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<v Speaker 1>Hey, everybody, we are so glad you're here with us today.

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<v Speaker 1>On Pastor Rick's Daily Hope, Rick Warren continues with an

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<v Speaker 1>inspiring news series called what does it Really Mean to

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<v Speaker 1>Follow Jesus Now. In this powerful teaching, Rick dives into

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<v Speaker 1>God's Word to explore how we grow spiritually represent Christ

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<v Speaker 1>in the world and find our place in God's family

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<v Speaker 1>through the church. It's a fresh look at discipleship, purpose

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<v Speaker 1>and the life changing power of spiritual community. All right,

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<v Speaker 1>and now here's part two of a message called we

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<v Speaker 1>are Ambassadors.

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<v Speaker 2>The Bible says this in Philippians chapter three. Here on

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<v Speaker 2>the screen, comparing believers and unbelievers, he says, all the

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<v Speaker 2>other people think about is life on earth. They're not

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<v Speaker 2>thinking about eternity. They're not thinking about what's after this.

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<v Speaker 2>They're just thinking about here and now. Get all you can, can,

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<v Speaker 2>all you get, sit on the can and all the rest.

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<v Speaker 2>You know, the one where the most toys wins. Now

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<v Speaker 2>the one with the most toys still dies. And your

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<v Speaker 2>valuable and your value is not have nothing to do,

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<v Speaker 2>and your self worth and your net worth have nothing

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<v Speaker 2>in common. Life is not about the acquisition of things.

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<v Speaker 2>So he says don't don't get caught up in the

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<v Speaker 2>thing that you think that life is all about things.

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<v Speaker 2>The greatest things in life aren't things, he says. Other

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<v Speaker 2>people they're always thinking about what life is like here

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<v Speaker 2>on earth. He said, you are citizens in heaven. We

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<v Speaker 2>are citizens of heaven, where the Lord Jesus Christ lives.

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<v Speaker 2>You know, I really have thought that sometimes we ought

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<v Speaker 2>to offer Christians green cards because our citizenship really is

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<v Speaker 2>in heaven. He says, That's where your home is. That's

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<v Speaker 2>that's God's family, and you're just here on earth. We

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<v Speaker 2>get a green card right now. You know, when I

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<v Speaker 2>was thinking about this message, I nearly brought my diplomatic passport.

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<v Speaker 2>I actually have the Nation of Ruan because I've been

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<v Speaker 2>there so many times, has given me a diplomatic passport,

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<v Speaker 2>which is really doesn't mean a whole lot except when

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<v Speaker 2>you're in New York, because it means that you cannot

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<v Speaker 2>get fined for parking violations. So that's a really good

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<v Speaker 2>thing because in New York, if you're within twenty five

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<v Speaker 2>miles of the United Nations, if you have diplomatic passport,

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<v Speaker 2>you have diplomatic immunity from all of parking violations. So

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<v Speaker 2>thank you God, you know, but it really is a

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<v Speaker 2>diplomatic passport. It's not that helpful. And other places hadn't

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<v Speaker 2>got any out of any bad message yet. But the

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<v Speaker 2>Bible says that life is a test, and life is

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<v Speaker 2>a trust, and life is a temporary assignment. And we're

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<v Speaker 2>in foreign culture and we've got a green card, and

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<v Speaker 2>this really isn't our ultimate home. We really our ultimate

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<v Speaker 2>home is in heaven. You're only going to be here

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<v Speaker 2>for eighty years. You're on temporary assignment. Now what am

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<v Speaker 2>I supposed to do while I'm here? Have you ever

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<v Speaker 2>thought about this? After you become a believer, after you

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<v Speaker 2>accept God's salvation, once your sins are forgiven, and you

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<v Speaker 2>know you're going to heaven, why didn't God just take

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<v Speaker 2>you on right then? Have you ever thought about that?

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<v Speaker 2>I mean, once you're saved, why didn't God just kill you? Yeah?

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<v Speaker 2>I mean, because ultimately you're going to heaven anyway, why

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<v Speaker 2>should He leave you here for another twenty thirty, forty

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<v Speaker 2>or however many years? It is with all its sins, suffering, sorrow, sadness, depression, despair, discouragement, problems,

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<v Speaker 2>you know, pressures and difficulties and trials and tribulations and tears,

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<v Speaker 2>And if you're going to go to a perfect place anyway,

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<v Speaker 2>why doesn't he just take you there the moment he

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<v Speaker 2>knows for sure you've accepted the invitation. Once you're in,

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<v Speaker 2>why does he leave you here on earth to be

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<v Speaker 2>an ambassador? That's why? To be an ambassador. You see,

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<v Speaker 2>there's only two things things you can't do in heaven.

