WEBVTT - Travel Steadily | Joel Osteen 0:00:00.440 --> 0:00:02.160 Hi, this is Joel and Victoria. 0:00:02.240 --> 0:00:05.279 Thanks for listening to our podcast and thanks for supporting 0:00:05.280 --> 0:00:08.240 the ministry. If you enjoy today's message, why don't you 0:00:08.280 --> 0:00:11.039 be a blessing and share it with a friend. Reappreciate 0:00:11.119 --> 0:00:13.800 you and pray for God's very best in your life. 0:00:14.000 --> 0:00:16.959 God bless you. It's great to have you with us today. 0:00:17.440 --> 0:00:20.040 I hope you'll stay connected with us throughout the week. 0:00:20.280 --> 0:00:22.119 We have a new daily podcast. 0:00:22.400 --> 0:00:25.360 You can listen to the messages anytime, or you can 0:00:25.400 --> 0:00:28.960 go to our YouTube channel, follow us on Instagram, Facebook. 0:00:29.160 --> 0:00:32.040 But thanks again for tuning in. I like to start 0:00:32.040 --> 0:00:34.520 with something funny, and I heard about this mother. 0:00:35.000 --> 0:00:35.960 One Sunday morning. 0:00:36.120 --> 0:00:39.160 She went to her son's bedroom and said, son, wake up, 0:00:39.280 --> 0:00:40.480 it's time to go to church. 0:00:41.000 --> 0:00:43.400 He said, no, Mom, I'm not going to church today. 0:00:43.840 --> 0:00:46.240 She said why not? He said, I'll give you two 0:00:46.280 --> 0:00:47.120 good reasons. 0:00:47.360 --> 0:00:50.520 Number one, I don't like the people and number two, 0:00:50.840 --> 0:00:53.599 they don't like me. She said, all right, I'll give 0:00:53.600 --> 0:00:56.880 you two better reasons why you should go. Number one, 0:00:57.120 --> 0:01:02.000 you're forty nine years old, and number two, pastor say 0:01:02.040 --> 0:01:02.880 it like you mean it. 0:01:03.400 --> 0:01:06.320 This is my Bible. I am what it says, I am. 0:01:06.880 --> 0:01:09.200 I have what it says I have, I can do 0:01:09.280 --> 0:01:12.039 what it says I can do. Today I will be 0:01:12.120 --> 0:01:16.000 taught the word of God. I boldly confess. My mind 0:01:16.040 --> 0:01:19.240 is alert, my heart is receptive. I will never be 0:01:19.319 --> 0:01:21.680 the same. In Jesus' name. 0:01:21.920 --> 0:01:22.760 God bless you. 0:01:23.920 --> 0:01:26.720 I want to talk to you today about travel steadily. 0:01:27.440 --> 0:01:30.120 We all have things that we're waiting on. Waiting for 0:01:30.160 --> 0:01:32.600 a dream to come to pass, waiting for our health 0:01:32.640 --> 0:01:35.160 to improve, waiting to meet the right person. 0:01:35.840 --> 0:01:38.560 When it's taken longer than we thought, we don't see 0:01:38.560 --> 0:01:39.560 anything changing. 0:01:39.920 --> 0:01:42.480 It's easy to get discouraged and think that it's not 0:01:42.600 --> 0:01:46.240 meant to be. But David said in Psalm thirty seven, 0:01:46.800 --> 0:01:50.680 don't be impatient for the Lord to act. Travel steadily 0:01:50.880 --> 0:01:54.280 along his path. He will honor you and give you 0:01:54.400 --> 0:01:58.560 the land. Just because it hasn't happened yet doesn't mean 0:01:58.600 --> 0:01:59.880 that it's not going to happen. 0:02:00.480 --> 0:02:02.040 What God promised. 0:02:01.640 --> 0:02:05.760 You is still en route. The waiting period is simply 0:02:05.800 --> 0:02:09.480 a test. Are you going to get discouraged and quit believing? 0:02:10.080 --> 0:02:14.000 Or are you going to keep traveling steadily, keep praying, 0:02:14.400 --> 0:02:17.799 keep thanking God, keep being your best at work, keep 0:02:17.840 --> 0:02:21.360 being good to other people. There's power in doing the 0:02:21.480 --> 0:02:26.000 right thing consistently. You're not moved by what's not changing. 0:02:26.440 --> 0:02:30.000 You consistently have a good attitude. You're not up one 0:02:30.080 --> 0:02:34.000 day and down two days. You're consistently in a good mood. 0:02:34.520 --> 0:02:36.880 You don't work hard for a month and then slack 0:02:36.919 --> 0:02:41.400 off the next month. You consistently excellent. Everything may not 0:02:41.520 --> 0:02:45.359 be perfect. You're dealing with challenges, but you're not complaining. 