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With these credits, you may have already 30 00:01:10,360 --> 00:01:13,119 Speaker 4: completed up to seventy five percent of your undergraduate degree. 31 00:01:13,240 --> 00:01:15,320 Speaker 4: You've worked hard to get where you are. It's time 32 00:01:15,360 --> 00:01:17,480 Speaker 4: to get the recognition you deserve and earn a degree 33 00:01:17,520 --> 00:01:20,080 Speaker 4: you'll be proud of, one that employers will trust and 34 00:01:20,240 --> 00:01:22,400 Speaker 4: respect when you take the next step in your life 35 00:01:22,400 --> 00:01:26,080 Speaker 4: and career. Make account with Purdue Global produce online university 36 00:01:26,160 --> 00:01:30,199 Speaker 4: for working adults. Start your comeback at Purdueglobal dot edu. 37 00:01:31,240 --> 00:01:33,920 Speaker 5: Hi, this is Joel and Victoria. Thanks for listening to 38 00:01:34,000 --> 00:01:37,080 Speaker 5: our podcast and thanks for supporting the ministry. If you 39 00:01:37,240 --> 00:01:39,800 Speaker 5: enjoy today's message, why don't you be a blessing and 40 00:01:39,920 --> 00:01:40,759 Speaker 5: share it with a friend. 41 00:01:41,160 --> 00:01:43,800 Speaker 2: We appreciate you and pray for God's very best in 42 00:01:43,920 --> 00:01:57,880 Speaker 2: your life. Well, God bless you. It is always our 43 00:01:58,040 --> 00:02:00,320 Speaker 2: joy to come into your homes. We may not know 44 00:02:00,400 --> 00:02:02,400 Speaker 2: you by name, but we believe you're a part of 45 00:02:02,440 --> 00:02:05,240 Speaker 2: our extended family. We're believing that this is going to 46 00:02:05,280 --> 00:02:06,520 Speaker 2: be the best year of your life. 47 00:02:06,840 --> 00:02:09,480 Speaker 5: I know that God rewards the people that seek after him, 48 00:02:09,720 --> 00:02:11,919 Speaker 5: and that's you, or you wouldn't be watching today. And 49 00:02:11,960 --> 00:02:13,639 Speaker 5: if you're ever in our area yet, you got to 50 00:02:13,680 --> 00:02:15,679 Speaker 5: stop by and see us. We'd love to have you 51 00:02:15,760 --> 00:02:17,760 Speaker 5: be a part of one of our services. I tell 52 00:02:17,800 --> 00:02:20,320 Speaker 5: you often, these are the finest people in all of Houston, 53 00:02:20,440 --> 00:02:22,160 Speaker 5: right here at Lakewood, So come out and see us 54 00:02:22,160 --> 00:02:22,600 Speaker 5: some power. 55 00:02:24,320 --> 00:02:26,400 Speaker 2: I like to get started each week with something kind 56 00:02:26,440 --> 00:02:29,160 Speaker 2: of funny. And one day Adam was talking to God 57 00:02:29,240 --> 00:02:32,200 Speaker 2: and he said, God, why did you make Eve so beautiful? 58 00:02:32,680 --> 00:02:35,160 Speaker 5: God said, so you would love her? He said, why 59 00:02:35,200 --> 00:02:38,160 Speaker 5: did you give her such long flowing hair? Same thing, 60 00:02:38,360 --> 00:02:40,280 Speaker 5: so you would love her? Why did you give her 61 00:02:40,320 --> 00:02:43,040 Speaker 5: such a great figure? Said it again, so you would 62 00:02:43,080 --> 00:02:45,000 Speaker 5: love her. He said, all right, God, tell me this. 63 00:02:45,120 --> 00:02:47,679 Speaker 5: You made her so beautiful, so attractive. Why did you 64 00:02:47,720 --> 00:02:48,600 Speaker 5: make her so dumb? 65 00:02:49,880 --> 00:02:52,359 Speaker 2: God said, that's easy, Adam, so she would love you. 66 00:02:55,000 --> 00:02:58,480 Speaker 2: All right, hold of your Bibles. Say it like you 67 00:02:58,639 --> 00:02:58,880 Speaker 2: mean it. 68 00:02:59,440 --> 00:03:02,400 Speaker 5: This is my I am what it says I am. 69 00:03:03,120 --> 00:03:05,600 Speaker 5: I have what it says I have. I can do 70 00:03:05,800 --> 00:03:08,400 Speaker 5: what it says I can do. Today I will be 71 00:03:08,520 --> 00:03:09,800 Speaker 5: taught the word of God. 72 00:03:10,360 --> 00:03:15,240 Speaker 2: I boldly confess my mind is alert, my heart is receptive. 73 00:03:15,720 --> 00:03:17,120 Speaker 2: I will never be the same. 74 00:03:17,760 --> 00:03:23,160 Speaker 5: I am about to receive the incorruptible, indestructible, ever living 75 00:03:23,520 --> 00:03:26,480 Speaker 5: seed of the Word of God. I will never be 76 00:03:26,639 --> 00:03:30,560 Speaker 5: the same. Never, never, never, I'll never be the same. 77 00:03:31,080 --> 00:03:35,280 Speaker 5: In Jesus' name, God bless you. I want to talk 78 00:03:35,320 --> 00:03:38,040 Speaker 5: to you today about not getting stuck in a rut 79 00:03:38,600 --> 00:03:41,040 Speaker 5: and becoming all that God's created you to be. 80 00:03:42,000 --> 00:03:43,920 Speaker 2: God has a great plan for each of. 81 00:03:43,960 --> 00:03:47,560 Speaker 5: Our lives, and his dream is that we continually be 82 00:03:47,760 --> 00:03:51,160 Speaker 5: rising to new levels. But how high we go in 83 00:03:51,320 --> 00:03:54,480 Speaker 5: life and how much of God's favor and blessings we 84 00:03:54,640 --> 00:03:59,280 Speaker 5: experience will be directly related to how obedient we are. 85 00:04:00,200 --> 00:04:02,240 Speaker 5: And one of the ways that God leads us is 86 00:04:02,320 --> 00:04:06,040 Speaker 5: through our conscience. Right down in here. All of a sudden, 87 00:04:06,360 --> 00:04:10,400 Speaker 5: you feel a prompting, a suggestion. You know you should 88 00:04:10,400 --> 00:04:13,800 Speaker 5: do something, or maybe you're about to make a decision. 89 00:04:14,360 --> 00:04:17,039 Speaker 5: An alarm goes off on the inside. You feel an 90 00:04:17,200 --> 00:04:21,240 Speaker 5: unrest and uneasiness. Something says, hey, hold off, don't do that. 91 00:04:22,160 --> 00:04:25,560 Speaker 5: That's God talking to us. He's trying to lead us 92 00:04:25,760 --> 00:04:28,440 Speaker 5: and guide us, and it's up to each one of 93 00:04:28,560 --> 00:04:31,680 Speaker 5: us to be quick to obey and not ignore that 94 00:04:31,880 --> 00:04:34,640 Speaker 5: still small voice. God's trying to keep us on the 95 00:04:34,680 --> 00:04:38,160 Speaker 5: best path. And throughout life, God will deal with us 96 00:04:38,880 --> 00:04:41,680 Speaker 5: and bring areas to light that we need to improve in. 97 00:04:42,480 --> 00:04:44,960 Speaker 5: He knows the things that are holding us back. He 98 00:04:45,080 --> 00:04:48,120 Speaker 5: knows our faults, our weaknesses, the things that we keep 99 00:04:48,200 --> 00:04:51,039 Speaker 5: sweeping under the rug, and he will bring these things 100 00:04:51,120 --> 00:04:54,640 Speaker 5: to our attention. And if we're going to continue to increase, 101 00:04:55,200 --> 00:04:57,559 Speaker 5: we have to be willing to face the truth about 102 00:04:57,600 --> 00:05:01,000 Speaker 5: ourselves and deal with these things. A lot of people 103 00:05:01,040 --> 00:05:04,479 Speaker 5: don't realize the reason they're stuck, the reason they can't 104 00:05:04,520 --> 00:05:07,560 Speaker 5: break out of that rut in their marriage, their finance, 105 00:05:07,680 --> 00:05:11,120 Speaker 5: is their career. It's because they're not dealing with the 106 00:05:11,240 --> 00:05:15,160 Speaker 5: issues that God keeps bringing up, things like a bad attitude, 107 00:05:15,839 --> 00:05:19,839 Speaker 5: how they treat people, the friends, they choose, what they want, 108 00:05:20,400 --> 00:05:23,719 Speaker 5: the unforgiveness in their heart, they just sweep it under 109 00:05:23,720 --> 00:05:25,880 Speaker 5: the rug and go against their conscience. 