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Speaker 4: Hi, this is Joel and Victoria. Thanks for listening to

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Speaker 4: our podcast and thanks for supporting the ministry. If you

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Speaker 4: enjoy today's message, why don't you be a blessing and

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Speaker 4: share it with a friend. We appreciate you and pray

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Speaker 4: for God's very best in your life. Well, God bless

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Speaker 4: you to joy to come into your homes. We love you.

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Speaker 4: If you're ever in our area, please stop by and

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Speaker 4: be a part of one of our services. These are

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Speaker 4: the finest people in all of Houston, Texas right here

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Speaker 4: at Lakewood. We'd love to have you come out. But

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Speaker 4: thanks for tuning in, and thank you again for coming

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Speaker 4: out today. And I like to start with something funny.

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Speaker 4: And I heard about this little boy. He was out

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Speaker 4: in his front yard playing. This man came walking down

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Speaker 4: the street kind of frustrated, and he said, son, I'm lost.

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Speaker 4: Can you tell me how to get to the post office.

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Speaker 4: The little boy said, yeah, go to the stop sign

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Speaker 4: and turn left. It's right around the corner. He thanked him. Said,

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Speaker 4: by the way, I'm the new pastor here in town.

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Speaker 4: If you'll come to my church this Sunday, I'll tell

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Speaker 4: you how to get to heaven. The little boy said, no, thanks,

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Speaker 4: you don't even know how to get to the post office.

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Speaker 4: Hold up your Bible. Say it like you mean it.

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Speaker 4: This is my Bible. I am what it says. I am.

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Speaker 4: I have what it says I have. I can do

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Speaker 4: what it says I can do. Today I will be

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Speaker 4: taught the word of God. I boldly confess. My mind

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Speaker 4: is alert, my heart is receptive. I will never be

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Speaker 4: the same. In Jesus' name, God bless you. I want

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Speaker 4: to talk to you today about the gracious hand of God.

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Speaker 4: There's a popular show on television called The X Factor.

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Speaker 4: The judges study the different contestants. They try to figure

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Speaker 4: out who has that indefinable something that makes them stand out.

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Speaker 4: You can't necessarily put your finger on it. It's not

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Speaker 4: just talent, not just looks, not just personality. There's just

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Speaker 4: something about them that makes them special, something that.

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Speaker 5: Gives them an advantage.

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Speaker 4: I've heard the judges say, I don't know what it is,

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Speaker 4: but you've got it.

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Speaker 5: They call it the X Factor.

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Speaker 4: Well, in the same way, when God breeded his life

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Speaker 4: into you, he puts something on you to give you

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Speaker 4: an advantage. There's something about you that makes you stand out,

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Speaker 4: something that draws opportunity, something that causes you to overcome

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Speaker 4: obstacles to accomplish dreams. They call it the X factor,

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Speaker 4: but the scripture calls it the gracious hand of God.

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Speaker 4: God's favor.

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Speaker 5: It's his blessing. You can't put your finger on it.

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Speaker 4: It's not just your talent, your education, your hard work.

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Speaker 4: It's Almighty God breathing in your direction. You could call

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Speaker 4: it the favor factor.

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Speaker 5: Now, I know most of you like me.

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Speaker 4: When you look back, you think how did I get

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Speaker 4: to where I am?

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Speaker 5: This was not just my own ability.

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Speaker 4: How did I marry this beautiful girl or like my mother?

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Speaker 4: How did I overcome that sickness when the medical report

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Speaker 4: said no way? How could I be this happy, this

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Speaker 4: blessed after all I've been through. That's not just good fortune,

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Speaker 4: not just a lucky break. That's the gracious hand of God,

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Speaker 4: his favor, his blessing, his goodness on your life. Psalm

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Speaker 4: forty four says it was not their own strength that

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Speaker 4: gave them the victory. It was because you favored them

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Speaker 4: and smiled down on them. Just like these people, the

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Speaker 4: victories you've seen in the past weren't just your own.

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Speaker 4: It was because God favored you.

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Speaker 5: You wouldn't be where.

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Speaker 4: You are if the gracious hand of God was not

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Speaker 4: on your life. Every accomplishment, every good break, every obstacle

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Speaker 4: you overcame, that was God opening the door, God bringing

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Speaker 4: the right people, God.

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Speaker 5: Turning it around.

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Speaker 4: It was the creator of the universe smiling down on you.

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Speaker 5: His gracious hand is at worth in your life. Now.

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Speaker 4: You may not have as much education as somebody else,

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Speaker 4: but that's okay.

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Speaker 5: You have an advantage. You have this favor factor.

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Speaker 4: Maybe you don't come from the most influential family. That's

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Speaker 4: all right. God's favor can take you where you could

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Speaker 4: not go on your own. Deep down, you have to

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Speaker 4: know there's something about you that is indefinable. It can't

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Speaker 4: be measured, can't be put on paper, can't be explained.

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Speaker 4: Other people may not be able to figure it out.

