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Start your comeback at Purdueglobal dot edu. 23 00:01:00,240 --> 00:01:02,200 Speaker 3: He'll forget about the video game you gave him on 24 00:01:02,200 --> 00:01:02,800 Speaker 3: his birthday. 25 00:01:03,120 --> 00:01:05,000 Speaker 4: Wow, Thanks Grandpa, but. 26 00:01:05,000 --> 00:01:07,200 Speaker 3: He'll never forget how you invest it in his future 27 00:01:07,280 --> 00:01:08,240 Speaker 3: with the uns stapp. 28 00:01:08,760 --> 00:01:10,400 Speaker 4: Wow, thanks Grandpa. 29 00:01:11,040 --> 00:01:13,560 Speaker 3: The unit stap makes it easy for grandparents and family 30 00:01:13,600 --> 00:01:16,280 Speaker 3: friends to give funds to a child's investment account for 31 00:01:16,319 --> 00:01:18,720 Speaker 3: a limited time. Download the uns stapp and use the 32 00:01:18,720 --> 00:01:20,800 Speaker 3: code I heeart fifty at sign up to receive a 33 00:01:20,840 --> 00:01:23,319 Speaker 3: fifty dollars bonus when you find your account. That's code 34 00:01:23,360 --> 00:01:26,320 Speaker 3: iHeart fifty when you sign up at unest dot co 35 00:01:26,720 --> 00:01:29,280 Speaker 3: for a fifty dollars bonus. See terms and conditions at 36 00:01:29,360 --> 00:01:30,080 Speaker 3: UNEs dot co. 37 00:01:31,200 --> 00:01:33,959 Speaker 5: Hi, this is Joel and Victoria. Thanks for listening to 38 00:01:34,000 --> 00:01:36,759 Speaker 5: our podcast and thanks for supporting the ministry. 39 00:01:36,880 --> 00:01:39,240 Speaker 3: If you enjoy today's message, why don't you be a 40 00:01:39,280 --> 00:01:40,399 Speaker 3: blessing and share it with. 41 00:01:40,360 --> 00:01:43,720 Speaker 5: A friends, reappreciate you, and pray for God's very best 42 00:01:43,760 --> 00:01:53,000 Speaker 5: in your life. 43 00:01:55,920 --> 00:01:58,320 Speaker 4: Well, God bless you. It's the joy that come into 44 00:01:58,360 --> 00:01:59,000 Speaker 4: your homes. 45 00:01:59,200 --> 00:02:01,920 Speaker 5: We love you, We know God has great things in store, 46 00:02:01,960 --> 00:02:04,680 Speaker 5: and if you're ever in our area, please stop buying. 47 00:02:04,760 --> 00:02:07,080 Speaker 5: Be a part of one of our services. I promise 48 00:02:07,120 --> 00:02:09,280 Speaker 5: you we'll make you feel right at home. But thanks 49 00:02:09,360 --> 00:02:11,360 Speaker 5: so much for tuning in, and thank you again for 50 00:02:11,440 --> 00:02:14,120 Speaker 5: coming out today. And I like to start with something funny. 51 00:02:14,160 --> 00:02:17,360 Speaker 5: And I heard about this groom at the wedding rehearsal. 52 00:02:17,639 --> 00:02:20,639 Speaker 5: He said to the minister during the vows, if you'll 53 00:02:20,720 --> 00:02:24,119 Speaker 5: leave out all that honor, love and obey stuff, I'll 54 00:02:24,120 --> 00:02:26,840 Speaker 5: give you one hundred dollars. He pressed one hundred dollars 55 00:02:26,840 --> 00:02:29,440 Speaker 5: into the minister's hand and walked away with a smile. 56 00:02:29,960 --> 00:02:33,240 Speaker 5: The next day, during the ceremony, the minister said, do 57 00:02:33,320 --> 00:02:36,519 Speaker 5: you promise to bow down before your wife to take 58 00:02:36,560 --> 00:02:40,040 Speaker 5: her breakfast in bed every day to fulfill her every desire? 59 00:02:40,080 --> 00:02:43,160 Speaker 5: And he gulped in astonishment and said, in a weak voice, 60 00:02:43,200 --> 00:02:45,919 Speaker 5: I do. He then whispered, I thought we had a deal. 61 00:02:46,280 --> 00:02:48,760 Speaker 5: The minister handed him the money back and said, your 62 00:02:48,800 --> 00:02:53,320 Speaker 5: wife made me a much better offer. Hold up your bible, 63 00:02:53,360 --> 00:02:55,840 Speaker 5: say it like you mean it. This is my Bible. 64 00:02:56,160 --> 00:02:58,440 Speaker 5: I am what it says, I am. I have what 65 00:02:58,520 --> 00:03:01,080 Speaker 5: it says I have, and do what it says I 66 00:03:01,120 --> 00:03:04,160 Speaker 5: can do. Today I will be taught the word of God. 67 00:03:04,600 --> 00:03:08,960 Speaker 5: I'll boldly confess my mind is alert, my heart is receptive. 68 00:03:09,320 --> 00:03:12,840 Speaker 5: I will never be the same. In Jesus' name, God 69 00:03:12,919 --> 00:03:16,360 Speaker 5: bless you. I want to talk to you today about 70 00:03:16,400 --> 00:03:22,440 Speaker 5: going beyond invisible walls. An invisible wall is something very subtle. 71 00:03:23,040 --> 00:03:26,600 Speaker 5: It's an attitude that says, we don't associate with those people. 72 00:03:26,760 --> 00:03:30,160 Speaker 5: They're not like us, they don't dress like us, they 73 00:03:30,200 --> 00:03:33,119 Speaker 5: don't live in our neighborhood, they don't worship the way 74 00:03:33,200 --> 00:03:36,800 Speaker 5: we do. They're not our same nationality. So we just 75 00:03:36,960 --> 00:03:40,600 Speaker 5: very quietly keep our distance. We can smile, we can 76 00:03:40,640 --> 00:03:44,920 Speaker 5: say hello, but they're this unseen barrier that separates us. 77 00:03:45,640 --> 00:03:48,840 Speaker 5: But if all your friends look like you, and dress 78 00:03:49,040 --> 00:03:51,840 Speaker 5: like you, and live in your same neighborhood, can I 79 00:03:51,920 --> 00:03:53,360 Speaker 5: tell you you're missing out. 80 00:03:54,200 --> 00:03:58,080 Speaker 4: You're experiencing a small portion of what God really wants 81 00:03:58,120 --> 00:03:58,840 Speaker 4: you to enjoy. 82 00:04:00,000 --> 00:04:03,480 Speaker 5: You don't broaden your life and go beyond your tradition 83 00:04:04,120 --> 00:04:08,400 Speaker 5: and get rid of little prejudices, then those invisible walls 84 00:04:08,600 --> 00:04:12,680 Speaker 5: can keep you from your destiny. The very people you're avoiding, 85 00:04:13,120 --> 00:04:15,560 Speaker 5: the ones you're saying they're not from my camp, they're 86 00:04:15,600 --> 00:04:19,800 Speaker 5: not for me. They could be the divine connection that 87 00:04:19,880 --> 00:04:21,400 Speaker 5: hold the key to your dreams. 88 00:04:21,440 --> 00:04:23,560 Speaker 4: Coming to pass. I've learned. 