Be Comfortable Not Knowing

0:00:00.200 --> 0:00:02.880 No one likes to talk about money. Am I saving enough? 0:00:02.960 --> 0:00:05.040 Can I buy a house? Am I paying too much 0:00:05.040 --> 0:00:07.760 in taxes? Will I be able to retire? What if 0:00:07.760 --> 0:00:10.360 you could unlock insights about your finances in less than 0:00:10.400 --> 0:00:12.840 five minutes, with a clear picture of where you stand 0:00:12.880 --> 0:00:15.720 today and where your money can work harder. Now you 0:00:15.760 --> 0:00:18.759 can visit facet dot com to take the free quiz 0:00:18.800 --> 0:00:23.400 and get your financial wellness score today. That's Facet dot com. 0:00:23.400 --> 0:00:25.360 This ad is sponsored by Facet. Fast Wealth in Corporated 0:00:25.440 --> 0:00:27.280 is an sec registered investment advisor. 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The units 0:01:11.560 --> 0:01:14.080 stap makes it easy for grandparents and family friends to 0:01:14.160 --> 0:01:17.160 give funds to a child's investment account for a limited time. 0:01:17.280 --> 0:01:19.440 Download the uns stap and use the code I heeart 0:01:19.440 --> 0:01:21.720 fifty at sign up to receive a fifty dollars bonus 0:01:21.720 --> 0:01:24.280 when you fund your account. That's code iHeart fifty when 0:01:24.319 --> 0:01:27.280 you sign up at unest dot co for a fifty 0:01:27.319 --> 0:01:30.120 dollars bonus. See terms and conditions at UNEs dot co. 0:01:31.120 --> 0:01:34.880 Hi, this is Joel and Victoria. Thanks for downloading our podcast. 0:01:35.160 --> 0:01:37.920 We enjoy spending this time with you. I hope you'll 0:01:38.000 --> 0:01:38.720 leave Inspire. 0:01:39.080 --> 0:01:42.000 Make sure you subscribe to get new messages every week. 0:01:42.160 --> 0:01:45.280 We appreciate your support. It helps keep the ministry going. 0:01:45.680 --> 0:02:00.000 Enjoy the message. 0:02:00.000 --> 0:02:02.720 God bless you. It's a joy to come into your 0:02:02.720 --> 0:02:05.639 homes and if you're ever in our area, please stop 0:02:05.680 --> 0:02:08.160 by be a part of one of our services. I 0:02:08.320 --> 0:02:11.520 promise you we'll make you feel right at home. I 0:02:11.639 --> 0:02:14.080 like to start with something funny, and I heard about 0:02:14.080 --> 0:02:16.840 this lady. She just got out of choir practice and 0:02:17.080 --> 0:02:19.720 she was so fired up. She put a honk if 0:02:19.760 --> 0:02:23.720 you love Jesus bumper sticker on her car. At the intersection, 0:02:24.000 --> 0:02:26.480 she was digging in her purse and didn't notice that 0:02:26.520 --> 0:02:29.840 the light changed. She said, I was so excited to 0:02:29.919 --> 0:02:33.920 find out the God behind me loved Jesus. He started honking, 0:02:34.240 --> 0:02:37.000 so I rolled my window down, wave real big and 0:02:37.120 --> 0:02:40.000 told him I loved Jesus too. She said, I found 0:02:40.040 --> 0:02:44.239 out a whole lot of people loved Jesus. Everyone started honking. 0:02:44.520 --> 0:02:49.360 One man even screamed Jesus Christ. She said. After we 0:02:49.440 --> 0:02:52.480 shared all that love together, I was the only one 0:02:52.560 --> 0:02:57.040 that made it through the intersection. Here we go. This 0:02:57.120 --> 0:02:59.639 is my Bible. I am what it says I am. 0:03:00.120 --> 0:03:02.480 I have what it says I have. I can do 0:03:02.560 --> 0:03:05.160 what it says I can do. Today I will be 0:03:05.240 --> 0:03:09.160 taught the word of God. I boldly confess. My mind 0:03:09.280 --> 0:03:12.600 is alert, my heart is receptive. I will never be 0:03:12.720 --> 0:03:17.560 the same. In Jesus' name, God bless you. I want 0:03:17.560 --> 0:03:21.160 to talk to you today about be comfortable not knowing. 0:03:22.160 --> 0:03:25.160 We all face situations where we don't see how they're 0:03:25.200 --> 0:03:28.640 going to work out. We look at the facts, the figures, 0:03:28.720 --> 0:03:32.480 the reports, the odds are against us. We do our 0:03:32.560 --> 0:03:35.680 best to come up with a plan to find some 0:03:35.760 --> 0:03:38.800 kind of solution. We think we have to have the 0:03:38.920 --> 0:03:42.480 answer or it's not going to happen. But there are 0:03:42.560 --> 0:03:46.320 some things God doesn't want us to know. He has 0:03:46.400 --> 0:03:49.560 the solution. But if he showed you right now, it 0:03:49.600 --> 0:03:53.280 wouldn't take any faith. If you could see how your 0:03:53.400 --> 0:03:56.600 child is going to turn out, the doors God's going 0:03:56.680 --> 0:03:59.960 to open for you, the favor, the provision, the heat, 0:04:00.680 --> 0:04:04.440 it would be easy to believe. The test comes when 0:04:04.440 --> 0:04:07.360 we don't know the answer, when we don't see how 0:04:07.440 --> 0:04:10.520 it's going to happen. Thoughts tell us, how are you 0:04:10.600 --> 0:04:13.360 going to make it after you retire? What if you 0:04:13.360 --> 0:04:16.920 don't get that scholarship, What if your health doesn't improve. 