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Download the uns stapp and use the 31 00:01:18,720 --> 00:01:20,800 Speaker 3: code I heeart fifty at sign up to receive a 32 00:01:20,840 --> 00:01:23,319 Speaker 3: fifty dollars bonus when you find your account. That's code 33 00:01:23,360 --> 00:01:26,320 Speaker 3: iHeart fifty when you sign up at unest dot co 34 00:01:26,720 --> 00:01:29,280 Speaker 3: for a fifty dollars bonus. See terms and conditions at 35 00:01:29,360 --> 00:01:30,080 Speaker 3: UNEs dot co. 36 00:01:31,240 --> 00:01:33,000 Speaker 4: Hi. This is Joel and Victoria. 37 00:01:33,040 --> 00:01:36,080 Speaker 5: Thanks for listening to our podcast and thanks for supporting 38 00:01:36,080 --> 00:01:39,000 Speaker 5: the ministry. If you enjoy today's message, why don't you 39 00:01:39,080 --> 00:01:41,160 Speaker 5: be a blessing and share it with a friend. We 40 00:01:41,319 --> 00:01:56,240 Speaker 5: appreciate you and pray for God's very best in your life. Well, 41 00:01:56,280 --> 00:01:59,880 Speaker 5: God bless you always a joy to come into your homes. 42 00:02:00,080 --> 00:02:02,840 Speaker 5: We love you, We know that God has good things 43 00:02:02,840 --> 00:02:05,160 Speaker 5: in store for you, and if you're ever in our area, 44 00:02:05,360 --> 00:02:07,080 Speaker 5: I hope you'll stop by and be a part of 45 00:02:07,120 --> 00:02:08,079 Speaker 5: one of our services. 46 00:02:08,240 --> 00:02:10,240 Speaker 4: I promise you will make you feel right at home. 47 00:02:10,480 --> 00:02:12,360 Speaker 5: I say it often, but these are the finest people 48 00:02:12,360 --> 00:02:14,520 Speaker 5: in all of Houston right here, so we'd love to 49 00:02:14,520 --> 00:02:15,480 Speaker 5: have you be apart. 50 00:02:15,240 --> 00:02:16,440 Speaker 4: Come out and join us sometime. 51 00:02:17,080 --> 00:02:19,280 Speaker 5: Thanks for tuning in today, and you know, I'd like 52 00:02:19,320 --> 00:02:21,520 Speaker 5: to get started with something funny each week. And of 53 00:02:21,520 --> 00:02:24,600 Speaker 5: course most of these jokes are not doctrinally correct, and 54 00:02:24,720 --> 00:02:25,839 Speaker 5: especially today. 55 00:02:25,600 --> 00:02:27,240 Speaker 4: It's just a joke just to make you laugh. 56 00:02:27,280 --> 00:02:30,919 Speaker 5: But anyway, a woman died and found herself standing at 57 00:02:30,919 --> 00:02:33,880 Speaker 5: the pearly gates. Peter said, you can't go in unless 58 00:02:33,880 --> 00:02:35,160 Speaker 5: you correctly spell a word. 59 00:02:35,440 --> 00:02:37,840 Speaker 4: What word? She asked? Any word, Peter replied. 60 00:02:38,160 --> 00:02:41,280 Speaker 5: So she spelled the word love l ovee, and Peter 61 00:02:41,400 --> 00:02:43,919 Speaker 5: welcomed her to heaven. He then asked her to take 62 00:02:43,960 --> 00:02:47,119 Speaker 5: his position. He instructed her to follow the same procedure 63 00:02:47,160 --> 00:02:50,200 Speaker 5: should anyone arrive. A few minutes later, the woman sees 64 00:02:50,240 --> 00:02:53,240 Speaker 5: her ex husband coming up. What are you doing here? 65 00:02:53,480 --> 00:02:55,200 Speaker 5: He said, I just had a heart attack. Did I'll 66 00:02:55,240 --> 00:02:56,160 Speaker 5: really make it to heaven? 67 00:02:56,400 --> 00:02:56,799 Speaker 4: Not yet? 68 00:02:56,840 --> 00:02:59,360 Speaker 5: She said, You've got to correctly spell a word. What 69 00:02:59,480 --> 00:03:04,320 Speaker 5: word do you ask? After a long pause, she replied Czechoslovakia. 70 00:03:05,800 --> 00:03:07,919 Speaker 4: All right, hold up your Bible. Say it like you 71 00:03:08,040 --> 00:03:08,880 Speaker 4: mean it. Are you ready? 72 00:03:09,360 --> 00:03:12,519 Speaker 5: This is my Bible. I am what it says I am. 73 00:03:13,120 --> 00:03:15,680 Speaker 5: I have what it says I have. I can do 74 00:03:15,760 --> 00:03:18,320 Speaker 5: what it says I can do. Today I will be 75 00:03:18,400 --> 00:03:22,360 Speaker 5: taught the word of God. I boldly confessed. My mind 76 00:03:22,440 --> 00:03:25,880 Speaker 5: is alert, my heart is receptive. I will never be 77 00:03:25,960 --> 00:03:30,600 Speaker 5: the same. In Jesus' name, God bless you. I want 78 00:03:30,600 --> 00:03:34,120 Speaker 5: to talk to you today about developing a tender conscience. 79 00:03:34,880 --> 00:03:38,320 Speaker 5: The conscience is just like an alarm when you're about 80 00:03:38,360 --> 00:03:41,240 Speaker 5: to do something that's not beneficial or something. 81 00:03:41,040 --> 00:03:42,480 Speaker 4: That's going to get you into trouble. 82 00:03:42,920 --> 00:03:45,760 Speaker 5: All of a sudden, you're going to feel uncomfortable right 83 00:03:45,800 --> 00:03:49,800 Speaker 5: down in here. There's going to be an unrest and uneasiness. 84 00:03:50,120 --> 00:03:53,920 Speaker 5: That's God trying to warn you. Don't ignore that, don't 85 00:03:53,920 --> 00:03:58,560 Speaker 5: override that uneasiness. See, the conscience is like an inward monitor. 86 00:03:59,000 --> 00:04:02,080 Speaker 5: It's called the comp us of our souls. It helps 87 00:04:02,160 --> 00:04:04,720 Speaker 5: us to know what is right and what is wrong. 88 00:04:05,080 --> 00:04:06,760 Speaker 5: And one of the best friends you can ever have 89 00:04:07,040 --> 00:04:10,240 Speaker 5: is your own conscience. I like what Abraham Lincoln said. 90 00:04:10,600 --> 00:04:13,880 Speaker 5: He said, when my presidency is over, I may not 91 00:04:13,960 --> 00:04:16,680 Speaker 5: have one other friend on earth, but I will have 92 00:04:16,800 --> 00:04:19,600 Speaker 5: at least one friend, and that friend is on the 93 00:04:19,600 --> 00:04:22,200 Speaker 5: inside of me. He was saying, I'm going to listen 94 00:04:22,240 --> 00:04:24,960 Speaker 5: to my conscience. I'm going to heed what it's saying 95 00:04:25,000 --> 00:04:28,160 Speaker 5: to me. And really, there's no telling how much trouble 96 00:04:28,240 --> 00:04:30,679 Speaker 5: that we could avoid, how much heartache we could avoid, 97 00:04:30,920 --> 00:04:34,680 Speaker 5: if we'd simply pay more attention to what we're feeling. 