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Joel Osteen | Joel Osteen - The God Who Stoops | March 25, 2026
- > (audience applauds)
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- > (audience applauds) > joel: god bless you!
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- > joel: god bless you! it's great to have you
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- It's great to have you with us today.
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- With us today. i hope you'll stay connected
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- I hope you'll stay connected with us throughout the week.
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- With us throughout the week. we have a daily podcast that
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- We have a daily podcast that you can download.
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- You can download. you can go to our youtube
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- You can go to our youtube channel and watch the
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- Channel and watch the messages anytime or, of
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- Messages anytime or, of course, you can follow us
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- Course, you can follow us on social media.
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- On social media. i promise you we'll keep
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- I promise you we'll keep you encouraged and inspired.
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- You encouraged and inspired. thanks for tuning in.
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- Thanks for tuning in. thank you again for
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- Thank you again for coming out today.
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- Coming out today. i like to start with
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- I like to start with something funny.
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- Something funny. i heard about this man; he
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- I heard about this man; he was on vacation in jerusalem
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- Was on vacation in jerusalem with his family when his
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- With his family when his mother-in-law suddenly died.
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- Mother-in-law suddenly died. he went to make arrangements
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- He went to make arrangements to get the body back home.
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- To get the body back home. the consulate said it would
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- The consulate said it would cost $5,000 to have the body
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- Cost $5,000 to have the body shipped, but he could have
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- Shipped, but he could have her buried right there in
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- Her buried right there in jerusalem for just $150.
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- Jerusalem for just $150. the man thought about it a
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- The man thought about it a moment and said, "no, i'd
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- Moment and said, "no, i'd like to have her shipped."
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- Like to have her shipped." the consulate said, "wow,
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- The consulate said, "wow, you must have really loved
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- You must have really loved your mother-in-law."
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- Your mother-in-law." he said, "no, it's not so
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- He said, "no, it's not so much that. i just remember
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- Much that. i just remember a case here years ago when
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- A case here years ago when they buried someone and
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- They buried someone and on the third day they
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- On the third day they arose, and i can't take
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- Arose, and i can't take that chance." (laughter)
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- That chance." (laughter) all right y'all. i've got
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- All right y'all. i've got a great mother-in-law.
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- A great mother-in-law. here we go.
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- Here we go. this is my bible.
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- This is my bible. i am what it says i am.
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- I am what it says i am. i have what it says i have.
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- I have what it says i have. i can do what it says
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- I can do what it says i can do. today, i will be
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- I can do. today, i will be taught the word of god.
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- Taught the word of god. i boldly confess: my mind
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- I boldly confess: my mind is alert. my heart is
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- Is alert. my heart is receptive.
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- Receptive. i will never be the same
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- I will never be the same in jesus' name.
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- In jesus' name. god bless you.
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- God bless you. i want to talk to you today
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- I want to talk to you today about the god who stoops.
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- About the god who stoops. we think if we can live good
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- We think if we can live good enough then god will bless
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- Enough then god will bless us. if we can clean
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- Us. if we can clean ourselves up, get rid
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- Ourselves up, get rid of this bad habit,
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- Of this bad habit, not fail anymore,
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- Not fail anymore, then god will show us favor.
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- Then god will show us favor. the problem is we can't live
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- The problem is we can't live that way.
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- That way. we all make mistakes, we all
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- We all make mistakes, we all have times that we give into
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- Have times that we give into temptation, let our emotions
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- Temptation, let our emotions takeover.
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- Takeover. the condemning voices come,
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- The condemning voices come, saying, "you blew it, it was
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- Saying, "you blew it, it was your own fault, god's never
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- Your own fault, god's never going to help you."
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- Going to help you." that's not the way our god
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- That's not the way our god is.
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- Is. when you can't come up to
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- When you can't come up to his level, he says, "don't
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- His level, he says, "don't worry, i'll come down to
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- Worry, i'll come down to yours."
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- Yours." he's not so high that he
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- He's not so high that he won't come low.
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- Won't come low. it's good to see him as all
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- It's good to see him as all powerful, holy, the creator
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- Powerful, holy, the creator of the universe.
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- Of the universe. but if you only see him that
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- But if you only see him that way, you'll be intimidated,
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- Way, you'll be intimidated, overwhelmed, "i'll never
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- Overwhelmed, "i'll never measure up."
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- Measure up." you have to see him as the
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- You have to see him as the god who stoops. he comes
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- God who stoops. he comes down to the messy places.
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- Down to the messy places. he's a god that will get
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- He's a god that will get his hands dirty.
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- His hands dirty. when you've fallen, when
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- When you've fallen, when you're broken, when you
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- You're broken, when you knew better but you did
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- Knew better but you did it anyway, you think you're
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- It anyway, you think you're far from god, no get ready,
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- Far from god, no get ready, he's coming after you.
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- He's coming after you. the scripture says he leaves
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- The scripture says he leaves the ninety-nine sheep and
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- The ninety-nine sheep and goes after the one sheep
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- Goes after the one sheep that's lost.
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- That's lost. he could have stayed with
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- He could have stayed with the ninety-nine that are
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- The ninety-nine that are on course. he could have
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- On course. he could have been satisfied, "i don't
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- Been satisfied, "i don't want the trouble, that
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- Want the trouble, that sheep shouldn't have
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- Sheep shouldn't have wondered off in the
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- Wondered off in the first place."
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- First place." but he goes to messy places.
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- But he goes to messy places. he went to the hog pen to
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- He went to the hog pen to get the prodigal son.
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- Get the prodigal son. he'll go into a club, he'll
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- He'll go into a club, he'll go into dysfunction, into
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- Go into dysfunction, into failure, into compromise.
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- Failure, into compromise. you can't get too far down,
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- You can't get too far down, too far off course, too many
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- Too far off course, too many mistakes that god will leave
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- Mistakes that god will leave you alone.
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- You alone. he'll come down to where
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- He'll come down to where you are.
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- You are. the beauty is he comes not
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- The beauty is he comes not to condemn you, not to point
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- To condemn you, not to point out all your mistakes, he
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- Out all your mistakes, he comes to lift you, to
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- Comes to lift you, to restore you, to free you,
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- Restore you, to free you, to set you on a new path.
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- To set you on a new path. psalm 113 says, "he stoops
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- Psalm 113 says, "he stoops down from the heavens to
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- Down from the heavens to look at the earth.
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- Look at the earth. he lifts the poor from the
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- He lifts the poor from the dirt, and the needy from
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- Dirt, and the needy from the garbage dump.
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- The garbage dump. he sets them among princes."
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- He sets them among princes." he'll stoop all the way to a
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- He'll stoop all the way to a garbage dump, all the way to
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- Garbage dump, all the way to the dirt.
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- The dirt. notice what he does, he
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- Notice what he does, he doesn't just bring you out,
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- Doesn't just bring you out, but he honors you.
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- But he honors you. he sets you among princes.
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- He sets you among princes. he doesn't hold our mistakes
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- He doesn't hold our mistakes against us.
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- Against us. he takes what was meant for
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- He takes what was meant for harm and uses it to our
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- Harm and uses it to our advantage.
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- Advantage. i thank god that he's all
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- I thank god that he's all powerful, i thank him that
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- Powerful, i thank him that he's holy, but i also thank
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- He's holy, but i also thank him that he's the god who
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- Him that he's the god who stoops.
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- Stoops. the god who picks me up when
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- The god who picks me up when i fail, the god who shows me
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- I fail, the god who shows me mercy when i get off course,
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- Mercy when i get off course, the god who comes to messy
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- The god who comes to messy places and rescues me and
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- Places and rescues me and restores me and sets me in
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- Restores me and sets me in a place of honor.
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- A place of honor. where would we be without
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- Where would we be without the god who stoops?
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- The god who stoops? my father was a teenager,
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- My father was a teenager, growing up during the great
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- Growing up during the great depression, he was very
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- Depression, he was very poor.
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- Poor. he knew nothing about god.
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- He knew nothing about god. no future to speak of.
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- No future to speak of. he had to drop out of high
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- He had to drop out of high school to work on the farm
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- School to work on the farm to try to keep food on the
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- To try to keep food on the table.
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- Table. his parents were good
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- His parents were good people, but they didn't have
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- People, but they didn't have any kind of faith, any kind
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- Any kind of faith, any kind of spiritual awareness.
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- Of spiritual awareness. it looked like my father
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- It looked like my father would be the same way, just
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- Would be the same way, just struggle through life,
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- Struggle through life, mediocre, no purpose.
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- Mediocre, no purpose. but at seventeen years old,
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- But at seventeen years old, he was walking home from
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- He was walking home from a night club at two o'clock
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- A night club at two o'clock in the morning.
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- In the morning. he looked up at the stars
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- He looked up at the stars and for some reason he began
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- And for some reason he began to think about god and what
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- To think about god and what he was going to do with his
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- He was going to do with his life. he felt this sense
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- Life. he felt this sense of destiny.
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- Of destiny. on the coffee table at home,
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- On the coffee table at home, there was a family bible.
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- There was a family bible. it was just there for
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- It was just there for decoration. they never
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- Decoration. they never read it. he walked in that
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- Read it. he walked in that night; he was drawn to it.
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- Night; he was drawn to it. he went over and opened it
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- He went over and opened it up, the pages fell to a
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- Up, the pages fell to a picture of jesus standing
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- Picture of jesus standing at a door and knocking.
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- At a door and knocking. the caption read, "if you'll
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- The caption read, "if you'll open the door, i'll come
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- Open the door, i'll come in." my father didn't
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- In." my father didn't understand religion,
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- Understand religion, didn't understand theology
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- Didn't understand theology but he did understand
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- But he did understand opening a door.
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- Opening a door. the next day he went to
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- The next day he went to church for the first time
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- Church for the first time with a friend.
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- With a friend. at the end of the service
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- At the end of the service the pastor invited people
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- The pastor invited people to the altar that wanted
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- To the altar that wanted to receive christ.
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- To receive christ. my father wouldn't go,
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- My father wouldn't go, he was too afraid.
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- He was too afraid. his friend said, "john,
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- His friend said, "john, if you'll go, i'll go
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- If you'll go, i'll go with you."
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- With you." my father walked down the
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- My father walked down the aisle and gave his life
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- Aisle and gave his life to christ.
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- To christ. he went on to become a
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- He went on to become a minister and started
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- Minister and started lakewood and did great
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- Lakewood and did great things with his life.
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- Things with his life. why did he feel that way
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- Why did he feel that way coming home from the night
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- Coming home from the night club? what was that?
