Comfortable With Who You Are

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See terms and conditions at UNEs dot co. 0:01:31.280 --> 0:01:33.000 Hi, this is Joel and Victoria. 0:01:33.080 --> 0:01:36.120 Thanks for listening to our podcast and thanks for supporting 0:01:36.120 --> 0:01:36.800 the ministry. 0:01:36.920 --> 0:01:39.280 If you enjoy today's message, why don't you be a 0:01:39.319 --> 0:01:40.960 blessing and share it with a friends. 0:01:41.160 --> 0:01:54.960 Reappreciate you and pray for God's very best in your life, and. 0:01:55.040 --> 0:01:58.440 God bless you. It's a joy to come into your homes. 0:01:58.560 --> 0:02:01.280 We love you and I know God has great things 0:02:01.320 --> 0:02:04.080 in store. If you're ever in our area, I hope 0:02:04.120 --> 0:02:05.920 you'll stop by and be a part of one of 0:02:05.960 --> 0:02:08.400 our services. I promise you will make you feel right 0:02:08.440 --> 0:02:10.680 at home. But thanks so much for tuning in today, 0:02:11.240 --> 0:02:13.080 and I like to get started each week with something 0:02:13.160 --> 0:02:15.239 kind of funny, and I heard about this man. 0:02:15.440 --> 0:02:16.600 He called the church. 0:02:16.360 --> 0:02:18.919 Office and said, I want to speak to the head 0:02:19.160 --> 0:02:20.360 hog at the trough. 0:02:21.200 --> 0:02:22.680 The secretary was offended. 0:02:23.000 --> 0:02:25.600 She said, if you mean the pastor, you're going to 0:02:25.639 --> 0:02:27.799 have to call him pastor, but you may not call 0:02:27.919 --> 0:02:30.760 him the head hog at the trough. He said, fine, 0:02:30.880 --> 0:02:33.560 but I was thinking about making a ten thousand dollars 0:02:33.560 --> 0:02:36.920 donation to your church. She said, hang on, Porky just 0:02:36.960 --> 0:02:42.760 walked in. All right, hold up your bibles. Let's say 0:02:42.800 --> 0:02:45.960 it like we mean it. This is my Bible. I 0:02:46.000 --> 0:02:48.560 am what it says I am. I have what it 0:02:48.600 --> 0:02:51.240 says I have. I can do what it says I 0:02:51.280 --> 0:02:54.400 can do. Today I will be taught the word of God. 0:02:54.960 --> 0:02:59.799 I boldly confess. My mind is alert, my heart is receptive. 0:03:00.240 --> 0:03:03.919 I will never be the same. In Jesus' name, God 0:03:03.919 --> 0:03:07.280 bless you. I want to talk to you today about 0:03:07.320 --> 0:03:11.280 being comfortable with who God made you to be. God 0:03:11.360 --> 0:03:15.320 has equipped each one of us with specific gifts and talents. 0:03:15.840 --> 0:03:18.399 When God made you, he knew how high. 0:03:18.160 --> 0:03:21.280 You could jump, how fast you could run, and how 0:03:21.360 --> 0:03:25.040 much you could accomplish. He put in you a specific 0:03:25.240 --> 0:03:28.120 set of skills. And it's up to each one of 0:03:28.200 --> 0:03:32.160 us to not only identify those gifts, but we have 0:03:32.240 --> 0:03:36.040 to be disciplined to develop our gifts. And one of 0:03:36.080 --> 0:03:39.480 the keys is you need to stay in your strength zone. 0:03:40.360 --> 0:03:44.200 There's something that you're good at naturally, something you can 0:03:44.240 --> 0:03:46.000 do that comes easy to you. 0:03:46.720 --> 0:03:47.840 Some of you you. 0:03:47.720 --> 0:03:51.280 Could sell ice to an eskimo. You have a gift 0:03:51.400 --> 0:03:55.120 of communication, and you shouldn't be sitting behind a desk 0:03:55.200 --> 0:03:57.800 all day not interacting with other people. 0:03:58.120 --> 0:04:01.480 Get in your area of gifting. Some of you are 0:04:01.520 --> 0:04:02.760 great with your hands. 0:04:03.240 --> 0:04:06.240 You can build furniture, you can make cabinets. 0:04:06.560 --> 0:04:10.520 It's like that second nature to you. That's your strength zone. 0:04:10.840 --> 0:04:13.680 That's the way God has wired you. It's all a 0:04:13.760 --> 0:04:17.080 part of your divine destiny. And we need to ask 0:04:17.120 --> 0:04:20.640 ourselves what am I good at naturally? What do I 0:04:20.920 --> 0:04:25.080 do well? We have to identify our strengths and then 0:04:25.120 --> 0:04:30.240 identify our weaknesses. And the scripture says to give yourself 0:04:30.320 --> 0:04:34.039 to your gifts. In other words, don't spend all your 0:04:34.080 --> 0:04:38.440 time trying to improve your weaknesses. Don't waste valuable days 0:04:38.680 --> 0:04:43.240 pursuing things that are outside your main gifting. Focus on 0:04:43.279 --> 0:04:47.760 your strengths, spend time improving the areas that you're already 0:04:47.800 --> 0:04:51.200 good at. I heard somebody say on a scale of 0:04:51.240 --> 0:04:54.680 one to ten, with ten being the highest, the most 0:04:54.800 --> 0:04:58.080 we can ever improve is two or three numbers. And 0:04:58.120 --> 0:05:01.880 for instance, I may have a desire to sing, but 0:05:01.960 --> 0:05:04.320 I can tell you my singing ability would only rate 0:05:04.400 --> 0:05:05.680 about a two. 0:05:05.960 --> 0:05:07.600 Don't laugh, yours is not any better. 