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<v Speaker 1>Hi, this is Rick Warren.

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<v Speaker 2>Did you know that the best gift you can give

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<v Speaker 2>anybody is to bring them into a relationship with Jesus Christ?

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<v Speaker 2>And did you know that the best time to do

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<v Speaker 2>that is it Christmas. Here's what I want to challenge

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<v Speaker 2>you to do. I want you to make a Christmas

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<v Speaker 2>list of people. Think of all the people who you

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<v Speaker 2>know who don't know Jesus or who might know Jesus

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<v Speaker 2>but don't go to church anywhere. And I want you

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<v Speaker 2>to start praying for them. And then I want you

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<v Speaker 2>to invite those people you've prayed for to come to

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<v Speaker 2>a Christmas Eve or Christmas Day service at your church.

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<v Speaker 3>Hello, and welcome to Pastor Rick's Daily Hope. This is

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<v Speaker 3>the Bible teaching ministry of Rick Warren. Hey, We're so

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<v Speaker 3>glad you've joined us. Today. We're continuing a powerful series

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<v Speaker 3>called radicalis Developing Spiritual Roots. And in this series, Rick

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<v Speaker 3>will show you how to grow deep in your faith,

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<v Speaker 3>stay grounded in God's word, and become everything He created

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<v Speaker 3>you to be. I'm excited to hear what Rick has

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<v Speaker 3>to share today. This is part one of a message

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<v Speaker 3>called Radical Generosity.

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<v Speaker 2>Now, for the last six weeks, we've been looking at

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<v Speaker 2>this series I'm calling radicalous, which is the Latin word

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<v Speaker 2>from the roots, and we're talking about deepening spiritual roots,

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<v Speaker 2>going deeper, not being shallow, people, not being selfish, people

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<v Speaker 2>being deeply rooted in the love of God. And over

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<v Speaker 2>the last six weeks, we've looked at radical gratitude, We've

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<v Speaker 2>looked at radical faith, We've looked at radical joy, we've

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<v Speaker 2>looked at radical love, we've looked at radical hope. This week,

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<v Speaker 2>I want us to look at the issue of radical generosity. Now,

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<v Speaker 2>the Bible says this, if you take out your message notes.

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<v Speaker 2>One of my favorite verses in the Bibles, Proverbs eleven

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<v Speaker 2>twenty four message paraphrase says, the world of the generous

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<v Speaker 2>gets larger and larger, the world of the stingy.

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<v Speaker 1>Gets smaller and smaller. Now, what's he saying there?

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<v Speaker 2>That when I'm generous, it enlarges my heart, It enlarges

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<v Speaker 2>my perspective, it enlarges my impact. When I'm generous, it

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<v Speaker 2>enlarges my influence. Now he's not just talking about money here. Okay,

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<v Speaker 2>let me just explain to you generosity is far more

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<v Speaker 2>than financial giving. Oh no, no, money is just a

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<v Speaker 2>little teeny tiny part of your life. God wants you

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<v Speaker 2>to learn to live generosity as a lifestyle, not as

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<v Speaker 2>a giving of money, but as a lifestyle of generosity.

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<v Speaker 2>And the Bible tells us that we are to be

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<v Speaker 2>generous in every area of our lives. We're to be

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<v Speaker 2>generous with our time. We're to be generous with our praise.

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<v Speaker 2>We're to be generous with our sympathy. We're to be

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<v Speaker 2>generous with forgiveness. We are to be generous with our love.

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<v Speaker 2>We're to be generous with our compliments. We are to

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<v Speaker 2>be generous with our kindness. We are to be generous

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<v Speaker 2>with our attention and paying attention to the needs of people.

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<v Speaker 2>We are to be generous and listening. We're to be

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<v Speaker 2>generous and not being judgmental. City is far, far, far

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<v Speaker 2>more than simply about giving money. It's about living a

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<v Speaker 2>life that is unselfish. It's about living a life that

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<v Speaker 2>where you're a giver, not a taker, in every area

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<v Speaker 2>of life.

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<v Speaker 1>And that's what I want you to be.

