1 00:00:00,760 --> 00:00:03,120 Speaker 1: Hi, this is Joel and Victoria. Thanks so much for 2 00:00:03,160 --> 00:00:06,280 Speaker 1: listening to the podcast. We have a new resource. It's 3 00:00:06,280 --> 00:00:09,120 Speaker 1: a twenty twenty four daily devotional. We'd love to send 4 00:00:09,119 --> 00:00:11,440 Speaker 1: it to you. It'll help you start the day off right. 5 00:00:11,640 --> 00:00:14,160 Speaker 1: You will love this devotional and know this. We are 6 00:00:14,160 --> 00:00:16,959 Speaker 1: praying for you and we are believing for God's very 7 00:00:17,000 --> 00:00:20,960 Speaker 1: best for you in twenty twenty four. Well, God bless you. 8 00:00:21,480 --> 00:00:23,880 Speaker 1: It's a joy to come into your homes. And if 9 00:00:23,920 --> 00:00:26,640 Speaker 1: you're ever in our area, please stop buying. Be a 10 00:00:26,720 --> 00:00:29,600 Speaker 1: part of one of our services. I promise you we'll 11 00:00:29,640 --> 00:00:32,520 Speaker 1: make you feel right at home. I like to start 12 00:00:32,560 --> 00:00:35,720 Speaker 1: with something funny, and I heard about this scientist. He 13 00:00:35,800 --> 00:00:39,040 Speaker 1: said to God, we've decided we no longer need you. 14 00:00:39,560 --> 00:00:43,560 Speaker 1: We can clone people, transplant hearts, do all kinds of 15 00:00:43,640 --> 00:00:47,760 Speaker 1: things once considered miraculous. God said, fine, But to prove 16 00:00:47,800 --> 00:00:50,840 Speaker 1: you don't need me, let's have a man making contest. 17 00:00:51,360 --> 00:00:54,040 Speaker 1: The only requirement is you have to make man out 18 00:00:54,080 --> 00:00:57,040 Speaker 1: of dirt. The scientist said great, and reached down to 19 00:00:57,080 --> 00:00:59,880 Speaker 1: pick up a handful of dirt. God said, not so fast. 20 00:01:00,200 --> 00:01:04,680 Speaker 1: Go get your own dirt. Say it like you mean it. 21 00:01:05,000 --> 00:01:07,840 Speaker 1: This is my Bible. I am what it says I am. 22 00:01:08,319 --> 00:01:10,720 Speaker 1: I have what it says I have. I can do 23 00:01:10,840 --> 00:01:13,360 Speaker 1: what it says I can do. Today I will be 24 00:01:13,440 --> 00:01:17,199 Speaker 1: taught the word of God. I boldly confess. My mind 25 00:01:17,360 --> 00:01:20,560 Speaker 1: is alert, my heart is receptive. I will never be 26 00:01:20,640 --> 00:01:25,479 Speaker 1: the same. In Jesus' name, God bless you. I want 27 00:01:25,520 --> 00:01:28,800 Speaker 1: to talk to you today about commanded to be blessed. 28 00:01:29,760 --> 00:01:32,679 Speaker 1: When we honor God with our lives, we do our 29 00:01:32,720 --> 00:01:36,360 Speaker 1: best to keep in first place. The scripture says God 30 00:01:36,400 --> 00:01:41,440 Speaker 1: will command his blessing to come on you. When God commands, 31 00:01:41,720 --> 00:01:45,600 Speaker 1: it's not maybe it'll happen. I hope it happens. If 32 00:01:45,600 --> 00:01:50,000 Speaker 1: the circumstances come together. Know when God commands, there's no 33 00:01:50,120 --> 00:01:54,240 Speaker 1: ifs ands or buts, it's going to happen. When God 34 00:01:54,320 --> 00:01:58,880 Speaker 1: said let there be light, the earth was dark, without form, 35 00:01:59,440 --> 00:02:04,000 Speaker 1: like a black. God didn't check the circumstances to see 36 00:02:04,040 --> 00:02:08,240 Speaker 1: if light was possible. He didn't have experts analyze it 37 00:02:08,560 --> 00:02:11,120 Speaker 1: to see if they thought it could happen. He simply 38 00:02:11,200 --> 00:02:15,440 Speaker 1: spoke when he commanded light. It came at one hundred 39 00:02:15,480 --> 00:02:19,680 Speaker 1: and eighty six thousand miles per second. When God commands 40 00:02:19,720 --> 00:02:23,000 Speaker 1: you to be blessed, he doesn't check what family you 41 00:02:23,080 --> 00:02:27,480 Speaker 1: come from, where you work, who likes you, how good 42 00:02:27,520 --> 00:02:31,720 Speaker 1: the economy is. None of that matters to God. All 43 00:02:31,800 --> 00:02:36,120 Speaker 1: the circumstances be against you. The experts may tell you 44 00:02:36,120 --> 00:02:39,280 Speaker 1: you'll never get well, you'll never meet the right person, 45 00:02:39,600 --> 00:02:44,160 Speaker 1: you'll never be successful. Every voice says you're stuck. Just 46 00:02:44,280 --> 00:02:47,560 Speaker 1: accept it. No way in the natural. The good news 47 00:02:47,720 --> 00:02:53,080 Speaker 1: is we serve a supernatural God. When he commands the blessing, 48 00:02:53,720 --> 00:02:57,720 Speaker 1: all the forces of darkness cannot stop him. With the 49 00:02:57,800 --> 00:03:02,200 Speaker 1: commanded blessing, you'll go play you couldn't go on your own. 50 00:03:03,160 --> 00:03:07,280 Speaker 1: Doors will open that you couldn't open. You'll be promoted 51 00:03:07,680 --> 00:03:11,919 Speaker 1: even though you weren't the most qualified. The commanded blessing 52 00:03:12,440 --> 00:03:18,239 Speaker 1: will cause good breaks to find you. Contracts, opportunities, business 53 00:03:18,320 --> 00:03:22,400 Speaker 1: favor will track you down. Now get in agreement with God. 54 00:03:22,960 --> 00:03:26,200 Speaker 1: Quit saying I'll never get ahead, Joel, These people at 55 00:03:26,280 --> 00:03:29,920 Speaker 1: work don't like me. It doesn't matter who doesn't like 56 00:03:30,000 --> 00:03:33,680 Speaker 1: you at work. What matters is the most high God 57 00:03:33,720 --> 00:03:37,640 Speaker 1: that likes you. He is not limited by who's against you, 58 00:03:38,360 --> 00:03:41,400 Speaker 1: by who's