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See terms and conditions at 34 00:01:29,440 --> 00:01:30,120 Speaker 3: UNEs dot co. 35 00:01:31,680 --> 00:01:33,440 Speaker 4: Hi, this is Joel and Victoria. 36 00:01:33,480 --> 00:01:36,520 Speaker 5: Thanks for listening to our podcast and thanks for supporting 37 00:01:36,520 --> 00:01:37,240 Speaker 5: the ministry. 38 00:01:37,360 --> 00:01:39,680 Speaker 3: If you enjoyed today's messy, why don't you be a 39 00:01:39,720 --> 00:01:41,240 Speaker 3: blessing and share it with a friend. 40 00:01:41,560 --> 00:01:44,280 Speaker 5: We appreciate you and pray for God's very best in 41 00:01:44,360 --> 00:01:44,840 Speaker 5: your line. 42 00:01:48,080 --> 00:01:49,120 Speaker 4: Well, God bless you. 43 00:01:49,640 --> 00:01:52,360 Speaker 5: It is always a joy to come into your homes. 44 00:01:52,640 --> 00:01:54,960 Speaker 5: We love you, We know God has great things in 45 00:01:55,040 --> 00:01:57,559 Speaker 5: store for you. And if you're ever in our area, 46 00:01:57,680 --> 00:01:59,320 Speaker 5: I hope you'll stop by and be a part of 47 00:01:59,360 --> 00:02:01,600 Speaker 5: one of our service says. I say it often, but 48 00:02:01,640 --> 00:02:03,920 Speaker 5: these are the finest people in all of Houston, right 49 00:02:03,960 --> 00:02:04,720 Speaker 5: here at Lakewood. 50 00:02:04,880 --> 00:02:06,280 Speaker 4: We'll make you feel right at home. 51 00:02:06,880 --> 00:02:09,280 Speaker 5: Thanks for tuning in. Thank you again for coming out. 52 00:02:09,960 --> 00:02:12,000 Speaker 5: I like to start with something funny each week. And 53 00:02:12,200 --> 00:02:15,320 Speaker 5: I heard about this blonde lady. And you know I'm 54 00:02:15,320 --> 00:02:18,360 Speaker 5: married to a beautiful, smart, intelligent blonde. This is just 55 00:02:18,400 --> 00:02:21,880 Speaker 5: a joke. But this blonde was at Target and she 56 00:02:21,960 --> 00:02:24,680 Speaker 5: saw this thermous up on the shelf. She asked the 57 00:02:24,680 --> 00:02:27,480 Speaker 5: clerk what it was. He said, that's a thermist. You've 58 00:02:27,480 --> 00:02:28,480 Speaker 5: never used one of those. 59 00:02:28,760 --> 00:02:30,000 Speaker 4: She said, no, What does it do? 60 00:02:30,680 --> 00:02:33,600 Speaker 5: He said, it keeps things hot and it keeps things cold. 61 00:02:34,040 --> 00:02:36,280 Speaker 5: The next day she showed up at work with it. 62 00:02:36,560 --> 00:02:38,680 Speaker 5: Her boss said, I've never seen you with the thermist. 63 00:02:38,720 --> 00:02:41,200 Speaker 5: What do you have in there? She said, two popsickles 64 00:02:41,200 --> 00:02:46,280 Speaker 5: and some coffee. All right, hold up your Bible. Say 65 00:02:46,320 --> 00:02:49,400 Speaker 5: it like you mean it. This is my Bible. I 66 00:02:49,480 --> 00:02:52,000 Speaker 5: am what it says I am. I have what it 67 00:02:52,000 --> 00:02:54,600 Speaker 5: says I have. I can do what it says I 68 00:02:54,639 --> 00:02:57,880 Speaker 5: can do. Today I will be taught the word of God. 69 00:02:58,360 --> 00:03:03,040 Speaker 5: I boldly confess. My mind is alert, my heart is receptive. 70 00:03:03,360 --> 00:03:07,040 Speaker 5: I will never be the same. In Jesus' name, God 71 00:03:07,080 --> 00:03:10,400 Speaker 5: bless you. I want to talk to you today. About 72 00:03:10,440 --> 00:03:15,360 Speaker 5: recognizing what battles to fight. One thing I've learned is 73 00:03:15,400 --> 00:03:19,640 Speaker 5: not every battle is worth fighting. Many of the challenges 74 00:03:19,680 --> 00:03:23,120 Speaker 5: that come our way are simply distractions to try to 75 00:03:23,200 --> 00:03:26,959 Speaker 5: lure us from our destiny. And when we have opportunities 76 00:03:26,960 --> 00:03:30,760 Speaker 5: to get upset, maybe somebody is talking about us, or 77 00:03:30,800 --> 00:03:33,480 Speaker 5: a competitor at work is spreading rumors, or. 78 00:03:33,480 --> 00:03:35,440 Speaker 4: Our spouse says something that they shouldn't have. 79 00:03:36,040 --> 00:03:39,160 Speaker 5: You have to ask yourself if I engage in this 80 00:03:39,320 --> 00:03:43,200 Speaker 5: battle and spend my time and energy trying to straighten 81 00:03:43,240 --> 00:03:48,000 Speaker 5: somebody out, defending myself, arguing with the family member, trying 82 00:03:48,040 --> 00:03:49,160 Speaker 5: to prove that I'm right. 83 00:03:49,840 --> 00:03:51,120 Speaker 4: Even if I win. 84 00:03:51,040 --> 00:03:54,480 Speaker 5: This battle, what is the prize going to be? What 85 00:03:54,640 --> 00:03:58,480 Speaker 5: is this fight going to accomplish? For instance, that person 86 00:03:58,520 --> 00:04:01,600 Speaker 5: that cuts me off in traffic, If I get upset 87 00:04:01,720 --> 00:04:04,040 Speaker 5: and cut him back off and let that ruin the 88 00:04:04,040 --> 00:04:07,240 Speaker 5: rest of my morning, how is that going to benefit me? 89 00:04:07,880 --> 00:04:10,760 Speaker 5: I don't even know the person. Five minutes later, they're 90 00:04:10,800 --> 00:04:14,560 Speaker 5: not in my life. What's my point? There are no spoils. 91 00:04:15,040 --> 00:04:18,440 Speaker 5: That's not a battle that is worth fighting. The reason 92 00:04:18,560 --> 00:04:21,720 Speaker 5: many people are missing out on God's best is they're 93 00:04:21,760 --> 00:04:26,559 Speaker 5: distracted fighting battles that don't really matter. Trying to prove 94 00:04:26,680 --> 00:04:30,440 Speaker 5: themselves to people, trying to win over all their critics, 95 00:04:30,839 --> 00:04:34,159 Speaker 5: playing up to someone trying to get their approval, those 96 00:04:34,160 --> 00:04:35,520 Speaker 5: are all distractions. 97 00:04:36,080 --> 00:04:37,840 Speaker 4: We need to choose our battles. 98 00:04:37,960 --> 00:04:41,440 Speaker 5: Wisely, we're not supposed to be in a fight mode 99 00:04:41,480 --> 00:04:42,200 Speaker 5: all of the time. 100 00:04:42,760 --> 00:04:45,000 Speaker 4: And I know people every other minute. 101 00:04:44,760 --> 00:04:48,760 Speaker 5: They're upset with their spouse, aggravated at a neighbor, going 102 00:04:48,800 --> 00:04:51,560 Speaker 5: to straighten somebody out at the office where they're. 103 00:04:51,400 --> 00:04:52,159 Speaker 4: Talking about me. 104 00:04:52,480 --> 00:04:55,120 Speaker 5: I'm going to show them how wrong they are the 105 00:04:55,160 --> 00:04:58,400 Speaker 5: next six months. That consumes them, their time, their energy. 