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Start your comeback at Purdueglobal dot edu. 23 00:01:00,240 --> 00:01:02,200 Speaker 3: He'll forget about the video game you gave him on 24 00:01:02,240 --> 00:01:02,800 Speaker 3: his birthday. 25 00:01:03,120 --> 00:01:05,000 Speaker 4: Wow, thanks Grandpa, but. 26 00:01:05,000 --> 00:01:07,200 Speaker 3: He'll never forget how you invest it in his future 27 00:01:07,280 --> 00:01:08,240 Speaker 3: with the units stapp. 28 00:01:08,760 --> 00:01:10,400 Speaker 5: Wow, thanks Grandpa. 29 00:01:11,040 --> 00:01:13,560 Speaker 3: The unit stap makes it easy for grandparents and family 30 00:01:13,600 --> 00:01:16,280 Speaker 3: friends to give funds to a child's investment account for 31 00:01:16,319 --> 00:01:18,720 Speaker 3: a limited time. Download the uns stapp and use the 32 00:01:18,720 --> 00:01:21,120 Speaker 3: code iHeart fifty at sign up to receive a fifty 33 00:01:21,120 --> 00:01:23,679 Speaker 3: dollars bonus when you fund your account. That's code iHeart 34 00:01:23,760 --> 00:01:26,800 Speaker 3: fifty when you sign up at unest dot co for 35 00:01:26,840 --> 00:01:29,640 Speaker 3: a fifty dollars bonus. See terms and conditions at UNEs 36 00:01:29,760 --> 00:01:30,080 Speaker 3: dot co. 37 00:01:31,200 --> 00:01:33,959 Speaker 5: Hi, this is Joel and Victoria. Thanks for listening to 38 00:01:34,000 --> 00:01:37,120 Speaker 5: our podcast and thanks for supporting the ministry. If you 39 00:01:37,240 --> 00:01:39,840 Speaker 5: enjoy today's message, why don't you be a blessing and 40 00:01:39,880 --> 00:01:42,640 Speaker 5: share it with a friends, reappreciate you, and pray for 41 00:01:42,720 --> 00:01:57,680 Speaker 5: God's very best in your life. Well, God bless you. 42 00:01:58,200 --> 00:02:00,800 Speaker 5: It's the joy to come into your home. If you're 43 00:02:00,840 --> 00:02:03,280 Speaker 5: ever in our area, I hope you'll stop by and 44 00:02:03,360 --> 00:02:05,680 Speaker 5: be a part of one of our services. I promise 45 00:02:05,720 --> 00:02:07,760 Speaker 5: you we'll make you feel right at home. But thank 46 00:02:07,760 --> 00:02:10,160 Speaker 5: you so much for tuning in, and thank you again 47 00:02:10,200 --> 00:02:12,960 Speaker 5: for coming out today. I like to start with something 48 00:02:13,000 --> 00:02:15,400 Speaker 5: funny each week. And don't get mad at me. These 49 00:02:15,400 --> 00:02:18,040 Speaker 5: are just little jokes, y'all. But I heard about this 50 00:02:18,160 --> 00:02:21,400 Speaker 5: Sunday morning church service. It was going just fine. All 51 00:02:21,440 --> 00:02:24,880 Speaker 5: of a sudden, this lightning bolt hit. When the smoke cleared, 52 00:02:25,120 --> 00:02:28,919 Speaker 5: Satan himself was standing behind the podium. People panicked and 53 00:02:29,000 --> 00:02:30,880 Speaker 5: ran out of the building as fast as they could. 54 00:02:31,280 --> 00:02:35,240 Speaker 5: Satan stood there with glee. But suddenly his mood changed 55 00:02:35,320 --> 00:02:37,960 Speaker 5: when he noticed a woman sitting on the front road 56 00:02:38,080 --> 00:02:40,640 Speaker 5: just as calm as can be. He said, lady, do 57 00:02:40,720 --> 00:02:42,840 Speaker 5: you know who I am? She said, I sure do. 58 00:02:43,440 --> 00:02:45,720 Speaker 5: He said, aren't you afraid of me? She said, no, 59 00:02:45,840 --> 00:02:48,560 Speaker 5: I'm not. He said why not? She said, why should 60 00:02:48,639 --> 00:02:51,400 Speaker 5: I be? For thirty years I've been married to your brother. 61 00:02:53,880 --> 00:02:56,920 Speaker 5: All right, hold up your Bible. Say it like you 62 00:02:57,040 --> 00:03:00,440 Speaker 5: mean it. This is my Bible. I am what it 63 00:03:00,480 --> 00:03:03,000 Speaker 5: says I am. I have what it says I have. 64 00:03:03,639 --> 00:03:06,440 Speaker 5: I can do what it says I can do. Today 65 00:03:06,520 --> 00:03:10,160 Speaker 5: I will be taught the word of God. I boldly confess. 66 00:03:10,720 --> 00:03:14,520 Speaker 5: My mind is alert, my heart is receptive. I will 67 00:03:14,560 --> 00:03:18,520 Speaker 5: never be the same. In Jesus's name, God bless you. 68 00:03:19,600 --> 00:03:22,440 Speaker 5: I want to talk to you today about fulfilling God's 69 00:03:22,480 --> 00:03:27,080 Speaker 5: best plan for your life. You are a person of destiny. 70 00:03:27,160 --> 00:03:30,120 Speaker 5: You didn't just happen to show up here on planet Earth. 71 00:03:30,480 --> 00:03:34,000 Speaker 5: God ordained before the foundation of the world that you 72 00:03:34,000 --> 00:03:37,560 Speaker 5: would be here at this particular time. There's no such 73 00:03:37,640 --> 00:03:41,560 Speaker 5: thing as a mistake. Sometimes we hear parents say we 74 00:03:41,560 --> 00:03:45,200 Speaker 5: weren't expecting this child. They were an accident, they were 75 00:03:45,240 --> 00:03:48,480 Speaker 5: a surprise. Well, they may have been a surprise to you, 76 00:03:48,880 --> 00:03:52,240 Speaker 5: but they were not a surprise to Almighty God. No 77 00:03:52,440 --> 00:03:56,040 Speaker 5: child can be born without God breathing his life into 78 00:03:56,080 --> 00:03:59,920 Speaker 5: that child. You may think, well, Joel, I wasn't planned, 79 00:04:00,520 --> 00:04:04,000 Speaker 5: my mother wasn't married. I was an unwanted pregnancy. No, 80 00:04:04,160 --> 00:04:06,680 Speaker 5: you wouldn't be here if God didn't give life to 81 00:04:06,760 --> 00:04:10,040 Speaker 5: that sin. In God's eyes, there's no such thing as 82 00:04:10,080 --> 00:04:14,200 Speaker 5: being illegitimate. You didn't just happen to show up unannounced. 83 00:04:14,560 --> 00:04:17,800 Speaker 5: God had a plan for you long before you ever 84 00:04:17,880 --> 00:04:21,160 Speaker 5: got here, Even before you were a thought in your 85 00:04:21,240 --> 00:04:25,520 Speaker 5: father or mother's mind. God knew you, and he already 86 00:04:25,560 --> 00:04:28,640 Speaker 5: planned out good things for your life. That's what it 87 00:04:28,640 --> 00:04:32,240 Speaker 5: says here in Jeremiah twenty nine to eleven. These are 88 00:04:32,279 --> 00:04:35,960 Speaker 5: the plans I have for you, says the Lord. Plans 89 00:04:36,000 --> 00:04:39,560 Speaker 5: to prosper you and not to harm you. Plans to 90 00:04:39,600 --> 00:04:43,560 Speaker 5: give you hope and a future. Notice God has already 91 00:04:43,800 --> 00:04:48,120 Speaker 5: planned out ways to prosper you. He's already prearranged for 92 00:04:48,240 --> 00:04:51,480 Speaker 5: you to live a good life. But if these plans 93 00:04:51,520 --> 00:04:53,800 Speaker 5: are going to come to pass, we have to do 94 00:04:53,880 --> 00:04:57,280 Speaker 5: our part and know that we are people of destiny. 