Dealing With Ugly Situations

0:00:00.560 --> 0:00:03.480 Hi, this is Joelan Victoria. Thanks so much for listening 0:00:03.480 --> 0:00:07.080 to the podcast and thanks for supporting the ministry. We 0:00:07.200 --> 0:00:11.039 believe you're going to have an awesome twenty twenty four, healthy, productive, 0:00:11.200 --> 0:00:15.400 and favor filled. God bless you today and enjoy the message. Well, 0:00:15.440 --> 0:00:18.040 God bless you. It's great to be with you today, 0:00:18.120 --> 0:00:20.639 and I hope you'll stay connected with us during the 0:00:20.680 --> 0:00:24.560 week to our daily podcast, our YouTube channel on social media, 0:00:24.960 --> 0:00:27.600 and you can come visit us in person. We'd love 0:00:27.640 --> 0:00:29.760 to have you be a part of one of our services, 0:00:30.360 --> 0:00:32.640 nigh Lights us Hot with something Funny and I heard 0:00:32.640 --> 0:00:35.839 about this man. He was the only Protestant in a 0:00:35.920 --> 0:00:40.839 large Catholic neighborhood. Every Friday during Lent, while his neighbors 0:00:40.840 --> 0:00:43.720 were eating cold fish, he was grilling a steak in 0:00:43.760 --> 0:00:47.800 his backyard. They couldn't stand the temptation and decided to 0:00:47.840 --> 0:00:51.239 try to convert him to Catholicism. He finally agreed, and 0:00:51.800 --> 0:00:54.520 a priest came over and sprinkled water on him, said, 0:00:54.560 --> 0:00:56.960 you were born a Baptist, you were raised a Baptist, 0:00:57.120 --> 0:01:00.080 but now you're a Catholic. The next year, on the 0:01:00.080 --> 0:01:03.279 first Friday of Lent, they smell the same smell they 0:01:03.360 --> 0:01:06.600 rouse to his house. He was in the backyard sprinkling 0:01:06.640 --> 0:01:09.679 water over his steak, saying, you were born a cow, 0:01:09.880 --> 0:01:13.520 you were raised a cow, but now you're a fish. 0:01:13.880 --> 0:01:16.840 All right, y'all say it like you mean it. This 0:01:16.959 --> 0:01:19.520 is my Bible. I am what it says I am. 0:01:20.040 --> 0:01:22.399 I have what it says I have. I can do 0:01:22.480 --> 0:01:25.080 what it says I can do. Today I will be 0:01:25.120 --> 0:01:29.000 taught the word of God. I boldly confess. My mind 0:01:29.120 --> 0:01:32.520 is alert, my heart is recepted. I will never be 0:01:32.600 --> 0:01:37.679 the same. In Jesus' name, God bless you. I want 0:01:37.720 --> 0:01:41.119 to talk to you today about dealing with ugly situations 0:01:42.040 --> 0:01:45.280 in life. We all face the good, the bad, and 0:01:45.360 --> 0:01:48.880 the ugly. We love the good times where we're seeing 0:01:48.880 --> 0:01:52.840 God's favor and doors are opening. We can handle the bad. 0:01:53.280 --> 0:01:56.600 We didn't get the contract, a neighbor is talking about us, 0:01:56.920 --> 0:02:01.040 that's just life happening. But there are some situations. The 0:02:01.120 --> 0:02:06.040 only way to describe then is ugly. An ugly medical report. 0:02:06.560 --> 0:02:09.240 We never thought we'd be facing this, or an ugly 0:02:09.360 --> 0:02:13.799 break up. Someone we counted on walked away, an ugly addiction. 0:02:14.440 --> 0:02:17.079 It's easy to get discouraged, and then God where were you. 0:02:17.880 --> 0:02:21.320 But God won't allow a difficulty if he's not going 0:02:21.360 --> 0:02:25.040 to use it for your purpose. The scripture says everything 0:02:25.320 --> 0:02:29.280 is serving his plan, not just the good times, the promotion, 0:02:29.600 --> 0:02:33.480 the blessings, but even the ugly times when it's not 0:02:33.680 --> 0:02:37.160 fair and life throws us accur And if you'll go 0:02:37.240 --> 0:02:40.440 through the suffering with the right attitude and through that 0:02:40.520 --> 0:02:44.720 hardship trusting that God's in control, then God will make 0:02:44.800 --> 0:02:48.200 something beautiful out of the ugly. You will go to 0:02:48.320 --> 0:02:51.560 levels of your destiny that you could have never reached 0:02:51.840 --> 0:02:55.440 by just living in the good times. These ugly seasons 0:02:55.440 --> 0:02:58.880 are uncomfortable. We'd prefer to never have to deal with it, 0:02:59.400 --> 0:03:02.880 but they are necessary to become all you were created 0:03:02.919 --> 0:03:05.880 to be. See, you don't grow as much in the 0:03:05.919 --> 0:03:10.280 good times. It's in the difficult times you're stretched. Your 0:03:10.280 --> 0:03:15.600 faith can increase your trust, your endurance. David said, God, 0:03:15.680 --> 0:03:20.000 you enlarged me in my distress. Not enlarged me when 0:03:20.000 --> 0:03:23.920 I was comfortable, when everyone was celebrating me. But you 0:03:24.120 --> 0:03:27.320 enlarged me when I was chased by Saul through the 0:03:27.360 --> 0:03:31.440 desert and I'd done nothing wrong. You enlarged me when 0:03:31.440 --> 0:03:35.080 my own father didn't think I'd amount to anything. You 0:03:35.240 --> 0:03:38.400 enlarged me when people I had been good to were 0:03:38.440 --> 0:03:42.880 slandering me, trying to ruin my reputation. None of us 0:03:43.240 --> 0:03:46.480 liked the ugly seasons. But that's when God does some 0:03:46.560 --> 0:03:50.240 of his greatest work, preparing you for something that you've 0:03:50.280 --> 0:03:54.120 never seen. And that's what happened with Jacob. He just 0:03:54.200 --> 0:03:56.680 moved to a new city and he was working for 0:03:56.720 --> 0:04:00.560 his uncle, a man named Laban. Laban had two daughters, 0:04:00.960 --> 0:04:06.400 Rachel and Leah. Rachel was extremely attractive. She was stunning. 0:04:06.840 --> 0:04:10.560 The scripture says she was beautiful in every way, with 0:04:10.600 --> 0:04:15.800 a lovely face and a shapely figure. Everyone admired her beauty. 0:04:15.920 --> 0:04:20.159 She was a knockout, but her older sister, Leah, not 0:04:20.320 --> 0:04:25.880 so much. Verse seventeen says Leah had weak eyes. One 0:04:25.920 --> 0:04:30.200 translation says Leah was dull looking. Rachel got all this 0:04:30.360 --> 0:04:34.880 physical beauty, but Leah was unattractive. And it's not often 0:04:35.000 --> 0:04:39.000 that the scripture described someone's physical appearance. This has a 0:04:39.040 --> 0:04:43.240 deeper meaning because every person is a masterpiece made in 0:04:43.279 --> 0:04:47.640 the image of God. But the symbolism here is Rachel 0:04:47.720 --> 0:04:52.080 is beautiful and Leah is ugly. Well, when Jacob saw 0:04:52.279 --> 0:04:55.760 Rachel he didn't think twice. It was love at first sight. 0:04:55.920 --> 0:04:59.039 He thought, I'm an marry this girl. In those days, 0:04:59.480 --> 0:05:03.040 women were treated almost like property, you had to buy them. 0:05:03.640 --> 0:05:05.600 Jacob went to Laven and said, I'll make a deal 0:05:05.640 --> 0:05:08.840 with you. I'll work for you seven years if you'll 0:05:08.920 --> 0:05:12.760 let me marry Rachel. Laban shook his hand and said, 0:05:12.800 --> 0:05:16.360 you have a deal. Seven years and she's yours. Well, 0:05:16.440 --> 0:05:18.880 Jacob was so in love he couldn't wait for the 0:05:19.040 --> 0:05:22.839 seven years to pass. He worked hard and was faithful. 0:05:23.480 --> 0:05:28.280 He increased Laban's flocks. Because of Jacob, Laban became a 0:05:28.320 --> 0:05:31.839 wealthy man, and Jacob was glad to do it. He 0:05:31.960 --> 0:05:35.880 knew something better was coming in return. This beautiful Rachel 0:05:36.279 --> 0:05:39.440 was about to be his wife. Well, the seven years 0:05:39.440 --> 0:05:42.320 came to an end and Laban had this big wedding, 0:05:42.920 --> 0:05:47.359 all the family and friends. Back then, the bride wore 0:05:47.440 --> 0:05:50.640 a very thick veil and you couldn't see who it was. 0:05:51.240 --> 0:05:54.360 After the ceremony, they had all this dancing, all the partying. 