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Speaker 1: Hi, this is Joel and Victoria.

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Speaker 2: Thanks for listening to our podcast and thanks for supporting

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Speaker 2: the ministry. If you enjoy today's message, why don't you

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Speaker 2: be a blessing and share it with a friend. We

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Speaker 2: appreciate you and pray for God's very best in your life. Well,

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Speaker 2: God bless you. It's a joy to come into your homes.

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Speaker 2: If you're ever in our area, please stop by and

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Speaker 2: be a part of one of our services.

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

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Speaker 2: I like to start with something funny, and I heard

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Speaker 2: about this groom during the wedding rehearsal. He said to

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Speaker 2: the minister. I'll make a deal with you during the vows.

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Speaker 2: If you'll leave out all that honor, obey, love stuff,

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Speaker 2: I'll give you one hundred dollars.

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Speaker 1: He slipped one hundred dollars.

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Speaker 2: Bill into the minister's hand walked away with a smile.

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Speaker 2: The next day, during the ceremony, the minister said to him,

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Speaker 2: do you promise to bow down before your wife, take

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Speaker 2: her breakfast in bed, fulfill her every desire? He gulped

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Speaker 2: in astonishment, said in a weak voice, I do.

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Speaker 1: He then whispered in the.

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Speaker 2: Minister's ear hand thought we had a deal. The minister

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Speaker 2: handed him his money back and said, your wife made

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Speaker 2: me a much better offer.

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Speaker 1: Say it like you mean it.

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

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Speaker 2: I have what it says I have. I can do

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Speaker 2: what it says I can do. Today I will be

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Speaker 2: taught the word of God. I boldly confess. My mind

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Speaker 2: is alert, my heart is receptive. I will never be

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Speaker 2: the same. In Jesus' name, God bless you. I want

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Speaker 2: to talk to you today about the rewards of integrity.

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Speaker 2: There's a lot of compromise in our society. People that

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Speaker 2: think nothing about being dishonest, making underhanded deals, not keeping

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Speaker 2: their word. They wonder why they can't get ahead. It's

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Speaker 2: because they don't have integrity. Integrity is the foundation that

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Speaker 2: a successful life is built on. You can have talent, vision, determination,

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Speaker 2: but without integrity, you won't reach your highest potential. Now,

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Speaker 2: a person of integrity does the right thing when no

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Speaker 2: one is watching. They don't play on the computer because

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Speaker 2: the ball stepped away. They don't leave someone out of

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Speaker 2: a commission because they didn't know about the sell. They

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Speaker 2: don't cut corners at the job site because nobody will

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Speaker 2: find out about it. They give it their best, whether

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Speaker 2: anyone is there or not. When you have integrity, you

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Speaker 2: don't take supplies from.

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Speaker 1: The office to bring home to use.

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Speaker 2: You don't show up late to work and have somebody

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Speaker 2: clock in earlier for you. You don't spend half the

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Speaker 2: day making personal phone calls at the office.

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Speaker 1: Well they don't pay me enough anyway.

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Speaker 2: Maybe not, but that's not integrity. If you'll do the

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Speaker 2: right thing, God will make it up to you.

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Speaker 1: He's keeping the records.

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Speaker 2: Many things we face are simply test is seeing are

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Speaker 2: we ready to go higher? Maybe the bank teller gives

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Speaker 2: you too much money in return? Are you going to

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Speaker 2: have integrity, go back and make things right, or are

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Speaker 2: you going to say thank.

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Speaker 1: You Jesus, you did it again. That is not the

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Speaker 1: answer to your prayer.

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Speaker 2: Do you call in sick to work, coughing, sniffling so

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Speaker 2: you can take the day off and go shopping. You

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Speaker 2: could win an Academy award with that performance, but that's

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Speaker 2: not integrity. Don't be surprised if you can't find anything

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Speaker 2: at the store. They don't have your size. Nobody will

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Speaker 2: wait on you. Traffic's backed up. Maybe it's because there's

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Speaker 2: no blessing on it. We can't deceive people and expect

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Speaker 2: to have his favor. When somebody knocks on your door

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Speaker 2: at home and you don't feel like visiting, do you

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Speaker 2: tell your child go answer, tell him I'm not here.

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Speaker 2: That works, but it's not integrity. Don't complain when your

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Speaker 2: child doesn't tell the truth. We're leading by example. We

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Speaker 2: can tell our children do the right thing, stay on

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Speaker 2: the high road, but if they see us compromising, they're

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Speaker 2: going to do the same thing. When you have integrity,

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Speaker 2: you pay your bills. You don't sweep things under the rug.

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Speaker 2: You keep your commitments. Don't buy things that you know

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Speaker 2: you can't pay for. Well, Joel, I'm stretching my faith.

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Speaker 2: I'm believing for increase. Stretch your faith before you sign

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Speaker 2: on the dotted line. Let God bless you first.

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Speaker 1: Once you have the funds, then you can purchase it.

