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Speaker 4: Hi, this is Joel and Victoria. Thanks for listening to

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Speaker 4: our podcast and thanks for supporting the ministry.

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Speaker 5: If you enjoy today's message, why don't you be a

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Speaker 5: blessing and share it with a friend.

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Speaker 4: We appreciate you and pray for God's very best in

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Speaker 4: your life. Well, God bless you. It's always a joy

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Speaker 4: to come into your homes, and if you're ever in

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Speaker 4: our area, please stop buy and be a part of

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Speaker 4: one of our services. I promise you we'll make you

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Speaker 4: feel right at home. Thanks so much for tuning in,

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Speaker 4: and thank you again for coming out today. I like

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Speaker 4: to start with something funny and one day Adam said

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Speaker 4: to God, why did you make Eve so beautiful? And

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Speaker 4: God said, so you would love her. And Adam said, well, God,

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Speaker 4: why did you give her such long flowing hairn God

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Speaker 4: said the same thing, so you would love her. Said well, God,

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Speaker 4: why did you give her such a great figure? He

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Speaker 4: said it again, so you would love her. Adam said,

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Speaker 4: all right, God, you made her so beautiful, so attractive.

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Speaker 4: Why did you make her so dumb? God said that's easy, Adam,

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Speaker 4: so she would love you. Hold up your bible, say

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Speaker 4: it like you mean it. This is my Bible. I

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Speaker 4: am what it says.

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Speaker 3: I am.

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Speaker 4: I have what it says I have. I can do

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Speaker 4: what it says I can do. Today I will be

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Speaker 4: taught the word of God. I boldly confess. My mind

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Speaker 4: is alert, my heart is receptive. I will never be

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Speaker 4: the same. In Jesus' name, God bless you. I want

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Speaker 4: to talk to you today about going after the prodigal.

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Speaker 4: We all know people that used to be strong in

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Speaker 4: their faith. They used to be in church, cited about God.

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Speaker 4: You'd see them week after week, serving, giving, helping others.

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Speaker 4: But somewhere along the way they fell off course. They

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Speaker 4: had a disappointment, a sickness, a divorce that got discouraged,

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Speaker 4: or maybe they made poor choices and now they feel

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Speaker 4: guilty and condemned, like they don't really belong. In the

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Speaker 4: Book of James talks about how we have to go

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Speaker 4: after the prodigals. We have to go after the people

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Speaker 4: that have fallen away. It's not enough to just think

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Speaker 4: I wish they were here, I really miss them. I

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Speaker 4: wonder where they are now. You've got to be proactive.

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Speaker 4: God is counting on you to go get that person,

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Speaker 4: pick up the phone and call them, stop by their house,

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Speaker 4: send them a note, reach out to them in some way.

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Speaker 4: We have a responsibility to bring these people back. You

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Speaker 4: don't have to tell them what they're doing wrong, don't

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Speaker 4: condemn them, Just tell them three simple things. We miss you,

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Speaker 4: we need you, and we love you. Friends. Love heals,

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Speaker 4: Love restores when people know that you care, the fact

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Speaker 4: that you took time to express your concern. That's what

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Speaker 4: brings prodigals back home. I had a friend that I

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Speaker 4: grew up with and every summer during high school we

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Speaker 4: would play basketball together at the neighborhood church. That's where

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Speaker 4: he and his family attended. They were some of the

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Speaker 4: main members. They're faithfully there every week, plus he was

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Speaker 4: very involved in the youth program. Well after high school,

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Speaker 4: we went our separate ways, and I hadn't heard from

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Speaker 4: him in many years. One day I was talking to

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Speaker 4: another friend and he told how this young man had

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Speaker 4: gone through a divorce, dropped out of church, gotten very discouraged. Basically,

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Speaker 4: he had lost his passion for life. When I heard that,

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Speaker 4: something rose up on the inside. I thought, I'm going

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Speaker 4: to track him down and encourage him. Hadn't spoken to

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Speaker 4: him in over twenty years. I tried to call, but

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Speaker 4: I didn't have the right number, and checked with other friends,

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Speaker 4: but they too had not kept in touch. I finally

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Speaker 4: got a hold of a high school teacher and they

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Speaker 4: gave me his parents' number. They had moved to a

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Speaker 4: different state, and when I called him, of course, he

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Speaker 4: was excited and we laughed and reminisced about old times.

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Speaker 4: Then I told him the real reason I'm calling is

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Speaker 4: because I know you've been through tough times. You've had

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Speaker 4: a disappointment, you're not in church anymore. I want you

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Speaker 4: to know that God has a new beginning. We miss you,

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Speaker 4: we need you, we love you. I didn't condemn him,

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Speaker 4: I didn't try to pressure him into change and didn't

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Speaker 4: preach a sermon. I just let him know that we cared.

