1 00:00:00,920 --> 00:00:03,120 Speaker 1: Always a joy to have you with us. We're praying 2 00:00:03,200 --> 00:00:03,920 Speaker 1: for you. Guys. 3 00:00:04,280 --> 00:00:06,840 Speaker 2: Check out my new book. It's called Power Up, a 4 00:00:06,920 --> 00:00:08,680 Speaker 2: twenty one day action plan. 5 00:00:08,600 --> 00:00:10,120 Speaker 1: To transformative thinking. 6 00:00:10,400 --> 00:00:12,320 Speaker 2: You can all help you think great thoughts and just 7 00:00:12,400 --> 00:00:14,480 Speaker 2: live a victorious life. But if you can check it 8 00:00:14,480 --> 00:00:16,680 Speaker 2: out on the wind, it's so great having you with us. 9 00:00:16,760 --> 00:00:17,680 Speaker 2: Enjoyed the podcast. 10 00:00:18,239 --> 00:00:21,600 Speaker 1: God bless you. Always a joy to come into your homes. 11 00:00:21,800 --> 00:00:24,520 Speaker 1: We love you. If you're ever in our area, I 12 00:00:24,560 --> 00:00:26,920 Speaker 1: hope you'll stop by and see us. I'll promise you 13 00:00:27,000 --> 00:00:29,280 Speaker 1: will make you feel right at home. But thanks so 14 00:00:29,400 --> 00:00:32,080 Speaker 1: much for tuning in today. I like to get started 15 00:00:32,120 --> 00:00:34,800 Speaker 1: with something funny each week, and I heard about this man. 16 00:00:35,080 --> 00:00:37,879 Speaker 1: He came up to a Baptist pastor and he said, Sir, 17 00:00:37,960 --> 00:00:40,440 Speaker 1: my dog has passed away, and I was wondering if 18 00:00:40,479 --> 00:00:42,280 Speaker 1: you could come to my house and have a funeral 19 00:00:42,320 --> 00:00:45,040 Speaker 1: for him. The pastor seemed kind of annoyed, and he said, no, 20 00:00:45,159 --> 00:00:47,800 Speaker 1: I can't do a funeral for a dog. The man said, well, 21 00:00:47,800 --> 00:00:49,960 Speaker 1: that's too bad, because I was thinking about making a 22 00:00:50,000 --> 00:00:53,519 Speaker 1: five thousand dollars donation to your church. The pastor smiled 23 00:00:53,560 --> 00:00:57,320 Speaker 1: and said, why didn't you tell me your dog was Baptist. 24 00:00:58,080 --> 00:01:00,680 Speaker 1: All right, hold up your Bible. Say it like you 25 00:01:00,800 --> 00:01:04,120 Speaker 1: mean it's this is my Bible. I am what it 26 00:01:04,120 --> 00:01:06,760 Speaker 1: says I am. I have what it says I have. 27 00:01:07,360 --> 00:01:10,160 Speaker 1: I can do what it says I can do. Today 28 00:01:10,200 --> 00:01:13,760 Speaker 1: I will be taught the word of God. I boldly confess. 29 00:01:14,240 --> 00:01:18,119 Speaker 1: My mind is alert, my heart is receptive. I will 30 00:01:18,160 --> 00:01:23,840 Speaker 1: never be the same. I am about to receive the incorruptible, indestructible, 31 00:01:24,240 --> 00:01:28,200 Speaker 1: ever living seed of the Word of God. I'll never 32 00:01:28,240 --> 00:01:32,360 Speaker 1: be the same, never, never, never, I'll never be the same. 33 00:01:32,880 --> 00:01:36,960 Speaker 1: In Jesus' name, God bless you. I want to talk 34 00:01:37,000 --> 00:01:40,640 Speaker 1: to you today about being a loyal person. If there's 35 00:01:40,680 --> 00:01:43,959 Speaker 1: one quality that seems to be lacking in our society, 36 00:01:44,280 --> 00:01:50,080 Speaker 1: it's loyalty. The words respect, honor, duty, integrity. We don't 37 00:01:50,120 --> 00:01:53,640 Speaker 1: hear too much of that anymore. And sadly, many people 38 00:01:53,680 --> 00:01:56,560 Speaker 1: are only out for themselves. They don't stick up for 39 00:01:56,600 --> 00:01:59,920 Speaker 1: their family and friends. They'll stab somebody in the back 40 00:02:00,360 --> 00:02:03,800 Speaker 1: in order to get ahead. They're not honorable. They think 41 00:02:03,880 --> 00:02:08,200 Speaker 1: nothing of criticizing people, bad mouthing their boss, bad mouthing 42 00:02:08,240 --> 00:02:11,880 Speaker 1: their country. They don't keep their commitments. They'll pack up 43 00:02:11,919 --> 00:02:15,840 Speaker 1: and leave their company of ten years overnight high and dry, 44 00:02:16,000 --> 00:02:18,480 Speaker 1: just because they got a better offer somewhere else. It 45 00:02:18,520 --> 00:02:21,600 Speaker 1: all boils down to a lack of loyalty, and the 46 00:02:21,639 --> 00:02:25,160 Speaker 1: Scripture says in Proverbs twenty one twenty one, he who 47 00:02:25,240 --> 00:02:31,400 Speaker 1: pursues righteousness and loyalty finds life. Notice how righteousness and 48 00:02:31,480 --> 00:02:35,119 Speaker 1: loyalty go together. In other words, if we're not being 49 00:02:35,200 --> 00:02:38,720 Speaker 1: loyal to our family, loyal to our friends, loyal to 50 00:02:38,800 --> 00:02:41,720 Speaker 1: our country, then we're not going to experience God's best. 51 00:02:42,240 --> 00:02:46,079 Speaker 1: And I've seen people betray lifelong friends just to get 52 00:02:46,080 --> 00:02:49,000 Speaker 1: a promotion at the office. They may get ahead for 53 00:02:49,080 --> 00:02:51,640 Speaker 1: a little while, but in the end they're going to suffer. 54 00:02:52,160 --> 00:02:58,200 Speaker 1: God rewards loyalty and loyal people are honorable people. When 55 00:02:58,200 --> 00:03:01,720 Speaker 1: you're loyal, you stick with somebody through thick and thin. 56 00:03:02,520 --> 00:03:06,639 Speaker 1: When you're loyal, you keep your word even when it hurts. 57 00:03:06,680 --> 00:03:10,920 Speaker 1: People can count on you. Loyal people are respectful of 58 00:03:10,960 --> 00:03:14,440 Speaker 1: their country and leaders. They don't go around bad mouthing 59 00:03:14,480 --> 00:03:19,840 Speaker 1: people in authority. Loyal people honor their parents, They defend 60 00:03:20,040 --> 00:03:23,800 Speaker 1: their family, they defend their friends. When you're loyal, you 61 00:03:23,960 --> 00:03:27,480 Speaker 1: stick up for people. For instance, if I hear somebody 62 00:03:27,520 --> 00:03:29,880 Speaker 1: start to talk about you, and I know you're a 63 00:03:29,880 --> 00:03:32,640 Speaker 1: part of the Lakewood family. Even if I don't know 64 00:03:32,760 --> 00:03:34,960 Speaker 1: you by name, I can tell you this. I'm gonna 65 00:03:34,960 --> 00:03:38,360 Speaker 1: defend you. I believe the best in you, so I'm 66 00:03:38,400 --> 00:03:40,640 Speaker 1: gonna do everything I can to take up for you. 67 00:03:40,960 --> 00:03:44,040 Speaker 1: That's what a loyal person does. Well, Joel, one of 68 00:03:44,080 --> 00:03:47,640 Speaker 1: your members tried to run me off the road last week. Well, 69 00:03:47,680 --> 00:03:49,520 Speaker 1: I'm sure they didn't mean to. I'm sure they just 70 00:03:49,560 --> 00:03:52,360 Speaker 1: got distracted. Maybe they were looking for their cell phone. No, 71 00:03:52,480 --> 00:03:54,440 Speaker 1: they were mad. They're hawking their horns, they had their 72 00:03:54,480 --> 00:03:56,840 Speaker 1: hands in the air. Oh, I'm sure they're just worshiping 73 00:03:56,840 --> 00:04:04,240 Speaker 1: the Lord, poor jog. When you're loyal, you will defend people, 74 00:04:04,280 --> 00:04:08,040 Speaker 1: even to a fault. Well, Joel, I don't think that's right. Listen. 