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Speaker 4: All they know is you.

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Speaker 5: You've got it.

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Speaker 4: There's something about you they like, something that causes you

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Speaker 4: to overcome, something that causes you to succeed.

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Speaker 5: That's the gracious hand of God.

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Speaker 4: When you realize you have this advantage, an edge, you'll

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Speaker 4: go out each day not intimidated by your dreams, not

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Speaker 4: discouraged thinking that the problem is too big. No, you'll

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Speaker 4: put your shoulders back, you'll hold your head up high,

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Speaker 4: go out with a spring in your step, confident, secure,

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Speaker 4: knowing that you've got what it takes. You've got the

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Speaker 4: favor of God. Recently someone came up to men. They

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Speaker 4: wanted to start this new business. They've done all this

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Speaker 4: great research. They had a fantastic presentation, but on paper,

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Speaker 4: they didn't have the experience. On paper, they weren't qualified.

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Speaker 4: In their heart, it was telling them, yes, I can

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Speaker 4: do this, but their head kept telling them.

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Speaker 5: All the reasons why it wasn't going to work out.

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Speaker 4: But you have to remind yourself because you keep God

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Speaker 4: first place, because you honor Him with your life. There's

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Speaker 4: something about you that can't be put on paper, something

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Speaker 4: that's indefinable. It's Almighty God breathing in your direction. It's

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Speaker 4: God causing good breaks to come. It's the right people

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Speaker 4: being attracted to you. It's the still small voice giving

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Speaker 4: you inside information, letting you know things that are critical

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Speaker 4: to your success that can't be measured. In other words,

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Speaker 4: you can have less talent, but with God's favor, you'll

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Speaker 4: go further than people that have more talent. You can

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Speaker 4: have less experience, less training, but because Almighty God is

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Speaker 4: smiling down on you, you'll go further than people that

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Speaker 4: have more training, more experience. Some of you small business owners,

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Speaker 4: you may not have all the equipment, all the marketing,

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Speaker 4: all the money backing you up as some big competitor,

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Speaker 4: some big company, But because you honor God, his favor

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Speaker 4: can cause you to defy the odds and outperform companies

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Speaker 4: that should be running circles around you. That's what happened

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Speaker 4: to one of our members. His computer company made up

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Speaker 4: of three people, just had a client come to him

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Speaker 4: from another company that was more than one hundred times

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Speaker 4: his size. This other company has a huge staff, offices

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Speaker 4: all over the world, practically unlimited in resources. But this

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Speaker 4: client said, we like your work. We're going to move

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Speaker 4: our account to your firm. Now he is outperforming a

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Speaker 4: company that is many, many times his size. That other

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Speaker 4: company is scratching their head thinking what is it with

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Speaker 4: this man. I'll tell you what it is. It's the

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Speaker 4: gracious hand of God. It's God's favor causing him to

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Speaker 4: stand out. It's God's favor causing people to.

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Speaker 5: Be drawn to him.

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Speaker 4: Friends, it's not necessarily how big or influential or educated

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Speaker 4: someone is. When you have the favor factor that gives

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Speaker 4: you an advantage. God's favor opens the right doors. His

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Speaker 4: favor will bring good breaks. The favor of God will

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Speaker 4: cause you to accomplish what you could not accomplish on

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Speaker 4: your own. It gives you an edge. Now, if you're

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Speaker 4: going to see the gracious hand of God at work,

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Speaker 4: you can't go through the day intimidated thinking that you're averaging. Joeli,

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Speaker 4: I wish I would get some of these good breaks. No,

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Speaker 4: you have to carry yourself like you have God's hand

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Speaker 4: on you.

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Speaker 5: You have to think like you have.

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Speaker 4: Favor, Talk like you have favor, walk like you have favor,

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Speaker 4: dressed like you have favor. Not arrogantly, not thinking that

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Speaker 4: you're better than somebody else, but with this quiet confidence,

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Speaker 4: knowing that you have an advantage, you have an edge.

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Speaker 4: The gracious hand of God is on your life. That's

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Speaker 4: what Nehemiah did.

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Speaker 5: In the scripture.

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Speaker 4: He heard that the walls of Jerusalem had been torn down.

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Speaker 4: The people were living there unprotected, and this really bothered him.

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Speaker 4: That's where he was from. God put a dream in

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Speaker 4: his heart to rebuild these walls in the natural. It

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Speaker 4: was impossible. He was living over a thousand miles away, working.

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Speaker 5: As a cupbearer to the king.

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Speaker 4: He didn't have the money, the man power, the influence

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Speaker 4: on paper.

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Speaker 5: He didn't have a chance.

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Speaker 4: The dream was much bigger than he could accomplish on

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Speaker 4: his own. But Nehemiah understood this principle. He knew he

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Speaker 4: had the favor factor. One day he asked the king

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Speaker 4: for permission to take a leave of absence to go

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Speaker 4: back to Jerusalem and build those walls. Notice his confidence,

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Speaker 4: his boldness. He wasn't high up in the king's staff.