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- Club? what was that? the god who stoops.
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- The god who stoops. sometimes we say we found
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- Sometimes we say we found god. the truth is,
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- God. the truth is, god wasn't lost. we didn't
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- God wasn't lost. we didn't find him, he found us.
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- Find him, he found us. he chose you before you
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- He chose you before you could choose him.
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- Could choose him. i love the fact that you
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- I love the fact that you can never get so low that
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- Can never get so low that god won't come down and
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- God won't come down and pick you up.
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- Pick you up. you're not too far off
- 00:06:34.417 --> 00:06:35.518
- You're not too far off course, you haven't failed
- 00:06:35.585 --> 00:06:37.153
- Course, you haven't failed too many times, you haven't
- 00:06:37.220 --> 00:06:38.621
- Too many times, you haven't had too many bad breaks.
- 00:06:38.688 --> 00:06:40.323
- Had too many bad breaks. god is coming to you right
- 00:06:40.389 --> 00:06:41.724
- God is coming to you right now.
- 00:06:41.791 --> 00:06:42.725
- Now. he's breathing on your life
- 00:06:42.792 --> 00:06:44.494
- He's breathing on your life in a new way, with fresh
- 00:06:44.560 --> 00:06:46.295
- In a new way, with fresh vision, fresh passion, new
- 00:06:46.362 --> 00:06:48.764
- Vision, fresh passion, new doors are going to open, the
- 00:06:48.831 --> 00:06:50.500
- Doors are going to open, the greatness god put in you is
- 00:06:50.566 --> 00:06:52.201
- Greatness god put in you is about to come out, what he's
- 00:06:52.268 --> 00:06:54.170
- About to come out, what he's destined for you to
- 00:06:54.237 --> 00:06:55.037
- Destined for you to accomplish will come to
- 00:06:55.104 --> 00:06:56.506
- Accomplish will come to pass.
- 00:06:56.572 --> 00:06:57.773
- Pass. now, don't write yourself
- 00:06:57.840 --> 00:06:59.075
- Now, don't write yourself off and don't write anyone
- 00:06:59.141 --> 00:07:00.943
- Off and don't write anyone else off.
- 00:07:01.010 --> 00:07:02.178
- Else off. don't give up on your child,
- 00:07:02.245 --> 00:07:03.980
- Don't give up on your child, don't quit praying for that
- 00:07:04.046 --> 00:07:05.381
- Don't quit praying for that loved one.
- 00:07:05.448 --> 00:07:06.649
- Loved one. the psalmist said.
- 00:07:06.716 --> 00:07:07.416
- The psalmist said. "god wherever i go, i can't
- 00:07:07.483 --> 00:07:09.952
- "god wherever i go, i can't get away from your presence.
- 00:07:10.019 --> 00:07:11.621
- Get away from your presence. if i go up to the heavens,
- 00:07:11.687 --> 00:07:13.022
- If i go up to the heavens, you are there.
- 00:07:13.089 --> 00:07:14.090
- You are there. if i go down to the depths
- 00:07:14.156 --> 00:07:15.424
- If i go down to the depths of the ocean, you're still
- 00:07:15.491 --> 00:07:16.692
- Of the ocean, you're still there."
- 00:07:16.759 --> 00:07:17.760
- There." there is no depth that god
- 00:07:17.827 --> 00:07:19.562
- There is no depth that god won't stoop to, to free you,
- 00:07:19.629 --> 00:07:22.098
- Won't stoop to, to free you, to restore your family
- 00:07:22.164 --> 00:07:23.299
- To restore your family member, to bring your child
- 00:07:23.366 --> 00:07:25.067
- Member, to bring your child back home.
- 00:07:25.134 --> 00:07:26.602
- Back home. this is what happened with
- 00:07:26.669 --> 00:07:27.703
- This is what happened with saul in the scripture.
- 00:07:27.770 --> 00:07:29.405
- Saul in the scripture. he was the biggest enemy of
- 00:07:29.472 --> 00:07:30.873
- He was the biggest enemy of the church.
- 00:07:30.940 --> 00:07:32.041
- The church. he was very educated, an
- 00:07:32.108 --> 00:07:33.910
- He was very educated, an influential leader but he
- 00:07:33.976 --> 00:07:35.578
- Influential leader but he was against believers.
- 00:07:35.645 --> 00:07:37.346
- Was against believers. he went around having them
- 00:07:37.413 --> 00:07:38.381
- He went around having them arrested and put in prison.
- 00:07:38.447 --> 00:07:40.616
- Arrested and put in prison. it looked like he would be
- 00:07:40.683 --> 00:07:42.051
- It looked like he would be the last person that god
- 00:07:42.118 --> 00:07:43.819
- The last person that god would have anything to do
- 00:07:43.886 --> 00:07:44.954
- Would have anything to do with.
- 00:07:45.021 --> 00:07:45.621
- With. he was creating havoc,
- 00:07:45.688 --> 00:07:47.456
- He was creating havoc, making the disciples
- 00:07:47.523 --> 00:07:48.457
- Making the disciples miserable.
- 00:07:48.524 --> 00:07:49.659
- Miserable. but god loves to redeem
- 00:07:49.725 --> 00:07:51.260
- But god loves to redeem people that we think are
- 00:07:51.327 --> 00:07:52.929
- People that we think are not redeemable.
- 00:07:52.995 --> 00:07:54.330
- Not redeemable. he loves to take people that
- 00:07:54.397 --> 00:07:55.731
- He loves to take people that look too far gone, not a
- 00:07:55.798 --> 00:07:57.633
- Look too far gone, not a chance, and make them into
- 00:07:57.700 --> 00:07:59.402
- Chance, and make them into a chosen vessel, bring them
- 00:07:59.468 --> 00:08:01.203
- A chosen vessel, bring them into purpose and destiny.
- 00:08:01.270 --> 00:08:03.472
- Into purpose and destiny. on his way to arrest
- 00:08:03.539 --> 00:08:04.840
- On his way to arrest believers, saul had letters
- 00:08:04.907 --> 00:08:06.809
- Believers, saul had letters in hand from the council,
- 00:08:06.876 --> 00:08:08.678
- In hand from the council, permission to put them in
- 00:08:08.744 --> 00:08:10.346
- Permission to put them in jail, suddenly a bright
- 00:08:10.413 --> 00:08:12.348
- Jail, suddenly a bright light shined down from
- 00:08:12.415 --> 00:08:13.382
- Light shined down from heaven.
- 00:08:13.449 --> 00:08:14.050
- Heaven. it knocked saul off his
- 00:08:14.116 --> 00:08:15.284
- It knocked saul off his horse.
- 00:08:15.351 --> 00:08:16.285
- Horse. a voice boomed out, "saul,
- 00:08:16.352 --> 00:08:18.788
- A voice boomed out, "saul, why do you persecute me?"
- 00:08:18.854 --> 00:08:20.523
- Why do you persecute me?" he said, "who are you,
- 00:08:20.590 --> 00:08:21.490
- He said, "who are you, lord?" the voice said,
- 00:08:21.557 --> 00:08:23.326
- Lord?" the voice said, "i am jesus."
- 00:08:23.392 --> 00:08:25.061
- "i am jesus." god was saying, "you're
- 00:08:25.127 --> 00:08:26.362
- God was saying, "you're against me now but that's
- 00:08:26.429 --> 00:08:28.130
- Against me now but that's not your purpose. that's
- 00:08:28.197 --> 00:08:29.732
- Not your purpose. that's not who i created you to
- 00:08:29.799 --> 00:08:31.000
- Not who i created you to be. i love you too
- 00:08:31.067 --> 00:08:32.468
- Be. i love you too much to let you miss
- 00:08:32.535 --> 00:08:33.936
- Much to let you miss your destiny. even though
- 00:08:34.003 --> 00:08:35.671
- Your destiny. even though i'm a god that sits high,
- 00:08:35.738 --> 00:08:37.506
- I'm a god that sits high, even though i'm all
- 00:08:37.573 --> 00:08:38.374
- Even though i'm all powerful, i'll stoop low
- 00:08:38.441 --> 00:08:40.109
- Powerful, i'll stoop low to get you into your
- 00:08:40.176 --> 00:08:41.377
- To get you into your calling."
- 00:08:41.444 --> 00:08:42.945
- Calling." god will go to great lengths
- 00:08:43.012 --> 00:08:44.714
- God will go to great lengths to bring you into your
- 00:08:44.780 --> 00:08:45.915
- To bring you into your destiny.
- 00:08:45.982 --> 00:08:47.249
- Destiny. you may feel like you've
- 00:08:47.316 --> 00:08:48.184
- You may feel like you've missed it, you've made too
- 00:08:48.250 --> 00:08:49.652
- Missed it, you've made too many mistakes, you're too
- 00:08:49.719 --> 00:08:51.087
- Many mistakes, you're too far off course.
- 00:08:51.153 --> 00:08:52.321
- Far off course. the good news is we serve a
- 00:08:52.388 --> 00:08:54.156
- The good news is we serve a god who stoops.
- 00:08:54.223 --> 00:08:55.992
- God who stoops. the god that will reach down
- 00:08:56.058 --> 00:08:57.893
- The god that will reach down to redeem, to restore, to
- 00:08:57.960 --> 00:09:00.196
- To redeem, to restore, to set you among princes.
- 00:09:00.262 --> 00:09:02.231
- Set you among princes. he's not going to just bring
- 00:09:02.298 --> 00:09:03.399
- He's not going to just bring you out, he's going to honor
- 00:09:03.466 --> 00:09:05.001
- You out, he's going to honor you, promote you, give you
- 00:09:05.067 --> 00:09:06.869
- You, promote you, give you influence, cause you to
- 00:09:06.936 --> 00:09:08.337
- Influence, cause you to shine.
- 00:09:08.404 --> 00:09:09.905
- Shine. that day was a turning point
- 00:09:09.972 --> 00:09:11.374
- That day was a turning point for saul.
- 00:09:11.440 --> 00:09:12.508
- For saul. he became the apostle paul
- 00:09:12.575 --> 00:09:14.610
- He became the apostle paul and went on to write over
- 00:09:14.677 --> 00:09:15.911
- And went on to write over half of the new testament.
- 00:09:15.978 --> 00:09:18.180
- Half of the new testament. one verse he wrote in romans
- 00:09:18.247 --> 00:09:20.616
- One verse he wrote in romans talks about the grace that
- 00:09:20.683 --> 00:09:22.118
- Talks about the grace that god freely gives us.
