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Speaker 1: Victoria and I believe in 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: Now, God bless you. It's always a joy to come

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Speaker 1: into your homes. And if you're ever in our area,

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Speaker 1: please stop by and be a part of one of

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Speaker 1: our services. I'll promise you we'll make you feel right

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Speaker 1: at home. Thanks so much so for tuning in, and

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Speaker 1: thank you again.

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Speaker 2: For coming out.

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Speaker 1: I like to start with something funny and one day,

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Speaker 1: Jesus and Satan we're having a contest to see who

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Speaker 1: was better with computers. After six hours of making spreadsheets

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Speaker 1: designing web pages, a thunderstorm knocked the power out. When

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Speaker 1: they rebooted their computers, Satan started screaming, it's all lost.

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Speaker 1: All my material is gone, while Jesus quietly printed his

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Speaker 1: out and turned it in.

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Speaker 2: Satan complained, it's not fair. He must have cheated. How

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Speaker 2: come he didn't lose his work. God smiled and said,

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Speaker 2: Jesus Saves, let's say it like you minute. This is

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

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Speaker 3: I am.

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

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

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

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

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

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Speaker 1: to talk to you today about separated for the better.

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Speaker 1: In the scripture, there's a place called the threshing floor.

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Speaker 2: That's where the wheat was separated.

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Speaker 1: From the chap and back in those days they didn't

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Speaker 1: have machinery, so they would lay sheaves of wheat on

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Speaker 1: the ground and have their oxen and cattle walk over them. Repeatedly,

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Speaker 1: they would break up the husk and straw. The valuable

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Speaker 1: part of the plant, the grain that was used for

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Speaker 1: bread and meal, would come loose from the chaff. The

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Speaker 1: farmer could have a great harvest, but if he didn't

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Speaker 1: separate the dysfunctional part of the plant from the functional,

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Speaker 1: he would never make a living even though he had

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Speaker 1: something very valuable if it didn't go through this process,

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Speaker 1: it wouldn't do him any good. In the same way,

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Speaker 1: to reach our highest potential, God will take us through

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Speaker 1: some threshing floors. We start off like that stalk of wheat.

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Speaker 1: The potential is there. We have seeds of greatness. We're valuable.

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Speaker 1: But the problem is we all have some chaff along

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Speaker 1: with the valuable grain.

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Speaker 2: We may have some pride.

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Speaker 1: Or selfishness or insecurities. And unless God took us through

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Speaker 1: the threshing floor, we'd never become what he created us

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Speaker 1: to be. God has to separate the dysfunctional part of us,

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Speaker 1: the part that's holding us back, from the valuable part. Now,

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Speaker 1: if the weak could talk, it would say, I don't

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Speaker 1: want to go through the threshing floor. I don't want

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Speaker 1: animals walking on me. That's uncomfortable, that's painful, Leave me alone.

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Speaker 1: But the farmer knows without the separation, the grain would

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Speaker 1: never be useful. And sometimes we think, why am I

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Speaker 1: stuck in traffic again? Why want this person give me credit?

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Speaker 1: Why did this friend walk away? We don't realize we're.

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Speaker 2: On the threshing floor. What we think is a bad break,

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Speaker 2: a disappointment.

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Speaker 1: We don't like it, we're uncomfortable, but God is the

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Speaker 1: one that ordained it. Instead of fighting it, if you'll

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Speaker 1: stay in peace, then you're being refined. What's holding you

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Speaker 1: back is coming off like that. We you're becoming more valuable.

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Speaker 1: Person at work that always gets on your nerves, always

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Speaker 1: tries to make you look bad.

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Speaker 2: As long as you.

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Speaker 1: Let that frustrate you ruin your day, you're going to

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Speaker 1: get stuck. But when you recognize I'm on the threshing floor,

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Speaker 1: this is an opportunity to come up higher. I'm being refined,

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Speaker 1: so I'm gonna stay in peace. I'm gonna let God

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Speaker 1: fight my battles. When you have that approach, even if

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Speaker 1: the situation doesn't change, you will change.

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Speaker 2: You're getting better.

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Speaker 1: The scripture says, our faith is tried in the fire

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Speaker 1: of affliction. We can't pray away every difficulty. There will

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Speaker 1: be things that happen that you don't understand. You went

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Speaker 1: through a loss, a friend lets you down, you didn't

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Speaker 1: get the promotion. Recognize you're on the threshing floor even

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Speaker 1: though it's uncomfortable. If you'll keep the right attitude, you'll

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Speaker 1: come out refined, more valuable, separated from what's holding you back.

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Speaker 1: I'm a very oriented person and I never liked to wait.

