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<v Speaker 1>Hello, and welcome to Pastor Rick's Daily Hope with Rick Warren.

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<v Speaker 1>We are so glad you're here with us today. We're

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<v Speaker 1>going to continue our series called The Keys to a

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<v Speaker 1>Blessed Life now. In these messages, Rick walks through Jesus'

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<v Speaker 1>Sermon on the Mount and shows us how to live

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<v Speaker 1>a truly hopeful and purpose filled life. Let's get started

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<v Speaker 1>with part one of handling opposition to your faith.

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<v Speaker 2>Have I told you lately that I love you? If

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<v Speaker 2>you have a Bible, open to Matthew chapter five and

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<v Speaker 2>bring out your message notes. If I asked you to

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<v Speaker 2>name the most persecuted group on the planet, you'd probably

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<v Speaker 2>name the wrong group because it's Christians. It's Christians. It

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<v Speaker 2>may surprise you that that's the most persecuted group on

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<v Speaker 2>the planet, because it is the most ignored, most unnoticed,

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<v Speaker 2>least reported, most overlooked news item on the planet. Without

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<v Speaker 2>a doubt. The International Society of let me get this right,

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<v Speaker 2>International Society for Human Rights. It's a secular organization. It's

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<v Speaker 2>not a Christian organization. Just recently let out a report

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<v Speaker 2>and it says, quote, eighty percent of all religious freedom

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<v Speaker 2>violations in the world today are directed against Christians. Now,

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<v Speaker 2>we're all aware that throughout history, for two thousand years, Christianity,

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<v Speaker 2>the Christian Church, and Christians in particular, have been persecuted.

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<v Speaker 2>We all know that for three hundred years it was

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<v Speaker 2>illegal to be a Christian in the Roman Empire. They

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<v Speaker 2>were feeding Christians to the lions, Nero was tarring them

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<v Speaker 2>and lighting them on fire. And for three hundred years,

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<v Speaker 2>first hundred years years of the Church, it was against

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<v Speaker 2>the law to be a Christian. We know about the

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<v Speaker 2>different cleansings throughout history, and the tortures and the burning

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<v Speaker 2>at the stake and all of those kind of things

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<v Speaker 2>for two thousand years. But what we don't know, what

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<v Speaker 2>you don't know, is that the worst persecution of Christians

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<v Speaker 2>in all of history is happening in our lifetime. It's

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<v Speaker 2>just not being reported now. Since the Resurrection two thousand

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<v Speaker 2>years ago, about seventy million believers in Jesus Christ have

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<v Speaker 2>died for their faith. About seventy million. Well, what is

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<v Speaker 2>shocking and what most people don't know is half of

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<v Speaker 2>that number, thirty five million, have died in the last

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<v Speaker 2>one hundred years. Right now. This past year, about one

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<v Speaker 2>hundred million followers of Christ lived in countries, whether the

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<v Speaker 2>state or the prevailing religion or the dictatorship, left one

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<v Speaker 2>hundred million followers of Jesus facing the threat of discrimination,

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<v Speaker 2>of persecution, of interrogation, of arrest, of imprisonment, of torture,

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<v Speaker 2>of even death. There used to be, for instance, about

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<v Speaker 2>one point three million Christians in Iraq. That was about

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<v Speaker 2>how many there were when the First Gulf War broke out.

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<v Speaker 2>Today there's less than one hundred thousand in the nation

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<v Speaker 2>of Iraq. The most current estimates in South North Korea

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<v Speaker 2>is that they're probably about seventy thousand Christians in prison

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<v Speaker 2>in North Korea right now, suffering in prison, and about

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<v Speaker 2>every ten minutes, two Christians die for their faith around

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<v Speaker 2>the world, hour upon hour upon hour upon day, upon

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<v Speaker 2>week upon months to every ten minutes. For the last decade,

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<v Speaker 2>you've never heard that. No one is reporting it. It

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<v Speaker 2>is the most underreported story on the planet. Now, what

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<v Speaker 2>are we supposed to do about our persecuted brothers and

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<v Speaker 2>sisters in christ These millions and hundreds of thousands in

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<v Speaker 2>refugee camps and displaced and having to move to other

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<v Speaker 2>nations and things like that. What are we supposed to do? Well?