not getting your credit, who's not treating your 59 00:03:41,480 --> 00:03:45,640 Speaker 1: right One touch of his favor will move them out 60 00:03:45,680 --> 00:03:48,240 Speaker 1: of the way. And get you to where you're supposed 61 00:03:48,280 --> 00:03:53,120 Speaker 1: to be. And don't be discouraged by what's unfair. God 62 00:03:53,240 --> 00:03:57,680 Speaker 1: sees what's happening. Keep being your best, keep honoring him. 63 00:03:58,240 --> 00:04:02,480 Speaker 1: You're not working under people, You're working under God. When 64 00:04:02,520 --> 00:04:05,680 Speaker 1: it's your time to be promoted, you can rest assured 65 00:04:06,080 --> 00:04:10,000 Speaker 1: you will be promoted. People can't stop you. Bad breaks 66 00:04:10,040 --> 00:04:14,800 Speaker 1: can't stop you. Injustice can't stop you. The commanded blessing 67 00:04:14,920 --> 00:04:18,880 Speaker 1: on your life will override every force that's trying to 68 00:04:18,880 --> 00:04:21,960 Speaker 1: hold you back. I know a young man that works 69 00:04:22,000 --> 00:04:26,320 Speaker 1: in the medical field. He graduated from college six years ago. 70 00:04:26,560 --> 00:04:29,880 Speaker 1: He'd been at this same entry level position the whole time. 71 00:04:30,480 --> 00:04:33,400 Speaker 1: He's a hard worker. He always does more than he 72 00:04:33,480 --> 00:04:37,440 Speaker 1: has to. But his supervisor never liked him. He wouldn't 73 00:04:37,440 --> 00:04:41,279 Speaker 1: give him any credit. These new employees that they hired 74 00:04:41,320 --> 00:04:44,760 Speaker 1: that didn't have the training, the expertise, they were being 75 00:04:44,800 --> 00:04:48,800 Speaker 1: promoted over him, and it wasn't fair. He didn't like it. 76 00:04:49,320 --> 00:04:54,360 Speaker 1: But he understands this principle because he's honoring God. There 77 00:04:54,440 --> 00:04:58,760 Speaker 1: is a commanded blessing on his life. About six months ago, 78 00:04:59,400 --> 00:05:02,359 Speaker 1: he went to or and found out one morning that 79 00:05:02,440 --> 00:05:07,640 Speaker 1: his supervisor had unexpectedly resigned he had a family issue 80 00:05:07,680 --> 00:05:11,480 Speaker 1: and had to move to another state. The administration called 81 00:05:11,560 --> 00:05:15,919 Speaker 1: him in and said, this supervisor has recommended you to 82 00:05:16,040 --> 00:05:21,160 Speaker 1: take his position. This supervisor never even liked him, he 83 00:05:21,279 --> 00:05:25,240 Speaker 1: was never for him. But when you have the commanded blessing, 84 00:05:25,760 --> 00:05:28,560 Speaker 1: God will cause people to be good to you that 85 00:05:28,600 --> 00:05:32,560 Speaker 1: have never been good to you. He'll use even your 86 00:05:32,760 --> 00:05:36,880 Speaker 1: enemies to bless you. This young man was so excited 87 00:05:37,320 --> 00:05:40,200 Speaker 1: and so baffled at the same time. He said, Joel, 88 00:05:40,279 --> 00:05:43,279 Speaker 1: this man tried to hold me down, He tried to 89 00:05:43,320 --> 00:05:47,720 Speaker 1: discredit me. Here's the key. People don't have the final say. 90 00:05:48,080 --> 00:05:52,760 Speaker 1: God does. People don't determine your destiny. They didn't breathe 91 00:05:52,800 --> 00:05:56,320 Speaker 1: life into you. They didn't call you, they didn't number 92 00:05:56,360 --> 00:05:59,719 Speaker 1: your days. You may be in a situation that feels 93 00:05:59,760 --> 00:06:04,480 Speaker 1: un seems like somebody's stopping you. Don't worry your time 94 00:06:04,680 --> 00:06:08,440 Speaker 1: is coming. Keep doing the right thing when the wrong 95 00:06:08,560 --> 00:06:13,120 Speaker 1: thing is happening. There is a commanded blessing on your life. 96 00:06:13,360 --> 00:06:17,000 Speaker 1: They can't keep you down. All the circumstances may be 97 00:06:17,120 --> 00:06:20,320 Speaker 1: against you, but the most High God is for you. 98 00:06:21,320 --> 00:06:24,640 Speaker 1: Numbers Chapter twenty two. The Israelites were camped on the 99 00:06:24,640 --> 00:06:29,200 Speaker 1: plains of Moab, headed toward Jericho. When the king of 100 00:06:29,240 --> 00:06:33,400 Speaker 1: the Moabites saw how many Israelites there were, he was afraid. 101 00:06:34,360 --> 00:06:37,160 Speaker 1: There was a prophet that lived in a nearby city 102 00:06:37,360 --> 00:06:41,560 Speaker 1: named Balem. The king knew that the Lord always did 103 00:06:41,640 --> 00:06:44,800 Speaker 1: what Balem asked, so he sent some of his men 104 00:06:45,320 --> 00:06:48,640 Speaker 1: with a large amount of money to see Balem to 105 00:06:48,800 --> 00:06:52,440 Speaker 1: ask him to come back and curse the people of Israel. 106 00:06:53,320 --> 00:06:56,359 Speaker 1: Balim said, I'll pray about it, but I can only 107 00:06:56,440 --> 00:07:00,680 Speaker 1: say what God tells me to say. He prayed in 108 00:07:00,800 --> 00:07:03,960 Speaker 1: verse twelve. God said, you are to not go back 109 00:07:04,000 --> 00:07:08,159 Speaker 1: with them. For what I have blessed, you cannot curse. 110 00:07:08,839 --> 00:07:12,480 Speaker 1: Notice when God puts the commanded blessing on you, it 111 00:07:12,520 --> 00:07:16,240 Speaker 1: doesn't matter what somebody says, doesn't matter what they do, 112 00:07:16,640 --> 00:07:20,040 Speaker 1: how they treat you. All that matters is God put 113 00:07:20,080 --> 00:07:24,200 Speaker 1: his blessing on you, and everything else is of no effect. 