0:04:17.600 --> 0:04:23.080 The problem is sometimes there is no logical solution. The 0:04:23.120 --> 0:04:26.160 more we try to reason it out, the more discourage 0:04:26.200 --> 0:04:29.280 we get, thinking what am I going to do? But 0:04:29.360 --> 0:04:32.320 this is what faith is all about. You have to 0:04:32.360 --> 0:04:36.600 be comfortable not knowing. You don't have to figure it out, 0:04:37.120 --> 0:04:39.520 you don't have to come up with the plan. It's 0:04:39.600 --> 0:04:43.880 okay not to know. When Moses led the two million 0:04:44.040 --> 0:04:48.160 Israelites out of slavery into the desert, they were headed 0:04:48.200 --> 0:04:52.119 toward the Promised Land, very excited God had just brought 0:04:52.160 --> 0:04:56.080 them out of years of captivity. I can imagine someone 0:04:56.200 --> 0:04:59.680 asking Moses, where are we going to camp in the desert? 0:05:00.279 --> 0:05:02.960 Moses said, I don't know. Where are we going to 0:05:03.000 --> 0:05:06.720 get food? I don't know where is the water supply? 0:05:07.320 --> 0:05:10.600 I don't know, Moses, what route are we going to take? 0:05:10.839 --> 0:05:13.920 I don't know. They could have thought, Moses, what kind 0:05:13.920 --> 0:05:17.240 of leader are you? But just because you don't know 0:05:17.760 --> 0:05:22.479 doesn't mean God doesn't have a plan. Moses was comfortable 0:05:23.040 --> 0:05:27.000 not knowing. He had such a trust in God. He 0:05:27.040 --> 0:05:30.920 didn't have to understand how everything was going to work out. 0:05:31.400 --> 0:05:33.960 He didn't have to have all the details. He took 0:05:33.960 --> 0:05:37.960 it one step at a time. And sometimes we think 0:05:38.000 --> 0:05:40.320 it's a lack of faith to say I don't know. 0:05:41.080 --> 0:05:43.080 We think we have to have it all figured out. 0:05:43.800 --> 0:05:47.239 Take the pressure off. You don't have to know. God 0:05:47.360 --> 0:05:50.119 knows He has you in the palm of his hand. 0:05:50.600 --> 0:05:55.120 He's directing your steps. The scripture says God has planned 0:05:55.160 --> 0:05:58.960 out all of your days. He has a blueprint for 0:05:59.080 --> 0:06:03.800 your life. Here's the catch. God doesn't give us the details. 0:06:04.480 --> 0:06:07.960 If he showed you all he has in store, you'd 0:06:07.960 --> 0:06:11.320 not only be amazed, it would not only excite you, 0:06:11.920 --> 0:06:14.440 but when you saw what it would take to get there, 0:06:15.080 --> 0:06:18.120 the giants you're going to face, the closed doors, the 0:06:18.160 --> 0:06:22.159 times you have to stretch, you might say, that's okay, God, 0:06:22.279 --> 0:06:26.039 I'll stay where I am. One reason God doesn't show 0:06:26.120 --> 0:06:29.000 us is he knows we would talk ourselves out of it. 0:06:30.160 --> 0:06:33.440 When you can't figure out how something is going to 0:06:33.480 --> 0:06:38.080 work out, you start worrying, losing sleep. That's a sign 0:06:38.600 --> 0:06:41.240 God doesn't want you to know. You have to be 0:06:41.440 --> 0:06:46.440 comfortable not knowing. When you say, God, I don't see 0:06:46.480 --> 0:06:48.920 how my business is going to make it. I don't 0:06:48.920 --> 0:06:51.479 see how my family is going to be restored. I 0:06:51.480 --> 0:06:54.279 don't know how I'm going to raise these children. But 0:06:54.400 --> 0:06:58.479 I'm not going to live stressed, worried. God. I trust 0:06:58.560 --> 0:07:01.560 you when I don't see a way. I trust you. 0:07:01.680 --> 0:07:05.400 When I don't have the answer, I realize I don't 0:07:05.440 --> 0:07:09.600 have to know because you know, and you control the universe. 0:07:10.560 --> 0:07:13.480 That attitude of faith is what allows God to do 0:07:13.600 --> 0:07:18.200 amazing things. See. The truth is God had the solution 0:07:18.760 --> 0:07:23.240 before you had the problem. He could show you the details. 