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Speaker 1: Hi, this is Joel and Victoria. Thanks for listening to

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Speaker 1: our podcast and thanks for supporting the ministry. If you

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Speaker 1: enjoy today's message, why don't you be a blessing and

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Speaker 1: share it with a friend, reappreciate you and pray for

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Speaker 1: God's very best in your life. Well, God bless you.

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Speaker 1: It's aid joy to come into your homes, and if

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Speaker 1: you're ever in our area, please stop by be a

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Speaker 1: 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: Now. I likes to start with something funny and heard

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Speaker 1: about this man named Bubba. He lived way out in

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Speaker 1: the country and there was this stray dog that kept

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Speaker 1: showing up at his house. His wife said, Bubba, you

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Speaker 1: have to put the dog in the truck and take

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Speaker 1: him out to the woods and drop him off.

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Speaker 2: That's where he lives.

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Speaker 1: Bubba drove him a mile down the road, dropped him off.

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Speaker 1: When he came back home, the dog was walking up

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Speaker 1: the driveway practically beat him back. He did the same thing.

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Speaker 1: It happened again. His wife said, Bubba, you have to

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Speaker 1: take him way out, drive him around in circles, get

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Speaker 1: him all mixed up.

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Speaker 2: Bubba but drove him.

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Speaker 1: An hour away crisscross country roads he had never driven

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Speaker 1: down before, and dropped the dog off. Two hours later,

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Speaker 1: Bubba called his wife from the truck and said, did

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Speaker 1: that dog make it back home? She said, yeah, here

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Speaker 1: he comes walking up. He said, do me a favor.

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Speaker 1: Put him on the line. I need directions. Say it

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Speaker 1: you have a defender. We all have people that come

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Speaker 1: against us, make negative comments, trying to discredit us or

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Speaker 1: belittle us. Human nature is to get in there and

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Speaker 1: try to straighten them out, prove to them how they're wrong.

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Speaker 1: We think we have to defend ourselves, after all, that's

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Speaker 1: our reputation. But the problem with this approach is as

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Speaker 1: soon as you get one person straightened out, three more

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Speaker 1: will pop up. There will always be somebody that's against you,

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Speaker 1: somebody that's trying to make you look bad. If you're

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Speaker 1: constantly trying to defend yourself, you'll get distracted fighting battles

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Speaker 1: that you were never supposed to fight. It's easy to

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Speaker 1: get baited into conflict thinking, did you see what they

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Speaker 1: said about me on social media? I'm going to show

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Speaker 1: them who they're missing with. Do you know how much

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Speaker 1: energy it takes to try to pay somebody back or

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Speaker 1: to try to prove to them that you really are

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Speaker 1: a nice person. You are spending emotional energy that you

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Speaker 1: need for your dreams, for your goals.

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Speaker 2: Here's the key.

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Speaker 1: You don't have to defend yourself. God said he will

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Speaker 1: defend you. He will protect your reputation. Quit worrying about

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Speaker 1: the chatter, the negative comments, those are all distractions. That's

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Speaker 1: the enemy trying to debate you off course, so you'll

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Speaker 1: waste your time and energy involved in battles that don't matter. Well, Joel,

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Speaker 1: I'm upset because I'm a good person. What they're saying

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Speaker 1: about me is not true. Doesn't matter how good you are,

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Speaker 1: how loving, kind, upstanding, somebody's not going to like you.

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Speaker 1: Somebody's going to try to discredit you. It happened with

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Speaker 1: Jesus when he was on this earth. He went around,

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Speaker 1: healing the sick, lifting the fallen, encouraging those.

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Speaker 2: That were down. He did nothing but good.

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Speaker 1: But he was falsely accused, he was misunderstood. How did

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Speaker 1: he defend himself? How did he protect his reputation? Says

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Speaker 1: in one Peter. Even though he had never sinned or

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Speaker 1: done any wrong, he did not retaliate when he was insulted.

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Speaker 1: When he suffered, he did and threatened to get even

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Speaker 1: he left his case in the hands of God. I

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Speaker 1: wonder how much more peace you would have, how much

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Speaker 1: more you would enjoy your life if you would start

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Speaker 1: leaving your cases in the hands of God. We spend

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Speaker 1: too much time trying to defend ourselves, trying to prove

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Speaker 1: to people who we are worried about what they think.

