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Speaker 1: Then saith he to Thomas, reach hither thy finger and

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Speaker 1: behold my hands. And reach hither thy hand and thrust

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Speaker 1: it into my side, and be not faithless but believing.

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Speaker 1: And Thomas answered and said, unto him, my Lord and

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Speaker 1: my God John twenty twenty seven and twenty eight. Lord,

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Speaker 1: there are times when I felt like doubting Thomas. I

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Speaker 1: had a hard time believing you rose from the grave

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Speaker 1: after you were crucified. That truth takes a great deal

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Speaker 1: more faith than my finite little brain can comprehend. But

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Speaker 1: you understood this unbelief and offered your sacred flesh for

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Speaker 1: him to touch, so he would believe you had a

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Speaker 1: purpose for his life and wanted to rid him of

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Speaker 1: any doubts he had. You have a purpose for my

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Speaker 1: life too, and you want to erase any doubts I

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Speaker 1: have as well. I want to touch you, Lord, I

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Speaker 1: don't a waiver in unbelief. I want to serve you

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Speaker 1: with my whole heart.

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Speaker 2: Amen.

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Speaker 1: Stay tuned to immerse yourself in the greatest stories ever told.

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Speaker 1: From pray dot COM's podcast Heroes in the Bible.

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Speaker 3: Hi, I'm doctor Tony Evans JE hosts for Heroes in

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Speaker 3: the Bible. Jesus. If you've enjoyed this podcast so far,

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Speaker 3: please share it with your family and friends so that

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Speaker 3: they can know Jesus Christ in a personal way, because

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Speaker 3: knowing Jesus is the key to understanding the Bible. Welcome

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Speaker 3: to the greatest story ever told. It is a story

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Speaker 3: of a shepherd's heart for his sheep, a father's love

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Speaker 3: for his children, and a hero's triumph over death and darkness.

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Speaker 3: This is a story that continues to shape and mold

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Speaker 3: the world around us, bringing the divine heart of God

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Speaker 3: right into the hearts of you and me. This episode

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Speaker 3: gives the Disciples a brief moment with the resurrected Jesus.

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Speaker 3: Witnesses to his resurrection had come to them, but they

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Speaker 3: had yet to truly see him. When they hear his

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Speaker 3: voice and see his scars, they are convinced that he

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Speaker 3: has indeed risen again. However, as we have said before,

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Speaker 3: not everyone's faith journey is the same. Two characters in

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Speaker 3: particular wrestle with shame and doubt, making it hard for

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Speaker 3: them to truly embrace the resurrection. The prelude to this

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Speaker 3: story takes us all the way back to the beginning,

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Speaker 3: when chaos and darkness loomed over the face of the earth,

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Speaker 3: and the spirit of God was hovering over the face

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Speaker 3: of the deep. Creation was ushered in by God's spirit,

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Speaker 3: and the breath of life was given to men and women.

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Speaker 3: This story provides us with a new type of creation,

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Speaker 3: new hearts formed and empowered by God's Spirit. I hope

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Speaker 3: this episode empowers you today. My prayer for you is

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Speaker 3: that the dark and fearful parts of your heart would

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Speaker 3: be filled with God's spirit. I pray for anyone who

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Speaker 3: finds themselves stuck in their homes, afraid to step out.

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Speaker 3: I pray that the Holy Spirit gives you boldness, comfort

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Speaker 3: and clarity, and the same breath that breathed life into

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Speaker 3: humanity moves in you. Here is Episode twenty one, Breath

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Speaker 3: of Life.

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Speaker 2: Prelude, Chapter twenty one. All was dark and the chaotic

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Speaker 2: waters thrashed around the untamed earth. God's spirit hovered over

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Speaker 2: the face of the waters, waiting detain them. Voice calling

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Speaker 2: out from the darkness resounded and shook the infant planet.

