1 00:00:00,200 --> 00:00:02,880 Speaker 1: No one likes to talk about money. Am I saving enough? 2 00:00:02,960 --> 00:00:05,040 Speaker 1: Can I buy a house? Am I paying too much 3 00:00:05,040 --> 00:00:07,760 Speaker 1: in taxes? Will I be able to retire? What if 4 00:00:07,760 --> 00:00:10,360 Speaker 1: you could unlock insights about your finances in less than 5 00:00:10,400 --> 00:00:12,840 Speaker 1: five minutes, with a clear picture of where you stand 6 00:00:12,880 --> 00:00:15,720 Speaker 1: today and where your money can work harder. Now you 7 00:00:15,760 --> 00:00:18,759 Speaker 1: can visit facet dot com to take the free quiz 8 00:00:18,800 --> 00:00:23,400 Speaker 1: and get your financial wellness score today. That's Facet dot com. 9 00:00:23,400 --> 00:00:25,360 Speaker 1: This ad is sponsored by Facet. Fast Wealth in Corporated 10 00:00:25,440 --> 00:00:27,280 Speaker 1: is an sec registered investment advisor. This is not an 11 00:00:27,320 --> 00:00:29,080 Speaker 1: offer to buy your self securities or is it investment, 12 00:00:29,160 --> 00:00:30,080 Speaker 1: legal or tax advice. 13 00:00:30,760 --> 00:00:33,960 Speaker 2: You're ready for a comeback, and with Purdue Global you 14 00:00:34,000 --> 00:00:37,200 Speaker 2: can do more than take classes. You can take charge 15 00:00:37,520 --> 00:00:41,520 Speaker 2: of your story, of your career, of your life, Earn 16 00:00:41,560 --> 00:00:43,559 Speaker 2: a degree you can be proud of, and get an 17 00:00:43,680 --> 00:00:48,559 Speaker 2: education employer's respect. It's time, your time, not just to 18 00:00:48,560 --> 00:00:50,960 Speaker 2: go back to school, but to come back and move 19 00:00:51,040 --> 00:00:55,840 Speaker 2: forward with Purdue Global, Purdue's online university for working adults. 20 00:00:56,440 --> 00:00:59,920 Speaker 2: Start your comeback at Purdueglobal dot edu. 21 00:01:00,720 --> 00:01:03,480 Speaker 3: Hi, this is Joel and Victoria. Thanks for listening to 22 00:01:03,520 --> 00:01:06,679 Speaker 3: our podcast and thanks for supporting the ministry. If you 23 00:01:06,760 --> 00:01:09,360 Speaker 3: enjoy today's message, why don't you be a blessing and 24 00:01:09,400 --> 00:01:12,040 Speaker 3: share it with a friend. We appreciate you and pray 25 00:01:12,080 --> 00:01:26,360 Speaker 3: for God's very best in your life. Now, God bless you. 26 00:01:26,640 --> 00:01:29,720 Speaker 3: It's a joy to come into your homes. We love you, 27 00:01:29,800 --> 00:01:32,120 Speaker 3: and we know God has great things in store for 28 00:01:32,200 --> 00:01:34,800 Speaker 3: each one of you. He rewards people that seek after him. 29 00:01:35,160 --> 00:01:36,839 Speaker 3: If you're ever in our area, I hope you'll stop 30 00:01:36,840 --> 00:01:39,200 Speaker 3: by and see us. We give you a personal invitation. 31 00:01:39,800 --> 00:01:41,760 Speaker 3: I promise you will make you feel right at home, 32 00:01:41,800 --> 00:01:43,400 Speaker 3: But come by and be a part of one of 33 00:01:43,440 --> 00:01:45,880 Speaker 3: our services. I'd like to get started each week with 34 00:01:45,920 --> 00:01:48,200 Speaker 3: something kind of funny. And I heard about this mother. 35 00:01:48,400 --> 00:01:52,080 Speaker 3: She was cooking pancakes for her two young sons. Ryan 36 00:01:52,280 --> 00:01:55,680 Speaker 3: was five and Kevin was three. They begin to argue 37 00:01:55,680 --> 00:01:58,440 Speaker 3: over who should get the first pencake, and she saw 38 00:01:58,480 --> 00:02:02,600 Speaker 3: this as an opportunity to teach them a lesson. She said, boys, boys, 39 00:02:02,800 --> 00:02:05,800 Speaker 3: if Jesus were here, he would say, let my brother 40 00:02:05,920 --> 00:02:09,160 Speaker 3: have the first pancake. Ryan turned to his younger brother 41 00:02:09,200 --> 00:02:11,639 Speaker 3: and said, okay, Kevin, you be Jesus. 42 00:02:12,840 --> 00:02:15,240 Speaker 4: All right, hold up your Bible, say it like you 43 00:02:15,360 --> 00:02:18,640 Speaker 4: mean it. This is my Bible. I am what it 44 00:02:18,639 --> 00:02:21,280 Speaker 4: says I am. I have what it says I have. 45 00:02:21,880 --> 00:02:24,600 Speaker 4: I can do what it says I can do. Today 46 00:02:24,680 --> 00:02:28,200 Speaker 4: I will be taught the word of God. I boldly confess. 47 00:02:28,760 --> 00:02:32,560 Speaker 4: My mind is alert, my heart is receptive. I will 48 00:02:32,600 --> 00:02:33,520 Speaker 4: never be the same. 49 00:02:34,000 --> 00:02:37,839 Speaker 3: In Jesus' name, God bless you. I want to talk 50 00:02:37,880 --> 00:02:43,480 Speaker 3: to you today about being seed oriented rather than need oriented. 51 00:02:44,240 --> 00:02:47,240 Speaker 3: Too often, when we have a need, we get focused 52 00:02:47,240 --> 00:02:50,280 Speaker 3: on it. That's all we talk about. All we think 53 00:02:50,320 --> 00:02:54,720 Speaker 3: about my problems, my bills, my health, my hurt, my pains. 54 00:02:55,320 --> 00:02:58,720 Speaker 3: But as long as we are ingrown, as long as 55 00:02:58,720 --> 00:03:01,600 Speaker 3: we're only focused on our we're going to live a 56 00:03:01,680 --> 00:03:06,080 Speaker 3: very miserable life. God created us to be givers, and 57 00:03:06,120 --> 00:03:08,800 Speaker 3: in our time of need, we have to learn to 58 00:03:08,880 --> 00:03:12,440 Speaker 3: sow a seed. Rather than turning inward, we need to 59 00:03:12,440 --> 00:03:16,079 Speaker 3: turn outward. If you're in tough times today, don't sit 60 00:03:16,120 --> 00:03:20,080 Speaker 3: around depressed. Go help somebody else. If you want God 61 00:03:20,120 --> 00:03:23,880 Speaker 3: to solve your problems, go help solve somebody else's problems. 62 00:03:24,000 --> 00:03:28,800 Speaker 3: Sow that seed I've found. If we'll make somebody else's day, 63 00:03:29,200 --> 00:03:32,239 Speaker 3: God will always make our own day. And the way 64 00:03:32,320 --> 00:03:35,400 Speaker 3: to really get what you want is by giving away 65 00:03:35,600 --> 00:03:39,160 Speaker 3: what you need. If you need happiness, go make somebody 66 00:03:39,160 --> 00:03:42,480 Speaker 3: else happy. If you need friends, go be a friend 67 00:03:42,520 --> 00:03:45,840 Speaker 3: to someone this lonely. If you're struggling in your finances, 68 00:03:45,960 --> 00:03:48,760 Speaker 3: it's not enough to just pray to just believe. You've 69 00:03:48,760 --> 00:03:53,000 Speaker 3: got to sow that seed. Buy somebody's dinner, help somebody 70 00:03:53,000 --> 00:03:55,760 Speaker 3: pay their rent, give a little extra in the offering. 