: If that opportunity didn't drive up, you wouldn't have discovered

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Speaker 2: the potential in you trust him when you don't understand

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Speaker 2: he opens doors and he closes doors. It's not random,

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Speaker 2: it's A necessary ending happened.

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Speaker 1: To my father.

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Speaker 2: He was pastoring a church back in the late nineteen fifties.

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Speaker 1: He'd been there for years. Church was growing.

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Speaker 2: They just built a new sanctuary. His future looked so bright.

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Speaker 2: My sister Lisa was born with a birth injury, and

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Speaker 2: the doctors told my parents that she may never walk

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Speaker 2: or be able to feed herself. My father went to

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Speaker 2: a hotel downtown for a few days to pray and

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Speaker 2: read the scripture.

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Speaker 1: He told how he took off.

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Speaker 2: His denominational glasses and read the Bible like he was

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Speaker 2: reading it for the first time. He saw how Jesus

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Speaker 2: went around healing people, how he's a god that can

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Speaker 2: do the impossible. He was taught in seminary that the

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Speaker 2: day of miracles was over. He came back to his

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Speaker 2: church so fired up and started preaching this new message

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Speaker 2: of faith and victory.

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Speaker 1: He thought they'd be.

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Speaker 2: So excited, but it was just the opposite. It didn't

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Speaker 2: fit into their tradition. It caused so much contention and

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Speaker 2: so much discord. They ended up asking my parents to leave.

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Speaker 2: They never dreamed that would happen. Were their friends, people

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Speaker 2: they had spent years with. Now they felt the steam

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Speaker 2: of rejection. It was unfair, didn't make sense.

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Speaker 1: Here's the key.

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Speaker 2: It wasn't the enemy pushing them out. It was the

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Speaker 2: hand of God shutting that door, and they couldn't see it.

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Speaker 1: It was painful.

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Speaker 2: But instead of sitting around in self pity thinking about

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Speaker 2: what didn't work out, they went out and found an

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Speaker 2: old Rundown feed store Mother's Day nineteen fifty.

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Speaker 1: Nine, they started Lakewood.

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Speaker 2: They weren't in the big, beautiful sanctuary, stained glass windows

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Speaker 2: like they had just built.

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Speaker 1: They were in this little feed store.

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Speaker 2: Instead of having one thousand members, they had ninety. Looked

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Speaker 2: like it was a big setback. The truth is it

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Speaker 2: was a big setup for what God was about to do.

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Speaker 2: My parents stayed faithful. The church grew from ninety to

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Speaker 2: two hundred. Then they had to build an auditorium for

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Speaker 2: one thousand, then four thousand, then eight thousand. Sixty four

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Speaker 2: years later, we're still going strong. But looking back now,

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Speaker 2: we can see that was a necessary ending. Had the

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Speaker 2: manna not stopped, had the people not asked them to.

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Speaker 1: Leave, we wouldn't have Lakewood.

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Speaker 2: They wouldn't have seen the abundance, the new levels, the

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Speaker 2: new growth. The fact is they were happy with the manna.

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Speaker 2: But God has so much more in store. You haven't seen, heard,

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Speaker 2: or imagined what He has.

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Speaker 1: In your future.

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Speaker 2: And sometimes to take it to the next level, he

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Speaker 2: has to close a door.

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Speaker 1: He'll do things you don't understand, that don't make sense.

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Speaker 1: Looks like a.

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Speaker 2: Bad break, a disappointment, but really it's a necessary ending.

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Speaker 2: It's God closing a door because he's about to open

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Speaker 2: a much bigger door. He's going to take you where

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Speaker 2: you've never imagined. And yes, the rejection was unfair.

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Speaker 1: The people that walked away was discouraging.

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Speaker 2: The loss was painful, but you're right where the Israelites were.

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Speaker 1: The Man has ceased. You could be down God, I

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Speaker 1: don't understand it. Have this new perspective.

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Speaker 2: The man of ceasing is a sign you're about to

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Speaker 2: come into abundance, overflow, divine connections, good breaks that catapult

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Speaker 2: you ahead.

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Speaker 1: So it's easy to.

