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See terms and conditions at UNEs dot co. 33 00:01:31,280 --> 00:01:33,040 Speaker 5: Hi, this is Joel and Victoria. 34 00:01:33,080 --> 00:01:36,120 Speaker 6: Thanks for listening to our podcast and thanks for supporting 35 00:01:36,120 --> 00:01:36,800 Speaker 6: the ministry. 36 00:01:36,920 --> 00:01:39,280 Speaker 3: If you enjoy today's message, why don't you be a 37 00:01:39,319 --> 00:01:40,840 Speaker 3: blessing and share it with a friend. 38 00:01:41,160 --> 00:01:43,880 Speaker 6: We appreciate you and pray for God's very best in 39 00:01:43,959 --> 00:01:48,080 Speaker 6: your life. 40 00:01:55,600 --> 00:01:58,560 Speaker 5: God bless you to joy to come into your homes. 41 00:01:58,760 --> 00:02:00,000 Speaker 4: We love you. 42 00:02:00,040 --> 00:02:02,320 Speaker 6: If you're ever in our area, I hope you'll stop 43 00:02:02,320 --> 00:02:04,280 Speaker 6: buy and be a part of one of our services. 44 00:02:04,480 --> 00:02:06,680 Speaker 6: I promise you we'll make you feel right at home. 45 00:02:06,880 --> 00:02:09,400 Speaker 6: But thanks so much for tuning in today and thanks 46 00:02:09,400 --> 00:02:11,920 Speaker 6: again for coming out. I'd like to start each week 47 00:02:11,919 --> 00:02:14,240 Speaker 6: with something funny and I should mention this. 48 00:02:14,240 --> 00:02:15,840 Speaker 4: This was sent to me from a woman. 49 00:02:16,720 --> 00:02:19,640 Speaker 6: But according to the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, 50 00:02:20,080 --> 00:02:24,680 Speaker 6: while both male and female reindeer grow antlers in the summer, 51 00:02:25,280 --> 00:02:28,480 Speaker 6: male reindeer lose their antlers at the start of winter 52 00:02:28,919 --> 00:02:33,560 Speaker 6: in late November. Female reindeer keep their antlers until spring. 53 00:02:34,200 --> 00:02:38,360 Speaker 6: This means all of Santa's reindeer, from Rudolph to Blitzen 54 00:02:38,560 --> 00:02:39,520 Speaker 6: had to be female. 55 00:02:40,160 --> 00:02:42,240 Speaker 4: She goes on to say, we should have. 56 00:02:42,280 --> 00:02:45,440 Speaker 6: Known only women would be able to drag around a 57 00:02:45,520 --> 00:02:49,840 Speaker 6: fat man in a red velvet suit all around the 58 00:02:49,840 --> 00:02:55,120 Speaker 6: world in one night and not get lost. All right, 59 00:02:57,360 --> 00:03:01,000 Speaker 6: I don't know about you men, but I'm offended. Hould 60 00:03:01,040 --> 00:03:03,480 Speaker 6: your Bible up say it like you mean it. This 61 00:03:03,560 --> 00:03:06,040 Speaker 6: is my Bible. I am what it says. I am. 62 00:03:06,480 --> 00:03:07,840 Speaker 4: I have what it says I have. 63 00:03:08,360 --> 00:03:11,040 Speaker 6: I can do what it says I can do. Today 64 00:03:11,160 --> 00:03:14,600 Speaker 6: I will be taught the word of God. I boldly confess. 65 00:03:15,000 --> 00:03:18,560 Speaker 6: My mind is alert, my heart is receptive. I will 66 00:03:18,600 --> 00:03:22,200 Speaker 6: never be the same. In Jesus' name, God bless you. 67 00:03:23,240 --> 00:03:26,600 Speaker 6: I want to talk to you today about developing your pearl. 68 00:03:27,560 --> 00:03:31,600 Speaker 6: Pearls are made from irritations and oyster feeds. Off the 69 00:03:31,600 --> 00:03:34,800 Speaker 6: bottom of the ocean, and occasionally it will get a 70 00:03:34,800 --> 00:03:39,040 Speaker 6: grain of sand lodged on the inside. That sand causes 71 00:03:39,080 --> 00:03:40,560 Speaker 6: the oyster discomfort. 72 00:03:41,080 --> 00:03:42,360 Speaker 4: It doesn't like it. 73 00:03:42,360 --> 00:03:44,600 Speaker 6: It rubs and rubs trying to get rid of it, 74 00:03:45,000 --> 00:03:50,440 Speaker 6: but eventually it's formed into a beautiful pearl. Pearls are expensive. 75 00:03:51,080 --> 00:03:54,720 Speaker 6: People pay thousands of dollars for pearls. Ladies wear them 76 00:03:54,760 --> 00:03:58,520 Speaker 6: around their neck. But the fact is that pearl is 77 00:03:58,640 --> 00:04:00,640 Speaker 6: birthed out of something un comfortable. 78 00:04:01,400 --> 00:04:04,400 Speaker 4: The oyster would have preferred to not deal with it. 79 00:04:04,920 --> 00:04:07,400 Speaker 6: If you could ask it, it would say, I don't 80 00:04:07,520 --> 00:04:11,320 Speaker 6: like being uncomfortable. Don't give me any more. Irritations make 81 00:04:11,360 --> 00:04:17,440 Speaker 6: everything easy. No, God designed the irritation to become something beautiful, 82 00:04:17,720 --> 00:04:21,000 Speaker 6: to make it more valuable. In the same way, every 83 00:04:21,120 --> 00:04:25,040 Speaker 6: irritation in our life is designed to become a pearl. 84 00:04:25,880 --> 00:04:29,160 Speaker 6: The scripture talks about how God is the potter and 85 00:04:29,200 --> 00:04:32,599 Speaker 6: we are the clay. One way that God forms us 86 00:04:32,640 --> 00:04:35,719 Speaker 6: and molds us is by allowing us to be in 87 00:04:35,800 --> 00:04:40,800 Speaker 6: situations where we're uncomfortable. We're not getting our way, we're 88 00:04:40,839 --> 00:04:44,120 Speaker 6: not being treated right. It's not happening as fast as 89 00:04:44,120 --> 00:04:48,440 Speaker 6: we would like. This pressure brings to light impurities in 90 00:04:48,480 --> 00:04:55,960 Speaker 6: our character, things like pride, selfishness, being critical, being easily offended. 91 00:04:55,720 --> 00:04:57,240 Speaker 4: Things that we need to get rid of. 92 00:04:57,880 --> 00:05:01,400 Speaker 6: We may not like it, but God used is every situation, 93 00:05:02,080 --> 00:05:05,440 Speaker 6: every traffic jam, every person that's hard to deal with, 94 00:05:05,880 --> 00:05:07,040 Speaker 6: every time we could get. 95 00:05:06,880 --> 00:05:07,760 Speaker 4: Our feelings hurt. 96 00:05:08,240 --> 00:05:11,200 Speaker 6: We need to remind ourselves this is only a test. 97 00:05:11,680 --> 00:05:15,000 Speaker 6: This is an opportunity to come up higher. See, the 98 00:05:15,080 --> 00:05:19,599 Speaker 6: irritation was never designed to frustrate you. It was designed 99 00:05:19,640 --> 00:05:22,800 Speaker 6: to help you grow, to help you develop that pearl. 