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That's Facet dot com. 32 00:01:24,080 --> 00:01:26,040 Speaker 4: This add a sponsored by Facet. Facet Wealth in Corporated 33 00:01:26,120 --> 00:01:27,959 Speaker 4: is an sec registered investment advisor. This is not an 34 00:01:28,000 --> 00:01:29,759 Speaker 4: offer to buy your self securities, nor is it investment, 35 00:01:29,840 --> 00:01:30,760 Speaker 4: legal or tax advice. 36 00:01:31,240 --> 00:01:33,959 Speaker 3: Hi, this is Joel and Victoria. Thanks for listening to 37 00:01:34,000 --> 00:01:36,759 Speaker 3: our podcast and thanks for supporting the ministry. 38 00:01:36,920 --> 00:01:39,240 Speaker 5: If you enjoy today's message, why don't you be a 39 00:01:39,280 --> 00:01:40,800 Speaker 5: blessing and share it with a friend. 40 00:01:41,120 --> 00:01:43,840 Speaker 3: We appreciate you and pray for God's very best in 41 00:01:43,920 --> 00:01:58,320 Speaker 3: your life. Above, bless you again and always enjoy to 42 00:01:58,360 --> 00:02:01,400 Speaker 3: come into your homes Etui. We come with good news. 43 00:02:01,520 --> 00:02:03,560 Speaker 3: We know God is on your side and He's got 44 00:02:03,600 --> 00:02:05,880 Speaker 3: good things in store for each one of you. If 45 00:02:05,920 --> 00:02:08,200 Speaker 3: you're ever in our area. I hope you'll stop by 46 00:02:08,200 --> 00:02:10,960 Speaker 3: and see us. We give you a personal invitation. I 47 00:02:11,040 --> 00:02:13,080 Speaker 3: say it often, but these are the finest people in 48 00:02:13,120 --> 00:02:15,799 Speaker 3: all of Houston, Texas, right here at Lakewood. So come 49 00:02:15,840 --> 00:02:17,680 Speaker 3: out and we'll make you feel right at home. But 50 00:02:17,919 --> 00:02:20,799 Speaker 3: thanks for tuning in today. I like to get started 51 00:02:20,800 --> 00:02:22,799 Speaker 3: each week with something kind of funny. And I heard 52 00:02:22,800 --> 00:02:27,000 Speaker 3: about these two famous baseball pitchers. They were discussing whether 53 00:02:27,080 --> 00:02:29,120 Speaker 3: or not there would be any baseball up in heaven, 54 00:02:29,639 --> 00:02:32,720 Speaker 3: and they agreed that whoever died first would come back 55 00:02:32,720 --> 00:02:34,760 Speaker 3: and tell the other one if indeed there was any 56 00:02:34,800 --> 00:02:37,239 Speaker 3: baseball in heaven. And sure enough, a few months later, 57 00:02:37,280 --> 00:02:39,600 Speaker 3: one of the men died, and just like he promised, 58 00:02:39,639 --> 00:02:42,399 Speaker 3: he came back. He said to his friend, I've got 59 00:02:42,400 --> 00:02:45,040 Speaker 3: good news and I've got bad news. The good news 60 00:02:45,080 --> 00:02:47,800 Speaker 3: is there is baseball up in heaven. The bad news 61 00:02:47,880 --> 00:02:54,040 Speaker 3: is you're scheduled to pitch next Thursday. All right, hold 62 00:02:54,080 --> 00:02:55,400 Speaker 3: your bibles up and say it like you me in 63 00:02:55,520 --> 00:02:58,600 Speaker 3: that you ready. This is my Bible. I am what 64 00:02:58,680 --> 00:03:01,400 Speaker 3: it says I am. I have what it says I have. 65 00:03:02,040 --> 00:03:04,680 Speaker 3: I can do what it says I can do. Today 66 00:03:04,760 --> 00:03:07,760 Speaker 3: I will be talked the word of God, I boldly 67 00:03:07,840 --> 00:03:12,280 Speaker 3: confess my mind is alert, my heart is receptive. I 68 00:03:12,360 --> 00:03:16,440 Speaker 3: will never be the same. In Jesus' name, God bless you. 69 00:03:17,720 --> 00:03:20,440 Speaker 3: We've been talking about how important it is that we 70 00:03:20,560 --> 00:03:23,600 Speaker 3: let go of the past, and whether something happened twenty 71 00:03:23,680 --> 00:03:26,679 Speaker 3: years ago or twenty minutes ago, we've got to learn 72 00:03:26,720 --> 00:03:29,840 Speaker 3: to just let it go and move on. As long 73 00:03:29,960 --> 00:03:32,960 Speaker 3: as we're dragging the pains of yesterday over end of 74 00:03:33,000 --> 00:03:36,520 Speaker 3: this day, we're never going to experience God's best. And 75 00:03:36,560 --> 00:03:40,400 Speaker 3: what's done is done. You cannot undo what happened yesterday. 76 00:03:41,080 --> 00:03:43,720 Speaker 3: If you made some mistakes, let it go and do 77 00:03:43,840 --> 00:03:47,840 Speaker 3: better today. If somebody hurts you, forgive them and move on. 78 00:03:48,560 --> 00:03:51,120 Speaker 3: If you went through a disappointment, some kind of setback, 79 00:03:51,400 --> 00:03:54,080 Speaker 3: don't stay focused on it. Know that God is still 80 00:03:54,120 --> 00:03:56,600 Speaker 3: in control of your life. And if you'll let go 81 00:03:56,640 --> 00:03:59,080 Speaker 3: of the old and quit thinking about it and quit 82 00:03:59,120 --> 00:04:01,800 Speaker 3: talking about it, God has promised he will bring you 83 00:04:01,880 --> 00:04:04,600 Speaker 3: a new beginning. And I know some of you have 84 00:04:04,680 --> 00:04:07,480 Speaker 3: been through a lot of unfair things in life. Maybe 85 00:04:07,520 --> 00:04:11,720 Speaker 3: somebody walked out of a relationship that's painful, that's difficult. 86 00:04:12,160 --> 00:04:14,280 Speaker 3: But if you want God to open up a new door, 87 00:04:14,600 --> 00:04:17,719 Speaker 3: you've got to forgive them and move forward. Or maybe 88 00:04:17,720 --> 00:04:20,760 Speaker 3: somebody cheated you in a business deal. We'll let it go. 89 00:04:20,760 --> 00:04:23,200 Speaker 3: God will make it up to you. Maybe you weren't 90 00:04:23,200 --> 00:04:26,159 Speaker 3: treated right growing up, the people that raised you weren't 91 00:04:26,240 --> 00:04:29,159 Speaker 3: very fair. Well, there's nothing you can do about that now. 92 00:04:29,560 --> 00:04:32,040 Speaker 3: And if we make the mistake of holding on to 93 00:04:32,160 --> 00:04:34,680 Speaker 3: our hurts and pains, we're going to end up going 94 00:04:34,720 --> 00:04:37,960 Speaker 3: around with a victim mentality, and that's going to stop 95 00:04:38,000 --> 00:04:41,120 Speaker 3: God from doing anything new. And the scripture says here 96 00:04:41,120 --> 00:04:44,159 Speaker 3: in Isaiah sixty one, verse three, that God wants to 97 00:04:44,200 --> 00:04:48,440 Speaker 3: give us beauty for our ashes, joy for our mourning, 98 00:04:48,920 --> 00:04:52,320 Speaker 3: rejoicing for our heaviness. But here's the key. You've got 99 00:04:52,360 --> 00:04:54,760 Speaker 3: to let go of the ashes before you will ever 100 00:04:54,839 --> 00:04:59,280 Speaker 3: receive the beauty. The ashes represent what's left over after 101 00:04:59,320 --> 00:05:03,640 Speaker 3: something's been up. In other words, they represent our broken dreams, 102 00:05:04,000 --> 00:05:07,440 Speaker 3: our disappointments, our hurts, our failures. And we all have 103 00:05:07,600 --> 00:05:10,479 Speaker 3: our share of ashes. But in order for God to 104 00:05:10,520 --> 00:05:14,080 Speaker 3: give us beauty for those ashes and exchange has to 105 00:05:14,120 --> 00:05:17,840 Speaker 3: take place, You've got to let go of those shattered dreams. 