114 00:07:25,000 --> 00:07:27,800 Speaker 1: They can say it, but if you don't allow it 115 00:07:27,840 --> 00:07:31,320 Speaker 1: to take root, it's not going to stop you. It 116 00:07:31,360 --> 00:07:34,360 Speaker 1: may be unfair, it may seem like it's getting the 117 00:07:34,400 --> 00:07:37,440 Speaker 1: best of you, but if you'll stay in faith, the 118 00:07:37,520 --> 00:07:41,680 Speaker 1: blessing will always override the curse they meant it to 119 00:07:41,720 --> 00:07:45,640 Speaker 1: stop you. God will use it to promote you. They 120 00:07:45,640 --> 00:07:48,280 Speaker 1: went back and told the king that Balim wouldn't come. 121 00:07:48,880 --> 00:07:52,200 Speaker 1: The king said, take some more money, go back and 122 00:07:52,240 --> 00:07:55,520 Speaker 1: tell him he has to come and curse the Israelites. 123 00:07:56,200 --> 00:07:59,760 Speaker 1: They went back. Baalim said, even if you give me 124 00:07:59,800 --> 00:08:04,560 Speaker 1: a palace filled with silver and gold, I am powerless 125 00:08:04,800 --> 00:08:09,040 Speaker 1: to do anything against the will of my God. They 126 00:08:09,080 --> 00:08:11,160 Speaker 1: spent the night and talked to him into going back. 127 00:08:11,640 --> 00:08:14,320 Speaker 1: The king said, Balem, what took you so long? You 128 00:08:14,360 --> 00:08:16,119 Speaker 1: should have come back here. I need you to curse 129 00:08:16,160 --> 00:08:19,440 Speaker 1: these people. Balim said, well, I'll pray one more time, 130 00:08:19,760 --> 00:08:22,360 Speaker 1: but I can only say what the Lord tells me 131 00:08:22,440 --> 00:08:25,680 Speaker 1: to say. He woke up the next morning said to 132 00:08:25,760 --> 00:08:29,600 Speaker 1: the king, this is what the Lord says. The Israelites 133 00:08:29,680 --> 00:08:34,319 Speaker 1: will succeed and become a great nation and have descendants 134 00:08:34,360 --> 00:08:38,280 Speaker 1: too numerous to count. The king said, Balem, stop, what 135 00:08:38,320 --> 00:08:40,880 Speaker 1: are you doing. I brought you here to curse them 136 00:08:41,400 --> 00:08:45,800 Speaker 1: instead your blessing them. He said it again, I cannot 137 00:08:45,880 --> 00:08:50,640 Speaker 1: curse what God has already blessed. If Balem were here today, 138 00:08:51,120 --> 00:08:54,360 Speaker 1: he would say the same thing to you. You cannot 139 00:08:54,400 --> 00:08:58,720 Speaker 1: be cursed. There is a commanded blessing on your life. 140 00:08:59,280 --> 00:09:04,079 Speaker 1: When you go through disappointments, unfair things happen, It's easy 141 00:09:04,120 --> 00:09:08,120 Speaker 1: to feel like that's clouded your future. Have a new perspective. 142 00:09:08,480 --> 00:09:13,439 Speaker 1: What God has blessed, nothing can curse. When you understand 143 00:09:13,480 --> 00:09:17,680 Speaker 1: you have this commanded blessing, you won't be upset because 144 00:09:17,679 --> 00:09:22,600 Speaker 1: someone's talking about you, worried about your finances, discouraged because 145 00:09:22,640 --> 00:09:26,440 Speaker 1: of a setback. You know, every force that's trying to 146 00:09:26,440 --> 00:09:30,480 Speaker 1: stop you is powerless to change the blessing God put 147 00:09:30,520 --> 00:09:34,200 Speaker 1: on your life. I love how Balem was supposed to 148 00:09:34,280 --> 00:09:36,839 Speaker 1: curse the Israelites. They were going to pay him a 149 00:09:36,880 --> 00:09:40,440 Speaker 1: lot of money. Not only did he refuse to do it, 150 00:09:40,840 --> 00:09:45,480 Speaker 1: but God had him to start speaking blessings. He started 151 00:09:45,480 --> 00:09:49,640 Speaker 1: telling how the Israelites were going to succeed, go further, 152 00:09:49,800 --> 00:09:54,360 Speaker 1: and accomplish great things. This is a spiritual principle God 153 00:09:54,480 --> 00:09:57,920 Speaker 1: was showing us. When the enemy tells you all the 154 00:09:57,960 --> 00:10:01,319 Speaker 1: reasons why you're not going to get well, not get 155 00:10:01,360 --> 00:10:05,360 Speaker 1: out of debt, not overcome the challenge. Instead of agreeing 156 00:10:05,400 --> 00:10:11,280 Speaker 1: with him, do like Balem starts speaking victory speak, health speak, 157 00:10:11,360 --> 00:10:15,920 Speaker 1: favor speak, abundance. See, the enemy wants you to curse 158 00:10:16,120 --> 00:10:21,400 Speaker 1: your future with negative words and negative thoughts. He knows 159 00:10:21,840 --> 00:10:25,000 Speaker 1: he can't stop you, but if he can convince you 160 00:10:25,720 --> 00:10:29,679 Speaker 1: to go around discouraged, thinking you've reached your limits, that 161 00:10:29,760 --> 00:10:32,640 Speaker 1: will keep you from your destiny. You have to turn 162 00:10:32,679 --> 00:10:36,080 Speaker 1: it around. You want me to curse my future. I 163 00:10:36,160 --> 00:10:39,680 Speaker 1: know better. I'm gonna bless my future. Well, you'll never 164 00:10:39,720 --> 00:10:42,760 Speaker 1: get out of debt. You'll always struggle. No thanks, you 165 00:10:42,840 --> 00:10:45,760 Speaker 1: have the wrong person. I will lend and not borrow. 166 00:10:46,200 --> 00:10:50,120 Speaker 1: Whatever I touch will prosper and succeed. I've been commanded 167 00:10:50,200 --> 00:10:54,280 Speaker 1: to be blessed. When he whispers you saw the medical report. 168 00:10:54,720 --> 00:10:57,880 Speaker 1: You're never going to get well. Come on, agree with me. 169 00:10:58,160 --> 00:11:02,079 Speaker 1: Curse your future. Turn it around. God is restoring health 170 00:11:02,120 --> 00:11:06,480 Speaker 1: back into me. The number of my days he will fulfill. Well, 171 00:11:06,520 --> 00:11:09,800 Speaker 1: the more you pray, the worse your child gets. No thanks. 