1 00:00:00,920 --> 00:00:03,640 Speaker 1: Victoria and I believe, and you're gonna have a blessed summer. 2 00:00:03,720 --> 00:00:06,600 Speaker 1: Praying for you guys every day, and thanks for being 3 00:00:06,600 --> 00:00:09,200 Speaker 1: with us today. Hey, I'm excited. Victoria's got a new 4 00:00:09,240 --> 00:00:11,760 Speaker 1: book out. It's called Grace to Go, and I know 5 00:00:11,840 --> 00:00:14,840 Speaker 1: it's going to bless you. I'm excited because in this 6 00:00:14,960 --> 00:00:18,279 Speaker 1: book you will see how you are strengthened, that you 7 00:00:18,400 --> 00:00:21,439 Speaker 1: are prepared and you are ready for anything that's in 8 00:00:21,480 --> 00:00:22,360 Speaker 1: front of you. 9 00:00:22,360 --> 00:00:26,680 Speaker 2: You are Grace to Go. Enjoy today's message. Well, God 10 00:00:26,720 --> 00:00:29,680 Speaker 2: bless you. It's always a joy to come into your homes. 11 00:00:29,680 --> 00:00:32,239 Speaker 1: And if you're ever in our area, please stop by 12 00:00:32,280 --> 00:00:33,960 Speaker 1: and be a part of one of our services. 13 00:00:34,120 --> 00:00:36,280 Speaker 2: I promise you we'll make you feel right at home. 14 00:00:36,600 --> 00:00:39,080 Speaker 1: But thanks so much for tuning in today, and thank 15 00:00:39,120 --> 00:00:41,720 Speaker 1: you again for coming out. I like to start with 16 00:00:41,800 --> 00:00:45,080 Speaker 1: something funny, and I heard about these four Catholic ladies. 17 00:00:45,440 --> 00:00:48,520 Speaker 1: They were bragging on their sons. The first one said, 18 00:00:48,560 --> 00:00:51,480 Speaker 1: my son is a priest. When he walks in the room, 19 00:00:51,720 --> 00:00:55,600 Speaker 1: everyone calls him father. The second said, my son is 20 00:00:55,640 --> 00:00:58,400 Speaker 1: a bishop. When he walks in the room, everyone calls 21 00:00:58,480 --> 00:01:02,120 Speaker 1: him your grace. The third said, my son is a cardinal. 22 00:01:02,480 --> 00:01:05,640 Speaker 1: When he walks in the room, everyone calls him your eminence. 23 00:01:06,319 --> 00:01:09,800 Speaker 1: Fourth lady said, my son is six foot three, has 24 00:01:09,840 --> 00:01:13,919 Speaker 1: broad shoulders, is incredibly good looking, dresses impetably well. 25 00:01:14,280 --> 00:01:16,759 Speaker 2: When he walks in the room, all the ladies say, 26 00:01:17,080 --> 00:01:17,839 Speaker 2: oh my God. 27 00:01:20,959 --> 00:01:22,640 Speaker 1: All right, come on, say it like you mean it. 28 00:01:23,160 --> 00:01:25,960 Speaker 1: This is my Bible. I am what it says I am. 29 00:01:26,440 --> 00:01:28,760 Speaker 1: I have what it says I have. I can do 30 00:01:28,880 --> 00:01:31,440 Speaker 1: what it says I can do. Today I will be 31 00:01:31,520 --> 00:01:35,279 Speaker 1: taught the word of God. I'll boldly confess. My mind 32 00:01:35,360 --> 00:01:38,520 Speaker 1: is alert, my heart is receptive. I will never be 33 00:01:38,640 --> 00:01:43,959 Speaker 1: the same. In Jesus' name, God bless you. I want 34 00:01:43,959 --> 00:01:46,640 Speaker 1: to talk to you today about don't waste your pain. 35 00:01:47,720 --> 00:01:48,840 Speaker 2: We all go through. 36 00:01:48,560 --> 00:01:53,680 Speaker 1: Disappointments, setbacks, loss, pain is a part of life. It's 37 00:01:53,720 --> 00:01:56,840 Speaker 1: easy to get discouraged, even bitter. I think, why is 38 00:01:56,880 --> 00:01:59,760 Speaker 1: this happening to me? But one of the best principles 39 00:01:59,800 --> 00:02:03,440 Speaker 1: I've learned is don't put a question mark where God 40 00:02:03,480 --> 00:02:06,320 Speaker 1: has put a period. All of us have things we 41 00:02:06,360 --> 00:02:09,760 Speaker 1: don't understand. One reason is we can't. 42 00:02:09,480 --> 00:02:11,440 Speaker 2: See the big picture for our lives. 43 00:02:12,200 --> 00:02:14,720 Speaker 1: If you have a puzzle on the front of the box, 44 00:02:14,800 --> 00:02:17,680 Speaker 1: there's the picture you see what it's supposed to look like. 45 00:02:18,320 --> 00:02:21,919 Speaker 1: Maybe it's a sunset overlooking the ocean as a whole. 46 00:02:22,080 --> 00:02:25,519 Speaker 1: It's fantastic, so beautiful. But if you were to take 47 00:02:25,600 --> 00:02:28,799 Speaker 1: one piece and isolate it, you would think, look at 48 00:02:28,800 --> 00:02:31,079 Speaker 1: this funny looking peace. It's a mistake. 49 00:02:31,320 --> 00:02:32,640 Speaker 2: It's not gonna fit anywhere. 50 00:02:32,840 --> 00:02:36,680 Speaker 1: It's an odd shape, there's nothing beautiful about it. But 51 00:02:36,720 --> 00:02:40,880 Speaker 1: the fact is that piece has a perfect place. It's 52 00:02:40,919 --> 00:02:45,640 Speaker 1: already been fitted, planned designed. When the other pieces come together, 53 00:02:45,880 --> 00:02:48,680 Speaker 1: it will fit in. The reason you can't see it 54 00:02:48,720 --> 00:02:51,440 Speaker 1: now is because they all are not in place yet. 55 00:02:52,280 --> 00:02:55,400 Speaker 1: In the same way, sometimes we look at pieces in 56 00:02:55,480 --> 00:02:58,440 Speaker 1: our lives that don't make sense, Joel, I went through 57 00:02:58,440 --> 00:03:02,480 Speaker 1: a divorce, I lost the loved one, I'm going through cancer, 58 00:03:02,919 --> 00:03:05,679 Speaker 1: my business went down. This piece couldn't be a part 59 00:03:05,720 --> 00:03:09,200 Speaker 1: of God's plan. But you have to trust that even 60 00:03:09,200 --> 00:03:12,840 Speaker 1: in the painful times, the times you're hurting, you're lonely, 61 00:03:13,120 --> 00:03:16,919 Speaker 1: you're taking the treatment. On the surface, that piece doesn't 62 00:03:16,960 --> 00:03:21,799 Speaker 1: make sense. But God doesn't make any mistakes. He's already 63 00:03:21,840 --> 00:03:25,520 Speaker 1: designed your life, laid out all the pieces down to 64 00:03:25,560 --> 00:03:29,920 Speaker 1: the smallest details. God never said that we would understand 65 00:03:30,160 --> 00:03:33,920 Speaker 1: everything that happens along the way. He didn't promise that 66 00:03:33,960 --> 00:03:38,240 Speaker 1: we'd never have any heartache, pain, disappointment, loss, setbacks. But 67 00:03:38,360 --> 00:03:41,560 Speaker 1: he did promise that it would all work out for 68 00:03:41,680 --> 00:03:45,280 Speaker 1: our good, and that peace is painful, doesn't look like 69 00:03:45,320 --> 00:03:49,240 Speaker 1: it makes any sense. When everything comes together, it will 70 00:03:49,240 --> 00:03:53,720 Speaker 1: fit perfectly into place. The key is what we do 71 00:03:53,960 --> 00:03:55,320 Speaker 1: in our times of pain. 72 00:03:56,120 --> 00:03:57,520 Speaker 2: Pain will change us. 73 00:03:58,000 --> 00:04:02,440 Speaker 1: Heartache, loss, disappointments, they don't leave us the same. When 74 00:04:02,440 --> 00:04:05,080 Speaker 1: I lost my father, I didn't come out like I 75 00:04:05,240 --> 00:04:05,720 Speaker 1: was before. 