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That's code 34 00:01:23,360 --> 00:01:26,320 Speaker 3: iHeart fifty when you sign up at unest dot co 35 00:01:26,720 --> 00:01:29,280 Speaker 3: for a fifty dollars bonus. See terms and conditions at 36 00:01:29,360 --> 00:01:30,080 Speaker 3: UNEs dot co. 37 00:01:31,200 --> 00:01:33,959 Speaker 5: Hi, this is Joel and Victoria. Thanks for listening to 38 00:01:34,000 --> 00:01:37,120 Speaker 5: our podcast and thanks for supporting the ministry. If you 39 00:01:37,240 --> 00:01:39,840 Speaker 5: enjoy today's message, why don't you be a blessing and 40 00:01:39,880 --> 00:01:42,640 Speaker 5: share it with a friends, reappreciate you and pray for 41 00:01:42,720 --> 00:01:51,720 Speaker 5: God's very best in your life. 42 00:01:56,080 --> 00:01:56,960 Speaker 4: Well, God bless you. 43 00:01:57,320 --> 00:01:59,520 Speaker 5: It's always a joy to come into your homes and 44 00:01:59,800 --> 00:02:02,400 Speaker 5: if if you're ever in our area, please stop by 45 00:02:02,440 --> 00:02:04,600 Speaker 5: and be a part of one of our services. I 46 00:02:04,800 --> 00:02:07,480 Speaker 5: promise you we'll make you feel right at home. I 47 00:02:07,680 --> 00:02:09,640 Speaker 5: like to get started with something funny each week. And 48 00:02:10,080 --> 00:02:12,919 Speaker 5: of course these little jokes are not doctrinally correct. They're 49 00:02:13,000 --> 00:02:15,240 Speaker 5: just to make us laugh. But I heard about this 50 00:02:15,360 --> 00:02:18,000 Speaker 5: cat and mouse. They died on the same day and 51 00:02:18,080 --> 00:02:21,240 Speaker 5: went to heaven. After a couple of weeks. Peter asked 52 00:02:21,240 --> 00:02:23,799 Speaker 5: the mouse how he liked it so far, and he said, 53 00:02:23,800 --> 00:02:24,600 Speaker 5: all Peter, it's. 54 00:02:24,520 --> 00:02:26,080 Speaker 4: Great, but it's so big. 55 00:02:26,160 --> 00:02:29,160 Speaker 5: Do you think I could get some roller skates. Peter said, 56 00:02:29,200 --> 00:02:31,880 Speaker 5: no problem, got the mouse some roller skates. A couple 57 00:02:31,960 --> 00:02:34,040 Speaker 5: of weeks later, he saw the cat and ask him 58 00:02:34,080 --> 00:02:34,880 Speaker 5: how he liked it. 59 00:02:35,200 --> 00:02:36,760 Speaker 4: He said, all, Peter, I love it. 60 00:02:37,120 --> 00:02:39,040 Speaker 5: And just when I thought it couldn't get any better, 61 00:02:39,400 --> 00:02:44,440 Speaker 5: I discovered the meals on wheels. All right, hold up 62 00:02:44,480 --> 00:02:47,200 Speaker 5: your Bible. Say it like you mean it. This is 63 00:02:47,280 --> 00:02:50,639 Speaker 5: my Bible. I am what it says. I am. I 64 00:02:50,720 --> 00:02:53,240 Speaker 5: have what it says I have. I can do what 65 00:02:53,320 --> 00:02:56,080 Speaker 5: it says I can do. Today I will be taught 66 00:02:56,200 --> 00:03:00,760 Speaker 5: the word of God. I boldly confess. My mind is alert, 67 00:03:01,240 --> 00:03:04,440 Speaker 5: my heart is receptive. I will never be the same. 68 00:03:05,040 --> 00:03:10,320 Speaker 5: I am about to receive the incorruptible, indestructible, ever living 69 00:03:10,639 --> 00:03:15,760 Speaker 5: seed of the Word of God. I'll never be the same, never, never, never, 70 00:03:16,280 --> 00:03:17,240 Speaker 5: I'll never. 71 00:03:17,000 --> 00:03:17,680 Speaker 4: Be the same. 72 00:03:18,200 --> 00:03:22,519 Speaker 5: In Jesus' name, God bless you. I want to talk 73 00:03:22,560 --> 00:03:25,480 Speaker 5: to you today about the importance of staying in the 74 00:03:25,600 --> 00:03:31,280 Speaker 5: right place. God created places before he created people. He 75 00:03:31,320 --> 00:03:35,480 Speaker 5: created the oceans, then he created fish, he created land, 76 00:03:35,920 --> 00:03:40,640 Speaker 5: then he created animals. Places are important to God. He 77 00:03:40,680 --> 00:03:43,400 Speaker 5: didn't create a polar bear to live in the desert. 78 00:03:44,120 --> 00:03:46,680 Speaker 5: He didn't create a bird to live in the sea. 79 00:03:47,360 --> 00:03:50,600 Speaker 5: There is a certain place God created for each one 80 00:03:50,640 --> 00:03:54,200 Speaker 5: of them to thrive. And in the same way, God 81 00:03:54,320 --> 00:03:57,560 Speaker 5: has a specific location for each one of us to 82 00:03:57,640 --> 00:04:00,760 Speaker 5: be blessed. He has a specific ad for you to 83 00:04:00,800 --> 00:04:04,560 Speaker 5: work at, a specific neighborhood, for you to live in 84 00:04:04,840 --> 00:04:09,360 Speaker 5: specific friends, for you to associate with. Your location is 85 00:04:09,480 --> 00:04:14,000 Speaker 5: extremely important. God will not bless you anywhere. He will 86 00:04:14,040 --> 00:04:17,080 Speaker 5: bless you where you're supposed to be. Now, I can't 87 00:04:17,120 --> 00:04:18,800 Speaker 5: just pack up and decide I'm going to move to 88 00:04:18,800 --> 00:04:21,880 Speaker 5: another city, thinking I've had some success here, surely it'll 89 00:04:21,920 --> 00:04:26,080 Speaker 5: work there. No, the blessing is connected to a certain place. 90 00:04:26,600 --> 00:04:29,000 Speaker 5: This is where I feel good about, This is where 91 00:04:29,040 --> 00:04:32,040 Speaker 5: I know I'm supposed to be. When we move out 92 00:04:32,040 --> 00:04:35,000 Speaker 5: of that place. It's not that God decided to quit 93 00:04:35,040 --> 00:04:39,160 Speaker 5: blessing us, It's that we've moved from the location. 94 00:04:39,240 --> 00:04:40,960 Speaker 4: Where his blessings for us are. 95 00:04:41,760 --> 00:04:45,320 Speaker 5: In the Book of Acts, Jesus instructed five hundred people 96 00:04:45,400 --> 00:04:47,440 Speaker 5: to go to the Upper Room to wait for the 97 00:04:47,480 --> 00:04:50,120 Speaker 5: promise of the Holy Spirit. But do you know only 98 00:04:50,200 --> 00:04:53,560 Speaker 5: one hundred and twenty showed up. Five hundred could have 99 00:04:53,640 --> 00:04:56,680 Speaker 5: been blessed, but only one hundred and twenty were in 100 00:04:56,720 --> 00:05:00,479 Speaker 5: the right location. You can't just work at any and 101 00:05:00,720 --> 00:05:03,880 Speaker 5: hang out at any place, moved to any city and 102 00:05:03,960 --> 00:05:07,560 Speaker 5: expect to have God's best. You have to be sensitive 103 00:05:07,720 --> 00:05:11,039 Speaker 5: to what you're feeling right down in here. Throughout life, 104 00:05:11,360 --> 00:05:14,600 Speaker 5: the Holy Spirit will lead you and guide you. I'm 105 00:05:14,640 --> 00:05:17,760 Speaker 5: asking you today to pay more attention to your location. 