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Speaker 4: He wasn't a cabinet member, an adviser. He was working

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Speaker 4: in the kitchen cleaning the tables, not necessarily an influential position.

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Speaker 4: But when he asked, the King didn't hesitate. He said,

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Speaker 4: no problem, Meamiah, go ahead and go back and rebuild

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Speaker 4: those walls. God caused him to have favor. But Neamiah

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Speaker 4: didn't stop there. He said, King, I need your help.

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Speaker 4: I need you to write a letter to all the

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Speaker 4: different leaders of the regions. I'm going to be traveling

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Speaker 4: through telling them who I am and what I'm doing.

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Speaker 5: So i'll have protection so they won't harm me. The

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Speaker 5: king agreed.

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Speaker 4: Niamiah still wasn't finished. He said, King, one more thing.

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Speaker 4: I don't have any money, I don't have any resources.

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Speaker 4: I need you to write a letter asking the people

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Speaker 4: that own the timber mills and the supply houses to

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Speaker 4: give me the materials to rebuild these walls. Once again,

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Speaker 4: the king said, no problem, Neamiah, I'll do it for you.

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Speaker 4: Niamiyah left that day not only with the protection, but

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Speaker 4: with the materials he needed to complete the task, and

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Speaker 4: Neamiyah two verse eight it tells us why this happened.

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Speaker 4: Neamiah said, the King granted me these requests because the

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Speaker 4: gracious hand of God was upon me. Niamiah recognized he

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Speaker 4: had the favor factor. He knew God had put something

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Speaker 4: on him, even though on paper he wasn't qualified, he

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Speaker 4: didn't have the experience, didn't have the resources. He said,

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Speaker 4: in a fact, I've got something better than that. The

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Speaker 4: gracious hand of God is on my life. When you

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Speaker 4: understand you have this same favor, that like Neemiah, you'll

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Speaker 4: rise up with a boldness, with the confidence, and you'll

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Speaker 4: pursue what God's placed in your heart. He got to

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Speaker 4: Jerusalem and he saw the place was in total disarray,

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Speaker 4: much worse than he expected. He found some people and

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Speaker 4: shared his vision to rebuild the walls, trying to convince

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Speaker 4: them to help. He said, in verse eighteen, I told

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Speaker 4: them how the gracious hand of God was on my life.

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Speaker 4: Notice how Neamiah was always bragging on God's favor, no doubt.

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Speaker 4: Some of them said, Neomiah, you can't do this. You're

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Speaker 4: not a builder, you're not qualified, you don't have the experience.

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Speaker 5: This is impossible.

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Speaker 4: He said, no, No, there's something about me. You can't

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Speaker 4: sing something that can't be put on paper. The gracious

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Speaker 4: hind of God is on my life. They started rebuilding

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Speaker 4: these walls and had all kinds of opposition. The silly

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Speaker 4: leaders tried to shut them down, the critics tried to

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Speaker 4: stop them. These bandits came up and started fighting one

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Speaker 4: thing after another, but every time the favor of God

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Speaker 4: helped them to overcome. It should have taken them at

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Speaker 4: least a year to complete the walls, but they did

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Speaker 4: it in just fifty two days. When you realize God's

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Speaker 4: hind of favor is upon you, you will accomplish.

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Speaker 5: Your dreams faster than you thought.

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Speaker 4: You may be facing a situation like Nehemiah that seems impossible.

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Speaker 4: Don't go around talking about how big the problem is,

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Speaker 4: how you're never going to make it.

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Speaker 5: I just don't have the resources.

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Speaker 4: No, zip that up and do like he did, start declaring,

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Speaker 4: the gracious hand of God is upon my life. How

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Speaker 4: are you gonna get out of debt?

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Speaker 5: The gracious hand of God? How are you gonna get well?

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Speaker 5: The gracious hand of God?

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Speaker 4: How are you gonna break that addiction? The gracious hand

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Speaker 4: of God? How are you gonna accompass your dreams? The

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Speaker 4: gracious hand of God. The more you brag on God's favor,

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Speaker 4: the more of his favor you'll see it. If Neelmiah

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Speaker 4: would have thought, oh man, I'm just average. I'd love

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Speaker 4: to rebuild the walls, but I don't have the money.

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Speaker 4: My boss will never let me off. I live too

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Speaker 4: far away, we wouldn't be reading about him today. Some

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Speaker 4: of you are disqualifying yourself. God's gracious hand.

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Speaker 5: Is on you.

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Speaker 4: You have this favor factor, but you keep dwelling on

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Speaker 4: everything you don't have, the mistake you made, and how

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Speaker 4: somebody else is so much more talented.

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Speaker 5: You're just looking in the.

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Speaker 4: Natural at what's on paper. But there's something.

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Speaker 5: About you that cannot be measured.

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Speaker 4: Something that goes bey yond your talent, your education, your ability.