0:05:09.240 --> 0:05:12.680 But even if I spent years taking voice lessons and 0:05:12.760 --> 0:05:16.400 having people train me, I would still probably only be 0:05:16.480 --> 0:05:19.159 able to bring that up to a four, maybe a five. 0:05:19.720 --> 0:05:23.280 But think about it, five is average. Five is just mediocre. 0:05:23.960 --> 0:05:27.840 If you'll take something that you're already above average in 0:05:27.960 --> 0:05:32.279 right now, something that you're already naturally good at, maybe 0:05:32.320 --> 0:05:35.840 in cells, in building and teaching, you're already a six 0:05:35.960 --> 0:05:39.080 or a seven. If you'll put your time and energy 0:05:39.480 --> 0:05:43.039 focused on developing that skill, you'll look up one day 0:05:43.279 --> 0:05:46.640 and you'll be a eight, a nine, who knows, maybe 0:05:46.680 --> 0:05:50.279 even a ten. Focus on your strengths, the things that 0:05:50.320 --> 0:05:54.200 you're already good at. That's what God has wired into you. 0:05:55.000 --> 0:05:57.920 But too often we see somebody doing something and we think, 0:05:58.000 --> 0:06:01.080 I want to do that. That looks more exciting, that 0:06:01.160 --> 0:06:04.839 seems more impressive, and we make the mistake of getting 0:06:04.880 --> 0:06:07.880 out of our strength zone. But you have to stay 0:06:08.080 --> 0:06:11.200 in your area of gifting and don't fall into the 0:06:11.240 --> 0:06:15.000 trap of comparing your success with someone else's. 0:06:15.480 --> 0:06:17.200 You're not running against them. 0:06:17.560 --> 0:06:20.320 They have their own race, they have their own set 0:06:20.360 --> 0:06:23.080 of skills, they have their own purpose. If you're going 0:06:23.120 --> 0:06:27.400 to compete against anyone, compete against your own inner voice, 0:06:27.839 --> 0:06:30.479 that voice down in your spirit that tells you who 0:06:30.520 --> 0:06:33.440 you are and what you were created to be. When 0:06:33.480 --> 0:06:36.240 you get complacent, that's the voice that tells you, come on, 0:06:36.720 --> 0:06:37.400 press forward. 0:06:37.440 --> 0:06:38.840 God has more in store. 0:06:39.480 --> 0:06:42.919 But don't compete against other people. Run your own race 0:06:43.040 --> 0:06:45.640 and be the best that you can be. I think 0:06:45.680 --> 0:06:49.120 about on a football team, there are certain positions that. 0:06:49.080 --> 0:06:50.840 Require different talents. 0:06:51.279 --> 0:06:54.599 If you're alignment that blocks the defense from trying to 0:06:54.600 --> 0:06:57.679 get the quarterback, you need to be big and heavy 0:06:57.880 --> 0:07:02.000 and strong. You don't have to know necessarily be fast, 0:07:02.440 --> 0:07:04.120 you don't have to have good hands, you don't have 0:07:04.160 --> 0:07:08.359 to throw accurately. Size and strength is what's really important. 0:07:09.000 --> 0:07:11.560 But on the other hand, if you're a running back, 0:07:11.920 --> 0:07:14.440 it's a totally different set of requirements. 0:07:14.800 --> 0:07:18.480 You need speed, agility, quickness. 0:07:18.280 --> 0:07:20.560 You have to be able to dart here and there 0:07:20.600 --> 0:07:24.239 and try to out maneuver your opponents. It's the same team, 0:07:24.640 --> 0:07:29.080 but different requirements. The problem occurs when the lineman says, 0:07:29.440 --> 0:07:31.960 I'm not happy where I am. I never get to 0:07:32.000 --> 0:07:34.440 run the ball. People don't cheer for me like they 0:07:34.560 --> 0:07:37.040 cheer for their running back. I think I'm going to 0:07:37.160 --> 0:07:41.160 change positions. This is what many people do in life. 0:07:41.360 --> 0:07:44.000 They try to function outside. 0:07:43.680 --> 0:07:44.920 Of their natural gifting. 0:07:45.560 --> 0:07:49.880 They see somebody that's more successful or something that's more glamorous, 0:07:50.360 --> 0:07:53.800 and instead of running their race being comfortable with who 0:07:53.840 --> 0:07:58.200 God made them to be, they compare themselves and they 0:07:58.320 --> 0:08:01.560 end up letting that frustrate them. But you have to 0:08:01.600 --> 0:08:04.560 stay in your strength zone. You're not going to be 0:08:04.680 --> 0:08:06.640 good at something that you were not. 0:08:06.760 --> 0:08:09.520 Equipped to do. And God will help you. 0:08:09.520 --> 0:08:12.960 To become everything He's created you to be, but he 0:08:13.000 --> 0:08:15.600 will not help you to be something you were not 0:08:15.680 --> 0:08:19.320 created to be. And the scripture tells us we have 0:08:19.400 --> 0:08:23.240 to accept the gift God has given us. It's easy 0:08:23.240 --> 0:08:25.680 to think, God, I want that gift. God, I want 0:08:25.680 --> 0:08:27.600 to be able to sing. God, I want to be 0:08:27.640 --> 0:08:30.600 in management. I want to be the running back. But 0:08:30.680 --> 0:08:34.120 if you'll quit comparing and take the pressure off of 0:08:34.160 --> 0:08:37.640 yourself thinking that you have to have a certain position 0:08:38.200 --> 0:08:38.760 in order to. 0:08:38.679 --> 0:08:40.000 Feel good about who you are. 0:08:40.440 --> 0:08:43.480 If you'll quit doing that, you'll feel that weight lift 0:08:43.559 --> 0:08:47.080 off of you. Some of you are always in competition 0:08:47.440 --> 0:08:50.520 with a family member, with a friend, with a coworker. 