1 00:00:00,480 --> 00:00:02,200 Speaker 1: Hi, this is Joel and Victoria. 2 00:00:02,320 --> 00:00:05,320 Speaker 2: Thanks for listening to our podcast and thanks for supporting 3 00:00:05,360 --> 00:00:08,280 Speaker 2: the ministry. If you enjoy today's message, why don't you 4 00:00:08,320 --> 00:00:10,480 Speaker 2: be a blessing and share it with a friend. We 5 00:00:10,560 --> 00:00:14,440 Speaker 2: appreciate you and pray for God's very best in your life. Well, 6 00:00:14,480 --> 00:00:18,279 Speaker 2: God bless you always a joy to come into your homes. 7 00:00:17,840 --> 00:00:18,920 Speaker 1: And we love you. 8 00:00:19,079 --> 00:00:21,280 Speaker 2: We know God's got great things in store for each 9 00:00:21,320 --> 00:00:23,919 Speaker 2: one of you. He rewards people that seek after him. 10 00:00:24,320 --> 00:00:25,960 Speaker 2: If you're ever in our area, I hope you'll come 11 00:00:26,000 --> 00:00:28,000 Speaker 2: out and be a part of one of our services. 12 00:00:28,120 --> 00:00:30,160 Speaker 2: I promise you we'll make you feel right at home. 13 00:00:30,160 --> 00:00:33,000 Speaker 2: But thanks so much for tuning in today. I like 14 00:00:33,040 --> 00:00:35,000 Speaker 2: to get started each week with something kind of funny. 15 00:00:35,000 --> 00:00:37,800 Speaker 2: And I heard about this little girl. She was attending 16 00:00:37,920 --> 00:00:40,800 Speaker 2: a wedding for the first time. She asked her mom, 17 00:00:41,120 --> 00:00:44,720 Speaker 2: why is the bride wearing all white? The mom smiled 18 00:00:44,720 --> 00:00:47,560 Speaker 2: and said, all white is the color of happiness. 19 00:00:47,840 --> 00:00:50,160 Speaker 1: Today is the happiest day of her life. 20 00:00:50,640 --> 00:00:52,960 Speaker 2: The little girl thought about it and said, why is 21 00:00:53,000 --> 00:00:58,000 Speaker 2: the groom wearing all black? All right, hold up your Bible. 22 00:00:58,080 --> 00:01:00,360 Speaker 2: Let's say it like we mean it. This this is 23 00:01:00,360 --> 00:01:03,480 Speaker 2: my Bible. I am what it says I am. I 24 00:01:03,600 --> 00:01:06,160 Speaker 2: have what it says I have. I can do what 25 00:01:06,240 --> 00:01:08,960 Speaker 2: it says I can do. Today I will be taught 26 00:01:09,040 --> 00:01:13,360 Speaker 2: the word of God. I boldly confess. My mind is alert, 27 00:01:13,840 --> 00:01:17,000 Speaker 2: my heart is receptive. I will never be the same. 28 00:01:17,560 --> 00:01:22,760 Speaker 2: I am about to receive the incorruptible, indestructible, ever living 29 00:01:23,080 --> 00:01:28,080 Speaker 2: seed of the Word of God. I'll never be the same. Never, never, never, 30 00:01:28,600 --> 00:01:29,520 Speaker 2: I'll never. 31 00:01:29,319 --> 00:01:32,840 Speaker 1: Be the same. In Jesus' name, God bless you. 32 00:01:34,000 --> 00:01:37,160 Speaker 2: I want to talk to you today about enlarging your 33 00:01:37,200 --> 00:01:41,480 Speaker 2: circle of love. Too often we only associate. 34 00:01:40,840 --> 00:01:43,360 Speaker 1: With people just like us, the people that. 35 00:01:43,319 --> 00:01:46,959 Speaker 2: Look like us, people that have our same interest our 36 00:01:47,000 --> 00:01:52,040 Speaker 2: same personality types. It's easy to include them. We're comfortable. 37 00:01:52,200 --> 00:01:54,840 Speaker 2: That's what we're used to. But what about the people 38 00:01:55,000 --> 00:01:58,160 Speaker 2: that don't dress like us, the people that don't come 39 00:01:58,200 --> 00:02:02,000 Speaker 2: from our same background, that we see as being different. 40 00:02:02,440 --> 00:02:04,800 Speaker 2: It's very easy to just write them off and think 41 00:02:05,160 --> 00:02:08,680 Speaker 2: they're not like me. They don't come from my same faith, 42 00:02:09,280 --> 00:02:12,360 Speaker 2: or they've got an addiction and I don't. They're old 43 00:02:12,400 --> 00:02:15,320 Speaker 2: and I'm young. I don't have to interact with them. No, 44 00:02:15,480 --> 00:02:18,120 Speaker 2: God put the people in your life for a reason. 45 00:02:18,880 --> 00:02:23,400 Speaker 2: His love is inclusive, not exclusive, and that man at 46 00:02:23,440 --> 00:02:27,000 Speaker 2: the office may not come from our same faith, but 47 00:02:27,080 --> 00:02:29,280 Speaker 2: that doesn't give us the right to treat him like 48 00:02:29,320 --> 00:02:30,320 Speaker 2: he's second class. 49 00:02:31,040 --> 00:02:32,800 Speaker 1: Enlarge your circle of love. 50 00:02:33,520 --> 00:02:36,640 Speaker 2: Find somebody that you would normally not be friendly to, 51 00:02:37,240 --> 00:02:40,080 Speaker 2: and reach out to them. You don't have to agree 52 00:02:40,160 --> 00:02:45,359 Speaker 2: with everything about them, Just be kind, be friendly, show acceptance. 53 00:02:45,800 --> 00:02:48,639 Speaker 2: Too many people have their walls up. Well he's got 54 00:02:48,720 --> 00:02:51,280 Speaker 2: long hair, he's got an ear ring. Or they're a 55 00:02:51,320 --> 00:02:54,799 Speaker 2: Democrat and I'm a Republican. They're a Baptist and I'm 56 00:02:54,800 --> 00:02:55,440 Speaker 2: a Catholic. 57 00:02:55,880 --> 00:02:57,359 Speaker 1: Or Joel, he's an Aggie, I'm. 58 00:02:57,200 --> 00:03:03,560 Speaker 2: A Longhorn's outside of your box. Don't let these labels 59 00:03:03,600 --> 00:03:07,120 Speaker 2: and these preconceived ideas keep you from reaching out to 60 00:03:07,160 --> 00:03:07,720 Speaker 2: other people. 61 00:03:08,200 --> 00:03:09,320 Speaker 1: The scripture says here. 62 00:03:09,160 --> 00:03:12,840 Speaker 2: In John seven twenty four, be honest in your judgment 63 00:03:12,880 --> 00:03:17,840 Speaker 2: of people. Do not decide at a glance, superficially and 64 00:03:17,880 --> 00:03:21,760 Speaker 2: by appearances. We don't realize how many times we look 65 00:03:21,800 --> 00:03:23,000 Speaker 2: at someone and in. 66 00:03:22,960 --> 00:03:25,200 Speaker 1: A split second we decide if. 67 00:03:25,040 --> 00:03:27,600 Speaker 2: We're going to like them or not. We size them 68 00:03:27,680 --> 00:03:29,840 Speaker 2: up to see if they fit into our box. Do 69 00:03:29,880 --> 00:03:32,400 Speaker 2: they look like me? Do I approve the way they 70 00:03:32,440 --> 00:03:35,400 Speaker 2: wear their hair, do I like their clothes? All this 71 00:03:35,440 --> 00:03:38,320 Speaker 2: can take place in just three or four seconds. We 72 00:03:38,400 --> 00:03:41,720 Speaker 2: categorize them and they don't measure up to our standards. 73 00:03:41,840 --> 00:03:44,160 Speaker 1: They don't fit into our box. We just write them off. 74 00:03:44,640 --> 00:03:47,440 Speaker 2: We make a judgment, yet we don't even really know 75 00:03:47,520 --> 00:03:51,080 Speaker 2: the person. Much of this comes from how we were raised. 