Being Fruitful & Productive Right Where You Are

0:00:03.800 --> 0:00:06.520 Hi, this is Joel and Victoria. Thanks for listening to 0:00:06.559 --> 0:00:09.320 our podcast and thanks for supporting the ministry. 0:00:09.480 --> 0:00:11.799 If you enjoy today's message, why don't you be a 0:00:11.840 --> 0:00:13.400 blessing and share it with a friend. 0:00:13.720 --> 0:00:16.400 We appreciate you and pray for God's very best in 0:00:16.480 --> 0:00:21.760 your life. God bless you. It is always our joy 0:00:21.800 --> 0:00:23.880 to come into your homes each week, and we come 0:00:23.880 --> 0:00:26.920 with good news. We know God rewards people that seek 0:00:26.960 --> 0:00:28.960 after Him and I believe that's you today, or you 0:00:29.000 --> 0:00:31.240 wouldn't be tuned in. But thank you. And if you're 0:00:31.240 --> 0:00:33.239 ever in our area, I hope that you'll stop buy 0:00:33.280 --> 0:00:35.360 and see us. I promise you we'll make you feel 0:00:35.400 --> 0:00:38.080 right at home. But thanks again for watching today. Now. 0:00:38.080 --> 0:00:39.959 I like to get started each week with something kind 0:00:39.960 --> 0:00:42.320 of funny, so listen to this one. A man was 0:00:42.360 --> 0:00:45.000 out walking through the woods with his friend when suddenly 0:00:45.040 --> 0:00:48.040 they came upon a huge grizzly bear. They both frozen 0:00:48.080 --> 0:00:51.159 their tracks as the bear stared intently at them. They 0:00:51.200 --> 0:00:54.200 contemplated what they should do. Finally, the men said, I 0:00:54.240 --> 0:00:57.000 think we should run. The friend replied, are you crazy? 0:00:57.040 --> 0:00:59.440 We could never outrun a bear. The man answered back, 0:00:59.480 --> 0:01:01.560 I know that I don't have to outrun the bear. 0:01:01.720 --> 0:01:06.720 I just have to outrun you. All right, hold up 0:01:06.720 --> 0:01:09.160 your bibles. Let's say it like you any ready. This 0:01:09.240 --> 0:01:12.000 is my Bible. I am what it says I am. 0:01:12.480 --> 0:01:15.040 I have what it says I have. I can do 0:01:15.120 --> 0:01:17.679 what it says I can do. Today I will be 0:01:17.760 --> 0:01:21.559 talked the word of God. I boldly confess. My mind 0:01:21.680 --> 0:01:25.080 is alert, my heart is receptive. I will never be 0:01:25.200 --> 0:01:30.160 the same. I am about to receive the incorruptible, indestructible, 0:01:30.520 --> 0:01:34.080 ever living seed of the Word of God. I'll never 0:01:34.120 --> 0:01:38.000 be the same, never, never, never, I'll never be the same. 0:01:38.400 --> 0:01:42.560 In Jesus' name, God bless you. I want to talk 0:01:42.600 --> 0:01:45.880 to you today about the importance of being fruitful and 0:01:46.000 --> 0:01:49.400 productive right where you are. A lot of times we think, 0:01:49.560 --> 0:01:51.680 as soon as I get out of this situation, then 0:01:51.720 --> 0:01:53.920 I'm gonna be happy. As soon as I get a 0:01:53.960 --> 0:01:56.960 better job, then I'll start working hard. As soon as 0:01:56.960 --> 0:01:59.640 I get over this sickness, then I'll cheer up. Then 0:01:59.680 --> 0:02:02.960 I have a good attitude. But really, God wants us 0:02:03.040 --> 0:02:07.040 to learn to become fruitful and productive, not when we 0:02:07.120 --> 0:02:09.800 get out of all of our afflictions. He wants us 0:02:09.880 --> 0:02:13.240 to be fruitful in the midst of our afflictions. He 0:02:13.320 --> 0:02:15.640 wants us to have a good attitude and do the 0:02:15.720 --> 0:02:18.679 right thing even when the wrong things happening to us. 0:02:19.240 --> 0:02:21.639 He wants us to keep coming to church even though 0:02:21.680 --> 0:02:24.560 our other family members won't come. He wants us to 0:02:24.600 --> 0:02:27.160 be a blessing to others even when no one is 0:02:27.200 --> 0:02:29.880 being a blessing to us. See, we have to be 0:02:30.000 --> 0:02:32.920 faithful in the wilderness if we're ever gonna make it 0:02:32.960 --> 0:02:37.680 into our promised land. And human nature likes to make excuses. Well, Joel, 0:02:37.680 --> 0:02:38.919 I'll do it as soon as I get out of 0:02:38.960 --> 0:02:41.520 these problems, or as soon as my back quits hurting, 0:02:41.800 --> 0:02:44.560 as soon as my child straightens up. Now you've got 0:02:44.600 --> 0:02:47.639 it backwards. If you want things to change, you've got 0:02:47.680 --> 0:02:50.240 to sow a seed by doing the right thing. First, 0:02:50.440 --> 0:02:53.440 you've got to pass that test. Well, this company doesn't 0:02:53.440 --> 0:02:56.120 pay me enough. I'm not gonna work hard around here. No, 0:02:56.360 --> 0:02:59.600 you're not working under man, You're working under God. He's 0:02:59.680 --> 0:03:02.680 keeping the wreckers. If you'll do the right thing, even 0:03:02.720 --> 0:03:05.480 though the wrong thing may be happening to you, then 0:03:05.480 --> 0:03:07.760 you are sowing a seed for God to bring you 0:03:07.840 --> 0:03:10.600 up higher. I read about this young man in his 0:03:10.720 --> 0:03:14.160 mid twenties. He was born with a terminal lung disorder. 