1
00:00:00,400 --> 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 --> 00:00:05,920
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 --> 00:00:09,560
Speaker 3: blessing and share it.

6
00:00:09,440 --> 00:00:12,559
Speaker 2: With a friend, reappreciate you, and pray for God's very

7
00:00:12,640 --> 00:00:13,760
Speaker 2: best in your life.

8
00:00:13,920 --> 00:00:16,439
Speaker 1: Oh God, bless you. It's a joy to come into

9
00:00:16,440 --> 00:00:17,120
Speaker 1: your homes.

10
00:00:17,440 --> 00:00:19,919
Speaker 2: We love you, and we know God has great things

11
00:00:19,920 --> 00:00:21,200
Speaker 2: in store for each one of you.

12
00:00:21,360 --> 00:00:23,480
Speaker 1: If you're ever in our area, stop.

13
00:00:23,200 --> 00:00:25,160
Speaker 2: By and be a part of one of our services.

14
00:00:25,280 --> 00:00:27,280
Speaker 2: I promise you we'll make you feel right at home.

15
00:00:27,480 --> 00:00:29,680
Speaker 2: But thanks so much for tuning in today, and thank

16
00:00:29,720 --> 00:00:31,960
Speaker 2: you again for coming out. And I like to start

17
00:00:31,960 --> 00:00:34,640
Speaker 2: with something funny, and I heard about these three sons

18
00:00:34,720 --> 00:00:36,120
Speaker 2: that left home.

19
00:00:35,920 --> 00:00:37,320
Speaker 1: And went out and prospered.

20
00:00:37,760 --> 00:00:40,640
Speaker 2: One day they got back together to discuss the gifts

21
00:00:40,840 --> 00:00:44,080
Speaker 2: that they bought their elderly mother. The first son said,

22
00:00:44,440 --> 00:00:48,000
Speaker 2: I built mother a big house. The second son said,

23
00:00:48,040 --> 00:00:51,120
Speaker 2: I got her a fancy car. The third one said,

24
00:00:51,360 --> 00:00:54,160
Speaker 2: since I know how much mother loves to read the Bible,

25
00:00:54,480 --> 00:00:57,000
Speaker 2: but she can barely see now, I got her a

26
00:00:57,120 --> 00:01:01,560
Speaker 2: specially trained parent that can quote the entire Bible. In

27
00:01:01,600 --> 00:01:03,480
Speaker 2: a few days, they got a letter from their mother.

28
00:01:03,720 --> 00:01:05,960
Speaker 2: It said, Milton, the house you built me is way

29
00:01:05,959 --> 00:01:08,680
Speaker 2: too big. Gerald, the car you bought me is way

30
00:01:08,680 --> 00:01:12,760
Speaker 2: too small. But my dearest Donald, your simple gift is

31
00:01:12,840 --> 00:01:13,520
Speaker 2: my favorite.

32
00:01:13,720 --> 00:01:15,160
Speaker 1: The chicken was delicious.

33
00:01:17,120 --> 00:01:19,399
Speaker 2: Hold up your Bible, say it like you mean it.

34
00:01:20,160 --> 00:01:23,000
Speaker 2: This is my Bible. I am what it says I am.

35
00:01:23,480 --> 00:01:25,720
Speaker 2: I have what it says I have. I can do

36
00:01:25,840 --> 00:01:28,360
Speaker 2: what it says I can do. Today I will be

37
00:01:28,440 --> 00:01:32,279
Speaker 2: taught the word of God. I boldly confess. My mind

38
00:01:32,360 --> 00:01:35,600
Speaker 2: is alert, my heart is receptive. I will never be

39
00:01:35,680 --> 00:01:40,480
Speaker 2: the same. In Jesus' name, God bless you. I want

40
00:01:40,480 --> 00:01:42,399
Speaker 2: to talk to you today about the.

41
00:01:42,280 --> 00:01:43,440
Speaker 1: Power of letting go.

42
00:01:44,480 --> 00:01:47,440
Speaker 2: We all go through disappointments and setbacks and.

43
00:01:47,520 --> 00:01:49,040
Speaker 1: Things that we don't understand.

44
00:01:49,680 --> 00:01:52,400
Speaker 2: Maybe you prayed for a loved one but they didn't

45
00:01:52,440 --> 00:01:55,840
Speaker 2: get well, or maybe you worked hard for a promotion

46
00:01:56,120 --> 00:01:58,640
Speaker 2: but you didn't get it. You stood in faith for

47
00:01:58,680 --> 00:02:01,880
Speaker 2: a relationship but it didn't work out. One of the

48
00:02:01,920 --> 00:02:05,360
Speaker 2: best things you can do is release it, let it go.

49
00:02:06,200 --> 00:02:09,200
Speaker 2: If you go around dwelling on it, wondering why this

50
00:02:09,240 --> 00:02:12,160
Speaker 2: didn't work out, why my loved one didn't get healed,

51
00:02:12,200 --> 00:02:15,200
Speaker 2: why didn't get that promotion. All that's going to do

52
00:02:15,560 --> 00:02:19,840
Speaker 2: is lead to bitterness, resentment, self pity. Before long, you'll

53
00:02:19,880 --> 00:02:24,680
Speaker 2: be blaming others, blaming yourself, maybe even blaming God. You

54
00:02:24,720 --> 00:02:27,919
Speaker 2: may not have understood it, it may not have been fair,

55
00:02:28,400 --> 00:02:31,560
Speaker 2: but when you release it, it's an act of your faith.

56
00:02:32,120 --> 00:02:36,200
Speaker 2: You're saying, God, I trust you, I know you're in control.

57
00:02:36,560 --> 00:02:39,120
Speaker 2: And even though it didn't work out my way, you

58
00:02:39,320 --> 00:02:42,680
Speaker 2: said all things are going to work together for my good,

59
00:02:42,880 --> 00:02:44,919
Speaker 2: so I believe you still have.

60
00:02:44,960 --> 00:02:46,440
Speaker 1: Something good in my future.

61
00:02:47,240 --> 00:02:51,520
Speaker 2: There's power in letting go, not letting go of your dreams.

62
00:02:51,840 --> 00:02:55,320
Speaker 2: Don't let go of your promises, let go of the

63
00:02:55,360 --> 00:02:59,280
Speaker 2: frustration of having to have it your way. Take your

64
00:02:59,280 --> 00:03:02,079
Speaker 2: hands off the way and say, okay, God, I'm going

65
00:03:02,120 --> 00:03:04,880
Speaker 2: to let you drive. You know the best path for

66
00:03:05,000 --> 00:03:08,560
Speaker 2: my life. You can see the detours, the dead ends,

67
00:03:08,800 --> 00:03:11,360
Speaker 2: you know the shortcuts. God, I'm going to let you

68
00:03:11,400 --> 00:03:14,040
Speaker 2: take me where you want me to go. That's a

69
00:03:14,160 --> 00:03:18,200
Speaker 2: very freeing way to live. But so often we'll trust God.

70
00:03:18,680 --> 00:03:21,080
Speaker 2: We'll stay in faith as long as God does it

71
00:03:21,120 --> 00:03:24,400
Speaker 2: our way. It's like this mountain climber I heard about.

72
00:03:24,639 --> 00:03:27,919
Speaker 2: He was climbing up this huge cliff almost to the top,

73
00:03:28,240 --> 00:03:30,720
Speaker 2: when all of a sudden, he lost his footing and

74
00:03:30,760 --> 00:03:34,680
Speaker 2: began to fall. He reached out and miraculously grabbed a

75
00:03:34,760 --> 00:03:38,320
Speaker 2: bush growing out of the rocks. He was dangling hundreds

76
00:03:38,360 --> 00:03:40,960
Speaker 2: of feet in the air, holding on for dear life.