89 00:04:24,040 --> 00:04:27,600 Speaker 5: God doesn't use people to help me that just look 90 00:04:27,760 --> 00:04:30,640 Speaker 5: like me and dress like me and come from my 91 00:04:30,760 --> 00:04:35,880 Speaker 5: same background. God likes variety, but sometimes we get stuck 92 00:04:35,920 --> 00:04:40,320 Speaker 5: in our little box. I call it a prison of prejudice. 93 00:04:40,480 --> 00:04:43,760 Speaker 5: Doesn't mean that we're bad people, but we have these attitudes. 94 00:04:44,040 --> 00:04:47,240 Speaker 5: They're Baptist and I'm Catholic. I'm staying away from them. 95 00:04:47,960 --> 00:04:52,479 Speaker 5: They're Democrat and I'm a Republican. They're unclean, they're an aggie, 96 00:04:52,600 --> 00:04:53,480 Speaker 5: I'm a longhorn. 97 00:04:53,560 --> 00:04:55,400 Speaker 4: That's a major issue. 98 00:04:56,360 --> 00:05:01,479 Speaker 5: Or more seriously, they're black and I'm white Hispanic, I'm Asian. 99 00:05:01,800 --> 00:05:03,760 Speaker 5: They're blue collar and I'm white collar. 100 00:05:04,200 --> 00:05:06,599 Speaker 4: Big deal. God chooses all people. 101 00:05:07,000 --> 00:05:11,640 Speaker 5: Every person that has breath to Breathe was created in 102 00:05:11,680 --> 00:05:15,159 Speaker 5: the image of God. Who are we to judge and 103 00:05:15,240 --> 00:05:18,400 Speaker 5: think you're not from me. You're the wrong skin color, 104 00:05:18,600 --> 00:05:22,880 Speaker 5: you're the wrong nationality. No nobody chose their skin color. 105 00:05:23,440 --> 00:05:25,760 Speaker 5: None of us could choose who our parents would be, 106 00:05:26,279 --> 00:05:30,160 Speaker 5: what country we be born in. God chooses that if 107 00:05:30,160 --> 00:05:33,640 Speaker 5: we look down on people and refuse to associate with them, 108 00:05:33,960 --> 00:05:36,320 Speaker 5: we're not really doing it to them, We're doing it 109 00:05:36,360 --> 00:05:39,919 Speaker 5: to our creator. He holds the key to blessing, to favor, 110 00:05:39,960 --> 00:05:43,680 Speaker 5: to honor. You cannot disrespect God's children. 111 00:05:43,600 --> 00:05:45,559 Speaker 4: And expect him to bless you at the same time. 112 00:05:46,360 --> 00:05:51,120 Speaker 5: We may be black, white, brown, yellow, American, African, European, Hispanic, 113 00:05:51,480 --> 00:05:54,359 Speaker 5: but one thing we have in common is we all 114 00:05:54,400 --> 00:05:59,080 Speaker 5: bleed red. No matter what you look like, no matter 115 00:05:59,080 --> 00:06:02,160 Speaker 5: where you come from, As long as your blood is. 116 00:06:02,160 --> 00:06:04,640 Speaker 4: Red, you're my brother, You're my sister. 117 00:06:05,600 --> 00:06:09,040 Speaker 5: Do you know skin color is less than one sixteenth 118 00:06:09,080 --> 00:06:12,159 Speaker 5: of an inch deep. I'm not gonna be so petty 119 00:06:12,480 --> 00:06:15,520 Speaker 5: to let us sixteenth of an inch come between us. 120 00:06:16,080 --> 00:06:19,160 Speaker 5: I need your friendship, I need your wisdom, I need 121 00:06:19,200 --> 00:06:24,600 Speaker 5: your encouragement, I need your blessing. We may be different cultures, nationalities, 122 00:06:24,640 --> 00:06:29,040 Speaker 5: different skin colors, but let's remember, really we're only one. 123 00:06:28,720 --> 00:06:30,400 Speaker 4: Sixteenth of an inch different. 124 00:06:31,520 --> 00:06:35,200 Speaker 5: They say that Sunday morning is still the most segregated time. 125 00:06:35,000 --> 00:06:37,880 Speaker 4: Of the week. I'm happy to report that's not the 126 00:06:37,960 --> 00:06:39,120 Speaker 4: case here at Lakewood. 127 00:06:43,200 --> 00:06:46,400 Speaker 5: A well known reporter called us the most diverse church 128 00:06:46,480 --> 00:06:49,919 Speaker 5: in America. The amazing thing is we never tried to 129 00:06:49,960 --> 00:06:52,839 Speaker 5: do it. Experts have come from all over the world 130 00:06:52,880 --> 00:06:53,800 Speaker 5: to try to figure. 131 00:06:53,520 --> 00:06:56,400 Speaker 4: Out how this has happened. They used to ask my father. 132 00:06:56,720 --> 00:06:59,640 Speaker 5: Did you bust people in Did you have a big, 133 00:06:59,720 --> 00:07:03,960 Speaker 5: diversey campaign, Did you have specialist design a plan. No, 134 00:07:04,120 --> 00:07:07,240 Speaker 5: we didn't do anything except love people and share good 135 00:07:07,320 --> 00:07:12,200 Speaker 5: news and speak faith and victory. When you go beyond 136 00:07:12,560 --> 00:07:16,920 Speaker 5: invisible walls, God blesses you when you treat all people 137 00:07:17,000 --> 00:07:18,200 Speaker 5: with respect and honor. 138 00:07:18,440 --> 00:07:19,520 Speaker 4: That pleases God. 139 00:07:20,240 --> 00:07:23,400 Speaker 5: When you're just as kind and considerate to the people 140 00:07:23,440 --> 00:07:25,920 Speaker 5: that don't look like you as you are to the 141 00:07:25,920 --> 00:07:29,200 Speaker 5: ones that do, then you're positioning yourself to go higher. 142 00:07:29,520 --> 00:07:32,200 Speaker 5: And that's what I love about Lakewood. It's all races, 143 00:07:32,240 --> 00:07:34,640 Speaker 5: all colors, all nationalities. 144 00:07:34,040 --> 00:07:37,000 Speaker 4: All walks of life. This is what heaven is going 145 00:07:37,040 --> 00:07:37,480 Speaker 4: to be like. 146 00:07:38,280 --> 00:07:43,160 Speaker 5: And if you're only comfortable being around people like your own, 147 00:07:43,720 --> 00:07:46,520 Speaker 5: if you have these hidden prejudices, then now is a 148 00:07:46,520 --> 00:07:48,880 Speaker 5: good time to deal with it, because if not, when 149 00:07:48,920 --> 00:07:50,720 Speaker 5: you get to heaven, you're going to be in for 150 00:07:50,760 --> 00:07:54,160 Speaker 5: a rude awakening. There's going to be black, white, yellow, red. 151 00:07:54,480 --> 00:07:57,160 Speaker 5: You might as well get used to it. That group 152 00:07:57,200 --> 00:08:00,000 Speaker 5: that you're avoiding, the people you don't like to be around. 