106 00:05:18,480 --> 00:05:21,880 Speaker 5: Ask yourself, is this where I'm supposed to be? Is 107 00:05:21,920 --> 00:05:24,719 Speaker 5: this the job I feel good about? Is this where 108 00:05:24,720 --> 00:05:28,719 Speaker 5: I should be spending my free time? Remember, your blessing 109 00:05:29,040 --> 00:05:32,880 Speaker 5: is tied to a specific place. I have a friend 110 00:05:32,880 --> 00:05:35,880 Speaker 5: that owns a mechanic shop, and for years his business 111 00:05:35,960 --> 00:05:38,920 Speaker 5: was very mediocre. He was back on a little side 112 00:05:38,960 --> 00:05:42,840 Speaker 5: street in an industrial area. He was surviving but not 113 00:05:42,920 --> 00:05:46,240 Speaker 5: really having any real success, and one day while he 114 00:05:46,320 --> 00:05:49,400 Speaker 5: was out, he saw this big building off of a 115 00:05:49,440 --> 00:05:52,560 Speaker 5: major freeway had a sign that said for lease, and 116 00:05:52,640 --> 00:05:55,560 Speaker 5: something just jumped on the inside of him. He knew 117 00:05:55,680 --> 00:05:58,520 Speaker 5: that was supposed to be his. He made some phone 118 00:05:58,560 --> 00:06:01,640 Speaker 5: calls found out it was a available. After he prayed 119 00:06:01,640 --> 00:06:04,440 Speaker 5: about it, he still felt peace. So he moved his 120 00:06:04,600 --> 00:06:08,080 Speaker 5: business to that new location. It was less than a 121 00:06:08,120 --> 00:06:11,520 Speaker 5: mile from his old place. But that next year his 122 00:06:11,680 --> 00:06:14,839 Speaker 5: business increased ten times what it was the year before. 123 00:06:15,520 --> 00:06:18,720 Speaker 5: What was the difference his location He had to get 124 00:06:18,800 --> 00:06:22,560 Speaker 5: to his place a blessing. Do you know you could 125 00:06:22,600 --> 00:06:25,200 Speaker 5: be less than a mile away from major growth. 126 00:06:25,880 --> 00:06:27,039 Speaker 4: May not be a business. 127 00:06:27,520 --> 00:06:30,479 Speaker 5: It may be where you're hanging out after work that's 128 00:06:30,600 --> 00:06:32,920 Speaker 5: keeping you from your real place of blessing. 129 00:06:33,720 --> 00:06:35,520 Speaker 4: It may be the job you go to. 130 00:06:35,920 --> 00:06:38,760 Speaker 5: If you don't really like it, you're not growing, you're 131 00:06:38,800 --> 00:06:42,279 Speaker 5: not fulfilled. Don't go there for the next twenty years. 132 00:06:42,600 --> 00:06:46,320 Speaker 5: Just enduring that. Make sure that's where you're supposed to be. 133 00:06:47,279 --> 00:06:49,920 Speaker 5: I know people that have worked downtown in a high rise. 134 00:06:50,440 --> 00:06:53,599 Speaker 5: They moved from one floor to another. God opened up 135 00:06:53,640 --> 00:06:56,800 Speaker 5: a new position, and now they're happy. They go to 136 00:06:56,839 --> 00:07:00,839 Speaker 5: work with enthusiasm, using their gifts and talents. What happened 137 00:07:01,160 --> 00:07:04,320 Speaker 5: they got to their place of blessing. A lot of 138 00:07:04,320 --> 00:07:06,440 Speaker 5: times we kind of think, well, Joel, I know God 139 00:07:06,480 --> 00:07:09,560 Speaker 5: will bless me wherever I go, and in a sense 140 00:07:09,760 --> 00:07:13,960 Speaker 5: that's true. But God has a specific place where He's 141 00:07:14,000 --> 00:07:16,840 Speaker 5: commanded you to be blessed. Now, I would hate to 142 00:07:16,880 --> 00:07:19,840 Speaker 5: think that I lived my life just a mile away 143 00:07:20,440 --> 00:07:24,000 Speaker 5: from my real place of blessing. God opened up doors, 144 00:07:24,040 --> 00:07:26,280 Speaker 5: but I was too afraid to go through, or I 145 00:07:26,400 --> 00:07:29,920 Speaker 5: kept hanging around the wrong friends. Now, pay attention to 146 00:07:29,960 --> 00:07:32,320 Speaker 5: what you're feeling right down in here. Get to the 147 00:07:32,400 --> 00:07:36,400 Speaker 5: right place. When you're in the center of God's perfect will, 148 00:07:36,720 --> 00:07:41,160 Speaker 5: there's a peace. Things won't be a constant struggle. Sure, 149 00:07:41,200 --> 00:07:44,400 Speaker 5: you'll have some seasons of difficulties and some tough times 150 00:07:44,400 --> 00:07:45,520 Speaker 5: you'll have to push through. 151 00:07:46,120 --> 00:07:48,560 Speaker 4: But overall, you should enjoy your life. 152 00:07:49,080 --> 00:07:52,320 Speaker 5: You should feel a sense of accomplishment and fulfillment. 153 00:07:52,840 --> 00:07:53,920 Speaker 4: When you go to bed at night. 154 00:07:54,040 --> 00:07:56,360 Speaker 5: You should lie there in peace knowing that I'm in 155 00:07:56,400 --> 00:07:59,440 Speaker 5: God's perfect will. I'm exactly where I'm supposed to be. 156 00:08:00,160 --> 00:08:03,080 Speaker 5: In the Old Testament, the children of Israel had to 157 00:08:03,120 --> 00:08:06,240 Speaker 5: follow the cloud by day and the pillar of fire 158 00:08:06,280 --> 00:08:09,320 Speaker 5: by night. Sometimes the cloud would stay at the same 159 00:08:09,400 --> 00:08:12,320 Speaker 5: location for two or three months. They would set up 160 00:08:12,360 --> 00:08:15,920 Speaker 5: camp and stay there the whole time. Other times, the 161 00:08:15,960 --> 00:08:19,160 Speaker 5: cloud would move every day for a week, but when 162 00:08:19,240 --> 00:08:21,280 Speaker 5: they got up in the morning, first thing they had 163 00:08:21,360 --> 00:08:23,880 Speaker 5: to do was check the cloud. I'm sure there were 164 00:08:23,920 --> 00:08:27,320 Speaker 5: times that they wanted to move. They didn't like the location, 165 00:08:27,440 --> 00:08:30,600 Speaker 5: they were surrounded by enemies, but the cloud wasn't moving. 