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Speaker 1: Hi, this is Joel and Victoria. Thanks for listening to

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Speaker 1: the podcast, and we want to tell you how much

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Speaker 1: we love you. Trusted you're going to have a blessed

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Speaker 1: Christmas season with you and your family. Know that we

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Speaker 1: pray for you every day. Just speak in God's blessings

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Speaker 1: and favor. We love you, we.

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Speaker 2: Are praying for you, and we hope you have a

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Speaker 2: very merry Christmas.

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Speaker 1: Enjoy the podcast today, Well, God bless you. It's always

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Speaker 1: a joy to come into your homes. We love you,

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Speaker 1: and just to appreciate being able to spend this next

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Speaker 1: little while with you. And if you're ever in our area,

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Speaker 1: I hope you'll stop by and be a part of

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Speaker 1: one of our services. I promise you we'll make you

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Speaker 1: feel right at home. But thanks for watching, and thanks

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Speaker 1: again for coming out. And I like to start with

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Speaker 1: something funny each week. And I heard about this mother

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Speaker 1: that invited some people over for dinner and at the table,

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Speaker 1: she said to her little five year old daughter, Honey,

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Speaker 1: do you want to say the blessing? She said, no, Mom,

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Speaker 1: I wouldn't know what to say. She said, oh sure

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Speaker 1: you would, honey. Just say what you hear, mom say

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Speaker 1: so she bows her head and said, Oh Lord, why

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Speaker 1: did I invite these people to dinner? All right, hold

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Speaker 1: up your Bible. Say it like you mean it. This

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Speaker 1: is my Bible. I am what it says I am.

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Speaker 1: I have what it says I have. I can do

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Speaker 1: what it says I can do. Today I will be

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Speaker 1: taught the word of God. I boldly confess. My mind

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Speaker 1: is alert, my heart is receptive. I will never be

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Speaker 1: the same. In Jesus' name, God bless you. I want

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Speaker 1: to talk to you today about being excellent in the workplace.

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Speaker 1: Unemployment is at one of the highest levels that it's

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Speaker 1: been in many years. Every day we read about more

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Speaker 1: businesses closing and more potential for layoffs. And if we're

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Speaker 1: going to keep our positions or at least see new

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Speaker 1: opportunity open up if something were to close down, Now

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Speaker 1: more than ever, we need to be people of excellence.

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Speaker 1: We live in a society where mediocrity is the norm.

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Speaker 1: Many people do is little as they can to get by.

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Speaker 1: They're always looking for the easy way out. If the

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Speaker 1: boss isn't watching, they're playing on the computer, they simply

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Speaker 1: go to work to pick up a paycheck. Then they

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Speaker 1: wonder why they're not promoted, and why they don't see increase.

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Speaker 1: It's because God doesn't bless mediocrity. He blesses excellence, and

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Speaker 1: whatever we do, we should do it to the best

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Speaker 1: of our ability. If you're a teacher, don't be an

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Speaker 1: average teacher, be an excellent teacher. If you're a plumber,

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Speaker 1: don't be an okay plumber, be a great plumber. If

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Speaker 1: you work in cells, don't give it a half hearted effort.

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Speaker 1: Make a few phone calls, get discouraged. Nobody's buying business

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Speaker 1: is slow. No come up with new strategies. Learn from

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Speaker 1: the people that are in front of you, Stay determined,

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Speaker 1: stay focused. You have excellence on the inside. It was

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Speaker 1: put there by the creator of the universe. And whether

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Speaker 1: you're a waitress, a truck driver, an architect, a police officer,

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Speaker 1: or a CEO, do it to the best of your ability.

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Speaker 1: You and I should set the standard for excellence. Other

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Speaker 1: people may show up late, they may complain, they may

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Speaker 1: cut corners, but don't sink down to their level. Well,

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Speaker 1: you say, Joel, everybody's doing it, yes, but you're not everybody.

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Speaker 1: You're a cut above you. A call to excellence. God

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Speaker 1: wants you to set the highest standard. Your company should

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Speaker 1: use you as the example as the model employee. Your boss,

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Speaker 1: your supervisor should be able to say to the new hires,

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Speaker 1: watch that man, learn from that woman, pick up their habits.

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Speaker 1: Develop your skills like they've developed their skills. They are

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Speaker 1: the cream of the crop. You know what you're doing.

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Speaker 1: You are honoring God. A lot of times we think,

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Speaker 1: let me go to church to honor God, let me

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Speaker 1: read my Bible to honor God. Let me sing and

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Speaker 1: clap to honor God. And yes, that's true, But do

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Speaker 1: you know it honors God just as much to get

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Speaker 1: to work on time. It honors God to be productive

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Speaker 1: each day. It honors God to excel in your career.