153 00:08:00,320 --> 00:08:03,080 Speaker 5: God will make sure your mansion is right next door 154 00:08:03,120 --> 00:08:08,600 Speaker 5: to theirs. Raleigh Washington is an African American minister and 155 00:08:08,680 --> 00:08:11,480 Speaker 5: he said something that I really like. He said, when 156 00:08:11,480 --> 00:08:14,320 Speaker 5: I was born, I was black. When I grew up, 157 00:08:14,360 --> 00:08:16,640 Speaker 5: I was black. When I go out in the cold, 158 00:08:16,680 --> 00:08:18,840 Speaker 5: I'm black. When I go out in the sun, I 159 00:08:18,880 --> 00:08:22,600 Speaker 5: get more black. When I'm sick, i'm black. And when 160 00:08:22,600 --> 00:08:25,680 Speaker 5: I die, I'm sure I'll still be black. But what 161 00:08:25,800 --> 00:08:29,040 Speaker 5: I found is when white people are born, you're pink. 162 00:08:29,800 --> 00:08:32,840 Speaker 5: When you grow up, you become white. When you go 163 00:08:32,920 --> 00:08:36,160 Speaker 5: out in the cold, you turn blue. When you go 164 00:08:36,200 --> 00:08:39,520 Speaker 5: out in the sun, you turn red. When you're sick, 165 00:08:39,679 --> 00:08:44,360 Speaker 5: they say, he looks green. When you die, you turn purple. Now, 166 00:08:44,360 --> 00:08:46,720 Speaker 5: what I want to know is why are blacks called 167 00:08:46,840 --> 00:08:54,720 Speaker 5: colored people. I have a friend, he's a Hispanic police officer. 168 00:08:55,280 --> 00:08:57,640 Speaker 5: He said, Joe, what do you call two Hispanics playing 169 00:08:57,679 --> 00:08:58,920 Speaker 5: each other in basketball? 170 00:08:59,400 --> 00:09:04,480 Speaker 4: Wan on Colossians three eleven. 171 00:09:04,720 --> 00:09:09,040 Speaker 5: In Christ, there's neither Jew nor Greek, male nor female, 172 00:09:09,080 --> 00:09:13,960 Speaker 5: black nor white, no difference between any nationality. Notice, God 173 00:09:14,000 --> 00:09:17,280 Speaker 5: doesn't see us as different races. God doesn't see us 174 00:09:17,320 --> 00:09:22,560 Speaker 5: as different social standings. Our tradition magnifies that what we wear, 175 00:09:22,679 --> 00:09:24,800 Speaker 5: what we drive, what our skin color is. 176 00:09:25,200 --> 00:09:28,400 Speaker 4: God looks past all the superficial. 177 00:09:27,679 --> 00:09:30,760 Speaker 5: Things, and he sees us all the same, not black 178 00:09:30,880 --> 00:09:34,520 Speaker 5: or white, just his children, not upper class or lower class, 179 00:09:34,559 --> 00:09:38,800 Speaker 5: just one big family. Sometimes we make the mistake of 180 00:09:38,920 --> 00:09:42,680 Speaker 5: judging a whole race by a few people. We make 181 00:09:42,800 --> 00:09:47,400 Speaker 5: sweeping generalizations, and it keeps us from enjoying who God puts. 182 00:09:47,200 --> 00:09:48,560 Speaker 4: In our life. 183 00:09:48,640 --> 00:09:50,680 Speaker 5: In high school, I had a good friend that was 184 00:09:50,679 --> 00:09:54,280 Speaker 5: from Mexico. He was one of the kindest, most respectful, 185 00:09:54,320 --> 00:09:56,720 Speaker 5: most fun people you could ever hope to be around. 186 00:09:57,000 --> 00:09:59,920 Speaker 5: We had a great time together. But I had another friend, 187 00:10:00,440 --> 00:10:03,640 Speaker 5: young white guy like myself, and I noticed that every 188 00:10:03,679 --> 00:10:06,360 Speaker 5: time I hung out with my Hispanic friend that he 189 00:10:06,400 --> 00:10:09,360 Speaker 5: wouldn't come around. One day, I asked him about it, 190 00:10:09,400 --> 00:10:11,000 Speaker 5: and please don't be offended. 191 00:10:11,040 --> 00:10:13,280 Speaker 4: This is what he said. He said, Joe, you're right, 192 00:10:13,600 --> 00:10:17,520 Speaker 4: I don't trust Mexicans. I said, you don't trust them? Why? 193 00:10:17,800 --> 00:10:21,040 Speaker 5: He said, because my father told me a long time 194 00:10:21,080 --> 00:10:24,199 Speaker 5: ago they stole something from us, and you just can't 195 00:10:24,240 --> 00:10:27,280 Speaker 5: trust them. I said, you mean you're going to judge 196 00:10:27,320 --> 00:10:30,679 Speaker 5: a whole race and stay away from them and live 197 00:10:30,720 --> 00:10:33,480 Speaker 5: in your little box because of one person that did 198 00:10:33,520 --> 00:10:35,160 Speaker 5: something wrong years. 199 00:10:34,880 --> 00:10:36,800 Speaker 4: Ago that you heard about. 200 00:10:37,400 --> 00:10:40,280 Speaker 5: He talked about a narrow point of view, but his 201 00:10:40,400 --> 00:10:42,720 Speaker 5: father had ingrained this in him. 202 00:10:43,120 --> 00:10:44,640 Speaker 4: Just stay with your own kind. 203 00:10:45,080 --> 00:10:48,800 Speaker 5: Don't associate with those people invisible walls. 204 00:10:48,440 --> 00:10:49,520 Speaker 4: That were holding him back. 205 00:10:50,360 --> 00:10:53,520 Speaker 5: I wonder how many of us have little prejudices that 206 00:10:53,559 --> 00:10:57,360 Speaker 5: had been passed down just subtle these stay away from 207 00:10:57,360 --> 00:10:57,920 Speaker 5: that group. 208 00:10:58,200 --> 00:11:00,959 Speaker 4: They're dishonest with those people. 209 00:11:01,000 --> 00:11:03,600 Speaker 5: They think they're too good. Don't hang out with that group. 210 00:11:03,640 --> 00:11:07,040 Speaker 5: They're far below you. I said to this friend, do 211 00:11:07,160 --> 00:11:11,400 Speaker 5: you realize there are dishonest white people, just like dishonest 212 00:11:11,400 --> 00:11:17,400 Speaker 5: people from other races. Plus there are also some incredibly kind, caring, friendly, honest, 213 00:11:17,880 --> 00:11:22,040 Speaker 5: genuine white people, Black people, Hispanic people, Asian people. Stop 214 00:11:22,160 --> 00:11:25,440 Speaker 5: judging a whole race by a few people. Don't let 215 00:11:25,559 --> 00:11:29,320 Speaker 5: statistics form your opinion before you even meet the people. 216 00:11:29,920 --> 00:11:33,320 Speaker 5: If you do, like my friend, these prejudices will get 217 00:11:33,360 --> 00:11:37,400 Speaker 5: passed from generation to generation. We end up not liking 218 00:11:37,440 --> 00:11:39,240 Speaker 5: somebody and we don't even know why. 219 00:11:39,320 --> 00:11:42,000 Speaker 4: It's just what we've heard. I'll never forget. 