0:05:54.960 --> 0:05:58.200 Finally the night ended, Jacob went home a married man. 0:05:58.960 --> 0:06:02.120 He woke up the next morning looked over in bed, 0:06:02.520 --> 0:06:06.720 but it wasn't Rachel. It was Leah. He nearly passed out. 0:06:07.480 --> 0:06:10.680 He didn't see the beautiful face he dreamed about. He 0:06:10.720 --> 0:06:14.640 saw weak eyes staring at him. No offense, but he 0:06:14.680 --> 0:06:17.880 didn't work that hard that long for something that dull. 0:06:18.520 --> 0:06:21.680 He went straight to Laban said, this is not what 0:06:21.800 --> 0:06:25.360 we agreed to. I didn't ask for the unattractive one. 0:06:25.640 --> 0:06:29.039 I asked for the beautiful one. How many times have 0:06:29.160 --> 0:06:33.080 we prayed for Rachel, but we got Leah. Like Jacob, 0:06:33.320 --> 0:06:36.800 we worked hard, we did the right thing. We were 0:06:36.839 --> 0:06:41.560 expecting Rachel, favor, promotion, good breaks, but Leah showed up 0:06:42.200 --> 0:06:47.080 something unfair that we didn't see coming. Well. Laban was dishonest. 0:06:47.240 --> 0:06:50.640 He didn't keep his word. But in his defense, in 0:06:50.680 --> 0:06:54.440 those days, the father was responsible for giving the oldest 0:06:54.560 --> 0:06:58.479 daughter in marriage first. That was the tradition. That was 0:06:58.520 --> 0:07:03.200 being an honorable father, not overlooking the older. Lavin said 0:07:03.240 --> 0:07:06.640 to Jacob, if you'll work for me another seven years, 0:07:07.160 --> 0:07:10.760 then I'll give you Rachel. Jacob wasn't happy about it, 0:07:11.000 --> 0:07:14.680 but he agreed. He worked seven more years in an 0:07:14.800 --> 0:07:19.360 unfair situation he was taken advantage of. It might have 0:07:19.440 --> 0:07:22.640 been protocol, but Laban should have told him and not 0:07:22.760 --> 0:07:27.680 tricked him. But here's the key. Jacob didn't complain. He 0:07:27.800 --> 0:07:31.880 wasn't disrespectful to Leah. She wasn't his choice. He didn't 0:07:31.880 --> 0:07:35.320 blame her. Why are you unattractive? You're not who I wanted. 0:07:35.880 --> 0:07:38.720 He did the right thing when it was hard. He 0:07:38.800 --> 0:07:42.320 kept being his best in an ugly situation, and at 0:07:42.360 --> 0:07:45.960 the end of the seven years he married Rachel, he 0:07:46.000 --> 0:07:50.600 saw that promise come to pass. Rachel represents what we're 0:07:50.640 --> 0:07:56.600 believing for our dreams, good health, joy, peace, abundance. We 0:07:56.640 --> 0:08:01.920 all want Rachel, but often Leah's shows up first, something 0:08:01.960 --> 0:08:06.080 that we didn't want, what's unattractive. What you do in 0:08:06.120 --> 0:08:10.160 the ugly situations will determine whether you get stuck there 0:08:10.880 --> 0:08:14.880 or you come into the beautiful things God has for you. 0:08:14.880 --> 0:08:17.200 You may be even one of those ugly times. Now 0:08:17.840 --> 0:08:20.880 things haven't turned out the way you had planned. You 0:08:20.920 --> 0:08:24.360 can get bitter give up on your dreams. Or you 0:08:24.400 --> 0:08:27.320 can do like Jacob and do the right thing when 0:08:27.360 --> 0:08:30.920 it's unfair, keep being your best when life throws you 0:08:31.000 --> 0:08:35.880 a curve. Rachel is coming. What God promised you is 0:08:35.920 --> 0:08:40.880 still en route. Leah is a test. The ugly situation 0:08:41.400 --> 0:08:43.640 is where you have to prove to God what you're 0:08:43.640 --> 0:08:48.439 made of anyone can get soured. Forget you, Laban, this 0:08:48.520 --> 0:08:52.559 is unfair. But if you don't deal with Leah properly, 0:08:53.080 --> 0:08:57.760 you'll never see Rachel. It was necessary that Leah came first. 