0:03:14.560 --> 0:03:17.200 He couldn't breathe fully on his own, and so he 0:03:17.280 --> 0:03:20.000 had to carry around this oxygen tank wherever he went. 0:03:20.600 --> 0:03:23.639 He was constantly in and out of the hospitals, very 0:03:23.680 --> 0:03:26.560 successible to any kind of germs, and so he's always 0:03:26.639 --> 0:03:30.960 developing these respiratory infections. And in the natural it seemed 0:03:31.000 --> 0:03:33.400 like he had a good reason to live life with 0:03:33.440 --> 0:03:35.680 a chip on his shoulder, seemed like he had a 0:03:35.680 --> 0:03:38.520 good reason to be sour. But no, this young man 0:03:38.760 --> 0:03:42.680 was different. In spite of his affliction, he was productive. 0:03:43.240 --> 0:03:45.680 He never went down and got a handicapped sticker for 0:03:45.760 --> 0:03:48.040 his car. He didn't want that kind of image in 0:03:48.080 --> 0:03:51.560 front of him. He never sat around feeling sorry for himself, 0:03:51.640 --> 0:03:54.560 saying why God me. No, he went out and got 0:03:54.600 --> 0:03:58.360 a good job. He excelled at that position, got promotion 0:03:58.520 --> 0:04:02.520 after promotion, would very involved in his church, active in 0:04:02.560 --> 0:04:06.360 the youth ministry. He was a giver, a worker, and 0:04:06.440 --> 0:04:09.160 everywhere he went he left that place better off than 0:04:09.200 --> 0:04:12.440 they were before. See, in the middle of his affliction, 0:04:13.000 --> 0:04:16.080 he was fruitful. In spite of that adversity, he just 0:04:16.160 --> 0:04:18.839 kept on being productive. And do you know one day 0:04:18.880 --> 0:04:21.200 he got a call from the hospital and they said, 0:04:21.240 --> 0:04:24.239 we've got good news. We've got some new lungs waiting 0:04:24.320 --> 0:04:28.440 for you. He had that transplant, it was successful, and 0:04:28.520 --> 0:04:31.480 today he doesn't need that oxygen tank anymore. He can 0:04:31.520 --> 0:04:33.440 breathe a deep breath of air, just like you and 0:04:33.480 --> 0:04:37.000 I can. He's living a normal, healthy life, But he 0:04:37.040 --> 0:04:40.200 could have so easily had the attitude. As soon as 0:04:40.200 --> 0:04:42.680 I get free from this disease, then I'm gonna start 0:04:42.720 --> 0:04:45.920 being good to people. As soon as I get my transplant, 0:04:46.040 --> 0:04:49.000 as soon as God heals me, then I'll get to work. 0:04:49.240 --> 0:04:51.840 Then I'll start using my gifts and talents. But right 0:04:51.880 --> 0:04:56.080 now it's just too difficult. I've just got too many obstacles. No, 0:04:56.279 --> 0:04:59.880 he had that victor mentality and not that vic tumman, 0:05:00.920 --> 0:05:03.359 And no matter what comes against you, you need to 0:05:03.400 --> 0:05:06.200 make up your mind that it's not gonna stop you 0:05:06.360 --> 0:05:09.120 from being your very best. It's not gonna stop you 0:05:09.160 --> 0:05:11.560 from coming to church, it's not gonna stop you from 0:05:11.560 --> 0:05:15.960 working hard, it's not gonna stop you from enjoying your life. Friends, 0:05:15.960 --> 0:05:18.560 we have to be determined. We need to dig our 0:05:18.600 --> 0:05:21.000 heels in and say it doesn't matter what it looks 0:05:21.040 --> 0:05:24.080 like I'm gonna have a good attitude. I'm gonna be fruitful. 0:05:24.320 --> 0:05:26.680 I'm gonna be productive right here in the middle of 0:05:26.720 --> 0:05:30.159 my adversity. That's the seed we're sowing for God to 0:05:30.240 --> 0:05:33.520 change things. See, don't fall into that trap of thinking, well, 0:05:33.920 --> 0:05:36.600 I'm not gonna work hard at my office because nobody 0:05:36.600 --> 0:05:39.320 appreciates me. I don't ever get any of the credit. 0:05:39.800 --> 0:05:42.440 But when I get that new job I'm really praying about, 0:05:42.560 --> 0:05:44.920 then I'm gonna give it my best. Then I'm gonna 0:05:44.920 --> 0:05:47.960 get to work on time. Then I'm gonna start developing 0:05:48.000 --> 0:05:50.839 my skills. Now take this in the right sense, but 0:05:50.920 --> 0:05:53.080 there's a good chance you'll never get that new position. 0:05:53.760 --> 0:05:56.360 You have to pass the test right where you are. 0:05:56.960 --> 0:05:59.760 If we're not faithful in the little things, how can 0:05:59.800 --> 0:06:02.680 God trust us in the bigger things. If it's your 0:06:02.760 --> 0:06:05.080 job to sweep the floors every day, you need to 0:06:05.120 --> 0:06:08.200 sweep those floors with all of your might. Young people, 0:06:08.240 --> 0:06:12.240 if you're making minimum wage flipping hamburgers, don't be sloppy, 0:06:12.760 --> 0:06:15.400 don't be lazy, don't do it half hearted, do it 0:06:15.440 --> 0:06:19.200 with excellence. If we're not faithful in what seems to 0:06:19.240 --> 0:06:23.320 be the insignificant areas then will never rise much higher. 0:06:23.839 --> 0:06:26.279 Now I've discovered if you don't have a good attitude 0:06:26.400 --> 0:06:29.560 making minimum wage, most likely you're not gonna have a 0:06:29.560 --> 0:06:32.200 good attitude as the CEO of that company. You've got 0:06:32.320 --> 0:06:35.440 to be faithful right where you are in your marriage. 