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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.

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Speaker 3: If you enjoy today's message, why don't you be a

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Speaker 3: blessing and share it with a friend.

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Speaker 2: We appreciate you and pray for God's very best in

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Speaker 2: your life.

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Speaker 1: Will God bless you.

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Speaker 2: It's always a joy to come into your homes, and

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Speaker 2: if you're ever in our area, please stop buy and

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

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Speaker 2: you we'll make you feel right at home. But thanks

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Speaker 2: so much for tuning in, and thank you again for

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Speaker 2: coming out today. I'd like to start with something funny.

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Speaker 2: And one day Adam said to God, why did you

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Speaker 2: make Eve so beautiful? And God said, so you would

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Speaker 2: love her? And Adam said, well, God, why did you

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Speaker 2: give her such long flowing hair? God said the same thing,

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Speaker 2: so you would love her? Said well, God, why'd you

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Speaker 2: give her such a great figure? He said it again,

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Speaker 2: so you would love her. Adam said, all right, God,

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Speaker 2: you made her so beautiful, so attractive.

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Speaker 1: Why'd you make her so dumb? God said that's easy, Adam,

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Speaker 1: so she would love you.

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Speaker 2: Hold say it like you mean it. This is my Bible.

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Speaker 2: I am what it says I am. I have what

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

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Speaker 2: I can do. Today I will be talked the word

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Speaker 2: of God. I boldly confess. My mind is alert, my

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Speaker 2: heart is receptive. I will never be the same.

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Speaker 1: In Jesus' name, God bless you.

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Speaker 2: I want to talk to you today about going after

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Speaker 2: the prodigals. We all know people that used to be

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Speaker 2: strong in their faith. They used to be in church,

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Speaker 2: cited about God. You'd see them week after week serving, giving,

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Speaker 2: helping others. But somewhere along the way they fell off course.

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Speaker 2: They had a disappointment, a sickness, a divorce that got discouraged,

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Speaker 2: or maybe they made poor choices, and now they feel

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Speaker 2: guilty and condemned, like they don't really belong. In the

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Speaker 2: Book of James talks about how we have to go

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Speaker 2: after the prodigals.

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Speaker 1: We have to go after the people that have fallen away.

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Speaker 2: It's not enough to just think I wish they were here,

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Speaker 2: I really miss them. I wonder where they are now.

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Speaker 2: You've got to be proactive. God is counting on you

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Speaker 2: to go get that person, pick up the phone and

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Speaker 2: call them, stop by their house, send them a note,

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Speaker 2: reach out to.

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Speaker 1: Them in some way.

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Speaker 2: We have a responsibility to bring these people back. You

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Speaker 2: don't have to tell them what they're doing wrong, don't

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Speaker 2: condemn them, Just tell them three simple things. We miss you,

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Speaker 2: we need you, and we love you.

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Speaker 1: Friends. Love heels. Love restores when.

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Speaker 2: People know that you care, the fact that you took

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Speaker 2: time to express your concern, that's what brings prodigals back home.

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Speaker 2: I had a friend that I grew up with and

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Speaker 2: every summer during high school we would play basketball together

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Speaker 2: at the neighborhood church. That's where he and his family attended.

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Speaker 2: They were some of the main members. They're faithfully there

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Speaker 2: every week, plus he was very involved in the youth program.

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Speaker 2: Well after high school, we went our separate ways and

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Speaker 2: I hadn't heard from him in many years. One day

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Speaker 2: I was talking to another friend and he told how

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Speaker 2: this young man had gone through a divorce, dropped out

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Speaker 2: of church, gotten very discouraged. Basically, he had lost his

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Speaker 2: passion for life.

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Speaker 1: When I heard that.

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Speaker 2: Something rose up on the inside. I thought, I'm going

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Speaker 2: to track him down and encourage him. Hadn't spoken to

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Speaker 2: him in over twenty years. I tried to call, but

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Speaker 2: I didn't have the right number, and checked with other friends,

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Speaker 2: but they too had not kept in touch.

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Speaker 1: I finally got a hold of a.

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Speaker 2: High school teacher and they gave me his parents' number.

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Speaker 2: They had moved to a different state, and when I

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Speaker 2: called him, of course, he was excited and we laughed

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Speaker 2: and reminisced about old times. Then I told him the

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Speaker 2: real reason I'm calling is because I know you've been

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Speaker 2: through tough times. You've had a disappointment, you're not in

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Speaker 2: church anymore.

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Speaker 1: I want you to know that God has a new beginning.

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Speaker 1: We miss you, we need you, we love you.

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Speaker 2: I didn't condemn him, I didn't try to pressure him

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Speaker 2: into change, and didn't preach a sermon.

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Speaker 1: I just let him know that we cared.

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Speaker 2: He'd never been to Lakewood, and really I wasn't trying

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Speaker 2: to get him to come here. But the next Sunday,

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Speaker 2: sitting on the third row, there he was with his

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Speaker 2: mother and his father. His parents told me, Joel, we

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Speaker 2: hadn't been in church in fifteen years, but your phone

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Speaker 2: call was the turning point. Today this young man is remarried,

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Speaker 2: he's back in church, very involved fulfilling his destiny. All

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Speaker 2: it took was one phone call, just a little bit

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Speaker 2: of effort, a little time, a little energy, and what happened.

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Speaker 1: A prodigal came back home.

