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<v Speaker 1>Hello, everybody. This is Pastor Rick's Daily Hope with Rick Warren.

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<v Speaker 1>I'm really glad you're here.

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<v Speaker 3>Today.

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<v Speaker 1>We're continuing our series from Psalm twenty three called Living

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<v Speaker 1>in the Goodness of God. It's all about how God's

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<v Speaker 1>goodness meets you right where you are and brings hope

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<v Speaker 1>even in difficult season. In today's message, you'll hear the

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<v Speaker 1>final part of a message called the God of My Valleys.

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<v Speaker 2>Even when I walk through the Valley of the Shadow

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<v Speaker 2>of Death, friends, Sooner or later, this shadow is going

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<v Speaker 2>to cross your path if it hasn't already, That shadow

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<v Speaker 2>of death is going to cross your life. I've lost

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<v Speaker 2>a mom and a dad, and a brother, and a son.

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<v Speaker 3>And his pastor. I've lost a lot of friends, and.

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<v Speaker 2>I've stood at more bedsides in their final moments than.

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<v Speaker 3>You would ever want to stand at.

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<v Speaker 2>I have seen the Valley of the Shadow Death probably

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<v Speaker 2>more than anybody in this room unless you're a nurse.

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<v Speaker 2>But it's going to fall across your life. At some time.

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<v Speaker 2>That shadow is going to fall across your life. You

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<v Speaker 2>know what I've learned in watching that so many times,

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<v Speaker 2>I've learned that shadows are often larger than the real thing.

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<v Speaker 2>You ever seen a shadow of a truck that was

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<v Speaker 2>bigger than a truck? Yeah, shadows are often bigger than

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<v Speaker 2>the real thing. The other thing I've learned is that

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<v Speaker 2>shadows can't hurt you. You ever been run over by

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<v Speaker 2>a shadow of a truck? How'd you handle that? It's

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<v Speaker 2>not like a truck. Is there an instream being run

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<v Speaker 2>over by a truck and being run over by a

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<v Speaker 2>shadow of a truck? Yes, And so it is your

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<v Speaker 2>fear of death because you're not ready to meet God.

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<v Speaker 2>It is your fear of the shadow of death that

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<v Speaker 2>haunts you. Fear is always greater. It's an image without substance.

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<v Speaker 2>That's what a shadow is. But here's the most important

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<v Speaker 2>thing I've learned about shadow. There cannot be a shadow

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<v Speaker 2>without a light. The shadows in your life are the

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<v Speaker 2>evidence of the presence of light in your life. If

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<v Speaker 2>there was no shadow in your life, there would be

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<v Speaker 2>no light. Because there's no light, there's no shadow. Shadows

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<v Speaker 2>imply the presence of light.

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<v Speaker 3>God is with me.

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<v Speaker 2>God is with me. And the way you deal with

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<v Speaker 2>shadows of death, or the shadows of despair, or the

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<v Speaker 2>shadow of depression, or the shadow or the fear that

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<v Speaker 2>you're losing your mind, or the shadow that you're going

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<v Speaker 2>to die alone, or the shadow. You name your fear.

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<v Speaker 2>How do you deal with the shadow. Here's how you

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<v Speaker 2>do it. You turn your back to the shadow and

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<v Speaker 2>you look at the light, and all of a sudden,

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<v Speaker 2>you don't see the shadow anymore. Every time you get afraid,

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<v Speaker 2>you need to look at the light. Jesus said, I

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<v Speaker 2>am the light of the world. He who believes in

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<v Speaker 2>me shall not walk in darkness. He who believes in

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<v Speaker 2>me will not stumble in darkness. I am the light

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<v Speaker 2>of the world. The first thing God said when he

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<v Speaker 2>created the universe, let there be light. The Bible says

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<v Speaker 2>God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.

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<v Speaker 2>When you are scared by the shadows in your life,

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<v Speaker 2>you just need to turn around and look at the light.

