1 00:00:00,440 --> 00:00:03,360 Speaker 1: Hi, this is Jolan Victoria. Thanks so much for listening 2 00:00:03,360 --> 00:00:05,359 Speaker 1: to the podcast and thanks. 3 00:00:05,120 --> 00:00:07,760 Speaker 2: For supporting the ministry. We believe you're going to. 4 00:00:07,760 --> 00:00:12,240 Speaker 1: Have an awesome twenty twenty four, healthy, productive, and favor filled. 5 00:00:12,560 --> 00:00:15,840 Speaker 2: God bless you today and enjoy the message. Well, God 6 00:00:15,920 --> 00:00:16,400 Speaker 2: bless you. 7 00:00:16,880 --> 00:00:19,799 Speaker 1: It's always a joy to come into your homes each week. 8 00:00:19,880 --> 00:00:21,960 Speaker 2: And we know God rewards. 9 00:00:21,440 --> 00:00:23,960 Speaker 1: The people that seek after Him and I just believe 10 00:00:24,000 --> 00:00:25,840 Speaker 1: that's you, or you wouldn't be watching today. 11 00:00:25,880 --> 00:00:27,200 Speaker 2: So thanks for tuning in. 12 00:00:27,560 --> 00:00:30,040 Speaker 1: We love you, and if you're ever in our area, 13 00:00:30,240 --> 00:00:33,479 Speaker 1: stop buying seas. I give you a personal invitation to 14 00:00:33,560 --> 00:00:35,120 Speaker 1: be a part of one of our services. 15 00:00:35,280 --> 00:00:36,639 Speaker 2: You'll really enjoy it. 16 00:00:36,760 --> 00:00:39,199 Speaker 1: And I say it often, but these guys are the 17 00:00:39,200 --> 00:00:41,360 Speaker 1: finest people in all of Houston, so we'd love. 18 00:00:41,200 --> 00:00:43,479 Speaker 2: To have you be apart. Thanks for coming today. 19 00:00:44,960 --> 00:00:47,040 Speaker 1: I like to start with something funny each week, and 20 00:00:47,200 --> 00:00:49,519 Speaker 1: I heard about this group of children. They were in 21 00:00:49,560 --> 00:00:53,520 Speaker 1: the cafeteria line at this Catholic high school during lunch 22 00:00:53,920 --> 00:00:56,600 Speaker 1: and at the head table there was this tray of 23 00:00:56,640 --> 00:00:59,480 Speaker 1: apples and a nun had written a note and it 24 00:00:59,560 --> 00:01:01,080 Speaker 1: said take only one. 25 00:01:01,400 --> 00:01:02,280 Speaker 2: God is watching. 26 00:01:02,840 --> 00:01:05,400 Speaker 1: At the end of that cafeteria line, there was this 27 00:01:05,440 --> 00:01:07,840 Speaker 1: big batch of chocolate chip cookies and one of the 28 00:01:07,840 --> 00:01:09,440 Speaker 1: little children had written a note. 29 00:01:09,520 --> 00:01:10,920 Speaker 2: It said, take all you want. 30 00:01:11,080 --> 00:01:16,120 Speaker 1: God's watching the apples. All right, hold up your bibles 31 00:01:16,120 --> 00:01:18,280 Speaker 1: and say it with me and you're ready. This is 32 00:01:18,360 --> 00:01:21,600 Speaker 1: my Bible. I am what it says I am. I 33 00:01:21,720 --> 00:01:24,320 Speaker 1: have what it says I have. I can do what 34 00:01:24,400 --> 00:01:27,200 Speaker 1: it says I can do. Today all will be talked 35 00:01:27,240 --> 00:01:31,640 Speaker 1: the word of God. I boldly confess. My mind is alert, 36 00:01:32,080 --> 00:01:35,200 Speaker 1: my heart is receptive. I will never be the same. 37 00:01:35,720 --> 00:01:40,080 Speaker 1: In Jesus' name, God bless you. I want to talk 38 00:01:40,120 --> 00:01:43,600 Speaker 1: to you today about the importance of keeping a pure heart. 39 00:01:44,400 --> 00:01:47,600 Speaker 1: What's going on in you is really more important than 40 00:01:47,600 --> 00:01:51,200 Speaker 1: what's going on around you. And we all have two 41 00:01:51,200 --> 00:01:55,320 Speaker 1: different lives. We have our outer life that's our public 42 00:01:55,360 --> 00:01:58,560 Speaker 1: life that everybody can see, and then we have an 43 00:01:58,600 --> 00:02:02,400 Speaker 1: inner life that's on between us and God. It's made 44 00:02:02,480 --> 00:02:07,000 Speaker 1: up of our thoughts, our attitudes, and our motives. Nobody 45 00:02:07,040 --> 00:02:09,080 Speaker 1: knows what's going on down in here. 46 00:02:09,200 --> 00:02:10,400 Speaker 2: Except us in God. 47 00:02:11,040 --> 00:02:15,880 Speaker 1: And too many people go around today pretending acting one way, 48 00:02:16,080 --> 00:02:19,560 Speaker 1: talking one way, yet on the inside they're thinking something 49 00:02:19,639 --> 00:02:24,280 Speaker 1: totally different. Their heart and their actions don't line up and. 50 00:02:24,280 --> 00:02:26,320 Speaker 2: Really this is what we would consider. 51 00:02:26,120 --> 00:02:29,400 Speaker 1: To be a phony. They play up to people trying 52 00:02:29,440 --> 00:02:33,720 Speaker 1: to get things. They've got ulterior motives. They can smile 53 00:02:33,800 --> 00:02:36,240 Speaker 1: at you and be thinking I don't really like you 54 00:02:36,320 --> 00:02:39,400 Speaker 1: at the same time. See, their heart is not pure. 55 00:02:40,080 --> 00:02:43,640 Speaker 1: We have to understand God looks at the inside, not 56 00:02:43,720 --> 00:02:46,000 Speaker 1: the outside. We can fool a lot. 57 00:02:45,880 --> 00:02:47,760 Speaker 2: Of people, but we can't fool God. 58 00:02:48,320 --> 00:02:51,920 Speaker 1: And God would rather us be open and honest about 59 00:02:51,960 --> 00:02:55,640 Speaker 1: our shortcomings than for us to go through life pretending, 60 00:02:56,160 --> 00:02:59,359 Speaker 1: wearing these masks and kind of being two faced all 61 00:02:59,400 --> 00:03:02,360 Speaker 1: the time. Now, I want to challenge you today to 62 00:03:02,440 --> 00:03:06,560 Speaker 1: take inventory of what's going on in you, not what's 63 00:03:06,600 --> 00:03:10,000 Speaker 1: going on around you, Not what's going on in your 64 00:03:10,040 --> 00:03:13,919 Speaker 1: circumstances or your marriage or your pocket book. Know what's 65 00:03:14,000 --> 00:03:16,760 Speaker 1: going on in the deep recesses of your heart. 66 00:03:17,320 --> 00:03:18,240 Speaker 2: Are you at peace? 67 00:03:19,000 --> 00:03:22,840 Speaker 1: Are you overlooking offenses? Do you believe the best in people? 68 00:03:23,080 --> 00:03:27,240 Speaker 1: Are you positive, hopeful, expecting good things? Or when you 69 00:03:27,320 --> 00:03:29,880 Speaker 1: look deep down in here, would you have to say, Joel, 70 00:03:30,160 --> 00:03:33,400 Speaker 1: I'm kind of critical. I've got a problem with jealousy, 71 00:03:33,880 --> 00:03:37,040 Speaker 1: I'm angry at my neighbor, or I tend to manipulate 72 00:03:37,080 --> 00:03:38,800 Speaker 1: people to try to get things. 73 00:03:39,560 --> 00:03:41,280 Speaker 2: No, you've got to guard your heart. 74 00:03:41,800 --> 00:03:44,840 Speaker 1: If your heart is polluted, then your whole life is 75 00:03:44,880 --> 00:03:45,880 Speaker 1: going to be poisoned. 76 00:03:46,320 --> 00:03:48,760 Speaker 2: And we've got to learn to be honest with ourselves. 77 00:03:49,200 --> 00:03:51,880 Speaker 1: If you have a problem with jealousy, don't sweep it 78 00:03:51,920 --> 00:03:54,760 Speaker 1: under the rug, don't pretend like it's not there. 