1 00:00:00,160 --> 00:00:02,880 Speaker 1: No one likes to talk about money. Am I saving enough? 2 00:00:02,960 --> 00:00:05,040 Speaker 1: Can I buy a house? Am I paying too much 3 00:00:05,040 --> 00:00:07,760 Speaker 1: in taxes? Will I be able to retire? What if 4 00:00:07,760 --> 00:00:10,360 Speaker 1: you could unlock insights about your finances in less than 5 00:00:10,360 --> 00:00:12,840 Speaker 1: five minutes, with a clear picture of where you stand 6 00:00:12,880 --> 00:00:15,720 Speaker 1: today and where your money can work harder. Now you 7 00:00:15,760 --> 00:00:18,759 Speaker 1: can visit facet dot com to take the free quiz 8 00:00:18,800 --> 00:00:23,400 Speaker 1: and get your financial wellness score today. That's Facet dot com. 9 00:00:23,440 --> 00:00:25,360 Speaker 1: This ad is sponsored by Facet. Fast Wealth in Corporated 10 00:00:25,440 --> 00:00:27,280 Speaker 1: is an sec registered investment advisor. This is not an 11 00:00:27,320 --> 00:00:29,080 Speaker 1: offer to buy your self securities or is it investment, 12 00:00:29,160 --> 00:00:30,080 Speaker 1: legal or tax advice. 13 00:00:30,520 --> 00:00:33,120 Speaker 2: Are you ready to move your career forward? Make your 14 00:00:33,159 --> 00:00:36,640 Speaker 2: comeback with Perdue Global and get college credit for your work, school, life, 15 00:00:36,720 --> 00:00:39,840 Speaker 2: or military experiences. With these credits, you may have already 16 00:00:39,840 --> 00:00:42,680 Speaker 2: completed up to seventy five percent of your undergraduate degree. 17 00:00:42,720 --> 00:00:44,800 Speaker 2: You've worked hard to get where you are. It's time 18 00:00:44,840 --> 00:00:46,920 Speaker 2: to get the recognition you deserve and earn a degree 19 00:00:47,000 --> 00:00:49,600 Speaker 2: you'll be proud of, one that employers will trust and 20 00:00:49,720 --> 00:00:51,840 Speaker 2: respect when you take the next step in your life 21 00:00:51,880 --> 00:00:55,040 Speaker 2: and career. Make it count with Perdue Global produce online 22 00:00:55,120 --> 00:00:59,720 Speaker 2: University for working adults start your comeback at Purdueglobal dot edu. 23 00:01:00,680 --> 00:01:03,440 Speaker 3: Hi, this is Joel and Victoria. Thanks for listening to 24 00:01:03,480 --> 00:01:06,600 Speaker 3: our podcast and thanks for supporting the ministry. If you 25 00:01:06,680 --> 00:01:09,280 Speaker 3: enjoy today's message, why don't you be a blessing and 26 00:01:09,360 --> 00:01:12,000 Speaker 3: share it with a friend. We appreciate you and pray 27 00:01:12,040 --> 00:01:26,080 Speaker 3: for God's very best in your life. Oh God bless you. 28 00:01:26,560 --> 00:01:28,960 Speaker 3: It is always a joy to coming to your homes. 29 00:01:29,319 --> 00:01:32,000 Speaker 3: We love you and we're believing for God's very best 30 00:01:32,000 --> 00:01:34,800 Speaker 3: for you and your family. We pray for you every day, 31 00:01:34,880 --> 00:01:37,440 Speaker 3: and if you're ever in our area, I hope you'll 32 00:01:37,440 --> 00:01:39,480 Speaker 3: come out and be a part of one of our services. 33 00:01:39,640 --> 00:01:41,960 Speaker 3: These are the finest people in all of Houston right 34 00:01:41,959 --> 00:01:44,319 Speaker 3: here at Lakewood. We'd love to have you be a part. 35 00:01:44,720 --> 00:01:47,600 Speaker 3: Thanks for tuning in today. I like to get started 36 00:01:47,600 --> 00:01:49,920 Speaker 3: each week with something funny, and I heard about this 37 00:01:50,080 --> 00:01:53,400 Speaker 3: man that died and left his wife twenty thousand dollars. 38 00:01:53,880 --> 00:01:56,960 Speaker 3: After the funeral, his wife told a friend that she 39 00:01:57,080 --> 00:01:59,920 Speaker 3: was totally broke. She said, what do you mean you're broke? 40 00:02:00,000 --> 00:02:02,000 Speaker 3: I thought you had twenty thousand dollars. She said, well, 41 00:02:02,320 --> 00:02:05,920 Speaker 3: I spent five thousand on the funeral and fifteen thousand 42 00:02:05,960 --> 00:02:08,880 Speaker 3: on the memorial stone. The friend said, Wow, that was 43 00:02:08,919 --> 00:02:11,360 Speaker 3: some stone. How big was it? She held up her 44 00:02:11,360 --> 00:02:15,480 Speaker 3: finger and said three and a half carrots. All right, 45 00:02:15,919 --> 00:02:18,360 Speaker 3: hold up your Bible. Say it like you mean it. 46 00:02:18,919 --> 00:02:22,000 Speaker 3: This is my Bible. I am what it says I am. 47 00:02:22,560 --> 00:02:25,280 Speaker 3: I have what it says I have. I can do 48 00:02:25,360 --> 00:02:28,040 Speaker 3: what it says I can do. Today I will be 49 00:02:28,120 --> 00:02:32,359 Speaker 3: taught the word of God. I boldly confess. My mind 50 00:02:32,480 --> 00:02:36,080 Speaker 3: is alert, my heart is receptive. I will never be 51 00:02:36,200 --> 00:02:40,760 Speaker 3: the same. In Jesus' name, God bless you. I want 52 00:02:40,800 --> 00:02:44,520 Speaker 3: to talk to you today about not being critical toward yourself. 53 00:02:45,440 --> 00:02:48,559 Speaker 3: So many people have a war going on on the inside. 54 00:02:49,080 --> 00:02:52,200 Speaker 3: They're not really happy with who they are. They go 55 00:02:52,280 --> 00:02:55,200 Speaker 3: around thinking if I was just a little taller, if 56 00:02:55,240 --> 00:02:58,280 Speaker 3: I just had a more outgoing personality, if I just 57 00:02:58,360 --> 00:03:01,600 Speaker 3: had green eyes instead of these brown eyes. They're always 58 00:03:01,680 --> 00:03:04,480 Speaker 3: wishing they were something different. But if you're going to 59 00:03:04,680 --> 00:03:07,919 Speaker 3: enjoy your life, you have to be happy with who 60 00:03:07,960 --> 00:03:10,720 Speaker 3: God made you to be. If you don't get along 61 00:03:10,760 --> 00:03:14,160 Speaker 3: with yourself, you'll never get along with other people. And 62 00:03:14,200 --> 00:03:17,400 Speaker 3: the scripture says here in Ephesians two ten, we are 63 00:03:17,520 --> 00:03:22,280 Speaker 3: God's masterpiece that means you are not average. You are 64 00:03:22,320 --> 00:03:25,760 Speaker 3: not ordinary. You were one of a kind. When God 65 00:03:25,840 --> 00:03:29,280 Speaker 3: created you, he went to great links to make you 66 00:03:29,840 --> 00:03:33,320 Speaker 3: exactly like he wanted. You didn't just happen to get 67 00:03:33,360 --> 00:03:37,800 Speaker 3: your personality. You didn't just accidentally get your nose, your 68 00:03:37,840 --> 00:03:42,640 Speaker 3: skin color, your gifts. God on purpose designs you to 69 00:03:42,680 --> 00:03:45,120 Speaker 3: be the way you are, and you need to see 70 00:03:45,160 --> 00:03:50,120 Speaker 3: yourself as unique, as an original, as God's very own masterpiece. 