1 00:00:00,200 --> 00:00:02,880 Speaker 1: No one likes to talk about money. Am I saving enough? 2 00:00:02,960 --> 00:00:05,040 Speaker 1: Can I buy a house? Am I paying too much 3 00:00:05,040 --> 00:00:07,760 Speaker 1: in taxes? Will I be able to retire? What if 4 00:00:07,760 --> 00:00:10,360 Speaker 1: you could unlock insights about your finances in less than 5 00:00:10,400 --> 00:00:12,840 Speaker 1: five minutes, with a clear picture of where you stand 6 00:00:12,880 --> 00:00:15,720 Speaker 1: today and where your money can work harder. Now you 7 00:00:15,760 --> 00:00:18,759 Speaker 1: can visit facet dot com to take the free quiz 8 00:00:18,800 --> 00:00:23,400 Speaker 1: and get your financial wellness score today. That's Facet dot com. 9 00:00:23,400 --> 00:00:25,360 Speaker 1: This ad is sponsored by Facet. Fast Wealth in Corporated 10 00:00:25,440 --> 00:00:27,280 Speaker 1: is an sec registered investment advisor. This is not an 11 00:00:27,320 --> 00:00:29,080 Speaker 1: offer to buy your self securities or is it investment, 12 00:00:29,160 --> 00:00:30,080 Speaker 1: legal or tax advice. 13 00:00:30,760 --> 00:00:33,960 Speaker 2: You're ready for a comeback, and with Purdue Global you 14 00:00:34,000 --> 00:00:37,200 Speaker 2: can do more than take classes. You can take charge 15 00:00:37,520 --> 00:00:41,520 Speaker 2: of your story, of your career, of your life, Earn 16 00:00:41,560 --> 00:00:43,559 Speaker 2: a degree you can be proud of, and get an 17 00:00:43,680 --> 00:00:48,559 Speaker 2: education employer's respect. It's time, your time, not just to 18 00:00:48,560 --> 00:00:50,960 Speaker 2: go back to school, but to come back and move 19 00:00:51,040 --> 00:00:55,840 Speaker 2: forward with Purdue Global, Purdue's online university for working adults. 20 00:00:56,440 --> 00:00:59,920 Speaker 2: Start your comeback at Purdueglobal dot edu. 21 00:01:00,280 --> 00:01:02,240 Speaker 3: He'll forget about the video game you gave him on 22 00:01:02,280 --> 00:01:02,840 Speaker 3: his birthday. 23 00:01:03,160 --> 00:01:05,039 Speaker 4: Wow, thanks Grandpa, But. 24 00:01:05,080 --> 00:01:07,280 Speaker 3: He'll never forget how you invest it in his future 25 00:01:07,319 --> 00:01:08,280 Speaker 3: with the units stapp. 26 00:01:08,800 --> 00:01:10,800 Speaker 4: Wow, Thanks Grandpa. 27 00:01:11,080 --> 00:01:13,600 Speaker 3: The units stap makes it easy for grandparents and family 28 00:01:13,640 --> 00:01:16,319 Speaker 3: friends to give funds to a child's investment account for 29 00:01:16,360 --> 00:01:18,760 Speaker 3: a limited time. Download the uns stap and use the 30 00:01:18,800 --> 00:01:20,840 Speaker 3: code I heeart fifty at sign up to receive a 31 00:01:20,880 --> 00:01:23,400 Speaker 3: fifty dollars bonus when you find your account. That's code 32 00:01:23,400 --> 00:01:26,400 Speaker 3: iHeart fifty when you sign up at unest dot co 33 00:01:26,760 --> 00:01:29,319 Speaker 3: for a fifty dollars bonus. See terms and conditions at 34 00:01:29,440 --> 00:01:30,120 Speaker 3: UNEs dot co. 35 00:01:32,920 --> 00:01:35,640 Speaker 4: Hi, this is Joel and Victoria. Thanks for listening to 36 00:01:35,680 --> 00:01:38,440 Speaker 4: our podcast and thanks for supporting the ministry. 37 00:01:38,560 --> 00:01:40,920 Speaker 5: If you enjoy today's message, why don't you be a 38 00:01:40,959 --> 00:01:42,480 Speaker 5: blessing and share it with a friend. 39 00:01:42,800 --> 00:01:45,560 Speaker 4: We appreciate you and pray for God's very best in 40 00:01:45,600 --> 00:01:49,760 Speaker 4: your life. For God bless you. It's joy to come 41 00:01:49,760 --> 00:01:52,520 Speaker 4: into your homes. And if you're ever in our area, 42 00:01:52,560 --> 00:01:55,280 Speaker 4: please stop buying. Be a part of one of our services. 43 00:01:55,480 --> 00:01:57,800 Speaker 4: I promise you we'll make you feel right at home. 44 00:01:58,080 --> 00:02:00,280 Speaker 4: But thanks so much for tuning in and thank you 45 00:02:00,280 --> 00:02:02,720 Speaker 4: again for coming out today. I like to start with 46 00:02:02,760 --> 00:02:05,840 Speaker 4: something funny and I heard about this young lady. She 47 00:02:05,960 --> 00:02:09,920 Speaker 4: took her fiance home to meet her parents. The dad said, son, 48 00:02:10,080 --> 00:02:12,600 Speaker 4: tell me about yourself. What do you do? He said, 49 00:02:12,680 --> 00:02:16,200 Speaker 4: I'm a Bible scholar. Dad said that's great, but how 50 00:02:16,240 --> 00:02:18,320 Speaker 4: are you going to provide a living for my daughter? 51 00:02:18,840 --> 00:02:21,520 Speaker 4: He said, I'm going to study the Bible and I 52 00:02:21,600 --> 00:02:24,840 Speaker 4: know God will provide. He said, yeah, but how are 53 00:02:24,840 --> 00:02:28,200 Speaker 4: you going to afford an engagement ring for her? He said, 54 00:02:28,280 --> 00:02:30,520 Speaker 4: I'm going to focus on my studies and I know 55 00:02:30,639 --> 00:02:33,520 Speaker 4: God will provide. He said, in a few years, you 56 00:02:33,560 --> 00:02:35,600 Speaker 4: all may have children. How are you going to provide 57 00:02:35,639 --> 00:02:39,920 Speaker 4: for those children? He said, sir, don't worry. God will provide. 58 00:02:40,480 --> 00:02:43,800 Speaker 4: Later that night, the man's wife ask him how to 59 00:02:43,880 --> 00:02:46,200 Speaker 4: talk with their future son in law. Went he said, 60 00:02:46,200 --> 00:02:49,600 Speaker 4: not good. He has no plans, no job, and he 61 00:02:49,680 --> 00:02:54,360 Speaker 4: thinks that I'm God. Hold up your bibles. Say it 62 00:02:54,440 --> 00:02:57,400 Speaker 4: like you mean it. This is my Bible. I am 63 00:02:57,480 --> 00:02:59,799 Speaker 4: what it says I am. I have what it says 64 00:02:59,840 --> 00:03:02,520 Speaker 4: I am. I can do what it says I can do. 65 00:03:02,960 --> 00:03:05,720 Speaker 4: Today I will be taught the word of God. I 66 00:03:05,880 --> 00:03:09,840 Speaker 4: boldly confess. My mind is alert, my heart is receptive. 