1 00:00:00,680 --> 00:00:03,600 Speaker 1: Hi, this is Jolan Victoria. Thanks so much for listening 2 00:00:03,600 --> 00:00:06,800 Speaker 1: to the podcast and thanks for supporting the ministry. 3 00:00:07,120 --> 00:00:08,160 Speaker 2: We believe you're going to have. 4 00:00:08,119 --> 00:00:12,480 Speaker 1: An awesome twenty twenty four, healthy, productive, and favor filled. 5 00:00:12,800 --> 00:00:15,040 Speaker 1: God bless you today and enjoy the message. 6 00:00:15,240 --> 00:00:19,479 Speaker 3: You know, life will always present things to worry about. 7 00:00:20,079 --> 00:00:23,479 Speaker 3: We'll always have cares, We'll always have concerns. There'll be 8 00:00:23,520 --> 00:00:26,759 Speaker 3: things that try to trouble us. But we all know 9 00:00:26,880 --> 00:00:29,800 Speaker 3: that when we worry about the cares of life and 10 00:00:29,840 --> 00:00:33,200 Speaker 3: the troubles of life, that they'll add no value to us. 11 00:00:33,520 --> 00:00:37,199 Speaker 3: The scripture talks about that. It says worry as no 12 00:00:37,400 --> 00:00:40,640 Speaker 3: value to your life. I heard it said like this 13 00:00:40,680 --> 00:00:43,880 Speaker 3: one time. Worry is like sitting in a rocking chair. 14 00:00:45,000 --> 00:00:49,559 Speaker 3: You have something to do, but you get nowhere. You 15 00:00:49,720 --> 00:00:54,280 Speaker 3: just rock and rock and rock. You're doing something, but 16 00:00:54,360 --> 00:00:59,040 Speaker 3: it's not getting you anywhere. Worry is not good for 17 00:00:59,120 --> 00:01:03,360 Speaker 3: our life and it needs to be contained. We need 18 00:01:03,400 --> 00:01:07,399 Speaker 3: to learn to win the war over worry. You know, 19 00:01:07,560 --> 00:01:13,720 Speaker 3: worry does change one thing. Worry changes your personality. It 20 00:01:13,760 --> 00:01:21,039 Speaker 3: makes you frustrated, suspicious, cranky, miserable. Worry is not good 21 00:01:21,120 --> 00:01:24,720 Speaker 3: for us. It changes who we are, and it causes 22 00:01:24,800 --> 00:01:27,600 Speaker 3: us to miss the beauty of the moment and to 23 00:01:27,640 --> 00:01:33,720 Speaker 3: be fruitful in our lives. It literally chokes us spiritually. Listen, 24 00:01:33,760 --> 00:01:37,919 Speaker 3: do you remember when Jesus was at Mary and Martha's home. 25 00:01:38,600 --> 00:01:41,000 Speaker 3: He was there to have a dinner and to fellowship 26 00:01:41,000 --> 00:01:45,080 Speaker 3: with Mary and Martha and her brothers. He noticed something 27 00:01:45,120 --> 00:01:49,240 Speaker 3: about Martha. It must have been in her personality, because 28 00:01:49,280 --> 00:01:53,320 Speaker 3: he said this to her. He said, Martha, Martha, you're 29 00:01:53,480 --> 00:01:59,360 Speaker 3: anxious and troubled about so many things. See, he saw 30 00:01:59,400 --> 00:02:03,200 Speaker 3: her moving around doing a lot of stuff, but she 31 00:02:03,360 --> 00:02:08,040 Speaker 3: wasn't fruitful in what she was doing. He wasn't discrediting 32 00:02:08,120 --> 00:02:11,000 Speaker 3: that there were things to be done, but he was 33 00:02:11,120 --> 00:02:15,480 Speaker 3: addressing how she was handling those things. He says, you're 34 00:02:15,520 --> 00:02:19,960 Speaker 3: so anxious and so troubled. You know, I believe that 35 00:02:20,040 --> 00:02:23,800 Speaker 3: when we're anxious and when we're troubled, we miss what's 36 00:02:23,840 --> 00:02:26,440 Speaker 3: going on in our life right now. And I believe 37 00:02:26,440 --> 00:02:28,359 Speaker 3: that's what he was trying to say to her. He 38 00:02:28,440 --> 00:02:31,720 Speaker 3: was trying to say, you're allowing the day to day 39 00:02:31,919 --> 00:02:36,520 Speaker 3: cares pull you away from me, cause you to go 40 00:02:36,600 --> 00:02:41,280 Speaker 3: in the wrong direction instead of pulling you close to me. 41 00:02:42,040 --> 00:02:46,239 Speaker 3: He was showing us what worry and stress do now. 42 00:02:46,320 --> 00:02:51,000 Speaker 3: On the other hand, Mary, her sister, she handled the 43 00:02:51,000 --> 00:02:55,040 Speaker 3: situation differently. They were sisters, they lived in the same household. 