1 00:00:00,480 --> 00:00:03,240 Speaker 1: Hi, this is Joel and Victoria. Thanks for listening to 2 00:00:03,279 --> 00:00:06,400 Speaker 1: our podcast and thanks for supporting the ministry. If you 3 00:00:06,480 --> 00:00:09,080 Speaker 1: enjoy today's message, why don't you be a blessing and 4 00:00:09,160 --> 00:00:11,799 Speaker 1: share it with a friend. We appreciate you and pray 5 00:00:11,840 --> 00:00:16,320 Speaker 1: for God's very best in your life, and God bless you. 6 00:00:16,760 --> 00:00:19,599 Speaker 1: It's a joy to come into your homes. We love 7 00:00:19,640 --> 00:00:22,160 Speaker 1: you and we know God has great things in store. 8 00:00:22,480 --> 00:00:24,720 Speaker 1: If you're ever in the Houston area, why don't you 9 00:00:24,760 --> 00:00:26,920 Speaker 1: come out and see us. I promise you these are 10 00:00:26,960 --> 00:00:29,520 Speaker 1: the finest people in all of Houston, Texas right here 11 00:00:29,560 --> 00:00:32,440 Speaker 1: at Lakewood. We'll make you feel right at home. But 12 00:00:32,560 --> 00:00:34,920 Speaker 1: thanks for tuning in today, and thank you again for 13 00:00:35,000 --> 00:00:37,240 Speaker 1: coming out. And I'd like to start with something funny 14 00:00:37,240 --> 00:00:41,320 Speaker 1: each week, and these are not doctrinally correct, especially today, 15 00:00:41,400 --> 00:00:44,559 Speaker 1: but just to make us laugh. Heard about this husband 16 00:00:44,560 --> 00:00:48,919 Speaker 1: and wife. They were celebrating their sixtieth birthdays together. An 17 00:00:48,960 --> 00:00:51,440 Speaker 1: angel suddenly appeared and said that God was going to 18 00:00:51,479 --> 00:00:55,320 Speaker 1: grant them each one special request. They were so excited. 19 00:00:55,760 --> 00:00:58,440 Speaker 1: The wife said, my request is that we'd be able 20 00:00:58,480 --> 00:01:01,440 Speaker 1: to travel all over the world, and poof, when the 21 00:01:01,480 --> 00:01:04,880 Speaker 1: smoke cleared, she had tickets in her hand. The husband 22 00:01:04,959 --> 00:01:08,039 Speaker 1: hung his head in shame, said, my request is that 23 00:01:08,120 --> 00:01:10,840 Speaker 1: i'd be married to a woman thirty years younger than me, 24 00:01:11,560 --> 00:01:14,679 Speaker 1: and poof, when the smoke cleared, he was ninety years old. 25 00:01:16,880 --> 00:01:19,600 Speaker 1: All right, hold up your Bible, say it like you 26 00:01:19,680 --> 00:01:22,840 Speaker 1: mean it. This is my Bible. I am what it 27 00:01:22,880 --> 00:01:25,399 Speaker 1: says I am. I have what it says I have. 28 00:01:26,000 --> 00:01:28,720 Speaker 1: I can do what it says I can do. Today 29 00:01:28,840 --> 00:01:32,200 Speaker 1: I will be taught the word of God. I boldly confess. 30 00:01:32,640 --> 00:01:36,199 Speaker 1: My mind is alert, my heart is receptive. I will 31 00:01:36,240 --> 00:01:40,000 Speaker 1: never be the same. In Jesus' name, God bless you. 32 00:01:40,959 --> 00:01:43,840 Speaker 1: I want to talk to you today about wearing your 33 00:01:43,880 --> 00:01:48,120 Speaker 1: blessings well. Our God is a rewarder of those that 34 00:01:48,200 --> 00:01:51,800 Speaker 1: seek him. When you keep God first place and do 35 00:01:51,920 --> 00:01:55,720 Speaker 1: your best to honor him. The scripture says his blessings 36 00:01:55,760 --> 00:01:59,920 Speaker 1: will chase you down and overtake you. That means you 37 00:02:00,040 --> 00:02:04,080 Speaker 1: jo will come into increase promotion, good breaks that you 38 00:02:04,120 --> 00:02:08,680 Speaker 1: didn't necessarily deserve. That's God rewarding you for walking in 39 00:02:08,760 --> 00:02:12,280 Speaker 1: his ways. And we see this principle in the Old Testament. 40 00:02:12,400 --> 00:02:15,880 Speaker 1: With Ruth. She was out in the fields, following behind 41 00:02:15,880 --> 00:02:19,640 Speaker 1: the workers, gathering up the leftover wheat that they had missed. 42 00:02:20,080 --> 00:02:22,760 Speaker 1: She was being her best, trying to take care of 43 00:02:22,800 --> 00:02:25,880 Speaker 1: her mother in law, Naomi, but they were barely surviving. 44 00:02:26,720 --> 00:02:30,080 Speaker 1: One day, the owner of the fields told those workers 45 00:02:30,360 --> 00:02:35,600 Speaker 1: to leave handfuls of wheat on purpose for Ruth. Now 46 00:02:35,760 --> 00:02:38,600 Speaker 1: Ruth didn't have to struggle anymore, she didn't have to 47 00:02:38,639 --> 00:02:42,480 Speaker 1: work night and day. Ruth came into blessings that were 48 00:02:42,520 --> 00:02:46,560 Speaker 1: simply dropped at her feet. Every one of us can 49 00:02:46,600 --> 00:02:49,760 Speaker 1: look back and see times where God has left us 50 00:02:50,080 --> 00:02:54,360 Speaker 1: handfuls on purpose, something that we didn't deserve. We didn't 51 00:02:54,440 --> 00:02:57,000 Speaker 1: have to struggle, we didn't even ask for it, We 52 00:02:57,160 --> 00:03:01,079 Speaker 1: just stumbled into it. That's a handful on purpose. Now 53 00:03:01,080 --> 00:03:06,920 Speaker 1: here's my challenge. Don't apologize for God's goodness. Don't downplay 54 00:03:07,040 --> 00:03:10,720 Speaker 1: what God has done in your life. Don't make excuses 55 00:03:10,760 --> 00:03:14,440 Speaker 1: because a friend might get jealous. Don't try to hide 56 00:03:14,480 --> 00:03:18,359 Speaker 1: God's blessings because a coworker might judge you and think 57 00:03:18,480 --> 00:03:22,760 Speaker 1: that it's not fair. Know where your blessings, Well, you 58 00:03:22,880 --> 00:03:25,359 Speaker 1: may not have deserved it, but you know what, favor 59 00:03:25,520 --> 00:03:28,440 Speaker 1: is not always fair. It's just the goodness of God. 60 00:03:29,680 --> 00:03:33,160 Speaker 1: The moment you start apologizing for what God has done 61 00:03:33,520 --> 00:03:36,240 Speaker 1: and downplay in his goodness is when God will go 62 00:03:36,280 --> 00:03:39,560 Speaker 1: find somebody else to show his favor too. And I'm 63 00:03:39,600 --> 00:03:42,880 Speaker 1: not saying to go around showing off and bragging on 64 00:03:42,920 --> 00:03:45,280 Speaker 1: what you have and on how great you are. Now, 65 00:03:45,320 --> 00:03:48,640 Speaker 1: I'm saying, go around bragging on how great God is. 66 00:03:49,640 --> 00:03:51,840 Speaker 1: We used to sing a song growing up. Look what 67 00:03:51,960 --> 00:03:55,200 Speaker 1: the Lord has done all through the day. We should 68 00:03:55,200 --> 00:03:57,720 Speaker 1: be bragging on God's goodness. Let me tell you how 69 00:03:57,760 --> 00:03:59,960 