Become A Miracle

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 --> 0:01:41.360 leave Inspire. Make sure you subscribe to get new messages 0:01:41.400 --> 0:01:44.440 every week. We appreciate your support. It helps keep the 0:01:44.480 --> 0:01:45.280 ministry going. 0:01:45.680 --> 0:01:57.320 Enjoy the message. 0:01:57.680 --> 0:01:58.680 Well, God bless you. 0:01:59.040 --> 0:02:01.560 It's always a jail to come into your homes, and 0:02:01.760 --> 0:02:04.160 if you're ever in our area, please stop by and 0:02:04.200 --> 0:02:05.760 be a part of one of our services. 0:02:05.880 --> 0:02:08.200 I promise you we'll make you feel right at home. 0:02:08.600 --> 0:02:10.720 Thanks so much for tuning in, and thank you again 0:02:10.760 --> 0:02:13.320 for coming out today. I like to start with something 0:02:13.360 --> 0:02:16.400 funny and I heard about this minister who was walking 0:02:16.440 --> 0:02:18.920 down the street when he came upon this group of 0:02:19.000 --> 0:02:22.000 young boys that were surrounding a small dog. 0:02:22.520 --> 0:02:23.880 He asked them what they were doing. 0:02:24.360 --> 0:02:27.320 They explained they were having a contest and whoever could 0:02:27.360 --> 0:02:29.840 tell the biggest lie would get to keep the dog. 0:02:30.560 --> 0:02:33.480 The minister launched into a ten minute sermon, starting with 0:02:33.560 --> 0:02:36.120 don't you know lying is a sin? And ending with 0:02:36.480 --> 0:02:38.600 when I was your age, I never told a lie. 0:02:39.400 --> 0:02:42.240 There was complete silence. Just when he thought he'd gotten 0:02:42.240 --> 0:02:44.600 through to them, the youngest boy spoke up and said, 0:02:44.800 --> 0:02:49.320 all right, give him the dog. Hold up your bible, 0:02:49.600 --> 0:02:52.000 say it like you mean it. This is my Bible. 0:02:52.360 --> 0:02:54.560 I am what it says I am. I have what 0:02:54.639 --> 0:02:56.960 it says I have. I can do what it says 0:02:56.960 --> 0:02:59.560 I can do. Today I will be talked the word 0:02:59.600 --> 0:03:03.520 of God. I boldly confess. My mind is alert, my 0:03:03.600 --> 0:03:06.680 heart is receptive. I will never be the same. In 0:03:06.840 --> 0:03:10.840 Jesus's name, God bless you. I want to talk to 0:03:10.880 --> 0:03:15.280 you today about becoming a miracle. Many people right now 0:03:15.360 --> 0:03:18.760 are praying for a miracle. They're saying, God, please send 0:03:18.800 --> 0:03:19.359 me a friend. 0:03:20.040 --> 0:03:20.280 God. 0:03:20.320 --> 0:03:23.480 I need help with these children. I need training. God. 0:03:23.520 --> 0:03:26.680 I need a good break we have to realize we 0:03:26.760 --> 0:03:31.760 can become the miracle they need. God uses people. He 0:03:31.840 --> 0:03:35.400 has no hands to heal except our hands, no voice 0:03:35.400 --> 0:03:39.280 to encourage except our voice, no arms to hug. Accept 0:03:39.320 --> 0:03:42.920 our arms, and God will bring people across our path 0:03:43.240 --> 0:03:46.480 so we can be the answer to their prayer. You 0:03:46.560 --> 0:03:49.960 may not realize it, but you are a miracle waiting 0:03:50.000 --> 0:03:54.280 to happen. Somebody you know is lonely. They're praying for 0:03:54.360 --> 0:03:58.640 a friend. You're the miracle that they're waiting for. Somebody 0:03:58.680 --> 0:04:02.600 got a bad medical report. They're worried, praying God, please 0:04:02.640 --> 0:04:05.120 send me a sign, let me know that you're still 0:04:05.160 --> 0:04:05.800 in control. 0:04:06.360 --> 0:04:07.360 You are that sign. 0:04:07.920 --> 0:04:10.400 A simple phone call. Hey, I'm thinking about you. I 0:04:10.480 --> 0:04:12.280 want to let you know it's all going to work out. 0:04:12.800 --> 0:04:17.279 You just became their miracle. Somebody is discouraged, saying, God, 0:04:17.320 --> 0:04:20.120 I don't understand this subject. I'm not going to pass 0:04:20.200 --> 0:04:24.279 this course. God send me somebody. You are that somebody. 0:04:25.080 --> 0:04:29.200 Take time to become the miracle. Be aware of who's 0:04:29.240 --> 0:04:32.880 in your life. They're not thereby accident. God put them 0:04:32.920 --> 0:04:37.640 there on purpose. It's because you are full of miracles. 0:04:38.080 --> 0:04:42.720 There is healing in you, there's restoration, there's friendship. There 0:04:42.760 --> 0:04:46.280 are new beginnings, and life is so much more rewarding 0:04:46.400 --> 0:04:50.000 when you realize I can be the answer to somebody's prayer. 0:04:50.560 --> 0:04:53.600 I can lift the fallen, I can restore the broken. 