0:08:50.840 --> 0:08:52.400 But you need to get free today. 0:08:52.840 --> 0:08:55.760 We're not supposed to be competing against anyone else. 0:08:55.840 --> 0:08:56.800 Run your own race. 0:08:57.760 --> 0:09:00.679 I heard somebody say I would rather be a great 0:09:00.720 --> 0:09:05.080 sergeant than a poor general. We have to realize not 0:09:05.240 --> 0:09:08.640 everyone was equipped to be a general. Everyone can't be 0:09:08.720 --> 0:09:10.400 the leader, everyone. 0:09:10.000 --> 0:09:11.000 Can't be the boss. 0:09:11.559 --> 0:09:13.960 But a lot of times, because of the pressure we 0:09:14.040 --> 0:09:17.359 put on ourselves and the need we feel to impress, 0:09:17.920 --> 0:09:20.559 we think I've got to do what they're doing. I've 0:09:20.600 --> 0:09:22.959 got to be in that position so I'll be respected, 0:09:23.200 --> 0:09:27.400 so I'll feel important. But that need to impress is 0:09:27.440 --> 0:09:30.679 because we have our worth and value in what we 0:09:30.760 --> 0:09:34.200 do instead of who we are. You don't need to 0:09:34.280 --> 0:09:37.679 impress people in order to feel good about yourself. If 0:09:37.720 --> 0:09:40.679 you'll quit looking at others and just take what God 0:09:40.679 --> 0:09:43.400 has given you and be the best that you can be, 0:09:43.960 --> 0:09:46.959 then you can feel good about yourself. I think about 0:09:46.960 --> 0:09:50.240 my brother Paul in nineteen ninety nine, when my father 0:09:50.360 --> 0:09:52.840 went to be with the Lord, Paul gave up his 0:09:53.000 --> 0:09:57.600 practice as a successful surgeon. He moved back home to 0:09:57.679 --> 0:10:01.559 help us here in the ministry. Natural he could have 0:10:01.640 --> 0:10:04.600 wanted to be in charge, after all, he's the older brother. 0:10:05.080 --> 0:10:06.959 He could have thought, I'm not gonna go back home 0:10:07.240 --> 0:10:10.199 and serve my younger brother, especially if he's gonna get 0:10:10.240 --> 0:10:12.000 up there and make jokes about me all the time. 0:10:13.559 --> 0:10:16.880 But Paul is comfortable in who God made him to be. 0:10:17.520 --> 0:10:19.599 He doesn't have to be up here in order to 0:10:19.640 --> 0:10:20.960 feel good about himself. 0:10:21.600 --> 0:10:26.080 We recognize our giftings are different. I know I enjoy 0:10:26.240 --> 0:10:29.160 spending most of the week preparing for the week ends. 0:10:29.480 --> 0:10:32.440 This is what I focus on down deep. I believe 0:10:32.480 --> 0:10:34.760 this is what I was born to do. On the 0:10:34.800 --> 0:10:38.600 other hand, Paul enjoys meeting with people one on one, 0:10:39.160 --> 0:10:42.280 getting into their lives, finding out how he can help. 0:10:42.400 --> 0:10:45.200 He's very relational. I'll call him some nights, Hey, what 0:10:45.200 --> 0:10:48.160 are you doing. We're having friends over for dinner. Another night, 0:10:48.200 --> 0:10:50.839 what's going on? We're having the couple's class over, like 0:10:50.960 --> 0:10:53.599 thirty or forty of them. Another time he's at a 0:10:53.679 --> 0:10:57.480 friend's counseling them that's struggling in their marriage. Paul likes 0:10:57.520 --> 0:11:00.640 getting into people's lives, and don't get me wrong, I 0:11:00.679 --> 0:11:03.640 love people, but I'm just the opposite. When I'm at home, 0:11:03.720 --> 0:11:09.679 I don't want any company. Listen, I loved you, but 0:11:09.720 --> 0:11:10.360 do me a favor. 0:11:10.440 --> 0:11:11.600 Do not come and visit me. 0:11:14.280 --> 0:11:20.400 What is that God has wired us differently? Paul recognizes 0:11:20.520 --> 0:11:24.280 his gifting. He's not striving to be up here. He's 0:11:24.320 --> 0:11:26.439 not thinking one day I'm gonna feel good about myself 0:11:26.480 --> 0:11:27.360 when I'm in charge. 0:11:27.640 --> 0:11:30.040 Paul accepts the gifts God has given him. 0:11:30.240 --> 0:11:33.079 He has the attitude I'd rather be a great sergeant 0:11:33.360 --> 0:11:36.800 functioning in my gifting than be just an average general. 0:11:37.320 --> 0:11:40.600 But there's this temptation today to compare our gifts, and 0:11:40.640 --> 0:11:42.960 when we do so often we get out of our 0:11:43.000 --> 0:11:45.160 strength zone, we get into. 0:11:44.960 --> 0:11:47.080 Areas that are not our main gifting. 0:11:47.559 --> 0:11:49.720 So much better to do like Paul did and just 0:11:49.800 --> 0:11:53.240 recognize these are the gifts God has given me, and 0:11:53.280 --> 0:11:56.079 I'm gonna accept it. And at the same time, I'm 0:11:56.120 --> 0:11:59.360 not gonna feel less than and inferior because I can't 0:11:59.360 --> 0:12:02.720 do what somebody else can do. I know sometimes I'll 0:12:02.720 --> 0:12:06.840 hear other ministers and they can articulate things so well. 0:12:07.240 --> 0:12:10.880 They're these great orators, and they've got deep voices, and 0:12:10.920 --> 0:12:12.040 they can move the audience. 