1 00:00:00,680 --> 00:00:02,200 Speaker 1: Hi, this is Jolan Victoria. 2 00:00:02,520 --> 00:00:05,320 Speaker 2: Thanks so much for listening to the podcast, and thanks 3 00:00:05,360 --> 00:00:06,800 Speaker 2: for supporting the ministry. 4 00:00:07,120 --> 00:00:08,440 Speaker 1: We believe you're going to have an. 5 00:00:08,320 --> 00:00:12,520 Speaker 2: Awesome twenty twenty four, healthy, productive, and favor filled. 6 00:00:12,800 --> 00:00:16,520 Speaker 1: God bless you today and enjoy the message. Well, God bless. 7 00:00:16,200 --> 00:00:19,680 Speaker 2: You always the joy to come into your homes. We 8 00:00:19,760 --> 00:00:22,360 Speaker 2: love you, We know God has good things in store 9 00:00:22,400 --> 00:00:24,279 Speaker 2: for each one of you. And if you're ever in 10 00:00:24,320 --> 00:00:26,479 Speaker 2: our area, I hope you'll come out and be a 11 00:00:26,480 --> 00:00:29,080 Speaker 2: part of one of our services. I promise you we'll 12 00:00:29,120 --> 00:00:31,160 Speaker 2: make you feel right at home. But thanks so much 13 00:00:31,200 --> 00:00:33,839 Speaker 2: for tuning in today. I like to get started each 14 00:00:33,840 --> 00:00:36,000 Speaker 2: week with something kind of funny, and I heard about 15 00:00:36,000 --> 00:00:38,839 Speaker 2: this lady. She was on an airplane reading her Bible. 16 00:00:39,400 --> 00:00:41,840 Speaker 2: The man sitting next to her said, you don't. 17 00:00:41,560 --> 00:00:42,919 Speaker 1: Believe all that stuff in there? 18 00:00:42,960 --> 00:00:43,239 Speaker 2: Do you? 19 00:00:43,680 --> 00:00:45,640 Speaker 1: She said, sure, I do, it's the Bible. 20 00:00:45,960 --> 00:00:48,280 Speaker 2: He said, well, what about that guy that got swallowed 21 00:00:48,320 --> 00:00:50,879 Speaker 2: by the well? She said, you mean Jonah, Yes, I 22 00:00:50,960 --> 00:00:53,800 Speaker 2: believe that too. He said, well, how could he possibly 23 00:00:53,960 --> 00:00:57,200 Speaker 2: survive all that time inside of a well? She thought 24 00:00:57,240 --> 00:00:59,600 Speaker 2: about it a moment, finally said, I don't know when 25 00:00:59,600 --> 00:01:03,160 Speaker 2: I get the heaven I'll have to ask him, he said, sarcastically. 26 00:01:03,280 --> 00:01:05,840 Speaker 2: What if he's not in heaven, She said, then you're 27 00:01:05,880 --> 00:01:10,640 Speaker 2: gonna have to ask him. All right, hold up your Bible, 28 00:01:11,080 --> 00:01:12,120 Speaker 2: say it like you mean it. 29 00:01:12,560 --> 00:01:15,600 Speaker 1: This is my Bible. I am what it says. I am. 30 00:01:16,200 --> 00:01:18,840 Speaker 2: I have what it says I have. I can do 31 00:01:18,880 --> 00:01:21,640 Speaker 2: what it says I can do. Today I will be 32 00:01:21,720 --> 00:01:26,119 Speaker 2: taught the Word of God. I boldly confess. My mind 33 00:01:26,240 --> 00:01:29,880 Speaker 2: is alert, my heart is receptive. I will never be 34 00:01:30,000 --> 00:01:35,240 Speaker 2: the same. I am about to receive the incorruptible, indestructible, 35 00:01:35,680 --> 00:01:39,600 Speaker 2: ever living seed of the Word of God. I'll never 36 00:01:39,640 --> 00:01:43,360 Speaker 2: be the same. Never, never, never, I'll never. 37 00:01:43,160 --> 00:01:46,800 Speaker 1: Be the same. In Jesus's name, God bless you. 38 00:01:47,640 --> 00:01:49,760 Speaker 2: I want to talk to you today about how to 39 00:01:49,880 --> 00:01:51,000 Speaker 2: handle criticism. 40 00:01:51,880 --> 00:01:52,960 Speaker 1: Every one of us. 41 00:01:52,800 --> 00:01:56,880 Speaker 2: In life will have times when we're being criticized. Somebody's 42 00:01:56,920 --> 00:02:00,360 Speaker 2: talking about us, trying to make us look bad, blowing 43 00:02:00,400 --> 00:02:03,480 Speaker 2: things out of proportion, and these people have no interest 44 00:02:03,600 --> 00:02:06,520 Speaker 2: in helping us. They're just trying to drag us down. 45 00:02:07,200 --> 00:02:11,080 Speaker 2: And I found most criticism is based out of jealousy. 46 00:02:11,520 --> 00:02:15,200 Speaker 2: It's based out of a competitive spirit. You have something 47 00:02:15,280 --> 00:02:18,480 Speaker 2: that they want, but instead of being happy for you. 48 00:02:18,720 --> 00:02:19,919 Speaker 1: Instead of keeping a good. 49 00:02:19,840 --> 00:02:22,639 Speaker 2: Attitude knowing that God can do it for them, that 50 00:02:22,800 --> 00:02:26,040 Speaker 2: jealousy rises up, and the way they release it is 51 00:02:26,080 --> 00:02:30,040 Speaker 2: by talking, being critical, being cynical, trying to make you 52 00:02:30,120 --> 00:02:34,160 Speaker 2: look bad. The more successful you are, the more criticism 53 00:02:34,280 --> 00:02:37,600 Speaker 2: you will encounter. You get that promotion at the office, 54 00:02:37,800 --> 00:02:41,440 Speaker 2: don't be surprised if your critics come out of the woodwork. Well, 55 00:02:41,480 --> 00:02:44,600 Speaker 2: he's not that talented. He's just a manipulator. He just 56 00:02:44,639 --> 00:02:47,799 Speaker 2: plays up to the bass. Or your friends, they may 57 00:02:47,840 --> 00:02:50,400 Speaker 2: be fine as long as you're all single. 58 00:02:50,440 --> 00:02:52,680 Speaker 1: But the moment you get married, don't. 59 00:02:52,520 --> 00:02:55,360 Speaker 2: Be surprised if they start talking, well, I can't believe 60 00:02:55,440 --> 00:02:59,880 Speaker 2: he married her. She has no personality whatsoever. See. Unfortunately, 61 00:03:00,680 --> 00:03:04,639 Speaker 2: not everybody will celebrate your victories with you. All your 62 00:03:04,639 --> 00:03:06,880 Speaker 2: single friends may not jump up and down when you 63 00:03:06,919 --> 00:03:09,760 Speaker 2: marry the man of your dreams. Your co workers may 64 00:03:09,800 --> 00:03:13,400 Speaker 2: not sing your praises when you get that promotion. Very 65 00:03:13,400 --> 00:03:17,359 Speaker 2: often it draws out that jealous, critical spirit. But here's 66 00:03:17,400 --> 00:03:21,480 Speaker 2: the key, you shouldn't take that personally. Many times it's 67 00:03:21,520 --> 00:03:24,720 Speaker 2: not even directed at you. If it wasn't you, it'd 68 00:03:24,720 --> 00:03:27,880 Speaker 2: be somebody else. It's something on the inside of them. 69 00:03:28,520 --> 00:03:30,760 Speaker 2: Unless they deal with it, is going to keep them 70 00:03:30,760 --> 00:03:33,520 Speaker 2: from rising higher. And one of the most important things 71 00:03:33,560 --> 00:03:38,000 Speaker 2: I've ever learned is to celebrate other people's victories. If 72 00:03:38,040 --> 00:03:41,720 Speaker 2: my co worker gets the promotion I wanted, yes, there's 73 00:03:41,760 --> 00:03:45,320 Speaker 2: a tendency to be jealous. Yes, there's a tendency to think, Man, 74 00:03:45,360 --> 00:03:48,160 Speaker 2: why didn't that happen for me? I work hard, that's 75 00:03:48,200 --> 00:03:52,000 Speaker 2: not fair. No. If we'll keep the right attitude and 76 00:03:52,080 --> 00:03:55,280 Speaker 2: be happy for them at the right time, God. 77 00:03:55,080 --> 00:03:57,440 Speaker 1: Will open up something even better for us. 78 00:03:57,720 --> 00:04:00,680 Speaker 2: But I found if I can't rejoice with them, I'm 79 00:04:00,720 --> 00:04:02,440 Speaker 2: not going to get to where I want to be. 80 00:04:03,480 --> 00:04:06,520 Speaker 2: How many times does God have a promotion in store, 81 00:04:07,200 --> 00:04:09,400 Speaker 2: But first he sends along a test. 82 00:04:09,880 --> 00:04:11,520 Speaker 1: He wants to see if we're ready. 