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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 00:01:02,200 --> 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 uns stapp. 28 00:01:08,760 --> 00:01:10,720 Speaker 4: 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 --> 00:01:20,800 Speaker 3: code I heeart fifty at sign up to receive a 33 00:01:20,840 --> 00:01:23,319 Speaker 3: fifty dollars bonus when you find your account. That's code 34 00:01:23,360 --> 00:01:26,320 Speaker 3: iHeart fifty when you sign up at unest dot co 35 00:01:26,720 --> 00:01:29,280 Speaker 3: for a fifty dollars bonus. See terms and conditions at 36 00:01:29,360 --> 00:01:30,080 Speaker 3: UNEs dot co. 37 00:01:31,600 --> 00:01:33,360 Speaker 4: Hi, this is Joel and Victoria. 38 00:01:33,440 --> 00:01:36,400 Speaker 5: Thanks for listening to our podcast and thanks for supporting 39 00:01:36,480 --> 00:01:39,399 Speaker 5: the ministry. If you enjoyed today's MESSI, why don't you 40 00:01:39,440 --> 00:01:41,199 Speaker 5: be a blessing and share it with a friend. 41 00:01:41,520 --> 00:01:44,240 Speaker 4: We appreciate you and pray for God's very best in 42 00:01:44,280 --> 00:01:49,600 Speaker 4: your line. Well, God bless you. 43 00:01:49,840 --> 00:01:52,080 Speaker 5: It's always a joy to come into your homes, and 44 00:01:52,360 --> 00:01:55,040 Speaker 5: if you're ever in our area, please stop buy and 45 00:01:55,120 --> 00:01:56,800 Speaker 5: be a part of one of our services. 46 00:01:57,080 --> 00:01:59,360 Speaker 4: I promise you we'll make you feel right at home. 47 00:01:59,600 --> 00:02:01,800 Speaker 5: But thanks so much for tuning in, and thank you 48 00:02:01,840 --> 00:02:03,120 Speaker 5: again for coming out today. 49 00:02:03,160 --> 00:02:05,240 Speaker 4: And I like to start with something funny. 50 00:02:05,280 --> 00:02:08,920 Speaker 5: And I heard about these two famous baseball players. They 51 00:02:08,960 --> 00:02:11,800 Speaker 5: were discussing whether or not there would be baseball up 52 00:02:11,800 --> 00:02:15,400 Speaker 5: in heaven. They made an agreement that whoever died first 53 00:02:15,600 --> 00:02:18,240 Speaker 5: would come back and tell the other one if there 54 00:02:18,360 --> 00:02:21,560 Speaker 5: was indeed baseball in heaven. A few months later, one 55 00:02:21,600 --> 00:02:24,160 Speaker 5: of the players died, and just like he promised, he 56 00:02:24,280 --> 00:02:26,959 Speaker 5: came back and he said to his friend, I've got 57 00:02:27,000 --> 00:02:30,280 Speaker 5: good news and I've got bad news. The good news 58 00:02:30,400 --> 00:02:33,560 Speaker 5: is there is baseball up in heaven. The bad news 59 00:02:33,680 --> 00:02:38,440 Speaker 5: is you're scheduled to pitch next Thursday. Hold up your Bible. 60 00:02:38,639 --> 00:02:41,240 Speaker 5: Say it like you mean it. This is my Bible. 61 00:02:41,600 --> 00:02:42,560 Speaker 5: I am what it says. 62 00:02:42,600 --> 00:02:42,880 Speaker 4: I am. 63 00:02:43,360 --> 00:02:45,640 Speaker 5: I have what it says I have. I can do 64 00:02:45,760 --> 00:02:48,440 Speaker 5: what it says I can do. Today I will be 65 00:02:48,480 --> 00:02:52,400 Speaker 5: taught the word of God. I boldly confessed. My mind 66 00:02:52,480 --> 00:02:55,880 Speaker 5: is alert, my heart is receptive. I will never be 67 00:02:56,000 --> 00:03:00,000 Speaker 5: the same. In Jesus' name, God bless you. 68 00:03:00,200 --> 00:03:01,160 Speaker 4: I want to talk to you. 69 00:03:01,080 --> 00:03:06,200 Speaker 5: Today about running your race in life. There will always 70 00:03:06,240 --> 00:03:09,240 Speaker 5: be people that try to squeeze you into their mold. 71 00:03:09,960 --> 00:03:12,720 Speaker 5: People that try to pressure you into being who they 72 00:03:12,760 --> 00:03:15,600 Speaker 5: want you to be. And they may be good people, 73 00:03:16,160 --> 00:03:20,040 Speaker 5: they may mean well, but the problem is they didn't 74 00:03:20,080 --> 00:03:24,240 Speaker 5: breathe life into you. They didn't equip you, empower you, 75 00:03:24,480 --> 00:03:28,480 Speaker 5: anoint you Almighty God did. If you're going to become 76 00:03:28,560 --> 00:03:31,360 Speaker 5: who God created you to be, you have to have 77 00:03:31,480 --> 00:03:36,040 Speaker 5: a boldness. You can't be insecure and worry about what 78 00:03:36,080 --> 00:03:41,240 Speaker 5: everybody thinks. If you change with every criticism, you play 79 00:03:41,320 --> 00:03:44,560 Speaker 5: up to people to try to win their favor, then 80 00:03:44,600 --> 00:03:48,720 Speaker 5: you'll go through life being manipulated, letting people squeeze you 81 00:03:48,840 --> 00:03:52,760 Speaker 5: into their box. You have to realize you can't keep 82 00:03:52,800 --> 00:03:57,440 Speaker 5: every person happy, you can't make everyone like you. 83 00:03:57,440 --> 00:03:59,800 Speaker 4: You'll never win over all of your critics. 84 00:04:00,440 --> 00:04:03,920 Speaker 5: Even if you changed and did exactly what they ask, 85 00:04:04,360 --> 00:04:08,680 Speaker 5: they would still find fault. You're not really free until 86 00:04:08,760 --> 00:04:14,240 Speaker 5: you're free from trying to please everybody. You're kind, you're respectful, 87 00:04:14,520 --> 00:04:16,400 Speaker 5: but you're not living to please people. 88 00:04:16,640 --> 00:04:17,919 Speaker 4: You're living to please God. 89 00:04:18,720 --> 00:04:20,919 Speaker 5: When you get up in the morning, you should search 90 00:04:20,960 --> 00:04:24,480 Speaker 5: your heart and if you're doing to the best of 91 00:04:24,520 --> 00:04:27,920 Speaker 5: your ability what you know God wants you to do, 92 00:04:28,400 --> 00:04:30,640 Speaker 5: and you don't have to look to the left nor 93 00:04:30,680 --> 00:04:34,400 Speaker 5: to the right. Just stay focused on your goals. If 94 00:04:34,400 --> 00:04:38,599 Speaker 5: people don't understand you, that's okay. If you lose some 95 00:04:38,800 --> 00:04:42,599 Speaker 5: friends because you wouldn't let them control you, they weren't 96 00:04:42,600 --> 00:04:44,080 Speaker 5: true friends anyway. 