100 00:05:23,440 --> 00:05:27,560 Speaker 6: Now I've learned you can't pray away every uncomfortable situation. 101 00:05:28,480 --> 00:05:30,360 Speaker 4: You can't rebuke every trial. 102 00:05:31,160 --> 00:05:34,520 Speaker 6: God allows difficulties to help grow us up. 103 00:05:35,440 --> 00:05:37,400 Speaker 4: He uses people that are hard. 104 00:05:37,200 --> 00:05:40,599 Speaker 6: To get along with like sandpaper to rub the rough 105 00:05:40,680 --> 00:05:44,240 Speaker 6: edges off of us. And if we don't understand how 106 00:05:44,279 --> 00:05:47,839 Speaker 6: God operates and the process he uses, then we'll go 107 00:05:47,920 --> 00:05:52,159 Speaker 6: through life frustrated, wondering why God's not answering our prayers, 108 00:05:52,480 --> 00:05:55,040 Speaker 6: trying to run from everything that's difficult. 109 00:05:55,440 --> 00:06:00,480 Speaker 4: Joel, my supervisor gets on my nerves. He's inconsiderate. I 110 00:06:00,520 --> 00:06:01,599 Speaker 4: don't have to put up with this. 111 00:06:01,720 --> 00:06:04,680 Speaker 6: I'm gonna leave this job. So have you ever thought 112 00:06:04,720 --> 00:06:07,520 Speaker 6: about God? May have put him in your life to 113 00:06:07,600 --> 00:06:11,200 Speaker 6: help develop your pearl, so you could learn to love 114 00:06:11,279 --> 00:06:13,839 Speaker 6: those that are not lovely, so you could learn to 115 00:06:13,880 --> 00:06:15,960 Speaker 6: be good to people that are not being good to you, 116 00:06:16,440 --> 00:06:20,640 Speaker 6: so you could develop patience, kindness, long suffering. 117 00:06:21,400 --> 00:06:23,000 Speaker 4: You know what long suffering is. 118 00:06:23,240 --> 00:06:26,599 Speaker 6: It's when you have to suffer a long time putting 119 00:06:26,680 --> 00:06:29,839 Speaker 6: up with something that you don't like. I learn long 120 00:06:29,920 --> 00:06:35,280 Speaker 6: suffering growing up with my brother Paul. If every irritation 121 00:06:35,480 --> 00:06:37,479 Speaker 6: can become a pearl. He helped me to have a 122 00:06:37,480 --> 00:06:41,839 Speaker 6: whole strand. Between him and my sister Lisa, I could 123 00:06:41,880 --> 00:06:42,280 Speaker 6: open up. 124 00:06:42,200 --> 00:06:43,040 Speaker 4: A jewelry store. 125 00:06:44,160 --> 00:06:46,919 Speaker 6: But if you leave that job because the boss is 126 00:06:46,960 --> 00:06:49,760 Speaker 6: hard and you don't let God do the work in you, 127 00:06:50,320 --> 00:06:53,240 Speaker 6: that next position you take, there'll be two more people 128 00:06:53,360 --> 00:06:56,920 Speaker 6: just like him. That's God having you on the Potter's will, 129 00:06:57,120 --> 00:07:00,640 Speaker 6: spinning you around and around. He'll give you another opportunity 130 00:07:00,680 --> 00:07:05,880 Speaker 6: to pass that test. But understand that irritation, just like 131 00:07:05,960 --> 00:07:10,760 Speaker 6: the oyster, is not God trying to make our lives miserable. No. 132 00:07:10,920 --> 00:07:14,840 Speaker 4: God knows there's a pearl in you waiting to be formed. 133 00:07:15,480 --> 00:07:18,560 Speaker 6: The only way it can be developed is by passing 134 00:07:18,600 --> 00:07:22,440 Speaker 6: these tests, by being kind to a coworker that's not 135 00:07:22,600 --> 00:07:25,760 Speaker 6: kind to you. By biting your tongue when you feel 136 00:07:25,760 --> 00:07:29,080 Speaker 6: like telling somebody off, by keeping a good attitude even 137 00:07:29,120 --> 00:07:32,720 Speaker 6: when you get stuck in traffic, those are opportunities to 138 00:07:32,840 --> 00:07:36,600 Speaker 6: develop our pearl and our attitude should be. If this 139 00:07:36,680 --> 00:07:39,840 Speaker 6: is where God has me, I must need it. I'm 140 00:07:39,880 --> 00:07:42,280 Speaker 6: not going to fight against it. I'm not going to 141 00:07:42,320 --> 00:07:45,600 Speaker 6: try to pray it away. I'm going to embrace the 142 00:07:45,640 --> 00:07:48,720 Speaker 6: place where I am. I know God's given me the 143 00:07:48,760 --> 00:07:51,840 Speaker 6: grace to be here. He's got me on the Potter's wheel. 144 00:07:52,240 --> 00:07:55,000 Speaker 6: So I'm going to keep a good attitude, knowing right 145 00:07:55,080 --> 00:07:59,520 Speaker 6: beyond this irritation is a beautiful pearl. You may be 146 00:07:59,720 --> 00:08:02,240 Speaker 6: unc comfortable and kind of have to suffer through it. 147 00:08:02,680 --> 00:08:05,240 Speaker 6: But if you'll stay on the wheel, if you'll be 148 00:08:05,320 --> 00:08:08,480 Speaker 6: willing to change and not try to pray away every 149 00:08:08,520 --> 00:08:12,280 Speaker 6: traffic jam and pray away every difficult person. But let 150 00:08:12,320 --> 00:08:15,840 Speaker 6: God use that to refine you, to develop your character. 151 00:08:16,560 --> 00:08:17,560 Speaker 4: That's when you grow. 152 00:08:18,080 --> 00:08:20,440 Speaker 6: When you pass those tests, you'll step. 153 00:08:20,120 --> 00:08:21,960 Speaker 4: Into a new level of your destiny. 154 00:08:22,640 --> 00:08:27,040 Speaker 6: And Paul said in Romans eight eighteen, these present sufferings 155 00:08:27,440 --> 00:08:32,520 Speaker 6: are nothing compared to the glory that's coming Paul was mistreated, 156 00:08:33,000 --> 00:08:36,480 Speaker 6: lied about, persecuted. He had to put up with all 157 00:08:36,600 --> 00:08:40,720 Speaker 6: kinds of unfair things, but he didn't complain. He didn't 158 00:08:40,760 --> 00:08:44,840 Speaker 6: try to run from every difficult situation. He said, in effect, 159 00:08:45,240 --> 00:08:48,160 Speaker 6: these hard times, these irritations are. 160 00:08:48,000 --> 00:08:50,960 Speaker 4: No big deal. They're helping to develop my pearl. 