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That's code iHeart 34 00:01:23,760 --> 00:01:26,800 Speaker 3: fifty when you sign up at unest dot co for 35 00:01:26,840 --> 00:01:29,640 Speaker 3: a fifty dollars bonus. See terms and conditions at UNEs 36 00:01:29,760 --> 00:01:30,080 Speaker 3: dot co. 37 00:01:31,200 --> 00:01:32,960 Speaker 4: Hi. This is Joel and Victoria. 38 00:01:33,040 --> 00:01:36,080 Speaker 5: Thanks for listening to our podcast and thanks for supporting 39 00:01:36,080 --> 00:01:36,759 Speaker 5: the ministry. 40 00:01:36,880 --> 00:01:39,240 Speaker 6: If you enjoy today's message, why don't you be a 41 00:01:39,280 --> 00:01:40,440 Speaker 6: blessing and share it with a. 42 00:01:40,480 --> 00:01:43,840 Speaker 5: Friends, reappreciate you and pray for God's very best in 43 00:01:43,880 --> 00:01:58,000 Speaker 5: your life. Always a joy to come into your homes. 44 00:01:58,440 --> 00:02:01,000 Speaker 5: We love you and we know that God has great 45 00:02:01,040 --> 00:02:03,240 Speaker 5: things in store for each one of you. If you're 46 00:02:03,280 --> 00:02:05,960 Speaker 5: ever in our area, I hope you'll stop by be 47 00:02:06,040 --> 00:02:08,360 Speaker 5: a part of one of our services. I promise you 48 00:02:08,480 --> 00:02:10,520 Speaker 5: will make you feel right at home. But thank you 49 00:02:10,560 --> 00:02:13,079 Speaker 5: so much for tuning in. I like to get started 50 00:02:13,120 --> 00:02:15,720 Speaker 5: with something funny each week. And I heard about this 51 00:02:15,800 --> 00:02:19,360 Speaker 5: little girl. She was sitting on her grandfather's lap. She 52 00:02:19,520 --> 00:02:23,519 Speaker 5: noticed how wrinkled his face was, and she contemplated the 53 00:02:23,560 --> 00:02:27,480 Speaker 5: difference between hers and his. She said, Grandaddy, did God 54 00:02:27,560 --> 00:02:30,480 Speaker 5: make you? He laughed and said yes, honey, God made 55 00:02:30,480 --> 00:02:33,119 Speaker 5: me a long time ago. She said, well, did God 56 00:02:33,160 --> 00:02:35,680 Speaker 5: make me? He said yes, God made you just a 57 00:02:35,720 --> 00:02:38,960 Speaker 5: little while ago. She thought about it a moment and said, granddaddy, 58 00:02:39,240 --> 00:02:40,760 Speaker 5: God's getting better, isn't he. 59 00:02:42,880 --> 00:02:45,720 Speaker 4: All right, hold up your Bible, say it like. 60 00:02:45,639 --> 00:02:48,760 Speaker 5: You mean it. This is my Bible. I am what 61 00:02:48,880 --> 00:02:51,640 Speaker 5: it says I am. I have what it says I have. 62 00:02:52,320 --> 00:02:55,160 Speaker 5: I can do what it says I can do. Today 63 00:02:55,280 --> 00:02:58,399 Speaker 5: I will be taught the word of God. I boldly 64 00:02:58,440 --> 00:03:02,600 Speaker 5: confess my mind, and this alert my heart is receptive. 65 00:03:03,040 --> 00:03:04,560 Speaker 4: I will never be the same. 66 00:03:05,160 --> 00:03:10,560 Speaker 5: I am about to receive the incorruptible, indestructible, ever living 67 00:03:10,880 --> 00:03:16,080 Speaker 5: seed of the Word of God. I'll never be the same, never, never, never, 68 00:03:16,639 --> 00:03:17,919 Speaker 5: I'll never be the same. 69 00:03:18,400 --> 00:03:20,800 Speaker 4: In Jesus's name God bless you. 70 00:03:21,919 --> 00:03:24,480 Speaker 5: I want to talk to you today about how God 71 00:03:24,560 --> 00:03:28,640 Speaker 5: can make miracles out of our mistakes. Too many people 72 00:03:28,760 --> 00:03:31,880 Speaker 5: are sitting on the sidelines of life, feeling washed up. 73 00:03:32,400 --> 00:03:36,320 Speaker 5: They've made mistakes, gone through setbacks, now they don't feel 74 00:03:36,320 --> 00:03:38,840 Speaker 5: like they have much of a future. I hear it 75 00:03:38,880 --> 00:03:40,360 Speaker 5: all the time, Joel, you. 76 00:03:40,320 --> 00:03:41,400 Speaker 4: Don't know what I've done. 77 00:03:41,840 --> 00:03:45,240 Speaker 5: I have these addictions. I ruined my marriage, I failed 78 00:03:45,280 --> 00:03:49,240 Speaker 5: in business. No, God still has a great plan for you. 79 00:03:49,760 --> 00:03:53,960 Speaker 5: A negative past does not disqualify you from having a 80 00:03:54,000 --> 00:03:58,040 Speaker 5: bright future. No mistake you've made is too much for 81 00:03:58,120 --> 00:04:02,040 Speaker 5: the mercy of God. Got to get your fireback. You've 82 00:04:02,040 --> 00:04:05,120 Speaker 5: got to stay filled with hope. This is not going 83 00:04:05,160 --> 00:04:09,720 Speaker 5: to happen if you're sitting around negative, condemned in self pity. 84 00:04:10,120 --> 00:04:12,440 Speaker 5: All that's gonna do is keep you from the new 85 00:04:12,520 --> 00:04:15,760 Speaker 5: things God wants to do. And it's so important to 86 00:04:15,880 --> 00:04:19,040 Speaker 5: learn to receive God's mercy when you. 87 00:04:19,040 --> 00:04:19,800 Speaker 4: Make a mistake. 88 00:04:20,120 --> 00:04:23,279 Speaker 5: Don't just ask for forgiveness. Take it one step further 89 00:04:23,600 --> 00:04:27,599 Speaker 5: and say, Father, I'm receiving your mercy. What you're saying 90 00:04:27,720 --> 00:04:31,040 Speaker 5: is God, I believe You're not only forgive me, but 91 00:04:31,120 --> 00:04:34,279 Speaker 5: you still have great things in store, and you have 92 00:04:34,360 --> 00:04:37,279 Speaker 5: to do this by faith, because everything in your mind 93 00:04:37,400 --> 00:04:40,520 Speaker 5: is going to tell you you don't deserve it. You're 94 00:04:40,520 --> 00:04:42,680 Speaker 5: a hypocrite. You know what you did, God's not gonna 95 00:04:42,680 --> 00:04:46,560 Speaker 5: bless you. That's the enemy trying to deceive you into 96 00:04:46,600 --> 00:04:48,120 Speaker 5: living guilty and condemned. 97 00:04:48,720 --> 00:04:50,360 Speaker 4: Now, how many people swallow his. 98 00:04:50,440 --> 00:04:55,080 Speaker 5: Lies and go through life with no enthusiasm, no excitement 99 00:04:55,160 --> 00:04:56,159 Speaker 5: toward their future. 100 00:04:56,680 --> 00:04:58,320 Speaker 4: Please don't let that be you. 101 00:04:59,080 --> 00:05:02,640 Speaker 5: God is not looking for perfect people. If he was, 102 00:05:02,760 --> 00:05:06,000 Speaker 5: we'd all be disqualified. He's looking for people. 103 00:05:05,720 --> 00:05:06,479 Speaker 4: That have a heart. 