106 00:05:18,200 --> 00:05:21,120 Speaker 3: You've got to quit focusing on your disappointments. You've got 107 00:05:21,160 --> 00:05:24,200 Speaker 3: to forgive the people that have hurt you, release all 108 00:05:24,240 --> 00:05:27,520 Speaker 3: that bitterness. Then God will give you the beauty. Hey, 109 00:05:27,520 --> 00:05:29,560 Speaker 3: you say, Joel, man, I just can't forgive them. They 110 00:05:29,640 --> 00:05:32,880 Speaker 3: hurt me too badly. Friends, That's a heavy, heavy price 111 00:05:32,920 --> 00:05:34,880 Speaker 3: to pay. If you don't let go of the old, 112 00:05:35,000 --> 00:05:38,719 Speaker 3: God can't bring the new well, Joel. I prayed and prayed, 113 00:05:38,839 --> 00:05:41,839 Speaker 3: but my plan still didn't work out. I prayed and prayed, 114 00:05:41,839 --> 00:05:43,680 Speaker 3: and my loved one still didn't get healed. I just 115 00:05:43,720 --> 00:05:47,599 Speaker 3: don't understand why. No, you may not ever understand why. 116 00:05:47,839 --> 00:05:50,760 Speaker 3: Just turn loose of the ashes, learn to trust God. 117 00:05:51,160 --> 00:05:53,279 Speaker 3: He wants to restore back to you. He wants to 118 00:05:53,279 --> 00:05:55,919 Speaker 3: give you a new beginning. But you cannot make the 119 00:05:55,960 --> 00:05:59,240 Speaker 3: mistake of being trapped in the past, going around with 120 00:05:59,279 --> 00:06:03,040 Speaker 3: that victim mentality. I know this man, he lost his 121 00:06:03,120 --> 00:06:06,359 Speaker 3: wife over ten years ago, who was very tragic. She 122 00:06:06,520 --> 00:06:09,760 Speaker 3: was killed in an automobile accident. And of course it's 123 00:06:09,839 --> 00:06:12,680 Speaker 3: normal to go through a period of grieving. That's the 124 00:06:12,720 --> 00:06:16,479 Speaker 3: way God made us. And if you've lost something a job, 125 00:06:16,680 --> 00:06:19,120 Speaker 3: a marriage, a loved one, I'm not saying that you 126 00:06:19,160 --> 00:06:21,800 Speaker 3: should never feel any kind of sorrow or never feel 127 00:06:21,800 --> 00:06:25,640 Speaker 3: any kind of discouragement. No, that's normal. In fact, grieving 128 00:06:25,839 --> 00:06:28,359 Speaker 3: is a part of the healing process. And if you 129 00:06:28,480 --> 00:06:31,039 Speaker 3: just try to bury that on the inside and ignore 130 00:06:31,080 --> 00:06:34,039 Speaker 3: it and you never properly grieve over it, it's going 131 00:06:34,120 --> 00:06:36,840 Speaker 3: to be very difficult to overcome. It's okay to grieve. 132 00:06:37,440 --> 00:06:39,479 Speaker 3: I know when my father went to be with the Lord. 133 00:06:40,040 --> 00:06:42,480 Speaker 3: The first several months, there were many mornings I got 134 00:06:42,560 --> 00:06:45,359 Speaker 3: up and just wept, and I could feel that weeping 135 00:06:45,480 --> 00:06:48,640 Speaker 3: healing me. I could feel that pain getting less and less. 136 00:06:49,200 --> 00:06:52,160 Speaker 3: And see, proper grieving has a way of cleansing us 137 00:06:52,160 --> 00:06:54,360 Speaker 3: from our hearts. It has a way of healing us. 138 00:06:54,920 --> 00:06:57,720 Speaker 3: But the problem with this gentleman was that he was 139 00:06:57,760 --> 00:07:01,160 Speaker 3: still grieving some ten years later. He had allowed a 140 00:07:01,320 --> 00:07:04,680 Speaker 3: season of mourning to turn into a lifetime of morning, 141 00:07:05,279 --> 00:07:08,880 Speaker 3: and he ended up a very angry, bitter man. When 142 00:07:08,880 --> 00:07:11,160 Speaker 3: I saw him, I do my best to encourage him, 143 00:07:11,240 --> 00:07:13,120 Speaker 3: let him know there're gonna be good days up ahead. 144 00:07:13,680 --> 00:07:17,200 Speaker 3: But he would never receive that. He was always making excuses, 145 00:07:17,560 --> 00:07:20,640 Speaker 3: blaming God, blaming other people. He'd say, Joel, you don't 146 00:07:20,680 --> 00:07:22,880 Speaker 3: know what I've been through. You don't understand it. It's 147 00:07:22,920 --> 00:07:26,080 Speaker 3: just so unfair, on and on and I don't mean 148 00:07:26,120 --> 00:07:29,200 Speaker 3: to sound harsh, but over a period of time I 149 00:07:29,280 --> 00:07:33,400 Speaker 3: realized he didn't really want to get well. He enjoyed 150 00:07:33,480 --> 00:07:36,920 Speaker 3: walling around in that self pity. And the sad thing is, 151 00:07:37,200 --> 00:07:39,880 Speaker 3: even to this day, he is living a very negative, 152 00:07:40,000 --> 00:07:43,960 Speaker 3: defeated life. What's his problem. He's holding on to the ashes. 153 00:07:44,520 --> 00:07:47,000 Speaker 3: God wants to give him the beauty. God wants to 154 00:07:47,000 --> 00:07:49,920 Speaker 3: give him a new beginning. But until he lets go 155 00:07:50,000 --> 00:07:53,080 Speaker 3: of the old, God can't bring the new. And when 156 00:07:53,120 --> 00:07:55,920 Speaker 3: you and I are tempted to sit around feeling sorry 157 00:07:55,960 --> 00:07:59,680 Speaker 3: for ourselves thinking about how unfair our life is, we 158 00:07:59,720 --> 00:08:02,880 Speaker 3: need to ask ourselves, do we really want to get well? 159 00:08:03,520 --> 00:08:07,080 Speaker 3: Or have we gotten kind of comfortable in that self pity. No, 160 00:08:07,200 --> 00:08:09,840 Speaker 3: don't fall into that trap. And one good thing to 161 00:08:09,920 --> 00:08:13,000 Speaker 3: always remember is, no matter how much you've been through, 162 00:08:13,480 --> 00:08:17,320 Speaker 3: no matter how unfair your life seems, somebody somewhere has 163 00:08:17,320 --> 00:08:19,600 Speaker 3: it a whole lot worse than you do. You may 164 00:08:19,600 --> 00:08:21,800 Speaker 3: have gone through a whole lot, but I guarantee you 165 00:08:21,880 --> 00:08:24,480 Speaker 3: some people would love to have your life. Some people 166 00:08:24,520 --> 00:08:27,240 Speaker 3: would gladly trade places with you. And why don't you 167 00:08:27,320 --> 00:08:30,400 Speaker 3: quit focusing on what you've lost and start focusing on 168 00:08:30,440 --> 00:08:33,560 Speaker 3: what you've got left. Quit looking at everything wrong in 169 00:08:33,600 --> 00:08:36,079 Speaker 3: your life and start looking at what's right in your life. 170 