0:04:53.839 --> 0:04:56.719 I can be kind to a stranger. I can become 0:04:57.080 --> 0:05:01.000 someone's miracle. My brother Paul is an Africa. Right now, 0:05:01.400 --> 0:05:03.800 most of you know he's a surgeon. For the next 0:05:03.800 --> 0:05:08.320 several months, he'll be operating on less fortunate people way 0:05:08.400 --> 0:05:12.239 back in the middle of nowhere, so remote village, hundreds 0:05:12.240 --> 0:05:15.520 of miles from the nearest city. The clinic is just 0:05:15.560 --> 0:05:21.080 a small tin building, barely has electricity, minimal medical supplies, 0:05:21.240 --> 0:05:25.120 only one doctor. On a recent visit, a young man 0:05:25.160 --> 0:05:27.400 came in in the middle of the night that had 0:05:27.400 --> 0:05:31.440 been gored by an elephant's tusk went right through his midsection. 0:05:32.200 --> 0:05:35.799 Paul took him back to the makeshift operating room, hopefully 0:05:36.000 --> 0:05:40.039 spare his life. The problem was there was no blood 0:05:40.200 --> 0:05:42.600 in the blood supply to replenish him with. 0:05:43.440 --> 0:05:45.080 Paul could have thought, too bad. 0:05:45.560 --> 0:05:47.360 I'd love to help you, but you're going to need 0:05:47.400 --> 0:05:49.720 several pints of blood and it's just not your lucky 0:05:49.800 --> 0:05:53.560 day now. Before he operated, he took thirty minutes and 0:05:53.600 --> 0:05:54.520 gave his blood. 0:05:55.120 --> 0:05:56.240 He operated on. 0:05:56.240 --> 0:06:00.600 The young man, then replenish the blood he had lost 0:06:00.880 --> 0:06:05.000 with his own blood. What was he doing becoming a miracle? 0:06:05.640 --> 0:06:07.599 He could have prayed, God, he's in bad shape. He 0:06:07.680 --> 0:06:11.680 sure needs a miracle. No, Paul realized, I am his miracle. 0:06:12.480 --> 0:06:14.760 And we all know that God can do great things. 0:06:14.960 --> 0:06:17.479 We know God that can do miracles. But what I 0:06:17.480 --> 0:06:21.360 want us to see is He's put miracles in you. 0:06:21.360 --> 0:06:24.240 You can be the answer to someone's prayer. You can 0:06:24.279 --> 0:06:26.680 be the good break they're looking for. You can be 0:06:26.760 --> 0:06:29.880 the help they've been longing to have. And it may 0:06:29.920 --> 0:06:32.400 not be something as dramatic as saving their life. 0:06:32.920 --> 0:06:35.040 It may be just teaching. 0:06:34.760 --> 0:06:38.280 Your coworker the skills, you know, helping that family that's 0:06:38.279 --> 0:06:41.480 struggling with the rent, taking that young man to baseball 0:06:41.520 --> 0:06:44.080 practice with your son each week. It's no big deal 0:06:44.120 --> 0:06:47.039 to you, but it's a miracle to them. It's what 0:06:47.160 --> 0:06:51.320 will push them toward their destiny. What kind of world 0:06:51.400 --> 0:06:54.760 would this be if we all had the attitude I 0:06:54.800 --> 0:06:58.719 am a miracle waiting to happen. I've heard it said 0:06:59.360 --> 0:07:02.400 sometimes we don't need a miracle, we just need each other. 0:07:03.440 --> 0:07:06.400 Look around at who's in your life. Listen to what 0:07:06.440 --> 0:07:09.320 they're saying. Is there any way that you can help. 0:07:09.840 --> 0:07:11.320 Can you put in a good word. 0:07:11.120 --> 0:07:12.920 For them at the office. 0:07:12.960 --> 0:07:15.760 Did they need a dress for a special occasion and 0:07:15.800 --> 0:07:17.920 you've got a dozen in your closet you're never going 0:07:17.960 --> 0:07:21.640 to wear. Do they live here alone their families in 0:07:21.680 --> 0:07:24.600 another state? You could invite them to have lunch with 0:07:24.640 --> 0:07:27.480 your family from time to time. Make them feel welcome. 0:07:27.760 --> 0:07:32.040 Those are opportunities to become a miracle. Good friend of 0:07:32.080 --> 0:07:35.560 mine grew up in the projects, very poor, came from 0:07:35.600 --> 0:07:39.480 a single parent family. There wasn't always stability in the home. 0:07:40.200 --> 0:07:43.800 His dream was to become a television journalist. He loved 0:07:43.800 --> 0:07:47.320 to read and write. Against all odds, he got a 0:07:47.360 --> 0:07:49.440 scholarship to a major university. 0:07:50.080 --> 0:07:51.280 He's African American. 0:07:51.880 --> 0:07:55.560 He was accepted at this mostly white Ivy League school. 0:07:56.320 --> 0:08:00.600 His roommate came from a very prestigious, influential family. He 0:08:00.640 --> 0:08:03.400 came from just the opposite from the project, a low 0:08:03.440 --> 0:08:06.840 income family. But these two young men hit it off 0:08:07.080 --> 0:08:10.360 and became the best of friends. He told his roommate 0:08:10.840 --> 0:08:15.080 his dream of becoming a journalist. His roommate said, if 0:08:15.080 --> 0:08:17.320 you're going to be a journalist. You've got to have 0:08:17.400 --> 0:08:22.120 a better vocabulary. You don't know enough words. Every day, 0:08:22.680 --> 0:08:26.040 this roommate would get the dictionary out and teach his 0:08:26.080 --> 0:08:29.760 friend one new word, had him use it in sentences 0:08:29.800 --> 0:08:33.040 all through the day. This went on for four straight years. 