Speaker 1: God healed my mother. Let me tell you how God 70 00:04:00,000 --> 00:04:02,160 Speaker 1: God gave us this building. Let me tell you how 71 00:04:02,200 --> 00:04:05,320 Speaker 1: I met my beautiful wife Victoria. When you're bragging on 72 00:04:05,400 --> 00:04:08,400 Speaker 1: God's goodness, when you're giving him all the credit, you 73 00:04:08,480 --> 00:04:12,760 Speaker 1: are wearing your blessings well. And David said in Psalm Oneint. Eighteen, 74 00:04:13,440 --> 00:04:17,360 Speaker 1: this is the Lord's doing. It is marvelous in our eyes. 75 00:04:18,080 --> 00:04:21,160 Speaker 1: That should be our attitude. Every good thing that happens, 76 00:04:21,279 --> 00:04:24,080 Speaker 1: this is the Lord's doing. You know what this beautiful 77 00:04:24,080 --> 00:04:28,039 Speaker 1: building is, it's the Lord's doing. My mother being alive 78 00:04:28,240 --> 00:04:32,000 Speaker 1: thirty years after being diagnosed with terminal cancer, you know 79 00:04:32,040 --> 00:04:35,240 Speaker 1: what that is. That's the Lord's doing. It's marvelous in 80 00:04:35,279 --> 00:04:40,719 Speaker 1: our eyes. If you will always see the promotion, the 81 00:04:40,800 --> 00:04:45,000 Speaker 1: good break, the healing, the new opportunity. As the Lord's doing, 82 00:04:45,279 --> 00:04:49,120 Speaker 1: you won't have any problem wearing your blessings. Well. I 83 00:04:49,240 --> 00:04:51,880 Speaker 1: used to kind of feel guilty that God's given me 84 00:04:51,960 --> 00:04:55,480 Speaker 1: such a great life. I've always been happy, been blessed 85 00:04:55,480 --> 00:04:58,680 Speaker 1: to have great parents and grandparents, a beautiful wife, and 86 00:04:58,720 --> 00:05:01,960 Speaker 1: again and again try and I have seen these handfuls 87 00:05:02,000 --> 00:05:05,279 Speaker 1: on purpose. God blessed us in a real estate deal, 88 00:05:05,400 --> 00:05:08,240 Speaker 1: just in an abundant way. We didn't have to work 89 00:05:08,320 --> 00:05:10,720 Speaker 1: for it. We were just at the right place at 90 00:05:10,760 --> 00:05:14,000 Speaker 1: the right time. It was the Lord's doing. But when 91 00:05:14,040 --> 00:05:16,840 Speaker 1: I used to see people that had a hard life 92 00:05:16,880 --> 00:05:19,200 Speaker 1: and didn't have good parents and had to struggle to 93 00:05:19,240 --> 00:05:23,880 Speaker 1: overcome things, I would naturally try to downplay how God 94 00:05:23,920 --> 00:05:26,120 Speaker 1: has blessed me. After all, I didn't want to make 95 00:05:26,160 --> 00:05:29,800 Speaker 1: them feel bad. But I've learned that doesn't bring any 96 00:05:29,880 --> 00:05:33,480 Speaker 1: honor to God. God wants us to be an example 97 00:05:33,560 --> 00:05:36,640 Speaker 1: of his goodness. I know now I don't have to 98 00:05:36,720 --> 00:05:40,400 Speaker 1: apologize if I get a handful on purpose and somebody 99 00:05:40,400 --> 00:05:43,760 Speaker 1: else doesn't. I don't have to hide my joy, my peace, 100 00:05:44,040 --> 00:05:47,239 Speaker 1: my victory, my possessions. I don't have to dress down 101 00:05:47,720 --> 00:05:50,839 Speaker 1: and look poor and pitiful and depressed to show people 102 00:05:50,839 --> 00:05:54,560 Speaker 1: that I'm really humble. Now, when you'll wear your blessings well, 103 00:05:55,000 --> 00:05:58,440 Speaker 1: giving God all the credit, talking about his goodness, thanking 104 00:05:58,520 --> 00:06:01,920 Speaker 1: him for what he's done, that's what really brings honor 105 00:06:01,960 --> 00:06:05,479 Speaker 1: to our God. A few years after I started ministering, 106 00:06:05,880 --> 00:06:09,760 Speaker 1: a well known reporter referred to me as the smiling Preacher, 107 00:06:10,400 --> 00:06:12,720 Speaker 1: and that story caught on and went all over the world. 108 00:06:13,200 --> 00:06:16,520 Speaker 1: For some people use that term in a derogatory sense, 109 00:06:17,080 --> 00:06:20,360 Speaker 1: like why does he smile so much? What's wrong with him? 110 00:06:20,400 --> 00:06:23,480 Speaker 1: He couldn't be that happy. And I was young and new, 111 00:06:23,560 --> 00:06:25,520 Speaker 1: and at first I thought, well, maybe I shouldn't smile 112 00:06:25,560 --> 00:06:28,680 Speaker 1: so much. People are making fun. Then I realized what 113 00:06:28,720 --> 00:06:31,600 Speaker 1: I'm telling you. I don't have to hide God's blessings. 114 00:06:31,760 --> 00:06:34,760 Speaker 1: I don't have to apologize because I smile all the time. 115 00:06:36,200 --> 00:06:39,280 Speaker 1: I'm going to wear my blessing well. If you don't 116 00:06:39,320 --> 00:06:41,680 Speaker 1: like the fact that I smile so much, then take this. 117 00:06:44,880 --> 00:06:48,160 Speaker 1: I'll be the first to admit I'm happy. God's been 118 00:06:48,200 --> 00:06:51,320 Speaker 1: good to me. I'm blessed, I'm prosperous. I got joy, 119 00:06:51,400 --> 00:06:55,200 Speaker 1: I got feast, I got victory. And you know what, 120 00:06:56,320 --> 00:06:59,320 Speaker 1: I'm not going to apologize for the goodness of God. 121 00:07:00,560 --> 00:07:02,640 Speaker 1: Some of you used to be bound by all kinds 122 00:07:02,680 --> 00:07:05,920 Speaker 1: of addictions and bad habits, but now you're totally free. 123 00:07:06,240 --> 00:07:09,880 Speaker 1: Let me challenge you. Where that blessing well? Tell everyone 124 00:07:09,960 --> 00:07:13,160 Speaker 1: what God has done for you. They may call you 125 00:07:13,240 --> 00:07:16,840 Speaker 1: far out, a fanatic man. Why are you so happy? 126 00:07:16,880 --> 00:07:19,120 Speaker 1: Why are you always helping others? What's up with you? 127 00:07:19,480 --> 00:07:22,440 Speaker 1: Just tell them I'm wearing my blessing. Well. God's been 128 00:07:22,520 --> 00:07:25,040 Speaker 1: so good to me. I can't keep it to myself. 129 00:07:25,320 --> 00:07:28,040 Speaker 1: I got to tell somebody. I once was lost, but 130 00:07:28,120 --> 00:07:30,960 Speaker 1: now I'm found. I should be dead, but I'm still alive. 131 00:07:31,360 --> 00:07:33,600 Speaker 1: I used to live stone, but now I'm in my 132 00:07:33,680 --> 00:07:37,960 Speaker 1: right mind. Look what the Lord has done. That's whearing 133 00:07:38,080 --> 00:07:41,800 Speaker 1: your blessing. Well. Some of you used to be depressed 134 00:07:41,840 --> 00:07:45,440 Speaker 1: and discouraged and bitter and angry, but now you're joyful. 