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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. And now

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<v Speaker 1>here's the final part of a message called we Are Ambassadors.

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<v Speaker 2>The third responsibility of an ambassador Number one. I must

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<v Speaker 2>set the example, I must share the message. I must

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<v Speaker 2>show love. I must show love to everybody. Because if

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<v Speaker 2>you're an ambassador, you've got to have a big heart

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<v Speaker 2>and you got to show love. Why must an ambassador

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<v Speaker 2>of Jesus Christ show love to everybody? Because God is

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<v Speaker 2>love and if you show anything but love to other people,

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<v Speaker 2>you're not representing Jesus.

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<v Speaker 3>God is love.

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<v Speaker 2>Now, how do I show love to the people in

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<v Speaker 2>my life? The people I work with, my neighbors, my family,

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<v Speaker 2>my coworkers, my enemies, my boss. How do I do it?

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<v Speaker 2>Three ways? It's the next three verses. The first way

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<v Speaker 2>I show.

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<v Speaker 3>Love is by using my life to meet others' needs.

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<v Speaker 2>When you use your life to meet the needs of

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<v Speaker 2>other people in a practical way, whether it's taking them

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<v Speaker 2>a meal, or helping them with a project, or offering

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<v Speaker 2>them a ride, or praying for them, or you know,

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<v Speaker 2>picking up something at the grocery thing, or helping them

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<v Speaker 2>with a plan or a deal. Every time you do

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<v Speaker 2>practical help to somebody else, you serve others, you're ministering

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<v Speaker 2>to them. You're showing love to meet their needs. Now,

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<v Speaker 2>this is what an ambassador does. The Bible says this.

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<v Speaker 2>In First Thessalonians two. Paul says, we loved you so much.

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<v Speaker 2>He's talking about the people in this town in Greece

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<v Speaker 2>called Thessalonika. He said, we loved you so much that

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<v Speaker 2>we gave you not only God's good news that's number two,

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<v Speaker 2>but number three our own lives as well. Now, if

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<v Speaker 2>you're going to be an ambassador, some of the time,

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<v Speaker 2>you got to get out of the embassy.

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<v Speaker 3>Does that make sense?

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<v Speaker 2>If you spend all your whole Christian life is spent

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<v Speaker 2>inside the four walls of the church, you're not much

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<v Speaker 2>of an ambassador. You got to get out where people

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<v Speaker 2>are hurting, where they're needed, where they're loved, need love,

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<v Speaker 2>and now where they need help and concern. So you've

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<v Speaker 2>got to get out out of the embassy and into

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<v Speaker 2>the interior, using.

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<v Speaker 3>My life to meet others need.

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<v Speaker 2>Second way, you show love by giving respect to everyone.

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<v Speaker 2>By giving respect to everyone, as an ambassador of Jesus Christ,

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<v Speaker 2>you are not allowed to be disrespectful to anyone. Why

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<v Speaker 2>Because God values every person. Doesn't matter who they are,

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<v Speaker 2>what they've done, who they've done it with, or how

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<v Speaker 2>long they've done it. They have the dignity of being

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<v Speaker 2>created in the image of God, and the Bible says

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<v Speaker 2>this on the screen one Peter two seventeen.

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<v Speaker 3>Treat everyone you like with dignity or doesn't say that?

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<v Speaker 2>Does it treat everyone you agree with politically with dignity? No,

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<v Speaker 2>it says, treat everyone you meet with dignity. That means

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<v Speaker 2>even the people who voted differently than you.

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<v Speaker 3>You may not put them down.

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<v Speaker 2>You may not use sarcasm and slice and dice and

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<v Speaker 2>use the same kind of words that the world does

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<v Speaker 2>for people you disagree with. Treat everyone you meet with dignity,

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<v Speaker 2>Love your spiritual family, revere God, and respect the government.

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<v Speaker 2>That doesn't say respect the government. If you voted for him,

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<v Speaker 2>you didn't. Maybe you didn't vote for the city council,

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<v Speaker 2>you still need to respect them. Maybe you didn't vote

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<v Speaker 2>for the governor, you still to respect them. Senator President whoever,

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<v Speaker 2>it doesn't matter me. The Bible says respect the government.

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<v Speaker 2>Why because as representatives of Jesus, we show dignity to everybody. Everyone,

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<v Speaker 2>We show love and kindness. Let me ask you, this

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<v Speaker 2>is an ambassador dogmatic or diplomatic, diplomatic. They don't stay

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<v Speaker 2>as ambassadors very long if they're not diplomatic. When you

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<v Speaker 2>find a dog maa Christian, they are not an ambassador

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<v Speaker 2>of Jesus.