0:08:33.679 --> 0:08:37.839 What was this roommate doing becoming a miracle? He took 0:08:37.880 --> 0:08:41.400 time to care. He realized his friend was in his 0:08:41.480 --> 0:08:45.079 life for a reason. Today, this young man is one 0:08:45.080 --> 0:08:48.680 of the top newscasters in America. He works for a 0:08:48.720 --> 0:08:52.760 major network, seen on one of the most prestigious news programs. 0:08:53.120 --> 0:08:56.440 But I wonder where he would be if his roommate 0:08:56.679 --> 0:08:58.040 had not taken time. 0:08:57.960 --> 0:08:59.160 To become a miracle. 0:09:00.040 --> 0:09:02.120 Say Joel, I don't want to hear about being a miracle. 0:09:02.240 --> 0:09:03.280 I need a miracle. 0:09:03.720 --> 0:09:06.320 Here's the key. If you will become a. 0:09:06.280 --> 0:09:09.520 Miracle, God will always make sure that you have the 0:09:09.559 --> 0:09:14.840 miracles that you need. As long as you're sowing these seeds, 0:09:15.160 --> 0:09:18.520 the right people will be in your future, the right opportunities, 0:09:18.559 --> 0:09:20.800 the breaks you need. God will get you to where 0:09:20.840 --> 0:09:24.000 you're supposed to be. That's what it says in Proverbs eleven. 0:09:24.160 --> 0:09:27.960 When you refresh others, you will be refreshed. If you 0:09:28.000 --> 0:09:30.880 want your dream to come to pass. Help somebody else's 0:09:30.960 --> 0:09:34.160 dream come to pass. If you need a miracle, become 0:09:34.200 --> 0:09:37.679 a miracle. When you take time to invest in others, 0:09:38.000 --> 0:09:40.800 the seeds you sow will always come back to you. 0:09:42.040 --> 0:09:45.200 I met two ladies after the service a few years ago, 0:09:45.320 --> 0:09:48.120 and one of them was a little older and one younger, 0:09:48.160 --> 0:09:49.680 and I thought they were mother and daughter. 0:09:50.120 --> 0:09:52.480 But the older one said, no, we're not, but she's 0:09:52.600 --> 0:09:53.520 just like my daughter. 0:09:54.320 --> 0:09:57.679 And she told how before we move the church from 0:09:57.720 --> 0:10:01.199 the northeast location to this new facility, she didn't know 0:10:01.240 --> 0:10:04.040 if she would be able to continue to come. She's 0:10:04.080 --> 0:10:06.880 a widow and not used to driving on the freeways. 0:10:07.120 --> 0:10:10.280 She was very concerned about it. One day after service, 0:10:10.320 --> 0:10:13.320 she was telling a group of friends her dilemma. This 0:10:13.480 --> 0:10:16.760 young lady that she had never met before, overheard what 0:10:16.840 --> 0:10:20.040 she was saying. She stepped up and said, how about 0:10:20.280 --> 0:10:22.760 I'll come pick you up each Sunday and bring you 0:10:23.480 --> 0:10:25.840 The lady looked at her, very surprised. She said, are 0:10:25.880 --> 0:10:26.439 you serious? 0:10:26.559 --> 0:10:27.280 Where do you live? 0:10:28.080 --> 0:10:31.000 Come to find out they live thirty minutes apart. But 0:10:31.040 --> 0:10:33.920 that didn't stop this young lady. She could have thought, well, 0:10:33.920 --> 0:10:35.600 I'd love to help you but that's a long way. 0:10:36.080 --> 0:10:38.360 I'm busy in my career and gas is really high. 0:10:38.559 --> 0:10:42.120 Now she saw this as an opportunity to become a miracle. 0:10:42.800 --> 0:10:46.120 Now every Sunday morning, like clockwork, she pulls up in 0:10:46.160 --> 0:10:49.160 her driveway nine thirty in the morning, brings her to church. 0:10:49.960 --> 0:10:53.000 After this older lady told me the story, she hugged 0:10:53.000 --> 0:10:57.000 this young girl and said, Joel, she's my miracle. You 0:10:57.080 --> 0:11:00.959 can't help everyone, but you can't help someone. There are 0:11:01.040 --> 0:11:04.319 people God has put in your path that are connected 0:11:04.360 --> 0:11:08.320 to your destiny. As you help them rise higher, then 0:11:08.360 --> 0:11:11.720 you will rise higher as you meet their needs. God 0:11:11.760 --> 0:11:15.160 will meet your needs. As you become a miracle, God 0:11:15.240 --> 0:11:18.720 will give you miracles. But just the opposite is true. 0:11:18.920 --> 0:11:21.560 If we're too busy to help someone else, we're not 0:11:21.600 --> 0:11:22.880 going to have the help we need. 0:11:23.520 --> 0:11:25.760 If we're too caught up in our own dreams to 0:11:25.880 --> 0:11:29.280 invest in others, are too worried about our own problems 0:11:29.640 --> 0:11:33.760 to encourage somebody else, we're going to get stuck. Reaching 0:11:33.880 --> 0:11:38.439 your highest potential is dependent on you helping someone else 0:11:38.559 --> 0:11:39.599 reach their potential. 0:11:40.000 --> 0:11:41.120 It's like a boomerang. 0:11:41.320 --> 0:11:44.360 When you help somebody else rise higher, it always comes 0:11:44.360 --> 0:11:47.760 back to you and you'll rise higher. Jesus told a 0:11:47.800 --> 0:11:50.800 parable in Luke chapter ten about a man that was 0:11:50.840 --> 0:11:54.040 walking down the road when he was attacked and beaten 0:11:54.160 --> 0:11:55.200 by these bandits. 