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Speaker 2: I've learned we can't help everyone, but we can help someone.

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Speaker 2: God puts people in our path on purpose. What would

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Speaker 2: happen if we all took time to rea out to

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Speaker 2: a prodigal The person you used to play basketball with,

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Speaker 2: They used to sit by you in services, they used

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Speaker 2: to usher in your section, they used to greet you

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Speaker 2: when you came in. Now they're nowhere to be found.

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Speaker 2: They're discouraged, they're struggling. Life's trying to push them down.

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Speaker 2: All they need is to hear you say we miss you,

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Speaker 2: we need you, we love you. It's amazing what it

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Speaker 2: does for people when they know your care lights a

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Speaker 2: new fire on the inside. The closest thing to the

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Speaker 2: heart of God is helping hurting people.

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Speaker 1: When you take an interest.

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Speaker 2: In someone that's fallen away, someone that's struggling, someone that's

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Speaker 2: lost their sense of purpose, I can assure you God

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Speaker 2: will take an interest in you. He will make sure

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Speaker 2: that you are well taken care of. The Most important

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Speaker 2: thing in life is.

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Speaker 1: Not our accomplishments.

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Speaker 2: It's not how successful we are or how many people

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Speaker 2: know our name. The most important thing is help helping

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Speaker 2: other people, and Jesus talked about how if a person

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Speaker 2: causes someone to fall away from the faith, it would

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Speaker 2: be better for that person that caused it to have

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Speaker 2: never been born.

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Speaker 1: He used very strong language.

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Speaker 2: Just the opposite is true when you restore the fallen,

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Speaker 2: When you go after the prodigals and help get them

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Speaker 2: back on the right path, there's nothing more pleasing to God.

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Speaker 2: You can read the Bible twenty hours a day, quote

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Speaker 2: every scripture in the New Testament, and that's fine. But

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Speaker 2: when you reach out to one of his children and

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Speaker 2: get them back on course, there's nothing that God won't

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Speaker 2: do for you.

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Speaker 1: I think about as a father.

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Speaker 2: If you help me in my time of need, I'll

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Speaker 2: be grateful, I'll thank you, I'll.

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Speaker 1: Do my best to pay you back.

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Speaker 2: But if you help one of my children in their

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Speaker 2: time of need, that's a whole different story. If you

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Speaker 2: help lift them out of despair, if you rescue them

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Speaker 2: from harm, steer them down the right path, there's nothing

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Speaker 2: I won't do for you.

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Speaker 1: You'll be my friend for life. That's the way God.

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Speaker 2: Feels when we help one of his children. Jesus told

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Speaker 2: a story about a shepherd that had one hundred sheep.

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Speaker 2: Ninety nine of them were doing great. Ninety nine of

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Speaker 2: the sheep were happy, healthy.

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Speaker 1: On course.

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Speaker 2: But he said, if just one sheep wanders away, if

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Speaker 2: just one sheep goes astray, the shepherd will.

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Speaker 1: Lead the ninety nine and go after the one.

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Speaker 2: That tells me we should be looking not necessarily at

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Speaker 2: who's in church each week, but who's not here.

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Speaker 1: I can see the ninety nine. I celebrate all of you.

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Speaker 2: But part of my focus is where is the one

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Speaker 2: who have I not seen in a few weeks, who

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Speaker 2: has fallen away. It's not enough to just come in

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Speaker 2: and hang out with my friends and celebrate God's goodness.

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Speaker 1: We have an assignment.

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Speaker 2: We have to lead the ninety nine and go after

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Speaker 2: the one lost sheep. That means you may have to

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Speaker 2: stop by their house sometime. You may have to invite

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Speaker 2: them to dinner and see what's going on. You've got

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Speaker 2: to be willing to be inconvenienced to make sacrifices. You're

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Speaker 2: looking for that one lost sheep. And it's great when

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Speaker 2: your family and friends are happy, healthy, everybody's moving forward.

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Speaker 2: Celebrate that, but at the same time, be aware of

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Speaker 2: who's not here, who's discouraged, who's struggling, who's headed down

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Speaker 2: the wrong path, who's dropped out. That's when we have

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Speaker 2: to kick it into gear and go after the one.

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Speaker 1: See.

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Speaker 2: Every one of you should pastor your own group. There

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Speaker 2: should be ten or fifteen people you see here every week.

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Speaker 2: They sit close to you, They usher in your section,

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Speaker 2: they check your children in at the nursery. That's your congregation.

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Speaker 2: That's the people God's put in your life. Watch after them.

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Speaker 2: Be aware when they're not here. Notice when they're discouraged.

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Speaker 2: They're not the same. If you haven't seen them in

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Speaker 2: a few weeks, don't just think, well, I hope the

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Speaker 2: church checks on them.

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Speaker 1: Wonder where they are. No, let me tell you a newsflash.

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Speaker 1: You are the church. They are a part of your flock.

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Speaker 2: Reach out to them, call them, find them on Facebook, send.

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Speaker 1: Them an email.

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Speaker 2: God is counting on you to bring that sheep back

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Speaker 2: into the fall.

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Speaker 1: Now here's the key.