106 00:04:58,880 --> 00:05:00,279 Speaker 4: They don't realize. 107 00:05:00,160 --> 00:05:04,000 Speaker 5: That's not a battle worth fighting. There are no spoils. 108 00:05:04,600 --> 00:05:06,480 Speaker 5: Even if they do win, it's not going to put 109 00:05:06,520 --> 00:05:09,600 Speaker 5: them further down the road. If we make the mistake 110 00:05:09,960 --> 00:05:13,400 Speaker 5: of engaging in every battle that comes along, and we're 111 00:05:13,400 --> 00:05:18,640 Speaker 5: constantly defending ourselves, proving our point, straightening somebody out, then 112 00:05:18,640 --> 00:05:21,240 Speaker 5: we're not going to have the energy we need to 113 00:05:21,320 --> 00:05:25,120 Speaker 5: fight the battles that do matter. We're supposed to be warriors, 114 00:05:25,520 --> 00:05:28,840 Speaker 5: But a warrior doesn't just fight any battle. He only 115 00:05:28,880 --> 00:05:32,520 Speaker 5: fights battles where there is a spoil, a battle that 116 00:05:32,640 --> 00:05:35,359 Speaker 5: is between him and his god given destiny. 117 00:05:36,240 --> 00:05:38,680 Speaker 4: I think about David as a shepherd boy. 118 00:05:39,080 --> 00:05:42,479 Speaker 5: His father asked him to take his brother's lunch that 119 00:05:42,520 --> 00:05:43,920 Speaker 5: were out on the battlefield. 120 00:05:44,360 --> 00:05:45,239 Speaker 4: They had a much. 121 00:05:45,040 --> 00:05:48,800 Speaker 5: More prestigious position. David was stuck just taking care of 122 00:05:48,839 --> 00:05:52,120 Speaker 5: his father's sheep, and when he got out there, he 123 00:05:52,120 --> 00:05:55,919 Speaker 5: heard Goliath taunting the people, making fun of them. He 124 00:05:56,040 --> 00:05:59,800 Speaker 5: asked the men standing around, what is the prize for 125 00:05:59,839 --> 00:06:03,440 Speaker 5: the man that defeats this giant. They said, the reward 126 00:06:03,520 --> 00:06:06,560 Speaker 5: that person will get is one of the king's daughters 127 00:06:06,640 --> 00:06:09,880 Speaker 5: in marriage, and they won't have to pay any more taxes. 128 00:06:10,240 --> 00:06:13,120 Speaker 5: Of course, that got David's attention. He knew that was 129 00:06:13,160 --> 00:06:15,920 Speaker 5: a battle worth fighting. There was spoils, there was a 130 00:06:15,960 --> 00:06:21,479 Speaker 5: reward there. When David's older brother Eliab heard David talking 131 00:06:21,480 --> 00:06:25,000 Speaker 5: about fighting the giant, he tried to embarrass him and 132 00:06:25,080 --> 00:06:28,400 Speaker 5: from all those men, he said, David, what are you 133 00:06:28,480 --> 00:06:31,560 Speaker 5: even doing out here? And what have you done with 134 00:06:31,680 --> 00:06:34,800 Speaker 5: those few sheep our father has left you with. He 135 00:06:34,880 --> 00:06:37,840 Speaker 5: tried to make him feel small. He was saying, David, 136 00:06:38,200 --> 00:06:41,200 Speaker 5: you're just a shepherd boy. You're not important, You'll never 137 00:06:41,279 --> 00:06:42,159 Speaker 5: do anything great. 138 00:06:42,960 --> 00:06:44,880 Speaker 4: I love the way David responded. 139 00:06:45,480 --> 00:06:50,120 Speaker 5: The scripture says that David turned and walked away from Eliab. 140 00:06:51,080 --> 00:06:54,679 Speaker 5: One reason David was a champion was he knew which 141 00:06:54,720 --> 00:06:59,000 Speaker 5: battles to fight. David had feelings just like you and I. 142 00:06:59,000 --> 00:07:01,760 Speaker 5: I'm sure he wanted to say, oh, Eliab, you think 143 00:07:01,800 --> 00:07:03,320 Speaker 5: you're something great, You're. 144 00:07:03,160 --> 00:07:03,839 Speaker 4: Nothing at all. 145 00:07:04,600 --> 00:07:08,880 Speaker 5: He could have easily gotten into strife, started arguing, trying 146 00:07:08,880 --> 00:07:10,680 Speaker 5: to prove to Eliab. 147 00:07:10,360 --> 00:07:11,400 Speaker 4: That he was important. 148 00:07:11,960 --> 00:07:14,800 Speaker 5: But if he would have engaged in that battle, if 149 00:07:14,800 --> 00:07:17,920 Speaker 5: he would have taken that bait, he would have gotten distracted, 150 00:07:18,480 --> 00:07:21,720 Speaker 5: wasted his time and energy. And who knows if he 151 00:07:21,760 --> 00:07:25,400 Speaker 5: would have ever defeated Goliath. Who knows if he had 152 00:07:25,440 --> 00:07:27,640 Speaker 5: ever gotten to the battle that really mattered. 153 00:07:28,360 --> 00:07:29,240 Speaker 4: You have to ask. 154 00:07:29,040 --> 00:07:33,960 Speaker 5: Yourself, are the battles I'm engaged in worth fighting? Do 155 00:07:34,040 --> 00:07:37,520 Speaker 5: they have any rewards? Are they furthering me toward my 156 00:07:37,640 --> 00:07:41,440 Speaker 5: god given destiny? Or am I just fighting to pay 157 00:07:41,440 --> 00:07:44,520 Speaker 5: somebody back that offended me, or fighting to prove to 158 00:07:44,560 --> 00:07:48,320 Speaker 5: someone that I'm important? Now those are distractions. Now, I 159 00:07:48,440 --> 00:07:52,280 Speaker 5: dare say most of the frustrations that come our way 160 00:07:52,720 --> 00:07:56,240 Speaker 5: are not worth fighting for. If it's not between you 161 00:07:56,520 --> 00:07:59,680 Speaker 5: and your god given destiny, you should simply ignore it. 162 00:08:00,480 --> 00:08:04,080 Speaker 5: Somebody doesn't want to be your friend. Somebody doesn't accept you. 163 00:08:04,520 --> 00:08:07,480 Speaker 5: That's not going to keep you from your destiny. Somebody's 164 00:08:07,560 --> 00:08:09,880 Speaker 5: rude to you at the office, somebody cuts you off 165 00:08:09,920 --> 00:08:13,000 Speaker 5: in traffic. That's not worth starting World War three over. 166 00:08:13,480 --> 00:08:17,160 Speaker 5: Don't engage in that battle. In the big picture, it 167 00:08:17,200 --> 00:08:20,120 Speaker 5: doesn't even matter. When we get caught up in the 168 00:08:20,440 --> 00:08:24,600 Speaker 5: petty battles, the non essential ones, we may miss the 169 00:08:24,640 --> 00:08:27,800 Speaker 5: goliath that God puts in our path to push us 170 00:08:27,840 --> 00:08:29,160 Speaker 5: into our divine destiny. 