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Speaker 1: When you are excellent in the workplace, your whole life

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Speaker 1: is given praise to God. And that's one of the

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Speaker 1: best witnesses we could ever have. Just to show up

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Speaker 1: each day to work on time, with a good attitude, friendly, organized,

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Speaker 1: being our best. That's a stronger witness than quoting a

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Speaker 1: dozen scriptures. Our life should give praise to God. In

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Speaker 1: other words, we don't have to say anything, just the

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Speaker 1: fact that we are people of excellence. We do the

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Speaker 1: right thing, whether anybody's watching or not. We're consistently good natured,

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Speaker 1: consistently improving. We do more than we have to. When

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Speaker 1: you have that kind of attitude, it not only gets

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Speaker 1: God's attention, it gets other people's attention. They see the

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Speaker 1: depth of your character, they see your spirit of excellence,

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Speaker 1: begin to gain influence, credibility, respect. And it's great to

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Speaker 1: honor God on Sundays. It's great to all come in

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Speaker 1: here together to celebrate today. But what I want you

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Speaker 1: to see is you can honor God just as much

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Speaker 1: on Monday, on Tuesday, on Wednesday. When you go to

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Speaker 1: work this week, don't you dare think, oh man, I

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Speaker 1: gotta go to work again. What a bummer. No, get

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Speaker 1: up with enthusiasm and say I get to go to

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Speaker 1: work today to honor God. The scripture says here in

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Speaker 1: Colossians three twenty three. Whatever you do, do it with

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Speaker 1: all your heart, as though you're working under God and

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Speaker 1: not under men. You have to realize you're not just

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Speaker 1: working for people. You're not just working for that company,

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Speaker 1: not even just working to get a paycheck, even though

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Speaker 1: that's part of it. But the truth is you are

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Speaker 1: working under God. He's the one that gave you breath

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Speaker 1: to breathe Today He's the one that woke you up

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Speaker 1: this morning. It was the alarm clock, but God was

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Speaker 1: the one that gave you strength to get out of bed.

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Speaker 1: He's the one that's given you your talents, gifts, wisdom, creativity.

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Speaker 1: You have a responsibility to use what you have to

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Speaker 1: honor him. Do you know when you look good, it

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Speaker 1: makes God look good. When you get promoted, God is

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Speaker 1: honored when you excel and you go around telling people,

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Speaker 1: I got this new position. God's been so good to me.

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Speaker 1: You are exalting God. You can bringing attention to him.

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Speaker 1: But when we just sit back and dread going to

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Speaker 1: work and we can't wait till five o'clock and we're

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Speaker 1: not growing, We're not applying what we know. We are

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Speaker 1: not being responsible with what God's given us. He has

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Speaker 1: entrusted you with his gifts. He is expecting you to

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Speaker 1: be your very best. Whatever we do, we should do

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Speaker 1: it with our whole heart, not halfway, not with what

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Speaker 1: we can get by with. Do it to the best

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Speaker 1: of your ability, even small things, mowing the law on.

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Speaker 1: Do it with excellence. You are working under God. When

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Speaker 1: your long looks good, you're making God look good. If

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Speaker 1: you're gonna sing in the choir. Don't show up every

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Speaker 1: other Sunday, not knowing the songs. No enthusiasm here I am.

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Speaker 1: I told you i'd come. No show up like these

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Speaker 1: guys on fire, excited, looking good, feeling good, annoying it equipped, empowered,

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Speaker 1: being their best. That's what honors God. When you understand

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Speaker 1: this principle, it's easy to say, I'm not gonna be

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Speaker 1: linked to the office today. I'm working under God. I'm

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Speaker 1: not gonna build this house shoddily, just good enough to

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Speaker 1: get a paycheck. No, I'm working under God. I'm gonna

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Speaker 1: do it as precise as I can. At the office,

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Speaker 1: I could kick back and relax. I've done my duty

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Speaker 1: for the day. Nobody would know. No, I'm not gonna

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Speaker 1: waste a couple of hours. I'm working under God. I'm

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Speaker 1: gonna help my coworker finish their project. I'm gonna organize

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Speaker 1: these files for another colleague. I'm gonna keep giving it

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Speaker 1: my best because I'm working under God. Well, you say, Joel,

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Speaker 1: I'd love to do that, but you don't know my boss.

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Speaker 1: He's hard to get along with. You don't know my company.

