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What if 24 00:01:08,520 --> 00:01:11,080 Speaker 4: you could unlock insights about your finances in less than 25 00:01:11,120 --> 00:01:13,600 Speaker 4: five minutes with a clear picture of where you stand 26 00:01:13,600 --> 00:01:16,399 Speaker 4: today and where your money can work harder. Now you 27 00:01:16,520 --> 00:01:19,480 Speaker 4: can visit facet dot com to take the free quiz 28 00:01:19,520 --> 00:01:23,280 Speaker 4: and get your financial wellness score today. That's face t 29 00:01:23,600 --> 00:01:25,679 Speaker 4: dot com. This add a sponsored by Facet. Facet Wealth 30 00:01:25,720 --> 00:01:27,840 Speaker 4: in Corporated is an SEC registered investment advisor. This is 31 00:01:27,840 --> 00:01:29,400 Speaker 4: not an offer to buy yourself security s noor is 32 00:01:29,400 --> 00:01:30,800 Speaker 4: it investment, legal or tax advice. 33 00:01:31,280 --> 00:01:34,039 Speaker 5: Hi, this is Joel and Victoria. Thanks for listening to 34 00:01:34,080 --> 00:01:37,200 Speaker 5: our podcast and thanks for supporting the ministry. If you 35 00:01:37,280 --> 00:01:39,880 Speaker 5: enjoy today's message, why don't you be a blessing and 36 00:01:39,959 --> 00:01:42,600 Speaker 5: share it with a friend. We appreciate you and pray 37 00:01:42,600 --> 00:01:56,080 Speaker 5: put God's very best in your life. Oh God, bless 38 00:01:56,120 --> 00:01:59,480 Speaker 5: you always our joy to come into your homes. We 39 00:01:59,600 --> 00:02:02,440 Speaker 5: love you and we know God has great things in store. 40 00:02:02,480 --> 00:02:05,320 Speaker 5: And if you're ever in our area, please stop buy 41 00:02:05,360 --> 00:02:07,320 Speaker 5: and be a part of one of our services. I 42 00:02:07,400 --> 00:02:09,360 Speaker 5: promise you will make you feel right at home. But 43 00:02:09,600 --> 00:02:11,600 Speaker 5: thank you so much for tuning in and thank you 44 00:02:11,600 --> 00:02:14,000 Speaker 5: again for coming out today, and I like to start 45 00:02:14,000 --> 00:02:16,680 Speaker 5: with something funny each week. And Paul told this the 46 00:02:16,720 --> 00:02:18,840 Speaker 5: other day, and I can tell it better than him. 47 00:02:18,840 --> 00:02:22,080 Speaker 3: So let me tell you. I heard about this man. 48 00:02:22,240 --> 00:02:25,519 Speaker 5: He sat down on an airplane next to a beautiful blonde. 49 00:02:25,880 --> 00:02:28,640 Speaker 5: They struck up a conversation. He said, what kind of 50 00:02:28,680 --> 00:02:31,520 Speaker 5: men do you like? She said, well, I like Native 51 00:02:31,680 --> 00:02:35,360 Speaker 5: American men with their high cheek bones and their golden 52 00:02:35,560 --> 00:02:39,920 Speaker 5: tan skin. Plus I like Jewish men They're so brilliant 53 00:02:39,960 --> 00:02:43,160 Speaker 5: and so successful. And then also I like good old 54 00:02:43,200 --> 00:02:46,839 Speaker 5: boys from the South with their long Southern draw. What's 55 00:02:46,880 --> 00:02:52,880 Speaker 5: your name, he said, My name is Geronimo Bernstein, but 56 00:02:52,919 --> 00:02:57,800 Speaker 5: my friends call me Bubba. All right, hold up your Bible, 57 00:02:57,960 --> 00:03:00,760 Speaker 5: say it like you mean it. This is here's my Bible. 58 00:03:01,080 --> 00:03:03,600 Speaker 5: I am what it says I am. I have what 59 00:03:03,680 --> 00:03:06,080 Speaker 5: it says I have. I can do what it says 60 00:03:06,120 --> 00:03:08,840 Speaker 5: I can do. Today I will be taught the word 61 00:03:08,880 --> 00:03:13,120 Speaker 5: of God. I boldly confess. My mind is alert, my 62 00:03:13,280 --> 00:03:17,680 Speaker 5: heart is receptive. I will never be the same. In Jesus' name, 63 00:03:18,000 --> 00:03:21,080 Speaker 5: God bless you. I want to talk to you today 64 00:03:21,280 --> 00:03:25,480 Speaker 5: about letting go and letting God. It's easy in life 65 00:03:25,560 --> 00:03:28,880 Speaker 5: to get so focused on what we want our dreams, 66 00:03:28,960 --> 00:03:31,160 Speaker 5: our goals, that it consumes us. 67 00:03:31,520 --> 00:03:33,720 Speaker 3: We're not going to be happy until it happens. 68 00:03:34,280 --> 00:03:37,480 Speaker 5: But I found anything we have to have in order 69 00:03:37,480 --> 00:03:40,800 Speaker 5: to be happy is out of balance. I know people 70 00:03:40,840 --> 00:03:44,080 Speaker 5: that think I can't be happy until I find a husband. 71 00:03:44,600 --> 00:03:47,440 Speaker 5: Other people think I can't be happy until I get 72 00:03:47,520 --> 00:03:52,000 Speaker 5: rid of this husband. I can't be happy till I 73 00:03:52,040 --> 00:03:55,000 Speaker 5: get that bigger house. I can't be happy till I 74 00:03:55,040 --> 00:03:55,720 Speaker 5: get a promotion. 75 00:03:56,040 --> 00:03:56,880 Speaker 3: No, here's the key. 76 00:03:57,440 --> 00:04:01,320 Speaker 5: When our goals and dreams start to frustrate us, when 77 00:04:01,400 --> 00:04:04,320 Speaker 5: we lose our peace and we're not enjoying life, that's 78 00:04:04,360 --> 00:04:05,840 Speaker 5: a sure sign that. 79 00:04:05,760 --> 00:04:09,480 Speaker 3: We're holding on too tightly. What's the solution. You've got 80 00:04:09,480 --> 00:04:10,240 Speaker 3: to release it. 81 00:04:10,840 --> 00:04:13,920 Speaker 5: There's a freedom when you say, God, I'm turning it 82 00:04:14,000 --> 00:04:16,839 Speaker 5: over to you. You know what I want, you know 83 00:04:16,920 --> 00:04:19,400 Speaker 5: the desires you put in me, and I'm not going 84 00:04:19,440 --> 00:04:22,000 Speaker 5: to live frustrated because it hasn't happened. 85 00:04:22,440 --> 00:04:22,680 Speaker 3: God. 86 00:04:22,720 --> 00:04:25,919 Speaker 5: I'm trusting your timing. I know you know what's best 87 00:04:25,960 --> 00:04:29,440 Speaker 5: for me and God, even if it never happens, I'm 88 00:04:29,480 --> 00:04:33,360 Speaker 5: still going to be happy and trust you. In other words, God, 89 00:04:33,440 --> 00:04:36,159 Speaker 5: I want to attend this certain college, but if I 90 00:04:36,200 --> 00:04:37,200 Speaker 5: don't get accepted. 91 00:04:37,360 --> 00:04:39,240 Speaker 3: I'm still going to be happy. God. 92 00:04:39,279 --> 00:04:41,520 Speaker 5: I really want to get married, but if it doesn't happen, 93 00:04:41,800 --> 00:04:44,520 Speaker 5: I'm still going to enjoy my life. When we have 94 00:04:44,680 --> 00:04:48,080 Speaker 5: this kind of attitude, it takes away the power of 95 00:04:48,120 --> 00:04:48,680 Speaker 5: the enemy. 