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<v Speaker 2>It's what I want to be, It's what God wants

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<v Speaker 2>us all to be to live this generous lifestyle. So

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<v Speaker 2>what I want to do this weekend is two things. First,

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<v Speaker 2>I want to define, according to the Bible, what radical

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<v Speaker 2>generosity is as opposed to just normal generosity. And then second,

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<v Speaker 2>I want you to see the five amazing results it

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<v Speaker 2>has in your life, how it transforms you. When you

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<v Speaker 2>develop an attitude of openness toward everything in life, and

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<v Speaker 2>you're generous with your talent, and you're generous with your service,

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<v Speaker 2>and you're generous with your praise, and you're generous in

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<v Speaker 2>every area of your life, the difference it makes in

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<v Speaker 2>your life. So first, what is radical generosity? If you

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<v Speaker 2>want to talk about generosity. The classic passages in the

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<v Speaker 2>Bible are in the Book of Second Corinthians letter written

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<v Speaker 2>to the people who lived in Corinth, Greece. Second Corinthians.

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<v Speaker 2>He'd written it to us would be second Californians. And

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<v Speaker 2>in corinth he writes two chapters Paul, chapter eight and

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<v Speaker 2>chapter nine that are the classic passages on how to

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<v Speaker 2>live a generous lifestyle. It is just like First Corinthians

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<v Speaker 2>thirteen is the chapter on love in the Bible, and

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<v Speaker 2>Hebrews eleven is the chapter on faith. Second Corinthians eight

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<v Speaker 2>and nine are the classic chapters and what it means

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<v Speaker 2>to live generously in life. Now, let me just start

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<v Speaker 2>with the definition. You may write this down. Radical generosity

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<v Speaker 2>is an attitude, not an amount. Radical generosity is an attitude,

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<v Speaker 2>not an amount.

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<v Speaker 1>It is not about amount.

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<v Speaker 2>God couldn't care less how much you give in life.

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<v Speaker 2>What he cares about is how you get, and what

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<v Speaker 2>he cares about is why you give. God cares about

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<v Speaker 2>your motivation. He doesn't care about the amount. Radical generosity

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<v Speaker 2>is an attitude, not an amount.

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<v Speaker 1>Now, notice here in.

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<v Speaker 2>Verse twelve of Second Corinthia's eight it says this, if

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<v Speaker 2>you're really eager to give, there's the attitude. It isn't

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<v Speaker 2>important how much you're able to give. God wants you

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<v Speaker 2>to give what you have, not what you don't have. Now,

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<v Speaker 2>as I said, God looks at the why and the how.

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<v Speaker 1>Not the what.

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<v Speaker 2>He's more interested in your heart why. God doesn't need

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<v Speaker 2>your money. God doesn't need your time. God doesn't need

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<v Speaker 2>your talent. God doesn't need your sympathy. God doesn't need

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<v Speaker 2>really anything from you zero. What he wants is your heart.

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<v Speaker 2>What he wants is your love. And the Bible says

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<v Speaker 2>where your heart, where your treasure is your heart is.

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<v Speaker 1>He wants your love. And so he's saying here, it's.

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<v Speaker 2>Not what you give, it's why you give it, It's

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<v Speaker 2>how and.

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<v Speaker 1>Why you give it.

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<v Speaker 2>And he says it's about attitude. And then Paul in

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<v Speaker 2>this passage gives us four attitudes that define radical generosity. Now,

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<v Speaker 2>the best way to learn in anything in life is

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<v Speaker 2>to learn by a model. You see somebody else do it,

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<v Speaker 2>and then you learn. And we learned generosity best from example.

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<v Speaker 2>I learned to be generous growing up under my parents.

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<v Speaker 2>My parents were the most generous people I'd ever met,

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<v Speaker 2>and still have ever met.

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<v Speaker 1>They taught me.

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<v Speaker 2>I watched them give everything away in their lives to

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<v Speaker 2>other people with an open hand.

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<v Speaker 1>They held it out.

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<v Speaker 2>They gave away hospitality, they gave away income, they gave

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<v Speaker 2>away food, they gave away their time.

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<v Speaker 1>And energy and effort.