71 00:03:56,280 --> 00:03:59,560 Speaker 3: When you reach out to others, that's the seed God 72 00:03:59,600 --> 00:04:02,240 Speaker 3: will you use to bring a harvest into your own life. 73 00:04:02,920 --> 00:04:06,320 Speaker 3: We need to learn to be more seed minded rather 74 00:04:06,360 --> 00:04:09,640 Speaker 3: than need minded. How many times do we go before 75 00:04:09,680 --> 00:04:12,800 Speaker 3: God and give him our long list of needs? God, 76 00:04:12,800 --> 00:04:15,360 Speaker 3: I need healing from my back. I need my child 77 00:04:15,360 --> 00:04:17,479 Speaker 3: to straighten up. God, I need more money, And God, 78 00:04:17,480 --> 00:04:20,800 Speaker 3: I need some more friends. I'm lonely. No, God already 79 00:04:20,839 --> 00:04:23,560 Speaker 3: knows our needs. He's waiting on us to sow a 80 00:04:23,680 --> 00:04:26,960 Speaker 3: seed so he can begin to do something well, Joel, 81 00:04:27,000 --> 00:04:28,800 Speaker 3: as soon as I get out of these problems, I'll 82 00:04:28,839 --> 00:04:31,520 Speaker 3: go help somebody else. Soon as I get more money, 83 00:04:31,560 --> 00:04:34,280 Speaker 3: I'll be a giver. Soon as I get a better car, 84 00:04:34,440 --> 00:04:37,599 Speaker 3: I'll go give somebody a ride. Soon as my teenager 85 00:04:37,640 --> 00:04:41,080 Speaker 3: straightens up, then I'll go mentor these other young people. No, 86 00:04:41,200 --> 00:04:44,880 Speaker 3: you've got it backwards. You've got to help somebody else first. 87 00:04:45,440 --> 00:04:49,039 Speaker 3: Then God will begin to turn your situation around. Something 88 00:04:49,160 --> 00:04:52,920 Speaker 3: supernatural happens when we turn our attention away from our 89 00:04:52,960 --> 00:04:56,400 Speaker 3: own needs to the needs of those around us. When 90 00:04:56,400 --> 00:04:59,520 Speaker 3: we're in difficult times, first thing we should think about 91 00:05:00,120 --> 00:05:02,520 Speaker 3: is what kind of seed can I sow? Who can 92 00:05:02,560 --> 00:05:05,280 Speaker 3: I bless, who can I encourage? Where is a need 93 00:05:05,360 --> 00:05:07,839 Speaker 3: that I can meet today? This is what the people 94 00:05:07,880 --> 00:05:10,440 Speaker 3: did back in the Book of Corinthians. They were in 95 00:05:10,520 --> 00:05:14,440 Speaker 3: tough times. The scripture says they were in deep poverty 96 00:05:14,920 --> 00:05:18,880 Speaker 3: and in great trouble. In other words, they were struggling financially, 97 00:05:19,240 --> 00:05:21,960 Speaker 3: had all kinds of things coming against them. But what 98 00:05:22,000 --> 00:05:24,600 Speaker 3: did they do in their time of need? Did they 99 00:05:24,640 --> 00:05:28,440 Speaker 3: complain God, why is this happening? Did they sit back 100 00:05:28,480 --> 00:05:31,080 Speaker 3: and wait for somebody to come rescue them? No, the 101 00:05:31,120 --> 00:05:33,920 Speaker 3: scripture goes on to say, in the midst of their 102 00:05:33,960 --> 00:05:37,920 Speaker 3: great trouble, they stayed full of joy and they gave 103 00:05:38,080 --> 00:05:42,160 Speaker 3: generously to others. Notice they sowed a seed in their 104 00:05:42,200 --> 00:05:45,280 Speaker 3: time of need. They knew if they would meet other 105 00:05:45,320 --> 00:05:48,880 Speaker 3: people's needs, then God would meet their own needs. We 106 00:05:48,920 --> 00:05:52,120 Speaker 3: need to learn to do the same thing in difficult times. 107 00:05:52,279 --> 00:05:55,640 Speaker 3: Number one, let's stay full of joy. And number two, 108 00:05:56,440 --> 00:06:00,160 Speaker 3: go out and be a blessing to somebody else lost 109 00:06:00,240 --> 00:06:03,239 Speaker 3: your job. Don't sit at home all day feeling sorry 110 00:06:03,279 --> 00:06:07,080 Speaker 3: for yourself. Go volunteer someplace while you're waiting for the 111 00:06:07,080 --> 00:06:09,680 Speaker 3: next thing to open up. If you're believing for a 112 00:06:09,720 --> 00:06:12,880 Speaker 3: better car instead of complaining about the one you've got, 113 00:06:13,320 --> 00:06:16,640 Speaker 3: go so as seeded by giving somebody a ride. If 114 00:06:16,680 --> 00:06:20,080 Speaker 3: you want your business to increase, then so a seeded 115 00:06:20,279 --> 00:06:24,279 Speaker 3: by helping somebody else's business increase. Some of you today, 116 00:06:24,600 --> 00:06:27,799 Speaker 3: you have major needs, you have big obstacles in your path. 117 00:06:28,120 --> 00:06:30,440 Speaker 3: The best thing you could do is get your mind 118 00:06:30,480 --> 00:06:34,200 Speaker 3: off yourself and go do something good for somebody else. 119 00:06:34,720 --> 00:06:37,799 Speaker 3: What you may happen for others, God will make happen 120 00:06:37,839 --> 00:06:40,400 Speaker 3: for you. If you want to see your dreams come 121 00:06:40,440 --> 00:06:44,480 Speaker 3: to pass, I challenge you so a seed by helping 122 00:06:44,560 --> 00:06:48,240 Speaker 3: somebody else's dreams come to pass. For instance, maybe you're 123 00:06:48,279 --> 00:06:52,839 Speaker 3: skilled in a certain profession, well take time to mentor 124 00:06:52,920 --> 00:06:55,520 Speaker 3: another young person that's trying to get to where you are. 125 00:06:56,240 --> 00:07:01,040 Speaker 3: Share your talents, share your time, share what you know. Well, Joel, 126 00:07:01,320 --> 00:07:03,960 Speaker 3: I'm so busy and I've got so many problems of 127 00:07:04,000 --> 00:07:07,640 Speaker 3: my own. I can't waste by time helping everybody else. No, 128 00:07:07,839 --> 00:07:11,520 Speaker 3: you're not wasting your time. You're sowing a seed. And 129 00:07:11,520 --> 00:07:16,240 Speaker 3: the scripture says here in Ecclesiastes eleven, verse one, give generously, 130 00:07:17,120 --> 00:07:20,680 Speaker 3: for your gifts will come back to you. When you 131 00:07:20,800 --> 00:07:26,560 Speaker 3: give of your time, your energy, your talents, your resources, someday, 132 00:07:27,280 --> 00:07:31,120 Speaker 3: in some way, shape or form, your gifts will come 133 00:07:31,120 --> 00:07:34,400 Speaker 3: back to you. You will reap what you sew when 134 00:07:34,440 --> 00:07:37,240 Speaker 3: you need wisdom, when you need a good break, when 135 00:07:37,280 --> 00:07:40,880 Speaker 3: you need God's favor. Because of the gifts you've given, 136 00:07:41,520 --> 00:07:44,480 Speaker 3: God will make sure you have everything that you need. 137 00:07:44,840 --> 00:07:48,360 Speaker 3: Your gifts will come back to you. I know when 138 00:07:48,440 --> 00:07:51,280 Speaker 3: we were in the first stages of raising funds to 139 00:07:51,360 --> 00:07:54,960 Speaker 3: renovate this place, at times it seemed kind of overwhelming. 