1 00:00:00,160 --> 00:00:03,320 Speaker 1: Hi, this is Victoria. Thank you so much for downloading 2 00:00:03,360 --> 00:00:07,000 Speaker 1: this podcast. I believe God has amazing things in your future. 3 00:00:07,240 --> 00:00:15,680 Speaker 1: I hope you enjoy this message. 4 00:00:18,560 --> 00:00:19,840 Speaker 2: Your faith is amazing. 5 00:00:20,760 --> 00:00:24,040 Speaker 1: Go out and tell people about this saving power of 6 00:00:24,160 --> 00:00:26,920 Speaker 1: Jesus Christ, Amen, and that he can do what no 7 00:00:26,960 --> 00:00:27,880 Speaker 1: one else can do. 8 00:00:28,520 --> 00:00:30,440 Speaker 2: You are His light in all the world. 9 00:00:31,040 --> 00:00:34,000 Speaker 1: You see, we're all on this journey of faith together, 10 00:00:34,600 --> 00:00:38,400 Speaker 1: and if we're going to experience the fullness of God's promises, 11 00:00:38,720 --> 00:00:41,880 Speaker 1: we're going to have to develop the ability to see 12 00:00:41,920 --> 00:00:45,320 Speaker 1: beyond where we are right now. See, it's so easy 13 00:00:45,360 --> 00:00:48,280 Speaker 1: to get stuck in a problem. It's so easy to 14 00:00:48,360 --> 00:00:52,600 Speaker 1: see what didn't work out, what didn't happen, the mistakes 15 00:00:52,640 --> 00:00:56,000 Speaker 1: we've made, maybe what someone else did to us, and 16 00:00:56,040 --> 00:00:58,200 Speaker 1: then we think, what's our next step? 17 00:00:58,240 --> 00:01:00,360 Speaker 2: God, how are we going to get out of this? 18 00:01:00,960 --> 00:01:05,880 Speaker 1: It becomes difficult to see the next step sometimes. But 19 00:01:06,000 --> 00:01:09,640 Speaker 1: when we take our eyes off of the circumstances, off 20 00:01:09,680 --> 00:01:11,880 Speaker 1: of the problems that are trying to weigh us down 21 00:01:11,880 --> 00:01:15,240 Speaker 1: and hold us back, that's when we can put our 22 00:01:15,280 --> 00:01:19,280 Speaker 1: eyes on the promises of God, not the problems. We 23 00:01:19,319 --> 00:01:21,600 Speaker 1: can't set our eyes on the problems. We have to 24 00:01:21,640 --> 00:01:24,920 Speaker 1: set our eyes on the promises. That's how we're going 25 00:01:25,280 --> 00:01:28,920 Speaker 1: to rise above where we are. Right now, we have 26 00:01:29,040 --> 00:01:32,480 Speaker 1: to look beyond where we are and lift our eyes. 27 00:01:33,160 --> 00:01:37,040 Speaker 1: In the Book of Genesis, Abraham was called by God 28 00:01:37,160 --> 00:01:39,560 Speaker 1: to go on a journey of faith with him. He 29 00:01:39,640 --> 00:01:43,480 Speaker 1: spoke to Abraham and said, leave your father's house. Abraham did. 30 00:01:43,720 --> 00:01:47,320 Speaker 2: The Bible says he believed God, and it was credited. 31 00:01:47,040 --> 00:01:51,760 Speaker 1: Unto him as righteousness. He left his father's land. He 32 00:01:51,840 --> 00:01:55,080 Speaker 1: took his family and his nephew Lot, and they went 33 00:01:55,120 --> 00:01:58,200 Speaker 1: on this journey. But there was a point in his journey. 34 00:01:58,760 --> 00:02:02,120 Speaker 1: We're Lot, his nephew you and himself had acquired so 35 00:02:02,200 --> 00:02:06,480 Speaker 1: many possessions that they had to part ways. The land 36 00:02:06,520 --> 00:02:09,760 Speaker 1: could not sustain both of them. So Abraham looked at 37 00:02:09,880 --> 00:02:12,959 Speaker 1: Lot and said, you pick first. Which way do you 38 00:02:13,000 --> 00:02:14,960 Speaker 1: want to go? What direction do you want to go? Lot, 39 00:02:15,000 --> 00:02:18,440 Speaker 1: I'm giving you first choice. Well, Lot looked around and 40 00:02:18,520 --> 00:02:21,160 Speaker 1: he found a place that he thought would be perfect 41 00:02:21,280 --> 00:02:24,320 Speaker 1: for he and his family. The Bible calls it was east, 42 00:02:24,639 --> 00:02:28,080 Speaker 1: it was towards the Jordan. It was lush in foliage. 