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That's code iHeart fifty when 35 00:01:24,240 --> 00:01:27,240 Speaker 5: you sign up at unest dot co for a fifty 36 00:01:27,280 --> 00:01:30,080 Speaker 5: dollars bonus. See terms and conditions at UNEs dot co. 37 00:01:31,600 --> 00:01:33,360 Speaker 4: Hi, this is Joel and Victoria. 38 00:01:33,440 --> 00:01:36,480 Speaker 6: Thanks for listening to our podcast and thanks for supporting 39 00:01:36,480 --> 00:01:37,160 Speaker 6: the ministry. 40 00:01:37,280 --> 00:01:39,640 Speaker 5: If you enjoyed today's MESSI, why don't you be a 41 00:01:39,680 --> 00:01:41,199 Speaker 5: blessing and share it with a friend. 42 00:01:41,520 --> 00:01:44,240 Speaker 6: We appreciate you and pray for God's very best in 43 00:01:44,280 --> 00:01:45,119 Speaker 6: your line. 44 00:01:48,680 --> 00:01:51,560 Speaker 4: Will God bless you? It is always our joy to 45 00:01:51,680 --> 00:01:52,680 Speaker 4: coming to your homes. 46 00:01:52,960 --> 00:01:53,640 Speaker 2: We love you. 47 00:01:53,920 --> 00:01:56,040 Speaker 4: We know God has great things in store. 48 00:01:56,240 --> 00:01:58,800 Speaker 6: He rewards people that seek after him, and I believe 49 00:01:58,840 --> 00:02:01,120 Speaker 6: that's you, and you here well, and if you're ever 50 00:02:01,200 --> 00:02:02,840 Speaker 6: in our area, come by and see us. 51 00:02:03,120 --> 00:02:05,200 Speaker 4: I promise you we'll make you feel right at home. 52 00:02:05,200 --> 00:02:06,680 Speaker 4: But thanks for tuning in today. 53 00:02:06,960 --> 00:02:08,639 Speaker 6: And I like to get started each week with something 54 00:02:08,720 --> 00:02:10,840 Speaker 6: kind of funny, so listen to this one. A mother 55 00:02:11,000 --> 00:02:14,480 Speaker 6: was cooking pancakes for her two young sons. Ryan was 56 00:02:14,560 --> 00:02:15,800 Speaker 6: five and Kevin was three. 57 00:02:16,200 --> 00:02:18,320 Speaker 4: They begin to argue over who would get the first one. 58 00:02:18,720 --> 00:02:21,320 Speaker 6: The mother sought as an opportunity to teach them a lesson, 59 00:02:21,520 --> 00:02:24,120 Speaker 6: and she said, boys, boys, if Jesus were here, he 60 00:02:24,120 --> 00:02:27,160 Speaker 6: would say, let my brother have the first one. Ryan 61 00:02:27,200 --> 00:02:29,440 Speaker 6: turned to his younger brother and said, okay, Kevin, you 62 00:02:29,520 --> 00:02:34,040 Speaker 6: be Jesus. Hold up your bibles. Let's say it like 63 00:02:34,080 --> 00:02:37,400 Speaker 6: we mean it. This is my Bible. I am what 64 00:02:37,480 --> 00:02:40,280 Speaker 6: it says I am. I have what it says I have. 65 00:02:40,919 --> 00:02:43,600 Speaker 6: I can do what it says I can do. Today 66 00:02:43,639 --> 00:02:47,040 Speaker 6: I'll be taught the Word of God. I boldly confess. 67 00:02:47,480 --> 00:02:51,280 Speaker 6: My mind is alert, my heart is receptive. I will 68 00:02:51,320 --> 00:02:57,000 Speaker 6: never be the same. I am about to receive the incorruptible, indestructible, 69 00:02:57,320 --> 00:02:59,280 Speaker 6: ever living seed of the. 70 00:02:59,240 --> 00:02:59,919 Speaker 4: Word of God. 71 00:03:00,400 --> 00:03:04,600 Speaker 6: I'll never be the same, never, never, never, I'll never. 72 00:03:04,360 --> 00:03:05,000 Speaker 4: Be the same. 73 00:03:05,440 --> 00:03:09,080 Speaker 6: In Jesus' name, God bless you. You sound great as usual. 74 00:03:09,919 --> 00:03:12,200 Speaker 6: I want to talk to you today about living a 75 00:03:12,280 --> 00:03:15,840 Speaker 6: focused life and making the very most of your time. 76 00:03:16,680 --> 00:03:19,359 Speaker 6: Time is one of the most valuable commodities that God 77 00:03:19,400 --> 00:03:22,160 Speaker 6: has given us. And we all have the same amount 78 00:03:22,160 --> 00:03:25,399 Speaker 6: of time, twenty four hours in a day. And one 79 00:03:25,400 --> 00:03:27,720 Speaker 6: thing about time is you can never get it back. 80 00:03:28,400 --> 00:03:31,760 Speaker 6: Once we live this day, it's over and gone. And 81 00:03:31,800 --> 00:03:34,960 Speaker 6: too many people are not using their time wisely. 82 00:03:35,400 --> 00:03:36,560 Speaker 4: They're not focused. 83 00:03:37,120 --> 00:03:39,760 Speaker 6: They don't get up each day with a clear cut 84 00:03:39,800 --> 00:03:43,640 Speaker 6: plan knowing where they're going and what they want to accomplish, 85 00:03:43,680 --> 00:03:46,720 Speaker 6: and so they're easily sidetracked running here and running there. 86 00:03:47,280 --> 00:03:50,400 Speaker 6: They're busy, but not making a lot of progress. But 87 00:03:50,440 --> 00:03:52,680 Speaker 6: if we're going to reach our full potential for we're 88 00:03:52,680 --> 00:03:55,280 Speaker 6: going to be everything God's made us to be, we've 89 00:03:55,280 --> 00:03:58,839 Speaker 6: got to be extremely focused. You've got to know what 90 00:03:58,880 --> 00:04:02,880 Speaker 6: your purpose is, what you want to accomplish, what relationships 91 00:04:02,960 --> 00:04:03,680 Speaker 6: you want to build. 92 00:04:04,040 --> 00:04:06,960 Speaker 4: You've got to have a plan and then be disciplined 93 00:04:07,080 --> 00:04:08,240 Speaker 4: to stick with that plan. 94 00:04:08,960 --> 00:04:13,080 Speaker 6: You can't get entangled and distracted by all these things 95 00:04:13,080 --> 00:04:15,160 Speaker 6: that are going to come along and try to pull 96 00:04:15,200 --> 00:04:18,040 Speaker 6: you off course, because I can tell you there will 97 00:04:18,080 --> 00:04:21,640 Speaker 6: always be a thousand ways to spend your time. There'll 98 00:04:21,640 --> 00:04:24,640 Speaker 6: always be a thousand good things you can get involved with. 99 00:04:25,080 --> 00:04:27,719 Speaker 6: But we have to ask ourselves, is this a part 100 00:04:27,720 --> 00:04:31,040 Speaker 6: of my plan? Is this furthering me toward my God 101 00:04:31,120 --> 00:04:35,240 Speaker 6: given destiny? Or is this just another distraction that's going 102 00:04:35,320 --> 00:04:38,359 Speaker 6: to end up wasting my time? And the scripture says 103 00:04:38,360 --> 00:04:42,120 Speaker 6: here in Ephesians five point fifteen, be very careful how 104 00:04:42,200 --> 00:04:46,839 Speaker 6: you live, making the most of your time. The amplified says, 105 00:04:47,120 --> 00:04:53,960 Speaker 6: don't be vague and thoughtless, but live purposefully and accurately. Notice, 106 00:04:54,000 --> 00:04:57,000 Speaker 6: we need to live accurate lives. We need to be 107 00:04:57,240 --> 00:05:01,479 Speaker 6: on purpose people. That means we don't just go out 108 00:05:01,520 --> 00:05:03,000 Speaker 6: and wait to see what's going to happen. 