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Speaker 1: Hi, this is Joel and Victoria. Thanks for listening to

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Speaker 1: our podcast and thanks for supporting the ministry. If you

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Speaker 1: enjoy today's message, why don't you be a blessing and

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Speaker 1: share it with a friend, reappreciate you and pray for

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Speaker 1: God's very best in your life. Well, God bless you.

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Speaker 1: It's a joy to come into your homes and we

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Speaker 1: loved you and we're believing for God's very best in

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Speaker 1: your life. If you're ever in our area, I hope

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Speaker 1: you'll come out and see us. I promise you we'll

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Speaker 1: make you feel right at home. But thanks for tuning

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Speaker 1: in today. I like to get started with something funny,

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Speaker 1: and I heard about this minister that bought a new

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Speaker 1: horse and he trained it to respond to praise the

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Speaker 1: Lord meaning giddy up, and Hallelujah meaning woe. His friends

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Speaker 1: were so impressed. Every time he said praise the Lord,

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Speaker 1: the horse would take off running, he'd say hallelujah, and

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Speaker 1: it would quickly stop. Well, one day he was out

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Speaker 1: riding and the horse got spooked and headed straight toward

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Speaker 1: a cliff. The man yelled out whoa, whoa, but he

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Speaker 1: didn't respond. He then remembered he'd taught it something different,

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Speaker 1: but he couldn't remember what it was. He yelled out, Amen, Glory,

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Speaker 1: bless God. Nothing happened. Finally, right when the horse got

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Speaker 1: to the edge of the cliff, he yelled out Hallelujah,

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Speaker 1: and the horse came to a screeching halt. He breathed

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Speaker 1: a sigh of relief and said, Praise the Lord. All right,

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Speaker 1: hold up your bibles. Say it like you mean it.

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Speaker 1: This is my Bible. I am what it says I am.

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Speaker 1: I have what it says I have. I can do

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Speaker 1: what it says I can do. Today I will be

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Speaker 1: taught the word of God. I boldly confess. My mind

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Speaker 1: is alert, my heart is receptive. I will never be

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Speaker 1: the same. In Jesus' name, God bless you. I want

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Speaker 1: to talk to you today about not losing your joy.

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Speaker 1: Every day we have opportunities to get upset, to go

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Speaker 1: around stressed out. Life is full of inconveniences. People don't

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Speaker 1: always do what they should, our plans don't always work

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Speaker 1: out constantly. Something that can steal our joy. People traffic, disappointments,

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Speaker 1: and if we're going to live in victory, we have

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Speaker 1: to have the right approach to life. And at the

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Speaker 1: first part of every day. We need to make a

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Speaker 1: decision that, no matter what comes against us, we are

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Speaker 1: not going to get upset. It's good to have plans,

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Speaker 1: but we should submit our plans to God and just say, God,

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Speaker 1: this is what I would like to accomplish today, this

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Speaker 1: is what I would like to get done. But God,

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Speaker 1: I know you're in control. So I submit my plans

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Speaker 1: to you, and I make a decision in advance no

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Speaker 1: matter what comes my way, I'm going to stay in peace,

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Speaker 1: knowing that you are directing my steps and that all

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Speaker 1: things are going to work together for my good. If

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Speaker 1: you'll learn to submit your plans to God and decide

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Speaker 1: in advance to stay in peace, then when things come

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Speaker 1: against you, it's no big deal. You've already made up

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Speaker 1: your mind. That's not going to sell my joy. I

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Speaker 1: like to pray every morning Father, thank you that you've

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Speaker 1: given me the grace to handle whatever comes my way.

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Speaker 1: And when those inconveniences come, when our plans don't work out,

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Speaker 1: when somebody irritates us, the first decision we should make

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Speaker 1: is I am not going to get upset. I'm not

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Speaker 1: going to lose my joy. I have the power to

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Speaker 1: stay in peace. That's what the scripture says. No man

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Speaker 1: can take your joy. That means no person can make

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Speaker 1: you be unhappy. No circumstance can force you to get upset.

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Speaker 1: It's totally up to you. You have complete control of

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Speaker 1: how peaceful and how happy you want to live. And

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Speaker 1: one of the keys to enjoy in life is you

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Speaker 1: have to take responsibility for your own happiness. I hear

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Speaker 1: so many excuses. I'd be happy if my spouse would

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Speaker 1: treat me better. I'd be happy if I didn't have

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Speaker 1: to work around so many negative people, or if I

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Speaker 1: didn't have these problems, these challenges, then I wouldn't be

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Speaker 1: so stressed out. No, you can be happy right where

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Speaker 1: you are. You may be in a difficult situation. It

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Speaker 1: may not seem fair, but God has armed you with

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Speaker 1: strength for every battle. He said he would never let

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Speaker 1: you go through more than you can handle. You can

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Speaker 1: have joy right there in the midst of that adversity

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Speaker 1: if you'll simply have the right approach. Jesus put it

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Speaker 1: this way in John fourteen twenty seven. Stop allowing yourself

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Speaker 1: to be upset and disturbed. Notice it's a decision we

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Speaker 1: have to make. One of the best things that I've

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Speaker 1: ever learned is I don't have to have my way

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Speaker 1: in order to be happy. My plans don't have to

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Speaker 1: work out in order for me to have a good day.

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Speaker 1: I've already made up my mind. I'm going to enjoy

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Speaker 1: this day even if things don't go my way. I'm

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Speaker 1: going to be happy, even if somebody doesn't like my sermon.