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Speaker 1: They just don't treat me right. You have to get

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Speaker 1: a new perspective. You are not working for them, You

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Speaker 1: are working under God. If you will start being your

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Speaker 1: best each day and do the right thing even though

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Speaker 1: the wrong thing is happening, let me assure you God

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Speaker 1: will take care of your boss. He will take care

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Speaker 1: of the people that are doing you wrong. You have

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Speaker 1: an incredible advantage when you work for the creator of

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Speaker 1: the universe. God is the one that brings promotion. He's

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Speaker 1: the one that lifts one up and brings another down.

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Speaker 1: The scripture says God can turn the heart of a king.

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Speaker 1: That simply means God can change your boss's mind. He

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Speaker 1: can cause them to see you in a new light.

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Speaker 1: You don't know. God may have you at that place

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Speaker 1: specifically on purpose, so he can do a work in

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Speaker 1: that boss. May be the only light that person will

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Speaker 1: ever see. They may never read the Bible, but they

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Speaker 1: will read you. When you show up each day with

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Speaker 1: a good attitude, you do the right thing even though

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Speaker 1: you're not getting the proper credit, and you are consistent.

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Speaker 1: You do it day in and day out. You don't

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Speaker 1: know what kind of impact you're having on that person.

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Speaker 1: Keep being your best in spite of who's trying to

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Speaker 1: pull you down. When you have this spirit of excellence.

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Speaker 1: You go the extra mile knowing that the quality of

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Speaker 1: your work is a reflection of the quality of your character.

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Speaker 1: Excellence shouldn't be something that we do every once in

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Speaker 1: a while, as long as somebody is watching, as long

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Speaker 1: as it's evaluation month, as long as management is in town.

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Speaker 1: No excellence should be our standard. It should be the norm.

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Speaker 1: At home, we have these big five gallon bottles of water.

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Speaker 1: They're large glass containers and they have this neck on them,

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Speaker 1: and you have to pick them up and turn them

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Speaker 1: over and set them on the dispenser. That's how the

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Speaker 1: water comes out. And they're not only very heavy, but

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Speaker 1: they're extremely awkward. And Victoria likes everything super clean. And

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Speaker 1: even though the part where the water goes in is

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Speaker 1: completely sealed, the receptor goes way up on the inside.

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Speaker 1: You can't even get to it without breaking the seal.

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Speaker 1: But Victoria's pet peeve is that the whole glass bottle

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Speaker 1: gets wiped down with soap and water. Why after you

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Speaker 1: wipe it down, no matter how much you dry it,

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Speaker 1: it makes it extremely slippery. And I've debated with her

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Speaker 1: several times about why we do not need to wipe

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Speaker 1: the whole bottle down and how it is absolutely positively

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Speaker 1: impossible for germs to get up in there. It is sealed.

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Speaker 1: I'm very passionate, I'm very persuasive, but I've never once

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Speaker 1: been able to convince her that we don't need to

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Speaker 1: do it. She likes it wiped down, so I've given

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Speaker 1: her my word that I will always wipe it down.

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Speaker 1: But there have been a few times where we run

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Speaker 1: out of water and I go to the room where

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Speaker 1: we store it, and I get the new container, and

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Speaker 1: I come back into the pantry where I'm all alone,

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Speaker 1: nobody can see me. I'm tired. I don't feel like

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Speaker 1: wiping it down. It makes it harder, it makes it

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Speaker 1: so slippery. I know there's no germs on it, But

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Speaker 1: every time I start to put it up, I can

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Speaker 1: hear a small voice right down in here saying, Joel,

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Speaker 1: do the right thing. Be a person of excellence. You've

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Speaker 1: given you a word more than once. Don't listen, Victoria.

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Speaker 1: More than once. I've had to take that down, put

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Speaker 1: it on the ground, get the soap and water, and

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Speaker 1: clean that sucker off. What am I saying, excellence is

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Speaker 1: doing the right thing, even when no one can see you,

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Speaker 1: even when you don't think it's necessary. Even when you

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Speaker 1: don't agree, You've given your word, so you're gonna live

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Speaker 1: up to it. Sometimes we have to say, God, I

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Speaker 1: don't feel like doing this, but I'm gonna do it

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Speaker 1: under you. God, I don't agree with what my boss

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Speaker 1: is telling me, but I'm gonna do it under you.

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Speaker 1: I didn't make the mess. God, I shouldn't have to

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Speaker 1: clean it up, but I'm gonna do it under you.