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Speaker 1: But it seemed like the more impatient I was, the

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Speaker 1: more I found myself in situations that I didn't have

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Speaker 1: a choice.

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Speaker 2: I had to wait.

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Speaker 1: I never dreamed it was God putting me there. I

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Speaker 1: was sure it was the enemy trying to slow me down.

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Speaker 1: I tried to pray away every traffic jam, every slow driver,

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Speaker 1: every delayed I prayed that Victoria'd get dressed faster, and prayed.

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Speaker 2: That the kids would be ready on time.

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Speaker 1: No wonder, it didn't work. I was praying against what

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Speaker 1: God had ordained. He loved me too much to answer

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Speaker 1: my prayer. I wanted God to change the situation. God

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Speaker 1: wanted the situation to change me. Maybe you're on the

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Speaker 1: threshing floor today fighting something you don't like.

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Speaker 2: Why don't you have a new perspective.

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Speaker 1: God wouldn't have you there unless you needed it. It

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Speaker 1: may not be good, but God knows how to use

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Speaker 1: it for your good. Instead of living frustrated so we're bitter,

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Speaker 1: have the attitude. I may not like this, but I

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Speaker 1: know I'm on the threshing floor I'm being refined.

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Speaker 2: I'm getting better. I'm coming up higher.

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Speaker 1: One Sunday morning, when our services were still held at

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Speaker 1: our northeast location, I headed out for church. I like

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Speaker 1: to arrive at least thirty minutes early, so i'n go

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Speaker 1: over my notes and get ready. But when I came

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Speaker 1: to the main intersection to leave my neighborhood, it was

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Speaker 1: blocked off because of the marathon that happens here every January.

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Speaker 1: So I turned around to go out the backside of

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Speaker 1: the neighborhood, but it was blocked off as well. I

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Speaker 1: tried another place, and another and another. There was no

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Speaker 1: way to get out. I was so frustrated. I went

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Speaker 1: back to the main intersection. I said to the police

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Speaker 1: officer standing there. I passed for a church across town.

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Speaker 1: I'm trying to get on the freeway, but can't seem

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Speaker 1: to get out of the neighborhood. All he had to

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Speaker 1: do was moved one cone and let me cross the

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Speaker 1: road early Sunday morning, not another car or person in sight.

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Speaker 2: He was going to help.

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Speaker 1: He said, all right, let me see what I can do.

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Speaker 1: Then he turned and looked at his supervisor across the intersection.

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Speaker 1: Before he could say anything. His supervisor started shaking his head. No.

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Speaker 1: Couldn't believe he didn't know what we're gonna ask. I

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Speaker 1: wanted to say, tell him I was gonna buy him

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Speaker 1: a new car.

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Speaker 2: He just said no. I turned around so frustrated, drove through.

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Speaker 1: The neighborhood another ten fifteen minutes, finally found this small

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Speaker 1: side street to get out. The funny thing is when

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Speaker 1: I got to church, Victoria was already there. She left

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Speaker 1: thirty minutes after me. I said, how did you get

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Speaker 1: here so fast? She said, I went the normal way.

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Speaker 1: The intersection was open for me. Friends, God knows how

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Speaker 1: to put you where you're supposed to be. If he

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Speaker 1: has you there, don't fight.

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Speaker 2: It, embrace it, stay in peace.

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Speaker 1: See Victoria is very relaxed, easy going. She doesn't struggle

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Speaker 1: with being impatient. She has a whole bunch of other

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Speaker 1: things she deals with. But I'm not the only sinner

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Speaker 1: in the family. Now what am I saying? If we

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Speaker 1: would work with God and let the situation change us

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Speaker 1: instead of trying to change everything we don't like, we

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Speaker 1: wouldn't have to keep taking the same test. I had

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Speaker 1: to go back to that threshing floor again and again,

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Speaker 1: stuck in traffic. Some things don't come off easily. God

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Speaker 1: will deliberately put us in situations so we can come

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Speaker 1: up higher. The right approach is, if God has me here,

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Speaker 1: I must need it. I'm going to keep a good

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Speaker 1: attitude knowing that I'm coming out refined, I'm coming out

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Speaker 1: more valuable. In the scripture, when the three Hebrew teenagers

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Speaker 1: wouldn't bow down to the king's golden idol, he was

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Speaker 1: very upset. He was going to have them thrown in

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Speaker 1: to a fiery furnace. He had their hands and feet

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Speaker 1: bound with cords, and he threw them into the furnace.

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Speaker 1: But the only thing that was burned in the fire

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Speaker 1: were the cords that were holding them back.

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Speaker 2: The fire didn't stop them.