0:07:23.720 --> 0:07:26.880 He could show you how it's going to resolve. If 0:07:26.880 --> 0:07:30.560 he's not, then it's a test. He doesn't want you 0:07:30.640 --> 0:07:34.440 to know right now. Will you trust him even when 0:07:34.480 --> 0:07:37.760 you don't see how it could happen. I'm the type 0:07:37.800 --> 0:07:40.400 of person that wants to know. I like to have 0:07:40.480 --> 0:07:44.720 a plan. I'm detailed organized. I'm always trying to figure 0:07:44.760 --> 0:07:48.360 things out when I don't see a way. I used 0:07:48.400 --> 0:07:51.520 to get stressed. I was tempted to live up tight 0:07:51.640 --> 0:07:55.480 and on edge. It's very free when you learn this 0:07:55.640 --> 0:07:59.400 principle that there are some things we're not supposed to know. 0:08:00.360 --> 0:08:03.800 It's okay to say, like Moses, i don't know how 0:08:03.800 --> 0:08:07.400 it's going to work out, but I'm at peace. That's 0:08:07.480 --> 0:08:10.760 not a lack of faith, it's just the opposite. You're 0:08:10.800 --> 0:08:14.800 taking yourself off the throne and putting God back on 0:08:14.920 --> 0:08:18.400 the throne. But when we're trying to figure everything out, 0:08:19.120 --> 0:08:21.600 come up with our plan. If I can make this 0:08:21.720 --> 0:08:27.440 happen and manipulate this situation, convince this person to like me. Really, 0:08:27.640 --> 0:08:31.200 we're being God. As long as you're on the throne, 0:08:31.560 --> 0:08:34.600 God will step back. But when you say, God, I 0:08:34.640 --> 0:08:37.360 don't know how this is going to work out, but 0:08:37.440 --> 0:08:40.120 I'm not going to worry. I'm not going to keep 0:08:40.160 --> 0:08:43.360 trying to figure it out. God, I trust you. I 0:08:43.440 --> 0:08:46.920 know your plans for me are for good. When you're 0:08:47.000 --> 0:08:50.760 comfortable not knowing, God will make things happen that you 0:08:50.800 --> 0:08:54.800 couldn't make happen. When we acquired this building, the former 0:08:54.880 --> 0:08:57.959 Compact Center, it was going to cost one hundred million 0:08:58.040 --> 0:09:00.840 dollars to renovate. We had to put in our own 0:09:00.880 --> 0:09:04.760 power plant and air conditioning system. And when I looked 0:09:04.760 --> 0:09:08.080 at the numbers on paper, there was no way we 0:09:08.120 --> 0:09:11.640 could raise those funds in that amount of time. We 0:09:11.760 --> 0:09:17.000 ran the projections, analyzed it. Even in the best case scenarios, 0:09:17.200 --> 0:09:21.360 we were still millions short. Every day I was tempted 0:09:21.360 --> 0:09:24.679 to worry. Every day thought said, what are you going 0:09:24.760 --> 0:09:27.960 to do? It's not going to work out. We had 0:09:28.000 --> 0:09:32.679 already signed the loan, construction had already started on a 0:09:32.720 --> 0:09:35.920 certain date right before we moved in. We had to 0:09:35.960 --> 0:09:39.800 make this large lump sum payment. We didn't have it. 0:09:40.280 --> 0:09:43.280 There wasn't any sign we would get it. The closer 0:09:43.320 --> 0:09:46.200 we came to that date, the more pressureed I felt. 0:09:46.880 --> 0:09:49.679 But when I was tempted to be stressed, I would 0:09:49.679 --> 0:09:53.480 always come back to this fact. God, I know you 0:09:53.600 --> 0:09:57.400 gave us this building. I saw you change council members 0:09:57.480 --> 0:10:00.800 mind to vote for us that had been against. I 0:10:00.840 --> 0:10:03.760 know it was your favor that opened the door, and 0:10:03.840 --> 0:10:06.120 I know you didn't bring us this far to leave 0:10:06.200 --> 0:10:08.800 us now. I don't know how it's going to happen, 0:10:09.200 --> 0:10:12.760 but I'm okay not knowing how, because I know you 0:10:12.840 --> 0:10:16.720 are still on the throne. Two weeks before the big 0:10:16.760 --> 0:10:21.680 payment was due, we unexpectedly sold a piece of property. 0:10:21.840 --> 0:10:24.680 We were told it would sell for a certain price. 0:10:25.040 --> 0:10:28.280 It sold for almost twice that amount. It was the 0:10:28.360 --> 0:10:31.320 hand of God stepping in at just the right time, 0:10:31.800 --> 0:10:35.120 making a way. Well, we didn't see away. You may 0:10:35.160 --> 0:10:38.480 have some things you don't understand, you can't figure out. 0:10:38.800 --> 0:10:42.280 You don't see the answer. That's okay, you don't have 0:10:42.400 --> 0:10:46.920 to see it. Don't get discouraged. Don't start complaining. God 0:10:47.040 --> 0:10:50.600 is working behind the scens He's about to make things 0:10:50.640 --> 0:10:54.880 happen that you didn't see coming. It's going to be unusual, 0:10:55.280 --> 0:10:57.880 out of the ordinary. You're going to know it's the 0:10:57.880 --> 0:11:02.520 goodness of God. Didn't have all the answers. He didn't 0:11:02.520 --> 0:11:05.319 know how the Israelites would make it through the desert. 