96 00:04:49,080 --> 00:04:51,520 Speaker 3: It takes away his ability to frustrate us. 97 00:04:52,120 --> 00:04:55,920 Speaker 5: Not only that, by our actions, we are showing God 98 00:04:56,040 --> 00:04:58,919 Speaker 5: that we trust him. We are proving to him that 99 00:04:59,040 --> 00:05:02,600 Speaker 5: he is in complete ca control of our life. Sometimes 100 00:05:02,920 --> 00:05:06,000 Speaker 5: God will ask us to release the things that mean 101 00:05:06,080 --> 00:05:09,680 Speaker 5: the most to us. That's what happened to Abraham. God 102 00:05:09,760 --> 00:05:12,239 Speaker 5: asked him to put his own son on the altar. 103 00:05:12,600 --> 00:05:15,560 Speaker 5: It was the thing that meant most to him. Abraham 104 00:05:15,640 --> 00:05:19,000 Speaker 5: was obedient. He got it all prepared. Just as he 105 00:05:19,040 --> 00:05:22,280 Speaker 5: is about to go through with it, God said, no, Abraham. 106 00:05:21,920 --> 00:05:22,560 Speaker 3: Don't do it. 107 00:05:22,920 --> 00:05:25,440 Speaker 5: I just wanted to see that I am the most 108 00:05:25,480 --> 00:05:29,640 Speaker 5: important thing to you. And sometimes God will ask us 109 00:05:29,760 --> 00:05:32,719 Speaker 5: to put a dream on the altar. In other words, 110 00:05:33,040 --> 00:05:35,479 Speaker 5: we have to show God that we don't have to 111 00:05:35,560 --> 00:05:39,240 Speaker 5: have that promotion in order to be happy. Maybe we're 112 00:05:39,279 --> 00:05:41,440 Speaker 5: standing on a promise that we're going to be well. 113 00:05:42,040 --> 00:05:45,160 Speaker 5: But when we can say, even if I don't get well, 114 00:05:45,400 --> 00:05:47,640 Speaker 5: I'm still gonna have a smile on my face. I'm 115 00:05:47,680 --> 00:05:49,800 Speaker 5: still gonna be good to people. I'm still gonna be 116 00:05:49,839 --> 00:05:52,320 Speaker 5: here at church. I'm still gonna be in faith. When 117 00:05:52,360 --> 00:05:54,960 Speaker 5: you do that, you're doing what Abraham did. You're putting 118 00:05:55,040 --> 00:05:58,200 Speaker 5: the dream on the altar. When you learn to pass 119 00:05:58,279 --> 00:06:01,640 Speaker 5: the test of not having to have it my way 120 00:06:01,800 --> 00:06:04,240 Speaker 5: in order to be happy. You don't have to have 121 00:06:04,279 --> 00:06:07,159 Speaker 5: the bigger house in order to be happy. The problem 122 00:06:07,200 --> 00:06:10,080 Speaker 5: doesn't have to turn around before you decide to enjoy 123 00:06:10,120 --> 00:06:12,919 Speaker 5: your life. When you put things on the altar like 124 00:06:13,040 --> 00:06:15,640 Speaker 5: that and show God that you're not going to be 125 00:06:15,720 --> 00:06:19,360 Speaker 5: frustrated because it's not happening in your timetable the way 126 00:06:19,400 --> 00:06:22,120 Speaker 5: you would hope, that's when God says, all right, I 127 00:06:22,200 --> 00:06:25,520 Speaker 5: know this. They trust me. I'm the most important thing 128 00:06:25,560 --> 00:06:27,800 Speaker 5: to them. So let me go to work, let me 129 00:06:27,839 --> 00:06:30,160 Speaker 5: open up new doors, let me pour out my favor, 130 00:06:30,440 --> 00:06:35,200 Speaker 5: let me give them an exceedingly abundantly above and beyond decade. 131 00:06:35,400 --> 00:06:38,120 Speaker 5: I know this lady that was praying and believing for 132 00:06:38,200 --> 00:06:40,000 Speaker 5: her husband to come to church with her. 133 00:06:40,279 --> 00:06:41,640 Speaker 3: This went on year after year. 134 00:06:42,160 --> 00:06:46,200 Speaker 5: She was very determined, very passionate. She did everything she could. 135 00:06:46,520 --> 00:06:49,640 Speaker 5: She put scriptures up all over her house. She would 136 00:06:49,720 --> 00:06:52,800 Speaker 5: leave her Bible open, hoping he would happen to read it, 137 00:06:52,839 --> 00:06:56,360 Speaker 5: and she was constantly encouraging him to come. In spite 138 00:06:56,360 --> 00:06:59,960 Speaker 5: of all that, he wouldn't budge. In the first few months, 139 00:07:00,080 --> 00:07:03,839 Speaker 5: she was fine. She started off great, but after a 140 00:07:03,960 --> 00:07:07,440 Speaker 5: year or so, it began to frustrate her, begin to 141 00:07:07,480 --> 00:07:08,320 Speaker 5: wear her down. 142 00:07:08,800 --> 00:07:12,280 Speaker 3: She lost her joy. She didn't have the enthusiasm she 143 00:07:12,360 --> 00:07:12,880 Speaker 3: once had. 144 00:07:13,360 --> 00:07:17,440 Speaker 5: She'd come down for prayer month after month, discouraged, upset. 145 00:07:17,760 --> 00:07:20,240 Speaker 3: Joel, I just don't know what else I can do. 146 00:07:21,080 --> 00:07:23,880 Speaker 5: One day I told her what I'm telling you. The 147 00:07:23,920 --> 00:07:27,160 Speaker 5: best thing you can do is release it. Turn it 148 00:07:27,200 --> 00:07:30,200 Speaker 5: over to God. You've done everything you can do. You prayed, 149 00:07:30,480 --> 00:07:34,840 Speaker 5: you believe. Now put it on the altar. Have the attitude. 150 00:07:35,320 --> 00:07:38,320 Speaker 5: If he never comes, God, I'm still going to be happy. 151 00:07:38,760 --> 00:07:41,280 Speaker 5: If he never changes, God, I'm still going to trust you. 152 00:07:42,160 --> 00:07:43,760 Speaker 3: Just like with Abraham. 153 00:07:43,960 --> 00:07:46,360 Speaker 5: You have to put the thing that means the most 154 00:07:46,400 --> 00:07:48,960 Speaker 5: to you on the altar. When you let it go, 155 00:07:49,600 --> 00:07:51,840 Speaker 5: when you show God you don't have to have it 156 00:07:51,920 --> 00:07:54,560 Speaker 5: in order to be happy, That's when God will go 157 00:07:54,600 --> 00:07:56,120 Speaker 5: to work in amazing ways. 158 00:07:56,360 --> 00:07:58,239 Speaker 3: When you let go, you let God. 159 00:07:59,200 --> 00:08:01,320 Speaker 5: Some of you today have some things you need to 160 00:08:01,400 --> 00:08:05,160 Speaker 5: let go of people that are frustrating you because they're 161 00:08:05,160 --> 00:08:05,800 Speaker 5: not changing. 162 00:08:06,280 --> 00:08:07,040 Speaker 3: Give it to God. 163 00:08:07,600 --> 00:08:10,000 Speaker 5: Just say God, I've done all that I can do. 164 00:08:10,440 --> 00:08:13,120 Speaker 5: I am not going to live my life upset anymore. 165 00:08:13,600 --> 00:08:16,400 Speaker 5: I know only you can change people. So I'm going 166 00:08:16,440 --> 00:08:18,960 Speaker 5: to come back to that place of peace and God. 167 00:08:19,040 --> 00:08:21,480 Speaker 5: If it never works out, I put it on the altar. 