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Speaker 1: Why don't you put your reputation in God's hands. I

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Speaker 1: can assure you God can vindicate you better than you

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Speaker 1: can vindicate yourself. You don't have to retaliate, You don't

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Speaker 1: have to try to pay people back convince them to

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Speaker 1: change their mind. The truth is some people are never

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Speaker 1: going to be for you, no matter what you do.

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Speaker 1: They're not going to like you. Their intent on misunderstanding you.

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Speaker 1: They don't want to see your point of view. They

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Speaker 1: don't want to give you the benefit of the doubt. Now,

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Speaker 1: don't go the next spot years frustrated because they're negative

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Speaker 1: towards you. Engaged in a battle that you're not supposed

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Speaker 1: to be engaged in. It's time to leave that case

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Speaker 1: in the hands of God. Quit worrying about what they think.

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Speaker 1: Quit reading what they say about you on social media.

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Speaker 1: Quit getting all riled up thinking about how you can retaliate,

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Speaker 1: how you can pay them back. As long as you're

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Speaker 1: defending yourself, then the true defender, the most High God,

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Speaker 1: will step back.

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Speaker 2: He'll let you do it your way.

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Speaker 1: But when we make this decision, God, I'm turning this

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Speaker 1: over to you. I'm not going to spend my life

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Speaker 1: worried about what somebody's saying, wasting my energy trying to

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Speaker 1: change their mind, upset because they don't like me. God,

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Speaker 1: I know you're my defender. I know you're fighting my battles.

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Speaker 1: That's when the creator of the universe will go to work.

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Speaker 1: When people try to push you down, God will lift

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Speaker 1: you up. When they try to make you look bad,

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Speaker 1: He'll turn it around and cause you to look good.

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Speaker 2: He'll cause you to shine.

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Speaker 1: This is what happened in the scripture to Mordecai. He

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Speaker 1: was a good man, doing the right thing, honoring God,

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Speaker 1: but a man named Hayman didn't like him.

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Speaker 2: Mordecai was a Jew.

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Speaker 1: He wouldn't bow down to Hayman and follow the traditions

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Speaker 1: of his people. So Haman was constantly trying to discredit Mordecai, push.

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Speaker 2: Him down, make him look bad.

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Speaker 1: Mordecai didn't get upset, he didn't try to pay him back.

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Speaker 1: He understood this principle that he had a defender. He

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Speaker 1: left that case in the hands of God, and in

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Speaker 1: the natural Haman had an advantage.

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Speaker 2: He worked for the king in.

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Speaker 1: The palace, had a prestigious influential position. What could Mordecai

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Speaker 1: ever do. But one night this king couldn't sleep. He

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Speaker 1: asked his assistant to bring him one of the books

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Speaker 1: that had the city's history recorded in it. It just

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Speaker 1: so happened the king read about a good deed that

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Speaker 1: Mordecai had done. The king was so impressed the next

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Speaker 1: morning he called Hayman in. He said, Hayman, what do

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Speaker 1: you think we should do to honor a man that's

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Speaker 1: done a good deed? And serve the king with excellence. Well,

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Speaker 1: Hayman was so self centered he thought the king was

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Speaker 1: talking about himself, so he played it up big. He said, King,

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Speaker 1: I think we should put a royal robe on this man,

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Speaker 1: have a big parade, march him up and down the streets,

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Speaker 1: announcing what a great man he is. The king said Hayman,

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Speaker 1: I love that idea. Now go find Mordecai and do

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Speaker 1: just what you said. You march him up and down

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Speaker 1: the streets, and you announce how great he is. What

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Speaker 1: am I saying? God knows how to protect your reputation.

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Speaker 1: Why don't you put that case in his hands. Quit

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Speaker 1: spending all your time trying to defend yourself. You have

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Speaker 1: a defender. God can do it better than you. He

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Speaker 1: knows how to bring justice. He knows how to vindicate you.