67 00:03:10,160 --> 00:03:13,840 Speaker 4: I will never be the same. In Jesus' name, God 68 00:03:13,880 --> 00:03:17,359 Speaker 4: bless you. I want to talk to you today about 69 00:03:17,400 --> 00:03:21,120 Speaker 4: accepting people for who they are. When we get into 70 00:03:21,200 --> 00:03:24,519 Speaker 4: relationship with someone, it's easy to try to make them 71 00:03:24,720 --> 00:03:27,760 Speaker 4: into who we want them to be, especially our spouse, 72 00:03:28,200 --> 00:03:31,120 Speaker 4: our children, the people that are close to us. But 73 00:03:31,240 --> 00:03:34,160 Speaker 4: one of the best things I've learned is God didn't 74 00:03:34,200 --> 00:03:37,600 Speaker 4: bring people into my life to make them just like me. 75 00:03:38,640 --> 00:03:44,200 Speaker 4: God made us different on purpose, different personalities, different strengths, 76 00:03:44,480 --> 00:03:48,720 Speaker 4: different looks. We're all at different maturity levels. The mistake 77 00:03:48,840 --> 00:03:52,080 Speaker 4: we make too often is we try to fit people 78 00:03:52,120 --> 00:03:54,920 Speaker 4: into our mold. It's like we've got them on our 79 00:03:55,000 --> 00:03:58,800 Speaker 4: Potter's wheel. We're trying to work out the lumps, get 80 00:03:58,880 --> 00:04:00,560 Speaker 4: rid of what we don't like. I can get them 81 00:04:00,600 --> 00:04:04,280 Speaker 4: all fixed up. The problem with this is we are 82 00:04:04,320 --> 00:04:07,760 Speaker 4: not the potter God is. God is the one that's 83 00:04:07,840 --> 00:04:12,720 Speaker 4: making and molding people. Really, we can't change anyone. We 84 00:04:12,760 --> 00:04:15,800 Speaker 4: can encourage them, we can pray for them, we can 85 00:04:15,880 --> 00:04:19,760 Speaker 4: lead by example, but only God can truly change people. 86 00:04:20,560 --> 00:04:23,839 Speaker 4: When someone doesn't have our same strengths and we're working 87 00:04:23,920 --> 00:04:27,320 Speaker 4: over time trying to make them just like us, all 88 00:04:27,360 --> 00:04:31,480 Speaker 4: that does is frustrates us, bring stress and tension into 89 00:04:31,480 --> 00:04:34,919 Speaker 4: the relationship. You have got to give people room to 90 00:04:35,000 --> 00:04:38,200 Speaker 4: be who God made them to be. If God wanted 91 00:04:38,240 --> 00:04:42,040 Speaker 4: us to all look alike, think alike, have the same strengths, 92 00:04:42,240 --> 00:04:45,040 Speaker 4: the same personalities, he would have made us that way. 93 00:04:45,720 --> 00:04:48,920 Speaker 4: Think about this. The same God that made the butterfly 94 00:04:49,320 --> 00:04:52,560 Speaker 4: made the locust. The same God that made the poodle 95 00:04:52,880 --> 00:04:56,320 Speaker 4: made the bulldog, same God that made the horse made 96 00:04:56,360 --> 00:04:59,080 Speaker 4: the mule, and the same God that made me made 97 00:04:59,120 --> 00:05:05,640 Speaker 4: my brother Paul. God likes variety. I'm not looking at it. 98 00:05:08,400 --> 00:05:11,920 Speaker 4: You may be trying to change someone that doesn't have 99 00:05:12,040 --> 00:05:16,680 Speaker 4: your strengths, your kind of personality, your goals. Yet God 100 00:05:16,720 --> 00:05:20,200 Speaker 4: made them like that on purpose. You're fighting against who 101 00:05:20,279 --> 00:05:22,840 Speaker 4: they really are. This is what I used to do 102 00:05:22,920 --> 00:05:26,200 Speaker 4: with Victoria when we first got married. I tried to 103 00:05:26,240 --> 00:05:30,119 Speaker 4: make her just like me. I thought, what greater gift 104 00:05:30,200 --> 00:05:33,840 Speaker 4: could I possibly give her than that. I'm very naive. 105 00:05:35,000 --> 00:05:40,120 Speaker 4: My personality type is I'm very focused, very structured. I've 106 00:05:40,120 --> 00:05:41,920 Speaker 4: got a plan and I'm going to stick with it. 107 00:05:42,440 --> 00:05:47,640 Speaker 4: Victoria is not like that. She's spontaneous, fun, outgoing, not 108 00:05:47,839 --> 00:05:52,240 Speaker 4: rigid at all. She's incredibly smart, a hard worker, but 109 00:05:52,320 --> 00:05:55,920 Speaker 4: she's not routine. She doesn't like to do the same 110 00:05:56,040 --> 00:05:57,160 Speaker 4: thing over and over. 111 00:05:57,440 --> 00:05:57,839 Speaker 2: Not me. 112 00:05:58,600 --> 00:06:01,720 Speaker 4: I get up at the same time every morning, not 113 00:06:01,880 --> 00:06:05,760 Speaker 4: two minutes variants, the exact same time. I eat the 114 00:06:05,839 --> 00:06:08,719 Speaker 4: same things for breakfast, been doing it for twenty years, 115 00:06:08,880 --> 00:06:12,240 Speaker 4: go to my office at the exact same time. I'm boring, 116 00:06:12,400 --> 00:06:16,280 Speaker 4: but I am focused. That's one of my strengths. I 117 00:06:16,400 --> 00:06:19,400 Speaker 4: used to think that it was my calling in life 118 00:06:19,440 --> 00:06:22,360 Speaker 4: to try to make Victoria like me, and I had 119 00:06:22,400 --> 00:06:25,799 Speaker 4: her on my potter's will. I thought I was supposed 120 00:06:25,839 --> 00:06:29,400 Speaker 4: to make my strengths her strengths. One day it dawned 121 00:06:29,400 --> 00:06:32,279 Speaker 4: on me. I had a revelation. She doesn't want to 122 00:06:32,320 --> 00:06:36,120 Speaker 4: be like me. That's not who she is. She likes 123 00:06:36,200 --> 00:06:38,960 Speaker 4: being who God made her to be, just like I 124 00:06:39,080 --> 00:06:41,640 Speaker 4: like being who God made me to be. We're not 125 00:06:41,680 --> 00:06:44,720 Speaker 4: supposed to go around looking down on people that don't 126 00:06:44,720 --> 00:06:48,119 Speaker 4: have our same strengths. You'll enjoy your life a whole 127 00:06:48,120 --> 00:06:51,240 Speaker 4: lot more if you let people off the hook and 128 00:06:51,400 --> 00:06:55,160 Speaker 4: accept them for who they are. Because when we're always 129 00:06:55,200 --> 00:07:00,760 Speaker 4: trying to change someone, there's this underlying tensions. Is there's 130 00:07:00,800 --> 00:07:04,960 Speaker 4: something wrong with you. You're not like me, You're inferior. 131 00:07:05,760 --> 00:07:08,760 Speaker 4: We may not say it out loud, but with our actions. 