75 00:04:08,080 --> 00:04:11,920 Speaker 1: I'd rather be too merciful than too judgmental. And even 76 00:04:12,000 --> 00:04:14,600 Speaker 1: if they were wrong, even if they blew it, maybe 77 00:04:14,600 --> 00:04:16,480 Speaker 1: they were having a bad day. Why don't you give 78 00:04:16,560 --> 00:04:19,279 Speaker 1: them the benefit of the doubt. After all, if you've 79 00:04:19,320 --> 00:04:21,880 Speaker 1: never blown it, go ahead and throw the first down. See, 80 00:04:21,880 --> 00:04:24,719 Speaker 1: when you're loyal, you stick up for each other. You 81 00:04:24,800 --> 00:04:29,080 Speaker 1: believe the best in people. Anybody can jump on that 82 00:04:29,160 --> 00:04:33,359 Speaker 1: old negative critical fault finding badwagon. That's easy. But I 83 00:04:33,360 --> 00:04:35,400 Speaker 1: don't know about you. I don't want to be a 84 00:04:35,400 --> 00:04:38,680 Speaker 1: fair weathered friend. I'll be with you in the good times, 85 00:04:38,880 --> 00:04:41,200 Speaker 1: but God bless you and good luck in the tough times. 86 00:04:41,200 --> 00:04:43,359 Speaker 1: You're on your own. Now, I'm gonna stick with you 87 00:04:43,400 --> 00:04:46,720 Speaker 1: through thick and thin. When you're loyal, you'll be with 88 00:04:46,800 --> 00:04:50,720 Speaker 1: somebody on the mountaintop celebrating their victories, and you'll still 89 00:04:50,760 --> 00:04:53,520 Speaker 1: be with them in the valley, defending their honor, fighting 90 00:04:53,560 --> 00:04:56,400 Speaker 1: for them. That's what it means to be loyal. I 91 00:04:56,480 --> 00:04:59,240 Speaker 1: heard something that Kevin mchel said. He was a famous 92 00:04:59,279 --> 00:05:03,400 Speaker 1: basketball player with the Boston Celtics, and after somebody made 93 00:05:03,440 --> 00:05:06,760 Speaker 1: a game winning shot or they did something really unbelievable 94 00:05:06,760 --> 00:05:10,559 Speaker 1: to help win the game, the coach Casey Jones would 95 00:05:10,560 --> 00:05:13,599 Speaker 1: never come over and congratulate that person. He just go 96 00:05:13,720 --> 00:05:17,520 Speaker 1: about his business. But anytime somebody missed a game winning shot, 97 00:05:18,120 --> 00:05:21,320 Speaker 1: did something that caused the team to lose, Casey Jones 98 00:05:21,440 --> 00:05:23,640 Speaker 1: would be the first one to go to that person 99 00:05:23,720 --> 00:05:26,000 Speaker 1: and encourage them, say, hey, don't worry about it, we'll 100 00:05:26,000 --> 00:05:28,960 Speaker 1: get them next time. And one day Kevin McHale asked him. 101 00:05:28,960 --> 00:05:31,359 Speaker 1: He said, Coach, how come you never come over and 102 00:05:31,400 --> 00:05:34,640 Speaker 1: congratulate us when we do something good, but you're always 103 00:05:34,680 --> 00:05:36,719 Speaker 1: the first one over when we mess up and lose 104 00:05:36,760 --> 00:05:39,840 Speaker 1: the game. He said, here's why, Kevin. When you win, 105 00:05:40,160 --> 00:05:44,240 Speaker 1: everybody's cheering your own fifteen thousand people are screaming your name, 106 00:05:44,320 --> 00:05:47,920 Speaker 1: shot in your praises. But when you lose, when you're down, 107 00:05:47,960 --> 00:05:50,800 Speaker 1: when you've blown it, when you've made mistakes, that's when 108 00:05:50,839 --> 00:05:53,600 Speaker 1: you need a true friend. And really that's the way 109 00:05:53,640 --> 00:05:56,000 Speaker 1: it is in life. It's easy to cheer people on 110 00:05:56,120 --> 00:05:59,200 Speaker 1: when they're on the mountain top. It's easy to tear 111 00:05:59,240 --> 00:06:03,479 Speaker 1: them on when everything going their way. But a loyal person, 112 00:06:03,960 --> 00:06:07,000 Speaker 1: a person of honor, a true friend, is going to 113 00:06:07,080 --> 00:06:10,160 Speaker 1: be their cheering you on even when nobody else is around. 114 00:06:10,680 --> 00:06:12,640 Speaker 1: That's the kind of people we need to strive to 115 00:06:12,640 --> 00:06:16,240 Speaker 1: be true friends. The scripture says in Galatians six 's one, 116 00:06:16,560 --> 00:06:19,359 Speaker 1: whenever you see a brother or a sister that has fallen, 117 00:06:19,960 --> 00:06:24,719 Speaker 1: you who are spiritual should gently restore them. Notice it 118 00:06:24,760 --> 00:06:28,400 Speaker 1: doesn't say you who are spiritual should look down on 119 00:06:28,440 --> 00:06:32,480 Speaker 1: them and sit around the table at lunch discussing their failures. 120 00:06:32,880 --> 00:06:35,800 Speaker 1: It doesn't say that we should be critical and judgmental. 121 00:06:36,040 --> 00:06:39,479 Speaker 1: It says, we're supposed to gently restore them. That's what 122 00:06:39,600 --> 00:06:42,880 Speaker 1: a loyal person does. There are too many fair weathered 123 00:06:42,920 --> 00:06:45,640 Speaker 1: friends these days. You even see it in the sports world. 124 00:06:46,040 --> 00:06:48,520 Speaker 1: One moment you're the hero. A couple of weeks later, 125 00:06:48,600 --> 00:06:50,599 Speaker 1: you have a couple of bad games, everybody's boo, and 126 00:06:50,600 --> 00:06:52,919 Speaker 1: you're trying to run you out of town. Now, we 127 00:06:53,000 --> 00:06:55,600 Speaker 1: need to let our friends and our family know we're 128 00:06:55,640 --> 00:06:58,240 Speaker 1: with them for the long haul. We're going to be 129 00:06:58,320 --> 00:07:01,279 Speaker 1: by their side, committed to them through thick and thin. 130 00:07:02,120 --> 00:07:06,120 Speaker 1: A true friend defends, a true friend restores, and a 131 00:07:06,160 --> 00:07:09,480 Speaker 1: true friend is committed. I was in a grocery store 132 00:07:09,520 --> 00:07:11,720 Speaker 1: one time, and there was this little boy looked to 133 00:07:11,720 --> 00:07:14,040 Speaker 1: be about three or four years old, and he snuck 134 00:07:14,080 --> 00:07:16,680 Speaker 1: around the corner where his mother couldn't see him, and 135 00:07:16,720 --> 00:07:18,720 Speaker 1: then he reached up and he pulled a whole stack 136 