0:11:05.840 --> 0:11:09.280 But God gave them manna to eat each morning, something 0:11:09.400 --> 0:11:13.120 like bread that formed on the ground. God brought water 0:11:13.240 --> 0:11:18.400 out of a rock, unusual, uncommon. God brought the walls 0:11:18.440 --> 0:11:22.280 of Jericho down, not by them fighting, but by them 0:11:22.320 --> 0:11:28.800 simply marching around them. Supernatural provision, supernatural protection. What am 0:11:28.840 --> 0:11:32.640 I saying just because you don't have the answers doesn't 0:11:32.679 --> 0:11:35.200 mean God is not going to show up and do 0:11:35.280 --> 0:11:39.800 something amazing in your life. Now. My challenge is trust 0:11:39.840 --> 0:11:44.439 him when you don't understand. Be comfortable not knowing. The 0:11:44.480 --> 0:11:49.320 scripture says lean not to your own understanding. Take this 0:11:49.360 --> 0:11:52.440 in the right sense, but sometimes you have to turn 0:11:52.480 --> 0:11:56.840 your mind off. Don't try to figure everything out. Yes, 0:11:57.040 --> 0:12:00.720 use wisdom, use common sense. But when you start getting 0:12:00.760 --> 0:12:05.360 frustrated you can't find a solution, you attempted to live worried. 0:12:05.800 --> 0:12:09.480 That's a sign God doesn't want you to know. My 0:12:09.640 --> 0:12:14.240 father pastored Lakewood for forty years. He never raised up 0:12:14.240 --> 0:12:17.840 a successor like most churches do. He didn't have a 0:12:17.840 --> 0:12:21.240 committee go out and find the next pastor. Deep down, 0:12:21.480 --> 0:12:24.240 I believe he knew what was going to happen. He 0:12:24.360 --> 0:12:27.959 always wanted his family to take over, but there wasn't 0:12:28.000 --> 0:12:32.320 anything formally put in place. When he was in his seventies, 0:12:32.679 --> 0:12:36.080 people would ask him who's going to take Lakewood. What's 0:12:36.120 --> 0:12:39.480 going to happen when you're gone? My father would always 0:12:39.520 --> 0:12:42.600 tell them, I don't know what's going to happen, but 0:12:42.720 --> 0:12:45.240 I know this God is not going to let it 0:12:45.360 --> 0:12:48.880 go down. He would tell people, it's not my church, 0:12:48.960 --> 0:12:54.280 it's God's church. And I'm all for having structure, having 0:12:54.320 --> 0:12:58.800 a plan, but God's ways are not our ways. He 0:12:58.840 --> 0:13:03.280 doesn't do it the same way every time. Sometimes he 0:13:03.360 --> 0:13:06.880 doesn't want you to know. It's a test of your faith. 0:13:07.280 --> 0:13:10.720 Will you trust him? Or will you live worried, upset, 0:13:11.000 --> 0:13:14.080 wondering if it's ever going to work out. When my 0:13:14.200 --> 0:13:18.160 father died, I had only ministered one time the week 0:13:18.240 --> 0:13:20.800 before he passed. But when he went to be with 0:13:20.880 --> 0:13:23.640 the Lord, I knew I was supposed to step up 0:13:23.679 --> 0:13:27.280 and pastor the church. I never had the desire before, 0:13:27.760 --> 0:13:31.720 but suddenly God put that desire in me. Had my 0:13:31.880 --> 0:13:35.120 father tried to make me the pastor before he died, 0:13:35.559 --> 0:13:39.040 I wouldn't have done it. What may be the normal 0:13:39.120 --> 0:13:42.480 way may not be the way God does it for you. 0:13:43.480 --> 0:13:46.640 God didn't show my father who the next pastor was. 0:13:47.280 --> 0:13:50.760 He could have lived, frustrated, tried to make things happen 0:13:51.160 --> 0:13:55.640 but my father was comfortable not knowing. He knew God 0:13:55.760 --> 0:14:00.560 was in control. He trusted his plan may not be 0:14:00.679 --> 0:14:03.920 showing you the future, but that doesn't mean it's not 0:14:04.000 --> 0:14:07.640 going to turn out better than you've imagined. I'm sure 0:14:07.720 --> 0:14:10.520 my father is looking down from heaven now with a 0:14:10.520 --> 0:14:13.640 big smile, saying, look what the Lord has done. It's 0:14:13.679 --> 0:14:18.240 more than he ever dreamed. When you're comfortable not knowing, 0:14:18.440 --> 0:14:22.360 it saves you so much stress. When you understand, if 0:14:22.400 --> 0:14:26.160 you can't figure something out, it's because God doesn't want 0:14:26.200 --> 0:14:29.800 you to figure it out. Right now, you can analyze 0:14:29.840 --> 0:14:34.360 the situation, reason it out. Worry for six months nothing's 0:14:34.400 --> 0:14:37.920 going to change. It's much better to say I don't 0:14:37.960 --> 0:14:41.920 have the answer, but I'm okay because God, I know 0:14:42.040 --> 0:14:46.240 you have the answer. Paul said in Romans eight twenty six, 0:14:46.760 --> 0:14:50.440 we know not what to pray. Here's a man that 0:14:50.560 --> 0:14:53.560 wrote almost half of the New Testament, one of the 0:14:53.560 --> 0:14:57.400 most brilliant minds of his day. Yet he said we 0:14:57.560 --> 0:15:01.520 know not. He was comfortable with what he didn't know. 0:15:02.200 --> 0:15:05.000 He didn't see it as a lack of faith to 0:15:05.120 --> 0:15:08.360 admit I don't have all the answers. I don't know 0:15:08.400 --> 0:15:13.360 what to pray. I have uncertainty things. I don't understand things. 