00:08:36,440 --> 00:08:40,280 Speaker 3: You may have lost your home in this you may 171 00:08:40,280 --> 00:08:43,360 Speaker 3: have lost your home in this recent hurricane, but you 172 00:08:43,400 --> 00:08:46,320 Speaker 3: can thank God that you're still alive. You may have 173 00:08:46,360 --> 00:08:48,880 Speaker 3: walked out with nothing but the clothes on your back, 174 00:08:48,920 --> 00:08:50,880 Speaker 3: but you can thank God at least you were able 175 00:08:50,920 --> 00:08:53,520 Speaker 3: to walk out of there. And friends, I'm challenging you 176 00:08:53,559 --> 00:08:56,559 Speaker 3: today to shake off that self pity, shake off that 177 00:08:56,679 --> 00:08:59,920 Speaker 3: victim mentality. You've got to shake off the past. You 178 00:09:00,120 --> 00:09:02,719 Speaker 3: weren't treated right growing up. If I can be very 179 00:09:02,720 --> 00:09:04,840 Speaker 3: blunt with you, you got to get over it. Quit 180 00:09:04,920 --> 00:09:07,400 Speaker 3: talking about it, Quit thinking about it. If you went 181 00:09:07,400 --> 00:09:10,760 Speaker 3: through a bitter divorce, somebody walked out on you, let 182 00:09:10,840 --> 00:09:13,680 Speaker 3: it go. When one door closes, God will always open 183 00:09:13,800 --> 00:09:16,760 Speaker 3: up another door. But you got to quit mourning over 184 00:09:16,800 --> 00:09:21,320 Speaker 3: something you can't shame. Quit being depressed over something that's 185 00:09:21,360 --> 00:09:24,400 Speaker 3: over and done. Too many people are holding on to 186 00:09:24,480 --> 00:09:27,200 Speaker 3: their ashes. I talked to a young lady a couple 187 00:09:27,240 --> 00:09:30,720 Speaker 3: of years ago. She was so sour because her parents 188 00:09:30,760 --> 00:09:32,800 Speaker 3: weren't able to send her to college and she was 189 00:09:32,840 --> 00:09:36,000 Speaker 3: hoping to get a scholarship and Unfortunately, it just all 190 00:09:36,040 --> 00:09:38,199 Speaker 3: fell through at the last moment and she couldn't get 191 00:09:38,200 --> 00:09:40,320 Speaker 3: the finance and she wanted, And now she's working at 192 00:09:40,320 --> 00:09:42,800 Speaker 3: a job she doesn't like. I mean, you could feel 193 00:09:42,840 --> 00:09:45,160 Speaker 3: the poison coming out of her. She was so negative 194 00:09:45,160 --> 00:09:47,760 Speaker 3: and bitter. And I told her just what I'm telling you. 195 00:09:47,760 --> 00:09:50,600 Speaker 3: You got to change your attitude. Be grateful for what 196 00:09:50,640 --> 00:09:53,120 Speaker 3: you have. Then God will give you a new beginning. 197 00:09:53,640 --> 00:09:56,280 Speaker 3: And see, the enemy would love for us to spend 198 00:09:56,320 --> 00:10:00,680 Speaker 3: our whole lifetimes sitting in the ashes, rest over a 199 00:10:00,760 --> 00:10:03,800 Speaker 3: job we didn't get, being bitter over a relationship that 200 00:10:03,840 --> 00:10:07,400 Speaker 3: didn't work out, feeling sorry for ourselves because a loved 201 00:10:07,400 --> 00:10:11,199 Speaker 3: one died. No turn loose of the ashes today can 202 00:10:11,240 --> 00:10:15,160 Speaker 3: be a new beginning. Our attitude should be I refuse 203 00:10:15,280 --> 00:10:17,960 Speaker 3: to live my life looking in my rear view mirror anymore. 204 00:10:18,120 --> 00:10:21,479 Speaker 3: That is over and done. I'm forgetting what lies behind, 205 00:10:21,600 --> 00:10:24,480 Speaker 3: and I am pressing forward to the great things God 206 00:10:24,520 --> 00:10:27,160 Speaker 3: has in store. If you do that, God will give 207 00:10:27,200 --> 00:10:31,240 Speaker 3: you beauty for your ashes. God will give you joy 208 00:10:31,360 --> 00:10:33,960 Speaker 3: for your morning. And this is just what the prophet 209 00:10:34,040 --> 00:10:36,760 Speaker 3: Samuel had to do. He had invested a lot of 210 00:10:36,800 --> 00:10:41,160 Speaker 3: time and effort into his relationship with Saul. When Saul 211 00:10:41,240 --> 00:10:44,679 Speaker 3: was just a young man, Samuel chose him, at God's direction, 212 00:10:44,960 --> 00:10:48,000 Speaker 3: to be the next king of Israel. And Samuel took 213 00:10:48,040 --> 00:10:50,840 Speaker 3: Saul under his wing, and little by little he helped 214 00:10:50,880 --> 00:10:54,199 Speaker 3: train him and teach him. Samuel did his best to 215 00:10:54,360 --> 00:10:57,760 Speaker 3: make Saul a success and a pleasing king under God. 216 00:10:58,280 --> 00:11:01,840 Speaker 3: But unfortunately Saul I just wouldn't walk in obedience, you 217 00:11:01,880 --> 00:11:04,960 Speaker 3: know the story. Eventually God rejected him as being the king. 218 00:11:05,600 --> 00:11:08,680 Speaker 3: And you can imagine how Samuel must have felt here. 219 00:11:08,720 --> 00:11:11,720 Speaker 3: He's put all this time and effort and energy into Saul, 220 00:11:11,960 --> 00:11:14,640 Speaker 3: treated him just like he were his own son, and 221 00:11:14,720 --> 00:11:16,640 Speaker 3: now it looks like it was a great, big waste 222 00:11:16,640 --> 00:11:19,800 Speaker 3: of time. Maybe some of you feel that same way today. 223 00:11:20,440 --> 00:11:23,400 Speaker 3: You did your best to make that relationship work out, 224 00:11:23,559 --> 00:11:26,040 Speaker 3: you put your heart and soul into it, but now 225 00:11:26,040 --> 00:11:29,160 Speaker 3: it looks like you've spent years and years building something 226 00:11:29,200 --> 00:11:32,120 Speaker 3: that's not going to last. And that's just how Samuel felt. 227 00:11:32,160 --> 00:11:35,480 Speaker 3: He was heartbroken. But God said something very interesting to 228 00:11:35,600 --> 00:11:39,400 Speaker 3: him in First Samuel sixteen, verse one. He said, Samuel, 229 00:11:39,760 --> 00:11:43,280 Speaker 3: how long are you going to mourn over Saul? I 230 00:11:43,280 --> 00:11:46,520 Speaker 3: believe God's asking us that today, how long are you 231 00:11:46,559 --> 00:11:49,360 Speaker 3: going to mourn over what you've lost. How long are 232 00:11:49,400 --> 00:11:52,600 Speaker 3: you going to mourn over those broken dreams? Friends, There's 233 00:11:52,640 --> 00:11:56,760 Speaker 3: a problem with excessive mourning. There's a problem with continually 234 00:11:56,800 --> 00:12:00,480 Speaker 3: staying focused on your disappointments. It stops God, God from 235 00:12:00,480 --> 00:12:04,120 Speaker 3: bringing the new. God went on to say, Samuel, fill 236 00:12:04,240 --> 00:12:07,560 Speaker 3: your horn with oil and be on your way. For 237 00:12:07,640 --> 00:12:09,920 Speaker 3: I am sending you to the house of Jesse. I've 238 00:12:10,000 --> 00:12:13,360 Speaker 3: chosen one of his sons to be