76 00:04:05,880 --> 00:04:06,760 Speaker 2: I was changed. 77 00:04:07,440 --> 00:04:10,760 Speaker 1: If you go through a divorce, a legal battle, a 78 00:04:10,800 --> 00:04:15,560 Speaker 1: friend betrays you, Eventually that will pass. You'll get through it, 79 00:04:16,160 --> 00:04:20,040 Speaker 1: but you will be different now. How the pain changes 80 00:04:20,080 --> 00:04:23,400 Speaker 1: you is up to you. You can come out bitter 81 00:04:24,120 --> 00:04:26,880 Speaker 1: or you can come out better. You can come out 82 00:04:26,920 --> 00:04:29,839 Speaker 1: with a chip on your shoulder blaming God, or you 83 00:04:29,880 --> 00:04:33,039 Speaker 1: can come out stronger with a greater confidence in God. 84 00:04:33,800 --> 00:04:36,760 Speaker 1: You can come out defeated, giving up on your dreams. 85 00:04:37,279 --> 00:04:39,440 Speaker 1: Or you can come out with a new passion, a 86 00:04:39,520 --> 00:04:43,000 Speaker 1: new fire, excited about the new opportunities in front of you. 87 00:04:43,960 --> 00:04:48,280 Speaker 1: All of us experience pain. My challenge, don't just go 88 00:04:48,400 --> 00:04:53,120 Speaker 1: through it, grow through it. That difficulty is an opportunity 89 00:04:53,320 --> 00:04:57,560 Speaker 1: to get stronger, to develop character, to gain new confidence. 90 00:04:58,279 --> 00:05:01,880 Speaker 1: Anybody can give up, anybody can let it overwhelm you. 91 00:05:02,160 --> 00:05:06,120 Speaker 1: But you know what that's doing, wasting your pain. That 92 00:05:06,200 --> 00:05:07,800 Speaker 1: pain is not there to stop you. 93 00:05:08,000 --> 00:05:11,479 Speaker 2: It's there to prepare you, to increase you, to develop you. 94 00:05:12,400 --> 00:05:15,680 Speaker 1: The scripture talks about how God is in control not 95 00:05:15,920 --> 00:05:19,160 Speaker 1: just of our lives, but he's in control of our enemies. 96 00:05:19,960 --> 00:05:22,880 Speaker 1: Satan had to ask God for permission. 97 00:05:22,560 --> 00:05:23,480 Speaker 2: To test job. 98 00:05:24,480 --> 00:05:27,240 Speaker 1: The enemy may turn on the fire, but the good 99 00:05:27,279 --> 00:05:31,599 Speaker 1: news is God has his hand on the thermostaff God 100 00:05:31,680 --> 00:05:34,960 Speaker 1: controls how much heat, how much pain, how much adversity. 101 00:05:35,200 --> 00:05:36,520 Speaker 2: He knows what we can handle. 102 00:05:37,320 --> 00:05:40,440 Speaker 1: If it was going to harm us rather than help us, 103 00:05:40,880 --> 00:05:43,360 Speaker 1: God would have turned back the intensity. 104 00:05:43,480 --> 00:05:45,320 Speaker 2: In those tough times when. 105 00:05:45,240 --> 00:05:49,720 Speaker 1: You're uncomfortable, going through a loss, dealing with an illness, 106 00:05:49,880 --> 00:05:53,440 Speaker 1: you could easily let it overwhelm you. It's helpful to 107 00:05:53,520 --> 00:05:57,200 Speaker 1: remind yourself. I may be in this fire, but I 108 00:05:57,279 --> 00:06:01,240 Speaker 1: know who controls the temperature. The God who breathed life 109 00:06:01,240 --> 00:06:03,600 Speaker 1: into me, the God who is for me and not 110 00:06:03,720 --> 00:06:07,159 Speaker 1: against me, The God who crowned me with favor, the 111 00:06:07,200 --> 00:06:10,880 Speaker 1: God who takes pleasure in prospering me. He's in complete control. 112 00:06:11,600 --> 00:06:13,880 Speaker 1: He's not going to let it get too hot. He's 113 00:06:13,880 --> 00:06:15,080 Speaker 1: not going to let it defeat me. 114 00:06:15,680 --> 00:06:18,480 Speaker 2: I may not like it, but I'm not a whiner. 115 00:06:18,680 --> 00:06:21,080 Speaker 2: I'm a warrior. I know I can handle this. 116 00:06:21,800 --> 00:06:25,400 Speaker 1: You have that attitude, you'll come out stronger, increase, promoted, 117 00:06:25,640 --> 00:06:29,239 Speaker 1: better than you were before. We've all heard the saying, 118 00:06:29,640 --> 00:06:34,039 Speaker 1: no pain, no gain. If everything was always easy, we 119 00:06:34,080 --> 00:06:34,640 Speaker 1: wouldn't be. 120 00:06:34,600 --> 00:06:36,039 Speaker 2: Prepared for our destiny. 121 00:06:37,080 --> 00:06:39,760 Speaker 1: Some of the things I face today, if I would 122 00:06:39,800 --> 00:06:43,080 Speaker 1: have faced them ten years ago, they would have overwhelmed me. 123 00:06:43,600 --> 00:06:47,080 Speaker 1: I couldn't handle it back then. God knows what you 124 00:06:47,200 --> 00:06:51,280 Speaker 1: need when you need it. Every struggle is making you stronger. 125 00:06:51,800 --> 00:06:56,600 Speaker 1: Every difficulty is growing you up. Every painful time, even 126 00:06:56,600 --> 00:07:00,080 Speaker 1: though you don't like it, it's developing something in you 127 00:07:00,440 --> 00:07:03,919 Speaker 1: that can only be developed in the tough times. Don't 128 00:07:03,960 --> 00:07:07,360 Speaker 1: complain about the pain. Without the pain, we couldn't reach 129 00:07:07,400 --> 00:07:12,400 Speaker 1: the fullness of our destinies. Researchers did an experiment with bumblebees. 130 00:07:12,800 --> 00:07:15,800 Speaker 1: They took them up into space to study the effects 131 00:07:15,880 --> 00:07:19,480 Speaker 1: of weightlessness on them. The bees floated through the air 132 00:07:19,960 --> 00:07:23,800 Speaker 1: with great ease, didn't have to use their wings. I'm 133 00:07:23,840 --> 00:07:26,000 Speaker 1: sure they thought this is the way we were made 134 00:07:26,040 --> 00:07:29,920 Speaker 1: to live no struggle, no adversity, no resistance. For a 135 00:07:29,960 --> 00:07:33,320 Speaker 1: few days, everything was great. But on the fourth day 136 00:07:33,640 --> 00:07:34,480 Speaker 1: something happened. 137 00:07:34,720 --> 00:07:35,520 Speaker 2: They all died. 138 00:07:36,320 --> 00:07:40,360 Speaker 1: They loved it being easy, no adversity, But the problem 139 00:07:40,560 --> 00:07:45,760 Speaker 1: was they weren't created to not have any resistance in 140 00:07:45,800 --> 00:07:49,480 Speaker 1: the same way we were not created to float through 141 00:07:49,520 --> 00:07:51,120 Speaker 1: life on flowery. 