140 00:07:55,160 --> 00:07:57,960 Speaker 3: It was a one hundred million dollar project. We had 141 00:07:57,960 --> 00:08:01,720 Speaker 3: a huge need. We were pray, believing, doing everything that 142 00:08:01,800 --> 00:08:04,560 Speaker 3: we could, and one day we got a call from 143 00:08:04,560 --> 00:08:07,840 Speaker 3: another ministry. They were good friends of ours, and they 144 00:08:07,920 --> 00:08:10,880 Speaker 3: told how they were trying to close on this piece 145 00:08:10,920 --> 00:08:14,080 Speaker 3: of property and this building that they were buying. This 146 00:08:14,240 --> 00:08:17,400 Speaker 3: was their dream come true. They had been working on 147 00:08:17,440 --> 00:08:20,200 Speaker 3: it for over two years, and they had done very well, 148 00:08:20,280 --> 00:08:23,520 Speaker 3: raised a lot of funds, but at the last moment, 149 00:08:24,240 --> 00:08:27,600 Speaker 3: something that they were counting on didn't come together, and 150 00:08:27,680 --> 00:08:29,800 Speaker 3: now it looked like they were not going to be 151 00:08:29,800 --> 00:08:33,240 Speaker 3: able to close. They were still a significant amount short, 152 00:08:33,840 --> 00:08:36,520 Speaker 3: and somebody was standing in line waiting to take that 153 00:08:36,600 --> 00:08:39,280 Speaker 3: property if they didn't get it. As you can imagine, 154 00:08:39,280 --> 00:08:43,120 Speaker 3: they were just devastated. Well, when we heard that, I knew, 155 00:08:43,160 --> 00:08:45,520 Speaker 3: deep down in here we were supposed to help them. 156 00:08:46,200 --> 00:08:48,960 Speaker 3: But in the natural, I thought, God, we need the 157 00:08:49,000 --> 00:08:51,959 Speaker 3: money more than they do. We have a bigger project. God, 158 00:08:51,960 --> 00:08:54,080 Speaker 3: I want to see how we can do this. But 159 00:08:54,200 --> 00:08:56,520 Speaker 3: down in here I could not get away from it. 160 00:08:57,040 --> 00:09:00,600 Speaker 3: Something kept telling me, Joel, if you'll take this step 161 00:09:00,640 --> 00:09:04,080 Speaker 3: of faith, if you'll help make their dreams come to pass, 162 00:09:04,440 --> 00:09:08,559 Speaker 3: I'll make sure your dreams come to pass. So we sacrificed, 163 00:09:08,800 --> 00:09:12,200 Speaker 3: and we sowed that seed into their ministry, and they 164 00:09:12,240 --> 00:09:14,760 Speaker 3: were able to close on that property and they got 165 00:09:14,760 --> 00:09:18,800 Speaker 3: their new facility. Well two years later, when we were 166 00:09:18,800 --> 00:09:21,920 Speaker 3: trying to acquire this place, it came down to the 167 00:09:22,000 --> 00:09:25,640 Speaker 3: final city council vote. Most of you know how we 168 00:09:25,679 --> 00:09:29,640 Speaker 3: needed ten votes, but the night before we only had nine. 169 00:09:29,800 --> 00:09:32,200 Speaker 3: It looked like it was all over, but one of 170 00:09:32,200 --> 00:09:35,880 Speaker 3: the council members, he had been against us for two years. 171 00:09:36,280 --> 00:09:39,280 Speaker 3: For some reason, he changed his mind and it was 172 00:09:39,360 --> 00:09:43,200 Speaker 3: his vote that gave us this facility. Leaving City Hall 173 00:09:43,280 --> 00:09:45,920 Speaker 3: that day after we had just won the victory, I 174 00:09:46,000 --> 00:09:48,360 Speaker 3: was so excited. I was on cloud nine, and I 175 00:09:48,480 --> 00:09:52,040 Speaker 3: began to reflect on all the great things God had done, 176 00:09:52,080 --> 00:09:55,720 Speaker 3: and my mind immediately went back to that gift that 177 00:09:55,760 --> 00:10:00,160 Speaker 3: we'd given that other ministry. God reminded me how the 178 00:10:00,200 --> 00:10:03,720 Speaker 3: last minute we helped make their dreams come to pass. 179 00:10:04,040 --> 00:10:06,640 Speaker 3: And it was as if God was saying, Joel, because 180 00:10:06,679 --> 00:10:10,439 Speaker 3: you're sowed in your time of need, because you sacrificed 181 00:10:10,720 --> 00:10:15,000 Speaker 3: and help them accomplish their dreams. Now you're reaping this harvest. 182 00:10:15,320 --> 00:10:19,080 Speaker 3: That's why I cause that council member to change his mind. See, 183 00:10:19,120 --> 00:10:22,280 Speaker 3: when you make other people's dreams come to pass, God 184 00:10:22,320 --> 00:10:25,920 Speaker 3: will make sure your own dreams come to pass. Really, 185 00:10:26,800 --> 00:10:30,800 Speaker 3: we never know what we're sowing a seed for. You 186 00:10:30,840 --> 00:10:33,679 Speaker 3: don't know what you're gonna need in the future. But 187 00:10:33,720 --> 00:10:36,920 Speaker 3: when you're a giver, when you take time to care, 188 00:10:37,400 --> 00:10:41,000 Speaker 3: when you help others accomplish their dreams, then when you 189 00:10:41,040 --> 00:10:44,280 Speaker 3: need God's favor. He'll make sure you have plenty of it. 190 00:10:44,559 --> 00:10:47,520 Speaker 3: Your gifts will come back to you. Now I've learned 191 00:10:47,559 --> 00:10:52,200 Speaker 3: Now anytime I can use my influence, my favor to 192 00:10:52,280 --> 00:10:55,520 Speaker 3: help someone else come up higher, I gladly do it. 193 00:10:55,760 --> 00:10:58,800 Speaker 3: I realize I'm sowing a seed, and I know in 194 00:10:58,840 --> 00:11:01,440 Speaker 3: the future I'm gonna need a good break. I'm going 195 00:11:01,520 --> 00:11:04,120 Speaker 3: to need God's favor. So I want to make sure 196 00:11:04,160 --> 00:11:06,760 Speaker 3: I have plenty of seed in the ground. I want 197 00:11:06,800 --> 00:11:09,760 Speaker 3: to have an abundant harvest that God can draw from. 198 00:11:10,200 --> 00:11:12,440 Speaker 3: A couple of years ago, I was talking to a 199 00:11:12,480 --> 00:11:16,720 Speaker 3: young couple and they were having terrible tax problems. Somebody 200 