0:02:45.639 --> 0:02:52.320 You're consistently thanking God, consistently declaring his promises, consistently expecting 0:02:52.360 --> 0:02:53.000 his favor. 0:02:53.440 --> 0:02:55.919 That's what it means to travel steadily. 0:02:56.760 --> 0:03:00.959 God never promised things would turn around instantly, had promises 0:03:01.000 --> 0:03:03.680 would come to pass in two weeks, there will be 0:03:03.840 --> 0:03:04.960 a waiting period. 0:03:05.440 --> 0:03:06.560 Don't be impatient. 0:03:07.080 --> 0:03:11.959 God rewards faithful people, people that keep doing the right thing, 0:03:12.600 --> 0:03:15.440 And the only thing that's holding some people back is 0:03:15.480 --> 0:03:16.640 the consistency. 0:03:17.400 --> 0:03:18.600 What would happen. 0:03:18.440 --> 0:03:22.600 If you would consistently get to work on time, consistently 0:03:22.880 --> 0:03:28.799 treat your spouse with respect, consistently exercise, or consistently put 0:03:28.880 --> 0:03:33.359 God first place. When you're consistent, you're not ruled by 0:03:33.400 --> 0:03:37.040 your feelings. Feelings will be up one day and down 0:03:37.080 --> 0:03:40.760 the next. Feelings want to tell people off feelings want 0:03:40.760 --> 0:03:43.440 to eat the whole gallon of ice cream. Feelings want 0:03:43.440 --> 0:03:46.760 to sit around in self pity. Don't let those feelings 0:03:46.840 --> 0:03:51.160 run your life. You have a destiny to fulfill, an assignment. 0:03:51.280 --> 0:03:54.040 For you to accomplish, you have to put your foot 0:03:54.080 --> 0:03:57.120 down and say, feelings, you are not going to control me. 0:03:57.480 --> 0:04:01.280 I'm in control. I'm going to make deceis that honor God. 0:04:01.760 --> 0:04:04.040 I'm going to do the right thing when it's hard. 0:04:04.440 --> 0:04:06.520 I'm going to go to work when I don't feel 0:04:06.560 --> 0:04:09.280 like it. I'm going to treat these people with respect 0:04:09.680 --> 0:04:13.960 even though they don't deserve it. If you will keep traveling, steadily, 0:04:14.520 --> 0:04:18.039 being consistent, you're going to see God show out in 0:04:18.120 --> 0:04:22.760 your life. Paul said in First Corinthians, we should always 0:04:23.080 --> 0:04:24.440 be abounding in. 0:04:24.440 --> 0:04:25.560 The work of the Lord. 0:04:26.360 --> 0:04:30.000 What can you say about yourself that's always? Are you 0:04:30.080 --> 0:04:33.800 always worried, always late, always hot tempered? 0:04:34.279 --> 0:04:36.200 Why don't you change those always? 0:04:36.800 --> 0:04:39.880 If you're consistent in the wrong areas, it will keep 0:04:39.920 --> 0:04:41.200 you from your destiny. 0:04:41.920 --> 0:04:42.640 I know people. 0:04:43.000 --> 0:04:47.760 Their circumstances aren't perfect, they have challenges, but they're always joyful, 0:04:48.320 --> 0:04:53.080 always encouraging, always at church, always helping others. They've made 0:04:53.120 --> 0:04:55.920 this choice that they're going to travel steadily. 0:04:56.800 --> 0:04:58.400 God has awesome. 0:04:58.000 --> 0:05:00.960 Things in your future, but the the only way you'll 0:05:01.000 --> 0:05:04.799 see them is if you keep being consistent, not moved 0:05:04.800 --> 0:05:08.600 by what's not happening, not discouraged because it's taking longer, 0:05:09.080 --> 0:05:11.960 not slacking off because you don't see any sign of it. 0:05:12.560 --> 0:05:16.000 When you travel steadily, you're going to come into blessings 0:05:16.040 --> 0:05:20.360 and favor because of your faithfulness. Not because you have 0:05:20.440 --> 0:05:25.040 great talent, great courage, great faith, but because you keep 0:05:25.120 --> 0:05:26.280 doing the right thing. 