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

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<v Speaker 1>I'm really glad you're here today. We're continuing our series

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<v Speaker 1>from Psalm twenty three called living in the Goodness of God.

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<v Speaker 1>It's all about how God's goodness meets you right where

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<v Speaker 1>you are and brings hope even in difficult seasons. And

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<v Speaker 1>now here's part one of a message called how to

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<v Speaker 1>be led by God's Spirit.

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<v Speaker 2>You know, life is a series of choices. We make

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<v Speaker 2>our choices and then they make us. We make our decisions,

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<v Speaker 2>and if we make good decisions, we become successful. If

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<v Speaker 2>we make bad decisions, then you know we're not. And

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<v Speaker 2>every decision has a consequence. And the potential for error

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<v Speaker 2>is great because obviously we're human beings.

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<v Speaker 3>We're imperfect.

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<v Speaker 2>Some of you today are struggling with some kind of

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<v Speaker 2>difficult decision about where do I move, what job do

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<v Speaker 2>I take? Do I get married? Do I stay in

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<v Speaker 2>this marriage? All of these differ. Where do we put

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<v Speaker 2>our kids in school? And Indecision is one of the

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<v Speaker 2>greatest sources of stress in your life. And yet your

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<v Speaker 2>heavenly Father doesn't want you to be stressed out by

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<v Speaker 2>your decisions. But when you have this tension in you.

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<v Speaker 2>Do I hold on or do I let go? Do

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<v Speaker 2>I keep on doing what I'm doing?

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<v Speaker 3>All right? Try something else? Do I move on? Do

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<v Speaker 3>I get married?

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<v Speaker 2>The Bible tells us in the Book of James that

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<v Speaker 2>a double minded man is unstable in all his ways,

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<v Speaker 2>and that word unstable actually in Greek means staggering like

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<v Speaker 2>a drunk. That's literally what it means that when you're

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<v Speaker 2>pulled in different directions by a decision because you just

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<v Speaker 2>can't figure out which way to go, it creates enormous

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<v Speaker 2>tension in your life. And then even after a lot

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<v Speaker 2>of times you've made a decision, you start guessing, second

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<v Speaker 2>guessing yourself, did I make the right decision? And then

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<v Speaker 2>you just prolong the pain. Now what is the antidote? Well,

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<v Speaker 2>the end to dote is to let God guide you.

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<v Speaker 2>And we're going to look at that as we come

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<v Speaker 2>to our fifth message in this series on living in

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<v Speaker 2>the Goodness of God, where we're going verse by verse tough,

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<v Speaker 2>Psalm twenty three. And the Bible tells us that life

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<v Speaker 2>is a journey and that God has given us a

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<v Speaker 2>road map. It's this book, the Bible, this is our

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<v Speaker 2>roadmap for life.

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<v Speaker 3>That God has given.

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<v Speaker 2>Us a compass, that's our conscience that keeps us headed

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<v Speaker 2>in the right direction if we listen to it. And

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<v Speaker 2>that God has even given us a personal guidance counselor,

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<v Speaker 2>and he is the Holy Spirit. And a personal guide

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<v Speaker 2>is even the best thing all that's better than a map.

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<v Speaker 2>If you have a guide taking you through a city

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<v Speaker 2>you've never been in, that's a whole lot better than

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<v Speaker 2>you trying to figure it out on a map.

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<v Speaker 3>Or with a compass.

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<v Speaker 2>Now, the Bible tells us that God wants to lead

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<v Speaker 2>us in the paths of righteousness. That means the right paths.

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<v Speaker 2>God done wants you to mess up your life. What

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<v Speaker 2>we're talking about in this message is am I going

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<v Speaker 2>to waste my life? Am I going to spend my life?

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<v Speaker 2>Or am I going to invest my life? I don't

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<v Speaker 2>want you to waste your life. And part of that

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<v Speaker 2>means making right decisions. How do you get on the

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<v Speaker 2>right path? How do the Bible says he leads me

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<v Speaker 2>in the paths of righteousness. That means a modern translation,

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<v Speaker 2>he keeps me on track. God wants to keep you

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<v Speaker 2>on track in your life.

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<v Speaker 3>Now.

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<v Speaker 2>I know some of you say, Rick, this just doesn't

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<v Speaker 2>work for me. I've tried to let God lead my life.