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Speaker 2: But it's not integrity to make commitments that you know

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Speaker 2: you're not going to be able to keep. Don't promise

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Speaker 2: people the moon when you know you can't get to

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Speaker 2: the clouds. Don't write a check and then pray for

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Speaker 2: three days hoping it'll clear. Check your balance first, Be honest,

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Speaker 2: be trustworthy, be a person of your word, your reputation

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Speaker 2: and is one of the most valuable things you have.

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Speaker 2: Proverbs says a good name is worth more than great riches.

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Speaker 2: You can have great wealth and be looked down on,

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Speaker 2: seen as shady. But when you're a person of integrity,

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Speaker 2: when people look at you and think I can trust them,

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Speaker 2: they always do the right thing.

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Speaker 1: They're honest, they're fair.

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Speaker 2: They don't talk to me one way and then talk

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Speaker 2: to my friends behind my back another way.

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Speaker 1: They're consistent.

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Speaker 2: Your reputation is too important to let it become tarnished

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Speaker 2: by not having integrity. When you do the right thing,

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Speaker 2: when you stay on the high road, that will take

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Speaker 2: you much further than being dishonest, manipulating trying to gain

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Speaker 2: an unfair advantage. We can't turn in an exaggerated expense.

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Speaker 1: Account and expect to be blessed.

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Speaker 2: We can't be deceitful on taxes and expect to have

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Speaker 2: God's favor. I knew a man he tapped into the

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Speaker 2: cable line behind his house and brought cable into his

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Speaker 2: home without paying for it. He was so proud of

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Speaker 2: it he bragged to us for years how he was

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Speaker 2: saving forty dollars a month. That man never did rise

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Speaker 2: out of mediocrity, constantly struggled, barely got by.

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Speaker 1: He thought he was gaining an advantage.

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Speaker 2: The truth is he was putting himself at a disadvantage.

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Speaker 2: You may gain with people, gain some material things, but

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Speaker 2: what if you lose with God?

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Speaker 1: He controls the universe.

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Speaker 2: He's the one that can open the windows of heaven

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Speaker 2: and pour out blessings that you can't contain. I would

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Speaker 2: rather have favor with God than favor with people.

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Speaker 1: That man would have been better off.

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Speaker 2: To pay the forty dollars so he could have God's blessing.

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Speaker 2: And there's a lot we can get by with hide exaggerate.

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Speaker 2: Anything we gain without integrity won't.

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Speaker 1: Be as good as it could have been.

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Speaker 2: It's better to be truthful and have less than God's

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Speaker 2: favor will take you further. But too often we're letting

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Speaker 2: little compromises keep us from the big things God has

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Speaker 2: in store. Instead of trying to cross the line, thinking

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Speaker 2: how much can I get away with and still get by,

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Speaker 2: why don't you try a different approach and see how

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Speaker 2: far behind the line you can stay?

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Speaker 1: Ask yourself, what is the right thing to do? If

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Speaker 1: I was standing before God, what decision would I make.

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Speaker 2: The more integrity you have, the more God can bless you.

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Speaker 2: John Chapter one, Jesus saw a man named Nathaniel coming

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Speaker 2: toward him. Verse forty seven says Jesus knew Nathaniel's thoughts.

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Speaker 2: He honored him, saying, here comes a man in whom

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Speaker 2: there is no deceit and up right, honest man that

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Speaker 2: is free from hypocrisy and double standards.

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Speaker 1: That should be our goal. God.

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Speaker 2: I want to be so above board, so full of integrity,

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Speaker 2: that you'll describe me like you describe Nathaniel, that there

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Speaker 2: is no deceit in me. Well, Joel, that's not me,

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Speaker 2: maybe not yet, but it can be. You can become

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Speaker 2: a Nathaniel. You can make decisions that honor God. When

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Speaker 2: you have integrity, you're the same in private as you

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Speaker 2: are in public. You don't treat people at work nice

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Speaker 2: and kind and then come home and be rude and

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Speaker 2: hearsh to your family.

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Speaker 1: That's not integrity, that's hypocrisy.

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Speaker 2: You should treat your family better than you treat anyone else.

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Speaker 2: Don't be kinder to strangers than you are to your

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Speaker 2: own spouse. Don't be more considerate to co workers than

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Speaker 2: you are to the people that live in your own house.

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Speaker 1: Be consistent. Some people on Sundays is.

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Speaker 2: God bless you, great to see you. They'll wave real big,

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Speaker 2: real friendly. But on Mondays, if you cut them off

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Speaker 2: in traffic, they'll wave with one finger in the air.

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Speaker 2: That's being two faced. That's a pretender. You have to

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Speaker 2: get honest with yourself. I'm not asking you to be perfect.

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Speaker 2: I'm asking you to be real. You'll never change if

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Speaker 2: you don't first acknowledge that there's some pretending going on.

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Speaker 2: The Next time you're tempted to switch over to the

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Speaker 2: pretend you, the compromising you, the dishonest, you put your

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Speaker 2: foot down, say no, I'm not going there.

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Speaker 1: That is not who I am. That's an invitation.

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Speaker 2: I am kind, loving, honest, trustworthy, calm, consistent.