166 00:08:31,320 --> 00:08:33,840 Speaker 5: Other times, I can imagine they get up in the 167 00:08:33,880 --> 00:08:37,160 Speaker 5: morning and see the cloud starting to move, and they think, Man, 168 00:08:37,600 --> 00:08:40,679 Speaker 5: we just got camp set up. We like this place, 169 00:08:40,720 --> 00:08:44,120 Speaker 5: We're comfortable, let's just stay here. No, they understood this 170 00:08:44,280 --> 00:08:47,840 Speaker 5: principle that their blessing was connected to being at the 171 00:08:47,920 --> 00:08:48,520 Speaker 5: right place. 172 00:08:49,320 --> 00:08:51,280 Speaker 4: They knew they wouldn't have the food. 173 00:08:51,120 --> 00:08:55,160 Speaker 5: The supplies, the protection they needed unless they followed the cloud. 174 00:08:55,840 --> 00:08:57,920 Speaker 5: They had to do their part and get to their 175 00:08:57,960 --> 00:09:02,000 Speaker 5: place of blessing so they could enjoy God's favor. And 176 00:09:02,120 --> 00:09:04,120 Speaker 5: some of you today, the only thing that's holding you 177 00:09:04,200 --> 00:09:05,880 Speaker 5: back is you're in the wrong location. 178 00:09:06,760 --> 00:09:08,199 Speaker 4: It may be the wrong job. 179 00:09:08,960 --> 00:09:11,760 Speaker 5: God keeps opening up doors, but you're not taking that 180 00:09:11,800 --> 00:09:15,520 Speaker 5: step of faith. It may be the wrong friends, You're 181 00:09:15,520 --> 00:09:19,360 Speaker 5: spending your free time in the wrong locations that's keeping 182 00:09:19,440 --> 00:09:23,160 Speaker 5: you from growing. Could even be the wrong neighborhood. It's 183 00:09:23,160 --> 00:09:27,800 Speaker 5: a negative environment. You keep giving into temptation. It's time 184 00:09:28,080 --> 00:09:31,200 Speaker 5: to make some changes. Life is too short to go 185 00:09:31,280 --> 00:09:33,960 Speaker 5: through it in the wrong location. You've got to learn 186 00:09:34,000 --> 00:09:37,120 Speaker 5: to fallow the cloud for your own life. 187 00:09:37,240 --> 00:09:38,040 Speaker 4: I know a man. 188 00:09:38,200 --> 00:09:41,120 Speaker 5: He and his wife started a television station in another state, 189 00:09:41,640 --> 00:09:44,440 Speaker 5: and for years they ran the station, built it up 190 00:09:44,480 --> 00:09:48,280 Speaker 5: into a successful ministry. This was a dream come true. 191 00:09:48,440 --> 00:09:52,000 Speaker 5: They were so happy, so fulfilled. But they told how 192 00:09:52,040 --> 00:09:55,200 Speaker 5: one day that desire to keep building there and that 193 00:09:55,280 --> 00:09:58,920 Speaker 5: sense of fulfillment just lifted off of them. They didn't 194 00:09:58,920 --> 00:10:01,840 Speaker 5: have the same enthusiasasm, and when they searched their heart, 195 00:10:02,120 --> 00:10:03,520 Speaker 5: they realized. 196 00:10:03,040 --> 00:10:05,120 Speaker 4: Their time there was done. 197 00:10:05,280 --> 00:10:07,760 Speaker 5: They could have been hard headed and thought, no, we 198 00:10:07,880 --> 00:10:10,520 Speaker 5: started this and we're going to finish it, but they 199 00:10:10,520 --> 00:10:14,200 Speaker 5: were sensitive enough to recognize that the cloud was moving. 200 00:10:14,600 --> 00:10:17,439 Speaker 5: They put the television station up for sale. About a 201 00:10:17,520 --> 00:10:20,960 Speaker 5: year later, they moved to a large city in another state. 202 00:10:21,559 --> 00:10:23,400 Speaker 5: They didn't really know what they were going to do, 203 00:10:23,920 --> 00:10:26,920 Speaker 5: but not long after that, it just so happened that 204 00:10:27,040 --> 00:10:31,400 Speaker 5: a television station in that new city became available. They 205 00:10:31,400 --> 00:10:34,800 Speaker 5: were at the right place at the right time, and 206 00:10:34,840 --> 00:10:36,520 Speaker 5: with the funds they had from the sale of their 207 00:10:36,559 --> 00:10:41,200 Speaker 5: other station, they purchased this new television station. Today, their 208 00:10:41,240 --> 00:10:45,400 Speaker 5: ministry has exploded. They have many stations. In fact, they have. 209 00:10:45,400 --> 00:10:47,240 Speaker 4: A network that goes around the world. 210 00:10:47,800 --> 00:10:51,720 Speaker 5: What's my point, They followed the cloud, their place of 211 00:10:51,800 --> 00:10:56,160 Speaker 5: blessing moved. Had they not been sensitive, had they been 212 00:10:56,200 --> 00:10:58,840 Speaker 5: stuck in a rut and thought, well, we're really not 213 00:10:58,920 --> 00:11:01,960 Speaker 5: fulfilled here, but let's just play it safe, let's not 214 00:11:02,080 --> 00:11:02,959 Speaker 5: rock the boat. 215 00:11:03,120 --> 00:11:05,160 Speaker 4: No, they would have missed out on God's best. 216 00:11:06,080 --> 00:11:09,200 Speaker 5: God has a place of victory in store for every 217 00:11:09,200 --> 00:11:11,680 Speaker 5: one of us, but it's up to us to get 218 00:11:11,720 --> 00:11:16,040 Speaker 5: to that place. Location is a huge part of staying 219 00:11:16,120 --> 00:11:19,520 Speaker 5: in God's perfect well. My father used to say, learn 220 00:11:19,640 --> 00:11:21,440 Speaker 5: to stay in your sweet spot. 221 00:11:22,120 --> 00:11:24,920 Speaker 4: That means you just feel good down in here. You 222 00:11:25,080 --> 00:11:26,720 Speaker 4: know you're where you're supposed to be. 223 00:11:27,720 --> 00:11:30,679 Speaker 5: In other words, don't take a new job just because 224 00:11:30,679 --> 00:11:34,520 Speaker 5: somebody offers you more money. Pray about it, search your heart. 225 00:11:35,000 --> 00:11:37,720 Speaker 5: There's more to life than money. They may make you 226 00:11:37,760 --> 00:11:41,400 Speaker 5: a better offer. But if the environment's not good, if 227 00:11:41,400 --> 00:11:43,760 Speaker 5: you have to travel all the time, leave your family, 228 00:11:44,040 --> 00:11:46,760 Speaker 5: if you're going to be around negative people, that may 229 00:11:46,800 --> 00:11:49,560 Speaker 5: not be God's best for you. You've got to stay in 230 00:11:49,640 --> 00:11:53,520 Speaker 5: your own place of blessing. Don't override what you're feeling 231 00:11:53,559 --> 00:11:56,000 Speaker 5: down in here. If you have an unrest, that may 232 00:11:56,080 --> 00:11:59,679 Speaker 5: mean the cloud is not moving. I have a friend 233 00:11:59,679 --> 00:12:03,160 Speaker 5: that just passed up a huge promotion. His company wanted 234 00:12:03,240 --> 00:12:06,480 Speaker 5: him to move to another state. After he prayed about it, 235 00:12:06,520 --> 00:12:07,439 Speaker 5: he didn't feel peace. 