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Speaker 1: A lot of people are not experiencing God's favor like

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Speaker 1: they should because they're not passing the small test. Being

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Speaker 1: excellent in the workplace for you may not mean some

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Speaker 1: huge adjustment. It may just mean leaving ten minutes earlier

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Speaker 1: so you can get to work on time. It may

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Speaker 1: mean not complaining when your supervisor asked you to do something.

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Speaker 1: May mean not making personal phone calls on company time.

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Speaker 1: It's just a small thing. Nobody would know. It's not

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Speaker 1: hurting anything. The scripture says, it's the little foxes that

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Speaker 1: spoil the vines. If I'd have gone week after week

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Speaker 1: putting the water up without cleaning it, nobody would have known.

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Speaker 1: Just between me and God, technically I could get away

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Speaker 1: with it. But here's what I've learned I don't want

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Speaker 1: something small to keep God from releasing something big. I

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Speaker 1: don't want a little thing to keep me from becoming

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Speaker 1: everything that God's created me to be. I remember my

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Speaker 1: father told how when he was just a little boy,

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Speaker 1: five or six years old, he was out in the

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Speaker 1: cotton fields with his father. They were cotton farmers. One day,

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Speaker 1: his father gave him a bag of cotton seed and said, John,

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Speaker 1: I want you to go up and down these rows

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Speaker 1: and sprinkle a little seed all along the way. Well,

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Speaker 1: it was hot. My father didn't feel like doing that,

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Speaker 1: so instead he came up with his own plan that

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Speaker 1: he thought was much better. He was going to dig

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Speaker 1: one big hole and dump all the seeds into that.

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Speaker 1: So when his father went away for a few minutes,

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Speaker 1: he did just that. He dug the hole and planted

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Speaker 1: every one of those cotton seeds. And he didn't think

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Speaker 1: any more about it. But several months later, the strangest

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Speaker 1: thing happened. There were row after row of empty fields,

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Speaker 1: and on this one end it looked like a jungle.

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Speaker 1: It looked like cotton on steroids. You've never seen anything

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Speaker 1: like this. The scripture says, be sure your sins will

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Speaker 1: find you out. What am I saying? Don't take the

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Speaker 1: easy way out. Sooner or later it's gonna catch up

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Speaker 1: to you. Make a decision with me. You're gonna be

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Speaker 1: excellent in the workplace that not only honors God, but

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Speaker 1: it is one of the best witnesses we could ever have.

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Speaker 1: I know people that can quote half the Bible, they

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Speaker 1: can pray two hours a day, but they have no influence,

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Speaker 1: no credibility because they're sloppy in the workplace. They're always late,

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Speaker 1: always wasting time. They're not productive, they're not efficient. No

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Speaker 1: one will even listen to them. Now. I heard somebody

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Speaker 1: say your performance gives you a platform when you excel

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Speaker 1: in what you do that gets people attention. You can

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Speaker 1: talk to them all day long about your faith, but

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Speaker 1: if they don't see something in you that they want,

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Speaker 1: then it's gonna go in one ear and out the other.

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Speaker 1: The way to gain respect, the way to gain influence,

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Speaker 1: is to develop your character and develop your skills in

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Speaker 1: such a way that people are almost envious of you.

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Speaker 1: They may not agree with what you believe, but when

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Speaker 1: you lead the company in sales, they can't argue with

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Speaker 1: that something is working. They may make fun of you

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Speaker 1: at the shop. But when you're the best mechanic in

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Speaker 1: the company, you've taken time to develop your skills. Then

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Speaker 1: when they can't figure out how to fix the car,

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Speaker 1: they may not like you, but they'll come ask you

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Speaker 1: how to do it. What happened, You earned their respect

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Speaker 1: not by your words, but by your spirit of excellence.

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Speaker 1: Jesus said it this way. Let your light shine before men,

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Speaker 1: that they may see your good work and praise your

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Speaker 1: Father in heaven. He's saying, if you'll develop what God's

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Speaker 1: put in you and exel in your career, then when

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Speaker 1: people see your accomplishments, your character, your worth, ethic, that

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Speaker 1: will bring praise to God. We hear the phrase a

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Speaker 1: lot glory to God. Glory means to make illustrious, to

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Speaker 1: exalt to a higher position. The way we bring glory

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Speaker 1: to God is not just with our words, not just

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Speaker 1: with our praise. But when you excel in the workplace,

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Speaker 1: you are exalting God. When you develop that new software

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Speaker 1: for your department, you just glorified God. When you coach

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Speaker 1: your team to a winning season, you glorified God. When

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Speaker 1: you are the example that your company uses to train

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Speaker 1: the new employees, you glorified God. The truth is we

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Speaker 1: should glorify God more during the week than we do

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Speaker 1: on Sundays. We all already know how great God is

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Speaker 1: in here. We know God can do anything. But when

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Speaker 1: you go out Monday and you close that big cell

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Speaker 1: that you've been working on and your co workers think, wow,

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Speaker 1: how did he pull that off? You just glorified God.