00:11:16,720 --> 00:11:19,360 Speaker 3: had given them poor advice, and now they were in 201 00:11:19,400 --> 00:11:21,760 Speaker 3: a big mess. They were so discouraged they didn't know 202 00:11:21,800 --> 00:11:25,360 Speaker 3: what to do. As we were praying, I remembered a 203 00:11:25,440 --> 00:11:28,520 Speaker 3: man that owed me a big favor. He was in 204 00:11:28,559 --> 00:11:32,280 Speaker 3: the tax business, very knowledgeable, very experience, and I knew 205 00:11:32,320 --> 00:11:34,880 Speaker 3: if they called him as a favor to me, he 206 00:11:34,920 --> 00:11:37,440 Speaker 3: would help them out. But while we were praying, I 207 00:11:37,520 --> 00:11:39,880 Speaker 3: kind of thought to myself, do I want to use 208 00:11:39,920 --> 00:11:43,560 Speaker 3: my favor this way? After all, I don't even know 209 00:11:43,720 --> 00:11:46,320 Speaker 3: this couple, and what if I need this man in 210 00:11:46,360 --> 00:11:49,439 Speaker 3: the future. This battle was going on in my thoughts. 211 00:11:49,440 --> 00:11:53,320 Speaker 3: But thank God, I've learned anytime I can be a blessing. 212 00:11:53,840 --> 00:11:56,599 Speaker 3: Anytime you can do good for somebody, you are so 213 00:11:56,760 --> 00:12:00,480 Speaker 3: in a seed and your gifts will come back to you. 214 00:12:01,559 --> 00:12:03,480 Speaker 3: So I said, hey, you call this man, and I 215 00:12:03,520 --> 00:12:05,840 Speaker 3: know he's going to help you out. See, you know 216 00:12:05,880 --> 00:12:09,559 Speaker 3: how to get favor by giving favor. When you can 217 00:12:09,600 --> 00:12:13,000 Speaker 3: do good for someone, and you extend your hand of 218 00:12:13,120 --> 00:12:16,080 Speaker 3: kindness when you need favor, God will make sure that 219 00:12:16,160 --> 00:12:19,000 Speaker 3: you have it. A friend is about to move, Hey, 220 00:12:19,040 --> 00:12:21,320 Speaker 3: you want to borrow my truck? How about I help you. 221 00:12:21,400 --> 00:12:24,320 Speaker 3: Next weekend, somebody's going on a trip. Hey, let me 222 00:12:24,360 --> 00:12:26,240 Speaker 3: give you a ride to the airport. Let me save 223 00:12:26,280 --> 00:12:29,200 Speaker 3: you those parking fees. Just little things. You know what 224 00:12:29,240 --> 00:12:33,600 Speaker 3: you're doing, sowing seeds of favor. But too many people 225 00:12:34,120 --> 00:12:37,280 Speaker 3: have this attitude. I've got enough problems on my own, 226 00:12:37,520 --> 00:12:40,560 Speaker 3: don't bother me with yours. But what a miserable way 227 00:12:40,600 --> 00:12:44,440 Speaker 3: to live? Life is all about giving some of you. 228 00:12:44,840 --> 00:12:47,120 Speaker 3: The reason you're not as happy as you should be, 229 00:12:47,240 --> 00:12:49,439 Speaker 3: the reason you're not as fulfilled as you should be, 230 00:12:49,960 --> 00:12:53,439 Speaker 3: is because you've gotten self centered. You've got to get 231 00:12:53,440 --> 00:12:57,280 Speaker 3: your mind off your own needs and start sowing some seeds. 232 00:12:58,000 --> 00:13:01,040 Speaker 3: If you want God to solve your problems, I challenge you, 233 00:13:01,480 --> 00:13:05,640 Speaker 3: go help solve somebody else's problems. I was talking to 234 00:13:05,679 --> 00:13:08,560 Speaker 3: a father the other day and he told how for 235 00:13:08,720 --> 00:13:12,680 Speaker 3: years he had struggled with his teenage son, seemed like 236 00:13:12,720 --> 00:13:16,319 Speaker 3: they were on different wavelengths. But this whole time, he 237 00:13:16,400 --> 00:13:19,280 Speaker 3: was the coach of their baseball team. And there was 238 00:13:19,320 --> 00:13:22,280 Speaker 3: this other young man. He just happened to come from 239 00:13:22,320 --> 00:13:25,000 Speaker 3: a single parent family. He was having a lot of 240 00:13:25,000 --> 00:13:29,280 Speaker 3: trouble in school. So many times after practice or a ballgame, 241 00:13:29,520 --> 00:13:32,240 Speaker 3: this father would bring this other young man home with 242 00:13:32,320 --> 00:13:35,120 Speaker 3: his son and he would help him do his schoolwork. 243 00:13:35,559 --> 00:13:39,160 Speaker 3: He tutored him, he mentored him. He actually became the 244 00:13:39,200 --> 00:13:42,280 Speaker 3: father figure in his life. And this single parent mom 245 00:13:42,400 --> 00:13:45,960 Speaker 3: was so grateful, so appreciative. And do you know as 246 00:13:46,000 --> 00:13:50,000 Speaker 3: this father reached out to this other young man, his 247 00:13:50,080 --> 00:13:54,240 Speaker 3: relationship with his own son began to improve, got better 248 00:13:54,320 --> 00:13:57,560 Speaker 3: and better. Today it is totally turned around. They are 249 00:13:57,559 --> 00:14:00,400 Speaker 3: the best of friends. And he told me, Joe, I 250 00:14:00,480 --> 00:14:04,240 Speaker 3: know God honored me because I sewed into this other 251 00:14:04,320 --> 00:14:08,920 Speaker 3: young man. I found sometimes God will enable us to 252 00:14:08,960 --> 00:14:12,480 Speaker 3: solve somebody else's problem, even when we're not able to 253 00:14:12,559 --> 00:14:16,480 Speaker 3: solve our own. You have the answer that somebody needs. 254 00:14:16,679 --> 00:14:19,600 Speaker 3: Don't live in grown. A lot of times, I know 255 00:14:19,760 --> 00:14:22,480 Speaker 3: I've got wisdom, I know just what to tell somebody 256 00:14:22,520 --> 00:14:24,760 Speaker 3: to do. But then I thank God, I'm not sure 257 00:14:24,760 --> 00:14:27,280 Speaker 3: what I'm supposed to do. The whole key is to 258 00:14:27,360 --> 00:14:30,840 Speaker 3: keep sowing those seeds. As long as you're reaching out 259 00:14:30,880 --> 00:14:33,640 Speaker 3: to others than when you need wisdom in your time 260 00:14:33,680 --> 00:14:36,520 Speaker 3: of need, God will make sure somebody will be there 261 00:14:36,560 --> 00:14:39,960 Speaker 3: for you. I think about Job. He had all kinds 262 00:14:40,000 --> 00:14:44,640 Speaker 3: of problems. He lost his health, lost his business, and 263 00:14:44,720 --> 00:14:47,560 Speaker 3: I'm sure he was tempted, like we are, to sit 264 00:14:47,600 --> 00:14:50,160 Speaker 3: around and have a pity party. God is not fair. 265 00:14:50,200 --> 00:14:52,120 Speaker 3: Why do this happen to me? I'm a good person. 