168 00:08:21,680 --> 00:08:25,320 Speaker 3: It's up to you. There's a freedom when you release it. 169 00:08:25,960 --> 00:08:28,840 Speaker 5: And I'm not saying to release your dreams and give 170 00:08:28,920 --> 00:08:33,720 Speaker 5: up on your promises. No, release the frustration, release the worry, 171 00:08:33,920 --> 00:08:36,520 Speaker 5: and you come back to the place of peace knowing 172 00:08:36,520 --> 00:08:38,479 Speaker 5: that God is in complete control. 173 00:08:38,800 --> 00:08:41,160 Speaker 3: That's what this lady did. She turned it over to 174 00:08:41,240 --> 00:08:43,480 Speaker 3: the Lord, and she was like a different person. 175 00:08:43,720 --> 00:08:46,480 Speaker 5: I would see her week after week, big smile on 176 00:08:46,559 --> 00:08:51,480 Speaker 5: her face. She wasn't upset, frustrated. She was enjoying her life. 177 00:08:52,200 --> 00:08:55,680 Speaker 5: She was saying by her actions, God, I know you 178 00:08:55,760 --> 00:08:58,200 Speaker 5: are still on the throne, and I don't have to 179 00:08:58,240 --> 00:09:01,560 Speaker 5: have anything to happen or not happen in order for 180 00:09:01,640 --> 00:09:02,439 Speaker 5: me to be happy. 181 00:09:02,600 --> 00:09:04,680 Speaker 3: I've made up my mind. I'm gonna be happy right 182 00:09:04,720 --> 00:09:05,280 Speaker 3: where I am. 183 00:09:06,320 --> 00:09:09,520 Speaker 5: About two years after that, one Sunday morning, out of 184 00:09:09,559 --> 00:09:12,280 Speaker 5: the blue. Her husband said, I want to go to 185 00:09:12,400 --> 00:09:15,040 Speaker 5: church with you today. She nearly passed out. 186 00:09:15,240 --> 00:09:16,240 Speaker 3: It was his idea. 187 00:09:16,920 --> 00:09:20,360 Speaker 5: He came that Sunday and he's been coming ever since. 188 00:09:20,600 --> 00:09:23,640 Speaker 3: That was over four years ago. They hardly ever missed 189 00:09:23,640 --> 00:09:24,199 Speaker 3: a service. 190 00:09:25,880 --> 00:09:29,040 Speaker 5: Friends, when you let go, it allows God to go 191 00:09:29,080 --> 00:09:33,280 Speaker 5: to work in amazing ways, maybe like this lady. You 192 00:09:33,400 --> 00:09:36,160 Speaker 5: know God has put a dream in your heart. There's 193 00:09:36,200 --> 00:09:37,800 Speaker 5: a promise that you're standing on. 194 00:09:38,160 --> 00:09:38,920 Speaker 3: But you've done. 195 00:09:38,840 --> 00:09:41,760 Speaker 5: Everything you can do, and now it's starting to wear 196 00:09:41,800 --> 00:09:44,640 Speaker 5: you down and take all your energy. And that's all 197 00:09:44,679 --> 00:09:47,080 Speaker 5: you think about, all you pray about, all you hope for. 198 00:09:47,640 --> 00:09:49,520 Speaker 3: No, it's time to turn it over to God. 199 00:09:49,960 --> 00:09:53,080 Speaker 5: Say God, I want this, but I don't have to 200 00:09:53,160 --> 00:09:55,880 Speaker 5: have this in order to be happy. I believe it's 201 00:09:55,920 --> 00:09:58,240 Speaker 5: a desire you've given me, but I'm not gonna let 202 00:09:58,280 --> 00:10:02,679 Speaker 5: it frustrate me. The letter overwhelm me. God, I'm releasing 203 00:10:02,720 --> 00:10:05,439 Speaker 5: it to you. I love what David said there in 204 00:10:05,440 --> 00:10:09,920 Speaker 5: Psalm thirty one. God, I'm trusting you. My future is 205 00:10:09,960 --> 00:10:13,200 Speaker 5: in your hands. This tells me we don't have to 206 00:10:13,240 --> 00:10:14,800 Speaker 5: struggle to make things happen. 207 00:10:15,240 --> 00:10:15,959 Speaker 3: We don't have to. 208 00:10:15,920 --> 00:10:18,640 Speaker 5: Worry that our God given dreams are not going to 209 00:10:18,640 --> 00:10:22,040 Speaker 5: come to pass. We can stay in peace knowing that 210 00:10:22,120 --> 00:10:24,319 Speaker 5: our future is in God's hands. 211 00:10:24,600 --> 00:10:26,400 Speaker 3: He controls the whole universe. 212 00:10:26,920 --> 00:10:29,640 Speaker 5: As long as we are trusting him, he will get 213 00:10:29,720 --> 00:10:32,920 Speaker 5: us to where we're supposed to be. I was reading 214 00:10:32,920 --> 00:10:36,319 Speaker 5: about Oprah Winfrey when she was twenty eight years old. 215 00:10:36,559 --> 00:10:40,120 Speaker 5: She was a television reporter in Baltimore. She read a 216 00:10:40,120 --> 00:10:44,160 Speaker 5: book that talked about how a young African American girl 217 00:10:44,520 --> 00:10:46,080 Speaker 5: overcame being. 218 00:10:45,880 --> 00:10:47,200 Speaker 3: Abused as a child. 219 00:10:47,800 --> 00:10:51,160 Speaker 5: The story was told through the young girl's letters to God. 220 00:10:51,840 --> 00:10:56,200 Speaker 5: That book, The Color Purple, touched Oprah in a great way. 221 00:10:56,320 --> 00:10:59,600 Speaker 5: It mirrored her own life at that point. She had 222 00:10:59,640 --> 00:11:02,520 Speaker 5: never told anyone that she had been abused as a 223 00:11:02,600 --> 00:11:05,640 Speaker 5: child as well. She knew if the girl in the 224 00:11:05,640 --> 00:11:09,040 Speaker 5: book could overcome and move forward in life, she could also. 225 00:11:10,000 --> 00:11:12,559 Speaker 5: One day, she heard that they were making a movie 226 00:11:12,559 --> 00:11:15,800 Speaker 5: of this book, and deep down she believed she was. 227 00:11:15,800 --> 00:11:18,080 Speaker 3: Supposed to be a part of it. She wanted it 228 00:11:18,200 --> 00:11:18,959 Speaker 3: so badly. 229 00:11:19,480 --> 00:11:21,160 Speaker 5: Didn't matter if she was going to be on the 230 00:11:21,240 --> 00:11:25,000 Speaker 5: crew or have an actual speaking part, she was determined 231 00:11:25,040 --> 00:11:28,920 Speaker 5: to be involved. One day, a producer saw her on 232 00:11:29,000 --> 00:11:31,360 Speaker 5: television and invited her to come audition. 233 00:11:32,000 --> 00:11:33,240 Speaker 3: She went and audition and. 234 00:11:33,720 --> 00:11:36,400 Speaker 5: Gave it her best, poured her heart and soul into it. 235 00:11:36,840 --> 00:11:39,840 Speaker 5: But week after week went by she didn't hear anything. 236 00:11:40,240 --> 00:11:44,520 Speaker 5: Month after month, she was hoping, praying, thinking about it, 237 00:11:44,640 --> 00:11:48,440 Speaker 5: dreaming about it night and day. She got very discouraged. 