Beautiful In Its Time

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This is not an 0:01:28.000 --> 0:01:29.759 offer to buy your self security snor is it investment, 0:01:29.840 --> 0:01:30.720 legal or tax advice. 0:01:30.800 --> 0:01:35.000 When we've been through laws, hurts, disappointments, it's easy to 0:01:35.040 --> 0:01:38.560 sit around nursing our wounds, thinking about what we've been through, 0:01:39.000 --> 0:01:42.319 how unfair it was. Do yourself a favor, get your 0:01:42.360 --> 0:01:45.360 mind off your cell and go out and be a blessing. 0:01:45.880 --> 0:01:49.000 As you help others, God is going to help you. Hi. 0:01:49.080 --> 0:01:51.760 This is Joel and Victoria. Thanks for listening to our 0:01:51.800 --> 0:01:54.360 podcast and thanks for supporting the ministry. 0:01:54.520 --> 0:01:56.840 If you enjoy today's message, why don't you be a 0:01:56.880 --> 0:01:58.400 blessing and share it with a friend. 0:01:58.760 --> 0:02:01.360 We appreciate you and I pray for God's very best 0:02:01.360 --> 0:02:08.400 in your line. God bless you. It's great to have 0:02:08.520 --> 0:02:11.359 you with us today, and if you're ever in our area, 0:02:11.400 --> 0:02:14.160 please stop buying be a part of one of our services. 0:02:14.240 --> 0:02:16.640 These are the finest people in all of Houston, Texas 0:02:16.680 --> 0:02:19.800 right here at Lakewood. We'd love to have you now. 0:02:19.800 --> 0:02:22.080 I hope you'll stay connected with us during the week. 0:02:22.320 --> 0:02:25.880 We have a daily podcast. You can download our YouTube channel, 0:02:26.080 --> 0:02:29.520 follow us on social media. We'll keep you encouraged and inspired. 0:02:29.560 --> 0:02:32.160 But thanks for tuning in. Thanks again for coming out 0:02:32.200 --> 0:02:35.000 in person. I'd like to start with something funny, and 0:02:35.200 --> 0:02:38.680 I heard about this groom during the wedding rehearsal. He 0:02:38.720 --> 0:02:40.920 said to the minister, I'll make a deal with you. 0:02:41.320 --> 0:02:44.920 If you'll leave out all that honor, obey and love stuff, 0:02:45.080 --> 0:02:47.800 I'll give you one hundred dollars. He slipped one hundred 0:02:47.840 --> 0:02:51.120 dollar bill into the minister's hand walked away with a smile. 0:02:51.680 --> 0:02:54.840 The next day, during the ceremony, the minister said to him, 0:02:55.080 --> 0:02:57.800 do you promise to bow down before your wife and 0:02:58.120 --> 0:03:01.760 take her breakfast in bed full her every desire? He 0:03:01.840 --> 0:03:04.679 gulped in astonishment, said in a weak voice, I do. 0:03:05.160 --> 0:03:07.600 He then whispered in the minister's ear. I thought we 0:03:07.680 --> 0:03:10.839 had a deal. The minister handed him his money back 0:03:10.880 --> 0:03:13.519 and said, your wife made me a much better offer. 0:03:15.200 --> 0:03:17.880 Say it like you mean it. This is my Bible. 0:03:18.280 --> 0:03:20.560 I am what it says I am. I have what 0:03:20.639 --> 0:03:22.960 it says I have. I can do what it says 0:03:23.040 --> 0:03:25.800 I can do. Today I will be taught the word 0:03:25.840 --> 0:03:29.880 of God. I boldly confess. My mind is alert, my 0:03:30.000 --> 0:03:34.240 heart is receptive. I will never be the same. In Jesus' name, 0:03:34.639 --> 0:03:37.920 God bless you. I want to talk to you today 0:03:37.920 --> 0:03:42.960 about beautiful in its time. Solomon was the wisest man 0:03:43.000 --> 0:03:46.480 that ever lived. He wrote in the Book of Ecclesiastes, 0:03:46.880 --> 0:03:50.040 there is a time for joy and a time for sadness, 0:03:50.480 --> 0:03:53.480 a time to harvest and the time to plant, a 0:03:53.560 --> 0:03:56.640 time to be born, and the time to die. He 0:03:56.760 --> 0:03:59.440 was saying, life is going to happen to us, all 0:04:00.160 --> 0:04:04.960 going to be different, seasons, ups and downs, victories and losses, 0:04:05.400 --> 0:04:10.280 good friends and betrayals, promotions and setbacks. If he had 0:04:10.280 --> 0:04:13.320 to stopped there, we'd think, tell me something new. We 0:04:13.440 --> 0:04:16.800 know all that. That's kind of depressing. But after listing 0:04:16.960 --> 0:04:20.480 all the things that can happen, the disappointments, the loss, 0:04:20.680 --> 0:04:24.040 the bad breaks, he said in verse ten, I've thought 0:04:24.040 --> 0:04:27.839 about this and come to the conclusion. God makes all 0:04:27.960 --> 0:04:32.200 things beautiful in its time. He was saying, you're going 0:04:32.240 --> 0:04:34.960 to go through things that are not fair, people that 0:04:35.000 --> 0:04:38.080 do you wrong, set back in your health, a child 0:04:38.120 --> 0:04:41.400 that's off course. It's easy to live discouraged, think that 0:04:41.440 --> 0:04:44.200 it's never going to work out. But if you'll just 0:04:44.279 --> 0:04:48.760 stay in faith and keep moving forward in time, God 0:04:48.800 --> 0:04:52.800 