Hi, this is Joel and Victoria. Thanks so much for listening to the podcast and thanks for supporting the ministry.

We believe you're going to have an awesome 2024, healthy, productive, and favor filled. God bless you today and enjoy the message.

God bless you. We welcome you. It's always a joy to come into your homes each week. And thank you for letting us spend this next half hour or so with you. And we believe that you'll be blessed and encouraged. I can tell you that God is on your side. He's got a good plan for your life. And when you serve him, we'll take you places that you've never even dreamed of. And if you're ever in our area, come out and see us. We give you a personal invitation. We'd love to have you be a part of one of our services. Thanks for tuning in today. I'd like to get started each week with something kind of funny. And I heard about this elderly lady. She came in to the back of a country church one Sunday morning. And this friendly usher greeted her and said, good morning, ma'am. Where would you like to sit?

She said, I want to sit on the very front row. He said, oh, no, ma'am, you don't want to do that. And he kind of whispered. He said, this pastor is very boring. He'll put you to sleep. Let me seat you somewhere else. She looked appalled. She said, sir, do you know who I am? He said, no. She said, I am the pastor's mother.

He put his head down and kind of do you know who I am? He said, no. She said, I am the pastor's mother.

He put his head down and kind of grimaced, and finally he looked up and he said, ma'am, do you know who I am?

She said, no.

He said, thank God.

All right, hold up your Bibles and say it with me.

Ready?

This is my Bible.

I am what it says I am.

I have what it says I have.

I can do what it says I can do.

Today I will be taught the Word of God.

I boldly confess, my mind is alert, my heart is receptive.

I will never be the same. In Jesus name. God bless you.

I want to talk to you about being kind and courteous and treating people with respect. I believe how we treat people is one of the most important things to God. In fact, you can measure a person's spiritual maturity,

not by how many scriptures they can quote,

not by how many times they come to church.

And although that's good,

religious activity doesn't necessarily impress God.

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