Better Together

0:00:00.240 --> 0:00:02.640 You and your dog are close, like watch each other 0:00:02.680 --> 0:00:04.960 go to the bathroom close, But you could be even 0:00:05.000 --> 0:00:08.880 closer with BarkBox. Every month, BarkBox brings dogs and their 0:00:08.920 --> 0:00:12.639 humans together with original toys and delicious treatment. Sign up 0:00:12.640 --> 0:00:14.880 now at BarkBox dot com. Slash iHeart. 0:00:15.400 --> 0:00:18.119 No one likes to talk about money. Am I saving enough? 0:00:18.200 --> 0:00:20.239 Can I buy a house? Am I paying too much 0:00:20.280 --> 0:00:22.960 in taxes? Will I be able to retire? What if 0:00:23.000 --> 0:00:25.600 you could unlock insights about your finances in less than 0:00:25.600 --> 0:00:28.080 five minutes, with a clear picture of where you stand 0:00:28.080 --> 0:00:30.880 today and where your money can work harder. Now you 0:00:31.000 --> 0:00:34.000 can visit Facet dot com to take the free quiz 0:00:34.040 --> 0:00:38.640 and get your financial wellness score today. That's Facet dot com. 0:00:38.640 --> 0:00:40.600 This ad is sponsored by Facet. Facet Wealth in Corporated 0:00:40.680 --> 0:00:42.519 is an SEC registered investment advisor. This is not an 0:00:42.560 --> 0:00:44.600 offer to buy yourself security snor is it investment, legal 0:00:44.680 --> 0:00:45.280 or tax advice. 0:00:45.760 --> 0:00:48.360 Are you ready to move your career forward? Make your 0:00:48.360 --> 0:00:51.880 comeback with Purdue Global and get college credit for your work, school, life, 0:00:51.960 --> 0:00:55.080 or military experiences. With these credits, you may have already 0:00:55.080 --> 0:00:57.880 completed up to seventy five percent of your undergraduate degree. 0:00:57.960 --> 0:01:00.000 You've worked hard to get where you are. It's time 0:01:00.160 --> 0:01:02.200 to get the recognition you deserve and earn a degree 0:01:02.200 --> 0:01:04.840 you'll be proud of, one that employers will trust and 0:01:04.920 --> 0:01:07.119 respect when you take the next step in your life 0:01:07.120 --> 0:01:10.280 and career. Make it count with Purdue Global Produce Online 0:01:10.319 --> 0:01:14.920 University for working adults. Start your comeback at Purdueglobal dot edu. 0:01:29.040 --> 0:01:31.560 Well, God bless you. It's always a joy to come 0:01:31.560 --> 0:01:34.360 into your homes, and if you're ever in the Euston area, 0:01:34.520 --> 0:01:37.320 please stop by and be a part of our services. 0:01:37.480 --> 0:01:39.920 I promise you we'll make you feel right at home. 0:01:40.680 --> 0:01:42.640 I like to start with something funny, and I heard 0:01:42.640 --> 0:01:45.240 about these three men that were out in the wilderness. 0:01:45.600 --> 0:01:48.960 They came to this violent, raging river. They needed to 0:01:49.000 --> 0:01:52.480 get to the other side. The first man prayed, God, 0:01:52.520 --> 0:01:55.559 please give me the strength to make it across, and poof, 0:01:55.640 --> 0:01:58.480 God gave him big arms and strong legs. He was 0:01:58.520 --> 0:02:02.160 able to swim across in two hours. The next man prayed, God, 0:02:02.200 --> 0:02:04.640 please give me the strength and the tools to make 0:02:04.680 --> 0:02:07.600 it across. Poof God gave him a boat. He was 0:02:07.640 --> 0:02:11.280 able to row across in thirty minutes. The next man prayed, God, 0:02:11.320 --> 0:02:14.480 please give me the strength the tools and the intelligence 0:02:14.520 --> 0:02:17.680 to make it across, and poof God turned him into 0:02:17.720 --> 0:02:21.720 a woman. She looked at the map hight five minutes 0:02:21.800 --> 0:02:23.840 up the stream and walked across the bridge. 0:02:25.440 --> 0:02:28.520 Say it like you mean, especially the women. This is 0:02:28.600 --> 0:02:31.520 my Bible. I am what it says I am. I 0:02:31.600 --> 0:02:33.840 have what it says I have. I can do what 0:02:33.880 --> 0:02:36.440 it says I can do. Today I will be taught 0:02:36.520 --> 0:02:40.400 the word of God. I boldly confess. My mind is alert, 0:02:40.760 --> 0:02:43.480 my heart is receptive. I will never be the same. 0:02:43.880 --> 0:02:46.280 In Jesus' name, God bless you. 0:02:47.639 --> 0:02:50.480 I want to talk to you today about better together. 