- 00:09:22.184 --> 00:09:24.053
- God freely gives us. if anyone understood grace,
- 00:09:24.120 --> 00:09:26.088
- If anyone understood grace, it would have been paul.
- 00:09:26.155 --> 00:09:27.723
- It would have been paul. the word he used for freely
- 00:09:27.790 --> 00:09:29.959
- The word he used for freely in the original language is
- 00:09:30.026 --> 00:09:31.761
- In the original language is promiscuous.
- 00:09:31.827 --> 00:09:33.329
- Promiscuous. meaning that god's grace
- 00:09:33.396 --> 00:09:34.630
- Meaning that god's grace will go to anyone.
- 00:09:34.697 --> 00:09:36.632
- Will go to anyone. if someone is promiscuous,
- 00:09:36.699 --> 00:09:38.167
- If someone is promiscuous, they're unrestrained,
- 00:09:38.234 --> 00:09:39.835
- They're unrestrained, they're loose.
- 00:09:39.902 --> 00:09:41.303
- They're loose. that's the way god's grace
- 00:09:41.370 --> 00:09:42.738
- That's the way god's grace is. it's not looking for
- 00:09:42.805 --> 00:09:44.340
- Is. it's not looking for perfect people.
- 00:09:44.407 --> 00:09:45.941
- Perfect people. you can be struggling with
- 00:09:46.008 --> 00:09:47.176
- You can be struggling with an addiction, and grace will
- 00:09:47.243 --> 00:09:48.978
- An addiction, and grace will come looking for you.
- 00:09:49.045 --> 00:09:50.513
- Come looking for you. you can be working in the
- 00:09:50.579 --> 00:09:51.614
- You can be working in the wrong kind of place, and
- 00:09:51.681 --> 00:09:53.215
- Wrong kind of place, and grace will come knocking
- 00:09:53.282 --> 00:09:54.283
- Grace will come knocking at your door.
- 00:09:54.350 --> 00:09:55.651
- At your door. you can be dishonest;
- 00:09:55.718 --> 00:09:57.219
- You can be dishonest; manipulative and grace will
- 00:09:57.286 --> 00:09:59.055
- Manipulative and grace will show up at your house.
- 00:09:59.121 --> 00:10:00.890
- Show up at your house. you can be discouraged,
- 00:10:00.956 --> 00:10:02.758
- You can be discouraged, thinking you've messed up
- 00:10:02.825 --> 00:10:03.726
- Thinking you've messed up too many times, you brought
- 00:10:03.793 --> 00:10:05.394
- Too many times, you brought the trouble on yourself,
- 00:10:05.461 --> 00:10:07.096
- The trouble on yourself, like the prodigal son, grace
- 00:10:07.163 --> 00:10:09.065
- Like the prodigal son, grace will come in to the hog pen.
- 00:10:09.131 --> 00:10:10.299
- Will come in to the hog pen. you can't get so low that
- 00:10:10.366 --> 00:10:13.302
- You can't get so low that god won't stoop down.
- 00:10:13.369 --> 00:10:15.137
- God won't stoop down. his grace is unrestrained.
- 00:10:15.204 --> 00:10:17.440
- His grace is unrestrained. it doesn't have limitations.
- 00:10:17.506 --> 00:10:19.141
- It doesn't have limitations. it will go after anyone.
- 00:10:19.208 --> 00:10:21.377
- It will go after anyone. see, we look at people and
- 00:10:21.444 --> 00:10:22.812
- See, we look at people and make judgments based on how
- 00:10:22.878 --> 00:10:24.413
- Make judgments based on how we were raised and how we
- 00:10:24.480 --> 00:10:25.881
- We were raised and how we see things.
- 00:10:25.948 --> 00:10:27.216
- See things. we think, "god wouldn't have
- 00:10:27.283 --> 00:10:28.484
- We think, "god wouldn't have anything to do with them,
- 00:10:28.551 --> 00:10:29.885
- Anything to do with them, they're not living right,
- 00:10:29.952 --> 00:10:31.454
- They're not living right, they party too much, he's
- 00:10:31.520 --> 00:10:33.122
- They party too much, he's too dishonest, her dress was
- 00:10:33.189 --> 00:10:35.024
- Too dishonest, her dress was too short, they use bad
- 00:10:35.091 --> 00:10:36.425
- Too short, they use bad language, they come from
- 00:10:36.492 --> 00:10:37.693
- Language, they come from a different religion."
- 00:10:37.760 --> 00:10:39.195
- A different religion." the longer i live the more
- 00:10:39.261 --> 00:10:41.030
- The longer i live the more i realize, god will save
- 00:10:41.097 --> 00:10:43.199
- I realize, god will save who he wants to save.
- 00:10:43.265 --> 00:10:44.934
- Who he wants to save. he'll stoop down to people
- 00:10:45.000 --> 00:10:47.036
- He'll stoop down to people that don't have a good
- 00:10:47.103 --> 00:10:47.870
- That don't have a good reputation.
- 00:10:47.937 --> 00:10:49.538
- Reputation. just ask zacchaeus.
- 00:10:49.605 --> 00:10:51.273
- Just ask zacchaeus. he was dishonest, he cheated
- 00:10:51.340 --> 00:10:53.309
- He was dishonest, he cheated people.
- 00:10:53.375 --> 00:10:54.343
- People. everyone knew he wasn't
- 00:10:54.410 --> 00:10:55.945
- Everyone knew he wasn't trustworthy, yet jesus
- 00:10:56.011 --> 00:10:57.813
- Trustworthy, yet jesus called him out of huge group
- 00:10:57.880 --> 00:10:59.815
- Called him out of huge group of people, and said, "i want
- 00:10:59.882 --> 00:11:01.250
- Of people, and said, "i want to go to your house for
- 00:11:01.317 --> 00:11:02.218
- To go to your house for dinner."
- 00:11:02.284 --> 00:11:03.519
- Dinner." the religious leaders, the
- 00:11:03.586 --> 00:11:05.121
- The religious leaders, the priests, the council members
- 00:11:05.187 --> 00:11:06.789
- Priests, the council members couldn't understand it.
- 00:11:06.856 --> 00:11:08.190
- Couldn't understand it. "why would jesus go to this
- 00:11:08.257 --> 00:11:09.391
- "why would jesus go to this guy's house?"
- 00:11:09.458 --> 00:11:10.659
- Guy's house?" there were a lot of fine,
- 00:11:10.726 --> 00:11:11.660
- There were a lot of fine, upstanding people in the
- 00:11:11.727 --> 00:11:13.229
- Upstanding people in the crowd.
- 00:11:13.295 --> 00:11:14.196
- Crowd. zacchaeus was a notorious
- 00:11:14.263 --> 00:11:15.798
- Zacchaeus was a notorious sinner.
- 00:11:15.865 --> 00:11:16.899
- Sinner. it's because they knew god
- 00:11:16.966 --> 00:11:19.001
- It's because they knew god as being all powerful, holy,
- 00:11:19.068 --> 00:11:21.270
- As being all powerful, holy, righteous, but they didn't
- 00:11:21.337 --> 00:11:23.072
- Righteous, but they didn't know him as the god who
- 00:11:23.139 --> 00:11:24.607
- Know him as the god who stoops.
- 00:11:24.673 --> 00:11:25.975
- Stoops. if you only know him as
- 00:11:26.041 --> 00:11:27.510
- If you only know him as this majestic creator of
- 00:11:27.576 --> 00:11:29.245
- This majestic creator of the universe, then you
- 00:11:29.311 --> 00:11:30.746
- The universe, then you can be judgmental,
- 00:11:30.813 --> 00:11:32.248
- Can be judgmental, write people off.
- 00:11:32.314 --> 00:11:33.716
- Write people off. but when you realize even
- 00:11:33.783 --> 00:11:35.284
- But when you realize even though he sits high, he
- 00:11:35.351 --> 00:11:36.852
- Though he sits high, he stoops low.
- 00:11:36.919 --> 00:11:38.120
- Stoops low. he doesn't disqualify people
- 00:11:38.187 --> 00:11:39.989
- He doesn't disqualify people because they're off course
- 00:11:40.055 --> 00:11:41.157
- Because they're off course now.
- 00:11:41.223 --> 00:11:42.124
- Now. he knows they're a saul,
- 00:11:42.191 --> 00:11:44.126
- He knows they're a saul, they're a zacchaeus.
- 00:11:44.193 --> 00:11:45.561
- They're a zacchaeus. he comes down to redeem,
- 00:11:45.628 --> 00:11:47.596
- He comes down to redeem, to restore, to set among
- 00:11:47.663 --> 00:11:49.298
- To restore, to set among princes.
- 00:11:49.365 --> 00:11:50.900
- Princes. i was at one of our events
- 00:11:50.966 --> 00:11:52.701
- I was at one of our events several years ago.
- 00:11:52.768 --> 00:11:54.503
- Several years ago. afterwards, i was meeting
- 00:11:54.570 --> 00:11:55.738
- Afterwards, i was meeting people.
- 00:11:55.805 --> 00:11:56.605
- People. this young man came through
- 00:11:56.672 --> 00:11:57.773
- This young man came through the line and could smell
- 00:11:57.840 --> 00:11:59.775
- The line and could smell marijuana, it was very
- 00:11:59.842 --> 00:12:01.610
- Marijuana, it was very strong.
- 00:12:01.677 --> 00:12:02.778
- Strong. this was before it was legal
- 00:12:02.845 --> 00:12:04.213
- This was before it was legal anywhere.
- 00:12:04.280 --> 00:12:05.381
- Anywhere. my first thought was man
- 00:12:05.447 --> 00:12:06.715
- My first thought was man this is a night of hope,
- 00:12:06.782 --> 00:12:08.083
- This is a night of hope, not a night of dope.
- 00:12:08.150 --> 00:12:10.052
- After a couple of minutes,
- 00:12:11.387 --> 00:12:12.688
- After a couple of minutes, i started feeling really
- 00:12:12.755 --> 00:12:13.823
- I started feeling really good.
- 00:12:13.889 --> 00:12:14.523
- Good. it's easy to judge people,
- 00:12:14.590 --> 00:12:19.195
- It's easy to judge people, why do they do that?
- 00:12:19.261 --> 00:12:20.896
- Why do they do that? why does she go with him?