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Speaker 1: God forbid, I'm gonna have a good attitude even if

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Speaker 1: I have a flat tire on the way home. And

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Speaker 1: when we have this kind of approach, all these things

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Speaker 1: that have the potential to upset us, maybe at one

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Speaker 1: time they frustrated you, they won't upset you anymore. And

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Speaker 1: some of you need to draw that line in the

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Speaker 1: sand and say that's it. I'm done with letting people

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Speaker 1: and circumstances and traffic and neighbors and disappointments always upset me.

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Speaker 1: I refuse to give away my joy anymore. I'm gonna

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Speaker 1: live my life happy. Well, you say, Joel, I've got

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Speaker 1: a lot of things coming against me, a lot of challenges,

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Speaker 1: and my spouse kind of gets on my nerves, and

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Speaker 1: my boss aggravates me. Traffic is horrible. Know those circumstances

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Speaker 1: are not really your problem. It's your approach. You keep

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Speaker 1: giving away your joy because you could take someone with

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Speaker 1: the right attitude and put them in your same situation,

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Speaker 1: and they wouldn't be stressed, they wouldn't be uptight, they

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Speaker 1: would still be enjoying their life. Why is that they

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Speaker 1: have the right approach. They know that God is in control,

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Speaker 1: They know their steps are being ordered by the Lord.

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Speaker 1: They know all things are ultimately going to work together

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Speaker 1: for their good. In other words, they've trained themselves to

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Speaker 1: stay in peace. We have to recognize we can't control

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Speaker 1: the traffic, we can't control what our neighbor does or

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Speaker 1: how our boss treats us. But we can control our

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Speaker 1: approach to life. That's where the power lies, not in

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Speaker 1: being able to control all of our circumstances, but in

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Speaker 1: being able to control our own attitude and rise above

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Speaker 1: those negative circumstances. I think it's interesting the apostle Paul

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Speaker 1: never prayed for people to be delivered from their problems.

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Speaker 1: He prayed that God would give them the strength to

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Speaker 1: go through them with a good attitude. A lot of

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Speaker 1: times we think, God, if you had just changed these

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Speaker 1: people that are aggravating me, But if you just make

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Speaker 1: my child straighten up or God, if you just move

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Speaker 1: my boss to another planet. God, if you deliver me

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Speaker 1: from these people, then I could be happy. But the

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Speaker 1: truth is those people may not ever change. I hope

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Speaker 1: they do. But even if they don't, if you will change,

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Speaker 1: if you will make an adjustment, it doesn't have to

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Speaker 1: upset you anymore. You have the power right now to

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Speaker 1: live a joy filled, faith filled, peace filled life. But

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Speaker 1: you've got to come to that point where you say, God,

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Speaker 1: even if it never changes, it's not going to steal

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Speaker 1: my joy. I know you've got me in the palm

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Speaker 1: of your hand. I know you've always got my best

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Speaker 1: interests at heart. So God, I'm totally trusting you. Anything

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Speaker 1: you have to have in order to be happy is

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Speaker 1: something the enemy can use against you. If you think

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Speaker 1: you have to get married in order to be happy,

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Speaker 1: not only are you in for a pleasant surprise, I said,

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Speaker 1: a pleasant surprise, but the enemy can use that against you.

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Speaker 1: If you think your boss has to change before you

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Speaker 1: can enjoy your work, you'll go year after year dreading it,

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Speaker 1: thinking that's why you can't be happy. Now throw out

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Speaker 1: all those excuses. You can be happy right where you are.

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Speaker 1: I know people that are facing life threatening diseases in

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Speaker 1: the natural. If anyone had a right to be kind

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Speaker 1: of down, it would be them. But they've got a

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Speaker 1: smile on their face. They're in peace, fighting the good

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Speaker 1: fight of faith. And when we have to have something,

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Speaker 1: it's a sure sign that we're out of balance. Most

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Speaker 1: of the time, that's only going to cause God to

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Speaker 1: delay that from coming to pass. And it's good to

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Speaker 1: have hopes and dreams. It's good to get up each

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Speaker 1: day believing and expecting. But what I'm saying is, don't

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Speaker 1: wait for those things to enjoy your life and be happy.

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Speaker 1: This is the day the Lord has made, not tomorrow,

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Speaker 1: not when all your dreams come to pass, not when

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Speaker 1: all the negative people are changed, but today. Understand, God

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Speaker 1: has you exactly where he wants you, and if you'll

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Speaker 1: learn to be happy where you are, God will get

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Speaker 1: you to where you want to be. He's promised he

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Speaker 1: will give you the desires of your heart. If there's

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Speaker 1: something that you really want, I would encourage you to

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Speaker 1: just put it on the altar, just say God, I

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Speaker 1: would really love to have this. God, you know the

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Speaker 1: desire you put in me. I would love to get married.

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Speaker 1: I'd love to see my spouse change. I would love

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Speaker 1: to get that promotion, but God, I'm not waiting on

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Speaker 1: that to be happy. I'm happy right where you have me.

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Speaker 1: That's the kind of attitude God's looking for. Somebody came

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Speaker 1: up to me a while back and she was kind

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Speaker 1: of bent out of shape. She said, Joel, my boss

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Speaker 1: doesn't give me the credit that I deserve. He overlooks me,

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Speaker 1: and it's not fair and it's very upsetting. I told

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Speaker 1: her what I'm telling you allow other people to steal

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Speaker 1: your joy. You can't make your boss do what's right.