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Speaker 4: He had never been to Lakewood, and really I wasn't

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Speaker 4: trying to get him to come here. But the next Sunday,

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Speaker 4: sitting on the third row, there he was with his

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Speaker 4: mother and his father, his parents. Joel, we hadn't been

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Speaker 4: in church in fifteen years, but your phone call was

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Speaker 4: the turning point. Today this young man is remarried, he's

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Speaker 4: back in church, very involved fulfilling his destiny. All it

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Speaker 4: took was one phone call, just a little bit of effort,

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Speaker 4: a little time, a little energy, and what happened. A

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Speaker 4: prodigal came back home. I've learned we can't help everyone,

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Speaker 4: but we can help someone. God puts people in our

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Speaker 4: path on purpose. What would happen if we all took

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Speaker 4: time to reach out to a prodigal? The person you

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Speaker 4: used to play basketball with, They used to sit by

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Speaker 4: you in services, they used to usher in your section,

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Speaker 4: they used to greet you when you came in. Now

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Speaker 4: they're nowhere to be found. They're discouraged, they're struggling. Life's

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Speaker 4: trying to push them down. All they need is to

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Speaker 4: hear you say, we miss you, we need you, we

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Speaker 4: love you. It's amazing what it does for people when

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Speaker 4: they know you care, lights a new fire on the inside.

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Speaker 4: The closest thing to the heart of God is helping

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Speaker 4: hurting people. When you take an interest in someone that's

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Speaker 4: fallen away, someone that's struggling, someone that's lost their sense

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Speaker 4: of purpose, I can assure you God will take an

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Speaker 4: interest in you. He will make sure that you are

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Speaker 4: well taken care of. The most important thing in life

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Speaker 4: is not our accomplishments. It's not how successful we are

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Speaker 4: or how many people know our name. The most important

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Speaker 4: thing is helping other people. And Jesus talked about how

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Speaker 4: if a person causes someone to fall away from the faith,

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Speaker 4: it would be better for that person that caused it

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Speaker 4: to have never been born. He used very strong language.

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Speaker 4: Just the opposite is true when you restore the fallen,

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Speaker 4: when you go after the prodigals and help get them

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Speaker 4: back on the right path, there's nothing more pleasing to God.

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Speaker 4: And read the Bible twenty hours a day, quote every

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Speaker 4: scripture in the New Testament, and that's fine. But when

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Speaker 4: you reach out to one of his children and get

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Speaker 4: them back on course, there's nothing that God won't do

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Speaker 4: for you. I think about as a father. If you

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Speaker 4: help me in my time of need, I'll be grateful,

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Speaker 4: I'll thank you, I'll do my best to pay you back.

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Speaker 4: But if you help one of my children in their

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Speaker 4: time of need, that's a whole different story. If you

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Speaker 4: help lift them out of despair, if you rescue them

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Speaker 4: from harm, if you steer them down the right path,

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Speaker 4: there's nothing I won't do for you. You'll be my

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Speaker 4: friend for life. That's the way God feels when we

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Speaker 4: help one of his children. Jesus told a story about

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Speaker 4: a shepherd that had one hundred sheep. Ninety nine of

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Speaker 4: them were doing great. Ninety nine of the sheep were happy, healthy,

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Speaker 4: on course. But he said, if just one sheep wanders away,

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Speaker 4: so just one sheep goes astray, the shepherd will lead

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Speaker 4: the ninety nine and go after the one that tells

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Speaker 4: me we should be looking not necessarily at who's in

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Speaker 4: church each week, but who's not here. I can see

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Speaker 4: the ninety nine. I celebrate all of you, but part

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Speaker 4: of my focus is where is the one who have

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Speaker 4: I not seen in a few weeks, who has fallen away.

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Speaker 4: It's not enough to just come in and hang out

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Speaker 4: with my friends and celebrate God's goodness. We have an assignment.

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Speaker 4: We have to lead the ninety nine and go after

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Speaker 4: the one lost sheep. That means you may have to

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Speaker 4: stop by their house sometime. You may have to invite

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Speaker 4: them to dinner and see what's going on. You've got

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Speaker 4: to be willing to be inconvenienced to make sacrifices. You're

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Speaker 4: looking for that one lost sheep. And it's great when

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Speaker 4: your family and friends are happy, healthy, everybody's moving forward.

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Speaker 4: Celebrate that, but at the same time, be aware of

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Speaker 4: who's non here, who's discouraged, who's struggling, who's headed down

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Speaker 4: the wrong path, who's dropped out. That's when we have

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Speaker 4: to kick it into gear and go after the one see.

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Speaker 4: Every one of you should pasture your own group. There

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Speaker 4: should be ten or fifteen people you see here every week.

