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<v Speaker 1>You're listening to The Bible Guys, a podcast where a

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<v Speaker 1>couple of friends talk about the Bible in fun, in

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<v Speaker 1>practical ways. Here we are.

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<v Speaker 2>We are back.

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<v Speaker 1>The Bible Guys are back in the house.

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<v Speaker 2>The Bible Guys plus.

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<v Speaker 1>One minus bar Ba. Chris Sarba is out this week.

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<v Speaker 1>But you and I are holding down the fort and

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<v Speaker 1>I have the inimitable Wesley Woods with us.

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<v Speaker 2>Yes, I am here.

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<v Speaker 1>That's fantastic. So I'm so glad you're here. It's a

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<v Speaker 1>day after Christmas and we're all still kind of reeling.

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<v Speaker 1>Hopefully you got all the wrapping paper out of the

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<v Speaker 1>place and you haven't eaten all of the bad scene.

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<v Speaker 2>I think they're still full.

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<v Speaker 1>Yeah, exactly. Well, so today we have a segment called

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<v Speaker 1>Guess the Word. Okay, and so if you've ever played

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<v Speaker 1>like taboo or one of those games, so what I'm

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<v Speaker 1>going to do is I'm going to give you clues. Okay,

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<v Speaker 1>if you can guess the keyword. There's one word I'm

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<v Speaker 1>trying to get you to get. But I have five

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<v Speaker 1>words I'm not allowed to say. Okay, that would really

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<v Speaker 1>make it easy.

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<v Speaker 2>Okay, all right, here we go.

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<v Speaker 1>Okay, so the first one is this this time of

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<v Speaker 1>year has thirty one days and it's the time of

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<v Speaker 1>the year. We're in the winter. No season, Nope, it's

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<v Speaker 1>followed by January. February no, followed by January. January comes after.

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<v Speaker 2>It, December. There you go in December.

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<v Speaker 1>I wasn't allowed to say cold Christmas, winter month, or November.

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<v Speaker 2>I'm thinking, like winter, are you yep?

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<v Speaker 1>Okay, good job. Okay, so you got December there. So

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<v Speaker 1>the second one would be you build it out in

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<v Speaker 1>the yard with your kids. So yeah, there you go, snowman,

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<v Speaker 1>very very good. Okay, oh my goodness. You want Santa

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<v Speaker 1>to fill it with all kinds of stocking. There you

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<v Speaker 1>go stocking. I wasn't allowed to say, oh, snowman. I

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<v Speaker 1>wasn't allowed to say snow, frosty, abominable, carrot, or olaf.

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<v Speaker 2>Okay, yeah, But as soon as you said build it outside,

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<v Speaker 2>I'm like, it's got to be a yeah.

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<v Speaker 1>And then stocking. I wasn't allowed to say fireplace, chimney,

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<v Speaker 1>hang socks, or feet okay, okay. The next one is

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<v Speaker 1>the one up front who helped Santa sleigh. Oh I

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<v Speaker 1>said sligh. I wasn't allowed to say sleigh, but yeah,

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<v Speaker 1>I read.

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<v Speaker 2>No, you didn't say slay help Santa.

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<v Speaker 1>Yeah I know, but I said slagh. So our listeners

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<v Speaker 1>get fifty thousand points. But when I tell you there,

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<v Speaker 1>so those of you that have been listening for a while,

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<v Speaker 1>you should be gaining some big points. I wasn't allowed

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<v Speaker 1>to say red nose, reindeer, sleigh or bright man. And

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<v Speaker 1>then uh, it's probably in your living room with lights

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<v Speaker 1>Christmas tree. Yes, okay, but that's not the word. But

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<v Speaker 1>now that you've said tree, it's a certain color, and

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<v Speaker 1>we say it it lasts for a long time. So

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<v Speaker 1>that's what's the color of your tree?

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<v Speaker 2>Green?

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<v Speaker 1>Okay, what's the word that comes before green that references

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<v Speaker 1>those kind of trees? Oh, it references those kinds of trees,

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<v Speaker 1>lasts a long time, A real tree, A something green? Oh,

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<v Speaker 1>something green. Oh you know our listeners are screaming at

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<v Speaker 1>hollered and throwing stuff. It's evergreen.

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<v Speaker 2>Yeah, evergreen there during the pine cones and everything.

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<v Speaker 1>Evergreen is the word we were looking for, so tree, needles, winter, plant,

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<v Speaker 1>and pine. So once you said tree, I could use tree,

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<v Speaker 1>but before that I couldn't. So yeah, all right, well, hey,

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<v Speaker 1>well I guess that mean all our listeners got fifty

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<v Speaker 1>thousand points for that one too. Yeah, so some of

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<v Speaker 1>you came away with a one hundred thousand points to day.

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<v Speaker 1>Congratulations to you. Yeah, we're so proud of you, and

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<v Speaker 1>I'm feeling particularly generous. Usually zar Ball only wants to

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<v Speaker 1>give like a thousand points.