00:07:18,800 --> 00:07:21,880 Speaker 1: of cans off the shelf, must have been about fifteen 137 00:07:22,000 --> 00:07:24,119 Speaker 1: or twenty of them, and they hit the ground started 138 00:07:24,200 --> 00:07:27,800 Speaker 1: rolling around, and about thirty seconds later, his mother came 139 00:07:27,840 --> 00:07:31,080 Speaker 1: around the corner, and at the same time, another man 140 00:07:31,120 --> 00:07:33,520 Speaker 1: that had been stocking the shelves, he came around the 141 00:07:33,520 --> 00:07:36,240 Speaker 1: corner as well. You could tell he's a little aggravated, 142 00:07:36,600 --> 00:07:39,040 Speaker 1: and he came over to this lady and said, ma'am, 143 00:07:39,240 --> 00:07:41,440 Speaker 1: you're gonna have to keep your son under better control 144 00:07:41,520 --> 00:07:43,440 Speaker 1: than that. You cannot let him do this in our 145 00:07:43,640 --> 00:07:46,559 Speaker 1: grocery store. And this mother was just a little lady, 146 00:07:46,680 --> 00:07:49,280 Speaker 1: but she rose up like a tiger. She said, let 147 00:07:49,360 --> 00:07:52,240 Speaker 1: me tell you, how dare you accuse my son. You 148 00:07:52,280 --> 00:07:54,520 Speaker 1: didn't see him do it. I didn't see him do it, 149 00:07:54,760 --> 00:07:57,000 Speaker 1: And even if he did do it, it's okay. He's 150 00:07:57,000 --> 00:07:59,480 Speaker 1: just a little boy. Now. I thought, man, mister, you 151 00:07:59,520 --> 00:08:03,640 Speaker 1: are messing with the wrong woman. Don't ever get between 152 00:08:03,640 --> 00:08:06,760 Speaker 1: a mother and her child. And what I loved about 153 00:08:06,760 --> 00:08:10,040 Speaker 1: that was the way she rose up to defend her son. 154 00:08:10,800 --> 00:08:13,320 Speaker 1: And I thought, if we could just have that same 155 00:08:13,480 --> 00:08:17,200 Speaker 1: attitude toward the people in our lives. When somebody starts 156 00:08:17,200 --> 00:08:20,680 Speaker 1: accusing and talking about somebody we love, we should say, hey, 157 00:08:20,720 --> 00:08:24,200 Speaker 1: wait a minute, that's my son, that's my friend, that's 158 00:08:24,240 --> 00:08:27,239 Speaker 1: my neighbor, that's my coworker. They may have made a mistake, 159 00:08:27,480 --> 00:08:29,640 Speaker 1: but you better give them a little mercy, because when 160 00:08:29,640 --> 00:08:32,559 Speaker 1: you're messing with them, you're messing with me. They may 161 00:08:32,600 --> 00:08:34,440 Speaker 1: not be perfect, but neither of you. So you needed 162 00:08:34,440 --> 00:08:36,080 Speaker 1: to back off. You need to give them a little slack. 163 00:08:37,000 --> 00:08:40,559 Speaker 1: That's what it means to be loyal. You stick up 164 00:08:40,559 --> 00:08:44,360 Speaker 1: for people. And it's funny this society has a way 165 00:08:44,360 --> 00:08:47,240 Speaker 1: of kicking people when they're down. It seems like we 166 00:08:47,360 --> 00:08:50,640 Speaker 1: love to build people up, only to enjoy even more 167 00:08:50,720 --> 00:08:54,240 Speaker 1: seeing them torn down. But when you're lawyer, when you're honorable, 168 00:08:54,880 --> 00:08:57,720 Speaker 1: and you see a friend, a brother, or sister that's down, 169 00:08:58,200 --> 00:09:01,720 Speaker 1: instead of talking about them, being critical judgment, well, really 170 00:09:01,760 --> 00:09:05,000 Speaker 1: you're getting what you deserve. No, we're supposed to lift 171 00:09:05,080 --> 00:09:09,360 Speaker 1: the falling. We're supposed to restore the broken instead of 172 00:09:09,360 --> 00:09:11,960 Speaker 1: saying too bad for you. We're supposed to go to 173 00:09:12,040 --> 00:09:15,840 Speaker 1: them and pour the healing oil onto their wounds. The 174 00:09:15,880 --> 00:09:20,480 Speaker 1: scripture says, a gentle tongue brings healing. Do you know 175 00:09:20,640 --> 00:09:25,000 Speaker 1: kind words can get people back up on their feet again. Really, 176 00:09:25,080 --> 00:09:30,000 Speaker 1: mercy is simply loyalty in action. When you're merciful, when 177 00:09:30,000 --> 00:09:34,680 Speaker 1: you're forgiving, when you help restore, that is loyalty at work. 178 00:09:35,240 --> 00:09:37,000 Speaker 1: Let me ask you today, are you being loyal to 179 00:09:37,040 --> 00:09:39,920 Speaker 1: your friends, loyal to your family? Do you stick with 180 00:09:40,000 --> 00:09:43,000 Speaker 1: them through thick and thin? It's so easy when people 181 00:09:43,040 --> 00:09:46,200 Speaker 1: are down, when they made mistakes, to be critical, to 182 00:09:46,320 --> 00:09:50,360 Speaker 1: condemn them. But really that's when our friends need us 183 00:09:50,400 --> 00:09:53,200 Speaker 1: the very most. A true friend is going to be 184 00:09:53,200 --> 00:09:56,480 Speaker 1: by your side when you're hurting, when you're falling, when 185 00:09:56,520 --> 00:10:00,120 Speaker 1: you've made mistakes. When we see somebody in need, our 186 00:10:00,160 --> 00:10:03,440 Speaker 1: attitude should be they're on my team, They're a part 187 00:10:03,480 --> 00:10:06,800 Speaker 1: of my family, they work at my company, they're a 188 00:10:06,840 --> 00:10:08,959 Speaker 1: part of my church. I'm not gonna sit back. I'm 189 00:10:08,960 --> 00:10:12,120 Speaker 1: gonna step up and defend them. And they may have 190 00:10:12,200 --> 00:10:15,280 Speaker 1: made mistakes. I'm not saying that they're perfect. Maybe they 191 00:10:15,320 --> 00:10:19,839 Speaker 1: are guilty, but understand only the guilty need mercy. And 192 00:10:19,920 --> 00:10:22,600 Speaker 1: if you're a spiritual person, you won't be a part 193 00:10:22,640 --> 00:10:25,400 Speaker 1: of the problem and say, oh yeah, that's juicy. Let 194 00:10:25,480 --> 00:10:28,400 Speaker 1: me tell you something else. I know now, when you're loyal, 195 00:10:28,840 --> 00:10:31,319 Speaker 1: you will put a stop to it. When you're loyal, 196 00:10:31,480 --> 00:10:35,480 Speaker 1: you'll be merciful. There's a scripture in Proverbs. It says, 197 00:10:35,880 --> 00:10:39,120 Speaker 1: have you heard a word against your neighbor, then let 198 00:10:39,160 --> 00:10:42,040 Speaker 1: it die within you. I like that it's saying you 199 00:10:42,120 --> 00:10:44,959 Speaker 1: heard any good gossip lately, You heard anything bad about 200 00:10:44,960 --> 00:10:48,440 Speaker 1: your neighbor, your friends, your family, your pastor. Here's what 201 00:10:48,480 --> 00:10:51,200 Speaker 1: you need to do. Bury it, don't spread it, don't 202 00:10:51,240 --> 00:10:54,200 Speaker 1: pass it on. You have a duty to keep it quiet. 