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<v Speaker 2>I don't get it. How do you let God lead? Well,

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<v Speaker 2>that's what we're going to look at this weekend, because

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<v Speaker 2>there's some things you need to start doing. There's some

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<v Speaker 2>things you need to stop doing in order to let

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<v Speaker 2>God lead your life. But really the question comes down

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<v Speaker 2>to why is it so difficult to figure out what

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<v Speaker 2>God wants me to do with my life?

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<v Speaker 3>Why?

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<v Speaker 2>Why is God's will? Often it seems hidden? Is God

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<v Speaker 2>playing games with me? Is God playing cat and mouse?

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<v Speaker 2>Is he? Is he playing hide and seek? Does God

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<v Speaker 2>enjoy confusing me? Of course not, of course not. The

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<v Speaker 2>real issue is we often look for the wrong thing

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<v Speaker 2>from God. Now we are in this series of Psalm

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<v Speaker 2>twenty three, and I told you we're gonna memorize over

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<v Speaker 2>ten weeks these six verses together. Now many of you

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<v Speaker 2>memorize us as a kid, And if you memorize it

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<v Speaker 2>in the King James version, it's okay for you to

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<v Speaker 2>say THEE and thou and all at Elizabethan English. It's

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<v Speaker 2>just four hundred years old, But it's okay as long

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<v Speaker 2>as you memorize this important verse.

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<v Speaker 3>Now, I told you a couple of weeks ago.

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<v Speaker 2>This is the most quoted passage in funerals, Psalm twenty three.

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<v Speaker 3>But it's not even about death. There's only one line

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<v Speaker 3>in it.

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<v Speaker 2>Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow

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<v Speaker 2>of death, I will fear no evil, for thou art

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<v Speaker 2>with me, You are with me. This verse is not

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<v Speaker 2>This chapter is not really about death. It's the most

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<v Speaker 2>famous psalm quoted at death, but it's not about death.

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<v Speaker 2>It's really about how God wants to guide you and

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<v Speaker 2>leads you all the way through your life.

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<v Speaker 3>Now.

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<v Speaker 2>Because God is a good God, and that's what we're

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<v Speaker 2>looking at. God has good plans for your life, not

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<v Speaker 2>bad plans, and God wants you to understand those plans.

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<v Speaker 2>And because he's good, he has promised to guide. The

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<v Speaker 2>good Shepherd doesn't just feed us, he leads us. He

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<v Speaker 2>doesn't just correct us. He directs us. He guides us.

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<v Speaker 3>And so this is.

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<v Speaker 2>Part of leading, feeding and meeting our needs, which is

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<v Speaker 2>what the good Shepherd does. Now look at the top

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<v Speaker 2>of your outline, and we're going to start with now

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<v Speaker 2>the first three verses. So let's read it together. The

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<v Speaker 2>Lord is my shepherd. I have everything I need. He

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<v Speaker 2>makes me lie down in green pastures. He leaves me

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<v Speaker 2>besides still waters. He restores my soul. Now here's the

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<v Speaker 2>verse we're gonna look at this weekend.

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<v Speaker 3>Read it with me.

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<v Speaker 2>He leaves me in the right path for his Name's sake.

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<v Speaker 2>As I said, because God is a good God, he

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<v Speaker 2>promises to guide us. We're not left out on our

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<v Speaker 2>loan on our own. God says, I'm gonna give you

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<v Speaker 2>my guidance. In fact, listen, if you've never felt guided

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<v Speaker 2>by God, that's a problem because one of the proofs

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<v Speaker 2>are one of the evidences that you do have a

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<v Speaker 2>relationship with God, that you're in his family, is he

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<v Speaker 2>guides you. Look at this next verse there on your outline,

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<v Speaker 2>Romans eight, verse fourteen. Only those people who are led

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<v Speaker 2>by God's spirit are God's children. Uh oh, let me

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<v Speaker 2>read it again. Only those people who are led by

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<v Speaker 2>God's spirit are God's children. So it is absolutely vitally

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<v Speaker 2>important that you learn what we're going to talk about

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<v Speaker 2>this weekend on how do I get guidance from God?