will make all things beautiful. May not be beautiful right now. 0:04:53.320 --> 0:04:56.400 Nothing beautiful about going through a loss or dealing with 0:04:56.440 --> 0:04:59.200 an illness, a family member that won't speak to you. 0:04:59.800 --> 0:05:02.520 Just give it some time. You don't have to live 0:05:02.560 --> 0:05:06.279 worried you can't sleep at night. God is working behind 0:05:06.279 --> 0:05:09.560 the scenes. He's going to resolve things that looked like 0:05:09.600 --> 0:05:12.760 they could never resolve. What you thought was going to 0:05:12.800 --> 0:05:15.640 limit you the rest of your life. The bad break, 0:05:15.960 --> 0:05:19.520 the disappointment, the mistake you made that is not how 0:05:19.560 --> 0:05:24.599 your story ends. Beauty is coming, Restoration is coming, healing 0:05:24.720 --> 0:05:28.120 is coming. It's going to turn out better than you've imagined. 0:05:29.120 --> 0:05:32.919 God will make all things beautiful. Not just the good breaks, 0:05:33.480 --> 0:05:37.599 not just the promotions, the divine connections, that's obvious. But 0:05:37.680 --> 0:05:42.200 he'll make the disappointments, the loss, the mistakes. That's how 0:05:42.240 --> 0:05:45.599 awesome our God is. Don't give up on your dreams. 0:05:46.080 --> 0:05:49.440 Don't live sour because of what didn't work out, bitter 0:05:49.600 --> 0:05:52.320 over the person that walked away, or upset over the 0:05:52.360 --> 0:05:55.919 contract that should have been yours. Let it go. God 0:05:56.040 --> 0:05:59.479 saw what happened. He has beauty for the ashes, He 0:05:59.520 --> 0:06:02.200 has je for the morning. He said he would pay 0:06:02.240 --> 0:06:05.120 you back double for the wrongs. He just needs some 0:06:05.240 --> 0:06:09.360 time now while you're waiting, Stay in faith. That's when 0:06:09.400 --> 0:06:12.880 it's easy to get discouraged. Why is this happening? When 0:06:12.960 --> 0:06:15.480 is it ever going to turn around? This is not fair. 0:06:16.080 --> 0:06:19.760 Past the test, keep doing the right thing, keep going 0:06:19.760 --> 0:06:23.160 to work with a good attitude, Keep praising when you 0:06:23.160 --> 0:06:27.440 could be complaining. Keep speaking victory in the face of defeat. 0:06:28.040 --> 0:06:30.640 God is still on the throne. He has you in 0:06:30.680 --> 0:06:33.960 the palm of his hand. At the right time, you're 0:06:34.000 --> 0:06:36.720 going to see him show out in your life in 0:06:36.800 --> 0:06:39.640 such a way that you don't think about what you've lost. 0:06:40.160 --> 0:06:42.919 You're so blessed you don't think about who did you wrong. 0:06:43.400 --> 0:06:46.640 You're so fulfilled you don't dwell on the negative things 0:06:46.680 --> 0:06:50.080 in your past. Maybe you didn't have a good childhood, 0:06:50.480 --> 0:06:53.720 you grew up in dysfunction. You could accept that you're 0:06:53.760 --> 0:06:57.400 at a disadvantage. You can't do anything great. That didn't 0:06:57.400 --> 0:07:01.120 stop your destiny. You keep honoring God, and he's going 0:07:01.200 --> 0:07:03.960 to make up for what you didn't get. He's going 0:07:04.000 --> 0:07:06.880 to open doors that you couldn't open. He's going to 0:07:06.920 --> 0:07:09.600 have the right people come to you to push you 0:07:09.680 --> 0:07:13.520 into your purpose. It was unfair, but God saw it. 0:07:14.120 --> 0:07:17.000 He knows who left you out, He knows the times 0:07:17.120 --> 0:07:20.360 you didn't think you could go on. He's promised he's 0:07:20.400 --> 0:07:22.960 going to make it beautiful. He's going to do something 0:07:23.040 --> 0:07:26.560 awesome in your life. Perhaps you went through a breakup, 0:07:27.000 --> 0:07:31.560 a divorce, your hurting, your lonely. God is not finished. 0:07:31.960 --> 0:07:35.480 He's not going to leave you depressed, heartbroken. He has 0:07:35.520 --> 0:07:39.160 someone amazing coming where you're going to be happier and 0:07:39.280 --> 0:07:42.960 more fulfilled than you've ever been. Don't judge the rest 0:07:43.000 --> 0:07:46.720 of your life by one difficult season. You may be 0:07:46.800 --> 0:07:50.000 in a time of struggle, a time of loss, time 0:07:50.040 --> 0:07:53.000 where things aren't fair. Thoughts will tell you it's never 0:07:53.040 --> 0:07:56.240 going to change. This is your lot in life. Just 0:07:56.400 --> 0:08:00.960 accept it. Don't believe those lies us. He will make 0:08:01.080 --> 0:08:04.600 all things beautiful. Now here's the key. Just give it 0:08:04.680 --> 0:08:09.400 some time. The scripture says the Israelites did not wait 0:08:09.680 --> 0:08:13.520 for God's plan to unfold. They missed the promised land 0:08:13.760 --> 0:08:18.680 because they got impatient, complained, thought God had forgotten about them. 0:08:19.160 --> 0:08:21.800 The mistake we make often is we get in a hurry. 