266 00:14:52,880 --> 00:14:55,320 Speaker 3: Now do you know what Job did in the middle 267 00:14:55,360 --> 00:14:59,320 Speaker 3: of his greatest adversity. The scripture says he went out 268 00:14:59,520 --> 00:15:03,200 Speaker 3: and pray aid for his friends. Think about that, he 269 00:15:03,240 --> 00:15:05,840 Speaker 3: needed prayer more than any of them. What was he 270 00:15:05,920 --> 00:15:08,920 Speaker 3: doing so in a seed in his time of need? 271 00:15:09,280 --> 00:15:12,720 Speaker 3: And that's when his situation began to turn around? Or 272 00:15:12,760 --> 00:15:16,360 Speaker 3: what do you need today? If you need encouragement? Rather 273 00:15:16,400 --> 00:15:18,840 Speaker 3: than saying God, I need some joy. God, I need 274 00:15:18,880 --> 00:15:21,600 Speaker 3: you to cheer me up. I can't go on like this. No, 275 00:15:21,880 --> 00:15:24,480 Speaker 3: you're waiting on God. But God is waiting on you. 276 00:15:25,000 --> 00:15:27,640 Speaker 3: If you need to be encouraged, so a seed, pick 277 00:15:27,720 --> 00:15:30,400 Speaker 3: up the phone when you leave, and cheer somebody else up. 278 00:15:31,160 --> 00:15:33,800 Speaker 3: If you need healing, why don't you go pray for 279 00:15:33,920 --> 00:15:37,120 Speaker 3: somebody else that's not feeling well. That's what my mother 280 00:15:37,200 --> 00:15:41,080 Speaker 3: did back in nineteen eighty one when she was diagnosed 281 00:15:41,160 --> 00:15:44,400 Speaker 3: with cancer. Instead of just sitting at home feeling sorry 282 00:15:44,440 --> 00:15:47,120 Speaker 3: for herself all day, she would go out and pray 283 00:15:47,160 --> 00:15:50,720 Speaker 3: for other people that were sick. God used that seed 284 00:15:50,760 --> 00:15:53,840 Speaker 3: to bring healing into her own life. When you get 285 00:15:53,880 --> 00:15:56,560 Speaker 3: your mind off of yourself and you begin to reach 286 00:15:56,600 --> 00:15:59,720 Speaker 3: out to others, it's that act of faith that's the 287 00:16:00,080 --> 00:16:04,040 Speaker 3: seed God will use to meet your own needs. I 288 00:16:04,080 --> 00:16:06,200 Speaker 3: hear a lot of people say, well, Joe White and 289 00:16:06,280 --> 00:16:09,040 Speaker 3: God doing anything in my life? Why don't I see 290 00:16:09,080 --> 00:16:12,200 Speaker 3: his blessings in favor? My question to you would be, 291 00:16:12,560 --> 00:16:15,560 Speaker 3: are you so in any seeds? Are you doing anything 292 00:16:15,600 --> 00:16:20,240 Speaker 3: good for anybody else? We cannot live ingrown focused on 293 00:16:20,360 --> 00:16:23,520 Speaker 3: my wants and my needs and expect to live a happy, 294 00:16:23,680 --> 00:16:27,080 Speaker 3: fulfilled life now. I believe one of the main reasons 295 00:16:27,240 --> 00:16:31,560 Speaker 3: people don't have joy today is because they've become self centered. 296 00:16:31,880 --> 00:16:35,560 Speaker 3: They've fallen into this trap of me, need me, and 297 00:16:35,600 --> 00:16:39,840 Speaker 3: this is so easy to do, especially when we're having difficulties. 298 00:16:40,600 --> 00:16:43,400 Speaker 3: I've known people that have gone through hurts in life. 299 00:16:44,040 --> 00:16:47,840 Speaker 3: They've had disappointments and had unfair things happen to them, 300 00:16:48,120 --> 00:16:51,520 Speaker 3: and the problem is they never really get over these hurts. 301 00:16:51,840 --> 00:16:54,800 Speaker 3: Ten years later, they're still talking about it, still thinking 302 00:16:54,840 --> 00:16:58,600 Speaker 3: about it, and it's because they're ingrown. They don't have 303 00:16:58,640 --> 00:17:01,440 Speaker 3: the joy and the victory that they should have. And 304 00:17:01,480 --> 00:17:03,600 Speaker 3: if you've been through tough times today, I'm not making 305 00:17:03,680 --> 00:17:06,679 Speaker 3: light of that, but one of the main ways to 306 00:17:06,800 --> 00:17:10,840 Speaker 3: overcome a hurt, the way to get the healing process started, 307 00:17:11,560 --> 00:17:14,240 Speaker 3: is to go out and help somebody else that's hurting. 308 00:17:15,000 --> 00:17:18,560 Speaker 3: This is what my sister Lisa did years ago. She 309 00:17:18,640 --> 00:17:22,480 Speaker 3: went through an unwanted divorce. She was in her early twenties, 310 00:17:22,680 --> 00:17:26,160 Speaker 3: and she was devastated. She never dreamed her life would 311 00:17:26,160 --> 00:17:29,240 Speaker 3: turn out like that, and for months she just sat 312 00:17:29,280 --> 00:17:33,000 Speaker 3: in her room at home, discouraged and depressed. She didn't 313 00:17:33,040 --> 00:17:35,520 Speaker 3: think it would ever get any better. In fact, she 314 00:17:35,640 --> 00:17:39,040 Speaker 3: thought she was having a nervous breakdown, and we, as 315 00:17:39,080 --> 00:17:41,680 Speaker 3: her family, tried to cheer up, We tried to encourage her. 316 00:17:42,200 --> 00:17:45,719 Speaker 3: But at some point, every person has to stand on 317 00:17:45,760 --> 00:17:48,919 Speaker 3: their own two feet. Nobody can make you be happy. 318 00:17:49,200 --> 00:17:51,480 Speaker 3: You have to decide. You've got to draw the line 319 00:17:51,480 --> 00:17:53,440 Speaker 3: in the sand, say you know what, enough is enough. 320 00:17:53,520 --> 00:17:56,199 Speaker 3: I'm not living my life like this anymore. And this 321 00:17:56,280 --> 00:18:00,359 Speaker 3: is what Lisa began to do. She started realizing sitting 322 00:18:00,400 --> 00:18:03,200 Speaker 3: in that self pity wasn't going to make anything better. 323 00:18:03,520 --> 00:18:05,960 Speaker 3: So one day she rose up and began to shake 324 00:18:06,000 --> 00:18:09,199 Speaker 3: that off. She shook off the defeat and discouragement. And 325 00:18:09,240 --> 00:18:12,399 Speaker 3: you know what she did. She sewed a seed. She 326 00:18:12,560 --> 00:18:16,080 Speaker 3: started a class every week for people that were struggling 327 00:18:16,320 --> 00:18:20,240 Speaker 3: in their marriages, people just like her. Every week she 328 00:18:20,280 --> 00:18:23,360 Speaker 3: would give them hope, she would encourage them, she would 329 00:18:23,400 --> 00:18:27,320 Speaker 3: share the scriptures. She needed that that whole time, probably 330 00:18:27,400 --> 00:18:30,040 Speaker 3: just as much or more than they did. What was 331 00:18:30,080 --> 00:18:32,960 Speaker 3: she doing so in a seed in her time of need? 332 00:18:33,280 --> 00:18:37,160 Speaker 3: She stayed faithful year after year, and Lisa not only 333 00:18:37,200 --> 00:18:39,960 Speaker 3: came out of that healthy and home, but one day 334 00:18:40,320 --> 00:18:43,280 Speaker 3: God brought another fine man into her life. And today 335 00:18:43,480 --> 00:18:46,600 Speaker 3: she and Kevin have been happily married for many, many years. 