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Speaker 1: You talk to yourself that.

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Speaker 2: Way long enough, and you'll have integrity with yourself.

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Speaker 1: You'll become consistent.

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Speaker 2: The same on Monday as you are on Sunday, the

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Speaker 2: same at work.

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Speaker 1: As we are at home. This is what I saw

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Speaker 1: growing up with my parents.

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Speaker 2: They were the same in the pulpit as they were

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Speaker 2: at home. They weren't loving in public and then hateful

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Speaker 2: in private.

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Speaker 1: Now I believe this is one.

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Speaker 2: Reason that all of us kids, with the exception of

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Speaker 2: my brother Paul, turned out. Okay, you can fool a

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Speaker 2: lot of people, but you.

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Speaker 1: Can't fool your children.

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Speaker 2: They know when there's a double standard, they know when

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Speaker 2: there's not integrity. Our son Jonathan gave me a compliment

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Speaker 2: a while back on my birthday. He wrote, my dad

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Speaker 2: is one of the kindest people I know. He treats

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Speaker 2: everyone he meets with respect. I didn't know that he

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Speaker 2: really noticed. But people are watching parents. We are leading

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Speaker 2: by example. This is not to make us feel pressured,

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Speaker 2: but to make us strive to excel, to be honorable, trustworthy,

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Speaker 2: kind people that stay on the high road. When you

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Speaker 2: have integrity, you're not making underhanded deals hoping that nobody

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Speaker 2: sees you.

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Speaker 1: If you have to hide what you're.

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Speaker 2: Doing, it's probably not integrity. I've heard it said, don't

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Speaker 2: do anything you wouldn't want to read about the next

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Speaker 2: day in the newspaper. I was at a restaurant years

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Speaker 2: ago in another city. We were traveling to an event.

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Speaker 2: I had brought some lemons in the car that I

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Speaker 2: wanted to cut and squeeze into an energy drink before

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Speaker 2: I spoke, But I forgot the knife. We were going

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Speaker 2: straight to the meeting. Didn't have much time, so I thought,

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Speaker 2: maybe at this restaurant, I can take one of their knives.

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Speaker 2: After all, I'm paying a lot for this meal, just

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Speaker 2: a three dollars knife. They're not gonna miss it, They're

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Speaker 2: not gonna care. Started reasoning it out, trying to justify

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Speaker 2: takeing a knife.

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Speaker 1: I thought, how am I going to get it out

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Speaker 1: of here? The only way is to hide it. I thought,

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Speaker 1: I can't do that.

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Speaker 2: I'll get Victoria to do it for me, my partner

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Speaker 2: in crime.

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Speaker 1: I finally came to my senses. Yo, you're a pastor.

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Speaker 2: You are not going to go out of here hiding

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Speaker 2: a piece of silverware. I called the waiter over, said, Sir,

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Speaker 2: I need a favor. Can I buy this night? He

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Speaker 2: went and talked to the manager, came back, brought me

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Speaker 2: a set of silverware in a bag.

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Speaker 1: Said. The manager said, you can have it. I thought, Lord,

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Speaker 1: thank you kept me out of prison.

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Speaker 2: But here's my point, it's much better to be open

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Speaker 2: and honest. I probably could have walked out of there

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Speaker 2: with some silverware hidden. They might not have seen it.

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Speaker 2: But here's the problem. God would have seen it. The

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Speaker 2: scripture says, it's the little foxes that spoil the vines.

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Speaker 2: I doubt many of you have big areas where you're

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Speaker 2: lacking integrity, but maybe there's some small things. The good

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Speaker 2: news is it's not hard to correct. Just takes a

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Speaker 2: little effort, digging down deeper to do the right thing.

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Speaker 2: It means getting out of ruts where we've gotten comfortable,

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Speaker 2: compromising and doing things that are less than our best.

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Speaker 1: David said and saw one hundred and one.

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Speaker 2: I will lead a life of integrity in my own home.

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Speaker 2: He was saying, where nobody can see me, I'm going

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Speaker 2: to do the right thing. When I could slack off, compromise,

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Speaker 2: give in to temptation, be dishonest. Instead, I'm going to

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Speaker 2: take the high road. I'm going to be a person

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Speaker 2: of excellence. I'm going to show God he can trust me.

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Speaker 2: He went on to say, I will not look at

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Speaker 2: anything impure, not gonna watch things that poison me. Verse

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Speaker 2: three says, I will not have crooked dealings, not gonna

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Speaker 2: get involved in things that are shady and.

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Speaker 1: Underhanded, unethical.

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Speaker 2: David wasn't perfect, but he made up his mind he

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Speaker 2: was going to walk in integrity, starting in his own home,

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Speaker 2: start in his private life. We can fool a lot

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Speaker 2: of people in public, but what God is concerned with

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Speaker 2: is what goes on behind closed doors. The scripture talks

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Speaker 2: about the hidden man of our heart, that's our motives.

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Speaker 2: What we do in secret, how you live in private

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Speaker 2: will determine how high you go in public. People may

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Speaker 2: not be watching, but God is watching.