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Speaker 2: Trust God when everything's going our way, doors opening, children, succeeding,

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Speaker 2: relationships healthy. The question is will you trust him when

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Speaker 2: doors close, when people walk away, when the dream doesn't

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Speaker 2: work out. It's not happenstance, not just a bad break.

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Speaker 2: It's a necessary ending. It's God positioning you for the

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Speaker 2: new things he's about to do. God wouldn't have closed

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Speaker 2: the door unless he was going to open up.

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Speaker 1: A better door.

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Speaker 2: He wouldn't have let or for walk away unless he

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Speaker 2: was bringing somebody even better.

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Speaker 1: He's taken you from glory to glory.

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Speaker 2: Now one level of glory may come to an end,

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Speaker 2: so you can step into the greater glory. Don't get

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Speaker 2: stuck looking back trying to figure out why didn't it

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Speaker 2: work out? Why did they treat me this way? Why

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Speaker 2: did my business slow down? Just keep moving forward, honoring God,

348
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Speaker 2: knowing that it was a necessary ending, that God wouldn't

349
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Speaker 2: have stopped it.

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Speaker 1: If he didn't have something better coming.

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Speaker 2: Are you fighting endings? Bitter over what God stopped? Discouraged

352
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Speaker 2: over what didn't last? What if you knew that it

353
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Speaker 2: had to happen, did even though it felt like a

354
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Speaker 2: bad break, it was God leading you into the fullness

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Speaker 2: of your destiny. Jesus was hanging on the cross, wearing

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Speaker 2: a crown of thorns. Before he passed, he said, it

357
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Speaker 2: is finished. Seemed like he was done. They had finally

358
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Speaker 2: killed him. He even admitted it was over. But the

359
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Speaker 2: truth is it was a necessary ending. It was all

360
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Speaker 2: a part of God's plan. If he wasn't supposed to

361
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Speaker 2: be crucified, he would have never gone to the cross.

362
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Speaker 2: He told the soldiers, I could call down ten thousand

363
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Speaker 2: angels right now to come rescue me. He was saying,

364
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Speaker 2: you think you're in control, that you're getting the best

365
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Speaker 2: of me, But my father is in control. You didn't

366
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Speaker 2: take my life. I'm laying it down. Without that ending,

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Speaker 2: we wouldn't have salvation. His life and his physical body ceased,

368
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Speaker 2: but only so he could rise again, come back with

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Speaker 2: a glorified body, with all power, with the keys of

370
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Speaker 2: death and hell. When it's a necessary ending, God is

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Speaker 2: up to something.

372
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Speaker 1: Big thoughts will whisper, where is God? Now?

373
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Speaker 2: How come you're going through the hurt, the breakup, the loss,

374
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Speaker 2: or don't worry?

375
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Speaker 1: Your time is coming.

376
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Speaker 2: God wouldn't have allowed it if you weren't about to

377
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Speaker 2: step into your promised land. Magdalene and some other women

378
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Speaker 2: went to the tomb that Sunday morning. They were going

379
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Speaker 2: to put perfume on Jesus's body, and angel met them there,

380
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Speaker 2: said why do you seek the living among the dead.

381
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Speaker 2: Jesus is not here, he has risen. The angel was saying,

382
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Speaker 2: why are you going to where God was. You need

383
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Speaker 2: to go to where God is. Why are you stuck

384
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Speaker 2: on who hurt you, who walked away, who pushed you out?

385
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Speaker 1: That had to end.

386
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Speaker 2: That door had to close, That manner had to cease

387
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Speaker 2: so you could go to the next level of victory,

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Speaker 2: abundance in favor. When Jesus said it is finished, that

389
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Speaker 2: was symbolic. It was showing us that when God puts

390
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Speaker 2: an end to things in the natural, sometimes it will

391
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Speaker 2: look like it's done.

392
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Speaker 1: Jesus breathed his.

393
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Speaker 2: Last breath, lungs weren't moving anymore, no pulse. The soldiers

394
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Speaker 2: even declared he died. He couldn't save himself. All the

395
00:20:48,800 --> 00:20:52,800
Speaker 2: circumstances said it was over. But God wouldn't have allowed

396
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Speaker 2: the end if he didn't have a greater beginning coming.