0:12:12.559 --> 0:12:13.040 I think to. 0:12:13.000 --> 0:12:16.240 Myself, I am so ordinary. I just get up here 0:12:16.240 --> 0:12:21.240 and talk in my Texas Twain. Compared to them, If 0:12:21.240 --> 0:12:25.640 I allowed myself, I could feel inferior, insecure. But I've 0:12:25.720 --> 0:12:30.080 learned this simple principle. I'm not competing against them. I 0:12:30.120 --> 0:12:32.760 don't have to compare. All I've got to do is 0:12:32.840 --> 0:12:37.640 be the best me that I can do. The scripture 0:12:37.679 --> 0:12:41.920 says they're in Proverbs eighteen sixteen. Your gift will make 0:12:42.000 --> 0:12:45.160 room for you. If you will develop what God has 0:12:45.200 --> 0:12:49.520 given you, you will have opportunity. You will see favor, 0:12:49.800 --> 0:12:54.200 you will have doors open. Understand, staying in your gifting 0:12:54.400 --> 0:12:56.160 and developing your talents is. 0:12:56.120 --> 0:12:57.960 A key to fulfilling your destiny. 0:12:58.559 --> 0:13:01.000 I know when my father went to be with the Lord, 0:13:01.440 --> 0:13:04.440 I made a decision at the very beginning that I 0:13:04.559 --> 0:13:06.600 was going to be who God made me to be. 0:13:07.440 --> 0:13:10.800 My father was raised Southern Baptist, and he was forty 0:13:10.880 --> 0:13:13.920 years older than I am, and our personality and styles 0:13:13.920 --> 0:13:17.360 weren't exactly the same. I'm kind of laid back and easygoing, 0:13:17.400 --> 0:13:19.400 and my father could be a little more fiery, a 0:13:19.400 --> 0:13:22.720 little more feisty. And at first I thought maybe I 0:13:22.720 --> 0:13:25.720 should be like my dad. Everybody's used to him, after all, 0:13:25.760 --> 0:13:28.640 he built the church. But I never gave into that temptation. 0:13:29.040 --> 0:13:30.840 I said, God, I'm going to be who you made 0:13:30.880 --> 0:13:32.800 me to be, and if it doesn't work out, I'll 0:13:32.840 --> 0:13:36.720 go do something else. When I first began ministering, I 0:13:36.760 --> 0:13:40.920 thought I had to have so many scriptures and opening texts. 0:13:40.520 --> 0:13:42.199 And so much of this and so much of that. 0:13:42.760 --> 0:13:45.600 But the more I ministered, the more I realized I'm 0:13:45.640 --> 0:13:48.600 my very best when I'm just sharing a simple thought. 0:13:49.040 --> 0:13:50.559 I feel the most at ease and the. 0:13:50.480 --> 0:13:53.560 Most fulfilled when I just encourage people and talk about 0:13:53.640 --> 0:13:58.280 living a victorious life. Now I realize that's my area 0:13:58.440 --> 0:14:02.160 of gifting. That's the way God has wired me. You 0:14:02.240 --> 0:14:06.040 have to be sensitive enough to not only identify your gifts, 0:14:06.240 --> 0:14:09.720 but take it a step further and develop them. Give 0:14:09.840 --> 0:14:13.200 yourself to your gift. In other words, focus on what 0:14:13.240 --> 0:14:15.840 you do best. It may not be the way other 0:14:15.880 --> 0:14:18.760 people do, it may not be the way you're expected 0:14:18.800 --> 0:14:21.360 to do it. I'm sure I could teach on different 0:14:21.400 --> 0:14:24.160 subjects and go more down this road or that road. 0:14:24.520 --> 0:14:27.800 But I recognize the main gifting God put on my life, 0:14:27.960 --> 0:14:30.760 and I put all my energy into that. And I 0:14:30.880 --> 0:14:33.280 found most of the time, we are not going to 0:14:33.320 --> 0:14:36.640 be good at doing five different things. We may be average, 0:14:36.800 --> 0:14:39.760 but I really believe there's one thing you were born 0:14:39.800 --> 0:14:43.280 to do, one thing you can excel at. And really, 0:14:43.400 --> 0:14:46.600 we are not free until we are free from trying 0:14:46.640 --> 0:14:50.520 to please everyone. Now I say this respectfully, but you 0:14:50.600 --> 0:14:53.520 cannot live just to be who your parents want you 0:14:53.600 --> 0:14:55.800 to be, or who your boss wants you to be, 0:14:56.120 --> 0:14:58.320 or who your friends want you to be. You have 0:14:58.400 --> 0:15:00.960 to stay true to who God made you to be. 0:15:02.040 --> 0:15:06.680 When my father died, I recognized my father's calling was 0:15:06.720 --> 0:15:09.640 not exactly the same as my calling. And as much 0:15:09.680 --> 0:15:13.040 as I love and respect my father, I knew I 0:15:13.080 --> 0:15:16.920 could not run his race. People say to me sometimes, Joe, 0:15:17.040 --> 0:15:19.880 you're doing a great job filling your dad's shoes, and 0:15:19.920 --> 0:15:23.280 I understand what they mean. They're complimenting me, But really, 0:15:23.400 --> 0:15:25.640 we're not called to fill anyone's shoes. 0:15:25.800 --> 0:15:27.480 You got to run your own race. 0:15:28.120 --> 0:15:30.920 And I know my father's calling was to help bring 0:15:30.960 --> 0:15:34.520 down the denominational walls. He went all over the world 0:15:34.560 --> 0:15:35.480 ministering about. 0:15:35.240 --> 0:15:36.480 The fullness of the spirit. 0:15:37.160 --> 0:15:39.200 And when I first took over, I thought, maybe I 0:15:39.200 --> 0:15:41.840 should just do what Daddy did, Maybe I should preach 0:15:41.840 --> 0:15:42.960 his sermons, go down. 0:15:42.800 --> 0:15:43.520 That same road. 0:15:44.120 --> 0:15:47.480 But when I really searched my heart, I knew down deep, 0:15:47.560 --> 0:15:50.160 my calling is to plan a sea of hope, a 0:15:50.200 --> 0:15:53.480 seat of encouragement in people's lives. And of course I 0:15:53.520 --> 0:15:56.440 wanted to honor my father. And I struggled with this, 0:15:56.880 --> 0:15:59.840 knowing that the vision God put in me wasn't exactly 0:15:59.840 --> 0:16:02.320 the same as the one he put in my father. 