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Now you 21 00:00:46,320 --> 00:00:49,280 Speaker 3: can visit facet dot com to take the free quiz 22 00:00:49,320 --> 00:00:53,920 Speaker 3: and get your financial wellness score today. That's Facet dot com. 23 00:00:53,960 --> 00:00:56,040 Speaker 3: This ad is sponsored by Facet. Facet Wealth Incorporated is 24 00:00:56,040 --> 00:00:58,040 Speaker 3: an SEC registered investment advisor. This is not an offer 25 00:00:58,080 --> 00:00:59,920 Speaker 3: to buy yourself security snore? Is it investment, legal or 26 00:01:00,080 --> 00:01:00,560 Speaker 3: tax advice. 27 00:01:01,320 --> 00:01:04,440 Speaker 4: You're ready for a comeback, and with Purdue Global you 28 00:01:04,560 --> 00:01:07,520 Speaker 4: can do more than take classes. You can take charge 29 00:01:08,040 --> 00:01:12,039 Speaker 4: of your story, of your career, of your life. Earn 30 00:01:12,080 --> 00:01:14,080 Speaker 4: a degree you can be proud of, and get an 31 00:01:14,200 --> 00:01:19,040 Speaker 4: education employer's respect. It's time, your time, not just to 32 00:01:19,120 --> 00:01:21,480 Speaker 4: go back to school, but to come back and move 33 00:01:21,600 --> 00:01:26,320 Speaker 4: forward with Purdue Global, Purdue's online university for working adults. 34 00:01:26,959 --> 00:01:30,399 Speaker 4: Start your comeback at Purdueglobal dot edu. 35 00:01:31,280 --> 00:01:34,160 Speaker 5: Hi, this is Joelan Victoria. Thanks for listening to our 36 00:01:34,280 --> 00:01:36,760 Speaker 5: podcast and thanks for supporting the ministry. 37 00:01:36,959 --> 00:01:39,280 Speaker 1: If you enjoy today's message, why don't you be a 38 00:01:39,319 --> 00:01:40,360 Speaker 1: blessing and share. 39 00:01:40,200 --> 00:01:40,840 Speaker 6: It with a friend. 40 00:01:41,200 --> 00:01:44,440 Speaker 5: Reappreciate you and pray for God's very best in your life. 41 00:01:55,720 --> 00:01:58,760 Speaker 5: Oh God, bless you. It's always a joy to come 42 00:01:58,840 --> 00:02:01,480 Speaker 5: into your homes. We love you and we know God 43 00:02:01,600 --> 00:02:03,840 Speaker 5: has great things in store for each one of you. 44 00:02:04,400 --> 00:02:06,720 Speaker 5: If you're ever in our area, I hope you'll stop 45 00:02:06,800 --> 00:02:08,799 Speaker 5: buying and be a part of one of our services. 46 00:02:09,200 --> 00:02:12,000 Speaker 5: These are the finest people in all of Houston, Texas, 47 00:02:12,200 --> 00:02:14,480 Speaker 5: right here at Lakewood, So come out and see us, 48 00:02:15,040 --> 00:02:17,120 Speaker 5: Thanks for tuning in, Thanks for coming out again. 49 00:02:17,960 --> 00:02:19,799 Speaker 6: I like to start with something funny each week. 50 00:02:19,880 --> 00:02:23,480 Speaker 5: And I heard about this lady that surprised a burglar 51 00:02:23,880 --> 00:02:27,120 Speaker 5: in her kitchen one night. She was alone and unarmed, 52 00:02:27,160 --> 00:02:29,480 Speaker 5: didn't really know what to do, so she thought, I'll 53 00:02:29,600 --> 00:02:33,160 Speaker 5: just quote a scripture and she shouted out Acts two 54 00:02:33,320 --> 00:02:33,840 Speaker 5: thirty eight. 55 00:02:34,680 --> 00:02:37,320 Speaker 6: Suddenly the burglar froze in his tracks. 56 00:02:37,720 --> 00:02:40,440 Speaker 5: The police soon arrived, and they were amazed at how 57 00:02:40,480 --> 00:02:43,280 Speaker 5: a woman with no weapon could do this. They said 58 00:02:43,320 --> 00:02:46,320 Speaker 5: to the burglar, what was it about that scripture that 59 00:02:46,440 --> 00:02:47,560 Speaker 5: had such an effect on you? 60 00:02:48,240 --> 00:02:51,359 Speaker 6: The burglar said, scripture? What scripture? I thought? 61 00:02:51,440 --> 00:02:53,760 Speaker 5: She said, she had an axe and two thirty eights. 62 00:02:55,600 --> 00:02:57,240 Speaker 5: All right, hold of your Bible. 63 00:02:57,400 --> 00:02:59,960 Speaker 6: Say it like you mean it. This is my vie. 64 00:03:00,639 --> 00:03:03,079 Speaker 5: I am what it says I am. I have what 65 00:03:03,200 --> 00:03:05,680 Speaker 5: it says I have. I can do what it says 66 00:03:05,760 --> 00:03:08,520 Speaker 5: I can do. Today I will be taught the word 67 00:03:08,600 --> 00:03:12,840 Speaker 5: of God. I boldly confess. My mind is alert, my 68 00:03:13,040 --> 00:03:14,040 Speaker 5: heart is receptive. 69 00:03:14,440 --> 00:03:18,040 Speaker 6: I will never be the same. In Jesus' name, God 70 00:03:18,160 --> 00:03:18,600 Speaker 6: bless you. 71 00:03:19,760 --> 00:03:22,239 Speaker 5: I want to talk to you today about how you 72 00:03:22,400 --> 00:03:26,320 Speaker 5: can trust the faithfulness of God. Every one of us 73 00:03:26,520 --> 00:03:28,720 Speaker 5: has dreams and goals in our heart. 74 00:03:29,200 --> 00:03:31,040 Speaker 6: There are promises that we're standing on. 75 00:03:31,840 --> 00:03:34,960 Speaker 5: Maybe you're believing for a child to turn around, or 76 00:03:35,040 --> 00:03:38,960 Speaker 5: believing to get healthy again, believing to start a business, 77 00:03:39,320 --> 00:03:42,800 Speaker 5: to get out of debt, to be in ministry. Deep down, 78 00:03:43,200 --> 00:03:46,160 Speaker 5: you know God has spoken that to your spirit. He's 79 00:03:46,240 --> 00:03:50,480 Speaker 5: birthed it on the inside. But so often, because it's 80 00:03:50,560 --> 00:03:54,320 Speaker 5: taking a long time and we've been through disappointments, we 81 00:03:54,480 --> 00:03:56,920 Speaker 5: get negative and start thinking that it's. 82 00:03:56,840 --> 00:03:57,680 Speaker 6: Not going to happen. 