0:15:13.400 --> 0:15:16.280 I don't know how they're going to work out. The 0:15:16.400 --> 0:15:21.920 reason Paul could say this and not be worried, bitter God, 0:15:22.000 --> 0:15:24.600 why isn't it happening? When is it going to work out? 0:15:25.160 --> 0:15:29.040 Is found two verses later. He said in verse twenty six, 0:15:29.440 --> 0:15:32.840 we know not, But in verse twenty eight he said, 0:15:33.240 --> 0:15:37.320 we know all things work together for good to them 0:15:37.360 --> 0:15:41.320 that love the Lord. The way you can say we 0:15:41.400 --> 0:15:44.880 know not and not be worried is if you know 0:15:45.480 --> 0:15:48.880 all things are working for your good. I know not 0:15:49.200 --> 0:15:51.680 how this is going to work out, but I do 0:15:51.840 --> 0:15:55.520 know who's on the throne. I do know who's directing 0:15:55.560 --> 0:15:58.840 our steps. I do know who's planned out our days. 0:15:59.840 --> 0:16:03.440 Are you frustrated over what you don't know, by what 0:16:03.480 --> 0:16:07.600 you can't figure out? Have a new perspective. Even Paul 0:16:07.720 --> 0:16:12.280 said I know not. It's okay to not have the answers. 0:16:13.160 --> 0:16:16.320 One time Paul and his friend Silas were in prison. 0:16:17.000 --> 0:16:20.040 They had been out sharing the good news, hadn't done 0:16:20.040 --> 0:16:24.080 anything wrong, but people stirred up opposition had them arrested. 0:16:24.640 --> 0:16:27.320 They were put in the deepest part of the dungeon 0:16:27.600 --> 0:16:31.000 with shackles on their feet. They didn't know if they'd 0:16:31.040 --> 0:16:34.720 ever get out, if they'd have a fair trial, or 0:16:34.760 --> 0:16:37.600 if they'd be put to death like the disciple James. 0:16:38.040 --> 0:16:41.480 They had all these questions that they didn't have answers 0:16:41.520 --> 0:16:45.000 to things that were out of their control. I'm sure 0:16:45.120 --> 0:16:47.800 thoughts told them, it's not going to turn out good. 0:16:48.320 --> 0:16:53.840 You've seen your best days. They could have lived worried, bitter, frustrated. 0:16:54.520 --> 0:16:59.280 But at midnight, instead of complaining, they were singing praises 0:16:59.520 --> 0:17:03.600 and giving thanks to God. Their attitude was, we know 0:17:03.760 --> 0:17:06.520 not how this is going to work out, but we 0:17:06.600 --> 0:17:11.040 know this God is in control. People can't stop our destiny. 0:17:11.440 --> 0:17:14.000 Him being for us is more than the world being 0:17:14.040 --> 0:17:18.080 against us. While where they were singing praises in the 0:17:18.119 --> 0:17:21.480 middle of the night, suddenly there was a great earthquake. 0:17:22.000 --> 0:17:25.440 Prison doors flung open, chains fell off their feet. They 0:17:25.480 --> 0:17:29.560 walked out as free men. You may not see how 0:17:29.600 --> 0:17:33.600 your situation can work out. The odds are against you. 0:17:33.600 --> 0:17:37.080 You come up with the different options. Nothing looks good 0:17:37.119 --> 0:17:41.240 to you. You too could live frustrated, worried. No, be 0:17:41.480 --> 0:17:45.159 still and know that he is God. You don't have 0:17:45.240 --> 0:17:47.640 to be God. You don't have to figure it out 0:17:47.840 --> 0:17:52.280 he's on the throne. He has the solution. The reason 0:17:52.800 --> 0:17:56.560 we can't see it is because we think natural. But 0:17:56.680 --> 0:18:01.280 God is supernatural. He's going to make things happen out 0:18:01.280 --> 0:18:05.399 of the ordinary, things that you can't see. It's very 0:18:05.440 --> 0:18:08.719 powerful when you can say I know not where the 0:18:08.760 --> 0:18:12.000 finances are coming from, I know not how my child 0:18:12.119 --> 0:18:14.399 is going to get on course. I know not what 0:18:14.560 --> 0:18:17.840 the future holds, But I do know. God is on 0:18:17.920 --> 0:18:21.679 the throne. He's fighting my battles. His plans for me 0:18:21.720 --> 0:18:24.800 are for good. What he started in my life he 0:18:24.880 --> 0:18:29.320 will finish. You don't have to know how. As long 0:18:29.359 --> 0:18:32.679 as you know who is in