Anchored to Hope

0:00:00.240 --> 0:00:02.640 You and your dog are close, like watch each other 0:00:02.680 --> 0:00:04.960 go to the bathroom close, But you could be even 0:00:05.000 --> 0:00:08.880 closer with BarkBox. Every month, BarkBox brings dogs and their 0:00:08.920 --> 0:00:12.639 humans together with original toys and delicious treatment. Sign up 0:00:12.640 --> 0:00:14.880 now at BarkBox dot com. Slash iHeart. 0:00:15.400 --> 0:00:18.119 No one likes to talk about money. Am I saving enough? 0:00:18.200 --> 0:00:20.239 Can I buy a house? Am I paying too much 0:00:20.280 --> 0:00:22.960 in taxes? Will I be able to retire? What if 0:00:23.000 --> 0:00:25.600 you could unlock insights about your finances in less than 0:00:25.600 --> 0:00:28.080 five minutes, with a clear picture of where you stand 0:00:28.080 --> 0:00:30.880 today and where your money can work harder. Now you 0:00:31.000 --> 0:00:34.000 can visit Facet dot com to take the free quiz 0:00:34.040 --> 0:00:38.640 and get your financial wellness score today. That's Facet dot com. 0:00:38.640 --> 0:00:40.600 This ad is sponsored by Facet. Facet Wealth in Corporated 0:00:40.680 --> 0:00:42.519 is an SEC registered investment advisor. This is not an 0:00:42.560 --> 0:00:44.600 offer to buy yourself security snor is it investment, legal 0:00:44.680 --> 0:00:45.280 or tax advice. 0:00:45.760 --> 0:00:48.360 Are you ready to move your career forward? Make your 0:00:48.360 --> 0:00:51.880 comeback with Purdue Global and get college credit for your work, school, life, 0:00:51.960 --> 0:00:55.080 or military experiences. With these credits, you may have already 0:00:55.080 --> 0:00:57.880 completed up to seventy five percent of your undergraduate degree. 0:00:57.960 --> 0:01:00.000 You've worked hard to get where you are. It's time 0:01:00.160 --> 0:01:02.200 to get the recognition you deserve and earn a degree 0:01:02.200 --> 0:01:04.840 you'll be proud of, one that employers will trust and 0:01:04.920 --> 0:01:07.119 respect when you take the next step in your life 0:01:07.120 --> 0:01:10.280 and career. Make it count with Purdue Global Produce online 0:01:10.319 --> 0:01:14.920 university for working adults. Start your comeback at Purdueglobal dot edu. 0:01:15.680 --> 0:01:19.240 Welcome to the Jill Loustine Podcast. Help let's continue to 0:01:19.280 --> 0:01:22.240 share the message of hope with those all over the world. 0:01:22.680 --> 0:01:26.240 Visit joeloostin dot com slash give hope to give a 0:01:26.240 --> 0:01:33.680 gift today. 0:01:38.280 --> 0:01:40.840 Well, God bless you. It's joy to come into your 0:01:40.880 --> 0:01:44.080 homes and if you're ever in our area, please stop 0:01:44.080 --> 0:01:46.280 buy and be a part of one of our services. 0:01:46.480 --> 0:01:49.120 I promise you we'll make you feel right at home. 0:01:49.720 --> 0:01:52.000 I like to start with something funny, and I heard 0:01:52.000 --> 0:01:56.040 about this new police recruit. He was taking his final exam. 0:01:56.520 --> 0:01:59.400 He was in front of a large classroom. The sergeant 0:01:59.480 --> 0:02:02.200 ask him, what would you do if you had to 0:02:02.320 --> 0:02:05.760 arrest your own mother in law without missing a beat? 0:02:05.800 --> 0:02:10.120 He said, call for backup. Say it like you mean it. 0:02:10.560 --> 0:02:13.240 This is my Bible. I am what it says, I am, 0:02:13.720 --> 0:02:16.080 I have what it says I have, I can do 0:02:16.200 --> 0:02:18.800 what it says I can do. Today I will be 0:02:18.880 --> 0:02:22.680 talked the word of God. I boldly confess. My mind 0:02:22.800 --> 0:02:26.000 is alert, my heart is receptive. I will never be 0:02:26.080 --> 0:02:31.079 the same. In Jesus' name, God bless you. I want 0:02:31.080 --> 0:02:34.600 to talk to you today about anchored to hope. And 0:02:34.760 --> 0:02:38.160 anchor is something that holds a boat in place. Once 0:02:38.160 --> 0:02:41.800 the captain arrives at his destination, he puts the anchor down. 0:02:42.400 --> 0:02:45.560 That way, he won't drift and end up in places 0:02:45.639 --> 0:02:48.720 that he doesn't want to be. When the boat is anchored, 0:02:48.960 --> 0:02:52.040 it may move a little bit with the waves the wind, 0:02:52.720 --> 0:02:55.840 but the captain is not worried. He can relax. He 0:02:55.960 --> 0:03:00.840 knows the anchor is down. The scripture tells us is 0:03:00.880 --> 0:03:04.480 the anchor of our soul. What's going to keep your 0:03:04.520 --> 0:03:07.640 soul in the right place, what's going to cause you 0:03:07.680 --> 0:03:11.799 to overcome obstacles reach your dreams, is when you are 0:03:11.919 --> 0:03:15.560 anchored to hope. That means no matter what you face, 0:03:16.160 --> 0:03:19.240 no matter how big the difficulty, no matter how long 0:03:19.320 --> 0:03:22.480 it's taking, you know God is still on the throne. 