161 00:08:51,280 --> 00:08:53,280 Speaker 6: I know God's going to use them to do a 162 00:08:53,320 --> 00:08:56,719 Speaker 6: work in me. The scripture talks about how if we're 163 00:08:56,760 --> 00:08:59,880 Speaker 6: going to share in Christ's glory, we're going to have 164 00:09:00,120 --> 00:09:04,440 Speaker 6: to be willing to share in his sufferings. This suffering 165 00:09:04,520 --> 00:09:11,600 Speaker 6: doesn't mean accidents, tragedy, cancer, injustice, abuse. I'm not telling 166 00:09:11,640 --> 00:09:14,160 Speaker 6: you to put up with those things we stand against that. 167 00:09:14,760 --> 00:09:17,760 Speaker 6: The suffering this is talking about is when we have 168 00:09:17,880 --> 00:09:21,560 Speaker 6: to say no to our flesh and not get upset 169 00:09:21,720 --> 00:09:24,840 Speaker 6: when we don't get our way and treat someone right 170 00:09:25,000 --> 00:09:28,480 Speaker 6: that's treating us wrong, and stay in faith even though 171 00:09:28,480 --> 00:09:33,800 Speaker 6: it's unfair. When we pass those tests, our flesh, that's 172 00:09:33,840 --> 00:09:35,480 Speaker 6: the natural part of us, is. 173 00:09:35,440 --> 00:09:36,400 Speaker 4: Not going to like it. 174 00:09:36,880 --> 00:09:39,320 Speaker 6: We're going to be uncomfortable, and we're going to do 175 00:09:39,360 --> 00:09:41,840 Speaker 6: and to do what we feel. But if you will 176 00:09:41,880 --> 00:09:44,920 Speaker 6: stay on the high road and be willing to suffer 177 00:09:45,040 --> 00:09:49,520 Speaker 6: through that period, of being uncomfortable. Then you're allowing God 178 00:09:49,600 --> 00:09:53,960 Speaker 6: to refine you. Your character is being developed, that pearl 179 00:09:54,160 --> 00:09:58,839 Speaker 6: is being polished. The scripture talks about Timothy said, how 180 00:09:58,880 --> 00:10:02,880 Speaker 6: there are different level that we can grow into vessels 181 00:10:02,880 --> 00:10:06,520 Speaker 6: of clay and wood use for ordinary purposes. 182 00:10:07,320 --> 00:10:08,319 Speaker 4: But if you'll let. 183 00:10:08,160 --> 00:10:12,400 Speaker 6: God refine you, if you'll be willing to change and 184 00:10:12,440 --> 00:10:15,720 Speaker 6: you don't get stuck at one level in your attitude 185 00:10:16,160 --> 00:10:19,160 Speaker 6: and how you treat people and how you handle disappointment, 186 00:10:19,480 --> 00:10:22,560 Speaker 6: but you continue to let God refine you, then you 187 00:10:22,600 --> 00:10:27,040 Speaker 6: will become a vessel of gold used for God's highest purposes. 188 00:10:27,880 --> 00:10:30,240 Speaker 6: A lot of people get stuck at clay, at wood, 189 00:10:30,320 --> 00:10:33,240 Speaker 6: at silver, but I know today I'm looking at people 190 00:10:33,360 --> 00:10:33,599 Speaker 6: like me. 191 00:10:34,040 --> 00:10:35,320 Speaker 4: We are going for the gold. 192 00:10:36,480 --> 00:10:38,960 Speaker 6: But we all start off at the exact same place. 193 00:10:39,360 --> 00:10:46,719 Speaker 6: We're a lump of hard clay. We've got impurities, pride, selfishness, impatience, anger, resentment. 194 00:10:47,200 --> 00:10:50,160 Speaker 6: And God puts us on the potter's wheel, begins to 195 00:10:50,200 --> 00:10:53,480 Speaker 6: spin us around, and he comes across one of those lumps, 196 00:10:53,520 --> 00:10:57,400 Speaker 6: those impurities. He will put us in a situation to 197 00:10:57,480 --> 00:11:00,520 Speaker 6: work that out of us. The key is to pass 198 00:11:00,600 --> 00:11:04,320 Speaker 6: the test. Don't fight against everything that you don't like. 199 00:11:05,040 --> 00:11:09,439 Speaker 6: Learn to overlook an offense, make allowances for somebody that's 200 00:11:09,440 --> 00:11:12,480 Speaker 6: hard to get along with. Quit getting your feelings hurt 201 00:11:12,600 --> 00:11:16,040 Speaker 6: because they offended you. Toughen up and pass those tests. 202 00:11:16,320 --> 00:11:18,480 Speaker 6: Let the irritation become a pearl. 203 00:11:19,360 --> 00:11:19,960 Speaker 4: Here's a key. 204 00:11:20,800 --> 00:11:23,880 Speaker 6: If you're praying about a situation and God is not 205 00:11:24,040 --> 00:11:28,080 Speaker 6: removing it, it's not changing, that's a sign that God's 206 00:11:28,160 --> 00:11:31,319 Speaker 6: using it to do a work in you. When we 207 00:11:31,320 --> 00:11:35,079 Speaker 6: were trying to acquire this facility, I prayed, I believed 208 00:11:35,280 --> 00:11:38,040 Speaker 6: I stood in faith, but it didn't look like anything 209 00:11:38,160 --> 00:11:42,560 Speaker 6: was happening. Month after month went by, even year after year. 210 00:11:43,000 --> 00:11:48,640 Speaker 6: We had all kinds of opposition, two lawsuits, battle after battle. Finally, 211 00:11:48,720 --> 00:11:51,600 Speaker 6: three and a half years later, God gave us the victory. 212 00:11:52,360 --> 00:11:56,200 Speaker 6: What's interesting is God could have given us the victory 213 00:11:56,240 --> 00:11:59,200 Speaker 6: the first week just as easily as he gave it 214 00:11:59,240 --> 00:12:00,920 Speaker 6: to us and a half years later. 215 00:12:01,559 --> 00:12:04,000 Speaker 4: He's God. It wouldn't have been any big deal. 216 00:12:04,440 --> 00:12:06,880 Speaker 6: He could have just said to the angels, make it happen. 217 00:12:07,320 --> 00:12:11,240 Speaker 6: He would have saved a so much struggle, so much effort. 218 00:12:11,640 --> 00:12:14,439 Speaker 6: But do you know, during those three and a half years, 219 00:12:14,840 --> 00:12:17,640 Speaker 6: I learned to trust God like I had never trusted 220 00:12:17,720 --> 00:12:22,200 Speaker 6: him before. Some things you can only learn by experience. 