95 00:04:57,800 --> 00:05:00,000 Speaker 5: We have to believe that we have a bright few 96 00:05:00,000 --> 00:05:03,960 Speaker 5: future and that God has great things in store. You 97 00:05:04,000 --> 00:05:06,760 Speaker 5: may not have been raised by loving parents. In the 98 00:05:06,760 --> 00:05:08,480 Speaker 5: back of your mind, you kind of think, well, Joel, 99 00:05:08,520 --> 00:05:11,520 Speaker 5: I was a mistake. Nobody wanted me. I was passed 100 00:05:11,560 --> 00:05:15,400 Speaker 5: from home to home. No how you were raised, what 101 00:05:15,600 --> 00:05:19,080 Speaker 5: somebody did or didn't give you did not change God's 102 00:05:19,080 --> 00:05:23,080 Speaker 5: plan for your life. God said to Jeremiah, before you 103 00:05:23,160 --> 00:05:27,120 Speaker 5: were formed in your mother's womb, I knew you, and 104 00:05:27,200 --> 00:05:29,719 Speaker 5: I already planned for you to be a prophet to 105 00:05:29,760 --> 00:05:33,960 Speaker 5: the nations. Notice God had an assignment for him before 106 00:05:33,960 --> 00:05:37,800 Speaker 5: he ever got here. God was saying, in effect, Jeremiah, 107 00:05:37,920 --> 00:05:40,520 Speaker 5: you didn't just start when your mother gave birth to you. 108 00:05:41,000 --> 00:05:43,640 Speaker 5: Before you were in her womb, you were with me. 109 00:05:44,640 --> 00:05:47,760 Speaker 5: In other words, my past didn't start with my family. 110 00:05:48,160 --> 00:05:52,000 Speaker 5: It started with my God. And I didn't come from 111 00:05:52,000 --> 00:05:54,920 Speaker 5: my mother. Of course I love and respect my mother, 112 00:05:55,440 --> 00:05:59,000 Speaker 5: but I didn't come from her. I came through her. 113 00:05:59,480 --> 00:06:03,880 Speaker 5: I came from Almighty God. He gave me life, he 114 00:06:03,920 --> 00:06:07,839 Speaker 5: gave me breath, and certainly God used our mothers to 115 00:06:07,920 --> 00:06:11,400 Speaker 5: get us here. But we came from God. That means 116 00:06:11,640 --> 00:06:16,599 Speaker 5: our assignment, our destiny, our purpose cannot be messed up 117 00:06:16,960 --> 00:06:20,760 Speaker 5: by who we came through. Because we came from Almighty God. 118 00:06:21,040 --> 00:06:25,040 Speaker 5: He has the final saying, nothing that happens to us, 119 00:06:25,400 --> 00:06:28,680 Speaker 5: God can't turn around and use four us. He already 120 00:06:28,680 --> 00:06:32,360 Speaker 5: has a plan. He knows the end from the beginning. Now, 121 00:06:32,360 --> 00:06:35,440 Speaker 5: all through the scripture, we can see how God planned 122 00:06:35,440 --> 00:06:38,680 Speaker 5: out each person's life. He told Elizabeth, you're going to 123 00:06:38,720 --> 00:06:41,880 Speaker 5: have a baby. You're to call him John. He'll be 124 00:06:41,920 --> 00:06:45,679 Speaker 5: a forerunner of Christ. That was his assignment. An angel 125 00:06:45,720 --> 00:06:48,360 Speaker 5: appeared to Sampson's mother and told her she was going 126 00:06:48,400 --> 00:06:51,480 Speaker 5: to have a baby. He would be a deliverer. The 127 00:06:51,520 --> 00:06:54,200 Speaker 5: angel told how he was to be raised and how 128 00:06:54,200 --> 00:06:56,520 Speaker 5: his hair was never to be cut on and on 129 00:06:56,560 --> 00:07:00,400 Speaker 5: a specific plan. Three hundred and seventy four years before 130 00:07:00,520 --> 00:07:04,440 Speaker 5: King Josiah was born, it was prophesied that one day 131 00:07:04,560 --> 00:07:07,480 Speaker 5: he would arrive, and it told how he would help 132 00:07:07,520 --> 00:07:09,960 Speaker 5: put an end to the wrong things that were happening. 133 00:07:10,440 --> 00:07:12,840 Speaker 5: Sure enough, three hundred and seventy four years later he 134 00:07:12,960 --> 00:07:16,040 Speaker 5: showed up at eight years old. They made him king. 135 00:07:16,760 --> 00:07:19,480 Speaker 5: One night he couldn't sleep. He was reading the ancient 136 00:07:19,560 --> 00:07:23,040 Speaker 5: passages of scripture, and he came across that place that 137 00:07:23,200 --> 00:07:26,480 Speaker 5: mentioned his name. When he read that, he came alive. 138 00:07:27,000 --> 00:07:29,040 Speaker 5: All of a sudden, he knew he was a person 139 00:07:29,080 --> 00:07:32,160 Speaker 5: of destiny. God had something for him to do. He 140 00:07:32,240 --> 00:07:34,960 Speaker 5: went out and did exactly that. I believe in the 141 00:07:35,000 --> 00:07:39,160 Speaker 5: same way, hundreds of years ago, God was thinking about you. 142 00:07:39,760 --> 00:07:42,600 Speaker 5: He was planning out good things for your life. Where 143 00:07:42,640 --> 00:07:45,920 Speaker 5: you would be, what assignment you would have, and what 144 00:07:46,040 --> 00:07:49,520 Speaker 5: opportunities to bring across your path. See, you didn't just 145 00:07:49,560 --> 00:07:52,920 Speaker 5: start thirty forty fifty sixty years ago when your mother 146 00:07:53,000 --> 00:07:57,080 Speaker 5: gave you birth. Long before that, God knew you. And 147 00:07:57,160 --> 00:08:00,000 Speaker 5: the good news is He's already planned out your day 148 00:08:00,400 --> 00:08:03,320 Speaker 5: to prosper you, to be good to you, to give 149 00:08:03,360 --> 00:08:07,760 Speaker 5: you break. Friends you have a bright future in store. Well, 150 00:08:07,800 --> 00:08:09,960 Speaker 5: you say, Joel, if this is true, why am I 151 00:08:10,000 --> 00:08:13,800 Speaker 5: not seeing more of this happen. One reason is the 152 00:08:13,920 --> 00:08:17,480 Speaker 5: moment you were born, the enemy targets you to try 153 00:08:17,520 --> 00:08:20,960 Speaker 5: to pull you off of God's best path through discouragement, 154 00:08:21,400 --> 00:08:25,240 Speaker 5: through temptation, through wrong people. There's nothing he would love 155 00:08:25,280 --> 00:08:28,080 Speaker 5: anymore than for you to go through life and not 156 00:08:28,200 --> 00:08:32,120 Speaker 5: fulfill your God given destiny. You have to stay focused 157 00:08:32,400 --> 00:08:35,120 Speaker 5: and fight the good fight of faith. You may have 158 00:08:35,160 --> 00:08:39,000 Speaker 5: been raised in a negative environment, but know this, nothing 159 00:08:39,160 --> 00:08:42,400 Speaker 5: that you've been through can keep you from becoming all 160 00:08:42,480 --> 00:08:45,679 Speaker 5: God's created you. To be believe that you can overcome 161 00:08:45,720 --> 00:08:48,880 Speaker 5: your past, believe that God has great things in store. 