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<v Speaker 3>They may be on the.

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<v Speaker 2>Radio, they may be on television, they may write books

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<v Speaker 2>or blogs or whatever. If they're dogmatic, they may be right,

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<v Speaker 2>but they're wrong because they're not being diplomatic. The Bible

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<v Speaker 2>says we're to do everything in love. We're to respect everyone,

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<v Speaker 2>doesn't matter who they are, what they are, what they've done.

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<v Speaker 2>I don't know if you've noticed this or not, but

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<v Speaker 2>most of the time when I'm not at saddleback, I'm

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<v Speaker 2>speaking to people who totally disagree with me. Almost all

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<v Speaker 2>the time I'm speaking to group, and that gets me

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<v Speaker 2>in a lot of trouble.

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<v Speaker 3>Okay.

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<v Speaker 2>I speak to other religions, to atheists, to Muslims, to Jewish,

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<v Speaker 2>to Buddhists, the secularists. I speak most of the time

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<v Speaker 2>when I'm not saddled backed to groups who totally disagree

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<v Speaker 2>with me.

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<v Speaker 3>Why.

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<v Speaker 2>Because I am an ambassador. That's my job, and you

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<v Speaker 2>are an ambassador too. Ambassadors don't speak to their own country.

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<v Speaker 2>They speak to everybody else who's not in their country.

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<v Speaker 2>They even speak to their enemies. And we are to

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<v Speaker 2>show the message with love and kindness. In fact, here's

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<v Speaker 2>what the Bible says. Be ready at all times to

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<v Speaker 2>answer anyone who asked you to explain the hope you

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<v Speaker 2>have in you, but do it with gentleness and respect.

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<v Speaker 2>You and I are called to be gentle with everybody

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<v Speaker 2>and to respect everybody. It doesn't matter what they say

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<v Speaker 2>to me, doesn't matter how much they lie about me,

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<v Speaker 2>doesn't matter how they accuse me. I am forbidden to

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<v Speaker 2>hate anybody. I am forbidden to retaliate on anybody. I

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<v Speaker 2>am forbidden to attack back. Why because I represent Jesus,

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<v Speaker 2>and Jesus said you turn the other cheek. Jesus said,

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<v Speaker 2>you overcome evil with good. The Bible says you bless

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<v Speaker 2>those who persecute you. I am forbidden from using the

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<v Speaker 2>same tactics that people use against you.

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<v Speaker 3>Or me or anybody else.

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<v Speaker 2>Why Because I am an ambassador of Jesus Christ, and

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<v Speaker 2>we are to be known by meeting others' needs, by

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<v Speaker 2>loving respecting everybody. And here's the third thing we're to do.

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<v Speaker 2>I must show love by building bridges. I must show

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<v Speaker 2>love by building bridges. Ambassadors build bridges, not walls.

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<v Speaker 3>Now.

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<v Speaker 2>On First Corinthians, chapter nine, it tells us this. He's

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<v Speaker 2>talking about dealing with unbelievers. Whatever a person is like,

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<v Speaker 2>I try to find common ground with him. Okay, it

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<v Speaker 2>doesn't matter what he is. May be another culture, maybe

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<v Speaker 2>another race, another language, another political party, another religion, another lifestyle.

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<v Speaker 3>He said, whatever.

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<v Speaker 2>Person's like, I try to find common ground with him.

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<v Speaker 2>Why to be popular, no here, so that he will

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<v Speaker 2>let me tell him about Christ.

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<v Speaker 3>And let Christ save him. I'm an ambassador.

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<v Speaker 2>I do this why to get the good news to them,

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<v Speaker 2>and also for the blessing I myself receive when I

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<v Speaker 2>see them come to Christ. Anytime you see your pastor

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<v Speaker 2>speaking to any group, whether I've spoken to intellectual groups.

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<v Speaker 2>In the last couple of years, I've spoken at Harvard,

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<v Speaker 2>at Oxford, at Cambridge, at Jewish University, at intellectual things

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<v Speaker 2>like the aspen Idea Center. I've spoken to groups like

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<v Speaker 2>political gris groups on every possible side. I've spoken to

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<v Speaker 2>every possible religion. You can imagine. When you see that,

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<v Speaker 2>you need to understand I don't have any faith at

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<v Speaker 2>all in politics' ability to change human lives. Politics can't

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<v Speaker 2>change a human heart. If I believed it could, I'd

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<v Speaker 2>go in the government, but I don't. You cannot force

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<v Speaker 2>somebody to be good by a law. It has to

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<v Speaker 2>be an internal change in their heart. And you need

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<v Speaker 2>to understand that. All these people I speak to, why

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<v Speaker 2>do I do it so I can get the good

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<v Speaker 2>news to them.