83 00:03:58,480 --> 00:04:01,640 Speaker 5: The reason many people don't see God's promises come to 84 00:04:01,760 --> 00:04:05,800 Speaker 5: pass is because they get discouraged and give up too soon. 85 00:04:06,800 --> 00:04:10,440 Speaker 5: But just because you don't see anything happening doesn't mean 86 00:04:10,520 --> 00:04:13,920 Speaker 5: that God is not working. Just because it's taking a 87 00:04:14,000 --> 00:04:18,000 Speaker 5: long time doesn't mean God ran out of options. Just 88 00:04:18,120 --> 00:04:21,520 Speaker 5: because your mind is saying it's over, your emotions are 89 00:04:21,560 --> 00:04:26,360 Speaker 5: say in no way, the circumstances look impossible, that doesn't 90 00:04:26,480 --> 00:04:29,279 Speaker 5: mean that God is not going to do what he said. 91 00:04:29,920 --> 00:04:34,000 Speaker 6: God is faithful to his word. All of his promises 92 00:04:34,200 --> 00:04:35,400 Speaker 6: are yes and amen. 93 00:04:36,440 --> 00:04:39,640 Speaker 5: That means if you will do your part and believe 94 00:04:39,960 --> 00:04:43,120 Speaker 5: even though it looks impossible, and not let your mind, 95 00:04:43,400 --> 00:04:45,800 Speaker 5: your emotions or other people talk you out of it. 96 00:04:46,240 --> 00:04:50,440 Speaker 5: Then God promises, in due season, at the right time, 97 00:04:51,000 --> 00:04:53,880 Speaker 5: he will bring it to pass. It may not happen 98 00:04:54,120 --> 00:04:57,520 Speaker 5: the way we expect it or on our timetable, but 99 00:04:57,760 --> 00:05:01,160 Speaker 5: God is a faithful God will happen. He will not 100 00:05:01,320 --> 00:05:04,680 Speaker 5: let you down. That's what he said in Hebrews thirteen. 101 00:05:05,400 --> 00:05:09,599 Speaker 5: I will not in any way fail you or leave 102 00:05:09,680 --> 00:05:14,200 Speaker 5: you without support. Therefore we can say with confidence, the 103 00:05:14,400 --> 00:05:15,719 Speaker 5: Lord is my helper. 104 00:05:16,240 --> 00:05:19,360 Speaker 6: I will not be afraid. What can man do to me? 105 00:05:20,520 --> 00:05:22,800 Speaker 6: You need to let that sink down on the inside. 106 00:05:23,360 --> 00:05:24,840 Speaker 6: I will not fail you. 107 00:05:25,960 --> 00:05:29,800 Speaker 5: God is saying, everything is going to work out. I'm 108 00:05:29,839 --> 00:05:33,760 Speaker 5: in complete control. I know what the medical report says. 109 00:05:34,360 --> 00:05:37,680 Speaker 5: I know what the financial situation looks like. I see 110 00:05:37,760 --> 00:05:40,200 Speaker 5: the people that are coming against you. I know how 111 00:05:40,279 --> 00:05:43,240 Speaker 5: big your dreams are. And hear me clearly, I will 112 00:05:43,360 --> 00:05:46,320 Speaker 5: not fail you. I will not let you down. I 113 00:05:46,520 --> 00:05:50,039 Speaker 5: will not let that problem overtake you. I will cause 114 00:05:50,120 --> 00:05:53,960 Speaker 5: you to be the overcomer. God is saying, if we 115 00:05:54,040 --> 00:05:57,360 Speaker 5: will keep our trust in him, he will always make 116 00:05:57,440 --> 00:05:58,919 Speaker 5: a way, even though it. 117 00:05:58,960 --> 00:06:00,240 Speaker 6: Looks like there is no way. 118 00:06:00,880 --> 00:06:04,680 Speaker 5: He will give you strength for every battle, wisdom for 119 00:06:04,839 --> 00:06:10,160 Speaker 5: every decision, peace that passes understanding. God will vindicate you 120 00:06:10,360 --> 00:06:12,839 Speaker 5: for the wrongs that have been done. He will pay 121 00:06:12,920 --> 00:06:14,880 Speaker 5: you back for unfair situations. 122 00:06:15,440 --> 00:06:16,160 Speaker 6: He promised. 123 00:06:16,400 --> 00:06:19,520 Speaker 5: He will not only bring your dreams to pass, but 124 00:06:19,680 --> 00:06:21,159 Speaker 5: he will give you even the. 125 00:06:21,279 --> 00:06:25,880 Speaker 6: Secret desires of your heart. Dare to trust him. Come 126 00:06:26,000 --> 00:06:27,359 Speaker 6: back to that place of peace. 127 00:06:27,920 --> 00:06:32,520 Speaker 5: Quit living worried, stressed out, wondering if it's going to happen. No. 128 00:06:32,680 --> 00:06:35,600 Speaker 6: God has you in the palm of his hand. He 129 00:06:35,800 --> 00:06:37,120 Speaker 6: has never once. 130 00:06:37,040 --> 00:06:40,400 Speaker 5: Failed before, and the good news is he's not about 131 00:06:40,440 --> 00:06:43,760 Speaker 5: to start now. I like the way the amplified version 132 00:06:43,839 --> 00:06:44,760 Speaker 5: puts this passage. 133 00:06:45,160 --> 00:06:47,120 Speaker 6: I will not, I will not. 134 00:06:47,720 --> 00:06:51,679 Speaker 5: I will not ever fail you or release my hold 135 00:06:51,720 --> 00:06:55,160 Speaker 5: on you. That's the only place in the scripture that 136 00:06:55,320 --> 00:06:58,640 Speaker 5: I can find where God repeats something three times in 137 00:06:58,720 --> 00:07:02,840 Speaker 5: a row. The reason God says it three times is 138 00:07:02,960 --> 00:07:05,760 Speaker 5: because he knew how easy it would be to give 139 00:07:05,880 --> 00:07:06,880 Speaker 5: up on his promises. 140 00:07:07,680 --> 00:07:10,000 Speaker 6: He knew, when it was taken a long. 141 00:07:09,880 --> 00:07:13,520 Speaker 5: Time and nothing was going our way, that many people 142 00:07:13,560 --> 00:07:16,720 Speaker 5: would think, well, I don't guess I'm supposed to be blessed. 143 00:07:17,280 --> 00:07:20,440 Speaker 5: I know God promised that I would lend and not borrow, 144 00:07:20,920 --> 00:07:23,320 Speaker 5: but I can barely pay my own bills or I 145 00:07:23,440 --> 00:07:27,400 Speaker 5: know God said he would do exceedingly abundantly above and beyond. 146 00:07:28,160 --> 00:07:29,480 Speaker 6: But I don't see how I could have. 147 00:07:29,880 --> 00:07:33,400 Speaker 5: In Ephesians three twenty decade, I never get any good breaks. 148 00:07:34,280 --> 00:07:38,640 Speaker 5: God knew we would have every opportunity to talk ourselves 149 00:07:38,720 --> 00:07:40,880 Speaker 5: out of it and give up on his promises. 150 00:07:41,320 --> 00:07:44,040 Speaker 6: That's why he said it three times. I will not, 151 00:07:44,640 --> 00:07:48,040 Speaker 6: I will not. I will not ever fail you or 152 00:07:48,120 --> 00:07:48,760 Speaker 6: let you down. 153 00:07:50,000 --> 00:07:52,360 Speaker 5: Now, if God went to the trouble of saying it 154 00:07:52,520 --> 00:07:56,119 Speaker 5: three times, this tells me we need to make sure 155 00:07:56,360 --> 00:08:00,000 Speaker 5: we get it. We need to develop an unshakable confidence 156 00:08:00,720 --> 00:08:04,320 Speaker 5: that says God, I know what you say is true, 157 00:08:04,920 --> 00:08:07,480 Speaker 5: and I'm not going to be moved by what I see. 158 00:08:08,160 --> 00:08:10,680 Speaker 5: I'm not going to be discouraged by what I don't see. 159 00:08:11,320 --> 00:08:13,240 Speaker 5: I'm not going to give up because it's taken a 160 00:08:13,320 --> 00:08:16,680 Speaker 5: long time. God, I trust you. I know you will 161 00:08:16,800 --> 00:08:19,760 Speaker 5: never fail, you will never let me down. So I 162 00:08:20,000 --> 00:08:24,080 Speaker 5: boldly say, the Lord is my helper all. 163 00:08:24,040 --> 00:08:24,560 Speaker 6: Through the day. 164 00:08:24,760 --> 00:08:28,080 Speaker 5: We should make that declaration, the Lord is my helper. 