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<v Speaker 1>Hello, and thanks for joining us today on Pastor Rick's

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<v Speaker 1>Daily Hope. This is the Bible teaching ministry of Rick Warren,

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<v Speaker 1>and today we are continuing in a series called the

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<v Speaker 1>Miracle of Mercy. Rick will show us how God's mercy

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<v Speaker 1>can lift your guilt, heal your wounds, and transform the

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<v Speaker 1>way you live. So let's get started with part one

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<v Speaker 1>of a message called God Can Use Anybody.

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<v Speaker 2>Now the greatest joy in life. Nothing compares to the

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<v Speaker 2>thrill of This is the thrill of being used by

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<v Speaker 2>God for a purpose greater than yourself. Nothing else comes close.

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<v Speaker 2>If you've never actually had this feeling, the feeling that

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<v Speaker 2>you were being used by God and in that moment

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<v Speaker 2>you knew it and you are being used for the

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<v Speaker 2>purpose that God created you. If you haven't ever felt that,

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<v Speaker 2>I feel sad for you because you're missing out on

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<v Speaker 2>the Literally, nothing else compares to this feeling. When you

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<v Speaker 2>have this feeling, when you know that I'm in the

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<v Speaker 2>moment and I'm being used by God for a purpose

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<v Speaker 2>bigger than me, you just go, this is it. This

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<v Speaker 2>is why I'm alive. I get it now, I understand.

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<v Speaker 2>This is my place in life, this is my identity,

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<v Speaker 2>This is my niche. I know why I'm here, I

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<v Speaker 2>know why I'm was made. See, you were made for

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<v Speaker 2>far more than just living for yourself. Oh no, If

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<v Speaker 2>you just live for yourself, you're gonna live a very

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<v Speaker 2>frustrated life, a very unfulfilled life, and eventually a very

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<v Speaker 2>bored life because you're not a big enough cause.

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<v Speaker 3>To live for. You need something bigger than.

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<v Speaker 2>Yourself that pulls you out of yourself, that makes you

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<v Speaker 2>bigger than yourself, greater than yourself. Where you go, I

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<v Speaker 2>know this is what I was made for. If you

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<v Speaker 2>think that the purpose of life is to get into education,

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<v Speaker 2>then get job, then make money, then retire and then die, no, no, no, no, no,

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<v Speaker 2>you were made for far more than that. Your life

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<v Speaker 2>is far more significant than your career, far more significant.

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<v Speaker 2>Oh no, you were made for something of eternal consequences,

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<v Speaker 2>and God wants to use you. You were shaped to

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<v Speaker 2>serve God. So today, as we continue in the Miracle

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<v Speaker 2>of Mercy series, I want us to look at the

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<v Speaker 2>idea that God can use anybody, anybody because of his mercy.

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<v Speaker 2>And let's start with the Book of Romans, chapter six,

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<v Speaker 2>verse thirteen. The Bible says this, give yourselves completely to

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<v Speaker 2>God every part of you, because you have been brought

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<v Speaker 2>from death to life.

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<v Speaker 3>We talked about that at Easter last week.

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<v Speaker 2>And now you want to be used by God for

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<v Speaker 2>good and for his righteous purposes. Now the problem is this,

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<v Speaker 2>a lot of people secretly fear that God could never

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<v Speaker 2>use them. They say, oh, yeah, God could use her,

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<v Speaker 2>God could use that guy. God could bless that person.

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<v Speaker 2>But God's not gonna do that with me, and they

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<v Speaker 2>either feel disqualified or they feel unqualified. They feel disqualified

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<v Speaker 2>because I know my past. I know the mistakes I've made,

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<v Speaker 2>I know the sins I've committed. I know all stuff

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<v Speaker 2>that didn't work right in my life, and so there's

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<v Speaker 2>no way God's gonna use me. God can use a

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<v Speaker 2>lot of other people, but I'm disqualified because of some

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<v Speaker 2>poor decisions I made in my past.

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<v Speaker 3>You're dead wrong. You're dead wrong on that.

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<v Speaker 2>And some people don't feel disqualified, but they feel unqualified.

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<v Speaker 2>I don't have her talents. I don't got that guy's gifts.

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<v Speaker 2>I don't have that ability. I don't have that education,

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<v Speaker 2>that background, I don't have that you know, whatever, opportunity.

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<v Speaker 2>And so I'm either disqualified or I'm unqualified to be

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<v Speaker 2>used by God. Now we only have to look at

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<v Speaker 2>the life of the apostle Paul, Paul, Saint Paul to

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<v Speaker 2>blow up both of those myths. They're just not true.