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Speaker 1: You can't change that man. You should have the attitude

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Speaker 1: it doesn't matter what my boss does or doesn't do.

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Speaker 1: I'm not working under him. I'm working under God. Now.

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Speaker 1: I'm gonna keep a smile on my face. I'm gonna

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Speaker 1: be happy anyway, knowing that God's gonna make it up

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Speaker 1: to me. And if you'll have that kind of approach,

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Speaker 1: not only will you enjoy your life more, but God

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Speaker 1: will fight your battles for you. He'll make sure you

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Speaker 1: get everything that you deserve. But we cannot wait for

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Speaker 1: other people to change. We have to change. I know

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Speaker 1: this man that struggled in his marriage for years and years.

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Speaker 1: He and his wife don't see eye to eye on

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Speaker 1: certain issues, and she won't come to church with him.

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Speaker 1: For the longest time. This had him down and discouraged.

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Speaker 1: I saw him a while back and ask him how

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Speaker 1: everything was going, and he seemed to be very upbeat.

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Speaker 1: He said, Joy, everything's going great. I'm really enjoying my

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Speaker 1: life life. And I thought for sure that he and

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Speaker 1: his wife were getting along better and they'd resolved all

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Speaker 1: those issues, but he said, no, my wife is just

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Speaker 1: the same. We still don't see out of eye. She

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Speaker 1: still won't come to church with me. But he said

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Speaker 1: something very interesting. He said, Joel, she hasn't changed, but

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Speaker 1: I've changed. I don't let that upset me anymore. I

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Speaker 1: don't let that steal my joy. That's what I'm talking about.

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Speaker 1: Don't allow other people to keep you from being happy.

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Speaker 1: They may do things that irritate you. You may have

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Speaker 1: a family member that gets on your nerves night and day,

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Speaker 1: but you've got to make a decision. You're not going

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Speaker 1: to let that get under your skin, and you're going

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Speaker 1: to enjoy your life anyway. Because let me tell you,

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Speaker 1: if you let other people and your circumstances keep you

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Speaker 1: from being happy. There will always be something to steal

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Speaker 1: your joy, some of you today. If you don't draw

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Speaker 1: that line, you'll go the next twenty years letting someone

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Speaker 1: control you and keep you down and discouraged. I found, unfortunately,

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Speaker 1: some people don't really want to be happy. They want

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Speaker 1: discipline themselves to make right choices, and so they just

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Speaker 1: live in the pits, are defeated and depressed. And understand,

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Speaker 1: you can't change people. You can encourage them, you can

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Speaker 1: speak faith into them, but ultimately you cannot make them

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Speaker 1: do what's right. And I say this respectfully, but you're

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Speaker 1: not responsible for their happiness. You're responsible for your own happiness,

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Speaker 1: and you need to have the attitude. Have the attitude.

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Speaker 1: If you don't want to be happy, that's fine, but

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Speaker 1: you're not gonna keep me from being happy. If you

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Speaker 1: want to live in the pits, that's okay, but I'm

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Speaker 1: not gonna get in there with you. I'm gonna enjoy

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Speaker 1: my life. Sometimes we have to love people from a distance.

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Speaker 1: You may have you laugh because you know it's true.

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Speaker 1: You may have family members, relatives, friends, love them. They're

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Speaker 1: good people, but you can't be around them every minute.

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Speaker 1: You can be kind, you can be respectful, But you

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Speaker 1: should not spend all your time with what I call

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Speaker 1: toxic people. That's people that are always negative, people that

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Speaker 1: bring out the worst in you, people that irritates you

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Speaker 1: and always want to argue. The less time you spend

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Speaker 1: with people like that, the better off you're going to be.

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Speaker 1: And I realize sometimes we don't have a choice. You

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Speaker 1: may work with someone or live with someone that just

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Speaker 1: almost on purpose, does things to aggravate you. They feel

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Speaker 1: like it's their calling to make your life miserable. You

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Speaker 1: need to change your approach. The more you let them

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Speaker 1: upset you, the more you let that get under your skin,

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Speaker 1: all you're doing is empowering them. If they can frustrate you,

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Speaker 1: they know they can control you. The next time they

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Speaker 1: do something that would normally upset you, just stay in peace,

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Speaker 1: don't give in. If they're rude to you, just keep

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Speaker 1: a smile on your face. If they leave you out,

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Speaker 1: overlook you on purpose. Don't let it bother you. Don't

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Speaker 1: go call your friends, don't give it the time of day.

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Speaker 1: When you rise above that and keep your joy, you're

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Speaker 1: not fueling it anymore. In other words, you're taking away

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Speaker 1: their power. But as long as they know they can

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Speaker 1: push this button and upset you, and this button and

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Speaker 1: you'll come running and this button and it'll sour your day.

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Speaker 1: Then they're going to keep doing that. Well, you say, Joe,

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Speaker 1: I can't help it. They aggravate me, they get on

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Speaker 1: my nerves. No, we can't help it. The scripture says

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Speaker 1: in Psalms, God has given us the power to stay

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Speaker 1: calm in times of adversity. Here's the key. What you

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Speaker 1: feed is going to grow. You have to quit feeding

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Speaker 1: those wrong emotions. In other words, the next time you

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Speaker 1: get stuck in traffic and you're tempted to get upset,

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Speaker 1: don't feed it. The next time a co worker is

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Speaker 1: rude to you and you're a tempted to let it

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Speaker 1: sour your day, overlook it. Don't let it steal your joy.

