Being Quick to Give God the Credit

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This is not an 0:00:57.520 --> 0:00:58.920 offer to buy your self securities sn or is it 0:00:58.960 --> 0:01:00.000 investment legal or tax fives. 0:01:00.320 --> 0:01:02.240 He'll forget about the video game you gave him on 0:01:02.280 --> 0:01:02.840 his birthday. 0:01:03.160 --> 0:01:05.039 Wow, thanks Grandpa. 0:01:04.880 --> 0:01:07.280 But He'll never forget how you invested in his future 0:01:07.319 --> 0:01:08.280 with the units stapp. 0:01:08.800 --> 0:01:09.240 Wow. 0:01:09.720 --> 0:01:10.480 Thanks Grandpa. 0:01:11.080 --> 0:01:13.600 The units stap makes it easy for grandparents and family 0:01:13.640 --> 0:01:16.319 friends to give funds to a child's investment account for 0:01:16.360 --> 0:01:18.760 a limited time. Download the uns stap and use the 0:01:18.800 --> 0:01:20.840 code I heeart fifty at sign up to receive a 0:01:20.880 --> 0:01:23.400 fifty dollars bonus when you fund your account. That's code 0:01:23.400 --> 0:01:26.400 iHeart fifty when you sign up at unest dot co 0:01:26.760 --> 0:01:29.319 for a fifty dollars bonus. See terms and conditions at 0:01:29.440 --> 0:01:30.120 UNEs dot co. 0:01:31.120 --> 0:01:34.880 Hi, this is Joel and Victoria. Thanks for downloading our podcast. 0:01:35.120 --> 0:01:37.959 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 --> 0:01:57.040 Enjoy the message. 0:01:57.200 --> 0:02:01.120 Well, God bless you. Always enjoy coming to your homes. 0:02:01.440 --> 0:02:04.320 We love you. We know God has great things in 0:02:04.360 --> 0:02:06.320 store for each one of you. And if you're ever 0:02:06.400 --> 0:02:08.919 in our area, I hope you'll stop by and see us. 0:02:09.120 --> 0:02:11.160 I'll promise you we'll make you feel right at home. 0:02:11.400 --> 0:02:14.200 But thanks for tuning in. Thanks again for coming out today. 0:02:14.240 --> 0:02:16.640 And I like to start with something funny. Each week. 0:02:17.080 --> 0:02:21.520 I heard about these three sisters, ages ninety six, ninety four, 0:02:21.639 --> 0:02:25.200 and ninety two. They lived together. One day, the ninety 0:02:25.240 --> 0:02:27.919 six year old draws a bath and puts one foot 0:02:27.960 --> 0:02:31.880 in and stops. She hollers, downstairs, I can't remember if 0:02:31.880 --> 0:02:35.080 I was getting in or getting out. The ninety four 0:02:35.200 --> 0:02:37.920 year old said, just a second, I'll come upstairs and 0:02:37.960 --> 0:02:40.959 help you. She gets halfway up the stairs and stops. 0:02:41.360 --> 0:02:43.240 She says, I can't remember if I was going up 0:02:43.320 --> 0:02:46.160 or coming down. The ninety two year old shook her 0:02:46.160 --> 0:02:48.399 head and said, boy, I hope I never get that. Forgetful. 0:02:48.880 --> 0:02:51.760 She knocked on wood for good luck. Then she said, 0:02:51.800 --> 0:02:53.720 hang on, I'll come help both of you as soon 0:02:53.720 --> 0:02:58.320 as I see who's at the door. All right, hold 0:02:58.360 --> 0:03:00.960 up your Bible. Say it like you mean it. This 0:03:01.040 --> 0:03:03.560 is my Bible. I am what it says I am. 0:03:04.040 --> 0:03:06.400 I have what it says I have. I can do 0:03:06.560 --> 0:03:09.120 what it says I can do. Today I will be 0:03:09.200 --> 0:03:13.239 taught the word of God. I boldly confess. My mind 0:03:13.320 --> 0:03:16.680 is alert, my heart is receptive. I will never be 0:03:16.760 --> 0:03:21.440 the same. In Jesus' name, God bless you. I want 0:03:21.440 --> 0:03:24.399 to talk to you today about being quick to give 0:03:24.440 --> 0:03:28.400 God the credit. We've all seen God's blessings and favor 0:03:28.480 --> 0:03:32.320 in our lives. He's opened doors and given us opportunity, 0:03:32.840 --> 0:03:36.600 and it's so important that we recognize where the favor 0:03:36.720 --> 0:03:41.600 is coming from. It's not just our gifts, our education, 0:03:42.160 --> 0:03:44.400 our hard work that got us to where we are. 0:03:45.160 --> 0:03:49.280 The Scripture says every good gift comes from our Father 0:03:49.400 --> 0:03:53.160 in Heaven. Your gift may have helped you get that position, 0:03:53.720 --> 0:03:55.960 but it was God who gave you the gift in 0:03:56.000 --> 0:04:00.160 the first place. Your education may have opened the door, 0:04:00.560 --> 0:04:03.200 but it was God who gave you the ability to learn. 0:04:04.040 --> 0:04:07.280 Or your hard work may have brought you success, but 0:04:07.400 --> 0:04:10.280 it was God who gave you the health, the strength, 0:04:10.560 --> 0:04:13.280 the breath to get out of bed each morning. If 0:04:13.320 --> 0:04:16.440 we're going to continue to see God's favor, we have 0:04:16.600 --> 0:04:20.000 to be quick to give him the credit. We were 0:04:20.040 --> 0:04:24.880 never created to contain glory. We were created to give 0:04:24.960 --> 0:04:29.640 God glory. The higher we go, the more humility we 0:04:29.760 --> 0:04:33.560 have to walk in, the more God promotes us, the 0:04:33.560 --> 0:04:36.800 more grateful we should be. We're not supposed to go 0:04:36.880 --> 0:04:40.719 around thinking, look what I've built, Look what I've accomplished, 0:04:40.760 --> 0:04:43.680 Look at my position. When we do that we are 0:04:43.800 --> 0:04:47.360 taking what belongs to God. I've seen some of these 0:04:47.400 --> 0:04:50.680 celebrities that didn't live a long life or that were 0:04:50.720 --> 0:04:54.039 on top, but they had a set back and never recovered. 