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470 | Back to the Basics · The Woman at the Well Ministries Podcast

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God is in control.
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She's a happy girl. Hello, friends, and welcome back to another podcast of Woman
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at the Well Ministries, where we believe that all of us have to come to Jesus
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like the woman at the well in John chapter 4.
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Our highest priority is making God real in your life.
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Whether you are listening in our app, in your favorite podcasting app,
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or on our website at watwm.org, we invite you to sit down with us as we look
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to the scriptures to learn more about God and to strengthen your daily walk with Jesus Christ.
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Living her life for Christ She's a happy girl.
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Music.
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She's a happy girl,
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Sometimes in life, you just have to get back to the basics.
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We become so accustomed to routine in our lives that we sometimes forget the important details.
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Unfortunately, this is true with our relationship with Christ as well.
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We are so used to His presence, so accustomed to His grace, and so dependent
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upon His mercy that we forget who He is and what He has done.
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Join us in this podcast of Woman at the Well Ministries as Kim takes us on a
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journey through the Scriptures, giving us a detailed look at who Jesus is and what that means to us.
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Thank you for joining us in this podcast of Woman at the Well Ministries.
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It's such a pleasure just to spend the next few moments with you,
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just going back to the basics.
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It's interesting in our life, we get so accustomed to the presence of God.
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We get so dependent upon His grace and His mercy that I think we often forget who God really is.
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What He has done for us, and what He continues to do for us.
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I think we forget the sacrifice and the amazing love that God bestowed upon
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us when He gave us his son Jesus,
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and that Jesus gave us when he gave his life,
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and the fact that they never want to be away from us, they never want to be apart from us,
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and so the Holy Spirit dwells in us, and it keeps us constantly connected to
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the King of kings and the Lord of lords.
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It's such a love that it's hard for our minds to comprehend,
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but I think it's imperative that we frequently you,
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dwell on exactly who God is, what Jesus has done for us, and the love that the
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Holy Trinity has for us. Let's pray.
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Our kind and most gracious, dear Heavenly Father, Lord, we thank you for this another day.
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We thank you for your love and your mercy and your amazing grace,
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and we thank you for who you are.
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And I ask, Lord, that you would just remove me from this message,
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that you would allow me, Lord, to speak your words, that you would prepare hearts and minds to hear it.
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And Lord, that we would walk away grateful and thankful and far more purposed
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in our heart to live for you than we've ever been before.
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And in Jesus' name we pray.
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Amen. To give you an illustration of how things can creep into your life and
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how important it is to go back to the basics.
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I want to remind you of the truth that athletes often go back to the basics.
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As a competitive tennis player growing up who played all the way from my youth
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through college, I often was exposed to different coaches.
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I had my personal coach, but sometimes you go to a camp, or you'd go to college
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and there would be another one, or you'd play on a certain team and they would have their own coach.
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So you were always being exposed to different coaches, but it didn't matter who my coach was.
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There was one constant that stayed, and that was that very frequently we would go back to the basics.
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Keep your eye on the ball. Keep your head still.
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Take your racket back.
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Transfer your weight backwards. Move your weight forward. Swing through the ball.
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Get your feet in preparation. We would often do the same drills that we had done for decades.
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The four hands down the line over and over and over and over again.
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The back hands cross court over and over and over and over again.
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You would stand and toss your serve.
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You would do various things that you could do in your sleep and have done so
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many times that it was repetitive.
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But you went back to see exactly how it was supposed to be done.
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Because when you are unaware and you are doing things strictly by habit,
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there are things that creep in, a shortcut in your swing,
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perhaps a tilt of your wrist, maybe you're lifting your head too quickly,
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things that just happen.
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And you can't let those become a habit, because if they are,
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they will destroy your shot.
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And if your shot is destroyed, then your chances of winning is greatly diminished.
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And so frequently, about every couple of months, we would spend an entire day
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going back to the basics.
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And we would practice just the concepts and fundamentals.
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But every day we did the repetition of the four hands down the line,
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the four hands cross court, the back hands down the line, the back hands cross court.
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We would put other things in that day, but you never gave up foundation.
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And I think there's a lot to be learned from that.
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First of all, those who serve well in tennis have a greater chance of winning,
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and those who serve well for the Lord, they win. But.
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Looking at who God is and looking at who it is that we serve can often inspire
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and motivate in amazing ways to allow us to be more dedicated,
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more purposeful, more intentional in the way that we serve and the way that we love the Lord.
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It's easy to take Him for granted.
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He's absolutely always there. He never leaves us or forsakes us.
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He always comes through. He never
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reneges on his promises, and he's always working things out for our good.
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But I think sometimes we're like the ungrateful person in the parable,
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and we don't look back and say, thank you.