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Speaker 1: This is what Jesus did. He was disrespected. They called

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Speaker 1: him a fraud, a cheat, an impostor. But the scripture

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Speaker 1: says he made himself of no reputation. That means he

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Speaker 1: didn't worry about his reputation. He knew he would be misunderstood,

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Speaker 1: He knew people would be negative, critical, fine fault. He

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Speaker 1: didn't waste his time trying to prove to his critics

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Speaker 1: that he was the son of God. He didn't go

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Speaker 1: around upset because religious leaders didn't believe in him. He

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Speaker 1: just kept running his race, being his best, trusting his

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Speaker 1: father to settle his cases. If you'll consume with what

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Speaker 1: other people think, why won't they respect me. I've got

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Speaker 1: to convince them to believe me. Then you'll get distracted

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Speaker 1: and miss your destiny. Why don't you let your defender

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Speaker 1: go to work. God said he will fight your battles.

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Speaker 1: He will take care of your critics. God will deal

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Speaker 1: with those coworkers that are spreading rumors about you. He'll

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Speaker 1: take care of that friend that's trying to make you

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Speaker 1: look bad. God knows how to settle your case. David

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Speaker 1: put it this way, Psal, I'm sixty nine. Those who

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Speaker 1: hate me without a cause are too many to count.

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Speaker 1: They attack me with lies, They make fun of me.

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Speaker 1: I am the favorite town gossip. It's the same way today.

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Speaker 1: People can dislike you without a cause.

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Speaker 2: They don't even know you.

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Speaker 1: They just pass you by at the office. They've never

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Speaker 1: been to lunch with you, never heard your story. It'd

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Speaker 1: be one thing if they knew you and didn't like you,

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Speaker 1: but they judge you from a distance. They don't like

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Speaker 1: you because you're happy, because you're successful, because you're talented,

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Speaker 1: because you're a different nationale of the life with David.

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Speaker 1: They'll attack you behind your back and try to be

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Speaker 1: little discredit you. These are tests that we all must pass.

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Speaker 1: Are you going to get offended and try to straighten

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Speaker 1: them out? Are you going to take that bait and

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Speaker 1: get involved in a battle that you're not supposed to fight.

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Speaker 1: Stay on the high road. They don't control your destiny.

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Speaker 1: They're a distraction, trying to lure you off course, to

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Speaker 1: get involved in something that's not between you and your destiny.

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Speaker 1: One of the best things we can learn to do

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Speaker 1: is ignore it. Don't pay it any attention. That's how

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Speaker 1: you leave it in the hands of God. And this

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Speaker 1: is what David did. He went on to say, they

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Speaker 1: hate me, they attack me, they make fun of me.

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Speaker 2: But I keep right on praying to you.

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Speaker 1: He was saying, I don't give it at the time

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Speaker 1: of day, I just keep on praising. Well, Joel, what

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Speaker 1: they're saying is not true. What if they tarnish my reputation.

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Speaker 1: I'm asking you to put your reputation in God's hands.

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Speaker 1: He said that he would protect it. The more successful

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Speaker 1: you are, the higher you go, more people will come

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Speaker 1: against you. Like with David, talk about you without a cause.

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Speaker 1: Everybody loved you until you got that promotion, til you

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Speaker 1: moved into that new house, till you married that beautiful girl.

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Speaker 1: Now the critics have come out of the woodwork. You

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Speaker 1: have to let your defender go to work. You have

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Speaker 1: to be still and know that he is God. It's

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Speaker 1: easy to get all stirred up thinking about how you

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Speaker 1: can pay them back. What the best strategy is to

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Speaker 1: get even Can I tell you what it is? Be still,

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Speaker 1: leave that case in God's hands. God said in Jeremiah,

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Speaker 1: I will defend you. I will be your lawyer. I

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Speaker 1: will take on your case. Years ago, Victoria and I

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Speaker 1: were in a legal situation. Somebody accused us of something

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Speaker 1: we didn't do.

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Speaker 2: We knew we were in the.

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Speaker 1: Right, but they filed a lawsuit and we had to

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Speaker 1: go to court. We hired the best attorney we could

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Speaker 1: possibly find. We didn't want somebody average, middle of the pack.

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Speaker 1: We wanted somebody to represent us that was exceptional, that

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Speaker 1: had a great track record, a lot of experience, very skilled.