83 00:04:12,120 --> 00:04:15,480 Speaker 2: So our best friend will get married, but we're still single. 84 00:04:15,640 --> 00:04:19,040 Speaker 2: Can we be happy for or our relatives move into 85 00:04:19,040 --> 00:04:21,680 Speaker 2: their dream home. We've been praying for years, but we're 86 00:04:21,720 --> 00:04:22,880 Speaker 2: still in a little apartment. 87 00:04:23,160 --> 00:04:26,120 Speaker 1: That's a test. If we get jealous. 88 00:04:25,800 --> 00:04:29,160 Speaker 2: And start finding fault with them, start being critical, it's 89 00:04:29,200 --> 00:04:31,880 Speaker 2: going to keep us right where we are. Let's learn 90 00:04:32,040 --> 00:04:36,400 Speaker 2: to celebrate other people's victories. Let it inspire you know 91 00:04:36,480 --> 00:04:37,880 Speaker 2: that if God did it for them. 92 00:04:38,160 --> 00:04:39,560 Speaker 1: He can certainly do it for you. 93 00:04:40,360 --> 00:04:43,600 Speaker 2: But too many people today fall into that trap of 94 00:04:43,680 --> 00:04:48,960 Speaker 2: being jealous. There's so much competitiveness and even cynicism in 95 00:04:49,000 --> 00:04:50,080 Speaker 2: our society today. 96 00:04:50,680 --> 00:04:52,280 Speaker 1: If we're going to be our best. 97 00:04:52,080 --> 00:04:54,320 Speaker 2: We need to know how to deal with people that 98 00:04:54,360 --> 00:04:57,559 Speaker 2: are talking about us, people that are judging us, people 99 00:04:57,560 --> 00:05:01,520 Speaker 2: that are even making false accusations. In the Old Testament, 100 00:05:01,600 --> 00:05:05,200 Speaker 2: these people were called slingers, and the way they got 101 00:05:05,240 --> 00:05:08,800 Speaker 2: their name is when an enemy went to attack a city, 102 00:05:09,480 --> 00:05:12,520 Speaker 2: many times, the first thing they would do was take 103 00:05:12,600 --> 00:05:16,279 Speaker 2: the stones off of the wall that was protecting that city, 104 00:05:16,800 --> 00:05:20,720 Speaker 2: and they would sling those stones into their wells. They 105 00:05:20,800 --> 00:05:23,000 Speaker 2: knew if they could get the wells clogged up with 106 00:05:23,080 --> 00:05:25,960 Speaker 2: these stones, then eventually the people would have to come 107 00:05:25,960 --> 00:05:28,919 Speaker 2: out their water supply would be gone. And it's the 108 00:05:28,960 --> 00:05:32,440 Speaker 2: same parallel today. We all have a well of good 109 00:05:32,440 --> 00:05:35,520 Speaker 2: things on the inside, a well of joy, a well 110 00:05:35,560 --> 00:05:37,000 Speaker 2: of peace, a well of victory. 111 00:05:37,440 --> 00:05:38,800 Speaker 1: But too often we. 112 00:05:38,839 --> 00:05:43,160 Speaker 2: Let the slingers clog up our wells somebody's talking about us. 113 00:05:43,640 --> 00:05:48,920 Speaker 2: Instead of letting it go, we go around dwelling on it, upset, thinking, man, 114 00:05:49,080 --> 00:05:50,080 Speaker 2: I'm gonna pay you back. 115 00:05:50,120 --> 00:05:51,000 Speaker 1: You're talking about me. 116 00:05:51,160 --> 00:05:53,720 Speaker 2: Let me tell you what I know about them. Now, 117 00:05:53,760 --> 00:05:56,440 Speaker 2: you have to make it a priority to keep your 118 00:05:56,520 --> 00:06:01,120 Speaker 2: well pure. Somebody's being critical towards you. Somebody's trying to 119 00:06:01,160 --> 00:06:04,719 Speaker 2: show you in a bad light. Recognize that's a stone 120 00:06:04,920 --> 00:06:08,000 Speaker 2: come in your way. If you start dwelling on it, 121 00:06:08,480 --> 00:06:12,920 Speaker 2: get upset and get revengeful, They've accomplished their goal. They 122 00:06:13,040 --> 00:06:17,159 Speaker 2: landed another stone in your well. Now the joy, the peace, 123 00:06:17,200 --> 00:06:19,360 Speaker 2: the victory gets a little more restricted. 124 00:06:19,760 --> 00:06:22,400 Speaker 1: Does it flow like it should? Really? 125 00:06:22,480 --> 00:06:25,840 Speaker 2: We all have slingers in our lives, people that are 126 00:06:25,839 --> 00:06:28,360 Speaker 2: going to try to bring us down with their words. 127 00:06:28,839 --> 00:06:31,000 Speaker 2: They may be a friend to your face, but you 128 00:06:31,080 --> 00:06:33,360 Speaker 2: know behind your back they would cut you. 129 00:06:33,360 --> 00:06:34,039 Speaker 1: Up and down. 130 00:06:34,200 --> 00:06:37,800 Speaker 2: What are they doing slinging another stone? The way you 131 00:06:37,920 --> 00:06:42,719 Speaker 2: overcome is not to get revengeful. Don't sink down to 132 00:06:42,760 --> 00:06:46,039 Speaker 2: their level and start talking bad about them. Don't get 133 00:06:46,080 --> 00:06:50,280 Speaker 2: defensive trying to prove that you're right and they're wrong. Now, 134 00:06:50,320 --> 00:06:53,039 Speaker 2: the way you really defeat a slinger is to just 135 00:06:53,080 --> 00:06:56,240 Speaker 2: shake it off, just let it go. This is what 136 00:06:56,360 --> 00:06:59,400 Speaker 2: Jesus told his disciples. He sent them out to the 137 00:06:59,400 --> 00:07:02,080 Speaker 2: different town to teach the people and to care for 138 00:07:02,120 --> 00:07:06,120 Speaker 2: their needs. But he knew they would suffer rejection. He 139 00:07:06,200 --> 00:07:09,760 Speaker 2: knew not everybody would like them. Some people would get 140 00:07:09,840 --> 00:07:12,920 Speaker 2: jealous and start talking and trying to make them look bad. 141 00:07:13,240 --> 00:07:15,800 Speaker 2: In other words, he knew the slingers would be out there, 142 00:07:16,400 --> 00:07:19,520 Speaker 2: and so he said in Matthew ten, verse fourteen, when 143 00:07:19,560 --> 00:07:23,520 Speaker 2: you go into a town, whoever will not receive and 144 00:07:23,680 --> 00:07:25,040 Speaker 2: welcome your message. 145 00:07:25,440 --> 00:07:27,120 Speaker 1: When you leave that place. 