control, that's when the 0:18:32.760 --> 0:18:36.240 creator of the universe will open doors you couldn't open, 0:18:36.720 --> 0:18:40.080 break chains that have held you back, bring dreams to 0:18:40.200 --> 0:18:44.960 pass that seem impossible when you know not. Do like 0:18:45.080 --> 0:18:49.560 Paul and Silas. Don't sit around depressed. Keep thanking God 0:18:49.640 --> 0:18:52.640 that he's working, Keep talking like it's on the way, 0:18:53.240 --> 0:18:56.280 keep that song of praise in your heart, keep being 0:18:56.320 --> 0:18:59.600 good to people, keep doing the right thing. Don't let 0:18:59.640 --> 0:19:03.160 what you don't know and what you can't see keep 0:19:03.200 --> 0:19:07.639 your faith from being released. But when we face these difficulties, 0:19:07.800 --> 0:19:10.760 when we don't see an answer. Many times there's a 0:19:10.880 --> 0:19:14.600 voice constantly whispering, what are you gonna do? What are 0:19:14.640 --> 0:19:17.879 you gonna do? Trying to pressure us, get us to 0:19:17.920 --> 0:19:22.199 live up tight, stressed out. But when you understand that 0:19:22.240 --> 0:19:24.879 you don't have to have the answer, that it's not 0:19:25.000 --> 0:19:28.920 your job to figure it out. When you're comfortable not knowing, 0:19:29.320 --> 0:19:32.960 it takes the pressure off. Someone says to you, I 0:19:33.040 --> 0:19:35.280 heard about your problem. What are you going to do? 0:19:35.920 --> 0:19:38.840 Our answer should be I don't know, but I know 0:19:38.920 --> 0:19:43.760 the one who does. It's okay not to know. You 0:19:43.880 --> 0:19:46.560 have to be at peace with what you know, not 0:19:47.600 --> 0:19:50.159 if there's something you don't have an answer to in 0:19:50.200 --> 0:19:55.320 your health, your finances, your relationships. You'd normally been worried 0:19:55.359 --> 0:19:58.720 trying to figure it out, take that same time and 0:19:58.840 --> 0:20:02.320 start thanking God that he's working. Thank him that he's 0:20:02.320 --> 0:20:05.600 making your crooked places strength, thinking that what's meant for 0:20:05.720 --> 0:20:08.640 harm he's turning to your advantage. Thank him that all 0:20:08.760 --> 0:20:12.720 things are working for your good. You weren't created to 0:20:12.760 --> 0:20:17.400 live up tight, worried, pressured. Sometimes we're bringing this on 0:20:17.440 --> 0:20:21.400 ourselves trying to figure something out that God doesn't want 0:20:21.480 --> 0:20:24.480 us to figure out. Right now, I met a man 0:20:24.720 --> 0:20:27.800 that had been in a legal battle for over ten years. 0:20:28.440 --> 0:20:32.400 It involved several different parties. Things were moving so slowly. 0:20:32.960 --> 0:20:35.359 If it didn't turn out in his favor, he was 0:20:35.400 --> 0:20:39.240 going to lose his freedom. He went through every possible 0:20:39.359 --> 0:20:43.120 scenario for years. If he wasn't at the office, he 0:20:43.200 --> 0:20:46.560 was at home working on his case with his legal team. 0:20:46.920 --> 0:20:49.840 They didn't see how it could resolve in his favor. 0:20:50.560 --> 0:20:55.480 After about five years of living stressed, worried, not enjoying 0:20:55.480 --> 0:20:59.439 his family having this hanging over his head, he did 0:20:59.600 --> 0:21:02.120 what I'm meant asking us to do. He said, God, 0:21:02.160 --> 0:21:05.720 I don't see a solution. I don't see a logical answer. 0:21:06.160 --> 0:21:08.480 So I'm going to quit trying to figure it out. 0:21:08.800 --> 0:21:11.880 I'm going to stop worrying. God. I'm turning this over 0:21:11.960 --> 0:21:15.920 to you. He took himself off the throne and put 0:21:16.000 --> 0:21:19.840 God back on the throne. Instead of worrying, he started 0:21:19.880 --> 0:21:23.159 thanking God that he was fighting his battles and thanking 0:21:23.280 --> 0:21:27.560 him that no weapon formed against him would prosper. About 0:21:27.600 --> 0:21:30.919 eight months ago, he received word out of the blue 0:21:31.400 --> 0:21:35.440 that the other parties dropped the lawsuit. All the complaints 0:21:35.480 --> 0:21:39.720 against him were dismissed. He said, Jeel I never even 0:21:39.840 --> 0:21:43.679 fathomed this. It wasn't even one of my options. I 0:21:43.800 --> 0:21:46.240 was just praying that God would help me win the trial, 0:21:46.560 --> 0:21:50.520 that i'd have favor with the authorities. God's ways are 0:21:50.560 --> 0:21:54.040 better than your ways. What God has in mind is 0:21:54.119 --> 0:21:58.640 much better than what you have in mind. Now, don't 0:21:58.680 --> 0:22:01.960 be discouraged by