336 00:18:47,760 --> 00:18:52,679 Speaker 3: And I know sometimes it's difficult, sometimes it's not fair, 337 00:18:53,280 --> 00:18:56,840 Speaker 3: but don't fall into that trap of staying focused on yourself. 338 00:18:57,119 --> 00:18:59,440 Speaker 3: That's when you have to dig your heels in and say, 339 00:18:59,480 --> 00:19:02,919 Speaker 3: you know what, I'm hurting. This isn't fair, but I 340 00:19:02,920 --> 00:19:05,400 Speaker 3: am not gonna live my life in self pity. If 341 00:19:05,440 --> 00:19:07,960 Speaker 3: it takes every ounce of strength I've got, I'm gonna 342 00:19:08,000 --> 00:19:11,240 Speaker 3: go out and encourage somebody else. I may be having 343 00:19:11,280 --> 00:19:13,880 Speaker 3: a bad day, but I'm gonna go make somebody else's day. 344 00:19:14,520 --> 00:19:16,960 Speaker 3: My future may not look too bright for me, but 345 00:19:17,000 --> 00:19:20,280 Speaker 3: I'm gonna go give somebody else hope. So those seeds 346 00:19:21,040 --> 00:19:23,920 Speaker 3: says in the Book of Isaiah, chapter fifty eight, when 347 00:19:23,960 --> 00:19:28,000 Speaker 3: you feed the hungry, when you clothe the poor, then 348 00:19:28,119 --> 00:19:31,040 Speaker 3: your light will break forth like the dawn, and your 349 00:19:31,080 --> 00:19:34,280 Speaker 3: healing will quickly come. In other words, when you meet 350 00:19:34,320 --> 00:19:38,080 Speaker 3: other people's needs, God will always meet your own needs. 351 00:19:38,640 --> 00:19:41,640 Speaker 3: And we all have difficult times, but you can let 352 00:19:41,680 --> 00:19:45,199 Speaker 3: your test become your testimony. The way you do that 353 00:19:45,560 --> 00:19:47,720 Speaker 3: is by reaching out to others right where you are. 354 00:19:48,520 --> 00:19:52,000 Speaker 3: In Lisa's darkest hour, she reached out to other people 355 00:19:52,040 --> 00:19:55,600 Speaker 3: in her same situation. When you do that, God will 356 00:19:55,640 --> 00:19:58,680 Speaker 3: not only turn your situation around, but he'll use you 357 00:19:58,960 --> 00:20:02,080 Speaker 3: to be a blessing others as well. I loved the 358 00:20:02,119 --> 00:20:05,960 Speaker 3: story of my friend Dan. They're faithful members of our church. 359 00:20:06,320 --> 00:20:09,080 Speaker 3: In fact, he was one of my high school baseball coaches. 360 00:20:09,480 --> 00:20:12,280 Speaker 3: And a while back he lost his wife of many, 361 00:20:12,400 --> 00:20:16,360 Speaker 3: many years, and as you can imagine, he was just devastated. 362 00:20:17,000 --> 00:20:19,560 Speaker 3: In the natural, he didn't see much of a future 363 00:20:19,600 --> 00:20:22,439 Speaker 3: for his life. He could have easily just kind of 364 00:20:22,480 --> 00:20:26,200 Speaker 3: given up on life and going around depressed and discouraged. 365 00:20:26,600 --> 00:20:29,359 Speaker 3: But no, he decided to sow a seed in his 366 00:20:29,520 --> 00:20:32,520 Speaker 3: time of need. Rather than staying focused on his own 367 00:20:32,600 --> 00:20:36,000 Speaker 3: hurts and pains, he decided to go help other people 368 00:20:36,040 --> 00:20:38,680 Speaker 3: that were hurting. And he didn't know exactly what he 369 00:20:38,720 --> 00:20:41,000 Speaker 3: could do. He's not a minister, he's retired from the 370 00:20:41,040 --> 00:20:44,080 Speaker 3: phone company. But he said, Joel, all I really knew 371 00:20:44,119 --> 00:20:47,639 Speaker 3: that I could do was comfort other people that had 372 00:20:47,680 --> 00:20:50,479 Speaker 3: been through some kind of loss. His attitude was, I've 373 00:20:50,520 --> 00:20:53,000 Speaker 3: been there, I know what they're going through. And so 374 00:20:53,080 --> 00:20:56,440 Speaker 3: he started showing up at the funerals where my dad 375 00:20:56,600 --> 00:20:59,480 Speaker 3: was doing the ceremony. Nobody asked him to. He was 376 00:20:59,480 --> 00:21:02,399 Speaker 3: an invite. He just showed up and he would minister 377 00:21:02,520 --> 00:21:06,159 Speaker 3: to the people, show them compassion, be a friend that 378 00:21:06,200 --> 00:21:09,399 Speaker 3: they could talk to. After a while, my dad started 379 00:21:09,400 --> 00:21:12,000 Speaker 3: seeing him there all the time, and he invited him 380 00:21:12,040 --> 00:21:16,000 Speaker 3: to join the volunteer ministry team. Long story short, a 381 00:21:16,040 --> 00:21:19,639 Speaker 3: few years back we put Daniel on staff, and today 382 00:21:19,760 --> 00:21:22,800 Speaker 3: he's in charge of our Comfort ministry that takes care 383 00:21:22,920 --> 00:21:25,680 Speaker 3: of all of our funerals. And the point I want 384 00:21:25,720 --> 00:21:29,919 Speaker 3: you to see is that Daniel didn't sit around focused 385 00:21:30,040 --> 00:21:34,480 Speaker 3: on his problems. He didn't stay ingrown with that attitude, 386 00:21:34,640 --> 00:21:36,720 Speaker 3: Who's gonna come make my life better, Who's gonna come 387 00:21:36,760 --> 00:21:39,359 Speaker 3: cheer me up today? No, he was on the offensive, 388 00:21:40,000 --> 00:21:42,320 Speaker 3: and as he began to help other people in need, 389 00:21:42,880 --> 00:21:46,080 Speaker 3: that's when his own situation began to turn around. And 390 00:21:46,119 --> 00:21:49,280 Speaker 3: God not only brought him through that difficult time, but 391 00:21:49,760 --> 00:21:53,320 Speaker 3: several years back, God brought another beautiful lady into his life. 392 00:21:53,359 --> 00:21:56,560 Speaker 3: And today he and Shirley are happily married and they 393 00:21:56,600 --> 00:22:01,080 Speaker 3: still go around showing God's goodness everywhere they go. Now, 394 00:22:01,080 --> 00:22:05,440 Speaker 3: I love the fact that Daniel let his test become 395 00:22:05,520 --> 00:22:09,200 Speaker 3: his testimony, the very thing that could have destroyed him, 396 00:22:09,280 --> 00:22:11,960 Speaker 3: the thing that could have brought him down, because he 397 00:22:12,080 --> 00:22:16,040 Speaker 3: reached out to