77
00:03:41,440 --> 00:03:45,800
Speaker 2: He shouted out, is anybody up there? In a few seconds,

78
00:03:45,800 --> 00:03:48,320
Speaker 2: a voice boomed out of the heavens and said, yes,

79
00:03:48,400 --> 00:03:49,000
Speaker 2: I'm here.

80
00:03:49,320 --> 00:03:52,160
Speaker 1: What do you need? He said, God, I can't hold

81
00:03:52,200 --> 00:03:54,200
Speaker 1: on any longer. Please rescue me.

82
00:03:54,880 --> 00:03:58,040
Speaker 2: God said, okay, son, turn loose of the bush and

83
00:03:58,120 --> 00:03:58,760
Speaker 2: I'll catch you.

84
00:03:59,560 --> 00:04:00,600
Speaker 1: After a long.

85
00:04:00,400 --> 00:04:03,560
Speaker 2: Pause, the man said, is there anybody else up there?

86
00:04:05,960 --> 00:04:08,880
Speaker 2: That's the way we do many times. God help me,

87
00:04:09,360 --> 00:04:12,200
Speaker 2: but do it my way, the way I have planned,

88
00:04:12,240 --> 00:04:15,120
Speaker 2: the way I want. No. In order for God to

89
00:04:15,200 --> 00:04:17,560
Speaker 2: help us, we've got to be willing to let go.

90
00:04:18,520 --> 00:04:23,520
Speaker 2: Maybe something didn't work out your way. Instead of being frustrated,

91
00:04:23,839 --> 00:04:27,120
Speaker 2: why don't you have a bigger view. Maybe God has

92
00:04:27,160 --> 00:04:31,840
Speaker 2: something better in store. Maybe God closed the door because

93
00:04:31,839 --> 00:04:36,120
Speaker 2: you're believing too small. Maybe it didn't work out because

94
00:04:36,160 --> 00:04:39,880
Speaker 2: what you're praying for would be second best, and God

95
00:04:39,920 --> 00:04:42,359
Speaker 2: loves you too much to do it your way. The

96
00:04:42,480 --> 00:04:45,640
Speaker 2: question is will you trust him to do it? His way,

97
00:04:45,720 --> 00:04:47,800
Speaker 2: Will you take your hands off the wheel.

98
00:04:47,760 --> 00:04:49,040
Speaker 1: And let him do the driving.

99
00:04:50,000 --> 00:04:52,479
Speaker 2: A few years after Victory and I were married, we

100
00:04:52,560 --> 00:04:55,440
Speaker 2: found this house that we really wanted to buy. Was

101
00:04:55,480 --> 00:04:59,239
Speaker 2: on a beautiful lot, had big trees, had a swimming pool.

102
00:04:59,520 --> 00:05:02,359
Speaker 2: This was our our dream house. We were sure it

103
00:05:02,440 --> 00:05:05,440
Speaker 2: was supposed to be ours, and we made a very

104
00:05:05,480 --> 00:05:08,680
Speaker 2: strong offer, just a little less than they were asking.

105
00:05:09,080 --> 00:05:12,159
Speaker 1: We didn't hear anything back. Week after weeks, still nothing.

106
00:05:12,920 --> 00:05:15,560
Speaker 2: Nobody lived in the house, and so we would go

107
00:05:15,640 --> 00:05:18,880
Speaker 2: out practically every day and pray over the house.

108
00:05:19,600 --> 00:05:21,360
Speaker 1: We would even march around.

109
00:05:21,040 --> 00:05:24,480
Speaker 2: It like the people of Israel going around Jericho. We

110
00:05:24,520 --> 00:05:28,600
Speaker 2: would quote scriptures, we would bind, we would loose, we'd sing,

111
00:05:28,760 --> 00:05:33,240
Speaker 2: we'd shout, we'd dance, we did the Holy Macarena. As

112
00:05:33,279 --> 00:05:35,800
Speaker 2: far as we were concerned, that was supposed to be

113
00:05:35,839 --> 00:05:39,160
Speaker 2: our house. Our mind was made up. We were consumed

114
00:05:39,240 --> 00:05:42,600
Speaker 2: by it. About three weeks later, our realtor called and said,

115
00:05:42,640 --> 00:05:45,480
Speaker 2: I'm sorry they sold the house to somebody else.

116
00:05:46,120 --> 00:05:47,320
Speaker 1: We were so disappointed.

117
00:05:47,640 --> 00:05:51,240
Speaker 2: We thought God, we prayed, we believed, we stood in faith.

118
00:05:51,440 --> 00:05:52,200
Speaker 1: What happened.

119
00:05:52,760 --> 00:05:56,480
Speaker 2: The scripture says God's ways are not our ways. They

120
00:05:56,520 --> 00:06:01,320
Speaker 2: are higher and better than our ways. Sometimes what we're

121
00:06:01,360 --> 00:06:05,760
Speaker 2: believing for is not God's best. We have good intentions,

122
00:06:06,040 --> 00:06:08,640
Speaker 2: but God loves us too much to answer that prayer.

123
00:06:09,400 --> 00:06:13,040
Speaker 2: I found anything you have to have in order to

124
00:06:13,040 --> 00:06:16,560
Speaker 2: be happy is out of balance. If you have to

125
00:06:16,640 --> 00:06:19,440
Speaker 2: have that house, you have to have that promotion, you

126
00:06:19,520 --> 00:06:20,679
Speaker 2: have to meet that person.

127
00:06:21,160 --> 00:06:23,760
Speaker 1: You're putting too much emphasis on it. And it's good

128
00:06:23,839 --> 00:06:24,600
Speaker 1: to have dreams.

129
00:06:24,880 --> 00:06:27,560
Speaker 2: It's good to have goals, to stand in faith, to

130
00:06:27,640 --> 00:06:31,279
Speaker 2: be determined, but you have to be mature enough to

131
00:06:31,360 --> 00:06:34,600
Speaker 2: put that dream on the altar and say, God, this

132
00:06:34,839 --> 00:06:37,440
Speaker 2: is what I want, this is what I'm praying and

133
00:06:37,560 --> 00:06:40,880
Speaker 2: believing for. But God, you know what's best for me.

134
00:06:41,440 --> 00:06:44,760
Speaker 2: And if it doesn't happen my way on my timetable,

135
00:06:45,080 --> 00:06:47,640
Speaker 2: I'm not going to get bitter and be frustrated.

136
00:06:48,040 --> 00:06:51,080
Speaker 1: God, I trust you, My life is in your hands.

137
00:06:51,920 --> 00:06:54,680
Speaker 2: At first, Victoria and I we were kind of discouraged.

138
00:06:55,080 --> 00:06:57,960
Speaker 2: We felt like God had let us down, the wind

139
00:06:58,160 --> 00:07:01,720
Speaker 2: was taken out of ourselves. Eventually we did what I'm

140
00:07:01,760 --> 00:07:04,159
Speaker 2: asking you to do. We let it go and said, God,

141
00:07:04,240 --> 00:07:07,320
Speaker 2: you know what's best for us. About three weeks later,

142
00:07:07,720 --> 00:07:11,200
Speaker 2: we came across this older, run down home in a

143
00:07:11,320 --> 00:07:15,280
Speaker 2: nice neighborhood close into the city. Everything just fell into place,

144
00:07:15,360 --> 00:07:18,120
Speaker 2: and we ended up buying that house and we fixed

145
00:07:18,160 --> 00:07:20,320
Speaker 2: it up and lived there for two years, and then

146
00:07:20,360 --> 00:07:22,760
Speaker 2: we sold it for twice what we had paid for it.

147
00:07:23,400 --> 00:07:26,240
Speaker 2: But that older home, to us, it didn't make sense.

148
00:07:27,000 --> 00:07:30,320
Speaker 2: It wasn't anything like what we had envisioned. We wanted

149
00:07:30,320 --> 00:07:34,600
Speaker 2: something nice and new. But God knew what he was doing.

150
00:07:35,040 --> 00:07:38,400
Speaker 2: It was a step on the way to our divine destiny.