44 00:02:55,320 --> 00:02:59,640 Speaker 3: They basically had the same concerns. But Mary handled the 45 00:02:59,720 --> 00:03:04,840 Speaker 3: day today worries differently than her sister Martha. She did this, 46 00:03:05,560 --> 00:03:10,880 Speaker 3: she stopped. She allowed Jesus to speak into her life. 47 00:03:11,280 --> 00:03:14,240 Speaker 3: The Bible says she even lingered in his presence. She 48 00:03:14,360 --> 00:03:17,360 Speaker 3: sat at his feet. See, she had things to do 49 00:03:17,400 --> 00:03:21,040 Speaker 3: as well, but she knew the most fruitful thing she 50 00:03:21,120 --> 00:03:24,520 Speaker 3: could do, the very best part of her day, was 51 00:03:24,600 --> 00:03:28,639 Speaker 3: going to be spending it with Jesus, because she knew 52 00:03:28,720 --> 00:03:32,520 Speaker 3: somehow instinctively, if she could get that time with Jesus, 53 00:03:32,840 --> 00:03:37,480 Speaker 3: then everything else would be okay. You see, these two sisters, 54 00:03:38,600 --> 00:03:44,360 Speaker 3: they handled the cares of life differently. Paul tells us 55 00:03:45,200 --> 00:03:49,480 Speaker 3: a little insight and a secret into this thing called worry, 56 00:03:50,200 --> 00:03:53,520 Speaker 3: and he says it like this. He says in Philippians 57 00:03:53,520 --> 00:03:59,320 Speaker 3: four six, do not be anxious about anything. Don't be 58 00:03:59,360 --> 00:04:05,880 Speaker 3: anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and supplication, 59 00:04:06,640 --> 00:04:10,560 Speaker 3: giving thanks to God, letting your request be made known. 60 00:04:11,320 --> 00:04:15,440 Speaker 3: See he didn't just say, hey, don't be anxious. He 61 00:04:15,520 --> 00:04:18,320 Speaker 3: followed up with the practice that you and I can 62 00:04:18,400 --> 00:04:22,000 Speaker 3: do every single day. He told us how to win 63 00:04:22,080 --> 00:04:27,279 Speaker 3: the war on worry. He said pray. He was basically saying, 64 00:04:27,320 --> 00:04:29,960 Speaker 3: if you don't want to be anxious about anything, pray 65 00:04:30,000 --> 00:04:36,919 Speaker 3: about everything. Turn your worry into prayer. Take your worry 66 00:04:36,960 --> 00:04:42,400 Speaker 3: list and put it on your prayer list. See, we 67 00:04:42,520 --> 00:04:46,400 Speaker 3: can talk to God about everything that concerns us. And 68 00:04:46,400 --> 00:04:50,880 Speaker 3: that's exactly what prayer is. It's having a conversation with 69 00:04:51,000 --> 00:04:55,040 Speaker 3: God about the things that concern us. You see, prayer 70 00:04:55,040 --> 00:04:59,560 Speaker 3: and worry can't coexist. They're opposites. So if we can 71 00:04:59,600 --> 00:05:02,440 Speaker 3: take the worry in the anxiety of day to day 72 00:05:02,480 --> 00:05:05,080 Speaker 3: and we can begin to offer it up with God 73 00:05:05,120 --> 00:05:07,640 Speaker 3: and bring him in the middle of our day to 74 00:05:07,680 --> 00:05:13,320 Speaker 3: day challenges, it becomes a prayer. The stresses of life 75 00:05:13,880 --> 00:05:17,040 Speaker 3: become less. Will be like Mary. If I sit at 76 00:05:17,040 --> 00:05:20,400 Speaker 3: the feet of Jesus, if I linger in his presence, 77 00:05:20,960 --> 00:05:23,119 Speaker 3: then all the things that I have to do, all 78 00:05:23,200 --> 00:05:25,800 Speaker 3: the things that are trying to pull me down, are 79 00:05:25,839 --> 00:05:28,400 Speaker 3: going to be easier. I'm going to be able to 80 00:05:28,440 --> 00:05:31,320 Speaker 3: handle them because the rest of that scripture says, and 81 00:05:31,360 --> 00:05:35,000 Speaker 3: the peace of God will guard your heart and mind. 82 00:05:36,240 --> 00:05:40,880 Speaker 3: See are you worrying? Are you praying? Are you living? 