76 00:03:51,560 --> 00:03:53,920 Speaker 2: I know when I was growing up, if I saw 77 00:03:53,960 --> 00:03:58,000 Speaker 2: somebody smoking, I immediately thought, man, they're a cinner. They 78 00:03:58,040 --> 00:04:00,240 Speaker 2: got a lot of problems. In my mind was a 79 00:04:00,280 --> 00:04:03,840 Speaker 2: big category. But as I got older, I begin to 80 00:04:03,920 --> 00:04:08,800 Speaker 2: realize being overweight, living stressed out, that's just about as 81 00:04:08,960 --> 00:04:12,400 Speaker 2: unhealthy as smoking. But I would never see an overweight 82 00:04:12,480 --> 00:04:14,200 Speaker 2: person in that same light. 83 00:04:14,760 --> 00:04:16,320 Speaker 1: Had all these categories in. 84 00:04:16,320 --> 00:04:19,680 Speaker 2: My mind of how I judged people. I've learned since 85 00:04:20,160 --> 00:04:21,760 Speaker 2: not to make those judgments. 86 00:04:22,160 --> 00:04:22,960 Speaker 1: Don't look at. 87 00:04:22,800 --> 00:04:26,320 Speaker 2: Someone and decide in a glance, get to know the person. 88 00:04:26,920 --> 00:04:29,640 Speaker 2: I've seen people that have all kinds of hang ups, Yet. 89 00:04:29,440 --> 00:04:32,000 Speaker 1: There's some of the warmest, kindest. 90 00:04:31,560 --> 00:04:35,159 Speaker 2: People you could ever possibly meet. And really what causes 91 00:04:35,240 --> 00:04:38,479 Speaker 2: us to judge is pride. We think I would never 92 00:04:38,520 --> 00:04:41,920 Speaker 2: do that, I would never smoke, I would never. 93 00:04:41,800 --> 00:04:42,919 Speaker 1: Wear what she has on. 94 00:04:43,960 --> 00:04:46,279 Speaker 2: No, we don't know what we would do. We haven't 95 00:04:46,279 --> 00:04:49,400 Speaker 2: walked in their shoes. We weren't raised the way they 96 00:04:49,400 --> 00:04:53,560 Speaker 2: were raised. We haven't had the experiences that they have had. 97 00:04:54,920 --> 00:04:58,440 Speaker 2: Most of our behavior is based out of our experiences. 98 00:04:58,720 --> 00:05:01,400 Speaker 1: The only person that really knows is that other person. 99 00:05:01,680 --> 00:05:03,800 Speaker 1: Let's not make these quick judgments. 100 00:05:04,040 --> 00:05:06,880 Speaker 2: After all, if it were not for the grace of God, 101 00:05:07,080 --> 00:05:08,360 Speaker 2: there's no telling where any of. 102 00:05:08,320 --> 00:05:09,600 Speaker 1: Us would be. Now. 103 00:05:09,600 --> 00:05:12,640 Speaker 2: I've seen people they look down on people that struggle 104 00:05:12,760 --> 00:05:13,440 Speaker 2: with their weight. 105 00:05:13,880 --> 00:05:14,600 Speaker 1: In the back of their. 106 00:05:14,520 --> 00:05:17,159 Speaker 2: Mind, they kind of think, well, they're just lazy, just undisciplined. 107 00:05:17,400 --> 00:05:20,240 Speaker 2: I would never let myself get that out of shape. No, 108 00:05:20,400 --> 00:05:23,120 Speaker 2: you don't know the battles they fight. You don't have 109 00:05:23,200 --> 00:05:26,039 Speaker 2: their genetics, you don't have their metabolism, you don't have 110 00:05:26,080 --> 00:05:30,200 Speaker 2: their appetite. Don't make judgments. Give people the benefit of 111 00:05:30,240 --> 00:05:33,200 Speaker 2: the doubt. And when we see other people that struggle 112 00:05:33,240 --> 00:05:36,839 Speaker 2: in an area, maybe they have a negative quality. Instead 113 00:05:36,839 --> 00:05:39,400 Speaker 2: of being quick to judge and condemn and be critical, 114 00:05:39,520 --> 00:05:42,440 Speaker 2: what we really should do is a father, thank you 115 00:05:42,520 --> 00:05:45,120 Speaker 2: for giving me grace in that area. Thank you that 116 00:05:45,200 --> 00:05:45,800 Speaker 2: I don't. 117 00:05:45,600 --> 00:05:48,760 Speaker 1: Struggle with that. We don't know what people have been through. 118 00:05:49,600 --> 00:05:52,000 Speaker 2: Some people have hang ups because of the way they 119 00:05:52,000 --> 00:05:55,960 Speaker 2: were raised. They couldn't help it. We don't choose our environment. 120 00:05:56,000 --> 00:05:58,560 Speaker 2: We didn't pick our parents. I talked to a lady 121 00:05:58,640 --> 00:06:01,640 Speaker 2: last week. She's in her set sixties. As a little girl, 122 00:06:01,680 --> 00:06:06,440 Speaker 2: she was mistreated physically, emotionally, verbally. It's a very traumatic, 123 00:06:06,520 --> 00:06:09,279 Speaker 2: hurtful experience, and for the most part, she's. 124 00:06:09,160 --> 00:06:10,039 Speaker 1: Over that today. 125 00:06:10,360 --> 00:06:13,720 Speaker 2: But she said, I still have things that I deal with. 126 00:06:13,800 --> 00:06:16,200 Speaker 2: I still have things that affect me in my thoughts, 127 00:06:16,480 --> 00:06:16,800 Speaker 2: in my. 128 00:06:16,839 --> 00:06:18,640 Speaker 1: Mind from what happened way back then. 129 00:06:19,520 --> 00:06:23,040 Speaker 2: Even though we overcome things, doesn't mean we don't still 130 00:06:23,240 --> 00:06:27,760 Speaker 2: have some residual effects. Let's quit being so judgmental. Let's 131 00:06:27,760 --> 00:06:32,760 Speaker 2: give everybody a little bit of room. Let's be more understanding. Well, Joel, 132 00:06:32,760 --> 00:06:36,479 Speaker 2: he's got long hair, he's got a tattoo, he's far out. 133 00:06:36,520 --> 00:06:38,440 Speaker 1: I just don't agree with that now. 134 00:06:38,480 --> 00:06:41,799 Speaker 2: As far as I know, Jesus had long hair, Moses 135 00:06:41,839 --> 00:06:44,520 Speaker 2: had long hair, Charlton Heston had long hair. 136 00:06:44,560 --> 00:06:46,080 Speaker 1: I saw the movie. 137 00:06:47,040 --> 00:06:49,719 Speaker 2: We have to get past this thinking that as long 138 00:06:49,800 --> 00:06:52,680 Speaker 2: as you're like me, then I'll accept you. If you 139 00:06:52,760 --> 00:06:55,280 Speaker 2: look like me, if you come to my church, if 140 00:06:55,279 --> 00:06:57,680 Speaker 2: you have my same interest. Know some of you have 141 00:06:57,760 --> 00:07:00,240 Speaker 2: people in your life, right now that could bring you 142 00:07:00,320 --> 00:07:03,880 Speaker 2: great joy, You could have a great friendship, but you've 143 00:07:03,920 --> 00:07:07,359 Speaker 2: already judged them and put them into a not for 144 00:07:07,480 --> 00:07:08,880 Speaker 2: me category. 145 00:07:08,360 --> 00:07:09,000 Speaker 1: In your mind. 146 00:07:09,480 --> 00:07:11,480 Speaker 2: Yet you've not even taken time to get to know 147 00:07:11,560 --> 00:07:14,800 Speaker 2: that person. A very close friend of mine told how 148 00:07:14,840 --> 00:07:17,280 Speaker 2: when she was in college, a young man invited her 149 00:07:17,320 --> 00:07:19,840 Speaker 2: out on a date. They had known each other for 150 00:07:20,160 --> 00:07:23,120 Speaker 2: several years, just casually enough to say hi. They'd never 151 00:07:23,160 --> 00:07:26,240 Speaker 2: really talked before, but when he invited her out, she 152 00:07:26,320 --> 00:07:29,800 Speaker 2: immediately said no. She already had her mind made up 153 00:07:30,120 --> 00:07:31,800 Speaker 2: the kind of man she was going to date, what 154 00:07:31,880 --> 00:07:35,680 Speaker 2: he's going to look like, his qualities, his personality. In 155 00:07:35,720 --> 00:07:38,440 Speaker 2: her mind, this young man didn't meet any of those requirements. 