1 00:00:00,680 --> 00:00:03,600 Speaker 1: Hi, this is Jolan Victoria. Thanks so much for listening 2 00:00:03,600 --> 00:00:05,680 Speaker 1: to the podcast and thanks. 3 00:00:05,360 --> 00:00:06,800 Speaker 2: For supporting the ministry. 4 00:00:07,120 --> 00:00:11,160 Speaker 1: We believe you're going to have an awesome twenty twenty four, healthy, productive, 5 00:00:11,320 --> 00:00:15,920 Speaker 1: and favor filled. God bless you today and enjoy the message. Well, 6 00:00:15,960 --> 00:00:19,439 Speaker 1: God bless you, and welcome. Thanks so much for letting 7 00:00:19,520 --> 00:00:21,799 Speaker 1: us come into your homes. And if you're ever in 8 00:00:21,880 --> 00:00:25,360 Speaker 1: our area, please stop by. These are the finest people 9 00:00:25,400 --> 00:00:28,040 Speaker 1: in all of Houston, Texas right here at Lakewood. We'd 10 00:00:28,080 --> 00:00:30,320 Speaker 1: love to have you visit. But thanks for tuning in 11 00:00:30,360 --> 00:00:33,280 Speaker 1: and thank you again for coming out today. And I'd 12 00:00:33,320 --> 00:00:35,520 Speaker 1: like to start with something funny. And I heard about 13 00:00:35,520 --> 00:00:38,640 Speaker 1: this college professor. He was going to prove to his 14 00:00:38,760 --> 00:00:41,960 Speaker 1: class that there is no God. He said, God, if 15 00:00:42,040 --> 00:00:44,880 Speaker 1: you're real, then knock me off this platform. 16 00:00:45,159 --> 00:00:47,239 Speaker 2: I'm giving you fifteen minutes to do it. 17 00:00:47,880 --> 00:00:51,440 Speaker 1: Every minute that went by, he taunted, God, I'm still here, God, 18 00:00:51,560 --> 00:00:56,000 Speaker 1: I'm waiting the last minute. Three hundred pound football player 19 00:00:56,320 --> 00:00:59,920 Speaker 1: walking down the hallway overheard him, came running toward him 20 00:01:00,080 --> 00:01:03,520 Speaker 1: full force, put his shoulder down knock The professor sent 21 00:01:03,640 --> 00:01:06,640 Speaker 1: him flying off the platform. Professor got up in the 22 00:01:06,720 --> 00:01:07,680 Speaker 1: day said what in the world. 23 00:01:07,760 --> 00:01:08,479 Speaker 2: Do you do that for? 24 00:01:08,959 --> 00:01:11,960 Speaker 1: The football player replied, God said he was busy, so 25 00:01:12,000 --> 00:01:17,039 Speaker 1: he sent me. Hold your bible up, say it like 26 00:01:17,120 --> 00:01:19,880 Speaker 1: you mean it. This is my Bible. I am what 27 00:01:19,920 --> 00:01:22,399 Speaker 1: it says I am. I have what it says I have. 28 00:01:22,920 --> 00:01:25,319 Speaker 1: I can do what it says I can do. Today 29 00:01:25,400 --> 00:01:28,679 Speaker 1: I will be taught the word of God. I boldly confess. 30 00:01:29,080 --> 00:01:32,440 Speaker 1: My mind is alert, my heart is receptive. I will 31 00:01:32,480 --> 00:01:36,240 Speaker 1: never be the same. In Jesus' name, God bless you. 32 00:01:37,560 --> 00:01:40,480 Speaker 1: I want to talk to you today about moving forward. 33 00:01:41,440 --> 00:01:43,960 Speaker 1: It's easy to go through life looking in the rear 34 00:01:44,040 --> 00:01:47,760 Speaker 1: view mirror focused on what didn't work out, on who 35 00:01:47,800 --> 00:01:51,200 Speaker 1: heard us, on the mistakes we made. If only I 36 00:01:51,200 --> 00:01:54,280 Speaker 1: would have finished college, if only I would have spent 37 00:01:54,360 --> 00:01:57,920 Speaker 1: more time with my children, If only that company wouldn't 38 00:01:57,920 --> 00:01:59,800 Speaker 1: have laid me off after twenty years. 39 00:02:00,000 --> 00:02:00,840 Speaker 2: It's just not right. 40 00:02:01,560 --> 00:02:04,960 Speaker 1: But as long as you're living in regrets, focused on 41 00:02:05,000 --> 00:02:07,800 Speaker 1: the negative things of the past, it's going to keep 42 00:02:07,840 --> 00:02:11,320 Speaker 1: you from the bright future God has in store. You've 43 00:02:11,320 --> 00:02:14,600 Speaker 1: got to let go of what didn't work out, let 44 00:02:14,720 --> 00:02:18,800 Speaker 1: go of the hurts and pains, let go of your disappointments, 45 00:02:18,880 --> 00:02:22,760 Speaker 1: your failures. You can't do anything about the past, but 46 00:02:22,840 --> 00:02:26,360 Speaker 1: you can do something about right now. And whether it 47 00:02:26,440 --> 00:02:30,480 Speaker 1: happened twenty years ago or twenty minutes ago, let it. 48 00:02:30,480 --> 00:02:31,840 Speaker 2: Go and move forward. 49 00:02:32,680 --> 00:02:36,840 Speaker 1: If you keep bringing negative baggage from yesterday into the day, 50 00:02:37,240 --> 00:02:40,639 Speaker 1: it will poison your future. You may have had an 51 00:02:40,760 --> 00:02:44,320 Speaker 1: unfair past. I'm not debating that. What I'm saying is 52 00:02:44,400 --> 00:02:47,600 Speaker 1: you don't have to have an unfair future. You may 53 00:02:47,600 --> 00:02:50,120 Speaker 1: have gotten off to a rough start in life, but 54 00:02:50,160 --> 00:02:51,800 Speaker 1: it's not how you start that matters. 55 00:02:51,840 --> 00:02:53,000 Speaker 2: It's how you finish. 56 00:02:53,720 --> 00:02:56,760 Speaker 1: Don't let what somebody did or didn't do for you 57 00:02:57,160 --> 00:03:00,560 Speaker 1: be an excuse to live sour. Don't let a bad break, 58 00:03:00,919 --> 00:03:04,760 Speaker 1: a divorce, a betrayal, a bad childhood cause you to 59 00:03:04,840 --> 00:03:08,160 Speaker 1: settle where you are. Move forward and God will pay 60 00:03:08,200 --> 00:03:12,240 Speaker 1: you back. Move forward and God will indicate you. Move 61 00:03:12,320 --> 00:03:16,080 Speaker 1: forward and you'll come into a new beginning. Nothing that's 62 00:03:16,120 --> 00:03:19,560 Speaker 1: happened to you is a surprise to God. The loss 63 00:03:19,560 --> 00:03:22,920 Speaker 1: of that loved one didn't catch God off guard. The 64 00:03:22,960 --> 00:03:26,000 Speaker 1: business that didn't make it, the relationship that didn't work 65 00:03:26,040 --> 00:03:30,000 Speaker 1: out did not stop God's plan for your life. Now, 66 00:03:30,040 --> 00:03:32,920 Speaker 1: the real question is are you going to get stuck, 67 00:03:33,560 --> 00:03:37,200 Speaker 1: fall into self pity, become bitter. Let the past poison 68 00:03:37,240 --> 00:03:39,960 Speaker 1: your future, or are you going to shake it off 69 00:03:40,120 --> 00:03:42,960 Speaker 1: and move forward knowing that your best days are still 70 00:03:43,040 --> 00:03:47,840 Speaker 1: up ahead. In your automobile, there's a big windshield in 71 00:03:47,880 --> 00:03:51,800 Speaker 1: the front and a very small rear view mirror. The 72 00:03:51,840 --> 00:03:55,000 Speaker 1: reason the windshield is so large and the rear view 73 00:03:55,000 --> 00:03:58,680 Speaker 1: mirror is so small is because what's happened in your 74 00:03:58,840 --> 00:04:02,720 Speaker 1: past is not nearly as important is what's in your future. 