172 00:11:10,000 --> 00:11:12,640 Speaker 1: As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord, 173 00:11:13,200 --> 00:11:16,520 Speaker 1: the seed of the righteous. My seed will be mighty 174 00:11:16,600 --> 00:11:19,880 Speaker 1: in the land. You may have a lot coming against you. 175 00:11:20,400 --> 00:11:23,600 Speaker 1: Every voice says it's not going to work out. I'm 176 00:11:23,640 --> 00:11:27,840 Speaker 1: asking you to be a Baylim. Speak the blessing and 177 00:11:27,920 --> 00:11:32,720 Speaker 1: not the curse. Sometimes it's not our own thoughts trying 178 00:11:32,760 --> 00:11:36,680 Speaker 1: to discourage us. It's what other people are saying. People 179 00:11:36,679 --> 00:11:39,280 Speaker 1: will tell you what you're not going to be, how 180 00:11:39,360 --> 00:11:41,640 Speaker 1: you're not going to get well, your dreams aren't going 181 00:11:41,679 --> 00:11:45,040 Speaker 1: to come to pass. Here's the key. They can speak 182 00:11:45,120 --> 00:11:49,440 Speaker 1: defeat all day long, but they are powerless to change 183 00:11:49,440 --> 00:11:53,680 Speaker 1: the blessing on your life. Nothing they say or do 184 00:11:54,200 --> 00:11:57,600 Speaker 1: can remove the blessing. They didn't give you the blessing, 185 00:11:58,080 --> 00:12:01,000 Speaker 1: and they can't take it away. It was put on 186 00:12:01,120 --> 00:12:05,400 Speaker 1: you by the God who spoke worlds into existence. He 187 00:12:05,480 --> 00:12:08,760 Speaker 1: didn't just give you the blessing. He commanded the blessing. 188 00:12:09,559 --> 00:12:13,280 Speaker 1: There's a freedom when you understand this. Somebody's talking bad 189 00:12:13,320 --> 00:12:16,679 Speaker 1: about you, your attitude is no big deal. They are 190 00:12:16,840 --> 00:12:20,720 Speaker 1: powerless to stop the blessing on my life. Well, you 191 00:12:20,800 --> 00:12:23,480 Speaker 1: had a bad break, you were laid off. Yes, but 192 00:12:23,559 --> 00:12:27,400 Speaker 1: I'm not worried. I know the blessing always overrides the curse. 193 00:12:28,320 --> 00:12:31,200 Speaker 1: Will you come from a rough neighborhood. Doesn't look like 194 00:12:31,240 --> 00:12:33,840 Speaker 1: you have much of a future now. Where I am 195 00:12:34,160 --> 00:12:37,720 Speaker 1: is not where I'm staying. The commanded blessing will get 196 00:12:37,760 --> 00:12:40,960 Speaker 1: me to where I'm supposed to be. I talked to 197 00:12:41,000 --> 00:12:44,840 Speaker 1: a lady that was raised in a dysfunctional environment. She 198 00:12:45,000 --> 00:12:48,800 Speaker 1: was abused by her father. He constantly told her how 199 00:12:49,000 --> 00:12:52,840 Speaker 1: she was no good, worthless, would never amount to anything. 200 00:12:53,480 --> 00:12:55,880 Speaker 1: She was just a little girl. She didn't know any better. 201 00:12:56,400 --> 00:13:00,920 Speaker 1: She believed these lies and grew up feeling ashamed, inferior. 202 00:13:01,679 --> 00:13:04,839 Speaker 1: As seven years old, she was taken away from her 203 00:13:04,880 --> 00:13:08,480 Speaker 1: father by the state and placed in foster home. After 204 00:13:08,559 --> 00:13:13,200 Speaker 1: Foster Home, never feeling loved or accepted, she grew up 205 00:13:13,240 --> 00:13:17,800 Speaker 1: a young lady on drugs, in bad relationships. She had 206 00:13:17,840 --> 00:13:22,160 Speaker 1: several children from different fathers, in poverty. Didn't look like 207 00:13:22,200 --> 00:13:25,840 Speaker 1: it would ever change. But in her late twenties, a 208 00:13:25,960 --> 00:13:29,120 Speaker 1: friend invited her to church and she gave her life 209 00:13:29,160 --> 00:13:33,680 Speaker 1: to Christ. She started making better decisions, doing her best 210 00:13:33,720 --> 00:13:37,320 Speaker 1: to honor God. She would listen to our messages about 211 00:13:37,480 --> 00:13:41,280 Speaker 1: reprogramming your mind and not believing lies that people have 212 00:13:41,400 --> 00:13:45,640 Speaker 1: spoken over you. It didn't happen overnight, but little by 213 00:13:45,720 --> 00:13:49,400 Speaker 1: little things started to change in her favor. She was 214 00:13:49,440 --> 00:13:52,480 Speaker 1: able to go back and finish high school. In her 215 00:13:52,520 --> 00:13:56,840 Speaker 1: early thirties, a friend helped her to get into college. 216 00:13:56,880 --> 00:14:00,400 Speaker 1: A professor there went out of her way to opened 217 00:14:00,440 --> 00:14:05,040 Speaker 1: the door to nursing school. A hospital administrator showed her 218 00:14:05,120 --> 00:14:09,880 Speaker 1: favor and hired her over several other candidates that had 219 00:14:09,880 --> 00:14:14,360 Speaker 1: more qualifications. Today she's in charge of her whole department, 220 00:14:14,720 --> 00:14:19,520 Speaker 1: several hundred nurses at this large hospital. What happened She 221 00:14:19,720 --> 00:14:24,600 Speaker 1: came in to the commanded blessing. The commanded blessing will 222 00:14:24,640 --> 00:14:30,160 Speaker 1: override every person that's tried to stop you. The commanded 223 00:14:30,240 --> 00:14:34,280 Speaker 1: blessing will make up for what you didn't get. It 224 00:14:34,320 --> 00:14:36,960 Speaker 1: will cause people to go out of their way to 225 00:14:37,040 --> 00:14:39,520 Speaker 1: be good to you. It will put you at the 226 00:14:39,600 --> 00:14:43,360 Speaker 1: right place at the right time. People may have tried 227 00:14:43,400 --> 00:14:46,280 