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<v Speaker 1>Hey, everyone, Welcome to Pastor Rick's Daily Hope with Rick Warren.

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<v Speaker 1>We are glad you're with us today and we're going

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<v Speaker 1>to wrap up our series called The Keys to a

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<v Speaker 1>Blessed Life now. In these messages, Rick has been guiding

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<v Speaker 1>us through Jesus's Sermon on the Mount, showing us how

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<v Speaker 1>to live a truly hopeful and purpose filled life. And

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<v Speaker 1>today brings it all together. And now here's the final

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

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<v Speaker 2>You are most like Jesus Christ when you don't strike

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<v Speaker 2>back at somebody who's hurt you. You're most like Jesus

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<v Speaker 2>when you don't attack back and somebody who has attacked

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<v Speaker 2>you with a personal insult or threat or statement or

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<v Speaker 2>gossip or whatever. In this eighth beatitude, the last one,

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<v Speaker 2>it says this, let me quote up to you again,

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<v Speaker 2>Blessed you. When men shall revile you and persecute you,

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<v Speaker 2>and say all manner of evil against you falsely for

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<v Speaker 2>my sake, rejoice and be exceeding glad, for great is

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<v Speaker 2>your reward in Heaven for so persecuted day the prophets

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<v Speaker 2>which were before you. That's the eighth beatitude. And he

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<v Speaker 2>says this you will be insulted. That means people are

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<v Speaker 2>gonna say names. They're gonna call you names, they're going

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<v Speaker 2>to give you labels. You will be insulted, he says,

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<v Speaker 2>that's the first thing. He says, You're going to be persecuted.

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<v Speaker 2>That means you're you're mistreated, you may be passed over,

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<v Speaker 2>you may even be abused. And he said, and you're

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<v Speaker 2>going to be light about. And he said, people will

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<v Speaker 2>say all things that are false against you, to discredit you,

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<v Speaker 2>to dishonor you. And I've learned they'll even say I'm

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<v Speaker 2>on TV. And he'll do all of these things. The

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<v Speaker 2>world loves to find fault with Christians. And if they

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<v Speaker 2>can't find anything to find at fault with you, you

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<v Speaker 2>know what, they'll make stuff up. They just make it up.

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<v Speaker 2>Now here's what the Bible says Romans twelve, verse seventeen

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<v Speaker 2>and eighteen. Never pay back evil with more evil. If

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<v Speaker 2>it is possible, as far as it depends on you

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<v Speaker 2>live at peace with everyone. And you know what I

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<v Speaker 2>love about the Bible. It always tells the truth. And

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<v Speaker 2>what it tells there is if it's possible, as far

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<v Speaker 2>as it depends on you, you live at peace with everyone.

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<v Speaker 2>There's some people you just can't live at peace with.

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<v Speaker 2>Don't look at them, but you know who they are.

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<v Speaker 2>If it is possible, as far as it depends on you,

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<v Speaker 2>you try to live in peace with. Some people you

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<v Speaker 2>just can't live in peace with. They're just going to

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<v Speaker 2>keep poking, poking, poke and poke and poking. And he says,

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<v Speaker 2>and never avenge yourselves. Circle that refuse to retaliate. Never

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<v Speaker 2>avenge yourselves. Leave that to God, who is said, all

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<v Speaker 2>be the judge, and I'll take care of that. Now.

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<v Speaker 2>I told you earlier you don't need anybody's approval to

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<v Speaker 2>be happy. Let me give you the second great truth

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<v Speaker 2>that will change your life. You need to write this down.

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<v Speaker 2>Anytime I react, I give control to that person. Anytime

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<v Speaker 2>I react to somebody who's poked me, I give control

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<v Speaker 2>to that person. And you don't want to do that.

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<v Speaker 2>You don't want to give up control, and so you

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<v Speaker 2>can't control what other people do, but you can control

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<v Speaker 2>your reactions. Have you ever said you make me so mad?