110 00:05:26,360 --> 00:05:29,760 Speaker 2: They ignore the still small voice, and that's keeping them 111 00:05:30,040 --> 00:05:32,640 Speaker 2: right where they are. And sometimes we think, well, Joel, 112 00:05:32,720 --> 00:05:33,200 Speaker 2: it's hard. 113 00:05:33,480 --> 00:05:36,520 Speaker 5: I know I should forgive, but they hurt me so badly, 114 00:05:37,000 --> 00:05:38,640 Speaker 5: Or I know I need to get in shape, but 115 00:05:38,760 --> 00:05:41,000 Speaker 5: I don't really have the time. I know I need 116 00:05:41,040 --> 00:05:43,119 Speaker 5: to quit working so much, but I need the extra 117 00:05:43,240 --> 00:05:47,680 Speaker 5: money now. If we could just understand, everything God tells 118 00:05:47,839 --> 00:05:51,040 Speaker 5: us is for our good. God is never trying to 119 00:05:51,120 --> 00:05:54,039 Speaker 5: hold us back. He's never trying to make our lives 120 00:05:54,120 --> 00:05:57,720 Speaker 5: more difficult. He's trying to release more of his favor. 121 00:05:58,240 --> 00:06:00,480 Speaker 5: He's trying to release more of his blath blessings. 122 00:06:01,080 --> 00:06:02,000 Speaker 2: And I'm asking us. 123 00:06:02,000 --> 00:06:06,240 Speaker 5: Today to look inside. Are there things in your life 124 00:06:06,320 --> 00:06:08,800 Speaker 5: that God's been dealing with you about that you keep 125 00:06:08,839 --> 00:06:12,480 Speaker 5: putting off? You keep ignoring, getting your finances in order, 126 00:06:13,080 --> 00:06:17,400 Speaker 5: being less judgmental, keeping strife out of the home, making 127 00:06:17,520 --> 00:06:18,520 Speaker 5: peace with somebody. 128 00:06:19,120 --> 00:06:21,480 Speaker 2: Search your heart and pay attention. 129 00:06:21,240 --> 00:06:23,640 Speaker 5: To what God is saying to you some of you. 130 00:06:23,800 --> 00:06:26,560 Speaker 5: God's been dealing with you for years. About your friends, 131 00:06:27,160 --> 00:06:30,200 Speaker 5: the people you're choosing to hang around. You know they're 132 00:06:30,240 --> 00:06:32,800 Speaker 5: not a good influence, you know they're pulling you down, 133 00:06:33,400 --> 00:06:36,160 Speaker 5: but you keep making excuses. Joel, I don't want to 134 00:06:36,240 --> 00:06:39,160 Speaker 5: hurt their feelings. If I don't hang around them, I 135 00:06:39,279 --> 00:06:42,240 Speaker 5: may be lonely, I may not have any friends. But 136 00:06:42,360 --> 00:06:45,640 Speaker 5: the fact is, if you'll make the right changes and 137 00:06:45,760 --> 00:06:47,480 Speaker 5: do what you feel good about down in here. 138 00:06:48,160 --> 00:06:49,560 Speaker 2: God will give you new friends. 139 00:06:50,040 --> 00:06:53,120 Speaker 5: Not only that, he'll give you better friends, people that 140 00:06:53,279 --> 00:06:56,520 Speaker 5: pull you up and don't drag you down. And yes, 141 00:06:57,000 --> 00:07:00,200 Speaker 5: we may go through a season of being lonely. I'd 142 00:07:00,279 --> 00:07:02,760 Speaker 5: rather be lonely for a little while knowing that I'm 143 00:07:02,839 --> 00:07:05,880 Speaker 5: rising higher, knowing that I'm going to fulfill my destiny. 144 00:07:06,320 --> 00:07:09,440 Speaker 5: I'd rather do that than let people pollute me and 145 00:07:09,560 --> 00:07:11,560 Speaker 5: keep me from being all God's created me to be. 146 00:07:12,680 --> 00:07:15,680 Speaker 5: Any time you obey, there is a blessing that will follow. 147 00:07:16,320 --> 00:07:19,080 Speaker 5: Every time you're obedient, you're sowing a seed. 148 00:07:18,920 --> 00:07:19,720 Speaker 2: To come up higher. 149 00:07:20,440 --> 00:07:23,600 Speaker 5: It may not happen overnight, but at some point, in 150 00:07:23,720 --> 00:07:25,200 Speaker 5: some way, shape or form. 151 00:07:25,320 --> 00:07:27,360 Speaker 2: You will see God's goodness in a greater way. 152 00:07:28,320 --> 00:07:31,200 Speaker 5: And I wonder how many people today are stuck somewhere 153 00:07:31,240 --> 00:07:35,440 Speaker 5: in life simply because they're still hanging around with people 154 00:07:35,760 --> 00:07:38,120 Speaker 5: that they know years ago they should have gotten away 155 00:07:38,160 --> 00:07:41,000 Speaker 5: from at the office, sitting at lunch every day with 156 00:07:41,080 --> 00:07:45,560 Speaker 5: people that gossip, criticize, talk about people, bad mouth the company. 157 00:07:46,080 --> 00:07:47,120 Speaker 2: When Joel, I can't help. 158 00:07:47,160 --> 00:07:49,560 Speaker 5: If they're in the lunch room, Yes, you can go 159 00:07:49,720 --> 00:07:52,440 Speaker 5: find somewhere else to eat lunch. Don't allow them to 160 00:07:52,520 --> 00:07:56,240 Speaker 5: poison you do you know, if you hang around negative 161 00:07:56,480 --> 00:08:00,000 Speaker 5: and critical people before long, most likely you will become 162 00:08:00,160 --> 00:08:04,000 Speaker 5: negative and critical. If you hang around jealous fault finding people, 163 00:08:04,320 --> 00:08:07,040 Speaker 5: I'm telling you that old jealous fault finding spirit is 164 00:08:07,080 --> 00:08:07,920 Speaker 5: going to rub off on you. 165 00:08:09,160 --> 00:08:10,520 Speaker 2: You want to know what you're going to be like 166 00:08:10,600 --> 00:08:12,640 Speaker 2: in the future, just take a look at your friends. 