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The Winning Walk with Dr. Ed Young

Ed Young - Finding The Answer

July 31, 2025 | S25 E183 | 29:0

Ed Young - Finding The Answer
The Winning Walk with Dr. Ed Young is the international on-air and online teaching ministry of Dr. Ed Young. The Winning Walk proclaims the proven truth of God’s Word to give men and women the world over a winning way to live life.
#inActive #Calling #Purpose #Worship #Focus #SeekGod #RelationshipwithGod #Fool #Foolishness #PresenceofGod #Praise #Honor #GlorifyGod #Reverence #FearoftheLord

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The Winning Walk with Dr. Ed Young | Ed Young - Finding The Answer | July 31, 2025
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  • Dr. ed young: ecclesiastes is a very bright book.
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  • It is bright because it is written under the dazzling
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  • Background of darkness, and that darkness is death.
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  • You read ecclesiastes, and solomon is always couching
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  • Everything under the background of death.
  • 00:00:47.526 --> 00:00:53.031
  • And he asks over and over again, in many, many ways,
  • 00:00:53.031 --> 00:00:59.138
  • "what is life for under the sun?"
  • 00:00:59.138 --> 00:01:06.912
  • He asks, "what does your life mean?"
  • 00:01:06.912 --> 00:01:11.216
  • And by the way, it's interesting to observe as you read
  • 00:01:11.216 --> 00:01:13.785
  • Ecclesiastes, he talks in general terms,
  • 00:01:13.785 --> 00:01:17.923
  • And then he talks about, "i, i, i."
  • 00:01:17.923 --> 00:01:21.393
  • Remember when he said how narcissistic solomon is?
  • 00:01:21.393 --> 00:01:23.962
  • "i, i, i, i, i, i," but we come to the 5th chapter,
  • 00:01:23.962 --> 00:01:28.167
  • Which we're going to look at, and he says: "you,"
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  • Second person singular, he says, "you."
  • 00:01:32.905 --> 00:01:35.641
  • He changed from, "i, i, i," and general kind of teaching to,
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  • "you."
  • 00:01:39.878 --> 00:01:41.313
  • He makes it very pointed, and the question he keeps asking is,
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  • "what does your life mean?
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  • What difference does your life make under the sun?
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  • What are you here for?
  • 00:01:55.027 --> 00:01:59.898
  • What can you and i do in this life that has not only meaning
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  • Now, but meaning 100 years or 1,000 years that will have
  • 00:02:05.571 --> 00:02:09.875
  • Any significance in all of eternity?"
  • 00:02:09.875 --> 00:02:13.645
  • And he keeps asking that question,
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  • And it's a very uncomfortable question.
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  • But, folks, that question is the greatest question
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  • That can be asked, the most important, significant question
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  • That we have to face.
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  • "what are you here for?"
  • 00:02:32.364 --> 00:02:38.537
  • Now we come to the 5th chapter of ecclesiastes,
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  • And here we see solomon takes on a whole new characteristic.
  • 00:02:43.175 --> 00:02:48.480
  • And it's stunning, but we see now solomon,
  • 00:02:48.480 --> 00:02:53.385
  • I think, goes back to the early years of his life.
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  • He was a young man, discipled by a godly man,
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  • A godly prophet.
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  • How he became king.
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  • How he built the temple.
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  • How he dedicated the temple.
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  • How he prayed in the temple.
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  • How he brought sacrifices to the temple.
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  • How he studied the word and obeyed the word.
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  • But now he's an old man, and he didn't finish well.
  • 00:03:13.338 --> 00:03:19.244
  • All of a sudden, he'd married all these women from all over
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  • The world for so-called, "political reasons."
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  • And now they've brought all their pagan altars into israel.
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  • All these mice had come, and now he'd moved away from god.
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  • And we see that, incidentally, in a little interesting thing.
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  • Don't miss this.
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  • In the book of ecclesiastes, the hebrew word that is used for god
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  • Is usually "elohim," which is just a pedestrian word.
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  • It's just a reference to god in a general sense.
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  • The covenant word for god in the bible,
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  • Mentioned 500 times, it's an interesting word.
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  • It's the word "jehovah" or "yahweh."
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  • In other words, solomon writes, knowing that somehow
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  • He had drifted away from having a covenant with god.
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  • What does it mean to have a covenant with god,
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  • This word that is used?
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  • It means there is an understanding of grace.
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  • It means there is a hope that the messiah would come
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  • And change this world.
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  • You see, that's the covenant relationship god has
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  • With israel, and those are the words.
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  • Solomon does not use that word.
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  • He knows somehow he has moved out from under the covenant,
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  • The protection, the umbrella of almighty god,
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  • So he does not use the word "yahweh" or "jehovah."
  • 00:04:39.758 --> 00:04:43.328
  • Interesting, isn't it?
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  • But he comes here and tells us, "let me tell you about worship."
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  • He built the temple. he knew about worship.