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<v Speaker 2>You just then admitted who's in control, not you. They

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<v Speaker 2>are When you say you make me so mad, you say,

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<v Speaker 2>I don't want to be bad. I really don't want

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<v Speaker 2>to be mad, but you make me mad, you have

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<v Speaker 2>the power to control my emotions. Oh really, then you're

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<v Speaker 2>a pretty weak person. Somebody can make you mad. It's

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<v Speaker 2>your choice. You should only get mad when you choose

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<v Speaker 2>to get mad. And there are some things get mad about.

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<v Speaker 2>One of them is not personal insults. You make me

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<v Speaker 2>so mad means I'm allowing you to control my happiness.

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<v Speaker 2>Anytime you react, anytime you retaliate, anytime you seek revenge,

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<v Speaker 2>you've just handed control to your enemy, to the person

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<v Speaker 2>who's opposing you in any area of life. Don't do it.

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<v Speaker 2>George Washington Carver, that great African American who studied all

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<v Speaker 2>of the uses of peanuts. He once said, I will

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<v Speaker 2>never allow another man to control my life by making

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<v Speaker 2>me hate him. Good word, Good Word. One Peter four

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<v Speaker 2>nineteen says this, those who suffer according to God's will

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<v Speaker 2>should commit themselves to their faithful creator and continue to

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<v Speaker 2>do good. Now, there's something really important here circle the

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<v Speaker 2>phrase according to God's will. You're not going to hear

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<v Speaker 2>this in some places, but this is what the Bible says.

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<v Speaker 2>Some suffering is God's will. Those who suffer according to

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<v Speaker 2>God's will. Sometimes suffering is God's will. Now. There are

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<v Speaker 2>people out there that say, no, God never wants you.

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<v Speaker 2>God wants everybody to be a millionaire. God wants everybody

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<v Speaker 2>to have a Rolls roys. God never wants anybody to

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<v Speaker 2>have cancer. God never wants any problems in your life.

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<v Speaker 2>And any problem now, the Bible says, sometimes suffering is

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<v Speaker 2>God's will for your life. Why. It makes you more

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<v Speaker 2>like Jesus. It deepens your faith, It brings you rewards

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<v Speaker 2>in Heaven. It builds your character, it brings you closer

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<v Speaker 2>to Him. There's so many benefits that suffering can happen here.

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<v Speaker 2>You may be going through suffering right now, and it

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<v Speaker 2>may be God's will now, that may not be. Let

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<v Speaker 2>me teach you sometime. I've never taught this to you before.

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<v Speaker 2>There are three kinds of suffering in the world. There's common,

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<v Speaker 2>there's carnal, and there's Christian suffering. Common suffering is suffering

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<v Speaker 2>that's common to everybody. Doesn't matter if you're a Baptist

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<v Speaker 2>or Buddhist, or Methodist or Mormon, the Jew, Jehovah's Witness,

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<v Speaker 2>a Christian, Catholic, Atheist, whatever, everybody suffers certain things. When

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<v Speaker 2>a hurricane comes into town, it just doesn't pick on Christians,

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<v Speaker 2>it doesn't just pick on Buddhists or Hindus, or Jews

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<v Speaker 2>or musselm. That's common suffering. It's the suffering that we

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<v Speaker 2>have in the world, that we all share in common

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<v Speaker 2>with everybody, and the Bible says we as Christians are

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<v Speaker 2>to help everybody in common suffering. The second kind of

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<v Speaker 2>suffering is carnal suffering. That's suffering you bring on yourself

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<v Speaker 2>from your own sin. If I go out and I

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<v Speaker 2>live a very loose immoral life and I get a STD,

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<v Speaker 2>it's sexually transmitted disease. That's my fault. It's not God's fault.

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<v Speaker 2>It's not anybody else's fault. It's my fault. And a

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<v Speaker 2>lot of the suffering in my life is because I

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<v Speaker 2>made bad decisions, like I spent way more money than

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<v Speaker 2>I made and now I'm way over in debt and

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<v Speaker 2>now I'm going bankrupt. That's not God's fault, that's my fault.

