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Speaker 1: Victoria, and I'm believe and you're going to have a

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Speaker 1: blessed summer. Praying for you guys every day, and thanks

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Speaker 1: for being with us today. Hey, I'm excited. Victoria's got

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Speaker 1: a new book out. It's called Grace to Go, and

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Speaker 1: I know it's going to bless you. I'm excited because

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Speaker 1: in this book you will see how you are strengthened,

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Speaker 1: that you are prepared and you are ready for anything

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Speaker 1: that's in front of you.

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Speaker 2: You are Grace to Go. Enjoy today's message.

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Speaker 1: Well, God bless you. It's always a joy to come

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Speaker 1: into your homes.

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Speaker 2: We love you.

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Speaker 1: If you're ever in our area, please stop by and

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Speaker 1: be a part of one of our services. I promise

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Speaker 1: you we'll make you feel right at home. Thanks so

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Speaker 1: much for tuning in, and thank you again for coming

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Speaker 1: out today. And I like to start with something funny.

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Speaker 1: And I take no credit for this joke. It was

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Speaker 1: given to me by my brother Paul. I heard about

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Speaker 1: this blonde lady. She was already not starting good is it.

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Speaker 1: She was out in the yard doing some work with

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Speaker 1: the weed eater when accidentally cut off her cat's tail.

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Speaker 1: He was in the bushes and she didn't see him,

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Speaker 1: and she felt so bad. She grabbed the cat, grabbed

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Speaker 1: the tail, told her friend She's going to Walmart.

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Speaker 2: She said Walmart.

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Speaker 1: While Walmart, she said, Hello, They're the largest retailer in

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Speaker 1: the world. Paul's cell number is seven one three. Say

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

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

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

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

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Speaker 1: I boldly confess. My mind is alert, my heart is receptive.

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Speaker 1: I will never be the same. In Jesus' name, God

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

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Speaker 1: how God is a rewarder. When you put God first place,

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Speaker 1: and you make it your highest propority to please Him,

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Speaker 1: then you can expect to live a blessed, fulfilled life.

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Speaker 2: That's what it says in Hebrews eleven six.

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Speaker 1: God is a rewarder of those who diligently seek him.

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Speaker 1: Notice who God rewards Not people that half heartedly seek him,

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Speaker 1: people that only think about him when they're having a problem,

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Speaker 1: people that only come to church when something special is

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Speaker 1: going on.

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Speaker 2: No, God rewards.

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Speaker 1: People that diligently seek him, people like you that get

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Speaker 1: up every morning and thank Him for his goodness, People

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Speaker 1: that go through the day meditating on his promises, people

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Speaker 1: that give him praise in the good times and in

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Speaker 1: the tough times. People that are always growing, learning, striving

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Speaker 1: to do better. When you diligently seek God, he promises

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Speaker 1: a reward is coming. God will give you strength, wisdom, favor,

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Speaker 1: good breaks, promotion, healing, restoration. You won't be able to

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Speaker 1: outrun the good things of God when you seek Him

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Speaker 1: with your whole heart. And what's interesting about a reward

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Speaker 1: is it's put in place before anyone claims it. Right now,

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Speaker 1: there are rewards for certain fugitives that are on the loose.

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Speaker 1: The money is already in a fund, just waiting for

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Speaker 1: someone to step up and claim it. The only thing

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Speaker 1: you have to do is find that fugitive, and then

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Speaker 1: the money would be released.

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Speaker 2: In that fund.

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Speaker 1: In the same way, God has a reward that's already

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Speaker 1: been put in place.

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Speaker 2: It's just waiting to be released.

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Speaker 1: The only catch is we have to meet the demands

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Speaker 1: of the reward.

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Speaker 2: Now.

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Speaker 1: The amazing thing about God is he says, you don't

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Speaker 1: even have to find me. If you'll just seek me,

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Speaker 1: I'll give you the reward if you'll just make an

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Speaker 1: effort to please me, If you'll just get up in

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Speaker 1: the morning and thank me, if you'll just read the scripture.

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Speaker 1: You may not even understand it, but God says, that's okay.

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Speaker 1: I'll give you the reward for.

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Speaker 2: Just making the effort.

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Speaker 1: Was driving out of my neighborhood the other day and

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Speaker 1: I saw a sign on a telephone poll. It said

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Speaker 1: lost dog, had a picture of the dog, and at

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Speaker 1: the bottom, in big letters, it read reward five hundred dollars.

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Speaker 1: Imagine I went to the house, knocked on the door,

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Speaker 1: said hey, I've been looking for your dog the last

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Speaker 1: two hours. I've searched this whole section of the neighborhood.

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Speaker 1: Now I'm here for the reward. That first question would

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Speaker 1: behave where's the dog? Well, sorry, I didn't find the dog,

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Speaker 1: but I promise you I've been looking. They would say, sir,

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Speaker 1: no dog, no reward. This is what's so great about God.

