1 00:00:00,400 --> 00:00:03,160 Speaker 1: Hi, this is Joel and Victoria. Thanks for listening to 2 00:00:03,200 --> 00:00:05,960 Speaker 1: our podcast and thanks for supporting the ministry. 3 00:00:06,120 --> 00:00:08,440 Speaker 2: If you enjoy today's message, why don't you be a 4 00:00:08,480 --> 00:00:09,800 Speaker 2: blessing and share it with a. 5 00:00:09,680 --> 00:00:13,040 Speaker 1: Friend, reappreciate you, and pray for God's very best in 6 00:00:13,080 --> 00:00:13,520 Speaker 1: your life. 7 00:00:13,600 --> 00:00:17,000 Speaker 2: Thank you, Lord, We've blessed you in this place. Say men, 8 00:00:18,040 --> 00:00:21,480 Speaker 2: you know, I'm reminded today that God always starts small. 9 00:00:22,960 --> 00:00:27,240 Speaker 2: God takes the small and goes big. You know, God's 10 00:00:27,280 --> 00:00:32,080 Speaker 2: got a way of doing things with seeds that multiply, 11 00:00:32,880 --> 00:00:36,159 Speaker 2: And today I just want to remind every one of us. 12 00:00:36,640 --> 00:00:41,040 Speaker 2: You may feel small, you may feel like you don't 13 00:00:41,080 --> 00:00:44,199 Speaker 2: have enough. Are there maybe some small things in your 14 00:00:44,240 --> 00:00:47,440 Speaker 2: life you don't know if you really can handle. But 15 00:00:47,520 --> 00:00:50,080 Speaker 2: I want to tell you something. When you put those 16 00:00:50,120 --> 00:00:53,800 Speaker 2: small things in the hands of Jesus, you know what, 17 00:00:53,920 --> 00:00:57,920 Speaker 2: he can go from small to big. He can go 18 00:00:58,040 --> 00:01:02,480 Speaker 2: from small to big. You see. God told the Israelites 19 00:01:02,520 --> 00:01:05,240 Speaker 2: when they were going to possess the land in Deuteronomy. 20 00:01:05,280 --> 00:01:09,720 Speaker 2: He says, I'm going to decrease your enemies so that 21 00:01:09,800 --> 00:01:13,160 Speaker 2: you can increase. He said it like this, He says, 22 00:01:13,240 --> 00:01:17,319 Speaker 2: little by little, I am going to decrease the enemies 23 00:01:17,360 --> 00:01:21,040 Speaker 2: in the land so that you can increase and take 24 00:01:21,160 --> 00:01:26,959 Speaker 2: possession of the entire promise in this land. You see, 25 00:01:27,040 --> 00:01:32,000 Speaker 2: God started small and wanted them to go big. So 26 00:01:32,120 --> 00:01:35,360 Speaker 2: he wanted them to have the capacity to be able 27 00:01:35,400 --> 00:01:38,600 Speaker 2: to handle what he was going to give them. He 28 00:01:38,640 --> 00:01:42,160 Speaker 2: didn't want the land to overtake them. He wanted them 29 00:01:42,480 --> 00:01:46,240 Speaker 2: to overtake the land. But he had to decrease the 30 00:01:46,360 --> 00:01:52,600 Speaker 2: enemies small slowly so that they could increase. So that 31 00:01:52,760 --> 00:01:58,160 Speaker 2: means that God was increasing them incrementally throughout their journey. 32 00:01:58,800 --> 00:02:01,280 Speaker 2: And do you know That's what God wants to do 33 00:02:01,480 --> 00:02:05,080 Speaker 2: for you today. He wants to increase you. What you 34 00:02:05,240 --> 00:02:09,400 Speaker 2: think is small and insignificant. God wants to go big 35 00:02:09,480 --> 00:02:12,960 Speaker 2: with it. But you got to learn to handle the 36 00:02:13,120 --> 00:02:17,840 Speaker 2: small first. Many of you know the story in Matthew 37 00:02:17,919 --> 00:02:21,400 Speaker 2: four and the Gospels when Jesus was preaching and teaching 38 00:02:21,720 --> 00:02:24,520 Speaker 2: to the multitudes. They'd been with him all day long. 39 00:02:24,600 --> 00:02:27,520 Speaker 2: He had healed the sick among them, and he was 40 00:02:27,600 --> 00:02:31,320 Speaker 2: just loving on them all day long. And the disciples 41 00:02:31,400 --> 00:02:34,160 Speaker 2: came to Jesus and they said, Jesus, the people haven't 42 00:02:34,160 --> 00:02:37,720 Speaker 2: eaten all day, and it's starting