0:04:54.560 --> 0:04:58.920 One reason is they were containing all the glory. They 0:04:59.000 --> 0:05:01.480 let the success go go to their head and they 0:05:01.520 --> 0:05:05.200 started thinking, look how great I am. There's nobody like me. 0:05:05.520 --> 0:05:08.440 They just kept taking in all the praise. But this 0:05:08.560 --> 0:05:13.240 is important. God will not share his glory if we 0:05:13.360 --> 0:05:16.400 take the credit thinking that we're the one that's making 0:05:16.440 --> 0:05:20.200 it all happen. At some point, God will remove his 0:05:20.320 --> 0:05:23.960 hand of favor to make sure that we realize where 0:05:23.960 --> 0:05:27.600 the credit really belongs. It says in One Peter, chapter 0:05:27.600 --> 0:05:32.080 five and verse six, humble yourself under the mighty hand 0:05:32.160 --> 0:05:36.040 of God, and he will exalt you. Now I've learned 0:05:36.400 --> 0:05:40.720 if we don't humble ourselves, God will humble us. If 0:05:40.760 --> 0:05:44.159 we don't give him the credit recognizing that it is 0:05:44.240 --> 0:05:47.200 his goodness that got us to where we are. Then 0:05:47.200 --> 0:05:51.240 God has a way of getting our attention. And it's interesting. 0:05:51.600 --> 0:05:54.600 We can come down a lot quicker than we go up. 0:05:55.279 --> 0:05:57.919 What took twenty years to build can come down in 0:05:57.920 --> 0:06:02.400 a split second. Is what happened to King Nebuconezar. He 0:06:02.480 --> 0:06:06.520 said in Daniel four, how great is our God? How 0:06:06.600 --> 0:06:11.240 mighty are his works? His kingdom is everlasting. Notice he 0:06:11.360 --> 0:06:15.520 started off good. He started off giving God credit talking 0:06:15.520 --> 0:06:19.599 about his greatness, and God continued to increase in But 0:06:19.800 --> 0:06:23.800 somewhere along the way he allowed a spirit of pride 0:06:23.839 --> 0:06:28.160 to creep in. Twelve months later, in verse thirty, he 0:06:28.200 --> 0:06:31.240 looked out over the city and said, is this not 0:06:31.520 --> 0:06:35.080 the great Babylon that I have built by the might 0:06:35.200 --> 0:06:38.440 of my power and for the honor and glory of 0:06:38.520 --> 0:06:43.279 my majesty. Notice, all the mines might my power, my majesty. 0:06:43.520 --> 0:06:46.440 He began thinking, Man, I'm pretty great. I built an 0:06:46.480 --> 0:06:49.359 awesome kingdom here. I like these people bowing down in 0:06:49.400 --> 0:06:50.000 worshiping me. 0:06:50.680 --> 0:06:50.960 See. 0:06:51.000 --> 0:06:54.159 He started out giving God the credit, but as he 0:06:54.240 --> 0:06:58.159 got successful and saw more of God's favor, he made 0:06:58.200 --> 0:07:01.839 the mistake of thinking it was his talent, his ability. 0:07:02.160 --> 0:07:05.480 Instead of giving God the credit, he started taking the credit. 0:07:06.279 --> 0:07:10.120 It's much easier to stay humble when we're first starting out, 0:07:10.600 --> 0:07:14.560 But the real test is when God increases you and 0:07:14.600 --> 0:07:17.480 you get that promotion and now you're in a position 0:07:17.600 --> 0:07:21.640 of authority. That's when it's more difficult. To walk in humility. 0:07:22.400 --> 0:07:25.480 That's why God told the people of Israel. When you 0:07:25.560 --> 0:07:28.760 live in nice homes and you have plenty to eat, 0:07:28.880 --> 0:07:32.640 and you're blessed and prosperous, make sure you don't forget 0:07:33.080 --> 0:07:35.840 it was the Lord your God who gave it to you. 0:07:38.160 --> 0:07:43.520 King Nebkanezzar's downfall is he started containing the glory instead 0:07:43.520 --> 0:07:46.200 of giving God the glory. As he was up there 0:07:46.320 --> 0:07:49.760 bragging to the people about how great he was and 0:07:49.800 --> 0:07:52.920 all the amazing things that he built, says in verse 0:07:52.960 --> 0:07:57.040 thirty one. While he was still speaking, a voice came 0:07:57.080 --> 0:08:01.440 out of the heavens, saying, Neb Canizzar, this day the 0:08:01.560 --> 0:08:06.120 kingdom has departed from you. Friends. This is a powerful principle. 