Be Vulnerable

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 Joe Lostine Podcast. Help us continue to 0:01:19.280 --> 0:01:22.160 share the message of hope with those all over the world. 0:01:22.680 --> 0:01:26.119 Visit Joelostin dot com slash give Hope. 0:01:25.760 --> 0:01:35.800 To give a gift today. 0:01:38.440 --> 0:01:41.120 Well, God bless you. It's for joy to come into 0:01:41.160 --> 0:01:44.240 your homes. And if you're ever in our area, please 0:01:44.280 --> 0:01:46.959 stop buying. Be a part of one of our services. 0:01:47.080 --> 0:01:49.680 I promise you we'll make you feel right at home. 0:01:50.480 --> 0:01:52.840 I like to start with something funny, and I heard 0:01:52.880 --> 0:01:55.800 about this burglar that broke into a home one night. 0:01:56.320 --> 0:01:59.639 As he was stealing the stereo, he heard a voice saying, 0:02:00.120 --> 0:02:04.280 Jesus is watching you. He froze in his tracks, shined 0:02:04.320 --> 0:02:07.600 his flashlight and saw a parrot over in the corner. 0:02:08.200 --> 0:02:10.560 He said, did you say that to me? The parent 0:02:10.639 --> 0:02:13.960 said yes, I'm just trying to warn you. He said, 0:02:14.000 --> 0:02:16.160 warn me, What are you talking about? Who are you? 0:02:16.680 --> 0:02:20.119 He said, my name is Moses. The burglar laughed. Said 0:02:20.120 --> 0:02:23.440 what kind of crazy people would name a parent Moses? 0:02:23.760 --> 0:02:26.120 He said, the same kind of people that would name 0:02:26.160 --> 0:02:31.280 a one hundred and fifty pound rockweller. Jesus say you 0:02:31.360 --> 0:02:34.240 like you mean it. This is my Bible. I am 0:02:34.280 --> 0:02:36.720 what it says I am. I have what it says 0:02:36.720 --> 0:02:39.359 I have. I can do what it says I can do. 0:02:39.800 --> 0:02:42.680 Today I will be taught the word of God. I 0:02:42.800 --> 0:02:46.960 boldly confess my mind is alert, my heart is receptive. 0:02:47.240 --> 0:02:50.960 I will never be the same. In Jesus's name, God 0:02:51.000 --> 0:02:54.200 bless you. I want to talk to you today about 0:02:54.440 --> 0:02:58.360 being vulnerable. It's easy to go through life trying to 0:02:58.400 --> 0:03:01.880 impress people, show them that we're strong, that we have 0:03:01.960 --> 0:03:06.160 it all together, and it's good to carry ourselves with confidence. 0:03:06.600 --> 0:03:10.160 But sometimes we have a need to keep up our 0:03:10.240 --> 0:03:14.200 image so much that instead of being real, we put 0:03:14.240 --> 0:03:18.000 on a mask and start pretending. We can't let people 0:03:18.040 --> 0:03:21.839 see we have weaknesses. We struggle in these areas. We're 0:03:21.880 --> 0:03:25.000 people of faith, We're supposed to have all the answers, 0:03:25.680 --> 0:03:30.160 but the scripture says God's power shows up greatest in 0:03:30.240 --> 0:03:34.800 our weaknesses. If we go around pretending acting like we 0:03:34.840 --> 0:03:38.240 don't have any weaknesses, then God's power is not going 0:03:38.280 --> 0:03:42.400 to show up. God won't bless who you pretend to be. 0:03:43.280 --> 0:03:47.200 He looks beyond the mask, beyond the superficial. And when 0:03:47.240 --> 0:03:50.880 you're big enough to admit God, I don't have it altogether. 0:03:51.480 --> 0:03:55.080 I'm struggling in these areas. I need your help. Being 0:03:55.240 --> 0:03:59.280 vulnerable is not a weakness, it's a strength. But when 0:03:59.320 --> 0:04:02.840 we pretend try to impress people live for our image, 0:04:02.920 --> 0:04:06.640 that puts pressure on us. We have to perform, make 0:04:06.680 --> 0:04:10.280 sure they think I'm good, I'm strong, I'm talented. Take 0:04:10.320 --> 0:04:14.600 off the mask. You can be real, well, Joel, what 0:04:14.640 --> 0:04:17.440 if they think less of me? What they think of 0:04:17.520 --> 0:04:22.080 you doesn't really matter. They don't control your destiny. If 0:04:22.120 --> 0:04:25.960 your friends judge you for being real, they're not true friends. 0:04:26.560 --> 0:04:31.960 A true friend will accept you for who you are. Faults, weaknesses, shortcomings, 0:04:31.960 --> 0:04:36.320 and all people that judge you are not being honest 0:04:36.400 --> 0:04:40.400 with themselves. They have their own issues. They're just wearing 0:04:40.440 --> 0:04:44.360 their mask hoping that you don't notice. Everybody is dealing 0:04:44.360 --> 0:04:48.400 with something. There are no perfect people, but we live 0:04:48.520 --> 0:04:53.039 in a society that stresses image. It tells us if 0:04:53.040 --> 0:04:55.720 we don't have it all together, if you don't wear 0:04:55.760 --> 0:04:59.400 the latest, drive the latest hang out with the most popular, 0:04:59.480 --> 