104 00:05:06,520 --> 00:05:09,520 Speaker 5: That's right. And if you have a heart toward God 105 00:05:10,040 --> 00:05:12,640 Speaker 5: and you get up each day doing your best, you 106 00:05:12,680 --> 00:05:15,760 Speaker 5: don't have to live guilty and condemned. And when those 107 00:05:15,800 --> 00:05:19,360 Speaker 5: old thoughts come telling you you don't deserve God's blessings, 108 00:05:19,720 --> 00:05:20,200 Speaker 5: just say. 109 00:05:20,080 --> 00:05:21,000 Speaker 4: You're exactly right. 110 00:05:21,080 --> 00:05:23,400 Speaker 5: I know I don't deserve it, but that's what mercy 111 00:05:23,520 --> 00:05:26,479 Speaker 5: is all about. Let it remind you of the goodness 112 00:05:26,520 --> 00:05:30,080 Speaker 5: of God. But some of you are going around so 113 00:05:30,200 --> 00:05:33,680 Speaker 5: focused on your mistakes and the opportunities. If you've missed, 114 00:05:34,000 --> 00:05:35,920 Speaker 5: you kind of think, man, I could never have God's 115 00:05:35,920 --> 00:05:38,880 Speaker 5: best for me. But no, it's not as easy to 116 00:05:38,960 --> 00:05:42,000 Speaker 5: mess up God's plan for your life. As you may think. 117 00:05:42,560 --> 00:05:45,320 Speaker 5: Moses is listed as one of the heroes of faith, 118 00:05:45,680 --> 00:05:48,839 Speaker 5: but he made plenty of mistakes. As a young man, 119 00:05:49,000 --> 00:05:51,599 Speaker 5: he knew that God wanted him to help deliver the 120 00:05:51,640 --> 00:05:55,080 Speaker 5: people of Israel. That dream was in his heart, but 121 00:05:55,160 --> 00:05:57,520 Speaker 5: he tried to do it in his own strength. He 122 00:05:57,560 --> 00:06:00,560 Speaker 5: went out and killed a man. He didn't think anybody 123 00:06:00,600 --> 00:06:03,320 Speaker 5: saw that. The next day, some of his own men 124 00:06:03,680 --> 00:06:04,920 Speaker 5: came up to him and said. 125 00:06:04,920 --> 00:06:07,359 Speaker 4: Moses, are you going to do to us what you. 126 00:06:07,400 --> 00:06:11,360 Speaker 5: Did to that other man. He realized they did see him, 127 00:06:11,440 --> 00:06:13,320 Speaker 5: and he had to flee for his life. 128 00:06:13,920 --> 00:06:15,960 Speaker 4: He ended up spending years on the. 129 00:06:15,920 --> 00:06:18,640 Speaker 5: Back side of the desert. It looked like he missed 130 00:06:18,720 --> 00:06:22,159 Speaker 5: up God's plan. Looked like God would just find somebody else. 131 00:06:22,560 --> 00:06:25,760 Speaker 5: Let Moses stay out there and defeat in mediocrity. But no, 132 00:06:26,160 --> 00:06:29,760 Speaker 5: God never gives up on us. The scripture says God's 133 00:06:29,800 --> 00:06:31,680 Speaker 5: callings are irrevocable. 134 00:06:32,360 --> 00:06:35,799 Speaker 4: That means the dreams, the desires, the calling God has. 135 00:06:35,640 --> 00:06:37,839 Speaker 5: On your life, he will never take it back. 136 00:06:38,400 --> 00:06:40,040 Speaker 4: We may slow it down, we. 137 00:06:39,960 --> 00:06:42,440 Speaker 5: May make it more difficult, but if we will stay 138 00:06:42,480 --> 00:06:45,839 Speaker 5: in faith and keep believing, we can still see God's 139 00:06:45,839 --> 00:06:49,520 Speaker 5: best plan come to pass. Forty years later, when God 140 00:06:49,640 --> 00:06:52,679 Speaker 5: was ready to deliver the people of Israel, he didn't 141 00:06:52,760 --> 00:06:55,400 Speaker 5: raise up a new leader. He didn't go find a 142 00:06:55,440 --> 00:06:58,560 Speaker 5: younger man, somebody that had made fewer mistakes. He went 143 00:06:58,680 --> 00:07:02,120 Speaker 5: right back to Moses. Here. Moses was eighty years old, 144 00:07:02,640 --> 00:07:05,560 Speaker 5: he had spent forty years out there. I'm sure he 145 00:07:05,640 --> 00:07:08,400 Speaker 5: must have felt like a failure. I'm sure at times 146 00:07:08,400 --> 00:07:10,680 Speaker 5: he told his family, man, God had a call on 147 00:07:10,760 --> 00:07:13,080 Speaker 5: my life, but I made a mistake. I blew it. 148 00:07:13,720 --> 00:07:15,440 Speaker 4: No, God always gives. 149 00:07:15,240 --> 00:07:19,280 Speaker 5: Us another opportunity. God was saying, in effect, Moses, I 150 00:07:19,320 --> 00:07:21,760 Speaker 5: haven't forgotten about you. I'm the one that put the 151 00:07:21,840 --> 00:07:24,080 Speaker 5: dream in your heart, and I'm going to give you 152 00:07:24,200 --> 00:07:27,840 Speaker 5: another chance to see that come to pass. This time 153 00:07:28,040 --> 00:07:31,720 Speaker 5: Moses rose up and fulfilled his calling. But see, it's 154 00:07:31,880 --> 00:07:34,800 Speaker 5: much more difficult to mess up God's plan for your 155 00:07:34,840 --> 00:07:38,080 Speaker 5: life than you probably realize, because God's always going to 156 00:07:38,120 --> 00:07:41,400 Speaker 5: give you another chance. Some of you today you're just 157 00:07:41,440 --> 00:07:45,040 Speaker 5: sitting on the sidelines, thinking you've made too many mistakes. 158 00:07:45,360 --> 00:07:48,280 Speaker 5: Now you've given up on those dreams. You can tell me, Joel, 159 00:07:48,320 --> 00:07:50,880 Speaker 5: I did this, I did that. It's been so many 160 00:07:50,960 --> 00:07:54,440 Speaker 5: years now, God is saying to you I still have 161 00:07:54,520 --> 00:07:57,680 Speaker 5: another way to bring those dreams to pass. I still 162 00:07:57,760 --> 00:08:00,400 Speaker 5: have a great plan for your life. But you've got 163 00:08:00,440 --> 00:08:03,640 Speaker 5: to get your hopes up. Quit dragging around focused on 164 00:08:03,720 --> 00:08:07,120 Speaker 5: your mistakes and the opportunities that you've missed, and how 165 00:08:07,120 --> 00:08:09,640 Speaker 5: you didn't finish college and you didn't spend enough time 166 00:08:09,680 --> 00:08:10,400 Speaker 5: with your family. 