1 00:00:00,920 --> 00:00:02,440 Speaker 1: Hi, this is Jolan Victoria. 2 00:00:02,759 --> 00:00:05,560 Speaker 2: Thanks so much for listening to the podcast and thanks 3 00:00:05,600 --> 00:00:07,040 Speaker 2: for supporting the ministry. 4 00:00:07,360 --> 00:00:08,560 Speaker 1: We believe you're going to have an. 5 00:00:08,600 --> 00:00:13,239 Speaker 2: Awesome twenty twenty four, healthy, productive, and favor filled. God 6 00:00:13,280 --> 00:00:15,120 Speaker 2: bless you today and enjoy the message. 7 00:00:15,280 --> 00:00:18,320 Speaker 1: Well, God bless you. It is a joy to come 8 00:00:18,320 --> 00:00:20,560 Speaker 1: into your homes each week. We love you. We know 9 00:00:20,680 --> 00:00:22,680 Speaker 1: God has great things in store for you. 10 00:00:23,239 --> 00:00:25,720 Speaker 2: If you're ever in our area, I hope you'll come 11 00:00:25,720 --> 00:00:28,240 Speaker 2: by and see us. Just be our joy and honor 12 00:00:28,280 --> 00:00:30,160 Speaker 2: to have you be a part of one of our services. 13 00:00:30,160 --> 00:00:31,960 Speaker 1: But thanks for tuning in today. 14 00:00:32,360 --> 00:00:34,200 Speaker 2: And I like to get started each week with something 15 00:00:34,280 --> 00:00:37,120 Speaker 2: kind of funny. And I heard about this pastor and 16 00:00:37,240 --> 00:00:40,400 Speaker 2: song leader that weren't getting along, and it began to 17 00:00:40,440 --> 00:00:43,880 Speaker 2: spill over into the worship services. One Sunday, the minister 18 00:00:43,960 --> 00:00:47,519 Speaker 2: preached on being willing to change, and afterwards, the song 19 00:00:47,640 --> 00:00:50,199 Speaker 2: leader got up and led the hem I shall not 20 00:00:50,320 --> 00:00:54,880 Speaker 2: be moved. The next week he preached on giving. The 21 00:00:54,960 --> 00:00:58,240 Speaker 2: song leader got up afterwards and sang the song Jesus 22 00:00:58,320 --> 00:01:02,520 Speaker 2: paid it all. The next week he preached on not gossiping. 23 00:01:02,680 --> 00:01:04,880 Speaker 2: The song leader got up and led the song I 24 00:01:04,959 --> 00:01:09,240 Speaker 2: love to tell the story. The minister got so frustrated 25 00:01:09,280 --> 00:01:12,319 Speaker 2: he finally resigned. He said, Jesus brought me here, and 26 00:01:12,440 --> 00:01:15,360 Speaker 2: Jesus is taking me away. The song leader got up 27 00:01:15,360 --> 00:01:18,040 Speaker 2: and led the song. What a friend we have in Jesus. 28 00:01:20,000 --> 00:01:23,640 Speaker 2: All right, hold up your Bible, say it like you 29 00:01:23,720 --> 00:01:27,000 Speaker 2: mean it. This is my Bible. I am what it 30 00:01:27,040 --> 00:01:29,840 Speaker 2: says I am. I have what it says I have. 31 00:01:30,440 --> 00:01:33,280 Speaker 2: I can do what it says I can do. Today 32 00:01:33,360 --> 00:01:36,520 Speaker 2: all will be taught the word of God. I boldly 33 00:01:36,600 --> 00:01:41,200 Speaker 2: confess my mind is alert, my heart is receptive. I 34 00:01:41,319 --> 00:01:45,560 Speaker 2: will never be the same. In Jesus' name, God bless you. 35 00:01:46,440 --> 00:01:49,680 Speaker 2: We've been talking about not living in the past and 36 00:01:49,720 --> 00:01:53,080 Speaker 2: how we need to let things go. Life has a 37 00:01:53,120 --> 00:01:56,880 Speaker 2: way of pushing people down. We all go through disappointments 38 00:01:57,440 --> 00:02:00,640 Speaker 2: at times. We all have unfair things happened to us, 39 00:02:00,680 --> 00:02:04,680 Speaker 2: and it's so easy to develop a negative mindset, and 40 00:02:04,680 --> 00:02:08,080 Speaker 2: this always will rob us of our future. And I 41 00:02:08,120 --> 00:02:10,760 Speaker 2: see too many people going around with a chip on 42 00:02:10,800 --> 00:02:16,360 Speaker 2: their shoulder, bitter, resentful, kind of angry, and it's because 43 00:02:16,560 --> 00:02:21,000 Speaker 2: they won't let anything go. But every morning, we need 44 00:02:21,040 --> 00:02:23,800 Speaker 2: to start our day with a fresh, clean slate. 45 00:02:24,520 --> 00:02:25,600 Speaker 1: When we get out of bed. 46 00:02:26,040 --> 00:02:27,960 Speaker 2: One of the first things we need to learn to 47 00:02:28,040 --> 00:02:32,760 Speaker 2: do is let go of the disappointments of yesterday, let 48 00:02:32,800 --> 00:02:36,919 Speaker 2: go of our failures, forgive the people that did us wrong, 49 00:02:37,560 --> 00:02:40,919 Speaker 2: release any negative thing that's trying to pull us down. 50 00:02:41,360 --> 00:02:44,359 Speaker 2: We need to start each day afresh and a new 51 00:02:44,960 --> 00:02:48,520 Speaker 2: In other words, we may have made mistakes yesterday, but 52 00:02:48,600 --> 00:02:52,440 Speaker 2: the good news is God's mercy is new every single morning. 53 00:02:52,800 --> 00:02:53,760 Speaker 1: Learn to receive that. 54 00:02:54,760 --> 00:02:58,519 Speaker 2: Or maybe somebody offended you last week, they said something 55 00:02:58,520 --> 00:03:02,920 Speaker 2: to hurt your feelings. That go that unforgiveness will poison 56 00:03:02,960 --> 00:03:06,440 Speaker 2: your own life. Maybe somebody cheated you out of a 57 00:03:06,480 --> 00:03:10,400 Speaker 2: promotion at work, They lied, manipulated things, and man, it 58 00:03:10,480 --> 00:03:13,840 Speaker 2: wasn't fair. But don't get bitter, don't try to get even. 59 00:03:14,160 --> 00:03:16,960 Speaker 2: If you'll let it go, God will be your vindicator. 60 00:03:17,240 --> 00:03:19,799 Speaker 2: God will make your wrongs right. And I know some 61 00:03:19,880 --> 00:03:22,560 Speaker 2: of you have been through a lot of unfair situations. 62 00:03:23,040 --> 00:03:26,600 Speaker 2: Maybe growing up you weren't treated right, a spouse walked 63 00:03:26,600 --> 00:03:29,959 Speaker 2: out of a relationship, you lost a loved one. It's 64 00:03:30,000 --> 00:03:33,160 Speaker 2: so easy to stay focused on the pains of the past, 65 00:03:33,520 --> 00:03:36,960 Speaker 2: but I'm asking you to let all that go. Don't 66 00:03:37,000 --> 00:03:39,480 Speaker 2: allow your past to poison your future. 67 00:03:40,240 --> 00:03:40,680 Speaker 1: Know this. 68 00:03:41,120 --> 00:03:44,160 Speaker 2: Your best days are not behind you. They are in 69 00:03:44,200 --> 00:03:47,080 Speaker 2: front of you. And our God is called a god 70 00:03:47,240 --> 00:03:51,920 Speaker 2: of restoration, and he's promised if we'll keep the right attitude, 71 00:03:52,320 --> 00:03:56,200 Speaker 2: he'll not only restore what's been stolen, but he'll bring 72 00:03:56,280 --> 00:03:59,760 Speaker 2: us out better off than we were before. He said 73 00:03:59,800 --> 00:04:01,800 Speaker 2: an Isaiah, he would pay us. 74 00:04:01,720 --> 00:04:03,960 Speaker 1: Back double for our former shame. 