0:05:04.240 then your This creates all kinds of pretending. We're in 0:05:04.360 --> 0:05:08.960 mass trying to impress, and that may feel strong, but 0:05:09.080 --> 0:05:13.320 in fact it's weak. If you can't be honest with yourself, 0:05:13.800 --> 0:05:17.080 if you have to hide your struggles, act a certain 0:05:17.120 --> 0:05:19.840 way to keep up your image, that's going to keep 0:05:19.880 --> 0:05:23.960 you from your full potential. God is not looking for 0:05:24.040 --> 0:05:28.719 the ideal you, the pretend you, the future you. He's 0:05:28.760 --> 0:05:31.839 looking for the real you. And this is what the 0:05:31.880 --> 0:05:35.920 apostle Paul did. He said in Philippians three, I count 0:05:36.000 --> 0:05:41.000 not myself to have apprehended one version says I'm still 0:05:41.279 --> 0:05:45.080 not everything that I should be now. Paul was one 0:05:45.080 --> 0:05:48.599 of the greatest apostles that ever lived. He wrote half 0:05:48.680 --> 0:05:51.920 of the books in the New Testament. He was a scholar, 0:05:52.400 --> 0:05:57.520 a theologian, He spoke five languages. No one was more 0:05:57.560 --> 0:06:02.280 effective than Paul. But he the humility to admit, I 0:06:02.320 --> 0:06:06.039 don't have it altogether. I'm doing my best, but I'm 0:06:06.080 --> 0:06:10.880 not there yet. He could have let pride hide his weaknesses, 0:06:11.480 --> 0:06:16.320 mask his shortcomings, but he was vulnerable. Nobody would have 0:06:16.520 --> 0:06:19.359 argued if he'd have said, hey, I wrote half of 0:06:19.400 --> 0:06:23.320 the scripture. I've attained the highest level. Paul was a 0:06:23.360 --> 0:06:27.600 great man, but as he neared his death, when he 0:06:27.640 --> 0:06:31.560 could have impressed people, when he could have bolstered his image, 0:06:31.880 --> 0:06:36.359 instead he took off his mask. He was real. That's 0:06:36.440 --> 0:06:41.400 the kind of people God promotes. There's power in vulnerability. 0:06:42.120 --> 0:06:46.440 It's okay to say I'm not there yet. I'm still 0:06:46.480 --> 0:06:49.440 struggling with these issues, but I'm not going to wear 0:06:49.480 --> 0:06:53.560 a mask. I'm not going around pretending I'm at peace 0:06:54.000 --> 0:06:59.120 with not being perfect. If you're not vulnerable, you'll stop growing. 0:07:00.080 --> 0:07:03.359 If you can't be honest with yourself and say God, 0:07:03.520 --> 0:07:07.840 I need your help. I'm acting strong, but God, I'm afraid. 0:07:07.880 --> 0:07:11.200 I don't know which way to go. When you empty 0:07:11.240 --> 0:07:15.680 yourself out, then God will fill you. But God cannot 0:07:15.800 --> 0:07:20.440 fill a vessel that's already full. If you're full of 0:07:20.480 --> 0:07:26.080 yourself acting. I said it nice, acting, pretending wearing masks, 0:07:26.560 --> 0:07:30.480 there's no room for God. But when we humble ourselves 0:07:31.000 --> 0:07:34.400 and empty out our pride, our doubts, our fears, then 0:07:34.440 --> 0:07:37.000 God will fill us with favor, with strength. He'll help 0:07:37.080 --> 0:07:41.080 us get to the next level. Mark chapter nine. A 0:07:41.120 --> 0:07:44.400 man had a son that was sick with something like epilepsy. 0:07:44.960 --> 0:07:48.480 He brought him to Jesus said, Sir, my son has 0:07:48.520 --> 0:07:52.520 all these convulsions. If you can do anything, please have 0:07:52.640 --> 0:07:57.120 compassion on us. Jesus said, if you believe, all things 0:07:57.160 --> 0:08:01.480 are possible. The men said, yes, Lord, I believe, but 0:08:01.760 --> 0:08:06.160 help me in my unbelief. He was honest. He was 0:08:06.240 --> 0:08:10.000 being vulnerable. Jesus could have said, I just told you 0:08:10.040 --> 0:08:12.440 I do it. What do you mean you have doubts, 0:08:12.600 --> 0:08:15.520 you don't believe. I'm gonna go find somebody else. Know. 0:08:15.680 --> 0:08:19.760 When we're honest with God, when we're real, he doesn't 0:08:19.880 --> 0:08:23.480 judge us, he doesn't turn the other way. He comes 0:08:23.520 --> 0:08:28.320 to us. Jesus went and healed this man's son. And 0:08:28.360 --> 0:08:30.960 when you take off the mask and get down to 0:08:31.000 --> 0:08:34.480 the real you, maybe the doubting you, the lonely you, 0:08:34.800 --> 0:08:38.560 the insecure you, when you're vulnerable, God will begin to 0:08:38.640 --> 0:08:43.000 change things. But sometimes we think we have to always 0:08:43.040 --> 0:08:46.800 be strong in faith, strong in courage. We can't admit 0:08:46.840 --> 0:08:50.840 we have doubts, we have fears. The scripture says, let 0:08:50.880 --> 0:08:55.200 the weak say I am strong, doesn't say you should 0:08:55.240 --> 0:08:59.880 never feel weak, never have