156 00:07:38,520 --> 00:07:41,640 Speaker 2: He was too tall, he had red hair, he wasn't 157 00:07:41,680 --> 00:07:45,240 Speaker 2: outgoing enough, all these things that didn't measure up to 158 00:07:45,320 --> 00:07:49,000 Speaker 2: her standards. And of course, it's fine to have personal tastes, 159 00:07:49,080 --> 00:07:52,120 Speaker 2: but don't be so close minded that you don't at 160 00:07:52,200 --> 00:07:55,640 Speaker 2: least get to know someone. Month after month, he kept 161 00:07:55,680 --> 00:07:59,360 Speaker 2: inviting her out. He wasn't bothersome, but he was persistent. 162 00:08:00,040 --> 00:08:02,600 Speaker 2: One day she finally gave in. They went out with 163 00:08:02,640 --> 00:08:05,080 Speaker 2: another young couple. She had already made up her mind. 164 00:08:05,120 --> 00:08:07,680 Speaker 2: She wasn't going to like him, but that night she 165 00:08:07,840 --> 00:08:10,400 Speaker 2: saw a sight of him that she had not seen before. 166 00:08:10,720 --> 00:08:15,880 Speaker 2: He was kind, friendly, outgoing, loving. Today, that couple has 167 00:08:15,920 --> 00:08:17,840 Speaker 2: been married more than twenty one years. 168 00:08:18,000 --> 00:08:21,440 Speaker 1: They have four beautiful children. The point I want you 169 00:08:21,480 --> 00:08:24,160 Speaker 1: to see. 170 00:08:23,080 --> 00:08:26,520 Speaker 2: Is that young lady almost missed out on somebody God 171 00:08:26,520 --> 00:08:30,080 Speaker 2: brought into her life because she judged him based on 172 00:08:30,240 --> 00:08:34,920 Speaker 2: superficial things. She judged him without really getting to know him. 173 00:08:35,440 --> 00:08:37,959 Speaker 2: I wonder how many of us miss out on great 174 00:08:38,000 --> 00:08:40,920 Speaker 2: friendships because we do the same thing. We make a 175 00:08:41,000 --> 00:08:44,360 Speaker 2: quick judgment in our mind. We size a person up 176 00:08:44,559 --> 00:08:46,400 Speaker 2: to see if they fit into our boss. 177 00:08:46,640 --> 00:08:48,040 Speaker 1: If they don't, we just write them off. 178 00:08:48,080 --> 00:08:50,600 Speaker 2: All we know is her hair's too long, or I 179 00:08:50,600 --> 00:08:52,880 Speaker 2: don't like the way they look. They come from a 180 00:08:52,880 --> 00:08:56,120 Speaker 2: different nationality. I'm sure we couldn't have anything in common. 181 00:08:57,040 --> 00:09:01,360 Speaker 2: The word prejudice means to pre judd. In other words, 182 00:09:01,720 --> 00:09:04,240 Speaker 2: I judge you, and I'm going to make a decision 183 00:09:04,280 --> 00:09:06,920 Speaker 2: whether I accept you or not based on your appearance, 184 00:09:07,520 --> 00:09:10,400 Speaker 2: based on what I see on the surface. What a 185 00:09:10,440 --> 00:09:13,200 Speaker 2: shallow way to live you think about it. We didn't 186 00:09:13,280 --> 00:09:16,360 Speaker 2: choose our race, God chose it for us. That means 187 00:09:16,360 --> 00:09:19,720 Speaker 2: we shouldn't hold that against another person. For the most part, 188 00:09:19,760 --> 00:09:22,440 Speaker 2: we don't choose our looks. I'm sure we can stay 189 00:09:22,440 --> 00:09:25,520 Speaker 2: in shape, take care of ourselves, but we can't change 190 00:09:25,559 --> 00:09:30,480 Speaker 2: our overall makeup. Don't prejudge someone because they don't meet 191 00:09:30,559 --> 00:09:31,559 Speaker 2: up to your standards. 192 00:09:32,040 --> 00:09:34,960 Speaker 1: Maybe they weren't blessed with good looks like you and me. 193 00:09:37,280 --> 00:09:42,000 Speaker 2: At least this time I included you. You know how 194 00:09:42,080 --> 00:09:44,400 Speaker 2: human nature is. We all think we're the best looking. 195 00:09:44,960 --> 00:09:47,320 Speaker 2: It's like this lady I heard about. She felt like 196 00:09:47,360 --> 00:09:48,640 Speaker 2: she was so young and. 197 00:09:48,559 --> 00:09:49,920 Speaker 1: She had aged so well. 198 00:09:49,960 --> 00:09:52,520 Speaker 2: And one day she went to the dentist office and 199 00:09:52,559 --> 00:09:54,840 Speaker 2: she noticed the name of this one dentist up on 200 00:09:54,880 --> 00:09:58,160 Speaker 2: the wall, and she thought, that's the same name of 201 00:09:58,200 --> 00:10:01,040 Speaker 2: a guy I dated in high school thirty years ago. 202 00:10:01,200 --> 00:10:03,640 Speaker 1: I wonder if it could be him. A few minutes later, 203 00:10:03,720 --> 00:10:08,160 Speaker 1: this old man came out, wrinkle gray hair glasses. She thought, 204 00:10:08,160 --> 00:10:10,560 Speaker 1: surely that couldn't be him. He is so old. 205 00:10:10,840 --> 00:10:12,920 Speaker 2: She said, sir, did you go to such and such 206 00:10:13,000 --> 00:10:16,600 Speaker 2: high school and graduating such and such here? He said, 207 00:10:16,600 --> 00:10:19,120 Speaker 2: I sure did, She said, wouldn't you know it? I 208 00:10:19,200 --> 00:10:21,959 Speaker 2: think you were in my class. He squinted his eyes 209 00:10:22,000 --> 00:10:28,320 Speaker 2: and said, really, what subject did you teach? We see 210 00:10:28,360 --> 00:10:32,400 Speaker 2: ourselves through rose colored glasses, we say everybody else through 211 00:10:32,400 --> 00:10:37,440 Speaker 2: that magnifying glass. Much of our wrong judgment is based. 212 00:10:37,160 --> 00:10:38,880 Speaker 1: On the culture we were raised in. 213 00:10:39,480 --> 00:10:43,160 Speaker 2: We don't understand the new Young people these days wear 214 00:10:43,160 --> 00:10:44,679 Speaker 2: their hair much more messy. 215 00:10:45,280 --> 00:10:47,280 Speaker 1: Sometimes it looks like they just got out of bed. 216 00:10:48,240 --> 00:10:50,040 Speaker 2: Not long ago, we were leaving the house and I 217 00:10:50,080 --> 00:10:52,120 Speaker 2: said to our twelve year old son, Jonathan, you need 218 00:10:52,120 --> 00:10:53,200 Speaker 2: to run comb your hair. 219 00:10:53,640 --> 00:10:55,000 Speaker 1: He said, Daddy, I just did. 220 00:10:56,600 --> 00:11:00,360 Speaker 2: I thought, okay, But styles come and go. Like my 221 00:11:00,440 --> 00:11:03,640 Speaker 2: hair back up off of my forehead. This is my style. 222 00:11:03,720 --> 00:11:06,840 Speaker 2: Been wearing it like this for years. My son Jonathan, 223 00:11:07,040 --> 00:11:10,320 Speaker 2: he likes his hair as far down on his forehead. 