236 00:12:07,720 --> 00:12:10,079 Speaker 4: He didn't want to leave the church. He didn't want to. 237 00:12:10,040 --> 00:12:13,120 Speaker 5: Leave his friends and his associates. They just could not 238 00:12:13,320 --> 00:12:16,760 Speaker 5: understand it. They couldn't believe he didn't jump at that opportunity. 239 00:12:17,240 --> 00:12:19,600 Speaker 5: But he just did not have a release down in here. 240 00:12:20,200 --> 00:12:22,280 Speaker 5: He asked me, Joel, you think I'm making a mistake. 241 00:12:23,040 --> 00:12:25,560 Speaker 5: I told him what I'm telling you. No matter how 242 00:12:25,640 --> 00:12:27,400 Speaker 5: good the offer, if you don't have. 243 00:12:27,400 --> 00:12:31,120 Speaker 4: Peace about it, it's not right for you. It was like. 244 00:12:31,040 --> 00:12:33,800 Speaker 5: A burden was lifted off of him. He seemed so 245 00:12:34,000 --> 00:12:38,640 Speaker 5: relieved what was happening. He was following the cloud and 246 00:12:38,800 --> 00:12:42,040 Speaker 5: staying in God's perfect will should be one of our 247 00:12:42,160 --> 00:12:46,280 Speaker 5: highest priorities. On a regular basis, we need to ask ourselves, 248 00:12:46,640 --> 00:12:49,200 Speaker 5: am I in my place of blessing? Is this where 249 00:12:49,200 --> 00:12:52,200 Speaker 5: I know I'm supposed to be and when I say 250 00:12:52,400 --> 00:12:54,679 Speaker 5: place of blessing, of course I'm not talking about just 251 00:12:54,720 --> 00:12:59,080 Speaker 5: material things. I'm talking about peace. I'm talking about fulfilment 252 00:12:59,880 --> 00:13:03,240 Speaker 5: that you're exactly where God wants you to be. I 253 00:13:03,280 --> 00:13:06,760 Speaker 5: know this couple. They live in Botswana, Africa. They have 254 00:13:06,880 --> 00:13:10,160 Speaker 5: several children, and for years they lived in a little 255 00:13:10,200 --> 00:13:15,000 Speaker 5: hut with no air conditioning, no running water. It was hot, 256 00:13:15,480 --> 00:13:19,280 Speaker 5: it was dirty, no TV, no grocery stores. But every 257 00:13:19,320 --> 00:13:22,200 Speaker 5: time I talk to them they were as happy as 258 00:13:22,280 --> 00:13:25,280 Speaker 5: can be. In fact, one time I asked them, how 259 00:13:25,280 --> 00:13:27,040 Speaker 5: do you do it? Isn't it hard to. 260 00:13:27,120 --> 00:13:28,160 Speaker 4: Raise your children here? 261 00:13:28,920 --> 00:13:31,880 Speaker 5: They looked at me, almost confused, and said, Joel, we 262 00:13:31,920 --> 00:13:33,040 Speaker 5: were wondering the same. 263 00:13:32,840 --> 00:13:34,480 Speaker 4: Thing about you. How do you stay there? 264 00:13:35,960 --> 00:13:39,480 Speaker 5: What they were saying is we're blessed, We're fulfilled. Why 265 00:13:39,640 --> 00:13:41,480 Speaker 5: was that they were in their. 266 00:13:41,360 --> 00:13:42,480 Speaker 4: Place of blessing. 267 00:13:43,400 --> 00:13:45,720 Speaker 5: You may be able to make more money somewhere else, 268 00:13:46,120 --> 00:13:48,960 Speaker 5: something may look more attractive to you, But when you're 269 00:13:49,000 --> 00:13:52,200 Speaker 5: in God's perfect will, there is a peace and a 270 00:13:52,240 --> 00:13:56,920 Speaker 5: fulfillment that money cannot buy. First Kings, Chapter seventeen and 271 00:13:57,000 --> 00:14:02,120 Speaker 5: verse three. God said to Elijah, leave here, go east 272 00:14:02,440 --> 00:14:06,280 Speaker 5: down to the brook, for I have commanded the ravens 273 00:14:06,320 --> 00:14:09,959 Speaker 5: to feed you there. Notice there was a place where 274 00:14:10,000 --> 00:14:12,920 Speaker 5: God commanded Elijah's needs to be supplied. 275 00:14:13,360 --> 00:14:15,360 Speaker 4: Here's what's important. It was up to. 276 00:14:15,360 --> 00:14:19,040 Speaker 5: Elijah to get to that place. He had to be obedient. 277 00:14:19,520 --> 00:14:21,640 Speaker 5: He could have said, God, I'm comfortable where I am. 278 00:14:21,680 --> 00:14:24,480 Speaker 5: I don't want to go down there. Or the problem 279 00:14:24,520 --> 00:14:27,800 Speaker 5: with that thinking is the ravens would have still been 280 00:14:27,840 --> 00:14:31,320 Speaker 5: taken his provision down to the brook. In other words, 281 00:14:31,760 --> 00:14:34,960 Speaker 5: God would have been supplying his needs, but he would 282 00:14:34,960 --> 00:14:36,040 Speaker 5: have not been where. 283 00:14:35,880 --> 00:14:36,840 Speaker 4: He was supposed to be. 284 00:14:37,920 --> 00:14:40,880 Speaker 5: Now, I wonder how many of us have our blessings, 285 00:14:41,120 --> 00:14:45,920 Speaker 5: our provision being taken somewhere that we're not. We didn't 286 00:14:45,960 --> 00:14:49,440 Speaker 5: follow the still small voice. Maybe we're still hanging around 287 00:14:49,480 --> 00:14:52,600 Speaker 5: friends that we don't feel good about. Or what's happening 288 00:14:52,760 --> 00:14:56,280 Speaker 5: is our blessings in favor over here, but we're not 289 00:14:56,360 --> 00:14:59,840 Speaker 5: where we're supposed to be. Or maybe God opened up 290 00:15:00,120 --> 00:15:03,400 Speaker 5: an opportunity of promotion for you. You knew down and 291 00:15:03,440 --> 00:15:05,480 Speaker 5: here you should take it, but you just shrunk back in. 292 00:15:05,440 --> 00:15:07,480 Speaker 4: Fear, thinking, man, I can't do that now. 293 00:15:07,480 --> 00:15:09,640 Speaker 5: I don't know about you, but I'm gonna do my 294 00:15:09,760 --> 00:15:13,200 Speaker 5: best to get and stay in my place of blessing. 295 00:15:13,760 --> 00:15:19,480 Speaker 5: I can't stand to think that God could be delivering favor, blessings, ideas, 296 00:15:19,680 --> 00:15:23,600 Speaker 5: creativity over here. The only problem is I'm not aware 297 00:15:23,760 --> 00:15:27,560 Speaker 5: I'm supposed to be. Now, let's learn to follow the cloud. 