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<v Speaker 2>You can have fun in heaven. You can sleep in heaven.

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<v Speaker 2>You can rest in heaven. You can fellowship with other

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<v Speaker 2>people in heaven. You can pray, you can worship, you

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<v Speaker 2>can be creative in heaven. You can eat in heaven,

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<v Speaker 2>and no calories. All right, there are only two things

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<v Speaker 2>you cannot do in heaven. One of them is sin

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<v Speaker 2>because it's a perfect place, and the other is be

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<v Speaker 2>an ambassador to unbelievers, tell people who don't know the

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<v Speaker 2>good news the good news. So there's two things you

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<v Speaker 2>can't do in heaven, sin and share your faith. Which

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<v Speaker 2>of those two do you think God leaves you here

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<v Speaker 2>to do? Hmm, let's just think about that one for

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<v Speaker 2>a minute. Why does he leave you here on earth?

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<v Speaker 2>He leaves you here to tell somebody else you're going

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<v Speaker 2>to go to heaven because somebody told you. Have you

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<v Speaker 2>been an ambassador to anybody else? Now, that's the role

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<v Speaker 2>of an ambassador. I'm a representative, and I am I'm

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<v Speaker 2>authorized to speak, and I've been given a mission to

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<v Speaker 2>tell the good news to other people. And I got

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<v Speaker 2>to remember that it's just a temporary assignment and this

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<v Speaker 2>really isn't ultimately my home. So what am I supposed

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<v Speaker 2>to do? Well? The Bible says three things. Let's look

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<v Speaker 2>at it. As an ambassador. You have three responsibilities here

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<v Speaker 2>on earth, and these are the things that God wants

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<v Speaker 2>you to do as an ambassador. Number one, I must

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<v Speaker 2>be an example. I must set an example for other people.

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<v Speaker 2>The first thing God wants you to do is help

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<v Speaker 2>other people know what God is like by being example

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<v Speaker 2>of his character qualities love, joy, peace, patience, gentleness, goodness, faithfulness, kindness, meekness,

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<v Speaker 2>self control. Now, the Bible says this in one Peter

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<v Speaker 2>Chapter two. People who do not believe are living all

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<v Speaker 2>around you. That's kind of obvious. People who do not

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<v Speaker 2>believe are living all around you, and they might say

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<v Speaker 2>you're doing wrong. So live such good lives that they'll

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<v Speaker 2>see the good things you do, and we'll give Glory

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<v Speaker 2>to God. What's he saying there? The first job of

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<v Speaker 2>an ambassador, whether it's of a country or of Jesus,

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<v Speaker 2>is you set a good example. You set a good example.

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<v Speaker 2>Every summer I take part of our team and we

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<v Speaker 2>tour one particular continent to see how the peace plan

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<v Speaker 2>is progressing with all of our churches and all of

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<v Speaker 2>our network in that particular area. A year ago in

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<v Speaker 2>the summertime, I took a team to Latin America and

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<v Speaker 2>we went to Colombia and to Brazil, and to Uruguay

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<v Speaker 2>and a bunch of different places. One of the places

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<v Speaker 2>we went to was Argentina. And while we were in Argentina,

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<v Speaker 2>we were in Buenos Aires, and the US embassy heard

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<v Speaker 2>that the team from Saddleback was in town, and they

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<v Speaker 2>asked us to come over and meet the ambassador who

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<v Speaker 2>wanted to meet our team. So we went over to

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<v Speaker 2>the embassy in Buenos Aires, and the guy was quite

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<v Speaker 2>a nice guy. He had been an ambassador to several

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<v Speaker 2>different countries in his lifetime and stationed at different missions,

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<v Speaker 2>and so I was asking about what it was like

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<v Speaker 2>to be an ambassador, and I said, what is the

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<v Speaker 2>most difficult part of being an ambassador. He said, the

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<v Speaker 2>fact is, you're never off duty. You're always being watched.