224 00:11:10,000 --> 00:11:12,200 Speaker 1: As he can get it and still be able to see. 225 00:11:13,040 --> 00:11:15,520 Speaker 2: One time I told him, Jonathan, I don't particularly like 226 00:11:15,600 --> 00:11:16,400 Speaker 2: your hair like that. 227 00:11:16,840 --> 00:11:18,680 Speaker 1: He said, Daddy. Would I get in trouble if I 228 00:11:18,720 --> 00:11:23,760 Speaker 1: told you I didn't like yours? I said, you just did. 229 00:11:25,280 --> 00:11:27,560 Speaker 2: Oh, we got to give people a little room. I 230 00:11:27,600 --> 00:11:30,439 Speaker 2: went to buy some jeans the other day. The only 231 00:11:30,480 --> 00:11:33,760 Speaker 2: ones I could find had these tears all through them. 232 00:11:34,960 --> 00:11:38,440 Speaker 2: They were faded, raggedy, beat up. I thought, at least 233 00:11:38,440 --> 00:11:43,720 Speaker 2: i'd get a discount. I got home and Jonathan said, oh, Dad, 234 00:11:43,760 --> 00:11:47,560 Speaker 2: you got some cool jeans. I love those tears. I thought, yeah, 235 00:11:47,600 --> 00:11:49,160 Speaker 2: those tears cost me a lot of money. 236 00:11:50,559 --> 00:11:51,920 Speaker 1: It's a generational thing. 237 00:11:52,720 --> 00:11:56,200 Speaker 2: When my father was a teenager, the founder of our 238 00:11:56,280 --> 00:11:59,760 Speaker 2: church growing up back in the nineteen thirties, he wore 239 00:11:59,800 --> 00:12:01,319 Speaker 2: what they called a zoot suit. 240 00:12:02,000 --> 00:12:05,120 Speaker 1: The pants were up to hear, the jacket went down 241 00:12:05,200 --> 00:12:08,199 Speaker 1: to hear. He had this hat cocked over to one side. 242 00:12:08,800 --> 00:12:10,200 Speaker 1: Now out of this pocket, he had. 243 00:12:10,040 --> 00:12:13,120 Speaker 2: A long gold chain and he'd walk around swinging that chain, 244 00:12:14,400 --> 00:12:18,040 Speaker 2: looking like a cool cat. Today we would say he's 245 00:12:18,080 --> 00:12:18,760 Speaker 2: got some bling. 246 00:12:22,480 --> 00:12:27,000 Speaker 1: But as a teenager, as a teenager, my father was 247 00:12:27,080 --> 00:12:28,440 Speaker 1: one of the far out ones. 248 00:12:29,040 --> 00:12:31,640 Speaker 2: Isn't it interesting that God called him to be the 249 00:12:31,679 --> 00:12:33,280 Speaker 2: pastor of a great church. 250 00:12:33,840 --> 00:12:37,120 Speaker 1: Some of you are wondering about you're a young people. 251 00:12:38,559 --> 00:12:41,880 Speaker 2: You're wondering about your children, maybe because they got messy hair, 252 00:12:42,200 --> 00:12:46,160 Speaker 2: baggy pants. They talk a language you can't understand, and 253 00:12:46,200 --> 00:12:49,720 Speaker 2: I don't mean speaking in tongues, so you don't know 254 00:12:49,760 --> 00:12:52,319 Speaker 2: what God's going to do with that young person. God 255 00:12:52,360 --> 00:12:55,360 Speaker 2: looks past the surface and he looks at our heart. 256 00:12:55,960 --> 00:12:57,959 Speaker 2: Sometimes we think, oh, they got long hair, they're just 257 00:12:58,000 --> 00:13:00,600 Speaker 2: a hippie, they got some bling, sure they're up. 258 00:13:00,520 --> 00:13:03,080 Speaker 1: To no good. Or he's got a tattoo, I know 259 00:13:03,160 --> 00:13:03,880 Speaker 1: he's going to hell. 260 00:13:05,640 --> 00:13:09,840 Speaker 2: Now I realized not everybody has my same taste. Not 261 00:13:09,960 --> 00:13:13,000 Speaker 2: everybody was raised in the culture I was raised in. 262 00:13:13,160 --> 00:13:15,480 Speaker 1: I'm gonna stay open. I'm gonna look. 263 00:13:15,280 --> 00:13:19,400 Speaker 2: Past the surface and not make judgments without getting to 264 00:13:19,440 --> 00:13:23,920 Speaker 2: know someone. When we make these superficial judgments, it affects 265 00:13:23,960 --> 00:13:26,720 Speaker 2: the way we treat that person. When I first started 266 00:13:26,760 --> 00:13:29,760 Speaker 2: dating Victoria, some of my friends were kind of stand 267 00:13:29,840 --> 00:13:33,840 Speaker 2: offish toward her. They were very reserved and almost unfriendly. 268 00:13:34,280 --> 00:13:37,240 Speaker 2: Several months later, they told how they thought, because she 269 00:13:37,320 --> 00:13:40,800 Speaker 2: was so beautiful and carried herself so confidently, that she 270 00:13:40,840 --> 00:13:43,920 Speaker 2: would surely be stuck up. They found out later she 271 00:13:44,000 --> 00:13:45,960 Speaker 2: was just the opposite. You can't find a more down 272 00:13:45,960 --> 00:13:49,000 Speaker 2: to earth loving person. But they had already judged her 273 00:13:49,400 --> 00:13:53,079 Speaker 2: in their minds to be arrogant and unfriendly simply because 274 00:13:53,120 --> 00:13:56,199 Speaker 2: of her looks. That's what we do many times. We 275 00:13:56,240 --> 00:13:59,280 Speaker 2: make these judgments. Then we go into a relationship with 276 00:13:59,360 --> 00:14:02,720 Speaker 2: all these walls treating people the way we think they're 277 00:14:02,760 --> 00:14:05,440 Speaker 2: going to be. It's much better to just stay open 278 00:14:05,920 --> 00:14:09,360 Speaker 2: and look past the surface. And even if there are 279 00:14:09,440 --> 00:14:12,520 Speaker 2: some things about a person that we don't understand, let's 280 00:14:12,520 --> 00:14:15,280 Speaker 2: give them a little room. God's made us all different. 281 00:14:16,120 --> 00:14:18,680 Speaker 2: Heard this lady tell how one day her son came 282 00:14:18,720 --> 00:14:20,280 Speaker 2: home with a tattoo. 283 00:14:20,520 --> 00:14:23,160 Speaker 1: She was so upset she couldn't believe it. 284 00:14:23,400 --> 00:14:25,800 Speaker 2: She didn't want her son to have any tattoos, and 285 00:14:25,840 --> 00:14:30,600 Speaker 2: she went on and on telling him how disappointed she was. Finally, 286 00:14:30,600 --> 00:14:33,000 Speaker 2: the young man pulled up his sleeve and he said, oh, mom, 287 00:14:33,040 --> 00:14:36,720 Speaker 2: it's just a tattoo with your name on it. She said, oh, well, 288 00:14:36,840 --> 00:14:40,960 Speaker 2: maybe just one would be okay. I don't personally care 289 00:14:41,080 --> 00:14:44,320 Speaker 2: for tattoos, but when I see somebody that has one, 290 00:14:44,640 --> 00:14:47,200 Speaker 2: I'm not going to judge them and put them into 291 00:14:47,200 --> 00:14:50,680 Speaker 2: a certain category. Several years ago, a young man came 292 00:14:50,760 --> 00:14:53,200 Speaker 2: up to me in a mall. He had tattoos all 293 00:14:53,280 --> 00:14:56,720 Speaker 2: over his arm, completely covering them, and he had lived 294 00:14:56,760 --> 00:14:59,640 Speaker 2: a very rough life recently had got it turned around. 