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Speaker 1: Hi, this is Jolan Victoria. Thanks so much for listening

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Speaker 1: to the podcast and thanks for.

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Speaker 2: Supporting the ministry. We believe you're going to have.

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Speaker 1: An awesome twenty twenty four, healthy, productive, and favor filled.

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Speaker 2: God bless you today and enjoy the message.

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Speaker 1: So God bless you always a joy to come into

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Speaker 1: your homes.

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Speaker 2: We love you and we know God has great things

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Speaker 2: in store.

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Speaker 1: And if you're ever in our area, I hope you'll

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Speaker 1: stop buying be a part of one of our services.

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Speaker 1: I promise you we'll make you feel right at home.

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Speaker 1: Thanks so much for coming out today. And I like

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Speaker 1: to start with something funny each week. And you know

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Speaker 1: these are not all doctrinally correct, especially today, but I

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Speaker 1: heard about this middle aged woman. She had a heart

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Speaker 1: attack and on the operating table she asked God if

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Speaker 1: this was it.

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Speaker 2: God said, no, you have forty more years now.

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Speaker 1: Upon recovery, she decided to stay in the hospital, have

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Speaker 1: a major facelift, a tummy tuck, life of suction, and

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Speaker 1: extreme makeover. Two months later, as she was leaving the hospital,

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Speaker 1: she got hit by a car and killed. She got

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Speaker 1: to heaven and said, God, I thought you said.

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Speaker 2: I had forty more years.

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Speaker 1: God said, I'm sorry I didn't recognize you.

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Speaker 2: All right, hold up your Bible.

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Speaker 1: Say it like you mean it. This is my Bible.

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Speaker 1: I am what it says I am. I have what

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

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Speaker 1: I can do. Today I will be taught the word

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Speaker 1: of God. I boldly confess. My mind is alert, my

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Speaker 1: heart is receptive. I will never be the same. In Jesus' name,

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Speaker 1: God bless you. I want to talk to you today

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Speaker 1: about not living for approval. Too many people get their

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Speaker 1: worth and value out of what other people think. Do

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Speaker 1: they like me, do they approve me? Do they think

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Speaker 1: that I'm important? Because of their insecurity, They're constantly playing

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Speaker 1: up to people, trying to win their favor, trying to

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Speaker 1: meet every expectation. When we do this, we end up

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Speaker 1: being controlled and manipulated. We let people put us into

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Speaker 1: a box and make us into something that we're not.

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Speaker 2: I know people.

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Speaker 1: Today, they're not following their dreams because they're so concerned

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Speaker 1: that if they don't meet the demands of all their

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Speaker 1: family and friends, they may fall out of their good grace,

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Speaker 1: they may lose their approval. But listen, if their approval

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Speaker 1: is only based on you meeting all their demands and

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Speaker 1: you keeping them happy. They're not true friends, they're manipulators,

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Speaker 1: they're controllers. There's a real freedom when you realize you

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Speaker 1: don't need other people's approval, you have Almighty God's approval.

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Speaker 1: Don't spend your life trying to keep everyone around you happy.

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Speaker 2: Some people don't even want to be happy.

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Speaker 1: You've got to be secure enough to say I love you,

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Speaker 1: but I'm not going to let you control me. You

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Speaker 1: may not give me your blessing, but that's OK. I

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Speaker 1: have God's blessing and I'm not going to be a

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Speaker 1: people pleaser.

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Speaker 2: I'm going to be a God pleaser.

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Speaker 1: Well, you say, Joel, If I do this, they may

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Speaker 1: not be happy. Well maybe it's time for them to

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Speaker 1: not be happy instead of you not being happy. You've

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Speaker 1: got to take charge of your own life. If you're

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Speaker 1: being manipulated and letting somebody pressure you into being something

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Speaker 1: that you're not, it's not the other.

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Speaker 2: Person's fault, it's your own fault.

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Speaker 1: You control your destiny and you can be nice, you

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Speaker 1: can be respectful, but you have to put your foot down.

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Speaker 1: Quit allowing people to make you feel guilty because you

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Speaker 1: don't meet all their demands. Quit letting someone run your life,

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Speaker 1: because if you don't, they're not going to give you

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Speaker 1: their approval. Friends, life is too short to try to

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Speaker 1: keep everyone happy. You have to accept the fact that

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Speaker 1: you cannot please every person. Everyone is not going to

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Speaker 1: give you their approval. If you're going to fulfill your destiny,

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Speaker 1: you have to stay true to your own heart and

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Speaker 1: not let the pressures of those around you squeeze you

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Speaker 1: into their mind. When my father went to be with

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Speaker 1: the Lord and I stepped up the pastor of the church,

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Speaker 1: there was an older gentleman that I'd known my whole life,

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Speaker 1: and he got me aside and said, Joel, if this

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Speaker 1: is going to work, here's what you're going to have

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Speaker 1: to do. He told me how to run the church,

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Speaker 1: how to minister, how to lead the staff, how to

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Speaker 1: move forward.

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Speaker 2: And I listened to his advice.

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Speaker 1: I was very open, but nothing he was saying to

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Speaker 1: me agreed with what was on the inside.

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Speaker 2: I prayed.