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<v Speaker 3>I'm building bridges, not walls.

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<v Speaker 2>By the way, how do you know when you're building

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<v Speaker 2>a bridge you get walked on?

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<v Speaker 3>Count on it.

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<v Speaker 2>You get walked on. That's what bridges are for. And

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<v Speaker 2>so you know, if you're building a bridge, if you

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<v Speaker 2>get walked on. Now, if you never get walked on,

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<v Speaker 2>what are you doing. You're not building any bridges, You're

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<v Speaker 2>only building walls. Walls don't get walked on. Bridges get

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<v Speaker 2>walked on. And my goal and your goal as an

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<v Speaker 2>ambassador of Jesus is that we build a bridge of

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<v Speaker 2>respect and love to everybody so that Jesus Christ can

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<v Speaker 2>walk across.

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<v Speaker 3>That's the goal. That's the reason we.

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<v Speaker 2>Try to find common ground so we can do this. Now,

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<v Speaker 2>what's the reward. We've looked at the role of an ambassador,

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<v Speaker 2>we looked at the responsibilities. Now what's the rewards for

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<v Speaker 2>being an ambassador? Oh, it's good Colossians chapter three. Whatever

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<v Speaker 2>you do, always work at it with all your heart.

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<v Speaker 2>Now I want to circle whatever you do and all

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<v Speaker 2>your heart. Now, I don't care what you do. The

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<v Speaker 2>Bible says, no matter what you do, you should be

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<v Speaker 2>enthusiastic at it. If you work at Taco bell, you

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<v Speaker 2>better be enthusiastic about it. If you do gardening, you

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<v Speaker 2>better be enthusiastic about it. If you do daycare or hospice,

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<v Speaker 2>or you close multimillion dollar deals, or you drive a bus,

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<v Speaker 2>or whatever you do. The Bible says, whatever you do

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<v Speaker 2>as a believer, you are to do it with all

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<v Speaker 2>your heart. You are to do it with enthusiasm. Why,

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<v Speaker 2>because you represent Jesus. You are to do it with

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<v Speaker 2>all your heart as though you were working for the Lord,

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<v Speaker 2>not for people.

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<v Speaker 3>Because you are working for the Lord.

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<v Speaker 2>Remember that the Lord will give you here. It is

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<v Speaker 2>as a reward the inheritance he has kept for his people.

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<v Speaker 2>God has some big plans for you in heaven. He

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<v Speaker 2>has rewards. He has an inheritance for you in heaven,

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<v Speaker 2>and he's keeping it there. For Christ is the real

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<v Speaker 2>master you serve.

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<v Speaker 3>Now.

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<v Speaker 2>You don't have to like your boss, but you do

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<v Speaker 2>have to treat them with respect and dignity. And the

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<v Speaker 2>Bible says, regardless of who your boss is, you're to

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<v Speaker 2>just do your work as if you're working for Jesus.

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<v Speaker 2>And that's why you do what you do, not because

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<v Speaker 2>you want to please that person, because you want to

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<v Speaker 2>please the Lord. And he says when you do that,

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<v Speaker 2>it will produce great reward in your life. I want

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<v Speaker 2>to do something this weekend I've never done before. I

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<v Speaker 2>want to read from a well known book, nice cover,

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<v Speaker 2>purpose driven life. Imagine if you were asked by your

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<v Speaker 2>country to be an ambassador to an enemy nation. You

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<v Speaker 2>probably would have to learn a new language, You have

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<v Speaker 2>to adopt to some customs and cultural differences. In order

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<v Speaker 2>to be polite and accomplish your mission as an ambassador,

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<v Speaker 2>you would not be able to isolate yourself from the enemy.

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<v Speaker 2>You couldn't stay in the embassy all the time. You'd

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<v Speaker 2>have to fulfill your mission. You'd have to make contact

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<v Speaker 2>with people and relate to them, the people who disagree

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<v Speaker 2>with you. I suppose you became so comfortable as an

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<v Speaker 2>ambassador with this foreign country you're in that you fell

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<v Speaker 2>in love with it, and you started preferring it to

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<v Speaker 2>your own homeland. Your loyalty and commitment would change. Your

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<v Speaker 2>role as an ambassador would be compromised, and instead of

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<v Speaker 2>representing your home country, you would start acting like the enemy.