79 00:03:55,360 --> 00:03:57,440 Speaker 2: Get it out in the open and deal with it. 80 00:03:58,000 --> 00:03:59,640 Speaker 2: Just say, God, I'm jealous. 81 00:04:00,280 --> 00:04:03,080 Speaker 1: They got the promotion and I wanted it, and I 82 00:04:03,120 --> 00:04:05,320 Speaker 1: know I should be happy for him, but I'm not. 83 00:04:05,920 --> 00:04:08,800 Speaker 1: And God, I don't want to feel this way. Help 84 00:04:08,840 --> 00:04:11,840 Speaker 1: me to change. God, help me to keep my heart pure. 85 00:04:12,480 --> 00:04:15,600 Speaker 1: Let me tell you, you'll go a whole lot further if 86 00:04:15,600 --> 00:04:18,159 Speaker 1: you'll take it to God and ask him to help you. 87 00:04:18,560 --> 00:04:20,840 Speaker 1: Then if you just bury it and pretend like it 88 00:04:20,839 --> 00:04:21,640 Speaker 1: doesn't exist. 89 00:04:22,360 --> 00:04:23,200 Speaker 2: And it's interesting. 90 00:04:23,560 --> 00:04:26,680 Speaker 1: The people that Jesus got the most upset with were 91 00:04:26,720 --> 00:04:30,680 Speaker 1: the pretenders. He got mad at the Pharisees. They were 92 00:04:30,720 --> 00:04:34,680 Speaker 1: the religious people. He called them hypocrites. It was because 93 00:04:34,800 --> 00:04:37,680 Speaker 1: they were fakes. They put on a good show on 94 00:04:37,760 --> 00:04:41,360 Speaker 1: the outside. They wore their fancy robes, and they went 95 00:04:41,400 --> 00:04:45,039 Speaker 1: to the temple regularly. They looked real holy, But the 96 00:04:45,120 --> 00:04:48,920 Speaker 1: problem was on the inside they were full of greed, 97 00:04:49,160 --> 00:04:52,560 Speaker 1: full of judgment, full of criticism. And Jesus had some 98 00:04:52,680 --> 00:04:55,320 Speaker 1: very stern words for him. They're in Matthew twenty three, 99 00:04:55,440 --> 00:04:58,400 Speaker 1: verse twenty seven. He said, you guys are like a 100 00:04:58,440 --> 00:05:02,599 Speaker 1: bunch of whitewashed tumb You look real beautiful on the outside, 101 00:05:03,000 --> 00:05:06,000 Speaker 1: but on the inside you're full of dead men's bones. 102 00:05:06,800 --> 00:05:08,760 Speaker 1: I don't know about you, but I want to pay 103 00:05:08,800 --> 00:05:12,120 Speaker 1: attention to what's going on in me, because we can 104 00:05:12,160 --> 00:05:16,000 Speaker 1: do the right thing, but what's really important is are 105 00:05:16,000 --> 00:05:18,560 Speaker 1: we doing it with the right motive? Are we doing 106 00:05:18,600 --> 00:05:22,040 Speaker 1: it with the right attitude. For instance, I can give 107 00:05:22,120 --> 00:05:25,080 Speaker 1: somebody something, I can do somebody a favor, but if 108 00:05:25,120 --> 00:05:27,679 Speaker 1: I'm doing it just to try to get something from them, 109 00:05:28,120 --> 00:05:31,200 Speaker 1: if I'm doing it to manipulate them, or maybe they're 110 00:05:31,240 --> 00:05:34,480 Speaker 1: real important so I'm trying to buy their friendship. Well, 111 00:05:34,520 --> 00:05:37,279 Speaker 1: the truth is, I'm not going to be blessed. What's 112 00:05:37,320 --> 00:05:40,560 Speaker 1: going on in me is going to affect my harvest. 113 00:05:41,200 --> 00:05:43,719 Speaker 1: Some of you today, you're doing the right thing, you're 114 00:05:43,720 --> 00:05:46,640 Speaker 1: doing your best, but you don't realize it. But it's 115 00:05:46,640 --> 00:05:49,599 Speaker 1: some of these inner issues that are keeping you back. 116 00:05:50,040 --> 00:05:53,680 Speaker 1: Impure motives, being judgmental, being jealous. 117 00:05:53,800 --> 00:05:56,919 Speaker 2: Now listen, if you'll fix the inside. 118 00:05:56,560 --> 00:05:59,760 Speaker 1: The outside will take care of itself even when we 119 00:05:59,800 --> 00:06:03,440 Speaker 1: get We should not give because we have to. We 120 00:06:03,440 --> 00:06:06,200 Speaker 1: shouldn't give because we feel guilty. And I know people 121 00:06:06,240 --> 00:06:09,480 Speaker 1: that have the attitude. Okay, God, here's my ten percent. God, 122 00:06:09,520 --> 00:06:11,800 Speaker 1: here's the money I owe you. Now you need to 123 00:06:11,880 --> 00:06:14,479 Speaker 1: check the inside, check your heart. We should give with 124 00:06:14,520 --> 00:06:17,839 Speaker 1: a grateful attitude. We should give with a cheerful heart, 125 00:06:18,400 --> 00:06:21,000 Speaker 1: not because we have to, but because we want to. 126 00:06:21,760 --> 00:06:24,000 Speaker 1: Now I don't even think we should give just to 127 00:06:24,080 --> 00:06:27,400 Speaker 1: try to get blessed. We should give just because we 128 00:06:27,480 --> 00:06:30,200 Speaker 1: love God. We should give just because He's done so 129 00:06:30,320 --> 00:06:33,359 Speaker 1: much for us. But see, we need to check our motives. 130 00:06:33,920 --> 00:06:36,680 Speaker 1: If I play up to my boss and tell him 131 00:06:36,680 --> 00:06:39,720 Speaker 1: how great I think he is, while down in here, 132 00:06:40,040 --> 00:06:41,360 Speaker 1: I don't even really like the man. 133 00:06:41,440 --> 00:06:44,000 Speaker 2: I'm just trying to get this promotion, and so. 134 00:06:44,040 --> 00:06:46,839 Speaker 1: I flatter him with all of these compliments that I 135 00:06:46,880 --> 00:06:50,640 Speaker 1: don't mean. Then even if I do get that new position, 136 00:06:51,320 --> 00:06:54,719 Speaker 1: I'm gonna have a tough time keeping myself there because 137 00:06:54,760 --> 00:06:58,800 Speaker 1: if you put yourself somewhere by pretending and playing up 138 00:06:58,839 --> 00:07:01,000 Speaker 1: to people, then you're gonna have to do the same 139 00:07:01,040 --> 00:07:03,920 Speaker 1: thing to keep yourself there. But if you'll let God 140 00:07:03,960 --> 00:07:06,719 Speaker 1: do it his way and just take the higher road 141 00:07:06,760 --> 00:07:09,600 Speaker 1: and keep a pure heart, then when God puts you there, 142 00:07:09,880 --> 00:07:12,520 Speaker 1: he'll keep you there. He'll make sure that you stay. 143 00:07:14,600 --> 00:07:17,600 Speaker 1: The scripture says in Psalm twenty four, who will go 144 00:07:17,720 --> 00:07:18,640 Speaker 1: up the holy mountain? 145 00:07:18,720 --> 00:07:19,720 Speaker 2: Who will see God? 146 00:07:20,240 --> 00:07:24,440 Speaker 1: Those with clean hands and a pure heart. It's not 147 00:07:24,640 --> 00:07:27,320 Speaker 1: enough to just have clean hands. It's not enough to 148 00:07:27,440 --> 00:07:28,640 Speaker 1: just do good things. 149 00:07:29,120 --> 00:07:30,480 Speaker 2: We have to have a pure heart. 150 00:07:31,160 --> 00:07:34,280 Speaker 1: In other words, we can do good things and have 151 00:07:34,360 --> 00:07:37,080 Speaker 1: the wrong motive. We can do the right thing and 152 00:07:37,120 --> 00:07:40,080 Speaker 1: have all kinds of junk on the inside, and it's 153 00:07:40,120 --> 00:07:43,160 Speaker 1: good that we're doing it. But unless we clean up 154 00:07:43,200 --> 00:07:46,200 Speaker 1: the inside and get our hearts pure, it's going to 155 00:07:46,320 --> 00:07:49,440 Speaker 1: keep us from God's best. And this is something that's 156 00:07:49,480 --> 00:07:52,360 Speaker 1: just between you and God. Nobody knows what you're thinking. 