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Speaker 1: I searched my own heart, but nothing bore witness and

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Speaker 1: I had to risk falling out of his good grace

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Speaker 1: to follow my own heart.

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Speaker 2: It was a difficult decision, but I knew it.

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Speaker 1: Was better to have God's approval than to have man's approval.

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Speaker 1: I stepped out and followed my heart, and God blessed it.

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Speaker 2: It took off.

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Speaker 1: But what's interesting is I did fall out of his

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Speaker 1: good grace. He wasn't happy that I didn't take his advice.

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Speaker 1: And people like that, people that get upset unless you

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Speaker 1: do it their way, they are not really for you.

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Speaker 1: They don't have your best interest at heart, because if

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Speaker 1: they were for you, they would be mature enough to say,

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Speaker 1: even if you don't do it my way, even if

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Speaker 1: you don't take my suggestions, I'll support you. I'll be

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Speaker 1: behind you because i'm your friend and I want to

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Speaker 1: see you succeed. That's a true friend. When you're honest

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Speaker 1: with people and you share what's in your heart. A

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Speaker 1: true friend, even if they don't agree, will be mature

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Speaker 1: enough to say, you know what you can hear from God,

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Speaker 1: you have the Holy Spirit on the inside.

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Speaker 2: I'll be behind you.

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Speaker 1: But if they just try to make you feel bad

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Speaker 1: like you have to take their advice, like you're making

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Speaker 1: a big mistake, that's somebody that's more interested in controlling

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Speaker 1: you than in helping you fulfill your god given death.

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Speaker 1: When I didn't take this man's advice. He was no

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Speaker 1: longer on my side. It wasn't something.

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Speaker 2: Big and obvious. It's just subtle things.

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Speaker 1: I'd walk into a room and I could feel his

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Speaker 1: sense of disapproval. But thank God, I understand what I'm

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Speaker 1: telling you. I knew I didn't have to have his approval.

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Speaker 1: He wasn't God, he wasn't sitting on the throne. He

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Speaker 1: didn't write the plan for my life. I dug my

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Speaker 1: heels in and said, God, he may not before me,

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Speaker 1: but I know you're for me.

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Speaker 2: God. I may not have his approval, but I know

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Speaker 2: I have your approval. That's all that really matters.

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Speaker 1: I just kept pressing forward, doing what God put in

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Speaker 1: my heart. God not only brought us through that transition,

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Speaker 1: but he brought us out bigger and better and greater

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Speaker 1: than we ever had it before.

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Speaker 2: God knows what he's doing.

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Speaker 1: But I found some people, no matter what you do,

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Speaker 1: they are not going to be for you. Don't spend

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Speaker 1: your life trying to win the approval from someone that's

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Speaker 1: never going to give you their approval.

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Speaker 2: It may be a supervisor at the office.

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Speaker 1: You can do your job plus three others, and they're

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Speaker 1: still going to look down on you. Don't worry about it.

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Speaker 1: You don't need their approval. God will fight your battles.

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Speaker 1: God will get you to where you're supposed to be.

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Speaker 1: Maybe you have a relative that compliments everyone.

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Speaker 2: Accept you in the family.

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Speaker 1: You could win the super Bowl and they'll ignore you

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Speaker 1: and brag on everybody else. Don't let them steal your joy.

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Speaker 1: You don't need their approval. They can't keep you from

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Speaker 1: rising higher if you'll keep being your best, spending your

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Speaker 1: energy towards your God given dreams and not toward trying

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Speaker 1: to get them to approve you and to think that

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Speaker 1: you're good enough and you're talented and you're important.

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Speaker 2: No, be secure in who.

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Speaker 1: God made you to be before you were born. God

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Speaker 1: stamped his approval on you. I see too many people.

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Speaker 1: They're playing up to other people. They're trying to win

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Speaker 1: their favor and trying to impress them. They're basically trying

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Speaker 1: to buy their friendship and buy their approval.

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Speaker 2: The problem with that is if.

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Speaker 1: You start a friendship off like that, that's the only

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Speaker 1: way you'll be able to keep it going. If you

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Speaker 1: let them control you and just you have to meet

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Speaker 1: all their demands, then one day when you wise up

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Speaker 1: and think I'm tired of being manipulated. It's not worth

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Speaker 1: all the effort and energy. They'll simply just cut you loose.

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Speaker 1: You won't have their approval.

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Speaker 2: After all.

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Speaker 1: It's much better to trust God to bring us divine connections.

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Speaker 1: That men that got upset because I didn't take his advice.

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Speaker 1: He thought he knew what I was supposed to do

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Speaker 1: more than I did. But God will always give you

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Speaker 1: direction for your life more than anybody else. Other people

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Speaker 1: may have suggestions, they may have ideas, but bottom line

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Speaker 1: is God speaks directly to you. The Holy Spirit lives

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Speaker 1: on the inside of you. He leads you. Yes, it's

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Speaker 1: good to be open and listen to parents and mentors

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Speaker 1: and friends, but you've got to follow your own heart.