0:05:27.360 --> 0:05:29.279 Many of you have been doing this. 0:05:29.839 --> 0:05:34.560 You've consistently made decisions that honor God, sacrificing to raise 0:05:34.640 --> 0:05:38.240 those children, putting your own dream on hold. You've stayed 0:05:38.240 --> 0:05:41.760 faithful in that marriage that's difficult. You've been your best 0:05:41.760 --> 0:05:44.960 at that job, going the extra mile. You've done the 0:05:45.040 --> 0:05:48.039 right thing, but you haven't seen what's in your heart. 0:05:48.600 --> 0:05:50.120 Your time is coming. 0:05:50.600 --> 0:05:54.880 God is about to do something unusual, promotion that thrusts 0:05:54.880 --> 0:05:57.920 you to a new level. That problem you've struggled with 0:05:57.960 --> 0:06:01.320 for years is about to suddenly turn around. It's going 0:06:01.400 --> 0:06:06.520 to happen sooner than you think because you stayed faithful, consistent. 0:06:06.880 --> 0:06:10.080 The scripture says God is going to give you the land. 0:06:10.560 --> 0:06:13.200 You're not going to have to make it happen. Blessings 0:06:13.240 --> 0:06:15.880 are going to find you. The right people are going 0:06:15.920 --> 0:06:18.600 to track you down. Healing is going to come knocking 0:06:18.720 --> 0:06:22.320 at your door. Don't be impatient for God to act. 0:06:22.960 --> 0:06:25.960 Those dreams he's placed in your heart are still on 0:06:26.000 --> 0:06:29.640 the schedule. Those promises he's whispered to you in the night, 0:06:29.920 --> 0:06:34.599 they're still in your future. And sometimes the reason it's 0:06:34.640 --> 0:06:38.320 taking so long is what God has for you is 0:06:38.440 --> 0:06:42.520 bigger than you've imagined. He's getting you prepared to carry 0:06:42.560 --> 0:06:45.960 the weight of the blessing, the weight of the influence. 0:06:46.400 --> 0:06:50.479 As you keep traveling steadily, you're getting stronger. Your faith 0:06:50.560 --> 0:06:54.640 is growing, your character is being developed. This is what 0:06:54.760 --> 0:06:58.120 David did. At seventeen years old. He was out in 0:06:58.160 --> 0:07:01.719 the shepherd's fields, taking care of his father's sheep, just 0:07:01.839 --> 0:07:05.000 minding his own business. When he was called in to 0:07:05.120 --> 0:07:09.560 his father's house, the prophet Samuel chose him out of 0:07:09.600 --> 0:07:13.400 his seven other brothers to become the next king of Israel. 0:07:14.240 --> 0:07:18.120 What's interesting is David didn't go to the palace that day. 0:07:18.600 --> 0:07:21.559 He didn't step into leadership. They didn't put a royal 0:07:21.680 --> 0:07:24.960 robe on him. He went back to the Shepherd's Fields. 0:07:25.680 --> 0:07:28.559 When God gives you a promise, there will always be 0:07:28.680 --> 0:07:33.000 a waiting period. What we do while we're waiting will 0:07:33.000 --> 0:07:35.160 determine whether the promise will come. 0:07:35.040 --> 0:07:36.640 To pass if we wait. 0:07:36.720 --> 0:07:40.520 Discouraged, upset, why is this taking so long? We're going 0:07:40.600 --> 0:07:44.960 to get stuck where we are. David was anointed, but 0:07:45.080 --> 0:07:48.840 he wasn't appointed. He had to go through this season 0:07:48.920 --> 0:07:52.920 of proving, a season of testing. Will you do the 0:07:53.000 --> 0:07:55.880 right thing when you're not getting your way? Will you 0:07:55.960 --> 0:07:58.720 keep serving others when you know you have more in you. 0:07:59.680 --> 0:08:03.120 They could have slacked off, taken the easy way out. 0:08:03.440 --> 0:08:06.920 Nobody was watching him in the Shepherd's Fields, but David 0:08:07.080 --> 0:08:08.400 understood this principle. 