238 00:11:48,840 --> 00:11:51,520 Speaker 5: She was so close, but now it looked like it 239 00:11:51,559 --> 00:11:55,480 Speaker 5: wasn't going to happen. She convinced herself it was because 240 00:11:55,679 --> 00:11:59,199 Speaker 5: she was too heavy. She got real down on herself. 241 00:12:00,040 --> 00:12:02,440 Speaker 5: I had to go away to a health retreat in 242 00:12:02,480 --> 00:12:06,960 Speaker 5: another state, determined to lose fifty pounds at that retreat. 243 00:12:07,480 --> 00:12:11,480 Speaker 5: In her room alone, she began to realize she had 244 00:12:11,520 --> 00:12:15,720 Speaker 5: become consumed by this dream. She said, this is what 245 00:12:15,800 --> 00:12:17,720 Speaker 5: I wanted more than anything in life, to be a 246 00:12:17,720 --> 00:12:20,320 Speaker 5: part of that movie. And all of her energy and 247 00:12:20,400 --> 00:12:23,120 Speaker 5: focus was put on that, and now it hadn't happened. 248 00:12:23,679 --> 00:12:26,920 Speaker 5: One morning, she was out running around the track. It 249 00:12:26,960 --> 00:12:29,319 Speaker 5: was cold, rainy, dreary. 250 00:12:29,400 --> 00:12:30,520 Speaker 3: All by herself. 251 00:12:30,760 --> 00:12:35,319 Speaker 5: She began to sing, I surrender all, I surrender all 252 00:12:35,960 --> 00:12:40,240 Speaker 5: all to Jesus. I surrender I surrender all. At that 253 00:12:40,440 --> 00:12:44,360 Speaker 5: moment she let it go. She was saying, God, I 254 00:12:44,440 --> 00:12:46,920 Speaker 5: don't have to be in this movie in order to 255 00:12:46,960 --> 00:12:50,160 Speaker 5: be happy. God, you are in control of my life, 256 00:12:50,520 --> 00:12:54,679 Speaker 5: not my will, but let yours be done. She released it. 257 00:12:54,920 --> 00:12:58,240 Speaker 5: She put the dream on the altar. A few days later, 258 00:12:58,320 --> 00:13:01,000 Speaker 5: while she was still at the retreat, she received a 259 00:13:01,040 --> 00:13:05,080 Speaker 5: phone call. It was Stephen Spielberg. He said, Hey, I 260 00:13:05,120 --> 00:13:07,680 Speaker 5: hear you're at a fat farm trying to lose weight. 261 00:13:09,000 --> 00:13:12,040 Speaker 5: She said, I prefer calling to the health retreat. And 262 00:13:12,080 --> 00:13:14,080 Speaker 5: they both laughed and he said, here's the deal. 263 00:13:14,480 --> 00:13:17,319 Speaker 3: You've got the part, but if you lose one pound, 264 00:13:17,480 --> 00:13:19,440 Speaker 3: you're out. Oprah said. 265 00:13:19,480 --> 00:13:22,200 Speaker 5: She packed her bags, left that place and headed to 266 00:13:22,240 --> 00:13:28,760 Speaker 5: the first dairy queen she could find friends. Something happens 267 00:13:29,160 --> 00:13:32,120 Speaker 5: when you put a dream on the altar. It's very 268 00:13:32,160 --> 00:13:36,120 Speaker 5: powerful to say, God, I'm giving you control of my life. 269 00:13:36,480 --> 00:13:39,679 Speaker 5: I'm gonna let you do it your way, in your timetable. 270 00:13:40,000 --> 00:13:41,479 Speaker 3: God. You know my dreams. 271 00:13:41,880 --> 00:13:44,240 Speaker 5: You know the things i'd like to see happened, the 272 00:13:44,320 --> 00:13:47,360 Speaker 5: situations i'd like to see turn around. God, I'm gonna 273 00:13:47,360 --> 00:13:50,040 Speaker 5: do my best. I'm gonna pray, I'm gonna believe, I'm 274 00:13:50,040 --> 00:13:52,680 Speaker 5: gonna stay in faith, but I'm not going to be 275 00:13:52,840 --> 00:13:56,520 Speaker 5: frustrated if it doesn't happen my way. God, I don't 276 00:13:56,600 --> 00:13:59,440 Speaker 5: have to have my plans to work out in order 277 00:13:59,480 --> 00:14:00,440 Speaker 5: for me to be happy. 278 00:14:00,800 --> 00:14:03,679 Speaker 3: I know, you know what's best for me. That's what 279 00:14:03,720 --> 00:14:06,160 Speaker 3: it means to let go and let god. 280 00:14:06,920 --> 00:14:09,320 Speaker 5: I remember one time, a few years after Victoria and 281 00:14:09,320 --> 00:14:12,319 Speaker 5: I were married, we found this house that we really 282 00:14:12,360 --> 00:14:13,079 Speaker 5: wanted to buy. 283 00:14:13,600 --> 00:14:14,160 Speaker 3: It was on. 284 00:14:14,080 --> 00:14:18,040 Speaker 5: A beautiful corner lot, and it had nice trees and 285 00:14:18,360 --> 00:14:20,000 Speaker 5: swimming pool in the backyard. 286 00:14:20,360 --> 00:14:22,880 Speaker 3: We just knew that was supposed to be our house. 287 00:14:23,560 --> 00:14:26,280 Speaker 5: We made the people a very good offer, not far 288 00:14:26,360 --> 00:14:29,880 Speaker 5: off of the asking price. Week after week went by 289 00:14:29,920 --> 00:14:33,120 Speaker 5: and we didn't hear anything. The house wasn't occupied. So 290 00:14:33,200 --> 00:14:35,560 Speaker 5: every day Victory and I would go out to that 291 00:14:35,720 --> 00:14:39,040 Speaker 5: house and we would march around it and pray and 292 00:14:39,160 --> 00:14:43,080 Speaker 5: believe quote scripture, sing shout everything we could think of. 293 00:14:43,280 --> 00:14:46,480 Speaker 5: We wanted that house so bad. Finally the realtor called 294 00:14:46,520 --> 00:14:47,720 Speaker 5: back and said they did. 295 00:14:47,520 --> 00:14:50,200 Speaker 3: Not accept our offer. It was too low. So we 296 00:14:50,320 --> 00:14:51,400 Speaker 3: raised our offer. 297 00:14:51,880 --> 00:14:54,640 Speaker 5: Now we were just a few thousand dollars from what 298 00:14:54,720 --> 00:14:55,360 Speaker 5: they wanted. 299 00:14:55,720 --> 00:14:57,520 Speaker 3: Again, week after week went by. 300 00:14:57,920 --> 00:15:00,680 Speaker 5: One point, Victoria and I went on a vacant that 301 00:15:00,720 --> 00:15:03,760 Speaker 5: we already had planned. But the whole time all we 302 00:15:03,800 --> 00:15:06,640 Speaker 5: could do was think about that house. We were consumed 303 00:15:06,640 --> 00:15:10,600 Speaker 5: by it, so uptight, so stressed out, not even enjoying 304 00:15:10,640 --> 00:15:13,800 Speaker 5: our vacation, too caught up in heaven to have that house. 305 00:15:14,480 --> 00:15:17,120 Speaker 5: One day, when I was so stressed about it, I 306 00:15:17,160 --> 00:15:20,320 Speaker 5: heard God say something to me, not out loud, but 307 00:15:20,440 --> 00:15:23,840 Speaker 5: down in here. He said, Joel, do you still want 308 00:15:23,840 --> 00:15:27,160 Speaker 5: the house even if I have something better in store? 309 00:15:28,160 --> 00:15:30,560 Speaker 5: Right then and there, I did what I'm asking you 310 00:15:30,600 --> 00:15:33,840 Speaker 5: to do. I put that house on the altar. I said, God, 311 00:15:34,080 --> 00:15:36,240 Speaker 5: we don't have to have this house to be happy. 