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<v Speaker 2>And I watched how joyful my parents were growing up

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<v Speaker 2>as generous people, and it taught me the value of

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<v Speaker 2>generosity in my life. Now, Paul gives us an example

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<v Speaker 2>of some churches in a portion of Greece. In ancient Greece,

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<v Speaker 2>one of the provinces in ancient Greece was called Macedonia.

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<v Speaker 2>Philip of Macedon was the original ruler. His son you

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<v Speaker 2>certainly heard of. His son was called Alexander the Great.

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<v Speaker 2>He was from Macedonia and Paul in his travels, the

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<v Speaker 2>apostle Paul started a number of churches in Macedonia. They're

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<v Speaker 2>in the Bible, and he writes a letter to them.

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<v Speaker 2>One is a church at the city called Philippi, and

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<v Speaker 2>we get the book Philippians.

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<v Speaker 1>And another one is he.

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<v Speaker 2>Writes a letter to the church at Thessalonika, another city

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<v Speaker 2>in Macedonia, and it's called Thessalonians. Corinth the letter he's

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<v Speaker 2>writing right here is a city in Greece. Now here's

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<v Speaker 2>the background of story.

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<v Speaker 1>The Christians in.

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<v Speaker 2>The church in Jerusalem in Israel were under severe financial suffering.

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<v Speaker 2>The church was under enormous stress, enormous pressure. They were

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<v Speaker 2>financially tied. It was extremely poor church in Jerusalem. So

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<v Speaker 2>Paul says to all the other churches, he says, let's

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<v Speaker 2>take up a special offering and give to support these

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<v Speaker 2>people in their financial crisis in Jerusalem. Well, all of

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<v Speaker 2>the churches of Macedonia.

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<v Speaker 1>Stepped right up.

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<v Speaker 2>They said, sure will help, and they gave generously, they

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<v Speaker 2>gave radically, they gave extremely. And Paul now is writing

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<v Speaker 2>to another church Corinthi, says, what about you guys, why

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<v Speaker 2>don't you do the same thing? And he uses the

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<v Speaker 2>churches of Macedonia as an example. And here's what he

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<v Speaker 2>says in verses one and two. He says, we want

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<v Speaker 2>you to know, talking to the Corinthians church, what God's

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<v Speaker 2>grace has been accomplished in the churches in Macedonia. They

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<v Speaker 2>have been severely tested by the troubles they went through.

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<v Speaker 2>But their joy was so great. They were extremely generous

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<v Speaker 2>in their giving to help this church in Jerusalem, even

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<v Speaker 2>though they themselves are desperately poor. Now, if you've got notes,

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<v Speaker 2>I want you to circle their joy was so great,

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<v Speaker 2>their joy was so great. And here's the first attitude

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<v Speaker 2>of radical generosity. Radical generosity is enjoyable. It is enjoyable.

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<v Speaker 2>We give out a joy. We don't give out a duty.

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<v Speaker 2>We don't give out of guilt. We don't give out

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<v Speaker 2>a pressure. We don't give out of a compulsion. We

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<v Speaker 2>don't give out of obligation.

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<v Speaker 1>We give out of joy. It is enjoyable. It says,

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<v Speaker 1>their joy was so great.

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<v Speaker 2>Now, I want you to look at that verse for

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<v Speaker 2>a minute and notice several things about these churches in Macedonia. First,

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<v Speaker 2>it wasn't a wealthy church. In fact, it says they

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<v Speaker 2>were desperately poor. Second, it said they had their own problems.

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<v Speaker 2>They were being severely tested. So this church needs help themselves,

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<v Speaker 2>and yet they're given to help somebody else.

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<v Speaker 1>They were severely tested. You know what was going on there.

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<v Speaker 1>I talked about it last week. Persecution.

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<v Speaker 2>This was during the time of the Roman Empire and Nero,

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<v Speaker 2>where if you were a Christian that meant you're a

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<v Speaker 2>Christian you die. That's what it meant, you die. You're

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<v Speaker 2>either going to be fed to the lions in the

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<v Speaker 2>Colosseum or you're going to be nailed to cross and

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<v Speaker 2>tarred and lit to lit with fire to illuminate the

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<v Speaker 2>Appian way, the Roman road. And so in those days,

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<v Speaker 2>if you are Christian, men, you follow Christ, you die.

