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

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Speaker 1: to the podcast and thanks.

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Speaker 2: For supporting the ministry. We believe you're going to have an.

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

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

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Speaker 2: bless you.

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Speaker 1: It's always a joy to come into your homes, and

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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.

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Speaker 2: I promise you we'll make you feel right at home.

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

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Speaker 1: for coming out today.

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Speaker 2: I'd like to start with.

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Speaker 1: Something funny and this was sent to me from an attorney.

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Speaker 1: I heard about these two men, the Pope and a lawyer.

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Speaker 1: They died on the same day. Saint Peter met them

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Speaker 1: at the Pearly gates said, follow me, men, I'll take

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Speaker 1: you to your homes. Peter first dropped the pope off

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Speaker 1: at this small wood frame house, just one bed and

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Speaker 1: one desk. He then took the lawyer to this magnificent house.

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Speaker 1: It was huge, had a big swimming pool a beautiful

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Speaker 1: view out.

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Speaker 2: The lawyer was overwhelmed.

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Speaker 1: He said, Saint Peter, what did I do to manage

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Speaker 1: to get this magnificent place, when the pope only got

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Speaker 1: that small place. Peter said, we have dozens of popes.

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Speaker 1: You're the first lawyer. Hold up your bible. This is

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Speaker 1: my bible. I am what it says I am. I

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

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Speaker 1: it says.

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Speaker 2: I can do.

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

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

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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: finishing grace. It doesn't take a lot of effort to

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Speaker 1: start things. Start a diet, start school, start a family.

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Speaker 1: Starting is easy. Finishing is what can be difficult. Any

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Speaker 1: young lady can have a baby, but it takes a

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Speaker 1: mother to really raise that child. Any two people can

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Speaker 1: get married, but it takes commitment to stick with it

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Speaker 1: for the long haul. Anyone can have a dream, but

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Speaker 1: it takes determination, perseverance, a made up mind to see

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Speaker 1: it come to pass.

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Speaker 2: The question is not will you start, but.

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Speaker 1: Will you finish? Will you finish the diet, will you

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Speaker 1: finish school? Will you finish raising your children? Too many

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Speaker 1: people start off good.

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Speaker 2: They have big dreams.

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Speaker 1: They're excited about their future, but along the way they

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Speaker 1: have some setbacks. It's taken longer than they thought, somebody

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Speaker 1: didn't do what they said, and over time they get discouraged.

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Speaker 1: Thank well, what's the use It's never going to work out.

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Speaker 1: But God is called the author and the finisher of

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Speaker 1: our faith. He's not only given you the grace to start,

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Speaker 1: He's given you the.

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Speaker 2: Grace to finish.

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Speaker 1: When you're tempted to get discouraged, give up on a dream,

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Speaker 1: give up on a relationship, give up on a project,

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Speaker 1: you have to remind yourself I was not created to

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Speaker 1: give up. I was not created to quit. I was

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Speaker 1: created to finish. You got to shake off the discouragement,

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Speaker 1: shake off the self pity, shake off what somebody said.

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Speaker 2: If you will keep.

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Speaker 1: Moving forward in faith, honoring God, you will come into

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Speaker 1: a strength that you didn't have before, a force pushing

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Speaker 1: you forward.

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Speaker 2: That's finishing grace. That's God breathing in your.

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Speaker 1: Direction, helping you to become who he created you to be.

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Speaker 1: Disgrace is available, but you have to tap into it.

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Speaker 2: It's not going to do us any good if we

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Speaker 2: sit around in.

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Speaker 1: Self pity thinking about how difficult it is what didn't

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Speaker 1: work out well, Joel my college professor. He's so hard

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Speaker 1: I'll never pass his course. No, you have the grace

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Speaker 1: to finish. Quit talking defeat and start talking victory. I

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Speaker 1: can do all things through Christ.

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Speaker 2: I am full of.

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Speaker 1: Wisdom, talent, creativity. I will pass this course. When you

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Speaker 1: do that, finishing grace will help you do what you

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Speaker 1: could not do on your own, even in simple things.

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Speaker 1: You start cleaning your house. Five minutes later, I don't

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Speaker 1: feel like doing this. I am so tired. This is

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Speaker 1: so boring. No turn it around. I am strong in

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Speaker 1: the Lord. I am full of energy. I am healthy.