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Speaker 1: The fire separated them from their limitations. It was meant

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Speaker 1: to destroy them, but in fact it made them better.

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Speaker 1: They came out with a new confidence, with a greater

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Speaker 1: trust in God.

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Speaker 2: Not in the fire, but on fire.

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Speaker 1: Just like with them, when you find yourself in the fire,

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Speaker 1: you can stay in peace knowing that God is not

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Speaker 1: going to.

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Speaker 2: Harm anything that you need.

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Speaker 1: That difficulty is not going to leave you broken, scarred, defeated.

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Speaker 1: All it's going to do is burn off any limitations

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Speaker 1: that are holding you back. It's going to separate anything

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Speaker 1: that's not God's best. You're going to come out prepared,

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Speaker 1: ready for the next level.

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Speaker 2: In the script we see this principle.

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Speaker 1: All the great heroes of faith went through their threshing

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Speaker 1: floor experiences. Remember Peter, he was hot tempered, he used

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Speaker 1: bad language. He told Jesus, I'll never deny you. I'm

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Speaker 1: your main disciple. I'll be with you through thick and thin.

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Speaker 1: But when he was put on the threshing floor in

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Speaker 1: the heat of the moment, he denied that he knew Christ.

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Speaker 1: When you're under pressure, you find out what's really on

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Speaker 1: the inside. That's when impurities in our character come to light.

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Speaker 1: If you'll work with God and let him refine you,

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Speaker 1: you'll come out better.

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Speaker 2: This is what happened with Peter.

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Speaker 1: He didn't stay there one day, he ministered, and three

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Speaker 1: thousand people came to know the Lord the most in

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Speaker 1: the scripture, he was so powerful that his shadow caused

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Speaker 1: people to get healed. Moses, as a young man, knew

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Speaker 1: he was supposed to deliver God's people. The dream was

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Speaker 1: in his heart, but he got out of God's timing,

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Speaker 1: tried to do it in his own strength. He ended

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Speaker 1: up killing a man and had to flee for his life.

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Speaker 1: He spent forty years on the backside of the desert.

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Speaker 1: Looked like that one mistake ruined his destiny. God never

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Speaker 1: writes us off. He was on the threshing floor being refined.

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Speaker 1: When he was eighty years old. The scripture says Moses

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Speaker 1: was the most humble.

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Speaker 2: Gentle man alive.

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Speaker 1: God was saying, Moses, I haven't forgotten about you that

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Speaker 1: threshing floor experience.

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Speaker 2: You may not have liked.

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Speaker 1: It may have been uncomfortable, but the good news, it's

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Speaker 1: prepared you.

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Speaker 2: For the fullness of your destiny.

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Speaker 1: Moses went on to bring the Israelites out of slavery,

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Speaker 1: lead them toward the Promised Land. What had never happened

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Speaker 1: without the threshing floor. Judges chapter six tells about a

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Speaker 1: time when the Israelites would go out and plant their crops,

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Speaker 1: water them, cultivate them. But when it came time to reap,

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Speaker 1: an enemy would come and take their harvest. God raised

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Speaker 1: up a man by the name of Gideon to do

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Speaker 1: something about it. The problem Gideon was insecure. He didn't

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Speaker 1: think he could do anything great as long as he

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Speaker 1: felt inferior, he would never reach his destiny. God didn't say, Gideon,

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Speaker 1: too bad. I had something amazing in your future. So

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Speaker 1: you have all these things holding you back. I can't

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Speaker 1: use you. No. God never leaves us where we are.

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Speaker 1: This is what the threshing floor is all about. God

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Speaker 1: puts us in situations to separate what's limiting us. God

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Speaker 1: told Gideon, I want you to lead the people and

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Speaker 1: defeat this army. Gideon said, God, how can I do that.

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Speaker 1: I'm the least one in my father's house. It's significant

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Speaker 1: where Gideon was when he said this, he was hiding

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Speaker 1: in a threshing floor.

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Speaker 2: He felt weak, inferior, less than.

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Speaker 1: God answered him back and said, Gideon, you are a

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Speaker 1: mighty man of valor. You are well able to accomplish

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Speaker 1: this assignment. I can imagine hiding there. Something came all

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Speaker 1: over him. He thought to himself, you know what. I'm

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Speaker 1: not weak, I'm not defeated. I'm a child of the

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Speaker 1: most high God. Suddenly fear left him. Intimidation was gone.

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Speaker 1: The threshing floor will separate what's limiting you. On the

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Speaker 1: threshing floor, God will stir your gifts. You'll hear him

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Speaker 1: speak in faith and victory over your life. Gideon would

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Speaker 1: have been satisfied to stay there hiding, just have enough

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Speaker 1: to survive. God said Gideon, this is not your destiny.