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Speaker 1: And don't take that.

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Speaker 2: As something negative, like oh man, I'm gonna get called

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Speaker 2: I'm in trouble. Take it as a challenge. God is

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Speaker 2: watching to see when he can promote you. He's waiting

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Speaker 2: to see when you pass these tests.

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Speaker 1: So he can take you to new levels. Now, I

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Speaker 1: wonder how much higher we would go, how much more.

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Speaker 2: Favor and promotion we'd see, if we would deal with

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Speaker 2: the areas that we know are holding us back, start

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Speaker 2: making things right. Have an integrity in your finances, in

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Speaker 2: your relationships, in how you treat people, Joel, I didn't

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Speaker 2: want to hear about integrity today. I wanted to hear

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Speaker 2: about prosperity. You will never have prosperity if you don't

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Speaker 2: first have integrity.

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Speaker 1: The two go hand in hand.

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Speaker 2: I was at a music store with Jonathan when he

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Speaker 2: was ten years old buying some equipment for his guitar,

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Speaker 2: and when I went to pay, the man told me

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Speaker 2: that Lakewood had an account there and we could put

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Speaker 2: it on that account. Now, I told him that this

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Speaker 2: was personal and I didn't want to do that.

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Speaker 1: He gave me the.

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Speaker 2: Bill and the tax on it was twenty dollars. He said,

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Speaker 2: at least let me put this under Lakewood's name. That way,

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Speaker 2: you want to have to pay the tax. Lakewood is

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Speaker 2: a church and churches are tax exempt. I said, thanks

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Speaker 2: so much, but no, I want to pay the tax

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Speaker 2: to This is totally personal.

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Speaker 1: He looked at me so strange.

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Speaker 2: Kind of shook his head, like, man, you are way overboard.

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Speaker 1: Nobody would know you didn't pay the tax.

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Speaker 2: My company wouldn't know, the church wouldn't know, the eye

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Speaker 2: or wouldn't know.

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Speaker 1: What he didn't realize is someone was watching.

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Speaker 2: More important than all those that he mentioned, the most

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Speaker 2: High God sees.

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Speaker 1: Everything we do.

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Speaker 2: These are opportunities for us to pass the test. If

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Speaker 2: God can trust me to be honest with twenty dollars,

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Speaker 2: maybe he can trust me to handle twenty thousand, or

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Speaker 2: twenty million or two hundred million. I would hate to

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Speaker 2: think I didn't reach my destiny because.

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Speaker 1: Of small things.

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Speaker 2: I wasn't honest in small areas that I didn't pass

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Speaker 2: the test. Sure, I could have saved twenty dollars, but

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Speaker 2: what is that in comparison to having the blessing.

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Speaker 1: And favor of the creator of the universe.

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Speaker 2: When God can trust you, when you prove to him

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Speaker 2: that you're a person of integrity, there is no limit

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Speaker 2: to hahi, he will take you. I saw this with

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Speaker 2: my father. He was a man of great integrity. If

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Speaker 2: there was the smallest question of something not being above board,

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Speaker 2: perfectly ethical, he wouldn't have anything to do with it.

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Speaker 1: And through the years people would bring deals.

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Speaker 2: By hey, you got that big church, all those people.

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Speaker 2: You can take advantage of it, make some extra funds.

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Speaker 2: But my father valued God's blessing on his life more

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Speaker 2: than what any person could come up with. He taught

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Speaker 2: me to have a high standard, and if you don't

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Speaker 2: feel good about something, you have to talk to yourself

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Speaker 2: into it, make excuses as to why it's okay, it's

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Speaker 2: not worth it. You will never go wrong by taking

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Speaker 2: the high road.

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Speaker 1: Short term, I could have saved twenty bucks.

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Speaker 2: Long term, I may not be where I am prove

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Speaker 2: to God that he can trust you that you'll go

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Speaker 2: the extra mile to do what's right. You may have

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Speaker 2: to say no to some things that people don't understand.

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Speaker 1: Not do what all your coworkers do.

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Speaker 2: Maybe they're fine with slacking off, they're okay with spending

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Speaker 2: company money on personal things. Don't judge them, that's not

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Speaker 2: our business. But don't become like them. Don't lower your standards.

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Speaker 2: They're not going where you're going. You may not be

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Speaker 2: able to do everything your family members do. Watch what

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Speaker 2: they want, do business like they do business. There's a

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Speaker 2: price to pay to become all you were created to be.

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Speaker 2: If it was easy, anybody would do it. This takes

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Speaker 2: people that have a made up mind. I'm going to

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Speaker 2: honor God, not going to compromise, take shortcuts, do things

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Speaker 2: that are not ethical, not going to push people down

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Speaker 2: to get an advantage. Not gonna be sloppy in my

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Speaker 2: business dealings. I'm going to be a person of integrity, trustworthy, honorable.

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Speaker 2: That's the kind of people God's rewards. But sometimes when

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Speaker 2: we compromise and do things that are we think we're

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Speaker 2: gaining an advantage with people, we're getting the upper hand.