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Speaker 1: Accomplishment made God look better. I know a young man

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Speaker 1: that attends here. He has over fifty scholarships to play

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Speaker 1: basketball at major universities. I saw him not long ago,

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Speaker 1: and he had a big game the night before, and

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Speaker 1: now ask him how he did. He had scored forty

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Speaker 1: two points. I said, how many did your team score?

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Speaker 1: He said eighty. He had scored more than half the points.

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Speaker 1: You know what he's doing. He's glorifying God. Well, you say, Joe,

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Speaker 1: he just won a basketball game. He just has a

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Speaker 1: lot of talent. Yes, but that's the talent God's given him,

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Speaker 1: and now he's taken time to develop it. He's focused,

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Speaker 1: he's disciplined. He's honoring God by being his best. Do

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Speaker 1: you know there are a lot of talented people sitting

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Speaker 1: on the sideline, A lot of gifted people that are

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Speaker 1: not tapping in to what God put on the inside.

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Speaker 1: And I'm not talking about competing with the others and

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Speaker 1: trying to outdo somebody else. I'm talking about honoring God

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Speaker 1: by being the very best that you can be. And

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Speaker 1: every one of us can be excellent at something. You

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Speaker 1: can be an excellent mother, you can be an excellent accountant,

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Speaker 1: You can be an excellent receptionist, one that finds new

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Speaker 1: ways to make the company run smoother. People look at

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Speaker 1: you and think, Wow, we couldn't make it without that,

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Speaker 1: young lady. She is something else. You know what you did.

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Speaker 1: You glorified God in their mind. You made God more illustrious.

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Speaker 1: You may not be able to win people over with

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Speaker 1: your words, you may not gain their respect with your speech.

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Speaker 1: But when you cause that company to run like a

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Speaker 1: well oiled machine, then they'll respect you. When you get

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Speaker 1: your students test scores higher than the expert said, that'll

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Speaker 1: get attention. When you show up on time, go the

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Speaker 1: extra mile, do more than that's expected, that will get noticed.

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Speaker 1: Our attitude should be I'm gonna glorify God this week.

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Speaker 1: I'm gonna go out and make God look better. I'm

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Speaker 1: gonna make him look more illustrious by being the very

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Speaker 1: best that I can be. When you have a spirit

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Speaker 1: of excellence, you're always sharpening your skills. You're always looking

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Speaker 1: for new ways to grow. Here's a challenge. Whatever you do,

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Speaker 1: get better at it. If you're a carpenter, get better

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Speaker 1: at it. If you're a doctor, get better at it.

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Speaker 1: If you're in cells, get better at it. Find out

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Speaker 1: how you can improve. Study ways that you can become

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Speaker 1: more effective. You should not be at the same skill

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Speaker 1: level next year as you are right now. You should

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Speaker 1: be doing something on purpose to increase your skills. You

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Speaker 1: have to be proactive. We cannot sit back and just

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Speaker 1: expect our talent to automatically increase. God helps the people

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Speaker 1: that help themselves. Can you take courses on the internet?

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Speaker 1: Do you have a mentor speaking faith into your life?

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Speaker 1: Are you studying the people ahead of you? Are you

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Speaker 1: learning the next position in line? If you'll take these

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Speaker 1: steps to grow, it not only honors God, but God

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Speaker 1: will open up the right doors. The scripture says your

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Speaker 1: gift will make room for you. You say, Joel, I

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Speaker 1: never see promotion, I never see new doors open. My

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Speaker 1: question is are you developing your gifts? Are you improving

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Speaker 1: Are you an employee that the company can't live without

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Speaker 1: if you were to miss a couple weeks, Do they

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Speaker 1: miss you? Do they feel your impact? God promises if

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Speaker 1: you'll develop what's in you and continually be improving, he

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Speaker 1: will make sure the right doors will open. But we

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Speaker 1: can't sit back and think, Okay, God opened the door,

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Speaker 1: and then I'll get ready. Now we have to make

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Speaker 1: the first move. We need to develop a habit of

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Speaker 1: looking for ways to grow. It should be a part

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Speaker 1: of our nature. It doesn't matter if we're ninety years old.