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Speaker 1: He says, I'll pay you just for looking. I'll bless

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Speaker 1: you just for seeking me. I'll reward you just for

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Speaker 1: coming to church. I'll show you a favor just forgetting

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Speaker 1: up in the morning and meditating on my promises. The

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Speaker 1: reward is not in having it all figured out. The

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Speaker 1: reward is in the seeking. The reward is in making

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Speaker 1: the effort. My father came from a family that didn't

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Speaker 1: have anything.

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Speaker 2: To do with God.

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Speaker 1: They were good people, but he didn't have any kind

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Speaker 1: of spiritual upbringing. At the age of seventeen, Daddy gave

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Speaker 1: his life to Christ, first one in the family.

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Speaker 2: God called him to preach.

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Speaker 1: As a teenager, he started ministering in the prisons, in

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Speaker 1: the senior citizens' homes, on the street corners. He didn't

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Speaker 1: know anything about the Bible. He'd never been to seminary.

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Speaker 2: He called job job.

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Speaker 1: One time, he preached a whole sermon on Samson and

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Speaker 1: realized at the end he'd been calling him Tarzan. He

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Speaker 1: didn't have it all together, but Daddy had a desire

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Speaker 1: to please God. He was seeking him making the effort.

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Speaker 1: God doesn't say, if you know all the scriptures, if

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Speaker 1: you understand all the theology, I'll give you the reward. Now,

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Speaker 1: God says, I'll pay you for making the effort. I'll

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Speaker 1: pay you trying. I'll pay you for seeking me. From

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Speaker 1: the time I was a little boy, my parents taught

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Speaker 1: me the importance of honoring God.

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Speaker 2: Now I wasn't perfect. I made mistakes, But.

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Speaker 1: For as long back as I could remember, I would

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Speaker 1: get up every morning and thank God for the day

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Speaker 1: and ask Him for wisdom and guidance.

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Speaker 2: Every day I would read a chapter in my Bible.

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Speaker 1: Didn't always understand it, still don't, and I'm the pastor

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Speaker 1: of a big church. God hasn't blessed me because I'm

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Speaker 1: the smartest, the most qualified, the most talented. God has

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Speaker 1: blessed me because I've made it a gold to seek Him,

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Speaker 1: to honor Him, to please him. Every morning, I still

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Speaker 1: get up and take the first half hour of the

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Speaker 1: day to thank God for his goodness, to acknowledge Him

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Speaker 1: as my savior, to ask him for wisdom. I pray

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Speaker 1: every day, Lord, let everything I do today bring honor

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Speaker 1: to your name. And God has taken me places.

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Speaker 2: That I've never dreamed of.

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Speaker 1: It's blessed our family more than I could imagine. I'd

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Speaker 1: love to tell you I'm just that smart, I'm just

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Speaker 1: that talented. I'm just an overachiever. No, I have done

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Speaker 1: my part to develop what God's given me. But I

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Speaker 1: know the promotion, the favor, the blessing has come because

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Speaker 1: I've kept God first place. I've done my best to

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Speaker 1: diligently seek him. I'm asking you to do the same thing.

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Speaker 1: Make pleasing God your highest priority. Get up every morning

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Speaker 1: and thank God for what He's done. Take time to

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Speaker 1: read the scripture all through the day. Meditate on God's promises.

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Speaker 1: When you have a major decision, ask God for wisdom.

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Speaker 1: If you live like that, God will take you places

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Speaker 1: that you've never dreamed of. Think about David. He wasn't

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Speaker 1: the biggest, strongest, most qualified.

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Speaker 2: How did he make it to the palace? How did he.

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Speaker 1: Surpass others that had more natural ability? The scripture says

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Speaker 1: David was a man after God's own heart. David was

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Speaker 1: constantly seeking God. He was always writing songs of praise,

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Speaker 1: telling God how much he loved him, how much he

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Speaker 1: needed him, how great God was. When you diligently seek God,

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Speaker 1: you will go places that your natural ability could not

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Speaker 1: have taken you. My sister Lisa met a lady in

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Speaker 1: Atlanta last week. She and her husband were in the

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Speaker 1: oil business, and at one time they had been very successful,

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Speaker 1: but over the last few years the business had really

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Speaker 1: gone down. In fact, they were about to go bankrupt.

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Speaker 1: They had laid off all their employees. They were close

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Speaker 1: to losing their own home. Now it was starting to

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Speaker 1: affect their marriage. They weren't getting along one thing after another.

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Speaker 1: One day they were flipping through the channels and they

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Speaker 1: saw us on television. They started listening.

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Speaker 2: Each week, faith began to rise in their hearts.

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Speaker 1: They heard me talking about how God is a god

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Speaker 1: of restor, how he can do exceedingly, abundantly above and beyond.

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Speaker 1: Those words of encouragement were like cool water to their dry,

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Speaker 1: thirsty souls. It impacted them so much they wanted to

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Speaker 1: be here in person. They lived in Mississippi, but every

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Speaker 1: week they would find the cheapest airfare they could find,

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Speaker 1: and they would fly to Houston on Saturday and attend

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Speaker 1: Lakewood and then fly home after the service, week after week,

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Speaker 1: month after month. I'm talking about diligently seeking Him.