109 00:05:03,360 --> 00:05:03,920 Speaker 4: We don't just. 110 00:05:03,960 --> 00:05:06,400 Speaker 6: Drift through the day and do what everybody else is doing. 111 00:05:06,720 --> 00:05:08,240 Speaker 4: Know we know our purpose. 112 00:05:08,960 --> 00:05:12,520 Speaker 6: And I know plenty of people today that are extremely talented. 113 00:05:12,880 --> 00:05:16,400 Speaker 6: God's blessed them with incredible gifts, but they're not reaching 114 00:05:16,440 --> 00:05:21,080 Speaker 6: their highest potential simply because they're not disciplined when it 115 00:05:21,080 --> 00:05:24,040 Speaker 6: comes to how they spend their time. They're suffering from 116 00:05:24,080 --> 00:05:27,120 Speaker 6: a lack of focus, and it's so easy to be 117 00:05:27,200 --> 00:05:30,200 Speaker 6: involved in things that we have no business being involved in. 118 00:05:30,760 --> 00:05:32,560 Speaker 4: It's easy to get up each day. 119 00:05:32,839 --> 00:05:34,839 Speaker 6: And just take care of the thing that screams the 120 00:05:34,880 --> 00:05:38,680 Speaker 6: loudest instead of doing the really important things. Now, I 121 00:05:38,720 --> 00:05:42,640 Speaker 6: want to encourage you today to take inventory of how 122 00:05:42,640 --> 00:05:46,600 Speaker 6: you're spending your time. Examine your week. Do you have 123 00:05:46,640 --> 00:05:51,600 Speaker 6: your priorities in order? Are you investing in solid relationships? 124 00:05:52,040 --> 00:05:56,320 Speaker 6: Are you pursuing your dreams, taking steps toward the desires 125 00:05:56,320 --> 00:05:57,400 Speaker 6: God's put in your heart? 126 00:05:58,200 --> 00:06:01,479 Speaker 4: Or have you gotten off course? Have you lost your aim? 127 00:06:01,960 --> 00:06:04,559 Speaker 6: Do you find sometimes you're just so busy you don't 128 00:06:04,560 --> 00:06:07,120 Speaker 6: have time to do what you really want to do. No, 129 00:06:07,240 --> 00:06:10,000 Speaker 6: you've got to take control of your life. If you 130 00:06:10,040 --> 00:06:12,960 Speaker 6: don't determine how you're going to spend your time, somebody 131 00:06:13,000 --> 00:06:17,560 Speaker 6: else will. The Apostle Paul said, in a race, everyone runs, 132 00:06:17,680 --> 00:06:20,599 Speaker 6: but only one person gets the prize. So I don't 133 00:06:20,680 --> 00:06:25,560 Speaker 6: run my race aimlessly. I run with purpose in every step. 134 00:06:26,160 --> 00:06:28,679 Speaker 4: I like that he was saying. I make the most 135 00:06:28,680 --> 00:06:29,320 Speaker 4: of my time. 136 00:06:29,760 --> 00:06:32,159 Speaker 6: I don't go out chasing these pig trails just because 137 00:06:32,200 --> 00:06:34,800 Speaker 6: it looks exciting. I don't go hang out with the 138 00:06:34,800 --> 00:06:37,800 Speaker 6: group just because everybody else is doing it. No, my 139 00:06:37,960 --> 00:06:41,120 Speaker 6: time is valuable, he was saying, in effect, I know 140 00:06:41,240 --> 00:06:43,720 Speaker 6: my purpose, I know what I'm called to do, and 141 00:06:43,800 --> 00:06:46,800 Speaker 6: I'm going to stay focused. That's the kind of attitude 142 00:06:46,839 --> 00:06:49,359 Speaker 6: we need to have. I don't know about you, but 143 00:06:49,400 --> 00:06:52,080 Speaker 6: I want to run my race to win. I don't 144 00:06:52,080 --> 00:06:54,080 Speaker 6: want to come to the end of my life and 145 00:06:54,160 --> 00:06:56,640 Speaker 6: look back and find out I only made it halfway 146 00:06:56,680 --> 00:06:59,240 Speaker 6: through my course or three fourths of the way. I 147 00:06:59,279 --> 00:07:01,800 Speaker 6: want to finish my course. I want to reach my 148 00:07:01,880 --> 00:07:05,560 Speaker 6: full potential. The only way that's going to happen is 149 00:07:05,600 --> 00:07:09,039 Speaker 6: if we become on purpose people. And some of you 150 00:07:09,120 --> 00:07:12,520 Speaker 6: today you've lost your aim. You've sort of given up 151 00:07:12,560 --> 00:07:15,040 Speaker 6: on your dreams, and now you're just sitting back and 152 00:07:15,080 --> 00:07:18,320 Speaker 6: settling for mediocrity. But I believe that God is saying 153 00:07:18,320 --> 00:07:20,840 Speaker 6: to you you need to stir yourself up and get 154 00:07:20,840 --> 00:07:25,440 Speaker 6: your focus back, get your aim straightened out, make some adjustments, 155 00:07:25,520 --> 00:07:28,800 Speaker 6: and start taking steps towards your god giving goals. 156 00:07:29,600 --> 00:07:32,480 Speaker 4: It's interesting the only difference between. 157 00:07:32,120 --> 00:07:35,119 Speaker 6: A one hundred wat light bulb and a laser beam 158 00:07:35,400 --> 00:07:38,440 Speaker 6: is focus. The one hundred watt bulb can light up 159 00:07:38,440 --> 00:07:41,360 Speaker 6: a room, but the laser beam can cut through a 160 00:07:41,400 --> 00:07:44,760 Speaker 6: sheet of metal. You think about it, the bulb has 161 00:07:44,800 --> 00:07:47,200 Speaker 6: the same potential to cut through metal. 162 00:07:47,240 --> 00:07:48,960 Speaker 4: It has the same potential to be a. 163 00:07:48,880 --> 00:07:52,280 Speaker 6: Powerful force, but it'll never happen as long as it's 164 00:07:52,280 --> 00:07:53,040 Speaker 6: all spread out. 165 00:07:53,680 --> 00:07:55,800 Speaker 4: And some of you, too, would go to a whole 166 00:07:55,880 --> 00:07:59,240 Speaker 4: new level if you'd simply get more focused. God has 167 00:07:59,280 --> 00:08:01,480 Speaker 4: put so much potential in you. 168 00:08:01,480 --> 00:08:04,400 Speaker 6: You can go further in your career, you can have 169 00:08:04,480 --> 00:08:08,680 Speaker 6: better relationships, you can live healthier and happier. But you've 170 00:08:08,680 --> 00:08:12,000 Speaker 6: got to do your part and be disciplined to stick 171 00:08:12,080 --> 00:08:13,400 Speaker 6: with the main thing. 172 00:08:13,400 --> 00:08:14,680 Speaker 4: That God has put in your heart. 173 00:08:15,200 --> 00:08:18,160 Speaker 6: In other words, we've got to be willing to prone 174 00:08:18,200 --> 00:08:21,120 Speaker 6: off any areas in our lives that are not bearing 175 00:08:21,160 --> 00:08:21,760 Speaker 6: good fruit. 