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<v Speaker 2>Oh so this is like extra Christmas. This is day

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<v Speaker 2>after Christmas.

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<v Speaker 1>You got to be spreading Christmas cheer, just blowing the points.

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<v Speaker 1>We got a bunch of extra points. Yeah, because our

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<v Speaker 1>bus been so greedy with them all year. Yeah, we've

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<v Speaker 1>got a bunch of them. We got to get rid

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<v Speaker 1>of them for the end of the year.

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<v Speaker 2>They's watching right now. He can't even say anything. That's right,

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<v Speaker 2>that's right.

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<v Speaker 1>That's tough. Well we are today talking about how there's

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<v Speaker 1>a season for everything. Yes, and there's a famous song

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<v Speaker 1>by the Birds called what Wesley.

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<v Speaker 2>I can sing it? Yeah, go ahead, do everything turn. Yeah,

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<v Speaker 2>that's all you get. That's it, turn Turn Turned by

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<v Speaker 2>the Birds. Yeah.

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<v Speaker 1>Is quoting this passage from the Bible, right, So nineteen

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<v Speaker 1>sixty five top chart topper, Yeah, was quoting Ecclesiastes chapter three,

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<v Speaker 1>And that was your Christmas gift to our listener.

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<v Speaker 2>Yes, it can't give you anything better.

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<v Speaker 1>You love them so much you sang for them. It's

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<v Speaker 1>just like zar ball. Yeah, right, So he loves to

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<v Speaker 1>sing for people. He loves the tap dance and ice

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<v Speaker 1>skate and all this kind of thing.

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<v Speaker 2>Do it all he can't. Yeah, he should have been

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<v Speaker 2>a one of the people on Broadway. He should have

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<v Speaker 2>been like in a player.

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<v Speaker 1>Yea a Broadway actor. Yes, that's what he should have been.

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<v Speaker 1>So anyways, we are in Ecclesiastes chapter three. If you

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<v Speaker 1>haven't read Ecclesiastes chapter two, you should. He talks about

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<v Speaker 1>the futility of pleasure. He talks about the fact that

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<v Speaker 1>being wise you're not going to last any longer than

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<v Speaker 1>being a fool being. He talks about the futility of work.

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<v Speaker 1>He's put his hands to work and while it's satisfying,

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<v Speaker 1>sometimes it doesn't fulfill and so he's struggling with that.

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<v Speaker 1>But then you finally get to Ecclesiastes chapter three, and

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<v Speaker 1>he says, for everything there is a season, a time

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<v Speaker 1>for every activity under the sun under heaven. A time

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<v Speaker 1>to be born and a time to die, a time

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<v Speaker 1>to plant and a time to harvest, a time to

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<v Speaker 1>kill and a time to heal. A time to tear

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<v Speaker 1>down and a time to build up. A time to

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<v Speaker 1>cry and a time to laugh, a time to grieve

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<v Speaker 1>and a time to dance. A time to scatter stones

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<v Speaker 1>and a time to gather stones, a time to embrace

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<v Speaker 1>and time to turn away. A time to search and

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<v Speaker 1>a time to quit searching. A time to keep and

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<v Speaker 1>a time to throw away. A time to tear and

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<v Speaker 1>a time to mend. A time to be quiet and

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<v Speaker 1>a time to speak, a time to love and a

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<v Speaker 1>time to hate, A time for war and a time

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<v Speaker 1>for peace. What do people really get for all their

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<v Speaker 1>hard work? I've seen the burden God is placed on

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<v Speaker 1>us all. Yet God has made everything beautiful for its

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<v Speaker 1>own time. He has planted eternity in the human heart.

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<v Speaker 1>But even so people cannot see the whole scope of

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<v Speaker 1>God's work from beginning to end. So I conclude that

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<v Speaker 1>there is nothing better than to be happy and enjoy

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<v Speaker 1>ourselves as long as we can. And people should eat

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<v Speaker 1>and drink and enjoy the fruits of the labor, for

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<v Speaker 1>these are gifts from God. And I know that whatever

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<v Speaker 1>God does is final. Nothing can be added to it

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<v Speaker 1>or taken from it. God's purposes that people should fear him.

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<v Speaker 1>What is happening now has happened before. It will happen

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<v Speaker 1>in the future as it has happened before, because God

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<v Speaker 1>makes the same things happen over and over again.

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<v Speaker 2>Yeah that's good.

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<v Speaker 1>Okay.

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<v Speaker 2>It's kind of similar to what we talked about in

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<v Speaker 2>previous days in terms of there being nothing new under

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<v Speaker 2>the sun. Yeah.

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<v Speaker 1>So as you would read the Book of Proverbs and go, hey,

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<v Speaker 1>these are all good things, I should apply my life

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<v Speaker 1>the Book of Ecclesiastes. Until you get to the very end,

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<v Speaker 1>I would say, there's interesting thoughts there, but you wouldn't

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<v Speaker 1>want to build your life around the Book of Ecclesiastes

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<v Speaker 1>because you've got this guy who's kind of spiraling. Yeah,

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<v Speaker 1>he has good moments and bad moments, and good moments

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<v Speaker 1>and bad moments through the whole book. So he has

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<v Speaker 1>moments where he's like, man, God is good. We should

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<v Speaker 1>enjoy life, and everything He's given to us is a blessing.