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<v Speaker 2>That's carnal suffering. It's suffering because of sin, but not

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<v Speaker 2>all suffering from sin. The Bible says, sometimes suffering is Christian.

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<v Speaker 2>It's not cardinal, it's common, it's Christian. It's suffering. According

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<v Speaker 2>to the will of God, because God is more interested

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<v Speaker 2>in your character than your comfort. You're not taking comfort

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<v Speaker 2>to heaven, but you are taking your character, and in

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<v Speaker 2>heaven you're gonna have comfort the rest of your life. Now,

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<v Speaker 2>it says, those who suffer according to God's will should

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<v Speaker 2>commit themselves to God, the faithful Creator, and just keep

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<v Speaker 2>on doing good. So you throw this arrow at me,

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<v Speaker 2>you throw that arrow at me, you throw another air

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<v Speaker 2>at me. I'm just gonna commit myself to God and

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<v Speaker 2>continue to do good. I entrusted to God. I lay

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<v Speaker 2>it in his hands. You need to let God be

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<v Speaker 2>your defender and not waste time defending yourself. And that

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<v Speaker 2>takes faith. And when you do that, God smiles. Now

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<v Speaker 2>the sixth thing you need to do when you face opposition,

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<v Speaker 2>and this is the most important one of all. This

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<v Speaker 2>is what makes Christians different from everybody else on the planet,

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<v Speaker 2>because nobody else does this number six. When I'm persecuted,

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<v Speaker 2>when I'm harassed, when I'm oppressed, respond with a blessing.

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<v Speaker 2>What Yeah, you return good for evil. You not only

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<v Speaker 2>refuse to retaliate. There are a lot of people who

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<v Speaker 2>refuse to retaliate, But the Bible says if you're going

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<v Speaker 2>to be a follower of Jesus. You actually do good

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<v Speaker 2>to those who do bad to you. You bless those

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<v Speaker 2>who hurt you, and he says you respond with a blessing.

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<v Speaker 2>Romans twelve twenty one says this, do not become do

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<v Speaker 2>not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

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<v Speaker 2>You don't make the world brighter by blowing out everybody

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<v Speaker 2>else's candle. Okay, you do not become overcome evil, but

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<v Speaker 2>overcome evil with good. Now Jesus gets very very specific,

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<v Speaker 2>and I'll just be honest with you, as your pastor.

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<v Speaker 2>I hate this next verse. Okay, I wish this next

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<v Speaker 2>verse was not in the Bible. I'm just telling you

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<v Speaker 2>I don't like this verse. I wish I could take

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<v Speaker 2>an exact knife and cut it out because it's so

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<v Speaker 2>hard to do. But here's what Jesus said, Luke, Sis,

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<v Speaker 2>love your enemies. You gotta be kidding me. Do good

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<v Speaker 2>to those who hate you. Now now it's overkilled. Bless

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<v Speaker 2>those who hurt you. Come on, bless those are great,

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<v Speaker 2>and pray for those who hurt you. Come on, Lord,

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<v Speaker 2>I mean, come on, and if someone slaps you on

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<v Speaker 2>the cheek, turn the other cheek. I do not like

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<v Speaker 2>that verse. Sorry, I just don't. Can I just be

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<v Speaker 2>honest as your pastor? I wish it wasn't in the Bible.

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<v Speaker 2>What I'd like to say is stick it to your enemies,

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<v Speaker 2>you know, gossip about those who hate you. Uh you know,

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<v Speaker 2>give the finger to those who curse you. Okay, and

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<v Speaker 2>uh you know what, uh you know, write a dirty

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<v Speaker 2>article on the internet for those who you know who

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<v Speaker 2>don't like you. And if somebody slaps you on the cheek,

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<v Speaker 2>sock them. That's that's the Rick Warren standard version of

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<v Speaker 2>the Bible. Okay, that's what I really want to do. Okay, Well,

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<v Speaker 2>I don't want to take it. Takes far more courage

