00:00 Introduction and Announcements

01:07 Addressing Scandals in the Church

03:21 The Importance of Church Leadership

06:28 Expectations for Pastors

10:33 Jesus Sends Out the Twelve

14:28 Persecution and Faithfulness

17:09 Closing Thoughts and Prayer

18:34 Outro and Podcast Information

Find out more about Compass Bible Church.

Learn more about our Bible Reading Plan.

Questions or Comments? Email us podcast@compassntx.org

Hey everybody.

2

Welcome back to another edition

of the Daily Bible Podcast.

3

That'd be Thur Thursday.

4

Thursday, yep.

5

October 16th.

6

We're we on the downside of October?

7

That's crazy.

8

Yep.

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Yep.

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We've got Fall Fest coming up.

11

We've got baptisms this Sunday

after church, after church.

12

So don't leave.

13

Don't leave.

14

We're gonna bring brisket out here.

15

Is that true?

16

I wish.

17

No, but burgers.

18

Yeah.

19

I don't know Bun.

20

Exactly what we're doing.

21

We're, we've got food planned for you.

22

We will feed you.

23

So we're gonna have lunch.

24

You'll bring your hot dogs.

25

We'll bring the buns.

26

Yeah.

27

There it's.

28

Now we'll feed you.

29

But this is important for us.

30

And so let me just invite you, plan

on staying a little bit longer after

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the normal church service ends and

celebrate what God has done in the

32

lives of those getting baptized.

33

You will not regret it.

34

It's awesome for your

kids to see this too.

35

And so everybody's gonna be there.

36

We're gonna go outside underneath that

blue awning, just outside the worship

37

center and we're gonna celebrate

the baptisms that we have lined up.

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And these are great testimonies.

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I've been able to hear the

majority of them and I look

40

forward to to you getting able.

41

Being able to hear them as well.

42

So join us Sunday after the service,

stick around a little bit longer, eat

43

some food with us, have lunch with

us, with your family, and then we

44

will watch some people get baptized.

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That's a great thing to do and a

great use of your time after church.

46

Okay.

47

I have a couple questions that

have been burning on my heart and

48

mind, and I'm sure I'm not alone.

49

Are you ready for this?

50

I think so.

51

Are you sure you're ready for this?

52

I don't know.

53

Okay.

54

I can't help but read the news.

55

And find some other pastor,

youth leader mm-hmm.

56

Who's done something shady, and I'll

just leave it at that so that nobody's

57

having to filter their kids' ears.

58

But is everybody

understanding what I'm saying?

59

Just say yes, if you're hearing me

and understanding what I'm saying.

60

Okay, thank you.

61

So these youth pastors and these

pastors are doing things that

62

everyone is questioning how

are these guys in the pulpit?

63

How are these guys leading?

64

Other people?

65

Some are getting arrested and

booked in different counties and

66

different states because of things

that they've done a long time ago.

67

Others are stepping down willingly

and saying, oh I'm resigning.

68

Even locally, one of the big churches

near us, one of their top pastors or the

69

lead pastor rather resigned because of

infidelity and something other stuff that

70

was going on that we don't know about.

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It seems like everywhere.

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In Texas and across the country, you

have men who are resigning in disgrace

73

because of things that they've been doing.

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They're being arrested, they're

being charged with awful things.

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And then you have other guys that

just they're spending money poorly.

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You got guys that are fleecing the flock.

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Asking them to give these large donations.

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There's no accountability for their money.

79

There's no accountability or tracking

for where the money goes when people

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are investing into the church and

people are just being bamboozled.

81

And so there's lots of people that

are doing podcasts and they're

82

making movies and documentaries

about how corrupt the church is.

83

And so you should leave the church

and do your own thing because

84

these men are phonies anyway.

85

These guys are all off their rockers.

86

They're just egocentric self-affirming

or self-promoting, rock stars.

87

They think they're above you.

88

They're just using you.