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<v Speaker 1>And then I'm miserable and God just keeps doing stuff

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<v Speaker 1>over and over again, and there's no hope, and he

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<v Speaker 1>flips back and forth, back and forth. So I would say,

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<v Speaker 1>you don't take the Book of Ecclesiastes as advice for life.

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<v Speaker 1>Always like you would the Book of Proverbs, you take

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<v Speaker 1>it rather as an understanding of the futility of a

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<v Speaker 1>life that winds up being wasted, right, And so you

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<v Speaker 1>see him kind of spiraling here. But he has some

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<v Speaker 1>really great phrases in chapter three, in particularly a time

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<v Speaker 1>for everything.

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<v Speaker 2>Yeah yeah, I like verse three, especially as we're moving

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<v Speaker 2>into a brand new year, A time to kill and

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<v Speaker 2>a time to heal. When I read that, I immediately thought of,

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<v Speaker 2>what are some things that we need to kill in

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<v Speaker 2>our own lives? Oh yeah, and not carry into twenty

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<v Speaker 2>twenty five. So there are some probably some habits, There

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<v Speaker 2>are probably some thing there could even be jeff, some

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<v Speaker 2>bad relationships, right, we need to sever So don't kill

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<v Speaker 2>the person. I'm not advocating that, but I'm saying.

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<v Speaker 1>Necessarily yeah, no, I'm joking, that's not.

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<v Speaker 2>But there's some relationships where God has kind of been

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<v Speaker 2>nudging us that this relationship isn't and he's healthy, it

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<v Speaker 2>needs to come to an end, but we keep kind

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<v Speaker 2>of dragging it along like a dead mule, and God

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<v Speaker 2>is saying it's time to cut the cord on that one.

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<v Speaker 2>So yeah, I just kind of think about that as

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<v Speaker 2>in January. A lot of times people think of new things,

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<v Speaker 2>new goals, new habits. What are some things that we

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<v Speaker 2>need to leave in twenty twenty four, Yes, and not

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<v Speaker 2>carry into twenty five.

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<v Speaker 1>That's right. So it's interesting each of these seem to

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<v Speaker 1>have most of them have a negative and a positive. Yeah,

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<v Speaker 1>there's a time to be born. There's a time to die.

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<v Speaker 1>None of us want to die, yeah, you know, but.

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<v Speaker 2>We want to prolong the living part as long as

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<v Speaker 2>we can.

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<v Speaker 1>Life has there's a cycle right to life in general.

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<v Speaker 1>There's a time to cry, a time to laugh. We

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<v Speaker 1>don't want to cry, we want to laugh. Yeah, there's

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<v Speaker 1>a time to embrace and a time to turn away.

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<v Speaker 1>None of us want to leave, you know, the people

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<v Speaker 1>we love. But there's times when you have to. And so,

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<v Speaker 1>you know, I think of this passage a lot. Chris

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<v Speaker 1>makes fun of me sometimes, My wife makes fun of

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<v Speaker 1>me all the time time about this phrase that I

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<v Speaker 1>really believe, duties never conflict. I've mentioned this on the

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<v Speaker 1>podcast before. Duties never conflict. And this is one of

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<v Speaker 1>those passages. There is a time when I have to

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<v Speaker 1>turn away. I don't want to leave, I want to

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<v Speaker 1>keep embracing. But I do have to because the duty

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<v Speaker 1>that's pulling me away is greater than this desire to

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<v Speaker 1>stay in the moment. I have to go do this thing.

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<v Speaker 1>And so, you know, Solomon is kind of saying that

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<v Speaker 1>there's a priority to life. There's a rhythm to life.

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<v Speaker 1>There are things sometimes you have to do, the things

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<v Speaker 1>that are hard, or the things you don't want to do.

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<v Speaker 1>It's not always pleasure. It goes back and forth. You know,

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<v Speaker 1>you plan your harvest and that so again life application

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<v Speaker 1>study Bible. You should grab one Ecclesiasts, chapter three, verse

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<v Speaker 1>one through eight. The notes say timing is important. I

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<v Speaker 1>love that. That's really a great lesson where timing is important.

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<v Speaker 1>It's possible to do the right thing at the wrong

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<v Speaker 1>time and wind up getting the wrong results.

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<v Speaker 2>Yeah that's true.

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<v Speaker 1>Right, So you can do the right thing the wrong

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<v Speaker 1>way and get the wrong results. You can do the

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<v Speaker 1>right thing with the wrong attitude and get the wrong results.

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<v Speaker 1>So timing and doing things the right way at the

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<v Speaker 1>right time with the right attitude are incredibly important. So

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<v Speaker 1>when God says do it, then yeah, yeah, So all

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<v Speaker 1>the experiences listed in these verses are appropriate at certain times.