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Speaker 5: It's the favor of Almighty God.

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Speaker 4: Now quit telling yourself the wall is too big, the

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Speaker 4: dream is too great.

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Speaker 5: The obstacles are too high.

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Speaker 4: No, it's not going to happen in your own strength.

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Speaker 4: It's not going to happen in your own power. It's

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Speaker 4: going to happen because Almighty God favors you. The victory

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Speaker 4: is going to come because God smiles down on you. Now,

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Speaker 4: let's get in agreement with God. Don't go around thinking

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Speaker 4: all these negative, self defeating thoughts. Know all through the day, Father,

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Speaker 4: thank you that your gracious hand is upon me.

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Speaker 5: I know I have an advantage. I have an edge.

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Speaker 4: Other people may not see it. They may try to

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Speaker 4: push me down, disqualify me. But that's okay. I know

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Speaker 4: the truth. I have the favor factor. I'm well able

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Speaker 4: to fulfill my destiny. This is what Nehemiah did, and

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Speaker 4: today we're reading about him as one of the heroes

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Speaker 4: of faith. When you're in difficult times, more than ever,

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Speaker 4: you need to declare God's favor. David said in Psalm

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Speaker 4: forty one, the favor of God keeps my enemies from

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Speaker 4: defeating me. Notice what's going to keep you from being

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Speaker 4: defeated the favor of God. In your finances. Business may

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Speaker 4: be slow. You don't see how you could ever get ahead.

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Speaker 4: You need to look at that enemy of debt, that

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Speaker 4: enemy of lack, and say, you will not defeat me.

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Speaker 4: I have the favor of God. Whatever I touch will

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Speaker 4: prosper and succeed. Speak favor over your finances. In your health,

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Speaker 4: maybe you're facing a sickness. The odds are against you.

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Speaker 4: The medical report says, no way, look at that enemy

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Speaker 4: of sickness and say, you will not defeat me. The

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Speaker 4: gracious hand of God is on my life. Healing is

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Speaker 4: flowing through me. I'm getting stronger, healthier, better every day.

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Speaker 5: This is what Job did.

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Speaker 4: He went through a nine month period where everything that

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Speaker 4: could go wrong did. He lost his business, he lost

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Speaker 4: his health, had these big boils all over his body.

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Speaker 4: I'm sure it was very painful. His wife said, Job

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Speaker 4: just cursed God and dies.

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Speaker 5: It's never going to work out.

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Speaker 4: This is the end of us. Job had plenty of

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Speaker 4: opportunities to get negative, bitter, blame God. No Job understood

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Speaker 4: this principle. He knew the favor of God would keep

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Speaker 4: his enemies from defeating him. In the midst of the

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Speaker 4: adversity didn't look good.

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Speaker 5: He felt bad.

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Speaker 4: All the odds were against him. But he said in

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Speaker 4: Job Chapter ten, God, I know you have granted me favor.

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Speaker 4: He was basically saying what Nehemiah said, the gracious hand

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Speaker 4: of God is upon me. Now in the natural, it

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Speaker 4: didn't look like Job had any favor. It looked like

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Speaker 4: every bad break that could have come did.

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Speaker 5: But this is what faith is all about.

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Speaker 4: You can't wait till you see it before you decide

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Speaker 4: to believe it. You have to believe it first and

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Speaker 4: then you'll see it. You may be thinking, Joel, I

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Speaker 4: don't have any of this favor. God's gracious hand is

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Speaker 4: not on me. If you knew my situation, if you

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Speaker 4: could only see my problem. No, you're right where Job was.

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Speaker 4: You're right where Neimiah was. What's going to determine the

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Speaker 4: outcome is what kind of attitude you have. And what's

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Speaker 4: interesting is Job said God, you've granted me favor in

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Speaker 4: chapter ten. He didn't get restored and healed and see

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Speaker 4: things turn around until chapter forty two, right at the

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Speaker 4: beginning of the trouble, when it hit him the hardest,

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Speaker 4: he was the most tempted to get down. That's when

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Speaker 4: he dug his heels in, lifted his face toward the heavens,

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Speaker 4: and said, Father, I want to thank you that I

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Speaker 4: have your favor. No wonder, Job came out with twice

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Speaker 4: what he had before. No wonder, his enemies couldn't keep

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Speaker 4: him defeated. A lot of times we think, God, as

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Speaker 4: soon as it turns around, then.

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Speaker 5: I'll know I have your favor. Then I'll thank you God.

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Speaker 4: As soon as I rebuild the walls, then I'll tell

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Speaker 4: people your gracious hand is upon me. As soon as

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Speaker 4: I accomplish my dreams, then I'll brag on your goodness. No,

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Speaker 4: what causes God to defeat our enemies, what causes him

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Speaker 4: to give us breakthroughs and supernatural ability, is when we

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Speaker 4: thank God for his favor even though we don't see

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Speaker 4: any sign of favor. When you say, Father, thank you

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Speaker 4: that your gracious hand is upon me, even though nothing

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Speaker 4: is going your way. When you say, Lord, I know

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Speaker 4: I've got what it takes, even though you feel unqualified inferior.

