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<v Speaker 1>This is Pastor Rick's Daily Hope with Rick Warren. I'm

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<v Speaker 1>really glad you've joined us. And today we're bringing our

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<v Speaker 1>series from Psalm twenty three called Living in the Goodness

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<v Speaker 1>of God to a close with a final look at

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<v Speaker 1>how God's goodness meets you right where you are and

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<v Speaker 1>brings hope even in difficult seasons. So let's get started

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<v Speaker 1>with the final part of a message called Heaven, God's

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<v Speaker 1>eternal Goodness to you.

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<v Speaker 2>John gives us another glimpse of heaven in Revelation chapter

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<v Speaker 2>twenty two, and he says this, the throne of God

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<v Speaker 2>and Jesus will be in the heavenly City. This is

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<v Speaker 2>the heavenly city in heaven. It's called the New Jerusalem.

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<v Speaker 2>Is the name for it. It's just a metaphor name.

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<v Speaker 2>The throne of God and Jesus will be in the

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<v Speaker 2>heavenly City, and his servants that's you and me, will

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<v Speaker 2>serve him. They that's us. We will see his face

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<v Speaker 2>and they We won't need any life light from a

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<v Speaker 2>lamp for the sun in heaven, for God will be

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<v Speaker 2>the light. And then notice he adds this end, and

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<v Speaker 2>they will reign forever and ever. You will rule and

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<v Speaker 2>reign with Christ in heaven. Did you know that the

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<v Speaker 2>Bible has a whole lot to say about this. We

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<v Speaker 2>could go into a lot of other verses. So what

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<v Speaker 2>are we going to do in heaven. We're going to

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<v Speaker 2>be reunited with those we love, We're going to rest

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<v Speaker 2>and all those other things. But we're also going to

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<v Speaker 2>receive our rewards and receive our inheritance, and we're going

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<v Speaker 2>to be reassigned to new things to do. And the

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<v Speaker 2>more faithful you've been here on earth, the more God

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<v Speaker 2>is going to give you in heaven. So everything you

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<v Speaker 2>do has implications. Only one life will soon be passed.

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<v Speaker 2>Only what's done for Christ will last. I want you

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<v Speaker 2>to hear a testimony and carry have been my friends

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<v Speaker 2>and case friends for over thirty years, dear people. Dave

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<v Speaker 2>was a church planter. It means he started churches like

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<v Speaker 2>I started Saddleback Church, and this church, Saddleback actually sponsored

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<v Speaker 2>Dave and a couple of different churches went out in

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<v Speaker 2>the desert, and one up in northern California, up in

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<v Speaker 2>the Auburn area, and he pastored up there. And then

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<v Speaker 2>last year Dave came back on staff at Saddleback and

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<v Speaker 2>he is now a pastor to the campus pastors, our

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<v Speaker 2>eighteen campus pastors, and his job is to encourage and

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<v Speaker 2>mentor and help supervise all of our incredible campus pastors

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<v Speaker 2>and supervise all of our different campuses. But I want

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<v Speaker 2>you to hear his story about heaven. Give him a

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<v Speaker 2>warm welcome.

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<v Speaker 3>Go for here, all right, Hi, saddleback, I'm Dave, and

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<v Speaker 3>Pastor Rick wanted me to just share how the reality

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<v Speaker 3>of heaven has been a great comfort and great encouragement

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<v Speaker 3>to me since my five year old daughter, Jackie, lives

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<v Speaker 3>in heaven having lost a battle with a brain tumor.

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<v Speaker 3>My wife and I are blessed to have three children,

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<v Speaker 3>two living with us here on this earth, one Jackie,

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<v Speaker 3>who lives in Heaven. When Jackie, our youngest daughter, was five,

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<v Speaker 3>she was suddenly diagnosed with a brain stem tumor. It

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<v Speaker 3>was so fast growing that the neurologist said it probably

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<v Speaker 3>wasn't even in her brain three months before the diagnosis.

