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Thanks for listening to 38 00:01:34,000 --> 00:01:36,759 Speaker 4: our podcast and thanks for supporting the ministry. 39 00:01:36,880 --> 00:01:39,240 Speaker 3: If you enjoy today's message, why don't you be a 40 00:01:39,280 --> 00:01:40,800 Speaker 3: blessing and share it with a friend. 41 00:01:41,120 --> 00:01:51,720 Speaker 4: Reappreciate you and pray for God's very best in your life. 42 00:01:55,160 --> 00:01:58,840 Speaker 4: God bless you always enjoy to come into your homes. 43 00:01:59,200 --> 00:02:02,000 Speaker 4: We love you, we know God has great things in store, 44 00:02:02,000 --> 00:02:04,200 Speaker 4: and if you're ever in our area, I hope you'll 45 00:02:04,200 --> 00:02:06,600 Speaker 4: stop by and be a part of one of our services. 46 00:02:06,720 --> 00:02:08,720 Speaker 4: I promise you we'll make you feel right at home. 47 00:02:09,000 --> 00:02:11,320 Speaker 4: But thanks for tuning in to day. I like to 48 00:02:11,360 --> 00:02:13,480 Speaker 4: get started each week with something kind of funny. And 49 00:02:13,880 --> 00:02:16,400 Speaker 4: I heard about this man that lived in the country. 50 00:02:16,919 --> 00:02:19,919 Speaker 4: One night, he heard some noise and he saw some 51 00:02:19,960 --> 00:02:23,280 Speaker 4: burglars stealing things from his barn. He ran to the 52 00:02:23,280 --> 00:02:26,120 Speaker 4: phone and dialed nine to one one, but the dispatcher said, 53 00:02:26,200 --> 00:02:29,600 Speaker 4: I'm sorry, sir, there are no patrol cars available. You 54 00:02:29,720 --> 00:02:31,560 Speaker 4: just need to lock your doors and we'll get somebody 55 00:02:31,600 --> 00:02:34,640 Speaker 4: there as soon as possible. He hung up so frustrated. 56 00:02:35,000 --> 00:02:37,639 Speaker 4: About thirty seconds, he called back and said, ma'am, don't 57 00:02:37,680 --> 00:02:40,080 Speaker 4: worry about it. You don't need to send anybody. I 58 00:02:40,160 --> 00:02:44,720 Speaker 4: shot all the burglars. Ninety seconds later, three patrol cars, 59 00:02:44,880 --> 00:02:48,119 Speaker 4: one share and two ambulances showed up, and they caught 60 00:02:48,160 --> 00:02:51,280 Speaker 4: the burglars red handed. The sheriff went over afterwards and said, 61 00:02:51,480 --> 00:02:54,080 Speaker 4: I thought you said you shot the burglars. The man said, 62 00:02:54,320 --> 00:02:59,000 Speaker 4: I thought you said nobody was available. All right, hold 63 00:02:59,040 --> 00:03:02,560 Speaker 4: up your bibles like you mean it. This is my Bible. 64 00:03:02,960 --> 00:03:05,520 Speaker 4: I am what it says, I am. I have what 65 00:03:05,600 --> 00:03:08,160 Speaker 4: it says I have. I can do what it says 66 00:03:08,200 --> 00:03:11,000 Speaker 4: I can do today. I will be taught the word 67 00:03:11,040 --> 00:03:15,440 Speaker 4: of God. I boldly confess my mind is alert, my 68 00:03:15,560 --> 00:03:19,000 Speaker 4: heart is receptive. I will never be the same. In 69 00:03:19,160 --> 00:03:23,080 Speaker 4: Jesus's name, God bless you. I want to talk to 70 00:03:23,080 --> 00:03:26,920 Speaker 4: you today about being a good example. Every one of 71 00:03:27,000 --> 00:03:29,880 Speaker 4: us has a ministry. It may not be to be 72 00:03:29,960 --> 00:03:33,240 Speaker 4: in a pulpit like this, but really your pulpit is 73 00:03:33,280 --> 00:03:37,720 Speaker 4: your life. People are watching how you live, how you 74 00:03:37,800 --> 00:03:41,680 Speaker 4: respond to adversity, is how consistent you are, and how 75 00:03:41,720 --> 00:03:45,640 Speaker 4: you treat people around you. Our actions speak louder than 76 00:03:45,640 --> 00:03:48,760 Speaker 4: our words. We are called to be the light of 77 00:03:48,800 --> 00:03:51,960 Speaker 4: the world. We're supposed to be the salt of the earth. 78 00:03:52,560 --> 00:03:55,880 Speaker 4: That means the way we live should make other people 79 00:03:55,960 --> 00:03:59,080 Speaker 4: want what we have. We should have so much joy, 80 00:03:59,480 --> 00:04:03,400 Speaker 4: so much peace. We should be so kind, so generous, 81 00:04:03,440 --> 00:04:06,600 Speaker 4: so good natured that it draws people to us. And 82 00:04:06,680 --> 00:04:09,000 Speaker 4: one of the best ways to let your light shine 83 00:04:09,400 --> 00:04:12,720 Speaker 4: is to just go out and be happy, be friendly, 84 00:04:13,280 --> 00:04:17,039 Speaker 4: be good to people, have a positive attitude. I heard 85 00:04:17,040 --> 00:04:22,760 Speaker 4: somebody say, preach at all times, use words only if necessary. 86 00:04:22,880 --> 00:04:26,679 Speaker 4: In other words, your life is speaking to people. Maybe 87 00:04:26,720 --> 00:04:30,240 Speaker 4: you work at an office where everybody's complaining, they're talking 88 00:04:30,320 --> 00:04:33,880 Speaker 4: about the boss, criticizing the company. But you go in 89 00:04:34,000 --> 00:04:37,120 Speaker 4: with a good attitude. You have a smile on your face. 90 00:04:37,560 --> 00:04:40,320 Speaker 4: You're grateful that at least you have a job. You're 91 00:04:40,360 --> 00:04:43,280 Speaker 4: focused on what's right, not what's wrong. You know what, 92 00:04:43,600 --> 00:04:46,640 Speaker 4: you just minister to those people. You just spoke into 93 00:04:46,680 --> 00:04:49,560 Speaker 4: their lives. The fact is you didn't have to say 94 00:04:49,600 --> 00:04:52,120 Speaker 4: a word. You didn't have to condemn them and say 95 00:04:52,160 --> 00:04:55,720 Speaker 4: you old, ungrateful things. No, you just let your light shine. 96 00:04:56,000 --> 00:04:58,560 Speaker 4: You let your actions do the talking. That's one of 97 00:04:58,600 --> 00:05:02,080 Speaker 4: the most powerful ways to influence people. We have to 98 00:05:02,120 --> 00:05:06,600 Speaker 4: realize every one of us have a ministry. You may 99 00:05:06,640 --> 00:05:08,760 Speaker 4: not know how to preach, but you do know how 100 00:05:08,760 --> 00:05:12,160 Speaker 4: to smile. That's a great sermon. I've got that one down. 101 00:05:13,720 --> 00:05:15,720 Speaker 4: You may not be able to get up here, but 102 00:05:15,760 --> 00:05:18,840 Speaker 4: you can be kind to someone. You can give an 103 00:05:18,920 --> 00:05:22,720 Speaker 4: encouraging word, you can be stable in the midst of adversity. 