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Speaker 1: We found a man that was just that. And we

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Speaker 1: went to court Victoria and I didn't have to get

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Speaker 1: up and argue our case, try to prove to the

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Speaker 1: other side we were right, convince them of our innocence.

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Speaker 1: We just sat back and let our attorney do all

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Speaker 1: the work.

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Speaker 2: He argued for us.

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Speaker 1: He objected when he heard something he didn't like, he

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Speaker 1: rebutted the other testimony. He was our defender. We had

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Speaker 1: done our part, given our deposition. Now it was in

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Speaker 1: his hands. It was our case, but it was his battle.

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Speaker 2: We didn't have to fight.

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Speaker 1: Our job was to be still while he defended us.

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Speaker 2: We rested, we.

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Speaker 1: Stayed in peace. In a few days, it was all

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Speaker 1: over ruled in our favor. Here's what I'm saying. You

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Speaker 1: have a defender, not somebody that's average, not somebody that's mediocre.

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Speaker 1: The most high God is representing you. He said, I

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Speaker 1: will be your lawyer. I will please your case. I

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Speaker 1: will take on those battles. Now I had a great

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Speaker 1: attorney here in the city, But can you imagine having

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Speaker 1: the creator of the universe defending you. You don't have

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Speaker 1: to try to prove to people who you are and

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Speaker 1: worry night and day about your reputation.

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Speaker 2: You can stay in.

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Speaker 1: Peace, You can relax knowing that it's not your battle.

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Speaker 1: It's your case. But the battle is the Lord's. The

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Speaker 1: battle belongs to your defender. Can I tell you he's

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Speaker 1: never lost a case. Instead of living worried, stressed out,

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Speaker 1: why don't you sit back and let your.

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Speaker 2: Defender do his job?

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Speaker 1: Numbers, Chapter twelve, Moses's sister and brother started speaking against Moses.

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Speaker 2: Miriam and Aaron.

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Speaker 1: They didn't like the wife that Moses had chosen. He

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Speaker 1: married somebody from a different nationality. I can hear them

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Speaker 1: telling people, why do you marry her? That wasn't right.

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Speaker 1: He should have known better. On and on, stirring up trouble,

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Speaker 1: trying to make Moses look bad. Verse two says the

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Speaker 1: Lord heard what they were saying. When people are talking

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Speaker 1: about you, don't worry God hears it. You may not

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Speaker 1: even know it's happening, but God knows it's happening.

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Speaker 2: He's your defender.

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Speaker 1: Goes on to say, the anger of the Lord blazed

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Speaker 1: against Miriam and Erin. Why was God so mad? Had

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Speaker 1: they killed someone, lied, cheated, committed adultery? Now it was

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Speaker 1: because they had spoken against the reputation of one of

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Speaker 1: his children. Instantly, Miriam's skin was white with leprosy. God

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Speaker 1: takes it seriously when somebody tries to discredit you, belittle you.

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Speaker 1: You don't have to get upset. God sees what's happening.

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Speaker 1: He doesn't sit idly behind the God too bad, they're

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Speaker 1: just ruining their reputation. No.

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Speaker 2: God goes to work.

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Speaker 1: He knows how to get people's attention, and sometimes he'll

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Speaker 1: cause them to be quiet and change their mind. Other

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Speaker 1: times he'll let them keep talking and just keep promoting you.

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Speaker 1: The more they talk, the higher you'll go.

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Speaker 2: They think they're hurting you.

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Speaker 1: The truth is they're helping you. God is paying you

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Speaker 1: back for what they're saying by taking you to new levels.

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Speaker 1: That's what the scripture says. God will prepare a table

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Speaker 1: before you in the presence.

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Speaker 2: Of your enemies, the very ones.

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Speaker 1: That tried to disrespect you hold you down. They will

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Speaker 1: see you in a position of honor, promoted, respected, with

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Speaker 1: greater influence. That's your defender at work. I talked to

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Speaker 1: a gentleman here in the lobby a while back, and

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Speaker 1: he was very upset because his boss was against him, was.

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Speaker 2: Always trying to hold him down.

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Speaker 1: I told this man. What I'm telling you that God

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Speaker 1: is your defender. People can't keep you from your destiny.