what you don't know, by what you 0:22:02.040 --> 0:22:05.240 can't figure out. You don't know what God is up to. 0:22:06.000 --> 0:22:10.639 It's going to surprise you. Like this man, problems suddenly 0:22:10.720 --> 0:22:14.480 resolve in your favor. The medical report says no way, 0:22:14.720 --> 0:22:17.359 but God makes a way. You don't see how you 0:22:17.400 --> 0:22:21.240 could get out of debt, an explosive blessing, a contract, 0:22:21.400 --> 0:22:25.399 a promotion, something that thrust you ahead. It's going to 0:22:25.520 --> 0:22:29.480 happen out of the ordinary. That's why you can't see 0:22:29.520 --> 0:22:32.879 it now, That's why you can't find the answer. God's 0:22:32.920 --> 0:22:36.000 going to do it a supernatural way. You're going to 0:22:36.040 --> 0:22:40.080 see the exceeding greatness of his favor, something that you 0:22:40.160 --> 0:22:45.280 weren't expecting. God told Abraham to leave his country and 0:22:45.400 --> 0:22:48.440 go to a land that he would show him. It's 0:22:48.480 --> 0:22:52.399 interesting that God didn't tell him where. I can imagine 0:22:52.760 --> 0:22:57.000 Abraham told his wife Sarah that they were moving. Sarah said, great, 0:22:57.080 --> 0:23:01.560 that's exciting. Where are we going? Abraham said, I don't know. 0:23:02.359 --> 0:23:05.399 Well what should I wear? I don't know what's the 0:23:05.440 --> 0:23:09.320 weather going to be like? I don't know. Abraham would 0:23:09.359 --> 0:23:12.919 have never become the father of our faith if he 0:23:12.960 --> 0:23:17.320 had not been comfortable not knowing. When you study the 0:23:17.400 --> 0:23:21.160 other heroes of faith, you'll see how many times they 0:23:21.240 --> 0:23:25.480 had to say, we know not. David, I know not 0:23:26.119 --> 0:23:29.919 how I'm going to defeat this giant. He's twice my size, 0:23:30.040 --> 0:23:34.040 but I know the Lord is on my side. Joseph 0:23:34.600 --> 0:23:38.639 sitting in a pit, betrayed by his family. I know 0:23:38.840 --> 0:23:41.760 not how I'm going to lead a nation like the 0:23:41.840 --> 0:23:45.520 dream God gave me. But God, I trust your plan. 0:23:46.640 --> 0:23:49.920 The way they stayed in faith is they knew verse 0:23:50.000 --> 0:23:53.520 twenty eight, so to speak, that all things were working 0:23:53.560 --> 0:23:56.960 for their good. When they didn't have the answers, they 0:23:57.040 --> 0:24:01.400 believed that God was still in control. God gave Abraham 0:24:01.440 --> 0:24:04.199 the promise that he and his wife Sarah were going 0:24:04.280 --> 0:24:06.800 to have a baby when they were way too old. 0:24:07.600 --> 0:24:11.920 Years passed with no sign of a child. Every circumstance 0:24:11.960 --> 0:24:17.000 said it was impossible, but Abraham understood this principle he said, 0:24:17.040 --> 0:24:21.080 in effect, we know not how it can happen. There's 0:24:21.160 --> 0:24:24.720 no way in the natural. But God, we trust you. 0:24:25.320 --> 0:24:29.440 We believe what you promised will come to pass. Sarah 0:24:29.480 --> 0:24:32.960 gave birth at ninety years of age. God did more 0:24:33.000 --> 0:24:37.120 than they dreamed. That little baby. They named him Isaac. 0:24:37.440 --> 0:24:40.840 He grew to a young man, and God told Abraham 0:24:41.200 --> 0:24:45.040 to take him on top of a mountain and sacrifice him. 0:24:45.520 --> 0:24:50.720 They traveled three days finally arrived at the location. Isaac said, Dad, 0:24:50.760 --> 0:24:53.400 we have the fire, we have the wood, but where 0:24:53.480 --> 0:24:58.800 is the sacrifice. Abraham said, the Lord will provide. It 0:24:58.840 --> 0:25:02.560 didn't make sense that God would give Abraham a son, 0:25:03.240 --> 0:25:06.840 this child he waited so long for, and then tell 0:25:06.920 --> 0:25:11.120 him to take his life. Don't you know Abraham didn't understand, 0:25:11.760 --> 0:25:15.760 no doubt, he was confused, he had uncertainty. But his 0:25:15.840 --> 0:25:19.679 attitude was God, I don't know what you're doing, but 0:25:19.800 --> 0:25:23.959 I trust you. This is a key to faith. Trusting 0:25:24.320 --> 0:25:28.600 when you don't understand, Trusting when you don't have the answers, 0:25:29.040 --> 0:25:32.480 Trusting when it seems like just the opposite of what 0:25:32.520 --> 0:25:35.359 you were hoping for. This is when it's easy to 0:25:35.400 --> 0:25:40.240 get negative critical God. Wire, isn't it working out. Not 0:25:40.520 --> 0:25:44.399 knowing is a test. What you do when you don't 0:25:44.480 --> 0:25:49.120 know when it seems impossible, that determines what God does. 0:25:50.200 --> 0:25:54.200 Abraham was about to sacrifice his son when an angel 0:25:54.359 --> 0:25:58.440 suddenly stopped him. He looked over and saw a ram 0:25:58.520 --> 0:26:02.679 caught in the bush. Rams don't normally go that high 0:26:02.800 --> 0:26:06.840 up in the mountain. Abraham sacrificed the ram instead of 0:26:06.840 --> 0:26:11.760 his son. He named that place Jehovah Jihrah. That means 0:26:11.960 --> 0:26:16.159 the Lord, our provider, God is showing us. When you 0:26:16.320 --> 0:26:21.200 pass the test of not knowing, supernatural provision is coming. 