135 00:07:45,800 --> 00:07:47,800 Speaker 1: You gotta smile on your face. You got to spring 136 00:07:47,840 --> 00:07:51,280 Speaker 1: in your step. You're excited about twenty eleven. Some of 137 00:07:51,320 --> 00:07:54,360 Speaker 1: your coworkers may say, come on, man, calm down, chill out, 138 00:07:54,480 --> 00:07:57,800 Speaker 1: lay off that happiness stuff. Listen. Let that go in 139 00:07:57,840 --> 00:08:01,440 Speaker 1: one ear and out the other. Don't let affects you. 140 00:08:01,440 --> 00:08:04,920 Speaker 1: You keep wearing your blessing well, and over time, instead 141 00:08:04,960 --> 00:08:08,040 Speaker 1: of them affecting you, you will infect them. You will 142 00:08:08,080 --> 00:08:11,840 Speaker 1: help them to come up higher. When you dress your best, 143 00:08:12,000 --> 00:08:15,000 Speaker 1: you're wearing your blessing well. When you step up and 144 00:08:15,040 --> 00:08:18,760 Speaker 1: take that promotion, you're wearing that blessing well. When God 145 00:08:18,800 --> 00:08:21,160 Speaker 1: opens the door and you move into that new house 146 00:08:21,200 --> 00:08:24,720 Speaker 1: you've been believing for, other people may talk, well, they 147 00:08:24,720 --> 00:08:27,560 Speaker 1: didn't need that house. Why do they leave our neighborhood. 148 00:08:27,560 --> 00:08:29,720 Speaker 1: They must think they're too good for us. No, you're 149 00:08:29,760 --> 00:08:33,120 Speaker 1: not too good for them. You're just wearing your blessing well. Now, 150 00:08:33,160 --> 00:08:39,559 Speaker 1: don't let some negative, jealous, critical, judgmental, bitter, angry, non 151 00:08:39,640 --> 00:08:44,559 Speaker 1: smiling person try to make you feel guilty, ashamed, embarrassed. 152 00:08:45,160 --> 00:08:48,000 Speaker 1: Try Sometimes they'll try to convince you that you're supposed 153 00:08:48,040 --> 00:08:52,520 Speaker 1: to drag around defeated, depressed, never have anything to show 154 00:08:52,640 --> 00:08:55,960 Speaker 1: God that you're really humble, to show God that you 155 00:08:56,080 --> 00:09:00,959 Speaker 1: really love him. Now, that is a religious pudgimental spirit. 156 00:09:01,520 --> 00:09:05,920 Speaker 1: If you want to please God, don't drag around broke, defeated, depressed. 157 00:09:06,120 --> 00:09:09,160 Speaker 1: Were your blessings well? Step up to a new level, 158 00:09:09,360 --> 00:09:13,240 Speaker 1: enjoy God's favor. Be proud of who you are and 159 00:09:13,280 --> 00:09:16,280 Speaker 1: of what God has done in your life. My father 160 00:09:16,360 --> 00:09:19,360 Speaker 1: grew up during the Great Depression and his family was 161 00:09:19,480 --> 00:09:23,640 Speaker 1: very poor, and he developed this poverty mindset, and he 162 00:09:23,679 --> 00:09:26,280 Speaker 1: was even taught in seminary that you had to be 163 00:09:26,440 --> 00:09:29,800 Speaker 1: poor to show that you were really holy. The first 164 00:09:29,920 --> 00:09:33,000 Speaker 1: church that he pastored made sure that he stayed holy 165 00:09:33,160 --> 00:09:36,840 Speaker 1: by keeping him poor. He and my mother made one 166 00:09:36,920 --> 00:09:40,520 Speaker 1: hundred and fifteen dollars a week trying to raise five children. 167 00:09:41,120 --> 00:09:43,319 Speaker 1: One time, they had a guest minister in the church, 168 00:09:43,360 --> 00:09:46,160 Speaker 1: and my parents kept that man in our house all 169 00:09:46,240 --> 00:09:49,600 Speaker 1: during the week, and after the Sunday service, a member 170 00:09:49,600 --> 00:09:52,600 Speaker 1: of the congregation, a businessman, came up to my father 171 00:09:52,679 --> 00:09:56,000 Speaker 1: and handed Daddy a check for one thousand dollars a 172 00:09:56,080 --> 00:10:00,720 Speaker 1: thousand dollars back then like ten thousand dollars today. He said, pastor, 173 00:10:00,840 --> 00:10:03,200 Speaker 1: I want you to have this personally, because you've had 174 00:10:03,200 --> 00:10:06,120 Speaker 1: a lot of extra expenses keeping this man in your home. 175 00:10:06,679 --> 00:10:11,120 Speaker 1: But my father had been so programmed with this poverty mentality, 176 00:10:11,520 --> 00:10:14,880 Speaker 1: with this false sense of humility, he took that check 177 00:10:14,960 --> 00:10:18,600 Speaker 1: by the very top corner like it was poisonous, like 178 00:10:18,640 --> 00:10:21,680 Speaker 1: it might contaminate him. He said, oh, no, brother, I 179 00:10:21,720 --> 00:10:25,040 Speaker 1: could never keep this from myself. We must put this 180 00:10:25,280 --> 00:10:29,440 Speaker 1: in the church offering. Daddy walked over toward the offering plate, 181 00:10:29,480 --> 00:10:32,240 Speaker 1: and with every step something on the inside said, don't 182 00:10:32,280 --> 00:10:36,160 Speaker 1: do it. Receive God's blessings, receive God's goodness. He ignored 183 00:10:36,160 --> 00:10:38,120 Speaker 1: it and dropped it in the offering plate. He said 184 00:10:38,160 --> 00:10:40,600 Speaker 1: when he did, he felt sick to his stomach. He 185 00:10:40,679 --> 00:10:43,320 Speaker 1: knew down inside he was supposed to have that, and 186 00:10:43,360 --> 00:10:45,920 Speaker 1: thank God. One day my father broke out of that 187 00:10:46,080 --> 00:10:50,280 Speaker 1: poverty mindset. He read the scripture in Psalms, the Lord 188 00:10:50,400 --> 00:10:54,959 Speaker 1: takes pleasure in the prosperity of his children. He began 189 00:10:55,080 --> 00:10:58,920 Speaker 1: to understand that it brings a smile to God's face 190 00:10:59,320 --> 00:11:03,000 Speaker 1: when we live an abundant life, when we prosper in 191 00:11:03,040 --> 00:11:07,040 Speaker 1: our health, in our relationships, and in our finances. He 192 00:11:07,120 --> 00:11:10,959 Speaker 1: got a new vision. He quit feeling guilty for God's blessings. 193 00:11:11,360 --> 00:11:15,000 Speaker 1: He started learning how to receive those handfuls on purpose. 