75 00:04:03,320 --> 00:04:06,680 Speaker 1: Where you're going is much more significant than where you've been. 76 00:04:07,960 --> 00:04:11,160 Speaker 1: But if you stay focused on the past, you'll get 77 00:04:11,160 --> 00:04:13,720 Speaker 1: stuck where you are. And this is the reason a 78 00:04:13,760 --> 00:04:17,400 Speaker 1: lot of people don't have joy, no enthusiasm for life. 79 00:04:17,480 --> 00:04:21,080 Speaker 1: They're dragging around all this negative baggage from the past. 80 00:04:21,839 --> 00:04:25,520 Speaker 1: Somebody offended them last week, they've got that stuffed in 81 00:04:25,600 --> 00:04:29,479 Speaker 1: their resentment bag. Last month they lost their temper, said 82 00:04:29,520 --> 00:04:32,200 Speaker 1: some things they shouldn't have. They've got that in their 83 00:04:32,400 --> 00:04:34,120 Speaker 1: guilt and condemnation bag. 84 00:04:34,920 --> 00:04:36,080 Speaker 2: Ten years ago they. 85 00:04:35,960 --> 00:04:39,080 Speaker 1: Lost a loved one. They still don't understand it. They've 86 00:04:39,080 --> 00:04:43,159 Speaker 1: got that hurt and pain in their disappointment bag. They 87 00:04:43,160 --> 00:04:46,200 Speaker 1: carry around their bag of regrets, all the things they 88 00:04:46,240 --> 00:04:49,480 Speaker 1: wish they would have done differently. They've got their divorce 89 00:04:49,560 --> 00:04:53,120 Speaker 1: in a specific bag, been mad at their spouse for years. 90 00:04:53,720 --> 00:04:56,240 Speaker 1: If they went to take an airline flight, they couldn't 91 00:04:56,240 --> 00:04:59,279 Speaker 1: afford it. They've got twenty seven bags they drag around 92 00:04:59,320 --> 00:05:03,479 Speaker 1: with them every where they go. Friends, life is too 93 00:05:03,600 --> 00:05:08,279 Speaker 1: short to live that way. Learn to travel light. Every 94 00:05:08,400 --> 00:05:11,560 Speaker 1: morning when you first get up, Forgive the people that 95 00:05:11,640 --> 00:05:14,919 Speaker 1: did you wrong the day before. Forgive your spouse for 96 00:05:15,000 --> 00:05:18,919 Speaker 1: what they said. Forgive your boss for being rude. Forgive 97 00:05:18,960 --> 00:05:22,600 Speaker 1: yourself for the mistakes you've made at the start. 98 00:05:22,360 --> 00:05:22,920 Speaker 2: Of the day. 99 00:05:23,200 --> 00:05:27,880 Speaker 1: Let go of the disappointments, the setbacks from yesterday. Start 100 00:05:28,000 --> 00:05:32,440 Speaker 1: every morning afresh and anew. God did not create you 101 00:05:32,560 --> 00:05:35,400 Speaker 1: to carry around all that baggage, and some of you 102 00:05:35,400 --> 00:05:36,360 Speaker 1: have been holding on. 103 00:05:36,320 --> 00:05:37,279 Speaker 2: To it for years. 104 00:05:37,600 --> 00:05:40,960 Speaker 1: It's not going to change unless you do something about it. 105 00:05:41,440 --> 00:05:43,680 Speaker 1: You got to put your foot down and say that's it. 106 00:05:44,240 --> 00:05:47,840 Speaker 1: I'm not living in regrets anymore. I'm not focusing on 107 00:05:47,880 --> 00:05:51,039 Speaker 1: my disappointments. I'm not dwelling on who hurt me, on 108 00:05:51,160 --> 00:05:54,400 Speaker 1: what didn't work out. I'm letting it go and moving 109 00:05:54,440 --> 00:05:58,560 Speaker 1: forward with my life. See, we should focus on what 110 00:05:58,600 --> 00:06:01,799 Speaker 1: we can change, not what we cannot change. 111 00:06:02,279 --> 00:06:04,240 Speaker 2: What's done is done. 112 00:06:04,360 --> 00:06:09,000 Speaker 1: If somebody offended you, mistreated you, disappointed you. You can't 113 00:06:09,080 --> 00:06:12,640 Speaker 1: undo that. You can either get bitter, pack it in 114 00:06:12,680 --> 00:06:14,360 Speaker 1: a bag and let it weigh you down. 115 00:06:14,560 --> 00:06:16,359 Speaker 2: Or you can forgive them and go on. 116 00:06:17,320 --> 00:06:20,520 Speaker 1: If you lost your temper yesterday, you can either beat 117 00:06:20,520 --> 00:06:24,960 Speaker 1: yourself up, carry around the guilt and condemnation, or you 118 00:06:25,000 --> 00:06:28,640 Speaker 1: can ask for forgiveness, receive God's mercy, and do better today. 119 00:06:29,480 --> 00:06:32,400 Speaker 1: If you didn't get that promotion, you can get sour, 120 00:06:32,680 --> 00:06:35,320 Speaker 1: go around with a chip on your shoulder, or you 121 00:06:35,360 --> 00:06:38,080 Speaker 1: can shake it off knowing that God has something better 122 00:06:38,120 --> 00:06:42,560 Speaker 1: in store. No matter what happens in life, big or small, 123 00:06:43,080 --> 00:06:46,320 Speaker 1: if you will learn to let it go and move forward, 124 00:06:46,880 --> 00:06:50,800 Speaker 1: then your past doesn't have to poison your future. I 125 00:06:50,839 --> 00:06:53,640 Speaker 1: met a lady after the service a few years ago 126 00:06:53,839 --> 00:06:57,159 Speaker 1: who had been through a divorce. We prayed several times 127 00:06:57,160 --> 00:06:58,960 Speaker 1: that God would bring somebody. 128 00:06:58,520 --> 00:06:59,680 Speaker 2: New into her life. 129 00:07:00,040 --> 00:07:03,919 Speaker 1: One day she met this man, fine godly man, very successful. 130 00:07:04,120 --> 00:07:06,839 Speaker 1: She was so happy about it, but she made the 131 00:07:06,880 --> 00:07:10,840 Speaker 1: mistake of dragging all of her negative baggage into this 132 00:07:10,920 --> 00:07:14,920 Speaker 1: new relationship. She was constantly talking about what she'd been 133 00:07:14,960 --> 00:07:17,040 Speaker 1: through and how she was mistreated. 134 00:07:17,560 --> 00:07:19,280 Speaker 2: She had a victim mentality. 