Be a Safe Place

0:00:00.440 --> 0:00:02.160 Hi, this is Joel and Victoria. 0:00:02.240 --> 0:00:05.279 Thanks for listening to our podcast and thanks for supporting 0:00:05.280 --> 0:00:05.960 the ministry. 0:00:06.120 --> 0:00:08.440 If you enjoy today's message, why don't you be a 0:00:08.440 --> 0:00:10.000 blessing and share it with a friend. 0:00:10.360 --> 0:00:13.040 We appreciate you and pray for God's very best in 0:00:13.080 --> 0:00:13.720 your life. 0:00:13.920 --> 0:00:16.160 Now bless you. It's great to be with you. 0:00:16.200 --> 0:00:19.079 Today, and I hope you'll stay connected with us during 0:00:19.120 --> 0:00:23.280 the week through our daily podcast, our YouTube channel, social media, 0:00:23.800 --> 0:00:26.360 and you can come visit us in person. We'd love 0:00:26.400 --> 0:00:28.600 to have you be a part of one of our services. 0:00:29.040 --> 0:00:31.120 I'd like to start it with something funny, and I 0:00:31.160 --> 0:00:34.239 heard about this mother. She was cooking breakfast for her 0:00:34.320 --> 0:00:37.840 two young boys, Ryan was five and Kevin was three. 0:00:37.920 --> 0:00:40.599 In they begin to argue over who should get the 0:00:40.600 --> 0:00:44.559 first pancake, and she saw this as an opportunity. 0:00:43.880 --> 0:00:44.960 To teach them a lesson. 0:00:45.400 --> 0:00:48.760 She said, boys, boys, if Jesus were here, he would say, 0:00:48.840 --> 0:00:52.159 let my brother have the first pancake. Ryan turned to 0:00:52.200 --> 0:00:55.440 his younger brother and said, okay, Kevin, you be Jesus. 0:00:56.840 --> 0:00:57.880 Say like you mean it. 0:00:58.240 --> 0:01:01.200 This is my Bible and what it says I am. 0:01:01.640 --> 0:01:04.160 I have what it says I have, I can do 0:01:04.240 --> 0:01:06.319 what it says I can do today. 0:01:06.480 --> 0:01:08.279 I will be taught the word of God. 0:01:08.680 --> 0:01:13.080 I boldly confess my mind is alert, my heart is receptive. 0:01:13.400 --> 0:01:17.199 I will never be the same. In Jesus's name, God 0:01:17.240 --> 0:01:21.000 bless you. I want to talk to you today about 0:01:21.120 --> 0:01:24.800 being a safe place. We live in a culture where 0:01:24.800 --> 0:01:28.480 there's so much judgment. People are quick to assume the 0:01:28.520 --> 0:01:33.240 worst without really knowing the facts. Just a rumor, gossip, 0:01:33.760 --> 0:01:36.320 they heard it on social media. It must be true, 0:01:36.640 --> 0:01:41.040 so they start throwing stones and trying to shame and discredit. 0:01:41.680 --> 0:01:44.399 And if we do make a mistake, and we all do, 0:01:45.080 --> 0:01:46.440 there's zero tolerance. 0:01:46.920 --> 0:01:49.520 We're going to cancel you. You should have known better. 0:01:50.240 --> 0:01:53.480 Their goal is to expose, blow out up a portion, 0:01:54.000 --> 0:01:57.520 make sure you get what you deserve. But the scripture says, 0:01:57.720 --> 0:02:00.880 the mercy you show others is mercy you're. 0:02:00.760 --> 0:02:01.520 Going to receive. 0:02:02.320 --> 0:02:05.480 And if you're harsh and critical and don't give people 0:02:05.600 --> 0:02:08.720 grace to be human, then when you make a mistake, 0:02:09.080 --> 0:02:11.600 people are going to be harsh and critical with you. 0:02:12.520 --> 0:02:15.639 And it's easy to find fault and kick people when 0:02:15.680 --> 0:02:16.160 they're down. 0:02:16.280 --> 0:02:19.520 Can you believe they did this? But we're not called 0:02:19.560 --> 0:02:20.440 to throw rocks. 0:02:20.720 --> 0:02:24.400 We're called to lift the fallen, to restore the broken, 0:02:24.840 --> 0:02:25.960 to heal the hurting. 0:02:26.639 --> 0:02:28.120 They don't need more judgment. 0:02:28.720 --> 0:02:32.240 They have enough people beating them down. They need someone 0:02:32.600 --> 0:02:36.359 who will pour the healing oil on, someone who will 0:02:36.400 --> 0:02:40.400 help love them back into wholeness. You are never more 0:02:40.560 --> 0:02:44.520 like God than when you're helping people in need, showing 0:02:44.680 --> 0:02:48.560 mercy when they failed, pushing them up when others are 0:02:48.560 --> 0:02:51.880 pushing them down. I've never seen a day where there's 0:02:51.880 --> 0:02:54.440 so much joy over someone falling. 0:02:54.919 --> 0:02:58.400 You know, people jump on the bandwagon, spread their good news. 0:02:58.480 --> 0:03:02.079 They messed up, they got I told you they were phonies. 0:03:02.720 --> 0:03:05.519 But you have to remember this. But by the grace 0:03:05.560 --> 0:03:07.160 of God, that could be you. 0:03:08.160 --> 0:03:11.839 Well, he cheated, y'all. He lied her past finally caught up. 0:03:12.480 --> 0:03:16.120 Before you join the mob and start throwing stones, before 0:03:16.160 --> 0:03:19.360 you look down in shame and judgment, it's much better 0:03:19.400 --> 0:03:22.360 to pause and say, Lord, thank you for what you 0:03:22.480 --> 0:03:25.279 kept me from, thank you for your grace. 