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Speaker 4: That's what allows God to do amazing things. And if

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Speaker 4: Job would have just sat back and thought, well, I'm

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Speaker 4: a good person, I love the Lord. I hope God

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Speaker 4: will do something about this trouble, he would have stayed defeated.

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Speaker 4: Job came out with the victory because he kicked his

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Speaker 4: faith into gear and started speaking favor in the midst

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Speaker 4: of the adversity. Some of you are up against big challenges.

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Speaker 4: This is not the time to be passive. More than ever,

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Speaker 4: like Job, like Nehemiah, you need to start declaring God's

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Speaker 4: favor all through the day. Lord, thank you that your

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Speaker 4: gracious hand is upon me. Lord, thanke it that your

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Speaker 4: favor keeps my enemies from defeating me. Lord thinke it

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Speaker 4: that your favor will make a way, even though I

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Speaker 4: don't see anyway. All through the scripture there are examples

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Speaker 4: where people were in need, but the favor of God

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Speaker 4: turned it around. Noah was facing the greatest challenge of

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Speaker 4: his life. The earth was about to be destroyed with

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Speaker 4: the flood, and it looked impossible, but the scripture says

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Speaker 4: Noah found favor in the sight of God. He was

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Speaker 4: able to build that ark and saved his family. Ruth

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Speaker 4: had just gone through the loss of her husband, a

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Speaker 4: great disappointment. She was living in another city, barely making

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Speaker 4: it in poverty, but Ruth found favor with a man

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Speaker 4: named boas he was very wealthy. They ended up getting married.

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Speaker 4: Ruth went on to live a life of abundance happiness.

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Speaker 4: Joseph was betrayed by his brothers and sold into slavery,

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Speaker 4: but Joseph found favor with a man named Potterphar the

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Speaker 4: man he worked for, he found favor with Fairoh and

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Speaker 4: was put in charge over all of Egypt. In each

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Speaker 4: of these cases, the favor of God came in the

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Speaker 4: midst of life's challenges. It came in a flood, in

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Speaker 4: a famine, and when somebody was being mistreated. When you're

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Speaker 4: in the tough times of life, we're like Joseph. Something

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Speaker 4: unfair is happening, like Ruth. You're having difficulties in your finances,

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Speaker 4: like Noah, the whole world is falling apart. Don't get depressed,

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Speaker 4: don't start complaining, get all worried, no more than ever. Father,

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Speaker 4: I want to thank you that your gracious hand is

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Speaker 4: upon me. Lord, I may not see away, but I.

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Speaker 5: Know you have a way. If you'll declare God's it

401
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Speaker 5: will keep your enemies from defeating you.

402
00:22:03,800 --> 00:22:07,439
Speaker 4: Those enemies may look bigger, stronger, more powerful, But let

403
00:22:07,480 --> 00:22:10,280
Speaker 4: me tell you God has put something on you that

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00:22:10,400 --> 00:22:13,680
Speaker 4: will cause you to be the victor. En never the victim.

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Speaker 4: Keep declaring his favor in times of need. I was

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Speaker 4: reading about this small fish called a Moses soul. It's

407
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Speaker 4: a little flounder that's found over in the Red Sea.

408
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Speaker 4: There are also large sharks in those waters. These sharks

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Speaker 4: would typically eat this kind of fish. But back in

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Speaker 4: the early nineteen seventies, a group of researchers noticed something

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Speaker 4: amazing about the little Moses soul. All the other fish

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Speaker 4: in that category, same size and same weight would be

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Speaker 4: eaten by the sharks, but for some reason, these sharks

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Speaker 4: would not eat the Moses soul. They found out this

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Speaker 4: little Moses soul has a very unique defense system. Whenever

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Speaker 4: it senses any kind of danger, it naturally secrete eat

417
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Speaker 4: poisonous toxins out of its glands. These toxins literally caused

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Speaker 4: the shark's jaws to freeze. It showed a picture of

419
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Speaker 4: this little Moses's soul inside the shark's mouth. He'd obviously

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Speaker 4: come in for the kill. All the shark had to

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Speaker 4: do was bite down.

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Speaker 5: There was dinner.

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Speaker 4: The only problem was the shark couldn't do it. God

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Speaker 4: puts something on this little fish to protect him, and

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Speaker 4: as long as the shark.

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Speaker 5: Was there, his jaw was frozen.

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Speaker 4: He would have to swim away for a few seconds

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Speaker 4: before that jaw would be released and go back to normal.

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Speaker 4: That's what the scripture means when it says the favor

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Speaker 4: of God will keep my enemies from defeating me. God

431
00:23:40,280 --> 00:23:43,359
Speaker 4: has put something on you that it will cause you

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Speaker 4: to be victorious.

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Speaker 5: The way you release these poisonous toxins, so to speak.