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Speaker 1: This is no match for me. If you'll tap into

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Speaker 1: this finishing grace, you'll vacuum your house like you're on

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Speaker 1: a mission from God, vacuuming up dirt, coins, socks, children,

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Speaker 1: anything that gets in your way. Maybe you're tempted to

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Speaker 1: give up on a dream. Things haven't turned out the

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Speaker 1: way you planned. Was going fine at first, but then

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Speaker 1: you had some obstacles and you think, hey man, it

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Speaker 1: just wasn't meant to be. Here's what I've learned. The

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Speaker 1: enemy doesn't try to stop you from starting. He's seen

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Speaker 1: a lot of people start that doesn't bother him. But

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Speaker 1: when you have a made up mind, you keep pushing forward,

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Speaker 1: doing the right thing, taking new ground. When he sees

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Speaker 1: you getting closer, he'll work overtime.

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Speaker 2: To try to keep you from finishing.

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Speaker 1: When you have setbacks, disappointments, people come against you, a

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Speaker 1: negative medical report.

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Speaker 2: Don't get discouraged.

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Speaker 1: That's a sign that you're moving toward your finished line.

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Speaker 1: He was fine when you got started. He was fine

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Speaker 1: when you were way back, no big deal. But when

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Speaker 1: you begin to make progress, that got his attention. That's

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Speaker 1: when he threw some obstacles, some challenges.

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Speaker 2: Where you confused him.

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Speaker 1: Is he thought you would give up after the first

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Speaker 1: few difficulties. He thought you would get discouraged when that

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Speaker 1: friend turned on you, when you lost that client, when

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Speaker 1: your child got in trouble. But instead you kept moving forward,

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Speaker 1: Thanking God that he's in control, thanking him that he's

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Speaker 1: fighting your battles, thanking him that no weapon formed against

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Speaker 1: you will prosper. What were you doing tapping into finishing

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Speaker 1: grace when you should have gotten weak, You got stronger

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Speaker 1: when you should have been depressed. You had a smile

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Speaker 1: on your face when you should have been complaining you

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Speaker 1: had a song of praise. Instead of talking about how

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Speaker 1: big the problem was. You were always talking about how big.

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Speaker 2: Your God is.

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Speaker 1: And when you should have gone under, God caused you

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Speaker 1: to go over When.

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Speaker 2: You didn't see a way. He made a way. When

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Speaker 2: people came against you.

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Speaker 1: He fought your battles and you came out better than

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Speaker 1: you were before. Now you may be up against challenges

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Speaker 1: right now.

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Speaker 2: It's because you're moving forward.

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Speaker 1: You're making progress. Keep reminding yourself. He's the author and

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Speaker 1: the finisher of your faith. God helped you to get started.

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Speaker 1: That's great, But something more important.

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Speaker 2: He's going to help you to finish.

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Speaker 1: He didn't bring you this far to leave you, says

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Speaker 1: in Philippians. God began a good work in you, and

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Speaker 1: he will continue to perform it until it's complete. One

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Speaker 1: translation says, he will bring you to a flourishing finish,

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Speaker 1: not a defeated finish. Well you barely make it, beat up, broke. No,

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Speaker 1: you are coming to a flourishing finish, a finish more

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Speaker 1: rewarding than.

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Speaker 2: You ever imagine.

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Speaker 1: This is what happened to a man in the scripture

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Speaker 1: named Joseph as a teenager. God gave him a dream

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Speaker 1: that one day he would rule a nation. His father, Jacob,

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Speaker 1: loved him very much. Everything started off great for Joseph

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Speaker 1: had a big dream, a supportive family. Life was good.

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Speaker 1: But along the way things started to go wrong. His

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Speaker 1: brothers who loved him very much. At one time, this

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Speaker 1: was their little brother, Joseph. They were always taken up

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Speaker 1: for him, making sure nobody harmed him.

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Speaker 2: But these same brothers turned on him. They were jealous.

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Speaker 2: They threw Joseph into a pit, left him there to die.

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Speaker 1: They eventually changed their mind and sold him into slavery

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Speaker 1: to a man named potterfar And here Joseph had really

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Speaker 1: done anything wrong. Yet his whole world had been turned

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Speaker 1: upside down. Looked like his dream was done, betrayed by

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Speaker 1: his family, a slave in a foreign country. If that

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Speaker 1: wasn't bad enough, they put him in prison for thirteen

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Speaker 1: years for something that he didn't do.

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Speaker 2: Surely Joseph was.

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Speaker 1: Depressed, angry, bitter, upset. Nothing had turned out right. No,

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Speaker 1: Joseph understood this principle. He knew he had the grace

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Speaker 1: not only to start, but to finish what God put

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Speaker 1: in his heart. He knew the enemy wouldn't be fighting

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Speaker 1: him if he wasn't heading toward his destiny.

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Speaker 2: So he stayed in faith.

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Speaker 1: He kept doing the right thing when the wrong thing

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Speaker 1: was happening. Not working under people, but working under God.