75 00:04:04,920 --> 00:04:08,040 Speaker 2: So when unfair things happened to you, instead of getting 76 00:04:08,040 --> 00:04:10,160 Speaker 2: bent out of shade and going around with that chip 77 00:04:10,200 --> 00:04:13,560 Speaker 2: on your shoulder, learn to just turn it around, say 78 00:04:13,600 --> 00:04:17,080 Speaker 2: you know what, that wasn't fair. They offended me, but 79 00:04:17,120 --> 00:04:20,080 Speaker 2: I'm not going to get upset. I know that just 80 00:04:20,240 --> 00:04:23,839 Speaker 2: qualifies me for double. They meant it for evil, but 81 00:04:23,880 --> 00:04:26,200 Speaker 2: God's going to use it for my good. So I'm 82 00:04:26,200 --> 00:04:28,599 Speaker 2: gonna believe to come out of this with twice the joy, 83 00:04:28,960 --> 00:04:32,440 Speaker 2: twice the peace, twice the favor, twice the victory. See, 84 00:04:32,440 --> 00:04:34,960 Speaker 2: if you can learn to have the right attitude, then 85 00:04:35,000 --> 00:04:38,400 Speaker 2: when people do unfair things, you'll know, in a sense, 86 00:04:38,400 --> 00:04:40,599 Speaker 2: they just did you a favor. They put you in 87 00:04:40,640 --> 00:04:44,719 Speaker 2: a position to receive double. I remember one time years ago, 88 00:04:45,240 --> 00:04:49,279 Speaker 2: this person that I knew started talking about me, spreading rumors, 89 00:04:50,000 --> 00:04:52,440 Speaker 2: lying saying things that you're just were not true. He 90 00:04:52,520 --> 00:04:54,320 Speaker 2: was basically trying to ruin my. 91 00:04:54,320 --> 00:04:56,200 Speaker 1: Reputation, turn people against me. 92 00:04:56,680 --> 00:04:58,760 Speaker 2: And the funny thing is I knew a whole lot 93 00:04:58,800 --> 00:05:01,520 Speaker 2: of bad things about him. He didn't have a good 94 00:05:01,680 --> 00:05:04,880 Speaker 2: reputation to start with, and when I heard he was 95 00:05:04,920 --> 00:05:07,800 Speaker 2: talking about me, the first thing I wanted to do 96 00:05:07,880 --> 00:05:11,200 Speaker 2: in the natural was to start talking about him. I thought, 97 00:05:11,279 --> 00:05:14,279 Speaker 2: let me set the record strength, let me announce to 98 00:05:14,320 --> 00:05:15,560 Speaker 2: you what I know about him. 99 00:05:15,760 --> 00:05:18,159 Speaker 1: Better yet, let me take out an ad in the newspaper. 100 00:05:19,400 --> 00:05:22,600 Speaker 2: But I've learned, no matter how we feel, no matter 101 00:05:22,640 --> 00:05:26,039 Speaker 2: what our emotions are telling us, it's always best to 102 00:05:26,080 --> 00:05:26,920 Speaker 2: take the high road. 103 00:05:27,680 --> 00:05:29,839 Speaker 1: You don't overcome evil with more evil. 104 00:05:30,480 --> 00:05:33,680 Speaker 2: Somebody's talking about you, don't start talking about them. That 105 00:05:33,839 --> 00:05:36,720 Speaker 2: makes you just as wrong as they are. The scripture 106 00:05:36,800 --> 00:05:40,640 Speaker 2: says we overcome evil with good. We're supposed to bless 107 00:05:40,640 --> 00:05:44,159 Speaker 2: our enemies. We're supposed to be kind to people even 108 00:05:44,200 --> 00:05:46,520 Speaker 2: when they're not being kind to us, and that's what 109 00:05:46,600 --> 00:05:49,320 Speaker 2: I tried to do. I said, God, this is not fair, 110 00:05:49,839 --> 00:05:52,480 Speaker 2: But you said you would be my vindicator, So I'm 111 00:05:52,520 --> 00:05:54,839 Speaker 2: not gonna get offended. I'm not going to go around 112 00:05:54,880 --> 00:05:57,640 Speaker 2: with a bad attitude. He doesn't realize it, but he's 113 00:05:57,640 --> 00:06:00,200 Speaker 2: done me a favor. He's put me in a position 114 00:06:00,320 --> 00:06:03,479 Speaker 2: to receive double and all through the day when that 115 00:06:03,680 --> 00:06:07,039 Speaker 2: situation would come up, instead of getting all stressed out, 116 00:06:07,640 --> 00:06:10,640 Speaker 2: all worked up on the inside, I just said, Father, 117 00:06:10,960 --> 00:06:13,400 Speaker 2: thank you that you're fighting my battles for me. I 118 00:06:13,480 --> 00:06:15,640 Speaker 2: believe I'm going to come out of this better off 119 00:06:15,680 --> 00:06:19,120 Speaker 2: than I was before, stronger, happier, and healthier. And that 120 00:06:19,240 --> 00:06:22,159 Speaker 2: was years ago, and I saw God do exactly that. 121 00:06:22,720 --> 00:06:26,040 Speaker 2: He'll do it for you as well. When unfair things happen, 122 00:06:26,279 --> 00:06:29,719 Speaker 2: maybe somebody's talking about you, or maybe you've just gotten 123 00:06:29,760 --> 00:06:31,120 Speaker 2: some bad breaks in life. 124 00:06:31,640 --> 00:06:34,560 Speaker 1: Nothing you did to deserve. It wasn't your fault, but 125 00:06:34,600 --> 00:06:37,679 Speaker 1: you've gone through some painful, hurtful situations. 126 00:06:38,200 --> 00:06:41,000 Speaker 2: What I'm saying is, don't let it get down on 127 00:06:41,040 --> 00:06:44,200 Speaker 2: the inside. Instead of trying to pay people back and 128 00:06:44,400 --> 00:06:47,880 Speaker 2: getting all worked up, learn to stay on the high road. 129 00:06:48,640 --> 00:06:50,719 Speaker 1: Know that God is in control of your. 130 00:06:50,640 --> 00:06:54,080 Speaker 2: Life, and if you will keep the right attitude, He's 131 00:06:54,160 --> 00:06:57,240 Speaker 2: promised to bring you out with double what you had before. 132 00:06:57,480 --> 00:07:01,120 Speaker 1: That's just the way our God is brings us out 133 00:07:01,200 --> 00:07:01,640 Speaker 1: the same. 134 00:07:01,920 --> 00:07:05,600 Speaker 2: He always makes the enemy pay for bringing that trouble 135 00:07:05,640 --> 00:07:09,479 Speaker 2: into your life. You heard my sister Lisa til last week, 136 00:07:10,000 --> 00:07:12,600 Speaker 2: how when she was in her early twenties, she went 137 00:07:12,640 --> 00:07:17,800 Speaker 2: through an unwanted divorce, was very unfair, very hurtful, very painful. 138 00:07:18,200 --> 00:07:20,920 Speaker 1: And for week after week, Lisa. 139 00:07:20,680 --> 00:07:23,560 Speaker 2: Just sat there in all that defeat, thinking that she 140 00:07:23,640 --> 00:07:27,000 Speaker 2: didn't have a future, and she continued to sink lower 141 00:07:27,040 --> 00:07:29,760 Speaker 2: and lower, allowing that self pity. 142 00:07:29,480 --> 00:07:30,800 Speaker 1: To control her life. 143 00:07:31,240 --> 00:07:35,120 Speaker 2: But one day she decided enough was enough. She said, 144 00:07:35,440 --> 00:07:37,840 Speaker 2: this is not the end for me. This is a 145 00:07:37,960 --> 00:07:41,880 Speaker 2: new beginning, and she rose up in her authority, shook 146 00:07:41,920 --> 00:07:44,720 Speaker 2: off that self pity, and she put on a fresh 147 00:07:44,800 --> 00:07:45,680 Speaker 2: new attitude. 