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Speaker 2: I can't bring in your sheep. I don't have the

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Speaker 2: relationship one on one like you do. You can't bring

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Speaker 2: in my sheep. God is counting on each one of

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Speaker 2: us to watch after our own flock. Read a story

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Speaker 2: about a gentleman that taught Sunday school. His name was

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Speaker 2: mister Kimball. He was very successful, a businessman, very influential,

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Speaker 2: and he taught junior high boys back in the eighteen

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Speaker 2: hundreds in a small church. One day he noticed that

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Speaker 2: one of his students, an eleven year old boy, had

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Speaker 2: not been at class for several weeks.

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Speaker 1: He was very concerned.

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Speaker 2: The next day, after word, he headed out on the

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Speaker 2: streets of Boston looking for this young boy.

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Speaker 1: And he searched and searched.

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Speaker 2: And finally, after a few leads, he found the boy's home,

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Speaker 2: knocked on the door and told the parents who he was,

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Speaker 2: and they said, the boy is not here. He's across

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Speaker 2: town working at a shoe store.

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Speaker 1: With his uncle. Mister Kimball took the long ride across

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Speaker 1: the city.

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Speaker 2: And found the shoe store. When he walked in, the

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Speaker 2: little boy saw him. He was so surprised to see

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Speaker 2: his Sunday school teacher. He thought it was just a coincidence,

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Speaker 2: and he'd come in to have some kind of work

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Speaker 2: done on his shoes. Mister Kimball said, no, I didn't

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Speaker 2: come to have any kind of shoe repair. I came

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Speaker 2: because I'm concerned about you.

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Speaker 1: Where have you been? Are you okay? Is there anything

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Speaker 1: that you need?

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Speaker 2: The little boy so surprised, he said, no, I just

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Speaker 2: quit coming to class because I didn't think it mattered.

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Speaker 2: I didn't think you really knew my name, and I

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Speaker 2: certainly didn't think you would miss me. Mister Kimball looked

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Speaker 2: him in the eye and said, young man, it does matter.

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Speaker 2: I need you. You're a very important part of my class.

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Speaker 2: That young boy practically never missed another Sunday school class.

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Speaker 2: He went on to become the most influential minister in

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Speaker 2: the eighteen hundreds.

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Speaker 1: His name was D. L. Moody.

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Speaker 2: He touched his generation in an amazing way. It can

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Speaker 2: all be traced back to mister Kimball. Had mister Kimball

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Speaker 2: not gone after the prodigal a young boy, had he

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Speaker 2: been too busy, or had he just celebrated all the

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Speaker 2: other boys in the class, not aware of who wasn't there,

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Speaker 2: then I doubt that D. L.

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Speaker 1: Moody would have touched the world like he did. The

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Speaker 1: real question today is who are we missing?

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Speaker 2: Who is not here that used to be here, or

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Speaker 2: who is not here that should be here? A family member,

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Speaker 2: a friend, a coworker, some people today, they've not only

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Speaker 2: dropped out a church, they've dropped out of life. I

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Speaker 2: want us to have a new passion to go after them.

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Speaker 2: Growing up, we had a dog named Scooter. He was

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Speaker 2: a big german shepherd, and Scooter loved to chase squirrels.

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Speaker 2: If we saw a squirrel in the yard as children,

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Speaker 2: we would say sickham, scooter, sickam. The Scooter could be

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Speaker 2: laying down half asleep, but when he heard that word sickam,

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Speaker 2: he would take off, running ninety miles an hour.

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Speaker 1: Half the time, he'd never even see the squirrel.

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Speaker 2: But if he thought there was a squirrel to be

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Speaker 2: found and he heard that word sickam, he'd take off

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Speaker 2: with great passion. The word I want us to get

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Speaker 2: in our spirit today is not profound. It's not theological.

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Speaker 2: You can find it in the Book of Joel, but

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Speaker 2: not in the Bible Joel.

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Speaker 1: That word is sickam.

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Speaker 2: The family member this off course sickam. The friend that

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Speaker 2: used to sit by you sickam. The neighbor that used

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Speaker 2: to come to church sickam. The coworker that dropped out

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Speaker 2: of life sickam. My challenge is sickham, Lakewood sickam. Our

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Speaker 2: attitude should be I'm on a mission from God. If

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Speaker 2: you're a prodigal, you better watch out. You're on dangerous ground.

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Speaker 2: I've got you in my sights. I'm on call, I'm

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Speaker 2: on text, I'm gonna email, I'm gonna pray, I'm gonna believe,

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Speaker 2: I'm gonna visit, I'm gonna encourage. I'm not gonna leave

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Speaker 2: you alone until you come back home.

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Speaker 1: Why. Because we miss you, we need you, we love you.

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Speaker 2: Each year, I have our staff call every person that

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Speaker 2: comes to Lakewood, at least everyone we.

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Speaker 1: Have a record of.

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Speaker 2: There are some eighty thousand different people that come annually.

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Speaker 1: And of course we can't reach them all.

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Speaker 2: But I have the staff tell the people Joel and

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Speaker 2: Victoria are checking on you. They want you to know

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Speaker 2: that they love you, they need you, They're looking for you. Listen,

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Speaker 2: Lakewood wouldn't be what it is without each one of you.

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Speaker 2: You may come and sit way up at the top

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Speaker 2: and think, man, nobody even knows me.

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Speaker 1: They don't have a clue. I'm here. Let me tell

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Speaker 1: you you're needed. You make the service better.

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Speaker 2: Well, I just watch on television, Joe, you don't even

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Speaker 2: know me, may not know you, but we need you,

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Speaker 2: we love you. You're a part of this ministry.