165 00:08:28,840 --> 00:08:31,880 Speaker 5: When you're tempted to feel overwhelmed like you're not going 166 00:08:31,960 --> 00:08:34,800 Speaker 5: to make it. No, the Lord is my helper. He's 167 00:08:34,840 --> 00:08:37,920 Speaker 5: making my crooked places straight, Well, it looks like you'll 168 00:08:37,960 --> 00:08:40,680 Speaker 5: never get well. No, No, the Lord is my helper. 169 00:08:40,840 --> 00:08:44,120 Speaker 5: He's restoring health back. Unto me, Well, it seems like 170 00:08:44,240 --> 00:08:47,079 Speaker 5: the economy is going to push your business under No, 171 00:08:47,520 --> 00:08:48,960 Speaker 5: the Lord is my helper. 172 00:08:49,200 --> 00:08:51,960 Speaker 6: He's Jehovah Jirah, the Lord my provider. 173 00:08:52,559 --> 00:08:57,280 Speaker 5: When you learn to magnify the promises rather than magnifying 174 00:08:57,400 --> 00:09:01,760 Speaker 5: the problems, then the Lord God will show up and 175 00:09:01,920 --> 00:09:05,400 Speaker 5: act as your helper and make sure that those promises 176 00:09:05,480 --> 00:09:10,520 Speaker 5: come to pass. And understand, God is not necessarily obligated 177 00:09:10,880 --> 00:09:13,920 Speaker 5: to bring to past what we say, but he is 178 00:09:14,240 --> 00:09:17,880 Speaker 5: obligated to bring to pass what he says. This is 179 00:09:17,960 --> 00:09:21,640 Speaker 5: why it's so important to find the promises that apply 180 00:09:21,840 --> 00:09:26,400 Speaker 5: to your situation and remind God what he said. In 181 00:09:26,480 --> 00:09:30,400 Speaker 5: other words, God, you said, you are my helper and 182 00:09:30,600 --> 00:09:33,880 Speaker 5: you will never fail me or let me down. God 183 00:09:34,040 --> 00:09:37,040 Speaker 5: is obligated to bring that promise to pass. That's his 184 00:09:37,280 --> 00:09:40,839 Speaker 5: word that is forever true. Or God, I'm in this 185 00:09:41,000 --> 00:09:44,319 Speaker 5: big problem. People are coming against me. But God, you 186 00:09:44,480 --> 00:09:47,880 Speaker 5: said in Psalms, the strength of the wicked is being 187 00:09:47,960 --> 00:09:52,240 Speaker 5: cut off and the power of the godly is being increased. God, 188 00:09:52,400 --> 00:09:55,679 Speaker 5: you said, the trap the enemy set for me, they 189 00:09:55,720 --> 00:09:59,960 Speaker 5: would fall in themselves. See, instead of complaining about the situation, 190 00:10:00,920 --> 00:10:03,640 Speaker 5: or instead of begging God, God, please help me. God 191 00:10:03,720 --> 00:10:06,880 Speaker 5: get me out of this trouble. Know what causes God 192 00:10:07,000 --> 00:10:11,120 Speaker 5: to act. What God responds to is his own word. 193 00:10:11,760 --> 00:10:16,040 Speaker 5: Take those promises and remind God what he says. God, 194 00:10:16,160 --> 00:10:19,800 Speaker 5: you said you're close to the broken hearted, and I'm hurting. 195 00:10:20,160 --> 00:10:23,760 Speaker 5: I've been through this disappointment. But God, you promised you 196 00:10:23,800 --> 00:10:28,000 Speaker 5: would give me beauty for ashes. You said, weeping endures 197 00:10:28,040 --> 00:10:31,760 Speaker 5: for a night, but joy is coming. Those are promises 198 00:10:32,120 --> 00:10:35,839 Speaker 5: that God is obligated to bring to pass. And when 199 00:10:35,840 --> 00:10:38,800 Speaker 5: I say obligated, I'm not saying that we're bossing God 200 00:10:38,880 --> 00:10:40,640 Speaker 5: around telling him what to do. 201 00:10:41,480 --> 00:10:41,520 Speaker 1: No. 202 00:10:41,640 --> 00:10:44,959 Speaker 6: The principle is God is faithful to his word. He 203 00:10:45,120 --> 00:10:49,240 Speaker 6: cannot lie. It goes against his very nature. He could 204 00:10:49,320 --> 00:10:50,560 Speaker 6: never break a promise. 205 00:10:51,120 --> 00:10:54,320 Speaker 5: And so when we bring his promises back to him 206 00:10:54,960 --> 00:10:58,160 Speaker 5: and remind him what he said, that's what causes him 207 00:10:58,200 --> 00:10:58,840 Speaker 5: to respond. 208 00:10:59,760 --> 00:11:03,200 Speaker 6: A good friend named Jeff Hackelman. We grew up together 209 00:11:03,320 --> 00:11:05,120 Speaker 6: and were roommates in college. 210 00:11:05,600 --> 00:11:08,760 Speaker 5: Jeff pastors a church in Huntsville, Texas right now, and 211 00:11:08,840 --> 00:11:11,839 Speaker 5: Jeff has always loved to fish. One day when we 212 00:11:11,920 --> 00:11:14,600 Speaker 5: were in high school, he went down to Texas City 213 00:11:14,920 --> 00:11:16,600 Speaker 5: to go fishing there in the Gulf. 214 00:11:17,040 --> 00:11:19,400 Speaker 6: He had done this many times before. He had a 215 00:11:19,520 --> 00:11:21,280 Speaker 6: small boat that he had bought used. 216 00:11:21,920 --> 00:11:25,320 Speaker 5: This day, he and his friend Brent decided to try 217 00:11:25,440 --> 00:11:29,439 Speaker 5: somewhere different to fish at the dock there Texas City. 218 00:11:29,840 --> 00:11:32,439 Speaker 5: They asked the man in charge how to get back 219 00:11:32,480 --> 00:11:36,080 Speaker 5: to that place from the Bolivard gas wells that's where 220 00:11:36,120 --> 00:11:38,840 Speaker 5: they decided to fish. The men said, it's no problem. 