1
00:00:00,440 --> 00:00:02,160
Speaker 1: Hi, this is Joel and Victoria.

2
00:00:02,240 --> 00:00:05,279
Speaker 2: Thanks for listening to our podcast and thanks for supporting

3
00:00:05,280 --> 00:00:05,960
Speaker 2: the ministry.

4
00:00:06,120 --> 00:00:08,440
Speaker 3: If you enjoy today's message, why don't you be a

5
00:00:08,440 --> 00:00:10,000
Speaker 3: blessing and share it with a friend.

6
00:00:10,360 --> 00:00:13,040
Speaker 2: We appreciate you and pray for God's very best in

7
00:00:13,080 --> 00:00:13,720
Speaker 2: your life.

8
00:00:13,920 --> 00:00:16,160
Speaker 1: Now bless you. It's great to be with you.

9
00:00:16,200 --> 00:00:19,079
Speaker 2: Today, and I hope you'll stay connected with us during

10
00:00:19,120 --> 00:00:23,280
Speaker 2: the week through our daily podcast, our YouTube channel, social media,

11
00:00:23,800 --> 00:00:26,360
Speaker 2: and you can come visit us in person. We'd love

12
00:00:26,400 --> 00:00:28,600
Speaker 2: to have you be a part of one of our services.

13
00:00:29,040 --> 00:00:31,120
Speaker 2: I'd like to start it with something funny, and I

14
00:00:31,160 --> 00:00:34,239
Speaker 2: heard about this mother. She was cooking breakfast for her

15
00:00:34,320 --> 00:00:37,840
Speaker 2: two young boys, Ryan was five and Kevin was three.

16
00:00:37,920 --> 00:00:40,599
Speaker 2: In they begin to argue over who should get the

17
00:00:40,600 --> 00:00:44,559
Speaker 2: first pancake, and she saw this as an opportunity.

18
00:00:43,880 --> 00:00:44,960
Speaker 1: To teach them a lesson.

19
00:00:45,400 --> 00:00:48,760
Speaker 2: She said, boys, boys, if Jesus were here, he would say,

20
00:00:48,840 --> 00:00:52,159
Speaker 2: let my brother have the first pancake. Ryan turned to

21
00:00:52,200 --> 00:00:55,440
Speaker 2: his younger brother and said, okay, Kevin, you be Jesus.

22
00:00:56,840 --> 00:00:57,880
Speaker 1: Say like you mean it.

23
00:00:58,240 --> 00:01:01,200
Speaker 2: This is my Bible and what it says I am.

24
00:01:01,640 --> 00:01:04,160
Speaker 2: I have what it says I have, I can do

25
00:01:04,240 --> 00:01:06,319
Speaker 2: what it says I can do today.

26
00:01:06,480 --> 00:01:08,279
Speaker 1: I will be taught the word of God.

27
00:01:08,680 --> 00:01:13,080
Speaker 2: I boldly confess my mind is alert, my heart is receptive.

28
00:01:13,400 --> 00:01:17,199
Speaker 2: I will never be the same. In Jesus's name, God

29
00:01:17,240 --> 00:01:21,000
Speaker 2: bless you. I want to talk to you today about

30
00:01:21,120 --> 00:01:24,800
Speaker 2: being a safe place. We live in a culture where

31
00:01:24,800 --> 00:01:28,480
Speaker 2: there's so much judgment. People are quick to assume the

32
00:01:28,520 --> 00:01:33,240
Speaker 2: worst without really knowing the facts. Just a rumor, gossip,

33
00:01:33,760 --> 00:01:36,320
Speaker 2: they heard it on social media. It must be true,

34
00:01:36,640 --> 00:01:41,040
Speaker 2: so they start throwing stones and trying to shame and discredit.

35
00:01:41,680 --> 00:01:44,399
Speaker 2: And if we do make a mistake, and we all do,

36
00:01:45,080 --> 00:01:46,440
Speaker 2: there's zero tolerance.

37
00:01:46,920 --> 00:01:49,520
Speaker 1: We're going to cancel you. You should have known better.

38
00:01:50,240 --> 00:01:53,480
Speaker 2: Their goal is to expose, blow out up a portion,

39
00:01:54,000 --> 00:01:57,520
Speaker 2: make sure you get what you deserve. But the scripture says,

40
00:01:57,720 --> 00:02:00,880
Speaker 2: the mercy you show others is mercy you're.

41
00:02:00,760 --> 00:02:01,520
Speaker 1: Going to receive.

42
00:02:02,320 --> 00:02:05,480
Speaker 2: And if you're harsh and critical and don't give people

43
00:02:05,600 --> 00:02:08,720
Speaker 2: grace to be human, then when you make a mistake,

44
00:02:09,080 --> 00:02:11,600
Speaker 2: people are going to be harsh and critical with you.

45
00:02:12,520 --> 00:02:15,639
Speaker 2: And it's easy to find fault and kick people when

46
00:02:15,680 --> 00:02:16,160
Speaker 2: they're down.

47
00:02:16,280 --> 00:02:19,520
Speaker 1: Can you believe they did this? But we're not called

48
00:02:19,560 --> 00:02:20,440
Speaker 1: to throw rocks.

49
00:02:20,720 --> 00:02:24,400
Speaker 2: We're called to lift the fallen, to restore the broken,

50
00:02:24,840 --> 00:02:25,960
Speaker 2: to heal the hurting.

51
00:02:26,639 --> 00:02:28,120
Speaker 1: They don't need more judgment.

52
00:02:28,720 --> 00:02:32,240
Speaker 2: They have enough people beating them down. They need someone

53
00:02:32,600 --> 00:02:36,359
Speaker 2: who will pour the healing oil on, someone who will

54
00:02:36,400 --> 00:02:40,400
Speaker 2: help love them back into wholeness. You are never more

55
00:02:40,560 --> 00:02:44,520
Speaker 2: like God than when you're helping people in need, showing

56
00:02:44,680 --> 00:02:48,560
Speaker 2: mercy when they failed, pushing them up when others are

57
00:02:48,560 --> 00:02:51,880
Speaker 2: pushing them down. I've never seen a day where there's

58
00:02:51,880 --> 00:02:54,440
Speaker 2: so much joy over someone falling.

59
00:02:54,919 --> 00:02:58,400
Speaker 1: You know, people jump on the bandwagon, spread their good news.

60
00:02:58,480 --> 00:03:02,079
Speaker 2: They messed up, they got I told you they were phonies.

61
00:03:02,720 --> 00:03:05,519
Speaker 2: But you have to remember this. But by the grace

62
00:03:05,560 --> 00:03:07,160
Speaker 2: of God, that could be you.

63
00:03:08,160 --> 00:03:11,839
Speaker 1: Well, he cheated, y'all. He lied her past finally caught up.

64
00:03:12,480 --> 00:03:16,120
Speaker 2: Before you join the mob and start throwing stones, before

65
00:03:16,160 --> 00:03:19,360
Speaker 2: you look down in shame and judgment, it's much better

66
00:03:19,400 --> 00:03:22,360
Speaker 2: to pause and say, Lord, thank you for what you

67
00:03:22,480 --> 00:03:25,279
Speaker 2: kept me from, thank you for your grace.

68
00:03:25,240 --> 00:03:26,880
Speaker 1: Helping me stay on the right path.

69
00:03:27,840 --> 00:03:31,720
Speaker 2: If you'll walk in humility and be generous with your mercy,

70
00:03:32,360 --> 00:03:35,480
Speaker 2: God will keep you on the best path. But when

71
00:03:35,520 --> 00:03:38,960
Speaker 2: we get judgment, they knew better. They're getting what they deserve.