0:11:55.720 --> 0:11:58.320 They left him on the ground almost dead. 0:11:59.240 --> 0:12:02.280 In a little while, a priest came by, saw the 0:12:02.320 --> 0:12:05.720 men from a distance, thought, boy, he's in bad shape. 0:12:06.000 --> 0:12:08.240 He sure needs a miracle. I'll be praying for him. 0:12:08.640 --> 0:12:12.160 Kept on going. Another man came by a levite. 0:12:12.679 --> 0:12:14.920 He did a little better. He went over to the man. 0:12:14.920 --> 0:12:18.280 Checked him out, felt sorry for him, thought, boy, this 0:12:18.320 --> 0:12:19.200 is really unfair. 0:12:19.520 --> 0:12:22.280 I hope somebody helps him. Went on down the road. 0:12:23.080 --> 0:12:26.480 The third man, a samaritan, came by. Like the first two. 0:12:27.000 --> 0:12:29.720 He thought, boy, he sure needs a miracle. But he 0:12:29.800 --> 0:12:32.400 took it one step further and said, you know what, 0:12:32.840 --> 0:12:36.000 I am his miracle. I'm at the right place at 0:12:36.040 --> 0:12:39.240 the right time. God put him in my path so 0:12:39.280 --> 0:12:42.040 I can be a healer, so I can be a restorer, 0:12:42.440 --> 0:12:45.760 so I can give him a new beginning. The Samaritan 0:12:45.800 --> 0:12:49.040 went to him, got down on his knees and began 0:12:49.160 --> 0:12:50.319 to care for him. 0:12:50.720 --> 0:12:51.920 He gave him water. 0:12:51.840 --> 0:12:55.640 From his canteen, took off his scarf, and bandaged up 0:12:55.679 --> 0:12:59.000 his wounds. He then gently lifted him off the ground, 0:12:59.480 --> 0:13:03.000 placed him on his animal. He held him mile after 0:13:03.120 --> 0:13:06.160 mile as they walked to the nearest city. They got 0:13:06.200 --> 0:13:10.120 to the local end the hotel, he paid. The owner said, 0:13:10.120 --> 0:13:12.520 you take care of him, let him stay as long 0:13:12.559 --> 0:13:15.120 as he had liked, give him anything that he needs, 0:13:15.160 --> 0:13:17.840 and I promise you this, I'll come back and pay 0:13:17.880 --> 0:13:22.520 for any extra expenses. My question today is which man 0:13:22.520 --> 0:13:26.240 are you. It's easy to get so busy, Joel, I 0:13:26.240 --> 0:13:27.559 don't have time to help others. 0:13:27.559 --> 0:13:28.960 I got my own problems. 0:13:29.360 --> 0:13:32.600 No, helping others can be the key to see in 0:13:32.640 --> 0:13:33.360 your situation. 0:13:33.480 --> 0:13:35.280 Turn around those. 0:13:35.040 --> 0:13:38.400 People you see that need encouragement, that need a ride, 0:13:38.480 --> 0:13:40.319 that needs you to give blood, that need help, and 0:13:40.360 --> 0:13:44.320 accomplishing a dream, those are opportunities for you to go 0:13:44.400 --> 0:13:45.319 to a higher level. 0:13:45.840 --> 0:13:50.480 When you refresh others, you will be refreshed. It's interesting. 0:13:50.559 --> 0:13:55.120 The first example Jesus used was a priest. He couldn't stop. 0:13:55.360 --> 0:13:57.960 He had to get to the temple. He had religious 0:13:58.040 --> 0:14:01.360 duties to fulfill. You didn't have time to bother with 0:14:01.400 --> 0:14:05.160 this man. After all, if he helped him, he might 0:14:05.200 --> 0:14:08.920 get his white robe bloody, he might not look presentable 0:14:08.960 --> 0:14:12.200 at the temple. Had all kinds of excuses. But can 0:14:12.200 --> 0:14:16.920 I tell you true religion gets dirty. True religion doesn't 0:14:16.960 --> 0:14:19.480 hide behind stained glass or fancy clothes. 0:14:19.720 --> 0:14:21.160 It goes to where the needs are. 0:14:22.200 --> 0:14:25.800 When you get down low to lift somebody up, in 0:14:25.880 --> 0:14:29.800 God's eyes, you can't get any higher. The closest thing 0:14:29.840 --> 0:14:33.280 to the heart of God is helping hurting people. When 0:14:33.320 --> 0:14:36.760 you take time to restore the broken, you pour the 0:14:36.800 --> 0:14:41.640 healing oil on their wounds, encouraging them, wiping away their tears, 0:14:41.800 --> 0:14:43.800 letting them know that there are new beginnings. 0:14:44.080 --> 0:14:46.400 That's the religion Jesus talked about. 0:14:47.200 --> 0:14:50.720 True religion doesn't judge people to see if they deserve 0:14:50.840 --> 0:14:53.760 our help. Well, she's in need, Joel, but I don't 0:14:53.760 --> 0:14:56.800 think she's living the right kind of life. He's hurting, 0:14:56.840 --> 0:14:59.160 but it's his own fault. He's got the addiction. They 0:14:59.240 --> 0:15:03.560 brought the trouble themselves. Now, Jesus said, it's the sick 0:15:03.720 --> 0:15:07.160 who need the doctor, not the healthy. God didn't call 0:15:07.280 --> 0:15:11.000 us to judge people. He called us to heal people. 