194 00:11:15,640 --> 00:11:18,960 Speaker 1: I say this respectfully, but we have to fight that 195 00:11:19,160 --> 00:11:23,240 Speaker 1: religious spirit that says we're supposed to be poor and 196 00:11:23,400 --> 00:11:27,560 Speaker 1: broke and defeated, to prove to everyone that we're really 197 00:11:27,640 --> 00:11:32,000 Speaker 1: humble now when we're poor and broke and defeated, all 198 00:11:32,040 --> 00:11:35,440 Speaker 1: that proves is that we're poor and broke and defeated, 199 00:11:36,120 --> 00:11:39,240 Speaker 1: nobody's going to want what we have. I can be poor, 200 00:11:39,280 --> 00:11:42,880 Speaker 1: broke and defeated without serving God. We're supposed to be 201 00:11:43,000 --> 00:11:45,960 Speaker 1: examples of what it means to live for the most 202 00:11:46,080 --> 00:11:51,360 Speaker 1: High God. We should be. We should be so blessed, 203 00:11:51,600 --> 00:11:55,440 Speaker 1: so prosperous, so kind, so generous, so happy, so peaceful 204 00:11:55,600 --> 00:11:58,480 Speaker 1: that people want what we have. And if you think, 205 00:11:58,600 --> 00:12:02,040 Speaker 1: like my father, that you're showing God how holy you 206 00:12:02,120 --> 00:12:05,720 Speaker 1: are and how humble you are by not wearing your blessings, 207 00:12:06,200 --> 00:12:10,280 Speaker 1: not taking that promotion, your own thinking is what's keeping 208 00:12:10,320 --> 00:12:14,559 Speaker 1: God from doing something new. You have to enlarge your vision, friends, 209 00:12:14,559 --> 00:12:17,640 Speaker 1: God owns it all. God blessing you in a greater 210 00:12:17,720 --> 00:12:21,160 Speaker 1: way is not going to bankrupt heaven. God makes streets 211 00:12:21,160 --> 00:12:23,120 Speaker 1: out of gold. If you want to bring a smile 212 00:12:23,200 --> 00:12:27,400 Speaker 1: to God's face, have an abundant life mentality. One time, 213 00:12:27,480 --> 00:12:30,480 Speaker 1: Victoria and I found these two acres that we really 214 00:12:30,559 --> 00:12:33,240 Speaker 1: wanted to buy. We wanted to build a house on it. 215 00:12:33,240 --> 00:12:36,040 Speaker 1: It was a valuable piece of property close into the city. 216 00:12:36,120 --> 00:12:39,559 Speaker 1: And God's blessed us through our books and other avenues, 217 00:12:39,600 --> 00:12:42,880 Speaker 1: and we not only tie our income and we give generously, 218 00:12:42,960 --> 00:12:46,120 Speaker 1: but we also believe in making good investments. And I 219 00:12:46,160 --> 00:12:49,120 Speaker 1: was praying and debating whether we should buy this property, 220 00:12:49,120 --> 00:12:51,319 Speaker 1: and I thought, you know what, we don't really need 221 00:12:51,360 --> 00:12:53,800 Speaker 1: two acres to live on. We're fine where we are. 222 00:12:54,559 --> 00:12:56,800 Speaker 1: Down deep, I wanted it, it was a desire of 223 00:12:56,840 --> 00:12:59,760 Speaker 1: my heart, but I kind of felt guilty, like it 224 00:12:59,840 --> 00:13:02,600 Speaker 1: was more than we needed. One day, I was on 225 00:13:02,640 --> 00:13:05,679 Speaker 1: an airplane, thirty five thousand feet in the air. It 226 00:13:05,800 --> 00:13:08,600 Speaker 1: was a clear, beautiful day, and I was sitting by 227 00:13:08,600 --> 00:13:11,520 Speaker 1: the window looking out toward the ground, and I heard 228 00:13:11,559 --> 00:13:14,360 Speaker 1: God say something to me, not out loud, but just 229 00:13:14,440 --> 00:13:17,400 Speaker 1: down in here an impression. He said, Joel, you wonder 230 00:13:17,480 --> 00:13:21,000 Speaker 1: if it's okay to buy that property. What do you 231 00:13:21,160 --> 00:13:24,680 Speaker 1: think those two acres look like? To me? What do 232 00:13:24,720 --> 00:13:26,640 Speaker 1: you think it looks like from my point of view? 233 00:13:26,640 --> 00:13:30,160 Speaker 1: From my perspective, well, from where I was thirty five 234 00:13:30,160 --> 00:13:32,120 Speaker 1: thousand feet in the air, two acres looked like a 235 00:13:32,160 --> 00:13:34,800 Speaker 1: little dot, just like you took your pen and touched 236 00:13:34,800 --> 00:13:38,160 Speaker 1: the earth. It was nothing. I felt God say, Joel, 237 00:13:38,320 --> 00:13:41,440 Speaker 1: I give you permission. It's okay to have enough land 238 00:13:41,640 --> 00:13:44,800 Speaker 1: the size of a pen head. To me. See, we 239 00:13:44,880 --> 00:13:48,120 Speaker 1: think so small, We think limited. God owns it all. 240 00:13:48,559 --> 00:13:51,720 Speaker 1: The earth is the Lord's and the fullness thereof. We 241 00:13:51,840 --> 00:13:56,240 Speaker 1: have to enlarge our vision. So often we think, is 242 00:13:56,240 --> 00:13:58,000 Speaker 1: it wrong for me to want to live in an 243 00:13:58,040 --> 00:14:00,319 Speaker 1: ice house? Is it wrong for me to want a 244 00:14:00,320 --> 00:14:03,080 Speaker 1: bigger piece of property? Is it selfish for me to 245 00:14:03,120 --> 00:14:05,640 Speaker 1: want to drive a nice car? Is it ok for 246 00:14:05,640 --> 00:14:07,880 Speaker 1: me to want to bless my children and leave them 247 00:14:07,880 --> 00:14:12,600 Speaker 1: an inheritance? God is saying, it's okay, we're your blessings. Well, 248 00:14:13,200 --> 00:14:16,199 Speaker 1: as long as you're keeping God first place, and you're 249 00:14:16,240 --> 00:14:18,599 Speaker 1: not living selfishly, and you're not making those things of 250 00:14:18,679 --> 00:14:22,120 Speaker 1: an idol, then God wants to give you the desires 251 00:14:22,160 --> 00:14:25,600 Speaker 1: of your heart. He takes pleasure in prospering his children. 252 00:14:26,520 --> 00:14:28,640 Speaker 1: I was talking to a young man after the service 253 00:14:28,720 --> 00:14:32,360 Speaker 1: not long ago. He works for this major retail company 254 00:14:32,400 --> 00:14:35,640 Speaker 1: and he'd just gotten a big promotion. In fact, he's 255 00:14:35,680 --> 00:14:39,320 Speaker 1: the youngest person to ever hold this position in this company. 256 00:14:39,400 --> 00:14:42,880 Speaker 1: He oversees the largest region of the country. He was 257 00:14:43,040 --> 00:14:46,640 Speaker 1: very excited. He knew it was God's favor, but he 258 00:14:46,720 --> 00:14:50,120 Speaker 1: got promoted over people that had been there much longer 259 00:14:50,200 --> 00:14:53,680 Speaker 1: than him, that had much more experience. They had been 260 00:14:53,760 --> 00:14:57,680 Speaker 1: his friends, but now they were sort of avoiding him, 261 00:14:58,080 --> 00:15:01,240 Speaker 1: starting to talk behind his back, starting to try to 262 00:15:01,280 --> 00:15:04,080 Speaker 1: make him look bad. He said, Joel, I know this 263 00:15:04,160 --> 00:15:06,360 Speaker 1: is Ephesians three twenty. This is just what you've been 264 00:15:06,400 --> 00:15:09,360 Speaker 1: talking about. But I feel kind of guilty, like I've 265 00:15:09,360 --> 00:15:12,440 Speaker 1: done something wrong. I told him what I'm telling you. 266 00:15:12,760 --> 00:15:16,600 Speaker 1: That is the goodness of God. Where it will favor 267 00:15:16,800 --> 00:15:20,760 Speaker 1: is not always fair. And the scripture says promotion doesn't 268 00:15:20,800 --> 00:15:23,920 Speaker 1: come from people. Promotion comes from the Lord. And if 269 00:15:23,960 --> 00:15:26,360 Speaker 1: you don't step up and wear that blessing, take that 270 00:15:26,400 --> 00:15:29,160 Speaker 1: promotion with a grateful attitude. You know what I'll happen. 