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  • His dad, david, who had experienced so powerfully
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  • The grace of god, was a man after god's own heart.
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  • He knew worship.
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  • Solomon had worshiped, and now he tells us in these
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  • Seven verses, follow me carefully, how to worship
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  • And how not to worship.
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  • That's big, isn't it?
  • 00:05:12.457 --> 00:05:14.126
  • Did you know one of the things that distinguishes us
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  • From animals is that we can worship?
  • 00:05:16.695 --> 00:05:21.266
  • Animals can't worship.
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  • We can worship.
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  • We're made in the image of god.
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  • We can call upon god.
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  • We can know god.
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  • The human beings, we have the capacity to worship,
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  • Awe to god.
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  • He tells us, first of all, how to worship.
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  • Look at it, verse 1, chapter 5: "guard your steps as you go
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  • To the house of god and draw near to listen."
  • 00:05:41.520 --> 00:05:44.890
  • In other words, when you came to church this morning to worship,
  • 00:05:44.890 --> 00:05:48.693
  • Did you guard your steps?
  • 00:05:48.693 --> 00:05:51.263
  • Before you came, did you pray, "lord, speak to me today.
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  • Lord, i need a word from you today.
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  • Come and tabernacle among us today."
  • 00:05:57.602 --> 00:05:59.971
  • Did you come with expectation?
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  • Did you come that a hope in god would break through and heal,
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  • Restore, in form, guide, bring you through this dark place,
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  • Or lift you up in the place of opportunity you're in so
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  • You'll maximize your life?
  • 00:06:15.987 --> 00:06:18.356
  • Did you come praying?
  • 00:06:18.356 --> 00:06:20.492
  • That's what he's saying.
  • 00:06:20.492 --> 00:06:22.494
  • "guard your steps when you go in the of god."
  • 00:06:22.494 --> 00:06:25.197
  • Don't go into church casually or flat-footed.
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  • Anticipation, you see, for worship to take place,
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  • Not only must there be testimony in word and song and the
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  • Teaching of the book, but there has to be those who receive,
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  • Those who come with open minds, open hearts, wanting to feel
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  • The touch, the reality of the living god, see?
  • 00:06:46.551 --> 00:06:50.689
  • It's a twofold way.
  • 00:06:50.689 --> 00:06:53.992
  • And he says, "we come to listen.
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  • We come to listen.
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  • We draw near to listen."
  • 00:06:59.431 --> 00:07:01.233
  • That's the first, he says, "this is how you worship."
  • 00:07:01.233 --> 00:07:05.136
  • You could sit in a pew, go through the motions,
  • 00:07:05.136 --> 00:07:07.239
  • Check all the box, "i went to church.
  • 00:07:07.239 --> 00:07:09.140
  • It was okay," and say, "boy, you know,
  • 00:07:09.140 --> 00:07:11.576
  • He didn't perform as good today."
  • 00:07:11.576 --> 00:07:13.612
  • But you see, we come and say, "lord jesus, i need your word.
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  • Let your spirit come and bring my life into reality with you.
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  • I wanna catch fire, have meaning, significance,
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  • And confidence, hope."
  • 00:07:28.159 --> 00:07:29.494
  • All of that happens in worship, private worship,
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  • And corporate worship like we engaged in now.
  • 00:07:32.697 --> 00:07:35.467
  • Come in tiptoe.
  • 00:07:35.467 --> 00:07:37.569
  • Come with great expectancy.
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  • "come near and listen."
  • 00:07:42.073 --> 00:07:44.409
  • And then he tells us how not to worship.
  • 00:07:44.409 --> 00:07:48.179
  • And look, these are strong, strong words.
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  • They're a little frightening to me as i kept looking at them.
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  • He says, "rather than to offer the sacrifice of fools;
  • 00:07:54.920 --> 00:07:59.824
  • As they do not know they are doing evil."
  • 00:07:59.824 --> 00:08:03.495
  • In other words, phony worship, foolish worship,
  • 00:08:03.495 --> 00:08:06.998
  • It is coming like a fool to church,
  • 00:08:06.998 --> 00:08:10.135
  • Coming like a fool when you do your quiet time,
  • 00:08:10.135 --> 00:08:12.604
  • Coming like a fool.
  • 00:08:12.604 --> 00:08:14.806
  • And he says, "when you come as a hypocrite,
  • 00:08:14.806 --> 00:08:18.443
  • Without sincerity, look what happens."
  • 00:08:18.443 --> 00:08:20.946
  • He says, "it's not just not a good thing to do."
  • 00:08:20.946 --> 00:08:23.915
  • He said, "it is an evil thing to do."
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  • Ladies and gentlemen, it is absolutely dangerous
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  • To go to church.
  • 00:08:31.823 --> 00:08:34.726
  • It's a ferocious thing. it's a frightening thing.
  • 00:08:34.726 --> 00:08:36.962
  • It's an overwhelming thing to go and say,
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  • "i'm going to worship," and not worship.