148 00:07:45,800 --> 00:07:48,080 Speaker 1: She got hopeful, expectant. 149 00:07:48,360 --> 00:07:51,920 Speaker 2: She stayed aggressive, and God not only brought her out, 150 00:07:52,200 --> 00:07:55,040 Speaker 2: but he made the enemy pain. It was through that 151 00:07:55,160 --> 00:07:59,680 Speaker 2: difficulty that Lisa learned to teach God's word. She began 152 00:07:59,760 --> 00:08:02,800 Speaker 2: to help other people that were struggling in their marriages, 153 00:08:03,160 --> 00:08:06,080 Speaker 2: and she would share the scriptures with them and encourage 154 00:08:06,120 --> 00:08:09,760 Speaker 2: their hearts. That's where she developed her gift of teaching 155 00:08:10,480 --> 00:08:12,320 Speaker 2: see the enemy minute for evil. 156 00:08:12,680 --> 00:08:14,760 Speaker 1: But God used it to thrust. 157 00:08:14,520 --> 00:08:18,760 Speaker 2: Her into her destiny. Something new was birthed out of 158 00:08:18,760 --> 00:08:23,440 Speaker 2: that adversity. And when you go through unfair situations in 159 00:08:23,480 --> 00:08:26,840 Speaker 2: your time of need. Don't you dare sit around feeling 160 00:08:26,880 --> 00:08:29,400 Speaker 2: sorry for yourself, thinking that your life is over. 161 00:08:30,040 --> 00:08:31,000 Speaker 1: No, dig your. 162 00:08:30,880 --> 00:08:33,560 Speaker 2: Heels in and believe that you're gonna come out of 163 00:08:33,600 --> 00:08:36,920 Speaker 2: that better oft than you were before. Believe you're gonna 164 00:08:36,920 --> 00:08:41,559 Speaker 2: come out stronger, happier, wiser. You know the scripture in 165 00:08:41,679 --> 00:08:45,880 Speaker 2: Romans eight twenty eight, all things work together for good 166 00:08:46,000 --> 00:08:48,880 Speaker 2: when we love the Lord. It doesn't say that all 167 00:08:48,920 --> 00:08:55,040 Speaker 2: things are good. We all go through things that are difficult, painful, unfair. 168 00:08:55,080 --> 00:08:56,080 Speaker 1: We don't like them. 169 00:08:56,600 --> 00:08:59,760 Speaker 2: They may not be good, but know this, God is good. 170 00:09:00,480 --> 00:09:03,960 Speaker 2: Life may not be fair, but God is fair. And 171 00:09:04,000 --> 00:09:07,760 Speaker 2: what you're going through today may be difficult. But if 172 00:09:07,800 --> 00:09:11,040 Speaker 2: you'll keep your trust in Him, not get bitter, not 173 00:09:11,080 --> 00:09:15,520 Speaker 2: get resentful, then somehow, some way, God will turn that 174 00:09:15,559 --> 00:09:19,520 Speaker 2: situation around and use it to your advantage. That's exactly 175 00:09:19,520 --> 00:09:21,840 Speaker 2: what God did for me. When my dad went to 176 00:09:21,840 --> 00:09:24,839 Speaker 2: be with the Lord, that was the most difficult thing 177 00:09:24,920 --> 00:09:27,839 Speaker 2: that I'd ever faced in my life. I had worked 178 00:09:27,880 --> 00:09:31,840 Speaker 2: with my father here at Lakewood seventeen years. Behind the scenes, 179 00:09:32,440 --> 00:09:35,000 Speaker 2: Daddy and I were the best of friends. I used 180 00:09:35,040 --> 00:09:37,000 Speaker 2: to think, what am I going to do when my 181 00:09:37,040 --> 00:09:40,760 Speaker 2: father's gone. Really, my whole world was built around him. 182 00:09:41,200 --> 00:09:44,640 Speaker 2: But in January of nineteen ninety nine, my father had 183 00:09:44,640 --> 00:09:46,520 Speaker 2: a heart attack and went to be with the Lord. 184 00:09:47,080 --> 00:09:48,560 Speaker 1: And of course we were. 185 00:09:48,440 --> 00:09:51,000 Speaker 2: Kind of in shock. It was a sudden thing, and 186 00:09:51,080 --> 00:09:52,560 Speaker 2: I remember I had to make a. 187 00:09:52,480 --> 00:09:56,679 Speaker 1: Decision back then. Was I going to get bitter, go around. 188 00:09:56,440 --> 00:09:59,280 Speaker 2: With a chip on my shoulder, thinking God, it's. 189 00:09:59,160 --> 00:10:01,040 Speaker 1: Not fair you let this happen to me. 190 00:10:02,080 --> 00:10:05,120 Speaker 2: Or was I going to press forward and believe that 191 00:10:05,160 --> 00:10:08,280 Speaker 2: God still had a good plan for my life. And 192 00:10:08,360 --> 00:10:11,760 Speaker 2: looking back now, I can see what I thought would 193 00:10:11,760 --> 00:10:14,520 Speaker 2: have been my darkest hour turned out to be my 194 00:10:14,640 --> 00:10:19,000 Speaker 2: brightest hour. God used that adversity to thrust me into 195 00:10:19,040 --> 00:10:22,160 Speaker 2: a whole new dimension of my life. I didn't know 196 00:10:22,280 --> 00:10:24,560 Speaker 2: that I could minister. I didn't know I had this 197 00:10:24,679 --> 00:10:27,160 Speaker 2: in me. My father tried to get me up here 198 00:10:27,160 --> 00:10:29,800 Speaker 2: many times. I said, Daddy, I'm not a preacher. 199 00:10:29,960 --> 00:10:32,400 Speaker 1: I can't do that. I'm too shy, I'm too nervous. 200 00:10:33,280 --> 00:10:37,400 Speaker 2: Sometimes God has to push us into our destiny. Sometimes 201 00:10:37,440 --> 00:10:40,720 Speaker 2: he'll use the adversity. He'll use the dark hour to 202 00:10:40,760 --> 00:10:42,920 Speaker 2: get you where he wants you to be. If you've 203 00:10:42,920 --> 00:10:45,760 Speaker 2: been through some kind of loss, some kind of disappointment. 204 00:10:45,840 --> 00:10:49,240 Speaker 2: I know that's hard, but know this, God still has 205 00:10:49,280 --> 00:10:52,480 Speaker 2: a great plan for your life. I found that when 206 00:10:52,520 --> 00:10:56,240 Speaker 2: one door closes, God will always open up another door. 207 00:10:56,800 --> 00:11:02,080 Speaker 2: And you don't know, God may use that difficulty to 208 00:11:02,200 --> 00:11:05,520 Speaker 2: thrust you to a whole new level. You have things 209 00:11:05,600 --> 00:11:08,000 Speaker 2: on the inside of you just like I did. That 210 00:11:08,040 --> 00:11:10,760 Speaker 2: you don't even realize it. I can tell you, if 211 00:11:10,840 --> 00:11:13,040 Speaker 2: my father was still here, I wouldn't be up here. 212 00:11:13,520 --> 00:11:16,199 Speaker 1: It was too easy behind the scenes. I was too comfortable. 213 00:11:16,600 --> 00:11:19,760 Speaker 2: And sometimes God has to give us that push, and 214 00:11:19,800 --> 00:11:22,480 Speaker 2: it's up to us to keep the right attitude and 215 00:11:22,480 --> 00:11:25,120 Speaker 2: to stay hopeful and to believe that God is in 216 00:11:25,160 --> 00:11:26,320 Speaker 2: control of our lives. 