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Speaker 4: They sit close to you, They usher in your section,

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Speaker 4: they check your children in at the nursery. That's your congregation.

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Speaker 4: That's the people God's put in your life. Watch after them.

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Speaker 4: Be aware when they're not here, notice when they're discouraged,

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Speaker 4: when they're not the same. If you haven't seen them

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Speaker 4: in a few weeks, don't just think, well, I hope

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Speaker 4: the church checks on them. Wonder where they are. No,

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Speaker 4: let me tell you a newsflash. You are the church.

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Speaker 4: They are a part of your flock. Reach out to them,

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Speaker 4: call them, find them on Facebook, send them an email.

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Speaker 4: God is counting on you to bring that sheep back

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Speaker 4: into the fall. Here's the key. I can't bring in

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Speaker 4: your sheep. I don't have the relationship one on one

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Speaker 4: like you do. You can't bring in my sheep. God

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Speaker 4: is counting on each one of us to watch after

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Speaker 4: our own flock. Read a story about a gentleman that

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Speaker 4: taught Sunday school. His name was mister Kimball. He was

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Speaker 4: very successful, a businessman, very influential, and he taught junior

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Speaker 4: high boys back in the eighteen hundreds in a small church.

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Speaker 4: One day he noticed that one of his students, an

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Speaker 4: eleven year old boy, had not been at class for

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Speaker 4: several weeks. He was very concerned. The next day, after work,

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Speaker 4: he headed out on the streets of Boston looking for

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Speaker 4: this young boy. And he searched and searched, and finally,

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Speaker 4: after a few leads, he found the boy's home, knocked

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Speaker 4: on the door and told the parents who he was

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Speaker 4: and they said, the boy is not here. He's across

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Speaker 4: town working at a shoe store with his uncle. Mister

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Speaker 4: Kimball took the long ride across the city and found

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Speaker 4: the shoe store. When he walked in, the little boy

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Speaker 4: saw him. He was so surprised to see his Sunday

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Speaker 4: school teacher. He thought it was just a coincidence, and

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Speaker 4: he'd come in to have some kind of work done

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Speaker 4: on his shoes. Mister Kimball said, no, I didn't come

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Speaker 4: to have any kind of shoe repair. I came because

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Speaker 4: I'm concerned about you. Where have you been? Are you okay?

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Speaker 4: Is there anything that you need? The little boy so surprised,

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Speaker 4: he said no, I just quit coming to class because

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Speaker 4: I didn't think it mattered. I didn't think you really

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Speaker 4: knew my name, and I certainly didn't think you would

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Speaker 4: miss me. Mister Kimball looked him in the eyes and said,

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Speaker 4: young man, it does matter. I need you. You're a

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Speaker 4: very important part of my class. That young boy practically

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Speaker 4: never missed another Sunday school class. He went on to

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Speaker 4: become the most influential minister in the eighteen hundreds. His

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Speaker 4: name was D. L. Moody. He touched his generation in

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Speaker 4: an amazing way. It can all be traced back to

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Speaker 4: mister Kimball. Had Mister Kimball after the prodigal a young boy,

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Speaker 4: had he been too busy, or had he just celebrated

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Speaker 4: all the other boys in the class, not aware of

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Speaker 4: who wasn't there, then I doubt that D. L. Moody

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Speaker 4: would have touched the world like he did. The real

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Speaker 4: question today is who are we missing? Who is not

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Speaker 4: here that used to be here, or who is not

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Speaker 4: here that should be here? A family member, a friend,

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Speaker 4: a coworker. Some people today they've not only dropped out

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Speaker 4: of church, they've dropped out of life. I want us

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Speaker 4: to have a new passion to go after them. Growing up,

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Speaker 4: we had a dog named Scooter. He was a big

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Speaker 4: german shepherd, and Scooter loved to chase squirrels. If we

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Speaker 4: saw a squirrel in the yard as children, we would

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Speaker 4: say sickham, scooter, sickam. The Scooter could be laying down

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Speaker 4: half asleep, but when he heard that word sickam, he

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Speaker 4: would take off run in ninety miles an hour. Half

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Speaker 4: the time he'd never even see the squirrel, but if

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Speaker 4: he thought there was a squirrel to be found, and

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Speaker 4: he heard that word, sickam, he'd take off with great passion.

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Speaker 4: The word I want us to get in our spirit

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Speaker 4: today is not profound. It's not theological. You can find

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Speaker 4: it in the Book of Joel, but not in the

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Speaker 4: Bible Joel. That word is sick them. The family member

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Speaker 4: this off course sick them. The friend that used to

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Speaker 4: sit by you sickam. The neighbor that used to come

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Speaker 4: to church, sick them. The coworker that dropped out of life,

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Speaker 4: sick them. My challenge is sickam, Lakewood, sickam. Our attitude

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Speaker 4: should be I'm on a mission from God. If you're

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Speaker 4: a prodigal, you better watch out. You're on dangerous ground.