0:26:22.280 --> 0:26:26.399 You may be where Abraham was. God's promised you something, 0:26:26.840 --> 0:26:29.960 but it's been a long time. Seems like it's too late. 0:26:30.640 --> 0:26:33.720 You don't see how you could have the baby, or 0:26:33.720 --> 0:26:36.040 how you could get well, or see how you could 0:26:36.040 --> 0:26:39.639 accomplish the dream. You don't have to see it for 0:26:39.760 --> 0:26:42.280 God to do it. You don't have to have all 0:26:42.280 --> 0:26:45.919 the answers. What God has spoken over your life is 0:26:45.960 --> 0:26:49.480 still on the way, just like that ram was way 0:26:49.560 --> 0:26:53.000 up in the mountain. God has provision coming for you, 0:26:53.680 --> 0:26:58.840 something that wouldn't normally happen, something out of the ordinary, favor, 0:26:58.880 --> 0:27:05.160 promotion behind connections. Because you trusted when you didn't understand 0:27:05.720 --> 0:27:08.960 God's going to do things for you that you can't explain. 0:27:09.600 --> 0:27:12.719 Promotion that you didn't work for it, having a baby 0:27:12.760 --> 0:27:15.840 when you were told is too late, getting well when 0:27:15.840 --> 0:27:19.400 the medical report says you were done, seeing your business 0:27:19.480 --> 0:27:23.359 take off, seeing your family restored. What is that the 0:27:23.480 --> 0:27:28.160 ram in the thicket? When you obey without the details, 0:27:28.760 --> 0:27:31.359 When you stay in faith, when you don't see any 0:27:31.440 --> 0:27:35.240 sign of the answer, when you believe, when every thought 0:27:35.320 --> 0:27:39.359 tells you there's no way life with Abraham, God will 0:27:39.480 --> 0:27:42.600 show out in your life. He'll cause you to defy 0:27:42.760 --> 0:27:46.240 the odds, to go places you couldn't go on your own. 0:27:46.960 --> 0:27:51.880 Now I'm asking you to be comfortable not knowing. Quit 0:27:51.960 --> 0:27:55.440 worrying about those things you can't figure out. God has 0:27:55.480 --> 0:27:58.480 you in the palm of his hand. There may be 0:27:58.520 --> 0:28:01.119 some things you have to say, I know not, but 0:28:01.200 --> 0:28:05.200 don't stop. There go two more verses and say with Paul, 0:28:05.640 --> 0:28:09.760 I know all things are working for my good. If 0:28:09.760 --> 0:28:14.080 you'll do this, I believe and declare you're about to 0:28:14.160 --> 0:28:22.280 see this supernatural provision, supernatural protection, favor, healing, divine connections. 0:28:22.600 --> 0:28:25.719 God is not going to just bring promises to pass. 0:28:26.040 --> 0:28:28.480 But like that man I talked about, it's going to 0:28:28.520 --> 0:28:32.760 turn out better than you imagined in Jesus' name. If 0:28:32.800 --> 0:28:37.199 you receive it, Can you say amen? Today I'd like 0:28:37.280 --> 0:28:40.440 to give you an opportunity to make Jesus the Lord 0:28:40.480 --> 0:28:44.960 of your life. Would you pray with me? Just say, Lord, Jesus, 0:28:46.200 --> 0:28:51.160 I repent of my sins. Come into my heart. I 0:28:51.360 --> 0:28:55.240 make you my Lord and savior. If you prayed that 0:28:55.400 --> 0:28:58.720 simple prayer, we believe you got born again. Get in 0:28:58.760 --> 0:29:02.600 a good Bible based church, keep God first place, Victor, 0:29:02.640 --> 0:29:05.360 and I'll be right back to speak of blessing over you. 0:29:07.200 --> 0:29:10.640 Thank you for listening to the Joel Lostine podcast. Help 0:29:10.720 --> 0:29:13.440 us continue to share the message of hope with those 0:29:13.560 --> 0:29:17.440 all over the world. Visit Joeloustein dot com slash give 0:29:17.520 --> 0:29:19.200 Hope to give a gift today. 0:29:20.480 --> 0:29:23.400 Thanks so much for listening to today's message. I hope 0:29:23.440 --> 0:29:26.800 you'll subscribe so you can receive the latest podcast to 0:29:26.880 --> 0:29:30.080 keep you inspired all through the week. We're praying for you. 0:29:30.240 --> 0:29:32.720 I know God's best is still ahead. 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