- 00:12:20.963 --> 00:12:22.398
- Why does she go with him? why isn't he more
- 00:12:22.464 --> 00:12:23.199
- Why isn't he more disciplined? but when you
- 00:12:23.265 --> 00:12:24.900
- Disciplined? but when you know god as a god who
- 00:12:24.967 --> 00:12:26.368
- Know god as a god who stoops, a god that comes
- 00:12:26.435 --> 00:12:28.170
- Stoops, a god that comes down to lift people,
- 00:12:28.237 --> 00:12:29.638
- Down to lift people, that his grace is
- 00:12:29.705 --> 00:12:30.406
- That his grace is promiscuous, it goes to
- 00:12:30.472 --> 00:12:31.907
- Promiscuous, it goes to anyone, then you can be a
- 00:12:31.974 --> 00:12:34.043
- Anyone, then you can be a lifter, you can be a healer,
- 00:12:34.109 --> 00:12:36.645
- Lifter, you can be a healer, you can be a restorer.
- 00:12:36.712 --> 00:12:38.247
- You can be a restorer. where would you be without
- 00:12:38.314 --> 00:12:39.815
- Where would you be without the mercy of god?
- 00:12:39.882 --> 00:12:41.483
- The mercy of god? what if god had not stooped
- 00:12:41.550 --> 00:12:42.785
- What if god had not stooped down and brought my father
- 00:12:42.852 --> 00:12:44.753
- Down and brought my father into his purpose?
- 00:12:44.820 --> 00:12:45.754
- Into his purpose? where would i be?
- 00:12:45.821 --> 00:12:47.156
- Where would i be? how many times has god
- 00:12:47.223 --> 00:12:48.724
- How many times has god stooped down to you?
- 00:12:48.791 --> 00:12:50.159
- Stooped down to you? shown you mercy when you
- 00:12:50.226 --> 00:12:51.227
- Shown you mercy when you didn't deserve it, got you
- 00:12:51.293 --> 00:12:52.628
- Didn't deserve it, got you out of a problem that you
- 00:12:52.695 --> 00:12:54.029
- Out of a problem that you got yourself into, lifted
- 00:12:54.096 --> 00:12:55.965
- Got yourself into, lifted you out of the garbage so
- 00:12:56.031 --> 00:12:57.499
- You out of the garbage so to speak.
- 00:12:57.566 --> 00:12:59.134
- To speak. it would be one thing if he
- 00:12:59.201 --> 00:13:01.537
- It would be one thing if he did it condemning, judging,
- 00:13:01.604 --> 00:13:04.173
- Did it condemning, judging, berating, but god doesn't
- 00:13:04.240 --> 00:13:05.541
- Berating, but god doesn't say a word, he doesn't find
- 00:13:05.608 --> 00:13:07.409
- Say a word, he doesn't find fault.
- 00:13:07.476 --> 00:13:08.377
- Fault. that's taught me not to
- 00:13:08.444 --> 00:13:09.645
- That's taught me not to judge other people.
- 00:13:09.712 --> 00:13:11.513
- Judge other people. if we walked in their shoes,
- 00:13:11.580 --> 00:13:13.515
- If we walked in their shoes, if we had their same
- 00:13:13.582 --> 00:13:14.483
- If we had their same experiences, we don't know
- 00:13:14.550 --> 00:13:16.619
- Experiences, we don't know what kind of decisions we
- 00:13:16.685 --> 00:13:17.820
- What kind of decisions we would make.
- 00:13:17.887 --> 00:13:18.921
- Would make. since god stooped down for
- 00:13:18.988 --> 00:13:21.023
- Since god stooped down for you, why don't you stoop
- 00:13:21.090 --> 00:13:22.391
- You, why don't you stoop down for someone else?
- 00:13:22.458 --> 00:13:24.293
- Down for someone else? you're never more like god
- 00:13:24.360 --> 00:13:27.529
- You're never more like god than when you're helping
- 00:13:27.596 --> 00:13:28.330
- Than when you're helping the hurting, restoring the
- 00:13:28.397 --> 00:13:30.232
- The hurting, restoring the broken, lifting the fallen.
- 00:13:30.299 --> 00:13:32.935
- Broken, lifting the fallen. there's enough judgment in
- 00:13:33.002 --> 00:13:34.103
- There's enough judgment in our world today.
- 00:13:34.169 --> 00:13:35.337
- Our world today. there's enough criticism
- 00:13:35.404 --> 00:13:36.372
- There's enough criticism and faultfinding.
- 00:13:36.438 --> 00:13:37.606
- And faultfinding. let's be lifters.
- 00:13:37.673 --> 00:13:39.008
- Let's be lifters. let's be encouragers.
- 00:13:39.074 --> 00:13:40.376
- Let's be encouragers. let's help someone else
- 00:13:40.442 --> 00:13:41.410
- Let's help someone else experience, the god who
- 00:13:41.477 --> 00:13:42.878
- Experience, the god who stoops.
- 00:13:42.945 --> 00:13:44.813
- Stoops. this young man told me how
- 00:13:44.880 --> 00:13:46.715
- This young man told me how he had never been to church,
- 00:13:46.782 --> 00:13:48.317
- He had never been to church, he didn't have much guidance
- 00:13:48.384 --> 00:13:49.752
- He didn't have much guidance growing up, he was passed
- 00:13:49.818 --> 00:13:51.353
- Growing up, he was passed from foster home to foster
- 00:13:51.420 --> 00:13:52.855
- From foster home to foster home.
- 00:13:52.922 --> 00:13:53.555
- Home. he'd gotten into trouble,
- 00:13:53.622 --> 00:13:54.957
- He'd gotten into trouble, struggling with substance
- 00:13:55.024 --> 00:13:56.025
- Struggling with substance abuse.
- 00:13:56.091 --> 00:13:56.792
- Abuse. a lot had come against him.
- 00:13:56.859 --> 00:13:58.727
- A lot had come against him. but he said, "my girlfriend
- 00:13:58.794 --> 00:13:59.862
- But he said, "my girlfriend and i started watching you
- 00:13:59.929 --> 00:14:01.130
- And i started watching you on television.
- 00:14:01.196 --> 00:14:02.631
- On television. when i hear you speak, i
- 00:14:02.698 --> 00:14:04.333
- When i hear you speak, i feel something on the inside
- 00:14:04.400 --> 00:14:06.201
- Feel something on the inside that i've never felt."
- 00:14:06.268 --> 00:14:07.770
- That i've never felt." i told him, "that's your
- 00:14:07.836 --> 00:14:09.238
- I told him, "that's your heavenly father drawing you.
- 00:14:09.305 --> 00:14:11.440
- Heavenly father drawing you. that's god saying i have a
- 00:14:11.507 --> 00:14:12.841
- That's god saying i have a plan and purpose for your
- 00:14:12.908 --> 00:14:14.443
- Plan and purpose for your life."
- 00:14:14.510 --> 00:14:15.411
- Life." that's what the psalmist
- 00:14:15.477 --> 00:14:16.345
- That's what the psalmist meant, god stoops down from
- 00:14:16.412 --> 00:14:18.213
- Meant, god stoops down from the heavens and lifts those
- 00:14:18.280 --> 00:14:20.049
- The heavens and lifts those in the dirt and sets them
- 00:14:20.115 --> 00:14:21.650
- In the dirt and sets them among princes.
- 00:14:21.717 --> 00:14:23.352
- Among princes. you too may have gone
- 00:14:23.419 --> 00:14:24.653
- You too may have gone through disappointments,
- 00:14:24.720 --> 00:14:26.021
- Through disappointments, things that were unfair,
- 00:14:26.088 --> 00:14:27.589
- Things that were unfair, you couldn't do anything
- 00:14:27.656 --> 00:14:28.457
- You couldn't do anything about it.
- 00:14:28.524 --> 00:14:29.458
- About it. you never thought you'd
- 00:14:29.525 --> 00:14:30.292
- You never thought you'd be where you are.
- 00:14:30.359 --> 00:14:31.593
- Be where you are. be encouraged today, he's
- 00:14:31.660 --> 00:14:33.462
- Be encouraged today, he's a god who stoops.
- 00:14:33.529 --> 00:14:35.064
- A god who stoops. he comes to the messy
- 00:14:35.130 --> 00:14:36.098
- He comes to the messy places, not with judgment,
- 00:14:36.165 --> 00:14:38.200
- Places, not with judgment, not with condemnation, but
- 00:14:38.267 --> 00:14:39.835
- Not with condemnation, but with hope, with new
- 00:14:39.902 --> 00:14:41.203
- With hope, with new beginnings, with fresh
- 00:14:41.270 --> 00:14:42.571
- Beginnings, with fresh vision.
- 00:14:42.638 --> 00:14:43.772
- Vision. god won't let you get in
- 00:14:43.839 --> 00:14:45.107
- God won't let you get in a problem that he can't
- 00:14:45.174 --> 00:14:46.875
- A problem that he can't get you out of.
- 00:14:46.942 --> 00:14:48.110
- Get you out of. in john 8, the religious
- 00:14:48.177 --> 00:14:50.112
- In john 8, the religious leaders caught a woman in
- 00:14:50.179 --> 00:14:51.680
- Leaders caught a woman in the act of adultery.
- 00:14:51.747 --> 00:14:53.549
- The act of adultery. jesus was teaching in the
- 00:14:53.615 --> 00:14:54.783
- Jesus was teaching in the synagogue.
- 00:14:54.850 --> 00:14:55.884
- Synagogue. they came dragging her in,
- 00:14:55.951 --> 00:14:57.586
- They came dragging her in, all this commotion,
- 00:14:57.653 --> 00:14:58.988
- All this commotion, disrupted the meeting.
- 00:14:59.054 --> 00:15:00.689
- Disrupted the meeting. they threw her on the ground
- 00:15:00.756 --> 00:15:02.424
- They threw her on the ground in front of the whole crowd.
- 00:15:02.491 --> 00:15:04.059
- In front of the whole crowd. she was humiliated, clothes
- 00:15:04.126 --> 00:15:06.228
- She was humiliated, clothes torn, people shouting
- 00:15:06.295 --> 00:15:07.696
- Torn, people shouting insults.
- 00:15:07.763 --> 00:15:08.497
- Insults. "shame on you, you're a
- 00:15:08.564 --> 00:15:09.732
- "shame on you, you're a disgrace."
- 00:15:09.798 --> 00:15:11.367
- Disgrace." two things i find
- 00:15:11.433 --> 00:15:12.501
- Two things i find interesting: first off,
- 00:15:12.568 --> 00:15:14.503
- Interesting: first off, where is the man?