157 00:07:52,880 --> 00:07:56,320 Speaker 1: Nobody knows when you're pretending. I mean, you can spend 158 00:07:56,320 --> 00:07:59,559 Speaker 1: your whole lifetime being nice and kind to that person 159 00:07:59,600 --> 00:08:02,280 Speaker 1: you work with, yet on the inside you kind of 160 00:08:02,320 --> 00:08:04,040 Speaker 1: look down on them, or you're kind of a little 161 00:08:04,120 --> 00:08:06,560 Speaker 1: judgmental because they don't do this or they don't do that. 162 00:08:07,160 --> 00:08:09,880 Speaker 1: Only you know if your heart is pure. Or maybe 163 00:08:09,880 --> 00:08:12,760 Speaker 1: you run into somebody at the mall, Hey, how you doing, 164 00:08:12,880 --> 00:08:15,200 Speaker 1: and you know, we're so glad to see you, and 165 00:08:15,240 --> 00:08:17,800 Speaker 1: yet at that exact same time, you're thinking, I don't 166 00:08:17,840 --> 00:08:20,280 Speaker 1: really like you, and your hair doesn't look good and 167 00:08:20,360 --> 00:08:23,600 Speaker 1: I can't believe you wore that outfit, And just as 168 00:08:23,600 --> 00:08:25,760 Speaker 1: they're about to leave, Hey, come over and see me sometime. 169 00:08:25,800 --> 00:08:27,640 Speaker 2: I'd love to have you for dinner. 170 00:08:27,960 --> 00:08:29,920 Speaker 1: Down in here, you're thinking, God, please don't let them 171 00:08:29,960 --> 00:08:34,520 Speaker 1: come over. Now, that's what I'm talking about, pretending being 172 00:08:34,600 --> 00:08:37,240 Speaker 1: a phony. And when you do that, you're not hurting them, 173 00:08:37,320 --> 00:08:38,520 Speaker 1: You're only hurting yourself. 174 00:08:39,040 --> 00:08:41,240 Speaker 2: You're sowing the wrong kinds of seeds. 175 00:08:41,840 --> 00:08:43,760 Speaker 1: And I'm not saying that you go up to everybody 176 00:08:43,800 --> 00:08:46,440 Speaker 1: and just tell them exactly what you're thinking. Don't go 177 00:08:46,520 --> 00:08:48,240 Speaker 1: up to them next time and say, hey, Joel told 178 00:08:48,280 --> 00:08:51,400 Speaker 1: me to tell you I can't stand you. 179 00:08:51,400 --> 00:08:51,439 Speaker 3: Know. 180 00:08:51,640 --> 00:08:54,559 Speaker 1: What I'm saying today is take that attitude to God 181 00:08:55,000 --> 00:08:57,800 Speaker 1: and say, God, help me to not be so critical, 182 00:08:58,200 --> 00:09:00,560 Speaker 1: help me to not be a fault finder. God, I 183 00:09:00,640 --> 00:09:03,199 Speaker 1: know I have a problem in this area, and I'm 184 00:09:03,240 --> 00:09:04,720 Speaker 1: asking you to help me to change. 185 00:09:05,320 --> 00:09:05,839 Speaker 2: And this is. 186 00:09:05,800 --> 00:09:08,280 Speaker 1: Something we have to constantly be aware of we need 187 00:09:08,320 --> 00:09:12,000 Speaker 1: to continually work on. I know I'm a minister, and 188 00:09:12,080 --> 00:09:13,880 Speaker 1: yet I've gone up to somebody before and. 189 00:09:14,040 --> 00:09:15,520 Speaker 2: Said, hey, how you doing. 190 00:09:15,600 --> 00:09:18,560 Speaker 1: You really look great today, And I hate to admit it, 191 00:09:18,600 --> 00:09:20,680 Speaker 1: that whole time I'm thinking, you know, that's the ugliest 192 00:09:20,720 --> 00:09:23,640 Speaker 1: suit I've ever seen. Maybe one day that tie will 193 00:09:23,640 --> 00:09:26,360 Speaker 1: come back into style. I don't know what you did 194 00:09:26,400 --> 00:09:29,600 Speaker 1: to your hair, but that ought to be illegal. Just 195 00:09:29,679 --> 00:09:31,520 Speaker 1: cutting them up and down with my thoughts, and the 196 00:09:31,559 --> 00:09:33,760 Speaker 1: whole time I got my big smile on my face. 197 00:09:35,160 --> 00:09:38,080 Speaker 1: Deep down in here, I can feel that conviction. Deep 198 00:09:38,120 --> 00:09:40,480 Speaker 1: down in here, I can hear that still small voice 199 00:09:40,520 --> 00:09:43,040 Speaker 1: telling me, Joel, you shouldn't think about your brother Paul 200 00:09:43,160 --> 00:09:43,440 Speaker 1: like that. 201 00:09:43,559 --> 00:09:49,040 Speaker 2: I'm just kidding. 202 00:09:51,320 --> 00:09:54,120 Speaker 1: Don't be a pretender, don't be a phony. Let's keep 203 00:09:54,120 --> 00:09:57,840 Speaker 1: our hearts pure before God. And I understand there are 204 00:09:57,880 --> 00:10:01,000 Speaker 1: some people that we just don't particularly care, but let's 205 00:10:01,040 --> 00:10:04,120 Speaker 1: always remember that person is made in the. 206 00:10:04,040 --> 00:10:05,680 Speaker 2: Image of Almighty God. 207 00:10:05,840 --> 00:10:08,719 Speaker 1: When we criticize, when we judge, when we find out 208 00:10:08,760 --> 00:10:12,079 Speaker 1: all their faults, all we're doing is criticizing God's very 209 00:10:12,120 --> 00:10:12,760 Speaker 1: own creation. 210 00:10:13,480 --> 00:10:15,120 Speaker 2: It's like that lady I heard about. 211 00:10:15,160 --> 00:10:17,640 Speaker 1: She invited all these people over for dinner one night, 212 00:10:17,720 --> 00:10:19,680 Speaker 1: and they sat in and we're just about to eat, 213 00:10:19,920 --> 00:10:21,559 Speaker 1: and she turned to her little six year old daughter 214 00:10:21,559 --> 00:10:23,360 Speaker 1: and said, honey, why don't you say the blessing for 215 00:10:23,480 --> 00:10:24,000 Speaker 1: us tonight? 216 00:10:24,360 --> 00:10:26,200 Speaker 2: And she said, oh, mommy, I wouldn't even know what 217 00:10:26,320 --> 00:10:28,920 Speaker 2: to say. She said, oh, sure, you do. Just say 218 00:10:28,920 --> 00:10:30,080 Speaker 2: what you hear mommy say. 219 00:10:30,880 --> 00:10:32,840 Speaker 1: So they all bowed their heads, and this little six 220 00:10:32,920 --> 00:10:35,360 Speaker 1: year old girl said, Oh Lord, why did I invite 221 00:10:35,400 --> 00:10:36,240 Speaker 1: these people for dinner? 222 00:10:36,280 --> 00:10:43,680 Speaker 2: Heart crims. I want us to be real. I don't 223 00:10:43,679 --> 00:10:44,160 Speaker 2: want us. 224 00:10:44,040 --> 00:10:48,240 Speaker 1: To go around pretending be in two PHAs. Act in 225 00:10:48,280 --> 00:10:52,000 Speaker 1: one way, yet on the inside we're thinking another way. No, 226 00:10:52,160 --> 00:10:55,439 Speaker 1: keep your heart pure, pay attention to your inner life. 227 00:10:55,920 --> 00:10:58,400 Speaker 1: That's more important to God than our outer life. 228 00:10:58,800 --> 00:10:59,400 Speaker 2: And one of the. 229 00:10:59,320 --> 00:11:02,000 Speaker 1: Best things we could ever do is really get to 230 00:11:02,080 --> 00:11:05,600 Speaker 1: know ourselves. By that, I mean, find the areas you 231 00:11:05,720 --> 00:11:08,600 Speaker 1: need to improve in and then be big enough to 232 00:11:08,640 --> 00:11:11,679 Speaker 1: call a spade a spade if you're jealous. Don't go 233 00:11:11,760 --> 00:11:15,760 Speaker 1: through your whole lifetime acting like it's not there, pretending no. 234 00:11:15,920 --> 00:11:17,800 Speaker 1: Get it out in the open and deal with it. 235 00:11:18,280 --> 00:11:21,520 Speaker 1: What a shame to allow something that's so beatable, something 236 00:11:21,559 --> 00:11:24,280 Speaker 1: that you can overcome to keep it in mediocrity. 