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I hope you'll 35 00:01:38,000 --> 00:01:38,720 Speaker 5: leave inspire. 36 00:01:39,080 --> 00:01:42,000 Speaker 6: Make sure you subscribe to get new messages every week. 37 00:01:42,160 --> 00:01:45,280 Speaker 5: We appreciate your support. It helps keep the ministry going. 38 00:01:45,720 --> 00:01:58,000 Speaker 7: Enjoy the message. 39 00:02:00,080 --> 00:02:03,000 Speaker 5: Well, God bless you, and welcome to Lakewood. It's a 40 00:02:03,080 --> 00:02:05,240 Speaker 5: joy to come into your homes each week. Thanks so 41 00:02:05,320 --> 00:02:07,280 Speaker 5: much for being with us, and if you're ever in 42 00:02:07,360 --> 00:02:09,800 Speaker 5: our area, please stop by and be a part of 43 00:02:09,840 --> 00:02:12,320 Speaker 5: one of our services. I promise you'll we'll make you 44 00:02:12,360 --> 00:02:14,560 Speaker 5: feel right at home. But thank you for tuning in 45 00:02:14,600 --> 00:02:17,480 Speaker 5: and thanks again for coming out. I like to start 46 00:02:17,520 --> 00:02:20,560 Speaker 5: with something funny. And I heard about this older woman. 47 00:02:20,800 --> 00:02:23,560 Speaker 5: She came to church one Sunday morning, and a friendly 48 00:02:23,680 --> 00:02:25,839 Speaker 5: usher met her in the back and said, ma'am, where 49 00:02:25,840 --> 00:02:28,080 Speaker 5: would you like to sit? She said, I'd like to 50 00:02:28,080 --> 00:02:31,239 Speaker 5: sit on the very front road. He said, oh, no, ma'am, 51 00:02:31,280 --> 00:02:33,920 Speaker 5: you don't want to do that. Our pastor's very boring. 52 00:02:34,280 --> 00:02:36,960 Speaker 5: He'll put you to sleep. Let me seet you somewhere else. 53 00:02:37,480 --> 00:02:40,359 Speaker 5: She looked appalled. She said, sir, do you know who 54 00:02:40,400 --> 00:02:43,240 Speaker 5: I am? He said no, ma'am. She said, I am 55 00:02:43,280 --> 00:02:48,040 Speaker 5: the pastor's mother. He hung his head in embarrassment and 56 00:02:48,160 --> 00:02:50,160 Speaker 5: finally looked up and said, ma'am, do you know who 57 00:02:50,200 --> 00:02:50,519 Speaker 5: I am? 58 00:02:50,880 --> 00:02:51,400 Speaker 8: She said no. 59 00:02:51,800 --> 00:02:56,600 Speaker 5: He said, Thank God, hold up your bible. Say it 60 00:02:56,680 --> 00:02:59,280 Speaker 5: like you mean it. This is my Bible. I am 61 00:02:59,320 --> 00:02:59,799 Speaker 5: what it says. 62 00:02:59,840 --> 00:03:00,359 Speaker 8: I am. 63 00:03:00,000 --> 00:03:02,840 Speaker 5: I have what it says I have. I can do 64 00:03:02,919 --> 00:03:05,360 Speaker 5: what it says I can do. Today I will be 65 00:03:05,440 --> 00:03:08,919 Speaker 5: talked the word of God. I boldly confess. My mind 66 00:03:08,960 --> 00:03:12,000 Speaker 5: is alert, my heart is receptive. I will never be 67 00:03:12,080 --> 00:03:16,639 Speaker 5: the same. In Jesus' name, God bless you. I want 68 00:03:16,680 --> 00:03:20,520 Speaker 5: to talk to you today about covered by mercy. We 69 00:03:20,560 --> 00:03:23,200 Speaker 5: all make mistakes in life. And do things that we 70 00:03:23,320 --> 00:03:26,440 Speaker 5: know we shouldn't do, and it's easy to live guilty 71 00:03:26,960 --> 00:03:30,480 Speaker 5: in regrets, feeling like we're all washed up. A man 72 00:03:30,600 --> 00:03:33,600 Speaker 5: said to me recently how he had gotten off course 73 00:03:33,600 --> 00:03:37,680 Speaker 5: in his business, made some poor decisions, didn't have integrity. 74 00:03:38,200 --> 00:03:41,920 Speaker 5: Now it was going downhill, started to affect his marriage. 75 00:03:42,160 --> 00:03:44,800 Speaker 5: I encouraged him to pray and ask God to help 76 00:03:44,840 --> 00:03:48,160 Speaker 5: turn it around. Believe for favor, he said, Joel, I 77 00:03:48,160 --> 00:03:51,720 Speaker 5: couldn't do that. It's my own fault. I brought this 78 00:03:51,800 --> 00:03:56,680 Speaker 5: trouble on myself. He felt like he was disqualified, he 79 00:03:56,720 --> 00:04:00,360 Speaker 5: didn't deserve God's help because his performance wasn't a to par. 80 00:04:01,440 --> 00:04:04,680 Speaker 5: We can understand how God will bless us when we're 81 00:04:04,680 --> 00:04:08,600 Speaker 5: doing what's right, making good choices. It's easy to expect 82 00:04:08,720 --> 00:04:10,200 Speaker 5: good things and believe. 83 00:04:09,920 --> 00:04:11,360 Speaker 8: For dreams to come to pass. 84 00:04:12,000 --> 00:04:15,960 Speaker 5: But the beauty of mercy is even when we make mistakes, 85 00:04:16,640 --> 00:04:19,479 Speaker 5: even when we go the wrong way, our performance is 86 00:04:19,520 --> 00:04:23,400 Speaker 5: not perfect. God doesn't say too bad, you had your chance, 87 00:04:23,520 --> 00:04:27,039 Speaker 5: You're on your own. No, this is where mercy shows off. 88 00:04:27,800 --> 00:04:30,640 Speaker 5: God will not only help bring you out of the 89 00:04:30,680 --> 00:04:33,640 Speaker 5: trouble that you got yourself in, he'll take it one 90 00:04:33,680 --> 00:04:38,039 Speaker 5: step further. And help clean up the mess you made. 91 00:04:38,080 --> 00:04:41,159 Speaker 5: Maybe a relationship you knew you weren't supposed to get in. 92 00:04:41,560 --> 00:04:44,120 Speaker 5: You didn't feel good about it, You heard the alarm 93 00:04:44,200 --> 00:04:47,679 Speaker 5: going off, but you ignored it. Now it's a mess 94 00:04:48,000 --> 00:04:51,520 Speaker 5: causing your heartache and pain. Or perhaps a job you 95 00:04:51,600 --> 00:04:54,600 Speaker 5: knew you weren't supposed to take it. You didn't feel good, 96 00:04:54,720 --> 00:04:58,200 Speaker 5: you had that uneasiness on the inside, but you overrode 97 00:04:58,240 --> 00:05:01,560 Speaker 5: it and did it anyway. Now it's a mess. You're 98 00:05:01,600 --> 00:05:04,919 Speaker 5: not fulfilled, not being treated right. God doesn't say I 99 00:05:05,000 --> 00:05:08,440 Speaker 5: tried to tell you. Maybe next time you'll listen. No, 100 00:05:08,680 --> 00:05:12,880 Speaker 5: God is not holding that against you. He has you covered. 