0:06:35.680 --> 0:06:38.560 Maybe your spouse is not everything you would want them 0:06:38.600 --> 0:06:41.359 to be. Maybe there's some things that are not fair. 0:06:41.839 --> 0:06:44.279 He doesn't spend much time with you, or he doesn't 0:06:44.320 --> 0:06:47.640 communicate very well, and you're tempted to think, well, I'm 0:06:47.680 --> 0:06:50.280 just gonna go do my own thing. I'm gonna give 0:06:50.320 --> 0:06:53.360 him a taste of his own medicine. When he changes, 0:06:53.560 --> 0:06:56.440 then I'll start treating him better. Now, why don't you 0:06:56.520 --> 0:06:59.240 be the bigger person. Why don't you sow a seed 0:06:59.480 --> 0:07:02.200 by being kind to him even though he doesn't deserve it. 0:07:02.800 --> 0:07:05.640 Why don't you sow a seed by doing your best 0:07:05.760 --> 0:07:08.560 to keep the peace in your marriage. If you'll just 0:07:08.680 --> 0:07:12.440 keep being fruitful and productive in spite of that affliction, 0:07:12.800 --> 0:07:16.239 then God will begin to turn things around. Well, you say, Joel, 0:07:16.280 --> 0:07:18.840 it's just not fair. You don't know what I've been through. 0:07:19.120 --> 0:07:21.840 I've got this sickness or at work, they're just not 0:07:22.080 --> 0:07:25.559 treating me right now. I realize it may not be fair, 0:07:25.960 --> 0:07:28.880 but all I'm saying is living life negative and bitter, 0:07:29.480 --> 0:07:32.520 going around with the chip on your shoulder, always trying 0:07:32.560 --> 0:07:35.840 to pay somebody back. All that's gonna do is poison 0:07:35.920 --> 0:07:38.600 your own life. You may have been dealt a tough 0:07:38.680 --> 0:07:42.400 hand to deal with, maybe you've been through some big disappointments, 0:07:42.680 --> 0:07:45.040 or even right now, there's things in your life that 0:07:45.120 --> 0:07:48.640 you know are just not right, and it's very tempting 0:07:48.680 --> 0:07:52.000 to get discouraged. It's very easy to get complacent and 0:07:52.080 --> 0:07:54.080 kind of just sit back and say, you know, what's 0:07:54.160 --> 0:07:57.440 the use. This is never gonna change. No, my message 0:07:57.480 --> 0:07:59.720 to you today is you have got to keep being 0:07:59.760 --> 0:08:02.560 your very best right where you are. You have to 0:08:02.720 --> 0:08:06.480 keep being faithful even if nobody else sees it. You 0:08:06.600 --> 0:08:09.680 need to know God sees it. He's the one that's 0:08:09.720 --> 0:08:13.720 in control. He's the one that brings promotion. The scripture 0:08:13.760 --> 0:08:17.160 says God lifts up one and he brings down another. 0:08:17.840 --> 0:08:20.000 If you can just keep a good attitude in the 0:08:20.040 --> 0:08:22.800 middle of that adversity, if you can keep a smile 0:08:22.840 --> 0:08:25.960 on your face and keep being good to people even 0:08:25.960 --> 0:08:28.600 though they're not being good to you, let me tell you, 0:08:28.640 --> 0:08:30.840 in the long run, you will always come out ahead, 0:08:31.080 --> 0:08:33.400 no ifs ends or butts. In the long run, you're 0:08:33.400 --> 0:08:36.320 gonna prosper, You're gonna be happy, You're gonna see your 0:08:36.400 --> 0:08:40.920 dreams begin to come to pass. I think about Joseph. 0:08:41.520 --> 0:08:44.880 Nobody had more unfair things happened than he did. His 0:08:45.000 --> 0:08:47.760 brothers were so jealous of him they threw him into 0:08:47.800 --> 0:08:51.040 that pit, and eventually they ended up selling him as 0:08:51.040 --> 0:08:55.240 a slave in Egypt, and Joseph spent thirteen years in 0:08:55.280 --> 0:08:58.240 prison for something that he didn't do. But really, the 0:08:58.360 --> 0:09:01.000 lesson we can learn from Joseph's life is that he 0:09:01.040 --> 0:09:04.360 didn't get better. He didn't get angry, and he didn't 0:09:04.440 --> 0:09:06.520 just sit back and say, Okay, God, when you get 0:09:06.559 --> 0:09:08.920 me out of all of this, then I'll start using 0:09:08.960 --> 0:09:11.840 my gifts and talents. God. When I feel a little better, 0:09:11.880 --> 0:09:14.640 then I'll show these people what I've really got. No, 0:09:14.880 --> 0:09:17.920 right there, in the middle of his affliction, he was 0:09:18.000 --> 0:09:23.000 productive and fruitful. He wasn't lazy. He didn't show up late, 0:09:23.679 --> 0:09:26.920 He didn't have a what can I get by with attitude? 0:09:27.000 --> 0:09:30.080 He gave it his very best, and every place they 0:09:30.160 --> 0:09:33.800 put him he got promoted, even when he was in prison. 0:09:34.080 --> 0:09:38.680 He was so sharp, so organized, so skilled. They put 0:09:38.760 --> 0:09:41.440 him in charge of that whole prison. One day he 0:09:41.480 --> 0:09:45.040 had some interaction with Pharah. He interpreted a dream for him, 0:09:45.280 --> 0:09:48.160 and finally Pharaoh said, what's this guy doing in prison. 0:09:48.360 --> 0:09:51.240 He's smarter than anybody I've got. Bring him out here 0:09:51.240 --> 0:09:53.520 to me. I'm gonna use him as my right hand man. 0:09:54.400 --> 0:09:57.640 That's what happens when you stay fruitful and productive in 0:09:57.679 --> 0:10:00.240 the midst of your adversity, God will promote you. You 0:10:00.760 --> 0:10:03.600 He'll take what the enemy means for evil, and he'll 0:10:03.600 --> 0:10:06.520 turn it around and use it to your advantage. Now, 0:10:06.520 --> 0:10:09.720 after all this was over, Joseph had two sons. I 0:10:09.720 --> 0:10:14.559 think it's significant. He named one son Ephraim, which means 0:10:14.679 --> 0:10:18.680 to prosper, to be fruitful, to be productive. He gave 0:10:18.760 --> 0:10:22.679 him this name because God helped him to be prosperous 0:10:23.120 --> 0:10:26.360 in the middle of his