135 00:07:20,080 --> 00:07:23,240 Speaker 1: The man told me later she was so focused on 136 00:07:23,280 --> 00:07:26,239 Speaker 1: her past, so caught up in what she had been through, 137 00:07:26,640 --> 00:07:27,640 Speaker 1: he couldn't handle it. 138 00:07:27,880 --> 00:07:28,600 Speaker 2: He moved on. 139 00:07:29,480 --> 00:07:32,280 Speaker 1: That's what happens when we hold on to the hurts 140 00:07:32,360 --> 00:07:33,520 Speaker 1: and pains. 141 00:07:33,040 --> 00:07:36,400 Speaker 2: Of the past. It will poison you everywhere you go. 142 00:07:37,040 --> 00:07:41,120 Speaker 1: You cannot drag around the baggage from yesterday and expect 143 00:07:41,160 --> 00:07:43,120 Speaker 1: to have good relationships today. 144 00:07:43,400 --> 00:07:44,680 Speaker 2: You've got to let it go. 145 00:07:45,400 --> 00:07:48,800 Speaker 1: Quit living life looking in that rear view mirror. Start 146 00:07:48,840 --> 00:07:52,200 Speaker 1: looking out the great big windshield. You may have had 147 00:07:52,280 --> 00:07:55,840 Speaker 1: some bad breaks, but that did not stop God's plan 148 00:07:55,960 --> 00:07:59,239 Speaker 1: for your life. He still has something amazing in front 149 00:07:59,240 --> 00:08:03,560 Speaker 1: of you. When one door closes, if you'll stay in faith, God. 150 00:08:03,360 --> 00:08:05,120 Speaker 2: Will always open up another door. 151 00:08:05,920 --> 00:08:09,520 Speaker 1: When one dream dies, don't sit around self pity talking 152 00:08:09,560 --> 00:08:10,600 Speaker 1: about what you've lost. 153 00:08:10,920 --> 00:08:12,360 Speaker 2: Dream another dream. 154 00:08:12,920 --> 00:08:16,880 Speaker 1: Your life is not over because you lost a loved one, 155 00:08:17,120 --> 00:08:20,440 Speaker 1: you went through a divorce, you got laid off. You 156 00:08:20,480 --> 00:08:23,920 Speaker 1: wouldn't be alive unless God had another victory in front 157 00:08:23,920 --> 00:08:28,160 Speaker 1: of you. Now, quit mourning over what you've lost, Let 158 00:08:28,240 --> 00:08:31,320 Speaker 1: go of what didn't work out. How do you let 159 00:08:31,360 --> 00:08:34,760 Speaker 1: it go? Quit thinking about it, Quit talking about it, 160 00:08:35,280 --> 00:08:39,040 Speaker 1: Quit reliving all the negative things that have happened to you. 161 00:08:39,760 --> 00:08:42,600 Speaker 1: When those pictures come up on the movie screen of 162 00:08:42,640 --> 00:08:47,040 Speaker 1: your mind, change the channel. You have the remote control. 163 00:08:47,720 --> 00:08:49,760 Speaker 1: You don't have to watch everything. 164 00:08:49,360 --> 00:08:50,040 Speaker 2: That comes up. 165 00:08:50,800 --> 00:08:54,840 Speaker 1: If you keep reliving negative memories, thinking about how unfair 166 00:08:54,880 --> 00:08:56,960 Speaker 1: it was, how could they do that to me? 167 00:08:57,600 --> 00:08:59,320 Speaker 2: That wound will never heal. 168 00:09:00,120 --> 00:09:02,920 Speaker 1: Every time you think about it, you're reopening it. 169 00:09:03,600 --> 00:09:05,360 Speaker 2: The mind is very powerful. 170 00:09:05,600 --> 00:09:09,600 Speaker 1: When you replay negative experiences, you will feel the same 171 00:09:09,760 --> 00:09:14,720 Speaker 1: emotion as when it first happened. Before long, you'll be sad, angry, depressed, bitter. 172 00:09:15,480 --> 00:09:17,920 Speaker 1: I know people, when that picture comes up on the 173 00:09:17,960 --> 00:09:21,080 Speaker 1: movie screen of their mind, the negative memories, instead of 174 00:09:21,120 --> 00:09:24,240 Speaker 1: quickly changing the channel, they go pull up a chair, 175 00:09:24,280 --> 00:09:26,800 Speaker 1: so to speak, get a bag of popcorn, watch it 176 00:09:26,840 --> 00:09:30,760 Speaker 1: for the next fifteen minutes. The scripture says, think on 177 00:09:30,880 --> 00:09:34,600 Speaker 1: things that are pure, things that are wholesome, things that 178 00:09:34,640 --> 00:09:37,400 Speaker 1: are of a good report. If you're going to keep 179 00:09:37,440 --> 00:09:41,120 Speaker 1: moving forward, you've got to be disciplined in your thought life. 180 00:09:41,720 --> 00:09:43,199 Speaker 2: The negative memories. 181 00:09:42,880 --> 00:09:45,520 Speaker 1: Will try to replay again and again. You've got to 182 00:09:45,559 --> 00:09:48,560 Speaker 1: guard your mind. Some of you would go to a 183 00:09:48,600 --> 00:09:52,120 Speaker 1: new level if you would simply start changing the channel, 184 00:09:52,760 --> 00:09:57,560 Speaker 1: quit replaying the disappointments. Quit reliving the bad breaks. Every 185 00:09:57,640 --> 00:10:00,920 Speaker 1: time you watch that, you think about it opening the wound. 186 00:10:00,960 --> 00:10:04,800 Speaker 1: It's making it more difficult. I walked into a government 187 00:10:04,840 --> 00:10:08,040 Speaker 1: building one time. There were two sets of double doors 188 00:10:08,400 --> 00:10:12,640 Speaker 1: about fifteen feet apart that were both automatic doors. When 189 00:10:12,720 --> 00:10:15,040 Speaker 1: you walk through the first set of doors, you had 190 00:10:15,080 --> 00:10:18,600 Speaker 1: to let them totally close until the next set of 191 00:10:18,640 --> 00:10:21,280 Speaker 1: doors would open. As long as I stayed at that 192 00:10:21,400 --> 00:10:24,120 Speaker 1: first set, the second set would not open. 193 00:10:24,400 --> 00:10:25,960 Speaker 2: It's the same principle in life. 194 00:10:26,440 --> 00:10:30,640 Speaker 1: If you're sitting around nursing your wounds, feeling sorry for yourself, 195 00:10:30,960 --> 00:10:33,839 Speaker 1: you're not going to see anything new. You've got to 196 00:10:33,920 --> 00:10:38,120 Speaker 1: let those doors totally close. Let go of the disappointments, 197 00:10:38,440 --> 00:10:41,760 Speaker 1: let go of the failures. You cannot change the past, 198 00:10:41,960 --> 00:10:45,760 Speaker 1: but you can change the future. If you'll move forward, 199 00:10:46,160 --> 00:10:48,640 Speaker 1: you'll see the new things God wants to do. And 200 00:10:48,679 --> 00:10:51,240 Speaker 1: this is what the scripture says. God will give you 201 00:10:51,400 --> 00:10:55,360 Speaker 1: beauty for ashes. Here's the key. You have to let 202 00:10:55,440 --> 00:10:58,600 Speaker 1: go of the ashes before you can receive the beauty. 