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Speaker 1: If you'll quit feeding those wrong feelings, they will get

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Speaker 1: weaker and weaker, and eventually they won't affect you anymore.

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Speaker 1: When Victoria and I first got married some twenty years ago,

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Speaker 1: we would do things that kind of irritate each other,

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Speaker 1: not on purpose. We just have different personalities, and if

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Speaker 1: we're not careful, we'll blow things out of proportion. Little

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Speaker 1: things will turn into big things. We have to learn

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Speaker 1: to adapt and adjust, and we can't wait for others

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Speaker 1: to change. We have to change. For instance, when I

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Speaker 1: have somewhere to go, I like to leave maybe fifteen

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Speaker 1: minutes early, so I have plenty of time and can

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Speaker 1: just relax. Victoria is just the opposite. She'll leave fifteen

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Speaker 1: minutes late and make it up on the freeway. We're

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Speaker 1: just different. Actually, she doesn't speed. She's a very good driver.

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Speaker 1: If you see me writing with her, that helmet I

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Speaker 1: wear is just a safety for caution. But on Sunday

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Speaker 1: mornings we take different cars to church. Not for that

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Speaker 1: reason because I stay late, but I used to get

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Speaker 1: so stressed out thinking that she wasn't going to get

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Speaker 1: here on time, And so before I left, I'd tell her, Victoria,

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Speaker 1: you got to leave it this time, and there may

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Speaker 1: be traffic and this is very important. On and on,

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Speaker 1: just kind of nagging her. And when it got time

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Speaker 1: for the service to start, I would wait for at

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Speaker 1: the back door. I'd ask Johnny, give me an update,

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Speaker 1: See if you can see her. He'd open the door,

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Speaker 1: look down East Houston Road, see if we can see

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Speaker 1: her car. I was so uptight about it, But the

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Speaker 1: fact is I can't ever remember one time that she

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Speaker 1: missed our part at the very beginning of the service. Now,

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Speaker 1: there were times she'd pull up during the opening song,

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Speaker 1: but she made it up here. But one day I

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Speaker 1: decided to do what I'm asking you to do. I

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Speaker 1: changed my approach. I quit nagging her, I quit trying

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Speaker 1: to change her, and I let her be who God

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Speaker 1: made her to be. Now that thing that used to

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Speaker 1: stress me doesn't bother me at all. In fact, it's funny.

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Speaker 1: When I quit letting that upset me, that's when she

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Speaker 1: started coming earlier and earlier. Sometimes Now she'll beat me

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Speaker 1: here by thirty minutes. God is a god of miracles.

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Speaker 1: But what am I saying. What I'm saying is I changed.

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Speaker 1: And even now when she's running late and I'm tempted

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Speaker 1: to get upset, I just remind myself, even if she

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Speaker 1: doesn't make it on time, even if she doesn't get

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Speaker 1: all her makeup put on driving down the freeway, that's

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Speaker 1: not gonna sour my day. I've learned to relax and

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Speaker 1: just go with the flow. But I've seen people they

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Speaker 1: go year after year letting the same things upset them.

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Speaker 1: Every time they get caught in traffic. They respond a

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Speaker 1: certain way. Every time their spouse does a certain thing,

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Speaker 1: they lose their joy. It's sours their day. Or if

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Speaker 1: they don't get enough done at the office at work,

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Speaker 1: they come home all frustrated. Don't let that be you

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Speaker 1: find out what's stealing your joy. Take inventory of your life.

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Speaker 1: What are you allowing to upset you, what's causing you

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Speaker 1: to go through the day stressed out? Identify what it is,

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Speaker 1: and then make a decision that you're going to change

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Speaker 1: your approach in those areas. After all, if you get

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Speaker 1: caught in traffic, getting upset is not going to make

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Speaker 1: it go any faster. If someone's rude to us, being

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Speaker 1: rude back to them is only going to sour our

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Speaker 1: own day. If our plans don't work out, Let's stay

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Speaker 1: in peace instead of getting upset, knowing that God is

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Speaker 1: still directing our steps. He still got us exactly where

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Speaker 1: he wants us. I was driving in a crowded parking

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Speaker 1: lot the other day, just going around and around. This

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Speaker 1: was in another state, looking for a place to park,

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Speaker 1: and this couple came out of the building walking toward

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Speaker 1: their car, and I had to guess which hole there

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Speaker 1: were going to be parked down. I turned down this

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Speaker 1: one aisle and it just so happened it was the

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Speaker 1: right one, and they were parked at the spot closest

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Speaker 1: to the door, right up front, so you know me,

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Speaker 1: I was just thanking God for his favor and just

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Speaker 1: waiting for them to back out. When they backed out,

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00:19:05,880 --> 00:19:08,959
Speaker 1: this man came from the main road and he turned

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Speaker 1: down the wrong direction on that aisle and beat me

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Speaker 1: to that spot. My first inclination was to want to

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Speaker 1: honk and give him a piece of my mind. But

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Speaker 1: then I remembered I'm a pastor and I can't do that.

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Speaker 1: I had to make a decision. I am not going

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Speaker 1: to let this upset me. I thought to myself, I'll

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Speaker 1: give him the parking spot, but I will not give

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Speaker 1: him my joy. When you're tempted to get upset when

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Speaker 1: somebody does you wrong, you have to ask yourself, is

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Speaker 1: this worth giving up my joy over? They've already offended me.