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Speaker 2: It's funny.

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Speaker 1: Some people won't go across the street to honor God.

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Speaker 1: They're busy, they're tired, they don't want to be inconvenience.

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Speaker 1: But this couple was flying from another state. Friends, God

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Speaker 1: sees every sacrifice you make. He sees when you get

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Speaker 1: up in the morning to seek Him. He sees when

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Speaker 1: you take time to pray before you make the decision.

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Speaker 1: He sees you're getting your children dressed, driving down the

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Speaker 1: freeway to come to church. Your effort has not gone unnoticed.

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Speaker 1: Let me assure you a reward is coming. You cannot

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Speaker 1: give God something without him giving you more back in return.

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Speaker 1: You've given God your time by coming today, by watching,

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Speaker 1: God is going to help you to get more done

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Speaker 1: this week. Many of you gave him the offering. You

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Speaker 1: spent gas money. God's going to cause what you have

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Speaker 1: left over to go further than if you would have

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Speaker 1: kept it all for yourself.

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Speaker 2: That's just the way God is. When you seek him,

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Speaker 2: he rewards you.

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Speaker 1: This couple kept flying in Saturday after Saturday, week after week,

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Speaker 1: a journey of faith. The husband felt very strongly about

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Speaker 1: drilling for oil on this certain.

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Speaker 2: Piece of property. He drilled with no success.

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Speaker 1: He drilled at the same property again, no success, ten times,

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Speaker 1: twenty times, thirty times, forty times. His wife said, honey,

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Speaker 1: don't drill on this property anymore.

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Speaker 2: You've already done that.

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Speaker 1: Drill somewhere else down in here, kept telling him, drill

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Speaker 1: right where you are. His crew thought he had lost

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Speaker 1: his mind. They thought he was far off. But when

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Speaker 1: you honor God, he will give you inside information.

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Speaker 2: He'll lead you and direct you.

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Speaker 1: He drilled the forty sixth time, nothing, forty seven time nothing,

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Speaker 1: But on the forty eighth time they struck oil. Today

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Speaker 1: they're not struggling anymore. When they want to come see us,

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Speaker 1: they don't go buy a cheap ticket. They go get

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Speaker 1: on their own airplane. God has blessed them more than

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Speaker 1: they could even imagine, and they are being a bigger blessing,

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Speaker 1: more than they ever imagined. Friends, when you diligently seek God,

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Speaker 1: he promises a reward is coming. Many of you have

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Speaker 1: been faithful, You've honored God. You've gotten up early to spend.

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Speaker 2: Time with them.

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Speaker 1: You come every time the doors are open. God is saying,

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Speaker 1: get ready or reward is coming. God's going to give

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Speaker 1: you inside information. He's going to cause you to be

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Speaker 1: a the right place at the right time. Like this couple,

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Speaker 1: God has something big come in your way.

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Speaker 2: Here's the key.

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Speaker 1: If you don't realize God is a rewarder, then you

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Speaker 1: won't expect his goodness. Your expectation is your faith being released.

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Speaker 1: That's what allows God to do amazing things. Well, you say, Joe,

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Speaker 1: you're saying to just serve God, just to seek him

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Speaker 1: to get something from him. No, we serve God because

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Speaker 1: we love him. But I understand the nature of God.

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Speaker 1: When you honor God, he says, in effect, you don't

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Speaker 1: work for me for free. I'll pay you for seeking me.

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Speaker 1: Our attitude should be I've put God first. I've done

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Speaker 1: my best to please him, so I know payday is coming.

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Speaker 2: I know that reward is on its way.

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Speaker 1: Jesus said in Matthew six thirty three, seek first the

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Speaker 1: kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things

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Speaker 1: will be added unto you.

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Speaker 2: Notice the key, Seek first the kingdom.

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Speaker 1: In other words, don't seek the blessing, seek the bless ore.

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Speaker 1: Don't be consumed by things. Don't chase after money, fame, fortune,

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Speaker 1: bigger this bigger that.

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Speaker 2: Chase after God.

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Speaker 1: If you will seek the bless ore, then all these

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Speaker 1: blessings will be added under you. And this is where

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Speaker 1: many people miss it. When we seek things, life is

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Speaker 1: very shallow. We're always struggling trying to make it happen

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Speaker 1: God to have something bigger. But when you seek the

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Speaker 1: bless ore and say, God, my highest priority is to

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Speaker 1: please you, help me to honor you. When you live

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Speaker 1: that way instead of chasing blessings. Blessings will chase you.

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Speaker 1: And I'm all for having goals, dreams, pursuing what God's

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Speaker 1: put in our heart. But I've seen over and over

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Speaker 1: in my own life, when I'm just doing my best

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Speaker 1: to please God, to honor Him, focused on his principles,

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Speaker 1: then out of the blue, a good break, unexpected favor.

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Speaker 1: I'm at the right place at the right time. I

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Speaker 1: didn't have to manipulate things. I didn't have to struggle

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Speaker 1: to make it happen.