101 00:05:13,360 --> 00:05:17,520 Speaker 5: His mercy is bigger than that mistake. His mercy will 102 00:05:17,560 --> 00:05:20,480 Speaker 5: help not only turn it around, but God will help 103 00:05:20,520 --> 00:05:23,240 Speaker 5: clean it up and cause something good to come out 104 00:05:23,240 --> 00:05:25,680 Speaker 5: of it. But if this is going to happen, you 105 00:05:25,760 --> 00:05:30,760 Speaker 5: can't go through life guilty, condemned, beating yourself up because 106 00:05:30,760 --> 00:05:34,239 Speaker 5: of past mistakes, thinking, Oh, man, I knew I shouldn't 107 00:05:34,240 --> 00:05:36,719 Speaker 5: have hung around those people. Now I've got this addiction. 108 00:05:37,480 --> 00:05:39,880 Speaker 5: Knew I should have stayed in college. I knew I 109 00:05:39,880 --> 00:05:41,880 Speaker 5: should have been faithful in my relationship. 110 00:05:42,000 --> 00:05:44,719 Speaker 8: What was I thinking? No, It takes. 111 00:05:44,520 --> 00:05:48,240 Speaker 5: Boldness to believe that God will bless you in spite 112 00:05:48,360 --> 00:05:51,960 Speaker 5: of your mistakes. The accuser will tell you you can't 113 00:05:52,000 --> 00:05:54,839 Speaker 5: ask God to help you. You made the mess, you 114 00:05:54,880 --> 00:05:57,080 Speaker 5: went the wrong way, you were unfaithful. 115 00:05:57,600 --> 00:05:59,520 Speaker 8: God's not going to listen to you. Who do you 116 00:05:59,560 --> 00:05:59,960 Speaker 8: think you are? 117 00:06:00,080 --> 00:06:05,520 Speaker 5: Answer back, A child of the Most High God, redeemed forgiven, 118 00:06:06,120 --> 00:06:08,640 Speaker 5: covered by mercy. 119 00:06:08,680 --> 00:06:09,880 Speaker 8: This is what Jonah did. 120 00:06:10,440 --> 00:06:13,160 Speaker 5: God told him to go to the city of Nineveh 121 00:06:13,200 --> 00:06:15,920 Speaker 5: and share the good news with the people. But Jonah 122 00:06:15,960 --> 00:06:18,680 Speaker 5: didn't want to go. He wanted to do his own thing. 123 00:06:18,920 --> 00:06:21,839 Speaker 5: He went in the opposite direction. He got on a 124 00:06:21,839 --> 00:06:26,120 Speaker 5: boat headed the wrong way. They encountered a huge storm. 125 00:06:26,400 --> 00:06:29,680 Speaker 5: Everybody on board thought they were going to die. Finally, 126 00:06:29,760 --> 00:06:33,560 Speaker 5: Jonah admitted, Hey everyone, I'm the problem. I'm the one 127 00:06:33,560 --> 00:06:37,520 Speaker 5: that's causing all this turmoil. They didn't say, oh, that's okay, Jonah, 128 00:06:37,640 --> 00:06:40,360 Speaker 5: We'll let it slide. We forgive you. No, they threw 129 00:06:40,440 --> 00:06:43,680 Speaker 5: him overboard. They weren't about to go down with them, 130 00:06:44,080 --> 00:06:47,120 Speaker 5: and Jonah thought he was done. It was his fault. 131 00:06:47,520 --> 00:06:49,720 Speaker 5: He did exactly opposite. 132 00:06:49,279 --> 00:06:51,160 Speaker 8: Of what he knew he was supposed to do. 133 00:06:51,920 --> 00:06:54,920 Speaker 5: He was treading water in the middle of the ocean, 134 00:06:55,720 --> 00:06:59,799 Speaker 5: dark in a storm, looked like it was over. 135 00:07:00,320 --> 00:07:02,600 Speaker 8: He was getting exactly what he deserved. 136 00:07:03,040 --> 00:07:06,000 Speaker 5: But God said, Jonah, you can run the other way, 137 00:07:06,320 --> 00:07:11,120 Speaker 5: but you can outrun my mercy. It's from everlasting to everlasting. 138 00:07:11,360 --> 00:07:14,600 Speaker 5: Wherever you go, I've got you covered. The Psalm has 139 00:07:14,680 --> 00:07:16,880 Speaker 5: put it this way. If you go to the depths 140 00:07:16,920 --> 00:07:19,760 Speaker 5: of the sea or way up in the sky, no 141 00:07:19,840 --> 00:07:22,680 Speaker 5: matter how high or how low, you can. 142 00:07:22,600 --> 00:07:24,760 Speaker 8: Never get away from God's mercy. 143 00:07:25,080 --> 00:07:28,480 Speaker 5: He'll always be there waiting for you, calling your name, 144 00:07:28,840 --> 00:07:32,440 Speaker 5: giving you another chance, ready to help, ready to clean 145 00:07:32,520 --> 00:07:36,080 Speaker 5: up the mess you've made. He's got you covered by 146 00:07:36,120 --> 00:07:41,120 Speaker 5: his mercy. Jonah was feeling guilty, thinking that he was finished. 147 00:07:41,440 --> 00:07:45,120 Speaker 5: The situation looked impossible, no way it was ever going 148 00:07:45,200 --> 00:07:47,720 Speaker 5: to turn out good. But God has a way. 149 00:07:48,160 --> 00:07:49,560 Speaker 8: Even when we don't see away. 150 00:07:50,440 --> 00:07:54,000 Speaker 5: Your situation may seem like it could never turn out right. 151 00:07:54,360 --> 00:07:57,040 Speaker 8: You made the mess. Now it's complicated. 152 00:07:57,520 --> 00:08:01,680 Speaker 5: Other people are involved, the odds are against to be encouraged, 153 00:08:02,040 --> 00:08:06,120 Speaker 5: God already has the solution. He already knows how to 154 00:08:06,160 --> 00:08:08,720 Speaker 5: not just bring you out, but how to clean up 155 00:08:08,760 --> 00:08:12,440 Speaker 5: the mess and bring you out better. All of a sudden, 156 00:08:12,880 --> 00:08:16,920 Speaker 5: this big fish came and swallowed Jonah. Now he's sitting 157 00:08:17,000 --> 00:08:20,200 Speaker 5: in the belly of this fish. He's in one sense 158 00:08:20,320 --> 00:08:23,800 Speaker 5: glad that he's still alive, thankful that he didn't drown. 159 00:08:24,240 --> 00:08:26,960 Speaker 5: In another sense, he's thinking, I wish I would have died. 160 00:08:27,320 --> 00:08:30,840 Speaker 8: It sinks in here. I can't see anything. I'm trapped. 161 00:08:31,240 --> 00:08:32,319 Speaker 8: There's no way out. 162 00:08:33,120 --> 00:08:37,559 Speaker 5: But sitting in the belly of that fish thoughts telling him, Jonah. 