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Speaker 1: Am I going to make it worse and let it

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Speaker 1: sour the rest of my day. Some people don't realize

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Speaker 1: they're constantly giving away their joy. They wonder why they're

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Speaker 1: not happy, It's because they gave it away joy when

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Speaker 1: they couldn't find their car keys in the morning, gave

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Speaker 1: away joy in traffic, gave away joy when they had

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Speaker 1: to work late, gave away more joy when they heard

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Speaker 1: somebody was talking about them. Friends, I'm asking you to

357
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Speaker 1: quit giving away your joy. You need it. Life is

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Speaker 1: too short to let interruptions and inconveniences keep us from

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Speaker 1: being happy. We're never going to get away from them.

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Speaker 1: You can't just pray it all away. It's a part

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Speaker 1: of life. We have to learn to handle it in

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Speaker 1: the right way, and it's very freeing when you understand

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Speaker 1: this principle. I don't have to give away my joy.

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Speaker 1: I can live every day happy if I want to.

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Speaker 1: And I don't mean that we're always jumping up and down.

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Speaker 1: But one definition of joy is calm delight. That means

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Speaker 1: we're at peace. We're at rest, not mad at our

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Speaker 1: spouse and aggravated at the boss and disappointed because our

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Speaker 1: plans didn't work out. Quit giving away your joy. And

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Speaker 1: so I just went on past that parking spot, didn't

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Speaker 1: make a big deal about it, really didn't think about

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Speaker 1: it even anymore. A few minutes later, I found another

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Speaker 1: place to park, and when I was walking toward the building,

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00:21:06,359 --> 00:21:09,439
Speaker 1: this young couple came walking out and they stopped me

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Speaker 1: and told how they had a son in the hospital

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Speaker 1: and they had been reading my book. It was a

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Speaker 1: source of hope and encouragement to them. The lady began

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Speaker 1: to weep and weep. She said, Joel, I know seeing

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Speaker 1: you here is God letting us know that everything is

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Speaker 1: going to be okay. And after we prayed, after we

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00:21:29,760 --> 00:21:33,560
Speaker 1: talked a moment and prayed, I thought about I didn't

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Speaker 1: get the spot that I wanted, but I got the

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Speaker 1: spot that God wanted me to have. God was directing

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Speaker 1: my steps. That wasn't a coincidence. God caused our past

385
00:21:44,960 --> 00:21:48,040
Speaker 1: to come together for a reason. But if i'd been

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Speaker 1: upset and stayed over with that other guy and argued

387
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Speaker 1: tried to set him straight, I probably wouldn't have been

388
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Speaker 1: where I was supposed to be. Friends, God's in control.

389
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Speaker 1: When our plans don't work out, it doesn't mean that

390
00:22:00,320 --> 00:22:03,520
Speaker 1: we're not at the right spot. And if somebody's rude

391
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Speaker 1: to you, if you're attempted to get upset, just take

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00:22:06,119 --> 00:22:09,560
Speaker 1: the high road and stay in peace. God is a

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Speaker 1: god of justice. He sees every wrong that's ever been done.

394
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Speaker 1: And if you'll keep your peace He'll make your wrongs right.

395
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Speaker 1: He'll take what you thought was a set back, what

396
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Speaker 1: you thought was a disadvantage, and he'll turn it around

397
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Speaker 1: and use it to your advantage. Let's learn to pass

398
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Speaker 1: these tests. Don't get set in your ways. There's always

399
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Speaker 1: something that can steal our joy. Now. I know people

400
00:22:32,640 --> 00:22:35,120
Speaker 1: they get stressed every time they have to pay their

401
00:22:35,119 --> 00:22:37,680
Speaker 1: bills each month, or every time they have to clean

402
00:22:37,720 --> 00:22:40,439
Speaker 1: the house, every time they have to work late. And

403
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Speaker 1: if they don't make these adjustments, they'll go the next

404
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Speaker 1: twenty years giving away their joy. I read where there

405
00:22:47,760 --> 00:22:50,680
Speaker 1: are more heart attacks on Monday morning than any other

406
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Speaker 1: time during the week. Why is that people are up tight, stressed,

407
00:22:55,280 --> 00:22:58,840
Speaker 1: dreading going to work, already planning on having a lousy day.

408
00:23:00,560 --> 00:23:04,120
Speaker 1: There's so much sickness in our society is because of stress.

409
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Speaker 1: Ninety percent of all doctor's visits to a primary care

410
00:23:08,760 --> 00:23:13,280
Speaker 1: physician are stress related. I think we'd be amazed at

411
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Speaker 1: how much healthier we would be if we would quit

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Speaker 1: fighting against everything that doesn't go our way. When we

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Speaker 1: really believe that God's in control, we don't have to

414
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Speaker 1: get upset because somebody was rude to us. We don't

415
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Speaker 1: have to be uptight because we didn't get a promotion

416
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Speaker 1: we wanted. We don't have to live worried because we

417
00:23:32,040 --> 00:23:35,520
Speaker 1: got a negative report from a medical doctor. No, we

418
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Speaker 1: know that God has us in the palm of his hand.

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Speaker 1: We know that no weapon formed against us is ever

420
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Speaker 1: going to prosper. When you stay full of joy, it's

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Speaker 1: just like you're taking medicine when you're at peace, When

422
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Speaker 1: you're at rest, it brings health to your whole system.