98 00:04:34,360 --> 00:04:35,200 Speaker 4: Right down in here. 99 00:04:35,839 --> 00:04:38,240 Speaker 5: I hear people say all the time, I know I 100 00:04:38,279 --> 00:04:41,479 Speaker 5: shouldn't do this, but I know I shouldn't say this, 101 00:04:41,600 --> 00:04:44,640 Speaker 5: but I know I shouldn't buy this. But see they 102 00:04:44,720 --> 00:04:47,760 Speaker 5: know what they should do. The alarm is going off. 103 00:04:48,040 --> 00:04:51,719 Speaker 5: They can feel that sense of disapproval. But the problem is, 104 00:04:51,920 --> 00:04:55,760 Speaker 5: many times we don't obey our conscience. The truth is 105 00:04:56,480 --> 00:04:59,560 Speaker 5: much of the trouble that we get ourselves into. If 106 00:04:59,600 --> 00:05:02,040 Speaker 5: we look back, we can see how God tried to 107 00:05:02,080 --> 00:05:05,400 Speaker 5: warn us again and again and again. Now, don't make 108 00:05:05,440 --> 00:05:09,880 Speaker 5: the mistake of overriding your conscience. Respect it, just like 109 00:05:09,960 --> 00:05:12,960 Speaker 5: you respect your boss, or you respect someone that has 110 00:05:13,000 --> 00:05:16,400 Speaker 5: authority over you. You wouldn't disobey them. We'll learn to treat 111 00:05:16,440 --> 00:05:20,000 Speaker 5: your conscience in the same way. That's God leading you 112 00:05:20,320 --> 00:05:23,000 Speaker 5: and trying to keep you out of trouble. How many 113 00:05:23,040 --> 00:05:25,640 Speaker 5: times have you been in a conversation with your spouse 114 00:05:26,160 --> 00:05:28,400 Speaker 5: and things get a little heated up and you can 115 00:05:28,400 --> 00:05:31,560 Speaker 5: feel yourself getting aggravated, ready to want to argue, and 116 00:05:31,600 --> 00:05:34,240 Speaker 5: all of a sudden, that check goes off. Something right 117 00:05:34,320 --> 00:05:37,360 Speaker 5: down in here says, let it go, drop it, bite 118 00:05:37,360 --> 00:05:40,200 Speaker 5: your tongue, walk away, keep the peace. Well, that's your 119 00:05:40,240 --> 00:05:42,880 Speaker 5: conscience trying to keep you out of trouble. That's God 120 00:05:43,120 --> 00:05:45,720 Speaker 5: trying to warn you. But too many times we just 121 00:05:45,760 --> 00:05:47,960 Speaker 5: ignore it and we do our own thing. We end 122 00:05:48,040 --> 00:05:51,440 Speaker 5: up having a big argument, getting all upset, ruining the 123 00:05:51,440 --> 00:05:53,839 Speaker 5: rest of the evening, And really it all could have 124 00:05:53,839 --> 00:05:56,560 Speaker 5: been avoided if we just paid attention to what our 125 00:05:56,600 --> 00:05:59,800 Speaker 5: conscience was trying to say to us. Friends, Learn to 126 00:05:59,839 --> 00:06:04,360 Speaker 5: be He's sensitive. Stop when your conscience says stop. Quit 127 00:06:04,440 --> 00:06:07,200 Speaker 5: having to have the last word, men, Quit looking at 128 00:06:07,200 --> 00:06:07,680 Speaker 5: your wives. 129 00:06:09,200 --> 00:06:10,120 Speaker 4: Somebody said a. 130 00:06:10,040 --> 00:06:13,400 Speaker 5: Woman always has the last word in an argument. Anything 131 00:06:13,440 --> 00:06:17,799 Speaker 5: after that is a brand new argument. But pay attention 132 00:06:17,920 --> 00:06:20,520 Speaker 5: to what you're feeling right down in here. Don't ever 133 00:06:20,640 --> 00:06:23,680 Speaker 5: override your own conscience. This will spare you so much 134 00:06:23,760 --> 00:06:26,680 Speaker 5: heartache and pain. I know one time my father was 135 00:06:26,800 --> 00:06:29,520 Speaker 5: driving down the feeder Road about to get on the freeway. 136 00:06:29,880 --> 00:06:32,279 Speaker 5: He was in a big hurriys running late to this meeting, 137 00:06:32,560 --> 00:06:34,960 Speaker 5: and he was going well over the speed limit, and 138 00:06:35,120 --> 00:06:37,039 Speaker 5: just as he came up to this big curve in 139 00:06:37,080 --> 00:06:39,720 Speaker 5: the road, that alarm went off right down in here. 140 00:06:40,200 --> 00:06:42,960 Speaker 5: Something said to him, you better slow down. There's a 141 00:06:43,000 --> 00:06:44,520 Speaker 5: policeman around the corner. 142 00:06:44,920 --> 00:06:45,799 Speaker 4: And Daddy told. 143 00:06:45,680 --> 00:06:48,760 Speaker 5: How it was so distinct, he felt it so strongly, 144 00:06:49,279 --> 00:06:51,000 Speaker 5: but he was in that big hurry and he just 145 00:06:51,040 --> 00:06:53,600 Speaker 5: ignored it, didn't pay any attention. Well, sure enough, when 146 00:06:53,640 --> 00:06:56,040 Speaker 5: he got around the corner, there was a police officer 147 00:06:56,080 --> 00:06:58,840 Speaker 5: standing there holding his radar gun out, and he just 148 00:06:58,880 --> 00:07:01,520 Speaker 5: flagged my dad over. He came up to the window. 149 00:07:01,640 --> 00:07:04,120 Speaker 5: Daddy had a big smile on his face. He said, officer, 150 00:07:04,120 --> 00:07:06,640 Speaker 5: you're never gonna believe this, but God told me you 151 00:07:06,680 --> 00:07:10,960 Speaker 5: were up here. That officer looked at him like he 152 00:07:11,040 --> 00:07:14,360 Speaker 5: was from another planet. He took Daddy's license and went 153 00:07:14,400 --> 00:07:16,120 Speaker 5: to his car, and he came back a couple of 154 00:07:16,120 --> 00:07:17,440 Speaker 5: minutes later, and he's kind of. 155 00:07:17,360 --> 00:07:18,120 Speaker 4: Shaking his head. 156 00:07:18,320 --> 00:07:20,520 Speaker 5: He said, listen here, preacher, I'm gonna let you go. 157 00:07:21,080 --> 00:07:23,480 Speaker 5: But the next time, God speaks to you. You better listen. 158 00:07:28,120 --> 00:07:31,160 Speaker 5: This friend of ours was a Methodist minister for many years, 159 00:07:31,240 --> 00:07:33,200 Speaker 5: and he told how one time he got pulled over 160 00:07:33,240 --> 00:07:35,920 Speaker 5: by the police, and he has a real big Southern 161 00:07:36,000 --> 00:07:38,760 Speaker 5: draw and he said, oh, officer, please don't give me 162 00:07:38,800 --> 00:07:41,920 Speaker 5: a ticket. I'm just a poor old preacher. The officer said, 163 00:07:41,960 --> 00:07:44,040 Speaker 5: I know that I heard you on television last Sunday. 164 00:07:46,080 --> 00:07:49,840 Speaker 5: My boy, it is don't override your own conscious when 165 00:07:49,880 --> 00:07:53,760 Speaker 5: you feel uncomfortable down in here, when you have that uneasiness, 166 00:07:54,000 --> 00:07:56,240 Speaker 5: just pull back and see what God is trying to 167 00:07:56,240 --> 00:07:58,880 Speaker 5: say to you. You may be in the middle of 168 00:07:58,920 --> 00:08:01,800 Speaker 5: a conversation all of a sudden the alarm goes off, 169 00:08:01,920 --> 00:08:03,880 Speaker 5: and you know you need to button it up, or 170 00:08:03,920 --> 00:08:05,280 Speaker 5: you know you need to walk away. 171 00:08:05,440 --> 00:08:06,200 Speaker 4: Don't ignore that. 172 00:08:06,760 --> 00:08:09,160 Speaker 5: You may be just about to buy something, just about 173 00:08:09,200 --> 00:08:11,800 Speaker 5: to eat something, just about to make some plans, and 174 00:08:11,840 --> 00:08:15,080 Speaker 5: that check goes off right down in here will be sensitive. 175 00:08:15,440 --> 00:08:18,320 Speaker 5: If you'll learn to listen to your conscience, God will 176 00:08:18,400 --> 00:08:21,080 Speaker 5: keep you out of trouble. He'll even protect you from danger. 177 00:08:21,320 --> 00:08:23,440 Speaker 5: I remember this young man that used to do some 178 00:08:23,520 --> 00:08:26,200 Speaker 5: work for us. One day I saw him and it 179 00:08:26,240 --> 00:08:28,240 Speaker 5: looked like he had been in some type of accident. 