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<v Speaker 3>After she was diagnosed, just six weeks later, she died

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<v Speaker 3>in our arms. In just forty two days, our world

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<v Speaker 3>turned upside down. Anyone who has lost a young child

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<v Speaker 3>knows that it's one of the most excruciating agonizing experiences

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<v Speaker 3>you can ever experience here on this earth, and our

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<v Speaker 3>family was completely crushed.

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<v Speaker 4>And devastated as a result.

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<v Speaker 3>Without the love of Jesus, without the hope of heaven,

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<v Speaker 3>without the promises of the Word of God, and without

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<v Speaker 3>a strong support system from our church, we would have

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<v Speaker 3>never made it as we passed through the valley of

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<v Speaker 3>the Shadow of death. But we know for sure, and

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<v Speaker 3>I can say this, even having lost my daughter, that

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<v Speaker 3>God is good, that Heaven is real, that Jackie is alive,

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<v Speaker 3>and that one day we're going to join her in

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<v Speaker 3>that perfect place that gives me hope. Before Jackie got sick,

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<v Speaker 3>she always wanted a hamster. Now, my wife, Carrie and

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<v Speaker 3>I we are not fans of the rodent, if you

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<v Speaker 3>know what I mean, and we never let him get one,

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<v Speaker 3>but we thought, what the heck, and so it was

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<v Speaker 3>my job to go to the pet store with her

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<v Speaker 3>and help her pick out her own pet hamster. So

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<v Speaker 3>we go to this pet store and she looks at

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<v Speaker 3>every hamster, she holds every hamster, and she chooses a

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<v Speaker 3>little dwarf hamster named Emily. As we're driving home from

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<v Speaker 3>the pet store, she looks at me quizzically and she says, Daddy,

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<v Speaker 3>when I get to Heaven, will I see Grandpa right away? Now,

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<v Speaker 3>she doesn't know that she's going to die at this point.

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<v Speaker 3>This is just a short time after her diagnosis. She

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<v Speaker 3>knows she's sick because we're taking another doctor, but she's

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<v Speaker 3>running around. She's fine from that standpoint. And she says, well,

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<v Speaker 3>when I get to him, will I see Grandpa right away?

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<v Speaker 3>And I said that was her grandpa. My father had

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<v Speaker 3>died a year earlier. And I said, yes, Jackie, you'll

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<v Speaker 3>get to see Grandpa right away. She thought for a moment,

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<v Speaker 3>and then she said, Daddy, when I get to Heaven, well,

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<v Speaker 3>I get to see Jesus right away. And I said, yes, sweetie,

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<v Speaker 3>you'll get to see Jesus right away.

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<v Speaker 4>And then she held up her little hamster. Not like this,

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<v Speaker 4>she held it like this.

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<v Speaker 3>She's holding her little hamster dangling him really, And she says, Daddy,

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<v Speaker 3>can I take Emily with me to Heaven? Oh my gosh,

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<v Speaker 3>now I know the correct theological answer. Okay, But I said, yes, sweetie,

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<v Speaker 3>we can arrange that.

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<v Speaker 4>Arrange that.

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<v Speaker 3>And then she looked at me, and I looked at her,

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<v Speaker 3>and I said, Jackie, you don't really think you're gonna die,

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<v Speaker 3>do you? And then she said something I'll never forget.

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<v Speaker 3>She said, silly, daddy, We're all gonna die someday. Amazing,

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<v Speaker 3>absolutely amazing for a child at five years old to

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<v Speaker 3>have this deep curiosity about heaven. She even asked Carrie

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<v Speaker 3>if angels were going to escort her to heaven, and

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<v Speaker 3>Carrie said absolutely. God was preparing Jackie for her transition

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<v Speaker 3>to eternity.

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<v Speaker 4>Jackie's favorite movie was The Wizard of Oz, and the.