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Speaker 1: There is a still small voice, a knowing right down

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Speaker 1: in here. That's God talking to you. Now, be careful

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Speaker 1: about people that always have a word from the Lord

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Speaker 1: for you. I grew up in church. I've heard a

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Speaker 1: lot of words from the Lord, some of them write on,

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Speaker 1: some of them way off. But anytime someone gives you

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Speaker 1: a quote word from the Lord, that should simply confirm

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Speaker 1: what you already know on the inside. When that man

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Speaker 1: told me how to run the church. It didn't agree

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Speaker 1: with anything that I was feeling. It was totally foreign.

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Speaker 1: I've learned God will not tell you something about my

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Speaker 1: life and not tell me. God and I are on

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Speaker 1: speaking terms. We talk every single day. Some people will

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Speaker 1: use the scriptures, spiritual things, a word from the Lord

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Speaker 1: to try to manipulate and control and get their way.

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Speaker 2: Don't fall into that trap.

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Speaker 1: The man tell me a few years ago after the service,

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Speaker 1: it's very well dressed, very successful, that if I didn't

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Speaker 1: let him start ministering on some Sunday mornings, the church

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Speaker 1: was going to go down, he.

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Speaker 2: Said, Joel. I saw it so clearly.

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Speaker 1: God showed me it's not going to last unless I

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Speaker 1: get involved. That word from the Lord went in one

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Speaker 1: ear and out the other, and not because there's not

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Speaker 1: anything in between either. Since then, we've grown by about

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Speaker 1: twenty thousand people. We're doing okay.

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Speaker 2: What am I saying?

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Speaker 1: Don't base any decision off of what somebody told you

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Speaker 1: that doesn't line up what you feel on the inside.

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Speaker 1: You can hear from God for yourself. And if I

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Speaker 1: would have been a people pleaser and run the church

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Speaker 1: like that man wanted and ministered like he told me to,

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Speaker 1: I wouldn't be where I am today. I would have

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Speaker 1: his approval, but what good is that going to do me.

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Speaker 1: I would rather have the approval of the creator of

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Speaker 1: the universe. I would rather have the God that spoke

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Speaker 1: the worlds into existence.

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Speaker 2: Smiling down on me.

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Speaker 1: Sometimes, in order to please God, you're going.

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Speaker 2: To have to displease people. This was hard for me.

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Speaker 2: My personality is to want to please everybody. I want

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Speaker 2: people to like me.

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Speaker 1: When you fall of what's in your heart, other people

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Speaker 1: may not be happy, They may not understand you, may

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Speaker 1: fall out of their favor.

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Speaker 2: You may even lose a friendship.

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Speaker 1: When my mother was twenty six years old, my father

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Speaker 1: decided to leave the church that he had been pastoring

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Speaker 1: for many years. The congregation wasn't really behind his new

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Speaker 1: doctrine of faith and healing and miracles. My mother had

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Speaker 1: friends there that she had had for years since they

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Speaker 1: were much younger. Those friends instead of celebrating my mother's

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Speaker 1: new beginning, instead of being happy with the new chapter

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Speaker 1: in her life, they wouldn't have anything to do with

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Speaker 1: my mother. Lifelong friends walked away all because my father

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Speaker 1: decided to launch out on his own. I love what

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Speaker 1: Jesus said in Luke eighteen. He said, if anyone gives

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Speaker 1: up family, friends, houses for my sake in this life,

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Speaker 1: they will be paid back many times over. Notice it

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Speaker 1: doesn't say when you get to heaven God will bless you.

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Speaker 2: It says right here.

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Speaker 1: On the earth, if you give up anything for God's sake.

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Speaker 2: He will reward you more than you can even imagine.

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Speaker 1: My mother lost all of her friends. They wouldn't give

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Speaker 1: her their approval anymore. But can I tell you God

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Speaker 1: is a faithful god.

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Speaker 2: My mom got a.

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Speaker 1: Whole lot of more new friends people, more than she

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Speaker 1: could even imagine. But my parents would have been easy

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Speaker 1: for them to stay in the boat and play it

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Speaker 1: safe and keep the approval of family and friends in

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Speaker 1: the community. But at some point God is going to

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Speaker 1: ask you to get out of the boat. It wouldn't

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Speaker 1: be as difficult if all of our friends and family

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Speaker 1: members were behind us, cheering us on, encouraging us. But

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Speaker 1: most of the time, a friend that you've known a

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Speaker 1: long time, someone that you really look up to, is

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Speaker 1: going to try to convince you to stay where you are.

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Speaker 1: Maybe even like my parents, they'll give you an ultimatum

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Speaker 1: stay here and will support you. Don't leave and will

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Speaker 1: give you our approval. But if you leave, you're on

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Speaker 1: your own. That's when we have to say with the

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Speaker 1: apostle Paul, I would rather please God than be popular

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Speaker 1: with people. Don't let the fear of people holds you back.

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Speaker 1: What are they going to think? What are my friends

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Speaker 1: going to say? Will my relatives all support me? The

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Speaker 1: truth is, like with my parents, some of them may

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Speaker 1: walk away.

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Speaker 2: But here's what I've learned. If they leave you, you

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Speaker 2: didn't need them.

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Speaker 1: God said he would never leave us nor forsake us.