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Speaker 2: Let there be light, the voice proclaimed, and as the

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Speaker 2: Voice of God traveled through space and time, light broke

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Speaker 2: forth from the nothingness. The Sun's light pierced the dark

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Speaker 2: and paved the way for life to be created. God

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Speaker 2: then wove together the earth and all its glory. The

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Speaker 2: power of his words spoke. The mountains irrupted forth from

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Speaker 2: the waters. Plants sprang up from the fertile ground. The

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Speaker 2: creatures of the sea, birds of the air, and beasts

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Speaker 2: of the land inhabited the new planet and dwelled in bliss.

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Speaker 2: Their cries, CAUs and growls were like a symphony of

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Speaker 2: God's creative power. The earth had been made by the

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Speaker 2: very word of God. He saw the beauty of his

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Speaker 2: creation and smiled. It is good, God declared, Yet there

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Speaker 2: was one thing missing. On the final day, the morning

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Speaker 2: mist was gliding through the tall trees. The sun shone

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Speaker 2: brightly through the vegetation, and God's spirit descended Like a dove.

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Speaker 2: God looked at a small plot of dirt and saw

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Speaker 2: potential for beauty. Gently, like a potter with clay, God

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Speaker 2: picked up the dust and began to molded to his image.

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Speaker 2: Delicately and with great care, God formed a creature unlike

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Speaker 2: any other, a creature that would be his ambassador on earth,

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Speaker 2: a creature that would walk with him, know him, and

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Speaker 2: reflect his goodness from the dust of the earth, God

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Speaker 2: shaped man in his own image. The newly formed human

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Speaker 2: lay there, lifeless on the ground, an empty vessel, ready

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Speaker 2: to be filled with the power and life of God.

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Speaker 2: Leaning down, the Creator breathed into the man's nostrils. His

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Speaker 2: very presence, life, and heart was breathed into the man

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Speaker 2: like a mighty wind. God's spirit was given to him,

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Speaker 2: and his heart began to beat to the same rhythm

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Speaker 2: as God's. His spirit was given to men and women

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Speaker 2: so they may walk in His likeness among the earth.

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Speaker 2: Every breath they took was a symbol of God's grace.

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Speaker 2: Without the breath of life, man is nothing but an

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Speaker 2: empty vessel. Chapter twenty one, Breath of Life. The morning

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Speaker 2: light had not yet broke forth above the horizon, and

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Speaker 2: darkness still loomed in the home where the disciples hid.

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Speaker 2: Ever since Jesus hung on the cross, bloodied and bruised,

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Speaker 2: they had hid like children. Their protector, provider, and king

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Speaker 2: was dead, so they remained in their own den of despair,

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Speaker 2: Unable to console themselves. They hid in fear of what

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Speaker 2: the Jews would do to them. They had crucified Jesus,

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Speaker 2: and Jesus had warned them that anything they did to him,

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Speaker 2: they would do to them as well. There they waited

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Speaker 2: until the volatility of the priests subsided. There have been

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Speaker 2: rumors of Jesus's return, yet they had yet to truly

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Speaker 2: experience it for themselves. Matthew was the first to arise.

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Speaker 2: He sat over a dimly lit lamp, writing down his

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Speaker 2: recollections of Jesus. They were fussy and blurred by grief.

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Speaker 2: He tried to write, but the words seemed uninspired. He

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Speaker 2: knew the importance of recording the words and works of Jesus,

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Speaker 2: yet for whatever reason, he could not bring himself to

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Speaker 2: remember what he needed. He clinched his fist in frustration,

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Speaker 2: throwing the piece of parchment aside. The other disciples arose

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Speaker 2: from their beds and walked beside the fireplace. They had

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Speaker 2: been back in Galilee, in a home by the sea.

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Speaker 2: The morning breeze slowly made its way through the windows.

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Speaker 2: Philip tended to the fireplace, boiling water and preparation for

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Speaker 2: their breakfast. They had not spoken much in the past

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Speaker 2: three days. There was a collective sadness that bound their lips.