71 00:03:51,000 --> 00:03:53,240 Speaker 3: One time, when I was in my early twenties, I 72 00:03:53,320 --> 00:03:56,640 Speaker 3: was in India sitting on the beach watching the sunset. 73 00:03:56,960 --> 00:04:00,760 Speaker 3: It was a beautiful picture. The water was so crystal clear, 74 00:04:00,840 --> 00:04:03,000 Speaker 3: and as far as I could see to my left 75 00:04:03,040 --> 00:04:05,200 Speaker 3: and right, it was just miles of the beach and 76 00:04:05,280 --> 00:04:09,080 Speaker 3: beautiful palm trees. The sun was huge on the horizon, 77 00:04:09,480 --> 00:04:12,000 Speaker 3: just about to go down. And as I sat there, 78 00:04:12,080 --> 00:04:15,800 Speaker 3: I thought about what a magnificent picture that was, and 79 00:04:15,840 --> 00:04:19,000 Speaker 3: the thought came to my mind about how God is 80 00:04:19,040 --> 00:04:22,720 Speaker 3: such an incredible painter. And as I was just reflecting 81 00:04:22,800 --> 00:04:25,880 Speaker 3: and thinking about my life, I heard God speak something 82 00:04:25,920 --> 00:04:28,360 Speaker 3: to me, not out loud, but right down in here. 83 00:04:28,839 --> 00:04:31,680 Speaker 3: He said, Joe, you think this is a beautiful picture, 84 00:04:31,720 --> 00:04:34,719 Speaker 3: do you? I said, yes, God, I think it's magnificent. 85 00:04:35,200 --> 00:04:37,120 Speaker 3: He said, well, what do you think would be my 86 00:04:37,240 --> 00:04:42,400 Speaker 3: most prized painting, my most incredible creation? I said, God, 87 00:04:42,440 --> 00:04:45,680 Speaker 3: I think it would be this. This is magnificent. He said, no, 88 00:04:45,800 --> 00:04:48,960 Speaker 3: it's not this. I thought about it a moment earlier 89 00:04:49,080 --> 00:04:51,640 Speaker 3: that year, I'd been in the Rocky Mountains and that 90 00:04:51,760 --> 00:04:54,400 Speaker 3: was so spectacular. I said, God, I bet it's the 91 00:04:54,520 --> 00:04:57,640 Speaker 3: Rocky Mountains. He said, no, it's not that. I said, well, 92 00:04:57,680 --> 00:05:01,800 Speaker 3: what is it? The solar system, the milky He said, Joel, 93 00:05:02,000 --> 00:05:05,320 Speaker 3: if you want to know what my most prized painting is, 94 00:05:05,680 --> 00:05:08,279 Speaker 3: the one that I'm the most proud of, it would 95 00:05:08,360 --> 00:05:11,919 Speaker 3: be you. I thought, me, God, it couldn't be me. 96 00:05:12,160 --> 00:05:16,240 Speaker 3: I'm just ordinary. I'm just like everyone else. He said, no, Joel, 97 00:05:16,279 --> 00:05:19,640 Speaker 3: you don't understand. The sunsets are a dime a dozen. 98 00:05:20,200 --> 00:05:23,240 Speaker 3: When I made the mountains and the solar system and 99 00:05:23,279 --> 00:05:26,600 Speaker 3: the oceans, that's good. I was proud of that. But 100 00:05:26,640 --> 00:05:29,680 Speaker 3: when I made you, I breathed my life into you. 101 00:05:30,120 --> 00:05:33,720 Speaker 3: I made you in my very own image. Friends, you 102 00:05:33,960 --> 00:05:39,159 Speaker 3: are God's most prized possession. Don't go around feeling wrong 103 00:05:39,240 --> 00:05:42,960 Speaker 3: about yourself on the inside, wishing you had more talent 104 00:05:43,080 --> 00:05:46,039 Speaker 3: and wishing you were taller and wishing you could do 105 00:05:46,120 --> 00:05:49,200 Speaker 3: something that a friend does. Now when God made you, 106 00:05:49,480 --> 00:05:52,599 Speaker 3: he stepped back and said, that was good. You have 107 00:05:52,760 --> 00:05:55,960 Speaker 3: exactly what you need. You are not supposed to go 108 00:05:56,080 --> 00:06:01,040 Speaker 3: around thinking negative thoughts toward yourself. I'm so slow, and 109 00:06:01,279 --> 00:06:04,359 Speaker 3: I'm not attractive, and I don't like my nose. No, 110 00:06:04,600 --> 00:06:08,080 Speaker 3: when God was passing out the noses and the years 111 00:06:08,560 --> 00:06:11,760 Speaker 3: and the height and the personalities, you did not get 112 00:06:11,760 --> 00:06:15,120 Speaker 3: in the wrong line. God made you like you are 113 00:06:15,160 --> 00:06:18,240 Speaker 3: on purpose. I know. When I was growing up, I 114 00:06:18,360 --> 00:06:21,880 Speaker 3: was very short. I graduated from high school at five 115 00:06:21,920 --> 00:06:25,760 Speaker 3: foot six and I grewsome after that. But in school 116 00:06:25,800 --> 00:06:27,799 Speaker 3: some of my friends kind of give me a hard time. 117 00:06:28,320 --> 00:06:31,760 Speaker 3: My nickname was peanut, and don't you start calling me 118 00:06:31,800 --> 00:06:35,400 Speaker 3: that either. But in school there were times I was 119 00:06:35,440 --> 00:06:38,320 Speaker 3: tempted to think, God, that's a disadvantage, and why am 120 00:06:38,360 --> 00:06:40,760 Speaker 3: I so short? And how can I keep playing sports? 121 00:06:41,320 --> 00:06:44,000 Speaker 3: But one day I read where short people live in 122 00:06:44,040 --> 00:06:49,599 Speaker 3: averages six years longer than tall people, and I started thinking, God, 123 00:06:51,240 --> 00:06:53,839 Speaker 3: if you're tall today, don't be discouraged. Just know you're 124 00:06:53,839 --> 00:06:58,800 Speaker 3: gonna beat us to heaven. My brother Paul, when he 125 00:06:58,880 --> 00:07:01,800 Speaker 3: was growing up, he always felt like his nose was 126 00:07:01,880 --> 00:07:04,880 Speaker 3: kind of large, and me, being his younger brother and 127 00:07:05,000 --> 00:07:08,880 Speaker 3: the great encourager that I am. I used to tell him, Paul, 128 00:07:09,040 --> 00:07:12,200 Speaker 3: when God was passing out noses, you thought he said 129 00:07:12,280 --> 00:07:16,880 Speaker 3: roses and said I'll take a big red one. I've 130 00:07:16,920 --> 00:07:20,360 Speaker 3: always been an encourager. But what am I saying? You 131 00:07:20,360 --> 00:07:23,120 Speaker 3: didn't get in the wrong line. Quit wishing you were different, 132 00:07:23,520 --> 00:07:27,000 Speaker 3: you were taller, had more hair, or different personality. If 133 00:07:27,040 --> 00:07:29,840 Speaker 3: God wanted you to be taller, I