Speaker 1: to push you down, but God is about to lift 228 00:14:46,320 --> 00:14:49,520 Speaker 1: you up. They tried to keep you from your purpose, 229 00:14:49,840 --> 00:14:54,280 Speaker 1: but they were powerless to change the blessing on your life. 230 00:14:54,440 --> 00:14:56,840 Speaker 1: You may have a lot coming against you, but I 231 00:14:56,960 --> 00:15:01,360 Speaker 1: believe God is about to command something like he did 232 00:15:01,360 --> 00:15:07,120 Speaker 1: for her. He's going to command justice, vindication, deliverance from 233 00:15:07,160 --> 00:15:09,920 Speaker 1: people that are not treating you right. He's going to 234 00:15:09,960 --> 00:15:14,960 Speaker 1: command increase, promotion, doors to open that take you to 235 00:15:15,040 --> 00:15:20,680 Speaker 1: the next level. He's going to command freedom, breakthroughs, wholeness, 236 00:15:21,040 --> 00:15:25,640 Speaker 1: that addiction, those bad habits are not your destiny. He's 237 00:15:25,680 --> 00:15:31,800 Speaker 1: about to command healing, restoration, strength, That sickness is coming 238 00:15:31,840 --> 00:15:34,680 Speaker 1: to an end. It may not have happened yet. But 239 00:15:34,800 --> 00:15:37,480 Speaker 1: this is a new day. You're going to see the 240 00:15:37,560 --> 00:15:42,200 Speaker 1: commanded blessing show out in your life. God is going 241 00:15:42,240 --> 00:15:46,120 Speaker 1: to make things happen that amaze you, things you didn't 242 00:15:46,160 --> 00:15:50,440 Speaker 1: see coming. The scripture says this, when you obey God's 243 00:15:50,440 --> 00:15:54,920 Speaker 1: blessings will chase you down and overtake you. I've seen 244 00:15:54,960 --> 00:15:58,400 Speaker 1: this in my own life. Most of the big breaks, 245 00:15:58,880 --> 00:16:02,440 Speaker 1: the major events, I didn't go after them. I was 246 00:16:02,520 --> 00:16:05,960 Speaker 1: just honoring God being my best, and they came after me. 247 00:16:07,000 --> 00:16:10,480 Speaker 1: I didn't know the Compact Center was coming available. But 248 00:16:10,560 --> 00:16:13,800 Speaker 1: a man came to me out of the blue, said, Joel, 249 00:16:13,840 --> 00:16:16,560 Speaker 1: you need to call the mayor that should be Lakewood's building. 250 00:16:17,400 --> 00:16:20,400 Speaker 1: A publisher I had never met came to me said, 251 00:16:20,400 --> 00:16:23,960 Speaker 1: I want to publish your books. Serious exem came to me. 252 00:16:24,360 --> 00:16:28,960 Speaker 1: Here's a satellite radio channel. That's the commanded blessing. God 253 00:16:29,040 --> 00:16:34,280 Speaker 1: calls an opportunity, favor contracts to chase you down. Here's 254 00:16:34,320 --> 00:16:37,440 Speaker 1: the whole key. You don't have to go after the blessing. 255 00:16:37,880 --> 00:16:41,440 Speaker 1: Go after God. Honor him with your life, and the 256 00:16:41,480 --> 00:16:45,000 Speaker 1: blessing will follow. God will command things to find you. 257 00:16:46,560 --> 00:16:50,560 Speaker 1: In the scripture, one morning Jesus asked Peter if he 258 00:16:50,600 --> 00:16:53,640 Speaker 1: could borrow his boat to teach the people from the shore. 259 00:16:54,240 --> 00:16:57,200 Speaker 1: Peter agreed and let him use it When he was finished. 260 00:16:57,280 --> 00:17:00,000 Speaker 1: Jesus wanted to pay Peter. He told him to law 261 00:17:00,280 --> 00:17:03,480 Speaker 1: out into the water. He would catch a lot of fish. Well, 262 00:17:03,520 --> 00:17:08,200 Speaker 1: Peter had fished all night nothing was biting. Peter was 263 00:17:08,240 --> 00:17:12,080 Speaker 1: a professional fisherman. He knew the morning wasn't the best 264 00:17:12,119 --> 00:17:15,080 Speaker 1: time to fish. He didn't feel like going back out. 265 00:17:15,600 --> 00:17:18,000 Speaker 1: He thought it'd be a waste of his time. But 266 00:17:18,119 --> 00:17:22,920 Speaker 1: instead of talking himself out of it, he said to Jesus, nevertheless, 267 00:17:23,280 --> 00:17:27,560 Speaker 1: at your word, I will do it. He chose to obey. 268 00:17:27,800 --> 00:17:30,280 Speaker 1: When he threw out his net, he caught so many 269 00:17:30,320 --> 00:17:33,280 Speaker 1: fish that the net begin to break. He had to 270 00:17:33,320 --> 00:17:36,520 Speaker 1: call over another boat to help him gather up all 271 00:17:36,560 --> 00:17:40,800 Speaker 1: the fish. That's what happens when you walk in obedience. 272 00:17:41,040 --> 00:17:45,000 Speaker 1: There is a commanded blessing on your life. God will 273 00:17:45,040 --> 00:17:49,159 Speaker 1: make things happen that you couldn't make happen. What's interesting 274 00:17:49,440 --> 00:17:52,879 Speaker 1: is there were no fish there the night before. But 275 00:17:53,080 --> 00:17:57,280 Speaker 1: God controls the fish. He knows how to bring things 276 00:17:57,320 --> 00:18:01,640 Speaker 1: to you. The conditions may not be favorable. You don't 277 00:18:01,680 --> 00:18:05,040 Speaker 1: know the right people. You've had the addiction a long time. 278 00:18:05,720 --> 00:18:08,960 Speaker 1: Perhaps no one in your family has really been successful. 279 00:18:09,400 --> 00:18:12,399 Speaker 1: It looks like that's the way it's always going to be. No, 280 00:18:12,560 --> 00:18:15,760 Speaker 1: God is about to do a new thing. You tried 281 00:18:15,840 --> 00:18:18,959 Speaker 1: and it didn't work out last time. But because of 282 00:18:19,000 --> 00:18:22,879 Speaker 1: your obedience, God is speaking to the fish right now. 283 00:18:23,400 --> 00:18:26,280 Speaker 1: It's not going to be a little catch, a little break, 284 00:18:26,480 --> 00:18:32,040 Speaker 1: a little blessing. God's about to do something big, something unusual, 285 00:18:32,720 --> 00:18:36,679 Speaker 1: something to where people take notice. They wonder, what is 286 00:18:36,720 --> 00:18:40,200 Speaker 1: it about you? How could you lead the company in sales? 