237 00:11:24,760 --> 00:11:25,400 Speaker 2: If you have a. 238 00:11:25,320 --> 00:11:28,640 Speaker 1: Problem with anger, a problem with pride, or a problem 239 00:11:28,679 --> 00:11:31,480 Speaker 1: with having ulterior motives, it's not going to do you 240 00:11:31,559 --> 00:11:33,600 Speaker 1: any good to hide them. I mean, you can hide 241 00:11:33,600 --> 00:11:35,520 Speaker 1: them from a lot of others, but we can't hide 242 00:11:35,520 --> 00:11:38,560 Speaker 1: anything from God. And if we don't have a pure heart, 243 00:11:38,760 --> 00:11:41,000 Speaker 1: it's going to keep us from being all that God's 244 00:11:41,000 --> 00:11:41,840 Speaker 1: created us to be. 245 00:11:42,440 --> 00:11:42,959 Speaker 2: And I'm not. 246 00:11:42,960 --> 00:11:47,040 Speaker 1: Saying that you're going to overcome everything instantly. Some things 247 00:11:47,080 --> 00:11:49,440 Speaker 1: you may have to deal with for quite some time. 248 00:11:49,960 --> 00:11:52,000 Speaker 1: But as long as you're bringing it out in the 249 00:11:52,080 --> 00:11:55,600 Speaker 1: open and asking God to help you, and you're not 250 00:11:56,360 --> 00:11:59,199 Speaker 1: playing games and acting like it's not there, then you're 251 00:11:59,240 --> 00:12:03,320 Speaker 1: going to be making It's when we deceive ourselves into 252 00:12:03,559 --> 00:12:07,520 Speaker 1: being two faced p tending to everybody one thing while 253 00:12:07,559 --> 00:12:10,560 Speaker 1: we know down in here we're ignoring these issues, that's 254 00:12:10,600 --> 00:12:13,439 Speaker 1: when we get ourselves into trouble. In fact, the scripture 255 00:12:13,480 --> 00:12:17,680 Speaker 1: says in James five point sixteen, confess your faults one 256 00:12:17,720 --> 00:12:21,400 Speaker 1: to another so that you may be healed. Notice you've 257 00:12:21,400 --> 00:12:24,640 Speaker 1: got to be honest enough with yourself to confess your faults. 258 00:12:25,000 --> 00:12:26,840 Speaker 1: You've got to come to the point where you say, 259 00:12:26,880 --> 00:12:30,120 Speaker 1: you know what I recognize I have some issues that 260 00:12:30,160 --> 00:12:32,960 Speaker 1: I need to deal with. And sometimes you're gonna have 261 00:12:33,000 --> 00:12:36,120 Speaker 1: to find a friend, find somebody you can trust, and 262 00:12:36,200 --> 00:12:38,480 Speaker 1: go to them and say I need your help. I'm 263 00:12:38,520 --> 00:12:40,840 Speaker 1: struggling in this area and I really need you to 264 00:12:40,880 --> 00:12:44,360 Speaker 1: stand with me and don't be embarrassed. It's the truth 265 00:12:44,440 --> 00:12:47,680 Speaker 1: that sets us free. And I'm asking us today to 266 00:12:47,840 --> 00:12:52,600 Speaker 1: examine our inner life, our thoughts, our attitudes, our motives. 267 00:12:52,960 --> 00:12:55,480 Speaker 1: It may just be something small, you say, all Joe, 268 00:12:55,520 --> 00:12:57,520 Speaker 1: I got this little problem with being jealous, or I'm 269 00:12:57,520 --> 00:12:59,559 Speaker 1: a little pride for it's not hurting anything. 270 00:13:00,120 --> 00:13:02,640 Speaker 2: No, it's going to keep you from being your very best. 271 00:13:02,800 --> 00:13:04,920 Speaker 1: Why don't you come up higher? Why don't you make 272 00:13:04,920 --> 00:13:10,040 Speaker 1: a decision to change today? David said, God desires truth 273 00:13:10,520 --> 00:13:13,319 Speaker 1: in the inward parts. We can all put on a 274 00:13:13,360 --> 00:13:17,240 Speaker 1: good show on the outside, but what really counts is 275 00:13:17,280 --> 00:13:20,679 Speaker 1: what's going on down in here on the inside. I mean, 276 00:13:20,760 --> 00:13:24,080 Speaker 1: let's go deeper than that. What are our motives? Why 277 00:13:24,120 --> 00:13:26,679 Speaker 1: do we do what we're doing. That's what's going to 278 00:13:26,760 --> 00:13:29,320 Speaker 1: determine how high we're really going to go in life. 279 00:13:29,920 --> 00:13:31,240 Speaker 2: I love what the Psalmist said. 280 00:13:31,520 --> 00:13:35,000 Speaker 1: He said, God, let the words of my mouth and 281 00:13:35,040 --> 00:13:39,600 Speaker 1: the meditation of my heart always be acceptable in your sight. 282 00:13:40,360 --> 00:13:44,080 Speaker 1: One translation says, God, let the intentions of. 283 00:13:44,040 --> 00:13:46,840 Speaker 2: My heart always be pleasing unto you. 284 00:13:47,360 --> 00:13:50,200 Speaker 1: In other words, he was saying, God, help me to 285 00:13:50,280 --> 00:13:53,040 Speaker 1: keep my inner life right. Help me to stay pure 286 00:13:53,040 --> 00:13:56,480 Speaker 1: in my thoughts, pure in my motives, pure in my attitudes. 287 00:13:57,080 --> 00:13:59,119 Speaker 2: And that's the first prayer I pray. 288 00:13:58,920 --> 00:14:02,600 Speaker 1: Every single morning. I'd encourage you to do the same thing. God, 289 00:14:02,720 --> 00:14:06,080 Speaker 1: Let everything I do today bring honor to your name. 290 00:14:06,600 --> 00:14:10,360 Speaker 1: Let my thoughts, let my actions, let my motives all 291 00:14:10,400 --> 00:14:13,959 Speaker 1: be pleasing unto you. See, I'm not really talking about 292 00:14:14,240 --> 00:14:17,480 Speaker 1: some kind of great sin today. I'm simply talking about 293 00:14:17,840 --> 00:14:21,120 Speaker 1: the intentions of our heart. Why do we do what 294 00:14:21,160 --> 00:14:25,240 Speaker 1: we do. The right thing is to honor God. The 295 00:14:25,320 --> 00:14:28,520 Speaker 1: right reason is to fulfill our destiny to help others. 296 00:14:29,040 --> 00:14:32,160 Speaker 1: The wrong reason is to just one up our neighbor, 297 00:14:32,600 --> 00:14:35,360 Speaker 1: to feed our ego, to build my career, to make 298 00:14:35,400 --> 00:14:38,560 Speaker 1: me look good. Now, learn to do things with a 299 00:14:38,640 --> 00:14:40,960 Speaker 1: pure heart, with the right motives. 300 00:14:41,040 --> 00:14:42,680 Speaker 2: That's when you're going to really be blessed. 301 00:14:43,360 --> 00:14:46,400 Speaker 1: The Scripture says in Proverbs four, verse twenty three that 302 00:14:46,520 --> 00:14:50,800 Speaker 1: we should guard our hearts with all diligence for out 303 00:14:50,800 --> 00:14:53,920 Speaker 1: of our hearts flow the issues of life. Now, I'm 304 00:14:53,920 --> 00:14:57,600 Speaker 1: convinced the enemy is constantly trying to poison our hearts. 