to become evening and 43 00:02:37,760 --> 00:02:40,400 Speaker 2: they need to leave and they need to go find food. 44 00:02:40,440 --> 00:02:43,160 Speaker 2: Would you release them, Jesus, so that they can go 45 00:02:43,240 --> 00:02:46,000 Speaker 2: to the villages and find the food. We don't have 46 00:02:46,160 --> 00:02:49,040 Speaker 2: enough food to feed them, and Jesus said, it's not 47 00:02:49,360 --> 00:02:54,079 Speaker 2: necessary for me to release the people. You feed them. 48 00:02:55,080 --> 00:02:58,120 Speaker 2: They said, we don't have enough to feed them. We 49 00:02:58,200 --> 00:03:02,440 Speaker 2: only have five loaves and too fish. It is not 50 00:03:02,960 --> 00:03:08,160 Speaker 2: enough to feed the multitude. It's too small. I love 51 00:03:08,200 --> 00:03:12,120 Speaker 2: the way Jesus said, you feed them. Now, he'd been 52 00:03:12,160 --> 00:03:15,920 Speaker 2: doing miracles all day. Wasn't going to be difficult for 53 00:03:16,080 --> 00:03:20,079 Speaker 2: Jesus to just multiply the food. The disciples hadn't done 54 00:03:20,080 --> 00:03:23,000 Speaker 2: any miracles. But yet he looked at them and said, 55 00:03:23,639 --> 00:03:27,800 Speaker 2: you feed them. You see what they thought was small, 56 00:03:28,720 --> 00:03:32,120 Speaker 2: what they thought they couldn't handle. See, they couldn't handle 57 00:03:32,800 --> 00:03:38,240 Speaker 2: feeding this many people was such a small thing. He said, 58 00:03:38,280 --> 00:03:41,920 Speaker 2: bring it to me, and you know the story. They 59 00:03:41,960 --> 00:03:45,800 Speaker 2: brought it to Jesus. He broke it, he blessed it, 60 00:03:46,640 --> 00:03:49,920 Speaker 2: and he gave it back to them so that they 61 00:03:50,440 --> 00:03:55,640 Speaker 2: could feed the multitudes. You see, Jesus took that small 62 00:03:55,960 --> 00:03:59,040 Speaker 2: and let them go big. He let them be a 63 00:03:59,040 --> 00:04:02,880 Speaker 2: blessing that day. He let what they had in their hands, 64 00:04:03,240 --> 00:04:07,440 Speaker 2: feed the multitude. I want you to know that God 65 00:04:08,240 --> 00:04:14,080 Speaker 2: thinks the small is very important. Oftentimes we overlook the 66 00:04:14,120 --> 00:04:18,159 Speaker 2: small because we want to go big. Oftentimes we don't 67 00:04:18,200 --> 00:04:21,320 Speaker 2: think we have to deal with the small because it's 68 00:04:21,320 --> 00:04:24,640 Speaker 2: not going to make that much difference anyway. But I 69 00:04:24,720 --> 00:04:29,599 Speaker 2: believe Jesus was telling us in this story, the small 70 00:04:29,960 --> 00:04:38,160 Speaker 2: things matter. Don't overlook the small things. You see, too 71 00:04:38,320 --> 00:04:43,320 Speaker 2: often we think that the complaining doesn't really make a difference. 72 00:04:44,040 --> 00:04:47,359 Speaker 2: We think because we're not treating our spouse right, it 73 00:04:47,400 --> 00:04:51,440 Speaker 2: doesn't really matter. It's not what we're wanting to do anyway. 74 00:04:53,120 --> 00:04:57,600 Speaker 2: The lack of integrity, maybe leaving the office early, sneaking out. 75 00:04:58,040 --> 00:05:02,640 Speaker 2: It's okay, my boss isn't looking. See, those are small 76 00:05:02,680 --> 00:05:09,239 Speaker 2: things that matter to God. They're small things. He's saying, 77 00:05:09,240 --> 00:05:14,560 Speaker 2: how you handling the small things? Observe the small things. Then, 78 00:05:14,640 --> 00:05:17,600 Speaker 2: too often we say we don't have enough. They don't 79 00:05:17,680 --> 00:05:20,760 Speaker 2: match the dream, they don't match my desires. I don't 80 00:05:20,760 --> 00:05:24,800 Speaker 2: have the right education, I don't have the proper finances, 81 00:05:24,839 --> 00:05:27,440 Speaker 2: I don't have the resources. I didn't come from the 82 00:05:27,560 --> 00:05:31,720 Speaker 2: right family. I can't do what I would like to do. 83 00:05:32,720 --> 00:05:38,280 Speaker 2: That's small stuff, too See, all of this stuff is small. 