298 00:15:27,880 --> 00:15:30,600 Speaker 4: Pay attention to what you're feeling right down in here. 299 00:15:30,960 --> 00:15:35,080 Speaker 5: And it may not mean moving or changing jobs. It 300 00:15:35,120 --> 00:15:37,840 Speaker 5: may be something as simple as you know you're supposed 301 00:15:37,880 --> 00:15:41,880 Speaker 5: to be volunteering somewhere. God's been dealing with you again 302 00:15:41,960 --> 00:15:46,120 Speaker 5: and again about taking care of some elderly neighbors, or 303 00:15:46,160 --> 00:15:49,680 Speaker 5: serving in the children's ministry, mentoring a young person. 304 00:15:50,240 --> 00:15:51,040 Speaker 4: You know down and. 305 00:15:51,000 --> 00:15:53,120 Speaker 5: Here you should be doing it, but you just keep 306 00:15:53,160 --> 00:15:55,840 Speaker 5: putting it off. Man, I'm busy, Joel, I've got so 307 00:15:55,960 --> 00:15:56,680 Speaker 5: many commitments. 308 00:15:56,760 --> 00:15:57,560 Speaker 4: I just can't do that. 309 00:15:58,080 --> 00:16:00,640 Speaker 5: No, You've got to follow the cloud. That could be 310 00:16:00,720 --> 00:16:03,600 Speaker 5: your place of blessing. How do you know that's not 311 00:16:03,640 --> 00:16:06,800 Speaker 5: where the ravens are taking your provision? How do you 312 00:16:06,920 --> 00:16:09,840 Speaker 5: know when you get into God's perfect will doing what 313 00:16:09,880 --> 00:16:12,080 Speaker 5: he asked you to do, that that's not where He's 314 00:16:12,080 --> 00:16:14,280 Speaker 5: going to bless you in ways you never thought possible. 315 00:16:14,720 --> 00:16:16,480 Speaker 5: That could be where you get the break you've been 316 00:16:16,520 --> 00:16:19,040 Speaker 5: waiting for. That could be where you meet the man 317 00:16:19,200 --> 00:16:22,920 Speaker 5: or woman of your dreams. What I'm saying is God 318 00:16:23,080 --> 00:16:27,480 Speaker 5: has a specific place where he's commended you to be blessed. 319 00:16:28,240 --> 00:16:31,360 Speaker 5: Don't just haphazardly kind of apply for this job, Oh 320 00:16:31,400 --> 00:16:33,680 Speaker 5: it looks pretty good, or I'm going to hang out 321 00:16:33,680 --> 00:16:35,760 Speaker 5: with these friends they seem okay, or I'm going to 322 00:16:35,840 --> 00:16:38,080 Speaker 5: serve in this ministry for a couple of weeks. Now, 323 00:16:38,120 --> 00:16:41,000 Speaker 5: you've got to be more focused than that. You're not 324 00:16:41,080 --> 00:16:43,960 Speaker 5: going to be blessed everywhere. You're going to be blessed 325 00:16:44,080 --> 00:16:47,200 Speaker 5: when you're at the right place for you. I got 326 00:16:47,200 --> 00:16:49,920 Speaker 5: a letter from a couple last week real find people. 327 00:16:49,920 --> 00:16:52,600 Speaker 5: I've known him a long time. This man had worked 328 00:16:52,600 --> 00:16:55,200 Speaker 5: at a certain company for many, many years, and he 329 00:16:55,280 --> 00:16:58,000 Speaker 5: was way up there in management, making a good salary. 330 00:16:58,440 --> 00:17:00,840 Speaker 5: But down in here he really wanted to start his 331 00:17:00,920 --> 00:17:04,080 Speaker 5: own business. He knew that was a dream that God 332 00:17:04,119 --> 00:17:06,359 Speaker 5: put in in his heart, but year after year, he 333 00:17:06,440 --> 00:17:09,399 Speaker 5: just kept putting it off. He was afraid he might fail, 334 00:17:09,480 --> 00:17:12,440 Speaker 5: afraid he didn't have what it takes. One day he 335 00:17:12,440 --> 00:17:15,359 Speaker 5: heard me talking about getting out of your comfort zone 336 00:17:15,440 --> 00:17:18,239 Speaker 5: and being willing to take a risk. That lit a 337 00:17:18,320 --> 00:17:22,000 Speaker 5: new fire on the inside. He resigned from his company, 338 00:17:22,480 --> 00:17:25,359 Speaker 5: and they took all of their retirement and used it 339 00:17:25,400 --> 00:17:29,359 Speaker 5: to start this new consulting business. Little by little it 340 00:17:29,440 --> 00:17:32,800 Speaker 5: began to grow. They started seeing God's favor in a 341 00:17:32,840 --> 00:17:36,400 Speaker 5: greater way his old company. They tried to talk him 342 00:17:36,400 --> 00:17:38,560 Speaker 5: out of it. They told him it would never work, 343 00:17:38,840 --> 00:17:42,280 Speaker 5: But today they're his largest client. He went on to 344 00:17:42,320 --> 00:17:45,040 Speaker 5: tell how last year he made three times what he 345 00:17:45,119 --> 00:17:47,520 Speaker 5: made working at that other place. And they were so 346 00:17:47,720 --> 00:17:49,960 Speaker 5: concerned about their retirement, but now they've. 347 00:17:49,800 --> 00:17:50,840 Speaker 4: Already paid it back. 348 00:17:51,240 --> 00:17:54,240 Speaker 5: They said, Joel, We've never dreamed we would see God's 349 00:17:54,280 --> 00:17:56,080 Speaker 5: favor in the way we've seen him. 350 00:17:56,640 --> 00:17:57,360 Speaker 4: What happened. 351 00:17:57,720 --> 00:18:00,680 Speaker 5: They got to their place a blessing. They got down 352 00:18:00,760 --> 00:18:03,560 Speaker 5: to the brook where God commanded them to be blessed, 353 00:18:04,320 --> 00:18:06,520 Speaker 5: and they explained how it was a lot of work, 354 00:18:07,080 --> 00:18:08,800 Speaker 5: but it wasn't a constant burden. 355 00:18:09,400 --> 00:18:10,280 Speaker 4: They didn't live with. 356 00:18:10,240 --> 00:18:13,040 Speaker 5: A headache day in and day out, wondering how it's 357 00:18:13,080 --> 00:18:16,920 Speaker 5: all going to happen. No, God supernaturally just brought things 358 00:18:16,920 --> 00:18:20,080 Speaker 5: into place. When you follow the leading down in here, 359 00:18:20,200 --> 00:18:22,960 Speaker 5: you will never go wrong. And certainly you have to 360 00:18:23,080 --> 00:18:25,720 Speaker 5: use wisdom. Don't just jump out and try to make 361 00:18:25,760 --> 00:18:28,280 Speaker 5: things happen. But when you feel good about it down 362 00:18:28,280 --> 00:18:31,200 Speaker 5: in here, when you know it's right, dare to take 363 00:18:31,200 --> 00:18:33,680 Speaker 5: that step of faith. Don't come to the end of 364 00:18:33,720 --> 00:18:36,480 Speaker 5: your life and have to wonder what would have happened 365 00:18:36,720 --> 00:18:39,800 Speaker 5: if you'd been willing to take that risk, follow the 366 00:18:39,840 --> 00:18:42,600 Speaker 5: cloud and get to the place of blessing for your 367 00:18:42,640 --> 00:18:46,159 Speaker 5: own life. Well, Elijah got down to the brook. He 368 00:18:46,280 --> 00:18:49,040 Speaker 5: was obedient, and God blessed him and met all of 369 00:18:49,040 --> 00:18:53,159 Speaker 5: his needs. But one day the brook dried up, the 370 00:18:53,200 --> 00:18:57,520 Speaker 5: water quit flowing, the ravens quit coming, and so God 371 00:18:57,600 --> 00:19:00,639 Speaker 5: told him, Elijah, I want you to go to the 372 00:19:00,640 --> 00:19:04,919 Speaker 5: city of Zarah Path, for I have commanded a widow. 