- 00:15:14.570 --> 00:15:16.038
- Where is the man? if you're caught in the act,
- 00:15:16.105 --> 00:15:17.206
- If you're caught in the act, that means there were two.
- 00:15:17.272 --> 00:15:18.574
- That means there were two. but they let the man off.
- 00:15:18.640 --> 00:15:20.242
- But they let the man off. not this lady.
- 00:15:20.309 --> 00:15:21.877
- Not this lady. the second thing is what
- 00:15:21.944 --> 00:15:23.278
- The second thing is what were the religious leaders
- 00:15:23.345 --> 00:15:24.480
- Were the religious leaders doing spying on people?
- 00:15:24.546 --> 00:15:26.715
- Doing spying on people? doing surveillance, hanging
- 00:15:26.782 --> 00:15:28.384
- Doing surveillance, hanging out at their house.
- 00:15:28.450 --> 00:15:29.551
- Out at their house. they should have been
- 00:15:29.618 --> 00:15:30.219
- They should have been focused on their assignment,
- 00:15:30.285 --> 00:15:32.154
- Focused on their assignment, on helping others, but some
- 00:15:32.221 --> 00:15:34.256
- On helping others, but some people are looking to catch
- 00:15:34.323 --> 00:15:36.091
- People are looking to catch you in a mistake, hoping
- 00:15:36.158 --> 00:15:38.093
- You in a mistake, hoping you'll fail.
- 00:15:38.160 --> 00:15:39.428
- You'll fail. they're ready to exploit and
- 00:15:39.495 --> 00:15:41.030
- They're ready to exploit and expose any mishap you have.
- 00:15:41.096 --> 00:15:43.499
- Expose any mishap you have. don't be like them.
- 00:15:43.565 --> 00:15:44.967
- Don't be like them. the mercy you show others
- 00:15:45.034 --> 00:15:46.568
- The mercy you show others is the mercy god is going
- 00:15:46.635 --> 00:15:47.870
- Is the mercy god is going to show you.
- 00:15:47.936 --> 00:15:49.238
- To show you. love covers for people.
- 00:15:49.304 --> 00:15:51.874
- Love covers for people. i don't mean cover
- 00:15:51.940 --> 00:15:52.875
- I don't mean cover wrongdoing, but you should
- 00:15:52.941 --> 00:15:54.309
- Wrongdoing, but you should cover them with prayer,
- 00:15:54.376 --> 00:15:55.878
- Cover them with prayer, help them to heal, help
- 00:15:55.944 --> 00:15:57.112
- Help them to heal, help them be restored.
- 00:15:57.179 --> 00:15:59.181
- Them be restored. they said to jesus, "the law
- 00:15:59.248 --> 00:16:00.682
- They said to jesus, "the law says to stone her, what do
- 00:16:00.749 --> 00:16:02.384
- Says to stone her, what do you say we should do?"
- 00:16:02.451 --> 00:16:04.353
- You say we should do?" this lady had no defense.
- 00:16:04.420 --> 00:16:06.188
- This lady had no defense. she couldn't say, "they were
- 00:16:06.255 --> 00:16:07.489
- She couldn't say, "they were wrong, they don't have the
- 00:16:07.556 --> 00:16:08.824
- Wrong, they don't have the right person, it wasn't me,
- 00:16:08.891 --> 00:16:10.059
- Right person, it wasn't me, i didn't do it."
- 00:16:10.125 --> 00:16:10.759
- I didn't do it." she was guilty.
- 00:16:10.826 --> 00:16:11.894
- She was guilty. she knew she was wrong.
- 00:16:11.960 --> 00:16:13.796
- She knew she was wrong. lying on the ground afraid,
- 00:16:13.862 --> 00:16:16.065
- Lying on the ground afraid, embarrassed, shaking, she
- 00:16:16.131 --> 00:16:18.100
- Embarrassed, shaking, she had no one to stand up for
- 00:16:18.167 --> 00:16:19.401
- Had no one to stand up for her.
- 00:16:19.468 --> 00:16:20.269
- Her. but the scripture says,
- 00:16:20.335 --> 00:16:21.403
- But the scripture says, "jesus stooped to the ground
- 00:16:21.470 --> 00:16:23.872
- "jesus stooped to the ground and wrote in the dust with
- 00:16:23.939 --> 00:16:25.407
- And wrote in the dust with his finger."
- 00:16:25.474 --> 00:16:26.408
- His finger." he came down to her level.
- 00:16:26.475 --> 00:16:28.710
- He came down to her level. he could have stood up
- 00:16:28.777 --> 00:16:29.578
- He could have stood up taller, got on the platform,
- 00:16:29.645 --> 00:16:31.980
- Taller, got on the platform, to a position of more
- 00:16:32.047 --> 00:16:32.948
- To a position of more authority, but he stooped.
- 00:16:33.015 --> 00:16:35.384
- Authority, but he stooped. everyone else was standing,
- 00:16:35.451 --> 00:16:36.985
- Everyone else was standing, just he and the woman were
- 00:16:37.052 --> 00:16:38.087
- Just he and the woman were looking eye to eye.
- 00:16:38.153 --> 00:16:40.022
- Looking eye to eye. i can imagine some of them
- 00:16:40.089 --> 00:16:41.223
- I can imagine some of them thought he was stooping down
- 00:16:41.290 --> 00:16:42.858
- Thought he was stooping down to pick up a rock and throw
- 00:16:42.925 --> 00:16:44.326
- To pick up a rock and throw it at the lady, instead he
- 00:16:44.393 --> 00:16:46.728
- It at the lady, instead he stooped down and threw
- 00:16:46.795 --> 00:16:48.163
- Stooped down and threw mercy.
- 00:16:48.230 --> 00:16:49.598
- Mercy. he said to the crowd, "you
- 00:16:49.665 --> 00:16:51.533
- He said to the crowd, "you who are without sin, go
- 00:16:51.600 --> 00:16:52.968
- Who are without sin, go ahead and throw the first
- 00:16:53.035 --> 00:16:54.002
- Ahead and throw the first stone."
- 00:16:54.069 --> 00:16:54.670
- Stone." it was dead silence, nobody
- 00:16:54.736 --> 00:16:56.672
- It was dead silence, nobody moved.
- 00:16:56.738 --> 00:16:57.706
- Moved. finally, a man walked out,
- 00:16:57.773 --> 00:16:59.441
- Finally, a man walked out, then another and another.
- 00:16:59.508 --> 00:17:01.276
- Then another and another. from the oldest to the
- 00:17:01.343 --> 00:17:02.511
- From the oldest to the youngest, they all left.
- 00:17:02.578 --> 00:17:04.546
- Youngest, they all left. the whole time jesus was
- 00:17:04.613 --> 00:17:06.348
- The whole time jesus was stooping down writing in
- 00:17:06.415 --> 00:17:07.983
- Stooping down writing in the dirt. that was
- 00:17:08.050 --> 00:17:09.418
- The dirt. that was signifying how god will
- 00:17:09.485 --> 00:17:11.220
- Signifying how god will get dirty to rescue you.
- 00:17:11.286 --> 00:17:13.689
- Get dirty to rescue you. he's not a god that just
- 00:17:13.755 --> 00:17:15.057
- He's not a god that just stays behind stained-glass
- 00:17:15.124 --> 00:17:16.492
- Stays behind stained-glass windows or even a god that
- 00:17:16.558 --> 00:17:18.260
- Windows or even a god that just stays in the heavens.
- 00:17:18.327 --> 00:17:20.062
- Just stays in the heavens. he's a god that will stoop
- 00:17:20.129 --> 00:17:21.263
- He's a god that will stoop down to a hog pen to rescue
- 00:17:21.330 --> 00:17:23.799
- Down to a hog pen to rescue the prodigal son.
- 00:17:23.866 --> 00:17:25.200
- The prodigal son. he'll stoop down to the dirt
- 00:17:25.267 --> 00:17:26.869
- He'll stoop down to the dirt to restore a lady caught in
- 00:17:26.935 --> 00:17:28.237
- To restore a lady caught in adultery.
- 00:17:28.303 --> 00:17:29.238
- Adultery. a god who will stoop down
- 00:17:29.304 --> 00:17:31.006
- A god who will stoop down to save that one last sheep.
- 00:17:31.073 --> 00:17:32.708
- To save that one last sheep. it wasn't till all the men
- 00:17:32.774 --> 00:17:34.977
- It wasn't till all the men left that jesus stood up.
- 00:17:35.043 --> 00:17:37.713
- Left that jesus stood up. he said to the lady, "woman,
- 00:17:37.779 --> 00:17:39.548
- He said to the lady, "woman, where are your accusers?
- 00:17:39.615 --> 00:17:41.016
- Where are your accusers? hasn't anyone accused you?"
- 00:17:41.083 --> 00:17:42.951
- Hasn't anyone accused you?" she looked around and said,
- 00:17:43.018 --> 00:17:44.219
- She looked around and said, "no one, lord."
- 00:17:44.286 --> 00:17:45.487
- "no one, lord." he said, "neither do i
- 00:17:45.554 --> 00:17:46.622
- He said, "neither do i condemn you, now go and
- 00:17:46.688 --> 00:17:48.557
- Condemn you, now go and sin no more."
- 00:17:48.624 --> 00:17:50.325
- Sin no more." stooping is nothing new
- 00:17:50.392 --> 00:17:51.994
- Stooping is nothing new to our god.
- 00:17:52.060 --> 00:17:53.428
- To our god. that's what he did two
- 00:17:53.495 --> 00:17:54.363
- That's what he did two thousand years ago.
- 00:17:54.429 --> 00:17:55.998
- Thousand years ago. he stooped down from heaven
- 00:17:56.064 --> 00:17:57.766
- He stooped down from heaven and came to earth.
- 00:17:57.833 --> 00:17:59.468
- And came to earth. he stooped down from being
- 00:17:59.535 --> 00:18:00.769
- He stooped down from being worshiped by angels to
- 00:18:00.836 --> 00:18:02.604
- Worshiped by angels to being born in a manger.
- 00:18:02.671 --> 00:18:04.540
- Being born in a manger. he stooped down to be
- 00:18:04.606 --> 00:18:05.507
- He stooped down to be mocked, betrayed, beaten
- 00:18:05.574 --> 00:18:07.709
- Mocked, betrayed, beaten and even crucified.
- 00:18:07.776 --> 00:18:09.411
- And even crucified. he didn't have to.