89

Lots of things are being said about Christ

Church right now and her leaders, pastor

90

pj, please offer some sanity here because

I, man, I would understand an unbeliever.

91

Looking at us and saying, those are

just gum bags, and it's just a matter

92

of time before we find out who they are.

93

What do we do with all this?

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How do we think through these things?

95

And what do we do when we see a guy fall

and another guy fall and another guy fall?

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And you know, , the guy at the school,

one of my son's schools, he just got

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arrested again for some shady behavior.

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How do we deal with all this stuff?

99

I think the first thing to remember is

that Christ loves the church and that God

100

loves the church and that the church is

part of God's design, part of God's plan.

101

The church is the bride of Christ.

102

Acts 2028 says he shed his

blood for the church, and so we.

103

Have to establish as a baseline, as

Christians, that we should love the church

104

and that we can't give up on the church.

105

That said, we should hold the leaders

of the church to a high standard

106

and scripture holds the leaders to,

of the church to a high standard.

107

And so when we see things happening

like this there's nothing that

108

says that we should just sit

here and think, well, it's fine.

109

Whatever, everybody sins,

let's just move past this.

110

I think there's.

111

Reason for us to grieve.

112

There's reason for us to look at

the world's reaction to things

113

and say, yeah I do get it.

114

I do understand why you're responding

this way, because what's happening is

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wrong, and it's tragic and it's awful,

and it's not at all what God's design is.

116

I think the other thing that we

have to be careful of is not to

117

take the example of some and assume

the whole must be that way as well.

118

And so that's the temptation.

119

Say it again, man, that's the

temptation because it's the stories

120

that are making the headlines but.

121

We have to be guarded, to say against

saying in our hearts, well, that must

122

be what every single pastor is like.

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Right?

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Because not every single

pastor is like that.

125

And I would say the majority

of pastors, the vast majority

126

of pastors are not like that.

127

But again, the news is not gonna

report on the guy as Pastor Rod, you

128

were saying a moment ago when you

and I were just talking, he's not

129

gonna report on the passer of the.

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Baptist church in, north Texas

that's been pastoring for the last

131

30 years faithfully and has remained

faithful to his wife and has been a

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man of upstanding integrity because

it's not gonna move the needle.

133

But there are plenty of

pastors out there like that.

134

And our job as pastors is to strive

after the high calling that got us

135

called us to, and the qualifications

of being an elder and a pastor.

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And we should have.

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Relationships with other people

in the church, and we should

138

have a degree of transparency

with one another in the church.

139

No man should be an island unto himself.

140

We need to have relationships where we're

known by one another and known by other

141

pastors and where there, there are no.

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Concealed secrets.

143

And if, for example, you brought up the

idea of like, Hey, if you want to see my

144

location, I'll share my location with you.

145

Yeah.

146

If a pastor's like, I don't wanna

share my location with you, I

147

feel uncomfortable about that.

148

Well, why not?

149

Same thing with finances, right?

150

I've had a conversation recently

with somebody in the church.

151

They were like, Hey I'm just curious

what are our percentages and how do

152

they break down of where the money

and the tithes and offerings go?

153

And I understand the hard behind that.

154

And so we had a conversation where we

were talking about this is kind of.

155

A percentage breakdown of how we're

spending the money that's being

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given towards the funds of the church

and the general fund of the church.

157

So I would say the underlying

thing that we have to keep in

158

mind is Jesus loves the church.

159

God loves the church.

160

Jesus himself said the gates of hell are

not gonna prevail against the church.

161

So the church is an institution

is not going anywhere, nor

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should we want it to go anywhere.

163

The response that says, well, we should

just give up on church and do things.

164

Solo and at home and be lone ranger

Christians is antigo and it's anti Jesus.

165

It's against what Jesus

has for the church.

166

And so that can't be our response

either, but to say, Hey church

167

we expect better and we wanna

do better is a valid response.

168

And we should strive for that for sure.