104 00:05:23,320 --> 00:05:26,520 Speaker 4: All these things send a message to people. And we're 105 00:05:26,560 --> 00:05:31,159 Speaker 4: supposed to be living epistles read by all men. That 106 00:05:31,320 --> 00:05:34,400 Speaker 4: means people are not reading a book these days. They're 107 00:05:34,440 --> 00:05:38,279 Speaker 4: reading our lives. They're watching the way we live now. 108 00:05:38,320 --> 00:05:40,840 Speaker 4: I wonder what would happen. If every one of us 109 00:05:40,839 --> 00:05:43,920 Speaker 4: would go out each day with a smile on our face, 110 00:05:44,480 --> 00:05:49,159 Speaker 4: being good to people, kind, courteous, respectful, friendly, that would 111 00:05:49,240 --> 00:05:52,240 Speaker 4: probably have a greater impact than all the sermons they 112 00:05:52,279 --> 00:05:55,280 Speaker 4: could hear us speak. The scripture says here in Second 113 00:05:55,360 --> 00:06:00,679 Speaker 4: Corinthians five, verse twenty, we are ambassadors of Christ, God's 114 00:06:00,720 --> 00:06:05,560 Speaker 4: personal representatives on the earth. We have to understand people 115 00:06:05,600 --> 00:06:09,880 Speaker 4: don't see God, they see us. We need to ask ourselves, 116 00:06:10,240 --> 00:06:13,280 Speaker 4: am I representing God in the way I should? Am 117 00:06:13,279 --> 00:06:16,919 Speaker 4: I kind? Am I friendly? Do I draw people to me? 118 00:06:17,279 --> 00:06:20,240 Speaker 4: Or do I push people away? I remember in high 119 00:06:20,279 --> 00:06:22,960 Speaker 4: school there was this one young man that was so 120 00:06:23,200 --> 00:06:27,440 Speaker 4: fun to be around. He was always happy, so good natured. 121 00:06:27,640 --> 00:06:30,000 Speaker 4: We couldn't wait for him to get to school. That's 122 00:06:30,040 --> 00:06:32,760 Speaker 4: the way we should be a joy to be around, 123 00:06:33,279 --> 00:06:38,479 Speaker 4: consistently happy, consistently friendly. For some people, it's sad to 124 00:06:38,520 --> 00:06:41,479 Speaker 4: say you can't wait for them to leave. They've always 125 00:06:41,520 --> 00:06:45,120 Speaker 4: got a problem, always discouraged, always have a sad story. 126 00:06:45,360 --> 00:06:50,159 Speaker 4: They're always draining your energy. And of course that's fine sometimes, 127 00:06:50,279 --> 00:06:53,080 Speaker 4: but not all the time. If we mope around with 128 00:06:53,120 --> 00:06:57,120 Speaker 4: no joy, no enthusiasm, nobody's gonna want what we have. 129 00:06:58,040 --> 00:07:00,159 Speaker 4: And the reason some people don't come to church to 130 00:07:00,200 --> 00:07:03,320 Speaker 4: die and they don't want to serve God is because 131 00:07:03,320 --> 00:07:06,359 Speaker 4: they've seen so many believers that look like they've lost 132 00:07:06,360 --> 00:07:10,040 Speaker 4: their last friend. The Bible tells us to be sober minded, 133 00:07:10,480 --> 00:07:13,240 Speaker 4: not sober faced. We got to get the joy from 134 00:07:13,280 --> 00:07:16,600 Speaker 4: down here up to here. I that bumper sticker I saw. 135 00:07:16,720 --> 00:07:22,320 Speaker 4: If you're born again, notify your face. But people today 136 00:07:22,600 --> 00:07:25,520 Speaker 4: see too many mixed signals. They think they go to 137 00:07:25,600 --> 00:07:28,560 Speaker 4: church every week, they honor God with their life, but 138 00:07:28,600 --> 00:07:31,000 Speaker 4: there is down and depressed as I am. Or when 139 00:07:31,040 --> 00:07:33,160 Speaker 4: they have adversities, they get just as stressed out and 140 00:07:33,240 --> 00:07:36,560 Speaker 4: upset as I do. Why would I want what they have? No, 141 00:07:36,720 --> 00:07:39,440 Speaker 4: people should be envious of us. They should see so 142 00:07:39,560 --> 00:07:44,480 Speaker 4: much stability, so much peace, so much victory. Like a magnet, 143 00:07:44,520 --> 00:07:47,520 Speaker 4: it just draws them in. And after all God's done 144 00:07:47,560 --> 00:07:50,040 Speaker 4: for us, the least we can do is go out 145 00:07:50,080 --> 00:07:53,320 Speaker 4: each day and put a smile on our face. We're 146 00:07:53,360 --> 00:07:56,560 Speaker 4: supposed to be the light of the world. I believe 147 00:07:56,800 --> 00:07:59,640 Speaker 4: the smile is the switch that turns the bulb on. 148 00:07:59,800 --> 00:08:03,280 Speaker 4: It starts right here. But it's a poor representation of 149 00:08:03,280 --> 00:08:05,960 Speaker 4: our God to go around negative and defeated. And the 150 00:08:06,040 --> 00:08:09,280 Speaker 4: fact is we all have challenges. We can all find 151 00:08:09,320 --> 00:08:11,800 Speaker 4: a reason to be unhappy, but we don't have a 152 00:08:11,880 --> 00:08:15,760 Speaker 4: right to be unhappy. We represent Almighty God. I know 153 00:08:15,840 --> 00:08:18,320 Speaker 4: I have people that represent me and do things on 154 00:08:18,320 --> 00:08:22,520 Speaker 4: my behalf. And if they went out negative, sour, complaining, 155 00:08:22,840 --> 00:08:26,360 Speaker 4: if they look sloppy, beat up, run down, I'd say, 156 00:08:26,360 --> 00:08:28,280 Speaker 4: you know what, you need to go do something else. 157 00:08:28,400 --> 00:08:31,200 Speaker 4: I don't want to be represented like that. How much 158 00:08:31,240 --> 00:08:34,440 Speaker 4: more our heavenly Father. And sure there are days that 159 00:08:34,559 --> 00:08:37,120 Speaker 4: none of us feel like being friendly. We don't feel 160 00:08:37,120 --> 00:08:39,280 Speaker 4: like having a good attitude, we don't feel like smiling. 161 00:08:39,640 --> 00:08:43,000 Speaker 4: But we need to remind ourselves. I'm preaching a sermon 162 00:08:43,040 --> 00:08:46,240 Speaker 4: today with my life. What kind of message am I sending? 163 00:08:46,800 --> 00:08:50,120 Speaker 4: People are being influenced by the way I live. I 164 00:08:50,200 --> 00:08:52,640 Speaker 4: may not speak any words that are wrong, but what 165 00:08:52,760 --> 00:08:56,120 Speaker 4: am I expressing with my body language? Am I pleasant 166 00:08:56,160 --> 00:08:58,559 Speaker 4: to be around? Am I happy? Am I good natured? 