0:02:51.480 --> 0:02:53.760 It's easy to do life on our own and think 0:02:53.800 --> 0:02:56.600 we don't need any help. But you won't reach your 0:02:56.720 --> 0:03:02.040 highest potential by yourself. Ordained people to come into your 0:03:02.120 --> 0:03:05.680 life to strengthen you, to encourage you, to push you 0:03:05.919 --> 0:03:11.080 toward your purpose. You've seen birds that fly information. When 0:03:11.120 --> 0:03:15.480 geese make that thee, it takes forty percent less energy 0:03:15.639 --> 0:03:19.080 for them to fly. They could do it by themselves, 0:03:19.320 --> 0:03:22.919 but they understand this principle. They won't go as far 0:03:23.440 --> 0:03:27.680 if they fly solo. Now over thirty times in the scripture, 0:03:28.000 --> 0:03:32.280 it says one another, love one another, encourage one another, 0:03:32.720 --> 0:03:37.080 serve one another, comfort one another. You need one another's 0:03:37.160 --> 0:03:42.080 around you. Don't isolate yourself and think, well, I'm strong enough, 0:03:42.400 --> 0:03:45.800 I'm tough enough, I'm talented enough. You may bee for 0:03:45.920 --> 0:03:48.800 what you have in mind, but not for what God 0:03:48.840 --> 0:03:53.160 has in mind. He has something bigger, something more rewarding, 0:03:53.560 --> 0:03:57.200 that you can't do by yourself. Are you flying solo 0:03:58.200 --> 0:04:01.720 or do you have a community of faith, people flying 0:04:01.800 --> 0:04:06.440 with you, watching over you, encouraging you, inspiring you. After 0:04:06.480 --> 0:04:09.440 the football game the other night, the star running back 0:04:09.560 --> 0:04:12.880 was being interviewed. He'd had a great game, set a 0:04:12.920 --> 0:04:15.520 record for the amount of yards he had rushed. The 0:04:15.640 --> 0:04:18.479 reporter asked him how he did it. The first thing 0:04:18.560 --> 0:04:21.839 he said was it was because of my offensive line. 0:04:22.360 --> 0:04:25.400 Those guys that block for me, they're the best. And 0:04:25.480 --> 0:04:27.960 my coaches have poured into me and made me better. 0:04:28.400 --> 0:04:32.080 My trainers have helped me to get stronger. He recognized 0:04:32.279 --> 0:04:36.599 that we need each other. You can be good by yourself, 0:04:37.000 --> 0:04:40.640 but you can't be great by yourself. You want become 0:04:40.800 --> 0:04:44.000 all you were created to be. Without the right people 0:04:44.120 --> 0:04:48.080 around you, you can go sixty percent. But when you 0:04:48.160 --> 0:04:52.200 get information, when you have a family of faith blocking 0:04:52.240 --> 0:04:55.520 for you, praying, for you, encouraging you, you'll go forty 0:04:55.520 --> 0:05:00.040 percent further. And the scripture says, here forsake not the 0:05:00.080 --> 0:05:04.960 assembling of yourselves together. When we come together as a 0:05:04.960 --> 0:05:10.440 body of believers united in faith, there's something that happens 0:05:10.720 --> 0:05:14.920 that you cannot get on your own. We draw strength 0:05:15.000 --> 0:05:19.440 from each other. As your praise gets mixed with their praise, 0:05:19.800 --> 0:05:24.760 power is released, healing is released, joy is released. Every 0:05:24.839 --> 0:05:30.360 time we come together, you're being refreshed, restored, re energized. 0:05:30.800 --> 0:05:34.800 It's like your batteries are being recharged. What the weak 0:05:34.880 --> 0:05:37.159 took out of you, God is putting back in you. 0:05:38.080 --> 0:05:41.080 And it's good to worship on your own. It's important 0:05:41.080 --> 0:05:45.840 to pray by yourself. But something happens corporately that doesn't 0:05:45.839 --> 0:05:50.520 happen individually. That's why David said, let us magnify the 0:05:50.600 --> 0:05:55.599 Lord together. When we come together to magnify God, it's 0:05:55.720 --> 0:05:59.600 like the intensity is turned up. There is power in 0:05:59.640 --> 0:06:03.159 connect activity. People tell me all the time. When I 0:06:03.240 --> 0:06:06.279 drove into the parking lot, I could feel something different. 0:06:06.920 --> 0:06:09.520 A man came last week. He had never been to church, 0:06:10.040 --> 0:06:12.960 had tattoos all over his face, his arms looked like 0:06:13.000 --> 0:06:15.880 he lived a rough life. He said, I don't know 0:06:15.880 --> 0:06:18.839 what's wrong with me. The whole time I've been here, 0:06:19.200 --> 0:06:23.640 I couldn't stop weeping. I've never felt this before. This 0:06:23.720 --> 0:06:27.160 building is a former sports arena. There have been large 0:06:27.200 --> 0:06:30.880 events in here for thirty years. Nobody walked around weeping. 0:06:31.400 --> 0:06:34.960 What's the difference. When we come together in faith and 0:06:35.279 --> 0:06:41.279 ordinary building becomes the house of God, Your faith mixed 0:06:41.279 --> 0:06:46.640 with everybody else's faith creates something powerful. It breaks bondages, 0:06:47.120 --> 0:06:51.800 It lifts depression, It brings healing, It restores joy. I'm 0:06:51.800 --> 0:06:55.400 glad you want. Glad you listen, But don't let this 0:06:55.520 --> 0:06:59.360 be a substitute for going to your local church. Let 0:06:59.400 --> 0:07:02.640 it be an addition. You need to be around a 0:07:02.680 --> 0:07:05.800 community of faith, and I know it takes effort. You 0:07:05.880 --> 0:07:09.040 have to get up early, get your kids dressed, drive 0:07:09.160 --> 0:07:11.240 somewhere on your day off. There's a lot of other 0:07:11.320 --> 0:07:14.520 things you could be doing. But you will never give 0:07:14.600 --> 0:07:18.040 God something without him giving you more back in return. 