142 00:07:50,640 --> 00:07:51,360 Speaker 2: Beds of ease. 143 00:07:52,040 --> 00:07:54,880 Speaker 1: We're going to the sweep by and by, but we 144 00:07:54,920 --> 00:07:58,800 Speaker 1: are living in the nasty now and now we love 145 00:07:58,880 --> 00:08:02,200 Speaker 1: did not have any pain, loss, disappointments, heartaches, betrayal. 146 00:08:02,720 --> 00:08:06,120 Speaker 2: That's not reality. Difficulties are a part of life. 147 00:08:06,520 --> 00:08:10,320 Speaker 1: Have the right perspective in those tough times. God is 148 00:08:10,360 --> 00:08:13,920 Speaker 1: getting you prepared. If it was too much, he would 149 00:08:13,960 --> 00:08:16,840 Speaker 1: have turned back the temperature. He's got his hand on 150 00:08:16,880 --> 00:08:20,080 Speaker 1: the thermostat. Now quit telling yourself you can't take it. 151 00:08:20,320 --> 00:08:23,600 Speaker 1: You're not weak, you are well able. You are armed 152 00:08:23,600 --> 00:08:26,120 Speaker 1: with strength for this battle. You are full of can 153 00:08:26,200 --> 00:08:30,560 Speaker 1: do power. The reason the fire is so hot is 154 00:08:30,600 --> 00:08:34,400 Speaker 1: because God has something amazing in your future. He's getting 155 00:08:34,400 --> 00:08:37,920 Speaker 1: you prepared for the next level of your destiny. See, 156 00:08:37,960 --> 00:08:40,800 Speaker 1: God doesn't just randomly say let me give them some 157 00:08:40,920 --> 00:08:41,720 Speaker 1: pain to make. 158 00:08:41,600 --> 00:08:42,520 Speaker 2: Their life miserable. 159 00:08:43,080 --> 00:08:45,160 Speaker 1: Let me hit her with the sickness, let me hit 160 00:08:45,200 --> 00:08:48,439 Speaker 1: him with some marriage problems. There is a purpose for 161 00:08:48,480 --> 00:08:51,520 Speaker 1: the pain. We may not always understand it. 162 00:08:52,040 --> 00:08:52,319 Speaker 2: Joe. 163 00:08:52,320 --> 00:08:54,560 Speaker 1: Why did I get sick? Why did I lose my 164 00:08:54,640 --> 00:08:57,520 Speaker 1: loved one? Why did my marriage not make it? I 165 00:08:57,559 --> 00:09:00,240 Speaker 1: can't answer that, but I can tell you if if 166 00:09:00,280 --> 00:09:01,439 Speaker 1: God allowed it. 167 00:09:01,520 --> 00:09:04,080 Speaker 2: He knows how to bring good out of it. This 168 00:09:04,160 --> 00:09:06,120 Speaker 2: is what faith is all about. God. 169 00:09:06,160 --> 00:09:09,400 Speaker 1: I don't like the pain, but I trust you. I 170 00:09:09,440 --> 00:09:12,280 Speaker 1: believe you're in control. Now. I'm not gonna just go 171 00:09:12,400 --> 00:09:14,880 Speaker 1: through it. I'm gonna grow through it. I'm gonna keep 172 00:09:14,880 --> 00:09:17,920 Speaker 1: a good attitude. I'm gonna count it all joy, knowing 173 00:09:17,960 --> 00:09:22,200 Speaker 1: that this pain is leading to my gain. Sometimes we 174 00:09:22,240 --> 00:09:26,200 Speaker 1: bring pain on ourselves. We make poor choices, get in 175 00:09:26,240 --> 00:09:29,000 Speaker 1: a relationship we know is not good, or maybe get 176 00:09:29,040 --> 00:09:32,240 Speaker 1: over our head and our spending. Now it's painful, we're 177 00:09:32,280 --> 00:09:35,160 Speaker 1: having to deal with the consequences. And God is full 178 00:09:35,160 --> 00:09:38,080 Speaker 1: of mercy. He'll always give us the grace to get 179 00:09:38,120 --> 00:09:40,880 Speaker 1: out of it. But the way to not waste your 180 00:09:40,960 --> 00:09:44,720 Speaker 1: pain is you have to learn the lesson. Be big 181 00:09:44,840 --> 00:09:47,120 Speaker 1: enough to look back and say, Okay, here's where I 182 00:09:47,200 --> 00:09:51,280 Speaker 1: missed it. I ignored the warnings. I got involved in something 183 00:09:51,320 --> 00:09:53,520 Speaker 1: that I shouldn't have. I got out of God's time, 184 00:09:53,559 --> 00:09:55,560 Speaker 1: and God in a hurry not gonna do that anymore. 185 00:09:56,320 --> 00:09:57,920 Speaker 2: There's a lesson in the pain. 186 00:09:58,880 --> 00:10:01,480 Speaker 1: Don't be hard headed and have to keep going through 187 00:10:01,480 --> 00:10:04,680 Speaker 1: the same pain again and again. A man I know 188 00:10:05,000 --> 00:10:07,360 Speaker 1: has struggled with diabetes most of his life. 189 00:10:08,040 --> 00:10:08,920 Speaker 2: He ended up a. 190 00:10:08,920 --> 00:10:12,160 Speaker 1: Month in the hospital. I saw him recently. He looks 191 00:10:12,160 --> 00:10:15,000 Speaker 1: better than ever, he said Joel. That stay in the 192 00:10:15,040 --> 00:10:18,280 Speaker 1: hospital was a wake up call for me. I've lost 193 00:10:18,280 --> 00:10:22,000 Speaker 1: forty pounds, I've changed my diet, I exercise every day. 194 00:10:22,160 --> 00:10:24,720 Speaker 2: I feel like a new man. What was he doing? 195 00:10:25,080 --> 00:10:27,440 Speaker 2: Not wasting the pain? He learned a lesson. 196 00:10:28,280 --> 00:10:30,720 Speaker 1: And we talk a lot about letting go of the past, 197 00:10:31,320 --> 00:10:34,640 Speaker 1: letting go of the mistakes, the failures, the divorce, And yes, 198 00:10:34,679 --> 00:10:37,920 Speaker 1: that's true. But another way to say it is remember 199 00:10:37,960 --> 00:10:42,560 Speaker 1: the lesson, remember what you learned in the experience, and. 200 00:10:42,440 --> 00:10:44,600 Speaker 2: Then let go of the negative event. 201 00:10:45,679 --> 00:10:48,360 Speaker 1: But if you go through a painful time and you 202 00:10:48,400 --> 00:10:50,760 Speaker 1: don't come out with what you were supposed to learn, 203 00:10:51,240 --> 00:10:54,600 Speaker 1: you're doing yourself a disservice. I talked to a man 204 00:10:54,640 --> 00:10:56,960 Speaker 1: a while back, and he was about to get married 205 00:10:57,000 --> 00:11:00,560 Speaker 1: for his fifth time, and I didn't know judging him. 206 00:11:00,600 --> 00:11:03,160 Speaker 1: I don't know his story, but he made a statement, Joel, 207 00:11:03,240 --> 00:11:06,480 Speaker 1: pray for me. All of my wives end up running 208 00:11:06,520 --> 00:11:09,360 Speaker 1: around on me. I didn't say it, but I thought 209 00:11:09,400 --> 00:11:13,080 Speaker 1: to myself, the one common denominator in this thing is you. 210 00:11:14,160 --> 00:11:17,160 Speaker 1: There is a lesson in that pain somewhere that he's missing. 211 00:11:18,200 --> 00:11:21,680 Speaker 1: Don't keep repeating the same mistakes again and again. It's 212 00:11:21,720 --> 00:11:24,080 Speaker 1: like this guy heard he was driving his car and 213 00:11:24,120 --> 00:11:27,440 Speaker 1: had an accident, got out so upset went over to 214 00:11:27,480 --> 00:11:29,760 Speaker 1: the other driver, said, lady, you need to learn how 215 00:11:29,800 --> 00:11:33,439 Speaker 1: to drive. You're the fourth person this run into me today. 