0:03:25.240 --> 0:03:26.880 Helping me stay on the right path. 0:03:27.840 --> 0:03:31.720 If you'll walk in humility and be generous with your mercy, 0:03:32.360 --> 0:03:35.480 God will keep you on the best path. But when 0:03:35.520 --> 0:03:38.960 we get judgment, they knew better. They're getting what they deserve. 0:03:39.680 --> 0:03:42.880 That's opening yourself up to be in their same shoes. 0:03:43.600 --> 0:03:47.200 If we don't humble ourselves, the scripture says God will 0:03:47.280 --> 0:03:50.520 humble us. It's much better if you do it, then 0:03:50.600 --> 0:03:53.680 for God to do it. Learn to live as a healer, 0:03:54.280 --> 0:03:58.920 as a restorer, not looking for opportunities to condemn, but 0:03:59.080 --> 0:04:02.600 looking for way that you can lift people. There's enough 0:04:02.680 --> 0:04:07.280 judgment in the world, enough criticism, zero tolerance. 0:04:07.640 --> 0:04:10.880 You messed up. I'm going to expose you. Where are 0:04:10.880 --> 0:04:11.560 the healers? 0:04:12.360 --> 0:04:15.480 Where are the people that will cover their faults, show 0:04:15.600 --> 0:04:20.800 mercy for mistakes, have compassion despite their failures. And this 0:04:20.839 --> 0:04:24.440 is not excusing their behavior and covering sin. 0:04:25.120 --> 0:04:27.080 I'm talking about loving them back. 0:04:26.920 --> 0:04:30.560 Into wholeness where when they come to you, they know 0:04:30.800 --> 0:04:33.760 they're not going to be judged looked down on. 0:04:34.600 --> 0:04:35.799 You're a safe place. 0:04:36.440 --> 0:04:39.960 You're full of mercy, your heart of compassion is open. 0:04:40.640 --> 0:04:44.719 You don't have stones of judgment, stones of condemnation. You 0:04:44.880 --> 0:04:48.640 have healing oil that you're going to pour on forgiveness 0:04:49.120 --> 0:04:52.680 understanding that will help them get back on their feet. 0:04:53.680 --> 0:04:56.640 In the Old Testament, there was something called a city 0:04:56.680 --> 0:05:00.400 of refuge. They lived under a law that said if 0:05:00.440 --> 0:05:02.760 you killed someone, it was an eye. 0:05:02.480 --> 0:05:04.440 For an eye, you would be killed. 0:05:05.040 --> 0:05:08.400 The Israelites lived in forty eight cities throughout the land 0:05:08.440 --> 0:05:12.720 of Canaan god told Joshua to set up six cities 0:05:13.000 --> 0:05:16.520 that would be known as a city of refuge. If 0:05:16.520 --> 0:05:20.359 you accidentally took someone's life, if you made it to 0:05:20.440 --> 0:05:24.400 the city of refuge, you would be spared. Maybe you 0:05:24.480 --> 0:05:27.679 were working on your land and your axe head flew 0:05:27.760 --> 0:05:30.919 off and killed someone, or your animal got loose and 0:05:31.000 --> 0:05:35.599 harmed a person. Normally, there were no questions. You made 0:05:35.640 --> 0:05:39.200 a mistake, it's your fault. You're gonna get what you deserved. 0:05:39.720 --> 0:05:42.560 But under this new law, if you could just get 0:05:42.680 --> 0:05:45.680 to one of those cities of refuge, if you could 0:05:45.680 --> 0:05:48.360 make it to that safe place, the people would take 0:05:48.400 --> 0:05:48.760 you in. 0:05:49.320 --> 0:05:51.960 They would protect you, keep you from harm. 0:05:52.480 --> 0:05:55.760 When the avenger came looking for you to pay you back, 0:05:56.279 --> 0:05:59.719 these people would step up for you. They would cover 0:05:59.839 --> 0:06:03.719 you and watch after you. Even though it was your fault, 0:06:04.200 --> 0:06:07.240 you deserved judgment. But as long as you were in 0:06:07.320 --> 0:06:09.480 the city of refuge, you were okay. 0:06:10.480 --> 0:06:14.360 I can see people that made mistakes caused an accident. 0:06:14.560 --> 0:06:15.279 It was urgent. 0:06:15.960 --> 0:06:18.480 I got to get to that city as quickly as 0:06:18.520 --> 0:06:23.120 I can riding their horse, so worried taking shortcuts. 0:06:23.680 --> 0:06:27.000 This was life or death. The Avenger was coming. 0:06:27.560 --> 0:06:30.159 There was a family member, a brother, an uncle that 0:06:30.279 --> 0:06:33.800 was looking for justice. They had every right to take 0:06:33.839 --> 0:06:36.960 his life, an eye for an eye. Unless he can 0:06:37.000 --> 0:06:39.680 get to the city of refuge. 0:06:38.960 --> 0:06:42.919 Then he'll be safe. This is a picture of what 0:06:43.080 --> 0:06:45.920 happened to all of us. We were born in Dessin. 0:06:46.920 --> 0:06:50.880 We had made mistakes, fallen short of the glory of God. 0:06:51.400 --> 0:06:52.840 We deserved judgment. 0:06:53.440 --> 0:06:57.800 The Avenger was coming, but Jesus came as a refuge. 