146 00:07:27,280 --> 00:07:30,559 Speaker 2: Shake the dust off of your feet. Notice he didn't 147 00:07:30,560 --> 00:07:33,040 Speaker 2: say if they start talking about you and spread and rumors, 148 00:07:33,320 --> 00:07:36,320 Speaker 2: get revengeful and try to pay him back. He didn't 149 00:07:36,360 --> 00:07:39,520 Speaker 2: say to get defensive and try to set the record straight. 150 00:07:40,160 --> 00:07:43,520 Speaker 1: He simply said, shake the dust off of your feet. 151 00:07:43,680 --> 00:07:46,679 Speaker 2: That was a symbolic way of saying, you're not gonna 152 00:07:46,680 --> 00:07:49,880 Speaker 2: steal my joy. You may be talking about me, but 153 00:07:49,920 --> 00:07:52,080 Speaker 2: I'm not gonna sink down to your level. I'm not 154 00:07:52,120 --> 00:07:54,040 Speaker 2: gonna get in there and fight with you. I'm gonna 155 00:07:54,120 --> 00:07:57,880 Speaker 2: let God be my vindicator. Sometimes when you leave the office, 156 00:07:58,120 --> 00:08:02,320 Speaker 2: you gotta shake it off people talking playing politics, trying 157 00:08:02,360 --> 00:08:03,120 Speaker 2: to bring you down. 158 00:08:03,360 --> 00:08:05,320 Speaker 1: Don't take that junk home. Shake it off. 159 00:08:06,080 --> 00:08:09,679 Speaker 2: Sometimes, even leaving your relatives house, I'm shaking this off. 160 00:08:09,960 --> 00:08:10,800 Speaker 2: I'm not gonna drink it. 161 00:08:10,840 --> 00:08:11,440 Speaker 1: They're poison. 162 00:08:13,160 --> 00:08:16,640 Speaker 2: Well, you say, Joel, I heard one of my competitors 163 00:08:16,640 --> 00:08:20,000 Speaker 2: at work is talking about me. Man, I'm gonna fight 164 00:08:20,040 --> 00:08:22,200 Speaker 2: fire with fire. I'm gonna let him have it. So 165 00:08:22,360 --> 00:08:25,720 Speaker 2: that's not the way you win. Let God be your vindicator. 166 00:08:26,080 --> 00:08:28,360 Speaker 2: If you'll stay on the high road. God will fight 167 00:08:28,400 --> 00:08:31,600 Speaker 2: your battles for you. But you never really win by 168 00:08:31,640 --> 00:08:34,800 Speaker 2: sinking down to their level and attacking them personally. 169 00:08:35,040 --> 00:08:35,880 Speaker 1: Rise above that. 170 00:08:36,480 --> 00:08:40,439 Speaker 2: When somebody's being critical and negative towards you, just recognize, 171 00:08:40,600 --> 00:08:44,200 Speaker 2: here comes another stone, and our attitude should be I'm 172 00:08:44,240 --> 00:08:47,040 Speaker 2: smarter than that. I'm not gonna let their stone clog 173 00:08:47,160 --> 00:08:49,199 Speaker 2: up my well. In other words, I'm not gonna let 174 00:08:49,200 --> 00:08:52,280 Speaker 2: their jealous spirit poison my life. I'm gonna stay full 175 00:08:52,320 --> 00:08:55,080 Speaker 2: of joy. And some of you today you don't have 176 00:08:55,160 --> 00:08:58,520 Speaker 2: the victory that you should because you're not shaking things off. 177 00:08:59,120 --> 00:09:02,319 Speaker 2: You're letting the slip get the best of you, dwelling 178 00:09:02,360 --> 00:09:06,400 Speaker 2: on the criticism, who's talking about you and who rejected you? 179 00:09:06,400 --> 00:09:10,320 Speaker 2: Your wells all clogged up. I think about the apostle Paul. 180 00:09:10,520 --> 00:09:13,640 Speaker 2: One time he was shipwrecked on a small island, and 181 00:09:13,640 --> 00:09:16,239 Speaker 2: he went to pick up some firewood, and a poisonous 182 00:09:16,280 --> 00:09:17,640 Speaker 2: snake bit him. 183 00:09:17,840 --> 00:09:19,800 Speaker 1: The people thought he would immediately die. 184 00:09:20,240 --> 00:09:23,560 Speaker 2: And that's kind of what it's like when somebody criticizes us, 185 00:09:24,000 --> 00:09:27,199 Speaker 2: when somebody's talking behind our back, trying to put us 186 00:09:27,200 --> 00:09:29,960 Speaker 2: in a bad light, we can feel the steam of 187 00:09:30,000 --> 00:09:32,920 Speaker 2: their words. But I love what Paul did. He just 188 00:09:32,920 --> 00:09:37,640 Speaker 2: shook it off. One translation says he simply shook it off. 189 00:09:37,840 --> 00:09:40,520 Speaker 2: In other words, no big deal. I'm not gonna let 190 00:09:40,559 --> 00:09:43,840 Speaker 2: this thing bother me. It may be poisonous, it may 191 00:09:43,880 --> 00:09:46,880 Speaker 2: look big, but I know God's in control. I know 192 00:09:47,000 --> 00:09:49,640 Speaker 2: God will fight my battles for me. And do you 193 00:09:49,720 --> 00:09:53,600 Speaker 2: know that snake bite never did harm Paul. Yes it 194 00:09:53,640 --> 00:09:56,680 Speaker 2: was poisonous, Yes it was harmful, but he knew this 195 00:09:56,840 --> 00:10:00,640 Speaker 2: secret of simply shaking it all. A lot of people 196 00:10:00,679 --> 00:10:04,040 Speaker 2: today they let these negative words and what people think 197 00:10:04,080 --> 00:10:08,240 Speaker 2: about them totally run their life. They live to please 198 00:10:08,320 --> 00:10:11,040 Speaker 2: everybody and try to keep them happy. They don't want 199 00:10:11,080 --> 00:10:14,200 Speaker 2: anybody to ever say a negative word about them. The 200 00:10:14,280 --> 00:10:18,280 Speaker 2: problem with that is it's impossible. You have to accept 201 00:10:18,280 --> 00:10:22,400 Speaker 2: the fact that not everybody's gonna like you, not everybody's 202 00:10:22,440 --> 00:10:27,320 Speaker 2: gonna accept you, and you certainly cannot keep everybody happy. 203 00:10:27,440 --> 00:10:30,640 Speaker 2: Some people, no matter what you do for them, they're 204 00:10:30,640 --> 00:10:34,000 Speaker 2: gonna find some reason to find fault. You can be 205 00:10:34,080 --> 00:10:36,560 Speaker 2: there for them a thousand times in a row, but 206 00:10:36,559 --> 00:10:39,280 Speaker 2: that one time you can't show up, they're gonna start talking, 207 00:10:39,320 --> 00:10:42,840 Speaker 2: start bad mouthing you. Listen, life is too short to 208 00:10:42,880 --> 00:10:45,880 Speaker 2: try to keep people like that happy. And yes, we 209 00:10:45,920 --> 00:10:49,440 Speaker 2: should be kind, we should be loving, but don't spend 210 00:10:49,480 --> 00:10:53,840 Speaker 2: all your time trying to please somebody that's impossible to please. 