151
00:07:39,080 --> 00:07:42,840
Speaker 2: At the time, it looked like a step backwards. The

152
00:07:42,880 --> 00:07:45,880
Speaker 2: townhouse we were living in was much nicer than this

153
00:07:46,000 --> 00:07:50,040
Speaker 2: older home. But God can see the big picture. If

154
00:07:50,080 --> 00:07:51,880
Speaker 2: he would have let us buy that house that we

155
00:07:51,960 --> 00:07:54,920
Speaker 2: really wanted, we would have been stuck at that same

156
00:07:55,080 --> 00:07:59,120
Speaker 2: level year after year. God had to close that door

157
00:07:59,400 --> 00:08:02,200
Speaker 2: to move us one step closer to where he wanted

158
00:08:02,280 --> 00:08:02,640
Speaker 2: us to be.

159
00:08:03,400 --> 00:08:03,520
Speaker 1: Now.

160
00:08:03,560 --> 00:08:06,840
Speaker 2: I've got big dreams and big goals, But one of

161
00:08:06,880 --> 00:08:11,040
Speaker 2: my main prayers now is God, not my will, but

162
00:08:11,160 --> 00:08:14,400
Speaker 2: let your will be done. If a door closes, no

163
00:08:14,520 --> 00:08:15,040
Speaker 2: big deal.

164
00:08:15,160 --> 00:08:15,840
Speaker 1: I let it go.

165
00:08:16,520 --> 00:08:19,280
Speaker 2: If my plans don't work out, no big deal. I

166
00:08:19,320 --> 00:08:23,200
Speaker 2: know God has something better. I've learned to not get

167
00:08:23,240 --> 00:08:26,520
Speaker 2: so consumed by a dream that if it doesn't happen

168
00:08:26,600 --> 00:08:28,960
Speaker 2: my way, I'm going to get all bent out of shape,

169
00:08:29,920 --> 00:08:34,440
Speaker 2: it says in Proverbs. Since the Lord is directing our steps,

170
00:08:35,120 --> 00:08:38,199
Speaker 2: why do we try to figure out everything that happens

171
00:08:38,240 --> 00:08:42,000
Speaker 2: along the way. Some of you have gone through a disappointment.

172
00:08:42,480 --> 00:08:46,080
Speaker 2: It wasn't fair. You don't understand it. You could easily

173
00:08:46,120 --> 00:08:49,079
Speaker 2: be bitter, live with a chip on your shoulder, give

174
00:08:49,160 --> 00:08:52,000
Speaker 2: up on your dreams. No, God is at work in

175
00:08:52,120 --> 00:08:56,160
Speaker 2: your life right now. He is directing your steps. What

176
00:08:56,240 --> 00:08:59,080
Speaker 2: you thought was a set back is going to turn

177
00:08:59,120 --> 00:09:01,560
Speaker 2: out to be a set up up. God is getting

178
00:09:01,600 --> 00:09:04,160
Speaker 2: you in position to take you to a new level

179
00:09:04,200 --> 00:09:07,360
Speaker 2: of your destiny. Now you've got to get in agreement

180
00:09:07,400 --> 00:09:11,960
Speaker 2: with God. Shake off the self pity, shake off the disappointment.

181
00:09:12,320 --> 00:09:15,280
Speaker 2: Quit thinking that God has let you down and he

182
00:09:15,320 --> 00:09:16,720
Speaker 2: doesn't answer your prayers.

183
00:09:16,960 --> 00:09:19,400
Speaker 1: No, God has you in the palm of his hand.

184
00:09:19,840 --> 00:09:22,040
Speaker 1: He is directing you every step of the way.

185
00:09:22,880 --> 00:09:26,160
Speaker 2: That disappointment may not have been fair, but it's all

186
00:09:26,200 --> 00:09:28,359
Speaker 2: a part of your divine destiny.

187
00:09:29,080 --> 00:09:31,760
Speaker 1: If you will let it go and move forward, then

188
00:09:31,800 --> 00:09:32,360
Speaker 1: you're going to.

189
00:09:32,320 --> 00:09:35,360
Speaker 2: Come into something awesome that God is about to do.

190
00:09:36,040 --> 00:09:40,760
Speaker 2: Not ordinary like you had planned, but extraordinary like God

191
00:09:40,800 --> 00:09:43,840
Speaker 2: has planned. This is what I did when my father

192
00:09:43,920 --> 00:09:46,080
Speaker 2: went to be with the Lord. My dad and I

193
00:09:46,200 --> 00:09:49,800
Speaker 2: were very close, we were best friends. At seventy seven

194
00:09:49,920 --> 00:09:53,480
Speaker 2: years of age, Daddy was diagnosed with congestive heart failure.

195
00:09:54,040 --> 00:09:58,760
Speaker 2: We prayed, we believed, we stood in faith. But unfortunately

196
00:09:59,040 --> 00:10:02,359
Speaker 2: my father went to be with the Lord. My prayers

197
00:10:02,559 --> 00:10:06,120
Speaker 2: weren't answered the way I wanted. I could have thought, God,

198
00:10:06,240 --> 00:10:09,160
Speaker 2: you heal my mother. Why didn't you heal my father? God,

199
00:10:09,200 --> 00:10:12,160
Speaker 2: why wouldn't you give it more years? When we want

200
00:10:12,240 --> 00:10:15,160
Speaker 2: something so badly that would do at everything we can

201
00:10:15,280 --> 00:10:18,520
Speaker 2: to make it happen, and it doesn't work out, it's

202
00:10:18,559 --> 00:10:21,680
Speaker 2: easy to get negative and bitter. I was discouraged. I'd

203
00:10:21,720 --> 00:10:25,480
Speaker 2: lost my best friend. And sure there's a proper time

204
00:10:25,559 --> 00:10:29,560
Speaker 2: for mourning, but you cannot let a season of mourning

205
00:10:29,920 --> 00:10:33,280
Speaker 2: turn into a lifetime of mourning. At some point, you

206
00:10:33,400 --> 00:10:37,440
Speaker 2: got to say, God, I'm letting it go. Yes, I'm disappointed,

207
00:10:38,120 --> 00:10:41,680
Speaker 2: Yes it's hard, but just because my loved one has

208
00:10:41,760 --> 00:10:45,559
Speaker 2: died doesn't mean that your plan for my life has ended.

209
00:10:46,360 --> 00:10:49,240
Speaker 2: And what I thought would be the darkest hour of

210
00:10:49,280 --> 00:10:52,120
Speaker 2: my life the death of my father. And I say

211
00:10:52,120 --> 00:10:55,720
Speaker 2: this respectfully because I honor and love my dad, but

212
00:10:55,840 --> 00:10:59,080
Speaker 2: it turned out to be the brightest hour of my life.

213
00:10:59,160 --> 00:11:02,559
Speaker 2: It launched me into what I'm doing now. The death

214
00:11:02,600 --> 00:11:05,880
Speaker 2: of my father was another step on the way to

215
00:11:05,960 --> 00:11:10,120
Speaker 2: my divine destiny. When you go through loss, loss of

216
00:11:10,160 --> 00:11:13,240
Speaker 2: a loved one, loss of a relationship, loss of a job,

217
00:11:13,400 --> 00:11:17,839
Speaker 2: can be very difficult. Many people get negative, bitter, they

218
00:11:17,880 --> 00:11:20,319
Speaker 2: have a chip on their shoulder. But if you can

219
00:11:20,440 --> 00:11:23,440
Speaker 2: just learn to let it go and say God, I

220
00:11:23,480 --> 00:11:26,600
Speaker 2: don't understand it, but I trust you. I know you're

221
00:11:26,640 --> 00:11:30,360
Speaker 2: still in control, then just like I did, you're going

222
00:11:30,440 --> 00:11:33,280
Speaker 2: to step in to a greater level of your destiny.