180 00:08:28,600 --> 00:08:31,040 Speaker 5: His face was all bruised, he had these black eyes, 181 00:08:31,080 --> 00:08:33,760 Speaker 5: and he had some stitches on this arm. I said, man, 182 00:08:33,800 --> 00:08:35,600 Speaker 5: what in the world happened to you? Were you in 183 00:08:35,640 --> 00:08:38,640 Speaker 5: a wreck or something? And he began to explain how 184 00:08:38,679 --> 00:08:41,640 Speaker 5: on his way home from work he had gotten carjacked. 185 00:08:41,960 --> 00:08:43,440 Speaker 4: He'd stopped at this light and these. 186 00:08:43,360 --> 00:08:45,400 Speaker 5: Guys came and pulled him out of his car, and 187 00:08:45,440 --> 00:08:47,160 Speaker 5: he didn't have a wallet, and so they just ended 188 00:08:47,240 --> 00:08:48,640 Speaker 5: up beating him up and leaving him there. 189 00:08:49,080 --> 00:08:50,720 Speaker 4: Then he said something so interesting. 190 00:08:51,040 --> 00:08:53,720 Speaker 5: He said, you know, Joel, the funny thing was on 191 00:08:53,840 --> 00:08:57,040 Speaker 5: my way home that night, something told me to not 192 00:08:57,160 --> 00:09:00,480 Speaker 5: go that way. Right down in here, as this distinct 193 00:09:00,520 --> 00:09:03,080 Speaker 5: as it could be, he said, something said you better 194 00:09:03,120 --> 00:09:05,800 Speaker 5: go another way. And it was so strong that he 195 00:09:05,840 --> 00:09:08,600 Speaker 5: even debated it in his mind. He thought, I always 196 00:09:08,600 --> 00:09:11,040 Speaker 5: go this way. This is the quickest way. Why should 197 00:09:11,040 --> 00:09:13,840 Speaker 5: I go another way? And understand, this young man was 198 00:09:13,840 --> 00:09:16,320 Speaker 5: not what you'd consider to be a religious type person, 199 00:09:16,640 --> 00:09:18,880 Speaker 5: but he said, I know that was God trying to 200 00:09:18,880 --> 00:09:21,320 Speaker 5: warn me. I know that was God trying to protect me. 201 00:09:21,679 --> 00:09:24,360 Speaker 5: These were his exact words, he said, Joel, if I 202 00:09:24,360 --> 00:09:28,199 Speaker 5: had only just listened, and really, that's what I'm saying 203 00:09:28,240 --> 00:09:31,439 Speaker 5: to all of us today, before you get into trouble, 204 00:09:31,480 --> 00:09:34,560 Speaker 5: before you make a poor decision, God is always going 205 00:09:34,600 --> 00:09:37,080 Speaker 5: to warn you that alarm is going to go off 206 00:09:37,160 --> 00:09:40,120 Speaker 5: right down in here. It may not be something as 207 00:09:40,240 --> 00:09:41,720 Speaker 5: dramatic as this young man. 208 00:09:41,960 --> 00:09:44,040 Speaker 4: It may just be an alarm. 209 00:09:43,840 --> 00:09:46,680 Speaker 5: To keep your mouth closed in order to avoid an argument. 210 00:09:47,120 --> 00:09:49,880 Speaker 5: It may be an alarmed to turn off the TV to 211 00:09:49,960 --> 00:09:52,640 Speaker 5: keep your mind pure, or an alarm to just change 212 00:09:52,640 --> 00:09:56,520 Speaker 5: your attitude. But whatever it is, if you'll be sensitive 213 00:09:56,559 --> 00:09:58,920 Speaker 5: and pay attention to it, then God will lead you. 214 00:09:59,440 --> 00:10:01,480 Speaker 5: Don't be like this young man and try to figure 215 00:10:01,520 --> 00:10:04,079 Speaker 5: it all out. Well, why can't I go that way? 216 00:10:04,520 --> 00:10:06,800 Speaker 5: Or why can't I say this? She started it. It's 217 00:10:06,840 --> 00:10:09,120 Speaker 5: her fault. Now you've got to get out of your 218 00:10:09,160 --> 00:10:11,800 Speaker 5: head and start listening to your heart. If you will 219 00:10:11,840 --> 00:10:14,280 Speaker 5: obey what you're feeling down in here, if you'll obey 220 00:10:14,360 --> 00:10:16,480 Speaker 5: your conscience, God will help you to. 221 00:10:16,400 --> 00:10:17,440 Speaker 4: Make good decisions. 222 00:10:17,520 --> 00:10:21,480 Speaker 5: He'll help you live his abundant life and understand just 223 00:10:21,559 --> 00:10:25,120 Speaker 5: because somebody else is doing something doesn't mean it's. 224 00:10:24,960 --> 00:10:26,040 Speaker 4: Okay for you to do it. 225 00:10:26,520 --> 00:10:29,040 Speaker 5: Well, Joel, all my friends are going to see this movie, 226 00:10:29,360 --> 00:10:30,440 Speaker 5: and they're good people. 227 00:10:30,800 --> 00:10:31,640 Speaker 4: They love God. 228 00:10:31,679 --> 00:10:34,240 Speaker 5: I don't know why I shouldn't go No, don't compare 229 00:10:34,400 --> 00:10:37,640 Speaker 5: yourself to anybody else, and don't try to have to 230 00:10:37,840 --> 00:10:40,520 Speaker 5: justify your actions. You've got to learn to listen to 231 00:10:40,600 --> 00:10:43,920 Speaker 5: your own heart. If you have that uneasiness down in here, 232 00:10:44,360 --> 00:10:47,360 Speaker 5: if your conscience is not clear, it doesn't matter what 233 00:10:47,480 --> 00:10:51,080 Speaker 5: everybody else is doing. Follow how God is leading you. 234 00:10:52,040 --> 00:10:55,360 Speaker 5: Every person is at different stages. You're not always going 235 00:10:55,400 --> 00:10:58,520 Speaker 5: to understand why you can or can't do certain things, 236 00:10:58,760 --> 00:11:00,720 Speaker 5: but you've got to go deeper than that and be 237 00:11:00,800 --> 00:11:04,920 Speaker 5: obedient anyway. I know some pastor friends that do certain 238 00:11:04,960 --> 00:11:06,559 Speaker 5: things that I don't feel comfortable with. 239 00:11:07,120 --> 00:11:08,800 Speaker 4: It's not a sin, but it's just. 240 00:11:08,800 --> 00:11:11,280 Speaker 5: Something that personally, right down in here I don't feel 241 00:11:11,280 --> 00:11:14,440 Speaker 5: good about. Doesn't mean they're bad people. I don't judge 242 00:11:14,480 --> 00:11:17,360 Speaker 5: them and condemn them, but I know just because they 243 00:11:17,400 --> 00:11:17,959 Speaker 5: do it. 244 00:11:17,760 --> 00:11:20,400 Speaker 4: Doesn't mean that it's right for me. I've learned I've 245 00:11:20,400 --> 00:11:21,880 Speaker 4: got to keep my own conscience clear. 246 00:11:22,559 --> 00:11:24,600 Speaker 5: And in the same way, ladies, you may have some 247 00:11:24,720 --> 00:11:27,119 Speaker 5: friends at work that dress. 248 00:11:26,880 --> 00:11:28,400 Speaker 4: A little more revealing than you do. 249 00:11:29,000 --> 00:11:31,880 Speaker 5: Maybe they're even in a position of leadership, and you 250 00:11:31,960 --> 00:11:34,000 Speaker 5: kind of think, well, I guess that's okay for me. 251 00:11:34,679 --> 00:11:37,319 Speaker 5: Now you've got to check with your own heart. God 252 00:11:37,400 --> 00:11:41,240 Speaker 5: deals with us individually. You don't know all the details 253 00:11:41,280 --> 00:11:42,319 Speaker 5: in that person's life. 254 00:11:42,760 --> 00:11:43,280 Speaker 4: Who knows. 255 00:11:43,360 --> 00:11:46,120 Speaker 5: Maybe God is speaking to them but they're not listening, 256 00:11:46,640 --> 00:11:49,640 Speaker 5: or maybe they've come a long way. They're making progress. 257 00:11:49,679 --> 00:11:52,520 Speaker 5: God is pleased, but you're just at a different stage. 