176 00:08:22,520 --> 00:08:25,440 Speaker 4: It may be difficult, it may hurt a few feelings, 177 00:08:25,440 --> 00:08:26,400 Speaker 4: but that's okay. 178 00:08:26,600 --> 00:08:28,520 Speaker 6: You've got to do what you know in your heart 179 00:08:28,640 --> 00:08:31,239 Speaker 6: is right for you. I know, I used to play 180 00:08:31,600 --> 00:08:34,120 Speaker 6: baseball four or five nights a week. I had done 181 00:08:34,120 --> 00:08:35,880 Speaker 6: this for years and years and had a lot of 182 00:08:35,880 --> 00:08:38,800 Speaker 6: good friends out there. But after I got married and 183 00:08:38,840 --> 00:08:41,960 Speaker 6: we had our first child, I knew that wasn't the 184 00:08:41,960 --> 00:08:44,640 Speaker 6: best use of my time anymore. I knew down in 185 00:08:44,720 --> 00:08:48,120 Speaker 6: here I should be investing that time in my wife 186 00:08:48,400 --> 00:08:51,360 Speaker 6: and in my child, and even though I loved playing ball, 187 00:08:51,679 --> 00:08:54,440 Speaker 6: I had to recognize it was a new season in 188 00:08:54,520 --> 00:08:56,880 Speaker 6: my life and I had to let that go. And 189 00:08:56,960 --> 00:08:59,040 Speaker 6: sure some of the guys weren't happy about it. 190 00:08:58,920 --> 00:09:00,480 Speaker 4: But you've got to do what you know and your 191 00:09:00,480 --> 00:09:01,559 Speaker 4: heart is right for you. 192 00:09:02,080 --> 00:09:04,880 Speaker 6: And you too, today may be involved in things that 193 00:09:04,920 --> 00:09:07,400 Speaker 6: you've been doing for years and years and you've gotten 194 00:09:07,400 --> 00:09:10,640 Speaker 6: really attached to it, but now down in here you 195 00:09:10,720 --> 00:09:13,360 Speaker 6: feel like that season is over. You know it's not 196 00:09:13,400 --> 00:09:15,920 Speaker 6: the best use of your time anymore, and it may 197 00:09:15,920 --> 00:09:19,920 Speaker 6: not be easy, but if you don't make the necessary adjustments, 198 00:09:20,000 --> 00:09:22,800 Speaker 6: it'll end up hurting you later on. And we need 199 00:09:22,840 --> 00:09:27,760 Speaker 6: to constantly be evaluating how we spend our time and 200 00:09:27,920 --> 00:09:31,040 Speaker 6: understand just because something was right in your life at 201 00:09:31,080 --> 00:09:34,040 Speaker 6: one time doesn't mean it's going to be right forever. 202 00:09:34,679 --> 00:09:36,840 Speaker 4: Seasons change, and we need. 203 00:09:36,720 --> 00:09:39,480 Speaker 6: To ask ourselves on a regular basis, is what I'm 204 00:09:39,520 --> 00:09:43,480 Speaker 6: doing part of my plan? Is this furthering me toward 205 00:09:43,559 --> 00:09:47,400 Speaker 6: my god giving goals? Is this bearing good fruit? And 206 00:09:47,440 --> 00:09:49,600 Speaker 6: if not, we've got to be willing to make the 207 00:09:49,679 --> 00:09:53,480 Speaker 6: necessary adjustments. That's what it says in Hebrews twelve, verse 208 00:09:53,480 --> 00:09:56,680 Speaker 6: one that we need to strip off all the weights 209 00:09:57,240 --> 00:10:00,880 Speaker 6: and all these other things that entangle us slow us down. 210 00:10:01,559 --> 00:10:05,120 Speaker 6: And I've discovered they can even be good things, but 211 00:10:05,160 --> 00:10:07,520 Speaker 6: the good will end up being the enemy of the best. 212 00:10:08,040 --> 00:10:08,280 Speaker 4: See. 213 00:10:08,280 --> 00:10:11,320 Speaker 6: God has given us a certain amount of resources to 214 00:10:11,400 --> 00:10:13,960 Speaker 6: work with each day. Like I said, we have a 215 00:10:13,960 --> 00:10:16,760 Speaker 6: certain amount of time, We have a certain amount of 216 00:10:16,800 --> 00:10:21,040 Speaker 6: physical energy, a certain amount of mental energy, emotional energy. 217 00:10:21,400 --> 00:10:23,760 Speaker 6: And once you use that energy for the day, you 218 00:10:23,800 --> 00:10:26,800 Speaker 6: can't get it back. And if you're spending all your 219 00:10:26,920 --> 00:10:30,560 Speaker 6: energy on things that are not furthering you toward your goals, 220 00:10:30,960 --> 00:10:32,720 Speaker 6: then you're not going to have that energy for what 221 00:10:32,760 --> 00:10:35,880 Speaker 6: you really need it for. I know some people they 222 00:10:35,920 --> 00:10:39,160 Speaker 6: spend all their emotional energy on their friends at work. 223 00:10:39,640 --> 00:10:41,720 Speaker 6: When they get home at night, they don't have any 224 00:10:41,840 --> 00:10:45,120 Speaker 6: energy for their family, for their children. They've spent all 225 00:10:45,200 --> 00:10:47,640 Speaker 6: their emotional energy on the wrong thing. They just want 226 00:10:47,640 --> 00:10:50,480 Speaker 6: to sit on the couch and watch TV. Some people, 227 00:10:50,600 --> 00:10:52,959 Speaker 6: if they get caught in traffic in the morning, they 228 00:10:53,000 --> 00:10:57,320 Speaker 6: get all upset and stressed out, get frustrated. They don't 229 00:10:57,400 --> 00:10:59,480 Speaker 6: realize it, but they just spend a whole lot of 230 00:10:59,480 --> 00:11:02,760 Speaker 6: emotional energy that they're going to need later on that day. 231 00:11:03,200 --> 00:11:06,480 Speaker 6: That's what happens when we worry, When we live upset, 232 00:11:06,640 --> 00:11:10,320 Speaker 6: stressed out, when we get frustrated, we're spending emotional energy. 233 00:11:10,600 --> 00:11:13,360 Speaker 6: And what a shame to waste our God given resources 234 00:11:13,400 --> 00:11:16,839 Speaker 6: like that. We have to realize about time. We are 235 00:11:17,000 --> 00:11:20,000 Speaker 6: spending our time just like you spend money. You're either 236 00:11:20,040 --> 00:11:23,840 Speaker 6: investing your time or you're wasting your time. You spend 237 00:11:23,960 --> 00:11:27,480 Speaker 6: quality time with your family, you're making an investment into 238 00:11:27,480 --> 00:11:28,439 Speaker 6: that relationship. 239 00:11:28,679 --> 00:11:29,400 Speaker 4: If you're called to. 240 00:11:29,360 --> 00:11:31,800 Speaker 6: Sing in the choir and you do that, or if 241 00:11:31,840 --> 00:11:35,760 Speaker 6: you invest in improving your skills at work, are staying 242 00:11:35,800 --> 00:11:38,559 Speaker 6: healthy and exercising, those are all investments. 243 00:11:39,080 --> 00:11:41,040 Speaker 4: But on the other hand, if. 244 00:11:40,880 --> 00:11:43,640 Speaker 6: You spend your time with people that are dragging you down, 245 00:11:44,080 --> 00:11:45,720 Speaker 6: really that's a waste of that time. 246 00:11:45,960 --> 00:11:48,400 Speaker 4: You will not receive a return on that investment. 