0:08:22.320 --> 0:08:25.560 We don't think it's going to happen. Voices whisper. If 0:08:25.560 --> 0:08:27.720 it was going to happen, Come on, man, it would 0:08:27.760 --> 0:08:32.079 have happened by now. Trust the process. All things in 0:08:32.120 --> 0:08:35.880 its time will be beautiful. Give God time to work 0:08:35.920 --> 0:08:39.000 it out. If it hasn't happened yet, then it hasn't 0:08:39.000 --> 0:08:42.240 been the right time. When God is ready, all the 0:08:42.280 --> 0:08:45.880 forces of darkness cannot stop him. When it's your time 0:08:45.920 --> 0:08:51.360 to see beauty, promotion, vindication, it will happen. People, don't 0:08:51.400 --> 0:08:55.439 determine your destiny. Bad breaks didn't cancel what God has 0:08:55.559 --> 0:09:00.280 ordained for you. Disappointments or even mistakes you've made. God 0:09:00.320 --> 0:09:04.840 has taking that all into account. How we wait is important. 0:09:05.080 --> 0:09:09.000 If we wait upset discourage God. Why did these people 0:09:09.040 --> 0:09:12.360 do me wrong? That's going to delay the beauty. The 0:09:12.480 --> 0:09:15.000 right way to wait is in an attitude of faith, 0:09:15.440 --> 0:09:18.160 knowing that God is on the throne, knowing that He's 0:09:18.200 --> 0:09:22.520 working all things for your good, expecting his favor, declaring 0:09:22.600 --> 0:09:26.400 his promises. This difficulty didn't come to stay, it came 0:09:26.440 --> 0:09:29.280 to pass. God being for me is more than the 0:09:29.320 --> 0:09:33.720 world being against me. While you're waiting, be good to others. 0:09:34.520 --> 0:09:38.640 Be a blessing to your friends, Encourage your coworkers. You're 0:09:38.679 --> 0:09:41.400 waiting for your child to get back on course. Go 0:09:41.440 --> 0:09:44.800 help another young person get back on course. You're waiting 0:09:44.840 --> 0:09:48.840 for that promotion. Help someone else rise higher. You're waiting 0:09:48.880 --> 0:09:52.640 for healing. Pray for someone else that needs healing. See, 0:09:52.640 --> 0:09:56.840 when we've been through loss, hurts, disappointments, it's easy to 0:09:56.840 --> 0:10:00.400 sit around nursing our wounds, thinking about what we've been through, 0:10:00.800 --> 0:10:04.080 how unfair it was. Do yourself a favor, get your 0:10:04.160 --> 0:10:07.200 mind off yourself, and go out and be a blessing. 0:10:07.679 --> 0:10:10.080 As you help others, God is going to help you. 0:10:11.120 --> 0:10:15.560 The scripture says everything serves his plan. Not just the 0:10:15.559 --> 0:10:20.400 good breaks, the promotions, but the disappointments are serving his plan. 0:10:21.040 --> 0:10:24.480 The closed doors, the people that did you wrong. Without 0:10:24.520 --> 0:10:28.160 that happening, you couldn't reach your destiny. You have to 0:10:28.200 --> 0:10:32.400 trust the process. God's ways are not our ways. We 0:10:32.440 --> 0:10:35.600 see the bad breaks as negative the person that left 0:10:35.679 --> 0:10:39.280 us out. But the truth is all that is necessary 0:10:39.600 --> 0:10:43.120 to become who you were created to be. Friend of 0:10:43.160 --> 0:10:46.959 mine started a new business. He and his wife worked tirelessly, 0:10:47.280 --> 0:10:50.559 year after year, pouring their heart and soul into it. 0:10:51.080 --> 0:10:53.400 I would call him some evenings and he would be 0:10:53.440 --> 0:10:56.480 out meeting with clients several nights a week, and they 0:10:56.520 --> 0:11:00.160 saw some success. It was profitable, but then they had 0:11:00.200 --> 0:11:03.880 a limit. Couldn't seem to get pasted it. At one point, 0:11:04.040 --> 0:11:07.120 the place that he leased face from closed the parking 0:11:07.160 --> 0:11:11.000 lot to build a big parking garage. Now his customers 0:11:11.160 --> 0:11:14.160 had to park off site and take a shuttle. Seemed 0:11:14.200 --> 0:11:17.040 like the harder he worked, the worse it got. His 0:11:17.160 --> 0:11:20.040 dream was to give the company to his children, to 0:11:20.120 --> 0:11:24.080 leave a legacy of success. But after thirty years, they 0:11:24.120 --> 0:11:27.760 had to close the doors. He was so disappointed. He 0:11:27.840 --> 0:11:32.880 told me that he felt like a failure. He was embarrassed, ashamed, hurt. 0:11:33.280 --> 0:11:35.720 He thought, God, how could you let this happen to me? 0:11:36.120 --> 0:11:38.600 I gave it my best and I have nothing to 0:11:38.640 --> 0:11:42.360 show for all these years of hard work. For several years, 0:11:42.400 --> 0:11:45.360 he was not himself. He used to be so positive 0:11:45.440 --> 0:11:48.080 and full of faith, but when I'd call, he didn't 0:11:48.120 --> 0:11:51.360 have any passion. He had lost his fire. And we 0:11:51.400 --> 0:11:54.720 all go through things that don't make sense. But God 0:11:54.760 --> 0:11:57.440 wouldn't have allowed it if it wasn't going to serve 0:11:57.520 --> 0:11:59.880 his plan. And this is when you have to dig 0:12:00.080 --> 0:12:02.840 down deep and say, God, I don't understand this, but 0:12:02.920 --> 0:12:06.520 I trust you. I believe you're still ordering my steps, 0:12:06.679 --> 0:12:09.000 that you still have good things in store for me. 0:12:09.880 --> 0:12:13.640 One day, a door unexpectedly opened for my friend, a 0:12:13.679 --> 0:12:16.160 position where he could use his gifts in a much 0:12:16.200 --> 0:12:20.280 greater way. He was so excited. He said, I feel 0:12:20.320 --> 0:12:23.280 like the thirty years I put into my former business 0:12:23.559 --> 0:12:26.480 was not lost, but it was to prepare me for 0:12:26.559 --> 0:12:29.600 what I'm doing now. He calls his new job the 0:12:29.640 --> 0:12:33.240 position of a lifetime. The amount of people he used 0:12:33.240 --> 0:12:36.560 to impact in a year he now does in one day. 0:12:37.640 --> 0:12:41.440 God knows how to make all things beautiful if you'll 0:12:41.520 --> 0:12:44.400 just give him the time. Some of the things that 0:12:44.480 --> 0:12:48.840 you're disappointed about, you don't understand. It wasn't fair. Just 0:12:48.960 --> 0:12:52.840 keep moving forward, God, is not going to waste anything 0:12:52.880 --> 0:12:56.360 you went through. It feels like a setback. Really, it's 0:12:56.400 --> 0:12:59.520 a setup. You're about to come out to new levels, 0:13:00.080 --> 0:13:03.040 about to go places that you've never gone, see favor 0:13:03.200 --> 0:13:06.320 that you've never seen. Qulit believe in those lies that 0:13:06.559 --> 0:13:09.640 you've had too many bad breaks. God must have forgotten 0:13:09.679 --> 0:13:12.640 about you. You have a good reason to live sour. 0:13:12.960 --> 0:13:16.000 Look at what you've been through, that was all setting 0:13:16.040 --> 0:13:20.360 you up for something you've never imagined. I believe even 0:13:20.480 --> 0:13:24.120 now you're about to step into some of this beauty. 0:13:24.240 --> 0:13:27.120 Things that were meant to harm you, struggles that have 0:13:27.160 --> 0:13:30.679 tried to discourage you, people that did you wrong, bad 0:13:30.720 --> 0:13:33.640 breaks that should have limited your life. This is a 0:13:33.679 --> 0:13:37.000 new day. God is doing a new thing. You're about 0:13:37.040 --> 0:13:43.520 to see vindication, restoration, new opportunities, divine connections. The tide 0:13:43.559 --> 0:13:46.960 is turning in your favor. What was meant for your harm, 0:13:47.120 --> 0:13:51.000 God is turning to your advantage. There's a couple that 0:13:51.120 --> 0:13:54.720 have a son. He was raised here at Lakewood, very faithful, 0:13:55.240 --> 0:13:57.880 but when he went off to college, he started running 0:13:57.880 --> 0:14:02.240 with the wrong crowd and partying, making poor decisions. One 0:14:02.240 --> 0:14:05.280 thing led to another. He ended up with the drug addiction, 0:14:05.960 --> 0:14:08.640 His parents tried to help him, but he wouldn't have 0:14:08.679 --> 0:14:11.319 anything to do with him. He got to the point 0:14:11.480 --> 0:14:14.000 where he wouldn't speak to them or have any kind 0:14:14.040 --> 0:14:17.679 of contact. It was breaking their hearts. They would come 0:14:17.720 --> 0:14:21.440 down for prayer week after week and they couldn't understand it. 0:14:21.800 --> 0:14:24.280 They had done the right thing, and now the wrong 0:14:24.360 --> 0:14:28.600 thing happened. They could have been bitter, complaining God, where 0:14:28.640 --> 0:14:31.640 were you? But they just kept doing the right thing, 0:14:32.200 --> 0:14:37.680 being faithful, serving, giving, helping others. The scripture says that 0:14:37.720 --> 0:14:40.960 God is the potter and we are the clay. There's 0:14:41.000 --> 0:14:44.480 nothing really beautiful about the clay. It's just a lump 0:14:44.520 --> 0:14:48.160 of hard dirt, some rocks in it, no form. But 0:14:48.200 --> 0:14:51.320 the potter puts the clay on the wheel and begins 0:14:51.360 --> 0:14:55.360 to spin it around and around. While it's spinning, the 0:14:55.400 --> 0:14:59.240 clay is still wobbly, still has lumps, still doesn't look 0:14:59.320 --> 0:15:03.000 like much. But the potter never takes his hands off 0:15:03.040 --> 0:15:06.600 the clay. He keeps making it and molding it until 0:15:06.640 --> 0:15:09.800 it begins to take shape. If someone came up to 0:15:09.840 --> 0:15:13.040 the potter and saw the clay going around, they would think, 0:15:13.320 --> 0:15:16.080 you're wasting your time. That's just a bunch of clay 0:15:16.440 --> 0:15:19.520 that's never going to mount to much. The Potter would say, 0:15:20.200 --> 0:15:23.280 just give me some time. You see clay, but I 0:15:23.320 --> 0:15:26.080 see something beautiful. You see a bunch of dirt, but 0:15:26.160 --> 0:15:30.080 I see a valuable vase. This young man was off course, 0:15:30.440 --> 0:15:34.360 making poor decisions. But God is the potter. He never 0:15:34.440 --> 