312 00:15:36,640 --> 00:15:39,240 Speaker 5: We know you know what's best for us, and we're 313 00:15:39,280 --> 00:15:44,000 Speaker 5: not going to live another minute frustrated and upset, missing 314 00:15:44,040 --> 00:15:48,200 Speaker 5: the joy of this moment, all because something has not turned. 315 00:15:47,920 --> 00:15:50,120 Speaker 3: Out the way we'd like. We released it. 316 00:15:50,480 --> 00:15:53,480 Speaker 5: We said, God, not our will, but let yours be done. 317 00:15:54,240 --> 00:15:57,440 Speaker 5: That property was sold to somebody else eventually. But here's 318 00:15:57,480 --> 00:16:01,200 Speaker 5: what I've learned. When a door closed. What it seems 319 00:16:01,240 --> 00:16:05,360 Speaker 5: like a disappointment, really that's just another step in the 320 00:16:05,400 --> 00:16:09,320 Speaker 5: process of God taking us to our divine destiny. God 321 00:16:09,400 --> 00:16:12,760 Speaker 5: takes us through detours, doesn't always lead us. 322 00:16:12,680 --> 00:16:15,119 Speaker 3: The easiest way, the way we expect. 323 00:16:15,720 --> 00:16:19,680 Speaker 5: There's a tremendous freedom when you give up control and 324 00:16:19,760 --> 00:16:23,880 Speaker 5: you don't get frustrated because it's not happening on your timetable, 325 00:16:24,280 --> 00:16:27,800 Speaker 5: and you don't get discouraged because a door closed and 326 00:16:27,840 --> 00:16:32,360 Speaker 5: your plans didn't work out. Much better attitude is to say, God, 327 00:16:32,840 --> 00:16:36,440 Speaker 5: I'm trusting you. My future is in your hands. I'm 328 00:16:36,440 --> 00:16:39,520 Speaker 5: gonna hold onto my dreams. I'm gonna hold onto my promises, 329 00:16:39,800 --> 00:16:42,960 Speaker 5: but I'm gonna let go of the frustration. I'm not 330 00:16:43,040 --> 00:16:46,240 Speaker 5: going to get aggravated because it's not happening on my timetable. 331 00:16:46,640 --> 00:16:50,160 Speaker 5: I'm not going to fight against everything that doesn't work out. God, 332 00:16:50,200 --> 00:16:53,200 Speaker 5: I believe you are directing every one of my steps. 333 00:16:53,680 --> 00:16:56,640 Speaker 5: A few months later, we bought a different home that 334 00:16:56,720 --> 00:17:00,760 Speaker 5: we ended up selling for twice what we paid for. Friends, 335 00:17:00,800 --> 00:17:03,480 Speaker 5: God knows what he's doing, he knows what's best for us. 336 00:17:04,200 --> 00:17:07,960 Speaker 5: But some of you today are frustrated because a door closed, 337 00:17:08,440 --> 00:17:10,840 Speaker 5: or you're stressed out trying to make a dream come 338 00:17:10,880 --> 00:17:15,119 Speaker 5: to pass, discouraged because it's taken longer than you thought. 339 00:17:15,760 --> 00:17:18,640 Speaker 5: The scripture talks about how we have to put on 340 00:17:18,880 --> 00:17:22,600 Speaker 5: our shoes of peace. That means come back to that 341 00:17:22,720 --> 00:17:26,720 Speaker 5: place of rest. God is in complete control. There is 342 00:17:26,840 --> 00:17:29,560 Speaker 5: nothing in your life right now that has. 343 00:17:29,440 --> 00:17:31,240 Speaker 3: To keep you from being happy. 344 00:17:31,600 --> 00:17:34,879 Speaker 5: If you will have the right perspective, knowing that God 345 00:17:34,960 --> 00:17:38,400 Speaker 5: is directing your steps, and be willing to put dreams 346 00:17:38,440 --> 00:17:42,680 Speaker 5: on the altar, you're not just releasing the situation, You're 347 00:17:42,760 --> 00:17:44,000 Speaker 5: releasing your faith. 348 00:17:44,840 --> 00:17:47,000 Speaker 3: Then, when it's your due season, when. 349 00:17:46,880 --> 00:17:48,960 Speaker 5: God's ready to open a door, when He's ready to 350 00:17:49,000 --> 00:17:51,800 Speaker 5: bring a dream to pass, let me tell you no person, 351 00:17:51,920 --> 00:17:55,880 Speaker 5: no sickness, no obstacle, all the forces of darkness will 352 00:17:55,880 --> 00:17:57,600 Speaker 5: not be able to stop that from happening. 353 00:17:59,320 --> 00:18:00,960 Speaker 3: This is what my father had to do. 354 00:18:01,640 --> 00:18:04,240 Speaker 5: He was the first one in his family to give 355 00:18:04,280 --> 00:18:07,720 Speaker 5: his life to the Lord. His parents and relatives were 356 00:18:07,760 --> 00:18:11,000 Speaker 5: good people. They were cotton farmers, but they knew nothing 357 00:18:11,080 --> 00:18:13,960 Speaker 5: about God. They didn't go to church, and he didn't 358 00:18:14,000 --> 00:18:17,639 Speaker 5: have any kind of spiritual upbringing. At the age of seventeen, 359 00:18:17,880 --> 00:18:20,639 Speaker 5: my father gave his life to Christ and went on 360 00:18:20,720 --> 00:18:24,719 Speaker 5: to become a successful pastor. Anytime he was back in 361 00:18:24,800 --> 00:18:27,480 Speaker 5: town at his parents' home, he would just naturally talk 362 00:18:27,520 --> 00:18:30,879 Speaker 5: to them about the Lord. His mother and most of 363 00:18:30,920 --> 00:18:33,800 Speaker 5: his brothers and sisters gave their life to Christ, but 364 00:18:33,960 --> 00:18:37,199 Speaker 5: his father was a different story. He wouldn't have anything 365 00:18:37,200 --> 00:18:39,800 Speaker 5: to do with it. He said, John, I don't need 366 00:18:39,920 --> 00:18:43,200 Speaker 5: any of this religious stuff when I'm dead. I'm dead 367 00:18:43,320 --> 00:18:45,560 Speaker 5: like a dog just rolled me over in the ditch. 368 00:18:46,240 --> 00:18:49,040 Speaker 3: My father said, no, Daddy, that's not true. 369 00:18:49,200 --> 00:18:52,480 Speaker 5: You've got to live on somewhere throughout all eternity. You 370 00:18:52,560 --> 00:18:54,920 Speaker 5: need to know the Lord. It'd go in one ear 371 00:18:55,080 --> 00:18:58,520 Speaker 5: and out the other. My father was so concerned this 372 00:18:58,680 --> 00:19:02,120 Speaker 5: was his mission. Anytime he saw his dad, he would 373 00:19:02,240 --> 00:19:04,879 Speaker 5: light into him, start preaching up a storm, trying to 374 00:19:04,920 --> 00:19:05,959 Speaker 5: make him get saved. 375 00:19:06,520 --> 00:19:09,160 Speaker 3: He'd end up leaving frustrated, disappointing. 376 00:19:09,840 --> 00:19:13,560 Speaker 5: After doing that for many years, my father decided to 377 00:19:13,560 --> 00:19:16,800 Speaker 5: do what I'm asking us to do today. He said, God, 378 00:19:17,200 --> 00:19:20,399 Speaker 5: I'm turning this over to you. I loved my dad 379 00:19:20,440 --> 00:19:24,119 Speaker 5: more than anything. I want him to know you. But God, 380 00:19:24,160 --> 00:19:27,480 Speaker 5: I'm putting this situation on the altar. I can't make 381 00:19:27,560 --> 00:19:29,880 Speaker 5: him get saved. I can't make him change. 