can guarantee you 134 00:07:29,880 --> 00:07:32,240 Speaker 3: he would have made you taller. If God wanted you 135 00:07:32,280 --> 00:07:34,160 Speaker 3: to be a different skin color, he would have made 136 00:07:34,200 --> 00:07:36,720 Speaker 3: you that way. But it seems like these days we're 137 00:07:36,720 --> 00:07:39,880 Speaker 3: always wishing that we were something different. I've known dark 138 00:07:39,920 --> 00:07:42,680 Speaker 3: skinned people that put cream on them to try to 139 00:07:42,720 --> 00:07:45,680 Speaker 3: become lighter. Then I know light skinned people go lay 140 00:07:45,720 --> 00:07:49,000 Speaker 3: in a tanning bed all day try to become darker. Now, 141 00:07:49,040 --> 00:07:50,920 Speaker 3: I'm not saying to go overboard. If you want to 142 00:07:50,960 --> 00:07:53,560 Speaker 3: get a tan, get a tan. If you have straight 143 00:07:53,600 --> 00:07:56,560 Speaker 3: hair and you want curly hair, permit. If you have 144 00:07:56,640 --> 00:07:59,560 Speaker 3: gray hair and you want brown hair, dyet. If you 145 00:07:59,640 --> 00:08:01,680 Speaker 3: have no hair and you want hair, by it. 146 00:08:05,960 --> 00:08:06,480 Speaker 2: Oh boy. 147 00:08:07,040 --> 00:08:14,360 Speaker 3: But my point is made myself laugh today. My point 148 00:08:14,520 --> 00:08:18,120 Speaker 3: is we have to accept who God made us to be. 149 00:08:19,120 --> 00:08:22,560 Speaker 3: Don't you dare go through life with that negative recording 150 00:08:22,680 --> 00:08:26,280 Speaker 3: constantly playing in your mind. You have been painted by 151 00:08:26,280 --> 00:08:29,600 Speaker 3: the most incredible painter there could ever be. God not 152 00:08:29,720 --> 00:08:33,000 Speaker 3: only designs you, but he breathed his life into you. 153 00:08:33,400 --> 00:08:35,960 Speaker 3: When he got done, he stepped back and said, Wow, 154 00:08:36,160 --> 00:08:40,439 Speaker 3: another masterpiece. He stamped his approval on you. You know how, 155 00:08:40,480 --> 00:08:42,560 Speaker 3: in the back of our shirts we have a tag 156 00:08:42,920 --> 00:08:46,320 Speaker 3: says made in America, made in China, made in Mexico. Well, 157 00:08:46,360 --> 00:08:48,920 Speaker 3: somewhere on you, you've got a tag that says made 158 00:08:49,040 --> 00:08:54,360 Speaker 3: by Almighty God. When you get up every morning, you 159 00:08:54,440 --> 00:08:57,559 Speaker 3: need to remind yourself. I have the fingerprints of God 160 00:08:57,679 --> 00:09:00,960 Speaker 3: all over me, the way I walk, the way I smile, 161 00:09:01,320 --> 00:09:05,400 Speaker 3: my personality, my gifts. I am God's masterpiece. That's a 162 00:09:05,400 --> 00:09:08,120 Speaker 3: whole lot better than going around thinking, man, I'm slow, 163 00:09:08,520 --> 00:09:13,360 Speaker 3: I'm unattractive, I'm not talented. No quit criticizing God's creation 164 00:09:14,240 --> 00:09:16,880 Speaker 3: some of you. This is exactly what's holding you back. 165 00:09:17,240 --> 00:09:20,360 Speaker 3: You're not at peace on the inside. You smile on 166 00:09:20,400 --> 00:09:24,400 Speaker 3: the outside, but on the inside you're constantly beating yourself up, 167 00:09:24,800 --> 00:09:29,120 Speaker 3: thinking negative thoughts. Towards yourself. I'm asking you today to 168 00:09:29,200 --> 00:09:33,160 Speaker 3: put a new recording in your mind. Don't allow another 169 00:09:33,280 --> 00:09:36,439 Speaker 3: negative word to come out of your mouth towards yourself. 170 00:09:37,120 --> 00:09:40,640 Speaker 3: Don't lie in bed every morning thinking about everything wrong 171 00:09:40,720 --> 00:09:44,160 Speaker 3: with you. Celebrate who God made you to be. Start 172 00:09:44,240 --> 00:09:47,960 Speaker 3: meditating on the fact I am God's masterpiece. I am 173 00:09:48,320 --> 00:09:50,800 Speaker 3: one of a kind, I am equipped, i am annoyted, 174 00:09:51,040 --> 00:09:54,800 Speaker 3: I'm not average. I'm God's very own creation. Because so 175 00:09:54,800 --> 00:09:59,280 Speaker 3: many people today live with this nagging, vague feeling on 176 00:09:59,320 --> 00:10:02,120 Speaker 3: the inside, They've done it so long now it's in 177 00:10:02,160 --> 00:10:06,040 Speaker 3: their subconscious mind telling them I'm not up to par 178 00:10:06,280 --> 00:10:08,320 Speaker 3: and I'd never do anything right, and I've made so 179 00:10:08,360 --> 00:10:12,520 Speaker 3: many mistakes. It's their own self defeating thoughts that are 180 00:10:12,600 --> 00:10:17,320 Speaker 3: keeping them in mediocrity. The Scripture tells us our faith 181 00:10:17,600 --> 00:10:22,280 Speaker 3: is made effective when we acknowledge everything good. You cannot 182 00:10:22,280 --> 00:10:25,880 Speaker 3: go around acknowledging the wrong and expect your faith to 183 00:10:25,960 --> 00:10:29,160 Speaker 3: work properly. You may have a dozen things you feel 184 00:10:29,160 --> 00:10:32,240 Speaker 3: like are a disadvantage, a dozen things that you dislike 185 00:10:32,320 --> 00:10:35,640 Speaker 3: about yourself. Well, I'm so shy, and I don't like 186 00:10:35,720 --> 00:10:38,920 Speaker 3: my nose and I didn't finish college. As long as 187 00:10:38,960 --> 00:10:41,480 Speaker 3: you're dwelling on that, you're adding fuel to the fire. 188 00:10:42,200 --> 00:10:45,400 Speaker 3: Your faith is working, but it's working in the wrong direction. 189 00:10:46,040 --> 00:10:49,360 Speaker 3: Those things will get bigger and bigger, and eventually there'll 190 00:10:49,360 --> 00:10:52,280 Speaker 3: be stumbling blocks that'll hold you back. But if you 191 00:10:52,360 --> 00:10:56,000 Speaker 3: can just learn to retrain your mind and acknowledge the 192 00:10:56,040 --> 00:10:59,560 Speaker 3: good things about you. In other words, I may not 193 00:10:59,679 --> 00:11:02,080 Speaker 3: be as talented as they are, I may not be 194 00:11:02,120 --> 00:11:06,479 Speaker 3: as attractive as they are, but you know what, I'm organized, 195 00:11:07,000 --> 00:11:10,600 Speaker 3: I'm good with my family. I'm a hard worker. I'm disciplined. 196 00:11:11,040 --> 00:11:13,840 Speaker 3: If you will acknowledge the good things that God has 197 00:11:13,840 --> 00:11:16,680 Speaker 3: put in you, then you'll see the good begin to increase. 