132 00:07:08,800 --> 00:07:11,960 Speaker 4: It comes out subtly and how we treat people. But 133 00:07:12,040 --> 00:07:15,720 Speaker 4: a mark of true maturity is you accept people just 134 00:07:15,800 --> 00:07:18,680 Speaker 4: the way they are. You don't have this hidden agenda 135 00:07:18,880 --> 00:07:21,720 Speaker 4: where deep down you're really trying to change them and 136 00:07:21,800 --> 00:07:24,840 Speaker 4: make them more like you. And the way God made 137 00:07:24,920 --> 00:07:28,160 Speaker 4: us is we are drawn to people that have strengths 138 00:07:28,200 --> 00:07:31,280 Speaker 4: that are different than our own. One reason I fell 139 00:07:31,280 --> 00:07:35,040 Speaker 4: in love with Victoria not just because she's beautiful, smart 140 00:07:35,080 --> 00:07:40,880 Speaker 4: and talented, but she's fond, outgoing, spontaneous, she's not stiff, 141 00:07:41,400 --> 00:07:44,559 Speaker 4: not rigid. She has strengths that are different than mine. 142 00:07:45,200 --> 00:07:48,679 Speaker 4: Yet we get into relationship with someone and we think, wow, 143 00:07:48,880 --> 00:07:51,640 Speaker 4: I love your good qualities, but I want you to 144 00:07:51,680 --> 00:07:55,880 Speaker 4: have my strengths as well. The truth is no person 145 00:07:55,960 --> 00:07:59,000 Speaker 4: has it all. That's why the scripture talks about we 146 00:07:59,120 --> 00:08:02,800 Speaker 4: have to make a lie for people's weaknesses. What would 147 00:08:02,840 --> 00:08:07,080 Speaker 4: happen if we all would start accepting the people God 148 00:08:07,080 --> 00:08:09,840 Speaker 4: put in our life and not try to change them. 149 00:08:10,400 --> 00:08:14,240 Speaker 4: Number one, we'd have better relationships, and number two, we 150 00:08:14,280 --> 00:08:17,840 Speaker 4: wouldn't live frustrated trying to make them into something that 151 00:08:17,840 --> 00:08:21,360 Speaker 4: they're not. We have this plant at home. It's kind 152 00:08:21,360 --> 00:08:23,800 Speaker 4: of like an ivy it's in this large pot and 153 00:08:24,120 --> 00:08:27,280 Speaker 4: it drapes over toward the ground. When we first got 154 00:08:27,360 --> 00:08:30,640 Speaker 4: married at our townhouse, we had this same type of 155 00:08:30,680 --> 00:08:33,800 Speaker 4: plant on our back porch, and I took care of it. 156 00:08:33,800 --> 00:08:36,199 Speaker 4: It was my project, made sure it had the right 157 00:08:36,240 --> 00:08:39,520 Speaker 4: amount of sunlight, the right amount of water. It had 158 00:08:39,559 --> 00:08:44,800 Speaker 4: these thick, dark green leaves, very lush, very full, as 159 00:08:44,880 --> 00:08:48,880 Speaker 4: healthy as can be. If those leaves ever started turning 160 00:08:48,920 --> 00:08:52,280 Speaker 4: to a lighter green, I knew it wasn't getting enough water. 161 00:08:52,800 --> 00:08:55,320 Speaker 4: I would water it more and in no time they 162 00:08:55,360 --> 00:08:58,360 Speaker 4: would be back to dark green. Well in our backyard 163 00:08:58,440 --> 00:09:01,640 Speaker 4: now we have this same type of plant, but I 164 00:09:01,679 --> 00:09:05,040 Speaker 4: could never get the leaves to look right. They were 165 00:09:05,080 --> 00:09:08,920 Speaker 4: always a little bit lighter green, almost on the verge 166 00:09:08,920 --> 00:09:12,480 Speaker 4: of being yellow. So I watered them like I did 167 00:09:12,679 --> 00:09:16,000 Speaker 4: my last plant, again and again, but didn't do any good. 168 00:09:16,480 --> 00:09:19,559 Speaker 4: Still light green leaves. Kind of puzzled by it, and 169 00:09:20,120 --> 00:09:22,600 Speaker 4: I thought, maybe something is wrong with the soil. So 170 00:09:22,679 --> 00:09:25,360 Speaker 4: I went down to the nursery and I picked up 171 00:09:25,400 --> 00:09:30,000 Speaker 4: some fertilizer and I gave that plant food. Day after day. 172 00:09:30,480 --> 00:09:34,160 Speaker 4: I pampered this plant. I prayed over it, I sang 173 00:09:34,240 --> 00:09:36,439 Speaker 4: to it, I told it I loved it. I did 174 00:09:36,480 --> 00:09:40,320 Speaker 4: everything I could, nothing help. I thought, why can't I 175 00:09:40,360 --> 00:09:43,520 Speaker 4: get this plant healthy? Why can't I get these leaves 176 00:09:43,600 --> 00:09:47,240 Speaker 4: dark green? Finally I called the expert out, the men 177 00:09:47,320 --> 00:09:49,760 Speaker 4: from the nursery. He looked at it and said, Joel, 178 00:09:50,320 --> 00:09:53,200 Speaker 4: this plant is as healthy as can be. It's nothing 179 00:09:53,200 --> 00:09:55,720 Speaker 4: wrong with it. I said, well, why does it have 180 00:09:55,920 --> 00:09:59,679 Speaker 4: light green leaves and not dark green? He said, this 181 00:09:59,720 --> 00:10:03,439 Speaker 4: plant is a slight variation from the plant you had 182 00:10:03,520 --> 00:10:07,640 Speaker 4: last time. The vines are the same size, same shape, 183 00:10:08,120 --> 00:10:11,040 Speaker 4: They grow at the same rate. The only difference is 184 00:10:11,520 --> 00:10:16,920 Speaker 4: one has dark green leaves and one has light green leaves. Here, 185 00:10:17,000 --> 00:10:20,920 Speaker 4: I had spent months being frustrated trying to make that 186 00:10:21,080 --> 00:10:24,240 Speaker 4: plant into something that it was never designed to be. 187 00:10:25,120 --> 00:10:28,719 Speaker 4: Too often we do what I did with people. We 188 00:10:28,800 --> 00:10:32,000 Speaker 4: think they're supposed to be a certain way. They look 189 00:10:32,080 --> 00:10:35,480 Speaker 4: the same, they come from the same family. But just 190 00:10:35,679 --> 00:10:38,480 Speaker 4: like this plant, no matter how hard you try to 191 00:10:38,520 --> 00:10:41,080 Speaker 4: fit them into that mold, it's not going to happen. 192 00:10:41,440 --> 00:10:44,880 Speaker 4: It's not who God created them to be. We're not 193 00:10:44,920 --> 00:10:48,400 Speaker 4: supposed to go around trying to change everybody, try to 194 00:10:48,400 --> 00:10:52,000 Speaker 4: get them to be like their brother, their cousin, their relative. 