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Speaker 1: The scripture says this, a relaxed attitude will lengthen your life.

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Speaker 1: I believe many of the headaches and back ache and

425
00:24:00,800 --> 00:24:03,840
Speaker 1: the reason we can't sleep, many of these ailments would

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00:24:03,880 --> 00:24:06,639
Speaker 1: go away if we would just come back to that

427
00:24:06,760 --> 00:24:12,160
Speaker 1: place of peace, not hurried, worried, uptight, stressed out. Some

428
00:24:12,200 --> 00:24:16,560
Speaker 1: people on the inside, they're always fighting. They're always internal

429
00:24:16,640 --> 00:24:20,800
Speaker 1: with something they don't realize. They are giving away the

430
00:24:20,920 --> 00:24:23,400
Speaker 1: very thing that can help keep them healthy. They keep

431
00:24:23,440 --> 00:24:26,840
Speaker 1: giving away their joy. I heard about this man that

432
00:24:26,920 --> 00:24:29,280
Speaker 1: had not been feeling well. He went to see his

433
00:24:29,320 --> 00:24:33,080
Speaker 1: doctor and the doctor said what's wrong. He said, well, doctor, lately,

434
00:24:33,200 --> 00:24:36,400
Speaker 1: i've been getting dizzy and I'm starting to see these

435
00:24:36,440 --> 00:24:40,080
Speaker 1: white spots. The doctor examined him and put him through

436
00:24:40,080 --> 00:24:43,480
Speaker 1: some testing. Several days later called him back and said, sir,

437
00:24:43,560 --> 00:24:45,359
Speaker 1: I hate to tell you this, but you've got a

438
00:24:45,440 --> 00:24:48,960
Speaker 1: rare disease and we think you only have about six

439
00:24:49,000 --> 00:24:52,679
Speaker 1: months to live. The man quit his job, decided to

440
00:24:52,720 --> 00:24:55,479
Speaker 1: travel the world and do all the things he'd always

441
00:24:55,480 --> 00:24:58,240
Speaker 1: hoped to do, spend a lot of time with his family,

442
00:24:58,800 --> 00:25:01,679
Speaker 1: bought a new sports car. One day, he was driving

443
00:25:01,760 --> 00:25:05,199
Speaker 1: by this famous clothing shop and he decided to go

444
00:25:05,280 --> 00:25:09,080
Speaker 1: in and get a tailor made suit. The tailor came

445
00:25:09,119 --> 00:25:12,439
Speaker 1: in and measured his arm length thirty three inches, measured

446
00:25:12,440 --> 00:25:14,960
Speaker 1: his waist thirty two, measured his pant length thirty four.

447
00:25:15,359 --> 00:25:17,680
Speaker 1: Then he measured his neck and said, I'm gonna make

448
00:25:17,720 --> 00:25:21,520
Speaker 1: you a sixteen and a half inch shirt. The man said, no,

449
00:25:21,880 --> 00:25:25,080
Speaker 1: I wear a fifteen inch shirt. The tailor measured it

450
00:25:25,080 --> 00:25:27,880
Speaker 1: again very closely. He said, no, sir, look you wear

451
00:25:27,920 --> 00:25:31,159
Speaker 1: a sixteen and a half inch shirt. The man was

452
00:25:31,320 --> 00:25:34,840
Speaker 1: very adamant. He said, no, sir, I wear a fifteen

453
00:25:34,960 --> 00:25:37,639
Speaker 1: inch shirt. I've won one my whole lifetime, and I

454
00:25:37,720 --> 00:25:41,240
Speaker 1: want you to make me a fifteen inch shirt. The

455
00:25:41,240 --> 00:25:44,520
Speaker 1: tailor said, well, find I'll make you a fifteen inch shirt.

456
00:25:44,720 --> 00:25:46,840
Speaker 1: But he's gonna make you dizzy and you're gonna start

457
00:25:46,880 --> 00:25:52,400
Speaker 1: seeing white spots. What's my point? You know my point.

458
00:25:52,840 --> 00:25:57,040
Speaker 1: If we'll be willing to change, if we'll make adjustments,

459
00:25:57,640 --> 00:26:00,720
Speaker 1: many times we'll see our white spots go away. We'll

460
00:26:00,720 --> 00:26:04,760
Speaker 1: see our frustrations go away. It's when we get set

461
00:26:04,840 --> 00:26:07,280
Speaker 1: in our ways and we think this is the way

462
00:26:07,320 --> 00:26:10,639
Speaker 1: I've always done it. Always get upset when my spouse

463
00:26:10,720 --> 00:26:13,199
Speaker 1: is late for dinner, Always get stressed when I have

464
00:26:13,240 --> 00:26:16,359
Speaker 1: to work over time, Joel. My daughter always upsets me.

465
00:26:16,640 --> 00:26:18,960
Speaker 1: She knows how to push just the right buttons. Now

466
00:26:19,080 --> 00:26:21,840
Speaker 1: turn those buttons off. Don't go around with a fifteen

467
00:26:21,920 --> 00:26:23,960
Speaker 1: inch when you know you need a sixteen and a half.