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<v Speaker 2>They're lives. Their lives. God wants to use you in

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<v Speaker 2>ways you have not even imagined. Now, when you go

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<v Speaker 2>through history, nobody has ever been used more by God

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<v Speaker 2>in all of history than this guy named Paul. He

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<v Speaker 2>personally almost single handedly spread Christianity all over the Roman Empire.

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<v Speaker 2>He was an amazing guy, planted churches everywhere. He wrote

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<v Speaker 2>about half of the New Testament part of the Bible.

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<v Speaker 3>He is an amazing man. And it would be very.

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<v Speaker 2>Difficult to argue that anybody has ever been used more

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<v Speaker 2>by God than this guy named Paul. And yet Paul

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<v Speaker 2>had an amazing past that wasn't very very good. And

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<v Speaker 2>in Second Corinthians four, now this book is called Corinthians

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<v Speaker 2>because he's writing to a church in.

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<v Speaker 3>A Greek city called Corinth.

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<v Speaker 2>If you're writing to us, it'd be called Second Californians.

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<v Speaker 2>But this is called Corinthians because he's writing to people

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<v Speaker 2>who live in the city of Corinth, Greece. And in

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<v Speaker 2>Second Corinthians, chapter four, he gives us the five secrets

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<v Speaker 2>of being used by God. And if you want God

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<v Speaker 2>to bless you, you want God's power in your life.

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<v Speaker 3>You want to see God.

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<v Speaker 2>I want to know that my life stands for something,

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<v Speaker 2>that it matters, that I'm fulfilling the purpose.

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<v Speaker 3>I was created for. I want my life to count.

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<v Speaker 2>I don't just be a spot on the planet and

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<v Speaker 2>then boof, I die and that's it. Then you need

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<v Speaker 2>to understand these five secrets. Let's get right into it

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<v Speaker 2>and we'll just go through the passage, verse by verse. Now,

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<v Speaker 2>the first principle. If you're writing this down, it's in

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<v Speaker 2>verse one. Here's what you're write down. Never forget. Here's

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<v Speaker 2>the first secret. Never forget. It's all because of God's mercy.

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<v Speaker 2>Never forget it's all because of God's mercy. Now, last

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<v Speaker 2>week I gave you a definition of mercy. Mercy is

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<v Speaker 2>undeserved forgiveness and unearned kindness. Undeserved forgiveness and unearned kindness.

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<v Speaker 2>When somebody forgives you don't deserve it, that's mercy. When

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<v Speaker 2>somebody shows you a kindness and you can't pay him back,

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<v Speaker 2>that's mercy. God treats you with mercy every second of

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<v Speaker 2>your life. And the first thing you need to remember

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<v Speaker 2>is that everything God does in you, he does by mercy.

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<v Speaker 2>Everything God does for you he does by mercy. Everything

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<v Speaker 2>God does with you and by you, he does by mercy.

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<v Speaker 2>Everything God does through you to make a contribution in

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<v Speaker 2>the world, he does by mercy. It's all because of

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<v Speaker 2>His mercy. We haven't earned it, we haven't deserved it.

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<v Speaker 2>It's just his mercy. And you never get over this,

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<v Speaker 2>and you never forget it. And in verse one, Paul says,

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<v Speaker 2>this God, in his mercy has given us this ministry,

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<v Speaker 2>and this work to do. Ministry is a work to do.

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<v Speaker 2>Work to do is ministry. That's why we do not

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<v Speaker 2>become discouraged, and we never give up. Now, don't get

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<v Speaker 2>all wigged out by this word ministry. Some of you

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<v Speaker 2>think that's a churchy word, and ministry is what ministers do. Now, No,

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<v Speaker 2>ministry just means any time you use your talents that

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<v Speaker 2>God gave you to help somebody else. When you use

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<v Speaker 2>your talent to help somebody else, that's ministry. It's not

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<v Speaker 2>something you do in church, it's something you do.

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<v Speaker 3>In the world.

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<v Speaker 2>Everybody has a ministry. Every person is a minister. God

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<v Speaker 2>wants every person to be a minister. Not everybody's a pastor.

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<v Speaker 2>That's a different thing, but everybody is a minister. The

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<v Speaker 2>word ministry in the word service of the same word.

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<v Speaker 2>So if you're an accountant that you're good at accounting

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<v Speaker 2>and you help people with accounting, accounting.

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<v Speaker 3>Is your ministry.

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<v Speaker 2>If you could be a truck driver, and truck driving

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<v Speaker 2>could be your ministry.

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<v Speaker 3>You could be a.