0:06:58.240 --> 0:07:00.279 He created a safe place. 0:07:00.760 --> 0:07:05.520 Despite our failures, despite our shortcomings. If we come to him, 0:07:06.240 --> 0:07:09.760 we don't receive the judgment we deserve. We made it 0:07:09.800 --> 0:07:13.280 to the city of refuge. David said this in Psalms. 0:07:13.640 --> 0:07:17.480 God is my refuge, a strong tower that we can 0:07:17.560 --> 0:07:22.080 run to and be safe because of what Jesus has done. 0:07:22.200 --> 0:07:24.840 If you'll come to him, you're in a safe place. 0:07:25.560 --> 0:07:30.480 There's forgiveness, there's mercy, there are new beginnings, there is 0:07:30.680 --> 0:07:35.200 beauty for ashes. Now here's the key, Jesus said in Matthew, 0:07:35.600 --> 0:07:41.000 freely you have received, Now freely give You've received all 0:07:41.040 --> 0:07:42.480 this mercy, Now. 0:07:42.440 --> 0:07:43.560 Freely give it away. 0:07:44.320 --> 0:07:48.880 Be generous with your mercy, generous with your forgiveness. It's 0:07:48.960 --> 0:07:54.640 easy to become like the society, judgmental, critical, zero tolerance. 0:07:55.040 --> 0:07:56.880 You don't deserve it. No. 0:07:57.080 --> 0:08:00.320 God has called you to be a safe place, a 0:08:00.360 --> 0:08:03.960 person of refuge, where when people come to you, they 0:08:03.960 --> 0:08:08.240 don't get judgment. You don't write them off because of mistakes, 0:08:08.880 --> 0:08:11.040 spread rumors and push them down. 0:08:11.360 --> 0:08:13.640 You're a healer, You're a restorer. 0:08:14.520 --> 0:08:18.400 They come to you because they know they can trust you. 0:08:18.400 --> 0:08:22.600 You're a person of honor. You protect their reputation. You 0:08:22.720 --> 0:08:25.880 shield them from lies and hate. You stand up for 0:08:25.960 --> 0:08:29.160 them and cover their faults. You love them past the 0:08:29.240 --> 0:08:32.920 guilt and shame. You help them understand that they're forgiven, 0:08:33.360 --> 0:08:34.719 that there's mercy. 0:08:34.360 --> 0:08:35.720 For their mistakes. 0:08:36.480 --> 0:08:39.400 How much better would our world be if we were 0:08:39.440 --> 0:08:45.120 all a safe place. Not quick to judge, quick to condemn. No, 0:08:45.280 --> 0:08:48.080 be a part of the solution and not the problem. 0:08:48.880 --> 0:08:51.079 Be a healer, not a condemner. 0:08:51.800 --> 0:08:58.000 Be a safe place, compassionate, understanding, making allowances for people's weaknesses. 0:08:59.040 --> 0:09:03.160 Lakewood turns sixty six years old today. It was started 0:09:03.160 --> 0:09:06.720 by my parents Mother's Day nineteen fifty nine, and one 0:09:06.800 --> 0:09:08.160 reason I believe. 0:09:07.880 --> 0:09:09.800 That we're still here is. 0:09:09.760 --> 0:09:13.400 We've always been a safe place where anyone is welcome, 0:09:14.120 --> 0:09:18.520 any walk of life, any background, no matter what you've done. 0:09:18.760 --> 0:09:22.360 Where you are, you're not going to be judged, You're 0:09:22.360 --> 0:09:25.559 not going to be condemned, told, man, you're not worthy. 0:09:26.040 --> 0:09:28.680 Don't come back till you get it all together. This 0:09:28.720 --> 0:09:32.080 is a place of refuge. We're gonna tell you God's 0:09:32.160 --> 0:09:37.160 mercy is bigger than your mistakes. That you're forgiven, you're redeemed, 0:09:37.640 --> 0:09:41.480 you're valuable, You're made in the image of Almighty God. 0:09:42.080 --> 0:09:45.000 You still have a purpose and destiny to fulfill. 0:09:45.840 --> 0:09:49.280 My father he never threw rocks, He never. 0:09:49.040 --> 0:09:54.559 Pushed people down, never wrote anyone off. One reason was 0:09:54.600 --> 0:09:58.400 he had made mistakes, He'd gone through failures. He felt 0:09:58.480 --> 0:10:01.760 the sting of rejection and being pushed out. He was 0:10:01.840 --> 0:10:06.120 raised in poverty and defeat. He experienced great. 0:10:05.880 --> 0:10:08.400 Mercy, great love, great. 0:10:08.160 --> 0:10:13.040 Forgiveness, and freely he gave that away. He was always 0:10:13.080 --> 0:10:16.760 for the underdog. One of his greatest joys was lifting 0:10:16.800 --> 0:10:22.760 the falling, restoring the broken, making people feel loved, valuable, wanted, 0:10:23.040 --> 0:10:26.400 no matter what they had been through. We became known 0:10:26.480 --> 0:10:29.640 as an oasis of love, a place where you could 0:10:29.640 --> 0:10:31.040 find a new beginning. 0:10:31.360 --> 0:10:32.000 We've seen it. 0:10:31.960 --> 0:10:35.920 Happen over and over again. I remember a young man. 0:10:36.360 --> 0:10:40.280 He was in an outlaw motorcycle game. They were known 0:10:40.360 --> 0:10:44.240 for drugs and crime and violence, and he was always 0:10:44.320 --> 0:10:47.120 in and out of jail in trouble. But he had 0:10:47.120 --> 0:10:50.240 a mother at home that was praying for him, a 0:10:50.320 --> 0:10:53.920 mother that wouldn't give up. Night and day she would 0:10:53.920 --> 0:10:58.359 call out to God and declare his protection and his mercy. 