0:08:58.440 --> 0:09:01.720 Wasn't a coincidence. That's just how the story panned out. 0:09:02.280 --> 0:09:05.560 It was ordained by God. We can't see it at 0:09:05.600 --> 0:09:08.640 the time. How any good can come out of this 0:09:08.880 --> 0:09:13.240 ugly situation where we were betrayed. We were dealing with 0:09:13.280 --> 0:09:16.440 an illness, We lost a loved one. It may not 0:09:16.600 --> 0:09:20.440 be fair, but without it, you couldn't become all you 0:09:20.520 --> 0:09:24.440 were created to be. It's depositing something in you. It's 0:09:24.480 --> 0:09:28.960 stretching you, getting you prepared for things greater than you've imagined. 0:09:29.960 --> 0:09:34.400 Jacob married Rachel, and he married Leah. He had two wives, 0:09:35.120 --> 0:09:38.360 but he never really loved Leah. The scripture says that 0:09:38.480 --> 0:09:44.160 Leah was disliked. She felt unwanted. She had baby after baby, 0:09:44.400 --> 0:09:47.080 thinking that would cause Jacob to change his mind and 0:09:47.360 --> 0:09:52.040 really fall in love. But Jacob never did. He was respectful, 0:09:52.600 --> 0:09:55.439 but he didn't show her much affection, didn't spend much 0:09:55.480 --> 0:09:58.760 time with her. He loved Rachel. He was drawn to 0:09:58.800 --> 0:10:02.120 her beauty and smile the way she made him feel. 0:10:03.360 --> 0:10:08.199 Over time, both Rachel and Leah had children. Leah had 0:10:08.240 --> 0:10:12.040 a son named Judah. It was thousands of years later 0:10:12.480 --> 0:10:16.880 the Messiah would come through the tribe of Judah. Jesus 0:10:17.000 --> 0:10:21.160 was born through Leah's family line. Out of this ugly 0:10:21.280 --> 0:10:26.600 situation came something magnificent, something Jacob couldn't see at the time. 0:10:27.440 --> 0:10:30.880 All he saw was lave and trick me. This is 0:10:30.920 --> 0:10:33.760 not what we agreed to. I wanted the beautiful daughter, 0:10:34.200 --> 0:10:37.600 not the unattractive one. But you don't know what God 0:10:37.679 --> 0:10:42.440 is up to. Leah was necessary. If Jacob didn't have 0:10:42.520 --> 0:10:47.880 Leah the ugly situation, we wouldn't have the Messiah. God 0:10:48.040 --> 0:10:51.520 uses things that we don't like. He wouldn't have allowed 0:10:51.520 --> 0:10:54.920 it if there wasn't a purpose. We don't understand it. 0:10:55.559 --> 0:10:58.400 All we know is we prayed for Rachel. We did 0:10:58.400 --> 0:11:03.040 our best, we were told, but this business partner cheated us. 0:11:03.559 --> 0:11:07.000 Our child got in trouble. We didn't see this medical 0:11:07.040 --> 0:11:11.559 report coming. Leah showed up. Can I encourage you? Leah 0:11:11.720 --> 0:11:16.480 is necessary. God is working behind the scenes. Stay in faith, 0:11:17.080 --> 0:11:21.120 keep trusting. You won't see Rachel if you don't deal 0:11:21.160 --> 0:11:24.959 with Leah properly. And the fact is God could have 0:11:25.040 --> 0:11:28.840 had Rachel give birth to Judah. Seems to make more sense, 0:11:28.880 --> 0:11:33.040 the beautiful girl, the attractive one. But God was showing 0:11:33.160 --> 0:11:37.800 us how he uses ugly situations to do something beautiful, 0:11:38.200 --> 0:11:42.360 something that you had never seen, without the betrayal, without 0:11:42.360 --> 0:11:46.920 the lass, without the adversity. Genasi Is forty nine. Jacob 0:11:47.000 --> 0:11:50.120 was an old man and about to pass called his 0:11:50.240 --> 0:11:54.199 children in spoke blessings. He gathered his loved ones around 0:11:54.280 --> 0:11:58.439 and gave them one final instruction set in verse twenty nine. 0:11:58.679 --> 0:12:01.880 Soon I'm going to die. Bury me in the cave 0:12:02.080 --> 0:12:06.600 of mcpayla, where my grandfather and father are buried. For 0:12:06.720 --> 0:12:10.880 there I buried Leah. In those days, it was very 0:12:10.960 --> 0:12:14.679 important where you were laid to rest. Wasn't an afterthought. 