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<v Speaker 2>Salesman and selling a product that actually helps people, then

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<v Speaker 2>that's a ministry. You could be an attorney and have

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<v Speaker 2>a ministry. You could be a school teacher, a childcare worker.

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<v Speaker 3>Anything that you do. When you use the talents and the.

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<v Speaker 2>Gifts the abilities God has given you help other people,

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<v Speaker 2>that's your ministry. So your job can be your ministry

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<v Speaker 2>if you're doing it because you love God, and he says,

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<v Speaker 2>God in his mercy, has given us this work to do,

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<v Speaker 2>given us this ministry. Now, you were created to make

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<v Speaker 2>a contribution with your life. You weren't made to just

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<v Speaker 2>take up space. You weren't made to just live for yourself.

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<v Speaker 2>You think God created.

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<v Speaker 3>You to live for you.

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<v Speaker 2>No, no, no, He created you for something much much bigger.

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<v Speaker 2>And you are shaped to serve God and it's all

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<v Speaker 2>because of his mercy. Now, there's a couple of benefits

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<v Speaker 2>of understanding this. When you understand that God shows you

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<v Speaker 2>mercy every moment of your life, and that he loves

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<v Speaker 2>you unconditionally, and there's nothing you can do that God

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<v Speaker 2>stop loving you, and even when you blow it, He's

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<v Speaker 2>still going to show you mercy. It does a couple things. First,

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<v Speaker 2>when I understand mercy, I don't have to.

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<v Speaker 3>Prove my worth.

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<v Speaker 2>That relieves workoholism, if you overwork, if you work too much,

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<v Speaker 2>and you work work, work, work, work. You're trying to

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<v Speaker 2>prove your worth through your work, and you think if

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<v Speaker 2>I'm successful at work, then I'm worth more. I'm worth

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<v Speaker 2>a lot, I'm worthwhile. Your worth has nothing to do

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<v Speaker 2>with your work. It's the fact that you're a child

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<v Speaker 2>of God. It's the fact that God made you and

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<v Speaker 2>loved you and sent Jesus to die for you that

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<v Speaker 2>shows your worth, not your work. Your value has nothing

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<v Speaker 2>to do with your valuables. You have a lot or little,

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<v Speaker 2>has nothing to do with how valuable you are. And

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<v Speaker 2>so when I understand mercy, it takes me off the

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<v Speaker 2>performance trap. I don't have to prove that I'm worthwhile

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<v Speaker 2>to anybody because God loves me unconditionally, and if you

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<v Speaker 2>don't love me, that's your problem.

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<v Speaker 3>And I don't need your approval to be happy.

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<v Speaker 2>Because God loves me and God is showing me mercy,

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<v Speaker 2>I don't have to prove my worth. The other thing

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<v Speaker 2>that happens when I understand mercy is I don't have

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<v Speaker 2>to wallow in my mistakes. Now, we all make mistakes,

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<v Speaker 2>we all sin, we all blow it, We've all made dumb, dumb,

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<v Speaker 2>dumb decisions in the past, but you don't have to

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<v Speaker 2>wallow in it because of God's mercy. Go. I know

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<v Speaker 2>God is showing me mercy. Yes, it was wrong, it

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<v Speaker 2>was dumb as stupid. I'm sorry. I repent. I want

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<v Speaker 2>to turn away from it, but I'm not gonna be

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<v Speaker 2>I'm not gonna dwell on it. It's not gonna hold

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<v Speaker 2>me back. I'm not gonna be stuck in the past

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<v Speaker 2>because God is showing me mercy. And I never forget

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<v Speaker 2>that God has shown me mercy.

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<v Speaker 3>Now.

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<v Speaker 2>I know what some of you're thinking said, but Rick,

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<v Speaker 2>you don't know my past. You don't know the things

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<v Speaker 2>that I've done that I'm ashamed of. It doesn't matter.

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<v Speaker 2>It really doesn't matter now. Paul, who was, as I said,

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<v Speaker 2>the most used person by God in history, had a

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<v Speaker 2>terrible past, and he's brutally honest about you know what

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<v Speaker 2>Paul was before he became a preacher, before he became

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<v Speaker 2>a pastor, a church planter, he was an anti Christian

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<v Speaker 2>terrorist and he went from village to village killing Christians.

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<v Speaker 2>He was a murderer, the exact opposite of what would

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<v Speaker 2>you expect being somebody that God could use. And let

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<v Speaker 2>me just show you up here on the screen. Paul

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<v Speaker 2>wrote a letter to a guy named Timothy. He was

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<v Speaker 2>a young man who was a pastor in Ephesus, and

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<v Speaker 2>he writes a letter to him, Timothy, and he says,

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<v Speaker 2>I thank Jesus Christ. I think Christ Jesus because he

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<v Speaker 2>trusted me and he gave me. It's a gift. He

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<v Speaker 2>gave me this work of serving him, and God's given

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<v Speaker 2>you a gift of serving him.