97 00:04:43,880 --> 00:04:45,240 Speaker 4: You're better off without them. 98 00:04:46,120 --> 00:04:49,680 Speaker 5: If people start talking critical, jealous, trying to make you 99 00:04:49,720 --> 00:04:51,159 Speaker 5: look bad, don't. 100 00:04:51,040 --> 00:04:54,160 Speaker 4: Let that change you. You don't need their approval. 101 00:04:54,360 --> 00:04:57,760 Speaker 5: You have Almighty God's approval, and some of you would 102 00:04:57,760 --> 00:05:00,520 Speaker 5: go to a new level if you would get free 103 00:05:00,920 --> 00:05:04,720 Speaker 5: from what everybody thinks and start being true to who 104 00:05:04,760 --> 00:05:08,159 Speaker 5: God made you to be. We spend too much time 105 00:05:08,400 --> 00:05:12,719 Speaker 5: trying to impress people, trying to gain their approval, wondering 106 00:05:12,800 --> 00:05:15,520 Speaker 5: what they're going to think if I take this job, 107 00:05:15,680 --> 00:05:17,960 Speaker 5: if I wear my hair this way, if I move 108 00:05:18,000 --> 00:05:22,719 Speaker 5: into this neighborhood. We make decisions based on these superficial things. 109 00:05:23,279 --> 00:05:24,360 Speaker 4: I heard somebody say. 110 00:05:24,920 --> 00:05:29,120 Speaker 5: At twenty years old, we wonder what everybody thinks about us. 111 00:05:29,880 --> 00:05:33,000 Speaker 5: At forty years old, we don't care what anybody thinks 112 00:05:33,000 --> 00:05:37,200 Speaker 5: about us. At sixty years old, we realize nobody was 113 00:05:37,240 --> 00:05:41,719 Speaker 5: thinking about us. I read a report from a nurse 114 00:05:42,480 --> 00:05:45,200 Speaker 5: that takes care of people that are close to death. 115 00:05:45,800 --> 00:05:49,600 Speaker 5: She asked hundreds of patients in the last twelve weeks 116 00:05:49,600 --> 00:05:53,840 Speaker 5: of their life what their biggest regret was. The number 117 00:05:53,880 --> 00:05:57,600 Speaker 5: one regret was, I wish I had been true to 118 00:05:57,640 --> 00:06:01,160 Speaker 5: who I was and not just lived to meet the 119 00:06:01,200 --> 00:06:06,200 Speaker 5: expectations of others. How many people today are not being 120 00:06:06,279 --> 00:06:09,560 Speaker 5: true to who they are because they're afraid. 121 00:06:09,360 --> 00:06:10,920 Speaker 4: They're going to disappoint somebody. 122 00:06:11,400 --> 00:06:13,880 Speaker 5: They're afraid they may fall out of their good grace, 123 00:06:14,400 --> 00:06:17,680 Speaker 5: they may not be accepted in a certain group. I 124 00:06:17,760 --> 00:06:21,560 Speaker 5: say this respectfully, but you cannot live trying to be 125 00:06:21,720 --> 00:06:24,880 Speaker 5: who your parents want you to be, or your boss wants. 126 00:06:24,680 --> 00:06:26,800 Speaker 4: You to be, or your friends want you to be. 127 00:06:27,240 --> 00:06:30,000 Speaker 5: You've got to stay true to who God has called 128 00:06:30,040 --> 00:06:32,520 Speaker 5: you to be. When my father went to be with 129 00:06:32,600 --> 00:06:35,840 Speaker 5: the Lord, I had to accept the fact that God's 130 00:06:35,960 --> 00:06:39,920 Speaker 5: purpose for my life was not the same purpose as 131 00:06:39,960 --> 00:06:43,919 Speaker 5: my father's. His calling was to help bring down the 132 00:06:43,960 --> 00:06:47,480 Speaker 5: denominational walls and let people know about the. 133 00:06:47,320 --> 00:06:48,640 Speaker 4: Fullness of the Spirit. 134 00:06:49,480 --> 00:06:52,640 Speaker 5: When I took over, I felt pressured to be like 135 00:06:52,720 --> 00:06:55,920 Speaker 5: my father to fit into that mold. I thought I 136 00:06:55,920 --> 00:06:59,080 Speaker 5: had to minister like him, and run the church like him, 137 00:06:59,200 --> 00:07:02,080 Speaker 5: and go down there that same path. But when I 138 00:07:02,120 --> 00:07:05,880 Speaker 5: searched my heart. I knew my calling was to plant 139 00:07:05,960 --> 00:07:09,640 Speaker 5: a seed of hope, to encourage people, to let them 140 00:07:09,680 --> 00:07:11,240 Speaker 5: know about the goodness of God. 141 00:07:11,840 --> 00:07:12,920 Speaker 4: And at first it was. 142 00:07:12,880 --> 00:07:16,120 Speaker 5: Difficult because some people had been in the church for 143 00:07:16,120 --> 00:07:17,000 Speaker 5: forty years. 144 00:07:17,600 --> 00:07:21,320 Speaker 4: I thought, I can't be anything different. What would they think. 145 00:07:21,760 --> 00:07:24,080 Speaker 5: They may not like me, they may not accept me. 146 00:07:24,920 --> 00:07:28,080 Speaker 5: One day I read a scripture talking about David. It 147 00:07:28,200 --> 00:07:34,200 Speaker 5: said David fulfilled his purpose for his generation. I heard 148 00:07:34,200 --> 00:07:38,240 Speaker 5: God say, right down in here, Joel, your father fulfilled 149 00:07:38,280 --> 00:07:41,560 Speaker 5: his purpose. Now quit trying to be like him and 150 00:07:41,680 --> 00:07:45,239 Speaker 5: go out and fulfill your purpose. And when I heard that, 151 00:07:45,760 --> 00:07:49,760 Speaker 5: it was like a light turned on. I realized, I 152 00:07:49,760 --> 00:07:52,280 Speaker 5: don't have to try to be like my father. I 153 00:07:52,320 --> 00:07:55,480 Speaker 5: don't have to fit into a certain mold. It's okay 154 00:07:55,840 --> 00:07:59,240 Speaker 5: to run my race. I am free to be me. 155 00:08:00,200 --> 00:08:03,080 Speaker 5: After all, God doesn't want us to be an imitation 156 00:08:03,280 --> 00:08:05,840 Speaker 5: of somebody else, be the original. 157 00:08:06,040 --> 00:08:08,840 Speaker 4: God created you to be friends. 