0:12:15.120 --> 0:12:17.560 You would have put much time and effort into It 0:12:18.040 --> 0:12:23.040 had great meaning and significance. Isn't it interesting that Jacob 0:12:23.080 --> 0:12:27.439 didn't say, bury me next to Rachel. Make sure I'm 0:12:27.440 --> 0:12:30.240 beside that woman that was so beautiful that I loved 0:12:30.240 --> 0:12:35.120 and admired you. No, Jacob said bury me next to Leah. 0:12:35.200 --> 0:12:37.920 He was saying, in effect, when I look back over 0:12:37.960 --> 0:12:43.120 my life, I realized Leah was necessary. I was uncomfortable. 0:12:43.640 --> 0:12:46.840 I didn't choose it. It's not what I expected. But 0:12:46.960 --> 0:12:51.640 I wouldn't have become who I am without Leah. When 0:12:51.720 --> 0:12:53.480 we come to the end of life, we're going to 0:12:53.559 --> 0:12:57.080 realize it wasn't just the good breaks, the goddess to 0:12:57.080 --> 0:13:00.360 where we are, the open doors, the happy time. It 0:13:00.480 --> 0:13:04.320 was the Leah's the things we didn't like that weren't fair, 0:13:04.840 --> 0:13:08.920 these ugly moments where we did the right thing. We 0:13:09.000 --> 0:13:13.040 stayed faithful, We trusted even though it didn't make sense. 0:13:13.360 --> 0:13:16.880 That's where we grew. That's where our faith got stronger. 0:13:17.920 --> 0:13:22.000 You may be dealing with Aleiah now something you don't understand. 0:13:22.360 --> 0:13:27.320 Have the right perspective. It's necessary. You couldn't become who 0:13:27.360 --> 0:13:30.839 you were created to be without it. Don't fight it, 0:13:31.240 --> 0:13:35.760 embrace it. It's not stopping you, it's preparing you. God 0:13:35.800 --> 0:13:40.480 wouldn't have allowed that Leah, that ugly situation if he 0:13:40.520 --> 0:13:45.000 didn't have something beautiful coming. Judah came out of Leah. 0:13:45.559 --> 0:13:49.239 God chose to bring his only son through an ugly situation, 0:13:49.840 --> 0:13:54.120 through the lineage of Leah. Your situation may be far 0:13:54.160 --> 0:13:58.120 from beautiful. You were promised Rachel, but you got Leah. 0:13:58.360 --> 0:14:01.800 You don't know what God is up to. Trust him 0:14:02.080 --> 0:14:06.520 when you don't understand. Being in an ugly situation doesn't 0:14:06.559 --> 0:14:10.240 mean God is not working. We wouldn't have the Messiah 0:14:10.559 --> 0:14:14.640 if it wasn't for Leah. Without that difficulty, you couldn't 0:14:14.679 --> 0:14:17.960 become who you were created to be. And I'm not 0:14:18.000 --> 0:14:20.880 saying it's gonna be easy. You're gonna feel like having 0:14:20.880 --> 0:14:24.000 a good attitude, being good to people that weren't good 0:14:24.000 --> 0:14:26.960 to you, and staying in faith when the medical courts 0:14:27.160 --> 0:14:31.400 not improving. But if it was easy, everyone would do it. 0:14:32.080 --> 0:14:34.520 The people that come out of the ugly into the 0:14:34.560 --> 0:14:37.640 beautiful are the people that have a made up mind, 0:14:38.160 --> 0:14:41.160 people that say I'm not moved by who didn't me wrong, 0:14:41.800 --> 0:14:45.800 what didn't work out, what wasn't fair. I know this 0:14:46.000 --> 0:14:50.280 ugly situation is a sign that something beautiful is coming. 