167 00:08:13,640 --> 00:08:16,840 Speaker 5: Says in Proverbs, if you walk with wise men, you 168 00:08:16,920 --> 00:08:20,840 Speaker 5: will become wise. In other words, we will become exactly 169 00:08:20,960 --> 00:08:24,080 Speaker 5: like the people that we're hanging around. And really, there 170 00:08:24,120 --> 00:08:25,920 Speaker 5: are a lot of things in life that we can 171 00:08:26,000 --> 00:08:29,840 Speaker 5: get away with. But my question today is how high 172 00:08:29,960 --> 00:08:32,480 Speaker 5: do you want to go? Do you want to continue 173 00:08:32,520 --> 00:08:34,920 Speaker 5: to increase? Do you want to see more of God's 174 00:08:34,960 --> 00:08:39,679 Speaker 5: blessings in favor? If so, the higher we go, the 175 00:08:39,800 --> 00:08:43,240 Speaker 5: lower our flesh has to go. That means the more 176 00:08:43,320 --> 00:08:46,199 Speaker 5: disciplined we have to be, the quicker we have to 177 00:08:46,280 --> 00:08:49,920 Speaker 5: learn to obey. If you're hanging around people that compromise, 178 00:08:50,280 --> 00:08:53,600 Speaker 5: cheat on their spouse, have no integrity, you're just asking 179 00:08:53,720 --> 00:08:56,679 Speaker 5: for trouble. Well, Joel, I do that doesn't bother me, 180 00:08:56,840 --> 00:08:59,400 Speaker 5: doesn't seem to hurt me one bit. No, you don't 181 00:08:59,440 --> 00:09:01,200 Speaker 5: know how that's holding you back. 182 00:09:01,679 --> 00:09:04,520 Speaker 2: You don't know what God wants to release, but he 183 00:09:04,640 --> 00:09:05,319 Speaker 2: cannot do that. 184 00:09:06,160 --> 00:09:09,280 Speaker 5: If you just get away from the negative influences and 185 00:09:09,440 --> 00:09:12,040 Speaker 5: do what you feel good about down in here, you 186 00:09:12,080 --> 00:09:14,440 Speaker 5: would see God's favor in a new way. You would 187 00:09:14,520 --> 00:09:18,199 Speaker 5: rise to a higher level and understand. The longer we 188 00:09:18,360 --> 00:09:21,280 Speaker 5: put something off, the more difficult it is to do 189 00:09:21,400 --> 00:09:25,320 Speaker 5: later on, and many times, the more problems it causes us. 190 00:09:25,440 --> 00:09:28,720 Speaker 5: Right now, it's much better to learn to be quick 191 00:09:28,800 --> 00:09:32,280 Speaker 5: to obey the moment you feel the uneasiness, the moment 192 00:09:32,360 --> 00:09:34,040 Speaker 5: the alarm goes off and something says. 193 00:09:33,840 --> 00:09:35,079 Speaker 2: Hey, this is right. Don't do it. 194 00:09:35,840 --> 00:09:39,719 Speaker 5: Don't go day after day, month after month, year after year, No, 195 00:09:40,000 --> 00:09:43,360 Speaker 5: do it right then that's God talking to you, trying 196 00:09:43,400 --> 00:09:45,199 Speaker 5: to keep you on his very best path. 197 00:09:45,880 --> 00:09:46,560 Speaker 2: And here's the thing. 198 00:09:47,120 --> 00:09:50,360 Speaker 5: God has given us all our own free will. God 199 00:09:50,440 --> 00:09:53,079 Speaker 5: will not force us to do what's right. He won't 200 00:09:53,160 --> 00:09:54,720 Speaker 5: force us to make good decisions. 201 00:09:55,360 --> 00:09:58,559 Speaker 2: It's up to each one of us individually to pay 202 00:09:58,600 --> 00:10:01,520 Speaker 2: attention to that still small voice and not get so 203 00:10:01,760 --> 00:10:05,040 Speaker 2: busy and so caught up in our way that we 204 00:10:05,200 --> 00:10:08,199 Speaker 2: miss what God is trying to tell us. Even right now. 205 00:10:08,320 --> 00:10:11,440 Speaker 2: Most likely God is speaking something to every one of us. 206 00:10:11,720 --> 00:10:14,320 Speaker 5: Deep down in here. We know of a few things 207 00:10:14,400 --> 00:10:16,520 Speaker 5: we should be doing, but we keep putting off. 208 00:10:17,040 --> 00:10:17,240 Speaker 2: Hell. 209 00:10:17,320 --> 00:10:19,640 Speaker 5: I know I need to spend more time with my family. 210 00:10:20,080 --> 00:10:21,920 Speaker 5: I know I need to get my finances in order. 211 00:10:22,240 --> 00:10:24,160 Speaker 5: I know I need to quit drinking so many colors. 212 00:10:24,200 --> 00:10:26,680 Speaker 5: I know I need to get back in shape. See 213 00:10:26,720 --> 00:10:29,439 Speaker 5: God deals with us with very practical things. 214 00:10:29,600 --> 00:10:30,520 Speaker 2: Learn to act on it. 215 00:10:31,280 --> 00:10:33,640 Speaker 5: In fact, I was talking to a lady the other day. 216 00:10:34,120 --> 00:10:36,520 Speaker 5: She told me how all of a sudden she felt 217 00:10:36,559 --> 00:10:38,480 Speaker 5: this strong urge right down. 218 00:10:38,400 --> 00:10:41,400 Speaker 2: In here to go get a checka to get a physical. 219 00:10:41,880 --> 00:10:44,720 Speaker 5: And here she is a very young woman, looked as 220 00:10:44,760 --> 00:10:50,040 Speaker 5: healthy as can be, active, energetic exercises regularly normally, that's 221 00:10:50,120 --> 00:10:52,880 Speaker 5: the furthest thing from our mind. But she just kept 222 00:10:52,960 --> 00:10:55,599 Speaker 5: having that feeling right here, Go see the doctor, go 223 00:10:55,760 --> 00:10:59,120 Speaker 5: get a check of the still small voice. And for 224 00:10:59,240 --> 00:11:02,120 Speaker 5: several weeks he just ignored it, put it off. Oh man, 225 00:11:02,200 --> 00:11:04,600 Speaker 5: I'm fine, that's not for me. But she couldn't get 226 00:11:04,600 --> 00:11:05,199 Speaker 5: away from it. 227 00:11:05,600 --> 00:11:07,880 Speaker 2: A couple of months later, she finally went to the 228 00:11:07,960 --> 00:11:10,640 Speaker 2: doctor and at the checkup he found a small cyst 229 00:11:10,800 --> 00:11:13,800 Speaker 2: in her body. Come to find out, it was malignant. 230 00:11:14,360 --> 00:11:17,360 Speaker 5: Long story short, He was able to completely remove it, 231 00:11:17,800 --> 00:11:20,199 Speaker 5: and because it hadn't spread, she didn't have to have 232 00:11:20,320 --> 00:11:23,719 Speaker 5: any further treatment. Afterwards, the doctor told her, it's a 233 00:11:23,880 --> 00:11:26,120 Speaker 5: very good thing you came in when you did, because 234 00:11:26,120 --> 00:11:28,360 Speaker 5: a couple of years later and this would have been 235 00:11:28,400 --> 00:11:32,079 Speaker 5: a major problem, could have even been a life threatening situation. 236 00:11:32,880 --> 00:11:34,160 Speaker 2: And she was so grateful. 237 00:11:34,240 --> 00:11:36,960 Speaker 5: She said, Joel, I know that was God. I would 238 00:11:37,000 --> 00:11:40,160 Speaker 5: have never normally gone to the doctor. And I don't 239 00:11:40,200 --> 00:11:42,600 Speaker 5: say that to bring fear, simply to make the point 240 00:11:42,960 --> 00:11:45,600 Speaker 5: that we need to listen to the sill small voice. 241 00:11:45,840 --> 00:11:48,880 Speaker 5: God knows what's best for us and some of you today. 