158 00:08:08,840 --> 00:08:11,680 Speaker 5: There is an anointing on your life not to be 159 00:08:11,840 --> 00:08:12,559 Speaker 5: someone else. 160 00:08:13,040 --> 00:08:15,000 Speaker 4: You are anointed to be you. 161 00:08:15,960 --> 00:08:18,960 Speaker 5: But if you let people squeeze you into their mold, 162 00:08:19,040 --> 00:08:22,120 Speaker 5: and you bow do under that pressure and you change 163 00:08:22,120 --> 00:08:25,520 Speaker 5: with every criticism, that's not only going to take away 164 00:08:25,560 --> 00:08:29,480 Speaker 5: your uniqueness, but it's going to lessen God's favor. It's 165 00:08:29,480 --> 00:08:33,199 Speaker 5: going to reduce his anointing on your life. Now, as 166 00:08:33,240 --> 00:08:36,200 Speaker 5: the church started to grow and more people were watching 167 00:08:36,240 --> 00:08:40,640 Speaker 5: on television, the critics came out of the woodwork, people saying, 168 00:08:40,960 --> 00:08:44,319 Speaker 5: he's not like his father, he's too young, he doesn't 169 00:08:44,320 --> 00:08:47,840 Speaker 5: have the experience. Even now, Joel's too much of this, 170 00:08:48,520 --> 00:08:52,640 Speaker 5: not enough of that. If you change with every criticism, 171 00:08:52,840 --> 00:08:56,240 Speaker 5: you won't have a chance. I believe one reason that 172 00:08:56,280 --> 00:08:59,520 Speaker 5: God has promoted me is I have tuned out the 173 00:08:59,559 --> 00:09:03,199 Speaker 5: negative voices, and I've done my best to stay true 174 00:09:03,440 --> 00:09:07,360 Speaker 5: to who God's called me to be. I don't try 175 00:09:07,400 --> 00:09:11,240 Speaker 5: to compete with somebody else. I don't let people control 176 00:09:11,360 --> 00:09:14,280 Speaker 5: me feel guilty if I don't fit into their box. 177 00:09:14,840 --> 00:09:18,400 Speaker 5: I don't get upset because somebody said something negative. I 178 00:09:18,440 --> 00:09:22,240 Speaker 5: look straight ahead, like the apostle Paul. I do my 179 00:09:22,360 --> 00:09:26,080 Speaker 5: best to run with purpose in every step. Now, I 180 00:09:26,160 --> 00:09:30,520 Speaker 5: learned early on, in order to please God, you may 181 00:09:30,559 --> 00:09:34,920 Speaker 5: have to disappoint a few people. There were several members 182 00:09:35,080 --> 00:09:37,680 Speaker 5: that had been at the church for many, many years, 183 00:09:37,800 --> 00:09:42,439 Speaker 5: longtime friends of our family. But because I wasn't exactly 184 00:09:42,520 --> 00:09:45,760 Speaker 5: like my father. Because I wouldn't let them squeeze me 185 00:09:45,920 --> 00:09:49,160 Speaker 5: into their mold. They got upset and left the church, 186 00:09:49,559 --> 00:09:53,040 Speaker 5: and that was difficult for me because I wanted their approval. 187 00:09:53,720 --> 00:09:57,400 Speaker 5: But looking back now, I realized had I let them 188 00:09:57,480 --> 00:10:00,400 Speaker 5: pressure me into being who they wanted me to be, 189 00:10:00,800 --> 00:10:04,440 Speaker 5: I wouldn't be standing here today. The scripture talks about 190 00:10:04,600 --> 00:10:08,080 Speaker 5: how they love the praise of people more than they 191 00:10:08,120 --> 00:10:10,960 Speaker 5: love the praise of God. One of the tests that 192 00:10:11,000 --> 00:10:14,160 Speaker 5: we all have to face is someone in our life 193 00:10:14,240 --> 00:10:18,200 Speaker 5: that we love. We look up to, a friend, a boss, 194 00:10:18,320 --> 00:10:21,480 Speaker 5: a family member. They want us to go a certain direction, 195 00:10:22,120 --> 00:10:24,600 Speaker 5: but we know in our heart God wants us to 196 00:10:24,640 --> 00:10:28,760 Speaker 5: go another direction. We don't want to lose their friendship. 197 00:10:28,800 --> 00:10:31,960 Speaker 5: We don't want to disappoint them. We want their approval. 198 00:10:32,760 --> 00:10:35,640 Speaker 5: But if you're going to fulfill your destiny, you've got 199 00:10:35,640 --> 00:10:36,400 Speaker 5: to be strong. 200 00:10:36,960 --> 00:10:38,440 Speaker 4: You have to have this attitude. 201 00:10:38,880 --> 00:10:41,520 Speaker 5: I want the praise of God more than I want 202 00:10:41,559 --> 00:10:42,480 Speaker 5: the praise of people. 203 00:10:42,920 --> 00:10:43,440 Speaker 4: I have an. 204 00:10:43,360 --> 00:10:46,520 Speaker 5: Assignment, I have a purpose, I have a destiny. I'm 205 00:10:46,520 --> 00:10:48,880 Speaker 5: going to become who God's created. 206 00:10:48,480 --> 00:10:52,160 Speaker 4: Me to be. What I found is, if you will. 207 00:10:52,000 --> 00:10:55,040 Speaker 5: Please God, if you will be true to who He's 208 00:10:55,160 --> 00:10:58,960 Speaker 5: made you to be. Eventually you will have the praise 209 00:10:59,000 --> 00:11:02,440 Speaker 5: of people. You may lose a few friends. Early on, 210 00:11:03,120 --> 00:11:06,280 Speaker 5: people don't understand you, think you're making a big mistake. 211 00:11:06,679 --> 00:11:09,560 Speaker 5: But later on they will see you walking in the 212 00:11:09,600 --> 00:11:13,160 Speaker 5: fullness of your destiny. Some of you would see God's 213 00:11:13,200 --> 00:11:18,559 Speaker 5: favor increase. You would see new opportunities, new relationships. If 214 00:11:18,600 --> 00:11:22,000 Speaker 5: you just get free from what people think and start 215 00:11:22,080 --> 00:11:25,840 Speaker 5: doing what God's put in your own heart. I've learned 216 00:11:26,200 --> 00:11:29,880 Speaker 5: everyone has an opinion. People will be quick to tell 217 00:11:29,920 --> 00:11:32,760 Speaker 5: you how to run your life, what to wear, what 218 00:11:32,920 --> 00:11:35,680 Speaker 5: to drive, how to comb your hair, how to raise 219 00:11:35,679 --> 00:11:39,000 Speaker 5: your children, how to spend your money. If you try 220 00:11:39,040 --> 00:11:43,080 Speaker 5: to please everybody one thing, I can guarantee. 221 00:11:42,520 --> 00:11:44,800 Speaker 4: You one hundred percent, you'll be confused. 