0:08:06.440 --> 0:08:09.800 God will not share his glory. Let's be quick to 0:08:09.880 --> 0:08:12.920 give him the credit. Don't ever say, look what I've done, 0:08:12.920 --> 0:08:15.720 Look what I've built, Look how talented I am. Know 0:08:15.880 --> 0:08:19.560 without the goodness and mercy of God, we wouldn't be anything, 0:08:19.600 --> 0:08:23.480 and we wouldn't have anything. We should constantly be thanking 0:08:23.520 --> 0:08:27.040 God for where we are, bragging on his goodness, bragging 0:08:27.080 --> 0:08:31.280 on his favor, giving him the honor. The scripture says 0:08:31.640 --> 0:08:35.959 God opposes the proud, but He gives favor to the 0:08:36.080 --> 0:08:40.760 humble when you humble yourself and say, God, I know 0:08:41.080 --> 0:08:44.200 it was your goodness that got me here, and your 0:08:44.280 --> 0:08:47.800 mercy that's kept me here, and your favor that's opened 0:08:47.840 --> 0:08:52.120 these doors. When you walk in humility like that, being 0:08:52.240 --> 0:08:55.480 quick to give God the credit, he'll take your places 0:08:55.559 --> 0:08:58.520 that you've never even dreamed of. Because it's really it's 0:08:58.559 --> 0:09:01.679 not how talented you are are, or smart you are, 0:09:02.200 --> 0:09:05.840 or educated you are. What really matters is do you 0:09:06.000 --> 0:09:09.360 have the favor of God on your life? Because I 0:09:09.400 --> 0:09:12.840 know people that are extremely talented, they have plenty of 0:09:12.920 --> 0:09:16.480 degrees behind their name, but they are so stuck on 0:09:16.600 --> 0:09:21.240 themselves they're not seeing God's favor like they should. I 0:09:21.280 --> 0:09:24.439 talked to a gentleman last week after the service. He 0:09:24.480 --> 0:09:27.800 came from a very poor home. He never was able 0:09:27.840 --> 0:09:31.640 to attend college. In fact, he never even finished high school. 0:09:32.200 --> 0:09:35.240 But twenty seven years ago, he and his wife started 0:09:35.240 --> 0:09:38.000 a business. He said, every morning, we would get down 0:09:38.040 --> 0:09:41.920 on our knees and say, Father, we humble ourselves before you, 0:09:42.520 --> 0:09:45.520 recognizing you are the one that gave us this business, 0:09:45.880 --> 0:09:48.800 and so we commit it into your hands. Today, that 0:09:48.960 --> 0:09:53.800 company has thousands of employees. Offices all over the country, 0:09:54.000 --> 0:09:58.400 extremely successful. He told something that really got my attention. 0:09:58.960 --> 0:10:00.920 He said, Joel, we used to to just get up 0:10:00.920 --> 0:10:04.000 in the morning and give God credit. But now that 0:10:04.080 --> 0:10:08.440 we're so blessed and so successful, every night before we 0:10:08.480 --> 0:10:11.000 go to bed, we get down on our knees and 0:10:11.080 --> 0:10:15.880 do the same thing. Notice as God increase them, they 0:10:15.920 --> 0:10:19.920 increase their humility, they increase their gratitude. That is so 0:10:20.000 --> 0:10:24.600 important because many people, like nibucon Nezar, they start thinking 0:10:24.640 --> 0:10:28.240 it's their gifts and their talents. But these people they 0:10:28.240 --> 0:10:31.920 did just the opposite. Instead of letting that make them 0:10:31.920 --> 0:10:34.800 more proud and think of them of how great they were, 0:10:35.360 --> 0:10:39.480 they became even more humbled by their success, realizing more 0:10:39.520 --> 0:10:42.840 than ever it was God's goodness in their life. That's 0:10:42.880 --> 0:10:46.360 the key. The higher we go, the more humility we 0:10:46.440 --> 0:10:50.520 have to walk in. I think about King Saul. God 0:10:50.559 --> 0:10:53.480 honored him in a great way. He was chosen to 0:10:53.559 --> 0:10:57.520 be the first king of Israel. He started out so humble, 0:10:57.640 --> 0:11:02.120 so obedient, but like Nibucon, over time he let his 0:11:02.160 --> 0:11:05.960 guard down. He ended up losing the kingdom. God said 0:11:06.000 --> 0:11:10.480 something significant in First Samuel fifteen, Saul, when you were 0:11:10.559 --> 0:11:14.360 little in your own eyes. I anointed you as the King. 0:11:15.280 --> 0:11:17.880 How that should be our prayer? God, help me to 0:11:17.920 --> 0:11:20.840 stay little in my own eyes. God, help me to 0:11:20.840 --> 0:11:24.199 not get the big head, but to always walk humbly 0:11:24.280 --> 0:11:29.040 before you and realize that every good gift, every accomplishment, 0:11:29.200 --> 0:11:33.439 all my talents, it's because you poured out your goodness 0:11:33.480 --> 0:11:37.280 and your favor in my life. I've had the opportunity 0:11:37.520 --> 0:11:41.600 of visiting with doctor Billy Graham. He's in his nineties now. 0:11:42.040 --> 0:11:44.840 Every time I go see him, one thing that stands 0:11:44.840 --> 0:11:50.400 out is his spirit of humility. After all his accomplishments, 0:11:50.720 --> 0:11:55.360 speaking to millions, touching this generation, he is still small 0:11:55.520 --> 0:11:58.920 in his own eyes. I go there to honor him, 0:11:59.400 --> 0:12:02.280 let him know how he's inspired me and been such 0:12:02.320 --> 0:12:05.560 a great example. And I'm bragging and bragging on him, 0:12:05.559 --> 0:12:07.880 but he won't take any of it. He turns it 0:12:07.920 --> 0:12:11.000 around and starts bragging on me. He never will take 0:12:11.120 --> 0:12:14.400 the credit. Last time I was with him, he said, Joel, 0:12:14.440 --> 0:12:17.559 I watch you on television each week from that big 0:12:17.640 --> 0:12:20.480 arena that's your church. Now I would come visit you. 0:12:20.559 --> 0:12:23.200 I just don't think I could get a seat. But 0:12:23.320 --> 0:12:26.560 here's a man that has touched our generation like no 0:12:26.760 --> 0:12:32.040 other minister. Yet he still walks in incredible humility, no wonder. 