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<v Speaker 3>He said.

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<v Speaker 2>In the past, I spoke against Christ, he said, man,

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<v Speaker 2>I even persecuted him. In fact, he said, I did

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<v Speaker 2>all kinds of things to hurt him. But God showed

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<v Speaker 2>me mercy. Your past does not preclude your future. Your

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<v Speaker 2>past has passed. It's over. Okay, you messed up, fine,

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<v Speaker 2>doesn't matter what you've done. God says, I want to

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<v Speaker 2>use you today because of my mercy. Look on your outline.

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<v Speaker 2>Galatians Chapter one. Paul says this. He says, you know

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<v Speaker 2>what I was like, You know before I followed Christ.

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<v Speaker 2>He goes, how violently I violently persecuted Christians.

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<v Speaker 3>He said, I did my best to get rid of them.

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<v Speaker 3>He killed people.

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<v Speaker 2>But he said, then something happened for it pleased God

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<v Speaker 2>in his kindness. That's mercy, in his kindness to choose

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<v Speaker 2>me and call me. In a circular word, choose and call.

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<v Speaker 2>Because God has chosen and called you. I'll talk about

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<v Speaker 2>that in a minute. In his kindness, God chose me

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<v Speaker 2>and called me before I was born. What undeserved mercy?

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<v Speaker 3>Now? Paul says this.

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<v Speaker 2>When God made me, before even made me, he decided

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<v Speaker 2>what he wanted me to do with my life. He

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<v Speaker 2>knew how he was going to use me. And even

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<v Speaker 2>already he knew all the stupid things that are gonna

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<v Speaker 2>He's gonna know all the people I murdered. He's gonna

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<v Speaker 2>do all he knew already in advance, all the sins

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<v Speaker 2>I was gonna commit, and yet he still chose me,

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<v Speaker 2>and he still called me.

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<v Speaker 3>That's mercy. The same is true with you.

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<v Speaker 2>God has a calling on your life. Some people say, well,

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<v Speaker 2>I'm called, and they think, oh, like to be called

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<v Speaker 2>as like for pastors or priests or nuns or missionaries

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<v Speaker 2>or like religious type people. No, no, no, everybody is called

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<v Speaker 2>by God to serve him, and everybody is chosen by

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<v Speaker 2>God to serve him. You're shaped for service. You're created

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<v Speaker 2>to make a contribution with your life. And before you

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<v Speaker 2>were born, God already knew every dumb thing you were

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<v Speaker 2>gonna do. In fact, God already knows all the dumb

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<v Speaker 2>sins you're gonna commit in the future that you haven't

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<v Speaker 2>even done yet.

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<v Speaker 3>He already knows all those things.

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<v Speaker 2>But in his mercy, it doesn't disqualify you from serving him.

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<v Speaker 2>That's called mercy. And God says, I'm gonna use you

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<v Speaker 2>in spite of the fact that you are broken. God

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<v Speaker 2>has never ever, ever used a perfect person, because there

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<v Speaker 2>aren't any except Jesus Christ. If God only used perfect people,

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<v Speaker 2>what would get done in the world. Nothing, not a zip, nothing,

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<v Speaker 2>Because there are no perfect people in the world. God

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<v Speaker 2>only used flawed people. God only uses marred people. God

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<v Speaker 2>only uses broken people, weak people, sinful people, people.

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<v Speaker 3>Who don't have it all together.

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<v Speaker 2>Everything that gets done that's good in the world is

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<v Speaker 2>done by less than perfect people. That's because the mercy

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<v Speaker 2>of God. So you never forget that God wants to

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<v Speaker 2>save you. He created you, he loves you, and he

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<v Speaker 2>wants to use you all because of his mercy. I

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<v Speaker 2>went through the Bible this week and I made a

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<v Speaker 2>list of famous people that God used in spite of

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<v Speaker 2>what you might consider to be a weakness. Okay, Abraham.

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<v Speaker 2>Abraham was really, really old. He was like ninety years

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<v Speaker 2>old when God start using him, and nothing really kicked

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<v Speaker 2>in till he was like a hundred. Okay, So some

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<v Speaker 2>of you they, well, I've wasted a lot of time.

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<v Speaker 2>Well not as much as Abraham did.

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<v Speaker 3>Okay. Abraham.