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Speaker 1: You are not going to let the enemy steal your

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Speaker 1: harvest the rest of your life. Rise up and go

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Speaker 1: do something about it. See, the threshing floor was never

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Speaker 1: meant to be permanent. God is saying to us what

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Speaker 1: he said to Gideon. You've been on that threshing floor

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Speaker 1: long enough. It's time to go get what belongs to you.

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Speaker 1: That means shake off the disappointments, shake off low expectations,

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Speaker 1: shake off what people told you you can't do.

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Speaker 2: People don't determine your destiny. God does.

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Speaker 1: There is a great harvest in front of you. It

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Speaker 1: has your name on it.

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Speaker 2: Don't let the enemy keep taking.

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Speaker 1: What belongs to you. You are a mighty man of valor.

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Speaker 1: You are a mighty woman of valor. Like Gideon.

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Speaker 2: You've been equipped, empowered, anointed.

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Speaker 1: You are well able to accomplish your assignment.

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Speaker 2: But all of us.

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Speaker 1: Will go through these threshing floor experiences. It's not because

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Speaker 1: God has forgotten about you.

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Speaker 2: He's punishing you. He's done with you.

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Speaker 1: It's just the opposite The reason your face the difficulty

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Speaker 1: is because God is getting you prepared. He knows what

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Speaker 1: you're capable of, so he's separating what's holding you back.

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Speaker 1: You're about to see new growth, new opportunities, new friendships.

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Speaker 1: You're going to come out refined, polished, stronger, matured. You're

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Speaker 1: going to have a greater trust, a greater confidence in God.

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Speaker 2: Now, don't complain.

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Speaker 1: About how big the obstacles are, about what somebody did

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Speaker 1: to you. That threshing floor is not defeating you. It's

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Speaker 1: promoting you. First Chronicles thirteen, The Ark of the Covenant.

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Speaker 1: This was a large box where God's presence was back

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Speaker 1: in those days, had been gone for a long time.

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Speaker 1: David had a desire to bring it back to Jerusalem.

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Speaker 1: He had his men build a special cart. Very carefully,

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Speaker 1: they placed the Ark of the Covenant on this cart.

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Speaker 1: They headed toward their destiny, very excited the Ark was

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Speaker 1: finally coming back home. Everything was going great until the

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Speaker 1: oxen hit a bump in the road and stumbled. The

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Speaker 1: arc started to fall. A man reached out to steady it.

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Speaker 1: When he touched it, he was instantly killed. David was

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Speaker 1: so upset, so distraught, he wouldn't go any further. He

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Speaker 1: couldn't understand how he could be doing the right thing.

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Speaker 1: Yet God took the life of one of his friends,

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Speaker 1: he gave up on his mission let the Ark of

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Speaker 1: the Covenant go to a house close by. What David

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Speaker 1: didn't realize is that setback was divinely orchestrated.

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Speaker 2: The scripture says.

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Speaker 1: The bump in the road occurred at a threshing floor.

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Speaker 1: David just saw it as a bad break. But God

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Speaker 1: was directing his steps at the threshing floor, just as

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Speaker 1: wheat is separated from chaff.

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Speaker 2: God was going to use that situation to refine David.

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Speaker 1: And sometimes we're going along and everything's great, life is good, but.

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Speaker 2: We hit a bumping the road.

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Speaker 1: Low's a loved one, relationship doesn't work out, the business

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Speaker 1: goes down.

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Speaker 2: We don't understand what happened.

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Speaker 1: But just like with David, those bumps in the road

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Speaker 1: are not random. They happen at a threshing floor. When

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Speaker 1: you come out, you're not going to be the same.

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Speaker 1: You're going to be refined with less chaff.

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Speaker 2: With more wheat.

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Speaker 1: If you look back over your life, the times you

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Speaker 1: really grew, you came up higher, you developed more confidence,

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Speaker 1: weren't the good times when everything was going your way.

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Speaker 2: It was the times you hit a bumping the road.

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Speaker 1: You couldn't see it at the time, but you were

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Speaker 1: at a threshing floor.

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Speaker 2: God's used that to refine you. You came out better.

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Speaker 2: For three months, David was depressed sitting by the side

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Speaker 2: of the road. It didn't work out. God.

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Speaker 1: I never dreamed I'd lose somebody along the way. But

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Speaker 1: the threshing floor is a place where things die so

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Speaker 1: something new can be born.

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Speaker 2: That difficulty is not the end.