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Speaker 1: Don't live frustrated trying to straighten your boss out.

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Speaker 2: Just keep being your best.

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Speaker 1: You're not working under people, You're working under God. Leave

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Speaker 1: that case in his hands. This man went back to

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Speaker 1: the office with a new attitude. On several occasions he

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Speaker 1: should have been promoted, but because of this unfair.

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Speaker 2: Boss, he got passed over.

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Speaker 1: Well, one day, the CEO of the whole company was

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Speaker 1: in town. This man had to make a presentation. The

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Speaker 1: CEO was very impressed with his work. About a year later,

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Speaker 1: a position came available that should have gone to his boss,

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Speaker 1: but this CEO bypassed the boss and offered the position

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Speaker 1: to this man. Now, instead of having to work for

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Speaker 1: this boss, it's hard to get along with unfair The

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Speaker 1: tables have turned.

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Speaker 2: The boss is working for him.

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Speaker 1: God knows how to settle your case. He knows how

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Speaker 1: to protect your reputation. It says in Psalms, touch not

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Speaker 1: my anointed, You are His anointed. You may be in

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Speaker 1: a situation where there's disrespect, people pushing you down, trying

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Speaker 1: to hold you back, and it's been that way a

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Speaker 1: long time. You don't think it's ever going to change

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Speaker 1: or get ready. Your time is coming. God has heard

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Speaker 1: every negative word spoken against you. He's seen every person

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Speaker 1: that's tried to hold you back, like with this this man.

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Speaker 1: Vindication is on the way, Promotion is coming, New levels

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Speaker 1: are coming. God is going to make things happen that you.

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Speaker 2: Could never make happen.

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Speaker 1: He's preparing that table right now in the presence of

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Speaker 1: your enemies.

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Speaker 2: He's going to.

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Speaker 1: Settle that case.

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Speaker 2: Now.

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Speaker 1: Quit living frustrated, trying to win somebody over that's never

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Speaker 1: going to be for you. Your goal shouldn't be to

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Speaker 1: try to change somebody's mind convince them to like you.

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Speaker 1: Take this in the right sense. Some people are sent

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Speaker 1: to dislike you. Judas was sent to betray Jesus. If

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Speaker 1: Saul had not disliked David, David would have never taken

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Speaker 1: the throne. Everybody's not supposed.

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Speaker 2: To be for you.

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Speaker 1: You may be trying to win somebody over that's never

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Speaker 1: going to be one over.

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Speaker 2: Let God be your defender.

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Speaker 1: You don't have to try to pay them back, get even,

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Speaker 1: like with Moses. God God will take care of your critics.

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Speaker 1: You're not the judge. You don't have to straighten people out.

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Speaker 1: Just run your race with purpose, with integrity, with joy,

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Speaker 1: and let the negative bounce off of you. See sometimes

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Speaker 1: we think, oh, Joe, if I could just get this

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Speaker 1: person to stop talking about me, then I could be

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Speaker 1: happy again. Then I could enjoy my life again. I

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Speaker 1: don't mean to be negative, but somebody's always going to

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Speaker 1: be talking about you. Somebody's always going to be jealous,

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Speaker 1: trying to discredit you.

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Speaker 2: The good news is.

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Speaker 1: That's not your battle. You don't have to defend yourself.

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Speaker 2: You have a defender.

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Speaker 1: How much freer could you live if you would start

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Speaker 1: leaving those cases in the hands of God, not fighting

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Speaker 1: battles that you're not supposed to fight, not worried about

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Speaker 1: your reputation all the time, instead trusting God to protect

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Speaker 1: your reputation. I can tell you this firsthand because being

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Speaker 1: in the public eye you have a life lot of critics.

