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With these credits, you may have already 30 00:01:10,360 --> 00:01:13,119 Speaker 4: completed up to seventy five percent of your undergraduate degree. 31 00:01:13,240 --> 00:01:15,320 Speaker 4: You've worked hard to get where you are. It's time 32 00:01:15,360 --> 00:01:17,480 Speaker 4: to get the recognition you deserve and earn a degree 33 00:01:17,520 --> 00:01:20,080 Speaker 4: you'll be proud of, one that employers will trust and 34 00:01:20,240 --> 00:01:22,400 Speaker 4: respect when you take the next step in your life 35 00:01:22,400 --> 00:01:26,080 Speaker 4: and career. Make account with Purdue Global produce online university 36 00:01:26,160 --> 00:01:30,199 Speaker 4: for working adults. Start your comeback at Purdueglobal dot edu. 37 00:01:31,240 --> 00:01:33,920 Speaker 2: Hi, this is Joel and Victoria. Thanks for listening to 38 00:01:34,000 --> 00:01:36,720 Speaker 2: our podcast and thanks for supporting the ministry. 39 00:01:36,880 --> 00:01:39,240 Speaker 1: If you enjoy today's message, why don't you be a 40 00:01:39,280 --> 00:01:40,759 Speaker 1: blessing and share it with a friend. 41 00:01:41,120 --> 00:01:43,800 Speaker 2: We appreciate you and pray for God's very best in 42 00:01:43,920 --> 00:01:57,240 Speaker 2: your life. God bless you. It's a joy to come 43 00:01:57,320 --> 00:02:00,000 Speaker 2: into your homes. We love you. We come each week 44 00:02:00,280 --> 00:02:03,200 Speaker 2: with good news. I know that God rewards the people 45 00:02:03,240 --> 00:02:05,520 Speaker 2: that seek after Him, and I believe that's year you 46 00:02:05,560 --> 00:02:07,880 Speaker 2: wouldn't have tuned in to day, or you guys wouldn't 47 00:02:07,920 --> 00:02:10,000 Speaker 2: be here. But we just welcome you today. I hope 48 00:02:10,000 --> 00:02:12,080 Speaker 2: you'll come back. If you're ever in the Houston area, 49 00:02:12,120 --> 00:02:14,880 Speaker 2: stop buying see us. We give you a personal invitation. 50 00:02:15,200 --> 00:02:17,200 Speaker 2: I promise you we'll make you feel right at home. 51 00:02:17,240 --> 00:02:20,000 Speaker 2: But thanks for joining us today. I'd like to start 52 00:02:20,000 --> 00:02:22,400 Speaker 2: each week with something kind of funny. I heard about 53 00:02:22,440 --> 00:02:26,279 Speaker 2: this man. He was on vacation with his family in Jerusalem, 54 00:02:26,720 --> 00:02:29,720 Speaker 2: and suddenly his mother in law died. He went to 55 00:02:29,800 --> 00:02:32,800 Speaker 2: make arrangements to get the body back home. The consulate 56 00:02:32,919 --> 00:02:35,799 Speaker 2: told him it would cost five thousand dollars to have 57 00:02:35,919 --> 00:02:38,639 Speaker 2: it shipped, but only one hundred dollars to have it 58 00:02:38,760 --> 00:02:42,040 Speaker 2: buried there in Jerusalem. After deep thought, he told the 59 00:02:42,080 --> 00:02:44,760 Speaker 2: consulate he wanted to have the body shipped back home. 60 00:02:45,200 --> 00:02:47,800 Speaker 2: The consulate said, well, you must have really loved your 61 00:02:47,840 --> 00:02:50,720 Speaker 2: mother in law. He said, no, it wasn't necessarily that. 62 00:02:51,360 --> 00:02:54,440 Speaker 2: I just remember a time many years ago where they 63 00:02:54,600 --> 00:02:57,359 Speaker 2: buried somebody here. And on the third day, he arose, 64 00:02:58,160 --> 00:03:03,040 Speaker 2: and I can't take that chance. All right on your 65 00:03:03,080 --> 00:03:06,160 Speaker 2: bibles up, say it like you mean it. This is 66 00:03:06,360 --> 00:03:09,600 Speaker 2: my Bible. I am what it says I am. I 67 00:03:09,800 --> 00:03:12,320 Speaker 2: have what it says I have. I can do what 68 00:03:12,480 --> 00:03:15,320 Speaker 2: it says I can do. Today I will be talked 69 00:03:15,400 --> 00:03:19,920 Speaker 2: the word of God. I boldly confess. My mind is alert, 70 00:03:20,440 --> 00:03:23,600 Speaker 2: my heart is recepted. I will never be the same. 71 00:03:24,120 --> 00:03:28,040 Speaker 2: In Jesus' name, God bless you. I want to talk 72 00:03:28,080 --> 00:03:31,600 Speaker 2: to you today about not getting stagnant in life. It's 73 00:03:31,639 --> 00:03:33,960 Speaker 2: so easy to get stuck in a rut to where 74 00:03:34,000 --> 00:03:38,320 Speaker 2: we're not growing, we're not improving, We've gotten comfortable and 75 00:03:38,440 --> 00:03:41,800 Speaker 2: we just accept the status quo. We're not happy in 76 00:03:41,880 --> 00:03:45,320 Speaker 2: our marriage, but at least we're still together. We've struggled 77 00:03:45,360 --> 00:03:47,760 Speaker 2: with our weight for years, but it's just too hard, 78 00:03:48,000 --> 00:03:51,160 Speaker 2: it's not worth it. Or maybe at one time we 79 00:03:51,280 --> 00:03:54,360 Speaker 2: were determined to break bad habits, we were determined to 80 00:03:54,440 --> 00:03:58,080 Speaker 2: overcome addictions, but now it's easier to just accept it. 81 00:03:58,680 --> 00:04:01,880 Speaker 2: I've heard people say I've had this sickness my whole lifetime. 82 00:04:02,280 --> 00:04:05,000 Speaker 2: I'll probably die with it gone as far in my 83 00:04:05,120 --> 00:04:08,040 Speaker 2: career as I can go. I just can't control my temper. 84 00:04:08,760 --> 00:04:12,040 Speaker 2: Too often we settle for things that are far less 85 00:04:12,120 --> 00:04:14,840 Speaker 2: than God's best. But if we're going to become all 86 00:04:14,960 --> 00:04:17,640 Speaker 2: that God's created us to be. We've better learn to 87 00:04:17,760 --> 00:04:20,960 Speaker 2: keep pressing forward in life. We've got to draw the 88 00:04:21,080 --> 00:04:23,600 Speaker 2: line in the sand and say no, I'm not going 89 00:04:23,680 --> 00:04:26,360 Speaker 2: to be comfortable where I am. I'm not going to 90 00:04:26,440 --> 00:04:29,120 Speaker 2: learn to live with these addictions. I'm not going to 91 00:04:29,160 --> 00:04:31,960 Speaker 2: make excuses for the way I treat people. I'm not 92 00:04:32,040 --> 00:04:34,240 Speaker 2: going to get content where I am in my career. 93 00:04:34,520 --> 00:04:37,360 Speaker 2: I'm going to stir myself up and start pressing forward. 