43 00:02:28,120 --> 00:02:31,959 Speaker 1: It was a city that was bustling. It was places 44 00:02:31,960 --> 00:02:35,640 Speaker 1: of opportunity. So Lot chose that part of the land. 45 00:02:36,960 --> 00:02:41,840 Speaker 1: When Abraham looked the other direction, what he saw was dirt. 46 00:02:42,520 --> 00:02:45,000 Speaker 2: He saw was dust. 47 00:02:44,600 --> 00:02:50,160 Speaker 1: No development, just land. And he thought to himself, Wow, 48 00:02:51,000 --> 00:02:54,679 Speaker 1: what in the world have I gotten myself into. But see, 49 00:02:54,680 --> 00:02:58,200 Speaker 1: it was at that point that God spoke to Abraham 50 00:02:58,680 --> 00:03:03,160 Speaker 1: and he said, Abraham, lift up your eyes. Now, lift 51 00:03:03,240 --> 00:03:08,280 Speaker 1: up your eyes. Now look out as far as you 52 00:03:08,280 --> 00:03:10,880 Speaker 1: can see, from the north, the south, the east, and 53 00:03:10,919 --> 00:03:14,320 Speaker 1: the west. He said, what you can see, the land 54 00:03:14,320 --> 00:03:17,239 Speaker 1: that you can see, I will give it to you. 55 00:03:18,080 --> 00:03:20,840 Speaker 1: I will give it to you. You see, it was 56 00:03:20,960 --> 00:03:25,320 Speaker 1: this point that Abraham had to lift his eyes. I 57 00:03:25,400 --> 00:03:30,200 Speaker 1: love that phrase, lift your eyes, because this lifted eyes 58 00:03:30,440 --> 00:03:35,600 Speaker 1: became the theme of Abraham's life. You see, God knew 59 00:03:35,920 --> 00:03:39,080 Speaker 1: that Abraham could easily get his eyes on the wrong thing. 60 00:03:39,440 --> 00:03:42,120 Speaker 1: He could have easily said, why did not choose first? 61 00:03:42,600 --> 00:03:44,840 Speaker 1: Why did he get the best? Now I'm just stuck 62 00:03:44,880 --> 00:03:47,160 Speaker 1: in the in the dirt and the dust, and he's 63 00:03:47,200 --> 00:03:48,280 Speaker 1: over there prospering. 64 00:03:48,600 --> 00:03:49,960 Speaker 2: Why did I make that mistake? 65 00:03:50,600 --> 00:03:53,600 Speaker 1: But see, God wanted him to lift his eyes so 66 00:03:53,680 --> 00:03:56,800 Speaker 1: he could see beyond the dust and the dirt and 67 00:03:56,880 --> 00:04:00,320 Speaker 1: begin to see his destiny unfold, begin to see what 68 00:04:00,440 --> 00:04:02,000 Speaker 1: God wanted. 69 00:04:01,680 --> 00:04:03,560 Speaker 2: To do in his life. 70 00:04:03,600 --> 00:04:08,520 Speaker 1: Do you know the name Lot means veil, And when 71 00:04:08,560 --> 00:04:13,120 Speaker 1: he separated from Lot, it was as if God lifted 72 00:04:13,320 --> 00:04:16,200 Speaker 1: the veil from his eyes and he was able to 73 00:04:16,279 --> 00:04:18,039 Speaker 1: see God in new ways. 74 00:04:18,440 --> 00:04:18,800 Speaker 2: You see. 75 00:04:18,839 --> 00:04:22,960 Speaker 1: God wanted to reveal himself to Abraham in unseen ways. 76 00:04:24,080 --> 00:04:24,400 Speaker 2: You see. 77 00:04:24,400 --> 00:04:28,839 Speaker 1: It may have looked like Lot got paradise, but Abraham 78 00:04:29,160 --> 00:04:34,479 Speaker 1: he got the promise, and you do too. 79 00:04:35,720 --> 00:04:37,719 Speaker 2: You have the promises of God. 80 00:04:38,320 --> 00:04:41,200 Speaker 1: In fact, the veil has been lifted from your eyes. 81 00:04:41,440 --> 00:04:44,760 Speaker 1: It has been torn into by the power of Christ. 