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  • It is the worship or the sacrifice of fools.
  • 00:08:43.668 --> 00:08:49.307
  • And then he tells us exactly, precisely what the sacrifice,
  • 00:08:49.307 --> 00:08:54.312
  • What phony, hypocritical worship is all about.
  • 00:08:54.312 --> 00:08:57.816
  • Look what he says first of all in verse 2.
  • 00:08:57.816 --> 00:09:01.052
  • He says: "do not be hasty in word or impulsive in thought
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  • To bring up a matter in the presence of god.
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  • For god is in heaven and you are on earth."
  • 00:09:06.891 --> 00:09:10.562
  • What is he saying?
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  • He said, "fools worship foolishly,
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  • Engage in foolish worship when we forget who god is."
  • 00:09:16.568 --> 00:09:23.341
  • We forget who god is.
  • 00:09:23.341 --> 00:09:27.112
  • I had a member of the staff once in a meeting said,
  • 00:09:27.112 --> 00:09:29.981
  • "oh, we need to have a come-to-jesus movement."
  • 00:09:29.981 --> 00:09:33.418
  • Let me tell you something. i don't like that terminology.
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  • No, no, no, we use christ as an expletive, of all things.
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  • We gotta remember who god is.
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  • Who is god?
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  • He is omniscient, he's all-knowing.
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  • There's no thought we've ever had, no emotion
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  • We've ever experienced, nothing we've ever done
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  • Or said or not done that he doesn't know about.
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  • You don't have any secrets from god.
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  • I don't have any secrets from god.
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  • He's omniscient, he's all-knowing.
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  • He is omnipotent. he is all-powerful.
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  • He speaks, and it happens, all-powerful.
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  • Whew, this is who god is.
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  • He's omnipresent, he's present everywhere.
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  • That's the reason i'm always sort of uneasy when somebody
  • 00:10:28.773 --> 00:10:33.244
  • With a pious twang in their voice says,
  • 00:10:33.244 --> 00:10:37.582
  • "lord jesus christ, we welcome you and your holy spirit
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  • In this place."
  • 00:10:41.386 --> 00:10:42.821
  • Let me tell ya, the lord jesus christ,
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  • The holy spirit is already there, anytime, anywhere,
  • 00:10:44.489 --> 00:10:47.258
  • Any place, anywhere you go.
  • 00:10:47.258 --> 00:10:48.960
  • He is omnipotent. he is omniscient.
  • 00:10:48.960 --> 00:10:51.162
  • He is omnipresent. don't have to invite him.
  • 00:10:51.162 --> 00:10:55.233
  • He's already there.
  • 00:10:55.233 --> 00:10:57.535
  • So we have to understand worship, worship.
  • 00:10:57.535 --> 00:11:02.307
  • And then he would say that worship has to transform
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  • Areas of your life.
  • 00:11:04.943 --> 00:11:07.278
  • A number of years ago, it just stands out in my mind,
  • 00:11:07.278 --> 00:11:10.014
  • I got up and i had my quiet time.
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  • I was in the word.
  • 00:11:11.983 --> 00:11:13.318
  • It's one of those times when heaven opens, you know,
  • 00:11:13.318 --> 00:11:16.221
  • And god speaks.
  • 00:11:16.221 --> 00:11:17.655
  • And i guess i cried and i confessed and he came close
  • 00:11:17.655 --> 00:11:22.727
  • And i was inspired, and it was one of those mountaintop
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  • Moments, you know, you have, not every day.
  • 00:11:26.931 --> 00:11:29.768
  • It was just a mountaintop moment,
  • 00:11:29.768 --> 00:11:31.469
  • And i went in and ate breakfast with jo beth and the kids,
  • 00:11:31.469 --> 00:11:35.206
  • And i went and got dressed in my suit,
  • 00:11:35.206 --> 00:11:37.642
  • And i just was walking out, and i kissed jo beth,
  • 00:11:37.642 --> 00:11:42.180
  • And i went out, and she said, "would you mind takin' out
  • 00:11:42.180 --> 00:11:46.084
  • The trash?"
  • 00:11:46.084 --> 00:11:50.955
  • And i wanted to say, "yeah, i mind," but i didn't.
  • 00:11:50.955 --> 00:11:56.294
  • And i went back and i got the trash,
  • 00:11:56.294 --> 00:11:58.763
  • Knowing that my oldest son had walked by that trash four times
  • 00:11:58.763 --> 00:12:02.400
  • Already that morning, and he hadn't even made up his bed.
  • 00:12:02.400 --> 00:12:06.070
  • I'm sure of that.
  • 00:12:06.070 --> 00:12:08.039
  • But i went back to get the trash,
  • 00:12:08.039 --> 00:12:09.841
  • And there were some--it wasn't tied up with one of the little
  • 00:12:09.841 --> 00:12:13.311
  • Tie things then, you know?
  • 00:12:13.311 --> 00:12:14.813
  • And i saw some old apples there.