221 00:11:39,080 --> 00:11:43,000 Speaker 5: We're directly north. If you're anywhere around those gas wells, 222 00:11:43,440 --> 00:11:46,480 Speaker 5: just head back due north and you'll get right back 223 00:11:46,520 --> 00:11:49,679 Speaker 5: to this dock. And so Jeff and Brent traveled an 224 00:11:49,679 --> 00:11:52,120 Speaker 5: hour or so in their little boat, got there, and 225 00:11:52,200 --> 00:11:55,480 Speaker 5: they started fishing away, and the fish were biting left 226 00:11:55,559 --> 00:11:58,360 Speaker 5: and right. In the midst of all the excitement of 227 00:11:58,440 --> 00:12:01,840 Speaker 5: catching fish, what they did and realize was a thick 228 00:12:02,240 --> 00:12:05,560 Speaker 5: fog had set in to where you could barely see 229 00:12:05,880 --> 00:12:09,520 Speaker 5: twenty feet in front of you. Happened so quickly that 230 00:12:09,640 --> 00:12:12,720 Speaker 5: it caught him off guard. The sun had already set, 231 00:12:13,000 --> 00:12:16,000 Speaker 5: it was about to get dark, and Jeff became alarmed 232 00:12:16,000 --> 00:12:17,559 Speaker 5: and he said, Brent, pull up the anchor. 233 00:12:17,640 --> 00:12:18,679 Speaker 6: We've got to get out of here. 234 00:12:19,400 --> 00:12:22,240 Speaker 5: Jeff stood up in the boat and looked around to 235 00:12:22,320 --> 00:12:23,640 Speaker 5: try to get his sense of direction. 236 00:12:24,120 --> 00:12:26,800 Speaker 6: Of course, all he could see was fog. He thought 237 00:12:26,840 --> 00:12:28,440 Speaker 6: about it, he studied it. 238 00:12:28,800 --> 00:12:32,920 Speaker 5: He analyzed it, and everything in his logic said you 239 00:12:33,040 --> 00:12:33,880 Speaker 5: need to go this way. 240 00:12:34,760 --> 00:12:35,560 Speaker 6: He asked Brent. 241 00:12:36,160 --> 00:12:39,920 Speaker 5: Brent's father is a big fisherman. Brent looked around, analyzed 242 00:12:39,920 --> 00:12:42,360 Speaker 5: it all, and he said, no, Jeff, it's not this way. 243 00:12:42,480 --> 00:12:46,120 Speaker 5: I'm positive it's this way, just the opposite of what 244 00:12:46,320 --> 00:12:49,360 Speaker 5: Jeff thought. Now, Jeff was very confused, so he got 245 00:12:49,440 --> 00:12:53,280 Speaker 5: his comfass out and due north, like the man at 246 00:12:53,320 --> 00:12:56,760 Speaker 5: the doc told him, was not this way, not this way, 247 00:12:57,200 --> 00:12:58,120 Speaker 5: but this way. 248 00:12:58,400 --> 00:12:59,760 Speaker 6: A totally different direction. 249 00:13:00,480 --> 00:13:03,040 Speaker 5: Jeff cranked up the motor and in spite of what 250 00:13:03,240 --> 00:13:06,160 Speaker 5: he thought or his friend thought, he started. 251 00:13:05,880 --> 00:13:08,400 Speaker 6: Heading due north that way the man at the doc 252 00:13:08,520 --> 00:13:08,920 Speaker 6: told him. 253 00:13:09,240 --> 00:13:13,400 Speaker 5: Jeff said, everything within me was telling me you're go 254 00:13:13,520 --> 00:13:18,559 Speaker 5: in the wrong direction. My thoughts, my reasoning, my logic, 255 00:13:19,000 --> 00:13:23,120 Speaker 5: my friend, my emotion, everything was saying you're making a mistake. 256 00:13:23,320 --> 00:13:24,280 Speaker 6: You better turn around. 257 00:13:25,120 --> 00:13:28,120 Speaker 5: But Jeff just kept hearing the man at the dock say, 258 00:13:28,480 --> 00:13:31,240 Speaker 5: if you'll go do north, you'll get back to this place. 259 00:13:32,080 --> 00:13:35,640 Speaker 5: Because of the fog, they had to travel extremely slow, 260 00:13:36,200 --> 00:13:37,440 Speaker 5: only ten miles an hour. 261 00:13:37,679 --> 00:13:39,040 Speaker 6: You could not see anything. 262 00:13:39,760 --> 00:13:43,960 Speaker 5: They crept along fifteen minutes, thirty minutes, forty five minutes, 263 00:13:44,200 --> 00:13:47,120 Speaker 5: an hour, an hour, and fifteen minutes. 264 00:13:47,760 --> 00:13:49,120 Speaker 6: The voice started coming to. 265 00:13:49,200 --> 00:13:52,760 Speaker 5: Jeff, saying, if you were going right, you would have 266 00:13:52,840 --> 00:13:56,600 Speaker 5: already been there by now. How many times in life, 267 00:13:57,080 --> 00:13:59,760 Speaker 5: as we're standing on God's promises do we hear that 268 00:14:00,080 --> 00:14:03,520 Speaker 5: same voice. If you were going to get well, you'd 269 00:14:03,520 --> 00:14:06,439 Speaker 5: already feel better by now. If you were going to 270 00:14:06,480 --> 00:14:09,319 Speaker 5: get married, you would have already surely met somebody by now. 271 00:14:10,160 --> 00:14:12,360 Speaker 5: If you were going to get promoted, it would have 272 00:14:12,440 --> 00:14:16,760 Speaker 5: already happened by now. There will always be voices trying 273 00:14:16,840 --> 00:14:20,320 Speaker 5: to convince us that it's too late, it's been too long, 274 00:14:20,640 --> 00:14:22,800 Speaker 5: you're too old, you're going the wrong direction. 275 00:14:23,920 --> 00:14:25,280 Speaker 6: Jeff began to get worried. 276 00:14:25,680 --> 00:14:27,920 Speaker 5: His fuel was getting low, and on top of that, 277 00:14:28,400 --> 00:14:32,280 Speaker 5: to make matters worse, Brent began to panic. He started 278 00:14:32,360 --> 00:14:36,080 Speaker 5: hollering and then screaming at Jeff, turn around, man, you're 279 00:14:36,120 --> 00:14:38,960 Speaker 5: taking me out to sea on six gallons of gas. 280 00:14:39,120 --> 00:14:40,080 Speaker 6: This is dangerous. 281 00:14:41,200 --> 00:14:44,560 Speaker 5: There was an incredible battle taking place in Jeff's mind 282 00:14:45,240 --> 00:14:48,000 Speaker 5: do I believe what the man at the doc told 283 00:14:48,080 --> 00:14:51,280 Speaker 5: me is true? Or do I go by what I feel, 284 00:14:51,600 --> 00:14:55,000 Speaker 5: what I think, what my friend is telling me. In 285 00:14:55,120 --> 00:15:00,240 Speaker 5: spite of all those contradicting and confusing voices, Jeff just 286 00:15:00,400 --> 00:15:05,120 Speaker 5: kept traveling due north fifteen more minutes, thirty minutes, forty 287 00:15:05,200 --> 00:15:08,880 Speaker 5: five minutes an hour. Just as he was about to 288 00:15:08,920 --> 00:15:11,680 Speaker 5: give up and go a different direction, he began to 289 00:15:11,720 --> 00:15:14,680 Speaker 5: faintly see the Texas City dot come into view. 290 00:15:14,920 --> 00:15:19,640 Speaker 6: He made it back safely. And sometimes in life the 291 00:15:19,800 --> 00:15:23,320 Speaker 6: fog sets in, we don't know which direction to go. 292 00:15:24,160 --> 00:15:26,400 Speaker 5: You know, God has put the promise in your heart, 293 00:15:26,880 --> 00:15:30,200 Speaker 5: but every voice is saying it's not gonna happen. It's 294 00:15:30,280 --> 00:15:34,600 Speaker 