94 00:04:37,560 --> 00:04:40,479 Speaker 2: I'm going to start believing for greater things, and our 95 00:04:40,560 --> 00:04:43,480 Speaker 2: attitude should be I'm coming up higher. I'm going to 96 00:04:43,560 --> 00:04:47,039 Speaker 2: become all that God's created me to be. The Scripture 97 00:04:47,080 --> 00:04:50,520 Speaker 2: says in Proverbs that the path of the righteous gets 98 00:04:50,600 --> 00:04:55,280 Speaker 2: brighter and brighter. That means we should be increasing. We 99 00:04:55,360 --> 00:04:58,360 Speaker 2: should be seeing more of God's blessings and favor in 100 00:04:58,440 --> 00:05:02,840 Speaker 2: our lives. Let me displaying more of His character, more kindness, 101 00:05:03,279 --> 00:05:07,840 Speaker 2: more compassion, more patience. Our attitude this year should be 102 00:05:07,960 --> 00:05:10,720 Speaker 2: better than it was last year. But some of you 103 00:05:11,040 --> 00:05:14,839 Speaker 2: are stuck in a rut. You're not growing, you're not improving, 104 00:05:15,120 --> 00:05:18,080 Speaker 2: You've just settled where you are, and it's easy to 105 00:05:18,160 --> 00:05:21,520 Speaker 2: try to justify it. Well, everybody in my family is 106 00:05:21,640 --> 00:05:24,880 Speaker 2: like this, Joel I can't help it. My mother was depressed, 107 00:05:25,080 --> 00:05:27,760 Speaker 2: That's why I'm kind of depressed. My father he had 108 00:05:27,760 --> 00:05:30,240 Speaker 2: a bad temper. Now I have one or all my 109 00:05:30,440 --> 00:05:34,200 Speaker 2: relatives struggle with alcohol. That's why I had this problem. No, 110 00:05:34,360 --> 00:05:38,400 Speaker 2: those are wrong mindsets. You may have been influenced by 111 00:05:38,480 --> 00:05:41,440 Speaker 2: your past, but you don't have to be controlled by it. 112 00:05:41,839 --> 00:05:44,880 Speaker 2: Don't learn to live with things like that. Yes, that 113 00:05:45,080 --> 00:05:47,120 Speaker 2: may be the reason you are the way you are, 114 00:05:47,680 --> 00:05:49,960 Speaker 2: but don't let it be an excuse to stay the 115 00:05:50,040 --> 00:05:53,120 Speaker 2: way you are. You can come up higher. And there's 116 00:05:53,160 --> 00:05:57,320 Speaker 2: an interesting scripture here in Ezekiel eighteen, verse two, it says, 117 00:05:57,760 --> 00:06:02,240 Speaker 2: what do you mean by quoting this? The fathers ate 118 00:06:02,320 --> 00:06:05,719 Speaker 2: the sour grapes, and now the children's teeth are set 119 00:06:05,760 --> 00:06:09,960 Speaker 2: on edge. As surely as I live, declares the sovereign Lord, 120 00:06:10,440 --> 00:06:14,280 Speaker 2: you will no longer quote this. What's happening here is 121 00:06:14,360 --> 00:06:17,600 Speaker 2: this is a proverb they had been living by, and 122 00:06:17,720 --> 00:06:21,560 Speaker 2: it was basically saying, since the father did wrong, then 123 00:06:21,600 --> 00:06:25,280 Speaker 2: the children will have problems as well. Since the father 124 00:06:25,600 --> 00:06:29,880 Speaker 2: ate the sour grapes, because the parents had addictions, because 125 00:06:29,920 --> 00:06:33,440 Speaker 2: the grandparents were defeated and depressed, then the children will 126 00:06:33,440 --> 00:06:37,160 Speaker 2: struggle with the same things. That was their philosophy. Everything 127 00:06:37,320 --> 00:06:40,440 Speaker 2: just keeps getting passed down. That's who we are. And 128 00:06:40,560 --> 00:06:43,440 Speaker 2: evidently they'd been thinking this way for a long time, 129 00:06:43,920 --> 00:06:46,800 Speaker 2: because God showed up and said, hey, stop saying that. 130 00:06:47,800 --> 00:06:51,000 Speaker 2: Why are you using your relatives as an excuse? Why 131 00:06:51,080 --> 00:06:54,160 Speaker 2: are you using your parents and how you were raised 132 00:06:54,200 --> 00:06:56,880 Speaker 2: and what you didn't have as a reason to stay 133 00:06:56,960 --> 00:06:59,720 Speaker 2: the way you are. As long as the sovereign Lord 134 00:06:59,800 --> 00:07:02,320 Speaker 2: is a life, you don't have to be bound by 135 00:07:02,360 --> 00:07:06,400 Speaker 2: the bondages of the past. In other words, your relatives 136 00:07:06,760 --> 00:07:09,920 Speaker 2: may have eaten the sour grapes, your parents may have 137 00:07:10,000 --> 00:07:12,920 Speaker 2: made some poor choices in life. Maybe you look back 138 00:07:12,960 --> 00:07:16,000 Speaker 2: in your bloodline and you see all kinds of defeat 139 00:07:16,120 --> 00:07:19,400 Speaker 2: and mediocrity that goes back for generations. But God is 140 00:07:19,480 --> 00:07:23,280 Speaker 2: saying it does not have to affect you. Yes, it 141 00:07:23,360 --> 00:07:26,040 Speaker 2: may have given you some disadvantages. Yes it may have 142 00:07:26,120 --> 00:07:28,400 Speaker 2: held you back for a little while. But this is 143 00:07:28,480 --> 00:07:30,840 Speaker 2: a new day, and if you'll get rid of the 144 00:07:30,920 --> 00:07:35,160 Speaker 2: wrong mindsets and start pressing forward, then all the forces 145 00:07:35,200 --> 00:07:38,600 Speaker 2: of darkness cannot hold you back. Understand what's happened in 146 00:07:38,680 --> 00:07:41,720 Speaker 2: your past, how you were raised, what your parents did 147 00:07:41,880 --> 00:07:45,040 Speaker 2: or didn't do, for you cannot keep you from becoming 148 00:07:45,120 --> 00:07:48,120 Speaker 2: all God's created you to be. Now Here, too many 149 00:07:48,160 --> 00:07:51,840 Speaker 2: people today saying things like, well, everybody in my family 150 00:07:51,920 --> 00:07:54,760 Speaker 2: gets divorced. My mother and dad, they are guve and 151 00:07:54,840 --> 00:07:56,840 Speaker 2: fought all the time. Now my wife and I we 152 00:07:56,960 --> 00:07:59,920 Speaker 2: are given fight all the time. Or I'm negative, judgmental, 153 00:08:00,040 --> 00:08:02,680 Speaker 2: critical because the environment I was raised in. Know those 154 00:08:02,720 --> 00:08:07,080 Speaker 2: are wrong mindsets. The scripture says you are a new creation. 