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<v Speaker 2>Or how do I be led by God's spirit? Only

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<v Speaker 2>those people who were led by God's spirit, circle that

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<v Speaker 2>led by God's spirit are God's children. So you can

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<v Speaker 2>see the importance of this. On Friday, I took a

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<v Speaker 2>couple guys from our staff and we just did a

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<v Speaker 2>little day hike. It was such a beautiful day after

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<v Speaker 2>all the rain we've been having, and I noticed it

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<v Speaker 2>was we were taking this hike that a hike, or

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<v Speaker 2>a journey or a walk is a composition of both

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<v Speaker 2>starts and stops. And when you're on a journey, you're

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<v Speaker 2>not always walking. You stop, you slow down, you look

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<v Speaker 2>at things, you might pause. And there's some things on

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<v Speaker 2>a journey of life you have to stop doing, and

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<v Speaker 2>there's some things you have to start doing. Life is

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<v Speaker 2>composed of starts and stops. And what I want to

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<v Speaker 2>do is take that little metaphor today and talk to

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<v Speaker 2>you about how do you hear God speak to you?

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<v Speaker 2>How do you learn to get God's will in your life?

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<v Speaker 2>How do you get God's guidance whether it's a business

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<v Speaker 2>decision or a relational decision, or a financial or health decision.

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<v Speaker 2>How do I get God's guidance in my life? How

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<v Speaker 2>do I be led by God's spirit? Well, there are

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<v Speaker 2>some things you need to stop doing in order to

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<v Speaker 2>do that, and there's some things you need to start doing.

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<v Speaker 3>So, let's begin with the negative.

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<v Speaker 2>This may not be comfortable, but it's necessary if I

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<v Speaker 2>really want to be led by the spirit of God. Okay,

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<v Speaker 2>so you might write these down. Number one, he's a

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<v Speaker 2>right from God's word. If I want to be led

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<v Speaker 2>by God's spirit. First, I can't follow a culture that

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<v Speaker 2>doesn't follow God. I can't follow a culture that doesn't

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<v Speaker 2>follow God if I'm trying to follow God, if I'm

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<v Speaker 2>trying to be led.

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<v Speaker 3>By the spirit. So I've got to stop that. I can't.

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<v Speaker 2>You can't run in two directions at the same time.

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<v Speaker 2>You can't chase two rabbits at the same time. You

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<v Speaker 2>can't serve God and money. You can't serve God and

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<v Speaker 2>anything else. You got to decide what's number one in

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<v Speaker 2>your life. You can only have one number one. In

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<v Speaker 2>Exodus twenty three, Verse two, the Bible says, do not

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<v Speaker 2>follow the crowd in doing wrong. Now, that's important verse today,

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<v Speaker 2>because the whole idea is if everybody else is doing it, it.

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<v Speaker 3>Must be okay, if it's legal, it must be moral.

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<v Speaker 2>Not necessarily, if everybody else is doing it, then I

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<v Speaker 2>should do it. You can't follow a culture that doesn't

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<v Speaker 2>follow God. If you want to be led by the

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<v Speaker 2>Holy Spirit. Do not follow the crowd and doing wrong.

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<v Speaker 2>You know, most people make decisions in their life according

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<v Speaker 2>to what is acceptable, and I just want to fit in.

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<v Speaker 2>And if they're doing it, then I'm going to do it.

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<v Speaker 2>And if they're not doing it, I'm not going to

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<v Speaker 2>do it because I don't want to stick out. I

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<v Speaker 2>don't all standout. You don't want to rock the boat

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<v Speaker 2>when in Rome, you know, do as the Romans. And

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<v Speaker 2>you know, there are magazines that put out what's in

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<v Speaker 2>and what's out, to tell you this is now out,

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<v Speaker 2>stop doing that, this is now in, start doing that,

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<v Speaker 2>wear this, don't wear that, say this, don't say that.

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<v Speaker 2>And there are great pressures to make you conform to

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<v Speaker 2>our culture. You cannot conform to our culture and be

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<v Speaker 2>just like everybody else and be led by the Holy Spirit,

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<v Speaker 2>because he's going in a different direction. This problem was

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<v Speaker 2>Israel's biggest problem for two thousand and three thousand and

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<v Speaker 2>four thousand years in the Bible, they kept trying to

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<v Speaker 2>want to be like every other nation. God said no, no,

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<v Speaker 2>you're supposed to be different. I don't want you doing that.