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Speaker 4: I've got you in my sights. I'm on call, I'm

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Speaker 4: on text, I'm gonna email, I'm gonna pray, I'm gonna believe,

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Speaker 4: I'm gonna visit, I'm gonna encourage. I'm not gonna leave

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Speaker 4: you alone until you come back home. Why. Because we

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Speaker 4: miss you, we need you, we love you. Each year,

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Speaker 4: I have our staff call every person that comes to Lakewood,

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Speaker 4: at least everyone we have a record of. There are

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Speaker 4: some eighty thousand different people that come annually. And of

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Speaker 4: course we can't reach them all, but I have the staff.

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Speaker 4: Tell the people Joel and Victoria are checking on you.

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Speaker 4: They want you to know that they love you, they

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Speaker 4: need you, They're looking for you. Listen, Lakewood wouldn't be

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Speaker 4: what it is without each one of you. You may

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Speaker 4: come and say, way up at the top and think, man,

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Speaker 4: nobody even knows me. They don't have a clue. I'm here.

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Speaker 4: Let me tell you you're needed. You make the service better. Well,

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Speaker 4: I just watch on television, Joe. You don't even know me,

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Speaker 4: may not know you, but we need you. We love you.

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Speaker 4: You're a part of this ministry. Now, look around in

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Speaker 4: your life this week at the people God's put at

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Speaker 4: the office. The receptionist, she seems discouraged, she doesn't seem

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Speaker 4: like her normal self. Reach out to her. That's the

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Speaker 4: one sheep that's going astray. The place you buy gas

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Speaker 4: each week, the normal attendant isn't there. Don't go the

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Speaker 4: next six months wondering where he is. Ask another coworker

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Speaker 4: something wrong with him? Is he sick? Did he get

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Speaker 4: laid off? Did he have an accident? Then you can

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Speaker 4: at least send a note or let them know that

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Speaker 4: you're praying. When people know that they're missed, they're needed,

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Speaker 4: they're appreciated. It makes what they're going through much easier.

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Speaker 4: And a lot of times we don't recognize who God

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Speaker 4: has put in our lives. Some people, like the eleven

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Speaker 4: year old DL Moody, they're going to be world changers,

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Speaker 4: they're going to be history makers. But right now they're

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Speaker 4: off course. They're discouraged, they've lost their sense of purpose.

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Speaker 4: You can be the mister Kimball in their life. Well, Joel,

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Speaker 4: I don't want to get involved in their business. If

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Speaker 4: I call them, they may be embarrassed, they may even

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Speaker 4: get offended. Now understand, they are your business. We have

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Speaker 4: a responsibility to help bring back the people that have

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Speaker 4: fallen away. Don't leave them alone. They may not respond

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Speaker 4: the first time, or the fifth time, or the twenty

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Speaker 4: fifth time. But keep calling, keep texting, keep knocking on

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Speaker 4: the door, keep praying, keep believing. At the right time,

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Speaker 4: your message will go through. Right now, the soil of

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Speaker 4: their heart may be hard and rocky. They won't listen

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Speaker 4: to you, goes in one ear and out the other.

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Speaker 4: The more you talk to them, the worse they get.

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Speaker 4: Here's the good news. The seed you are planning is

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Speaker 4: alive and it will never die. Do you see on

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Speaker 4: the news they found a seed the other day that

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Speaker 4: was thirty thousand years old, and it's still alive. The

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Speaker 4: only thing that kept it from growing is that has

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Speaker 4: never been put in the right soil. Will you keep

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Speaker 4: planning those seeds and at some point God will change

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Speaker 4: the condition of their heart, and the seeds you have

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Speaker 4: planted will take root and come to life. What am

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Speaker 4: I saying? You're never wasting time going after a prodigal

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Speaker 4: The seeds are going in. For many years, my mother

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Speaker 4: prayed for a man by the name of Bill Nash,

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Speaker 4: country Western singer, very talented, very popular. My mother had

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Speaker 4: never met him, but she would see his name on

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Speaker 4: the marquis, the side of the freeway. Bill Nash in

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Speaker 4: concert tonight. Bill grew up in church, His parents were missionaries,

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Speaker 4: came from a great family of strong faith. But in

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Speaker 4: his late teens, Bill got off course, running with the

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Speaker 4: wrong crowd, got into drugs, and instead of singing in

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Speaker 4: church like he grew up, he started singing in the bars,

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Speaker 4: the nightclubs. Down deep. Bill told how he was miserable.