287 00:18:40,840 --> 00:18:43,760 Speaker 1: How could you beat the cancer? I saw the medical report. 288 00:18:44,280 --> 00:18:47,199 Speaker 1: How could you marry that beautiful girl? How could you 289 00:18:47,280 --> 00:18:50,359 Speaker 1: start your own business? That doesn't seem possible. That's the 290 00:18:50,480 --> 00:18:54,679 Speaker 1: commanded blessing. That's God causing the fish to find you. 291 00:18:55,640 --> 00:18:58,119 Speaker 1: And you may not see how this could happen. Neither 292 00:18:58,119 --> 00:19:01,280 Speaker 1: did Peter. Everything in his rea said there are no 293 00:19:01,359 --> 00:19:05,080 Speaker 1: fish out there. In other words, the medical report's not good. 294 00:19:05,560 --> 00:19:08,560 Speaker 1: I've been single a long time. I don't have the training. 295 00:19:09,040 --> 00:19:12,919 Speaker 1: That all may be true. The good news is God 296 00:19:13,080 --> 00:19:16,640 Speaker 1: is not limited by what you don't have, by who 297 00:19:16,680 --> 00:19:20,480 Speaker 1: you don't know, by the economy. All he has to 298 00:19:20,520 --> 00:19:23,800 Speaker 1: do is speak, and the fish will not only show up, 299 00:19:23,920 --> 00:19:27,200 Speaker 1: they'll find you. They'll come to your boat. You don't 300 00:19:27,240 --> 00:19:30,879 Speaker 1: have to make this happen. Just keep God first place, 301 00:19:31,560 --> 00:19:35,520 Speaker 1: and this commanded blessing, like a magnet, will draw in 302 00:19:35,600 --> 00:19:40,240 Speaker 1: good breaks, healing favor the right people. We see the 303 00:19:40,280 --> 00:19:43,920 Speaker 1: commanded blessing with a young lady in the scripture named Ruth. 304 00:19:44,480 --> 00:19:47,000 Speaker 1: She had just moved back to her mother in law's 305 00:19:47,000 --> 00:19:51,440 Speaker 1: hometown after she lost her husband. They were both widows, 306 00:19:51,960 --> 00:19:56,200 Speaker 1: very poor, barely able to survive. Ruth would go out 307 00:19:56,240 --> 00:19:59,520 Speaker 1: into the fields every morning and pick up the leftover 308 00:19:59,560 --> 00:20:03,919 Speaker 1: wheat that the workers missed. They were living off of scraps. 309 00:20:04,320 --> 00:20:07,399 Speaker 1: Life was a struggle. Ruth did this day in and 310 00:20:07,520 --> 00:20:10,760 Speaker 1: day out, week after week. Didn't look like there was 311 00:20:10,760 --> 00:20:13,800 Speaker 1: a commanded blessing on her. Life didn't look like it 312 00:20:13,840 --> 00:20:18,119 Speaker 1: would ever change. But one day God caused the owner 313 00:20:18,240 --> 00:20:22,000 Speaker 1: of that property to notice Ruth. He asked his workers, 314 00:20:22,359 --> 00:20:25,879 Speaker 1: who's that young lady out in our fields. They explained 315 00:20:25,920 --> 00:20:28,480 Speaker 1: how she was a widow that had moved there from 316 00:20:28,520 --> 00:20:31,880 Speaker 1: another country. He could have said, tell her to get 317 00:20:31,920 --> 00:20:35,440 Speaker 1: off my property, this is private land, or he could 318 00:20:35,480 --> 00:20:38,080 Speaker 1: have just dismissed it. Not thought any more about it, 319 00:20:38,160 --> 00:20:41,960 Speaker 1: that would be the end. But God caused Ruth to 320 00:20:42,080 --> 00:20:45,440 Speaker 1: find fever with this man. He went over to Ruth 321 00:20:45,840 --> 00:20:48,920 Speaker 1: and told her how she was welcome in his fields 322 00:20:49,000 --> 00:20:52,679 Speaker 1: any time. He invited her to have lunch with his 323 00:20:52,800 --> 00:20:56,800 Speaker 1: workers every day. He told those workers to leave extra 324 00:20:56,840 --> 00:20:59,680 Speaker 1: wheat on the ground to make it easy on Ruth. 325 00:21:00,520 --> 00:21:04,280 Speaker 1: It looked like she was stuck no future. All the 326 00:21:04,320 --> 00:21:07,640 Speaker 1: odds were against her, but she came to a point 327 00:21:07,760 --> 00:21:11,480 Speaker 1: where it was one blessing after another. She had so 328 00:21:11,640 --> 00:21:14,840 Speaker 1: much wheat, more than she needed. She was so excited. 329 00:21:15,320 --> 00:21:18,040 Speaker 1: Not only that she ended up falling in love with 330 00:21:18,080 --> 00:21:21,560 Speaker 1: that man. They got married. Now instead of working in 331 00:21:21,600 --> 00:21:24,840 Speaker 1: the field, she owned the field. Here's what I'm saying. 332 00:21:25,400 --> 00:21:29,200 Speaker 1: When you have this commanded blessing on your life, God 333 00:21:29,280 --> 00:21:32,639 Speaker 1: will cause you to find favor with the right people. 334 00:21:33,400 --> 00:21:35,920 Speaker 1: You don't have to play up to people. You don't 335 00:21:35,960 --> 00:21:38,800 Speaker 1: have to try to manipulate someone to convince them to 336 00:21:38,960 --> 00:21:42,520 Speaker 1: like you. God will cause you to stand out. He'll 337 00:21:42,560 --> 00:21:47,119 Speaker 1: bring divine connections people that want to help you. Not 338 00:21:47,240 --> 00:21:50,080 Speaker 1: because of what you can do for them, not because 339 00:21:50,080 --> 00:21:53,840 Speaker 1: of your training, your expertise, your looks, your talents, simply 340 00:21:53,880 --> 00:21:58,760 Speaker 1: because God has caused them to show you favor. Ruth 341 00:21:58,760 --> 00:22:01,560 Speaker 1: couldn't have made this happen. She didn't know the man. 342 00:22:02,160 --> 00:22:05,680 Speaker 1: She was a stranger in a foreign land, a poor widow. 