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Speaker 1: So if they walked away, if they betrayed you, if

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Speaker 1: they left and you needed them, that would mean God

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Speaker 1: was forsaken you. We know God can't lie, so you

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Speaker 1: can draw the conclusion. If they left me, they weren't

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Speaker 1: a part of my destiny. If they don't want to

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Speaker 1: be my friend, I don't need them. If they won't

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Speaker 1: give me their approval, no big deal. I have God's approval. Friends,

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Speaker 1: life is too short to go through it controlled, manipulated,

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Speaker 1: trying to please everybody, trying to win their approval.

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Speaker 2: You don't need people like that.

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Speaker 1: If you keep falling into that trap, letting them put

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Speaker 1: the guilt trip on you, making you feel bad because

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Speaker 1: you don't call every time on queue. They're upset now

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Speaker 1: because you didn't take their advice. You've got to go

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Speaker 1: get them fixed up. That's going to keep you from

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Speaker 1: your destiny. Some of you are allowing the fear of

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Speaker 1: losing approval, the fear of what somebody will think, the

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Speaker 1: fear of losing a friendship to keep you in a box.

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Speaker 2: That's not even you.

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Speaker 1: You're so concerned about keeping them happy and winning their

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Speaker 1: favor that you're missing out on the new things that

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Speaker 1: God wants to do. And sometimes a well meaning person

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Speaker 1: can try to hold us back. Jesus told Peter that

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Speaker 1: he was going to Jerusalem. Peter said, no, you're not, Jesus,

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Speaker 1: that's dangerous. You're going to stay here with me. Peter

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Speaker 1: loved Jesus, he was concerned about him, but he didn't

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Speaker 1: understand his destiny.

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Speaker 2: What God has put in your heart.

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Speaker 1: Sometimes well meaning people may not understand. It doesn't mean

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Speaker 1: that you write them off you never speak to them again,

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Speaker 1: but you do have to be strong and say, this

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Speaker 1: is what I believe is a part of my destiny,

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Speaker 1: and I'm going to move toward it.

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Speaker 2: You've got to do it with or without their approval.

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Speaker 2: That's what Jesus did.

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Speaker 1: He looked at Peter and said, get behind me going

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Speaker 1: to Jerusalem. He was strong, he was firm, but he

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Speaker 1: wasn't disrespectful. He didn't say I'm never going to speak

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Speaker 1: to you because you don't agree with me. Jesus simply

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Speaker 1: spoke the truth in love and went on to fulfill

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Speaker 1: his destiny without Peter's approval. In the same way, you

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Speaker 1: will not become everything God's created you to be with

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Speaker 1: the approval of everyone around you.

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Speaker 2: I would love to.

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Speaker 1: Tell you that all of your family and friends will

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Speaker 1: be there to cheer you on and encourage you and

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Speaker 1: support you. But most of the time, somebody will get jealous.

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Speaker 1: Somebody won't understand. Somebody will start talking about you, trying

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Speaker 1: to be little, trying to discredit you. You can either get

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Speaker 1: in there and fight that battle and try to prove

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Speaker 1: to them that you're right and they're wrong, or you

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Speaker 1: can take the high road. A much better approach is

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Speaker 1: to have the attitude I love them, but I don't

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Speaker 1: have to have their approval. It's okay if they don't understand.

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Speaker 1: I'm not going to get bitter if they start talking.

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Speaker 1: I'm not going to lose focus and try to fight

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Speaker 1: that battle. I know I have Almighty God's approval, and

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Speaker 1: He's promised if I give up anything for his sake,

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Speaker 1: he will reward me greatly. That's a powerful attitude when

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Speaker 1: you're secure enough in who you are, You're confident enough

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Speaker 1: in the destiny in front of you that even when

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Speaker 1: people don't celebrate you, when on purpose they overlook you,

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Speaker 1: ignore you, and withhold their approval, doesn't matter. You've got

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Speaker 1: a smile on your face. You keep moving forward, keep

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Speaker 1: being your best. Let me tell you you do that

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Speaker 1: and nothing will be able to stop you. The creator

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Speaker 1: of the universe will break down every barrier and get

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Speaker 1: you to where you're supposed to be.

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Speaker 2: Let me challenge you.

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Speaker 1: Keep a good attitude, shake off the negative voices. Don't

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Speaker 1: pay any attention to the naysayers that are trying to

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Speaker 1: discredit you and make you look bad.

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Speaker 2: I've learned.

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Speaker 1: And if you'll stay in faith, the more they talk,

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Speaker 1: the higher God will take you. And sometimes we think,

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Speaker 1: you know, I gotta have this person, Joel. They're so

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Speaker 1: important and influential, this boss, he has so much seniority,

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Speaker 1: this family member.

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Speaker 2: They know so many people now listen.

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Speaker 1: The scripture says promotion doesn't come from people.

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Speaker 2: Promotion comes from the Lord.

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Speaker 1: You may not have the approval of someone that's quote important, influential.

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Speaker 1: Don't waste your time trying to win their favor. Spend

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Speaker 1: your time trying to win the favor of God. How

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Speaker 1: do you do that by being a person of excellence,

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Speaker 1: by having an attitude of faith, by blessing your enemies,

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Speaker 1: by being good to people. When you do that, you

354
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Speaker 1: are currying favor with the creator of the universe.

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Speaker 2: He will fight your battles.

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Speaker 1: God will bring you those divine connections, people that are

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Speaker 1: not jealous and critical, but people that celebrate you, people.