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<v Speaker 1>The secret to peace with God is to discover, accept,

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<v Speaker 1>and appreciate God's perfect timing. The danger is to doubt

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<v Speaker 1>or resent God's timing. This can lead to despair, rebellion,

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<v Speaker 1>or moving ahead without his advice. So I recently had

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<v Speaker 1>a conversation with somebody who was pretty angry at God, saying,

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<v Speaker 1>I've done these things, and I don't feel like God's

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<v Speaker 1>keeping his end of the bargain. And I said, I

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<v Speaker 1>think that you know you have a right to say, God,

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<v Speaker 1>I've done all these things. I'm looking forward to you

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<v Speaker 1>keeping under the bargain. But getting resentful at him or

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<v Speaker 1>being mad at him, I said, he has not yet

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<v Speaker 1>done what you believe he should do. But timing is important.

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<v Speaker 1>So trusting God's timing is as much about your faith

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<v Speaker 1>as the fact that you've chosen to do the right thing.

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<v Speaker 1>So the one area of your faith, even though you've

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<v Speaker 1>done the right thing in all these areas, the area

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<v Speaker 1>you're being tested in is in the very area that

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<v Speaker 1>is most important, That is learning to trust God and

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<v Speaker 1>his timing. So it's not that it's never going and

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<v Speaker 1>I was trying to encourage this person, It's not that

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<v Speaker 1>it's never going to happen has not yet happened. So

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<v Speaker 1>it's fair to say, God, I want to please you,

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<v Speaker 1>show me what you're teaching me. Right, that's it. You've

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<v Speaker 1>pleased him in all these other areas, and now this

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<v Speaker 1>one hang up getting you're getting bitter towards God. And

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<v Speaker 1>I can understand that. I've had times in my life

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<v Speaker 1>where I felt like I waited too long, and then

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<v Speaker 1>when God shows up, it was exactly right. It was perfect.

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<v Speaker 1>His timing was perfect. I was frustrated for a while,

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<v Speaker 1>but his timing was perfect. The more you see God

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<v Speaker 1>do that in your life, the more confidence you get that, Okay,

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<v Speaker 1>I'm going to go ahead, and this is a tough time,

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<v Speaker 1>but he's making me stronger. I'm becoming better. I'm more

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<v Speaker 1>dependent on him. When I am weak, he is strong.

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<v Speaker 1>And then God shows up up and does exactly the

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<v Speaker 1>right thing at exactly the right time, and you go, whow,

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<v Speaker 1>I'm glad there was no other answers. Yeah one right.

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<v Speaker 2>Well, here's a funny thing, Jeff. Sometimes we will get

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<v Speaker 2>angry at God for not giving us something, and we

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<v Speaker 2>don't even have the capacity to handle the thing that

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<v Speaker 2>we're asking God for. We think we are right we think, oh, God,

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<v Speaker 2>give me this, give me the I can handle it,

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<v Speaker 2>and God is saying you can't. There's some maturity that

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<v Speaker 2>needs to take place before you receive that. So yeah,

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<v Speaker 2>I think there's a little component of that where God

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<v Speaker 2>the delay isn't due to God's inability. Oftentimes the delay

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<v Speaker 2>has to do with us, right, It's not God has

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<v Speaker 2>the issue.

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<v Speaker 1>So then he goes on and he talks about, you know,

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<v Speaker 1>what do people really get for all their hard work?

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<v Speaker 1>And he's kind of grumbling about, man, I've just been

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<v Speaker 1>busting my tail and I just I don't know. Your

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<v Speaker 1>ability to find satisfaction in your work depends on to

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<v Speaker 1>a large extent, upon your attitude. You will become dissatisfied

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<v Speaker 1>if you lose the sense of purpose God intended for

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<v Speaker 1>your work. We can enjoy our work if we remember

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<v Speaker 1>that God has given us work to do, and to

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<v Speaker 1>realize that the fruit of our labor is a gift

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<v Speaker 1>from Him. Right, So you have to see your work

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<v Speaker 1>as a way to serve God. So we have a

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<v Speaker 1>musician that is a volunteer. He's a successful jeweler and

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<v Speaker 1>has a good partnership, a good business, all those kinds

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<v Speaker 1>of things. So we're coming into this Christmas season. We

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<v Speaker 1>were going to host what twenty two services at Heritage Church,

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<v Speaker 1>our Sterling Heights campus was going to host fourteen. Originally

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<v Speaker 1>we were only going to do twelve, but then we

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<v Speaker 1>had so many tickets disappearing. We have to do tickets.