203 00:10:54,240 --> 00:10:56,120 Speaker 1: You have a duty to put a stop to it. 204 00:10:56,320 --> 00:10:59,760 Speaker 1: And they may be wrong, but a loyal person doesn't 205 00:10:59,800 --> 00:11:04,000 Speaker 1: go around bad mouthing. A loyal person helps restore. I 206 00:11:04,040 --> 00:11:07,680 Speaker 1: know years ago one of the prominent ministries was involved 207 00:11:07,679 --> 00:11:09,640 Speaker 1: in a big scandal. It was all over the news 208 00:11:10,200 --> 00:11:12,360 Speaker 1: and the men was guilty. He admitted it, and it 209 00:11:12,400 --> 00:11:15,040 Speaker 1: seemed like the whole world had turned against him. The media, 210 00:11:15,600 --> 00:11:17,800 Speaker 1: the late night talk show hosts, they were having a 211 00:11:17,840 --> 00:11:20,760 Speaker 1: heyday with him. And when my father passed away, we 212 00:11:20,760 --> 00:11:23,200 Speaker 1: were going through his files and we found a letter 213 00:11:23,600 --> 00:11:26,880 Speaker 1: that he had written this man during that time. Daddy said, 214 00:11:27,320 --> 00:11:30,080 Speaker 1: I know you are hurting, but we want you to 215 00:11:30,120 --> 00:11:33,200 Speaker 1: know we here at Lakewood are on your side. And 216 00:11:33,240 --> 00:11:36,520 Speaker 1: when we hurt. My father went on to tell him 217 00:11:36,520 --> 00:11:39,280 Speaker 1: how he loved him. He encouraged him that God could 218 00:11:39,320 --> 00:11:43,080 Speaker 1: still restore. See, everybody has a bunch of friends. When 219 00:11:43,120 --> 00:11:45,800 Speaker 1: they're on the mountaintop, they get all kinds of praise 220 00:11:45,880 --> 00:11:50,280 Speaker 1: and appreciation up there. Your friends really needs you when 221 00:11:50,320 --> 00:11:53,880 Speaker 1: life has taken an unexpected turn, when they made mistakes, 222 00:11:54,120 --> 00:11:56,800 Speaker 1: when they're in those difficult times, and I want you 223 00:11:56,840 --> 00:11:59,679 Speaker 1: to have a bigger vision today. The people in this 224 00:11:59,760 --> 00:12:03,440 Speaker 1: church or on your team, defend them. The people in 225 00:12:03,520 --> 00:12:06,360 Speaker 1: the church down the street, they're on our team. Let's 226 00:12:06,360 --> 00:12:09,480 Speaker 1: stick up for each other. You hear somebody talking about 227 00:12:09,480 --> 00:12:13,760 Speaker 1: them knocking their pastor knocking why they do something. Don't say, 228 00:12:13,800 --> 00:12:16,000 Speaker 1: oh yeah, I don't understand it either. That's kind of weird. 229 00:12:16,160 --> 00:12:18,440 Speaker 1: No stick up for them. Put an end to it. 230 00:12:19,000 --> 00:12:22,839 Speaker 1: Your coworkers at the office, your friends, your neighbors, they're 231 00:12:22,880 --> 00:12:26,520 Speaker 1: on your team. And these days, more than ever, we 232 00:12:26,600 --> 00:12:29,880 Speaker 1: need each other and we need to make sure, especially 233 00:12:30,280 --> 00:12:34,319 Speaker 1: that we are loyal to our own family members. Stick 234 00:12:34,400 --> 00:12:38,680 Speaker 1: up for your brothers, your sisters, your aunts, your uncles, 235 00:12:38,720 --> 00:12:42,280 Speaker 1: your relatives. You may not agree with everybody in your family. 236 00:12:42,400 --> 00:12:45,319 Speaker 1: You probably don't. Some of them may get on your nerves. 237 00:12:45,880 --> 00:12:48,040 Speaker 1: Some of them may be a kind of loose. Maybe 238 00:12:48,080 --> 00:12:50,199 Speaker 1: some of them their elevator doesn't go all the way up. 239 00:12:51,320 --> 00:12:54,440 Speaker 1: But if somebody is talking about one of your family members, 240 00:12:54,600 --> 00:12:56,520 Speaker 1: it is your duty to put a stop to it. 241 00:12:57,120 --> 00:12:59,360 Speaker 1: Don't you dare Let them get you all stirred up 242 00:12:59,720 --> 00:13:02,679 Speaker 1: to you join in, and before long you're airing at 243 00:13:02,720 --> 00:13:06,600 Speaker 1: all your family's dirty laundry. No, we should always be 244 00:13:06,720 --> 00:13:11,000 Speaker 1: positive and honoring toward our family. It doesn't matter if 245 00:13:11,040 --> 00:13:15,520 Speaker 1: they're the laziest, most undisciplined scoundrel around. You should never 246 00:13:15,600 --> 00:13:19,120 Speaker 1: portray them in a negative life. That's your blood. And 247 00:13:19,160 --> 00:13:22,080 Speaker 1: I've seen people when somebody starts talking about their family, 248 00:13:22,160 --> 00:13:25,000 Speaker 1: they just jump on the bandwagon. Oh yeah, man, I 249 00:13:25,040 --> 00:13:26,720 Speaker 1: know what you mean. They've been a jerk for years. 250 00:13:26,720 --> 00:13:28,320 Speaker 1: You should see what I've had to put up with. 251 00:13:28,920 --> 00:13:31,160 Speaker 1: Let me tell you some more stories about them. No, 252 00:13:31,400 --> 00:13:34,240 Speaker 1: you have a responsibility to put a stop to it. 253 00:13:34,840 --> 00:13:37,360 Speaker 1: And I'm not saying make excuses for them, but you 254 00:13:37,400 --> 00:13:39,600 Speaker 1: can say something like, you know, I know they've got 255 00:13:39,600 --> 00:13:41,800 Speaker 1: some issues. I know they're a little bit different, but 256 00:13:41,880 --> 00:13:45,240 Speaker 1: they're growing, they're making progress. I love them down deep. 257 00:13:45,240 --> 00:13:48,720 Speaker 1: They're a good person. See, that's your family. Be loyal, 258 00:13:48,800 --> 00:13:52,840 Speaker 1: take up for Always be positive and honoring toward your 259 00:13:52,840 --> 00:13:55,840 Speaker 1: own family. And no matter how tempted you are to 260 00:13:55,880 --> 00:13:59,319 Speaker 1: get upset at them, no matter how different they may be, 261 00:14:00,360 --> 00:14:04,360 Speaker 1: make the mistake of airing out your dirty laundry from 262 00:14:04,360 --> 00:14:06,520 Speaker 1: your family with other people, because if you tell it 263 00:14:06,559 --> 00:14:08,480 Speaker 1: to somebody, they're going to tell it to somebody else. 264 00:14:08,880 --> 00:14:11,320 Speaker 1: And before long, the whole world will be talking about 265 00:14:11,320 --> 00:14:15,199 Speaker 1: your family's problems. That only makes it worse. Well, you say, Joel, 266 00:14:15,320 --> 00:14:18,679 Speaker 1: you don't understand my situation. My brother borrowed money from 267 00:14:18,720 --> 00:14:20,680 Speaker 1: all of us, now he can't pay us back and 268 00:14:20,680 --> 00:14:23,680 Speaker 1: we're all upset. Or my father ran off and married 269 00:14:23,680 --> 00:14:27,600 Speaker 1: another lady messed our family up. Well that's unfortunate, but 270 00:14:27,680 --> 00:14:30,920 Speaker 1: it's still your family. And it's easy to kick people 271 00:14:30,960 --> 00:14:34,320 Speaker 1: when they're down. It's easy to be judgmental and say 272 00:14:34,360 --> 00:14:36,960 Speaker 1: I told you so, and just shut somebody out of 273 00:14:36,960 --> 00:14:40,080 Speaker 1: your life. But the honorable thing to do is to 274 00:14:40,080 --> 00:14:43,480 Speaker 1: help restore that person. The honorable thing to do is 275 00:14:43,520 --> 00:14:47,000 Speaker 1: to help bring peace back to your family. After all, 276 00:14:47,160 --> 00:14:50,120 Speaker 1: they've got enough people pushing them down. The least they 277 00:14:50,120 --> 00:14:52,400 Speaker 1: should be able to count on is their own family. 