155 00:08:07,720 --> 00:08:10,800 Speaker 2: The old has been passed away. And we hear a 156 00:08:10,880 --> 00:08:15,080 Speaker 2: lot about generational curses today, and they are real. Things 157 00:08:15,160 --> 00:08:20,120 Speaker 2: can be passed down. Medical science tells us sicknesses and diseases, 158 00:08:20,640 --> 00:08:24,280 Speaker 2: even addictions and bad habits, they can be passed down 159 00:08:24,400 --> 00:08:28,600 Speaker 2: genetically through our blood, through our DNA. Now read where 160 00:08:28,880 --> 00:08:31,920 Speaker 2: if your father was an alcoholic, you have three times 161 00:08:32,000 --> 00:08:35,160 Speaker 2: the chance of becoming one as well. In the natural 162 00:08:35,480 --> 00:08:39,240 Speaker 2: there are genetics, things can be hereditary. But in the 163 00:08:39,320 --> 00:08:42,920 Speaker 2: spiritual realm it's a different story. And God is saying, 164 00:08:43,240 --> 00:08:46,560 Speaker 2: as long as the Sovereign Lord is alive and well 165 00:08:46,640 --> 00:08:49,560 Speaker 2: in your heart, you don't have to eat the sour grapes. 166 00:08:49,880 --> 00:08:54,160 Speaker 2: You've been redeemed. You're not under the curse anymore. You're 167 00:08:54,240 --> 00:08:58,520 Speaker 2: under the blessing. The old has passed away. When you 168 00:08:58,679 --> 00:09:02,079 Speaker 2: came to Christ, say into a new bloodline. And the 169 00:09:02,160 --> 00:09:05,240 Speaker 2: good news is there's no defeat in this new blood line. 170 00:09:05,720 --> 00:09:08,280 Speaker 2: There's no lack in this new blood line. There are 171 00:09:08,360 --> 00:09:13,160 Speaker 2: no addictions, no sickness, no mediocrity. Get a vision for 172 00:09:13,280 --> 00:09:15,680 Speaker 2: who you are. You are a child of the Most 173 00:09:15,800 --> 00:09:19,880 Speaker 2: High God. You have His royal blood flowing through your veins. 174 00:09:20,559 --> 00:09:24,400 Speaker 2: There is nothing in life that you cannot overcome. There 175 00:09:24,480 --> 00:09:28,480 Speaker 2: is no obstacle, no mediocrity, no addiction, no bad habit, 176 00:09:28,600 --> 00:09:32,160 Speaker 2: no sickness. You have everything you need right now on 177 00:09:32,240 --> 00:09:35,240 Speaker 2: the inside of you to fulfill your God given destiny. 178 00:09:35,800 --> 00:09:37,599 Speaker 2: But if this is going to happen, you've got to 179 00:09:37,679 --> 00:09:40,040 Speaker 2: rise up and start acting like it. You've got to 180 00:09:40,040 --> 00:09:43,520 Speaker 2: get rid of that weak, defeated mentality. You will never 181 00:09:43,679 --> 00:09:46,319 Speaker 2: live in victory as long as you're sitting around in 182 00:09:46,400 --> 00:09:50,360 Speaker 2: self pity, blame in the past, blaming your parents, blaming 183 00:09:50,440 --> 00:09:54,120 Speaker 2: your circumstances. No quit playing the blame game and step 184 00:09:54,200 --> 00:09:56,280 Speaker 2: up to the plate and deal with the things that 185 00:09:56,360 --> 00:10:00,319 Speaker 2: are holding you back. I was talking to a the 186 00:10:00,400 --> 00:10:04,199 Speaker 2: other day. He said, Joel, I know I'm running my marriage. 187 00:10:04,559 --> 00:10:07,760 Speaker 2: I'm rude I'm disrespectful. I just say whatever I want. 188 00:10:07,880 --> 00:10:10,679 Speaker 2: I can't control my tempers, he said. The thing that 189 00:10:10,800 --> 00:10:13,920 Speaker 2: I dislike about it the most is I'm acting just 190 00:10:14,120 --> 00:10:17,880 Speaker 2: like my father. Growing up, my dad treated my mother 191 00:10:18,080 --> 00:10:22,199 Speaker 2: so rude, so disrespectfully, and I despise that about him. 192 00:10:22,720 --> 00:10:25,480 Speaker 2: But now, would you believe it, I've become just like him. 193 00:10:26,240 --> 00:10:29,719 Speaker 2: That's what happens when we're complacent. That's what happens when 194 00:10:29,720 --> 00:10:33,199 Speaker 2: we're passive. We allow the generational curses to go from 195 00:10:33,240 --> 00:10:36,240 Speaker 2: one generation to the next. I told him what I'm 196 00:10:36,280 --> 00:10:38,880 Speaker 2: telling you. You don't have to eat the sour grapes. 197 00:10:39,280 --> 00:10:42,360 Speaker 2: You're more than a conquer you're an overcomer. But you've 198 00:10:42,360 --> 00:10:45,440 Speaker 2: got to dig your heels in and say enough is enough. 199 00:10:46,240 --> 00:10:49,120 Speaker 2: You will never change what you tolerate. You got to 200 00:10:49,160 --> 00:10:50,880 Speaker 2: get fed up with it and say, you know what, 201 00:10:51,000 --> 00:10:53,400 Speaker 2: I'm drawing the line in the sand. I'm not gonna 202 00:10:53,400 --> 00:10:56,000 Speaker 2: live like this anymore. I'm gonna make changes. I'm gonna 203 00:10:56,000 --> 00:10:58,880 Speaker 2: treat my family right, I'm gonna be kind, I'm gonna 204 00:10:58,920 --> 00:11:02,679 Speaker 2: walk in love. If you will do your part, be 205 00:11:02,800 --> 00:11:06,319 Speaker 2: disciplined to make good choices, God will help you to 206 00:11:06,480 --> 00:11:09,839 Speaker 2: overcome anything that's trying to hold you back. Now, I 207 00:11:09,920 --> 00:11:13,199 Speaker 2: want to stir you out of complacency. Don't learn to 208 00:11:13,280 --> 00:11:16,320 Speaker 2: live with things that are less than God's best. Don't 209 00:11:16,400 --> 00:11:19,960 Speaker 2: keep passing the junk down. Today can be a new beginning. 210 00:11:20,480 --> 00:11:23,880 Speaker 2: Today can be a turning point in your life. Even 211 00:11:23,960 --> 00:11:27,280 Speaker 2: with sicknesses, we know in the natural how things like 212 00:11:27,360 --> 00:11:31,800 Speaker 2: heart disease, diabetes, even depression can be passed from one 213 00:11:31,880 --> 00:11:35,080 Speaker 2: generation to the next. And you can't just sit back 214 00:11:35,200 --> 00:11:40,080 Speaker 2: and accept that complacency will always keep you in mediocrity. Now, 215 00:11:40,120 --> 00:11:42,560 Speaker 2: I'm not saying to deny it, act like it's not there. 216 00:11:43,040 --> 00:11:47,240 Speaker 2: I'm simply saying, don't let that determine your destiny. In 217 00:11:47,360 --> 00:11:50,240 Speaker 2: other words, my grandfather may have died from cancer. My 218 00:11:50,400 --> 00:11:52,040 Speaker 2: father may have died from that. But you know what, 219 00:11:52,160 --> 00:11:54,520 Speaker 2: it's a new day. I don't have to eat the grapes. 220 00:11:54,960 --> 00:11:58,800 Speaker 2: The buck is going to start with me. Medical science 221 00:11:58,840 --> 00:12:01,880 Speaker 2: even tells us peace. People that have a feisty spirit, 222 00:12:02,440 --> 00:12:06,400 Speaker 2: people that have an overcome and determined attitude, they recover 223 00:12:06,559 --> 00:12:09,120 Speaker 2: quicker than people that just sit back and accept things. 