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<v Speaker 1>They're free. We have to do tickets in order to

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<v Speaker 1>know how many people are going to show up because

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<v Speaker 1>it's just we don't enough seats, and so we only

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<v Speaker 1>have seven, nine and fifty seats, and you know, we

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<v Speaker 1>have thousands, about thousands, about thousands people come at Christmas,

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<v Speaker 1>so we use the ticket things. Well, then we realize

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<v Speaker 1>we need to add two more services. So our worship

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<v Speaker 1>pastor goes to some of the volunteer musicians and he

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<v Speaker 1>says to this one musician specifically, hey, listen, we had

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<v Speaker 1>to add two more and I know it's a really

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<v Speaker 1>busy season for you too, so I'll go find another

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<v Speaker 1>person to take your place. I don't want you to

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<v Speaker 1>feel obligated. And this guy turned to him like kind

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<v Speaker 1>of shocked and frustrating. He said, I think you think

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<v Speaker 1>that my whole life mission is to be a jeweler.

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<v Speaker 1>And he said, being a jeweler is what funds my ministry?

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<v Speaker 2>Whow right?

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<v Speaker 1>Not everybody can get paid for ministry, he said, me

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<v Speaker 1>being able to serve God and God's people with the

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<v Speaker 1>gifts He's given me is the most important thing. Being

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<v Speaker 1>a jeweler is satisfying in that it helps me be

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<v Speaker 1>able to pay for the bills so that I can

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<v Speaker 1>do ministry right. And what a great way to view it.

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<v Speaker 1>If you begin to realize that the work God gave you, you

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<v Speaker 1>might feel like, you know what, I'm a shoe salesman,

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<v Speaker 1>What good does it do shoes wear out? Right? But

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<v Speaker 1>if you could see it instead to say, God gave

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<v Speaker 1>me this ability to make money with selling shoes. I'm

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<v Speaker 1>going to do the best I can so that I

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<v Speaker 1>can have the most impactful ministry right because and then

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<v Speaker 1>go find your purpose in ministry. Go find the thing

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<v Speaker 1>that God would have you do serving God, serving his people,

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<v Speaker 1>And then understand that the job that you have through

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<v Speaker 1>the week might be simply to pay the bills so

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<v Speaker 1>that you have a roof over your head, food in

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<v Speaker 1>your belly, a vehicle that can move you around, some

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<v Speaker 1>clothes on your body, so that you can go and

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<v Speaker 1>do the ministry that He has designed for you, and

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<v Speaker 1>what a great perspective. And this is kind of the

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<v Speaker 1>frustration he has, is he is struggling understanding what is

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<v Speaker 1>the purpose of my work? Yeah, and you know, my

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<v Speaker 1>friend who's this musician, says, the purpose of my work

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<v Speaker 1>is to be able to fund the fact that I

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<v Speaker 1>get to do ministry.

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<v Speaker 2>Now, Jeff, what would you say to the person who says,

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<v Speaker 2>you know, I love that story, but I don't know

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<v Speaker 2>where I fit in. I don't know what Should they

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<v Speaker 2>just dive in somewhere serve for a while, see, Like,

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<v Speaker 2>what advice would you give that?

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<v Speaker 1>Yes, first of all, you know, I would recommend understanding

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<v Speaker 1>that God has given you. He shaped you for ministry.

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<v Speaker 1>Rick Warren kind of famous for that statement. Right shape shape,

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<v Speaker 1>He gave you spiritual gifts. Discover what your spiritual gifts are.

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<v Speaker 1>Talk to your pastor, talk to a faith leader, talk

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<v Speaker 1>to somebody and say, help me discover my spiritual gifts.

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<v Speaker 1>And then he gave you a specific heart. There are

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<v Speaker 1>things that you love that other people don't love as

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<v Speaker 1>much as you. Right, Maybe you love serving orphans, or

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<v Speaker 1>maybe you love helping start new churches, or maybe you

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<v Speaker 1>love hospitality, or maybe you love caring for people who

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<v Speaker 1>are struggling in the moment. Right, God has given you

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<v Speaker 1>a heart that he hasn't given everybody else, and so

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<v Speaker 1>that's unique. He's given you certain abilities in your life.

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<v Speaker 1>You know, for you, you've got this great radio voice.

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<v Speaker 1>You've got this great ability to communicates. It may not

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<v Speaker 1>be the thing you love all the time, but you

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<v Speaker 1>do such a good job presenting and communicating. Matter of fact,

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<v Speaker 1>a lot of times you wind up being a spokesperson

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<v Speaker 1>for here to church. You've been on all the TV

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<v Speaker 1>channels that they haven't you recently, Yeah, the mall across

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<v Speaker 1>the streets closing and they gave us a bunch of

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<v Speaker 1>stuff equipment out of the mall, and so you wind

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<v Speaker 1>up being kind of the spokesperson. You kind of have

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<v Speaker 1>this great presence that way. God gives you. That's an

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<v Speaker 1>ability he gave you as opposed to me. A lot

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<v Speaker 1>of times, I want to know in front of the camera,

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<v Speaker 1>it's just not my gift. So He's given you abilities

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<v Speaker 1>like that. Other people. It might be the ability, you know,

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<v Speaker 1>for me working in the nursery or whatever. My grandkids

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<v Speaker 1>are over and all of a sudden, I realize the

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<v Speaker 1>diaper needs to be changed and I'm like, oh, no,

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<v Speaker 1>I know, I know technically how to do it functionally,

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<v Speaker 1>it's just it's a mess. Next thing, you know, I'm

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<v Speaker 1>tangled up cover and tape powders all over the room

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<v Speaker 1>and it's.