0:16:02.880 --> 0:16:05.240 But one day I was reading a scripture and it 0:16:05.280 --> 0:16:08.280 really set me free. It was talking about David, and 0:16:08.320 --> 0:16:13.800 it said David fulfilled God's purpose for his generation. And 0:16:13.840 --> 0:16:16.360 when I read that, I could hear God speaking to 0:16:16.400 --> 0:16:19.040 me right down in here. He said, Joel, your dad 0:16:19.160 --> 0:16:22.840 fulfilled his purpose for his generation. Now you go out 0:16:23.080 --> 0:16:24.080 and fulfill your. 0:16:23.920 --> 0:16:25.440 Purpose for your generation. 0:16:28.160 --> 0:16:32.880 And I realized at that point, I realized, I've got 0:16:32.880 --> 0:16:35.600 to run my race and be the best me that 0:16:35.720 --> 0:16:38.640 I can be. After all, God doesn't want a bunch 0:16:38.640 --> 0:16:42.360 of cheap imitations. Let's be the originals God has. 0:16:42.240 --> 0:16:43.040 Created us to be. 0:16:46.560 --> 0:16:50.480 One reason David was so blessed was he understood what 0:16:50.600 --> 0:16:53.960 he was good at. He really knew his gifting when 0:16:53.960 --> 0:16:56.760 he was out in the shepherd's fields. He developed his 0:16:56.880 --> 0:17:00.480 talent with the slingshot. He became a master sharp shooter. 0:17:01.080 --> 0:17:04.280 That didn't just automatically happen. He had a natural bent 0:17:04.320 --> 0:17:07.320 toward it, and he took the time to develop that talent. 0:17:07.800 --> 0:17:10.240 I can imagine as he was taking care of his 0:17:10.280 --> 0:17:14.600 father's sheep, he didn't just sit around there lazy and unmotivated. 0:17:15.080 --> 0:17:19.320 He used that time to practice hitting targets with his slingshot. 0:17:19.880 --> 0:17:22.680 He got better and better, until one day he could 0:17:22.720 --> 0:17:23.880 hit a bullseye one. 0:17:23.880 --> 0:17:25.240 Hundred feet away. 0:17:25.560 --> 0:17:29.720 It's interesting David had other talents. He was a great songwriter, 0:17:30.200 --> 0:17:33.280 he was a skilled musician. He was a talented leader. 0:17:33.680 --> 0:17:36.000 But do you know the gift that got him promoted, 0:17:36.440 --> 0:17:39.080 the gift that made room for him, was his talent 0:17:39.200 --> 0:17:43.280 with the little slingshot. What am I saying? Don't despise 0:17:43.400 --> 0:17:46.600 the gift God has given you. It may seem small, 0:17:46.880 --> 0:17:50.040 it may not seem very significant, but it doesn't have 0:17:50.200 --> 0:17:52.959 to be an important gift for God to use it 0:17:53.000 --> 0:17:56.880 in a great way. Stay focused, stay determined, and pursue 0:17:56.920 --> 0:17:58.160 what God's put in your heart. 0:17:59.000 --> 0:18:02.560 At that time, the Lee was King Saul. He loved David. 0:18:03.119 --> 0:18:05.800 He could see David's potential, and he would have David 0:18:05.880 --> 0:18:09.680 over to his home. David was one of his military strategists. 0:18:09.920 --> 0:18:12.439 He'd have David go out and lead the troops. And 0:18:12.560 --> 0:18:16.560 David was extremely effective, and at first Saul was so 0:18:16.680 --> 0:18:19.760 happy for him. He was his number one fan. But 0:18:19.880 --> 0:18:23.840 something happened that changed it all. One day, David was 0:18:23.880 --> 0:18:27.160 coming home from a battle where he had defeated the Philistines, 0:18:27.640 --> 0:18:31.280 and the women were singing a song saying, Saul has 0:18:31.359 --> 0:18:36.200 killed thousands, but David has killed tens of thousands. The 0:18:36.280 --> 0:18:40.320 scripture says, from that moment, Saul never looked at David 0:18:40.480 --> 0:18:44.960 the same way. What happened, Saul became jealous. He was 0:18:45.040 --> 0:18:49.040 so insecure. He thought, I can't be number two. I'm 0:18:49.080 --> 0:18:49.600 supposed to. 0:18:49.600 --> 0:18:50.199 Be the greatest. 0:18:50.240 --> 0:18:53.040 I'm supposed to get all the compliments. Now they're talking 0:18:53.080 --> 0:18:54.520 about somebody's. 0:18:54.000 --> 0:18:56.000 Greater than I am. 0:18:56.080 --> 0:18:59.040 Saul could not walk in the company of great men 0:18:59.480 --> 0:19:04.080 because he didn't really know who he was. Sometimes, like David, 0:19:04.520 --> 0:19:09.200 people will despise you because you're effective. Sometimes people will 0:19:09.240 --> 0:19:13.320 talk behind your back simply because you're talented. The fact 0:19:13.440 --> 0:19:17.000 is David didn't do anything wrong. He didn't come back saying, 0:19:17.040 --> 0:19:19.640 look how great I am Saul out did you Man, 0:19:19.680 --> 0:19:23.119 I'm something special. No, he was simply being the best 0:19:23.359 --> 0:19:26.040 that he could be. He was giving it his all. 0:19:26.560 --> 0:19:29.520 It was the other people that were singing David's praises. 