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I think we don't often recognize the amazing things that God does for us.
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So today, I want to spend just a little time going back to the basics.
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And I want you to allow your heart and mind to grasp the vastness of his love
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for you, the incredible watch care that he has for you, and what that means for your life.
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We learn in Luke chapter 2 and verse 11, he says, For unto you is born this
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day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord.
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This entire account in Luke reminds us that he came as a lowly babe.
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There was no room for him in the inn.
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He came to seek and to save those which were lost, and he comes so that everyone
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would have access to him, the poor, the rich, and everyone in between,
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the brilliant and those who might be lacking, and everything in between,
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the high society and the hardly known and everything in between.
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Jesus came and he was accessible.
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And that is massively important to us because most of us don't live in the higher
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echelons or even the lower levels.
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We are somewhere in between and we serve a God who loves us and who came and
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is accessible by every one of us.
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And he walked among men.
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In Acts chapter 10 and verse 38, we read these words. He says.
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How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power,
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who went about doing good and healing all that were oppressed of the devil, for God was with him.
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So this babe that was wrapped in swaddling clothes that is destined to be the
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Savior of the world has been anointed with the Holy Ghost and with power,
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and he went about doing good.
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And as Christians, we are to be Christ-like. That means our lives should be seen like his.
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We should go about doing good.
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And so we have a purpose to our life. We have an intention to our actions.
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We have a charge to our Christianity. And that is to go about doing good, to be like Christ.
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He healed the sick. We see that he healed Peter's mother-in-law in Matthew 8.15.
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And the account in Matthew 9.20-22 with the woman with the issue of blood,
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who for many years had sought help and healing.
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But she's in the presence, the physical presence of the Lord,
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and she touches the hem of his garment.
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And he is so in tune to us and those around him that when she touches the hem
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of his garment, he knows that healing has taken place.
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It is incredibly important for you to know that our God saves,
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our God heals, our God cares,
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our God listens, and our God is capable, and there is no other God but him.
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As he walked among men, he showed us his power.
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As he raised himself from the dead, he showed us that nothing was more powerful.
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And this same Jesus loves us and in the form of the Holy Spirit indwells us.
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And in John chapter 1 and verse 14, we are told that the word was made flesh and dwelt among us.
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The power of Lord Jesus Christ is in us.
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In Ephesians 3.20, he says, Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly
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above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us.
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Are you limiting the power of God by your habits, by your thoughts,
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by your intentions, by your desires?
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Is he the first thing on your mind in the morning and the last thing on your mind at night?
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Do you seek him first, often, and always?
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Do you love him with your entire being, your whole strength,
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your soul, your mind, and your body?
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Is he your all in all?
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He gave everything he had for you.
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And what he asks in return is that you believe in him and that you make yourself available.
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Availability is all you've got to give him because everything you have, he's given you.
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Your abilities, your capabilities, your job, your work, your blessings, they're all from God.
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But you can choose to not serve him.
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You can choose not to be available to be his hands and feet and his eyes and his ears.
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But then you miss your whole calling in life.
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You miss your whole purpose as to why you were placed here.
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See, we were placed to bring him glory and to spread his gospel.
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Christ went about doing good, and he healed people, and he helped people,
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and he provided for the needy.
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In Matthew chapter 15, verses 32 through 38, you see the account where he takes
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just a few fish and a few loaves of bread, and he feeds the multitude over 5,000.
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And he had pieces left over, and he instructs the disciples to go and to collect all of the fragments.
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He didn't need the fragments. He had just fed a multitude of people with just
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a few fish and a few loaves of bread.
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No, he had them go get the fragments, and that shows each and every one of us that everyone matters.
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Nothing is too small for God.
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Nothing's too big, but yet nothing's too small. Nothing is insignificant to him.
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If it matters to you, it matters to the master.
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It talks about how he healed the blind in Mark 8, verses 23-25.
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The vast majority of us don't have legally blind issues, but the vast majority
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of us do have a sight problem.
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We spend too much time looking at the world and not enough time focused on the Master.
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We spend too much time in fleshly desires and worldly events and not enough time in the Word of God.
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We've become blind to sin because we've just watched it and heard it,
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and we've become acclimated to it.
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But sin is sin. It didn't change.
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Anything that is against God's ways and against His commandments,
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it is still sin. It doesn't matter if it's popular in the culture.
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It doesn't matter if people you love and know think you should do it or are doing it.
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Sin is sin, and the Scripture is clear.
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And we are told that we are to be holy as He is holy.
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So the life of Christ is one that is doing good. It's following the commandments of God.
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It's helping others. It's loving.
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It's showing grace and mercy. But the life of Christ also showed his mission.