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<v Speaker 2>Everywhere I go, people look at me. And for many people,

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<v Speaker 2>I'm the only American they know, so they look at me.

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<v Speaker 2>And he said, if I had an eight hour job,

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<v Speaker 2>I can go home at night. And but he said,

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<v Speaker 2>if after work, I go out to a restaurant, people

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<v Speaker 2>are watching, say, isn't that the ambassador of the United States,

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<v Speaker 2>And they see if I'm cranky to the waitress, if

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<v Speaker 2>I'm an ugly American and I'm demanding and I'm grouchy,

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<v Speaker 2>or if I'm egotistical or act like a prima donna.

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<v Speaker 2>He said, We're always on, We're always being watched. We're

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<v Speaker 2>always representing our country. What if you lived your life

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<v Speaker 2>like that, that you realized that you're always on as

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<v Speaker 2>an ambassador of Jesus Christ, then no matter where you go,

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<v Speaker 2>you are the only Christians some people will ever know

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<v Speaker 2>that the people around you, you're the only Bible that

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<v Speaker 2>they will ever read. You are a living Bible, and

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<v Speaker 2>as a representative of Jesus Christ, as an ambassador of Jesus,

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<v Speaker 2>you're either a Bible or you're a libel. You either

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<v Speaker 2>make God look good, or you make God look bad.

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<v Speaker 2>And there's plenty of Christians who make God look bad?

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<v Speaker 2>Would you agree with that? And they say stupid things,

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<v Speaker 2>and they're dogmatic, and they're mean and they're cranky, and

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<v Speaker 2>that's not a good day. See, there are two reasons

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<v Speaker 2>why people don't know the Lord. One of them is

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<v Speaker 2>they've never met a Christian and the other is they

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<v Speaker 2>have and they say, if that's what a follower of

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<v Speaker 2>Jesus is, no, thanks God. And so you need to

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<v Speaker 2>realize that your life is to be an example in

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<v Speaker 2>everything you do. When my kids were growing up, particularly

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<v Speaker 2>in the teenage years, it used to bug them that

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<v Speaker 2>I greeted everybody no matter wherever we went. You know,

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<v Speaker 2>they said, Dad, do you always have to smile at everybody?

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<v Speaker 2>I mean, you're in the grocery store and you're talking

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<v Speaker 2>to people, and you're greeting people, and it doesn't matter

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<v Speaker 2>if we're at the theater or we're at a baseball game,

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<v Speaker 2>or you know, we're driving on the street, or you

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<v Speaker 2>smile at everybody. Dad, you have to always smile. I said,

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<v Speaker 2>I'm an ambassador. That's true. I'm an ambassador not because

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<v Speaker 2>I'm a pastor, but because I'm a follower of Jesus Christ,

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<v Speaker 2>and there are people out there in the community go

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<v Speaker 2>I know who that guy is, that's Rick, and they

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<v Speaker 2>want to know. Does his walk matches talk? Is he

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<v Speaker 2>two different ways? One way at church and another way

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<v Speaker 2>in the community. Is he genuinely kind to everybody? Is

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<v Speaker 2>he friendly? Is he compassionate? Is he merciful? Is he polite?

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<v Speaker 2>Does he take it into consideration other people's feelings. I

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<v Speaker 2>am an ambassador of Jesus Christ, and so are you.

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<v Speaker 2>And people are watching you all the time, so you

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<v Speaker 2>must set an example. So my question is how well

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<v Speaker 2>does your daily life represent Jesus? Can anybody tell from

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<v Speaker 2>your example what God is like? I mean, if they

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<v Speaker 2>look at you where they say, you know what, Jesus

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<v Speaker 2>must be very kind because that guy's kind or she's kind.

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<v Speaker 2>Jesus must be very patient because Jesus is in his

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<v Speaker 2>life and he's patient. Jesus must be very forgiving because

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<v Speaker 2>that guy doesn't hold it against you. He's forgiving. He

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<v Speaker 2>returns good for evil. What does your life say about

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<v Speaker 2>God to the people around you? You may not like it,

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<v Speaker 2>but if you claim to be a follower of Christ,

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<v Speaker 2>you are an ambassador you may be a lousy one

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<v Speaker 2>or you may be a good one. But you are

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<v Speaker 2>an ambassador. You represent Jesus in everything you do, whether

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<v Speaker 2>you like it or not. So the first thing is

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<v Speaker 2>I must set an example. Second responsibility of an ambassador,

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<v Speaker 2>I must share the message. I have a message that

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<v Speaker 2>God has given me, and he wants me to share

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<v Speaker 2>it with other people. That's interesting that in politics or

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<v Speaker 2>in diplomacy, ambassadors are often used in history to end wars.