167 00:08:59,080 --> 00:09:02,600 Speaker 4: Or do people feel pressured around me? When I walk 168 00:09:02,640 --> 00:09:04,560 Speaker 4: into the room they all get tense and up tight 169 00:09:04,720 --> 00:09:06,920 Speaker 4: because they can feel the stress coming off of me. 170 00:09:07,880 --> 00:09:09,959 Speaker 4: I was in a department store the other day and 171 00:09:10,160 --> 00:09:12,320 Speaker 4: I went up to the counter to pay. There were 172 00:09:12,360 --> 00:09:15,000 Speaker 4: three registers opened, and I just happened to choose the 173 00:09:15,040 --> 00:09:17,600 Speaker 4: one closest to me. And when I handed the man 174 00:09:17,720 --> 00:09:20,720 Speaker 4: my product, he seemed like he was kind of perturbed, 175 00:09:21,240 --> 00:09:24,160 Speaker 4: kind of aggravated that I had chosen him, And you 176 00:09:24,200 --> 00:09:26,080 Speaker 4: know me, I'm just happy, go lucky. I smiled at 177 00:09:26,120 --> 00:09:28,199 Speaker 4: him anyway and said, hey, how you doing. He didn't 178 00:09:28,200 --> 00:09:31,480 Speaker 4: say a word. He totally ignored me, acted like I 179 00:09:31,600 --> 00:09:35,400 Speaker 4: was bothering him. I could feel the tension, the pressure 180 00:09:35,400 --> 00:09:37,640 Speaker 4: coming off of him. And I eventually handed him my 181 00:09:37,679 --> 00:09:39,880 Speaker 4: credit card to pay, and he looked down on it 182 00:09:40,080 --> 00:09:42,880 Speaker 4: and read the name, and he looked back up. He said, 183 00:09:42,880 --> 00:09:45,880 Speaker 4: are you that minister that's on television? By the way 184 00:09:45,920 --> 00:09:47,280 Speaker 4: he said it, I didn't know if that was going 185 00:09:47,320 --> 00:09:51,040 Speaker 4: to be a good thing or not. I smiled and said, 186 00:09:51,120 --> 00:09:53,680 Speaker 4: yes I am. He said, that's funny. My wife and 187 00:09:53,720 --> 00:09:57,040 Speaker 4: I watch you every Sunday. I wanted to say, do 188 00:09:57,120 --> 00:10:03,120 Speaker 4: you ever listen? I bought my product there and was 189 00:10:03,240 --> 00:10:05,360 Speaker 4: leaving out of there and just being friendly. I said, well, 190 00:10:05,400 --> 00:10:07,560 Speaker 4: come see us whenever you can. He said, oh, Joe, 191 00:10:07,600 --> 00:10:10,319 Speaker 4: I can't do that. I'm in charge of the greeting 192 00:10:10,360 --> 00:10:14,800 Speaker 4: committee at my church. I thought, dear Lord, I wouldn't 193 00:10:14,800 --> 00:10:19,040 Speaker 4: go to that place without a bulletproof vest. That man 194 00:10:19,720 --> 00:10:22,200 Speaker 4: may not have realized it, but he was preaching a sermon. 195 00:10:22,679 --> 00:10:25,240 Speaker 4: I hate to say it wasn't a very good one. 196 00:10:25,400 --> 00:10:28,640 Speaker 4: Sometimes it does more damage than good for people to 197 00:10:28,640 --> 00:10:30,720 Speaker 4: say they love God, to say they're a believer, and 198 00:10:30,720 --> 00:10:32,960 Speaker 4: then they go out and treat people like that. That 199 00:10:33,080 --> 00:10:36,280 Speaker 4: just keeps people from really wanting to know God. After all, 200 00:10:36,320 --> 00:10:39,160 Speaker 4: if we're hard to get along with and unfriendly, who's 201 00:10:39,160 --> 00:10:41,240 Speaker 4: going to want what we have? How's that going to 202 00:10:41,360 --> 00:10:44,920 Speaker 4: possibly draw anybody in. Let's pay attention to what kind 203 00:10:44,960 --> 00:10:47,920 Speaker 4: of message that we're sending out. I love what one 204 00:10:47,960 --> 00:10:50,280 Speaker 4: of our members told me a while back. She was 205 00:10:50,320 --> 00:10:53,120 Speaker 4: out shopping and she went up to the counter to pay, 206 00:10:53,640 --> 00:10:56,880 Speaker 4: and the girl at the register saw how happy she was. 207 00:10:57,320 --> 00:10:59,560 Speaker 4: This young girl had a smile on her face and 208 00:10:59,600 --> 00:11:03,320 Speaker 4: she was radiating joy and peace. You've seen people that 209 00:11:03,559 --> 00:11:06,040 Speaker 4: have a glow about them, That's what this young lady 210 00:11:06,040 --> 00:11:08,640 Speaker 4: look like. And the clerk said to her, just in passing, 211 00:11:08,679 --> 00:11:11,680 Speaker 4: how you doing She said, I'm doing great, I'm blessed, 212 00:11:11,880 --> 00:11:13,880 Speaker 4: and I believe this year is going to be my 213 00:11:13,920 --> 00:11:16,640 Speaker 4: best year so far. That clerk looked at her and said, 214 00:11:16,679 --> 00:11:21,040 Speaker 4: do you go to Lakewood? She said, I do. She 215 00:11:21,080 --> 00:11:23,320 Speaker 4: said I should have known it. Everybody that comes in 216 00:11:23,360 --> 00:11:26,320 Speaker 4: here like you goes to Lakewood. I thought, what a 217 00:11:26,360 --> 00:11:32,200 Speaker 4: great testimony. That's the way that it should be. Some 218 00:11:32,240 --> 00:11:34,439 Speaker 4: of you didn't think you had much of a ministry, 219 00:11:34,559 --> 00:11:37,400 Speaker 4: but you're finding out you have a powerful ministry. You 220 00:11:37,400 --> 00:11:40,200 Speaker 4: can impact people that I never could. You're preaching a 221 00:11:40,240 --> 00:11:43,280 Speaker 4: sermon every day with your life. One of the best 222 00:11:43,280 --> 00:11:45,520 Speaker 4: sermons you could ever preach is to just go out 223 00:11:45,559 --> 00:11:48,760 Speaker 4: and be happy, be good to people. Let the love 224 00:11:48,800 --> 00:11:52,840 Speaker 4: of God shine through you everywhere you go. It's funny 225 00:11:52,880 --> 00:11:56,240 Speaker 4: sometimes when you smile a lot, people get suspicious of you. 226 00:11:57,200 --> 00:11:59,480 Speaker 4: They look at you, like, what's wrong with him? Why 227 00:11:59,520 --> 00:12:02,560 Speaker 4: is he so I'm happy over there? My attitude is 228 00:12:02,600 --> 00:12:06,640 Speaker 4: make them suspicious. I smile at everybody. Sometimes I see 229 00:12:06,640 --> 00:12:10,160 Speaker 4: people looking. I'm sure they're thinking, you know what, that guy. 230 00:12:10,200 --> 00:12:13,640 Speaker 4: He may be on drugs. He may look like he's 231 00:12:13,720 --> 00:12:15,520 Speaker 4: kind of high. But you know what, I have to admit, 232 00:12:15,600 --> 00:12:18,839 Speaker 4: I'm guilty. I'm on the most