171 00:08:29,960 --> 00:08:32,480 Speaker 4: The battles that do matter will come. 172 00:08:33,120 --> 00:08:36,000 Speaker 5: We need to save our strengths, save our energy for 173 00:08:36,080 --> 00:08:40,640 Speaker 5: what's really important. And these days we're too easily offended, 174 00:08:40,880 --> 00:08:44,600 Speaker 5: We're too touchy. I had a lady tell me last week, Joel, 175 00:08:44,640 --> 00:08:47,720 Speaker 5: the reason I quit coming to church, the reason I 176 00:08:47,760 --> 00:08:51,760 Speaker 5: hadn't been here in two months, is because everybody was 177 00:08:51,800 --> 00:08:52,520 Speaker 5: talking about me. 178 00:08:53,240 --> 00:08:54,760 Speaker 4: Everybody was against me. 179 00:08:55,320 --> 00:08:58,200 Speaker 5: I didn't say it, but I thought, ma'am, everybody doesn't 180 00:08:58,240 --> 00:09:01,440 Speaker 5: know you sit on that side of the building. The 181 00:09:01,480 --> 00:09:03,960 Speaker 5: people that sit over there probably have never even seen you. 182 00:09:04,760 --> 00:09:07,920 Speaker 5: What happened She got engaged in a battle that wasn't 183 00:09:07,920 --> 00:09:12,160 Speaker 5: worth fighting. One person offended her, somebody said something she 184 00:09:12,200 --> 00:09:16,440 Speaker 5: didn't like. Instead of letting it go and thinking, this 185 00:09:16,520 --> 00:09:19,400 Speaker 5: battle doesn't have any spoils. This battle, even if our 186 00:09:19,440 --> 00:09:22,400 Speaker 5: win's not gonna bring me a prize. She fell into 187 00:09:22,440 --> 00:09:25,320 Speaker 5: that trap. Well, I'm not gonna come to church. Just 188 00:09:25,360 --> 00:09:25,840 Speaker 5: show them. 189 00:09:25,880 --> 00:09:27,120 Speaker 4: See how they take that. 190 00:09:27,800 --> 00:09:30,280 Speaker 5: Funny thing is services seem to be just as good 191 00:09:30,280 --> 00:09:32,200 Speaker 5: as ever, matter of fact, a little bit better than normal. 192 00:09:33,559 --> 00:09:34,880 Speaker 4: That's what happens when we. 193 00:09:34,800 --> 00:09:37,959 Speaker 5: Get involved in a battle that's not important. Things get 194 00:09:37,960 --> 00:09:41,920 Speaker 5: blown out of proportion, things get magnified. Everybody's against me, 195 00:09:42,520 --> 00:09:47,160 Speaker 5: everybody's talking about me. Now I say this respectfully. Everybody 196 00:09:47,200 --> 00:09:52,559 Speaker 5: doesn't know you. Everybody's not really interested. She got distracted 197 00:09:52,640 --> 00:09:55,319 Speaker 5: trying to prove her point, and it ended up not 198 00:09:55,400 --> 00:09:59,160 Speaker 5: hurting anyone except herself. I remember years ago I was 199 00:09:59,200 --> 00:10:01,280 Speaker 5: at the mall with the friend of mine and we 200 00:10:01,280 --> 00:10:04,040 Speaker 5: were headed toward our car. It was about fifty or 201 00:10:04,040 --> 00:10:06,800 Speaker 5: sixty feet in front of us out the doors, and 202 00:10:06,840 --> 00:10:08,760 Speaker 5: all of a sudden he stopped and said, now let's 203 00:10:08,760 --> 00:10:11,560 Speaker 5: don't go this way, let's go that way. I said, why, 204 00:10:11,640 --> 00:10:15,000 Speaker 5: our car's right here. He said, no, I don't walk 205 00:10:15,040 --> 00:10:19,040 Speaker 5: by that store. They did me wrong. He said, it's 206 00:10:19,080 --> 00:10:22,559 Speaker 5: so dramatic and so serious. I thought, for sure they'd 207 00:10:22,600 --> 00:10:25,160 Speaker 5: accused him of something terrible, or they'd stolen a lot 208 00:10:25,200 --> 00:10:25,920 Speaker 5: of money from him. 209 00:10:26,040 --> 00:10:27,000 Speaker 4: I said, what happened? 210 00:10:27,240 --> 00:10:29,640 Speaker 5: He said, they wouldn't take back a pair of shoes 211 00:10:30,280 --> 00:10:33,960 Speaker 5: that had been like twenty years earlier. No doubt the 212 00:10:34,040 --> 00:10:38,880 Speaker 5: original people were dead and gone. Here he's still trying 213 00:10:38,920 --> 00:10:42,320 Speaker 5: to fight a battle that has no spoils. The people 214 00:10:42,400 --> 00:10:45,360 Speaker 5: he's trying to prove a point to are probably in heaven. 215 00:10:45,880 --> 00:10:48,400 Speaker 5: If not, they're in Florida, sitting on the beach, enjoying 216 00:10:48,440 --> 00:10:52,400 Speaker 5: their life. He's wasting his time and energy trying to 217 00:10:52,400 --> 00:10:55,280 Speaker 5: pay somebody back. They're not even there to pay back. 218 00:10:55,559 --> 00:10:57,560 Speaker 5: I want to say, man, live, just let it go. 219 00:10:57,600 --> 00:11:01,160 Speaker 5: I'll buy you some new shoes. Let me ask you, 220 00:11:01,600 --> 00:11:06,000 Speaker 5: are you still fighting battles that have no spoils, battles 221 00:11:06,040 --> 00:11:09,280 Speaker 5: that are taking your time and energy and keeping you 222 00:11:09,320 --> 00:11:12,800 Speaker 5: from pursuing what's really important, your god given goals, your 223 00:11:12,800 --> 00:11:13,840 Speaker 5: god given dreams. 224 00:11:14,440 --> 00:11:15,920 Speaker 4: Choose your battles wisely. 225 00:11:16,320 --> 00:11:19,560 Speaker 5: We only have so much energy, and when we get 226 00:11:19,600 --> 00:11:23,319 Speaker 5: caught up in these things that don't matter, upset, offended, 227 00:11:23,520 --> 00:11:27,400 Speaker 5: holding a grudge, paying somebody back, then when the real 228 00:11:27,480 --> 00:11:31,160 Speaker 5: giant comes along, a real goliath, that's there to push 229 00:11:31,280 --> 00:11:34,400 Speaker 5: us into our divine destiny. We won't have the focus 230 00:11:34,720 --> 00:11:37,680 Speaker 5: nor the energy to win that battle. We have to 231 00:11:37,720 --> 00:11:41,640 Speaker 5: realize some things just don't matter. Don't make a big 232 00:11:41,679 --> 00:11:44,719 Speaker 5: deal out of it. When I first got married, I'd 233 00:11:44,760 --> 00:11:47,920 Speaker 5: get so up tight if Victoria didn't turn all the 234 00:11:48,040 --> 00:11:51,040 Speaker 5: lights off at the house when she left. That was 235 00:11:51,040 --> 00:11:53,040 Speaker 5: my pet peeve, and I'd give her my speech again 236 00:11:53,080 --> 00:11:54,640 Speaker 5: and again. Victoria, you got to be sure and turn 237 00:11:54,679 --> 00:11:56,760 Speaker 5: all the lights off when I'd come home and all 238 00:11:56,800 --> 00:11:58,960 Speaker 5: the lights were on, and I'd get so up tight 239 00:11:59,000 --> 00:12:01,480 Speaker 5: and go give her my say speech. She didn't do 240 00:12:01,520 --> 00:12:04,880 Speaker 5: it on purpose. We just have different personalities, different strengths. 