195 00:10:52,280 --> 00:10:55,760 Speaker 4: No our job is to love people, to accept people, 196 00:10:56,040 --> 00:10:58,640 Speaker 4: to let them be who God created them to be. 197 00:10:59,200 --> 00:11:02,800 Speaker 4: Don't spend your whole life trying to make someone have 198 00:11:03,040 --> 00:11:06,640 Speaker 4: dark green leaves when God designed them to have light 199 00:11:06,720 --> 00:11:10,120 Speaker 4: green leaves. When I was a little boy growing up, 200 00:11:10,640 --> 00:11:14,360 Speaker 4: I would get into bed every night very carefully, so 201 00:11:14,480 --> 00:11:18,560 Speaker 4: I wouldn't mess up the covers. I would sleep perfectly still, 202 00:11:19,040 --> 00:11:22,560 Speaker 4: I wouldn't move, wouldn't roll over. When I woke up 203 00:11:22,559 --> 00:11:24,840 Speaker 4: the next day, I would get out of bed as 204 00:11:24,960 --> 00:11:28,320 Speaker 4: carefully as can be. That way, I wouldn't have to 205 00:11:28,400 --> 00:11:31,960 Speaker 4: make the bed up. It was already made. You're talking 206 00:11:32,000 --> 00:11:35,240 Speaker 4: about structure. You roll around in your covers, what's wrong 207 00:11:35,280 --> 00:11:40,880 Speaker 4: with you? It's funny. Our daughter Alexandra, she's thirteen years old, 208 00:11:40,960 --> 00:11:44,200 Speaker 4: and she's just like me, as perfect as can be. 209 00:11:46,200 --> 00:11:49,360 Speaker 4: Our son Jonathan, he's seventeen years old, and he is 210 00:11:49,520 --> 00:11:55,640 Speaker 4: just like Victoria, perfect in a different way. Alexandra picks 211 00:11:55,679 --> 00:11:58,360 Speaker 4: out her clothes the night before, what she's going to 212 00:11:58,440 --> 00:12:01,480 Speaker 4: wear to school the next day, prepared. We're going on 213 00:12:01,520 --> 00:12:05,040 Speaker 4: a trip in a couple of weeks. Alexandra's already got 214 00:12:05,080 --> 00:12:07,640 Speaker 4: those clothes laid out. She knows what she's going to 215 00:12:07,640 --> 00:12:11,520 Speaker 4: take Jonathan has a different approach. He will pick his 216 00:12:11,600 --> 00:12:13,840 Speaker 4: out not two weeks before, but maybe a couple of 217 00:12:13,880 --> 00:12:20,439 Speaker 4: hours before. Different personalities, different strengths. When Alexandra packs her suitcase, 218 00:12:20,640 --> 00:12:24,720 Speaker 4: it is a work of art. Everything is strategically placed, 219 00:12:25,160 --> 00:12:28,920 Speaker 4: perfectly sectioned. All she's got all these little bags, bags 220 00:12:28,920 --> 00:12:32,640 Speaker 4: for makeup, bags for shampoo, bags for soap, bag of 221 00:12:32,720 --> 00:12:36,080 Speaker 4: snacks that's for the plane ride going. Then, of course 222 00:12:36,120 --> 00:12:40,000 Speaker 4: there's another bag of snacks strategically placed that's for the 223 00:12:40,040 --> 00:12:44,240 Speaker 4: plane ride coming back home. When I was Jonathan's age, 224 00:12:44,320 --> 00:12:47,560 Speaker 4: I was playing sports all the time. Jonathan not only 225 00:12:47,600 --> 00:12:50,720 Speaker 4: plays sports, but he'll go practice his guitar for a 226 00:12:50,720 --> 00:12:54,400 Speaker 4: couple hours. I can't play any instruments. Then he may 227 00:12:54,440 --> 00:12:57,480 Speaker 4: go right on his screenplay that he's been working on 228 00:12:57,600 --> 00:12:59,880 Speaker 4: for a year and a half. I would never write 229 00:13:00,040 --> 00:13:02,959 Speaker 4: anything extra lest the teachers required us to do it. 230 00:13:04,400 --> 00:13:07,319 Speaker 4: God puts people in our life that are different than 231 00:13:07,320 --> 00:13:11,880 Speaker 4: we are. Different strengths, different talents, different goals. Too often 232 00:13:11,960 --> 00:13:14,520 Speaker 4: we look at them and say, hey, you're not like me. 233 00:13:15,280 --> 00:13:18,240 Speaker 4: Let me fix you, let me get you straightened out. 234 00:13:18,480 --> 00:13:20,599 Speaker 4: They don't need to be fixed. They don't need to 235 00:13:20,640 --> 00:13:25,479 Speaker 4: be straightened out. They need to be accepted, approved, loved, encouraged. 236 00:13:27,280 --> 00:13:30,400 Speaker 4: Just because they're not like you doesn't mean that they're 237 00:13:30,480 --> 00:13:35,000 Speaker 4: less than. Most likely, they have strengths that you don't have. 238 00:13:35,600 --> 00:13:38,640 Speaker 4: They're good at something that you're not good at. Don't 239 00:13:38,679 --> 00:13:42,559 Speaker 4: waste your valuable time and energy trying to make somebody 240 00:13:42,840 --> 00:13:45,480 Speaker 4: just like you. Let them be who God made them 241 00:13:45,480 --> 00:13:49,640 Speaker 4: to be. I have a fourteen year old niece named Caroline. 242 00:13:50,200 --> 00:13:53,280 Speaker 4: This is my sister Lisa's daughter and her husband Kevin, 243 00:13:53,320 --> 00:13:57,840 Speaker 4: and Caroline is not only beautiful, but she's extremely creative. 244 00:13:58,320 --> 00:14:02,000 Speaker 4: She loves fashion. She's got a great eye for design. 245 00:14:02,559 --> 00:14:05,600 Speaker 4: She can take the most unusual clothes and jewelry and 246 00:14:05,800 --> 00:14:09,160 Speaker 4: put them together and make them really look great. Nobody 247 00:14:09,200 --> 00:14:11,839 Speaker 4: taught her to do this. It just comes naturally to her. 248 00:14:12,320 --> 00:14:16,679 Speaker 4: But here's the thing. Caroline doesn't like traditional. She likes 249 00:14:16,760 --> 00:14:20,400 Speaker 4: anything out of the ordinary. She likes her hair any 250 00:14:20,440 --> 00:14:24,000 Speaker 4: color but her normal color, not brown, but red or 251 00:14:24,040 --> 00:14:26,760 Speaker 4: blonde or black or with an orange streak through it. 252 00:14:27,280 --> 00:14:32,960 Speaker 4: She's got this incredible personality, so stylish, so fashionable. When 253 00:14:33,040 --> 00:14:35,960 Speaker 4: God puts people in our lives like that that are different, 254 00:14:36,400 --> 00:14:39,560 Speaker 4: it's easy to think, well, they're far out, they're strange. 255 00:14:39,760 --> 00:14:43,200 Speaker 4: Let me get them into my mold. Now, that's like 256 00:14:43,360 --> 00:14:47,320 Speaker 4: trying to make that dark green plant have light green leaves. 257 00:14:47,520 --> 00:14:50,880 Speaker 4: It's not who they are. God is the one that 258 00:14:50,960 --> 00:14:55,120 Speaker 4: puts the talents, the creativities, the strengths in the different people. 