221 00:12:22,800 --> 00:12:25,400 Speaker 6: You have to go through the fire, so to speak, 222 00:12:25,559 --> 00:12:29,520 Speaker 6: for that pearl to be developed. Those three and a 223 00:12:29,600 --> 00:12:33,920 Speaker 6: half years, I was uncomfortable. There was pressure, not knowing 224 00:12:33,960 --> 00:12:38,080 Speaker 6: what was going to happen. But without that irritation, I 225 00:12:38,120 --> 00:12:41,480 Speaker 6: would have never developed the pearl of really learning how 226 00:12:41,480 --> 00:12:44,640 Speaker 6: to trust God. We can say all day long, God, 227 00:12:44,679 --> 00:12:47,920 Speaker 6: I trust you, God, I believe you. But when you're 228 00:12:47,960 --> 00:12:51,160 Speaker 6: put in a situation where you have to use your 229 00:12:51,200 --> 00:12:54,360 Speaker 6: spiritual muscles, where you have to show God what you're 230 00:12:54,400 --> 00:12:58,640 Speaker 6: made of, that's where you prove what you believe. And 231 00:12:58,679 --> 00:13:01,080 Speaker 6: some of you are there right now in what the 232 00:13:01,120 --> 00:13:05,280 Speaker 6: scripture talks about the fire of affliction, where you could 233 00:13:05,320 --> 00:13:08,760 Speaker 6: either give up and get sour, or you can dig 234 00:13:08,800 --> 00:13:11,280 Speaker 6: your heels in and say, God, I'm going to show 235 00:13:11,280 --> 00:13:14,040 Speaker 6: you what I'm made of. I'm going to forgive that 236 00:13:14,160 --> 00:13:17,480 Speaker 6: person that hurt me. I'm going to keep believing even 237 00:13:17,480 --> 00:13:18,719 Speaker 6: though it looks impossible. 238 00:13:19,040 --> 00:13:21,760 Speaker 4: I'm going to stay in faith even though it was unfair. 239 00:13:22,600 --> 00:13:26,840 Speaker 6: Listen, when you pass those tests, something is deposited on 240 00:13:26,880 --> 00:13:28,360 Speaker 6: the inside. 241 00:13:27,960 --> 00:13:29,360 Speaker 4: That nothing can take away. 242 00:13:29,840 --> 00:13:33,840 Speaker 6: There's a trust, a confidence, a knowing that can only 243 00:13:33,880 --> 00:13:37,840 Speaker 6: be developed by going through the fire of affliction. Now 244 00:13:37,840 --> 00:13:41,920 Speaker 6: I've learned that God is not as interested in changing 245 00:13:41,960 --> 00:13:46,880 Speaker 6: my circumstances as he is in changing me. Where you 246 00:13:47,000 --> 00:13:50,240 Speaker 6: are is not near as important as who you are. 247 00:13:51,160 --> 00:13:54,000 Speaker 6: While God is changing the where, allow. 248 00:13:53,880 --> 00:13:56,440 Speaker 4: Him to change the who. He wants to bring the 249 00:13:56,480 --> 00:13:57,280 Speaker 4: pearl out of you. 250 00:13:58,240 --> 00:14:02,200 Speaker 6: The question I asked myself often is how much have 251 00:14:02,320 --> 00:14:05,520 Speaker 6: I grown in the last five years? Do I have 252 00:14:05,559 --> 00:14:09,520 Speaker 6: a better attitude? Do I trust God more? Do I 253 00:14:09,559 --> 00:14:13,040 Speaker 6: treat people better? Am I more patient? Do I forgive 254 00:14:13,200 --> 00:14:17,600 Speaker 6: quicker friends? We should be growing, We should be bearing 255 00:14:17,640 --> 00:14:20,480 Speaker 6: more fruit. We shouldn't be at the same place this 256 00:14:20,600 --> 00:14:24,360 Speaker 6: year as we are last year. If you're still getting 257 00:14:24,440 --> 00:14:27,840 Speaker 6: upset over the same things that you were five years ago, 258 00:14:28,080 --> 00:14:29,240 Speaker 6: let me put it real direct. 259 00:14:29,600 --> 00:14:30,880 Speaker 4: It's time to grow up. 260 00:14:31,640 --> 00:14:35,360 Speaker 6: If five years ago that same person is getting on 261 00:14:35,400 --> 00:14:39,280 Speaker 6: your nerves and they're still stealing your joy, you need 262 00:14:39,320 --> 00:14:42,800 Speaker 6: to look inside and make some changes. God is not 263 00:14:42,920 --> 00:14:45,960 Speaker 6: going to change them. He wants to use them to 264 00:14:46,080 --> 00:14:51,200 Speaker 6: change you. Life is flying by. We cannot waste the 265 00:14:51,320 --> 00:14:56,000 Speaker 6: time going around the same mountain year after year, Like 266 00:14:56,040 --> 00:14:56,720 Speaker 6: the people of. 267 00:14:56,680 --> 00:14:58,520 Speaker 4: Israel headed toward the Promised Land. 268 00:14:59,000 --> 00:15:01,880 Speaker 6: Do you remember and that was an eleven day journey 269 00:15:02,240 --> 00:15:05,440 Speaker 6: that took them forty years to make you and I 270 00:15:05,520 --> 00:15:09,160 Speaker 6: cannot afford forty years to learn lessons that we can 271 00:15:09,240 --> 00:15:12,240 Speaker 6: easily learn in a fraction of the time. You got 272 00:15:12,280 --> 00:15:14,360 Speaker 6: to dig your heels in, put your foot down and 273 00:15:14,400 --> 00:15:15,120 Speaker 6: say that's it. 274 00:15:15,480 --> 00:15:16,480 Speaker 4: This is a new day. 275 00:15:16,920 --> 00:15:19,200 Speaker 6: I'm not going to keep going around that same mountain 276 00:15:19,680 --> 00:15:22,480 Speaker 6: having a bad attitude every time I don't get my way, 277 00:15:23,440 --> 00:15:27,080 Speaker 6: arguing with my spouse over the same petty issues, giving 278 00:15:27,120 --> 00:15:31,240 Speaker 6: into the same temptation time and time again. Now look inside, 279 00:15:31,520 --> 00:15:34,640 Speaker 6: determine you're going to make the changes. The sooner you 280 00:15:34,760 --> 00:15:37,760 Speaker 6: start passing these tests, the better off you're going to be. 281 00:15:38,360 --> 00:15:40,680 Speaker 4: There's a pearl in you. 282 00:15:40,680 --> 00:15:43,200 Speaker 6: You may have a lot of rough edges, you may 283 00:15:43,240 --> 00:15:46,200 Speaker 6: have a thousand areas you need to improve in. But 284 00:15:46,320 --> 00:15:50,000 Speaker 6: know this, as long as you're moving forward, God is 285 00:15:50,000 --> 00:15:53,720 Speaker 6: pleased with you. As long as you're making progress, even 286 00:15:53,760 --> 00:15:55,400 Speaker 6: if it's small, God is up in. 287 00:15:55,400 --> 00:15:56,520 Speaker 