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Speaker 1: Now, look around in your.

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Speaker 2: Life this week at the people God's put at the office.

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Speaker 2: The receptionist, she seems discouraged, she doesn't seem like her

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Speaker 2: normal self.

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Speaker 1: Reach out to her.

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Speaker 2: That's the one sheep that's going astray. The place you

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Speaker 2: buy gas each week, the normal attendant isn't there. Don't

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Speaker 2: go the next six months wondering where he is. Ask

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Speaker 2: another coworker something wrong with him?

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Speaker 1: Is he sick? Did he get laid off? Did he

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Speaker 1: have an accident?

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Speaker 2: Then you can at least send a note or let

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Speaker 2: them know that you're praying. When people know that they're missed,

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Speaker 2: they're needed, they're appreciated, it makes what they're.

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Speaker 1: Going through much easier.

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Speaker 2: A lot of times we don't recognize who God has

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Speaker 2: put in our lives. Some people, like the eleven year

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Speaker 2: old DL Moody, they're going to be world changers, they're

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Speaker 2: going to be history makers. But right now they're off course,

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Speaker 2: they're discouraged, they've lost their sense of purpose. You can

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Speaker 2: be the mister Kimball in their life. Well, Joel, I

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Speaker 2: don't want to get involved in their business. If I

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Speaker 2: call them they may be embarrassed, they may even get offended.

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Speaker 1: Now understand, they are your business.

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Speaker 2: We have a responsibility to help bring back the people

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Speaker 2: that have fallen away.

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Speaker 1: Don't leave them alone.

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Speaker 2: They may not respond the first time, or the fifth time,

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Speaker 2: or the twenty fifth time. But keep calling, keep texting,

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Speaker 2: keep knocking on the door, keep praying, keep believing. At

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Speaker 2: the right time your message will go through. Right now,

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Speaker 2: the soil of their.

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Speaker 1: Heart may be hard and rocky.

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Speaker 2: They won't listen to you, goes in one ear and

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Speaker 2: out the other. The more you talk to them, the

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Speaker 2: worse they get. Here's the good news. The seed you

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Speaker 2: are planning is alive and it will never die. Do

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Speaker 2: you see on the news they found a seed the

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Speaker 2: other day that was thirty.

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Speaker 1: Thousand years old and still alive.

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Speaker 2: The only thing that kept it from growing is that

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Speaker 2: has never been put in the right soil. Will you

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Speaker 2: keep planning those seeds and at some point God will

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Speaker 2: change the condition of their heart and the seeds you

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Speaker 2: have planted will take root and come to light.

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Speaker 1: What am I saying?

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Speaker 2: You're never wasting time going after a prodigal The seeds

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Speaker 2: are going in. For many years, my mother prayed for

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Speaker 2: a man by the name of Bill Nash, country Western singer,

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Speaker 2: very talented, very popular. My mother had never met him,

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Speaker 2: but she would see his name on the marquis, the

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Speaker 2: side of the freeway. Bill Nash in concert tonight. Bill

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Speaker 2: grew up in church, his parents were missionaries, came from

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Speaker 2: a great family of strong faith. But in his late teens,

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Speaker 2: Bill got off course, running with the wrong crowd, got

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Speaker 2: into drugs, and instead of singing in church like he

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Speaker 2: grew up, he started singing in the bars, the nightclubs

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Speaker 2: down deep.

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Speaker 1: Bill told how he was miserable.

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Speaker 2: He knew God's call was on his life, but like Jonah,

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Speaker 2: he was running. And every time my mother passed that

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Speaker 2: sign on the freeway, Bill Nash in concert, she would

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Speaker 2: pray again and again, Lord, thank you that you're working

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Speaker 2: in Bill's life. Lord, bring him back home to the church.

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Speaker 2: Mother had never met Bill Nash, never seen him in person.

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Speaker 2: Why was she so interested. She understands this principle. We're

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Speaker 2: supposed to go after the prodigals, Jesus said, it's the

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Speaker 2: sick who need a doctor, not the healthy. It's great

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Speaker 2: to come in each week and celebrate together. This is important,

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Speaker 2: but our real work begins.

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Speaker 1: When we dismiss these services.

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Speaker 2: Let's go find the sick, the prodigals, those that have

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Speaker 2: gone astray, those that are struggling with addictions, those that

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Speaker 2: feel like there' made too many mistakes that they wouldn't

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Speaker 2: be welcome. Make an effort to bring somebody back into

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Speaker 2: the fall. It's easy to think, oh, joey, it's their

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Speaker 2: own fault. They made the mess. I've tried to warn them.

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Speaker 2: I don't want to get my hands dirty.

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Speaker 1: No.

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Speaker 2: Galatian six 's one says, you who are mature are

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Speaker 2: to gently restore those that are falling away.

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Speaker 1: Notice gently restore.

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Speaker 2: In other words, don't have a holier than thou attitude. Man,

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Speaker 2: what's wrong with you? You grew up in church. You

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Speaker 2: should know better than this. We're not supposed to condemn people.

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Speaker 2: Be little people, make a spectacle of them. That's going

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Speaker 2: to drive them further away. It says, gently restore. That means, hey,

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Speaker 2: I know you've had some setbacks, but God's mercy is

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Speaker 2: bigger than any mistake. God wants to give you a

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Speaker 2: new beginning. Why don't you come back home. It's not

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Speaker 2: the same without you. That's what's going to draw people back.