- 00:18:09.478 --> 00:18:10.879
- He didn't have to. he could have said,
- 00:18:10.946 --> 00:18:11.547
- He could have said, "father, i'll pass on
- 00:18:11.613 --> 00:18:12.447
- "father, i'll pass on this assignment. let
- 00:18:12.514 --> 00:18:13.715
- This assignment. let me stay up here on
- 00:18:13.782 --> 00:18:14.616
- Me stay up here on high."
- 00:18:14.683 --> 00:18:15.484
- High." but for your sake and mine,
- 00:18:15.551 --> 00:18:17.619
- But for your sake and mine, he said, "i'll stoop.
- 00:18:17.686 --> 00:18:19.254
- He said, "i'll stoop. i'll go low, so low that
- 00:18:19.321 --> 00:18:21.490
- I'll go low, so low that i'll be buried in a grave.
- 00:18:21.557 --> 00:18:23.292
- I'll be buried in a grave. so low the enemy will think
- 00:18:23.358 --> 00:18:25.127
- So low the enemy will think that i'm defeated.
- 00:18:25.194 --> 00:18:26.328
- That i'm defeated. so low forces of darkness
- 00:18:26.395 --> 00:18:28.764
- So low forces of darkness will have a celebration."
- 00:18:28.830 --> 00:18:30.632
- Will have a celebration." the good news is he didn't
- 00:18:30.699 --> 00:18:32.234
- The good news is he didn't stay stooped.
- 00:18:32.301 --> 00:18:33.368
- Stay stooped. he stooped for a moment,
- 00:18:33.435 --> 00:18:34.836
- He stooped for a moment, but he got back up again.
- 00:18:34.903 --> 00:18:36.705
- But he got back up again. he defeated death, hell and
- 00:18:36.772 --> 00:18:38.974
- He defeated death, hell and the grave for you and for
- 00:18:39.041 --> 00:18:40.609
- The grave for you and for me. now he's not only
- 00:18:40.676 --> 00:18:43.212
- Me. now he's not only the all-powerful,
- 00:18:43.278 --> 00:18:44.813
- The all-powerful, resurrected savior
- 00:18:44.880 --> 00:18:46.848
- Resurrected savior but he's the god who stoops.
- 00:18:46.915 --> 00:18:49.351
- But he's the god who stoops. he still comes to messy
- 00:18:49.418 --> 00:18:50.619
- He still comes to messy places, he'll still meet you
- 00:18:50.686 --> 00:18:52.487
- Places, he'll still meet you where you are, he'll still
- 00:18:52.554 --> 00:18:54.089
- Where you are, he'll still rescue you when it was your
- 00:18:54.156 --> 00:18:55.457
- Rescue you when it was your fault, he'll still defend
- 00:18:55.524 --> 00:18:57.159
- Fault, he'll still defend you when you knew better.
- 00:18:57.226 --> 00:18:58.760
- You when you knew better. where would we be without
- 00:18:58.827 --> 00:19:00.429
- Where would we be without the god who stoops?
- 00:19:00.495 --> 00:19:02.030
- The god who stoops? when we didn't deserve it,
- 00:19:02.097 --> 00:19:03.765
- When we didn't deserve it, when we couldn't measure up,
- 00:19:03.832 --> 00:19:05.567
- When we couldn't measure up, we made mistakes, we had no
- 00:19:05.634 --> 00:19:07.636
- We made mistakes, we had no defense.
- 00:19:07.703 --> 00:19:08.704
- Defense. he had every right to stay
- 00:19:08.770 --> 00:19:10.038
- He had every right to stay on the throne, be the god
- 00:19:10.105 --> 00:19:11.873
- On the throne, be the god that he is, but in his
- 00:19:11.940 --> 00:19:13.308
- That he is, but in his mercy, he stooped down.
- 00:19:13.375 --> 00:19:15.510
- Mercy, he stooped down. he came after the one lost
- 00:19:15.577 --> 00:19:17.346
- He came after the one lost sheep.
- 00:19:17.412 --> 00:19:18.680
- Sheep. there was a young prophet in
- 00:19:18.747 --> 00:19:19.982
- There was a young prophet in the old testament named
- 00:19:20.048 --> 00:19:21.216
- The old testament named hosea.
- 00:19:21.283 --> 00:19:22.584
- Hosea. he was very well respected.
- 00:19:22.651 --> 00:19:24.519
- He was very well respected. people came from all around
- 00:19:24.586 --> 00:19:25.754
- People came from all around to get his advice.
- 00:19:25.821 --> 00:19:27.289
- To get his advice. he was single, he knew god
- 00:19:27.356 --> 00:19:28.991
- He was single, he knew god would bring him a wife, but
- 00:19:29.057 --> 00:19:30.525
- Would bring him a wife, but it wasn't what he thought.
- 00:19:30.592 --> 00:19:32.294
- It wasn't what he thought. god told him to marry a
- 00:19:32.361 --> 00:19:33.629
- God told him to marry a young lady named gomer.
- 00:19:33.695 --> 00:19:35.530
- Young lady named gomer. she was a former prostitute.
- 00:19:35.597 --> 00:19:37.065
- She was a former prostitute. she didn't have a good
- 00:19:37.132 --> 00:19:38.233
- She didn't have a good reputation.
- 00:19:38.300 --> 00:19:39.668
- Reputation. you can imagine what hosea
- 00:19:39.735 --> 00:19:41.003
- You can imagine what hosea thought, "god, do you know
- 00:19:41.069 --> 00:19:42.604
- Thought, "god, do you know who she is? i'm a respected
- 00:19:42.671 --> 00:19:44.640
- Who she is? i'm a respected prophet, what are people
- 00:19:44.706 --> 00:19:45.741
- Prophet, what are people going to think?"
- 00:19:45.807 --> 00:19:47.075
- Going to think?" he could have talked himself
- 00:19:47.142 --> 00:19:48.210
- He could have talked himself out of it, but he knew to
- 00:19:48.277 --> 00:19:49.911
- Out of it, but he knew to obey.
- 00:19:49.978 --> 00:19:51.213
- Obey. things started off well,
- 00:19:51.280 --> 00:19:52.981
- Things started off well, they were in love, they had
- 00:19:53.048 --> 00:19:54.216
- They were in love, they had a baby but then things went
- 00:19:54.283 --> 00:19:55.817
- A baby but then things went downhill.
- 00:19:55.884 --> 00:19:57.052
- Downhill. hosea would go out
- 00:19:57.119 --> 00:19:58.186
- Hosea would go out ministering, gomer slipped
- 00:19:58.253 --> 00:19:59.955
- Ministering, gomer slipped back into her old ways.
- 00:20:00.022 --> 00:20:01.990
- Back into her old ways. he was heartbroken.
- 00:20:02.057 --> 00:20:03.358
- He was heartbroken. he knew she wasn't being
- 00:20:03.425 --> 00:20:04.493
- He knew she wasn't being faithful.
- 00:20:04.559 --> 00:20:05.294
- Faithful. to make matters worse, she
- 00:20:05.360 --> 00:20:06.628
- To make matters worse, she was the talk of the town,
- 00:20:06.695 --> 00:20:08.263
- Was the talk of the town, everyone knew about gomer's
- 00:20:08.330 --> 00:20:10.065
- Everyone knew about gomer's affairs.
- 00:20:10.132 --> 00:20:11.566
- Affairs. one morning hosea woke up
- 00:20:11.633 --> 00:20:13.502
- One morning hosea woke up and gomer was gone.
- 00:20:13.568 --> 00:20:15.304
- And gomer was gone. she abandoned him and the
- 00:20:15.370 --> 00:20:16.705
- She abandoned him and the children.
- 00:20:16.772 --> 00:20:18.140
- Children. i can hear hosea's friends
- 00:20:18.206 --> 00:20:19.541
- I can hear hosea's friends saying, "it's about time,
- 00:20:19.608 --> 00:20:21.543
- Saying, "it's about time, you need to be finished with
- 00:20:21.610 --> 00:20:22.778
- You need to be finished with that woman.
- 00:20:22.844 --> 00:20:23.412
- That woman. she's brought you nothing
- 00:20:23.478 --> 00:20:24.246
- She's brought you nothing but heartache and pain."
- 00:20:24.313 --> 00:20:26.248
- But heartache and pain." that sounded good but
- 00:20:26.315 --> 00:20:27.883
- That sounded good but deep-down hosea still loved
- 00:20:27.949 --> 00:20:30.252
- Deep-down hosea still loved gomer.
- 00:20:30.319 --> 00:20:31.420
- Gomer. years later he overheard
- 00:20:31.486 --> 00:20:33.288
- Years later he overheard the town gossip saying that
- 00:20:33.355 --> 00:20:34.956
- The town gossip saying that gomer was still alive.
- 00:20:35.023 --> 00:20:36.758
- Gomer was still alive. she had been deserted by all
- 00:20:36.825 --> 00:20:38.026
- She had been deserted by all the men that said they loved
- 00:20:38.093 --> 00:20:39.628
- The men that said they loved her; she was about to be
- 00:20:39.695 --> 00:20:41.196
- Her; she was about to be sold off as a slave.
- 00:20:41.263 --> 00:20:43.498
- Sold off as a slave. the scripture says, "the
- 00:20:43.565 --> 00:20:44.800
- The scripture says, "the lord said to hosea, go
- 00:20:44.866 --> 00:20:47.169
- Lord said to hosea, go get your wife and bring
- 00:20:47.235 --> 00:20:48.870
- Get your wife and bring her back home."
- 00:20:48.937 --> 00:20:50.372
- Her back home." after all the pain she had
- 00:20:50.439 --> 00:20:51.873
- After all the pain she had caused, after all the
- 00:20:51.940 --> 00:20:52.974
- Caused, after all the rejection, you would think
- 00:20:53.041 --> 00:20:54.576
- Rejection, you would think he would say, "no way, i'm
- 00:20:54.643 --> 00:20:56.411
- He would say, "no way, i'm done. i'm over it."
- 00:20:56.478 --> 00:20:58.447
- Done. i'm over it." but we serve a god who
- 00:20:58.513 --> 00:21:00.048
- But we serve a god who stoops, a god that comes
- 00:21:00.115 --> 00:21:02.084
- Stoops, a god that comes to the messy places.
- 00:21:02.150 --> 00:21:03.885
- To the messy places. hosea went to the city and
- 00:21:03.952 --> 00:21:05.887
- Hosea went to the city and found her in the red-light
- 00:21:05.954 --> 00:21:07.089
- Found her in the red-light district, on the auction
- 00:21:07.155 --> 00:21:08.757
- District, on the auction block about to be sold.