258 00:11:52,920 --> 00:11:55,679 Speaker 5: If you make the mistake of comparing, and you have 259 00:11:55,760 --> 00:11:59,360 Speaker 5: to justify your actions, before long, you'll be going against 260 00:11:59,440 --> 00:12:02,200 Speaker 5: your content and that will always keep you from God's best. 261 00:12:02,679 --> 00:12:05,760 Speaker 5: And don't make excuses. Well, everybody speeds out there on 262 00:12:05,800 --> 00:12:08,880 Speaker 5: the highway, Joel. I saw him going seventy five miles 263 00:12:08,880 --> 00:12:12,600 Speaker 5: an hour, and he's even on staff at Lakewood. Now, 264 00:12:12,720 --> 00:12:18,160 Speaker 5: just because you saw my brother Paul speeding, just because 265 00:12:18,200 --> 00:12:20,640 Speaker 5: somebody else is doing it doesn't mean that it's okay 266 00:12:20,640 --> 00:12:24,360 Speaker 5: for you. Keep your own conscience clear. And there may 267 00:12:24,440 --> 00:12:27,679 Speaker 5: even be things that your husband or wife or your 268 00:12:27,760 --> 00:12:29,880 Speaker 5: good friend does and it doesn't bother them a bit, 269 00:12:30,160 --> 00:12:32,000 Speaker 5: but when you go to do it, it just doesn't 270 00:12:32,000 --> 00:12:34,560 Speaker 5: feel right. You have that check or what I'm saying 271 00:12:34,840 --> 00:12:38,080 Speaker 5: is only do what is right for you. And something 272 00:12:38,120 --> 00:12:41,480 Speaker 5: else that's important to understand. Don't judge that other person 273 00:12:41,960 --> 00:12:45,559 Speaker 5: don't condemn them. Let God deal with them. Well, I 274 00:12:45,600 --> 00:12:47,840 Speaker 5: can't believe you went to see that movie. I can't 275 00:12:47,880 --> 00:12:49,760 Speaker 5: believe you don't get up and pray every morning like 276 00:12:49,800 --> 00:12:52,440 Speaker 5: I do. No, maybe they're not at that level, and 277 00:12:52,520 --> 00:12:56,000 Speaker 5: God didn't call us to be somebody else's conscience. Quit 278 00:12:56,120 --> 00:12:59,040 Speaker 5: judging and just focus on keeping your own conscience clear. 279 00:13:00,080 --> 00:13:03,280 Speaker 5: Telling how much God would bless us, no telling how 280 00:13:03,400 --> 00:13:06,800 Speaker 5: happy and fulfilled our lives would be if we simply 281 00:13:06,880 --> 00:13:09,720 Speaker 5: learn to maintain a clear conscience, if we just learn 282 00:13:09,800 --> 00:13:12,480 Speaker 5: to not move forward when we feel that sense of 283 00:13:12,520 --> 00:13:15,680 Speaker 5: disapproval down in here. And it may not be something big, 284 00:13:15,920 --> 00:13:18,760 Speaker 5: it may just be something small. But if we can't 285 00:13:18,800 --> 00:13:21,440 Speaker 5: be faithful in the little things, how can God trust 286 00:13:21,480 --> 00:13:23,760 Speaker 5: us in the big things. If we can't keep our 287 00:13:23,760 --> 00:13:26,720 Speaker 5: mouth closed to avoid an argument, or if we can't 288 00:13:26,720 --> 00:13:30,040 Speaker 5: slow down on the freeway when our conscience is convicting us, 289 00:13:30,559 --> 00:13:34,280 Speaker 5: then those seemingly small things will keep us from rising higher. 290 00:13:34,720 --> 00:13:38,200 Speaker 5: And what's interesting is, most of the time, deep down 291 00:13:38,240 --> 00:13:41,120 Speaker 5: in here, we know what we should do, but too 292 00:13:41,200 --> 00:13:44,319 Speaker 5: often we just make the mistake of not doing it. 293 00:13:44,400 --> 00:13:48,640 Speaker 5: And what's happening is we're overriding our consciences. And understand. 294 00:13:49,040 --> 00:13:52,160 Speaker 5: Every time you ignore your conscience, every time you push 295 00:13:52,240 --> 00:13:55,040 Speaker 5: it down, you don't pay any attention. The next time 296 00:13:55,240 --> 00:13:58,160 Speaker 5: that voice will speak a little softer, then the next 297 00:13:58,160 --> 00:14:02,559 Speaker 5: time a little softer, next time even more softly, And unfortunately, 298 00:14:02,840 --> 00:14:05,000 Speaker 5: you can get to the place where you have totally 299 00:14:05,080 --> 00:14:06,960 Speaker 5: drowned out the voice of your conscience. 300 00:14:07,559 --> 00:14:08,960 Speaker 4: For instance, maybe. 301 00:14:08,760 --> 00:14:11,400 Speaker 5: You're about to say something rude to someone and all 302 00:14:11,400 --> 00:14:13,640 Speaker 5: of a sudden, that check goes off right down in here. 303 00:14:14,000 --> 00:14:17,000 Speaker 5: You feel that uneasiness and something tells you bite your tongue, 304 00:14:17,040 --> 00:14:20,240 Speaker 5: don't do it. But if you just ignore that, you 305 00:14:20,280 --> 00:14:21,720 Speaker 5: override it and do it anyway. 306 00:14:22,280 --> 00:14:23,720 Speaker 4: Number One, you're gonna feel guilty. 307 00:14:24,000 --> 00:14:26,000 Speaker 5: And if you don't go back and make things right 308 00:14:26,040 --> 00:14:29,480 Speaker 5: and apologize, then the next time you're in that situation, 309 00:14:29,920 --> 00:14:33,040 Speaker 5: the alarm won't be quite as loud, the voice won't 310 00:14:33,040 --> 00:14:35,600 Speaker 5: be quite so strong, And you can get to the 311 00:14:35,640 --> 00:14:39,200 Speaker 5: place where you've done it so long you become desensitized 312 00:14:39,240 --> 00:14:41,160 Speaker 5: to it. You can come to the point where you're 313 00:14:41,360 --> 00:14:43,760 Speaker 5: acting a certain way or treating the people a certain way, 314 00:14:44,000 --> 00:14:46,800 Speaker 5: and even though it's not right, you don't even realize 315 00:14:46,800 --> 00:14:49,120 Speaker 5: that you're doing it. And you may be here today 316 00:14:49,200 --> 00:14:51,960 Speaker 5: and you're kind of hard and rude with people, and 317 00:14:52,000 --> 00:14:54,120 Speaker 5: you've been that way so long. You're so set in 318 00:14:54,160 --> 00:14:57,400 Speaker 5: your ways you don't really hear the alarm anymore. Or 319 00:14:57,440 --> 00:15:00,920 Speaker 5: maybe you've been watching questionable things so long that it 320 00:15:00,960 --> 00:15:03,800 Speaker 5: doesn't bother you much anymore. And that's why we need 321 00:15:03,840 --> 00:15:06,960 Speaker 5: to pray every single day. God, help me to develop 322 00:15:07,040 --> 00:15:10,360 Speaker 5: a tender conscience. God, help me to be sensitive to 323 00:15:10,440 --> 00:15:13,160 Speaker 5: your voice. I don't know about you, but I don't 324 00:15:13,160 --> 00:15:15,960 Speaker 5: want to have areas in my life where I'm stuck 325 00:15:16,040 --> 00:15:20,240 Speaker 5: in mediocrity all because I'm not obeying my conscience. The 326 00:15:20,280 --> 00:15:23,760 Speaker 5: Bible talks about in One Timothy chapter four, how a 327 00:15:23,880 --> 00:15:28,160 Speaker 5: conscience can become seared. That simply means that it becomes 328 00:15:28,320 --> 00:15:31,240 Speaker 5: numb in that area. We don't have any feeling in it. 329 00:15:31,640 --> 00:15:34,680 Speaker 5: Say you're at home watching TV one night, and you know, 330 00:15:34,720 --> 00:15:36,720 Speaker 5: it kind of gets a little bit vulgar, kind of 331 00:15:36,720 --> 00:15:38,880 Speaker 5: gets a little off color, and all of a sudden, 332 00:15:38,880 --> 00:15:42,120 Speaker 5: that alarm goes off. Something says, get up, turn it off. 333 00:15:42,160 --> 00:15:44,480 Speaker 5: Don't put that trash in your mind. But if you 334 00:15:44,600 --> 00:15:47,280 Speaker 5: just sit there time after time and ignore it, month 335 00:15:47,320 --> 00:15:50,960 Speaker 5: after month before long, that won't bother you anymore. You 336 00:15:51,080 --> 00:15:53,680 Speaker 5: become numb to that. It's like, it's no big deal. 337 00:15:53,760 --> 00:15:55,680 Speaker 5: You know, what's it gonna hurt to watch this stuff. 