72
00:03:39,680 --> 00:03:42,880
Speaker 2: That's opening yourself up to be in their same shoes.

73
00:03:43,600 --> 00:03:47,200
Speaker 2: If we don't humble ourselves, the scripture says God will

74
00:03:47,280 --> 00:03:50,520
Speaker 2: humble us. It's much better if you do it, then

75
00:03:50,600 --> 00:03:53,680
Speaker 2: for God to do it. Learn to live as a healer,

76
00:03:54,280 --> 00:03:58,920
Speaker 2: as a restorer, not looking for opportunities to condemn, but

77
00:03:59,080 --> 00:04:02,600
Speaker 2: looking for way that you can lift people. There's enough

78
00:04:02,680 --> 00:04:07,280
Speaker 2: judgment in the world, enough criticism, zero tolerance.

79
00:04:07,640 --> 00:04:10,880
Speaker 1: You messed up. I'm going to expose you. Where are

80
00:04:10,880 --> 00:04:11,560
Speaker 1: the healers?

81
00:04:12,360 --> 00:04:15,480
Speaker 2: Where are the people that will cover their faults, show

82
00:04:15,600 --> 00:04:20,800
Speaker 2: mercy for mistakes, have compassion despite their failures. And this

83
00:04:20,839 --> 00:04:24,440
Speaker 2: is not excusing their behavior and covering sin.

84
00:04:25,120 --> 00:04:27,080
Speaker 1: I'm talking about loving them back.

85
00:04:26,920 --> 00:04:30,560
Speaker 2: Into wholeness where when they come to you, they know

86
00:04:30,800 --> 00:04:33,760
Speaker 2: they're not going to be judged looked down on.

87
00:04:34,600 --> 00:04:35,799
Speaker 1: You're a safe place.

88
00:04:36,440 --> 00:04:39,960
Speaker 2: You're full of mercy, your heart of compassion is open.

89
00:04:40,640 --> 00:04:44,719
Speaker 2: You don't have stones of judgment, stones of condemnation. You

90
00:04:44,880 --> 00:04:48,640
Speaker 2: have healing oil that you're going to pour on forgiveness

91
00:04:49,120 --> 00:04:52,680
Speaker 2: understanding that will help them get back on their feet.

92
00:04:53,680 --> 00:04:56,640
Speaker 2: In the Old Testament, there was something called a city

93
00:04:56,680 --> 00:05:00,400
Speaker 2: of refuge. They lived under a law that said if

94
00:05:00,440 --> 00:05:02,760
Speaker 2: you killed someone, it was an eye.

95
00:05:02,480 --> 00:05:04,440
Speaker 1: For an eye, you would be killed.

96
00:05:05,040 --> 00:05:08,400
Speaker 2: The Israelites lived in forty eight cities throughout the land

97
00:05:08,440 --> 00:05:12,720
Speaker 2: of Canaan god told Joshua to set up six cities

98
00:05:13,000 --> 00:05:16,520
Speaker 2: that would be known as a city of refuge. If

99
00:05:16,520 --> 00:05:20,359
Speaker 2: you accidentally took someone's life, if you made it to

100
00:05:20,440 --> 00:05:24,400
Speaker 2: the city of refuge, you would be spared. Maybe you

101
00:05:24,480 --> 00:05:27,679
Speaker 2: were working on your land and your axe head flew

102
00:05:27,760 --> 00:05:30,919
Speaker 2: off and killed someone, or your animal got loose and

103
00:05:31,000 --> 00:05:35,599
Speaker 2: harmed a person. Normally, there were no questions. You made

104
00:05:35,640 --> 00:05:39,200
Speaker 2: a mistake, it's your fault. You're gonna get what you deserved.

105
00:05:39,720 --> 00:05:42,560
Speaker 2: But under this new law, if you could just get

106
00:05:42,680 --> 00:05:45,680
Speaker 2: to one of those cities of refuge, if you could

107
00:05:45,680 --> 00:05:48,360
Speaker 2: make it to that safe place, the people would take

108
00:05:48,400 --> 00:05:48,760
Speaker 2: you in.

109
00:05:49,320 --> 00:05:51,960
Speaker 1: They would protect you, keep you from harm.

110
00:05:52,480 --> 00:05:55,760
Speaker 2: When the avenger came looking for you to pay you back,

111
00:05:56,279 --> 00:05:59,719
Speaker 2: these people would step up for you. They would cover

112
00:05:59,839 --> 00:06:03,719
Speaker 2: you and watch after you. Even though it was your fault,

113
00:06:04,200 --> 00:06:07,240
Speaker 2: you deserved judgment. But as long as you were in

114
00:06:07,320 --> 00:06:09,480
Speaker 2: the city of refuge, you were okay.

115
00:06:10,480 --> 00:06:14,360
Speaker 1: I can see people that made mistakes caused an accident.

116
00:06:14,560 --> 00:06:15,279
Speaker 1: It was urgent.

117
00:06:15,960 --> 00:06:18,480
Speaker 2: I got to get to that city as quickly as

118
00:06:18,520 --> 00:06:23,120
Speaker 2: I can riding their horse, so worried taking shortcuts.

119
00:06:23,680 --> 00:06:27,000
Speaker 1: This was life or death. The Avenger was coming.

120
00:06:27,560 --> 00:06:30,159
Speaker 2: There was a family member, a brother, an uncle that

121
00:06:30,279 --> 00:06:33,800
Speaker 2: was looking for justice. They had every right to take

122
00:06:33,839 --> 00:06:36,960
Speaker 2: his life, an eye for an eye. Unless he can

123
00:06:37,000 --> 00:06:39,680
Speaker 2: get to the city of refuge.

124
00:06:38,960 --> 00:06:42,919
Speaker 1: Then he'll be safe. This is a picture of what

125
00:06:43,080 --> 00:06:45,920
Speaker 1: happened to all of us. We were born in Dessin.

126
00:06:46,920 --> 00:06:50,880
Speaker 2: We had made mistakes, fallen short of the glory of God.

127
00:06:51,400 --> 00:06:52,840
Speaker 1: We deserved judgment.

128
00:06:53,440 --> 00:06:57,800
Speaker 2: The Avenger was coming, but Jesus came as a refuge.

129
00:06:58,240 --> 00:07:00,279
Speaker 1: He created a safe place.

130
00:07:00,760 --> 00:07:05,520
Speaker 2: Despite our failures, despite our shortcomings. If we come to him,

131
00:07:06,240 --> 00:07:09,760
Speaker 2: we don't receive the judgment we deserve. We made it

132
00:07:09,800 --> 00:07:13,280
Speaker 2: to the city of refuge. David said this in Psalms.

133
00:07:13,640 --> 00:07:17,480
Speaker 2: God is my refuge, a strong tower that we can

134
00:07:17,560 --> 00:07:22,080
Speaker 2: run to and be safe because of what Jesus has done.

135
00:07:22,200 --> 00:07:24,840
Speaker 1: If you'll come to him, you're in a safe place.

136
00:07:25,560 --> 00:07:30,480
Speaker 2: There's forgiveness, there's mercy, there are new beginnings, there is

137
00:07:30,680 --> 00:07:35,200
Speaker 2: beauty for ashes. Now here's the key, Jesus said in Matthew,

138
00:07:35,600 --> 00:07:41,000
Speaker 2: freely you have received, Now freely give You've received all

139
00:07:41,040 --> 00:07:42,480
Speaker 2: this mercy, Now.

140
00:07:42,440 --> 00:07:43,560
Speaker 1: Freely give it away.