224 00:12:09,679 --> 00:12:12,520 Speaker 2: I heard somebody say, well, my arthritis has flared up 225 00:12:12,559 --> 00:12:15,800 Speaker 2: on me. My depression was really bad last week Listen, 226 00:12:15,840 --> 00:12:18,160 Speaker 2: you got to quit taking ownership of that junk. It's 227 00:12:18,240 --> 00:12:22,079 Speaker 2: not your arthritis, it's not your sickness, it's not your depression. 228 00:12:23,080 --> 00:12:27,040 Speaker 2: You are free, you are whole. You are a new creature, 229 00:12:27,480 --> 00:12:31,160 Speaker 2: a victor and not a victim. Really, a better way 230 00:12:31,200 --> 00:12:33,360 Speaker 2: to look at it is you're not a sick person 231 00:12:33,440 --> 00:12:37,120 Speaker 2: trying to get well. You're a well person standing against sickness. 232 00:12:37,640 --> 00:12:41,240 Speaker 2: And our attitude should be I walk in divine health. 233 00:12:41,800 --> 00:12:44,920 Speaker 2: Sickness cannot live in my body. It may try to 234 00:12:44,960 --> 00:12:47,520 Speaker 2: take up a temporary residence, but it's not going to 235 00:12:47,600 --> 00:12:51,960 Speaker 2: last forever. It didn't come to stay, it came to pass. Well, Joel, 236 00:12:52,000 --> 00:12:55,160 Speaker 2: what if I have to fight this sickness my whole lifetime. Listen, 237 00:12:55,240 --> 00:12:58,280 Speaker 2: I'd rather stand against it every day and know that 238 00:12:58,400 --> 00:13:01,240 Speaker 2: I died in faith than just sit back and accept 239 00:13:01,240 --> 00:13:04,840 Speaker 2: the life of mediocrity. We all have things to overcome, 240 00:13:06,040 --> 00:13:10,440 Speaker 2: we all have challenges. Let's don't make excuses and get complacent. 241 00:13:11,160 --> 00:13:13,959 Speaker 2: I found the first place we lose the battle is 242 00:13:14,040 --> 00:13:17,719 Speaker 2: in our own thinking. We have to have the right mindsets. 243 00:13:18,400 --> 00:13:20,480 Speaker 2: You may have been raised by people that were negative 244 00:13:20,840 --> 00:13:24,079 Speaker 2: or had addictions and bad habits, and now you struggle 245 00:13:24,160 --> 00:13:25,960 Speaker 2: with them, but you got to make up your mind. 246 00:13:26,240 --> 00:13:29,040 Speaker 2: They are not going to last forever. You don't have 247 00:13:29,200 --> 00:13:31,439 Speaker 2: to eat the sour grapes. Get a new vision for 248 00:13:31,600 --> 00:13:34,400 Speaker 2: your life. Make a decision. You know what, this bad 249 00:13:34,480 --> 00:13:36,360 Speaker 2: habit is not gonna be with me my whole lifetime. 250 00:13:36,679 --> 00:13:39,079 Speaker 2: I'm not gonna deal with this sickness forever. I'm a 251 00:13:39,200 --> 00:13:41,800 Speaker 2: child of the most High God, and I'm coming up higher. 252 00:13:42,840 --> 00:13:45,080 Speaker 2: Some of you have struggled with your weight for years, 253 00:13:45,120 --> 00:13:48,280 Speaker 2: and you have tried and tried, and man, you just say, Joe, 254 00:13:48,480 --> 00:13:51,440 Speaker 2: it's too hard. I can't do it. It's in my genes. 255 00:13:51,800 --> 00:13:53,640 Speaker 2: Everybody in my family is like this. I don't have 256 00:13:53,800 --> 00:13:57,040 Speaker 2: what it takes. No quit talking like that. Don't speak 257 00:13:57,080 --> 00:13:59,480 Speaker 2: defeat over your life. You need to start saying every 258 00:13:59,559 --> 00:14:03,320 Speaker 2: day I can do all things through Christ. I have discipline, 259 00:14:03,559 --> 00:14:06,640 Speaker 2: I have self control. Get up every morning, look at 260 00:14:06,679 --> 00:14:08,760 Speaker 2: yourself in the mirror and say good morning, you good 261 00:14:08,840 --> 00:14:14,719 Speaker 2: looking thing. You got to call it by faith. Some 262 00:14:14,920 --> 00:14:18,800 Speaker 2: of you more than others. My brother Paul's been trying 263 00:14:18,840 --> 00:14:22,680 Speaker 2: this forty years. It's still hadn't help. You just got 264 00:14:22,800 --> 00:14:25,200 Speaker 2: to keep on keeping on. Every day. You need to 265 00:14:25,240 --> 00:14:29,200 Speaker 2: tell yourself, I weigh what I should weigh greater is 266 00:14:29,280 --> 00:14:31,680 Speaker 2: he this in me than he that's in the refrigerator. 267 00:14:33,720 --> 00:14:37,520 Speaker 2: I will fulfill my destiny. See God's verifying it right there. 268 00:14:39,720 --> 00:14:46,560 Speaker 2: I will accomplish my dreams. We have to have the 269 00:14:46,840 --> 00:14:50,520 Speaker 2: right mindsets. We got to have that can do. Mentality, 270 00:14:51,040 --> 00:14:53,640 Speaker 2: our attitude should be I'm coming up higher. I'm not 271 00:14:53,760 --> 00:14:56,720 Speaker 2: staying where I am. I'm growing, I'm increasing. I know 272 00:14:56,800 --> 00:14:59,320 Speaker 2: there are good things in store. I know the best 273 00:14:59,480 --> 00:15:02,920 Speaker 2: is still to come. Got to keep pressing forward, says 274 00:15:02,960 --> 00:15:08,800 Speaker 2: in Proverbs one thirty two. Complacency will destroy Being complacent 275 00:15:09,080 --> 00:15:12,680 Speaker 2: will steal the dreams out of your heart. Complacency will 276 00:15:12,760 --> 00:15:17,440 Speaker 2: ruin your relationships. Ultimately, complacency is going to keep you 277 00:15:17,520 --> 00:15:20,880 Speaker 2: from reaching your highest potential. And you may be at 278 00:15:20,920 --> 00:15:23,800 Speaker 2: a good place today and you're thinking, well, this isn't 279 00:15:23,840 --> 00:15:26,040 Speaker 2: for me. I don't have bad habits. I'm living an 280 00:15:26,120 --> 00:15:29,640 Speaker 2: okay life. But no, God always wants us to be growing. 281 00:15:30,280 --> 00:15:33,360 Speaker 2: And I've discovered that the good can be the enemy 282 00:15:33,520 --> 00:15:37,200 Speaker 2: of the best. Sometimes I can speak a pretty good message, 283 00:15:37,520 --> 00:15:39,440 Speaker 2: but you know what, I'm not satisfied. I want to 284 00:15:39,480 --> 00:15:42,800 Speaker 2: get better and better. I treat Victoria pretty good, but 285 00:15:42,880 --> 00:15:45,240 Speaker 2: I want to treat her better. I don't have any 286 00:15:45,320 --> 00:15:47,640 Speaker 2: major hang ups. Maybe you don't either, But we all 287 00:15:47,840 --> 00:15:51,000 Speaker 2: have areas where we can come up higher end. And 288 00:15:51,120 --> 00:15:54,800 Speaker 2: the danger is that we get comfortable. We sit back 289 00:15:54,880 --> 00:15:58,480 Speaker 2: and say, hey, this isn't a very bad place. I'm blessed. 