4: The heavens cheering you on. 288 00:15:57,240 --> 00:15:59,600 Speaker 6: But if your attitude is no better now than it 289 00:15:59,680 --> 00:16:02,480 Speaker 6: was five years ago, God is saying, come on, now, 290 00:16:02,920 --> 00:16:05,960 Speaker 6: let's get busy. He's got you on the Potter's will. 291 00:16:06,640 --> 00:16:09,560 Speaker 6: You can pray all day long. God deliver me from 292 00:16:09,600 --> 00:16:13,200 Speaker 6: these rude people. God take away all these inconveniences. God, 293 00:16:13,280 --> 00:16:16,160 Speaker 6: change my spouse is not going to happen. God wants 294 00:16:16,160 --> 00:16:19,880 Speaker 6: you to change. You've got to pass that test. Every 295 00:16:19,960 --> 00:16:23,600 Speaker 6: time you pass it, it will get easier and easier 296 00:16:23,640 --> 00:16:28,280 Speaker 6: and easier. The truth is, God may never remove the irritation, 297 00:16:28,880 --> 00:16:31,360 Speaker 6: but you will have grown to such a point that 298 00:16:31,440 --> 00:16:33,080 Speaker 6: it doesn't even bother you anymore. 299 00:16:33,600 --> 00:16:34,320 Speaker 4: What's happening. 300 00:16:34,480 --> 00:16:38,080 Speaker 6: Your character is being developed, That pearl is being polished. 301 00:16:38,560 --> 00:16:42,000 Speaker 6: One Peter four to twelve says that trials are to 302 00:16:42,160 --> 00:16:46,080 Speaker 6: test our quality. We may not like it, but trials 303 00:16:46,160 --> 00:16:49,720 Speaker 6: are beneficial. They bring to light things that we need 304 00:16:49,760 --> 00:16:53,160 Speaker 6: to deal with. Most of the time, you're going to 305 00:16:53,160 --> 00:16:56,320 Speaker 6: be tested in the areas that you need to improve in. 306 00:16:57,080 --> 00:17:00,760 Speaker 6: For instance, if you struggle with being impatient, don't be 307 00:17:00,840 --> 00:17:04,280 Speaker 6: surprised if you get behind every slow driver that's out there. 308 00:17:04,880 --> 00:17:08,640 Speaker 6: You'll catch every light, find every freeway with construction, get 309 00:17:08,680 --> 00:17:09,680 Speaker 6: caught by every train. 310 00:17:10,480 --> 00:17:11,240 Speaker 4: God has you. 311 00:17:11,200 --> 00:17:14,840 Speaker 6: There for one reason, not to frustrate you, but to 312 00:17:14,960 --> 00:17:16,720 Speaker 6: refine you. 313 00:17:16,720 --> 00:17:18,600 Speaker 4: You've got to recognize that. 314 00:17:18,560 --> 00:17:22,640 Speaker 6: Trial, that irritation is not a coincidence. 315 00:17:23,080 --> 00:17:24,920 Speaker 4: It's a test of your quality. 316 00:17:25,680 --> 00:17:28,600 Speaker 6: Are you gonna get upset, lose your cool maybe like 317 00:17:28,640 --> 00:17:31,200 Speaker 6: you've done in the past, Or are you gonna say, 318 00:17:31,520 --> 00:17:35,520 Speaker 6: I recognize this is an opportunity to grow. God wouldn't 319 00:17:35,560 --> 00:17:37,440 Speaker 6: have me here if I didn't need it. So I'm 320 00:17:37,440 --> 00:17:39,919 Speaker 6: gonna stay in peace and keep a good attitude and 321 00:17:40,000 --> 00:17:43,520 Speaker 6: pass this test. When you do that, you're coming up higher. 322 00:17:44,160 --> 00:17:47,080 Speaker 6: Any time you pass the test, you're headed for promotion. 323 00:17:47,920 --> 00:17:50,600 Speaker 6: When Victoria and I first got married and we were 324 00:17:50,600 --> 00:17:53,080 Speaker 6: about to go somewhere, I would ask her if she 325 00:17:53,200 --> 00:17:55,240 Speaker 6: was ready to leave, and she would say yes. 326 00:17:55,680 --> 00:17:56,760 Speaker 4: So I would go sit in. 327 00:17:56,720 --> 00:18:01,040 Speaker 6: The car and wait and wait and wait five minutes, 328 00:18:01,080 --> 00:18:02,399 Speaker 6: ten minutes, fifteen minutes. 329 00:18:02,520 --> 00:18:04,760 Speaker 4: I'd get so frustrated. I'd go back in. 330 00:18:04,840 --> 00:18:07,479 Speaker 6: I said, Victoria, I thought you said you were ready. 331 00:18:07,720 --> 00:18:09,760 Speaker 6: She would say I am ready. I would say, well, 332 00:18:09,760 --> 00:18:12,800 Speaker 6: would you mind walking out to the car. This would 333 00:18:12,840 --> 00:18:15,639 Speaker 6: happen time and time again. I'd get so stressed, so 334 00:18:15,840 --> 00:18:18,639 Speaker 6: been out of shape. I was praying, God, you gotta 335 00:18:18,720 --> 00:18:21,679 Speaker 6: change her. God make her into this, God make her 336 00:18:21,680 --> 00:18:24,880 Speaker 6: into that. I had her on the potter's wheel. One 337 00:18:24,960 --> 00:18:28,359 Speaker 6: day I realized I'm not the potter. God is, and 338 00:18:28,400 --> 00:18:32,199 Speaker 6: it's funny. God never changed her. He used her to 339 00:18:32,359 --> 00:18:34,679 Speaker 6: change me. My prayer's backfired. 340 00:18:35,040 --> 00:18:38,200 Speaker 4: God has a sense of humor. Now. 341 00:18:38,240 --> 00:18:41,960 Speaker 6: When she says she's ready, I know that means in general, 342 00:18:42,080 --> 00:18:46,080 Speaker 6: she's ready. It's kind of like the two minute warning 343 00:18:46,160 --> 00:18:49,960 Speaker 6: in football. The clock officially says two minutes, but you 344 00:18:50,040 --> 00:18:53,159 Speaker 6: know it's gonna take fifteen or twenty minutes. When she 345 00:18:53,240 --> 00:18:56,840 Speaker 6: says she's ready, now, I'll go sit down, watch TV, get. 346 00:18:56,680 --> 00:18:59,000 Speaker 4: Something to eat, take a walk. It's no big deal. 347 00:19:00,680 --> 00:19:03,840 Speaker 6: She doesn't realize God has used her to help develop 348 00:19:03,880 --> 00:19:10,000 Speaker 6: my pearl. She's a good irritation though. So often we 349 00:19:10,040 --> 00:19:13,199 Speaker 6: pray for God to change the other person. God change 350 00:19:13,240 --> 00:19:16,480 Speaker 6: my spouse, God change my child. God you've got to 351 00:19:16,600 --> 00:19:20,080 Speaker 6: change my boss. I've learned, don't ever pray for God 352 00:19:20,119 --> 00:19:24,000 Speaker 6: to change somebody else without first saying, God, change me. 353 00:19:24,960 --> 00:19:29,240 Speaker 6: And some of you are still getting upset over the 354 00:19:29,320 --> 00:19:32,679 Speaker 6: same petty issues. And if you don't make these changes, 355 00:19:32,880 --> 00:19:36,720 Speaker 6: you'll go the next twenty thirty years being upset frustrated. 