167 00:08:10,920 --> 00:08:13,160 Speaker 4: No, you can't do anything about the past. 168 00:08:13,560 --> 00:08:16,680 Speaker 5: Let that go and just be your best today. And 169 00:08:16,800 --> 00:08:21,760 Speaker 5: know this, nothing that's happened in your past can disqualify 170 00:08:21,880 --> 00:08:25,400 Speaker 5: you from the bright future God has in store. Forty 171 00:08:25,480 --> 00:08:29,880 Speaker 5: years later, Moses saw his dreams come to pass. Why 172 00:08:29,920 --> 00:08:33,360 Speaker 5: don't you start believing that some of the opportunities you 173 00:08:33,480 --> 00:08:36,080 Speaker 5: missed down through the years will come across your path 174 00:08:36,160 --> 00:08:39,920 Speaker 5: once again. God is a god of another chance. If 175 00:08:39,920 --> 00:08:42,640 Speaker 5: we'll stay in faith and keep our hopes up, he 176 00:08:42,640 --> 00:08:45,520 Speaker 5: can do for us what he did for Moses. I 177 00:08:45,559 --> 00:08:48,760 Speaker 5: have a navigation system in my car. I can type 178 00:08:48,760 --> 00:08:52,520 Speaker 5: in and address and it will automatically calculate the fastest 179 00:08:52,520 --> 00:08:55,160 Speaker 5: way to get there. It highlights it on the screen, 180 00:08:55,240 --> 00:08:57,199 Speaker 5: shows you the way to go, and I'll back out 181 00:08:57,200 --> 00:09:00,600 Speaker 5: of my driveway. But sometimes I don't take it advice 182 00:09:00,960 --> 00:09:02,240 Speaker 5: and I go a different way. 183 00:09:02,760 --> 00:09:04,000 Speaker 4: And what I like about. 184 00:09:03,760 --> 00:09:07,680 Speaker 5: It is the system doesn't stop just because I get 185 00:09:07,720 --> 00:09:12,160 Speaker 5: off course. It immediately updates and calculates a new route. 186 00:09:12,200 --> 00:09:14,080 Speaker 5: From where I am. It can still get me there. 187 00:09:14,559 --> 00:09:16,000 Speaker 5: You have one, you know what I mean. You can 188 00:09:16,040 --> 00:09:19,040 Speaker 5: drive one hundred miles in the wrong direction, zigzag through 189 00:09:19,080 --> 00:09:23,680 Speaker 5: the woods. The whole time is constantly making adjustments telling 190 00:09:23,720 --> 00:09:26,439 Speaker 5: you the fastest way to get to that original location. 191 00:09:27,000 --> 00:09:29,680 Speaker 5: That's the way God is. He didn't say to Moses, 192 00:09:29,760 --> 00:09:32,120 Speaker 5: you blew it, turn a navigation system off. 193 00:09:32,160 --> 00:09:32,640 Speaker 4: He's done. 194 00:09:33,200 --> 00:09:36,080 Speaker 5: No. When we get off course, God immediately comes up 195 00:09:36,080 --> 00:09:39,520 Speaker 5: with another way. He finds another route to still bring 196 00:09:39,559 --> 00:09:40,640 Speaker 5: those dreams to pass. 197 00:09:42,320 --> 00:09:42,839 Speaker 4: And I'm not. 198 00:09:42,960 --> 00:09:45,680 Speaker 5: Saying that we can live sloppy lives and think, well, 199 00:09:45,760 --> 00:09:47,520 Speaker 5: Joel told me God so good, he'll get me there. 200 00:09:47,520 --> 00:09:48,480 Speaker 4: I'll live however I want. 201 00:09:49,480 --> 00:09:52,200 Speaker 5: No, I'm talking about people that have a heart to 202 00:09:52,320 --> 00:09:54,560 Speaker 5: serve God, people that have a heart to do right. 203 00:09:55,000 --> 00:09:57,400 Speaker 5: You make mistakes once in a while, Well you don't 204 00:09:57,400 --> 00:10:01,120 Speaker 5: have to sit around feeling all washed up. God still 205 00:10:01,240 --> 00:10:04,040 Speaker 5: has a way to bring your dreams to pass. A 206 00:10:04,080 --> 00:10:06,440 Speaker 5: lot of people today they think God's mad at them, 207 00:10:06,520 --> 00:10:09,360 Speaker 5: and he's keeping a record of everything they've done wrong. 208 00:10:09,880 --> 00:10:12,680 Speaker 5: When they made poor choices, they wouldn't dare go to 209 00:10:12,720 --> 00:10:15,679 Speaker 5: God and ask him for his help. They think they 210 00:10:15,679 --> 00:10:18,600 Speaker 5: have to pay for their mistakes. The way most people 211 00:10:18,640 --> 00:10:21,000 Speaker 5: do it is they give up on their dreams, go 212 00:10:21,080 --> 00:10:24,319 Speaker 5: around depressed and defeated, thinking that they're paying God back. 213 00:10:24,880 --> 00:10:27,800 Speaker 5: But the good news today is the debt has already 214 00:10:27,840 --> 00:10:31,320 Speaker 5: been paid. Why don't you receive God's mercy? Why don't 215 00:10:31,360 --> 00:10:34,880 Speaker 5: you believe He still has great things in store for you. 216 00:10:34,880 --> 00:10:38,440 Speaker 5: You may have made mistakes, but nothing you've done is 217 00:10:38,480 --> 00:10:41,520 Speaker 5: too much for the mercy of God. The scripture says 218 00:10:41,520 --> 00:10:45,480 Speaker 5: here in James one, verse five, if anyone needs wisdom, 219 00:10:45,800 --> 00:10:50,920 Speaker 5: let him ask God, who gives generously to everyone without 220 00:10:51,200 --> 00:10:52,600 Speaker 5: finding fault. 221 00:10:53,000 --> 00:10:55,560 Speaker 4: Notice God is not a fault finder. 222 00:10:56,040 --> 00:10:58,560 Speaker 5: That means I may have made mistakes, I may have 223 00:10:58,600 --> 00:11:01,800 Speaker 5: gotten myself into trouble. But if all be bold enough 224 00:11:01,840 --> 00:11:05,560 Speaker 5: to ask God, he will help me and not condemn me, 225 00:11:06,000 --> 00:11:08,839 Speaker 5: and not find fault. But a lot of times when 226 00:11:08,880 --> 00:11:12,199 Speaker 5: we make mistakes, we wouldn't dare go to God. We think, man, 227 00:11:12,240 --> 00:11:14,200 Speaker 5: I got myself into this trouble too bad. I got 228 00:11:14,200 --> 00:11:17,480 Speaker 5: to get myself out. But this is what mercy is 229 00:11:17,520 --> 00:11:20,120 Speaker 5: all about. If we could just learn to come to 230 00:11:20,200 --> 00:11:23,240 Speaker 5: God and say, God, I blew it. I admit I 231 00:11:23,280 --> 00:11:26,760 Speaker 5: did wrong, but I believe because I'm your child, and 232 00:11:26,800 --> 00:11:29,760 Speaker 5: because you are full of mercy, you will still give 233 00:11:29,800 --> 00:11:31,319 Speaker 5: me wisdom and help. 234 00:11:31,160 --> 00:11:32,280 Speaker 4: Me to get out of this trouble. 235 00:11:33,000 --> 00:11:35,680 Speaker 5: When you come with that boldness, with that confidence, that's 236 00:11:35,679 --> 00:11:39,960 Speaker 5: what pleases God. I think about our son, Jonathan, he's 237 00:11:40,000 --> 00:11:42,839 Speaker 5: eleven years old. If all of a sudden I heard 238 00:11:42,920 --> 00:11:45,800 Speaker 5: him screaming, Daddy, come help me. I look out the 239 00:11:45,800 --> 00:11:48,040 Speaker 5: window and I see he's hanging by a tree. He's 240 00:11:48,080 --> 00:11:50,960 Speaker 5: about to fall, He's about to get hurt. I wouldn't say, well, 241 00:11:51,040 --> 00:11:54,560 Speaker 5: let me think about how good he's been lately, Victoria. 