203 00:11:00,160 --> 00:11:05,320 Speaker 1: Is represent our broken dreams, our failures, our disappointments are hurts. 204 00:11:05,640 --> 00:11:08,920 Speaker 1: We all have our share of ashes. As long as 205 00:11:08,920 --> 00:11:13,360 Speaker 1: you're holding onto the ashes, thinking about the disappointment, mad 206 00:11:13,400 --> 00:11:16,880 Speaker 1: at somebody, bitter at the past, then you won't receive 207 00:11:17,120 --> 00:11:21,280 Speaker 1: the beauty, and exchange has to take place. It's an 208 00:11:21,320 --> 00:11:24,720 Speaker 1: act of faith to say God, I'm forgiving this person 209 00:11:24,760 --> 00:11:27,960 Speaker 1: that hurt me, or I lost my biggest client, but 210 00:11:28,000 --> 00:11:29,760 Speaker 1: I'm not going to have a chip on my shoulder. 211 00:11:30,240 --> 00:11:32,320 Speaker 1: My friend betrayed me, but I'm going to keep a 212 00:11:32,320 --> 00:11:37,040 Speaker 1: good attitude. That's when God can give you the beauty. Well, Joel, 213 00:11:37,080 --> 00:11:40,400 Speaker 1: they hurt me too badly. I can't forgive them. That's 214 00:11:40,440 --> 00:11:43,320 Speaker 1: a heavy price to pay. If you won't let go 215 00:11:43,360 --> 00:11:47,080 Speaker 1: of the old, you can't receive the new. Well, we 216 00:11:47,240 --> 00:11:50,400 Speaker 1: prayed for our mother and she didn't get healed like 217 00:11:50,440 --> 00:11:53,240 Speaker 1: your mother. We don't understand it. I don't claim to 218 00:11:53,360 --> 00:11:56,440 Speaker 1: understand it all. I'm simply asking you to let go 219 00:11:56,520 --> 00:11:59,560 Speaker 1: of the ashes, let go of the disappointment, let go 220 00:11:59,600 --> 00:12:03,640 Speaker 1: of the blo Take those ashes, your broken dreams, you hurt, 221 00:12:03,720 --> 00:12:05,599 Speaker 1: your failures, even your questions. 222 00:12:06,120 --> 00:12:07,520 Speaker 2: Put them into God's. 223 00:12:07,280 --> 00:12:09,400 Speaker 1: Hands and say God, it wasn't fair. 224 00:12:10,120 --> 00:12:10,800 Speaker 2: They hurt me. 225 00:12:11,400 --> 00:12:14,480 Speaker 1: My dream didn't work out, but I refuse to live 226 00:12:14,559 --> 00:12:15,640 Speaker 1: life looking. 227 00:12:15,400 --> 00:12:16,480 Speaker 2: In the rearview mirror. 228 00:12:16,760 --> 00:12:20,400 Speaker 1: You promised me beauty for ashes, so right now, I'm 229 00:12:20,440 --> 00:12:24,000 Speaker 1: releasing the bitterness. I'm forgiving the person that hurt me. 230 00:12:24,600 --> 00:12:28,240 Speaker 1: I'm letting go of the disappointments. I know a man 231 00:12:28,280 --> 00:12:31,520 Speaker 1: that lost his wife over ten years ago. She was 232 00:12:31,640 --> 00:12:35,840 Speaker 1: killed in an automobile accident. It's a very tragic situation. Now, 233 00:12:35,880 --> 00:12:39,640 Speaker 1: of course, there's a normal period for grieving. That's a 234 00:12:39,640 --> 00:12:42,480 Speaker 1: part of the healing process. That's the way God made us. 235 00:12:42,920 --> 00:12:46,040 Speaker 1: But some ten years later, this man was still grieving. 236 00:12:46,640 --> 00:12:50,280 Speaker 1: He let a season of mourning turn into a lifetime 237 00:12:50,320 --> 00:12:50,920 Speaker 1: of mourning. 238 00:12:51,600 --> 00:12:54,199 Speaker 2: He ended up a very bitter, angry man. 239 00:12:54,760 --> 00:12:58,720 Speaker 1: What happened. He's holding on to the ashes. God wants 240 00:12:58,760 --> 00:13:01,440 Speaker 1: to give him beauty, but because he won't let go 241 00:13:01,520 --> 00:13:05,240 Speaker 1: of the old, he can't receive the new. The enemy 242 00:13:05,240 --> 00:13:08,240 Speaker 1: would love for you to spend your whole life sitting 243 00:13:08,320 --> 00:13:12,520 Speaker 1: in the ashes, bitter over a relationship that didn't work out, 244 00:13:12,800 --> 00:13:16,360 Speaker 1: angry over a job you didn't get, feeling sorry for 245 00:13:16,400 --> 00:13:19,800 Speaker 1: yourself because of a loved one that died. No turn 246 00:13:19,920 --> 00:13:22,920 Speaker 1: loose of those ashes. If you went through a divorce, 247 00:13:23,320 --> 00:13:26,559 Speaker 1: let it go. God has somebody better in your future. 248 00:13:27,240 --> 00:13:30,120 Speaker 1: If you weren't treated right growing up, let it go 249 00:13:30,480 --> 00:13:32,880 Speaker 1: and God will make it up to you. If you 250 00:13:33,080 --> 00:13:37,079 Speaker 1: lost a loved one, they're up in heaven right now celebrating. 251 00:13:37,520 --> 00:13:39,400 Speaker 1: You know what they would want me to tell you. 252 00:13:40,120 --> 00:13:40,920 Speaker 2: Move forward. 253 00:13:41,600 --> 00:13:46,040 Speaker 1: Quit mourning over something that's over and done. Quit mourning 254 00:13:46,320 --> 00:13:49,560 Speaker 1: over what you cannot change. If God wanted them to 255 00:13:49,600 --> 00:13:52,720 Speaker 1: still be here, they would still be here. If God 256 00:13:52,760 --> 00:13:55,160 Speaker 1: wanted you to have that position that you didn't get, 257 00:13:55,480 --> 00:13:58,280 Speaker 1: you would have it. Shake off the self I him, 258 00:13:58,440 --> 00:14:02,080 Speaker 1: shake off the disappointment. The apostle Paul put it this way. 259 00:14:02,520 --> 00:14:07,840 Speaker 1: Forgetting what lies behind, I strained toward what lies ahead. 260 00:14:08,679 --> 00:14:12,680 Speaker 1: That word strain indicates it's going to take effort. You 261 00:14:12,760 --> 00:14:16,000 Speaker 1: go through a bad break, a loss, the easy thing 262 00:14:16,040 --> 00:14:18,400 Speaker 1: to do is sit around talk about how bad life's 263 00:14:18,400 --> 00:14:21,400 Speaker 1: treating you. But if you're going to keep moving forward, 264 00:14:21,520 --> 00:14:22,120 Speaker 1: you've got to have. 265 00:14:22,080 --> 00:14:23,040 Speaker 2: A strong will. 266 00:14:23,520 --> 00:14:26,240 Speaker 1: You've got to rise up like Paul and say that's it. 267 00:14:26,520 --> 00:14:30,040 Speaker 1: I am not holding onto these ashes. I know what's 268 00:14:30,080 --> 00:14:33,280 Speaker 1: in my future is greater than what's in my past, 269 00:14:33,480 --> 00:14:36,840 Speaker 1: So I am pressing forward in life. This is what 270 00:14:37,200 --> 00:14:40,920 Speaker 1: the prophet Samuel had to do. Samuel had invested a 271 00:14:40,960 --> 00:14:44,520 Speaker 1: lot of time and energy into his relationship with Saul, 272 00:14:45,360 --> 00:14:48,680 Speaker 1: back when Saul was a young man. Samuel chose him 273 00:14:48,840 --> 00:14:51,840 Speaker 1: at the Lord's command to be the next king of Israel. 