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<v Speaker 2>Stop focusing on the stuff that's scaring you to death,

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<v Speaker 2>those bills, those fears, those worries, that stuff that goes

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<v Speaker 2>around in your mind, and just get your focus off

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<v Speaker 2>your fear and get your focus on the Father. You

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<v Speaker 2>look at the light and the shadow can't hurt you.

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<v Speaker 2>In fact, you don't even see it. And when you're

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<v Speaker 2>going through a tunnel. How do you make it through

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<v Speaker 2>a tunnel? You keep your eyes on the light at

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<v Speaker 2>the end, and you just keep going. Remember that God

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<v Speaker 2>is with me. Shadows can frighten you, but they can't

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<v Speaker 2>harm you. Look at this verse on the screen. There's

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<v Speaker 2>benefits even in the shadows and Job twelve twenty two.

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<v Speaker 2>God uncovers deep things out of darkness. God uncovers deep

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<v Speaker 2>things out of darkness, and he brings into light even

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<v Speaker 2>black gloom and the shadow of death. I've told you

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<v Speaker 2>many times since Matthew died, I learned stuff in his death,

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<v Speaker 2>and I've never learned any other way. Spending hours and

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<v Speaker 2>hours alone with God for one hundred and twenty two

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<v Speaker 2>days after my son died. The stuff I learned in

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<v Speaker 2>the value of the shadow of death, I would.

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<v Speaker 3>Have not learned any other way.

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<v Speaker 2>God uncovers deep things out of darkness, and God says,

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<v Speaker 2>just remember you're not going through this by yourself. You

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<v Speaker 2>may not be able to see me, but I'm there.

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<v Speaker 2>And if you see a shadow, guess what its presence shows.

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<v Speaker 2>There's light Isaiah forty three, Verse two. When you go

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<v Speaker 2>through deep waters and great trouble, I will be with you.

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<v Speaker 2>And when you go through rivers of difficulty, you will

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<v Speaker 2>not drown. And when you walk through the fires of oppression,

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<v Speaker 2>you will not burned up. The flames will not consume you.

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<v Speaker 2>I don't know what value you're going through, but the

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<v Speaker 2>antidote of Psalm seventy three twenty eight. As for me,

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<v Speaker 2>God's presence is all I need. I've made the sovereign

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<v Speaker 2>Lord my shelter. And if God is a sovereign lord

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<v Speaker 2>of your life, he is your shelter. Not don't anything else.

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<v Speaker 2>As for me, God's presence.

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<v Speaker 3>Is all I need.

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<v Speaker 2>Remember I'm not alone. Number two. Second thing you need

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<v Speaker 2>to remember when you're in a struggle and in the valley,

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<v Speaker 2>remember that God has a good purpose for my valley.

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<v Speaker 2>Remember that God has a good purpose for my valley.

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<v Speaker 2>Remember this whole chapter, This whole Psalm is on the

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<v Speaker 2>goodness of God. God is a good God. God cannot

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<v Speaker 2>do evil. It's impossible for God to do evil. God

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<v Speaker 2>can only do good in your life. God has good

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<v Speaker 2>plans for your life. And so I remember that even

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<v Speaker 2>in the problems, I'm going through the valleys. I'm going

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<v Speaker 2>through the valley of conflict or grief or fear, or

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<v Speaker 2>failure or whatever that has a good purpose for my

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<v Speaker 2>valley Romans five, Verse three.

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<v Speaker 3>And top five.

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<v Speaker 2>We can even rejoice in our suffering, knowing that suffering

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<v Speaker 2>produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope.

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<v Speaker 2>And that kind of hope does not disappoint us. A

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<v Speaker 2>lot of kinds of hope in the world are false hope.