211 00:10:54,559 --> 00:10:57,560 Speaker 2: Until they deal with their own issues on the inside, 212 00:10:57,720 --> 00:11:00,400 Speaker 2: they're not gonna be happy and people like that, it's 213 00:11:00,480 --> 00:11:03,680 Speaker 2: much better to just love them from a distance. Say 214 00:11:03,720 --> 00:11:05,679 Speaker 2: you know what, I'm not gonna play up to them. 215 00:11:05,720 --> 00:11:08,240 Speaker 2: I'm not gonna try to keep them happy because I 216 00:11:08,320 --> 00:11:10,880 Speaker 2: know no matter what I do or don't do, a 217 00:11:10,960 --> 00:11:13,920 Speaker 2: month later, they're gonna be running me down. There is 218 00:11:13,960 --> 00:11:16,680 Speaker 2: a real freedom when you accept the fact that not 219 00:11:16,760 --> 00:11:21,120 Speaker 2: everybody's gonna like you. Scripture says in Proverbs, a gossiping, 220 00:11:21,360 --> 00:11:26,080 Speaker 2: fault finding tongue is like a venomous snake. People's words, 221 00:11:26,280 --> 00:11:29,920 Speaker 2: if we allow them, can poison our lives. If somebody's 222 00:11:30,000 --> 00:11:33,520 Speaker 2: talking about you, don't go around dwelling on it three days. 223 00:11:33,679 --> 00:11:37,200 Speaker 2: You have to immediately shake that off. The longer you 224 00:11:37,320 --> 00:11:40,680 Speaker 2: think about it, the more venom goes into you. I know, 225 00:11:40,760 --> 00:11:43,240 Speaker 2: if somebody comes up to me to tell me something 226 00:11:43,320 --> 00:11:46,360 Speaker 2: bad somebody said about myself or my family, first thing 227 00:11:46,440 --> 00:11:48,760 Speaker 2: I'll do is try to stop them, say, you know what, 228 00:11:48,840 --> 00:11:50,839 Speaker 2: I don't really want to hear that. I don't want 229 00:11:50,880 --> 00:11:54,240 Speaker 2: to get that poison on the inside. I found it's 230 00:11:54,280 --> 00:11:56,680 Speaker 2: a lot easier to shake things off if you don't 231 00:11:56,720 --> 00:12:00,280 Speaker 2: know all the details. So if somebody's talking about you, 232 00:12:00,320 --> 00:12:02,320 Speaker 2: don't go home and call seven of your friends say 233 00:12:02,400 --> 00:12:03,320 Speaker 2: what do you hear about this? 234 00:12:04,440 --> 00:12:05,839 Speaker 1: No, just shake it off. 235 00:12:05,920 --> 00:12:09,040 Speaker 2: And remember, most of the time it's not really about you. 236 00:12:09,559 --> 00:12:11,959 Speaker 2: It's the fact that they hadn't dealt with that jealous, 237 00:12:12,080 --> 00:12:15,560 Speaker 2: critical spirit on the inside. But we can't live with 238 00:12:15,640 --> 00:12:19,280 Speaker 2: this idealistic view of life where we think I'm a 239 00:12:19,320 --> 00:12:21,760 Speaker 2: good person, JUELI, I'm kind, I'm loving. 240 00:12:21,800 --> 00:12:23,200 Speaker 1: Nobody's gonna talk bad about me. 241 00:12:23,880 --> 00:12:26,920 Speaker 2: Now. Sometimes the nicer you are, the more people will 242 00:12:26,960 --> 00:12:29,959 Speaker 2: talk about you. It's because the good in you stirs 243 00:12:30,040 --> 00:12:32,920 Speaker 2: up the bad in them. They feel convicted by the 244 00:12:32,960 --> 00:12:37,000 Speaker 2: purity of your heart. I mean, you can you can 245 00:12:37,080 --> 00:12:39,080 Speaker 2: go out and feed the poor, you can go mow 246 00:12:39,120 --> 00:12:41,800 Speaker 2: your neighbor's lawn. You'd think they'd be happy, but no, 247 00:12:41,880 --> 00:12:44,040 Speaker 2: here comes that jealous spirit. Well, who do they think 248 00:12:44,080 --> 00:12:47,680 Speaker 2: they are, mister goodie two shoes? Why do they get 249 00:12:47,679 --> 00:12:49,960 Speaker 2: to work every day early? He just playing up to 250 00:12:50,000 --> 00:12:52,719 Speaker 2: the boss. Why she's so friendly to everybody all the time, 251 00:12:52,760 --> 00:12:55,000 Speaker 2: She's just trying to get something. This is the best 252 00:12:55,000 --> 00:12:57,800 Speaker 2: thing you can do is just shake that off. Some 253 00:12:57,880 --> 00:13:01,240 Speaker 2: people are just slingers. They wan't do what they know 254 00:13:01,559 --> 00:13:04,120 Speaker 2: they should do to be their best, so they feel 255 00:13:04,160 --> 00:13:06,880 Speaker 2: like they got to tear you down to help ease 256 00:13:06,920 --> 00:13:12,079 Speaker 2: their conscience. When you hear those negative comments, those false accusations, 257 00:13:12,320 --> 00:13:15,720 Speaker 2: your attitude should be no big deal, just another slinger 258 00:13:16,000 --> 00:13:18,199 Speaker 2: And I've already made up my mind, no more stones 259 00:13:18,240 --> 00:13:20,720 Speaker 2: going into my well. I'm going to live my life free. 260 00:13:21,360 --> 00:13:25,080 Speaker 2: You know what those slingers really are. They're distractions. They're 261 00:13:25,080 --> 00:13:27,600 Speaker 2: trying to get you to lose focus on what you 262 00:13:27,640 --> 00:13:28,560 Speaker 2: really should be doing. 263 00:13:29,040 --> 00:13:30,400 Speaker 1: But you shouldn't waste. 264 00:13:30,360 --> 00:13:33,720 Speaker 2: Five seconds of your emotional energy trying to figure out 265 00:13:33,760 --> 00:13:36,720 Speaker 2: why somebody said something or what they really meant. That's 266 00:13:36,760 --> 00:13:40,920 Speaker 2: a distraction, and you only have so much energy each day. 267 00:13:41,600 --> 00:13:44,720 Speaker 2: If you don't shake this off immediately, you want to 268 00:13:44,720 --> 00:13:46,440 Speaker 2: have the strength to do what you really need to 269 00:13:46,440 --> 00:13:48,680 Speaker 2: be doing. You'll go to work and not be able 270 00:13:48,720 --> 00:13:51,080 Speaker 2: to give it your best. You'll come home and not 271 00:13:51,200 --> 00:13:54,280 Speaker 2: really want to interact with your family. It's because you're 272 00:13:54,320 --> 00:13:58,240 Speaker 2: emotionally drained. You got distracted and poured all your energy 273 00:13:58,600 --> 00:14:01,760 Speaker 2: into something that really didn't need matter. We have to 274 00:14:01,800 --> 00:14:04,920 Speaker 2: recognize we cannot stop people from talking. 275 00:14:05,200 --> 00:14:06,160 Speaker 1: It's a free world. 276 00:14:06,640 --> 00:14:09,199 Speaker 2: If you're trying to be the gossip police and make 277 00:14:09,240 --> 00:14:12,119 Speaker 2: sure that nobody ever says a negative thing about you, 278 00:14:12,120 --> 00:14:15,200 Speaker 2: you're gonna live a frustrated life. Now, accept the fact 279 00:14:15,240 --> 00:14:18,480 Speaker 2: that people are gonna talk. People are gonna make cutting remarks. 280 00:14:18,679 --> 00:14:21,000 Speaker 2: But the good news is you don't have to drink 281 00:14:21,000 --> 00:14:23,440 Speaker 2: of their poison. You can rise above it. You can 282 00:14:23,440 --> 00:14:26,120 Speaker 2: stay on the high road and enjoy your life anyway. 283 00:14:27,040 --> 00:14:30,080 Speaker 2: I don't know about you, but I don't have time 284 00:14:30,160 --> 00:14:32,360 Speaker 2: to sit around thinking about all the people that don't 285 00:14:32,480 --> 00:14:32,720 Speaker 2: like me. 286 00:14:33,640 --> 00:14:35,600 Speaker 1: I realize every day is. 287 00:14:35,560 --> 00:14:38,520 Speaker 2: A gift from God, and my time is way too 288 00:14:38,640 --> 00:14:41,560 Speaker 2: valuable to go around trying to figure out how I 289 00:14:41,600 --> 00:14:44,960 Speaker 2: can please everybody and make them understand me and change 290 00:14:45,000 --> 00:14:49,040 Speaker 2: their mind. No, I've already accepted the fact not only 291 00:14:49,280 --> 00:14:51,920 Speaker 2: is not everybody gonna like me, but not everybody is 292 00:14:51,960 --> 00:14:53,040 Speaker 2: going to understand me. 293 00:14:53,880 --> 00:14:56,240 Speaker 1: You don't have to try to explain yourself. 