163 00:08:37,320 --> 00:08:40,480 Speaker 8: You deserved it. It's your own fault, too bad. 164 00:08:41,160 --> 00:08:45,160 Speaker 5: Instead of listening to the accusing voices, the scripture says, 165 00:08:45,600 --> 00:08:50,720 Speaker 5: Jonah began to pray from inside the fish. He didn't say, God, 166 00:08:50,840 --> 00:08:54,280 Speaker 5: I am so undeserving. I've made such a mess. God 167 00:08:54,440 --> 00:08:58,280 Speaker 5: just helped me to survive. Now, he said, I cried 168 00:08:58,600 --> 00:09:02,880 Speaker 5: unto the Lord in my and he answered me. That 169 00:09:03,080 --> 00:09:06,239 Speaker 5: was a statement of faith. He was still in the fish, 170 00:09:06,600 --> 00:09:10,280 Speaker 5: still in trouble. Yet he's declaring God has answered me. 171 00:09:11,360 --> 00:09:14,040 Speaker 5: He went on to say, I sank down to the 172 00:09:14,040 --> 00:09:17,600 Speaker 5: depths of the ocean. Death was near. But when I 173 00:09:17,640 --> 00:09:21,360 Speaker 5: lost all hope, I turned my thoughts towards you, o Lord, 174 00:09:21,720 --> 00:09:25,360 Speaker 5: for you snatched me from the jaws of death. Now 175 00:09:25,440 --> 00:09:29,600 Speaker 5: I will fulfill my vow. I know salvation and deliverance 176 00:09:29,679 --> 00:09:33,480 Speaker 5: comes from you alone. Notice how much of his prayer 177 00:09:33,760 --> 00:09:37,040 Speaker 5: was in the past, tense, like it had already happened. 178 00:09:37,720 --> 00:09:42,079 Speaker 5: Jonah had this attitude, God, I believe you'll not only 179 00:09:42,200 --> 00:09:46,000 Speaker 5: rescue me, but you'll help clean up this mess. That 180 00:09:46,040 --> 00:09:49,000 Speaker 5: you'll bless me in spite of my mistakes, that I 181 00:09:49,040 --> 00:09:54,120 Speaker 5: will still fulfill my destiny. That takes boldness to ask 182 00:09:54,160 --> 00:09:57,600 Speaker 5: for God's blessings in spite of what you've done wrong. 183 00:09:58,320 --> 00:10:02,080 Speaker 5: Because most of the time we just live guilty, condemned, 184 00:10:02,440 --> 00:10:05,840 Speaker 5: we have no passion. But when you have the boldness 185 00:10:05,920 --> 00:10:09,400 Speaker 5: to say, God, I don't deserve it. I went the 186 00:10:09,480 --> 00:10:13,040 Speaker 5: wrong way. But God, I still believe you'll bless me. 187 00:10:13,679 --> 00:10:16,959 Speaker 5: I still believe you'll show me favor. I still believe 188 00:10:17,280 --> 00:10:20,960 Speaker 5: I can become who you created me to be. When 189 00:10:21,000 --> 00:10:23,600 Speaker 5: you do that, God doesn't say who do you think 190 00:10:23,640 --> 00:10:26,520 Speaker 5: you are? You know what you did wrong. You should 191 00:10:26,559 --> 00:10:29,040 Speaker 5: be grateful to even be alive. No God will do 192 00:10:29,120 --> 00:10:32,360 Speaker 5: for you what he did for Jonah. As soon as 193 00:10:32,440 --> 00:10:36,400 Speaker 5: Jonah God through praying. The scripture says God caused the 194 00:10:36,480 --> 00:10:39,680 Speaker 5: fish to spit him up on the dry ground onto 195 00:10:39,720 --> 00:10:40,240 Speaker 5: that beach. 196 00:10:40,679 --> 00:10:41,040 Speaker 8: Friends. 197 00:10:41,120 --> 00:10:45,520 Speaker 5: God controls the whole universe. God can cause whatever's holding 198 00:10:45,559 --> 00:10:49,160 Speaker 5: you back right now, the dysfunction, the addiction, the sickness, 199 00:10:49,240 --> 00:10:52,600 Speaker 5: the legal problem. God can cause it in a split 200 00:10:52,679 --> 00:10:56,200 Speaker 5: second to set you free, to release its hold. God 201 00:10:56,400 --> 00:11:00,760 Speaker 5: is in control, even of our enemies. Jonah came out 202 00:11:00,800 --> 00:11:03,320 Speaker 5: of this well, washed himself. 203 00:11:02,880 --> 00:11:04,600 Speaker 8: Off, thrilled to be alive. 204 00:11:05,040 --> 00:11:07,840 Speaker 5: He knew it was the mercy of God and that 205 00:11:07,880 --> 00:11:10,120 Speaker 5: could have been the end of the story. That would 206 00:11:10,120 --> 00:11:14,400 Speaker 5: be great. God rescued him, saved him from trouble. But 207 00:11:14,480 --> 00:11:15,520 Speaker 5: God doesn't. 208 00:11:15,160 --> 00:11:16,559 Speaker 8: Want to just bring you out. 209 00:11:17,240 --> 00:11:20,720 Speaker 5: If you'll have the right attitude, shake off the guilt, 210 00:11:21,320 --> 00:11:25,040 Speaker 5: get your passion back. God will give you another chance 211 00:11:25,360 --> 00:11:28,880 Speaker 5: to get to where you're supposed to be. That mistake 212 00:11:29,200 --> 00:11:33,720 Speaker 5: did not disqualify you. You didn't miss your destiny because 213 00:11:33,760 --> 00:11:37,640 Speaker 5: you had a detour. The scripture says, the word of 214 00:11:37,679 --> 00:11:41,880 Speaker 5: the Lord came to Jonah a second time. What did 215 00:11:41,920 --> 00:11:44,720 Speaker 5: God say, Jonah, I want you to go to Nineveh, 216 00:11:45,360 --> 00:11:48,440 Speaker 5: the same thing he said the first time. In other words, 217 00:11:48,600 --> 00:11:51,600 Speaker 5: God didn't say, Jonah, I ask you to do this once, 218 00:11:52,080 --> 00:11:54,599 Speaker 5: but boy, you about warm me out. I had to 219 00:11:54,600 --> 00:11:57,320 Speaker 5: get up off the throne, go find that fish. Jonah, 220 00:11:57,400 --> 00:12:00,120 Speaker 5: you just sit on the sidelines. I'm gonna find somebody 221 00:12:00,120 --> 00:12:03,920 Speaker 5: else now. God will always give you another chance, and 222 00:12:04,040 --> 00:12:08,040 Speaker 5: another chance, and another chance to fulfill the best plan 223 00:12:08,520 --> 00:12:12,600 Speaker 5: that He has for your life. It is not too 224 00:12:12,679 --> 00:12:17,040 Speaker 5: late to become who God created you to be. If 225 00:12:17,040 --> 00:12:21,520 Speaker 5: you will start where you are, honoring God, being your best, 226 00:12:21,840 --> 00:12:25,319 Speaker 5: serving others, the right doors will open, the right people 227 00:12:25,360 --> 00:12:28,120 Speaker 5: will show up. God knows how to make up for 228 00:12:28,200 --> 00:12:30,880 Speaker 5: lost time. He can get you to where he wants 229 00:12:30,880 --> 00:12:35,120 Speaker 5: you to be. The second time God asked Jonah went 230 00:12:35,200 --> 00:12:38,360 Speaker 5: to the city of Ninevah. He obeyed, and he saw 231 00:12:38,400 --> 00:12:42,200 Speaker 5: God do amazing things. The point is Jonah made a 232 00:12:42,240 --> 00:12:47,400 Speaker 5: wrong turn, but that did not stop his destiny. God said, Jonah, 233 00:12:47,520 --> 00:12:51,120 Speaker 5: you had a detour, but that's okay. I've got you covered. 