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Speaker 4: To keep the shark's jaws frozen is by thanking God

435
00:23:53,920 --> 00:23:57,520
Speaker 4: for his favor. Every time you say, Lord, thank you

436
00:23:57,760 --> 00:24:01,600
Speaker 4: that your gracious hand is upon me, toxins are released

437
00:24:01,800 --> 00:24:05,600
Speaker 4: that paralyze the enemy. Lord, thank you that I'm surrounded

438
00:24:05,640 --> 00:24:09,320
Speaker 4: by your favor. More toxins, more protection is being released.

439
00:24:10,080 --> 00:24:12,520
Speaker 4: But if you go around talking about how big the

440
00:24:12,600 --> 00:24:15,480
Speaker 4: problem is, how you're never going to make it, that

441
00:24:15,520 --> 00:24:19,560
Speaker 4: does just the opposite, that acts like bait, that attracts

442
00:24:19,600 --> 00:24:22,919
Speaker 4: the enemy, that'll make it more difficult when you're in

443
00:24:22,960 --> 00:24:27,520
Speaker 4: tough times. Remember that little fish. If you get negative, worried,

444
00:24:27,600 --> 00:24:31,120
Speaker 4: start complaining, you're going to attract more difficulty. But if

445
00:24:31,119 --> 00:24:35,240
Speaker 4: you'll dare just declear God's favor, it'll release a power

446
00:24:35,480 --> 00:24:38,959
Speaker 4: that will keep those enemies from defeating you. When you

447
00:24:39,040 --> 00:24:42,560
Speaker 4: really understand that you have God's favor, you won't get

448
00:24:42,600 --> 00:24:45,800
Speaker 4: bent out of shape when trouble comes your way. Think

449
00:24:45,840 --> 00:24:49,000
Speaker 4: about this little Moses soul when it's in the shark's mouth.

450
00:24:49,480 --> 00:24:52,440
Speaker 4: His blood pressure doesn't go up. He doesn't run called

451
00:24:52,520 --> 00:24:55,240
Speaker 4: nine to one one. He doesn't get depressed and say, oh,

452
00:24:55,280 --> 00:24:56,200
Speaker 4: this is not my day.

453
00:24:56,640 --> 00:24:59,640
Speaker 5: No, he just goes about his business. He knows there's

454
00:24:59,640 --> 00:25:01,160
Speaker 5: something special about him.

455
00:25:01,480 --> 00:25:04,800
Speaker 4: Before the foundation of the world, God ordained that he

456
00:25:04,840 --> 00:25:07,840
Speaker 4: would be protected from that enemy. So he just rest

457
00:25:08,160 --> 00:25:09,359
Speaker 4: in who God made him to be.

458
00:25:10,320 --> 00:25:11,080
Speaker 5: When you get a.

459
00:25:11,040 --> 00:25:14,120
Speaker 4: Revelation of who you are, a child of the most

460
00:25:14,200 --> 00:25:19,000
Speaker 4: High God, crowned with favor, then when adversity comes, when

461
00:25:19,000 --> 00:25:22,000
Speaker 4: you face difficulties, you won't get worried all bent out

462
00:25:22,000 --> 00:25:25,960
Speaker 4: of shape like this little fish. You'll declare God's favor

463
00:25:26,000 --> 00:25:29,400
Speaker 4: and you'll know that those enemies cannot keep you defeated.

464
00:25:30,880 --> 00:25:33,840
Speaker 4: I saw a report of the news a few years ago,

465
00:25:34,000 --> 00:25:38,159
Speaker 4: as this teenage girl had driven her car into some

466
00:25:38,359 --> 00:25:41,399
Speaker 4: high water on this flooded street, and she ended up

467
00:25:41,440 --> 00:25:45,520
Speaker 4: stranded in her car, and the water was rising extremely quickly,

468
00:25:45,880 --> 00:25:48,240
Speaker 4: in just two or three minutes, is already up over

469
00:25:48,280 --> 00:25:51,560
Speaker 4: her hood. Now she couldn't open the car doors because

470
00:25:51,600 --> 00:25:52,800
Speaker 4: the water pressure.

471
00:25:52,480 --> 00:25:53,200
Speaker 5: Was too strong.

472
00:25:53,520 --> 00:25:56,679
Speaker 4: She couldn't roll down her windows they were electric, and

473
00:25:56,760 --> 00:25:59,160
Speaker 4: her car had stalled, and they were showing this all

474
00:25:59,240 --> 00:25:59,800
Speaker 4: on the news.

475
00:26:00,160 --> 00:26:01,840
Speaker 5: My heart was beating so fast.