247 00:11:48,720 --> 00:11:51,200 Speaker 6: If you're doing things, even if they're good things and 248 00:11:51,240 --> 00:11:54,040 Speaker 6: it's not a part of your purpose, really that's a 249 00:11:54,120 --> 00:11:56,960 Speaker 6: waste of your time. And as I said, we only 250 00:11:57,040 --> 00:11:59,440 Speaker 6: have a certain amount of time. And that's why I'm 251 00:11:59,520 --> 00:12:01,920 Speaker 6: challenging right here at the first of the new year, 252 00:12:02,240 --> 00:12:07,199 Speaker 6: to use your time wisely. Don't get distracted, don't get entangled, 253 00:12:07,440 --> 00:12:11,160 Speaker 6: live a focused on purpose, life, and we need to 254 00:12:11,240 --> 00:12:15,000 Speaker 6: evaluate our friendships. Who are you spending your time with? 255 00:12:15,640 --> 00:12:19,000 Speaker 6: Are you investing the time or wasting the time. I 256 00:12:19,120 --> 00:12:21,360 Speaker 6: want to spend time with people that are gonna build 257 00:12:21,400 --> 00:12:24,240 Speaker 6: me up, people that are gonna help me dream bigger dreams, 258 00:12:24,280 --> 00:12:28,239 Speaker 6: people that are gonna inspire me. Really, we should associate 259 00:12:28,280 --> 00:12:31,800 Speaker 6: with people that have what we want, because the scripture 260 00:12:31,840 --> 00:12:34,920 Speaker 6: tells us eventually we're gonna become just like the people 261 00:12:34,960 --> 00:12:38,360 Speaker 6: we hang around. That means if you're hanging around people 262 00:12:38,400 --> 00:12:41,760 Speaker 6: that are always negative and critical, people that are always 263 00:12:41,800 --> 00:12:44,920 Speaker 6: defeated and depressed, people that don't have any goals and visions, 264 00:12:45,480 --> 00:12:49,280 Speaker 6: then you are not investing your time very wisely. And friends, 265 00:12:49,360 --> 00:12:53,160 Speaker 6: as I said, your time is extremely valuable. You need 266 00:12:53,200 --> 00:12:56,800 Speaker 6: to be very picky about who you choose to associate with. 267 00:12:57,440 --> 00:12:59,840 Speaker 6: If you're going to reach your full potential, you're gonna 268 00:12:59,880 --> 00:13:02,679 Speaker 6: have to prune off the relationships that aren't going anywhere, 269 00:13:03,080 --> 00:13:05,840 Speaker 6: prune off the relationships that are just dragging you down. 270 00:13:06,400 --> 00:13:10,680 Speaker 6: And know I'm not talking about a marriage relationship. Don't 271 00:13:10,679 --> 00:13:12,480 Speaker 6: go home and tell your husband I said you could 272 00:13:12,520 --> 00:13:16,000 Speaker 6: prune him out of your life. That falls into a 273 00:13:16,040 --> 00:13:20,600 Speaker 6: different category. But young people, this is especially important because 274 00:13:20,640 --> 00:13:23,720 Speaker 6: your friends are gonna have a tremendous impact on your future. 275 00:13:24,280 --> 00:13:29,280 Speaker 6: Choose them wisely. The scripture says bad company corrupts good character. 276 00:13:30,120 --> 00:13:32,080 Speaker 6: You may be a good person, I have no doubt 277 00:13:32,080 --> 00:13:35,000 Speaker 6: about that, but this is saying if you run with 278 00:13:35,080 --> 00:13:37,719 Speaker 6: the wrong crowd, your good is not gonna rub off 279 00:13:37,760 --> 00:13:38,160 Speaker 6: on them. 280 00:13:38,480 --> 00:13:40,080 Speaker 4: They're bad is gonna rub off on you. 281 00:13:40,880 --> 00:13:43,800 Speaker 6: Don't hang around people at school that are always getting 282 00:13:43,840 --> 00:13:46,640 Speaker 6: into trouble. Don't hang around people that don't have any 283 00:13:46,679 --> 00:13:48,160 Speaker 6: goals and dreams. 284 00:13:47,760 --> 00:13:48,440 Speaker 4: For their life. 285 00:13:48,520 --> 00:13:50,800 Speaker 6: You are made for more than that. You are a 286 00:13:50,920 --> 00:13:55,160 Speaker 6: child of the most High God. You've got a divine destiny. 287 00:13:56,200 --> 00:13:58,760 Speaker 6: God has a bright future in store for every one 288 00:13:58,800 --> 00:14:01,000 Speaker 6: of you. And you need to find people that will 289 00:14:01,080 --> 00:14:04,880 Speaker 6: challenge you to go higher, like iron sharpens iron. Find 290 00:14:04,920 --> 00:14:07,040 Speaker 6: people that will build you up and not tear you down, 291 00:14:07,360 --> 00:14:10,360 Speaker 6: people that will inspire you to reach for new heights. 292 00:14:10,679 --> 00:14:13,600 Speaker 6: And throughout the Bible it compares our life to the 293 00:14:13,640 --> 00:14:16,480 Speaker 6: life of an eagle many times, and if you study 294 00:14:16,520 --> 00:14:19,160 Speaker 6: the eagle, one thing you'll find is an eagle is 295 00:14:19,360 --> 00:14:24,640 Speaker 6: very focused, doesn't get distracted, and an eagle has incredible vision. 296 00:14:25,040 --> 00:14:27,440 Speaker 6: It can see a rabbit in a field over two 297 00:14:27,480 --> 00:14:31,720 Speaker 6: miles away, and when it focuses on its prey, when 298 00:14:31,720 --> 00:14:36,320 Speaker 6: it locks that rabbit into its vision, then the whole. 299 00:14:36,120 --> 00:14:38,120 Speaker 4: Way it does not get distracted. 300 00:14:38,200 --> 00:14:40,720 Speaker 6: I mean, other birds may fly by, other stuff may 301 00:14:40,720 --> 00:14:43,720 Speaker 6: be happening on the ground, doesn't matter. It stays focused 302 00:14:43,760 --> 00:14:46,840 Speaker 6: on the prey and swoops in there and gets that rabbit. 303 00:14:47,440 --> 00:14:49,840 Speaker 6: And in the same way, we need to set our 304 00:14:49,880 --> 00:14:52,440 Speaker 6: gaze on what God has put in our hearts. In 305 00:14:52,440 --> 00:14:54,760 Speaker 6: other words, we need to keep our dreams and our 306 00:14:54,800 --> 00:14:57,760 Speaker 6: goals in front of us. And when something comes along 307 00:14:57,880 --> 00:15:00,520 Speaker 6: during the day, if it doesn't fall in life with that, 308 00:15:00,720 --> 00:15:03,520 Speaker 6: even if it's something good, We've got to learn how 309 00:15:03,560 --> 00:15:07,040 Speaker 6: to not get distracted. Every morning when we get up, 310 00:15:07,160 --> 00:15:09,440 Speaker 6: we should have a plan. This is what I want 311 00:15:09,440 --> 00:15:12,040 Speaker 6: to do today, this is what I'm going to accomplish. 