216 00:11:34,440 --> 00:11:38,520 Speaker 1: Here's my question, are you bringing pain on yourself? Are 217 00:11:38,559 --> 00:11:42,080 Speaker 1: you struggling in a relationship not fulfilled because you keep 218 00:11:42,160 --> 00:11:46,200 Speaker 1: saying everything you feel like saying. Here's a newsflash, the 219 00:11:46,280 --> 00:11:48,199 Speaker 1: pain will stop if you zip it up. 220 00:11:48,800 --> 00:11:50,679 Speaker 2: Don't just go through it, grow through it. 221 00:11:51,679 --> 00:11:55,280 Speaker 1: Other times we experience pain that have nothing to do 222 00:11:55,320 --> 00:11:58,400 Speaker 1: with our choices. Wasn't our fault. We were doing the 223 00:11:58,480 --> 00:12:02,080 Speaker 1: right thing and the wrong thing happened. The scripture says 224 00:12:02,440 --> 00:12:06,439 Speaker 1: rain falls on the just and the unjust. You can 225 00:12:06,480 --> 00:12:10,200 Speaker 1: be the just, honoring God, being your best, helping others, and. 226 00:12:10,160 --> 00:12:12,000 Speaker 2: It rains in your life. 227 00:12:12,080 --> 00:12:15,240 Speaker 1: There are forces of darkness trying to keep you from 228 00:12:15,240 --> 00:12:16,000 Speaker 1: your destiny. 229 00:12:16,600 --> 00:12:18,920 Speaker 2: God could have stopped it, but he didn't. 230 00:12:19,720 --> 00:12:22,800 Speaker 1: Even though it's painful now, if you'll stay in faith, 231 00:12:23,080 --> 00:12:26,800 Speaker 1: that will lead you towards your destiny. The age of 232 00:12:26,840 --> 00:12:30,040 Speaker 1: forty eight, my mom was doing the right thing, raising 233 00:12:30,080 --> 00:12:33,079 Speaker 1: five of us children, helping my dad pastor the church. 234 00:12:33,320 --> 00:12:35,760 Speaker 2: Life was good. Then it started raining. 235 00:12:36,520 --> 00:12:39,920 Speaker 1: She was diagnosed with terminal liver cancer, given a few 236 00:12:39,960 --> 00:12:44,840 Speaker 1: weeks to live, and that was not only uncomfortable physically, obviously, 237 00:12:45,200 --> 00:12:49,720 Speaker 1: but it was also painful emotionally, thinking about possibly leaving 238 00:12:49,720 --> 00:12:54,240 Speaker 1: her children, leaving her husband. But my mom didn't get depressed, 239 00:12:54,760 --> 00:12:56,800 Speaker 1: she didn't get bitter and start blaming God. 240 00:12:56,960 --> 00:13:00,760 Speaker 2: Her attitude was, God, my life is in your hands. 241 00:13:01,440 --> 00:13:03,960 Speaker 1: I know you promised the number of my days you 242 00:13:04,000 --> 00:13:04,760 Speaker 1: will fulfill. 243 00:13:05,320 --> 00:13:07,360 Speaker 2: People don't have the final say. God. 244 00:13:07,400 --> 00:13:09,480 Speaker 1: I know you have the final say. And it didn't 245 00:13:09,520 --> 00:13:12,680 Speaker 1: happen overnight, but little by little, my mother got better 246 00:13:12,720 --> 00:13:16,319 Speaker 1: and better. Today, thirty four years later, she's not only 247 00:13:16,520 --> 00:13:20,840 Speaker 1: still healthy and whole. But here's my point. In that 248 00:13:21,040 --> 00:13:25,560 Speaker 1: difficult time, out of that pain, God bursts something new 249 00:13:25,640 --> 00:13:29,840 Speaker 1: on the inside. She started going around praying for other 250 00:13:29,880 --> 00:13:32,520 Speaker 1: people who were sick. Till to this day she goes 251 00:13:32,600 --> 00:13:34,840 Speaker 1: up to the medical center every week and has a 252 00:13:34,880 --> 00:13:36,560 Speaker 1: prayer service in the chapel. 253 00:13:37,160 --> 00:13:38,240 Speaker 2: The very thing that. 254 00:13:38,320 --> 00:13:41,320 Speaker 1: Was meant to destroy her, God used it to push 255 00:13:41,320 --> 00:13:46,160 Speaker 1: her into a new level of her destiny. Friends, God 256 00:13:46,280 --> 00:13:49,360 Speaker 1: knows how to take your mess and turn it into 257 00:13:49,360 --> 00:13:52,360 Speaker 1: your message. Take what was meant for harm and use 258 00:13:52,400 --> 00:13:55,679 Speaker 1: it to your advantage. There are times like with my mom, 259 00:13:56,160 --> 00:13:58,840 Speaker 1: God will allow us to go through a season of 260 00:13:58,920 --> 00:14:02,800 Speaker 1: difficulty so he can burst something new on the inside. 261 00:14:03,520 --> 00:14:05,000 Speaker 2: Paul said in Corinthians. 262 00:14:05,360 --> 00:14:09,800 Speaker 1: The comfort we receive in our difficulties, now we can 263 00:14:09,840 --> 00:14:13,280 Speaker 1: share that same comfort with other people in their time 264 00:14:13,320 --> 00:14:16,880 Speaker 1: of need. When you go through something you don't understand 265 00:14:17,040 --> 00:14:18,080 Speaker 1: doesn't make sense. 266 00:14:18,520 --> 00:14:21,240 Speaker 2: Stead of getting negative, bitter God, why did this happen, 267 00:14:22,040 --> 00:14:23,200 Speaker 2: have a new perspective. 268 00:14:23,720 --> 00:14:27,760 Speaker 1: The reason God allowed it is because he can trust you. 269 00:14:28,560 --> 00:14:30,560 Speaker 1: He knows he can count on you to take the 270 00:14:30,600 --> 00:14:33,880 Speaker 1: same love, the same healing, the same encouragement and share 271 00:14:33,920 --> 00:14:37,320 Speaker 1: it with others. Even though that struggle with cancer was 272 00:14:37,400 --> 00:14:40,080 Speaker 1: very difficult for my mother, she talks about how she 273 00:14:40,120 --> 00:14:43,160 Speaker 1: wouldn't change it, She wouldn't have it any different. The 274 00:14:43,200 --> 00:14:47,200 Speaker 1: pain was for a greater purpose. Maybe you've been through 275 00:14:47,240 --> 00:14:52,200 Speaker 1: something you don't understand, like my mom, a sickness, abuse, infertility. 276 00:14:52,680 --> 00:14:56,040 Speaker 1: You're raising a difficult child. Life hasn't turned out the 277 00:14:56,080 --> 00:14:56,720 Speaker 1: way you'd hoped. 278 00:14:56,760 --> 00:14:57,440 Speaker 2: It's painful. 279 00:14:58,160 --> 00:15:01,800 Speaker 1: It's easy to take on a victim mentality, Joel. If 280 00:15:01,800 --> 00:15:04,440 Speaker 1: God was good, why did this happen to me? Why 281 00:15:04,440 --> 00:15:06,440 Speaker 1: did these people mistreat me growing up? Why do I 282 00:15:06,480 --> 00:15:10,760 Speaker 1: have this bad break? It's because God knows he can 283 00:15:10,800 --> 00:15:14,680 Speaker 1: trust you. The forces of darkness tried to take you out. 284 00:15:15,040 --> 00:15:17,880 Speaker 1: But God had his hand on the thermostat. He said, 285 00:15:17,920 --> 00:15:21,040 Speaker 1: not so fast. That's my son, that's my daughter. I've 286 00:15:21,040 --> 00:15:23,000 Speaker 1: got an assignment for them to fulfill. 