234 00:12:51,480 --> 00:12:54,880 Speaker 5: My mercy is bigger than that mistake. I still want 235 00:12:54,920 --> 00:12:57,320 Speaker 5: you to go to Nineveh. I still want you to 236 00:12:57,360 --> 00:13:02,080 Speaker 5: fulfill my best plan for your life. Maybe, like Jonah, 237 00:13:02,520 --> 00:13:06,640 Speaker 5: you've made some mistakes, taken some wrong terms. It's easy 238 00:13:06,679 --> 00:13:09,559 Speaker 5: to sit on the sidelines of life and think, oh, Joel, 239 00:13:09,600 --> 00:13:11,360 Speaker 5: I can't expect God to bless me. 240 00:13:12,040 --> 00:13:14,319 Speaker 8: You don't know what I've done, blew my. 241 00:13:14,360 --> 00:13:18,200 Speaker 5: Marriage, got these addictions felled in business, made a lot 242 00:13:18,240 --> 00:13:19,160 Speaker 5: of poor choices. 243 00:13:19,520 --> 00:13:21,720 Speaker 8: No, you are no different than Jonah. 244 00:13:22,280 --> 00:13:24,920 Speaker 5: You can either sit there on the beach, so to speak, 245 00:13:24,960 --> 00:13:27,559 Speaker 5: and just be glad you're alive, or you can rise 246 00:13:27,679 --> 00:13:30,320 Speaker 5: up like he did and say, God, I blew it. 247 00:13:30,559 --> 00:13:34,559 Speaker 5: I don't deserve it, but I know salvation and deliverance 248 00:13:34,640 --> 00:13:35,400 Speaker 5: comes from you. 249 00:13:35,760 --> 00:13:36,040 Speaker 8: Lord. 250 00:13:36,080 --> 00:13:39,080 Speaker 5: I believe that you can turn this mess around and 251 00:13:39,240 --> 00:13:42,320 Speaker 5: still help me become who you created. 252 00:13:41,840 --> 00:13:42,200 Speaker 9: Me to be. 253 00:13:43,200 --> 00:13:46,120 Speaker 5: If you'll have an attitude like that, the word of 254 00:13:46,200 --> 00:13:49,000 Speaker 5: the Lord will come to you a second time. God 255 00:13:49,040 --> 00:13:51,880 Speaker 5: will give you another chance. You may be in the 256 00:13:51,880 --> 00:13:54,400 Speaker 5: middle of a mess right now. It was your fault, 257 00:13:54,960 --> 00:13:58,120 Speaker 5: no excuse. You don't see anything good in your future, 258 00:13:58,600 --> 00:14:02,440 Speaker 5: but be encouraged. God has you covered. He's saying to 259 00:14:02,480 --> 00:14:05,480 Speaker 5: you what he said to Jonah. I still want you 260 00:14:05,520 --> 00:14:08,240 Speaker 5: to accomplish your dreams. I still want you to have. 261 00:14:08,200 --> 00:14:09,160 Speaker 8: A great marriage. 262 00:14:09,280 --> 00:14:11,680 Speaker 5: I still want you to live happy, healthy in home. 263 00:14:11,960 --> 00:14:15,720 Speaker 5: I still have a destiny for you to fulfill. We 264 00:14:15,760 --> 00:14:18,760 Speaker 5: can all look back in life and see times where 265 00:14:19,120 --> 00:14:22,480 Speaker 5: we made the mess, but God cleaned it up. We 266 00:14:22,560 --> 00:14:24,920 Speaker 5: lost our temper and said some things that got us 267 00:14:24,920 --> 00:14:28,120 Speaker 5: into trouble. We should have lost our job, but God 268 00:14:28,160 --> 00:14:30,320 Speaker 5: showed us mercy cleaned up the mess. 269 00:14:30,520 --> 00:14:31,600 Speaker 8: We still have it today. 270 00:14:32,400 --> 00:14:35,600 Speaker 5: Or we were unfaithful in a relationship, we should have 271 00:14:35,680 --> 00:14:39,080 Speaker 5: lost our marriage. We made the mess, but God showed 272 00:14:39,160 --> 00:14:42,800 Speaker 5: us mercy cleaned it up. Today we're restored with a healthy, 273 00:14:42,840 --> 00:14:45,760 Speaker 5: happy family and a lot of times when people see 274 00:14:45,840 --> 00:14:49,440 Speaker 5: us blessed and enjoy in life, they think it's because 275 00:14:49,440 --> 00:14:50,480 Speaker 5: we did everything right. 276 00:14:50,960 --> 00:14:52,400 Speaker 8: We didn't make any mistakes. 277 00:14:53,000 --> 00:14:55,640 Speaker 5: But the truth is there were times we made a 278 00:14:55,680 --> 00:14:59,440 Speaker 5: wrong turn, like Jonah, but God caused it to turn 279 00:14:59,440 --> 00:15:03,160 Speaker 5: out right. We took the wrong job, we got involved 280 00:15:03,160 --> 00:15:06,000 Speaker 5: with the wrong people, we said the wrong things, but 281 00:15:06,120 --> 00:15:09,000 Speaker 5: God caused it to all were together for our good. 282 00:15:09,920 --> 00:15:10,560 Speaker 8: There were some. 283 00:15:10,640 --> 00:15:15,440 Speaker 5: Mountains we knew we weren't supposed to climb, but the 284 00:15:15,520 --> 00:15:19,680 Speaker 5: opportunity looked so good we did it anyway, and we 285 00:15:19,720 --> 00:15:22,800 Speaker 5: got halfway up and realized this is not what I 286 00:15:22,840 --> 00:15:26,240 Speaker 5: thought it should be. I can thank God that he 287 00:15:26,320 --> 00:15:29,000 Speaker 5: brought me off of mountains that I was never supposed 288 00:15:29,040 --> 00:15:31,320 Speaker 5: to be on in the first place. He could have 289 00:15:31,440 --> 00:15:33,640 Speaker 5: left us there and say, hey, learn your lesson maybe 290 00:15:33,640 --> 00:15:34,200 Speaker 5: next time. 291 00:15:34,400 --> 00:15:34,560 Speaker 3: You know. 292 00:15:34,640 --> 00:15:39,000 Speaker 5: The good news is we've been covered by mercy one time. 293 00:15:39,040 --> 00:15:42,640 Speaker 5: This business opportunity came along and it was so appealing 294 00:15:42,680 --> 00:15:45,320 Speaker 5: to me. I didn't have to pray about it. I 295 00:15:45,320 --> 00:15:47,920 Speaker 5: didn't have to think twice. I knew it was something 296 00:15:48,120 --> 00:15:51,560 Speaker 5: I wanted to pursue, and it took about six months. 