222 00:11:45,200 --> 00:11:48,880 Speaker 5: You'll be frustrated, life will be miserable. I live by 223 00:11:48,880 --> 00:11:52,839 Speaker 5: this motto. Everyone has a right to their opinion, and 224 00:11:52,880 --> 00:11:56,720 Speaker 5: I have every right to not listen to it if 225 00:11:56,760 --> 00:11:59,679 Speaker 5: it doesn't match what God's put in your heart. Let 226 00:11:59,720 --> 00:12:02,520 Speaker 5: it go in one ear and out the other. I 227 00:12:02,559 --> 00:12:05,520 Speaker 5: heard about a man that fell into a pit. Different 228 00:12:05,559 --> 00:12:09,520 Speaker 5: people came along with their opinions. The pharisee said, you 229 00:12:09,640 --> 00:12:13,000 Speaker 5: deserve to be in the pit. The Catholic said, you 230 00:12:13,080 --> 00:12:16,440 Speaker 5: need to suffer while you're in the pit. The Baptist said, 231 00:12:16,520 --> 00:12:17,920 Speaker 5: if you'd get saved. 232 00:12:17,559 --> 00:12:18,960 Speaker 4: You wouldn't have fallen into the pit. 233 00:12:19,960 --> 00:12:23,200 Speaker 5: The Charismatics said, just confess, I'm not in the pit. 234 00:12:24,679 --> 00:12:27,400 Speaker 5: The mathematician said, let me calculate how you. 235 00:12:27,400 --> 00:12:28,240 Speaker 4: Fell into the pit. 236 00:12:28,960 --> 00:12:32,320 Speaker 5: The RS agent said, have you paid taxes on that pit? 237 00:12:33,720 --> 00:12:37,600 Speaker 5: The optimist said things could be worse. The pessimist said, 238 00:12:37,720 --> 00:12:42,120 Speaker 5: things will get worse. Everyone has an opinion. If you 239 00:12:42,240 --> 00:12:46,559 Speaker 5: try to please every person, the one person that will 240 00:12:46,600 --> 00:12:50,160 Speaker 5: not be happy is you. And it's funny sometimes the 241 00:12:50,240 --> 00:12:53,360 Speaker 5: people that are trying to run your life, if you 242 00:12:53,440 --> 00:12:56,320 Speaker 5: study them, they can't even run their own life, much 243 00:12:56,400 --> 00:12:57,040 Speaker 5: less yours. 244 00:12:57,760 --> 00:12:58,719 Speaker 4: And it's good. 245 00:13:00,480 --> 00:13:03,960 Speaker 5: It's good to get advice. It's good to listen to opinions. 246 00:13:04,280 --> 00:13:07,160 Speaker 5: But you've got to be confident enough in who God 247 00:13:07,200 --> 00:13:10,640 Speaker 5: made you to be that when something doesn't bear a 248 00:13:10,679 --> 00:13:14,720 Speaker 5: witness with your spirit, you have a boldness to say thanks, 249 00:13:14,920 --> 00:13:15,840 Speaker 5: but no thanks. 250 00:13:16,040 --> 00:13:19,520 Speaker 4: I love you, I appreciate your advice, but this time 251 00:13:19,600 --> 00:13:20,319 Speaker 4: it's not for me. 252 00:13:21,600 --> 00:13:23,679 Speaker 5: I have a friend that's on staff here with us, 253 00:13:23,720 --> 00:13:27,240 Speaker 5: and several years ago this man came up to him 254 00:13:27,440 --> 00:13:30,880 Speaker 5: and said, I feel very strongly that you're supposed to 255 00:13:30,920 --> 00:13:34,920 Speaker 5: go out and start your own church. You're a great minister, 256 00:13:35,080 --> 00:13:38,880 Speaker 5: you're anointed. I know it would be a success. And 257 00:13:38,960 --> 00:13:43,800 Speaker 5: while my friend appreciated his encouragement, that didn't bear witness 258 00:13:43,840 --> 00:13:47,120 Speaker 5: at all. He knows he's called to be here. This 259 00:13:47,280 --> 00:13:50,920 Speaker 5: is exactly where God wants him to be. Month after month, 260 00:13:51,000 --> 00:13:53,520 Speaker 5: this man kept coming up, when are you gonna start 261 00:13:53,559 --> 00:13:55,959 Speaker 5: your church? When are you gonna take that stuff of faith? 262 00:13:56,480 --> 00:14:00,560 Speaker 5: It went from being encouraging to pressuring him, trying to 263 00:14:00,600 --> 00:14:04,720 Speaker 5: squeeze him into his mold. My friend finally said to him, 264 00:14:04,800 --> 00:14:07,920 Speaker 5: let me ask you. Will you rent me an auditorium? 265 00:14:08,320 --> 00:14:11,040 Speaker 5: Will you buy me a sound system? Will you pay 266 00:14:11,080 --> 00:14:14,080 Speaker 5: my staff? Will you pay the utilities? Will you pay 267 00:14:14,080 --> 00:14:17,080 Speaker 5: all the advertising costs? That man looked at him like 268 00:14:17,120 --> 00:14:19,600 Speaker 5: he had lost his mind. He said, no, I can't 269 00:14:19,640 --> 00:14:22,480 Speaker 5: do that. I can't afford it. My friend said, well, 270 00:14:22,800 --> 00:14:26,240 Speaker 5: if God calls me, he'll take care of me. He'll 271 00:14:26,280 --> 00:14:29,080 Speaker 5: pay my bills, he'll bring the right people, he'll line 272 00:14:29,160 --> 00:14:32,200 Speaker 5: up the auditorium. But if I do it because you 273 00:14:32,400 --> 00:14:35,200 Speaker 5: call me, I'm going to have to rely on you. 274 00:14:35,800 --> 00:14:41,040 Speaker 5: And I can tell I'd be very disappointed. The reason 275 00:14:41,280 --> 00:14:44,000 Speaker 5: some people are not a joy in their life is 276 00:14:44,040 --> 00:14:46,200 Speaker 5: they've stepped out of their anointing. 277 00:14:47,000 --> 00:14:51,320 Speaker 4: Everything's a struggle. It's because they'd let people talk them 278 00:14:51,360 --> 00:14:51,840 Speaker 4: into it. 279 00:14:52,560 --> 00:14:55,400 Speaker 5: No matter how good of an idea it is, no 280 00:14:55,440 --> 00:14:59,320 Speaker 5: matter how exciting it sounds, if it doesn't bear witness 281 00:14:59,400 --> 00:15:02,040 Speaker 5: to what you're feeling in your own spirit, do like 282 00:15:02,080 --> 00:15:06,880 Speaker 5: my friend, be strong and run your own race. Growing up, 283 00:15:07,080 --> 00:15:09,400 Speaker 5: my parents knew this couple on them. They had been 284 00:15:09,440 --> 00:15:12,360 Speaker 5: friends for a long long time, and this couple really 285 00:15:12,440 --> 00:15:16,280 Speaker 5: loved my parents. But they didn't attend at Lakewood. They 286 00:15:16,320 --> 00:15:18,680 Speaker 5: thought it was too far. They lived on the other 287 00:15:18,720 --> 00:15:21,240 Speaker 5: side of town. It's about a thirty minute drive, no 288 00:15:21,320 --> 00:15:24,800 Speaker 5: big deal now, but for years they told my father, 289 00:15:25,240 --> 00:15:28,560 Speaker 5: if you ever bring Lakewood to our side of town, 290 00:15:29,040 --> 00:15:32,240 Speaker 5: we will be there every time the door's open. There 291 00:15:32,280 --> 00:15:35,760 Speaker 5: are so many people, thousands on this side of town 292 00:15:36,040 --> 00:15:39,680 Speaker 5: that would love to attend Lakewood. My father heard that 293 00:15:39,880 --> 00:15:43,680 Speaker 5: so much he was convinced that there was this mass 294 00:15:43,760 --> 00:15:47,240 Speaker 5: of people on the other side of town waiting for Lakewood. 