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<v Speaker 2>He gave them all kinds of moral laws, and civil laws,

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<v Speaker 2>and you know, ceremonial laws. And he said, this is

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<v Speaker 2>going to just make you different from everybody else. And

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<v Speaker 2>it's intentional. God said, because you're my people, I want

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<v Speaker 2>you to be different. And so don't copy what everybody

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<v Speaker 2>else is doing, what other cultures are doing, what other

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<v Speaker 2>people are doing. Today, many believers except many of the

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<v Speaker 2>standards simply because they're politically correct, culturally correct, they're what

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<v Speaker 2>everybody else is doing. Here's what the Bible says, Romans twelve,

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<v Speaker 2>verse two, do not copy the behavior or values of

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<v Speaker 2>this world. Instead, let God transform you. That means you're

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<v Speaker 2>gonna be different into a new person by changing.

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<v Speaker 3>The way you think. So you're not gonna think like

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<v Speaker 3>everybody else does.

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<v Speaker 2>Then you will know. Notice, then you will know what

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<v Speaker 2>God wants you to do. Now let me pause right here.

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<v Speaker 2>The reason you don't know what God wants you to

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<v Speaker 2>do is because you're too inculturated with this culture and

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<v Speaker 2>you can't think like the world and think like God thinks.

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<v Speaker 3>And so you have to decide a life.

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<v Speaker 2>Do I want to be popular with the world, or

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<v Speaker 2>do I really want to do what God put me

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<v Speaker 2>on this earth to do. Do I want to be

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<v Speaker 2>who He made me to be, not try to be

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<v Speaker 2>poor carbon copy of somebody else. Don't copy the behaviors

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<v Speaker 2>or values of this world. Let God transform you into

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<v Speaker 2>a new person how by changing the way you think.

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<v Speaker 2>Then he says, then you'll know. You want to know

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<v Speaker 2>God's will. Then you'll know what God wants you to do,

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<v Speaker 2>and you will know how good and pleasing and perfect

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<v Speaker 2>his will really is. I want you to circle those

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<v Speaker 2>three where its good, pleasing, and perfect. God's will for

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<v Speaker 2>your life is good.

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<v Speaker 3>It's not bad.

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<v Speaker 2>God has good plans for your life, not bad plans.

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<v Speaker 2>God's will for your life is good. It's pleasing. That

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<v Speaker 2>means it's enjoyable. It's not a not a bad deal.

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<v Speaker 2>It's not painful, can't involve pain. But it's good, it's pleasing,

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<v Speaker 2>and it's perfect. That's what God's will for your life

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<v Speaker 2>really is.

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<v Speaker 3>You see.

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<v Speaker 2>One of the weaknesses of following culture is it's all temporary.

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<v Speaker 2>Whatever is in style now next year is going to

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<v Speaker 2>be what yeah, out of style. So nothing is as

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<v Speaker 2>worthless as yesterday's fashion unless you hold onto it for

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<v Speaker 2>thirty years. And then what goes around comes back and

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<v Speaker 2>ties get wide and narrow and wideness, hymn lines go

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<v Speaker 2>up and down and all of that. But the Bible

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<v Speaker 2>tells us in One John two seventeen, the world and

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<v Speaker 2>all of its desires passes away, but the person who

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<v Speaker 2>does the will of God shall live forever. Really, you

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<v Speaker 2>don't want to care about whether I'm fitting in with

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<v Speaker 2>culture or not. People tell you, well, you're on the

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<v Speaker 2>wrong side of history. For you, it's not important on

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<v Speaker 2>whether you're on the right side of history or the

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<v Speaker 2>wrong side of history. It's important that you just be

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<v Speaker 2>on the right side because history is often wrong. You

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<v Speaker 2>ever heard anything called Nazism, communism, so many other History

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<v Speaker 2>is often wrong. It's not important to be on the

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<v Speaker 2>right side of history. It's important to be on the

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<v Speaker 2>right side. And if you're going to let God guide

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<v Speaker 2>you can't say, well, I'm gonna try to let culture

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<v Speaker 2>guide me what I do think can be and I'm

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<v Speaker 2>gonna let God do that too. It doesn't work that way.

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<v Speaker 2>Now let's get a little more personal. That was pretty easy.

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<v Speaker 2>This is getting a meddling in your life. Now, if

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<v Speaker 2>I want to be led by God's spirit, I can't

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<v Speaker 2>follow friends who aren't led by God. If my friends

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<v Speaker 2>are going the exact opposite direction that God is going.