346
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Speaker 1: The more influence you have, the more exposure, the more

347
00:20:04,480 --> 00:20:07,480
Speaker 1: of the negative that comes as well. But the truth is,

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Speaker 1: I never think about the critics. I'm happy. I enjoy

349
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Speaker 1: my life. I'm grateful to be alive. See, I've learned

350
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Speaker 1: this principle that I have a defender, and as long

351
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Speaker 1: as you're honoring God being your best. No person can

352
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Speaker 1: stop you, no group, no organization. Promotion doesn't come from people,

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Speaker 1: He comes from the Lord. It's interesting when Jesus was here,

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Speaker 1: the people who were the most against him were the

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Speaker 1: religious people. But Jesus didn't try to convince them to

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Speaker 1: change their mind. He didn't spend hours arguing doctrine. He

357
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Speaker 1: ignored his critics and just ran his race. One time,

358
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Speaker 1: they criticized Jesus for healing a man on the Sabbath.

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Speaker 1: He did the right thing, but they said he did.

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Speaker 2: It on the wrong day.

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Speaker 1: Some people, no matter what you do, are not going

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Speaker 1: to be for you. You have to accept the fact that

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Speaker 1: not everyone is going to accept you. Not everyone is

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Speaker 1: going to like you or understand you. If you're going

365
00:21:12,480 --> 00:21:16,160
Speaker 1: to reach your highest potential, you have to be comfortable

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Speaker 1: being controversial. If you want everybody to like you, you'll

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Speaker 1: get stuck. Jesus was the most controversial person that's ever lived.

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Speaker 1: Two thousand years later, people are still arguing about him.

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Speaker 2: He had more.

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Speaker 1: Critics than anyone, but the scripture says he answered his

371
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Speaker 1: critics not a word. He didn't waste his time trying

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Speaker 1: to convince people who he was. How much time are

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Speaker 1: you spending worried about what they're saying, upset because what

374
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Speaker 1: they wrote about you on social media, trying to pay

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Speaker 1: that friend back for.

376
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Speaker 2: Making you look bad.

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Speaker 1: You don't have time for all that pettiness. It's a distraction.

378
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Speaker 1: It's not between you and your destiny. Let it go

379
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Speaker 1: in one ear and out the other, and use that

380
00:22:05,560 --> 00:22:10,000
Speaker 1: energy to move toward your God given dreams. You don't

381
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Speaker 1: have enough energy to answer your critics and fulfill your purpose.

382
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Speaker 1: At the same time, whatever you're spending trying to pay

383
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Speaker 1: people back, trying to prove to them you really are

384
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Speaker 1: a nice person. That's emotional energy you're not going to

385
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Speaker 1: have for the fullness of your destiny. Neeamiyah understood this

386
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Speaker 1: principle in the scripture. He was up on a hill

387
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Speaker 1: rebuilding the walls around Jerusalem. There were two people at

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Speaker 1: the bottom of the mountain, sand Ballot and Tobias. They

389
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Speaker 1: didn't want the wall rebuilt, so they were constantly yelling

390
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Speaker 1: insults at Nehemiah, trying debate him into conflict, making fun

391
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Speaker 1: of him, saying things like, Namiah, if a little fox

392
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Speaker 1: walked on that wall, it would fall down.

393
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Speaker 2: You don't know what you're doing. You're not a builder.

394
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Speaker 1: Day and night, they kept pestering him, and I'm sure

395
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Speaker 1: Neamiyah was tempted to go down there and give them

396
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Speaker 1: a piece of his mind.

397
00:23:09,040 --> 00:23:10,280
Speaker 2: But he was smart.

398
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Speaker 1: Enough to realize they were a distraction. What they said

399
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Speaker 1: didn't affect his destiny. Their critical words didn't make the

400
00:23:18,920 --> 00:23:23,160
Speaker 1: wall any weaker. They were trying to deceive him into

401
00:23:23,240 --> 00:23:27,080
Speaker 1: losing focus so he would get involved in something that

402
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Speaker 1: wasn't important. The truth is we all have sand Balants

403
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Speaker 1: and tobiases. Most of the people that come against us

404
00:23:36,400 --> 00:23:42,520
Speaker 1: are simply distractions. The negative comments, the disrespect, the insult,

405
00:23:42,840 --> 00:23:46,760
Speaker 1: those are bait trying to lure us off course. The

406
00:23:46,800 --> 00:23:49,240
Speaker 1: good fight of faith is not to try to straighten

407
00:23:49,280 --> 00:23:52,640
Speaker 1: them out. The real fight is to keep your focus,

408
00:23:53,280 --> 00:23:56,720
Speaker 1: not get distracted and entangled in things that don't matter.