169

Man, this is a heavy conversation

and there's so many questions that

170

I would have as a follow up, but I

let me just say this 'cause I know

171

we wanna cover some scripture too.

172

We don't only wanna talk

about these hard things.

173

You should expect your pastors

to live above reproach.

174

Yes.

175

That is a qual, that's a

qualification to be a pastor.

176

You have to expect that.

177

Now with that, this does

not mean perfection.

178

This does not mean he

never loses his temper.

179

Doesn't ever mean that he

doesn't sin in grievous ways.

180

Although even with that, when I

say grievous, I don't mean like,

181

oh, he accidentally murdered

somebody and now he's repentant.

182

We're gonna put him back

in the bullet next Sunday.

183

There are certain sins that do

disqualify a pastor, even if they're

184

not technically disqualifying sins.

185

Mm-hmm.

186

Again, see, murder for instance.

187

Right?

188

You should expect a high

threshold for what your pastor

189

brings to the table, right?

190

Which means as a rule, when you're

interacting with pastors, when you're

191

looking for a pastor, let's say you

end up leading Compass Bible Church.

192

At some point when you're looking

for a pastor, you should be looking

193

for a man that is above approach,

mature wise, godly, and has a

194

track record for faithfulness.

195

Yeah, this is important.

196

I'm not saying that every young person

who fills a pulpit is faithful in the

197

same way that, I'm not saying every old

person who fills a pulpit is faithful,

198

but you should be looking for a track

record of faithfulness that people

199

can attest to, and this is why it's

so important that you're part of a

200

church with pastors that have been

formally recognized by other pastors.

201

You should not go to Jim Bob's Church of

the basement because if Jim Bob's just

202

starting a church by himself without

any reference to a prior church where

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other pastors have said, you know what?

204

We agreed.

205

Let us lay hands on you.

206

Paul told Timothy, be slow to lay

hands on other leaders because

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this is a way that you're endorsing

them and that's what you want.

208

You want, A pastor has been endorsed

who has a track record of faithfulness

209

and who lives a life above Reapproach.

210

You should be able to see that.

211

You'll know him by his fruits.

212

As Jesus said, and therefore, it's

really important that you find the

213

right kind of people, find the right

kind of godly man, and usually not

214

exclusively, but usually this is gonna

be the kind of guy that loves the Lord,

215

loves his Bible, and loves a flock.

216

You're gonna see that through his

life and through his leadership.

217

Pray that you find that, and if you

have that at a church, man, thank God

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for that and pray that you never lose

it because it's not taken for granted.

219

God's church, as you mentioned, PPJ.

220

He loves his church.

221

He loves his people, but not all who

are in the church are his people.

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And I'm not saying that

those who sin are not.

223

I'm just saying that those who are in

the church are not always his people.

224

There are people who get into the church

and take advantage of people, and those

225

people should not be in the church.

226

There's church discipline

for just such as an occasion.

227

But pray for these things.

228

It's heavy on my heart.

229

Maybe it's heavy on yours.

230

It would be really helpful if you guys

would pray for us as a church and pray

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for the churches in and around your area

for those men to be above reproached.

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Because when these people fall.

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And it's publicized.

234

All of us hurt everyone in the church.

235

We get slander, we get mud on our

faces because it looks like all

236

of us are doing the same thing.

237

Yeah, yeah.

238

And the other thing too that we

wanna be careful about is sweeping

239

it under the rug and making it

no big deal when it does happen.

240

There have been churches and pastors who

have fallen in ways that are disqualifying

241

who have been restored into the office of

the pastor, and that's not okay either.

242

And so it's, when it's exposed, it

needs to be carried to the furthest

243

end of discipline, which is that

man is no longer fit for the role,

244

no longer fit for the pastorate.

245

And so you don't wanna be following a guy

who has disqualified himself in the past.

246

And a church has said, well, it's okay.

247

We're gonna put him back in

because look, he's repentant.

248

That's, that doesn't work.