294 00:14:56,880 --> 00:14:59,800 Speaker 2: Don't spend all your time trying to win your critics over. 295 00:15:00,200 --> 00:15:01,280 Speaker 1: Just run your own race. 296 00:15:02,280 --> 00:15:05,320 Speaker 2: I know I start off every morning searching my own heart. 297 00:15:06,080 --> 00:15:09,040 Speaker 2: I make sure, to the best of my ability that 298 00:15:09,080 --> 00:15:11,200 Speaker 2: I'm doing what I believe God wants me to do. 299 00:15:11,840 --> 00:15:14,560 Speaker 2: And I know, as long as I feel good about 300 00:15:14,560 --> 00:15:16,400 Speaker 2: it in my own heart, as long as down in 301 00:15:16,440 --> 00:15:18,880 Speaker 2: here I feel like I'm on course, that's all that matters. 302 00:15:19,520 --> 00:15:23,320 Speaker 2: You cannot let the critics and the negative voices distract you. 303 00:15:24,120 --> 00:15:28,000 Speaker 2: I know people today they spend more time focused on 304 00:15:28,040 --> 00:15:30,640 Speaker 2: what other people are saying about them than they do 305 00:15:30,720 --> 00:15:34,440 Speaker 2: their own dreams and goals. But understand, if you're going 306 00:15:34,480 --> 00:15:37,400 Speaker 2: to do anything great in life, if you're going to 307 00:15:37,440 --> 00:15:41,479 Speaker 2: be a great teacher, a great business person, a great athlete, 308 00:15:42,120 --> 00:15:45,840 Speaker 2: not everybody is going to be your cheerleader. Not everybody 309 00:15:45,960 --> 00:15:49,200 Speaker 2: is going to be excited about your dreams. In fact, 310 00:15:49,640 --> 00:15:52,080 Speaker 2: some people are going to be downright jealous. Some people 311 00:15:52,120 --> 00:15:55,280 Speaker 2: are going to start to find fault and criticize. It's 312 00:15:55,320 --> 00:15:58,080 Speaker 2: so important you learn to shake it off. Because the 313 00:15:58,120 --> 00:16:02,040 Speaker 2: moment you start changing to try to please people, the 314 00:16:02,120 --> 00:16:04,440 Speaker 2: moment you say, you know what, I'm not gonna show 315 00:16:04,520 --> 00:16:06,680 Speaker 2: up at work early anymore because they're starting to talk 316 00:16:06,720 --> 00:16:09,600 Speaker 2: about me. Or I'm not gonna buy that car that 317 00:16:09,640 --> 00:16:12,160 Speaker 2: I really want because I know people are gonna judge, 318 00:16:12,160 --> 00:16:15,440 Speaker 2: people are gonna condemn me. Now listen, I found no 319 00:16:15,520 --> 00:16:18,560 Speaker 2: matter what you do or don't do, somebody's gonna talk, 320 00:16:18,800 --> 00:16:20,080 Speaker 2: somebody's gonna be critical. 321 00:16:20,360 --> 00:16:22,600 Speaker 1: You might as well do what God has put. 322 00:16:22,440 --> 00:16:25,080 Speaker 2: In your heart and just trust him to take care 323 00:16:25,120 --> 00:16:28,880 Speaker 2: of the critics. One thing that I'm good at is 324 00:16:28,920 --> 00:16:32,520 Speaker 2: staying focused. I don't allow what people are saying to 325 00:16:32,560 --> 00:16:36,800 Speaker 2: get me distracted. I realize not everybody's gonna understand me, 326 00:16:37,440 --> 00:16:39,640 Speaker 2: and it's not my job to spend all my time 327 00:16:40,000 --> 00:16:43,000 Speaker 2: trying to convince them to change their mind. I know 328 00:16:43,480 --> 00:16:46,800 Speaker 2: I'm called to plan a seed of hope in people's hearts. 329 00:16:47,280 --> 00:16:51,560 Speaker 2: I'm not called to teach deep theological truths. I'm not 330 00:16:51,600 --> 00:16:54,320 Speaker 2: called to explain any deep kind of doctrine. 331 00:16:54,560 --> 00:16:58,120 Speaker 1: My gifting is to encourage, to challenge, to inspire. 332 00:16:58,480 --> 00:17:00,760 Speaker 2: People say well, Joe, he's not enough or he's too. 333 00:17:00,680 --> 00:17:01,120 Speaker 1: Much of this. 334 00:17:01,520 --> 00:17:04,119 Speaker 2: Listen, if I changed with every critic, I wouldn't have 335 00:17:04,160 --> 00:17:07,720 Speaker 2: a chance Now. I believe one reason God has promoted me. 336 00:17:10,119 --> 00:17:13,720 Speaker 2: One reason God has promoted me is because that I 337 00:17:13,880 --> 00:17:16,560 Speaker 2: stayed true to who I am and I have not 338 00:17:16,720 --> 00:17:19,199 Speaker 2: let people talk me out of doing what I know 339 00:17:19,240 --> 00:17:22,879 Speaker 2: in my heart God wants me to do. Some of 340 00:17:22,920 --> 00:17:26,080 Speaker 2: you today, you need to get free from trying to 341 00:17:26,080 --> 00:17:29,520 Speaker 2: please everybody. You need to break free from worrying that 342 00:17:29,600 --> 00:17:33,440 Speaker 2: somebody's going to criticize you, and just remember, if you're criticized, 343 00:17:33,640 --> 00:17:37,280 Speaker 2: you're in good company. Jesus was probably criticized more than anybody. 344 00:17:38,119 --> 00:17:41,560 Speaker 2: He got criticized for healing a man on the Sabbath, 345 00:17:41,760 --> 00:17:44,800 Speaker 2: in other words, for doing something good. He was criticized 346 00:17:44,800 --> 00:17:46,760 Speaker 2: for going to dinner with a tax collector. 347 00:17:47,000 --> 00:17:48,560 Speaker 1: They called him a friend of sinners. 348 00:17:48,760 --> 00:17:51,960 Speaker 2: He was criticized for helping a lady in need, somebody 349 00:17:51,960 --> 00:17:53,200 Speaker 2: that they were about to stone. 350 00:17:53,760 --> 00:17:54,720 Speaker 1: But one thing I. 351 00:17:54,640 --> 00:17:57,960 Speaker 2: Love about Jesus is he didn't change to try to 352 00:17:58,000 --> 00:18:01,680 Speaker 2: fit into everybody's mind. He didn't try to explain himself 353 00:18:01,720 --> 00:18:05,000 Speaker 2: and make everybody understand him. He just ran his race. 354 00:18:05,359 --> 00:18:07,240 Speaker 2: He didn't look to the left or to the right. 355 00:18:07,480 --> 00:18:09,360 Speaker 2: He stayed focused on the prize. 356 00:18:09,359 --> 00:18:10,440 Speaker 1: That was set before him. 357 00:18:10,640 --> 00:18:14,560 Speaker 2: He fulfilled his destiny and this really helped to set 358 00:18:14,600 --> 00:18:17,199 Speaker 2: me free because there was a time in my life 359 00:18:17,240 --> 00:18:19,879 Speaker 2: where I really wanted everybody to like me. It's just 360 00:18:19,920 --> 00:18:22,360 Speaker 2: a part of my personality. And if I ever heard 361 00:18:22,440 --> 00:18:25,760 Speaker 2: somebody say one negative comment, I thought, oh man, I failed. 