409
00:23:57,560 --> 00:23:59,840
Speaker 1: If Neemiah would have come down off the wall with

410
00:23:59,840 --> 00:24:02,800
Speaker 1: all of his men spend a few days dealing with

411
00:24:02,880 --> 00:24:06,480
Speaker 1: sandballlet Tobias all their people, he may have won the battle,

412
00:24:06,960 --> 00:24:10,359
Speaker 1: but the wall wouldn't have been any further along. You

413
00:24:10,440 --> 00:24:13,639
Speaker 1: have to ask yourself, if I engage in this conflict,

414
00:24:14,040 --> 00:24:16,680
Speaker 1: if I prove my point, if I win them over.

415
00:24:17,160 --> 00:24:20,080
Speaker 1: Am I going to be any further toward my destiny?

416
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Speaker 1: Or have I just fed my ego? Have I just

417
00:24:23,200 --> 00:24:26,000
Speaker 1: made my flesh feel good? Stay on the high road.

418
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Speaker 1: Your time is too valuable, your destiny too important, your

419
00:24:31,040 --> 00:24:35,399
Speaker 1: assignment too great to get involved in battles that don't matter.

420
00:24:36,240 --> 00:24:40,679
Speaker 1: There will always be sand ballots, yelling, insults, always be

421
00:24:40,760 --> 00:24:44,040
Speaker 1: tobias as trying to get under your skin, agitate you

422
00:24:44,760 --> 00:24:49,159
Speaker 1: don't worry. You have a defender, Be still and know

423
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Speaker 1: that he is God. Let him fight those battles. God

424
00:24:53,000 --> 00:24:57,639
Speaker 1: will take care of your critics. It's interesting when Niemiah

425
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Speaker 1: was rebuilding the wall, he was up on the mountain,

426
00:25:01,119 --> 00:25:04,439
Speaker 1: the critics were down at the bottom. The principle is,

427
00:25:04,920 --> 00:25:08,080
Speaker 1: any time you start answering your critics, you have to

428
00:25:08,119 --> 00:25:12,440
Speaker 1: go down. When you start defending yourself trying to prove

429
00:25:12,520 --> 00:25:15,719
Speaker 1: to people who you are, you're leaving the high place

430
00:25:16,160 --> 00:25:19,679
Speaker 1: and going down to their level. When you realize you

431
00:25:19,800 --> 00:25:23,440
Speaker 1: have a defender, when you know God will fight your battles,

432
00:25:23,880 --> 00:25:26,880
Speaker 1: then you'll do like Jesus and not answer your critics.

433
00:25:27,320 --> 00:25:30,760
Speaker 1: You'll do like Nehemiah and stay on the mountain so

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Speaker 1: you can focus on what's really important. Maybe today you

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Speaker 1: need to go back up on that mountain. The critics

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00:25:38,640 --> 00:25:42,520
Speaker 1: will always be there, people that don't understand you, people

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Speaker 1: that are never going to be for you. I'm asking

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Speaker 1: you to let God be your defender, put your reputation

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Speaker 1: in his hands. God has already lined up the right

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Speaker 1: people who will be for you, the right people who

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Speaker 1: will celebrate you and help push you into your purpose.

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Speaker 1: Here's the whole key. Don't waste your time trying.

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00:26:06,040 --> 00:26:07,840
Speaker 2: To convince the wrong people.

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Speaker 1: Just run your race, keep honoring God being your best.

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Speaker 1: If you'll do this, I believe and declare God is

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Speaker 1: about to settle your cases right now. He's preparing that

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Speaker 1: table in the presence of your enemies. He's going to

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00:26:23,680 --> 00:26:26,800
Speaker 1: vindicate you, promote you, and take you.

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00:26:26,840 --> 00:26:28,879
Speaker 2: Into the fullness of your destiny.

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Speaker 1: In Jesus' name. If you receive it, can you say amen,

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Speaker 1: I'd like to give you an opportunity to make Jesus

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Speaker 1: the lord of your life.

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Speaker 2: Would you pray with me?