343 00:22:06,440 --> 00:22:10,200 Speaker 1: Nothing in her circumstances said she would ever be blessed 344 00:22:10,680 --> 00:22:14,439 Speaker 1: successful owning that field. If you would have told her 345 00:22:14,520 --> 00:22:17,560 Speaker 1: that when she first arrived, she'd have said, that's impossible. 346 00:22:17,880 --> 00:22:20,840 Speaker 1: There's no way this can happen. When you look at 347 00:22:20,840 --> 00:22:25,880 Speaker 1: your circumstances, your dreams, those challenges you're facing, you may 348 00:22:25,920 --> 00:22:29,040 Speaker 1: think it could never work out. Like Peter, you fished 349 00:22:29,080 --> 00:22:32,720 Speaker 1: all night, it didn't happen last time, or maybe like Ruth, 350 00:22:32,760 --> 00:22:35,840 Speaker 1: you've had some disappointments. You're not where you thought you 351 00:22:35,880 --> 00:22:39,120 Speaker 1: would be in life. But God knows how to not 352 00:22:39,160 --> 00:22:42,840 Speaker 1: only bring the fish the provision, but like with her, 353 00:22:43,200 --> 00:22:46,560 Speaker 1: he's going to bring the right people, people that will 354 00:22:46,680 --> 00:22:49,720 Speaker 1: use their influence that will help you go to the 355 00:22:49,800 --> 00:22:53,880 Speaker 1: next level. If you could see where God is going 356 00:22:53,920 --> 00:22:57,320 Speaker 1: to take you, it would boggle your mind. The people 357 00:22:57,359 --> 00:22:59,960 Speaker 1: he's going to bring, the doors he's going to owe, 358 00:23:00,760 --> 00:23:03,800 Speaker 1: the influence he's going to give you. You're going to 359 00:23:03,800 --> 00:23:07,520 Speaker 1: look back and say, I didn't see this coming. I 360 00:23:07,520 --> 00:23:10,480 Speaker 1: didn't see own in the field coming. I didn't see 361 00:23:10,520 --> 00:23:14,280 Speaker 1: the compact center coming. I didn't see the healing, the freedom, 362 00:23:14,480 --> 00:23:17,440 Speaker 1: the abundance. It's going to be more than you can 363 00:23:17,520 --> 00:23:20,359 Speaker 1: ask or think. This is what happened to a friend 364 00:23:20,400 --> 00:23:24,240 Speaker 1: of mine. He moved to Houston thirteen years ago with 365 00:23:24,320 --> 00:23:28,280 Speaker 1: a dream to pursue starting his own business. He didn't 366 00:23:28,280 --> 00:23:31,440 Speaker 1: know anyone here, didn't have any contacts, but he took 367 00:23:31,480 --> 00:23:35,520 Speaker 1: a step of faith. He arrived in Houston on a Friday. 368 00:23:35,920 --> 00:23:40,000 Speaker 1: That Sunday, he showed up at Lakewood. A month later, 369 00:23:40,200 --> 00:23:44,320 Speaker 1: he was volunteering as an usher, serving in different ministries. 370 00:23:44,640 --> 00:23:48,800 Speaker 1: Honoring God being his best, he started his business in 371 00:23:48,840 --> 00:23:54,280 Speaker 1: the financial industry. Doors begin to open. He had challenges, obstacles, 372 00:23:54,400 --> 00:23:57,640 Speaker 1: but along the way he could see the hand of God. 373 00:23:58,160 --> 00:24:02,359 Speaker 1: Last year, he was in Chicago consulting with some clients. 374 00:24:02,920 --> 00:24:07,439 Speaker 1: He met this older gentleman who owned a huge financial firm, 375 00:24:07,840 --> 00:24:11,200 Speaker 1: one of the largest in the world. This older man 376 00:24:11,280 --> 00:24:14,679 Speaker 1: took an interest in him. He started encouraging him and 377 00:24:14,840 --> 00:24:19,520 Speaker 1: giving him advice. When this young man told him his vision, 378 00:24:20,320 --> 00:24:22,840 Speaker 1: all of his critics thought it was too big, he 379 00:24:22,880 --> 00:24:26,679 Speaker 1: could never accomplish it. But this older man laughed and 380 00:24:26,760 --> 00:24:30,439 Speaker 1: said don't believe them. It's way too small. You're going 381 00:24:30,520 --> 00:24:34,040 Speaker 1: to do something much bigger. He had a desire to 382 00:24:34,080 --> 00:24:37,640 Speaker 1: buy a part of this young man's company. He came 383 00:24:37,720 --> 00:24:41,960 Speaker 1: up with evaluation based on what the company would be 384 00:24:42,040 --> 00:24:46,240 Speaker 1: worth in the future, far exceeding what it's worth today. 385 00:24:47,080 --> 00:24:50,440 Speaker 1: My friend just sold twenty five percent of his company 386 00:24:50,560 --> 00:24:54,040 Speaker 1: to this older gentleman. Now my friend owns one of 387 00:24:54,119 --> 00:24:59,359 Speaker 1: the largest independent financial firms in all of Texas. What's interesting. 388 00:25:00,119 --> 00:25:04,879 Speaker 1: Thirteen years ago he was stocking shelves in a grocery 389 00:25:04,920 --> 00:25:08,520 Speaker 1: store to pay his rent. If you were to ask him, 390 00:25:08,520 --> 00:25:11,760 Speaker 1: he would tell you, I didn't see this coming. Never 391 00:25:11,880 --> 00:25:15,000 Speaker 1: dream my business would take off. Never dream this man 392 00:25:15,040 --> 00:25:17,760 Speaker 1: would be so good to me. Never dreamed I would 393 00:25:17,760 --> 00:25:21,800 Speaker 1: be a leader in my field. That's the commanded blessing. 394 00:25:22,200 --> 00:25:25,520 Speaker 1: You keep honoring God and he'll bring the right people. 