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Speaker 2: It was a reward.

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Speaker 1: It was something God blessed me with because I was

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Speaker 1: on his payroll.

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Speaker 2: I was diligently seeking him.

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Speaker 1: I love how it says all these things will be

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Speaker 1: added under you, not a few things, not a half

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Speaker 1: a dozen. God is a god of abundance. When you

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Speaker 1: keep him first place, you won't be able to contain

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Speaker 1: all the good things that God brings across your path.

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Speaker 1: And our main mission in life should not be making money.

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Speaker 1: Our main mission should be honoring God. Here's what I've learned.

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Speaker 1: When you honor God, the money will come. When you

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Speaker 1: honor God, he'll open the right doors, he'll bring the

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Speaker 1: right people. He'll cause you to be at the right

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Speaker 1: place at the right time. Victoria and I have never

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Speaker 1: had money as a goal. Our goal is to please God.

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Speaker 1: Victoria could say she has sought the blessing and the

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Speaker 1: bleeding has come. All these things have been added. Now

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Speaker 1: here's my challenge. Don't fall in love with the blessing.

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Speaker 1: Fall in love with the bless sored. Don't be so

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Speaker 1: consumed that you got to have that bigger house, you

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Speaker 1: got to have that promotion, working night and day trying

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Speaker 1: to make it happen. No, you're not called to make money.

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Speaker 1: You'll call to make a difference. You'll call to honor God. Sure,

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Speaker 1: work hard, develop your talents, be your best, but don't

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Speaker 1: chase money.

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Speaker 2: Chase God.

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Speaker 1: If you will seek the bless or, God will give

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Speaker 1: you what money cannot buy. You can work twenty four

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Speaker 1: to seven, but you can't buy health. You can't buy strength,

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Speaker 1: you can't buy a good night's rest. Seek first the

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Speaker 1: kingdom and God will reward you with all these things.

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Speaker 2: That word seek is a strong word.

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Speaker 1: One definition says to require as a vital necessity. You

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Speaker 1: need to see spending time with God as being vital

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Speaker 1: to living a victorious life, because sometimes we get up

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Speaker 1: in the morning. We think I don't want to read

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Speaker 1: my Bible today, I don't feel like going to church.

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Speaker 2: I'm tired.

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Speaker 1: But once you develop the habit and you see the

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Speaker 1: benefit of how you feel refreshed and restored, and how

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Speaker 1: you make better decisions and how you have God's favor,

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Speaker 1: then you'll think, I can't afford not to do this

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Speaker 1: without spending time.

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Speaker 2: It just doesn't feel right.

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Speaker 1: People tell me again and again, Joel, when I don't

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Speaker 1: come to church each week, I just don't have that

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Speaker 1: boost that I need. It says seek first the Kingdom.

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Speaker 1: In other words, honor God at the start of your day.

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Speaker 1: Make it a part of your routine. Last few months

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Speaker 1: of my father's life, he was on dialysis three times

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Speaker 1: a week for four hours a day.

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Speaker 2: He would go to.

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Speaker 1: The clinic to have his blood cleansed. There were times

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Speaker 1: that he didn't feel like going. He was tired, he

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Speaker 1: was busy, wanted to do something else, didn't matter. He

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Speaker 1: went anyway. Why his life depended on it. It wasn't

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Speaker 1: an option.

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Speaker 2: It was vital.

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Speaker 1: My father loved to travel all over the world, but

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Speaker 1: when he started dialysis, he had to change his plans

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Speaker 1: and rearrange his priorities. He knew how important dialysis was

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Speaker 1: to him.

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Speaker 2: That's the way we need to see seeking.

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Speaker 1: God require it as a vital necessity. When things get busy,

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Speaker 1: the children need you. It's hectic at the office, you

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Speaker 1: got a thousand things to do. You got to put

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Speaker 1: your foot down and say no, this is not an option.

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Speaker 1: If I'm going to be strong, if I'm going to

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Speaker 1: be productive today, if I'm going to have God's favor,

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Speaker 1: then I got to rearrange some priorities so I can

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Speaker 1: spend time with God. You may have to get up earlier,

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Speaker 1: before the children need you, before the email goes off,

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Speaker 1: before the phone starts ringing. You draw strength, encouragement, wisdom

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Speaker 1: when you're in God's presence. That's what's going to keep

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Speaker 1: your life fresh. Just like we feed our physical man,

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Speaker 1: we need to feed our spiritual man. Learn to invest

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Speaker 1: in yourself. Sometimes we feed the outer person three hot

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Speaker 1: meals a day, but we only feed our inner person

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Speaker 1: one cold snack a week. We wonder why we don't

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Speaker 1: have energy and favor and wisdom and creativity is because

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Speaker 1: we're not taking time to get filled back up.

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Speaker 2: The scripture says, in God's.

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Speaker 1: Presence is fullness of joy, fullness of peace, fullness of victory.

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Speaker 2: That's where you're refreshed and restored. Every day.