the next king. Notice, 239 00:12:13,400 --> 00:12:16,840 Speaker 3: God said, in effect, Samuel, if you'll quit mourning and 240 00:12:16,920 --> 00:12:19,560 Speaker 3: instead get up and be on your way, I'll give 241 00:12:19,559 --> 00:12:25,240 Speaker 3: you another king. In other words, God always has another plan. Yes, 242 00:12:25,320 --> 00:12:28,840 Speaker 3: Saul was God's first choice, but just because Saul wouldn't 243 00:12:28,880 --> 00:12:32,040 Speaker 3: be obedient, God didn't say sorry, Samuel saw blew it 244 00:12:32,080 --> 00:12:35,480 Speaker 3: and that ruins everything. No, God had another plan. And 245 00:12:35,480 --> 00:12:38,720 Speaker 3: if you'll quit focusing on your disappointments and quit going 246 00:12:38,760 --> 00:12:41,719 Speaker 3: around feeling sorry for yourself, and instead do what the 247 00:12:41,760 --> 00:12:45,520 Speaker 3: scripture says, fill your horn with oil, That simply means 248 00:12:45,720 --> 00:12:49,400 Speaker 3: put a smile on your face, change your attitude, let 249 00:12:49,440 --> 00:12:52,680 Speaker 3: the past be the past, start moving forward. If you 250 00:12:52,800 --> 00:12:55,800 Speaker 3: do that, God will lead you to the new beginnings 251 00:12:55,840 --> 00:12:58,400 Speaker 3: He has in store. Samuel could have said, well, God, 252 00:12:58,559 --> 00:13:01,000 Speaker 3: i just can't do it. I'm too hard, I've spent 253 00:13:01,040 --> 00:13:03,679 Speaker 3: too much time with Saul. Nor if he'd done that, 254 00:13:04,080 --> 00:13:06,760 Speaker 3: he would have missed out on choosing King David, one 255 00:13:06,800 --> 00:13:09,240 Speaker 3: of the greatest kings in the Bible. And in the 256 00:13:09,240 --> 00:13:12,960 Speaker 3: same way, when we walla around in our disappointments, we're 257 00:13:12,960 --> 00:13:15,160 Speaker 3: going to miss out on the new things God wants 258 00:13:15,200 --> 00:13:17,560 Speaker 3: to do. We got to get up and get go 259 00:13:17,640 --> 00:13:20,880 Speaker 3: and be on our way. God has another plan. I 260 00:13:20,960 --> 00:13:23,400 Speaker 3: love the story of Ruth in the Bible. She went 261 00:13:23,440 --> 00:13:27,240 Speaker 3: through a great disappointment. One day, her husband and her 262 00:13:27,280 --> 00:13:30,199 Speaker 3: brother in law were killed in a battle, and as 263 00:13:30,200 --> 00:13:33,280 Speaker 3: you can imagine, Ruth was devastated. Her whole world was 264 00:13:33,320 --> 00:13:37,200 Speaker 3: turned upside down. But it's interesting Ruth didn't get bitter, 265 00:13:37,679 --> 00:13:40,840 Speaker 3: she didn't go around blaming God. She knew God could 266 00:13:40,880 --> 00:13:44,640 Speaker 3: give her a new beginning. And Ruth's mother in law, Naomi, 267 00:13:44,840 --> 00:13:48,200 Speaker 3: was already a widow and when this all happened, she 268 00:13:48,320 --> 00:13:51,480 Speaker 3: decided to move back to her homeland, and she encouraged 269 00:13:51,520 --> 00:13:53,280 Speaker 3: these two daughters in law, the ones that had just 270 00:13:53,320 --> 00:13:55,920 Speaker 3: lost their husbands, to move back to their homeland go 271 00:13:56,000 --> 00:13:58,839 Speaker 3: their separate ways as well. And this one daughter in 272 00:13:58,920 --> 00:14:02,000 Speaker 3: law took no mes advice and she went back home. 273 00:14:02,480 --> 00:14:05,120 Speaker 3: And I don't know, but maybe she left there a 274 00:14:05,160 --> 00:14:08,720 Speaker 3: little bit bitter and angry. Here her dreams have been shattered. 275 00:14:08,720 --> 00:14:11,360 Speaker 3: She's just lost her husband. I can imagine she's going 276 00:14:11,400 --> 00:14:15,679 Speaker 3: home very broken, defeated, bitter. But not Ruth. She had 277 00:14:15,720 --> 00:14:18,760 Speaker 3: a different attitude. She said, no, Naomi, I'm not gonna 278 00:14:18,840 --> 00:14:22,120 Speaker 3: leave you. I'm gonna go wherever you go, and I'm 279 00:14:22,120 --> 00:14:25,240 Speaker 3: gonna help take care of you. Notice Ruth, in her 280 00:14:25,280 --> 00:14:28,200 Speaker 3: time of need, she didn't sit around feeling sorry for herself. 281 00:14:28,720 --> 00:14:30,920 Speaker 3: She didn't take the easy way out, go home defeated 282 00:14:30,960 --> 00:14:34,280 Speaker 3: and depressed. She got her mind off of herself and 283 00:14:34,320 --> 00:14:36,600 Speaker 3: she went out and helped somebody else. In me, she 284 00:14:36,720 --> 00:14:38,840 Speaker 3: helped Naomi. She knew if she could let go of 285 00:14:38,840 --> 00:14:41,480 Speaker 3: the old, God would bring her the new. She and 286 00:14:41,560 --> 00:14:44,800 Speaker 3: Naomi moved to this other city. They didn't have any 287 00:14:44,880 --> 00:14:47,600 Speaker 3: kind of provision, nothing to eat, and so Ruth would 288 00:14:47,600 --> 00:14:50,120 Speaker 3: go out into the fields early in the morning and 289 00:14:50,200 --> 00:14:53,280 Speaker 3: gather up the leftover grain that the reapers had missed. 290 00:14:53,640 --> 00:14:56,400 Speaker 3: This is how they survived. The men that owned those 291 00:14:56,440 --> 00:14:59,520 Speaker 3: fields was named Boaz. He was one of the wealthiest 292 00:14:59,600 --> 00:15:02,760 Speaker 3: and most influential men in that area. And he loved God. 293 00:15:03,400 --> 00:15:06,000 Speaker 3: And he noticed Ruth out there every day working so 294 00:15:06,160 --> 00:15:09,560 Speaker 3: diligently gathering up the grain. The more he watched her, 295 00:15:09,600 --> 00:15:12,560 Speaker 3: the more he liked her. Long story short, they fell 296 00:15:12,560 --> 00:15:15,560 Speaker 3: in love and eventually they got married. God gave Ruth 297 00:15:15,600 --> 00:15:18,360 Speaker 3: a new beginning. He gave Ruth beauty for her ashes. 298 00:15:18,920 --> 00:15:21,800 Speaker 3: Here's what I always think about. Bo As wasn't just 299 00:15:21,840 --> 00:15:23,840 Speaker 3: one of the workers, and that would have been great. 300 00:15:24,200 --> 00:15:26,680 Speaker 3: He wasn't just the supervisor. He was the man that 301 00:15:26,800 --> 00:15:30,160 Speaker 3: owned that whole area. God did more than Ruth could 302 00:15:30,200 --> 00:15:33,480 Speaker 3: even ask her think. He gave her joy for her morning. 