278 00:14:53,160 --> 00:14:55,240 Speaker 1: And I hope you have a good family, but if 279 00:14:55,240 --> 00:14:58,520 Speaker 1: you don't start sowing some seeds, I know I've been 280 00:14:58,560 --> 00:15:01,840 Speaker 1: blessed in my family. I believe I have people around 281 00:15:01,840 --> 00:15:05,040 Speaker 1: me that would die for me. My wife, brother, sisters, 282 00:15:05,040 --> 00:15:07,720 Speaker 1: brother in law, sister in laws. I really believe they 283 00:15:07,720 --> 00:15:10,040 Speaker 1: would defend me to their dying day. I mean I 284 00:15:10,040 --> 00:15:12,680 Speaker 1: could go out here and rob a bank. This afternoon, 285 00:15:12,720 --> 00:15:14,960 Speaker 1: steal a car, and they're gonna tell you all, Joey, 286 00:15:15,000 --> 00:15:21,080 Speaker 1: he's just borring it. He's wanting to help somebody else. Now, 287 00:15:21,080 --> 00:15:23,160 Speaker 1: behind closed doors, they're gonna tell me to get my 288 00:15:23,240 --> 00:15:26,400 Speaker 1: act together. But in front of you, that's my family. 289 00:15:26,440 --> 00:15:30,040 Speaker 1: I can do no wrong. They're loyal, they're gonna defend me. 290 00:15:30,080 --> 00:15:32,400 Speaker 1: They're gonna stick up for me. And if we can't 291 00:15:32,440 --> 00:15:34,920 Speaker 1: count on our own family to be with us in 292 00:15:34,920 --> 00:15:38,840 Speaker 1: our times of need, who can we count on. I 293 00:15:38,840 --> 00:15:42,840 Speaker 1: remember one time years ago I went through a difficult 294 00:15:42,840 --> 00:15:45,040 Speaker 1: time in my life, a little set back. I was 295 00:15:45,160 --> 00:15:48,080 Speaker 1: kind of down in discourage, thinking that everybody was against me. 296 00:15:48,440 --> 00:15:50,320 Speaker 1: And about that time, I got a note from my 297 00:15:50,360 --> 00:15:52,480 Speaker 1: brother Paul, and he said, Joel, I just want to 298 00:15:52,480 --> 00:15:57,000 Speaker 1: tell you how incredibly proud of me in you. He said, 299 00:15:57,040 --> 00:16:00,000 Speaker 1: I love you, I respect you, I believe in you. 300 00:16:00,680 --> 00:16:02,720 Speaker 1: He said, I know this time is difficult, but I'm 301 00:16:02,720 --> 00:16:04,840 Speaker 1: going to be there to do anything I can to 302 00:16:04,840 --> 00:16:07,760 Speaker 1: help you make it through it. The scripture says a 303 00:16:07,800 --> 00:16:10,960 Speaker 1: friend loves at all times, but a brother is born 304 00:16:11,040 --> 00:16:14,520 Speaker 1: for adversity. That's saying your friends are great, we all 305 00:16:14,560 --> 00:16:17,920 Speaker 1: need them, but there's something special about your own family. 306 00:16:18,480 --> 00:16:21,360 Speaker 1: Your brothers, your sisters, your mom, your dad, your aunts, 307 00:16:21,400 --> 00:16:24,200 Speaker 1: your uncles. They were born to be with you in 308 00:16:24,240 --> 00:16:27,760 Speaker 1: the tough times, and when things get difficult, we have 309 00:16:27,800 --> 00:16:30,840 Speaker 1: to learn to pull together as a family. The enemy 310 00:16:30,880 --> 00:16:34,040 Speaker 1: would love to bring division. He would love to use 311 00:16:34,080 --> 00:16:38,560 Speaker 1: strife and conflict, jealousy and bad attitudes to pull us apart. 312 00:16:38,920 --> 00:16:43,560 Speaker 1: But we've got to rise above that. Brothers, sisters, aunts, uncles, relatives. 313 00:16:44,160 --> 00:16:47,840 Speaker 1: Quit bickering over things that don't matter. Get over those 314 00:16:47,880 --> 00:16:51,640 Speaker 1: petty little differences. Soon we're all going to be gone. 315 00:16:52,000 --> 00:16:54,640 Speaker 1: Don't waste years of your life being mad at each other. 316 00:16:54,960 --> 00:16:58,680 Speaker 1: Your family needs you. You have something that only you 317 00:16:58,720 --> 00:17:01,960 Speaker 1: can give as a brother, a sister, an aunt and uncle, 318 00:17:02,000 --> 00:17:05,520 Speaker 1: a relative. Be there for your family when you're a 319 00:17:05,560 --> 00:17:11,840 Speaker 1: loyal person. When you're a loyal person, you respect and 320 00:17:12,000 --> 00:17:15,840 Speaker 1: honor your parents. You listen to what they have to say. 321 00:17:16,480 --> 00:17:18,880 Speaker 1: You make them a part of your life, and when 322 00:17:18,880 --> 00:17:21,560 Speaker 1: they get older, you do your part to help take 323 00:17:21,600 --> 00:17:24,640 Speaker 1: care of them. Think about it. When you were a child, 324 00:17:25,160 --> 00:17:28,359 Speaker 1: they watched after you, they fed you, they clothed you, 325 00:17:28,680 --> 00:17:32,639 Speaker 1: They made incredible sacrifices for your sake. And really, life 326 00:17:32,760 --> 00:17:35,960 Speaker 1: is a big cycle. Most likely There'll be a time 327 00:17:36,080 --> 00:17:39,320 Speaker 1: when your parents need you to watch after them, to 328 00:17:39,359 --> 00:17:42,280 Speaker 1: help feed and clothe them as well. They did it 329 00:17:42,320 --> 00:17:44,480 Speaker 1: for you, it's your duty to do it for them. 330 00:17:45,240 --> 00:17:47,800 Speaker 1: Do you know how many lonely parents there are today 331 00:17:48,000 --> 00:17:51,000 Speaker 1: sitting up in a nursing home somewhere. Nobody comes to 332 00:17:51,040 --> 00:17:54,640 Speaker 1: see them. Children too busy working all the time building 333 00:17:54,640 --> 00:17:58,600 Speaker 1: their careers. Know the honorable thing is to take time 334 00:17:58,680 --> 00:18:01,880 Speaker 1: for your parents, make them a part of your life, 335 00:18:02,160 --> 00:18:05,680 Speaker 1: Call them and let them know what you're doing. Honoring 336 00:18:05,760 --> 00:18:09,000 Speaker 1: our parents is the only commandment that comes with a promise. 