affliction. He named the other 0:10:26.440 --> 0:10:31.160 son Manassa, which means to cause, to forget, And he 0:10:31.200 --> 0:10:34.680 gave him this name because God helped him to forget 0:10:34.760 --> 0:10:38.160 the painful memories of his past. And if you're ever 0:10:38.240 --> 0:10:40.880 going to have a Manassa in your life, you have 0:10:40.960 --> 0:10:44.600 to have an Ephraim. In other words, if you want 0:10:44.640 --> 0:10:48.200 God to remove the pains of the past, you've got 0:10:48.200 --> 0:10:51.600 to be fruitful and productive right where you are. You've 0:10:51.600 --> 0:10:54.720 got to just keep passing that test. Just be faithful 0:10:54.800 --> 0:10:57.520 day in and day out. Then God will remove those 0:10:57.559 --> 0:11:01.480 painful memories. You may be here today, upset over a 0:11:01.520 --> 0:11:04.280 relationship that didn't work out, and you're thinking, man, Joel, 0:11:04.320 --> 0:11:07.360 I could never really be happy again. But no, listen. 0:11:07.400 --> 0:11:09.720 God can bless you in such a way that you 0:11:09.720 --> 0:11:12.320 don't even think about all you've been through. He can 0:11:12.320 --> 0:11:16.440 bring somebody new into your life, so great, so good looking, 0:11:16.880 --> 0:11:20.120 so godly, so fun to be around, and so rich 0:11:22.600 --> 0:11:25.120 that you don't even think about that old goat that 0:11:25.200 --> 0:11:29.400 walked out on you. I'm sure Joseph, after he was 0:11:29.440 --> 0:11:32.160 put in charge of all the affairs of Egypt, he 0:11:32.200 --> 0:11:34.680 didn't dwell on all that he had been through. God 0:11:34.800 --> 0:11:38.560 erased those painful memories. In fact, when his brothers came 0:11:38.640 --> 0:11:41.800 back many years later, the same ones that threw him 0:11:41.920 --> 0:11:45.160 into that pit, he wasn't mad at them. He didn't 0:11:45.160 --> 0:11:47.400 try to get even. He said, no, I'm not worried 0:11:47.400 --> 0:11:50.080 about this in the least bit. That's all over and 0:11:50.120 --> 0:11:53.240 done I'm moving on with my life. That's what God 0:11:53.280 --> 0:11:55.720 wants to do for each one of us. And things 0:11:55.800 --> 0:11:58.440 may not be perfect in your life, but really my 0:11:58.520 --> 0:12:00.760 message is you've got to start be in your very 0:12:00.800 --> 0:12:04.160 best right where you are. Quit waiting for God to 0:12:04.280 --> 0:12:07.680 change things. You've got to sow that seed. Why don't 0:12:07.720 --> 0:12:10.079 you be good to the people in your life today, 0:12:10.679 --> 0:12:14.840 your family, your friends, your coworkers, your neighbors. Don't wait 0:12:14.920 --> 0:12:17.720 for some big break. Don't wait till you win the lottery. 0:12:17.800 --> 0:12:20.160 Then you'll go be good to somebody. No, be good 0:12:20.160 --> 0:12:23.040 to somebody right now now. You say, Joel, I need 0:12:23.040 --> 0:12:25.160 the money more than they do. No, you need to 0:12:25.160 --> 0:12:28.000 get some seed in the ground. Even if you don't 0:12:28.040 --> 0:12:30.720 have money, you can find something else to give. Give 0:12:30.720 --> 0:12:35.040 a smile, give an encouraging word, Give somebody a ride, 0:12:35.280 --> 0:12:38.360 go visit somebody in the hospital, Go mow somebody's lawn. 0:12:38.720 --> 0:12:42.080 Do something to be fruitful right where you are. See, 0:12:42.120 --> 0:12:44.080 in your time of need, you've got to learn to 0:12:44.160 --> 0:12:46.679 sew a seed. You got to get your mind off 0:12:46.720 --> 0:12:51.000 of yourself. Quit thinking about your problems and how unfair 0:12:51.080 --> 0:12:54.000 it was and what's wrong in your life, and instead 0:12:54.080 --> 0:12:56.920 start thinking about how you can be a blessing to somebody. 0:12:57.400 --> 0:13:00.480 There's nothing any worse than living a self sen life. 0:13:01.160 --> 0:13:04.400 Nothing will steal our joy anymore than getting up every 0:13:04.440 --> 0:13:08.319 morning and only having ourselves on our mind, my problems, 0:13:08.520 --> 0:13:11.160 my heart ache, my pain. God, when are you gonna 0:13:11.200 --> 0:13:14.440 turn this around? God? What are you gonna start blessing me? Now? 0:13:14.520 --> 0:13:17.439 Quit thinking about how you can be blessed and start 0:13:17.480 --> 0:13:20.440 thinking about how you can be a blessing. If you 0:13:20.520 --> 0:13:23.680 will make it your business to make somebody else's day, 0:13:23.920 --> 0:13:27.120 God will always make your own. Nay, I've learned that 0:13:27.200 --> 0:13:29.840 if I can just focus on meeting other people's needs, 0:13:29.960 --> 0:13:33.120 God will always meet my own needs. And some of 0:13:33.120 --> 0:13:35.480 you are waiting for your ship to come in, but 0:13:35.520 --> 0:13:38.280 the problem is you haven't sent one out. You've got 0:13:38.280 --> 0:13:42.000 to go out and start being a blessing. Start being productive, 0:13:42.559 --> 0:13:47.800 start being fruitful right where you are, and don't complain 0:13:47.880 --> 0:13:50.040 about what you don't have. Learn to thank God for 0:13:50.120 --> 0:13:52.920 what you do have. You may have all kinds of 0:13:52.960 --> 0:13:55.160 odds against you today. You may have been dealt one 0:13:55.200 --> 0:13:57.880 of those unfair hands, but you've got to take what 0:13:58.080 --> 0:14:00.439 God has given you and make the very man out 0:14:00.480 --> 0:14:02.680 of it. Life has dealt you a lemon. You gotta 0:14:02.679 --> 0:14:05.439 make lemonade. You may be like that young man, you 0:14:05.520 --> 0:14:09.040 got a serious problem, But even then, don't allow that 0:14:09.520 --> 0:14:12.040 to cause you to sit back in self pity. Do 0:14:12.160 --> 0:14:14.440 what you can if you can't get out of bed, 0:14:14.760 --> 0:14:17.760 Encourage the nurse when she comes in, pick up the phone, 0:14:17.760 --> 0:14:21.200 and be a blessing to somebody. Sow that seed. Always 0:14:21.200 --> 0:14:23.800 remember you are not a victim. You are a victor. 