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Speaker 2: The Scripture says it's the goodness of God that leads

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Speaker 2: people to repentance. Today, many people have the wrong concept

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Speaker 2: of God. They've made mistakes, they've gone astray, and now

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Speaker 2: they think that God is mad at them.

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Speaker 1: God has a ball.

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Speaker 2: Bad up in heaven, just waiting to push them down further.

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Speaker 2: They live guilty, condemned, feeling wrong on the inside. The

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Speaker 2: last place they want to go is to church. They

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Speaker 2: think they'll even feel worse. What's the problem. They've heard

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Speaker 2: all about the judgment of God. They haven't heard much

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Speaker 2: about the goodness of God. And yes, in the Old Testament,

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Speaker 2: God did get angry with people at certain times. But friends,

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Speaker 2: the good news is we live under the New Testament.

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Speaker 2: Because of what Jesus has done, God is not mad

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Speaker 2: at us anymore. One of the best compliments I've ever received,

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Speaker 2: an older gentleman told me, Joel.

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Speaker 1: You've made God good.

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Speaker 2: He grew up in a church where he heard that

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Speaker 2: God was mean. He could never measure up. He just

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Speaker 2: wasn't good enough. At eighteen years old, he got old

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Speaker 2: enough he dropped out. Hadn't been back to church in

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Speaker 2: thirty years. He said, when I heard about the goodness

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Speaker 2: of God, and how God was for me, how he

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Speaker 2: had mercy for my mistakes, and how he wanted me

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Speaker 2: to live in victory. It changed my perspective of God.

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Speaker 2: It helped restore his faith. Today he's back in church.

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Speaker 2: My mother prayed year after year, again and again for

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Speaker 2: Bill Nash, and one day, through a series of events,

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Speaker 2: Bill decided to get his life turned around. He wanted

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Speaker 2: to go to church, but didn't really know where he

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Speaker 2: should go. He thought most churches probably wouldn't want somebody

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Speaker 2: like me.

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Speaker 1: I've lived a rough life.

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Speaker 2: Got a reputation for being a partier. Turned the television

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Speaker 2: on and he saw my father talking about the goodness

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Speaker 2: of God. That Sunday he came to Lakewood the old Auditorium,

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Speaker 2: sat in the very back, and I sure saw him

407
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Speaker 2: and recognized him, got him hooked up with my mother.

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Speaker 2: My mother gave him a big hug and told him

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Speaker 2: how she had been praying all these years and him

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Speaker 2: being there that day was a dream come true. Bill

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Speaker 2: Nash with tears coming down his cheeks. That day at Lakewood,

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Speaker 2: he felt loved, wanted, accepted. A few months later, Bill

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Speaker 2: Nash gave his first Christian concert right there at the

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Speaker 2: old Lakewood Church. He's been using his talents for the

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Speaker 2: Lord ever since.

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Speaker 1: Then. Bill Nash right here on the front road.

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Speaker 2: We all know.

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Speaker 1: Him and love him, grave man of God. Come on,

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Speaker 1: we don't love him that much.

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Speaker 2: That's what happens when you reach out to a prodigal

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Speaker 2: Almighty God goes to work. God begins to deal with

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Speaker 2: the person.

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Speaker 1: In the natural.

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Speaker 2: Like with Bill, it may look like they're never gonna change.

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Speaker 2: They're so far off, they're not receptive. I'd be wasting

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Speaker 2: my time. No, God knows how to soften the soils.

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Speaker 2: You don't have to condemn them. Love is what never fails.

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Speaker 1: Just so the seed. We miss you, we love you,

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Speaker 1: we need you. Let God do the work.

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Speaker 2: Sometimes we think that we're supposed to convict people. We're

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Speaker 2: supposed to make them feel bad. Hey man, where have

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Speaker 2: you been? Don't you know you're a sinner. Don't you

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Speaker 2: know where you're headed. Some people think they're supposed to

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Speaker 2: try to scare the hell out of people.

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Speaker 1: But our job is not to convict people.

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Speaker 2: Our job is to sow the seed. The Holy Spirit

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Speaker 2: is the one who convicts. The word gospel is literally

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Speaker 2: translated good news. Our message is you may have made mistakes,

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Speaker 2: but the good news is God has mercy. You may

440
00:22:39,920 --> 00:22:42,920
Speaker 2: have fallen off course, but the good news is God

441
00:22:43,000 --> 00:22:45,919
Speaker 2: is waiting with open arms to receive you back. You

442
00:22:45,960 --> 00:22:48,560
Speaker 2: may have had a setback, but the good news is

443
00:22:48,920 --> 00:22:51,840
Speaker 2: God can turn it into a setup to do something greater.

444
00:22:52,440 --> 00:22:56,600
Speaker 2: When you go after the prodigals, remember it's good news.

445
00:22:57,200 --> 00:23:02,000
Speaker 2: Don't be angry, harsh, judgment, condemning. Have a smile on

446
00:23:02,040 --> 00:23:05,800
Speaker 2: your face, be kind, loving, forgiving, merciful.

447
00:23:06,000 --> 00:23:07,520
Speaker 1: You're sharing good news.