337 00:18:09,440 --> 00:18:12,080 Speaker 1: It says, if you will honor your mother and father, 338 00:18:12,520 --> 00:18:14,959 Speaker 1: you will live a long life. And I know this 339 00:18:15,040 --> 00:18:18,560 Speaker 1: takes time, it takes commitment, and really, I don't think 340 00:18:18,600 --> 00:18:20,720 Speaker 1: the best thing to do is to just pay somebody 341 00:18:20,760 --> 00:18:23,280 Speaker 1: to take care of your parents. It's our duty, our 342 00:18:23,320 --> 00:18:27,240 Speaker 1: responsibility to spend time with them, to watch after them. 343 00:18:27,640 --> 00:18:33,119 Speaker 1: And if you have brothers and sisters, it should be 344 00:18:33,160 --> 00:18:36,679 Speaker 1: a team effort. Don't make one child do all the work, 345 00:18:36,920 --> 00:18:39,479 Speaker 1: one brother, pay all the bills, one sister spend all 346 00:18:39,520 --> 00:18:43,480 Speaker 1: the time. No pull your load, Be responsible and honor 347 00:18:43,520 --> 00:18:46,720 Speaker 1: your parents by taking care of them. I believe one 348 00:18:46,760 --> 00:18:49,600 Speaker 1: reason that God has blessed me is because I've always 349 00:18:49,640 --> 00:18:52,200 Speaker 1: done my best to honor my father and my mother. 350 00:18:52,680 --> 00:18:55,960 Speaker 1: And I'm not perfect, but anybody that knows me will 351 00:18:55,960 --> 00:18:58,360 Speaker 1: tell you that I always treated my father like a king. 352 00:18:59,160 --> 00:19:01,280 Speaker 1: I used to go over to my parents' house every 353 00:19:01,320 --> 00:19:03,760 Speaker 1: Saturday night and I'd pick out a suit and a 354 00:19:03,800 --> 00:19:06,919 Speaker 1: tie for my father to wear Sunday Morning on television. 355 00:19:07,359 --> 00:19:09,640 Speaker 1: Seventy five years old, and I was still picking out 356 00:19:09,640 --> 00:19:12,960 Speaker 1: his clothes. I remember one Saturday I was running late. 357 00:19:13,280 --> 00:19:15,560 Speaker 1: My father said, oh Joe, don't worry about it. Let 358 00:19:15,560 --> 00:19:17,560 Speaker 1: me pick out something on my own. I'll pick out 359 00:19:17,600 --> 00:19:20,880 Speaker 1: something good. Daddy showed up Sunday morning. I thought, Dear Lord, 360 00:19:20,960 --> 00:19:25,199 Speaker 1: the cameras can't even handle that. You better believe. The 361 00:19:25,240 --> 00:19:27,800 Speaker 1: next Saturday, I made sure I made it by his house. 362 00:19:29,000 --> 00:19:31,520 Speaker 1: Later in my father's life, when he went on dialysis, 363 00:19:31,840 --> 00:19:34,400 Speaker 1: I was able to take him to the clinic many times. 364 00:19:34,800 --> 00:19:37,400 Speaker 1: In fact, the last day of his life, I took 365 00:19:37,440 --> 00:19:40,959 Speaker 1: my father to dialysis at four o'clock that morning. What 366 00:19:41,000 --> 00:19:44,520 Speaker 1: I'm saying is sometimes you have to make sacrifices to 367 00:19:44,560 --> 00:19:47,560 Speaker 1: honor your parents. I didn't necessarily like getting up at 368 00:19:47,560 --> 00:19:50,480 Speaker 1: four o'clock many of those mornings. But that's okay. That's 369 00:19:50,520 --> 00:19:53,680 Speaker 1: our duty as a son, as a daughter. If your 370 00:19:53,680 --> 00:19:56,560 Speaker 1: parents lived close by, swing by and check on them, 371 00:19:57,000 --> 00:20:00,159 Speaker 1: mow their lawn, take them out to dinner, change the 372 00:20:00,160 --> 00:20:02,960 Speaker 1: oil in their car, let them be involved in your life. 373 00:20:02,960 --> 00:20:05,800 Speaker 1: Watch after them. I know this young lady that gets 374 00:20:05,880 --> 00:20:09,119 Speaker 1: up early every morning and before she goes to work, 375 00:20:09,240 --> 00:20:12,119 Speaker 1: before she gets her kids off to school, she makes 376 00:20:12,480 --> 00:20:16,119 Speaker 1: lunch and dinner for her elderly parents. Then after she 377 00:20:16,200 --> 00:20:19,160 Speaker 1: drops her kids off, she swings by and takes her 378 00:20:19,200 --> 00:20:22,200 Speaker 1: parents that food, and then she goes to work. She'll 379 00:20:22,200 --> 00:20:24,080 Speaker 1: get up the next day and do it all over again. 380 00:20:24,400 --> 00:20:26,960 Speaker 1: Let me tell you that young lady is gonna be blessed. 381 00:20:27,160 --> 00:20:30,840 Speaker 1: She's gonna live a long life. God sees those seeds 382 00:20:30,840 --> 00:20:34,879 Speaker 1: of loyalty. And I realize some of you don't have 383 00:20:35,000 --> 00:20:38,040 Speaker 1: your parents any longer, or maybe you were raised by 384 00:20:38,080 --> 00:20:41,560 Speaker 1: parents that didn't necessarily treat you very good. And you're thinking, Joe, 385 00:20:41,560 --> 00:20:44,000 Speaker 1: the last thing I'm gonna do is honor my parents 386 00:20:44,000 --> 00:20:46,200 Speaker 1: after what they did to me. But I want to 387 00:20:46,280 --> 00:20:49,000 Speaker 1: challenge you. It may be difficult, but you've got to 388 00:20:49,000 --> 00:20:52,119 Speaker 1: do whatever you can to make amends. You may not 389 00:20:52,200 --> 00:20:55,679 Speaker 1: ever be best friends. But the fact is God chose that 390 00:20:55,800 --> 00:20:58,639 Speaker 1: man and woman to bring you into this world, and 391 00:20:58,680 --> 00:21:01,560 Speaker 1: you have a responsibility to show them respect and honor. 392 00:21:02,040 --> 00:21:04,960 Speaker 1: And even if you don't do it for them, number one, 393 00:21:05,119 --> 00:21:07,160 Speaker 1: you should do it for yourself so you can live 394 00:21:07,200 --> 00:21:09,760 Speaker 1: a long life. And then number two, you should do 395 00:21:09,800 --> 00:21:13,200 Speaker 1: it for your children. Don't keep passing all that junk down. 396 00:21:13,400 --> 00:21:17,480 Speaker 1: Set a new example. Your children are watching you. They're 397 00:21:17,520 --> 00:21:20,000 Speaker 1: watching how you treat your parents. And if you're cold 398 00:21:20,080 --> 00:21:22,720 Speaker 1: and rude and you just blow them off and you 399 00:21:22,720 --> 00:21:24,959 Speaker 1: don't let them be a part of your life, then 400 00:21:25,000 --> 00:21:28,760 Speaker 1: those same seeds are being planted in your children. Now, 401 00:21:28,760 --> 00:21:31,399 Speaker 1: you got to swallow your pride and do whatever it 402 00:21:31,440 --> 00:21:33,560 Speaker 1: takes to make amends. If you want to live a 403 00:21:33,600 --> 00:21:37,000 Speaker 1: long life, we need to honor our parents, and we 404 00:21:37,040 --> 00:21:39,960 Speaker 1: should learn to be loyal to our family, loyal to 