397
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Speaker 1: Don't go by what it looks like. God is doing.

398
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Speaker 2: Things that you can't see in them natural. It may

399
00:21:02,840 --> 00:21:05,399
Speaker 2: look like the enemy got the best of you. The

400
00:21:05,480 --> 00:21:09,160
Speaker 2: door closed, person walked away, the business didn't make it.

401
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Speaker 1: The only reason the man.

402
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Speaker 2: Of stop is because there's a promised land in your future.

403
00:21:14,640 --> 00:21:19,280
Speaker 2: There's something bigger, better, more rewarding than you can imagine.

404
00:21:20,040 --> 00:21:22,520
Speaker 2: I talked to a lady that owns her own business,

405
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Speaker 2: and she at least space in this shopping mall for

406
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Speaker 2: many years, always paid her bills, was a good tenant.

407
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Speaker 2: One day she received an email from her landlord saying

408
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Speaker 2: they were going to double her rent. Came out of

409
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Speaker 2: nowhere and give her any warning. She couldn't make a

410
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Speaker 2: profit paying that much. They were basically forcing her out

411
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Speaker 2: of business. She was discouraged, didn't understand it. One night,

412
00:21:48,400 --> 00:21:51,600
Speaker 2: she was flipping through the channels and came across our programming.

413
00:21:52,119 --> 00:21:55,160
Speaker 2: I was talking along these lines about how sometimes God

414
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Speaker 2: will allow a door to close to open something better,

415
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Speaker 2: how it won't always makes sense, but to trust that

416
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Speaker 2: He has our best interests at heart.

417
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Speaker 1: She hadn't been able to sleep, she was so worried.

418
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Speaker 2: She came back to that place of peace, believing that

419
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Speaker 2: God was ordering her steps. A couple of weeks later,

420
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Speaker 2: a man called that she had never met and said

421
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Speaker 2: that he had twice the space in a better shopping

422
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Speaker 2: center for half the cost.

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Speaker 1: She couldn't believe it. She didn't find him. He came

424
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Speaker 1: to her. She moved in there, and she told me

425
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Speaker 1: in the lobby.

426
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Speaker 2: Joel, I've never been so blessed, never dreamed I'd have

427
00:22:32,040 --> 00:22:36,200
Speaker 2: this much business. It looked like a setback, but really

428
00:22:36,240 --> 00:22:39,160
Speaker 2: it was God setting her up to do something more

429
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Speaker 2: than she could imagine.

430
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Speaker 1: And I know we have to hold onto our dreams.

431
00:22:44,200 --> 00:22:47,000
Speaker 2: We have to stand in faith, but we also have

432
00:22:47,119 --> 00:22:52,479
Speaker 2: to realize that God has necessary endings. Sometimes he'll stop things,

433
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Speaker 2: he'll cause the manner to cease. He'll push you out,

434
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Speaker 2: like with my father, it's because he has something better coming.

435
00:23:00,760 --> 00:23:02,479
Speaker 1: Trust him with your closed doors.

436
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Speaker 2: He controls the seasons, and sometimes you're in spring for

437
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Speaker 2: a long time, blossoming fruitful. Then the season changes you

438
00:23:12,080 --> 00:23:15,360
Speaker 2: come into winter. God will stop things that were working.

439
00:23:16,160 --> 00:23:19,680
Speaker 2: If you're stubborn, you try to force it and get

440
00:23:19,760 --> 00:23:22,200
Speaker 2: upset because it's not what it used to be. Then

441
00:23:22,240 --> 00:23:26,159
Speaker 2: you'll live frustrating. Be open to what God is doing.

442
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Speaker 2: He's the author and the finisher. There are times he

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Speaker 2: will say, this season is finished. It was a good season,

444
00:23:34,600 --> 00:23:37,840
Speaker 2: it was productive, you enjoyed it. But to see the

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00:23:37,880 --> 00:23:40,920
Speaker 2: new things he has in store, that season will come

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00:23:40,920 --> 00:23:41,520
Speaker 2: to an end.