0:12:32.120 --> 0:12:35.920 God has promoted him in amazing ways. Even though he's 0:12:36.040 --> 0:12:40.920 received recognition, he's received credit, he didn't contain it. He 0:12:40.960 --> 0:12:43.559 gave it to the one who deserves it. And there 0:12:43.640 --> 0:12:46.600 is no limit to how high God will take you 0:12:48.040 --> 0:12:51.320 if you will stay small in your own eyes and 0:12:51.440 --> 0:12:54.960 always be quick to give God the credit. The other day, 0:12:55.080 --> 0:12:59.720 a reporter was asking me about the success here listed 0:12:59.760 --> 0:13:03.880 all the accomplishments, the books, and the big stadiums, the 0:13:03.920 --> 0:13:05.920 new building, on and on, all these things that could 0:13:05.920 --> 0:13:08.600 have given me a big head. But my one comment 0:13:08.840 --> 0:13:12.200 was to God be the glory. If I brag, I'm 0:13:12.200 --> 0:13:14.199 not gonna brag on me. I'm gonna brag on the 0:13:14.240 --> 0:13:18.120 goodness of God. I'm gonna brag on the fact that 0:13:18.200 --> 0:13:21.120 God has put amazing people in my life. I'm gonna 0:13:21.160 --> 0:13:23.560 brag on the fact that God has opened up incredible 0:13:23.640 --> 0:13:26.760 doors and given us opportunities that we've never dreamed of. 0:13:27.760 --> 0:13:31.160 I know where my source of strength and talent and 0:13:31.240 --> 0:13:34.839 blessing comes from. It's God's favor on my life. And 0:13:34.960 --> 0:13:37.319 I realize we can come down a lot quicker than 0:13:37.360 --> 0:13:39.560 we went up I'm gonna make sure to give the 0:13:39.640 --> 0:13:43.400 credit where it belongs. I'm gonna humble myself so that 0:13:43.400 --> 0:13:46.800 God doesn't have to humble me. I heard somebody say 0:13:47.200 --> 0:13:51.520 we should treat praise and criticism the same way. In 0:13:51.559 --> 0:13:55.360 other words, when somebody criticizes and says hurtful things, we 0:13:55.400 --> 0:13:59.680 should immediately deflect that down, don't dwell on it, don't 0:13:59.679 --> 0:14:02.640 give it the time of day. In the same way, 0:14:02.920 --> 0:14:05.840 when someone is giving you praise and telling you how 0:14:05.880 --> 0:14:09.679 talented you are and congratulating you on all of your accomplishments, 0:14:10.280 --> 0:14:14.200 instead of deflecting it down, deflect it up. God to 0:14:14.240 --> 0:14:16.600 you be the glory. I know you've given me this 0:14:16.720 --> 0:14:19.000 ability and this strength, so I give you the credit. 0:14:19.840 --> 0:14:23.720 Don't let that praise go to your head. Just like 0:14:23.960 --> 0:14:27.720 that criticism can poison your spirit. If you start taking 0:14:27.760 --> 0:14:30.400 the credit thinking that you're the great one, then that 0:14:30.560 --> 0:14:33.880 pride will poison your spirit and keep you from God's best. 0:14:34.680 --> 0:14:37.360 I have people tell me from time to time, Joel, 0:14:37.440 --> 0:14:40.400 thank you for what you do. You've helped change my life, 0:14:41.000 --> 0:14:43.800 And of course I'm grateful, and I let those kind 0:14:43.840 --> 0:14:47.440 words encourage my heart. But at the same time, I say, 0:14:47.520 --> 0:14:50.400 God to you be the glory. I know you've given 0:14:50.440 --> 0:14:53.360 me this gift. You've honored me by helping others, so 0:14:53.480 --> 0:14:56.960 I give you all the credit. One time in the scripture, 0:14:57.440 --> 0:15:00.760 King Herod got up and gave a great speech. The 0:15:00.760 --> 0:15:04.600 people were so impressed. They started saying, this is the 0:15:04.680 --> 0:15:07.960 voice of God and not of man. They begin to 0:15:08.000 --> 0:15:11.240 bow down and worship him. Old Herod made a big mistake. 0:15:11.280 --> 0:15:13.480 He let it go to his head. He loved it 0:15:13.520 --> 0:15:16.560 and just ate it up, the scripture says in Acts twelve. 0:15:17.160 --> 0:15:22.440 Immediately the Angel of the Lord struck Herod with a disease, 0:15:23.120 --> 0:15:26.320 and he ended up dying in early death, being eaten 0:15:26.360 --> 0:15:31.480 by worms, all because he accepted the people's praise rather 0:15:31.520 --> 0:15:34.400 than giving the praise to God. I don't know about you, 0:15:34.440 --> 0:15:37.880 but I don't want any worms around me. I'm gonna 0:15:37.920 --> 0:15:41.280 make sure I give the credit where it belongs. I'm 0:15:41.320 --> 0:15:43.720 a sports fan, and I love when I see these 0:15:43.760 --> 0:15:46.880 ball players. After they hit a home run or score 0:15:46.880 --> 0:15:49.800 a touchdown, do something great, they point up toward the heavens. 0:15:50.200 --> 0:15:54.000 They're saying, God, I honor you, this cheer, this applause. 