  • 00:12:14.813 --> 00:12:16.481
  • By the way, while i'm here, let me tell ya one of my pet peeves.
  • 00:12:16.481 --> 00:12:24.122
  • One pet peeve is when people park over the line
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  • And take two places.
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  • That just--i think that oughtta be capital punishment.
  • 00:12:28.026 --> 00:12:33.898
  • But i've got a greater pet peeve than that.
  • 00:12:33.898 --> 00:12:36.734
  • That is those little sticky things they put on fruit.
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  • Whatever government regulation brought that to bear,
  • 00:12:43.041 --> 00:12:46.344
  • They oughtta go to jail forever.
  • 00:12:46.344 --> 00:12:51.282
  • And they put 'em on evidently with permanent glue.
  • 00:12:51.282 --> 00:12:54.986
  • I mean, it's unbelievable.
  • 00:12:54.986 --> 00:12:56.788
  • What in the world does that do?
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  • Can anybody tell me?
  • 00:12:58.256 --> 00:12:59.591
  • No, it's some gimmick, some company that--i'd love to be
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  • The guy that makes those little sticky things they put on
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  • All the fruit in america.
  • 00:13:05.897 --> 00:13:09.200
  • Anyway, back to the trash.
  • 00:13:09.200 --> 00:13:15.273
  • And i got all the trash together,
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  • And i put it on, and it was full, and i take it out.
  • 00:13:17.442 --> 00:13:20.578
  • And i remember i got to slam dunk it outside in
  • 00:13:20.578 --> 00:13:23.414
  • The trash thing, and some of it came out on my pants,
  • 00:13:23.414 --> 00:13:28.453
  • And jo beth says, "we've got another one."
  • 00:13:28.453 --> 00:13:33.391
  • Boy, i went stormin' back in there,
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  • And i got that other one, and i went out and i--this was the guy
  • 00:13:35.793 --> 00:13:42.934
  • Who just a little bit before in the holy of holies of prayer,
  • 00:13:42.934 --> 00:13:49.140
  • This is a guy who is covered in shekinah, takin' out trash.
  • 00:13:49.140 --> 00:13:59.183
  • You see, my problem then, and many times since,
  • 00:14:00.351 --> 00:14:03.922
  • And probably yours is we don't transfer our worship to how we
  • 00:14:03.922 --> 00:14:11.462
  • Live, how we think, what we do, because worship is to transform
  • 00:14:11.462 --> 00:14:19.804
  • Your life and my life and the mundane things as well as
  • 00:14:19.804 --> 00:14:24.208
  • The big, big things that we encounter, is it not?
  • 00:14:24.208 --> 00:14:29.580
  • So he says, "we are fools engaged in foolish worship
  • 00:14:29.580 --> 00:14:32.917
  • When we forget him with whom we are dealing with,
  • 00:14:32.917 --> 00:14:37.188
  • Him whom we are worshiping."
  • 00:14:37.188 --> 00:14:41.326
  • And then he says to us, the second thing involved here
  • 00:14:41.326 --> 00:14:44.329
  • About foolish worship, the sacrifice of fools.
  • 00:14:44.329 --> 00:14:47.231
  • Look at it, verse 3, he says: "for the dream comes through
  • 00:14:47.231 --> 00:14:51.402
  • Much effort and the voice of a fool through many words."
  • 00:14:51.402 --> 00:14:55.173
  • You are a fool engaged in foolish worship,
  • 00:14:55.173 --> 00:14:58.876
  • And i am when our worship is filled with words and dreams.
  • 00:14:58.876 --> 00:15:05.583
  • We go to god and we've got our agenda,
  • 00:15:05.583 --> 00:15:07.986
  • "god, let me tell you what i believe you need to say to me,
  • 00:15:07.986 --> 00:15:11.055
  • And i wanna make this deal with you.
  • 00:15:11.055 --> 00:15:12.557
  • And god, god, god," and we talk, and we talk,
  • 00:15:12.557 --> 00:15:14.625
  • And we have all our dreams and our aspirations and what we
  • 00:15:14.625 --> 00:15:17.628
  • Think and what we know and how we cut a special deal with god
  • 00:15:17.628 --> 00:15:21.466
  • And we just talk--when god wants to say somethin' to you and me,
  • 00:15:21.466 --> 00:15:25.370
  • When in the world is he going to say it,
  • 00:15:25.370 --> 00:15:27.805
  • Even when we're trying to worship,
  • 00:15:27.805 --> 00:15:29.507
  • When our mind and our tongues are just babbling?
  • 00:15:29.507 --> 00:15:35.613
  • You have an appointment with bill gates, oh.
  • 00:15:35.613 --> 00:15:39.450
  • And you sit down with mr. gates and said, "mr. gates,
  • 00:15:39.450 --> 00:15:42.086
  • I wanna tell you what i think about the internet,
  • 00:15:42.086 --> 00:15:44.455
  • About the computer industry, and about it," and you spend
  • 00:15:44.455 --> 00:15:47.091
  • All your time telling him what you know about the iphone
  • 00:15:47.091 --> 00:15:51.095
  • And all the rest of us, and you walk--is that stupid?