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<v Speaker 3>Climax of that movie is when Dorothy clicks her heels

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<v Speaker 3>and repeats over and over, There's no place like home.

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<v Speaker 3>There's no place like home. When Jackie died, I was

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<v Speaker 3>pastoring a church in northern California that saddle Back had sponsored.

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<v Speaker 3>And this saddle Back church that they sponsored, this church

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<v Speaker 3>family of ours, sent me and Carrie a beautiful frame

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<v Speaker 3>poster of the Wizard of Oz, but it said on it.

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<v Speaker 4>There's no place like Heaven. There's no place like Heaven.

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<v Speaker 3>After Jackie died, Heaven became especially real to our family.

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<v Speaker 4>We thought about it more than ever before.

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<v Speaker 3>Of course, I'd taught about heaven many times, but now

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<v Speaker 3>I formed a close attachment to heaven. I know it,

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<v Speaker 3>I feel it, I long for it, and anybody here

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<v Speaker 3>who's lost a dear loved one knows exactly what I'm

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<v Speaker 3>talking about now. I wanted to know everything I could

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<v Speaker 3>about Heaven, so I researched it. I wanted to discover

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<v Speaker 3>what it fully means to dwell in the House of

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<v Speaker 3>the Lord forever. As the Apostle Paul pointed out, in

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<v Speaker 3>this life, this life is not all there is. If

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<v Speaker 3>this life was all there is, and if Heaven did

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<v Speaker 3>not exist, then our faith would be worthless.

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<v Speaker 4>But Jesus promised that.

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<v Speaker 3>He was going and preparing a place for us, and

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<v Speaker 3>if that was not true, then Jesus would be the

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<v Speaker 3>greatest liar in history. But the truth is, we're just

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<v Speaker 3>passing through this life on earth. As Pastor Rick says,

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<v Speaker 3>this life is just a dress rehearsal for eternity and

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<v Speaker 3>for Heaven, where the real.

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<v Speaker 4>Show will never end.

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<v Speaker 3>The Apostle Paul said that if we're in God's family,

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<v Speaker 3>our true citizenship is in heaven.

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<v Speaker 4>So I can't wait to see my Savior.

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<v Speaker 3>I can't wait to see my precious daughter and a

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<v Speaker 3>lot of other people that I love.

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<v Speaker 4>A reunion that's gonna be. I can only imagine.

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<v Speaker 3>Sometimes when people talk to me about Jackie, they'll say,

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<v Speaker 3>I'm sorry you lost your daughter, like I left her

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<v Speaker 3>at the mall or somewhere like that and didn't know

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<v Speaker 3>where to find her.

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<v Speaker 4>But you know what, our daughter is not lost. We

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<v Speaker 4>know exactly where she is. I'm just upset that the

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<v Speaker 4>little booger beat me. There.

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<v Speaker 3>In the Bible, King David also lost a child, and

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<v Speaker 3>he said with complete confidence, he will not return to me,

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<v Speaker 3>but one.

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<v Speaker 4>Day I will go to him. I know that feeling.

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<v Speaker 3>Jackie will not come back here, but I will definitely

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<v Speaker 3>go to be with her one day and be reunited

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<v Speaker 3>with her in heaven. This is the true hope, based

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<v Speaker 3>on the reality of God's promises.

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<v Speaker 4>Jackie loved to play a game where she would.

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<v Speaker 3>Jump up onto the counter in the kitchen and she

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<v Speaker 3>would jump into my arms. She'd ask me to go

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<v Speaker 3>back sometimes, and sometimes she'd take a flying leap, sometimes

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<v Speaker 3>three feet away, and I would catch her in my

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<v Speaker 3>arms and we'd laugh and she'd say, Daddy, do it again.