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<v Speaker 2>I have to make a choice. Am I gonna go

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<v Speaker 2>to the direction my friends are going, or am I

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<v Speaker 2>gonna go the direction of God. It's one thing to say, well,

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<v Speaker 2>you know, I'm going to be counterculture, but it's another

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<v Speaker 2>thing to say, I'm not gonna let my friends influence me.

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<v Speaker 2>You got to stop letting your friends set the agenda

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<v Speaker 2>of your life. One of the reasons you don't hear

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<v Speaker 2>God's will is because you're always hearing what their will is.

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<v Speaker 2>Let's do this, Let's do that, Let's drink this, let's

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<v Speaker 2>eat that, Let's go here, let's talk like this, Let's

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<v Speaker 2>watch this TV show. There's some shows you just shouldn't watch,

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<v Speaker 2>doesn't matter if they're the most popular shows on TV.

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<v Speaker 2>You're filling your mind with garbage. We all worry about

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<v Speaker 2>air pollution, water pollution. Have you ever worried about mind pollution?

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<v Speaker 3>Some people are so open.

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<v Speaker 2>Minded their brains fall out, and you're just letting the

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<v Speaker 2>freeway go through your mind of all kinds. None of

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<v Speaker 2>that stuff's forgotten. That's why you've had some of those

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<v Speaker 2>weird dreams over the years. It's all everything you've seen,

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<v Speaker 2>every rape every murder, every violent act, every cuss word,

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<v Speaker 2>it's all in there.

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<v Speaker 3>It's all there.

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<v Speaker 2>I can't follow friends who aren't led by God. Why

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<v Speaker 2>am I making a big deal about this Because one

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<v Speaker 2>of the things that causes people to miss God's will

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<v Speaker 2>for their life, God's plan, God's perfect, good and pleasing

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<v Speaker 2>plant is pure pressure. You can get it in school.

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<v Speaker 2>You all know what that was like in school when

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<v Speaker 2>you felt pressured by kids in your class. But you

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<v Speaker 2>also get it at work. There's a lot of peer

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<v Speaker 2>pressure today, and you have to say, am I going

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<v Speaker 2>to listen to my friends, my co workers, my teammates,

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<v Speaker 2>or am I going to listen to what God says?

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<v Speaker 3>First?

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<v Speaker 2>John three seven says this, do not let anyone that

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<v Speaker 2>includes friends leads you in the wrong way.

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<v Speaker 3>Christ is righteous.

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<v Speaker 2>That means he does what's right, so be like So

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<v Speaker 2>to be like Christ, you must do what is right,

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<v Speaker 2>not what's necessarily popular. And anyone who keeps on sinning

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<v Speaker 2>is being led by the devil. So if I've got

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<v Speaker 2>a friend who is habitually sinning, I mean they're having

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<v Speaker 2>one affair after another there and they're bragging about it

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<v Speaker 2>at work, and I'm you know, I'm listening to them.

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<v Speaker 2>I'm then I'm just following them. Who are they following

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<v Speaker 2>the devil? The devil, he says, don't let anybody leads

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<v Speaker 2>you in the wrong direction.

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<v Speaker 3>What do you do?

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<v Speaker 2>You got to be tender without surrender. Now, there's a

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<v Speaker 2>lot of bad advice floating around the world.

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<v Speaker 3>Everybody agree with that?

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<v Speaker 2>Well, I mean, anybody could be a blogger today.

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<v Speaker 3>Anybody can write a column today. I'm not making this up.

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<v Speaker 2>Yesterday read an article called why everybody should have an affair.

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<v Speaker 2>Oh that's the best advice I've ever heard, right there, boy,

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<v Speaker 2>that's let me just tell you how much destructiveness that

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<v Speaker 2>creates in the lives of kids. Let me talk to

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<v Speaker 2>the men for just a minute here, Guys, you know

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<v Speaker 2>what's the number one need that you have. You may

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<v Speaker 2>have never even noticed it. If you're a daddy, if

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<v Speaker 2>your a husband and a dad, one of the biggest

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<v Speaker 2>needs you have in your life is you want your

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<v Speaker 2>grown adult children to respect you. I don't know a

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<v Speaker 2>man who doesn't want that. You want your grown adult

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<v Speaker 2>children to respect you. That should have a hamper on

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<v Speaker 2>the decision you make now.

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<v Speaker 3>And a lot of others. Notice how quiet it got

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<v Speaker 3>when I said that.