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<v Speaker 2>Just just a full on disaster.

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<v Speaker 1>Right, That ability is not great. But there's others change diapers.

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<v Speaker 2>Are not even thinking about it, right, it's just my mom.

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<v Speaker 1>Just I have friends that are so amazing with power

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<v Speaker 1>tools and constructing a thing. I just had a friend

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<v Speaker 1>walk through our house and I'm needing to build a

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<v Speaker 1>shower and he goes, oh, this is all you have to.

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<v Speaker 2>Do blah blah blah blah blah blah blah.

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<v Speaker 1>And I'm like, all you have to do that sounds

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<v Speaker 1>like building the pyramids, But to him it just makes sense.

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<v Speaker 1>He just does stuff all time that way. So you

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<v Speaker 1>have abilities, So you have spiritual gifts. Discover what they are.

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<v Speaker 1>You have a specific heart that there's things that you

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<v Speaker 1>love or care about more than others. God's given you

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<v Speaker 1>certain abilities that you can do that are just natural

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<v Speaker 1>to you. You don't think they're a big deal because

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<v Speaker 1>you're good at them. And I look at those same

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<v Speaker 1>abilities good point and I'm like that's amazing. I see

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<v Speaker 1>somebody here a ticket an engine, go, oh, I know

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<v Speaker 1>what that is. Take it apart. Rebuilding is done in

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<v Speaker 1>an afternoon. I'm telling you, if I took that engine apart,

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<v Speaker 1>it would never get put back together. Never. Never. But

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<v Speaker 1>for me to get up and speak in front of

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<v Speaker 1>ten thousand people on a weekend, no big deal. Right,

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<v Speaker 1>Whereas you would die, you know not you You are

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<v Speaker 1>also great speaking of other people would die if they

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<v Speaker 1>had to get up in front of a crowd. Right,

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<v Speaker 1>It's just we have and so it's just natural. It's

404
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<v Speaker 1>a natural thing. So abilities personality, your personality maybe is

405
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<v Speaker 1>extroverted or introverted. You tend to be a positive thinker

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<v Speaker 1>or a negative thinker. Maybe you see the potential in

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<v Speaker 1>things or the potential dangers. You have a unique personality, right,

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<v Speaker 1>And they've identified somewhere between sixteen and thirty two different

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<v Speaker 1>kinds of nuanced personality types. And it's unique to you.

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<v Speaker 1>And then your experiences, your experiences, the things that you've done.

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<v Speaker 1>My daughter the other day was talking, she was chit

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<v Speaker 1>chatting with some friends and she was talking about a flight.

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<v Speaker 1>They were talking about turbulence while they were flying, and

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<v Speaker 1>my daughter goes, oh, yeah, one time my dad and

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<v Speaker 1>I we were flying to a meeting at the White

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<v Speaker 1>House and we had horrible turbulence whatever whatever, whatever in

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<v Speaker 1>what you went to a meeting at the White House. Yeah,

418
00:20:36.160 --> 00:20:38.880
<v Speaker 1>And so that experience for my daughter is unique. How

419
00:20:38.920 --> 00:20:41.920
<v Speaker 1>many of her friends have been at a briefing at

420
00:20:41.920 --> 00:20:44.119
<v Speaker 1>the White House? Right, that's an experience that's unique. Or

421
00:20:44.160 --> 00:20:46.359
<v Speaker 1>when she went to Togo with me or whatever. She's

422
00:20:46.400 --> 00:20:48.400
<v Speaker 1>had all these really unique experiences that are only for

423
00:20:48.480 --> 00:20:52.160
<v Speaker 1>her only. She's had her combination of experiences, and so

424
00:20:52.200 --> 00:20:53.880
<v Speaker 1>it's built her up to this point in her life.

425
00:20:54.519 --> 00:20:59.440
<v Speaker 1>And you too, you've had unique experiences that are unique

426
00:20:59.440 --> 00:21:03.079
<v Speaker 1>to you. And so the positive experiences you can learn from,

427
00:21:03.400 --> 00:21:06.000
<v Speaker 1>but the negative experiences really form us and shape us.

428
00:21:06.400 --> 00:21:09.160
<v Speaker 1>And so God will never waste your hurts. He never will.

429
00:21:09.440 --> 00:21:11.559
<v Speaker 1>And so when you take those things, your spiritual gifts,

430
00:21:11.839 --> 00:21:15.680
<v Speaker 1>your heart, your abilities that are unique to you, your

431
00:21:15.680 --> 00:21:18.920
<v Speaker 1>personality that's unique to you, and your experiences, your good

432
00:21:18.960 --> 00:21:22.960
<v Speaker 1>ones and the bad ones. Those shape you to do

433
00:21:23.599 --> 00:21:26.319
<v Speaker 1>certain things in the Kingdom of God that are unique

434
00:21:26.400 --> 00:21:28.799
<v Speaker 1>to you. That's how you begin to find your purpose.