0:15:11.520 --> 0:15:14.520 He called us to restore people. He called us to 0:15:14.560 --> 0:15:18.720 become their miracles. Anybody can find fault, anybody can be 0:15:18.800 --> 0:15:20.080 critical and come. 0:15:20.000 --> 0:15:21.720 Up with excuses to pass on by. 0:15:21.920 --> 0:15:25.200 That's easy, But where are the people that will take 0:15:25.240 --> 0:15:28.000 time to care. Where are the people that will get 0:15:28.040 --> 0:15:31.320 down and dirty and help love them back into wholeness. 0:15:32.280 --> 0:15:35.320 This third man, the Samaritan, He immediately went to the 0:15:35.400 --> 0:15:39.080 man and started helping him, making a difference. He didn't 0:15:39.080 --> 0:15:41.320 think twice. He became the miracle. 0:15:41.960 --> 0:15:43.840 That's the kind of people I want us to be. 0:15:44.480 --> 0:15:48.320 Not passer buyers, not too busy in our career, too 0:15:48.400 --> 0:15:51.840 busy with church work. Not people like the second man 0:15:52.120 --> 0:15:54.800 that feel sorry for them. I wish it hadn't happened. 0:15:54.840 --> 0:15:57.320 I feel bad. I'm going to be praying now. Let's 0:15:57.360 --> 0:16:00.920 become the miracle. God is counting on us us. You 0:16:01.000 --> 0:16:04.240 can lift the falling, you can heal the hurding. You 0:16:04.320 --> 0:16:06.680 can be a friend to the lonely. You can help 0:16:06.680 --> 0:16:10.480 a dream come to pass. You are full of miracles. 0:16:11.280 --> 0:16:14.360 Friend of mine, young lady named Tammy Trent. She's a 0:16:14.400 --> 0:16:18.120 popular Christian singer. She told how she and her husband 0:16:18.160 --> 0:16:22.040 went to a tropical island for a vacation to celebrate 0:16:22.080 --> 0:16:23.600 their eleventh anniversary. 0:16:24.320 --> 0:16:27.120 Her husband was a very skilled diver. 0:16:27.800 --> 0:16:30.520 He could go underwater without an air tank for six 0:16:30.680 --> 0:16:31.360 or seven minutes. 0:16:31.360 --> 0:16:34.000 At a time. They got to the beach on the. 0:16:33.920 --> 0:16:36.560 First day, so excited, and the husband jumped in the 0:16:36.560 --> 0:16:41.080 water and started exploring the underwater caves. Tammy stayed on 0:16:41.120 --> 0:16:44.600 the beach to enjoy the beautiful scenery. Ten minutes went 0:16:44.640 --> 0:16:47.000 by and she didn't see a sign of her husband. 0:16:47.400 --> 0:16:50.960 Got a little worried. Twenty minutes, still no sign. Thirty minutes, 0:16:51.280 --> 0:16:52.480 still didn't see her husband. 0:16:52.680 --> 0:16:56.160 She began to panic. She told the authorities. They sent 0:16:56.200 --> 0:16:58.640 out boats and started looking. Hour after hour. 0:16:59.160 --> 0:17:02.840 Long story short, her husband drowned. They found his body 0:17:02.880 --> 0:17:08.240 the next day. Tammy was not only in shock totally devastated, 0:17:08.800 --> 0:17:12.360 but she was in this foreign country, all alone. 0:17:12.240 --> 0:17:13.800 With nobody that she knew. 0:17:14.119 --> 0:17:17.560 Her parents immediately made arrangements to come the next day. 0:17:18.400 --> 0:17:22.320 The problem is this all happened on September tenth, two 0:17:22.320 --> 0:17:25.400 thousand and one. The next day was nine to eleven. 0:17:26.000 --> 0:17:30.280 All flights were grounded. She was there for days by herself. 0:17:31.000 --> 0:17:34.960 She felt alone and forgotten. She was so numb she 0:17:34.960 --> 0:17:38.359 couldn't even think straight. She finally was able to pray 0:17:38.400 --> 0:17:41.639 and said, God, if you still care, send somebody to 0:17:41.680 --> 0:17:44.720 help me. God sends somebody to let me know that. 0:17:44.640 --> 0:17:45.399 You're still there. 0:17:46.320 --> 0:17:49.359 A few minutes there was a knock on her hotel door. 0:17:49.880 --> 0:17:53.719 It was the housekeeper. She was an older Jamaican woman. 0:17:54.040 --> 0:17:56.120 She said, I don't mean to get in your business, 0:17:56.200 --> 0:17:59.320 but when I was cleaning the room next door, I 0:17:59.359 --> 0:18:02.320 couldn't help, but hear you crying through the walls, and 0:18:02.359 --> 0:18:04.720 I was wondering if there's anything that I could pray 0:18:04.760 --> 0:18:08.359 with you about. Tammy told her what had happened, and 0:18:08.400 --> 0:18:13.400 this older Jamaican housekeeper put her loving arms around Tammy 0:18:13.400 --> 0:18:16.959 and held her like she was her own daughter. That moment, 0:18:17.359 --> 0:18:20.080 thousands of miles from home, Tammy knew. 0:18:19.880 --> 0:18:21.240 That God was still in control. 0:18:22.320 --> 0:18:26.600 To see this housekeeper, she took time to be a healer. 0:18:27.440 --> 0:18:30.200 She was sensitive to the needs around her. Even hearing 0:18:30.200 --> 0:18:33.520 the cries from another room, she knew one reason she 0:18:33.600 --> 0:18:36.400 was here on earth was to help wipe away the tears. 