259 00:14:55,800 --> 00:14:58,400 Speaker 4: Her job is not to try to change them and 260 00:14:58,480 --> 00:15:02,600 Speaker 4: make them like us. Should encourage them, give them advice, 261 00:15:02,720 --> 00:15:06,840 Speaker 4: give them wisdom. But take people off of your potter's will. 262 00:15:07,520 --> 00:15:10,920 Speaker 4: Don't try to make them just like you. Accept them 263 00:15:11,160 --> 00:15:14,360 Speaker 4: for who God made them to be. You see me 264 00:15:14,520 --> 00:15:16,520 Speaker 4: up here, and you know it may seem like I'm 265 00:15:16,560 --> 00:15:20,400 Speaker 4: really outgoing. I'm very talkative, but the truth is when 266 00:15:20,400 --> 00:15:23,960 Speaker 4: I'm not up here, I'm very quiet and reserved. I'm 267 00:15:23,960 --> 00:15:27,320 Speaker 4: not super talkative. Of course, Victoria and I we talk 268 00:15:27,360 --> 00:15:29,800 Speaker 4: at home, and we have fun together. There's a lot 269 00:15:29,840 --> 00:15:33,239 Speaker 4: of laughter in our home. But as much as Victoria 270 00:15:33,760 --> 00:15:35,920 Speaker 4: would probably like me to sit down and talk with 271 00:15:35,920 --> 00:15:39,120 Speaker 4: her two or three hours every evening, that's just not 272 00:15:39,240 --> 00:15:42,920 Speaker 4: who I am and I've grown. I do my best 273 00:15:42,960 --> 00:15:47,920 Speaker 4: to communicate properly, but Victoria recognizes that's not one of 274 00:15:47,960 --> 00:15:51,480 Speaker 4: my strengths. She doesn't try to make me into something 275 00:15:51,520 --> 00:15:55,320 Speaker 4: that I'm not. She accepts the fact that I'm just 276 00:15:55,440 --> 00:15:59,280 Speaker 4: not one that's probably gonna sit down and tell my innermost, 277 00:15:59,320 --> 00:16:04,080 Speaker 4: deepest feelings. One reason we have a good relationship is 278 00:16:04,120 --> 00:16:07,840 Speaker 4: because we're not constantly trying to change each other. We 279 00:16:07,960 --> 00:16:11,720 Speaker 4: accept each other for who we are. If you're always 280 00:16:11,800 --> 00:16:14,960 Speaker 4: working on another person, trying to change them, there's going 281 00:16:15,000 --> 00:16:19,280 Speaker 4: to be this underlying resentment that will develop. It says, 282 00:16:19,760 --> 00:16:22,680 Speaker 4: why doesn't he talk to me more? Why does she 283 00:16:22,880 --> 00:16:26,600 Speaker 4: act that way? It's much better to say, that's just 284 00:16:26,680 --> 00:16:30,080 Speaker 4: who God made them to be. I can't change them. 285 00:16:30,120 --> 00:16:33,520 Speaker 4: Only God can, and if he does, great, But in 286 00:16:33,560 --> 00:16:36,560 Speaker 4: the meantime, I'm not going to be frustrated. Here's my 287 00:16:36,720 --> 00:16:40,560 Speaker 4: whole message in a nutshell. The other person may not change, 288 00:16:40,840 --> 00:16:43,880 Speaker 4: but you can change. You don't have to allow what 289 00:16:43,920 --> 00:16:47,360 Speaker 4: they do or don't do upset you. For the next 290 00:16:47,360 --> 00:16:51,640 Speaker 4: twenty five years, Victoria has had to make allowances for 291 00:16:51,760 --> 00:16:55,560 Speaker 4: my weaknesses. I've had to make allowances for her weaknesses. 292 00:16:56,160 --> 00:16:58,720 Speaker 4: When I come to church, I like to arrive at 293 00:16:58,800 --> 00:17:01,120 Speaker 4: least thirty minutes early so I can go over my 294 00:17:01,200 --> 00:17:05,560 Speaker 4: notes and prepare and really be in peace. Victoria, on 295 00:17:05,600 --> 00:17:07,800 Speaker 4: the other hand, she likes to come just a few 296 00:17:07,840 --> 00:17:11,159 Speaker 4: minutes before the service starts, she prepares at home and 297 00:17:11,400 --> 00:17:14,000 Speaker 4: goes over her notes there. For years, I tried to 298 00:17:14,080 --> 00:17:17,320 Speaker 4: change her. I'd say, Victoria, why don't you leave a 299 00:17:17,320 --> 00:17:20,800 Speaker 4: little bit earlier, case you get caught in traffic, case 300 00:17:20,840 --> 00:17:24,080 Speaker 4: you get delayed for some reason. We've been doing this 301 00:17:24,119 --> 00:17:27,000 Speaker 4: for twelve years, and she's never once missed the opening 302 00:17:27,040 --> 00:17:29,880 Speaker 4: of the service. I was just trying to fit her 303 00:17:30,200 --> 00:17:33,840 Speaker 4: into my mold. When we moved from the other location 304 00:17:34,160 --> 00:17:37,200 Speaker 4: to this new building, instead of being a thirty minute drive, 305 00:17:37,240 --> 00:17:40,080 Speaker 4: it's only a ten minute drive. I thought, great, that's 306 00:17:40,119 --> 00:17:43,320 Speaker 4: gonna solve everything. She gonna be here twenty minutes early. 307 00:17:43,400 --> 00:17:47,040 Speaker 4: But that's not how she saw it. She already calculated 308 00:17:47,240 --> 00:17:50,200 Speaker 4: that's twenty minutes for her to get something else done. 309 00:17:50,680 --> 00:17:55,399 Speaker 4: Here's my point. She didn't change, but I changed. After 310 00:17:55,480 --> 00:17:58,680 Speaker 4: twenty five years of marriage, twenty five years of trying 311 00:17:58,720 --> 00:18:02,840 Speaker 4: to make her just like I had a breakthrough a revelation. 312 00:18:03,520 --> 00:18:06,880 Speaker 4: God made her like that on purpose. I've learned to 313 00:18:06,920 --> 00:18:10,000 Speaker 4: accept her and improve her just the way she is. 314 00:18:11,080 --> 00:18:15,880 Speaker 4: Are there people are there people in your life. You're 315 00:18:15,960 --> 00:18:19,000 Speaker 4: waiting for them to change, and then you're gonna be happy. 316 00:18:19,400 --> 00:18:21,960 Speaker 4: Then you're gonna let them off the hook. As soon 317 00:18:22,000 --> 00:18:24,679 Speaker 4: as they fit into your mold, then you're going to 318 00:18:24,720 --> 00:18:28,160 Speaker 4: give them your approval. Now take this in the right way. 319 00:18:28,680 --> 00:18:32,000 Speaker 4: They may never change, it may not be who God 320 00:18:32,080 --> 00:18:35,760 Speaker 4: created them to be. The good news is you can change. 321 00:18:36,359 --> 00:18:40,119 Speaker 4: Doesn't have to bother you, doesn't have to lessen the relationship. 322 00:18:40,920 --> 00:18:43,800 Speaker 4: Don't focus on what you don't like about that person. 323 00:18:44,080 --> 00:18:47,760 Speaker 4: Focus on their good qualities. I've heard it said men, 324 00:18:47,880 --> 00:18:51,760 Speaker 4: when you're tempted to complain about your wife's faults, remember 325 00:18:52,119 --> 00:18:54,639 Speaker 4: it was those faults that kept her from getting a 326 00:18:54,680 --> 00:18:59,919 Speaker 4: better husband. Focus on the good qualities. Remember the reason 327 00:19:00,119 --> 00:19:04,040 Speaker 4: that you fell in love. Proverbs eighteen twenty two says 328 00:19:04,680 --> 00:19:08,080 Speaker 4: he who finds a wife finds a good thing and 329 00:19:08,200 --> 00:19:11,959 Speaker 4: finds favor from the lord husband's You've got to remind 330 00:19:12,000 --> 00:19:16,240 Speaker 4: yourself your wife is bringing you favor. Victoria doesn't let 331 00:19:16,240 --> 00:19:18,520 Speaker 4: me forget it. She'll go through the house, Andy and Joey. 332 00:19:18,560 --> 00:19:22,320 Speaker 4: When you got me, you got favor, I say, yeah, 333 00:19:22,320 --> 00:19:25,040 Speaker 4: and I got a lot of other things too. But 334 00:19:25,119 --> 00:19:29,240 Speaker 4: here's the key. Give people room to not be perfect. 