468
00:26:24,400 --> 00:26:27,720
Speaker 1: Make the necessary adjustments and some of you. If you

469
00:26:27,840 --> 00:26:30,160
Speaker 1: just get your joy back, you'd go to a whole

470
00:26:30,160 --> 00:26:35,240
Speaker 1: new level. You're constantly allowing other people in your circumstances

471
00:26:35,600 --> 00:26:39,000
Speaker 1: to keep you upset, frustrated, worry. If you would make

472
00:26:39,080 --> 00:26:42,720
Speaker 1: even a minor adjustment and change your approach, you would

473
00:26:42,760 --> 00:26:46,960
Speaker 1: see a major improvement. Remember, we can't control our circumstances.

474
00:26:47,000 --> 00:26:49,400
Speaker 1: We can't control what other people do, but we can

475
00:26:49,560 --> 00:26:53,679
Speaker 1: control our own attitude. That's where the power lies. Now,

476
00:26:53,640 --> 00:26:56,720
Speaker 1: I wonder how many of us would get upset this week.

477
00:26:57,000 --> 00:26:59,400
Speaker 1: If we knew we only had six months to live,

478
00:27:00,119 --> 00:27:02,200
Speaker 1: we wouldn't be bothered if we had to work late.

479
00:27:02,640 --> 00:27:05,520
Speaker 1: We'd have a whole new perspective. We wouldn't be stressed.

480
00:27:05,560 --> 00:27:08,639
Speaker 1: If we got stuck in traffic. We'd appreciate every moment.

481
00:27:09,080 --> 00:27:11,480
Speaker 1: We wouldn't let a family member get under our skin.

482
00:27:11,960 --> 00:27:14,919
Speaker 1: We would rise above it. Friends, Let's keep it in

483
00:27:14,960 --> 00:27:18,040
Speaker 1: the right perspective. We're not always going to be here.

484
00:27:18,560 --> 00:27:22,040
Speaker 1: Each day is a gift from God. Now. I'm asking

485
00:27:22,119 --> 00:27:25,159
Speaker 1: us to make these adjustments now, so you don't have

486
00:27:25,200 --> 00:27:28,280
Speaker 1: to look up one day and say, man, I wasted

487
00:27:28,359 --> 00:27:32,680
Speaker 1: years letting that person frustrate me. I wasted years being

488
00:27:32,720 --> 00:27:36,880
Speaker 1: stressed on the job, years dreading having to clean the house. Now,

489
00:27:36,920 --> 00:27:40,800
Speaker 1: if you'll change your approach and believe that God's directing

490
00:27:40,840 --> 00:27:44,280
Speaker 1: your steps, believe that you're exactly where you're supposed to be,

491
00:27:44,720 --> 00:27:47,159
Speaker 1: then you'll come back to that place of peace and

492
00:27:47,200 --> 00:27:50,000
Speaker 1: you'll not only enjoy your life more, but God will

493
00:27:50,000 --> 00:27:52,560
Speaker 1: pour out his blessings in favor and you'll live the

494
00:27:52,600 --> 00:27:55,359
Speaker 1: life of victory he has in store. Amen, do you

495
00:27:55,400 --> 00:27:59,719
Speaker 1: receive it today or We never like to close our

496
00:27:59,720 --> 00:28:03,240
Speaker 1: broads without giving you an opportunity to make Jesus the

497
00:28:03,280 --> 00:28:08,080
Speaker 1: lord of your life. Would you pray with me? Just say, Lord, Jesus,

498
00:28:08,840 --> 00:28:13,480
Speaker 1: I'll repent of my sins. Come into my heart. I

499
00:28:13,640 --> 00:28:17,440
Speaker 1: make you my Lord and savior. Friends, if you prayed

500
00:28:17,440 --> 00:28:20,880
Speaker 1: that simple prayer, we believe you got born again. Get

501
00:28:20,920 --> 00:28:24,040
Speaker 1: in a good Bible based church. Keep God first place.

502
00:28:24,320 --> 00:28:26,679
Speaker 1: He's going to take your places you've never dreamed of.

503
00:28:28,680 --> 00:28:32,719
Speaker 2: God's healing isn't earned, it's received, and you can discover

504
00:28:32,840 --> 00:28:34,879
Speaker 2: how in the next thirty one days.

505
00:28:35,560 --> 00:28:39,880
Speaker 1: Life has a way of wearing us down physically, mentally, emotionally.

506
00:28:40,360 --> 00:28:43,520
Speaker 1: But God didn't create us to just survive, but to thrive.

507
00:28:44,160 --> 00:28:48,040
Speaker 1: I'm excited about our new devotional, Happy, Healthy, and Free.

508
00:28:48,520 --> 00:28:51,240
Speaker 1: For thirty one days, I'll take you on a wellness

509
00:28:51,320 --> 00:28:55,080
Speaker 1: journey for your spirit, body, and soul. It's filled with

510
00:28:55,200 --> 00:28:59,840
Speaker 1: daily declarations, scriptures, encouragement. As you get your mind in

511
00:29:00,080 --> 00:29:05,000
Speaker 1: tune with what God says, you'll experience a refreshing, a revitalization.

512
00:29:05,600 --> 00:29:09,640
Speaker 1: You are created to be strong, to be passionate, to live, happy,

513
00:29:09,920 --> 00:29:11,320
Speaker 1: healthy and free.

514
00:29:11,920 --> 00:29:15,640
Speaker 2: When you contact us today, we'll send you happy, healthy,

515
00:29:15,760 --> 00:29:18,880
Speaker 2: and free a thirty one day wellness journey as our

516
00:29:18,920 --> 00:29:21,680
Speaker 2: way of saying thank you for your gift of any amount.