162 00:08:49,520 --> 00:08:51,920 Speaker 5: You have to know that you know that you are 163 00:08:51,960 --> 00:08:55,720 Speaker 5: a person of destiny. Now, I hope you had loving 164 00:08:55,800 --> 00:08:59,959 Speaker 5: parents like I did, but unfortunately I realize not everybody these. 165 00:09:00,640 --> 00:09:02,840 Speaker 5: I was talking to a young man and he told 166 00:09:02,880 --> 00:09:06,000 Speaker 5: how he was one of these little cocaine babies. His 167 00:09:06,080 --> 00:09:09,400 Speaker 5: mother had all these addictions when he was born. He 168 00:09:09,480 --> 00:09:12,240 Speaker 5: was addicted as well, and she left him at an 169 00:09:12,240 --> 00:09:16,600 Speaker 5: early age. Now he struggles with other addictions. He's insecure 170 00:09:16,679 --> 00:09:18,960 Speaker 5: in who he is. And one day I was able 171 00:09:19,000 --> 00:09:22,600 Speaker 5: to tell him what I'm telling you. You came through 172 00:09:22,800 --> 00:09:26,319 Speaker 5: your mother, love her, respect her, but you did not 173 00:09:26,400 --> 00:09:29,880 Speaker 5: come from her. You came from Almighty God. You are 174 00:09:29,920 --> 00:09:33,600 Speaker 5: a person of destiny, don't you dare just sit back 175 00:09:33,760 --> 00:09:37,600 Speaker 5: and settle for mediocrity. God has not only chosen you, 176 00:09:37,880 --> 00:09:41,160 Speaker 5: He's not only called you, but he has equipped you, 177 00:09:41,600 --> 00:09:45,040 Speaker 5: He has empowered you. You may have gotten off to 178 00:09:45,080 --> 00:09:47,520 Speaker 5: a rough start in life, but it's not how we 179 00:09:47,559 --> 00:09:50,520 Speaker 5: start that counts. It's how we finish. And today is 180 00:09:50,520 --> 00:09:55,040 Speaker 5: a new day. If you'll start pressing forward, making good choices, 181 00:09:55,440 --> 00:09:58,400 Speaker 5: believe in God has good things in store, then you 182 00:09:58,400 --> 00:10:01,480 Speaker 5: will see more of God's goodsness in your life. And 183 00:10:01,640 --> 00:10:06,559 Speaker 5: understand nobody can keep you from your destiny except yourself. 184 00:10:07,160 --> 00:10:11,640 Speaker 5: Your parents can't. How you were raised negative circumstances. God 185 00:10:11,720 --> 00:10:15,120 Speaker 5: has put into you everything you need to fulfill his 186 00:10:15,160 --> 00:10:19,560 Speaker 5: best path. Be a believer, Keep pressing forward and you'll 187 00:10:19,559 --> 00:10:22,360 Speaker 5: see that come to pass. I love the story of 188 00:10:22,440 --> 00:10:26,080 Speaker 5: Nicki Cruz. He was raised in a home with eighteen 189 00:10:26,120 --> 00:10:29,920 Speaker 5: brothers and sisters in Puerto Rico. His parents were heavily 190 00:10:29,960 --> 00:10:33,480 Speaker 5: involved in witchcraft, and at the age of three, his 191 00:10:33,520 --> 00:10:36,520 Speaker 5: mother was in a trance and she declared over Nicki 192 00:10:36,760 --> 00:10:39,760 Speaker 5: that he was the son of Satan. Here he wasn't 193 00:10:39,760 --> 00:10:42,560 Speaker 5: even old enough to know what was going on. Imagine 194 00:10:42,600 --> 00:10:46,679 Speaker 5: having that spoken over you. That seems unfair, seems like 195 00:10:46,760 --> 00:10:50,240 Speaker 5: a terrible disadvantage. But no, God still has a plan. 196 00:10:50,840 --> 00:10:54,479 Speaker 5: He'll always give you opportunities to rise out of mediocrity. 197 00:10:55,120 --> 00:10:57,679 Speaker 5: The age of fifteen, Nicki moved to New York City 198 00:10:57,760 --> 00:11:00,600 Speaker 5: with one of his brothers. Soon after that, they were 199 00:11:00,640 --> 00:11:04,160 Speaker 5: living on the streets. About six months later, Nicki was 200 00:11:04,160 --> 00:11:06,760 Speaker 5: the leader of one of the most feared and violent 201 00:11:06,880 --> 00:11:10,160 Speaker 5: gangs in the area. Fighting and killing were a part 202 00:11:10,200 --> 00:11:13,720 Speaker 5: of his everyday life. At sixteen years of age, his 203 00:11:13,800 --> 00:11:17,079 Speaker 5: best friend was beaten and stabbed and died in Nicki's arms. 204 00:11:17,280 --> 00:11:21,600 Speaker 5: That got his attention. One night, a young minister bravely 205 00:11:21,640 --> 00:11:24,280 Speaker 5: came up to Nicki and invited him to come to 206 00:11:24,360 --> 00:11:27,560 Speaker 5: church where he was having a meeting. Nicki mocked him 207 00:11:27,559 --> 00:11:30,680 Speaker 5: and threatened to beat him up. The minister left there dejected, 208 00:11:30,720 --> 00:11:33,320 Speaker 5: feeling like he had not done any good. Little did 209 00:11:33,360 --> 00:11:36,680 Speaker 5: he realize Later that night, not only Nicki, but the 210 00:11:36,720 --> 00:11:39,880 Speaker 5: whole game showed up at the service. They were there 211 00:11:39,960 --> 00:11:43,480 Speaker 5: mainly to disrupt it and to cause trouble. But as 212 00:11:43,600 --> 00:11:47,720 Speaker 5: Nicki heard about the love and forgiveness found in Christ Jesus, 213 00:11:48,200 --> 00:11:51,240 Speaker 5: his heart melted. Something happened on the inside. He had 214 00:11:51,280 --> 00:11:54,360 Speaker 5: never felt that before. All of a sudden, he realized 215 00:11:54,760 --> 00:11:57,640 Speaker 5: God had a purpose for his life. He realized he 216 00:11:57,720 --> 00:12:00,480 Speaker 5: was a person of destiny. He was made for more 217 00:12:00,559 --> 00:12:04,480 Speaker 5: than just drifting around in defeat and failure. That night 218 00:12:04,640 --> 00:12:08,360 Speaker 5: was a