223
00:11:34,040 --> 00:11:37,720
Speaker 2: I've learned God doesn't always take us from A to

224
00:11:37,840 --> 00:11:41,280
Speaker 2: B to C. Sometimes God will take you from A

225
00:11:41,640 --> 00:11:44,880
Speaker 2: to B all the way to S and then back

226
00:11:44,920 --> 00:11:47,920
Speaker 2: to D and then to K, and then to F

227
00:11:48,160 --> 00:11:51,400
Speaker 2: and then to Z. God's ways are not our ways.

228
00:11:51,600 --> 00:11:55,160
Speaker 2: Quit trying to figure it all out and simply trust him.

229
00:11:55,320 --> 00:11:58,400
Speaker 1: Well, yol, why didn't my marriage make it? Why did

230
00:11:58,400 --> 00:11:59,520
Speaker 1: this person leave me?

231
00:12:00,240 --> 00:12:03,080
Speaker 2: Why did this company lay me off after working there

232
00:12:03,160 --> 00:12:04,840
Speaker 2: faithfully for thirty years.

233
00:12:05,000 --> 00:12:06,880
Speaker 1: Here's my answer. It's very profound.

234
00:12:07,320 --> 00:12:11,960
Speaker 2: I don't know why. You may never know why. But

235
00:12:12,120 --> 00:12:15,720
Speaker 2: I do know God is directing your steps. God is

236
00:12:15,760 --> 00:12:19,000
Speaker 2: a just God. It may not have been fair, but

237
00:12:19,120 --> 00:12:22,640
Speaker 2: God is fair. If you'll let it go and move forward.

238
00:12:22,960 --> 00:12:25,520
Speaker 2: God has promised he will pay you back for the

239
00:12:25,640 --> 00:12:28,719
Speaker 2: unfair things that have happened some of you today. If

240
00:12:28,760 --> 00:12:32,800
Speaker 2: you just start letting things go, you'd come into breakthroughs,

241
00:12:32,960 --> 00:12:37,040
Speaker 2: to promotions, to new beginnings. As long as you're holding

242
00:12:37,120 --> 00:12:40,679
Speaker 2: on to the old, negative, discourage, bitter, it's going to

243
00:12:40,800 --> 00:12:44,560
Speaker 2: keep you from the new. A lady asked me one time, Joel,

244
00:12:44,760 --> 00:12:47,800
Speaker 2: why did your mother get healed from cancer but my

245
00:12:47,920 --> 00:12:51,600
Speaker 2: mother didn't. We prayed, we believed, we stood on the

246
00:12:51,640 --> 00:12:55,000
Speaker 2: same scriptures. My answer is always the same. I don't

247
00:12:55,080 --> 00:12:57,840
Speaker 2: know why. I don't claim to have all the answers,

248
00:12:58,040 --> 00:13:01,440
Speaker 2: but I do know God is full you. He said

249
00:13:01,520 --> 00:13:04,400
Speaker 2: he would give you beauty for those ashes. But you've

250
00:13:04,400 --> 00:13:06,760
Speaker 2: got to let go of the ashes, let go of

251
00:13:06,800 --> 00:13:10,040
Speaker 2: the disappointments, let go of the hurts and pains. Quit

252
00:13:10,080 --> 00:13:12,680
Speaker 2: trying to figure out why something bad has happened to you.

253
00:13:13,360 --> 00:13:16,200
Speaker 2: Why did I have this miscarriage? Why was I born

254
00:13:16,240 --> 00:13:19,000
Speaker 2: into this family? Why did this person leave me? That's

255
00:13:19,080 --> 00:13:23,200
Speaker 2: just going to lead to frustration. There are some situations

256
00:13:23,200 --> 00:13:27,320
Speaker 2: that we face that there are no logical explanations.

257
00:13:27,360 --> 00:13:28,040
Speaker 1: Too.

258
00:13:28,480 --> 00:13:31,480
Speaker 2: You have to be big enough to say, I don't

259
00:13:31,600 --> 00:13:34,560
Speaker 2: understand why this has happened, And you know what, I'm

260
00:13:34,640 --> 00:13:38,319
Speaker 2: okay with not understanding why. I don't have to have

261
00:13:38,360 --> 00:13:39,840
Speaker 2: all the answers.

262
00:13:39,640 --> 00:13:41,080
Speaker 1: Your God, and I'm not.

263
00:13:41,760 --> 00:13:44,959
Speaker 2: Your ways are not my ways, and since you're directed

264
00:13:45,040 --> 00:13:47,720
Speaker 2: my steps, I'm not going to waste another minute of

265
00:13:47,760 --> 00:13:51,040
Speaker 2: my time and energy trying to figure out everything that

266
00:13:51,120 --> 00:13:54,400
Speaker 2: happens along the way. That's a very powerful way to live,

267
00:13:55,480 --> 00:13:58,000
Speaker 2: and most of the time we can deal with the

268
00:13:58,080 --> 00:14:01,640
Speaker 2: situation if we can find a file in our thinking

269
00:14:01,720 --> 00:14:02,400
Speaker 2: to put it in.

270
00:14:03,080 --> 00:14:05,800
Speaker 1: We think this happened because of this reason.

271
00:14:06,040 --> 00:14:08,520
Speaker 2: In other words, he was running with the wrong crowd

272
00:14:08,720 --> 00:14:09,800
Speaker 2: and he got into trouble.

273
00:14:09,880 --> 00:14:10,600
Speaker 1: That makes sense.

274
00:14:11,240 --> 00:14:13,640
Speaker 2: Or she wasn't raised in a good environment and she

275
00:14:13,760 --> 00:14:17,319
Speaker 2: got off course. That makes sense. But what about the

276
00:14:17,320 --> 00:14:21,680
Speaker 2: things that don't make sense? Ten years ago, when the

277
00:14:21,720 --> 00:14:26,240
Speaker 2: planes crashed into the World Trade Center in Pennsylvania and Washington,

278
00:14:26,600 --> 00:14:30,760
Speaker 2: nearly three thousand people tragically lost their lives, cast so

279
00:14:30,880 --> 00:14:35,040
Speaker 2: much hurt and pain that didn't make sense. Doesn't make

280
00:14:35,080 --> 00:14:38,080
Speaker 2: sense for a baby to be born with a birth injury.

281
00:14:38,440 --> 00:14:41,800
Speaker 2: I can't explain that doesn't make sense for a drunk

282
00:14:41,880 --> 00:14:45,280
Speaker 2: driver to end someone's life. Does it make sense for

283
00:14:45,320 --> 00:14:48,360
Speaker 2: a good person to come down with a terminal illness?

284
00:14:49,000 --> 00:14:52,000
Speaker 2: What happens when we can't find a file to put

285
00:14:52,040 --> 00:14:55,880
Speaker 2: it in? Here's the answer. Every one of us needs

286
00:14:55,920 --> 00:15:00,240
Speaker 2: to create a file in our thinking called an I

287
00:15:00,320 --> 00:15:03,840
Speaker 2: don't understand it file, And when things come up that

288
00:15:03,920 --> 00:15:06,960
Speaker 2: don't make sense that you can't figure out, instead of

289
00:15:07,000 --> 00:15:11,160
Speaker 2: getting frustrated confused, simply put it in your I don't

290
00:15:11,280 --> 00:15:14,520
Speaker 2: understand it file and leave it alone.

291
00:15:14,560 --> 00:15:15,760
Speaker 1: If you go through.

292
00:15:15,560 --> 00:15:19,600
Speaker 2: Life trying to figure out why something bad happened, why

293
00:15:19,640 --> 00:15:22,600
Speaker 2: it didn't work out, why my child didn't get healed,

294
00:15:22,840 --> 00:15:24,640
Speaker 2: it's going to cause you to be bitter.

295
00:15:24,960 --> 00:15:26,520
Speaker 1: It's going to poison your life.