274 00:14:52,560 --> 00:14:55,800 Speaker 1: Samuel took Saul under his wing. He did his best 275 00:14:55,880 --> 00:15:00,680 Speaker 1: to make sure that Saul would succeed, but unfortunately Saul 276 00:15:00,680 --> 00:15:05,600 Speaker 1: wouldn't walk in obedience and God rejected him as king. Well, 277 00:15:05,640 --> 00:15:08,440 Speaker 1: you can imagine how Samuel must have felt. He had 278 00:15:08,440 --> 00:15:11,800 Speaker 1: put all this time and effort and energy into Saul 279 00:15:11,960 --> 00:15:14,680 Speaker 1: and now it looks like it was all a big 280 00:15:14,720 --> 00:15:19,320 Speaker 1: waste of time. I'm sure Samuel was heartbroken sitting around 281 00:15:19,360 --> 00:15:22,440 Speaker 1: feeling sorry for himself, thinking about what didn't work out 282 00:15:23,240 --> 00:15:27,880 Speaker 1: in First Samuel sixteen. God said Samuel, how long are 283 00:15:27,920 --> 00:15:31,680 Speaker 1: you going to mourn over Saul? God is asking us 284 00:15:31,720 --> 00:15:34,720 Speaker 1: the same thing. How long are you going to mourn 285 00:15:34,840 --> 00:15:37,600 Speaker 1: over what you've lost? How long are you going to 286 00:15:37,640 --> 00:15:41,520 Speaker 1: be discouraged over a relationship that didn't work out, over 287 00:15:41,560 --> 00:15:44,040 Speaker 1: a job you didn't get, over somebody that hurts you. 288 00:15:44,800 --> 00:15:49,520 Speaker 1: There is a problem with excessive mourning. It stops God 289 00:15:49,800 --> 00:15:53,480 Speaker 1: from releasing the new things he has for you. God 290 00:15:53,560 --> 00:15:57,120 Speaker 1: told Samuel, fill your horn with oil and be on 291 00:15:57,280 --> 00:16:00,760 Speaker 1: your way. I am sending you to the House of Jesse. 292 00:16:01,240 --> 00:16:04,240 Speaker 1: I've chosen one of his sons to be the next king. 293 00:16:05,080 --> 00:16:08,760 Speaker 1: God was saying, Samuel, if you'll quit mourning and instead 294 00:16:08,960 --> 00:16:13,000 Speaker 1: get up and start moving forward, I'll give you another king. 295 00:16:14,240 --> 00:16:16,040 Speaker 2: Saul was his first choice. 296 00:16:16,560 --> 00:16:20,000 Speaker 1: But just because Saul wouldn't walk in obedience, God didn't 297 00:16:20,000 --> 00:16:23,880 Speaker 1: say I'm sorry, Samuel, Saul blew it. That ruins everything. No, 298 00:16:24,040 --> 00:16:28,040 Speaker 1: God always has another plan. And if you'll quit dwelling 299 00:16:28,080 --> 00:16:32,720 Speaker 1: on the disappointment, quit feeling sorry for yourself, and instead 300 00:16:32,960 --> 00:16:35,800 Speaker 1: do what the scripture says, fill your horn with oil. 301 00:16:36,240 --> 00:16:39,560 Speaker 1: That simply means put on a new attitude. Put the 302 00:16:39,640 --> 00:16:42,320 Speaker 1: smile back on your face, get the spring back in 303 00:16:42,440 --> 00:16:46,560 Speaker 1: your staff, get your hopes up, start expecting God's goodness. 304 00:16:47,080 --> 00:16:48,400 Speaker 2: That's when you'll see. 305 00:16:48,120 --> 00:16:50,360 Speaker 1: The new things God has in store. 306 00:16:51,240 --> 00:16:51,400 Speaker 3: Now. 307 00:16:51,440 --> 00:16:53,800 Speaker 1: Samuel could have said, God, I can't do it. I'm 308 00:16:53,840 --> 00:16:56,720 Speaker 1: too heartbroken. They hurt me too bad. I spent too 309 00:16:56,800 --> 00:16:59,080 Speaker 1: much time with Saul. If he would have done that, 310 00:16:59,520 --> 00:17:02,520 Speaker 1: he would have missed out on choosing David, one of 311 00:17:02,520 --> 00:17:04,200 Speaker 1: the greatest kings that's ever lived. 312 00:17:05,160 --> 00:17:06,240 Speaker 2: Just like with Samuel. 313 00:17:06,600 --> 00:17:10,560 Speaker 1: What you may think right now is a big disappointment, 314 00:17:10,760 --> 00:17:13,919 Speaker 1: a big stumbling block. God is going to turn it 315 00:17:13,960 --> 00:17:17,280 Speaker 1: into a stepping stone. To take you into the greatest 316 00:17:17,359 --> 00:17:20,959 Speaker 1: days of your life. I have a friend that was 317 00:17:21,000 --> 00:17:24,480 Speaker 1: married for many, many years. One day he came home 318 00:17:24,560 --> 00:17:27,320 Speaker 1: and his wife had left a note on the kitchen 319 00:17:27,359 --> 00:17:30,520 Speaker 1: table saying that she had fallen in love with somebody 320 00:17:30,520 --> 00:17:33,560 Speaker 1: else and was moving away. And of course he was 321 00:17:33,760 --> 00:17:37,160 Speaker 1: very devastated. When I saw him, he looked twenty years 322 00:17:37,200 --> 00:17:40,520 Speaker 1: older than he really was. He said, I don't understand it. 323 00:17:40,680 --> 00:17:44,240 Speaker 1: I love this lady. I'll never find another person like her. 324 00:17:44,640 --> 00:17:47,960 Speaker 1: He thought he had seen his best days. He grieved 325 00:17:47,960 --> 00:17:51,639 Speaker 1: that loss. He went through a season of mourning, but 326 00:17:51,760 --> 00:17:54,639 Speaker 1: he didn't let it turn into a lifetime of mourning. 327 00:17:55,240 --> 00:17:58,920 Speaker 1: Didn't happen overnight, but eventually he got his passion back. 328 00:17:59,359 --> 00:18:00,800 Speaker 2: He put on an new attitude. 