198 00:11:17,400 --> 00:11:20,079 Speaker 3: A while back, I was in someone's home. They had 199 00:11:20,120 --> 00:11:23,719 Speaker 3: all these paintings on the wall. And I'm not an 200 00:11:23,720 --> 00:11:27,200 Speaker 3: expert in art, but they were not very impressive to me. 201 00:11:27,880 --> 00:11:30,679 Speaker 3: In fact, some of them looked like they'd been painted 202 00:11:30,720 --> 00:11:34,400 Speaker 3: by a child. They were very modern and abstract, paint 203 00:11:34,440 --> 00:11:37,760 Speaker 3: thrown here and paint thrown there. But later that evening 204 00:11:37,800 --> 00:11:40,960 Speaker 3: they told me how they had paid over a million 205 00:11:41,080 --> 00:11:44,400 Speaker 3: dollars for just one of those paintings. All of a sudden, 206 00:11:44,440 --> 00:11:48,200 Speaker 3: I thought, Wow, that is beautiful, isn't it. My eye 207 00:11:48,240 --> 00:11:51,600 Speaker 3: for art really came out come to find out it 208 00:11:51,640 --> 00:11:56,920 Speaker 3: was an original Picasso painted by the famous artist Pablo Picasso. 209 00:11:57,640 --> 00:12:01,360 Speaker 3: What dawned on me that night was it's not necessarily 210 00:12:01,400 --> 00:12:04,720 Speaker 3: what the painting looks like, it's who the painter is. 211 00:12:05,559 --> 00:12:09,640 Speaker 3: The painting gets its value from its creator. Somebody that 212 00:12:09,720 --> 00:12:12,559 Speaker 3: halfway knew how to paint could accopy that and tried 213 00:12:12,559 --> 00:12:14,880 Speaker 3: to sell it, but they wouldn't have gotten one percent. 214 00:12:15,400 --> 00:12:20,040 Speaker 3: The painting was valuable because it had Pablo Picasso's fingerprints 215 00:12:20,080 --> 00:12:22,880 Speaker 3: on it. It's the same way with us. We don't 216 00:12:22,880 --> 00:12:25,240 Speaker 3: get our value from what we look like or what 217 00:12:25,280 --> 00:12:28,400 Speaker 3: we can do. Our value comes from the fact of 218 00:12:28,440 --> 00:12:32,160 Speaker 3: who our painter is. Almighty God has breathed his life 219 00:12:32,240 --> 00:12:35,600 Speaker 3: into each one of us. I love the way David 220 00:12:35,679 --> 00:12:40,240 Speaker 3: said it. We are fearfully and wonderfully made. I wish 221 00:12:40,320 --> 00:12:42,440 Speaker 3: you could get that down in your spirit. You are 222 00:12:42,520 --> 00:12:46,320 Speaker 3: extremely valuable. You are one of a kind. Don't go 223 00:12:46,400 --> 00:12:51,280 Speaker 3: around criticizing yourself, wishing you were something different. Accept yourself, 224 00:12:51,520 --> 00:12:55,960 Speaker 3: Approve yourself. You've been wonderfully made. I wonder what would 225 00:12:55,960 --> 00:12:58,560 Speaker 3: happen if all day long we would focus on that 226 00:12:59,200 --> 00:13:02,040 Speaker 3: instead of the next negative. We'd go around thinking about 227 00:13:02,400 --> 00:13:07,600 Speaker 3: I'm God's masterpiece. I'm talented, I'm creative, I've been wonderfully made. 228 00:13:08,480 --> 00:13:10,800 Speaker 3: One thing I can tell you for sure is the 229 00:13:10,960 --> 00:13:13,439 Speaker 3: enemy does not want you to feel good about yourself. 230 00:13:14,160 --> 00:13:17,120 Speaker 3: You can do a thousand things right and do one 231 00:13:17,200 --> 00:13:20,400 Speaker 3: thing wrong, and that mistake will play over and over. 232 00:13:20,960 --> 00:13:23,600 Speaker 3: You can have a thousand good things about you, but 233 00:13:23,720 --> 00:13:26,880 Speaker 3: one thing you dislike, and that'll stay on the forefront 234 00:13:26,920 --> 00:13:29,600 Speaker 3: of your mind. I dare you to get up each 235 00:13:29,720 --> 00:13:32,439 Speaker 3: day and look in the mirror and say, good morning, you, 236 00:13:32,600 --> 00:13:37,920 Speaker 3: wonderful thing you have been fearfully and wonderfully made. I 237 00:13:38,000 --> 00:13:41,679 Speaker 3: read a story about a man that died in extreme poverty. 238 00:13:42,160 --> 00:13:44,800 Speaker 3: He had been homeless at one time, living on the streets, 239 00:13:44,920 --> 00:13:47,839 Speaker 3: but now he had this small, run down apartment. After 240 00:13:47,880 --> 00:13:51,040 Speaker 3: the funeral, the family came over to take care of 241 00:13:51,080 --> 00:13:54,440 Speaker 3: his belongings. He had this picture on the wall and 242 00:13:54,480 --> 00:13:56,760 Speaker 3: they took it down and ended up selling it at 243 00:13:56,760 --> 00:13:59,640 Speaker 3: a garage cell. The person that bought it took it 244 00:13:59,720 --> 00:14:02,560 Speaker 3: up to the local art gallery. Come to find out 245 00:14:02,679 --> 00:14:06,160 Speaker 3: it was extremely valuable. It had been painted by an 246 00:14:06,240 --> 00:14:09,120 Speaker 3: artist that lived back in the eighteen hundreds and he 247 00:14:09,200 --> 00:14:12,120 Speaker 3: was very famous. They had it auctioned off. At this 248 00:14:12,240 --> 00:14:16,840 Speaker 3: worldwide auction, that painting sold for over three million dollars. 249 00:14:17,760 --> 00:14:21,640 Speaker 3: Sometimes we're living in defeat because we don't recognize the 250 00:14:21,800 --> 00:14:25,640 Speaker 3: value of what we have. Every one of you has 251 00:14:25,680 --> 00:14:28,560 Speaker 3: been painted by the most famous painter there could ever be. 252 00:14:29,280 --> 00:14:32,040 Speaker 3: But if you don't understand your value, and you go 253 00:14:32,120 --> 00:14:34,880 Speaker 3: around thinking, well, Joel, I'm not that talented and I'm 254 00:14:34,960 --> 00:14:37,760 Speaker 3: just kind of ordinary, I've made a lot of mistakes. 