  • 00:15:51.095 --> 00:15:57.201
  • Man, you were the man who started some of this.
  • 00:15:57.201 --> 00:15:59.837
  • Or down with albert einstein, "dr. einstein,
  • 00:15:59.837 --> 00:16:02.373
  • I had a course in physics when i was in high school,
  • 00:16:02.373 --> 00:16:06.010
  • And i wanna tell you what i have figured out
  • 00:16:06.010 --> 00:16:08.312
  • About this physical--"
  • 00:16:08.312 --> 00:16:09.647
  • You're with albert einstein.
  • 00:16:09.647 --> 00:16:11.182
  • Is that insane?
  • 00:16:11.182 --> 00:16:15.319
  • We are with god.
  • 00:16:15.319 --> 00:16:18.389
  • He might wanna say somethin' to us, speak a word.
  • 00:16:18.389 --> 00:16:24.529
  • But we're just [mumbling] talkin' about dreams,
  • 00:16:24.529 --> 00:16:27.098
  • And we quote scripture to god.
  • 00:16:27.098 --> 00:16:28.733
  • I never understand that.
  • 00:16:28.733 --> 00:16:34.238
  • Sometimes we just wait and be still.
  • 00:16:34.238 --> 00:16:37.475
  • Elijah wanted to meet with god.
  • 00:16:37.475 --> 00:16:39.143
  • Man, he'd had a tough time, had a victory,
  • 00:16:39.143 --> 00:16:41.779
  • Now he was depressed.
  • 00:16:41.779 --> 00:16:43.648
  • He's in a cave.
  • 00:16:43.648 --> 00:16:45.216
  • He said, "oh, god, i need a word from you."
  • 00:16:45.216 --> 00:16:47.318
  • He needed to worship, and boy, here comes a tornado,
  • 00:16:47.318 --> 00:16:50.788
  • Winds blowing.
  • 00:16:50.788 --> 00:16:52.123
  • And he said, "boy, god is gonna be in this tornado.
  • 00:16:52.123 --> 00:16:54.225
  • I know he's gonna speak to me in this mighty tornado."
  • 00:16:54.225 --> 00:16:57.028
  • But the bible says, "the lord didn't say a word to him."
  • 00:16:57.028 --> 00:17:00.364
  • Huh, huh, tornado, god didn't speak.
  • 00:17:00.364 --> 00:17:04.836
  • And then there was the earthquake.
  • 00:17:04.836 --> 00:17:06.204
  • Man, the earth begins to separate, it's rattling.
  • 00:17:06.204 --> 00:17:08.506
  • That'll get your attention.
  • 00:17:08.506 --> 00:17:10.108
  • Surely, god is going to speak to his prophet elijah
  • 00:17:10.108 --> 00:17:13.411
  • In the earthquake, but god didn't say a word.
  • 00:17:13.411 --> 00:17:17.615
  • Then there was a fire. oh, that's how god speaks.
  • 00:17:17.615 --> 00:17:20.318
  • Here's a giant fire.
  • 00:17:20.318 --> 00:17:21.919
  • In the middle of the fire, god is gonna really zap elijah
  • 00:17:21.919 --> 00:17:25.022
  • And say the word that he needs.
  • 00:17:25.022 --> 00:17:27.258
  • God wasn't in the fire.
  • 00:17:27.258 --> 00:17:30.728
  • Then the bible says, "god spoke the way he usually speaks,
  • 00:17:30.728 --> 00:17:38.069
  • A still small voice."
  • 00:17:38.069 --> 00:17:43.741
  • We're fools engaged in foolish worship when we just spend
  • 00:17:43.741 --> 00:17:47.645
  • That time battling around.
  • 00:17:47.645 --> 00:17:50.915
  • Maybe god wants to say something to you and me.
  • 00:17:50.915 --> 00:17:54.318
  • Let's learn how to still and quiet ourselves so he can speak,
  • 00:17:54.318 --> 00:18:01.893
  • Okay?
  • 00:18:01.893 --> 00:18:03.594
  • And then he talks about another kind of fools who engage
  • 00:18:03.594 --> 00:18:06.531
  • In foolish worship, this foolish sacrifice.
  • 00:18:06.531 --> 00:18:09.433
  • And look at it. it starts in verse 4.
  • 00:18:09.433 --> 00:18:11.802
  • He said: "when you make a vow to the lord,
  • 00:18:11.802 --> 00:18:14.438
  • Do not be late in paying it; for he takes no delight in fools."
  • 00:18:14.438 --> 00:18:18.843
  • And he talks about vows.
  • 00:18:18.843 --> 00:18:21.412
  • Have you ever said to god, "god, if i get a good report
  • 00:18:21.412 --> 00:18:24.048
  • On this health situation, i'm going to--"?