382 00:19:29,920 --> 00:19:31,880 Speaker 3: Only you can. Now. 383 00:19:31,920 --> 00:19:34,760 Speaker 5: He didn't give up on the promise that our whole 384 00:19:34,800 --> 00:19:38,160 Speaker 5: house would serve the Lord. He didn't quit praying for him, 385 00:19:38,280 --> 00:19:42,040 Speaker 5: he didn't quit believing. But he did stop worrying. He 386 00:19:42,160 --> 00:19:45,639 Speaker 5: stopped letting it frustrate him. He stopped allowing that to 387 00:19:45,720 --> 00:19:48,800 Speaker 5: steal his joy and keep him from being happy right 388 00:19:48,840 --> 00:19:49,479 Speaker 5: where he was. 389 00:19:50,440 --> 00:19:51,359 Speaker 3: Year after year. 390 00:19:51,280 --> 00:19:54,800 Speaker 5: Went by and my father didn't see anything happening. He 391 00:19:54,840 --> 00:19:58,000 Speaker 5: didn't get discouraged. He just kept thanking God that he 392 00:19:58,119 --> 00:20:01,800 Speaker 5: was working behind the scenes. One day, my father was 393 00:20:01,840 --> 00:20:05,760 Speaker 5: invited to be a guest minister at a church in 394 00:20:05,840 --> 00:20:07,000 Speaker 5: his parents' hometown. 395 00:20:07,760 --> 00:20:08,919 Speaker 3: That Sunday morning, as he. 396 00:20:08,920 --> 00:20:11,960 Speaker 5: Got up to speak, he noticed that his father walked 397 00:20:12,000 --> 00:20:14,800 Speaker 5: in the back and sat on the very last row. 398 00:20:15,359 --> 00:20:18,160 Speaker 5: First time he had ever saw his father in church. 399 00:20:18,200 --> 00:20:19,080 Speaker 3: He couldn't believe it. 400 00:20:19,800 --> 00:20:22,640 Speaker 5: Right in the middle of his message, his father got 401 00:20:22,760 --> 00:20:26,240 Speaker 5: up started walking down the center aisle toward the platform. 402 00:20:26,720 --> 00:20:29,199 Speaker 5: He got to the altar area, but he didn't stop. 403 00:20:29,359 --> 00:20:31,920 Speaker 5: He came right up on the platform and stood next 404 00:20:31,960 --> 00:20:32,600 Speaker 5: to my father. 405 00:20:32,840 --> 00:20:34,159 Speaker 3: Interrupted his whole sermon. 406 00:20:35,000 --> 00:20:39,600 Speaker 5: He said, John, I am finishing today what I started 407 00:20:39,680 --> 00:20:42,560 Speaker 5: over thirty years ago. I want to give my life 408 00:20:42,560 --> 00:20:44,800 Speaker 5: to Christ in front of that congregation. 409 00:20:45,240 --> 00:20:48,080 Speaker 3: My father led his father to the Lord. It was 410 00:20:48,119 --> 00:20:49,399 Speaker 3: a dream come true. 411 00:20:51,160 --> 00:20:54,199 Speaker 5: After the service, my father said, Daddy, what do you 412 00:20:54,280 --> 00:20:57,520 Speaker 5: mean you were finishing what you started years ago. He 413 00:20:57,680 --> 00:21:00,600 Speaker 5: told how over thirty years ago he was out in 414 00:21:00,640 --> 00:21:04,760 Speaker 5: the woods alone and he got caught in a huge snowstorm. 415 00:21:05,240 --> 00:21:08,680 Speaker 5: He couldn't see anything, he lost all sense of direction. 416 00:21:09,440 --> 00:21:11,439 Speaker 3: Night came in, it got dark. 417 00:21:11,800 --> 00:21:15,280 Speaker 5: He knew he couldn't survive out there all night, he said, John, 418 00:21:15,800 --> 00:21:19,160 Speaker 5: I prayed for the first time. I said, God, if 419 00:21:19,160 --> 00:21:20,920 Speaker 5: you will let me live, I. 420 00:21:20,840 --> 00:21:21,600 Speaker 3: Will serve you. 421 00:21:22,400 --> 00:21:25,640 Speaker 5: Not long after that, he fell asleep right there, out 422 00:21:25,640 --> 00:21:28,720 Speaker 5: in the snow, in the middle of the woods. He said, John, 423 00:21:28,760 --> 00:21:30,879 Speaker 5: I woke up the next morning, and I was as 424 00:21:30,960 --> 00:21:34,400 Speaker 5: warm as toast. God had spared my life. I've been 425 00:21:34,400 --> 00:21:38,000 Speaker 5: putting it off all these years, but today I'm keeping 426 00:21:38,040 --> 00:21:40,840 Speaker 5: my promise to God. I'm gonna do what I told 427 00:21:40,920 --> 00:21:45,600 Speaker 5: him I would do. My grandfather went on to join 428 00:21:45,680 --> 00:21:49,240 Speaker 5: that church. One day they asked him to become an usher. 429 00:21:49,800 --> 00:21:51,520 Speaker 5: You would have thought they asked him to become the 430 00:21:51,600 --> 00:21:54,919 Speaker 5: President of the United States. He was so proud. He 431 00:21:55,000 --> 00:21:58,199 Speaker 5: only had one suit. They were very poor people, but 432 00:21:58,320 --> 00:22:01,480 Speaker 5: he wore that suit every Sunday, never missed a service. 433 00:22:01,960 --> 00:22:04,520 Speaker 5: Many years later, when my grandfather went to be with 434 00:22:04,600 --> 00:22:08,440 Speaker 5: the Lord, we found his south. Both pockets were stuffed 435 00:22:08,480 --> 00:22:11,240 Speaker 5: full of gospel tracts that he would pass out to 436 00:22:11,280 --> 00:22:12,440 Speaker 5: people everywhere he went. 437 00:22:13,000 --> 00:22:16,120 Speaker 3: Friends, God is in control. He knows how to get 438 00:22:16,160 --> 00:22:16,920 Speaker 3: people's attention. 439 00:22:17,320 --> 00:22:20,600 Speaker 5: We don't have to worry, we don't have to live frustrated. 440 00:22:21,400 --> 00:22:24,200 Speaker 5: When you release it to him, it allows him to 441 00:22:24,240 --> 00:22:27,680 Speaker 5: work in amazing ways. I love the fact that God 442 00:22:27,760 --> 00:22:31,520 Speaker 5: is always working behind the scenes. Just because you don't 443 00:22:31,520 --> 00:22:34,960 Speaker 5: see anything happening doesn't mean God is not working. You 444 00:22:35,040 --> 00:22:38,280 Speaker 5: don't know that person you're so worried about. God may 445 00:22:38,320 --> 00:22:41,600 Speaker 5: have already planted a seed that's about to take root. 446 00:22:42,160 --> 00:22:45,200 Speaker 5: Like my grandfather, it's just a matter of time before 447 00:22:45,240 --> 00:22:48,760 Speaker 5: they turned their life around. When you release it to God, 448 00:22:49,000 --> 00:22:51,879 Speaker 5: when you put a dream on the altar, you're saying, God, 449 00:22:52,200 --> 00:22:55,200 Speaker 5: I trust you. I know you've got it all figured out. 450 00:22:55,480 --> 00:22:58,280 Speaker 5: I don't see away, but God, I know you. 451 00:22:58,320 --> 00:23:00,960 Speaker 3: Have a way. The scripture in Firs. 452 00:23:01,040 --> 00:23:04,240 Speaker 5: Peter it says if you put your trust in the Lord, 453 00:23:04,720 --> 00:23:06,280 Speaker 5: you will never be disappointed. 