303 00:15:34,400 --> 00:15:36,480 Speaker 3: God wants to do the same for every one of you. 304 00:15:36,960 --> 00:15:39,400 Speaker 3: And if you've been through some kind of loss, some 305 00:15:39,520 --> 00:15:42,480 Speaker 3: kind of broken relationship, you need to know God has 306 00:15:42,520 --> 00:15:46,080 Speaker 3: another Boas out there. He still has somebody great he 307 00:15:46,120 --> 00:15:49,400 Speaker 3: wants to bring into your life. Too many people today 308 00:15:49,520 --> 00:15:53,320 Speaker 3: they're living with this victim mentality. They're so focused on 309 00:15:53,400 --> 00:15:55,800 Speaker 3: what they've been through and who hurt them and how 310 00:15:55,880 --> 00:15:59,280 Speaker 3: unfair it was. They don't realize. But all they're doing 311 00:15:59,520 --> 00:16:03,040 Speaker 3: is drag the pains of yesterday into the present. Just 312 00:16:03,040 --> 00:16:04,800 Speaker 3: like they get up every morning and go get this 313 00:16:04,840 --> 00:16:08,520 Speaker 3: big boatload of junk and bring it into the day. Now, 314 00:16:08,560 --> 00:16:10,920 Speaker 3: don't do that. Let the past be the past. You 315 00:16:10,960 --> 00:16:14,320 Speaker 3: should not let your past poison your future. You may 316 00:16:14,320 --> 00:16:16,880 Speaker 3: have been through a lot, maybe one of your dreams 317 00:16:16,920 --> 00:16:19,840 Speaker 3: has died, but you got to know God has another dream. 318 00:16:20,200 --> 00:16:22,560 Speaker 3: He's got a bright future in store for every one 319 00:16:22,560 --> 00:16:25,480 Speaker 3: of you. Now, of course, recently we've seen all the 320 00:16:25,520 --> 00:16:29,000 Speaker 3: devastation from Hurricane Katrina. We've seen so much of the 321 00:16:29,040 --> 00:16:31,360 Speaker 3: suffering and so many of the people that are affected. 322 00:16:31,840 --> 00:16:33,520 Speaker 3: I know some of you are even here. I talked 323 00:16:33,520 --> 00:16:36,040 Speaker 3: to some earlier. A lot of you watch by television 324 00:16:36,320 --> 00:16:37,920 Speaker 3: and how our hearts go out to you. We've been 325 00:16:37,960 --> 00:16:41,160 Speaker 3: praying and raising money, doing everything we can. But I 326 00:16:41,160 --> 00:16:44,640 Speaker 3: would encourage you, especially to don't fall into that trap 327 00:16:45,000 --> 00:16:48,680 Speaker 3: of getting bitter and going around feeling sorry for yourself. Listen, 328 00:16:48,720 --> 00:16:52,120 Speaker 3: you are not a victim. You are a victor. God 329 00:16:52,200 --> 00:16:57,200 Speaker 3: says he always causes you to trial. God said he 330 00:16:57,280 --> 00:17:00,800 Speaker 3: would take this negative and somehow, some way turn it 331 00:17:00,840 --> 00:17:03,640 Speaker 3: around and use it to your advantage. Now, I would 332 00:17:03,680 --> 00:17:06,479 Speaker 3: just challenge you, don't let this set back be a 333 00:17:06,520 --> 00:17:09,200 Speaker 3: stumbling block to cause you to get bitter and weaken 334 00:17:09,280 --> 00:17:13,159 Speaker 3: your faith. Let this setback be a stepping stone for 335 00:17:13,240 --> 00:17:16,320 Speaker 3: God to do greater things in your life. We're believing 336 00:17:16,359 --> 00:17:18,600 Speaker 3: you're not only gonna come out, but God's gonna bring 337 00:17:18,640 --> 00:17:20,960 Speaker 3: you out better off than you were before. If you 338 00:17:21,080 --> 00:17:23,560 Speaker 3: lost your home, we're believing you're not gonna come out 339 00:17:23,560 --> 00:17:25,440 Speaker 3: with the same house, but you're gonna come out with 340 00:17:25,480 --> 00:17:27,879 Speaker 3: a better house, a bigger house, a brand new house. 341 00:17:29,080 --> 00:17:31,880 Speaker 3: We're believing you're not gonna come out with the same 342 00:17:31,960 --> 00:17:34,240 Speaker 3: level job, but you're gonna come out with a better job, 343 00:17:34,560 --> 00:17:37,800 Speaker 3: with better benefits, in a better environment, making more money. 344 00:17:37,880 --> 00:17:39,880 Speaker 3: If you lost your car, we're believing God's gonna bring 345 00:17:39,880 --> 00:17:42,000 Speaker 3: you out with a better car, brand new car. Why 346 00:17:42,000 --> 00:17:44,440 Speaker 3: don't you get a vision for it. Don't sit around 347 00:17:44,520 --> 00:17:47,320 Speaker 3: in self pity and pour on me. Life's not fair. No, 348 00:17:47,480 --> 00:17:50,199 Speaker 3: life may not be fair, but God is fair, and 349 00:17:50,240 --> 00:17:53,240 Speaker 3: God has you in the palm of his hand. He said, 350 00:17:53,320 --> 00:17:57,560 Speaker 3: a little sparrow never even falls without God noticing it. 351 00:17:58,080 --> 00:18:01,160 Speaker 3: You can rest assured God sees what you've been through. 352 00:18:01,200 --> 00:18:03,879 Speaker 3: He's closely watching you, and his dream is to not 353 00:18:03,920 --> 00:18:08,080 Speaker 3: only bring you out, but to bring you out stronger, healthier, happier, 354 00:18:08,119 --> 00:18:10,800 Speaker 3: better off than you were before. Your attitude should be. 355 00:18:11,200 --> 00:18:14,000 Speaker 3: This may be difficult, it may not be fair, but 356 00:18:14,119 --> 00:18:16,320 Speaker 3: this is the hand I've been dealt, and I am 357 00:18:16,320 --> 00:18:19,159 Speaker 3: not gonna sit around feeling sorry for myself. I know 358 00:18:19,359 --> 00:18:21,840 Speaker 3: God is in control and in the end, He's gonna 359 00:18:21,920 --> 00:18:27,520 Speaker 3: use all this to my advantage. And understand this, here's 360 00:18:27,560 --> 00:18:31,040 Speaker 3: what I found. The enemy always fights you the hardest 361 00:18:31,359 --> 00:18:33,960 Speaker 3: when he knows God has something great in store for you. 362 00:18:34,720 --> 00:18:38,199 Speaker 3: So if you're in tough times, if you're in difficult times, 363 00:18:38,240 --> 00:18:40,720 Speaker 3: no doubt your camp right next door to your promised land. 364 00:18:41,359 --> 00:18:44,040 Speaker 3: Don't get bitter, don't go around all sour. You got 365 00:18:44,040 --> 00:18:46,800 Speaker 3: to shake off that victim mentality and start having that 366 00:18:46,920 --> 00:18:51,320 Speaker 3: warrior mentality. See, a warrior is a fighter. A warrior 367 00:18:51,320 --> 00:18:54,359 Speaker 3: knows how to endure hardships. And a warrior may get 368 00:18:54,480 --> 00:18:56,800 Speaker 3: knocked down, but he doesn't stay down. He gets back 369 00:18:56,880 --> 00:18:59,320 Speaker 3: up again. And I know some of you today you're 370 00:18:59,359 --> 00:19:02,840 Speaker 3: discouraged because of the negative circumstances in your life, and 371 00:19:03,240 --> 00:19:06,000 Speaker 3: you're kind of waiting for God or somebody to cheer 372 00:19:06,040 --> 00:19:08,680 Speaker 3: you up. But really, friends, God is waiting on you. 373 00:19:09,320 --> 00:19:13,320 Speaker 3: The scripture says in Isaiah sixty, verse one, arise from 374 00:19:13,359 --> 00:19:17,159 Speaker 3: the depression in which the circumstances have kept you rise 375 00:19:17,280 --> 00:19:20,119 