141
00:07:44,320 --> 00:07:48,880
Speaker 2: Be generous with your mercy, generous with your forgiveness. It's

142
00:07:48,960 --> 00:07:54,640
Speaker 2: easy to become like the society, judgmental, critical, zero tolerance.

143
00:07:55,040 --> 00:07:56,880
Speaker 1: You don't deserve it. No.

144
00:07:57,080 --> 00:08:00,320
Speaker 2: God has called you to be a safe place, a

145
00:08:00,360 --> 00:08:03,960
Speaker 2: person of refuge, where when people come to you, they

146
00:08:03,960 --> 00:08:08,240
Speaker 2: don't get judgment. You don't write them off because of mistakes,

147
00:08:08,880 --> 00:08:11,040
Speaker 2: spread rumors and push them down.

148
00:08:11,360 --> 00:08:13,640
Speaker 1: You're a healer, You're a restorer.

149
00:08:14,520 --> 00:08:18,400
Speaker 2: They come to you because they know they can trust you.

150
00:08:18,400 --> 00:08:22,600
Speaker 2: You're a person of honor. You protect their reputation. You

151
00:08:22,720 --> 00:08:25,880
Speaker 2: shield them from lies and hate. You stand up for

152
00:08:25,960 --> 00:08:29,160
Speaker 2: them and cover their faults. You love them past the

153
00:08:29,240 --> 00:08:32,920
Speaker 2: guilt and shame. You help them understand that they're forgiven,

154
00:08:33,360 --> 00:08:34,719
Speaker 2: that there's mercy.

155
00:08:34,360 --> 00:08:35,720
Speaker 1: For their mistakes.

156
00:08:36,480 --> 00:08:39,400
Speaker 2: How much better would our world be if we were

157
00:08:39,440 --> 00:08:45,120
Speaker 2: all a safe place. Not quick to judge, quick to condemn. No,

158
00:08:45,280 --> 00:08:48,080
Speaker 2: be a part of the solution and not the problem.

159
00:08:48,880 --> 00:08:51,079
Speaker 1: Be a healer, not a condemner.

160
00:08:51,800 --> 00:08:58,000
Speaker 2: Be a safe place, compassionate, understanding, making allowances for people's weaknesses.

161
00:08:59,040 --> 00:09:03,160
Speaker 2: Lakewood turns sixty six years old today. It was started

162
00:09:03,160 --> 00:09:06,720
Speaker 2: by my parents Mother's Day nineteen fifty nine, and one

163
00:09:06,800 --> 00:09:08,160
Speaker 2: reason I believe.

164
00:09:07,880 --> 00:09:09,800
Speaker 1: That we're still here is.

165
00:09:09,760 --> 00:09:13,400
Speaker 2: We've always been a safe place where anyone is welcome,

166
00:09:14,120 --> 00:09:18,520
Speaker 2: any walk of life, any background, no matter what you've done.

167
00:09:18,760 --> 00:09:22,360
Speaker 2: Where you are, you're not going to be judged, You're

168
00:09:22,360 --> 00:09:25,559
Speaker 2: not going to be condemned, told, man, you're not worthy.

169
00:09:26,040 --> 00:09:28,680
Speaker 2: Don't come back till you get it all together. This

170
00:09:28,720 --> 00:09:32,080
Speaker 2: is a place of refuge. We're gonna tell you God's

171
00:09:32,160 --> 00:09:37,160
Speaker 2: mercy is bigger than your mistakes. That you're forgiven, you're redeemed,

172
00:09:37,640 --> 00:09:41,480
Speaker 2: you're valuable, You're made in the image of Almighty God.

173
00:09:42,080 --> 00:09:45,000
Speaker 2: You still have a purpose and destiny to fulfill.

174
00:09:45,840 --> 00:09:49,280
Speaker 1: My father he never threw rocks, He never.

175
00:09:49,040 --> 00:09:54,559
Speaker 2: Pushed people down, never wrote anyone off. One reason was

176
00:09:54,600 --> 00:09:58,400
Speaker 2: he had made mistakes, He'd gone through failures. He felt

177
00:09:58,480 --> 00:10:01,760
Speaker 2: the sting of rejection and being pushed out. He was

178
00:10:01,840 --> 00:10:06,120
Speaker 2: raised in poverty and defeat. He experienced great.

179
00:10:05,880 --> 00:10:08,400
Speaker 1: Mercy, great love, great.

180
00:10:08,160 --> 00:10:13,040
Speaker 2: Forgiveness, and freely he gave that away. He was always

181
00:10:13,080 --> 00:10:16,760
Speaker 2: for the underdog. One of his greatest joys was lifting

182
00:10:16,800 --> 00:10:22,760
Speaker 2: the falling, restoring the broken, making people feel loved, valuable, wanted,

183
00:10:23,040 --> 00:10:26,400
Speaker 2: no matter what they had been through. We became known

184
00:10:26,480 --> 00:10:29,640
Speaker 2: as an oasis of love, a place where you could

185
00:10:29,640 --> 00:10:31,040
Speaker 2: find a new beginning.

186
00:10:31,360 --> 00:10:32,000
Speaker 1: We've seen it.

187
00:10:31,960 --> 00:10:35,920
Speaker 2: Happen over and over again. I remember a young man.

188
00:10:36,360 --> 00:10:40,280
Speaker 2: He was in an outlaw motorcycle game. They were known

189
00:10:40,360 --> 00:10:44,240
Speaker 2: for drugs and crime and violence, and he was always

190
00:10:44,320 --> 00:10:47,120
Speaker 2: in and out of jail in trouble. But he had

191
00:10:47,120 --> 00:10:50,240
Speaker 2: a mother at home that was praying for him, a

192
00:10:50,320 --> 00:10:53,920
Speaker 2: mother that wouldn't give up. Night and day she would

193
00:10:53,920 --> 00:10:58,359
Speaker 2: call out to God and declare his protection and his mercy.

194
00:10:58,080 --> 00:10:58,840
Speaker 1: Over her son.

195
00:11:00,120 --> 00:11:02,720
Speaker 2: One morning, he got up, looked in the mirror and

196
00:11:02,760 --> 00:11:05,719
Speaker 2: said a dead man was staring back at him. He

197
00:11:05,800 --> 00:11:08,760
Speaker 2: was so strung out and depressed he took a whole

198
00:11:08,800 --> 00:11:12,880
Speaker 2: bottle of pills, trying to end his life. For some reason,

199
00:11:13,200 --> 00:11:16,680
Speaker 2: those pills didn't have any effect on him. Why is

200
00:11:16,720 --> 00:11:19,720
Speaker 2: that God hears the prayers of a concerned mother.

201
00:11:20,400 --> 00:11:22,080
Speaker 1: When someone stands.

202
00:11:21,679 --> 00:11:24,880
Speaker 2: In the gap for you, the enemy cannot take you

203
00:11:25,000 --> 00:11:28,319
Speaker 2: out before your time. He turned on the television and

204
00:11:28,360 --> 00:11:31,360
Speaker 2: there was my father talking about the goodness of God.

205
00:11:31,400 --> 00:11:34,480
Speaker 1: And friend called out of the blue and said, you

206
00:11:34,600 --> 00:11:36,000
Speaker 1: need to go to church today.

207
00:11:36,960 --> 00:11:40,640
Speaker 2: He was so taken aback, still high on drugs, he kind.

208
00:11:40,440 --> 00:11:43,280
Speaker 1: Of laughed and said, no church would ever accept me.

209
00:11:44,040 --> 00:11:47,839
Speaker 2: He had long hair, tattoos, skulls, you know, looked very rough.