295 00:14:59,720 --> 00:15:02,200 Speaker 2: Now he was serving God, and he was about to 296 00:15:02,240 --> 00:15:05,280 Speaker 2: spend thousands of dollars to try to have those tattoos 297 00:15:05,280 --> 00:15:08,680 Speaker 2: surgically removed. He asked my opinion, and I asked what 298 00:15:08,800 --> 00:15:11,960 Speaker 2: his motive was for doing that. He said, well, Joel, 299 00:15:12,000 --> 00:15:13,600 Speaker 2: the main reason I want to get rid of him 300 00:15:13,840 --> 00:15:16,760 Speaker 2: is because I don't think my new friends will accept 301 00:15:16,760 --> 00:15:19,560 Speaker 2: me looking like this. I told him, you do what 302 00:15:19,640 --> 00:15:22,120 Speaker 2: you feel good about concerning the surgery. But let me 303 00:15:22,160 --> 00:15:24,520 Speaker 2: tell you, if your friends want to accept you the 304 00:15:24,560 --> 00:15:27,800 Speaker 2: way you are, they're not really your friends. You can't 305 00:15:27,800 --> 00:15:30,000 Speaker 2: be in your best and God will give you some 306 00:15:30,120 --> 00:15:35,560 Speaker 2: true friends. That kind of judgment is based out of pride. 307 00:15:36,240 --> 00:15:41,040 Speaker 2: There's nothing God dislikes anymore than being holier than thou, 308 00:15:41,480 --> 00:15:45,680 Speaker 2: having a better than you attitude. The scripture says that's 309 00:15:45,680 --> 00:15:48,760 Speaker 2: a stench in the nostrils of God. In other words, 310 00:15:48,800 --> 00:15:52,800 Speaker 2: being proud, being judgmental, looking down on people that don't 311 00:15:52,800 --> 00:15:55,600 Speaker 2: meet up to our standards. In God's eyes, that's the 312 00:15:55,720 --> 00:15:58,360 Speaker 2: very worst I heard about. This man that went to 313 00:15:58,440 --> 00:16:01,960 Speaker 2: a real fancy church. He was dressed in blue jeans, 314 00:16:02,360 --> 00:16:06,160 Speaker 2: cowboy boots, and an old cowboy hat. He walked in 315 00:16:06,200 --> 00:16:08,440 Speaker 2: on a Sunday morning, sat down on the third row. 316 00:16:09,200 --> 00:16:12,680 Speaker 2: Much of the congregation were appalled. They sent letters to 317 00:16:12,720 --> 00:16:16,840 Speaker 2: the minister expressing their concern. Afterwards, the minister got him 318 00:16:16,880 --> 00:16:20,280 Speaker 2: aside and told him he needed to ask God how 319 00:16:20,320 --> 00:16:23,640 Speaker 2: to dress before he came back to his church. The 320 00:16:23,720 --> 00:16:26,920 Speaker 2: next Sunday, the man showed up dressed exactly the same. 321 00:16:27,560 --> 00:16:29,800 Speaker 2: The minister scolded him and said, I told you to 322 00:16:29,840 --> 00:16:31,520 Speaker 2: ask God how to dress. 323 00:16:31,240 --> 00:16:32,640 Speaker 1: Before you come back to my church. 324 00:16:33,000 --> 00:16:35,640 Speaker 2: The man said, I did ask God, but he told 325 00:16:35,680 --> 00:16:38,240 Speaker 2: me he didn't know because he's never been here before. 326 00:16:41,320 --> 00:16:43,040 Speaker 1: We got to have a. 327 00:16:42,880 --> 00:16:48,320 Speaker 2: Wide circle of life. Let's quit judging people by the exterior. 328 00:16:49,000 --> 00:16:51,600 Speaker 2: I found whether I wear blue jeans or whether I 329 00:16:51,640 --> 00:16:53,760 Speaker 2: wear a suit, it doesn't affect the annoying. 330 00:16:54,400 --> 00:16:55,680 Speaker 1: It's not affected by. 331 00:16:57,160 --> 00:17:01,080 Speaker 2: It's not affected by cotton or in them for my 332 00:17:01,120 --> 00:17:07,840 Speaker 2: brother Paul's sake, or polyester. Seriously, you know what affects 333 00:17:07,880 --> 00:17:12,280 Speaker 2: the annoying the attitude of our heart. Some people look 334 00:17:12,400 --> 00:17:15,000 Speaker 2: like a saint on the outside, but on the inside 335 00:17:15,000 --> 00:17:21,240 Speaker 2: they're full of poison, pride, judgment, criticism, like a pharisee. 336 00:17:21,840 --> 00:17:24,280 Speaker 2: They look down on other people. They have a little 337 00:17:24,320 --> 00:17:26,880 Speaker 2: bitty circle of love. If you don't look like them, 338 00:17:27,240 --> 00:17:30,520 Speaker 2: talk like them, think like them, they shut you out. 339 00:17:30,560 --> 00:17:32,159 Speaker 1: You're outside their circle. 340 00:17:32,600 --> 00:17:34,720 Speaker 2: On the other hand, I've known people that have some 341 00:17:34,840 --> 00:17:38,440 Speaker 2: hang ups. They don't perform perfectly all the time, yet. 342 00:17:38,240 --> 00:17:40,040 Speaker 1: They have a pure heart. Toward God. 343 00:17:40,440 --> 00:17:42,639 Speaker 2: Let me tell you, God is more pleased with that 344 00:17:43,440 --> 00:17:45,919 Speaker 2: than he is a person that performs perfectly all the 345 00:17:45,960 --> 00:17:49,359 Speaker 2: time but has a lousy heart. What's going on on 346 00:17:49,400 --> 00:17:52,960 Speaker 2: the inside is more important than what people see on 347 00:17:53,000 --> 00:17:56,480 Speaker 2: the outside. One time, a man came up to me 348 00:17:56,600 --> 00:17:59,480 Speaker 2: in the visitor's reception and he looked like a biker. 349 00:17:59,520 --> 00:18:00,800 Speaker 1: He was rest real rough. 350 00:18:01,400 --> 00:18:03,159 Speaker 2: I hope you're not offended when I tell you this, 351 00:18:03,240 --> 00:18:04,959 Speaker 2: But he said, Joel, I got to tell you that 352 00:18:05,080 --> 00:18:09,120 Speaker 2: was a hell of a sermon today. I thought, next time, 353 00:18:09,160 --> 00:18:12,720 Speaker 2: tell me what you really meant. That didn't bother me. 354 00:18:13,119 --> 00:18:15,879 Speaker 2: I realized he comes from a different background. 355 00:18:16,400 --> 00:18:18,399 Speaker 1: No doubt he wasn't raised like me. 356 00:18:19,119 --> 00:18:22,240 Speaker 2: Hopefully over time he'll come up higher. But I believe 357 00:18:22,320 --> 00:18:24,879 Speaker 2: that his heart was pure down in here where it 358 00:18:24,920 --> 00:18:27,399 Speaker 2: really counted. He was as sincere as he can be. 359 00:18:28,240 --> 00:18:30,680 Speaker 2: It's funny the way I was raised. If you said hell, 360 00:18:31,000 --> 00:18:33,720 Speaker 2: you were probably going to go there. I mean, if 361 00:18:33,720 --> 00:18:35,760 Speaker 2: we said dog gonet, that was a big deal in 362 00:18:35,800 --> 00:18:39,000 Speaker 2: my family. But we can't go around shutting people out 363 00:18:39,040 --> 00:18:42,200 Speaker 2: because they're not just exactly like us. Well, I don't 364 00:18:42,240 --> 00:18:45,000 Speaker 2: think she should come to church, Joel, looking like that, 365 00:18:45,000 --> 00:18:48,920 Speaker 2: That dress is not appropriate, that's too revealing. Yes, I'm 366 00:18:48,960 --> 00:18:52,600 Speaker 2: all for dressing modestly, but I would rather her be 367 00:18:52,760 --> 00:18:55,680 Speaker 2: here than out in the bars or the clubs. I'd 368 00:18:55,800 --> 00:18:58,760 Speaker 2: rather than be here than out on the streets. Somewhere 369 00:19:00,160 --> 00:19:02,959 Speaker 2: to give people a little room while they're in the 370 00:19:03,040 --> 00:19:07,160 Speaker 2: process of changing. Jesus said, it's the sick who need 371 00:19:07,200 --> 00:19:10,440 Speaker 2: a doctor, not the healthy. But if they come into 372 00:19:10,480 --> 00:19:14,280 Speaker 2: our churches feeling so condemned, or if they get around 373 00:19:14,359 --> 00:19:16,840 Speaker 2: us during the week and we shut them out, looking 374 00:19:16,880 --> 00:19:19,840 Speaker 2: down on them, being holier than now, they may never 375 00:19:19,880 --> 00:19:21,880 Speaker 2: become all God's created. 