290 00:15:59,120 --> 00:16:01,680 Speaker 2: I've achieved as much is most. I've gone pretty far. 291 00:16:02,400 --> 00:16:05,000 Speaker 2: But deep down in here, we know that God has 292 00:16:05,080 --> 00:16:08,440 Speaker 2: more in store. We know there are new mountains to climb. 293 00:16:08,800 --> 00:16:11,240 Speaker 2: We know there are dreams and goals that we should 294 00:16:11,320 --> 00:16:15,360 Speaker 2: be pursuing. Don't get stagnant. Some of you today are 295 00:16:15,400 --> 00:16:18,840 Speaker 2: living so far below your potential. You have so much 296 00:16:18,960 --> 00:16:23,640 Speaker 2: to offer, so much talent, so much creativity, so much 297 00:16:23,720 --> 00:16:27,200 Speaker 2: in you, but it keeps getting stifled because you won't 298 00:16:27,240 --> 00:16:30,640 Speaker 2: take that step of faith. You are satisfied where you are. 299 00:16:31,160 --> 00:16:33,640 Speaker 2: You just keep playing it safe. But you've got a 300 00:16:33,720 --> 00:16:36,400 Speaker 2: dare to step out of your comfort zone. You need 301 00:16:36,480 --> 00:16:40,240 Speaker 2: to start stretching yourself. God's trying to plant new seeds 302 00:16:40,360 --> 00:16:42,360 Speaker 2: in your heart today. It's trying to get you to 303 00:16:42,400 --> 00:16:45,760 Speaker 2: come up higher. I have a friend that had a 304 00:16:45,840 --> 00:16:49,960 Speaker 2: dream of becoming a pastor. He's a very fine young man, 305 00:16:50,200 --> 00:16:52,920 Speaker 2: very sharp, very talented, has so much going for him. 306 00:16:53,320 --> 00:16:56,840 Speaker 2: But growing up he had a serious problem with stuttering. 307 00:16:57,440 --> 00:16:59,640 Speaker 2: I mean he could hardly even get a sentence out. 308 00:17:00,040 --> 00:17:03,000 Speaker 2: Hake him forever, and you could imagine what this did 309 00:17:03,120 --> 00:17:06,680 Speaker 2: for his confidence. Had very low self esteem, hardly look 310 00:17:06,880 --> 00:17:09,560 Speaker 2: in the eyes. And on top of that, at the school, 311 00:17:10,080 --> 00:17:12,360 Speaker 2: the children would make fun of him and tease him. 312 00:17:12,640 --> 00:17:15,840 Speaker 2: That just made his stuttering worse. He turned inside, hardly 313 00:17:15,880 --> 00:17:19,320 Speaker 2: even say anything. He told how at the age of sixteen, 314 00:17:19,680 --> 00:17:23,000 Speaker 2: he was at this very respected speech school and the 315 00:17:23,240 --> 00:17:27,159 Speaker 2: leaders carried around a stopwatch and anytime a student got stuck, 316 00:17:27,560 --> 00:17:29,800 Speaker 2: they would time how long it took to say the 317 00:17:29,880 --> 00:17:32,040 Speaker 2: next word. That's the way they could keep up with 318 00:17:32,119 --> 00:17:34,760 Speaker 2: their progress. And on the first day at the school, 319 00:17:34,800 --> 00:17:37,920 Speaker 2: this young man got stuck on the word thee, and 320 00:17:38,040 --> 00:17:40,920 Speaker 2: it took him one minute in sixteen seconds to get 321 00:17:40,960 --> 00:17:43,600 Speaker 2: it out. I mean, he had a serious problem with stuttering, 322 00:17:44,000 --> 00:17:46,760 Speaker 2: and they'd tried all these different approaches, and he was 323 00:17:46,880 --> 00:17:50,359 Speaker 2: just so discouraged. He could have easily just settled right 324 00:17:50,400 --> 00:17:53,080 Speaker 2: where he was. He could have easily thought, too bad, 325 00:17:53,320 --> 00:17:55,600 Speaker 2: this is my lot in life. But I love what 326 00:17:55,760 --> 00:17:59,080 Speaker 2: he did. He said, God, people can't help me. But 327 00:17:59,200 --> 00:18:02,320 Speaker 2: I know you can't. I know you made my tongue. 328 00:18:02,640 --> 00:18:05,600 Speaker 2: I know you made my mind, and I'm asking you 329 00:18:06,240 --> 00:18:09,359 Speaker 2: to help me to speak clearly. I'm asking you to 330 00:18:09,440 --> 00:18:13,200 Speaker 2: help me to overcome. And he put actions behind his prayers. 331 00:18:13,680 --> 00:18:17,560 Speaker 2: The scripture says that faith without works is dead. He 332 00:18:17,680 --> 00:18:20,040 Speaker 2: got his Bible every day and he would get alan 333 00:18:20,240 --> 00:18:23,840 Speaker 2: where nobody could hear him, and he started quoting scriptures. 334 00:18:24,480 --> 00:18:27,000 Speaker 2: Sometimes it would take him five minutes just to get 335 00:18:27,040 --> 00:18:29,920 Speaker 2: one out. But he never gave up. He just kept 336 00:18:29,960 --> 00:18:33,080 Speaker 2: on keeping on doing his best, making the most with 337 00:18:33,200 --> 00:18:36,760 Speaker 2: what he had. He would quote things like Philippians four thirteen. 338 00:18:37,359 --> 00:18:40,840 Speaker 2: I can do all things through Christ, who strengthens me. 339 00:18:41,359 --> 00:18:45,040 Speaker 2: I am more than a conquer No weapon formed against 340 00:18:45,119 --> 00:18:49,560 Speaker 2: me will ever prosper. He just kept pressing forward. Day 341 00:18:49,600 --> 00:18:52,600 Speaker 2: after day. He had to fight off all the negative 342 00:18:52,680 --> 00:18:56,040 Speaker 2: voices telling him you're never going to get better, you'll 343 00:18:56,119 --> 00:18:59,440 Speaker 2: never overcome. This is your destiny. He just shook that 344 00:18:59,600 --> 00:19:02,280 Speaker 2: junk aw. He said, no, I'm coming up higher. I'm 345 00:19:02,320 --> 00:19:04,480 Speaker 2: going to become all that God's created me to be. 346 00:19:05,200 --> 00:19:08,280 Speaker 2: And it didn't happen overnight, but little by little, day 347 00:19:08,320 --> 00:19:11,560 Speaker 2: after day, he got better and better and better. Now. 348 00:19:11,600 --> 00:19:14,280 Speaker 2: I saw him about this time last year and he 349 00:19:14,440 --> 00:19:17,920 Speaker 2: speaks as clearly and fluently as could be. You could 350 00:19:18,000 --> 00:19:20,240 Speaker 2: never even tell he had a problem. Do you know 351 00:19:20,320 --> 00:19:22,920 Speaker 2: what he's doing today. He's the pastor of a very 352 00:19:23,080 --> 00:19:28,520 Speaker 2: successful church. You think about that. He went from it 353 00:19:28,680 --> 00:19:31,440 Speaker 2: taken him a minute and sixteen seconds to say the 354 00:19:31,520 --> 00:19:35,200 Speaker 2: word THEE to speaking regularly in front of his congregation. 