296
00:15:27,200 --> 00:15:30,120
Speaker 2: Listen, if God wants you to know why he's God,

297
00:15:30,320 --> 00:15:33,640
Speaker 2: he'll tell you. But if he's not revealing it to you,

298
00:15:33,640 --> 00:15:37,240
Speaker 2: you need to leave it alone. Some things God doesn't

299
00:15:37,320 --> 00:15:40,560
Speaker 2: want you to know, it says in Proverbs it is

300
00:15:40,600 --> 00:15:45,160
Speaker 2: God's privilege to conceal things. If you're going to trust God,

301
00:15:45,480 --> 00:15:48,080
Speaker 2: you have to accept the fact that there are going

302
00:15:48,120 --> 00:15:52,080
Speaker 2: to be unanswered questions. Everything is not going to fit

303
00:15:52,240 --> 00:15:56,000
Speaker 2: perfectly into our theology. But we can come back to

304
00:15:56,080 --> 00:16:00,000
Speaker 2: the central theme of who God is. God is good, God,

305
00:16:00,000 --> 00:16:02,600
Speaker 2: God is loving, God is kind, God is fear, God

306
00:16:02,680 --> 00:16:06,360
Speaker 2: is just. Here's what I've learned. Don't put a question

307
00:16:06,560 --> 00:16:10,320
Speaker 2: mark where God has put a period. If you prayed,

308
00:16:10,640 --> 00:16:13,160
Speaker 2: you believe it didn't work out, God.

309
00:16:12,880 --> 00:16:14,480
Speaker 1: Put a period. Move forward.

310
00:16:15,240 --> 00:16:18,680
Speaker 2: When my father was sick, the whole church prayed. We

311
00:16:18,760 --> 00:16:20,920
Speaker 2: all stood in faith, but Daddy went to be with

312
00:16:20,960 --> 00:16:21,360
Speaker 2: the Lord.

313
00:16:21,960 --> 00:16:23,960
Speaker 1: What happened? God put a period.

314
00:16:24,640 --> 00:16:27,160
Speaker 2: Now we could put a question mark and say, God,

315
00:16:27,480 --> 00:16:28,800
Speaker 2: why didn't you hear our prayers?

316
00:16:29,120 --> 00:16:30,600
Speaker 1: Why didn't you give him more time?

317
00:16:31,440 --> 00:16:34,400
Speaker 2: Or we could accept the fact that God put a period,

318
00:16:34,760 --> 00:16:36,000
Speaker 2: that that chapter is over.

319
00:16:36,080 --> 00:16:37,000
Speaker 1: This is a new day.

320
00:16:37,960 --> 00:16:41,040
Speaker 2: We celebrated what God had done through my father and

321
00:16:41,120 --> 00:16:44,200
Speaker 2: we stepped into the new beginning God had in store

322
00:16:44,240 --> 00:16:44,840
Speaker 2: for us.

323
00:16:45,200 --> 00:16:46,400
Speaker 1: Don't put a question mark.

324
00:16:46,920 --> 00:16:49,400
Speaker 2: If you were hard but you didn't get the promotion,

325
00:16:49,920 --> 00:16:53,200
Speaker 2: dust your face off and move forward. God has something better.

326
00:16:53,880 --> 00:16:57,000
Speaker 2: Talk to a gentleman last week. He was very discouraged

327
00:16:57,080 --> 00:17:00,440
Speaker 2: because his business didn't make it. He gave it his best,

328
00:17:00,560 --> 00:17:03,760
Speaker 2: but it still went under him. He told how he'd

329
00:17:03,800 --> 00:17:06,800
Speaker 2: put in all of his savings and his time, his effort.

330
00:17:07,040 --> 00:17:10,080
Speaker 2: He just couldn't understand why it didn't work out. I

331
00:17:10,200 --> 00:17:12,960
Speaker 2: told him what I'm telling you. That's over and done.

332
00:17:13,440 --> 00:17:16,520
Speaker 2: God put a period, don't put a question mark. Don't

333
00:17:16,560 --> 00:17:20,080
Speaker 2: live in self pity God, why did this happen? No,

334
00:17:20,280 --> 00:17:24,800
Speaker 2: that's simply another chapter in your book. Do yourself a favor.

335
00:17:25,080 --> 00:17:29,000
Speaker 2: Turn the page. If you'll move forward, you'll come into

336
00:17:29,040 --> 00:17:33,280
Speaker 2: another chapter. The good news is your story doesn't end

337
00:17:33,400 --> 00:17:37,280
Speaker 2: in defeat. It ends in victory. God always causes you

338
00:17:37,359 --> 00:17:41,040
Speaker 2: to try out. So if you're not victorious right now, just.

339
00:17:41,119 --> 00:17:44,000
Speaker 1: Keep moving forward. That means it's not the end.

340
00:17:44,920 --> 00:17:48,080
Speaker 2: In the scripture, David had a newborn baby that was

341
00:17:48,280 --> 00:17:51,760
Speaker 2: very sick and close to death. For seven days and

342
00:17:51,840 --> 00:17:56,000
Speaker 2: seven nights, David fasted and prayed for the baby. Wouldn't

343
00:17:56,080 --> 00:17:58,920
Speaker 2: eat anything, wouldn't get up off the floor. In fact,

344
00:17:59,040 --> 00:18:01,919
Speaker 2: his men were worried about David. You got to eat something,

345
00:18:02,080 --> 00:18:04,840
Speaker 2: he wouldn't do it. On the seventh day, they came

346
00:18:04,880 --> 00:18:07,240
Speaker 2: in with the bad news that the baby had died.

347
00:18:07,960 --> 00:18:11,080
Speaker 2: They weren't sure how David was going to respond, but

348
00:18:11,119 --> 00:18:13,920
Speaker 2: when David heard the news, he got up off the ground,

349
00:18:14,440 --> 00:18:17,920
Speaker 2: went home took a shower, put on some new clothes,

350
00:18:18,160 --> 00:18:20,879
Speaker 2: got something to eat, and went to the temple and

351
00:18:20,960 --> 00:18:24,560
Speaker 2: began to worship. His men were so amazed at how

352
00:18:24,560 --> 00:18:28,399
Speaker 2: he could recover so quickly. David said, when the baby

353
00:18:28,640 --> 00:18:32,280
Speaker 2: was alive, I prayed for God to heal him. But

354
00:18:32,400 --> 00:18:35,320
Speaker 2: now that he is gone, I cannot bring him back.

355
00:18:35,960 --> 00:18:38,719
Speaker 2: He will not come to me, but one day I

356
00:18:38,800 --> 00:18:42,240
Speaker 2: will go to be with him. David was saying, God

357
00:18:42,280 --> 00:18:45,320
Speaker 2: put a period here. I'm not gonna put a question mark.

358
00:18:46,040 --> 00:18:50,080
Speaker 2: I prayed, I believed, I fasted, I did everything I could,

359
00:18:50,400 --> 00:18:52,720
Speaker 2: but it didn't work out. So I'm gonna let it go.

360
00:18:52,920 --> 00:18:56,680
Speaker 2: I'm gonna release it and move forward with my life.

361
00:18:56,720 --> 00:18:59,960
Speaker 2: Maybe you've done everything you could, you prayed, you believe

362
00:19:00,080 --> 00:19:02,640
Speaker 2: if you gave it your all, but it didn't work out.

363
00:19:03,160 --> 00:19:06,040
Speaker 1: Best thing you can do is release it. Just let

364
00:19:06,119 --> 00:19:06,480
Speaker 1: it go.

365
00:19:07,119 --> 00:19:10,720
Speaker 2: Don't go around in self pity, defeated, thinking there's nothing

366
00:19:10,800 --> 00:19:14,520
Speaker 2: good in your future. Do like David, freshen up, put

367
00:19:14,560 --> 00:19:17,119
Speaker 2: on a new attitude, Go to the mall, buy some

368
00:19:17,200 --> 00:19:20,000
Speaker 2: new clothes, get something good to eat, and get ready

369
00:19:20,000 --> 00:19:22,800
Speaker 2: for the new thing God is about to do. Now

370
00:19:22,840 --> 00:19:24,560
Speaker 2: some of you ladies are thinking, I heard the word

371
00:19:24,600 --> 00:19:28,400
Speaker 2: I needed. He said, go to the mall. I think

372
00:19:28,440 --> 00:19:32,359
Speaker 2: about Eve in the scripture. She went through a great disappointment.