0:15:37.920 takes his hands off the clay, even though it's wobbly, 0:15:38.480 --> 0:15:41.240 even though it has lumps, even though it falls down 0:15:41.440 --> 0:15:44.960 and he has to reshape it, he keeps working. All 0:15:45.000 --> 0:15:47.960 those times you thought that God had forgotten about you, 0:15:48.360 --> 0:15:51.320 the truth is God still had his hands on you 0:15:51.880 --> 0:15:54.960 when you weren't making good decisions, when you were running 0:15:54.960 --> 0:15:59.320 with the wrong crowd, giving into the temptation. The Potter 0:15:59.440 --> 0:16:03.000 didn't throw you out because your claim, because he found 0:16:03.080 --> 0:16:07.040 some lumps, you have faults and weaknesses. His hands have 0:16:07.160 --> 0:16:10.320 always been on you. And the good news is he's 0:16:10.400 --> 0:16:13.280 never going to take his hands off of you. The 0:16:13.320 --> 0:16:17.640 scripture says his calling on your life is irrevocable. He's 0:16:17.680 --> 0:16:21.040 going to keep making you and moolding you in the 0:16:21.080 --> 0:16:25.400 same way the Potter's hands are on your children. They 0:16:25.440 --> 0:16:28.600 may get off course, but the Potter doesn't give up 0:16:28.600 --> 0:16:31.520 on the claim. He just spins it around a little 0:16:31.520 --> 0:16:36.440 bit more. These parents understood what Solomon said, that there's 0:16:36.480 --> 0:16:39.840 a time for weeping, a time for loss, a time 0:16:39.880 --> 0:16:43.160 for disappointment, but that is not the end of the story. 0:16:43.560 --> 0:16:47.280 God also said he will make all things beautiful in 0:16:47.360 --> 0:16:51.600 its time. There's a time for restoration, a time for healing, 0:16:52.000 --> 0:16:57.040 a time for deliverance, a time for celebration. Their attitude was, God, 0:16:57.120 --> 0:17:00.520 we don't understand it, but we trust you. We know 0:17:00.600 --> 0:17:03.640 that you're in control, that you won't take your hands 0:17:03.680 --> 0:17:06.359 off of our son, that you will keep making him 0:17:06.600 --> 0:17:11.400 and molding him. After thirteen years of barely speaking to them, 0:17:11.840 --> 0:17:14.720 one day he called and said he wanted to come home, 0:17:14.800 --> 0:17:17.680 and he wanted to make things right. He got back 0:17:17.720 --> 0:17:20.960 in church, he went to treatment. He's been free for 0:17:21.080 --> 0:17:26.280 six years now. Today he's helping other young people get free. 0:17:26.400 --> 0:17:29.760 If you will stay in faith and give God the time, 0:17:30.320 --> 0:17:34.400 he'll make all things beautiful. Like this couple. You may 0:17:34.440 --> 0:17:37.960 have relationships that are strained, family members that won't have 0:17:38.000 --> 0:17:40.719 anything to do with you. You think it's always going 0:17:40.800 --> 0:17:43.920 to be that way, and you're about to write them off. No, 0:17:44.119 --> 0:17:47.920 keep loving them, keep being good to them, keep praying, 0:17:48.359 --> 0:17:52.640 keep forgiving, stay on the high road. God sees what's happening. 0:17:53.119 --> 0:17:56.359 He knows how to restore, He knows how to change 0:17:56.400 --> 0:18:00.360 people's hearts. His hands are still on them. They may 0:18:00.400 --> 0:18:02.560 need to go around the wheel a few more times. 0:18:02.800 --> 0:18:05.520 The timing is not up to us. It's up to God. 0:18:06.400 --> 0:18:09.879 Will you wait for his plan to unfold? Will you 0:18:09.960 --> 0:18:13.760 not get discouraged? When is it gonna happen? Why isn't 0:18:13.760 --> 0:18:18.399 it improving? It just needs some time. When you understand 0:18:18.440 --> 0:18:21.360 this principle, it takes the pressure off. You won't live 0:18:21.440 --> 0:18:25.960 frustrated wondering how it's going to work out. You'll say, God, 0:18:26.440 --> 0:18:29.760 everything's not perfect in my life. I'm waiting for things 0:18:29.800 --> 0:18:33.399 to change, but I'm going to enjoy today knowing that 0:18:33.440 --> 0:18:36.360 you're on the throne, and at the right time, you're 0:18:36.359 --> 0:18:40.199 going to make all things beautiful in my life. In 0:18:40.240 --> 0:18:44.760 Exodus fifteen, Moses was leading the Israelites to the Promised Land, 0:18:44.840 --> 0:18:47.639 and they were in the desert. It was so hot 0:18:47.680 --> 0:18:50.200 and thirsty. They didn't think they were going to make it. 0:18:50.560 --> 0:18:54.040 They desperately needed water. They finally came to this river. 