312 00:15:12,040 --> 00:15:14,880 Speaker 6: Here's who I'm gonna spend my time with. That's what it. 313 00:15:14,920 --> 00:15:17,360 Speaker 4: Means to live a purposeful life. 314 00:15:17,840 --> 00:15:19,560 Speaker 6: I won't just get up and drift through the day 315 00:15:19,640 --> 00:15:21,680 Speaker 6: and think, well, maybe I'll go to church this morning, 316 00:15:22,120 --> 00:15:24,320 Speaker 6: maybe I'll go down to the mall, or maybe I 317 00:15:24,320 --> 00:15:27,640 Speaker 6: should start that exercise program. Now't make a plan and 318 00:15:27,680 --> 00:15:29,600 Speaker 6: stick with that plan. If you live that kind of 319 00:15:29,680 --> 00:15:32,200 Speaker 6: vague life, you'll never be all God's called you to be. 320 00:15:33,080 --> 00:15:36,040 Speaker 6: And if you have a problem being focused, maybe you 321 00:15:36,080 --> 00:15:38,960 Speaker 6: get easily sidetracked. One of the best things you can 322 00:15:39,000 --> 00:15:42,440 Speaker 6: do is start writing down your goals, short term goals, 323 00:15:42,520 --> 00:15:45,120 Speaker 6: even long term goals. Sunday nights, you can make you 324 00:15:45,160 --> 00:15:47,680 Speaker 6: a list. This is what I'm gonna do this week. Monday, 325 00:15:47,680 --> 00:15:50,680 Speaker 6: I'm gonna do this, Tuesday, I'm gonna do this. Doesn't 326 00:15:50,680 --> 00:15:53,240 Speaker 6: mean that it's setting stone, doesn't mean you can't change it. 327 00:15:53,760 --> 00:15:56,840 Speaker 6: But by writing it down, it's gonna force you to 328 00:15:56,920 --> 00:15:59,640 Speaker 6: think about how you're spending your time. You're not gonna 329 00:15:59,640 --> 00:16:00,560 Speaker 6: be able to live. 330 00:16:00,440 --> 00:16:02,200 Speaker 4: A vague and a thoughtless life. 331 00:16:02,840 --> 00:16:04,600 Speaker 6: I hear so many people say, man, I just don't 332 00:16:04,680 --> 00:16:06,160 Speaker 6: have time to do what I want to do. 333 00:16:06,480 --> 00:16:07,680 Speaker 4: I'm just so busy. 334 00:16:08,240 --> 00:16:11,200 Speaker 6: But really that's a cop out, because the truth is 335 00:16:11,320 --> 00:16:14,560 Speaker 6: we make our own schedules and nobody is forcing us 336 00:16:14,600 --> 00:16:17,440 Speaker 6: to do everything that we're doing. And you can either 337 00:16:17,480 --> 00:16:21,200 Speaker 6: fill your calendar with your priorities or somebody else will. 338 00:16:21,640 --> 00:16:23,760 Speaker 6: But either way, you're going to be busy. You're gonna 339 00:16:23,760 --> 00:16:26,720 Speaker 6: be doing something. I want to challenge you to take 340 00:16:26,800 --> 00:16:30,600 Speaker 6: inventory and make sure that you're filling your schedule with 341 00:16:30,640 --> 00:16:34,440 Speaker 6: your priorities. One thing I really appreciated about my father 342 00:16:34,760 --> 00:16:37,800 Speaker 6: is he took time for his children. When we were 343 00:16:37,840 --> 00:16:41,040 Speaker 6: growing up, my dad was very busy. He was traveling 344 00:16:41,080 --> 00:16:43,760 Speaker 6: all over the world, had a lot of commitments. But 345 00:16:43,920 --> 00:16:46,600 Speaker 6: every week he would mark time on his calendar for 346 00:16:46,680 --> 00:16:50,600 Speaker 6: his children. He made us a priority, and we didn't 347 00:16:50,600 --> 00:16:53,120 Speaker 6: get daddy's left over time when he was all tired 348 00:16:53,160 --> 00:16:55,840 Speaker 6: and worn out. No, he would schedule his prime time 349 00:16:56,080 --> 00:16:59,000 Speaker 6: three or four hours here and there to do nothing more. 350 00:16:58,880 --> 00:17:00,000 Speaker 4: Than play with his children. 351 00:17:00,680 --> 00:17:03,480 Speaker 6: And if somebody called him and asked him to speak 352 00:17:03,920 --> 00:17:06,040 Speaker 6: or to come be a part of an event, if 353 00:17:06,080 --> 00:17:09,360 Speaker 6: it fell during our time, Daddy wouldn't even think twice. 354 00:17:09,520 --> 00:17:11,840 Speaker 6: He'd say, I'm sorry, I'm already committed. I got my 355 00:17:11,920 --> 00:17:15,280 Speaker 6: schedule full, And no matter how important that event was 356 00:17:15,440 --> 00:17:19,520 Speaker 6: or how exciting it looked, he would not change his mind. 357 00:17:19,680 --> 00:17:22,280 Speaker 4: See, he made us a high priority. 358 00:17:22,520 --> 00:17:25,200 Speaker 6: He set his goals, and he was disciplined to follow 359 00:17:25,280 --> 00:17:27,120 Speaker 6: those goals on purpose. 360 00:17:27,280 --> 00:17:28,960 Speaker 4: He spent time with his family. 361 00:17:29,520 --> 00:17:33,600 Speaker 6: He filled his calendar with his priorities. I read a 362 00:17:33,640 --> 00:17:36,879 Speaker 6: story about this college professor. He was teaching a course 363 00:17:36,960 --> 00:17:40,160 Speaker 6: on time management. One day, he went to the class 364 00:17:40,200 --> 00:17:43,800 Speaker 6: and he pulled out this one gallon glass mason jar 365 00:17:44,160 --> 00:17:45,960 Speaker 6: and he set it on the desk there in front 366 00:17:46,000 --> 00:17:49,080 Speaker 6: of his students, and then he pulled out a dozen 367 00:17:49,200 --> 00:17:52,280 Speaker 6: or so rocks about the size of his hand, and 368 00:17:52,359 --> 00:17:55,440 Speaker 6: he began to put them into the jar, one rock 369 00:17:55,480 --> 00:17:58,040 Speaker 6: at a time, and they just barely fit through the opening. 370 00:17:58,200 --> 00:17:59,840 Speaker 4: But once they got in there there was a little 371 00:17:59,840 --> 00:18:00,600 Speaker 4: more room. 372 00:18:00,880 --> 00:18:03,359 Speaker 6: And after he got the jar filled with as many 373 00:18:03,440 --> 00:18:06,520 Speaker 6: big rocks as possible, he asked his students, is this 374 00:18:06,640 --> 00:18:07,160 Speaker 6: jar full? 375 00:18:07,560 --> 00:18:08,760 Speaker 4: And of course they said yes. 376 00:18:09,280 --> 00:18:12,199 Speaker 6: Then he pulled out a bag of small gravel and 377 00:18:12,240 --> 00:18:14,680 Speaker 6: he began to pour that into the glass mason jar, 378 00:18:14,720 --> 00:18:16,520 Speaker 6: and he'd have to shake it around to get it 379 00:18:16,800 --> 00:18:19,520 Speaker 6: around the other rocks. When he got it full of gravel, 380 00:18:19,560 --> 00:18:21,440 Speaker 6: he asked the class again, is this full? 381 00:18:21,440 --> 00:18:22,240 Speaker 4: And they said yes. 382 00:18:22,640 --> 00:18:24,600 Speaker 6: About that time, he pulled out a bag of very 383 00:18:24,640 --> 00:18:27,520 Speaker 6: fine sand. Did the same thing. He poured a little 384 00:18:27,560 --> 00:18:29,280 Speaker 6: sand in, he'd had to shake it around to get 385 00:18:29,280 --> 00:18:31,480 Speaker 6: in the cracks, and then he'd pour some more, and 386 00:18:31,520 --> 00:18:33,199 Speaker 6: finally he got it full of sand. He asked his 387 00:18:33,240 --> 00:18:36,240 Speaker 6: class is it full? They said yes. About that time 388 00:18:36,320 --> 00:18:38,560 Speaker 6: he got out a picture of water, and he began 389 00:18:38,680 --> 00:18:41,600 Speaker 6: to slowly fill the mason jar with water, and when 390 00:18:41,640 --> 00:18:43,639 Speaker 6: he got it to the very top, he said to 391 00:18:43,640 --> 00:18:46,639 Speaker 6: his students, all right, what's the point of this illustration. 392 00:18:47,160 --> 00:18:47,600 Speaker 4: One of the. 393 00:18:47,520 --> 00:18:50,080 Speaker 6: Students quickly jumped up and he said, oh, that's easy. 394 00:18:50,440 --> 00:18:52,680 Speaker 4: The point that this illustration teaches. 