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And in Luke chapter 19 and verse 10, he says, For the Son of Man is come to
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seek and to save that which was lost.
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Friend, that's you and me. In Romans 3.23, he says, For all have sinned and
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come short of the glory of God.
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We are all in need of a Savior, and we all must come to him like the woman at the well did.
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Completely surrendering to drink of that water where you will never thirst again,
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to be transformed and a new creature, as we're told in 1 Corinthians 5.17,
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and we are to go out into all the world and tell the people who Jesus is,
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what he's done, and how much he loves us.
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Jesus loves me, this I know, for the Bible tells me so.
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Once we meet him, once we know him, then things are different.
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In 2 Corinthians 5.17, we are told that old things are passed away.
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Behold, all things are become new. We are new creations.
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We are new creatures in Christ Jesus.
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And that's what he came for, so that sin would no more have dominion over us,
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that we would have the victory through Jesus Christ our Lord.
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The battle isn't ours. It belongs to the Lord.
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And he has said in John 10.10 that it came that we might have life and have it more abundantly.
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He says the thief cometh not, but were to steal and to kill and to destroy.
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I am come that they might have life and that they might have it more abundantly.
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He left the splendor of heaven, brought nothing with him,
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Come as a lowly, poor child with no social status to bring you life and to allow
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you to live the perfect plan He has for you that we're told about in Jeremiah 29.11.
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He came to give you life, an abundant, wonderful life in the mercy and the grace
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and the blessings of God. It is the devil, it is Satan who's trying to destroy you.
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It's Satan who's stealing your joy.
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The mission for the life of Christ was to be your Savior. He is our Redeemer.
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He is the means by which our sins are forgiven, as He shed His precious sinless
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blood on the cross of Calvary to wipe away all your sins.
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And whom the Lord sets free is free indeed. Why are you looking back at sin?
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Why are you meddling with sin?
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Why are you letting the things of this world get in your path and on you?
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There's so much greater he has for us.
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He came that you might live. And by his death, if you look at Luke 23,
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by his death, we are made free.
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He was crucified between two thieves that deserved to be there.
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When Pilate began to ask him questions, he said not a word.
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He was determined and he was purposed. He didn't have to prove anything to man. He.
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Music.
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People may never understand your peculiarities or the zealousness by which you
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serve and chase and go after the Lord. That's okay.
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It's your relationship with Jesus that you need to maintain.
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And he says to let your light so shine before men that they may see your good
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works and glorify your Father which is in heaven.
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That's Matthew 5, 16. live the life of the abundant mercy,
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grace, and love, and joy, and blessings that God affords those who are living as he commands,
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who are taking up their cross and denying themselves and trusting fully in him
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to live the life that he has called them to live,
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that they might have the abundant life he has planned for them.
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The life of Christ is one we can follow.
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It's one we need to emulate.
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It's a life well lived. And it's planless that all of us should come to repentance
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and that none of us should perish.
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In Acts 16, verses 30 through 31,
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it's a familiar passage of
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scripture we've heard it many times
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no doubt but it's one
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that we need to remember because see
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this centurion this this philippian jailer he's he's in a world of hurt and
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we read in acts chapter 16 verse 30 and 31 this and he brought them out and
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said sirs what must i do to be saved and they said,
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Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved in thy house.
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Now, what happens is Paul and Silas were in prison.
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Erroneously, they shouldn't have been there. And at midnight,
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they're singing praises to the Lord, and the Lord delivers them,
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and he causes an earthquake, and the chains break, and they are free to leave.
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And this Philippian jailer, he's concerned that if the prisoners all escape,
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that he's going to be killed because his job is to keep them in there.
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Paul and Silas tell him, don't worry. Do thyself no harm, for we're all here.
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They're singing praises in a
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frustrating, difficult situation that they didn't do anything to deserve.
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Oh, what an example.
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But Christ is with them. He hears their cry. He sees their worship. Worship is powerful.
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And when the Philippian jailer sees Paul and Silas and he's heard them singing,
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no doubt, he's seen all this, he wants to know, hey, what do you got that would cause you to do that?
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What do I need to do to have what you have? When is the last time people looked
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at your spiritual life and they admired what you were having done with you and
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through you because of your dedication and your trust in your faith and your
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purposeful living for Jesus Christ.
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I'm not asking you to be touted up and proud about it.
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I'm just wondering, are we leaving anything behind for those that are following us to see Jesus?
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Because only the things that we do for Christ will last.
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And so they tell him to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved.
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And then they say it in thy house, because there is truth to the fact that when
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you change your life, the people around you can see a difference.
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That new creation in 2 Corinthians 5.17 becomes very evident to those around you.