5: been too long, it's impossible now. The scripture says, let 295 00:15:34,760 --> 00:15:37,360 Speaker 5: God be true in every man a liar. 296 00:15:37,960 --> 00:15:39,320 Speaker 6: That means what. 297 00:15:39,560 --> 00:15:43,160 Speaker 5: God said to you, the promises in his word will 298 00:15:43,280 --> 00:15:47,280 Speaker 5: override what other people say. It'll override what your own 299 00:15:47,440 --> 00:15:50,760 Speaker 5: mind is telling you. It will even override what the 300 00:15:50,840 --> 00:15:55,880 Speaker 5: circumstances look like. God always has the final say in 301 00:15:56,000 --> 00:15:59,960 Speaker 5: the foggy seasons of life. If you will trust God's promises, 302 00:16:00,600 --> 00:16:04,120 Speaker 5: they will bring you back home safely. Every time may 303 00:16:04,200 --> 00:16:07,240 Speaker 5: not look like it. Your logic may tell you no way, 304 00:16:08,000 --> 00:16:09,040 Speaker 5: why am I even. 305 00:16:08,960 --> 00:16:12,440 Speaker 6: Believing that this will happen. You may not feel like it. 306 00:16:12,920 --> 00:16:13,880 Speaker 6: Your emotions may. 307 00:16:13,840 --> 00:16:18,280 Speaker 5: Tell you get depressed, get discouraged. Other voices may say 308 00:16:18,360 --> 00:16:21,640 Speaker 5: not a chance, impossible. That's when you have to dig 309 00:16:21,720 --> 00:16:25,120 Speaker 5: your heels in and say, God, I'm going to believe 310 00:16:25,280 --> 00:16:28,840 Speaker 5: what you say, in spite of how I feel, in 311 00:16:29,000 --> 00:16:31,840 Speaker 5: spite of what my logic is telling me, in spite 312 00:16:31,880 --> 00:16:34,680 Speaker 5: of how long it's been. God, I'm just going to 313 00:16:34,800 --> 00:16:38,120 Speaker 5: keep acting like what you said is true. I'm going 314 00:16:38,200 --> 00:16:41,440 Speaker 5: to keep believing that you're in control, knowing that you're 315 00:16:41,520 --> 00:16:44,680 Speaker 5: a faithful God, and you will never fail me or 316 00:16:44,800 --> 00:16:47,840 Speaker 5: let me down. That's what our family had to do. 317 00:16:48,560 --> 00:16:52,280 Speaker 5: In nineteen eighty one, the fog set in. My mother 318 00:16:52,520 --> 00:16:56,920 Speaker 5: was diagnosed with terminal cancer. Every voice said it's over, 319 00:16:57,560 --> 00:17:01,080 Speaker 5: she'll never make it. Start planning her funer. But we 320 00:17:01,280 --> 00:17:05,240 Speaker 5: found another voice, a promise from God's word. It says 321 00:17:05,640 --> 00:17:08,920 Speaker 5: I will live and not die and declare the works 322 00:17:08,960 --> 00:17:13,119 Speaker 5: of the Lord. We had to decide, are we going 323 00:17:13,200 --> 00:17:16,280 Speaker 5: to believe what God says about her and let his 324 00:17:16,520 --> 00:17:21,119 Speaker 5: promise give us direction and hope and faith, or are 325 00:17:21,160 --> 00:17:25,520 Speaker 5: we going to go in the direction that we feel discouraged, depressed, despair. 326 00:17:26,119 --> 00:17:27,680 Speaker 6: It was extremely foggy. 327 00:17:28,359 --> 00:17:32,959 Speaker 5: All these voices were competing telling us that their direction 328 00:17:33,280 --> 00:17:37,360 Speaker 5: was the right way. The morning after my mother came 329 00:17:37,440 --> 00:17:40,560 Speaker 5: home from the hospital, she'd been there twenty one days, 330 00:17:40,640 --> 00:17:43,800 Speaker 5: and the doctors finally released her with nothing else that 331 00:17:43,880 --> 00:17:47,760 Speaker 5: they could do. We gathered early that next morning in 332 00:17:47,880 --> 00:17:51,000 Speaker 5: the den as a family, and we made a decision 333 00:17:51,400 --> 00:17:55,080 Speaker 5: that we were going to stand on God's promises, knowing 334 00:17:55,160 --> 00:17:57,800 Speaker 5: that He is our helper and he will. 335 00:17:57,680 --> 00:17:59,680 Speaker 6: Never fail us or let us down. 336 00:18:00,520 --> 00:18:03,600 Speaker 5: Day after day, we just kept moving in that direction, 337 00:18:04,200 --> 00:18:07,800 Speaker 5: acting like God told us the truth in the natural. 338 00:18:08,080 --> 00:18:11,560 Speaker 5: It didn't look like it was working. The first several months, 339 00:18:11,840 --> 00:18:16,320 Speaker 5: my mother never got any better. There were times, like Jeff, 340 00:18:16,840 --> 00:18:19,359 Speaker 5: we thought if it was going to happen, we. 341 00:18:19,359 --> 00:18:20,920 Speaker 6: Would already be there by now. 342 00:18:21,640 --> 00:18:24,760 Speaker 5: We had to ignore those voices and keep pressing forward, 343 00:18:25,240 --> 00:18:26,360 Speaker 5: and God is faithful. 344 00:18:26,840 --> 00:18:29,840 Speaker 6: One day we begin to see the shore come into sight. 345 00:18:30,400 --> 00:18:33,240 Speaker 5: And she didn't get well overnight, but little by little, 346 00:18:33,359 --> 00:18:36,000 Speaker 5: month after month, she got better and better. And that 347 00:18:36,200 --> 00:18:39,199 Speaker 5: was twenty nine years ago. Today she's perfectly healthy and. 348 00:18:39,480 --> 00:18:45,080 Speaker 6: Strong as can be. But some of you right now 349 00:18:45,440 --> 00:18:46,560 Speaker 6: the fog has set in. 350 00:18:47,480 --> 00:18:47,760 Speaker 7: You know. 351 00:18:48,000 --> 00:18:50,800 Speaker 5: God has promised that you're going to get well, that 352 00:18:50,880 --> 00:18:53,280 Speaker 5: you're going to get out of debt, a relationship is 353 00:18:53,320 --> 00:18:55,520 Speaker 5: going to be restored, You're going to accomplish a dream. 354 00:18:56,200 --> 00:18:58,639 Speaker 5: But every voice is say in no way. If it 355 00:18:58,800 --> 00:19:01,640 Speaker 5: was going to happen, it would have already happened. You're 356 00:19:01,680 --> 00:19:04,840 Speaker 5: too old, your situation is too bad. You don't have 357 00:19:05,040 --> 00:19:09,320 Speaker 5: the resources, just like Jeff, just like we did. You 358 00:19:09,480 --> 00:19:12,119 Speaker 5: have to make the decision. Am I going to believe 359 00:19:12,240 --> 00:19:16,080 Speaker 5: those negative voices and go in that direction? Or am 360 00:19:16,119 --> 00:19:18,600 Speaker 5: I going to believe what God says and go in 361 00:19:18,680 --> 00:19:21,960 Speaker 5: his direction? Let me encourage you to go with God. See, 362 00:19:22,000 --> 00:19:25,160 Speaker 5: our attitude should be God, you said I would lend 363 00:19:25,400 --> 00:19:28,000 Speaker 5: and not borrow. I may not see how, but that's 364 00:19:28,080 --> 00:19:29,280 Speaker 5: the direction that I'm headed. 