turning point. He recognized although he loved his mother, 219 00:12:08,720 --> 00:12:12,240 Speaker 5: he came through her and not from her. Her poor 220 00:12:12,320 --> 00:12:15,760 Speaker 5: choices didn't have to stop God's plan for his life. 221 00:12:16,000 --> 00:12:19,400 Speaker 5: He left there with the new beginning. Today, Nicki Cruz 222 00:12:19,480 --> 00:12:23,119 Speaker 5: goes around the world sharing that message of hope fulfilling 223 00:12:23,160 --> 00:12:27,120 Speaker 5: his destiny. No matter how you were raised, no matter 224 00:12:27,160 --> 00:12:30,320 Speaker 5: what somebody did or didn't give you, that cannot stop 225 00:12:30,600 --> 00:12:33,880 Speaker 5: God's plan from coming to pass. Rise up and keep 226 00:12:33,920 --> 00:12:38,360 Speaker 5: pressing forward. Don't settle for mediocrity. Don't blame your parents, 227 00:12:38,679 --> 00:12:41,920 Speaker 5: blame the past, blame how you were raised. Just shake 228 00:12:42,000 --> 00:12:46,040 Speaker 5: that off and start making good choices today, and you too, 229 00:12:46,400 --> 00:12:49,760 Speaker 5: can fulfill God's best plan for your life. In nineteen 230 00:12:49,840 --> 00:12:53,400 Speaker 5: forty three, a teenager here in Houston became pregnant from 231 00:12:53,400 --> 00:12:57,320 Speaker 5: a forced violent act. The young lady was so distraught 232 00:12:57,360 --> 00:13:00,400 Speaker 5: and so upset she had planned to abort the child, 233 00:13:00,840 --> 00:13:03,240 Speaker 5: but some friends talked her into having the little baby 234 00:13:03,280 --> 00:13:06,439 Speaker 5: and putting it up for adoption. Not long after that, 235 00:13:06,559 --> 00:13:09,480 Speaker 5: a little boy was born in the charity ward of 236 00:13:09,520 --> 00:13:14,040 Speaker 5: Saint Joseph's Hospital. He grew up in extreme poverty. His 237 00:13:14,080 --> 00:13:17,720 Speaker 5: father was an alcoholic. More than once this father threatened 238 00:13:17,720 --> 00:13:20,560 Speaker 5: to kill his mother. Didn't look like the little boy 239 00:13:20,760 --> 00:13:23,160 Speaker 5: had much of a future, didn't look like God had 240 00:13:23,200 --> 00:13:26,280 Speaker 5: a plan for his life. But God will not give 241 00:13:26,360 --> 00:13:30,240 Speaker 5: life to a person without giving that person a divine destiny. 242 00:13:31,040 --> 00:13:34,360 Speaker 5: With the help of some loving foster parents, this little 243 00:13:34,400 --> 00:13:37,559 Speaker 5: boy grew up to become one of the great ministers 244 00:13:37,600 --> 00:13:41,680 Speaker 5: of our time. Today, more than sixty years later, James 245 00:13:41,760 --> 00:13:47,800 Speaker 5: Robison has touched people's lives around the world. What's my point? 246 00:13:48,200 --> 00:13:51,400 Speaker 5: What looked like a mistake was not a mistake at all. 247 00:13:52,000 --> 00:13:55,160 Speaker 5: Only God can give life to that sea. If you 248 00:13:55,160 --> 00:13:58,679 Speaker 5: are alive today, you are not an accident. Does it 249 00:13:58,840 --> 00:14:03,040 Speaker 5: matter how dysfunctional or functional your family is. God has 250 00:14:03,080 --> 00:14:05,760 Speaker 5: a plan to prosper you, to give you hope, to 251 00:14:05,840 --> 00:14:09,000 Speaker 5: give you a bright future. Friends, you are a person 252 00:14:09,120 --> 00:14:13,400 Speaker 5: of destiny. God has handpicked you to be here no 253 00:14:13,440 --> 00:14:17,200 Speaker 5: matter how many setbacks you faced in the past. God 254 00:14:17,280 --> 00:14:19,920 Speaker 5: is saying, this is a new day, and I've still 255 00:14:19,920 --> 00:14:22,680 Speaker 5: got a bright future in store for you. Why don't 256 00:14:22,680 --> 00:14:26,120 Speaker 5: you let that seed take root? Why don't you receive 257 00:14:26,240 --> 00:14:29,720 Speaker 5: that down in here. You may have had a negative past, 258 00:14:30,000 --> 00:14:33,040 Speaker 5: but you don't have to have a negative future. God 259 00:14:33,120 --> 00:14:36,240 Speaker 5: has already planned for you to be a victory and 260 00:14:36,360 --> 00:14:38,960 Speaker 5: not a victim. But you've got to do your part 261 00:14:39,200 --> 00:14:41,640 Speaker 5: and get a vision for it. You got to stay 262 00:14:41,680 --> 00:14:45,320 Speaker 5: filled with hope. I found many times, if we're not 263 00:14:45,440 --> 00:14:49,640 Speaker 5: blaming the past, then we're blaming ourselves. We go around thinking, man, 264 00:14:49,720 --> 00:14:53,200 Speaker 5: I blew it. I've made so many poor choices, ruined 265 00:14:53,200 --> 00:14:57,640 Speaker 5: my relationship failed over here. No, understand that does not 266 00:14:57,880 --> 00:15:01,960 Speaker 5: change God's plan for your life. God didn't say, as 267 00:15:02,040 --> 00:15:04,560 Speaker 5: long as you never make any mistakes, then I've got 268 00:15:04,560 --> 00:15:07,560 Speaker 5: a great plan for you. God knew we weren't going 269 00:15:07,600 --> 00:15:10,560 Speaker 5: to be perfect. You may have missed Plan A for 270 00:15:10,640 --> 00:15:13,200 Speaker 5: your life, but the good news is God has a 271 00:15:13,240 --> 00:15:15,920 Speaker 5: Plan B, a Plan C, a Plan D, a Plan E. 272 00:15:16,240 --> 00:15:18,800 Speaker 5: God knows how to get you to your final destination. 273 00:15:19,960 --> 00:15:23,520 Speaker 5: And just because you missed plan A doesn't mean you 274 00:15:23,560 --> 00:15:27,000 Speaker 5: can't still have God's best plan. God has a way 275 00:15:27,040 --> 00:15:30,040 Speaker 5: of working it all out. A lot of times we think, well, 276 00:15:30,160 --> 00:15:33,280 Speaker 5: I'll just survive. I've made so many mistakes. I know 277 00:15:33,360 --> 00:15:37,680 Speaker 5: I'll never really be happy. But somehow, some way, God 278 00:15:37,720 --> 00:15:40,840 Speaker 5: can still cause his original plan for your life to 279 00:15:40,880 --> 00:15:43,920 Speaker 5: come to pass. This is what he did for Abraham. 280 00:15:44,560 --> 00:15:47,680 Speaker 5: You remember how God promised him that he was going 281 00:15:47,720 --> 00:15:49,920 Speaker 5: to be the father of many nations, and he was 282 00:15:49,960 --> 00:15:53,680 Speaker 5: going to have a child in the natural. This was impossible. 