220 00:11:42,000 --> 00:11:44,000 Speaker 5: I saw on the news these little four and five 221 00:11:44,080 --> 00:11:47,040 Speaker 5: year old boys, this was in another country, that were 222 00:11:47,040 --> 00:11:49,559 Speaker 5: on a dirt road and they were throwing rocks at 223 00:11:49,559 --> 00:11:52,160 Speaker 5: these men that were passing by. There's been a lot 224 00:11:52,160 --> 00:11:55,640 Speaker 5: of fighting in this country. A reporter went over and 225 00:11:56,000 --> 00:11:57,640 Speaker 5: asked one of the little boys. 226 00:11:57,559 --> 00:11:59,959 Speaker 4: Why are you so angry? Why are you throwing rock? 227 00:12:00,559 --> 00:12:04,200 Speaker 4: He said, because these people are bad, They're mean, they're evil. 228 00:12:04,360 --> 00:12:06,920 Speaker 5: We hate them. The reporter said, how do you know? 229 00:12:07,240 --> 00:12:09,480 Speaker 5: Have you ever met them? A little boy said, no, 230 00:12:09,960 --> 00:12:11,080 Speaker 5: have you ever talked with them? 231 00:12:11,400 --> 00:12:11,439 Speaker 3: No? 232 00:12:12,040 --> 00:12:14,400 Speaker 4: Have you ever played with their children? No? Then how 233 00:12:14,400 --> 00:12:16,760 Speaker 4: do you know that they're so bad? The little boy 234 00:12:16,760 --> 00:12:17,520 Speaker 4: thought for a moment. 235 00:12:17,800 --> 00:12:21,439 Speaker 5: He said, because mommy and Daddy told me they were bad. 236 00:12:22,160 --> 00:12:25,200 Speaker 5: Think about it, five years old and all this hate 237 00:12:25,600 --> 00:12:29,760 Speaker 5: being ingrained in his heart. If he doesn't break that cycle, 238 00:12:30,160 --> 00:12:32,720 Speaker 5: he will grow up hating people that he's. 239 00:12:32,640 --> 00:12:35,360 Speaker 4: Never met, angry with people that. 240 00:12:35,240 --> 00:12:38,959 Speaker 5: He's never been to dinner with, avoiding someone that he's 241 00:12:39,040 --> 00:12:40,480 Speaker 5: never taken time to know. 242 00:12:41,280 --> 00:12:42,960 Speaker 4: Could it be that we do the same thing. 243 00:12:43,320 --> 00:12:46,520 Speaker 5: We avoid certain groups of people because of what we've 244 00:12:46,520 --> 00:12:49,959 Speaker 5: been told or because of what we saw model growing up. 245 00:12:51,080 --> 00:12:54,480 Speaker 5: Some people have never had a friend outside their own race. 246 00:12:54,920 --> 00:12:57,480 Speaker 4: They've never had a black friend, a white friend, an 247 00:12:57,480 --> 00:12:58,200 Speaker 4: Asian friend. 248 00:12:58,800 --> 00:13:01,760 Speaker 5: All they know is what they've been told, that all 249 00:13:01,840 --> 00:13:05,280 Speaker 5: white people are this, All Hispanic people are this, All 250 00:13:05,360 --> 00:13:06,280 Speaker 5: black people are this. 251 00:13:06,480 --> 00:13:10,199 Speaker 4: You better stay away, you'll get hurt. They're not for you. Now. 252 00:13:10,280 --> 00:13:12,840 Speaker 4: My prayer is, God make us color blind. 253 00:13:13,360 --> 00:13:17,560 Speaker 5: God help us to not look on the outside superficial things. 254 00:13:19,480 --> 00:13:21,839 Speaker 5: But God help us to see people for who they 255 00:13:21,880 --> 00:13:26,480 Speaker 5: really are, their gifts, their talents, their strengths, their personalities, 256 00:13:26,640 --> 00:13:31,560 Speaker 5: their uniqueness. The Living Translation says, in this new life, 257 00:13:32,000 --> 00:13:36,920 Speaker 5: one's race and nationality and social standing is not important. 258 00:13:37,360 --> 00:13:40,080 Speaker 5: What matters is that we are in Christ and He 259 00:13:40,240 --> 00:13:43,840 Speaker 5: is equally available to awe. We got to look past 260 00:13:44,040 --> 00:13:47,520 Speaker 5: the surface. I didn't do anything to get my skin color. 261 00:13:47,800 --> 00:13:51,160 Speaker 5: This is what God chose to give me this suit, 262 00:13:51,240 --> 00:13:54,520 Speaker 5: my dress is not who I am, where I live, 263 00:13:54,920 --> 00:13:57,280 Speaker 5: what I do. That's not the real me. The real 264 00:13:57,320 --> 00:14:03,000 Speaker 5: me is on the inside. Prejudice means to prejudge. When 265 00:14:03,040 --> 00:14:07,240 Speaker 5: I'm prejudiced, I judge you without even knowing you. I 266 00:14:07,320 --> 00:14:11,360 Speaker 5: form an opinion based on superficial things based on the outside. 267 00:14:11,679 --> 00:14:14,520 Speaker 5: You can't really know somebody by the outside. This is 268 00:14:14,559 --> 00:14:16,000 Speaker 5: simply the house. 269 00:14:15,720 --> 00:14:19,600 Speaker 4: That we live in. The real me is on the inside. 270 00:14:19,760 --> 00:14:22,160 Speaker 5: You can't really know me by just looking at me 271 00:14:22,280 --> 00:14:24,600 Speaker 5: and thinking, well, he's white and good looking. 272 00:14:27,000 --> 00:14:27,600 Speaker 4: That's true. 273 00:14:27,600 --> 00:14:30,960 Speaker 5: But the way you really know me, the way you 274 00:14:31,040 --> 00:14:34,080 Speaker 5: really know me, is by spending time with me, by 275 00:14:34,120 --> 00:14:37,280 Speaker 5: going to dinner with me, by hanging out together. Don't 276 00:14:37,360 --> 00:14:40,560 Speaker 5: make the mistake of judging people by the surface. I 277 00:14:40,600 --> 00:14:43,320 Speaker 5: talked to a lady about a year ago after the service, 278 00:14:43,320 --> 00:14:46,480 Speaker 5: and she was an African American woman, probably in her 279 00:14:46,960 --> 00:14:49,720 Speaker 5: early sixties, and I could tell that she did not 280 00:14:49,880 --> 00:14:52,280 Speaker 5: want to be here and she did not like me. 281 00:14:52,960 --> 00:14:54,480 Speaker 4: A friend talked her into coming. 282 00:14:54,960 --> 00:14:57,520 Speaker 5: In fact, this was the first time she had ever 283 00:14:57,560 --> 00:15:00,600 Speaker 5: been at a church with a white minister. She had 284 00:15:00,640 --> 00:15:04,880 Speaker 5: been raised by very angry, bitter, hateful people. It was 285 00:15:04,920 --> 00:15:08,480 Speaker 5: being passed from generation to generation. She made no bones 286 00:15:08,480 --> 00:15:11,120 Speaker 5: about it. She said, Joel, I don't like white people. 