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<v Speaker 3>And so she'd gotten to a point as a result,

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<v Speaker 3>now a few weeks later, where she couldn't walk anymore,

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<v Speaker 3>and yet she pointed for me to come and pick

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<v Speaker 3>her up, and she motioned for me to take her

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<v Speaker 3>to the kitchen, and so I put her on the counter,

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<v Speaker 3>thinking she wanted something from the refrigerator. And then she

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<v Speaker 3>started to stand up just one more time, and it

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<v Speaker 3>was all the strength and her little body that it

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<v Speaker 3>could muster, and she was able to stand completely straight up.

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<v Speaker 3>And then she jumped into my arms and I just

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<v Speaker 3>caught her and I hugged her and we laughed, and

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<v Speaker 3>I just said, Jackie, Daddy is so proud of you.

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<v Speaker 4>And I'll never forget that moment.

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<v Speaker 3>And every time I think about it now, I imagine

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<v Speaker 3>what it was like when she jumped into our heavenly

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<v Speaker 3>father's arms in heaven. If you haven't yet opened your

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<v Speaker 3>life to your loving heavenly Father and to Jesus who

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<v Speaker 3>came to die for you and is right now preparing

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<v Speaker 3>heaven for you, I'd urge you to do it at

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<v Speaker 3>the end of the message today. Then you'll be ready

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<v Speaker 3>for heaven too. God, bless you, saddle back. Thank you

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<v Speaker 3>for letting me share.

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<v Speaker 2>Thank you Dave for that testimony. You know, after Jackie,

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<v Speaker 2>who was five years old, died, her older sister, who

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<v Speaker 2>is named Jessica, who's twelve, wrote a poem in her

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<v Speaker 2>younger sister's words and called it Heaven. Read you this

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<v Speaker 2>poem written by a twelve year old Mommy, what's wrong

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<v Speaker 2>with me? My head hurts so bad? You take me

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<v Speaker 2>to the doctor and tell me I'm sick? Are do you?

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<v Speaker 2>And Daddy looks so sad. I don't want any more radiation. Mommy,

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<v Speaker 2>Please get me out of this place. I want to

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<v Speaker 2>talk to you, but my mouth won't move. All I

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<v Speaker 2>can do is watch your crying face. Mommy, I can

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<v Speaker 2>laugh and smile again. Guess who I can see. Jesus

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<v Speaker 2>is calling me toward Heaven. You always said it is

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<v Speaker 2>a great place to be, Mommy. I'm getting closer now,

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<v Speaker 2>I'm walking through the big golden gate. Stop crying, Mommy,

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<v Speaker 2>because I'll see you again and I'll be happy up

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<v Speaker 2>here as I wait. Have you settled this issue? This

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<v Speaker 2>heaven issue? Only a fool would go through life unprepared

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<v Speaker 2>for what you know is inevitable. Friends, We're not talking

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<v Speaker 2>about some minor issue this weekend. We're talking about your

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<v Speaker 2>eternal destiny forever and ever and ever and ever and

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<v Speaker 2>ever and ever and ever. I'm betting my life that

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<v Speaker 2>Jesus told the truth. What are you betting your life on? Well,

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<v Speaker 2>I like to think that's not a very good basis

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<v Speaker 2>for a bet. The night before Jesus Christ went to

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<v Speaker 2>the cross, he gathered the twelve closest disciples together, and

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<v Speaker 2>he said this to them, Let not your heart be troubled.

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<v Speaker 2>You believe in God. Believe also in me. In my

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<v Speaker 2>Father's house are many men. If you were not so,

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<v Speaker 2>I would have told you I go to prepare place

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<v Speaker 2>for you. And if I go and prepare a place

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<v Speaker 2>for you, I will come again and receive you onto myself.

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<v Speaker 2>That where I am there you may be. Also. Thomas said,

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<v Speaker 2>unto Jesus, Lord, we don't know where you're going. We

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<v Speaker 2>don't know the way. And Jesus said, I am the way,

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<v Speaker 2>I am the truth, I am the life. No one

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<v Speaker 2>comes to the Father except through me. I'm betting my life.