0:14:24.240 --> 0:14:28.480 God always causes you to tryumph in your times of adversity. 0:14:29.280 --> 0:14:32.720 Don't you dare sit around thinking about your problems. Get 0:14:32.760 --> 0:14:35.680 your mind off of yourself. The more you think about 0:14:35.720 --> 0:14:39.240 your problems, the bigger they become. I heard somebody say, 0:14:39.600 --> 0:14:42.880 if you owned an apartment complex and you rented out 0:14:42.920 --> 0:14:46.880 eighty percent of those apartments to drug dealers and thieves 0:14:46.960 --> 0:14:50.000 and cheaters, and then you rented the other twenty percent 0:14:50.400 --> 0:14:54.040 to normal law abiding citizens, well after a few months, 0:14:54.160 --> 0:14:56.720 the drug dealers and cheaters are gonna run off all 0:14:56.760 --> 0:14:59.520 the normal good people. And it's the same way in 0:14:59.560 --> 0:15:02.400 our minds. If you spend all your time thinking about 0:15:02.440 --> 0:15:05.400 your problems and all the disappointment you've been through and 0:15:05.440 --> 0:15:08.440 how unfair your life is, well after a while, all 0:15:08.480 --> 0:15:11.680 those negative thoughts are gonna run off any positive thoughts, 0:15:12.040 --> 0:15:14.720 you'll go through life to feed it into pressed thinking. Man, 0:15:14.760 --> 0:15:17.560 life's a bummer for me, nothing good ever happens. No 0:15:17.760 --> 0:15:20.840 quit renting out space in your mind to your problems. 0:15:20.960 --> 0:15:24.560 Quit dwelling on the negative. Only rent space to thoughts 0:15:24.560 --> 0:15:28.480 of hope, thoughts of faith, thoughts of victory. When you're 0:15:28.520 --> 0:15:31.520 in those tough times and you're tempted to get discouraged, 0:15:31.520 --> 0:15:33.560 you've just got to dwell on the fact. Now all 0:15:33.680 --> 0:15:36.080 things work together for my good because I love the 0:15:36.080 --> 0:15:39.760 Lord God is taking this adversity, and like Joseph, he's 0:15:39.760 --> 0:15:42.160 gonna use it to my advantage. He's gonna take this 0:15:42.280 --> 0:15:44.880 stumbling block and use it as a stepping stone for 0:15:44.960 --> 0:15:49.000 greater things. Our attitude should be, I'm excited about my future. 0:15:49.240 --> 0:15:51.640 I know good things are in store. I know no 0:15:51.800 --> 0:15:54.680 weapon formed against me. As ever, gonna prosper and then 0:15:54.760 --> 0:15:57.720 go out each day and in spite of your obstacles, 0:15:57.840 --> 0:16:01.920 be good to somebody. Be productive anyway, you say, Joel, 0:16:01.960 --> 0:16:04.480 I just work in a real negative environment. These people 0:16:04.560 --> 0:16:08.120 just don't treat me right. Will sow accede anyway, Get 0:16:08.160 --> 0:16:11.960 there early, work hard, have a smile, on your face. 0:16:12.080 --> 0:16:15.520 Be an encouragement to others. Well, Joel, everybody at my 0:16:15.600 --> 0:16:19.280 office is always late. Everybody goofs off when the boss 0:16:19.360 --> 0:16:23.200 is gone. Everybody's kind of lazy. No, listen, you're not everybody. 0:16:23.360 --> 0:16:26.640 You're a cut above. Be the person of excellence. God's 0:16:26.640 --> 0:16:29.520 made you to be. Learn to do what's right, whether 0:16:29.520 --> 0:16:33.400 anybody's watching you or not. Take that high road. Treat 0:16:33.440 --> 0:16:36.120 people with respect even though they really don't deserve it. 0:16:36.800 --> 0:16:39.520 Be kind even though they're talking about you. If you 0:16:39.560 --> 0:16:42.560 will stay on the high road and just be fruitful 0:16:42.600 --> 0:16:45.240 even in the midst of that affliction, then God can 0:16:45.280 --> 0:16:47.920 bring you out of that affliction. We have to pass 0:16:47.960 --> 0:16:51.200 the test. I think it about my sister Lisa. One time. 0:16:51.240 --> 0:16:53.920 She went through a great disappointment in her life when 0:16:53.920 --> 0:16:57.160 she was in her early twenties. Her marriage didn't work out, 0:16:57.600 --> 0:17:01.440 and it was a very unfair situation, very hurtful, and 0:17:01.640 --> 0:17:05.120 she was devastated. She never dreamed she'd be facing that 0:17:05.200 --> 0:17:08.560 kind of challenge, and for several months, Lisa would hardly 0:17:08.600 --> 0:17:11.760 even eat, she'd barely sleep at night. She thought she 0:17:11.840 --> 0:17:15.160 is having a nervous breakdown. And of course, as our family, 0:17:15.440 --> 0:17:18.359 we did our best to encourage her, but it seemed 0:17:18.400 --> 0:17:20.240 like she was in this dark hole that we just 0:17:20.240 --> 0:17:22.800 couldn't get her out of it. And she told how 0:17:22.840 --> 0:17:25.800 one day God spoke to her, not out loud, but 