454 00:23:06,840 --> 00:23:08,160 Speaker 3: What a powerful promise. 455 00:23:08,520 --> 00:23:10,679 Speaker 5: And of course that doesn't mean that we'll never have 456 00:23:10,760 --> 00:23:12,160 Speaker 5: temporary disappointments. 457 00:23:12,200 --> 00:23:12,840 Speaker 3: We all do. 458 00:23:13,200 --> 00:23:17,119 Speaker 5: But this is saying we will never be permanently disappointed. 459 00:23:17,480 --> 00:23:20,160 Speaker 5: Somewhere down the road, God will cause it to all 460 00:23:20,200 --> 00:23:22,560 Speaker 5: work out for our good. But some of you today, 461 00:23:22,800 --> 00:23:27,040 Speaker 5: like my father, you're allowing another person to frustrate you 462 00:23:27,040 --> 00:23:30,200 Speaker 5: you're trying to make them change, trying to convince them 463 00:23:30,200 --> 00:23:32,520 Speaker 5: to see it your way, and they won't do it, 464 00:23:32,920 --> 00:23:34,040 Speaker 5: and it's aggravating you. 465 00:23:34,080 --> 00:23:37,040 Speaker 3: It's stealing your joy. You've got to turn that over 466 00:23:37,119 --> 00:23:39,480 Speaker 3: to the Lord. He is in complete control. 467 00:23:40,160 --> 00:23:43,120 Speaker 5: And really, life is too short to go through it 468 00:23:43,400 --> 00:23:46,440 Speaker 5: waiting to be happy. As soon as my father knows 469 00:23:46,480 --> 00:23:49,199 Speaker 5: the Lord, soon as I get that promotion I deserve, 470 00:23:49,480 --> 00:23:50,600 Speaker 5: soon as I get married. 471 00:23:51,240 --> 00:23:54,960 Speaker 3: Now, make a decision to enjoy your life right now. 472 00:23:55,440 --> 00:23:58,040 Speaker 5: You don't need those other things to be happy. You 473 00:23:58,119 --> 00:24:00,800 Speaker 5: can be happy right where you are. And I know 474 00:24:00,880 --> 00:24:04,240 Speaker 5: sometimes it's difficult to put things on the altar. It 475 00:24:04,359 --> 00:24:07,520 Speaker 5: takes maturity to say, God, this is the thing that 476 00:24:07,600 --> 00:24:08,160 Speaker 5: I want the. 477 00:24:08,160 --> 00:24:11,440 Speaker 3: Most, but not my will, let yours be done. 478 00:24:11,520 --> 00:24:13,560 Speaker 5: I read a story about this young man that was 479 00:24:13,800 --> 00:24:17,000 Speaker 5: training for the nineteen twenty four Olympics. They were to 480 00:24:17,040 --> 00:24:20,439 Speaker 5: be held in Paris, France. He was a young American 481 00:24:20,840 --> 00:24:24,520 Speaker 5: that was extremely skilled in canoeing. He could ride the 482 00:24:24,680 --> 00:24:28,920 Speaker 5: rapids like no one else. He'd won many competitions before. 483 00:24:29,400 --> 00:24:32,280 Speaker 5: He was the heavy favorite for the gold medal. That 484 00:24:32,480 --> 00:24:35,800 Speaker 5: was his dream and Olympic gold, but it just so 485 00:24:36,000 --> 00:24:40,040 Speaker 5: happened his wife became pregnant and her due date was 486 00:24:40,119 --> 00:24:44,040 Speaker 5: exactly during the Olympics. In those days, of course, they 487 00:24:44,040 --> 00:24:47,119 Speaker 5: didn't have travel like we do today. To go back 488 00:24:47,200 --> 00:24:50,240 Speaker 5: and forth across the ocean would take several months time. 489 00:24:50,880 --> 00:24:53,639 Speaker 5: He made a decision that he was not going to 490 00:24:53,680 --> 00:24:57,159 Speaker 5: miss the birth of his first son. Much to the 491 00:24:57,200 --> 00:25:01,040 Speaker 5: surprise of his coaches and trainers, he informed them he 492 00:25:01,080 --> 00:25:04,640 Speaker 5: would not be competing in the Olympic Games. That news 493 00:25:04,880 --> 00:25:08,840 Speaker 5: sent shockwaves throughout the sports world. Here he had trained 494 00:25:08,880 --> 00:25:12,000 Speaker 5: tirelessly for many years. He was the best in his 495 00:25:12,040 --> 00:25:15,800 Speaker 5: field as far as his career was concerned. This was 496 00:25:15,840 --> 00:25:19,040 Speaker 5: the most important thing to him in Olympic gold. But 497 00:25:19,119 --> 00:25:21,119 Speaker 5: he did what we're talking about. He put it on 498 00:25:21,160 --> 00:25:23,399 Speaker 5: the altar. He said, God, I don't have to have 499 00:25:23,520 --> 00:25:24,400 Speaker 5: that medal. 500 00:25:24,280 --> 00:25:25,399 Speaker 3: In order to be happy. 501 00:25:25,840 --> 00:25:29,439 Speaker 5: Seemed like a great disappointment. His son was born, and 502 00:25:29,760 --> 00:25:32,760 Speaker 5: through the years he poured into that young man. Like 503 00:25:32,840 --> 00:25:37,000 Speaker 5: his father, the son was extremely gifted in whitewater rafting 504 00:25:37,119 --> 00:25:41,680 Speaker 5: as well. They spent year after year practicing together, training, 505 00:25:41,800 --> 00:25:46,160 Speaker 5: getting better and better. Nineteen forty eight, the Sun qualified 506 00:25:46,280 --> 00:25:49,920 Speaker 5: for the Olympic Games in Helsinki, Finland. He went over 507 00:25:50,000 --> 00:25:53,080 Speaker 5: and competed A few days later, here in America, the 508 00:25:53,200 --> 00:25:56,720 Speaker 5: dad got a telegraph. It said, dear Dad, thanks for 509 00:25:56,800 --> 00:25:59,720 Speaker 5: waiting around for me to be born. I'm coming home 510 00:26:00,000 --> 00:26:03,520 Speaker 5: twenty four years later with your gold medal. His son 511 00:26:03,600 --> 00:26:05,800 Speaker 5: had won the gold. He came home and gave it 512 00:26:05,840 --> 00:26:10,440 Speaker 5: to his father. Now the father had the gold medal 513 00:26:10,480 --> 00:26:13,639 Speaker 5: he'd always dreamed about, but it even meant more to 514 00:26:13,760 --> 00:26:17,000 Speaker 5: him because it came from his son, whom he loved 515 00:26:17,040 --> 00:26:21,359 Speaker 5: so much. Friends, God has a way of working everything out. 516 00:26:21,480 --> 00:26:23,959 Speaker 5: When you let it go, it doesn't mean it's not 517 00:26:24,000 --> 00:26:27,439 Speaker 5: going to happen. You're simply saying God, I'm gonna let 518 00:26:27,440 --> 00:26:29,640 Speaker 5: you do it your way. I know you know what's 519 00:26:29,720 --> 00:26:32,480 Speaker 5: best for me, and if I put my trust in you, 520 00:26:33,119 --> 00:26:36,399 Speaker 5: I know I may have some temporary disappointments, may have 521 00:26:36,480 --> 00:26:39,879 Speaker 5: some temporary setbacks, but I know I will never be 522 00:26:40,000 --> 00:26:43,760 Speaker 5: permanently disappointed. Somewhere down the road, God, you'll cause it 523 00:26:43,800 --> 00:26:46,280 Speaker 5: to work out for my good, just like my father. 