83 00:05:40,920 --> 00:05:45,320 Speaker 3: Stressed out? Are you peaceful? You know, I have learned this, 84 00:05:45,440 --> 00:05:48,160 Speaker 3: and I've been practicing this for a long time. When 85 00:05:48,200 --> 00:05:53,359 Speaker 3: I feel myself starting to think, now, sometimes I like 86 00:05:53,440 --> 00:05:56,159 Speaker 3: to use the word think instead of worry, because I 87 00:05:56,279 --> 00:05:59,320 Speaker 3: like to think my way through life. But really, you're 88 00:05:59,320 --> 00:06:02,159 Speaker 3: not thinking you're way through life. You're worrying your way 89 00:06:02,200 --> 00:06:06,159 Speaker 3: through life. And Jesus didn't say don't think. Don't get 90 00:06:06,160 --> 00:06:08,839 Speaker 3: me wrong. He wants us to use our intelligence. He 91 00:06:08,960 --> 00:06:12,719 Speaker 3: wants us to be attentive to everything going on. He 92 00:06:12,839 --> 00:06:16,120 Speaker 3: wants us to think, but he doesn't want us to worry. 93 00:06:16,160 --> 00:06:20,120 Speaker 3: And sometimes that thinking can turn into worry. And when 94 00:06:20,120 --> 00:06:22,160 Speaker 3: I feel that happening to me, and I can feel 95 00:06:22,200 --> 00:06:25,719 Speaker 3: myself getting anxious and frustrated and nothing seems to be 96 00:06:25,880 --> 00:06:30,400 Speaker 3: right and everything seems to be difficult, I imagine my 97 00:06:30,560 --> 00:06:35,320 Speaker 3: cares and I put them in this helium balloon that 98 00:06:35,400 --> 00:06:38,880 Speaker 3: I've imagined, and I put them in that helium balloon 99 00:06:39,680 --> 00:06:44,200 Speaker 3: and I hold them out to God and I say, God, 100 00:06:44,320 --> 00:06:47,800 Speaker 3: take this care. And as I see that balloon going 101 00:06:47,880 --> 00:06:50,839 Speaker 3: up to heaven, I offer up a prayer and I say, 102 00:06:50,880 --> 00:06:53,360 Speaker 3: thank you God that you can take care of anything 103 00:06:53,360 --> 00:06:56,200 Speaker 3: in my life. He said that I can't change it 104 00:06:56,240 --> 00:07:00,000 Speaker 3: by worrying, but I can change it by walking with you, 105 00:07:00,600 --> 00:07:04,480 Speaker 3: by listening to you, by allowing you to direct my steps, 106 00:07:04,920 --> 00:07:08,240 Speaker 3: to acknowledge you. In this situation right now where I'm 107 00:07:08,240 --> 00:07:12,600 Speaker 3: feeling frustrated, you said that you would direct my path 108 00:07:12,680 --> 00:07:15,840 Speaker 3: and you would give me information. So I hold that 109 00:07:15,880 --> 00:07:19,080 Speaker 3: balloon and I just release it to him in prayer. Now, 110 00:07:19,120 --> 00:07:21,200 Speaker 3: can I tell you this. Sometimes I have a bouquet 111 00:07:21,240 --> 00:07:25,600 Speaker 3: of balloons and I release them one by one. But 112 00:07:25,720 --> 00:07:29,080 Speaker 3: that's okay because God doesn't want me to hold on 113 00:07:29,120 --> 00:07:31,960 Speaker 3: to my worries myself. He says, I want to be 114 00:07:32,120 --> 00:07:37,040 Speaker 3: part of everything that concerns you. You see what I'm saying. 115 00:07:37,120 --> 00:07:40,480 Speaker 3: When I am releasing that balloon full of my cares 116 00:07:40,480 --> 00:07:44,960 Speaker 3: to him, I'm saying, my problems are small in comparison 117 00:07:45,360 --> 00:07:52,680 Speaker 3: to my big God, to my big God. When we worry, 118 00:07:52,760 --> 00:07:54,880 Speaker 3: you know what we might as well be saying. We 119 00:07:55,000 --> 00:07:58,240 Speaker 3: might as well be saying, God, I got some big problems, 120 00:07:58,360 --> 00:08:01,520 Speaker 3: and you're not big enough to take care of him. 121 00:08:01,600 --> 00:08:05,520 Speaker 3: But when we invite him in the Bible urges us. 122 00:08:05,560 --> 00:08:09,120 Speaker 3: The scripture urges us to cast our care upon him 123 00:08:09,480 --> 00:08:15,040 Speaker 3: because he cares for