0:17:25.920 --> 0:17:28.479 rite down in here, and he said, Lisa, you can 0:17:28.560 --> 0:17:30.919 either sit around in self pity for the rest of 0:17:30.960 --> 0:17:33.840 your life and sink deeper and deeper into this pit, 0:17:34.520 --> 0:17:37.160 or you can rise up and do something about it. 0:17:37.560 --> 0:17:40.000 And she made a decision that very day that she 0:17:40.119 --> 0:17:42.880 wasn't going to waste another minute being depressed and defeated 0:17:43.320 --> 0:17:46.600 in her time of affliction, in her time of need. 0:17:46.840 --> 0:17:50.080 You know what she did, she's so deceed. She started 0:17:50.080 --> 0:17:53.520 a class here every Tuesday night called the Healing Center 0:17:53.560 --> 0:17:57.320 for Marriages. She began to encourage other people that were 0:17:57.320 --> 0:18:00.280 struggling in their marriages, other people that were believe even 0:18:00.320 --> 0:18:03.440 for their mates to return. And every week she gave 0:18:03.480 --> 0:18:07.840 it her very best. She encouraged them, she shared the scriptures, 0:18:08.160 --> 0:18:11.359 and over the years they saw so many marriages restored. 0:18:11.880 --> 0:18:14.960 But see, Lisa didn't sit around waiting for God to 0:18:15.040 --> 0:18:19.639 change things in her affliction. She got productive, She got fruitful, 0:18:20.040 --> 0:18:22.719 and she used the very thing the enemy came against 0:18:22.760 --> 0:18:25.879 her with to help others. She's so deced in that 0:18:25.920 --> 0:18:29.080 same area. And I mean she was faithful. There were 0:18:29.119 --> 0:18:31.600 times where she would not go on vacation with us 0:18:31.680 --> 0:18:33.720 as a family because she did not want to miss 0:18:33.720 --> 0:18:38.040 teaching that class. See, she had her ephriom. She was 0:18:38.160 --> 0:18:42.000 productive in spite of the affliction, and sure enough, God 0:18:42.080 --> 0:18:45.280 removed the pains of her past. One day she met 0:18:45.280 --> 0:18:48.280 a young man many years later named Kevin, and they 0:18:48.280 --> 0:18:50.760 fell in love and got married and today they have 0:18:50.880 --> 0:18:54.119 three beautiful children. They're as happy as they could possibly be. 0:18:54.760 --> 0:18:58.000 But I believe a real key in Lisa's victory was 0:18:58.040 --> 0:19:01.720 the fact that she got productive and fruitful in spite 0:19:01.800 --> 0:19:06.800 of that adversity. She could still be sitting here today, negative, bitter, 0:19:07.160 --> 0:19:10.840 blaming God. But no, she's sowed a seed. She did 0:19:10.880 --> 0:19:13.920 the right thing even though the wrong thing happened to her. 0:19:14.480 --> 0:19:16.280 She didn't rent out a bunch of space in her 0:19:16.359 --> 0:19:19.600 mind to her problems. She didn't stay focused on the negative. 0:19:19.960 --> 0:19:22.920 She knew as she helped other people in need, God 0:19:22.960 --> 0:19:25.680 would meet her own needs. You may be here today 0:19:25.720 --> 0:19:27.960 and you too have been through a big disappointment, or 0:19:28.000 --> 0:19:30.159 maybe you're in a situation right now that's She's not 0:19:30.280 --> 0:19:33.600 really fair. But I challenge you to don't sit around 0:19:33.600 --> 0:19:36.159 feeling sorry for yourself. You've got to do like Lisa 0:19:36.200 --> 0:19:38.280 and rise up out of that. And one of the 0:19:38.280 --> 0:19:41.000 best things you can do is go help somebody else 0:19:41.040 --> 0:19:45.239 in need. The Bible says God turned the captivity of 0:19:45.320 --> 0:19:49.560 job when he prayed for his friends. Isn't it interesting 0:19:50.000 --> 0:19:53.400 Job didn't get healed when he prayed for himself. Nothing 0:19:53.480 --> 0:19:56.120 wrong with that, that's great. But if you really want 0:19:56.119 --> 0:19:58.720 to get God's attention in your time of need, go 0:19:58.880 --> 0:20:01.840 be a blessing to somebody else. I remember my mother 0:20:02.240 --> 0:20:05.160 when she was fighting that cancer in nineteen eighty one. 0:20:05.240 --> 0:20:07.960 Instead of coming home and just going to bed, depressed 0:20:08.000 --> 0:20:10.920 and defeated, you know what she did. She went down 0:20:10.960 --> 0:20:13.560 to the church and prayed for other people that were sick. 0:20:14.119 --> 0:20:16.320 The truth is, my mother needed prayer more than any 0:20:16.320 --> 0:20:19.159 of them, but she was sowing a seed. And so 0:20:19.320 --> 0:20:21.800 often we get it backwards. We say, God, as soon 0:20:21.840 --> 0:20:24.320 as you turn this around, then I'll start being good 0:20:24.359 --> 0:20:26.920 to people. Then I'll get my family back in church, 0:20:27.080 --> 0:20:29.520 then I'll have a good attitude. But no, if you 0:20:29.640 --> 0:20:32.160 want God to intervene in your life, if you want 0:20:32.240 --> 0:20:34.800 him to remove the pains of the past. You've got 0:20:34.800 --> 0:20:37.960 to first be fruitful right where you are. I know 0:20:38.040 --> 0:20:40.240 some of you today you have a real good reason 0:20:40.280 --> 0:20:42.439 to be unhappy. There are a lot of things in 0:20:42.480 --> 0:20:45.320 your life that could drag you down. But I'm challenging 0:20:45.359 --> 0:20:47.840 you to just make that decision that you're gonna be 0:20:47.840 --> 0:20:50.440 happy right where you are. You're gonna do like Joseph 