376 00:19:21,560 --> 00:19:24,120 Speaker 1: Them to be. If there's anything that fires me. 377 00:19:24,200 --> 00:19:27,800 Speaker 2: Up is to see people judging and being critical toward 378 00:19:27,880 --> 00:19:30,919 Speaker 2: a person, yet they know nothing about what that person 379 00:19:30,960 --> 00:19:31,520 Speaker 2: is going through. 380 00:19:32,359 --> 00:19:34,840 Speaker 1: That young lady may be here on her last leg. 381 00:19:35,119 --> 00:19:37,240 Speaker 2: She may be thinking, let me go to church one 382 00:19:37,280 --> 00:19:39,359 Speaker 2: more time to see if I can get my life 383 00:19:39,359 --> 00:19:42,480 Speaker 2: straightened out. What a shame if we would be so 384 00:19:42,640 --> 00:19:46,760 Speaker 2: full of pride or so judgmental that she felt unwelcome. 385 00:19:47,240 --> 00:19:49,480 Speaker 2: Why don't you give her the benefit of the doubt, 386 00:19:49,680 --> 00:19:53,240 Speaker 2: thinking maybe she wasn't raised like I was, Maybe she 387 00:19:53,320 --> 00:19:56,280 Speaker 2: didn't get the breaks that I got. Maybe she's doing 388 00:19:56,480 --> 00:19:59,879 Speaker 2: the best she can with what she's got. Let's have 389 00:20:00,119 --> 00:20:04,680 Speaker 2: a wide circle of love. That's what I love. That's 390 00:20:04,720 --> 00:20:10,639 Speaker 2: what I love about you guys. You make everyone feel welcome, rich, poor, black, 391 00:20:10,720 --> 00:20:13,520 Speaker 2: white people that have it together, and people that are 392 00:20:13,680 --> 00:20:16,960 Speaker 2: trying to get it together. The scripture talks about the 393 00:20:17,080 --> 00:20:20,240 Speaker 2: same amount of mercy we show to other people. That's 394 00:20:20,280 --> 00:20:22,360 Speaker 2: the amount of mercy God will show back to us. 395 00:20:23,040 --> 00:20:24,679 Speaker 1: I believe we can even. 396 00:20:24,560 --> 00:20:28,960 Speaker 2: Store up mercy for our children, for our grandchildren. When 397 00:20:29,000 --> 00:20:32,760 Speaker 2: you have a large circle of love, you're mercy falling. 398 00:20:33,160 --> 00:20:36,440 Speaker 2: Even though you don't understand somebody, you don't judge them, 399 00:20:36,800 --> 00:20:38,359 Speaker 2: you give them the benefit of the doubt. 400 00:20:38,720 --> 00:20:40,760 Speaker 1: You're friendly anyway. You help them come up. 401 00:20:40,760 --> 00:20:44,080 Speaker 2: Higher when you live your life like that than when 402 00:20:44,160 --> 00:20:47,960 Speaker 2: you need mercy or your children or your grandchildren. God 403 00:20:48,000 --> 00:20:51,760 Speaker 2: will make sure mercy is extended back to you. There's 404 00:20:51,800 --> 00:20:54,320 Speaker 2: too much judgment in our society today. 405 00:20:55,040 --> 00:20:56,400 Speaker 1: We're so quick to condemn. 406 00:20:56,560 --> 00:20:58,840 Speaker 2: We shut people out of our group if they're not 407 00:20:58,920 --> 00:21:01,680 Speaker 2: exactly like us. I don't know about you, but I'm 408 00:21:01,680 --> 00:21:05,560 Speaker 2: gonna have a large circle of love. I may not 409 00:21:05,720 --> 00:21:09,280 Speaker 2: understand everyone, I may not agree with them, but that's 410 00:21:09,320 --> 00:21:10,080 Speaker 2: not gonna keep. 411 00:21:09,960 --> 00:21:11,960 Speaker 1: Me from being good to them. It's not gonna keep 412 00:21:12,000 --> 00:21:14,800 Speaker 1: me from showing God's kindness. I know. 413 00:21:14,880 --> 00:21:17,399 Speaker 2: I get letters all the time from atheists. 414 00:21:17,720 --> 00:21:20,720 Speaker 1: They say, Joel, we love watching your program. I think 415 00:21:20,720 --> 00:21:23,880 Speaker 1: that's great. Doesn't bother me a bit. I don't judge them. 416 00:21:24,160 --> 00:21:26,840 Speaker 2: If they don't believe like me, that doesn't mean they're 417 00:21:26,840 --> 00:21:30,240 Speaker 2: a bad person. We have to understand it's not our 418 00:21:30,320 --> 00:21:34,520 Speaker 2: job to convert everyone. It's our job to simply present 419 00:21:34,640 --> 00:21:37,959 Speaker 2: the truth. The Holy Spirit is the only one that 420 00:21:38,000 --> 00:21:44,000 Speaker 2: can convict people. Sometimes we think we have to make people. 421 00:21:43,720 --> 00:21:47,879 Speaker 1: Believe, but only God can do that. Jesus said, the 422 00:21:47,920 --> 00:21:48,880 Speaker 1: way people. 423 00:21:48,600 --> 00:21:51,960 Speaker 2: Will know where his disciples is by our love for 424 00:21:52,040 --> 00:21:55,800 Speaker 2: one another. Today there are so many walls up. You're 425 00:21:55,800 --> 00:21:58,359 Speaker 2: not from my group, you're not from my same faith. 426 00:21:58,880 --> 00:22:01,480 Speaker 2: You're a Methodist, Catholic, you're a Pentecostal. 427 00:22:01,720 --> 00:22:03,320 Speaker 1: People ask me, Joel, what are you. 428 00:22:03,680 --> 00:22:06,440 Speaker 2: We're just a group of believers that are excited about 429 00:22:06,480 --> 00:22:07,120 Speaker 2: serving God. 430 00:22:07,520 --> 00:22:09,040 Speaker 1: I don't want any labels on me. 431 00:22:10,560 --> 00:22:14,240 Speaker 2: Somebody said, well, are you an evangelical? I don't even 432 00:22:14,280 --> 00:22:17,639 Speaker 2: know what evangelical means. All I know is this, I 433 00:22:17,680 --> 00:22:20,439 Speaker 2: believe in Jesus. I believe in sure in my faith, 434 00:22:20,600 --> 00:22:25,160 Speaker 2: and I love everyone well, Joel, what about what about 435 00:22:25,200 --> 00:22:28,000 Speaker 2: the Muslims? I love them too, They are God's creation. 436 00:22:28,640 --> 00:22:32,040 Speaker 2: What about the Hindus? They are God's creation? What about 437 00:22:32,040 --> 00:22:32,800 Speaker 2: the Buddhists? Joel? 438 00:22:32,800 --> 00:22:34,679 Speaker 1: You don't want them in here? Do you? Sure? I do? 439 00:22:34,920 --> 00:22:38,200 Speaker 1: I've got a wide circle of love. I know our. 440 00:22:38,040 --> 00:22:40,639 Speaker 2: God, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, the 441 00:22:40,680 --> 00:22:43,159 Speaker 2: God of Jacob, he loves the Muslims as much as 442 00:22:43,160 --> 00:22:47,240 Speaker 2: he loves the Christians. He loves the Buddhists, the Hindus, 443 00:22:47,280 --> 00:22:48,960 Speaker 2: the atheists, all the same. 444 00:22:49,359 --> 00:22:51,800 Speaker 1: And if God does, surely we can as well. 445 00:22:52,480 --> 00:22:55,520 Speaker 2: I see too many people looking down on people of 446 00:22:55,560 --> 00:22:58,240 Speaker 2: other faith, thinking, well, they don't believe in Jesus like 447 00:22:58,320 --> 00:23:00,560 Speaker 2: I do. But it doesn't say the love them as 448 00:23:00,600 --> 00:23:02,080 Speaker 2: long as they believe like us. 449 00:23:02,440 --> 00:23:03,240 Speaker 1: We're supposed to. 450 00:23:03,160 --> 00:23:07,280 Speaker 2: Love people unconditionally. We should never look down on someone. 