high. I'm excited about life. 233 00:12:18,880 --> 00:12:24,960 Speaker 4: I'm happy. I know our best days are not behind us, 234 00:12:25,080 --> 00:12:28,040 Speaker 4: they're in front of us. If we're going to represent God, 235 00:12:28,080 --> 00:12:31,680 Speaker 4: we should do it with joy, with enthusiasm, with honor, 236 00:12:31,720 --> 00:12:35,240 Speaker 4: with excellence, with integrity. It's interesting the studies tell us 237 00:12:35,280 --> 00:12:39,400 Speaker 4: that people remember less than ten percent of what we say, 238 00:12:39,960 --> 00:12:43,800 Speaker 4: but what they always remember is what they feel. In 239 00:12:43,840 --> 00:12:46,280 Speaker 4: other words, you can say the right thing with a 240 00:12:46,320 --> 00:12:50,040 Speaker 4: sour attitude and they'll go away remembering the negative. But 241 00:12:50,080 --> 00:12:53,600 Speaker 4: if you can just be happy, have a smile, be kind, 242 00:12:53,800 --> 00:12:57,240 Speaker 4: take time for people, that's what makes a positive impact 243 00:12:57,280 --> 00:13:00,520 Speaker 4: in people's lives. People write me all the time, say Joel, 244 00:13:00,720 --> 00:13:03,400 Speaker 4: I can't remember what your sermon was about, but what 245 00:13:03,559 --> 00:13:05,760 Speaker 4: ministered to me was the joy that I saw on 246 00:13:05,840 --> 00:13:08,720 Speaker 4: your face, the love that I felt coming through the screen, 247 00:13:09,040 --> 00:13:12,640 Speaker 4: the compassion, the sincerity. That's what the phrase means. Preach 248 00:13:12,679 --> 00:13:17,600 Speaker 4: at all times, use words only if necessary. Pay attention 249 00:13:17,760 --> 00:13:22,280 Speaker 4: to your body language, your voice tones, your facial expressions. 250 00:13:22,480 --> 00:13:26,080 Speaker 4: Have a pleasant demeanor. When somebody does something for you 251 00:13:26,559 --> 00:13:29,600 Speaker 4: at the office, the grocery store, at the mall, don't 252 00:13:29,679 --> 00:13:32,320 Speaker 4: just take the receipt, take the paper and look down, 253 00:13:32,400 --> 00:13:34,920 Speaker 4: kind of mumble all right, thanks, No, look them in 254 00:13:34,960 --> 00:13:37,720 Speaker 4: the eye with a smile on your face, in a 255 00:13:37,720 --> 00:13:41,560 Speaker 4: pleasant tone. Tell them thank you. I appreciate that. See, 256 00:13:41,600 --> 00:13:45,520 Speaker 4: we can't get so busy and so preoccupied that we're 257 00:13:45,559 --> 00:13:49,360 Speaker 4: not taking time for people. Slow down and show them 258 00:13:49,480 --> 00:13:52,240 Speaker 4: that you care. You're not just saying thank you. That's 259 00:13:52,240 --> 00:13:55,199 Speaker 4: a part of your ministry. How do you know they 260 00:13:55,200 --> 00:13:58,640 Speaker 4: don't need something positive sewn into their lives. They may 261 00:13:58,679 --> 00:14:01,960 Speaker 4: be going through all kinds of difficulty you know nothing about. 262 00:14:02,559 --> 00:14:06,760 Speaker 4: Yet one kind word, one heart felt thank you, one 263 00:14:06,880 --> 00:14:09,920 Speaker 4: genuine look of care and concern can help them make 264 00:14:09,960 --> 00:14:13,040 Speaker 4: it through the day. One time, our son Jonathan and 265 00:14:13,120 --> 00:14:15,480 Speaker 4: I were going to a restaurant to eat. When we 266 00:14:15,520 --> 00:14:18,240 Speaker 4: walked in, I saw this man sitting at a table 267 00:14:18,320 --> 00:14:21,800 Speaker 4: by himself. He was dressed in a nice suit, hat 268 00:14:21,800 --> 00:14:25,240 Speaker 4: on a tie, and I just naturally paused and smiled 269 00:14:25,240 --> 00:14:27,640 Speaker 4: at him and said, how are you, and then walked on. 270 00:14:27,960 --> 00:14:30,720 Speaker 4: No big deal. A couple of days later we got 271 00:14:30,760 --> 00:14:33,440 Speaker 4: a letter from him. He told how he was at 272 00:14:33,480 --> 00:14:36,400 Speaker 4: one of the lowest points in his life. He wasn't 273 00:14:36,400 --> 00:14:39,520 Speaker 4: a quote religious person, never been to church, never really prayed, 274 00:14:40,000 --> 00:14:43,520 Speaker 4: but that morning he said, God, if you're real and 275 00:14:43,560 --> 00:14:45,960 Speaker 4: you still have a plan for my life, give me 276 00:14:46,000 --> 00:14:48,600 Speaker 4: some kind of sign. He said, Joel, when you walked 277 00:14:48,600 --> 00:14:51,120 Speaker 4: in and spoke to me. I felt a warmness going 278 00:14:51,200 --> 00:14:55,680 Speaker 4: all through me. I realized that was God directed my steps. 279 00:14:55,800 --> 00:14:59,160 Speaker 4: But what if I'd been too busy, too preoccupied, too 280 00:14:59,200 --> 00:15:02,200 Speaker 4: focused on myself well to make a deposit into that 281 00:15:02,280 --> 00:15:05,240 Speaker 4: man's life. The fact is it didn't take me five 282 00:15:05,320 --> 00:15:08,880 Speaker 4: extra seconds, didn't take an extra ounce of energy, yet 283 00:15:08,920 --> 00:15:11,920 Speaker 4: it made a huge impact. When you go out through 284 00:15:11,960 --> 00:15:15,320 Speaker 4: the day, be more aware of the people that are 285 00:15:15,360 --> 00:15:18,480 Speaker 4: around you. You're not just going to work that's your 286 00:15:18,520 --> 00:15:21,760 Speaker 4: place of ministry. You're not just going to the grocery store, 287 00:15:21,880 --> 00:15:23,840 Speaker 4: going to them all, going to the Little League field. 288 00:15:24,280 --> 00:15:29,080 Speaker 4: God is directing your steps. He's constantly bringing people across 289 00:15:29,120 --> 00:15:33,040 Speaker 4: your path that need what you have. Make sure that 290 00:15:33,080 --> 00:15:36,760 Speaker 4: you're sowing good seeds into them. When people see you, 291 00:15:36,800 --> 00:15:41,240 Speaker 4: they should feel love, feel hope, feel encouragement. You may 292 00:15:41,280 --> 00:15:44,640 Speaker 4: not say anything, but with your demeanor, with the smile 293 00:15:44,760 --> 00:15:47,720 Speaker 4: on your face, with the glow that God's put around you, 294 00:15:48,200 --> 00:15:52,000 Speaker 4: that can communicate even more than our words. And I 295 00:15:52,040 --> 00:15:54,720 Speaker 4: know some of you work at places where everybody's negative, 296 00:15:54,760 --> 00:15:57,040 Speaker 4: everybody has a bad attitude, but you don't have to 297 00:15:57,120 --> 00:16:00,200 Speaker 4: let that pull you down. I heard somebody say you 298 00:16:00,240 --> 00:16:03,800 Speaker 4: can either be a thermometer, or you can be a thermostat. 