287 00:15:24,400 --> 00:15:28,200 Speaker 2: Just like God said to Satan, you can test job. 288 00:15:28,320 --> 00:15:31,200 Speaker 1: But you can't take his life. He's not gonna quit 289 00:15:31,240 --> 00:15:34,560 Speaker 1: serving me. I know what Job's made of. God is 290 00:15:34,600 --> 00:15:38,120 Speaker 1: saying the same thing about you. It may be painful, 291 00:15:38,360 --> 00:15:41,240 Speaker 1: but I know what they're made of. It may be difficult, 292 00:15:41,680 --> 00:15:42,840 Speaker 1: may not be fair. 293 00:15:43,040 --> 00:15:45,720 Speaker 2: But I'm not only gonna bring them out. I'm gonna 294 00:15:45,760 --> 00:15:46,600 Speaker 2: bring them out. 295 00:15:46,480 --> 00:15:49,640 Speaker 1: Better, and I'm gonna use them to help other people 296 00:15:49,720 --> 00:15:52,960 Speaker 1: who are struggling in the same areas. God can trust you. 297 00:15:53,400 --> 00:15:56,520 Speaker 1: There's a purpose for that pain. Do you know how 298 00:15:56,600 --> 00:16:01,080 Speaker 1: many businesses, charities, ministries have been birthed out of pain. 299 00:16:01,960 --> 00:16:05,880 Speaker 1: May of nineteen eighty, Cindy Lightner received a phone call 300 00:16:06,480 --> 00:16:09,640 Speaker 1: saying that her thirteen year old daughter, Carrie had been 301 00:16:09,680 --> 00:16:14,160 Speaker 1: hit by a car walking to church. Unfortunately, Carrie lost 302 00:16:14,160 --> 00:16:15,040 Speaker 1: her life that day. 303 00:16:15,720 --> 00:16:17,120 Speaker 2: This mother was devastated. 304 00:16:17,480 --> 00:16:20,800 Speaker 1: She didn't think she could go on until she learned 305 00:16:21,040 --> 00:16:24,160 Speaker 1: the man driving the car was under the influence of 306 00:16:24,240 --> 00:16:28,400 Speaker 1: alcohol and he was a repeat offender. When she heard that, 307 00:16:28,880 --> 00:16:32,800 Speaker 1: something rose up in her like she had never felt in. 308 00:16:32,760 --> 00:16:34,400 Speaker 2: Her late daughter's bedroom. 309 00:16:34,840 --> 00:16:39,720 Speaker 1: She started a new organization, no money, no influence, no experience. 310 00:16:40,080 --> 00:16:44,720 Speaker 1: She called it Mad Mother's Against Drunk Driving. Today, her 311 00:16:44,800 --> 00:16:49,000 Speaker 1: organization has saved hundreds of thousands of lives, changed laws, 312 00:16:49,200 --> 00:16:53,920 Speaker 1: influence policy. Cindy Lightner understands this principle. 313 00:16:55,160 --> 00:16:58,240 Speaker 2: She didn't waste her pain. No, it didn't bring her 314 00:16:58,320 --> 00:17:01,520 Speaker 2: daughter back, but she knew there was a purpose for 315 00:17:01,560 --> 00:17:02,040 Speaker 2: that pain. 316 00:17:02,760 --> 00:17:06,520 Speaker 1: She could have sat around depressed, bitter, blaming God, but 317 00:17:06,640 --> 00:17:09,879 Speaker 1: she didn't put a question mark where God put a period. 318 00:17:10,640 --> 00:17:13,359 Speaker 1: That peace in her puzzle didn't make sense at the time, 319 00:17:13,920 --> 00:17:16,920 Speaker 1: but she believed that when everything came together, it would 320 00:17:16,960 --> 00:17:21,520 Speaker 1: fall perfectly into place. That's exactly what happened. Today, she's 321 00:17:21,640 --> 00:17:26,240 Speaker 1: impacting the world. Most of us will never experience anything 322 00:17:26,280 --> 00:17:29,359 Speaker 1: as tragic as Cindy did. But if she can take 323 00:17:29,880 --> 00:17:32,760 Speaker 1: one of the greatest pains in life and turn it 324 00:17:32,800 --> 00:17:36,520 Speaker 1: around to become a force for good, I believe you 325 00:17:36,600 --> 00:17:40,400 Speaker 1: and I can find the purpose in our pain. Don't 326 00:17:40,400 --> 00:17:43,800 Speaker 1: get caught up and where this peace to my puzzle fits, 327 00:17:44,160 --> 00:17:45,120 Speaker 1: Joel doesn't make sense. 328 00:17:45,160 --> 00:17:47,439 Speaker 2: This is an ugly piece. Keep moving forward. 329 00:17:48,119 --> 00:17:51,760 Speaker 1: Do like she did, go out and encourage somebody else. 330 00:17:52,680 --> 00:17:55,600 Speaker 1: Healing comes when you get your mind off of your 331 00:17:55,600 --> 00:17:58,919 Speaker 1: own pain, what you lost, what didn't work out, and 332 00:17:58,960 --> 00:18:01,960 Speaker 1: you go help others. But as long as you stay 333 00:18:02,000 --> 00:18:05,639 Speaker 1: focused on yourself, you're going to get stuck. There's a 334 00:18:05,680 --> 00:18:09,400 Speaker 1: blessing in that pain. You have something to give others. 335 00:18:09,840 --> 00:18:12,920 Speaker 1: You can encourage people who are going through what you've 336 00:18:12,960 --> 00:18:16,439 Speaker 1: been through. A lady I know got a bad medical 337 00:18:16,480 --> 00:18:20,119 Speaker 1: report and doctors found what they thought was a cancerous tumor, 338 00:18:20,160 --> 00:18:22,720 Speaker 1: and we prayed right here that the report would come 339 00:18:22,720 --> 00:18:26,040 Speaker 1: back negative, but indeed they found out it was cancer. 340 00:18:26,440 --> 00:18:28,879 Speaker 1: She'd been coming to Lakewood for a long time. She 341 00:18:29,000 --> 00:18:32,560 Speaker 1: knew she's not a victim, She's a victor. She knew 342 00:18:32,600 --> 00:18:35,200 Speaker 1: God wouldn't allow it unless he could bring good out 343 00:18:35,200 --> 00:18:38,520 Speaker 1: of it. Like my mother, she didn't get defeated. Her 344 00:18:38,560 --> 00:18:41,240 Speaker 1: attitude was, God, I know I'm in the palm of 345 00:18:41,280 --> 00:18:44,880 Speaker 1: your hand. Nothing can snatch me away. God, I don't 346 00:18:44,960 --> 00:18:48,479 Speaker 1: understand it, but I trust you. For one year, she 347 00:18:48,520 --> 00:18:52,560 Speaker 1: took chemotherapy wasn't easy, she lost all her hair, got 348 00:18:52,680 --> 00:18:56,679 Speaker 1: very sick. But today she is eleven years cancer free. 349 00:18:57,240 --> 00:18:58,359 Speaker 2: You know what she does now. 350 00:18:59,400 --> 00:19:04,200 Speaker 1: She goes back to the same hospital as a volunteer 351 00:19:04,560 --> 00:19:08,199 Speaker 1: and she encourages the people that are fighting cancer. She 352 00:19:08,359 --> 00:19:10,639 Speaker 1: tells them, I know what you're going through. 353 00:19:11,080 --> 00:19:13,960 Speaker 2: I've been there. I've taken the chemo, and look, God 354 00:19:14,000 --> 00:19:15,840 Speaker 2: did it for me. He can do it for you. 355 00:19:16,320 --> 00:19:21,080 Speaker 1: She's not wasting her pain. Her test has become her testimony. 