217 00:11:26,600 --> 00:11:27,920 Speaker 1: And I love what God said in the. 218 00:11:27,920 --> 00:11:32,280 Speaker 2: Book of Joel to twenty five, I will restore the 219 00:11:32,440 --> 00:11:36,360 Speaker 2: years that the locust has eaten. I believe God's saying 220 00:11:36,400 --> 00:11:38,920 Speaker 2: that to every one of us. He wants to restore 221 00:11:39,000 --> 00:11:40,240 Speaker 2: the years. 222 00:11:39,760 --> 00:11:41,000 Speaker 1: That have been stolen from you. 223 00:11:41,840 --> 00:11:43,920 Speaker 2: Some of you feel like you've wasted years of your 224 00:11:43,960 --> 00:11:47,800 Speaker 2: life in a relationship that didn't work out, or maybe 225 00:11:47,800 --> 00:11:51,480 Speaker 2: you've spent years on the job, working hard, doing your best, 226 00:11:51,679 --> 00:11:54,920 Speaker 2: but not getting promoted, not getting the credit you deserve. 227 00:11:55,679 --> 00:11:58,880 Speaker 2: I know some of you didn't have a proper childhood. 228 00:11:59,400 --> 00:12:02,839 Speaker 2: Growing up, you were mistreated, talk down, to pass from 229 00:12:02,880 --> 00:12:06,559 Speaker 2: one relative to the other. The good news is God 230 00:12:06,640 --> 00:12:09,760 Speaker 2: wants to restore all those years. He wants to make 231 00:12:09,800 --> 00:12:12,120 Speaker 2: that up to you. Now, Why don't you do your 232 00:12:12,200 --> 00:12:16,120 Speaker 2: part and have a vision for it. Quit living depressed 233 00:12:16,120 --> 00:12:18,720 Speaker 2: and defeated. Quit going around with a chip on your shoulder. 234 00:12:19,280 --> 00:12:22,760 Speaker 2: You've got to get up every morning excited about your future. 235 00:12:23,200 --> 00:12:26,559 Speaker 2: Get up expecting things to change in your favor. I 236 00:12:26,640 --> 00:12:30,199 Speaker 2: see too many people going around bitter, resentful, Joel. I 237 00:12:30,240 --> 00:12:32,480 Speaker 2: don't know why this has happened to me. It's just 238 00:12:32,520 --> 00:12:37,120 Speaker 2: not fair. But understand that very attitude is going to 239 00:12:37,240 --> 00:12:41,000 Speaker 2: draw in more of the problems. It's a negative cycle 240 00:12:41,000 --> 00:12:43,920 Speaker 2: that's just going to keep getting repeated. The only way 241 00:12:43,960 --> 00:12:46,040 Speaker 2: it's going to change is for you to put your 242 00:12:46,040 --> 00:12:48,800 Speaker 2: foot down and say no, I'm not going to let 243 00:12:48,840 --> 00:12:51,920 Speaker 2: my past ruin my future. I'm not going to allow 244 00:12:51,960 --> 00:12:53,040 Speaker 2: what somebody did. 245 00:12:52,880 --> 00:12:55,000 Speaker 1: To me to keep me from my destiny. 246 00:12:55,720 --> 00:12:58,520 Speaker 2: It may have been unfair, I may have gotten some 247 00:12:58,600 --> 00:13:00,960 Speaker 2: bad breaks in life, may be in the middle of 248 00:13:01,000 --> 00:13:03,840 Speaker 2: a big mess right now, but I know this. It 249 00:13:03,880 --> 00:13:06,920 Speaker 2: didn't come to stay. It came to pass. It may 250 00:13:06,960 --> 00:13:09,360 Speaker 2: not be good, but I know God is good. He's 251 00:13:09,400 --> 00:13:12,640 Speaker 2: still in control of my life, and I believe He's 252 00:13:12,679 --> 00:13:15,720 Speaker 2: gonna restore and bring me out better off than I 253 00:13:15,880 --> 00:13:18,920 Speaker 2: was before. That's the attitude we got to have. See, 254 00:13:18,960 --> 00:13:22,720 Speaker 2: we need to keep our hopes up. Hope is called 255 00:13:22,760 --> 00:13:26,480 Speaker 2: the anchor of our soul. No matter what you've been through, 256 00:13:26,760 --> 00:13:30,240 Speaker 2: no matter how unfair it was, know this the best 257 00:13:30,400 --> 00:13:32,960 Speaker 2: is still yet to come. May not have happened in 258 00:13:32,960 --> 00:13:36,200 Speaker 2: the past, but this is a new day, says about Abraham, 259 00:13:36,840 --> 00:13:41,120 Speaker 2: all hope being gone. He hoped on in faith, and 260 00:13:41,160 --> 00:13:43,880 Speaker 2: you may feel like him today. You hear what I'm 261 00:13:43,920 --> 00:13:46,960 Speaker 2: saying and it stirs your heart. You know, down in 262 00:13:47,040 --> 00:13:50,000 Speaker 2: here it's true. You know God's got great things in store. 263 00:13:50,559 --> 00:13:52,840 Speaker 2: But when you look out, you think, man, I don't 264 00:13:52,840 --> 00:13:55,280 Speaker 2: see how it could happen, Joel, I don't see how 265 00:13:55,280 --> 00:13:57,640 Speaker 2: my dreams could come to pass. I don't see how 266 00:13:57,679 --> 00:14:00,440 Speaker 2: my marriage could ever be restored. That's okay, Hey, that's 267 00:14:00,480 --> 00:14:02,280 Speaker 2: not your part. You don't have to figure it out. 268 00:14:02,800 --> 00:14:05,640 Speaker 2: Your part is to believe. Your part is to get 269 00:14:05,720 --> 00:14:09,800 Speaker 2: up every day expecting good things and know this, Our 270 00:14:09,880 --> 00:14:11,960 Speaker 2: God is a god of justice. 271 00:14:12,679 --> 00:14:15,199 Speaker 1: He sees every wrong that's ever been done to you. 272 00:14:15,880 --> 00:14:19,360 Speaker 2: He sees every person that's ever mistreated you, he sees 273 00:14:19,440 --> 00:14:21,080 Speaker 2: every tear that you've ever shed. 274 00:14:21,360 --> 00:14:23,320 Speaker 1: God is keeping the records. 275 00:14:23,360 --> 00:14:26,680 Speaker 2: And he's promised if you will keep your trust in him, 276 00:14:27,040 --> 00:14:31,080 Speaker 2: he will not allow you to be continually mistreated, no 277 00:14:31,080 --> 00:14:34,160 Speaker 2: matter what's come against you, if you will just dig 278 00:14:34,200 --> 00:14:37,080 Speaker 2: your heels in and keep fighting that good fight of faith. 279 00:14:37,800 --> 00:14:40,880 Speaker 2: That means you get up every morning, put a smile 280 00:14:40,920 --> 00:14:45,520 Speaker 2: on your face, and keep pressing forward, shaking off disappointments, 281 00:14:46,000 --> 00:14:48,480 Speaker 2: shaking off offenses, shaking off self pity. 282 00:14:48,760 --> 00:14:51,120 Speaker 1: Listen, if you do that, God will reward you. 283 00:14:51,920 --> 00:14:55,880 Speaker 2: And the scripture says here, do not cast away your confidence, 284 00:14:56,320 --> 00:15:00,640 Speaker 2: for it shall be richly rewarded. Notice God, God is saying, 285 00:15:01,120 --> 00:15:03,720 Speaker 2: if we'll just stay on the high road and keep 286 00:15:03,760 --> 00:15:07,160 Speaker 2: doing our best, then eventually things are going to change 287 00:15:07,200 --> 00:15:07,920 Speaker 2: in our favor. 288 00:15:08,640 --> 00:15:08,720 Speaker 1: Now. 289 00:15:08,760 --> 00:15:11,880 Speaker 2: I love one translation. It says, keep your hopes up, 290 00:15:12,200 --> 00:15:13,800 Speaker 2: for payday is coming. 