338 00:15:56,360 --> 00:15:59,760 Speaker 5: I know people today that are involved in a relationship 339 00:15:59,760 --> 00:16:02,880 Speaker 5: out side of their marriage. They're not being faithful and 340 00:16:02,960 --> 00:16:06,200 Speaker 5: it really doesn't even bother them too much. And I 341 00:16:06,240 --> 00:16:08,840 Speaker 5: can assure you when they first started to give into 342 00:16:08,880 --> 00:16:12,120 Speaker 5: that temptation, the alarm went off, I can guarantee you 343 00:16:12,400 --> 00:16:16,280 Speaker 5: at first they felt uncomfortable down in here. They were uneasy, 344 00:16:16,360 --> 00:16:19,360 Speaker 5: they knew it wasn't right. But month after month, as 345 00:16:19,400 --> 00:16:21,480 Speaker 5: they turned the alarm off, now. 346 00:16:21,240 --> 00:16:22,120 Speaker 4: It's no big deal. 347 00:16:22,520 --> 00:16:26,160 Speaker 5: They've sort of justified it in their mind. Everybody's doing it. See, 348 00:16:26,160 --> 00:16:29,120 Speaker 5: they've totally drowned out the voice of their conscience. They 349 00:16:29,240 --> 00:16:32,840 Speaker 5: pushed it down so much they don't feel the uneasiness anymore. 350 00:16:33,320 --> 00:16:36,360 Speaker 5: And that's why I encourages so strongly to be quick 351 00:16:36,400 --> 00:16:39,520 Speaker 5: to obey, don't be hard headed, don't be stubborn and 352 00:16:39,560 --> 00:16:41,840 Speaker 5: have to do it your own way. That will only 353 00:16:41,960 --> 00:16:44,640 Speaker 5: lead to heartache and pain. I met a man a 354 00:16:44,640 --> 00:16:48,320 Speaker 5: few weeks ago. His family lives in another country and 355 00:16:48,480 --> 00:16:51,400 Speaker 5: he's been here in the States for several years working 356 00:16:51,440 --> 00:16:53,800 Speaker 5: with his company, and he began to tell how he 357 00:16:53,880 --> 00:16:56,400 Speaker 5: was involved with this other woman and they had been 358 00:16:56,440 --> 00:16:59,000 Speaker 5: in this relationship for a couple of years, but he 359 00:16:59,040 --> 00:17:00,440 Speaker 5: felt so badly about it. 360 00:17:00,840 --> 00:17:03,400 Speaker 4: He said, Joel, I just feel terrible. I know that 361 00:17:03,480 --> 00:17:04,200 Speaker 4: it's not right. 362 00:17:04,480 --> 00:17:06,480 Speaker 5: I can hardly sleep at night, and I really want 363 00:17:06,480 --> 00:17:08,520 Speaker 5: to change, but I just can't seem to do it. 364 00:17:09,040 --> 00:17:12,200 Speaker 5: And I told him, you're in a very interesting situation. 365 00:17:12,600 --> 00:17:16,240 Speaker 5: You are the exception to the rule, because most people 366 00:17:16,359 --> 00:17:19,840 Speaker 5: that have been overriding their consciences that long don't care 367 00:17:19,920 --> 00:17:22,919 Speaker 5: anything about it. They don't feel anything, they're not concerned. 368 00:17:23,200 --> 00:17:25,880 Speaker 5: And I said, you should thank God that you still 369 00:17:25,920 --> 00:17:27,119 Speaker 5: have a tender conscience. 370 00:17:27,520 --> 00:17:30,280 Speaker 4: You should be grateful that you still have that concern. 371 00:17:30,880 --> 00:17:32,280 Speaker 4: And I challenged him. 372 00:17:32,320 --> 00:17:35,640 Speaker 5: To do his best to make the necessary changes before 373 00:17:35,840 --> 00:17:39,840 Speaker 5: that uneasiness war off. And really, that's the danger, that's 374 00:17:39,880 --> 00:17:42,720 Speaker 5: what should concern us more than anything, that we're doing 375 00:17:42,760 --> 00:17:45,680 Speaker 5: something wrong for so long that we don't even realize 376 00:17:45,760 --> 00:17:48,439 Speaker 5: that we're doing it. We become numb in that area. 377 00:17:48,720 --> 00:17:50,440 Speaker 5: And again, I think that's why we need to pray 378 00:17:50,480 --> 00:17:54,440 Speaker 5: every day. God help me to stay sensitive to your voice. God, 379 00:17:54,480 --> 00:17:56,840 Speaker 5: don't let me to get hard and cold and numb. 380 00:17:56,840 --> 00:17:59,680 Speaker 5: In any area of my life, in my attitude and 381 00:17:59,760 --> 00:18:02,320 Speaker 5: how I treat people, and what I say and what 382 00:18:02,359 --> 00:18:04,639 Speaker 5: I do and what I watch. God help me to 383 00:18:04,680 --> 00:18:09,600 Speaker 5: have a tender conscience. Friends, God rewards obedience. If you 384 00:18:09,680 --> 00:18:12,639 Speaker 5: have things in your life, big or small, that you 385 00:18:12,760 --> 00:18:15,280 Speaker 5: know in here are not right, I believe God is 386 00:18:15,359 --> 00:18:18,280 Speaker 5: saying today is the time to make changes. Get into 387 00:18:18,320 --> 00:18:22,679 Speaker 5: God's best path. Don't keep overriding your conscience. Some of 388 00:18:22,720 --> 00:18:25,040 Speaker 5: you have been pushing that alarm down for a long time. 389 00:18:25,600 --> 00:18:28,480 Speaker 5: When you have ten or fifteen years of doing something 390 00:18:28,560 --> 00:18:30,840 Speaker 5: a certain way, it's very easy to just want to 391 00:18:30,880 --> 00:18:33,719 Speaker 5: stay right where you are. If you will be open 392 00:18:33,800 --> 00:18:37,280 Speaker 5: and honest with yourself, and when you feel God convicting 393 00:18:37,320 --> 00:18:40,040 Speaker 5: you in here, if you have the desire to change, 394 00:18:40,119 --> 00:18:42,760 Speaker 5: God will help you to change. And it is better 395 00:18:42,920 --> 00:18:45,560 Speaker 5: to go through a little pain of change than it 396 00:18:45,640 --> 00:18:48,600 Speaker 5: is to go twenty or thirty years stuck in mediocrity. 397 00:18:49,160 --> 00:18:52,240 Speaker 5: And I found the more obedient we are, the easier 398 00:18:52,359 --> 00:18:57,159 Speaker 5: it will be to obey. Obedience breeds obedience. Just the 399 00:18:57,200 --> 00:19:01,720 Speaker 5: opposite is true. Disobedience breeds more obedience. And you can 400 00:19:01,840 --> 00:19:05,720 Speaker 5: increase the sensitivity of your conscience, or you can decrease it. 401 00:19:06,400 --> 00:19:09,440 Speaker 5: Every time you obey, your conscience is getting a little 402 00:19:09,440 --> 00:19:10,240 Speaker 5: more sensitive. 