329 00:18:01,400 --> 00:18:04,200 Speaker 1: He made the decision he wasn't going to live life 330 00:18:04,280 --> 00:18:07,840 Speaker 1: looking in the rear view mirror kept moving forward. About 331 00:18:07,880 --> 00:18:11,480 Speaker 1: three years later, he met this beautiful young lady. They 332 00:18:11,600 --> 00:18:15,439 Speaker 1: ended up falling in love getting married. He told me, Joel, 333 00:18:15,760 --> 00:18:18,720 Speaker 1: I have never been this happy in all of my life. 334 00:18:19,160 --> 00:18:21,439 Speaker 2: I never knew what true love really was. 335 00:18:21,960 --> 00:18:24,320 Speaker 1: This is the way God is. If you'll let go 336 00:18:24,480 --> 00:18:28,360 Speaker 1: of the ashes, not get bitter, God will do something 337 00:18:28,680 --> 00:18:32,800 Speaker 1: greater than you've ever imagined. When my father was alive, 338 00:18:33,440 --> 00:18:36,639 Speaker 1: I used to tell Victoria, I wonder what's gonna happen 339 00:18:36,720 --> 00:18:39,000 Speaker 1: to me and what's gonna happen around here when my 340 00:18:39,160 --> 00:18:42,119 Speaker 1: father goes to be with the Lord. My father and 341 00:18:42,200 --> 00:18:45,399 Speaker 1: I we had traveled the world together for seventeen years. 342 00:18:45,720 --> 00:18:47,760 Speaker 1: I worked with him day in and day out here 343 00:18:47,800 --> 00:18:50,720 Speaker 1: at the ministry. He'd come over to our house many nights, 344 00:18:50,880 --> 00:18:54,520 Speaker 1: we'd have dinner, go watch the Astros play baseball. Much 345 00:18:54,520 --> 00:18:57,600 Speaker 1: of my world was built around my father. In the 346 00:18:57,600 --> 00:19:00,719 Speaker 1: back of my mind, I thought, when my dad dies, 347 00:19:00,840 --> 00:19:01,920 Speaker 1: it will never. 348 00:19:02,160 --> 00:19:04,120 Speaker 2: Be as good as it is right now. 349 00:19:05,040 --> 00:19:07,280 Speaker 1: When my dad went to be with the Lord nineteen 350 00:19:07,359 --> 00:19:09,320 Speaker 1: ninety ninety, suddenly had a heart attack. 351 00:19:09,800 --> 00:19:11,919 Speaker 2: I mourned the loss of my father, but. 352 00:19:12,040 --> 00:19:15,120 Speaker 1: I didn't get bitter, didn't have a chip on my shoulder. 353 00:19:15,520 --> 00:19:18,720 Speaker 1: I didn't feel cheated. I knew the number of my 354 00:19:18,920 --> 00:19:22,240 Speaker 1: father's days God had fulfilled. I knew it was a 355 00:19:22,240 --> 00:19:26,200 Speaker 1: part of God's plan. And I say this very respectfully 356 00:19:26,560 --> 00:19:29,760 Speaker 1: because I still love and miss my father. But what 357 00:19:29,880 --> 00:19:33,560 Speaker 1: I thought would be my darkest hour turned out to 358 00:19:33,600 --> 00:19:36,760 Speaker 1: be my brightest hour. I thought I could never be 359 00:19:36,840 --> 00:19:39,800 Speaker 1: as happy and fulfilled as when my dad was here. 360 00:19:40,600 --> 00:19:44,760 Speaker 1: But like with Samuel, God had another plan. God had 361 00:19:44,840 --> 00:19:47,480 Speaker 1: something better for the new season. 362 00:19:47,160 --> 00:19:47,760 Speaker 2: Of my life. 363 00:19:48,600 --> 00:19:51,000 Speaker 1: When you go through a loss, a disappointment, it's easy 364 00:19:51,040 --> 00:19:53,879 Speaker 1: to think it'll never be like it used to be. 365 00:19:54,760 --> 00:19:58,320 Speaker 1: If you'll stay in faith and keep moving forward, you're right. 366 00:19:58,640 --> 00:20:00,159 Speaker 1: It won't be what it used to be. 367 00:20:00,440 --> 00:20:02,199 Speaker 2: It will be better than it used to be. 368 00:20:02,560 --> 00:20:05,440 Speaker 1: That's the way our God is. That's beauty for ashes. 369 00:20:07,440 --> 00:20:11,080 Speaker 1: Now my question, are you still mourning over something that 370 00:20:11,119 --> 00:20:14,760 Speaker 1: you should be over. If you'll fill your horn with oil, 371 00:20:15,160 --> 00:20:18,240 Speaker 1: put on the new attitude, start moving forward, you will 372 00:20:18,280 --> 00:20:21,960 Speaker 1: see the better things that God has in store and 373 00:20:22,000 --> 00:20:24,040 Speaker 1: in life. We all have to deal with some kind 374 00:20:24,080 --> 00:20:26,639 Speaker 1: of loss, loss of a loved one, loss of a job, 375 00:20:26,800 --> 00:20:30,360 Speaker 1: loss of a dream, loss of a relationship, and it's 376 00:20:30,400 --> 00:20:33,760 Speaker 1: tempting to feel like something was taken away from us, 377 00:20:34,040 --> 00:20:38,040 Speaker 1: something was stolen. You can have one of two attitudes. 378 00:20:38,400 --> 00:20:41,800 Speaker 1: You can say God, it's not fair, I don't understand it. 379 00:20:41,920 --> 00:20:44,120 Speaker 1: How could you let that happen to me? You can 380 00:20:44,119 --> 00:20:48,080 Speaker 1: get angry, bitter, past blame. But a much better approach 381 00:20:48,560 --> 00:20:51,639 Speaker 1: is to take that loss and sow it as a seed. 382 00:20:52,600 --> 00:20:55,760 Speaker 1: Say God, I don't know why this was taken away, 383 00:20:56,119 --> 00:20:58,439 Speaker 1: but I'm not going to let anyone steal from me. 384 00:20:58,800 --> 00:21:02,440 Speaker 1: I'm sowing this as a seed, trusting you to bring 385 00:21:02,440 --> 00:21:05,320 Speaker 1: me a harvest. In other words, you didn't get a 386 00:21:05,359 --> 00:21:09,200 Speaker 1: promotion that you deserved. Don't get bitter, have the attitude. 387 00:21:09,240 --> 00:21:12,600 Speaker 1: Nobody stole this promotion from me. God, I'm sowing it 388 00:21:12,640 --> 00:21:15,760 Speaker 1: as a seed, believing that you'll bring me an even 389 00:21:15,800 --> 00:21:20,040 Speaker 1: better position. A relationship didn't work out. God, I'm not 390 00:21:20,080 --> 00:21:23,160 Speaker 1: going to live my life sour thinking that I've wasted 391 00:21:23,560 --> 00:21:27,000 Speaker 1: months or even years of my life. I'm sowing this 392 00:21:27,160 --> 00:21:30,120 Speaker 1: as a seed, knowing that you will bring the right 393 00:21:30,160 --> 00:21:34,359 Speaker 1: person into my life. See, you can't have a victim mentality. 