241 00:12:05,120 --> 00:12:10,120 Speaker 5: And after about five years of harping on that I'm 242 00:12:10,160 --> 00:12:14,720 Speaker 5: a slow learner, y'all, bringing tension into the house, getting 243 00:12:14,800 --> 00:12:17,840 Speaker 5: up tight, it finally dawned on me, Joe, this is 244 00:12:17,920 --> 00:12:20,960 Speaker 5: not a battle worth fighting. If it costs you an 245 00:12:21,000 --> 00:12:24,200 Speaker 5: extra ten dollars a month in electricity, that is well 246 00:12:24,240 --> 00:12:25,760 Speaker 5: worth keeping the peace in your home. 247 00:12:26,600 --> 00:12:27,400 Speaker 4: What's my point? 248 00:12:28,480 --> 00:12:32,240 Speaker 5: The rewards were not big enough for the heartache it 249 00:12:32,280 --> 00:12:35,080 Speaker 5: was causing me. It is worth ten dollars to have 250 00:12:35,160 --> 00:12:38,680 Speaker 5: peace in our homes. How many battles are you involved 251 00:12:38,720 --> 00:12:42,280 Speaker 5: in that do not have big enough rewards? How many 252 00:12:42,440 --> 00:12:46,120 Speaker 5: arguments are you instigating or how much tension are you 253 00:12:46,160 --> 00:12:49,640 Speaker 5: bringing into the home that could easily be avoided, which 254 00:12:49,679 --> 00:12:53,240 Speaker 5: is some minor adjustments. And you may be right, you 255 00:12:53,360 --> 00:12:55,960 Speaker 5: may be able to win the victory, but a lot 256 00:12:56,000 --> 00:12:58,880 Speaker 5: of times we win the battle, but we come out 257 00:12:58,920 --> 00:13:02,280 Speaker 5: so battles. Guard were beat up, wounded, We said things 258 00:13:02,280 --> 00:13:05,560 Speaker 5: we know we shouldn't have, mad at ourselves, brought tension 259 00:13:05,600 --> 00:13:08,520 Speaker 5: into the house. We won the battle, but we're sleeping 260 00:13:08,559 --> 00:13:11,720 Speaker 5: in the garage. We won the battle, but our spouse 261 00:13:11,800 --> 00:13:15,880 Speaker 5: is not talking to us. Recognize that battle does not 262 00:13:15,960 --> 00:13:18,800 Speaker 5: have big enough rewards. You'd have been better off to 263 00:13:18,840 --> 00:13:21,280 Speaker 5: be the bigger person, to overlook it, to let it 264 00:13:21,320 --> 00:13:24,600 Speaker 5: go for the sake of peace. I heard somebody say 265 00:13:25,080 --> 00:13:28,200 Speaker 5: a bulldog can whip a skunk any day of the week, 266 00:13:28,559 --> 00:13:29,439 Speaker 5: but sometimes he. 267 00:13:29,440 --> 00:13:31,720 Speaker 4: Realizes it's just not worth the stink. 268 00:13:32,960 --> 00:13:35,280 Speaker 5: You may be right, you may have all the facts 269 00:13:35,280 --> 00:13:37,800 Speaker 5: on your side, but is it worth the stink? Is 270 00:13:37,840 --> 00:13:39,720 Speaker 5: it worth the pressure the tension is going to bring 271 00:13:39,720 --> 00:13:43,360 Speaker 5: into the home. What are the rewards? It's not enough 272 00:13:43,400 --> 00:13:46,400 Speaker 5: to just well, I prove that I was right now 273 00:13:46,440 --> 00:13:49,440 Speaker 5: you'd be better to let someone else think they're right 274 00:13:49,640 --> 00:13:52,200 Speaker 5: so you can keep peace in your home. Now, I 275 00:13:52,320 --> 00:13:56,240 Speaker 5: found it's easy to start a fight, but it's hard 276 00:13:56,240 --> 00:13:59,240 Speaker 5: to end to fight. It's easy to start an argument. 277 00:13:59,520 --> 00:14:01,920 Speaker 5: It's to get offended and say things that we know 278 00:14:01,960 --> 00:14:04,280 Speaker 5: we shouldn't, but it's hard to stop it. It's hard 279 00:14:04,360 --> 00:14:07,600 Speaker 5: to let it go. It's much better to never even 280 00:14:07,679 --> 00:14:10,960 Speaker 5: start it. That's what it says in Proverbs twenty verse three. 281 00:14:11,640 --> 00:14:15,480 Speaker 5: Avoiding a fight is a mark of honor. If you 282 00:14:15,520 --> 00:14:17,600 Speaker 5: want God to honor you, if you want to enjoy 283 00:14:17,640 --> 00:14:21,600 Speaker 5: your life, you need to be a peacemaker. Be the 284 00:14:21,680 --> 00:14:25,840 Speaker 5: kind of person that will avoid an unnecessary fight, a 285 00:14:25,840 --> 00:14:29,280 Speaker 5: fight that's not going to produce any good rewards. Your 286 00:14:29,360 --> 00:14:32,440 Speaker 5: home needs to be a place of peace. You and 287 00:14:32,480 --> 00:14:35,800 Speaker 5: your spouse need to be in harmony. You are stronger 288 00:14:35,880 --> 00:14:39,800 Speaker 5: together than you are a part. Not only that, your 289 00:14:39,880 --> 00:14:43,240 Speaker 5: children need to see a good example. They're gonna treat 290 00:14:43,280 --> 00:14:46,680 Speaker 5: their family the same way they see you treating each other. 291 00:14:47,040 --> 00:14:48,920 Speaker 5: Don't make a big deal out of things that are 292 00:14:48,960 --> 00:14:52,080 Speaker 5: not a big deal. Remember the reason why you fell 293 00:14:52,080 --> 00:14:55,040 Speaker 5: in love with that person. Focus on their good qualities. 294 00:14:55,720 --> 00:14:59,640 Speaker 5: I heard somebody say people will leave a marriage. They'll 295 00:14:59,720 --> 00:15:03,800 Speaker 5: leave somebody that has eighty percent of what they need 296 00:15:04,280 --> 00:15:07,600 Speaker 5: because they find the other twenty percent in somebody else. 297 00:15:08,200 --> 00:15:11,680 Speaker 5: But what they don't realize is nobody has it all. 298 00:15:12,200 --> 00:15:14,960 Speaker 5: And if you leave the eighty to find the twenty 299 00:15:15,040 --> 00:15:18,040 Speaker 5: that your spouse doesn't have, you'll soon realize that other 300 00:15:18,120 --> 00:15:21,960 Speaker 5: person is lacking in twenty percent of something else. You're 301 00:15:22,000 --> 00:15:24,520 Speaker 5: still gonna have something to deal with. It'd be better 302 00:15:24,600 --> 00:15:27,440 Speaker 5: to just recognize no one person. 