84 00:05:38,920 --> 00:05:41,280 Speaker 2: But God likes to take the small and he likes 85 00:05:41,320 --> 00:05:44,680 Speaker 2: to go big. But we've got to put the importance 86 00:05:45,760 --> 00:05:48,960 Speaker 2: on the small. You know, I believe that's why God 87 00:05:49,000 --> 00:05:53,680 Speaker 2: gives us babies, because they're small, then they go big. 88 00:05:54,320 --> 00:05:57,839 Speaker 2: Can you imagine him giving us this grown baby. We 89 00:05:57,880 --> 00:06:02,080 Speaker 2: wouldn't know what to do with it. God a holy 90 00:06:02,320 --> 00:06:07,560 Speaker 2: starts with the seed. He wants us to go big, 91 00:06:08,200 --> 00:06:12,200 Speaker 2: But we gotta handle the small stuff. Like the disciples, 92 00:06:12,480 --> 00:06:14,880 Speaker 2: they had it in their hand, they didn't know how 93 00:06:14,920 --> 00:06:19,240 Speaker 2: to handle it until Jesus gave them the secret. Bring 94 00:06:19,279 --> 00:06:23,119 Speaker 2: it to me. Listen, you got some problems in your life, 95 00:06:23,880 --> 00:06:27,560 Speaker 2: You got some unforgiveness in your life. See, those small 96 00:06:27,600 --> 00:06:30,320 Speaker 2: things can go big if you don't bring them to Jesus. 97 00:06:31,720 --> 00:06:37,000 Speaker 2: The bitterness, the root of envy, jealousy, those things can 98 00:06:37,040 --> 00:06:39,679 Speaker 2: all go big if you don't bring them to Jesus. 99 00:06:40,760 --> 00:06:43,440 Speaker 2: You want him to multiply, You want him to give 100 00:06:43,480 --> 00:06:47,360 Speaker 2: you promotion. You got to work the small things. You 101 00:06:47,480 --> 00:06:52,040 Speaker 2: gotta not overlook the small things. You know, we're sitting 102 00:06:52,080 --> 00:06:55,760 Speaker 2: in this auditorium today and it's amazing, it's beautiful. We 103 00:06:55,800 --> 00:06:58,240 Speaker 2: get to gather together, we get to sing, we get 104 00:06:58,279 --> 00:07:01,919 Speaker 2: to worship God in such a magnificent place. But you 105 00:07:02,000 --> 00:07:06,000 Speaker 2: know when what I remember about this building over thirty 106 00:07:06,000 --> 00:07:08,760 Speaker 2: two years ago, sitting up there by the flag watching 107 00:07:08,800 --> 00:07:12,040 Speaker 2: the Rockets play basketball. It was my very first state 108 00:07:12,080 --> 00:07:16,040 Speaker 2: with my husband Joel. You see, it looks one way 109 00:07:16,200 --> 00:07:21,040 Speaker 2: to you, but Gosh looks another way to me. You see, 110 00:07:21,040 --> 00:07:24,400 Speaker 2: it started with a seed, But can I tell you 111 00:07:24,760 --> 00:07:28,120 Speaker 2: there was a lot of small stuff along the way. 112 00:07:28,800 --> 00:07:33,560 Speaker 2: And can I tell you this, We'll never ever get 113 00:07:33,640 --> 00:07:36,720 Speaker 2: rid of the small stuff. It doesn't matter how big 114 00:07:36,800 --> 00:07:40,040 Speaker 2: you go. There's always the small stuff you have to 115 00:07:40,080 --> 00:07:45,880 Speaker 2: bring to Jesus. There's always the small stuff. When we 116 00:07:45,960 --> 00:07:50,280 Speaker 2: learn how to handle the small stuff, God will give 117 00:07:50,360 --> 00:07:56,080 Speaker 2: us more stuff to handle. He'll enlarge our capacity. You see, 118 00:07:56,200 --> 00:07:59,640 Speaker 2: thirty two years ago, Joel and I could never handle 119 00:08:00,120 --> 00:08:02,680 Speaker 2: what's going on in our life today. It would have 120 00:08:02,720 --> 00:08:06,320 Speaker 2: overtaken us. Instead of us possessing it, it would have 121 00:08:06,320 --> 00:08:10,960 Speaker 2: possessed us. We did not have capacity. We were not 122 00:08:11,200 --> 00:08:16,200 Speaker 2: in that place that we could deal with it. And 123 00:08:16,240 --> 00:08:18,240 Speaker 2: see that is what God is saying to you. He 124 00:08:18,360 --> 00:08:21,920 Speaker 2: is saying, I want you to possess, but I want 125 00:08:21,920 --> 00:08:25,520 Speaker 2: you to start with the small stuff. We went to 126 00:08:25,680 --> 00:08:30,080 Speaker 2: the funeral service of the great evangelist Billy Graham Friday 127 00:08:30,120 --> 00:08:36,280 Speaker 2: and celebrated ninety nine years of a man who touched millions. 