0:08:08.880 --> 0:08:11.760 To see promises come to pass, you have to keep 0:08:11.840 --> 0:08:15.040 traveling steadily. You have to do the right thing when 0:08:15.080 --> 0:08:18.160 nobody is watching. You have to be your best when 0:08:18.200 --> 0:08:21.040 you're not getting the credit. You have to thank God 0:08:21.160 --> 0:08:25.400 even though doors are not opening. Month after month, David 0:08:25.520 --> 0:08:29.160 kept taking care of those sheep, fighting off wild animals, 0:08:29.400 --> 0:08:33.480 making sure they were fed and protected. His father didn't 0:08:33.520 --> 0:08:37.319 invite him into the house when Samuel first came. David 0:08:37.360 --> 0:08:40.199 didn't get bitter. He didn't have a chip on his shoulder. 0:08:40.360 --> 0:08:44.120 He shook it off and kept traveling forward. His brothers 0:08:44.240 --> 0:08:46.640 made fun of him when he took him their lunch. 0:08:47.000 --> 0:08:50.080 They tried to make him feel small. David didn't take 0:08:50.120 --> 0:08:55.160 the bait. He walked away. After David defeated Goliath, King 0:08:55.280 --> 0:08:58.520 Saul was jealous and tried to kill David. Chased him 0:08:58.520 --> 0:09:02.240 through the desert. Was unfair, but David didn't try to 0:09:02.280 --> 0:09:05.400 get revenge. He could have killed Saul, but he wouldn't 0:09:05.400 --> 0:09:09.400 do it. He wasn't impatient for God to act. He 0:09:09.480 --> 0:09:13.520 knew if he would keep traveling steadily, doing the right thing, 0:09:13.920 --> 0:09:18.080 God would give him the throne. Thirteen years after David 0:09:18.160 --> 0:09:21.520 was anointed, King Saul was killed in a battle and 0:09:21.640 --> 0:09:25.880 David became king. When God puts a promise in your heart, 0:09:26.320 --> 0:09:29.160 no matter who tries to stop you, no matter how 0:09:29.160 --> 0:09:32.320 big the giants are, no matter how unfair it is 0:09:32.640 --> 0:09:35.920 or how long it's been, if you'll just keep traveling 0:09:36.000 --> 0:09:41.000 steadily passing the test, not bitter because people did you wrong, 0:09:41.520 --> 0:09:44.360 not giving up because it's taken a long time, not 0:09:44.520 --> 0:09:49.040 slacking all because things aren't improving, then, like David, God 0:09:49.160 --> 0:09:51.760 is going to give you the land. He's going to 0:09:51.840 --> 0:09:54.640 move the wrong people out of the way. He'll give 0:09:54.679 --> 0:09:58.640 you favor to defeat giants. He'll make ways where you 0:09:58.679 --> 0:10:03.400 don't see away. The key is don't be impatient. It 0:10:03.440 --> 0:10:06.839 may not happen as fast as you would like while 0:10:06.840 --> 0:10:07.600 you're waiting. 0:10:07.880 --> 0:10:08.680 That's a test. 0:10:09.520 --> 0:10:12.040 David had to prove to God that he would be 0:10:12.120 --> 0:10:15.680 faithful taking care of sheep before God would trust him 0:10:15.960 --> 0:10:19.400 to take care of his people. And those times where 0:10:19.440 --> 0:10:23.200 you're doing the right thing but nothing is improving, that's 0:10:23.240 --> 0:10:26.720 a proving season. You have to show God that you're 0:10:26.720 --> 0:10:29.400 not going to get discouraged. You're not going to give 0:10:29.480 --> 0:10:31.800 up on your dream. You're not going to let what 0:10:31.960 --> 0:10:36.560 didn't work out cause you to lose your passion. Like David, 0:10:37.000 --> 0:10:40.200 you may know you're anointed. God has put promises in 0:10:40.240 --> 0:10:43.560 your heart. He's spoken things to you, but you're not 0:10:43.640 --> 0:10:46.880 appointed yet. You're in that season where you're in the 0:10:46.920 --> 0:10:49.160 shepherd's field. Nothing is happening. 0:10:49.600 --> 0:10:49.840 God. 0:10:49.920 --> 0:10:52.800 You said you would restore health unto me, but I'm 0:10:52.840 --> 0:10:55.959 still struggling with this sickness. You said I would lend 0:10:56.000 --> 0:10:59.080 and not borrow, but I can barely get ahead. You 0:10:59.120 --> 0:11:01.439 said you'd give me for these ashes, but. 0:11:01.679 --> 0:11:03.040 No new doors are opening. 