297 00:15:51,240 --> 00:15:51,920 Speaker 8: To come together. 298 00:15:52,680 --> 00:15:56,720 Speaker 5: On several occasions, there were these small signs that something 299 00:15:56,800 --> 00:16:01,000 Speaker 5: wasn't right. I could feel that uneasiness, saying, don't do it, 300 00:16:01,000 --> 00:16:04,120 Speaker 5: it's not what it seems. I didn't pay any attention. 301 00:16:04,560 --> 00:16:07,280 Speaker 5: I wanted it so badly. I pushed through it. We 302 00:16:07,320 --> 00:16:10,240 Speaker 5: got it up in going, but it never took off 303 00:16:10,400 --> 00:16:14,520 Speaker 5: like we thought. There were some circumstances we didn't realize 304 00:16:14,800 --> 00:16:17,800 Speaker 5: that would limit it, and we had a lot invested, 305 00:16:17,840 --> 00:16:20,280 Speaker 5: and we struggled and struggled, tried to make it work. 306 00:16:20,440 --> 00:16:23,680 Speaker 5: But it's like we were always pushing it uphill. And 307 00:16:23,720 --> 00:16:26,480 Speaker 5: when I look back, I can see how God tried 308 00:16:26,520 --> 00:16:29,040 Speaker 5: to warn me, tried to get my attention. I could 309 00:16:29,080 --> 00:16:32,880 Speaker 5: feel that unrest, but I didn't listen. God could have said, Joel, 310 00:16:32,880 --> 00:16:36,280 Speaker 5: well maybe next time you will listen. Too bad for you. No, 311 00:16:36,720 --> 00:16:40,640 Speaker 5: God is not holding that against us. If God only 312 00:16:40,680 --> 00:16:43,600 Speaker 5: gave us what we deserved, none of us would fulfill 313 00:16:43,640 --> 00:16:44,320 Speaker 5: our destiny. 314 00:16:45,320 --> 00:16:47,200 Speaker 8: One day, out of the blue, we. 315 00:16:47,200 --> 00:16:50,440 Speaker 5: Got word that this man was interested in purchasing it. 316 00:16:50,960 --> 00:16:52,600 Speaker 8: The expert said it would never happen. 317 00:16:52,760 --> 00:16:55,440 Speaker 5: He wasn't the right type of buyer, he wasn't even 318 00:16:55,480 --> 00:16:59,240 Speaker 5: in the same field. But against all odds, he not 319 00:16:59,280 --> 00:17:03,600 Speaker 5: only purchased, but he paid almost twice what we were 320 00:17:03,640 --> 00:17:06,879 Speaker 5: told we could sell it for. That's the mercy of 321 00:17:06,960 --> 00:17:10,840 Speaker 5: God cleaning up the mess. God doesn't give us what 322 00:17:10,880 --> 00:17:16,040 Speaker 5: we deserve. We deserve the consequences, we deserve judgment. But 323 00:17:16,160 --> 00:17:20,080 Speaker 5: God gives us mercy. He knows how to make miracles 324 00:17:20,280 --> 00:17:23,960 Speaker 5: out of our mistakes. The accusing voices will tell you, man, 325 00:17:24,000 --> 00:17:27,199 Speaker 5: you are done. It was your fault. You knew not 326 00:17:27,280 --> 00:17:29,600 Speaker 5: to do it in the first place. You pursued the 327 00:17:29,640 --> 00:17:31,520 Speaker 5: wrong dream. Now look at you. 328 00:17:31,520 --> 00:17:34,240 Speaker 8: You're over your head. You can't make ends me. Just 329 00:17:34,320 --> 00:17:34,960 Speaker 8: deal with it. 330 00:17:35,640 --> 00:17:39,440 Speaker 5: No, God is so merciful. He'll take you wrong and he'll. 331 00:17:39,240 --> 00:17:39,920 Speaker 8: Make it right. 332 00:17:40,440 --> 00:17:44,000 Speaker 5: It may have been your fault, you could easily live guilty. No, 333 00:17:44,119 --> 00:17:47,439 Speaker 5: you got to shake that off. God's mercy is bigger 334 00:17:47,440 --> 00:17:50,640 Speaker 5: than that mistake. He knows how to make a miracle 335 00:17:50,800 --> 00:17:55,040 Speaker 5: out of that mess. See covered by mercy means You're 336 00:17:55,080 --> 00:17:57,720 Speaker 5: not just covered as long as you do everything right, 337 00:17:58,720 --> 00:18:03,200 Speaker 5: like Jonah covered even when you go the wrong way. 338 00:18:03,359 --> 00:18:05,960 Speaker 5: Let me make it more practical. Even when we do 339 00:18:06,080 --> 00:18:09,760 Speaker 5: dumb things, God still has us covered. That should make 340 00:18:09,840 --> 00:18:13,520 Speaker 5: us all feel better. I read about this young man 341 00:18:13,800 --> 00:18:17,199 Speaker 5: twenty one years old. He was raised in church. He 342 00:18:17,280 --> 00:18:20,040 Speaker 5: knew the right thing to do, but he got off course, 343 00:18:20,400 --> 00:18:24,240 Speaker 5: started partying and running with the wrong crowd, and one night, 344 00:18:24,400 --> 00:18:27,760 Speaker 5: when it had way too much to drink, his friends 345 00:18:27,920 --> 00:18:32,119 Speaker 5: dared him to climb a telephone pole. He wasn't thinking clearly, 346 00:18:32,160 --> 00:18:35,320 Speaker 5: and he climbed up forty feet in the air, drunk 347 00:18:35,320 --> 00:18:38,080 Speaker 5: as can be. Just as he was about to reach 348 00:18:38,119 --> 00:18:42,159 Speaker 5: the top, he lost his footing, slipped and fell backwards, 349 00:18:42,840 --> 00:18:46,600 Speaker 5: tumbling back on a way to a certain death. Somehow, 350 00:18:46,720 --> 00:18:49,600 Speaker 5: the leather belt that he was wearing caught one of 351 00:18:49,640 --> 00:18:52,600 Speaker 5: the metal rods on the pole, and it acted like 352 00:18:52,640 --> 00:18:55,840 Speaker 5: a harness and saved his life. He was up there 353 00:18:55,920 --> 00:18:58,880 Speaker 5: dangly in the middle of the night. Fire department came 354 00:18:58,920 --> 00:19:03,359 Speaker 5: and rescued him. The newspaper headline read, pants save drunk 355 00:19:03,400 --> 00:19:07,520 Speaker 5: man from a fall. That's the mercy of God. Even 356 00:19:07,560 --> 00:19:10,520 Speaker 5: when we do dumb things, God still has us covered. 357 00:19:11,920 --> 00:19:15,360 Speaker 5: Bottom line, if it's not your time to go, you're 358 00:19:15,400 --> 00:19:16,080 Speaker 5: not going to go. 359 00:19:17,040 --> 00:19:18,560 Speaker 8: Nothing can snatch. 360 00:19:18,160 --> 00:19:21,280 Speaker 5: You out of God's hand. You might as well quit 361 00:19:21,320 --> 00:19:23,480 Speaker 5: fighting the call of God on your life. 362 00:19:24,160 --> 00:19:27,240 Speaker 8: God is not going to leave you alone. Wherever you go, 363 00:19:27,320 --> 00:19:28,240 Speaker 8: He's going to be there. 