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Speaker 4: He knew God's call was on his life, but like Jonah.

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Speaker 4: He was running. Every time my mother passed that sign

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Speaker 4: on the freeway Bill Nash in concert, she would pray

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Speaker 4: again and again, Lord, thank you that you'll work it

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Speaker 4: in Bill's life. Lord, bring him back home to the church.

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Speaker 4: Mother had never met Bill Nash, never seen him in person.

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Speaker 4: Why was she so interested. She understands this principle. We're

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Speaker 4: supposed to go after the prodigals. Jesus said, it's the

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Speaker 4: sick who need a doctor, not the healthy. It's great

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Speaker 4: to come in each week and celebrate together. This is important,

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Speaker 4: but our real work begins when we dismiss these services.

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Speaker 4: Let's go find the sick, the prodigals, those that have

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Speaker 4: gone astray, those that are struggling with addictions, those that

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Speaker 4: feel like they've made too many mistakes that they wouldn't

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Speaker 4: be welcome. Make an effort to bring somebody back into

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Speaker 4: the fall. It's easy to think, Ah, Joe, it's their

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Speaker 4: own fault. They made the mess. I've tried to warn them.

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Speaker 4: I don't want to get my hands dirty.

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Speaker 3: No.

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Speaker 4: Galatian six 's one says, you who are mature are

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Speaker 4: to gently restore those that are falling away. Notice gently restore,

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Speaker 4: In other words, don't have a holier than thou attitude. Man,

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Speaker 4: what's wrong with you? You grew up in church. You

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Speaker 4: should know better than this. We're not supposed to condemn people.

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Speaker 4: Be little people. Make a spectacle of them. That's going

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Speaker 4: to drive them further away, It says gently restore. That means, hey,

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Speaker 4: I know you've had some setbacks, but God's mercy is

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Speaker 4: bigger than any mistake. God wants to give you a

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Speaker 4: new beginning. Why don't you come back home. It's not

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Speaker 4: the same without you. That's what's going to draw people back.

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Speaker 4: The scripture says, it's the goodness of God that leads

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Speaker 4: people to repentance. Today, many people have the wrong concept

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Speaker 4: of God. They've made mistakes, they've gone astray, and now

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Speaker 4: they think that God is mad at them. God has

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Speaker 4: a ball bad up in heaven, just waiting to push

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Speaker 4: them down further. They live guilty, condemned, feeling wrong on

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Speaker 4: the inside. The last place they want to go is

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Speaker 4: to church. They think they'll even feel worse. What's the problem.

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Speaker 4: They've heard all about the judgment of God. They haven't

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Speaker 4: heard much about the goodness of God. And yes, in

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Speaker 4: the Old Testament, God did get angry with people at

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Speaker 4: certain times. But friends, the good news is we live

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Speaker 4: under the New Testament. Because of what Jesus has done,

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Speaker 4: God is not mad at us anymore. One of the

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Speaker 4: best compliments I've ever received, an older gentleman told me, Joel,

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Speaker 4: You've made God good. He grew up in a church

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Speaker 4: where he heard that God was mean. He could never

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Speaker 4: measure up. He just wasn't good enough at eighteen years old.

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Speaker 4: When he got old enough, he dropped out. Hadn't been

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Speaker 4: back to church in thirty years. He said, When I

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Speaker 4: heard about the goodness of God and how God was

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Speaker 4: for me, how he had mercy for my mistakes, and

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Speaker 4: how he wanted me to live in victory, it changed

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Speaker 4: my perspective of God. It helped restore his faith. Today

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Speaker 4: he's back in church. My mother prayed year after year,

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Speaker 4: again and again for Bill Nash, and one day, through

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Speaker 4: a series of events, Bill decided to get his life

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Speaker 4: turned around. He wanted to go to church, but didn't

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Speaker 4: really know where he should go. He thought most churches

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Speaker 4: probably wouldn't want somebody like me. I've lived a rough life,

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Speaker 4: got a reputation for being a partier. Turned the television

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Speaker 4: on and he saw my father talking about the goodness

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Speaker 4: of God. That Sunday he came to Lakewood the old auditorium,

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Speaker 4: sat in the very back, and Usher saw him and

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Speaker 4: recognized him, got him hooked up with my mother, and

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Speaker 4: my mother gave him a big hug and told him

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Speaker 4: how she had been praying all these years and him

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Speaker 4: being there that day was a dream come true. Bill

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Speaker 4: Nash with tears coming down his cheeks. That day at Lakewood,

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Speaker 4: he felt loved, wanted, accepted. A few months later, Bill

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Speaker 4: Nash gave his first Christian concert right there at the

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Speaker 4: old Lakewood Church. He's been using his talents for the

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Speaker 4: Lord ever since.

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Speaker 6: Then.