356 00:19:37,240 --> 00:19:40,280 Speaker 6: It's not worth it. They may never change, but you 357 00:19:40,359 --> 00:19:44,280 Speaker 6: can change. I know this lady. Her husband doesn't come 358 00:19:44,320 --> 00:19:46,960 Speaker 6: to church with her, and there are a lot of issues. 359 00:19:46,520 --> 00:19:47,000 Speaker 4: In her home. 360 00:19:47,119 --> 00:19:50,000 Speaker 6: She's been dealing with for years. She used to come 361 00:19:50,040 --> 00:19:53,160 Speaker 6: down front for prayer. She had this list of all 362 00:19:53,160 --> 00:19:55,679 Speaker 6: the things that she wanted God to fix, and she 363 00:19:55,720 --> 00:19:58,639 Speaker 6: didn't think she could be happy unless they all turned around. 364 00:19:58,880 --> 00:20:02,520 Speaker 6: The main thing was her I saw her recently and. 365 00:20:02,800 --> 00:20:04,480 Speaker 4: She was just beaming with joy. 366 00:20:04,840 --> 00:20:07,640 Speaker 6: She was more beautiful and more at peace than I'd 367 00:20:07,680 --> 00:20:10,760 Speaker 6: ever seen her before, and I thought, surely everything must 368 00:20:10,760 --> 00:20:13,920 Speaker 6: have worked out. But she said, now, joy, my husband 369 00:20:14,000 --> 00:20:16,160 Speaker 6: is just the same, still got a lot of issues. 370 00:20:16,520 --> 00:20:19,800 Speaker 6: He hasn't changed, But you know what I have changed. 371 00:20:20,240 --> 00:20:22,959 Speaker 6: I don't let that frustrate me anymore. I don't let 372 00:20:23,080 --> 00:20:26,600 Speaker 6: him keep me from enjoying my life. What happened, She 373 00:20:26,760 --> 00:20:30,800 Speaker 6: let that irritation become a pearl. When you can be 374 00:20:30,960 --> 00:20:35,439 Speaker 6: happy not because of your circumstances, but in spite of 375 00:20:35,480 --> 00:20:37,760 Speaker 6: your circumstances. 376 00:20:36,880 --> 00:20:38,359 Speaker 4: Then nothing can take your joy. 377 00:20:40,440 --> 00:20:43,199 Speaker 6: You may be in a trial right now that is 378 00:20:43,240 --> 00:20:46,600 Speaker 6: a test of your quality. I was in New York 379 00:20:46,640 --> 00:20:49,480 Speaker 6: City last week, and early one morning I went to 380 00:20:49,520 --> 00:20:52,680 Speaker 6: this little diner to eat breakfast. A gentleman sitting a 381 00:20:52,720 --> 00:20:56,000 Speaker 6: couple of tables over came up and told how when 382 00:20:56,040 --> 00:20:59,800 Speaker 6: he walked into the restaurant that morning was very windy outside. 383 00:21:00,359 --> 00:21:03,320 Speaker 6: The person in front of him let the door slam 384 00:21:03,440 --> 00:21:06,879 Speaker 6: in his face. This person clearly saw that he was coming, 385 00:21:06,920 --> 00:21:09,359 Speaker 6: but he just let it go like he did it 386 00:21:09,400 --> 00:21:12,800 Speaker 6: on purpose. Normally, this man would have gotten in his 387 00:21:12,960 --> 00:21:16,160 Speaker 6: face and told him what he thought. But he'd been 388 00:21:16,200 --> 00:21:19,320 Speaker 6: watching our broadcast the last few weeks about staying on 389 00:21:19,359 --> 00:21:22,720 Speaker 6: the Potter's wheel grow and coming up higher. He said, 390 00:21:23,080 --> 00:21:25,800 Speaker 6: just when I was about to let him have it, Joel, 391 00:21:25,880 --> 00:21:29,840 Speaker 6: I heard your voice saying let it go and God 392 00:21:29,880 --> 00:21:33,800 Speaker 6: will fight your battles. He let it go and sat 393 00:21:33,840 --> 00:21:37,359 Speaker 6: down to eat breakfast. He felt a joy bubbling up 394 00:21:37,359 --> 00:21:40,760 Speaker 6: on the inside, like something that he had never felt before. 395 00:21:41,320 --> 00:21:44,160 Speaker 6: When I walked in there five minutes later, he said, Joel, 396 00:21:44,200 --> 00:21:47,240 Speaker 6: I nearly passed out. I knew that was God saying 397 00:21:47,280 --> 00:21:50,600 Speaker 6: that he was pleased with me. Friends, when you pass 398 00:21:50,720 --> 00:21:54,439 Speaker 6: these tests, you will feel God's sense of approval. You 399 00:21:54,480 --> 00:21:57,320 Speaker 6: will feel a new joy on the inside. You'll know 400 00:21:57,400 --> 00:22:00,159 Speaker 6: the creator of the universe is smiling down on you. 401 00:22:01,280 --> 00:22:03,080 Speaker 4: I was reading about how up in the. 402 00:22:03,040 --> 00:22:07,560 Speaker 6: Northeast, fishing for codfish had become a big business, but 403 00:22:07,640 --> 00:22:11,720 Speaker 6: this company had a major problem with the distribution. When 404 00:22:11,760 --> 00:22:14,480 Speaker 6: they frozed the fish and shipped it out like they 405 00:22:14,480 --> 00:22:17,919 Speaker 6: did their other product, they found, for some reason that codfish, 406 00:22:18,080 --> 00:22:21,760 Speaker 6: after it had been frozen, lost all of its taste. 407 00:22:21,840 --> 00:22:24,560 Speaker 6: They decided to try shipping the fish in these big 408 00:22:24,600 --> 00:22:28,120 Speaker 6: tanks of water alive. They thought for sure that would 409 00:22:28,119 --> 00:22:32,240 Speaker 6: fix the problem, but actually it made it worse. Because 410 00:22:32,320 --> 00:22:35,639 Speaker 6: the fish were sitting in the water inactive, they got 411 00:22:35,680 --> 00:22:39,159 Speaker 6: soft and mushy, and again they lost their taste. They 412 00:22:39,160 --> 00:22:43,919 Speaker 6: were very puzzled. Somebody had an interesting idea. They decided 413 00:22:44,040 --> 00:22:47,600 Speaker 6: to put a catfish in the tank with the codfish. 