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Speaker 1: You need to take time to read your Bible all

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Speaker 1: through the day, Meditate on God's promises, put on some

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Speaker 1: good praise music, have that quiet time, which is you

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Speaker 1: and God. You know these days everything is so noisy,

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Speaker 1: so hectic, so busy. But when you get alone and

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Speaker 1: say God, I love you today, thank you for my life,

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Speaker 1: for my family, for the opportunities you've given me. Lord,

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Speaker 1: I know every good thing comes from you. When you

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Speaker 1: live like that, you will have fresh oil to keep

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Speaker 1: your light burning brightly.

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Speaker 2: It's easy to take care of everyone.

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Speaker 1: Else, but your first priority is to take care of yourself.

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Speaker 1: Sometimes we're always giving, taking care of the children, working

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Speaker 1: over time at the office, helping that friend that's struggling,

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Speaker 1: and that's all good. But if we're not careful, we're

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Speaker 1: always giving, and we end up run down. You have

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Speaker 1: to take time every day to get filled back up.

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Speaker 1: When you're in God's presence like today, you're being refreshed, restored,

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Speaker 1: re energized. Proverbs three six says, in all your ways,

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Speaker 1: acknowledge God, and He will crown your efforts with success.

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Speaker 1: All through the day, we should be acknowledging God, asking

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Speaker 1: for his health, seeking his wisdom, thanking him for his goodness.

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Speaker 1: In the morning, Father, thank you for another beautiful day.

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Speaker 1: I commit this day, my plans, my future into your hands.

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Speaker 1: You just acknowledge God. He promises he'll crown that day

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Speaker 1: with success. Driving on the freeway, Father, thank you for

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Speaker 1: getting me there safely at the office. Lord, help me

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Speaker 1: to be productive today at home. Father, bless my children

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Speaker 1: before you go to bed. Lord, thank you for a

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Speaker 1: good night's rest. When you're constantly acknowledging God, you're seeking him,

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Speaker 1: he says, a reward is coming. I wonder how much

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Speaker 1: more of God's favor we would see if we would

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Speaker 1: acknowledge God more often. Friends, God is a gentleman. He's

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Speaker 1: not going to butt into your life. You have to

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Speaker 1: invite him in, not just once, when you commit your

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Speaker 1: life to him. I'm talking about all through the day,

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Speaker 1: in all your ways, acknowledge God, even things that we

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Speaker 1: can do on our own.

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Speaker 2: If you will acknowledge God, it will go better. It

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Speaker 2: will be easier.

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Speaker 1: At the grocery store, Father, help me to find good

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Speaker 1: deals today in a crowded parking lot. Lord, help me

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Speaker 1: to find a parking spot before you play that ballgame. Lord,

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Speaker 1: help my skills, my gifts, my talents to come out

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Speaker 1: to the full.

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Speaker 2: So often we think we can only talk to.

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Speaker 1: God about major problems, major obstacles. But God wants to

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Speaker 1: be involved in every part of our lives. That's why

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Speaker 1: he said, in all your ways, if you'll acknowledge me,

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Speaker 1: if you'll put me first, I'll give you a reward.

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Speaker 1: See when we acknowledge God, we're showing our dependency on him.

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Speaker 1: We're putting away our pride and in humility, we're saying, God,

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Speaker 1: I need you to I'm counting.

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Speaker 2: On your strength, your favor.

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Speaker 1: It's this attitude of dependency that God responds to. That's

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Speaker 1: what causes him to show up and crown that day

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Speaker 1: with success. On the other hand, when we don't ask

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Speaker 1: for God's help, we're showing our self reliance.

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Speaker 2: We're saying, in.

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Speaker 1: Effect, God, I got this cupboard today.

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Speaker 2: I don't need you. I can do it on my own.

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Speaker 1: That's when God will step back and take away his blessing.

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Speaker 1: It doesn't mean that we want to accomplish things, But

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Speaker 1: my point is this, how much more could we accomplish.

404
00:22:34,000 --> 00:22:36,400
Speaker 2: How much easier would it be, How much.

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Speaker 1: Less of a headache, stress, and strain if we had

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Speaker 1: the creator of the universe breathing in our direction in

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Speaker 1: all of your ways, Learn to acknowledge God. A few

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Speaker 1: years ago, one of our rabbits got out of the cage.

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Speaker 2: We have this fenced off area in our backyard.

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Speaker 1: And somebody left the little gate open, and this has

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Speaker 1: happened several times before. And this particular rabbit that got

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Speaker 1: out was almost impossible to catch a few months earlier,

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Speaker 1: he got out, and I spent over two and a

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Speaker 1: half hours in my backyard with my children trying to

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Speaker 1: catch this rabbit. He gets along the fence line in

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Speaker 1: the bushes and runs up and down.

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Speaker 2: He is so fast.

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Speaker 1: I took some food out there to bribe him, and

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Speaker 1: I gave him the food, but he got away before

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Speaker 1: I could grab him.

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Speaker 2: Then I got my children, Jonathan Alexandra.