0:03:23.080 --> 0:03:25.480 You know his plans for you are for good. That 0:03:25.600 --> 0:03:30.040 He's bigger than any challenge. When you're anchored to this hope, 0:03:30.320 --> 0:03:34.600 nothing moves you. The winds, the waves, the storms may come. 0:03:34.760 --> 0:03:38.480 You're not worried. You have your anchor down. You receive 0:03:38.520 --> 0:03:41.080 a bad medical report, A lot of people would be 0:03:41.200 --> 0:03:45.560 upset negative. Not you. You're anchored to hope. I know 0:03:45.680 --> 0:03:48.960 God is restoring health back into me. You go through 0:03:49.000 --> 0:03:54.280 a loss, a disappointment, your emotions are pulling you toward discouragement, 0:03:54.640 --> 0:03:59.040 toward bitterness. But something's holding you back. You can't explain it. 0:03:59.560 --> 0:04:01.320 But down, I mean to hear you hear a voice 0:04:01.360 --> 0:04:05.240 saying everything's going to be all right. God has beauty 0:04:05.280 --> 0:04:08.840 for these ashes. That's the anchor of hope. Or maybe 0:04:08.880 --> 0:04:12.600 your dream looks impossible. Every voice tells you it's not 0:04:12.640 --> 0:04:17.200 gonna work out. Forget it. You're wasting your time. Most 0:04:17.240 --> 0:04:20.359 people would throw in the towel. But your attitude is 0:04:20.760 --> 0:04:23.040 I may not see away, but I know God has 0:04:23.080 --> 0:04:26.200 a way. I know he's opening doors no man can shut. 0:04:26.520 --> 0:04:29.840 When you're anchor to hope, God will make things happen 0:04:30.160 --> 0:04:33.440 that you could never make happen. But I've learned there's 0:04:33.520 --> 0:04:36.600 always something trying to convince us to pull up our 0:04:36.680 --> 0:04:43.640 anchor delays, disappointments, bad breaks, in the tough times, when 0:04:43.640 --> 0:04:47.800 life doesn't seem fair, when your prayers weren't answered, when 0:04:47.839 --> 0:04:50.680 it's taken longer than your thought. You have to make 0:04:50.760 --> 0:04:55.119 sure to keep your anchor down. If you pull it up, 0:04:55.480 --> 0:05:00.960 you'll drift into bitterness, discouragement, self pity. When you're anchored 0:05:01.000 --> 0:05:03.960 to hope, it's like you're tied to it. You can't 0:05:03.960 --> 0:05:07.800 go very far. You may have some negative thoughts, thoughts 0:05:07.800 --> 0:05:09.719 of doubts, and well, it's never going to work out, 0:05:10.200 --> 0:05:12.640 but your faith will kick in. No, I know the 0:05:12.680 --> 0:05:16.640 answers on the way. On paper, it looks like it'll 0:05:16.640 --> 0:05:19.479 take thirty years to get out of debt. You could 0:05:19.520 --> 0:05:23.600 accept it, But because you're anchored to hope, something in 0:05:23.640 --> 0:05:26.880 you says, no, I know God can accelerate it. I 0:05:26.920 --> 0:05:30.279 know he has explosive blessings come in my way. Or 0:05:30.360 --> 0:05:33.839 perhaps your children are off course, doesn't look like they'll 0:05:33.839 --> 0:05:38.200 ever change. You should be discouraged, but you're tied to hope. 0:05:38.680 --> 0:05:42.080 Every time those negative thoughts come trying to pull you away, 0:05:42.279 --> 0:05:44.960 your anchor kicks in. As for me and my house, 0:05:45.080 --> 0:05:49.599 we will serve the Lord. My question today is do 0:05:49.720 --> 0:05:53.200 you have your anchor down. Do you have this hope, 0:05:53.240 --> 0:05:57.480 this expectancy that you're going to accomplish your dreams, that 0:05:57.520 --> 0:06:00.039 you're going to break the addiction, that you're going to 0:06:00.160 --> 0:06:04.240 see your family restored? Or have you pulled up your 0:06:04.279 --> 0:06:09.800 anchor and drifted into doubt mediocrity, not expecting anything good. 0:06:10.520 --> 0:06:14.039 I'm asking you to put your anchor back down. The 0:06:14.120 --> 0:06:18.640 scripture says faith is the substance of things hoped for. 0:06:19.480 --> 0:06:23.080 You can't have faith if you don't first have hope. 0:06:23.120 --> 0:06:26.240 One time, David had a lot coming against him. He 0:06:26.320 --> 0:06:30.680 was down and discouraged. He felt overwhelmed by life. He'd 0:06:30.720 --> 0:06:34.360 given up on his dreams. Everything kept getting worse and worse. 0:06:35.000 --> 0:06:39.239 He finally said to himself, why are you cast down? 0:06:39.400 --> 0:06:43.960 O my soul? Hope in the Lord, he recognized. He 0:06:44.120 --> 0:06:47.599 let his circumstances convince him to pull up his anchor. 0:06:48.279 --> 0:06:50.640 He said, in effect, I'm going to put my anchor 0:06:50.720 --> 0:06:54.800 back down. I'm going to hope in the Lord. You 0:06:54.839 --> 0:06:58.320 may not have any reason in the natural to be hopeful. 0:06:58.839 --> 0:07:02.159 Doesn't look like you'll get well, meet the right person, 0:07:02.480 --> 0:07:06.120 start your business. You have to do like David and 0:07:06.400 --> 0:07:10.840 hope in the Lord. Don't put your hope in your circumstances. 0:07:11.320 --> 0:07:14.000 They may not turn out the way you thought. Don't 0:07:14.040 --> 0:07:16.640 put your hope in people. They may let you down. 0:07:17.320 --> 0:07:20.200 Don't put your hope in your career. Things may change. 