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<v Speaker 2>Jacob was a chronic liar, and God used him, and

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<v Speaker 2>he ran away from every difficult situation. Joseph was abused,

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<v Speaker 2>He was abused. Gideon was poor, he was the poorest

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<v Speaker 2>kid in his family. Samson was a reckless codependent. God

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<v Speaker 2>used him. Rehab was a prostitute, and yet Rahab shows

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<v Speaker 2>up in God's Hall of fame. In Hebrews chapter eleven

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<v Speaker 2>as a great woman of faith. He used her in

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<v Speaker 2>spite of her mistakes. Jonah was fearful and reluctant. Elijah

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<v Speaker 2>was suicidal. Naomi used by God, was an elderly widow.

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<v Speaker 2>Jeremiah had chronic depression and God used him. He was

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<v Speaker 2>called the weeping prophet because he cried all the time. Really,

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<v Speaker 2>David had an affair and then had his mistress's husband killed.

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<v Speaker 2>That would, I would think, disqualify you. Okay, you would

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<v Speaker 2>think that one. But but David wrote the Book of Psalms,

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<v Speaker 2>and God used him in a great way. John the

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<v Speaker 2>Baptist was eccentric, to say the least, if you know

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<v Speaker 2>anything about him. Peter was impulsive and had serious anger

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<v Speaker 2>management problems. You got a problem with your temper, doesn't matter.

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<v Speaker 2>God wants to use you. Martha worried a lot. You're

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<v Speaker 2>a worry wart. God wants to use you. The Samaritan

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<v Speaker 2>woman had several failed marriages.

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<v Speaker 3>God used her.

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<v Speaker 2>Zachius had been an unethical scam artist.

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<v Speaker 3>God used him.

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<v Speaker 2>Thomas had doubts, Timothy was timid, and Moses, David, and

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<v Speaker 2>Paul were all guilty of murder in their past. So

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<v Speaker 2>what's your excuse, Why why can you not be used

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<v Speaker 2>by God? I want you to write this down on

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<v Speaker 2>the screen. Here, write this down. Every saint has a past,

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<v Speaker 2>and every sinner has a future. Every saint, that guy

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<v Speaker 2>you think, man, he's a good guy. He's a good guy.

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<v Speaker 2>That guy, he's a godly man. That woman she's a saint.

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<v Speaker 2>Every saint has a past. They've messed up, they've flawed,

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<v Speaker 2>they've fumbled the ball, they've screwed up all in the past.

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<v Speaker 2>Every saint has a past, and every sinner has a future.

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<v Speaker 2>That's because of the mercy of God. Doesn't matter how

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<v Speaker 2>bad you've messed up. God says, I want to use

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<v Speaker 2>you for good, and I want you to feel me

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<v Speaker 2>using you in your life. In Ephesians, chapter two, verse ten,

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<v Speaker 2>of the Bible says this, it is God himself who

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<v Speaker 2>has made us. He made us what we are, and

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<v Speaker 2>he's given us new lives from Christ Jesus, and long ago,

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<v Speaker 2>this is before you were born. Long ago he planned

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<v Speaker 2>that we should spend these lives in watching Telli. No,

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<v Speaker 2>we should spend these lives and what helping others. That's

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<v Speaker 2>your work to do, that's your ministry. When you go,

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<v Speaker 2>I'm gonna use the talent, the ability, the background. I've

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<v Speaker 2>got to help somebody else. That's what God plan for

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<v Speaker 2>you to do. And when you look at what you're

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<v Speaker 2>good at, that's what you're supposed to do, all right.

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<v Speaker 2>So that's the starting point. Never forget it's all because

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<v Speaker 2>of God's mercy. Here's the second key to being used

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<v Speaker 2>by God. Be real. You must be real. Write this down.

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<v Speaker 2>You got to be authentic. You've got to be genuine.

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<v Speaker 2>You have to be yourself. You can't be somebody you're not.

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<v Speaker 2>God did not create you to be somebody else. So

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<v Speaker 2>many of us start off, all of us start off

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<v Speaker 2>as originals, and we end up as being carbon copies,

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<v Speaker 2>and we start trying to be like other people. God

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<v Speaker 2>wants to use you as you. He doesn't want you

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<v Speaker 2>to be somebody else. When you get to heaven one day,

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<v Speaker 2>God say, hey, why weren't you more like Moses? Why

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<v Speaker 2>weren't you more like your sister or your mom, or

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<v Speaker 2>your brother or your dad. God's not gonna compare you

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<v Speaker 2>to anybody else. He made you to be you, and

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<v Speaker 2>if you don't be you, who's gonna be you? A

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<v Speaker 2>lot of people think in order for God to use me.