242 00:11:49,320 --> 00:11:52,319 Speaker 5: If you don't start obeying what you know is right 243 00:11:52,760 --> 00:11:55,840 Speaker 5: concerning how you treat people, concerning how you treat your mate, 244 00:11:56,559 --> 00:11:59,800 Speaker 5: that relationship is not going to last. This can save 245 00:11:59,840 --> 00:12:02,760 Speaker 5: you so much heartache and pain. I've had people come 246 00:12:02,840 --> 00:12:05,200 Speaker 5: to me with tears in their eyes, they said, Joel, 247 00:12:05,640 --> 00:12:07,520 Speaker 5: I knew I should have kept the strife out of 248 00:12:07,600 --> 00:12:10,120 Speaker 5: my family. I knew I should have spent more time 249 00:12:10,240 --> 00:12:12,520 Speaker 5: with them. I knew I shouldn't have been so hard 250 00:12:12,559 --> 00:12:13,199 Speaker 5: to get along with. 251 00:12:14,040 --> 00:12:17,679 Speaker 2: Don't let that be. You be obedient now so you 252 00:12:17,760 --> 00:12:19,120 Speaker 2: don't have regrets later on. 253 00:12:19,880 --> 00:12:22,719 Speaker 5: Victoria and I were married in nineteen eighty seven, and 254 00:12:22,800 --> 00:12:25,600 Speaker 5: for the first couple of years, like any young couple, 255 00:12:25,640 --> 00:12:28,440 Speaker 5: I guess, we were trying to learn to become one. 256 00:12:29,120 --> 00:12:31,800 Speaker 2: The problem was she wasn't learning the way I wanted 257 00:12:31,840 --> 00:12:35,599 Speaker 2: her to. Now, we didn't have any major. 258 00:12:35,440 --> 00:12:38,920 Speaker 5: Problems, just little things, arguing over things that didn't matter. 259 00:12:39,600 --> 00:12:42,720 Speaker 5: Always wanted to have my way, not being willing to compromise. 260 00:12:43,360 --> 00:12:45,320 Speaker 2: And I'll never forget. God spoke to me. 261 00:12:45,400 --> 00:12:47,800 Speaker 5: Back then, not out loud, just like I'm talking about 262 00:12:47,880 --> 00:12:50,640 Speaker 5: right down in here. He said, Joel, if you don't 263 00:12:50,720 --> 00:12:53,800 Speaker 5: make changes and do your part to keep the peace 264 00:12:53,880 --> 00:12:56,679 Speaker 5: in the family, you're not only going to change the 265 00:12:56,720 --> 00:13:00,520 Speaker 5: beautiful girl you married, but it's gonna cause you problems 266 00:13:00,559 --> 00:13:03,920 Speaker 5: in the future. And thank god I was smart enough 267 00:13:03,960 --> 00:13:07,120 Speaker 5: to heed that warning, and we quit arguing over little things, 268 00:13:07,240 --> 00:13:10,360 Speaker 5: and we were willing to make compromises and adjustments to 269 00:13:10,440 --> 00:13:13,000 Speaker 5: make our marriage work out the day, we're as happy 270 00:13:13,040 --> 00:13:13,520 Speaker 5: as can be. 271 00:13:13,960 --> 00:13:18,240 Speaker 2: We have a great relationship most of the time when 272 00:13:18,320 --> 00:13:19,040 Speaker 2: she's obedient. 273 00:13:21,600 --> 00:13:24,400 Speaker 5: But you too, if you would just do what you 274 00:13:24,640 --> 00:13:29,000 Speaker 5: know down in here is right overlooking some things, biting 275 00:13:29,080 --> 00:13:31,840 Speaker 5: your tongue when you want to argue being the bigger 276 00:13:31,880 --> 00:13:33,079 Speaker 5: person to keep the peace. 277 00:13:33,480 --> 00:13:35,800 Speaker 2: That would save you so much heartache. And I know 278 00:13:35,960 --> 00:13:38,920 Speaker 2: some couples they just live to push each other's buttons. 279 00:13:39,320 --> 00:13:43,560 Speaker 2: They're always had odds with each other. No joy, no peace. Listen, 280 00:13:43,600 --> 00:13:47,680 Speaker 2: you've got to come up higher. You got to make changes. Well, Joel, 281 00:13:47,720 --> 00:13:49,679 Speaker 2: I'm waiting for him to do it. I'm waiting for 282 00:13:49,760 --> 00:13:50,280 Speaker 2: her to do it. 283 00:13:50,800 --> 00:13:52,880 Speaker 5: Now, do you know who the bigger person is, the 284 00:13:52,960 --> 00:13:56,480 Speaker 5: one that makes the first move, The most mature person is. 285 00:13:56,520 --> 00:13:58,880 Speaker 2: The one that takes the high road to keep the peace. 286 00:14:00,000 --> 00:14:02,760 Speaker 2: God's dealing with some of you about your mouth, not 287 00:14:02,960 --> 00:14:05,440 Speaker 2: saying so many hurtful, critical things. 288 00:14:05,679 --> 00:14:08,400 Speaker 5: You've developed a bad habit, you know down in here 289 00:14:08,520 --> 00:14:10,120 Speaker 5: it's destroying the relationship. 290 00:14:10,880 --> 00:14:12,200 Speaker 2: Well, don't be hard headed. 291 00:14:12,720 --> 00:14:15,360 Speaker 5: Don't have to have twenty five alarms go off before 292 00:14:15,440 --> 00:14:18,960 Speaker 5: you do something about it. After all, most of the time, 293 00:14:19,360 --> 00:14:21,000 Speaker 5: God's not going to hit us over the head with 294 00:14:21,080 --> 00:14:22,640 Speaker 5: a ball bat and say. 295 00:14:22,520 --> 00:14:24,640 Speaker 2: Hey, come on your ruin in your marriage. You're going 296 00:14:24,720 --> 00:14:28,080 Speaker 2: to end up hurting lonely. No, he just whispers it. 297 00:14:28,520 --> 00:14:30,560 Speaker 2: It's the still small voice. 298 00:14:30,920 --> 00:14:34,280 Speaker 5: We have to be sensitive, pay attention, and do whatever 299 00:14:34,360 --> 00:14:37,600 Speaker 5: it takes to keep your family together. Too often we 300 00:14:37,680 --> 00:14:40,920 Speaker 5: make excuses. Well, I know I should treat my spouse better. 301 00:14:41,440 --> 00:14:44,520 Speaker 5: I know I'm kind of disrespectful, Joel, but they're disrespectful 302 00:14:44,560 --> 00:14:47,480 Speaker 5: to me. Or I know I shouldn't watch this junk 303 00:14:47,520 --> 00:14:50,480 Speaker 5: on television, but everybody else is doing it. I know 304 00:14:50,560 --> 00:14:52,040 Speaker 5: I kind of got a chip on my shoulder. I 305 00:14:52,120 --> 00:14:54,000 Speaker 5: know I'm hard to get along with, but I've been 306 00:14:54,080 --> 00:14:54,920 Speaker 5: through a lot in life. 307 00:14:54,960 --> 00:14:58,680 Speaker 2: It's just not fair. No excuses. Keep us right where 308 00:14:58,720 --> 00:15:01,360 Speaker 2: we are, learn to deal with things. 309 00:15:01,680 --> 00:15:03,680 Speaker 5: I don't know about you, but I don't want to 310 00:15:03,720 --> 00:15:05,720 Speaker 5: be at this same place next year as I am 311 00:15:05,840 --> 00:15:06,200 Speaker 5: right now. 312 00:15:06,600 --> 00:15:08,800 Speaker 2: I want to be more mature. I want to have 313 00:15:08,880 --> 00:15:10,880 Speaker 2: a better attitude. I want to be a better father, 314 00:15:11,440 --> 00:15:12,360 Speaker 2: a better husband. 