295 00:15:47,840 --> 00:15:51,680 Speaker 5: So he rented an auditorium less than five minutes from 296 00:15:51,720 --> 00:15:55,760 Speaker 5: their house, spent thousands of dollars on the building, the 297 00:15:55,800 --> 00:16:01,400 Speaker 5: sound system, the advertising. For one month, every Thursday night 298 00:16:01,720 --> 00:16:04,520 Speaker 5: he brought lakewood to that side of town. And the 299 00:16:04,560 --> 00:16:07,960 Speaker 5: truth is God didn't call him to do it. These 300 00:16:08,000 --> 00:16:11,440 Speaker 5: people called him to do it. They talked him into it. 301 00:16:11,440 --> 00:16:14,920 Speaker 5: It was a good idea, but it wasn't a God idea. 302 00:16:15,680 --> 00:16:18,240 Speaker 5: There's a difference. There can be a lot of things 303 00:16:18,280 --> 00:16:21,400 Speaker 5: that look fine on the surface, but you got to 304 00:16:21,440 --> 00:16:24,360 Speaker 5: search your heart and say, God, is this from me? 305 00:16:25,200 --> 00:16:27,920 Speaker 4: Is this a part of my destiny? Is this a 306 00:16:28,000 --> 00:16:28,840 Speaker 4: God idea? 307 00:16:29,240 --> 00:16:32,400 Speaker 5: Or is this just a distraction? Is this just people 308 00:16:32,440 --> 00:16:35,880 Speaker 5: trying to squeeze me into their mold. My father had 309 00:16:35,920 --> 00:16:40,360 Speaker 5: his big service across town, spent thousands on the advertising, 310 00:16:40,520 --> 00:16:44,200 Speaker 5: and do you know, practically nobody showed up, less. 311 00:16:43,960 --> 00:16:45,040 Speaker 4: Than two hundred people. 312 00:16:45,560 --> 00:16:49,840 Speaker 5: The amazing thing is that couple did not attend one service. 313 00:16:51,040 --> 00:16:54,000 Speaker 5: First week they had a little league. Second week they 314 00:16:54,040 --> 00:16:56,760 Speaker 5: had guessed in from out of town. Third week their 315 00:16:56,760 --> 00:17:00,880 Speaker 5: goldfish was sick, fourth week was depressed. 316 00:17:01,080 --> 00:17:03,359 Speaker 4: They had the most lame excuses. 317 00:17:03,920 --> 00:17:07,560 Speaker 5: My father left there kicking himself all the way back 318 00:17:07,600 --> 00:17:11,159 Speaker 5: across town. He learned his lesson, if people call you, 319 00:17:11,640 --> 00:17:13,280 Speaker 5: people will have to take care of you. 320 00:17:13,560 --> 00:17:16,399 Speaker 4: But when God calls you, God will take care of you. 321 00:17:18,600 --> 00:17:22,000 Speaker 5: I've heard it said what God orders he will pay 322 00:17:22,040 --> 00:17:26,159 Speaker 5: for just because something is good. If it's not God's 323 00:17:26,200 --> 00:17:29,320 Speaker 5: plan for your life, there won't be an anoying on it. 324 00:17:30,080 --> 00:17:33,000 Speaker 5: Listen to what you're feeling down in here. Don't go 325 00:17:33,040 --> 00:17:37,400 Speaker 5: against that still small voice. You're not anointed to be everywhere. 326 00:17:37,720 --> 00:17:41,359 Speaker 5: You're anointed to be where God's called you to be. Now, 327 00:17:41,480 --> 00:17:45,240 Speaker 5: don't let people talk you in to leaving your sweet spot. 328 00:17:46,119 --> 00:17:49,240 Speaker 5: I see too many people hopping from church to church, 329 00:17:49,640 --> 00:17:55,399 Speaker 5: relationship to relationship, job to job, always chasing the latest fad. Now. 330 00:17:55,400 --> 00:17:58,199 Speaker 5: I know there are times to change, but so often 331 00:17:58,560 --> 00:18:01,240 Speaker 5: it's not God moving us, it's people moving us. 332 00:18:02,320 --> 00:18:03,840 Speaker 4: Some people will even. 333 00:18:03,760 --> 00:18:07,480 Speaker 5: Use the scripture, they'll use spiritual language to try to 334 00:18:07,520 --> 00:18:09,720 Speaker 5: convince you to do what they want you to do. 335 00:18:10,640 --> 00:18:13,879 Speaker 5: How many times have I heard Joel, God told me 336 00:18:14,040 --> 00:18:16,000 Speaker 5: to tell you how to run the church. 337 00:18:16,760 --> 00:18:19,040 Speaker 4: God told me to tell you to do less. 338 00:18:18,880 --> 00:18:22,080 Speaker 5: Of this some people listening to them, you'd think God 339 00:18:22,160 --> 00:18:25,760 Speaker 5: speaks to them more than he spoke to Moses. David Esther, 340 00:18:26,000 --> 00:18:30,760 Speaker 5: Sarah Combine. I had a man every Sunday that gave 341 00:18:30,800 --> 00:18:33,560 Speaker 5: me a word from the Lord. When I would see 342 00:18:33,600 --> 00:18:36,359 Speaker 5: him in the lobby. I do my best to hide. God, 343 00:18:36,400 --> 00:18:39,280 Speaker 5: give me a break this week, please. He would always 344 00:18:39,320 --> 00:18:43,000 Speaker 5: find me. He was frustrated because I wouldn't run the 345 00:18:43,119 --> 00:18:44,479 Speaker 5: church like he wanted me to. 346 00:18:44,560 --> 00:18:46,280 Speaker 4: And I finally told him, very. 347 00:18:46,200 --> 00:18:49,919 Speaker 5: Nice, but sir, I appreciate your advice, but I'm on 348 00:18:50,080 --> 00:18:53,560 Speaker 5: speaking terms with God. He can talk directly to me. 349 00:18:53,960 --> 00:18:55,840 Speaker 5: Matter of fact, I spoke with him this morning. 350 00:18:55,920 --> 00:18:59,040 Speaker 4: Everything's just fine. See. 351 00:19:00,160 --> 00:19:03,560 Speaker 5: God will give you direction for your life more than 352 00:19:03,600 --> 00:19:07,639 Speaker 5: anyone else. God's not going to tell me something about 353 00:19:07,680 --> 00:19:09,280 Speaker 5: you and then not tell you. 354 00:19:09,920 --> 00:19:11,360 Speaker 4: If someone speaks into. 355 00:19:11,160 --> 00:19:15,920 Speaker 5: Your life, they should confirm what you already know, you say, Joel. 356 00:19:15,960 --> 00:19:16,600 Speaker 4: In the Old. 357 00:19:16,440 --> 00:19:20,040 Speaker 5: Testament, the prophets told people what to do, yes, But 358 00:19:20,119 --> 00:19:23,840 Speaker 5: in the New Testament, the Holy Spirit lives on the inside. 