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<v Speaker 2>I've got to be somebody different than him. Now, you're

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<v Speaker 2>dead wrong. You don't have to be somebody different. In fact,

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<v Speaker 2>God made you to be you, and that's all he

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<v Speaker 2>wants you to be. And so you've got to be real.

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<v Speaker 2>You can't wear a mask. God does not use fakes.

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<v Speaker 2>God does not use phonies. God does not use posers.

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<v Speaker 2>God does not use pretenders. God does not use people

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<v Speaker 2>who wear a mask and act one way over here

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<v Speaker 2>and another way over here. He just wants you to

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<v Speaker 2>be real. He wants you to be authentic. He wants

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<v Speaker 2>you to be yourself. God made you to be you. Now,

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<v Speaker 2>this is a problem because so many people are trying

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<v Speaker 2>to be somebody or not, and they're trying to be

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<v Speaker 2>somebody they're not either because they think somebody else wants

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<v Speaker 2>them to be that way and they're living for the

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<v Speaker 2>approval of others, or they actually think God wants them

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<v Speaker 2>to be that way, and they well, you know, God

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<v Speaker 2>would really love me more if I would act like this. No,

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<v Speaker 2>God love is not based on how you act. That's mercy.

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<v Speaker 2>He loves you no matter what you do, good or bad.

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<v Speaker 2>So his love isn't based on that. But a lot

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<v Speaker 2>of people are living for the expectations of other people.

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<v Speaker 2>They're living for the approval of other people. And you've

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<v Speaker 2>just got to be real. Now, if you try to

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<v Speaker 2>be somebody that you're not thinking that's gonna please God

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<v Speaker 2>or your boyfriend or anybody else for that matter, three

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<v Speaker 2>things are gonna happen in your life. First, you're always

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<v Speaker 2>going to be under stress if you try to be

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<v Speaker 2>somebody you're not, You're always gonna be understressed torush your life. Second,

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<v Speaker 2>you're gonna have the fear of being exposed. What if

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<v Speaker 2>people find out what I'm really like? And then third,

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<v Speaker 2>you're gonna end up manipulating people because you're afraid of

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<v Speaker 2>being who God really made you to be. Now this

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<v Speaker 2>is in verse two. We're going through this chapter together,

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<v Speaker 2>and the second key Paul says in order to be

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<v Speaker 2>used by God is you've got to be real. You

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<v Speaker 2>gotta be yourself. Verse two he says this, we don't

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<v Speaker 2>try to trick anyone. In other words, we're not manipulators,

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<v Speaker 2>we're not phonies or fakes. We're not trying to manipulate others.

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<v Speaker 2>We don't try to trick anyone, and we don't twist

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<v Speaker 2>the word of God. Instead, we teach the truth plainly,

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<v Speaker 2>showing everyone who we really are, circle the word really,

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<v Speaker 2>who we really are. God wants you to show people

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<v Speaker 2>who you really are. Then they can know in their

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<v Speaker 2>hearts what kind of people we are in God's sight.

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<v Speaker 2>He's saying, you gotta be real, Paul Goes, I've got

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<v Speaker 2>nothing to hide. I'm completely transparent. What you see is

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<v Speaker 2>what you get. Now, let me say it again. You

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<v Speaker 2>don't have to be perfect for God to use you

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<v Speaker 2>in a great way, but you do have to be authentic.

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<v Speaker 2>You have to be authentic and you got to be

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<v Speaker 2>real and you can just what you see is what

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<v Speaker 2>you get. You know, you're looking at a very flawed man,

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<v Speaker 2>very flawed.

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<v Speaker 3>If you don't believe it.

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<v Speaker 2>I ask my staff, ask my family, ask my neighbors,

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<v Speaker 2>ask me. If you've been around here in any length

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<v Speaker 2>of time. You probably know my weaknesses because I talk

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<v Speaker 2>about them all the time because i want you to

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<v Speaker 2>know that I know what they are. I'm more aware

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<v Speaker 2>of my weaknesses than anybody else, and so I talk

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<v Speaker 2>about them because I just want you to know that

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<v Speaker 2>God uses weak people. I actually think imperfections in a

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<v Speaker 2>pastor are a good thing. Because then you go, well,

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<v Speaker 2>good night. If God uses that guy, maybe you.

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<v Speaker 3>Could use me.

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<v Speaker 2>If God uses somebody who's got as many problems and

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<v Speaker 2>messes up, and then maybe God could use me too.

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<v Speaker 3>You see, people.

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<v Speaker 2>Don't actually grow from your strengths. They grow from your weaknesses.