0:07:20.400 --> 0:07:23.040 Put your hope in the Lord, in the God who 0:07:23.080 --> 0:07:26.840 spoke worlds into existence, in the God who flung stars 0:07:26.880 --> 0:07:31.000 into space. When you have your hope in him, the 0:07:31.040 --> 0:07:35.400 scripture says, you will never be disappointed. And sure you 0:07:35.480 --> 0:07:38.880 may go through some temporary setbacks. Life will happen, but 0:07:38.960 --> 0:07:41.800 when it's all said and done, you'll come out better 0:07:41.840 --> 0:07:45.280 than you were before. This is what Joseph did. He 0:07:45.360 --> 0:07:48.640 had plenty of opportunities to pull up his anchor. He 0:07:48.720 --> 0:07:52.320 was betrayed by his brothers, thrown into a pit. He 0:07:52.320 --> 0:07:56.200 could have become negative, angry. That's not right. My own 0:07:56.280 --> 0:07:59.560 family did me wrong. But he kept his anchor down. 0:08:00.400 --> 0:08:04.680 They sold him into slavery. He was falsely accused, put 0:08:04.720 --> 0:08:08.600 in prison. It was unfair. He had a good reason 0:08:08.680 --> 0:08:12.480 to be sour. Nobody would have faulted him. But through 0:08:12.560 --> 0:08:16.200 all the trouble, through all the things that didn't make sense, 0:08:16.480 --> 0:08:20.160 he didn't pull up his anchor. His attitude was God, 0:08:20.280 --> 0:08:23.840 You have the final say people don't determine my destiny. 0:08:24.280 --> 0:08:27.240 A bad break can't keep me from my purpose. All 0:08:27.320 --> 0:08:31.680 the forces of darkness cannot stop your plan for my life. 0:08:31.880 --> 0:08:35.800 Because he was anchored to hope, he didn't stay disappointed. 0:08:36.320 --> 0:08:39.920 He was vindicated, promoted, put in charge of the whole nation. 0:08:41.040 --> 0:08:44.479 Zachariah puts it this way, if you'll be a prisoner 0:08:44.559 --> 0:08:48.160 of hope, God will restore back to you double what 0:08:48.280 --> 0:08:51.720 you lost. Prisoner of hope means you can't get away 0:08:51.720 --> 0:08:56.080 from it. You're anchored to it. You should be discouraged, 0:08:56.280 --> 0:09:00.000 but you can't help it. Despite all that's come against you. 0:09:00.280 --> 0:09:03.840 Like Joseph, you still believe you're going to accomplish your dreams. 0:09:04.559 --> 0:09:09.839 You should be overwhelmed. The obstacle looks bigger, Goliath looks stronger, 0:09:10.040 --> 0:09:13.600 more powerful. But like David, you have your hope in 0:09:13.679 --> 0:09:16.079 the Lord. You know if God be for you, who 0:09:16.160 --> 0:09:20.000 dare be against you? That sickness may seem like it's 0:09:20.040 --> 0:09:22.960 going to be the end of you. You could live worried, 0:09:23.320 --> 0:09:27.000 stressed out, but you know nothing can snatch you out 0:09:27.040 --> 0:09:30.200 of God's hand. Your hope is not in the medicine, 0:09:30.600 --> 0:09:34.080 not in the treatment, not in the professionals even though 0:09:34.120 --> 0:09:37.520 all those things are good, we're grateful for them. Your 0:09:37.640 --> 0:09:40.720 hope is in the Lord, in the God who breathed 0:09:40.760 --> 0:09:43.679 life into you, in the God who makes blind eyes 0:09:43.760 --> 0:09:46.840 to see, in the God who took Joseph from the 0:09:46.920 --> 0:09:50.400 pit to the palace, In the God who calls David, 0:09:50.559 --> 0:09:54.440 a teenage shepherd boy to defeat a huge giant, In 0:09:54.480 --> 0:09:57.320 the God who healed my mother of terminal cancer. I'm 0:09:57.360 --> 0:09:59.920 asking you to keep your anchor down, keep your hope 0:10:00.200 --> 0:10:04.720 the Lord. When you find yourself negative, worried, not thinking 0:10:04.720 --> 0:10:08.240 it's going to work out, recognize what's happened. You pulled 0:10:08.280 --> 0:10:11.400 your anchor up. The good news is you can put 0:10:11.440 --> 0:10:15.040 it back down. Instead of dwelling on those negative thoughts. 0:10:15.480 --> 0:10:19.160 You'll never get well, never break the addiction, never meet 0:10:19.200 --> 0:10:22.400 the right person. Turn it around. Father, Thank you that 0:10:22.480 --> 0:10:25.800 the answers already on the way. Thank you that healing's coming, 0:10:26.040 --> 0:10:29.200 promotion's coming, The right people are coming. Thank you that 0:10:29.320 --> 0:10:32.880 favor is in my future. That's how you stay anchored 0:10:33.120 --> 0:10:37.360 to hope. This is what Abraham did. God gave him 0:10:37.400 --> 0:10:40.000 the promise that he and his wife Sarah were going 0:10:40.040 --> 0:10:42.679 to have a baby. But they were eighty years old. 0:10:43.320 --> 0:10:47.800 It was impossible. It had never happened before. Abraham could 0:10:47.800 --> 0:10:50.600 have dismissed it, thought I must have heard God wrong. 0:10:51.360 --> 0:10:55.000 I'm sure His friend said, Abraham, you really think you're 0:10:55.000 --> 0:10:58.000 going to have a baby. You're an old man. He 0:10:58.040 --> 0:11:00.800 could have talked himself out of it. But it says 0:11:00.800 --> 0:11:05.360 in Romans, for all human reason for hope being gone, 0:11:05.640 --> 0:11:11.280 Abraham hoped on in faith. Sometimes there's no logical reason 0:11:11.360 --> 0:11:15.240 to have hope. The medical report said my mother would 0:11:15.240 --> 0:11:18.840 never get well in nineteen eighty one. It was terminal cancer. 