394 00:21:34,520 --> 00:21:37,760 Speaker 1: Oh man, I've been robbed. My loved one was taken away. 395 00:21:38,119 --> 00:21:40,280 Speaker 1: No turn it around, give it to God. 396 00:21:40,680 --> 00:21:41,480 Speaker 2: Sow it as a. 397 00:21:41,400 --> 00:21:44,160 Speaker 1: Seed, and you'll be amazed at what kind of harvest 398 00:21:44,240 --> 00:21:47,199 Speaker 1: God will bring you. I saw a story on the 399 00:21:47,240 --> 00:21:51,119 Speaker 1: news several years ago about this young mountain climber. He 400 00:21:51,160 --> 00:21:54,040 Speaker 1: was in a remote section of Utah hiking through the 401 00:21:54,080 --> 00:21:58,160 Speaker 1: canyon all alone, when suddenly this eight hundred pound boulder 402 00:21:58,280 --> 00:22:03,360 Speaker 1: shifted and is right arm became stuck for five days, 403 00:22:03,400 --> 00:22:06,800 Speaker 1: he tried everything he could to free himself. Had a 404 00:22:06,840 --> 00:22:10,400 Speaker 1: small pocket knife. Hour after hour he chipped away at 405 00:22:10,400 --> 00:22:13,720 Speaker 1: that boulder to no avail. When that didn't work, he 406 00:22:13,800 --> 00:22:17,120 Speaker 1: tried to use some of his climbing equipment to somehow 407 00:22:17,160 --> 00:22:21,000 Speaker 1: shift the rock again. It wouldn't even budge. On the 408 00:22:21,080 --> 00:22:24,840 Speaker 1: third day, he ran out of food and water. By 409 00:22:24,840 --> 00:22:28,680 Speaker 1: this time his arm was no longer alive. He had 410 00:22:28,720 --> 00:22:31,320 Speaker 1: no feeling in it, had no blood going to it. 411 00:22:31,359 --> 00:22:35,600 Speaker 1: For days, it was cold, hard, stiff. It looked like 412 00:22:36,080 --> 00:22:38,480 Speaker 1: he was going to die with it. Didn't seem like 413 00:22:38,560 --> 00:22:41,560 Speaker 1: there was any way out. But on the fifth day 414 00:22:42,119 --> 00:22:46,119 Speaker 1: he made a decision to do the unthinkable. He knew 415 00:22:46,280 --> 00:22:48,639 Speaker 1: he had to cut off his arm if he was 416 00:22:48,680 --> 00:22:51,240 Speaker 1: going to be able to live. He put a tourniquet 417 00:22:51,280 --> 00:22:55,920 Speaker 1: on up here. Somehow, some way, he amputated his own arm. 418 00:22:56,400 --> 00:22:59,880 Speaker 1: He then walked for two miles somebody ran into him. 419 00:23:00,080 --> 00:23:04,480 Speaker 1: Miraculously his life was saved. And in a sense, we 420 00:23:04,640 --> 00:23:07,880 Speaker 1: all come to places like this in life, where. 421 00:23:07,680 --> 00:23:11,880 Speaker 2: Something is over and done. There's nothing more we can 422 00:23:11,960 --> 00:23:12,640 Speaker 2: do about it. 423 00:23:13,200 --> 00:23:16,560 Speaker 1: We may not understand it, it may not have been fair, 424 00:23:17,080 --> 00:23:19,359 Speaker 1: but none of that changes the fact that it's no 425 00:23:19,480 --> 00:23:23,159 Speaker 1: longer alive. We can either hold on to it and 426 00:23:23,280 --> 00:23:27,119 Speaker 1: let it drag us down and defeat us with it, or, 427 00:23:27,240 --> 00:23:30,399 Speaker 1: like this young man, as difficult as it may be, 428 00:23:31,040 --> 00:23:35,000 Speaker 1: we can choose to break free move forward. 429 00:23:34,840 --> 00:23:36,840 Speaker 2: So we can experience a new beginning. 430 00:23:37,800 --> 00:23:41,480 Speaker 1: If something is dead in your life, don't die with it. 431 00:23:42,240 --> 00:23:44,960 Speaker 1: If something is over and done, don't hold on to it. 432 00:23:45,040 --> 00:23:45,480 Speaker 2: Let it go. 433 00:23:46,080 --> 00:23:48,400 Speaker 1: Say God, they hurt me, it wasn't right. 434 00:23:48,640 --> 00:23:50,439 Speaker 2: But I'm not going to dwell on it. I'm not 435 00:23:50,440 --> 00:23:50,720 Speaker 2: going to. 436 00:23:50,760 --> 00:23:53,320 Speaker 1: Relive that memory. I'm going to cut it off and 437 00:23:53,359 --> 00:23:56,840 Speaker 1: move forward. Sometimes you have to take bold measures to 438 00:23:56,920 --> 00:24:00,640 Speaker 1: keep making progress. If a dream died, don't i with it. 439 00:24:01,040 --> 00:24:04,280 Speaker 1: Cut off the broken dream, cut off the relationship that 440 00:24:04,359 --> 00:24:05,160 Speaker 1: didn't work out. 441 00:24:05,720 --> 00:24:06,360 Speaker 2: Cut off the. 442 00:24:06,320 --> 00:24:11,359 Speaker 1: Self pity, the unforgiveness, the negative attitude. Where you're unwilling 443 00:24:11,480 --> 00:24:13,520 Speaker 1: to walk away, is where you're. 444 00:24:13,400 --> 00:24:14,399 Speaker 2: Going to become stuck. 445 00:24:15,359 --> 00:24:18,320 Speaker 1: In the scripture, Job went through a nine month period 446 00:24:18,440 --> 00:24:21,840 Speaker 1: where everything that could go wrong did. He lost his health, 447 00:24:22,280 --> 00:24:25,680 Speaker 1: his business, his family, and at one point, it says 448 00:24:26,000 --> 00:24:30,400 Speaker 1: he sat down among the ashes. He was so overwhelmed, 449 00:24:30,840 --> 00:24:33,480 Speaker 1: so distraught, he thought, this is it. I'll never be 450 00:24:33,600 --> 00:24:37,280 Speaker 1: happy again. When you go through a loss, a disappointment. 451 00:24:37,480 --> 00:24:40,600 Speaker 1: There's nothing the enemy would love to see you do 452 00:24:40,800 --> 00:24:45,040 Speaker 1: any more than to sit down among the ashes, get bitter, 453 00:24:45,760 --> 00:24:49,240 Speaker 1: hold on to something that's dead, lose your enthusiasm for life. 454 00:24:49,880 --> 00:24:52,600 Speaker 1: That's what Job did for a period of time. 455 00:24:52,720 --> 00:24:53,480 Speaker 2: He sat down. 456 00:24:53,960 --> 00:24:57,280 Speaker 1: But here's the whole catch. Job didn't stay down. He 457 00:24:57,359 --> 00:25:01,400 Speaker 1: got his fireback, got his passion. He rose up out 458 00:25:01,440 --> 00:25:04,840 Speaker 1: of those ashes. He said, this may be difficult, but 459 00:25:04,960 --> 00:25:08,280 Speaker 1: I know my redeemer lives. I know my God is 460 00:25:08,320 --> 00:25:11,840 Speaker 1: still on the throne. I know I wouldn't be alive 461 00:25:12,119 --> 00:25:15,680 Speaker 1: unless there was something greater in my future. The scripture 462 00:25:15,720 --> 00:25:19,440 Speaker 1: says Job came out with twice what he had before. 463 00:25:20,640 --> 00:25:23,280 Speaker 1: Some of you today life hasn't turned out the way 464 00:25:23,400 --> 00:25:26,760 Speaker 1: you had hoped, gone through some unfair situations. 465 00:25:27,200 --> 00:25:30,080 Speaker 2: Now, like Job, you're sitting in the ashes. 466 00:25:30,080 --> 00:25:33,480 Speaker 1: Holding on to something that didn't work out, bitter, discouraged. 