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<v Speaker 2>The first thing we're supposed to do is be informed,

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<v Speaker 2>because nobody's going to tell you this. They're not going

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<v Speaker 2>to tell you the national reports that are coming out

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<v Speaker 2>of all these different organizations. Second, we need to pray.

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<v Speaker 2>The Bible says we are to pray for those who

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<v Speaker 2>are persecuted. Third, we need to give. You can give

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<v Speaker 2>online to help support families who have loved ones in prison,

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<v Speaker 2>or are being tortured, or have died because of their faith.

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<v Speaker 2>We can give, we can pray, we can learn, and

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<v Speaker 2>we can be advocates for freedom. Let me show you

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<v Speaker 2>a verse on the Bible. The Bible says this here

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<v Speaker 2>on the screen Hebrews thirteen three. Remember those who are

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<v Speaker 2>in prison as if you were in prison with them.

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<v Speaker 2>Remember those who are suffering, as if you were suffering

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<v Speaker 2>with them. That's what God tells us to do. Now.

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<v Speaker 2>Anybody who thinks that following Jesus Christ, being a follower

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<v Speaker 2>of Christ is easy, is sadly mistaken. Sadly mistaken. Being

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<v Speaker 2>a Christian, being a follower of Christ is not for whimps.

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<v Speaker 2>It's not for weaklings, it's not for the feinate of heart.

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<v Speaker 2>It's not for cowards. You must be willing to face rejection.

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<v Speaker 2>You must be willing to face criticism. You must be

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<v Speaker 2>willing to face disapproval. You must be willing to face

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<v Speaker 2>peer pressure. You must be willing to face harassments and

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<v Speaker 2>opposition if you truly live for Christ. Now the Bible says,

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<v Speaker 2>this look on the top of your outline two Timothy three,

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<v Speaker 2>verse twelve. Anyone who belongs to Christ Jesus and wants

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<v Speaker 2>to live right will have trouble from others. Circle the

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<v Speaker 2>word will. This is not an if, This is not

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<v Speaker 2>a mite. This is a guarantee. The Bible says, it

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<v Speaker 2>is guaranteed that if you stand for what's right, there

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<v Speaker 2>will be people who oppose you. If you stand for

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<v Speaker 2>what's true, there will be people who oppose you. If

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<v Speaker 2>you stand for what's good, evil will simply oppose you.

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<v Speaker 2>Now today we come to the last of the eight Beatitudes.

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<v Speaker 2>We've been looking at these eight blessings of Jesus, where

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<v Speaker 2>Jesus says, if you want to be blessed by God,

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<v Speaker 2>here's what you need to do in your life. And

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<v Speaker 2>we've looked at humility, and we've looked at generosity, and

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<v Speaker 2>we've looked at integrity. We've looked at how to reconcile

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<v Speaker 2>a relationship being a peacemaker. And in the last of

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<v Speaker 2>the eight Beatitudes, where Jesus says, if you want God's

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<v Speaker 2>blessing on your life, he deals with this issue of opposition,

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<v Speaker 2>of harassment for your faith, of persecution, and we're going

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<v Speaker 2>to look at what to do with it today. Now,

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<v Speaker 2>we're going to look at how to handle opposition to

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<v Speaker 2>your faith. And we're going to look at two things.

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<v Speaker 2>What do you need to remember when you're feeling pressured

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<v Speaker 2>peer pressure? And what do you need to do when

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<v Speaker 2>you're feeling peer pressure, when you're feeling harassed or put

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<v Speaker 2>down or ridiculed or maligned or criticized or whatever for

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<v Speaker 2>your faith? What do you need to do? Now, let

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<v Speaker 2>me just be real honest. In America, you're not being persecuted.

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<v Speaker 2>You're not, but you are being pressured and there is

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<v Speaker 2>subtle pressure to conform and to be like everybody else

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<v Speaker 2>in America. You're not going to face violent oppression, You're

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<v Speaker 2>just not going to, at least not in the foreseeable future.

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<v Speaker 2>But you are going to face not violent oppression, but

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<v Speaker 2>silent repression. And this is the subtle thing for you

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<v Speaker 2>to just shut up and keep your mouth shut and

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<v Speaker 2>not say what's true, and not stand up for Christ

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<v Speaker 2>and not be a public witness, and to just blend

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<v Speaker 2>in and to fit in. And the pressure to conform.