0:11:19.559 --> 0:11:22.959 All the experts told us we would never get this facility. 0:11:23.400 --> 0:11:27.560 Our opponents were too big, they had more resources. And 0:11:27.600 --> 0:11:31.000 you may have plenty of reasons why your situation is 0:11:31.040 --> 0:11:33.440 not going to work out. So you have to do 0:11:33.640 --> 0:11:38.200 like Abraham, against all hope, hope on in faith, keep 0:11:38.240 --> 0:11:41.880 your anchor down, don't talk yourself out of it. God 0:11:42.000 --> 0:11:45.480 is not limited by the natural He is a supernatural God. 0:11:46.640 --> 0:11:50.480 At nearly one hundred years of age, Sarah gave birth 0:11:50.520 --> 0:11:55.079 to a baby. The promise came to pass. Didn't happen overnight. 0:11:55.679 --> 0:11:59.640 They waited some twenty years. They had plenty of times 0:11:59.679 --> 0:12:02.120 they were tempted to think it's never going to happen. 0:12:02.559 --> 0:12:05.400 We're too old, it's been too long. If they were 0:12:05.440 --> 0:12:09.439 to believed those lies and pulled up their anchor of hope, 0:12:09.640 --> 0:12:13.520 they would have drifted into doubt, discouragement, never saw the 0:12:13.559 --> 0:12:18.360 promise come to pass. Are you drifting today, worried negative 0:12:18.520 --> 0:12:21.360 in self pity? Why don't you put your anchor back down? 0:12:21.800 --> 0:12:25.160 Why don't you get your hopes back up? Just because 0:12:25.240 --> 0:12:28.679 the promise hasn't happened yet doesn't mean it's not going 0:12:28.720 --> 0:12:32.280 to happen. You may have had some bad breaks like Joseph. 0:12:32.480 --> 0:12:35.200 That doesn't mean you're not going to fulfill your purpose. 0:12:35.760 --> 0:12:38.680 God wouldn't have allowed it if he wasn't going to 0:12:38.800 --> 0:12:41.959 use it for your good. Shake off the discouragement, the 0:12:42.080 --> 0:12:46.080 self pity. What God started in your life, He's still 0:12:46.080 --> 0:12:48.679 going to bring to pass. I know a young lady 0:12:48.720 --> 0:12:51.640 that I grew up with here at Lakewood, and when 0:12:51.679 --> 0:12:54.400 she and her husband got married, they really wanted to 0:12:54.400 --> 0:12:57.240 have a baby so badly, and they tried and went 0:12:57.240 --> 0:13:01.440 through all the fertility treatments with no success. Year after 0:13:01.480 --> 0:13:04.280 a year went by. At that time, she was the 0:13:04.280 --> 0:13:07.400 head of our children's department. When my dad went to 0:13:07.440 --> 0:13:09.720 be with the Lord and I stepped up to pastor 0:13:09.840 --> 0:13:12.839 the church. She had already been believing to have this 0:13:12.920 --> 0:13:16.760 baby for over twenty years. One day we were in 0:13:16.840 --> 0:13:20.200 this meeting, she made the statement, I have a good 0:13:20.240 --> 0:13:24.400 assistant trained, because when I have my baby, I'm going 0:13:24.440 --> 0:13:27.240 to be out for a little while. I thought I 0:13:27.280 --> 0:13:30.560 had missed something that she was pregnant, and nobody told me. 0:13:31.320 --> 0:13:33.840 After the meeting, I asked my sister Lisa, is she 0:13:33.880 --> 0:13:36.280 going to have a baby? Lisa kind of laughed and 0:13:36.280 --> 0:13:39.920 said no, she's just believing to have it. She talked 0:13:40.120 --> 0:13:43.080 like the baby was on the way. She didn't say 0:13:43.160 --> 0:13:45.599 if I have it, she said when I have it? 0:13:46.120 --> 0:13:49.840 What was that she was anchored to hope? I thought 0:13:49.880 --> 0:13:53.200 to myself when Lisa told me that, being the great 0:13:53.240 --> 0:13:56.000 man of faith that I am, you've been believing to 0:13:56.120 --> 0:13:59.240 have this baby for over twenty years. Time to let 0:13:59.320 --> 0:14:02.320 it go, move on. Maybe God wants to do it 0:14:02.360 --> 0:14:06.720 another way. Don't let other people talk you out of 0:14:06.800 --> 0:14:11.719 what God put in your heart. Don't let someone convince you, 0:14:12.280 --> 0:14:15.240 even if it's your pastor, to pull up your anchor. 0:14:15.720 --> 0:14:18.320 God didn't put the promise in them. He put the 0:14:18.360 --> 0:14:22.840 promise in you. That's why you can have faith when 0:14:22.840 --> 0:14:25.920 they think it's far out. That's why you can believe 0:14:26.000 --> 0:14:30.120 for it when to them it seems totally impossible. This 0:14:30.160 --> 0:14:35.280 young lady kept her anchor down, like Abraham, against all hopes. 0:14:35.320 --> 0:14:39.280 She hoped on in faith. Twenty nine years later, she 0:14:39.400 --> 0:14:43.160 went to the doctor for a checkup. He said, congratulations, 0:14:43.400 --> 0:14:47.120 you're pregnant. Not with one baby, you're pregnant with twins. 