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<v Speaker 2>This kind of hope does not disappoint us because God

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<v Speaker 2>has poured his love into our hearts. God is building

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<v Speaker 2>character when you're going through that valley, and that character

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<v Speaker 2>is going to outlast everything else. Stephen Curtis Chapman has

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<v Speaker 2>just written a new book and it's called Between Heaven

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<v Speaker 2>and the Real World, and he discusses all the values

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<v Speaker 2>he's been through, including the loss of a child. We're

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<v Speaker 2>in a club that nobody wants to be a part of,

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<v Speaker 2>and he says this in an interview. Jesus tells us

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<v Speaker 2>in this world you will have trouble. It's fact. But

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<v Speaker 2>then he says, take heart, because I've overcome the world.

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<v Speaker 2>He's saying that there's another story being told that we

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<v Speaker 2>don't always see. And frankly, Stephen says, if I didn't

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<v Speaker 2>believe that, I'd be an extremely bitter and angry.

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<v Speaker 3>Man.

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<v Speaker 2>My little girl's death underline and solidified what I knew

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<v Speaker 2>and believed, but it made it more real. And when

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<v Speaker 2>there was nothing else to hold on to, I heard

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<v Speaker 2>myself say, God, I'm going to trust you and worship you.

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<v Speaker 2>And it's not because there's an audience watching. I'm going

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<v Speaker 2>to bless your name, whether you give or take away. Previously,

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<v Speaker 2>to you know, his daughter died from a freak accident. Previously,

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<v Speaker 2>I'd gone fifty feet below sea level, and I thought

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<v Speaker 2>it was dark down there, but I also learned that.

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<v Speaker 3>God was with me.

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<v Speaker 2>But now I was pushed one hundred thousand feet below

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<v Speaker 2>sea level, where it was darker than I could never imagine,

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<v Speaker 2>and I found the same thing was true down there

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<v Speaker 2>as well. I remember I'm not alone, and I remember

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<v Speaker 2>that God has a good purpose for my valley. Joseah

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<v Speaker 2>To fifteen says this.

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<v Speaker 3>I love this.

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<v Speaker 2>In the New Living Translation, I will transform the Valley

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<v Speaker 2>of Trouble into a gateway of hope. Some of you

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<v Speaker 2>need that verse. The Valley of Trouble actually is a valley.

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<v Speaker 2>It's the Valley of Acre. I didn't have time to

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<v Speaker 2>cover it. It's covered both twice in Joshua, and it's

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<v Speaker 2>covered in Hoseah. And you're gonna go through the valley

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<v Speaker 2>of Acre to the Valley of trouble. And God says,

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<v Speaker 2>I will turn the valley of trouble into a valley,

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<v Speaker 2>a gateway of hope, a doorway to hope. One translation says,

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<v Speaker 2>I'm gonna turn trouble.

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<v Speaker 3>Valley into hopeful valley.

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<v Speaker 2>Colaussians one to eleven says this God will give you.

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<v Speaker 2>God will strengthen you with his own great power so

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<v Speaker 2>that you will not give up when troubles come, but

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<v Speaker 2>you will be patient. He's not just going to give

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<v Speaker 2>you his presence. He's going to give you his power.

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<v Speaker 2>So I remember, I remember that I'm not alone. And

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<v Speaker 2>I remember that God has a purpose, a good purpose

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<v Speaker 2>for the valley I'm in. The third thing I remember

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<v Speaker 2>is that the reward will last forever. This is not

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<v Speaker 2>the end of the story, friends, and you're going to

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<v Speaker 2>be rewarded for being faithful to Christ in the valley

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<v Speaker 2>the failure, from the Valley of Fear, from the Valley

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<v Speaker 2>of Conflict, the Valley of grief, the value of brokenness,

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<v Speaker 2>and the Valley of Trouble, and all the other values

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<v Speaker 2>that are in scripture Clausian Tewod Corinth four seventeen. For

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<v Speaker 2>our present troubles are quite small.

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<v Speaker 3>In relatives to eternity.