435
00:21:29.240 --> 00:21:32.599
<v Speaker 1>And so for me, my spiritual gifts tend to be

436
00:21:33.559 --> 00:21:36.880
<v Speaker 1>have an apostolic gift. I start new ministries and new

437
00:21:36.920 --> 00:21:41.240
<v Speaker 1>things and plow into unengaged places or unreached places and people.

438
00:21:41.640 --> 00:21:44.680
<v Speaker 1>That's one of them. I also have wisdom and discernment

439
00:21:44.720 --> 00:21:47.119
<v Speaker 1>show up often in any of the spiritual gifts tests

440
00:21:47.119 --> 00:21:50.720
<v Speaker 1>that I take, and leadership evangelism would be the fifth one.

441
00:21:50.720 --> 00:21:52.720
<v Speaker 1>Those ones always show up in there, and so it's

442
00:21:52.759 --> 00:21:54.480
<v Speaker 1>not a surprise to me that I'm the chairman of

443
00:21:54.480 --> 00:21:56.079
<v Speaker 1>the board of the organization one of the largest church

444
00:21:56.079 --> 00:21:58.039
<v Speaker 1>planning movements in the world. It's not the only, but

445
00:21:58.039 --> 00:22:01.119
<v Speaker 1>it's one of them in the world. That I pastor

446
00:22:01.200 --> 00:22:03.279
<v Speaker 1>church spend a lot of time on stage teaching the

447
00:22:03.319 --> 00:22:07.240
<v Speaker 1>Bible and counseling people with what wisdom those things make

448
00:22:07.279 --> 00:22:10.680
<v Speaker 1>sense to me. Then my heart is I really care

449
00:22:11.039 --> 00:22:14.400
<v Speaker 1>that people know God and know God's word and benefit

450
00:22:14.519 --> 00:22:17.640
<v Speaker 1>in this life a better life by applying His words

451
00:22:17.880 --> 00:22:21.839
<v Speaker 1>and having assurance of salvation and eternity through Jesus Christ.

452
00:22:21.920 --> 00:22:23.039
<v Speaker 2>Right, So this.

453
00:22:23.079 --> 00:22:26.119
<v Speaker 1>Evangelism thing, these abilities is really important to me. My

454
00:22:26.200 --> 00:22:30.720
<v Speaker 1>personality is on stage, I'm more of an extrovert, but

455
00:22:31.400 --> 00:22:33.599
<v Speaker 1>maybe personally I'm a little bit more of an extrovert.

456
00:22:33.640 --> 00:22:36.839
<v Speaker 1>I'm more of a thinker, that kind of thing. Intro strategy, introvert,

457
00:22:36.839 --> 00:22:40.759
<v Speaker 1>I'm sorry, introvert, more of a strategist. I would rather

458
00:22:40.799 --> 00:22:45.559
<v Speaker 1>have a intimate friendship conversation with you know, two or

459
00:22:45.599 --> 00:22:48.400
<v Speaker 1>three couples with my wife than to be walking through

460
00:22:48.480 --> 00:22:50.279
<v Speaker 1>massive crowds all the time, you know, the kind of thing.

461
00:22:50.440 --> 00:22:52.400
<v Speaker 1>And so I wind up doing better in smaller groups

462
00:22:52.400 --> 00:22:55.240
<v Speaker 1>than in larger groups, except when I'm teaching. And then

463
00:22:55.240 --> 00:22:57.839
<v Speaker 1>my experiences have been I've been a part of some

464
00:22:58.200 --> 00:22:59.839
<v Speaker 1>very very small churches. I've been a part of one

465
00:22:59.839 --> 00:23:02.839
<v Speaker 1>of the largest churches in America. I've seen, you know,

466
00:23:02.960 --> 00:23:05.200
<v Speaker 1>thousands and thousands of people come to faith in Christ

467
00:23:05.279 --> 00:23:07.119
<v Speaker 1>in other ministries, and I've been a part of it

468
00:23:07.200 --> 00:23:10.920
<v Speaker 1>in our ministry. And those experiences, along with all of

469
00:23:10.960 --> 00:23:14.640
<v Speaker 1>the intercultural stuff working in the Muslim majority world, those things,

470
00:23:14.799 --> 00:23:17.160
<v Speaker 1>those have all shaped kind of the direction of my life.

471
00:23:17.240 --> 00:23:20.960
<v Speaker 1>And then I just looked for ministry opportunities in those areas.

472
00:23:21.200 --> 00:23:23.559
<v Speaker 2>And I think that's the key point, Jeff, because I

473
00:23:23.599 --> 00:23:26.960
<v Speaker 2>think that's where people get hung up sometimes in that

474
00:23:27.640 --> 00:23:31.720
<v Speaker 2>because they don't necessarily know which direction to go, they

475
00:23:31.759 --> 00:23:32.279
<v Speaker 2>do nothing.