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Speaker 1: One day, the Pharaoh, the leader of the nation, had

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Speaker 1: a dream that he didn't understand. Joseph was able to

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Speaker 1: interpret the dream. Pharah was so pressed with Joseph he

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Speaker 1: brought him out of prison and put him in charge

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Speaker 1: of the whole nation.

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Speaker 2: Joseph's dream came to pass.

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Speaker 1: God has put something on you that will override people

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Speaker 1: being against you. It will override bad breaks injustice. You

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Speaker 1: have the grace not to just start. You have something

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Speaker 1: even more.

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Speaker 2: Powerful, the grace to finish.

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Speaker 1: When you have an attitude like Joseph, you cannot stay defeated.

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Speaker 1: Life may push you down, but God will push you

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Speaker 1: back up. People may do you wrong, but God will

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Speaker 1: be your vindicator. Situations may look impossible, but God can

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Speaker 1: do the impossible. When you have finishing grace, all the

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Speaker 1: forces of darkness cannot stop you. Sure you may have

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Speaker 1: some setbacks, bad breaks injustice, but don't worry. It's only temporary.

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Speaker 1: It's just a detour on the way to your destiny.

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Speaker 1: That's a sign that you are moving toward your finished life. See,

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Speaker 1: the enemy doesn't fight people that are going the wrong way,

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Speaker 1: people that are off course, discouraged, distracted, bitter, angry.

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Speaker 2: That's where he wants you. He comes against.

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Speaker 1: People that are headed toward the fullness of their destinies,

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Speaker 1: people that are taking new ground, people like you, that

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Speaker 1: are coming into a flourishing finish. Our attitude should be

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Speaker 1: I have a made up mind. I'm going to keep

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Speaker 1: moving forward in spite of the bad break, in spite

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Speaker 1: of the loss, in spite of the negative report, in

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Speaker 1: spite of the critics. My destiny is too great, my

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Speaker 1: assignment too important to get discouraged, distracted, bitter. I'm not

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Speaker 1: going to become half, not three fours, not ninety percent.

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Speaker 1: I'm going to become all God's created me to be.

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Speaker 1: When you're tempted to get discouraged and settle, it's because

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Speaker 1: you're close to your breakthrough. You're close to seeing the

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Speaker 1: problem turn around. You're close to meeting the right person.

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Speaker 1: Pharaoh is about to call you, so to speak, the

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Speaker 1: good break is on the way, the healing is on

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Speaker 1: the way, the contract is on the way. Now you've

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Speaker 1: got to tap into this finishing grace.

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Speaker 2: Friends, You've come too far to stop now.

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Speaker 1: You believe too long, you've worked too hard, you've invested

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Speaker 1: too much.

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Speaker 2: It may be difficult.

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Speaker 1: Negative voices may be telling you, hey, it's never going

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Speaker 1: to work out, forget it.

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Speaker 2: Just settle where.

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Speaker 1: You are, or don't believe those lives. You are close

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Speaker 1: to your destiny. When the going gets tough, you have

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Speaker 1: to dig your heels in and say, I am in it.

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Speaker 2: To win it. I am not moved by this opposition.

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Speaker 1: I am not moved by what I see, by what

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Speaker 1: I feel.

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Speaker 2: I'm moved by what I know, and I know this.

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Speaker 2: I have the grace to finish. I know this.

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Speaker 1: God began a good work in me, and He's going

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Speaker 1: to complete it. So I'm going to keep honoring God.

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Speaker 1: I'm going to keep being good to people. I'm going

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Speaker 1: to keep on being my best.

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Speaker 2: Every day you do that, you are passing the test.

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Speaker 1: You are one day closer to coming in to your

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Speaker 1: finished line. And the scripture says here in Deuteronomy, as

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Speaker 1: your days are, so shall your strength be. This means

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Speaker 1: your strength will always be equivalent to what you need.

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Speaker 1: If you were to get a negative medical report, you're

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Speaker 1: going to have the strength to deal with it. You're

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Speaker 1: not gonna fall apart now. I can't believe this is happening. No,

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Speaker 1: your strength will always match what you're up against. I

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Speaker 1: remember when my father went to be with the Lord.

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Speaker 1: My first thought was, how am I going to deal

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Speaker 1: with this? My dad and I were very close, we

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Speaker 1: had traveled the world together, and all of a sudden

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Speaker 1: he was gone. But what I thought would be very devastating,

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Speaker 1: knock the wind out of me, it.

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Speaker 2: Wasn't anything I'd imagined.

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Speaker 1: I felt a peace like I never felt a strength,

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Speaker 1: a resolve, a determination. I should have been upset, anxious,

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Speaker 1: but that whole time I was at peace. Deep down,

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Speaker 1: I felt a rest. Sure in my mind there were

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Speaker 1: thoughts of worry, anxiety, discouragement, but in my spirit I

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Speaker 1: could hear God whispering, Joel, I'm in control.