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Speaker 1: The divorce, the loss, the child that broke your heart,

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Speaker 1: is not how your story concludes.

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Speaker 2: Something may have died in your life, a friendship, a goal,

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Speaker 2: a dream. The only reason.

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Speaker 1: It died was to give birth to the new things

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Speaker 1: God wants to do. Sometimes you have to lose.

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Speaker 2: Something to gain something better.

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Speaker 1: God has to close a door before he'll open a

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Speaker 1: bigger door. The threshing floor is not only a place

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Speaker 1: of separation, it's a place of preparation.

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Speaker 2: If David would have taken the Ark.

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Speaker 1: Of the Covenant to Jerusalem the first time before the

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Speaker 1: bump in the road, he had no place to put it.

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Speaker 1: A lot of people could have been hurt says.

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Speaker 2: He went and prepared a place for the Ark.

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Speaker 1: When you hit a bumping the road, God is not

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Speaker 1: only separating what's holding you back, but he's preparing you

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Speaker 1: for what's in your future. Some of the things God

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Speaker 1: has in store, if he took you right now, you

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Speaker 1: couldn't handle it.

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Speaker 2: He's growing you up, he's maturing you.

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Speaker 1: He's teaching you to trust, so when it's your time

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Speaker 1: to step up, you'll be ready to go.

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Speaker 2: David thought it was over. For three months.

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Speaker 1: He had been weeping upset, never thought he could accomplish

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Speaker 1: his assignment. One day he looked out and saw the

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Speaker 1: house where the Ark of the Covenant had been staying.

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Speaker 1: Those people were so blessed, so prosperous, so full of

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Speaker 1: God's favor. Something rose up in him, a new fire,

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Speaker 1: a new passion. He said, God, I've changed my mind.

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Speaker 1: I'm going to get back in the game and do

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Speaker 1: what you've called me to do. Maybe you've hit a

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Speaker 1: bump in the road, knocked the wind out of you.

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Speaker 1: You don't think like David, that you could accomplish your dreams,

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Speaker 1: accomplish your assignment. That threshing floor is not defeating you.

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Speaker 1: It's preparing you. You may have lost something, but you

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Speaker 1: need to get ready. You're about to gain something a

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Speaker 1: whole lot better. God is getting you prepared for something amazing.

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Speaker 1: Get your fire back, get your passion back. A good

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Speaker 1: man falls seven.

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Speaker 2: Times and the Lord raises him up. You may have fallen,

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Speaker 2: but it's time to get back up.

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Speaker 1: You're prepared, you're qualified, you're refined. What God started in

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Speaker 1: your life, he's going to finish.

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Speaker 2: This is what David did. Scripture talks about he got

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Speaker 2: the ark of.

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Speaker 1: The Covenant, headed toward Jerusalem with great gladness. A few

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Speaker 1: weeks earlier, he didn't think he'd ever smile again. Now

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Speaker 1: he's full of joy, singing, dancing, seeing a dream come

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Speaker 1: to pass. When we hit bumps in the road, the

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Speaker 1: enemy always whispers. You've seen your best days, so all

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Speaker 1: downhill from here. You've just been through too much.

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Speaker 2: Don't believe those lies.

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Speaker 1: What you lost was to give birth to the new

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Speaker 1: thing God wants to do. Even when you lose a

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Speaker 1: loved one, don't sit around discourage the rest of your life.

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Speaker 1: That loss is not a surprise to God. The way

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Speaker 1: you honor their memory is to go out and do

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Speaker 1: something great.

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Speaker 2: If your loved one was here. They would tell you

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Speaker 2: get back in the game.

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Speaker 1: Dream a new dream, move forward with your life. When

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Speaker 1: my father went to be with the Lord, I didn't

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Speaker 1: see how anything good could come of that. I lost

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Speaker 1: something valuable, my father, whom I love and miss. But

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Speaker 1: in that process I gained something valuable. I discovered gifts

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Speaker 1: and talents that I didn't know I had. I didn't

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Speaker 1: know I could get up here administer. There are times

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Speaker 1: that you have to lose something so you can gain

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Speaker 1: something to go to the next level. Of course, i'd say,

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Speaker 1: you know, I don't want to lose my dad or

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Speaker 1: we don't want to go through that disappointment, that set back.

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Speaker 2: But you have to trust that God knows what he's doing.

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Speaker 1: I knew my father fulfilled his purpose, he finished his course.

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Speaker 2: And God will never take something away without giving you

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Speaker 2: something better back in return.