128 00:08:37,440 --> 00:08:43,960 Speaker 2: We celebrate this iconic legend. We see his big life, 129 00:08:45,480 --> 00:08:48,360 Speaker 2: but we don't see the small stuff he dealt with 130 00:08:48,440 --> 00:08:54,160 Speaker 2: every single day, the choices, the adjustments, the things that 131 00:08:54,200 --> 00:08:57,240 Speaker 2: he did when no one was looking, the things that 132 00:08:57,320 --> 00:08:59,200 Speaker 2: he did when he didn't know if it would even 133 00:08:59,240 --> 00:09:04,680 Speaker 2: make a difference. You see, we see the big, we 134 00:09:05,240 --> 00:09:09,200 Speaker 2: fail to see the small. I have a beautiful oak 135 00:09:09,280 --> 00:09:13,120 Speaker 2: tree in my front yard and it spans forever with 136 00:09:13,240 --> 00:09:16,080 Speaker 2: the limbs. And as I look at that tree, it's 137 00:09:16,240 --> 00:09:20,120 Speaker 2: very difficult for me to believe that it started from 138 00:09:20,160 --> 00:09:23,360 Speaker 2: an acorn. You see, it's big. All I see is 139 00:09:23,360 --> 00:09:28,760 Speaker 2: the big, But that tree had to start small. God 140 00:09:29,440 --> 00:09:33,440 Speaker 2: takes the small and he goes big. Can I tell 141 00:09:33,559 --> 00:09:37,000 Speaker 2: you if you will learn to handle the small things, 142 00:09:37,600 --> 00:09:42,080 Speaker 2: the secret is bring them all to Jesus, let him 143 00:09:42,120 --> 00:09:45,480 Speaker 2: break them, let him bless them, and He'll go big 144 00:09:45,760 --> 00:09:48,760 Speaker 2: in your life. Amen. Amen. 145 00:09:50,880 --> 00:09:53,840 Speaker 1: We all go through disappointments and things that are not fair. 146 00:09:54,200 --> 00:09:58,000 Speaker 1: But God sees every hurt, every injustice, and He's promised 147 00:09:58,000 --> 00:10:00,599 Speaker 1: to pay you back for the unfair thing. Now I 148 00:10:00,679 --> 00:10:03,760 Speaker 1: love to send you my new resource, Double for your Trouble. 149 00:10:04,000 --> 00:10:07,000 Speaker 1: It's filled with inspiration, damp you stay in faith and 150 00:10:07,240 --> 00:10:09,160 Speaker 1: not get bitter and think why me? 151 00:10:09,840 --> 00:10:10,000 Speaker 2: Now? 152 00:10:10,040 --> 00:10:13,000 Speaker 1: That setback may have been painful, but the fact is 153 00:10:13,200 --> 00:10:15,840 Speaker 1: it sets you up for Double. God will make the 154 00:10:16,000 --> 00:10:19,079 Speaker 1: enemy pay and bring you out better than you were before. 155 00:10:19,880 --> 00:10:22,840 Speaker 3: This ministry is reaching people around the world with the 156 00:10:22,920 --> 00:10:25,640 Speaker 3: message of hope, and as our way of saying thank 157 00:10:25,679 --> 00:10:28,199 Speaker 3: you for your gift of any amount, we would like 158 00:10:28,280 --> 00:10:30,720 Speaker 3: to send you a copy of Double for your Trouble. 159 00:10:30,960 --> 00:10:35,000 Speaker 3: A daily guide for restoration. This thirty one day spiral 160 00:10:35,040 --> 00:10:39,240 Speaker 3: bound resource is an invitation into healing, restoration, and the 161 00:10:39,280 --> 00:10:43,080 Speaker 3: abundant life God has promised. Whether you're walking through a 162 00:10:43,120 --> 00:10:46,960 Speaker 3: season of loss, believing for a breakthrough, or simply looking 163 00:10:47,000 --> 00:10:50,400 Speaker 3: for a deeper connection with God, this guide is designed 164 00:10:50,440 --> 00:10:54,840 Speaker 3: to help you reflect, realign, and rebuild day by day. 165 00:10:55,520 --> 00:11:01,600 Speaker 3: Receive your copy and know that whatever you're facing today grief, loss, uncertainty, 166 00:11:01,679 --> 00:11:05,720 Speaker 3: it doesn't define your future. Choose to trust God. He 167 00:11:05,840 --> 00:11:09,600 Speaker 3: sees you, He cares deeply, and He is the God 168 00:11:09,640 --> 00:11:11,000 Speaker 3: who restores Double. 