448
00:23:07,920 --> 00:23:10,800
Speaker 2: Years ago, there was a minister that was touching the world,

449
00:23:11,119 --> 00:23:14,639
Speaker 2: doing great things, very well respected, but he had some

450
00:23:14,720 --> 00:23:18,920
Speaker 2: people accuse him of a lack of integrity. These rumors

451
00:23:18,960 --> 00:23:21,400
Speaker 2: spread and took on a life of their own. They

452
00:23:21,400 --> 00:23:25,160
Speaker 2: got blown way out of proportion. Very little, if any,

453
00:23:25,240 --> 00:23:28,400
Speaker 2: of what people were saying was really true. But he

454
00:23:28,520 --> 00:23:33,960
Speaker 2: was so heartbroken, down and discouraged he stopped ministry. Month

455
00:23:34,000 --> 00:23:37,000
Speaker 2: after month went by, you didn't hear anything from him.

456
00:23:37,440 --> 00:23:41,119
Speaker 2: He's much older than me and much more experienced, But

457
00:23:41,240 --> 00:23:43,800
Speaker 2: deep down I really felt like I was supposed to

458
00:23:43,920 --> 00:23:47,760
Speaker 2: call him and encourage him. My mind told me every

459
00:23:47,800 --> 00:23:51,160
Speaker 2: reason why I shouldn't do it. Joey, you're gonna embarrass him.

460
00:23:51,400 --> 00:23:53,080
Speaker 2: You're gonna put him on the spot. He's gonna get

461
00:23:53,080 --> 00:23:55,520
Speaker 2: mad at you. He knows so much more than you, Joe,

462
00:23:55,640 --> 00:23:56,320
Speaker 2: Why would.

463
00:23:56,080 --> 00:23:58,480
Speaker 1: He even listen to you? On and on, and I

464
00:23:58,560 --> 00:23:59,560
Speaker 1: kept putting it off.

465
00:24:00,200 --> 00:24:03,240
Speaker 2: One morning I woke up and I felt it so strongly,

466
00:24:03,480 --> 00:24:06,280
Speaker 2: and I called him. He was so depressed. I could

467
00:24:06,280 --> 00:24:08,040
Speaker 2: hardly hear what he was saying.

468
00:24:08,640 --> 00:24:09,480
Speaker 1: He answered in.

469
00:24:09,480 --> 00:24:14,280
Speaker 2: The weakest, most possible voice. He said, Joel, I'm done.

470
00:24:14,440 --> 00:24:17,359
Speaker 2: I don't have any fight left in me. He was

471
00:24:17,520 --> 00:24:21,119
Speaker 2: very convincing. I didn't have all the answers. I didn't

472
00:24:21,160 --> 00:24:23,520
Speaker 2: know how to cheer him up. All I knew to

473
00:24:23,560 --> 00:24:27,560
Speaker 2: tell him were three things. We miss you, we need you,

474
00:24:27,840 --> 00:24:28,520
Speaker 2: we love you.

475
00:24:29,119 --> 00:24:31,680
Speaker 1: Five minute conversation. I hung up the phone.

476
00:24:31,920 --> 00:24:34,560
Speaker 2: I thought to myself, that was the biggest waste of time.

477
00:24:34,920 --> 00:24:37,920
Speaker 2: Didn't do him any good or meet any good. In fact,

478
00:24:37,960 --> 00:24:40,680
Speaker 2: it did just the opposite. Instead of me cheering him up,

479
00:24:40,720 --> 00:24:44,200
Speaker 2: he depressed me. I felt like I wanted to quit

480
00:24:44,240 --> 00:24:48,800
Speaker 2: after that. Two months later he called back and told

481
00:24:48,840 --> 00:24:51,720
Speaker 2: how he had already decided to get out of the

482
00:24:51,760 --> 00:24:54,760
Speaker 2: ministry before I had called. He was going to formally

483
00:24:54,840 --> 00:24:58,359
Speaker 2: resign and start doing something else, But he said Joel.

484
00:24:58,440 --> 00:25:02,320
Speaker 2: When I heard you say we need you, something begin

485
00:25:02,440 --> 00:25:05,600
Speaker 2: to stir on the inside. I begin to feel a

486
00:25:05,640 --> 00:25:08,920
Speaker 2: sense of purpose, and I quit thinking about my failures.

487
00:25:09,200 --> 00:25:12,240
Speaker 2: I quit listening to all the accusing voices, and I

488
00:25:12,280 --> 00:25:14,040
Speaker 2: started to dream once again.

489
00:25:14,840 --> 00:25:16,280
Speaker 1: He got back in the ministry.

490
00:25:16,520 --> 00:25:19,720
Speaker 2: Today he's as strong as can be, touching more people

491
00:25:19,880 --> 00:25:23,720
Speaker 2: than he ever did before. It's amazing what happens when

492
00:25:23,760 --> 00:25:25,760
Speaker 2: people know they're needed.

493
00:25:26,440 --> 00:25:27,120
Speaker 1: They're missed.

494
00:25:27,640 --> 00:25:31,600
Speaker 2: One phone call, one text, one visit to you, it

495
00:25:31,640 --> 00:25:35,760
Speaker 2: may seem insignificant, but when people know your care, it

496
00:25:35,880 --> 00:25:39,880
Speaker 2: breathes new hope back into their spirit. I'm asking you

497
00:25:40,240 --> 00:25:43,960
Speaker 2: to go after the prodigals. Who is not here that

498
00:25:44,080 --> 00:25:47,840
Speaker 2: should be here. A family member, a friend, a coworker,

499
00:25:47,880 --> 00:25:51,600
Speaker 2: they've gone astray. Lead the ninety nine and go after

500
00:25:51,640 --> 00:25:55,160
Speaker 2: the one. There are people just like my high school friend.