0:07:20.200 --> 0:07:23.280 You give God the first part of your week. Take 0:07:23.320 --> 0:07:27.280 a few hours to assemble together, connect with other believers. 0:07:27.720 --> 0:07:30.760 God will make up the time. He can give you 0:07:30.880 --> 0:07:34.000 one idea, one good break that will put you six 0:07:34.040 --> 0:07:38.880 months down the road. God sees the sacrifice. Every time 0:07:38.920 --> 0:07:42.480 you obey, there's a blessing that follows. There have been 0:07:42.520 --> 0:07:44.600 times that I've come and had a lot on my 0:07:44.720 --> 0:07:48.360 mind dealing with challenges. But when I walk in these 0:07:48.440 --> 0:07:51.840 doors and hear the songs of praise and see the 0:07:51.880 --> 0:07:55.400 smile on your face, I can feel the victory in 0:07:55.480 --> 0:07:58.680 the room. All of a sudden, I have a new perspective. 0:07:59.440 --> 0:08:03.520 I'm reminded that God is bigger than anything that I'm facing, 0:08:03.960 --> 0:08:07.040 that He's in control of my life. It's like that 0:08:07.160 --> 0:08:10.720 heaviness lifts right off. I have a whole new attitude. 0:08:11.160 --> 0:08:16.280 What is that God? Refreshing, restoring, re energizing. I could 0:08:16.360 --> 0:08:19.400 have stayed at home and hoped to get better, prayed 0:08:19.440 --> 0:08:22.840 for joy, and believe for a breakthrough. But there's power 0:08:23.160 --> 0:08:28.640 in connectivity. Your faith is making me stronger. Your praise 0:08:28.840 --> 0:08:32.880 is helping fight my battles. Your smile is giving me joy. 0:08:33.559 --> 0:08:37.560 When we come together, it's not only refueling you, but 0:08:37.640 --> 0:08:41.240 it's helping others. And sometimes we think, well, everything's great 0:08:41.320 --> 0:08:44.040 in my life. I don't need to come. Why don't 0:08:44.080 --> 0:08:47.360 you come and let your praise be for somebody else? 0:08:48.120 --> 0:08:52.040 Why don't you let your worship create an atmosphere for 0:08:52.120 --> 0:08:56.360 God to bless others. Your smile can be what keeps 0:08:56.400 --> 0:08:59.760 them going. Your hug can be what puts them back 0:08:59.800 --> 0:09:03.120 on their feet. I talked to someone that's been at 0:09:03.160 --> 0:09:06.240 Lakewood for over forty years. When I was growing up, 0:09:06.679 --> 0:09:08.800 they helped take care of me as a young boy. 0:09:09.440 --> 0:09:12.240 They were telling me about how much the church meant 0:09:12.240 --> 0:09:14.680 to them and how they wouldn't have made it through 0:09:14.760 --> 0:09:17.880 some tough times if it wasn't for Lakewood. They were 0:09:17.880 --> 0:09:21.200 so grateful for what they had received. But all I 0:09:21.240 --> 0:09:24.960 could think about is how much I had received from them, 0:09:25.520 --> 0:09:29.920 About how many other people they've impacted with their faithfulness, 0:09:30.200 --> 0:09:35.280 giving serving year after year. You being here is making 0:09:35.360 --> 0:09:40.000 us all stronger. Your faithfulness is what's causing some people 0:09:40.200 --> 0:09:43.480 to keep moving forward. They came in didn't think they 0:09:43.480 --> 0:09:46.120 could go on, but when they heard your praise, when 0:09:46.160 --> 0:09:49.560 they saw your smile, your encouragement, it breathed new life 0:09:49.880 --> 0:09:54.640 back into their spirit. Well, j'ael, not me. I'm just 0:09:54.679 --> 0:09:56.760 one person in this big crowd. I'm just sitting way 0:09:56.840 --> 0:10:00.520 up top. Yes, but your presence made the atmosphere better. 0:10:01.040 --> 0:10:04.080 You brought God with you, You brought faith with you. You 0:10:04.160 --> 0:10:08.240 came with expectancy, and the scripture says, where two or 0:10:08.280 --> 0:10:11.640 three are gathered in the name of Jesus, God is 0:10:11.679 --> 0:10:14.200 in the midst. How about when two or three hundred 0:10:14.200 --> 0:10:17.959 aregether or two or three thousand, or twenty or thirty thousand. 0:10:18.280 --> 0:10:23.640 I believe that it's multiplied. Every one of us is 0:10:23.679 --> 0:10:29.560 causing there to be greater faith, greater strength, greater joy. Together. 0:10:29.800 --> 0:10:34.920 We're better together, We're stronger together, We're more powerful. It's 0:10:34.960 --> 0:10:37.320 good to watch, it's good to listen. I believe we're 0:10:37.360 --> 0:10:40.880 connected in spirit. But if you live in this area, 0:10:41.480 --> 0:10:44.640 don't go the next thirty years and miss out. We 0:10:44.760 --> 0:10:48.400 need you. Not only will you make us better, I'll 0:10:48.400 --> 0:10:51.120 make a promise to you, will make you better. What 0:10:51.320 --> 0:10:55.760 you like on television is multiplied in person. But wherever 0:10:55.800 --> 0:10:59.760 you live, get plugged into a good Bible based church. 