365 00:19:29,960 --> 00:19:32,840 Speaker 6: God. You said my children will be mighty in the land. 366 00:19:33,119 --> 00:19:36,080 Speaker 5: That's what I'm believing for. God, you said what you 367 00:19:36,240 --> 00:19:39,119 Speaker 5: started in me you would bring to completion. So I 368 00:19:39,240 --> 00:19:42,560 Speaker 5: am headed in the direction God of what you have promised. 369 00:19:43,080 --> 00:19:47,640 Speaker 5: When you learn to magnify the promises rather than the problems, 370 00:19:47,960 --> 00:19:51,400 Speaker 5: than in due season you will see You're sure begin 371 00:19:51,480 --> 00:19:53,920 Speaker 5: to come into sight. God will get you to where 372 00:19:53,960 --> 00:19:56,800 Speaker 5: he wants you to be. Well, you say, Joel, my 373 00:19:56,960 --> 00:19:58,320 Speaker 5: situation didn't. 374 00:19:58,080 --> 00:19:59,040 Speaker 6: Turn out like yours. 375 00:19:59,440 --> 00:20:02,440 Speaker 5: We pray, we believed, but my loved one didn't make it. 376 00:20:02,960 --> 00:20:05,280 Speaker 5: Or I worked hard but I didn't get the promotion. 377 00:20:05,880 --> 00:20:08,760 Speaker 5: I stepped out in faith, but my business didn't make it. 378 00:20:09,200 --> 00:20:12,320 Speaker 5: It looks like God has failed me. Now you have 379 00:20:12,520 --> 00:20:15,520 Speaker 5: to have the trust that God knows what's best for you. 380 00:20:16,080 --> 00:20:20,120 Speaker 5: He has your best interest at heart, and just because 381 00:20:20,640 --> 00:20:23,360 Speaker 5: your plan didn't work out or your loved one went 382 00:20:23,440 --> 00:20:26,640 Speaker 5: on to heaven doesn't mean that God is not in control. 383 00:20:27,480 --> 00:20:29,399 Speaker 5: You've got to come back to that place of peace 384 00:20:29,760 --> 00:20:31,240 Speaker 5: and say, God, I know. 385 00:20:31,520 --> 00:20:32,639 Speaker 6: You're still on the throne. 386 00:20:33,160 --> 00:20:36,600 Speaker 5: And even though I don't understand this, even though I'm disappointed, 387 00:20:36,880 --> 00:20:40,920 Speaker 5: I refuse to live my life negative, bitter, discouraged. 388 00:20:41,240 --> 00:20:43,480 Speaker 6: I believe that you know what's best for me. 389 00:20:44,040 --> 00:20:47,240 Speaker 5: You know every dream, every promise, and here's the key, 390 00:20:47,720 --> 00:20:50,640 Speaker 5: and I trust you enough to believe at the right 391 00:20:50,800 --> 00:20:54,880 Speaker 5: time in my due season, you will bring every promise 392 00:20:55,000 --> 00:20:58,680 Speaker 5: that you've spoken to me to pass to fulfillment. That's 393 00:20:58,720 --> 00:21:01,760 Speaker 5: what a young lady did by the name of Vanetta Flowers, 394 00:21:02,040 --> 00:21:04,680 Speaker 5: from the time she was a little girl. Her dream 395 00:21:05,000 --> 00:21:08,400 Speaker 5: was to compete in the Olympic Games. She's always been 396 00:21:08,680 --> 00:21:12,000 Speaker 5: an incredibly fast runner. By the age of twenty two, 397 00:21:12,400 --> 00:21:15,280 Speaker 5: she was a world class athlete ready to try out 398 00:21:15,359 --> 00:21:18,480 Speaker 5: for the Olympics. She competed in the one hundred meters 399 00:21:18,520 --> 00:21:21,800 Speaker 5: dash and in the long jump, but her efforts were 400 00:21:21,880 --> 00:21:25,320 Speaker 5: not quite good enough. She missed making the team by 401 00:21:25,320 --> 00:21:28,920 Speaker 5: a fraction of a second. Instead of giving up, she 402 00:21:29,080 --> 00:21:32,199 Speaker 5: decided to put in four more years of grueling training, 403 00:21:32,760 --> 00:21:37,160 Speaker 5: getting up early, running, lifting weights, working out, eating properly. 404 00:21:37,800 --> 00:21:41,280 Speaker 5: In the year two thousand, her big moment came the 405 00:21:41,400 --> 00:21:43,960 Speaker 5: age of twenty six, and in the best shape of. 406 00:21:43,960 --> 00:21:46,680 Speaker 6: Her life, she tried out for the long jump. 407 00:21:47,359 --> 00:21:50,080 Speaker 5: She knew this would be her last chance to make 408 00:21:50,119 --> 00:21:52,879 Speaker 5: the Olympic team, but in spite of her training and 409 00:21:52,960 --> 00:21:55,119 Speaker 5: all of her talent, she still didn't make it. 410 00:21:55,640 --> 00:21:57,200 Speaker 6: She was so devastated. 411 00:21:57,840 --> 00:22:01,120 Speaker 5: It looked like seventeen years of training had gone down. 412 00:22:01,240 --> 00:22:05,879 Speaker 5: The drain was definitely foggy. In her life, every voice 413 00:22:05,920 --> 00:22:09,160 Speaker 5: said it's over. You must have heard God wrong, because 414 00:22:09,200 --> 00:22:12,959 Speaker 5: it's definitely not going to happen now. One day, her 415 00:22:13,080 --> 00:22:16,560 Speaker 5: husband saw a sign in the gym that said, continue 416 00:22:16,680 --> 00:22:20,359 Speaker 5: your Olympic dream by trying out for the bob sled team. 417 00:22:21,040 --> 00:22:23,520 Speaker 6: There were two requirements. You had to be a good 418 00:22:23,600 --> 00:22:24,679 Speaker 6: sprinter and a. 419 00:22:24,760 --> 00:22:27,679 Speaker 5: Good long jumper, the very two things that she had 420 00:22:27,720 --> 00:22:31,200 Speaker 5: worked on for over seventeen years. She didn't even know 421 00:22:31,280 --> 00:22:34,399 Speaker 5: what the bob sled was, but her husband talked her 422 00:22:34,480 --> 00:22:38,080 Speaker 5: into trying out. Long story short, she not only made 423 00:22:38,119 --> 00:22:41,600 Speaker 5: the Olympic team, but in two thousand and two, she 424 00:22:41,800 --> 00:22:45,600 Speaker 5: became the first African American woman to ever win a 425 00:22:45,720 --> 00:22:47,959 Speaker 5: gold medal in the Winter Olympics. 