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<v Speaker 2>You would be a trader. The Bible says, we are

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<v Speaker 2>ambassadors for Christ. Sadly, many Christians have betrayed their king

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<v Speaker 2>and his kingdom. They have foolishly concluded that because they

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<v Speaker 2>live on earth, that earth is their home.

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<v Speaker 3>It is not.

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<v Speaker 2>The Bible is clear, friend, this world is not your home,

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<v Speaker 2>the Bible says, so don't make yourself cozy in it.

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<v Speaker 2>Don't indulge your ego at the expense of your soul.

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<v Speaker 2>God wants us to not get too attached to what's

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<v Speaker 2>around us because it's all temporary. The Bible tells us

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<v Speaker 2>those in frequent contact with the things of this world

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<v Speaker 2>should make good use of them without becoming attached to them.

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<v Speaker 2>For this world and all it contains is going to

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<v Speaker 2>pass away. In order to keep us from becoming too

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<v Speaker 2>attached to Earth, God allows us to feel a significant

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<v Speaker 2>amount of discontent and satisfaction, dissatisfaction in life, longings that

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<v Speaker 2>will never be fulfilled in your life on this side

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<v Speaker 2>of eternity. We're not completely happy here on Earth because

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<v Speaker 2>we're not supposed to be. Earth is not our final home.

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<v Speaker 2>We were created for something much much better. A fish

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<v Speaker 2>would never be happy living on land because it was

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<v Speaker 2>made for water. An eagle could never feel satisfied if

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<v Speaker 2>it wasn't allowed to fly. You will never feel completely

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<v Speaker 2>satisfied here on Earth because you were made for far more.

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<v Speaker 2>You'll have happy moments here, yes, but nothing compared to

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<v Speaker 2>what God has planned for you in heaven. Realizing that

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<v Speaker 2>life on Earth is just a temporary assignment should radically

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<v Speaker 2>alter your values. Eternal values, not temporal ones, should become

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<v Speaker 2>the deciding factors for all your decisions.

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<v Speaker 3>As C. S.

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<v Speaker 2>Lewis said, all that is not eternal is eternally useless.

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<v Speaker 2>The Bible says, we fix our eyes not on what

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<v Speaker 2>is seen, but on what is unseen, for what is

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<v Speaker 2>seen is temporary, but what we cannot see is eternal.

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<v Speaker 2>So it's a fatal mistake to assume that God's goal

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<v Speaker 2>for your life is material prosperity, your popular success.

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<v Speaker 3>As the world defines it.

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<v Speaker 2>Abundant life has nothing to do with material abundance, and

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<v Speaker 2>faithfulness to God does not guarantee success in a career

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<v Speaker 2>or even in ministry. An old story is often repeated

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<v Speaker 2>of a retiring missionary coming back home to America on

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<v Speaker 2>the same boat as the President of the United States.

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<v Speaker 2>Cheering crowds and a military band and a red carpet

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<v Speaker 2>and banners and the media all welcomed the present home

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<v Speaker 2>with great fanfare, but the missionary slipped off the same

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<v Speaker 2>ship unnoticed. Feeling self pity and resentment, the missionary began

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<v Speaker 2>to complain to God. Then God gently reminded him, but

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<v Speaker 2>my son, you're not home yet. You will not be

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<v Speaker 2>in heaven two seconds before you cry out, why did

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<v Speaker 2>I play so much importance on things that were temporary?

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<v Speaker 3>What was I thinking?

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<v Speaker 2>Why did I waste so much time and energy and

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<v Speaker 2>concern on what wasn't going to last. When life gets tough,

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<v Speaker 2>and when you're overwhelmed with doubt, when you wonder if

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<v Speaker 2>living for Christ is worth the effort, you need to

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<v Speaker 2>remember that this isn't your home and you're not home yet.

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<v Speaker 2>You see it death. You won't leave home, You'll go home.

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<v Speaker 2>It's power heads. Did you pray this prayer in your heart?