303 00:15:27,160 --> 00:15:28,720 Speaker 4: Can give me everything that I need. 304 00:15:29,240 --> 00:15:32,240 Speaker 5: I'm not gonna get frustrated and try to change something 305 00:15:32,280 --> 00:15:34,800 Speaker 5: I can't change, or try to make somebody. 306 00:15:34,520 --> 00:15:36,320 Speaker 4: Give me something that they don't have. 307 00:15:37,040 --> 00:15:40,200 Speaker 5: And yes, the grass always looks greener on the other side, 308 00:15:40,440 --> 00:15:42,480 Speaker 5: but remember it still has to be mode. 309 00:15:42,680 --> 00:15:43,720 Speaker 4: Just stick with what you have. 310 00:15:44,840 --> 00:15:49,040 Speaker 5: I've known people that have spent years and years trying 311 00:15:49,040 --> 00:15:52,520 Speaker 5: to win the approval of someone playing up to them, 312 00:15:52,960 --> 00:15:56,600 Speaker 5: sacrificing their own identity, their own goals, to try to 313 00:15:56,640 --> 00:15:59,720 Speaker 5: impress a boss or to try to win over one 314 00:15:59,720 --> 00:16:03,320 Speaker 5: of their critics. The problem is that person is never 315 00:16:03,400 --> 00:16:06,200 Speaker 5: going to give them their approval. If we're gonna live 316 00:16:06,240 --> 00:16:09,760 Speaker 5: in victory, we have to accept the fact that not 317 00:16:09,920 --> 00:16:13,360 Speaker 5: everyone is going to like us, and not everyone is 318 00:16:13,400 --> 00:16:14,800 Speaker 5: going to agree with us. 319 00:16:15,280 --> 00:16:16,880 Speaker 4: I saw an interesting statistic. 320 00:16:17,440 --> 00:16:20,560 Speaker 5: It said, twenty five percent of the people you meet 321 00:16:21,080 --> 00:16:25,440 Speaker 5: won't like you and never will. Twenty five percent won't 322 00:16:25,560 --> 00:16:29,920 Speaker 5: like you but could be persuaded to twenty five percent 323 00:16:30,120 --> 00:16:34,120 Speaker 5: will like you, but could be persuaded not to twenty 324 00:16:34,160 --> 00:16:36,800 Speaker 5: five percent will like you and stand by you no 325 00:16:36,840 --> 00:16:40,560 Speaker 5: matter what. Life gets a lot freer when we realize 326 00:16:40,600 --> 00:16:43,120 Speaker 5: if this person doesn't like me, if they don't want 327 00:16:43,160 --> 00:16:44,680 Speaker 5: to be my friend, if they don't give me the 328 00:16:44,720 --> 00:16:46,480 Speaker 5: time of day, no big deal. 329 00:16:46,880 --> 00:16:48,080 Speaker 4: I'm not gonna get upset. 330 00:16:48,640 --> 00:16:51,600 Speaker 5: I'm not gonna spend the next two years frustrated trying 331 00:16:51,640 --> 00:16:54,600 Speaker 5: to win them over. I realize they're one of the 332 00:16:54,640 --> 00:16:57,360 Speaker 5: twenty five percent that are never gonna like me. I 333 00:16:57,400 --> 00:17:01,080 Speaker 5: could compliment them every hour, send them flowers every day, 334 00:17:01,320 --> 00:17:04,119 Speaker 5: mow their lawn every week, but this old go I mean. 335 00:17:04,000 --> 00:17:07,960 Speaker 4: This person is never gonna like me. Here's the key. 336 00:17:08,800 --> 00:17:12,560 Speaker 5: You should not waste your valuable time and energy playing 337 00:17:12,680 --> 00:17:15,879 Speaker 5: up to them, trying to change their mind, trying to 338 00:17:15,920 --> 00:17:17,760 Speaker 5: convince them that you're important. 339 00:17:18,040 --> 00:17:19,600 Speaker 4: Those are distractions. 340 00:17:20,040 --> 00:17:23,040 Speaker 5: You don't need their approval to be who God made 341 00:17:23,080 --> 00:17:23,399 Speaker 5: you to be. 342 00:17:23,960 --> 00:17:25,879 Speaker 4: You don't have to have them accept you. 343 00:17:27,240 --> 00:17:30,280 Speaker 5: If you will let that go and not get involved 344 00:17:30,320 --> 00:17:33,440 Speaker 5: in battles that don't matter, then God will not only 345 00:17:33,480 --> 00:17:37,240 Speaker 5: send you people that accept and approve you, but he'll 346 00:17:37,280 --> 00:17:41,680 Speaker 5: send people that celebrate you, people that celebrate your talents 347 00:17:41,680 --> 00:17:45,800 Speaker 5: and celebrate your personality and celebrate your accomplishments. You won't 348 00:17:45,880 --> 00:17:49,359 Speaker 5: have to constantly be trying to prove yourself, walking on 349 00:17:49,440 --> 00:17:52,359 Speaker 5: eggshells hoping that you're good enough. No, you can just 350 00:17:52,480 --> 00:17:55,639 Speaker 5: relax and be who God made you to be, and 351 00:17:55,680 --> 00:17:57,440 Speaker 5: they'll think you're the greatest. 352 00:17:56,960 --> 00:17:57,879 Speaker 4: Thing in the world. 353 00:17:58,400 --> 00:18:01,280 Speaker 5: It's like when I was growing up, my grandmother, in 354 00:18:01,359 --> 00:18:04,639 Speaker 5: her eyes, I could do no wrong. Somebody ate the 355 00:18:04,680 --> 00:18:07,760 Speaker 5: chocolate chip cookies before dinner. Who was it not my 356 00:18:07,960 --> 00:18:12,120 Speaker 5: darling Joel. It may have been one of his three sisters, 357 00:18:12,119 --> 00:18:15,520 Speaker 5: but I know Joel would never do that. My sisters 358 00:18:15,600 --> 00:18:19,080 Speaker 5: used to get so aggravated. They'd say, Grandmama thinks Joel 359 00:18:19,240 --> 00:18:21,640 Speaker 5: is a saint. I can't help it. I even had 360 00:18:21,720 --> 00:18:25,840 Speaker 5: favor back then. But that's the kind of people God 361 00:18:25,880 --> 00:18:28,840 Speaker 5: wants to bring you. People that are for you, people 362 00:18:28,840 --> 00:18:31,800 Speaker 5: that believe the best, people that celebrate. 363 00:18:31,280 --> 00:18:35,560 Speaker 4: Who you are. Here's something important. 