359 00:19:23,400 --> 00:19:24,320 Speaker 4: Of each one of us. 360 00:19:26,560 --> 00:19:29,040 Speaker 5: A man came to my father and said, Pastor Ostein, 361 00:19:29,320 --> 00:19:31,600 Speaker 5: a man gave me a word from the Lord that 362 00:19:31,680 --> 00:19:33,200 Speaker 5: I'm supposed to go to Africa. 363 00:19:33,400 --> 00:19:35,959 Speaker 4: Should I go? My father said, I don't know if 364 00:19:36,000 --> 00:19:37,280 Speaker 4: you should go or not, but. 365 00:19:37,280 --> 00:19:39,480 Speaker 5: If you do go, make sure you take him with 366 00:19:39,640 --> 00:19:43,879 Speaker 5: you so you'll know when to come back home. You 367 00:19:43,920 --> 00:19:45,639 Speaker 5: don't need anybody to tell you what. 368 00:19:45,520 --> 00:19:46,800 Speaker 4: To do or not to do. 369 00:19:47,720 --> 00:19:50,320 Speaker 5: We have to realize when we come to the end 370 00:19:50,359 --> 00:19:53,720 Speaker 5: of life, we're not going to stand before any person 371 00:19:53,960 --> 00:19:57,720 Speaker 5: and give our account. We're going to stand before Almighty God. 372 00:19:57,960 --> 00:20:00,439 Speaker 5: He's not going to say, why didn't you do what 373 00:20:00,480 --> 00:20:03,200 Speaker 5: they said? Why didn't you fit into their mold? Why 374 00:20:03,200 --> 00:20:06,560 Speaker 5: didn't you take their opinion. He's going to ask, did 375 00:20:06,560 --> 00:20:10,080 Speaker 5: you become who I created you to be? Did you 376 00:20:10,160 --> 00:20:13,680 Speaker 5: stay true to what I put in your heart? This 377 00:20:13,720 --> 00:20:17,359 Speaker 5: is where Saul missed it. Saul had a big destiny. 378 00:20:17,680 --> 00:20:20,919 Speaker 5: God had great things in his future. But Saul was 379 00:20:21,040 --> 00:20:25,080 Speaker 5: so insecure he let people squeeze him into their mold. 380 00:20:25,320 --> 00:20:28,280 Speaker 5: He was afraid he was going to disappoint somebody. He 381 00:20:28,359 --> 00:20:32,480 Speaker 5: said in First Samuel fifteen twenty four. I disobeyed the 382 00:20:32,520 --> 00:20:37,199 Speaker 5: Lord's instructions because I was afraid of the people, so 383 00:20:37,359 --> 00:20:41,160 Speaker 5: I did what they ask. Notice, Saul knew what to do. 384 00:20:41,800 --> 00:20:45,000 Speaker 5: He even admitted it, I disobeyed God's instructions. 385 00:20:45,400 --> 00:20:47,480 Speaker 4: Why he was a people pleaser. 386 00:20:48,040 --> 00:20:51,919 Speaker 5: He thought somebody might get their feelings hurt, somebody may 387 00:20:51,960 --> 00:20:54,560 Speaker 5: be disappointed, somebody may not like me. 388 00:20:55,320 --> 00:20:57,639 Speaker 4: So he forfeited his destiny. 389 00:20:58,200 --> 00:21:02,240 Speaker 5: In order to please people, don't let that be you. 390 00:21:02,240 --> 00:21:06,119 Speaker 5: You have to especially be aware of high maintenance people. 391 00:21:06,720 --> 00:21:08,600 Speaker 4: I believe that's who Sau's dealing with. 392 00:21:08,960 --> 00:21:12,560 Speaker 5: These people are almost impossible to keep happy. You have 393 00:21:12,680 --> 00:21:16,280 Speaker 5: to call them on schedule, keep them cheered up, run 394 00:21:16,320 --> 00:21:20,359 Speaker 5: their errands, meet their demands, be available twenty four to seven. 395 00:21:20,960 --> 00:21:24,320 Speaker 5: If not, they get upset, and they'll do their best 396 00:21:24,400 --> 00:21:28,240 Speaker 5: to make you feel guilty about it. High maintenance people 397 00:21:28,520 --> 00:21:33,600 Speaker 5: are almost always controllers. They're not interested in you, They're 398 00:21:33,680 --> 00:21:36,640 Speaker 5: interested in what you can do for them. Now, if 399 00:21:36,640 --> 00:21:39,560 Speaker 5: you fall into that trap of trying to keep them happy, 400 00:21:40,119 --> 00:21:43,160 Speaker 5: it'll wear you out and you'll live life frustrated. 401 00:21:43,800 --> 00:21:44,119 Speaker 4: I know. 402 00:21:44,440 --> 00:21:47,520 Speaker 5: I knew this couple years ago. I really liked them, 403 00:21:47,880 --> 00:21:50,639 Speaker 5: and I was so good to them. They moved to 404 00:21:50,720 --> 00:21:54,240 Speaker 5: another city. I helped them move, I gave them money, 405 00:21:54,760 --> 00:21:57,920 Speaker 5: I'd called a check on them. I was always available, 406 00:21:58,400 --> 00:22:00,919 Speaker 5: But the feeling I got from them is I was 407 00:22:01,040 --> 00:22:05,480 Speaker 5: never doing enough. They were never satisfied, always had a 408 00:22:05,520 --> 00:22:06,760 Speaker 5: complaint here. 409 00:22:06,920 --> 00:22:08,920 Speaker 4: I had gone overboard. 410 00:22:08,560 --> 00:22:12,919 Speaker 5: To be kind and generous, but they were constantly finding fault, 411 00:22:13,200 --> 00:22:16,240 Speaker 5: trying to make me feel guilty. And one day I 412 00:22:16,359 --> 00:22:20,199 Speaker 5: learned what I'm sharing with you. They're just high maintenance people. 