0:14:51.360 --> 0:14:54.960 Jesus said in Matthew, take up your cross and follow me. 0:14:55.960 --> 0:15:00.400 We pray for blessings, favor, health. That's good. None of 0:15:00.440 --> 0:15:05.040 us pray for a cross. We won't Rachel, not Leah. 0:15:05.120 --> 0:15:08.200 But there are levels of your destiny you cannot reach 0:15:08.720 --> 0:15:13.080 without taking up your cross. You won't see Rachel until 0:15:13.080 --> 0:15:16.840 you've encountered Leah. Now taking up your cross is not 0:15:17.000 --> 0:15:23.440 some sad, defeated, suffering life. We're supposed to live an abundant, joyful, 0:15:23.560 --> 0:15:30.200 victorious life. But sure there'll be crosses, betrayals, unfair situations, 0:15:30.520 --> 0:15:34.240 dealing with an addiction. Leo will show up. We don't 0:15:34.360 --> 0:15:38.400 like it, We're uncomfortable, but you have to do like Jacob. 0:15:38.920 --> 0:15:42.600 Don't get bitter. Keep doing the right thing when it's hard, 0:15:43.640 --> 0:15:46.960 endure when you feel like giving up, Stay in peace 0:15:47.000 --> 0:15:49.640 when you could be worried. That's what it means to 0:15:49.720 --> 0:15:53.320 take up your cross. You're in an ugly situation, but 0:15:53.360 --> 0:15:56.600 you're not moved. You know it's all working for your good. 0:15:57.720 --> 0:16:00.560 And we hear a lot about the suffering, the burden, 0:16:00.720 --> 0:16:04.120 the pain, but you have to realize the cross is 0:16:04.160 --> 0:16:07.440 not the end of your story. There's a resurrection coming. 0:16:07.960 --> 0:16:12.360 When you take up your cross, it's leading to blessing, favor, 0:16:12.520 --> 0:16:16.960 hell levels of your destiny you could have never reached 0:16:17.280 --> 0:16:22.240 without the adversity Leah had to happen. Leah was necessary 0:16:22.280 --> 0:16:26.760 for your purpose. Don't fight it, complain joy Why did 0:16:26.760 --> 0:16:30.120 these people cheat me? And I'm dealing with this illness 0:16:30.200 --> 0:16:34.160 and these coworkers, they're always trying to discredit me. We're 0:16:34.200 --> 0:16:38.560 all gonna have Leah. But remember the Messiah came through Leah, 0:16:39.160 --> 0:16:44.120 through an ugly situation, through something that was unfair. There's 0:16:44.240 --> 0:16:47.440 purpose in the pain. Favor is going to come out 0:16:47.480 --> 0:16:52.840 of the frustration, promotion out of that loss. For seventeen years, 0:16:52.960 --> 0:16:55.800 I worked behind the scenes here at Lakewood doing the 0:16:55.800 --> 0:17:00.640 television production. I enjoyed making my father look good. I 0:17:00.680 --> 0:17:03.160 thought that's what I would do the rest of my life. 0:17:03.280 --> 0:17:05.360 My father and I were the best of friends and 0:17:05.760 --> 0:17:09.480 had a beautiful wife, two young children. Life was good. 0:17:10.000 --> 0:17:13.280 Then Leah showed up. My father had a heart attack 0:17:13.359 --> 0:17:15.919 and suddenly went to be with the Lord. And I 0:17:15.920 --> 0:17:18.639 didn't see that coming. I thought that he would be 0:17:18.720 --> 0:17:24.439 here another twenty years, but unexpectedly he was gone. I 0:17:24.440 --> 0:17:29.240 found myself in an ugly situation. Was painful. Was so 0:17:29.320 --> 0:17:32.680 much uncertainty. What was going to happen to Lakewood. I 0:17:32.760 --> 0:17:35.119 knew I was supposed to step up and pastor, but 0:17:35.680 --> 0:17:39.240 I was afraid. I didn't feel qualified. Plus I was 0:17:39.280 --> 0:17:42.199 dealing with the loss of my father. I liked the 0:17:42.240 --> 0:17:48.000 way it was before with Rachel. Everything beautiful, But sometimes 0:17:48.040 --> 0:17:51.360 God will send Leah to push you into your purpose. 