373
00:19:32,880 --> 00:19:36,760
Speaker 2: Her son Cain killed her son Abel, the first murder

374
00:19:36,760 --> 00:19:39,879
Speaker 2: in the Bible. And I'm sure Eve, like any mother,

375
00:19:40,119 --> 00:19:41,880
Speaker 2: was devastated and heartbroken.

376
00:19:42,240 --> 00:19:44,399
Speaker 1: She could have thought, God, how could you let this

377
00:19:44,520 --> 00:19:45,040
Speaker 1: happen to me?

378
00:19:45,640 --> 00:19:48,840
Speaker 2: But I love what Eve said And Genesis four twenty five,

379
00:19:49,520 --> 00:19:54,080
Speaker 2: God has appointed another seed for me. She was saying,

380
00:19:54,280 --> 00:19:57,480
Speaker 2: I don't understand, it doesn't make sense, but I know

381
00:19:57,600 --> 00:20:00,360
Speaker 2: God is still in control. This is not the end.

382
00:20:00,560 --> 00:20:04,720
Speaker 2: He has appointed another seed. God is saying, when you

383
00:20:04,840 --> 00:20:07,840
Speaker 2: go through things that you don't understand, it is not

384
00:20:08,040 --> 00:20:12,399
Speaker 2: the end. God is going to appoint another seed. The

385
00:20:12,480 --> 00:20:16,800
Speaker 2: reason God says seed is seed represents the future. It

386
00:20:16,880 --> 00:20:19,760
Speaker 2: indicates what's coming. And if you'll let go of what

387
00:20:19,920 --> 00:20:22,760
Speaker 2: didn't work out, let go of the hurts and pains,

388
00:20:23,200 --> 00:20:26,800
Speaker 2: then for everything you've lost, God will appoint another seed

389
00:20:27,400 --> 00:20:30,160
Speaker 2: everything that was taken away, another seed.

390
00:20:30,760 --> 00:20:33,000
Speaker 1: You are going to give birth to more in the

391
00:20:33,080 --> 00:20:35,199
Speaker 1: future than you've lost in the past.

392
00:20:35,440 --> 00:20:37,919
Speaker 2: Now you've got to do your part and keep moving forward.

393
00:20:39,560 --> 00:20:42,320
Speaker 2: When you drive home today in your car, there's a

394
00:20:42,359 --> 00:20:45,880
Speaker 2: big windshield in the front, and then a very small

395
00:20:46,119 --> 00:20:49,560
Speaker 2: rear view mirror. The reason the windshield is so large

396
00:20:49,920 --> 00:20:53,080
Speaker 2: and the rear view mirror is so small is because

397
00:20:53,119 --> 00:20:56,399
Speaker 2: what's in your past is not nearly as important as

398
00:20:56,440 --> 00:21:00,040
Speaker 2: what's in your future. Where you are going is so

399
00:21:00,119 --> 00:21:03,840
Speaker 2: much more important than where you've been. But if you

400
00:21:03,920 --> 00:21:06,920
Speaker 2: stay focused on the past, you'll get stuck right where

401
00:21:06,960 --> 00:21:07,320
Speaker 2: you are.

402
00:21:08,040 --> 00:21:08,359
Speaker 1: Listen.

403
00:21:08,359 --> 00:21:12,280
Speaker 2: If one dream has died, dream another dream. God has

404
00:21:12,280 --> 00:21:17,640
Speaker 2: appointed another seed. Don't let one set back define who

405
00:21:17,680 --> 00:21:22,720
Speaker 2: you are. Don't let one betrayal, one mistake, one divorce,

406
00:21:23,040 --> 00:21:24,800
Speaker 2: one bankruptcy.

407
00:21:24,160 --> 00:21:26,640
Speaker 1: Ruin the rest of your life. That is not who

408
00:21:26,720 --> 00:21:27,120
Speaker 1: you are.

409
00:21:27,560 --> 00:21:30,080
Speaker 2: That is just another step on the way to your

410
00:21:30,119 --> 00:21:33,080
Speaker 2: divine destiny. Now let it go and step into the

411
00:21:33,119 --> 00:21:36,919
Speaker 2: new beginning God has in store. Bottom line is you

412
00:21:37,000 --> 00:21:40,240
Speaker 2: have to quit mourning over something that you cannot change.

413
00:21:40,760 --> 00:21:44,080
Speaker 2: If God put a period there, don't waste another minute

414
00:21:44,400 --> 00:21:48,120
Speaker 2: in self pity, defeated, wondering why this has happened. Now

415
00:21:48,160 --> 00:21:51,320
Speaker 2: that chapter is over and done, this is a new day.

416
00:21:51,720 --> 00:21:54,560
Speaker 2: God has another seed in front of you. He has

417
00:21:54,600 --> 00:21:59,200
Speaker 2: another relationship, another business, another breakthrough, another victory.

418
00:21:59,240 --> 00:22:03,120
Speaker 1: Move forward into the new. This is exactly what David did.

419
00:22:03,520 --> 00:22:06,560
Speaker 2: He said in Psalm one thirty one, I don't concern

420
00:22:06,720 --> 00:22:09,639
Speaker 2: myself with matters that are too great for me.

421
00:22:10,240 --> 00:22:13,119
Speaker 1: I have quieted and stilled my soul.

422
00:22:14,040 --> 00:22:17,440
Speaker 2: David knew that situation with his little baby was way

423
00:22:17,480 --> 00:22:20,320
Speaker 2: over his head. He knew he would never understand it,

424
00:22:20,640 --> 00:22:22,480
Speaker 2: so he didn't get negative and bitter.

425
00:22:22,800 --> 00:22:26,359
Speaker 1: He released it. He quieted and stilled his soul.

426
00:22:27,200 --> 00:22:30,440
Speaker 2: When you go through situations that you don't understand, that's

427
00:22:30,560 --> 00:22:33,119
Speaker 2: learned to do like David and say God, it doesn't

428
00:22:33,160 --> 00:22:36,119
Speaker 2: make sense. I don't know why this has happened, but

429
00:22:36,160 --> 00:22:38,800
Speaker 2: I'm not going to get bitter and upset and confused.

430
00:22:38,960 --> 00:22:42,959
Speaker 2: I'm going to quiet and steal my soul. Why Because

431
00:22:43,000 --> 00:22:45,119
Speaker 2: I know God has appointed another seed.

432
00:22:45,480 --> 00:22:46,640
Speaker 1: I know it's not the end.

433
00:22:47,720 --> 00:22:50,720
Speaker 2: Friends, When you can let things go and not get

434
00:22:50,760 --> 00:22:53,240
Speaker 2: bitter and upset and drop out of church and start

435
00:22:53,240 --> 00:22:56,280
Speaker 2: blaming God, then the creator of the universe will go

436
00:22:56,320 --> 00:22:58,920
Speaker 2: to work for you. God has said he will take

437
00:22:59,000 --> 00:23:01,080
Speaker 2: what was meant for your heart arm and use it

438
00:23:01,080 --> 00:23:04,560
Speaker 2: to your advantage. I heard about this young couple. They

439
00:23:04,600 --> 00:23:08,080
Speaker 2: were going to visit their relatives. It was September eleventh,

440
00:23:08,280 --> 00:23:10,280
Speaker 2: the day of the attacks on our nations.

441
00:23:10,840 --> 00:23:12,960
Speaker 1: Early in the morning, on the way to the.