255 00:14:38,200 --> 00:14:41,600 Speaker 3: If you let that negative recording keep playing, just like 256 00:14:41,680 --> 00:14:45,080 Speaker 3: this man, even though you have what you need, you'll 257 00:14:45,080 --> 00:14:47,960 Speaker 3: never tap into it. Every morning when you get up, 258 00:14:48,120 --> 00:14:50,880 Speaker 3: you need to remind yourself I am not average, I'm 259 00:14:50,880 --> 00:14:53,800 Speaker 3: not ordinary. I'm one of a kind. I have God's 260 00:14:53,880 --> 00:14:58,120 Speaker 3: fingerprints all over me. Start the day off by getting 261 00:14:58,120 --> 00:15:01,640 Speaker 3: your mind going in the right direction. Don't focus on 262 00:15:01,680 --> 00:15:04,040 Speaker 3: what you don't have, the mistakes you've made, and the 263 00:15:04,120 --> 00:15:07,520 Speaker 3: chances you've blown. No, let all that go and start 264 00:15:07,560 --> 00:15:11,320 Speaker 3: focusing on the good. I think it's interesting. When God 265 00:15:11,360 --> 00:15:14,280 Speaker 3: created the heavens and the earth, he said, let there 266 00:15:14,280 --> 00:15:18,040 Speaker 3: be light, and light came and God said it was good. 267 00:15:18,720 --> 00:15:21,920 Speaker 3: He separated the waters from the sky, and God said 268 00:15:21,960 --> 00:15:24,800 Speaker 3: it was good. He made night and day, and again 269 00:15:24,960 --> 00:15:28,440 Speaker 3: God said it was good. What's my point? When God 270 00:15:28,480 --> 00:15:32,600 Speaker 3: did something good, he praised himself. He looked back and said, 271 00:15:32,640 --> 00:15:35,600 Speaker 3: I like that. That was good. We need to learn 272 00:15:35,640 --> 00:15:38,520 Speaker 3: to do what God did. When you accomplish something, when 273 00:15:38,600 --> 00:15:40,640 Speaker 3: you give it your best, you need to look back 274 00:15:40,800 --> 00:15:42,960 Speaker 3: and say, I'm proud of what I did. That was good. 275 00:15:43,960 --> 00:15:47,880 Speaker 3: I know people that cannot compliment themselves. They're so hard 276 00:15:48,000 --> 00:15:51,920 Speaker 3: and critical toward themselves. They can work hard and give 277 00:15:51,960 --> 00:15:54,920 Speaker 3: it their best, but it's always well, I just didn't 278 00:15:54,920 --> 00:15:57,160 Speaker 3: do it good enough. If I just had a little 279 00:15:57,200 --> 00:15:59,920 Speaker 3: more time, if I could just do it again, then 280 00:16:00,080 --> 00:16:02,520 Speaker 3: I would feel good. No, you've got to learn to 281 00:16:03,040 --> 00:16:06,240 Speaker 3: not acknowledge what you didn't get done. Don't acknowledge the 282 00:16:06,280 --> 00:16:10,320 Speaker 3: mistakes you've made. Find something you did right, and acknowledge 283 00:16:10,400 --> 00:16:12,680 Speaker 3: the good. It may not be what you're going to 284 00:16:12,800 --> 00:16:15,400 Speaker 3: end up with, but still, after you work hard all 285 00:16:15,480 --> 00:16:17,400 Speaker 3: day and give it your awe, you need to be 286 00:16:17,440 --> 00:16:20,480 Speaker 3: able to say I did good today. I gave it 287 00:16:20,560 --> 00:16:23,560 Speaker 3: my best, and I feel good about what I accomplished. 288 00:16:24,280 --> 00:16:27,400 Speaker 3: Think about this. When God made the heavens and the earth, 289 00:16:27,680 --> 00:16:30,800 Speaker 3: and he first said it was good, the fact is 290 00:16:31,160 --> 00:16:34,560 Speaker 3: he hadn't separated the waters from the sky. It was 291 00:16:34,600 --> 00:16:37,240 Speaker 3: still kind of a mess. It was still chaotic. He 292 00:16:37,280 --> 00:16:40,080 Speaker 3: hadn't made the fish and the other animals, he hadn't 293 00:16:40,160 --> 00:16:44,400 Speaker 3: created the beautiful mountains, the beautiful oceans. Yet God still 294 00:16:44,480 --> 00:16:47,600 Speaker 3: paused for a moment. He still took time to say, 295 00:16:47,600 --> 00:16:50,200 Speaker 3: you know what, it's not perfect, I'm not done yet, 296 00:16:50,320 --> 00:16:53,080 Speaker 3: but it's still good. In other words, it's not where 297 00:16:53,080 --> 00:16:55,280 Speaker 3: it's going to end up, but so far, so good. 298 00:16:56,240 --> 00:16:58,640 Speaker 3: In the same way, you may not have reached all 299 00:16:58,680 --> 00:17:01,560 Speaker 3: your goals just yet. You may not be exactly where 300 00:17:01,560 --> 00:17:03,680 Speaker 3: you want to be in life, but you need to 301 00:17:03,760 --> 00:17:06,879 Speaker 3: learn to pause on a regular basis and say, I 302 00:17:06,920 --> 00:17:09,919 Speaker 3: did good today. I gave it my all. May not 303 00:17:09,960 --> 00:17:11,720 Speaker 3: have God as much done as I would like to, 304 00:17:12,200 --> 00:17:14,880 Speaker 3: may not have kept up with my coworker, but bottom 305 00:17:14,920 --> 00:17:17,119 Speaker 3: line is, I did my best and I have to 306 00:17:17,160 --> 00:17:20,960 Speaker 3: say it was good. Have a lot of people tell me, Joel, 307 00:17:20,960 --> 00:17:23,720 Speaker 3: I can't feel good about myself. I've got these addictions, 308 00:17:23,760 --> 00:17:26,439 Speaker 3: things I'm struggling with. I'm so impatient, I'm kind of 309 00:17:26,440 --> 00:17:29,359 Speaker 3: hot tempered. That's why I go around feeling lousy on 310 00:17:29,400 --> 00:17:32,600 Speaker 3: the inside. But you have to recognize God is still 311 00:17:32,640 --> 00:17:36,480 Speaker 3: working on you. You are not a finished product. Little 312 00:17:36,520 --> 00:17:39,600 Speaker 3: by little, God changes us. As long as we are 313 00:17:39,640 --> 00:17:42,520 Speaker 3: pressing forward, as long as we're doing our best, God 314 00:17:42,720 --> 00:17:45,920 Speaker 3: is pleased with us. You need to take time every 315 00:17:46,000 --> 00:17:49,600 Speaker 3: day to find something where you can say I did good. 316 00:17:49,880 --> 00:17:51,879 Speaker 3: I may not have done it as well as my neighbor, 317 00:17:52,040 --> 00:17:53,760 Speaker 3: but I did it to the best of my ability, 318 00:17:53,840 --> 00:17:57,040 Speaker 3: and I know it was good. And especially when you're 319 00:17:57,080 --> 00:18:00,359 Speaker 3: struggling with something that you need to overcome, you have 320 00:18:00,400 --> 00:18:05,080 Speaker 3: to stay positive towards yourself. And when that negative recording 321 00:18:05,119 --> 00:18:08,520 Speaker 3: comes back telling y'all you're just a failure. You're never 322 00:18:08,560 --> 00:18:11,040 Speaker 3: going to change, You're never gonna get over that, you 323 00:18:11,119 --> 00:18:13,760 Speaker 3: need to just turn it around and say, no, I 324 00:18:13,840 --> 00:18:15,840 Speaker 3: may not be where I need to be, but at 325 00:18:15,920 --> 00:18:17,760 Speaker 3: least I'm not where I used to be. At least 326 00:18:17,800 --> 00:18:21,320 Speaker 3: that's good. Too often we tend to focus on how 327 00:18:21,359 --> 00:18:23,720 Speaker 3: far we've got to go, but sometimes you've got to 328 00:18:23,760 --> 00:18:26,600 Speaker 3: look back and thank God for how far you've already come. 329 00:18:27,280 --> 00:18:30,080 Speaker 3: Don't go around beating yourself down. Well, I went to work, 330 00:18:30,119 --> 00:18:32,639 Speaker 3: but I didn't get enough done. I cooked dinner, but 331 00:18:32,720 --> 