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00:23:42,359 --> 00:23:44,880
Speaker 1: That's when you have to trust God. You know what's

448
00:23:44,920 --> 00:23:45,439
Speaker 1: best for me.

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00:23:46,119 --> 00:23:48,200
Speaker 2: I may not like this, but I'm going to stay

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00:23:48,200 --> 00:23:51,720
Speaker 2: in faith, knowing that this is a necessary ending, and

451
00:23:51,800 --> 00:23:56,680
Speaker 2: it's leading me to a greater beginning. One Kings, chapter seventeen.

452
00:23:57,040 --> 00:24:00,359
Speaker 2: God told Elijah to go to the brook Cherith, and

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00:24:00,400 --> 00:24:03,560
Speaker 2: the ravens would feed him there. He arrived at the brook,

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Speaker 2: and just like God promised, he had provision. Week after week,

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00:24:08,240 --> 00:24:10,720
Speaker 2: he didn't have to go get the food every day.

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00:24:10,880 --> 00:24:14,920
Speaker 2: Like clockwork, the ravens came to him. I'm sure he thought,

457
00:24:15,200 --> 00:24:18,840
Speaker 2: doesn't get any better than this. I'm so blessed. He

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00:24:18,920 --> 00:24:22,600
Speaker 2: was comfortable. He knew God's favor was on him. But

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00:24:22,720 --> 00:24:23,600
Speaker 2: after a few.

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Speaker 1: Months, the ravens quit coming, the brook dried up.

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Speaker 2: God told him to lead that place and go to

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Speaker 2: the city of Zeropath.

463
00:24:31,680 --> 00:24:33,359
Speaker 1: A widow would take care of him there.

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00:24:33,920 --> 00:24:36,840
Speaker 2: He could have thought, this couldn't be God. This is

465
00:24:36,880 --> 00:24:40,040
Speaker 2: where I've seen provision, this is where I've seen favor.

466
00:24:40,960 --> 00:24:43,760
Speaker 2: He could have been stubborn and tried to stay in

467
00:24:43,840 --> 00:24:47,040
Speaker 2: what used to be The problem was there was.

468
00:24:47,040 --> 00:24:48,640
Speaker 1: No provision there anymore.

469
00:24:49,440 --> 00:24:52,080
Speaker 2: He didn't do something wrong, he didn't run out of favor.

470
00:24:52,640 --> 00:24:55,520
Speaker 2: It was God stopping it to move him into a

471
00:24:55,560 --> 00:24:59,280
Speaker 2: new level of his destiny. When he got to Xeropath,

472
00:24:59,640 --> 00:25:01,280
Speaker 2: that's where and his ministry began.

473
00:25:01,920 --> 00:25:05,280
Speaker 1: He saw some of the greatest miracles recorded in the scripture.

474
00:25:06,040 --> 00:25:09,840
Speaker 2: But it's significant that it happened after the brook dried up,

475
00:25:10,520 --> 00:25:14,600
Speaker 2: after the ravens quit coming. That door closing wasn't a

476
00:25:14,640 --> 00:25:16,840
Speaker 2: bad break. He wasn't unlucky.

477
00:25:17,200 --> 00:25:18,800
Speaker 1: It was a necessary ending.

478
00:25:19,960 --> 00:25:22,880
Speaker 2: Don't fight the things that God brings to an end.

479
00:25:23,600 --> 00:25:26,520
Speaker 2: It may be the way you thought your dream would

480
00:25:26,520 --> 00:25:29,920
Speaker 2: work out. I thought i'd always be by this brook, Joel.

481
00:25:30,400 --> 00:25:33,920
Speaker 2: I thought i'd always have this friend in my own life.