476
00:23:32.599 --> 00:23:36.319
<v Speaker 1>So I would say experience the adventures in life happen

477
00:23:36.400 --> 00:23:39.279
<v Speaker 1>with yes, Yeah, they never happen with no. So when

478
00:23:39.319 --> 00:23:41.200
<v Speaker 1>you have an opportunity and you think you know what

479
00:23:41.599 --> 00:23:46.000
<v Speaker 1>my heart is. I really care about moms and I

480
00:23:46.079 --> 00:23:50.039
<v Speaker 1>care about young children, and my spiritual gift seems to

481
00:23:50.119 --> 00:23:55.880
<v Speaker 1>be this mercy serving kind of a gift. And my

482
00:23:56.079 --> 00:23:59.400
<v Speaker 1>abilities are that I've got some background and raising kids

483
00:23:59.440 --> 00:24:03.160
<v Speaker 1>and do those things. And my personality is that I

484
00:24:03.240 --> 00:24:06.440
<v Speaker 1>love being serving other people and out in front, or

485
00:24:06.480 --> 00:24:08.359
<v Speaker 1>maybe I love being behind the scenes and just make

486
00:24:08.440 --> 00:24:11.559
<v Speaker 1>sure details get done. My experiences are that I already

487
00:24:11.599 --> 00:24:14.480
<v Speaker 1>have some skills in this thing. Hey, I see at

488
00:24:14.519 --> 00:24:17.240
<v Speaker 1>Heritage Church, for instance, there's an opportunity in the nurseries.

489
00:24:17.400 --> 00:24:20.079
<v Speaker 1>I'd love to jump in and just serve moms who

490
00:24:20.160 --> 00:24:22.799
<v Speaker 1>are struggling that week and serve their little babies and

491
00:24:22.799 --> 00:24:25.200
<v Speaker 1>their little kids or whatever. Maybe and then you test

492
00:24:25.279 --> 00:24:27.279
<v Speaker 1>drive it and then you go ooh, that's not my deal.

493
00:24:27.519 --> 00:24:31.240
<v Speaker 1>What I see instead is the administrative side of serving families.

494
00:24:31.279 --> 00:24:33.079
<v Speaker 1>I'd like to get over in the minute and test drive,

495
00:24:33.279 --> 00:24:35.720
<v Speaker 1>test drive things. When an opportunity comes up, say yes,

496
00:24:36.039 --> 00:24:37.759
<v Speaker 1>test drive it for a while, see if it works.

497
00:24:37.880 --> 00:24:39.599
<v Speaker 1>Do you have the skill set? Are there skills you need?

498
00:24:39.640 --> 00:24:41.920
<v Speaker 1>To develop and then go try another thing, and try

499
00:24:41.920 --> 00:24:44.559
<v Speaker 1>another thing, but don't give up. What Solomon is saying

500
00:24:44.599 --> 00:24:47.319
<v Speaker 1>is my work was only for me, and it feels

501
00:24:47.359 --> 00:24:50.200
<v Speaker 1>like it's no purpose. And I'm telling you, when you

502
00:24:50.440 --> 00:24:54.359
<v Speaker 1>find purpose in the work you're doing, it's almost always

503
00:24:54.359 --> 00:24:57.039
<v Speaker 1>because you're making a difference in other people's lives and

504
00:24:57.039 --> 00:25:00.000
<v Speaker 1>you're fulfilling God's purposes in the world around you.

505
00:25:00.160 --> 00:25:01.240
<v Speaker 2>Yeah, no, that's awesome.

506
00:25:02.000 --> 00:25:04.119
<v Speaker 1>Well, good Wesley, thank you for joining us today. And

507
00:25:04.160 --> 00:25:06.039
<v Speaker 1>I hope as people are heading towards the new year,

508
00:25:06.039 --> 00:25:08.079
<v Speaker 1>that this would be an inspiration that you would do

509
00:25:08.119 --> 00:25:09.880
<v Speaker 1>the work. Sit down with a piece of paper, write

510
00:25:09.920 --> 00:25:13.200
<v Speaker 1>out your shape in those five areas. It begins searching, God,

511
00:25:13.440 --> 00:25:15.240
<v Speaker 1>what is it that you want me to do different

512
00:25:15.400 --> 00:25:18.319
<v Speaker 1>or more or new in twenty twenty five that I

513
00:25:18.359 --> 00:25:19.680
<v Speaker 1>haven't been doing in twenty twenty five?

514
00:25:19.799 --> 00:25:20.200
<v Speaker 2>That's good?

515
00:25:20.240 --> 00:25:21.839
<v Speaker 1>All right? Well, God bless you, and thank you for

516
00:25:21.920 --> 00:25:24.839
<v Speaker 1>joining us today. We'll see you tomorrow on the Bible.

517
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<v Speaker 2>Guys,