0:10:58.080 --> 0:10:58.840 Over her son. 0:11:00.120 --> 0:11:02.720 One morning, he got up, looked in the mirror and 0:11:02.760 --> 0:11:05.719 said a dead man was staring back at him. He 0:11:05.800 --> 0:11:08.760 was so strung out and depressed he took a whole 0:11:08.800 --> 0:11:12.880 bottle of pills, trying to end his life. For some reason, 0:11:13.200 --> 0:11:16.680 those pills didn't have any effect on him. Why is 0:11:16.720 --> 0:11:19.720 that God hears the prayers of a concerned mother. 0:11:20.400 --> 0:11:22.080 When someone stands. 0:11:21.679 --> 0:11:24.880 In the gap for you, the enemy cannot take you 0:11:25.000 --> 0:11:28.319 out before your time. He turned on the television and 0:11:28.360 --> 0:11:31.360 there was my father talking about the goodness of God. 0:11:31.400 --> 0:11:34.480 And friend called out of the blue and said, you 0:11:34.600 --> 0:11:36.000 need to go to church today. 0:11:36.960 --> 0:11:40.640 He was so taken aback, still high on drugs, he kind. 0:11:40.440 --> 0:11:43.280 Of laughed and said, no church would ever accept me. 0:11:44.040 --> 0:11:47.839 He had long hair, tattoos, skulls, you know, looked very rough. 0:11:48.240 --> 0:11:50.280 The friend said, yes they will. I know a place, 0:11:50.559 --> 0:11:53.880 go to Lakewood. They won't judge you, they'll help you 0:11:53.960 --> 0:11:57.000 to get friend to God. On his motorcycle. It was 0:11:57.080 --> 0:12:00.839 Mother's Day. Drove to Lakewood. They're the local. Sat in 0:12:00.920 --> 0:12:05.320 the very back in that service, he felt chains breaking 0:12:05.360 --> 0:12:08.760 off of him. Afterwards, he went back to his motorcycle 0:12:09.120 --> 0:12:11.240 in the gravel parking lot, got. 0:12:11.080 --> 0:12:13.480 Down on his knees, gave his life to Christ. 0:12:14.000 --> 0:12:17.240 Today, our friend Ben Priest is an amazing pastor, an 0:12:17.240 --> 0:12:20.040 amazing man of God, helping so many to. 0:12:20.120 --> 0:12:24.319 Get back on course. This is what happens when you're 0:12:24.360 --> 0:12:25.120 a safe place. 0:12:25.960 --> 0:12:30.360 You don't condemn fine fault getting what they deserve. Joel, 0:12:30.360 --> 0:12:32.240 Why did he get in that game in the first place? 0:12:32.280 --> 0:12:35.520 Why do you make those poor choices. We're not the judge, 0:12:35.880 --> 0:12:39.720 we're not the jury. We're the healers. We're the restorers. 0:12:40.000 --> 0:12:42.760 We're a place of refuge. Now, I want to live 0:12:42.800 --> 0:12:46.280 my life in such a way that when people make mistakes, 0:12:46.920 --> 0:12:50.000 when they fail, they think, if I can just get 0:12:50.040 --> 0:12:52.840 to Joel, I know he'll help me. He won't condemn me. 0:12:53.160 --> 0:12:55.840 If I can just get to Robert. I know he'll 0:12:55.840 --> 0:12:58.680 show mercy. I know he'll understands if I can just 0:12:58.720 --> 0:13:03.439 get to Maria. She's trustworthy, she's honorable, She'll pray for. 0:13:03.480 --> 0:13:07.680 Me without making me feel ashamed. God is looking for 0:13:07.800 --> 0:13:09.080 people who will be. 0:13:09.080 --> 0:13:12.920 A safe place because so many around us are hurting, 0:13:13.640 --> 0:13:17.520 dealing with things we know nothing about. We wonder why 0:13:17.600 --> 0:13:20.479 they're not friendly, why they don't do more at the office, 0:13:20.320 --> 0:13:21.600 and why do they still. 0:13:21.400 --> 0:13:22.599 Have these addictions. 0:13:23.280 --> 0:13:27.000 If we walked in their shoes, we would understand they're 0:13:27.080 --> 0:13:31.160 carrying heavy burdens that we can't see. Maybe it's a 0:13:31.280 --> 0:13:34.920 child that's breaking their heart. They're dealing with mental issues, 0:13:35.520 --> 0:13:37.800 They've been through hurts and injustice. 0:13:37.880 --> 0:13:39.640 There's a reason they're not up to par. 0:13:40.800 --> 0:13:43.600 God has put them in our path, not so we 0:13:43.640 --> 0:13:47.240 can be critical kick them when they're down. No, be 0:13:47.320 --> 0:13:52.000 a safe place, be a heater, pour oil on the wounds, 0:13:52.040 --> 0:13:55.320 and help them get back on their feet. A few 0:13:55.320 --> 0:13:58.280 weeks ago, a man came up to me after the service, 0:13:58.320 --> 0:14:01.320 and he was dressed in a suit and looked very nice, 0:14:01.360 --> 0:14:03.400 and he said, Joel, that was a. 0:14:03.360 --> 0:14:07.320 Freaking good message today. It really helped me. But he 0:14:07.360 --> 0:14:09.360 didn't use the word freaking. He used the other word. 0:14:10.400 --> 0:14:13.000 I never had anybody compliment me that way. 0:14:13.040 --> 0:14:16.199 But the fact is I wasn't offended. I thought it 0:14:16.280 --> 0:14:19.560 was a good message too. I just didn't use that word. 0:14:20.000 --> 0:14:24.160 But I realized this was all new to him. He 0:14:24.240 --> 0:14:27.440 wasn't raised in church like me. He was in his fifties. 