501
00:25:55,480 --> 00:25:58,479
Speaker 2: All they need is one phone call just to know

502
00:25:58,720 --> 00:25:59,680
Speaker 2: you're concerned.

503
00:26:00,440 --> 00:26:02,000
Speaker 1: God will use your act.

504
00:26:01,800 --> 00:26:05,639
Speaker 2: Of love to ignite something new on the inside. You

505
00:26:05,720 --> 00:26:09,040
Speaker 2: remember my dog Scooter and that word sick them. Go

506
00:26:09,119 --> 00:26:12,480
Speaker 2: after them, track them down. What would happen if we

507
00:26:12,520 --> 00:26:16,080
Speaker 2: would all bring someone back with us to church next

508
00:26:16,080 --> 00:26:19,439
Speaker 2: week that used to be here. We could touch our community,

509
00:26:19,760 --> 00:26:20,720
Speaker 2: our world in a.

510
00:26:20,720 --> 00:26:22,080
Speaker 1: Much greater way.

511
00:26:22,480 --> 00:26:24,800
Speaker 2: Look around at the people that are close to you.

512
00:26:25,160 --> 00:26:28,480
Speaker 2: That's your congregation, that's the flow. God's putting you a

513
00:26:28,600 --> 00:26:32,080
Speaker 2: chargeover watch after them each week when they're not here.

514
00:26:32,119 --> 00:26:34,520
Speaker 2: Don't just think, well I miss them. Find out where

515
00:26:34,520 --> 00:26:34,960
Speaker 2: they are.

516
00:26:35,520 --> 00:26:38,359
Speaker 1: Let them know you're concerned and that you did miss them.

517
00:26:38,640 --> 00:26:41,560
Speaker 2: Listen, if you'll make it your business to take care

518
00:26:41,600 --> 00:26:44,760
Speaker 2: of God's children, God will make it his business to

519
00:26:44,840 --> 00:26:47,240
Speaker 2: take care of you and your children.

520
00:26:47,040 --> 00:26:49,119
Speaker 1: As you help others. Stay on the right course.

521
00:26:49,359 --> 00:26:52,760
Speaker 2: God will make sure you and your family fulfill your destiny.

522
00:26:53,000 --> 00:26:55,960
Speaker 2: And I believe in declare you will become everything God's

523
00:26:56,000 --> 00:26:56,720
Speaker 2: created you to be.

524
00:26:56,800 --> 00:26:58,159
Speaker 1: Amen. Do you receive it today?

525
00:27:00,160 --> 00:27:02,960
Speaker 2: We never like to close our broadcast without giving you

526
00:27:03,000 --> 00:27:04,080
Speaker 2: an opportunity to.

527
00:27:04,000 --> 00:27:06,840
Speaker 1: Make Jesus the lord of your life. Would you pray

528
00:27:06,920 --> 00:27:07,199
Speaker 1: with me?

529
00:27:07,920 --> 00:27:11,880
Speaker 2: Just say, Lord, Jesus, I repent of my sins.

530
00:27:13,080 --> 00:27:16,760
Speaker 1: Come into my heart. I make you my Lord and savior.

531
00:27:18,160 --> 00:27:20,600
Speaker 2: Friends, if you prayed that simple prayer, we believe you

532
00:27:20,640 --> 00:27:23,680
Speaker 2: got born again. Get in a good Bible based church.

533
00:27:23,800 --> 00:27:25,040
Speaker 2: Keep God first place.

534
00:27:25,359 --> 00:27:27,760
Speaker 1: He's going to take you places that you've never dreamed of.

535
00:27:29,000 --> 00:27:33,360
Speaker 4: What if every plan you set every habit you formed

536
00:27:33,680 --> 00:27:37,360
Speaker 4: and every decision you made became a pathway to see

537
00:27:37,440 --> 00:27:40,080
Speaker 4: God move in your life.

538
00:27:40,119 --> 00:27:42,960
Speaker 2: We all have hopes and dreams things were believing for.

539
00:27:43,520 --> 00:27:46,880
Speaker 2: When you start the year in faith expecting God's goodness,

540
00:27:47,080 --> 00:27:49,640
Speaker 2: you are setting the tone for a blessed new year.

541
00:27:50,080 --> 00:27:50,679
Speaker 1: And we'd love to.

542
00:27:50,680 --> 00:27:53,800
Speaker 2: Send you our twenty twenty six Faith for Today Planner.

543
00:27:54,240 --> 00:27:56,720
Speaker 2: You can write down your dreams and galls and plus

544
00:27:56,800 --> 00:28:00,000
Speaker 2: use it for your everyday activities and reminders.

545
00:27:59,800 --> 00:28:02,840
Speaker 3: It's important to feed your faith on a daily basis.

546
00:28:03,200 --> 00:28:06,000
Speaker 3: This planner it's not just a calendar. It's filled with

547
00:28:06,040 --> 00:28:09,800
Speaker 3: scriptures and inspiration to help you stay encouraged and keep

548
00:28:09,880 --> 00:28:12,000
Speaker 3: believing for what God has put in your heart.