517
00:29:22,120 --> 00:29:26,360
Speaker 2: This devotional will help you strengthen your faith, declare God's promises,

518
00:29:26,520 --> 00:29:31,600
Speaker 2: and receive the healing He's already made available to you spirit, soul.

519
00:29:31,360 --> 00:29:31,960
Speaker 1: And body.

520
00:29:32,360 --> 00:29:35,440
Speaker 2: God wants you whole, and this resource will help you

521
00:29:35,520 --> 00:29:39,640
Speaker 2: experience His peace from the inside out. Please request your

522
00:29:39,680 --> 00:29:43,760
Speaker 2: copy today begin a life receiving, life giving journey that

523
00:29:43,840 --> 00:29:47,600
Speaker 2: will transform your spirit, mind, and body. In just thirty

524
00:29:47,640 --> 00:29:48,320
Speaker 2: one days.

525
00:29:48,960 --> 00:29:52,000
Speaker 1: God is going to restore what the enemy tried to steal,

526
00:29:52,240 --> 00:29:55,920
Speaker 1: your joy, your peace, your hell. Dectoy and I pray

527
00:29:56,000 --> 00:29:58,840
Speaker 1: for you and your family every day. Thanks so much

528
00:29:58,840 --> 00:30:02,680
Speaker 1: for your prayer and so your generosity is bringing hope

529
00:30:02,680 --> 00:30:05,719
Speaker 1: to people around the world. Special thank you to our

530
00:30:05,800 --> 00:30:09,160
Speaker 1: Champion of Hope partners for your monthly gifts. If you're

531
00:30:09,200 --> 00:30:12,760
Speaker 1: not a partner, I hope you'll consider becoming one. Remember

532
00:30:12,800 --> 00:30:16,840
Speaker 1: you can watch the services online every Sunday morning, download

533
00:30:16,840 --> 00:30:20,800
Speaker 1: our daily podcast, watch on YouTube the new Joel Ostein

534
00:30:20,920 --> 00:30:24,320
Speaker 1: network social media, you can listen on Serious XM twenty

535
00:30:24,360 --> 00:30:27,719
Speaker 1: four hours a day. We'll keep you encouraged and inspired

536
00:30:28,160 --> 00:30:30,560
Speaker 1: until we see you Next time mid the Lord bless

537
00:30:30,600 --> 00:30:31,800
Speaker 1: you and keep.

538
00:30:31,560 --> 00:30:35,840
Speaker 2: You, be sure to request your copy of Happy, Healthy

539
00:30:36,000 --> 00:30:40,240
Speaker 2: and Free, a thirty one day wellness journey. Visit Joelostein

540
00:30:40,320 --> 00:30:43,600
Speaker 2: dot com or call eight eight eight five six seven

541
00:30:43,880 --> 00:30:47,200
Speaker 2: Joel for an additional gift. This month, we are also

542
00:30:47,320 --> 00:30:51,040
Speaker 2: offering the Wholeness and Promise Bundle, which includes the Happy,

543
00:30:51,200 --> 00:30:54,960
Speaker 2: Healthy and Free book plus the Words of Promise Journal,

544
00:30:55,320 --> 00:30:59,160
Speaker 2: a beautifully designed journal where you can reflect, record prayers,

545
00:30:59,320 --> 00:31:00,640
Speaker 2: and speak life.

546
00:31:00,400 --> 00:31:01,280
Speaker 1: Over your future.

547
00:31:01,800 --> 00:31:05,080
Speaker 2: You can also request the Happy, Healthy and Free Collection,

548
00:31:05,520 --> 00:31:09,480
Speaker 2: featuring the devotional, the journal, and a beautifully crafted set

549
00:31:09,600 --> 00:31:14,600
Speaker 2: of three desktop encouragement blocks. Each whitewashed wooden block displays

550
00:31:14,640 --> 00:31:19,040
Speaker 2: one powerful word happy, Healthy, and Free, along with a

551
00:31:19,080 --> 00:31:22,760
Speaker 2: carefully chosen scripture. Place them in your home or workspace

552
00:31:22,920 --> 00:31:26,760
Speaker 2: as daily reminders of God's promises for your life. You

553
00:31:26,840 --> 00:31:30,640
Speaker 2: can request these life changing resources by calling eight eight

554
00:31:30,680 --> 00:31:34,640
Speaker 2: eight five six seven Joel or logging on to Joelostein

555
00:31:34,720 --> 00:31:39,000
Speaker 2: dot com today, call or click anytime twenty four hours

556
00:31:39,000 --> 00:31:43,360
Speaker 2: a day. This is your season to rise stronger, live lighter,

557
00:31:43,680 --> 00:31:47,400
Speaker 2: and walk daily in God's healing and peace. Request your

558
00:31:47,480 --> 00:31:48,360
Speaker 2: copies today.

559
00:31:49,240 --> 00:31:51,600
Speaker 1: If you're a pastor we'd like to invite you to

560
00:31:51,640 --> 00:31:54,680
Speaker 1: our pastor's gathering. We'd be honored to spend the day

561
00:31:54,720 --> 00:31:57,360
Speaker 1: with you here at Lakewood. We'll share some of the

562
00:31:57,400 --> 00:32:00,920
Speaker 1: things we've learned, insights and behind this means be a

563
00:32:00,960 --> 00:32:04,400
Speaker 1: time of inspiration and encouragement. We'd love to meet you