442
00:23:12,920 --> 00:23:15,800
Speaker 2: Airport, they had a flat tire and ended up missing

443
00:23:15,800 --> 00:23:19,200
Speaker 2: their flight. It just so happened their plane was one

444
00:23:19,200 --> 00:23:21,840
Speaker 2: of the planes that went down. They had not had

445
00:23:21,880 --> 00:23:24,520
Speaker 2: a flat tire, they wouldn't be alive today, And of

446
00:23:24,520 --> 00:23:28,160
Speaker 2: course they were very grateful. The young men's father lived

447
00:23:28,200 --> 00:23:31,840
Speaker 2: in New York City and he called very frantically, very worried.

448
00:23:32,240 --> 00:23:34,080
Speaker 2: The young man gave him the good news that they

449
00:23:34,119 --> 00:23:38,200
Speaker 2: weren't on that flight. This father was a retired firefighter

450
00:23:38,280 --> 00:23:40,879
Speaker 2: there in New York, and he told his son he

451
00:23:41,000 --> 00:23:44,560
Speaker 2: was going to the World Trade Center to help rescue people. Well,

452
00:23:44,560 --> 00:23:47,399
Speaker 2: that was the last time the father and son ever spoke.

453
00:23:47,720 --> 00:23:51,000
Speaker 2: The father was killed when the buildings came crashing down.

454
00:23:51,840 --> 00:23:55,119
Speaker 2: When this young couple heard the news, the joy of

455
00:23:55,400 --> 00:23:58,760
Speaker 2: their life being spared turned to sorrow and sadness and

456
00:23:59,040 --> 00:24:03,080
Speaker 2: even confusion. See, this father wouldn't have anything to do

457
00:24:03,160 --> 00:24:06,240
Speaker 2: with God, not open it all, and his son had

458
00:24:06,320 --> 00:24:09,160
Speaker 2: tried and tried to share his faith with no success.

459
00:24:09,640 --> 00:24:12,760
Speaker 2: The son was so heartbroken, not only of course, over

460
00:24:12,800 --> 00:24:15,640
Speaker 2: the loss of his dad, but he just wasn't sure

461
00:24:15,960 --> 00:24:17,000
Speaker 2: that his father.

462
00:24:16,840 --> 00:24:17,919
Speaker 1: Was at peace with God.

463
00:24:18,640 --> 00:24:20,840
Speaker 2: About three months later, there was a knock on their

464
00:24:20,880 --> 00:24:24,359
Speaker 2: door and was a young couple holding a little baby.

465
00:24:24,960 --> 00:24:27,040
Speaker 2: The man said, are you so and so? And he

466
00:24:27,080 --> 00:24:29,320
Speaker 2: said I am said would you mind if we came

467
00:24:29,359 --> 00:24:30,800
Speaker 2: in for a few minutes and visit it?

468
00:24:31,359 --> 00:24:32,200
Speaker 1: Come to find out.

469
00:24:32,280 --> 00:24:36,000
Speaker 2: The wife explained how she was in the World Trade Center.

470
00:24:35,920 --> 00:24:37,200
Speaker 1: The day of the attacks.

471
00:24:37,520 --> 00:24:41,280
Speaker 2: She was seven months pregnant, and this father ended up

472
00:24:41,320 --> 00:24:44,800
Speaker 2: rescuing her and carrying her all the way down the stairs.

473
00:24:45,440 --> 00:24:47,920
Speaker 1: On the way down, she began to talk.

474
00:24:47,760 --> 00:24:51,200
Speaker 2: To his dad about his relationship to God and about

475
00:24:51,240 --> 00:24:54,479
Speaker 2: receiving Christ. She said, when we got to the bottom floor,

476
00:24:54,640 --> 00:24:55,840
Speaker 2: your dad knelt down on.

477
00:24:55,800 --> 00:24:58,359
Speaker 1: His knees and he asked Christ to come into his Hearten.

478
00:25:00,119 --> 00:25:02,960
Speaker 2: She said, we not only came to give you this

479
00:25:03,080 --> 00:25:05,879
Speaker 2: good news, but we wanted to introduce you to our

480
00:25:05,880 --> 00:25:06,560
Speaker 2: little baby.

481
00:25:06,840 --> 00:25:08,399
Speaker 1: We named him after your father.

482
00:25:09,520 --> 00:25:13,520
Speaker 2: The scripture says, now we know in part, but one

483
00:25:13,600 --> 00:25:15,160
Speaker 2: day we will know in full.

484
00:25:16,160 --> 00:25:17,880
Speaker 1: There are a lot of things right.

485
00:25:17,680 --> 00:25:21,879
Speaker 2: Now that we don't understand, but I'm convinced one day

486
00:25:22,080 --> 00:25:25,199
Speaker 2: they will make sense. One day we'll look back in

487
00:25:25,280 --> 00:25:28,720
Speaker 2: amazement and see how the hand of God was always

488
00:25:28,760 --> 00:25:32,320
Speaker 2: working in our lives, doing greater things than we imagine.

489
00:25:32,359 --> 00:25:35,200
Speaker 2: At the time, it looked bad, It looked like God

490
00:25:35,320 --> 00:25:35,879
Speaker 2: wasn't fair.

491
00:25:36,119 --> 00:25:37,520
Speaker 1: But God is fair.

492
00:25:37,560 --> 00:25:41,520
Speaker 2: Somehow, some way, even though we didn't know it. God

493
00:25:41,600 --> 00:25:44,760
Speaker 2: took the injustice and brought good out of it. He

494
00:25:44,840 --> 00:25:47,480
Speaker 2: took the tragedy and used it to save a loved one.

495
00:25:47,840 --> 00:25:50,640
Speaker 2: He took the betrayal and opened up a greater door.

496
00:25:51,119 --> 00:25:53,679
Speaker 2: Why don't you trust him? Why don't you take your

497
00:25:53,720 --> 00:25:56,240
Speaker 2: hands off the wheel and let him do the driving.

498
00:25:57,080 --> 00:26:00,359
Speaker 2: Let go of the frustration of having to have it way,

499
00:26:01,040 --> 00:26:04,600
Speaker 2: Let go of the wives of life. Put those unanswered

500
00:26:04,680 --> 00:26:08,560
Speaker 2: questions in your I don't understand it file. The scripture says,

501
00:26:09,040 --> 00:26:12,480
Speaker 2: now we see through a glass dimly, but one day

502
00:26:12,720 --> 00:26:15,720
Speaker 2: we will see face to face. Some of you today

503
00:26:16,080 --> 00:26:18,800
Speaker 2: have things that are weighing you down, keeping you from

504
00:26:18,880 --> 00:26:19,639
Speaker 2: God's best.

505
00:26:20,119 --> 00:26:22,840
Speaker 1: Make a decision right now. You're going to let it go,

506
00:26:23,600 --> 00:26:25,120
Speaker 1: release it to God.

507
00:26:25,240 --> 00:26:27,760
Speaker 2: You can walk out of here free into the bright

508
00:26:27,840 --> 00:26:31,719
Speaker 2: future God has in store. Remember, for everything you've lost,

509
00:26:31,960 --> 00:26:36,000
Speaker 2: God's already appointed another seed, another breakthrough, another victory.

510
00:26:36,480 --> 00:26:38,080
Speaker 1: If you'll learn to let things.

511
00:26:37,840 --> 00:26:41,640
Speaker 2: Go, let go of disappointments, things you don't understand, Then

512
00:26:41,680 --> 00:26:44,280
Speaker 2: as you let go. God will go to work, He'll

513
00:26:44,280 --> 00:26:47,280
Speaker 2: make your wrongs right. He'll pay you back for injustice.