0:19:29.880 --> 0:19:33.720 The problem with King Saul was he was not satisfied 0:19:34.000 --> 0:19:37.000 with the gifts God has given him. When he heard 0:19:37.000 --> 0:19:39.800 them singing about how he had killed thousands, he liked that. 0:19:40.520 --> 0:19:43.680 But when they started singing about how David had killed 0:19:43.720 --> 0:19:46.800 tens of thousands and how David had outdone him, it 0:19:46.920 --> 0:19:50.560 was that comparison that caused him to get jealous and 0:19:50.600 --> 0:19:55.200 despised David. If he could have just recognized David was 0:19:55.280 --> 0:20:00.199 running a different race, God had given him different talents. If, oh, 0:20:00.280 --> 0:20:04.240 David was more successful, Saul didn't have to feel inferior 0:20:04.640 --> 0:20:09.080 or less than. But he let that unhealthy competitive spirit 0:20:09.680 --> 0:20:12.720 cause him to think David's getting all the praise. They're 0:20:12.720 --> 0:20:14.920 gonna think David's greater than I am. 0:20:15.080 --> 0:20:15.720 Here's the key. 0:20:16.240 --> 0:20:19.640 If you're not comfortable with who you are, you'll never 0:20:19.800 --> 0:20:23.600 be able to celebrate somebody that's ahead of you, somebody 0:20:23.600 --> 0:20:27.320 that has more talent, because when we're insecure, we're always comparing, 0:20:27.960 --> 0:20:31.600 even if it's your best friend, like David was to Saul. 0:20:31.680 --> 0:20:36.520 If you can't compliment them and celebrate their successes without 0:20:36.600 --> 0:20:40.840 feeling inferior, without getting jealous, then that poison that's on 0:20:40.880 --> 0:20:44.080 the inside is going to keep you from becoming all 0:20:44.200 --> 0:20:45.280 God's created you to be. 0:20:46.119 --> 0:20:47.040 If Saul could have. 0:20:47.160 --> 0:20:51.760 Just recognized he wasn't running against David, he wasn't competing 0:20:51.800 --> 0:20:55.200 against him. Saul had his own race, with his own 0:20:55.240 --> 0:20:58.080 set of skills, with his own purpose. If he would 0:20:58.080 --> 0:21:01.919 have just been able to congratulate David and genuinely be 0:21:02.040 --> 0:21:04.560 happy for him, he could have gone on to do 0:21:04.600 --> 0:21:06.640 great things and to fulfill his purpose. 0:21:07.240 --> 0:21:08.280 But he let that. 0:21:08.640 --> 0:21:11.680 Resentment, he let the fact that somebody was ahead of 0:21:11.800 --> 0:21:16.240 him cause him to get distracted. He lost focus, and 0:21:16.320 --> 0:21:18.880 he never did fulfill his divine destiny. 0:21:19.480 --> 0:21:21.080 Here's a phrase I want you to remember. 0:21:21.520 --> 0:21:27.440 Don't compare yourself, celebrate yourself. Someone else may have conquered 0:21:27.480 --> 0:21:31.639 ten thousand and you only conquered a thousand, But you 0:21:31.720 --> 0:21:35.520 have to realize a thousand is still very good. Some 0:21:35.560 --> 0:21:39.440 people only conquered five hundred. Some people only conquered fifty. 0:21:39.880 --> 0:21:43.800 Don't lose your enthusiasm because you're not keeping up with others. 0:21:44.280 --> 0:21:47.200 We're not supposed to keep pace with other people. We're 0:21:47.240 --> 0:21:50.560 supposed to keep pace with our own inner voice. We 0:21:50.640 --> 0:21:53.119 need to have the attitude I'm going to be the 0:21:53.119 --> 0:21:54.560 best me that I can be. 0:21:55.280 --> 0:21:57.480 I know I am one of a kind. I know 0:21:57.600 --> 0:22:00.560 I'm in a class all by myself. I'm gonna try 0:22:00.600 --> 0:22:01.399 to be like David. 0:22:01.440 --> 0:22:04.200 He may have conquered tens of thousands, but God knows 0:22:04.200 --> 0:22:07.440 what I'm capable of, and I'm not gonna feel inferior 0:22:08.119 --> 0:22:11.040 just because somebody out did me. I'm gonna be comfortable 0:22:11.160 --> 0:22:12.000 with who God. 0:22:11.760 --> 0:22:16.240 Made me to be now. I found if you can't compliment. 0:22:15.760 --> 0:22:20.280 Others, you'll never really be able to compliment yourself, because 0:22:20.359 --> 0:22:24.160 every time you accomplish something new, every time you rise higher, 0:22:24.320 --> 0:22:26.240 you'll see somebody else that can do it a little 0:22:26.240 --> 0:22:29.080 better than you, somebody else that's a little more successful. 0:22:29.920 --> 0:22:32.400 You have to be secure enough in who you are 0:22:32.920 --> 0:22:36.800 to celebrate other people's victories. It's only when we can 0:22:36.840 --> 0:22:39.920 celebrate others that we can really celebrate ourselves. 0:22:40.480 --> 0:22:41.440 It boils down to this. 0:22:42.119 --> 0:22:46.199 The creator of the universe has put different gifts and 0:22:46.280 --> 0:22:50.119 talents in each one of us. Every person doesn't have 0:22:50.160 --> 0:22:53.200 the same amount of talent, the same amount of potential, 0:22:53.680 --> 0:22:56.639 and we have to be big enough to recognize I 0:22:56.760 --> 0:22:59.600 may not be a ten thousand level person like David. 0:23:00.160 --> 0:23:02.639 God may have made me to be a thousand level person. 