0:14:27.720 --> 0:14:29.840 He told me that he hadn't been to church since 0:14:29.880 --> 0:14:33.240 he was seven years old. I was glad that he 0:14:33.320 --> 0:14:36.920 felt comfortable coming here, that he knew this was a 0:14:36.960 --> 0:14:39.160 safe place, that we weren't. 0:14:38.920 --> 0:14:42.800 Going to condemn him, judge him, tell him all his faults. 0:14:43.520 --> 0:14:47.600 Here's what I've learned. Everyone is on a journey. Where 0:14:47.640 --> 0:14:49.840 they are is not where they're going to end up. 0:14:50.720 --> 0:14:54.600 Will you have the mercy, the grace, the understanding to 0:14:54.800 --> 0:14:58.480 love them while they're changing, to be a safe place 0:14:59.120 --> 0:15:01.360 where they feel come coming to you. 0:15:01.320 --> 0:15:03.560 Because they know you're not gonna throw rocks. 0:15:04.160 --> 0:15:06.640 You're not gonna join the mob and push them down, 0:15:07.320 --> 0:15:10.080 cancel them because they had a failure. You're gonna be 0:15:10.080 --> 0:15:15.760 a healer, a restore John chapter eight, Jesus was teaching 0:15:15.960 --> 0:15:20.720 people in the synagogue, and many had gathered there intently listening. 0:15:21.440 --> 0:15:24.120 All of a sudden, the religious leaders came bursting in 0:15:24.840 --> 0:15:28.760 dragging this woman caught in the act of aduldred. They 0:15:28.800 --> 0:15:31.200 threw her down right in the middle of all the people. 0:15:32.040 --> 0:15:35.040 They could have dealt with this privately. They could have 0:15:35.080 --> 0:15:37.600 waited till the session was over and taken her to 0:15:37.680 --> 0:15:41.720 a back room. But some people want to publicly shame 0:15:41.800 --> 0:15:43.840 you instead of covering the. 0:15:43.840 --> 0:15:46.200 Fault helping you get back on the right course. 0:15:46.600 --> 0:15:50.880 They'll expose your faults, call a few friends, stir up 0:15:51.000 --> 0:15:56.240 more gossip. It's interesting that the religious leaders were the ones. 0:15:56.040 --> 0:15:57.680 That made this big scene. 0:15:57.880 --> 0:16:00.120 They should have been the ones that had the mercy, 0:16:00.440 --> 0:16:01.560 the ones that should have been. 0:16:01.480 --> 0:16:02.320 A safe place. 0:16:03.040 --> 0:16:05.760 They didn't care about the woman. They had an agenda. 0:16:06.160 --> 0:16:09.280 They were trying to trap Jesus. First thing is where 0:16:09.320 --> 0:16:11.720 is the man talking about injustice? 0:16:11.760 --> 0:16:15.160 They didn't drag him in. They said to Jesus, the 0:16:15.280 --> 0:16:18.120 law says to stoner, what do you say we should do. 0:16:19.120 --> 0:16:21.680 Jesus had been up there talking the whole time, but 0:16:21.840 --> 0:16:23.200 now he went silent. 0:16:23.880 --> 0:16:25.000 He didn't say a word. 0:16:25.960 --> 0:16:29.960 When people make mistakes, when they have a failure, one 0:16:30.000 --> 0:16:32.440 of the best things we can do is go silent, 0:16:33.360 --> 0:16:37.840 zip it up, don't talk about him. Don't call your neighbor. 0:16:37.880 --> 0:16:40.480 Did you hear who they drug in today? Be a 0:16:40.520 --> 0:16:42.040 safe place, be a. 0:16:41.920 --> 0:16:45.440 Person of honor. And this lady was surrounded by a 0:16:45.520 --> 0:16:47.000 mob and they were all. 0:16:46.840 --> 0:16:50.000 Ready to stone her. And really that's the society that 0:16:50.040 --> 0:16:52.560 we're in today, a mob culture. Who were going to 0:16:52.680 --> 0:16:58.080 cancel who We're going to jump on and discredit and humiliate. Nowadays, 0:16:58.080 --> 0:17:01.720 you can do it on social media anonymous. Don't even 0:17:01.760 --> 0:17:03.560 have to put your name. Just add to the hurt, 0:17:03.680 --> 0:17:05.600 the shame, the guilt. Nobody will know. 0:17:06.480 --> 0:17:07.320 Here's the catch. 0:17:07.720 --> 0:17:11.240 What you sew, you're going to read. If you sew 0:17:11.440 --> 0:17:15.959 judgment being harsh. They made a mistake, let them have it. 0:17:16.359 --> 0:17:20.200 You're gonna receive judgment. When you make a mistake, people 0:17:20.240 --> 0:17:25.200 will blow it out of proportion and humiliate, disgrace. Life 0:17:25.280 --> 0:17:27.639 is too short to live that way. We're all gonna 0:17:27.640 --> 0:17:31.600 make mistakes. We're all gonna need mercy and forgiveness. Make 0:17:31.680 --> 0:17:35.840 sure you're giving away what you want. This lady was 0:17:36.160 --> 0:17:41.639 lying on the ground, close torn, She's afraid, humiliated. The 0:17:41.680 --> 0:17:45.480 mob picked up their rocks. They're ready for judgment, just 0:17:45.560 --> 0:17:46.800 waiting for the go ahead. 