373 00:19:04,640 --> 00:19:06,440 Speaker 4: To take care of you. 374 00:19:06,440 --> 00:19:10,480 Speaker 5: Notice once again, God had a specific place where he 375 00:19:10,600 --> 00:19:14,720 Speaker 5: commanded Elijah's needs to be met. The whole key was 376 00:19:14,720 --> 00:19:17,760 Speaker 5: Elijah had to keep following the cloud getting to that 377 00:19:17,960 --> 00:19:22,720 Speaker 5: place of blessing. This tells me that sometimes a brook 378 00:19:22,800 --> 00:19:26,200 Speaker 5: will dry up, sometimes a season is going to be over, 379 00:19:26,240 --> 00:19:27,880 Speaker 5: and God's going to try to push you into. 380 00:19:27,720 --> 00:19:28,320 Speaker 4: A new area. 381 00:19:28,880 --> 00:19:31,760 Speaker 5: You have to stay open and be willing to follow 382 00:19:31,960 --> 00:19:33,200 Speaker 5: that leading down in here. 383 00:19:33,920 --> 00:19:34,680 Speaker 4: It's interesting. 384 00:19:34,800 --> 00:19:37,959 Speaker 5: When Elijah was down at the brook, he was hiding 385 00:19:38,040 --> 00:19:41,879 Speaker 5: from an enemy. Somebody had been chasing him. Do you 386 00:19:42,000 --> 00:19:45,800 Speaker 5: know where his enemy's hometown was. It was the city 387 00:19:46,000 --> 00:19:49,360 Speaker 5: of Zarah Path, exactly where God told him to go. 388 00:19:50,200 --> 00:19:53,280 Speaker 5: Think about it. God could have sent Elijah anywhere, but he. 389 00:19:53,320 --> 00:19:57,040 Speaker 4: Sent him right to his enemy's hometown. What's my point? 390 00:19:57,720 --> 00:20:02,000 Speaker 5: Sometimes God leads us to do things that don't make sense. God, 391 00:20:02,040 --> 00:20:05,160 Speaker 5: you want me to leave my position, use my retirement 392 00:20:05,160 --> 00:20:06,200 Speaker 5: to start a new business. 393 00:20:06,720 --> 00:20:07,480 Speaker 4: God you want me to. 394 00:20:07,520 --> 00:20:11,040 Speaker 5: Quit hanging around this person. They're the only friend I have. God, 395 00:20:11,080 --> 00:20:12,960 Speaker 5: you want me to bless my neighbors and be good 396 00:20:12,960 --> 00:20:16,400 Speaker 5: to them. They've been so rude to me. Sometimes we're 397 00:20:16,400 --> 00:20:18,800 Speaker 5: not going to understand it, but that's what takes faith. 398 00:20:19,359 --> 00:20:22,040 Speaker 5: You have to remind yourself this is God trying to 399 00:20:22,080 --> 00:20:24,960 Speaker 5: get me to my place of blessing. God is trying 400 00:20:24,960 --> 00:20:27,520 Speaker 5: to get me to where He's commanded my needs to 401 00:20:27,560 --> 00:20:28,200 Speaker 5: be supplied. 402 00:20:28,680 --> 00:20:30,200 Speaker 4: I think about my brother Paul. 403 00:20:30,440 --> 00:20:33,720 Speaker 5: For seventeen years, he was a surgeon in Little Rock. 404 00:20:34,200 --> 00:20:36,879 Speaker 5: He had a very successful practice. In fact, he was 405 00:20:36,920 --> 00:20:40,040 Speaker 5: the chief of surgery there. He and some of his 406 00:20:40,160 --> 00:20:42,440 Speaker 5: partners were part owners of the new hospital. 407 00:20:43,000 --> 00:20:43,800 Speaker 4: Life was good. 408 00:20:43,880 --> 00:20:47,000 Speaker 5: Paul was fulfilling his destiny, helping a lot of people. 409 00:20:47,480 --> 00:20:50,440 Speaker 5: But back in nineteen ninety nine, when my father went 410 00:20:50,480 --> 00:20:53,280 Speaker 5: to be with the Lord. Paul was driving home from 411 00:20:53,359 --> 00:20:57,320 Speaker 5: Daddy's memorial service and he heard that still small voice 412 00:20:57,359 --> 00:21:02,000 Speaker 5: telling him to come back home pastor the church in 413 00:21:02,080 --> 00:21:04,680 Speaker 5: the natural, that didn't make a lot of sense here. 414 00:21:04,760 --> 00:21:07,320 Speaker 5: Paul had gone to school some twelve years to become 415 00:21:07,359 --> 00:21:10,760 Speaker 5: a surgeon. His colleagues told him he was just grieving, 416 00:21:11,119 --> 00:21:13,159 Speaker 5: he was just having a midlife crisis. 417 00:21:13,640 --> 00:21:14,600 Speaker 4: But Paul knew. 418 00:21:14,359 --> 00:21:16,800 Speaker 5: Down in here he was supposed to come back home. 419 00:21:17,320 --> 00:21:18,520 Speaker 4: He did exactly that. 420 00:21:19,160 --> 00:21:21,440 Speaker 5: We wouldn't be where we are today if Paul had 421 00:21:21,440 --> 00:21:26,440 Speaker 5: not taken that step of faith. And not only that, 422 00:21:27,160 --> 00:21:30,520 Speaker 5: how much more blessed could Paul possibly be than by 423 00:21:30,520 --> 00:21:34,840 Speaker 5: being able to work with me every day? But the 424 00:21:34,880 --> 00:21:38,439 Speaker 5: truth is, if Paul had not come, I'm. 425 00:21:38,320 --> 00:21:39,720 Speaker 4: Sure he would have still been happy. 426 00:21:39,760 --> 00:21:42,600 Speaker 5: I'm sure he'd be okay, But I don't believe he 427 00:21:42,640 --> 00:21:44,200 Speaker 5: would have the joy and the. 428 00:21:44,080 --> 00:21:45,879 Speaker 4: Fulfillment that he does here. 429 00:21:46,040 --> 00:21:48,480 Speaker 5: It's not because of us, It's because he's in his 430 00:21:48,880 --> 00:21:52,840 Speaker 5: place of blessing. And again, sometime that brook will drive up, 431 00:21:53,359 --> 00:21:57,120 Speaker 5: a season will be over. Don't fight it, don't struggle, 432 00:21:57,480 --> 00:22:00,800 Speaker 5: just fallow the cloud. And I believe every season will 433 00:22:00,800 --> 00:22:05,080 Speaker 5: get better and better. Let me ask you today, are 434 00:22:05,160 --> 00:22:10,119 Speaker 5: the ravens taking your provision somewhere that you're not. You 435 00:22:10,160 --> 00:22:13,080 Speaker 5: cannot work in the wrong job for twenty years and 436 00:22:13,160 --> 00:22:16,359 Speaker 5: expect to really be blessed. You can't sit in a 437 00:22:16,440 --> 00:22:20,520 Speaker 5: church week after week with people condemning you, telling you 438 00:22:20,560 --> 00:22:22,600 Speaker 5: that you're a weak worm of the dust, filling you 439 00:22:22,640 --> 00:22:25,359 Speaker 5: with doubt and unbelief. You cannot listen to that junk 440 00:22:25,600 --> 00:22:26,640 Speaker 5: and expect to live a. 441 00:22:26,560 --> 00:22:27,840 Speaker 4: Life of victory. 