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<v Speaker 2>If you go out and only try to show your

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<v Speaker 2>strengths to the world and you go, here's all my strengths,

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<v Speaker 2>will people go, well, goodie for you. And when you

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<v Speaker 2>share your strengths, it doesn't make other people feel close

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<v Speaker 2>to you. It makes them jealous, mad, envious, or angry

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<v Speaker 2>or whatever, and go, who do you think you are.

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00:23:17.599 --> 00:23:19.279
<v Speaker 2>On the other hand, when you get up and you

417
00:23:19.319 --> 00:23:21.599
<v Speaker 2>talk about here's where I blew it, Here's where I

418
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<v Speaker 2>made a mistake.

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<v Speaker 3>This is my weakness. You know.

420
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<v Speaker 2>Here, here's the real deal. Then that actually causes people

421
00:23:28.000 --> 00:23:31.039
<v Speaker 2>to draw closer to you, and it makes it makes

422
00:23:31.079 --> 00:23:35.200
<v Speaker 2>intemacy much better in a relationship when you reveal your

423
00:23:35.200 --> 00:23:37.480
<v Speaker 2>weakness is not your strengths. A lot of people are

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<v Speaker 2>in marriages that are terrible because people are trying to

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<v Speaker 2>hide their weaknesses even from their spouse. That doesn't work.

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<v Speaker 2>It doesn't work. So you gotta be real. Now, Let

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<v Speaker 2>me give you the upside of this. This is a

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<v Speaker 2>little secret that I've learned because I stopped trying to

429
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<v Speaker 2>fake it. I don't know, decades ago. And you know

430
00:23:55.799 --> 00:23:58.000
<v Speaker 2>just what you see is what you get. And if

431
00:23:58.000 --> 00:24:02.720
<v Speaker 2>you don't like that, well sorry. But when you live authentically,

432
00:24:02.759 --> 00:24:05.599
<v Speaker 2>when you live real, when you're not trying to fake it,

433
00:24:05.599 --> 00:24:11.880
<v Speaker 2>it gets better every year. Your life gets better every year.

434
00:24:12.079 --> 00:24:15.079
<v Speaker 2>When you're real, when you're honest, when you're the real deal.

435
00:24:15.359 --> 00:24:17.440
<v Speaker 2>When you fake it, when you wear a mask, when

436
00:24:17.480 --> 00:24:21.920
<v Speaker 2>you pretend, it gets worse every year. You get more

437
00:24:21.960 --> 00:24:25.440
<v Speaker 2>stressed out, and the more you hide, and the more

438
00:24:25.480 --> 00:24:27.680
<v Speaker 2>you pretend, and the more you wear a mask, and

439
00:24:27.759 --> 00:24:30.559
<v Speaker 2>the more you're not in touch with who you really are,

440
00:24:31.799 --> 00:24:36.559
<v Speaker 2>the worse it actually gets. Now, do you know the

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<v Speaker 2>number one barrier that keeps you from being used by God?

442
00:24:40.759 --> 00:24:43.440
<v Speaker 2>The feeling his power and his presence in your life

443
00:24:43.599 --> 00:24:47.680
<v Speaker 2>and God using the number one reason is your fear

444
00:24:48.680 --> 00:24:53.119
<v Speaker 2>of being real. It's the fear of being real because

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00:24:53.160 --> 00:24:56.079
<v Speaker 2>you think, you know if I really be who I am?

446
00:24:56.680 --> 00:24:57.759
<v Speaker 2>What if you feel don't like me?

447
00:24:58.759 --> 00:24:59.200
<v Speaker 3>Why am I.

448
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<v Speaker 2>Afraid to tell you I am? Because if I tell

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<v Speaker 2>you who I really am, you may not like me,

450
00:25:02.720 --> 00:25:04.319
<v Speaker 2>and I'm all I've got and I'm up a creek

451
00:25:04.359 --> 00:25:08.160
<v Speaker 2>without a paddle, and that's no good. And so we

452
00:25:08.599 --> 00:25:10.960
<v Speaker 2>live behind walls and we fake it till we make it,

453
00:25:10.960 --> 00:25:14.240
<v Speaker 2>and we wear these masks, and we live with lives

454
00:25:14.240 --> 00:25:18.240
<v Speaker 2>of insecurity. Now, the antidote to your insecurity, all those

455
00:25:18.279 --> 00:25:20.599
<v Speaker 2>secret fears and all those things that where you don't

456
00:25:20.599 --> 00:25:24.160
<v Speaker 2>want to show people who you really are. The antidote

457
00:25:24.359 --> 00:25:28.279
<v Speaker 2>is to get God's spirit of mercy in you. And