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<v Speaker 2>You feel it all the time. I could give you

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<v Speaker 2>a thousand ways that you do this. When a boss

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<v Speaker 2>pressures you to do something that you know is dishonest

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<v Speaker 2>or unethical and you don't want to do it. There's

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<v Speaker 2>the pressure to conform. When people are standing around the

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<v Speaker 2>water cooler and they're all telling dirty jokes and you go,

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<v Speaker 2>I really shouldn't be participating in this, and the pressure

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<v Speaker 2>is to stay there and to smile and smirk and

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<v Speaker 2>laugh and not walk away. You will invite it to

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<v Speaker 2>some events you just can't go to as a Christian.

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<v Speaker 2>A single guys, there are some bachelor parties you can't

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<v Speaker 2>go to. In fact, nobody should go and do them.

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<v Speaker 2>And you know it. And yet if you say I'm

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<v Speaker 2>not going and say why because I'm a Christian, you

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<v Speaker 2>will be put down. You will be harassed. You will say, oh,

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<v Speaker 2>you're out of date, or you're no fun, or you're

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<v Speaker 2>a fuddy duddy, or you have no freedom and all

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<v Speaker 2>of these there's enormous pressure on you. To do that.

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<v Speaker 2>Feel pressure to be silent when people are praising moral

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<v Speaker 2>choices that the Bible says is wrong, and you go, what,

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<v Speaker 2>you don't think that's okay. You don't think that's okay.

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<v Speaker 2>You don't think that's okay, and you don't think that

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<v Speaker 2>over there is okay. What's wrong with you? You're on

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<v Speaker 2>the wrong side of history. Let me just tell you something.

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<v Speaker 2>History is often wrong. Remember Hitler, New York Times and

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<v Speaker 2>other magazines actually praised him in the thirties. History is

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<v Speaker 2>often wrong. It's not important to be on the right

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<v Speaker 2>side of history. It's important to be on the right side.

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<v Speaker 2>It's important not to be popular. It's important to stand

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<v Speaker 2>with the truth. So you'll be pressured to be quiet.

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<v Speaker 2>You'll be pressured when you're standing around and somebody says,

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<v Speaker 2>you know, all Christians they just and they make a

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<v Speaker 2>derogatory remark, they're all bigots, they're all this or this

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<v Speaker 2>or that, and you will have the pressure to stay quiet.

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<v Speaker 2>That is harassment for your faith. What should you do, Well,

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<v Speaker 2>there are some things you need to do in this

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<v Speaker 2>some things you need to remember. First. Let's look at

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<v Speaker 2>three things you need to remember. Write these down when

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<v Speaker 2>you feel pressured for your faith because you love Jesus

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<v Speaker 2>and other people don't. The first thing you need to

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<v Speaker 2>remember is this opposition can make me more like Jesus.

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<v Speaker 2>That's a good thing. Opposition can actually make me more

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<v Speaker 2>like Jesus, and it makes me more like Jesus. Because

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<v Speaker 2>Jesus experienced opposition, he experienced it in great quantities. Obviously.

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<v Speaker 2>The Bible says in John fifteen, verse eighteen to twenty.

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<v Speaker 2>When the world hates you, remember that it hated me first.

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<v Speaker 2>The world would love you if you belong to it,

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<v Speaker 2>but you don't. Jesus says, I chose you out of

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<v Speaker 2>this world. That's why this world will hate you. No

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<v Speaker 2>servant is ever greater than his master. So since they

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<v Speaker 2>persecuted me, they will persecute you. Now follow me on this.

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<v Speaker 2>If you're gonna grow up and be like Jesus Christ,

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<v Speaker 2>God wants you to become like him and the way

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<v Speaker 2>you think and act and feel, then you're gonna have

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<v Speaker 2>to go through everything Jesus went through. Were there times

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<v Speaker 2>when Jesus was lonely? Yes? Were there times when Jesus

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<v Speaker 2>was tempted to be discouraged? Yes? Were there times he

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<v Speaker 2>was fatigued and worn out. Yes, were there times when

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<v Speaker 2>Jesus was tempted. Yes, were the times he was maligned, criticized,

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<v Speaker 2>and lied about. Yes, what makes you think God would

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<v Speaker 2>spare you when he didn't spare his own son. Of

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<v Speaker 2>those things, You're gonna go through the exact same thing

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<v Speaker 2>as I said. Christianity following Jesus is not for weaklings.