335 00:19:30,000 --> 00:19:32,760 Speaker 4: Your wife may not be the greatest cook in the world, 336 00:19:32,960 --> 00:19:36,480 Speaker 4: but she's a fantastic mother. You and your children are 337 00:19:36,520 --> 00:19:39,800 Speaker 4: blessed to have that woman in your life. See the good. 338 00:19:40,480 --> 00:19:44,080 Speaker 4: Your husband may not be the greatest communicator, but he's 339 00:19:44,119 --> 00:19:46,679 Speaker 4: a hard worker. You never have to worry about the 340 00:19:46,720 --> 00:19:50,720 Speaker 4: bills being paid. Focus on those good qualities. The scripture 341 00:19:50,760 --> 00:19:55,199 Speaker 4: says a wife is to enjoy her husband. Notice it 342 00:19:55,200 --> 00:19:59,399 Speaker 4: doesn't say you are to remodel your husband. Take that 343 00:19:59,520 --> 00:20:04,200 Speaker 4: man off your potter's will. Sometimes we are not enjoying 344 00:20:04,240 --> 00:20:07,000 Speaker 4: the people God's put in our life because we're too 345 00:20:07,040 --> 00:20:10,840 Speaker 4: busy trying to change them. Well, Joel, my husband doesn't 346 00:20:10,840 --> 00:20:14,439 Speaker 4: bring me flowers like Susie's husband. Every week they have 347 00:20:14,520 --> 00:20:17,960 Speaker 4: a candlelight dinner every Friday night. He writes her this 348 00:20:18,080 --> 00:20:23,199 Speaker 4: beautiful romantic poetry. No quit comparing your spouse to Romeo 349 00:20:23,440 --> 00:20:27,400 Speaker 4: over there, and just accept the person God's given you. 350 00:20:28,440 --> 00:20:31,719 Speaker 4: That other men may be Romeo, but I can assure 351 00:20:31,760 --> 00:20:34,960 Speaker 4: you he has some weaknesses. There's something that lady has 352 00:20:35,000 --> 00:20:38,520 Speaker 4: to overlook. I'll admit I'm not the most romantic person, 353 00:20:38,800 --> 00:20:41,280 Speaker 4: but I remind Victoria all the time. I may not 354 00:20:41,400 --> 00:20:47,719 Speaker 4: be Romeo, but at least i'm jo Leo. That's really corny. 355 00:20:49,800 --> 00:20:51,480 Speaker 4: I didn't come up with that. Somebody gave it to 356 00:20:51,480 --> 00:20:56,720 Speaker 4: me the Instead of complaining about what you don't like 357 00:20:56,880 --> 00:21:00,199 Speaker 4: about a person, Well, you never bring me flowers, you 358 00:21:00,240 --> 00:21:02,360 Speaker 4: never talk to me. Were you always too busy? You're 359 00:21:02,359 --> 00:21:06,320 Speaker 4: never available. Try a different approach. Start telling that person 360 00:21:06,440 --> 00:21:09,639 Speaker 4: what you do like about them. I really appreciate you 361 00:21:09,680 --> 00:21:12,320 Speaker 4: being such a great mother. You are so good with 362 00:21:12,359 --> 00:21:16,040 Speaker 4: our children. I really appreciate you being such a hard worker. 363 00:21:16,440 --> 00:21:20,280 Speaker 4: You're somebody I can always count on. Listen, people respond 364 00:21:20,359 --> 00:21:24,160 Speaker 4: to praise a lot better than they do criticism. Instead 365 00:21:24,160 --> 00:21:27,400 Speaker 4: of nagging that husband, you're so lazy, you never mow 366 00:21:27,480 --> 00:21:29,320 Speaker 4: the lawn. Why don't you get up off this couch. 367 00:21:29,720 --> 00:21:32,760 Speaker 4: Don't just say have I ever told you? When I 368 00:21:32,880 --> 00:21:38,240 Speaker 4: see you out there mowing the lawn, those muscles bulging, 369 00:21:39,880 --> 00:21:43,680 Speaker 4: a sweat dripping down your face, the wind blowing through 370 00:21:43,720 --> 00:21:49,359 Speaker 4: you two, pay how incredibly handsome you are? You prais 371 00:21:49,400 --> 00:21:53,280 Speaker 4: him like that, and he'll mow the lawn every day. 372 00:21:54,320 --> 00:21:57,840 Speaker 4: It's amazing what people will do when you see the 373 00:21:57,880 --> 00:22:01,640 Speaker 4: best in them, When you honor them, when you respect them, 374 00:22:01,920 --> 00:22:05,280 Speaker 4: it not only strengthens the relationship, but it'll help that 375 00:22:05,359 --> 00:22:09,480 Speaker 4: other person rise higher. It's like a cork that's inside 376 00:22:09,640 --> 00:22:12,800 Speaker 4: a large bottle, as long as there's no water in 377 00:22:12,840 --> 00:22:15,720 Speaker 4: the bottle, the cork will be at the bottom. When 378 00:22:15,760 --> 00:22:19,119 Speaker 4: you pour water in, the cork will always rise to 379 00:22:19,200 --> 00:22:21,879 Speaker 4: the top of the water well. The person you're in 380 00:22:21,960 --> 00:22:25,159 Speaker 4: relationship with is like the cork. They may be on 381 00:22:25,240 --> 00:22:29,320 Speaker 4: the bottom right now, but as you give encouragement, show honor, 382 00:22:29,520 --> 00:22:33,399 Speaker 4: show respect, you're pouring water into that bottle. They won't 383 00:22:33,440 --> 00:22:36,879 Speaker 4: stay where they are. They'll continue to rise to the 384 00:22:36,960 --> 00:22:39,480 Speaker 4: level that you pour into them. You want to make 385 00:22:39,520 --> 00:22:42,640 Speaker 4: your spouse, your children, your loved one a better person. 386 00:22:43,200 --> 00:22:46,720 Speaker 4: Honor them in a greater way, Accept them for who 387 00:22:46,800 --> 00:22:50,560 Speaker 4: they are, give them your approval, even if they don't 388 00:22:50,600 --> 00:22:55,119 Speaker 4: fit into your mold. You have tremendous power and influence 389 00:22:55,200 --> 00:23:00,679 Speaker 4: into their lives. You can push them further with your honor, acceptance, 390 00:23:00,680 --> 00:23:04,560 Speaker 4: your approval, or you can withhold it and keep them back. 391 00:23:05,520 --> 00:23:08,480 Speaker 4: I know this young couple that were newly married. The 392 00:23:08,560 --> 00:23:13,240 Speaker 4: husband was a graphic designer, very talented, very creative. His 393 00:23:13,320 --> 00:23:16,720 Speaker 4: wife was so proud of him. She was always bragging 394 00:23:16,760 --> 00:23:19,520 Speaker 4: on him, saying, you are so gifted, You're going to 395 00:23:19,600 --> 00:23:23,280 Speaker 4: do great things. In the first few years of the marriage, 396 00:23:23,520 --> 00:23:28,320 Speaker 4: this husband got several major promotions, his career just took off. 397 00:23:28,359 --> 00:23:31,320 Speaker 4: It excelled, and his wife was so happy, and she 398 00:23:31,440 --> 00:23:34,400 Speaker 4: continued to encourage him. But the next four or five 399 00:23:34,480 --> 00:23:38,760 Speaker 4: year span things had slowed down, didn't get any promotions. 