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<v Speaker 2>So these churches are poor themselves and they're under intense persecution.

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<v Speaker 2>But notice it didn't stop them from giving. It said

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<v Speaker 2>they were extremely generous. What's extreme generosity, it's radical generosity.

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<v Speaker 2>They gay And then why did they give. They gave

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<v Speaker 2>out a joy, not out of duty your obligation. Now, friends, unbelievers,

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<v Speaker 2>just don't get this. You don't get it till you

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<v Speaker 2>have Christ in your life. You don't even understand it.

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<v Speaker 2>Why because giving out a compulsion is not true giving.

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<v Speaker 2>Just keep it. You don't get any credit for it

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<v Speaker 2>from God. So he's saying you give out of joy.

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<v Speaker 2>People don't understand that people actually give out of joy.

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<v Speaker 2>Now the Bible says this. Jesus said it. Look on

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<v Speaker 2>the screen. He said, there is more happiness in giving

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<v Speaker 2>than an receiving. Now, I have to admit, when I

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<v Speaker 2>was a kid, I thought that verse was a lie.

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<v Speaker 2>That just isn't true. It's a whole lot more fun

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<v Speaker 2>to get things than it is to give. That's just

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<v Speaker 2>not true. And I have to admit that when I

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<v Speaker 2>was immature as a child, Christmas was all about me.

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<v Speaker 2>What am I gonna get? What's under the tree for me?

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<v Speaker 2>That's okay if you're immature, what's in it for me?

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<v Speaker 2>But you know what, hopefully I've matured and today now

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<v Speaker 2>I'm a father and I'm a grandfather, and Christmas is

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<v Speaker 2>not at all about what I get. I don't even

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<v Speaker 2>care if I get anything. Christmas is about giving to

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<v Speaker 2>my kids and grandkids and the joy of watching them

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<v Speaker 2>open it. That's the joy I get. Now. I don't

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<v Speaker 2>get any joy about you know, getting a pair of socks.

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<v Speaker 2>So what you know, I mean, you know what I

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<v Speaker 2>get the joy out of is giving and watching the

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<v Speaker 2>kids and the grandkids open and enjoy that. The mark

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<v Speaker 2>of maury is when you switch and you begin to

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<v Speaker 2>understand that there really is more joy in giving.

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<v Speaker 1>Than in getting.

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<v Speaker 2>If I'm still enjoying only getting, it means I haven't

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<v Speaker 2>grown up yet. It means I'm still self centered. It's

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<v Speaker 2>not by accident. The word miser and miserable come from

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<v Speaker 2>the same word, that when you're miserly, you're gonna be miserable.

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<v Speaker 2>The happiest people in the world are givers in life.

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<v Speaker 2>The unhappiest people in the world aren't takers. All I

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<v Speaker 2>do is they take. They're self centered, they live, they

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<v Speaker 2>live for themselves. Radical generosity is enjoyable. The second thing,

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<v Speaker 2>second attitude of radical generosity is radical generosity is supernatural.

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<v Speaker 2>It's supernatural. And that's what we see in the next verse.

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<v Speaker 2>In verse three, Paul is talking about these poor people

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<v Speaker 2>in Macedonia who gave to help another poor church in Jerusalem.

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<v Speaker 2>He says, for I testify that they gave as much

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<v Speaker 2>as they were able, and even beyond their ability. How

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<v Speaker 2>do you give beyond your ability. That's supernatural giving. Natural

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<v Speaker 2>giving is to give what you're able. Supernatural giving is

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<v Speaker 2>to give beyond your ability.

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<v Speaker 1>And how do you do that? Well?

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<v Speaker 2>God, what I've learned is this, and I've been given

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<v Speaker 2>for now. I've been learning this act of generosity for

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<v Speaker 2>about thirty five years. What I've learned is that when

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<v Speaker 2>I figure out what I'm gonna give, God always shows

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<v Speaker 2>me how. A lot of times when I failink I need,

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<v Speaker 2>I not need. I want to give. I want to

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<v Speaker 2>give this amount, I go, I don't. I don't have

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<v Speaker 2>that money, where's that gonna come from? Or how we go?