0:18:37.119 --> 0:18:40.879 That day, she poured healing oil on Tammy's wound. She 0:18:41.000 --> 0:18:44.920 became a miracle. The scripture talks about how one day 0:18:45.280 --> 0:18:48.000 God will wipe away all the tears. There will be 0:18:48.040 --> 0:18:51.399 no tragedy, no more sickness, no more pain. But in 0:18:51.440 --> 0:18:54.560 the meantime, God is counting on you and me to 0:18:54.640 --> 0:18:55.840 wipe away those tears. 0:18:56.480 --> 0:18:59.440 Are you lifting the fallen? Are you restoring the broken? 0:19:00.040 --> 0:19:02.919 Taking time to help somebody in need. It's great to 0:19:02.960 --> 0:19:06.600 come to church and celebrate. This is important. We come 0:19:06.640 --> 0:19:10.479 to be encouraged and filled up and strengthened. But our 0:19:10.600 --> 0:19:15.080 real assignment begins when we leave this building. Look around 0:19:15.240 --> 0:19:19.359 and find the discouraged. Listen for the cries for help. 0:19:20.000 --> 0:19:22.080 You may not hear them with your ears, but you 0:19:22.080 --> 0:19:25.520 can hear them with your heart. You see, when somebody's down, 0:19:26.080 --> 0:19:28.640 all of a sudden, you feel that compassion flowing out 0:19:28.640 --> 0:19:30.640 to them. You think, man, I need to take them 0:19:30.640 --> 0:19:33.760 out to dinner. I need to go encourage them. Don't 0:19:33.800 --> 0:19:37.320 put it off, don't be a passer buyer. That's God 0:19:37.440 --> 0:19:40.480 wanting you to bring healing. There's a tear that needs 0:19:40.480 --> 0:19:43.720 to be wiped away. Years ago, I went into this 0:19:43.800 --> 0:19:47.320 restaurant to eat lunch. There's a little diner. You order 0:19:47.359 --> 0:19:49.520 your food up at the front, and as I was 0:19:49.560 --> 0:19:52.639 walking to the counter, I saw this man sitting at 0:19:52.680 --> 0:19:53.919 a table by himself. 0:19:54.320 --> 0:19:56.840 Now our eyes met. He nodded at me. 0:19:57.400 --> 0:20:00.760 When they did, I immediately felt a compassion toward him. 0:20:01.280 --> 0:20:03.880 I knew I was supposed to encourage him in some way, 0:20:04.520 --> 0:20:07.119 but he was dressed in a nice suit. He looked 0:20:07.119 --> 0:20:09.440 well to do, and I was in my shorts and 0:20:09.680 --> 0:20:12.040 had our son Jonathan with me. He was about two 0:20:12.080 --> 0:20:14.040 years old at the time, and I thought, I'm not 0:20:14.040 --> 0:20:16.920 going to go encourage him. He's doing just fine. Kept 0:20:16.920 --> 0:20:18.879 putting it off and putting it off, but I couldn't 0:20:18.920 --> 0:20:22.680 get away from it. Ordered my food on the way out. 0:20:23.000 --> 0:20:25.320 Since he had nodded at me, I decided to stop 0:20:25.320 --> 0:20:27.400 by his table, and just being friendly, I said hello 0:20:27.520 --> 0:20:29.919 and ask him how it was going. He kind of 0:20:29.960 --> 0:20:33.080 laughed and said not very well. Things are kind of rough. 0:20:33.800 --> 0:20:36.160 I didn't think much about it. I just smiled and said, well, 0:20:36.160 --> 0:20:36.680 I know this. 0:20:37.000 --> 0:20:38.040 It's going to get better. 0:20:38.720 --> 0:20:41.040 He thanked me as the end of the conversation ten 0:20:41.160 --> 0:20:44.439 fifteen seconds, and I left. A few months later, I 0:20:44.520 --> 0:20:47.399 received a letter in the mail from him. He told 0:20:47.480 --> 0:20:50.320 how he was at the lowest point of his life 0:20:50.440 --> 0:20:53.200 at that time. He's going through a divorce. This whole 0:20:53.240 --> 0:20:56.720 world had fallen apart for months. He had been in depression. 0:20:57.440 --> 0:21:00.680 But he said, when you made that statement that it's 0:21:00.720 --> 0:21:04.679 going to get better, it was like something reignited on 0:21:04.720 --> 0:21:09.040 the inside. That day was a turning point in his life. 0:21:09.119 --> 0:21:11.520 He came out of the depression. He got his fire back. 0:21:11.920 --> 0:21:15.480 Today he's moving forward. Here's what I want you to see. 0:21:15.640 --> 0:21:19.600 I didn't say anything profound. I didn't feel chill bumps 0:21:19.680 --> 0:21:23.080 when I said it. I simply took time to show 0:21:23.200 --> 0:21:27.360 him that I cared. We don't realize what we carry. 0:21:27.680 --> 0:21:29.720 We've got the most powerful. 0:21:29.240 --> 0:21:31.720 Force in the universe. On the inside. 