271 00:15:29,400 --> 00:15:32,720 Speaker 1: God will give it to somebody else. And I've learned 272 00:15:33,440 --> 00:15:36,680 Speaker 1: some people will be your friend until you get promoted. 273 00:15:37,440 --> 00:15:39,600 Speaker 1: Some people will go to lunch with you as long 274 00:15:39,640 --> 00:15:42,520 Speaker 1: as you're at the same level. But the moment you 275 00:15:42,600 --> 00:15:46,160 Speaker 1: see increase, the moment you come into a handful on purpose, 276 00:15:46,280 --> 00:15:49,240 Speaker 1: they get jealous and critical, try to make it look bad. 277 00:15:49,680 --> 00:15:52,360 Speaker 1: Just don't worry about it. God will fight your battles. 278 00:15:52,520 --> 00:15:55,240 Speaker 1: God will take care of your enemies. You don't let 279 00:15:55,280 --> 00:15:59,160 Speaker 1: anything make you feel guilty, embarrassed, ashamed. That's the goodness 280 00:15:59,200 --> 00:16:02,600 Speaker 1: of God. Learn wear it well. We see an example 281 00:16:02,640 --> 00:16:05,920 Speaker 1: of this in the scripture. One time Isaac was in 282 00:16:05,960 --> 00:16:08,800 Speaker 1: a famine. There'd been a great drought in the land 283 00:16:08,840 --> 00:16:11,280 Speaker 1: for some time. Didn't look like there was any end 284 00:16:11,320 --> 00:16:14,680 Speaker 1: in sight. Isaac went out to his land and he 285 00:16:14,880 --> 00:16:19,000 Speaker 1: planted crops right in the middle of the famine. Didn't 286 00:16:19,000 --> 00:16:23,480 Speaker 1: make any sense, But somehow, in that same year, without 287 00:16:23,520 --> 00:16:28,120 Speaker 1: the proper amount of water, the scripture says, Isaac received 288 00:16:28,440 --> 00:16:32,240 Speaker 1: one hundred times what he had sown because the Lord 289 00:16:32,280 --> 00:16:36,400 Speaker 1: blessed him. Notice where the blessing came from, Almighty God. 290 00:16:36,880 --> 00:16:40,920 Speaker 1: It was a handful on purpose, just like ruth supernatural increase. 291 00:16:41,480 --> 00:16:44,480 Speaker 1: But what's interesting is when his crops came up when 292 00:16:44,480 --> 00:16:48,840 Speaker 1: God blessed him. The people he was living around, the Philistines, 293 00:16:49,160 --> 00:16:53,120 Speaker 1: his friends, all of a sudden they got jealous of him. 294 00:16:53,600 --> 00:16:56,720 Speaker 1: It's funny. They were fine before as long as he 295 00:16:56,840 --> 00:16:59,480 Speaker 1: was broke, they were tight as long as they were 296 00:16:59,520 --> 00:17:01,880 Speaker 1: at the same time, it was no big deal. But 297 00:17:02,000 --> 00:17:04,679 Speaker 1: when he stepped up to a new level, when he 298 00:17:04,720 --> 00:17:08,239 Speaker 1: began to wear his blessings, well, the scripture says, the 299 00:17:08,280 --> 00:17:13,800 Speaker 1: Philistines hated Isaac. If you worry about everybody liking you, 300 00:17:13,800 --> 00:17:17,040 Speaker 1: you're gonna have a problem being blessed, because when you're blessed, 301 00:17:17,080 --> 00:17:19,520 Speaker 1: the haters come out. When you step up to a 302 00:17:19,560 --> 00:17:23,879 Speaker 1: new level, the backbiters show up. When you wear that 303 00:17:23,960 --> 00:17:27,560 Speaker 1: blessing well and you take one of those handfuls on purpose, 304 00:17:27,800 --> 00:17:30,480 Speaker 1: don't be surprised if it draws jealousy out of people. 305 00:17:31,040 --> 00:17:33,240 Speaker 1: And we got to get to the point where we say, 306 00:17:33,680 --> 00:17:37,800 Speaker 1: not arrogantly, but in humility, I'm gonna wear this blessing 307 00:17:37,880 --> 00:17:40,920 Speaker 1: well in Spider who doesn't like it, I'm gonna take 308 00:17:40,960 --> 00:17:44,040 Speaker 1: this promotion in Spider who gets jealous. I'm gonna drive 309 00:17:44,080 --> 00:17:46,920 Speaker 1: this car in spite of who criticizes. I'm gonna move 310 00:17:46,960 --> 00:17:50,520 Speaker 1: into this neighborhood, in spite of who judges me. Friend's 311 00:17:50,600 --> 00:17:54,280 Speaker 1: life is way too short to worry about what everybody thinks. 312 00:17:54,680 --> 00:17:57,560 Speaker 1: If your friends get jealous and judge you and are critical, 313 00:17:57,720 --> 00:18:01,000 Speaker 1: let me tell you need some new friends, because true 314 00:18:01,040 --> 00:18:04,720 Speaker 1: friends celebrate you, True friends cheer your own, True friends 315 00:18:04,760 --> 00:18:09,720 Speaker 1: are happy when you succeed. What would have happened if 316 00:18:09,840 --> 00:18:13,200 Speaker 1: Ruth would have worried about what everybody thought. What if 317 00:18:13,200 --> 00:18:16,160 Speaker 1: she'd have said, I can't take these handfuls on purpose, 318 00:18:16,200 --> 00:18:19,120 Speaker 1: I can't take this wheat for free. These other workers 319 00:18:19,240 --> 00:18:22,440 Speaker 1: are having to work for it. They're gonna be jealous, 320 00:18:22,480 --> 00:18:25,399 Speaker 1: they're gonna have an attitude, they're gonna talk bad about me. No, 321 00:18:25,560 --> 00:18:29,040 Speaker 1: she understood this principle that favor is not always fair. 322 00:18:29,560 --> 00:18:32,680 Speaker 1: She didn't apologize for it. She didn't try to hide 323 00:18:32,680 --> 00:18:35,320 Speaker 1: the wheat and run off. No, she said, like David, 324 00:18:35,600 --> 00:18:38,920 Speaker 1: this is the Lord's doing. It is marvelous in our eyes. 325 00:18:39,200 --> 00:18:42,840 Speaker 1: In other words, she wore her blessing. Well. A friend 326 00:18:42,880 --> 00:18:45,400 Speaker 1: of mine was here the other day, and he pastors 327 00:18:45,400 --> 00:18:48,200 Speaker 1: a church in another state. They meet in a high 328 00:18:48,240 --> 00:18:50,959 Speaker 1: school auditorium, so every Sunday they have to move their 329 00:18:51,000 --> 00:18:53,119 Speaker 1: equipment in and out, and it's a lot of work. 330 00:18:53,720 --> 00:18:56,960 Speaker 1: His dream is to one day build his own auditorium. 331 00:18:57,440 --> 00:18:59,720 Speaker 1: We were in the back and at first I thought, 332 00:19:00,080 --> 00:19:02,280 Speaker 1: I am not going to go show him our sanctuary. 