355 00:19:35,760 --> 00:19:38,560 Speaker 2: That's what happens when we don't get complacent. That's what 356 00:19:38,720 --> 00:19:41,600 Speaker 2: happens when we don't settle for the status quo. God 357 00:19:41,680 --> 00:19:44,560 Speaker 2: will take what the enemy means for your evil, and 358 00:19:44,680 --> 00:19:47,240 Speaker 2: he'll turn it around and use it to your advantage. 359 00:19:47,520 --> 00:19:50,440 Speaker 2: Don't get stagnant, don't give up on the dreams that 360 00:19:50,520 --> 00:19:54,160 Speaker 2: God has placed in your own heart. Like him, maybe 361 00:19:54,240 --> 00:19:57,280 Speaker 2: you can't do it in your own natural ability, but 362 00:19:57,480 --> 00:20:01,719 Speaker 2: remember you and God are a majority. Quit looking at 363 00:20:01,760 --> 00:20:04,360 Speaker 2: what you don't have, and start looking at what God 364 00:20:04,440 --> 00:20:08,000 Speaker 2: does have. All Moses had was a rod, but God 365 00:20:08,160 --> 00:20:11,000 Speaker 2: used it to part the Red sea. All David had 366 00:20:11,119 --> 00:20:14,719 Speaker 2: was a slingshot. God used it to defeat Goliath. All 367 00:20:14,800 --> 00:20:16,800 Speaker 2: one little boy had was a fish and a few 368 00:20:16,880 --> 00:20:19,919 Speaker 2: loaves of bread. God used that to feed the thousands. 369 00:20:20,320 --> 00:20:22,960 Speaker 2: Why don't you stop looking at what you're not and 370 00:20:23,080 --> 00:20:26,360 Speaker 2: start looking at who he is. He is el Shadai, 371 00:20:26,760 --> 00:20:30,960 Speaker 2: the God who is more than enough. He is Jehovah, Jirah, 372 00:20:31,400 --> 00:20:35,520 Speaker 2: the Lord, our provider. He said, when we are weak, 373 00:20:35,880 --> 00:20:38,639 Speaker 2: he is strong. When we come to the end of 374 00:20:38,720 --> 00:20:43,159 Speaker 2: our own natural ability, that's when God's supernatural ability kicks in. 375 00:20:43,680 --> 00:20:46,280 Speaker 2: You've got to get your eyes off of your circumstances, 376 00:20:46,680 --> 00:20:49,879 Speaker 2: get your eyes off of what you don't have. I 377 00:20:49,960 --> 00:20:53,360 Speaker 2: think about the woman at the well in John chapter four. 378 00:20:53,720 --> 00:20:56,560 Speaker 2: Jesus was there and he asked her for something to drink, 379 00:20:57,359 --> 00:21:00,520 Speaker 2: and she was so surprised because back in those days 380 00:21:00,600 --> 00:21:03,040 Speaker 2: the Jews didn't have anything to do with the Samaritans. 381 00:21:03,320 --> 00:21:05,680 Speaker 2: And she said, how can you ask me for a drink? 382 00:21:06,320 --> 00:21:09,600 Speaker 2: And Jesus replied, ma'am, if you knew who I was, 383 00:21:09,960 --> 00:21:12,200 Speaker 2: you'd ask me for a drink and I would give 384 00:21:12,280 --> 00:21:16,240 Speaker 2: you living water. And she immediately looked. In the natural 385 00:21:16,640 --> 00:21:18,840 Speaker 2: that's what we do most of the time. She said, 386 00:21:18,880 --> 00:21:21,720 Speaker 2: but sir, you don't have anything to draw the water with. 387 00:21:22,240 --> 00:21:24,800 Speaker 2: You don't have a pail, any kind of bucket, and 388 00:21:24,880 --> 00:21:28,760 Speaker 2: the wells very deep. How could you possibly do this? Now? 389 00:21:28,760 --> 00:21:31,800 Speaker 2: I wonder how many times God wants to do something 390 00:21:31,880 --> 00:21:34,399 Speaker 2: great in our lives. He puts a dream in our 391 00:21:34,440 --> 00:21:37,679 Speaker 2: heart right down in here. We know that we're going 392 00:21:37,760 --> 00:21:41,320 Speaker 2: to rise higher. Something tells us we're going to be well, 393 00:21:41,840 --> 00:21:43,760 Speaker 2: we're going to break an addiction, We're going to get 394 00:21:43,800 --> 00:21:46,959 Speaker 2: out of debt. We feel it so strongly. But then, 395 00:21:47,200 --> 00:21:49,960 Speaker 2: like her, we start looking at what we don't have 396 00:21:50,640 --> 00:21:53,119 Speaker 2: and how we were raised, and all the obstacles in 397 00:21:53,160 --> 00:21:57,360 Speaker 2: our path, and before long we talk ourselves out of it. Well, 398 00:21:57,400 --> 00:21:59,920 Speaker 2: that would never happen for me. I don't have the edge, 399 00:22:00,920 --> 00:22:03,240 Speaker 2: I don't have the talent, I don't have the money, 400 00:22:03,320 --> 00:22:05,280 Speaker 2: I don't have the discipline. Joel, I could never break 401 00:22:05,320 --> 00:22:08,920 Speaker 2: this bad habit. I could never accomplish my dreams. No, 402 00:22:09,080 --> 00:22:11,480 Speaker 2: you've got to quit looking at what you don't have. 403 00:22:12,359 --> 00:22:16,240 Speaker 2: When you believe, all things become possible. If you will 404 00:22:16,400 --> 00:22:19,359 Speaker 2: just stay in faith and keep doing your very best. 405 00:22:19,920 --> 00:22:23,159 Speaker 2: God promises at the right time, he will bring it 406 00:22:23,240 --> 00:22:25,719 Speaker 2: to pass. I know when we were trying to get 407 00:22:25,760 --> 00:22:29,080 Speaker 2: our new facility here, the compact center in the natural, 408 00:22:29,200 --> 00:22:33,000 Speaker 2: it looked totally impossible. All the odds were against us. 409 00:22:33,359 --> 00:22:35,760 Speaker 2: But we too had to quit looking at what we 410 00:22:35,840 --> 00:22:38,879 Speaker 2: didn't have. We had to quit dwelling on all the 411 00:22:38,960 --> 00:22:42,160 Speaker 2: negative reports. We had to quit reading what the experts 412 00:22:42,200 --> 00:22:45,680 Speaker 2: were saying. Too often we just look in the natural. 413 00:22:46,200 --> 00:22:50,040 Speaker 2: We need to remember God is a supernatural god. And 414 00:22:50,119 --> 00:22:52,240 Speaker 2: the easy thing for us to do back then was 415 00:22:52,320 --> 00:22:55,240 Speaker 2: to just stay at our other location. After all, we 416 00:22:55,359 --> 00:22:58,840 Speaker 2: had a big church, it was paid for, we were comfortable. 