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Speaker 2: It's all going to work out. I've got you in

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Speaker 2: the palm of my hand.

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Speaker 1: That was finishing grace, pushing me forward, propelling me into

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Speaker 1: my destiny. The Psalmist said, God is a very present

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Speaker 1: help in times of need, in the difficulties of life.

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Speaker 2: If you will get quiet, turn.

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Speaker 1: Off the negative voices, you will feel a peace that

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Speaker 1: passes understanding.

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Speaker 2: You should be falling apart, but there's grace for every season.

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Speaker 1: Victoria and I were in Colorado earlier this year, driving

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Speaker 1: through the mountains. We rented an SUV, a large vehicle

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Speaker 1: with an eight cylinder engine. As long as we were

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Speaker 1: on the flat roads, the engine was as quiet as

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Speaker 1: can be. But as we started going up the steep,

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Speaker 1: winding mountain roads, just when you thought the vehicle couldn't

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Speaker 1: make it, just when it looked like it was going

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Speaker 1: to stop, you could hear those extra two cylinders kick in.

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Speaker 1: You could actually feel the car almost like it lifted.

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Speaker 2: Up and took off with a new power. Here's my point.

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Speaker 1: Those two extra cylinders were there all the time. The

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Speaker 1: extra power was always available. It just showed up when

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Speaker 1: we needed it. It was strength in reserve. Sometimes in

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Speaker 1: life we think, how am I going to make it

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Speaker 1: up that steep hill. I've gotten this far, but how

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Speaker 1: am I going to deal with this illness? How am

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Speaker 1: I going to raise this difficult child? I went through

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Speaker 1: a loss, Joe, I don't think I can go on. No.

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Speaker 2: God has some strength in reserve for you when you

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Speaker 2: hit a tough time. Don't worry.

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Speaker 1: There are two more cylinders about to kick in a strength.

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Speaker 2: You haven't tapped into.

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Speaker 1: You're going to feel a force pushing you forward, taking

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Speaker 1: you where you could not go on your own.

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Speaker 2: That's finishing grace.

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Speaker 1: And I've learned the closer you get to your destiny,

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Speaker 1: the tougher the battles become. The higher you go up

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Speaker 1: the mountain, the more God promotes you, the steeper the

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Speaker 1: hill is. The critics will come out of the woodwork.

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Speaker 1: People may not celebrate you. Unexpected challenges, a health issue,

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Speaker 1: a business slows down, you lose a loved one. It's

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Speaker 1: easy to think, man, I was doing so good if

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Speaker 1: I just wouldn't have had this bad break. Now I've

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Speaker 1: got this steep hill to go up. Now that challenge

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Speaker 1: is a sign that you are close to your destiny.

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Speaker 1: The same God that gave you the grace to start

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Speaker 1: is the same God that's going to help you finish.

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Speaker 1: He knows exactly where your path is leading. Nothing you're

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Speaker 1: facing is a surprise to him. He knows every hill,

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Speaker 1: every disappointment, every setback.

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Speaker 2: He said that his grace is sufficient.

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Speaker 1: You will never come to a hill where you don't

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Speaker 1: have the strength to climb it. Now, you may face

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Speaker 1: some challenges like I did when my dad went to

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Speaker 1: be with the Lord. Where you think, Man, I don't

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Speaker 1: know how I'm going to make it up.

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Speaker 2: This The reason you think.

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Speaker 1: That way is you haven't needed those two extra cylinders yet.

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Speaker 1: You have not felt the full force of finishing grace.

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Speaker 2: When it kicks in, it's going to propel you forward.

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Speaker 1: You're going to climb mountains that you thought were way

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Speaker 1: too steep. You're going to overcome obstacles that looked insurmountable,

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Speaker 1: accomplish dreams that you thought were impossible.

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Speaker 2: How could you do this? Finishing grace?

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Speaker 1: You tapped into strength in reserve. This is what the

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Speaker 1: apostle Paul did in the scripture. He faced some huge hills,

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Speaker 1: didn't look like he could fulfill his destiny. He was

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Speaker 1: doing the right thing, sharing the good news, helping other people.

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Speaker 1: When he was arrested and put in prison, the closer

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Speaker 1: he got to his destiny, the more obstacles he faced.

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Speaker 1: He was alone in a dungeon on death row. It

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Speaker 1: looked like God had forgotten about him. But Paul wasn't defeated, depressed,

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Speaker 1: feeling sorry for himself.

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Speaker 2: Even though he was in chains.

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Speaker 1: They couldn't stop what God wanted him to do, and

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Speaker 1: since Paul couldn't go out and speak publicly, he thought,

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Speaker 1: no problem, I'll start writing.