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Speaker 2: That cheer your arm and some of you day. You

359
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Speaker 2: need to make changes.

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Speaker 1: You're spending too much time playing up to people, trying

361
00:19:05,760 --> 00:19:09,720
Speaker 1: to buy their friendship, trying to win their approval. All

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00:19:09,720 --> 00:19:12,360
Speaker 1: that's doing is causing you to spend your wills.

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Speaker 2: You're not going anywhere.

364
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Speaker 1: You need to look inside and discover what God's put

365
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Speaker 1: in you, and then get focused and start moving toward that.

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Speaker 1: You don't have time to try to convince everyone.

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Speaker 2: To like you.

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Speaker 1: Your destiny is too great to waste time fighting battles

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Speaker 1: that don't matter. If somebody doesn't celebrate you, move on.

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

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Speaker 1: didn't give you.

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Speaker 2: Their approval, don't worry about it.

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Speaker 1: You have God's approval. Now take the pressure off yourself.

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Speaker 2: Playing up to people takes a lot of energy.

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00:19:50,320 --> 00:19:53,920
Speaker 1: Trying to keep everybody fixed and happy is very draining.

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00:19:54,640 --> 00:19:58,120
Speaker 2: Wondering what everybody thinks is emotionally exhausting.

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Speaker 1: There's a freedom when you're I don't have to compete

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00:20:02,080 --> 00:20:05,920
Speaker 1: for anyone's approval. I can just run my race, focus

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Speaker 1: on my goals, be my best, and.

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Speaker 2: God will take care of the rest.

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Speaker 1: Joyce Meyer is a good friend of ours, great Bible teacher.

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Speaker 1: She told how when she first started her ministry, she

383
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Speaker 1: was in a small classroom in a little church. Every

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Speaker 1: week she'd have a Bible study and about forty people

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Speaker 1: would come out. Her husband, Dave would sit there on

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Speaker 1: the front row supporting her. One week after the class,

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Speaker 1: the pastor called them aside and said, Dave, this is

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Speaker 1: out of order.

389
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Speaker 2: You should be up there teaching.

390
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Speaker 1: And Joyce should be sitting on the front row supporting you.

391
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Speaker 1: They were young, they didn't want to disappoint the pastor.

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Speaker 1: Didn't want to go against what he was saying. After all,

393
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Speaker 1: he could put them out of that church. That's where

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Speaker 1: all their friends were in. This pastor, he was a

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Speaker 1: good man, but he didn't know what God had put

396
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Speaker 1: in Joyce's heart. He didn't know she had that incredible

397
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Speaker 1: gift to teach. To not be disrespectful to the pastor.

398
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Speaker 1: Dave got up and started teaching. Joyce sat on the

399
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Speaker 1: front row, and yes, it was good that they were

400
00:21:06,800 --> 00:21:09,960
Speaker 1: willing to come under authority. And I'm not, by any

401
00:21:10,000 --> 00:21:11,879
Speaker 1: means saying that if it's in your heart, just be

402
00:21:11,960 --> 00:21:14,800
Speaker 1: rebellious and do whatever you want. But I am saying this,

403
00:21:15,240 --> 00:21:18,560
Speaker 1: We shouldn't let other people run our lives. Some people

404
00:21:18,560 --> 00:21:20,560
Speaker 1: can't even run their life, and they're trying to tell

405
00:21:20,600 --> 00:21:26,920
Speaker 1: you how to run your life. Several weeks went by

406
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Speaker 1: and Joyce was miserable. Dave was miserable. He didn't like teaching.

407
00:21:31,640 --> 00:21:33,040
Speaker 1: That's not what he was called to do.

408
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Speaker 2: One day, Joyce.

409
00:21:34,480 --> 00:21:37,840
Speaker 1: Finally got back up there and started teaching again. Sure enough,

410
00:21:37,880 --> 00:21:41,240
Speaker 1: the pastor asked them to leave. He didn't accept them.

411
00:21:41,640 --> 00:21:45,480
Speaker 1: They didn't have that approval anymore. But thank god, Joyce

412
00:21:45,560 --> 00:21:48,080
Speaker 1: knew that she had God's approval, and she's been doing

413
00:21:48,119 --> 00:21:52,280
Speaker 1: pretty good ever since then. But when we come to

414
00:21:52,320 --> 00:21:54,399
Speaker 1: the end of our life, we're not going to stand

415
00:21:54,440 --> 00:21:57,800
Speaker 1: before people. We're going to stand before God, and it's

416
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Speaker 1: not going to be a good excuse to say God,

417
00:22:00,440 --> 00:22:03,919
Speaker 1: I didn't fulfill my destiny because my friends wanted me

418
00:22:03,960 --> 00:22:04,440
Speaker 1: to do this.

419
00:22:05,080 --> 00:22:08,359
Speaker 2: My co workers pressured me and put me in this box. God.

420
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Speaker 1: My family wouldn't give me their approval. I was just

421
00:22:10,480 --> 00:22:14,360
Speaker 1: trying to keep everybody happy. No, run your race, fulfill

422
00:22:14,440 --> 00:22:18,320
Speaker 1: your destiny. It's great when we have the approval of others,

423
00:22:18,760 --> 00:22:22,000
Speaker 1: but we have to accept the fact that not everyone

424
00:22:22,240 --> 00:22:25,639
Speaker 1: is going to understand what you're called to do, and

425
00:22:25,680 --> 00:22:27,879
Speaker 1: they're going to try to put you in their box.