- 00:21:08.824 --> 00:21:10.726
- Block about to be sold. she was beaten down, dirty,
- 00:21:10.792 --> 00:21:12.561
- She was beaten down, dirty, clothes torn.
- 00:21:12.627 --> 00:21:14.262
- Clothes torn. he got close and whispered,
- 00:21:14.329 --> 00:21:15.664
- He got close and whispered, "gomer."
- 00:21:15.731 --> 00:21:16.798
- "gomer." she looked up and couldn't
- 00:21:16.865 --> 00:21:17.999
- She looked up and couldn't believe it.
- 00:21:18.066 --> 00:21:19.000
- Believe it. he smiled and said, "don't
- 00:21:19.067 --> 00:21:19.935
- He smiled and said, "don't worry i'm going to get you
- 00:21:20.001 --> 00:21:20.969
- Worry i'm going to get you out of here."
- 00:21:21.036 --> 00:21:22.237
- Out of here." he went to the man in charge
- 00:21:22.304 --> 00:21:23.472
- He went to the man in charge and said, "that's my wife.
- 00:21:23.538 --> 00:21:25.340
- And said, "that's my wife. i'm taking her with me."
- 00:21:25.407 --> 00:21:27.209
- I'm taking her with me." he said, "you're not taking
- 00:21:27.275 --> 00:21:28.243
- He said, "you're not taking her anywhere, she's for
- 00:21:28.310 --> 00:21:29.811
- Her anywhere, she's for sale. you'll have to
- 00:21:29.878 --> 00:21:31.179
- Sale. you'll have to buy her."
- 00:21:31.246 --> 00:21:32.581
- Buy her." hosea took his wallet out
- 00:21:32.647 --> 00:21:34.282
- Hosea took his wallet out and gave him fifteen shekels
- 00:21:34.349 --> 00:21:35.884
- And gave him fifteen shekels and five barley loaves.
- 00:21:35.951 --> 00:21:37.686
- And five barley loaves. he bought back what should
- 00:21:37.753 --> 00:21:39.388
- He bought back what should have been already his.
- 00:21:39.454 --> 00:21:41.823
- Have been already his. hosea is a picture of god.
- 00:21:41.890 --> 00:21:44.726
- Hosea is a picture of god. gomer represents you and me.
- 00:21:44.793 --> 00:21:46.895
- Gomer represents you and me. we've all made mistakes, we
- 00:21:46.962 --> 00:21:48.597
- We've all made mistakes, we all went our own way, but
- 00:21:48.663 --> 00:21:50.265
- All went our own way, but god who is rich in mercy,
- 00:21:50.332 --> 00:21:52.467
- God who is rich in mercy, when we turned our back on
- 00:21:52.534 --> 00:21:53.869
- When we turned our back on him, he had every right to
- 00:21:53.935 --> 00:21:55.537
- Him, he had every right to walk away, but he didn't
- 00:21:55.604 --> 00:21:57.172
- Walk away, but he didn't turn his back on us.
- 00:21:57.239 --> 00:21:59.074
- Turn his back on us. he stooped down to the messy
- 00:21:59.141 --> 00:22:00.976
- He stooped down to the messy places, to where we failed,
- 00:22:01.042 --> 00:22:03.979
- Places, to where we failed, to where we should have been
- 00:22:04.045 --> 00:22:05.046
- To where we should have been finished and bought us back.
- 00:22:05.113 --> 00:22:07.549
- Finished and bought us back. not with fifteen shekels but
- 00:22:07.616 --> 00:22:09.718
- Not with fifteen shekels but with his son.
- 00:22:09.785 --> 00:22:11.119
- With his son. now you have to do your part
- 00:22:11.186 --> 00:22:12.788
- Now you have to do your part and receive his mercy,
- 00:22:12.854 --> 00:22:14.623
- And receive his mercy, receive his forgiveness.
- 00:22:14.689 --> 00:22:16.391
- Receive his forgiveness. quit beating yourself up,
- 00:22:16.458 --> 00:22:18.126
- Quit beating yourself up, living guilty, believing the
- 00:22:18.193 --> 00:22:19.961
- Living guilty, believing the lies that you've seen your
- 00:22:20.028 --> 00:22:21.263
- Lies that you've seen your best days, you could never
- 00:22:21.329 --> 00:22:22.998
- Best days, you could never measure up.
- 00:22:23.064 --> 00:22:24.065
- Measure up. you don't have to.
- 00:22:24.132 --> 00:22:25.534
- You don't have to. when you can't get up to
- 00:22:25.600 --> 00:22:26.635
- When you can't get up to his level, god stoops down
- 00:22:26.701 --> 00:22:28.737
- His level, god stoops down to yours. he knew we
- 00:22:28.804 --> 00:22:30.505
- To yours. he knew we wouldn't perform perfectly.
- 00:22:30.572 --> 00:22:32.174
- Wouldn't perform perfectly. he knew we'd fail, get
- 00:22:32.240 --> 00:22:33.875
- He knew we'd fail, get knocked down, make mistakes.
- 00:22:33.942 --> 00:22:36.244
- Knocked down, make mistakes. that's when the accuser
- 00:22:36.311 --> 00:22:37.446
- That's when the accuser works overtime trying to
- 00:22:37.512 --> 00:22:39.214
- Works overtime trying to convince you, "it's too
- 00:22:39.281 --> 00:22:40.282
- Convince you, "it's too late, man, you've missed
- 00:22:40.348 --> 00:22:41.917
- Late, man, you've missed your chance, you'll never
- 00:22:41.983 --> 00:22:43.251
- Your chance, you'll never get out of this challenge."
- 00:22:43.318 --> 00:22:44.786
- Get out of this challenge." no, you have a defender.
- 00:22:44.853 --> 00:22:46.755
- No, you have a defender. you have someone that won't
- 00:22:46.822 --> 00:22:48.356
- You have someone that won't just stand up for you, but
- 00:22:48.423 --> 00:22:50.125
- Just stand up for you, but he'll stoop down for you.
- 00:22:50.192 --> 00:22:51.760
- He'll stoop down for you. he'll come down to your
- 00:22:51.827 --> 00:22:52.694
- He'll come down to your level, not with judgment
- 00:22:52.761 --> 00:22:54.429
- Level, not with judgment but with mercy.
- 00:22:54.496 --> 00:22:55.230
- But with mercy. "joel, it sounds good today,
- 00:22:55.297 --> 00:22:58.066
- "joel, it sounds good today, but you don't know where
- 00:22:58.133 --> 00:22:58.767
- But you don't know where i am, you don't know what
- 00:22:58.834 --> 00:23:00.302
- I am, you don't know what i've done."
- 00:23:00.368 --> 00:23:01.369
- I've done." i don't know any of that;
- 00:23:01.436 --> 00:23:02.571
- I don't know any of that; but i do know this, his
- 00:23:02.637 --> 00:23:03.939
- But i do know this, his grace is promiscuous.
- 00:23:04.005 --> 00:23:05.974
- Grace is promiscuous. it's unrestrained.
- 00:23:06.041 --> 00:23:07.275
- It's unrestrained. it will go to anyone.
- 00:23:07.342 --> 00:23:08.910
- It will go to anyone. god doesn't disqualify.
- 00:23:08.977 --> 00:23:11.179
- God doesn't disqualify. he doesn't write people off.
- 00:23:11.246 --> 00:23:13.081
- He doesn't write people off. no mistake you've made is
- 00:23:13.148 --> 00:23:14.916
- No mistake you've made is too much for the mercy of
- 00:23:14.983 --> 00:23:16.151
- Too much for the mercy of god.
- 00:23:16.218 --> 00:23:17.052
- God. nothing you've done in the
- 00:23:17.118 --> 00:23:18.186
- Nothing you've done in the past has to keep you from
- 00:23:18.253 --> 00:23:19.888
- Past has to keep you from the bright future god has
- 00:23:19.955 --> 00:23:21.456
- The bright future god has in store.
- 00:23:21.523 --> 00:23:22.791
- In store. i believe what god promised,
- 00:23:22.858 --> 00:23:24.659
- I believe what god promised, that he's about to stoop
- 00:23:24.726 --> 00:23:25.827
- That he's about to stoop down and lift you out of
- 00:23:25.894 --> 00:23:27.629
- Down and lift you out of low places.
- 00:23:27.696 --> 00:23:29.064
- Low places. negative situations are
- 00:23:29.130 --> 00:23:30.532
- Negative situations are about to turn around,
- 00:23:30.599 --> 00:23:32.100
- About to turn around, addictions are being broken,
- 00:23:32.167 --> 00:23:33.969
- Addictions are being broken, strongholds that have held
- 00:23:34.035 --> 00:23:35.370
- Strongholds that have held you back are coming down.
- 00:23:35.437 --> 00:23:37.372
- You back are coming down. like with my father, god is
- 00:23:37.439 --> 00:23:39.207
- Like with my father, god is going to bring you out of
- 00:23:39.274 --> 00:23:40.208
- Going to bring you out of lack and mediocrity into
- 00:23:40.275 --> 00:23:42.577
- Lack and mediocrity into abundance, influence and
- 00:23:42.644 --> 00:23:44.412
- Abundance, influence and purpose.
- 00:23:44.479 --> 00:23:45.480
- Purpose. like the woman with the
- 00:23:45.547 --> 00:23:46.481
- Like the woman with the accusers, god is freeing
- 00:23:46.548 --> 00:23:48.383
- Accusers, god is freeing you from guilt, releasing
- 00:23:48.450 --> 00:23:50.352
- You from guilt, releasing you from condemnation.
- 00:23:50.418 --> 00:23:51.987
- You from condemnation. i believe and declare,
- 00:23:52.053 --> 00:23:53.722
- I believe and declare, you are redeemed,
- 00:23:53.788 --> 00:23:55.290
- You are redeemed, you are restored.
- 00:23:55.357 --> 00:23:56.791
- You are restored. your past is not dictating
- 00:23:56.858 --> 00:23:58.627
- Your past is not dictating your future.
- 00:23:58.693 --> 00:23:59.661
- Your future. get ready, new doors are
- 00:23:59.728 --> 00:24:01.096
- Get ready, new doors are about to open, new levels of
- 00:24:01.162 --> 00:24:02.964
- About to open, new levels of joy, favor, breakthroughs,
- 00:24:03.031 --> 00:24:05.467
- Joy, favor, breakthroughs, the fullness of your
- 00:24:05.534 --> 00:24:06.535
- The fullness of your destiny, in jesus' name.