0:17:52.160 --> 0:17:54.680 If my father was still here, I would have never 0:17:54.760 --> 0:17:58.600 stepped up. I was comfortable where I was. Do you 0:17:58.680 --> 0:18:01.040 know what brought the gifts out that I never knew 0:18:01.080 --> 0:18:05.480 I had? Not Rachel, not the good times, but Leah. 0:18:06.040 --> 0:18:09.119 I thought losing my father would be my darkest hour, 0:18:09.520 --> 0:18:12.800 but in fact it launched me into my brightest hour. 0:18:13.680 --> 0:18:16.800 God was working in the loss, in the pain, in 0:18:16.880 --> 0:18:21.520 the trouble. He was using Leah to get me to Rachel, 0:18:22.240 --> 0:18:25.000 to a level of my destiny. I would have never 0:18:25.080 --> 0:18:29.159 seen without that ugly situation. When I come to the 0:18:29.280 --> 0:18:32.760 end of life, I can say with Jacob Bury me 0:18:32.840 --> 0:18:36.320 next to Leah, because if I hadn't had that loss, 0:18:36.440 --> 0:18:38.840 I would have never stepped up to who I was 0:18:38.920 --> 0:18:42.639 created to be. Without Leah, I would have never become 0:18:42.680 --> 0:18:46.280 a pastor, never had the compact center, never written a book. 0:18:47.040 --> 0:18:51.640 What am I saying? Don't complain about Leah? What was unfair, 0:18:51.760 --> 0:18:56.199 the loss, the breakup, That ugly situation is leading to 0:18:56.240 --> 0:19:01.400 something beautiful out of Leah's lineage, camedom of Siah. Out 0:19:01.400 --> 0:19:04.280 of your ugly seasons, You're going to give birth to 0:19:04.440 --> 0:19:10.760 amazing things. Talent, favor, opportunity that you've never dreamed We 0:19:10.880 --> 0:19:14.959 see this in the scripture with Joseph as a teenager. 0:19:15.359 --> 0:19:17.399 God gave him a dream that he would be in 0:19:17.480 --> 0:19:21.800 leadership and people would bow down before him like Jacob. 0:19:21.920 --> 0:19:25.320 He had this promise that Rachel is coming something beautiful. 0:19:26.200 --> 0:19:30.760 Joseph was being his best, honoring God. Then Leah showed up. 0:19:31.440 --> 0:19:34.680 His brothers were jealous and they threw him into a pit. 0:19:35.280 --> 0:19:37.800 We're going to leave him there, but they ended up 0:19:37.880 --> 0:19:42.399 selling him as a slave in Egypt. I'm sure Joseph thought, God, 0:19:42.880 --> 0:19:46.520 you gave me this dream, you promised me Rachel, but 0:19:46.600 --> 0:19:50.560 now I'm a slave in a foreign country. He dreamed 0:19:50.560 --> 0:19:55.760 of something beautiful, but he was facing something ugly before 0:19:55.800 --> 0:19:59.879 you see Rachel. Often you'll have to deal with Leah. 0:20:00.119 --> 0:20:04.080 How you handle the betrayals, the loss, the delays, that 0:20:04.160 --> 0:20:08.159 will determine whether you see Rachel. It's easy to get sour. 0:20:08.840 --> 0:20:11.480 They put the chip on your shoulder. God to heal 0:20:11.560 --> 0:20:15.480 my mother. Why didn't you heal my father or David? God, 0:20:15.600 --> 0:20:19.600 my own family has turned on me. Those ugly times 0:20:19.640 --> 0:20:24.200 are not random, that's not happenstance. That's a sign God 0:20:24.280 --> 0:20:27.879 is up to something. God knows what he promised you, 0:20:28.600 --> 0:20:31.040 and he knows what he put in you that you 0:20:31.119 --> 0:20:35.520 don't even realize. It's all working for your good. Joseph 0:20:35.640 --> 0:20:39.000 kept being his best, doing the right thing, and he 0:20:39.080 --> 0:20:42.760 was falsely accused and put in prison. One day, the 0:20:43.000 --> 0:20:47.320 Pharaoh had a dream that he couldn't interpret. They told 0:20:47.400 --> 0:20:51.160 him about a slave, a foreigner in prison, a man 0:20:51.280 --> 0:20:55.720 named Joseph, how he could interpret dreams. Joseph was brought 0:20:55.720 --> 0:20:59.639 before the Pharaoh, the leader of the country. He interpreted 0:20:59.680 --> 0:21:03.720 his He was so impressed that he made Joseph the 0:21:03.800 --> 0:21:07.800 prime minister of Egypt. Joseph saw his dream come to 0:21:07.880 --> 0:21:12.720 pass in leadership, with people bowing down before him. If 0:21:12.800 --> 0:21:16.360 Joseph were here today, he would tell you, my brothers, 0:21:16.400 --> 0:21:22.160 being jealous was necessary, the betrayal was necessary. Being