426
00:22:28,280 --> 00:22:30,960
Speaker 1: And if you're a people pleaser, you're going to miss

427
00:22:31,080 --> 00:22:34,680
Speaker 1: the awesome future that God has in store. A few

428
00:22:34,720 --> 00:22:36,680
Speaker 1: years after my father went to be with the Lord,

429
00:22:37,080 --> 00:22:39,200
Speaker 1: our old sanctuary filled up.

430
00:22:39,600 --> 00:22:42,879
Speaker 2: The church had really grown and we needed a bigger place.

431
00:22:43,800 --> 00:22:46,480
Speaker 1: My father had always told how he would never move

432
00:22:46,560 --> 00:22:49,800
Speaker 1: the church, he would keep it at that location, and me,

433
00:22:49,920 --> 00:22:52,560
Speaker 1: being the new pastor, I wasn't about to rock the

434
00:22:52,560 --> 00:22:53,680
Speaker 1: boat and change anything.

435
00:22:54,240 --> 00:22:55,200
Speaker 2: We researched to.

436
00:22:55,119 --> 00:22:57,800
Speaker 1: See if we could build a larger facility on that

437
00:22:57,840 --> 00:23:01,399
Speaker 1: same exact property. Found out the roads weren't big enough,

438
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Speaker 1: so we went out to the freeway as close to

439
00:23:04,480 --> 00:23:07,440
Speaker 1: that other location as possible, but both times the.

440
00:23:07,359 --> 00:23:08,600
Speaker 2: Property didn't work out.

441
00:23:09,320 --> 00:23:11,880
Speaker 1: When I got the word that this place was coming available,

442
00:23:11,920 --> 00:23:14,800
Speaker 1: the former Compact Center, it's about twenty minutes from our

443
00:23:14,800 --> 00:23:18,240
Speaker 1: other location, something leaped on the inside.

444
00:23:18,359 --> 00:23:20,280
Speaker 2: I knew this was supposed to be ours.

445
00:23:21,280 --> 00:23:24,680
Speaker 1: Ninety nine point nine percent of the congregation was totally

446
00:23:24,680 --> 00:23:28,960
Speaker 1: behind it. The vast majority was very excited. But there

447
00:23:29,040 --> 00:23:31,680
Speaker 1: was one man that was not behind it. In fact,

448
00:23:31,680 --> 00:23:34,720
Speaker 1: he was totally against it, and he made sure he

449
00:23:34,880 --> 00:23:38,800
Speaker 1: let me know. Every week after the service. He would

450
00:23:38,800 --> 00:23:42,399
Speaker 1: confine me in the visitor's reception. He would say, Joel,

451
00:23:42,440 --> 00:23:46,679
Speaker 1: you know your father said he would never move the church.

452
00:23:47,240 --> 00:23:49,960
Speaker 1: You're making a big mistake, and I just want to

453
00:23:50,000 --> 00:23:52,080
Speaker 1: let you know if you move it.

454
00:23:52,200 --> 00:23:55,040
Speaker 2: I'm not going to come. I said, do you promise.

455
00:23:57,880 --> 00:24:02,720
Speaker 1: I didn't, but I thought it. But everybody has a

456
00:24:02,840 --> 00:24:06,080
Speaker 1: right to have their opinion. But he didn't know what

457
00:24:06,200 --> 00:24:08,840
Speaker 1: I was feeling on the inside. He didn't know what

458
00:24:08,920 --> 00:24:12,040
Speaker 1: God was speaking to me. I could have easily let

459
00:24:12,080 --> 00:24:14,560
Speaker 1: him put me in his box and keep us from

460
00:24:14,560 --> 00:24:17,520
Speaker 1: moving forward. The easy thing to do was to stay

461
00:24:17,560 --> 00:24:20,280
Speaker 1: in the boat and just play it safe where we were.

462
00:24:20,840 --> 00:24:23,199
Speaker 1: But sometime God is going to ask you to get

463
00:24:23,240 --> 00:24:25,320
Speaker 1: out of the boat. And what I'm saying is, don't

464
00:24:25,320 --> 00:24:28,399
Speaker 1: be surprised if a friend or a family member doesn't

465
00:24:28,440 --> 00:24:31,080
Speaker 1: try to convince you to stay where you are. They

466
00:24:31,160 --> 00:24:34,239
Speaker 1: may mean, well, but you've got to be strong and

467
00:24:34,400 --> 00:24:37,320
Speaker 1: follow what God has put in your heart. I don't

468
00:24:37,480 --> 00:24:40,960
Speaker 1: like to displease people, but I've learned I may have

469
00:24:41,040 --> 00:24:44,480
Speaker 1: to displease a few people, so I don't displease God.

470
00:24:45,000 --> 00:24:45,119
Speaker 3: Now.