283 00:15:54,080 --> 00:15:56,720 Speaker 5: He and his wife Cerah were much too old, and 284 00:15:56,760 --> 00:15:59,760 Speaker 5: they made mistake after mistake. They tried to come up 285 00:15:59,800 --> 00:16:03,160 Speaker 5: with a plan to help God out. Sarah told Abraham 286 00:16:03,200 --> 00:16:07,240 Speaker 5: to sleep with one of her maids. First mistake, Abraham agreed. 287 00:16:07,480 --> 00:16:11,280 Speaker 5: Second mistake. They had this little child and Sarah and 288 00:16:11,320 --> 00:16:14,440 Speaker 5: the maid started arguing. They let strife come in. Another mistake. 289 00:16:14,600 --> 00:16:17,600 Speaker 5: On and on it went, and sometimes we think we 290 00:16:17,720 --> 00:16:21,400 Speaker 5: have dysfunctional families, But with all due respect, some of 291 00:16:21,440 --> 00:16:24,280 Speaker 5: the great people in the Bible were about as dysfunctional 292 00:16:24,320 --> 00:16:27,600 Speaker 5: as they come. But here's the whole key. Their heart 293 00:16:27,800 --> 00:16:32,200 Speaker 5: was right. Abraham and Sarah had a desire to please God. 294 00:16:32,880 --> 00:16:36,000 Speaker 5: They knew they were people of destiny. They just made 295 00:16:36,000 --> 00:16:40,160 Speaker 5: some poor choices. We all do. Sometimes God doesn't bless 296 00:16:40,200 --> 00:16:43,440 Speaker 5: us because we're perfect. He blesses us because our heart 297 00:16:43,480 --> 00:16:47,760 Speaker 5: is right. In the end. After making mistake after mistake, 298 00:16:48,440 --> 00:16:52,840 Speaker 5: some twenty years later, God caused Sarah to conceive and 299 00:16:52,920 --> 00:16:56,320 Speaker 5: they gave birth to that promised child the original plan. 300 00:16:56,840 --> 00:17:00,120 Speaker 5: They named him Isaac. What I want you to see. 301 00:17:00,480 --> 00:17:03,840 Speaker 5: Even though they blew it time and time again, God 302 00:17:03,880 --> 00:17:06,320 Speaker 5: didn't say, too bad, Now, my original plan is not 303 00:17:06,359 --> 00:17:09,520 Speaker 5: gonna come to pass. Just settle for second best. No, 304 00:17:09,680 --> 00:17:13,760 Speaker 5: God is so good even when we make mistakes, even 305 00:17:13,800 --> 00:17:16,520 Speaker 5: when we blow it over and over. If we'll keep 306 00:17:16,520 --> 00:17:20,639 Speaker 5: our heart pure, God can still cause his original plan 307 00:17:20,720 --> 00:17:22,760 Speaker 5: to come to pass. And I don't know about you, 308 00:17:22,960 --> 00:17:25,520 Speaker 5: but that's good news for me. That gives me hope 309 00:17:25,600 --> 00:17:28,919 Speaker 5: because I know I've made mistakes. I know I've blown it. 310 00:17:29,240 --> 00:17:31,639 Speaker 5: But I love the scripture that says God is not 311 00:17:31,760 --> 00:17:35,919 Speaker 5: holding anything against us. One version says God will not 312 00:17:36,080 --> 00:17:39,640 Speaker 5: hold a grudge when we repent and go a new way. 313 00:17:40,000 --> 00:17:44,159 Speaker 5: God doesn't even remember our mistakes. The problem most people 314 00:17:44,200 --> 00:17:47,720 Speaker 5: have today is they don't know how to receive God's mercy. 315 00:17:48,320 --> 00:17:51,359 Speaker 5: They go around dwelling on their failures. I've been divorced, 316 00:17:51,720 --> 00:17:55,040 Speaker 5: I went through bankruptcy. I gave into this temptation over here. 317 00:17:55,640 --> 00:17:57,879 Speaker 5: Now you've got to get out of that negative frame 318 00:17:57,920 --> 00:18:00,640 Speaker 5: of mind. You may have made mistakes, but if you'll 319 00:18:00,680 --> 00:18:03,920 Speaker 5: keep pressing forward, keep doing your best, keep your heart pure, 320 00:18:04,600 --> 00:18:08,959 Speaker 5: God can still get you to your final destination. I 321 00:18:09,000 --> 00:18:12,119 Speaker 5: want you to get your fire back today. Some of 322 00:18:12,160 --> 00:18:16,040 Speaker 5: you are just coasting, feeling like you're washed up. You 323 00:18:16,080 --> 00:18:19,000 Speaker 5: don't have the enthusiasm and excitement that you should for 324 00:18:19,080 --> 00:18:23,000 Speaker 5: your life. And it's because you keep dwelling on these lies, 325 00:18:23,160 --> 00:18:27,159 Speaker 5: going around condemned. Well, Joel, I blew it, messed up 326 00:18:27,200 --> 00:18:30,639 Speaker 5: this relationship. I've made so many poor choices. I'll probably 327 00:18:30,720 --> 00:18:32,679 Speaker 5: never get out of debt. Now, let me give you 328 00:18:32,720 --> 00:18:35,960 Speaker 5: some good news. Your poor choices are not too much 329 00:18:36,000 --> 00:18:38,560 Speaker 5: for our God. He didn't bring you here with just 330 00:18:38,600 --> 00:18:42,399 Speaker 5: one plan. He has unlimited ways to get you to 331 00:18:42,440 --> 00:18:46,200 Speaker 5: your final destination. You've got to do your part and believe. 332 00:18:46,840 --> 00:18:49,199 Speaker 5: Get up every morning and say, Father, I want to 333 00:18:49,240 --> 00:18:51,760 Speaker 5: thank you that you have a bright future for me. 334 00:18:52,480 --> 00:18:55,879 Speaker 5: And even though I've made mistakes, I believe, because my 335 00:18:55,960 --> 00:18:58,920 Speaker 5: heart is right, you'll do for me what you did 336 00:18:58,920 --> 00:19:03,320 Speaker 5: for Abraham and cause me to still fulfill your original plan, 337 00:19:03,640 --> 00:19:06,960 Speaker 5: the best plan that you have for my life. Well, 338 00:19:07,040 --> 00:19:09,240 Speaker 5: you say, Joel, that's kind of bold to believe that 339 00:19:09,280 --> 00:19:12,680 Speaker 5: you're going to be blessed even when you've made mistakes. Yes, 340 00:19:12,760 --> 00:19:15,680 Speaker 5: that's true, But that's what faith is all about. You 341 00:19:15,800 --> 00:19:18,639 Speaker 5: got to come boldly to the throne of grace. You 342 00:19:18,720 --> 00:19:21,760 Speaker 5: got to believe that God has mercy for every mistake 343 00:19:21,800 --> 00:19:25,600 Speaker 5: you've ever made. So easy to live guilty and condemned. 