305 00:14:58,080 --> 00:15:00,880 Speaker 1: He's constantly trying to give us a little bitteress, a 306 00:15:00,880 --> 00:15:03,400 Speaker 1: little resentment, a little jealousy, a little pride. 307 00:15:03,880 --> 00:15:07,560 Speaker 2: But don't take his bait. If your heart is not pure. 308 00:15:07,760 --> 00:15:10,640 Speaker 1: It's going to affect everything about you. And I know 309 00:15:10,760 --> 00:15:13,400 Speaker 1: people that are going around with all this junk on 310 00:15:13,440 --> 00:15:18,440 Speaker 1: the inside, wrong motives, wrong thinking, wrong attitudes, and they 311 00:15:18,440 --> 00:15:21,720 Speaker 1: don't realize it, but it's contaminating. 312 00:15:21,000 --> 00:15:21,880 Speaker 2: Who they really are. 313 00:15:22,640 --> 00:15:25,040 Speaker 1: Now, I like to think of it like a stream. 314 00:15:25,280 --> 00:15:29,160 Speaker 1: God made you to be a crystal clear stream. He's 315 00:15:29,240 --> 00:15:32,880 Speaker 1: created us to be happy, to be peaceful, to be loving, 316 00:15:32,960 --> 00:15:36,120 Speaker 1: to be merciful, to be forgiving, to enjoy our lives. 317 00:15:36,680 --> 00:15:39,760 Speaker 1: But so often we've allowed this junk to get in 318 00:15:39,960 --> 00:15:41,200 Speaker 1: and pollute our waters. 319 00:15:41,880 --> 00:15:43,200 Speaker 2: Somebody offends us. 320 00:15:43,480 --> 00:15:45,760 Speaker 1: Instead of letting it go and moving on, we hold 321 00:15:45,800 --> 00:15:48,680 Speaker 1: on to it and the water gets a little bit muddy. 322 00:15:49,000 --> 00:15:52,440 Speaker 1: A friend gets a promotion. Instead of rejoicing with them, 323 00:15:52,640 --> 00:15:55,800 Speaker 1: we're jealous. We don't understand it. God, I work harder 324 00:15:55,840 --> 00:15:56,240 Speaker 1: than they do. 325 00:15:56,400 --> 00:15:57,120 Speaker 2: That's not right. 326 00:15:57,760 --> 00:16:01,040 Speaker 1: The water gets a little more contaminated, and over the years, 327 00:16:01,040 --> 00:16:03,880 Speaker 1: if we're not careful, we got all this junk in there, 328 00:16:04,280 --> 00:16:07,440 Speaker 1: and it's keeping us from being our very best. Now 329 00:16:07,480 --> 00:16:10,720 Speaker 1: you've got to guard your heart. It's gonna affect our 330 00:16:10,760 --> 00:16:14,520 Speaker 1: whole Outlook. See, we see things the way we are, 331 00:16:14,920 --> 00:16:18,280 Speaker 1: not necessarily the way they are. In other words, we 332 00:16:18,400 --> 00:16:21,920 Speaker 1: view things from our own stream. The Scripture says, in 333 00:16:21,960 --> 00:16:25,800 Speaker 1: tide us to the purer, all things are pure. When 334 00:16:25,880 --> 00:16:28,640 Speaker 1: your heart is right, you're gonna see the best in people. 335 00:16:29,080 --> 00:16:31,240 Speaker 1: And you have a pure heart, you're not gonna be 336 00:16:31,360 --> 00:16:34,760 Speaker 1: judgmental and critical. You're not gonna go around complain and 337 00:16:34,800 --> 00:16:37,920 Speaker 1: finding fault in everything. And a good way to see 338 00:16:38,000 --> 00:16:40,560 Speaker 1: what kind of heart you have is in how you 339 00:16:40,680 --> 00:16:44,840 Speaker 1: size up other people. I found if you're a trusting person, 340 00:16:45,240 --> 00:16:48,160 Speaker 1: you'll see other people as being trustworthy. But if you're 341 00:16:48,240 --> 00:16:51,480 Speaker 1: negative and critical, you're gonna view others as being negative 342 00:16:51,520 --> 00:16:55,000 Speaker 1: and critical. We see things not necessarily the way they are. 343 00:16:55,440 --> 00:16:58,200 Speaker 1: We see them from our own frame of reference. And 344 00:16:58,200 --> 00:17:02,640 Speaker 1: that means if your stream has become contaminated, then everything 345 00:17:02,880 --> 00:17:05,840 Speaker 1: is going to be filtered through those murky waters, and 346 00:17:05,880 --> 00:17:08,720 Speaker 1: it's going to affect you everywhere you go. I heard 347 00:17:08,720 --> 00:17:12,080 Speaker 1: about this grandfather that fell asleep in his living room 348 00:17:12,160 --> 00:17:15,000 Speaker 1: one day and his grandkids decided to play a little 349 00:17:15,040 --> 00:17:18,880 Speaker 1: trick on him, and they got some real strong smelling. 350 00:17:18,600 --> 00:17:20,200 Speaker 2: Cheese out of the refrigerator. 351 00:17:20,600 --> 00:17:24,040 Speaker 1: Was very potent, smelled really bad, and while he was sleeping, 352 00:17:24,080 --> 00:17:27,000 Speaker 1: they snuck up and they just very gently rubbed some 353 00:17:27,080 --> 00:17:28,880 Speaker 1: of this cheese on his mustache. 354 00:17:29,080 --> 00:17:30,560 Speaker 2: And so a few minutes later. 355 00:17:30,520 --> 00:17:33,000 Speaker 1: His nose began to twitch and he kind of tossed 356 00:17:33,000 --> 00:17:34,879 Speaker 1: and turned there a little, and then all of a sudden, 357 00:17:34,920 --> 00:17:37,440 Speaker 1: he sat straight up in that chair and he said 358 00:17:37,440 --> 00:17:41,240 Speaker 1: to himself, man, something really stinks. And so he left 359 00:17:41,240 --> 00:17:43,240 Speaker 1: that room and went into the kitchen, hoping to get 360 00:17:43,280 --> 00:17:46,080 Speaker 1: some relief. And he sniffed here and sniffed there, and 361 00:17:46,119 --> 00:17:46,960 Speaker 1: the same thing. 362 00:17:47,040 --> 00:17:48,320 Speaker 2: Man, it stinks in here too. 363 00:17:49,200 --> 00:17:51,280 Speaker 1: So he decided he's going to go outside and get 364 00:17:51,280 --> 00:17:53,720 Speaker 1: some fresh air. He thought for sure that would do it. 365 00:17:54,040 --> 00:17:56,320 Speaker 1: So he went outside and took a deep breath of air, 366 00:17:56,359 --> 00:17:59,280 Speaker 1: and finally he said, you know what, the whole world stinks. 367 00:18:01,200 --> 00:18:04,120 Speaker 1: My point is, if you're carrying around the stink, it's 368 00:18:04,119 --> 00:18:06,960 Speaker 1: gonna pollute you wherever you go. You're not gonna be 369 00:18:07,000 --> 00:18:13,240 Speaker 1: able to get away from it. The whole key is 370 00:18:13,680 --> 00:18:16,840 Speaker 1: we have to change, We have to keep our own 371 00:18:17,000 --> 00:18:20,000 Speaker 1: stream pure, and at some point we need to find 372 00:18:20,200 --> 00:18:21,400 Speaker 1: the common denominator. 373 00:18:21,760 --> 00:18:22,360 Speaker 2: I mean, if you. 374 00:18:22,320 --> 00:18:25,600 Speaker 1: See everybody as being critical, that means you're probably critical. 375 00:18:25,960 --> 00:18:28,879 Speaker 1: And I'm asking you today to not blame other people. 