315 00:15:13,440 --> 00:15:16,120 Speaker 5: The only way that's going to happen is for us 316 00:15:16,200 --> 00:15:19,200 Speaker 5: to stay open and deal with the issues God brings 317 00:15:19,240 --> 00:15:22,440 Speaker 5: to light. It may be something as simple as how 318 00:15:22,520 --> 00:15:26,360 Speaker 5: you talk to your spouse, your tone of voice, your 319 00:15:26,440 --> 00:15:29,320 Speaker 5: body language, your facial expressions. 320 00:15:29,720 --> 00:15:31,760 Speaker 2: Well, Joel, I'm nice. I don't say things wrong. 321 00:15:32,560 --> 00:15:35,400 Speaker 5: Maybe not, But if you talk like that, if you're harsh, 322 00:15:35,840 --> 00:15:38,400 Speaker 5: if you're short, if you're just always matter of fact, 323 00:15:39,280 --> 00:15:41,880 Speaker 5: if you listen right down in here, you'll feel that conviction, 324 00:15:42,280 --> 00:15:44,800 Speaker 5: something says that's not right. You can do better, you 325 00:15:44,880 --> 00:15:48,600 Speaker 5: can be kinder, and if you will make those simple adjustments, 326 00:15:49,120 --> 00:15:51,400 Speaker 5: you will see the relationship go to a new level. 327 00:15:52,320 --> 00:15:54,480 Speaker 5: Most of the time, it is not the big things 328 00:15:54,520 --> 00:15:57,120 Speaker 5: that are holding us back, it's just the small things. 329 00:15:58,000 --> 00:16:01,280 Speaker 5: I know people that are jealous see somebody that's blessed, 330 00:16:01,560 --> 00:16:04,760 Speaker 5: somebody that's prospering. Instead of being happy for them and 331 00:16:04,920 --> 00:16:08,000 Speaker 5: rejoicing with them, they go around talking about them. 332 00:16:08,400 --> 00:16:10,840 Speaker 2: Finding fault, being critical, being judgmental. 333 00:16:11,440 --> 00:16:14,720 Speaker 5: And what's interesting is most of the time that person 334 00:16:14,920 --> 00:16:18,600 Speaker 5: could have the same success, the same joy, the same fulfillment. 335 00:16:19,120 --> 00:16:21,960 Speaker 2: The problem was they weren't willing to pay the price. 336 00:16:22,720 --> 00:16:25,520 Speaker 5: They weren't willing to make the sacrifices the other person 337 00:16:25,640 --> 00:16:27,200 Speaker 5: made to get to where they are. 338 00:16:27,880 --> 00:16:29,320 Speaker 2: In other words, they. 339 00:16:29,280 --> 00:16:32,600 Speaker 5: Weren't disciplined to listen to the still small voice. They 340 00:16:32,640 --> 00:16:36,320 Speaker 5: weren't disciplined to obey their conscience. And yes, we all 341 00:16:36,400 --> 00:16:38,840 Speaker 5: have different gifts and talents, but what I'm saying is 342 00:16:39,000 --> 00:16:40,320 Speaker 5: any one of us can. 343 00:16:40,360 --> 00:16:42,560 Speaker 2: Rise higher and higher and higher. 344 00:16:42,880 --> 00:16:44,920 Speaker 5: There is no limit to what God will do in 345 00:16:45,000 --> 00:16:47,320 Speaker 5: your life. If you will learn to be quick to 346 00:16:47,440 --> 00:16:50,440 Speaker 5: obey and deal with the issues. He brings to light, 347 00:16:50,880 --> 00:16:54,120 Speaker 5: even small things. I know the other day I was 348 00:16:54,160 --> 00:16:56,920 Speaker 5: watching a minister on television, and he's a fine man, 349 00:16:57,000 --> 00:16:59,720 Speaker 5: he's got a great ministry. But as I was watching, 350 00:17:00,120 --> 00:17:03,800 Speaker 5: I begin to critique the production of the program. Most 351 00:17:03,840 --> 00:17:06,040 Speaker 5: of you know, that's my background television production. So I 352 00:17:06,160 --> 00:17:09,920 Speaker 5: was sitting there, not even really paying attention, thinking why'd they. 353 00:17:09,920 --> 00:17:10,840 Speaker 2: Put the camera there? 354 00:17:11,320 --> 00:17:13,840 Speaker 5: That background doesn't look good, and he shouldn't be wearing that, 355 00:17:14,000 --> 00:17:16,720 Speaker 5: and that light's not adjusted. Right before you knew it, 356 00:17:17,240 --> 00:17:20,160 Speaker 5: I'd found a dozen things I would have done differently, 357 00:17:20,800 --> 00:17:23,960 Speaker 5: and all of a sudden, I felt that still small 358 00:17:24,040 --> 00:17:26,400 Speaker 5: voice say, Joel, don't be critical. 359 00:17:26,880 --> 00:17:29,480 Speaker 2: Look for the good. Look at what they're doing right, 360 00:17:29,800 --> 00:17:32,040 Speaker 2: look at all the people that they're helping. I felt 361 00:17:32,119 --> 00:17:32,720 Speaker 2: that conviction. 362 00:17:33,520 --> 00:17:36,359 Speaker 5: I could have easily blown it, all, could have ignored it, 363 00:17:36,480 --> 00:17:39,800 Speaker 5: nobody would have known. But no, I've learned to just 364 00:17:40,200 --> 00:17:44,480 Speaker 5: quickly say, Father, forgive me, help me to never be critical, 365 00:17:44,600 --> 00:17:47,000 Speaker 5: help me to do better, help me to always see 366 00:17:47,040 --> 00:17:50,920 Speaker 5: the good. See that was an opportunity for me to 367 00:17:51,080 --> 00:17:54,879 Speaker 5: come up higher. God showed me something, although small, that 368 00:17:54,960 --> 00:17:57,399 Speaker 5: it would keep me from being my very very best, 369 00:17:57,840 --> 00:17:59,840 Speaker 5: And no I'm not perfect, but I've learned to do 370 00:18:00,200 --> 00:18:03,040 Speaker 5: with things like that. I've learned to stay open and 371 00:18:03,200 --> 00:18:05,880 Speaker 5: look for ways that I can improve. I don't want 372 00:18:05,920 --> 00:18:08,480 Speaker 5: to get stuck in life, and I want to stir 373 00:18:08,680 --> 00:18:11,920 Speaker 5: you to action. Don't keep putting things off. Make a 374 00:18:12,000 --> 00:18:14,359 Speaker 5: decision with me that you're going to do what you 375 00:18:14,520 --> 00:18:17,160 Speaker 5: know you should be doing. And as I said, there's 376 00:18:17,240 --> 00:18:19,560 Speaker 5: a lot we can do in life and get away with. 377 00:18:20,040 --> 00:18:22,000 Speaker 5: We can run with the wrong crowd and still. 378 00:18:21,840 --> 00:18:22,399 Speaker 2: Get to heaven. 379 00:18:22,800 --> 00:18:25,840 Speaker 5: We can treat people disrespectfully. We can be sloppy in 380 00:18:25,920 --> 00:18:30,040 Speaker 5: our business affairs. But I'm talking about rising higher. I'm 381 00:18:30,080 --> 00:18:32,679 Speaker 5: talking about being the very best that you convent. 382 00:18:33,480 --> 00:18:35,240 Speaker 2: And I know some of you. God's dealing with you 383 00:18:35,400 --> 00:18:36,520 Speaker 2: about your finances. 384 00:18:37,119 --> 00:18:40,680 Speaker 5: You're living above your means, spending more than you can afford, 385 00:18:41,200 --> 00:18:44,520 Speaker 5: charging everything on the credit card, paying eighteen twenty twenty 386 00:18:44,560 --> 00:18:47,800 Speaker 5: four percent interest, and the same time praying for God 387 00:18:47,880 --> 00:18:48,840 Speaker 5: to help you financially. 