344 00:19:26,040 --> 00:19:28,520 Speaker 5: It's easy to go around feeling like you're washed up, 345 00:19:28,960 --> 00:19:31,840 Speaker 5: you have no future. You have to shake that off. 346 00:19:32,040 --> 00:19:34,720 Speaker 5: You are a child of the Most High God and 347 00:19:35,000 --> 00:19:39,119 Speaker 5: hundreds of years ago, just like with Josiah, just like 348 00:19:39,200 --> 00:19:42,760 Speaker 5: with Sampson, just like with John the Baptist, God planned 349 00:19:42,800 --> 00:19:45,600 Speaker 5: for you to be here. He did not plan for 350 00:19:45,680 --> 00:19:48,960 Speaker 5: you to be dragging through life in mediocrity, feeling like 351 00:19:49,040 --> 00:19:53,560 Speaker 5: a failure, negative, defeated. Now let these words sink deep 352 00:19:53,600 --> 00:19:57,240 Speaker 5: down on the inside. God says, my plans for you 353 00:19:57,520 --> 00:20:00,480 Speaker 5: are to prosper you, to give you joy, to give 354 00:20:00,520 --> 00:20:04,840 Speaker 5: you peace, to make you a victor and not a victim. 355 00:20:05,119 --> 00:20:07,560 Speaker 5: But if this is going to happen, you have to 356 00:20:07,600 --> 00:20:13,520 Speaker 5: press through past mistakes, press through disappointments, press through things 357 00:20:13,520 --> 00:20:18,320 Speaker 5: that didn't work out, living in regrets, focusing on the negative, 358 00:20:18,720 --> 00:20:22,239 Speaker 5: beating yourself up for mistakes you've made. All that's going 359 00:20:22,320 --> 00:20:25,200 Speaker 5: to do is keep you from God's best. Why don't 360 00:20:25,200 --> 00:20:30,399 Speaker 5: you let that go? Every morning, receive God's mercy, start 361 00:20:30,400 --> 00:20:33,480 Speaker 5: each day with a fresh new attitude, then go out 362 00:20:33,880 --> 00:20:37,280 Speaker 5: expecting the good things of God. I have some friends 363 00:20:37,280 --> 00:20:40,520 Speaker 5: that started a church several years ago, and in just 364 00:20:40,560 --> 00:20:42,800 Speaker 5: a few years time, it grew to four or five 365 00:20:42,880 --> 00:20:46,640 Speaker 5: hundred people. They were so excited they were fulfilling their destiny. 366 00:20:47,200 --> 00:20:50,159 Speaker 5: But one day they had a misunderstanding with some people 367 00:20:50,480 --> 00:20:53,840 Speaker 5: and they didn't handle it very well. They allowed strife 368 00:20:53,840 --> 00:20:56,720 Speaker 5: to get in. To make a long story short, the 369 00:20:56,800 --> 00:21:00,919 Speaker 5: church started going down and down, and eventually it. This 370 00:21:01,080 --> 00:21:05,320 Speaker 5: couple was devastated. They felt like total failures. Hear, their 371 00:21:05,400 --> 00:21:08,520 Speaker 5: dream had died and now they were just sitting on 372 00:21:08,560 --> 00:21:12,600 Speaker 5: the sidelines of life, feeling washed up, no joy, no enthusiasm. 373 00:21:13,040 --> 00:21:15,400 Speaker 5: They felt like they were too old to start something new. 374 00:21:16,080 --> 00:21:18,560 Speaker 5: One day I told them what I'm telling you, that 375 00:21:18,640 --> 00:21:23,080 Speaker 5: God has another plan. Just because one door closes doesn't 376 00:21:23,119 --> 00:21:26,439 Speaker 5: mean it's the end. God has a new beginning. The 377 00:21:26,480 --> 00:21:30,359 Speaker 5: truth is, like Abraham and Sarah, these people their heart 378 00:21:30,480 --> 00:21:34,720 Speaker 5: was right. They wanted to please God. They admitted they 379 00:21:34,760 --> 00:21:38,080 Speaker 5: handled it wrong. They admitted they made poor choices. But 380 00:21:38,160 --> 00:21:42,359 Speaker 5: God doesn't see us as failures. He sees us as learners. 381 00:21:42,560 --> 00:21:46,000 Speaker 5: He is full of mercy. And finally they got their 382 00:21:46,000 --> 00:21:48,600 Speaker 5: fire back, and they went out and started another work, 383 00:21:48,840 --> 00:21:51,760 Speaker 5: and little by little it began to grow. God began 384 00:21:51,880 --> 00:21:54,719 Speaker 5: to bless them. They had favor with the city they 385 00:21:54,720 --> 00:21:58,719 Speaker 5: were in, and just recently they opened up a new facility. 386 00:21:59,200 --> 00:22:02,720 Speaker 5: And today they reaching almost twice as many people as 387 00:22:02,720 --> 00:22:07,200 Speaker 5: they were before. It says in Zachariah nine twelve. If 388 00:22:07,240 --> 00:22:10,640 Speaker 5: you will be a prisoner of hope, God will restore 389 00:22:10,680 --> 00:22:13,800 Speaker 5: back to you double what you've lost. Some of you 390 00:22:13,840 --> 00:22:16,919 Speaker 5: today You need to just get your hopes up. You 391 00:22:17,000 --> 00:22:20,040 Speaker 5: may have been through disappointments, and it may have even 392 00:22:20,119 --> 00:22:23,080 Speaker 5: been your fault. But why don't you believe God has 393 00:22:23,119 --> 00:22:26,119 Speaker 5: another plan? Why don't you believe that your best days 394 00:22:26,160 --> 00:22:28,520 Speaker 5: are still out in front of you. If you will 395 00:22:28,560 --> 00:22:31,479 Speaker 5: be a prisoner of hope, there's no limit to what 396 00:22:31,520 --> 00:22:34,159 Speaker 5: God will do. I love what it says in Psalm 397 00:22:34,200 --> 00:22:37,560 Speaker 5: thirty seven twenty three. The steps of a good man 398 00:22:37,840 --> 00:22:41,320 Speaker 5: are ordered by the Lord. Though he falls, he will 399 00:22:41,320 --> 00:22:44,719 Speaker 5: not be destroyed, for the Lord grasp his hands and 400 00:22:44,800 --> 00:22:49,360 Speaker 5: holds him. Notice what it's saying is sometimes, even when 401 00:22:49,359 --> 00:22:52,880 Speaker 5: God's directing our steps, we may fall, we may make 402 00:22:52,920 --> 00:22:56,600 Speaker 5: a mistake, but thank goodness, it doesn't end there. God 403 00:22:56,680 --> 00:22:58,920 Speaker 5: will be right there to pick us up and put 404 00:22:59,000 --> 00:23:01,959 Speaker 5: us back on our feet. The too many people today 405 00:23:02,240 --> 00:23:06,919 Speaker 5: go around being hard on themselves. They live guilty and condemned. 406 00:23:07,160 --> 00:23:10,320 Speaker 5: Got that nagging feeling on the inside, I've blown it. 407 00:23:10,359 --> 00:23:11,560 Speaker 5: I'm never going to be blessed. 