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Speaker 1: And at the time you may not be able to

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Speaker 1: see it. But if you'll stay in faith and not

395
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Speaker 1: let the disappointment the laws sour your life, then like David,

396
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Speaker 1: like me, you'll come out prepared, qualified, ready for the

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Speaker 1: next level. When I was on that threshing floor during

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Speaker 1: the loss of my father, God separated things from me

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Speaker 1: that were holding me back, intimidation, insecurity, fear.

400
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Speaker 2: I was afraid to get up in front of people.

401
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Speaker 1: But in that fire, those limitations were burned off. It

402
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Speaker 1: didn't happen in the good times. It happened during the

403
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Speaker 1: bumps in the road. A father and I were best

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00:23:03,920 --> 00:23:07,840
Speaker 1: friends for seventeen years. I'd worked with and behind the

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Speaker 1: scenes at the ministry. We'd traveled the world together. All

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Speaker 1: of a sudden he was gone.

407
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Speaker 2: I found. Sometimes God will take you through a season

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Speaker 2: of being alone.

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Speaker 1: That's a time you can draw closer to God. When

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Speaker 1: you normally give energy and affection to another person, you

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Speaker 1: turn it toward God. Without that aloneness, you would never

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Speaker 1: have the depth, the consecration, the character.

413
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Speaker 2: Don't fight a season of isolation. If you'll embrace.

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Speaker 1: It, you'll discover something otherwise you could never have.

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Speaker 2: Jesus put it this way, my father is the gardener.

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Speaker 2: Every branch that doesn't bear fruit, he will cut away.

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Speaker 2: God will take.

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Speaker 1: Things out of our lives that are not good for us.

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Speaker 1: We're not moving forward. We understand this. He'll take away

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Speaker 1: a branch of impatience, a branch of insecurity. He'll move

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Speaker 1: a person that's holding us back. That makes sense. But

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Speaker 1: then he said, every branch that does bear fruit, he

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Speaker 1: will cut it back so that it can bear much fruit.

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Speaker 1: This is saying at times, we're all going to experience

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Speaker 1: being cut back. Sometimes it doesn't make sense. God, I

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Speaker 1: was doing so good. Why did I lose that main client?

427
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Speaker 1: Why did my friend walk away? Why did my child

428
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Speaker 1: break my heart? We're doing the right thing, the wrong

429
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Speaker 1: thing happens. We tend to focus on the cut back,

430
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Speaker 1: the loss, the disappointment. But the only reason God cuts

431
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Speaker 1: us back is so we can bear much fruit, so

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Speaker 1: we can rise higher. At home, next to our sidewalk,

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Speaker 1: we have these green plants.

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Speaker 2: They're about two feet.

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Speaker 1: Tall, look like real high grass that line our sidewalk.

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Speaker 1: A couple of months ago, I walked out and those

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Speaker 1: plants had been cut.

438
00:25:00,800 --> 00:25:03,000
Speaker 2: Back to about three inches tall.

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Speaker 1: They look terrible, look like my gardener was having a

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00:25:07,320 --> 00:25:12,280
Speaker 1: bad day. He had scalped my plants. A few days ago,

441
00:25:12,640 --> 00:25:18,000
Speaker 1: Victoria and I were outside. Those plants were taller, fuller, bigger,

442
00:25:18,200 --> 00:25:19,760
Speaker 1: healthier than I've ever seen.

443
00:25:20,320 --> 00:25:21,320
Speaker 2: I was so amazed.

444
00:25:21,600 --> 00:25:25,120
Speaker 1: In just a few weeks they had sprouted to new heights.

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00:25:25,840 --> 00:25:30,840
Speaker 1: Here's the key. That man was an experienced gardener. He

446
00:25:30,960 --> 00:25:34,760
Speaker 1: knows when each plant needs to be pruned. He knows

447
00:25:34,840 --> 00:25:38,239
Speaker 1: how much they need to be cut back. It's not

448
00:25:38,359 --> 00:25:42,919
Speaker 1: one size fits all. He carefully studies each plant. I

449
00:25:42,960 --> 00:25:45,560
Speaker 1: have some crape myrtles other plants that.

450
00:25:45,600 --> 00:25:49,040
Speaker 2: He prunes at different times in the same way.

451
00:25:49,520 --> 00:25:54,119
Speaker 1: God is the master gardener. He will never cut something back,

452
00:25:54,560 --> 00:25:58,200
Speaker 1: remove it, take it away unless it's the perfect time.

453
00:25:59,280 --> 00:26:03,080
Speaker 1: Sometimes we thank God, you scalp me, you mess me up.

454
00:26:03,960 --> 00:26:07,040
Speaker 2: God. Why'd you take away my dad? Why'd you cut

455
00:26:07,080 --> 00:26:09,960
Speaker 2: back my business? God knows what he's doing.