417 00:22:59,359 --> 00:23:01,840 Speaker 2: We could have stayed there and just coast it. But no, 418 00:23:02,280 --> 00:23:05,480 Speaker 2: God never wants us to get stagnant. And please understand, 419 00:23:05,560 --> 00:23:08,320 Speaker 2: no matter where you are in life, God has more 420 00:23:08,440 --> 00:23:11,359 Speaker 2: in store. And if you're not putting any demands on 421 00:23:11,520 --> 00:23:15,560 Speaker 2: your faith, most likely you're not growing. If you know 422 00:23:15,640 --> 00:23:18,640 Speaker 2: how you can accomplish everything just in your own natural ability. 423 00:23:18,920 --> 00:23:22,159 Speaker 2: Really you don't need God to intervene. But if you 424 00:23:22,240 --> 00:23:24,600 Speaker 2: want to see God take your places you've never dreamed of, 425 00:23:25,200 --> 00:23:27,800 Speaker 2: if you want to see Him work supernaturally in your life, 426 00:23:28,440 --> 00:23:30,520 Speaker 2: then you've got to do like Peter and get out 427 00:23:30,520 --> 00:23:32,479 Speaker 2: of the boat. You've got to get out of your 428 00:23:32,520 --> 00:23:35,800 Speaker 2: comfort zone and start doing what you know God's leading 429 00:23:35,840 --> 00:23:38,280 Speaker 2: you to do down in here. And I'm not talking 430 00:23:38,320 --> 00:23:41,600 Speaker 2: about making foolish decisions, but some of you know in 431 00:23:41,720 --> 00:23:43,920 Speaker 2: your heart you need to put your name in for 432 00:23:44,040 --> 00:23:46,560 Speaker 2: that new position at the office. You can do what 433 00:23:46,680 --> 00:23:50,320 Speaker 2: you do every day in your sleep. You're not being stretched, 434 00:23:50,359 --> 00:23:54,399 Speaker 2: you're not growing, You've gotten comfortable. It's easy. God doesn't 435 00:23:54,400 --> 00:23:56,760 Speaker 2: want you to stay there. You have so much more 436 00:23:56,840 --> 00:23:59,800 Speaker 2: to offer. Dare to take the next step of faith. 437 00:24:00,640 --> 00:24:03,160 Speaker 2: I was talking to a good friend last week. He's 438 00:24:03,200 --> 00:24:06,040 Speaker 2: in the medical field, very successful, and he said, Joel, 439 00:24:06,560 --> 00:24:09,600 Speaker 2: something is stirring on the inside. I feel like I 440 00:24:09,640 --> 00:24:14,240 Speaker 2: should be teaching people God's word, mentoring them, training them. 441 00:24:14,800 --> 00:24:17,280 Speaker 2: But I've never done that. I don't know if i'd 442 00:24:17,359 --> 00:24:18,960 Speaker 2: be good at it. I don't know if I have 443 00:24:19,160 --> 00:24:21,440 Speaker 2: what it takes, but I just can't get away from it. 444 00:24:22,040 --> 00:24:24,520 Speaker 2: I told him what I'm telling you, Quit looking at 445 00:24:24,560 --> 00:24:27,320 Speaker 2: what you don't have. Take the step of faith, and 446 00:24:27,440 --> 00:24:30,399 Speaker 2: you'll find out what you do have. I know I 447 00:24:30,440 --> 00:24:33,080 Speaker 2: wouldn't be standing up here today if I didn't do 448 00:24:33,240 --> 00:24:35,480 Speaker 2: just what I'm asking you to do. Most of you 449 00:24:35,600 --> 00:24:37,760 Speaker 2: know my story how my father tried to get me 450 00:24:37,880 --> 00:24:41,000 Speaker 2: up here a thousands of times to minister. But listen, 451 00:24:41,080 --> 00:24:43,720 Speaker 2: I'd never do it. I'd rather clean my attic in 452 00:24:43,800 --> 00:24:45,720 Speaker 2: the heat of the summer than have had to get 453 00:24:45,800 --> 00:24:48,200 Speaker 2: up in front of people. But when Daddy went to 454 00:24:48,240 --> 00:24:50,560 Speaker 2: be with the Lord right down in here. I knew that. 455 00:24:50,680 --> 00:24:52,520 Speaker 2: I knew that I was supposed to step up and 456 00:24:52,640 --> 00:24:55,680 Speaker 2: pastor this church. And I said, God, I'm not looking 457 00:24:55,840 --> 00:24:59,040 Speaker 2: at what I don't have. I don't have a seminary education, 458 00:25:00,000 --> 00:25:01,840 Speaker 2: I have a lot of formal training. I don't have 459 00:25:01,920 --> 00:25:05,520 Speaker 2: a lot of experience. I'd only spoken one time. I said, God, 460 00:25:05,560 --> 00:25:07,480 Speaker 2: I'm not looking at that. I'm looking at what you 461 00:25:07,680 --> 00:25:10,960 Speaker 2: do have. I know in my weakness you will show 462 00:25:11,040 --> 00:25:14,920 Speaker 2: up the strongest. And so I took that step of 463 00:25:15,000 --> 00:25:17,920 Speaker 2: faith seven and a half years ago, and God's taking 464 00:25:18,000 --> 00:25:20,600 Speaker 2: me places that I've never dreamed of. He'll do the 465 00:25:20,680 --> 00:25:23,399 Speaker 2: same thing for every one of you. Don't get stagnant, 466 00:25:23,880 --> 00:25:27,920 Speaker 2: don't get complacent in your marriage, in your attitude, in 467 00:25:28,040 --> 00:25:31,440 Speaker 2: your career. And I say this respectfully, but you can't 468 00:25:31,520 --> 00:25:33,560 Speaker 2: dwell on what all the experts are saying about you. 469 00:25:34,320 --> 00:25:36,760 Speaker 2: You can't sit around at home all day long thinking 470 00:25:36,800 --> 00:25:40,640 Speaker 2: about how impossible your situation is. Turn it over to God. 471 00:25:41,119 --> 00:25:44,320 Speaker 2: With men, it may be impossible, but with God, all 472 00:25:44,400 --> 00:25:48,280 Speaker 2: things are possible. I think about a little bumblebee. All 473 00:25:48,440 --> 00:25:52,680 Speaker 2: the laws of physics say a bumblebee cannot fly. Its 474 00:25:52,760 --> 00:25:55,840 Speaker 2: body is too heavy for its wings. It doesn't have 475 00:25:55,960 --> 00:25:58,800 Speaker 2: a big enough wings span to support the weight of 476 00:25:58,880 --> 00:26:04,520 Speaker 2: the body. Years scientists, engineers, and experts in the field 477 00:26:04,560 --> 00:26:08,359 Speaker 2: of aerodynamics, they have studied the bumblebee and their final 478 00:26:08,440 --> 00:26:12,040 Speaker 2: conclusion is it should not be able to fly. But 479 00:26:12,160 --> 00:26:15,200 Speaker 2: do you know why the bumblebee flies? Because God told 480 00:26:15,240 --> 00:26:20,000 Speaker 2: the bumblebee to fly. And God is a supernatural god. 481 00:26:21,160 --> 00:26:23,919 Speaker 2: He's not limited to the laws of nature. He can 482 00:26:24,040 --> 00:26:27,600 Speaker 2: do what men can't do. Why don't you quit focusing 483 00:26:27,960 --> 00:26:30,840 Speaker 2: on how big your problems are and start focusing on 484 00:26:30,920 --> 00:26:34,040 Speaker 2: how big your God is. He created the whole universe. 