451 00:23:07,400 --> 00:23:10,360 Speaker 2: What a shame to treat another one of God's creation 452 00:23:11,160 --> 00:23:14,640 Speaker 2: with less love and less respect just because. 453 00:23:14,400 --> 00:23:15,560 Speaker 1: They don't agree with us. 454 00:23:16,040 --> 00:23:18,280 Speaker 2: We have to realize when we get to heaven, there's 455 00:23:18,320 --> 00:23:21,080 Speaker 2: not gonna be a Baptist section, a Methodist section, a 456 00:23:21,119 --> 00:23:24,160 Speaker 2: Catholic section. Let's put the Pentecostals way over there, they're 457 00:23:24,200 --> 00:23:28,240 Speaker 2: so loud. No, we're gonna all be up there together. 458 00:23:28,400 --> 00:23:30,680 Speaker 2: It's gonna look just like Lakewood, all. 459 00:23:30,560 --> 00:23:33,159 Speaker 1: People, all races, all walks of life. 460 00:23:35,520 --> 00:23:42,760 Speaker 2: There's gonna be Democrats and Republicans, tattoos, no tattoos, bleing 461 00:23:42,960 --> 00:23:48,520 Speaker 2: and no bleed, denim and cotton, long hair and beautiful hair. 462 00:23:50,359 --> 00:23:53,600 Speaker 2: Get outside of your normal box, be open to people 463 00:23:53,600 --> 00:23:56,480 Speaker 2: that are not just like you. A while back, we 464 00:23:56,520 --> 00:23:59,160 Speaker 2: had a significant amount of funds that we were gonna 465 00:23:59,200 --> 00:24:03,800 Speaker 2: give to organizations that were helping people affected by Hurricane Katrina, 466 00:24:04,119 --> 00:24:06,040 Speaker 2: and our staff made the recommendations. 467 00:24:06,040 --> 00:24:08,440 Speaker 1: And I knew most of the people on the list, 468 00:24:08,560 --> 00:24:09,680 Speaker 1: or at least I knew of them. 469 00:24:10,080 --> 00:24:12,520 Speaker 2: But there's this one man on the list that I 470 00:24:12,600 --> 00:24:16,320 Speaker 2: knew had been critical toward us, And when I saw 471 00:24:16,359 --> 00:24:19,320 Speaker 2: his name, I had to think long and hard. Do 472 00:24:19,440 --> 00:24:22,199 Speaker 2: we want to give him a large donation knowing that 473 00:24:22,280 --> 00:24:23,720 Speaker 2: he's out there knocking us. 474 00:24:24,240 --> 00:24:27,119 Speaker 1: My first thought was absolutely not. I'm nice, but not 475 00:24:27,200 --> 00:24:28,840 Speaker 1: that nice. 476 00:24:29,040 --> 00:24:31,240 Speaker 2: But after I thought about it and prayed about it, 477 00:24:31,280 --> 00:24:33,199 Speaker 2: I thought, you know what, I'm going to be bigger 478 00:24:33,240 --> 00:24:35,840 Speaker 2: than this. I'm going to widen my circle of love. 479 00:24:36,320 --> 00:24:38,840 Speaker 2: He drew a circle and shut me out. I'm gonna 480 00:24:38,880 --> 00:24:43,640 Speaker 2: draw bigger circle and shut him in. I thought, he 481 00:24:43,680 --> 00:24:46,679 Speaker 2: doesn't even really know me, because if he did, he 482 00:24:46,920 --> 00:24:50,520 Speaker 2: liked me. At least that's what I thought. We had 483 00:24:50,520 --> 00:24:53,239 Speaker 2: delivered the funds. A couple months later, I got a 484 00:24:53,240 --> 00:24:55,959 Speaker 2: call from a friend of mine that works in that organization. 485 00:24:56,480 --> 00:24:58,480 Speaker 1: He said, Joel, our CEO got. 486 00:24:58,400 --> 00:25:01,360 Speaker 2: Up in front of the staff today and he apologized 487 00:25:01,480 --> 00:25:04,720 Speaker 2: for everything he's ever said about you. I thought, isn't 488 00:25:04,720 --> 00:25:08,720 Speaker 2: that interesting When we widen our circle of love it 489 00:25:08,840 --> 00:25:11,960 Speaker 2: changes people's hearts. Now, the rest of you critics don't 490 00:25:11,960 --> 00:25:17,280 Speaker 2: expect me to pay you off. But sometimes when somebody 491 00:25:17,320 --> 00:25:19,320 Speaker 2: does us wrong, the easy thing to do is to 492 00:25:19,359 --> 00:25:21,840 Speaker 2: say forget you. See, if I give you the time 493 00:25:21,880 --> 00:25:25,240 Speaker 2: of day, now be the bigger person, so a seed 494 00:25:25,400 --> 00:25:28,200 Speaker 2: of kindness, go out of your way to do something 495 00:25:28,240 --> 00:25:31,600 Speaker 2: good for them. Talks about in Proverbs when we are 496 00:25:31,720 --> 00:25:34,439 Speaker 2: kind to our enemies, when we return good for evil. 497 00:25:34,680 --> 00:25:37,760 Speaker 2: It's like keeping coals of fire on their head. And 498 00:25:37,840 --> 00:25:41,000 Speaker 2: that's not talking about making them suffer. It means when 499 00:25:41,040 --> 00:25:44,399 Speaker 2: you're good to people that don't deserve it, that softens 500 00:25:44,480 --> 00:25:47,800 Speaker 2: their hard heart. Those coals of fire help melt away 501 00:25:47,840 --> 00:25:50,640 Speaker 2: the judgment and the criticism that they have toward us. 502 00:25:51,040 --> 00:25:53,480 Speaker 2: And again, it's easy to love people. 503 00:25:53,200 --> 00:25:54,280 Speaker 1: That are just like us. 504 00:25:54,720 --> 00:25:58,520 Speaker 2: But I'm asking us today to widen our circle of love. 505 00:25:58,960 --> 00:26:03,160 Speaker 2: Find somebody that's not like you, and instead of making 506 00:26:03,160 --> 00:26:07,080 Speaker 2: a quick judgment, instead of stereotype in them, at least. 507 00:26:06,960 --> 00:26:08,440 Speaker 1: Take time to get to know them. 508 00:26:08,920 --> 00:26:11,800 Speaker 2: And even if you don't have common interest, doesn't mean 509 00:26:11,840 --> 00:26:15,280 Speaker 2: you still can't be kind and respectful. Get outside of 510 00:26:15,320 --> 00:26:18,240 Speaker 2: your normal box. I bet every one of us has 511 00:26:18,280 --> 00:26:20,480 Speaker 2: someone in our life right now that we're kind of 512 00:26:20,480 --> 00:26:22,840 Speaker 2: shutt nowt thinking all they're just not like me. 513 00:26:23,320 --> 00:26:24,720 Speaker 1: So let's have an open mind. 514 00:26:25,000 --> 00:26:28,119 Speaker 2: If you'll have a wide circle of love and not 515 00:26:28,280 --> 00:26:31,160 Speaker 2: make judgments based on the appearance, it will not only 516 00:26:31,240 --> 00:26:33,600 Speaker 2: make a difference in other people's lives, it'll make a 517 00:26:33,600 --> 00:26:36,720 Speaker 2: difference in your own life, because when you sol mercy, 518 00:26:36,960 --> 00:26:40,040 Speaker 2: you're gonna read mercy. When you're good to others, God 519 00:26:40,080 --> 00:26:43,240 Speaker 2: will always be good to you. He'll pour out his blessings, 520 00:26:43,280 --> 00:26:45,919 Speaker 2: his favor, and you'll live that life of victory he 521 00:26:46,000 --> 00:26:46,720 Speaker 2: has in story. 