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<v Speaker 2>to do this. Any fool can fight back. Any whimp

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<v Speaker 2>can retaliate, any idiot can say something mean back. Even

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<v Speaker 2>parrots can be taught to curse. You. Don't have to

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<v Speaker 2>have any brains to curse somebody back. Now, he says,

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<v Speaker 2>love your enemies, do good to those hate you, Bless

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<v Speaker 2>those a Chursian pray for those who hurt you, and

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<v Speaker 2>they scaple on a cheek urn the other cheek? Is

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<v Speaker 2>that easy? No, Only by feeling being filled with God's

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<v Speaker 2>love but it is the most powerful form of witnessing,

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<v Speaker 2>and when you do that, you overcome evil with good.

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<v Speaker 2>Did you ever see that movie The Butler. It's a

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<v Speaker 2>good movie. It's a good movie. It's about a guy

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<v Speaker 2>who served I think six or eight presidents as a

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<v Speaker 2>butler in the White House, and it's talking about at

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<v Speaker 2>one point during the civil rights movement in America in

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<v Speaker 2>the nineteen sixties, there were a group of people from

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<v Speaker 2>the North who went down They were called Freedom Writers,

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<v Speaker 2>and they went down to the South to support civil

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<v Speaker 2>rights and equal rights for everyone and to fight racism.

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<v Speaker 2>And there's a scene in that movie where they are

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<v Speaker 2>teaching the Freedom Writers how to not respond with evil

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<v Speaker 2>when they're hit, when they're spit on, when they're cursed,

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<v Speaker 2>when they're pushed over, when people throw food on them.

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<v Speaker 2>And it's a very very powerful scene of non violent love.

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<v Speaker 2>And as I watched that scene, tears start coming down

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<v Speaker 2>my face and I thought, I want to be that

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<v Speaker 2>kind of person. For Jesus, I want to be that courageous.

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<v Speaker 2>I want to have that brave heart, courage where I

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<v Speaker 2>will not cave in to what's wrong no matter how

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<v Speaker 2>much pain they throw at me. That I will not retaliate,

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<v Speaker 2>but what I will do is respond with love. Here's

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<v Speaker 2>an amazing thing. If you begin to do these six

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<v Speaker 2>things at work or with somebody who doesn't like it,

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<v Speaker 2>you number one, God will be pleased. God's going to smile.

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<v Speaker 2>That's my girl, that's my boy. The second you're gonna

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<v Speaker 2>get blessed. It says it over. That's the eighth beatitude.

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<v Speaker 2>You'll be blessed. And here's an interesting thing is some

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<v Speaker 2>of those public attackers will become private seekers. I know

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<v Speaker 2>this from experience. I've had people, very well known people

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<v Speaker 2>attack me publicly and because I refused to engage them,

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<v Speaker 2>but only responded with love and blessing, and I said,

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<v Speaker 2>may God richly bless you in every way. That then

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<v Speaker 2>quietly they would come around and start asking about what's

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<v Speaker 2>with you? How do you do that? How do you

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<v Speaker 2>show love in the face. This is not the normal

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<v Speaker 2>response I was expecting. I just want to remind you

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<v Speaker 2>that the worst persecutor of the church became the greatest apostle.

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<v Speaker 2>Paul and Nicodemus, who was a part of the Pharisees

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<v Speaker 2>who were trying to put Jesus on the cross, later

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<v Speaker 2>came Jesus at night and says, tell me about this

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<v Speaker 2>born again thing, and they'll come around. If you respond correctly.

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<v Speaker 2>Some of your opponents will actually become your partners if

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<v Speaker 2>you do it correctly. Now, let me just close with

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<v Speaker 2>some personal questions. If they made it illegal to be

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<v Speaker 2>a Christian in America and they threw everybody who followed

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<v Speaker 2>Jesus in prison, would there be enough evidence to convict you?