210
00:11:48,240 --> 00:11:50,280
Speaker 2: The friend said, yes they will. I know a place,

211
00:11:50,559 --> 00:11:53,880
Speaker 2: go to Lakewood. They won't judge you, they'll help you

212
00:11:53,960 --> 00:11:57,000
Speaker 2: to get friend to God. On his motorcycle. It was

213
00:11:57,080 --> 00:12:00,839
Speaker 2: Mother's Day. Drove to Lakewood. They're the local. Sat in

214
00:12:00,920 --> 00:12:05,320
Speaker 2: the very back in that service, he felt chains breaking

215
00:12:05,360 --> 00:12:08,760
Speaker 2: off of him. Afterwards, he went back to his motorcycle

216
00:12:09,120 --> 00:12:11,240
Speaker 2: in the gravel parking lot, got.

217
00:12:11,080 --> 00:12:13,480
Speaker 1: Down on his knees, gave his life to Christ.

218
00:12:14,000 --> 00:12:17,240
Speaker 2: Today, our friend Ben Priest is an amazing pastor, an

219
00:12:17,240 --> 00:12:20,040
Speaker 2: amazing man of God, helping so many to.

220
00:12:20,120 --> 00:12:24,319
Speaker 1: Get back on course. This is what happens when you're

221
00:12:24,360 --> 00:12:25,120
Speaker 1: a safe place.

222
00:12:25,960 --> 00:12:30,360
Speaker 2: You don't condemn fine fault getting what they deserve. Joel,

223
00:12:30,360 --> 00:12:32,240
Speaker 2: Why did he get in that game in the first place?

224
00:12:32,280 --> 00:12:35,520
Speaker 2: Why do you make those poor choices. We're not the judge,

225
00:12:35,880 --> 00:12:39,720
Speaker 2: we're not the jury. We're the healers. We're the restorers.

226
00:12:40,000 --> 00:12:42,760
Speaker 2: We're a place of refuge. Now, I want to live

227
00:12:42,800 --> 00:12:46,280
Speaker 2: my life in such a way that when people make mistakes,

228
00:12:46,920 --> 00:12:50,000
Speaker 2: when they fail, they think, if I can just get

229
00:12:50,040 --> 00:12:52,840
Speaker 2: to Joel, I know he'll help me. He won't condemn me.

230
00:12:53,160 --> 00:12:55,840
Speaker 2: If I can just get to Robert. I know he'll

231
00:12:55,840 --> 00:12:58,680
Speaker 2: show mercy. I know he'll understands if I can just

232
00:12:58,720 --> 00:13:03,439
Speaker 2: get to Maria. She's trustworthy, she's honorable, She'll pray for.

233
00:13:03,480 --> 00:13:07,680
Speaker 1: Me without making me feel ashamed. God is looking for

234
00:13:07,800 --> 00:13:09,080
Speaker 1: people who will be.

235
00:13:09,080 --> 00:13:12,920
Speaker 2: A safe place because so many around us are hurting,

236
00:13:13,640 --> 00:13:17,520
Speaker 2: dealing with things we know nothing about. We wonder why

237
00:13:17,600 --> 00:13:20,479
Speaker 2: they're not friendly, why they don't do more at the office,

238
00:13:20,320 --> 00:13:21,600
Speaker 2: and why do they still.

239
00:13:21,400 --> 00:13:22,599
Speaker 1: Have these addictions.

240
00:13:23,280 --> 00:13:27,000
Speaker 2: If we walked in their shoes, we would understand they're

241
00:13:27,080 --> 00:13:31,160
Speaker 2: carrying heavy burdens that we can't see. Maybe it's a

242
00:13:31,280 --> 00:13:34,920
Speaker 2: child that's breaking their heart. They're dealing with mental issues,

243
00:13:35,520 --> 00:13:37,800
Speaker 2: They've been through hurts and injustice.

244
00:13:37,880 --> 00:13:39,640
Speaker 1: There's a reason they're not up to par.

245
00:13:40,800 --> 00:13:43,600
Speaker 2: God has put them in our path, not so we

246
00:13:43,640 --> 00:13:47,240
Speaker 2: can be critical kick them when they're down. No, be

247
00:13:47,320 --> 00:13:52,000
Speaker 2: a safe place, be a heater, pour oil on the wounds,

248
00:13:52,040 --> 00:13:55,320
Speaker 2: and help them get back on their feet. A few

249
00:13:55,320 --> 00:13:58,280
Speaker 2: weeks ago, a man came up to me after the service,

250
00:13:58,320 --> 00:14:01,320
Speaker 2: and he was dressed in a suit and looked very nice,

251
00:14:01,360 --> 00:14:03,400
Speaker 2: and he said, Joel, that was a.

252
00:14:03,360 --> 00:14:07,320
Speaker 1: Freaking good message today. It really helped me. But he

253
00:14:07,360 --> 00:14:09,360
Speaker 1: didn't use the word freaking. He used the other word.

254
00:14:10,400 --> 00:14:13,000
Speaker 1: I never had anybody compliment me that way.

255
00:14:13,040 --> 00:14:16,199
Speaker 2: But the fact is I wasn't offended. I thought it

256
00:14:16,280 --> 00:14:19,560
Speaker 2: was a good message too. I just didn't use that word.

257
00:14:20,000 --> 00:14:24,160
Speaker 2: But I realized this was all new to him. He

258
00:14:24,240 --> 00:14:27,440
Speaker 2: wasn't raised in church like me. He was in his fifties.

259
00:14:27,720 --> 00:14:29,840
Speaker 2: He told me that he hadn't been to church since

260
00:14:29,880 --> 00:14:33,240
Speaker 2: he was seven years old. I was glad that he

261
00:14:33,320 --> 00:14:36,920
Speaker 2: felt comfortable coming here, that he knew this was a

262
00:14:36,960 --> 00:14:39,160
Speaker 2: safe place, that we weren't.

263
00:14:38,920 --> 00:14:42,800
Speaker 1: Going to condemn him, judge him, tell him all his faults.

264
00:14:43,520 --> 00:14:47,600
Speaker 1: Here's what I've learned. Everyone is on a journey. Where

265
00:14:47,640 --> 00:14:49,840
Speaker 1: they are is not where they're going to end up.

266
00:14:50,720 --> 00:14:54,600
Speaker 2: Will you have the mercy, the grace, the understanding to

267
00:14:54,800 --> 00:14:58,480
Speaker 2: love them while they're changing, to be a safe place

268
00:14:59,120 --> 00:15:01,360
Speaker 2: where they feel come coming to you.

269
00:15:01,320 --> 00:15:03,560
Speaker 1: Because they know you're not gonna throw rocks.

270
00:15:04,160 --> 00:15:06,640
Speaker 2: You're not gonna join the mob and push them down,

271
00:15:07,320 --> 00:15:10,080
Speaker 2: cancel them because they had a failure. You're gonna be

272
00:15:10,080 --> 00:15:15,760
Speaker 2: a healer, a restore John chapter eight, Jesus was teaching

273
00:15:15,960 --> 00:15:20,720
Speaker 2: people in the synagogue, and many had gathered there intently listening.

274
00:15:21,440 --> 00:15:24,120
Speaker 2: All of a sudden, the religious leaders came bursting in

275
00:15:24,840 --> 00:15:28,760
Speaker 2: dragging this woman caught in the act of aduldred. They

276
00:15:28,800 --> 00:15:31,200
Speaker 2: threw her down right in the middle of all the people.