0:14:48.920 --> 0:14:53.280 That's what Zachariah said. If you'll stay anchored to hope, 0:14:53.920 --> 0:14:56.680 God will restore back to you double what you lost, 0:14:57.680 --> 0:15:00.680 what you've been believing for, maybe taking a law long time, 0:15:00.920 --> 0:15:04.840 but what God started he's going to finish. God doesn't 0:15:04.880 --> 0:15:08.920 abort dreams. Keep your anchor down. When I was a 0:15:08.960 --> 0:15:12.160 young boy, our family used to go to Galveston a lot, 0:15:12.200 --> 0:15:14.480 and I couldn't wait to get in the water and 0:15:14.800 --> 0:15:18.240 play in the waves. We would find a place there 0:15:18.280 --> 0:15:20.520 on the beach for our shoes and our towels and 0:15:20.640 --> 0:15:23.000 put them up on the sand, and then we'd take 0:15:23.040 --> 0:15:25.800 off and start having fun in the water. In a 0:15:25.840 --> 0:15:28.920 couple of hours, when we were ready to take a break, 0:15:29.400 --> 0:15:33.040 we would look up and realize we were way down 0:15:33.120 --> 0:15:36.000 the beach from where we started. Our towels were a 0:15:36.000 --> 0:15:39.240 couple hundred yards away. We didn't know it, but that 0:15:39.400 --> 0:15:45.000 whole time we had been slowly drifting. The scripture describes 0:15:45.080 --> 0:15:48.960 hope as the anchor of our saws. It wouldn't use 0:15:49.000 --> 0:15:52.760 the word anchor unless there was a possibility of drifting. 0:15:53.520 --> 0:15:55.960 And this is what happens in life. If you don't 0:15:56.080 --> 0:15:59.520 keep your anchor down, if you don't stay filled with hope, 0:16:00.120 --> 0:16:05.560 by little, you'll start drifting, getting a little negative, worried, discourage. 0:16:05.680 --> 0:16:08.000 I'm never gonna have the baby, Joel. It's been too long. 0:16:08.480 --> 0:16:11.560 I'll never break this addiction. I'll never overcome this challenge. 0:16:12.040 --> 0:16:15.840 The problem is you don't have your anchor down. When 0:16:15.840 --> 0:16:20.480 you're anchored to hope, you may have negative circumstances, but 0:16:20.560 --> 0:16:23.480 you're not worried. You know God is fighting your battles. 0:16:24.080 --> 0:16:26.640 You may not see how your dream can come to pass, 0:16:26.720 --> 0:16:29.600 but you don't give up. You know God is behind 0:16:29.680 --> 0:16:33.480 the scenes arranging things in your favor. You may go 0:16:33.600 --> 0:16:37.000 through a bad break, a loss, but you don't get bitter. 0:16:37.320 --> 0:16:40.440 You know, weeping endures for a night, but joy is 0:16:40.480 --> 0:16:43.440 coming in the morning. Here's what I'm saying. When you're 0:16:43.480 --> 0:16:46.840 anchored to hope. Does it mean you won't have difficulties. 0:16:47.200 --> 0:16:51.880 It means when those difficulties come, you won't drift. Nothing 0:16:51.920 --> 0:16:55.440 will move you, the storms, the waves, the tides. They 0:16:55.440 --> 0:16:59.560 may change, but you're consistent. Your hope is in the Lord. 0:17:00.080 --> 0:17:02.680 And what's interesting is when we were at the beach 0:17:02.800 --> 0:17:06.399 in the water, it wasn't a big storm that caused 0:17:06.480 --> 0:17:10.399 us to drift. It wasn't a hurricane, a flood, or tornado. 0:17:10.840 --> 0:17:15.119 It was the normal movement of the ocean. If you 0:17:15.119 --> 0:17:19.080 don't keep your anchor down, the normal currents of life 0:17:19.280 --> 0:17:23.520 will pull you off course. Not a major sickness, a divorce, 0:17:23.640 --> 0:17:28.320 a llall, just everyday life. Perhaps you don't realize that 0:17:28.359 --> 0:17:32.920 you've drifted into doubt. You're not believing for your dreams anymore. 0:17:33.600 --> 0:17:36.000 You used to be excited about it. It's been a 0:17:36.040 --> 0:17:39.920 long time. How you've lost your passion? Have you drifted 0:17:40.000 --> 0:17:43.520 into self pity? You had a bad break, somebody did 0:17:43.560 --> 0:17:46.480 you wrong. You used to be loving, kind, fun, Now 0:17:46.520 --> 0:17:50.440 you're more sour, hard to get along with. Maybe you've 0:17:50.520 --> 0:17:53.760 drifted into worry. You used to believe that God was 0:17:53.800 --> 0:17:56.600 in control, that he's taking care of you, But you 0:17:56.680 --> 0:18:00.560 pulled up your anchor. You're living stressed out. You can 0:18:00.600 --> 0:18:03.560 get back to where you're supposed to be. You can 0:18:03.600 --> 0:18:07.040 put your anchor of hope down today, start believing again, 0:18:07.640 --> 0:18:11.760 start expecting again. Life is too short to go through 0:18:11.760 --> 0:18:16.439 it drifting negative, worried, no passion. If you don't have 0:18:16.560 --> 0:18:20.159 this hope that something good is coming, it will limit 0:18:20.280 --> 0:18:24.080 what God can do. That's why Paul told Timothy stir 0:18:24.160 --> 0:18:27.200 up your gifts. You have to stir up your hope, 0:18:27.400 --> 0:18:31.560 otherwise you'll drift toward the negative. Well, Joel, if God 0:18:31.680 --> 0:18:35.080 was so good, why haven't my dreams come to pass? 0:18:35.440 --> 0:18:39.240 Why did I have these bad breaks? It's because there 0:18:39.280 --> 0:18:42.320 is an enemy of your soul that's trying to keep 0:18:42.400 --> 0:18:45.920 you from your destiny. The good news is the forces 0:18:45.960 --> 0:18:48.600 that are for you are greater than the forces that 0:18:48.640 --> 0:18:52.760 are against you. Don't let what happens in life, big 0:18:52.960 --> 0:18:56.800 or small, convince you to pull up your anchor. If 0:18:56.840 --> 0:18:59.680 you'll keep your hope in the Lord, all the forces 0:18:59.680 --> 0:19:03.760 of cannot hold you back. And this is not about 0:19:03.840 --> 0:19:07.920 just being positive, being hopeful. This is about keeping your 0:19:07.960 --> 0:19:12.360 soul anchored to the right thing. Because I've learned, if 0:19:12.400 --> 0:19:16.280 you don't stay anchored to hope, Over time, you'll become 0:19:16.320 --> 0:19:20.520 anchored to something else. You can become anchored to discouragement, 0:19:20.960 --> 0:19:23.600 where that's your default setting. You wake up in the 0:19:23.600 --> 0:19:27.880 morning discouraged. You see everything through a tained perspective. Everything 0:19:27.960 --> 0:19:31.600 is sour. It's because you're anchored to the wrong thing. 