362 00:18:26,080 --> 00:18:28,240 Speaker 2: What have I done wrong? Where do I need to change? 363 00:18:28,800 --> 00:18:32,440 Speaker 2: One day I realized it's impossible to have everybody like you. 364 00:18:32,840 --> 00:18:35,360 Speaker 2: And that's why now I don't let my critics upset 365 00:18:35,400 --> 00:18:37,720 Speaker 2: me and steal my joy. I know most of the 366 00:18:37,720 --> 00:18:40,520 Speaker 2: time it's not about me. It's about the success God's 367 00:18:40,560 --> 00:18:44,720 Speaker 2: given me. Stirs up the jealousy in them. If you're 368 00:18:44,760 --> 00:18:47,919 Speaker 2: making a difference in your family, if you're making a 369 00:18:47,960 --> 00:18:50,280 Speaker 2: difference at the office, if you're making a difference in 370 00:18:50,280 --> 00:18:53,160 Speaker 2: your workplace, you're going to have your share of critics. 371 00:18:53,600 --> 00:18:55,640 Speaker 2: The higher you go, the more people going to want 372 00:18:55,640 --> 00:18:58,639 Speaker 2: to take shots at you. I think about the Apostle Paul. 373 00:18:59,160 --> 00:19:02,000 Speaker 2: He had great crowd, God was following him, but time 374 00:19:02,040 --> 00:19:04,640 Speaker 2: and time again, the people got jealous. They got all 375 00:19:04,680 --> 00:19:06,359 Speaker 2: stirred up and ran him out of town. 376 00:19:07,000 --> 00:19:07,760 Speaker 1: What did Paul do? 377 00:19:07,880 --> 00:19:11,199 Speaker 2: Get all depressed and say, God, I'm trying to do 378 00:19:11,240 --> 00:19:14,320 Speaker 2: my best. Nobody understands me. They keep criticizing me, running 379 00:19:14,320 --> 00:19:14,880 Speaker 2: me out of town. 380 00:19:15,080 --> 00:19:16,000 Speaker 1: Now you know what he did. 381 00:19:16,200 --> 00:19:18,960 Speaker 2: He shook the dust off of his feet. He was saying, 382 00:19:18,960 --> 00:19:21,880 Speaker 2: in effect, it's your loss, not mine, because I'm gonna 383 00:19:21,880 --> 00:19:24,840 Speaker 2: do great things for God. I'm not gonna lie your rejection, 384 00:19:25,000 --> 00:19:27,760 Speaker 2: your negative words, They're not gonna keep me from my destiny. 385 00:19:28,320 --> 00:19:31,120 Speaker 2: His attitude was sling all you want to I've got 386 00:19:31,160 --> 00:19:34,000 Speaker 2: a lid on my well. I'm not gonna let you 387 00:19:34,240 --> 00:19:38,840 Speaker 2: poison my life. I heard somebody say, if people run 388 00:19:38,920 --> 00:19:40,720 Speaker 2: you out of town, just get to the front of 389 00:19:40,720 --> 00:19:43,919 Speaker 2: the line and act like you're leading the parade. In 390 00:19:44,000 --> 00:19:47,240 Speaker 2: other words, shake it off and keep moving forward. I 391 00:19:47,280 --> 00:19:50,639 Speaker 2: love the scripture in Isaiah. No weapon formed against us 392 00:19:50,680 --> 00:19:54,760 Speaker 2: will prosper, But every tongue raised against us in judgment 393 00:19:55,160 --> 00:19:58,080 Speaker 2: you will show to be in the wrong. We all 394 00:19:58,119 --> 00:20:01,640 Speaker 2: have these tongues that come against us in judgment, in criticism. 395 00:20:02,000 --> 00:20:03,880 Speaker 2: But if you can just stay on the high road 396 00:20:04,200 --> 00:20:06,760 Speaker 2: and keep doing your best, you will show it to 397 00:20:06,800 --> 00:20:09,680 Speaker 2: be in the wrong. In other words, God will pour 398 00:20:09,720 --> 00:20:14,080 Speaker 2: out his favor in spite of your critics. I understand 399 00:20:14,359 --> 00:20:17,600 Speaker 2: your destiny is not tied to what people are saying 400 00:20:17,640 --> 00:20:21,160 Speaker 2: about you. Our critics told us we'd never get this building. 401 00:20:21,680 --> 00:20:23,280 Speaker 2: They told us we didn't have a chance. 402 00:20:23,800 --> 00:20:24,560 Speaker 1: In fact, one. 403 00:20:24,480 --> 00:20:27,480 Speaker 2: Man was at a big business luncheon with all the 404 00:20:27,520 --> 00:20:30,680 Speaker 2: city leaders. He told the people at his table, it'll 405 00:20:30,720 --> 00:20:33,560 Speaker 2: be a cold day in hell before Lake could ever 406 00:20:33,600 --> 00:20:36,720 Speaker 2: gets the Compact Center. When I heard that, I did 407 00:20:36,760 --> 00:20:37,960 Speaker 2: just what I'm asking you to do. 408 00:20:38,280 --> 00:20:39,080 Speaker 1: I shook it off. 409 00:20:39,840 --> 00:20:43,120 Speaker 2: I knew our destiny was not tied to one goofball, 410 00:20:43,240 --> 00:20:49,160 Speaker 2: I mean one man. I knew that was just a distraction, 411 00:20:50,560 --> 00:20:53,760 Speaker 2: and I realized not everybody was going to understand. I 412 00:20:53,800 --> 00:20:56,400 Speaker 2: heard people saying, why do they need to move, Why 413 00:20:56,400 --> 00:20:58,400 Speaker 2: do they want a bigger church? Why are they leaving 414 00:20:58,440 --> 00:21:01,720 Speaker 2: their roots? People were talking many times. I wanted to 415 00:21:01,720 --> 00:21:03,840 Speaker 2: get in there and try to explain it and convince 416 00:21:03,920 --> 00:21:05,920 Speaker 2: them that it was a good idea, But I knew 417 00:21:06,200 --> 00:21:10,359 Speaker 2: not everybody wanted to understand, not everybody had an open mind, 418 00:21:10,560 --> 00:21:12,960 Speaker 2: So we just shook it off and kept pressing forward. 419 00:21:13,480 --> 00:21:15,920 Speaker 2: I guess today it's a cold day in hell because 420 00:21:15,960 --> 00:21:23,920 Speaker 2: here we are. But friends, your destiny is not tied 421 00:21:24,000 --> 00:21:27,399 Speaker 2: to your critics. God has the final say, and some 422 00:21:27,440 --> 00:21:29,960 Speaker 2: of you need to get your fire back and quit 423 00:21:30,040 --> 00:21:32,560 Speaker 2: listening to what the naysayers are telling you. Quit living 424 00:21:32,600 --> 00:21:35,840 Speaker 2: to please people. Just shake that off and keep pressing 425 00:21:35,880 --> 00:21:39,639 Speaker 2: forward in life. Another important key is don't allow the 426 00:21:39,680 --> 00:21:43,119 Speaker 2: criticism to change you. We need to be tough on 427 00:21:43,160 --> 00:21:46,800 Speaker 2: the outside, but you have to stay tender on the inside. 