249

That's not how it is.

250

Well, okay so there was a family,

a church family rather, that

251

when their pastor confessed to.

252

Bad relationships.

253

Yes.

254

They were saying, Hey, praise God that

he was repentant and he's, he was, you

255

know, he was honest about that man.

256

That's what grace is for guys.

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That's why God gives us grace.

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We need it.

259

Yes.

260

And isn't it wonderful if we put him

back and he's now a trophy of God's grace

261

to showcase how great God's grace is.

262

Yeah, grace is great and praise God

that he repented and that it's genuine.

263

But he's the standard for

the office of the pastor.

264

He has removed himself from

qualifications for that.

265

So it's not that he can't still

be a trophy of God's grace.

266

He can, through humbly being somebody

who attends that church and loves his

267

brothers and sisters in Christ and

serves faithfully in the body in whatever

268

capacity that he's able to do that.

269

And it's just being a pastor is no

longer on the table in that regard.

270

Yeah, it really does a disservice to the

pastorate when you say, oh, he's just

271

a sinner like the rest of us, right?

272

Yes.

273

Yes.

274

But no, no.

275

God calls the pastoral leaders to

exercise godliness in their leadership.

276

And again, if you don't see

that in your pastors, you need

277

to reevaluate where you are.

278

Yeah, you should expect that.

279

Yeah, a hundred percent.

280

Let's jump into Matthew chapter 10.

281

Matthew chapter 10.

282

Jesus is going to gather the 12

and he is going to send them out.

283

This is interesting because he imbued them

with authority that we don't see today.

284

And so this is one of the

reasons I have this authority.

285

Do you have this authority?

286

I do.

287

Okay.

288

Just I haven't mentioned it before.

289

'cause I'm humble like that,

but I don't know what you got.

290

Okay.

291

Well I didn't get this.

292

I got a badge, so I don't know

where you got this a badge at?

293

Got a badge.

294

I got an ID card.

295

There's a club.

296

Okay.

297

I.

298

Is this what they give it at your school?

299

They did.

300

Okay.

301

Dr.

302

Mueller gave it to me personally.

303

So, I think we've talked about this

before, but the Office of Apostle

304

is no longer in existence, right?

305

That's right.

306

And so that's probably

good for us to clarify.

307

The apostles were unique.

308

They were eyewitnesses of

the re resurrected Christ eye

309

eyewitnesses of his ministry.

310

The Apostle Paul was, I believe the last.

311

Of the apostles because he, of his

interaction with the resurrected

312

Jesus on the road to Damascus.

313

But these are the 12.

314

So the 12 disciples at the time are given

authority over these unclean spirits.

315

And they're also given a

charge to go out and teach.

316

And so they're gonna do that in

concert with, those two things in

317

concert with one another, they're going

to exercise these, this miraculous

318

authority and also preach and teach.

319

And I think it's the same reason why in

the early church, you see the miracles

320

still happening during that time.

321

And miraculous sign gifts as well, is

it was a validation of the message.

322

And so as they're going out, they're

able to do these things so that

323

the people will listen to them and

listen to what they have to say.

324

And so that's what's happening here

as we see Jesus sending out the 12

325

and as they're going to these various

homes and various houses, he's sending

326

them out throughout the region.

327

And telling them, Hey the house

that receives you stay there.

328

The house that rejects you, you know what?

329

You can shake the dust off your sandals.

330

It's a sign of judgment against

them and move on to the next town.

331

One quick note here, as Jesus sends

'em out, he sends 'em out with specific

332

instructions that were temporary.

333

Part of these temporary instructions

were to go into each of these places

334

and verse nine, acquire no gold or

silver or copper for your belts.

335

No bag for your journey or to

Tunics or Sandoz or a staff for

336

the labor deserves his wages.

337

And Jesus is saying here, you guys

are gonna live off of the generosity

338

of people who you're ministering to.

339

They're gonna take care of your needs,

so don't sweat the needs outside of that.