426 00:22:48,400 --> 00:22:51,800 Speaker 6: Friends, God is a faithful God. You can trust him. 427 00:22:53,480 --> 00:22:57,240 Speaker 5: What he promised will come to pass, and our attitude 428 00:22:57,280 --> 00:23:00,879 Speaker 5: should be God. I know you will never fail me 429 00:23:01,280 --> 00:23:04,000 Speaker 5: or let me down. And even though this looks like 430 00:23:04,080 --> 00:23:07,480 Speaker 5: a disappointment, I believe that all things work together for 431 00:23:07,600 --> 00:23:10,399 Speaker 5: my good. It may not be good right now, but 432 00:23:10,520 --> 00:23:14,080 Speaker 5: I believe one day I will look back and see 433 00:23:14,160 --> 00:23:17,520 Speaker 5: how in the overall plan for my life you use 434 00:23:17,640 --> 00:23:21,840 Speaker 5: this to my advantage. Friend's faith is all about trusting. 435 00:23:22,359 --> 00:23:24,800 Speaker 5: You got to know down deep that God has your 436 00:23:24,880 --> 00:23:28,120 Speaker 5: best interest at heart. And just because you go through 437 00:23:28,160 --> 00:23:30,639 Speaker 5: a disappointment does not mean it's not. 438 00:23:30,760 --> 00:23:31,440 Speaker 6: Going to happen. 439 00:23:32,240 --> 00:23:35,600 Speaker 5: I see too many people if their plan doesn't work out, 440 00:23:36,080 --> 00:23:38,679 Speaker 5: if they don't qualify for the new home, if they 441 00:23:38,720 --> 00:23:42,359 Speaker 5: don't get the promotion. Instead of believing that God's in 442 00:23:42,480 --> 00:23:45,960 Speaker 5: control and he has something better in store, they get 443 00:23:46,040 --> 00:23:49,119 Speaker 5: all down and discouraged and they never see the promise 444 00:23:49,200 --> 00:23:52,879 Speaker 5: come to pass. But again, just because it doesn't happen 445 00:23:53,040 --> 00:23:56,840 Speaker 5: our way on our timetable, doesn't mean that it's not 446 00:23:56,960 --> 00:24:00,280 Speaker 5: going to happen. The other day, when we were at 447 00:24:00,359 --> 00:24:03,760 Speaker 5: Dodger Stadium doing our Night of Hope, at the end 448 00:24:03,800 --> 00:24:07,240 Speaker 5: of the service, our eleven year old daughter Alexandra comes 449 00:24:07,320 --> 00:24:11,560 Speaker 5: up and sings. The sound at the big stadiums where 450 00:24:11,600 --> 00:24:14,879 Speaker 5: we were standing at second base can be very confusing. 451 00:24:15,520 --> 00:24:18,639 Speaker 5: When you say something, it's so big and there's so 452 00:24:18,800 --> 00:24:22,520 Speaker 5: much delay and reverberation, you don't hear what you said 453 00:24:22,760 --> 00:24:25,840 Speaker 5: for a second or two. You have to really concentrate 454 00:24:26,080 --> 00:24:30,000 Speaker 5: and ignore the sound coming back. And Alexandra was wearing 455 00:24:30,480 --> 00:24:34,320 Speaker 5: little electronic monitors in her ears like you see the 456 00:24:34,400 --> 00:24:37,080 Speaker 5: singers wearing, to help take care of this problem. It 457 00:24:37,119 --> 00:24:40,800 Speaker 5: would be almost impossible to sing without them. The only 458 00:24:40,960 --> 00:24:44,320 Speaker 5: problem was when Alexandra got up to sing, there was 459 00:24:44,400 --> 00:24:45,960 Speaker 5: a technical issue. 460 00:24:46,080 --> 00:24:48,040 Speaker 6: And her monitors were not working. 461 00:24:48,840 --> 00:24:53,760 Speaker 5: She could not only not hear herself or the music electronically, 462 00:24:54,440 --> 00:24:57,240 Speaker 5: but they act just like earplugs, and she couldn't even 463 00:24:57,320 --> 00:25:00,960 Speaker 5: hear herself naturally. Of course, this was all going out 464 00:25:01,200 --> 00:25:04,560 Speaker 5: live on television. She got up and started singing, doing 465 00:25:04,640 --> 00:25:05,119 Speaker 5: her best. 466 00:25:05,800 --> 00:25:08,200 Speaker 6: She didn't know if the mic was on, if people 467 00:25:08,240 --> 00:25:10,240 Speaker 6: could hear her, if she was in tune. 468 00:25:10,960 --> 00:25:13,960 Speaker 5: All these voices were telling her, you might as well stop. 469 00:25:14,440 --> 00:25:17,679 Speaker 5: Nobody's hearing you. You're wasting your time, it's not working. 470 00:25:18,480 --> 00:25:21,959 Speaker 5: In the midst of all this confusion, she just happened 471 00:25:22,000 --> 00:25:24,840 Speaker 5: to look over to her left and see her mother 472 00:25:25,119 --> 00:25:28,800 Speaker 5: sitting in the bleachers. Victoria had a big smile on 473 00:25:28,920 --> 00:25:30,640 Speaker 5: her face, nodding her head. 474 00:25:30,800 --> 00:25:32,639 Speaker 6: Yes, she was saying, it's working. 475 00:25:32,960 --> 00:25:37,200 Speaker 5: Keep going, you're doing good, Alexandra saying for another twenty 476 00:25:37,359 --> 00:25:40,680 Speaker 5: or thirty seconds, still not able to hear herself or 477 00:25:40,760 --> 00:25:44,000 Speaker 5: the music, and all kinds of sounds are coming and going, 478 00:25:44,119 --> 00:25:46,920 Speaker 5: these voices telling her to stop. She looks back over 479 00:25:47,320 --> 00:25:51,040 Speaker 5: and there's Victoria, still smiling bigger than me, ear to ear, 480 00:25:51,400 --> 00:25:55,320 Speaker 5: nodding her head saying yes, yes, yes. She ended up 481 00:25:55,400 --> 00:25:58,560 Speaker 5: singing the whole song without ever being able to hear 482 00:25:58,640 --> 00:26:03,119 Speaker 5: herself or the music, all because she could see her 483 00:26:03,320 --> 00:26:07,720 Speaker 5: mother telling her, You're doing good, It's okay, keep going. 484 00:26:10,119 --> 00:26:13,800 Speaker 5: Sometimes in life, when we get up, the mic is 485 00:26:13,880 --> 00:26:17,639 Speaker 5: not working. In other words, we're doing our best, but 486 00:26:17,760 --> 00:26:22,480 Speaker 5: it doesn't look like anything is happening. We've trained, we've sacrificed, 487 00:26:22,520 --> 00:26:25,840 Speaker 5: we prayed, we believed, but it just doesn't look like 488 00:26:25,960 --> 00:26:26,560 Speaker 5: it's worth it. 489 00:26:27,119 --> 00:26:30,040 Speaker 6: We wonder is it even worth it to keep going? 490 00:26:30,880 --> 00:26:33,360 Speaker 5: Is it worth it to keep treating this person right 491 00:26:33,800 --> 00:26:36,440 Speaker 5: even though they're treating me wrong? Is it worth it 492 00:26:36,600 --> 00:26:39,360 Speaker 5: to keep pursuing my dreams when I've had so many 493 00:26:39,440 --> 00:26:42,399 Speaker 5: closed doors? Is it worth it to keep trying to 494 00:26:42,480 --> 00:26:46,199 Speaker 5: overcome this addiction even though I failed so many times? 