522 00:26:46,720 --> 00:26:48,320 Speaker 1: Amen, do you receive it today? 523 00:26:49,760 --> 00:26:52,560 Speaker 2: We never like to close our broadcast without giving you 524 00:26:52,600 --> 00:26:55,600 Speaker 2: an opportunity to make Jesus the lord of your life. 525 00:26:55,720 --> 00:27:00,080 Speaker 1: Would you pray with me? Just say, Lord Jesus, I 526 00:27:00,200 --> 00:27:01,280 Speaker 1: repent of my sins. 527 00:27:02,600 --> 00:27:08,040 Speaker 2: Come into my heart. I make you my Lord and savior. Friends, 528 00:27:08,080 --> 00:27:10,480 Speaker 2: if you prayed that simple prayer, we believe you got 529 00:27:10,480 --> 00:27:13,440 Speaker 2: born again. Get in a good Bible based church, Keep 530 00:27:13,480 --> 00:27:16,480 Speaker 2: God first place. He's gonna take you places that you've 531 00:27:16,520 --> 00:27:17,240 Speaker 2: never dreamed of. 532 00:27:19,760 --> 00:27:22,639 Speaker 3: We all carry a mental picture of what our life 533 00:27:22,680 --> 00:27:28,879 Speaker 3: can be. Is yours limited? Do you picture yourself stuck, inadequate, defeated? 534 00:27:29,280 --> 00:27:31,919 Speaker 3: Are you willing to change your mindset in order to 535 00:27:32,040 --> 00:27:34,520 Speaker 3: experience a life of blessing and abundance. 536 00:27:35,040 --> 00:27:37,720 Speaker 2: We all have a picture in our mind of ourself, 537 00:27:38,080 --> 00:27:41,720 Speaker 2: our family, our future. And if that picture is negative, 538 00:27:42,119 --> 00:27:45,320 Speaker 2: you see yourself at a disadvantage. Your problem's too big, 539 00:27:45,520 --> 00:27:49,679 Speaker 2: it's gonna limit your life. A new book, the Abundance Mindset, 540 00:27:49,920 --> 00:27:52,560 Speaker 2: will help you see yourself the right way. If you'll 541 00:27:52,640 --> 00:27:58,280 Speaker 2: change those negative pictures, start seeing yourself blessed, healthy, rising high, 542 00:27:58,359 --> 00:28:01,760 Speaker 2: or accomplishing dreams, then things will begin to shift in 543 00:28:01,840 --> 00:28:04,520 Speaker 2: your favor. You have to see it on the inside 544 00:28:04,800 --> 00:28:07,800 Speaker 2: before it'll come to pass on the outside. We'll send 545 00:28:07,800 --> 00:28:10,840 Speaker 2: you the Mindset Journal too. These tools will help you 546 00:28:10,880 --> 00:28:13,600 Speaker 2: get your inner vision in the right place so you 547 00:28:13,600 --> 00:28:16,800 Speaker 2: can move into the favor and blessing that God has 548 00:28:16,880 --> 00:28:17,159 Speaker 2: for you. 549 00:28:18,119 --> 00:28:20,440 Speaker 3: As our way of saying thank you for your gift 550 00:28:20,480 --> 00:28:23,000 Speaker 3: of any amount this month, we would like to send 551 00:28:23,040 --> 00:28:26,760 Speaker 3: you a copy of Joel's book The Abundance Mindset and 552 00:28:26,800 --> 00:28:31,720 Speaker 3: this inspiring Mindset Journal. Joel shares powerful scriptures and encouraging 553 00:28:31,800 --> 00:28:35,120 Speaker 3: thoughts about how to move from fairly enough to more 554 00:28:35,160 --> 00:28:39,000 Speaker 3: than enough, how to be someone else's miracle and experience 555 00:28:39,120 --> 00:28:42,000 Speaker 3: miracles in your own life. As you make the book 556 00:28:42,040 --> 00:28:44,800 Speaker 3: and journal a part of your daily walk, you'll be 557 00:28:44,920 --> 00:28:48,240 Speaker 3: built up every day regarding how to tap into God's 558 00:28:48,280 --> 00:28:51,680 Speaker 3: favor and blessing, how not to talk yourself out of 559 00:28:51,720 --> 00:28:54,960 Speaker 3: the dreams and opportunities He has already prepared for you, 560 00:28:55,440 --> 00:28:59,600 Speaker 3: how to experience life to the fullest. Request your copies today, 561 00:29:00,080 --> 00:29:02,960 Speaker 3: begin to see a new mental picture of yourself that 562 00:29:03,040 --> 00:29:07,960 Speaker 3: will lead to new measures of blessing, favor, promotion, and abundance. 563 00:29:08,480 --> 00:29:11,800 Speaker 2: Let's go into twenty twenty five with an abundant mindset. 564 00:29:12,200 --> 00:29:14,520 Speaker 2: I believe you're gonna see the goodness of God in 565 00:29:14,640 --> 00:29:17,280 Speaker 2: new ways. Victoria and I want you to know we 566 00:29:17,400 --> 00:29:20,360 Speaker 2: pray for you and your family every day for God's 567 00:29:20,480 --> 00:29:23,240 Speaker 2: very best. We want to thank you for your prayer 568 00:29:23,320 --> 00:29:26,800 Speaker 2: and support. You are impacting people all over the world. 569 00:29:27,280 --> 00:29:29,920 Speaker 2: A special thank you to our Champion of Hope partners 570 00:29:30,000 --> 00:29:32,880 Speaker 2: for your monthly support. If you're not a partner, I 571 00:29:32,920 --> 00:29:36,320 Speaker 2: hope you'll consider becoming one. Remember you can watch the 572 00:29:36,400 --> 00:29:41,480 Speaker 2: services online every Sunday morning, download our daily podcast, listen 573 00:29:41,560 --> 00:29:42,960 Speaker 2: on Serious Exam. 574 00:29:43,200 --> 00:29:44,320 Speaker 1: Watch on YouTube. 575 00:29:44,720 --> 00:29:48,640 Speaker 2: Also the new joelost Network streaming on television twenty four 576 00:29:48,680 --> 00:29:49,440 Speaker 2: hours a day. 577 00:29:50,080 --> 00:29:52,640 Speaker 1: Until we see you again. May the Lord bless you 578 00:29:52,760 --> 00:29:53,400 Speaker 1: and keep you. 579 00:29:54,240 --> 00:29:57,520 Speaker 3: Be sure to request your copy of the Abundance Mindset 580 00:29:57,520 --> 00:30:02,120 Speaker 3: Book and Mindset Journal today. Visit Joelostein dot com or 581 00:30:02,240 --> 00:30:05,800 Speaker 3: call eight eight eight five six seven Joel for an 582 00:30:05,800 --> 00:30:09,560 Speaker 3: additional donation. This month, we are also offering His Goodness 583 00:30:09,760 --> 00:30:14,000 Speaker 3: Abundance Bowl. You can request this inspiring resource by calling 584 00:30:14,200 --> 00:30:17,480 Speaker 3: eight eight eight five sixty seven Joel. We're logging on 585 00:30:17,680 --> 00:30:19,760 Speaker 3: to Joelostein dot com today. 586 00:30:20,400 --> 00:30:23,960 Speaker 2: If you've never been to Lakewood, we have a great opportunity. 587 00:30:24,200 --> 00:30:27,760 Speaker 2: We call it homecoming weekend. We'd love to meet you 588 00:30:27,840 --> 00:30:31,160 Speaker 2: and your family. You can see the building and attend 589 00:30:31,200 --> 00:30:33,920 Speaker 2: one of the services. It's a great time to be 590 00:30:34,040 --> 00:30:36,360 Speaker 2: a part of the Lakewood family. Looking forward to seeing 591 00:30:36,400 --> 00:30:38,080 Speaker 2: you homecoming weekend.