Speaker 3: to a new life. Notice, if you want a new life, 376 00:19:20,359 --> 00:19:22,600 Speaker 3: if you want a new beginning, there's something you're gonna 377 00:19:22,600 --> 00:19:24,280 Speaker 3: have to do. You've got to rise up out of that. 378 00:19:24,760 --> 00:19:27,120 Speaker 3: In other words, you've got to change your attitude, put 379 00:19:27,119 --> 00:19:30,040 Speaker 3: the smile back on your face. Quit mourning over something 380 00:19:30,080 --> 00:19:33,000 Speaker 3: you can't do anything about. Quit going around focused on 381 00:19:33,040 --> 00:19:36,400 Speaker 3: your disappointments, and instead dig your heels in and make 382 00:19:36,440 --> 00:19:39,600 Speaker 3: the most with what you've got left. See, God told 383 00:19:39,640 --> 00:19:43,639 Speaker 3: Joshua to go in and possess the Promised Land. That 384 00:19:43,720 --> 00:19:47,800 Speaker 3: word possess implies action. If you want God to restore 385 00:19:47,920 --> 00:19:50,480 Speaker 3: back to you, If you want to really live in victory, 386 00:19:50,680 --> 00:19:53,560 Speaker 3: you cannot sit around thinking about how unfair your life 387 00:19:53,640 --> 00:19:56,320 Speaker 3: is and how badly somebody has treated you. You got 388 00:19:56,359 --> 00:19:58,720 Speaker 3: to be aggressive, You got to be energetic, be on 389 00:19:58,800 --> 00:20:01,520 Speaker 3: the offensive. And really, this is one of the main 390 00:20:01,640 --> 00:20:04,600 Speaker 3: things that kept the children of Israel from ever going 391 00:20:04,640 --> 00:20:08,040 Speaker 3: into their Promised Land. They had been through all that 392 00:20:08,119 --> 00:20:11,880 Speaker 3: slavery for years and years over in Egypt. God miraculously 393 00:20:11,920 --> 00:20:15,280 Speaker 3: brought them out, But their whole problem was they never 394 00:20:15,359 --> 00:20:18,880 Speaker 3: got rid of their slave mentality and when times got 395 00:20:18,920 --> 00:20:22,040 Speaker 3: tough and things didn't go their way, instead of standing 396 00:20:22,080 --> 00:20:24,439 Speaker 3: strong and fighting the good fight of faith, they just 397 00:20:24,520 --> 00:20:27,760 Speaker 3: easily gave up. They had that poor, pitiful meat attitude. 398 00:20:28,119 --> 00:20:30,239 Speaker 3: And here they were camps right next door to their 399 00:20:30,280 --> 00:20:33,679 Speaker 3: promised land. Because they were so focused on what they 400 00:20:33,720 --> 00:20:36,720 Speaker 3: had been through and so focused on their enemies, they 401 00:20:36,760 --> 00:20:40,240 Speaker 3: never did make it in Their negative mindset kept them 402 00:20:40,240 --> 00:20:43,359 Speaker 3: from God's best. And I know plenty of you are 403 00:20:43,359 --> 00:20:46,679 Speaker 3: here today and you have a thousand good reasons to 404 00:20:46,720 --> 00:20:49,159 Speaker 3: live your life with a chip on your shoulder. I know, 405 00:20:49,280 --> 00:20:51,560 Speaker 3: like these people, you've been through a lot of unfair things, 406 00:20:51,680 --> 00:20:54,200 Speaker 3: and you can give me a thousand excuses why it's 407 00:20:54,240 --> 00:20:56,879 Speaker 3: okay for you to feel sorry for yourself. But friends, 408 00:20:56,880 --> 00:20:59,399 Speaker 3: I'm asking you to let all that go. I'm asking 409 00:20:59,440 --> 00:21:02,160 Speaker 3: you to chew to be a victor and not a victim. 410 00:21:02,840 --> 00:21:05,040 Speaker 3: And I think about David. He's one of my favorite 411 00:21:05,040 --> 00:21:07,000 Speaker 3: people in the Bible. He knew how to let go 412 00:21:07,080 --> 00:21:10,000 Speaker 3: of the ashes. One day, while he and his men 413 00:21:10,160 --> 00:21:13,960 Speaker 3: were out protecting the borders of Israel, their hometown was 414 00:21:14,000 --> 00:21:17,360 Speaker 3: attacked and destroyed. When they came back and saw all 415 00:21:17,400 --> 00:21:21,679 Speaker 3: the devastation, they were heartbroken. The city was totally burned down, 416 00:21:22,000 --> 00:21:24,880 Speaker 3: their possessions were stolen, and on top of that, all 417 00:21:24,880 --> 00:21:27,760 Speaker 3: of the women and children had been kidnapped. It was 418 00:21:27,800 --> 00:21:30,919 Speaker 3: the darkest day of David's life. The Bible says that 419 00:21:31,000 --> 00:21:34,320 Speaker 3: David wept until he could not weep anymore. And I'm 420 00:21:34,359 --> 00:21:36,560 Speaker 3: sure David was just like you and I, he was 421 00:21:36,560 --> 00:21:39,159 Speaker 3: tempted to get negative and bitter. I'm sure he was 422 00:21:39,200 --> 00:21:41,960 Speaker 3: tempted to say, God, I don't understand this, this doesn't 423 00:21:41,960 --> 00:21:44,480 Speaker 3: seem fair. I was out doing what you asked me 424 00:21:44,520 --> 00:21:47,880 Speaker 3: to do. How could you allow this to happen? But understand, 425 00:21:48,160 --> 00:21:51,040 Speaker 3: just because we're in God's will doesn't mean we're not 426 00:21:51,080 --> 00:21:53,919 Speaker 3: gonna have some obstacles to overcome, doesn't mean we're not 427 00:21:53,920 --> 00:21:57,560 Speaker 3: gonna have some battles to fight. Here, David was not down, 428 00:21:57,840 --> 00:22:00,199 Speaker 3: But the whole key is he didn't stay down. He 429 00:22:00,240 --> 00:22:03,639 Speaker 3: had that warrior mentality. And as he sat there among 430 00:22:03,680 --> 00:22:06,800 Speaker 3: the ruins of his city, watching the smoke and ashes 431 00:22:06,880 --> 00:22:10,040 Speaker 3: filled the air, David did something that none of those 432 00:22:10,040 --> 00:22:13,520 Speaker 3: other six hundred men would do. The scripture says that 433 00:22:13,640 --> 00:22:18,240 Speaker 3: David encouraged himself in the Lord his God. In other words, 434 00:22:18,240 --> 00:22:20,480 Speaker 3: he made a decision. I'm not going to sit here 435 00:22:20,520 --> 00:22:23,280 Speaker 3: in the ashes of defeat feeling sorry for myself. I 436 00:22:23,320 --> 00:22:26,240 Speaker 3: am going to rise up out of this. Sure enough, 437 00:22:26,240 --> 00:22:29,800 Speaker 3: he dusted himself off, he washed his face, and he said, 438 00:22:29,800 --> 00:22:31,760 Speaker 3: come on, men, we're going to go attack the enemy. 439 00:22:32,200 --> 00:22:34,760 Speaker 3: And the Bible says they rose up and they recovered 440 00:22:34,840 --> 00:22:37,239 Speaker 3: every single thing that had been stolen. They got their 441 00:22:37,280 --> 00:22:40,080 Speaker 3: wives and children back, they got their flocks and herds, 442 00:22:40,119 --> 00:22:44,240 Speaker 3: all their possessions. And you know, really, if this were 443 00:22:44,280 --> 00:22:46,359 Speaker 3: the end of the story, it'd be a pretty happy ending. 