- 00:24:06.601 --> 00:24:09.037
- Destiny, in jesus' name. joel's message
- 00:24:09.104 --> 00:24:10.138
- Joel's message resonated with me
- 00:24:10.205 --> 00:24:11.306
- Resonated with me because i tried to listen
- 00:24:11.373 --> 00:24:12.407
- Because i tried to listen to other people
- 00:24:12.474 --> 00:24:13.542
- To other people and some of them
- 00:24:13.608 --> 00:24:14.476
- And some of them were like hellfire
- 00:24:14.543 --> 00:24:15.677
- Were like hellfire and brimstone.
- 00:24:15.744 --> 00:24:16.545
- And brimstone. so i took what joel said
- 00:24:16.611 --> 00:24:18.980
- So i took what joel said in the i am's and
- 00:24:19.047 --> 00:24:20.482
- In the i am's and i physically replaced them with
- 00:24:20.549 --> 00:24:22.717
- I physically replaced them with i am strong, i am worthy.
- 00:24:22.784 --> 00:24:25.086
- I am strong, i am worthy. i started
- 00:24:25.153 --> 00:24:25.887
- I started saying those over and over
- 00:24:25.954 --> 00:24:27.556
- Saying those over and over and over throughout my day,
- 00:24:27.622 --> 00:24:29.758
- And over throughout my day, and i said, you know,
- 00:24:29.824 --> 00:24:31.092
- And i said, you know, i will do this for one year.
- 00:24:31.159 --> 00:24:33.828
- I will do this for one year. and it actually changed
- 00:24:33.895 --> 00:24:35.730
- And it actually changed my mindset
- 00:24:35.797 --> 00:24:36.631
- My mindset from being a victim
- 00:24:36.698 --> 00:24:38.533
- From being a victim to being a victor.
- 00:24:38.600 --> 00:24:40.702
- To being a victor. what a powerful story.
- 00:24:40.769 --> 00:24:42.437
- What a powerful story. one life changed by hope,
- 00:24:42.504 --> 00:24:44.139
- One life changed by hope, by faith,
- 00:24:44.205 --> 00:24:44.940
- By faith, by the goodness of god.
- 00:24:45.006 --> 00:24:46.808
- By the goodness of god. this is the reason
- 00:24:46.875 --> 00:24:47.776
- This is the reason we do what we do.
- 00:24:47.842 --> 00:24:48.810
- We do what we do. every message,
- 00:24:48.877 --> 00:24:49.878
- Every message, every broadcast, every prayer.
- 00:24:49.945 --> 00:24:52.047
- Every broadcast, every prayer. it's about reaching people
- 00:24:52.113 --> 00:24:53.381
- It's about reaching people right where they are,
- 00:24:53.448 --> 00:24:54.583
- Right where they are, and reminding them
- 00:24:54.649 --> 00:24:55.650
- And reminding them that god is not finished
- 00:24:55.717 --> 00:24:56.885
- That god is not finished with them.
- 00:24:56.952 --> 00:24:57.919
- With them. the truth is,
- 00:24:57.986 --> 00:24:58.987
- The truth is, none of this happens
- 00:24:59.054 --> 00:24:59.955
- None of this happens without you.
- 00:25:00.021 --> 00:25:01.156
- Without you. this is the time of year
- 00:25:01.222 --> 00:25:02.357
- This is the time of year when my team and i make plans
- 00:25:02.424 --> 00:25:04.326
- When my team and i make plans for how we can impact
- 00:25:04.392 --> 00:25:05.427
- For how we can impact as many people as possible
- 00:25:05.493 --> 00:25:07.295
- As many people as possible over the next 12 months.
- 00:25:07.362 --> 00:25:08.897
- Over the next 12 months. so thank you
- 00:25:08.964 --> 00:25:09.464
- So thank you in advance for your generosity.
- 00:25:09.531 --> 00:25:11.566
- In advance for your generosity. god sees your heart
- 00:25:11.633 --> 00:25:12.734
- God sees your heart to help others
- 00:25:12.801 --> 00:25:13.668
- To help others to make a difference
- 00:25:13.735 --> 00:25:14.736
- To make a difference with your life.
- 00:25:14.803 --> 00:25:16.004
- With your life. as our way of saying thank you,
- 00:25:16.071 --> 00:25:17.572
- As our way of saying thank you, we want to send you
- 00:25:17.639 --> 00:25:18.373
- We want to send you a new resource called double
- 00:25:18.440 --> 00:25:19.975
- A new resource called double for your trouble.
- 00:25:20.041 --> 00:25:21.176
- For your trouble. it will encourage you
- 00:25:21.242 --> 00:25:22.611
- It will encourage you and uplift you.
- 00:25:22.677 --> 00:25:24.346
- And uplift you. this ministry
- 00:25:24.412 --> 00:25:25.213
- This ministry is reaching people
- 00:25:25.280 --> 00:25:26.147
- Is reaching people around the world
- 00:25:26.214 --> 00:25:27.115
- Around the world with the message of hope,
- 00:25:27.182 --> 00:25:28.617
- With the message of hope, and as our way of saying
- 00:25:28.683 --> 00:25:29.851
- And as our way of saying thank you
- 00:25:29.918 --> 00:25:30.418
- Thank you for your gift of any amount,
- 00:25:30.485 --> 00:25:32.120
- For your gift of any amount, we would like to send you
- 00:25:32.187 --> 00:25:33.355
- We would like to send you a copy of double
- 00:25:33.421 --> 00:25:34.456
- A copy of double for your trouble:
- 00:25:34.522 --> 00:25:35.390
- For your trouble: a daily guide for restoration.
- 00:25:35.457 --> 00:25:37.726
- A daily guide for restoration. this 31-day spiral bound
- 00:25:37.792 --> 00:25:39.861
- This 31-day spiral bound resource is an invitation
- 00:25:39.928 --> 00:25:41.563
- Resource is an invitation into healing, restoration,
- 00:25:41.630 --> 00:25:43.465
- Into healing, restoration, and the abundant life
- 00:25:43.531 --> 00:25:44.833
- And the abundant life god has promised.
- 00:25:44.899 --> 00:25:46.301
- God has promised. whether you're walking
- 00:25:46.368 --> 00:25:47.302
- Whether you're walking through a season of loss,
- 00:25:47.369 --> 00:25:48.737
- Through a season of loss, believing for a breakthrough,
- 00:25:48.803 --> 00:25:50.438
- Believing for a breakthrough, or simply looking
- 00:25:50.505 --> 00:25:51.506
- Or simply looking for a deeper connection
- 00:25:51.573 --> 00:25:52.741
- For a deeper connection with god,
- 00:25:52.807 --> 00:25:53.608
- With god, this guide is designed
- 00:25:53.675 --> 00:25:54.909
- This guide is designed to help you
- 00:25:54.976 --> 00:25:55.577
- To help you reflect, realign,
- 00:25:55.644 --> 00:25:57.245
- Reflect, realign, and rebuild day by day.
- 00:25:57.312 --> 00:25:59.914
- And rebuild day by day. choose to trust god.
- 00:25:59.981 --> 00:26:01.716
- Choose to trust god. he sees you.
- 00:26:01.783 --> 00:26:02.884
- He sees you. he cares deeply.
- 00:26:02.951 --> 00:26:04.386
- He cares deeply. and he is the god
- 00:26:04.452 --> 00:26:05.820
- And he is the god who restores double.
- 00:26:05.887 --> 00:26:07.656
- Who restores double. none of us like difficulties.
- 00:26:07.722 --> 00:26:09.557
- None of us like difficulties. but if you'll stay in faith,
- 00:26:09.624 --> 00:26:10.892
- But if you'll stay in faith, you won't come out the same.
- 00:26:10.959 --> 00:26:12.560
- You won't come out the same. you'll come out with double.
- 00:26:12.627 --> 00:26:14.529
- You'll come out with double. victoria and i pray for
- 00:26:14.596 --> 00:26:15.563
- Victoria and i pray for you and your family every day.
- 00:26:15.630 --> 00:26:17.599
- You and your family every day. thank you for your prayers
- 00:26:17.666 --> 00:26:18.833
- Thank you for your prayers and support.
- 00:26:18.900 --> 00:26:19.901
- And support. your donations
- 00:26:19.968 --> 00:26:20.802
- Your donations are bringing hope
- 00:26:20.869 --> 00:26:21.503
- Are bringing hope to people around the world.
- 00:26:21.569 --> 00:26:23.438
- To people around the world. special thank you
- 00:26:23.505 --> 00:26:24.406
- Special thank you to our champion
- 00:26:24.472 --> 00:26:25.040
- To our champion of hope partners
- 00:26:25.106 --> 00:26:25.974
- Of hope partners for all you do
- 00:26:26.041 --> 00:26:26.941
- For all you do to make the ministry possible.
- 00:26:27.008 --> 00:26:28.943
- To make the ministry possible. until we see you again
- 00:26:29.010 --> 00:26:29.878
- Until we see you again next week,
- 00:26:29.944 --> 00:26:30.578
- Next week, may the lord bless
- 00:26:30.645 --> 00:26:31.479
- May the lord bless you and keep you.
- 00:26:31.546 --> 00:26:33.348
- You and keep you. request your copy of double
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- Request your copy of double for your trouble
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- For your trouble available this month.
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- Available this month. you can also receive.
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- You can also receive. god's got you restoration duo.
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- God's got you restoration duo. this book is a
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- This book is a powerful reminder
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- Powerful reminder that no matter what you face,
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- That no matter what you face, you are not alone.
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- You are not alone. god's got you
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- God's got you and he will never let you go.
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- And he will never let you go. in addition
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- In addition to these two inspiration books,
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- To these two inspiration books, you can also receive
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- You can also receive the double portion
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- The double portion restoration bible collection.
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- Restoration bible collection. this beautifully
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- This beautifully curated collection
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- Curated collection brings together
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- Brings together the restoring of hope of double
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- The restoring of hope of double for your trouble
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- For your trouble and the comforting
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- And the comforting reassurance of god's
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- Reassurance of god's got to you.
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- Got to you. paired with a stunning csb
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- Edition in camel suede soft leather touch.
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- Suede soft leather touch. this elegant bible offers
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- This elegant bible offers a rich, immersive study
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- A rich, immersive study experience
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- Experience and enduring companion
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- And enduring companion as you lean in to god's
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- As you lean in to god's promises of renewal
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- Promises of renewal and restoration.
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- And restoration. request your copies today.
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