408 00:23:12,160 --> 00:23:12,320 Speaker 1: Now. 409 00:23:12,400 --> 00:23:15,080 Speaker 5: Those are lies that will keep you from God's best. 410 00:23:15,560 --> 00:23:18,200 Speaker 5: You need to shake that off. All through the day. 411 00:23:18,240 --> 00:23:20,840 Speaker 5: You should have this scripture playing in your mind. I 412 00:23:20,880 --> 00:23:24,320 Speaker 5: have a bright future. God has plans to prosper me. 413 00:23:24,680 --> 00:23:27,640 Speaker 5: Good things are in store. The best is still yet 414 00:23:27,680 --> 00:23:31,200 Speaker 5: to come. If you will stay in that positive, hopeful 415 00:23:31,240 --> 00:23:34,440 Speaker 5: frame of mind, you'll not only enjoy life more, but 416 00:23:34,480 --> 00:23:37,720 Speaker 5: you will see more of God's blessings and favor. I 417 00:23:37,760 --> 00:23:40,119 Speaker 5: think about Jonah. God told him to go to a 418 00:23:40,119 --> 00:23:42,920 Speaker 5: certain city the minister to the people, but he didn't 419 00:23:42,920 --> 00:23:46,200 Speaker 5: want to. He knew what was right, he just didn't obey. 420 00:23:46,359 --> 00:23:48,840 Speaker 5: He wanted to do his own thing. And of course 421 00:23:48,840 --> 00:23:51,880 Speaker 5: at times we've all done something like that. We've known 422 00:23:51,960 --> 00:23:54,560 Speaker 5: down and here what we should do. We just ignored it. 423 00:23:54,800 --> 00:23:57,720 Speaker 5: We did our own thing. But the great thing about 424 00:23:57,760 --> 00:24:01,479 Speaker 5: God is he always gives you an the chance. You 425 00:24:01,520 --> 00:24:05,639 Speaker 5: don't just get one opportunity and then you're done. Throughout life, 426 00:24:05,760 --> 00:24:09,639 Speaker 5: God will constantly give you opportunities to get onto his 427 00:24:09,840 --> 00:24:14,320 Speaker 5: best path. God never gives up on you. His mercy 428 00:24:14,440 --> 00:24:18,520 Speaker 5: is from everlasting to everlasting. And so Jonah went against 429 00:24:18,560 --> 00:24:20,400 Speaker 5: what he knew he should do, and he had all 430 00:24:20,400 --> 00:24:23,920 Speaker 5: these negative consequences, ended up in the belly of the well. 431 00:24:24,480 --> 00:24:27,439 Speaker 5: Looked like he was all washed up. And even if 432 00:24:27,480 --> 00:24:30,040 Speaker 5: he did survive, surely God would be done with him. 433 00:24:30,440 --> 00:24:32,680 Speaker 5: Surely God would say, Jonah, just sit on the sidelines 434 00:24:32,680 --> 00:24:35,960 Speaker 5: of life. Now, the scripture says, and the word of 435 00:24:35,960 --> 00:24:39,520 Speaker 5: the Lord came to Jonah a second time. That's just 436 00:24:39,600 --> 00:24:42,679 Speaker 5: the way God is. He always gives you another chance. 437 00:24:43,119 --> 00:24:45,720 Speaker 5: Even if you're blown it, You're still not washed up. 438 00:24:46,440 --> 00:24:48,439 Speaker 5: You may be thinking, Joel, if I could just do 439 00:24:48,520 --> 00:24:51,879 Speaker 5: it over again, I'd make better choices, I'd invest in 440 00:24:51,920 --> 00:24:55,280 Speaker 5: my relationships, I'd be more disciplined in my thought life. 441 00:24:55,359 --> 00:24:58,359 Speaker 5: If I just had another chance. Now, God is saying 442 00:24:58,359 --> 00:25:01,360 Speaker 5: to you today, you have another the chance. Start right 443 00:25:01,359 --> 00:25:03,880 Speaker 5: where you are. You may not be able to undo 444 00:25:03,960 --> 00:25:07,040 Speaker 5: the past, but you can start making good choices today. 445 00:25:07,760 --> 00:25:11,520 Speaker 5: Be that prisoner of hope. Know that God can turn 446 00:25:11,600 --> 00:25:15,840 Speaker 5: any situation around. It may look like your dreams have died, 447 00:25:16,080 --> 00:25:19,040 Speaker 5: but God can resurrect those dead dreams. He knows how 448 00:25:19,119 --> 00:25:22,840 Speaker 5: to get you to your final destination. And sometimes, like Jonah, 449 00:25:23,080 --> 00:25:25,840 Speaker 5: because of the choices we've made, it may take a 450 00:25:25,840 --> 00:25:28,960 Speaker 5: little longer, it may be a little more difficult. But 451 00:25:29,000 --> 00:25:32,200 Speaker 5: if you'll keep your heart purer and keep pressing forward, 452 00:25:32,560 --> 00:25:35,320 Speaker 5: God will get you to exactly where he wants you 453 00:25:35,359 --> 00:25:38,000 Speaker 5: to be. That's what he did for Jonah. He ended 454 00:25:38,080 --> 00:25:40,560 Speaker 5: up in the right city. But think about it. God 455 00:25:40,600 --> 00:25:43,000 Speaker 5: could have said, Jonah, fine, if you don't want to go, 456 00:25:43,080 --> 00:25:46,440 Speaker 5: I'll find somebody else. I'm God. But thank goodness, God 457 00:25:46,480 --> 00:25:50,000 Speaker 5: is not like that. He never gives up on you. 458 00:25:50,000 --> 00:25:53,080 Speaker 5: You can turn away from him a thousand times, you 459 00:25:53,119 --> 00:25:56,680 Speaker 5: can ignore his call year after year, but God will 460 00:25:56,840 --> 00:25:59,560 Speaker 5: never leave you alone. He's always going to give you 461 00:25:59,760 --> 00:26:04,800 Speaker 5: one more chance. He is full of mercy. Friends, God 462 00:26:04,920 --> 00:26:08,720 Speaker 5: wants you to fulfill your destiny. He wants you to prosper. 463 00:26:09,280 --> 00:26:12,440 Speaker 5: When you succeed and you see the dreams He's put 464 00:26:12,480 --> 00:26:15,000 Speaker 5: in your heart come to pass. That puts a smile 465 00:26:15,119 --> 00:26:18,720 Speaker 5: on God's face. It honors him when you live his 466 00:26:18,760 --> 00:26:22,439 Speaker 5: life of victory. I love the story of Sampson. He 467 00:26:22,520 --> 00:26:26,000 Speaker 5: had a supernatural birth. God gave him strength and wisdom, 468 00:26:26,600 --> 00:26:30,160 Speaker 5: had so much going for him. But Sampson made poor choices. 