299 00:16:04,600 --> 00:16:08,080 Speaker 4: A thermometer just measures the temperature of the room and 300 00:16:08,160 --> 00:16:12,560 Speaker 4: adjust to that. That means if everybody's negative, sour, complaining, 301 00:16:12,720 --> 00:16:15,480 Speaker 4: you sink down to their level. But a better choice 302 00:16:15,560 --> 00:16:19,440 Speaker 4: is to be a thermostat. A thermostat changes the temperature 303 00:16:19,480 --> 00:16:22,280 Speaker 4: in the room. You go in there with a good attitude, 304 00:16:22,480 --> 00:16:25,920 Speaker 4: excited about your future, full of hope. Little by little 305 00:16:26,200 --> 00:16:29,560 Speaker 4: that environment will begin to change. I believe today I'm 306 00:16:29,600 --> 00:16:32,920 Speaker 4: looking at a bunch of thermostats. They are already enough thermometers. 307 00:16:33,240 --> 00:16:36,400 Speaker 4: There are already enough people that just go with the majority. 308 00:16:37,000 --> 00:16:40,400 Speaker 4: But don't let them influence you. You influence them, bring them 309 00:16:40,480 --> 00:16:42,800 Speaker 4: up to your level. You don't have to try to 310 00:16:42,840 --> 00:16:46,360 Speaker 4: straighten everybody out. The Bible says God's given us the 311 00:16:46,520 --> 00:16:50,800 Speaker 4: power to be a witness. Doesn't necessarily mean we have 312 00:16:50,920 --> 00:16:53,840 Speaker 4: two witness although it's good to share our faith. But 313 00:16:53,920 --> 00:16:56,320 Speaker 4: one of the best witnesses you can ever have is 314 00:16:56,360 --> 00:16:58,760 Speaker 4: to just be who you are. Just live your life 315 00:16:58,800 --> 00:17:03,600 Speaker 4: consistently happy, consistently friendly, consistently in a good mood. Let 316 00:17:03,680 --> 00:17:06,879 Speaker 4: your actions do the talking. The other day, I was 317 00:17:06,920 --> 00:17:09,560 Speaker 4: in my car and I had six children with me, 318 00:17:10,240 --> 00:17:12,800 Speaker 4: two of my own and four of my nephews and nieces, 319 00:17:13,040 --> 00:17:15,359 Speaker 4: and they all wanted to go to McDonald's, and so 320 00:17:15,440 --> 00:17:18,399 Speaker 4: we pulled through the drive through, but the speaker was 321 00:17:18,440 --> 00:17:21,800 Speaker 4: so distorted I could hardly hear, and plus the children 322 00:17:21,840 --> 00:17:23,760 Speaker 4: were kind of loud, and I was trying to place 323 00:17:23,840 --> 00:17:27,720 Speaker 4: my order. My little nephew, Christopher, he likes his hamburgers 324 00:17:27,760 --> 00:17:31,560 Speaker 4: completely dry, with nothing on it. And so I told 325 00:17:31,640 --> 00:17:34,720 Speaker 4: the lady through the speaker, I want a happy meal 326 00:17:34,840 --> 00:17:37,959 Speaker 4: with a hamburger with nothing but a bun and a 327 00:17:37,960 --> 00:17:40,800 Speaker 4: piece of meat. She said, okay, would you like pickles 328 00:17:40,800 --> 00:17:44,159 Speaker 4: with that? I said, no, ma'am, I don't want anything 329 00:17:44,200 --> 00:17:46,359 Speaker 4: on it, just dry. She said, all right, would you 330 00:17:46,440 --> 00:17:48,959 Speaker 4: like mayonnaise with that? I said no, ma'am, I just 331 00:17:49,000 --> 00:17:51,760 Speaker 4: want a bun and a piece of meat. She said, 332 00:17:51,800 --> 00:17:54,400 Speaker 4: all right, would you like mustard with that? I thought 333 00:17:54,440 --> 00:17:56,560 Speaker 4: she was kidding. I kind of laughed, and I said, ma'am, 334 00:17:56,600 --> 00:17:59,600 Speaker 4: I want this hamburger completely dry. She said, all right, 335 00:17:59,600 --> 00:18:02,520 Speaker 4: So you don't what the letters do you? It's like 336 00:18:02,560 --> 00:18:05,000 Speaker 4: that sign I saw it says what part of no? 337 00:18:05,200 --> 00:18:08,919 Speaker 4: Do you not understand? This was my first order. I 338 00:18:08,960 --> 00:18:12,800 Speaker 4: had five more to go. It had taken all my energy. 339 00:18:13,160 --> 00:18:15,359 Speaker 4: I looked back and the line behind me was halfway 340 00:18:15,359 --> 00:18:18,040 Speaker 4: to the freeway. I was so embarrassed. I had to 341 00:18:18,119 --> 00:18:22,439 Speaker 4: keep telling myself I am God's personal representative on this earth. 342 00:18:24,760 --> 00:18:27,919 Speaker 4: How would God act? Would he get upset? Would he 343 00:18:27,960 --> 00:18:29,720 Speaker 4: lose his cool and give this young lady up? He 344 00:18:29,800 --> 00:18:33,680 Speaker 4: says mine. I was attempted to, but I just stayed calm. 345 00:18:33,920 --> 00:18:36,080 Speaker 4: Finally I got my order in. I pulled up to 346 00:18:36,080 --> 00:18:38,320 Speaker 4: where she was to pay. When she saw me, the 347 00:18:38,320 --> 00:18:40,359 Speaker 4: first thing she said it was old Pastor Joy. I 348 00:18:40,359 --> 00:18:44,000 Speaker 4: can't believe that you. I thought, thank you Jesus that 349 00:18:44,080 --> 00:18:50,360 Speaker 4: I say calm. She pulled my book out and said, 350 00:18:50,359 --> 00:18:54,879 Speaker 4: would you sign your book for me? I thought to myself, 351 00:18:54,880 --> 00:18:56,560 Speaker 4: I could have written another book by the time I've 352 00:18:56,600 --> 00:19:00,360 Speaker 4: brought to diferent order. We got to talk and I said, 353 00:19:00,359 --> 00:19:02,399 Speaker 4: how long you been working here? She said, today is 354 00:19:02,440 --> 00:19:06,520 Speaker 4: my first day. She said, you know what I'm catching 355 00:19:06,520 --> 00:19:11,640 Speaker 4: on pretty good. I thought to myself, you just keep 356 00:19:11,640 --> 00:19:16,119 Speaker 4: calling it by face, sister, But you never really know 357 00:19:16,640 --> 00:19:20,159 Speaker 4: who's watching you. You said, Joe, you're on television. I 358 00:19:20,200 --> 00:19:22,680 Speaker 4: don't have to worry about that. No, don't kid yourself. 