doubts, never feel discouraged. No, God, 0:09:00.240 --> 0:09:04.720 I feel weak today, but I know in You I'm strong. God. 0:09:04.720 --> 0:09:07.520 I'm concerned about my finances. I don't see how it 0:09:07.559 --> 0:09:11.760 could work out. Lord, help me to believe. That's being 0:09:11.880 --> 0:09:16.839 honest before God. That's being vulnerable. The first time John 0:09:16.880 --> 0:09:20.760 the Baptist saw Jesus, he said, behold the lamb of God. 0:09:21.280 --> 0:09:24.920 He knew he was the Messiah. In Matthew chapter three, 0:09:25.400 --> 0:09:28.640 John was baptizing Jesus when he came up out of 0:09:28.679 --> 0:09:33.280 the water. A dove landed on Jesus. The heavens opened up. 0:09:33.679 --> 0:09:37.319 A voice boomed out, saying, this is my beloved son, 0:09:37.679 --> 0:09:41.520 in whom I am well pleased. If anyone should have 0:09:41.600 --> 0:09:43.800 been a man of faith, it would have been John. 0:09:44.320 --> 0:09:49.800 He baptized Jesus, but a few chapters later, in chapter eleven, 0:09:50.200 --> 0:09:54.320 when he was in prison, John started having doubts, thinking 0:09:55.000 --> 0:09:57.920 is he really the Messiah? Is he really the son 0:09:57.960 --> 0:10:02.360 of God? John sent to his disciples to see if 0:10:02.440 --> 0:10:05.680 Jesus was who he really said he was. Now you 0:10:05.720 --> 0:10:09.520 would think if you saw the heavens opened up, if 0:10:09.520 --> 0:10:13.040 you heard the voice boom out, you would believe you 0:10:13.040 --> 0:10:17.800 wouldn't change your mind. But even John had doubts. Even 0:10:17.840 --> 0:10:21.320 he didn't have it all figured out, he was vulnerable. 0:10:21.880 --> 0:10:25.640 He could have said, I baptized the man. I told 0:10:25.640 --> 0:10:28.320 people he was the lamb of God. I can't let 0:10:28.360 --> 0:10:31.840 anyone know that I'm not sure. Now I have to 0:10:31.920 --> 0:10:34.840 keep up my image. I have to wear this mask. 0:10:35.720 --> 0:10:39.959 John's attitude was, I'm not a pretender. I'm not trying 0:10:40.000 --> 0:10:42.839 to impress people. Go ask him if he's the son 0:10:42.880 --> 0:10:47.880 of God. What's interesting is Jesus didn't get upset. He 0:10:47.920 --> 0:10:50.720 didn't say, tell John he needs to have more faith, 0:10:51.120 --> 0:10:56.320 I'm disappointed in him. Jesus understood. He said, tell John 0:10:56.679 --> 0:10:59.960 the blind sea, the crippled walk, the lepers are cure. 0:11:00.400 --> 0:11:03.680 Tell him, yes, I am the Messiah. So when you 0:11:03.760 --> 0:11:08.319 have doubts, things you don't understand, don't be down on yourself. 0:11:09.000 --> 0:11:11.959 You didn't see the heavens open up. You didn't hear 0:11:11.960 --> 0:11:16.040 the voice boom out. John had all these signs, but 0:11:16.120 --> 0:11:20.559 it didn't disqualify him. God was not disappointed in John, 0:11:21.040 --> 0:11:24.320 and he's not disappointed in you. You may not be 0:11:24.440 --> 0:11:26.679 where you think it should be. You have these questions, 0:11:27.240 --> 0:11:31.840 it's okay to say, like Paul, I haven't apprehended it 0:11:31.960 --> 0:11:35.880 all just yet. I'm on a journey. I'm growing. God's 0:11:35.920 --> 0:11:39.120 still working on me. But so often we think we 0:11:39.200 --> 0:11:42.320 have to hide our struggles. We can't let God know 0:11:42.440 --> 0:11:45.839 our fears. That wouldn't be a person of faith. But 0:11:45.880 --> 0:11:48.920 you can't overcome a weakness if you don't get it 0:11:49.000 --> 0:11:53.320 out in the open, when you're honest with yourself and 0:11:53.480 --> 0:11:57.600 honest with God and say, God, help me break this addiction. 0:11:58.200 --> 0:12:00.560 I can't do it on my own. God help me 0:12:00.640 --> 0:12:03.080 to not be jealous. I'm a coworker. Help me to 0:12:03.120 --> 0:12:06.320 be more disciplined in what I watch. That's the first 0:12:06.360 --> 0:12:11.280 step to getting better. But sometimes religion has taught us 0:12:11.600 --> 0:12:15.319 that God will condemn us, make us feel guilty. That's 0:12:15.440 --> 0:12:19.320 not the way God is. Like with John the Baptist, 0:12:19.400 --> 0:12:24.760 God understands our doubts, our weaknesses, our failures. When we 0:12:24.840 --> 0:12:30.160 humble ourselves and ask Him for his help. When we're vulnerable, 0:12:30.720 --> 0:12:34.600 we say, like Paul, I don't have it altogether. We say, 0:12:34.679 --> 0:12:37.880 like John, I have these doubts. We say, like the 0:12:37.920 --> 0:12:41.920 man and his son, Lord, help me to believe. That's 0:12:42.040 --> 0:12:45.720 when the creator of the universe will help you overcome 0:12:46.080 --> 0:12:50.679 what you could not overcome. Are you