444 00:22:46,920 --> 00:22:49,720 Speaker 3: But no, God always brings you out better. He never 445 00:22:49,760 --> 00:22:52,679 Speaker 3: brings you out the same way. David looked around and 446 00:22:52,720 --> 00:22:55,119 Speaker 3: he saw all the enemies flocks and herds, and all 447 00:22:55,119 --> 00:22:57,960 Speaker 3: the enemies gold and silver. He told his men to 448 00:22:57,960 --> 00:23:00,280 Speaker 3: gather that up as well. And then when they left 449 00:23:00,280 --> 00:23:02,520 Speaker 3: out of there, they walked out with twice what they 450 00:23:02,560 --> 00:23:05,800 Speaker 3: had before. And see, the very thing that comes against 451 00:23:05,880 --> 00:23:08,800 Speaker 3: you to try to destroy you could be the very 452 00:23:08,840 --> 00:23:11,679 Speaker 3: thing God uses to increase you and take you to 453 00:23:11,720 --> 00:23:15,840 Speaker 3: a whole new level of the thread. But friends, this 454 00:23:15,880 --> 00:23:18,400 Speaker 3: is not gonna happen. If you're sitting around in defeat 455 00:23:18,560 --> 00:23:21,320 Speaker 3: mourning over what you've lost, it's not gonna happen. If 456 00:23:21,320 --> 00:23:24,320 Speaker 3: you're going around with a sour attitude, complaining all the time. 457 00:23:24,560 --> 00:23:26,439 Speaker 3: You got to let go of the ashes if you 458 00:23:26,480 --> 00:23:28,920 Speaker 3: want God to give you the beauty. If you'll quit 459 00:23:29,000 --> 00:23:32,360 Speaker 3: mourning over what you've lost and instead put on that 460 00:23:32,400 --> 00:23:35,200 Speaker 3: war your mentality, God will not only bring you out, 461 00:23:35,240 --> 00:23:37,199 Speaker 3: he'll bring you out better off than you were before. 462 00:23:37,640 --> 00:23:40,120 Speaker 3: I like that scripture. Weeping may endure for a night, 463 00:23:40,280 --> 00:23:43,560 Speaker 3: but joy is coming in the morning. I have this 464 00:23:43,640 --> 00:23:46,119 Speaker 3: friend of mine. A couple of years ago, he lost 465 00:23:46,160 --> 00:23:49,040 Speaker 3: his job. He worked for a good company, and he'd 466 00:23:49,080 --> 00:23:51,240 Speaker 3: been there for a long time. He was making good money, 467 00:23:51,240 --> 00:23:53,720 Speaker 3: a very good position, and I thought for sure he 468 00:23:53,720 --> 00:23:56,679 Speaker 3: would be very upset and very distraught about it. But 469 00:23:56,760 --> 00:23:59,000 Speaker 3: when he came up, man, he had a smile on 470 00:23:59,080 --> 00:24:02,240 Speaker 3: his face. He was as happy as can be. He said, Joel, 471 00:24:02,280 --> 00:24:03,920 Speaker 3: I don't know if you've heard, but I just lost 472 00:24:03,920 --> 00:24:06,680 Speaker 3: my job. But I can't wait to see what God 473 00:24:06,720 --> 00:24:09,639 Speaker 3: has in store. See, he had been knocked down, but 474 00:24:09,720 --> 00:24:12,879 Speaker 3: he didn't stay down. He had that warrior mentality. His 475 00:24:12,960 --> 00:24:15,520 Speaker 3: attitude was, this thing is not going to defeat me. 476 00:24:15,760 --> 00:24:18,439 Speaker 3: I know I'm a victoria, not a victim. I know 477 00:24:18,520 --> 00:24:21,320 Speaker 3: when one door closes, God always opens up a bigger 478 00:24:21,359 --> 00:24:23,960 Speaker 3: and a better door. That's the kind of people God's 479 00:24:24,000 --> 00:24:27,320 Speaker 3: looking for. People that have that never say die spirit, 480 00:24:27,600 --> 00:24:30,240 Speaker 3: People that know God always causes us to try out. 481 00:24:31,040 --> 00:24:34,399 Speaker 3: Our attitude should be even if the enemy does his best, 482 00:24:34,520 --> 00:24:37,400 Speaker 3: his best will never be enough. He may knock me down, 483 00:24:37,400 --> 00:24:39,680 Speaker 3: but he can't knock me out. When it's all said 484 00:24:39,720 --> 00:24:42,160 Speaker 3: and done, the smoke settles and the dust clears, I'm 485 00:24:42,200 --> 00:24:48,000 Speaker 3: still gonna be standing strong. Amen. I heard a story 486 00:24:48,080 --> 00:24:51,719 Speaker 3: about these two frogs. They fell into this bowl of cream, 487 00:24:52,160 --> 00:24:54,320 Speaker 3: and the sides were so slick that they couldn't climb 488 00:24:54,400 --> 00:24:56,400 Speaker 3: up out of it, and so they had to paddle 489 00:24:56,440 --> 00:24:59,080 Speaker 3: and paddle and paddle to just try to stay alive. 490 00:24:59,119 --> 00:25:01,280 Speaker 3: And this went on on and on and on, and 491 00:25:01,440 --> 00:25:03,959 Speaker 3: finally this one frog got so tired he just gave up. 492 00:25:04,440 --> 00:25:06,360 Speaker 3: He said to his buddy, man, it's not worth it. 493 00:25:06,600 --> 00:25:09,080 Speaker 3: We're never gonna get out. We're just wasting our time. 494 00:25:09,160 --> 00:25:11,800 Speaker 3: I'm giving up. And sure enough, under he went. You 495 00:25:11,840 --> 00:25:14,240 Speaker 3: didn't see any more of him. But this other frog 496 00:25:14,320 --> 00:25:17,399 Speaker 3: was a little more determined. He had that warrior mentality 497 00:25:17,440 --> 00:25:20,360 Speaker 3: I'm talking about, and he just kept paddling and paddling 498 00:25:20,400 --> 00:25:23,800 Speaker 3: and paddling, trying his best to stay alive. Well, after 499 00:25:23,840 --> 00:25:26,639 Speaker 3: about thirty minutes went by, he noticed that that cream 500 00:25:26,760 --> 00:25:30,280 Speaker 3: was getting harder and harder. It was more and more difficult, 501 00:25:30,320 --> 00:25:32,040 Speaker 3: but he just kept at it and kept at it. 502 00:25:32,160 --> 00:25:34,439 Speaker 3: Well another fifteen or twenty minutes. Did you know he 503 00:25:34,480 --> 00:25:37,600 Speaker 3: had paddled so much that that cream had turned to butter, 504 00:25:38,080 --> 00:25:39,920 Speaker 3: And now he could just step on top of it 505 00:25:40,040 --> 00:25:44,200 Speaker 3: and hop on out. And sometimes that's what we've got 506 00:25:44,200 --> 00:25:46,560 Speaker 3: to learn to do in life. When it looks like 507 00:25:46,600 --> 00:25:48,480 Speaker 3: there's no way out, you got to just keep on 508 00:25:48,600 --> 00:25:52,159 Speaker 3: keeping on, keep on shaking off the past, keep on 509 00:25:52,320 --> 00:25:55,440 Speaker 3: pressing forward, keep on shaking off self pity. You know, 510 00:25:55,480 --> 00:25:57,879 Speaker 3: when those whole negative thoughts come telling you it's never 511 00:25:57,920 --> 00:26:00,320 Speaker 3: gonna get better, might as well give up. It's never 512 00:26:00,320 --> 00:26:02,879 Speaker 3: going to change. You're never gonna get out of that situation. No, 513 00:26:03,000 --> 00:26:06,360 Speaker 3: don't believe that junk. With every right decision you make, 514 00:26:06,760 --> 00:26:10,000 Speaker 3: every time you shake off a disappointment, every time you 515 00:26:10,040 --> 00:26:13,080 Speaker 3: press forward, every time you overlook an offence, God is 516 00:26:13,160 --> 00:26:15,920 Speaker 3: watching that you are passing the test, and you're getting 517 00:26:15,920 --> 00:26:18,919 Speaker 3: one step closer to seeing it all turn around. But 518 00:26:18,960 --> 00:26:22,200 Speaker 3: I'm convinced these days, really, we give up too easily. 