0:11:03.800 --> 0:11:06.679 It's easy to get discouraged, But if you're going to 0:11:06.720 --> 0:11:10.840 go from anointed to appointed, you have to keep thanking 0:11:10.920 --> 0:11:14.640 God when you don't see anything happening, praising when you 0:11:14.679 --> 0:11:17.640 could be complaining, coming to church when you feel like 0:11:17.760 --> 0:11:19.400 staying home, being. 0:11:19.160 --> 0:11:21.520 Good to people that are not being good to you. 0:11:22.440 --> 0:11:25.440 If you'll not be moved by what's not working out, 0:11:25.840 --> 0:11:28.480 but you keep doing the right thing, then you're going 0:11:28.520 --> 0:11:31.960 to go from anointed to appointed. You're going to come 0:11:32.000 --> 0:11:35.079 out of the shepherd's fields into the fullness of what. 0:11:35.120 --> 0:11:36.200 God has in store. 0:11:37.240 --> 0:11:41.520 My father started Lakewood in nineteen fifty nine with ninety people. 0:11:41.960 --> 0:11:43.080 He had traveled. 0:11:42.679 --> 0:11:47.280 Overseas and held meetings with thousands of people, seeing great favor, 0:11:47.679 --> 0:11:49.720 but he knew he was supposed to come back and 0:11:49.800 --> 0:11:51.280 past through these ninety people. 0:11:51.840 --> 0:11:53.760 God put a big dream in his heart. 0:11:54.160 --> 0:11:57.680 He believed one day Lakewood would have thousands and impact 0:11:57.720 --> 0:12:02.080 the world. My father was a great minister, a great leader. 0:12:02.600 --> 0:12:06.880 But what's interesting is Lakewood didn't grow. Year after year 0:12:06.920 --> 0:12:11.880 went by still ninety people. My father could have been discouraged. God, 0:12:11.960 --> 0:12:14.560 you put bigger things in my heart. Why am I 0:12:14.600 --> 0:12:19.160 not seeing increase? Instead, he preached to those ninety people 0:12:19.559 --> 0:12:22.360 like he was preaching to thousands, not just once a 0:12:22.400 --> 0:12:25.400 week Sunday morning, Sunday night, Wednesday night. 0:12:25.880 --> 0:12:26.839 He was faithful. 0:12:27.360 --> 0:12:30.760 He wasn't moved by what wasn't changing. He didn't get 0:12:30.800 --> 0:12:36.800 sour because he wasn't seeing increase. He just kept traveling, steadily, consistently, 0:12:36.880 --> 0:12:40.959 doing the right thing. In nineteen seventy three, it. 0:12:41.000 --> 0:12:42.840 Was like God opened up a fawcet. 0:12:43.280 --> 0:12:46.720 People started coming to Lakewood from all over the city. 0:12:47.160 --> 0:12:50.720 It grew to a church of many thousands. But those 0:12:50.760 --> 0:12:54.600 thirteen years my father didn't see any growth. They were 0:12:54.760 --> 0:12:58.800 very important years. They were years of testing, years of 0:12:58.920 --> 0:13:02.320 proving God was seeing what my father was made of. 0:13:02.960 --> 0:13:05.240 What was he going to do when things weren't going 0:13:05.280 --> 0:13:08.160 his way? What kind of attitude would he have when 0:13:08.200 --> 0:13:12.120 he wasn't seeing increase? Would he get discouraged, give up, 0:13:12.360 --> 0:13:16.239 try something else? If you're not faithful in the wilderness, 0:13:16.720 --> 0:13:19.800 how can God trust you to be faithful. 0:13:19.320 --> 0:13:20.440 In the promised land. 0:13:21.440 --> 0:13:24.760 Maybe you're doing the right thing but not seeing any growth. 0:13:25.120 --> 0:13:30.000 You're praying, believing, working hard, but things aren't improving. If 0:13:30.040 --> 0:13:32.800 my father was here, he would tell you don't get 0:13:32.800 --> 0:13:37.000 discouraged by what's not changing. Don't slack off because it 0:13:37.040 --> 0:13:42.400 hasn't happened yet. Keep doing the right thing consistently. God 0:13:42.480 --> 0:13:46.320 has not forgotten about you. What He's promised is still 0:13:46.480 --> 0:13:51.160 in your future. Past the faithfulness test. Prove to him 0:13:51.280 --> 0:13:53.560 that you're not going to quit, You're not going to 0:13:53.559 --> 0:13:56.200 get sour, You're not going to get talked out of it. 0:13:56.720 --> 0:14:00.280 If you'll keep traveling steadily, God will give you you 0:14:00.360 --> 0:14:00.840 the land. 0:14:01.520 --> 0:14:03.600 It's going to be easier than you thought. 