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Speaker 4: Bill Nash, right here on the front road. We all

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Speaker 4: know him and love him, great Man of God. Come on,

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Speaker 4: we don't love him that much. That's what happens when

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Speaker 4: you reach out to a prodigal Almighty God goes to work.

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Speaker 4: God begins to deal with the person in the natural.

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Speaker 4: Like with Bill. It may look like they're never going

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Speaker 4: to change. They're so far off, they're not receptive. I'd

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Speaker 4: be wasting my time. No, God knows how to soften

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Speaker 4: the soils. You don't have to condemn them. Love is

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Speaker 4: what never fails. Just sow the seed. We miss you,

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Speaker 4: we love you, we need you. Let God do the work.

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Speaker 4: Sometimes we think that we're supposed to convict people, We're

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Speaker 4: supposed to make them feel bad. Hey, man, where have

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Speaker 4: you been? Don't you know you're a sinner. Don't you

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Speaker 4: know where you're headed. Some people think they're supposed to

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Speaker 4: try to scare the hell out of people. But our

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Speaker 4: job is not to convict people. Our job is to

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Speaker 4: sow the seed. The Holy Spirit is the one who convicts.

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Speaker 4: The word gospel is literally translated good news. Our message

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Speaker 4: is you may have made mistakes, but the good news

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Speaker 4: is God has mercy. You may have fallen off course,

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Speaker 4: but the good news is God is waiting with open

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Speaker 4: arms to receive you back. You may have had a setback,

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00:24:21,080 --> 00:24:23,520
Speaker 4: but the good news is God can turn it into

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00:24:23,600 --> 00:24:26,840
Speaker 4: a setup to do something greater. When you go after

431
00:24:26,880 --> 00:24:34,480
Speaker 4: the prodigals, remember it's good news. Don't be angry, harsh, judgmental, condemning.

432
00:24:34,760 --> 00:24:39,359
Speaker 4: Have a smile on your face, be kind, loving, forgiving, merciful.

433
00:24:39,560 --> 00:24:42,840
Speaker 4: You're sharing good news. Years ago, there was a minister

434
00:24:43,080 --> 00:24:47,000
Speaker 4: that was touching the world, doing great things, very well respected,

435
00:24:47,600 --> 00:24:50,200
Speaker 4: but he had some people accuse him of a lack

436
00:24:50,280 --> 00:24:53,920
Speaker 4: of integrity. These rumors spread and took on a life

437
00:24:53,920 --> 00:24:56,600
Speaker 4: of their own. They got blown way out of proportion.

438
00:24:57,400 --> 00:25:00,320
Speaker 4: Very little, if any, of what people were saying was

439
00:25:00,359 --> 00:25:05,240
Speaker 4: really true. But he was so heartbroken, down and discouraged

440
00:25:05,480 --> 00:25:09,160
Speaker 4: he stopped ministry. Month after month went by, you didn't

441
00:25:09,200 --> 00:25:12,600
Speaker 4: hear anything from him. He's much older than me and

442
00:25:12,880 --> 00:25:16,480
Speaker 4: much more experienced. But deep down I really felt like

443
00:25:16,600 --> 00:25:19,960
Speaker 4: I was supposed to call him and encourage him. My

444
00:25:20,160 --> 00:25:23,560
Speaker 4: mind told me every reason why I shouldn't do it. Joel.

445
00:25:23,600 --> 00:25:26,080
Speaker 4: You're gonna embarrass him, You're gonna put him on the spot.

446
00:25:26,080 --> 00:25:28,400
Speaker 4: He's gonna get mad at you. He knows so much

447
00:25:28,400 --> 00:25:30,760
Speaker 4: more than you, Joel, Why would he even listen to you?

448
00:25:31,080 --> 00:25:34,320
Speaker 4: On and on, and I kept putting it off. One morning,

449
00:25:34,440 --> 00:25:37,119
Speaker 4: I woke up and I felt it so strongly, and

450
00:25:37,160 --> 00:25:40,240
Speaker 4: I called him. He was so depressed I could hardly

451
00:25:40,359 --> 00:25:43,800
Speaker 4: hear what he was saying. He answered in the weakest,

452
00:25:43,960 --> 00:25:48,440
Speaker 4: most possible voice. He said, Joel, I'm done. I don't

453
00:25:48,440 --> 00:25:51,879
Speaker 4: have any fight left in me. He was very convincing.

454
00:25:52,480 --> 00:25:55,000
Speaker 4: I didn't have all the answers. I didn't know how

455
00:25:55,040 --> 00:25:57,800
Speaker 4: to cheer him up. All I knew to tell him

456
00:25:57,960 --> 00:26:01,560
Speaker 4: were three things. We miss you, we need you, we

457
00:26:01,640 --> 00:26:05,240
Speaker 4: love you. Five minute conversation. I hung up the phone.