287 00:15:11,640 --> 00:15:14,360 Speaker 5: I resent the way we've been treated. It wasn't fair, 288 00:15:14,400 --> 00:15:17,520 Speaker 5: and on and on. And I'm not making light of 289 00:15:17,600 --> 00:15:19,920 Speaker 5: anything that's happened in the past, because there were some 290 00:15:20,080 --> 00:15:25,200 Speaker 5: terrible injustices, but we cannot undo the past. Hating a 291 00:15:25,240 --> 00:15:28,520 Speaker 5: group of people now because it's something that happened years 292 00:15:28,520 --> 00:15:31,040 Speaker 5: ago is not going to make it any better. You've 293 00:15:31,080 --> 00:15:33,840 Speaker 5: got to move forward with your life and trust God 294 00:15:33,960 --> 00:15:39,000 Speaker 5: to restore and repay what's owed you. And I asked her, 295 00:15:39,560 --> 00:15:42,320 Speaker 5: have you ever had a white friend? She said, no, never, 296 00:15:42,360 --> 00:15:44,240 Speaker 5: And I don't want a white friend. All white people 297 00:15:44,280 --> 00:15:47,360 Speaker 5: are bad. She started into it again. She was very bold, 298 00:15:47,360 --> 00:15:50,120 Speaker 5: and I was bold right back with her. I said, listen, 299 00:15:50,480 --> 00:15:53,120 Speaker 5: if you got to know me, you would like me. 300 00:15:53,680 --> 00:15:55,600 Speaker 5: I mean, look at this smile. Could you resist this? 301 00:15:55,720 --> 00:15:59,680 Speaker 5: And she didn't smile. I thought, oh lord, it didn't work. 302 00:16:01,360 --> 00:16:06,400 Speaker 5: This one's gonna take prayer and fasting. I called one 303 00:16:06,400 --> 00:16:09,400 Speaker 5: of our volunteers over, a young white girl. I looked 304 00:16:09,400 --> 00:16:11,560 Speaker 5: at that lady and I said, I dare you to 305 00:16:11,600 --> 00:16:14,280 Speaker 5: get to know her. I dare you to spend time 306 00:16:14,280 --> 00:16:17,120 Speaker 5: with her. I dare you to be open minded and 307 00:16:17,200 --> 00:16:18,680 Speaker 5: find out what she's really like. 308 00:16:19,440 --> 00:16:22,840 Speaker 4: She reluctantly agreed. I was surprised. 309 00:16:22,560 --> 00:16:25,400 Speaker 5: Today a year later, do you know who's here at 310 00:16:25,520 --> 00:16:28,560 Speaker 5: every one of our services, sitting by her new best friend, 311 00:16:28,840 --> 00:16:34,000 Speaker 5: This lady. You can hardly pull them apart. Sixty years 312 00:16:34,800 --> 00:16:37,000 Speaker 5: she let an invisible wall keep her back. 313 00:16:38,720 --> 00:16:42,320 Speaker 4: Sixty years she let hatred. 314 00:16:41,880 --> 00:16:45,120 Speaker 5: And bitterness and anger that had been ingrained in her 315 00:16:45,800 --> 00:16:48,320 Speaker 5: by hateful people keep her from God's best. 316 00:16:48,800 --> 00:16:49,760 Speaker 4: Don't let that be you. 317 00:16:50,600 --> 00:16:53,280 Speaker 5: I don't know what wrongs may have been done in 318 00:16:53,320 --> 00:16:56,280 Speaker 5: the past. Maybe in the natural, you have a valid 319 00:16:56,360 --> 00:16:59,520 Speaker 5: reason to be angry. To be bitter, to not like 320 00:17:00,320 --> 00:17:03,000 Speaker 5: people or a whole group of people. But I'm asking 321 00:17:03,040 --> 00:17:05,960 Speaker 5: you to let it go. This is a new day. 322 00:17:06,680 --> 00:17:09,800 Speaker 5: One bad experience doesn't mean the whole group is bad. 323 00:17:10,359 --> 00:17:14,080 Speaker 5: Get out of your comfort zone, be open minded, get to. 324 00:17:14,000 --> 00:17:15,960 Speaker 4: Know somebody that's not like you. 325 00:17:16,359 --> 00:17:20,439 Speaker 5: Find out for yourself what they're really like. Like this, lady, 326 00:17:20,600 --> 00:17:24,399 Speaker 5: I believe you'll be surprised. I saw a commercial on television. 327 00:17:24,440 --> 00:17:27,040 Speaker 5: It was had this little white girl out in the 328 00:17:27,080 --> 00:17:30,840 Speaker 5: park swinging on a swing set. In a few seconds, 329 00:17:31,080 --> 00:17:33,520 Speaker 5: a little black girl came in and joined her, then 330 00:17:33,560 --> 00:17:37,040 Speaker 5: a Hispanic girl, an Asian girl, an Indian girl, on 331 00:17:37,080 --> 00:17:40,800 Speaker 5: and on until there were fifteen or twenty different nationalities represented. 332 00:17:41,359 --> 00:17:44,400 Speaker 5: And it ended with the little white girl walking off 333 00:17:44,480 --> 00:17:48,639 Speaker 5: holding her mother's hand. Intrigued by all the different nationalities, 334 00:17:48,920 --> 00:17:53,520 Speaker 5: She said, Mommy, what color is Jesus? The mother said, honey, 335 00:17:53,920 --> 00:17:57,680 Speaker 5: Jesus is called the light of the world, and pure 336 00:17:57,760 --> 00:18:01,760 Speaker 5: light is made up of every color of the rainbow. 337 00:18:02,040 --> 00:18:06,520 Speaker 4: You asked me, Joel, what color is God? He's every color. 338 00:18:07,320 --> 00:18:09,960 Speaker 5: He's not just a white god, just a black god, 339 00:18:10,320 --> 00:18:13,560 Speaker 5: just a brown God. Not just an American God, African God, 340 00:18:13,680 --> 00:18:15,280 Speaker 5: Hispanic God, He's. 341 00:18:15,119 --> 00:18:16,920 Speaker 4: The God of all flesh. 342 00:18:17,200 --> 00:18:20,360 Speaker 5: God put a part of himself into every one of us. 343 00:18:21,080 --> 00:18:24,800 Speaker 5: That's why every person can say he's my God, he's 344 00:18:24,880 --> 00:18:29,879 Speaker 5: my savior, he's my redeemer. Now, some of you, you 345 00:18:30,000 --> 00:18:32,760 Speaker 5: need to let God out of your box. He's not 346 00:18:33,080 --> 00:18:36,520 Speaker 5: just a Baptist God, just a Catholic God, just a 347 00:18:36,560 --> 00:18:41,000 Speaker 5: Pentecostal God. God is bigger than any one group. He's 348 00:18:41,040 --> 00:18:45,479 Speaker 5: bigger than any one denomination. He is not an exclusive God. 349 00:18:45,800 --> 00:18:49,359 Speaker 5: He's an inclusive God. This God of ours, the God 350 00:18:49,359 --> 00:18:53,240 Speaker 5: of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. He loves the Muslims just 351 00:18:53,280 --> 00:18:55,840 Speaker 5: as much as he loves the Christians. He loves the 352 00:18:55,840 --> 00:18:58,520 Speaker 5: atheists just as much as he loves the believers. 