471
00:24:45,119 --> 00:24:47,600
Speaker 1: I never like to see one person leave the church,

472
00:24:47,720 --> 00:24:50,560
Speaker 1: but I found if I'll stay true to my heart

473
00:24:50,880 --> 00:24:53,760
Speaker 1: for everyone that leaves, God will send me two dozen

474
00:24:53,840 --> 00:24:58,640
Speaker 1: more in return. Now when somebody complains, when somebody threatens

475
00:24:58,640 --> 00:25:00,480
Speaker 1: to leave, I have a new approach.

476
00:25:00,680 --> 00:25:03,200
Speaker 2: I just smile and say, can I show you the door?

477
00:25:03,400 --> 00:25:06,320
Speaker 1: The sooner the better. I may not say it, but

478
00:25:06,359 --> 00:25:11,600
Speaker 1: that's what I think. Here's my point. You cannot please everybody.

479
00:25:11,720 --> 00:25:15,440
Speaker 1: You have to stay true to your own heart. Usually

480
00:25:15,480 --> 00:25:18,840
Speaker 1: the people that make the loudest noise, the people that

481
00:25:18,920 --> 00:25:21,960
Speaker 1: take most of your time and energy. The moment you

482
00:25:22,080 --> 00:25:24,879
Speaker 1: hit the smallest bumping the road. They're the first ones

483
00:25:24,920 --> 00:25:28,000
Speaker 1: to leave. You would be better off to not play

484
00:25:28,080 --> 00:25:31,440
Speaker 1: up to them. Now, save your time and energy for

485
00:25:31,600 --> 00:25:34,480
Speaker 1: people that you know are behind you, people that are

486
00:25:34,480 --> 00:25:35,840
Speaker 1: with you through thick and thin.

487
00:25:36,560 --> 00:25:40,159
Speaker 2: I love loyal people. I love faithful people.

488
00:25:40,560 --> 00:25:44,040
Speaker 1: I have people in my life right now, friends, family, staff,

489
00:25:44,080 --> 00:25:46,560
Speaker 1: many of you that I know they will give me

490
00:25:46,600 --> 00:25:49,200
Speaker 1: their approval to the day I die.

491
00:25:54,359 --> 00:25:55,679
Speaker 2: I feel like it's every one of you.

492
00:25:55,800 --> 00:25:58,919
Speaker 1: But you know, I know God has put people in

493
00:25:59,000 --> 00:26:02,320
Speaker 1: my life that me and give me the freedom to

494
00:26:02,400 --> 00:26:04,240
Speaker 1: become who He's created me to be.

495
00:26:04,800 --> 00:26:05,679
Speaker 2: Here's what I'm saying.

496
00:26:06,000 --> 00:26:08,920
Speaker 1: God has put the same type of people in your life,

497
00:26:09,240 --> 00:26:12,520
Speaker 1: the right people. Now, don't waste your time trying to

498
00:26:12,560 --> 00:26:15,680
Speaker 1: win the approval of someone that's never going to give

499
00:26:15,720 --> 00:26:19,639
Speaker 1: you their approval. Your destiny is too great to allow

500
00:26:19,720 --> 00:26:23,240
Speaker 1: someone to manipulate you. Some of you don't realize it,

501
00:26:23,320 --> 00:26:26,280
Speaker 1: but you've been addicted to approval. You've been living to

502
00:26:26,320 --> 00:26:29,240
Speaker 1: please people. But thank God, today is a new day.

503
00:26:29,600 --> 00:26:33,439
Speaker 1: Strongholds are being broken. I can feel a freedom in

504
00:26:33,520 --> 00:26:38,600
Speaker 1: this place. You know today that you don't need other

505
00:26:38,640 --> 00:26:42,600
Speaker 1: people's approval. You have Almighty God's approval. If you will

506
00:26:42,600 --> 00:26:44,520
Speaker 1: be strong and run your.

507
00:26:44,400 --> 00:26:47,960
Speaker 2: Race, stay focused, not let others control you. Let me

508
00:26:48,000 --> 00:26:48,560
Speaker 2: declare it.

509
00:26:48,680 --> 00:26:51,480
Speaker 1: You're going to step into a new level of your destiny.

510
00:26:52,000 --> 00:26:55,560
Speaker 1: You're going to see new seasons of growth, new friendships,

511
00:26:55,560 --> 00:26:59,119
Speaker 1: new opportunities. I believe in declare God is going to

512
00:26:59,160 --> 00:27:01,520
Speaker 1: take your places at you you've never even dreamed of.

513
00:27:01,880 --> 00:27:06,639
Speaker 2: If you receive it, can you say amen? Amen? We

514
00:27:06,760 --> 00:27:07,840
Speaker 2: never like to close our.

515
00:27:07,760 --> 00:27:11,040
Speaker 1: Broadcast without giving you an opportunity to make Jesus the

516
00:27:11,080 --> 00:27:12,080
Speaker 1: lord of your life.

517
00:27:12,200 --> 00:27:13,199
Speaker 2: Would you pray with me?

518
00:27:13,760 --> 00:27:18,920
Speaker 1: Just say, Lord, Jesus, I'll repent of my sins, Come

519
00:27:18,960 --> 00:27:23,439
Speaker 1: into my heart, wash me clean. I make you my

520
00:27:23,520 --> 00:27:27,879
Speaker 1: Lord and savior. Friends, if you prayed that simple prayer,

521
00:27:27,920 --> 00:27:28,639
Speaker 1: we believe.