413 00:22:20,640 --> 00:22:23,520 Speaker 5: I am not responsible to keep them happy. I'm going 414 00:22:23,560 --> 00:22:26,280 Speaker 5: to run my own race and not let them steal 415 00:22:26,359 --> 00:22:29,360 Speaker 5: my joy. And that was a great day in my life. 416 00:22:29,600 --> 00:22:33,840 Speaker 5: Matter of fact, I get happy just thinking about it. Friends, 417 00:22:33,880 --> 00:22:37,479 Speaker 5: your time is too valuable to go around trying to 418 00:22:37,520 --> 00:22:41,520 Speaker 5: figure out how to keep everybody happy. I know people 419 00:22:41,760 --> 00:22:45,440 Speaker 5: that spend more time worrying about what people are going 420 00:22:45,480 --> 00:22:49,200 Speaker 5: to think about them than they do pursuing their own dreams, 421 00:22:49,320 --> 00:22:51,919 Speaker 5: their own goals. You got a break free from that. 422 00:22:52,800 --> 00:22:56,119 Speaker 5: If you're going to do anything great in life, if 423 00:22:56,119 --> 00:22:59,320 Speaker 5: you're going to be a great business person, a great teacher, 424 00:22:59,640 --> 00:23:03,520 Speaker 5: a great parents, not everybody is going to cheer you on. 425 00:23:04,359 --> 00:23:07,160 Speaker 5: I'd love to tell you that all your family, friends, 426 00:23:07,280 --> 00:23:10,480 Speaker 5: co workers will celebrate you, but that's not the case. 427 00:23:11,359 --> 00:23:15,520 Speaker 5: Some people can't handle your success. If you were where 428 00:23:15,520 --> 00:23:17,040 Speaker 5: you were ten years ago. 429 00:23:16,960 --> 00:23:18,600 Speaker 4: They'd have no problem with you. 430 00:23:19,119 --> 00:23:22,520 Speaker 5: But as you succeed, as God pours out his favor, 431 00:23:22,920 --> 00:23:27,240 Speaker 5: somebody will get jealous. Somebody will start finding fault. Don't 432 00:23:27,240 --> 00:23:31,000 Speaker 5: be surprised if a family member, a relative tries to 433 00:23:31,040 --> 00:23:34,760 Speaker 5: belittle you, discredit you a friend. You've been good to 434 00:23:34,880 --> 00:23:36,920 Speaker 5: for years, all of a sudden, won't speak to you. 435 00:23:37,760 --> 00:23:39,400 Speaker 5: Let that bounce off of you. 436 00:23:39,280 --> 00:23:40,760 Speaker 4: Like water off of a duck's back. 437 00:23:41,280 --> 00:23:46,560 Speaker 5: If you don't, you'll start changing, being defensive, trying to prove. 438 00:23:46,320 --> 00:23:48,160 Speaker 4: To them that you really are okay. 439 00:23:48,920 --> 00:23:52,440 Speaker 5: What's happening is you're letting them squeeze you into their mold. 440 00:23:53,560 --> 00:23:57,760 Speaker 5: Your destiny is too great to be distracted by people 441 00:23:57,800 --> 00:23:59,480 Speaker 5: that are never going to like you. 442 00:24:00,440 --> 00:24:03,320 Speaker 4: Don't take it personally. It's not about you. 443 00:24:03,760 --> 00:24:06,720 Speaker 5: It's about the favor God put on your life that 444 00:24:06,880 --> 00:24:10,640 Speaker 5: stirs up the jealousy in them. Until they deal with it, 445 00:24:10,840 --> 00:24:13,520 Speaker 5: nothing's going to change. You might as well just shake 446 00:24:13,600 --> 00:24:17,000 Speaker 5: it off, be happy and run your race, because no 447 00:24:17,040 --> 00:24:19,680 Speaker 5: matter how good you are to them, they're still going 448 00:24:19,720 --> 00:24:23,200 Speaker 5: to find fault. No matter how much kindness you show, 449 00:24:23,760 --> 00:24:27,400 Speaker 5: they will still find some reason to be critical. It's 450 00:24:27,440 --> 00:24:30,280 Speaker 5: like this grandfather I heard about. He and his small 451 00:24:30,320 --> 00:24:33,680 Speaker 5: grandson were taking a trip into town, and he started off, 452 00:24:34,040 --> 00:24:38,640 Speaker 5: letting the grandson ride the donkey, and he was walking alongside. 453 00:24:38,680 --> 00:24:42,080 Speaker 5: Somebody came along and said, look at that selfish little 454 00:24:42,080 --> 00:24:45,800 Speaker 5: boy making the old man walk. The grandfather heard it, 455 00:24:46,080 --> 00:24:48,479 Speaker 5: took the boy off and he got on the donkey 456 00:24:48,480 --> 00:24:52,000 Speaker 5: and wrote it and had his little grandson walking alongside. 457 00:24:52,040 --> 00:24:54,640 Speaker 5: In a few minutes, somebody came along and said, look 458 00:24:54,680 --> 00:24:58,640 Speaker 5: at that selfish old man making the little boy walk 459 00:24:58,680 --> 00:24:59,440 Speaker 5: while he rides. 460 00:24:59,440 --> 00:25:00,400 Speaker 4: That is not right. 461 00:25:01,080 --> 00:25:04,000 Speaker 5: Hearing that, the grandfather picked up the boy and put 462 00:25:04,080 --> 00:25:05,199 Speaker 5: him on the back of the donkey. 463 00:25:05,240 --> 00:25:06,200 Speaker 4: They were both writing. 464 00:25:06,520 --> 00:25:10,000 Speaker 5: A few minutes, somebody came by and said, how cruel 465 00:25:10,200 --> 00:25:12,639 Speaker 5: of the two of you to put that heavy load 466 00:25:12,720 --> 00:25:16,080 Speaker 5: on that little donkey. By that time they got to town, 467 00:25:16,160 --> 00:25:21,879 Speaker 5: the grandfather and grandson were carrying the donkey. You know 468 00:25:21,960 --> 00:25:25,359 Speaker 5: the point, No matter what you do, you're not going 469 00:25:25,400 --> 00:25:30,240 Speaker 5: to please everyone. You might as well accept the fact 470 00:25:30,720 --> 00:25:33,840 Speaker 5: that not every person is going to understand you, and 471 00:25:33,880 --> 00:25:37,040 Speaker 5: that's okay. They have a right to their opinion and 472 00:25:37,080 --> 00:25:38,800 Speaker 5: you have every right to ignore it. 473 00:25:39,400 --> 00:25:40,080 Speaker 4: One more key. 474 00:25:40,520 --> 00:25:43,560 Speaker 5: If you're going to run your race, don't share your 475 00:25:43,640 --> 00:25:48,919 Speaker 5: dreams with everyone. Don't go around telling people what's in 476 00:25:48,960 --> 00:25:51,360 Speaker 5: your heart and all your goals. 477 00:25:51,400 --> 00:25:53,680 Speaker 4: Some things you're supposed to keep to yourself. 478 00:25:54,240 --> 00:25:57,840 Speaker 5: The scripture even talks about the hidden petitions of your 479 00:25:57,880 --> 00:26:01,679 Speaker 5: heart that's supposed to be between you and God. What 480 00:26:01,800 --> 00:26:05,040 Speaker 5: gets us off course sometimes is we share our dreams 481 00:26:05,040 --> 00:26:05,960 Speaker 5: with people. 