0:20:50.600 --> 0:20:53.880 and be good to people anyway in that time of need. 0:20:53.920 --> 0:20:56.920 You got to just keep sowing that seed. I think 0:20:56.960 --> 0:21:00.320 about David. He was the youngest of seven brothers and 0:21:00.359 --> 0:21:02.960 he got stuck with the job of taking care of 0:21:03.000 --> 0:21:05.760 his father's sheep. Now, I'm sure it was kind of 0:21:06.040 --> 0:21:08.680 lonely and kind of boring out there in the shepherd's 0:21:08.680 --> 0:21:12.080 fields all by himself. I mean, here, he's a young man. 0:21:12.640 --> 0:21:15.919 He's got big dreams in his heart, and his future, 0:21:15.960 --> 0:21:17.919 as far as he can see though, is just to 0:21:18.000 --> 0:21:21.440 keep taking care of these sheep. But see, David possessed 0:21:21.480 --> 0:21:25.280 the same quality that Joseph had. He didn't sit around 0:21:25.280 --> 0:21:28.160 thinking about his problems and thinking about how unfair his 0:21:28.200 --> 0:21:32.560 life was. He just prospered where he was. He just 0:21:32.600 --> 0:21:36.600 flourished right in that situation. He wasn't lazy. He didn't 0:21:36.600 --> 0:21:38.879 do it with a half hearted effort. He gave it 0:21:38.960 --> 0:21:42.359 his very best. He had that excellent spirit. Now I 0:21:42.359 --> 0:21:45.920 can imagine during the day, as his sheep were out grazing, 0:21:46.200 --> 0:21:49.760 he'd get his slingshot and he'd practice and practice. Maybe 0:21:49.800 --> 0:21:52.119 he'd set up a target down the way, and with 0:21:52.320 --> 0:21:54.720 rock after rock, he'd see how many times he could 0:21:54.800 --> 0:21:57.960 hit that. He did that day after day. He became 0:21:58.080 --> 0:22:01.359 more and more skilled with that slim shot. When a 0:22:01.400 --> 0:22:04.000 wild animal would come along and try to get one 0:22:04.040 --> 0:22:06.080 of his sheep, if he didn't take care of it 0:22:06.119 --> 0:22:08.640 with his bare hands, he'd get that sling shot out 0:22:08.640 --> 0:22:11.400 and just nail it time and time again. And think 0:22:11.440 --> 0:22:15.280 about it, nobody was watching him, nobody was making him 0:22:15.320 --> 0:22:17.960 do what's right. He did it because he had an 0:22:17.960 --> 0:22:22.280 excellent spirit. He was faithful even out there in the wilderness. 0:22:22.640 --> 0:22:25.919 And the truth is David had plenty of opportunities to 0:22:25.960 --> 0:22:28.919 have a chip on his shoulder, had plenty of opportunities 0:22:28.960 --> 0:22:32.640 to be sour. You remember when the prophet Samuel came 0:22:32.680 --> 0:22:35.399 to David's father's house and he was going to choose 0:22:35.480 --> 0:22:38.280 one of the brothers to be the next king of Israel. Well, 0:22:38.280 --> 0:22:40.480 they didn't even bother to come get David out of 0:22:40.480 --> 0:22:43.159 the shepherd's fields. They just left him out there. In 0:22:43.200 --> 0:22:45.920 their mind, he wasn't even in the running. They thought, oh, 0:22:46.000 --> 0:22:49.240 that's just David. He's young, he's never gone mount to anything. 0:22:49.600 --> 0:22:52.439 Don't even waste your time going out there. You can 0:22:52.520 --> 0:22:55.600 imagine how you would feel if your own family didn't 0:22:55.600 --> 0:22:58.560 respect you enough to give you a chance. But still, David, 0:22:58.680 --> 0:23:01.280 he just kept passing the tail. He kept his head 0:23:01.320 --> 0:23:04.480 held high. He knew God was in control. He knew 0:23:04.520 --> 0:23:07.040 if he kept doing the right thing, his due season 0:23:07.080 --> 0:23:10.359 would come. The good news is when God is ready 0:23:10.359 --> 0:23:13.679 to promote you, no man can stop you, no person 0:23:13.760 --> 0:23:17.480 can leave you out. No circumstance can keep you down. 0:23:19.640 --> 0:23:23.040 When God says it's time, then it's time. And the 0:23:23.040 --> 0:23:26.200 Bible says there were several hundred men from the Israeli 0:23:26.320 --> 0:23:29.880 army that could use their slingshot and hit a small 0:23:29.920 --> 0:23:33.760 stick over one hundred meters away. But isn't it interesting 0:23:34.119 --> 0:23:37.280 God didn't choose any of them. He chose a shepherd boy. 0:23:38.040 --> 0:23:41.440 David wasn't trained in the elite academy with the rest 0:23:41.440 --> 0:23:44.800 of those sharpshooters. He was trained out in the lonely 0:23:44.840 --> 0:23:49.160 shepherd's fields, all those times, day after day, year after year, 0:23:49.400 --> 0:23:54.480 practicing training, using that slingshot to nail those wild animals. 0:23:54.720 --> 0:23:56.880 And David never knew he was going to face Goliath 0:23:56.920 --> 0:24:00.800 one day. But see, God knew what if he been lazy, 0:24:01.119 --> 0:24:03.320 but if it had a sour attitude and thought, man, 0:24:03.320 --> 0:24:06.119 why did I get stuck out here? Life's not fair? No, 0:24:06.280 --> 0:24:09.560 he just kept being productive in spite of that adversity. 0:24:09.880 --> 0:24:13.399 He kept developing his skills even though he wasn't getting 0:24:13.440 --> 0:24:15.840 his way. And you know the story. He went out 0:24:15.880 --> 0:24:19.119 and faced Goliath. People mocked and laughed. They said, all 0:24:19.200 --> 0:24:21.120 this is going to be a big joke. But really 0:24:21.160 --> 0:24:24.280 David had the last laugh. You may not realize it, 0:24:24.480 --> 0:24:27.840 but Goliath was wearing a full suit of body armor. 