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Speaker 1: They got a big blanket and I had a blanket,

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Speaker 1: and we were on that fence line, very strategically closing in.

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Speaker 1: When we threw our blankets, though he was able to

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Speaker 1: get away. After two and a half hours, I was

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Speaker 1: so frustrated. I went in the house About a half

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Speaker 1: hour later, our daughter Alexandra, she was about seven at

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Speaker 1: that time, she caught the rabbit. But this particular morning,

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Speaker 1: it was very early. I was in my office at

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Speaker 1: home preparing my message, and the children were about to

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Speaker 1: go to school. They came running up the stairs and said, Daddy, Daddy,

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Speaker 1: the rabbit is out.

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Speaker 2: And he's in the front yard.

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Speaker 1: To me, that was the worst possible news I could

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Speaker 1: have received. You could have said the house was on fire,

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Speaker 1: and I thought, okay, I can deal with that, But

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00:24:04,600 --> 00:24:06,800
Speaker 1: I did not want to deal with this stinking rabbit.

438
00:24:06,840 --> 00:24:09,840
Speaker 1: I mean, this beautiful rabbit. It took me two and

439
00:24:09,880 --> 00:24:13,040
Speaker 1: a half hours in the backyard. I thought, man alive

440
00:24:13,119 --> 00:24:14,840
Speaker 1: in the front yard. He can run all the way

441
00:24:14,880 --> 00:24:17,359
Speaker 1: down the street. We're gonna be here forever. And I

442
00:24:17,440 --> 00:24:20,639
Speaker 1: went out there and Victorian, some neighbors, and our children.

443
00:24:21,000 --> 00:24:23,560
Speaker 1: They were looking at the rabbit in the bushes, just

444
00:24:23,600 --> 00:24:26,760
Speaker 1: as calm as can be. This time, I decided a

445
00:24:26,800 --> 00:24:30,840
Speaker 1: different approach. I thought, I'm gonna pray. I remembered Proverbs

446
00:24:30,840 --> 00:24:33,480
Speaker 1: three six. I said, Father, you said, if I would

447
00:24:33,520 --> 00:24:36,080
Speaker 1: acknowledge you in all my ways, you had crowned my

448
00:24:36,119 --> 00:24:39,560
Speaker 1: efforts with success. God, I know you made this rabbit.

449
00:24:40,200 --> 00:24:43,240
Speaker 1: You're in complete control, and said, God, I'm asking you

450
00:24:43,320 --> 00:24:45,680
Speaker 1: to cause this rabbit to be still so.

451
00:24:45,680 --> 00:24:48,440
Speaker 2: I can catch him and go on about my business.

452
00:24:49,320 --> 00:24:50,680
Speaker 2: You laugh, but it turns out good.

453
00:24:52,600 --> 00:24:55,040
Speaker 1: I went over to that rabbit and he turned like

454
00:24:55,119 --> 00:24:57,880
Speaker 1: he's gonna take off running like he always does. But

455
00:24:58,160 --> 00:25:00,600
Speaker 1: for some reason, it was like some and put the

456
00:25:00,640 --> 00:25:05,520
Speaker 1: brakes on him. He didn't twitch, he didn't sniff, he

457
00:25:05,560 --> 00:25:08,639
Speaker 1: didn't wiggle. He was frozen in his tracks. I was

458
00:25:08,680 --> 00:25:10,960
Speaker 1: able to pick up that rabbit. Listen, We've had that

459
00:25:11,040 --> 00:25:14,200
Speaker 1: rabbit six years. I've never caught that rabbit that easily before.

460
00:25:14,600 --> 00:25:17,919
Speaker 1: When I got that rabbit, he started going wild, trying

461
00:25:17,920 --> 00:25:20,479
Speaker 1: to get loose. It's like God, said Joel, I gave

462
00:25:20,560 --> 00:25:21,040
Speaker 1: him to you.

463
00:25:21,119 --> 00:25:21,720
Speaker 2: But good luck.

464
00:25:21,760 --> 00:25:21,920
Speaker 1: Now.

465
00:25:24,520 --> 00:25:26,119
Speaker 2: That rabbit was so mad.

466
00:25:26,680 --> 00:25:29,720
Speaker 1: He was snarling at me like he was thinking, how

467
00:25:29,840 --> 00:25:31,639
Speaker 1: in the world did I let you catch me in?

468
00:25:31,920 --> 00:25:33,800
Speaker 1: I thought, don't get mad at me, God, did it

469
00:25:33,840 --> 00:25:39,000
Speaker 1: to you. Let me encourage you acknowledge God in all

470
00:25:39,119 --> 00:25:42,160
Speaker 1: your ways, in big things, in little things, at home,

471
00:25:42,280 --> 00:25:45,280
Speaker 1: at the office, the little league field, the grocery store.

472
00:25:46,680 --> 00:25:48,080
Speaker 2: God. I need you today.