00:18:35,320 Speaker 3: I burnt the bread. I gave in the offering, but 332 00:18:35,359 --> 00:18:37,600 Speaker 3: I didn't give enough. Don't get out of that critical 333 00:18:37,640 --> 00:18:40,760 Speaker 3: frame of mind. Have the attitude. I may not have 334 00:18:40,800 --> 00:18:43,840 Speaker 3: done perfect today. I may have made some mistakes, but 335 00:18:43,880 --> 00:18:46,720 Speaker 3: I am not going to live negative toward myself. I'm 336 00:18:46,720 --> 00:18:49,480 Speaker 3: gonna find something I did right so I can say 337 00:18:49,760 --> 00:18:52,480 Speaker 3: it was good. In other words, I may have burnt 338 00:18:52,520 --> 00:18:55,760 Speaker 3: the bread, but the meat loaf was pretty good. I 339 00:18:55,840 --> 00:18:58,679 Speaker 3: may have lost my temper in traffic this morning, but 340 00:18:58,760 --> 00:19:01,399 Speaker 3: I didn't take time this afternoon to go help a 341 00:19:01,440 --> 00:19:05,399 Speaker 3: friend in need. That was good. Years ago, Victoria and 342 00:19:05,440 --> 00:19:08,640 Speaker 3: I built a home. This was before our children were born. 343 00:19:09,119 --> 00:19:12,080 Speaker 3: We didn't have a main builder. We decided to contract 344 00:19:12,080 --> 00:19:15,080 Speaker 3: it ourselves, and over all the home turned out great. 345 00:19:15,400 --> 00:19:18,160 Speaker 3: We were very pleased. But after living there a couple 346 00:19:18,200 --> 00:19:21,199 Speaker 3: of years, I noticed that part of my fence was 347 00:19:21,280 --> 00:19:24,520 Speaker 3: sagging a little bit. I found out later that I 348 00:19:24,520 --> 00:19:28,240 Speaker 3: didn't put the right size piers underneath my brick column, 349 00:19:28,440 --> 00:19:30,240 Speaker 3: and it caused it to be a little bit crooked. 350 00:19:30,600 --> 00:19:32,600 Speaker 3: And you know, year after year it had gotten worse 351 00:19:32,680 --> 00:19:35,439 Speaker 3: and worse. And every time I drove up to my 352 00:19:35,520 --> 00:19:38,720 Speaker 3: house and saw my sagging fence, a voice would say 353 00:19:38,760 --> 00:19:40,959 Speaker 3: to me, why did you try to build this house? 354 00:19:41,240 --> 00:19:43,840 Speaker 3: You are not a builder. You didn't know what you're doing. Now, 355 00:19:43,880 --> 00:19:46,720 Speaker 3: You've got a crooked fence. Your neighbors are probably laughing, 356 00:19:46,760 --> 00:19:49,160 Speaker 3: and how much is that gonna cost a fix? I mean, 357 00:19:49,240 --> 00:19:51,840 Speaker 3: for a while, for months, every time I pulled in, 358 00:19:52,440 --> 00:19:55,679 Speaker 3: I let that one mistake kind of sour me. But 359 00:19:55,760 --> 00:19:58,879 Speaker 3: one day I learned what I'm telling you. Instead of 360 00:19:58,920 --> 00:20:02,000 Speaker 3: focusing on one one thing that was wrong, I looked 361 00:20:02,000 --> 00:20:05,320 Speaker 3: at all the other things that I did right. Yes 362 00:20:05,440 --> 00:20:08,800 Speaker 3: it was a mistake, but overall, in the big scope 363 00:20:08,840 --> 00:20:12,120 Speaker 3: of things, I did good. So when I drove in, 364 00:20:12,520 --> 00:20:15,679 Speaker 3: I quit focusing on that, and I started focusing on 365 00:20:15,720 --> 00:20:19,600 Speaker 3: the fact that my driveway is straight, my garage doors work, 366 00:20:20,080 --> 00:20:23,199 Speaker 3: I've got hot water, the air conditioner is perfect, the 367 00:20:23,240 --> 00:20:26,639 Speaker 3: floors are holding up, the windows are beautiful, the doorbell rings, 368 00:20:26,680 --> 00:20:30,000 Speaker 3: the design is great. There are a thousand good things 369 00:20:30,040 --> 00:20:32,920 Speaker 3: that I did right. I made a decision. I wasn't 370 00:20:32,960 --> 00:20:35,560 Speaker 3: going to let that one mistake cause me to lose 371 00:20:35,560 --> 00:20:38,199 Speaker 3: my joy. You got to learn to focus on what 372 00:20:38,280 --> 00:20:40,600 Speaker 3: you did right and not the few things that you 373 00:20:40,640 --> 00:20:44,200 Speaker 3: did wrong. A while back, I was in another state 374 00:20:44,680 --> 00:20:47,760 Speaker 3: doing an interview with this very well known journalist, and 375 00:20:47,800 --> 00:20:50,439 Speaker 3: a friend of mine met me there. He's a pastor 376 00:20:50,520 --> 00:20:54,240 Speaker 3: as well. He has a real gift of encouragement. Anytime 377 00:20:54,320 --> 00:20:57,120 Speaker 3: you're around him for fifteen minutes, he makes you feel 378 00:20:57,160 --> 00:20:59,200 Speaker 3: like you're the greatest thing in the world. He's always 379 00:20:59,200 --> 00:21:02,439 Speaker 3: building people up. And so I did the interview. We 380 00:21:02,520 --> 00:21:04,439 Speaker 3: got in the car together with a group of us 381 00:21:04,440 --> 00:21:07,040 Speaker 3: and we were driving back to the hotel. One of 382 00:21:07,040 --> 00:21:09,760 Speaker 3: the first things I said was, man, I feel like 383 00:21:09,960 --> 00:21:13,160 Speaker 3: I really did good. I wasn't trying to brag. These 384 00:21:13,160 --> 00:21:15,480 Speaker 3: were all people I knew very well, But I said 385 00:21:15,520 --> 00:21:18,480 Speaker 3: I think I answered really great, and the Lord helped 386 00:21:18,520 --> 00:21:20,919 Speaker 3: me in. I just don't see how I could have 387 00:21:20,960 --> 00:21:25,160 Speaker 3: done it any better. He told me later that conversation 388 00:21:25,520 --> 00:21:29,520 Speaker 3: changed his life. When he saw how positive I was 389 00:21:29,560 --> 00:21:34,240 Speaker 3: toward myself. He recognized what his problem was. He could 390 00:21:34,280 --> 00:21:38,880 Speaker 3: compliment everyone else, but he couldn't compliment himself. He would 391 00:21:38,960 --> 00:21:42,480 Speaker 3: call me on Sunday afternoons and spend fifteen minutes telling 392 00:21:42,520 --> 00:21:45,560 Speaker 3: me how great my message was. But driving home from 393 00:21:45,640 --> 00:21:48,760 Speaker 3: his own church after he had spoken, he would think, well, 394 00:21:48,800 --> 00:21:50,920 Speaker 3: I just didn't do it good enough, and I wasn't 395 00:21:50,920 --> 00:21:52,560 Speaker 3: clear on this point, and if I just done a 396 00:21:52,600 --> 00:21:55,880 Speaker 3: little better over here, then I would feel good. Why 397 00:21:56,000 --> 00:21:59,680 Speaker 3: is that very often we have two sets of lenses. 