0:17:47.720 --> 0:17:50.720 Jesus was standing there, silent and still hadn't said anything. 0:17:51.520 --> 0:17:54.399 Then he knelt down on the ground and began to 0:17:54.480 --> 0:17:56.280 draw in the dirt with his finger. 0:17:57.000 --> 0:18:01.160 The lady couldn't get up, so Jesus went down to her. 0:18:01.640 --> 0:18:04.479 Jesus would rather be on the level of a person 0:18:04.560 --> 0:18:07.840 condemned than on the level of a person with a rock. 0:18:08.880 --> 0:18:12.960 When you stoop to help the fallen, the broken, the guilty, 0:18:13.480 --> 0:18:16.359 you where God is. But when you have a rock 0:18:16.720 --> 0:18:19.359 judging condemning, you're where the mob is. 0:18:20.440 --> 0:18:22.480 Where are you in this scene? 0:18:22.680 --> 0:18:25.720 Are you a rock thrower or do you have compassion 0:18:25.800 --> 0:18:29.280 on the hurting? Jesus finally said to them, you who 0:18:29.280 --> 0:18:33.000 are without sin, throw the first stone. He was saying, 0:18:33.480 --> 0:18:37.600 if you never made a mistake, never failed, never done 0:18:37.600 --> 0:18:38.920 something you're not proud of. 0:18:38.920 --> 0:18:40.160 Then go ahead. 0:18:41.320 --> 0:18:44.800 The fact is we've all needed mercy. We've all done 0:18:44.880 --> 0:18:47.920 something where if God hadn't covered us, we wouldn't be 0:18:47.960 --> 0:18:48.560 where we are. 0:18:49.800 --> 0:18:53.000 The scripture says. The men begin to leave one by one. 0:18:52.840 --> 0:18:56.200 From the oldest to the youngest. They all put down 0:18:56.240 --> 0:18:59.760 their rocks and walked away. Jesus said to the woman, 0:19:00.440 --> 0:19:03.680 where are your accusers? Hasn't anyone accused you? 0:19:04.080 --> 0:19:07.080 She said, no? Man, Lord, he said, neither do. I 0:19:07.560 --> 0:19:11.320 now go and sin no more. One thing this story 0:19:11.400 --> 0:19:15.480 should teach us is to not be rock throwers. When 0:19:15.520 --> 0:19:16.360 you're throwing. 0:19:16.200 --> 0:19:21.560 Rocks, accusations, judgment, you're on the wrong side, but you 0:19:21.600 --> 0:19:26.040 old they're guilty, they deserve it. Only the guilty need mercy. 0:19:27.040 --> 0:19:30.400 Pauls it in Galatians. If someone is caught in sin, 0:19:30.960 --> 0:19:35.800 you who are spiritual, should gently restore them. Like this 0:19:35.960 --> 0:19:40.359 lady they're caught, doesn't say expose them, put it on Facebook. 0:19:40.880 --> 0:19:44.000 Make sure they feel guilty. Now we're not the judge. 0:19:44.520 --> 0:19:45.760 Put down those rocks. 0:19:46.119 --> 0:19:49.760 Our job is to gently restore, to be a safe 0:19:49.800 --> 0:19:51.520 place to help them get. 0:19:51.359 --> 0:19:52.440 Back up on their feet. 0:19:53.119 --> 0:19:56.879 Seeing the Old Testament, according to the law, this woman 0:19:56.960 --> 0:20:00.239 should have been stoned. But in the New Testament it 0:20:00.280 --> 0:20:04.560 tells us to gently restore. The religious leaders had their 0:20:04.640 --> 0:20:08.880 rocks ready to stone carry out this law. Jesus said, 0:20:08.880 --> 0:20:12.440 in effect, this is a new day. No more stoning 0:20:12.520 --> 0:20:15.119 for sins. There's mercy for your sins. 0:20:15.960 --> 0:20:16.160 Now. 0:20:16.160 --> 0:20:19.760 My question are you living under the Old Testament or 0:20:19.760 --> 0:20:24.680 the New Testament? Are you trying to condemn, expose, cancel, 0:20:25.040 --> 0:20:26.680 or are you gently restoring? 0:20:27.280 --> 0:20:30.160 Covering healing? Years ago? 0:20:30.880 --> 0:20:34.360 There was a minister that had a failure in his marriage, 0:20:34.359 --> 0:20:38.159 and it's a very public ordeal. Big controversy in the 0:20:38.200 --> 0:20:40.040 press went on for months and months. 0:20:40.680 --> 0:20:42.440 At one point, another. 0:20:42.200 --> 0:20:46.880 Minister that was very well known criticized this minister, told 0:20:46.920 --> 0:20:51.040 how he was a disgrace, should be disqualified never again 0:20:51.080 --> 0:20:51.840 in ministry. 0:20:52.600 --> 0:20:54.199 So hard and condemning. 0:20:54.480 --> 0:20:58.160 He picked up the rocks through stone after stone, made 0:20:58.200 --> 0:20:59.640 sure he would get knocked down. 0:21:00.200 --> 0:21:03.600 That's what happened. The other minister faded away. 0:21:03.800 --> 0:21:07.200 But when you judge something harshly and you're gonna let 0:21:07.240 --> 0:21:11.399 people have it, then what you're judging can infect you. 0:21:12.520 --> 0:21:15.399 That's why it's so important to keep your heart of 0:21:15.480 --> 0:21:19.720 compassion open. When I'm tempted to be judgmental, hand they're 0:21:19.760 --> 0:21:20.800 getting what they deserve. 