169 00:11:11,559 --> 00:11:14,680 Speaker 1: None of us like difficulties but if you'll stay in faith, 170 00:11:14,840 --> 00:11:17,200 Speaker 1: you won't come out the same, You'll come out with 171 00:11:17,400 --> 00:11:20,400 Speaker 1: Double Niktoy and I pray for you and your family 172 00:11:20,480 --> 00:11:23,959 Speaker 1: every day. Thank you for your prayers and support. Your 173 00:11:24,000 --> 00:11:27,720 Speaker 1: donations are bringing hope to people around the world. Special 174 00:11:27,760 --> 00:11:30,280 Speaker 1: thank you to our Champion of Hope partners for all 175 00:11:30,320 --> 00:11:33,360 Speaker 1: you do to make the ministry possible. Until we see 176 00:11:33,400 --> 00:11:34,240 Speaker 1: you again next. 177 00:11:34,000 --> 00:11:36,439 Speaker 2: Week, May the Lord bless you and keep you. 178 00:11:37,360 --> 00:11:40,440 Speaker 3: Be sure to request your copy of Double for Your Trouble, 179 00:11:40,640 --> 00:11:44,520 Speaker 3: available this month by simply visiting us at Joelostein dot 180 00:11:44,520 --> 00:11:48,120 Speaker 3: com or call eight eight eight five six seven Joel. 181 00:11:48,679 --> 00:11:52,719 Speaker 3: You can also receive God's Got You Restoration Duo. This 182 00:11:52,800 --> 00:11:56,200 Speaker 3: book is a powerful reminder that no matter what you face, 183 00:11:56,559 --> 00:11:59,960 Speaker 3: you are not alone. God's got you and he will. 184 00:12:00,120 --> 00:12:00,880 Speaker 2: Ever let you go. 185 00:12:01,400 --> 00:12:04,679 Speaker 3: In addition to these two inspiration books, you can also 186 00:12:04,760 --> 00:12:09,600 Speaker 3: receive the Double Portion Restoration Bible Collection. This beautifully curated 187 00:12:09,640 --> 00:12:13,080 Speaker 3: collection brings together the restoring of hope of Double for 188 00:12:13,160 --> 00:12:16,440 Speaker 3: Your Trouble and the comforting reassurance of God's Got to You, 189 00:12:16,840 --> 00:12:20,720 Speaker 3: paired with a stunning CSB Thin Line Bible Digital Study 190 00:12:20,840 --> 00:12:22,160 Speaker 3: Edition in Camel. 191 00:12:21,920 --> 00:12:23,400 Speaker 2: Swaye's soft leather touch. 192 00:12:23,880 --> 00:12:27,800 Speaker 3: This elegant Bible offers a rich, immersive study experience and 193 00:12:28,000 --> 00:12:31,960 Speaker 3: enduring companion as you lean into God's promises of renewal 194 00:12:32,040 --> 00:12:37,000 Speaker 3: and restoration. Let these resources strengthen your faith, study your heart, 195 00:12:37,240 --> 00:12:41,000 Speaker 3: and remind you each day that God is restoring, bleeding, 196 00:12:41,240 --> 00:12:44,760 Speaker 3: and working double on your behalf. You can request these 197 00:12:44,800 --> 00:12:48,679 Speaker 3: inspiring resources by calling eight eight eight five six seven 198 00:12:48,800 --> 00:12:52,319 Speaker 3: Joel or logging on to Joelostein dot com today. 199 00:12:53,280 --> 00:12:55,760 Speaker 1: If you've never been to Lakewood, we have a great 200 00:12:55,840 --> 00:13:00,280 Speaker 1: opportunity to come. We call it Homecoming. We can love 201 00:13:00,360 --> 00:13:02,720 Speaker 1: to meet you and your family, and you can see 202 00:13:02,760 --> 00:13:03,559 Speaker 1: the building and. 203 00:13:03,600 --> 00:13:05,120 Speaker 2: Attend one of the services. 204 00:13:05,320 --> 00:13:07,000 Speaker 1: It's a great time to be a part of the 205 00:13:07,080 --> 00:13:11,280 Speaker 1: Lakewood family. Looking forward to seeing you at Homecoming weekend.