428 00:21:47,680 --> 00:21:51,879 Speaker 2: Too often we become hard and critical and cynical if 429 00:21:51,920 --> 00:21:54,920 Speaker 2: we're not careful. When we've seen people be two faced, 430 00:21:55,359 --> 00:21:58,800 Speaker 2: when we've seen hypocritical people that talk behind our back, 431 00:21:59,080 --> 00:22:01,640 Speaker 2: it's easy to let their poison get on the inside 432 00:22:01,640 --> 00:22:03,400 Speaker 2: of us and start to change us. 433 00:22:03,720 --> 00:22:04,359 Speaker 1: But you've got to. 434 00:22:04,400 --> 00:22:07,040 Speaker 2: Keep those stones out of your well. You've got to 435 00:22:07,119 --> 00:22:10,399 Speaker 2: keep your heart pure and learn to stay true to 436 00:22:10,440 --> 00:22:13,600 Speaker 2: who God has made you to be. I found sometimes 437 00:22:13,760 --> 00:22:17,359 Speaker 2: when people see little quirks in our personality or even 438 00:22:17,359 --> 00:22:19,880 Speaker 2: something about our appearance, they start to kind of make 439 00:22:19,920 --> 00:22:25,639 Speaker 2: fun of it. Very often we overcompensate it starts affecting 440 00:22:25,720 --> 00:22:29,240 Speaker 2: our personality and the way we carry ourselves. But we 441 00:22:29,280 --> 00:22:33,520 Speaker 2: cannot let people's cutting remarks and their insensitive words to 442 00:22:34,000 --> 00:22:36,800 Speaker 2: cause us to be overly self conscious and start to 443 00:22:36,880 --> 00:22:40,080 Speaker 2: change or Remember a friend of mine in high school. 444 00:22:40,600 --> 00:22:45,000 Speaker 2: He was very popular, very well liked fun, and outgoing, 445 00:22:45,520 --> 00:22:49,560 Speaker 2: but he had a very unusual laugh. It was real 446 00:22:49,720 --> 00:22:53,720 Speaker 2: high pitched, real distinct. And one day a couple of 447 00:22:53,720 --> 00:22:57,080 Speaker 2: our friends started making fun of him. They were going 448 00:22:57,080 --> 00:22:59,679 Speaker 2: around the school imitating his laugh, and they didn't mean 449 00:22:59,720 --> 00:23:02,359 Speaker 2: any harm. They were just trying to have fun. But 450 00:23:02,480 --> 00:23:06,000 Speaker 2: I noticed how this young man started to change. He 451 00:23:06,080 --> 00:23:10,119 Speaker 2: quit laughing as much. He got much more quiet and reserved. 452 00:23:10,640 --> 00:23:10,760 Speaker 1: Here. 453 00:23:10,800 --> 00:23:12,640 Speaker 2: At one time he was a life of the party, 454 00:23:12,960 --> 00:23:16,480 Speaker 2: fun and outgoing. But little by little he began to change. 455 00:23:16,560 --> 00:23:18,720 Speaker 2: And I know it was because those guys were making 456 00:23:18,720 --> 00:23:21,359 Speaker 2: fun of him. He didn't know to shake it off. 457 00:23:21,680 --> 00:23:24,840 Speaker 2: He let it get down on the inside. He started thinking, man, 458 00:23:24,920 --> 00:23:28,560 Speaker 2: something's wrong with me. I got a weird laugh. Before long, 459 00:23:28,720 --> 00:23:33,400 Speaker 2: he lost his confidence, he became insecured, started overcompensating. 460 00:23:33,720 --> 00:23:35,960 Speaker 1: That's what happens when we don't shake things off. 461 00:23:36,760 --> 00:23:39,159 Speaker 2: You may have something kind of distinct about you, but 462 00:23:39,320 --> 00:23:42,840 Speaker 2: know this, God made you like you are on purpose. 463 00:23:43,400 --> 00:23:45,960 Speaker 2: Now people are trying to make fun of you or 464 00:23:46,000 --> 00:23:48,600 Speaker 2: make you feel overly self conscious. You got to just 465 00:23:48,640 --> 00:23:52,320 Speaker 2: shake that off. I know in my case, I smile 466 00:23:52,359 --> 00:23:55,520 Speaker 2: a lot. In fact, I smile all the time. I 467 00:23:55,560 --> 00:23:57,080 Speaker 2: can't help but I've been doing this since I was 468 00:23:57,080 --> 00:23:59,600 Speaker 2: a little baby. One time, when I was seven years old, 469 00:23:59,600 --> 00:24:01,399 Speaker 2: I was in a car accident and I had this 470 00:24:01,440 --> 00:24:04,240 Speaker 2: big cut on my head and some friends came up 471 00:24:04,280 --> 00:24:06,760 Speaker 2: to the emergency room to see me. They were so 472 00:24:06,880 --> 00:24:09,879 Speaker 2: worried that I'd be upset and crying when they came in. 473 00:24:09,920 --> 00:24:12,359 Speaker 2: I was laying there on the emergency room table and 474 00:24:12,359 --> 00:24:14,239 Speaker 2: they said, Joel, we walked in there and you were 475 00:24:14,240 --> 00:24:17,000 Speaker 2: smiling from ear to ear, big old cut on my head. 476 00:24:17,119 --> 00:24:20,760 Speaker 2: That's just the way God made me. And sometimes people 477 00:24:20,840 --> 00:24:22,960 Speaker 2: kind of make fun of me for smiling, give me 478 00:24:23,000 --> 00:24:23,680 Speaker 2: a hard time. 479 00:24:24,040 --> 00:24:26,760 Speaker 1: You'd think they'd be happy that you're happy. 480 00:24:26,840 --> 00:24:30,080 Speaker 2: But you know, I've heard people say I've heard people say, 481 00:24:30,680 --> 00:24:33,280 Speaker 2: why does he smile so much? Almost like there's something 482 00:24:33,320 --> 00:24:37,040 Speaker 2: wrong with him, you know, you know. And after my 483 00:24:37,119 --> 00:24:39,320 Speaker 2: father went to be with the Lord, a few months 484 00:24:39,359 --> 00:24:43,840 Speaker 2: after I began ministering, somebody started calling me the smiling Preacher, 485 00:24:44,160 --> 00:24:46,440 Speaker 2: and it really caught on. And one day has been 486 00:24:46,480 --> 00:24:49,280 Speaker 2: interviewed by this very well known reporter and he said, 487 00:24:49,359 --> 00:24:52,000 Speaker 2: kind of sarcastically, kind of demeaning, what do you think 488 00:24:52,080 --> 00:24:55,000 Speaker 2: about being known as the smiling Preacher? And I think 489 00:24:55,040 --> 00:24:57,240 Speaker 2: my answer kind of surprised him because I said, you 490 00:24:57,240 --> 00:25:00,080 Speaker 2: know what, I kind of like it. I'm happy. I 491 00:25:00,080 --> 00:25:01,840 Speaker 2: believe God wants us to be happy, so that's just 492 00:25:01,880 --> 00:25:04,480 Speaker 2: fine with me. Now, I'll never forget. His jaw dropped 493 00:25:04,520 --> 00:25:08,840 Speaker 2: wide open. He didn't know what to think. But see, 494 00:25:08,840 --> 00:25:11,280 Speaker 2: we should not allow what other people say or what 495 00:25:11,320 --> 00:25:13,920 Speaker 2: other people think change us from being. 496 00:25:13,720 --> 00:25:16,280 Speaker 1: Who God made us to be. Be confident in who 497 00:25:16,320 --> 00:25:16,680 Speaker 1: you are. 498 00:25:17,440 --> 00:25:19,800 Speaker 2: Now I've learned to just roll with the punches. The 499 00:25:19,840 --> 00:25:23,240 Speaker 2: other day, I saw this parody that somebody made about me. 500 00:25:23,960 --> 00:25:26,160 Speaker 2: It was a clip of me speaking, and every time 501 00:25:26,200 --> 00:25:30,200 Speaker 2: I smiled, my front teeth would ping. This star would 502 00:25:30,240 --> 00:25:34,520 Speaker 2: come off, kind of like a toothpaste commercial. I laughed 503 00:25:34,560 --> 00:25:36,320 Speaker 2: more than the people that were watching it with me, 504 00:25:37,400 --> 00:25:40,359 Speaker 2: But I thought to myself, that doesn't bother me one bit. 505 00:25:41,119 --> 00:25:43,120 Speaker 2: I can't help it. I know I smile a lot. 506 00:25:43,200 --> 00:25:50,280 Speaker 2: If somebody doesn't like it, take a look at the 507 00:25:50,400 --> 00:26:00,639 Speaker 2: slow motion replay. Oh boy, I'm gonna see if I 508 00:26:00,640 --> 00:26:05,720 Speaker 2: can't get Crest to sponsor this program. Well, what I'm 509 00:26:05,760 --> 00:26:08,159 Speaker 2: saying is one, you ought to be able. 510 00:26:08,040 --> 00:26:08,920 Speaker 1: To laugh at yourself. 