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<v Speaker 2>Ambassadors are sent to negotiate the peace. Ambassadors are sent

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<v Speaker 2>to sign the treaties. Ambassadors are sent to bring a

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<v Speaker 2>reconciliation between warring entities and conflicting groups. And it's not

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<v Speaker 2>an accident that God shows that term to refer to you.

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<v Speaker 2>Where to help people make peace with God? Where to

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<v Speaker 2>help people reconcile their relationship to God? Where to help

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<v Speaker 2>people make their peace with Him? Now, God is very

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<v Speaker 2>clear about the message he expects you to share. So

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<v Speaker 2>let's read it. Two Corinthians five, verses seventeen to nineteen

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<v Speaker 2>says this, anybody, anyone who is joined to Christ becomes

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<v Speaker 2>a new person. The old is gone, says you know,

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<v Speaker 2>all your past is wiped out. Forgive and forgotten. You

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<v Speaker 2>get a clear conscience, he says. You get a chance

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<v Speaker 2>to start over. And most of the world is hungry

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<v Speaker 2>for that. They want to know, how do I get

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<v Speaker 2>rid of guilt? How do I get rid of shame?

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<v Speaker 2>How do I get rid of regrets? He says. Anybody

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<v Speaker 2>who is joined to Christ becomes a new person. You

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<v Speaker 2>get a fresh start in life. It's like being born

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<v Speaker 2>a second time. In fact, the Bible calls it being

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<v Speaker 2>born again. It's like getting a fresh start. All this

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<v Speaker 2>is done by God. In other words, you don't do it,

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<v Speaker 2>who through Christ changed us from enemies into his friends

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<v Speaker 2>and gave us the task of making others his friends. Also,

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<v Speaker 2>that's our task as ambassadors, to make others the friends

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<v Speaker 2>of God. Our message, here's the message, is that God

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<v Speaker 2>was making all human beings as friends through Christ. That's

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<v Speaker 2>why I sent Jesus. God did not keep an account

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<v Speaker 2>of their sins. You forgave it all, and He's given

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<v Speaker 2>us the message which tells how he makes them his friends.

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<v Speaker 2>If this passage just fill with spiritual truth, so let

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<v Speaker 2>me point out a couple things. Number one, the first

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<v Speaker 2>part of our message is this Jesus offers everybody a

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<v Speaker 2>new life, so that anybody's joined the Christ becomes a

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<v Speaker 2>new person. This is the message of regeneration, the message

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<v Speaker 2>of a new birth, or message of you get a

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<v Speaker 2>brand new life. Would you like a chance to start over?

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<v Speaker 2>Ever been halfway through painting a room? He said, wish

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<v Speaker 2>I could start over, halfway climbing up a mountain. Wish

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<v Speaker 2>I could start over? Halfway through life? Go wish I

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<v Speaker 2>could start over? God says, you can. I'll give you

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<v Speaker 2>a brand new life. Jesus offers everybody a new life.

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<v Speaker 2>Second part of our message is Jesus ends our war

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<v Speaker 2>with God. Did you know that you're at war with

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<v Speaker 2>God until you make peace with him? Where's the war?

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<v Speaker 2>The war is the conflict in your soul on who's

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<v Speaker 2>going to be God? You? God? And the Bible says

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<v Speaker 2>every human being and all of humanity is in rebellion

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<v Speaker 2>against God because I want to be God. I don't

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<v Speaker 2>want God running my life. I want to run my life.