others. That's the very area God's using 398 00:22:16,119 --> 00:22:19,520 Speaker 3: him in to make such a difference. When you're hurting, 399 00:22:19,880 --> 00:22:22,200 Speaker 3: one of the most powerful things you can ever do 400 00:22:22,760 --> 00:22:25,200 Speaker 3: is go out and be a blessing to somebody else. 401 00:22:25,640 --> 00:22:29,040 Speaker 3: Don't sit in that little box and think about me, me, me, No, 402 00:22:29,240 --> 00:22:32,480 Speaker 3: rise up and say who can I encourage today? Where 403 00:22:32,520 --> 00:22:35,240 Speaker 3: is a need that I can meet? Yes, I'm hurting, 404 00:22:35,359 --> 00:22:38,719 Speaker 3: but I'm gonna go cheer somebody else up. Yes I'm lonely, 405 00:22:38,800 --> 00:22:40,399 Speaker 3: but I'm not sitting here. I'm going up to the 406 00:22:40,440 --> 00:22:43,800 Speaker 3: retirement home. I'm gonna be a friend to some seniors. Yes, 407 00:22:43,920 --> 00:22:46,320 Speaker 3: I feel kind of discouraged today, Joel, but I'm gonna 408 00:22:46,320 --> 00:22:48,760 Speaker 3: shake it off and do something good anyway. I'm gonna 409 00:22:48,760 --> 00:22:51,800 Speaker 3: bake a cake and take it to my neighbor this afternoon. See, 410 00:22:51,800 --> 00:22:54,639 Speaker 3: in our tough times, we have to be aggressive. We 411 00:22:54,720 --> 00:22:57,480 Speaker 3: have to dig our heels in and make a decision. No, 412 00:22:57,560 --> 00:22:59,600 Speaker 3: I'm not gonna stay in this self pity. I'm gonna 413 00:22:59,640 --> 00:23:03,280 Speaker 3: go out and be a blessing to somebody anyway. And 414 00:23:03,359 --> 00:23:07,159 Speaker 3: I know sometimes life is not fair, sometimes people do 415 00:23:07,280 --> 00:23:11,320 Speaker 3: us wrong. But the way to overcome a hurt, the 416 00:23:11,359 --> 00:23:15,600 Speaker 3: way to overcome evil is by doing good. You don't 417 00:23:15,640 --> 00:23:18,440 Speaker 3: overcome a hurt by staying hurt and nursing your wounds. 418 00:23:19,119 --> 00:23:22,560 Speaker 3: You don't overcome an injustice by trying to pay people 419 00:23:22,600 --> 00:23:25,200 Speaker 3: back and trying to get even. The way to really 420 00:23:25,280 --> 00:23:28,480 Speaker 3: overcome is to go out and be a blessing to 421 00:23:28,560 --> 00:23:32,560 Speaker 3: somebody else. The scripture says this in Psalm thirty seven. 422 00:23:32,840 --> 00:23:36,480 Speaker 3: In our times of trouble, trust in the Lord and 423 00:23:36,560 --> 00:23:40,680 Speaker 3: do good. Notice it's not enough to just trust in 424 00:23:40,720 --> 00:23:43,040 Speaker 3: the Lord. Of course that's important, but we need to 425 00:23:43,040 --> 00:23:46,760 Speaker 3: take it one step further and do good. That means 426 00:23:47,000 --> 00:23:51,720 Speaker 3: go help somebody else. Well, Joel, I'm kind of lonely today, 427 00:23:51,800 --> 00:23:53,800 Speaker 3: I'm kind of depressed. I want somebody to cheer me 428 00:23:53,920 --> 00:23:57,560 Speaker 3: up now. So is see, as you help others, then 429 00:23:57,640 --> 00:24:00,399 Speaker 3: God will help you. And it's a powerful thing to 430 00:24:00,440 --> 00:24:03,199 Speaker 3: have an attitude that, no matter what comes against me, 431 00:24:03,720 --> 00:24:06,520 Speaker 3: I'm gonna keep being a giver. My child may not 432 00:24:06,640 --> 00:24:08,440 Speaker 3: be doing right, but I'm gonna keep serving in the 433 00:24:08,520 --> 00:24:12,239 Speaker 3: children's ministry. My teenager may be off course, but I'm 434 00:24:12,280 --> 00:24:15,720 Speaker 3: gonna keep sewing into these other teenagers. Or my finances 435 00:24:15,720 --> 00:24:17,560 Speaker 3: have gone down a little bit, Joel, but I'm gonna 436 00:24:17,640 --> 00:24:20,040 Speaker 3: keep on giving. I'm gonna keep being a blessing everywhere 437 00:24:20,080 --> 00:24:23,800 Speaker 3: I go. When you do that, you're sowing seeds. When 438 00:24:23,840 --> 00:24:26,720 Speaker 3: you meet other people's needs, God will meet your needs. 439 00:24:26,960 --> 00:24:30,240 Speaker 3: He'll make sure that your gifts come back to you. 440 00:24:31,320 --> 00:24:35,320 Speaker 3: I remember back in the early nineteen sixties, Lakewood was 441 00:24:35,400 --> 00:24:37,920 Speaker 3: just a few years old. In fact, I wasn't even 442 00:24:37,960 --> 00:24:41,400 Speaker 3: born yet, and they were in need of renovating their 443 00:24:41,440 --> 00:24:45,600 Speaker 3: little building. My parents started the church in nineteen fifty 444 00:24:45,680 --> 00:24:49,560 Speaker 3: nine in an abandoned feed store, was very rundown, had 445 00:24:49,600 --> 00:24:52,680 Speaker 3: holes in the floor, really needed repair, and so they 446 00:24:52,680 --> 00:24:56,440 Speaker 3: were saving up money to make these renovations. One day, 447 00:24:56,600 --> 00:25:00,879 Speaker 3: a young couple came through visiting. They were missionary in Mexico, 448 00:25:01,400 --> 00:25:03,439 Speaker 3: and my father called them up on the platform and 449 00:25:03,480 --> 00:25:05,959 Speaker 3: had them share a few words, like he did so often. 450 00:25:06,560 --> 00:25:08,880 Speaker 3: At the end of the service, Daddy said, I think 451 00:25:08,960 --> 00:25:11,960 Speaker 3: we should take an offering for this young missionary couple. 452 00:25:12,720 --> 00:25:16,040 Speaker 3: In the natural, Lakewood needed the money more than they did, 453 00:25:16,720 --> 00:25:20,639 Speaker 3: but my father understood this principle of sowing a seed 454 00:25:20,840 --> 00:25:24,600 Speaker 3: in your time of need. That little congregation, probably not 455 00:25:24,720 --> 00:25:27,480 Speaker 3: more than a hundred of them, took up an offering 456 00:25:27,600 --> 00:25:31,119 Speaker 3: of six hundred dollars. That was huge back then, and 457 00:25:31,160 --> 00:25:33,560 Speaker 3: they gave it to this missionary couple and they were 458 00:25:33,560 --> 00:25:37,200 Speaker 3: so excited they took it back to Mexico and used 459 00:25:37,240 --> 00:25:40,840 Speaker 3: that money to start a Bible school. Well, some forty 460 00:25:40,920 --> 00:25:44,719 Speaker 3: years later, a young man came across our path. He 461 00:25:44,800 --> 00:25:47,560 Speaker 3: was going to hold a concert in Spanish on a 462 00:25:47,600 --> 00:25:51,479 Speaker 3: Sunday night at our other location. His name was Marcos Witt, 