0:11:00.280 --> 0:11:03.520 Here's the key. Don't compare that church to this church. 0:11:04.320 --> 0:11:06.840 Your pastor may not be as good looking as me. 0:11:08.720 --> 0:11:12.079 I don't know why I say that, but that's okay. 0:11:12.480 --> 0:11:17.560 The blessing is in the obedience of assembling together. It 0:11:17.600 --> 0:11:20.880 goes on to say, as the matter of some is 0:11:21.760 --> 0:11:25.120 that means some used to be plugged in some used 0:11:25.160 --> 0:11:30.120 to make God a priority. They used to be faithful, giving, serving, attending, 0:11:30.360 --> 0:11:33.800 but they got distracted, they got busy. What they're really 0:11:33.880 --> 0:11:37.080 saying is I can fly solo. I can do life 0:11:37.120 --> 0:11:40.800 on my own. The problem with not having a community 0:11:40.880 --> 0:11:44.920 of faith is you get out from under protection. When 0:11:44.920 --> 0:11:47.920 you're with the body of believers, you not only have 0:11:48.120 --> 0:11:52.000 people watching over you, but God covers you. He puts 0:11:52.000 --> 0:11:55.240 a hedge of protection that will make it more difficult 0:11:55.440 --> 0:11:58.800 to get off course. A man I know he and 0:11:58.880 --> 0:12:01.560 his family when I was growing up. They were some 0:12:01.640 --> 0:12:04.880 of our main leaders here at Laquid, really great people, 0:12:04.920 --> 0:12:09.000 and I was friends with his children. But he got distracted. 0:12:09.600 --> 0:12:12.160 He decided he didn't need a community of faith. He's 0:12:12.160 --> 0:12:15.240 gonna fly solo. He's gonna live isolated, nobody to watch 0:12:15.280 --> 0:12:19.760 after him. He ended up losing his marriage, he turned 0:12:19.800 --> 0:12:22.680 to alcohol, he went way downhill, and now none of 0:12:22.679 --> 0:12:25.959 his children will have anything to do with him. I 0:12:26.040 --> 0:12:30.000 thought about how different his life would be if he 0:12:30.040 --> 0:12:33.679 would have just stayed connected, if he would have continued 0:12:33.720 --> 0:12:38.400 that commitment to make God a priority, being here each week, 0:12:38.679 --> 0:12:42.600 serving with others. When you're in the house of the Lord, 0:12:42.880 --> 0:12:46.600 there is a protection that God puts on you. There 0:12:46.600 --> 0:12:50.720 are battles that you won't have to fly, temptations, you 0:12:50.760 --> 0:12:53.800 won't have to deal with, struggles you won't have to 0:12:53.880 --> 0:12:59.120 go through because you're connected, you're plugged in, you're honoring God. 0:13:00.120 --> 0:13:02.240 I can't think of a better gift to give your 0:13:02.360 --> 0:13:05.240 children than to raise them in the house of the Lord. 0:13:07.200 --> 0:13:11.280 Some people won't understand why are you getting up early 0:13:11.320 --> 0:13:14.080 on your day off to not just go to church. 0:13:14.160 --> 0:13:17.079 You go early to serve, you stay late to help others. 0:13:17.080 --> 0:13:20.600 What's wrong with you? They don't realize that's not only 0:13:20.679 --> 0:13:24.800 refueling you, but the scripture says, when you're planted in 0:13:24.880 --> 0:13:28.160 the house of the Lord, you will flourish. When you're 0:13:28.200 --> 0:13:32.520 plugged in, faithful, you may being at God's house of priority. 0:13:33.040 --> 0:13:36.320 There is a blessing on your life that will cause 0:13:36.360 --> 0:13:40.439 you to bloom, to blossom, to flourish. You will reach 0:13:40.520 --> 0:13:44.880 levels that you could not reach on your own. David said, 0:13:44.960 --> 0:13:49.040 I love your sanctuary, the place where your glory shines. 0:13:49.880 --> 0:13:53.040 You know what's happening right now. God's glory is shining 0:13:53.080 --> 0:13:57.240 down on you, his favor, his strength, his healing, his encouragement. 0:13:57.880 --> 0:14:01.160 Your week will go better because you're covered with the 0:14:01.200 --> 0:14:05.480 glory of God. That good break you had recently, that 0:14:05.600 --> 0:14:09.320 client that called and placed in unexpected order, that car 0:14:09.400 --> 0:14:12.000 that swerved just at the last minute and barely missed you, 0:14:12.320 --> 0:14:15.480 wasn't a lucky break. That was the blessing that comes 0:14:15.679 --> 0:14:18.720 from being planted in the house of the Lord. That's 0:14:18.800 --> 0:14:23.800 God's glory shining down, covering you, favoring you, protecting you, 0:14:23.920 --> 0:14:28.560 keeping you safe. But today there are so many distractions. 