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Speaker 2: But when you walk in integrity, You're gaining an advantage

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Speaker 2: with God. His fever on your life will take you

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Speaker 2: further than any advantage with people. You may have made

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00:19:18,440 --> 00:19:22,159
Speaker 2: mistakes in the past, not had integrity in certain areas.

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Speaker 2: That's okay, we all have. My challenge is start making

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Speaker 2: things right. Let today be a new day. Don't go

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Speaker 2: the next thirty years letting the same things hold you back.

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Speaker 2: When my father was in his twenties back in the

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Speaker 2: nineteen forties, he bought two suits on credit from a

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Speaker 2: store in fort Worth.

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Speaker 1: He had good intentions.

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Speaker 2: He was planning on paying them back, but he got

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Speaker 2: busy and things came up. He never did. Years went

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Speaker 2: by and he'd forgotten about it. One day he was

352
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Speaker 2: driving through fort Worth and suddenly he remembered. It bothered

353
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Speaker 2: him that he had never paid that debt. He got

354
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Speaker 2: in the phone book.

355
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Speaker 1: But couldn't find the name of the company. So he

356
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Speaker 1: drove to the location, but they were closed down.

357
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Speaker 2: The people next door said they had been out of

358
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Speaker 2: business for many years.

359
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Speaker 1: He could have thought, I did my best. I tried.

360
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Speaker 2: He didn't stop there. He found out who the owners were.

361
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Speaker 2: They had passed away, but he was able to track

362
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Speaker 2: down one of their children. He called this man he

363
00:20:25,080 --> 00:20:26,880
Speaker 2: was my father's age, and.

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Speaker 1: Explained that he owed them.

365
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Speaker 2: For two suits he didn't pay for back in the

366
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Speaker 2: nineteen forties. The man says, sir, don't worry about it.

367
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Speaker 2: We've been out of business. We're all doing fine. My

368
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Speaker 2: dad thanked him for being so gracious, but said, no,

369
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Speaker 2: I still want.

370
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Speaker 1: To pay you.

371
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Speaker 2: He drove to his house and gave him a check

372
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Speaker 2: with interest. Forty years later. No wonder, God blessed my father.

373
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Speaker 2: No wonder, he took him higher and hire.

374
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Speaker 1: It wasn't that he just had great talent. He had

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Speaker 1: great integrity.

376
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Speaker 2: He was determined to make things right. In Genesis chapter twenty,

377
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Speaker 2: Abraham and sarahm had just moved to a new city.

378
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Speaker 2: Sarah was very beautiful, very striking. Abraham knew when the

379
00:21:11,600 --> 00:21:14,240
Speaker 2: king saw her beauty, he would want to take her

380
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Speaker 2: into his harem. He told Sarah, tell the king that

381
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Speaker 2: you're my sister.

382
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Speaker 1: That way, he won't kill me just to get to you.

383
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Speaker 1: Like he thought.

384
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Speaker 2: The king sent word for Sarah had her come to

385
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Speaker 2: the palace.

386
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Speaker 1: One night. The king had a dream.

387
00:21:30,520 --> 00:21:33,679
Speaker 2: God said to him, why have you taken a married

388
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Speaker 2: woman into your family? The king said, God, what do

389
00:21:37,240 --> 00:21:41,080
Speaker 2: you mean? Abraham said she was his sister. She told

390
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Speaker 2: me Abraham was her brother. In the integrity of my heart,

391
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Speaker 2: I have done this, God said in verse six.

392
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Speaker 1: Yes, I know you are innocent.

393
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Speaker 2: Because of your integrity, I have kept you from touching her.

394
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Speaker 2: Now return her to Abraham. This king was about to

395
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Speaker 2: make mistake, get off course, step out of God's favor.

396
00:22:04,080 --> 00:22:09,119
Speaker 2: But because of his integrity, because he was trustworthy, honorable,

397
00:22:09,680 --> 00:22:13,080
Speaker 2: God kept him from what he couldn't see on his own.

398
00:22:13,920 --> 00:22:17,440
Speaker 2: Proverbs too says God is a shield to those who

399
00:22:17,480 --> 00:22:21,800
Speaker 2: walk in integrity. He guards their path, watches after them.

400
00:22:22,560 --> 00:22:24,520
Speaker 1: Like this king. There are mistakes.

401
00:22:24,920 --> 00:22:29,879
Speaker 2: You could have made, wrong terms compromise, But because of

402
00:22:29,920 --> 00:22:34,080
Speaker 2: your integrity, God stepped in and closed the door. He

403
00:22:34,200 --> 00:22:36,720
Speaker 2: kept you from the trouble, from the heart ache. He's

404
00:22:36,760 --> 00:22:41,199
Speaker 2: guarding your path. Some of the temptation that you resisted,

405
00:22:41,880 --> 00:22:43,560
Speaker 2: It wasn't that you were so strong.

406
00:22:44,160 --> 00:22:47,399
Speaker 1: Wasn't you just decided to say no? That was God

407
00:22:47,720 --> 00:22:48,680
Speaker 1: holding you back.