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<v Speaker 2>Would there be enough evidence to convict you if they

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<v Speaker 2>made it illegal for being a Christian? Is there any

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<v Speaker 2>difference in your life or are you just wimping out

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<v Speaker 2>keeping your head down not when people say insulting things

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<v Speaker 2>about Christians and you're in that group, do you wimp

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<v Speaker 2>out and say nothing? Or do you say you know,

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<v Speaker 2>I can see how you see it that way, but

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<v Speaker 2>that's not always true. Do you just went out and

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<v Speaker 2>keep quiet? Let me ask it this way, what is

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<v Speaker 2>your faith costing you when your brothers and sisters around

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<v Speaker 2>the world are sometimes standing at the point of a

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<v Speaker 2>firing squad for this, or getting tortured and limbs cut

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<v Speaker 2>off and all kinds of like that. Well, it's costs

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<v Speaker 2>so much others their lives. We have it so easy.

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<v Speaker 2>What does your faith cost in you? Let me ask

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<v Speaker 2>it this way, At what cost? Would you stay faithful

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<v Speaker 2>to Christ? Somebody put a pistol to your head? He said,

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<v Speaker 2>would you stay faithful to Christ? Said? Well, yes, I would.

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<v Speaker 2>Then why are you so ticked off and worried about insults?

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<v Speaker 2>Why are you so worried about disapproval? That's certainly not

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<v Speaker 2>as harmful as a shot in the head. If you're willing,

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<v Speaker 2>you're not really willing to live. You're not ready to

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<v Speaker 2>live until you know what's worth dying for. You got

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<v Speaker 2>to decide what am I willing to lay it on

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<v Speaker 2>the line for. What is more important to me than

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<v Speaker 2>even life itself? What is worth dying for? Until you

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<v Speaker 2>know that, you're not ready to live. Jesus paid a

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<v Speaker 2>price for you, and he says there's a price to

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<v Speaker 2>be paid for following him. Popularity on earth is not

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<v Speaker 2>part of the guarantee of being a Christian. It's not.

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<v Speaker 2>But reward in heaven is a guarantee. And it was

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<v Speaker 2>Jim Elliott who said he is no fool who gives

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<v Speaker 2>up what he cannot keep for that which he cannot lose.

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<v Speaker 2>You just got to decide what's more important to you

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<v Speaker 2>popularity or the smile of God. Now I want to

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<v Speaker 2>end with two statements of Jesus. They're here on the screen,

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<v Speaker 2>mark eight. Verse thirty eight says this. Jesus said, if

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<v Speaker 2>you are ashamed of me and my commands, that means

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<v Speaker 2>my commands about life, about sexuality, about finances, about reconciliation,

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<v Speaker 2>about race. If you're ashamed of me and my commands

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<v Speaker 2>in this godless and sinful generation, I will be ashamed

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<v Speaker 2>of you when I come back in glory with the

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<v Speaker 2>Holy Angels. But he also said this in Matthew chapter ten.

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<v Speaker 2>But for those who declare publicly that they belong to me,

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<v Speaker 2>I will do the same for them before my father

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<v Speaker 2>in heaven. God is looking for men and women of

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<v Speaker 2>courage in an age that has no courage at all.

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<v Speaker 2>Everybody's wimping out. Oh, just whatever's right for you. That's

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<v Speaker 2>the stupidest thing, really, you know, people say the moon

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<v Speaker 2>is made of cheese, the moon made rock. They both

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<v Speaker 2>can't both be right. There's some things that are always right,

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<v Speaker 2>and there's some things that are always wrong. God's looking

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<v Speaker 2>for men and women who aren't afraid to publicly identify

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<v Speaker 2>themselves as followers of Christ. So let me encourage you

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<v Speaker 2>this week to take a risk with your life, a

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<v Speaker 2>small step of faith. I want to challenge you to

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<v Speaker 2>be courageous this week in some small way about your faith.

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<v Speaker 2>I don't care how you do it. Just stop whimping out.