291 00:15:14,520 --> 00:15:16,840 Speaker 1: I like that. You got to know. God will pay 292 00:15:16,920 --> 00:15:18,440 Speaker 1: you back for doing the right thing. 293 00:15:19,200 --> 00:15:22,760 Speaker 2: He will pay you back for staying hopeful even though 294 00:15:22,800 --> 00:15:26,200 Speaker 2: you felt like giving up. He'll pay you back for 295 00:15:26,320 --> 00:15:29,360 Speaker 2: being kind to somebody, even though they were treating you bad. 296 00:15:29,880 --> 00:15:32,840 Speaker 2: He'll pay you back for having a good attitude, even 297 00:15:32,880 --> 00:15:33,520 Speaker 2: though you had a. 298 00:15:33,520 --> 00:15:35,440 Speaker 1: Right to be bitter and angry. 299 00:15:36,240 --> 00:15:39,480 Speaker 2: And when unfair things happen and you go through tough times, 300 00:15:39,600 --> 00:15:42,520 Speaker 2: always remember, as long as you're on the high road, 301 00:15:42,960 --> 00:15:44,160 Speaker 2: payday is coming. 302 00:15:44,920 --> 00:15:45,960 Speaker 1: I think about Joseph. 303 00:15:46,280 --> 00:15:49,640 Speaker 2: Nobody had more unfair things happened to him than he did. 304 00:15:50,280 --> 00:15:51,520 Speaker 1: When he was a young man. 305 00:15:51,840 --> 00:15:54,720 Speaker 2: His brothers were so jealous of him they were going 306 00:15:54,760 --> 00:15:56,920 Speaker 2: to kill him. They threw him into that pit, but 307 00:15:56,960 --> 00:16:01,000 Speaker 2: they finally sold him into slavery in Egypt. And even 308 00:16:01,000 --> 00:16:04,440 Speaker 2: though Joseph kept doing the right thing, the wrong thing 309 00:16:04,720 --> 00:16:08,720 Speaker 2: kept happening to him. He was lied about, falsely accused, 310 00:16:09,160 --> 00:16:12,880 Speaker 2: and he ended up spending thirteen years in prison for something. 311 00:16:12,560 --> 00:16:13,320 Speaker 1: That he didn't do. 312 00:16:13,960 --> 00:16:16,600 Speaker 2: But what I love about Joseph is he just kept 313 00:16:16,640 --> 00:16:19,560 Speaker 2: on keeping on. He just bloomed right there where he 314 00:16:19,680 --> 00:16:22,880 Speaker 2: was planted. He didn't go through the day saying, God, 315 00:16:22,920 --> 00:16:25,600 Speaker 2: it's not fair. I don't deserve any of this. Why 316 00:16:25,600 --> 00:16:26,400 Speaker 2: did this happen to me? 317 00:16:26,760 --> 00:16:30,000 Speaker 1: No, he just kept giving it his very best. 318 00:16:29,520 --> 00:16:32,560 Speaker 2: And every place they put him, he got promoted. He 319 00:16:32,720 --> 00:16:35,400 Speaker 2: rose to the top, even in prison. They put him 320 00:16:35,400 --> 00:16:38,400 Speaker 2: in charge of the whole prison. Well, one day God 321 00:16:38,440 --> 00:16:42,160 Speaker 2: turned this all around. He brought him out. His payday came, 322 00:16:42,720 --> 00:16:45,280 Speaker 2: and he was put in charge of all the affairs 323 00:16:45,320 --> 00:16:48,480 Speaker 2: of Egypt. He was second in command only to the Pharaoh. 324 00:16:49,160 --> 00:16:52,160 Speaker 2: And at this particular time there was a great famine 325 00:16:52,240 --> 00:16:54,880 Speaker 2: in the land, and Joseph was in charge of the 326 00:16:54,880 --> 00:16:59,360 Speaker 2: food supply. And one day his nine brothers showed up 327 00:16:59,360 --> 00:17:03,040 Speaker 2: at the palace. They had traveled a great distance, looking 328 00:17:03,080 --> 00:17:06,119 Speaker 2: and hoping to buy some food. These were the same 329 00:17:06,359 --> 00:17:10,479 Speaker 2: brothers that sold him into slavery, the same ones that 330 00:17:10,520 --> 00:17:13,400 Speaker 2: had caused him all that heartache and pain. And now 331 00:17:13,400 --> 00:17:16,959 Speaker 2: they're standing before Joseph. They're at his mercy, and they 332 00:17:17,000 --> 00:17:20,399 Speaker 2: don't recognize who he is. And the scripture says in 333 00:17:20,440 --> 00:17:24,520 Speaker 2: Genesis forty two, verse nine, when Joseph saw his brothers, 334 00:17:25,119 --> 00:17:27,399 Speaker 2: he remembered his dream. 335 00:17:28,160 --> 00:17:29,200 Speaker 1: Isn't that interesting? 336 00:17:29,600 --> 00:17:32,400 Speaker 2: You would have thought when he saw them he would 337 00:17:32,440 --> 00:17:35,879 Speaker 2: have remembered the pain and heartache they had cost. You 338 00:17:35,920 --> 00:17:38,399 Speaker 2: would have thought he would have been angry and wanted 339 00:17:38,400 --> 00:17:41,400 Speaker 2: to pay them back. Most of the time we tend 340 00:17:41,440 --> 00:17:45,960 Speaker 2: to remember the negative. But Joseph remembered his dream. The 341 00:17:46,040 --> 00:17:49,080 Speaker 2: point I want to make is your dream has to 342 00:17:49,119 --> 00:17:51,840 Speaker 2: be greater than the painful memories. 343 00:17:51,359 --> 00:17:52,119 Speaker 1: Of your past. 344 00:17:52,840 --> 00:17:56,080 Speaker 2: If you stay focused on who hurts you and why 345 00:17:56,080 --> 00:17:59,040 Speaker 2: did this happen and how unfair it is, that's going 346 00:17:59,119 --> 00:18:02,160 Speaker 2: to rob you of your future every single time. You've 347 00:18:02,200 --> 00:18:05,040 Speaker 2: got to do like Joseph and say this wasn't fair. 348 00:18:05,359 --> 00:18:08,000 Speaker 2: But God, I know my payday is coming. I know 349 00:18:08,119 --> 00:18:11,000 Speaker 2: you're going to restore I've still got the dream in 350 00:18:11,080 --> 00:18:11,600 Speaker 2: my heart. 351 00:18:12,920 --> 00:18:14,360 Speaker 1: See, too often. 352 00:18:14,280 --> 00:18:19,080 Speaker 2: We allow our painful memories, our hurts, the rejection, the 353 00:18:19,200 --> 00:18:23,240 Speaker 2: unfair situations to push down our dreams, and we find 354 00:18:23,280 --> 00:18:26,520 Speaker 2: we're not pressing forward anymore. And some of you today 355 00:18:26,560 --> 00:18:29,000 Speaker 2: you've got to stir up that dream. You got to 356 00:18:29,040 --> 00:18:32,600 Speaker 2: get your enthusiasm back, get your passion for life back. 357 00:18:32,960 --> 00:18:36,560 Speaker 1: Your dream has to be greater than your painful memories. 