  • 00:18:24.048 --> 00:18:28.753
  • Or, "i'm going to start"? or, "i'm going to stop"?
  • 00:18:28.753 --> 00:18:32.523
  • Made promises to god; he takes that seriously, yeah.
  • 00:18:32.523 --> 00:18:36.761
  • You see, if i tell you something,
  • 00:18:36.761 --> 00:18:40.097
  • I want to keep my word.
  • 00:18:40.097 --> 00:18:41.766
  • If i tell god something, i certainly wanna keep my word.
  • 00:18:41.766 --> 00:18:46.404
  • It's a vow.
  • 00:18:46.404 --> 00:18:47.939
  • We made a vow when we got married, a vow.
  • 00:18:47.939 --> 00:18:51.709
  • We know jonah made a vow at the temple,
  • 00:18:51.709 --> 00:18:54.579
  • "oh, lord, i'll serve you."
  • 00:18:54.579 --> 00:18:57.114
  • But god said, "i've got an assignment for you, jonah.
  • 00:18:57.114 --> 00:18:59.917
  • I want you to go to nineveh."
  • 00:18:59.917 --> 00:19:01.285
  • Jonah says, "i hate those ninevites."
  • 00:19:01.285 --> 00:19:05.256
  • So he runs and heads out for tarshish.
  • 00:19:05.256 --> 00:19:07.758
  • You know the story. he's shipwrecked.
  • 00:19:07.758 --> 00:19:10.761
  • He's thrown over the sea.
  • 00:19:10.761 --> 00:19:12.096
  • He's swallowed by a giant fish, remember?
  • 00:19:12.096 --> 00:19:13.998
  • And he's living in that fish.
  • 00:19:13.998 --> 00:19:15.533
  • And i love this passage.
  • 00:19:15.533 --> 00:19:17.068
  • It says, "he was in the fish three days and three nights,
  • 00:19:17.068 --> 00:19:20.304
  • And then he prayed."
  • 00:19:20.304 --> 00:19:22.607
  • I don't believe it'd have taken me that long.
  • 00:19:22.607 --> 00:19:27.812
  • That's how far he got away.
  • 00:19:27.812 --> 00:19:29.914
  • And his prayer is tremendous, but he ends up by saying,
  • 00:19:29.914 --> 00:19:32.350
  • "i will keep the vow that i made to serve you,
  • 00:19:32.350 --> 00:19:37.722
  • To go where you want me to go."
  • 00:19:37.722 --> 00:19:39.323
  • He ends up in nineveh and has one of the greatest turnings
  • 00:19:39.323 --> 00:19:42.293
  • To god that you see in all of history,
  • 00:19:42.293 --> 00:19:46.364
  • And the sorriest sermon he preached there you've
  • 00:19:46.364 --> 00:19:48.866
  • Ever heard: "repent, or 40 days, you've had it."
  • 00:19:48.866 --> 00:19:52.169
  • I mean, that doesn't have any glamour to it, does it?
  • 00:19:52.169 --> 00:19:54.372
  • But they came to christ, amazing.
  • 00:19:54.372 --> 00:19:58.676
  • Keep your word to god.
  • 00:19:58.676 --> 00:20:01.279
  • You say, "well, god is a god of grace,
  • 00:20:01.279 --> 00:20:03.447
  • A god of forgiveness.
  • 00:20:03.447 --> 00:20:04.849
  • You know, he'll forgive me when i break my word."
  • 00:20:04.849 --> 00:20:06.951
  • Go back to that vow.
  • 00:20:06.951 --> 00:20:09.353
  • Let me tell you something.
  • 00:20:09.353 --> 00:20:10.888
  • God's love and god's grace is not gonna bail us time and time
  • 00:20:10.888 --> 00:20:16.193
  • Again until, first of all, we meet the next thing that we read
  • 00:20:16.193 --> 00:20:21.399
  • Here in our scripture, and that is genuine worship.
  • 00:20:21.399 --> 00:20:24.302
  • It's found in that 7th verse, and it's so clear: "for in many
  • 00:20:24.302 --> 00:20:29.974
  • Dreams and many words there is emptiness."
  • 00:20:29.974 --> 00:20:34.578
  • Worship of fools, forgot who god is.
  • 00:20:34.578 --> 00:20:39.150
  • Worship of fools, many words.
  • 00:20:39.150 --> 00:20:41.919
  • Worship of fools, "i made these vows to god
  • 00:20:41.919 --> 00:20:44.588
  • And i didn't keep them."
  • 00:20:44.588 --> 00:20:46.023
  • But now he said, "let me tell ya how you worship me."
  • 00:20:46.023 --> 00:20:49.160
  • He says, "fear god," "fear god."
  • 00:20:49.160 --> 00:20:57.535
  • Listen, god is holy, ladies and gentlemen.
  • 00:20:57.535 --> 00:21:01.372
  • All this pedestrianism, this, "somebody up there likes me."
  • 00:21:01.372 --> 00:21:06.544
  • "oh, god is so sweet."