364 00:19:28,720 --> 00:19:33,720 Speaker 5: The scripture says God's calling is irrevocable. That means you're 365 00:19:33,720 --> 00:19:35,879 Speaker 5: a marked man, you're a marked woman. 366 00:19:36,119 --> 00:19:37,600 Speaker 8: God wants you. 367 00:19:37,600 --> 00:19:41,240 Speaker 5: You can try to ignore it, run, hide, party it away, 368 00:19:41,320 --> 00:19:44,400 Speaker 5: drink it away. After all that, God's going to still 369 00:19:44,440 --> 00:19:46,680 Speaker 5: be there, saying I want you to go to Nineveh. 370 00:19:46,880 --> 00:19:49,040 Speaker 5: I've got something for you to do. I've got a 371 00:19:49,119 --> 00:19:54,040 Speaker 5: destiny for you to fulfill. See, you have an assignment. 372 00:19:54,960 --> 00:19:58,399 Speaker 5: Somebody needs what you have. If you don't step into 373 00:19:58,400 --> 00:20:01,439 Speaker 5: who God's made you to be, this world will not 374 00:20:01,560 --> 00:20:03,520 Speaker 5: be as bright a place as it should have been. 375 00:20:03,680 --> 00:20:05,080 Speaker 8: We'll all miss out. 376 00:20:05,480 --> 00:20:08,960 Speaker 5: And when I say we're covered by mercy, that doesn't 377 00:20:09,000 --> 00:20:12,960 Speaker 5: mean we can just live any way we want. Be sloppy, compromise, 378 00:20:13,240 --> 00:20:16,280 Speaker 5: take the easy way out. Joel said. God will clean 379 00:20:16,320 --> 00:20:19,119 Speaker 5: it up. He'll catch me even when I'm drunk. No, 380 00:20:19,440 --> 00:20:21,240 Speaker 5: some of you think you got your word from the Lord. 381 00:20:21,280 --> 00:20:25,960 Speaker 5: Let me clarify this. When you really know God, when 382 00:20:26,000 --> 00:20:29,120 Speaker 5: you have a relationship with His son Jesus, you want 383 00:20:29,119 --> 00:20:32,320 Speaker 5: to do what's right. You may make mistakes from time 384 00:20:32,400 --> 00:20:36,160 Speaker 5: to time, but you're not trying to see how much 385 00:20:36,200 --> 00:20:39,560 Speaker 5: you can get away with and still feel good about yourself. 386 00:20:39,920 --> 00:20:42,879 Speaker 5: Deep down, you have a desire to honor God, to 387 00:20:42,960 --> 00:20:46,320 Speaker 5: be your best. And the scripture says here in tide 388 00:20:46,400 --> 00:20:50,320 Speaker 5: us God saved us not because of the good things 389 00:20:50,400 --> 00:20:53,800 Speaker 5: we've done, but because of his mercy. 390 00:20:53,840 --> 00:20:54,600 Speaker 8: This is the key. 391 00:20:55,000 --> 00:20:58,919 Speaker 5: His mercy is not based on our performance. If it 392 00:20:59,000 --> 00:21:02,680 Speaker 5: was only depend on us living a perfect life, never 393 00:21:02,720 --> 00:21:05,240 Speaker 5: making a mistake, then none of us would be here. 394 00:21:05,840 --> 00:21:08,040 Speaker 5: You may not have been saved by your pants from 395 00:21:08,080 --> 00:21:11,680 Speaker 5: a telephone poll, but I wonder how many times God 396 00:21:11,720 --> 00:21:14,919 Speaker 5: has saved us from dumb things that we've done. 397 00:21:14,960 --> 00:21:16,359 Speaker 8: I can admit I've done a few. 398 00:21:16,800 --> 00:21:18,520 Speaker 5: Don't look at me like that. I know I'm a 399 00:21:18,600 --> 00:21:23,520 Speaker 5: saint compared to you. But every morning I start off 400 00:21:23,520 --> 00:21:27,720 Speaker 5: the day by thanking God for his goodness, for his blessings, 401 00:21:27,800 --> 00:21:31,720 Speaker 5: his favor, my family, my friends, the opportunity He's given me. 402 00:21:32,280 --> 00:21:35,359 Speaker 5: Then I always follow it up by thanking Him for 403 00:21:35,520 --> 00:21:39,240 Speaker 5: his mercy for the times I didn't make the best decision, 404 00:21:39,520 --> 00:21:42,479 Speaker 5: but he cleaned it up. The times I did something dumb, 405 00:21:42,480 --> 00:21:44,240 Speaker 5: but he brought me out of the mess. 406 00:21:44,840 --> 00:21:47,760 Speaker 8: The times he protected me that I knew nothing about. 407 00:21:48,440 --> 00:21:51,679 Speaker 5: He kept a car from colliding with mine, kept my 408 00:21:51,840 --> 00:21:55,840 Speaker 5: child from harm, saved me from pain and heartache. There 409 00:21:55,880 --> 00:21:58,800 Speaker 5: are many things that we cannot see, but God is 410 00:21:59,000 --> 00:22:02,639 Speaker 5: holding back the forces of darkness, keeping us from accidents 411 00:22:02,640 --> 00:22:06,080 Speaker 5: and harm, moving the wrong people out of the way, 412 00:22:06,080 --> 00:22:09,560 Speaker 5: causing things to work out to our advantage. He's got 413 00:22:09,560 --> 00:22:13,720 Speaker 5: you covered with his mercy. And the beauty is not 414 00:22:13,880 --> 00:22:17,520 Speaker 5: just when we perform perfectly, not just when we measure up, 415 00:22:17,720 --> 00:22:20,600 Speaker 5: but even when we blow it, even when we fail, 416 00:22:21,119 --> 00:22:23,360 Speaker 5: even when we do like Jonah and say God, leave 417 00:22:23,400 --> 00:22:27,080 Speaker 5: me alone, let me do my own thing, You're still covered. 418 00:22:27,880 --> 00:22:30,280 Speaker 5: You may turn your back on God, but he'll never 419 00:22:30,359 --> 00:22:33,080 Speaker 5: turn his back on you. You may run the other way, 420 00:22:33,280 --> 00:22:37,400 Speaker 5: but God will come running towards you. Sometimes people say, Joel, 421 00:22:37,440 --> 00:22:40,760 Speaker 5: I've made so many mistakes, so many poor choices. I 422 00:22:40,760 --> 00:22:44,600 Speaker 5: think I've missed my destiny. I always tell them, you're 423 00:22:44,640 --> 00:22:49,000 Speaker 5: not that powerful. You think your poor choices can stop 424 00:22:49,160 --> 00:22:52,200 Speaker 5: what the creator of the universe, the most high God 425 00:22:52,400 --> 00:22:57,920 Speaker 5: has ordained for you. You think that mistake is too 426 00:22:58,000 --> 00:23:01,119 Speaker 5: much for the mercy of God, that somehow God is 427 00:23:01,160 --> 00:23:04,320 Speaker 5: now confused trying to figure out what to do with 428 00:23:04,400 --> 00:23:04,920 Speaker 5: you next. 429 00:23:05,160 --> 00:23:07,800 Speaker 8: Now God knows the end from the beginning. 