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<v Speaker 2>Dear Jesus, I realize that to follow you means to

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<v Speaker 2>be your ambassador, that it means to represent you in

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<v Speaker 2>the world. And I ask you to forgive me for

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<v Speaker 2>failing in my mission. Forgive me for the times that

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<v Speaker 2>I have been silent and not shared your message. Forgive

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<v Speaker 2>me for the times that I have not been a

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<v Speaker 2>good example. Forgive me for the times that I have

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<v Speaker 2>been just as unloving as others. And I have returned

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<v Speaker 2>evil for evil rather than returning good for evil. I

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<v Speaker 2>want my life to reflect you, Jesus. I want you

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<v Speaker 2>to use my life to meet the needs of other people.

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<v Speaker 2>I want you to help me to learn to respect

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<v Speaker 2>and treat every person with dignity, no matter who they

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<v Speaker 2>are or what they say to me.

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<v Speaker 3>I want to be a bridge builder, not a wall builder.

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<v Speaker 2>And whatever I do, I want to do it with

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<v Speaker 2>all my heart as you've commanded me to do. Because

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<v Speaker 2>I represent you. Help me to get out of the embassy,

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<v Speaker 2>to reach one more person. For Jesus, God, I ask

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<v Speaker 2>you to give me the privilege of bringing one person

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<v Speaker 2>into your family this year. I want to reach one

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<v Speaker 2>more for you and Lord, I ask you that when

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<v Speaker 2>times are tough and I begin to focus on what

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<v Speaker 2>I don't have and what I need, to realize that

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<v Speaker 2>this life here is just temporary and the one day

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<v Speaker 2>I will be with you for eternity. And I want

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<v Speaker 2>to hear you say well done, good and faithful servant.

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<v Speaker 2>If you've never invited Christ into your life, say Jesus Christ,

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<v Speaker 2>come into my heart right now. I want to be

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<v Speaker 2>on your team. I want to follow you. I want

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<v Speaker 2>you to be my.

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<v Speaker 3>God, my boss, my manager.

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<v Speaker 2>I want to learn to love you and trust you

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<v Speaker 2>in this year and be your representative.

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<v Speaker 3>Thank you for ending the war.

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<v Speaker 2>Thank you for offering the message of peace, Jesus, thank

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<v Speaker 2>you for offering forgiveness. They ask you to give me

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<v Speaker 2>that forgiveness in your name. I pray Amen. You know

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<v Speaker 2>if you just prayed that prayer for the very first time,

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<v Speaker 2>or you just recommitted your life to Jesus again today.

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<v Speaker 2>Would you let me know about it. There's something real

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<v Speaker 2>about sharing your commitment. So write me Rick at pastor

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<v Speaker 2>rick dot com and say, Rick, I prayed that prayer

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<v Speaker 2>of commitment, I gave my life to Christ. And I'll

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<v Speaker 2>send you some material that will help you on your

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<v Speaker 2>journey with Jesus. And I'll also pray for you. God

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<v Speaker 2>bless you.

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<v Speaker 1>Hey, thanks so much for being with us today and

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<v Speaker 1>listening to Pastor Rick's daily hope. Pastor Rick Warren teamed

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<v Speaker 1>up with a talented artist to create the stunning children's

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<v Speaker 1>book Words to Love By. Written with warmth and wisdom,

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<v Speaker 1>it speaks to the hearts of little ones. Words to

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<v Speaker 1>Love By takes children on a joyful, grace filled journey

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<v Speaker 1>exploring the power of words. Through charming illustrations and engaging text,

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<v Speaker 1>Young readers will understand how their words can change their

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<v Speaker 1>lives and the lives of those around them. Kids learn

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<v Speaker 1>that while words may be small, they can do big things.

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<v Speaker 1>Words can encourage, and they can spread love and kindness,

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<v Speaker 1>and they let us know we are not alone. This

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<v Speaker 1>book is hardcover and is written especially for children ages

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<v Speaker 1>four through eight. It makes a perfect gift for the

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<v Speaker 1>kids God has placed in your life today. When you

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<v Speaker 1>give a gift to help Daily Hope take the certain

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<v Speaker 1>Hope of Jesus to people worldwide, we'll send you the

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<v Speaker 1>hardcover book Words to Love by by Rick Warren as

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<v Speaker 1>our way of saying thanks. Just go to pastorick dot

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00:21:57.839 --> 00:22:01.240
<v Speaker 1>com to get your copy of this great resource. That's

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00:22:01.359 --> 00:22:04.920
<v Speaker 1>pastorick dot com. Or you can just text the word

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<v Speaker 1>hope to seven oh three oh nine and again, that's

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00:22:09.279 --> 00:22:13.039
<v Speaker 1>the word hope to seven oh three oh nine. Please

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

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<v Speaker 3>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 support.