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Speaker 1: We're still growing, increasing, improving. I can look back at

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Speaker 1: my message just from when I first started ten years

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Speaker 1: ago and see how I've improved every year. I've gotten

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Speaker 1: a little bit better, a little bit better. And the

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Speaker 1: fact is I could have stayed at that same level

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Speaker 1: I was when I started. I wasn't bad, I was okay.

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Speaker 1: Nobody would have complained, but I would not have seen

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Speaker 1: these new doors open. I took time and was disciplined

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Speaker 1: to develop what God's put on the inside. Now, I believe,

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Speaker 1: even five years from now, I'll look back at this

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Speaker 1: message and think, man, I can do it a whole

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Speaker 1: lot better. Now I'm constantly studying how I can improve,

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Speaker 1: how can I communicate more effectively? I am proactive when

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Speaker 1: it comes to sharpening my skills. No matter how great

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Speaker 1: you are at what you do right now, you cannot

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Speaker 1: get satisfied. When you stop improving, you stop growing. And

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Speaker 1: when you stop growing, that's when you become stagnant. It's

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Speaker 1: very easy to get complacent and lose your enthusiasm, start

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Speaker 1: slacking off, start cutting corners. Why you're not being challenged,

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Speaker 1: there's nothing pushing you now. I love what it says

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Speaker 1: about David. He played his harp skillfully. Notice he didn't

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Speaker 1: just play the harp, he played it with excellence. Even

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Speaker 1: with that slingshot when he slung that stone that defeated Goliath,

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Speaker 1: that was not an accident. That wasn't a lucky break.

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Speaker 1: David had practiced the slingshot year after year out there

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Speaker 1: in the shepherd's fields. He was extremely talented with that slingshot.

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Speaker 1: Some experts say he could hit a small bullseye more

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Speaker 1: than one hundred feet away. What am I saying? He

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Speaker 1: didn't get complacent. He kept improving. And in today's competitive world,

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Speaker 1: with the economy being so tight and business is being

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Speaker 1: so bottom line oriented, if you're not growing, then you're

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Speaker 1: at a disadvantage. If you're at the same skill level

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Speaker 1: this year as you were five years from now, then

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Speaker 1: you are falling behind. You need to step it up

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Speaker 1: a notch. I saw an article that talked about how

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Speaker 1: to reduce the risk of being laid off, and there

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Speaker 1: were three main things that businesses looked at when they're

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Speaker 1: thinking about who to lay off and who not to

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Speaker 1: lay off. The people that didn't get laid off. Number

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Speaker 1: one had a positive attitude. Number two, they were versatile,

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Speaker 1: and number three, they were always improving their skills. And

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Speaker 1: so if you want to reduce the chance of unemployment,

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Speaker 1: make sure number one you stay positive, stay flexible, and

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Speaker 1: keep growing, keep increasing, keep improving. If you will get

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Speaker 1: better at what you do, there will always be a

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Speaker 1: place for you. Your gift will make room. When you're

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Speaker 1: a person of excellence, you do more than expected. You

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Speaker 1: don't take the easy way out, you don't do the

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Speaker 1: minimum requirement. You go the extra mile. That phrase actually

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Speaker 1: comes from the Bible. Jesus said it in Matthew five

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Speaker 1: point forty one. If someone asked you to walk a

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Speaker 1: mile with them, do more, go two miles. Here's the

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Speaker 1: context Back in those days Roman soldiers, when they were

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Speaker 1: walking through a city, by law, they could require a

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Speaker 1: person to carry their armor for one mile, and after

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Speaker 1: that mile they'd have to get somebody else. Jesus said,

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Speaker 1: if they ask you to do it one mile, go

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Speaker 1: above and beyond the call of duty. Do more than expected.

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Speaker 1: Carry it two miles. That's the attitude we need to have.

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Speaker 1: Not I'm just gonna do what I have to. I'm

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Speaker 1: gonna do the minimum amount to keep my paycheck. No,

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Speaker 1: we are people of excellence. I'm gonna go above and

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Speaker 1: beyond what I have to. I'm gonna do more than expected.