242 00:11:54,600 --> 00:11:57,040 Speaker 5: Has Jonathan been doing his chores and let me go 243 00:11:57,120 --> 00:12:00,000 Speaker 5: check his bedroom? The whole time he's screaming, Daddy, please 244 00:12:00,000 --> 00:12:02,080 Speaker 5: please help me. Hang on, Jonathan, I got to check 245 00:12:02,120 --> 00:12:06,040 Speaker 5: your report card. No, those thoughts wouldn't even come into 246 00:12:06,040 --> 00:12:06,560 Speaker 5: my mind. 247 00:12:06,800 --> 00:12:07,679 Speaker 4: He's my son. 248 00:12:08,120 --> 00:12:10,400 Speaker 5: Whenever he needs help, I'm gonna do whatever I can. 249 00:12:11,000 --> 00:12:14,679 Speaker 5: That's the way God is. He's not focused on your mistakes. 250 00:12:16,240 --> 00:12:19,439 Speaker 5: He's not looking for ways to make your life miserable. 251 00:12:19,760 --> 00:12:23,120 Speaker 4: God wants you to succeed. He created you. 252 00:12:23,200 --> 00:12:26,440 Speaker 5: To live his abundant life. Don't go around with that 253 00:12:26,480 --> 00:12:29,520 Speaker 5: old nag and feeling. Man, God's not please with me, Joel, 254 00:12:29,960 --> 00:12:31,760 Speaker 5: I'd be a hypocrite to ask for his help all 255 00:12:31,800 --> 00:12:34,800 Speaker 5: the mistakes I've made. Know you are the apple of 256 00:12:34,840 --> 00:12:39,320 Speaker 5: God's eye. You are his most prized possession. Nothing you've 257 00:12:39,360 --> 00:12:43,200 Speaker 5: done or ever will do, will keep God from wanting 258 00:12:43,240 --> 00:12:44,040 Speaker 5: to be good to you. 259 00:12:44,800 --> 00:12:45,760 Speaker 4: Dare to believe. 260 00:12:46,360 --> 00:12:50,240 Speaker 5: Shake off that old guilty, unworthy feeling doesn't please God. 261 00:12:50,280 --> 00:12:53,840 Speaker 5: For us to drag around negative, defeated feeling like a failure, 262 00:12:54,200 --> 00:12:56,920 Speaker 5: thinking that we're paying God back for our wrong choices. 263 00:12:57,400 --> 00:12:59,520 Speaker 5: Now you're a child of the most high God. 264 00:13:00,000 --> 00:13:00,920 Speaker 4: What pleases him. 265 00:13:00,880 --> 00:13:03,679 Speaker 5: Is when you put your shoulders back, dust yourself off, 266 00:13:03,720 --> 00:13:05,600 Speaker 5: and say, I may have made mistakes, I may have 267 00:13:05,640 --> 00:13:08,240 Speaker 5: blown it, but I know God is full of mercy 268 00:13:08,440 --> 00:13:10,720 Speaker 5: and he still has a great plan for my life. 269 00:13:11,200 --> 00:13:14,640 Speaker 5: That's what it means to come boldly to the throne 270 00:13:14,640 --> 00:13:15,199 Speaker 5: of grace. 271 00:13:15,679 --> 00:13:19,000 Speaker 4: To receive mercy, you have to be determined. 272 00:13:19,200 --> 00:13:22,480 Speaker 5: If you give in to guilt and condemnation, you'll go 273 00:13:22,559 --> 00:13:26,600 Speaker 5: through life beaten down, feeling unworthy, no joy, no peace, 274 00:13:26,640 --> 00:13:27,280 Speaker 5: no victory. 275 00:13:27,800 --> 00:13:29,559 Speaker 4: Well joy, you don't know what I've done. 276 00:13:30,120 --> 00:13:32,320 Speaker 5: Let me ask you, is it too much for the 277 00:13:32,320 --> 00:13:36,040 Speaker 5: mercy of God? Do you think your mistakes could somehow 278 00:13:36,400 --> 00:13:40,120 Speaker 5: cancel out God's plan for your life? God created the 279 00:13:40,160 --> 00:13:44,360 Speaker 5: whole universe, The scripture says, God has already written down 280 00:13:44,559 --> 00:13:45,520 Speaker 5: every day. 281 00:13:45,679 --> 00:13:47,240 Speaker 4: That you would live in his book. 282 00:13:47,880 --> 00:13:52,199 Speaker 5: I cannot fathom the creator of the universe, hundreds, maybe 283 00:13:52,200 --> 00:13:55,240 Speaker 5: millions of years ago writing in his book on this day, 284 00:13:55,640 --> 00:13:57,960 Speaker 5: my son or my daughter is going to make a 285 00:13:58,000 --> 00:14:01,320 Speaker 5: mistake that's too much for my mercy. Now where you 286 00:14:01,440 --> 00:14:04,520 Speaker 5: are is not a surprise to God. What you struggle 287 00:14:04,559 --> 00:14:08,040 Speaker 5: with doesn't have him baffled. God already knows He does 288 00:14:08,080 --> 00:14:10,280 Speaker 5: not require a perfect performance. 289 00:14:10,720 --> 00:14:12,360 Speaker 4: He just asked that our heart. 290 00:14:12,160 --> 00:14:15,160 Speaker 5: Would be right now. I'm asking you today to get 291 00:14:15,240 --> 00:14:17,880 Speaker 5: up every morning knowing that God has a bright future 292 00:14:17,920 --> 00:14:21,120 Speaker 5: in store. Does it matter what you've done, Does it 293 00:14:21,160 --> 00:14:24,800 Speaker 5: matter what somebody has done to you? Nobody or nothing 294 00:14:24,960 --> 00:14:28,440 Speaker 5: can stop God's plan from coming to pass except you. 295 00:14:28,440 --> 00:14:31,960 Speaker 5: You have to shake off complacency and start believing that 296 00:14:32,040 --> 00:14:36,040 Speaker 5: every dream, every desire, every possibility God's put in your 297 00:14:36,080 --> 00:14:40,280 Speaker 5: heart will come to pass. When Jonathan was small, I 298 00:14:40,320 --> 00:14:42,720 Speaker 5: had a sports car that I took very good care 299 00:14:42,760 --> 00:14:45,760 Speaker 5: of I'd wash it once or twice a week, sometimes 300 00:14:45,800 --> 00:14:48,880 Speaker 5: by hand, and polish it and make sure it was perfect. 