wearing a mask, pretending, 0:12:51.400 --> 0:12:54.480 trying to protect your image in front of people and 0:12:54.600 --> 0:12:57.880 in front of God. I'm asking us to take off 0:12:57.880 --> 0:13:02.240 the mask. Let's be real. Sometimes we think, when we 0:13:02.280 --> 0:13:05.439 get it all together, we'll be honest, when we break 0:13:05.440 --> 0:13:09.640 the addiction, when we overcome the temptation, then God will 0:13:09.679 --> 0:13:13.520 accept us. Then it'll be pleased with me. But God 0:13:13.720 --> 0:13:16.960 is not waiting for the perfect you, for the cleaned 0:13:17.040 --> 0:13:20.560 up you, for the no doubt you. He's waiting for 0:13:20.640 --> 0:13:25.680 the real you, the vulnerable you, the honest you. God 0:13:25.800 --> 0:13:31.440 already knows everything about us. There is a freedom when 0:13:31.480 --> 0:13:35.360 you can come to God open and honest, knowing that 0:13:35.400 --> 0:13:39.960 he doesn't condemn you. He's not finding fault. He has 0:13:40.120 --> 0:13:44.920 mercy for every mistake, grace for every weakness, faith for 0:13:45.040 --> 0:13:49.520 every fear. Our attitude should be God. My life is 0:13:49.559 --> 0:13:53.120 an open book. I have nothing to hide. You know 0:13:53.200 --> 0:13:57.880 everything I am, everything that I'm not. Make me, mold me, 0:13:58.320 --> 0:14:00.880 help me to become who You've created me to be. 0:14:02.160 --> 0:14:05.920 John Chapter four. Jesus was at a well in Samaria. 0:14:06.679 --> 0:14:10.439 This woman came out to get some water. Jesus asked 0:14:10.440 --> 0:14:14.320 her for something to drink. She was surprised. She said, sir, 0:14:14.400 --> 0:14:18.120 you're a Jew, I'm a Samaritan. We don't have anything 0:14:18.120 --> 0:14:20.720 to do with each other. Why are you asking me 0:14:20.840 --> 0:14:24.600 for something? Jesus said, if you knew who I was, 0:14:25.080 --> 0:14:27.840 you would ask me and I would give you living water. 0:14:28.680 --> 0:14:32.400 She said, please give me some of that water. Jesus said, 0:14:32.400 --> 0:14:36.239 I will, but go call your husband. I can imagine 0:14:36.600 --> 0:14:40.960 time stopped for this woman. She had had five husbands, 0:14:41.400 --> 0:14:44.560 was living with a man she wasn't married too. Life 0:14:44.680 --> 0:14:47.640 had been rough for this lady. No doubt she had 0:14:47.680 --> 0:14:52.479 been mistreated, taken advantage of. She knew she had made mistakes. 0:14:52.960 --> 0:14:55.880 She felt bad enough about herself. She didn't need any 0:14:55.920 --> 0:15:00.640 more guilt. In town, everyone knew her, she was looked 0:15:00.640 --> 0:15:05.480 down on, made fun of. But out here at the well, alone, 0:15:05.720 --> 0:15:09.160 just her in Jesus. She could have thought, I'm not 0:15:09.240 --> 0:15:12.120 telling this man my past. I'm going to put on 0:15:12.240 --> 0:15:16.680 my mask and pretend everything is fine. She could have said, Okay, 0:15:16.960 --> 0:15:19.560 I'll go get my husband. Wait for me. I'll be 0:15:19.640 --> 0:15:24.400 back in thirty minutes. Everything in her said, hide your hurts, 0:15:25.000 --> 0:15:28.600 hide your failures, turn and leave, take the easy way out. 0:15:29.320 --> 0:15:32.000 She could have walked away and it would be the 0:15:32.160 --> 0:15:36.280 end of this story. But after years of wearing a mask, 0:15:36.920 --> 0:15:41.080 years of pretending, she said, no, this is a new day. 0:15:41.840 --> 0:15:45.520 I'm not making excuses, I'm not covering it up. I'm 0:15:45.520 --> 0:15:49.360 going to be honest. She said to Jesus, I don't 0:15:49.440 --> 0:15:53.320 have a husband. The first thing Jesus said was you 0:15:53.440 --> 0:15:57.960 have answered. Well. He was saying, now you're being honest 0:15:58.120 --> 0:16:02.680 with yourself, and you're being honest with me. Jesus went 0:16:02.720 --> 0:16:06.240 on to tell her how she had five husbands and 0:16:06.440 --> 0:16:09.920 was living with this other man. She said, sir, you 0:16:10.040 --> 0:16:13.560 must be a prophet. We know one day the Messiah 0:16:13.640 --> 0:16:17.360 will come. Jesus looked at her and said, I am 0:16:17.440 --> 0:16:23.640 the Messiah. The first person Jesus ever revealed himself too 0:16:23.960 --> 0:16:29.239 as the Messiah was this woman. A woman who was vulnerable, 0:16:29.880 --> 0:16:32.200 a woman who was willing to take off the mask 0:16:32.720 --> 0:16:37.560 and not pretend everything was okay. You may have made mistakes. 