430 00:23:08,400 --> 00:23:12,200 Speaker 5: Nothing you've done has to keep you from becoming who 431 00:23:12,240 --> 00:23:14,720 Speaker 5: God's created you to be. But you got to do 432 00:23:14,840 --> 00:23:18,280 Speaker 5: your part and get back in the game. Start honoring 433 00:23:18,320 --> 00:23:21,280 Speaker 5: God with your whole heart, and he'll get you to 434 00:23:21,320 --> 00:23:24,919 Speaker 5: where you're supposed to be. Doctor John Redman is a 435 00:23:24,960 --> 00:23:28,119 Speaker 5: pastor friend of mine, and he told about this woman 436 00:23:28,160 --> 00:23:31,400 Speaker 5: that he knew that was very, very depressed. It kept 437 00:23:31,440 --> 00:23:34,280 Speaker 5: getting worse, and finally she couldn't take it anymore. 438 00:23:34,520 --> 00:23:37,720 Speaker 8: She decided to end her life. She went to bed 439 00:23:37,840 --> 00:23:40,119 Speaker 8: on a Saturday night and was going to do it 440 00:23:40,160 --> 00:23:40,919 Speaker 8: the next morning. 441 00:23:41,440 --> 00:23:43,880 Speaker 5: She has a little dog that sleeps with her, and 442 00:23:43,960 --> 00:23:47,359 Speaker 5: he woke up early Sunday morning and started scratching and scratching, 443 00:23:47,640 --> 00:23:50,520 Speaker 5: trying to wake her up so he could go outside. 444 00:23:50,600 --> 00:23:53,560 Speaker 5: While he was doing that, he hit the remote control 445 00:23:53,640 --> 00:23:56,800 Speaker 5: for the television and turned it on. It just so 446 00:23:57,000 --> 00:24:01,520 Speaker 5: happened that our program came on the television. She started watching, 447 00:24:01,560 --> 00:24:04,840 Speaker 5: and I was talking about how God has your best days. 448 00:24:04,640 --> 00:24:05,760 Speaker 8: Still in front of you. 449 00:24:05,760 --> 00:24:09,160 Speaker 5: You wouldn't be alive unless something amazing was in your future. 450 00:24:09,400 --> 00:24:12,840 Speaker 5: She knew it wasn't a coincidence. Something began to come 451 00:24:12,880 --> 00:24:15,760 Speaker 5: alive on the inside, and at the end of the program, 452 00:24:15,800 --> 00:24:18,600 Speaker 5: I always encourage people to get into a good Bible 453 00:24:18,640 --> 00:24:22,680 Speaker 5: based church. That Sunday morning, she went to doctor Redman's church, 454 00:24:23,040 --> 00:24:25,919 Speaker 5: gave her life to Christ, got her joy back, her 455 00:24:25,960 --> 00:24:30,600 Speaker 5: passion back. Now she's excited about her future. Friends, God's 456 00:24:30,720 --> 00:24:32,760 Speaker 5: mercy is bigger than. 457 00:24:32,640 --> 00:24:33,560 Speaker 8: Our poor choices. 458 00:24:34,200 --> 00:24:36,840 Speaker 5: If it's not your time to go, God can even 459 00:24:36,960 --> 00:24:39,399 Speaker 5: use a dog to get you back on the right track. 460 00:24:39,720 --> 00:24:43,639 Speaker 5: He's got your covered with his mercy. In the scripture, 461 00:24:44,240 --> 00:24:46,959 Speaker 5: when God promised Abraham that he was going to have 462 00:24:47,000 --> 00:24:50,399 Speaker 5: a baby, he and his wife Sarah were nearly eighty, 463 00:24:50,880 --> 00:24:54,120 Speaker 5: way too old to have a child. They waited and waited, 464 00:24:54,240 --> 00:24:57,120 Speaker 5: believing that somehow it would happen. But year after year 465 00:24:57,160 --> 00:25:00,840 Speaker 5: went by still no baby, and Sarah got tired of waiting. 466 00:25:01,600 --> 00:25:05,800 Speaker 5: Talking about making a bad choice, doing something dumb, she 467 00:25:06,040 --> 00:25:10,680 Speaker 5: told Abraham to sleep with her maid, Hagar. They had 468 00:25:10,680 --> 00:25:14,240 Speaker 5: a baby Abraham and Hagar that they named Ishmael. But 469 00:25:14,359 --> 00:25:18,280 Speaker 5: this was not the promised child. This brought all kinds 470 00:25:18,320 --> 00:25:22,359 Speaker 5: of dysfunction into their house. Sarah got mad at Abraham. 471 00:25:22,880 --> 00:25:25,800 Speaker 5: What were you thinking? Abraham said, well, you told me 472 00:25:25,880 --> 00:25:28,840 Speaker 5: to do it. She said, well, you should have known better. Anyway, 473 00:25:29,640 --> 00:25:33,359 Speaker 5: Sarah became very jealous of Hagar and started treating her 474 00:25:33,440 --> 00:25:37,680 Speaker 5: really badly. Finally, she gave Abraham an ultimatum, either this 475 00:25:37,720 --> 00:25:41,399 Speaker 5: woman leaves or I'm going to leave. Abraham had to 476 00:25:41,480 --> 00:25:46,160 Speaker 5: send Hagar and his young son Ishmael out into the desert. 477 00:25:46,480 --> 00:25:47,919 Speaker 8: It was a big mess. 478 00:25:48,680 --> 00:25:51,479 Speaker 5: God could have said, Sarah, too bad. It's your fault. 479 00:25:51,880 --> 00:25:55,000 Speaker 5: You brought the trouble on yourself. You were impatient. You 480 00:25:55,040 --> 00:25:58,640 Speaker 5: should have just waited. But no, even though Sarah made 481 00:25:58,680 --> 00:26:02,560 Speaker 5: a mistake, say it respectfully. Even though she did something 482 00:26:02,640 --> 00:26:07,040 Speaker 5: dumb that did not cancel out the promise. In the natural, 483 00:26:07,080 --> 00:26:10,040 Speaker 5: she was way too old. But one day God gave 484 00:26:10,080 --> 00:26:13,720 Speaker 5: her a baby. She had Isaac, the promised child. What 485 00:26:13,800 --> 00:26:16,919 Speaker 5: am I saying? They made a big mess of things, 486 00:26:17,400 --> 00:26:20,320 Speaker 5: But God not only cleaned up the mess, he made 487 00:26:20,359 --> 00:26:22,240 Speaker 5: a miracle out of their mistake. 488 00:26:23,160 --> 00:26:26,600 Speaker 8: Here's how amazing God is. Hagar the maid. 489 00:26:27,160 --> 00:26:31,080 Speaker 5: She didn't do anything wrong, but her whole world fell apart. 