0:23:02.960 --> 0:23:05.240 But I can guarantee you this, I'm gonna be the 0:23:05.240 --> 0:23:08.840 best thousand level man you've ever seen. I'm not gonna 0:23:08.840 --> 0:23:12.000 stop at nine ninety, not gonna stop at nine ninety five, 0:23:12.560 --> 0:23:15.439 not gonna stop at nine ninety nine. I'm gonna become 0:23:15.720 --> 0:23:18.720 all God's created me to be. And when I hit 0:23:18.760 --> 0:23:21.520 a thousand, I'm not gonna look back and get depressed 0:23:21.640 --> 0:23:24.760 because somebody hit ten thousand. I'm running my race. I 0:23:24.840 --> 0:23:28.040 know God's put in me everything that I need. That 0:23:28.119 --> 0:23:31.680 means I have the right personality. I have the right looks, 0:23:31.920 --> 0:23:34.240 I have the right height, I have the right gifts, 0:23:34.280 --> 0:23:35.640 I have the right talents, I. 0:23:35.520 --> 0:23:37.680 Have the wisdom. The idea is the creativity. 0:23:38.320 --> 0:23:41.560 God has equipped each one of us with exactly what 0:23:41.640 --> 0:23:44.880 we need. Quit thinking that you have to measure up 0:23:44.920 --> 0:23:47.920 to someone else. You don't have to feel less than 0:23:48.359 --> 0:23:51.879 because you're not as successful as another family member or 0:23:51.920 --> 0:23:53.359 a friend or a coworker. 0:23:53.760 --> 0:23:55.720 You're not running their race. 0:23:56.040 --> 0:23:59.359 You're in a class all by yourself when God made 0:23:59.359 --> 0:24:02.280 you through away the mold. You don't have to live 0:24:02.400 --> 0:24:05.720 up to anyone's expectations. Just be the best that you 0:24:05.800 --> 0:24:09.040 can be. Celebrate who God made you to be. And 0:24:09.080 --> 0:24:12.000 some of you are real good at celebrating others, but 0:24:12.040 --> 0:24:15.400 you need to start celebrating yourself. You may not be 0:24:15.480 --> 0:24:18.320 a general, we may not be like King David, but 0:24:18.359 --> 0:24:20.840 we don't have to feel less than put your shoulders 0:24:20.880 --> 0:24:23.399 back and be the best private you can be. Be 0:24:23.480 --> 0:24:25.840 the best corporal you can be, Be the best sergeant 0:24:25.880 --> 0:24:28.959 you can be. Bottom line is, take what God has 0:24:29.000 --> 0:24:30.280 given you and make. 0:24:30.160 --> 0:24:31.119 The very most of it. 0:24:31.680 --> 0:24:35.520 And don't ever feel intimidated because you see somebody that 0:24:35.560 --> 0:24:38.679 has more gifts or more talents. Listen, if it was 0:24:38.760 --> 0:24:41.359 not for the goodness of God, none of us would 0:24:41.359 --> 0:24:46.720 be where we are today. When we compare. When we compare, 0:24:46.960 --> 0:24:51.320 we lose focus. We get distracted. But I've learned I 0:24:51.359 --> 0:24:54.000 can't run with your vision. I can't fall it in 0:24:54.080 --> 0:24:56.960 your footsteps. It may be a great vision, it may 0:24:57.000 --> 0:25:01.760 be exciting, but I recognize God has equipped you with. 0:25:01.640 --> 0:25:02.359 What you need. 0:25:02.840 --> 0:25:05.679 You have the gifts and the talents to accomplish what 0:25:05.720 --> 0:25:08.480 God's put in your heart. But the moment I get 0:25:08.520 --> 0:25:10.919 out of my calling and try to do what you're doing, 0:25:11.320 --> 0:25:15.280 I lose my annointing. My gifting is not right, my 0:25:15.440 --> 0:25:18.919 tools are not appropriate. It's like I need some screwdrivers, 0:25:18.960 --> 0:25:20.520 but all I got is a bunch of wrenches. 0:25:20.840 --> 0:25:22.959 What happened I got out of my calling. 0:25:23.960 --> 0:25:27.800 God has put in you everything you need to fulfill 0:25:28.160 --> 0:25:31.520 your destiny, but he has not equipped you to do 0:25:31.600 --> 0:25:32.440 something that's. 0:25:32.320 --> 0:25:34.760 Outside of your vision. Now. 0:25:34.760 --> 0:25:37.080 I know people that are in their fifties, even in 0:25:37.160 --> 0:25:40.280 their sixties, and they're still not happy with who they are, 0:25:40.760 --> 0:25:43.679 and it's because they're trying to bring something out of 0:25:43.720 --> 0:25:47.040 them that was never in them. At some point they 0:25:47.080 --> 0:25:50.800 got off course, they got distracted, and instead of running 0:25:50.800 --> 0:25:53.880 their race staying in their gifting, they saw a friend 0:25:53.960 --> 0:25:55.959 doing something and now they're trying to do it. 0:25:56.200 --> 0:25:57.960 They're trying to be something that they're not. 0:25:58.920 --> 0:26:02.399 It's so important that we stay free from comparisons and 0:26:02.560 --> 0:26:06.200 free from trying to keep up with everyone. Now, take 0:26:06.240 --> 0:26:09.680 the pressure off yourself. Just go out each day and 0:26:09.720 --> 0:26:12.920 be the very best that you can be, and when 0:26:12.960 --> 0:26:16.040 you really follow your own inner vision, it's not a 0:26:16.080 --> 0:26:19.960 constant struggle. Yes it takes work, yes it takes determination. 0:26:20.520 --> 0:26:24.440 But when you're in your calling, running your race, the gifts, 0:26:24.640 --> 0:26:27.879 the talents, the drive, the determination, it comes up out 0:26:27.920 --> 0:26:31.480 of you naturally, So you cannot pull from something that's 0:26:31.520 --> 0:26:32.000 not there. 