0:21:31.960 --> 0:21:36.160 What may seem ordinary to us, no big deal. 0:21:36.560 --> 0:21:37.480 But when God. 0:21:37.320 --> 0:21:41.840 Breathes on it, it becomes extraordinary. It can be life 0:21:41.960 --> 0:21:47.399 giving A simple act of kindness, simple hug, words of encouragement, 0:21:47.680 --> 0:21:50.479 letting somebody know that you care, That can be the 0:21:50.480 --> 0:21:52.080 spark that brings him. 0:21:51.920 --> 0:21:53.359 Back to life. 0:21:53.560 --> 0:21:56.720 Nineteen ninety five, a young lady gave birth to baby 0:21:56.800 --> 0:22:01.000 twin girls. They were born very premature. One of them 0:22:01.119 --> 0:22:04.640 was diagnosed with a severe heart problem and wasn't expected 0:22:04.680 --> 0:22:08.720 to live. The hospital's policy was to keep the babies 0:22:08.760 --> 0:22:12.800 in separate incubators. Several days passed and this one baby 0:22:12.960 --> 0:22:17.200 continued to go downhill was very close to death. One 0:22:17.200 --> 0:22:20.520 of the nurses felt strongly that the babies should be 0:22:20.560 --> 0:22:23.560 put in the same incubator like they were in their 0:22:23.560 --> 0:22:28.000 mother's womb. After much hard work and much persuasion, she 0:22:28.160 --> 0:22:31.440 convinced the hospital to make an exception to their policy, 0:22:32.000 --> 0:22:35.280 and the babies were put in the same incubator, side 0:22:35.320 --> 0:22:40.800 by side overnight. Somehow, the healthy baby managed to put 0:22:40.800 --> 0:22:45.760 her arm around her little sick sister. Much to everyone's surprise, 0:22:46.560 --> 0:22:51.240 that little sister health started to improve. Her temperature came 0:22:51.280 --> 0:22:54.880 back to normal, her heart stabilized. Little by little, Day 0:22:54.920 --> 0:22:58.080 after day, she got better and better. Today, both of 0:22:58.119 --> 0:23:01.359 those young ladies are perfectly healthy. I brought a picture 0:23:01.400 --> 0:23:02.560 of the babies right here. 0:23:02.640 --> 0:23:07.359 It's called the rescuing hug. Here's my point. 0:23:08.160 --> 0:23:12.680 We don't always see how powerful we really are. God 0:23:12.760 --> 0:23:17.040 has put healing in you. Your hugs can cause people 0:23:17.119 --> 0:23:20.360 to get better. Your kind words can put people back 0:23:20.440 --> 0:23:24.320 on their feet. The scripture says, a gentle tongue brings 0:23:24.359 --> 0:23:28.160 healing a phone call, giving them a ride, taking them 0:23:28.160 --> 0:23:30.840 out to dinner, encouraging them in their dreams. 0:23:31.119 --> 0:23:34.240 There are miracles in you waiting to happen. 0:23:35.119 --> 0:23:37.280 Some people just need to know that you believe in 0:23:37.320 --> 0:23:40.480 them when you tell them, hey, you're amazing, You're gonna 0:23:40.520 --> 0:23:41.200 do great things. 0:23:41.240 --> 0:23:44.040 I'm praying for you. That may seem simple to you, 0:23:44.600 --> 0:23:47.560 but to the other person it can be life giving. 0:23:48.040 --> 0:23:51.240 It can help them blossom into all they were created 0:23:51.240 --> 0:23:54.919 to be. One time in the scripture, Moses was on 0:23:55.000 --> 0:23:57.760 the top of this big hill watching a battle that 0:23:57.880 --> 0:24:01.439 was taking place. He was holding his rod up in 0:24:01.480 --> 0:24:04.240 the air. As long as he had his rod up, 0:24:04.400 --> 0:24:07.560 the Israelites were winning. But the battle went on hour 0:24:07.640 --> 0:24:10.480 after hour, and he got tired. Every time he put 0:24:10.480 --> 0:24:14.520 his hands down, the Amalekites would start to win. Finally, 0:24:14.600 --> 0:24:17.119 Moses couldn't take it any longer. He was too tired. 0:24:17.960 --> 0:24:20.680 His brother Aaron and a friend her were at the 0:24:20.680 --> 0:24:24.239 bottom of the mountain watching all this take place. They 0:24:24.240 --> 0:24:27.400 could have prayed, God, we need a miracle. God, keep 0:24:27.440 --> 0:24:31.200 the Amalekites from defeating us. Now they had this attitude, 0:24:31.400 --> 0:24:34.399 we can become the miracle. They rushed up to the 0:24:34.440 --> 0:24:37.280 top of the hill. God on each side of Moses, 0:24:37.640 --> 0:24:41.400 and they held his hands in the air. Because they 0:24:41.440 --> 0:24:45.760 became the miracle, the Israelites won the victory. There are 0:24:45.840 --> 0:24:48.840 people God puts in our path that need us to 0:24:48.920 --> 0:24:52.480 hold up their hands. They're not going to win by themselves. 0:24:52.960 --> 0:24:56.960 They need your encouragement. They need your rescuing hug. They 0:24:57.040 --> 0:24:59.920 need to know that you care. They're praying for a mia. 0:25:00.720 --> 0:25:04.080 Don't miss the opportunity. Do like erin in her and 0:25:04.160 --> 0:25:07.400 become the miracle. I saw a report on the news 0:25:07.480 --> 0:25:09.880 a while back. It's about a young lady named Megan. 