0:18:54.520 --> 0:18:57.639 They were so excited they rushed over to it, but 0:18:57.680 --> 0:19:01.000 the water was bitter. They couldn't drink think it. Their 0:19:01.040 --> 0:19:05.120 excitement turned to great disappointment. God told Moses to put 0:19:05.119 --> 0:19:08.000 a certain kind of tree in the water. When he did, 0:19:08.320 --> 0:19:11.840 the bitter waters became sweet. Now the people could drink 0:19:11.880 --> 0:19:15.560 all the water that they wanted. God knows how to 0:19:15.560 --> 0:19:19.560 take a bitter situation and make it sweet. A bitter loss, 0:19:20.000 --> 0:19:23.920 a bitter breakup, a bitter childhood. It looks like that's 0:19:23.960 --> 0:19:27.720 your destiny. Just learned to live with it in the natural, 0:19:27.840 --> 0:19:32.080 that's true, but God is supernatural. That water should be bitter, 0:19:32.200 --> 0:19:35.199 But when God touches it, the bitterness will turn sweet. 0:19:35.760 --> 0:19:39.040 The relationship will be restored, the child will come home, 0:19:39.280 --> 0:19:43.080 the dream will come to pass. The scripture says after 0:19:43.119 --> 0:19:47.080 the Israelites left Mara, where the water was bitter, they 0:19:47.119 --> 0:19:50.880 came to Elam, where there were twelve springs and seventy 0:19:50.920 --> 0:19:55.760 palm trees. They came out of the bitterness into an oasis. 0:19:56.040 --> 0:19:59.040 It was like a resort. I can imagine them thinking, 0:19:59.200 --> 0:20:01.720 how did this play ever make it into the desert. 0:20:02.480 --> 0:20:05.480 The principle is God is going to bring you out 0:20:05.760 --> 0:20:08.640 of the bitter places of life, not just to where 0:20:08.680 --> 0:20:12.960 you were, but to an oasis, to an abundance, joy 0:20:13.320 --> 0:20:16.919 health fulfillment like you've never seen. It's going to be 0:20:16.960 --> 0:20:22.680 a time of refreshing, re energizing, enjoyment that you've never experienced. 0:20:23.200 --> 0:20:26.520 When God makes all things beautiful, it's going to exceed 0:20:26.600 --> 0:20:32.360 your expectations. Relationships healthier than ever, your children doing awesome things, 0:20:32.640 --> 0:20:36.040 going further in your career, stepping into new levels of 0:20:36.080 --> 0:20:40.199 your destiny. From bitter waters to sweetwaters, from the desert 0:20:40.520 --> 0:20:44.480 to an oasis. That's how God restores, that's his idea 0:20:44.560 --> 0:20:49.560 of beauty. In the scripture the Apostle, Paul chose Barnabas 0:20:49.640 --> 0:20:53.120 and his cousin John Mark to travel with him. Paul 0:20:53.160 --> 0:20:57.119 could have chosen anyone. He was very influential and very respected. 0:20:57.640 --> 0:21:01.280 They went to different cities, ministering and where having great success. 0:21:01.920 --> 0:21:04.920 But when Paul decided to sell to the city of Perga, 0:21:05.440 --> 0:21:09.800 the scripture says that John Mark deserted him. Doesn't give 0:21:09.840 --> 0:21:13.520 any reason. He just went back home to Jerusalem. Paul 0:21:13.640 --> 0:21:16.119 was upset. He thought, at least you could tell me 0:21:16.160 --> 0:21:19.440 you're gonna leave. After all, I chose you and took 0:21:19.440 --> 0:21:22.480 you under my wing and shared my influence with you. 0:21:22.800 --> 0:21:26.560 Now you're just gonna walk away. Later, Paul was about 0:21:26.560 --> 0:21:28.840 to return to a city to check on how things 0:21:28.840 --> 0:21:32.560 were going. Barnabas said, let's take John Mark with us. 0:21:33.240 --> 0:21:36.359 Paul wasn't so forgiving. He said, in effect, no way, 0:21:36.840 --> 0:21:39.919 he's not coming back on my team. After he deserted me, 0:21:40.200 --> 0:21:43.800 I'm done with him. It was such a sharp disagreement 0:21:44.000 --> 0:21:47.160 that Paul and Barnabas split up. They were so at 0:21:47.160 --> 0:21:52.240 odds they no longer traveled together. Paul chose Silas, Barnabas 0:21:52.280 --> 0:21:56.040 chose John Mark. They went their separate ways. You don't 0:21:56.040 --> 0:21:59.960 hear much more about Barnabas and John Mark, but Paul inside, 0:22:00.480 --> 0:22:04.240 they did great things, saw one miracle after another. When 0:22:04.240 --> 0:22:07.520 they were in prison, at midnight, they sang praises and 0:22:07.560 --> 0:22:10.639 the prison doors were open. When they were shipwrecked on 0:22:10.680 --> 0:22:14.280 the island of malta poisonous snake bit Paul. He shook 0:22:14.280 --> 0:22:16.919 it off, didn't harm him. He prayed, and all the 0:22:16.960 --> 0:22:20.640 sick people on the island were healed. There are chapters 0:22:20.640 --> 0:22:24.000 and chapters of how God used them. Paul went on 0:22:24.080 --> 0:22:26.720 to write almost half of the books in the New Testament. 0:22:27.520 --> 0:22:30.480 I can imagine John Mark thinking, man, I blew it. 0:22:31.000 --> 0:22:34.120 Why didn't I stick with Paul. Why did I desert him? 0:22:34.440 --> 0:22:36.520 At least I should have thanked him for choosing me, 0:22:37.000 --> 0:22:38.920 told him that I wanted to go back home and 0:22:38.960 --> 0:22:43.640 not just disappeared. It seemed like his own mistakes, his 0:22:43.680 --> 0:22:49.200 own poor choices, had soured this relationship and limited his destiny. 