482
00:25:34,240 --> 00:25:37,080
Speaker 2: I thought I'd always be behind the scenes. I thought

483
00:25:37,119 --> 00:25:41,920
Speaker 2: i'd always be in television production. But when my father passed,

484
00:25:42,200 --> 00:25:44,879
Speaker 2: God put an end to that. He had to close

485
00:25:44,960 --> 00:25:47,600
Speaker 2: that door so I would step into the new thing

486
00:25:47,680 --> 00:25:51,800
Speaker 2: that he had in store. Stay open. God's ways are

487
00:25:51,840 --> 00:25:56,280
Speaker 2: not our ways. Sometimes the brook will dry up, sometimes

488
00:25:56,320 --> 00:26:00,640
Speaker 2: the manner will cease, Sometimes Orpel will walk away. Those

489
00:26:00,680 --> 00:26:04,719
Speaker 2: aren't random, Those are necessary endings. It's the hand of

490
00:26:04,760 --> 00:26:09,160
Speaker 2: God closing one door to open another door. And yes,

491
00:26:09,200 --> 00:26:12,480
Speaker 2: hold on to your dreams, hold onto those promises, but

492
00:26:12,640 --> 00:26:15,360
Speaker 2: stay open to how God is going to do it.

493
00:26:16,320 --> 00:26:20,000
Speaker 2: Some of the things we're worried about, losing sleep trying

494
00:26:20,000 --> 00:26:23,199
Speaker 2: to make work out, we don't realize God is the

495
00:26:23,200 --> 00:26:27,879
Speaker 2: one changing the seasons, moving people out, pushing us into

496
00:26:27,880 --> 00:26:32,360
Speaker 2: our purpose. When seasons are changing, don't get stuck where

497
00:26:32,440 --> 00:26:36,400
Speaker 2: God was, Go where God is. He's doing a new thing.

498
00:26:36,760 --> 00:26:39,880
Speaker 1: The manner ceasing means you're about to go into your

499
00:26:39,920 --> 00:26:40,680
Speaker 1: promised land.

500
00:26:41,400 --> 00:26:45,520
Speaker 2: If you'll do this, I believe and declare, like the Israelites,

501
00:26:45,880 --> 00:26:51,640
Speaker 2: you're going to see supernatural provisions, abundance, opportunity. Like Elijah,

502
00:26:51,920 --> 00:26:54,840
Speaker 2: that closed door is leading to the best part of

503
00:26:54,840 --> 00:27:00,200
Speaker 2: your life, greater favor, greater relationships, better hell, the full

504
00:27:00,440 --> 00:27:04,119
Speaker 2: of your destiny in Jesus's name, and if.

505
00:27:03,960 --> 00:27:05,879
Speaker 1: You receive it, can you say amen?

506
00:27:07,880 --> 00:27:10,520
Speaker 2: I'd like to give you an opportunity to make Jesus

507
00:27:10,560 --> 00:27:11,760
Speaker 2: the Lord of your life.

508
00:27:11,960 --> 00:27:15,840
Speaker 1: Would you pray with me? Just say, Lord, Jesus, I'll

509
00:27:15,880 --> 00:27:19,880
Speaker 1: repent of my sins. Come into my heart. I'll make

510
00:27:19,960 --> 00:27:21,360
Speaker 1: you my Lord and savior.

511
00:27:22,119 --> 00:27:24,640
Speaker 2: If you've prayed that simple prayer, we believe you got

512
00:27:24,640 --> 00:27:27,600
Speaker 2: born again. We'd love to send you some free information

513
00:27:27,760 --> 00:27:29,879
Speaker 2: on your new walk with the Lord. You can text

514
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Speaker 2: the number on the screen or go to the website.

515
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Speaker 2: But I hope you'll get into a good Bible based

516
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Speaker 2: church and keep God first.

517
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Speaker 1: Place.

518
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Speaker 4: It's easy to let the day get away from us

519
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Speaker 4: before the day even starts. The first few minutes of

520
00:27:43,760 --> 00:27:47,000
Speaker 4: your morning are more powerful than you might think. Life

521
00:27:47,040 --> 00:27:50,000
Speaker 4: moves really fast sometimes, and it can be easy to

522
00:27:50,040 --> 00:27:53,359
Speaker 4: begin each day by zeroing in on your problems. But

523
00:27:53,440 --> 00:27:54,320
Speaker 4: here's the truth.