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<v Speaker 2>We gotta pay that bill or this or that. And

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<v Speaker 2>when you say that, what happens is then God shows

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<v Speaker 2>you a way. When you figure out why you want

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<v Speaker 2>to give, God will always show you the how. He

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<v Speaker 2>will always make a way. Number three, Radical generosity is enthusiastic.

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<v Speaker 2>It's not out of guilt, as I said, it's not

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<v Speaker 2>out of drudgery, it's not out of a sorrow, it's

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<v Speaker 2>not out of home.

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<v Speaker 1>Man, I gotta do this. Radical generosity.

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<v Speaker 2>The kind that God says that's the only kind of

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<v Speaker 2>counts is the kind that's enthusiastic, and he says this

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<v Speaker 2>in the rest of verse three and verse four, talking

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<v Speaker 2>about the model he gives us of enjoyable, supernatural, enthusiastic giving,

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<v Speaker 2>he says, of their own free will, they begged us,

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<v Speaker 2>and they pleaded for the privilege of having a part

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<v Speaker 2>in helping God's people in Judea.

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<v Speaker 1>He's talking about Jerusalem.

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<v Speaker 2>Now, I want you to circle some words here on

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<v Speaker 2>that verse free will says of their own free will,

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<v Speaker 2>it says they begged, circle begged, they pleaded, circle, pleaded

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<v Speaker 2>for the privilege, circle, privilege to have a part.

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<v Speaker 1>What's he talking about here?

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<v Speaker 2>He's talking about people who were giving, not grudgingly, but

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<v Speaker 2>enthusiastically enthusiastically. The Bible tells us that to be enthusiastic

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<v Speaker 2>means to be in Theos. The enthusiasm comes from the

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<v Speaker 2>Greek word in Theost. Do you know what in Theost means?

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<v Speaker 1>In?

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<v Speaker 2>Is the word in in is in, and theos is

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<v Speaker 2>the word for God. To be in Theos means to

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<v Speaker 2>be in God. When you get in God, you will

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<v Speaker 2>be enthusiastic.

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<v Speaker 1>Number four.

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<v Speaker 2>The fourth thing, radical generosity is not just enjoyable, supernatural enthusiastic.

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<v Speaker 2>It is a spiritual habit. It is a spiritual habit.

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<v Speaker 2>It's not something we you know, we get all psyched

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<v Speaker 2>up to do, we have to motivate ourselves.

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<v Speaker 1>It's just a habit that we do.

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<v Speaker 2>In fact, the Bible says this in Second Corinthians eighty five.

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<v Speaker 1>They gave in a way they did not expect. We

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<v Speaker 1>did not expect.

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<v Speaker 2>They first gave themselves to the Lord and then to us,

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<v Speaker 2>And this is what God wants. And we actually teach

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<v Speaker 2>this habit of spiritual generosity in class two one spiritual maturity,

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<v Speaker 2>because it's a mark of maturity. And we call these

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<v Speaker 2>the one on one two one commitments. First they gave

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<v Speaker 2>themselves to the Lord, that's one oh one, and then

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<v Speaker 2>they gave themselves to us. That's church membership. They joined

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<v Speaker 2>the church family. Said, we're committing ourself to God. Then

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<v Speaker 2>we're committing ourself to a group of Christians. Have you

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<v Speaker 2>made those two commitments? He says, this is spiritual maturity.

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<v Speaker 1>It is a habit. What is that saying.

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<v Speaker 2>It's saying it's a spiritual habit of my life. Because

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<v Speaker 2>I am a mature believer. It's not something where I'm

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<v Speaker 2>waiting for a quiver in my liver. Oooh, I should

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<v Speaker 2>give you know, you know, I should be generous to

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<v Speaker 2>this person. I should listen to this person, I should

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<v Speaker 2>talk to this person. No, no, it's it's an attitude

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<v Speaker 2>of saying. It's a habit, and it's good for my heart.