us. He cares for you today. Listen, 124 00:08:15,880 --> 00:08:19,320 Speaker 3: it bothers him when you're worried. He wants to take 125 00:08:19,360 --> 00:08:22,200 Speaker 3: that heavy load. He wants to come in, and he 126 00:08:22,240 --> 00:08:24,760 Speaker 3: wants to help you figure it out. Like I said, 127 00:08:24,760 --> 00:08:28,560 Speaker 3: he doesn't want you to shirk your responsibilities or quit 128 00:08:28,680 --> 00:08:31,800 Speaker 3: using your intelligence. He's just saying, bring me in the 129 00:08:31,800 --> 00:08:34,720 Speaker 3: middle of it. Let me be in the center of 130 00:08:35,040 --> 00:08:39,280 Speaker 3: your life, because when we don't, we literally choke our 131 00:08:39,360 --> 00:08:43,679 Speaker 3: spiritual life. The Parable of the Sower in the Book 132 00:08:43,679 --> 00:08:46,240 Speaker 3: of Matthew talks about this. There was a farmer that 133 00:08:46,400 --> 00:08:51,160 Speaker 3: was planting seed. That farmer represents God represents the seed 134 00:08:51,200 --> 00:08:53,360 Speaker 3: that he plants and is trying to get in our 135 00:08:53,400 --> 00:08:55,720 Speaker 3: life every single day so that it'll spring up and 136 00:08:55,760 --> 00:08:59,640 Speaker 3: it'll be fruitful. But the Parable talks about this one 137 00:09:00,480 --> 00:09:02,960 Speaker 3: and it was a thorny ground, and it said the 138 00:09:03,080 --> 00:09:08,360 Speaker 3: cares of life sprung up as thorns and choked that 139 00:09:08,520 --> 00:09:12,960 Speaker 3: seed out and made it unfruitful. It literally strangled the 140 00:09:13,040 --> 00:09:16,560 Speaker 3: seed and made it non productive. Do you know when 141 00:09:16,600 --> 00:09:19,959 Speaker 3: we allow worry to choke out the things of God, 142 00:09:20,080 --> 00:09:23,400 Speaker 3: we're not fruitful in the ways of God. God doesn't 143 00:09:23,480 --> 00:09:28,160 Speaker 3: want us to live discouraged and frustrated. He doesn't want 144 00:09:28,160 --> 00:09:31,160 Speaker 3: it to change who He's creating us to be the 145 00:09:31,240 --> 00:09:34,160 Speaker 3: light of the world, someone that people want to be around, 146 00:09:34,280 --> 00:09:36,200 Speaker 3: someone that people want to talk to on the phone, 147 00:09:36,720 --> 00:09:40,680 Speaker 3: someone that can speak a blessing in the midst of 148 00:09:40,760 --> 00:09:43,839 Speaker 3: the day to day challenges. See, God is saying, you're 149 00:09:43,880 --> 00:09:47,000 Speaker 3: gonna have challenges. There will be cares, There'll be plenty 150 00:09:47,000 --> 00:09:50,440 Speaker 3: of time for you to worry, But you have to 151 00:09:50,480 --> 00:09:54,120 Speaker 3: wage war against worry because it's your enemy. It's not 152 00:09:54,240 --> 00:09:57,480 Speaker 3: your friend. Listen, if we're going to walk in the 153 00:09:57,520 --> 00:10:00,600 Speaker 3: freedom that Jesus came to give us, we're going to 154 00:10:00,640 --> 00:10:02,960 Speaker 3: have to be like Mary. We're going to have to 155 00:10:03,000 --> 00:10:06,000 Speaker 3: be pulled in the right direction, not in the wrong direction. 156 00:10:06,640 --> 00:10:09,640 Speaker 3: Don't be pulled away because of the stresses of life. 157 00:10:10,160 --> 00:10:14,800 Speaker 3: Be pulled to God with great peace and confidence that 158 00:10:14,840 --> 00:10:18,640 Speaker 3: He can take care of anything that you have, any care, 159 00:10:18,800 --> 00:10:23,760 Speaker 3: any concern. He already knows. Linger in his presence, Sit 160 00:10:23,840 --> 00:10:27,520 Speaker 3: at his feet, offer up the prayer with thanksgiving in 161 00:10:27,559 --> 00:10:31,560 Speaker 3: your heart, saying, my problems are small compared to my great, 162 00:10:31,600 --> 00:10:35,720 Speaker 3: big God. Amen. Amen, here's an awesome God. 163 00:10:37,679 --> 00:10:41,960 Speaker 2: What if what you imagine came to pass. What if 164 00:10:42,360 --> 00:10:45,400 