0:14:04.280 --> 0:14:07.280 Yes, the waiting can be difficult, but when you come 0:14:07.280 --> 0:14:12.800 into favor, things are going to fall into place. Promotion, healing, increase. 0:14:13.040 --> 0:14:16.720 That will thrust you to a new level. A while back, 0:14:16.920 --> 0:14:19.640 there was this challenge I was dealing with. It had 0:14:19.680 --> 0:14:22.000 to do with our ministry and what we were going 0:14:22.040 --> 0:14:24.840 to do in the future. I couldn't figure out how 0:14:24.920 --> 0:14:27.400 it was going to work out. I studied it and 0:14:27.720 --> 0:14:31.200 made phone calls, got other people's advice, but there was 0:14:31.240 --> 0:14:34.520 still no solution. Every time it came to my mind, 0:14:34.600 --> 0:14:36.840 it kind of bothered me. I thought, what are we 0:14:36.920 --> 0:14:41.520 going to do? I was tempted to live, stressed and worried. Finally, 0:14:41.560 --> 0:14:44.600 I said, God, I'm turning this over to you. I 0:14:44.600 --> 0:14:47.240 can't make this work out my way, but I know 0:14:47.360 --> 0:14:48.840 you already have a solution. 0:14:49.400 --> 0:14:50.920 So I'm not going to live uptight. 0:14:51.320 --> 0:14:54.160 I'm going to just keep being my best, honoring you 0:14:55.040 --> 0:14:57.960 every time I was tempted to worry. Father, Thank you 0:14:58.280 --> 0:15:00.880 that my life is in your hand. Thank you that 0:15:00.920 --> 0:15:07.080 you're making my crooked places straight. Sometimes we're frustrated because 0:15:07.120 --> 0:15:11.040 we're trying to control things that only God can control. 0:15:11.320 --> 0:15:13.960 We're trying to figure something out that there is no 0:15:14.080 --> 0:15:15.440 answer to right now. 0:15:15.880 --> 0:15:18.720 That's when we get frustrated, can't sleep at night. 0:15:19.320 --> 0:15:22.400 The good news is God doesn't ask us to figure 0:15:22.440 --> 0:15:26.720 everything out. You have to know what's your job and 0:15:26.760 --> 0:15:31.400 what's God's job. Our job is to believe. Our job 0:15:31.480 --> 0:15:34.920 is to thank God. Our job is to walk in obedience. 0:15:35.600 --> 0:15:39.440 The scripture says God will work out his plan for 0:15:39.600 --> 0:15:43.560 our lives. God's job is to work things out that 0:15:43.640 --> 0:15:44.640 we can't work out. 0:15:45.280 --> 0:15:46.720 You're not on your own. 0:15:46.920 --> 0:15:50.600 The creator of the universe is working out his plan 0:15:50.760 --> 0:15:54.360 for your life. His job is to open doors we 0:15:54.440 --> 0:15:58.240 can't open. His job is to part red seas. His 0:15:58.360 --> 0:16:01.560 job is to heal sick body. His job is to 0:16:01.600 --> 0:16:05.280 make things happen that we can't make happen. Are you 0:16:05.400 --> 0:16:09.360 frustrated because you're trying to do God's job? Take the 0:16:09.440 --> 0:16:13.000 pressure off. You don't have to make everything happen. You 0:16:13.160 --> 0:16:17.760 just have to keep traveling steadily, staying faithful, being good 0:16:17.800 --> 0:16:22.280 to people, keeping God first place. About two months ago, 0:16:22.720 --> 0:16:25.320 I was at the church and a staff member was 0:16:25.360 --> 0:16:28.320 passing by. He said, I meant to tell you that 0:16:28.520 --> 0:16:30.960 thing that we were working on, we figured it out. 0:16:31.440 --> 0:16:32.360 I said, what do you mean. 0:16:32.800 --> 0:16:35.120 He said, I'll show you. I went in and looked 0:16:35.120 --> 0:16:38.240 at it. It was perfect. Couldn't have been any better. 