458
00:26:05,480 --> 00:26:08,119
Speaker 4: I thought to myself, that was the biggest waste of time.

459
00:26:08,480 --> 00:26:11,480
Speaker 4: Didn't do him any good or meet any good. In fact,

460
00:26:11,560 --> 00:26:14,239
Speaker 4: it did just the opposite. Instead of me cheering him up,

461
00:26:14,280 --> 00:26:17,760
Speaker 4: he depressed me. I felt like I wanted to quit

462
00:26:17,840 --> 00:26:22,359
Speaker 4: after that. Two months later he called back and told

463
00:26:22,400 --> 00:26:25,280
Speaker 4: how he had already decided to get out of the

464
00:26:25,320 --> 00:26:28,360
Speaker 4: ministry before I had called. He was going to formally

465
00:26:28,400 --> 00:26:31,960
Speaker 4: resign and start doing something else. But he said, Joel,

466
00:26:32,040 --> 00:26:35,880
Speaker 4: when I heard you say we need you, something began

467
00:26:36,000 --> 00:26:39,159
Speaker 4: to stir on the inside. I began to feel a

468
00:26:39,200 --> 00:26:42,480
Speaker 4: sense of purpose, and I quit thinking about my failures.

469
00:26:42,800 --> 00:26:45,800
Speaker 4: I quit listening to all the accusing voices, and I

470
00:26:45,840 --> 00:26:49,879
Speaker 4: started to dream once again. He got back in the ministry.

471
00:26:50,080 --> 00:26:53,320
Speaker 4: Today he's as strong as can be, touching more people

472
00:26:53,440 --> 00:26:57,280
Speaker 4: than he ever did before. It's amazing what happens when

473
00:26:57,320 --> 00:27:03,400
Speaker 4: people know they're needed. They're missed one phone call, one text,

474
00:27:03,640 --> 00:27:07,400
Speaker 4: one visit to you, it may seem insignificant, but when

475
00:27:07,480 --> 00:27:11,080
Speaker 4: people know your care, it breathes new hope back into

476
00:27:11,119 --> 00:27:15,320
Speaker 4: their spirit. I'm asking you to go after the prodigals.

477
00:27:15,960 --> 00:27:19,719
Speaker 4: Who is not here that should be here, A family member,

478
00:27:19,880 --> 00:27:23,760
Speaker 4: a friend, a coworker. They've gone astray. Leave the ninety

479
00:27:23,840 --> 00:27:27,359
Speaker 4: nine and go after the one. There are people just

480
00:27:27,480 --> 00:27:30,160
Speaker 4: like my high school friend. All they need is one

481
00:27:30,200 --> 00:27:34,840
Speaker 4: phone call just to know your concerned. God will use

482
00:27:34,880 --> 00:27:38,399
Speaker 4: your act of love to ignite something new on the inside.

483
00:27:39,080 --> 00:27:42,160
Speaker 4: You remember my dog Scooter and that word sick them?

484
00:27:42,440 --> 00:27:45,960
Speaker 4: Go after them, track them down. What would happen if

485
00:27:45,960 --> 00:27:49,160
Speaker 4: we would all bring someone back with us to church

486
00:27:49,359 --> 00:27:52,240
Speaker 4: next week that used to be here. We could touch

487
00:27:52,240 --> 00:27:56,240
Speaker 4: our community, our world in a much greater way. Look

488
00:27:56,280 --> 00:27:58,960
Speaker 4: around at the people that are close to you. That's

489
00:27:59,040 --> 00:28:02,480
Speaker 4: your congregation. That's the flow. God's putting you a charge

490
00:28:02,520 --> 00:28:05,640
Speaker 4: over Watch after them each week when they're not here.

491
00:28:05,680 --> 00:28:08,040
Speaker 4: Don't just think, well I miss them. Find out where

492
00:28:08,080 --> 00:28:11,080
Speaker 4: they are. Let them know you're concerned and that you

493
00:28:11,160 --> 00:28:14,359
Speaker 4: did miss them. Listen, if you'll make it your business

494
00:28:14,560 --> 00:28:17,240
Speaker 4: to take care of God's children, God will make it

495
00:28:17,320 --> 00:28:20,360
Speaker 4: his business to take care of you and your children

496
00:28:20,600 --> 00:28:23,160
Speaker 4: as you help others stay on the right course. God

497
00:28:23,240 --> 00:28:26,320
Speaker 4: will make sure you and your family fulfill your destiny.

498
00:28:26,560 --> 00:28:29,560
Speaker 4: And I believe and declare you will become everything God's

499
00:28:29,600 --> 00:28:31,720
Speaker 4: created you to be. Amen. Do you receive it today?