353 00:19:00,000 --> 00:19:01,360 Speaker 4: And God will save. 354 00:19:01,320 --> 00:19:03,919 Speaker 5: Who he wants to save. He will bless who he 355 00:19:03,960 --> 00:19:07,479 Speaker 5: wants to bless. Sometimes we look at groups and think, well, 356 00:19:07,800 --> 00:19:08,400 Speaker 5: God will. 357 00:19:08,200 --> 00:19:09,119 Speaker 4: Never save them. 358 00:19:09,320 --> 00:19:11,639 Speaker 5: They don't worship the right way, they don't believe like 359 00:19:11,720 --> 00:19:14,640 Speaker 5: we do. Know I've learned, don't ever write anybody off. 360 00:19:15,280 --> 00:19:19,560 Speaker 5: In the Scripture, Saul of Tarsus hated Christians. He was 361 00:19:19,600 --> 00:19:22,680 Speaker 5: the one leading the opposition, having them put in prison. 362 00:19:23,080 --> 00:19:25,719 Speaker 5: But in a split second, God turned his life around. 363 00:19:25,920 --> 00:19:29,080 Speaker 5: He became the Apostle Paul and ended up writing over 364 00:19:29,119 --> 00:19:32,000 Speaker 5: half of the New Testament. Friends, God will save who 365 00:19:32,040 --> 00:19:36,240 Speaker 5: he wants to save. Quit writing off big groups. We're 366 00:19:36,280 --> 00:19:39,119 Speaker 5: not called to judge people, We're called to love people. 367 00:19:39,720 --> 00:19:42,160 Speaker 4: Well, you say, Joe, what group are you in? What 368 00:19:42,240 --> 00:19:43,240 Speaker 4: group is Lakewood? 369 00:19:43,280 --> 00:19:47,680 Speaker 5: Are y'all Baptists, Methodists, Pentecostals, Charismatics, independence, evangelical? 370 00:19:47,720 --> 00:19:48,199 Speaker 4: Who are you? 371 00:19:48,600 --> 00:19:51,040 Speaker 5: We're just a group of believers that love the Lord 372 00:19:51,119 --> 00:19:53,040 Speaker 5: and are excited about life. 373 00:19:56,320 --> 00:19:57,680 Speaker 4: I don't want any labels. 374 00:19:58,200 --> 00:20:00,360 Speaker 5: If you draw a circle and shut me out, I'm 375 00:20:00,359 --> 00:20:04,160 Speaker 5: gonna draw a bigger circle and shut you in. We 376 00:20:04,240 --> 00:20:07,200 Speaker 5: may not agree on everything, but that's not gonna keep 377 00:20:07,200 --> 00:20:10,400 Speaker 5: me from loving you. We may not see eye to eye, 378 00:20:10,640 --> 00:20:13,320 Speaker 5: but as long as your blood is red, I'm gonna 379 00:20:13,359 --> 00:20:16,119 Speaker 5: be kind and respectful and treat you like my brother. 380 00:20:16,440 --> 00:20:18,760 Speaker 5: I'm not gonna focus on what we don't agree on. 381 00:20:19,080 --> 00:20:22,000 Speaker 5: I'm gonna focus on what we do agree on. So 382 00:20:22,160 --> 00:20:25,679 Speaker 5: often we get focused on our groups and our denominations, 383 00:20:25,680 --> 00:20:27,760 Speaker 5: and we think we're the only ones that are right, 384 00:20:27,840 --> 00:20:30,359 Speaker 5: and nobody else we can associate with them. 385 00:20:31,080 --> 00:20:34,040 Speaker 4: It's funny. The church that Victoria grew have been They 386 00:20:34,040 --> 00:20:35,960 Speaker 4: thought they were the only ones going to heaven. 387 00:20:36,640 --> 00:20:38,560 Speaker 5: When we got married, I said, Victoria, would you go 388 00:20:38,640 --> 00:20:40,720 Speaker 5: ask them if I could please go to heaven too. 389 00:20:42,240 --> 00:20:44,240 Speaker 4: I never heard back, But whether they like it or not, 390 00:20:44,280 --> 00:20:45,520 Speaker 4: I'm gonna be up there with them. 391 00:20:47,800 --> 00:20:51,360 Speaker 5: We have to realize when we get to heaven, there's 392 00:20:51,400 --> 00:20:54,520 Speaker 5: not gonna be a Baptist section over here, Catholic session 393 00:20:54,560 --> 00:20:57,400 Speaker 5: over here. You Pentecosters are so loud, go back there 394 00:20:57,400 --> 00:21:00,520 Speaker 5: in the very back and a black section of white. No, 395 00:21:00,600 --> 00:21:04,120 Speaker 5: we're all going to be up there together, side by side. 396 00:21:04,400 --> 00:21:06,640 Speaker 5: Might as well learn to enjoy each other down here. 397 00:21:07,440 --> 00:21:09,800 Speaker 5: A lot of times we think, well, they're Baptist and 398 00:21:09,840 --> 00:21:12,400 Speaker 5: I'm Episcopalian. I don't have anything to do with them. 399 00:21:12,960 --> 00:21:16,639 Speaker 5: This happened back in Jesus' day. They said I'm of Paul, 400 00:21:17,160 --> 00:21:20,840 Speaker 5: I'm of Apolus. They were saying, I belong to this group, 401 00:21:20,880 --> 00:21:23,840 Speaker 5: and we don't associate with this other group. Now go 402 00:21:23,960 --> 00:21:27,520 Speaker 5: beyond that wall. We can all learn from each other. 403 00:21:28,359 --> 00:21:31,160 Speaker 5: One thing I'm sure of is I don't know everything. 404 00:21:31,920 --> 00:21:34,320 Speaker 5: I'll be the first to admit I don't have God 405 00:21:34,400 --> 00:21:35,160 Speaker 5: all figured out. 406 00:21:35,720 --> 00:21:36,560 Speaker 4: I stay open. 407 00:21:37,280 --> 00:21:40,359 Speaker 5: I constantly am listening to people that are outside my 408 00:21:40,480 --> 00:21:43,600 Speaker 5: camp that didn't grow up like me, that don't think 409 00:21:43,720 --> 00:21:47,160 Speaker 5: exactly like I do. You have to get past that 410 00:21:47,640 --> 00:21:50,240 Speaker 5: wall of tradition that says this is the way I 411 00:21:50,359 --> 00:21:51,280 Speaker 5: was raised, and this. 412 00:21:51,359 --> 00:21:54,560 Speaker 4: Is the only right way. This is the way we 413 00:21:54,600 --> 00:21:55,879 Speaker 4: worship Joel. 414 00:21:55,960 --> 00:21:58,240 Speaker 5: This is the church my family's been in for four 415 00:21:58,320 --> 00:22:01,440 Speaker 5: hundred and twenty seven years. If I even thought about 416 00:22:01,520 --> 00:22:04,440 Speaker 5: going to a place like Lakewood, my relatives. 417 00:22:03,920 --> 00:22:05,480 Speaker 4: Would turn over in their graves. 418 00:22:06,240 --> 00:22:08,960 Speaker 5: Now, if your relatives were alive today, they'd probably be 419 00:22:09,000 --> 00:22:13,400 Speaker 5: over here at Lakewood. They'd be celebrating God's goodness. This 420 00:22:13,440 --> 00:22:17,200 Speaker 5: is a new day. Go beyond the walls of tradition. 