358 00:18:37,240 --> 00:18:40,640 Speaker 2: It's interesting what Joseph did his brothers, as I said, 359 00:18:40,640 --> 00:18:43,280 Speaker 2: they didn't recognize him. This has been many, many years later, 360 00:18:43,760 --> 00:18:46,359 Speaker 2: and so he kind of played with them. He said, guys, 361 00:18:46,400 --> 00:18:48,960 Speaker 2: if you want to buy food from me, then you're 362 00:18:48,960 --> 00:18:50,840 Speaker 2: going to have to prove to me that you're not 363 00:18:50,920 --> 00:18:54,280 Speaker 2: a spy. And he asked them if they had any 364 00:18:54,320 --> 00:18:58,679 Speaker 2: other brothers he knew they did. Their youngest brother, Benjamin 365 00:18:58,760 --> 00:19:01,280 Speaker 2: wasn't with them, and they said, yes, we've got one 366 00:19:01,320 --> 00:19:04,199 Speaker 2: brother back at home. And Joseph said, well, here's what 367 00:19:04,240 --> 00:19:06,520 Speaker 2: you've got to do. I want one of you to 368 00:19:06,560 --> 00:19:09,600 Speaker 2: stay here with me. The rest of you go back 369 00:19:09,640 --> 00:19:12,720 Speaker 2: home and get that younger brother and bring him back. 370 00:19:13,280 --> 00:19:15,480 Speaker 2: And that way i'll know you're not spies, and I'll 371 00:19:15,480 --> 00:19:18,000 Speaker 2: sell you some more food. And so they headed off 372 00:19:18,000 --> 00:19:22,280 Speaker 2: that way. And you've got to understand, years earlier, when 373 00:19:22,280 --> 00:19:26,399 Speaker 2: those brothers sold Joseph into slavery, they took the robe 374 00:19:26,400 --> 00:19:29,040 Speaker 2: off of him and they ripped it up and they 375 00:19:29,080 --> 00:19:31,800 Speaker 2: dipped it in some animal blood to make it look 376 00:19:31,920 --> 00:19:34,480 Speaker 2: like he had been killed by a wild animal. And 377 00:19:34,520 --> 00:19:38,240 Speaker 2: then they took that bloodied robe back to their father, Jacob, 378 00:19:38,920 --> 00:19:42,160 Speaker 2: and that was their excuse as to what happened to Joseph. 379 00:19:42,359 --> 00:19:45,480 Speaker 2: And so this father, Jacob, he has a painful memory 380 00:19:45,520 --> 00:19:48,400 Speaker 2: of losing one of his sons. And when they come 381 00:19:48,480 --> 00:19:50,879 Speaker 2: back and give him the news that they have to 382 00:19:50,920 --> 00:19:55,159 Speaker 2: send the youngest son, Benjamin back to Egypt, Jacob is 383 00:19:55,200 --> 00:19:58,320 Speaker 2: so distraught, I can imagine he goes to the closet 384 00:19:58,840 --> 00:20:03,600 Speaker 2: and he gets out Joseph's old robe. It's torn, it's bloodied, 385 00:20:04,040 --> 00:20:07,359 Speaker 2: and he begins to mourn and weep all over again. 386 00:20:08,040 --> 00:20:11,000 Speaker 1: He says, no, I can't send Benjamin back. 387 00:20:11,520 --> 00:20:13,880 Speaker 2: I know what happened to Joseph, and I can't let 388 00:20:13,920 --> 00:20:17,439 Speaker 2: it happen to him as well. And Jacob is so 389 00:20:17,640 --> 00:20:20,760 Speaker 2: focused on the pains of his past that he cannot 390 00:20:20,840 --> 00:20:21,439 Speaker 2: move forward. 391 00:20:22,080 --> 00:20:24,200 Speaker 1: And that's what many people are doing today. 392 00:20:24,400 --> 00:20:28,320 Speaker 2: They're hanging on to their blooded robes, the painful memories, 393 00:20:28,640 --> 00:20:33,320 Speaker 2: the rejection, the disappointments. Their attitude is, I can't go forward. 394 00:20:33,440 --> 00:20:37,439 Speaker 2: I'm afraid I might get hurt again. And understand, this 395 00:20:37,520 --> 00:20:41,040 Speaker 2: whole time, God had provision for Jacob and his family. 396 00:20:41,600 --> 00:20:44,680 Speaker 2: He wanted to restore his son Joseph back to him. 397 00:20:45,080 --> 00:20:47,800 Speaker 2: He wanted to give them the food and supplies they needed. 398 00:20:48,480 --> 00:20:52,040 Speaker 2: But it all depended on Jacob being willing to take 399 00:20:52,080 --> 00:20:54,280 Speaker 2: a risk, being willing to look. 400 00:20:54,119 --> 00:20:56,280 Speaker 1: Away from the blooded robe. 401 00:20:56,440 --> 00:20:59,679 Speaker 2: And do you know how many people today will not 402 00:20:59,760 --> 00:21:03,040 Speaker 2: move forward in life because they've been hurt in the past. 403 00:21:03,880 --> 00:21:06,399 Speaker 2: They won't get into a new relationship even though they 404 00:21:06,440 --> 00:21:10,040 Speaker 2: feel good about it, because they were rejected in a 405 00:21:10,040 --> 00:21:10,920 Speaker 2: previous one. 406 00:21:11,680 --> 00:21:13,959 Speaker 1: Or somebody burned them in a business deal. Now they 407 00:21:13,960 --> 00:21:14,879 Speaker 1: won't try anything to do. 408 00:21:15,600 --> 00:21:18,960 Speaker 2: Or maybe at one time they served in the children's ministry. 409 00:21:19,000 --> 00:21:21,680 Speaker 1: Maybe one time they were at church every Sunday. 410 00:21:21,640 --> 00:21:25,560 Speaker 2: But somebody hurt them, somebody offended them. Now they're too 411 00:21:25,600 --> 00:21:29,560 Speaker 2: busy nursing their wounds to move forward. That's exactly what 412 00:21:29,640 --> 00:21:32,760 Speaker 2: was happening to Jacob. He couldn't take advantage of the 413 00:21:32,800 --> 00:21:36,840 Speaker 2: present opportunity because he was so focused on the pains 414 00:21:36,880 --> 00:21:40,280 Speaker 2: of his past. And as long as you're not willing 415 00:21:40,359 --> 00:21:43,520 Speaker 2: to release the Benjamins in your life. In other words, 416 00:21:43,560 --> 00:21:45,560 Speaker 2: as long as you're not willing to take a step 417 00:21:45,560 --> 00:21:48,960 Speaker 2: of faith towards your new beginning, then you're not going. 418 00:21:48,920 --> 00:21:50,080 Speaker 1: To see God restore. 419 00:21:50,880 --> 00:21:54,040 Speaker 2: The scripture tells us in Isaiah that God wants to give. 420 00:21:53,960 --> 00:21:57,199 Speaker 1: Us beauty for our ashes. But I found we have 421 00:21:57,359 --> 00:21:57,800 Speaker 1: to let. 422 00:21:57,680 --> 00:21:59,840 Speaker 2: Go of the ashes before God can give us the 423 00:22:00,840 --> 00:22:04,080 Speaker 2: And if you're just playing it safe, nursing your wounds, 424 00:22:04,160 --> 00:22:06,800 Speaker 2: feeling sorry for yourself, that's going to keep you from 425 00:22:06,840 --> 00:22:11,960 Speaker 2: God's best. Finally, after more than a year, Jacob agreed 426 00:22:12,160 --> 00:22:15,400 Speaker 2: to allow his sons to take Benjamin back to Egypt. 427 00:22:15,840 --> 00:22:19,280 Speaker 2: When they got there, Joseph prepared this big feast. He 428 00:22:19,320 --> 00:22:22,280 Speaker 2: had a big table set and he put the brothers 429 00:22:22,320 --> 00:22:25,120 Speaker 2: in birth order, from the oldest to the youngest. 430 00:22:25,640 --> 00:22:27,280 Speaker 1: They thought, how did he know how to do that? 431 00:22:28,080 --> 00:22:31,119 Speaker 2: Long story short, Joseph revealed to them who he was. 432 00:22:31,840 --> 00:22:34,760 Speaker 2: He was kind to them, He gave them everything they 433 00:22:34,840 --> 00:22:39,399 Speaker 2: needed and more. And eventually the father, Jacob, got news 434 00:22:39,440 --> 00:22:42,600 Speaker 2: that his son Joseph was indeed alive and he was 435 00:22:42,640 --> 00:22:45,399 Speaker 2: able to come back to the palace and live close 436 00:22:45,720 --> 00:22:49,439 Speaker 2: to them as well. God restored Joseph back to his 437 00:22:49,520 --> 00:22:53,560 Speaker 2: father Jacob. But it only happened when Jacob was willing 438 00:22:53,920 --> 00:22:55,000 Speaker 2: to quit looking. 