500
00:28:33,720 --> 00:28:36,520
Speaker 4: We never like to close our broadcast without giving you

501
00:28:36,560 --> 00:28:39,320
Speaker 4: an opportunity to make Jesus the Lord of your life.

502
00:28:39,760 --> 00:28:44,160
Speaker 4: Would you pray with me? Just say, Lord, Jesus, I

503
00:28:44,320 --> 00:28:49,000
Speaker 4: repent of my sins, Come into my heart. I make

504
00:28:49,080 --> 00:28:52,640
Speaker 4: you my Lord and savior. Friends, if you prayed that

505
00:28:52,720 --> 00:28:55,840
Speaker 4: simple prayer, we believe you got born again. Get in

506
00:28:55,880 --> 00:28:59,120
Speaker 4: a good Bible based church, keep God first place. He's

507
00:28:59,120 --> 00:29:01,320
Speaker 4: going to take your place that you've never dreamed of.

508
00:29:01,520 --> 00:29:04,520
Speaker 4: Thanks so much for listening to today's message. I hope

509
00:29:04,520 --> 00:29:07,920
Speaker 4: you'll subscribe so you can receive the latest podcast to

510
00:29:08,000 --> 00:29:10,520
Speaker 4: keep you encouraged and inspired all through the week.

511
00:29:10,640 --> 00:29:12,880
Speaker 5: Help us to continue to share the message of hope

512
00:29:12,880 --> 00:29:16,360
Speaker 5: with those all around the world. Visit Joelosting dot com

513
00:29:16,480 --> 00:29:19,080
Speaker 5: or click the link in the description to partner with

514
00:29:19,160 --> 00:29:19,680
Speaker 5: us today.

515
00:29:19,920 --> 00:29:22,360
Speaker 4: We hope you'll share this message with a friend and

516
00:29:22,480 --> 00:29:25,280
Speaker 4: be sure to follow us on social media. We're praying

517
00:29:25,360 --> 00:29:28,440
Speaker 4: for you. I know God's best is still ahead. We'll

518
00:29:28,440 --> 00:29:29,280
Speaker 4: see you next time.

519
00:29:31,280 --> 00:29:33,760
Speaker 6: More than ever before, people are turning to the church

520
00:29:33,840 --> 00:29:37,560
Speaker 6: for their mental health struggles. Unfortunately, the church has largely

521
00:29:37,600 --> 00:29:40,880
Speaker 6: been ill equipped to help, That is until now join

522
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Speaker 6: yourly fifty thousand people just like you who've enrolled in

523
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Speaker 6: the Mental Health Coach training program and become equipped to

524
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Speaker 6: health for a limited time. Apply for a full tuition

525
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Speaker 6: scholarship and only pay a one time tech fee of

526
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Speaker 6: fifty four dollars if accepted. Apply now at mentalhealth coach

527
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Speaker 6: dot org. Again, that's mental health coach Org.

528
00:30:02,480 --> 00:30:05,640
Speaker 7: Did you know you can be happier enjoying watermelon? Eighty

529
00:30:05,640 --> 00:30:10,800
Speaker 7: two percent of consumers agree eating watermelon boosts their mood

530
00:30:10,880 --> 00:30:14,120
Speaker 7: savor A slice pool side, toss into a salad, blends

531
00:30:14,160 --> 00:30:16,720
Speaker 7: into a chilled summer smoothie, whether you eat the fruit

532
00:30:16,840 --> 00:30:20,040
Speaker 7: or drink the juice, anyway you slice it. Eating watermelon

533
00:30:20,080 --> 00:30:21,880
Speaker 7: one hundred percent makes you feel happy.

534
00:30:22,240 --> 00:30:23,040
Speaker 1: Just look at the rind.

535
00:30:23,320 --> 00:30:26,440
Speaker 7: It leaves a smile behind. Be happy and check out

536
00:30:26,440 --> 00:30:29,320
Speaker 7: the Slice of Happy project at watermelon dot org.

537
00:30:31,280 --> 00:30:33,959
Speaker 8: With millions of books on Amazon, there's a reading feeling

538
00:30:34,040 --> 00:30:39,040
Speaker 8: for everyone. For example, Raquel's whoa when she first entered

539
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Speaker 8: the Kingdom by dragonback is different to Ari's whoa when

540
00:30:43,280 --> 00:30:46,200
Speaker 8: he found out there was more than one crime scene,

541
00:30:46,600 --> 00:30:51,320
Speaker 8: which is also different to Ava's whoa. The moment when

542
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Speaker 8: the stable boy became a stable man. From whoa to

543
00:30:56,280 --> 00:31:01,000
Speaker 8: whoa too. Amazon books that reading Dealing the Weights