388 00:18:49,160 --> 00:18:50,360 Speaker 2: God help me get out of debt. 389 00:18:50,640 --> 00:18:53,159 Speaker 5: And of course God does want to help us, but 390 00:18:53,280 --> 00:18:55,920 Speaker 5: we have to do our part most of the time. 391 00:18:56,040 --> 00:18:59,400 Speaker 5: If we're really honest. What's happened is way back here, 392 00:19:00,320 --> 00:19:02,400 Speaker 5: we made a purchase that we didn't feel good about. 393 00:19:03,040 --> 00:19:05,679 Speaker 2: We bought the car, the house, the boat. The alarm 394 00:19:05,880 --> 00:19:07,760 Speaker 2: was going off, we just ignored it. 395 00:19:08,280 --> 00:19:10,960 Speaker 5: And now we're in this bund and it's much better 396 00:19:11,080 --> 00:19:14,359 Speaker 5: to learn to obey all along the way. Then we 397 00:19:14,400 --> 00:19:17,080 Speaker 5: don't have to deal with many of these issues. And 398 00:19:17,160 --> 00:19:19,879 Speaker 5: I'm not trying to make anybody feel bad, but rather to. 399 00:19:20,040 --> 00:19:21,600 Speaker 2: Challenge us to obey. 400 00:19:22,080 --> 00:19:25,480 Speaker 5: Right now, this is one of the most important principles 401 00:19:25,520 --> 00:19:29,800 Speaker 5: we will ever learn. Fall a peace, listen to your conscience, 402 00:19:30,320 --> 00:19:33,040 Speaker 5: deal with the issues God brings to light. Don't put 403 00:19:33,080 --> 00:19:35,560 Speaker 5: it off. The longer you put it off, the more 404 00:19:35,640 --> 00:19:38,320 Speaker 5: difficult it's going to be. And as I said, God 405 00:19:38,440 --> 00:19:42,480 Speaker 5: deals with us about very practical things. Maybe he's dealing 406 00:19:42,560 --> 00:19:45,720 Speaker 5: with you today about how you spend your time. You 407 00:19:45,880 --> 00:19:49,800 Speaker 5: know you need to be more organized, more efficient, more focused. 408 00:19:50,240 --> 00:19:53,119 Speaker 2: Well, don't put that off. Maybe it's something as simple 409 00:19:53,400 --> 00:19:55,160 Speaker 2: as you need to get to work on time. You're 410 00:19:55,240 --> 00:19:57,159 Speaker 2: always running late and you keep ignoring it. 411 00:19:57,720 --> 00:19:59,520 Speaker 5: Hell, Juel, I know I need to get up earlier. 412 00:20:00,000 --> 00:20:01,600 Speaker 5: I know I need to be more disciplined. 413 00:20:01,960 --> 00:20:03,720 Speaker 2: Well, don't put it off any longer. 414 00:20:04,000 --> 00:20:07,200 Speaker 5: Come up higher in that area. Some of you know 415 00:20:07,560 --> 00:20:10,320 Speaker 5: you need to make peace with somebody. You're at odds 416 00:20:10,359 --> 00:20:14,200 Speaker 5: with a family member, you're at strife between you and 417 00:20:14,280 --> 00:20:17,200 Speaker 5: a business associate, between you and a neighbor, and you 418 00:20:17,359 --> 00:20:18,200 Speaker 5: keep putting it off. 419 00:20:18,640 --> 00:20:19,760 Speaker 2: It's not my fault, Joel. 420 00:20:19,800 --> 00:20:23,240 Speaker 5: They started this fight. They brought it on themselves. Now 421 00:20:23,400 --> 00:20:26,200 Speaker 5: you have to be the bigger person. Swallow your pride 422 00:20:26,320 --> 00:20:29,399 Speaker 5: and keep the peace. I know people that spend years 423 00:20:29,480 --> 00:20:32,440 Speaker 5: and years of their life with unforgiveness on the inside. 424 00:20:33,000 --> 00:20:35,879 Speaker 5: Somebody did them wrong, somebody hurt them. They know they 425 00:20:35,960 --> 00:20:39,399 Speaker 5: need to let it go, it bothers their contents, but 426 00:20:39,480 --> 00:20:42,399 Speaker 5: they just won't do it. And now the bitterness is 427 00:20:42,520 --> 00:20:47,040 Speaker 5: poisoning their life, poisoning their attitude. You cannot just sweep 428 00:20:47,160 --> 00:20:49,920 Speaker 5: things like that under the rug and think, oh, it 429 00:20:50,000 --> 00:20:53,000 Speaker 5: doesn't matter, it's not hurting me. Maybe I'll deal with 430 00:20:53,119 --> 00:20:55,440 Speaker 5: it one day. No, you need to deal with it now. 431 00:20:55,920 --> 00:20:58,960 Speaker 5: That's going to keep you right where you are. That's 432 00:20:59,040 --> 00:21:01,760 Speaker 5: a wait that will hold you back from being your 433 00:21:01,920 --> 00:21:05,119 Speaker 5: very best. And too many people today are stuck in 434 00:21:05,160 --> 00:21:06,920 Speaker 5: a rug simply. 435 00:21:06,720 --> 00:21:09,160 Speaker 2: Because they refuse to deal with things. 436 00:21:09,440 --> 00:21:11,960 Speaker 5: They sweep it under the rug, and then they wonder 437 00:21:12,040 --> 00:21:14,919 Speaker 5: why they're not happy, why they're not increasing, why they 438 00:21:14,960 --> 00:21:15,800 Speaker 5: can't sleep. 439 00:21:15,560 --> 00:21:16,120 Speaker 2: Well at night. 440 00:21:16,840 --> 00:21:21,040 Speaker 5: It's because their conscience is not clear. We cannot bury 441 00:21:21,200 --> 00:21:22,439 Speaker 5: things and expect to. 442 00:21:22,480 --> 00:21:26,200 Speaker 2: Rise higher and have God's very best. I think about David. 443 00:21:26,600 --> 00:21:29,160 Speaker 2: You remember when he committed adultery with Bathsheba. 444 00:21:29,800 --> 00:21:31,600 Speaker 5: On top of that, he tried to cover it up 445 00:21:31,800 --> 00:21:34,119 Speaker 5: and he had her husband killed, send him out to 446 00:21:34,200 --> 00:21:37,000 Speaker 5: the front lines of the battle. And for one year, 447 00:21:37,280 --> 00:21:40,240 Speaker 5: David just swept that under the rug. He didn't repent, 448 00:21:41,080 --> 00:21:43,800 Speaker 5: he didn't feel sorry. He just ignored it and went 449 00:21:43,840 --> 00:21:47,200 Speaker 5: about his business. He thought, if I don't deal with it, 450 00:21:47,560 --> 00:21:49,520 Speaker 5: if I ignore it, it won't bother me, it won't 451 00:21:49,520 --> 00:21:52,399 Speaker 5: affect me. But do you know, that was one of 452 00:21:52,440 --> 00:21:54,080 Speaker 5: the worst years of David's life. 453 00:21:54,280 --> 00:21:55,120 Speaker 2: He was miserable. 454 00:21:55,600 --> 00:21:59,240 Speaker 5: The scripture says he was weak, he was sick, He 455 00:21:59,320 --> 00:22:02,560 Speaker 5: had all kinds of problems. And that's what happens to us. 456 00:22:02,840 --> 00:22:07,440 Speaker 5: When we refuse to deal with issues, it drags us down. Really, 457 00:22:07,680 --> 00:22:11,120 Speaker 5: we step out of God's protection and favor. It's very 458 00:22:11,280 --> 00:22:13,840 Speaker 5: costly to just sweep things under the rug. We go 459 00:22:13,960 --> 00:22:17,679 Speaker 5: around with that guilty conscience. We don't feel good about ourselves. 