340

Now, if that sounds

familiar, it's because.

341

Paul picks us up in one

Timothy chapter five.

342

He says, using the Old Testament.

343

And this passage here, he says

this in one Timothy five, verse 18.

344

He says, you shall not muzzle an

ox when it treads out the grain

345

and the labor deserves his wages.

346

And what he's saying there is actually

in context to verse 17, he says,

347

let the elders who rule well be

considered worthy of double honor.

348

That's a reference to their payment.

349

Especially those who labor

in preaching and teaching.

350

And then he says, I'm

gonna use Jesus words here.

351

The labor deserves his food, and

I'm gonna use the Old Testament

352

teaching about the ox, and I'm

gonna say, pastors should be paid.

353

There's no shade on a vocational

pastor versus a bivocational pastor.

354

They're both different roles for

different seasons and opportunities.

355

Being a pastor who works a full-time job

and then pastors part-time, there's a

356

need for that and there's a time for that.

357

But.

358

As I heard somebody recently do or

suggest that's a better and more

359

honorable role than a full-time pastor.

360

I think you have here in scripture

that that's not the case.

361

Jesus himself supports the idea

that you should pay pastors and

362

you want their full attention.

363

You want them to be able to go to

the hospital, you want them to go to,

364

to be with you when times are hard.

365

You want that kind of

flexibility from a pastor.

366

Anything else on that PPJ?

367

No, I would agree with you.

368

That's what I was gonna bring up.

369

When you have full-time pastors paid by

the church, you have their full attention.

370

And that's one of the reasons why

that's our position here with Compass

371

is we wanna be able to pay our pastors

full-time to be able to do what they do

372

because it's, it is a high calling and

it does demand a lot, and we want their

373

full attention and you need their full

attention as well as part of the flock.

374

So, yeah, I would agree with that.

375

I think the other temporary instruction

that he gives them is when he tells

376

'em at the very outset, Hey, don't

go anywhere among the Gentiles.

377

Only go to the House of Israel.

378

Which Jesus had come.

379

John chapter one says, he came to his

own, but his own did not receive him.

380

This is part of the rejection of Christ,

is the rejection of the apostles.

381

As the apostles are being

sent out here as well.

382

From here, he goes on and talks

about persecution that's gonna

383

come in verses 16 through 23.

384

And this is not necessarily

persecution, they're gonna.

385

Encounter right now, but persecution

during the church age, and I think it

386

stretches even into today some of the

things that he's talking about here,

387

being sheep in the midst of wolves.

388

We're gonna be talking about

that a little bit on Sunday.

389

Peter's gonna talk even more about

that as we go on in one Peter being

390

persecuted for the sake of Christ.

391

And so this persecution is being foretold

by Jesus as a source of comfort for them.

392

So know that this is gonna

happen so that when it happens.

393

You're gonna be able to endure.

394

And that's what God is promising to them.

395

In fact, he says in verse 19

through 20, he says, don't worry.

396

In that day, in that hour, when you're

being called to give an account for

397

your faith, what are you gonna say

for, it's not you who speak, but

398

this, but the father, the spirit of

your father speaking through you.

399

And I think that continues today.

400

I've talked with believers that

are like, man I don't know what.

401

I would do if I was put in this situation.

402

And I always go back to Columbine

because that little girl in Columbine

403

that kind of became the legend of that

whole situation when she was forced,

404

in a very dire circumstance to say

whether or not she trusted Jesus.

405

She said she did.

406

People have always said, I don't know

if I would have the courage to do that.

407

And I think this is a passage that

gives us the confidence to say, I think

408

we would, because I think the spirit

within us would give us the boldness

409

that we need in those moments and in

those times I think we all hope so.

410

Yeah, we pray so, yeah.

411

Yeah.

412

Matthew 10 22.

413

You'll be hated by all for

the sake of Jesus' name.

414

We're gonna be talking about

that this weekend, just this idea

415

that even as Christians, we're

going to live honorable lives.