277
00:15:32,040 --> 00:15:35,040
Speaker 2: They could have dealt with this privately. They could have

278
00:15:35,080 --> 00:15:37,600
Speaker 2: waited till the session was over and taken her to

279
00:15:37,680 --> 00:15:41,720
Speaker 2: a back room. But some people want to publicly shame

280
00:15:41,800 --> 00:15:43,840
Speaker 2: you instead of covering the.

281
00:15:43,840 --> 00:15:46,200
Speaker 1: Fault helping you get back on the right course.

282
00:15:46,600 --> 00:15:50,880
Speaker 2: They'll expose your faults, call a few friends, stir up

283
00:15:51,000 --> 00:15:56,240
Speaker 2: more gossip. It's interesting that the religious leaders were the ones.

284
00:15:56,040 --> 00:15:57,680
Speaker 1: That made this big scene.

285
00:15:57,880 --> 00:16:00,120
Speaker 2: They should have been the ones that had the mercy,

286
00:16:00,440 --> 00:16:01,560
Speaker 2: the ones that should have been.

287
00:16:01,480 --> 00:16:02,320
Speaker 1: A safe place.

288
00:16:03,040 --> 00:16:05,760
Speaker 2: They didn't care about the woman. They had an agenda.

289
00:16:06,160 --> 00:16:09,280
Speaker 2: They were trying to trap Jesus. First thing is where

290
00:16:09,320 --> 00:16:11,720
Speaker 2: is the man talking about injustice?

291
00:16:11,760 --> 00:16:15,160
Speaker 1: They didn't drag him in. They said to Jesus, the

292
00:16:15,280 --> 00:16:18,120
Speaker 1: law says to stoner, what do you say we should do.

293
00:16:19,120 --> 00:16:21,680
Speaker 2: Jesus had been up there talking the whole time, but

294
00:16:21,840 --> 00:16:23,200
Speaker 2: now he went silent.

295
00:16:23,880 --> 00:16:25,000
Speaker 1: He didn't say a word.

296
00:16:25,960 --> 00:16:29,960
Speaker 2: When people make mistakes, when they have a failure, one

297
00:16:30,000 --> 00:16:32,440
Speaker 2: of the best things we can do is go silent,

298
00:16:33,360 --> 00:16:37,840
Speaker 2: zip it up, don't talk about him. Don't call your neighbor.

299
00:16:37,880 --> 00:16:40,480
Speaker 2: Did you hear who they drug in today? Be a

300
00:16:40,520 --> 00:16:42,040
Speaker 2: safe place, be a.

301
00:16:41,920 --> 00:16:45,440
Speaker 1: Person of honor. And this lady was surrounded by a

302
00:16:45,520 --> 00:16:47,000
Speaker 1: mob and they were all.

303
00:16:46,840 --> 00:16:50,000
Speaker 2: Ready to stone her. And really that's the society that

304
00:16:50,040 --> 00:16:52,560
Speaker 2: we're in today, a mob culture. Who were going to

305
00:16:52,680 --> 00:16:58,080
Speaker 2: cancel who We're going to jump on and discredit and humiliate. Nowadays,

306
00:16:58,080 --> 00:17:01,720
Speaker 2: you can do it on social media anonymous. Don't even

307
00:17:01,760 --> 00:17:03,560
Speaker 2: have to put your name. Just add to the hurt,

308
00:17:03,680 --> 00:17:05,600
Speaker 2: the shame, the guilt. Nobody will know.

309
00:17:06,480 --> 00:17:07,320
Speaker 1: Here's the catch.

310
00:17:07,720 --> 00:17:11,240
Speaker 2: What you sew, you're going to read. If you sew

311
00:17:11,440 --> 00:17:15,959
Speaker 2: judgment being harsh. They made a mistake, let them have it.

312
00:17:16,359 --> 00:17:20,200
Speaker 2: You're gonna receive judgment. When you make a mistake, people

313
00:17:20,240 --> 00:17:25,200
Speaker 2: will blow it out of proportion and humiliate, disgrace. Life

314
00:17:25,280 --> 00:17:27,639
Speaker 2: is too short to live that way. We're all gonna

315
00:17:27,640 --> 00:17:31,600
Speaker 2: make mistakes. We're all gonna need mercy and forgiveness. Make

316
00:17:31,680 --> 00:17:35,840
Speaker 2: sure you're giving away what you want. This lady was

317
00:17:36,160 --> 00:17:41,639
Speaker 2: lying on the ground, close torn, She's afraid, humiliated. The

318
00:17:41,680 --> 00:17:45,480
Speaker 2: mob picked up their rocks. They're ready for judgment, just

319
00:17:45,560 --> 00:17:46,800
Speaker 2: waiting for the go ahead.

320
00:17:47,720 --> 00:17:50,720
Speaker 1: Jesus was standing there, silent and still hadn't said anything.

321
00:17:51,520 --> 00:17:54,399
Speaker 1: Then he knelt down on the ground and began to

322
00:17:54,480 --> 00:17:56,280
Speaker 1: draw in the dirt with his finger.

323
00:17:57,000 --> 00:18:01,160
Speaker 2: The lady couldn't get up, so Jesus went down to her.

324
00:18:01,640 --> 00:18:04,479
Speaker 2: Jesus would rather be on the level of a person

325
00:18:04,560 --> 00:18:07,840
Speaker 2: condemned than on the level of a person with a rock.

326
00:18:08,880 --> 00:18:12,960
Speaker 2: When you stoop to help the fallen, the broken, the guilty,

327
00:18:13,480 --> 00:18:16,359
Speaker 2: you where God is. But when you have a rock

328
00:18:16,720 --> 00:18:19,359
Speaker 2: judging condemning, you're where the mob is.

329
00:18:20,440 --> 00:18:22,480
Speaker 1: Where are you in this scene?

330
00:18:22,680 --> 00:18:25,720
Speaker 2: Are you a rock thrower or do you have compassion

331
00:18:25,800 --> 00:18:29,280
Speaker 2: on the hurting? Jesus finally said to them, you who

332
00:18:29,280 --> 00:18:33,000
Speaker 2: are without sin, throw the first stone. He was saying,

333
00:18:33,480 --> 00:18:37,600
Speaker 2: if you never made a mistake, never failed, never done

334
00:18:37,600 --> 00:18:38,920
Speaker 2: something you're not proud of.

335
00:18:38,920 --> 00:18:40,160
Speaker 1: Then go ahead.

336
00:18:41,320 --> 00:18:44,800
Speaker 2: The fact is we've all needed mercy. We've all done

337
00:18:44,880 --> 00:18:47,920
Speaker 2: something where if God hadn't covered us, we wouldn't be

338
00:18:47,960 --> 00:18:48,560
Speaker 2: where we are.

339
00:18:49,800 --> 00:18:53,000
Speaker 1: The scripture says. The men begin to leave one by one.

340
00:18:52,840 --> 00:18:56,200
Speaker 2: From the oldest to the youngest. They all put down

341
00:18:56,240 --> 00:18:59,760
Speaker 2: their rocks and walked away. Jesus said to the woman,

342
00:19:00,440 --> 00:19:03,680
Speaker 2: where are your accusers? Hasn't anyone accused you?

343
00:19:04,080 --> 00:19:07,080
Speaker 1: She said, no? Man, Lord, he said, neither do. I

344
00:19:07,560 --> 00:19:11,320
Speaker 1: now go and sin no more. One thing this story

345
00:19:11,400 --> 00:19:15,480
Speaker 1: should teach us is to not be rock throwers. When

346
00:19:15,520 --> 00:19:16,360
Speaker 1: you're throwing.