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Speaker 2: He wrote book after book.

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Speaker 1: Here's a letter to the Ephesians, Here's a letter to

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Speaker 1: the Colossians, to the Romans, to the Corinthians. He wrote

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Speaker 1: over half of the New Testament, much of it from

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Speaker 1: a prison cell. They thought they were stopping him, but

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Speaker 1: they were doing just the opposite, causing his voice to

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Speaker 1: become amplified. Here we are, some two thousand years later,

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Speaker 1: still feeling Paul's influence.

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Speaker 2: What they meant for harm, God use for good.

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Speaker 1: People may try to stop you, but finishing grace will

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Speaker 1: get you to where you're supposed to be. They may

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Speaker 1: push you down, but finishing grace will lift you back up.

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Speaker 1: They may try to discredit, be little, leave you out.

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Speaker 2: Don't get upset.

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Speaker 1: They are a part of the plan to get you

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Speaker 1: to your destiny. God will use them to propel you forward.

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Speaker 1: As long as you stay in faith and keep honoring God,

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Speaker 1: you will accomplish your assignment. He is the author and

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Speaker 1: the finisher of your faith. Now quit focusing on who's

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Speaker 1: against you, on how steep the hill is, on how

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Speaker 1: impossible it looks. God has the final say. He brought

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Speaker 1: Joseph out of prison. Paul stayed in prison. But they

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Speaker 1: both fulfill their destinies. If God doesn't turn it around

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Speaker 1: the way you thought, he may do like Paul and

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Speaker 1: cause you to have great influence right in the midst

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Speaker 1: of your enemies, in the midst of those difficulties, you

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Speaker 1: can shine, be a bright light, have God's favor. Bottom

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Speaker 1: line is this, No person can stand against our God.

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Speaker 1: No bad break can keep you from your destiny. God

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Speaker 1: has given you finishing grace. He's going to get you

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Speaker 1: to where you're supposed to be. When Paul came to

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Speaker 1: the end of his life, he said, I have finished

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Speaker 1: my course. One place says I finished my course with joy.

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Speaker 1: Notice he didn't finish defeated, depressed, sour. He finished with

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Speaker 1: a smile on his face. He finished with a spring

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Speaker 1: in his step. He finished with a song in his heart.

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Speaker 1: That's what it means to have a flourishing finish. We

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Speaker 1: all have things come against us. It's easy to lose

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Speaker 1: our pass drag through life, discourage negative bitter, but there

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Speaker 1: is no victory.

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Speaker 2: If you finish your course that way.

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Speaker 1: You have to make up your mind I'm not only

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Speaker 1: going to finish my course, I'm going to finish it

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Speaker 1: with joy, with a good attitude, not complaining, but with

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Speaker 1: a song of praise, not thinking about what I don't have,

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Speaker 1: but thanking God for what I do have, not looking

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Speaker 1: at what's wrong in my life, but thanking God for what's.

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Speaker 2: Right in my life. When you tap into finishing grace,

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Speaker 2: you want dragged through the day. You'll enjoy the day.

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Speaker 1: Thousands of years ago, in Greece, there was a famous

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Speaker 1: race called the Torch Race. All of the runners got

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Speaker 1: a torch. At the start of the race, they would

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Speaker 1: light the fire. Those runners would take off running with

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Speaker 1: their torch lit. The only way you could win the

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Speaker 1: race was to cross the finish line with your torch

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Speaker 1: still lit. Even if you finish first, if your fire

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Speaker 1: went out, you were disqualified. So the whole time they

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Speaker 1: were running on the forefront of their mind was protecting

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Speaker 1: their fire, keeping it from wind or rain or anything

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Speaker 1: that might put it out. They were constantly checking their

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Speaker 1: torch to make sure that it was still lit. It's

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Speaker 1: the same principle in the race of life. If you're

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Speaker 1: going to finish your course with joy, you've got to

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Speaker 1: guard your fire. You can't let your flame go out.

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Speaker 1: Too many people have lost their passion. They're still running,

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Speaker 1: but their torch is no longer lit. At one time

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Speaker 1: they were passionate about their dreams. They had some setbacks.

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Speaker 1: Now they're running. That's good, but they let their fire

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Speaker 1: go out. They lost their zeal. If that's you, I've

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Speaker 1: come to relight your fire. God is not done with you.

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Speaker 1: You have not seen your best days. You've got to

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Speaker 1: shake off the blaws, shake off the disc the orangement.

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Speaker 2: There is a flame that is still alive on the

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Speaker 2: inside of you.

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Speaker 1: The scripture talks about how we have to fan the flame,

401
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Speaker 1: stir up the gifts. It's not enough to just finish.

402
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Speaker 1: You've got to finish your course with your fires still burning.