82 00:04:45,160 --> 00:04:48,960 Speaker 1: And God wants to show you along this journey things 83 00:04:48,960 --> 00:04:52,880 Speaker 1: you haven't seen before. He wants to reveal himself in 84 00:04:53,080 --> 00:04:54,520 Speaker 1: powerful ways. 85 00:04:55,520 --> 00:04:55,839 Speaker 2: You see. 86 00:04:55,920 --> 00:04:58,560 Speaker 1: When God spoke to Abraham and told him that he 87 00:04:58,600 --> 00:05:01,320 Speaker 1: was going to be a father of many names, said Abraham, 88 00:05:01,360 --> 00:05:03,560 Speaker 1: I want to show you this land that I'm taking you. 89 00:05:03,880 --> 00:05:05,719 Speaker 1: I want you to inhabit it. I want you to 90 00:05:05,800 --> 00:05:09,160 Speaker 1: possess it. I'm gonna make your seed great, and I'm 91 00:05:09,160 --> 00:05:13,040 Speaker 1: gonna bless people all over the earth. His name was Abram. 92 00:05:13,560 --> 00:05:16,400 Speaker 1: God hadn't changed his name yet to the Father of 93 00:05:16,440 --> 00:05:17,200 Speaker 1: many nations. 94 00:05:17,400 --> 00:05:20,000 Speaker 2: He was just Abram, a. 95 00:05:19,839 --> 00:05:23,880 Speaker 1: Man that was believing God going on this journey of faith. 96 00:05:24,360 --> 00:05:27,719 Speaker 1: In fact, he didn't look anything like what God was 97 00:05:27,720 --> 00:05:34,280 Speaker 1: saying about him. But God's promises are spoken in the 98 00:05:34,440 --> 00:05:41,200 Speaker 1: unseen realm. God's promises are spoken but not seen yet. 99 00:05:41,960 --> 00:05:44,400 Speaker 2: That's why the veil was lifted so. 100 00:05:44,440 --> 00:05:48,520 Speaker 1: That Abraham could see into the supernatural realm, so Abraham 101 00:05:48,560 --> 00:05:51,240 Speaker 1: could get a glimpse of what God wanted to do. 102 00:05:51,600 --> 00:05:54,400 Speaker 1: He wanted to take the veil off of Abraham's eyes 103 00:05:54,760 --> 00:05:58,800 Speaker 1: so that he could see what God was doing. You see, 104 00:05:59,000 --> 00:06:04,320 Speaker 1: God's promise are progressive. They unfold in his timing. They 105 00:06:04,360 --> 00:06:07,520 Speaker 1: may not be seen yet, but it's only a matter 106 00:06:07,600 --> 00:06:11,080 Speaker 1: of time until God gets you to where you need 107 00:06:11,120 --> 00:06:14,280 Speaker 1: to be, until you start looking like God says you're 108 00:06:14,320 --> 00:06:17,400 Speaker 1: gonna look, until you start having what God says you're 109 00:06:17,440 --> 00:06:23,200 Speaker 1: gonna have. It's progressive and it's in God's timing. I 110 00:06:23,279 --> 00:06:25,760 Speaker 1: have these beautiful lemon trees in my backyard. I have 111 00:06:25,800 --> 00:06:28,159 Speaker 1: two of them, and they're full of fruit right now. 112 00:06:28,720 --> 00:06:31,320 Speaker 1: And a friend of mine we were in my backyard 113 00:06:31,360 --> 00:06:33,839 Speaker 1: and we happened to be walking by the lemon trees 114 00:06:34,240 --> 00:06:37,360 Speaker 1: and she stopped and she paused for a minute because 115 00:06:37,400 --> 00:06:39,960 Speaker 1: they're beautiful, full of fruit, and she said, those are 116 00:06:39,960 --> 00:06:44,880 Speaker 1: the most amazing lime trees I have ever seen. And 117 00:06:45,000 --> 00:06:47,880 Speaker 1: I started to laugh, and I said, those aren't lime trees, 118 00:06:48,240 --> 00:06:51,599 Speaker 1: those are lemon trees. She said, those are lime trees. 119 00:06:51,640 --> 00:06:55,800 Speaker 1: They look like limes to me, and I said, oh okay. 120 00:06:56,560 --> 00:07:01,080 Speaker 1: I said, the fruit on those trees are in process. 121 00:07:02,080 --> 00:07:05,680 Speaker 2: They're not finished yet. They don't look right now the 122 00:07:05,720 --> 00:07:07,119 Speaker 2: way they're going to look. 123 00:07:07,920 --> 00:07:11,680 Speaker 1: They're green now, Yeah, they look like limes, but they're 124 00:07:11,720 --> 00:07:17,280 Speaker 1: gonna turn yellow in just a matter of time. You see, 125 00:07:17,720 --> 00:07:22,040 Speaker 1: Hebrews eleven says, we inherit the promises of God through 126 00:07:22,120 --> 00:07:28,920 Speaker 1: faith and patience. You, just like those lemons, are in process. 