347
00:19:16,200 --> 00:19:21,560
Speaker 2: Rocks, accusations, judgment, you're on the wrong side, but you

348
00:19:21,600 --> 00:19:26,040
Speaker 2: old they're guilty, they deserve it. Only the guilty need mercy.

349
00:19:27,040 --> 00:19:30,400
Speaker 2: Pauls it in Galatians. If someone is caught in sin,

350
00:19:30,960 --> 00:19:35,800
Speaker 2: you who are spiritual, should gently restore them. Like this

351
00:19:35,960 --> 00:19:40,359
Speaker 2: lady they're caught, doesn't say expose them, put it on Facebook.

352
00:19:40,880 --> 00:19:44,000
Speaker 1: Make sure they feel guilty. Now we're not the judge.

353
00:19:44,520 --> 00:19:45,760
Speaker 1: Put down those rocks.

354
00:19:46,119 --> 00:19:49,760
Speaker 2: Our job is to gently restore, to be a safe

355
00:19:49,800 --> 00:19:51,520
Speaker 2: place to help them get.

356
00:19:51,359 --> 00:19:52,440
Speaker 1: Back up on their feet.

357
00:19:53,119 --> 00:19:56,879
Speaker 2: Seeing the Old Testament, according to the law, this woman

358
00:19:56,960 --> 00:20:00,239
Speaker 2: should have been stoned. But in the New Testament it

359
00:20:00,280 --> 00:20:04,560
Speaker 2: tells us to gently restore. The religious leaders had their

360
00:20:04,640 --> 00:20:08,880
Speaker 2: rocks ready to stone carry out this law. Jesus said,

361
00:20:08,880 --> 00:20:12,440
Speaker 2: in effect, this is a new day. No more stoning

362
00:20:12,520 --> 00:20:15,119
Speaker 2: for sins. There's mercy for your sins.

363
00:20:15,960 --> 00:20:16,160
Speaker 1: Now.

364
00:20:16,160 --> 00:20:19,760
Speaker 2: My question are you living under the Old Testament or

365
00:20:19,760 --> 00:20:24,680
Speaker 2: the New Testament? Are you trying to condemn, expose, cancel,

366
00:20:25,040 --> 00:20:26,680
Speaker 2: or are you gently restoring?

367
00:20:27,280 --> 00:20:30,160
Speaker 1: Covering healing? Years ago?

368
00:20:30,880 --> 00:20:34,360
Speaker 2: There was a minister that had a failure in his marriage,

369
00:20:34,359 --> 00:20:38,159
Speaker 2: and it's a very public ordeal. Big controversy in the

370
00:20:38,200 --> 00:20:40,040
Speaker 2: press went on for months and months.

371
00:20:40,680 --> 00:20:42,440
Speaker 1: At one point, another.

372
00:20:42,200 --> 00:20:46,880
Speaker 2: Minister that was very well known criticized this minister, told

373
00:20:46,920 --> 00:20:51,040
Speaker 2: how he was a disgrace, should be disqualified never again

374
00:20:51,080 --> 00:20:51,840
Speaker 2: in ministry.

375
00:20:52,600 --> 00:20:54,199
Speaker 1: So hard and condemning.

376
00:20:54,480 --> 00:20:58,160
Speaker 2: He picked up the rocks through stone after stone, made

377
00:20:58,200 --> 00:20:59,640
Speaker 2: sure he would get knocked down.

378
00:21:00,200 --> 00:21:03,600
Speaker 1: That's what happened. The other minister faded away.

379
00:21:03,800 --> 00:21:07,200
Speaker 2: But when you judge something harshly and you're gonna let

380
00:21:07,240 --> 00:21:11,399
Speaker 2: people have it, then what you're judging can infect you.

381
00:21:12,520 --> 00:21:15,399
Speaker 2: That's why it's so important to keep your heart of

382
00:21:15,480 --> 00:21:19,720
Speaker 2: compassion open. When I'm tempted to be judgmental, hand they're

383
00:21:19,760 --> 00:21:20,800
Speaker 2: getting what they deserve.

384
00:21:21,400 --> 00:21:24,200
Speaker 1: Always come back to that thought. But for the grace

385
00:21:24,240 --> 00:21:25,480
Speaker 1: of God, that could be me.

386
00:21:26,600 --> 00:21:30,520
Speaker 2: Instead of criticizing and adding fuel to the fire, I'm

387
00:21:30,520 --> 00:21:33,199
Speaker 2: gonna let them know that I'm praying for them, that

388
00:21:33,280 --> 00:21:36,080
Speaker 2: I believe in them, that God knows how to restore.

389
00:21:36,920 --> 00:21:39,880
Speaker 2: I'm not gonna live under the old testaments. We got

390
00:21:39,920 --> 00:21:43,200
Speaker 2: a stone them. I'm putting down my rocks. No stone's

391
00:21:43,240 --> 00:21:46,040
Speaker 2: coming from me. I'm gonna live in the New Testament.

392
00:21:46,240 --> 00:21:48,120
Speaker 1: I'm in the healing business.

393
00:21:48,119 --> 00:21:51,680
Speaker 2: Lifting the falling, restoring the broken, showing.

394
00:21:51,400 --> 00:21:55,479
Speaker 1: Mercy to the guilty. And that minister that was so harsh.

395
00:21:55,880 --> 00:21:57,960
Speaker 1: A few years later, he.

396
00:21:57,920 --> 00:22:01,640
Speaker 2: Was involved in an even bigger content where he got

397
00:22:01,680 --> 00:22:04,200
Speaker 2: off course in a relationship and he had to step

398
00:22:04,240 --> 00:22:08,879
Speaker 2: down from the ministry. When you judge things harshly, you

399
00:22:08,920 --> 00:22:12,400
Speaker 2: don't give people any room to be human. That spirit

400
00:22:12,640 --> 00:22:16,600
Speaker 2: is getting off on you. You know what keeps you free, mercy,

401
00:22:17,440 --> 00:22:20,800
Speaker 2: Be in a safe place when you're helping those that

402
00:22:20,840 --> 00:22:21,320
Speaker 2: are falling.

403
00:22:21,960 --> 00:22:23,240
Speaker 1: That's the heart of God.

404
00:22:24,359 --> 00:22:27,399
Speaker 2: The mob is going to expose, The crowd is going

405
00:22:27,520 --> 00:22:31,040
Speaker 2: to throw rocks. Don't fall into that trap. I mean

406
00:22:31,080 --> 00:22:33,399
Speaker 2: half the things we hear today are not even true.

407
00:22:34,200 --> 00:22:38,120
Speaker 2: We make judgments based on social media. People that want

408
00:22:38,160 --> 00:22:42,440
Speaker 2: to discredit. Some people make a living trying to expose

409
00:22:42,600 --> 00:22:48,320
Speaker 2: and distort, mischaracterize. That's the mob joining them is only

410
00:22:48,359 --> 00:22:51,480
Speaker 2: going to bring you harm. Get on God's side, put

411
00:22:51,480 --> 00:22:54,960
Speaker 2: those rocks down, and be a safe place. I heard

412
00:22:54,960 --> 00:22:58,000
Speaker 2: a story about a college student named Bill, and he

413
00:22:58,119 --> 00:23:01,600
Speaker 2: was known on campus for his wife and the way

414
00:23:01,640 --> 00:23:02,320
Speaker 2: he dressed.

415
00:23:02,800 --> 00:23:06,120
Speaker 1: He wore an old T shirt and blue jeans sandals.

416
00:23:06,640 --> 00:23:08,159
Speaker 1: Like a hippie from the seventies.