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<v Speaker 2>Be brave, be courageous, take a risk. It's the adventure

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<v Speaker 2>of a lifetime. He so what I do, I don't

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<v Speaker 2>care what you do. It might be when you go

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<v Speaker 2>out to lunch today or any other day this week,

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<v Speaker 2>when you sit down in that restaurant, you publicly bow

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<v Speaker 2>your head and you say a prayer with the people there,

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<v Speaker 2>and you don't care what other people think. It's a

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<v Speaker 2>public witness. It's honoring to God. You need to start

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<v Speaker 2>praying in public. Sorry, you need to start doing that.

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<v Speaker 2>Maybe you need to take your Bible to work and

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<v Speaker 2>sit it on your desk, or a Christian book and

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<v Speaker 2>sit it on your desk. And somebody says, why do

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<v Speaker 2>you have a Bible? And I said, well, why wouldn't

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<v Speaker 2>I I'm a Christian. That's it. That's all I need

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<v Speaker 2>to say. Take a small step of faith. If you

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<v Speaker 2>haven't been baptized, that's the first step of publicly identifying

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<v Speaker 2>yourself and say I want to publicly say I'm not

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<v Speaker 2>ashamed of Jesus Christ. What we need is an army

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<v Speaker 2>of brave men and women, risk takers. We should not parents.

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<v Speaker 2>We should not be depending on Disney to teach our

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<v Speaker 2>little girls how to be brave, or our little boys

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<v Speaker 2>or anybody else. They should see bravery in their mothers,

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<v Speaker 2>and bravery in their fathers, Courage in their moms and dad,

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<v Speaker 2>so when they grow up they know how to stand

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<v Speaker 2>for something rather than fall for anything. But it starts

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<v Speaker 2>with courage in the parents. That's about our heads. Would

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<v Speaker 2>you pray this prayer in your heart, Dear Jesus, I

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<v Speaker 2>want to care more about what you think than what

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<v Speaker 2>other people think of me. I ask you to take

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<v Speaker 2>away my fear of disapproval. I don't want to be

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<v Speaker 2>a weak people pleaser. I want to be a God pleaser.

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<v Speaker 2>Take away my fear of rejection. And when I feel

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<v Speaker 2>that urge to be quiet and not speak up, help

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<v Speaker 2>me to not be afraid, to not be embarrassed, to

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<v Speaker 2>not be ashamed, to not be shocked, but in love,

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<v Speaker 2>speak the truth. Help me to care more about your

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<v Speaker 2>approval than anybody else's. Say, Dear God, I want to

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<v Speaker 2>become a brave man of God, or I want to

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<v Speaker 2>become a brave woman of God, with the courage of

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<v Speaker 2>my conviction and the integrity of my heart to live

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<v Speaker 2>for you no matter what. Thank you for having the

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<v Speaker 2>courage to die for me. Thank you for accepting me

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<v Speaker 2>into your family. If you've never invited Jesus Christ in

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<v Speaker 2>your life, say Jesus Christ, come into my heart and

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<v Speaker 2>life right now and fill me with your love. Replace

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<v Speaker 2>my fear with your love. I want to follow you

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<v Speaker 2>from this day forward in your name. I pray Amen.

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<v Speaker 3>If you just prayed to receive Jesus congratulations, we would

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<v Speaker 3>love to send you some free materials to help you

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<v Speaker 3>along on your spiritual journey. Just email Rick at pastororick

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<v Speaker 3>dot com. That's Rick at pastorick dot com. Once again,

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<v Speaker 3>here's Rick.

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<v Speaker 2>You know, I just want to take a quick second

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<v Speaker 2>to say thank you everybody. Thank you for listening, for

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<v Speaker 2>sharing this broadcast, and for your faithful prayers and especially

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<v Speaker 2>your financial support. God is using you in a mighty

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<v Speaker 2>way to get the message of hope out to a

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<v Speaker 2>world that's desperately in need of Jesus Christ. Thanks for

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<v Speaker 2>listening today, everybody, and Please be sure to join me

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<v Speaker 2>next time as we look into God's Word for our

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<v Speaker 2>daily hope.

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

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<v Speaker 1>your generous financial support.