395 00:18:52,440 --> 00:18:55,679 Speaker 6: Us is, no matter how busy your calendar is, you 396 00:18:55,720 --> 00:18:59,240 Speaker 6: can always make room for more. The professor said, no, 397 00:18:59,320 --> 00:19:03,159 Speaker 6: you've missed it completely. The truth that this illustration teaches 398 00:19:03,280 --> 00:19:06,600 Speaker 6: us is if you don't put the big rocks in first, 399 00:19:06,840 --> 00:19:09,080 Speaker 6: you'll never get the men at all. 400 00:19:09,200 --> 00:19:11,080 Speaker 4: What are the big rocks in your life? 401 00:19:11,680 --> 00:19:15,280 Speaker 6: I hope it's your family, your relationship to God. 402 00:19:15,119 --> 00:19:15,840 Speaker 4: Your dreams. 403 00:19:16,480 --> 00:19:18,640 Speaker 6: Let me ask you, do you have your big rocks 404 00:19:18,720 --> 00:19:21,160 Speaker 6: in your jar? Or have they gotten crowded out by 405 00:19:21,160 --> 00:19:24,840 Speaker 6: all the other distractions? Friends, our schedules are always gonna 406 00:19:24,840 --> 00:19:29,080 Speaker 6: be full. You'll always have plenty of gravel, plenty of water, 407 00:19:29,240 --> 00:19:32,240 Speaker 6: plenty of sand. And if you don't make a decision 408 00:19:32,240 --> 00:19:34,800 Speaker 6: to put your big rocks in first, then what's going 409 00:19:34,840 --> 00:19:38,160 Speaker 6: to happen is all the other less important things are 410 00:19:38,200 --> 00:19:40,080 Speaker 6: going to take up the space and you'll. 411 00:19:39,960 --> 00:19:41,159 Speaker 4: Never get the big rocks in. 412 00:19:41,640 --> 00:19:44,280 Speaker 6: And some of you today are not taking time for 413 00:19:44,359 --> 00:19:47,040 Speaker 6: the things that mean the very most to you. Your family, 414 00:19:47,359 --> 00:19:50,960 Speaker 6: your children, the people you love the most. You're so busy, 415 00:19:51,560 --> 00:19:55,959 Speaker 6: distracted and tangled. You're taking for granted the people that 416 00:19:56,000 --> 00:19:58,080 Speaker 6: you really love the most. You're just giving them your 417 00:19:58,160 --> 00:19:59,040 Speaker 6: left over time. 418 00:20:00,119 --> 00:20:02,439 Speaker 4: Challenge you to make some adjustments today. 419 00:20:03,119 --> 00:20:07,040 Speaker 6: Rearrange your schedule, get your priorities back in line, take 420 00:20:07,080 --> 00:20:09,760 Speaker 6: time for the people that you love the most. Well, 421 00:20:09,800 --> 00:20:11,960 Speaker 6: you say, Joel, I'm just so busy. I don't know 422 00:20:11,960 --> 00:20:13,879 Speaker 6: if I can do that. But no, I like to 423 00:20:13,880 --> 00:20:16,560 Speaker 6: think of it like this. If you discovered that you 424 00:20:16,680 --> 00:20:20,359 Speaker 6: only had six months left to live, how different would 425 00:20:20,400 --> 00:20:23,400 Speaker 6: your schedule be than it is right now. Why don't 426 00:20:23,440 --> 00:20:26,320 Speaker 6: you go ahead and make some of those changes. Make 427 00:20:26,400 --> 00:20:29,840 Speaker 6: sure you've got your big rocks in your jar. Another 428 00:20:29,960 --> 00:20:33,359 Speaker 6: important thing is we need to learn to stay focused 429 00:20:33,880 --> 00:20:37,000 Speaker 6: on the main thing that we're called to do. As 430 00:20:37,000 --> 00:20:39,240 Speaker 6: I said, there's plenty of things that we can give 431 00:20:39,240 --> 00:20:41,920 Speaker 6: our time to, but if we're going to really excel, 432 00:20:42,440 --> 00:20:44,840 Speaker 6: we've got to learn to keep the main thing the 433 00:20:44,920 --> 00:20:49,159 Speaker 6: main thing. For instance, as pastor here, I know the 434 00:20:49,200 --> 00:20:51,720 Speaker 6: main thing I'm called to do is share with you 435 00:20:51,800 --> 00:20:54,440 Speaker 6: on the weekends and be the best that I possibly 436 00:20:54,480 --> 00:20:55,720 Speaker 6: can when I get up here. 437 00:20:56,280 --> 00:20:58,040 Speaker 4: But during the week there are a whole. 438 00:20:57,800 --> 00:21:00,359 Speaker 6: Lot of other things that I could get involved. Then 439 00:21:00,760 --> 00:21:03,160 Speaker 6: I could do all the weddings, all the funerals, all 440 00:21:03,200 --> 00:21:06,000 Speaker 6: the counseling, I could come to all the different classes. 441 00:21:06,400 --> 00:21:07,640 Speaker 4: And although that would be. 442 00:21:07,680 --> 00:21:11,200 Speaker 6: Good, I know if I do those things, then I'm 443 00:21:11,200 --> 00:21:13,479 Speaker 6: going to be average at a bunch of things and 444 00:21:13,560 --> 00:21:18,080 Speaker 6: not excellent at anything. But really, quality is more important 445 00:21:18,080 --> 00:21:21,040 Speaker 6: than quantity, and I would rather do one thing to 446 00:21:21,119 --> 00:21:24,119 Speaker 6: the very best of my ability than I would to 447 00:21:24,160 --> 00:21:28,159 Speaker 6: do a whole bunch of things just average in Mediocrely. 448 00:21:28,440 --> 00:21:31,200 Speaker 4: Keep the main thing the main thing. 449 00:21:31,280 --> 00:21:34,720 Speaker 6: And learn to focus on your strengths. Don't spend all 450 00:21:34,760 --> 00:21:39,320 Speaker 6: your time on your weaknesses. Focus on improving your strengths. 451 00:21:40,040 --> 00:21:42,280 Speaker 6: I know the gift that God has given me is 452 00:21:42,720 --> 00:21:47,160 Speaker 6: to communicate, to encourage people, to inspire them, and that's 453 00:21:47,200 --> 00:21:49,480 Speaker 6: the area I focus on. That's what I try to 454 00:21:49,560 --> 00:21:53,119 Speaker 6: improve in a lot of people combine. They ask me 455 00:21:53,200 --> 00:21:55,679 Speaker 6: to counsel them, and I love to help people, but 456 00:21:55,760 --> 00:21:58,760 Speaker 6: really counseling is not one of my strengths. In fact, 457 00:21:58,800 --> 00:22:00,720 Speaker 6: I tell them there are people on our staff that 458 00:22:00,760 --> 00:22:03,679 Speaker 6: can counsel a whole lot better than I can, and 459 00:22:03,720 --> 00:22:06,840 Speaker 6: I don't spend all my time trying to improve. 460 00:22:06,440 --> 00:22:07,720 Speaker 4: My counseling skills. 461 00:22:08,000 --> 00:22:11,159 Speaker 6: I've discovered you can't be great at everything, but you 462 00:22:11,280 --> 00:22:12,520 Speaker 6: can be great at something. 463 00:22:13,280 --> 00:22:13,800 Speaker 4: It's funny. 