0:15:54.040 --> 0:15:56.760 It's coming to me, but I deflect it up to you. 0:15:57.120 --> 0:15:59.800 I know You've given me this talent, so I give 0:15:59.840 --> 0:16:02.760 you all the glory. I saw one of the leading 0:16:02.840 --> 0:16:06.480 actors of our day being interviewed on television. He's had 0:16:06.480 --> 0:16:09.880 a career that spans more than sixty years, very well respected. 0:16:10.480 --> 0:16:13.160 The reporter asked him about all of his success and 0:16:13.200 --> 0:16:16.280 how could it last so long without missing a beat. 0:16:16.560 --> 0:16:19.760 He said, it's all because of the grace of God. 0:16:20.360 --> 0:16:23.680 He was quick to give God the credit. I think 0:16:23.680 --> 0:16:27.200 about the apostle Paul. At one point in his life 0:16:27.400 --> 0:16:31.080 he hated believers. He was persecuting them and trying to 0:16:31.120 --> 0:16:33.920 have them killed. That you remember how in a split 0:16:34.000 --> 0:16:36.880 second God changed his life and he went on to 0:16:36.960 --> 0:16:40.000 write over half of the New Testament and do many 0:16:40.040 --> 0:16:44.360 great things for God. He said in First Corinthians fifteen ten. 0:16:45.160 --> 0:16:50.040 Whatever I am now, it's because God poured out his 0:16:50.120 --> 0:16:54.760 special favor. Notice, he knew where the credit belonged. That's 0:16:54.800 --> 0:16:58.320 why God could use him in amazing ways. We need 0:16:58.360 --> 0:17:02.520 to see pride as a poison, going around thinking that 0:17:02.800 --> 0:17:06.160 we're the only reason for our success, and we made 0:17:06.200 --> 0:17:09.680 it all happen by our talent, our hard work. That's 0:17:09.840 --> 0:17:13.680 just like pouring a soft drink into your car's gas tank. 0:17:14.280 --> 0:17:17.120 It's not the right kind of fuel. Sooner or later 0:17:17.280 --> 0:17:20.800 the car is going to start sputtering, why you put 0:17:20.880 --> 0:17:24.680 poison in the engine. That's what pride does to us. 0:17:25.280 --> 0:17:27.760 If we start thinking that we did it all on 0:17:27.800 --> 0:17:31.159 our own, we start taking all the credit, not realizing 0:17:31.200 --> 0:17:35.000 that every good gift comes from our Father. Then, because 0:17:35.080 --> 0:17:38.400 God won't share the glory, he will remove his hand 0:17:38.400 --> 0:17:41.280 of favor. But if we can just turn it around 0:17:41.520 --> 0:17:44.040 and go through the day saying Father, thank you for 0:17:44.160 --> 0:17:47.600 my talent, thank you for this promotion. God, thank you 0:17:47.680 --> 0:17:51.000 for this opportunity. I know I am where I am 0:17:51.280 --> 0:17:54.040 because you poured out your special favor, and I give 0:17:54.080 --> 0:17:57.679 you the credit. If you'll humble yourself like that, it 0:17:57.800 --> 0:18:02.200 says God will exalt you. He'll increase you and entrust 0:18:02.240 --> 0:18:06.119 you with more. Last Tuesday, Victoria and I had the 0:18:06.200 --> 0:18:10.240 honor of having breakfast with President Obama, some of the staff, 0:18:10.280 --> 0:18:13.159 and other Christian leaders. And as we sat there in 0:18:13.240 --> 0:18:18.000 the in the East room of the White House, I 0:18:18.040 --> 0:18:21.159 thought about all the amazing things that had taken place 0:18:21.200 --> 0:18:24.639 in that building. I couldn't help but feel an overwhelming 0:18:24.720 --> 0:18:28.960 sense of gratitude. I remember how I worked behind the 0:18:29.040 --> 0:18:32.879 scenes with my father doing the television production. Many many years, 0:18:33.040 --> 0:18:35.560 I never thought I would be a minister. But now 0:18:35.600 --> 0:18:38.439 God's taken me places that I've never even dreamed of. 0:18:39.040 --> 0:18:41.200 And as we were leaving the White House that day, 0:18:41.840 --> 0:18:44.920 I could easily thought, man, I've really turned into something special. 0:18:45.720 --> 0:18:49.720 I've been hanging out with the prayers now. No, it 0:18:49.840 --> 0:18:53.640 was just the opposite. I felt an incredible sense of humility. 0:18:54.200 --> 0:18:57.879 I can say with Paul, whatever I am, it's because 0:18:58.160 --> 0:19:01.000 God poured out his special favor. I know it was 0:19:01.000 --> 0:19:04.760 his mercy, his blessings, his goodness in my life. 0:19:06.119 --> 0:19:06.239 Now. 0:19:06.240 --> 0:19:10.040 I say that to say, when you see Ephesians three 0:19:10.200 --> 0:19:13.159 twenty come to pass in your own life, as you 0:19:13.280 --> 0:19:16.840 see God begin to do exceedingly abundantly above and beyond, 0:19:17.480 --> 0:19:21.520 make sure you remember where the favor comes from. It's 0:19:21.600 --> 0:19:25.560 easy to think, Wow, I'm pretty great now I got 0:19:25.560 --> 0:19:28.879 this new position, I got accepted into the college that 0:19:28.920 --> 0:19:32.080 I wanted, or I got asked to do the presentation 0:19:32.200 --> 0:19:38.960 in front of the whole company. Anytime there's honor, recognition, increase, 0:19:39.440 --> 0:19:42.240 that spirit of pride will come knocking on the door saying, oh, yeah, 0:19:42.240 --> 0:19:45.520 you're right, this is all because of you. You're so smart, 0:19:45.560 --> 0:19:48.439 you're so talented. No, don't fall into that trap. The 0:19:48.480 --> 0:19:53.240 scripture says promotion doesn't come from people. Promotion comes from 0:19:53.320 --> 0:19:57.399 the Lord. And yes, I know, we have to do 0:19:57.480 --> 0:20:01.879 our part, develop our gifts and talent, be focused in discipline. 