356 00:19:21,800 --> 00:19:24,760 Speaker 1: We've all been through things that are uncomfortable. We didn't 357 00:19:24,880 --> 00:19:27,399 Speaker 1: like it, but God made a way when we didn't 358 00:19:27,400 --> 00:19:31,040 Speaker 1: see away. If it wasn't for his healing, his favor, 359 00:19:31,080 --> 00:19:34,720 Speaker 1: his goodness, his mercy, we wouldn't be here. God's counting 360 00:19:34,720 --> 00:19:38,400 Speaker 1: on us to let our light shine. What you've been 361 00:19:38,480 --> 00:19:41,760 Speaker 1: through can help somebody else get through it. Be on 362 00:19:41,840 --> 00:19:44,199 Speaker 1: the lookout for somebody you can encourage. 363 00:19:44,440 --> 00:19:45,400 Speaker 2: Don't waste your pain. 364 00:19:46,400 --> 00:19:49,520 Speaker 1: My friend, coach Dell Brown at LSU told about a 365 00:19:49,520 --> 00:19:52,760 Speaker 1: young lady named Lolo Jones. You probably heard of her. 366 00:19:52,920 --> 00:19:56,040 Speaker 1: She's a star sprinter. She holds the world record in 367 00:19:56,080 --> 00:19:59,240 Speaker 1: the hurdles. Two thousand and eight, she was at the 368 00:19:59,240 --> 00:20:03,480 Speaker 1: Olympic Game, heavily favored to win the gold medal. Nobody 369 00:20:03,480 --> 00:20:06,399 Speaker 1: had even come close to her time. She lined up 370 00:20:06,400 --> 00:20:09,040 Speaker 1: on the track, the starter fired the gun, she took 371 00:20:09,080 --> 00:20:13,160 Speaker 1: off running. Everything was going great. She was in first place, 372 00:20:13,320 --> 00:20:16,679 Speaker 1: like expected. Eight hurdles down, two to go, and she 373 00:20:16,760 --> 00:20:20,560 Speaker 1: wins the gold. A dream comes true. But somehow on 374 00:20:20,640 --> 00:20:24,040 Speaker 1: that ninth hurdle, her timing got off. She hid it, stumbled, 375 00:20:24,320 --> 00:20:27,320 Speaker 1: fell to the ground that allowed the other runners to 376 00:20:27,359 --> 00:20:28,480 Speaker 1: pass her by. 377 00:20:28,600 --> 00:20:32,080 Speaker 2: She didn't win the gold, a huge disappointment. She trained 378 00:20:32,080 --> 00:20:35,159 Speaker 2: her whole life for that twelve second race. Now it 379 00:20:35,240 --> 00:20:35,640 Speaker 2: was over. 380 00:20:36,600 --> 00:20:40,280 Speaker 1: They interviewed her a little afterwards and she said, in effect, 381 00:20:40,920 --> 00:20:45,160 Speaker 1: yes it's painful, Yes I'm disappointed, but I know now. 382 00:20:45,240 --> 00:20:47,159 Speaker 2: I can help other people who have fallen. 383 00:20:48,400 --> 00:20:51,800 Speaker 1: When you've been through something, in one sense, you've been 384 00:20:51,840 --> 00:20:56,480 Speaker 1: given a gift. You are uniquely qualified to help others 385 00:20:56,600 --> 00:20:58,280 Speaker 1: struggling in that same situation. 386 00:20:58,800 --> 00:21:00,840 Speaker 2: Don't sit around feeling so sorry for yourself. 387 00:21:01,160 --> 00:21:06,440 Speaker 1: Go out and lift somebody else up. Friends, Everything happens 388 00:21:06,480 --> 00:21:10,520 Speaker 1: to us for a reason. Nothing is a coincidence. Some 389 00:21:10,600 --> 00:21:13,720 Speaker 1: things are to help us grow, mature, come up higher. 390 00:21:14,600 --> 00:21:17,439 Speaker 1: Then there are times God will allow us to go 391 00:21:17,520 --> 00:21:21,639 Speaker 1: through a difficult season so later on we can be 392 00:21:21,760 --> 00:21:26,600 Speaker 1: instrumental in helping somebody else overcome. Can God trust you 393 00:21:26,640 --> 00:21:29,920 Speaker 1: with the pain? Can God trust you to be uncomfortable? 394 00:21:30,600 --> 00:21:31,960 Speaker 1: Will you get negative better? 395 00:21:32,040 --> 00:21:32,240 Speaker 2: God? 396 00:21:32,280 --> 00:21:35,120 Speaker 1: Why is this happening to me? I say this respectfully, 397 00:21:35,760 --> 00:21:38,679 Speaker 1: is not all about you? What if God allowed it 398 00:21:38,800 --> 00:21:41,280 Speaker 1: so three years from now you can help somebody else 399 00:21:41,320 --> 00:21:44,919 Speaker 1: move forward? Can God trust you? When my father went 400 00:21:44,960 --> 00:21:46,720 Speaker 1: to be with the Lord, you've. 401 00:21:46,520 --> 00:21:48,320 Speaker 2: Lost loved ones very painful. 402 00:21:49,080 --> 00:21:51,919 Speaker 1: I didn't like it. I was uncomfortable. But do you 403 00:21:51,960 --> 00:21:54,760 Speaker 1: know how many people tell me, Joel, when you talk 404 00:21:54,800 --> 00:21:57,520 Speaker 1: about your father and how much you loved him, and 405 00:21:57,560 --> 00:22:00,520 Speaker 1: how you stepped up to pastor the church that helped 406 00:22:00,520 --> 00:22:03,359 Speaker 1: me to overcome when my loved one went to be 407 00:22:03,440 --> 00:22:07,520 Speaker 1: with the Lord. With the comfort I've received, I can 408 00:22:07,560 --> 00:22:09,280 Speaker 1: share that comfort with others. 409 00:22:09,720 --> 00:22:11,120 Speaker 2: We all have something to give. 410 00:22:11,720 --> 00:22:14,520 Speaker 1: We've all been through a hurt, a loss of disappointment. 411 00:22:15,040 --> 00:22:17,479 Speaker 2: Don't see it as all men. This is so bad now. 412 00:22:17,520 --> 00:22:20,000 Speaker 1: You may not have liked it, but there's a purpose 413 00:22:20,160 --> 00:22:23,520 Speaker 1: for that pain. I saw a report on the news 414 00:22:23,640 --> 00:22:27,040 Speaker 1: about this lady. She was a larger woman, and she'd 415 00:22:27,080 --> 00:22:31,160 Speaker 1: always been perfectly healthy. But she started feeling a little nauseated. 416 00:22:31,640 --> 00:22:35,080 Speaker 1: Couldn't figure out what was wrong. Over the next few months, 417 00:22:35,280 --> 00:22:39,040 Speaker 1: her back started hurting, her feet swelling, couldn't sleep at night. 418 00:22:39,720 --> 00:22:41,320 Speaker 2: She went to the doctor early on. 419 00:22:41,720 --> 00:22:43,600 Speaker 1: They thought it was some kind of virus that would 420 00:22:43,640 --> 00:22:47,480 Speaker 1: soon pass. But month after month, different symptoms popped up. 421 00:22:48,000 --> 00:22:51,160 Speaker 1: She was uncomfortable, swollen, gaining weight. 422 00:22:51,440 --> 00:22:52,360 Speaker 2: She didn't like it. 423 00:22:53,080 --> 00:22:57,160 Speaker 1: One day, she started feeling incredible pains in her stomach area. 424 00:22:57,440 --> 00:22:59,480 Speaker 1: She tried to endure it, thinking that it would pass, 425 00:22:59,520 --> 00:23:01,480 Speaker 1: but kept getting worse and worse. 