0:16:38.400 --> 0:16:41.560 You're not where you think you should be. God is 0:16:41.640 --> 0:16:46.040 not displeased with where you are. He's only displeased if 0:16:46.040 --> 0:16:49.760 you get stuck there. And when Jesus asked this woman 0:16:49.800 --> 0:16:52.800 to go get her husband, he already knew she didn't 0:16:52.800 --> 0:16:55.680 have a husband. He was waiting to see what she 0:16:55.800 --> 0:16:59.240 would do. Would she be vulnerable, would she take off 0:16:59.280 --> 0:17:04.920 the mask? God already knows our struggles, our failures, our 0:17:04.960 --> 0:17:10.320 weaknesses when we live open and honest before God, not 0:17:11.040 --> 0:17:15.560 guilty because of past mistakes, beating ourselves up for weaknesses, 0:17:15.840 --> 0:17:20.080 pretending that everything's okay, but saying God, I need you 0:17:20.960 --> 0:17:24.560 help me to overcome, Strengthen me in my weaknesses, give 0:17:24.600 --> 0:17:28.080 me faith to do the right thing. That's when God 0:17:28.240 --> 0:17:31.000 will do for you what he did for this woman. 0:17:31.640 --> 0:17:35.080 He will break bondages that have held you back. He 0:17:35.160 --> 0:17:38.040 will make more out of your life than you've ever 0:17:38.160 --> 0:17:41.679 even dreamed. What am I saying today? It's okay to 0:17:41.760 --> 0:17:45.560 be vulnerable. You don't have to have it altogether. You're 0:17:45.600 --> 0:17:49.159 a work in progress. God is not finished with you. 0:17:50.320 --> 0:17:54.399 Even Abraham, the father of our faith, was vulnerable. He 0:17:54.440 --> 0:17:58.399 even admitted that he didn't have all the answers. God 0:17:58.480 --> 0:18:01.520 told him to take his son Isaac out to the 0:18:01.560 --> 0:18:05.240 mountains and sacrifice him. God was going to show him 0:18:05.240 --> 0:18:09.520 where to go. I can imagine Isaac said, Dad, where 0:18:09.560 --> 0:18:14.320 are we going? Surely Abraham would be strong confident that 0:18:14.440 --> 0:18:18.199 I hear Abraham saying, son, I don't know where I 0:18:18.280 --> 0:18:23.119 don't have clear direction. Isaac must have thought, that's my father, 0:18:23.760 --> 0:18:26.639 that's my hero, the man I look up to. You 0:18:26.720 --> 0:18:31.439 mean he doesn't have everything figured out. It's okay to 0:18:31.520 --> 0:18:35.120 be vulnerable to your children. You don't have to hide 0:18:35.200 --> 0:18:40.040 your weaknesses, hide your struggles, take off your Superman outfit. 0:18:40.480 --> 0:18:44.240 Sometimes you just need to be Clark Kent. Just be real. 0:18:44.960 --> 0:18:48.719 Your children will learn more from how they see you 0:18:49.160 --> 0:18:53.840 handle your struggles than they will from your successes. You 0:18:53.880 --> 0:18:56.760 don't have to be strong all the time. Let them 0:18:56.840 --> 0:19:01.879 see your humanity. One time in my early twenties, I 0:19:01.960 --> 0:19:05.320 was in the TV control area after a church service 0:19:05.480 --> 0:19:09.000 at the other location. My father had just finished ministering. 0:19:09.480 --> 0:19:13.000 Myself and some of the crew members were laughing and 0:19:13.080 --> 0:19:15.960 having fun as we were putting up the equipment and 0:19:16.000 --> 0:19:20.280 turning everything off. My father came in for some reason. 0:19:20.560 --> 0:19:23.240 He thought we were making fun of something that had 0:19:23.240 --> 0:19:26.600 happened in the service. We weren't. We were laughing at 0:19:26.600 --> 0:19:29.879 something totally different. I tried to tell him it didn't 0:19:29.920 --> 0:19:33.120 have anything to do with that, but my father wouldn't 0:19:33.119 --> 0:19:35.800 hear it. He let us have it, told us how 0:19:35.840 --> 0:19:38.400 we should be more respectful, and how we should make 0:19:38.480 --> 0:19:42.679 fun on and on. A couple hours later, my father called. 0:19:43.200 --> 0:19:47.200 He said, Joel, I blew it tonight. I knew when 0:19:47.240 --> 0:19:50.399 you told me it wasn't what I thought, but I 0:19:50.520 --> 0:19:53.080 was uptight about some other things, and I want to 0:19:53.119 --> 0:19:56.720 ask you to forgive me. I'm sorry. Then he asked 0:19:56.720 --> 0:19:59.720 me for the phone numbers of everyone else in the room. 0:20:00.240 --> 0:20:04.080 There were seven or eight people. He couldn't sleep until 0:20:04.080 --> 0:20:06.520 he made things right. I said, Daddy, you can take 0:20:06.520 --> 0:20:08.960 care of it tomorrow. Nobody's gonna mind. He said, no, 0:20:09.359 --> 0:20:12.680 I need to do it right now. Eleven o'clock at night, 0:20:13.000 --> 0:20:18.000 this well respected minister called all these young men to 0:20:18.119 --> 0:20:22.879 apologize to them. As a son, that spoke louder to 0:20:22.960 --> 0:20:27.199 me than my father's accomplishments. To see him swallow his 0:20:27.359 --> 0:20:30.800 pride and admit that he was wrong met his huge 0:20:30.960 --> 0:20:35.600 impressing on me. He could have tried to protect his 0:20:35.840 --> 0:20:40.480 image and convince himself he was right, but he was vulnerable. 