364 00:18:36,280 --> 00:18:40,120 Speaker 5: Quit wasting your time trying to win somebody over that's 365 00:18:40,160 --> 00:18:43,280 Speaker 5: never gonna be one over. Quit trying to make somebody 366 00:18:43,320 --> 00:18:46,199 Speaker 5: love you that's never gonna love you. Quit trying to 367 00:18:46,240 --> 00:18:49,119 Speaker 5: persuade them to be your friend when they're never gonna 368 00:18:49,160 --> 00:18:52,359 Speaker 5: be your friend. If you have to constantly play up 369 00:18:52,400 --> 00:18:55,800 Speaker 5: to them and convince them you're important and talk them 370 00:18:55,800 --> 00:18:58,800 Speaker 5: into spending time with you, that is a battle that's 371 00:18:58,840 --> 00:19:02,000 Speaker 5: not worth fighting. You need to have the attitude. I 372 00:19:02,040 --> 00:19:04,920 Speaker 5: know I have something great to offer. I am one 373 00:19:04,920 --> 00:19:07,960 Speaker 5: of a kind. I have a great personality, I have 374 00:19:08,080 --> 00:19:10,320 Speaker 5: the right looks, and I'm not going to live my 375 00:19:10,400 --> 00:19:13,360 Speaker 5: life trying to make people love me, trying to convince 376 00:19:13,400 --> 00:19:15,399 Speaker 5: them that I'm good enough. I'm going to let that 377 00:19:15,520 --> 00:19:19,480 Speaker 5: go and start trusting God to bring me divine connections 378 00:19:19,600 --> 00:19:25,480 Speaker 5: people that will celebrate who I am. Years ago, there 379 00:19:25,560 --> 00:19:28,240 Speaker 5: was this couple that I knew and I really wanted 380 00:19:28,240 --> 00:19:31,240 Speaker 5: to be their friend, but they were not that friendly 381 00:19:31,280 --> 00:19:34,520 Speaker 5: to me. They were cordial, they would say hello, but 382 00:19:34,960 --> 00:19:37,240 Speaker 5: it just seemed like there was always something that was 383 00:19:37,320 --> 00:19:41,240 Speaker 5: keeping them from accepting and approving me. I just could 384 00:19:41,280 --> 00:19:44,760 Speaker 5: not understand that I went out of my way to 385 00:19:45,200 --> 00:19:49,159 Speaker 5: win their approval. I introduced them to friends of mine. 386 00:19:49,520 --> 00:19:52,680 Speaker 5: In fact, one connection led to them starting a business together. 387 00:19:53,320 --> 00:19:54,280 Speaker 4: You'd think they'd be. 388 00:19:54,240 --> 00:19:57,399 Speaker 5: Appreciative and it may at least be friendly, but still nothing. 389 00:19:57,920 --> 00:20:01,320 Speaker 5: And eventually they got transferred and re located to another city, 390 00:20:01,359 --> 00:20:04,280 Speaker 5: and I found people to help them move and even 391 00:20:04,320 --> 00:20:06,840 Speaker 5: gave them a gift for their new home. But in 392 00:20:06,880 --> 00:20:09,360 Speaker 5: spite of all that I did, they would never even 393 00:20:09,400 --> 00:20:11,920 Speaker 5: give me the time of day. And on top of that, 394 00:20:12,200 --> 00:20:14,880 Speaker 5: a couple of years later, I got word that they 395 00:20:14,880 --> 00:20:18,240 Speaker 5: were talking bad about me. They thought I hadn't done enough, 396 00:20:18,320 --> 00:20:21,919 Speaker 5: hadn't treated them right. And here there was nobody in 397 00:20:22,000 --> 00:20:24,760 Speaker 5: the world that I had done more for than that couple. 398 00:20:25,400 --> 00:20:28,400 Speaker 5: I realize now they're just one of the twenty five 399 00:20:28,440 --> 00:20:31,040 Speaker 5: percent that are never going to like me. I wish 400 00:20:31,080 --> 00:20:34,520 Speaker 5: i'd known back then what I know now, that you 401 00:20:34,560 --> 00:20:37,040 Speaker 5: don't have to play up to people. You don't have 402 00:20:37,119 --> 00:20:39,280 Speaker 5: to convince them to like you, don't have to buy 403 00:20:39,400 --> 00:20:41,920 Speaker 5: people off if they don't want to be your friend. 404 00:20:42,160 --> 00:20:44,480 Speaker 5: Just have the attitude. Too bad for you. 405 00:20:44,480 --> 00:20:46,040 Speaker 4: You don't know what you're missing out on. 406 00:20:47,240 --> 00:20:51,960 Speaker 5: When I quit fighting those battles, that's when God began 407 00:20:52,080 --> 00:20:55,040 Speaker 5: to bring people into my life that would celebrate me. 408 00:20:55,680 --> 00:20:58,760 Speaker 5: It wasn't long after that that I met Victoria, And 409 00:20:58,800 --> 00:21:00,560 Speaker 5: even if she does leave the life so on, I'll 410 00:21:00,600 --> 00:21:05,920 Speaker 5: still take her. She celebrates me, I celebrate her. One 411 00:21:06,000 --> 00:21:10,120 Speaker 5: reason people will never accept us is because they're so insecure. 412 00:21:10,640 --> 00:21:13,560 Speaker 5: They'll never give you a compliment, never let you in 413 00:21:13,640 --> 00:21:17,560 Speaker 5: their group, because they're intimidated. They're threatened by you, and 414 00:21:17,640 --> 00:21:20,560 Speaker 5: the way they express that insecurity is to try to 415 00:21:20,600 --> 00:21:24,560 Speaker 5: push you down so they will look bigger. They minimize 416 00:21:24,800 --> 00:21:28,119 Speaker 5: so they can equalize. They'll diminish who you are and 417 00:21:28,160 --> 00:21:31,280 Speaker 5: what you have to offer and your accomplishments so they 418 00:21:31,280 --> 00:21:34,760 Speaker 5: won't look so small. People like that you're never going 419 00:21:34,840 --> 00:21:38,200 Speaker 5: to change. That's a battle that's not worth fighting. If 420 00:21:38,200 --> 00:21:41,320 Speaker 5: you'll let it go, God will bring people into your 421 00:21:41,359 --> 00:21:44,320 Speaker 5: life that add value, not take away. 422 00:21:44,840 --> 00:21:46,719 Speaker 4: People that will celebrate. 423 00:21:46,200 --> 00:21:49,040 Speaker 5: Who you are and be happy for you when you succeed, 424 00:21:49,600 --> 00:21:52,560 Speaker 5: not people that find fault, not people that get jealous. 425 00:21:53,280 --> 00:21:57,000 Speaker 5: We shouldn't waste our time in battles that are not winnable. 426 00:21:57,800 --> 00:22:00,880 Speaker 5: Some people, no matter what you say or do, they're 427 00:22:00,880 --> 00:22:03,480 Speaker 5: never going to change their mind. Really, all they want 428 00:22:03,520 --> 00:22:04,560 Speaker 5: to do is argue. 429 00:22:04,920 --> 00:22:06,080 Speaker 4: They just like to fight. 430 00:22:06,280 --> 00:22:08,480 Speaker 5: If they're not fighting with you, they'll be fighting with 431 00:22:08,520 --> 00:22:12,439 Speaker 5: somebody else. One thing I've especially learned is don't argue 432 00:22:12,440 --> 00:22:17,480 Speaker 5: the scripture, don't debate doctrine. Right after I first started ministering, 433 00:22:17,720 --> 00:22:20,480 Speaker 5: this older gentleman came up to me, and he was. 434 00:22:20,560 --> 00:22:21,600 Speaker 4: Very, very serious. 