127 00:07:29,480 --> 00:07:33,360 Speaker 1: You are becoming everything God wants you to be. You 128 00:07:33,400 --> 00:07:35,800 Speaker 1: may not look like you want to look, you may 129 00:07:35,800 --> 00:07:39,640 Speaker 1: not be where you want to be. But don't devalue 130 00:07:39,720 --> 00:07:43,400 Speaker 1: your journey. Don't start thinking that the journey isn't worth it. 131 00:07:43,560 --> 00:07:48,040 Speaker 1: The process is what builds your strength. The process is 132 00:07:48,080 --> 00:07:52,320 Speaker 1: what develops you. The process is what makes you become. 133 00:07:52,000 --> 00:07:53,280 Speaker 2: What God's called you to be. 134 00:07:54,560 --> 00:07:59,720 Speaker 1: You see, Abraham didn't despise the process. He proved God 135 00:07:59,760 --> 00:08:04,040 Speaker 1: to be faithful and true. Abraham went from tests to 136 00:08:04,200 --> 00:08:05,800 Speaker 1: test to test of his faith. 137 00:08:06,720 --> 00:08:08,080 Speaker 2: He went through challenges. 138 00:08:08,760 --> 00:08:11,240 Speaker 1: He didn't even have his promised child till he was 139 00:08:11,320 --> 00:08:12,560 Speaker 1: one hundred. 140 00:08:12,320 --> 00:08:16,360 Speaker 2: Years old, but he saw the character of God. 141 00:08:17,320 --> 00:08:20,520 Speaker 1: You see, someone else may look like they have paradise, 142 00:08:20,800 --> 00:08:24,080 Speaker 1: but don't forget you have the promise. You're in the 143 00:08:24,160 --> 00:08:28,440 Speaker 1: process and you are becoming everything God wants you to be. 144 00:08:29,320 --> 00:08:32,679 Speaker 1: If you find yourself consumed with a problem today, you're 145 00:08:32,720 --> 00:08:35,920 Speaker 1: going through a transition in your life. You're wondering, how 146 00:08:36,000 --> 00:08:36,920 Speaker 1: is this going to work out? 147 00:08:37,640 --> 00:08:39,600 Speaker 2: It's time. It's time. 148 00:08:40,080 --> 00:08:42,520 Speaker 1: It's time to lift your eyes from the problem and 149 00:08:42,600 --> 00:08:46,120 Speaker 1: set your eyes on the promises. You got to realize 150 00:08:46,440 --> 00:08:51,880 Speaker 1: beyond this place is greater heights, greater victories, greater strength, 151 00:08:52,280 --> 00:08:56,360 Speaker 1: greater anointing. It is time to shift your perspective to 152 00:08:56,440 --> 00:09:00,440 Speaker 1: God's promises. Listen, I believe if you won't get stuck, 153 00:09:01,000 --> 00:09:03,959 Speaker 1: if you won't settle where you are, if you'll continue 154 00:09:04,000 --> 00:09:08,120 Speaker 1: the process, you will become just like Abraham, and you 155 00:09:08,160 --> 00:09:11,600 Speaker 1: will see God's faithfulness. You will see his provision, you 156 00:09:11,640 --> 00:09:15,480 Speaker 1: will see his promises, and you will become everything that 157 00:09:15,559 --> 00:09:16,720 Speaker 1: God intended you to be. 158 00:09:16,800 --> 00:09:21,600 Speaker 2: Amen. He's a faithful God. He's a faithful God. 159 00:09:22,960 --> 00:09:26,400 Speaker 3: Thank you for listening to the Joel Ostine podcast. Help 160 00:09:26,480 --> 00:09:29,199 Speaker 3: us continue to share the message of hope with those 161 00:09:29,320 --> 00:09:33,200 Speaker 3: all over the world. Visit jolustein dot com slash give 162 00:09:33,280 --> 00:09:34,960 Speaker 3: Hope to give a gift today. 163 00:09:36,240 --> 00:09:38,679 Speaker 2: Thanks so much for listening to today's message. 164 00:09:38,800 --> 00:09:41,559 Speaker 1: I hope you'll subscribe so you can receive the latest 165 00:09:41,600 --> 00:09:44,640 Speaker 1: podcast to keep you inspired all through the week. 166 00:09:44,880 --> 00:09:47,760 Speaker 2: We're praying for you. I know God's best is still ahead. 167 00:09:47,960 --> 00:09:49,120 Speaker 2: We'll see you next time.