439 00:22:54,800 --> 00:22:56,119 Speaker 1: At the pains of the past. 440 00:22:56,800 --> 00:23:00,719 Speaker 2: Let me ask you today, is your dream later than 441 00:23:00,760 --> 00:23:02,639 Speaker 2: the painful memories of your past. 442 00:23:02,920 --> 00:23:04,240 Speaker 1: It has to be if you're. 443 00:23:04,119 --> 00:23:06,880 Speaker 2: Going to move forward or are you kind of doing 444 00:23:06,960 --> 00:23:10,080 Speaker 2: like Jacob and you're so focused on the negative that 445 00:23:10,119 --> 00:23:13,240 Speaker 2: you're afraid to take that step of faith. You're afraid 446 00:23:13,280 --> 00:23:15,879 Speaker 2: you might get hurt again. Now get rid of that 447 00:23:15,920 --> 00:23:18,760 Speaker 2: bloodied robe. God wants to do a new thing in 448 00:23:18,800 --> 00:23:21,399 Speaker 2: your life. You've got to let go of what didn't 449 00:23:21,440 --> 00:23:24,199 Speaker 2: work out, let go of who hurts you. 450 00:23:25,000 --> 00:23:27,280 Speaker 1: All that's going to do is poison your future. 451 00:23:27,720 --> 00:23:29,639 Speaker 2: It's just going to drag you down, and it may 452 00:23:29,720 --> 00:23:33,520 Speaker 2: have been unfair. You may have a thousand good reasons 453 00:23:33,840 --> 00:23:38,760 Speaker 2: to convince me that you should be able to live bitter, angry, negative, sarcastic. 454 00:23:39,000 --> 00:23:41,680 Speaker 2: But I'm asking you to walk away from all of that. 455 00:23:42,440 --> 00:23:47,400 Speaker 2: The scripture says, because Joseph kept the right attitude, because his. 456 00:23:47,520 --> 00:23:49,440 Speaker 1: Dream was greater than his memory. 457 00:23:50,119 --> 00:23:52,959 Speaker 2: Then God took what the enemy meant for evil and 458 00:23:53,040 --> 00:23:54,960 Speaker 2: he used it to his advantage. 459 00:23:55,200 --> 00:23:57,159 Speaker 1: God wants to do the same thing for each one 460 00:23:57,200 --> 00:24:00,600 Speaker 1: of you. Quit living life looking in your rear mirror. 461 00:24:01,119 --> 00:24:04,400 Speaker 1: This is a new day. And you may have been. 462 00:24:04,280 --> 00:24:08,480 Speaker 2: Through more than your share of unfair experiences, but that's 463 00:24:08,520 --> 00:24:10,600 Speaker 2: exactly the way you need to see it. You've been 464 00:24:10,720 --> 00:24:13,880 Speaker 2: through it. In other words, it's over and done. Your 465 00:24:13,920 --> 00:24:17,400 Speaker 2: attitude should be this is a new season. I'm moving on. 466 00:24:17,480 --> 00:24:19,880 Speaker 2: I know God's going to restore and bring me out 467 00:24:19,920 --> 00:24:23,119 Speaker 2: better off than I was before. Now, you said, Joel, 468 00:24:23,480 --> 00:24:25,520 Speaker 2: I don't see how that could happen for me. Man, 469 00:24:25,600 --> 00:24:29,439 Speaker 2: you don't know my circumstances. No, God always has a plan. 470 00:24:29,960 --> 00:24:33,600 Speaker 2: His ways are higher and better than our ways. Just believe, 471 00:24:34,359 --> 00:24:37,919 Speaker 2: Just keep pressing forward, get up every day expecting good things. 472 00:24:38,840 --> 00:24:40,560 Speaker 1: I heard a story about this lady. 473 00:24:41,080 --> 00:24:43,480 Speaker 2: She and her daughter had gotten at odds with each 474 00:24:43,560 --> 00:24:46,440 Speaker 2: other and they hadn't spoken in over. 475 00:24:46,200 --> 00:24:49,600 Speaker 1: Twelve years to each other, and this mother was very 476 00:24:49,640 --> 00:24:50,720 Speaker 1: distraught by it all. 477 00:24:51,320 --> 00:24:54,439 Speaker 2: She had tried her best to make amends, but there 478 00:24:54,520 --> 00:24:56,760 Speaker 2: was just so much water under the bridge and the 479 00:24:56,840 --> 00:24:59,719 Speaker 2: relationship was so strained that she couldn't seem to make 480 00:24:59,760 --> 00:25:03,320 Speaker 2: any headway. This daughter wouldn't speak to her, wouldn't come 481 00:25:03,359 --> 00:25:06,320 Speaker 2: to see her. The daughter had basically just written the 482 00:25:06,400 --> 00:25:07,520 Speaker 2: mother out of her life. 483 00:25:07,920 --> 00:25:09,920 Speaker 1: But this mother refused to give up. 484 00:25:10,320 --> 00:25:14,680 Speaker 2: She kept praying, she kept believing, even though it looked impossible. 485 00:25:14,800 --> 00:25:17,439 Speaker 2: Just like Abraham, she just kept hoping on in faith. 486 00:25:17,840 --> 00:25:20,280 Speaker 2: She said, God, I know you're a God of restoration. 487 00:25:20,840 --> 00:25:23,240 Speaker 2: I know you can do what men can't do. And God, 488 00:25:23,280 --> 00:25:26,439 Speaker 2: I just believe one day, somehow, some way, you're going 489 00:25:26,520 --> 00:25:29,600 Speaker 2: to restore my daughter back to me. And God works 490 00:25:29,640 --> 00:25:32,960 Speaker 2: in mysterious ways. Two years ago, I was at a 491 00:25:32,960 --> 00:25:36,480 Speaker 2: book signing in another state. There were several hundred people 492 00:25:36,520 --> 00:25:38,639 Speaker 2: in line, and had come up to the table and 493 00:25:38,920 --> 00:25:40,680 Speaker 2: signed the book and talked to them for a moment 494 00:25:40,760 --> 00:25:43,719 Speaker 2: or two, and all of a sudden, this lady stepped up, 495 00:25:43,920 --> 00:25:45,879 Speaker 2: and I didn't know who she was. She looked to 496 00:25:45,920 --> 00:25:48,840 Speaker 2: be in her mid fifties. She had a beautiful young 497 00:25:48,920 --> 00:25:52,120 Speaker 2: lady by her side, and they both had tears streaming 498 00:25:52,160 --> 00:25:55,159 Speaker 2: down their faces, standing their arm in arm. Come to 499 00:25:55,240 --> 00:25:58,240 Speaker 2: find out, over the last few years, they had both 500 00:25:58,359 --> 00:26:02,000 Speaker 2: been watching our television pro and not knowing any of this. 501 00:26:02,440 --> 00:26:04,800 Speaker 2: When they heard we were coming to that city. They 502 00:26:04,880 --> 00:26:08,200 Speaker 2: both showed up at the book signing, first time they'd 503 00:26:08,200 --> 00:26:10,680 Speaker 2: seen each other in over twelve years, and. 504 00:26:10,720 --> 00:26:15,000 Speaker 1: God used that. God used that as. 505 00:26:14,840 --> 00:26:18,640 Speaker 2: A time of healing, a time of restoration. The mother 506 00:26:18,680 --> 00:26:20,800 Speaker 2: looked at me with big tears running down her face. 507 00:26:20,880 --> 00:26:23,640 Speaker 2: She said, Joel, this is the happiest day of my life. 508 00:26:23,720 --> 00:26:26,680 Speaker 2: God has brought my daughter back to me. Friends, God 509 00:26:26,760 --> 00:26:29,280 Speaker 2: knows how to restore. He knows how to put you 510 00:26:29,359 --> 00:26:32,520 Speaker 2: at the right place at the right time. Stay in faith. 