301 00:14:49,320 --> 00:14:51,080 Speaker 5: Now I had this bucket that I kept all my 302 00:14:51,120 --> 00:14:53,720 Speaker 5: sponges and towels in that I used to clean the 303 00:14:53,720 --> 00:14:56,200 Speaker 5: car up at the front of the garage. One day, 304 00:14:56,240 --> 00:14:59,040 Speaker 5: i'd spend a couple of hours washing it, and I 305 00:14:59,040 --> 00:15:01,720 Speaker 5: had buffed the pain, made it look like glass. I 306 00:15:01,720 --> 00:15:04,680 Speaker 5: could see my reflection. So proud of it. And a 307 00:15:04,680 --> 00:15:07,360 Speaker 5: few hours later, little Jonathan came in. He must have 308 00:15:07,400 --> 00:15:10,000 Speaker 5: been about three years old, and he smiled real big 309 00:15:10,040 --> 00:15:12,600 Speaker 5: and said, Daddy, I just washed your car for you. 310 00:15:14,080 --> 00:15:17,240 Speaker 5: And I thought to myself, surely you didn't. He said, 311 00:15:17,240 --> 00:15:18,600 Speaker 5: do you want to see? I thought, you, I do 312 00:15:18,680 --> 00:15:21,600 Speaker 5: want to see. So we went out there and I 313 00:15:21,680 --> 00:15:25,960 Speaker 5: nearly passed out. He had taken my dirtiest towel, the 314 00:15:26,000 --> 00:15:28,120 Speaker 5: one I used for my tires, and he had gone 315 00:15:28,160 --> 00:15:31,240 Speaker 5: around my whole car and just rubbed that in. I 316 00:15:31,280 --> 00:15:34,080 Speaker 5: felt sick to my stomach. He looked it up me 317 00:15:34,520 --> 00:15:36,440 Speaker 5: so proud. He said, Daddy, what do you think. I 318 00:15:36,520 --> 00:15:38,520 Speaker 5: just said, oh, Jonathan, thank you so much. 319 00:15:40,480 --> 00:15:41,400 Speaker 4: I just flat lied. 320 00:15:41,480 --> 00:15:44,800 Speaker 5: But he went in to tell Victoria I got the 321 00:15:44,840 --> 00:15:48,120 Speaker 5: hose started over, cleaned up the mess. What's my point? 322 00:15:48,400 --> 00:15:51,920 Speaker 5: Jonathan's heart was right. He thought he was doing good. 323 00:15:51,960 --> 00:15:54,240 Speaker 5: He thought he was doing me a favor. I've asked 324 00:15:54,320 --> 00:15:57,640 Speaker 5: him since not to do me any more favors. But 325 00:15:57,720 --> 00:15:59,800 Speaker 5: I didn't get on to him. Now, Jonathan, why'd you 326 00:15:59,800 --> 00:16:01,680 Speaker 5: do that? Now? I gotta spend all this time. No, 327 00:16:01,800 --> 00:16:03,640 Speaker 5: I just cleaned up the mess and didn't say a 328 00:16:03,680 --> 00:16:06,520 Speaker 5: word about it. I wonder how many times God does 329 00:16:06,560 --> 00:16:09,680 Speaker 5: that for us. We make a mess, we make some 330 00:16:09,760 --> 00:16:14,400 Speaker 5: poor choices, but because our heart is right, God causes 331 00:16:14,440 --> 00:16:15,160 Speaker 5: it to work out. 332 00:16:15,840 --> 00:16:17,160 Speaker 4: He doesn't say anything about it. 333 00:16:17,840 --> 00:16:20,840 Speaker 5: We may never know that he changed something here, caused 334 00:16:20,840 --> 00:16:22,360 Speaker 5: the right people to come along there. 335 00:16:22,760 --> 00:16:24,320 Speaker 4: What would have been a big mess. 336 00:16:24,560 --> 00:16:27,600 Speaker 5: Because of his mercy, he cleaned it up and caused 337 00:16:27,640 --> 00:16:28,880 Speaker 5: it to work out for our good. 338 00:16:29,080 --> 00:16:30,120 Speaker 4: That's the way God is. 339 00:16:30,360 --> 00:16:32,920 Speaker 5: When your heart is right, he'll clean up the mess 340 00:16:32,960 --> 00:16:35,640 Speaker 5: and not even condemn you for it. There's a story 341 00:16:35,680 --> 00:16:38,560 Speaker 5: in Luke chapter seven. Jesus is at the home of 342 00:16:38,600 --> 00:16:42,040 Speaker 5: a Pharisee about to have dinner. This lady comes in. 343 00:16:42,320 --> 00:16:45,360 Speaker 5: Her name is Mary. The scripture says she is a 344 00:16:45,400 --> 00:16:49,760 Speaker 5: notorious sinner. Everyone there knows that she spends all of 345 00:16:49,800 --> 00:16:52,760 Speaker 5: her time in the red light district. That's the kind 346 00:16:52,800 --> 00:16:54,920 Speaker 5: of lady she is. That's how she makes her money. 347 00:16:54,920 --> 00:16:58,320 Speaker 5: And she's got this jar of perfume and she pours 348 00:16:58,360 --> 00:17:01,520 Speaker 5: it on Jesus's feet. She begins to wash them and 349 00:17:01,600 --> 00:17:04,760 Speaker 5: dry them with her own hair. And the Pharisees, they 350 00:17:04,760 --> 00:17:08,080 Speaker 5: were the religious leader. They begin to complain. They said, 351 00:17:08,080 --> 00:17:11,040 Speaker 5: if Jesus were really a prophet, he would know what 352 00:17:11,080 --> 00:17:13,919 Speaker 5: this lady's profession is. He would know she's got a 353 00:17:14,000 --> 00:17:17,880 Speaker 5: terrible reputation around here. Jesus knew what they were thinking, 354 00:17:18,280 --> 00:17:21,280 Speaker 5: so he answered them back with a story. He said, 355 00:17:21,320 --> 00:17:24,679 Speaker 5: suppose a lender has two people that owe him money, 356 00:17:24,840 --> 00:17:28,000 Speaker 5: one five dollars and one five hundred dollars, and this 357 00:17:28,160 --> 00:17:32,040 Speaker 5: lender forgives both of their debts. Which one would love 358 00:17:32,119 --> 00:17:35,400 Speaker 5: the most? They answered back the one that he forgave 359 00:17:35,480 --> 00:17:37,960 Speaker 5: the most. He turned to the woman and said, you 360 00:17:38,000 --> 00:17:41,359 Speaker 5: see this, lady, when I came into your house, you 361 00:17:41,359 --> 00:17:44,159 Speaker 5: didn't greet me with a kiss on the cheek, You 362 00:17:44,200 --> 00:17:46,240 Speaker 5: didn't offer me a drink, you didn't offer to wash 363 00:17:46,280 --> 00:17:49,640 Speaker 5: my feet. Yet she has not stopped doing so. Though 364 00:17:49,640 --> 00:17:53,520 Speaker 5: her sins be many, they are now forgiven you think 365 00:17:53,560 --> 00:17:56,639 Speaker 5: about it. Mary had had a rough past, but because 366 00:17:56,680 --> 00:17:59,159 Speaker 5: her heart was right, she didn't have to have a 367 00:17:59,240 --> 00:18:02,760 Speaker 5: rough future. God had a plan here. She had spent 368 00:18:02,880 --> 00:18:06,080 Speaker 5: years making wrong choices. She had spent years going down 369 00:18:06,080 --> 00:18:09,760 Speaker 5: the wrong path. Most people in her shoes wouldn't dare 370 00:18:09,880 --> 00:18:12,760 Speaker 5: go to God. They'd feel too guilty, too condemned. But 371 00:18:12,920 --> 00:18:17,760 Speaker 5: somehow Mary understood the mercy of God. She understood where 372 00:18:17,800 --> 00:18:20,360 Speaker 5: she was was not where she had to end up. 373 00:18:21,000 --> 00:18:23,840 Speaker 5: She knew God still had a bright future, and her 374 00:18:23,920 --> 00:18:27,840 Speaker 5: negative past didn't have to disqualify her from having God's 375 00:18:27,880 --> 00:18:31,359 Speaker 5: best plan. That day, she left there a changed woman. 376 00:18:31,960 --> 00:18:35,600 Speaker 5: Years later, when Jesus was crucified and rose from the grave, 377 00:18:36,240 --> 00:18:39,760 Speaker 5: the first person the angel spoke to was not one 378 00:18:39,800 --> 00:18:40,920 Speaker 5: of the religious leaders. 