414 00:22:47,960 --> 00:22:49,159 Speaker 4: The catfish is the. 415 00:22:49,240 --> 00:22:52,800 Speaker 6: Natural enemy of the codfish, so when those codfish were 416 00:22:52,840 --> 00:22:57,040 Speaker 6: being shipped, they had to stay active and alert, constantly 417 00:22:57,080 --> 00:22:58,800 Speaker 6: looking out for that catfish. 418 00:22:59,040 --> 00:23:00,800 Speaker 4: Do you know that salt the problem. 419 00:23:01,240 --> 00:23:05,000 Speaker 6: Sometimes what we think is an enemy, what we think 420 00:23:05,119 --> 00:23:08,520 Speaker 6: is there to defeat us. The truth is God put 421 00:23:08,520 --> 00:23:12,719 Speaker 6: it there to make us better. Like iron sharpens iron, 422 00:23:12,920 --> 00:23:15,679 Speaker 6: that's going to sharpen you and cause you to grow 423 00:23:15,720 --> 00:23:18,479 Speaker 6: and force you to come up higher. Some of you 424 00:23:18,840 --> 00:23:22,199 Speaker 6: may work with a catfish. You may be married to 425 00:23:22,280 --> 00:23:27,200 Speaker 6: a catfish, Your mother in law may be the catfish 426 00:23:27,560 --> 00:23:30,720 Speaker 6: have a new perspective This person was not put here 427 00:23:30,800 --> 00:23:31,480 Speaker 6: to defeat me. 428 00:23:31,840 --> 00:23:34,040 Speaker 4: They're here to help me polish my pearl. 429 00:23:35,040 --> 00:23:38,640 Speaker 6: The reason it's uncomfortable is because God loves you too 430 00:23:38,720 --> 00:23:41,719 Speaker 6: much to leave you alone. He has too great a 431 00:23:41,800 --> 00:23:44,439 Speaker 6: future in front of you to let you stay at 432 00:23:44,480 --> 00:23:47,480 Speaker 6: the same level you're at right now. So He'll use 433 00:23:47,560 --> 00:23:51,280 Speaker 6: these difficulties to grow us up, to develop our character, 434 00:23:51,720 --> 00:23:54,800 Speaker 6: so we will be prepared for the amazing future he 435 00:23:54,880 --> 00:23:58,840 Speaker 6: has in store. The scripture says that our faith is 436 00:23:59,000 --> 00:24:03,840 Speaker 6: tried in the of affliction, just as fire test and 437 00:24:03,960 --> 00:24:08,200 Speaker 6: purifies gold. Some of you are in that refiner's fire 438 00:24:08,400 --> 00:24:11,760 Speaker 6: right now. You're going through a tough time. You don't 439 00:24:11,920 --> 00:24:14,720 Speaker 6: like it. It's not fair, But let me encourage you. 440 00:24:15,040 --> 00:24:18,560 Speaker 6: If you'll stay in faith and keep pushing forward, you're 441 00:24:18,600 --> 00:24:23,159 Speaker 6: going to come out of that refined, purified, stronger, better 442 00:24:23,200 --> 00:24:27,320 Speaker 6: off than you were before. I was reading about this 443 00:24:27,440 --> 00:24:30,560 Speaker 6: couple that loved to go shopping for antiques, and one 444 00:24:30,640 --> 00:24:33,600 Speaker 6: day they were in this small country store. Up on 445 00:24:33,680 --> 00:24:37,040 Speaker 6: the shelf, they saw the most beautiful teacup they had 446 00:24:37,040 --> 00:24:37,919 Speaker 6: ever seen before. 447 00:24:38,040 --> 00:24:39,160 Speaker 4: It was magnificent. 448 00:24:39,680 --> 00:24:42,720 Speaker 6: Now, as they were standing there admiring it, the teacup 449 00:24:42,800 --> 00:24:46,760 Speaker 6: began to talk. It said, I haven't always looked like this. 450 00:24:47,440 --> 00:24:51,560 Speaker 6: There was a time that nobody wanted me. I wasn't attractive. 451 00:24:51,800 --> 00:24:55,040 Speaker 6: I was just a hard lump of clay. But then 452 00:24:55,080 --> 00:24:58,239 Speaker 6: this potter came along and begin to shape me and 453 00:24:58,359 --> 00:25:01,399 Speaker 6: mold me. And I said, hey, what are you doing. 454 00:25:01,840 --> 00:25:06,119 Speaker 6: You're making me uncomfortable. That hurts Leave me alone. He 455 00:25:06,240 --> 00:25:10,159 Speaker 6: simply smiled and said not yet. Then he put me 456 00:25:10,200 --> 00:25:11,720 Speaker 6: on a wheel and began. 457 00:25:11,640 --> 00:25:13,640 Speaker 4: To spin me around and around. 458 00:25:13,920 --> 00:25:17,440 Speaker 6: I got so dizzy, but after a while I had 459 00:25:17,480 --> 00:25:21,520 Speaker 6: taken on a new shape. He formed me into this teacup. 460 00:25:22,240 --> 00:25:24,960 Speaker 6: I thought he was finished, but then he put me 461 00:25:25,080 --> 00:25:28,600 Speaker 6: into a furnace. It was so hot I didn't think 462 00:25:28,640 --> 00:25:31,800 Speaker 6: I could stand it. When he came and checked on 463 00:25:31,880 --> 00:25:34,359 Speaker 6: me and looked through that window of the furnace, he 464 00:25:34,440 --> 00:25:37,480 Speaker 6: had a sparkle in his eyes. I screamed out, let 465 00:25:37,520 --> 00:25:39,880 Speaker 6: me out of here, it's too hot, but he smiled 466 00:25:39,920 --> 00:25:43,359 Speaker 6: and said not yet. He finally took me out and 467 00:25:43,520 --> 00:25:45,560 Speaker 6: put me up on a shelf so I could cool off, 468 00:25:46,080 --> 00:25:48,680 Speaker 6: and I thought, thank goodness, is over. Now I can 469 00:25:48,720 --> 00:25:51,520 Speaker 6: go back to being my normal self. But then the 470 00:25:51,600 --> 00:25:54,480 Speaker 6: potter came and got me and began to paint me, 471 00:25:55,160 --> 00:25:59,280 Speaker 6: changing me from this gray to this beautiful blue. The 472 00:25:59,320 --> 00:26:02,800 Speaker 6: paint was dicky, it was uncomfortable. I thought I was 473 00:26:02,840 --> 00:26:04,920 Speaker 6: going to choke. I told him to stop. 474 00:26:04,760 --> 00:26:06,160 Speaker 4: But he said not yet. 475 00:26:06,920 --> 00:26:10,400 Speaker 6: Then he put me into a second oven, twice as 476 00:26:10,480 --> 00:26:13,160 Speaker 6: hot as the first one. This time I knew it 477 00:26:13,240 --> 00:26:16,439 Speaker 6: was over. I screamed, I'm not kidding. I can't take it. 478 00:26:16,480 --> 00:26:20,680 Speaker 6: I'm going to die again. He said not yet. Finally 479 00:26:20,720 --> 00:26:23,000 Speaker 6: he opened the oven door put me on a shelf. 