359 00:19:22,920 --> 00:19:26,520 Speaker 4: Your children are watching you, your coworkers, your neighbors, the 360 00:19:26,520 --> 00:19:30,080 Speaker 4: person at the grocery store. You're preaching a sermon to 361 00:19:30,200 --> 00:19:33,520 Speaker 4: everyone you interact with. They may not remember what you say, 362 00:19:33,960 --> 00:19:36,639 Speaker 4: but they're going to remember what they felt. Do they 363 00:19:36,680 --> 00:19:39,680 Speaker 4: feel love? Do they feel joy? Do they feel approval? 364 00:19:40,240 --> 00:19:43,480 Speaker 4: Make sure you're sending out the right things. We're representing 365 00:19:43,480 --> 00:19:46,679 Speaker 4: Almighty God. And I was in my early twenties. I 366 00:19:46,760 --> 00:19:48,960 Speaker 4: was in India in a small town with my father 367 00:19:49,080 --> 00:19:51,320 Speaker 4: and every morning we would go down to the little 368 00:19:51,320 --> 00:19:54,240 Speaker 4: restaurant in the place we were staying to have breakfast. 369 00:19:54,800 --> 00:19:58,600 Speaker 4: We couldn't communicate verbally with them, since nobody spoke English. 370 00:19:58,800 --> 00:20:00,879 Speaker 4: We just point to what we want on it. My 371 00:20:00,920 --> 00:20:03,199 Speaker 4: father would always go out of his way to be 372 00:20:03,359 --> 00:20:06,840 Speaker 4: kind and respectful and warm. He really loved the people 373 00:20:06,880 --> 00:20:10,000 Speaker 4: of India and even though they didn't understand him, he 374 00:20:10,119 --> 00:20:13,080 Speaker 4: was always smiling and patting him on the back. And 375 00:20:13,160 --> 00:20:14,719 Speaker 4: by the end of the week he has given everybody 376 00:20:14,800 --> 00:20:17,480 Speaker 4: a hug. And just as we were about to leave 377 00:20:17,560 --> 00:20:19,960 Speaker 4: and move on to the next town, the men that 378 00:20:20,040 --> 00:20:23,960 Speaker 4: owned the restaurant motion to our driver, our interpreter. He 379 00:20:24,040 --> 00:20:26,680 Speaker 4: pointed at my father and he said, who is that man, 380 00:20:27,080 --> 00:20:30,360 Speaker 4: we can see God in his eyes. You think about it. 381 00:20:30,640 --> 00:20:33,800 Speaker 4: My father had never spoken a word that they could understand, 382 00:20:34,080 --> 00:20:37,320 Speaker 4: yet they felt the love, they felt the compassion. What 383 00:20:37,560 --> 00:20:40,960 Speaker 4: was it that had just let his light shine? Words 384 00:20:41,040 --> 00:20:44,240 Speaker 4: are not always necessary, Like the old poet that says, 385 00:20:44,680 --> 00:20:47,520 Speaker 4: I'd rather see a sermon than hear one any day, 386 00:20:48,119 --> 00:20:51,200 Speaker 4: I'd rather men walk with me than merely show the way. 387 00:20:51,920 --> 00:20:55,000 Speaker 4: What kind of sermon are we sharing with people every day? 388 00:20:56,320 --> 00:21:00,439 Speaker 4: Just little things like being kind to the life at 389 00:21:00,440 --> 00:21:04,159 Speaker 4: the grocery store you just ministered to her, being friendly 390 00:21:04,200 --> 00:21:06,680 Speaker 4: to the security guard at the office you just made 391 00:21:06,720 --> 00:21:10,120 Speaker 4: a deposit into his life, or even taking that neighbor 392 00:21:10,160 --> 00:21:13,359 Speaker 4: some food that hasn't been feeling well. That's a ministry. 393 00:21:13,920 --> 00:21:17,960 Speaker 4: The Scripture tells us we are temples of Almighty God. 394 00:21:18,080 --> 00:21:20,600 Speaker 4: Another way you could say it is we are containers 395 00:21:20,880 --> 00:21:24,800 Speaker 4: filled with God. Everywhere we go. We should be dispensing 396 00:21:24,840 --> 00:21:31,239 Speaker 4: good on somebody, dispensing hope, dispensing encouragement, dispensing joy. You 397 00:21:31,280 --> 00:21:33,679 Speaker 4: may have some difficulties in your own life, but one 398 00:21:33,720 --> 00:21:35,680 Speaker 4: of the best things you could do is get your 399 00:21:35,680 --> 00:21:40,360 Speaker 4: mind off yourself. Don't live ingrown be a giver, make 400 00:21:40,440 --> 00:21:42,560 Speaker 4: up your mind I'm gonna make a difference in the 401 00:21:42,560 --> 00:21:46,120 Speaker 4: world today. I'm gonna smile at people, I'm gonna be friendly, 402 00:21:46,240 --> 00:21:49,399 Speaker 4: I'm gonna encourage someone. Well, you say, man, Joel, I 403 00:21:49,480 --> 00:21:53,160 Speaker 4: got problems. I need somebody to encourage me. Now, you've 404 00:21:53,160 --> 00:21:55,760 Speaker 4: got to sew a seed. If you will make somebody 405 00:21:55,760 --> 00:21:59,000 Speaker 4: else's day, God will always make your own day. And 406 00:21:59,000 --> 00:22:01,240 Speaker 4: in our times of difficult culty, one of the most 407 00:22:01,280 --> 00:22:04,199 Speaker 4: powerful things we can do is go out and be 408 00:22:04,320 --> 00:22:07,879 Speaker 4: a blessing to somebody else. Don't sit around waiting for 409 00:22:07,920 --> 00:22:09,920 Speaker 4: your ship to come in. Some of you hadn't sent 410 00:22:09,960 --> 00:22:12,720 Speaker 4: a ship out yet. You need to start being an encourager. 411 00:22:13,160 --> 00:22:16,879 Speaker 4: Start giving people hope, Start sharing your love, your joy 412 00:22:16,920 --> 00:22:20,359 Speaker 4: with others. The fact is every one of us are 413 00:22:20,400 --> 00:22:28,760 Speaker 4: dispensing something. Too many go around dispensing negative things, defeat, sarcasm, self, pity, pride. 414 00:22:28,800 --> 00:22:30,600 Speaker 4: They don't have to say a word, but you can 415 00:22:30,640 --> 00:22:33,439 Speaker 4: feel these things coming off of them. Please don't let 416 00:22:33,520 --> 00:22:38,760 Speaker 4: that be you. Go out each day dispensing joy, dispensing enthusiasm, 417 00:22:39,080 --> 00:22:42,639 Speaker 4: be friendly, Let your light shine. While back Victoria and 418 00:22:42,640 --> 00:22:45,080 Speaker 4: I were in Galveston. We were walking up and down 419 00:22:45,080 --> 00:22:47,879 Speaker 4: the street, going into the little shops and Victoria had 420 00:22:47,920 --> 00:22:50,600 Speaker 4: gone into this one place, and I just decided to 421 00:22:50,640 --> 00:22:53,439 Speaker 4: wait outside and watch the people. Now, I saw this 422 00:22:53,560 --> 00:22:56,440 Speaker 4: lady two or three blocks away, and she started waving 423 00:22:56,600 --> 00:23:00,119 Speaker 4: and waving, so I smile real big and wave back 424 00:23:00,160 --> 00:23:02,199 Speaker 4: at her like she was my best friend. Had no 425 00:23:02,320 --> 00:23:04,600 Speaker 4: idea who she was, but I was just determined to 426 00:23:04,640 --> 00:23:07,679 Speaker 4: be friendly. A few minutes later, she had come a 427 00:23:07,680 --> 00:23:10,880 Speaker 4: little closer as she was shopping, and I noticed once 428 00:23:10,920 --> 00:23:14,000 Speaker 4: again she started waving and waving. I thought, all right, lady, 429 00:23:14,040 --> 00:23:15,639 Speaker 4: we did this once, but we can do it again. 