403
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Speaker 1: For as long as I can remember, my father struggled

404
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Speaker 1: with high blood pressure.

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Speaker 2: Toward the end of his life. He didn't feel well.

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Speaker 1: The medicines made him dizzy, His kidneys quit working properly,

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Speaker 1: and he had to go on dialysis. We used to

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Speaker 1: travel overseas a couple of times a year.

409
00:22:33,720 --> 00:22:35,720
Speaker 2: He really looked forward to it, but.

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Speaker 1: When his health went downhill, he had to stay at

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Speaker 1: home and take dialysis.

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Speaker 2: Three times a week.

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Speaker 1: He never wanted to live if he couldn't preach, and

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Speaker 1: even though he didn't feel well, he never missed a Sunday.

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Speaker 1: Victoria used to go pick him up and bring him

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Speaker 1: to church a little bit late. Sometimes he'd call and say, Joel,

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Speaker 1: I'm not sure your dad can minister today. Doesn't seem

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Speaker 1: like he feels well. I would run down from the

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Speaker 1: TV apartment during the service. When he arrived, Daddy, you're

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Speaker 1: sure you're up to this? He'd smile, saying, yeah, Joel,

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Speaker 1: I'm ready to go. When he walked out on the platform,

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00:23:07,800 --> 00:23:10,360
Speaker 1: nobody knew he wasn't up to par. He still had

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Speaker 1: a spring in his step, a smile on his face.

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Speaker 1: He could have been at home negative, complaining, God, I've

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Speaker 1: served you all these years, Look what it comes down to.

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Speaker 1: I can hardly even minister. No, he kept his fire burning.

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Speaker 1: He guarded that flame. He was determined to not just

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Speaker 1: finish his course, but to finish it with joy. Seventy

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Speaker 1: seven years old. One night he wasn't feeling well. He

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Speaker 1: asked my brother in law, Gary to come over and

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Speaker 1: visit with him. They were talking about two o'clock in

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Speaker 1: the morning, and Gary asked him what he thought about

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Speaker 1: the difficulties he was having. My father said, Gary, I

434
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Speaker 1: don't understand it all, but I know this, His mercy

435
00:23:53,800 --> 00:23:58,679
Speaker 1: endures forever. Those were the last words my father ever spoke.

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Speaker 1: Right then he breathed his final breath and went to

437
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Speaker 1: be with the Lord. But think about those last words.

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Speaker 1: He wasn't complaining. He was bragging on God's goodness, not

439
00:24:09,760 --> 00:24:12,520
Speaker 1: magnifying his problem, but magnifying his God.

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00:24:13,480 --> 00:24:16,679
Speaker 2: He crossed the finish line with his fire still burning,

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00:24:17,440 --> 00:24:21,280
Speaker 2: with his torch still lit. The scripture talks about how

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00:24:21,320 --> 00:24:25,520
Speaker 2: the saints of old died in faith. The truth is

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00:24:25,560 --> 00:24:27,879
Speaker 2: one day, of course, we're all going to die. You

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00:24:28,000 --> 00:24:29,160
Speaker 2: have to make a decision.

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00:24:29,680 --> 00:24:32,359
Speaker 1: Are you going to die in faith or are you

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00:24:32,400 --> 00:24:36,040
Speaker 1: going to die negative, bitter, complaining I can't believe this happened,

447
00:24:36,560 --> 00:24:38,919
Speaker 1: Nor make up your mind that you're going to die

448
00:24:38,960 --> 00:24:42,480
Speaker 1: full of joy, with your fire still burning, with your

449
00:24:42,480 --> 00:24:47,000
Speaker 1: torch still lift. Nineteen sixty eight, the Olympic Games were

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00:24:47,000 --> 00:24:48,399
Speaker 1: held in Mexico City.

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00:24:49,080 --> 00:24:53,359
Speaker 2: During the marathon, a young runner from Tanzania fell and

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00:24:53,440 --> 00:24:54,240
Speaker 2: broke his leg.

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00:24:55,080 --> 00:24:58,200
Speaker 1: He was bloodied and bruised, but somehow managed to get

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00:24:58,280 --> 00:25:02,960
Speaker 1: up and continue running. Long after everyone else had finished,

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00:25:03,320 --> 00:25:07,080
Speaker 1: he entered the stadium for his final lap. Over one

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00:25:07,119 --> 00:25:10,440
Speaker 1: hundred thousand people were there earlier, but now an hour

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00:25:10,640 --> 00:25:14,679
Speaker 1: or two later, only a few thousand people remained. The

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00:25:14,720 --> 00:25:18,439
Speaker 1: main lights were off, television camera's gone. The event was

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00:25:18,440 --> 00:25:22,879
Speaker 1: officially over. As he struggled into the stadium headed toward

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00:25:22,920 --> 00:25:26,760
Speaker 1: that final lap, when the few thousand people saw him,

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00:25:27,080 --> 00:25:30,280
Speaker 1: they stood up and began to cheer him on. They

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00:25:30,359 --> 00:25:33,959
Speaker 1: cheered louder and louder as if he was in first place.