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The joy that you have, the peace that you have, the spring in your step,
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the purpose, this newfound relationship with Jesus Christ that brings you great
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joy and happiness and gives you a peace that passes misunderstanding and a joy unspeakable.
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These are things other people want, and it's still true today.
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We live in a sad world. We live in a world where people are hopeless and helpless,
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but we as believers, we have the answer, and it's as simple as the ABCs.
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A, we acknowledge you are a sinner according to Romans 3.23 and Romans 3.10.
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You believe on the Lord Jesus Christ.
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And you are saved. That's the B. So as we begin to look at what Scripture says
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about acknowledging that we're a sinner,
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for all have sinned and come short of the glory of God, in Romans 3.23,
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but in Romans 3.10, they also are told this, as it is written,
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there is none righteous, no, not one.
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When we believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, we'll be saved.
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We know this because in Romans 10.13, he sells us this.
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He says this, For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
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In 9 and 10, he says to confess that he is Lord, that if thou shalt confess
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with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath
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raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
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For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession
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is made into salvation. It's not of works of righteousness, which you have done.
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It is by the work of Jesus Christ on the cross of Calvary that buys your salvation.
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For by grace are we saved, through faith, and that not of ourselves.
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It is the gift of God, not of works, lest any man should boast.
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It is the greatest gift you could ever receive. He is the greatest friend you will ever have.
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No greater love has any man than this that he would lay down his life for his friends.
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Jesus came to give us a life to model and an example,
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to give to us salvation that
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we could have if we freely believe in him and
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to demonstrate his love for us john 3 16
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through 18 says for god so loved
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the world that he gave his only begotten son that whosoever believeth in him
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should not perish but have everlasting life for god sent not his son into the
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world to condemn the world but that the world through him might be saved he
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that believeth on him is not condemned.
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But he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed
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in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
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Salvation is free. It is a gift.
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It's by his grace and through our faith in him.
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Jesus loved us enough to lay his life down that we might have life.
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But you've got to submit.
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You've got to follow that simple ABC of acknowledging that you're a sinner,
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believing on the Lord Jesus Christ, and confessing that He is Lord.
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You don't have the abundant life you're living because of you.
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You have it because of Him.
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The blessings that you have, you don't merit, you don't deserve, and you don't earn.
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They're freely bestowed by God to each and every one of us because of his love for us.
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This power lives in us in the form of the Holy Spirit that we might go forth
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into this lost and dying dark world and be a light that points others to Jesus,
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going about and doing good like he did.
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Salvation is free. But when you have it and you know him and you love him, you will give.
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See, for God so loved that he gave.
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And we will love him when we receive him.
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And we will give to him for the great things he has done.
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Oh, take just a few minutes and realize that it is the love of Christ,
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his grace and his mercy, his self-sacrifice that keeps me and you out of hell.
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It's his grace and his mercy and his love for us that delivers us,
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that causes him to be a shield and a son to us.
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It's his great love for us that never wants to be apart from us.
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So while he is in heaven, as he tells us in John 14, in my father's house are
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many mansions, and if it were not so, I would have told you.
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I go to prepare a place for you that where I am you may be also.
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And if I go to prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you unto myself.
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He's coming back. And only the things we've done for Christ will last.
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Friends, take an inventory. Do you love him? Is he your all in all?
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Is he the reason you get up? Do you seek him first so that all the other things can be added unto you?
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His grace is sufficient.
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His love is never ending. His watch care is forever and always.
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But one day, there'll be a reckoning.
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And those who've given their heart and life to Jesus Christ will be saved by the blood.
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But those who have not will choose their destiny in hell.
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And he'll still love them. It will still grieve his heart. But he's a gentleman.
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And he allows you to choose.
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So today, take inventory of your heart.
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Make sure that your calling and election is sure with Jesus Christ.
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Take inventory of your life. and make sure you're following his example of going about doing good.
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Take a close look at what your freedom and your salvation in Jesus Christ cost
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him, and then go forth and love the way he loves you.
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There's no greater love, has any man than this, that he would lay down his life for his friends.
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Remember, you are loved. Jesus loves you.
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Thank you.
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Thank you for joining us in today's podcast. You can visit the show notes for
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quotes from today's podcast and scripture references.
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We pray today has been a blessing and we encourage you to reach out to us through
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our app, our website, or our Facebook page.
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a daily devotion written by Kim and delivered Monday through Friday by text message.
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And it is through your loving and generous support that our ministry continues to bless others.
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To learn how to partner with Woman at the Well Ministries, please visit our
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website. Thank you to the Gospel Group Fudge Creek for letting us use their hit song, Happy Girl.
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We greatly appreciate your prayers. We are praying daily for our listeners.
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Remember that God loves you. You are loved.
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Music.