0:16:38.920 --> 0:16:42.160 I thought this was going to be an ongoing challenge 0:16:42.480 --> 0:16:45.400 where it would take all this extra effort and energy 0:16:45.480 --> 0:16:49.280 on my part. But then without me even working on it, 0:16:49.520 --> 0:16:52.400 things fell into place. I never dreamed it would be 0:16:52.440 --> 0:16:56.040 that easy. That's what the scripture says. If you'll keep 0:16:56.080 --> 0:16:58.120 traveling steadily, God. 0:16:57.920 --> 0:16:59.320 Will give you the land. 0:17:00.120 --> 0:17:04.760 That means you don't have to struggle, strive, manipulate things, 0:17:04.960 --> 0:17:07.560 try to force it to work out. It's going to 0:17:07.600 --> 0:17:10.400 be easier than you think. Things are going to fall 0:17:10.440 --> 0:17:14.360 into place. The right doors open, the right people show up, 0:17:14.680 --> 0:17:18.000 the school calls you with the scholarship. The medical report 0:17:18.240 --> 0:17:23.399 suddenly turns around. In the scripture, Joseph was engaged to 0:17:23.440 --> 0:17:27.000 a young lady named Mary. An angel appeared to her 0:17:27.280 --> 0:17:29.439 and said she was going to have a baby without 0:17:29.480 --> 0:17:32.040 knowing a man, and they were to name him Jesus. 0:17:32.720 --> 0:17:34.600 You can imagine how Joseph. 0:17:34.320 --> 0:17:37.680 Must have felt when Mary told him she was pregnant, 0:17:38.000 --> 0:17:41.520 not with his baby, but with the Messiah. I'm sure 0:17:41.560 --> 0:17:44.880 he thought, yeah, right. He was going to quietly call 0:17:44.960 --> 0:17:48.560 off the engagement. But that night an angel appeared to 0:17:48.640 --> 0:17:52.240 him in a dream. He told Joseph that what Mary 0:17:52.280 --> 0:17:54.639 said was true, that he was to go ahead with 0:17:54.680 --> 0:17:58.560 the marriage. Joseph could have backed out. God, I didn't 0:17:58.560 --> 0:18:01.679 sign up for this. I don't want my reputation ruined. 0:18:01.720 --> 0:18:05.679 Find somebody else, But Joseph did what the angel said. 0:18:06.480 --> 0:18:10.000 It was prophesied that Jesus would be born in Bethlehem. 0:18:10.440 --> 0:18:14.440 The Roman emperor decided to take a census. Everyone had 0:18:14.440 --> 0:18:18.359 to go to their hometown. Joseph was from Bethlehem. He 0:18:18.440 --> 0:18:22.200 loaded up Mary on a donkey. She was nine months pregnant. 0:18:22.600 --> 0:18:26.680 They traveled from Nazareth to Bethlehem. Would be one thing 0:18:26.760 --> 0:18:29.600 if this was across town, but this was a ninety 0:18:29.680 --> 0:18:34.160 mile journey. It would take about ten days. I've seen 0:18:34.200 --> 0:18:37.960 what it's like for Victoria to be pregnant, how uncomfortable. 0:18:38.680 --> 0:18:42.560 Especially toward the end, her back was hurting, feet swelling. 0:18:43.240 --> 0:18:46.920 I can't imagine telling her, at nine months pregnant, honey, 0:18:47.080 --> 0:18:50.360 to fulfill prophecy, we have to get on a donkey and. 0:18:50.359 --> 0:18:51.440 Go ninety miles. 0:18:52.040 --> 0:18:56.119 I think I would be hearing Welcome to Heaven. Sometimes 0:18:56.160 --> 0:19:00.280 God asked us to do things that are difficult. Could 0:19:00.280 --> 0:19:03.800 have said, not getting on that donkey, it's too bumpy, 0:19:04.280 --> 0:19:07.080 my feed hurt. You can go by yourself. But you 0:19:07.200 --> 0:19:11.360 never read where Mary complained. You never read where Joseph 0:19:11.440 --> 0:19:15.800 was sour. They just kept traveling, steadily, doing what God 0:19:15.840 --> 0:19:19.120 asked them to do, day after day, getting on the donkey, 0:19:19.640 --> 0:19:22.920 dealing with the heat, finding the place to sleep at night. 0:19:23.760 --> 0:19:27.520 God only spoke to them one time this whole trip 0:19:27.800 --> 0:19:28.640 ninety miles. 0:19:28.760 --> 0:19:30.080 God never said anything. 