376 00:18:29,359 --> 00:18:31,400 Speaker 1: Now put your foot down and say, you know what, 377 00:18:31,800 --> 00:18:35,840 Speaker 1: I recognize that I may be the problem. I recognize 378 00:18:35,880 --> 00:18:38,760 Speaker 1: that I have these issues and I'm not gonna bury them. 379 00:18:38,840 --> 00:18:40,840 Speaker 1: I'm gonna take them to God and I'm gonna ask 380 00:18:40,880 --> 00:18:43,399 Speaker 1: him to help me. And again, if you get the 381 00:18:43,440 --> 00:18:47,440 Speaker 1: inside fixed, then the outside will begin to change. And See, 382 00:18:47,440 --> 00:18:50,040 Speaker 1: when we have a pure heart, doesn't matter where we are, 383 00:18:50,040 --> 00:18:52,359 Speaker 1: it doesn't matter what's going on around us, we're gonna 384 00:18:52,359 --> 00:18:55,040 Speaker 1: be happy. We're gonna be positive, we're gonna be hopeful. 385 00:18:55,640 --> 00:18:57,760 Speaker 1: I heard about this real wealthy family. 386 00:18:58,200 --> 00:18:58,600 Speaker 2: One day. 387 00:18:58,600 --> 00:19:01,320 Speaker 1: The father decided we wanted to show his little seven 388 00:19:01,440 --> 00:19:04,479 Speaker 1: year old son how the poor people lived. And so 389 00:19:04,520 --> 00:19:06,760 Speaker 1: they left their big, fancy house and they drove way 390 00:19:06,800 --> 00:19:09,200 Speaker 1: out in the country and spent the night on this 391 00:19:09,240 --> 00:19:12,600 Speaker 1: little farm. It was just a little frame house. These 392 00:19:12,600 --> 00:19:15,320 Speaker 1: people hardly had anything. And after a day and a 393 00:19:15,359 --> 00:19:18,679 Speaker 1: half there, they headed back home and The father was 394 00:19:18,720 --> 00:19:21,360 Speaker 1: so curious he wanted to see if his son had 395 00:19:21,400 --> 00:19:24,480 Speaker 1: really learned his lesson. So driving back home, he asked him, son, 396 00:19:24,760 --> 00:19:26,600 Speaker 1: how'd you like our trip? He said, oh, Dad, I 397 00:19:26,640 --> 00:19:27,439 Speaker 1: really enjoyed it. 398 00:19:27,760 --> 00:19:30,439 Speaker 2: And he said, well, did you see how poor people 399 00:19:30,480 --> 00:19:32,480 Speaker 2: can really be? He said, yes, Dad, I did. 400 00:19:32,880 --> 00:19:34,679 Speaker 1: He said, son, will tell me what were some of 401 00:19:34,680 --> 00:19:37,159 Speaker 1: the things that you learned. The son thought about it 402 00:19:37,160 --> 00:19:39,199 Speaker 1: and he said, well, Dad, I learned that we have 403 00:19:39,359 --> 00:19:42,920 Speaker 1: one dog at home and those people have four. And Dad, 404 00:19:42,920 --> 00:19:45,600 Speaker 1: we've got a swimming pool that reaches halfway out to 405 00:19:45,640 --> 00:19:48,360 Speaker 1: our backyard, but they have a stream with no end. 406 00:19:49,080 --> 00:19:51,959 Speaker 1: And Dad, we got these fancy lanterns outside, but they 407 00:19:52,000 --> 00:19:55,520 Speaker 1: got the stars. Dad, we have a front porch that 408 00:19:55,600 --> 00:19:58,520 Speaker 1: reaches to our front yard, but they have the whole horizon. 409 00:19:59,160 --> 00:20:01,520 Speaker 2: His dad was just shaking his head. He couldn't believe it. 410 00:20:01,600 --> 00:20:03,880 Speaker 1: About that time, the little boy spoke up and said, Dad, 411 00:20:04,080 --> 00:20:09,920 Speaker 1: thank you for showing me how poor we really are. See, 412 00:20:09,920 --> 00:20:12,960 Speaker 1: it all depends on what kind of view you're coming from. 413 00:20:12,800 --> 00:20:15,639 Speaker 1: It all depends on how we look at things. And 414 00:20:15,680 --> 00:20:17,879 Speaker 1: if you have a pure heart like that little boy, 415 00:20:18,200 --> 00:20:22,080 Speaker 1: you're gonna see the best. When your stream hasn't been contaminated. 416 00:20:22,200 --> 00:20:24,679 Speaker 1: You're gonna be happy wherever you are. You're gonna bloom 417 00:20:24,720 --> 00:20:27,520 Speaker 1: right where you're planning. And if you're not happy today, 418 00:20:27,760 --> 00:20:30,480 Speaker 1: I would challenge you to quit focusing on what you 419 00:20:30,560 --> 00:20:33,640 Speaker 1: don't have, quit looking at what's wrong in your life, 420 00:20:33,840 --> 00:20:36,000 Speaker 1: and start thanking God for what's right in your life. 421 00:20:36,320 --> 00:20:41,399 Speaker 1: Be a greatful person. I've discovered, the more I thank 422 00:20:41,520 --> 00:20:44,080 Speaker 1: God for what I do have, the more God gives 423 00:20:44,080 --> 00:20:47,480 Speaker 1: me what I don't have. If you're always complaining, always 424 00:20:47,480 --> 00:20:51,760 Speaker 1: finding fault, you've got to recognize your stream has become polluted. 425 00:20:52,320 --> 00:20:54,160 Speaker 2: You've got to get your heart pure. 426 00:20:54,600 --> 00:20:57,920 Speaker 1: It's not your circumstances, it's your attitude, and nobody can 427 00:20:58,000 --> 00:20:58,679 Speaker 1: change this for you. 428 00:20:58,600 --> 00:20:59,520 Speaker 2: You've got to do it. 429 00:21:00,080 --> 00:21:03,119 Speaker 1: I know people today that are so stressed out, so 430 00:21:03,680 --> 00:21:07,160 Speaker 1: run down, people that are even physically sick, and it's 431 00:21:07,200 --> 00:21:10,239 Speaker 1: all because of the junk that's constantly going on on 432 00:21:10,280 --> 00:21:16,520 Speaker 1: the inside, you know, bitterness, resentment, playing games, manipulating people. Listen, 433 00:21:16,600 --> 00:21:18,560 Speaker 1: you know as well as I do, all that's gonna 434 00:21:18,560 --> 00:21:21,760 Speaker 1: do is wear you out. It is very freeing to say, God, 435 00:21:21,760 --> 00:21:24,480 Speaker 1: I'm letting all that junk go. I'm not gonna spend 436 00:21:24,480 --> 00:21:27,680 Speaker 1: my life being bitter. I'm not gonna spend my life pretending, 437 00:21:27,800 --> 00:21:31,120 Speaker 1: playing up to people. I'm not gonna ignore all these issues. God, 438 00:21:31,119 --> 00:21:33,919 Speaker 1: I'm gonna start keeping my heart pure. Listen, you do that, 439 00:21:34,000 --> 00:21:36,640 Speaker 1: you'll go to a whole new level. I was reading 440 00:21:36,720 --> 00:21:40,600 Speaker 1: about the famous painter Leonardo da Vinci. One time, he 441 00:21:40,680 --> 00:21:43,480 Speaker 1: was working on this painting of Jesus, and he allowed 442 00:21:43,520 --> 00:21:44,760 Speaker 1: some young school. 443 00:21:44,480 --> 00:21:45,880 Speaker 2: Children to come in and watch him. 444 00:21:46,320 --> 00:21:49,480 Speaker 1: One of those kids accidentally bunked the canvas and knocked 445 00:21:49,480 --> 00:21:50,320 Speaker 1: the painting over. 446 00:21:50,800 --> 00:21:53,600 Speaker 2: He was so upset, he got so angry. He had 447 00:21:53,680 --> 00:21:54,840 Speaker 2: them all leave the room. 448 00:21:55,280 --> 00:21:57,800 Speaker 1: And when he came back in and sat down and 449 00:21:57,880 --> 00:22:01,119 Speaker 1: was ready to finish, he said he tried and tried, 450 00:22:01,800 --> 00:22:04,640 Speaker 1: but he could not paint the face of Jesus with 451 00:22:04,680 --> 00:22:08,040 Speaker 1: that anger in his heart. And that's what happens when 452 00:22:08,040 --> 00:22:11,720 Speaker 1: our stream becomes polluted. No matter how talented we are, 453 00:22:11,920 --> 00:22:15,600 Speaker 1: no matter how many gifts we have, it stifles our creativity. 