467 00:25:34,040 --> 00:25:37,320 Speaker 1: God is saying, if you'll let go of the ashes, 468 00:25:37,880 --> 00:25:40,359 Speaker 1: if you'll put on a new attitude, I'll do for 469 00:25:40,480 --> 00:25:43,760 Speaker 1: you what I did for Job. I'll not only bring 470 00:25:43,800 --> 00:25:46,199 Speaker 1: you out, but I'll bring you out with twice what 471 00:25:46,320 --> 00:25:50,719 Speaker 1: you had before. Isaiah said, because you've got a double 472 00:25:50,800 --> 00:25:55,040 Speaker 1: dose of trouble. Your inheritance in the land will be double, 473 00:25:55,400 --> 00:25:59,200 Speaker 1: and your joy will go on forever. Friends, your future 474 00:25:59,280 --> 00:26:04,320 Speaker 1: starts today. Don't you dare go through life looking in 475 00:26:04,400 --> 00:26:08,280 Speaker 1: that rear view mirror, look out the great, big windshield 476 00:26:08,400 --> 00:26:12,119 Speaker 1: in front of you. Your life is filled with possibility. 477 00:26:12,520 --> 00:26:16,160 Speaker 1: There are incredible opportunities in front of you. You may 478 00:26:16,200 --> 00:26:19,600 Speaker 1: have had some bad breaks, but always remember God has 479 00:26:19,680 --> 00:26:23,119 Speaker 1: promised beauty for those ashes. Now do your part. 480 00:26:23,480 --> 00:26:24,600 Speaker 2: Let go of the ashes. 481 00:26:25,200 --> 00:26:29,119 Speaker 1: Quit reliving negative memories. Don't let a season of mourning 482 00:26:29,359 --> 00:26:32,680 Speaker 1: turn into a lifetime of morning. Be bold to cut 483 00:26:32,720 --> 00:26:36,040 Speaker 1: off whatever didn't work out, whether it was thirty minutes ago, 484 00:26:36,480 --> 00:26:38,280 Speaker 1: thirty years ago, let it. 485 00:26:38,240 --> 00:26:39,600 Speaker 2: Go and move forward. 486 00:26:40,080 --> 00:26:43,240 Speaker 1: If you'll do this, you will feel a heaviness lift 487 00:26:43,280 --> 00:26:46,639 Speaker 1: off of you. Now I believe and declare the rest 488 00:26:46,720 --> 00:26:49,360 Speaker 1: of your life will be the best of your life. 489 00:26:49,680 --> 00:26:52,280 Speaker 1: God will take what's meant for harm and use it 490 00:26:52,320 --> 00:26:53,320 Speaker 1: to your advantage. 491 00:26:53,480 --> 00:26:54,840 Speaker 2: You will overcome. 492 00:26:54,480 --> 00:26:59,480 Speaker 1: Every obstacle, defeat every enemy, and become everything God's created 493 00:26:59,520 --> 00:27:02,399 Speaker 1: you to be. In Jesus' name, if you receive it, 494 00:27:02,440 --> 00:27:05,560 Speaker 1: can you say him in today? Well, We never like 495 00:27:05,640 --> 00:27:09,119 Speaker 1: to close our broadcast without giving you an opportunity to 496 00:27:09,160 --> 00:27:12,000 Speaker 1: make Jesus the lord of your life. Would you pray 497 00:27:12,040 --> 00:27:16,920 Speaker 1: with me, just say, Lord, Jesus, I repent of my sins. 498 00:27:18,119 --> 00:27:21,800 Speaker 2: Come into my heart. I make you my Lord and savior. 499 00:27:23,160 --> 00:27:25,560 Speaker 1: Friends, if you prayed that simple prayer, we believe you 500 00:27:25,600 --> 00:27:28,680 Speaker 1: got born again. Get in a good Bible based church, 501 00:27:28,960 --> 00:27:31,760 Speaker 1: Keep God first place. He's going to take your places 502 00:27:31,880 --> 00:27:32,960 Speaker 1: that you've never dreamed of. 503 00:27:34,160 --> 00:27:37,320 Speaker 3: Three minutes can such a small amount of time make 504 00:27:37,359 --> 00:27:40,879 Speaker 3: a big difference to your day to turn worry into confidence, 505 00:27:41,200 --> 00:27:46,040 Speaker 3: frustration to hope, defeat to victory. Maybe you just need 506 00:27:46,080 --> 00:27:47,040 Speaker 3: a boost of faith. 507 00:27:47,560 --> 00:27:50,520 Speaker 1: When we put God first place and get our thinking 508 00:27:50,600 --> 00:27:53,600 Speaker 1: in line with his, even a small seed of time 509 00:27:53,800 --> 00:27:56,560 Speaker 1: can make a huge difference. We have a new resource 510 00:27:56,600 --> 00:28:00,200 Speaker 1: called three minute Mornings. Start your day the blessed way. 511 00:28:00,640 --> 00:28:03,480 Speaker 1: My challenge is when you wake up, before you leave 512 00:28:03,520 --> 00:28:06,840 Speaker 1: the house, take three minutes to speak blessings over your 513 00:28:06,880 --> 00:28:10,240 Speaker 1: life and to declare God's favor. Get your mind going 514 00:28:10,359 --> 00:28:13,520 Speaker 1: in the right direction. When you do that, you're setting 515 00:28:13,520 --> 00:28:16,280 Speaker 1: yourself up for a blessed, victorious day. 516 00:28:16,960 --> 00:28:19,280 Speaker 3: As our way of saying thank you for your gift 517 00:28:19,320 --> 00:28:21,960 Speaker 3: of any size to the ministry this month, Joel and 518 00:28:22,080 --> 00:28:25,439 Speaker 3: Victoria would like to send you this just released, life 519 00:28:25,480 --> 00:28:29,359 Speaker 3: giving new daily devotional. Before your feet hit the ground 520 00:28:29,560 --> 00:28:32,359 Speaker 3: or go out the door, have your heart experience a 521 00:28:32,400 --> 00:28:35,280 Speaker 3: bit of heaven. Set your mind on the things above 522 00:28:35,560 --> 00:28:38,960 Speaker 3: with our new three Minute Mornings devotional. With this new 523 00:28:39,160 --> 00:28:42,680 Speaker 3: three hundred and sixty five day devotional three Minute Mornings, 524 00:28:42,920 --> 00:28:46,880 Speaker 3: You'll experience God showering down his favor like never before. 525 00:28:47,480 --> 00:28:50,280 Speaker 3: You'll focus on the better that is coming and fully 526 00:28:50,320 --> 00:28:53,440 Speaker 3: realize the freedom of not worrying about tomorrow. 527 00:28:54,040 --> 00:28:57,000 Speaker 1: Victoria, I pray for you and your family every day. 528 00:28:57,480 --> 00:29:00,360 Speaker 1: Thank you so much for your prayer and support. You're 529 00:29:00,400 --> 00:29:03,440 Speaker 1: making a difference all over the world. Remember you can 530 00:29:03,520 --> 00:29:08,280 Speaker 1: watch the services online every Sunday morning, download our daily podcast, 531 00:29:08,600 --> 00:29:10,560 Speaker 1: listen on Sirius XM. 532 00:29:10,600 --> 00:29:13,240 Speaker 2: But until we meet again, mid the Lord bless you 533 00:29:13,360 --> 00:29:14,080 Speaker 2: and keep you. 534 00:29:14,560 --> 00:29:17,760 Speaker 3: Be sure to request your copy of Three Minute Mornings today. 535 00:29:18,080 --> 00:29:22,400 Speaker 3: Visit Joelostein dot com or call eighty eight five six seven. 536 00:29:22,600 --> 00:29:22,920 Speaker 1: Joel