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Speaker 2: Every time they began to speak, they found themselves lamenting

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Speaker 2: the loss of their dear friend and Lord. Philip stared

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Speaker 2: blankly at the fire and turned to Bartholomew. Where are

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Speaker 2: Peter and Andrew?

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Speaker 4: He asked, fishing? Bartholomew answered, Peter is still unconsolable. He

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Speaker 4: seems to be spending every moment on his boat.

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Speaker 2: And what of Thomas, Philip asked, poking the hot coals

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Speaker 2: below the.

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Speaker 4: Kettle, tending to his family, I suppose.

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Speaker 2: Bartholemew said, scratching his head. The coolness of the morning

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Speaker 2: was replaced by a growing warmth from the Galilean sun.

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Speaker 2: Thaddeus joined Philip and Bartholomew near the fire. They sat

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Speaker 2: there and silence for a while, occasionally sharing in a

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Speaker 2: memory of their time with Jesus. The disciples felt as

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Speaker 2: though they had failed. For three years, they had followed

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Speaker 2: Jesus with the expectation of him rising to power. They

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Speaker 2: had seen so many miracles performed by him that they

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Speaker 2: truly believed he was the Messiah. However, as the thunder

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Speaker 2: boomed on that fateful night, all their hopes and dreams

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Speaker 2: of glory had been shattered. Their confidence and joy was

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Speaker 2: buried with Jesus in that tomb.

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Speaker 5: Who do you think took him Jude asked, was it

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Speaker 5: the pharisees.

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Speaker 2: John shook his head in dismay. Do you think it

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Speaker 2: is possible? He asked.

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Speaker 6: The women said they were told by angels. Do you

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Speaker 6: think he truly could be risen from the dead.

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Speaker 2: As John asked this, there were footsteps approaching the home.

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Speaker 2: All of the disciples stood to their feet. Simon was

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Speaker 2: the first to step forward, with his soul Lord held

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Speaker 2: tightly in his hand. The rest of the men stayed

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Speaker 2: back As Simon peeped through the crack in the window.

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Speaker 2: There was a heavy pounding on the door. Simon approached

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Speaker 2: the door with his sword at the ready. He opened

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Speaker 2: the door slowly, and bursting through was Peter, fumbling about

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Speaker 2: with nets and fish in his arms. The rest of

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Speaker 2: the group sighed in relief. The smell of fish filled

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Speaker 2: the room as Peter set them on the table.

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Speaker 7: I labored all night for less than a dozen fish.

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Speaker 7: Peter growled. He sat down and rubbed his temples. Peter

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Speaker 7: had been tormented for days now. Grief and shame had

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Speaker 7: kept him up. He was a sad sight to behold.

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Speaker 7: John took the fish, skinned and gutted them, and threw

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Speaker 7: them into the boiling water. Simon locked the doors again,

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Speaker 7: standing in attention near the entrance. The kettle simmered, and

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Speaker 7: the disciples sat in silace for a long while. Peter's

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Speaker 7: forehead was placed firmly on the table. Then, breaking the silence,

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Speaker 7: they all heard a familiar voice. Peace be with you,

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Speaker 7: the voice said.

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Speaker 2: The disciples looked up in awe, and the corner of

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Speaker 2: the room stood Jesus. The men leapt in fear. They

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Speaker 2: thought they had seen a ghost. Matthew ran to the

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Speaker 2: corner of the room. Simon drew his sword, and John

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Speaker 2: fell to his knees. However, Peter stood completely still. He

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Speaker 2: looked at Jesus with complete dismay. His bottom lip quivered,

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Speaker 2: and he dipped his head in shame. Jesus's lips hearted

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Speaker 2: into a familiar smile. He stretched out his arms and said.

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Speaker 5: Why are you so troubled? And why do I send

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Speaker 5: so much doubt in your hearts? Come see where they

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Speaker 5: pierced my hands and my feet. Know that it is I.