454 00:22:15,960 --> 00:22:19,040 Speaker 1: It keeps us from rising higher and being our very best. 455 00:22:19,680 --> 00:22:21,640 Speaker 1: And some of you, if you just get the junk 456 00:22:21,680 --> 00:22:25,680 Speaker 1: out of the inside, you'd see your productivity increase. You 457 00:22:25,720 --> 00:22:27,800 Speaker 1: would see your gifts and talents come. 458 00:22:27,640 --> 00:22:28,359 Speaker 2: To the forefront. 459 00:22:28,680 --> 00:22:31,280 Speaker 1: You'd have more energy, you'd get more done. 460 00:22:31,320 --> 00:22:31,679 Speaker 2: Friends. 461 00:22:31,720 --> 00:22:34,879 Speaker 1: The inner life is connected to the outer life, and 462 00:22:34,920 --> 00:22:38,480 Speaker 1: if you can just keep the inside pure, God's blessings 463 00:22:38,480 --> 00:22:42,440 Speaker 1: and favor will freely flow. I think about David when 464 00:22:42,480 --> 00:22:45,960 Speaker 1: he committed adultery. It took him over a year to repent. 465 00:22:46,600 --> 00:22:48,760 Speaker 1: He didn't deal with it. He just swept it under 466 00:22:48,760 --> 00:22:49,160 Speaker 1: the rug. 467 00:22:49,240 --> 00:22:50,359 Speaker 2: He thought it doesn't matter. 468 00:22:50,960 --> 00:22:54,000 Speaker 1: But the scripture says during that year he was miserable, 469 00:22:54,400 --> 00:22:57,560 Speaker 1: he was weak, he was upset, he. 470 00:22:57,560 --> 00:22:59,080 Speaker 2: Was troubled in his heart. 471 00:22:59,320 --> 00:23:01,720 Speaker 1: It's when he got it out in the open and 472 00:23:01,760 --> 00:23:04,359 Speaker 1: he made a decision to just make things right and 473 00:23:04,400 --> 00:23:07,920 Speaker 1: ask for forgiveness. That's when it's joy and victory returned. 474 00:23:08,480 --> 00:23:09,879 Speaker 1: And I know a lot of times we kind of 475 00:23:09,880 --> 00:23:13,160 Speaker 1: do like David, We just sweep it under the rug. Well, Joel, 476 00:23:13,240 --> 00:23:14,200 Speaker 1: I know I got these. 477 00:23:14,000 --> 00:23:15,800 Speaker 2: Issues, but you know it's not hurting anything. 478 00:23:16,240 --> 00:23:18,639 Speaker 1: I'm a little proud, I'm a little jealous, or I 479 00:23:18,720 --> 00:23:21,120 Speaker 1: do manipulate people, but you know I've done this all 480 00:23:21,160 --> 00:23:21,560 Speaker 1: my life. 481 00:23:21,560 --> 00:23:22,840 Speaker 2: It's no big deal now. 482 00:23:22,880 --> 00:23:25,679 Speaker 1: I don't think we realize how much it's holding us back. 483 00:23:26,080 --> 00:23:28,480 Speaker 1: And I want you to be all that God's created 484 00:23:28,520 --> 00:23:31,280 Speaker 1: you to be. I want you to come up higher today. 485 00:23:31,680 --> 00:23:34,040 Speaker 1: And I know it starts with having a pure heart. 486 00:23:34,400 --> 00:23:36,600 Speaker 1: I mean, it's one thing to clean up the outside 487 00:23:36,640 --> 00:23:38,880 Speaker 1: and to put on a good show, But I want 488 00:23:38,880 --> 00:23:42,000 Speaker 1: to honor God in my inner life, in my thoughts, 489 00:23:42,440 --> 00:23:45,720 Speaker 1: in my motives, in my attitude. The scripture talks about 490 00:23:45,760 --> 00:23:49,040 Speaker 1: in two Timothy, if we can just keep ourselves free 491 00:23:49,240 --> 00:23:52,440 Speaker 1: from these contaminating forces. In other words, if we can 492 00:23:52,520 --> 00:23:55,640 Speaker 1: just keep our hearts pure, then we will be vessels 493 00:23:55,680 --> 00:23:57,159 Speaker 1: of honor used. 494 00:23:56,880 --> 00:23:58,359 Speaker 2: For God's highest purposes. 495 00:23:59,080 --> 00:24:01,520 Speaker 1: And I'm certainly not perfect, but I can tell you 496 00:24:01,560 --> 00:24:03,639 Speaker 1: one thing, and I hope you'll take this in the 497 00:24:03,720 --> 00:24:06,600 Speaker 1: right sense. But from the time I was a little boy, 498 00:24:07,119 --> 00:24:10,080 Speaker 1: I've always done my best to keep my heart purer 499 00:24:10,119 --> 00:24:13,960 Speaker 1: before God. This is something that my parents instilled in me. 500 00:24:14,280 --> 00:24:16,800 Speaker 1: I saw it lived out in the life of my father. 501 00:24:17,400 --> 00:24:20,439 Speaker 1: Daddy always believed the best in people. Didn't matter what 502 00:24:20,520 --> 00:24:22,840 Speaker 1: you've done, didn't matter how many mistakes you made. He 503 00:24:22,880 --> 00:24:24,920 Speaker 1: would always be for you. He wouldn't judge you, he 504 00:24:24,920 --> 00:24:28,240 Speaker 1: wouldn't criticize you. Early on in life, my father went 505 00:24:28,280 --> 00:24:30,640 Speaker 1: through some great hurts, but he didn't let it get 506 00:24:30,680 --> 00:24:35,520 Speaker 1: him better. All along the way he had opportunities to compromise. 507 00:24:35,320 --> 00:24:36,880 Speaker 2: But he always took the high road. 508 00:24:37,440 --> 00:24:39,800 Speaker 1: And I believe that one reason God has blessed me, 509 00:24:39,880 --> 00:24:42,520 Speaker 1: one reason he's promoted me, and I say this humbly, 510 00:24:42,880 --> 00:24:45,240 Speaker 1: is because I've simply done my best to keep my 511 00:24:45,320 --> 00:24:48,720 Speaker 1: heart purer. And I found that in life, it's very 512 00:24:48,760 --> 00:24:52,400 Speaker 1: easy to become critical. It's easy to get a little 513 00:24:52,400 --> 00:24:55,680 Speaker 1: bit sour, a little bit tainted, a little bit sarcastic, 514 00:24:55,840 --> 00:24:59,440 Speaker 1: with all life deals us, with all the negative things 515 00:24:59,440 --> 00:25:02,080 Speaker 1: that are coming against us. How we've got to learn 516 00:25:02,119 --> 00:25:06,159 Speaker 1: to guard our hearts. I believe how high a person 517 00:25:06,320 --> 00:25:09,280 Speaker 1: is going to go is going to be directly. 518 00:25:08,840 --> 00:25:10,800 Speaker 2: Related to how pure their heart is. 519 00:25:11,359 --> 00:25:14,280 Speaker 1: How much joy, how much peace, how much victory you're 520 00:25:14,320 --> 00:25:17,080 Speaker 1: going to have, I believe is going to be in 521 00:25:17,160 --> 00:25:20,760 Speaker 1: direct proportion to the purity of your heart. And our 522 00:25:20,800 --> 00:25:24,080 Speaker 1: attitude should be God, my life is an open book. 523 00:25:24,640 --> 00:25:25,840 Speaker 2: I love what David said. 524 00:25:26,080 --> 00:25:29,439 Speaker 1: God, search my heart and point out anything in me 525 00:25:29,840 --> 00:25:33,480 Speaker 1: that makes you sad. What a great attitude he was saying. God, 526 00:25:33,760 --> 00:25:36,320 Speaker 1: show me where I need to change, God show me 527 00:25:36,680 --> 00:25:39,919 Speaker 1: how I can come up higher. Well, imagine with me today, 528 00:25:40,240 --> 00:25:42,640 Speaker 1: what if our life was an open book. What if 529 00:25:42,640 --> 00:25:44,959 Speaker 1: our thoughts and motives were to put up on a 530 00:25:44,960 --> 00:25:48,000 Speaker 1: movie screen for everybody to see. What if they were 531 