0:22:49.280 --> 0:22:52.440 And we can all look back like John Mark and think, man, 0:22:52.480 --> 0:22:55.280 if I'd only stayed in that relationship, if I'd only 0:22:55.359 --> 0:22:58.000 been more committed in my marriage, if i only spent 0:22:58.119 --> 0:23:01.520 more time with my children, I only finish college, where 0:23:01.560 --> 0:23:05.000 could I be now? But God has a way of 0:23:05.040 --> 0:23:09.080 making all things beautiful, even mistakes that we've made, even 0:23:09.160 --> 0:23:11.919 our own shortcomings, things that we know we should have 0:23:11.960 --> 0:23:15.960 done better. John Mark was down on himself when he 0:23:15.960 --> 0:23:19.520 heard how great Paul was doing, how he was impacting cities. 0:23:19.640 --> 0:23:22.600 It was like pouring salt on the wound. He thought 0:23:22.680 --> 0:23:26.480 that could have been me. Fast forward many years later, 0:23:27.000 --> 0:23:30.000 Paul is now an old man. He's in prison and 0:23:30.080 --> 0:23:33.359 about to pass. He's writing to Timothy and says, I 0:23:33.440 --> 0:23:36.760 finished my course. I've run my race. He went on 0:23:36.840 --> 0:23:40.119 to say, Timothy, when you come, bring the coat I 0:23:40.200 --> 0:23:43.879 left at Troas, Bring my books and my papers, and 0:23:43.960 --> 0:23:47.520 one more thing. Bring John Mark with you, for he 0:23:47.680 --> 0:23:51.639 is very profitable to me. Of all the things he 0:23:51.640 --> 0:23:54.040 could have asked for at the end of his life, 0:23:54.600 --> 0:23:58.160 he asked for John Mark. I can imagine word getting 0:23:58.200 --> 0:24:01.080 to him. You're not could have believed this. But Paul 0:24:01.200 --> 0:24:03.960 is asking for you. He wants me to bring you. 0:24:04.560 --> 0:24:07.159 John Martin says, don't kid me like that. You know 0:24:07.280 --> 0:24:10.119 I blew it with Paul. No, I'm not kidding. Timothy 0:24:10.160 --> 0:24:13.040 sent the message. Paul wants you to come. He says 0:24:13.240 --> 0:24:16.480 that you are very valuable to him. I can see 0:24:16.640 --> 0:24:20.920 tears welling up in his eyes. Paul wasn't so forgiving 0:24:21.000 --> 0:24:23.600 early on. He didn't want to have anything to do 0:24:23.680 --> 0:24:27.840 with John Mark. But God knows how to soften people's hearts. 0:24:28.080 --> 0:24:31.480 He knows how to give you another chance. In his time, 0:24:32.040 --> 0:24:36.480 he will make all things beautiful. You may have relationships 0:24:36.680 --> 0:24:39.800 that you think are too far gone, too much water 0:24:39.920 --> 0:24:42.600 under the bridge. You messed up. They're not going to 0:24:42.640 --> 0:24:45.879 have anything to do with you. No, another chance is coming. 0:24:46.480 --> 0:24:49.159 You wouldn't be hearing this if God wasn't about to 0:24:49.160 --> 0:24:53.480 do something unusual, something out of the ordinary. John Mark 0:24:53.680 --> 0:24:56.560 thought that he had missed his chance, that his bad 0:24:56.680 --> 0:25:00.399 choices stopped his purpose. But here's how good God is. 0:25:00.880 --> 0:25:04.919 He not only saw his relationship with Paul restored, but 0:25:05.000 --> 0:25:08.359 most scholars believe that he wrote the Gospel of Mark. 0:25:08.960 --> 0:25:13.159 Who would have ever thought that, after deserting Paul, after 0:25:13.200 --> 0:25:17.000 causing a disagreement that caused Barnabas to break away, that 0:25:17.119 --> 0:25:20.080 one day, many years later, we'd be reading the book 0:25:20.119 --> 0:25:23.840 that he wrote. What am I saying? God knows how 0:25:23.840 --> 0:25:28.240 to make all things beautiful? Just give it some time. Well, Joel, 0:25:28.280 --> 0:25:31.280 this is encouraging, but I think it's too late for me. 0:25:31.880 --> 0:25:35.080 You don't know what I've done, the relationships I've soured, 0:25:35.320 --> 0:25:38.840 the regrets that I have. Your mistakes are not too 0:25:38.920 --> 0:25:43.000 much for the mercy of God. Your shortcomings, your failures, 0:25:43.320 --> 0:25:47.400 your lack of commitment did not stop your destiny. God 0:25:47.480 --> 0:25:52.080 is softening hearts right now. He's preparing the way for restoration. 0:25:52.920 --> 0:25:56.560 Timothy said, word, Go find John Mark. Tell them that 0:25:56.560 --> 0:26:00.800 Paul says he's profitable, he's valuable, that he needs them. 0:26:01.080 --> 0:26:04.960 God is calling your name today. Go find Linda, Go 0:26:05.000 --> 0:26:08.919 find Philip, Go find Rolando. Tell them that they're valuable, 0:26:09.359 --> 0:26:12.160 That I have another chance, that I'm going to restore 0:26:12.480 --> 0:26:15.880 what was stolen. It's not too late. You haven't made 0:26:15.920 --> 0:26:19.600 too many mistakes. Like John Mark. Your latter days are 0:26:19.640 --> 0:26:22.560 going to be better than your former days. Mistakes you've 0:26:22.560 --> 0:26:24.920 made in the past are not going to keep you 0:26:25.240 --> 0:26:28.840 from the great things God has in store. Now. Maybe 0:26:28.880 --> 0:26:32.760 you're not John Mark in this story, you're