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<v Speaker 2>It's not for whims. It's not for fuddy dudies. And

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<v Speaker 2>people who don't have any backbone, don't have any spine.

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<v Speaker 2>And Jesus said, if they persecuted me, they will persecute you. Remember,

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<v Speaker 2>Jesus was hated by many people. He was loved by sinners,

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<v Speaker 2>but he was hated by people who didn't like goodness.

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<v Speaker 2>Evil always hates goodness, and the Bible says this on

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<v Speaker 2>the screen John three nineteen, The light from heaven came

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<v Speaker 2>into the world. That's Jesus. He said, I am the

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<v Speaker 2>light of the world. But people love their darkness more

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<v Speaker 2>than light because it hides their evil actions. You know,

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<v Speaker 2>if I've been sitting in the dark for ten hours

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<v Speaker 2>and you come in and you turn on a big

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<v Speaker 2>spotlight on me, that's not comfortable. That's very uncomfortable. When

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<v Speaker 2>you've been living in the dark all your life and

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<v Speaker 2>somebody comes and turns on the light. Guess what. It

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<v Speaker 2>doesn't feel good at first, and on second thought, you

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<v Speaker 2>see what a mess room is. Jesus said, I'm the

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<v Speaker 2>light of the world, and he said this, you're the

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<v Speaker 2>light of the world. It's still true today, he said,

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<v Speaker 2>people still loved darkness more than the light. You know,

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<v Speaker 2>you may have never thought about this, but it may

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<v Speaker 2>shock you to realize that if Jesus came and walked

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<v Speaker 2>on the earth today, we'd crucify him today. Our culture

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<v Speaker 2>would crucify Jesus today. We're no different than any other culture. Why,

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<v Speaker 2>because darkness can't stand light and evil can't stand goodness. Now,

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<v Speaker 2>what that means is this, even if you were perfect,

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<v Speaker 2>there are people who aren't going to like you. Some

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<v Speaker 2>of you have this myth in your mind. If I'm

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<v Speaker 2>just more winsome, if I'm just more likable, if I'm

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<v Speaker 2>just more perfect, then everybody you'll love me. Jesus was

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<v Speaker 2>perfect and people hated him. So you're never going to

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<v Speaker 2>get to the point where everybody loves you and likes you.

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<v Speaker 2>That's just not going to happen. The other thing we

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<v Speaker 2>learned from this verse is that opposition means that you're

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<v Speaker 2>doing something right. You're obviously being like Jesus in that moment,

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<v Speaker 2>and he said, if they did like me, then they're

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<v Speaker 2>not gonna like you. The Bible says it isn't one

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<v Speaker 2>Peter four fourteen. If you're abused because of Christ, count

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<v Speaker 2>yourself fortunate. Why he says, it's the spirit of God

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<v Speaker 2>in you and His glory in you that brought you

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<v Speaker 2>to the notice of others. So you say, when you're criticized,

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<v Speaker 2>when you're judged, when you're ridiculed, when you're slighted, He's going, congratulations,

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<v Speaker 2>consider it a confirmation and a compliment. If nobody has

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<v Speaker 2>ever criticized you for your faith, what is that saying

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<v Speaker 2>about your faith? You don't have any If being like Christ,

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<v Speaker 2>the Bible says over and over, will bring criticism. If

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<v Speaker 2>you're never criticized, I should ask myself, then, how much

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<v Speaker 2>like Christ? Am I? What's wrong with me? Why is

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<v Speaker 2>nobody noticing my faith? I don't know if you you've

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<v Speaker 2>noticed this, But the more positive you are, the more

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<v Speaker 2>negative people dislike you. And if you get up in

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<v Speaker 2>the morning and you're really positive, if somebody wakes up

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<v Speaker 2>in there grumpy. They don't want you to be positive.

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<v Speaker 2>They want you to be negative too, and that happens.