395 00:25:26,240 --> 00:25:28,879 Speaker 1: That older man didn't have to be good to him. 396 00:25:29,160 --> 00:25:31,600 Speaker 1: He didn't have to value the company the way he did. 397 00:25:32,119 --> 00:25:35,200 Speaker 1: He could have negotiated it the other way. But God 398 00:25:35,280 --> 00:25:39,080 Speaker 1: will cause people to want to be good to you. 399 00:25:39,080 --> 00:25:41,399 Speaker 1: You may not think you know the right people, you 400 00:25:41,440 --> 00:25:45,240 Speaker 1: don't have the connections. Don't worry. God does you keep 401 00:25:45,280 --> 00:25:48,520 Speaker 1: honoring him, and he's going to cause the right people 402 00:25:48,560 --> 00:25:51,280 Speaker 1: to find you. He's going to open the right doors. 403 00:25:51,440 --> 00:25:54,760 Speaker 1: He's going to bring the fish. One day, you'll look 404 00:25:54,840 --> 00:25:58,280 Speaker 1: back and say, wow, I didn't see that coming. It's 405 00:25:58,320 --> 00:26:02,800 Speaker 1: because you've been commanded to be blessed. But sometimes we 406 00:26:02,880 --> 00:26:07,160 Speaker 1: live like we're commanded to struggle, commanded to be lonely, 407 00:26:07,280 --> 00:26:10,840 Speaker 1: commanded to be addicted. Change has to take place on 408 00:26:10,920 --> 00:26:15,280 Speaker 1: the inside in our thinking before it happens on the outside. 409 00:26:15,720 --> 00:26:17,919 Speaker 1: Why don't you get rid of all the negative and 410 00:26:17,960 --> 00:26:22,560 Speaker 1: start believing you're commanded to be blessed, commanded to be healthy, 411 00:26:22,840 --> 00:26:26,440 Speaker 1: commanded to be free. If you'll do this, I believe 412 00:26:26,520 --> 00:26:29,960 Speaker 1: and declare like God did for my friend, He's about 413 00:26:30,000 --> 00:26:36,000 Speaker 1: to command increase, command, abundance, command, healing, command freedom in 414 00:26:36,160 --> 00:26:39,639 Speaker 1: Jesus's name. Have you received it today? Can you say amen? 415 00:26:41,800 --> 00:26:44,560 Speaker 1: I'd like to give you an opportunity to make Jesus 416 00:26:44,600 --> 00:26:47,040 Speaker 1: the lord of your life. Would you pray with me? 417 00:26:47,800 --> 00:26:53,560 Speaker 1: Just say, Lord Jesus, I repent of my sins. Come 418 00:26:53,600 --> 00:26:59,159 Speaker 1: into my heart. I make you my lord and savior. Friends, 419 00:26:59,160 --> 00:27:01,760 Speaker 1: if you pray that simple prayer, we believe you got 420 00:27:01,800 --> 00:27:05,239 Speaker 1: born again. Get in a good Bible based church and 421 00:27:05,320 --> 00:27:11,560 Speaker 1: keep God first place. It's January. Time to renew my faith. 422 00:27:13,320 --> 00:27:19,119 Speaker 1: It's January. It's time to start a new season. It's January. 423 00:27:19,440 --> 00:27:21,520 Speaker 2: There is no better time than now to set the 424 00:27:21,520 --> 00:27:22,639 Speaker 2: course of our year ahead. 425 00:27:23,640 --> 00:27:25,959 Speaker 1: The beginning of the year is a great time to 426 00:27:26,000 --> 00:27:28,960 Speaker 1: start afresh and a new to let go of negative 427 00:27:29,000 --> 00:27:31,199 Speaker 1: things of the past and to get ready for the 428 00:27:31,240 --> 00:27:35,119 Speaker 1: new things God has in store. Every January we create 429 00:27:35,200 --> 00:27:38,600 Speaker 1: a new devotional calendar that will help you throughout the year. 430 00:27:39,160 --> 00:27:41,879 Speaker 1: When you start the day off in faith, grateful for 431 00:27:41,960 --> 00:27:46,640 Speaker 1: what God's done, making positive declarations over your future, You're 432 00:27:46,720 --> 00:27:50,160 Speaker 1: setting the tone for a blessed day and a victorious year. 433 00:27:50,680 --> 00:27:53,320 Speaker 1: This devotional will help you get your mind going in 434 00:27:53,400 --> 00:27:56,080 Speaker 1: the right direction so you can go out each day 435 00:27:56,119 --> 00:27:59,240 Speaker 1: in faith knowing that God is in control, that his 436 00:27:59,400 --> 00:28:01,879 Speaker 1: plans for you you are for good. I'd love to 437 00:28:01,920 --> 00:28:03,200 Speaker 1: send you a copy. 438 00:28:03,640 --> 00:28:05,960 Speaker 2: As our way of saying thank you for your gift 439 00:28:06,000 --> 00:28:08,600 Speaker 2: of any amount this first month of the year. We 440 00:28:08,640 --> 00:28:10,840 Speaker 2: would like to send you a copy of our brand 441 00:28:10,840 --> 00:28:13,840 Speaker 2: new twenty twenty four three hundred and sixty five day 442 00:28:13,880 --> 00:28:17,480 Speaker 2: devotional calendar. Do you want to set a faith course 443 00:28:17,560 --> 00:28:19,920 Speaker 2: for your life? In twenty twenty four. Do you want 444 00:28:19,920 --> 00:28:23,480 Speaker 2: to see your life take off in new directions of influence, favor, 445 00:28:23,640 --> 00:28:27,280 Speaker 2: and provision in the year ahead. Using this devotional calendar 446 00:28:27,480 --> 00:28:31,800 Speaker 2: is as easy as one, two, three. One Wake up 447 00:28:31,840 --> 00:28:35,119 Speaker 2: with an expectancy in your heart. Two reflect on the 448 00:28:35,200 --> 00:28:39,640 Speaker 2: daily scripture, verse and devotional from Joel. Three Capture God's 449 00:28:39,640 --> 00:28:43,040 Speaker 2: promises to you on journaling lines for writing and reflection. 450 00:28:44,200 --> 00:28:46,680 Speaker 2: Be sure to request your copy of the twenty twenty 451 00:28:46,680 --> 00:28:50,600 Speaker 2: four devotional calendar available this month by simply visiting us 452 00:28:50,720 --> 00:28:54,080 Speaker 2: at Joelostein dot com or calling eight eight eight five 453 00:28:54,200 --> 00:28:55,320 Speaker 2: six seven Joel