398 00:22:00,359 --> 00:22:03,360 Speaker 3: We look at other people a certain way. We can 399 00:22:03,400 --> 00:22:05,720 Speaker 3: complement them, we can see the good that they do. 400 00:22:06,359 --> 00:22:08,760 Speaker 3: But then we put on another set of lenses to 401 00:22:08,760 --> 00:22:13,240 Speaker 3: look at ourselves. Usually we're much more critical. We tend 402 00:22:13,280 --> 00:22:16,399 Speaker 3: to pick ourselves apart. We focus on the little things 403 00:22:16,400 --> 00:22:19,600 Speaker 3: that we didn't do right. You need to give yourself 404 00:22:19,760 --> 00:22:22,640 Speaker 3: the same credit that you give other people. It's all 405 00:22:22,640 --> 00:22:25,840 Speaker 3: a part of our internal dialogue, the recording that's playing 406 00:22:25,880 --> 00:22:29,400 Speaker 3: in your mind. When I walk off the platform each week, 407 00:22:29,560 --> 00:22:32,520 Speaker 3: after I get done speaking, I say to myself, that 408 00:22:32,720 --> 00:22:35,879 Speaker 3: was good. I gave it my all, and I pleased 409 00:22:35,960 --> 00:22:40,720 Speaker 3: with what I'm done. I've found it's healthy to approve yourself. 410 00:22:41,320 --> 00:22:43,919 Speaker 3: It's healthy to look back like God and say I 411 00:22:43,920 --> 00:22:47,359 Speaker 3: did good. But too often we have to have this 412 00:22:47,560 --> 00:22:52,000 Speaker 3: outside validation, this outside approval, so we can feel good 413 00:22:52,000 --> 00:22:55,840 Speaker 3: about ourselves. I know, when I first started ministering seven 414 00:22:55,960 --> 00:22:58,879 Speaker 3: or eight years ago, when I was done, if I 415 00:22:58,920 --> 00:23:01,840 Speaker 3: didn't get a dozen compliments, if I didn't have a 416 00:23:01,880 --> 00:23:04,560 Speaker 3: dozen people tell me they thought it was good, I 417 00:23:04,600 --> 00:23:07,920 Speaker 3: would drive home feeling condemned, thinking, oh I didn't do good. 418 00:23:07,920 --> 00:23:11,040 Speaker 3: I gotta do better next week. But now I've learned 419 00:23:11,400 --> 00:23:14,400 Speaker 3: I don't have to have other people's approval to feel 420 00:23:14,440 --> 00:23:17,439 Speaker 3: good about myself. I know I've been made in the 421 00:23:17,520 --> 00:23:21,680 Speaker 3: image of Almighty God, and as long as I do 422 00:23:21,800 --> 00:23:24,720 Speaker 3: my best, I can put my shoulders back and feel 423 00:23:24,720 --> 00:23:27,639 Speaker 3: good about who I am. Now, I'm kind of naive 424 00:23:27,800 --> 00:23:29,720 Speaker 3: when I get done each week, I think that was 425 00:23:29,760 --> 00:23:33,359 Speaker 3: my best one so far. That's better than last week. Well, Joel, 426 00:23:33,359 --> 00:23:35,480 Speaker 3: that's kind of arrogant in it. No, I don't announce 427 00:23:35,520 --> 00:23:38,680 Speaker 3: it to anyone. I'm talking about on the inside. Your 428 00:23:38,800 --> 00:23:42,800 Speaker 3: internal dialogue has got to be positive towards yourself, and 429 00:23:42,920 --> 00:23:48,320 Speaker 3: we cannot rely on outside approval and outside compliments to 430 00:23:48,359 --> 00:23:51,480 Speaker 3: feel good about who we are. Most of the time 431 00:23:51,600 --> 00:23:54,959 Speaker 3: we fall into one of two categories. We're either a 432 00:23:55,119 --> 00:23:58,840 Speaker 3: self validating person it's the way we should be, or 433 00:23:59,040 --> 00:24:02,439 Speaker 3: we need this out side validation. That's when we have 434 00:24:02,560 --> 00:24:07,040 Speaker 3: to have people constantly complimenting us, telling us we're okay, 435 00:24:07,280 --> 00:24:09,800 Speaker 3: telling us we did good in order for us to 436 00:24:09,840 --> 00:24:13,560 Speaker 3: be secure. But when you're not a self validating person, 437 00:24:14,040 --> 00:24:17,159 Speaker 3: life is a roller coaster. You're up when people are 438 00:24:17,200 --> 00:24:20,359 Speaker 3: complimenting you, and you're down when they're not. When we 439 00:24:20,440 --> 00:24:24,000 Speaker 3: live this way, we end up sacrificing who we really 440 00:24:24,040 --> 00:24:26,920 Speaker 3: are to try to please other people so we can 441 00:24:26,960 --> 00:24:30,639 Speaker 3: win their approval. That's where we're getting our worth and value. 442 00:24:30,880 --> 00:24:33,600 Speaker 3: Do they think that I did good today? Do they 443 00:24:33,600 --> 00:24:36,480 Speaker 3: approve the way I look? Did they compliment me after 444 00:24:36,520 --> 00:24:40,600 Speaker 3: my presentation? No, that's the wrong approach. Be secure in 445 00:24:40,680 --> 00:24:43,840 Speaker 3: who God made you to be. I know now sometimes 446 00:24:43,920 --> 00:24:45,760 Speaker 3: people come up to me after a service and I 447 00:24:45,800 --> 00:24:48,200 Speaker 3: don't think they really mean it, but they'll say things like, Joel, 448 00:24:48,560 --> 00:24:51,199 Speaker 3: I didn't get anything out of that today, and I 449 00:24:51,280 --> 00:24:53,320 Speaker 3: just didn't understand that point. I'm not sure you were 450 00:24:53,359 --> 00:24:56,280 Speaker 3: right on over here. Five years ago, that would have 451 00:24:56,320 --> 00:24:59,160 Speaker 3: ruined my whole week. I'd have gone home so depressed. 452 00:24:59,320 --> 00:25:01,480 Speaker 3: Now I've learned to just smile, say God bless you. 453 00:25:01,520 --> 00:25:05,200 Speaker 3: I hope you come back next week. On the inside, 454 00:25:05,200 --> 00:25:07,359 Speaker 3: I'm thinking I can't help it if something's wrong with you. 455 00:25:09,680 --> 00:25:14,040 Speaker 3: Too often we let one negative comment cancel out a 456 00:25:14,119 --> 00:25:19,080 Speaker 3: dozen positive comments. Why is that the negative voices always 457 00:25:19,160 --> 00:25:23,080 Speaker 3: sound the loudest When we're insecure and we're trying to 458 00:25:23,080 --> 00:25:26,600 Speaker 3: get our approval from the outside rather than the inside. 