549
00:28:12,160 --> 00:28:14,720
Speaker 2: Twenty twenty six is your year to see the goodness

550
00:28:14,720 --> 00:28:17,520
Speaker 2: of God in greater ways, let go of what didn't

551
00:28:17,560 --> 00:28:20,080
Speaker 2: work out, and get ready for the new things God

552
00:28:20,119 --> 00:28:20,840
Speaker 2: has in store.

553
00:28:21,760 --> 00:28:24,120
Speaker 4: As our way of saying thank you for your gift

554
00:28:24,200 --> 00:28:26,800
Speaker 4: of any amount this month, we would like to send

555
00:28:26,840 --> 00:28:29,359
Speaker 4: you a copy of the twenty twenty six Faith for

556
00:28:29,480 --> 00:28:33,879
Speaker 4: Today Planner. Each month features a fresh theme of encouragement,

557
00:28:34,240 --> 00:28:38,600
Speaker 4: a guiding scripture to stand on, room to write your goals, prayers,

558
00:28:38,640 --> 00:28:42,920
Speaker 4: and vision space for Faith steps because faith isn't passive,

559
00:28:43,240 --> 00:28:47,080
Speaker 4: it's active. A monthly QR code linking to a message

560
00:28:47,160 --> 00:28:50,360
Speaker 4: or video to keep your spirit lifted. With a twenty

561
00:28:50,400 --> 00:28:53,960
Speaker 4: twenty six Faith for Today Planner, you'll be reminded that

562
00:28:54,120 --> 00:28:57,400
Speaker 4: living by faith makes room for God to do what

563
00:28:57,600 --> 00:28:58,840
Speaker 4: only He can do.

564
00:28:59,400 --> 00:29:00,520
Speaker 1: Break through in your.

565
00:29:00,400 --> 00:29:05,720
Speaker 4: Business, God's healing touch. Loved ones returning to faith, request

566
00:29:05,800 --> 00:29:08,400
Speaker 4: your copy of the planner and step into the new

567
00:29:08,480 --> 00:29:12,760
Speaker 4: year with bold faith, fresh hope, and daily encouragement. To

568
00:29:12,840 --> 00:29:16,520
Speaker 4: strengthen your spirit and face every challenge with confidence.

569
00:29:17,200 --> 00:29:20,239
Speaker 2: No matter what's happening around you, faith can rise up

570
00:29:20,280 --> 00:29:23,920
Speaker 2: in you. Keep believing and expecting a blessed twenty twenty

571
00:29:24,000 --> 00:29:26,880
Speaker 2: six Victoria and I pray for you and your family

572
00:29:27,000 --> 00:29:30,400
Speaker 2: every day. Thank you so much for your prayer and support.

573
00:29:30,760 --> 00:29:34,400
Speaker 2: Your generosity is helping people around the world. As we

574
00:29:34,440 --> 00:29:37,600
Speaker 2: finish this year, I hope you'll consider making a special

575
00:29:37,760 --> 00:29:41,120
Speaker 2: year in gift to help keep the ministry strong. We

576
00:29:41,200 --> 00:29:43,920
Speaker 2: so appreciate all the Champion of Hope partners for your

577
00:29:44,000 --> 00:29:47,280
Speaker 2: monthly support. We wish you and your family a very

578
00:29:47,480 --> 00:29:50,240
Speaker 2: merry Christmas. Until we see you next time, May the

579
00:29:50,280 --> 00:29:51,680
Speaker 2: Lord bless you and Keep.

580
00:29:51,720 --> 00:29:55,000
Speaker 4: You be sure to request your copy of the twenty

581
00:29:55,040 --> 00:29:59,240
Speaker 4: twenty six Faith for Today Planner. Visit Joelstein dot com

582
00:29:59,440 --> 00:30:02,920
Speaker 4: or call eight eight eight five six seven Joel for

583
00:30:03,000 --> 00:30:05,760
Speaker 4: a special year end gift. This month, we are also

584
00:30:05,880 --> 00:30:09,960
Speaker 4: offering the Faith to Share Bundle, Keep One Give One,

585
00:30:10,360 --> 00:30:14,000
Speaker 4: Give the gift of faith, focus and fresh hope for

586
00:30:14,120 --> 00:30:17,680
Speaker 4: someone special in your life. You can also request the

587
00:30:17,760 --> 00:30:23,160
Speaker 4: God's Word Work Study Collection. This empowering collection includes the NIV,

588
00:30:23,480 --> 00:30:28,160
Speaker 4: the Message, Parallel Bible, a beautifully crafted leather bookmark and pen,

589
00:30:28,560 --> 00:30:31,400
Speaker 4: and how to read your Bible and enjoy it, along

590
00:30:31,440 --> 00:30:35,520
Speaker 4: with two planners. You can request these inspiring resources by

591
00:30:35,560 --> 00:30:39,240
Speaker 4: calling eight eight eight five six seven Joel or logging

592
00:30:39,240 --> 00:30:43,560
Speaker 4: on to Joelostein dot com today call or click anytime

593
00:30:43,760 --> 00:30:48,080
Speaker 4: twenty four hours a day, stay organized, encouraged, and full

594
00:30:48,120 --> 00:31:03,640
Speaker 4: of faith all year long. Request these resources today U