408
00:22:49,359 --> 00:22:52,399
Speaker 2: There is a blessing on your life that protects you,

409
00:22:53,040 --> 00:22:55,119
Speaker 2: guards you when you honor God.

410
00:22:55,960 --> 00:22:57,040
Speaker 1: David talked about it.

411
00:22:57,280 --> 00:23:00,760
Speaker 2: God keeps my foot from dashing against a stone. God

412
00:23:00,800 --> 00:23:04,080
Speaker 2: will not let my enemies triumph over me. When you

413
00:23:04,160 --> 00:23:08,040
Speaker 2: walk in integrity, God has a shield around you. He's

414
00:23:08,160 --> 00:23:12,200
Speaker 2: keeping fiery darts from hitting you. He's pushing back darkness.

415
00:23:12,400 --> 00:23:16,640
Speaker 2: He's not letting the temptation overtake you. He's closing doors

416
00:23:16,680 --> 00:23:19,480
Speaker 2: that would be harmful. If you want to keep that

417
00:23:19,520 --> 00:23:24,520
Speaker 2: shield up, keep your integrity, Be trustworthy, be honorable, a

418
00:23:24,560 --> 00:23:27,439
Speaker 2: person of your word, Be somebody that can.

419
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Speaker 1: Be counted on.

420
00:23:28,920 --> 00:23:31,560
Speaker 2: There was a very wealthy man that had a friend

421
00:23:31,640 --> 00:23:32,560
Speaker 2: that was a builder.

422
00:23:33,080 --> 00:23:34,159
Speaker 1: This builder had been.

423
00:23:34,040 --> 00:23:36,760
Speaker 2: Down on his luck and not had much business. The

424
00:23:36,840 --> 00:23:39,640
Speaker 2: man felt sorry for him and decided to help him out.

425
00:23:40,160 --> 00:23:42,720
Speaker 2: He gave him a set of plans with a check

426
00:23:42,920 --> 00:23:45,840
Speaker 2: for two hundred thousand dollars. He said, I want you

427
00:23:45,880 --> 00:23:49,159
Speaker 2: to use these funds to build me a new house.

428
00:23:49,800 --> 00:23:53,520
Speaker 2: You handle all the details. Just call me when you're done.

429
00:23:53,560 --> 00:23:56,199
Speaker 1: He assured him he would pay him very well if

430
00:23:56,240 --> 00:23:57,359
Speaker 1: he would do a good job.

431
00:23:57,880 --> 00:24:00,400
Speaker 2: This builder was so excited that he find he had

432
00:24:00,440 --> 00:24:03,480
Speaker 2: some work. But he got to thinking if he would

433
00:24:03,520 --> 00:24:06,399
Speaker 2: cut a few corners, save a little here, save a

434
00:24:06,440 --> 00:24:10,000
Speaker 2: little there, he could pocket some of that money without

435
00:24:10,040 --> 00:24:13,280
Speaker 2: anybody knowing about it. So he went out and found

436
00:24:13,320 --> 00:24:17,000
Speaker 2: the cheapest concrete he could find. Had the workers water

437
00:24:17,119 --> 00:24:20,000
Speaker 2: it down so it could go further. He saved several

438
00:24:20,040 --> 00:24:23,960
Speaker 2: thousand dollars. On the foundation, he bought the cheapest lumber.

439
00:24:24,440 --> 00:24:26,800
Speaker 2: Some of it was old, crooked, warped.

440
00:24:26,920 --> 00:24:29,280
Speaker 1: He didn't care. He's going to be behind the walls,

441
00:24:29,480 --> 00:24:30,399
Speaker 1: nobody would see it.

442
00:24:30,920 --> 00:24:34,760
Speaker 2: He got the cheapest plumber, cheapest electricity, on and on right,

443
00:24:34,920 --> 00:24:39,200
Speaker 2: and left cutting corners, pocketing the money. When he finished,

444
00:24:39,440 --> 00:24:42,000
Speaker 2: he had saved nearly forty thousand dollars.

445
00:24:42,200 --> 00:24:43,240
Speaker 1: He was so happy.

446
00:24:43,640 --> 00:24:46,320
Speaker 2: He called the owner over to look at the new house.

447
00:24:46,560 --> 00:24:50,520
Speaker 2: The owner was very impressed. Look beautiful on the outside.

448
00:24:50,640 --> 00:24:54,119
Speaker 2: You couldn't tell he had cut corners. This builder couldn't

449
00:24:54,119 --> 00:24:56,480
Speaker 2: wait to see how much he was going to get paid.

450
00:24:56,680 --> 00:25:00,520
Speaker 2: He knew the owner was a very generous man. Owner says,

451
00:25:00,520 --> 00:25:03,159
Speaker 2: you know, I don't really need a new house. I

452
00:25:03,240 --> 00:25:06,200
Speaker 2: have a beautiful one. I just wanted to help you out.