460 00:22:17,880 --> 00:22:19,240 Speaker 2: We take it out on other people. 461 00:22:19,920 --> 00:22:23,960 Speaker 5: Many times, just like David, we're weak, defeated in mediocrity. 462 00:22:24,320 --> 00:22:27,560 Speaker 5: It's because of the poison on the inside. But friends, 463 00:22:27,960 --> 00:22:30,840 Speaker 5: there's no reason for any of us to live that way. 464 00:22:31,280 --> 00:22:34,680 Speaker 5: Our God is a forgiving God. Our God is a 465 00:22:34,920 --> 00:22:37,639 Speaker 5: merciful God. When you make mistakes, you don't have to 466 00:22:37,720 --> 00:22:40,720 Speaker 5: hide it. When you do wrong, don't run away from God. 467 00:22:41,119 --> 00:22:44,360 Speaker 2: Run to God. The scripture says here in first John one, 468 00:22:44,440 --> 00:22:44,880 Speaker 2: verse nine. 469 00:22:45,680 --> 00:22:50,000 Speaker 5: If we confess our sins, God is faithful and just 470 00:22:50,320 --> 00:22:52,880 Speaker 5: to forgive us when we make mistakes. 471 00:22:53,280 --> 00:22:55,600 Speaker 2: When we do wrong, there are three things that we 472 00:22:55,680 --> 00:22:59,840 Speaker 2: should do. Number one, admit it, don't try to justify it. 473 00:23:00,280 --> 00:23:02,000 Speaker 5: Well, I did wrong, Joel, but I was under a 474 00:23:02,040 --> 00:23:04,920 Speaker 5: lot of pressure. I was dishonest, but everybody else was 475 00:23:05,000 --> 00:23:09,040 Speaker 5: doing it. No, don't make excuses, don't beat around the bush. 476 00:23:09,160 --> 00:23:10,760 Speaker 2: Just call it what it is. I was wrong. 477 00:23:11,760 --> 00:23:14,879 Speaker 5: Number two, we need to confess our sins. It's not 478 00:23:15,080 --> 00:23:17,320 Speaker 5: enough to just think about it. We need to get 479 00:23:17,320 --> 00:23:20,360 Speaker 5: along with God and in a quiet moment, just say God, 480 00:23:20,680 --> 00:23:21,240 Speaker 5: I'm sorry. 481 00:23:21,760 --> 00:23:22,359 Speaker 2: I did wrong. 482 00:23:22,600 --> 00:23:25,280 Speaker 5: I made a bad choice, I hurt somebody. I'm asking 483 00:23:25,359 --> 00:23:28,400 Speaker 5: for your forgiveness. I'm asking for your mercy. The third 484 00:23:28,480 --> 00:23:32,200 Speaker 5: thing very important. We need to repent repent means we 485 00:23:32,320 --> 00:23:33,280 Speaker 5: turn around. 486 00:23:33,280 --> 00:23:35,639 Speaker 2: And we don't do it again. It means we go 487 00:23:35,800 --> 00:23:37,160 Speaker 2: off in a different direction. 488 00:23:37,680 --> 00:23:39,879 Speaker 5: We cannot go to God and say I'm sorry and 489 00:23:39,920 --> 00:23:42,160 Speaker 5: then keep doing the same thing again and again. 490 00:23:42,760 --> 00:23:45,400 Speaker 2: We need to change our ways, change our behavior. 491 00:23:46,200 --> 00:23:48,600 Speaker 5: A lot of people are sorry they did wrong, They're 492 00:23:48,680 --> 00:23:52,280 Speaker 5: sorry they hurt somebody, but they're not sincere enough to 493 00:23:52,400 --> 00:23:53,960 Speaker 5: turn away and not do it again. 494 00:23:54,760 --> 00:23:56,200 Speaker 2: We got to learn to do like David. 495 00:23:56,480 --> 00:23:59,320 Speaker 5: After that year, he finally got it out into the open, 496 00:23:59,760 --> 00:24:03,200 Speaker 5: said God, I'm sorry forgive me, creating me a clean heart, 497 00:24:03,680 --> 00:24:07,080 Speaker 5: restore the joy of my salvation. When he did that, 498 00:24:07,840 --> 00:24:10,280 Speaker 5: that's when God restored him. That's when he got his 499 00:24:10,440 --> 00:24:13,200 Speaker 5: joy back, his peace back, his victory back. He went 500 00:24:13,240 --> 00:24:15,920 Speaker 5: on to do great things. But you think about it, 501 00:24:16,359 --> 00:24:19,480 Speaker 5: David could have got stuck right there in defeat, in 502 00:24:19,640 --> 00:24:21,679 Speaker 5: mediocrity for the rest of his life. 503 00:24:21,960 --> 00:24:23,679 Speaker 2: Had he refused to deal with that issue. 504 00:24:24,240 --> 00:24:27,080 Speaker 5: Now, I'm asking us today, are there things in your 505 00:24:27,160 --> 00:24:29,879 Speaker 5: life that you keep sweeping under the rug, things that 506 00:24:29,960 --> 00:24:32,240 Speaker 5: you're burying, things that you're refusing to deal with. 507 00:24:32,800 --> 00:24:34,920 Speaker 2: If so, why don't you get it out in the 508 00:24:35,000 --> 00:24:38,960 Speaker 2: open today when you ask for forgiveness. Just like David. 509 00:24:39,200 --> 00:24:41,680 Speaker 5: God can restore you. That's when he'll put you on 510 00:24:41,800 --> 00:24:44,640 Speaker 5: your best path. That's when he'll give you a new beginning. 511 00:24:45,480 --> 00:24:47,879 Speaker 5: As long as we have things buried, it's going to 512 00:24:48,000 --> 00:24:50,840 Speaker 5: keep us right where we are. And God deals with 513 00:24:50,960 --> 00:24:54,240 Speaker 5: each one of us individually. We're all at different levels, 514 00:24:54,680 --> 00:24:57,480 Speaker 5: and we should never compare ourselves because when we do that, 515 00:24:57,760 --> 00:25:00,639 Speaker 5: we end up making excuses. For instance, since maybe all 516 00:25:00,680 --> 00:25:03,200 Speaker 5: your friends are going to see a movie and you 517 00:25:03,320 --> 00:25:05,720 Speaker 5: read the review and right down in here you don't 518 00:25:05,720 --> 00:25:06,480 Speaker 5: feel good about it. 519 00:25:07,080 --> 00:25:08,960 Speaker 2: You know it would not be God's. 520 00:25:08,720 --> 00:25:11,960 Speaker 5: Best for you, and the alarm goes off. Your conscience 521 00:25:12,000 --> 00:25:15,360 Speaker 5: tells you, hey, don't do that. Well, there's an opportunity 522 00:25:15,560 --> 00:25:17,960 Speaker 5: for you to come up higher. The easy thing to 523 00:25:18,040 --> 00:25:20,400 Speaker 5: do is just blow it off and say, oh, it's 524 00:25:20,440 --> 00:25:21,119 Speaker 5: not going to hurt me. 525 00:25:21,240 --> 00:25:21,800 Speaker 2: I'm strong. 526 00:25:22,440 --> 00:25:25,480 Speaker 5: Besides, all my friends they love God, they come to church, 527 00:25:25,560 --> 00:25:28,879 Speaker 5: they're good people. Now you don't know that God didn't 528 00:25:28,920 --> 00:25:31,760 Speaker 5: deal with them and they ignored it. Maybe they're at 529 00:25:31,760 --> 00:25:34,760 Speaker 5: a different level in their spiritual walk, or maybe they'd 530 00:25:34,800 --> 00:25:36,720 Speaker 5: be a whole lot more blessed if they would quit 531 00:25:36,800 --> 00:25:39,440 Speaker 5: giving in. You've got to do what you feel good 532 00:25:39,480 --> 00:25:42,600 Speaker 5: about in your own heart. It may cost you a 533 00:25:42,680 --> 00:25:46,440 Speaker 5: few friendships, it may mean you have a few nights lonely. 