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Speaker 2: John approached Jesus slowly. He had watched him die. He

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Speaker 2: watched Jesus be scourged on the wooden post. He saw

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Speaker 2: Jesus cry out to God on the cross. His heart

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Speaker 2: beat faster as he approached his master. Jesus greeted him

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Speaker 2: and stretched out his arms. John looked down to see

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Speaker 2: scars where the hands met his wrists. He touched them.

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Speaker 2: He felt the soft tissue where the scars had formed.

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Speaker 2: He looked at Jesus's feet, where they had driven nails through.

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Speaker 2: He looked up into Jesus's eyes. They were the same

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Speaker 2: eyes of compassion and power he had remembered. Tears began

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Speaker 2: to stream down John's face. Jesus smiled, and John embraced

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Speaker 2: him tightly. He sobbed in his arms. Jesus laughed and

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Speaker 2: gestured for the other disciples to come. They ran to him.

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Speaker 2: The entire room was filled with unquenchable joy. They laughed, cried,

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Speaker 2: and shouted with triumph in their voices. Their king was alive.

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Speaker 2: He had risen, just as he said he would. He

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Speaker 2: embraced his disciples like dear children. Yet Peter was still

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Speaker 2: sitting at his place. He was frozen, unable to bring

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Speaker 2: himself forward, unable to face the man he had denied.

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Speaker 2: Do you have anything to eat, Jesus asked. Philip went

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Speaker 2: to the kettle and brought out a few fish, together.

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Speaker 2: They ate and listened to Jesus. It seemed like a

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Speaker 2: lifetime ago that they were camping in the wilderness of Galilee,

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Speaker 2: exchanging stories, laughter and dreams. Jesus was just as they remembered,

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Speaker 2: only now he had a radiance about him that was indescribable.

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Speaker 2: He was a new man, and the entropy of life

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Speaker 2: did not seem to have any effect on him.

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Speaker 5: Remember the words I spoke to you while I was with.

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Speaker 2: You, Jesus said, as he finished his fish.

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Speaker 5: Everything that was written about me in the Law of Moses,

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Speaker 5: the prophets, and the Psalms has been fulfilled.

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Speaker 2: Then Jesus arose from the table and brought them in close.

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Speaker 2: Peter was silent, remaining in the back. Jesus looked at them.

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Speaker 2: They stood before him like empty vessels, ready to be

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Speaker 2: filled with the power and life of God. Peace be

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Speaker 2: with you.

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Speaker 5: Now receive the Holy Spirit.

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Speaker 2: As Jesus said this, he leaned in close to them

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Speaker 2: and breathed the same breath of life that was given

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Speaker 2: to mankind, And the very beginning was poured out like

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Speaker 2: a mighty wind. The Creator gave his very presence, life

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Speaker 2: and heart to them. God's spirit was given to the disciples,

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Speaker 2: and their hearts began to beat to the same rhythm

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Speaker 2: as his.

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Speaker 5: Behold, I am sending the promise of my Father upon you.

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Speaker 5: You will be my ambassadors on the earth, filled with power,

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Speaker 5: and you will do mighty things in all the nations.

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Speaker 2: God's spirit poured out on to them and filled their

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Speaker 2: lungs with new life. In that moment, everything had changed.

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Speaker 2: John felt like his heart had been re formed as

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Speaker 2: God's presence was poured into his very soul. He remembered

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Speaker 2: the words Jesus spoke to Nicodemus three years ago.

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Speaker 5: Truly, I say to you, unless one is born again,

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Speaker 5: he cannot see the Kingdom of God.

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Speaker 2: John now understood what Jesus meant. His heart was beating

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Speaker 2: to a new rhythm. His eyes were opened to see

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Speaker 2: a new potential for the world around him. John could

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Speaker 2: now see what Jesus saw. The Kingdom of God was

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Speaker 2: at hand and moving all around them. John knew that

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Speaker 2: he had just been born again. As the Holy Spirit

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Speaker 2: was given to them, their minds were open to understand

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Speaker 2: the scriptures. Matthew could now remember every word Jesus had

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Speaker 2: spoken to him. They could now see how Jesus was

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Speaker 2: interwoven into every fabric of God's story. They could see

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Speaker 2: that he was the one who wrestled with Jacob. He

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Speaker 2: was the voice of the burning bush to Moses. He

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Speaker 2: was the captain of the lord's armies who visited Joshua.