416

That the world are gonna see us honorable

and yet speak against us as evil doers.

417

And hear Jesus is saying

The world's gonna hate you.

418

And that's evidence of that e Even when

it doesn't make sense for the world to

419

hate us, the world's still gonna hate us.

420

And Jesus is telling his

disciples that, and by extension

421

he's telling us that as well.

422

And it's because of where he goes

towards the end of the, this chapter

423

where he says I came to bring division.

424

Because he came to say I'm calling

you for full allegiance To me that the

425

allegiance that I want you to have.

426

In me is greater than

allegiance you should have to

427

any other earthy relationship.

428

Wow.

429

And so there's a stark difficulty

in what Jesus is calling us to the

430

following, Jesus is going to cost

you relationships with the world.

431

And some of those are relationships

with people in your own house.

432

But it's, the question we have

to ask in the end is it worth it?

433

Is it worth it to follow Christ?

434

Are we willing to count the cost and give

ourselves over to him and follow him?

435

Yeah.

436

Jesus says these famous words here.

437

Whoever does not take his cross

and follow me is not worthy of me.

438

Which of course means you're dying

to yourself on a regular basis and

439

I don't know anybody that really

wants to die who has a death wish.

440

We naturally resist this, but this

is exactly what Jesus calls us to.

441

Yeah.

442

The idea though is that even though you're

dying to yourself, you're alive in Christ

443

and that life is far better than anything

else that you could produce on your own.

444

Yeah, absolutely.

445

Well, hey, this is a heavier episode

talking about what we talked about

446

at the beginning and then talking

about persecution and the world

447

hating us towards the end, but.

448

Yes.

449

Well, let's end at least on a high

note here, verse 42, truthfulness,

450

whoever gives one of these little

ones even a cup of cold water, because

451

he's a disciple, truly, I say to you,

he will by no means lose his reward.

452

Little acts of faithfulness

will be rewarded.

453

Yeah.

454

Even the smallest one.

455

And that's something that

we can look forward to.

456

God rewards your faithfulness, and this

is one reason why not to throw away

457

your marriage and not to do something

silly or stupid that you'll regret and.

458

Cause the church to suffer for little

faithfulness is rewarded and God will be

459

sure that he rewards You and I suspect

very generously for your faithfulness.

460

So don't lose heart,

Christian, stay the course.

461

Keep your eyes fixed on Christ.

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Amen.

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He's worth it.

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Yeah.

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Let's pray.

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God, by your grace, may we all.

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Have that be true of us?

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May we stay the course, may

we continue to press on.

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May we continue to grow in godliness and

holiness, and may we live lives that do

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make Christ look good in the eyes of the

world, even though they're gonna hate

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us, God, we want them to on that day

of visitation, still give glory to you

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as a result of the life that we lived

to testified to the greatness of Jesus.

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And so we're gonna see

this weekend in baptisms.

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People stand up and testify to how

God has transformed their lives.

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Lord, that is not just

for the baptism tank.

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That's for.

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Every single day for us to live a

life that speaks to that reality.

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And so help us to do that, God

and we pray that you, through our

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testimony and through our witness,

draw more and more to yourself.

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We pray this in Jesus' name.

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Amen.

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Amen.

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Keep in your Bibles tuning again

tomorrow for another edition

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of the Daily Bible Podcast.

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Yes, I'll see you then guys.

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Bye.

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Bernard: Well, thank you for

listening to another episode of

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the Daily Bible Podcast, folks!

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We're honored to have you join us.

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This is a ministry of Compass

Bible Church in north Texas.

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You can find out more information

about our Church at compassntx.org.

492

We would love for you to leave a

review, to rate, or to share this

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podcast on whatever platform you're

listening on, and we hope to see

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you again tomorrow for another

episode of the Daily Bible Podcast.

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Ya'll come back now, ya hear?

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PJ: Yeah.

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I would agree with

everything that you said