524 00:26:46,480 --> 00:26:49,200 Speaker 3: Years later, he saw his father come to know the Lord. 525 00:26:49,800 --> 00:26:52,439 Speaker 5: Just like with Victorian me and that house that we 526 00:26:52,480 --> 00:26:55,520 Speaker 5: wanted so badly, we were disappointed, But can I tell 527 00:26:55,560 --> 00:26:58,600 Speaker 5: you today, we're not disappointed. God gave us a much 528 00:26:58,640 --> 00:27:02,320 Speaker 5: greater investment. Like the lady was so disappointed her husband 529 00:27:02,320 --> 00:27:05,600 Speaker 5: wouldn't come to church. Today she's not disappointed. He's here 530 00:27:05,640 --> 00:27:08,600 Speaker 5: every week. What am I saying? God has a way. 531 00:27:09,080 --> 00:27:11,080 Speaker 5: You don't have to figure it all out. You've just 532 00:27:11,119 --> 00:27:13,800 Speaker 5: got to turn it over to him. Release the struggle, 533 00:27:14,080 --> 00:27:18,560 Speaker 5: release the frustration. Listen anything you have to have to 534 00:27:18,600 --> 00:27:21,760 Speaker 5: be happy. The enemy will always use that against you. 535 00:27:22,359 --> 00:27:24,640 Speaker 5: But when you can say God, I let it go. 536 00:27:25,119 --> 00:27:28,440 Speaker 5: If it works out, great, If it doesn't, no big deal. 537 00:27:28,520 --> 00:27:30,840 Speaker 5: I know you have something better in store, and I've 538 00:27:30,840 --> 00:27:33,199 Speaker 5: made up my mind. I'm gonna enjoy my life right 539 00:27:33,240 --> 00:27:36,080 Speaker 5: where I am. When you can put things on the 540 00:27:36,119 --> 00:27:38,600 Speaker 5: altar like that, you'll see God go to work in 541 00:27:38,640 --> 00:27:41,000 Speaker 5: amazing ways. Now I want you to go out of 542 00:27:41,040 --> 00:27:45,840 Speaker 5: here today, freer, lighter. Some of you are struggling so hard, 543 00:27:45,960 --> 00:27:48,679 Speaker 5: trying to make a dream come to pass, trying to 544 00:27:48,760 --> 00:27:51,960 Speaker 5: make somebody change, trying to force them to live right, 545 00:27:52,520 --> 00:27:55,240 Speaker 5: You're not gonna be happy if unless it happens your 546 00:27:55,280 --> 00:27:56,920 Speaker 5: way on your timetable. 547 00:27:57,320 --> 00:27:59,720 Speaker 3: Let me give you a news flash. You're not God. 548 00:28:00,240 --> 00:28:02,920 Speaker 3: That's not your job. Take the pressure off. 549 00:28:03,200 --> 00:28:06,520 Speaker 5: God is running the universe. He's working behind the scenes 550 00:28:06,720 --> 00:28:11,600 Speaker 5: and listen to God already knows what you want. He 551 00:28:11,720 --> 00:28:14,920 Speaker 5: knows your goals, he knows your dreams. He's the one 552 00:28:14,920 --> 00:28:18,520 Speaker 5: that gave them to you. Now trust him with your life. 553 00:28:18,960 --> 00:28:21,080 Speaker 5: Your future is in good hands. 554 00:28:21,280 --> 00:28:23,200 Speaker 3: Not all state, but Almighty God. 555 00:28:23,880 --> 00:28:26,880 Speaker 5: He knows what's best for you. He's already planned out 556 00:28:26,920 --> 00:28:29,919 Speaker 5: your days for good. He already has a life of 557 00:28:30,040 --> 00:28:32,880 Speaker 5: victory in your future. If you will learn to let 558 00:28:33,040 --> 00:28:36,119 Speaker 5: go and let God, if you'll give him control of 559 00:28:36,160 --> 00:28:39,040 Speaker 5: your life, he will lead you and guide you down 560 00:28:39,080 --> 00:28:42,280 Speaker 5: your best path. He'll take your setbacks and turn them 561 00:28:42,280 --> 00:28:45,720 Speaker 5: into comebacks. You won't have to struggle to make things happen. 562 00:28:45,920 --> 00:28:48,240 Speaker 5: He'll give you the desires of your heart. And I 563 00:28:48,320 --> 00:28:51,840 Speaker 5: believe in declare you'll become everything He's created you to be. 564 00:28:52,200 --> 00:28:54,880 Speaker 5: You'll have everything He intended for you to have, and 565 00:28:54,920 --> 00:28:58,440 Speaker 5: you will see and Ephesians three twenty decade a decade 566 00:28:58,440 --> 00:29:03,640 Speaker 5: of exceedingly abundantly above and beyond favor, blessing, hell, happiness, 567 00:29:04,080 --> 00:29:04,719 Speaker 5: and victory. 568 00:29:04,800 --> 00:29:08,560 Speaker 3: Come on, do you receive that today? We never like 569 00:29:08,640 --> 00:29:09,280 Speaker 3: to close our. 570 00:29:09,200 --> 00:29:12,720 Speaker 5: Broadcast without giving you an opportunity to make Jesus the 571 00:29:12,760 --> 00:29:13,600 Speaker 5: lord of your life. 572 00:29:14,040 --> 00:29:14,960 Speaker 3: Would you pray with me. 573 00:29:15,560 --> 00:29:19,360 Speaker 5: Just say, Lord Jesus, I'll repent of my sins. 574 00:29:20,400 --> 00:29:21,360 Speaker 3: Come into my heart. 575 00:29:22,400 --> 00:29:25,680 Speaker 5: I make you my Lord and savior. Friends, if you 576 00:29:25,760 --> 00:29:28,360 Speaker 5: prayed that simple prayer, we believe you got born again. 577 00:29:28,760 --> 00:29:31,800 Speaker 5: Get in a good Bible based church. Keep God first place. 578 00:29:32,120 --> 00:29:34,120 Speaker 3: He'll take your places that you've never dreamed of. 579 00:29:34,840 --> 00:29:38,280 Speaker 6: Thank you for listening to the Joel Oustine podcast. Help 580 00:29:38,360 --> 00:29:41,080 Speaker 6: us continue to share the message of hope with those 581 00:29:41,200 --> 00:29:45,080 Speaker 6: all over the world. Visit Jolusteine dot com slash give 582 00:29:45,160 --> 00:29:46,840 Speaker 6: Hope to give a gift today. 583 00:29:48,120 --> 00:29:50,560 Speaker 3: Thanks so much for listening to today's message. 584 00:29:50,720 --> 00:29:53,440 Speaker 5: I hope you'll subscribe so you can receive the latest 585 00:29:53,520 --> 00:29:54,920 Speaker 5: podcast to keep. 586 00:29:54,760 --> 00:29:57,720 Speaker 3: You inspired all through the week. We're praying for you. 587 00:29:57,920 --> 00:30:01,000 Speaker 3: I know God's best is still ahead. See you next time. 588 00:30:07,840 --> 00:30:10,600 Speaker 7: With millions of books on Amazon, there's a reading feeling 589 00:30:10,640 --> 00:30:14,960 Speaker 7: for everyone. 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