511 00:26:08,920 --> 00:26:12,600 Speaker 2: The other thing, don't let the criticism change you. Start 512 00:26:12,640 --> 00:26:16,040 Speaker 2: shaking stuff off you're gonna do anything great in life, 513 00:26:16,440 --> 00:26:19,960 Speaker 2: You're gonna have the critics. The slingers will always be there. 514 00:26:20,200 --> 00:26:22,240 Speaker 2: But I'm asking you today not to drink of their 515 00:26:22,240 --> 00:26:25,280 Speaker 2: poison when those stones come. Make sure you got to 516 00:26:25,320 --> 00:26:29,119 Speaker 2: lit on your well, keep your heart pure. Remember not 517 00:26:29,240 --> 00:26:32,240 Speaker 2: everybody's gonna understand you, not everybody's gonna accept you. Just 518 00:26:32,320 --> 00:26:35,159 Speaker 2: run your race, stay focused on what God's called you 519 00:26:35,200 --> 00:26:38,560 Speaker 2: to do. If you'll handle criticism the right way, not 520 00:26:38,680 --> 00:26:41,080 Speaker 2: let it get on the inside. I know this God 521 00:26:41,119 --> 00:26:43,440 Speaker 2: will not only fight your battles for you, but he'll 522 00:26:43,440 --> 00:26:45,760 Speaker 2: take care of your critics for you. You'll live that 523 00:26:45,800 --> 00:26:47,320 Speaker 2: life of victory he has in story. 524 00:26:47,320 --> 00:26:47,600 Speaker 1: Amen. 525 00:26:48,960 --> 00:26:51,639 Speaker 2: And we never like to course of our broadcast without 526 00:26:51,640 --> 00:26:54,399 Speaker 2: giving you an opportunity to make Jesus the lord of 527 00:26:54,440 --> 00:26:58,360 Speaker 2: your life. Would you pray with me, just say Lord Jesus, 528 00:26:59,359 --> 00:27:04,480 Speaker 2: I my sins come into my heart. I make you 529 00:27:04,600 --> 00:27:08,399 Speaker 2: my Lord and savior. If you prayed that simple prayer, 530 00:27:08,440 --> 00:27:10,600 Speaker 2: we believe you got born again. Get in a good 531 00:27:10,680 --> 00:27:13,640 Speaker 2: Bible based church. God's going to take your places you've 532 00:27:13,640 --> 00:27:14,359 Speaker 2: never dreamed of. 533 00:27:15,600 --> 00:27:19,000 Speaker 3: It's a new year, an opportunity for a fresh start. 534 00:27:19,480 --> 00:27:22,480 Speaker 3: It's a new year. Time to forget the struggles of 535 00:27:22,520 --> 00:27:25,679 Speaker 3: the past and make room for new blessings. It's a 536 00:27:25,800 --> 00:27:29,560 Speaker 3: new year, the perfect time to build expectation and faith 537 00:27:29,760 --> 00:27:31,320 Speaker 3: for an amazing new season. 538 00:27:32,119 --> 00:27:34,320 Speaker 2: The beginning of the year is a great time to 539 00:27:34,400 --> 00:27:37,400 Speaker 2: start afresh and a new to let go of negative 540 00:27:37,400 --> 00:27:39,600 Speaker 2: things of the past and to get ready for the 541 00:27:39,640 --> 00:27:43,560 Speaker 2: new things God has in store. Every January we create 542 00:27:43,640 --> 00:27:47,160 Speaker 2: a new devotional calendar. When you start off each day 543 00:27:47,200 --> 00:27:51,040 Speaker 2: in faith, grateful for what God has done, making positive 544 00:27:51,119 --> 00:27:54,639 Speaker 2: declarations over your future, you're setting the tone for a 545 00:27:54,680 --> 00:27:59,120 Speaker 2: blessed day and a victorious year. This devotional calendar will 546 00:27:59,119 --> 00:28:01,080 Speaker 2: help you get your mind and going in the right 547 00:28:01,160 --> 00:28:04,760 Speaker 2: direction so you can live in faith expecting the goodness 548 00:28:04,840 --> 00:28:05,280 Speaker 2: of God. 549 00:28:06,000 --> 00:28:08,440 Speaker 3: As our way of saying thank you for your gift 550 00:28:08,480 --> 00:28:11,000 Speaker 3: of any amount this first month of the year, we 551 00:28:11,040 --> 00:28:13,240 Speaker 3: would like to send you a copy of our brand 552 00:28:13,280 --> 00:28:16,400 Speaker 3: new twenty twenty five three hundred and sixty five day 553 00:28:16,480 --> 00:28:22,040 Speaker 3: devotional calendar. Using this devotional calendar is as easy as one, two, three. 554 00:28:22,880 --> 00:28:26,600 Speaker 3: One wake up with an expectancy in your heart. Two 555 00:28:27,080 --> 00:28:30,200 Speaker 3: reflect on the daily scripture, Verse and devotional from Joel. 556 00:28:30,480 --> 00:28:34,400 Speaker 3: Three capture the Lord's promises to you on journaling lines 557 00:28:34,400 --> 00:28:35,720 Speaker 3: for writing and reflection. 558 00:28:36,520 --> 00:28:38,560 Speaker 1: This is going to be one of your best years. 559 00:28:38,880 --> 00:28:41,840 Speaker 2: Our twenty twenty five devotional calendar is going to help 560 00:28:41,880 --> 00:28:44,360 Speaker 2: you stay in faith and see the goodness of God 561 00:28:44,600 --> 00:28:47,840 Speaker 2: in ways you've never seen victory. And I pray for 562 00:28:47,920 --> 00:28:50,480 Speaker 2: you and your family every day, and thank you so 563 00:28:50,600 --> 00:28:54,680 Speaker 2: much for your prayer and support. Your generosity is impacting 564 00:28:54,720 --> 00:28:57,600 Speaker 2: lives around the world. And a special thank you to 565 00:28:57,640 --> 00:28:59,680 Speaker 2: our Champion of Hope partners. 566 00:28:59,280 --> 00:29:00,600 Speaker 1: For your monthly gibbs. 567 00:29:00,800 --> 00:29:03,720 Speaker 2: If you're not a partner, I hope you'll consider becoming one. 568 00:29:04,080 --> 00:29:08,080 Speaker 2: Remember you can watch the services online live every Sunday morning, 569 00:29:08,560 --> 00:29:12,479 Speaker 2: download our daily podcast, watch on YouTube now the new 570 00:29:12,560 --> 00:29:15,320 Speaker 2: joel Ostine Network twenty four hours a day, and of 571 00:29:15,360 --> 00:29:18,880 Speaker 2: course listen live on SiriusXM as well. But until we 572 00:29:18,880 --> 00:29:21,800 Speaker 2: meet again, met the Lord bless you and keep you, 573 00:29:22,080 --> 00:29:24,600 Speaker 2: may show you His favor and watch over you. 574 00:29:25,320 --> 00:29:28,040 Speaker 3: Be sure to request your copy of the twenty twenty 575 00:29:28,040 --> 00:29:32,640 Speaker 3: five devotional Calendar today. Visit Joelosteine dot com or call 576 00:29:32,720 --> 00:29:34,880 Speaker 3: us toll free