0:26:32.200 --> 0:26:32.800 You've got to be. 0:26:32.760 --> 0:26:36.320 Comfortable with who God made you to be. Old King Saul, 0:26:36.520 --> 0:26:39.359 he was so jealous he couldn't stand the fact that 0:26:39.400 --> 0:26:42.840 they were singing about David's praises. He ended up trying 0:26:42.880 --> 0:26:45.879 to kill David. He spent years trying to get rid 0:26:45.960 --> 0:26:48.840 of him, but all that did was lead to his 0:26:48.960 --> 0:26:53.359 own untimely death. When God has anointed someone to be 0:26:53.400 --> 0:26:55.919 at a certain position, there's nothing we can do to 0:26:55.960 --> 0:26:59.960 stop it. Being jealous, being critical, talking behind their back, 0:27:00.320 --> 0:27:03.240 that's not gonna stop them. All that's gonna do is 0:27:03.320 --> 0:27:06.320 lead to our own downfall. It's much better to just 0:27:06.400 --> 0:27:10.320 recognize God has gifted this person. God has put talents 0:27:10.359 --> 0:27:12.520 in them, and who am I to argue with the 0:27:12.560 --> 0:27:15.120 creator of the universe. I'm gonna be happy for him 0:27:15.320 --> 0:27:18.199 and at the same time recognize God has given me 0:27:18.320 --> 0:27:22.960 everything I need to be victorious It's interesting how Saul 0:27:23.080 --> 0:27:28.320 faced his successor verse, how the apostle Paul faced his successor. 0:27:29.000 --> 0:27:32.280 Saul tried to kill David, but the apostle Paul did 0:27:32.320 --> 0:27:32.720 it right. 0:27:33.000 --> 0:27:34.240 He encouraged Timothy. 0:27:34.520 --> 0:27:37.640 He tried to build him up instead of being jealous 0:27:37.680 --> 0:27:38.600 and intimidated. 0:27:39.040 --> 0:27:41.480 He said, Timothy, stir up your gifts. 0:27:41.880 --> 0:27:44.520 You don't have a spirit of fear. You're strong, You're courageous. 0:27:44.800 --> 0:27:47.679 He was saying, Timothy, you're gonna do great things. I 0:27:47.880 --> 0:27:51.080 celebrate what God has put in you. How could Paul 0:27:51.200 --> 0:27:51.520 do that? 0:27:51.680 --> 0:27:52.320 Here's the key. 0:27:52.760 --> 0:27:56.560 Paul said, I have kept the faith. I have finished 0:27:56.800 --> 0:28:01.280 my course. Paul knew he wasn't competing against anyone. He 0:28:01.359 --> 0:28:04.480 was running his own race. He developed his gift, He 0:28:04.600 --> 0:28:07.520 stayed in his calling. He was able to say, I've 0:28:07.560 --> 0:28:10.480 become all God's created me to be. I have finished 0:28:10.600 --> 0:28:11.359 my assignment. 0:28:12.280 --> 0:28:14.680 That's my prayer for each one of you, that you 0:28:14.760 --> 0:28:16.400 will develop your gifts. 0:28:16.040 --> 0:28:19.680 And talents and you will run your race. Why don't 0:28:19.680 --> 0:28:23.760 you break free from any comparisons. You're not competing with others, 0:28:24.119 --> 0:28:29.000 compete against your own inner voice. Don't compare yourself, celebrate yourself. 0:28:29.000 --> 0:28:31.480 You will one of a kind. If you will stay 0:28:31.480 --> 0:28:34.720 in your strength zone and develop your gifts. God has 0:28:34.760 --> 0:28:37.280 promised your gifts will make room for you. 0:28:37.840 --> 0:28:37.959 Now. 0:28:37.960 --> 0:28:41.920 I know every one of us has untapped potential. Stay 0:28:41.960 --> 0:28:45.520 focused and work on the things that you're already good at. 0:28:46.200 --> 0:28:48.320 If you will be comfortable with who God made you 0:28:48.400 --> 0:28:51.800 to be, not go around competing and comparing, You're not 0:28:51.840 --> 0:28:54.480 only going to enjoy your life more, but God's going 0:28:54.560 --> 0:28:57.640 to pour out his blessings and one day, like Paul, 0:28:57.680 --> 0:28:59.640 you'll be able to look back and say, I've kept 0:28:59.680 --> 0:29:03.080 the faith, I have finished my course. Amen, do you 0:29:03.080 --> 0:29:08.000 receive it today? We never like to close our broadcast 0:29:08.360 --> 0:29:11.360 without giving you an opportunity to make Jesus the lord 0:29:11.360 --> 0:29:12.000 of your life. 0:29:12.320 --> 0:29:13.240 Would you pray with me? 0:29:13.920 --> 0:29:19.120 Just say, Lord, Jesus, I'll repent of my sins. Come 0:29:19.120 --> 0:29:24.360 into my heart. I make you my Lord in Savior. Friends, 0:29:24.360 --> 0:29:26.720 if you prayed that simple prayer, we believe you got 0:29:26.760 --> 0:29:27.360 born again. 0:29:27.840 --> 0:29:28.720 Get in a good. 0:29:28.520 --> 0:29:31.120 Bible based church, and keep God first place. 0:29:31.360 --> 0:29:33.800 He's going to take your places that you've never dreamed of. 0:29:34.560 --> 0:29:37.440 Thank you for listening to the joel OUs Deine podcast. 0:29:37.760 --> 0:29:40.400 Help us continue to share the message of hope with 0:29:40.520 --> 0:29:44.040 those all over the world visit joelus dein dot com 0:29:44.040 --> 0:29:46.600 slash give hope to give a gift today. 0:29:47.840 --> 0:29:50.280 Thanks so much for listening to today's message. 0:29:50.440 --> 0:29:53.160 I hope you'll subscribe so you can receive the latest 0:29:53.240 --> 0:29:54.640 podcast to keep. 0:29:54.480 --> 0:29:57.440 You inspired all through the week. We're praying for you. 0:29:57.640 --> 0:30:00.000 I know God's best is still ahead. We'll see you 0:30:00.160 --> 0:30:07.840 next time, MHM.