463 00:25:51,960 --> 00:25:58,800 Speaker 3: and we had We had never met before, but I 464 00:25:58,880 --> 00:26:01,720 Speaker 3: knew he was well known throughout Latin America and how 465 00:26:01,720 --> 00:26:04,879 Speaker 3: he filled up stadiums everywhere he went down there. And 466 00:26:04,920 --> 00:26:07,240 Speaker 3: I got to meet him that night, and we invited 467 00:26:07,280 --> 00:26:09,359 Speaker 3: he and his wife Mary him out to dinner. A 468 00:26:09,359 --> 00:26:12,040 Speaker 3: few nights later, we were talking. I didn't even plan 469 00:26:12,119 --> 00:26:14,600 Speaker 3: on saying it. Just out of the blue, I said, Marcos, 470 00:26:14,920 --> 00:26:17,600 Speaker 3: why don't you come back to Lakewood and start a 471 00:26:17,680 --> 00:26:21,040 Speaker 3: Spanish speaking service. I never dreamed he would. He was 472 00:26:21,080 --> 00:26:23,879 Speaker 3: busy traveling all over the world, but things began to 473 00:26:23,920 --> 00:26:26,960 Speaker 3: fall into place. Long story short, A few years back 474 00:26:27,119 --> 00:26:30,480 Speaker 3: we started the Spanish service, and today every Sunday afternoon 475 00:26:30,560 --> 00:26:33,480 Speaker 3: we have thousands of Spanish speaking people that come out 476 00:26:33,520 --> 00:26:38,919 Speaker 3: and enjoy that service. But what I didn't know until 477 00:26:39,040 --> 00:26:42,359 Speaker 3: just maybe a year or two ago. Was that young 478 00:26:42,480 --> 00:26:46,280 Speaker 3: missionary couple that my parents in the first Little Congregation 479 00:26:46,400 --> 00:26:48,640 Speaker 3: gave that six hundred dollars to. Do you know who 480 00:26:48,640 --> 00:26:55,040 Speaker 3: that was? That was Marcos WIT's parents. See, when you 481 00:26:55,200 --> 00:26:59,840 Speaker 3: give your gifts will always come back to you. That 482 00:27:00,160 --> 00:27:03,320 Speaker 3: little congregation, so does seed in their time of need. 483 00:27:03,840 --> 00:27:06,800 Speaker 3: And I believe Marcus is with us here today because 484 00:27:06,800 --> 00:27:09,880 Speaker 3: of their active faith. And sometimes when you do good 485 00:27:09,920 --> 00:27:12,439 Speaker 3: for people, your children are going to reap the harvest. 486 00:27:13,600 --> 00:27:16,359 Speaker 3: But I know I'm reaping a lot of benefits today 487 00:27:16,480 --> 00:27:22,320 Speaker 3: because of the seeds that my parent's upsong. I'm reaping 488 00:27:22,320 --> 00:27:27,359 Speaker 3: the rewards of the seeds that first Little Congregations has sown. 489 00:27:27,880 --> 00:27:31,560 Speaker 3: Sometimes maybe your grandchildren are going to see the harvest 490 00:27:31,600 --> 00:27:35,120 Speaker 3: that you've sown, But your acts of kindness do not 491 00:27:35,200 --> 00:27:38,480 Speaker 3: go unnoticed. God is keeping the records when you sow, 492 00:27:38,760 --> 00:27:41,359 Speaker 3: He'll always make sure that harvest comes back to you. 493 00:27:42,960 --> 00:27:45,439 Speaker 3: I was thinking about how God has taken care of 494 00:27:45,520 --> 00:27:48,320 Speaker 3: us here at Lakewood. We not only renovated the little 495 00:27:48,320 --> 00:27:51,800 Speaker 3: feed store, but now we've renovated the Compact Center. We've 496 00:27:51,840 --> 00:27:56,119 Speaker 3: come a long way, haven't we. So my challenge to 497 00:27:56,200 --> 00:28:00,200 Speaker 3: you today is to be more seed minded, of the 498 00:28:00,280 --> 00:28:04,040 Speaker 3: need minded. When you have difficulties, don't be ingrown. Get 499 00:28:04,040 --> 00:28:06,480 Speaker 3: your mind off yourself and go do something good for 500 00:28:06,560 --> 00:28:09,280 Speaker 3: somebody else. As you meet their needs. God's going to 501 00:28:09,280 --> 00:28:12,080 Speaker 3: meet your needs. Remember the way you get favor is 502 00:28:12,119 --> 00:28:16,080 Speaker 3: by giving away favor. Be good to people, live generously. 503 00:28:16,680 --> 00:28:19,560 Speaker 3: Look for ways you can be a blessing, especially in 504 00:28:19,600 --> 00:28:22,879 Speaker 3: your times of need. If you do this, God promises 505 00:28:23,160 --> 00:28:25,720 Speaker 3: your gifts will come back to you. He'll not only 506 00:28:25,760 --> 00:28:28,439 Speaker 3: meet your needs, but he'll fight your battles for you. 507 00:28:28,480 --> 00:28:31,120 Speaker 3: And I found God will take you places that you've 508 00:28:31,160 --> 00:28:33,560 Speaker 3: never even dreamed of. Amen. Do you receive it today? 509 00:28:34,040 --> 00:28:38,000 Speaker 3: I know you do. We've never liked to close our 510 00:28:38,040 --> 00:28:41,480 Speaker 3: broadcast without giving you an opportunity to make Jesus the 511 00:28:41,520 --> 00:28:44,360 Speaker 3: lord of your life. Would you pray with me, say 512 00:28:44,440 --> 00:28:49,920 Speaker 3: Lord Jesus, I repent of my sins. Come into my heart. 513 00:28:50,960 --> 00:28:54,640 Speaker 3: I make you my Lord and savior. Friends, if you 514 00:28:54,720 --> 00:28:57,560 Speaker 3: prayed that simple prayer, we believe you got born again. 515 00:28:57,880 --> 00:29:01,080 Speaker 3: Get in a good Bible based church. God first place. 516 00:29:01,280 --> 00:29:03,520 Speaker 3: He's going to take your places that you've never dreamed of. 517 00:29:03,800 --> 00:29:07,200 Speaker 5: Thank you for listening to the joel Osteine podcast. Help 518 00:29:07,320 --> 00:29:10,040 Speaker 5: us continue to share the message of hope with those 519 00:29:10,120 --> 00:29:11,080 Speaker 5: all over the world. 520 00:29:11,400 --> 00:29:12,960 Speaker 3: Visit jolostein dot. 521 00:29:12,760 --> 00:29:15,800 Speaker 5: Com slash give Hope to give a gift today. 522 00:29:17,080 --> 00:29:20,000 Speaker 3: Thanks so much for listening to today's message. I hope 523 00:29:20,000 --> 00:29:23,360 Speaker 3: you'll subscribe so you can receive the latest podcast to 524 00:29:23,480 --> 00:29:26,640 Speaker 3: keep you inspired all through the week. We're praying for you. 525 00:29:26,840 --> 00:29:29,280 Speaker 3: I know God's best is still ahead. We'll see you 526 00:29:29,360 --> 00:29:29,840 Speaker 3: next time. 527 00:29:41,560 --> 00:29:44,280 Speaker 6: With millions of books on Amazon, there's a reading feeling 528 00:29:44,320 --> 00:29:49,320 Speaker 6: for everyone. 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