435 00:22:21,880 --> 00:22:24,960 Speaker 5: He said, Joel, I need to know what you believe 436 00:22:25,280 --> 00:22:29,440 Speaker 5: about the second dispensation of the spirit. I thought, dear God, 437 00:22:29,440 --> 00:22:31,440 Speaker 5: I must have missed the first one. 438 00:22:32,560 --> 00:22:33,440 Speaker 4: I said, sir, I. 439 00:22:33,400 --> 00:22:36,480 Speaker 5: Don't really know all about that. He said, well, Joel, 440 00:22:36,520 --> 00:22:39,919 Speaker 5: I believe this and this and this. I said, you 441 00:22:39,920 --> 00:22:41,800 Speaker 5: know what, I think you're right. I agree with you. 442 00:22:42,280 --> 00:22:44,520 Speaker 5: He looked at me kind of puzzled. He said, yeah, 443 00:22:44,560 --> 00:22:47,600 Speaker 5: but I believe this and this and this. I said, 444 00:22:47,600 --> 00:22:50,480 Speaker 5: I agree exactly. He looked at me more confused, got 445 00:22:50,520 --> 00:22:52,280 Speaker 5: a little bit redder in the face. Yeah, but Joel, 446 00:22:52,280 --> 00:22:54,639 Speaker 5: I believe this and this here. He had won the 447 00:22:54,760 --> 00:22:55,640 Speaker 5: argument three. 448 00:22:55,520 --> 00:22:58,960 Speaker 4: Times, but he wasn't happy. He wasn't satisfied. He wanted 449 00:22:59,000 --> 00:23:02,440 Speaker 4: to keep arguing. He was in that fight mode. 450 00:23:02,600 --> 00:23:05,879 Speaker 5: Finally, he was halfway convinced that I agreed, and he 451 00:23:05,920 --> 00:23:08,520 Speaker 5: walked away. And when he got about ten steps from me, 452 00:23:08,800 --> 00:23:12,040 Speaker 5: I say, excuse me, sir, I'm not sure I agree 453 00:23:12,080 --> 00:23:14,200 Speaker 5: with that one thing. He turned back around. I said, 454 00:23:14,200 --> 00:23:15,800 Speaker 5: I'm just kidding. I'm just playing. 455 00:23:16,800 --> 00:23:18,040 Speaker 4: He's ready to fight again. 456 00:23:18,960 --> 00:23:21,960 Speaker 5: People like that that always want to argue, that's a 457 00:23:22,000 --> 00:23:26,160 Speaker 5: battle that's not worth fighting. Even if you do win 458 00:23:26,240 --> 00:23:28,480 Speaker 5: over one of your critics, you know what, I found, 459 00:23:28,600 --> 00:23:31,359 Speaker 5: two more are gonna pop up. The best way to 460 00:23:31,400 --> 00:23:33,960 Speaker 5: answer your critics is not with your words, but with 461 00:23:34,000 --> 00:23:37,200 Speaker 5: your actions. The best way to answer them is to 462 00:23:37,280 --> 00:23:38,280 Speaker 5: let them see the. 463 00:23:38,160 --> 00:23:40,480 Speaker 4: Fruit of a well lived life. 464 00:23:40,560 --> 00:23:44,520 Speaker 5: A reporter asked Bill Cosby the secret of success. He said, 465 00:23:44,520 --> 00:23:47,000 Speaker 5: I don't know the secret of success, but I do 466 00:23:47,119 --> 00:23:49,720 Speaker 5: know the secret of failure, and that is. 467 00:23:49,720 --> 00:23:51,119 Speaker 4: To try to please everybody. 468 00:23:51,840 --> 00:23:54,399 Speaker 5: You have to accept that not everybody's gonna like you, 469 00:23:54,480 --> 00:23:55,639 Speaker 5: not everybody's. 470 00:23:55,119 --> 00:23:57,160 Speaker 4: Gonna understand you. But that's okay. 471 00:23:57,680 --> 00:24:00,199 Speaker 5: Just run your race, be the best that you can be, 472 00:24:00,480 --> 00:24:03,280 Speaker 5: and God will take care of your critics. I think 473 00:24:03,320 --> 00:24:07,440 Speaker 5: about when Niamiah was rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem. There 474 00:24:07,480 --> 00:24:09,960 Speaker 5: were two men at the bottom of the mountain named 475 00:24:10,000 --> 00:24:14,560 Speaker 5: Sanballat and Tobias. They were his biggest critics the whole 476 00:24:14,600 --> 00:24:18,159 Speaker 5: time he was up there working. They were hollering, Neemiah, 477 00:24:18,440 --> 00:24:21,320 Speaker 5: come down here and fight with us. You are never 478 00:24:21,359 --> 00:24:23,600 Speaker 5: going to finish that wall. You don't have what it takes. 479 00:24:24,200 --> 00:24:27,360 Speaker 5: But I love the fact that Niamiah was focused. They 480 00:24:27,359 --> 00:24:31,320 Speaker 5: were making a lot of noise, threatening him, calling him names, 481 00:24:31,520 --> 00:24:35,400 Speaker 5: but he recognized there was no benefit to fighting with them. 482 00:24:35,920 --> 00:24:39,199 Speaker 5: That was not going to accomplish anything. He knew they 483 00:24:39,240 --> 00:24:42,840 Speaker 5: were simply a distraction. When God puts a dream in 484 00:24:42,920 --> 00:24:45,800 Speaker 5: your heart, there will always be the sand ballads and 485 00:24:45,880 --> 00:24:50,080 Speaker 5: Tobias is trying to engage you in battles that don't matter. 486 00:24:50,800 --> 00:24:54,320 Speaker 5: They may talk a mean talk, say things behind your back. 487 00:24:54,760 --> 00:24:57,920 Speaker 5: They'll try to lure you into strength, but you've got 488 00:24:57,960 --> 00:25:01,320 Speaker 5: to be disciplined enough to reckonognize when it's. 489 00:25:01,200 --> 00:25:02,919 Speaker 4: A battle that's even worth fighting. 490 00:25:03,800 --> 00:25:07,760 Speaker 5: Just like David recognized that Elieb was simply a distraction, 491 00:25:08,520 --> 00:25:10,440 Speaker 5: Niamiyah realized. 492 00:25:10,119 --> 00:25:11,800 Speaker 4: These two men were one as well. 493 00:25:12,400 --> 00:25:15,720 Speaker 5: You have to evaluate that situation and only get involved 494 00:25:15,760 --> 00:25:18,880 Speaker 5: in battles that will bring you a prize. I'm sure 495 00:25:18,960 --> 00:25:21,240 Speaker 5: Niamiah could have come down off the wall and put 496 00:25:21,240 --> 00:25:23,440 Speaker 5: a stop to those two men. I'm sure he could 497 00:25:23,440 --> 00:25:27,639 Speaker 5: have defeated them. But Niamiah understood this principle of not 498 00:25:27,840 --> 00:25:31,760 Speaker 5: wasting time and energy fighting battles that don't really matter. 