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<v Speaker 2>So the first thing I need to realize is that

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<v Speaker 2>Jesus was criticized. Jesus was maligned, he was attacked. So

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<v Speaker 2>the more I'm like Jesus, it just means it's a sign,

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<v Speaker 2>it's a symbol, it's a confirmation and a compliment. Second

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<v Speaker 2>thing you need to remember this opposition will deepen my faith.

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<v Speaker 2>Opposition will actually deepen my faith. It's how your faith grows.

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<v Speaker 2>It's like the way you grow a muscle. A muscle

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<v Speaker 2>is grown not by sitting in a chair and eating popcorn.

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<v Speaker 2>A muscle is grown by stretching it, by straining it,

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<v Speaker 2>by testing it. If you've ever gone to a gym

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<v Speaker 2>and worked out, and obviously many of you haven't, then

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<v Speaker 2>you know that the way you grow a muscle is

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<v Speaker 2>by straining it, by stretching it, by pressuring it, by

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<v Speaker 2>putting tension against it and having weight pulling the opposite direction.

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<v Speaker 2>You're never going to grow any muscle if no weight's

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<v Speaker 2>ever pulling in the opposite direction. So opposition strengthens your faith,

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<v Speaker 2>It deepens your faith. You have no opposition in your life,

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<v Speaker 2>then you have no growing faith. And it is without

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<v Speaker 2>a doubt that the strongest believers in the world right

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<v Speaker 2>now are those who are having their faith tested the most.

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<v Speaker 2>The strongest believers aren't in America, the strongest believers where

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<v Speaker 2>people are holding the gun and saying renounce Christ and

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<v Speaker 2>convert to whatever we are, or die, which is happening

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<v Speaker 2>right now in Syria every single day. That's where the

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<v Speaker 2>strongest believers are. It comes from the opposition. One Peter

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<v Speaker 2>four one seven says this, these troubles that you're going

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<v Speaker 2>through will prove that your faith is genuine. Just as

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<v Speaker 2>gold is purified by fire and heat. Circle that phrase,

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<v Speaker 2>fire and heat. Just as gold is purified by fire

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<v Speaker 2>and heat, so your faith, which is far more precious

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<v Speaker 2>than gold, must also be purified by fire. By this fire,

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<v Speaker 2>and when the heat's on and when you're holding your

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<v Speaker 2>feet to the fire, so it may endure. And he says,

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<v Speaker 2>what happens when opposition deepens my faith? He says, then

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<v Speaker 2>here's the result. You'll receive praise. You'll receive praise, you'll

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<v Speaker 2>receive glory, and you'll receive honor. On the day when

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<v Speaker 2>Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world. Your rewards

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<v Speaker 2>are coming one day. If you stand the heat, if

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<v Speaker 2>you stand the fire, if you let opposition deep in

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<v Speaker 2>your faith. It makes me more like Jesus, and it

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<v Speaker 2>deepens my faith. And the third thing it does, opposition

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<v Speaker 2>will give me eternal rewards. No opposition, you miss out

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<v Speaker 2>on those rewards in eternity. Now we come to the

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<v Speaker 2>last of the eight beatitudes, which we've been studying now

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<v Speaker 2>for many, many weeks. We've been studying this for a

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<v Speaker 2>long time. And in the last one, Jesus deals with

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<v Speaker 2>how to deal with opposition, and he says this, God

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<v Speaker 2>blesses those who are persecuted because they live for Me. Now,

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<v Speaker 2>I want you to underline a circle, because they live

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<v Speaker 2>for God. It doesn't just say God blesses those who

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<v Speaker 2>are persecuted for any reason. Okay, it says God blesses

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<v Speaker 2>those who are persecuted because they live for God. The

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<v Speaker 2>Kingdom of Heaven will be theirs. That's quite a guarantee.

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<v Speaker 2>You will be blessed when, not if, when people insult

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<v Speaker 2>you and persecute you and falsely say all kinds of

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<v Speaker 2>evil against you because of me. Notice three different things there.

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<v Speaker 2>Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven,

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<v Speaker 2>for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who

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<v Speaker 2>were before you. And he says, I'm gonna bless anybody

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<v Speaker 2>who's persecuted because they live for God. Notice, you don't

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<v Speaker 2>get rewarded for being rude. You don't get rewarded for

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<v Speaker 2>being obnoxious. There are people out in the world who

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<v Speaker 2>live very self righteous lives, and they're looking down on

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<v Speaker 2>everybody and putting everybody else down. And when you put

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<v Speaker 2>other people down, and guess what, they're gonna put you down.