421 00:22:18,160 --> 00:22:20,679 Speaker 5: Some people are stuck in a church where they're not growing, 422 00:22:20,760 --> 00:22:24,760 Speaker 5: not being fed, no life, no victory, but it's tradition 423 00:22:24,920 --> 00:22:28,280 Speaker 5: that keeps them there. Listen, life is too short to 424 00:22:28,359 --> 00:22:31,480 Speaker 5: live that way. It's time to break free. It's time 425 00:22:31,520 --> 00:22:34,760 Speaker 5: to get out of a limited environment and go someplace 426 00:22:34,760 --> 00:22:37,560 Speaker 5: where they lift you up and not push you down. 427 00:22:38,040 --> 00:22:41,439 Speaker 5: Someplace where you're challenged to dream bigger, to go further, 428 00:22:41,720 --> 00:22:45,399 Speaker 5: to become all God's created you to be. This is 429 00:22:45,400 --> 00:22:49,840 Speaker 5: how Lakewood got started. My dad went beyond an invisible wall. 430 00:22:50,520 --> 00:22:53,919 Speaker 5: You see my father was raised Southern Baptist. It was 431 00:22:54,000 --> 00:22:57,960 Speaker 5: bred all throughout him. Dad is barber was Baptist, his 432 00:22:58,080 --> 00:23:01,879 Speaker 5: banker was Baptist, his grocery was Baptist. Even his dogs 433 00:23:01,880 --> 00:23:07,000 Speaker 5: were Baptists. He was so steeped in tradition, and it 434 00:23:07,119 --> 00:23:10,560 Speaker 5: wasn't said, but it was certainly felt that everybody else 435 00:23:10,680 --> 00:23:13,760 Speaker 5: was just a little below par, not quite up to 436 00:23:13,800 --> 00:23:17,639 Speaker 5: their standards. One day in the late nineteen fifties, some 437 00:23:17,720 --> 00:23:21,439 Speaker 5: of his staff told my father about this woman that 438 00:23:21,560 --> 00:23:24,280 Speaker 5: was holding a revival in town and was shaking the 439 00:23:24,280 --> 00:23:27,160 Speaker 5: whole city in They wanted my dad to go hear her. 440 00:23:27,480 --> 00:23:30,200 Speaker 5: It was a big deal. First off, she was a lady. 441 00:23:30,680 --> 00:23:34,320 Speaker 5: There weren't many women ministers back then. And secondly, she 442 00:23:34,440 --> 00:23:38,320 Speaker 5: was Pentecostal. Back then, the Pentecostals and the Baptists wouldn't 443 00:23:38,320 --> 00:23:39,480 Speaker 5: have anything to do with each other. 444 00:23:39,920 --> 00:23:40,880 Speaker 4: Third thing is. 445 00:23:40,840 --> 00:23:44,840 Speaker 5: When she ministered, she took her shoes off and ministered barefoot. 446 00:23:45,640 --> 00:23:49,400 Speaker 5: My father was a distinguished pastor the first Baptist church. 447 00:23:49,920 --> 00:23:52,520 Speaker 4: He said to his staff, are you kidding? You want 448 00:23:52,560 --> 00:23:55,919 Speaker 4: me to go here a barefoot woman preacher. I've got 449 00:23:55,960 --> 00:24:00,399 Speaker 4: a reputation. He was saying. She didn't belong to our group. 450 00:24:00,760 --> 00:24:04,880 Speaker 5: She's not in our camp an invisible wall. They finally 451 00:24:04,880 --> 00:24:07,959 Speaker 5: talked him into going. As the lady began to minister, 452 00:24:08,119 --> 00:24:10,600 Speaker 5: she talked about the love and the goodness of God, 453 00:24:10,640 --> 00:24:14,439 Speaker 5: and big tears started flowing down her cheeks, and my 454 00:24:14,600 --> 00:24:17,920 Speaker 5: father felt something that night that he had never felt before. 455 00:24:18,600 --> 00:24:22,400 Speaker 5: He left there determined to become everything God created him 456 00:24:22,400 --> 00:24:22,600 Speaker 5: to be. 457 00:24:23,359 --> 00:24:24,440 Speaker 4: Years later, my. 458 00:24:24,440 --> 00:24:27,240 Speaker 5: Dad couldn't even call the lady's name, yet he would 459 00:24:27,280 --> 00:24:30,679 Speaker 5: still credit her with giving him the courage to step 460 00:24:30,680 --> 00:24:33,920 Speaker 5: out and start Lakewood Church. And when you go beyond 461 00:24:34,040 --> 00:24:37,240 Speaker 5: invisible walls, you never know what's on the other side. 462 00:24:37,680 --> 00:24:42,119 Speaker 5: When you break free from tradition, when you get rid 463 00:24:42,200 --> 00:24:46,639 Speaker 5: of prejudice, you will step into favor and increase like 464 00:24:46,680 --> 00:24:50,000 Speaker 5: you've never seen before. In the scripture, there was a 465 00:24:50,000 --> 00:24:53,720 Speaker 5: man by the name of Cornelius. He was an Italian soldier, 466 00:24:54,200 --> 00:24:57,960 Speaker 5: very faithful, very generous. One day God spoke to him 467 00:24:57,960 --> 00:25:01,960 Speaker 5: and said, Cornelius, send me in down to Joppa to 468 00:25:02,080 --> 00:25:03,000 Speaker 5: Simon's house. 469 00:25:03,480 --> 00:25:05,520 Speaker 4: Peter will be staying there as a guest. 470 00:25:05,640 --> 00:25:07,800 Speaker 5: And they were to invite Peter to come back to 471 00:25:07,880 --> 00:25:12,840 Speaker 5: Cornelius's home. When these Italian men went to Joppa to 472 00:25:12,920 --> 00:25:16,680 Speaker 5: get Peter, a Jewish man that could have easily started 473 00:25:16,720 --> 00:25:21,720 Speaker 5: a conflict. They were two different cultures, different races, different 474 00:25:21,840 --> 00:25:25,920 Speaker 5: faiths even But while they were traveling, Peter had a dream, 475 00:25:26,320 --> 00:25:29,560 Speaker 5: and in this dream he saw meat coming down from 476 00:25:29,560 --> 00:25:33,200 Speaker 5: the four corners of the earth. This meat was considered 477 00:25:33,320 --> 00:25:36,680 Speaker 5: unclean and was forbidden by the Jewish law to eat. 478 00:25:37,080 --> 00:25:40,480 Speaker 5: Anyone that was serious about their Jewish faith, like Peter, 479 00:25:40,680 --> 00:25:41,280 Speaker 5: would never. 480 00:25:41,160 --> 00:25:42,280 Speaker 4: Eat this meat. 481 00:25:42,680 --> 00:25:46,119 Speaker 5: But in the dream, God said, Peter, rise up and 482 00:25:46,240 --> 00:25:50,880 Speaker 5: eat Peter said, not so, Lord, it's unclean. God said, no, no, Peter, 483 00:25:51,320 --> 00:25:53,720 Speaker 5: don't call unclean what I've cleaned. 484 00:25:53,760 --> 00:25:54,520 Speaker 4: Go ahead and need it. 485 00:25:55,080 --> 00:25:57,080 Speaker 5: Peter said again, O Lord, I'm not going to eat it. 486 00:25:57,080 --> 00:26:00,600 Speaker 4: It's not clean. Happened three times. Interesting. 