  • 00:21:06.544 --> 00:21:08.913
  • And listen, the fear of god is where we begin,
  • 00:21:08.913 --> 00:21:12.717
  • Our awesome god.
  • 00:21:12.717 --> 00:21:14.352
  • He's abba to be sure, but also he is a god
  • 00:21:14.352 --> 00:21:17.254
  • Not to be trifled with.
  • 00:21:17.254 --> 00:21:21.792
  • That's our god.
  • 00:21:21.792 --> 00:21:25.229
  • You read moses there.
  • 00:21:25.229 --> 00:21:27.932
  • He was a shepherd.
  • 00:21:27.932 --> 00:21:29.266
  • He walked by that burning bush.
  • 00:21:29.266 --> 00:21:30.968
  • He said, "there's a bush that's on fire that's not
  • 00:21:30.968 --> 00:21:33.437
  • Being consumed.
  • 00:21:33.437 --> 00:21:35.172
  • I'm going to go over there and see what's happening."
  • 00:21:35.172 --> 00:21:37.174
  • And he went toward the bush and god speaks and says,
  • 00:21:37.174 --> 00:21:39.977
  • "moses, take off your shoes.
  • 00:21:39.977 --> 00:21:44.715
  • You're on holy ground."
  • 00:21:44.715 --> 00:21:47.618
  • And it says that moses hid his face in fear.
  • 00:21:47.618 --> 00:21:53.958
  • It's not a fear of bodily harm, that lightning's gonna
  • 00:21:53.958 --> 00:21:57.261
  • Strike us, but it is a fear of deep conviction
  • 00:21:57.261 --> 00:22:01.232
  • Of where we are with him.
  • 00:22:01.232 --> 00:22:03.768
  • You see, if there's active sin in your life and my life,
  • 00:22:03.768 --> 00:22:06.904
  • You can go to church, give to church, sing, praise,
  • 00:22:06.904 --> 00:22:10.674
  • Solo, preach sermons.
  • 00:22:10.674 --> 00:22:12.643
  • You can do everything in the world,
  • 00:22:12.643 --> 00:22:14.678
  • But god's not gonna deal with you and me
  • 00:22:14.678 --> 00:22:17.014
  • Until we get clean with him.
  • 00:22:17.014 --> 00:22:18.883
  • So it begins so many times with confession and repentance,
  • 00:22:18.883 --> 00:22:21.886
  • Does it not?
  • 00:22:21.886 --> 00:22:23.220
  • Confession and repentance.
  • 00:22:23.220 --> 00:22:25.556
  • The fear of god, that's where we begin,
  • 00:22:25.556 --> 00:22:31.762
  • An awesome god, a loving god, a triumphant god,
  • 00:22:31.762 --> 00:22:34.965
  • A caring god, a god who came down to this earth to meet us
  • 00:22:34.965 --> 00:22:38.669
  • Exactly where we are in jesus christ.
  • 00:22:38.669 --> 00:22:41.405
  • That is the god whom we are to worship.
  • 00:22:41.405 --> 00:22:44.108
  • This is how you worship. this is how you do not worship.
  • 00:22:44.108 --> 00:22:47.778
  • You begin with the fear, the reverence to a holy god.
  • 00:22:47.778 --> 00:22:54.718
  • The word "fan" in the original latin means,
  • 00:22:54.718 --> 00:22:57.988
  • "passionate devotion to god."
  • 00:22:57.988 --> 00:23:04.261
  • Isn't that something?
  • 00:23:04.261 --> 00:23:06.330
  • A fan, passionately devoted to god.
  • 00:23:06.330 --> 00:23:12.436
  • And that's what we are to become as worshipers.
  • 00:23:12.436 --> 00:23:16.640
  • We're to be fans of god, celebrate him, love him,
  • 00:23:16.640 --> 00:23:21.212
  • Listen to him.
  • 00:23:21.212 --> 00:23:23.080
  • Don't offer the sacrifice, the worship of fools,
  • 00:23:23.080 --> 00:23:26.684
  • But go to him in openness and let him touch and deal
  • 00:23:26.684 --> 00:23:31.155
  • And lead and heal and forgive.
  • 00:23:31.155 --> 00:23:33.224
  • We are to be fans of him.
  • 00:23:33.224 --> 00:23:35.493
  • And what the bottom line here is,
  • 00:23:35.493 --> 00:23:37.728
  • How are we to worship him?
  • 00:23:37.728 --> 00:23:39.563
  • Wholeheartedly, wholeheartedly, we're to love the lord our god
  • 00:23:39.563 --> 00:23:47.671
  • With all our strength, with all of our power,
  • 00:23:47.671 --> 00:23:50.341
  • With all of our might, with our mind, with our souls,
  • 00:23:50.341 --> 00:23:54.512
  • With the whole shootin' match of your life and my life,
  • 00:23:54.512 --> 00:23:58.015
  • Wholeheartedly.