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00:25:34,640 --> 00:25:38,080
Speaker 1: Drawing strength from the crowd, he began to smile and

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00:25:38,160 --> 00:25:40,919
Speaker 1: wave as if he was going to win the gold medal.

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00:25:41,480 --> 00:25:44,439
Speaker 1: It was a moving moment later seen around the world.

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00:25:45,320 --> 00:25:48,880
Speaker 1: A reporter asked him afterwards, why didn't you drop out

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00:25:48,880 --> 00:25:52,240
Speaker 1: of the race when you broke your leg? Nobody would

468
00:25:52,280 --> 00:25:55,040
Speaker 1: have faulted you for it. The young man from ten

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00:25:55,119 --> 00:25:59,480
Speaker 1: Zania said, my country didn't send me seven thousand miles

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00:25:59,520 --> 00:26:03,280
Speaker 1: to start the race, but to finish it. In the

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00:26:03,359 --> 00:26:08,480
Speaker 1: same way, God didn't breathe his life into you, crown

472
00:26:08,560 --> 00:26:11,919
Speaker 1: you with favor, put seeds of greatness on the inside

473
00:26:12,200 --> 00:26:15,520
Speaker 1: to start the race, but he sent you to finish it.

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00:26:16,160 --> 00:26:18,480
Speaker 1: The scripture talks about how the race is not for

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00:26:18,560 --> 00:26:21,600
Speaker 1: the swift, nor for the strong, but for those.

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00:26:21,400 --> 00:26:23,120
Speaker 2: Who endure till the end.

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00:26:23,920 --> 00:26:26,439
Speaker 1: You don't have to finish first. You're not competing with

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00:26:26,520 --> 00:26:30,760
Speaker 1: anybody else. Just finish your course, keep your fire burning.

479
00:26:31,000 --> 00:26:34,400
Speaker 1: You weren't created to give up, to quit. We can

480
00:26:34,440 --> 00:26:37,040
Speaker 1: all find a reason to drop out of the race,

481
00:26:37,119 --> 00:26:39,480
Speaker 1: We can all find some kind of excuse. But you

482
00:26:39,560 --> 00:26:41,840
Speaker 1: have to dig your heels in and say I am

483
00:26:41,880 --> 00:26:45,480
Speaker 1: determined to finish my course. If you will tap into

484
00:26:45,520 --> 00:26:48,919
Speaker 1: this finishing race, those two extra cylinders will kick in

485
00:26:48,960 --> 00:26:49,640
Speaker 1: when you need it.

486
00:26:49,720 --> 00:26:51,879
Speaker 2: You'll have a strength that you didn't have now. I

487
00:26:52,040 --> 00:26:53,359
Speaker 2: believe in declare.

488
00:26:53,400 --> 00:26:57,000
Speaker 1: Like the apostle Paul. You will finish your course with joy.

489
00:26:57,320 --> 00:27:01,320
Speaker 1: You will complete your assignment and become everything God created

490
00:27:01,359 --> 00:27:01,840
Speaker 1: you to be.

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00:27:02,160 --> 00:27:05,400
Speaker 2: In Jesus' name, if you receive it, can you say

492
00:27:05,440 --> 00:27:06,000
Speaker 2: it in today?

493
00:27:06,920 --> 00:27:09,680
Speaker 1: And we never like to close our broadcast without giving

494
00:27:09,720 --> 00:27:10,960
Speaker 1: you an opportunity to.

495
00:27:10,960 --> 00:27:12,960
Speaker 2: Make Jesus the lord of your life.

496
00:27:13,160 --> 00:27:17,639
Speaker 1: Would you pray with me, just say, Lord Jesus, I

497
00:27:17,760 --> 00:27:18,920
Speaker 1: repent of my sins.

498
00:27:20,080 --> 00:27:23,960
Speaker 2: Come into my heart. I make you my lord and savior.

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00:27:25,520 --> 00:27:27,840
Speaker 1: Friends, if you prayed that simple prayer, we believe you

500
00:27:27,880 --> 00:27:30,800
Speaker 1: got born again, get in a good Bible based church,

501
00:27:31,200 --> 00:27:34,360
Speaker 1: keep God first place. He'll take your places that you've

502
00:27:34,359 --> 00:27:35,080
Speaker 1: never dreamed of.

503
00:27:36,119 --> 00:27:39,480
Speaker 3: It's a new year, an opportunity for a fresh start.