442 00:22:28,040 --> 00:22:30,359 Speaker 5: Well, Joel, my grandparents went to this church, and my 443 00:22:30,440 --> 00:22:31,720 Speaker 5: great grandparents went here. 444 00:22:31,920 --> 00:22:33,800 Speaker 4: This is just where I'm planted now. 445 00:22:33,840 --> 00:22:37,400 Speaker 5: With all due respect, If you're planted in concrete, you're 446 00:22:37,440 --> 00:22:40,760 Speaker 5: not going to grow. You need to find somewhere where 447 00:22:40,800 --> 00:22:44,560 Speaker 5: people will inspire you to rise higher. Find a place 448 00:22:44,600 --> 00:22:47,679 Speaker 5: whereas people will challenge you to become all God's created you. 449 00:22:47,720 --> 00:22:51,400 Speaker 5: To be a place where people will speak of life 450 00:22:51,440 --> 00:22:56,760 Speaker 5: and victory into you. Remember, your blessing is tied to 451 00:22:56,840 --> 00:22:58,640 Speaker 5: being at the right place for you. 452 00:22:59,520 --> 00:23:01,760 Speaker 4: I wouldn't sit in a place where. 453 00:23:01,520 --> 00:23:06,200 Speaker 5: The leadership lacks integrity, or where they are controlling, trying 454 00:23:06,200 --> 00:23:08,560 Speaker 5: to make you feel guilty if you don't do exactly 455 00:23:08,600 --> 00:23:10,760 Speaker 5: what they want you to do. I wouldn't go to 456 00:23:10,800 --> 00:23:13,679 Speaker 5: a place where they're always beating me down, telling me 457 00:23:13,720 --> 00:23:16,840 Speaker 5: I have no future and I'm all washed up. Talks 458 00:23:16,880 --> 00:23:19,960 Speaker 5: about in Psalms one thirty three, how when they poured 459 00:23:19,960 --> 00:23:23,920 Speaker 5: the oil on Erin's head, he was the priest, the leader. 460 00:23:24,200 --> 00:23:27,199 Speaker 5: The oil flowed from his head, down his beard, to 461 00:23:27,280 --> 00:23:31,119 Speaker 5: the rest of his body. That symbolized how the anoying 462 00:23:31,560 --> 00:23:35,239 Speaker 5: goes from the leader down to the people. That tells me, 463 00:23:35,720 --> 00:23:39,040 Speaker 5: I'm going to receive the same type of annoying of 464 00:23:39,080 --> 00:23:47,600 Speaker 5: the leadership I put myself under. If that leader is controlling, condemning, arrogant, 465 00:23:47,640 --> 00:23:50,840 Speaker 5: no humility, that's what's gonna flow down. I don't know 466 00:23:50,880 --> 00:23:53,000 Speaker 5: about you, but I don't need that junk in my life. 467 00:23:53,280 --> 00:23:58,879 Speaker 5: Get under good leadership. There are thousands of great churches 468 00:23:59,560 --> 00:24:04,280 Speaker 5: with eight ministers that have hearts of gold. Get connected 469 00:24:04,280 --> 00:24:08,400 Speaker 5: to the right place. And number two, stay faithful. Don't 470 00:24:08,440 --> 00:24:10,200 Speaker 5: run from church to church every week. 471 00:24:10,440 --> 00:24:11,200 Speaker 4: Be committed. 472 00:24:11,440 --> 00:24:15,240 Speaker 5: That's where your place of blessing is. And I say 473 00:24:15,280 --> 00:24:19,040 Speaker 5: this with all humility. God knows my heart, but God's 474 00:24:19,119 --> 00:24:22,520 Speaker 5: favor is on our ministry. And I know as you 475 00:24:22,680 --> 00:24:28,000 Speaker 5: come each week, as you watch each week the same favor, 476 00:24:28,040 --> 00:24:31,320 Speaker 5: the same annoying, the same blessing. This on our ministry 477 00:24:31,560 --> 00:24:34,800 Speaker 5: is flowing right down to you. And as you continue, 478 00:24:35,560 --> 00:24:38,080 Speaker 5: you're going to be more blessed. You're going to be 479 00:24:38,119 --> 00:24:41,080 Speaker 5: more mature, You're going to have more favor, You're gonna 480 00:24:41,080 --> 00:24:43,840 Speaker 5: have a bigger vision, You're gonna be a bigger blessing. 481 00:24:43,840 --> 00:24:44,560 Speaker 4: Wherever you go. 482 00:24:44,840 --> 00:24:47,919 Speaker 5: Your faith is going to increase, not because of me, 483 00:24:48,400 --> 00:24:51,240 Speaker 5: but because of the annoying and favor that God's put 484 00:24:51,280 --> 00:24:53,920 Speaker 5: on our ministry. I was talking to a friend of 485 00:24:53,960 --> 00:24:57,040 Speaker 5: mine the other day. He was telling how blessed he's 486 00:24:57,080 --> 00:24:59,960 Speaker 5: been here and how he was sharing with his wife 487 00:25:00,400 --> 00:25:03,320 Speaker 5: how they have to put themselves in a position to receive, 488 00:25:03,920 --> 00:25:08,040 Speaker 5: in their attitude, in their actions, in their faithfulness. That way, 489 00:25:08,280 --> 00:25:11,280 Speaker 5: when the annoying flows from the head, there won't be 490 00:25:11,359 --> 00:25:13,280 Speaker 5: any barriers to stop it. 491 00:25:13,280 --> 00:25:14,480 Speaker 4: It will cling to you. 492 00:25:14,720 --> 00:25:18,439 Speaker 5: Why you put yourself in a position to receive, And 493 00:25:18,480 --> 00:25:21,760 Speaker 5: every time you come through these doors, every time you watch, 494 00:25:22,160 --> 00:25:24,639 Speaker 5: you should say, Father, I want to thank you that 495 00:25:24,760 --> 00:25:27,160 Speaker 5: the same annoying you put in that place. 496 00:25:27,040 --> 00:25:27,920 Speaker 4: Is flowing down to me. 497 00:25:28,400 --> 00:25:31,639 Speaker 5: The favor, the increase, the promotion, the joy, the peace, 498 00:25:31,720 --> 00:25:35,480 Speaker 5: the victory. I receive that by faith. See, don't just 499 00:25:35,560 --> 00:25:39,040 Speaker 5: come to church have the attitude. I'm receiving favor today, 500 00:25:39,480 --> 00:25:43,280 Speaker 5: I'm receiving strength. My faith is growing, I'm coming up higher. 