453
00:25:06,680 --> 00:25:09,720
Speaker 2: He handed him the keys and said, here, you just

454
00:25:09,800 --> 00:25:14,120
Speaker 2: built your own house. The builder nearly passed out.

455
00:25:14,880 --> 00:25:17,080
Speaker 1: He thought, if I'd known he's going to be mine,

456
00:25:17,760 --> 00:25:19,240
Speaker 1: i'd built it a whole lot better.

457
00:25:20,240 --> 00:25:23,040
Speaker 2: We may not realize it, but we are building our

458
00:25:23,080 --> 00:25:28,160
Speaker 2: own house. We can cut corners here, compromise there. It's

459
00:25:28,200 --> 00:25:33,720
Speaker 2: not hurting anyone except ourselves. Everything may look fine on

460
00:25:33,760 --> 00:25:37,639
Speaker 2: the outside, what matters is what's happening on the inside.

461
00:25:38,280 --> 00:25:42,760
Speaker 2: Are we watering down our foundation, not being trustworthy in commitments,

462
00:25:42,920 --> 00:25:46,520
Speaker 2: slacking off at the office? What kind of materials are

463
00:25:46,520 --> 00:25:50,280
Speaker 2: you putting into your house? I'm asking you to be

464
00:25:50,400 --> 00:25:54,560
Speaker 2: a person of integrity, do the right thing when nobody

465
00:25:54,720 --> 00:25:58,439
Speaker 2: is watching. Don't let small things keep you from the

466
00:25:58,520 --> 00:26:00,560
Speaker 2: big destiny God has in store.

467
00:26:00,760 --> 00:26:05,479
Speaker 1: Start passing these tasks. Be honorable, trustworthy, a person of

468
00:26:05,520 --> 00:26:06,040
Speaker 1: your word.

469
00:26:06,440 --> 00:26:10,280
Speaker 2: If you'll do this, I believe and declare because you

470
00:26:10,400 --> 00:26:13,680
Speaker 2: walk in integrity, God is going to have a shield

471
00:26:13,840 --> 00:26:17,680
Speaker 2: around you. He's going to keep you from making major mistakes.

472
00:26:18,040 --> 00:26:20,720
Speaker 2: You're not only going to be protected, but you're going

473
00:26:20,760 --> 00:26:25,280
Speaker 2: to see promotion, good breaks, new levels, the fullness of

474
00:26:25,320 --> 00:26:28,959
Speaker 2: your destiny in Jesus' name, And if you receive it,

475
00:26:29,080 --> 00:26:33,080
Speaker 2: can you say it been today? I'd like to give

476
00:26:33,080 --> 00:26:36,440
Speaker 2: you an opportunity to make Jesus the lord of your life.

477
00:26:36,640 --> 00:26:37,679
Speaker 1: Would you pray with me?

478
00:26:38,440 --> 00:26:43,640
Speaker 2: Just say, Lord Jesus, I repent of my sins. Come

479
00:26:43,680 --> 00:26:47,320
Speaker 2: into my heart. I make you my lord and Savior.

480
00:26:48,680 --> 00:26:51,320
Speaker 2: If you paid that simple prayer, we believe you got

481
00:26:51,359 --> 00:26:55,000
Speaker 2: born again. Get in a good Bible based church, Keep

482
00:26:55,040 --> 00:26:58,520
Speaker 2: God first place. When was the last time you ask

483
00:26:58,640 --> 00:27:02,160
Speaker 2: God to do something that's seemed impossible. If you only

484
00:27:02,160 --> 00:27:06,560
Speaker 2: pray small, ordinary prayers, you live a small, ordinary lie.

485
00:27:06,960 --> 00:27:08,760
Speaker 1: I have a new book called Pray Bold.

486
00:27:09,200 --> 00:27:11,679
Speaker 2: I'll challenge you to stretch your faith and believe for

487
00:27:11,720 --> 00:27:12,960
Speaker 2: the big things God.

488
00:27:12,760 --> 00:27:14,040
Speaker 1: Puts in your heart.

489
00:27:14,440 --> 00:27:16,920
Speaker 2: Victoria and I used to have seasoned tickets to watch

490
00:27:16,960 --> 00:27:20,280
Speaker 2: the Rockets play basketball here. We never dreamed it could

491
00:27:20,320 --> 00:27:23,520
Speaker 2: be ours when they moved out. Somehow we had the

492
00:27:23,520 --> 00:27:26,720
Speaker 2: faith to pray a bold prayer. God made things happen

493
00:27:26,920 --> 00:27:29,560
Speaker 2: that we could never make happen. It's the same for you,

494
00:27:30,160 --> 00:27:32,520
Speaker 2: who knows what God will do in your life. If

495
00:27:32,560 --> 00:27:35,680
Speaker 2: you'll dare to pray bold, ask him for your dreams,

496
00:27:35,960 --> 00:27:38,920
Speaker 2: ask for your healing, as for your freedom. That's when

497
00:27:38,960 --> 00:27:41,360
Speaker 2: God will show up and do more than you could

498
00:27:41,440 --> 00:27:42,480
Speaker 2: ever imagine.