Paul. God 0:26:32.840 --> 0:26:37.520 is saying, give them another chance, show mercy. It's time 0:26:37.560 --> 0:26:40.840 to forgive. It's time to release the hurt. It's time 0:26:40.880 --> 0:26:44.120 to bury that hatchet. This is a new day. As 0:26:44.160 --> 0:26:47.399 you forgive, God is going to make things beautiful in 0:26:47.480 --> 0:26:50.760 your life. You're not just doing them a favor, You're 0:26:50.800 --> 0:26:54.760 doing yourself a favor. Make that call, Tell your child, 0:26:55.160 --> 0:26:58.360 your parent, your friend that you need them, that they're 0:26:58.440 --> 0:27:01.760 valuable to you. God didn't put them in your life 0:27:01.800 --> 0:27:05.640 by accident. The mercy you show them is the mercy 0:27:05.680 --> 0:27:08.760 that's going to be shown you. Life is flying by 0:27:09.400 --> 0:27:12.320 time is short. They're not always going to be here. 0:27:13.040 --> 0:27:16.280 Paul waited till he was almost done, but he couldn't 0:27:16.280 --> 0:27:20.200 really say I have finished my course without saying go 0:27:20.240 --> 0:27:23.240 get John Mark. He was saying, I'm not going to 0:27:23.320 --> 0:27:26.560 die holding this against him, letting him think that I'm 0:27:26.600 --> 0:27:30.440 disappointed in him, trying to keep him feeling guilty, condemned. 0:27:30.520 --> 0:27:33.560 I'm bigger than that. I'm done holding on to things 0:27:33.680 --> 0:27:37.040 that are holding me down. When John Mark came and 0:27:37.440 --> 0:27:42.000 felt Paul's love and acceptance, gifts that had been buried 0:27:42.040 --> 0:27:45.840 in him came alive. Vision that laid dormant came back 0:27:45.880 --> 0:27:49.120 to life. He stepped up and wrote his book, saw 0:27:49.160 --> 0:27:53.359 God's favor in new ways. I believe today God is 0:27:53.400 --> 0:27:57.080 about to make some things beautiful in your life. Whether 0:27:57.160 --> 0:28:00.320 you made the mistakes like John Mark, or if life 0:28:00.320 --> 0:28:02.720 threw you some curves at no fault of your own 0:28:03.240 --> 0:28:07.920 bad breaks, disappointments. God saw it. Your time is coming. 0:28:08.400 --> 0:28:11.200 He didn't bring you this far to leave you things 0:28:11.240 --> 0:28:14.040 that look like they'll never work out. In your health, 0:28:14.440 --> 0:28:18.680 your relationships, your career. Just give it some time. God 0:28:18.760 --> 0:28:21.880 is still on the throne. He's working behind the scenes. 0:28:22.080 --> 0:28:25.320 Now do your part instead of living discourage all through 0:28:25.320 --> 0:28:28.440 the day. Father, thank you that you're making all things 0:28:28.560 --> 0:28:32.080 beautiful in my life. If you'll do this, I believe 0:28:32.119 --> 0:28:35.560 and declare things are about to happen that you couldn't 0:28:35.560 --> 0:28:39.360 make happen Like John Mark. You're going to see restoration. 0:28:39.920 --> 0:28:43.000 You're going to accomplish dreams bigger than you thought. Healing 0:28:43.120 --> 0:28:47.920 is coming, freedom is coming, Promotion breakthroughs, the fullness of 0:28:47.960 --> 0:28:51.720 your destiny in Jesus' name, and if you receive it, 0:28:51.840 --> 0:28:55.240 can you say him in Today we'd like to give 0:28:55.280 --> 0:28:58.800 you an opportunity to make Jesus the Lord of your life. 0:28:59.040 --> 0:29:03.560 Would you pray with me? Just say, Lord Jesus, I'll 0:29:03.600 --> 0:29:08.280 repent of my sins. Come into my heart. I'll make 0:29:08.360 --> 0:29:11.720 you my Lord and savior. Friends, if you prayed that 0:29:11.800 --> 0:29:14.840 simple prayer, we believe you got born again. We'd love 0:29:14.880 --> 0:29:16.920 to send you some information on your new walk with 0:29:16.960 --> 0:29:19.240 the Lord. Just text the number on the screen or 0:29:19.320 --> 0:29:21.680 go to the website. I hope you'll get into a 0:29:21.720 --> 0:29:26.200 good Bible based church and keep God first place. Thanks 0:29:26.200 --> 0:29:29.080 so much for listening to today's message. I hope you'll 0:29:29.080 --> 0:29:32.520 subscribe so you can receive the latest podcast to keep 0:29:32.560 --> 0:29:34.840 you encouraged and inspired all through the week. 0:29:35.040 --> 0:29:37.240 Help us to continue to share the message of hope 0:29:37.240 --> 0:29:40.720 with those all around the world. Visit Joelosting dot com 0:29:40.840 --> 0:29:43.440 or click the link in the description to partner with 0:29:43.520 --> 0:29:44.040 us today. 0:29:44.280 --> 0:29:46.720 We hope you'll share this message with a friend and 0:29:46.840 --> 0:29:49.640 be sure to follow us on social media. We're praying 0:29:49.720 --> 0:29:52.800 for you. I know God's best is still ahead. We'll 0:29:52.840 --> 0:29:53.680 see you next time. 0:29:55.920 --> 0:29:58.640 With millions of books on Amazon, there's a reading feeling 0:29:58.680 --> 0:30:03.680 for everyone. 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