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Speaker 2: He was the one who stood in the fire with Shadrac,

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Speaker 2: Meshach and Abeddigo. He was the hero working for the

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Speaker 2: redemption of man since the very beginning. Jesus lifted his

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Speaker 2: eyes to them. He looked at them as a general

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Speaker 2: wood to an army.

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Speaker 5: Christ was always meant to suffer and rise again on

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Speaker 5: the third. Repentance and forgiveness of sins will be proclaimed

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Speaker 5: in my name to all the nations.

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Speaker 2: It is you I send. And with those words Jesus vanished.

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Speaker 2: Peter's eyes widened and he ran to the corner of

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Speaker 2: the room where Jesus vanished. He hit the wall and

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Speaker 2: pounded on it with his fist. Tears streamed down his face,

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Speaker 2: and he fell to his knees in regret. He didn't

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Speaker 2: even tell Jesus he was sorry, and now he may

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Speaker 2: never get the chance. The disciples stood there in awe

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Speaker 2: of what had happened, yet still filled with unanswered questions.

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Speaker 2: A few moments later, the door opened. The disciples thought

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Speaker 2: it might be Jesus again, but it was Thomas. He

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Speaker 2: was back from tending to his family. The disciples were

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Speaker 2: still in tears. What happened?

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Speaker 6: Thomas said, He's returned. James shouted, Jesus has risen from

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Speaker 6: the dead.

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Speaker 3: He was here.

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Speaker 2: The disciples all took turns telling Thomas what had happened.

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Speaker 2: They were frantic, excited, and confused all at once. Thomas

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Speaker 2: was a skeptical man. He was analytical, asked questions, and

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Speaker 2: not quick to make judgments. It is part of why

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Speaker 2: Jesus chose him. Jesus loved his mind that was willing

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Speaker 2: to think deeply and consider every option. Thomas shook his head,

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Speaker 2: unable to believe that Jesus had risen from the dead.

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Speaker 8: Unless I see him with my own eyes, I refuse

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Speaker 8: to believe you.

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Speaker 6: But we are.

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Speaker 2: Telling you the truth, James said, unless.

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Speaker 8: I put my fingers through the holes in his wounded hands,

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Speaker 8: I could not accept that it was Jesus. Perhaps you

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Speaker 8: saw a vision, ghost, or you are overcome with grief.

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Speaker 2: The disciples tried to convince Thomas, but he lifted his

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Speaker 2: hand and interrupted him.

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Speaker 8: Did you hear me, it wasn't Jesus.

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Speaker 2: With that, Thomas stormed out and slammed the door behind him.

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Speaker 2: Thomas's doubt revealed a deep hurt within him. Like Peter,

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Speaker 2: he felt the pangs of shame. When Jesus was taken

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Speaker 2: by the guards and the garden of Guessemone, he ran

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Speaker 2: for his life. He did not fight for Jesus, nor

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Speaker 2: did he watch his death. Thomas did not want to

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Speaker 2: believe Jesus had risen because he felt far too much

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Speaker 2: shame to face him. Eight days had passed and the

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Speaker 2: disciples had yet to fully understand what they had seen.

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Speaker 2: Jesus had been gone for so long that even they

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Speaker 2: were beginning to wonder if they had seen a ghost.

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Speaker 2: It wasn't a ghost, Philip protested again to Thomas. He

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Speaker 2: ate a meal with us, and we held him. Thomas

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Speaker 2: had only grown more bitter as the week rolled on.