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<v Speaker 2>Our present troubles are quite small, and they won't last

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<v Speaker 2>very long. Yet they are producing in us an eternal

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<v Speaker 2>glory which will last forever and is greater than anything

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<v Speaker 2>we can imagine. You won't be in heaven one minute,

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<v Speaker 2>and you'll be going What was I thinking? Why did

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<v Speaker 2>I complain so much? Why did I gripe so much?

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<v Speaker 2>Why did I worry when I was going through these

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<v Speaker 2>different valleys of life? It was worth it all. I

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<v Speaker 2>don't know what value you're going through. Psalm one oh

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<v Speaker 2>seven says this up here on the screen. Some were

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<v Speaker 2>living in gloom and darkness, like prisoners in chains, suffering

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<v Speaker 2>and chains, because they'd rebelled against the commands of all

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<v Speaker 2>Mighty God doing You weren't doing what God told you

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<v Speaker 2>to do. So you're in a valley and they had

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<v Speaker 2>rejected his instructions. As a result, they're worn out from

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<v Speaker 2>hard work. But then in their trouble, they called to

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<v Speaker 2>the Lord, and he saved them from their distress. He

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<v Speaker 2>brought them out of their gloom and darkness. He broke

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<v Speaker 2>their chains in peaces, and they now must thank the

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<v Speaker 2>Lord for his constant love and for the wonderful things

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<v Speaker 2>that he did for them. Now, until we get to Heaven,

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<v Speaker 2>we're going to face valleys. Believers have accidents, disappointments, financial problems,

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<v Speaker 2>family issues, mental illness, physical illness. We all go through values.

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<v Speaker 2>But here is the difference between a believer and an unbeliever.

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<v Speaker 2>For a Christian, for follower of Christ, going through the

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<v Speaker 2>valley is different from a non believer, not because of

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<v Speaker 2>the absence of the shadow, but because of the presence

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<v Speaker 2>of the shepherd.

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<v Speaker 3>I will be with you.

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<v Speaker 2>The Lord is my shepherd, and he gives me his

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<v Speaker 2>promise of power and purpose and protection and peace and

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<v Speaker 2>his presence. I don't know what kind of value you're

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<v Speaker 2>going through. Some of you are in the depth of

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<v Speaker 2>the darkest valley, have no doubt about that. But regard

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<v Speaker 2>regardless of the type of.

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<v Speaker 3>Valley, it's not gonna last.

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<v Speaker 2>There is a way out, and you have a shepherd,

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<v Speaker 2>but you've got to decide to make him your shepherd.

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<v Speaker 2>The Lord is not your shepherd unless you've asked.

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<v Speaker 3>Him to be your shepherd.

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<v Speaker 2>Unless you've surrendered your life to him, unless you said, God,

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<v Speaker 2>I can't make it through this valley without you. When

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<v Speaker 2>you do that, the Lord is my shepherd, and I

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<v Speaker 2>have everything I need, and he does all these things

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<v Speaker 2>for me. Did you notice the change in tents when

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<v Speaker 2>we went from verse three to verse four? Verse one,

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<v Speaker 2>two and three is how God helps us in the

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<v Speaker 2>good times. He leads me, he guides me, He helps me,

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<v Speaker 2>He meets so many needs. He makes me lie down

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<v Speaker 2>and rest. He provides everything I need. It's it's third person.

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<v Speaker 2>He Now we get to the problems and he switches

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<v Speaker 2>and he says, I will fear no evil for you

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<v Speaker 2>are with me. He didn't say he is with me.

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<v Speaker 2>He's not talking to a third person anymore. Nothing makes

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<v Speaker 2>the ultimate intimate faster than pain. Now he's not talking

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<v Speaker 2>about God out there, he's talking about God in here.

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<v Speaker 3>He is become has become you. I'm not going to.

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<v Speaker 2>Fear for you. You you are with me, and you

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<v Speaker 2>will protect me. We're going to look at that in

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<v Speaker 2>another week. So there's one last valley you need to

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<v Speaker 2>go through, and it's the valley in Joel three fourteen.