333 00:19:02,600 --> 00:19:05,199 Speaker 1: That is going to look like I'm bragging. It's too big. 334 00:19:05,400 --> 00:19:07,600 Speaker 1: He's not gonna be impressed by it. He's gonna be 335 00:19:07,680 --> 00:19:11,200 Speaker 1: depressed by I was tempted to downplay it and kind 336 00:19:11,200 --> 00:19:14,960 Speaker 1: of apologize for it. Then I realized, I'm not bragging 337 00:19:15,000 --> 00:19:18,199 Speaker 1: on us, I'm bragging on what God has done. I 338 00:19:18,200 --> 00:19:19,959 Speaker 1: had to shake off that guilt, and I brought him 339 00:19:19,960 --> 00:19:21,600 Speaker 1: out here and said, here it is look what the 340 00:19:21,640 --> 00:19:25,080 Speaker 1: Lord has done. Before he left, I reminded him, if 341 00:19:25,119 --> 00:19:26,760 Speaker 1: God did it for us, he can do it for 342 00:19:26,840 --> 00:19:32,199 Speaker 1: you as well. Don't apologize for God's goodness. See, I 343 00:19:32,359 --> 00:19:36,119 Speaker 1: realized the reason I'm standing here is because I have 344 00:19:36,440 --> 00:19:40,520 Speaker 1: parents that sowed seeds for forty years before I ever 345 00:19:40,600 --> 00:19:44,640 Speaker 1: got here. I'm reaping the rewards of a generational blessing. 346 00:19:45,520 --> 00:19:49,200 Speaker 1: My grandmother on my father's side, during the Great Depression, 347 00:19:49,560 --> 00:19:53,240 Speaker 1: she made ten cents an hour washing people's clothes. She 348 00:19:53,359 --> 00:19:56,520 Speaker 1: worked twelve hours a day, made a dollar and twenty cents. 349 00:19:56,920 --> 00:20:00,240 Speaker 1: My father went to school with holes in his pans. 350 00:20:00,600 --> 00:20:02,840 Speaker 1: He would put cardboard in the bottom of his shoes 351 00:20:02,960 --> 00:20:06,120 Speaker 1: because those shoes were so torn up. They made great 352 00:20:06,160 --> 00:20:09,399 Speaker 1: sacrifices to get us where we are today. I'm going 353 00:20:09,480 --> 00:20:13,480 Speaker 1: to wear my blessings well. People may criticize, they may 354 00:20:13,600 --> 00:20:17,000 Speaker 1: judge you, they may find fault, but they don't know 355 00:20:17,080 --> 00:20:19,240 Speaker 1: what it took to get you to where you are. 356 00:20:20,520 --> 00:20:23,159 Speaker 1: They weren't there when we used to come down as 357 00:20:23,200 --> 00:20:25,480 Speaker 1: a family when I was a little boy and sweep 358 00:20:25,560 --> 00:20:28,760 Speaker 1: the church out, cleaned the buildings. They weren't there when 359 00:20:28,760 --> 00:20:31,119 Speaker 1: my father used to travel for several weeks at a 360 00:20:31,119 --> 00:20:35,080 Speaker 1: time overseas doing missionary work, when my mother taking care 361 00:20:35,119 --> 00:20:37,960 Speaker 1: of five children on her own. They weren't there when 362 00:20:37,960 --> 00:20:41,080 Speaker 1: my mom was diagnosed with terminal cancer and we fought 363 00:20:41,080 --> 00:20:43,520 Speaker 1: the good fight of faith. They weren't there when my 364 00:20:43,600 --> 00:20:45,840 Speaker 1: father went to be with the Lord and I stepped 365 00:20:45,880 --> 00:20:49,600 Speaker 1: up to pass the church practically scared to death. Some 366 00:20:49,680 --> 00:20:52,840 Speaker 1: people come in at the end of the movie and 367 00:20:52,880 --> 00:20:56,080 Speaker 1: they see you blessed and prosperous and healthy and sober 368 00:20:56,119 --> 00:20:58,760 Speaker 1: and free and happy, and they want to judge you 369 00:20:58,880 --> 00:21:02,879 Speaker 1: and criticize. But the problem is they missed the first part. 370 00:21:03,040 --> 00:21:06,520 Speaker 1: They didn't see the sacrifices that your relatives may. They 371 00:21:06,520 --> 00:21:11,320 Speaker 1: didn't see the struggles that you endured. They didn't see 372 00:21:11,359 --> 00:21:15,040 Speaker 1: the battles that you fought, the times you felt like 373 00:21:15,160 --> 00:21:18,239 Speaker 1: giving up, but you kept pressing forward, the knights that 374 00:21:18,280 --> 00:21:21,560 Speaker 1: you stayed up and prayed and believed and gave and served. 375 00:21:22,080 --> 00:21:24,840 Speaker 1: They didn't see the price that was paid to get 376 00:21:24,880 --> 00:21:27,840 Speaker 1: you to where you are. That blessing may look free, 377 00:21:28,160 --> 00:21:31,320 Speaker 1: but the truth is it costs you something Like ruth, 378 00:21:31,359 --> 00:21:34,840 Speaker 1: that handful of purpose. It came after she buried her 379 00:21:34,920 --> 00:21:38,080 Speaker 1: husband after her father in law had died. She had 380 00:21:38,080 --> 00:21:41,280 Speaker 1: suffered great heartache and pain. And I'm sure some of 381 00:21:41,320 --> 00:21:44,359 Speaker 1: those workers said, hey, it's not fair. Is this lady 382 00:21:44,359 --> 00:21:46,639 Speaker 1: getting all this free weet and we're having to work. 383 00:21:47,119 --> 00:21:49,960 Speaker 1: They didn't realize Ruth had paid the price. She had 384 00:21:50,000 --> 00:21:53,000 Speaker 1: proven herself as being faithful, She was taking care of 385 00:21:53,000 --> 00:21:57,800 Speaker 1: her loved ones. Now God was rewarding her. Some of you, 386 00:21:57,800 --> 00:22:00,720 Speaker 1: your relatives were treated like they were set in class, 387 00:22:01,160 --> 00:22:04,000 Speaker 1: made to sit in the back of the bus, suffered 388 00:22:04,040 --> 00:22:09,640 Speaker 1: great injustice the whole time, believing for a better day, hoping, praying, 389 00:22:09,880 --> 00:22:13,520 Speaker 1: singing songs of freedom. Now you are living in the 390 00:22:13,600 --> 00:22:19,800 Speaker 1: day they dreamed of, where their blessing. Well, don't let 391 00:22:19,840 --> 00:22:23,119 Speaker 1: anyone make you feel guilty for the favor, the honor, 392 00:22:23,200 --> 00:22:25,919 Speaker 1: the joy, the peace, the victory that God has given you. 393 00:22:26,280 --> 00:22:30,040 Speaker 1: Somebody paid the price, seeds were sown. If you could 394 00:22:30,040 --> 00:22:33,360 Speaker 1: look back in your family line and see the sacrifices 395 00:22:33,400 --> 00:22:36,520 Speaker 1: that people made by doing the right thing when it 396 00:22:36,560 --> 00:22:39,160 Speaker 1: was hard, when it was unfair, that you would make 397 00:22:39,200 --> 00:22:42,320 Speaker 1: sure that nothing kept you from wearing your blessings. Well, 398 00:22:42,880 --> 00:22:45,760 Speaker 1: the scripture talks about this. It says we will live 399 00:22:45,800 --> 00:22:48,560 Speaker 1: in houses that we did not build, we will reap 400 00:22:48,600 --> 00:22:52,879 Speaker 1: from vineyards that we did not plan. Those are generational blessings, 401 00:22:53,200 --> 00:22:56,320 Speaker 1: God rewarding us for the seeds other people have sungn 402 00:22:57,280 --> 00:23:00,600 Speaker 1: My grandmother that made ten cents an hour. Today, I'm 403 00:23:00,640 --> 00:23:06,040 Speaker 1: wearing her blessings well. My grandfather on my mom's side, 404 00:23:06,119 --> 00:23:09,240 Speaker 1: he worked at the Baytown Exon refinery for thirty five 405 00:23:09,320 --> 00:23:13,120 Speaker 1: years and never missed a single day of work. Today, 406 00:23:13,240 --> 00:23:17,040 Speaker 1: I'm reaping from the seeds that he has sown. Sometimes 407 00:23:17,080 --> 00:23:20,680 Speaker 1: when we stumble into that handful on purpose, God gives 408 00:23:20,720 --> 00:23:23,800 Speaker 1: us something we don't deserve. What we don't realize is 409 00:23:23,840 --> 00:23:28,719 Speaker 1: somebody in our family line sowed seeds every act of kindness. 