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Speaker 1: That's the attitude God rewards. One time in the scripture,

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Speaker 1: Abraham sent his servant to another country to find a

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Speaker 1: wife for his son Isaac. This servant traveled a great

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Speaker 1: distance with ten camels, and around sunset he came to

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Speaker 1: a well outside of a city. This was a time

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Speaker 1: of day that the young ladies would come and get

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Speaker 1: water for their families. The servant didn't know how he

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Speaker 1: was going to know who the right wife would be

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Speaker 1: for Isaac and who he was going to choose, So

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Speaker 1: he prayed. He said, God, I believe you'll give me

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Speaker 1: a sign I'm going to ask these ladies for a

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00:25:14,800 --> 00:25:18,280
Speaker 1: drink of water, and the one that says yes, I'll

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00:25:18,320 --> 00:25:20,880
Speaker 1: give you a drink, and also let me get your

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00:25:20,960 --> 00:25:24,520
Speaker 1: camel some water, I'll know she is the right wife

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Speaker 1: for Isaac. About that time, a beautiful girl named Rebecca

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00:25:28,880 --> 00:25:31,399
Speaker 1: came to the well. The servant said, I've traveled a

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00:25:31,400 --> 00:25:33,439
Speaker 1: great distance and I don't have a bucket. Do you

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Speaker 1: mind getting me some water. Rebeccah said sure, I will.

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00:25:37,160 --> 00:25:39,720
Speaker 1: Not only that, let me get all your camels some

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00:25:39,840 --> 00:25:42,840
Speaker 1: water as well. He knew immediately she was the right

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Speaker 1: young lady. But here's what's interesting to me. A camel

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00:25:46,840 --> 00:25:51,159
Speaker 1: after a long day's walk can drink thirty gallons of water.

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Speaker 1: They're like an suv. Can you imagine the magnitude of

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Speaker 1: what Rebecca did? She said to the servant. Yes, I'll

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Speaker 1: not only do what you've asked, but I'll dip down

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Speaker 1: in this well three hundred more times and get your

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00:26:07,359 --> 00:26:10,680
Speaker 1: ten camels water as well. That's what I call going

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00:26:11,040 --> 00:26:14,919
Speaker 1: the extra mile. She went far beyond the call of duty.

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00:26:15,359 --> 00:26:20,600
Speaker 1: Notice what happened. God chose her to marry Isaac. Isaac

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00:26:20,640 --> 00:26:24,520
Speaker 1: came from one of the wealthiest, most prominent families of

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Speaker 1: that day. I doubt if Rebecca ever had to reach

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00:26:27,920 --> 00:26:31,240
Speaker 1: down into a well three hundred times. Again, what am

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00:26:31,240 --> 00:26:35,880
Speaker 1: I saying? God rewards excellence when you do more than

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00:26:35,920 --> 00:26:38,719
Speaker 1: what's required of you. You better get ready. You're going

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00:26:38,760 --> 00:26:42,399
Speaker 1: to see God's favor in amazing ways. And I know today,

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00:26:43,760 --> 00:26:46,159
Speaker 1: I know today I am looking at the cream of

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00:26:46,200 --> 00:26:49,240
Speaker 1: the crop. I'm looking at people that go the extra mile,

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00:26:49,600 --> 00:26:51,880
Speaker 1: people that will say, with Rebecca, let me get your

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00:26:51,920 --> 00:26:55,320
Speaker 1: camels some water. You are people that don't cut corners.

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00:26:55,560 --> 00:26:58,160
Speaker 1: You do the right thing even though no one is watching.

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00:26:58,480 --> 00:27:03,480
Speaker 1: You'll continually sharpen your skills, growing, increasing, improving. Here's what

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00:27:03,520 --> 00:27:07,480
Speaker 1: that tells me. Increase is coming your way. New doors

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00:27:07,480 --> 00:27:12,520
Speaker 1: are going to open, new relationships, new connections, new opportunities.

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00:27:12,800 --> 00:27:16,040
Speaker 1: Your gift will make room for you. Get up every

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00:27:16,080 --> 00:27:19,800
Speaker 1: morning with enthusiasm. Whatever you do, large or small, do

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00:27:19,920 --> 00:27:22,879
Speaker 1: it to the best of your ability. Honor God in

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00:27:22,920 --> 00:27:26,080
Speaker 1: the workplace. If you will be a person of excellence,

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00:27:26,359 --> 00:27:28,840
Speaker 1: knowing that you're working under God and not under men,

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00:27:29,400 --> 00:27:32,040
Speaker 1: then I believe, like Rebecca, God is going to take

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00:27:32,080 --> 00:27:34,720
Speaker 1: you places that you've never dreamed of. You are going

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00:27:34,760 --> 00:27:39,040
Speaker 1: to accomplish gold you never thought possible, overcome obstacles that

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00:27:39,119 --> 00:27:44,040
Speaker 1: look insurmountable. Now I believe and declare every dream, every

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00:27:44,119 --> 00:27:46,440
Speaker 1: promise God put in your heart. You're going to see

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00:27:46,440 --> 00:27:49,080
Speaker 1: that come to pass. Amen. Do you receive that today?