534 00:25:46,920 --> 00:25:49,560 Speaker 5: Maybe you can't play on that ball team that parties. 535 00:25:49,280 --> 00:25:50,040 Speaker 2: After every game. 536 00:25:50,760 --> 00:25:54,320 Speaker 5: But remember, anything God asks you to do is for 537 00:25:54,720 --> 00:25:58,480 Speaker 5: your benefit. It's so He can ultimately release more. 538 00:25:58,359 --> 00:26:03,080 Speaker 2: Of his favor into your life. And too often we're shortsighted. Hell, 539 00:26:03,119 --> 00:26:05,320 Speaker 2: I hear what he's saying. I got to start getting 540 00:26:05,359 --> 00:26:07,119 Speaker 2: up early and getting to work on time. That's going 541 00:26:07,160 --> 00:26:09,320 Speaker 2: to be a pain. I know I need to get 542 00:26:09,359 --> 00:26:11,359 Speaker 2: back in shape. I've heard those messages. I got to 543 00:26:11,440 --> 00:26:14,120 Speaker 2: eat right. No, it may be a little. 544 00:26:13,920 --> 00:26:17,440 Speaker 5: Difficult at the beginning, may be a little uncomfortable early on, 545 00:26:18,080 --> 00:26:22,040 Speaker 5: but later on, when you get that promotion later on, 546 00:26:22,200 --> 00:26:25,040 Speaker 5: when you feel better later on, when you have better relationships, 547 00:26:25,560 --> 00:26:28,280 Speaker 5: you'll be very happy you were willing to pay the price. 548 00:26:28,800 --> 00:26:31,680 Speaker 2: Do what's right now so you don't have these regrets 549 00:26:31,800 --> 00:26:32,119 Speaker 2: later on. 550 00:26:33,040 --> 00:26:37,000 Speaker 5: And understand, anything God asks us to do, he always 551 00:26:37,080 --> 00:26:39,760 Speaker 5: gives us the grace to do it. If God asks 552 00:26:39,760 --> 00:26:42,440 Speaker 5: you to forgive somebody, you may not think you can, 553 00:26:43,040 --> 00:26:45,080 Speaker 5: but if you will take that step of faith, the 554 00:26:45,160 --> 00:26:46,440 Speaker 5: grace will be there to help you. 555 00:26:47,000 --> 00:26:49,160 Speaker 2: But you don't get the grace unless you step out. 556 00:26:49,320 --> 00:26:51,800 Speaker 2: You have to make the first move. Some of you 557 00:26:51,880 --> 00:26:53,399 Speaker 2: don't think you could ever get out of that. 558 00:26:53,480 --> 00:26:58,000 Speaker 5: Habit of being critical, sarcastic, saying hurtful things. But if 559 00:26:58,040 --> 00:27:00,639 Speaker 5: you would just have the desire, if you would just 560 00:27:00,720 --> 00:27:03,080 Speaker 5: be disciplined to bite your tongue and walk away a 561 00:27:03,119 --> 00:27:06,280 Speaker 5: couple times, God would see that stuff of faith and 562 00:27:06,400 --> 00:27:11,040 Speaker 5: he'd give you a supernatural strength to help you overcome. Friends, 563 00:27:11,119 --> 00:27:14,000 Speaker 5: God has so many great things in store for every 564 00:27:14,040 --> 00:27:16,720 Speaker 5: one of you. Don't you dare get stuck in a runt. 565 00:27:16,800 --> 00:27:21,439 Speaker 5: Don't you dare settle for mediocrity with bad habits, bad attitudes. 566 00:27:21,760 --> 00:27:24,520 Speaker 5: Pay attention to the still small voice on the inside. 567 00:27:25,040 --> 00:27:28,040 Speaker 5: Deal with the issues God brings to light. Learn to 568 00:27:28,160 --> 00:27:29,199 Speaker 5: be quick to obey. 569 00:27:29,840 --> 00:27:32,600 Speaker 2: Remember how high we go in life is going. 570 00:27:32,520 --> 00:27:35,320 Speaker 5: To be directly related to how obedient we are. And 571 00:27:35,400 --> 00:27:38,080 Speaker 5: I know sometimes you see your friends out doing things 572 00:27:38,160 --> 00:27:39,000 Speaker 5: and you just. 573 00:27:39,040 --> 00:27:41,640 Speaker 2: Can't feel good about it and seems kind of unfair. 574 00:27:42,160 --> 00:27:45,440 Speaker 2: But the scripture says to whom much is given, much 575 00:27:45,520 --> 00:27:48,760 Speaker 2: is required. That simply means God's getting you prepared for 576 00:27:48,880 --> 00:27:51,240 Speaker 2: greater things. He's going to take you further than you 577 00:27:51,320 --> 00:27:56,359 Speaker 2: thought possible. So I just challenge you again, do your best. 578 00:27:57,119 --> 00:27:59,920 Speaker 2: Look inside, don't ever ignore your CONDI. 579 00:28:00,560 --> 00:28:03,640 Speaker 5: If you will live this obedient life, you will rise 580 00:28:03,840 --> 00:28:06,840 Speaker 5: higher and higher. God has promised he'll pour out more 581 00:28:06,840 --> 00:28:09,760 Speaker 5: of his blessings in favor. And I know God will 582 00:28:09,800 --> 00:28:11,560 Speaker 5: do for you what he's done for me. He'll take 583 00:28:11,600 --> 00:28:13,520 Speaker 5: you places that you've never even dreamed of. 584 00:28:13,680 --> 00:28:15,080 Speaker 2: Amen, do you receive it today? 585 00:28:16,520 --> 00:28:19,280 Speaker 5: We never like to close on broadcast without giving you 586 00:28:19,320 --> 00:28:22,200 Speaker 5: an opportunity to make Jesus the lord of your life. 587 00:28:22,480 --> 00:28:23,399 Speaker 2: Would you pray with me? 588 00:28:24,080 --> 00:28:27,959 Speaker 5: Just say, Lord Jesus, I'll repent of my sins. 589 00:28:29,359 --> 00:28:33,160 Speaker 2: Come into my heart. I make you my Lord and savior. 590 00:28:34,480 --> 00:28:36,920 Speaker 5: Friends, if you prayed that simple prayer, we believe you 591 00:28:37,000 --> 00:28:39,760 Speaker 5: got born again. Get in a good Bible based church. 592 00:28:40,000 --> 00:28:41,120 Speaker 5: Keep God first place. 593 00:28:41,480 --> 00:28:43,920 Speaker 2: He's going to take you places that you've never dreamed of. 594 00:28:44,920 --> 00:28:48,320 Speaker 6: Thank you for listening to the Julus Deine podcast. Help 595 00:28:48,400 --> 00:28:51,120 Speaker 6: us continue to share the message of hope with those 596 00:28:51,240 --> 00:28:54,760 Speaker 6: all over the world. Visit Julus dein dot com slash 597 00:28:54,920 --> 00:28:56,880 Speaker 6: give Hope to give a gift today. 598 00:28:58,200 --> 00:29:00,480 Speaker 2: Thanks so much for listening to today's message. 599 00:29:00,760 --> 00:29:03,479 Speaker 5: I hope you'll subscribe so you can receive the latest 600 00:29:03,560 --> 00:29:06,600 Speaker 5: podcast to keep you inspired all through the week. 601 00:29:06,840 --> 00:29:09,680 Speaker 2: We're praying for you. 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