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Speaker 2: Yet in his heart of hearts, he knew the true

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Speaker 2: reason for his anger was that he had missed what

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Speaker 2: the others had seen. As Thomas shook his head once

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Speaker 2: again in doubt, he heard a voice call out to him.

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Speaker 5: Peace be with you, Thomas, the voice.

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Speaker 2: Said behind him. Thomas froze he knew that voice. It

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Speaker 2: was the voice that had called him long ago. He

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Speaker 2: turned around and saw Jesus standing there above him. Lord

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Speaker 2: Thomas asked, is that you? Jesus knelt down and smiled

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Speaker 2: at Thomas.

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Speaker 5: Go ahead, my child, feel my hands. See how they

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Speaker 5: were pierced for you.

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Speaker 2: Jesus held out his arms. Thomas looked down to see

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Speaker 2: the scars. He was paralyzed with fear. Then he looked

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Speaker 2: up to see Jesus's eyes. It was not the scars

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Speaker 2: that convinced him, but Jesus's familiar gaze. Behind his kind

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Speaker 2: eyes held the secrets of eternal life. Thomas looked down

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Speaker 2: and ran his feces across the lord's scarred hands. Thomas

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Speaker 2: was shaking as he touched him. His eyes began to water,

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Speaker 2: and his heart welled up with uncontrollable joy. My Lord,

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Speaker 2: Thomas wept, My God, he cried out loudly. Thomas threw

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Speaker 2: his arms around Jesus like a lost child, returning to

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Speaker 2: his father's arms. Jesus held him, allowing his comfort to

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Speaker 2: wash over him.

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Speaker 5: You are blessed, my dear Thomas, for you have seen me.

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Speaker 5: You have seen my scars and heard my voice.

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Speaker 2: And believed, Jesus said, Yet.

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Speaker 5: There are those who will not get to see me.

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Speaker 5: They will not touch my scars or see my face,

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Speaker 5: yet they will believe. More blessed are those who do

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Speaker 5: not see me yet still believe.

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Speaker 2: After this, Jesus vanished again. Thomas wiped his eyes and

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Speaker 2: was renewed with purpose. He lifted his gaze to heaven

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Speaker 2: and received God's spirit. There was no turning back. All

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Speaker 2: doubt that it clouded Thomas's mind had vanished like a vapor.

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Speaker 2: Jesus was alive, and Thomas would never be the same again.

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Speaker 3: Let me begin with the question do you feel trapped

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Speaker 3: trapped by fear, indecision, or doubt? Do you feel confined

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Speaker 3: to your own negative emotions and mental reeling with no

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Speaker 3: conceivable way out. If you answer yes to any of

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Speaker 3: these questions, you probably have a sense of how the

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Speaker 3: disciples were feeling after Jesus died. Sometimes scripture gives us

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Speaker 3: small details as big metaphors. The locked door of the

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Speaker 3: house was a small detail that should not be missed.

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Speaker 3: The disciples locked themselves in, afraid of the outside world.

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Speaker 3: They were without power, carriage, inspiration, or wisdom For the

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Speaker 3: next step. Peter had taken up his old trade to

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Speaker 3: distract himself, while the others remained aimless inside their home.

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Speaker 3: The image of the bleak and it is supposed to

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Speaker 3: be held in stark contrast to the disciples we read

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Speaker 3: about in the Book of Acts. The Disciples in the

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Speaker 3: Book of Acts were courageous, unashamed, wise, beyond their education,

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Speaker 3: and powerful. What had to change in order for them

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Speaker 3: to go from fearful to courageous? What shift needed to

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Speaker 3: occur for them to go from weak to strong, ignorant

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Speaker 3: to wise and aimless to passionate? The answer? The Holy Spirit,

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Speaker 3: The resurrected Jesus appeared to them in splendor and mystery.