490 00:26:31,320 --> 00:26:33,800 Speaker 5: She was living out in the desert with her son, 491 00:26:34,400 --> 00:26:36,360 Speaker 5: who everyone called a mistake. 492 00:26:36,840 --> 00:26:38,359 Speaker 8: He wasn't the promised child. 493 00:26:38,880 --> 00:26:41,399 Speaker 5: She didn't know how she was going to survive, but 494 00:26:41,480 --> 00:26:44,400 Speaker 5: God said, Heygar, don't worry. I'm going to take care 495 00:26:44,440 --> 00:26:48,240 Speaker 5: of you and your son, who people think is a mistake. 496 00:26:48,760 --> 00:26:51,400 Speaker 8: I'm going to bring out of him a great nation. 497 00:26:52,359 --> 00:26:53,679 Speaker 5: God is so merciful. 498 00:26:54,040 --> 00:26:54,600 Speaker 8: Out of a. 499 00:26:54,520 --> 00:26:56,960 Speaker 5: Great mess, he brought great mess. 500 00:26:57,760 --> 00:27:00,040 Speaker 8: He was saying, Heygar, I'm not going. 501 00:27:00,200 --> 00:27:04,400 Speaker 5: To let other people's poor choices ruin your life. See, 502 00:27:04,400 --> 00:27:07,040 Speaker 5: it's one thing when we make the mess, we have 503 00:27:07,119 --> 00:27:09,400 Speaker 5: to deal with it. We can understand that we brought 504 00:27:09,440 --> 00:27:13,000 Speaker 5: the trouble on ourselves, but when somebody else makes the 505 00:27:13,080 --> 00:27:17,520 Speaker 5: mess and it affects us, that doesn't seem fair Ishmael 506 00:27:17,600 --> 00:27:20,680 Speaker 5: couldn't choose who his parents would be. He couldn't choose 507 00:27:20,680 --> 00:27:23,639 Speaker 5: where he would be born. Hagar didn't ask to have 508 00:27:23,680 --> 00:27:26,960 Speaker 5: a baby with Abraham. She was just following orders, doing 509 00:27:26,960 --> 00:27:29,879 Speaker 5: what she was told. You may be in a mess 510 00:27:29,920 --> 00:27:33,560 Speaker 5: today and it was somebody else's fault. They caused you 511 00:27:33,680 --> 00:27:37,600 Speaker 5: to be at a disadvantage, But be encouraged. God is 512 00:27:37,640 --> 00:27:40,520 Speaker 5: saying to you what he said to Hagar and Ishmael. 513 00:27:40,960 --> 00:27:44,399 Speaker 5: Other people's mistakes are not going to ruin your life. 514 00:27:44,960 --> 00:27:47,920 Speaker 5: They may have put you at a disadvantage, but know this, 515 00:27:48,400 --> 00:27:51,440 Speaker 5: God has you covered. He's going to bring great mess 516 00:27:51,680 --> 00:27:55,600 Speaker 5: out of that great mess, friends, nothing you've done has 517 00:27:55,720 --> 00:28:00,000 Speaker 5: disqualified you. You may have made a poor choice like Sarah, 518 00:28:00,359 --> 00:28:02,760 Speaker 5: but God is still going to bring the promise to pass. 519 00:28:03,359 --> 00:28:06,119 Speaker 5: You may have taken a wrong turn like Jonah, but 520 00:28:06,200 --> 00:28:08,320 Speaker 5: God's still going to cause it to turn out right. 521 00:28:09,200 --> 00:28:12,119 Speaker 5: You may be somebody else's choice has had a negative 522 00:28:12,160 --> 00:28:15,080 Speaker 5: effect on you, but don't worry. God's going to turn 523 00:28:15,119 --> 00:28:17,960 Speaker 5: it around and use it to your advantage. Shake off 524 00:28:18,000 --> 00:28:18,840 Speaker 5: the guilt. 525 00:28:18,680 --> 00:28:21,680 Speaker 8: Quit listening to the accusing voices. God has you. 526 00:28:21,760 --> 00:28:25,679 Speaker 5: Covered with his mercy. If you'll do this, I believe 527 00:28:25,720 --> 00:28:28,600 Speaker 5: and declare. God's not only going to bring you out. 528 00:28:28,720 --> 00:28:30,280 Speaker 8: He's going to clean up your mess. 529 00:28:30,600 --> 00:28:33,199 Speaker 5: He's going to make miracles out of your mistakes. You 530 00:28:33,240 --> 00:28:37,960 Speaker 5: will still fulfill your destiny and become everything God's created 531 00:28:38,000 --> 00:28:41,200 Speaker 5: you to be in Jesus's name, if you receive it, 532 00:28:41,480 --> 00:28:45,200 Speaker 5: can you say him in today? We never like to 533 00:28:45,200 --> 00:28:48,760 Speaker 5: close our broadcast without giving you an opportunity to make 534 00:28:48,880 --> 00:28:50,560 Speaker 5: Jesus the Lord of your life. 535 00:28:50,760 --> 00:28:53,560 Speaker 8: Would you pray with me? Just say, Lord. 536 00:28:53,440 --> 00:28:58,520 Speaker 5: Jesus, I repent of my sins, Come into my heart. 537 00:28:59,600 --> 00:29:01,360 Speaker 8: I may thank you, my Lord and Savior. 538 00:29:02,760 --> 00:29:05,520 Speaker 5: Friends, if you prayed that simple prayer, we believe you 539 00:29:05,600 --> 00:29:08,520 Speaker 5: got born again. Get in a good Bible based church. 540 00:29:08,760 --> 00:29:11,640 Speaker 5: Keep God first place. He's going to take your places 541 00:29:11,760 --> 00:29:13,120 Speaker 5: that you've never even dreamed. 542 00:29:14,120 --> 00:29:17,520 Speaker 6: Thank you for listening to the joel Ostine podcast. Help 543 00:29:17,640 --> 00:29:20,360 Speaker 6: us continue to share the message of hope with those 544 00:29:20,480 --> 00:29:24,360 Speaker 6: all over the world. Visit joelostin dot com slash give 545 00:29:24,440 --> 00:29:26,120 Speaker 6: Hope to give a gift today. 546 00:29:27,400 --> 00:29:30,320 Speaker 5: Thanks so much for listening to today's message. I hope 547 00:29:30,320 --> 00:29:33,720 Speaker 5: you'll subscribe so you can receive the latest podcast to 548 00:29:33,800 --> 00:29:35,800 Speaker 5: keep you inspired all through the week. 549 00:29:36,040 --> 00:29:37,000 Speaker 8: We're praying for you. 550 00:29:37,160 --> 00:29:38,920 Speaker 5: I know God's best is still ahead. 551 00:29:39,120 --> 00:29:40,160 Speaker 8: We'll see you next time. 552 00:29:47,160 --> 00:29:49,680 Speaker 9: More than ever before, people are turning to the church 553 00:29:49,720 --> 00:29:53,480 Speaker 9: for their mental health struggles. Unfortunately, the church has largely 554 00:29:53,520 --> 00:29:56,760 Speaker 9: been ill equipped to help. That is until now. 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