410 00:23:29,119 --> 00:23:32,600 Speaker 1: Every time one of your relatives sacrificed and honored God, 411 00:23:33,040 --> 00:23:36,040 Speaker 1: God saw it. They may not have reaped a reward 412 00:23:36,119 --> 00:23:39,639 Speaker 1: in their lifetime, but God is faithful. He doesn't forget 413 00:23:39,640 --> 00:23:42,520 Speaker 1: about it. Now, when you run into one of those 414 00:23:42,640 --> 00:23:47,199 Speaker 1: handfuls on purpose, that's God honoring your past, blessing you 415 00:23:47,359 --> 00:23:50,359 Speaker 1: for seeds that people have sown before you. And again, 416 00:23:50,400 --> 00:23:53,240 Speaker 1: I know the reason I'm here is for forty years 417 00:23:53,400 --> 00:23:57,520 Speaker 1: my parents served and gave and helped others. I hear 418 00:23:57,560 --> 00:24:00,159 Speaker 1: reports all the time. Joy Your dad came up to 419 00:24:00,200 --> 00:24:03,240 Speaker 1: the hospital and prayed for my loved one. Your mother 420 00:24:03,400 --> 00:24:06,120 Speaker 1: called my friend when she was so sick and encouraged her. 421 00:24:06,480 --> 00:24:09,000 Speaker 1: Your parents came to our home when we lost one 422 00:24:09,040 --> 00:24:12,720 Speaker 1: of our relatives again and again. Just last week, a 423 00:24:12,760 --> 00:24:15,879 Speaker 1: gentleman stopped me and told me how my father bumped 424 00:24:15,880 --> 00:24:19,080 Speaker 1: into him on a downtown street here in Houston. This 425 00:24:19,280 --> 00:24:21,840 Speaker 1: was back in the nineteen seventies. And my dad didn't 426 00:24:21,880 --> 00:24:24,159 Speaker 1: know this young man. And this young man was at 427 00:24:24,200 --> 00:24:26,399 Speaker 1: one of the lowest points in his life. He had 428 00:24:26,440 --> 00:24:29,640 Speaker 1: just dropped out of school, didn't have any direction. But 429 00:24:29,680 --> 00:24:31,639 Speaker 1: my father came up to him and gave him one 430 00:24:31,680 --> 00:24:34,120 Speaker 1: hundred dollars and he said, young men, I don't know you, 431 00:24:34,280 --> 00:24:36,399 Speaker 1: but God's got a great plan for your life. You 432 00:24:36,480 --> 00:24:39,920 Speaker 1: keep moving forward. That was a turning point in his life. 433 00:24:40,520 --> 00:24:43,440 Speaker 1: He went back to school. God. His education today is 434 00:24:43,480 --> 00:24:47,520 Speaker 1: a medical doctrine. He's got a very successful practice. You know, Listen, 435 00:24:48,200 --> 00:24:52,159 Speaker 1: when I wear my blessings, well, I'm not only honoring God. 436 00:24:52,760 --> 00:24:55,720 Speaker 1: I'm honoring my earthly father who gave his life to 437 00:24:55,760 --> 00:24:58,720 Speaker 1: help others. I'm honoring my mother, who has cared for 438 00:24:58,800 --> 00:25:03,240 Speaker 1: so many honoring my grandmother that worked tirelessly. I'm honoring 439 00:25:03,280 --> 00:25:06,919 Speaker 1: my grandfather that gave and served. When you see me 440 00:25:07,040 --> 00:25:11,840 Speaker 1: standing here, happy, healthy, blessed, prosperous, I make no apologies. 441 00:25:11,960 --> 00:25:16,119 Speaker 1: It's the goodness of God being passed from generation to generation. 442 00:25:18,480 --> 00:25:21,680 Speaker 1: I'm not gonna downplay it. I'm not gonna make excuses. 443 00:25:22,119 --> 00:25:26,080 Speaker 1: I know God takes pleasure in the prosperity of his children, 444 00:25:26,640 --> 00:25:29,480 Speaker 1: and our attitude should be not look how great I am, 445 00:25:29,880 --> 00:25:32,199 Speaker 1: Look at what all I have. No turn it around, 446 00:25:32,359 --> 00:25:34,639 Speaker 1: look at how great God is. Look what the Lord 447 00:25:34,640 --> 00:25:37,640 Speaker 1: has done in my life and my family all through 448 00:25:37,680 --> 00:25:40,240 Speaker 1: the day. We should be bragging on the goodness of God. 449 00:25:40,640 --> 00:25:43,000 Speaker 1: We may not have deserved it, we didn't earn it. 450 00:25:43,280 --> 00:25:47,159 Speaker 1: Many times. It's just another handful on purpose. Favor is 451 00:25:47,200 --> 00:25:52,080 Speaker 1: not always fair. Now, don't let some negative, judgmental, jealous 452 00:25:52,160 --> 00:25:55,560 Speaker 1: person or even your own thoughts try to convince you 453 00:25:55,680 --> 00:25:59,280 Speaker 1: to not where the blessings God's given you. Drive that 454 00:25:59,480 --> 00:26:02,560 Speaker 1: nice car. It is the Lord's doing. Live in that 455 00:26:02,640 --> 00:26:05,320 Speaker 1: beautiful house that God gave you. It's the Lord's doing. 456 00:26:05,680 --> 00:26:09,240 Speaker 1: Step up and take that promotion. It's the goodness of God. Smile, 457 00:26:09,320 --> 00:26:11,960 Speaker 1: even if people make fun of you. Don't hide your gift. 458 00:26:12,040 --> 00:26:15,040 Speaker 1: God gave it to you. Listen, people are always gonna talk. 459 00:26:15,320 --> 00:26:18,440 Speaker 1: That's their problem, not yours. And friends, If you will 460 00:26:18,480 --> 00:26:22,280 Speaker 1: wear your blessings well, being quick to always give God 461 00:26:22,320 --> 00:26:24,880 Speaker 1: the credit, then there's no limit to where God will 462 00:26:24,920 --> 00:26:27,919 Speaker 1: take you. He'll make you an example of what it 463 00:26:28,000 --> 00:26:31,720 Speaker 1: means to live a blessed, prosperous, abundant life. Now I 464 00:26:31,800 --> 00:26:35,520 Speaker 1: believe and declare you're not gonna have an average, mediocre 465 00:26:35,600 --> 00:26:39,240 Speaker 1: get by you. You're gonna have an exceptional year filled 466 00:26:39,240 --> 00:26:43,359 Speaker 1: with God's far and beyond favor, increase, promotion, and good break. 