501 00:25:43,640 --> 00:25:46,520 Speaker 5: When you do that, you're just soaking up the annoying 502 00:25:46,560 --> 00:25:50,399 Speaker 5: that's flowing down. So important the leadership you put yourself 503 00:25:50,480 --> 00:25:53,240 Speaker 5: under and who you allow to speak into your life. 504 00:25:54,000 --> 00:25:58,000 Speaker 5: You remember, in the Old Testament, God promised Elisha that 505 00:25:58,080 --> 00:26:01,280 Speaker 5: he would have a double portion of Elijah annoying. But 506 00:26:01,320 --> 00:26:04,760 Speaker 5: God said, Elisha, it'll happen under one condition. Not how 507 00:26:04,840 --> 00:26:07,200 Speaker 5: much you pray, not how many scriptures you can quote. 508 00:26:07,560 --> 00:26:10,720 Speaker 5: You have to be in the right place. You have 509 00:26:10,840 --> 00:26:15,680 Speaker 5: to stay close to Elijah. For years, Elisha was faithful. 510 00:26:16,160 --> 00:26:19,200 Speaker 5: He followed Elijah everywhere he went. In fact, a couple 511 00:26:19,240 --> 00:26:21,159 Speaker 5: times Elijah tried to get rid of him, tried to 512 00:26:21,200 --> 00:26:23,200 Speaker 5: lose him, but Elisha stayed right with him. 513 00:26:23,280 --> 00:26:27,160 Speaker 4: He was determined. Elisha's job was to help take care 514 00:26:27,359 --> 00:26:29,560 Speaker 4: of Elijah. He was an older man. 515 00:26:30,119 --> 00:26:32,760 Speaker 5: He would take him food and water, assist him in 516 00:26:32,920 --> 00:26:35,440 Speaker 5: menial things, and in the natural it looked. 517 00:26:35,320 --> 00:26:36,320 Speaker 4: Kind of unimportant. 518 00:26:36,880 --> 00:26:39,639 Speaker 5: I'm sure some of Elisha's friends said, Elishah, what are 519 00:26:39,640 --> 00:26:42,439 Speaker 5: you doing spending your time following this older man around. 520 00:26:42,880 --> 00:26:44,800 Speaker 4: You've got dreams and desires. You need to go on 521 00:26:44,920 --> 00:26:48,679 Speaker 4: with your life. But no, Elisha knew something they didn't know. 522 00:26:49,200 --> 00:26:50,080 Speaker 4: He knew if he. 523 00:26:50,119 --> 00:26:52,960 Speaker 5: Was at the right place, then at the right time, 524 00:26:53,440 --> 00:26:56,199 Speaker 5: God was going to release double into his life. He 525 00:26:56,280 --> 00:26:59,560 Speaker 5: knew as he stayed close to Elijah, little by little, 526 00:26:59,600 --> 00:27:03,239 Speaker 5: that's say, annoying was flowing into him. And sometimes it 527 00:27:03,280 --> 00:27:05,840 Speaker 5: may be difficult, and you think, man, Joel, I'm serving 528 00:27:05,920 --> 00:27:09,080 Speaker 5: in the children's ministry. Nobody's telling me thank you. I 529 00:27:09,119 --> 00:27:11,840 Speaker 5: came to church, I didn't feel like anything was happening. No, 530 00:27:11,960 --> 00:27:14,960 Speaker 5: whether you realize it or not, the same annoying that 531 00:27:15,000 --> 00:27:17,280 Speaker 5: God's put in this place is flowing down to you. 532 00:27:18,080 --> 00:27:23,399 Speaker 5: And Elisha was faithful because he recognized his destiny was 533 00:27:23,440 --> 00:27:26,120 Speaker 5: connected to being at the right place. He got exactly 534 00:27:26,160 --> 00:27:29,480 Speaker 5: what God promised, a double portion. And when you're at 535 00:27:29,480 --> 00:27:32,880 Speaker 5: the right place, connected to the right people, that's when 536 00:27:32,960 --> 00:27:36,160 Speaker 5: God is going to release great things into your life. Now, 537 00:27:36,160 --> 00:27:39,480 Speaker 5: I'm asking you today to fall of the cloud for 538 00:27:39,600 --> 00:27:43,400 Speaker 5: your own life. Be determined to get to that place 539 00:27:43,640 --> 00:27:45,320 Speaker 5: of blessing for yourself. 540 00:27:46,119 --> 00:27:48,240 Speaker 4: You may not have seen it in the past. Search 541 00:27:48,280 --> 00:27:48,720 Speaker 4: your heart. 542 00:27:49,400 --> 00:27:53,080 Speaker 5: Make sure you're obeying even in smaller areas. And sure 543 00:27:53,080 --> 00:27:54,880 Speaker 5: we all go through difficult seasons. 544 00:27:55,040 --> 00:27:56,000 Speaker 4: Just stay faithful. 545 00:27:56,440 --> 00:27:59,520 Speaker 5: Remember your blessing is connected to being at the right 546 00:27:59,560 --> 00:28:02,520 Speaker 5: place for you, and if you will, staying in God's 547 00:28:02,560 --> 00:28:06,120 Speaker 5: perfect will a priority. I know this God will lead 548 00:28:06,200 --> 00:28:09,360 Speaker 5: you and guide you. He'll pour out his blessings in favor, 549 00:28:09,640 --> 00:28:12,040 Speaker 5: and you'll live that life of victory that he has 550 00:28:12,080 --> 00:28:12,520 Speaker 5: in store. 551 00:28:12,640 --> 00:28:14,119 Speaker 4: Amen, do you receive it today? 552 00:28:15,359 --> 00:28:18,280 Speaker 5: We never like to close our broadcast without giving you 553 00:28:18,320 --> 00:28:21,400 Speaker 5: an opportunity to make Jesus the lord of your life. 554 00:28:21,560 --> 00:28:22,520 Speaker 4: Would you pray with me? 555 00:28:23,280 --> 00:28:28,840 Speaker 5: Just say, Lord, Jesus, I repent of my sins, Come 556 00:28:28,840 --> 00:28:29,600 Speaker 5: into my heart. 557 00:28:30,800 --> 00:28:32,400 Speaker 4: I make you my Lord and savior. 558 00:28:33,359 --> 00:28:35,879 Speaker 5: Friends, if you prayed that simple prayer, we believe you 559 00:28:35,960 --> 00:28:38,920 Speaker 5: got born again. Get in a good Bible based church. 560 00:28:39,320 --> 00:28:42,160 Speaker 5: Keep God first place. He's going to take you places 561 00:28:42,240 --> 00:28:43,360 Speaker 5: that you've never dreamed of. 562 00:28:43,600 --> 00:28:47,040 Speaker 4: Thank you for listening to the joel Oustine podcast. Help 563 00:28:47,120 --> 00:28:49,840 Speaker 4: us continue to share the message of hope with those 564 00:28:49,960 --> 00:28:53,840 Speaker 4: all over the world. Visit Joelostine dot com slash give 565 00:28:53,920 --> 00:28:57,720 Speaker 4: hope to give a gift today. Thanks so much for 566 00:28:57,800 --> 00:28:59,320 Speaker 4: listening to today's message. 567 00:28:59,440 --> 00:29:02,200 Speaker 5: I hope you'll subscribe so you can receive the latest 568 00:29:02,240 --> 00:29:03,680 Speaker 5: podcast to keep. 569 00:29:03,520 --> 00:29:06,480 Speaker 4: You inspired all through the week. We're praying for you. 570 00:29:06,640 --> 00:29:09,120 Speaker 4: I know God's best is still ahead. We'll see you 571 00:29:09,160 --> 00:29:09,680 Speaker 4: next time.