403 00:19:10,640 --> 00:19:13,320 Speaker 4: It's just like a window. When you obey, you're letting 404 00:19:13,359 --> 00:19:14,280 Speaker 4: a little more light in. 405 00:19:14,920 --> 00:19:17,680 Speaker 5: The Next time, it'll be a little easier, your heart 406 00:19:17,720 --> 00:19:19,919 Speaker 5: will be a little softer, and you'll do it a 407 00:19:19,920 --> 00:19:23,120 Speaker 5: little quicker. You can get to the point where you're 408 00:19:23,119 --> 00:19:27,359 Speaker 5: so sensitive that when you first feel that uneasiness, you 409 00:19:27,440 --> 00:19:31,000 Speaker 5: first feel that slight, uncomfortable feeling down in here, that 410 00:19:31,080 --> 00:19:33,480 Speaker 5: will get your attention and cause you to make changes. 411 00:19:33,920 --> 00:19:36,080 Speaker 5: And really, that's the kind of people God. 412 00:19:35,880 --> 00:19:36,520 Speaker 4: Wants us to be. 413 00:19:36,840 --> 00:19:39,720 Speaker 5: When we hear the still small voice, when we first 414 00:19:39,760 --> 00:19:40,919 Speaker 5: feel that little. 415 00:19:40,760 --> 00:19:42,760 Speaker 4: Nudge, we are quick to take action. 416 00:19:43,440 --> 00:19:45,679 Speaker 5: See, don't be the kind of person that has to 417 00:19:45,720 --> 00:19:49,040 Speaker 5: have ten warnings and twelve sirens go off and you still. 418 00:19:48,840 --> 00:19:52,280 Speaker 4: Don't get it. Be quick to obey and understand this. 419 00:19:52,600 --> 00:19:55,040 Speaker 5: When you live an obedient life, you don't have to 420 00:19:55,040 --> 00:19:56,280 Speaker 5: worry about being blessed. 421 00:19:56,520 --> 00:20:00,000 Speaker 4: That's when God's blessings will chase you down and overtake you. 422 00:20:00,160 --> 00:20:03,399 Speaker 5: When you obey, you cannot outrun the good things of God. 423 00:20:05,119 --> 00:20:09,159 Speaker 5: And remember, I'm talking about obeying your own conscience, not 424 00:20:09,320 --> 00:20:12,720 Speaker 5: obeying what your neighbor does or what your coworker doesn't do. 425 00:20:13,040 --> 00:20:16,040 Speaker 5: They don't set the standard. Obey what God is telling 426 00:20:16,080 --> 00:20:18,520 Speaker 5: you right down in here. And as I said, God 427 00:20:18,600 --> 00:20:21,919 Speaker 5: takes us all in stages. You may be here today 428 00:20:21,960 --> 00:20:24,160 Speaker 5: and you kind of have a problem with your attitude. 429 00:20:24,160 --> 00:20:26,680 Speaker 5: You've got a problem with being negative. Well, the good 430 00:20:26,720 --> 00:20:30,000 Speaker 5: news is God does not expect you to change overnight. 431 00:20:30,600 --> 00:20:32,560 Speaker 5: He is not going to be disappointed with you and 432 00:20:32,600 --> 00:20:34,800 Speaker 5: just write you off if you don't turn it around 433 00:20:34,880 --> 00:20:38,080 Speaker 5: in one week's time. Now, God all he asks is 434 00:20:38,080 --> 00:20:41,000 Speaker 5: that you keep making progress. He doesn't want you to 435 00:20:41,040 --> 00:20:42,600 Speaker 5: be at this same place next. 436 00:20:42,440 --> 00:20:44,960 Speaker 4: Year as you are right now. He's going to lead 437 00:20:45,000 --> 00:20:46,720 Speaker 4: you in his own special way. 438 00:20:47,320 --> 00:20:49,720 Speaker 5: And if you will be sensitive and just do your 439 00:20:49,760 --> 00:20:53,520 Speaker 5: best to keep your own conscience clear, then God will 440 00:20:53,560 --> 00:20:56,239 Speaker 5: be pleased and he'll begin to release more of his 441 00:20:56,280 --> 00:20:59,159 Speaker 5: blessings in your life. And really, this is something that 442 00:20:59,200 --> 00:21:02,200 Speaker 5: we all can do because God meets us at our 443 00:21:02,240 --> 00:21:04,960 Speaker 5: own level. I don't have to keep up with you, 444 00:21:05,160 --> 00:21:06,919 Speaker 5: and you don't have to keep up with me. I 445 00:21:07,040 --> 00:21:09,320 Speaker 5: just have to be true to my own heart. I 446 00:21:09,359 --> 00:21:11,800 Speaker 5: know the areas God deals with me in. I can 447 00:21:11,840 --> 00:21:15,000 Speaker 5: hear that alarm going on. I always do my best 448 00:21:15,240 --> 00:21:18,080 Speaker 5: to not go against my own conscience. That's what I'm 449 00:21:18,160 --> 00:21:20,840 Speaker 5: challenging you to do as well. I know this young 450 00:21:20,880 --> 00:21:23,359 Speaker 5: man that I went to college with, and he was 451 00:21:23,480 --> 00:21:26,280 Speaker 5: very short with people. I mean, basically, he was just 452 00:21:26,359 --> 00:21:28,840 Speaker 5: kind of hard and rude in a sense. He could 453 00:21:28,880 --> 00:21:30,639 Speaker 5: be nice if you knew him, but if you didn't 454 00:21:30,640 --> 00:21:33,000 Speaker 5: know him, he was just very matter of fact. And 455 00:21:33,040 --> 00:21:35,240 Speaker 5: one day we were at this restaurant together with a 456 00:21:35,359 --> 00:21:38,119 Speaker 5: group of the guys from the school, and the waiter 457 00:21:38,240 --> 00:21:41,160 Speaker 5: got his order all mixed up and this young man 458 00:21:41,280 --> 00:21:42,520 Speaker 5: just jumped down his throat. 459 00:21:42,800 --> 00:21:44,119 Speaker 4: I mean, he let him have it. 460 00:21:44,400 --> 00:21:46,919 Speaker 5: He embarrassed him in front of all of us, and 461 00:21:46,920 --> 00:21:49,080 Speaker 5: it was so uncalled for. I mean, anybody can make 462 00:21:49,080 --> 00:21:51,600 Speaker 5: a mistake that he just didn't show him any mercy. 463 00:21:51,880 --> 00:21:54,040 Speaker 5: And anyway, we got back to the dorm later that 464 00:21:54,200 --> 00:21:57,280 Speaker 5: night and he came into my room about an hour 465 00:21:57,400 --> 00:21:59,760 Speaker 5: later and he asked me if he could borrow my card. 466 00:22:00,040 --> 00:22:01,840 Speaker 5: I said, sure you can, but where are you going 467 00:22:01,920 --> 00:22:02,320 Speaker 5: this late? 468 00:22:02,680 --> 00:22:04,640 Speaker 4: He said, you know, Joel, I feel terrible. 469 00:22:05,040 --> 00:22:08,080 Speaker 5: I treated that waiter so bad I can't even sleep, 470 00:22:08,200 --> 00:22:10,680 Speaker 5: and I'm going to go back there and apologize to him. 471 00:22:11,200 --> 00:22:13,439 Speaker 4: And do you know I saw that young man change. 472 00:22:13,560 --> 00:22:14,840 Speaker 4: Over the course of that year. 473 00:22:15,280 --> 00:22:18,119 Speaker 5: He went from being hard and cold and rude to 474 00:22:18,200 --> 00:22:20,640 Speaker 5: being one of the kindest, most considerate people you could 475 00:22:20,680 --> 00:22:23,760 Speaker 5: ever meet. My point is God will help you to 476 00:22:23,880 --> 00:22:26,879 Speaker 5: change if you will simply work with him. None of 477 00:22:26,960 --> 00:22:29,800 Speaker 5: us are perfect. We all make mistakes. But if we 478 00:22:29,840 --> 00:22:32,520 Speaker 5: can just learn to obey our own conscience, if we 479 00:22:32,560 --> 00:22:34,720 Speaker 5: can just do like that young man and be big 480 00:22:34,840 --> 00:22:37,920 Speaker 5: enough to say, I'm sorry I didn't treat you right. 