524
00:27:55,119 --> 00:27:57,560
Speaker 2: How you start the day can determine what kind of

525
00:27:57,640 --> 00:27:59,720
Speaker 2: day it's going to be. I'd love to send you

526
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Speaker 2: my devotional three minute Mornings Start your.

527
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Speaker 1: Day the Blessed way.

528
00:28:03,720 --> 00:28:06,240
Speaker 3: Three minutes doesn't seem like a lot of time, but

529
00:28:06,280 --> 00:28:08,720
Speaker 3: when you put God first place and get your mind

530
00:28:08,760 --> 00:28:11,399
Speaker 3: going in the right direction, is setting the tone for

531
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Speaker 3: a blessed, productive day.

532
00:28:13,520 --> 00:28:16,320
Speaker 2: Is filled with inspiration and encouragement to help you begin

533
00:28:16,359 --> 00:28:19,639
Speaker 2: each day with a fresh attitude, grateful that you're alive.

534
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Speaker 2: It's amazing what happens when you take three minutes and

535
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Speaker 2: speak blessings over your life and declaring God's favor. Three

536
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Speaker 2: minute Mornings is our gift to.

537
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Speaker 4: You as our way of saying thank you for your

538
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Speaker 4: gift of any amount. This month, we would like to

539
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Speaker 4: send you a copy of Joel's new devotional three Minute

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Speaker 4: Mornings Start your Day in faith. This powerful book will

541
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Speaker 4: open the pathways to experience God's presence and peace in

542
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Speaker 4: your life, and there you will find renewed energy, assurance,

543
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Speaker 4: and wisdom to face your day. The Bible promises that

544
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Speaker 4: God is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.

545
00:28:56,520 --> 00:28:59,760
Speaker 4: So as you pause for only three minutes and take

546
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Speaker 4: in his wonderful promises in this book, you will be

547
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Speaker 4: positioning yourself to receive all the amazing things that God

548
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Speaker 4: has in store for you. Please request your copy today

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Speaker 4: and watch anxiety turn to divine answers, weakness to strength,

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Speaker 4: problems to renewed possibilities, frustrations to God's favor. Yes, only

551
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Speaker 4: three minutes will transform your entire day.

552
00:29:25,040 --> 00:29:27,200
Speaker 2: From the time I was a little boy, my parents

553
00:29:27,200 --> 00:29:30,080
Speaker 2: taught me the value of starting the day off in faith.

554
00:29:30,400 --> 00:29:33,720
Speaker 2: Three minute mornings will help you do just that. Victoria

555
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Speaker 2: and I pray for you every day for God's very best.

556
00:29:37,200 --> 00:29:39,480
Speaker 1: We want to thank you for your prayer and support.

557
00:29:39,800 --> 00:29:42,040
Speaker 1: You're impacting people all over the world.

558
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Speaker 2: A special thank you to our Champion of Hope Partners

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Speaker 2: for your monthly support. If you're not a partner, I

560
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Speaker 2: hope you'll consider becoming one. Remember you can watch the

561
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Speaker 2: services online every Sunday Morning, download our daily podcast, listen

562
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Speaker 2: on Serious Exam, watch our YouTube channel and the Jewel

563
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Speaker 2: Network streaming on television twenty four hours a day until

564
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Speaker 2: we see you again.

565
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Speaker 1: Make the Lord bless you and keep you.

566
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Speaker 4: Be sure to request your copy of three minute Mornings

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Speaker 4: Start your day in faith. Visit jolostein dot com or

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Speaker 4: call eight eight eight five six seven Joel for an

569
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Speaker 4: additional donation. This month, we are also offering the Faith

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Speaker 4: and Freedom Bundle. You'll receive an additional devotional filled with

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Speaker 4: and freedom. Also available, our Morning Power and Peace Collection

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Speaker 4: includes Power, Provision and Peace, beautifully bound and timeless elegance.

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Speaker 4: This dynamic New Testament the Passion Translation helps you walk

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Speaker 4: calling eight eight eight five six seven Joel or logging

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Speaker 4: on to jolostein dot com today. Call or click any time,

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Speaker 4: twenty four hours a day, be inspired every morning. Request

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Speaker 4: your copies today