0:25:10.440 --> 0:25:13.359 She was a junior in high school and a star 0:25:13.640 --> 0:25:16.960 long distance runner on the track team. At the state 0:25:17.040 --> 0:25:19.720 track final, she had already won first place in the 0:25:19.760 --> 0:25:23.320 sixteen hundred meter race. Now she was competing in the 0:25:23.359 --> 0:25:26.639 thirty two hundred meter. As she came around the final 0:25:26.760 --> 0:25:30.840 curve about fifty meters from the finish line, she saw 0:25:30.880 --> 0:25:33.919 the girl in front of her start to wabble, her 0:25:34.000 --> 0:25:36.720 knees begin to buckle. She couldn't run in a straight 0:25:36.760 --> 0:25:40.440 line finally fell to the ground. What happened next made 0:25:40.520 --> 0:25:43.960 news around the world. Instead of Megan passing her by, 0:25:44.520 --> 0:25:47.800 seeing that as an opportunity to beat another running, Megan 0:25:47.880 --> 0:25:51.520 stopped running, went over to the girl, picked her up 0:25:51.600 --> 0:25:55.480 off the ground, put her arm around her shoulders, and 0:25:55.560 --> 0:26:00.480 began to carry her toward the finish line. People in 0:26:00.520 --> 0:26:03.640 the stands begin to cheer. There wasn't a dry eye 0:26:03.720 --> 0:26:06.480 in the place. When she got to the finish line, 0:26:06.640 --> 0:26:09.879 Megan turned so her opponent could cross the line in 0:26:09.880 --> 0:26:13.560 front of her. Technically, they should have both been disqualified 0:26:13.960 --> 0:26:16.600 because you're not allowed to touch another runner, but the 0:26:16.640 --> 0:26:20.159 state made an exception and gave them both a finishing time. 0:26:20.800 --> 0:26:24.639 Megan said afterward, helping her cross that finish line was 0:26:24.720 --> 0:26:25.960 more satisfying to me. 0:26:26.359 --> 0:26:27.920 Than winning the state championship. 0:26:29.119 --> 0:26:33.200 It's great to receive a miracle, but there's no greater 0:26:33.320 --> 0:26:37.320 feeling than to become a miracle. Who are you carrying? 0:26:38.000 --> 0:26:40.840 Who are you lifting up? Who you helping to cross 0:26:40.880 --> 0:26:45.040 that finish line? Your destiny is connected to helping others. 0:26:46.000 --> 0:26:49.120 Isaiah put it this way. When you feed the hungry, 0:26:49.640 --> 0:26:52.680 when you clothe the naked, when you help those in need, 0:26:53.200 --> 0:26:56.159 then your light will break forth like the dawn, and 0:26:56.280 --> 0:26:59.399 your healing will quickly come. If you will make it 0:26:59.480 --> 0:27:02.960 your business to become a miracle, God will make it 0:27:03.000 --> 0:27:06.320 his business to give you miracles. You will never lack 0:27:06.480 --> 0:27:10.280 his blessings in favor. Friends, you are the answer to 0:27:10.359 --> 0:27:14.160 somebody's prayer. You can give a rescuing hug this week. 0:27:14.640 --> 0:27:17.879 You can help a friend cross the finished line. You 0:27:17.920 --> 0:27:21.119 are the miracle that they're believing for when you go 0:27:21.200 --> 0:27:23.440 out each day, have this attitude. 0:27:23.560 --> 0:27:25.600 I'm a miracle waiting to happen. 0:27:26.119 --> 0:27:28.159 And if you will live not thinking about how you 0:27:28.200 --> 0:27:31.200 can get a miracle, but how you can become a miracle, 0:27:31.720 --> 0:27:35.200 then I believe and declare, just like God promised, your 0:27:35.320 --> 0:27:38.320 light is going to break forth like the dawn. Your healing, 0:27:38.480 --> 0:27:42.600 your promotion, your vindication will quickly come. You will rise higher, 0:27:43.000 --> 0:27:47.199 overcome every obstacle, and become everything that God's created you 0:27:47.240 --> 0:27:50.440 to be in Jesus' name, if you receive it, can 0:27:50.520 --> 0:27:54.959 you say then today we never like to close our 0:27:55.000 --> 0:27:58.720 broadcast without giving you an opportunity to make Jesus the 0:27:58.760 --> 0:27:59.600 lord of your life. 0:28:00.119 --> 0:28:01.040 Would you pray with me? 0:28:01.720 --> 0:28:06.920 Just say, Lord, Jesus, I repent of my sins, Come 0:28:06.960 --> 0:28:07.680 into my heart. 0:28:08.840 --> 0:28:12.560 I make you my Lord and savior. Friends, if you 0:28:12.600 --> 0:28:15.399 prayed that simple prayer, we believe you got born again. 0:28:16.000 --> 0:28:19.280 Get in a good Bible based church, Keep God first place. 0:28:19.640 --> 0:28:22.080 He's going to take you places that you've never dreamed of. 0:28:23.840 --> 0:28:27.280 Thank you for listening to the Joel Oustine podcast. Help 0:28:27.359 --> 0:28:30.080 us continue to share the message of hope with those 0:28:30.200 --> 0:28:34.080 all over the world. Visit Joeloustine dot com, Slash give 0:28:34.160 --> 0:28:35.840 hope to give a gift today. 0:28:37.119 --> 0:28:39.560 Thanks so much for listening to today's message. 0:28:39.680 --> 0:28:42.440 I hope you'll subscribe so you can receive the latest 0:28:42.480 --> 0:28:43.880 podcast to keep you. 0:28:43.960 --> 0:28:47.000 Inspired all through the week. We're praying for you. I 0:28:47.040 --> 0:28:49.880 know God's best is still ahead. We'll see you next time. 0:28:56.880 --> 0:28:59.400 More than ever before, people are turning to the church 0:28:59.440 --> 0:29:03.200 for their mental health struggles. Unfortunately, the church has largely 0:29:03.240 --> 0:29:06.480 been ill equipped to help. That is until now. 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