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<v Speaker 2>I want to make my decisions. I don't want God

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<v Speaker 2>telling me what to do. I want to do what

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<v Speaker 2>I want to do. That is the attitude that got

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<v Speaker 2>Satan kicked out of heaven. It's pride, the middle letter

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<v Speaker 2>of pride is I, and the middle letter of sin

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<v Speaker 2>is I. And he's saying, it is I that causes

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<v Speaker 2>my problems, and that rebellion against God puts me at

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<v Speaker 2>war with God. You may not realize it, but you're

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<v Speaker 2>at war with God until you accept what Christ has

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<v Speaker 2>done for you. And that conflict causes all of the

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<v Speaker 2>problems in your life. This unknown stress, the subconscious pressure,

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<v Speaker 2>the guilt, the fear, the anxiety, all those different things

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<v Speaker 2>come from being out of whack with your creator. And

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<v Speaker 2>so he says, we're at war with God. But God

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<v Speaker 2>says God wants us, says as friends. That's the message

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<v Speaker 2>of reconciliation. And then he says the third thing here,

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<v Speaker 2>all of our war crimes have been forgiven. God just

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<v Speaker 2>wipes him out. That's salvation. How does God do this.

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<v Speaker 2>He does it through Jesus, and he does it out

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<v Speaker 2>of love. Look of the next couple verses. God was

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<v Speaker 2>in Christ making peace between the world and himself. That's

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<v Speaker 2>what Jesus died for. In Christ, God did not hold

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<v Speaker 2>the world guilty of its sin. That's good news. And

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<v Speaker 2>he gave us this message of peace, which is, by

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<v Speaker 2>the way, why we call it the Peace Plan. Saddleback's

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<v Speaker 2>you know initiative all around the world, which we call

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<v Speaker 2>the Peace Plan, is based on this verse. And the

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<v Speaker 2>pea in peace stands for plant churches and promote reconciliation.

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<v Speaker 2>Why God has said, we have a message of reconciliation.

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<v Speaker 2>We have a message of peace. We have a message

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<v Speaker 2>that says the warring parties are being brought together. God

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<v Speaker 2>did not hold the world guilty of its sin, and

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<v Speaker 2>he gave us the message of peace. So we have

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<v Speaker 2>been sent to speak for Christ. It is as if

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<v Speaker 2>God is calling to you through us. We speak for Christ,

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<v Speaker 2>be talking about every believer when we beg you to

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<v Speaker 2>be at peace with God. Christ had no sin, but

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<v Speaker 2>God made him become sin so that in Christ we

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<v Speaker 2>could become right with God. In other words, God took

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<v Speaker 2>all of our badness. God took it out of us

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<v Speaker 2>and poured it on Christ. And he took of all

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<v Speaker 2>of good God's good, Christ's goodness and poured it into us.

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<v Speaker 2>And he said that made the peace. And we are

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<v Speaker 2>workers together with God. Now, once you circle the phrase

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<v Speaker 2>we've been sent to speak for Christ. That's the second

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<v Speaker 2>thing we do as ambassadors. We share the message. Anybody

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<v Speaker 2>bought a car in the last two or three years,

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<v Speaker 2>because see your hands. Okay, everybody's bought a car a

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<v Speaker 2>probably some point. Do you know this game that they

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<v Speaker 2>play where you go to like a car dealership and

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<v Speaker 2>you find the car you want, and the young you know,

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<v Speaker 2>salesman is there, and then they take you inside and

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<v Speaker 2>you sit down in the showroom and you start the

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<v Speaker 2>deal and how much you're going to give me for

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<v Speaker 2>my car and how much you're going to cut off

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<v Speaker 2>the price of that car, and you think you got

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<v Speaker 2>a deal, and all of a sudden, the salesman goes,

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<v Speaker 2>excuse me, I have to go check with the manager,

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<v Speaker 2>you know I'm talking about. And they play this game

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<v Speaker 2>and it's good cop, Bad cop. I really want to

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<v Speaker 2>give it to you like this, but I got to

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<v Speaker 2>go check with the manager. So they go back into

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<v Speaker 2>the inner sanctum where you can't go, and they're there

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<v Speaker 2>for a little bit, and they wait along for a while,

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<v Speaker 2>you know, And then they come back out and say, well,

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<v Speaker 2>you know, I'm sorry, but my manager won't let me

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<v Speaker 2>give this. We're all good. Well, then I'm going to

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<v Speaker 2>go and win it. You're not authorized to close the deal.

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<v Speaker 2>Then I don't want to talk to you. I want

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<v Speaker 2>to talk to the manager because I don't want to

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<v Speaker 2>play this game of good cop bad cop of I'd

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<v Speaker 2>really like to help you, but the bad guy won't

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<v Speaker 2>let me. So let me just talk to the manager.

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<v Speaker 2>And and this this little game of give and take.