504
00:27:39,960 --> 00:27:43,000
Speaker 3: It's a new year, time to forget the struggles of

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00:27:43,040 --> 00:27:46,159
Speaker 3: the past and make room for new blessings. It's a

506
00:27:46,280 --> 00:27:50,040
Speaker 3: new year, the perfect time to build expectation and faith

507
00:27:50,280 --> 00:27:51,800
Speaker 3: for an amazing new season.

508
00:27:52,640 --> 00:27:54,840
Speaker 1: The beginning of the year is a great time to

509
00:27:54,880 --> 00:27:58,200
Speaker 1: start afresh and anew, to let go of negative things

510
00:27:58,200 --> 00:28:00,360
Speaker 1: of the past and to get ready for the new

511
00:28:00,400 --> 00:28:04,239
Speaker 1: things God has in store. Every January we create a

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00:28:04,280 --> 00:28:08,240
Speaker 1: new devotional calendar. When you start off each day in faith,

513
00:28:08,600 --> 00:28:12,680
Speaker 1: grateful for what God has done, making positive declarations over

514
00:28:12,760 --> 00:28:15,840
Speaker 1: your future, you're setting the tone for a blessed day

515
00:28:16,040 --> 00:28:19,919
Speaker 1: and a victorious year. This devotional calendar will help you

516
00:28:19,960 --> 00:28:22,800
Speaker 1: get your mind going in the right direction so you

517
00:28:22,840 --> 00:28:25,760
Speaker 1: can live in faith expecting the goodness of God.

518
00:28:26,520 --> 00:28:28,920
Speaker 3: As our way of saying thank you for your gift

519
00:28:28,960 --> 00:28:31,520
Speaker 3: of any amount this first month of the year, we

520
00:28:31,560 --> 00:28:33,720
Speaker 3: would like to send you a copy of our brand

521
00:28:33,800 --> 00:28:36,920
Speaker 3: new twenty twenty five three hundred and sixty five day

522
00:28:36,960 --> 00:28:42,560
Speaker 3: devotional calendar. Using this devotional calendar is as easy as one, two, three.

523
00:28:43,360 --> 00:28:47,120
Speaker 3: One wake up with an expectancy in your heart. Two

524
00:28:47,600 --> 00:28:50,720
Speaker 3: reflect on the daily scripture, verse and devotional from Joel.

525
00:28:51,000 --> 00:28:54,880
Speaker 3: Three capture the Lord's promises to you on journaling lines

526
00:28:54,920 --> 00:28:56,240
Speaker 3: for writing and reflection.

527
00:28:57,040 --> 00:28:59,080
Speaker 2: This is going to be one of your best years.

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00:28:59,360 --> 00:29:02,120
Speaker 1: Our twenty two twenty five devotional calendar is going to

529
00:29:02,200 --> 00:29:04,520
Speaker 1: help you stay in faith and see the goodness of

530
00:29:04,560 --> 00:29:08,200
Speaker 1: God in ways you've never seen. Victoria and I pray

531
00:29:08,240 --> 00:29:10,840
Speaker 1: for you and your family every day, and thank you

532
00:29:10,920 --> 00:29:14,520
Speaker 1: so much for your prayer and support. Your generosity is

533
00:29:14,600 --> 00:29:16,520
Speaker 1: impacting lives around the world.

534
00:29:16,800 --> 00:29:19,080
Speaker 2: And a special thank you to our Champion of Hope

535
00:29:19,160 --> 00:29:21,040
Speaker 2: partners for your monthly gifts.

536
00:29:21,320 --> 00:29:24,200
Speaker 1: If you're not a partner, I hope you'll consider becoming one.

537
00:29:24,560 --> 00:29:28,600
Speaker 1: Remember you can watch the services online live every Sunday morning,

538
00:29:29,040 --> 00:29:32,959
Speaker 1: download our daily podcast, watch on YouTube now the new

539
00:29:33,040 --> 00:29:35,840
Speaker 1: Joel Osteine Network twenty four hours a day, and of

540
00:29:35,880 --> 00:29:39,360
Speaker 1: course listen live on SERIOUSXM as well. But until we

541
00:29:39,400 --> 00:29:42,320
Speaker 1: meet again, met the Lord bless you and keep you,

542
00:29:42,560 --> 00:29:45,120
Speaker 1: may show you His favor and watch over you.

543
00:29:45,840 --> 00:29:48,520
Speaker 3: Be sure to request your copy of the twenty twenty

544
00:29:48,560 --> 00:29:53,120
Speaker 3: five devotional Calendar Today, visit joelostein dot com or call

545
00:29:53,240 --> 00:29:56,000
Speaker 3: us toll free