480 00:26:23,320 --> 00:26:25,960 Speaker 6: A few weeks later, he came by and handed me 481 00:26:26,119 --> 00:26:30,200 Speaker 6: a mirror, And when I looked at myself, I couldn't 482 00:26:30,240 --> 00:26:35,000 Speaker 6: believe how beautiful I had become. I couldn't believe how 483 00:26:35,040 --> 00:26:38,760 Speaker 6: much I had changed. I didn't look anything like that 484 00:26:38,920 --> 00:26:41,960 Speaker 6: old lump of clay I used to be. There was 485 00:26:42,000 --> 00:26:45,280 Speaker 6: a time that nobody wanted me. But now I'm this 486 00:26:45,400 --> 00:26:51,639 Speaker 6: beautiful teacup, valuable, expensive, unique, all because of this potter. 487 00:26:52,200 --> 00:26:56,320 Speaker 6: He made me into something amazing. That's the way God 488 00:26:56,359 --> 00:26:59,479 Speaker 6: works in all of our lives. He's changing us little 489 00:26:59,560 --> 00:27:02,119 Speaker 6: by little from glory to glory. 490 00:27:04,160 --> 00:27:06,520 Speaker 4: But on the way to the glory. 491 00:27:06,119 --> 00:27:08,399 Speaker 6: There may be a little bit of suffering that we 492 00:27:08,520 --> 00:27:11,080 Speaker 6: have to endure. There are going to be times that 493 00:27:11,119 --> 00:27:14,000 Speaker 6: we say, God, get me off of this potter's will. 494 00:27:14,320 --> 00:27:15,560 Speaker 4: I can't take it anymore. 495 00:27:16,200 --> 00:27:20,359 Speaker 6: I can't deal with this child, I can't handle this boss, 496 00:27:20,400 --> 00:27:22,840 Speaker 6: this grouse. Gee, God, I can't put up with this 497 00:27:22,960 --> 00:27:26,040 Speaker 6: catfish in my life anymore. But God is going to 498 00:27:26,080 --> 00:27:27,960 Speaker 6: smile and say not yet. 499 00:27:28,359 --> 00:27:28,600 Speaker 4: See. 500 00:27:28,640 --> 00:27:32,760 Speaker 6: God sees your value. He knows what he's making you into. 501 00:27:33,680 --> 00:27:36,440 Speaker 6: Sometimes when we look at ourselves, we think I got 502 00:27:36,440 --> 00:27:39,040 Speaker 6: a lot of flaws, Joel, I got a hot temper. 503 00:27:39,320 --> 00:27:42,320 Speaker 6: I got a problem with my mouth. I'm not that disciplined. 504 00:27:42,720 --> 00:27:46,240 Speaker 6: We see the clay, but God sees the beautiful teacup. 505 00:27:46,840 --> 00:27:50,200 Speaker 6: The good news is you're not a finished product. God 506 00:27:50,280 --> 00:27:52,720 Speaker 6: is still working on you. And if you will work 507 00:27:52,760 --> 00:27:56,720 Speaker 6: with God and let him remove those impurities, God will 508 00:27:56,720 --> 00:27:59,359 Speaker 6: make more out of your life than you've ever dreamed of. 509 00:28:00,040 --> 00:28:02,800 Speaker 6: One day you'll look back and say, like that teacup, 510 00:28:03,000 --> 00:28:04,320 Speaker 6: I can't believe. 511 00:28:04,080 --> 00:28:05,399 Speaker 4: How far God has taken me. 512 00:28:06,280 --> 00:28:10,240 Speaker 6: The scripture says, after you have passed the test, you 513 00:28:10,280 --> 00:28:14,320 Speaker 6: will receive the victor's crown of life. My challenge is, 514 00:28:14,359 --> 00:28:17,360 Speaker 6: past your test, there's a victor's crown waiting for you. 515 00:28:17,960 --> 00:28:21,359 Speaker 6: Recognize God has you on the wheel don't fight against it. 516 00:28:21,680 --> 00:28:23,040 Speaker 4: Let God refine you. 517 00:28:23,480 --> 00:28:27,320 Speaker 6: These present sufferings are nothing compared to the glory that's coming. 518 00:28:28,000 --> 00:28:31,360 Speaker 6: And if you will stay mouldable, pliable, be willing to change, 519 00:28:31,440 --> 00:28:33,080 Speaker 6: let me tell you you won't be at this. 520 00:28:33,119 --> 00:28:35,480 Speaker 4: Same place next year as you are right now. 521 00:28:35,720 --> 00:28:39,080 Speaker 6: God will take every irritation and turn it into a pearl. 522 00:28:39,440 --> 00:28:42,240 Speaker 6: You won't get stuck at wood, at clay, at silver. 523 00:28:42,640 --> 00:28:42,720 Speaker 4: No. 524 00:28:42,840 --> 00:28:46,120 Speaker 6: I believe in declare you'll become that vessel of gold, 525 00:28:46,240 --> 00:28:49,640 Speaker 6: that vessel of honor, use for God's highest purposes. 526 00:28:49,800 --> 00:28:50,920 Speaker 4: Do you receive that today? 527 00:28:52,080 --> 00:28:54,800 Speaker 6: We never like to close our broadcast without giving you 528 00:28:54,840 --> 00:28:57,520 Speaker 6: an opportunity to make Jesus the lord of your life. 529 00:28:57,960 --> 00:29:02,000 Speaker 6: Would you pray with me? Just say, Lord, Jesus, I 530 00:29:02,120 --> 00:29:03,200 Speaker 6: repent of my sins. 531 00:29:04,560 --> 00:29:08,200 Speaker 4: Come into my heart. I make you my Lord and savior. 532 00:29:09,480 --> 00:29:11,760 Speaker 6: Friends, if you prayed that simple prayer, we believe you 533 00:29:11,840 --> 00:29:14,600 Speaker 6: got born again. Get in a good Bible based church, 534 00:29:14,880 --> 00:29:16,120 Speaker 6: Keep God first place. 535 00:29:16,400 --> 00:29:18,640 Speaker 4: He's going to take your places you've never dreamed of. 536 00:29:19,000 --> 00:29:22,400 Speaker 7: Thank you for listening to the Joelus Deine podcast. Help 537 00:29:22,520 --> 00:29:25,240 Speaker 7: us continue to share the message of hope with those 538 00:29:25,320 --> 00:29:29,240 Speaker 7: all over the world. Visit Jolostin dot com slash give 539 00:29:29,320 --> 00:29:31,000 Speaker 7: hope to give a gift today. 540 00:29:32,280 --> 00:29:34,720 Speaker 5: Thanks so much for listening to today's message. 541 00:29:34,840 --> 00:29:37,600 Speaker 6: I hope you'll subscribe so you can receive the latest 542 00:29:37,640 --> 00:29:39,040 Speaker 6: podcast to keep you. 543 00:29:39,080 --> 00:29:42,160 Speaker 5: Inspired all through the week. We're praying for you. I 544 00:29:42,200 --> 00:29:45,040 Speaker 5: know God's best is still ahead. We'll see you next time.