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<v Speaker 2>There means that I say, if you're not authorized to

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<v Speaker 2>close the deal, why am I talking to you? Let

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<v Speaker 2>me talk to the guys is authorized to close the deal.

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<v Speaker 2>Here's the amazing thing when it comes to offering the

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<v Speaker 2>deal of salvation. You you, you are authorized to close

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<v Speaker 2>the deal. You don't have to go to the manager

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<v Speaker 2>in the back office. You you can say to anybody,

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<v Speaker 2>I'm an ambassador of Jesus Christ and i am a

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<v Speaker 2>plury potent potentiary, which means I'm authorized to make the

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<v Speaker 2>offer in Jesus' name. And I don't have to go

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<v Speaker 2>check with anybody else. And here's the offer. All your

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<v Speaker 2>sins and your past can be forgiven. You get a

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<v Speaker 2>purpose for living, You get a home in heaven, and

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<v Speaker 2>God promises to take care of your life here on

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<v Speaker 2>earth until he takes you home to heaven. If you

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<v Speaker 2>put your trust in faith in Jesus Christ, that's the deal.

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<v Speaker 2>And you don't have to go check with anybody else.

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<v Speaker 2>You are the ambassador. God has authorized every one of

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<v Speaker 2>his children to speak on his behalf and to make

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<v Speaker 2>that offer, and to not have to go say, well,

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<v Speaker 2>let me go get my priest's opinion, or let me

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<v Speaker 2>go get my pastor's opinion, let me go get somebody

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<v Speaker 2>else's authority. No. No, you have been given the authority

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<v Speaker 2>to close the deal, to make the offer of the

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<v Speaker 2>message of peace to anybody out there. Would you like

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<v Speaker 2>to have your sins forgiven? I can offer that to

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<v Speaker 2>you to Jesus Christ. Would you like to have a

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<v Speaker 2>home in heaven. I can offer that to you in

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<v Speaker 2>Jesus Christ. And I don't have to check with anybody

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<v Speaker 2>else because you are an ambassador. Wow.

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<v Speaker 1>Some powerful words from Pastor Rick. And now this really

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<v Speaker 1>is one of my favorite parts of the broadcast. Letters

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<v Speaker 1>from our listeners.

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<v Speaker 2>Here's Rick. Hi, everybody today, I want to share a

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<v Speaker 2>note that we receive from Darren. He wrote me. He

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<v Speaker 2>calls daily Hope his morning cup of God because it

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<v Speaker 2>helps him stay focused on God throughout the day. Darren

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<v Speaker 2>wrote me this, he said, Pastor Rick, I thank God

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<v Speaker 2>for daily Hope. I support daily hope because Christ Hope

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<v Speaker 2>is for me and in me, and I support it

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<v Speaker 2>because it sends Christ's message to people all over the world.

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<v Speaker 2>He wrote, you know, I've dealt with my share of

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<v Speaker 2>demons in my life. I've had cancer, huge financial losses, addictions,

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<v Speaker 2>permanent disability, chronic pain, and depression. But Daily Hope gets

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<v Speaker 2>me going in the morning. It's a cup of coffee

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<v Speaker 2>for me. But if I haven't had my cup of

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<v Speaker 2>God in the morning, then I feel like I'm less

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<v Speaker 2>able to pass on the good news to others. So

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<v Speaker 2>thank you, Pastor Rick. You know, daily Hope helps people

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<v Speaker 2>like Darren get their lives back on track because it

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<v Speaker 2>connects them not just with God, but with God's Word.

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<v Speaker 2>And it is so important for each of us to

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<v Speaker 2>spend time with God and in God's Word every day.

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<v Speaker 2>So I want to encourage every one of you to

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<v Speaker 2>make a daily habit of opening the Bible. Sit down

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<v Speaker 2>and open the Bible. You may open it on a

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<v Speaker 2>iPad or on your phone, but open the Bible to

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<v Speaker 2>see what God says about how we're meant to live.

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<v Speaker 2>God bless you everybody.

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<v Speaker 1>To sign up for Rick's free daily devotional, go to

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<v Speaker 1>Pastorick dot com. That's pastorick dot com. Be sure to

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<v Speaker 1>join us next time as we look into God's word

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<v Speaker 1>for our daily hope. This program is sponsored by Pastor

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<v Speaker 1>Rick's Daily Hope and your generous financial support.