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00:27:51,119 --> 00:27:53,879
Speaker 1: We never like to curse our broadcast without giving you

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00:27:53,920 --> 00:27:56,560
Speaker 1: an opportunity to make Jesus the Lord of your life.

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00:27:56,920 --> 00:28:00,639
Speaker 1: Would you pray with me? Just say, Lord, Jesus, I

485
00:28:00,760 --> 00:28:05,080
Speaker 1: repent of my sins. Come into my heart. I make

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00:28:05,160 --> 00:28:08,560
Speaker 1: you my Lord and savior. Friends, if you prayed that

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00:28:08,640 --> 00:28:11,359
Speaker 1: simple prayer, we believe you got born again. Get in

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00:28:11,400 --> 00:28:14,600
Speaker 1: a good Bible based church, Keep God first place. He's

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00:28:14,640 --> 00:28:16,720
Speaker 1: going to take you places you've never dreamed of.

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00:28:17,320 --> 00:28:19,919
Speaker 3: Do you have a dream that's waiting to happen but

491
00:28:20,000 --> 00:28:22,960
Speaker 3: it often feels like you'll never get there? Is your

492
00:28:23,080 --> 00:28:26,320
Speaker 3: dream to start a business, to see a loved one

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00:28:26,440 --> 00:28:29,520
Speaker 3: come to the Lord? Are you asking God? Will it

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00:28:29,560 --> 00:28:30,159
Speaker 3: ever happen?

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00:28:31,200 --> 00:28:34,000
Speaker 1: Sometimes it feels like our dream is so far off.

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00:28:34,320 --> 00:28:36,320
Speaker 1: But I believe you're closer than you think.

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00:28:36,520 --> 00:28:39,600
Speaker 2: You're on the verge of seeing things change in your favor,

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00:28:39,760 --> 00:28:42,520
Speaker 2: new doors opening, the right people showing up.

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00:28:42,680 --> 00:28:44,800
Speaker 1: I'd love to send you are new hopes and Dreams

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00:28:44,840 --> 00:28:47,840
Speaker 1: twenty twenty four Planner. It's not only a calendar, but

501
00:28:47,920 --> 00:28:51,000
Speaker 1: it has scriptures, an inspiration, a place to journal.

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00:28:51,080 --> 00:28:53,920
Speaker 2: It'll help you stay focused and encouraged so you can

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00:28:53,960 --> 00:28:55,520
Speaker 2: see your dreams come to pass.

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00:28:56,000 --> 00:28:58,680
Speaker 3: As you support the ministry this month with a special

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00:28:58,800 --> 00:29:01,760
Speaker 3: end of your gift of any amount, we would like

506
00:29:01,800 --> 00:29:04,440
Speaker 3: to bless you with the Hopes and Dreams twenty twenty

507
00:29:04,440 --> 00:29:07,560
Speaker 3: four Planner. With the new planner, you will start the

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00:29:07,640 --> 00:29:12,040
Speaker 3: new year with fresh ideas, fresh hope, and endless possibilities.

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00:29:12,400 --> 00:29:15,440
Speaker 3: You'll find monthly calendars and plenty of space to plan

510
00:29:15,560 --> 00:29:19,160
Speaker 3: for a better day ahead. Plus there are inspiring scriptures

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00:29:19,200 --> 00:29:22,400
Speaker 3: and thoughts that will encourage you to believe for your dreams.

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Speaker 1: Thank you so much for your prayer and support your

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00:29:26,040 --> 00:29:29,320
Speaker 1: year in giving, you're making a difference around the world.

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00:29:29,680 --> 00:29:32,400
Speaker 1: A special thank you to our Champion of Hope partners

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00:29:32,560 --> 00:29:35,480
Speaker 1: for your monthly gifts. If you're not a partner, I

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00:29:35,520 --> 00:29:38,959
Speaker 1: hope you'll consider becoming one. Remember you can watch the

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00:29:39,000 --> 00:29:43,160
Speaker 1: services online every Sunday morning, see all the music and ministry,

518
00:29:43,480 --> 00:29:45,920
Speaker 1: and you can download our daily podcast.

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00:29:46,120 --> 00:29:48,479
Speaker 2: We hope you and your family have a very blessed

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00:29:48,520 --> 00:29:53,520
Speaker 2: Christmas season and a healthy, productive favor field twenty twenty four.

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00:29:54,200 --> 00:29:56,600
Speaker 3: Be sure to request your copy of the Hopes and

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00:29:56,680 --> 00:30:00,600
Speaker 3: Dreams twenty twenty four Planner Today. Visit Joe steam dot

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00:30:00,640 --> 00:30:06,240
Speaker 3: com or call us toll free Yah