379 00:18:41,359 --> 00:18:44,160 Speaker 4: Was it one of the disciples. Wasn't the apostle Paul. 380 00:18:44,840 --> 00:18:47,840 Speaker 5: The first person the angel spoke to to tell that 381 00:18:47,960 --> 00:18:52,119 Speaker 5: Jesus was alive was this lady Mary. She seemed like 382 00:18:52,160 --> 00:18:55,600 Speaker 5: an unusual choice. She had a negative past. She was 383 00:18:55,680 --> 00:19:01,119 Speaker 5: considered a social outcast, called a notorious sinner. Friends, God 384 00:19:01,240 --> 00:19:03,919 Speaker 5: is not near as concerned about your past as he 385 00:19:04,000 --> 00:19:06,879 Speaker 5: is your future. Where you've been is not near as 386 00:19:06,880 --> 00:19:11,600 Speaker 5: important as where you're going. The whole key was Mary's 387 00:19:11,640 --> 00:19:15,280 Speaker 5: heart was right. If God can cause her to fulfill 388 00:19:15,320 --> 00:19:19,000 Speaker 5: her destiny and play such an important role in history, 389 00:19:19,320 --> 00:19:22,679 Speaker 5: surely God can make miracles out of our mistakes. Surely 390 00:19:22,680 --> 00:19:25,160 Speaker 5: God still has great things in store for each one 391 00:19:25,160 --> 00:19:28,840 Speaker 5: of us. I love the scripture in Zephini three nineteen. 392 00:19:28,920 --> 00:19:33,280 Speaker 5: God is gathering together the outcast and the limping ones. 393 00:19:33,760 --> 00:19:37,359 Speaker 5: That means the people that society has written off, the 394 00:19:37,400 --> 00:19:40,640 Speaker 5: people that have had a negative past. And you may 395 00:19:40,680 --> 00:19:43,119 Speaker 5: feel like you are as far from God as you 396 00:19:43,200 --> 00:19:46,480 Speaker 5: possibly can be. You've missed up, made mistakes, people have 397 00:19:46,560 --> 00:19:49,359 Speaker 5: written you off. But I can tell you with confidence, 398 00:19:49,680 --> 00:19:52,560 Speaker 5: God still has a great plan for your life. 399 00:19:52,640 --> 00:19:54,600 Speaker 4: He did it for Mary, he can do it for you. 400 00:19:55,119 --> 00:19:58,080 Speaker 5: And if you'll just dare come to God and say God, 401 00:19:58,280 --> 00:19:59,040 Speaker 5: I messed up. 402 00:19:59,520 --> 00:20:00,840 Speaker 4: I know I haven't lived like. 403 00:20:00,800 --> 00:20:04,439 Speaker 5: I should have, but I believe your mercy is bigger 404 00:20:04,480 --> 00:20:07,560 Speaker 5: than any mistake that I've ever made. When you come 405 00:20:07,600 --> 00:20:10,359 Speaker 5: with that kind of boldness, that opens the door for 406 00:20:10,400 --> 00:20:13,440 Speaker 5: God to do great things in your life. See, God 407 00:20:13,480 --> 00:20:16,240 Speaker 5: will never write you off. He doesn't see you like 408 00:20:16,320 --> 00:20:19,840 Speaker 5: other people see you. Sometimes people may look down on you, 409 00:20:20,240 --> 00:20:21,800 Speaker 5: think that you don't have much to offer. 410 00:20:21,880 --> 00:20:23,400 Speaker 4: You've got these addictions, you've had. 411 00:20:23,280 --> 00:20:26,560 Speaker 5: A rough past. But God doesn't look at what you are. 412 00:20:27,119 --> 00:20:30,840 Speaker 5: He looks at what you can become. He sees your potential. 413 00:20:31,520 --> 00:20:33,800 Speaker 5: One thing I love when I look out here at Lakewood, 414 00:20:34,200 --> 00:20:37,240 Speaker 5: I see all different types of people. Some of you 415 00:20:37,320 --> 00:20:40,080 Speaker 5: grew up in church like I did. Others of you 416 00:20:40,359 --> 00:20:43,040 Speaker 5: grew up in the bars and the clubs. Some of 417 00:20:43,040 --> 00:20:45,640 Speaker 5: you went to Ivy League schools. Some of you spent 418 00:20:45,760 --> 00:20:49,320 Speaker 5: time in prison. Some of you come from well to do, 419 00:20:49,640 --> 00:20:54,280 Speaker 5: loving families. Others of you come from negative, dysfunctional families. 420 00:20:54,720 --> 00:20:57,560 Speaker 5: Somebody told me last week, Joel, my family put the 421 00:20:57,600 --> 00:20:58,840 Speaker 5: funk in dysfunction. 422 00:21:00,920 --> 00:21:02,919 Speaker 4: You may feel like that's you, but you know what, 423 00:21:02,960 --> 00:21:04,439 Speaker 4: none of that matters to God. 424 00:21:04,520 --> 00:21:07,120 Speaker 5: He knew you before you were born, and he already 425 00:21:07,160 --> 00:21:08,920 Speaker 5: has a great plan for your life. 426 00:21:09,320 --> 00:21:12,280 Speaker 4: First step, the first step. 427 00:21:12,240 --> 00:21:15,840 Speaker 5: Is doing what Mary did and coming to God. Receive 428 00:21:15,920 --> 00:21:18,639 Speaker 5: his forgiveness, receive his mercy, Let him give you a 429 00:21:18,680 --> 00:21:21,440 Speaker 5: new beginning. I had a friend that grew up in church, 430 00:21:21,480 --> 00:21:24,480 Speaker 5: but he got off course and started making poor choices, 431 00:21:24,520 --> 00:21:28,040 Speaker 5: and he ended up the leader of an outlaw motorcycle game. 432 00:21:28,440 --> 00:21:31,359 Speaker 5: They were constantly in trouble with the law. This friend 433 00:21:31,400 --> 00:21:33,960 Speaker 5: had all kinds of addictions. When he got up in 434 00:21:34,040 --> 00:21:36,600 Speaker 5: the morning, the first thing he would do was get high. 435 00:21:37,160 --> 00:21:40,240 Speaker 5: His life was totally out of control. One day he 436 00:21:40,320 --> 00:21:42,640 Speaker 5: hit rock bottom. He was going to end it all 437 00:21:42,680 --> 00:21:45,680 Speaker 5: by taking a whole bottle of pills, but something down 438 00:21:45,720 --> 00:21:48,280 Speaker 5: in here told him to go to church one more time. 439 00:21:48,960 --> 00:21:52,600 Speaker 5: On Mother's Day, he showed up to Lakewood higher than 440 00:21:52,640 --> 00:21:56,000 Speaker 5: a kite, had that long beard, long hair, tattoos, leather 441 00:21:56,040 --> 00:21:58,760 Speaker 5: all over him, and normally the first couple of rows 442 00:21:59,040 --> 00:22:02,080 Speaker 5: are reserved for some staff, but for some reason that day, 443 00:22:02,240 --> 00:22:04,240 Speaker 5: the usher took him all the way down to the 444 00:22:04,280 --> 00:22:07,320 Speaker 5: front and sat him on