482 00:26:05,800 --> 00:26:06,919 Speaker 4: That can't handle it. 483 00:26:07,520 --> 00:26:10,200 Speaker 5: If Joseph would have understood, this would have saved him 484 00:26:10,200 --> 00:26:13,200 Speaker 5: a lot of heartache. As a teenager, he had the 485 00:26:13,320 --> 00:26:16,520 Speaker 5: dream that his older brothers were going to bow down 486 00:26:16,560 --> 00:26:19,320 Speaker 5: before him. He was going to lead a nation and 487 00:26:19,480 --> 00:26:23,119 Speaker 5: have all this success. The mistake he made is he 488 00:26:23,160 --> 00:26:26,960 Speaker 5: went out and told everyone, and somehow his older brothers 489 00:26:27,320 --> 00:26:29,800 Speaker 5: didn't celebrate the fact that they were going to bow down. 490 00:26:30,320 --> 00:26:33,960 Speaker 5: That didn't go over very big. Certain dreams you should 491 00:26:34,000 --> 00:26:37,440 Speaker 5: keep to yourself. You may be excited, but other people 492 00:26:37,520 --> 00:26:41,120 Speaker 5: are not going to be excited, like Joseph's family, They're 493 00:26:41,160 --> 00:26:43,680 Speaker 5: not going to celebrate what God's put in your heart. 494 00:26:44,080 --> 00:26:46,199 Speaker 5: Be much better off to just learn to keep it 495 00:26:46,240 --> 00:26:46,879 Speaker 5: to yourself. 496 00:26:47,520 --> 00:26:49,159 Speaker 4: This is what Mary did. 497 00:26:49,200 --> 00:26:52,080 Speaker 5: The mother of Christ, when she was a teenager, the 498 00:26:52,119 --> 00:26:54,960 Speaker 5: angel appeared unto her and told her she was going 499 00:26:55,000 --> 00:26:58,480 Speaker 5: to have a baby without knowing a man. Mary didn't 500 00:26:58,480 --> 00:27:01,080 Speaker 5: go out and announce it to the world. She didn't 501 00:27:01,119 --> 00:27:03,520 Speaker 5: run called TMZ and say I got some big news. 502 00:27:04,960 --> 00:27:08,800 Speaker 5: The scripture says she pondered it in her heart. 503 00:27:09,440 --> 00:27:12,000 Speaker 4: She kept it between her and God. 504 00:27:12,480 --> 00:27:16,280 Speaker 5: She was wise enough to know not everybody would understand it. 505 00:27:16,840 --> 00:27:18,679 Speaker 5: Some people would try to talk her out of it. 506 00:27:18,760 --> 00:27:21,760 Speaker 5: Some people would make fun of it. Learn to keep 507 00:27:21,800 --> 00:27:25,320 Speaker 5: your dreams to yourself. Let them take root in your 508 00:27:25,359 --> 00:27:29,760 Speaker 5: own spirit. Ponder it on the inside between you and God. 509 00:27:30,280 --> 00:27:32,880 Speaker 5: When it's time to bring it to pass, God will 510 00:27:32,920 --> 00:27:36,040 Speaker 5: help you to give birth to every dream He's placed 511 00:27:36,040 --> 00:27:37,040 Speaker 5: in your heart. 512 00:27:37,320 --> 00:27:39,800 Speaker 4: My challenge to you run your race. 513 00:27:40,280 --> 00:27:43,160 Speaker 5: Don't you dare let people squeeze you into their mold. 514 00:27:43,520 --> 00:27:47,280 Speaker 5: Always be kind, but be confident enough in who God 515 00:27:47,320 --> 00:27:50,119 Speaker 5: made you to be that you don't live to please people, 516 00:27:50,320 --> 00:27:51,560 Speaker 5: You live to please God. 517 00:27:52,000 --> 00:27:53,520 Speaker 4: Our attitude should be. 518 00:27:53,640 --> 00:27:56,679 Speaker 5: I'm free to be me, and I'm going to be 519 00:27:56,760 --> 00:28:00,680 Speaker 5: the best me that I possibly can. Remember, you don't 520 00:28:00,680 --> 00:28:02,680 Speaker 5: have to try to play up to people to try 521 00:28:02,680 --> 00:28:03,760 Speaker 5: to win their approval. 522 00:28:04,080 --> 00:28:06,040 Speaker 4: You have Almighty God's approval. 523 00:28:06,359 --> 00:28:09,800 Speaker 5: Quit worrying about what everybody thinks as long as you're 524 00:28:09,840 --> 00:28:12,520 Speaker 5: being true to what God's put in your heart. Don't 525 00:28:12,560 --> 00:28:15,240 Speaker 5: look to the left nor to the right. Stay focused 526 00:28:15,240 --> 00:28:18,159 Speaker 5: on your goals. If you'll make this decision with me 527 00:28:18,480 --> 00:28:21,080 Speaker 5: that you're going to run your race that I believe in, 528 00:28:21,160 --> 00:28:24,440 Speaker 5: declare God will get you to where you're supposed to be. 529 00:28:24,720 --> 00:28:28,919 Speaker 5: You will overcome every obstacle and accomplish every God given. 530 00:28:28,720 --> 00:28:31,960 Speaker 4: Dream in Jesus' name. If you receive it, can you 531 00:28:32,000 --> 00:28:35,800 Speaker 4: say him in today? We never like to close. 532 00:28:35,520 --> 00:28:39,240 Speaker 5: Our broadcast without giving you an opportunity to make Jesus 533 00:28:39,320 --> 00:28:40,360 Speaker 5: the lord of your life. 534 00:28:40,600 --> 00:28:45,160 Speaker 4: Would you pray with me? Just say, Lord, Jesus, I 535 00:28:45,280 --> 00:28:50,240 Speaker 4: repent of my sins. Come into my heart. I make 536 00:28:50,280 --> 00:28:51,480 Speaker 4: you my Lord and savior. 537 00:28:52,400 --> 00:28:54,960 Speaker 5: Friends, if you prayed that simple prayer, we believe you 538 00:28:55,000 --> 00:28:58,000 Speaker 5: got born again. Get in a good Bible based church. 539 00:28:58,400 --> 00:29:01,200 Speaker 5: Keep God first place. He's going to take your places 540 00:29:01,280 --> 00:29:02,400 Speaker 5: that you've never dreamed of. 541 00:29:02,640 --> 00:29:05,200 Speaker 4: Thanks so much for listening to today's message. 542 00:29:05,320 --> 00:29:08,120 Speaker 5: I hope you'll subscribe so you can receive the latest 543 00:29:08,160 --> 00:29:11,600 Speaker 5: podcast to keep you encouraged and inspired all through the week. 544 00:29:11,800 --> 00:29:14,000 Speaker 5: Help us to continue to share the message of hope 545 00:29:14,040 --> 00:29:15,520 Speaker 5: with those all around the world. 546 00:29:15,840 --> 00:29:18,600 Speaker 2: Visit Joelosting dot com or click the link in the 547 00:29:18,640 --> 00:29:20,800 Speaker 2: description to partner with us today. 548 00:29:21,040 --> 00:29:23,520 Speaker 5: We hope you'll share this message with a friend and 549 00:29:23,600 --> 00:29:25,560 Speaker 5: be sure to follow us on social media. 550 00:29:25,840 --> 00:29:29,120 Speaker 4: We're praying for you. 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