0:19:32.480 --> 0:19:35.480 I know people who are anchored to bitterness. They're so 0:19:35.720 --> 0:19:39.320 focused on the bad breaks, on who hurt them now 0:19:39.359 --> 0:19:43.159 that bitterness is poisoning their life. And you may have 0:19:43.240 --> 0:19:46.040 a good reason to feel that way. I'm simply saying, 0:19:46.560 --> 0:19:51.479 staying anchored to those things will keep you from your destiny. 0:19:51.520 --> 0:19:54.680 It will cause you to miss your purpose. It's time 0:19:54.760 --> 0:19:58.520 to cut those anchors and come over into hope. God 0:19:58.600 --> 0:20:02.120 did not breathe his life. You crown you with favor, 0:20:02.440 --> 0:20:05.400 give you a royal robe, so you could go around 0:20:05.520 --> 0:20:09.399 anchored to bitterness, anchored to doubt, anchor to worry. He 0:20:09.600 --> 0:20:13.120 created you to be anchored to hope, to go out 0:20:13.160 --> 0:20:17.400 each day expecting his goodness, knowing that the days ahead 0:20:17.680 --> 0:20:20.520 are greater than the days we leave. And when you 0:20:20.560 --> 0:20:24.520 face difficulties and we all do keep the right perspective. 0:20:25.200 --> 0:20:28.320 If David would have looked at Goliath and thought, oh man, 0:20:28.560 --> 0:20:31.600 I'll never defeat him. He's twice my SiGe. I don't 0:20:31.600 --> 0:20:33.800 have a chance. If he would have pulled up his 0:20:33.960 --> 0:20:36.800 anchor of hope, we wouldn't be talking about him today. 0:20:37.680 --> 0:20:41.520 Goliath wasn't sent to defeat David. He was sent to 0:20:41.600 --> 0:20:45.800 promote David. What you're facing is not meant to stop you. 0:20:46.160 --> 0:20:50.240 It's meant to move you towards your divine destiny instead 0:20:50.240 --> 0:20:53.560 of being negative. Why is this happening to me? How's 0:20:53.600 --> 0:20:54.760 it ever going to work out? 0:20:54.960 --> 0:20:55.000 No? 0:20:55.200 --> 0:20:57.840 Turn it around, Lord, I don't see away, but my 0:20:58.000 --> 0:21:00.320 hope is in you. I know you. You have it 0:21:00.400 --> 0:21:02.840 figured out. You'll get me to where I'm supposed to be. 0:21:03.960 --> 0:21:08.919 Proverb says, hope deferred makes the heart sick. If you 0:21:09.000 --> 0:21:11.760 don't have the hope that the problem's going to turn around, 0:21:12.280 --> 0:21:14.719 the hope that the baby is on the way, that 0:21:14.760 --> 0:21:17.720 the new house is in your future, then your heart 0:21:18.280 --> 0:21:22.320 that means your spirit will be sick. When we're not hopeful, 0:21:22.680 --> 0:21:27.359 something is wrong on the inside, even physically, when we're stressed, 0:21:27.880 --> 0:21:32.440 run down, worried, that weakens our immune system doesn't fight 0:21:32.440 --> 0:21:36.320 off disease like it should. For your health's sake, keep 0:21:36.359 --> 0:21:39.560 your anchor of hope down. When we all go through 0:21:39.600 --> 0:21:42.840 seasons in life, we're's not real exciting. It's easy to 0:21:42.840 --> 0:21:46.480 have the blaws, lose our enthusiasm. Those are the normal 0:21:46.720 --> 0:21:50.880 currents of life. Nobody lives on cloud nine where it's 0:21:50.920 --> 0:21:54.000 exciting all the time. Part of the good fight of 0:21:54.040 --> 0:21:58.440 faith is to stay hopeful in the dry seasons when 0:21:58.480 --> 0:22:01.919 you don't see anything happening, when it's taken a long time, 0:22:02.480 --> 0:22:05.560 keep a smile on your face all through the day. Lord, 0:22:05.600 --> 0:22:09.600 thank you that something good is coming my way. Well, Joel, 0:22:09.600 --> 0:22:12.199 what if I do that nothing happens. What if you 0:22:12.240 --> 0:22:15.120 do it and something does happen. I'd rather go through 0:22:15.119 --> 0:22:18.119 life anchor to hope than anchor to fear, anchor to worry, 0:22:18.160 --> 0:22:22.160 anchor to bitterness. That's gonna draw in more defeat. One 0:22:22.200 --> 0:22:24.960 time in high school, a friend of mine invited me 0:22:25.000 --> 0:22:27.600 to go fishing with him, and we drove about an 0:22:27.600 --> 0:22:30.439 hour out in his boat off the coast, and we 0:22:30.520 --> 0:22:33.360 fished for most of the morning. When we were finished, 0:22:33.400 --> 0:22:36.000 he asked me to pull up the anchor. I pulled 0:22:36.080 --> 0:22:38.320 and pulled all of my strength. I couldn't get it up. 0:22:38.880 --> 0:22:42.360 His father came over and we pulled together. Still wouldn't budge. 