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<v Speaker 2>I had every attention of every man in the house

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<v Speaker 2>for one second. All right, go back to your ballgame.

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<v Speaker 2>All right, Okay, I had a lot of bad advice

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<v Speaker 2>out there. Proverbs thirteen, verse twenty look up here says this,

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<v Speaker 2>keep company with wise friends, and you'll become wise. But

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<v Speaker 2>if you associate with fools, your life will suffer great hurt.

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<v Speaker 2>You can't soar with the eagles if you're running with

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<v Speaker 2>the turkeys.

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<v Speaker 3>Okay, so you know.

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<v Speaker 2>Who you hang out with. You need to choose your

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<v Speaker 2>friends wisely. You keep company with wise friends, you're going

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<v Speaker 2>to become wise. If I want to follow God's direction, Okay,

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<v Speaker 2>I can't let culture get me off track, and I

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<v Speaker 2>can't even let friends get me off track. Make sure

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<v Speaker 2>your advice is from the right source. Now it bothers

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<v Speaker 2>me when people like get counseling. I've met believers who

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<v Speaker 2>are going to non believers to get counseling for their life.

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<v Speaker 2>I'm going to really they have no spiritual insight on that.

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<v Speaker 2>The Bible tells us in First John three seven, it says,

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<v Speaker 2>don't just let anybody lead you astray, because you'll miss

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<v Speaker 2>God's will. Go ahead and get counseled, but get it

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<v Speaker 2>from a mature believer. Now that may be really clear.

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<v Speaker 2>When I talk to this about friends, means I can't

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<v Speaker 2>follow friends. You mean I'm saying I have to give

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<v Speaker 2>up all my non Christian friends.

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<v Speaker 3>Of course, not.

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<v Speaker 2>In fact, you shouldn't do that. Listen to me loud

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<v Speaker 2>and clear. God wants you to have friends who are unbelievers.

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<v Speaker 2>First place, you're commanded to love everybody. You're not allowed

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<v Speaker 2>to not love anybody. If you're a believer Christ, you

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<v Speaker 2>are to love everybody. In fact, I'm even commanded to

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<v Speaker 2>love my enemies. I'm commanded to love the people who

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<v Speaker 2>hate me, criticize me, attack me. I don't get a

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<v Speaker 2>choice if I call myself a believer follow of Christ.

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<v Speaker 2>I am to love everybody. And God wants to use

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<v Speaker 2>you to bring them to Christ. But here's the difference.

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<v Speaker 2>Look up here in the screen. Jeremiah fifteen nineteen says

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<v Speaker 2>you will be my spokesman to these non believing friends.

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<v Speaker 2>You are to influence them, but do not let them

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<v Speaker 2>influence you.

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<v Speaker 3>Every day when you go to work, you're.

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<v Speaker 2>Deciding, am I going to be a thermostat or a thermometer?

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<v Speaker 2>A thermometer just reflects what the temperature is of the environment.

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<v Speaker 2>They're being talking dirty. I'm going to talk dirty. They're

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<v Speaker 2>doing this, I'm gonna do that. A thermometer just reveals

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<v Speaker 2>what the culture's like. A thermostat turns the heat up

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<v Speaker 2>or down.

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<v Speaker 3>God wants you to be in thermistat.

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<v Speaker 2>He doesn't want you to influence them, to influence you,

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<v Speaker 2>but you to influence them.

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<v Speaker 1>What a great and timely message today. Let's end our

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<v Speaker 1>show with a closing thought from Pastor Rick.

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<v Speaker 2>If you've been blessed by this message today, here's what

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<v Speaker 2>I want you to do. Share it, Tell somebody about

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<v Speaker 2>it now. There's a lot of great ways you can

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<v Speaker 2>share daily hope. One of the easiest is by posting

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<v Speaker 2>it on social media on Facebook or Twitter or LinkedIn

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<v Speaker 2>or Instagram. But you'll find a share button today next

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<v Speaker 2>to the message on my website Pastorick dot com. Don't

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<v Speaker 2>keep the good news to yourself. It's too good to

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<v Speaker 2>keep to ourselves. We've got to pass it on to others.

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<v Speaker 2>Thanks for listening today and join me next time as

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<v Speaker 2>we continue to look into God's word for our daily hope.

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<v Speaker 1>We'd love for you to share this broadcast. Just go

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<v Speaker 1>to pastorrick dot com. That's pastorrek dot com. Be sure

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

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

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