  • 00:23:58.015 --> 00:24:01.752
  • How do you land this plane?
  • 00:24:01.752 --> 00:24:05.823
  • I think we land it in a psalm that pretty well sums
  • 00:24:05.823 --> 00:24:09.627
  • All of this up, the 100th psalm: "make a joyful noise
  • 00:24:09.627 --> 00:24:15.766
  • Unto the lord all ye lands.
  • 00:24:15.766 --> 00:24:18.335
  • Serve the lord with gladness.
  • 00:24:18.335 --> 00:24:20.404
  • Come before his presence with singing.
  • 00:24:20.404 --> 00:24:22.339
  • Know ye that the lord, he is god.
  • 00:24:22.339 --> 00:24:24.575
  • It is he that hath made us and not we ourselves.
  • 00:24:24.575 --> 00:24:27.745
  • We are his people, the sheep of his pasture.
  • 00:24:27.745 --> 00:24:30.848
  • Enter into his gates," come into church,
  • 00:24:30.848 --> 00:24:34.485
  • "with thanksgiving, into his courts with praise.
  • 00:24:34.485 --> 00:24:36.720
  • Be thankful unto him and bless his name,
  • 00:24:36.720 --> 00:24:40.991
  • For the lord is good.
  • 00:24:40.991 --> 00:24:43.360
  • His mercy is everlasting, and his truth endureth
  • 00:24:43.360 --> 00:24:49.033
  • To all generations."
  • 00:24:49.033 --> 00:24:52.670
  • That is wholehearted worship, and it sums up these verses
  • 00:24:52.670 --> 00:24:59.143
  • As well as they can be summed up.
  • 00:24:59.143 --> 00:25:02.112
  • Let me tell you something, ladies and gentlemen.
  • 00:25:02.112 --> 00:25:04.214
  • We learn to worship like that, just a little bit of that,
  • 00:25:04.214 --> 00:25:10.321
  • Wholehearted worship as fans of the lord god almighty,
  • 00:25:10.321 --> 00:25:15.192
  • It will absolutely change our lives.
  • 00:25:15.192 --> 00:25:21.732
  • Pastor ed: everybody in the world is hungry for something
  • 00:25:23.267 --> 00:25:25.836
  • That gives them assurance about the future and comfort about
  • 00:25:25.836 --> 00:25:29.473
  • What we are facing right today.
  • 00:25:29.473 --> 00:25:32.977
  • What all of us are looking for can only be found in god's word.
  • 00:25:32.977 --> 00:25:38.148
  • That's why now's the time to do all we can to share the proven
  • 00:25:38.148 --> 00:25:43.320
  • Truth of scripture with as many people as possible.
  • 00:25:43.320 --> 00:25:48.025
  • And so, with a gift today which will be worth double
  • 00:25:48.025 --> 00:25:50.894
  • Thanks to a special matching grant, we can help reach
  • 00:25:50.894 --> 00:25:55.299
  • Millions through the broadcast and resources of "the winning
  • 00:25:55.299 --> 00:25:58.936
  • Walk," and it's a winning walk, as you know, with jesus christ.
  • 00:25:58.936 --> 00:26:03.874
  • I'm excited about today, i'm excited about tomorrow,
  • 00:26:03.874 --> 00:26:07.277
  • And thank you, through your contributions, through your
  • 00:26:07.277 --> 00:26:10.180
  • Prayers, we scatter seeds of god's truth everywhere
  • 00:26:10.180 --> 00:26:15.519
  • And lives are changed.
  • 00:26:15.519 --> 00:26:17.521
  • Congratulations, thank you for being a part
  • 00:26:17.521 --> 00:26:20.691
  • Of "the winning walk" family.
  • 00:26:20.691 --> 00:26:22.660
  • ♪♪♪
  • 00:26:22.726 --> 00:26:37.241
  • Ed: what is the number-one priority in your life?
  • 00:26:37.307 --> 00:26:40.477
  • It's what you worship, that's it.
  • 00:26:40.477 --> 00:26:42.646
  • It's god's desire for us to worship him.
  • 00:26:42.646 --> 00:26:45.449
  • He has created us for that very purpose.
  • 00:26:45.449 --> 00:26:49.053
  • When we come into his presence with a sense of expectancy,
  • 00:26:49.053 --> 00:26:53.424
  • He transforms our lives and we'll never be the same.
  • 00:26:53.424 --> 00:26:57.861
  • Question, do you need this kind of transformation in your life?
  • 00:26:57.861 --> 00:27:02.666
  • Call the number on your screen.
  • 00:27:02.666 --> 00:27:04.568
  • We would love to speak with you and help you start a personal
  • 00:27:04.568 --> 00:27:08.105
  • Relationship with god, and let me thank you for watching today
  • 00:27:08.105 --> 00:27:11.742
  • As we take another step in the winning walk.
  • 00:27:11.742 --> 00:27:16.113
  • ♪♪♪
  • 00:27:18.115 --> 00:27:18.115