0:24:28.240 --> 0:24:32.040 He only had one unprotected spot and it was on 0:24:32.080 --> 0:24:35.760 his forehead right here was the only vulnerable place on 0:24:35.800 --> 0:24:39.119 his whole body. Had David not been skilled, he wouldn't 0:24:39.160 --> 0:24:41.680 have had a chance. Had he not learned the art 0:24:41.760 --> 0:24:45.280 of slinging that stone with perfection, we wouldn't be talking 0:24:45.280 --> 0:24:47.600 about him today because, let me tell you, God didn't 0:24:47.600 --> 0:24:50.479 throw the rock for him. God didn't tell him, you know, 0:24:50.560 --> 0:24:53.359 just cause it to supernaturally hit at the right spot. No, 0:24:53.560 --> 0:24:58.040 David paid the price. David developed his talents, he was 0:24:58.160 --> 0:25:01.159 faithful in the wilderness, and when it came time for 0:25:01.280 --> 0:25:03.800 him to come into the Promised Land, he was ready. 0:25:04.119 --> 0:25:07.280 He was prepared. Let me ask you today, what are 0:25:07.320 --> 0:25:09.879 you doing with what God has given you? Are you 0:25:10.000 --> 0:25:13.560 making the most of it? Are you developing your skills? 0:25:13.840 --> 0:25:16.399 Are you faithful at the office? Are you being the 0:25:16.400 --> 0:25:20.040 best mother you can possibly be? Maybe all you have 0:25:20.240 --> 0:25:23.200 is the equivalent of a few small stones. Like David, 0:25:23.480 --> 0:25:26.000 you just feel like you're taking care of a few sheep. 0:25:26.560 --> 0:25:28.840 Let me tell you. If you'll be faithful right where 0:25:28.880 --> 0:25:31.840 you are and do it to the best of your ability, 0:25:32.359 --> 0:25:35.440 then when God is looking for someone to promote, when 0:25:35.440 --> 0:25:38.399 he's looking for someone to slay a giant, you'll be ready. 0:25:38.680 --> 0:25:40.880 And like David, God can thrust you to a whole 0:25:40.920 --> 0:25:45.280 new level of victory in your life. But understand our attitudes, 0:25:45.800 --> 0:25:48.960 how we respond in the tough times, how we treat 0:25:48.960 --> 0:25:53.040 people when we're not being treated right. These are character builders. 0:25:53.520 --> 0:25:55.719 We have to pass these tests if we're ever going 0:25:55.800 --> 0:25:58.359 to come up higher. So let me challenge again today, 0:25:58.600 --> 0:26:01.560 You'll never forget the pain means of the past unless 0:26:01.600 --> 0:26:05.160 you first get fruitful and productive right where you are. Well, 0:26:05.160 --> 0:26:07.640 what are you up against? Don't run from it, don't 0:26:07.640 --> 0:26:10.959 live life bitter, have a good attitude, Put a smile 0:26:11.040 --> 0:26:13.679 on your face, and make a decision with me that 0:26:13.760 --> 0:26:16.080 you're going to be the best that you can possibly 0:26:16.119 --> 0:26:18.840 be right where you are. The truth is, we all 0:26:18.880 --> 0:26:22.840 face disappointments, we all have unfair things happen. But don't 0:26:22.840 --> 0:26:25.359 sit back feeling sorry for yourself. Go out and be 0:26:25.400 --> 0:26:28.320 a blessing to somebody else. Learn to sow the seed 0:26:28.480 --> 0:26:30.879 in your time of need. You can let your tests 0:26:30.880 --> 0:26:33.639 become your testimony. If you do that, I can promise 0:26:33.680 --> 0:26:35.640 you this God will take you places that you've never 0:26:35.720 --> 0:26:39.200 dreamed of. You'll rise higher and higher, You'll overcome every 0:26:39.240 --> 0:26:42.760 giant in your life, and you'll experience the victorious life 0:26:42.760 --> 0:26:44.760 God has in store for you. Amen, how many of 0:26:44.800 --> 0:26:48.880 you receive it today? I know you do. We never 0:26:49.040 --> 0:26:52.160 like the close on broadcast without giving you an opportunity 0:26:52.320 --> 0:26:54.840 to make Jesus the lord of your life. Would you 0:26:54.880 --> 0:26:58.840 pray with me? Just say Lord, Jesus, I'll repent of 0:26:58.880 --> 0:27:03.840 my sins. Come into my heart, make you my Lord 0:27:03.960 --> 0:27:07.920 and Savior. If you've prayed that simple prayer, we believe 0:27:07.960 --> 0:27:10.399 you got born again. We love to give you some 0:27:10.480 --> 0:27:13.120 information on your new walk with the Lord. Just text 0:27:13.200 --> 0:27:15.600 the number on the screen or go to the website. 0:27:15.800 --> 0:27:18.840 I hope you'll get into a good Bible based church 0:27:19.119 --> 0:27:22.719 and keep God first place. Thanks so much for listening 0:27:22.720 --> 0:27:25.880 to today's message. I hope you'll subscribe so you can 0:27:25.960 --> 0:27:29.520 receive the latest podcast to keep you encouraged and inspired 0:27:29.600 --> 0:27:30.360 all through the week. 0:27:30.520 --> 0:27:32.760 Help us to continue to share the message of hope 0:27:32.760 --> 0:27:36.240 with those all around the world. Visit Joelosting dot com 0:27:36.359 --> 0:27:38.959 or click the link in the description to partner with 0:27:39.040 --> 0:27:39.560 us today. 0:27:39.800 --> 0:27:42.240 WE hope you'll share this message with a friend and 0:27:42.359 --> 0:27:45.159 be sure to follow us on social media. We're praying 0:27:45.240 --> 0:27:48.320 for you. I know God's best is still ahead. We'll 0:27:48.359 --> 0:27:49.160 see you next time.