430 00:23:16,560 --> 00:23:18,800 Speaker 4: So I smiled and waved like I hadn't seen her 431 00:23:18,840 --> 00:23:22,479 Speaker 4: in years. A few minutes later, she is, now, you know, 432 00:23:22,520 --> 00:23:24,639 Speaker 4: shopping just a few feet from me, or you know, 433 00:23:24,760 --> 00:23:27,520 Speaker 4: twenty thirty yards, and I couldn't believe it. She started 434 00:23:27,560 --> 00:23:30,600 Speaker 4: waving more enthusiastically than ever, and so I thought I'd 435 00:23:30,680 --> 00:23:33,000 Speaker 4: joining the fund. I waved and I said, hey, how 436 00:23:33,080 --> 00:23:36,159 Speaker 4: you doing? And she came over and got closer to me, 437 00:23:36,200 --> 00:23:37,960 Speaker 4: and she looked at me kind of strange. She said, 438 00:23:38,000 --> 00:23:40,840 Speaker 4: do I know you? I said, I don't know. I'm 439 00:23:40,840 --> 00:23:43,280 Speaker 4: waving at you because you're waving at me. She said, 440 00:23:43,280 --> 00:23:45,080 Speaker 4: I'm not waving at you. I'm waving at my sister 441 00:23:45,160 --> 00:23:51,000 Speaker 4: behind you. I was as red as that flag. I'll 442 00:23:51,000 --> 00:23:52,840 Speaker 4: never forget. She patted me on the back. She said, 443 00:23:52,840 --> 00:23:56,600 Speaker 4: but you sure are a friendly young man. But I thought, 444 00:23:56,640 --> 00:23:58,359 Speaker 4: if I air, I'm on air on the side of 445 00:23:58,359 --> 00:24:00,680 Speaker 4: being friendly, I'm on air on this sid of being 446 00:24:00,760 --> 00:24:05,440 Speaker 4: full of joy. They're already enough sour people in our society. 447 00:24:07,480 --> 00:24:11,800 Speaker 4: Our lives should overflow with the victory God's given us. 448 00:24:12,040 --> 00:24:13,840 Speaker 4: If we're gonna let our lights shine, we got to 449 00:24:13,880 --> 00:24:16,280 Speaker 4: turn the bullb on. We have to have a smile. 450 00:24:16,600 --> 00:24:19,000 Speaker 4: We have to be friends. Let's be full of joy 451 00:24:19,240 --> 00:24:22,200 Speaker 4: wherever we go. Too often we think we can only 452 00:24:22,240 --> 00:24:24,840 Speaker 4: preach with our words, and we're supposed to go around 453 00:24:24,880 --> 00:24:28,080 Speaker 4: straighten everybody out. Let me tell you what you're doing wrong. Now, 454 00:24:28,119 --> 00:24:30,919 Speaker 4: Most of the time that just makes people defensive. My 455 00:24:31,000 --> 00:24:34,240 Speaker 4: father used to say, don't be a fire hose, try 456 00:24:34,280 --> 00:24:37,880 Speaker 4: to knock people down, point out their faults, their shortcomings. Instead, 457 00:24:38,000 --> 00:24:41,720 Speaker 4: just be a sprinkler, share hope, share a kind word, 458 00:24:41,800 --> 00:24:46,000 Speaker 4: share encouragement. Let your life be the example. Years ago, 459 00:24:46,280 --> 00:24:49,080 Speaker 4: before I became a minister, I used to play basketball 460 00:24:49,119 --> 00:24:51,560 Speaker 4: at this one gem and there were a lot of 461 00:24:51,600 --> 00:24:54,360 Speaker 4: young men there that were very rough. They would use 462 00:24:54,400 --> 00:24:58,240 Speaker 4: bad language and argue, and sometimes some scuffles would break out. 463 00:24:58,760 --> 00:25:01,240 Speaker 4: I played there for several we but I didn't go 464 00:25:01,280 --> 00:25:03,520 Speaker 4: in there and try to preach to them and tell 465 00:25:03,600 --> 00:25:05,879 Speaker 4: them what they were doing wrong. I did just what 466 00:25:05,960 --> 00:25:08,320 Speaker 4: I'm asking you to do. I just lived my life 467 00:25:08,359 --> 00:25:12,720 Speaker 4: consistently happy, consistently friendly, consistently in a good mood. I 468 00:25:12,760 --> 00:25:16,119 Speaker 4: wouldn't argue with them. I always played fair. There was 469 00:25:16,160 --> 00:25:18,560 Speaker 4: a questionable call, I'd let the other team have the ball. 470 00:25:19,119 --> 00:25:21,520 Speaker 4: In fact, it got to be a joke. If I 471 00:25:21,560 --> 00:25:24,119 Speaker 4: were on the sidelines waiting to play next watching a 472 00:25:24,200 --> 00:25:26,680 Speaker 4: game and there was a close call, they'd always say, 473 00:25:26,920 --> 00:25:30,439 Speaker 4: go ask Joel. We know he won't lie. See, we 474 00:25:30,560 --> 00:25:34,879 Speaker 4: all have our pulpit. You're ministering to people all around you. 475 00:25:34,880 --> 00:25:37,720 Speaker 4: Your life is sending a message. And really that was 476 00:25:37,760 --> 00:25:39,920 Speaker 4: a better witness than me trying to cram something down 477 00:25:39,960 --> 00:25:43,199 Speaker 4: their throat. Talk is cheap. I could have told them 478 00:25:43,200 --> 00:25:45,159 Speaker 4: all day long, guys, y'all got a quit cursing, you 479 00:25:45,240 --> 00:25:48,280 Speaker 4: need to quit fighting. But a greater impact was to 480 00:25:48,359 --> 00:25:51,520 Speaker 4: let my actions do the talking. Being a good example 481 00:25:51,840 --> 00:25:54,880 Speaker 4: is what opens the door to a person's heart. This 482 00:25:54,920 --> 00:25:57,959 Speaker 4: one young man was really struggling. He had addictions and 483 00:25:58,240 --> 00:26:01,640 Speaker 4: anger problems. He was the least likely one you'd ever 484 00:26:01,720 --> 00:26:04,359 Speaker 4: think would have anything to do with the things of God. 485 00:26:04,760 --> 00:26:07,119 Speaker 4: But one day he asked me if i'd start praying 486 00:26:07,160 --> 00:26:09,520 Speaker 4: for him, if I'd just start helping him, A lot 487 00:26:09,560 --> 00:26:10,919 Speaker 4: of people would have gone in there and said, YEA, 488 00:26:10,880 --> 00:26:12,879 Speaker 4: all right, here's what you're doing wrong. You got to 489 00:26:12,920 --> 00:26:15,960 Speaker 4: straighten up, live right, do this, do that. But I 490 00:26:16,000 --> 00:26:18,919 Speaker 4: found most people already know what they're doing wrong. They 491 00:26:18,960 --> 00:26:22,280 Speaker 4: don't need our condemnation. They need our love. They need 492 00:26:22,359 --> 00:26:25,760 Speaker 4: us to be understanding. Some people, they see you do 493 00:26:25,840 --> 00:26:28,360 Speaker 4: one thing wrong, they come at you like a bulldog. 