467 00:26:43,720 --> 00:26:45,440 Speaker 1: Come on, give the Lord a shout of praise one 468 00:26:45,440 --> 00:26:50,120 Speaker 1: more time? Did that? We never like to close our 469 00:26:50,160 --> 00:26:53,720 Speaker 1: broadcast without giving you an opportunity to make Jesus the 470 00:26:53,760 --> 00:26:56,600 Speaker 1: Lord of your life. Not talking about joining a church 471 00:26:56,760 --> 00:27:00,159 Speaker 1: or finding religion. I'm talking about having a relationship with 472 00:27:00,200 --> 00:27:02,560 Speaker 1: the creator of the universe. Would you pray with me? 473 00:27:03,160 --> 00:27:08,240 Speaker 1: Just say, Lord Jesus, I'll repent of my sins. Come 474 00:27:08,280 --> 00:27:13,440 Speaker 1: into my heart. I make you my Lord and savior. Friends, 475 00:27:13,480 --> 00:27:15,720 Speaker 1: if you prayed that simple prayer, we believe you got 476 00:27:15,720 --> 00:27:18,880 Speaker 1: born again. Get in a good Bible based church, Keep 477 00:27:18,920 --> 00:27:21,920 Speaker 1: God first place. He'll take your places that you've never 478 00:27:22,000 --> 00:27:25,240 Speaker 1: dreamed of. When was the last time you asked God 479 00:27:25,280 --> 00:27:29,280 Speaker 1: to do something that seemed impossible. If you only pray small, 480 00:27:29,520 --> 00:27:33,520 Speaker 1: ordinary prayers, you live a small, ordinary life. I have 481 00:27:33,560 --> 00:27:36,399 Speaker 1: a new book called Pray Bold. I'll challenge you to 482 00:27:36,400 --> 00:27:39,080 Speaker 1: stretch your faith and believe for the big things God 483 00:27:39,119 --> 00:27:41,879 Speaker 1: puts in your heart. Victoria and I used to have 484 00:27:41,960 --> 00:27:45,600 Speaker 1: seasoned tickets to watch the Rockets play basketball here. We 485 00:27:45,720 --> 00:27:48,640 Speaker 1: never dreamed it could be ours when they moved out. 486 00:27:48,960 --> 00:27:51,399 Speaker 1: Somehow we had the faith to pray a bold prayer. 487 00:27:51,880 --> 00:27:54,679 Speaker 1: God made things happen that we could never make happen. 488 00:27:54,920 --> 00:27:57,640 Speaker 1: It's the same for you, who knows what God will 489 00:27:57,720 --> 00:28:00,320 Speaker 1: do in your life. If you'll dare to pray bald, 490 00:28:00,720 --> 00:28:03,600 Speaker 1: ask Him for your dreams, ask for your healing, ask 491 00:28:03,640 --> 00:28:06,560 Speaker 1: for your freedom, That's when God will show up and 492 00:28:06,640 --> 00:28:08,840 Speaker 1: do more than you could ever imagine. 493 00:28:09,200 --> 00:28:11,520 Speaker 2: As our way of saying thank you for your gift 494 00:28:11,520 --> 00:28:14,120 Speaker 2: of any amount this month, we would like to send 495 00:28:14,200 --> 00:28:17,679 Speaker 2: you a copy of Joel's brand new book, Pray Bold. 496 00:28:18,040 --> 00:28:22,400 Speaker 2: Dare to ask and believe big. Joel shares that when 497 00:28:22,440 --> 00:28:26,399 Speaker 2: we pray, we can tap into God's creative awesome power, 498 00:28:27,000 --> 00:28:30,720 Speaker 2: something bigger than we have ever imagined. God doesn't want 499 00:28:30,800 --> 00:28:34,200 Speaker 2: us to just pray in our comfort zones. No, God 500 00:28:34,280 --> 00:28:38,480 Speaker 2: loves when we pray big, believe big, expect him to 501 00:28:38,560 --> 00:28:42,680 Speaker 2: do the unexpected. There are inspiring stories from the Bible, 502 00:28:42,920 --> 00:28:46,520 Speaker 2: from history, and personal testimonies of people who dared to 503 00:28:46,600 --> 00:28:50,840 Speaker 2: believe God in extraordinary ways. You'll learn how to practically 504 00:28:50,880 --> 00:28:54,200 Speaker 2: expand your prayers and watch your life move from the 505 00:28:54,240 --> 00:28:59,360 Speaker 2: common to the extraordinary, from less than to overflowing. Be 506 00:28:59,480 --> 00:29:03,920 Speaker 2: sure to request your copy of Praybold Today, visit Joeloustein 507 00:29:04,000 --> 00:29:06,160 Speaker 2: dot com or call us toll free. 508 00:29:06,680 --> 00:29:09,920 Speaker 1: God has put dreams in your heart, things He's whispered 509 00:29:09,920 --> 00:29:12,920 Speaker 1: in the night that seem impossible. But as you pray 510 00:29:12,960 --> 00:29:15,760 Speaker 1: these bold prayers, you're gonna see the goodness of God 511 00:29:16,000 --> 00:29:19,040 Speaker 1: in ways you've never seen victor in our belief, and 512 00:29:19,040 --> 00:29:22,080 Speaker 1: you're gonna have a great twenty twenty five. We pray 513 00:29:22,120 --> 00:29:25,280 Speaker 1: for you and your family every day for God's very best. 514 00:29:25,800 --> 00:29:28,160 Speaker 1: We want to thank you for your prayer and your support. 515 00:29:28,440 --> 00:29:30,560 Speaker 1: You're impacting people all over the world. 516 00:29:30,880 --> 00:29:34,720 Speaker 2: Be sure to request your copy of Prebold Today, Visit 517 00:29:34,800 --> 00:29:39,520 Speaker 2: Joelstein dot com or call us toll free. Finally elevates 518 00:29:39,560 --> 00:29:42,880 Speaker 2: your personal time with God by requesting the My Time 519 00:29:42,960 --> 00:29:48,200 Speaker 2: with God Collection. This beautiful collection contains the Prebold new release, 520 00:29:48,440 --> 00:29:52,760 Speaker 2: plus the new Living Translation, one year Chronological Study Bible, 521 00:29:52,960 --> 00:29:56,480 Speaker 2: and a beautiful glass mug and throw blanket based around 522 00:29:56,480 --> 00:30:00,440 Speaker 2: the inspiring scripture from Psalm forty six to ten. Still 523 00:30:00,720 --> 00:30:03,560 Speaker 2: and know that I am God. You can learn more 524 00:30:03,560 --> 00:30:06,800 Speaker 2: about this unique new gift collection by calling eight eight 525 00:30:06,800 --> 00:30:11,000 Speaker 2: eight five six seven Joel. We're logging onto Joelostein dot 526 00:30:11,040 --> 00:30:11,880 Speaker 2: com today. 527 00:30:12,920 --> 00:30:16,320 Speaker 1: Remember you can watch the services online every Sunday morning, 528 00:30:16,720 --> 00:30:21,120 Speaker 1: download our daily podcast listening on Sirius XM, watch on YouTube, 529 00:30:21,600 --> 00:30:24,800 Speaker 1: and now the new Joel Ostein Network streaming on television 530 00:30:24,840 --> 00:30:28,160 Speaker 1: twenty four hours a day. If you've never been to Lakewood, 531 00:30:28,320 --> 00:30:32,360 Speaker 1: we have a great opportunity. We called it Homecoming Weekend. 532 00:30:32,800 --> 00:30:35,680 Speaker 1: We love to meet you and your family. You can 533 00:30:35,920 --> 00:30:38,720 Speaker 1: see the building and attend one of the services. It's 534 00:30:38,760 --> 00:30:41,600 Speaker 1: a great time to be a part of the Lakewood family. 535 00:30:41,680 --> 00:30:44,280 Speaker 1: Looking forward to seeing your Homecoming Weekend.