481 00:22:38,200 --> 00:22:39,560 Speaker 4: I'll do better next time. 482 00:22:39,960 --> 00:22:43,720 Speaker 5: If you will be sensitive and maintain a clear conscience, 483 00:22:43,800 --> 00:22:45,920 Speaker 5: there's no limit to what God will do in your life. 484 00:22:46,520 --> 00:22:47,720 Speaker 4: And you know as well as I do. 485 00:22:48,119 --> 00:22:50,480 Speaker 5: When we have a guilty conscience, we don't feel good 486 00:22:50,480 --> 00:22:54,040 Speaker 5: about ourselves. We can't pray with boldness, we feel condemned, 487 00:22:54,400 --> 00:22:57,600 Speaker 5: we don't expect good things. We're not fulfilled. The best 488 00:22:57,600 --> 00:22:59,720 Speaker 5: thing we can do is just go back and make 489 00:22:59,720 --> 00:23:03,359 Speaker 5: things right. Like that young man, swallow your pride and 490 00:23:03,480 --> 00:23:06,920 Speaker 5: be quick to obey. Why don't you apologize to the 491 00:23:06,920 --> 00:23:09,359 Speaker 5: people you need to apologize to, don't live with a 492 00:23:09,359 --> 00:23:11,960 Speaker 5: guilty conscience, Or maybe you need to say God, I'm 493 00:23:12,000 --> 00:23:15,280 Speaker 5: sorry for watching all that jump, forgive me, or God, 494 00:23:15,280 --> 00:23:19,200 Speaker 5: I'm sorry for having such a critical attitude toward that person. Listen, 495 00:23:19,240 --> 00:23:21,800 Speaker 5: when you do that, your conscience will go back to 496 00:23:21,840 --> 00:23:24,679 Speaker 5: that place of ease, That heavy burden will be lifted 497 00:23:24,720 --> 00:23:27,280 Speaker 5: off of you. You'll be able to sleep well. Not 498 00:23:27,400 --> 00:23:30,119 Speaker 5: only that, God will help you to do better next time. 499 00:23:30,480 --> 00:23:33,560 Speaker 5: I remember years ago, one time after the service, my 500 00:23:33,720 --> 00:23:37,240 Speaker 5: father came back into the television area and myself and 501 00:23:37,280 --> 00:23:39,680 Speaker 5: four or five of the crew members were back there, 502 00:23:39,800 --> 00:23:42,240 Speaker 5: and it just so happened when Daddy walked in. We 503 00:23:42,240 --> 00:23:44,760 Speaker 5: were all laughing real big and having a good time. 504 00:23:45,040 --> 00:23:47,959 Speaker 5: Something real funny had just happened. But for some reason, 505 00:23:48,080 --> 00:23:50,679 Speaker 5: my father thought that we were making fun of something 506 00:23:50,720 --> 00:23:51,959 Speaker 5: that had happened in the service. 507 00:23:52,400 --> 00:23:54,560 Speaker 4: The truth is, it didn't have anything to do with that. 508 00:23:55,000 --> 00:23:56,840 Speaker 5: And now Daddy was very kind, he was a very 509 00:23:56,840 --> 00:23:59,920 Speaker 5: compassionate person, but this seemed to just set him off, 510 00:24:00,280 --> 00:24:02,560 Speaker 5: and he began to chew us out and let us 511 00:24:02,600 --> 00:24:04,840 Speaker 5: know that we should not be making fun of people 512 00:24:04,920 --> 00:24:07,560 Speaker 5: and things, and on and on and on. I said, again, Daddy, 513 00:24:07,600 --> 00:24:10,720 Speaker 5: it had nothing to do with that, It was totally unrelated. Well, 514 00:24:10,720 --> 00:24:12,280 Speaker 5: he left there, and of course we felt kind of 515 00:24:12,280 --> 00:24:14,760 Speaker 5: badly about it. But when I got home that night. 516 00:24:14,840 --> 00:24:17,520 Speaker 5: A couple of hours later, I'll never forget, my father 517 00:24:17,600 --> 00:24:20,200 Speaker 5: came into my room and he said, Joel, I got 518 00:24:20,200 --> 00:24:20,840 Speaker 5: to talk to you. 519 00:24:21,200 --> 00:24:23,560 Speaker 4: I blew it tonight. I know I was wrong. 520 00:24:23,640 --> 00:24:25,800 Speaker 5: I know I made a mistake, and I'm asking you 521 00:24:25,880 --> 00:24:26,600 Speaker 5: to forgive me. 522 00:24:26,720 --> 00:24:28,080 Speaker 4: I just want to apologize. 523 00:24:28,320 --> 00:24:30,800 Speaker 5: Do you know Daddy called each of those other young 524 00:24:30,840 --> 00:24:33,600 Speaker 5: men that night as well and apologize to them. It 525 00:24:33,680 --> 00:24:36,119 Speaker 5: must have been close to midnight, but he would not 526 00:24:36,240 --> 00:24:39,200 Speaker 5: go to bed with having that heaviness on his heart. 527 00:24:39,600 --> 00:24:42,080 Speaker 5: And what an impression that made upon me, What an 528 00:24:42,119 --> 00:24:45,560 Speaker 5: impression it made upon those other young men. He was 529 00:24:45,640 --> 00:24:48,879 Speaker 5: not too proud to apologize, He was not too proud 530 00:24:48,920 --> 00:24:52,080 Speaker 5: to admit that he made a mistake. See, my father 531 00:24:52,200 --> 00:24:55,359 Speaker 5: had a tender conscience. He wouldn't even go to bed 532 00:24:55,440 --> 00:24:58,760 Speaker 5: with that feeling of heaviness. No wonder God blessed him. 533 00:24:59,040 --> 00:25:01,160 Speaker 5: No wonder God to you to him in a great way. 534 00:25:01,560 --> 00:25:03,480 Speaker 5: And if we can just learn to have that same 535 00:25:03,600 --> 00:25:07,760 Speaker 5: kind of pure heart and be sensitive and whatever area 536 00:25:07,800 --> 00:25:11,320 Speaker 5: it may be in, be quick to obey, be quick 537 00:25:11,359 --> 00:25:14,840 Speaker 5: to forgive, be quick to apologize, be quick to change 538 00:25:14,880 --> 00:25:15,600 Speaker 5: your attitude. 539 00:25:16,080 --> 00:25:17,880 Speaker 4: That's what's pleasing to God. 540 00:25:18,280 --> 00:25:21,000 Speaker 5: If you're here today, and you have things hanging on 541 00:25:21,040 --> 00:25:22,000 Speaker 5: to your conscience. 542 00:25:22,480 --> 00:25:22,800 Speaker 4: People. 543 00:25:22,840 --> 00:25:26,159 Speaker 5: You need to apologize to habits, you need to break 544 00:25:26,400 --> 00:25:28,680 Speaker 5: things you know you need to do. 545 00:25:28,680 --> 00:25:30,280 Speaker 4: Don't live life guilty. 546 00:25:30,640 --> 00:25:34,600 Speaker 5: Make the necessary changes, make those adjustments, and listen. I'm 547 00:25:34,600 --> 00:25:37,240 Speaker 5: not here to condemn anybody. I'm here to help you 548 00:25:37,280 --> 00:25:39,959 Speaker 5: come up higher. And I can tell you this life 549 00:25:40,000 --> 00:25:43,840 Speaker 5: is too short to live it compromising with unforgiveness, with 550 00:25:43,960 --> 00:25:48,040 Speaker 5: bad attitudes, going around, treating people poorly. Pay attention to 551 00:25:48,080 --> 00:25:51,560 Speaker 5: what you're feeling on the inside. Live your life with 552 00:25:51,640 --> 00:25:55,840 Speaker 5: a clearer conscience. Get into God's best plan. The scripture 553 00:25:55,880 --> 00:25:58,399 Speaker 5: says there in Matthew six point twenty two that the 554 00:25:58,560 --> 00:26:01,880 Speaker 5: lamp of the body is the eye, the spiritual eye, 555 00:26:01,920 --> 00:26:05,160 Speaker 5: you might say, is our conscience. Goes on to say 556 00:26:05,520 --> 00:26:08,440 Speaker 5: that if the eye is good, the whole body will 557 00:26:08,480 --> 00:26:12,119 Speaker 5: be filled with light. In other words, if your conscience 558 00:26:12,160 --> 00:26:15,359 Speaker 5: is clear, life is gonna be good. You're gonna be happy, 559 00:26:15,680 --> 00:26:18,440 Speaker 5: You're gonna have a positive vision, and you'll be enjoying 560 00:26:18,440 --> 00:26:22,320 Speaker 5: God's blessings. But the next verse describes many people today. 