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<v Speaker 2>He was telling the truth. What are you betting your

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<v Speaker 2>life on? You better bet have better odds. If you've

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<v Speaker 2>never opened your life to Christ, you need to do

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<v Speaker 2>it now. And if you have opened your life to Christ,

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<v Speaker 2>what on earth are you doing? For Heaven's sake, what

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<v Speaker 2>are you doing now to prepare for the inevitable heaven.

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<v Speaker 2>Even when you know where you're going, the vast majority

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<v Speaker 2>of people pay no attention to the eternity issue. They're

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<v Speaker 2>living one hundred percent for here and now, which is

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<v Speaker 2>a total waste because everything that's here and now isn't

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<v Speaker 2>going to matter in five minutes, much less fifty years,

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<v Speaker 2>much less for eternity. Stop wasting your life on stuff

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<v Speaker 2>that doesn't matter, reading things that don't matter, watching things

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<v Speaker 2>that don't matter, listening to things that don't matter, talking

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<v Speaker 2>about things that don't matter. Start living for things that last.

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<v Speaker 2>Know what lasts, and know what doesn't last, and invest

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<v Speaker 2>your life in the things that are going to last forever.

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<v Speaker 2>That's about our heads. Father, we thank you for heaven

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<v Speaker 2>and as we have now for twelve different sessions, look

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<v Speaker 2>that your goodness, that you are a good God. The

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

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<v Speaker 2>When I need it, you will provide it. Thank you

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<v Speaker 2>that when we're tired you make us lie down in

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<v Speaker 2>green pastures, and when we're stretched to the limit, you

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<v Speaker 2>lead us beside still waters. And when we feel like

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<v Speaker 2>there's nothing left to give, you restore our souls. Thank

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<v Speaker 2>you that when we're confused, you lead us in the

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<v Speaker 2>bright paths for your name's sake. Thank you when we

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<v Speaker 2>go through the troubles and trials and the deaths of life,

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<v Speaker 2>that even when we walk through the valley the shadow

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<v Speaker 2>of death, we don't fear any evil because You're going

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<v Speaker 2>to be with us. Thank you for every one of

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<v Speaker 2>the metaphors that have the deep truths of your goodness

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<v Speaker 2>we've looked at and Psalm twenty three, Thank you that

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<v Speaker 2>you prepare a banquet before us in the presence of

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<v Speaker 2>our enemies, and you show how much you love us,

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<v Speaker 2>even in front of people who may hate us. That

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<v Speaker 2>you annoyed us with oil, that you heal our hurts,

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<v Speaker 2>that you overflow our cup. You don't just give us

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<v Speaker 2>what we need. You give us more than we need

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<v Speaker 2>in every area of life. You are a good God.

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<v Speaker 2>Thank you that surely goodness and mercy, those two sheep

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<v Speaker 2>dog are going to be nipping at our tails as

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<v Speaker 2>we follow the shepherd. And and thank you that I

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<v Speaker 2>will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. God.

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<v Speaker 2>How could you be that good? Why would you be

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<v Speaker 2>that good? You are a good God. You thought us up,

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<v Speaker 2>you created us, You love us. Even when we turn

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<v Speaker 2>our back on you. You forgive us, You show us

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<v Speaker 2>your grace. You sent your son to die for us,

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<v Speaker 2>and you want us to be in love with you,

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<v Speaker 2>and in fellows with you, and to live in your

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<v Speaker 2>house forever and ever and ever. What a god you are, Lord.

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<v Speaker 2>I pity those who don't know you. I've walked with

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<v Speaker 2>you now over fifty years. I know you better than

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<v Speaker 2>I know any of the people sitting here, and I

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<v Speaker 2>think that you've taken me through every stage of life,

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<v Speaker 2>the ups and the downs, on the highs and the lows.

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<v Speaker 2>And I want other people to know you that way.