522
00:27:28,400 --> 00:27:30,520
Speaker 2: You got born again. Get in a good.

523
00:27:30,320 --> 00:27:33,200
Speaker 1: Bible based church, and stay strong. God's going to do

524
00:27:33,280 --> 00:27:36,440
Speaker 1: amazing things in your life.

525
00:27:36,480 --> 00:27:39,880
Speaker 3: It's a new year, an opportunity for a fresh start.

526
00:27:40,359 --> 00:27:43,359
Speaker 3: It's a new year time to forget the struggles of

527
00:27:43,400 --> 00:27:46,560
Speaker 3: the past and make room for new blessings. It's a

528
00:27:46,680 --> 00:27:50,399
Speaker 3: new year, the perfect time to build expectation and faith

529
00:27:50,640 --> 00:27:52,159
Speaker 3: for an amazing new season.

530
00:27:53,000 --> 00:27:55,199
Speaker 1: The beginning of the year is a great time to

531
00:27:55,280 --> 00:27:58,560
Speaker 1: start afresh and anew to let go of negative things

532
00:27:58,560 --> 00:28:00,479
Speaker 1: of the past and to get rid ready for the

533
00:28:00,520 --> 00:28:04,439
Speaker 1: new things God has in store. Every January we create

534
00:28:04,520 --> 00:28:08,040
Speaker 1: a new devotional calendar. When you start off each day

535
00:28:08,080 --> 00:28:11,920
Speaker 1: in faith, grateful for what God has done, making positive

536
00:28:12,000 --> 00:28:15,520
Speaker 1: declarations over your future, you're setting the tone for a

537
00:28:15,560 --> 00:28:20,000
Speaker 1: blessed day and a victorious year. This devotional calendar will

538
00:28:20,000 --> 00:28:22,480
Speaker 1: help you get your mind going in the right direction

539
00:28:22,880 --> 00:28:26,159
Speaker 1: so you can live in faith expecting the goodness of God.

540
00:28:26,880 --> 00:28:29,320
Speaker 3: As our way of saying thank you for your gift

541
00:28:29,320 --> 00:28:31,879
Speaker 3: of any amount this first month of the year, we

542
00:28:31,920 --> 00:28:34,080
Speaker 3: would like to send you a copy of our brand

543
00:28:34,160 --> 00:28:37,280
Speaker 3: new twenty twenty five three hundred and sixty five day

544
00:28:37,359 --> 00:28:42,160
Speaker 3: devotional calendar. Using this devotional calendar is as easy as one,

545
00:28:42,280 --> 00:28:46,920
Speaker 3: two three. One wake up with an expectancy in your heart.

546
00:28:47,240 --> 00:28:49,880
Speaker 3: Two reflect on the daily scripture.

547
00:28:49,520 --> 00:28:51,080
Speaker 2: Verse and devotional from Joel.

548
00:28:51,360 --> 00:28:55,280
Speaker 3: Three capture the Lord's promises to you on journaling lines

549
00:28:55,280 --> 00:28:56,600
Speaker 3: for writing and reflection.

550
00:28:57,400 --> 00:28:59,440
Speaker 2: This is going to be one of your best years.

551
00:28:59,840 --> 00:29:02,840
Speaker 1: Twenty twenty five devotional calendar is going to help you

552
00:29:02,920 --> 00:29:05,560
Speaker 1: stay in faith and see the goodness of God in

553
00:29:05,640 --> 00:29:08,880
Speaker 1: ways you've never seen. Victoria and I pray for you

554
00:29:08,960 --> 00:29:11,680
Speaker 1: and your family every day, and thank you so much

555
00:29:11,680 --> 00:29:15,959
Speaker 1: for your prayer and support. Your generosity is impacting lives

556
00:29:15,960 --> 00:29:18,640
Speaker 1: around the world. And a special thank you to our

557
00:29:18,720 --> 00:29:20,560
Speaker 1: Championship Hope partners.

558
00:29:20,120 --> 00:29:21,400
Speaker 2: For your monthly gifts.

559
00:29:21,680 --> 00:29:24,600
Speaker 1: If you're not a partner, I hope you'll consider becoming one.

560
00:29:24,960 --> 00:29:28,960
Speaker 1: Remember you can watch the services online live every Sunday morning,

561
00:29:29,440 --> 00:29:33,360
Speaker 1: download our daily podcast, watch on YouTube now the new

562
00:29:33,440 --> 00:29:36,200
Speaker 1: joel Osteine Network twenty four hours a day, and of

563
00:29:36,240 --> 00:29:39,760
Speaker 1: course listen live on SERIOUSXM as well. But until we

564
00:29:39,760 --> 00:29:42,680
Speaker 1: meet again, MEDD, the Lord bless you and keep you,

565
00:29:42,920 --> 00:29:45,480
Speaker 1: may show you his favor and watch over you.

566
00:29:46,200 --> 00:29:48,880
Speaker 3: Be sure to request your copy of the twenty twenty

567
00:29:48,920 --> 00:29:53,480
Speaker 3: five devotional calendar today. Visit Joelostein dot com or call

568
00:29:53,600 --> 00:29:57,400
Speaker 3: us toll free