426 00:23:02,200 --> 00:23:03,919 Speaker 2: Finally, she couldn't take it any longer. 427 00:23:04,440 --> 00:23:07,840 Speaker 1: In excruciating pain, she had her husband rush her to 428 00:23:07,880 --> 00:23:12,159 Speaker 1: the emergency room. The doctor examined her said I know 429 00:23:12,240 --> 00:23:17,000 Speaker 1: exactly what's wrong. Ninety minutes later, he handed her her 430 00:23:17,080 --> 00:23:18,160 Speaker 1: new baby boy. 431 00:23:18,920 --> 00:23:20,800 Speaker 2: She was pregnant and didn't know it. 432 00:23:21,920 --> 00:23:26,359 Speaker 1: All those symptoms she was feeling the pain, discomfort, nausea, 433 00:23:27,040 --> 00:23:30,199 Speaker 1: there was a purpose for it. A change was taking place. 434 00:23:30,480 --> 00:23:34,000 Speaker 1: She was about to give birth. Many times like her, 435 00:23:34,359 --> 00:23:35,600 Speaker 1: we're pregnant and. 436 00:23:35,520 --> 00:23:36,320 Speaker 2: We don't know it. 437 00:23:37,119 --> 00:23:40,600 Speaker 1: All we can feel is the pain. God, I'm uncomfortable. 438 00:23:41,240 --> 00:23:44,040 Speaker 1: The pain is a sign you're about to give birth. 439 00:23:45,280 --> 00:23:49,000 Speaker 1: If you'll stay in faith, eventually the pain will pass. 440 00:23:49,440 --> 00:23:52,920 Speaker 1: You'll give birth to new strength, new talent, new ministry, 441 00:23:53,000 --> 00:23:57,800 Speaker 1: new charity, new friendships, a new level. The pain is 442 00:23:57,840 --> 00:24:02,160 Speaker 1: for a purpose. A change is taking place. When you're 443 00:24:02,160 --> 00:24:05,320 Speaker 1: in a difficult time, don't focus on the pain, focus 444 00:24:05,359 --> 00:24:08,040 Speaker 1: on the fact that a new level is coming. The 445 00:24:08,080 --> 00:24:12,560 Speaker 1: scripture says Jesus endured the pain of the Cross looking 446 00:24:12,600 --> 00:24:13,399 Speaker 1: forward to the. 447 00:24:13,480 --> 00:24:15,119 Speaker 2: Joy that was set before him. 448 00:24:15,720 --> 00:24:18,159 Speaker 1: If you only focus on where you are, on the pain, 449 00:24:18,640 --> 00:24:19,520 Speaker 1: you'll get negative. 450 00:24:20,080 --> 00:24:22,280 Speaker 2: Have a new perspective, the right perspective. 451 00:24:22,720 --> 00:24:25,439 Speaker 1: God, I don't like this situation, but I know this 452 00:24:25,600 --> 00:24:27,080 Speaker 1: pain is not here to stop me. 453 00:24:27,359 --> 00:24:28,359 Speaker 2: It's here to promote me. 454 00:24:28,840 --> 00:24:31,840 Speaker 1: It's a sign I'm about to give birth to something new. 455 00:24:32,840 --> 00:24:35,000 Speaker 2: That's what my friends Craig and Samantha did. 456 00:24:35,440 --> 00:24:37,880 Speaker 1: Craig at the time was the head of our children's 457 00:24:37,920 --> 00:24:42,040 Speaker 1: ministry at Lakewood. They had two beautiful children. Samantha was 458 00:24:42,080 --> 00:24:46,240 Speaker 1: expecting the third child. When little Connor was born, they 459 00:24:46,280 --> 00:24:47,840 Speaker 1: soon realized something. 460 00:24:47,640 --> 00:24:48,600 Speaker 2: Wasn't quite right. 461 00:24:49,240 --> 00:24:52,600 Speaker 1: He wasn't talking developing as fast as the other children. 462 00:24:53,160 --> 00:24:57,600 Speaker 1: Connor was diagnosed with autism. And while they loved Connor 463 00:24:57,680 --> 00:25:00,359 Speaker 1: just as much, of course, they were a little taken 464 00:25:00,359 --> 00:25:03,800 Speaker 1: aback by it. It's not what they were expecting. But 465 00:25:03,880 --> 00:25:07,720 Speaker 1: Craig and Samantha understand this principle. They didn't put a 466 00:25:07,800 --> 00:25:11,439 Speaker 1: question mark where God put a period. They knew the 467 00:25:11,480 --> 00:25:13,800 Speaker 1: reason they had Connor was. 468 00:25:13,760 --> 00:25:16,920 Speaker 2: Because God could trust them. They didn't waste their pain. 469 00:25:17,920 --> 00:25:20,479 Speaker 1: Craig told me how at that time we didn't have 470 00:25:20,600 --> 00:25:24,000 Speaker 1: any classes for special needs children here at the church. 471 00:25:24,880 --> 00:25:27,879 Speaker 1: Many parents couldn't attend a main service like this because 472 00:25:27,920 --> 00:25:31,600 Speaker 1: their children needed constant attention. He said, Joel, why don't 473 00:25:31,600 --> 00:25:35,159 Speaker 1: we start a special needs class for these children. We 474 00:25:35,240 --> 00:25:39,040 Speaker 1: can call it the Champion's Club. In that time of pain, 475 00:25:39,440 --> 00:25:42,720 Speaker 1: Craig recognized he was pregnant. He was about to give 476 00:25:42,760 --> 00:25:46,320 Speaker 1: birth to something new. We started our Champion's Club. The 477 00:25:46,400 --> 00:25:49,720 Speaker 1: first few months, three hundred new families joined the church. 478 00:25:51,480 --> 00:25:53,399 Speaker 2: Other churches heard about it. 479 00:25:53,480 --> 00:25:56,560 Speaker 1: Craig helped them launch their own special needs class. 480 00:25:56,800 --> 00:25:58,840 Speaker 2: Today, there are over thirty. 481 00:25:58,720 --> 00:26:02,119 Speaker 1: Champions clubs in different nations around the world. 482 00:26:04,000 --> 00:26:08,680 Speaker 2: Here's what I'm saying. When it's painful, don't get discouraged. 483 00:26:08,880 --> 00:26:09,480 Speaker 2: Get ready. 484 00:26:09,920 --> 00:26:13,440 Speaker 1: You're about to give birth. That discomforts your feeling. It's 485 00:26:13,480 --> 00:26:17,000 Speaker 1: not just a random pain. Those are birth pains. There's 486 00:26:17,040 --> 00:26:20,360 Speaker 1: a blessing in that pain. There's a gift in that pain. 487 00:26:20,400 --> 00:26:22,760 Speaker 1: There's a ministry in the pain. There's a new level 488 00:26:22,800 --> 00:26:25,480 Speaker 1: in that pain. Don't waste it. Do like Craig, be 489 00:26:25,600 --> 00:26:29,760 Speaker 1: on the lookout. Look for opportunities. You can encourage somebody else. 490 00:26:30,359 --> 00:26:33,560 Speaker 1: Can God trust you with that pain? Will you get negative, 491 00:26:33,600 --> 00:26:36,359 Speaker 1: bitter or will you say God, I don't understand it, 492 00:26:36,520 --> 00:26:39,840 Speaker 1: but I know there's a purpose for this pain. Remember 493 00:26:40,200 --> 00:26:42,480 Speaker 1: God has his hand on the thermostat. 