400 00:23:39,000 --> 00:23:41,440 Speaker 4: He was at the same level, doing the same type 401 00:23:41,480 --> 00:23:45,440 Speaker 4: of work. He was still very successful, still proud of himself. 402 00:23:46,240 --> 00:23:50,720 Speaker 4: The problem is he had not met his wife's expectations. 403 00:23:51,080 --> 00:23:54,240 Speaker 4: She thought he should be further and that he wasn't 404 00:23:54,320 --> 00:23:58,240 Speaker 4: nearly as aggressive enough. She didn't say anything out loud, 405 00:23:58,800 --> 00:24:02,200 Speaker 4: but by her actions you could tell she was disappointed. 406 00:24:02,720 --> 00:24:06,520 Speaker 4: She quit pouring in the honor, she quit encouraging, She 407 00:24:06,560 --> 00:24:10,639 Speaker 4: didn't brag on him anymore. Why he wasn't fitting in 408 00:24:10,640 --> 00:24:14,280 Speaker 4: to her mold. He wasn't meeting her standards. And they'd 409 00:24:14,320 --> 00:24:17,080 Speaker 4: always had a great marriage, as happy as can be, 410 00:24:17,800 --> 00:24:21,560 Speaker 4: But now the seeds of discontent started to take root. 411 00:24:22,240 --> 00:24:25,000 Speaker 4: Long story short, a few years later they split up 412 00:24:25,119 --> 00:24:29,000 Speaker 4: and went their separate ways. That's what can happen when 413 00:24:29,040 --> 00:24:32,399 Speaker 4: we try to make people fit into our mold. We 414 00:24:32,480 --> 00:24:37,040 Speaker 4: quit pouring the honor in, we quit respecting. We may 415 00:24:37,080 --> 00:24:40,040 Speaker 4: not say it out loud, but by our actions they 416 00:24:40,040 --> 00:24:43,080 Speaker 4: can feel that we're disappointed that we're not proud of them. 417 00:24:43,600 --> 00:24:46,359 Speaker 4: We're focused on their faults and all the qualities that 418 00:24:46,400 --> 00:24:50,480 Speaker 4: we don't like about them. No, take people off of 419 00:24:50,560 --> 00:24:55,280 Speaker 4: your potter's will, your spouse, your children, the people you love. 420 00:24:55,840 --> 00:24:58,280 Speaker 4: They may not have meant your goals. They may not 421 00:24:58,400 --> 00:25:00,560 Speaker 4: be as aggressive as you would like them to be, 422 00:25:01,240 --> 00:25:05,080 Speaker 4: but you have to accept them for who they are today. 423 00:25:05,960 --> 00:25:07,840 Speaker 4: They may not be where you want them to be. 424 00:25:08,480 --> 00:25:11,919 Speaker 4: But God is the one that's directing their steps. God 425 00:25:12,080 --> 00:25:15,120 Speaker 4: is the one that's making them and mold them. Love 426 00:25:15,240 --> 00:25:19,720 Speaker 4: them for who they are right now. Don't have the attitude. 427 00:25:19,880 --> 00:25:24,120 Speaker 4: I'll love you as long as you succeed on my timetable, 428 00:25:24,760 --> 00:25:27,600 Speaker 4: as long as you meet my standards, as long as 429 00:25:27,600 --> 00:25:30,440 Speaker 4: you change the way I want you to change. Now, 430 00:25:30,520 --> 00:25:34,080 Speaker 4: give people room to be who God created them to be. 431 00:25:34,800 --> 00:25:38,240 Speaker 4: God's plan for their life may not be the same 432 00:25:38,320 --> 00:25:42,560 Speaker 4: plan that you have for their life. His timetable may 433 00:25:42,640 --> 00:25:46,920 Speaker 4: be different than your timetable. I can assure you God 434 00:25:47,000 --> 00:25:50,840 Speaker 4: knows what he's doing. His plan will be bigger, better, 435 00:25:51,240 --> 00:25:56,879 Speaker 4: more rewarding, more fulfilling. Now, don't withhold your blessing, keep 436 00:25:56,920 --> 00:26:01,880 Speaker 4: pouring in the honor, keep encouraging, respecting, and God will 437 00:26:01,880 --> 00:26:04,600 Speaker 4: get them to where he wants them to be. But 438 00:26:04,680 --> 00:26:09,000 Speaker 4: too many people like this woman, They end a relationship 439 00:26:09,359 --> 00:26:12,719 Speaker 4: because there's one main thing they don't like about the person. 440 00:26:13,440 --> 00:26:18,640 Speaker 4: They focus on what annoys them and magnify how they've 441 00:26:18,640 --> 00:26:20,679 Speaker 4: got too much of this or not enough of that. 442 00:26:21,680 --> 00:26:25,520 Speaker 4: They'll go find somebody else that has a strength where 443 00:26:25,560 --> 00:26:29,280 Speaker 4: that other person has a weakness. The problem is this 444 00:26:29,400 --> 00:26:32,399 Speaker 4: new person will have a weakness where the other person 445 00:26:32,480 --> 00:26:35,399 Speaker 4: had a strength. We're just moving things around. It so 446 00:26:35,560 --> 00:26:39,760 Speaker 4: always going to come down to overlooking the weaknesses, seeing 447 00:26:39,800 --> 00:26:43,080 Speaker 4: the best in them, accepting people for who they are. 448 00:26:43,800 --> 00:26:47,159 Speaker 4: I've heard it said someone will leave a person that 449 00:26:47,320 --> 00:26:51,080 Speaker 4: has eighty percent of what they need because they find 450 00:26:51,119 --> 00:26:55,080 Speaker 4: the other twenty percent in somebody else. What they don't 451 00:26:55,119 --> 00:27:00,520 Speaker 4: realize is no person has one hundred percent. Leave the 452 00:27:00,560 --> 00:27:04,560 Speaker 4: eighty because you find the twenty in someone else. Well, 453 00:27:04,720 --> 00:27:08,480 Speaker 4: sooner than later you will realize that there's twenty percent 454 00:27:08,640 --> 00:27:11,680 Speaker 4: that that new person doesn't have as well. It's much 455 00:27:11,760 --> 00:27:16,120 Speaker 4: better to recognize no one person can give you everything 456 00:27:16,160 --> 00:27:18,840 Speaker 4: that you need. You've got to focus on their good 457 00:27:18,920 --> 00:27:22,600 Speaker 4: qualities and don't be frustrated by what they don't have 458 00:27:22,960 --> 00:27:25,200 Speaker 4: or what they can't give you. It's like that old 459 00:27:25,240 --> 00:27:28,399 Speaker 4: saying the grass