476
00:26:02,240 --> 00:26:05,200
Speaker 4: She was in there, just praying and praying. This man

477
00:26:05,280 --> 00:26:08,119
Speaker 4: jumped in the water and swam over there, and he

478
00:26:08,240 --> 00:26:10,680
Speaker 4: started beating on the window trying to break it open

479
00:26:11,000 --> 00:26:14,880
Speaker 4: with no success. The whole time the car was floating

480
00:26:14,920 --> 00:26:18,119
Speaker 4: down the road. I'll never forget seeing this, just like

481
00:26:18,160 --> 00:26:21,680
Speaker 4: in slow motion. At one point the car tilted forward

482
00:26:22,000 --> 00:26:22,879
Speaker 4: and the whole.

483
00:26:22,680 --> 00:26:24,280
Speaker 5: Car went totally underwater.

484
00:26:24,960 --> 00:26:27,720
Speaker 4: My heart sunk. I thought, man, this is just the end.

485
00:26:28,080 --> 00:26:31,240
Speaker 4: About that time, another man jumps in the water and

486
00:26:31,359 --> 00:26:35,000
Speaker 4: he swims toward that car like he's superman. Somehow he

487
00:26:35,160 --> 00:26:38,560
Speaker 4: found the car went under water and disappeared for about

488
00:26:38,560 --> 00:26:42,200
Speaker 4: thirty seconds. Seemed like an eternity. But in a few

489
00:26:42,240 --> 00:26:44,600
Speaker 4: seconds you saw the young girl's arm.

490
00:26:44,520 --> 00:26:45,440
Speaker 5: Come up out of the water.

491
00:26:45,960 --> 00:26:48,800
Speaker 4: I thought, my goodness, how did he get a window

492
00:26:48,840 --> 00:26:51,240
Speaker 4: open or a door opened under there? A few seconds

493
00:26:51,359 --> 00:26:54,320
Speaker 4: later he pulled her whole body out, and he was

494
00:26:54,359 --> 00:26:56,560
Speaker 4: able to help her get to the shore. She was

495
00:26:56,600 --> 00:26:59,800
Speaker 4: perfectly fine, walked off on her own two feet. If

496
00:26:59,800 --> 00:27:03,240
Speaker 4: that wasn't amazing enough. When the wrecker pulled the car

497
00:27:03,320 --> 00:27:06,119
Speaker 4: out of the water, they noticed that no windows had

498
00:27:06,119 --> 00:27:10,000
Speaker 4: been broken, no windows were down, no doors, no evidence

499
00:27:10,040 --> 00:27:13,840
Speaker 4: that any doors had been opened. The newscaster sat there dumbfounded.

500
00:27:13,960 --> 00:27:16,480
Speaker 4: He said, I don't know you figure that one out. Listen,

501
00:27:16,520 --> 00:27:19,760
Speaker 4: when you walk in God's favor, No weapon formed against

502
00:27:19,840 --> 00:27:25,840
Speaker 4: you is gonna prosper No matter how big the obstacle looks.

503
00:27:26,240 --> 00:27:29,880
Speaker 4: The favor of God will keep those enemies from defeating you.

504
00:27:30,840 --> 00:27:34,360
Speaker 4: Just like that little fish. God has put something on you.

505
00:27:34,840 --> 00:27:37,360
Speaker 4: If it's not your time to go, You're not gonna go.

506
00:27:38,000 --> 00:27:42,080
Speaker 4: Start declaring God's favor over your life. Speak favor over

507
00:27:42,119 --> 00:27:45,520
Speaker 4: your finances, over your health, over your family all through

508
00:27:45,560 --> 00:27:48,840
Speaker 4: the day. Lord, thank you that your gracious hand is

509
00:27:48,960 --> 00:27:53,760
Speaker 4: upon me. Friends, you have this favor factor. It can't

510
00:27:53,800 --> 00:27:57,040
Speaker 4: be measured. There's something about you that you can't put

511
00:27:57,080 --> 00:28:00,760
Speaker 4: on paper. Bottom line is you've got what it takes. Now,

512
00:28:00,840 --> 00:28:03,760
Speaker 4: do you a part and activate this favor in the

513
00:28:03,800 --> 00:28:07,639
Speaker 4: tough times. Don't complain. Do like Job. Lord, Thank you,

514
00:28:07,800 --> 00:28:10,879
Speaker 4: I know I have your favor. When the dream looks

515
00:28:10,920 --> 00:28:12,600
Speaker 4: too big, don't give up.

516
00:28:12,920 --> 00:28:13,959
Speaker 5: Do like Namiyah.

517
00:28:14,320 --> 00:28:17,040
Speaker 4: Lord, thank you that your gracious hand is upon me.

518
00:28:17,960 --> 00:28:21,679
Speaker 4: If you'll do this like Job, you'll overcome every obstacle.

519
00:28:22,160 --> 00:28:25,399
Speaker 4: Like Niamiyah, you will accomplish every God given dream. And

520
00:28:25,640 --> 00:28:29,240
Speaker 4: I believe and declare you will become everything God's created

521
00:28:29,280 --> 00:28:30,760
Speaker 4: you to be, and you will have.

522
00:28:30,720 --> 00:28:32,679
Speaker 5: Everything God intended for you to have.