00:25:48,000 --> 00:25:50,840 Speaker 1: made public wherever we go. A lot of times we. 532 00:25:50,800 --> 00:25:54,560 Speaker 2: Think, man, I wouldn't like that. We have to realize God. 533 00:25:54,400 --> 00:25:57,880 Speaker 1: Sees it, and he's the one that brings promotion. He's 534 00:25:57,920 --> 00:26:00,720 Speaker 1: the one that lifts up and brings down. And so 535 00:26:00,800 --> 00:26:03,639 Speaker 1: if we're going to experience his best, if we're going 536 00:26:03,720 --> 00:26:07,240 Speaker 1: to really reach our full potential, first and foremost, we 537 00:26:07,359 --> 00:26:10,359 Speaker 1: have to make sure that our hearts are pure before God. 538 00:26:10,600 --> 00:26:13,320 Speaker 1: Out of our hearts, the whole course of our life 539 00:26:13,400 --> 00:26:16,240 Speaker 1: is being directed. And so I just challenge you again, 540 00:26:16,560 --> 00:26:18,240 Speaker 1: do your very best. 541 00:26:17,920 --> 00:26:20,920 Speaker 2: To keep your hearts pure. Don't be a pretender, don't 542 00:26:20,920 --> 00:26:21,560 Speaker 2: be a phony. 543 00:26:21,760 --> 00:26:25,520 Speaker 1: When you have those feelings, don't bury it, don't feel condemned. 544 00:26:25,560 --> 00:26:28,639 Speaker 1: Just take it to God. God, I don't like this person. 545 00:26:29,080 --> 00:26:31,520 Speaker 1: I don't want to be critical. God help me to change, 546 00:26:31,760 --> 00:26:34,199 Speaker 1: help me to be better than this. When you have 547 00:26:34,280 --> 00:26:37,320 Speaker 1: the desire, God will always help you. And friends, there's 548 00:26:37,359 --> 00:26:39,520 Speaker 1: no limit to what God will do in your life 549 00:26:39,720 --> 00:26:42,359 Speaker 1: when you have a pure heart. And my prayer today 550 00:26:42,600 --> 00:26:44,879 Speaker 1: is that you will be more aware of your inner life. 551 00:26:45,359 --> 00:26:47,840 Speaker 1: Make sure your motives are right and be quick to 552 00:26:47,880 --> 00:26:50,840 Speaker 1: deal with issues. If you do that, I know you'll 553 00:26:50,880 --> 00:26:53,040 Speaker 1: be a vessel of honor. God will use you for 554 00:26:53,080 --> 00:26:56,040 Speaker 1: his highest purposes and you'll see the life of victory 555 00:26:56,200 --> 00:26:57,240 Speaker 1: that he has in story. 556 00:26:57,240 --> 00:26:59,840 Speaker 2: Amen, do you receive it today? I know you do. 557 00:27:02,200 --> 00:27:05,159 Speaker 1: We never like to close our broadcast without giving you 558 00:27:05,200 --> 00:27:08,080 Speaker 1: an opportunity to make Jesus the lord of your life. 559 00:27:08,240 --> 00:27:12,399 Speaker 1: Would you pray with me? Just say, Lord, Jesus, I 560 00:27:12,520 --> 00:27:17,120 Speaker 1: repent of my sins. Come into my heart. I make 561 00:27:17,200 --> 00:27:20,520 Speaker 1: you my Lord and savior. Friends, if you prayed that 562 00:27:20,600 --> 00:27:23,399 Speaker 1: simple prayer, we believe you got born again. Get in 563 00:27:23,440 --> 00:27:26,720 Speaker 1: a good Bible based church. Keep God first place. He's 564 00:27:26,720 --> 00:27:28,960 Speaker 1: going to take your places that you've never dreamed of. 565 00:27:30,320 --> 00:27:33,520 Speaker 3: Breathtaking. That's what you feel when you look out at 566 00:27:33,560 --> 00:27:38,760 Speaker 3: majestic mountain peaks. Yes, God's creation truly is a masterpiece. 567 00:27:39,200 --> 00:27:42,639 Speaker 3: But even as you consider his handiwork, you might also 568 00:27:42,760 --> 00:27:47,639 Speaker 3: feel less that, not good enough, or not valuable. The 569 00:27:47,720 --> 00:27:52,040 Speaker 3: image before you is incredible, but the confidence inside is lacking. 570 00:27:52,600 --> 00:27:53,680 Speaker 2: How do you overcome this? 571 00:27:54,760 --> 00:27:58,280 Speaker 1: The opinion you have of yourself is your most important opinion. 572 00:27:58,840 --> 00:28:03,320 Speaker 1: Too often we see our ourselves as ordinary, not talented, unattractive. 573 00:28:03,880 --> 00:28:06,800 Speaker 1: That wrong self image is setting the limits for our life. 574 00:28:07,440 --> 00:28:09,720 Speaker 1: The key is to get an agreement with who God 575 00:28:09,800 --> 00:28:14,800 Speaker 1: says you are. He calls you a masterpiece, strong, talented, valuable. 576 00:28:15,400 --> 00:28:18,200 Speaker 1: If you'll have the right image of yourself, you'll rise 577 00:28:18,280 --> 00:28:21,439 Speaker 1: higher and become who you were created to be. We 578 00:28:21,480 --> 00:28:23,680 Speaker 1: have a new resource that will help you do just that. 579 00:28:24,000 --> 00:28:27,600 Speaker 1: It's called you Are a Masterpiece. It's filled with inspiration 580 00:28:27,840 --> 00:28:31,240 Speaker 1: and encouragement that will remind you who you really are. 581 00:28:31,400 --> 00:28:33,439 Speaker 2: Gifted, chosen, approved. 582 00:28:33,800 --> 00:28:35,680 Speaker 1: It will help you get rid of the wrong self 583 00:28:35,720 --> 00:28:39,760 Speaker 1: image and start seeing yourself as the masterpiece God created 584 00:28:39,800 --> 00:28:40,240 Speaker 1: you to be. 585 00:28:41,320 --> 00:28:43,800 Speaker 3: As our Thank you for your gift of any amount 586 00:28:43,840 --> 00:28:46,160 Speaker 3: to the ministry this month, we want to send you 587 00:28:46,320 --> 00:28:52,320 Speaker 3: Joel's inspiring newbrook. You are a masterpiece. God made you, unique, 588 00:28:52,520 --> 00:28:56,240 Speaker 3: with a divine purpose and a bright future. As these 589 00:28:56,360 --> 00:28:59,880 Speaker 3: truths sink down in your spirit, the majesty of God's 590 00:29:00,400 --> 00:29:04,560 Speaker 3: will arise within you. Yes, God has breathed his life 591 00:29:04,680 --> 00:29:09,920 Speaker 3: into you. He approved you, equipped you, empowered you stop 592 00:29:10,000 --> 00:29:13,320 Speaker 3: believing the lies about you and start hearing what God 593 00:29:13,360 --> 00:29:14,120 Speaker 3: says about you. 594 00:29:14,680 --> 00:29:17,640 Speaker 1: Thanks so much for being a part of the ministry. Victorien, 595 00:29:17,680 --> 00:29:20,680 Speaker 1: I pray for you and your family every day. Believe it, 596 00:29:20,720 --> 00:29:23,320 Speaker 1: it's going to be a favor filled twenty twenty four. 597 00:29:23,960 --> 00:29:26,000 Speaker 2: We appreciate your prayer and support. 598 00:29:26,400 --> 00:29:30,560 Speaker 1: Your generosity is impacting people around the world. Remember you 599 00:29:30,600 --> 00:29:34,479 Speaker 1: can watch the services live online Sunday mornings, see all 600 00:29:34,520 --> 00:29:38,720 Speaker 1: the music and ministry. Download our daily podcast. Until we 601 00:29:38,760 --> 00:29:41,400 Speaker 1: meet again, May the Lord bless you and keep you. 602 00:29:42,200 --> 00:29:44,640 Speaker 3: Be sure to request your copy of that You Are 603 00:29:44,680 --> 00:29:54,400 Speaker 3: a Masterpiece today. Visit Joelostein dot com