0:14:29.000 --> 0:14:32.160 Good things can keep us from God's best. Well, Joel, 0:14:32.200 --> 0:14:35.880 I've got soccer today, I've got some errands to ron, 0:14:35.960 --> 0:14:37.840 I've got a busy a week. I'm gonna stay home 0:14:37.880 --> 0:14:41.160 and rest. All good things. But when you realize the 0:14:41.160 --> 0:14:45.600 benefits of coming together, you'll rearrange your schedule so you 0:14:45.640 --> 0:14:48.440 could be in the House of the Lord. It's all 0:14:48.480 --> 0:14:52.320 what we make important. I love sports. I've seen people 0:14:52.440 --> 0:14:56.480 go to a football game, sit outside in twenty degree weather, 0:14:57.040 --> 0:15:00.480 freezing cold. Traffic is terrible. They have to walk a 0:15:00.520 --> 0:15:03.160 mile to the stadium, sit in the upper deck, can't 0:15:03.200 --> 0:15:06.760 even see their eyelashes are frozen. They don't complain, they 0:15:06.800 --> 0:15:09.720 don't get upset. They're a fan. They love their team. 0:15:10.360 --> 0:15:13.160 What if we had that same spirit. I'm a fan. 0:15:13.320 --> 0:15:17.320 I'm going to the House of the Lord, not to 0:15:17.440 --> 0:15:21.360 cheer on my team, but to worship my God, to 0:15:21.440 --> 0:15:24.240 thank him for what he's done, to draw strength from 0:15:24.280 --> 0:15:28.000 other believers, to have his glory shine down on me. 0:15:29.120 --> 0:15:33.240 Just don't forsake assembling together, and so much more. As 0:15:33.280 --> 0:15:36.400 you see the day approaching, it's saying, be sure you 0:15:36.480 --> 0:15:40.720 come together. But as the times start getting darker, there's 0:15:40.760 --> 0:15:45.040 more trouble, more calamity than make especially sure that you 0:15:45.120 --> 0:15:49.280 come together. We are living in a day where almost 0:15:49.320 --> 0:15:54.280 every week there's an incredible tragedy, school shootings, people driving 0:15:54.320 --> 0:15:59.960 buses into innocent people, viruses that are hard to contain, flooding, earthquake. 0:16:00.800 --> 0:16:03.400 If there was ever a day we should come together 0:16:03.640 --> 0:16:06.960 not out of fear, but to draw strength and encouragement 0:16:07.040 --> 0:16:11.080 from each other, it would be today. Yet this is 0:16:11.120 --> 0:16:16.040 a day when there are more distractions than ever. We're busier, 0:16:16.320 --> 0:16:19.520 we have more opportunities. You have to make it a 0:16:19.600 --> 0:16:23.440 priority that as for me and my house, we're not 0:16:23.480 --> 0:16:25.800 only going to serve the Lord, We're going to go 0:16:25.960 --> 0:16:28.600 to the house of the Lord. In the house of 0:16:28.640 --> 0:16:33.960 the Lord, there's protection, there's healing, there's encouragement. It prepares 0:16:34.040 --> 0:16:36.720 you for what you're going to face during the week. 0:16:37.360 --> 0:16:41.720 You'll make better decisions, you'll have more creativity, you'll see 0:16:41.760 --> 0:16:45.600 more of God's favor. I saw a report on penguins. 0:16:46.040 --> 0:16:48.480 They live in a climate where the weather can get 0:16:48.520 --> 0:16:52.560 down to forty below zero with winds of one hundred 0:16:52.600 --> 0:16:56.160 and twenty miles an hour. The way they survive is 0:16:56.200 --> 0:17:00.760 they all huddle together. They stand side by side all around, 0:17:00.960 --> 0:17:04.679 as many as six thousand in a group. Their feathers 0:17:04.840 --> 0:17:08.680 catch the warmth from their bodies. The temperature in the 0:17:08.720 --> 0:17:12.040 center of the huddle can get up to seventy degrees. 0:17:12.880 --> 0:17:16.879 Their protection is in their connectivity. But if one of 0:17:16.880 --> 0:17:19.520 those penguins decided he was going to do life on 0:17:19.600 --> 0:17:22.760 his own, he doesn't have time to huddle. He's got 0:17:22.760 --> 0:17:25.439 places to go, people to see. He's gonna fly solo. 0:17:26.040 --> 0:17:28.600 It wouldn't be long until he was in penguin heaven. 0:17:29.640 --> 0:17:34.800 He couldn't make it by himself. His survival is dependent 0:17:35.160 --> 0:17:38.960 on staying connected same way with us. All that's going 0:17:39.000 --> 0:17:44.879 on in the world, distractions, calamities, opportunities for compromise, with 0:17:45.040 --> 0:17:48.720 all that cold, you can't make it by yourself. You 0:17:48.800 --> 0:17:52.840 need the warmth, the strength, the encouragement, the support from 0:17:52.920 --> 0:17:56.959 other believers. You have to stay connected. It's time to 0:17:57.000 --> 0:18:01.679 get plugged in. Don't go another year flying solo. You 0:18:01.720 --> 0:18:04.439 don't know what you're missing do in life without a 0:18:04.520 --> 0:18:08.760 community of faith. And the scripture says, when we come 0:18:08.840 --> 0:18:14.080 together in unity, there is a commanded blessing. We are 0:18:14.119 --> 0:18:17.680 here today from all walks of life, all races, all 0:18:17.760 --> 0:18:25.919 social standings, democrats, republicans, aggies, longhorns, cougars, rich, poor, young, old. 0:18:26.560 --> 0:18:29.160 When we walk in the door, we put all that down. 0:18:29.440 --> 0:18:32.840 We are here as one family to worship the God 0:18:33.119 --> 0:18:37.920 who spoke worlds into existence. Does it matter where you've been, 0:18:38.480 --> 0:18:42.320 the mistakes you've made, what nationality you are, who you 0:18:42.440 --> 0:18:47.080 voted for, what your occupation is. We realize, even though 0:18:47.119 --> 0:18:51.320 we have differences, we are worshiping the same God. And 0:18:51.480 --> 0:18:55.119 because there is a spirit of unity, because we know 0:18:55.200 --> 0:18:58.320 we're all a part of the same family. God says, 0:18:58.359 --> 0:19:02.000 every time we come together, he's going to command a blessing. 