0:21:21.400 --> 0:21:24.200 Always come back to that thought. But for the grace 0:21:24.240 --> 0:21:25.480 of God, that could be me. 0:21:26.600 --> 0:21:30.520 Instead of criticizing and adding fuel to the fire, I'm 0:21:30.520 --> 0:21:33.199 gonna let them know that I'm praying for them, that 0:21:33.280 --> 0:21:36.080 I believe in them, that God knows how to restore. 0:21:36.920 --> 0:21:39.880 I'm not gonna live under the old testaments. We got 0:21:39.920 --> 0:21:43.200 a stone them. I'm putting down my rocks. No stone's 0:21:43.240 --> 0:21:46.040 coming from me. I'm gonna live in the New Testament. 0:21:46.240 --> 0:21:48.120 I'm in the healing business. 0:21:48.119 --> 0:21:51.680 Lifting the falling, restoring the broken, showing. 0:21:51.400 --> 0:21:55.479 Mercy to the guilty. And that minister that was so harsh. 0:21:55.880 --> 0:21:57.960 A few years later, he. 0:21:57.920 --> 0:22:01.640 Was involved in an even bigger content where he got 0:22:01.680 --> 0:22:04.200 off course in a relationship and he had to step 0:22:04.240 --> 0:22:08.879 down from the ministry. When you judge things harshly, you 0:22:08.920 --> 0:22:12.400 don't give people any room to be human. That spirit 0:22:12.640 --> 0:22:16.600 is getting off on you. You know what keeps you free, mercy, 0:22:17.440 --> 0:22:20.800 Be in a safe place when you're helping those that 0:22:20.840 --> 0:22:21.320 are falling. 0:22:21.960 --> 0:22:23.240 That's the heart of God. 0:22:24.359 --> 0:22:27.399 The mob is going to expose, The crowd is going 0:22:27.520 --> 0:22:31.040 to throw rocks. Don't fall into that trap. I mean 0:22:31.080 --> 0:22:33.399 half the things we hear today are not even true. 0:22:34.200 --> 0:22:38.120 We make judgments based on social media. People that want 0:22:38.160 --> 0:22:42.440 to discredit. Some people make a living trying to expose 0:22:42.600 --> 0:22:48.320 and distort, mischaracterize. That's the mob joining them is only 0:22:48.359 --> 0:22:51.480 going to bring you harm. Get on God's side, put 0:22:51.480 --> 0:22:54.960 those rocks down, and be a safe place. I heard 0:22:54.960 --> 0:22:58.000 a story about a college student named Bill, and he 0:22:58.119 --> 0:23:01.600 was known on campus for his wife and the way 0:23:01.640 --> 0:23:02.320 he dressed. 0:23:02.800 --> 0:23:06.120 He wore an old T shirt and blue jeans sandals. 0:23:06.640 --> 0:23:08.159 Like a hippie from the seventies. 0:23:08.720 --> 0:23:12.159 He was always experimenting with drugs and smoking weed. 0:23:12.680 --> 0:23:15.240 He was a good student, but he was far out there. 0:23:16.240 --> 0:23:20.719 One day he attended a campus ministry event, felt something 0:23:20.720 --> 0:23:23.119 he had never felt, and he made a decision to 0:23:23.160 --> 0:23:26.560 give his life to Christ. They encouraged him to get 0:23:26.600 --> 0:23:29.640 into a good church. Well, there was one right across 0:23:29.680 --> 0:23:33.040 the street from the campus. Was a very formal church, 0:23:33.440 --> 0:23:38.560 very prestigious, and everyone dressed in their finest clothes that Sunday. 0:23:39.000 --> 0:23:41.639 He got there a few minutes late and couldn't find 0:23:41.640 --> 0:23:45.919 a seat. The small auditorium was packed. As the minister 0:23:46.119 --> 0:23:49.520 was speaking. Bill began to walk slowly down the center 0:23:49.600 --> 0:23:54.240 aisle in his T shirt, blue jeans, flip flops, trying 0:23:54.280 --> 0:23:55.040 to find a seat. 0:23:55.640 --> 0:23:58.960 Everyone was intently watching. Got all the way to the 0:23:59.000 --> 0:23:59.479 front row. 0:24:00.040 --> 0:24:02.679 There were still no seats, so he sat down on 0:24:02.720 --> 0:24:06.119 the floor right in the center of the altar. You 0:24:06.119 --> 0:24:08.480 could hear the gasp in the crowd. They had never 0:24:08.520 --> 0:24:11.960 seen anything like this. All of a sudden, the head 0:24:12.040 --> 0:24:15.359 deacon got up from the back of the auditorium and 0:24:15.440 --> 0:24:19.239 started walking toward Bill. He was in his eighties, a 0:24:19.359 --> 0:24:24.439 very distinguished man, silver hair and glasses, impeccably dressed. He 0:24:24.520 --> 0:24:27.879 walked slowly down the aisle with his cane. There was 0:24:27.920 --> 0:24:31.560 such a commotion that the minister stopped his sermon to 0:24:31.640 --> 0:24:32.800 wait for the man to get. 0:24:32.760 --> 0:24:33.320 To the front. 0:24:33.840 --> 0:24:37.199 Everyone was thinking, you can't blame him for wanting to 0:24:37.280 --> 0:24:39.600 correct the situation and remove. 0:24:39.320 --> 0:24:40.080 This young man. 0:24:41.000 --> 0:24:44.080 But when he finally reached Bill, he laid down his 0:24:44.240 --> 0:24:48.800 cane and with great difficulty, lowered himself to the floor 0:24:49.160 --> 0:24:52.960 and sat next to Bill so he wouldn't be there alone. 