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00:26:40,640 --> 00:26:46,359
Speaker 1: Just say, Lord, Jesus, I repent of my sins. Come

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Speaker 1: into my heart. I make you my lord and savior.

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00:26:51,320 --> 00:26:51,840
Speaker 2: Friends, if you.

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00:26:51,880 --> 00:26:54,800
Speaker 1: Prayed that simple prayer, we believe you got born again.

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00:26:55,280 --> 00:26:59,520
Speaker 1: Get in a good Bible based church, keep God first place, Victoria,

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00:26:59,520 --> 00:27:01,760
Speaker 1: and I will be right back to speak a blessing

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00:27:01,800 --> 00:27:02,159
Speaker 1: over you.

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00:27:03,720 --> 00:27:09,919
Speaker 3: Every day we can live discouraged, angry, depressed, defeated. Is

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Speaker 3: it possible to turn these negatives into an outlook filled

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Speaker 3: with purpose, happiness and joy.

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00:27:16,440 --> 00:27:19,639
Speaker 1: Every day we make choices, how we see ourselves, how

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00:27:19,720 --> 00:27:22,720
Speaker 1: we respond to challenges, how we approach what's in front

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00:27:22,760 --> 00:27:26,200
Speaker 1: of us. I've readden a devotional called Today I Choose

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Speaker 1: Devotions for a Better Line. It's designed to help you

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Speaker 1: make those choices on purpose, to choose faith over fear,

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Speaker 1: peace over frustration, and kindness over offends. Each day is

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Speaker 1: filled with scripture and practical encouragement to help you live

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Speaker 1: with confidence and victory. You can't wait to see what

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Speaker 1: kind of day it's going to be. You have to

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Speaker 1: decide ahead of time. When you do, you can step

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Speaker 1: into a more blessed, fulfilled life. I'd love to send

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Speaker 1: you a.

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Speaker 3: Copy as our way of saying thank you for your

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Speaker 3: gift of any amount, we would like to send you

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Speaker 3: a copy of Today I Choose Devotions for a Better Life.

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Speaker 3: Every day begins with a choice, and this inspiring book

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Speaker 3: is packed with powerful devotional truths that will help you

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Speaker 3: in the specific challenges you face in life, including today,

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00:28:15,359 --> 00:28:18,679
Speaker 3: I choose to turn down the noise, to believe what

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Speaker 3: I cannot see, to be happy, to trust God's timing.

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Speaker 3: They will transform your attitude, your outlook, your entire day.

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Speaker 3: As you embrace these biblical principles, you'll see problems dissolve,

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Speaker 3: hope restored mountains move, choose the joy and happiness God

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Speaker 3: has chosen for you. Be sure to request your copy

488
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Speaker 3: of Today I Choose Devotions for a Better Life available

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Speaker 3: this month by simply visiting us at Joelostein dot com

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Speaker 3: or call eight eight eight five six seven Joel call

491
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Speaker 3: or click anytime twenty four hours a day.

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Speaker 1: When you make choices based on what God says about you,

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00:28:58,480 --> 00:29:01,560
Speaker 1: You're going to live happier, have more peace, and you'll

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00:29:01,600 --> 00:29:04,600
Speaker 1: be a bigger blessing to others. Thanks so much for

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Speaker 1: being with us today, Victoria. Do I pray for you

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Speaker 1: and your family every day. We sure appreciate your prayer

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Speaker 1: and support. Your generosity helps us take this message to

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Speaker 1: people around the world.

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Speaker 3: Now.

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Speaker 1: Special thank you to our Champion of Hope partners for

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Speaker 1: all you do to make the ministry possible, and until

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Speaker 1: we meet again, May the Lord bless you and keep you.

503
00:29:26,280 --> 00:29:29,520
Speaker 3: Be sure to request your copy of Today, I Choose

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Speaker 3: Devotions for a Better Life available this month by simply

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Speaker 3: visiting us at joelostein dot com or call eight eight

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Speaker 3: one eighteen twenty four. This is the day the Lord

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Speaker 3: has made. We will rejoice and be glad in it.

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Speaker 3: Choose every morning to begin with a declaration of God's

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Speaker 3: eternal promise. You can request these inspiring resources by calling

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Speaker 3: eight eight eight five six seven Joel or logging on

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