0:20:41.119 --> 0:20:44.720 He was honest, not just with me, but with himself. 0:20:45.680 --> 0:20:49.720 When you can be honest with yourself, when you're big enough, 0:20:50.200 --> 0:20:53.320 secure enough to take off the mask, not live for 0:20:53.400 --> 0:20:56.560 your image, but you do the right thing when it's hard, 0:20:57.240 --> 0:21:00.880 apologize when it's not your fault. Show your children you're 0:21:00.920 --> 0:21:03.439 big enough to admit that you were wrong. When you 0:21:03.560 --> 0:21:07.720 live transparent before God, not the fake you to pretend 0:21:07.800 --> 0:21:10.720 you the wanna be you, but the real you. When 0:21:10.760 --> 0:21:15.240 you're vulnerable, you're pliable. God will make you and mould 0:21:15.359 --> 0:21:18.399 you into the vessel of honor that He created you 0:21:18.480 --> 0:21:25.200 to be. That's what these heroes of faith did, Abraham, John, 0:21:25.240 --> 0:21:29.560 the Baptist, Paul. They were real. They had doubts, they 0:21:29.600 --> 0:21:33.000 had questions, they made mistakes, but they didn't pretend to 0:21:33.040 --> 0:21:36.960 be superhuman like they had it all together. They knew 0:21:36.960 --> 0:21:41.960 the power of vulnerability. They knew in their weaknesses, God's 0:21:42.000 --> 0:21:46.119 power shows up the greatest. Are you down on yourself 0:21:46.480 --> 0:21:50.920 because you have doubts, fears, things you don't understand. Are 0:21:50.920 --> 0:21:54.760 you trying to perform perfectly, to protect your image, to 0:21:54.840 --> 0:21:58.320 impress your friends, to show your children how strong you are. 0:21:59.040 --> 0:22:01.600 Why don't you take the prayer you're off? There is 0:22:01.680 --> 0:22:05.280 a freedom when you can be at peace with not 0:22:05.400 --> 0:22:09.200 being perfect, When you can say, like Paul, I'm doing 0:22:09.240 --> 0:22:13.560 my best. I'm improving, but I'm not there yet, Joel, 0:22:13.600 --> 0:22:16.200 with my temper, I'm better than I was five years ago. 0:22:16.560 --> 0:22:20.600 But I'm not there yet. That's okay, you're making progress. 0:22:21.400 --> 0:22:24.320 God said about John the Baptist, there was no one 0:22:24.600 --> 0:22:28.239 any greater than him. This was about a man that 0:22:28.480 --> 0:22:32.440 doubted he was the Messiah, a men that had questions. 0:22:32.960 --> 0:22:36.720 Why are you beating yourself up over your weaknesses? Why 0:22:36.760 --> 0:22:39.640 are you trying to hide your struggles thinking that it's 0:22:39.720 --> 0:22:44.840 disqualifying you. The accuser whispers, you still have that addiction. 0:22:45.240 --> 0:22:48.359 You should be ashamed of yourself. You lost your temper again. 0:22:48.520 --> 0:22:52.720 Go sit on the sidelines. Don't believe those lies. You 0:22:52.800 --> 0:22:55.800 may not have attained it all. You're not there yet. 0:22:56.040 --> 0:22:59.399 The good news is you're on the way. God still 0:22:59.440 --> 0:23:02.800 working on you. What he started in your life, He's 0:23:02.840 --> 0:23:08.560 going to finish. Genesis twenty five, Esau and Jacob were born. 0:23:09.160 --> 0:23:12.840 They were twins. Esau came out first, but Jacob was 0:23:12.880 --> 0:23:17.040 grabbing at his heels. Jacob grew up doing everything he 0:23:17.080 --> 0:23:20.520 could to get ahead. He was dishonest. He went around 0:23:20.520 --> 0:23:24.840 deceiving people. When his brother was hungry, instead of giving 0:23:24.920 --> 0:23:28.439 him something to eat, he traded Esau a pot of 0:23:28.480 --> 0:23:33.600 stew for his birthright. This was significant. The firstborn son 0:23:34.000 --> 0:23:38.879 received a double portion of the family inheritance. When Jacob's father, 0:23:39.160 --> 0:23:43.800 Isaac was near death and couldn't see Jacob dressed up 0:23:43.880 --> 0:23:48.000 like his brother, he pretended to be Esau and tricked 0:23:48.000 --> 0:23:51.679 his father into giving him the blessing that belonged to 0:23:51.720 --> 0:23:55.960 the firstborn sons. But when we don't do things God's way, 0:23:56.480 --> 0:24:00.200 what should be a blessing is not a blessing. When 0:24:00.200 --> 0:24:03.239 we deceive and manipulate, we may get to where we 0:24:03.280 --> 0:24:05.720 want to be, but it won't be what we thought. 