469 00:26:30,640 --> 00:26:33,480 Speaker 5: He gave into temptation. Little by little he got off 470 00:26:33,560 --> 00:26:36,639 Speaker 5: of God's best plan. And of course, the secret of 471 00:26:36,680 --> 00:26:39,399 Speaker 5: his strength was in his hair. He was told to 472 00:26:39,480 --> 00:26:42,920 Speaker 5: never tell that, But one day, in a moment of weakness, 473 00:26:42,960 --> 00:26:45,359 Speaker 5: he let his guard down. That was the beginning of 474 00:26:45,400 --> 00:26:49,000 Speaker 5: his demise, and where he was once a strong, powerful man, 475 00:26:49,760 --> 00:26:52,960 Speaker 5: he ended up chained by his enemies. They were so 476 00:26:53,080 --> 00:26:56,080 Speaker 5: afraid of him they not only shaved his hair, but 477 00:26:56,160 --> 00:26:59,359 Speaker 5: they gouged out his eyes. Now he was spending his 478 00:26:59,520 --> 00:27:02,840 Speaker 5: days as a slave, grinding at the mill. But I 479 00:27:02,880 --> 00:27:05,720 Speaker 5: love what the scripture says. It shows us the goodness 480 00:27:05,720 --> 00:27:10,160 Speaker 5: of God. After making wrong choices his whole life, after 481 00:27:10,240 --> 00:27:13,120 Speaker 5: wasting the anoying and the strength God had given him, 482 00:27:13,640 --> 00:27:16,040 Speaker 5: you would think God would be done with him and 483 00:27:16,080 --> 00:27:17,560 Speaker 5: that he would just die and that would be the 484 00:27:17,640 --> 00:27:19,960 Speaker 5: end of his story. But no, I love what the 485 00:27:20,000 --> 00:27:24,000 Speaker 5: scripture says. God's so good. It says Sampson's hair begin 486 00:27:24,119 --> 00:27:27,840 Speaker 5: to grow one more time. In other words, in spite 487 00:27:27,880 --> 00:27:31,360 Speaker 5: of all those wrong choices, God would saying Samson, I'm 488 00:27:31,359 --> 00:27:33,840 Speaker 5: not gonna let you end your life in defeat. I've 489 00:27:33,840 --> 00:27:36,640 Speaker 5: got one more victory. I'm gonna let you finish your 490 00:27:36,720 --> 00:27:40,400 Speaker 5: race with one more big bang. The enemy had him 491 00:27:40,520 --> 00:27:42,800 Speaker 5: in the temple. He was there so they could make 492 00:27:42,840 --> 00:27:46,119 Speaker 5: fun of him, mock him, ridicule him. Sampson asked one 493 00:27:46,160 --> 00:27:48,679 Speaker 5: of the little boys if he had help him to 494 00:27:48,720 --> 00:27:51,159 Speaker 5: put his arms on the columns of the temple so 495 00:27:51,200 --> 00:27:54,480 Speaker 5: he can rest. The Bible says, the spirit of the 496 00:27:54,520 --> 00:27:58,120 Speaker 5: Lord came on Samson one more time. He was able 497 00:27:58,160 --> 00:28:02,120 Speaker 5: to push those columns over. The whole building came tumbling down. 498 00:28:02,960 --> 00:28:07,359 Speaker 5: Do you know Sampson destroyed more enemies in his death 499 00:28:07,800 --> 00:28:10,800 Speaker 5: than he did in his whole lifetime. God let him 500 00:28:10,800 --> 00:28:14,480 Speaker 5: go out in a blaze of glory. Maybe, like Sampson, 501 00:28:14,880 --> 00:28:17,679 Speaker 5: you've blown some good opportunities, You've made a mess of 502 00:28:17,720 --> 00:28:20,760 Speaker 5: your life. Well, God is saying it's not too late. 503 00:28:21,119 --> 00:28:24,320 Speaker 5: I've still got another victory. I've still got another dream 504 00:28:24,400 --> 00:28:26,919 Speaker 5: for you to accomplish. I've got other mountains for you 505 00:28:26,960 --> 00:28:30,159 Speaker 5: to climb. I still got great things in store. Why 506 00:28:30,200 --> 00:28:32,840 Speaker 5: don't you put your shoulders back, dig your heels in, 507 00:28:32,880 --> 00:28:35,359 Speaker 5: and say God, if you did it for Sampson, I 508 00:28:35,440 --> 00:28:37,720 Speaker 5: know you can do it for me. I refuse to 509 00:28:37,760 --> 00:28:41,520 Speaker 5: live my life washed up, negative, condemned, defeated. I'm gonna 510 00:28:41,520 --> 00:28:44,680 Speaker 5: believe like Sampson, my end is going to be better 511 00:28:44,720 --> 00:28:47,800 Speaker 5: than my beginning, that my best days are not behind me. 512 00:28:48,480 --> 00:28:51,719 Speaker 5: But you've got great victories in front of me. Friends, 513 00:28:51,800 --> 00:28:55,760 Speaker 5: God still has a plan. If you're alive, you're a 514 00:28:55,800 --> 00:28:58,920 Speaker 5: person of destiny, why don't you be a prisoner of 515 00:28:59,000 --> 00:29:03,240 Speaker 5: hope your dreams back today. It's not over until God 516 00:29:03,320 --> 00:29:08,120 Speaker 5: says it's over. Remember, no person, no obstacle, no circumstance 517 00:29:08,320 --> 00:29:10,520 Speaker 5: can keep you from your call. If you fall down, 518 00:29:10,560 --> 00:29:12,760 Speaker 5: don't stay down and get back up again. God has 519 00:29:12,800 --> 00:29:16,720 Speaker 5: another plan. If you'll keep pressing forward, keep believing, keep 520 00:29:16,760 --> 00:29:19,280 Speaker 5: your heart pure, You're going to see God's blessings and 521 00:29:19,360 --> 00:29:22,400 Speaker 5: favor in a greater way. And I believe you will 522 00:29:22,440 --> 00:29:25,600 Speaker 5: fulfill the best plan that God has for your life. Amen, 523 00:29:25,920 --> 00:29:29,120 Speaker 5: do you receive it today? We never like to close 524 00:29:29,120 --> 00:29:32,640 Speaker 5: our broadcast without giving you an opportunity to make Jesus 525 00:29:32,680 --> 00:29:34,960 Speaker 5: the lord of your life. Would you pray with me? 526 00:29:35,600 --> 00:29:40,840 Speaker 5: Just say, Lord, Jesus, I'll repent of my sins. Come 527 00:29:40,840 --> 00:29:45,960 Speaker 5: into my heart. I make you my Lord and savior. Friends, 528 00:29:45,960 --> 00:29:48,200 Speaker 5: if you prayed that simple prayer, we believe you got 529 00:29:48,200 --> 00:29:51,200 Speaker 5: born again. Get in a good Bible based church. Keep 530 00:29:51,240 --> 00:29:53,880 Speaker 5: God first place. He's going to take your places that 531 00:29:53,920 --> 00:29:56,400 Speaker 5: you've never dreamed of. Thank you for listening to the 532 00:29:56,520 --> 00:29:57,920 Speaker 5: Julus Dean podcast. 533 00:29:58,280 --> 00:30:00,640 Speaker 2: Help us continue to share the mesa Sage of Hope 534 00:30:00,800 --> 00:30:02,360 Speaker 2: with those all over the world. 535 00:30:02,680 --> 00:30:04,240 Speaker 5: Visit joelostein dot. 536 00:30:04,040 --> 00:30:07,080 Speaker 2: Com slash give Hope to give a gift today. 537 00:30:08,360 --> 00:30:10,800 Speaker 4: Thanks so much for listening to today's message. 538 00:30:10,920 --> 00:30:13,680 Speaker 5: I hope you'll subscribe so you can receive the latest 539 00:30:13,720 --> 00:30:15,120 Speaker 5: podcast to keep you. 540 00:30:15,160 --> 00:30:18,239 Speaker 4: Inspired all through the week. We're praying for you. I 541 00:30:18,280 --> 00:30:21,120 Speaker 4: know God's best is still ahead. We'll see you next time.