464 00:22:13,840 --> 00:22:16,000 Speaker 6: Somebody came up to Victorian I the other day and 465 00:22:16,400 --> 00:22:19,480 Speaker 6: they were telling us about this very complicated problem that 466 00:22:19,520 --> 00:22:21,679 Speaker 6: they were having, and there were a whole lot of 467 00:22:21,720 --> 00:22:26,359 Speaker 6: people involved, and it was just a very confusing, complicated 468 00:22:26,440 --> 00:22:29,520 Speaker 6: set of circumstances and they were telling us this. I 469 00:22:29,600 --> 00:22:31,639 Speaker 6: was sitting there thinking, how in the world am I 470 00:22:31,680 --> 00:22:33,600 Speaker 6: ever going to advise them? I mean, I don't know 471 00:22:33,600 --> 00:22:36,000 Speaker 6: what to tell them. It seems like everybody's right. But 472 00:22:36,119 --> 00:22:39,480 Speaker 6: before they even got finished talking, Victoria jumped in there 473 00:22:39,680 --> 00:22:40,880 Speaker 6: and she said, all right, here's what. 474 00:22:40,840 --> 00:22:41,399 Speaker 4: You need to do. 475 00:22:41,640 --> 00:22:43,480 Speaker 6: You need to do this, and then you need to 476 00:22:43,480 --> 00:22:46,119 Speaker 6: tell that person to do this, and then that's going 477 00:22:46,200 --> 00:22:47,959 Speaker 6: to open up, and then you'll be able to do this, 478 00:22:48,040 --> 00:22:50,000 Speaker 6: and then this will change and that way things will 479 00:22:50,040 --> 00:22:52,480 Speaker 6: begin to resolve. And man, I'm sitting back thinking, how 480 00:22:52,600 --> 00:22:54,560 Speaker 6: in the world can she figure all that out? 481 00:22:54,680 --> 00:22:55,800 Speaker 4: I mean, it was great. 482 00:22:55,840 --> 00:23:00,560 Speaker 6: I was saying, you go girl, you know, but see 483 00:23:00,840 --> 00:23:03,639 Speaker 6: that is an area where Victoria has a strength end 484 00:23:03,680 --> 00:23:06,280 Speaker 6: that I don't. He's probably the only one, but that's 485 00:23:06,320 --> 00:23:09,840 Speaker 6: one of them. 486 00:23:10,359 --> 00:23:11,080 Speaker 4: I'm only kidding. 487 00:23:11,160 --> 00:23:17,320 Speaker 6: But I do need to write home though. But I 488 00:23:17,320 --> 00:23:19,679 Speaker 6: don't try to improve in all these other areas. I 489 00:23:19,680 --> 00:23:22,160 Speaker 6: could probably be a pretty good administrator of the church. 490 00:23:22,560 --> 00:23:24,440 Speaker 6: I could probably run the children's department. 491 00:23:24,480 --> 00:23:24,920 Speaker 4: Okay. 492 00:23:25,200 --> 00:23:27,679 Speaker 6: The point I'm making is you cannot do it all. 493 00:23:28,119 --> 00:23:30,840 Speaker 6: I heard somebody say, you can have anything you want, 494 00:23:31,160 --> 00:23:33,800 Speaker 6: but you can't have everything you want. You have to 495 00:23:33,840 --> 00:23:37,080 Speaker 6: eliminate the non essentials. Quit trying to do it all. 496 00:23:37,280 --> 00:23:40,240 Speaker 6: Par down and focus on the main thing. Don't make 497 00:23:40,280 --> 00:23:42,520 Speaker 6: that mistake of being average at a bunch of things. 498 00:23:42,720 --> 00:23:45,600 Speaker 6: Be excellent at one thing. He's talking to a man 499 00:23:45,640 --> 00:23:48,400 Speaker 6: the other day. He was a diesel mechanic. He works 500 00:23:48,440 --> 00:23:51,560 Speaker 6: on these big diesel engines, and he was a specialist 501 00:23:51,760 --> 00:23:54,600 Speaker 6: in the area of the fuel system. In fact, people 502 00:23:54,600 --> 00:23:56,879 Speaker 6: would bring their big diesel rigs from all over the 503 00:23:56,880 --> 00:23:59,639 Speaker 6: country just so he could work on them. And as 504 00:23:59,680 --> 00:24:01,560 Speaker 6: we're talk and that was kind of interesting to me, 505 00:24:01,600 --> 00:24:03,560 Speaker 6: and I asked him about it, and he told me 506 00:24:03,680 --> 00:24:06,159 Speaker 6: how as a young man, when he first started working, 507 00:24:06,680 --> 00:24:10,679 Speaker 6: he realized he had a very natural gift in that 508 00:24:10,720 --> 00:24:12,959 Speaker 6: one area of the fuel system. And so he just 509 00:24:13,000 --> 00:24:16,080 Speaker 6: stayed focused on that one aspect. He went back to 510 00:24:16,119 --> 00:24:19,600 Speaker 6: school and got more training. He studied, he read books, 511 00:24:19,680 --> 00:24:22,400 Speaker 6: he had people mentor him, and today he said, Joel, 512 00:24:22,520 --> 00:24:25,720 Speaker 6: I'm one of the leading experts in my field. See, 513 00:24:25,720 --> 00:24:28,000 Speaker 6: instead of being average at a bunch of things, he 514 00:24:28,080 --> 00:24:30,600 Speaker 6: found the one thing he was good at, the one 515 00:24:30,640 --> 00:24:33,320 Speaker 6: area God had really gifted him in, and he poured 516 00:24:33,359 --> 00:24:36,240 Speaker 6: all of his time and energy into it, and today 517 00:24:36,280 --> 00:24:38,760 Speaker 6: he's excelling. You got to keep the main thing, the 518 00:24:38,800 --> 00:24:41,639 Speaker 6: main thing, focus on your strengths. And some of you 519 00:24:41,680 --> 00:24:44,280 Speaker 6: today you have a dream deep down in your heart, 520 00:24:44,680 --> 00:24:48,359 Speaker 6: but you're really not pursuing it anymore. And as long 521 00:24:48,440 --> 00:24:51,440 Speaker 6: as you're allowing that dream to lie dormant and you're 522 00:24:51,480 --> 00:24:54,840 Speaker 6: not actively taking any steps toward it, I don't believe 523 00:24:54,920 --> 00:24:57,399 Speaker 6: that you're going to be as fulfilled as you could be. 524 00:24:58,160 --> 00:24:59,520 Speaker 4: In fact, many. 525 00:24:59,320 --> 00:25:02,320 Speaker 6: People think that the reason they're not happy is because 526 00:25:02,320 --> 00:25:05,440 Speaker 6: of a marriage or because of another circumstance. But the 527 00:25:05,480 --> 00:25:10,119 Speaker 6: real discontentment is coming because they're not taking steps toward 528 00:25:10,200 --> 00:25:14,000 Speaker 6: their God given dreams. We have to understand God is 529 00:25:14,040 --> 00:25:16,280 Speaker 6: the one that has put the dream in our hearts. 530 00:25:16,560 --> 00:25:18,120 Speaker 4: That's a part of your purpose. 531 00:25:18,560 --> 00:25:21,399 Speaker 6: God put it there, and there will always be a 532 00:25:21,520 --> 00:25:26,000 Speaker 6: source of discontentment unless you stir yourself up and start 533 00:25:26,040 --> 00:25:29,000 Speaker 6: pursuing what God's put in your heart. Start pursuing those 534 00:25:29,000 --> 00:25:32,160 Speaker 6: gifts and talents, and nobody can do it for you. 535 00:25:32,160 --> 00:25:35,719 Speaker 6: You have to start taking steps toward your dreams. You 536 00:25:35,760 --> 00:25:38,359 Speaker 6: may have to prone off some things out of your 537 00:25:38,440 --> 00:25:41,040 Speaker 6: life so that you can go back to school and 538 00:25:41,080 --> 00:25:44,159 Speaker 6: get more training like you've always wanted to. Maybe it's 539 00:25:44,200 --> 00:25:46,720 Speaker 6: a dream to start a business, a dream to be 540 00:25:46,760 --> 00:25:49,000 Speaker 6: in ministry, even a dream to get out of death. 