0:19:30.680 --> 0:19:33.280 It would have been much easier if the angel would 0:19:33.280 --> 0:19:36.640 have come back and said, you're doing great. Keep going 0:19:36.680 --> 0:19:40.639 to Bethlehem. You're right on track. It's easy to follow God. 0:19:40.720 --> 0:19:44.080 When you hear him speaking, you have clear direction. Things 0:19:44.119 --> 0:19:47.760 are going your way. But the real test is how 0:19:47.760 --> 0:19:51.920 do you respond when God is silent, you don't hear anything. 0:19:52.440 --> 0:19:55.360 You're doing the right thing, but it's not improving. You're 0:19:55.400 --> 0:19:59.000 being your best, but doors aren't opening. Months have gone by, 0:19:59.320 --> 0:20:02.760 maybe years, and you don't hear anything. Here's the key. 0:20:03.400 --> 0:20:06.520 Keep doing the last thing God told you to do. 0:20:06.960 --> 0:20:11.880 Keep being consistent, keep being faithful. Joseph and Mary finally 0:20:12.000 --> 0:20:15.680 arrived at Bethlahem. I can imagine it was late at night. 0:20:16.240 --> 0:20:19.600 Mary was getting close to having the baby. Joseph walked 0:20:19.640 --> 0:20:22.800 up to the end the hotel. He said, Mary, wait here, 0:20:23.040 --> 0:20:27.000 I'll go arrange a room. The innkeeper said, I'm sorry, sir, 0:20:27.359 --> 0:20:27.880 we're full. 0:20:28.440 --> 0:20:29.560 We'd have no more room. 0:20:30.440 --> 0:20:33.680 Joseph could have thought, God, you said come to Bethlahem, 0:20:34.200 --> 0:20:38.680 You said this was your baby. Why is nothing working out? Instead, 0:20:39.160 --> 0:20:42.040 Joseph went back out told Mary to get back on 0:20:42.080 --> 0:20:46.919 the donkey. They were tired, disappointed, uncomfortable, but they just 0:20:47.000 --> 0:20:48.639 kept traveling steadily. 0:20:49.560 --> 0:20:51.800 God rewards faithful. 0:20:51.359 --> 0:20:54.960 People, people that don't give up, people that don't let 0:20:55.040 --> 0:20:58.640 a disappointment cause them to be sour, people that don't 0:20:58.720 --> 0:21:02.159 let us sat back a loss, a delay to stop 0:21:02.200 --> 0:21:06.359 their destiny. When things happen that we don't understand our 0:21:06.400 --> 0:21:10.000 attitude should be. Father, Thank you that you are working 0:21:10.040 --> 0:21:14.040 out your plan for my life. You are ordering my steps. 0:21:14.480 --> 0:21:17.280 You are opening doors that no man can shut. Thank 0:21:17.320 --> 0:21:19.320 you that you'll get me to where I'm. 0:21:19.200 --> 0:21:19.919 Supposed to be. 0:21:21.040 --> 0:21:25.560 Don't let a bad break, a delay, a pandemic, a 0:21:25.600 --> 0:21:28.879 person that did you wrong cause you to quit believing 0:21:28.960 --> 0:21:32.639 for your dreams and quit pursuing what God put in 0:21:32.680 --> 0:21:33.160 your heart. 0:21:33.800 --> 0:21:36.080 You are full of can do power. 0:21:36.640 --> 0:21:40.439 The same spirit that raised Christ from the dead lives 0:21:40.480 --> 0:21:43.960 in you. You are not weak. You are a warrior. 0:21:44.600 --> 0:21:48.280 Now dig your heels in and be consistent. Not just 0:21:48.359 --> 0:21:51.360 when everything is going your way, not just when there's 0:21:51.480 --> 0:21:52.400 room at the end. 0:21:52.960 --> 0:21:54.840 Business is flourishing. 0:21:54.760 --> 0:21:58.439 But when the door closes, when the contract doesn't go through, 0:21:58.800 --> 0:22:02.000 when the journey is law than you thought. God is 0:22:02.040 --> 0:22:06.200 looking for people that are determined, people that have staminaut. 0:22:06.880 --> 0:22:10.600 You can't be weak and reach your destiny. You can't 0:22:10.680 --> 0:22:14.119 be half hearted and become who you were created to be. 0:22:15.400 --> 0:22:19.200 God will be silent at times you don't hear anything. 0:22:19.760 --> 0:22:23.520 Things are not improving. You're on that donkey, so to speak. 0:22:23.760 --> 0:22:27.639 Doors aren't opening. What are you to do? Keep being faithful, 0:22:28.200 --> 0:22:31.399 keep getting to work on time, keep singing in the choir, 0:22:31.920 --> 0:22:35.120 keep being good to those neighbors, Keep thanking God when 0:22:35.160 --> 0:22:39.200