561 00:26:22,760 --> 00:26:26,600 Speaker 5: Says in the Amplified, if our conscience is full of darkness, 562 00:26:27,040 --> 00:26:30,240 Speaker 5: then how dense will that darkness be I think about 563 00:26:30,280 --> 00:26:33,760 Speaker 5: how many people are living with a heaviness. They've always 564 00:26:33,840 --> 00:26:36,959 Speaker 5: got this nagging feeling, something's always bothering them. 565 00:26:37,000 --> 00:26:37,760 Speaker 4: They're not happy. 566 00:26:38,160 --> 00:26:41,399 Speaker 5: Well, the problem is they don't have a clear conscience. 567 00:26:41,680 --> 00:26:45,199 Speaker 5: They've swept things under the rug, they've ignored the warnings. 568 00:26:45,280 --> 00:26:48,320 Speaker 5: They've gotten hard and cold in certain areas. And listen, 569 00:26:48,359 --> 00:26:51,560 Speaker 5: that's not gonna change until you make the adjustments. And 570 00:26:51,600 --> 00:26:54,600 Speaker 5: what I'm saying today, if there are things that you 571 00:26:54,640 --> 00:26:57,560 Speaker 5: are doing that you know you should not be doing. 572 00:26:57,720 --> 00:26:58,920 Speaker 4: Then make some adjustments. 573 00:26:59,400 --> 00:27:01,359 Speaker 5: Or if there are things that you should not be 574 00:27:01,520 --> 00:27:04,520 Speaker 5: doing and you're doing them, then make those changes. And 575 00:27:04,560 --> 00:27:06,840 Speaker 5: as I said, it may not be something big, you 576 00:27:06,880 --> 00:27:09,000 Speaker 5: may not be in some kind of great sin, but 577 00:27:09,080 --> 00:27:11,520 Speaker 5: maybe God is dealing with you just about having a 578 00:27:11,560 --> 00:27:14,920 Speaker 5: better attitude, or about spending more time with your children, 579 00:27:15,240 --> 00:27:19,639 Speaker 5: about eating healthier, whatever it is. Make it decision that 580 00:27:19,640 --> 00:27:22,119 Speaker 5: you're going to pay more attention to your conscience, and 581 00:27:22,160 --> 00:27:24,800 Speaker 5: not only that, that you're gonna be quick to obey. 582 00:27:25,280 --> 00:27:28,080 Speaker 5: That's when all that heaviness is going to leave. I 583 00:27:28,240 --> 00:27:30,480 Speaker 5: like what the apostle Paul said in Acts twenty three. 584 00:27:30,840 --> 00:27:34,200 Speaker 5: He said, I have lived before God with a perfectly 585 00:27:34,359 --> 00:27:37,600 Speaker 5: clear conscience. That should be the goal of every one 586 00:27:37,640 --> 00:27:41,600 Speaker 5: of us. When our conscience is clear, condemnation won't bother us. 587 00:27:42,000 --> 00:27:44,679 Speaker 5: When we have a clear conscience, we're gonna be happy. 588 00:27:45,280 --> 00:27:47,840 Speaker 5: Other people may try to judge us or condemn us, 589 00:27:47,880 --> 00:27:49,520 Speaker 5: but that'll just bounce right off of us. 590 00:27:49,960 --> 00:27:51,000 Speaker 4: Sometimes people say. 591 00:27:50,920 --> 00:27:52,560 Speaker 5: Joel, why don't you do more of this or more 592 00:27:52,560 --> 00:27:55,119 Speaker 5: of that. Listen, I know I'm not perfect, but I 593 00:27:55,200 --> 00:27:58,639 Speaker 5: also know this. My conscience is clear before God. I 594 00:27:58,720 --> 00:28:02,120 Speaker 5: know that I'm doing my best please him. That's why 595 00:28:02,160 --> 00:28:04,640 Speaker 5: I can sleep well at night. That's why I can 596 00:28:04,680 --> 00:28:06,240 Speaker 5: lie down at peace. That's why I can have a 597 00:28:06,280 --> 00:28:08,720 Speaker 5: smile on my face. For INDs, this is a very 598 00:28:08,760 --> 00:28:11,560 Speaker 5: freeing way to live. So let me challenge you again. 599 00:28:11,880 --> 00:28:15,760 Speaker 5: Pay close attention to your conscience, respect it, don't ignore 600 00:28:15,800 --> 00:28:19,080 Speaker 5: those warnings, be quick to obey, and pray every day. 601 00:28:19,119 --> 00:28:22,320 Speaker 5: God help me to have a tender conscience. And remember, 602 00:28:22,600 --> 00:28:25,800 Speaker 5: every time you obey your conscience, your heart is getting 603 00:28:25,800 --> 00:28:27,840 Speaker 5: a little bit softer and you'll do it a little 604 00:28:27,880 --> 00:28:30,439 Speaker 5: quicker the next time. So make a decision with me 605 00:28:30,760 --> 00:28:33,480 Speaker 5: that you're gonna do your best to maintain a clear conscience. 606 00:28:33,560 --> 00:28:35,359 Speaker 5: If you do that, I know God will take you 607 00:28:35,440 --> 00:28:38,520 Speaker 5: from victory to victory and you'll experience the abundant life 608 00:28:38,600 --> 00:28:39,440 Speaker 5: He has in store. 609 00:28:39,480 --> 00:28:41,160 Speaker 4: Amen, how many of you receive it this morning? 610 00:28:42,480 --> 00:28:45,320 Speaker 5: We never like to close our broadcast without giving you 611 00:28:45,360 --> 00:28:48,160 Speaker 5: an opportunity to make Jesus the lord of your life. 612 00:28:48,480 --> 00:28:49,440 Speaker 4: Would you pray with me? 613 00:28:50,040 --> 00:28:55,480 Speaker 5: Just say, Lord, Jesus, I repent of my sins. Come 614 00:28:55,520 --> 00:29:00,800 Speaker 5: into my heart. I make you my Lord and savior. Friends, 615 00:29:00,800 --> 00:29:03,200 Speaker 5: if you prayed that simple prayer, we believe you got 616 00:29:03,200 --> 00:29:06,200 Speaker 5: born again. Get in a good Bible based church. Keep 617 00:29:06,240 --> 00:29:07,200 Speaker 5: God first place. 618 00:29:07,440 --> 00:29:09,840 Speaker 4: He's going to take your places that you've never dreamed of. 619 00:29:10,560 --> 00:29:13,440 Speaker 4: Thank you for listening to the joel Ostine podcast. 620 00:29:13,760 --> 00:29:16,400 Speaker 1: Help us continue to share the message of hope with 621 00:29:16,520 --> 00:29:17,880 Speaker 1: those all over the world. 622 00:29:18,160 --> 00:29:19,760 Speaker 4: Visit joelostin dot. 623 00:29:19,520 --> 00:29:22,600 Speaker 1: Com slash give Hope to give a gift today. 624 00:29:23,880 --> 00:29:26,320 Speaker 4: Thanks so much for listening to today's message. 625 00:29:26,440 --> 00:29:29,160 Speaker 5: I hope you'll subscribe so you can receive the latest 626 00:29:29,240 --> 00:29:30,640 Speaker 5: podcast to keep. 627 00:29:30,480 --> 00:29:33,440 Speaker 4: You inspired all through the week. 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