523
00:28:32,760 --> 00:28:36,439
Speaker 4: Amen. Do you receive it today. We never like to

524
00:28:36,440 --> 00:28:39,760
Speaker 4: close our broadcast without giving you an opportunity to make

525
00:28:39,840 --> 00:28:41,280
Speaker 4: Jesus the Lord of your life.

526
00:28:41,440 --> 00:28:42,360
Speaker 5: Would you pray with me?

527
00:28:42,960 --> 00:28:48,080
Speaker 4: Just say, Lord Jesus, I'll repent of my sins. Come

528
00:28:48,120 --> 00:28:48,880
Speaker 4: into my heart.

529
00:28:50,040 --> 00:28:51,640
Speaker 5: I make you my Lord and savior.

530
00:28:52,960 --> 00:28:55,440
Speaker 4: Friends, if you prayed that simple prayer, we believe you

531
00:28:55,480 --> 00:28:58,520
Speaker 4: got born again. Get in a good Bible based church.

532
00:28:58,880 --> 00:28:59,960
Speaker 4: Keep God first place.

533
00:29:00,320 --> 00:29:02,560
Speaker 5: He's going to take your places that you've never dreamed of.

534
00:29:03,120 --> 00:29:06,080
Speaker 4: Thanks so much for listening to today's message. I hope

535
00:29:06,120 --> 00:29:09,520
Speaker 4: you'll subscribe so you can receive the latest podcast to

536
00:29:09,600 --> 00:29:12,440
Speaker 4: keep you encouraged and inspired all through the week. Help

537
00:29:12,520 --> 00:29:14,560
Speaker 4: us to continue to share the message of hope with

538
00:29:14,600 --> 00:29:16,000
Speaker 4: those all around the world.

539
00:29:16,320 --> 00:29:19,080
Speaker 2: Visit Joelosting dot com or click the link in the

540
00:29:19,120 --> 00:29:21,280
Speaker 2: description to partner with us today.

541
00:29:21,520 --> 00:29:23,960
Speaker 4: We hope you'll share this message with a friend and

542
00:29:24,080 --> 00:29:25,120
Speaker 4: be sure to follow.

543
00:29:24,880 --> 00:29:26,040
Speaker 5: Us on social media.

544
00:29:26,320 --> 00:29:29,640
Speaker 4: We're praying for you. I know God's best is still ahead.

545
00:29:29,880 --> 00:29:30,920
Speaker 5: We'll see you next time.

546
00:29:32,960 --> 00:29:35,440
Speaker 6: More than ever before, people are turning to the church

547
00:29:35,480 --> 00:29:39,240
Speaker 6: for their mental health struggles. Unfortunately, the church has largely

548
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Speaker 6: been ill equipped to help. That is, until now. Join

549
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Speaker 6: yourly fifty thousand people just like you who've enrolled in

550
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551
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552
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553
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554
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Speaker 6: dot org. Again, that's mental health coach dot org.

555
00:30:04,160 --> 00:30:07,280
Speaker 2: Did you know you can be happier enjoying watermelon? Eighty

556
00:30:07,320 --> 00:30:12,520
Speaker 2: two percent of consumers agree eating watermelon boost their mood.

557
00:30:12,560 --> 00:30:15,840
Speaker 2: Savor a slice pool side, toss into a salad, blends

558
00:30:15,840 --> 00:30:18,400
Speaker 2: into a chilled summer smoothie, whether you eat the fruit

559
00:30:18,520 --> 00:30:21,720
Speaker 2: or drink the juice, anyway you slice it. Eating watermelon

560
00:30:21,760 --> 00:30:24,320
Speaker 2: one hundred percent makes you feel happy. Just look at

561
00:30:24,320 --> 00:30:27,600
Speaker 2: the rind. It leaves a smile behind. Be happy and

562
00:30:27,720 --> 00:30:31,000
Speaker 2: check out the Slice of Happy project at watermelon dot org.

563
00:30:32,880 --> 00:30:35,640
Speaker 6: With millions of books on Amazon, there's a reading feeling

564
00:30:35,680 --> 00:30:36,240
Speaker 6: for everyone.

565
00:30:36,440 --> 00:30:41,040
Speaker 1: For example, Quands as he drifts away to Nirvana after

566
00:30:41,120 --> 00:30:45,360
Speaker 1: only the first chapter is different to Maya's when she

567
00:30:45,480 --> 00:30:49,080
Speaker 1: discovered the narrator was in fact the Evil Twin, which

568
00:30:49,120 --> 00:30:53,040
Speaker 1: is also different to Noah's aw anytime the cute cyberpunk

569
00:30:53,120 --> 00:30:56,000
Speaker 1: is mentioned, even though In reality, he'd be totally out

570
00:30:56,040 --> 00:30:56,560
Speaker 1: of his league.

571
00:30:56,880 --> 00:31:02,520
Speaker 6: From two two a Amazon books that reading feeling awaits