0:20:02.280 --> 0:20:06.240 But ultimately, God is the one that opens doors. God 0:20:06.320 --> 0:20:08.960 is the one that gives good breaks. He lifts up 0:20:09.000 --> 0:20:13.400 one and sets down another. The reason some people are 0:20:13.400 --> 0:20:17.680 being set down is because they started taking the credit 0:20:18.119 --> 0:20:21.399 rather than giving God the credit. But we weren't designed 0:20:21.680 --> 0:20:24.720 to contain the glory. We were designed to pass it on. 0:20:25.720 --> 0:20:28.760 The higher God takes you, the lower you have to go. 0:20:29.400 --> 0:20:32.399 The more He promotes you, the more humility you have 0:20:32.480 --> 0:20:35.159 to walk in. Let's be quick to give God the credit, 0:20:35.880 --> 0:20:39.199 even in small things in our daily life. You get 0:20:39.240 --> 0:20:41.800 a good deal at the mall, Thank you Lord, I 0:20:41.840 --> 0:20:44.879 know this is your favor. Somebody pulls out and you 0:20:44.880 --> 0:20:47.199 get a front row parking spot. Thank you Lord, I 0:20:47.240 --> 0:20:50.440 know this is your goodness. At the office, all of 0:20:50.480 --> 0:20:53.639 a sudden, you have a great idea. The boss loves it. 0:20:53.960 --> 0:20:55.280 People are congratulating. 0:20:55.359 --> 0:20:55.479 You. 0:20:56.200 --> 0:21:00.399 Receive that encouragement. Let it build your confidence, but at 0:21:00.400 --> 0:21:04.040 the same time, have a sense of gratitude. Father. I 0:21:04.080 --> 0:21:07.440 know every good thing comes from you, and I realize 0:21:07.480 --> 0:21:10.200 you gave me that idea. So I give you the glory. 0:21:11.080 --> 0:21:14.439 If you will stay small in your own eyes and 0:21:14.560 --> 0:21:18.520 always stand in amazement of what God has done, realizing 0:21:18.560 --> 0:21:21.400 that He's given you the gifts, the talents, the ideas, 0:21:21.920 --> 0:21:24.879 then God will continue to take you higher and hire. 0:21:26.000 --> 0:21:28.360 One thing that will help us to keep this spirit 0:21:28.400 --> 0:21:32.800 of humility is we should remember where we came from 0:21:33.240 --> 0:21:36.240 on a regular basis. It's good to look back over 0:21:36.280 --> 0:21:40.480 your life and remember the key moments where God gave 0:21:40.520 --> 0:21:43.480 you favor and opened up a door and you met 0:21:43.520 --> 0:21:47.040 someone special. You got a new position, and that led 0:21:47.080 --> 0:21:50.239 you to where you are now. As you remember the 0:21:50.280 --> 0:21:53.359 good things God has done, it'll help you to stay 0:21:53.440 --> 0:21:57.640 grateful and to realize it was God's hand of favor 0:21:57.920 --> 0:22:01.360 that got you to where you are. I remember often 0:22:01.880 --> 0:22:05.639 walking into the jewelry store meeting Victoria for the first time. 0:22:06.240 --> 0:22:09.080 We fell in love and got married. The scripture says 0:22:09.119 --> 0:22:12.040 he who finds a wife finds favor from the Lord. 0:22:12.440 --> 0:22:14.840 I know she's brought me favor. That's good because I 0:22:14.880 --> 0:22:16.280 need a lot of it to take care of her. 0:22:18.840 --> 0:22:21.919 I remember as a young couple when God led us 0:22:21.960 --> 0:22:25.760 to purchase a piece of property that ended up doubling 0:22:25.840 --> 0:22:28.919 in value. I remember when my father went to be 0:22:29.000 --> 0:22:31.919 with the Lord. I didn't know how to minister. We 0:22:32.000 --> 0:22:34.280 never dreamed the church would grow. We were just trying 0:22:34.320 --> 0:22:37.400 to maintain what my parents had built. But God had 0:22:37.400 --> 0:22:40.400 other plans. Here we are today, in this beautiful facility. 0:22:40.960 --> 0:22:45.119 You need to look back over your own life and 0:22:45.320 --> 0:22:49.920 remember where God brought you from. Remember your victories. Don't 0:22:50.000 --> 0:22:53.920 let them become so ordinary that they don't excite you anymore. 0:22:54.480 --> 0:22:58.560 We should never lose the amazement of what God has done. 0:22:58.640 --> 0:23:01.199 I learned this from my father. He grew up in 0:23:01.280 --> 0:23:05.760 extreme poverty. His parents were cotton farmers that lost everything 0:23:05.800 --> 0:23:08.880 in the Great Depression. My father dropped out of high 0:23:08.880 --> 0:23:11.560 school so he could help his family make a living. 