519 00:26:23,040 --> 00:26:25,560 Speaker 3: I was reading about the apostle Paul, and he went 520 00:26:25,600 --> 00:26:28,439 Speaker 3: through so many hardships, so many unfair things. But I 521 00:26:28,520 --> 00:26:32,200 Speaker 3: love what he said Second Corinthians four, verse eight. He said, 522 00:26:32,200 --> 00:26:35,640 Speaker 3: we are troubled on every side, but we're not crushed. 523 00:26:36,240 --> 00:26:39,560 Speaker 3: We're perplexed. We don't understand why these things happen to us, 524 00:26:39,680 --> 00:26:42,680 Speaker 3: but we don't give up and quit. We get knocked down, 525 00:26:42,960 --> 00:26:45,960 Speaker 3: but we get back up again and keep on going. Now, 526 00:26:46,080 --> 00:26:49,159 Speaker 3: as Paul said, a warrior may get knocked down, but 527 00:26:49,240 --> 00:26:52,040 Speaker 3: a warrior is not going to get knocked out. And 528 00:26:52,080 --> 00:26:53,760 Speaker 3: some of you today, you may feel like you've been 529 00:26:53,840 --> 00:26:56,199 Speaker 3: knocked down. You've been through some tough times. But I 530 00:26:56,200 --> 00:27:00,239 Speaker 3: would just challenge you. Don't stay down, don't develop that 531 00:27:00,359 --> 00:27:03,920 Speaker 3: victim mentality, don't walla around in self pity, get back up, 532 00:27:04,320 --> 00:27:07,199 Speaker 3: dust yourself off, and do like David, press forward to 533 00:27:07,240 --> 00:27:09,680 Speaker 3: the good things God has in store. I was thinking 534 00:27:09,720 --> 00:27:12,119 Speaker 3: about Job when he went through all of that trouble, 535 00:27:12,119 --> 00:27:14,159 Speaker 3: and he lost his family, he lost his health, he 536 00:27:14,240 --> 00:27:18,520 Speaker 3: lost his business. The scripture says that Job sat down 537 00:27:18,840 --> 00:27:22,000 Speaker 3: among the ashes, and that's the mistake many of us 538 00:27:22,040 --> 00:27:25,320 Speaker 3: make today when trouble comes and life deals us a blow. 539 00:27:26,000 --> 00:27:29,040 Speaker 3: Instead of having that warrior spirit like David, like the 540 00:27:29,080 --> 00:27:32,400 Speaker 3: apostle Paul, we just give up and get down and discouraged. 541 00:27:32,960 --> 00:27:37,040 Speaker 3: And it's interesting. Job's situation didn't change until he changed 542 00:27:37,040 --> 00:27:40,399 Speaker 3: his attitude. Then God showed up and intervened and turned 543 00:27:40,440 --> 00:27:44,240 Speaker 3: everything around. Let me ask you today, are you sitting 544 00:27:44,280 --> 00:27:47,280 Speaker 3: in any ashes? Are you holding on to things that 545 00:27:47,359 --> 00:27:49,720 Speaker 3: you know you need to turn loose up? Are you 546 00:27:49,760 --> 00:27:52,920 Speaker 3: allowing your past to poison your future? Now? If that's you, 547 00:27:53,200 --> 00:27:55,440 Speaker 3: let me challenge you to make a decision to rise 548 00:27:55,520 --> 00:27:58,679 Speaker 3: up out of that. Today can be a new beginning. 549 00:27:59,200 --> 00:28:01,240 Speaker 3: You got to quit more warning over something that you 550 00:28:01,280 --> 00:28:03,760 Speaker 3: can't change. If you're gonna go forward, you gotta quit 551 00:28:03,800 --> 00:28:07,000 Speaker 3: looking backwards. Friends, I believe your best days are right 552 00:28:07,000 --> 00:28:09,480 Speaker 3: out of head. I know God has a great plan 553 00:28:09,640 --> 00:28:11,920 Speaker 3: in store for every one of you, and no matter 554 00:28:11,960 --> 00:28:14,280 Speaker 3: what you've been through, no matter how unfair it seems, 555 00:28:14,680 --> 00:28:17,680 Speaker 3: if you'll do your part and shake off the self pity, 556 00:28:17,760 --> 00:28:21,080 Speaker 3: shake off the disappointments and instead have this war your mentality, 557 00:28:21,520 --> 00:28:23,440 Speaker 3: and I can promise you God will do his part. 558 00:28:23,640 --> 00:28:26,399 Speaker 3: He's promised he'll give you beauty for your ashes, joy 559 00:28:26,440 --> 00:28:29,439 Speaker 3: for your morning, rejoicing for your heaveness. You'll experience the 560 00:28:29,440 --> 00:28:32,320 Speaker 3: life of victory he has in story. Amen, how many 561 00:28:32,320 --> 00:28:36,119 Speaker 3: of ever receive it today? We never like to close 562 00:28:36,160 --> 00:28:39,760 Speaker 3: our broadcast without giving you an opportunity to make Jesus 563 00:28:39,840 --> 00:28:42,040 Speaker 3: the lord of your life. Would you pray with me? 564 00:28:42,680 --> 00:28:48,160 Speaker 3: Just say, Lord, Jesus, I repent of my sins. Come 565 00:28:48,160 --> 00:28:53,400 Speaker 3: into my heart. I make you my Lord and savior. Friends, 566 00:28:53,400 --> 00:28:55,840 Speaker 3: if you prayed that simple prayer, we believe you got 567 00:28:55,840 --> 00:28:58,800 Speaker 3: born again. Get in a good Bible based church. Keep 568 00:28:58,840 --> 00:29:01,560 Speaker 3: God first place. He's going to take your places that 569 00:29:01,640 --> 00:29:02,600 Speaker 3: you've never dreamed of. 570 00:29:03,280 --> 00:29:06,720 Speaker 5: Thank you for listening to the joel Ostein podcast. Help 571 00:29:06,800 --> 00:29:09,520 Speaker 5: us continue to share the message of hope with those 572 00:29:09,640 --> 00:29:13,520 Speaker 5: all over the world. Visit Joelostein dot com slash give 573 00:29:13,600 --> 00:29:15,320 Speaker 5: Hope to give a gift today. 574 00:29:16,560 --> 00:29:19,480 Speaker 3: Thanks so much for listening to today's message. I hope 575 00:29:19,520 --> 00:29:22,880 Speaker 3: you'll subscribe so you can receive the latest podcast to 576 00:29:22,960 --> 00:29:26,160 Speaker 3: keep you inspired all through the week. We're praying for you. 577 00:29:26,320 --> 00:29:28,800 Speaker 3: I know God's best is still ahead. We'll see you 578 00:29:28,840 --> 00:29:29,440 Speaker 3: next time. 579 00:29:36,600 --> 00:29:39,280 Speaker 6: With millions of books on Amazon, there's a reading feeling 580 00:29:39,360 --> 00:29:44,320 Speaker 6: for everyone. 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