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<v Speaker 2>And if you live a self righteous, nuisance, rude life,

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<v Speaker 2>when you get persecuted, you're not a martyr. You're just

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<v Speaker 2>a jerk. He's not saying you get rewarded for being

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<v Speaker 2>a jerk. There are people out there who are pushy,

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<v Speaker 2>they're nuisances, they're rude, and I said, they're self righteous.

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<v Speaker 2>They think they're better than everybody else. He said. Now,

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<v Speaker 2>you don't get rewarded for that. You get rewarded for

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<v Speaker 2>being like Jesus, he said, And the Bible tells us

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<v Speaker 2>that when you share your faith, you're to do it

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<v Speaker 2>with gentleness and you're to do it with respect.

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<v Speaker 1>What a great message from Pastor Rick today. There's something

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<v Speaker 1>I always take away from his message. Here's Rick to

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<v Speaker 1>tell you how you can help support this ministry.

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<v Speaker 2>Jesus told his disciples that they should live their lives

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<v Speaker 2>according to five specific purposes. He said, You've got to

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<v Speaker 2>love God with all your heart. That's worship, and love

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<v Speaker 2>your neighbors yourself. That's ministry. That's called the Great Commandment.

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<v Speaker 2>And then Jesus said, go make disciples. That's evangelism. Baptize

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<v Speaker 2>them into the Family of God. That's fellowship, a sign

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<v Speaker 2>of fellowship. And then he said, teach them obey everything

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<v Speaker 2>I've taught you. That's discipleship. And we call that the

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<v Speaker 2>Great Commission. We believe it daily hope that a great

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<v Speaker 2>commit to the Great Commandment and the Great Commission will

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<v Speaker 2>produce a great Christian, a great church, a great company,

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<v Speaker 2>a great community. You know, I started Daily Hope so

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<v Speaker 2>I could spread the good news about Jesus, not just

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<v Speaker 2>across America, but all around the world. And we want

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<v Speaker 2>people to know that God's word is filled with hope

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<v Speaker 2>and truth, and the power that we need to follow

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<v Speaker 2>him every day is available to every single one. You

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<v Speaker 2>know as well as I do that the Word of

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<v Speaker 2>God changes lives. It's a live it's active, and it

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<v Speaker 2>breathes new life and new love into all of our lives.

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<v Speaker 2>So wherever you listen to this, whether you listen on

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<v Speaker 2>the website, whether you listen on a radio station, or

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<v Speaker 2>whether you listen to a podcast, you're a part of

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<v Speaker 2>the Daily Hope family and I need your help. We

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<v Speaker 2>could not do this without your support. We're one hundred

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<v Speaker 2>percent listener funded. Would you continue to pray for this

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<v Speaker 2>broadcast and would you continue to support us? And let

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<v Speaker 2>write to me, let me hear. I absolutely love reading

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<v Speaker 2>the stories that are sent to me. So write me,

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<v Speaker 2>pray for me and support this ministry, and God will

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<v Speaker 2>bless it, and God will bless you, and we'll get

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<v Speaker 2>to heaven, and we'll thank God for all the people

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<v Speaker 2>going to be in heaven because you cared.

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<v Speaker 3>Hey, friends, I just wanted to remind you that our

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<v Speaker 3>June matching grant is coming to an end. So if

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<v Speaker 3>you've been thinking about supporting the mission of Daily Hope

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<v Speaker 3>to bring biblical hope and encouragement to people all around

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<v Speaker 3>the world, now is a great time because your gift

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<v Speaker 3>will be doubled up to fifty thousand dollars. Go to

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<v Speaker 3>Pastorick dot com or text the word hope to seven

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<v Speaker 3>oh three oh nine. Again, that's pastorick dot com. Or

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<v Speaker 3>just text the word hope to seven oh three oh nine.

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<v Speaker 1>We hope you'll join us next time as we look

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<v Speaker 1>into God's word for our daily hope. This program is

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<v Speaker 1>sponsored by Pastor Rick's Daily Hope and your generous financial

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<v Speaker 1>support