405 00:21:40,040 --> 00:21:42,800 Speaker 1: our friends. And then let's make sure that we are 406 00:21:42,880 --> 00:21:46,720 Speaker 1: loyal to our country. Be loyal to that place wherever 407 00:21:46,760 --> 00:21:50,120 Speaker 1: you live. It may not be perfect, but that's where 408 00:21:50,160 --> 00:21:52,760 Speaker 1: God has you. And really I don't know of one 409 00:21:52,800 --> 00:21:55,520 Speaker 1: perfect country. You have to look for the good and 410 00:21:55,560 --> 00:21:59,120 Speaker 1: then be grateful for that. And we should never demean 411 00:21:59,520 --> 00:22:03,119 Speaker 1: and bad mouth are leaders. God has placed those people 412 00:22:03,119 --> 00:22:07,359 Speaker 1: in authority. We may not like what they do, but 413 00:22:07,440 --> 00:22:10,480 Speaker 1: the scripture tells us to pray for our leaders. And 414 00:22:10,520 --> 00:22:14,399 Speaker 1: there's so much hatred and mean spiritedness in the world today, 415 00:22:14,720 --> 00:22:17,840 Speaker 1: especially in the area of politics and toward our leaders. 416 00:22:18,200 --> 00:22:20,399 Speaker 1: And we may not agree with them, we may not 417 00:22:20,480 --> 00:22:23,240 Speaker 1: see eye to eye on their policy, but when it 418 00:22:23,280 --> 00:22:27,040 Speaker 1: comes to name calling and these personal attacks, it's not 419 00:22:27,080 --> 00:22:30,880 Speaker 1: only dishonoring to that person, it's dishonoring to our country. 420 00:22:31,480 --> 00:22:34,919 Speaker 1: And my prayer is that we'd see a rebirth of patriotism, 421 00:22:35,480 --> 00:22:37,359 Speaker 1: that we would not focus so much on what we 422 00:22:37,400 --> 00:22:39,879 Speaker 1: don't agree on, but rather what we do agree on. 423 00:22:40,640 --> 00:22:43,640 Speaker 1: I know, Victoria and all the national holidays we hang 424 00:22:43,720 --> 00:22:47,240 Speaker 1: the flag outside our home. We loved our country. This 425 00:22:47,359 --> 00:22:50,040 Speaker 1: is a great place to live and I'm all for 426 00:22:51,880 --> 00:22:56,160 Speaker 1: having freedom of speech. But the anger, the hostility, it's 427 00:22:56,200 --> 00:23:00,960 Speaker 1: not doing anything productive. It's divisive rather than unifying us. 428 00:23:01,240 --> 00:23:04,040 Speaker 1: And we need to learn to honor those that serve us. 429 00:23:04,440 --> 00:23:07,480 Speaker 1: Learn to honor the people in our military. When you 430 00:23:07,520 --> 00:23:10,440 Speaker 1: see one of our service men or women, thank them, 431 00:23:10,960 --> 00:23:15,560 Speaker 1: buy their dinner, express your gratitude. Let's be loyal citizens. 432 00:23:16,320 --> 00:23:20,640 Speaker 1: I think about this church. It was built by loyal people, 433 00:23:21,160 --> 00:23:24,280 Speaker 1: people that have stuck with us for thirty or forty years, 434 00:23:24,480 --> 00:23:27,680 Speaker 1: through the exciting times and the not so exciting times. 435 00:23:27,960 --> 00:23:30,320 Speaker 1: I ran into a lady last week. She said, Joel, 436 00:23:30,359 --> 00:23:32,879 Speaker 1: I remember when you were born. I used to change 437 00:23:32,920 --> 00:23:36,159 Speaker 1: your diapers in the nursery. I said, that's great, but 438 00:23:36,240 --> 00:23:40,199 Speaker 1: you can go ahead and keep that to yourself. But 439 00:23:40,280 --> 00:23:43,720 Speaker 1: it was built by faithful people, people we could count on. 440 00:23:44,520 --> 00:23:47,480 Speaker 1: I see Robin around here all the time. I've known 441 00:23:47,520 --> 00:23:50,280 Speaker 1: him since he was this big. He and his family 442 00:23:50,560 --> 00:23:55,080 Speaker 1: have been here forever, serving faithfully. They are loyal. I 443 00:23:55,080 --> 00:23:57,760 Speaker 1: could give Robin the keys to my car, my house, 444 00:23:57,840 --> 00:24:00,240 Speaker 1: give him my wallet. I'm not going to hes not 445 00:24:00,320 --> 00:24:05,480 Speaker 1: that loyal. But they are true friends. They are committed people, 446 00:24:05,800 --> 00:24:07,600 Speaker 1: and that's the kind of people I want us to be, 447 00:24:07,920 --> 00:24:11,280 Speaker 1: not high maintenance friends. Where if you do everything just 448 00:24:11,400 --> 00:24:13,720 Speaker 1: right and you never let me down and you never 449 00:24:13,760 --> 00:24:16,000 Speaker 1: offend me, then I'll stick with you. Man. But the 450 00:24:16,080 --> 00:24:19,640 Speaker 1: moment you don't perform perfectly and you make a mistake 451 00:24:19,720 --> 00:24:21,560 Speaker 1: and you don't come to my birthday party, that I'm 452 00:24:21,600 --> 00:24:24,240 Speaker 1: out of here. Now, let's be bigger than that. Lest 453 00:24:24,320 --> 00:24:27,879 Speaker 1: they committed to each other through thick and thin. I 454 00:24:27,920 --> 00:24:30,600 Speaker 1: heard a story about two young men, Jim and Philip. 455 00:24:30,960 --> 00:24:33,800 Speaker 1: They were the best of friends. They did everything together. 456 00:24:34,160 --> 00:24:37,119 Speaker 1: They went to high school and college together. They played 457 00:24:37,119 --> 00:24:41,200 Speaker 1: sports together. Even after college, they both joined the Marines. 458 00:24:41,359 --> 00:24:44,320 Speaker 1: They were inseparable, and one day they were out on 459 00:24:44,359 --> 00:24:47,280 Speaker 1: the battlefield in Germany in the midst of a very 460 00:24:47,320 --> 00:24:52,040 Speaker 1: fierce battle. Gunfire was everywhere, bombs were exploding. It got 461 00:24:52,119 --> 00:24:55,360 Speaker 1: so bad they were giving the order to retreat. As 462 00:24:55,400 --> 00:24:58,560 Speaker 1: the men were running back, Jim noticed that his friend 463 00:24:58,560 --> 00:25:02,560 Speaker 1: Philip wasn't with him. His heart was gripped with fear. 464 00:25:02,600 --> 00:25:05,720 Speaker 1: He panicked. He rushed over to the commanding officer and 465 00:25:05,760 --> 00:25:09,119 Speaker 1: requested permission to go back into the battle zone. The 466 00:25:09,160 --> 00:25:11,760 Speaker 1: officer said, are you crazy. You don't have a chance. 467 00:25:11,760 --> 00:25:15,560 Speaker 1: I'd be committing suicide going back in there. Without missing 468 00:25:15,560 --> 00:25:19,159 Speaker 1: a beat, Jim turned around ran back, defying the orders. 469 00:25:19,680 --> 00:25:23,200 Speaker 1: In a few minutes, the officer saw Jim hobbling back 470 00:25:23,240 --> 00:25:27,280 Speaker 1: across the field carrying a lifeless body in his arms. 471 00:25:27,480 --> 00:25:30,439 Speaker 1: It was his friend, Philip. He squeamed at him. I 472 00:25:30,600 --> 00:25:33,040 Speaker 1: told you not to go. You could have been killed. 