417
00:23:08,720 --> 00:23:12,159
Speaker 2: He was always experimenting with drugs and smoking weed.

418
00:23:12,680 --> 00:23:15,240
Speaker 1: He was a good student, but he was far out there.

419
00:23:16,240 --> 00:23:20,719
Speaker 2: One day he attended a campus ministry event, felt something

420
00:23:20,720 --> 00:23:23,119
Speaker 2: he had never felt, and he made a decision to

421
00:23:23,160 --> 00:23:26,560
Speaker 2: give his life to Christ. They encouraged him to get

422
00:23:26,600 --> 00:23:29,640
Speaker 2: into a good church. Well, there was one right across

423
00:23:29,680 --> 00:23:33,040
Speaker 2: the street from the campus. Was a very formal church,

424
00:23:33,440 --> 00:23:38,560
Speaker 2: very prestigious, and everyone dressed in their finest clothes that Sunday.

425
00:23:39,000 --> 00:23:41,639
Speaker 2: He got there a few minutes late and couldn't find

426
00:23:41,640 --> 00:23:45,919
Speaker 2: a seat. The small auditorium was packed. As the minister

427
00:23:46,119 --> 00:23:49,520
Speaker 2: was speaking. Bill began to walk slowly down the center

428
00:23:49,600 --> 00:23:54,240
Speaker 2: aisle in his T shirt, blue jeans, flip flops, trying

429
00:23:54,280 --> 00:23:55,040
Speaker 2: to find a seat.

430
00:23:55,640 --> 00:23:58,960
Speaker 1: Everyone was intently watching. Got all the way to the

431
00:23:59,000 --> 00:23:59,479
Speaker 1: front row.

432
00:24:00,040 --> 00:24:02,679
Speaker 2: There were still no seats, so he sat down on

433
00:24:02,720 --> 00:24:06,119
Speaker 2: the floor right in the center of the altar. You

434
00:24:06,119 --> 00:24:08,480
Speaker 2: could hear the gasp in the crowd. They had never

435
00:24:08,520 --> 00:24:11,960
Speaker 2: seen anything like this. All of a sudden, the head

436
00:24:12,040 --> 00:24:15,359
Speaker 2: deacon got up from the back of the auditorium and

437
00:24:15,440 --> 00:24:19,239
Speaker 2: started walking toward Bill. He was in his eighties, a

438
00:24:19,359 --> 00:24:24,439
Speaker 2: very distinguished man, silver hair and glasses, impeccably dressed. He

439
00:24:24,520 --> 00:24:27,879
Speaker 2: walked slowly down the aisle with his cane. There was

440
00:24:27,920 --> 00:24:31,560
Speaker 2: such a commotion that the minister stopped his sermon to

441
00:24:31,640 --> 00:24:32,800
Speaker 2: wait for the man to get.

442
00:24:32,760 --> 00:24:33,320
Speaker 1: To the front.

443
00:24:33,840 --> 00:24:37,199
Speaker 2: Everyone was thinking, you can't blame him for wanting to

444
00:24:37,280 --> 00:24:39,600
Speaker 2: correct the situation and remove.

445
00:24:39,320 --> 00:24:40,080
Speaker 1: This young man.

446
00:24:41,000 --> 00:24:44,080
Speaker 2: But when he finally reached Bill, he laid down his

447
00:24:44,240 --> 00:24:48,800
Speaker 2: cane and with great difficulty, lowered himself to the floor

448
00:24:49,160 --> 00:24:52,960
Speaker 2: and sat next to Bill so he wouldn't be there alone.

449
00:24:53,119 --> 00:24:55,440
Speaker 1: The place erupted in applause.

450
00:24:56,000 --> 00:24:59,280
Speaker 2: The minister said, the sermon I preached today you'll forget

451
00:24:59,359 --> 00:25:01,960
Speaker 2: in a week or two, but the sermon you just

452
00:25:02,040 --> 00:25:03,920
Speaker 2: saw you'll remember.

453
00:25:03,520 --> 00:25:06,119
Speaker 1: For a lifetime. Be a safe place.

454
00:25:06,880 --> 00:25:10,560
Speaker 2: Look at people through eyes of compassion, not eyes of judgment.

455
00:25:11,359 --> 00:25:14,600
Speaker 2: You don't know their story. We see what people do,

456
00:25:14,800 --> 00:25:17,840
Speaker 2: but we don't know why they do it. Some are

457
00:25:17,840 --> 00:25:20,920
Speaker 2: dealing with things we've never had to deal with, carrying

458
00:25:20,960 --> 00:25:26,200
Speaker 2: heavy loads, burdened by mistakes, trying to break generational baggage.

459
00:25:26,800 --> 00:25:31,000
Speaker 2: Let's be healers, Let's be lifters. Jesus said, you are

460
00:25:31,040 --> 00:25:33,920
Speaker 2: the light of the world. A city on a hill

461
00:25:34,400 --> 00:25:39,000
Speaker 2: that cannot be hidden. You're a city that cannot be hidden.

462
00:25:39,200 --> 00:25:43,760
Speaker 2: You're impacting people all around you. The question is what

463
00:25:43,880 --> 00:25:47,359
Speaker 2: kind of city are you? I'm asking you to be

464
00:25:47,440 --> 00:25:51,600
Speaker 2: a city of refuge, not a city of guilt, city

465
00:25:51,600 --> 00:25:54,040
Speaker 2: a condemnation, a city that cancels.

466
00:25:54,680 --> 00:25:58,040
Speaker 1: Nobody wants to live in those cities. Make sure your

467
00:25:58,119 --> 00:26:01,919
Speaker 1: city is full of mercy, compassion, forgiveness.

468
00:26:02,359 --> 00:26:05,920
Speaker 2: Be a person that gently restores, that lists the father

469
00:26:06,640 --> 00:26:08,679
Speaker 2: and I know we're gonna be tempted to condemn, to

470
00:26:08,720 --> 00:26:10,600
Speaker 2: find fault, put the rocks down.

471
00:26:11,160 --> 00:26:12,920
Speaker 1: We're not the judge, we're the healers.

472
00:26:13,240 --> 00:26:16,919
Speaker 2: We're the ones to love people back into wholeness. If

473
00:26:16,960 --> 00:26:20,520
Speaker 2: you'll be a safe place, I believe and declare there

474
00:26:20,560 --> 00:26:23,480
Speaker 2: will always be mercy for you and.

475
00:26:23,440 --> 00:26:27,080
Speaker 1: Your children in their time of need. God will cover.

476
00:26:27,000 --> 00:26:31,240
Speaker 2: You, protect you, restore you, and you will become all

477
00:26:31,520 --> 00:26:33,040
Speaker 2: that He's created you to be.

478
00:26:33,480 --> 00:26:36,840
Speaker 1: In Jesus' name, And if you receive it, can you

479
00:26:36,920 --> 00:26:37,480
Speaker 1: say amen?

480
00:26:39,080 --> 00:26:41,880
Speaker 2: I'd like to give you an opportunity to make Jesus

481
00:26:41,920 --> 00:26:43,040
Speaker 2: the lord of your life.

482
00:26:43,440 --> 00:26:47,320
Speaker 1: Would you pray with me? Just say, Lord Jesus, I

483
00:26:47,480 --> 00:26:51,280
Speaker 1: repent of my sins. Come into my heart. I make

484
00:26:51,320 --> 00:26:52,880
Speaker 1: you my Lord and Savior.