541 00:25:49,200 --> 00:25:52,720 Speaker 6: Whatever it is, start taking steps toward it, even if 542 00:25:52,720 --> 00:25:53,880 Speaker 6: they're small steps. 543 00:25:54,320 --> 00:25:56,800 Speaker 4: You want to be in ministry. Get involved in our 544 00:25:56,840 --> 00:25:58,560 Speaker 4: prison outrage, that's great training. 545 00:25:58,960 --> 00:26:02,240 Speaker 6: You want to start a business, start researching it, look 546 00:26:02,280 --> 00:26:04,960 Speaker 6: for opportunities, pick other people's brains. 547 00:26:05,400 --> 00:26:08,639 Speaker 4: You will not be fulfilled until you give birth to 548 00:26:08,680 --> 00:26:10,280 Speaker 4: what God's put on the inside. 549 00:26:10,480 --> 00:26:12,760 Speaker 6: And the scripture says we need to give ourselves to 550 00:26:12,800 --> 00:26:16,080 Speaker 6: our gifts. That means you got to start pursuing those 551 00:26:16,160 --> 00:26:18,879 Speaker 6: God given desires, those God given galls. And let me 552 00:26:18,920 --> 00:26:20,600 Speaker 6: tell you, you take a step, and God will take 553 00:26:20,640 --> 00:26:22,879 Speaker 6: a step. You do the natural, and God will do 554 00:26:22,920 --> 00:26:27,320 Speaker 6: the supernatural. Another interesting thing about an egle is when 555 00:26:27,320 --> 00:26:30,239 Speaker 6: an eagle is born, it has a liquid solution in 556 00:26:30,280 --> 00:26:34,159 Speaker 6: its eyes, and over time it hardens and becomes a 557 00:26:34,280 --> 00:26:37,760 Speaker 6: setting that enables it to find its way home, even 558 00:26:37,800 --> 00:26:39,440 Speaker 6: if it's thousands of miles away. 559 00:26:39,720 --> 00:26:43,080 Speaker 4: It acts just like a built in compass. Somehow. 560 00:26:43,119 --> 00:26:47,439 Speaker 6: As that solution hardens, the eagle discovers the line between 561 00:26:47,480 --> 00:26:50,000 Speaker 6: his home and the north Pole, and that way, it's 562 00:26:50,040 --> 00:26:51,120 Speaker 6: always got a reference. 563 00:26:51,400 --> 00:26:53,800 Speaker 4: And if the eagle is going in the wrong direction 564 00:26:54,040 --> 00:26:56,359 Speaker 4: the way it knows it is, it will have a 565 00:26:56,480 --> 00:26:59,880 Speaker 4: low level pain in its eyes. It'll have a sense 566 00:26:59,880 --> 00:27:00,920 Speaker 4: of discomfort. 567 00:27:01,359 --> 00:27:03,640 Speaker 6: And if the eagle will just change directions and get 568 00:27:03,640 --> 00:27:06,560 Speaker 6: back on course, then the pain will go away. And 569 00:27:06,640 --> 00:27:09,560 Speaker 6: I believe that many people today are living with a 570 00:27:09,560 --> 00:27:12,719 Speaker 6: low level pain because they're not going in the right direction, 571 00:27:13,200 --> 00:27:17,000 Speaker 6: they're not pursuing their dreams, they don't have their priorities 572 00:27:17,080 --> 00:27:21,199 Speaker 6: in order. And until they make a change, until they 573 00:27:21,280 --> 00:27:23,159 Speaker 6: get back on course, they're gonna. 574 00:27:22,880 --> 00:27:24,320 Speaker 4: Have that sense of discontentment. 575 00:27:24,400 --> 00:27:27,280 Speaker 6: But I want to challenge you today to make the 576 00:27:27,320 --> 00:27:31,360 Speaker 6: necessary adjustments. Do you know it's never too late to change? 577 00:27:31,720 --> 00:27:34,040 Speaker 6: You can always get back on course. You may have 578 00:27:34,080 --> 00:27:37,120 Speaker 6: made a thousand mistakes in the past, but today is. 579 00:27:37,080 --> 00:27:39,040 Speaker 4: A new day. You can have a new beginning. 580 00:27:40,440 --> 00:27:42,840 Speaker 6: So why don't you make a decision with me that 581 00:27:42,960 --> 00:27:45,680 Speaker 6: in this new year, you're gonna use your time more wisely. 582 00:27:46,040 --> 00:27:49,080 Speaker 6: You're not gonna get distracted and entangled by all these 583 00:27:49,119 --> 00:27:51,480 Speaker 6: things that try to pull you off course. You're gonna 584 00:27:51,480 --> 00:27:53,639 Speaker 6: prone off the areas in your life that aren't bearing 585 00:27:53,680 --> 00:27:56,920 Speaker 6: good fruit. You're gonna choose good friends, and you're gonna 586 00:27:56,960 --> 00:27:59,320 Speaker 6: make sure that you keep your big rocks in first. 587 00:28:00,200 --> 00:28:04,160 Speaker 6: If you'll live a focused, disciplined, on purpose life, having 588 00:28:04,200 --> 00:28:06,000 Speaker 6: a plan and work in that plan. 589 00:28:06,040 --> 00:28:07,679 Speaker 4: There's no limit to what God will do. 590 00:28:07,920 --> 00:28:10,240 Speaker 6: He'll take your places that you've never even dreamed of, 591 00:28:10,320 --> 00:28:13,200 Speaker 6: and you'll experience the abundant life He has in store. 592 00:28:13,200 --> 00:28:15,720 Speaker 4: How many of you receive it this morning? Amen, I 593 00:28:15,800 --> 00:28:16,320 Speaker 4: know you doing. 594 00:28:17,840 --> 00:28:20,800 Speaker 6: We never like to close on broadcast without giving you 595 00:28:20,840 --> 00:28:23,720 Speaker 6: an opportunity to make Jesus the lord of your life. 596 00:28:23,920 --> 00:28:24,840 Speaker 4: Would you pray with me? 597 00:28:25,440 --> 00:28:30,560 Speaker 6: Just say, Lord, Jesus, I repent of my sins. Come 598 00:28:30,600 --> 00:28:35,440 Speaker 6: into my heart. I make you my Lord and savior. Friends, 599 00:28:35,480 --> 00:28:37,800 Speaker 6: if you've prayed that simple prayer. We believe you got 600 00:28:37,840 --> 00:28:40,960 Speaker 6: born again. Get in a good Bible based church. Keep 601 00:28:41,000 --> 00:28:43,640 Speaker 6: God first place. He's going to take your places that 602 00:28:43,720 --> 00:28:46,440 Speaker 6: you've never dreamed of. Thanks so much for listening to 603 00:28:46,440 --> 00:28:49,840 Speaker 6: today's message. I hope you'll subscribe so you can receive 604 00:28:49,880 --> 00:28:53,360 Speaker 6: the latest podcast to keep you encouraged and inspired all 605 00:28:53,400 --> 00:28:53,920 Speaker 6: through the week. 606 00:28:54,120 --> 00:28:56,320 Speaker 5: Help us to continue to share the message of hope 607 00:28:56,320 --> 00:28:57,840 Speaker 5: with those all around the world. 608 00:28:58,160 --> 00:29:01,440 Speaker 2: Visit joeloasting dot com click the link in the description 609 00:29:01,800 --> 00:29:03,120 Speaker 2: to partner with us today. 610 00:29:03,360 --> 00:29:05,800 Speaker 6: We hope you'll share this message with a friend and 611 00:29:05,920 --> 00:29:08,080 Speaker 6: be sure to follow us on social media. 612 00:29:08,160 --> 00:29:11,440 Speaker 4: We're praying for you. 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