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Speaker 3: His first words were peace be with you. The Disciples

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Speaker 3: were hiding from the Jews and the Romans, so nowhere

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Speaker 3: outside their homes seemed safe. It stands to reason they

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Speaker 3: would be a bit jumpy, so Jesus declared peace right

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Speaker 3: off the bat. However, his greeting meant more than just

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Speaker 3: don't worry. After their desertion of Jesus on the day

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Speaker 3: of his crucifixion, the disciples probably expected him to be angry.

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Speaker 3: They may have expected rebuke, reprimand, and a demand for repentance. Instead,

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Speaker 3: Jesus brought a word of peace, beautiful and unifying peace.

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Speaker 3: Charles Spurgeon had a beautiful quote regarding this passage. He said,

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Speaker 3: a master came to his cowardly, faithless disciples and stood

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Speaker 3: in the midst of them, uttering the cheering salutation peace

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Speaker 3: be under you, my soul. Why should he not come

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Speaker 3: to thee, though thou be the most unworthy of all

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Speaker 3: whom he has brought with his blood. I love how

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Speaker 3: Jesus brought with him peace instead of more anxiety and fear.

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Speaker 3: Nor did he rebuke them and add to their shame.

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Speaker 3: The men are naturally in complete dismay. Jesus beckons them

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Speaker 3: to come closer and touch his scars. He wants them

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Speaker 3: to know that it is him and also understand what

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Speaker 3: he has just endured. It is that if Jesus was saying,

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Speaker 3: look at my scars, I have fought against death and won.

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Speaker 3: Now you can go and do the same. When we

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Speaker 3: behold the resurrection and live the life that Jesus has

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Speaker 3: called us to. Sin and track do not become any

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Speaker 3: less painful. They still leave a scar, but they do

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Speaker 3: cease to be paralyzing. They cease to keep us down

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Speaker 3: and locked in our homes. Whatever shame you've carried, these

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Speaker 3: scars may remain, but they don't have to keep you

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Speaker 3: locked in a room anymore. Jesus has triumphed over that

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Speaker 3: which keeps you locked away from the world. Jesus gathered

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Speaker 3: his disciples for a specific purpose, to breathe on them.

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Speaker 3: As odd as this image might sound to you to

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Speaker 3: a reader familiar with Genesis, Ezkuel, and Daniel, it has

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Speaker 3: profound implications. This is where the prelude provides us with

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Speaker 3: context for the episode. When God desired to give life

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Speaker 3: to mankind, he breathed his spirit into them. The word

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Speaker 3: for the spirit of the Old Testament was rua or ruaik,

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Speaker 3: which is the same word for breath, spirit, and wind.

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Speaker 3: The very life force of God rushed into the nostrils

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Speaker 3: of humanity and gave them life. The prophet Ezekiel was

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Speaker 3: given a picture of a valley of dry bones that

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Speaker 3: form into a vast, lifeless army. When the wind of

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Speaker 3: God blew through from all angles, life was given to

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Speaker 3: the lifeless beings, and they became an army of righteousness.

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Speaker 3: John used the same language as Genesis and Ezechiel. Jesus

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Speaker 3: breathed into his disciples in the same way he breathed

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Speaker 3: life into Adam and Eve and the Valley of dry bones.

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Speaker 3: The disciples were once dead, but now they are alive.

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Speaker 3: Paul said in Roman six. The spirit of God who

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Speaker 3: raised Jesus from the dead lives in you. And just

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Speaker 3: as God raised Christ Jesus from the dead, he will

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Speaker 3: give life to your mortal bodies by this same spirit

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Speaker 3: living within you. That is how the disciples went from

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Speaker 3: weak to strong, ignorant to wise, and aimless to passionate.

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Speaker 3: The same spirit that raised Jesus from the dead and

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Speaker 3: gave life to humanity breathed new life into the disciples.

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Speaker 3: This same spirit is offered to anyone who calls upon

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Speaker 3: the name of Jesus. This episode referred back to episode

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Speaker 3: five when Jesus was speaking with Nicodemus. Do you remember

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Speaker 3: Jesus talking about being born again by the spirit. Unless

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Speaker 3: one is born again, he will be unable to truly

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Speaker 3: see the Kingdom of God, Jesus said. Nicodemus was puzzled.