may look greener on the other side, 460 00:27:28,800 --> 00:27:31,960 Speaker 4: but it still has to be mode. That's basically saying 461 00:27:32,119 --> 00:27:34,639 Speaker 4: there's still twenty percent that that other person is not 462 00:27:34,720 --> 00:27:38,320 Speaker 4: going to have some of You would see your relationships 463 00:27:38,400 --> 00:27:41,000 Speaker 4: go to a new level if you would start accepting 464 00:27:41,080 --> 00:27:44,760 Speaker 4: people for who they are. Like that plant, you may 465 00:27:44,800 --> 00:27:47,600 Speaker 4: be a dark green leaf, they're a light green leaf, 466 00:27:48,000 --> 00:27:50,360 Speaker 4: but you're doing everything you can to try to make 467 00:27:50,400 --> 00:27:53,959 Speaker 4: them just like you. The problem is that's not who 468 00:27:54,040 --> 00:27:57,120 Speaker 4: God designed them to be. Why don't you let them 469 00:27:57,160 --> 00:28:00,320 Speaker 4: off of your potter's will. Don't try to fix them, 470 00:28:00,480 --> 00:28:03,159 Speaker 4: don't try to make them fit into your mold. God 471 00:28:03,400 --> 00:28:06,520 Speaker 4: is the potter. He knows what he's doing. Now do 472 00:28:06,640 --> 00:28:11,280 Speaker 4: your part and start pouring the honor in Start respecting 473 00:28:11,320 --> 00:28:14,520 Speaker 4: them in a greater way. Don't love them if they 474 00:28:14,560 --> 00:28:18,200 Speaker 4: meet your standards, love them for who they are right now. 475 00:28:19,000 --> 00:28:22,000 Speaker 4: If you will start accepting and approving the people God's 476 00:28:22,040 --> 00:28:24,520 Speaker 4: put in your life, you'll not only help them rise 477 00:28:24,600 --> 00:28:28,119 Speaker 4: higher and them fulfill their destiny. But I believe and 478 00:28:28,160 --> 00:28:32,080 Speaker 4: declare you will rise higher. You will have better relationships, 479 00:28:32,400 --> 00:28:35,879 Speaker 4: and you will become everything God's created you to be. Amen. 480 00:28:36,240 --> 00:28:40,360 Speaker 4: Do you receive it today? We never like to close 481 00:28:40,360 --> 00:28:44,000 Speaker 4: our broadcast without giving you an opportunity to make Jesus 482 00:28:44,080 --> 00:28:46,520 Speaker 4: the lord of your life. Would you pray with me? 483 00:28:47,160 --> 00:28:52,560 Speaker 4: Just say, Lord, Jesus, I repent of my sins. Come 484 00:28:52,600 --> 00:28:57,920 Speaker 4: into my heart. I make you my Lord and savior. Friends, 485 00:28:57,960 --> 00:29:00,240 Speaker 4: if you prayed that simple prayer, we believe you got 486 00:29:00,240 --> 00:29:03,400 Speaker 4: born again. Get in a good Bible based church, Keep 487 00:29:03,440 --> 00:29:06,400 Speaker 4: God first place. He's gonna take your places you've never 488 00:29:06,480 --> 00:29:10,120 Speaker 4: dreamed of. Thanks so much for listening to today's message. 489 00:29:10,240 --> 00:29:13,040 Speaker 4: I hope you'll subscribe so you can receive the latest 490 00:29:13,040 --> 00:29:16,520 Speaker 4: podcast to keep you encouraged and inspired all through the week. 491 00:29:16,720 --> 00:29:18,920 Speaker 5: Help us to continue to share the message of hope 492 00:29:18,920 --> 00:29:22,400 Speaker 5: with those all around the world. Visit Joelosting dot com 493 00:29:22,520 --> 00:29:25,120 Speaker 5: or click the link in the description to partner with 494 00:29:25,200 --> 00:29:25,719 Speaker 5: us today. 495 00:29:25,960 --> 00:29:28,400 Speaker 4: We hope you'll share this message with a friend and 496 00:29:28,520 --> 00:29:31,320 Speaker 4: be sure to follow us on social media. We're praying 497 00:29:31,400 --> 00:29:34,480 Speaker 4: for you. I know God's best is still ahead. We'll 498 00:29:34,480 --> 00:29:35,360 Speaker 4: see you next time. 499 00:29:37,600 --> 00:29:40,400 Speaker 6: Did you know you can be happier in enjoying watermelon? 500 00:29:40,480 --> 00:29:45,960 Speaker 6: Eighty two percent of consumers agree eating watermelon boost their mood. 501 00:29:46,000 --> 00:29:49,280 Speaker 7: Savor a slice pool side tosten to a salad blends 502 00:29:49,280 --> 00:29:51,840 Speaker 7: into a chilled summer smoothie, whether you eat the fruit 503 00:29:51,960 --> 00:29:55,160 Speaker 7: or drink the juice, anyway you slice it. Eating watermelon 504 00:29:55,160 --> 00:29:57,720 Speaker 7: one hundred percent makes you feel happy. Just look at 505 00:29:57,760 --> 00:29:58,200 Speaker 7: the rind. 506 00:29:58,440 --> 00:30:01,560 Speaker 6: It leaves a smile behind. Be happy and check. 507 00:30:01,360 --> 00:30:04,400 Speaker 7: Out the Slice of Happy project at watermelon dot org. 508 00:30:06,400 --> 00:30:09,080 Speaker 8: With millions of books on Amazon, there's a reading feeling 509 00:30:09,160 --> 00:30:14,120 Speaker 8: for everyone. For example, Raquel's whoa when she first entered 510 00:30:14,160 --> 00:30:18,360 Speaker 8: the Kingdom by dragonback is different to Ari's whoa when 511 00:30:18,400 --> 00:30:21,280 Speaker 8: he found out there was more than one crime scene, 512 00:30:21,680 --> 00:30:26,440 Speaker 8: which is also different to Ava's whoa the moment when 513 00:30:26,440 --> 00:30:30,400 Speaker 8: the stable boy became a stable man from. 514 00:30:30,280 --> 00:30:32,560 Speaker 4: Whoa to WHOA twooa. 515 00:30:33,360 --> 00:30:35,840 Speaker 8: Amazon books that reading feeling awaits. 516 00:30:36,840 --> 00:30:41,000 Speaker 6: All inclusive vacations make life easy with endless eats, bottomless drinks, 517 00:30:41,040 --> 00:30:43,760 Speaker 6: and never ending fun, so booking an all inclusive vacation 518 00:30:43,920 --> 00:30:44,880 Speaker 6: should be easy too. 519 00:30:45,160 --> 00:30:45,560 Speaker 4: Write. 520 00:30:45,640 --> 00:30:48,520 Speaker 6: That's where Apple Vacations comes in. Book your all inclusive 521 00:30:48,560 --> 00:30:52,520 Speaker 6: getaway with Apple Vacations and receive exclusive perks at select resorts. 522 00:30:52,640 --> 00:30:55,600 Speaker 6: You'll find the best deals to sun and sand destinations 523 00:30:55,640 --> 00:30:58,960 Speaker 6: in Mexico and the Caribbean and enjoy a selection of exclusive, 524 00:30:59,040 --> 00:31:03,040 Speaker 6: NonStop vacation flights. Turn on Easymode at Apple vacations dot 525 00:31:03,080 --> 00:31:05,680 Speaker 6: com or call your local travel advisor to get started.