459 00:25:27,200 --> 00:25:30,720 Speaker 3: We let other people and their opinions control us. There's 460 00:25:30,760 --> 00:25:33,360 Speaker 3: such a freedom when you realize, as long as I'm 461 00:25:33,400 --> 00:25:36,160 Speaker 3: doing my best being who God created me to be, 462 00:25:36,400 --> 00:25:39,120 Speaker 3: I don't have to have other people's approval. And it's 463 00:25:39,119 --> 00:25:42,000 Speaker 3: great when you get it, but if you start depending 464 00:25:42,040 --> 00:25:45,280 Speaker 3: on it and it doesn't happen, if you're not careful, 465 00:25:45,440 --> 00:25:48,199 Speaker 3: you'll start changing and trying to be something that you're not. 466 00:25:48,880 --> 00:25:50,879 Speaker 3: You've got to be secure and who God made you 467 00:25:50,960 --> 00:25:54,840 Speaker 3: to be. You want to honor God, accept yourself. You 468 00:25:54,840 --> 00:25:58,720 Speaker 3: want to make God happy. Approve yourself, don't go around 469 00:25:58,720 --> 00:26:03,000 Speaker 3: feeling wrong. On the indide the apostle Paul said we 470 00:26:03,040 --> 00:26:07,480 Speaker 3: should be to the praise of God's glory in this passage. 471 00:26:07,520 --> 00:26:10,359 Speaker 3: He's not saying that we should give God praise with 472 00:26:10,480 --> 00:26:14,760 Speaker 3: our words, although that's important. The point he's making is 473 00:26:14,800 --> 00:26:18,640 Speaker 3: our life should be a praise. When you understand your 474 00:26:18,760 --> 00:26:22,760 Speaker 3: value and not only who you are, but who you are, 475 00:26:23,520 --> 00:26:27,040 Speaker 3: then your very presence is giving God praise. You're saying, 476 00:26:27,080 --> 00:26:31,000 Speaker 3: in effect, God, thank you for making me me. I 477 00:26:31,040 --> 00:26:33,880 Speaker 3: don't wish I had green eyes. Thank you for these 478 00:26:33,880 --> 00:26:37,000 Speaker 3: brown eyes. I don't wish I had a different personality. 479 00:26:37,200 --> 00:26:40,199 Speaker 3: I like my personality. I don't wish that I was taller. 480 00:26:40,359 --> 00:26:43,879 Speaker 3: I believe I'm the right height. When you're secure in 481 00:26:43,960 --> 00:26:46,360 Speaker 3: who God made you to be, and you go out 482 00:26:46,359 --> 00:26:49,159 Speaker 3: each day being your best with a smile on your face, 483 00:26:49,600 --> 00:26:53,479 Speaker 3: your life is giving God praise. In other words, driving 484 00:26:53,520 --> 00:26:56,360 Speaker 3: to work, you're giving God praise. Mowing the lawn you're 485 00:26:56,400 --> 00:26:58,840 Speaker 3: giving God praise. Going to the grocery store, you're giving 486 00:26:58,880 --> 00:27:01,959 Speaker 3: God praise. Walk through the mall, you're giving God praise. 487 00:27:02,520 --> 00:27:04,920 Speaker 3: I can hear Victoria now, Joel, I'm going to the mall, 488 00:27:05,000 --> 00:27:09,720 Speaker 3: got to give God praise. I'm asking you today to 489 00:27:09,840 --> 00:27:14,280 Speaker 3: honor God by accepting yourself. You are valuable. You are 490 00:27:14,320 --> 00:27:16,760 Speaker 3: one of a kind. Be the best that you can be. 491 00:27:17,600 --> 00:27:20,240 Speaker 3: Don't ever wish that you were something else. If God 492 00:27:20,320 --> 00:27:22,439 Speaker 3: wanted you to be different, he would have made you 493 00:27:22,520 --> 00:27:26,840 Speaker 3: that way. Get up every morning and make positive affirmations 494 00:27:26,840 --> 00:27:29,640 Speaker 3: over your life. I'm the apple of God's eye. I'm 495 00:27:29,680 --> 00:27:33,399 Speaker 3: his masterpiece. His fingerprints are all over me. Get your 496 00:27:33,480 --> 00:27:36,680 Speaker 3: mind going in the right direction. Remember, we don't get 497 00:27:36,720 --> 00:27:39,159 Speaker 3: our value from what we look like or from what 498 00:27:39,240 --> 00:27:42,439 Speaker 3: we can do. Our value comes because of who our 499 00:27:42,520 --> 00:27:46,200 Speaker 3: painter is. God breeds his life into us. So don't 500 00:27:46,240 --> 00:27:48,359 Speaker 3: ever go around and think, well, Joel, I'm just a 501 00:27:48,359 --> 00:27:51,560 Speaker 3: business person. I'm just a school teacher. I'm just a 502 00:27:51,600 --> 00:27:54,840 Speaker 3: stay at home mom. No, you're not just anything. You're 503 00:27:54,840 --> 00:27:57,960 Speaker 3: a child of the most High God. Put your shoulders back, 504 00:27:58,000 --> 00:28:01,239 Speaker 3: hold your head up high, and the cure and who 505 00:28:01,320 --> 00:28:04,320 Speaker 3: God made you to be. If you will learn to 506 00:28:04,520 --> 00:28:08,800 Speaker 3: accept and approve yourself and not have that negative recording 507 00:28:08,880 --> 00:28:12,560 Speaker 3: playing in your mind, but instead have a right opinion 508 00:28:12,600 --> 00:28:15,720 Speaker 3: about who you are, and you're gonna rise higher. God's 509 00:28:15,720 --> 00:28:18,119 Speaker 3: gonna pour out his blessings and you will live that 510 00:28:18,200 --> 00:28:20,720 Speaker 3: life of victory that God has in story. Amen, do 511 00:28:20,800 --> 00:28:25,639 Speaker 3: you receive it today? We never like to close off 512 00:28:25,680 --> 00:28:29,240 Speaker 3: broadcast without giving you an opportunity to make Jesus the 513 00:28:29,280 --> 00:28:33,640 Speaker 3: lord of your life. Would you pray with me? Just say, Lord, Jesus, 514 00:28:34,760 --> 00:28:39,480 Speaker 3: I repent of my sins. Come into my heart. I'll 515 00:28:39,560 --> 00:28:43,200 Speaker 3: make you my lord and savior. Friends, if you prayed 516 00:28:43,200 --> 00:28:46,240 Speaker 3: that simple prayer, we believe you got born again. Get 517 00:28:46,280 --> 00:28:49,360 Speaker 3: in a good Bible based church, Keep God first place. 518 00:28:49,600 --> 00:28:52,760 Speaker 3: He's gonna take your places you've never dreamed of. Thank 519 00:28:52,800 --> 00:28:55,400 Speaker 3: you for listening to the Julus Dean podcast. 520 00:28:55,760 --> 00:28:58,360 Speaker 2: Help us continue to share the message of hope with 521 00:28:58,480 --> 00:28:59,840 Speaker 2: those all over the world. 522 00:29:00,160 --> 00:29:01,720 Speaker 3: Visit joelostein dot. 523 00:29:01,520 --> 00:29:04,560 Speaker 2: Com slash give hope to give a gift today. 524 00:29:05,840 --> 00:29:08,760 Speaker 3: Thanks so much for listening to today's message. I hope 525 00:29:08,760 --> 00:29:12,120 Speaker 3: you'll subscribe so you can receive the latest podcast to 526 00:29:12,240 --> 00:29:15,440 Speaker 3: keep you inspired all through the week. We're praying for you. 527 00:29:15,600 --> 00:29:18,040 Speaker 3: I know God's best is still ahead. We'll see you 528 00:29:18,120 --> 00:29:18,680 Speaker 3: next time. 529 00:29:25,960 --> 00:29:28,240 Speaker 4: We live in a world of information overload. 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