0:19:02.480 --> 0:19:08.320 He commands favor, commands, healing, command's joy commands, breakthroughs what 0:19:08.520 --> 0:19:11.920 stopped you in the past. Every time you show up, 0:19:12.200 --> 0:19:15.680 it's getting a little bit weaker. You keep coming together 0:19:16.400 --> 0:19:21.159 faithfully week after week. One day, that commanded blessing is 0:19:21.200 --> 0:19:24.360 going to break every force that's holding you back. You're 0:19:24.400 --> 0:19:27.000 going to step into a new level of your destiny. 0:19:27.960 --> 0:19:31.160 In Psalm seventy three, this man was having a lot 0:19:31.160 --> 0:19:35.280 of problems. People were coming against him. He was discouraged. 0:19:35.560 --> 0:19:38.800 He said, all I have is trouble all day long. 0:19:39.359 --> 0:19:42.520 Every morning brings me pain. I went to the edge 0:19:42.520 --> 0:19:46.800 of the cliff. I was almost done. After listing all 0:19:46.840 --> 0:19:49.439 these things that he was up against, he said in 0:19:49.520 --> 0:19:54.399 verse seventeen, then I went to the sanctuary. It tells 0:19:54.440 --> 0:19:57.960 how in the sanctuary he got a new perspective. He 0:19:58.000 --> 0:20:02.000 could hear people thanking God, telling of his goodness. When 0:20:02.000 --> 0:20:04.800 he got around people of faith, people that knew that 0:20:04.840 --> 0:20:09.639 God was in control, that spirit of defeat depression couldn't stay. 0:20:10.359 --> 0:20:13.440 A few verses later, he hadn't been in the sanctuary, 0:20:13.560 --> 0:20:17.760 probably fifteen minutes. He said, God, I know I belong 0:20:17.840 --> 0:20:21.400 to you. You're holding my right hand, and you will 0:20:21.480 --> 0:20:26.040 leave me to a glorious destiny. He went from thinking 0:20:26.119 --> 0:20:29.639 all I have is trouble to I have a glorious destiny. 0:20:30.359 --> 0:20:33.480 What changed? Did he drink a red Bull. Did he 0:20:33.560 --> 0:20:36.720 watch Doctor Phil Did he call the prayer hotline? No, 0:20:37.040 --> 0:20:40.080 he came to the sanctuary. In other words, he showed 0:20:40.160 --> 0:20:42.439 up at Lakewood. He could have been sitting down the 0:20:42.480 --> 0:20:46.160 road from you. Your praise is what created the atmosphere 0:20:46.280 --> 0:20:51.880 to break the depression. Your smile, your joy, your encouragement 0:20:52.320 --> 0:20:55.399 could have helped change his perspective. In the House of 0:20:55.400 --> 0:20:59.080 the Lord, we draw strength from each other. There are 0:20:59.160 --> 0:21:02.639 some breakthroughs that are only going to happen when you 0:21:02.720 --> 0:21:07.320 get to the sanctuary. Your faith alone may not be enough. 0:21:07.760 --> 0:21:10.639 That's why God has ordained you to be in a 0:21:10.720 --> 0:21:15.480 community of faith. In the sanctuary. Your faith is connected 0:21:15.520 --> 0:21:18.879 to their faith, and their faith and their faith before long. 0:21:19.400 --> 0:21:23.359 Instead of small faith, you have mountain moving faith. What 0:21:23.560 --> 0:21:27.760 held you back individually could not hold you back corporately. 0:21:28.680 --> 0:21:31.840 I need your faith, I need your strength, I need 0:21:31.880 --> 0:21:36.960 your smile. By ourselves were strong, but together were unstoppable. 0:21:37.720 --> 0:21:41.280 By ourselves, we'll get through the difficulty, but together will 0:21:41.320 --> 0:21:45.120 come out better. By ourselves we'll be blessed, but together 0:21:45.600 --> 0:21:49.480 we'll step into the fullness of the blessing. I wonder 0:21:49.520 --> 0:21:52.680 what would happen if you would get to the sanctuary 0:21:52.840 --> 0:21:56.439 more often if you would make God a priority in 0:21:56.520 --> 0:22:01.320 your life. There's power when you're connected. In Acts Chapter one, 0:22:01.600 --> 0:22:04.280 Jesus had just risen from the dead, and he told 0:22:04.280 --> 0:22:08.040 his followers to not lead Jerusalem, but to wait for 0:22:08.080 --> 0:22:11.479 the promise of the Holy Spirit. Scholars say there were 0:22:11.520 --> 0:22:15.400 around five hundred people there, but in chapter two, when 0:22:15.440 --> 0:22:19.040 the Holy Spirit came, only one hundred and twenty were 0:22:19.040 --> 0:22:22.320 in the upper room. The other three hundred and eighty. 