494 00:26:28,680 --> 00:26:30,280 Speaker 4: I'm gonna straighten you out. Let me tell you, brother, 495 00:26:30,320 --> 00:26:33,439 Speaker 4: you're going straight to hell. It's funny. Sometimes it seems 496 00:26:33,440 --> 00:26:37,240 Speaker 4: like they're glad that we're going. But we're supposed to 497 00:26:37,280 --> 00:26:40,520 Speaker 4: share good news. We have the power to be a witness. 498 00:26:40,800 --> 00:26:43,600 Speaker 4: Don't have to straighten everybody out. Let your light shine. 499 00:26:44,280 --> 00:26:47,320 Speaker 4: In fact, the scripture talks about wives that have husbands 500 00:26:47,400 --> 00:26:49,879 Speaker 4: that are not serving God. It says, don't try to 501 00:26:49,880 --> 00:26:52,359 Speaker 4: win them over with your words, don't try to convince 502 00:26:52,400 --> 00:26:56,440 Speaker 4: them with your speech. Let your life of excellence and integrity. 503 00:26:56,600 --> 00:26:59,439 Speaker 4: Speak to them now. I know too many ladies that 504 00:26:59,600 --> 00:27:02,440 Speaker 4: have not coming to church. They harp on that man 505 00:27:02,600 --> 00:27:06,240 Speaker 4: night and day, constantly preaching to him, quoting the scriptures, 506 00:27:06,240 --> 00:27:08,600 Speaker 4: telling him what he's doing wrong. Most of the time, 507 00:27:08,680 --> 00:27:11,800 Speaker 4: that drives people further away. A better approach is to 508 00:27:11,840 --> 00:27:14,359 Speaker 4: just let your light shine. Be fun to be around, 509 00:27:14,359 --> 00:27:18,239 Speaker 4: be good natured, make him want what you have. I 510 00:27:18,280 --> 00:27:20,639 Speaker 4: started praying with this young man after the ball games. 511 00:27:21,160 --> 00:27:23,560 Speaker 4: He didn't even come from our same faith, but I 512 00:27:23,560 --> 00:27:26,240 Speaker 4: would encourage him, give him hope. One day he showed 513 00:27:26,320 --> 00:27:29,320 Speaker 4: up at Lakewood. He told me, Joel, I've never felt 514 00:27:29,320 --> 00:27:32,000 Speaker 4: anything like that before. It was the love of God. 515 00:27:32,359 --> 00:27:35,440 Speaker 4: Today he's here all the time. His life's totally changed, 516 00:27:35,480 --> 00:27:38,119 Speaker 4: He's free from his addictions. He's one of the most kind, 517 00:27:38,400 --> 00:27:42,800 Speaker 4: caring people that you could ever meet. How did this happen? 518 00:27:43,640 --> 00:27:46,960 Speaker 4: Not by me forcing it, not by me condemning him. No, 519 00:27:47,280 --> 00:27:50,679 Speaker 4: I simply let my light shine. I'm asking you to 520 00:27:50,680 --> 00:27:53,920 Speaker 4: do the same thing. You have a ministry, you represent 521 00:27:54,040 --> 00:27:57,440 Speaker 4: Almighty God. When you go out in the morning, make 522 00:27:57,520 --> 00:28:00,320 Speaker 4: sure you have a smile on your face, make sure 523 00:28:00,400 --> 00:28:05,160 Speaker 4: you're friendly, have a pleasant demeanor. Remember people don't see God. 524 00:28:05,359 --> 00:28:07,879 Speaker 4: They see us. And I wonder what would happen if 525 00:28:07,960 --> 00:28:11,119 Speaker 4: every one of us would go out of here dispensing 526 00:28:11,200 --> 00:28:15,320 Speaker 4: good on somebody, joy, hope, encouragement. Friends, you are a 527 00:28:15,359 --> 00:28:19,080 Speaker 4: container that is filled with God. Don't keep it to yourself, 528 00:28:19,520 --> 00:28:23,080 Speaker 4: share it with others. Let your light shine. If you'll 529 00:28:23,119 --> 00:28:26,600 Speaker 4: go out each day being a good example, you'll not 530 00:28:26,680 --> 00:28:29,760 Speaker 4: only make a positive impact in other people's lives. But 531 00:28:29,800 --> 00:28:33,280 Speaker 4: here's the beauty. God will use that seed to impact 532 00:28:33,280 --> 00:28:35,680 Speaker 4: your own life. He'll cause you to come up pier. 533 00:28:36,160 --> 00:28:38,200 Speaker 4: He'll show you more of His blessings in favor, and 534 00:28:38,480 --> 00:28:41,360 Speaker 4: you'll live the life of victory that he has in store. Amen, 535 00:28:41,640 --> 00:28:46,080 Speaker 4: do you receive it today? We never like the clergy 536 00:28:46,120 --> 00:28:49,800 Speaker 4: our broadcast without giving you an opportunity to make Jesus 537 00:28:49,840 --> 00:28:52,080 Speaker 4: the lord of your life. Would you pray with me? 538 00:28:52,640 --> 00:28:57,800 Speaker 4: Just say, Lord, Jesus, I'll repent of my sins. Come 539 00:28:57,840 --> 00:29:02,720 Speaker 4: into my hearty. Thank you, my Lord and Savior. Friends, 540 00:29:02,720 --> 00:29:05,040 Speaker 4: if you've prayed that simple prayer, we believe you got 541 00:29:05,080 --> 00:29:08,200 Speaker 4: born again. Get in a good Bible based church. Keep 542 00:29:08,240 --> 00:29:10,880 Speaker 4: God first place. He's going to take your places that 543 00:29:10,960 --> 00:29:11,840 Speaker 4: you've never dreamed of. 544 00:29:12,640 --> 00:29:16,080 Speaker 5: Thank you for listening to the joel Oustine podcast. Help 545 00:29:16,160 --> 00:29:18,880 Speaker 5: us continue to share the message of hope with those 546 00:29:19,000 --> 00:29:22,880 Speaker 5: all over the world. Visit joeloustein dot com slash give 547 00:29:22,960 --> 00:29:24,640 Speaker 5: Hope to give a gift today. 548 00:29:25,920 --> 00:29:28,840 Speaker 4: Thanks so much for listening to today's message. I hope 549 00:29:28,840 --> 00:29:32,240 Speaker 4: you'll subscribe so you can receive the latest podcast to 550 00:29:32,320 --> 00:29:35,520 Speaker 4: keep you inspired all through the week. We're praying for you. 551 00:29:35,680 --> 00:29:38,120 Speaker 4: I know God's best is still ahead. We'll see you 552 00:29:38,200 --> 00:29:38,720 Speaker 4: next time.