499
00:27:42,840 --> 00:27:45,160
Speaker 3: As our way of saying thank you for your gift

500
00:27:45,160 --> 00:27:47,800
Speaker 3: of any amount this month, we would like to send

501
00:27:47,840 --> 00:27:51,320
Speaker 3: you a copy of Jewel's brand new book, Pray Bold.

502
00:27:51,680 --> 00:27:56,040
Speaker 3: Dare to ask and believe Big. Jewel shares that when

503
00:27:56,080 --> 00:27:59,920
Speaker 3: we pray, we can tap into God's creative, awesome power,

504
00:28:00,640 --> 00:28:04,360
Speaker 3: something bigger than we have ever imagined. God doesn't want

505
00:28:04,440 --> 00:28:06,560
Speaker 3: us to just pray in our comfort zones.

506
00:28:07,000 --> 00:28:07,240
Speaker 1: Now.

507
00:28:07,560 --> 00:28:12,000
Speaker 3: God loves when we pray big, believe big, expect him

508
00:28:12,040 --> 00:28:16,360
Speaker 3: to do the unexpected. There are inspiring stories from the Bible,

509
00:28:16,560 --> 00:28:20,159
Speaker 3: from history, and personal testimonies of people who dared to

510
00:28:20,240 --> 00:28:24,480
Speaker 3: believe God in extraordinary ways. You'll learn how to practically

511
00:28:24,520 --> 00:28:27,840
Speaker 3: expand your prayers and watch your life move from the

512
00:28:27,880 --> 00:28:33,040
Speaker 3: common to the extraordinary, from less than to overflowing. Be

513
00:28:33,160 --> 00:28:36,760
Speaker 3: sure to request your copy of Pray Bold Today, visit

514
00:28:36,840 --> 00:28:39,840
Speaker 3: Joelstein dot com or call us toll free.

515
00:28:40,320 --> 00:28:43,640
Speaker 2: God has put dreams in your heart, things He's whispered and.

516
00:28:43,680 --> 00:28:45,520
Speaker 1: Denied that seem impossible.

517
00:28:45,840 --> 00:28:48,160
Speaker 2: But as you pray these bold prayers, you're going to

518
00:28:48,200 --> 00:28:50,920
Speaker 2: see the goodness of God in ways you've never seen

519
00:28:51,640 --> 00:28:53,800
Speaker 2: victor in our belief, and you're gonna have a great

520
00:28:53,840 --> 00:28:56,880
Speaker 2: twenty twenty five. We pray for you and your family

521
00:28:57,040 --> 00:29:00,680
Speaker 2: every day, but God's very best. Thank you for your

522
00:29:00,680 --> 00:29:04,520
Speaker 2: prayer and your support. You're impacting people all over the world.

523
00:29:04,520 --> 00:29:08,360
Speaker 3: Be sure to request your copy of Prebold Today visit

524
00:29:08,440 --> 00:29:13,160
Speaker 3: Joelostein dot com or call us tool free. Finally, elevates

525
00:29:13,200 --> 00:29:16,560
Speaker 3: your personal time with God by requesting the My Time

526
00:29:16,600 --> 00:29:21,840
Speaker 3: with God Collection. This beautiful collection contains the Prebold new release,

527
00:29:22,120 --> 00:29:26,400
Speaker 3: plus the new Living Translation, one year Chronological Study Bible,

528
00:29:26,600 --> 00:29:30,120
Speaker 3: and a beautiful glass mug and throw blanket based around

529
00:29:30,120 --> 00:29:33,520
Speaker 3: the inspiring scripture from Psalm forty six to ten Be

530
00:29:33,720 --> 00:29:36,960
Speaker 3: Still and Know that I Am God. You can learn

531
00:29:37,000 --> 00:29:40,240
Speaker 3: more about this unique new gift collection by calling eight

532
00:29:40,240 --> 00:29:43,480
Speaker 3: eight eight five sixty seven Joel or logging on too

533
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Speaker 3: Joelostein dot com Today.

534
00:29:46,560 --> 00:29:50,000
Speaker 2: Remember you can watch the services online every Sunday morning,

535
00:29:50,360 --> 00:29:54,880
Speaker 2: download our daily podcast, listen on Sirius XM, watch on YouTube,

536
00:29:55,240 --> 00:29:58,800
Speaker 2: and now the new Joelostein Network streaming on television twenty

537
00:29:58,800 --> 00:30:01,800
Speaker 2: four hours a day. If you've never been to Lakewood,

538
00:30:01,960 --> 00:30:06,000
Speaker 2: we have a great opportunity. We call it Homecoming Weekend.

539
00:30:06,440 --> 00:30:09,320
Speaker 2: We love to meet you and your family. You can

540
00:30:09,560 --> 00:30:12,360
Speaker 2: see the building and attend one of the services. It's

541
00:30:12,400 --> 00:30:15,280
Speaker 2: a great time to be a part of the Lakewood family.

542
00:30:15,320 --> 00:30:17,920
Speaker 2: Looking forward to seeing your Homecoming Weekend