0:22:22.600 --> 0:22:25.440 Maybe they were busy, maybe they had errands to run, 0:22:25.560 --> 0:22:29.320 maybe they were tired. Whatever the reason, they missed what 0:22:29.359 --> 0:22:32.639 God promised. Those one hundred and twenty people in the 0:22:32.720 --> 0:22:36.160 upper room. The scripture says they were in one place, 0:22:36.359 --> 0:22:41.679 in one accord. They were together in unity, and suddenly 0:22:42.119 --> 0:22:46.480 the Holy Spirit came like a rushing mighty wind. When 0:22:46.560 --> 0:22:50.800 you're in unity, connected with other believers, there will be 0:22:50.960 --> 0:22:56.040 some suddenlyaes Suddenly your health will improve, Suddenly your business 0:22:56.040 --> 0:22:59.840 will take off, Suddenly you'll meet the right person. The 0:23:00.240 --> 0:23:03.760 year of Yes, because you're planted in the House of 0:23:03.800 --> 0:23:08.680 the Lord, you're going to see unexpected favor, sudden turnarounds. 0:23:08.880 --> 0:23:11.760 Things you couldn't make happen. God is suddenly going to 0:23:11.800 --> 0:23:16.480 cause them to happen. I read about redwood trees. They're 0:23:16.520 --> 0:23:19.560 the tallest trees in the world. They can reach heights 0:23:19.600 --> 0:23:22.200 of three hundred and fifty feet and live for two 0:23:22.280 --> 0:23:29.000 thousand years. They're incredibly resilient, withstanding strong wind storms, pests, 0:23:29.080 --> 0:23:32.440 or things that would take other trees down. What's interesting 0:23:33.040 --> 0:23:37.159 is the redwood's roots only go down six to twelve 0:23:37.160 --> 0:23:40.800 feet in the ground. The largest root is one inch 0:23:40.920 --> 0:23:45.080 in diameter. How can these small roots that only go 0:23:45.200 --> 0:23:48.160 down a fraction of the height of the tree keep 0:23:48.200 --> 0:23:52.360 the tree up. What's unique about the redwood is its 0:23:52.480 --> 0:23:57.720 roots intertwine with other redwood's roots. They spread out one 0:23:57.800 --> 0:24:01.000 hundred feet and connect with the roots of all the 0:24:01.040 --> 0:24:05.080 redwoods around. So when the wind blows, even if it's 0:24:05.080 --> 0:24:08.960 a strong storm, the redwood doesn't just rely on its 0:24:09.000 --> 0:24:13.560 own roots. The whole forest is linked together. The wind 0:24:13.640 --> 0:24:17.080 is not blowing against one tree, it's blowing against thousands 0:24:17.080 --> 0:24:20.800 of trees. That's how the redwood can stand hundreds and 0:24:21.000 --> 0:24:25.040 hundreds of years. It has the strength of the whole forest. 0:24:26.119 --> 0:24:29.280 When you're planted in the house of the Lord, your 0:24:29.400 --> 0:24:33.840 roots get connected to my roots and their roots. Before long, 0:24:33.920 --> 0:24:38.160 you have a support system that cannot be shaken when 0:24:38.200 --> 0:24:41.439 the storms come what would have normally have blown you 0:24:41.520 --> 0:24:46.520 over by yourself. Because you're connected to other Redwoods, we're 0:24:46.520 --> 0:24:49.919 there to stabilize you, to steady you, to encourage you. 0:24:50.359 --> 0:24:52.960 For that storm to take you out, it would have 0:24:53.040 --> 0:24:56.000 to take all of us out, and that's not possible. 0:24:56.400 --> 0:24:59.639 One can chase a thousand, two can put ten thousand 0:24:59.680 --> 0:25:03.959 to fly. How about when we're all connected together, we 0:25:04.000 --> 0:25:10.159 can't be defeated together. We're powerful. The wind may be 0:25:10.240 --> 0:25:14.240 blowing against you today, in your health, your finances, a 0:25:14.359 --> 0:25:17.320 relationship trying to push you down, telling you it's never 0:25:17.400 --> 0:25:20.359 going to work out. You have too many obstacles. You 0:25:20.440 --> 0:25:24.359 need to know you have a lot of Redwoods around you. 0:25:24.359 --> 0:25:28.159 You are surrounded by a community of faith. We're not 0:25:28.200 --> 0:25:30.880 going to let you go down. The enemy is not 0:25:30.960 --> 0:25:33.400 just dealing with you, He has to deal with all 0:25:33.440 --> 0:25:37.199 of us. Our roots are connected. We are planted in 0:25:37.280 --> 0:25:40.439 the house of the Lord. You may get weak, but 0:25:40.480 --> 0:25:42.919 we're going to be there to hold you up. The 0:25:43.000 --> 0:25:46.119 storms may blow, but we're going to stabilize you. You 0:25:46.200 --> 0:25:48.440 may feel like giving up, but we're going to keep 0:25:48.520 --> 0:25:53.000 pushing you forward. That's the benefit of being connected It's 0:25:53.040 --> 0:25:56.680 not just your prayers, it's all of our prayers. We're 0:25:56.680 --> 0:26:00.639 in this together, a family of faith. My dad went 0:26:00.720 --> 0:26:03.200 to be with the Lord and I stepped up to minister. 0:26:04.040 --> 0:26:07.520 I could feel the strength from people praying. I could 0:26:07.560 --> 0:26:11.680 feel the support, the loyalty, how people wanted me to succeed. 