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<v Speaker 2>Every time my heart, every time I give, my heart grows.

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<v Speaker 2>In fact, let me read your verse in verse nineteen.

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<v Speaker 2>Write this verse, Denni's not on your outline Sewod Corinthians

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<v Speaker 2>eight nineteen. It says this, your offering is a service

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<v Speaker 2>that glorifies the Lord and shows your eagerness to help.

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<v Speaker 2>He says, your offering is a service that glorifies the

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<v Speaker 2>Lord and shows your eagerness to help. And that is

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<v Speaker 2>exactly what you did. And you glorified God, and God

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<v Speaker 2>is smiling. It didn't matter what you gave. It was

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<v Speaker 2>the matter of which you gave. It was your heart,

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<v Speaker 2>it was your attitude, not the amount. And God is

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<v Speaker 2>pleased when we give enthusiastically and willingly and generously and

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<v Speaker 2>supernaturally as a habit of life.

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<v Speaker 3>Such a great message by Rick today and every day.

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<v Speaker 3>I sure hope you were just as encouraged as I was.

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<v Speaker 3>And now here's Rick with a special message.

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<v Speaker 1>Hi, everybody, this is Pastor Rick. I would like to

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<v Speaker 1>thank you.

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<v Speaker 2>Thank you for being a part of our Daily Hope family.

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<v Speaker 2>I don't get to say that often enough, but your

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<v Speaker 2>generosity is helping us share the hope of Jesus with

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<v Speaker 2>people here at home and literally all around the world,

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<v Speaker 2>even in places where it's difficult and even dangerous to

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<v Speaker 2>get the good news. You know, I recently heard from

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<v Speaker 2>a woman named Eunice in Cameroon. Cameroon is a country

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<v Speaker 2>in Central Africa, and she wrote to me. She said,

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<v Speaker 2>Pastor Rick, I lost both of my son, both my

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<v Speaker 2>son and my daughter in the war, and now I'm

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<v Speaker 2>raising four grandchildren on my own. I was overwhelmed with grief.

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<v Speaker 2>But then she says, but through the Daily Hope devotionals,

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<v Speaker 2>I have found strength and comfort and peace in God's word.

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<v Speaker 2>So thank you for helping me hold.

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<v Speaker 1>On to hope. Wow.

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<v Speaker 2>That's powerful. That's powerful, and that happened because your giving

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<v Speaker 2>is helping Eunus find the strength to carry on, to

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<v Speaker 2>raise her grandchildren, and to keep trusting God even through

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<v Speaker 2>the deep loss of her kids. Now, right now, I

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<v Speaker 2>wanted to tell you about this because we have a

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<v Speaker 2>special opportunity. There's some generous friends who have offered a

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<v Speaker 2>matching grant that will double your gift. That means whatever

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<v Speaker 2>you give today will go twice as far to reach

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<v Speaker 2>even more people with God's word.

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<v Speaker 1>So can I ask you a favor.

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<v Speaker 2>I want to encourage you and give your best gift

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<v Speaker 2>you can today. But together, let's keep bringing the hope

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<v Speaker 2>of Jesus Christ to people like unus. There are still

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<v Speaker 2>people who've never heard the name of Jesus. We want

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<v Speaker 2>to keep expanding to get the message to the whole world.

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<v Speaker 2>So help us out. Let me just close by saying

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<v Speaker 2>I love you, I do, I love you. I thank

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<v Speaker 2>God for you, and I am so grateful that we

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<v Speaker 2>are in this together. God bless you.

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<v Speaker 3>This matching grant is only available until midnight on December

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<v Speaker 3>thirty first, so please act now by going to Pastorick

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<v Speaker 3>dot com. That's Pastorick dot com, or you can just

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

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<v Speaker 3>That's the word hope to seven oh three oh nine,

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<v Speaker 3>and thank you so much for your support. Be sure

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<v Speaker 3>to join us next time as we look into God's

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<v Speaker 3>word for our daily hope. This program is sponsored by

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<v Speaker 3>Pastor Rick's daily hope and your generous financial support