473
00:25:48,600 --> 00:25:51,879
Speaker 1: God, I recognize you're the source of my strength. That's

474
00:25:51,920 --> 00:25:56,600
Speaker 1: seeking God. He promises a reward is coming. Proverbs twenty

475
00:25:56,640 --> 00:26:00,840
Speaker 1: two four says, the reward of true humility and fear

476
00:26:00,880 --> 00:26:05,679
Speaker 1: of the Lord is wealth, honor, and a long life.

477
00:26:05,800 --> 00:26:08,240
Speaker 1: That's my prayer for each of you, that you will

478
00:26:08,240 --> 00:26:11,200
Speaker 1: have God's favor, that you will live a long life,

479
00:26:11,520 --> 00:26:14,000
Speaker 1: and that you will see all your dreams come to pass.

480
00:26:14,200 --> 00:26:15,200
Speaker 2: How does this happen?

481
00:26:15,640 --> 00:26:20,880
Speaker 1: By honoring God? Make pleasing God your highest priority. Get

482
00:26:20,960 --> 00:26:24,200
Speaker 1: up every morning and thank God for his goodness all

483
00:26:24,280 --> 00:26:24,840
Speaker 1: through the day.

484
00:26:25,000 --> 00:26:28,159
Speaker 2: Acknowledge God. Keep your inner man filled.

485
00:26:27,960 --> 00:26:30,760
Speaker 1: Up by spending time with God. See it as a

486
00:26:30,880 --> 00:26:36,160
Speaker 1: vital necessity. Remember, don't seek the blessing. Seek the bless old,

487
00:26:36,560 --> 00:26:39,159
Speaker 1: and the blessing will come. All these things will be

488
00:26:39,160 --> 00:26:42,480
Speaker 1: added under you. Now, I believe today, because you are

489
00:26:42,520 --> 00:26:46,840
Speaker 1: diligently seeking God, a reward is coming. Get ready for

490
00:26:46,960 --> 00:26:51,280
Speaker 1: God's goodness. He's going to turn negative situations around. He's

491
00:26:51,320 --> 00:26:54,040
Speaker 1: going to open up new doors. God's going to give

492
00:26:54,080 --> 00:26:57,520
Speaker 1: you inside information. He's going to pour out his favor

493
00:26:57,720 --> 00:27:00,960
Speaker 1: in ways greater than you ever imagine. God is saying,

494
00:27:01,160 --> 00:27:04,520
Speaker 1: I'm going to pay you for seeking Me with favor,

495
00:27:04,840 --> 00:27:10,160
Speaker 1: with honor, and with a long, blessed, satisfied, productive, prosperous,

496
00:27:10,359 --> 00:27:13,879
Speaker 1: faith filled, healthy life. I declare it and I believe

497
00:27:13,920 --> 00:27:15,080
Speaker 1: it over each one of you.

498
00:27:15,480 --> 00:27:17,480
Speaker 2: If you receive it, can you say a men? Today?

499
00:27:18,880 --> 00:27:21,679
Speaker 1: We never like to close our broadcast without giving you

500
00:27:21,720 --> 00:27:24,399
Speaker 1: an opportunity to make Jesus the lord of your life.

501
00:27:24,640 --> 00:27:28,760
Speaker 1: Would you pray with me? Just say, Lord, Jesus, I

502
00:27:28,920 --> 00:27:32,119
Speaker 1: repent of my sins. Come into my heart.

503
00:27:33,240 --> 00:27:36,879
Speaker 2: I make you my Lord and savior. Friends, if you

504
00:27:36,920 --> 00:27:38,720
Speaker 2: prayed that simple prayer, we believe you.

505
00:27:38,760 --> 00:27:41,600
Speaker 1: Got born again. Get in a good Bible based church.

506
00:27:41,880 --> 00:27:44,480
Speaker 1: Keep God first place. He's going to take your places

507
00:27:44,600 --> 00:27:49,760
Speaker 1: you've never dreamed of. Sometimes in life, people don't choose us.

508
00:27:50,160 --> 00:27:52,960
Speaker 1: We've all felt overlooked and like we're not good enough.

509
00:27:53,359 --> 00:27:56,400
Speaker 1: It's easy to live inferior. Think you we don't measure up.

510
00:27:57,080 --> 00:27:59,480
Speaker 1: People may have left you out. The good news is

511
00:27:59,760 --> 00:28:02,680
Speaker 1: God God has chosen you. He's the one that matters

512
00:28:03,040 --> 00:28:06,080
Speaker 1: and in my new book, Chosen. Your life is marked

513
00:28:06,080 --> 00:28:10,199
Speaker 1: for distinction. You'll discover before you were born, God not

514
00:28:10,280 --> 00:28:13,399
Speaker 1: only knew you, but he handpicked you and placed a

515
00:28:13,520 --> 00:28:17,040
Speaker 1: calling on your lie. You are equipped and empowered to

516
00:28:17,160 --> 00:28:21,560
Speaker 1: fulfill your destiny. When you understand that you're chosen. Fear

517
00:28:21,680 --> 00:28:24,560
Speaker 1: and doubt can't stay. You live with a boldness to

518
00:28:24,640 --> 00:28:27,720
Speaker 1: step into the greatness God put in you. I love

519
00:28:27,760 --> 00:28:30,560
Speaker 1: to send you by new book Chosen, plus the Chosen

520
00:28:30,600 --> 00:28:32,879
Speaker 1: T Shirt from our friends at Copperfit.