511 00:26:33,080 --> 00:26:35,919 Speaker 2: You may not think anything is happening, but God is 512 00:26:36,000 --> 00:26:40,240 Speaker 2: working behind the scenes. He's planning the right seeds. He's 513 00:26:40,280 --> 00:26:44,159 Speaker 2: rearranging things in your favor. He's in complete control of 514 00:26:44,200 --> 00:26:47,760 Speaker 2: your life. And when you believe, all things are possible. 515 00:26:48,000 --> 00:26:51,239 Speaker 2: When you don't lose your hope, payday is coming. It 516 00:26:51,280 --> 00:26:53,479 Speaker 2: may not happen overnight, but it will happen. 517 00:26:53,600 --> 00:26:55,000 Speaker 1: God is a faithful God. 518 00:26:55,520 --> 00:26:57,040 Speaker 2: Now I want you to go out of here today 519 00:26:57,280 --> 00:27:01,400 Speaker 2: with the spirit of restoration. May look impossible to you, 520 00:27:01,600 --> 00:27:03,920 Speaker 2: but it's not over until God says it's over. 521 00:27:04,400 --> 00:27:07,600 Speaker 1: Keep praying, keep believing, and know this. 522 00:27:08,119 --> 00:27:12,080 Speaker 2: When negative things happen to you, when unfair situations come, 523 00:27:12,480 --> 00:27:15,240 Speaker 2: don't get all discouraged, don't get all bent out of shape. 524 00:27:15,280 --> 00:27:17,840 Speaker 1: They just put you in a position to receive double 525 00:27:18,359 --> 00:27:20,320 Speaker 1: If you'll do your part and keep your. 526 00:27:20,240 --> 00:27:23,880 Speaker 2: Hopes up, stay expectant, you'll not only rise above every 527 00:27:23,920 --> 00:27:27,160 Speaker 2: negative circumstance, but God promises he'll bring you out better 528 00:27:27,200 --> 00:27:28,240 Speaker 2: off than you were before. 529 00:27:28,480 --> 00:27:30,200 Speaker 1: Amen. Do you receive it today? 530 00:27:31,119 --> 00:27:33,399 Speaker 2: And we never like to close our God prays without 531 00:27:33,440 --> 00:27:35,879 Speaker 2: giving you an opportunity to make Jesus the lord of 532 00:27:35,920 --> 00:27:39,400 Speaker 2: your life. Would you pray with me? Just say, Lord, Jesus, 533 00:27:40,359 --> 00:27:44,600 Speaker 2: I repent of my sins. Come into my heart. I 534 00:27:44,720 --> 00:27:48,400 Speaker 2: make you my lord and savior. Friends, if you prayed 535 00:27:48,440 --> 00:27:51,160 Speaker 2: that simple prayer, we believe you got born again. Get 536 00:27:51,200 --> 00:27:53,960 Speaker 2: into good church. Keep God first place. He'll take your 537 00:27:54,000 --> 00:27:55,639 Speaker 2: places that you've never dreamed of. 538 00:27:57,880 --> 00:28:00,720 Speaker 3: Sometimes the stresses of life can feel like you're just 539 00:28:00,800 --> 00:28:05,119 Speaker 3: getting by. God wants to bless us, But how do 540 00:28:05,160 --> 00:28:08,440 Speaker 3: you move from barely enough to just enough to more 541 00:28:08,520 --> 00:28:09,040 Speaker 3: than enough. 542 00:28:10,680 --> 00:28:13,320 Speaker 2: We all face difficulties and people that are hard to 543 00:28:13,359 --> 00:28:16,639 Speaker 2: deal with. You can't eliminate all the stress, but if 544 00:28:16,680 --> 00:28:19,040 Speaker 2: you'll handle it the right way, you don't have to 545 00:28:19,080 --> 00:28:22,760 Speaker 2: live stressed out. Much of our frustration is we're trying 546 00:28:22,800 --> 00:28:26,199 Speaker 2: to control things that we can't control, letting things stress 547 00:28:26,320 --> 00:28:28,760 Speaker 2: us that don't have to. I'd love to send you 548 00:28:28,760 --> 00:28:31,800 Speaker 2: by new book, fifty five Ways to be Blessed and 549 00:28:31,920 --> 00:28:35,080 Speaker 2: Not Stressed. I'll show you practical things you can do 550 00:28:35,359 --> 00:28:37,920 Speaker 2: to live more peaceful and enjoy each day. 551 00:28:38,400 --> 00:28:41,880 Speaker 3: You can move from stressed to blessed and fully realize 552 00:28:41,920 --> 00:28:45,760 Speaker 3: God's goodness, favor, and blessings. As our way of saying 553 00:28:45,840 --> 00:28:48,680 Speaker 3: thank you for your gift of any amount to the ministry, 554 00:28:48,720 --> 00:28:51,480 Speaker 3: this month, Joel and Victoria would like to send you 555 00:28:51,600 --> 00:28:55,960 Speaker 3: this powerful life transforming resource, fifty five Ways to be 556 00:28:56,040 --> 00:28:59,920 Speaker 3: Blessed and Not Stressed. With this book, you'll not just 557 00:29:00,120 --> 00:29:04,680 Speaker 3: see one pathway forward, but fifty five powerful life changing 558 00:29:04,720 --> 00:29:07,640 Speaker 3: ways to kill the stress and give life to a 559 00:29:07,680 --> 00:29:11,719 Speaker 3: life of blessing. These fifty five promises will open God's 560 00:29:11,720 --> 00:29:15,440 Speaker 3: floodgates and release double the impact of his divine direction, 561 00:29:15,760 --> 00:29:21,000 Speaker 3: opportunity and blessing every day. Now expect, declare, and receive 562 00:29:21,080 --> 00:29:25,840 Speaker 3: a blessed not stressed, over the top outpouring in your life. 563 00:29:25,880 --> 00:29:29,560 Speaker 2: How much time are you spending worried, upset and frustrated. 564 00:29:29,840 --> 00:29:31,920 Speaker 1: Life is too short to live stressed. 565 00:29:32,240 --> 00:29:35,360 Speaker 2: If you'll make some simple adjustments, you can live blessed 566 00:29:35,520 --> 00:29:38,200 Speaker 2: and not stressed. Deetory and I want you to know 567 00:29:38,280 --> 00:29:41,680 Speaker 2: we're praying for you, that you'll experience peace and joy 568 00:29:41,720 --> 00:29:44,719 Speaker 2: and see your dreams come to pass. Thank you so 569 00:29:44,800 --> 00:29:49,000 Speaker 2: much for your prayers and support. Your generosity is impacting 570 00:29:49,040 --> 00:29:52,160 Speaker 2: lives all over the world. Remember you can watch the 571 00:29:52,200 --> 00:29:57,320 Speaker 2: services online Sunday mornings, download our daily podcast, listen on 572 00:29:57,400 --> 00:30:01,400 Speaker 2: Serious ExM, YouTube, social media. But until we meet again, 573 00:30:01,760 --> 00:30:03,760 Speaker 2: let the Lord bless you and keep you. 574 00:30:04,440 --> 00:30:07,360 Speaker 3: Be sure to request your copy of fifty five Ways 575 00:30:07,400 --> 00:30:11,360 Speaker 3: to be Blessed and not stressed today. Visit Joelostein dot 576 00:30:11,400 --> 00:30:14,880 Speaker 3: com or call eight eight eight five six seven Joel