Speaker 2: what you asked for turned out greater than what you 165 00:10:45,440 --> 00:10:49,600 Speaker 2: can see? What if you could plan for God's best 166 00:10:49,679 --> 00:10:51,160 Speaker 2: in your life. 167 00:10:51,240 --> 00:10:54,360 Speaker 1: We all have hopes and dreams and things we're believing for, 168 00:10:54,920 --> 00:10:57,440 Speaker 1: but what God has in store for you is more 169 00:10:57,480 --> 00:11:00,280 Speaker 1: than you can imagine. When you start the year off 170 00:11:00,320 --> 00:11:03,480 Speaker 1: in faith, believe in for greater things, that's when God 171 00:11:03,520 --> 00:11:07,200 Speaker 1: will exceed your expectations. We love to send you our 172 00:11:07,240 --> 00:11:10,800 Speaker 1: twenty twenty five More to Imagine planner. You can write 173 00:11:10,840 --> 00:11:13,439 Speaker 1: down your dreams and goals, plus use it for your 174 00:11:13,440 --> 00:11:15,719 Speaker 1: everyday activity and reminders. 175 00:11:15,840 --> 00:11:18,640 Speaker 3: It is so important to feed yourself hope and faith 176 00:11:18,720 --> 00:11:22,080 Speaker 3: on a daily basis. This planner is not only a calendar, 177 00:11:22,360 --> 00:11:25,160 Speaker 3: but it's filled with inspiration and scripture to help you 178 00:11:25,200 --> 00:11:28,280 Speaker 3: stay encouraged and keep believing for what God has put 179 00:11:28,320 --> 00:11:28,920 Speaker 3: in your heart. 180 00:11:29,200 --> 00:11:32,200 Speaker 1: He sees your faithfulness, how you're being your best each day. 181 00:11:32,480 --> 00:11:34,680 Speaker 1: You're going to see the goodness of God in new 182 00:11:34,720 --> 00:11:36,360 Speaker 1: ways in twenty twenty five. 183 00:11:37,000 --> 00:11:39,600 Speaker 2: As you support the ministry this month with a special 184 00:11:39,720 --> 00:11:42,240 Speaker 2: year end gift of any amount, we would like to 185 00:11:42,280 --> 00:11:45,040 Speaker 2: bless you with the More to Imagine twenty twenty five 186 00:11:45,160 --> 00:11:48,320 Speaker 2: planner with a new planner. You can start each day 187 00:11:48,400 --> 00:11:52,559 Speaker 2: writing down the fresh vision God gives you, whether it's appointments, 188 00:11:52,720 --> 00:11:56,520 Speaker 2: daily tasks, or long term desires in your heart. Let 189 00:11:56,559 --> 00:12:01,080 Speaker 2: each note be a testament to your faith. Our handpick 190 00:12:01,160 --> 00:12:05,320 Speaker 2: scriptures and uplifting reflections to empower you as you walk 191 00:12:05,360 --> 00:12:08,720 Speaker 2: this faith journey with Jesus, one day at a time. 192 00:12:09,440 --> 00:12:11,400 Speaker 3: Joel and I are standing in faith with you that 193 00:12:11,480 --> 00:12:13,880 Speaker 3: twenty twenty five will be a year of far and 194 00:12:13,920 --> 00:12:15,800 Speaker 3: beyond favor for you and your family. 195 00:12:15,920 --> 00:12:18,640 Speaker 1: We pray for you every day for God's very best, 196 00:12:18,679 --> 00:12:21,360 Speaker 1: and we want to thank you for your prayer and support, 197 00:12:21,840 --> 00:12:25,320 Speaker 1: especially your year end gifts. You are impacting people all 198 00:12:25,400 --> 00:12:28,880 Speaker 1: over the world. Remember you can watch the services online 199 00:12:28,920 --> 00:12:33,520 Speaker 1: every Sunday morning, download our daily podcast, listen on SiriusXM. 200 00:12:33,960 --> 00:12:36,920 Speaker 1: We'll watch our YouTube channel and the new Joel Osteine 201 00:12:37,000 --> 00:12:40,679 Speaker 1: streaming television network twenty four hours a day until we 202 00:12:40,720 --> 00:12:44,079 Speaker 1: see you next time. Have a very merry Christmas. 203 00:12:44,559 --> 00:12:46,920 Speaker 2: Be sure to request your copy of the More to 204 00:12:47,000 --> 00:12:51,800 Speaker 2: Imagine twenty twenty five flanner today. Visit Joelostein dot com 205 00:12:51,960 --> 00:13:06,800 Speaker 2: or call us toll free