0:22:42.880 --> 0:22:46.399 My friend cranked up the engine. It's a big, powerful motor, 0:22:46.440 --> 0:22:49.879 and he started pulling away real slowly, hoping that we 0:22:49.920 --> 0:22:52.760 would dislodge it and make it come loose. But that 0:22:52.880 --> 0:22:55.320 anchor must have been caught under a big rock or 0:22:55.359 --> 0:22:58.640 a big tree, because when he pulled forward, it pulled 0:22:58.680 --> 0:23:02.479 the boat backwards. We started to tip over. He stopped, 0:23:02.520 --> 0:23:05.960 and he circled around, tried pulling in different directions, but 0:23:06.240 --> 0:23:09.480 same thing. It wouldn't come loose. Finally, his dad got 0:23:09.520 --> 0:23:11.400 a big knife out and said, well, this is all 0:23:11.440 --> 0:23:14.320 we can do, and he cut the line. We left 0:23:14.320 --> 0:23:18.760 the anchor there in the ocean. And sometimes we're anchored 0:23:18.760 --> 0:23:22.120 to things that don't come off easily. If you've been 0:23:22.160 --> 0:23:26.400 anchored to doubt, fear, discouragement for a long time, you're 0:23:26.400 --> 0:23:29.000 gonna have to do like my friend and cut those lines. 0:23:29.880 --> 0:23:34.159 Let me tell you, the enemy doesn't want you to 0:23:34.200 --> 0:23:37.119 be free. He doesn't want you to go through life 0:23:37.400 --> 0:23:42.040 anchored to hope. He wants you to go around depressed, bitter, angry. 0:23:42.280 --> 0:23:44.960 It's time to cut some lines. It's time to say 0:23:44.960 --> 0:23:47.199 this is a new day. I've been anchored at that 0:23:47.320 --> 0:23:52.280 junk long enough I'm done living bitter, depressed, no passion. 0:23:53.000 --> 0:23:57.960 I'm cutting those lines. I'm anchoring myself to hope, keep 0:23:58.000 --> 0:24:03.520 the right perspective. Sickness can't defeat you, that addiction is temporary. 0:24:04.000 --> 0:24:07.080 The right breaks are already in your future. You may 0:24:07.080 --> 0:24:10.920 have had some disappointments. Life through you a curve that 0:24:11.040 --> 0:24:14.920 cannot stop your destiny. The odds may be against you, 0:24:15.240 --> 0:24:17.960 but the most high God is for you. When you 0:24:18.080 --> 0:24:20.800 stay anchored to hope, he'll show out in your life 0:24:21.400 --> 0:24:25.200 ways you've never imagined. There's a young man that attends 0:24:25.200 --> 0:24:29.399 here with his family named Owen. He's fifteen years old 0:24:29.440 --> 0:24:32.880 and one of his favorite things to do was play basketball. 0:24:33.280 --> 0:24:35.720 He was always one of the best players on his team. 0:24:36.119 --> 0:24:38.719 Six o'clock in the morning he would be out practicing. 0:24:39.240 --> 0:24:43.159 His dream was to get a scholarship to play in college. 0:24:43.440 --> 0:24:46.480 A couple of years earlier, Owen and his father were 0:24:46.520 --> 0:24:50.359 watching the NBA Draft on television. There was a stand 0:24:50.440 --> 0:24:55.159 out player from Baylor named Isaiah Austen. He was projected 0:24:55.200 --> 0:24:57.879 to go in the first round, but a few weeks 0:24:57.920 --> 0:25:01.880 earlier learned that he had a life threatening disease called 0:25:02.000 --> 0:25:07.840 Marphin syndrome. It's a genetic disorder that weakens the connective 0:25:07.880 --> 0:25:11.520 tissue of the body, tissue that holds the heart, the 0:25:11.520 --> 0:25:15.000 blood vessels, muscles together so you can grow and develop. 0:25:15.720 --> 0:25:19.360 If not treated, it can easily be fatal. It's very 0:25:19.480 --> 0:25:23.600 dangerous to play any high energy sports. Isaiah, since he 0:25:23.640 --> 0:25:27.960 couldn't play anymore, was given a ceremonial draft pick. They 0:25:28.000 --> 0:25:32.000 told all about his disease there on television. Owen's father 0:25:32.600 --> 0:25:36.760 recognized many of the same symptoms in Owen. He took 0:25:36.840 --> 0:25:39.720 him to the doctor the next day, and Owen was 0:25:39.840 --> 0:25:44.840 diagnosed with Marphin syndrome. Told he could never play basketball again, 0:25:45.040 --> 0:25:48.560 his body couldn't support it. Owen could have pulled up 0:25:48.640 --> 0:25:52.080 his anchor of hope, been angry, bitter God, why did 0:25:52.080 --> 0:25:56.040 this happen to me? But he knew that disappointment wasn't 0:25:56.080 --> 0:25:59.800 a surprise to God. His father said. When he heard 0:25:59.800 --> 0:26:03.760 the news, he cried for about thirty seconds. Then he said, Dad, 0:26:03.800 --> 0:26:07.560 I'm only thirteen. I can still become a coach, a referee, 0:26:08.000 --> 0:26:12.600 or maybe even work for the NBA. Owen had a 0:26:12.600 --> 0:26:17.159 desire to help other people who had Marphin syndrome. He 0:26:17.240 --> 0:26:21.760 started holding fundraisers. This last February, he raised over one 0:26:21.840 --> 0:26:25.000 hundred and forty thousand dollars. He needs to come work 0:26:25.040 --> 0:26:30.840 for us. Owen says, you can make it your excuse 0:26:31.280 --> 0:26:35.680 or you can make it your purpose. Recently, Owen had 0:26:35.680 --> 0:26:40.080 to have open heart surgery, a very serious procedure, to 0:26:40.200 --> 0:26:44.200 correct the valves in his heart. They were much too large. 