the very first row. He 445 00:22:07,359 --> 00:22:09,639 Speaker 5: said he was so high he couldn't remember anything that 446 00:22:09,720 --> 00:22:12,280 Speaker 5: was said. All he could remember was the love that 447 00:22:12,320 --> 00:22:15,520 Speaker 5: he fell. That's the mercy of God. You take one 448 00:22:15,560 --> 00:22:19,360 Speaker 5: step toward God, He'll come running towards you. That day, 449 00:22:19,400 --> 00:22:22,280 Speaker 5: he left the service, went out to the parking lot, 450 00:22:22,280 --> 00:22:24,840 Speaker 5: and on his knees, he asked Jesus to come into 451 00:22:24,880 --> 00:22:27,240 Speaker 5: his life, right in front of his motorcycle. That was 452 00:22:27,280 --> 00:22:30,359 Speaker 5: a turning point. Today, that gentleman is a pastor of 453 00:22:30,400 --> 00:22:34,200 Speaker 5: a church. He started a new motorcycle group, and now 454 00:22:34,240 --> 00:22:37,359 Speaker 5: he goes all over sharing with other bikers what God 455 00:22:37,359 --> 00:22:43,000 Speaker 5: has done for him. See God can take your mess 456 00:22:43,080 --> 00:22:44,520 Speaker 5: and turn it into your message. 457 00:22:44,920 --> 00:22:46,240 Speaker 4: He can use you to help. 458 00:22:46,119 --> 00:22:49,520 Speaker 5: Other people in that same situation. This young man got 459 00:22:49,560 --> 00:22:52,439 Speaker 5: off the right track, but notice God gave him another 460 00:22:52,520 --> 00:22:56,160 Speaker 5: opportunity to get back on track. He was considered a 461 00:22:56,160 --> 00:22:59,720 Speaker 5: social outcast. People looked down on him. But see God 462 00:22:59,760 --> 00:23:02,960 Speaker 5: look set you differently. He looks at the heart. You 463 00:23:03,040 --> 00:23:05,160 Speaker 5: may be thinking, man, I've blown it. I'm so far 464 00:23:05,200 --> 00:23:08,000 Speaker 5: from where I should be, But I believe like him. 465 00:23:08,080 --> 00:23:11,080 Speaker 5: Deep down, you have a tender heart toward God. Deep 466 00:23:11,119 --> 00:23:14,119 Speaker 5: down you want to do what's right. Beyond the hard 467 00:23:14,240 --> 00:23:18,040 Speaker 5: outer shell, beyond the facade that everybody else sees. You 468 00:23:18,160 --> 00:23:21,080 Speaker 5: have a desire to get back on to God's best path. 469 00:23:21,560 --> 00:23:25,960 Speaker 5: The good news is your negative past doesn't disqualify you 470 00:23:26,200 --> 00:23:28,840 Speaker 5: from having a bright future. God still has a plan. 471 00:23:29,440 --> 00:23:32,760 Speaker 5: You're never too far gone with our God. Society may 472 00:23:32,800 --> 00:23:35,679 Speaker 5: write you off, but God wants to gather up the outcast, 473 00:23:35,880 --> 00:23:38,880 Speaker 5: the limping ones. He can still make something great out 474 00:23:38,880 --> 00:23:42,000 Speaker 5: of your life. One thing I find interesting about this 475 00:23:42,080 --> 00:23:44,399 Speaker 5: man is he had a mother at home that was 476 00:23:44,440 --> 00:23:48,280 Speaker 5: always praying. That reminds me Moms and dads, let's never 477 00:23:48,480 --> 00:23:52,320 Speaker 5: quit praying for our children. Does it matter where they are, 478 00:23:52,680 --> 00:23:55,919 Speaker 5: what it looks like. Nothing's too hard for our God. 479 00:23:56,680 --> 00:23:59,199 Speaker 5: All it takes is one touch of his favor. He 480 00:23:59,200 --> 00:24:02,560 Speaker 5: can turn any life life around. In John chapter six, 481 00:24:02,920 --> 00:24:06,320 Speaker 5: Jesus had just sped the multitudes with the little boy's lunch. 482 00:24:06,920 --> 00:24:09,119 Speaker 5: When they got finished, they had more left over than 483 00:24:09,119 --> 00:24:11,840 Speaker 5: when they started. That's what happens when you give your 484 00:24:11,840 --> 00:24:14,680 Speaker 5: life to God. He'll always make so much more. 485 00:24:14,560 --> 00:24:15,000 Speaker 4: Out of it. 486 00:24:15,680 --> 00:24:19,560 Speaker 5: Afterwards, Jesus said to the disciples, gather up the fragments 487 00:24:19,840 --> 00:24:24,840 Speaker 5: so that nothing will be wasted. Notice God never waste anything. 488 00:24:25,520 --> 00:24:29,480 Speaker 5: People today have been abused, been divorced, been through other failures, 489 00:24:29,800 --> 00:24:32,400 Speaker 5: and it's easy to just settle for mediocrity and think, man, 490 00:24:32,440 --> 00:24:35,280 Speaker 5: I've blown it so many times. But no, God still 491 00:24:35,320 --> 00:24:37,920 Speaker 5: has a plan. You can come to him with nothing 492 00:24:37,960 --> 00:24:41,760 Speaker 5: but broken pieces, broken dreams, a broken marriage, a messed 493 00:24:41,840 --> 00:24:44,879 Speaker 5: up life. God can still make something great out of it. 494 00:24:45,440 --> 00:24:47,520 Speaker 5: When you say, Joel, I was abused growing up. 495 00:24:47,760 --> 00:24:48,320 Speaker 4: Wasn't fair. 496 00:24:48,359 --> 00:24:51,160 Speaker 5: That's why I'm angry, That's why I'm bitter. No give 497 00:24:51,200 --> 00:24:54,560 Speaker 5: that fragment to God. He still has a plan. He 498 00:24:54,600 --> 00:24:57,280 Speaker 5: can use you to help other hurting people. Well, my 499 00:24:57,359 --> 00:24:59,920 Speaker 5: spouse walked out on me, left me for somebody else. 500 00:25:00,440 --> 00:25:03,159 Speaker 5: Stay filled with hope. God still has a good future. 501 00:25:03,200 --> 00:25:05,800 Speaker 5: He can bring somebody new into your life. Or maybe 502 00:25:05,840 --> 00:25:08,840 Speaker 5: you think, Joel, I'm so far from where I should be. 503 00:25:09,280 --> 00:25:12,119 Speaker 5: I've made so many mistakes. I have so many failures. 504 00:25:12,280 --> 00:25:16,000 Speaker 5: Now you have to receive God's mercy and keep pressing forward. 505 00:25:16,320 --> 00:25:19,359 Speaker 5: If you'll keep your heart pure and stay filled with hope, 506 00:25:19,640 --> 00:25:20,880 Speaker 5: God will never. 507 00:25:20,920 --> 00:25:22,720 Speaker 4: Waste anything that you go through. 