0:24:06.560 --> 0:24:09.680 Jacob got the blessing, but for the next twenty one 0:24:09.760 --> 0:24:13.000 years his life was a struggle. He had to live 0:24:13.040 --> 0:24:16.920 in exile. He worked for his uncle Laban to get 0:24:16.960 --> 0:24:20.480 one of his daughters for his wife. But Laban was 0:24:20.520 --> 0:24:24.480 a bigger trickster than Jacob. He kept making excuses why 0:24:24.520 --> 0:24:27.880 he had to work longer. Jacob was reaping from all 0:24:27.920 --> 0:24:32.560 those seeds that he had sown. I'm sure Jacob didn't 0:24:32.640 --> 0:24:35.800 like who he was. Deep down, he thought, look who 0:24:35.800 --> 0:24:41.040 I've become. I'm a con man, I'm a deceiver. After years, 0:24:41.400 --> 0:24:45.120 he decided to go back home and make peace with Esau. 0:24:45.880 --> 0:24:48.560 The night before they were going to meet, Jacob was 0:24:48.640 --> 0:24:53.679 camped out alone. This stranger showed up and started wrestling 0:24:53.720 --> 0:24:57.720 with Jacob. The man was actually an angel. They wrestled 0:24:57.760 --> 0:25:02.639 all night. Jacob must known there was something special, because 0:25:02.680 --> 0:25:05.080 he said to the man, I'm not going to let 0:25:05.119 --> 0:25:08.800 you leave until you bless me. The angel looked at 0:25:08.880 --> 0:25:13.000 him and said, what is your name? Jacob had spent 0:25:13.080 --> 0:25:18.720 his whole life deceiving, pretending. Years earlier, when he was 0:25:18.760 --> 0:25:22.520 trying to steal his brother's blessing, his father asked him 0:25:22.560 --> 0:25:26.280 the same question, what is your name? He said, I 0:25:26.320 --> 0:25:32.080 am Esaul. This moment, Jacob had to decide am I 0:25:32.119 --> 0:25:35.159 going to keep pretending? Am I going to keep wearing 0:25:35.200 --> 0:25:39.080 the mask, hiding my weaknesses? Or am I going to 0:25:39.119 --> 0:25:42.800 be real? I can imagine this debate took place a 0:25:42.840 --> 0:25:46.440 long time in his mind. He finally said to the man, 0:25:47.200 --> 0:25:52.760 I am Jacob. The name Jacob literally means deceiver. For 0:25:52.840 --> 0:25:56.520 the first time, he didn't try to hide his weaknesses. 0:25:57.160 --> 0:26:01.320 He was honest with himself. This man, the angel who 0:26:01.359 --> 0:26:04.400 represents God, didn't say, yeah, I know who you are. 0:26:04.600 --> 0:26:07.639 You're a con man. He should be ashamed of yourself. 0:26:07.960 --> 0:26:11.480 Know when Jacob took off the mask, when he got real, 0:26:12.080 --> 0:26:16.399 the angel said, that's your old name. I'm giving you 0:26:16.440 --> 0:26:20.439 a new name. You are no longer Jacob. Now you 0:26:20.520 --> 0:26:26.880 are Israel. Israel means prince with God. When Jacob god honest, 0:26:27.600 --> 0:26:32.040 God showed him his true identity, he wasn't a deceiver. 0:26:32.800 --> 0:26:36.679 He was a prince. At times, we've all worned a mask, 0:26:37.160 --> 0:26:40.600 gone to run, pretending, trying to hide our faults. But 0:26:40.720 --> 0:26:44.400 when we do like Jacob, when we get honest with ourselves, 0:26:44.880 --> 0:26:48.479 when we're vulnerable enough to admit, I am Jacob, I 0:26:48.480 --> 0:26:53.360 have weaknesses. I'm struggling in these areas. God doesn't condemn you. 0:26:53.880 --> 0:26:57.960 That's when he'll give you your new name. The accuser 0:26:58.000 --> 0:27:02.280 will tell you you'll never change. Keep pretending, keep living guilty. 0:27:02.920 --> 0:27:07.080 That is not your true identity. God knows who you 0:27:07.200 --> 0:27:10.879 really are. Your new name is waiting for you. You 0:27:10.920 --> 0:27:14.359 are not Jacob. You are Israel. You are a prince 0:27:14.440 --> 0:27:19.119 with God. You are royalty, You are forgiven, you are redeemed. 0:27:19.640 --> 0:27:23.040 When the accuser whispers, hey, Jacob, just say no, thanks. 0:27:23.240 --> 0:27:26.639 You have the wrong person. I am Israel. I'm not 0:27:26.680 --> 0:27:31.000 who I used to be. I am a new creation. Friends, 0:27:31.040 --> 0:27:33.680 this is a new dad. I'm asking us to take 0:27:33.720 --> 0:27:37.199 off the mask. Quit pretending and let's go get our 0:27:37.280 --> 0:27:40.840 new names. If you'll do this, I believe and declare 0:27:41.640 --> 0:27:44.760 every force that's trying to stop you is being broken 0:27:44.880 --> 0:27:47.720 right now. God is going to mold you into a 0:27:47.800 --> 0:27:51.400 vessel of honor in Jesus' name. If you receive it, 0:27:51.680 --> 0:27:55.480 can you say amen? Today? I'd like to give you 0:27:55.520 --> 0:27:58.639 an opportunity to make Jesus the lord of your life. 0:27:59.119 --> 0:28:03.880 Would you pray with me? Just say, Lord, Jesus, I'll 0:28:03.920 --> 0:28:08.920 repent of my sins. Come into my heart. I make 0:28:09.000 --> 0:28:12.639 you my Lord and savior. Friends, if you prayed that 0:28:12.720 --> 0:28:16.080 simple prayer, we believe you got born again. Get in 0:28:16.119 --> 0:28:20.240 a good Bible based church. Keep God first place. Victorian, 0:28:20.280 --> 0:28:23.000 I'll be right back to speak a blessing over you. 0:28:24.520 --> 0:28:27.000 As a thank you for your support of our ministry. 