487 00:26:01,240 --> 00:26:04,320 Speaker 5: Even though God was the one asking him to change, 488 00:26:04,560 --> 00:26:05,960 Speaker 5: Peter wasn't willing to do it. 489 00:26:06,280 --> 00:26:08,000 Speaker 4: God was the one that made the laws. 490 00:26:08,840 --> 00:26:12,600 Speaker 5: You could say that Peter loved his tradition more than 491 00:26:12,600 --> 00:26:16,639 Speaker 5: he loved God. This dream was about food, but really 492 00:26:16,680 --> 00:26:20,000 Speaker 5: it represented people. When Peter woke up, there was a 493 00:26:20,040 --> 00:26:23,359 Speaker 5: knock on the door. It was the Italian soldiers inviting 494 00:26:23,440 --> 00:26:30,359 Speaker 5: him to Cornelius's home. Understand, Cornelius was a gentile Gentiles back. 495 00:26:30,240 --> 00:26:31,800 Speaker 4: Then were considered unclean. 496 00:26:32,520 --> 00:26:35,480 Speaker 5: Up to this point, the Gospel had only been preached 497 00:26:35,480 --> 00:26:38,320 Speaker 5: to the Jews. Now Peter had to make a decision. 498 00:26:38,680 --> 00:26:41,600 Speaker 5: Was he going to let his culture, his tradition, his 499 00:26:41,720 --> 00:26:44,560 Speaker 5: background keep him from associating. 500 00:26:44,080 --> 00:26:47,119 Speaker 4: With people that were not like him. No, Peter was 501 00:26:47,200 --> 00:26:47,840 Speaker 4: bold enough. 502 00:26:47,880 --> 00:26:51,160 Speaker 5: He was radical enough to go beyond the invisible walls. 503 00:26:51,520 --> 00:26:55,120 Speaker 5: Now at Corneus's house, out of his comfort zone, out 504 00:26:55,160 --> 00:26:57,760 Speaker 5: of his culture, he began to share the good News. 505 00:26:58,400 --> 00:27:02,320 Speaker 5: Acts ten forty four says that while he was still ministering, 506 00:27:02,480 --> 00:27:05,560 Speaker 5: the Holy Spirit fell on all of them, and those 507 00:27:05,600 --> 00:27:08,800 Speaker 5: that were with Peter, the other Jews. They were astonished 508 00:27:09,040 --> 00:27:13,320 Speaker 5: because on the Gentiles, for the first time, the Holy Spirit. 509 00:27:13,119 --> 00:27:17,400 Speaker 4: Was poured out. Today you and I are enjoying God's goodness. 510 00:27:17,760 --> 00:27:20,199 Speaker 4: We have salvation. It's come to our house. 511 00:27:20,560 --> 00:27:25,800 Speaker 5: Because Peter was willing to go beyond tradition, culture, races, 512 00:27:26,000 --> 00:27:29,080 Speaker 5: even religion, and share with people that were not like him. 513 00:27:29,480 --> 00:27:32,720 Speaker 5: From that day forward, the church exploded. It went into 514 00:27:32,760 --> 00:27:36,960 Speaker 5: all races, all cultures all over the world. But had 515 00:27:37,040 --> 00:27:40,719 Speaker 5: God not prepared Peter's heart by giving him that dream, 516 00:27:41,200 --> 00:27:44,000 Speaker 5: I doubt that Peter would have ever gone to see Cornelius, 517 00:27:44,400 --> 00:27:47,040 Speaker 5: he probably would have never broken free from that tradition. 518 00:27:47,760 --> 00:27:51,840 Speaker 5: I believe today God is preparing our hearts to go 519 00:27:51,880 --> 00:27:57,040 Speaker 5: beyond invisible walls, beyond tradition, beyond what we're used to. 520 00:27:57,720 --> 00:28:02,199 Speaker 5: God is saying, broaden your life, get to know people 521 00:28:02,280 --> 00:28:05,840 Speaker 5: that are not just like you, get rid of tradition, 522 00:28:06,080 --> 00:28:09,680 Speaker 5: and don't let prejudices that have been passed down keep 523 00:28:09,720 --> 00:28:13,000 Speaker 5: you from the fullness of what God has in store. Remember, 524 00:28:13,040 --> 00:28:16,240 Speaker 5: our skin color is only a sixteenth of an inch deep. 525 00:28:16,920 --> 00:28:17,840 Speaker 4: Don't judge by. 526 00:28:17,760 --> 00:28:21,840 Speaker 5: The outside, find out what's on the inside. Friends, invisible 527 00:28:21,880 --> 00:28:25,320 Speaker 5: walls have held us back long enough. Let's go out 528 00:28:25,320 --> 00:28:28,160 Speaker 5: this week and get out of our comfort zones. Let's 529 00:28:28,200 --> 00:28:30,720 Speaker 5: be willing to be a friend to someone that we 530 00:28:30,800 --> 00:28:34,720 Speaker 5: might normally stay away from. If you do, their life 531 00:28:34,760 --> 00:28:37,439 Speaker 5: will not only be fuller, Your life will be fuller. 532 00:28:37,680 --> 00:28:40,960 Speaker 5: God will be pleased, He'll pour out his blessings in favor. 533 00:28:41,000 --> 00:28:43,800 Speaker 5: You'll rise higher and higher, and I believe and declare 534 00:28:43,840 --> 00:28:46,240 Speaker 5: you'll live that life of victory He has in store. 535 00:28:46,280 --> 00:28:47,640 Speaker 4: Amen, do you receive it today? 536 00:28:48,920 --> 00:28:49,080 Speaker 2: Well? 537 00:28:49,080 --> 00:28:51,680 Speaker 5: We never like to close our broadcast without giving you 538 00:28:51,720 --> 00:28:54,480 Speaker 5: an opportunity to make Jesus the Lord of your life. 539 00:28:54,640 --> 00:28:58,680 Speaker 4: Would you pray with me? Just say, Lord Jesus, I 540 00:28:58,800 --> 00:29:03,440 Speaker 4: repent of my sins. Come into my heart. I make 541 00:29:03,480 --> 00:29:04,840 Speaker 4: you my Lord and savior. 542 00:29:06,240 --> 00:29:08,640 Speaker 5: Friends, if you prayed that simple prayer, we believe you 543 00:29:08,720 --> 00:29:11,600 Speaker 5: got born again. Get in a good Bible based church. 544 00:29:11,880 --> 00:29:13,160 Speaker 5: Keep God first place. 545 00:29:13,400 --> 00:29:15,760 Speaker 4: He's going to take your places that you've never dreamed of. 546 00:29:16,560 --> 00:29:20,000 Speaker 4: Thank you for listening to the Joel Oustine podcast. Help 547 00:29:20,080 --> 00:29:22,800 Speaker 4: us continue to share the message of hope with those 548 00:29:22,920 --> 00:29:23,800 Speaker 4: all over the world. 549 00:29:24,160 --> 00:29:27,840 Speaker 2: Visit joelostin dot com slash give Hope to give a 550 00:29:27,880 --> 00:29:28,560 Speaker 2: gift today. 551 00:29:29,840 --> 00:29:32,280 Speaker 4: Thanks so much for listening to today's message. 552 00:29:32,400 --> 00:29:35,160 Speaker 5: I hope you'll subscribe so you can receive the latest 553 00:29:35,200 --> 00:29:36,600 Speaker 5: podcast to keep you. 554 00:29:36,680 --> 00:29:39,719 Speaker 4: Inspired all through the week. We're praying for you. I 555 00:29:39,760 --> 00:29:42,640 Speaker 4: know God's best is still ahead. We'll see you next time.