485
00:26:53,640 --> 00:26:56,200
Speaker 2: If you prayed that simple prayer, we believe you got

486
00:26:56,240 --> 00:26:59,440
Speaker 2: born again. We'd love to send you some free information

487
00:26:59,560 --> 00:27:01,919
Speaker 2: on your new walk with the Lord. You can go

488
00:27:02,000 --> 00:27:04,760
Speaker 2: to the website or text the number on the screen,

489
00:27:05,280 --> 00:27:07,840
Speaker 2: but I hope you'll get into a good Bible based

490
00:27:07,920 --> 00:27:10,359
Speaker 2: church and keep God first place.

491
00:27:12,200 --> 00:27:14,400
Speaker 4: It's easy to let the day get away from us

492
00:27:14,480 --> 00:27:17,439
Speaker 4: before the day even starts. The first few minutes of

493
00:27:17,480 --> 00:27:20,640
Speaker 4: your morning are more powerful than you might think. Life

494
00:27:20,760 --> 00:27:23,720
Speaker 4: moves really fast sometimes, and it can be easy to

495
00:27:23,760 --> 00:27:27,080
Speaker 4: begin each day by zeroing in on your problems. But

496
00:27:27,160 --> 00:27:28,040
Speaker 4: here's the truth.

497
00:27:28,840 --> 00:27:31,280
Speaker 2: How you start the day can determine what kind of

498
00:27:31,359 --> 00:27:33,400
Speaker 2: day it's going to be. And I'd love to send

499
00:27:33,400 --> 00:27:35,480
Speaker 2: you my devotional three minute mornings.

500
00:27:35,600 --> 00:27:37,240
Speaker 1: Start your day the blessed way.

501
00:27:37,440 --> 00:27:39,919
Speaker 3: Three minutes doesn't seem like a lot of time, but

502
00:27:40,000 --> 00:27:42,440
Speaker 3: when you put God first place and get your mind

503
00:27:42,480 --> 00:27:45,080
Speaker 3: going in the right direction, is setting the tone for

504
00:27:45,160 --> 00:27:46,920
Speaker 3: a blessed, productive day.

505
00:27:47,160 --> 00:27:47,800
Speaker 1: It's filled with.

506
00:27:47,760 --> 00:27:50,679
Speaker 2: Inspiration and encouragement to help you begin each day with

507
00:27:50,760 --> 00:27:53,359
Speaker 2: a fresh attitude, grateful that you're alive.

508
00:27:53,720 --> 00:27:54,520
Speaker 1: It's amazing what.

509
00:27:54,560 --> 00:27:57,800
Speaker 2: Happens when you take three minutes and speak blessings over

510
00:27:57,840 --> 00:27:59,879
Speaker 2: your life and declaring God's favor.

511
00:28:00,119 --> 00:28:02,280
Speaker 1: Three Minute Mornings is our gift to you.

512
00:28:02,920 --> 00:28:05,280
Speaker 4: As our way of saying thank you for your gift

513
00:28:05,320 --> 00:28:07,760
Speaker 4: of any amount. This month, we would like to send

514
00:28:07,800 --> 00:28:11,360
Speaker 4: you a copy of Joel's new devotional three Minute Mornings.

515
00:28:11,560 --> 00:28:15,320
Speaker 4: Start your day in faith. This powerful book will open

516
00:28:15,320 --> 00:28:19,240
Speaker 4: the pathways to experience God's presence and peace in your life,

517
00:28:19,600 --> 00:28:23,760
Speaker 4: and there you will find renewed energy, assurance, and wisdom

518
00:28:23,840 --> 00:28:27,200
Speaker 4: to face your day. The Bible promises that God is

519
00:28:27,240 --> 00:28:30,560
Speaker 4: a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him, So as

520
00:28:30,600 --> 00:28:33,879
Speaker 4: you pause for only three minutes and take in his

521
00:28:34,040 --> 00:28:37,680
Speaker 4: wonderful promises in this book, you will be positioning yourself

522
00:28:37,800 --> 00:28:40,800
Speaker 4: to receive all the amazing things that God has in

523
00:28:40,840 --> 00:28:44,400
Speaker 4: store for you. Please request your copy today and watch

524
00:28:44,400 --> 00:28:49,640
Speaker 4: anxiety turn to divine answers, weakness to strength, problems to

525
00:28:49,720 --> 00:28:55,960
Speaker 4: renewed possibilities, frustrations to God's favor. Yes, only three minutes

526
00:28:56,000 --> 00:28:57,960
Speaker 4: will transform your entire day.

527
00:28:58,720 --> 00:29:00,840
Speaker 2: From the Tama is a little boy boy, my parents

528
00:29:00,920 --> 00:29:03,800
Speaker 2: taught me the value of starting the day off in faith.

529
00:29:04,120 --> 00:29:07,440
Speaker 2: Three Minute Mornings will help you do just that. Victoria

530
00:29:07,440 --> 00:29:10,400
Speaker 2: and I pray for you every day for God's very best.

531
00:29:10,920 --> 00:29:13,200
Speaker 2: We want to thank you for your prayer and support.

532
00:29:13,520 --> 00:29:17,000
Speaker 2: You're impacting people all over the world. A special thank

533
00:29:17,120 --> 00:29:20,200
Speaker 2: you to our Champion of Hope partners for your monthly support.

534
00:29:20,600 --> 00:29:23,560
Speaker 2: If you're not a partner, I hope you'll consider becoming one.

535
00:29:24,040 --> 00:29:25,160
Speaker 1: Remember you can watch.

536
00:29:24,960 --> 00:29:29,280
Speaker 2: The services online every Sunday morning, download our daily podcast,

537
00:29:29,720 --> 00:29:33,280
Speaker 2: listen on Serious Exam, watch our YouTube channel and the

538
00:29:33,360 --> 00:29:37,320
Speaker 2: Joel Ostein Network streaming on television twenty four hours a day,

539
00:29:37,800 --> 00:29:38,960
Speaker 2: and until we see you again.

540
00:29:39,280 --> 00:29:41,120
Speaker 1: May the Lord bless you and keep you.

541
00:29:41,960 --> 00:29:44,960
Speaker 4: Be sure to request your copy of three Minute Mornings

542
00:29:45,120 --> 00:29:48,880
Speaker 4: Start your day in faith. Visit Joelostein dot com or

543
00:29:48,960 --> 00:29:52,800
Speaker 4: call eight eight eight five six seven Joel for an

544
00:29:52,800 --> 00:29:56,360
Speaker 4: additional donation. This month, we are also offering the Faith

545
00:29:56,400 --> 00:30:00,280
Speaker 4: and Freedom Bundle. You'll receive an additional devotion all with

546
00:30:00,440 --> 00:30:04,000
Speaker 4: daily wisdom to guide you in living with favor, focus

547
00:30:04,200 --> 00:30:08,200
Speaker 4: and freedom. Also available, our Morning Power and Peace Collection

548
00:30:08,560 --> 00:30:13,520
Speaker 4: includes Power, Provision and Peace, beautifully bound and timeless elegance.

549
00:30:13,880 --> 00:30:18,200
Speaker 4: This dynamic New Testament the Passion Translation helps you walk

550
00:30:18,280 --> 00:30:22,480
Speaker 4: in God's best. You can request these inspiring resources by

551
00:30:22,560 --> 00:30:26,160
Speaker 4: calling eight eight eight five six seven Joel or logging

552
00:30:26,200 --> 00:30:30,640
Speaker 4: on to jolostein dot com today, Call or click any time,

553
00:30:30,880 --> 00:30:35,400
Speaker 4: twenty four hours a day. Be inspired every morning. Request

554
00:30:35,440 --> 00:30:36,520
Speaker 4: your copies today