456
00:26:10,560 --> 00:26:13,600
Speaker 1: The only reason he cuts you back is so you

457
00:26:13,640 --> 00:26:17,800
Speaker 1: can bear much fruit. If he had not cut you back,

458
00:26:18,640 --> 00:26:21,720
Speaker 1: you would have been satisfied to stay where you were.

459
00:26:22,720 --> 00:26:24,240
Speaker 2: God doesn't want you to get stuck.

460
00:26:24,760 --> 00:26:28,040
Speaker 1: He has new levels and on a regular basis. We're

461
00:26:28,040 --> 00:26:32,120
Speaker 1: gonna see this pruning in the uncomfortable times. In those

462
00:26:32,200 --> 00:26:36,000
Speaker 1: tough times, you have to remind yourself you're being pruned

463
00:26:36,359 --> 00:26:39,359
Speaker 1: so you can bloom, so you can blossom, so you

464
00:26:39,400 --> 00:26:43,120
Speaker 1: can see new growth. Friends, we're all gonna have these

465
00:26:43,320 --> 00:26:48,760
Speaker 1: bumps in the road, these threshing floor experiences. The separation

466
00:26:49,040 --> 00:26:51,159
Speaker 1: may be uncomfortable.

467
00:26:50,800 --> 00:26:53,520
Speaker 2: But it's making you better. It's getting you prepared.

468
00:26:54,160 --> 00:26:56,760
Speaker 1: You may have lost something you need to get ready,

469
00:26:56,880 --> 00:26:59,000
Speaker 1: You're about to gain something a whole lot.

470
00:26:59,119 --> 00:27:02,360
Speaker 2: Better belie, leave and declare you're gonna come through.

471
00:27:02,200 --> 00:27:08,719
Speaker 1: Every adversity, less chaff, more wheat, refined, purified, stronger, ready

472
00:27:08,800 --> 00:27:10,800
Speaker 1: for the fullness of your destiny.

473
00:27:11,240 --> 00:27:14,320
Speaker 2: In Jesus' name. If you receive it today, can just

474
00:27:14,320 --> 00:27:14,840
Speaker 2: say amen.

475
00:27:16,800 --> 00:27:19,679
Speaker 1: We never like to close our broadcast without giving you

476
00:27:19,720 --> 00:27:22,679
Speaker 1: an opportunity to make Jesus the lord of your life.

477
00:27:23,320 --> 00:27:27,520
Speaker 2: Would you pray with me? Just say, Lord, Jesus, I

478
00:27:27,640 --> 00:27:32,640
Speaker 2: repent of my sins. Come into my heart. I make

479
00:27:32,720 --> 00:27:34,120
Speaker 2: you my Lord and savior.

480
00:27:35,560 --> 00:27:38,119
Speaker 1: Friends, if you've prayed that simple prayer, we believe you

481
00:27:38,160 --> 00:27:38,960
Speaker 1: got born again.

482
00:27:39,440 --> 00:27:42,600
Speaker 2: Get in a good Bible based church. Keep God first place.

483
00:27:42,920 --> 00:27:46,560
Speaker 1: He's gonna take your places that you've never dreamed. Sometimes

484
00:27:46,600 --> 00:27:50,320
Speaker 1: in life, people don't choose us. We've all felt overlooked

485
00:27:50,320 --> 00:27:53,679
Speaker 1: and like we're not good enough. It's easy to live inferior.

486
00:27:53,800 --> 00:27:56,720
Speaker 1: Think you we don't measure up. People may have left

487
00:27:56,720 --> 00:28:00,000
Speaker 1: you out. The good news is God has chosen you.

488
00:28:00,119 --> 00:28:03,320
Speaker 1: He's the one that matters, and in my new book Chosen,

489
00:28:03,720 --> 00:28:07,520
Speaker 1: your life is marked for distinction. You'll discover before you

490
00:28:07,600 --> 00:28:11,040
Speaker 1: were born, God not only knew you, but he handpicked

491
00:28:11,080 --> 00:28:14,119
Speaker 1: you and placed a calling on your lie. You are

492
00:28:14,160 --> 00:28:18,679
Speaker 1: equipped and empowered to fulfill your destiny. When you understand

493
00:28:18,720 --> 00:28:22,320
Speaker 1: that you're chosen, fear and doubt can't stay. You live

494
00:28:22,400 --> 00:28:25,320
Speaker 1: with a boldness to step into the greatness God put

495
00:28:25,359 --> 00:28:27,960
Speaker 1: in you. I love to send you by new book Chosen,

496
00:28:28,320 --> 00:28:32,240
Speaker 1: plus the Chosen T Shirt from our friends at Copperfit.