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<v Speaker 3>Look up here on the screen.

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<v Speaker 2>Multitudes yet ut Yes, multitudes are in the valley of

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<v Speaker 2>decision for the day of the Lord is near. In

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<v Speaker 2>the valley of decision, you're in it right now. Before

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<v Speaker 2>you were even born, God knew that you would be

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<v Speaker 2>here listening to me speak, so he could say this

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<v Speaker 2>to you. This is your moment of decision. This is

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<v Speaker 2>your valley of decision. You're going to decide for me

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<v Speaker 2>or against me, because it's going to decide everything else.

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<v Speaker 3>In your life. Make the wise choice. That's power heads.

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<v Speaker 2>You're in the value of decision. Whether you're listening to

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<v Speaker 2>this on the Internet or the radio, or at a

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<v Speaker 2>campus or in a small group study, you're in the

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<v Speaker 2>valley of decision for the day of the Lord is near.

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<v Speaker 2>What are you going to decide? Are you going to decide?

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<v Speaker 2>To say, God, I'm going to follow you, not my

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<v Speaker 2>plan anymore. I'm going to have you as the manager

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<v Speaker 2>of my life, not me anymore. I'm going to have

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<v Speaker 2>you as the good shepherd. But you make that decision

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<v Speaker 2>right now. Pray this prayer, Dear God. I know that

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<v Speaker 2>valleys are part of life, that they're inevitable. I've been

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<v Speaker 2>through a lot of them, hills and valleys, highs and lows,

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<v Speaker 2>ups and downs, and I know I shouldn't be surprised

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<v Speaker 2>when it happens. I know the valleys happen to everybody.

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<v Speaker 2>I know that they're unpredictable, that I shouldn't even brag

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<v Speaker 2>about the Marrisons. I don't know what the day is

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<v Speaker 2>going to bring forth. And Lord, as we've looked at

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<v Speaker 2>your word today, I see some of these values valleys

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<v Speaker 2>I've been in will probably be in again, the value

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<v Speaker 2>of Sidham, where I've tried to run from something, tried

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<v Speaker 2>to avoid a battle. I've slipped a fallen, I've gotten stuck,

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<v Speaker 2>and I'm in the pits, and I've had a public failure.

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<v Speaker 2>And Lord, I've been in that valley of esh call

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<v Speaker 2>to the valley of Fear, where I'm got to either

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<v Speaker 2>take the risk and move forward or fall back and

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<v Speaker 2>retreat and defeat. And Lord, yes, I've been in the

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<v Speaker 2>valley of Elau where I've had the conflict and I've

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<v Speaker 2>faced the giant problem. And maybe you're facing it right now.

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<v Speaker 2>And some of you say, Lord, I'm in the valley

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<v Speaker 2>of Baka. I'm all dried up, I'm barren, I'm arid,

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<v Speaker 2>I don't feel anything, or I'm weeping and I'm grieving.

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<v Speaker 2>I'm in the valley of grief and barrenness. Say, help

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<v Speaker 2>me to remember that I'm not alone, that when I

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<v Speaker 2>go go through it, you go with me. You'll be

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<v Speaker 2>with me. And I'm saying today as a declaration. God's

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<v Speaker 2>presence is all I need. I've made the sovereign Lord,

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<v Speaker 2>my shelter. Help me to remember that you have a

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<v Speaker 2>good purpose for even the bad things that happen in

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<v Speaker 2>my life. You turn them around and you use them

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<v Speaker 2>for good. God, I'm asking you to transform the valley

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<v Speaker 2>of trouble into a gateway of hope.

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<v Speaker 3>I want to be a hope dispenser. I want to

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<v Speaker 3>be an agent of hope in the world.

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<v Speaker 2>And when I start to get fatigued and the tunnel

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<v Speaker 2>seems long and the valley seems dark, help me to

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<v Speaker 2>remember that the reward will last forever. And their present

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<v Speaker 2>troubles are really quite small, and they're not going to

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<v Speaker 2>last very long, but they're producing an eternal glory that

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<v Speaker 2>will last forever, and it's.