485 00:26:34,359 --> 00:26:37,280 Speaker 2: There's nothing too difficult for him. And when God puts 486 00:26:37,320 --> 00:26:40,000 Speaker 2: a dream in your heart in the natural, it may 487 00:26:40,080 --> 00:26:43,399 Speaker 2: look impossible. Every voice may tell you it's never going 488 00:26:43,440 --> 00:26:46,159 Speaker 2: to happen. You're never going to get well, you're never 489 00:26:46,240 --> 00:26:48,720 Speaker 2: going to break that addiction, you're never going to accomplish 490 00:26:48,720 --> 00:26:51,240 Speaker 2: your dreams. But if you can just learn to shake 491 00:26:51,320 --> 00:26:54,440 Speaker 2: that junk off and stay in faith, get up every 492 00:26:54,520 --> 00:26:58,200 Speaker 2: day expecting good things, then just like that bumblebee, you 493 00:26:58,280 --> 00:27:01,760 Speaker 2: will defy the odds and it come to pass. A 494 00:27:01,840 --> 00:27:04,200 Speaker 2: couple of months ago, I was talking to a friend. 495 00:27:04,640 --> 00:27:08,840 Speaker 2: He's a famous tightrope walker. He comes from seven generations 496 00:27:09,400 --> 00:27:12,560 Speaker 2: of entertainers. They're in the circus, and I ask him, 497 00:27:12,800 --> 00:27:15,600 Speaker 2: what's the key to walking on the tightrope. I mean, 498 00:27:15,680 --> 00:27:18,080 Speaker 2: he makes it look so easy, he said, Joel, the 499 00:27:18,160 --> 00:27:21,600 Speaker 2: secret is you always have to keep your eyes fixed 500 00:27:22,000 --> 00:27:25,320 Speaker 2: on where you're going. You can never look down, he said. 501 00:27:25,359 --> 00:27:28,520 Speaker 2: If you look down, where your head goes, your body 502 00:27:28,560 --> 00:27:30,280 Speaker 2: will go. There's a good chance you're going to fall. 503 00:27:30,600 --> 00:27:33,639 Speaker 2: So you always have to keep your eyes focused on 504 00:27:33,720 --> 00:27:36,320 Speaker 2: where you want to be. I thought, that's the same 505 00:27:36,400 --> 00:27:40,200 Speaker 2: principle in life. Some people are always looking back, focused 506 00:27:40,240 --> 00:27:43,119 Speaker 2: on their hurts and pains, how they were raised, blaming 507 00:27:43,200 --> 00:27:46,080 Speaker 2: their parents. Other people are just focused on where they 508 00:27:46,119 --> 00:27:50,199 Speaker 2: are right now in self pity, been through disappointments. Life's 509 00:27:50,280 --> 00:27:53,800 Speaker 2: not fair. But the key to not getting stagnant is 510 00:27:53,880 --> 00:27:56,080 Speaker 2: you have to stay focused on where you want to be. 511 00:27:56,520 --> 00:27:59,440 Speaker 2: In other words, dream big dreams. Let the past be 512 00:27:59,560 --> 00:28:02,600 Speaker 2: the past. Don't stay focused on where you are. Look 513 00:28:02,680 --> 00:28:05,960 Speaker 2: out through your eyes of faith and see yourself rising higher. 514 00:28:06,520 --> 00:28:11,840 Speaker 2: Accomplish in your dreams, breaking bad habits, fulfilling your destiny. Friends, 515 00:28:11,920 --> 00:28:15,159 Speaker 2: you can live in victory. You can become all God's 516 00:28:15,240 --> 00:28:18,560 Speaker 2: created you to be. Stir your faith up today. Don't 517 00:28:18,600 --> 00:28:22,240 Speaker 2: settle for mediocrity, don't settle for the status quo. Let 518 00:28:22,359 --> 00:28:25,600 Speaker 2: this day be a time of new beginnings. Every one 519 00:28:25,640 --> 00:28:28,080 Speaker 2: of us can come up higher. And if you ask God, 520 00:28:28,400 --> 00:28:30,520 Speaker 2: he will show you areas that are holding you back. 521 00:28:31,040 --> 00:28:36,080 Speaker 2: Wrong mindsets, fear of failure, complacency, Be willing to change, 522 00:28:36,480 --> 00:28:39,800 Speaker 2: don't make excuses. Remember you don't have to eat the 523 00:28:39,920 --> 00:28:43,040 Speaker 2: sour grapes. As long as the Sovereign Lord is alive 524 00:28:43,120 --> 00:28:45,920 Speaker 2: in you, good things are in store. You're not under 525 00:28:45,960 --> 00:28:48,400 Speaker 2: the curse, You're under the blessing. The best is still 526 00:28:48,520 --> 00:28:51,600 Speaker 2: yet to come. If you'll just shake off the complacency 527 00:28:51,920 --> 00:28:54,880 Speaker 2: and start pressing forward in life, stepping out of your 528 00:28:54,920 --> 00:28:58,720 Speaker 2: comfort zone, stretching yourself. I know this, God will open 529 00:28:58,840 --> 00:29:00,920 Speaker 2: up doors for you that no man can shut. And 530 00:29:01,000 --> 00:29:03,360 Speaker 2: you'll break bondages that have held you back for years, 531 00:29:03,440 --> 00:29:06,640 Speaker 2: and you'll live the life of victory He has in story. Amen, 532 00:29:06,880 --> 00:29:07,520 Speaker 2: do you receive it? 533 00:29:08,480 --> 00:29:09,040 Speaker 1: I know you do. 534 00:29:10,200 --> 00:29:13,120 Speaker 2: We never like to close our broadcast without giving you 535 00:29:13,200 --> 00:29:15,920 Speaker 2: an opportunity to make Jesus the lord of your life. 536 00:29:16,360 --> 00:29:20,720 Speaker 2: Would you pray with me? Just say, Lord Jesus, I'll 537 00:29:20,760 --> 00:29:25,480 Speaker 2: repent of my sins, Come into my heart. I'll make 538 00:29:25,600 --> 00:29:29,040 Speaker 2: you my lord and savior. Friends, if you prayed that 539 00:29:29,160 --> 00:29:32,120 Speaker 2: simple prayer, we believe you got born again. Get in 540 00:29:32,200 --> 00:29:35,560 Speaker 2: a good Bible based church. Keep God first place. He's 541 00:29:35,600 --> 00:29:37,600 Speaker 2: going to take your places you've never dreamed of. 542 00:29:38,480 --> 00:29:41,880 Speaker 5: Thank you for listening to the Joel Oustine podcast. Help 543 00:29:42,000 --> 00:29:44,680 Speaker 5: us continue to share the message of hope with those 544 00:29:44,840 --> 00:29:48,680 Speaker 5: all over the world. Visit jolustein dot com slash give 545 00:29:48,800 --> 00:29:50,440 Speaker 5: Hope to give a gift today. 546 00:29:51,800 --> 00:29:54,680 Speaker 2: Thanks so much for listening to today's message. I hope 547 00:29:54,720 --> 00:29:58,080 Speaker 2: you'll subscribe so you can receive the latest podcast to 548 00:29:58,160 --> 00:30:01,320 Speaker 2: keep you inspired all through the world. 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