499 00:25:32,680 --> 00:25:35,600 Speaker 5: One time in the Old Testament, a prophet was walking 500 00:25:35,640 --> 00:25:38,880 Speaker 5: down the street and this young man started making fun 501 00:25:38,920 --> 00:25:42,919 Speaker 5: of him, calling him names, even throwing rocks. He followed 502 00:25:43,000 --> 00:25:46,680 Speaker 5: him everywhere that he went, just pestering him, trying to 503 00:25:46,720 --> 00:25:49,480 Speaker 5: pick a fight, trying to aggravate him. Finally, the men 504 00:25:49,560 --> 00:25:51,800 Speaker 5: with the prophet said, do you want us to put 505 00:25:51,800 --> 00:25:52,560 Speaker 5: a stop to him? 506 00:25:52,680 --> 00:25:54,080 Speaker 4: Do you want us to shut him up? He is 507 00:25:54,119 --> 00:25:54,960 Speaker 4: a real pain. 508 00:25:55,760 --> 00:25:58,359 Speaker 5: I love the way the prophet answered. He said, no, 509 00:25:59,000 --> 00:26:02,840 Speaker 5: let him keep talking. Maybe God will hear him and 510 00:26:03,000 --> 00:26:06,040 Speaker 5: bless me for it. That's the attitude we need to 511 00:26:06,040 --> 00:26:09,040 Speaker 5: have when somebody's talking about us. Instead of getting upset 512 00:26:09,359 --> 00:26:12,520 Speaker 5: trying to defend ourselves, let's believe God will hear them 513 00:26:12,760 --> 00:26:16,359 Speaker 5: and bless us for it. That takes all the pressure off. 514 00:26:16,760 --> 00:26:19,280 Speaker 5: We don't have to try to pay people back. We 515 00:26:19,320 --> 00:26:23,480 Speaker 5: don't have to get involved in battles that don't really matter. 516 00:26:23,960 --> 00:26:27,200 Speaker 5: We know God is our vindicator and he's gonna bless 517 00:26:27,280 --> 00:26:31,479 Speaker 5: us because of what they're saying. That means if somebody's 518 00:26:31,520 --> 00:26:35,480 Speaker 5: trying to make you look bad, spreading rumors, telling lies. Really, 519 00:26:35,680 --> 00:26:38,280 Speaker 5: they have done you a favor. What they mean for 520 00:26:38,359 --> 00:26:40,959 Speaker 5: your harm, God is going to use to promote you. 521 00:26:41,800 --> 00:26:44,320 Speaker 5: And I know this to be true because we have 522 00:26:44,440 --> 00:26:47,680 Speaker 5: never tried to answer our critics. The more they talk, 523 00:26:47,840 --> 00:26:50,480 Speaker 5: the more God promotes us. The more they talk, the 524 00:26:50,560 --> 00:26:53,800 Speaker 5: higher we go. And when you're pursuing your goals and 525 00:26:53,880 --> 00:26:56,280 Speaker 5: dreams in life, there's gonna be the critics in the 526 00:26:56,400 --> 00:26:59,920 Speaker 5: naysayers telling you you can't do it, threatening you, try 527 00:27:00,119 --> 00:27:03,720 Speaker 5: to distract you, but understand you don't have time to 528 00:27:03,760 --> 00:27:06,439 Speaker 5: come down off that wall. You don't have time to 529 00:27:06,480 --> 00:27:09,399 Speaker 5: convince your critics. You don't have time to argue. You 530 00:27:09,520 --> 00:27:14,000 Speaker 5: have a destiny to fulfill, You have an assignment to accomplish. 531 00:27:14,320 --> 00:27:17,399 Speaker 5: Those are battles that are not worth fighting. Learn to 532 00:27:17,560 --> 00:27:22,200 Speaker 5: ignore the sand, balants and to biases. Before long, like Nehemiah, 533 00:27:22,240 --> 00:27:25,800 Speaker 5: you'll complete your wall and your actions will answer your 534 00:27:25,840 --> 00:27:27,120 Speaker 5: critics and. 535 00:27:27,080 --> 00:27:27,919 Speaker 4: Some of you today. 536 00:27:28,400 --> 00:27:31,240 Speaker 5: If you just get a little more focused and not 537 00:27:31,320 --> 00:27:34,840 Speaker 5: get involved in battles that don't matter, you would see 538 00:27:34,880 --> 00:27:38,240 Speaker 5: God bring the golias across your path. In other words, 539 00:27:38,280 --> 00:27:40,879 Speaker 5: you would see God bring the battles that are there 540 00:27:40,960 --> 00:27:44,080 Speaker 5: to bring you greater opportunity to bring you greater promotion. 541 00:27:44,840 --> 00:27:47,879 Speaker 5: When things don't go your way, you're tempted to get upset. 542 00:27:48,119 --> 00:27:51,400 Speaker 5: You need to ask yourself is this a battle worth fighting? 543 00:27:52,040 --> 00:27:55,280 Speaker 5: Is it between me and my destiny? Or is it 544 00:27:55,400 --> 00:27:59,200 Speaker 5: just another distraction to waste my time and energy? If 545 00:27:59,200 --> 00:28:01,160 Speaker 5: I engage it in this conflict, is. 546 00:28:01,119 --> 00:28:02,240 Speaker 4: It going to be worth it? 547 00:28:02,800 --> 00:28:05,800 Speaker 5: Remember, we don't have to fight battles to prove to 548 00:28:05,880 --> 00:28:09,120 Speaker 5: people who we are, or try to win over our critics, 549 00:28:09,200 --> 00:28:11,159 Speaker 5: or to play up to someone to get them to 550 00:28:11,359 --> 00:28:15,240 Speaker 5: like us. Those are all distractions. Just stay focused on 551 00:28:15,320 --> 00:28:17,640 Speaker 5: the main goals that God has put in your heart. 552 00:28:18,400 --> 00:28:20,320 Speaker 5: Learn to not make a big deal out of things 553 00:28:20,320 --> 00:28:22,639 Speaker 5: that are not a big deal. Let it go for 554 00:28:22,680 --> 00:28:25,679 Speaker 5: the sake of peace. And if you'll be disciplined to 555 00:28:25,760 --> 00:28:28,280 Speaker 5: fight the battles that do matter, then you'll see God 556 00:28:28,320 --> 00:28:31,800 Speaker 5: do amazing things. Like David, you will defeat your giants 557 00:28:32,400 --> 00:28:36,000 Speaker 5: like Dehemiah. You will complete your walls. That means you'll 558 00:28:36,000 --> 00:28:39,760 Speaker 5: accomplish your goals. You'll overcome your obstacles, and you'll see 559 00:28:39,760 --> 00:28:42,880 Speaker 5: God bring every dream, every desire He's put in your heart. 560 00:28:43,040 --> 00:28:45,800 Speaker 4: It will come to pass. Amen. Do you receive it today? 561 00:28:46,800 --> 00:28:47,360 Speaker 1: I know you do. 562 00:28:47,800 --> 00:28:50,800 Speaker 5: Thanks so much for listening to today's message. I hope 563 00:28:50,800 --> 00:28:54,200 Speaker 5: you'll subscribe so you can receive the latest podcast to 564 00:28:54,280 --> 00:28:56,760 Speaker 5: keep you encouraged and inspired all through the week. 565 00:28:56,960 --> 00:28:59,160 Speaker 3: Help us to continue to share the message of hope 566 00:28:59,160 --> 00:29:00,720 Speaker 3: with those all aroun around the world. 567 00:29:01,000 --> 00:29:03,760 Speaker 6: Visit Joelosting dot com or click the link in the 568 00:29:03,800 --> 00:29:05,959 Speaker 6: description to partner with us today. 569 00:29:06,200 --> 00:29:08,680 Speaker 5: We hope you'll share this message with a friend and 570 00:29:08,760 --> 00:29:09,800 Speaker 5: be sure to follow. 571 00:29:09,600 --> 00:29:12,000 Speaker 4: Us on social media. 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