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<v Speaker 3>Greater than anything we can imagine.

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<v Speaker 2>Jesus Christ, I'm asking you to be my good shepherd.

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<v Speaker 2>I take the hands off the wheel of my life.

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<v Speaker 2>And I ask you to sit in the driver's seat,

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<v Speaker 2>be the director and the manager of my life from

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<v Speaker 2>this day forward. I thank you God. I thank you

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<v Speaker 2>God that you are not just the God of the mountains.

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<v Speaker 2>You're the God of the valleys. You're the God my valleys.

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<v Speaker 2>And so I honor you and I want to love

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<v Speaker 2>you the rest of my life. In your name, I

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<v Speaker 2>pray Amen. You know, if you just prayed that prayer

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<v Speaker 2>for the very first time, or you just recommitted your

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<v Speaker 2>life to Jesus again today, would you let me know

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<v Speaker 2>about it. There's something real about sharing your commitment. So

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<v Speaker 2>write me Rick at pastor Rick dot com and say, Rick,

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<v Speaker 2>I prayed that prayer of commitment. I gave my life

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<v Speaker 2>to Christ. And I'll send you some material that will

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<v Speaker 2>help you on your journey with Jesus. And I'll also

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<v Speaker 2>pray for you. God bless you.

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<v Speaker 1>Hey, thanks so much for being with us today and

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<v Speaker 1>listening to Pastor Rick's Daily Hope. I hope that you

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<v Speaker 1>were just as blessed as I was from today's broadcast.

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<v Speaker 1>Right now, here's Pastor Rick with a special message.

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<v Speaker 2>You know, when I started Saddleback Church over forty years ago,

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<v Speaker 2>just a handful of people in our living room. I

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<v Speaker 2>also began writing a simple devotional just for the people

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<v Speaker 2>in our church to help them start each day with

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<v Speaker 2>hope and with truth and with peace that comes from

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<v Speaker 2>Jesus Christ. Well, you know, that little devotional grew and

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<v Speaker 2>grew and grew, and today Daily Hope is one of

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<v Speaker 2>the largest email devotions in the whole world. And each

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<v Speaker 2>day people all around the globe are reconnecting with God's

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<v Speaker 2>promises and finding fresh strength in His word to face

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<v Speaker 2>whatever comes their way. And here's the best part. It's

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<v Speaker 2>absolutely free. Okay, we don't have any charge for this.

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<v Speaker 2>Every day you'll get a quick devotional read and a

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<v Speaker 2>podcast that you can listen to on the go. Now,

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<v Speaker 2>you know, in a world that's more distracted and uncertain

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<v Speaker 2>than ever, I want to help you start your day

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<v Speaker 2>centered on what never changes. And what never changes is

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<v Speaker 2>a God's love, his unconditional love for you, and his

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<v Speaker 2>promises to you. You know, if you just spend just

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<v Speaker 2>a few minutes a day in the morning with the Lord,

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<v Speaker 2>it can bring so much more clarity, more purpose, more

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<v Speaker 2>peace to everything that happens in your day. Particularly, a

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<v Speaker 2>psychologist has said that what you do with the first

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<v Speaker 2>five minutes of your day pretty much sets the tone.

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<v Speaker 2>So friend, you were never meant to go through life alone.

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<v Speaker 2>I want to personally invite you to just sign up

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<v Speaker 2>for the Daily Hope devotional. Do it today. I think

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<v Speaker 2>it's going to bring fresh encouragement to your walk in God.

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<v Speaker 1>If you'd like to sign up for the daily devotional,

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<v Speaker 1>it's easy. Just go to pastorick dot com. That's pastorik

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<v Speaker 1>dot com. Be sure to join us next time as

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

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<v Speaker 1>program is sponsored by Pastor Rick's Daily Hope and your

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<v Speaker 1>generous financial support.