521
00:28:33,680 --> 00:28:36,080
Speaker 3: As our way of saying thank you for your gift

522
00:28:36,119 --> 00:28:38,760
Speaker 3: of any amount this month, we would like to send

523
00:28:38,760 --> 00:28:42,640
Speaker 3: you a copy of Joel's book Chosen. Your life is

524
00:28:42,720 --> 00:28:47,040
Speaker 3: marked for distinction in the scriptures, Jesus encouraged us by

525
00:28:47,080 --> 00:28:51,840
Speaker 3: saying you didn't choose me, I chose you. This powerful

526
00:28:51,880 --> 00:28:55,040
Speaker 3: guide will help you discover the abundant life you were

527
00:28:55,080 --> 00:28:58,440
Speaker 3: designed to live as a child of God. You have

528
00:28:58,560 --> 00:29:02,600
Speaker 3: a calling, a purpose, y a destiny still to be fulfilled.

529
00:29:02,880 --> 00:29:05,800
Speaker 3: When you request your copy, we also want to send

530
00:29:05,840 --> 00:29:09,440
Speaker 3: you our exclusive Chosen T shirt from Copperfit that will

531
00:29:09,480 --> 00:29:13,520
Speaker 3: remind you that you've been chosen by Almighty God every

532
00:29:13,600 --> 00:29:17,280
Speaker 3: time you wear it. Please request these gifts today and

533
00:29:17,360 --> 00:29:21,000
Speaker 3: discover that God is moving on your behalf. Your next

534
00:29:21,080 --> 00:29:23,600
Speaker 3: days are going to be your best days.

535
00:29:24,160 --> 00:29:27,360
Speaker 1: You're not average, You're not ordinary. You've been chosen by

536
00:29:27,440 --> 00:29:30,280
Speaker 1: Almighty God. Betroy and I want you to know how

537
00:29:30,360 --> 00:29:32,800
Speaker 1: much we love you. We pray for you and your

538
00:29:32,840 --> 00:29:36,000
Speaker 1: family every day, and thanks so much for your prayer

539
00:29:36,160 --> 00:29:36,800
Speaker 1: and support.

540
00:29:37,120 --> 00:29:40,160
Speaker 2: Your generosity is helping people all over the world.

541
00:29:40,480 --> 00:29:43,240
Speaker 1: Now special thank you to our Champion of Hope partners

542
00:29:43,360 --> 00:29:44,600
Speaker 1: for your monthly gifts.

543
00:29:44,920 --> 00:29:48,000
Speaker 2: If you're not a partner, I hope you'll consider becoming one.

544
00:29:48,320 --> 00:29:52,640
Speaker 1: Remember you can watch the services online live every Sunday morning,

545
00:29:53,040 --> 00:29:57,320
Speaker 1: download our daily podcast, watch on YouTube, the new Joelosting

546
00:29:57,440 --> 00:29:59,840
Speaker 1: Network social media, listen on Serious.

547
00:30:00,920 --> 00:30:04,040
Speaker 2: We'll keep you encouraged and inspired until we see you

548
00:30:04,080 --> 00:30:06,840
Speaker 2: next time. May the Lord bless you and keep you.

549
00:30:07,800 --> 00:30:11,240
Speaker 3: Be sure to request your copy of Chosen. Your life

550
00:30:11,280 --> 00:30:15,040
Speaker 3: is Marked for Distinction, plus our exclusive Chosen T shirt

551
00:30:15,120 --> 00:30:19,600
Speaker 3: from Copperfit. Visit Joelostein dot com or call eight eight

552
00:30:19,600 --> 00:30:24,160
Speaker 3: eight five six seven Joel for an additional donation. This month,

553
00:30:24,320 --> 00:30:27,840
Speaker 3: we are also offering the NLT Large print Thin Line

554
00:30:27,920 --> 00:30:31,960
Speaker 3: Reference Bible. This Bible also enables you to connect through

555
00:30:32,000 --> 00:30:35,680
Speaker 3: your smartphone or tablet to a vast, powerpacked array of

556
00:30:35,720 --> 00:30:41,240
Speaker 3: study notes, devotionals, interactive maps, videos, and worship music. You

557
00:30:41,320 --> 00:30:45,200
Speaker 3: can request these inspiring resources by calling eight eight eight

558
00:30:45,520 --> 00:30:49,640
Speaker 3: five six seven Joel or logging on to jolostein dot

559
00:30:49,680 --> 00:30:54,960
Speaker 3: com Today, call or click anytime, twenty four hours a day. Yes,

560
00:30:55,360 --> 00:30:58,760
Speaker 3: God has chosen you for a reason, for a purpose.

561
00:30:59,240 --> 00:31:03,000
Speaker 3: Request your copies today