494 00:26:43,080 --> 00:26:45,280 Speaker 2: If it was too much, he would have cut back 495 00:26:45,320 --> 00:26:48,200 Speaker 2: the heat. Don't just go through it, grow through it. 496 00:26:48,640 --> 00:26:52,320 Speaker 1: If you'll do this, I believe and declare, your pain 497 00:26:52,920 --> 00:26:54,720 Speaker 1: is about to be turned into your gain. 498 00:26:55,080 --> 00:26:55,800 Speaker 2: You're gonna come. 499 00:26:55,680 --> 00:26:59,280 Speaker 1: Out stronger, increase, promoted, new levels out of that pain. 500 00:26:59,480 --> 00:27:02,760 Speaker 1: It's going to you into the fullness of your destiny 501 00:27:03,119 --> 00:27:06,399 Speaker 1: in Jesus' name. If you receive it today, can you 502 00:27:06,440 --> 00:27:11,840 Speaker 1: say amen? We never like to close our broadcast without 503 00:27:11,840 --> 00:27:14,480 Speaker 1: giving you an opportunity to make Jesus the lord of 504 00:27:14,520 --> 00:27:18,560 Speaker 1: your life. Would you pray with me? Just say, Lord, Jesus, 505 00:27:19,520 --> 00:27:23,920 Speaker 1: I'll repent of my sins. Come into my heart. I 506 00:27:24,080 --> 00:27:27,920 Speaker 1: make you my lord and savior. Friends, if you prayed 507 00:27:27,920 --> 00:27:31,080 Speaker 1: that simple prayer, we believe you got born again. Get 508 00:27:31,119 --> 00:27:34,119 Speaker 1: in a good Bible based church. Keep God first place. 509 00:27:34,400 --> 00:27:36,880 Speaker 1: He's going to take your places that you've never dreamed. 510 00:27:37,840 --> 00:27:41,359 Speaker 1: Sometimes in life, people don't choose us. We've all felt 511 00:27:41,440 --> 00:27:44,560 Speaker 1: overlooked and like we're not good enough. It's easy to 512 00:27:44,600 --> 00:27:48,080 Speaker 1: live inferior. Think you we don't measure up. People may 513 00:27:48,080 --> 00:27:50,840 Speaker 1: have left you out. The good news is God has 514 00:27:50,960 --> 00:27:53,919 Speaker 1: chosen you. He's the one that matters and in my 515 00:27:54,000 --> 00:27:58,040 Speaker 1: new book, Chosen. Your life is marked for distinction. You'll 516 00:27:58,040 --> 00:28:01,480 Speaker 1: discover before you were born, God not only knew you, 517 00:28:01,760 --> 00:28:04,600 Speaker 1: but he hand picked you and placed a calling on 518 00:28:04,680 --> 00:28:09,000 Speaker 1: your lie. You are equipped and empowered to fulfill your destiny. 519 00:28:09,480 --> 00:28:13,359 Speaker 1: When you understand that you're chosen, fear and doubt can't stay. 520 00:28:13,760 --> 00:28:16,560 Speaker 1: You live with a boldness to step into the greatness 521 00:28:16,560 --> 00:28:18,800 Speaker 1: God put in you. I'd love to send you by 522 00:28:18,840 --> 00:28:22,119 Speaker 1: new book Chosen, plus the Chosen T Shirt from our 523 00:28:22,160 --> 00:28:24,080 Speaker 1: friends at Copperfit. 524 00:28:24,200 --> 00:28:26,600 Speaker 3: As our way of saying thank you for your gift 525 00:28:26,640 --> 00:28:29,240 Speaker 3: of any amount this month, we would like to send 526 00:28:29,280 --> 00:28:33,119 Speaker 3: you a copy of Joel's book Chosen. Your life is 527 00:28:33,240 --> 00:28:37,560 Speaker 3: marked for distinction in the scriptures. Jesus encouraged us by 528 00:28:37,600 --> 00:28:42,320 Speaker 3: saying you didn't choose me, I chose you. This powerful 529 00:28:42,360 --> 00:28:45,520 Speaker 3: guide will help you discover the abundant life you were 530 00:28:45,560 --> 00:28:48,960 Speaker 3: designed to live as a child of God. You have 531 00:28:49,040 --> 00:28:53,080 Speaker 3: a calling, a purpose, a destiny still to be fulfilled. 532 00:28:53,400 --> 00:28:56,320 Speaker 3: When you request your copy, we also want to send 533 00:28:56,360 --> 00:29:00,120 Speaker 3: you our exclusive Chosen T shirt from Copperfit that will 534 00:29:00,160 --> 00:29:04,000 Speaker 3: mind you that you've been chosen by Almighty God every 535 00:29:04,080 --> 00:29:07,760 Speaker 3: time you wear it. Please request these gifts today and 536 00:29:07,840 --> 00:29:11,480 Speaker 3: discover that God is moving on your behalf. Your next 537 00:29:11,560 --> 00:29:14,080 Speaker 3: days are going to be your best days. 538 00:29:14,640 --> 00:29:17,840 Speaker 1: You're not average, You're not ordinary. You've been chosen by 539 00:29:17,920 --> 00:29:20,800 Speaker 1: Almighty God. Betoy and I want you to know how 540 00:29:20,880 --> 00:29:23,280 Speaker 1: much we love you. We pray for you and your 541 00:29:23,360 --> 00:29:26,520 Speaker 1: family every day and thanks so much for your prayer 542 00:29:26,680 --> 00:29:30,560 Speaker 1: and support. Your generosity is helping people all over the world. 543 00:29:30,960 --> 00:29:33,760 Speaker 1: Now special thank you to our Champion of Hope partners 544 00:29:33,840 --> 00:29:35,120 Speaker 1: for your monthly gifts. 545 00:29:35,400 --> 00:29:38,440 Speaker 2: If you're not a partner, I hope you'll consider becoming one. 546 00:29:38,800 --> 00:29:43,160 Speaker 1: Remember you can watch the services online live every Sunday morning, 547 00:29:43,520 --> 00:29:47,800 Speaker 1: download our daily podcast, watch on YouTube the new Joelosting 548 00:29:47,920 --> 00:29:51,960 Speaker 1: Network social media, listen on Serious ExM. We'll keep you 549 00:29:52,080 --> 00:29:55,200 Speaker 1: encouraged and inspired until we see you next time. 550 00:29:55,400 --> 00:29:57,320 Speaker 2: May the Lord bless you and keep you. 551 00:29:58,280 --> 00:30:01,280 Speaker 3: Be sure to request your copy of of Chosen. Your 552 00:30:01,360 --> 00:30:05,120 Speaker 3: life is marked for distinction, plus our exclusive Chosen T 553 00:30:05,280 --> 00:30:09,880 Speaker 3: shirt from Copperfit. Visit Joelostein dot com or call eight 554 00:30:09,920 --> 00:30:13,960 Speaker 3: eight eight five sixty seven Joel for an additional donation. 555 00:30:14,160 --> 00:30:17,800 Speaker 3: This month, we are also offering the NLT Large Print 556 00:30:17,840 --> 00:30:21,720 Speaker 3: Thin Line Reference Bible. This Bible also enables you to 557 00:30:21,800 --> 00:30:25,720 Speaker 3: connect through your smartphone or tablet to a vast, powerpacked 558 00:30:25,800 --> 00:30:31,040 Speaker 3: array of study notes, devotionals, interactive maps, videos, and worship music. 559 00:30:31,680 --> 00:30:35,480 Speaker 3: You can request these inspiring resources by calling eight eight 560 00:30:35,520 --> 00:30:39,760 Speaker 3: eight five six seven Joel or logging on to jolostein 561 00:30:39,880 --> 00:30:44,240 Speaker 3: dot com today call or click anytime twenty four hours 562 00:30:44,240 --> 00:30:48,040 Speaker 3: a day. Yes, God has chosen you for a reason, 563 00:30:48,440 --> 00:30:54,040 Speaker 3: for a purpose. Request your copies today.