458
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<v Speaker 2>when you get God's spirit of mercy in you, and

459
00:25:30.119 --> 00:25:33.799
<v Speaker 2>you realize God loves me unconditionally. God is never going

460
00:25:33.839 --> 00:25:36.640
<v Speaker 2>to stop loving me. God's mercy is going to be

461
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<v Speaker 2>with me, no matter whether I do it right or

462
00:25:38.920 --> 00:25:40.880
<v Speaker 2>do it wrong, how many mistakes I make. He's not

463
00:25:40.880 --> 00:25:43.400
<v Speaker 2>going to get tired of forgiving me. When you realize

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00:25:43.400 --> 00:25:48.240
<v Speaker 2>that God truly loves you unconditionally, then you realize you're

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<v Speaker 2>a child of God, and that liberates you to be

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<v Speaker 2>who God made you to be. In Romans chapter eight,

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<v Speaker 2>verse fifteen, Paul says it like this. The spirit we received,

468
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<v Speaker 2>this is the spirit of God, the spirit of mercy.

469
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<v Speaker 2>The spirit of mercy that we receive does not make

470
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<v Speaker 2>us slaves again to fear. It makes us children of God.

471
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<v Speaker 2>Now that verse says that there's two ways you can

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<v Speaker 2>live in life. You can live either under the bondage

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<v Speaker 2>of a spirit of fear, or you can live free

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<v Speaker 2>as a child of God under the mercy of God.

475
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<v Speaker 3>And you can make the decision.

476
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<v Speaker 2>You can say, I'm gonna be stuck and I'm gonna

477
00:26:28.160 --> 00:26:32.039
<v Speaker 2>I'm gonna be enslaved by fear and I'm gonna I'm

478
00:26:32.079 --> 00:26:33.680
<v Speaker 2>not gonna let people see what I really like.

479
00:26:34.400 --> 00:26:35.839
<v Speaker 3>Or I'm gonna live as a.

480
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<v Speaker 2>Child of God because of his mercy, and I know

481
00:26:39.279 --> 00:26:40.759
<v Speaker 2>He's gonna love me no matter what.

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<v Speaker 1>Hey, did you know that the number one attribute of

483
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<v Speaker 1>God in scripture is his mercy? It is and he

484
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<v Speaker 1>wants to be merciful too. Jesus said, blessed or the merciful,

485
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<v Speaker 1>for they will be shown mercy. Five seven. Now you

486
00:27:01.519 --> 00:27:05.079
<v Speaker 1>can dive deeper into our current study with Pastor Rick's

487
00:27:05.119 --> 00:27:09.119
<v Speaker 1>Miracle of Mercy studykit. Through his six session video and

488
00:27:09.160 --> 00:27:12.480
<v Speaker 1>workbook study, he'll show you the five marks of mercy.

489
00:27:12.720 --> 00:27:13.839
<v Speaker 3>You'll discover how.

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00:27:13.759 --> 00:27:17.680
<v Speaker 1>Mercy forgives the fallen, helps the hurting, is patient with

491
00:27:17.839 --> 00:27:21.599
<v Speaker 1>difficult people, is kind, to its enemies and cares for

492
00:27:21.640 --> 00:27:25.519
<v Speaker 1>the loss. And as you grow in mercy, you'll experience

493
00:27:25.599 --> 00:27:29.799
<v Speaker 1>the blessing God promises to the merciful. The Miracle of Mercy.

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<v Speaker 1>Sixth session video study kit is perfect for both personal

495
00:27:33.920 --> 00:27:37.079
<v Speaker 1>and small group study time, so please be sure to

496
00:27:37.119 --> 00:27:40.039
<v Speaker 1>request your copy today. When you give a gift to

497
00:27:40.079 --> 00:27:43.559
<v Speaker 1>help Daily Hope share the certain Hope of Jesus with

498
00:27:43.720 --> 00:27:47.920
<v Speaker 1>people everywhere, that's our way of saying thanks. Just go

499
00:27:48.000 --> 00:27:50.599
<v Speaker 1>to pastor Rick dot com to get your copy of

500
00:27:50.640 --> 00:27:54.559
<v Speaker 1>this great resource. That's Pastorick dot com. Or you can

501
00:27:54.680 --> 00:27:58.240
<v Speaker 1>just text the word hope to seven h three oh nine. Again,

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00:27:58.319 --> 00:28:01.440
<v Speaker 1>that's the word hope to seven three oh nine. Be

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00:28:01.519 --> 00:28:04.119
<v Speaker 1>sure to join us next time as we look into

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

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