473 00:25:33,119 --> 00:25:36,800 Speaker 1: I knew your friend was already dead. Jim said, no, sir, 474 00:25:37,040 --> 00:25:40,000 Speaker 1: you were wrong. He was still alive when I got there, 475 00:25:40,280 --> 00:25:43,520 Speaker 1: and his last words were, I knew you would come back. 476 00:25:44,240 --> 00:25:49,520 Speaker 1: And that's the kind of That's what I want my 477 00:25:49,720 --> 00:25:52,600 Speaker 1: friends and my family to be able to say about me. 478 00:25:53,400 --> 00:25:57,600 Speaker 1: Be loyal, stay committed, stick up for each other. When 479 00:25:57,640 --> 00:26:01,240 Speaker 1: somebody falls, when they're down, don't kick them, don't criticize them, 480 00:26:01,480 --> 00:26:04,680 Speaker 1: restore them, go to and pour the healing all onto 481 00:26:04,680 --> 00:26:08,800 Speaker 1: their wounds. Remember, mercy is loyalty in action. And when 482 00:26:08,840 --> 00:26:12,920 Speaker 1: you're loyal to your family, to your country, to your friends, 483 00:26:13,280 --> 00:26:15,640 Speaker 1: then in your time of need, you can be assured 484 00:26:15,960 --> 00:26:19,400 Speaker 1: God will have somebody there for you. God rewards loyalty. 485 00:26:19,920 --> 00:26:22,920 Speaker 1: So let me challenge you again. Be a person of honor. 486 00:26:23,240 --> 00:26:26,919 Speaker 1: Don't be a fair weathered friend. Stay committed, stick up 487 00:26:26,920 --> 00:26:30,280 Speaker 1: for each other, defend your family, honor your parents. If 488 00:26:30,280 --> 00:26:33,760 Speaker 1: you'll keep sowing these seeds of loyalty, God has promised 489 00:26:33,960 --> 00:26:36,920 Speaker 1: he'll pour out his blessings and favor and you'll find 490 00:26:36,960 --> 00:26:39,679 Speaker 1: that life of victory that He has in store. Amen, 491 00:26:39,880 --> 00:26:42,040 Speaker 1: do you receive it this morning? I know you do. 492 00:26:43,080 --> 00:26:46,040 Speaker 1: We never like to close our broadcast without giving you 493 00:26:46,080 --> 00:26:48,920 Speaker 1: an opportunity to make Jesus, the Lord of your life. 494 00:26:49,160 --> 00:26:53,400 Speaker 1: Would you pray with me? Just say, Lord Jesus, I'll 495 00:26:53,440 --> 00:26:58,000 Speaker 1: repent of my sins. Come into my heart. I make 496 00:26:58,080 --> 00:27:01,399 Speaker 1: you my Lord and savior. Friends, if you prayed that 497 00:27:01,480 --> 00:27:04,280 Speaker 1: simple prayer, we believe you got born again. Get in 498 00:27:04,320 --> 00:27:07,600 Speaker 1: a good Bible based church. Keep God first place. He's 499 00:27:07,600 --> 00:27:09,879 Speaker 1: going to take your places that you've never dreamed of. 500 00:27:12,240 --> 00:27:15,920 Speaker 3: Our negative thinking can short circuit God's power and blessing 501 00:27:15,960 --> 00:27:19,359 Speaker 3: in our lives. When you say, I always seem to worry. 502 00:27:20,280 --> 00:27:23,080 Speaker 3: I can't forgive what was done to me. I pray, 503 00:27:23,240 --> 00:27:26,159 Speaker 3: but it feels like God doesn't hear. I won't have 504 00:27:26,320 --> 00:27:29,199 Speaker 3: enough to provide for me and my family. How do 505 00:27:29,240 --> 00:27:32,080 Speaker 3: you overcome this type of negative thinking that limits you 506 00:27:32,119 --> 00:27:33,080 Speaker 3: from God's best. 507 00:27:34,240 --> 00:27:37,879 Speaker 1: Our thinking sets the limits for our life. Every morning. 508 00:27:37,920 --> 00:27:40,360 Speaker 1: You have to power up your mind, get it going 509 00:27:40,440 --> 00:27:43,240 Speaker 1: in the right direction, but dwelling on what God says 510 00:27:43,280 --> 00:27:47,359 Speaker 1: about you. When you think thoughts of faith, hope, and victory, 511 00:27:47,680 --> 00:27:51,520 Speaker 1: you'll tap into blessing and favor that belongs to you. Now, 512 00:27:51,560 --> 00:27:53,639 Speaker 1: I love to send you my newest book. It's called 513 00:27:53,680 --> 00:27:56,960 Speaker 1: Power Up. I'll show you how to delete negative thoughts 514 00:27:57,119 --> 00:28:00,360 Speaker 1: and focus on the promises rather than the problem. 515 00:28:00,800 --> 00:28:04,640 Speaker 3: You can discover God's unprecedented power in your life. As 516 00:28:04,720 --> 00:28:06,959 Speaker 3: our way of saying thank you for your gift of 517 00:28:07,000 --> 00:28:10,240 Speaker 3: any amount to the ministry. This month, Joel and Victoria 518 00:28:10,359 --> 00:28:13,920 Speaker 3: would like to send you this life altering resource, power Up, 519 00:28:14,160 --> 00:28:18,080 Speaker 3: a twenty one day action plan to transformative thinking. God 520 00:28:18,119 --> 00:28:24,320 Speaker 3: wants to power up every area of your life, your relationships, career, finances, health. 521 00:28:24,600 --> 00:28:27,959 Speaker 3: He wants to bless it all. But sometimes negative thinking 522 00:28:28,080 --> 00:28:32,560 Speaker 3: can short circuit the truth. This resource reconnects those power lines, 523 00:28:32,760 --> 00:28:37,480 Speaker 3: providing the free flow of God's eternal promises. Remember, wherever 524 00:28:37,520 --> 00:28:40,680 Speaker 3: you're at, whatever you're facing, you can make the choice 525 00:28:40,680 --> 00:28:43,400 Speaker 3: to power up and access God's promises. 526 00:28:44,320 --> 00:28:47,040 Speaker 1: When your mind is going in the right direction, your 527 00:28:47,120 --> 00:28:50,400 Speaker 1: life will go in the right direction. Start powering up 528 00:28:50,480 --> 00:28:53,760 Speaker 1: each day and watch what God will do. Victory and 529 00:28:53,800 --> 00:28:55,720 Speaker 1: I want you to know that we pray for you 530 00:28:55,800 --> 00:28:59,520 Speaker 1: and your family. We appreciate your prayer and support you. 531 00:29:00,080 --> 00:29:04,240 Speaker 1: Verosity is impacting so many lives. Remember you can watch 532 00:29:04,280 --> 00:29:09,160 Speaker 1: the services live online every Sunday morning, download our daily podcast, 533 00:29:09,600 --> 00:29:13,600 Speaker 1: watch our YouTube channel, listen on Serious Exam. But until 534 00:29:13,600 --> 00:29:16,760 Speaker 1: we meet again, may the Lord bless you and keep. 535 00:29:16,600 --> 00:29:20,200 Speaker 3: You be sure to request your copy of Power Up, 536 00:29:20,320 --> 00:29:23,800 Speaker 3: a twenty one day action plan to transformative thinking today. 537 00:29:24,120 --> 00:29:33,000 Speaker 3: Visit Joelustein dot com or call us told free