0:23:12.200 --> 0:23:14.359 But when he gave his life to the Lord, he 0:23:14.440 --> 0:23:16.800 not only went back and got his high school diploma, 0:23:17.000 --> 0:23:20.119 but he got his college degree as well. My father 0:23:20.280 --> 0:23:23.920 used to constantly say, Joel, can you believe where God 0:23:23.960 --> 0:23:27.800 has taken me. We would even drive back to East 0:23:27.800 --> 0:23:30.239 Texas where he grew up so he could see the 0:23:30.280 --> 0:23:33.320 farm and the property that he was raised on. Daddy 0:23:33.359 --> 0:23:36.200 would stand there in amazement looking out at that property 0:23:36.200 --> 0:23:38.960 and just in awe of how God brought him out 0:23:39.000 --> 0:23:42.440 of that defeat and poverty. And my father never got 0:23:42.480 --> 0:23:46.160 tired of telling his testimony how he gave his life 0:23:46.200 --> 0:23:49.200 to the Lord. He told it like it happened yesterday. 0:23:49.480 --> 0:23:52.000 If you've been around here long, you've heard it one 0:23:52.040 --> 0:23:55.040 hundred times. How he was lost and undone coming home 0:23:55.119 --> 0:23:57.960 from a nightclub two o'clock in the morning. That never 0:23:58.040 --> 0:24:01.560 got old to him. He built the sanctuary that holds 0:24:01.680 --> 0:24:05.320 eight thousand people. That was my father's dream. He used 0:24:05.359 --> 0:24:07.600 to come up during the week and say, Joel, come on, 0:24:07.680 --> 0:24:10.320 let's go look at the new sanctuary. I thought, man, 0:24:10.320 --> 0:24:13.679 we've seen it five hundred times. But we would go 0:24:13.760 --> 0:24:16.800 stand in the bleachers with nobody there, and my father 0:24:16.840 --> 0:24:19.160 would just take it all in a lot of times 0:24:19.160 --> 0:24:21.840 he'd say, hey, turn on the lights, turn on the sound, 0:24:22.040 --> 0:24:25.280 turn on the screens. We had services in there three 0:24:25.320 --> 0:24:27.879 times a week. He knew what it looked like, but 0:24:27.960 --> 0:24:31.000 he never lost the amazement of what God had done. 0:24:31.200 --> 0:24:34.720 No wonder. He was always giving God the credit. Let 0:24:34.720 --> 0:24:38.280 me encourage you, don't let your miracles become so old. 0:24:38.359 --> 0:24:42.200 And so stagnant that they don't excite you anymore. Don't 0:24:42.280 --> 0:24:46.720 let the times that don't let the time that God 0:24:46.760 --> 0:24:49.520 opened the door and gave you favor, and the time 0:24:49.600 --> 0:24:52.840 God turned the situation around and somebody went out of 0:24:52.840 --> 0:24:55.240 their way for no reason to be good to you. 0:24:55.960 --> 0:25:00.960 Don't let that become old. Don't ever lose thee excitement, 0:25:01.119 --> 0:25:04.359 the amazement of what God has done. When we live 0:25:04.520 --> 0:25:08.960 in awe of God's goodness and we're constantly remembering his favor, 0:25:09.600 --> 0:25:12.399 then it's easy to give God the credit. We can't 0:25:12.440 --> 0:25:15.440 contain the glory. We're too busy giving God the glory. 0:25:16.119 --> 0:25:19.639 It's interesting. In the Old Testament, God commanded the people 0:25:20.119 --> 0:25:23.600 to have certain celebrations and feast, and one of the 0:25:23.640 --> 0:25:27.800 main reasons was so they would remember what he had done. 0:25:27.840 --> 0:25:29.880 And several times a year they'd all stop what they 0:25:29.880 --> 0:25:33.600 were doing. Everybody would take off, and they'd go celebrate 0:25:33.880 --> 0:25:37.160 how God brought them out of slavery, how God protected 0:25:37.200 --> 0:25:40.000 them from this enemy, and how God defeated these other 0:25:40.040 --> 0:25:44.000 people over here they were required to remember. They had 0:25:44.040 --> 0:25:49.080 these big feast with music and singing and dancing. Imagine 0:25:49.119 --> 0:25:51.359 someone coming over to your home and you're having a 0:25:51.400 --> 0:25:56.000 big party. Everyone's having fun, the music is going. They 0:25:56.000 --> 0:25:59.679 ask you what kind of party? Is this a birthday party, 0:26:00.080 --> 0:26:03.440 super Bowl party, a wedding party? You say, no, we're 0:26:03.520 --> 0:26:07.679 celebrating what God has done. Five years ago, God spared 0:26:07.720 --> 0:26:11.120 my life in an accident, so we're having this party tonight. 0:26:11.840 --> 0:26:14.680 Or ten years ago, God set me free from an addiction, 0:26:15.040 --> 0:26:18.760 so we're celebrating right now. Or twenty nine years ago, 0:26:19.040 --> 0:26:21.960 God healed my mother from cancer, and so we're thanking 0:26:22.040 --> 0:26:28.399 him once again. As you remember the great things God 0:26:28.440 --> 0:26:31.719 has done and you stand in awe of his amazement. 0:26:32.000 --> 0:26:35.159 That will help you to stay filled with gratitude. You 0:26:35.240 --> 0:26:38.159 can't keep the credit when you're always giving God the credit. 0:26:39.000 --> 0:26:41.880 Most of you know how we've had a sixty year 0:26:41.960 --> 0:26:45.639 lease on this facility from the city. It was always 0:26:45.680 --> 0:26:47.919 our desire to own it, but the lease was the 0:26:47.920 --> 0:26:50.720 best thing at the time. But just two weeks ago, 0:26:50.800 --> 0:26:54.440 the Houston City Council voted to sell us this property 0:26:54.680 --> 0:26:57.399 for seven and a half million dollars, and today we 0:26:57.520 --> 0:27:03.760 own it forever. That day that the council voted yes 0:27:04.400 --> 0:27:07.960 was a Wednesday, and instead of having our normal Wednesday 0:27:08.040 --> 0:27:11.040 night services, we came in here and took the whole 0:27:11.160 --> 0:27:15.119 time just to see, to shout, to celebrate God's goodness. 