508 00:25:23,040 --> 00:25:25,360 Speaker 5: Somehow he'll use it to still get some good out 509 00:25:25,359 --> 00:25:28,719 Speaker 5: of it. In Jeremiah chapter eighteen, it talks about a 510 00:25:28,800 --> 00:25:32,520 Speaker 5: potter sitting at the wheel working on a vessel, some 511 00:25:32,680 --> 00:25:35,520 Speaker 5: kind of pot of clay, and it says the vessel 512 00:25:35,720 --> 00:25:40,040 Speaker 5: becomes marred in the potter's hands. That means it's messed up, 513 00:25:40,440 --> 00:25:43,679 Speaker 5: it's broken, it's got cracks and defects. But the potter 514 00:25:43,760 --> 00:25:45,800 Speaker 5: doesn't just throw it away and say too bad, let 515 00:25:45,840 --> 00:25:50,040 Speaker 5: me get something else. It says, the potter remakes the 516 00:25:50,160 --> 00:25:53,600 Speaker 5: vessel once again. When it's all said and done, the 517 00:25:53,680 --> 00:25:57,760 Speaker 5: vessel is stronger and more beautiful than it ever was before, 518 00:25:58,280 --> 00:26:01,479 Speaker 5: and of course the Potter Report. Since God and all 519 00:26:01,520 --> 00:26:05,200 Speaker 5: of us in life go through failures, disappointments, things where 520 00:26:05,200 --> 00:26:08,480 Speaker 5: people didn't treat us right, we end up hurt, broken, 521 00:26:08,760 --> 00:26:10,960 Speaker 5: maybe feeling like we don't have much of a future. 522 00:26:11,400 --> 00:26:13,919 Speaker 5: But God is saying through this passage, if you'll just 523 00:26:13,960 --> 00:26:18,360 Speaker 5: stay filled with hope, I'll take your broken pieces, the hurts, 524 00:26:18,520 --> 00:26:21,879 Speaker 5: the failures, the disappointments, and I'll use them not just 525 00:26:21,920 --> 00:26:24,440 Speaker 5: to put you back together, but I'll bring you out 526 00:26:24,720 --> 00:26:27,480 Speaker 5: better off than had that not ever even have happened 527 00:26:27,520 --> 00:26:31,400 Speaker 5: to you. There's a famous poem that talks about how 528 00:26:31,440 --> 00:26:34,280 Speaker 5: a bird with a broken wing will never fly again. 529 00:26:34,680 --> 00:26:38,400 Speaker 5: It's a very sad, depressing poem. But one day somebody 530 00:26:38,440 --> 00:26:40,840 Speaker 5: took it and put a new end on it. They 531 00:26:40,880 --> 00:26:43,600 Speaker 5: told how when God gets a hold of the bird, 532 00:26:43,800 --> 00:26:46,720 Speaker 5: he begins to heal it and restore it and breathe 533 00:26:46,800 --> 00:26:49,600 Speaker 5: new life back into it. And it ended up by saying, 534 00:26:49,840 --> 00:26:52,679 Speaker 5: the bird with the broken wing will fly twice as 535 00:26:52,760 --> 00:26:55,880 Speaker 5: high again. That's what God wants to do for every 536 00:26:55,920 --> 00:26:57,920 Speaker 5: one of us. For some of you today, you've just 537 00:26:57,960 --> 00:27:01,920 Speaker 5: about written yourself off, living guilt and condemned. You've got 538 00:27:01,920 --> 00:27:04,639 Speaker 5: to get a new vision for your life. God is 539 00:27:04,800 --> 00:27:07,760 Speaker 5: full of mercy. He doesn't want you to stay where 540 00:27:07,760 --> 00:27:11,320 Speaker 5: you are. He wants to restore and breathe new life 541 00:27:11,400 --> 00:27:14,600 Speaker 5: back into you. His dream is to take your broken 542 00:27:14,680 --> 00:27:18,160 Speaker 5: pieces and bring you out better off than you were before. 543 00:27:18,680 --> 00:27:21,400 Speaker 5: So you've got to shake off that old, negative, defeated, 544 00:27:21,480 --> 00:27:22,359 Speaker 5: guilty spirit. 545 00:27:22,640 --> 00:27:23,680 Speaker 4: This is a new day. 546 00:27:24,359 --> 00:27:26,560 Speaker 5: Nothing that you've done is too much for the mercy 547 00:27:26,600 --> 00:27:30,520 Speaker 5: of God. Give him those fragments, give him the broken pieces, 548 00:27:30,560 --> 00:27:33,280 Speaker 5: and just say, God, I've made a mess of my life, 549 00:27:33,760 --> 00:27:36,399 Speaker 5: but I believe that you are good enough to still 550 00:27:36,440 --> 00:27:39,600 Speaker 5: make miracles out of my mistakes. God, I'm just bold 551 00:27:39,680 --> 00:27:42,919 Speaker 5: enough to believe even though I don't deserve it, because 552 00:27:42,920 --> 00:27:45,719 Speaker 5: of your mercy, you still have good things in store 553 00:27:46,320 --> 00:27:49,440 Speaker 5: when you come with that boldness, with that confidence. Believe 554 00:27:49,480 --> 00:27:52,239 Speaker 5: it in the goodness of God that allows him to 555 00:27:52,280 --> 00:27:55,160 Speaker 5: do great things in your life. If you will stay 556 00:27:55,160 --> 00:27:58,280 Speaker 5: in faith, keep your hopes up, keep your heart pure, 557 00:27:58,760 --> 00:28:01,960 Speaker 5: I know that God will we make your life into 558 00:28:01,960 --> 00:28:05,840 Speaker 5: something more beautiful and more rewarding than you ever thought possible. 559 00:28:05,920 --> 00:28:07,639 Speaker 4: Amen, do you receive it this morning? 560 00:28:09,200 --> 00:28:12,040 Speaker 5: We never like to close our broadcast without giving you 561 00:28:12,119 --> 00:28:15,080 Speaker 5: an opportunity to make Jesus the lord of your life. 562 00:28:15,240 --> 00:28:19,560 Speaker 5: Would you pray with me, Just say, Lord, Jesus, I 563 00:28:19,680 --> 00:28:24,600 Speaker 5: repent of my sins. Come into my heart. I make 564 00:28:24,640 --> 00:28:28,159 Speaker 5: you my Lord and savior. Friends, if you prayed that 565 00:28:28,240 --> 00:28:31,159 Speaker 5: simple prayer, we believe you got born again. Get in 566 00:28:31,200 --> 00:28:34,400 Speaker 5: a good Bible based church. Keep God first place. He's 567 00:28:34,400 --> 00:28:36,600 Speaker 5: going to take your places that you've never dreamed of. 568 00:28:37,000 --> 00:28:39,880 Speaker 6: Thank you for listening to the joel OUs Deine podcast. 569 00:28:40,200 --> 00:28:42,840 Speaker 6: Help us continue to share the message of hope with 570 00:28:42,960 --> 00:28:46,920 Speaker 6: those all over the world. Visit Joeloustin dot com slash 571 00:28:47,000 --> 00:28:49,000 Speaker 6: give Hope to give a gift today. 572 00:28:50,280 --> 00:28:53,200 Speaker 5: Thanks so much for listening to today's message. I hope 573 00:28:53,200 --> 00:28:56,600 Speaker 5: you'll subscribe so you can receive the latest podcast to 574 00:28:56,680 --> 00:28:59,840 Speaker 5: keep you inspired all through the week. We're praying for you. 575 00:29:00,080 --> 00:29:02,480 Speaker 5: I know God's best is still ahead. We'll see you 576 00:29:02,560 --> 00:29:03,040 Speaker 5: next time.