0:28:27.000 --> 0:28:29.560 This month, Joel and Victoria would like to send you 0:28:29.600 --> 0:28:31.960 a copy of Joel's new series. 0:28:31.680 --> 0:28:33.200 Three Keys to Being Free. 0:28:33.480 --> 0:28:37.280 In this inspiring series, you'll discover how to one forgive 0:28:37.320 --> 0:28:41.560 yourself and others, two keep your peace and enjoy God's rest, 0:28:41.840 --> 0:28:45.520 and three move forward in faith and into your destiny. 0:28:46.480 --> 0:28:49.280 God wants you to break free from everything that's holding 0:28:49.320 --> 0:28:49.760 you back. 0:28:50.080 --> 0:28:51.840 There may be obstacles. In your path. 0:28:52.160 --> 0:28:54.440 But the forces that are for you are greater than 0:28:54.440 --> 0:28:55.760 the forces that are against you. 0:28:56.120 --> 0:28:58.240 This is your time to step up into a new 0:28:58.320 --> 0:29:02.240 level of freedom. This resource it will inspire you to 0:29:02.320 --> 0:29:05.240 believe for the victorious life that belongs to you. 0:29:05.960 --> 0:29:09.400 Request your copy of Three Keys to Being Free today 0:29:09.640 --> 0:29:13.520 at Joeloustein dot com or call eighty eight five six 0:29:13.640 --> 0:29:14.400 seven Joel. 0:29:15.320 --> 0:29:18.000 Before I ever heard Joel speak, I felt lost in 0:29:18.040 --> 0:29:20.080 my life. I didn't know where I was headed. But 0:29:20.160 --> 0:29:22.800 through the message of Hoping this ministry, I feel like 0:29:22.840 --> 0:29:26.080 I found my purpose. I've gotten married, We're expecting our 0:29:26.120 --> 0:29:30.000 first child. This ministry has completely changed my family's life. 0:29:30.280 --> 0:29:34.000 Your support is changing lives. Thanks for partnering with us. 0:29:34.200 --> 0:29:38.400 We appreciate your prayer, your generosity. Special thank you to 0:29:38.440 --> 0:29:41.280 our Champion of Hope partners for all you do to 0:29:41.360 --> 0:29:44.600 take this message around the world. Victoria and I pray 0:29:44.640 --> 0:29:47.800 for you and your family every day. We're believing twenty 0:29:47.880 --> 0:29:51.120 seventeen is going to be an amazing year in your life. 0:29:51.320 --> 0:29:54.240 Until we meet again, know that you're not average, You're 0:29:54.240 --> 0:29:57.400 not mediocre. You're a child of the Most Time God. 0:30:07.680 --> 0:30:12.920 Nice buns, soft, fluffy, and ultralownetcarbs. Discover hero Bread the 0:30:12.960 --> 0:30:17.440 delicious ultralow net carbbread with incredible taste and texture. Hero 0:30:17.640 --> 0:30:20.160 Bread has zero grams of sugar and is under one 0:30:20.200 --> 0:30:23.080 hundred calories per serving, plus high end fiber and up 0:30:23.120 --> 0:30:26.400 to ten grams of protein per serving. Available on Amazon 0:30:26.440 --> 0:30:28.200 dot com, Walmart dot com. 0:30:27.920 --> 0:30:28.840 And Hero dot Co. 0:30:29.360 --> 0:30:33.200 That's hro dot Co. Order from Hero dot Co now 0:30:33.440 --> 0:30:36.080 and get ten percent off your purchase with promo code 0:30:36.160 --> 0:30:37.040 IHM ten. 0:30:38.040 --> 0:30:40.840 Enhance your child's reading journey with the Good and the 0:30:40.840 --> 0:30:44.400 Beautiful's Reading Booster program. Choose from three all in one 0:30:44.520 --> 0:30:48.200 kits for kindergarten, first or second grade at reading booster 0:30:48.360 --> 0:30:52.200 dot com. Each kit includes reading cards, books and games 0:30:52.400 --> 0:30:55.960 designed to create fun ways to learn phonics, sit words, 0:30:56.000 --> 0:30:59.480 and vowel sounds. There's even a free ad free app 0:30:59.520 --> 0:31:02.520 with a dish games and kid safe content. Bring home 0:31:02.680 --> 0:31:05.240 a love of learning with the Good and the Beautiful. 0:31:05.480 --> 0:31:11.440 Visit readingbooster dot com. Today, more than ever before, people 0:31:11.480 --> 0:31:14.880 are turning to the church for their mental health struggles. Unfortunately, 0:31:15.000 --> 0:31:17.880 the church has largely been ill equipped to help. That is, 0:31:18.120 --> 0:31:21.440 until now. Join nearly fifty thousand people just like you 0:31:21.600 --> 0:31:24.280 who've enrolled in the Mental Health Coach training program and 0:31:24.320 --> 0:31:27.080 become equipped to help for a limited time. Apply for 0:31:27.120 --> 0:31:29.600 a full tuition scholarship and only pay a one time 0:31:29.600 --> 0:31:32.920 tech fee of fifty four dollars if accepted. Apply now 0:31:33.040 --> 0:31:37.120 at mentalhealth coach dot org. That's mentalhealth coach dot org.