497
00:28:32,400 --> 00:28:34,840
Speaker 3: As our way of saying thank you for your gift

498
00:28:34,840 --> 00:28:37,480
Speaker 3: of any amount this month, we would like to send

499
00:28:37,520 --> 00:28:41,360
Speaker 3: you a copy of Joel's book Chosen. Your life is

500
00:28:41,480 --> 00:28:45,760
Speaker 3: marked for distinction in the scriptures. Jesus encouraged us by

501
00:28:45,800 --> 00:28:50,560
Speaker 3: saying you didn't choose me, I chose you. This powerful

502
00:28:50,600 --> 00:28:53,760
Speaker 3: guy will help you discover the abundant life you were

503
00:28:53,800 --> 00:28:57,200
Speaker 3: designed to live As a child of God. You have

504
00:28:57,280 --> 00:29:01,320
Speaker 3: a calling, a purpose, a destiny's still to be fulfilled.

505
00:29:01,600 --> 00:29:04,520
Speaker 3: When you request your copy, we also want to send

506
00:29:04,560 --> 00:29:08,200
Speaker 3: you our exclusive Chosen T shirt from Copperfit that will

507
00:29:08,200 --> 00:29:12,240
Speaker 3: remind you that you've been chosen by Almighty God every

508
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Speaker 3: time you wear it. Please request these gifts today and

509
00:29:16,080 --> 00:29:19,720
Speaker 3: discover that God is moving on your behalf, your next

510
00:29:19,800 --> 00:29:22,320
Speaker 3: days are going to be your best days.

511
00:29:22,880 --> 00:29:26,080
Speaker 1: You're not average, You're not ordinary. You've been chosen by

512
00:29:26,160 --> 00:29:29,040
Speaker 1: Almighty God. Betoy and I want you to know how

513
00:29:29,080 --> 00:29:31,520
Speaker 1: much we love you. We pray for you and your

514
00:29:31,560 --> 00:29:34,760
Speaker 1: family every day and thanks so much for your prayer

515
00:29:34,920 --> 00:29:35,560
Speaker 1: and support.

516
00:29:35,840 --> 00:29:38,800
Speaker 2: Your generosity is helping people all over the world.

517
00:29:39,280 --> 00:29:41,960
Speaker 1: A special thank you to our Champion of Hope partners

518
00:29:42,080 --> 00:29:43,320
Speaker 1: for your monthly gifts.

519
00:29:43,640 --> 00:29:46,680
Speaker 2: If you're not a partner, I hope you'll consider becoming one.

520
00:29:47,040 --> 00:29:51,400
Speaker 1: Remember you can watch the services online live every Sunday morning,

521
00:29:51,760 --> 00:29:56,040
Speaker 1: download our daily podcast, watch on YouTube the new Joelosting

522
00:29:56,160 --> 00:30:00,200
Speaker 1: Network social media, listen on Serious ExM. We'll keep be

523
00:30:00,320 --> 00:30:03,400
Speaker 1: encouraged and inspired until we see you next time.

524
00:30:03,640 --> 00:30:05,560
Speaker 2: May the Lord bless you and keep you.

525
00:30:06,520 --> 00:30:09,959
Speaker 3: Be sure to request your copy of Chosen Your life

526
00:30:10,000 --> 00:30:13,800
Speaker 3: is Marked for Distinction, plus our exclusive Chosen T shirt

527
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Speaker 3: from Copperfit. Visit Joelostein dot com or call eight eight

528
00:30:18,360 --> 00:30:22,920
Speaker 3: eight five six seven Joel for an additional donation. This month,

529
00:30:23,040 --> 00:30:26,560
Speaker 3: we are also offering the NLT Large Print Thin Line

530
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Speaker 3: Reference Bible. This bible also enables you to connect through

531
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Speaker 3: your smartphone or tablet to a vast powerpacked array of

532
00:30:34,440 --> 00:30:40,000
Speaker 3: study notes, devotionals, interactive maps, videos, and worship music. You

533
00:30:40,040 --> 00:30:43,960
Speaker 3: can request these inspiring resources by calling eight eight eight

534
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Speaker 3: five six seven Joel or logging on to jolostein dot

535
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Speaker 3: com today call or click anytime, twenty four hours a day. Yes,

536
00:30:54,080 --> 00:30:57,480
Speaker 3: God has chosen you for a reason, for a purpose.

537
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Speaker 3: Request your copies today. A Mason led Je rating in

538
00:31:02,080 --> 00:31:02,920
Speaker 3: separated US