495 00:26:46,760 --> 00:26:50,080 Speaker 5: Now listen, if you will look up through your eyes 496 00:26:50,119 --> 00:26:54,040 Speaker 5: of faith, just like Alexandra saw her mother, you will 497 00:26:54,080 --> 00:26:58,480 Speaker 5: see your heavenly Father with a big smile, nodding his head, 498 00:26:58,840 --> 00:27:01,320 Speaker 5: saying yes, it's worth keep going. 499 00:27:01,600 --> 00:27:05,400 Speaker 6: You're doing good. I'm in control. I'm a faithful God. 500 00:27:07,480 --> 00:27:10,639 Speaker 5: When those voices come, and they come to all of 501 00:27:10,760 --> 00:27:15,280 Speaker 5: us saying stop, give up, you're wasting your time, don't 502 00:27:15,359 --> 00:27:15,879 Speaker 5: dwell on it. 503 00:27:16,400 --> 00:27:18,520 Speaker 6: Learn to look back up, use. 504 00:27:18,440 --> 00:27:22,960 Speaker 5: Your imagination, see your heavenly Father smiling down on you, 505 00:27:23,119 --> 00:27:27,760 Speaker 5: nodding his head saying yes. When you realize the creator 506 00:27:27,840 --> 00:27:30,600 Speaker 5: of the universe is saying you're doing good. 507 00:27:30,880 --> 00:27:31,560 Speaker 6: You can make it. 508 00:27:32,000 --> 00:27:34,640 Speaker 5: When you realize the God that spoke the world into 509 00:27:34,760 --> 00:27:37,760 Speaker 5: existence is saying, I'll never fail you. 510 00:27:38,240 --> 00:27:38,840 Speaker 6: Keep going. 511 00:27:39,640 --> 00:27:42,639 Speaker 5: That's what will give you the strength, the confidence, the 512 00:27:42,760 --> 00:27:48,480 Speaker 5: determination to ignore every negative voice, to shake off every disappointment, 513 00:27:49,000 --> 00:27:52,119 Speaker 5: knowing that if God be for you, if God is 514 00:27:52,240 --> 00:27:55,840 Speaker 5: saying yes, it doesn't matter who else is saying no. 515 00:27:56,320 --> 00:27:59,440 Speaker 5: God has the final saying, friends, we can trust the 516 00:27:59,520 --> 00:28:04,560 Speaker 5: faithfulness of God. What he promised he will bring the past. 517 00:28:05,160 --> 00:28:07,800 Speaker 5: He's saying to you today, I will not fail you. 518 00:28:08,320 --> 00:28:11,280 Speaker 5: I will not let you down. I will not release 519 00:28:11,400 --> 00:28:15,040 Speaker 5: my hold on you. Now we can boldly say the 520 00:28:15,240 --> 00:28:18,280 Speaker 5: Lord is our helper. I want you to have this 521 00:28:18,440 --> 00:28:22,000 Speaker 5: confidence that God is in control. And just because it 522 00:28:22,119 --> 00:28:25,200 Speaker 5: hasn't happened yet doesn't mean that it's not going to happen. 523 00:28:25,440 --> 00:28:28,600 Speaker 5: That means the promise is still in your future and 524 00:28:28,680 --> 00:28:31,919 Speaker 5: in those foggy seasons of life, make up your mind 525 00:28:32,240 --> 00:28:34,040 Speaker 5: that you're going to trust God's promises. 526 00:28:34,359 --> 00:28:36,040 Speaker 6: Don't listen to that other voices. 527 00:28:36,440 --> 00:28:40,160 Speaker 5: God's promises will get you home safely every time some 528 00:28:40,320 --> 00:28:43,560 Speaker 5: of your living worried, stressed, wondering if it's God ever 529 00:28:43,640 --> 00:28:44,200 Speaker 5: going to happen. 530 00:28:44,520 --> 00:28:46,960 Speaker 6: No, God has you in the palm of his hand. 531 00:28:47,400 --> 00:28:48,320 Speaker 6: He has never. 532 00:28:48,320 --> 00:28:50,960 Speaker 5: Failed you in the past, and let me assure you 533 00:28:51,400 --> 00:28:54,000 Speaker 5: he will not fail you in the future. If you 534 00:28:54,040 --> 00:28:58,320 Speaker 5: will dare trust the faithfulness of God in due season, 535 00:28:58,440 --> 00:29:01,320 Speaker 5: he promises He's going to pour out his favor in 536 00:29:01,440 --> 00:29:05,720 Speaker 5: new ways. You're gonna overcome every obstacle, defeat every enemy, 537 00:29:05,840 --> 00:29:10,000 Speaker 5: accomplish every dream. And I believe in declare every promise 538 00:29:10,080 --> 00:29:12,200 Speaker 5: God put in your heart. You will see that come 539 00:29:12,240 --> 00:29:17,160 Speaker 5: to fulfillment. Amen, do you receive it today? We never 540 00:29:17,320 --> 00:29:20,440 Speaker 5: like to close our broadcast without giving you an opportunity 541 00:29:20,600 --> 00:29:22,520 Speaker 5: to make Jesus the lord of your life. 542 00:29:22,800 --> 00:29:23,720 Speaker 6: Would you pray with me? 543 00:29:24,280 --> 00:29:28,960 Speaker 5: Just say, Lord, Jesus, I repent of my sins, Come 544 00:29:29,040 --> 00:29:33,320 Speaker 5: into my heart, wash me clean. I make you my 545 00:29:33,440 --> 00:29:37,200 Speaker 5: Lord and savior. Friends, if you prayed that simple prayer, 546 00:29:37,320 --> 00:29:38,720 Speaker 5: we believe you got born again. 547 00:29:39,200 --> 00:29:42,360 Speaker 6: Get in a good Bible based church, keep God first place. 548 00:29:42,680 --> 00:29:44,720 Speaker 6: He'll take your places that you've never dreamed of. 549 00:29:45,560 --> 00:29:48,960 Speaker 2: Thank you for listening to the Joel Oustine podcast. Help 550 00:29:49,080 --> 00:29:51,760 Speaker 2: us continue to share the message of hope with those 551 00:29:51,920 --> 00:29:55,400 Speaker 2: all over the world. Visit joelus Deine dot com slash 552 00:29:55,560 --> 00:29:57,520 Speaker 2: give Hope to give a gift today. 553 00:29:58,840 --> 00:30:01,120 Speaker 6: Thanks so much for listening to today's message. 554 00:30:01,400 --> 00:30:04,120 Speaker 5: I hope you'll subscribe so you can receive the latest 555 00:30:04,200 --> 00:30:05,560 Speaker 5: podcast to keep. 556 00:30:05,480 --> 00:30:08,400 Speaker 6: You inspired all through the week. We're praying for you. 557 00:30:08,600 --> 00:30:11,000 Speaker 6: I know God's best is still ahead. We'll see you 558 00:30:11,120 --> 00:30:11,600 Speaker 6: next time. 559 00:30:18,760 --> 00:30:21,480 Speaker 8: With millions of books on Amazon, there's a reading feeling 560 00:30:21,560 --> 00:30:26,040 Speaker 8: for everyone. 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