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<v Speaker 2>If you've never opened your life to Christ, say yep, Lord, today,

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<v Speaker 2>this is it. Jesus Christ. I open my life completely

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<v Speaker 2>to you. Just say that, Jesus Christ. I humbly opened

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<v Speaker 2>my life to you. I want to learn to love

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<v Speaker 2>you and trust you and get to know you. I

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<v Speaker 2>don't want to live on my own power anymore, or

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<v Speaker 2>my own purpose or my own plans. And God, the

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<v Speaker 2>fact that you would want me in your heaven, in

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<v Speaker 2>your family is amazing grace, and I humbly ask you

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<v Speaker 2>to accept me into your family. I want to be

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<v Speaker 2>adopted in I want to be born again into your

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<v Speaker 2>family in your name. I pray Amen.

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<v Speaker 1>Hey, if you've just prayed along with Rick to accept

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<v Speaker 1>Jesus in your life, Rick would love to hear from you.

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<v Speaker 1>Just email Rick at Pastorick dot com. Here's Rick to

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<v Speaker 1>tell you how you can help support this ministry.

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<v Speaker 2>Jesus told his disciples that they should live their lives

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<v Speaker 2>according to five specific purposes. He said, You've got to

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<v Speaker 2>love God with all your heart. That's worship, and love

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<v Speaker 2>your neighbors yourself. That's ministry. That's called the Great Commandment.

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<v Speaker 2>And then Jesus said, go make disciples. That's evangelism. Baptize

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<v Speaker 2>them into the Family of God. That's fellowship, a sign

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<v Speaker 2>of fellowship. And then he said, teach them obey everything

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<v Speaker 2>I've taught you. That's disciples. And we call that the

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<v Speaker 2>Great Commission. We believe it daily hope that a great

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<v Speaker 2>commitment to the Great Commandment and the Great Commission will

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<v Speaker 2>produce a great Christian, a great church, a great company,

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<v Speaker 2>a great community. You know, I started daily Hope so

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<v Speaker 2>I could spread the good news about Jesus, not just

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<v Speaker 2>across America, but all around the world. And we want

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<v Speaker 2>people to know that God's word is filled with hope

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<v Speaker 2>and truth, and the power that we need to follow

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<v Speaker 2>Him every day is available to every single one. You

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<v Speaker 2>know as well as I do, that the Word of

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<v Speaker 2>God changes lives. It's a live it's active, and it

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<v Speaker 2>breathes new life and new love into all of our lives.

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<v Speaker 2>So wherever you listen to this, whether you listen on

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<v Speaker 2>the website, whether you listen on a radio station, or

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<v Speaker 2>whether you listen to a podcast, You're a part of

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<v Speaker 2>the Daily Hope family and I need your help. We

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<v Speaker 2>could not do this without your support. We're one hundred

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<v Speaker 2>percent listener funded. Would you continue to pray for this

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<v Speaker 2>broadcast and would you continue to support us? And let

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<v Speaker 2>write to me, let me hear from you. I absolutely

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<v Speaker 2>love reading the stories that are sent to me. So

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<v Speaker 2>write me, pray for me, and support this ministry, and

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<v Speaker 2>God will bless it, and God will bless you, and

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<v Speaker 2>we'll get to heaven. And well, thank God for all

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<v Speaker 2>the people going to be in heaven because you cared.

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<v Speaker 1>Hey, if you'd like to support Pastor Rick's Daily Hope,

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<v Speaker 1>just go to Pastorick dot com. That's Pastor Rick dot com,

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<v Speaker 1>or you can text the word Hope to seven oh

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<v Speaker 1>three oh nine. That's the word hope to seven oh

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<v Speaker 1>three oh nine. And really, from the bottom of our hearts,

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<v Speaker 1>we thank you so much for your support. Your gift

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<v Speaker 1>to Daily Hope helps us share the hope of Christ

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<v Speaker 1>with people everywhere. Hey be sure to join us next

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

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

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<v Speaker 1>your generous financial supports