0:26:44.240 --> 0:26:47.639 If they continued growing like a balloon, they would burst 0:26:47.680 --> 0:26:50.639 and cause instant death. One of the best surgeons in 0:26:50.680 --> 0:26:54.560 the world from Marphin Syndrome right here in Houston, operated 0:26:54.600 --> 0:26:58.320 on him. Twenty four hours after the operation, he was 0:26:58.359 --> 0:27:01.560 out of the intensive care. One week later, he was 0:27:01.560 --> 0:27:04.320 out of the hospital. Four weeks later he was back 0:27:04.359 --> 0:27:07.560 at Lakewood. That was last week and today Owen and 0:27:07.600 --> 0:27:10.080 his family or right here with us on the front row, 0:27:11.520 --> 0:27:15.159 a mighty man of faith. What am I saying that 0:27:16.520 --> 0:27:20.520 a bad break can't stop you, a disappointment, a divorce, 0:27:20.760 --> 0:27:23.800 a sickness. When life throws you a curve, don't you 0:27:23.920 --> 0:27:27.000 dare pull up your anchor, do like Owen and keep 0:27:27.119 --> 0:27:30.119 hoping on in faith. God has you in the palm 0:27:30.160 --> 0:27:34.080 of his hands. It may have been meant for your harm, 0:27:34.160 --> 0:27:37.240 God's gonna turn it for your good. Have you drifted 0:27:37.280 --> 0:27:42.000 into doubt, discouragement, worry, self pity. I'm asking you to 0:27:42.080 --> 0:27:45.280 put your anchor of hope back down today. If you'll 0:27:45.320 --> 0:27:48.840 do this, I believe and declare what is now your 0:27:48.920 --> 0:27:52.840 test will soon become your testimony. Like Owen, you will 0:27:52.840 --> 0:27:57.240 arise above every challenge, accomplish every dream, and become everything 0:27:57.320 --> 0:28:00.720 you were created to be. In Jesus' name, if you 0:28:00.760 --> 0:28:01.920 receive it, can you say it? 0:28:02.000 --> 0:28:02.119 Men? 0:28:02.160 --> 0:28:06.520 Today, I'd like to give you an opportunity to make 0:28:06.640 --> 0:28:09.679 Jesus the lord of your life. Would you pray with me? 0:28:10.320 --> 0:28:15.960 Just say, Lord, Jesus, I'll repent of my sins. Come 0:28:16.000 --> 0:28:21.400 into my heart. I'll make you my lord and savior. Friends, 0:28:21.440 --> 0:28:23.960 if you prayed that simple prayer, we believe you got 0:28:23.960 --> 0:28:27.320 born again. Get in a good Bible based church. Keep 0:28:27.359 --> 0:28:30.239 God first place. He's going to take your places that 0:28:30.320 --> 0:28:31.240 you've never dreamed. 0:28:33.320 --> 0:28:35.840 As a thank you for your support of our ministry 0:28:35.880 --> 0:28:38.520 this month, Jewel and Victoria would like to send you 0:28:38.560 --> 0:28:42.120 a copy of Joel's new series, The Power of Peace. 0:28:42.520 --> 0:28:45.040 When you're in peace, you're in a position of power. 0:28:45.480 --> 0:28:48.560 You're saying by your actions, God, I trust you, I 0:28:48.640 --> 0:28:51.760 know you're in control. You will not only enjoy your 0:28:51.800 --> 0:28:54.400 life more, but that's what will allow God to turn 0:28:54.480 --> 0:28:56.040 negative situations around you. 0:28:56.160 --> 0:28:58.120 If you're going to live peaceful, you have to do 0:28:58.160 --> 0:29:00.760 it on purpose. It's a choice we have to make. 0:29:01.160 --> 0:29:04.120 Because this resource, you'll learn how to stay in peace 0:29:04.280 --> 0:29:06.000 and live a victorious life. 0:29:06.600 --> 0:29:09.680 Request your copy of the Power of Peace today at 0:29:09.760 --> 0:29:13.280 Joeluistin dot com or call eight eight eight five six 0:29:13.400 --> 0:29:14.080 seven Joel. 0:29:15.880 --> 0:29:18.520 In all the years of listening to Joel, the message 0:29:18.560 --> 0:29:21.480 of joy has really impacted my life. He talks about 0:29:21.480 --> 0:29:24.080 how things happen that are not ideal, things that we 0:29:24.120 --> 0:29:27.160 don't plan for, but joy is found in us because 0:29:27.240 --> 0:29:29.520 Jesus is in us. I'm really grateful that to have 0:29:29.520 --> 0:29:32.400 access to the program to encourage and motivate me every week. 0:29:32.640 --> 0:29:36.000 Your support is making a difference around the world. Thank 0:29:36.040 --> 0:29:39.680 you so much for your prayer, for your generosity. Special 0:29:39.800 --> 0:29:42.440 thank you to our Champion of Hope partners for all 0:29:42.480 --> 0:29:45.560 you do to make the ministry possible. You know, Victoria 0:29:45.560 --> 0:29:48.280 and I pray for you every single day. We'll believe 0:29:48.360 --> 0:29:51.280 in twenty seventeen You're going to see God's favor in 0:29:51.400 --> 0:29:55.080 new ways. Stay encouraged, stay uplifted, and know that you're 0:29:55.120 --> 0:29:57.480 in our prayers. Don't forget. I have a new book 0:29:57.480 --> 0:30:00.680 coming out October twenty fourth, Blessed in the I know 0:30:00.760 --> 0:30:04.640 you'll enjoy it. Do we meet again. Know that you're redeemed, 0:30:04.840 --> 0:30:07.840 You're forgiven. You're not average. 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