0:24:53.119 --> 0:24:55.440 The place erupted in applause. 0:24:56.000 --> 0:24:59.280 The minister said, the sermon I preached today you'll forget 0:24:59.359 --> 0:25:01.960 in a week or two, but the sermon you just 0:25:02.040 --> 0:25:03.920 saw you'll remember. 0:25:03.520 --> 0:25:06.119 For a lifetime. Be a safe place. 0:25:06.880 --> 0:25:10.560 Look at people through eyes of compassion, not eyes of judgment. 0:25:11.359 --> 0:25:14.600 You don't know their story. We see what people do, 0:25:14.800 --> 0:25:17.840 but we don't know why they do it. Some are 0:25:17.840 --> 0:25:20.920 dealing with things we've never had to deal with, carrying 0:25:20.960 --> 0:25:26.200 heavy loads, burdened by mistakes, trying to break generational baggage. 0:25:26.800 --> 0:25:31.000 Let's be healers, Let's be lifters. Jesus said, you are 0:25:31.040 --> 0:25:33.920 the light of the world. A city on a hill 0:25:34.400 --> 0:25:39.000 that cannot be hidden. You're a city that cannot be hidden. 0:25:39.200 --> 0:25:43.760 You're impacting people all around you. The question is what 0:25:43.880 --> 0:25:47.359 kind of city are you? I'm asking you to be 0:25:47.440 --> 0:25:51.600 a city of refuge, not a city of guilt, city 0:25:51.600 --> 0:25:54.040 a condemnation, a city that cancels. 0:25:54.680 --> 0:25:58.040 Nobody wants to live in those cities. Make sure your 0:25:58.119 --> 0:26:01.919 city is full of mercy, compassion, forgiveness. 0:26:02.359 --> 0:26:05.920 Be a person that gently restores, that lists the father 0:26:06.640 --> 0:26:08.679 and I know we're gonna be tempted to condemn, to 0:26:08.720 --> 0:26:10.600 find fault, put the rocks down. 0:26:11.160 --> 0:26:12.920 We're not the judge, we're the healers. 0:26:13.240 --> 0:26:16.919 We're the ones to love people back into wholeness. If 0:26:16.960 --> 0:26:20.520 you'll be a safe place, I believe and declare there 0:26:20.560 --> 0:26:23.480 will always be mercy for you and. 0:26:23.440 --> 0:26:27.080 Your children in their time of need. God will cover. 0:26:27.000 --> 0:26:31.240 You, protect you, restore you, and you will become all 0:26:31.520 --> 0:26:33.040 that He's created you to be. 0:26:33.480 --> 0:26:36.840 In Jesus' name, And if you receive it, can you 0:26:36.920 --> 0:26:37.480 say amen? 0:26:39.080 --> 0:26:41.880 I'd like to give you an opportunity to make Jesus 0:26:41.920 --> 0:26:43.040 the lord of your life. 0:26:43.440 --> 0:26:47.320 Would you pray with me? Just say, Lord Jesus, I 0:26:47.480 --> 0:26:51.280 repent of my sins. Come into my heart. I make 0:26:51.320 --> 0:26:52.880 you my Lord and Savior. 0:26:53.640 --> 0:26:56.200 If you prayed that simple prayer, we believe you got 0:26:56.240 --> 0:26:59.440 born again. We'd love to send you some free information 0:26:59.560 --> 0:27:01.919 on your new walk with the Lord. You can go 0:27:02.000 --> 0:27:04.760 to the website or text the number on the screen, 0:27:05.280 --> 0:27:07.840 but I hope you'll get into a good Bible based 0:27:07.920 --> 0:27:10.359 church and keep God first place. 0:27:12.200 --> 0:27:14.400 It's easy to let the day get away from us 0:27:14.480 --> 0:27:17.439 before the day even starts. The first few minutes of 0:27:17.480 --> 0:27:20.640 your morning are more powerful than you might think. Life 0:27:20.760 --> 0:27:23.720 moves really fast sometimes, and it can be easy to 0:27:23.760 --> 0:27:27.080 begin each day by zeroing in on your problems. But 0:27:27.160 --> 0:27:28.040 here's the truth. 0:27:28.840 --> 0:27:31.280 How you start the day can determine what kind of 0:27:31.359 --> 0:27:33.400 day it's going to be. And I'd love to send 0:27:33.400 --> 0:27:35.480 you my devotional three minute mornings. 0:27:35.600 --> 0:27:37.240 Start your day the blessed way. 0:27:37.440 --> 0:27:39.919 Three minutes doesn't seem like a lot of time, but 0:27:40.000 --> 0:27:42.440 when you put God first place and get your mind 0:27:42.480 --> 0:27:45.080 going in the right direction, is setting the tone for 0:27:45.160 --> 0:27:46.920 a blessed, productive day. 0:27:47.160 --> 0:27:47.800 It's filled with. 0:27:47.760 --> 0:27:50.679 Inspiration and encouragement to help you begin each day with 0:27:50.760 --> 0:27:53.359 a fresh attitude, grateful that you're alive. 0:27:53.720 --> 0:27:54.520 It's amazing what. 0:27:54.560 --> 0:27:57.800 Happens when you take three minutes and speak blessings over 0:27:57.840 --> 0:27:59.879 your life and declaring God's favor. 0:28:00.119 --> 0:28:02.280 Three Minute Mornings is our gift to you. 0:28:02.920 --> 0:28:05.280 As our way of saying thank you for your gift 0:28:05.320 --> 0:28:07.760 of any amount. 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