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Speaker 3: He looked around at the disciples. They shrugged. They didn't

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Speaker 3: know what Jesus was saying either. I'm not following Nicodemus admitted,

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Speaker 3: are you saying that in order to inherit heaven one

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Speaker 3: must re enter his mother's womb and be born a

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Speaker 3: second time. Nicodemus was beginning to fear Jesus actually was

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Speaker 3: a mad man. Jesus laughed, Aha, no, no, you see,

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Speaker 3: we are all born in the flesh. Yes, we enter

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Speaker 3: this world with our bodies from our mother's womb. Nicodemus

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Speaker 3: nodded in agreement. Jesus continued saying, but you must be

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Speaker 3: born a second time, not of flesh and through a womb,

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Speaker 3: but of spirit. Nicodemus was still having difficulty understanding. Nicodemus

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Speaker 3: was a teacher himself and very respected among the religious elite.

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Speaker 3: He was not used to being lost in a discussion

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Speaker 3: regarding philosophy. Jesus sensed his confusion and lean forward. Do

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Speaker 3: not be perplexed, Nicodemus. The wind blows and nobody can

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Speaker 3: see it except when the leaves rustle. It is the

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Speaker 3: same with being borne by the spirit. You cannot see

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Speaker 3: the spirit itself. However, when it compels a person, it

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Speaker 3: becomes obvious. What Jesus was explaining to Nicodemus happened to

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Speaker 3: the disciples. They were being born again by God's spirit

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Speaker 3: and empowered for the mission ahead. Not everyone was in attendance,

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Speaker 3: though Thomas was out when Jesus visited them, and he

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Speaker 3: did not take their testimony seriously. His doubt and skepticism

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Speaker 3: were smoke screens for his insecurity and shame. He didn't

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Speaker 3: want to accept that Jesus was risen because he would

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Speaker 3: have to believe in something he had not seen. Jesus

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Speaker 3: visited Thomas and spoke directly to you and me. Through

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Speaker 3: their conversation, Jesus said, you are blessed, my dear Thomas,

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Speaker 3: for you have seen me. You have seen my scars

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Speaker 3: and heard my voice and bleed. Jesus said, but there

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Speaker 3: are those who will not get to see me. They

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Speaker 3: will not touch my scars or see my face, yet

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Speaker 3: they will believe. More blessed are those who do not

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Speaker 3: see me yet still believe. Neither you nor I have

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Speaker 3: seen Jesus. But still we believe. You and I are

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Speaker 3: considered more blessed than Thomas. There is still one disciple

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Speaker 3: who has unfinished business with Jesus. Although Peter was able

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Speaker 3: to witness the risen King for himself, his journey is

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Speaker 3: far from over. There is unfinished business between Jesus and Peter,

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Speaker 3: a business that will be settled in our next episode.

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Speaker 3: Join us next time for episode twenty two Do You

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Speaker 3: Love Me? Thanks again for listening. For more inspiring stories,

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00:29:37,880 --> 00:29:40,800
Speaker 3: daily prayers and wisdom to last a lifetime, go to

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00:29:40,880 --> 00:29:43,360
Speaker 3: pray dot com. And to expand your heroes in the

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00:29:43,400 --> 00:29:47,040
Speaker 3: Bible journey, download the Heroes of the Faith devotional at

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00:29:47,120 --> 00:29:51,520
Speaker 3: Tonyevans dot org. Forward slash Heroes. Share this podcast with

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00:29:51,600 --> 00:29:54,240
Speaker 3: a family member or friend so that they can know

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00:29:54,360 --> 00:29:57,360
Speaker 3: Jesus Christ in a personal way. You never know how

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Speaker 3: great of an impact the Bible and this podcast can

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00:29:59,800 --> 00:30:02,240
Speaker 3: have on someone's life. God bless