0:27:15.240 --> 0:27:18.040 We were saying, God, to you be the glory. This 0:27:18.200 --> 0:27:20.439 was not our own light, not our own power, but 0:27:20.520 --> 0:27:23.400 it was your goodness. I was thinking about how now 0:27:23.840 --> 0:27:27.960 every April we have even another reason to celebrate. Now 0:27:28.000 --> 0:27:31.400 I'm asking you today to remember the great things God 0:27:31.440 --> 0:27:35.360 has done. Be quick to give him the credit. Recognize 0:27:35.520 --> 0:27:38.440 it's his favor in your life. If you're gonna brag, 0:27:38.520 --> 0:27:41.160 don't brag on yourself. Brag on the goodness of God. 0:27:41.520 --> 0:27:44.760 Stay small in your own eyes. Now, I believe in 0:27:44.800 --> 0:27:48.159 the coming days we're going to see God's favor like 0:27:48.240 --> 0:27:51.560 we've never seen it before. That means we're gonna have 0:27:51.600 --> 0:27:54.719 to walk in humility like we've never walked in it before. 0:27:55.640 --> 0:27:58.840 The scripture says when they wanted to make Jesus king, 0:27:59.400 --> 0:28:03.160 he went up higher. Friends, there's a higher place than 0:28:03.280 --> 0:28:06.920 just taking all the credit, the praise, the recognition for yourself. 0:28:07.480 --> 0:28:10.480 When you go up higher and say, God, I know 0:28:11.000 --> 0:28:13.760 you've given me every good gift. Now, I wouldn't be 0:28:13.800 --> 0:28:16.679 where I am without your favor. So I give you 0:28:16.760 --> 0:28:20.240 the praise, the honor, the recognition, When you have that 0:28:20.320 --> 0:28:23.720 kind of attitude, there's no limit to how high God 0:28:23.760 --> 0:28:26.720 can take you. If you study some of the greatest 0:28:26.920 --> 0:28:29.840 believers that ever lived, you'll find that they had a 0:28:29.880 --> 0:28:35.040 common ingredient. It wasn't their great faith, or their dynamic personality, 0:28:35.480 --> 0:28:39.840 or even their incredible speaking ability. The common ingredient is 0:28:39.880 --> 0:28:43.280 they had a spirit of humility, and they were quick 0:28:43.360 --> 0:28:46.320 to give God the credit. That's what the scripture says, 0:28:46.560 --> 0:28:50.840 before honor comes humility. If you'll make this decision with 0:28:50.960 --> 0:28:54.480 me to stay small in your own eyes and be 0:28:54.600 --> 0:28:57.959 quick to give God the credit, then He promises he 0:28:58.040 --> 0:29:01.360 will exalt you, he will incre you, and I believe 0:29:01.400 --> 0:29:03.920 in declare you will live that life of victory he 0:29:04.000 --> 0:29:07.880 has in story. Amen, do you receive it today? We 0:29:08.160 --> 0:29:10.880 never like to close our broadcast without giving you an 0:29:10.880 --> 0:29:13.920 opportunity to make Jesus the lord of your life. Would 0:29:13.960 --> 0:29:18.080 you pray with me, Just say, Lord, Jesus, I'll repent 0:29:18.080 --> 0:29:22.320 of my sins. Come into my heart. I'll make you 0:29:22.400 --> 0:29:26.200 my lord and savior. Friends, if you prayed that simple prayer, 0:29:26.240 --> 0:29:28.960 we believe you got born again. Get in a good 0:29:29.040 --> 0:29:32.000 Bible based church, keep God first place in your life. 0:29:32.240 --> 0:29:34.320 He'll take your places that you've never dreamed of. 0:29:35.000 --> 0:29:37.880 Thank you for listening to the Jolus Deine podcast. 0:29:38.200 --> 0:29:40.840 Help Let's continue to share the message of hope with 0:29:40.960 --> 0:29:42.320 those all over the world. 0:29:42.600 --> 0:29:43.840 Visit Jolus deein. 0:29:43.720 --> 0:29:47.040 Dot com slash give Hope to give a gift today. 0:29:48.320 --> 0:29:51.240 Thanks so much for listening to today's message. I hope 0:29:51.240 --> 0:29:54.600 you'll subscribe so you can receive the latest podcast to 0:29:54.680 --> 0:29:57.880 keep you inspired all through the week. We're praying for you. 0:29:58.080 --> 0:30:00.520 I know God's best is still ahead. We'll see you 0:30:00.600 --> 0:30:01.160 next time. 0:30:09.600 --> 0:30:12.120 More than ever before, people are turning to the church 0:30:12.160 --> 0:30:15.760 for their mental health struggles. Unfortunately, the church has largely 0:30:15.800 --> 0:30:18.920 been ill equipped to help. That is until now. Join 0:30:18.960 --> 0:30:21.960 nearly fifty thousand people just like you who've enrolled in 0:30:22.000 --> 0:30:24.920 the Mental Health Coach training program and become equipped to 0:30:25.040 --> 0:30:27.360 help for a limited time. Apply for a full tuition 0:30:27.480 --> 0:30:29.800 scholarship and only pay a one time tech fee of 0:30:29.840 --> 0:30:33.800 fifty four dollars if accepted. 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