0:26:12.320 --> 0:26:14.880 I was shaking. I didn't think I could do this, 0:26:15.119 --> 0:26:18.159 but I had a bunch of Redwoods around me, people 0:26:18.200 --> 0:26:20.640 that helped me to stay up when I couldn't stay 0:26:20.720 --> 0:26:24.439 up on my own. You don't have to do life 0:26:24.560 --> 0:26:28.920 by yourself. If you're a Redwood all out on your own, 0:26:29.280 --> 0:26:32.640 you're not going to last very long. You were designed 0:26:32.840 --> 0:26:36.840 to be connected. You need a family of faith. That's 0:26:36.920 --> 0:26:40.200 why we're here every week. We're going to steady you, 0:26:40.680 --> 0:26:45.160 encourage you, challenge you, inspire you. We didn't meet by accident. 0:26:45.720 --> 0:26:48.399 You didn't just flip across this channel. You didn't just 0:26:48.440 --> 0:26:51.320 decide to show up at Lakewood today. God, in his 0:26:51.480 --> 0:26:57.000 divine destiny, has connected us together. We're better now. My 0:26:57.119 --> 0:27:00.760 question is are you flying solo? Are you doing life 0:27:00.760 --> 0:27:04.000 on your own that's going to keep you from your 0:27:04.080 --> 0:27:10.439 highest potential? We need you plugged in, committed, faithful for 0:27:10.520 --> 0:27:14.360 the long haul. Without you, we won't be as strong. 0:27:15.080 --> 0:27:18.360 You have something to offer that nobody else has. When 0:27:18.440 --> 0:27:21.040 you're planted in the house of the Lord, you'll not 0:27:21.160 --> 0:27:24.440 only go to new heights, but you're created an atmosphere 0:27:24.640 --> 0:27:27.359 for God to bless others. This is the year to 0:27:27.400 --> 0:27:31.240 get connected. If you'll do this, I believe and declare, 0:27:31.680 --> 0:27:36.159 because we're together in unity, God is about to command 0:27:36.359 --> 0:27:40.800 a blessing on your life. You're going to bloom, blossom, flourish, 0:27:41.119 --> 0:27:44.600 and see the glorious future that He has in store 0:27:44.920 --> 0:27:47.960 in Jesus's name. If you receive it, can you say amen? 0:27:48.000 --> 0:27:48.320 Today? 0:27:50.280 --> 0:27:53.080 I'd like to give you an opportunity to make Jesus 0:27:53.160 --> 0:27:55.439 the Lord of your life. Would you pray with me? 0:27:56.240 --> 0:28:01.920 Just say Lord, Jesus, I'll repent of myself. I'll make 0:28:02.000 --> 0:28:06.560 you my Lord and savior. If you prayed that simple prayer, 0:28:06.760 --> 0:28:09.280 we believe you got born again. Get in a good 0:28:09.440 --> 0:28:12.400 Bible based church. Victoria and I will be right back 0:28:12.480 --> 0:28:13.840 to speak a blessing over you. 0:28:15.200 --> 0:28:17.720 As a thank you for your support of our ministry 0:28:17.760 --> 0:28:20.280 this month, Joel and Victoria would like to send you 0:28:20.320 --> 0:28:24.080 a copy of Joel's new series, Unlock Your Promise. In 0:28:24.160 --> 0:28:27.680 this new three part series, Joel Ostein reminds you that 0:28:27.760 --> 0:28:31.119 God's promises are yours. Today, God will lead you to 0:28:31.200 --> 0:28:34.880 your destiny and use old things for your good. Request 0:28:34.920 --> 0:28:38.840 your copy of Unluck your Promise today at Joelostine dot 0:28:38.880 --> 0:28:41.720 com or call eight eight eight five six seven. 0:28:41.920 --> 0:28:45.040 Joel, you are full of potential. There are gifts and 0:28:45.120 --> 0:28:48.320 talents in you you haven't tapped into yet. Don't let 0:28:48.400 --> 0:28:51.640 doubt and discouragement talk you out of your dreams. It 0:28:51.680 --> 0:28:54.440 may be taking longer than you thought, but what God 0:28:54.520 --> 0:28:56.080 started He's going to finish. 0:28:56.280 --> 0:28:58.920 It's just a matter of time before you see things 0:28:59.040 --> 0:29:02.240 change in your faith. Request this resource. It's going to 0:29:02.240 --> 0:29:04.800 help you stay in faith so you can unlock the 0:29:04.840 --> 0:29:09.440 promises that belong to you. I love this ministry and 0:29:09.440 --> 0:29:12.360 the teachers of Joe because it has taught me how 0:29:12.400 --> 0:29:14.800 to live my life the right way and how to 0:29:14.840 --> 0:29:18.160 live the Bible on a daily basis. Your support is 0:29:18.160 --> 0:29:21.440 making a difference in people's lives. Thank you so much 0:29:21.480 --> 0:29:24.640 for your prayer and generosity. If you'd like to partner 0:29:24.680 --> 0:29:27.000 with us to take Hope around the world, go to 0:29:27.040 --> 0:29:30.640 the website and find out how we appreciate our Champion 0:29:30.720 --> 0:29:33.360 of Hope. Partners so much, Victoria and I pray for 0:29:33.400 --> 0:29:36.840 you and your family every day. We believe twenty seventeen 0:29:37.040 --> 0:29:40.720 is going to be a blessed, prosperous, bountiful year. 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