514
00:26:47,359 --> 00:26:50,800
Speaker 2: And I believe in declare You're gonna rise higher, overcoming

515
00:26:50,840 --> 00:26:55,200
Speaker 2: every obstacle, defeating every enemy. You're gonna become everything God

516
00:26:55,240 --> 00:26:57,639
Speaker 2: created you to be. If you receive it. Can you

517
00:26:57,680 --> 00:27:01,439
Speaker 2: say amen today? Or we never like to close our

518
00:27:01,480 --> 00:27:04,760
Speaker 2: broadcast without giving you an opportunity to make Jesus the

519
00:27:04,800 --> 00:27:05,600
Speaker 2: lord of your life.

520
00:27:05,880 --> 00:27:10,240
Speaker 1: Would you pray with me? Just say, Lord, Jesus, come

521
00:27:10,280 --> 00:27:13,800
Speaker 1: into my heart. I make you my Lord and savior.

522
00:27:14,960 --> 00:27:17,359
Speaker 2: Friends, if you prayed that simple prayer, we believe you

523
00:27:17,400 --> 00:27:18,160
Speaker 2: got born again.

524
00:27:18,640 --> 00:27:21,520
Speaker 1: Get in a good Bible based church. Keep God first place.

525
00:27:21,720 --> 00:27:24,040
Speaker 1: He's going to take your places that you've never dreamed of.

526
00:27:25,960 --> 00:27:28,560
Speaker 2: It's easy to get stuck in life because of fear

527
00:27:28,680 --> 00:27:32,320
Speaker 2: and lack of confidence, or we've been through disappointments. But

528
00:27:32,400 --> 00:27:36,359
Speaker 2: I'm excited about Victoria's new book, Grace to Go. It'll

529
00:27:36,359 --> 00:27:39,160
Speaker 2: help you move past what's holding you back and step

530
00:27:39,200 --> 00:27:40,960
Speaker 2: into new levels of your destiny.

531
00:27:41,320 --> 00:27:43,560
Speaker 3: My heart for this book is that you will discover

532
00:27:43,800 --> 00:27:46,960
Speaker 3: the courage, the gifts, and the faith that God has

533
00:27:47,040 --> 00:27:49,120
Speaker 3: put in you so that you can see your dreams.

534
00:27:49,119 --> 00:27:49,800
Speaker 1: Come to pass.

535
00:27:50,280 --> 00:27:53,200
Speaker 3: It's not too late. The obstacles are not too big.

536
00:27:53,680 --> 00:27:56,000
Speaker 3: The grace of God equips you to go beyond your

537
00:27:56,000 --> 00:28:00,320
Speaker 3: comfort zone and overcome what looks impossible. You are stronger

538
00:28:00,359 --> 00:28:03,240
Speaker 3: than you think. You are not alone. You are Grace

539
00:28:03,520 --> 00:28:03,880
Speaker 3: to Go.

540
00:28:04,760 --> 00:28:07,119
Speaker 4: As our way of saying thank you for your gift

541
00:28:07,160 --> 00:28:10,760
Speaker 4: of any amount, this month will send you Victoria Ostein's

542
00:28:10,760 --> 00:28:14,560
Speaker 4: brand new book, Grace to Go. Step onto the bigger,

543
00:28:14,760 --> 00:28:19,120
Speaker 4: bolder life that belongs to you. This inspiring resource will

544
00:28:19,160 --> 00:28:23,480
Speaker 4: help you break through fear, insecurity, or regret and activate

545
00:28:23,560 --> 00:28:27,520
Speaker 4: the faith to move forward. Each chapter will stir your spirit,

546
00:28:27,880 --> 00:28:32,119
Speaker 4: renew your perspective, and empower you to live boldly. You

547
00:28:32,160 --> 00:28:35,800
Speaker 4: don't have to wait for perfect conditions. God's grace meets

548
00:28:35,840 --> 00:28:38,680
Speaker 4: you where you are and propels you into a future

549
00:28:38,840 --> 00:28:42,760
Speaker 4: full of purpose and peace. With an additional gift, will

550
00:28:42,800 --> 00:28:46,360
Speaker 4: send you the Grace to Go Bold bundle featuring Grace

551
00:28:46,440 --> 00:28:50,560
Speaker 4: to Go by Victoria Ostein and Pray Bold by Jolo Stein.

552
00:28:51,120 --> 00:28:55,120
Speaker 4: These two powerful books will stir your faith, break hesitation,

553
00:28:55,520 --> 00:28:57,440
Speaker 4: and help you believe big again.

554
00:28:58,440 --> 00:29:01,880
Speaker 3: Grace is power. When you receive it by faith, it

555
00:29:02,000 --> 00:29:04,520
Speaker 3: enables you to take the next step so you can

556
00:29:04,560 --> 00:29:06,200
Speaker 3: become all you are created to be.

557
00:29:06,680 --> 00:29:07,320
Speaker 1: Victory and I.

558
00:29:07,240 --> 00:29:09,840
Speaker 2: Are so grateful to spend this time with you. We

559
00:29:09,920 --> 00:29:12,720
Speaker 2: pray for you and your family every day and thank

560
00:29:12,720 --> 00:29:16,160
Speaker 2: you so much for your prayer and support. Your generosity

561
00:29:16,240 --> 00:29:19,320
Speaker 2: is helping people around the world. Special thank you to

562
00:29:19,400 --> 00:29:22,400
Speaker 2: our Champion of Hope partners for your monthly gifts. If

563
00:29:22,440 --> 00:29:25,200
Speaker 2: you're not a partner, I hope you'll consider becoming one.

564
00:29:25,360 --> 00:29:28,880
Speaker 2: Remember you can watch the services online every Sunday morning,

565
00:29:29,200 --> 00:29:33,040
Speaker 2: download our daily podcast, watch on YouTube the new joel

566
00:29:33,040 --> 00:29:36,640
Speaker 2: Ost Network social media. Of course, listen on Serious XM

567
00:29:36,720 --> 00:29:40,400
Speaker 2: twenty four to seven. We'll help you stay encouraged and inspired.

568
00:29:40,840 --> 00:29:43,200
Speaker 2: If you're a pastor, we'd like to invite you to

569
00:29:43,240 --> 00:29:44,600
Speaker 2: our pastors Gathering.

570
00:29:44,840 --> 00:29:46,920
Speaker 1: We'd be honored to spend the day with you here

571
00:29:46,960 --> 00:29:47,680
Speaker 1: at Lakewood.

572
00:29:48,040 --> 00:29:51,000
Speaker 2: We'll share some of the things we've learned, insights and

573
00:29:51,040 --> 00:29:54,680
Speaker 2: behind the scenes. Be a time of inspiration and encouragement.

574
00:29:54,880 --> 00:29:56,040
Speaker 2: We'd love to meet you.

575
00:29:56,800 --> 00:30:00,840
Speaker 4: These two powerful books will stir your faith, ray, hesitation,

576
00:30:01,200 --> 00:30:04,920
Speaker 4: and help you believe big again. Be sure to request

577
00:30:05,000 --> 00:30:09,640
Speaker 4: your copy of these powerful resources today for an additional donation.

578
00:30:09,800 --> 00:30:13,440
Speaker 4: This month, we are also offering the NLT large print

579
00:30:13,560 --> 00:30:17,400
Speaker 4: Thin line Reference Bible. This Bible also enables you to

580
00:30:17,440 --> 00:30:20,840
Speaker 4: connect through your smartphone or tablet to a vast, power

581
00:30:20,960 --> 00:30:26,680
Speaker 4: packed array of study notes, devotionals, interactive maps, videos, worship music.

582
00:30:27,120 --> 00:30:30,800
Speaker 4: You can request these inspiring resources by calling eight eight

583
00:30:30,840 --> 00:30:34,960
Speaker 4: eight five six seven Joel or logging on to Joelosine

584
00:30:35,000 --> 00:30:39,240
Speaker 4: dot com today. Call or click anytime, twenty four hours

585
00:30:39,240 --> 00:30:43,880
Speaker 4: a day, Start fresh, step forward. You are graced to go.

586
00:30:44,520 --> 00:30:46,120
Speaker 4: Request your copies today