falsely 0:21:22.200 --> 0:21:28.040 accused was necessary. Leah had to happen. Without the ugly situation, 0:21:28.440 --> 0:21:31.359 he would have never seen Rachel. Was all a part 0:21:31.440 --> 0:21:35.400 of God's plan. Now, I know you can trust God, 0:21:35.800 --> 0:21:40.000 but my question is can he trust you? Can God 0:21:40.119 --> 0:21:42.719 count on you to do the right thing in the 0:21:42.800 --> 0:21:47.000 ugly situations, things that are not fair. When you pray 0:21:47.080 --> 0:21:50.600 for Rachel, but Leah shows up, will you be like 0:21:50.720 --> 0:21:54.680 Joseph and keep being your best. That's passing the task. 0:21:55.720 --> 0:21:58.240 I can't promise you that if you stay in faith, 0:21:58.440 --> 0:22:03.960 you'll always see Rachel blessings, favor, beautiful, attractive. You can't 0:22:04.000 --> 0:22:07.800 reach your destiny without Leah. But I can promise you 0:22:08.320 --> 0:22:11.920 that if you'll endure with a good attitude, go through 0:22:11.960 --> 0:22:16.840 the suffering with a smile, praising instead of complaining, and 0:22:17.000 --> 0:22:19.720 all those things that looked like they would stop you 0:22:20.280 --> 0:22:24.119 will end up thrusting you into your purpose. You'll be 0:22:24.160 --> 0:22:27.919 able to say, like Jacob Bury, me next to Leah, 0:22:28.400 --> 0:22:31.119 I couldn't have become who I was created to be 0:22:31.520 --> 0:22:35.760 without the ugly situation, the things you didn't like, But 0:22:35.880 --> 0:22:38.760 you passed the test, You did the right thing when 0:22:38.800 --> 0:22:41.720 it was hard, and you give birth to your Judah, 0:22:42.160 --> 0:22:46.920 something greater than you've imagined. Back in the late nineteen fifties, 0:22:47.440 --> 0:22:51.080 my father was the pastor of a successful church. They 0:22:51.200 --> 0:22:54.159 just built a new sanctuary that held a thousand people, 0:22:54.160 --> 0:22:57.719 and that was uncommon for back then. He was on 0:22:57.760 --> 0:23:00.840 the state board for his denomination on his way up. 0:23:01.400 --> 0:23:05.679 The future looked so bright. Then Leah showed up. My 0:23:05.800 --> 0:23:09.639 sister was born with a birth injury, something like cerebral 0:23:09.680 --> 0:23:13.360 pauls in the doctors told my parents she'd probably never 0:23:13.440 --> 0:23:17.120 be able to walk or feed herself. They were devastated. 0:23:17.920 --> 0:23:21.000 My father began to read the scripture in a new light. 0:23:21.920 --> 0:23:25.439 He was taught that God doesn't heal today, you just 0:23:25.480 --> 0:23:28.600 have to accept it as his will, that miracles and 0:23:28.640 --> 0:23:32.600 healing were only for Bible days. But he read in 0:23:32.720 --> 0:23:38.160 Hebrews where it says Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, 0:23:38.240 --> 0:23:42.040 and forever. That led a new fire on the inside, 0:23:42.119 --> 0:23:45.080 and he came back to his church with this new 0:23:45.160 --> 0:23:48.560 message of faith and victory and how when we believe 0:23:48.840 --> 0:23:52.560 all things are possible. He thought everyone would be excited. 0:23:53.200 --> 0:23:57.080 It's just the opposite. Some people didn't like it didn't 0:23:57.080 --> 0:24:00.640 fit into their tradition, and there was so much tension 0:24:00.720 --> 0:24:04.720 and strife that my parents had to resign. They left 0:24:04.760 --> 0:24:07.560 that church that they had spent years pouring their heart 0:24:07.640 --> 0:24:11.399 and soul into it. They never saw that coming life 0:24:11.520 --> 0:24:15.400 was good, and then their whole world was turned upside down. 0:24:16.400 --> 0:24:19.920 They could have been discouraged. God, we don't understand it, 0:24:20.640 --> 0:24:23.679 but like Jacob, they did the right thing when it 0:24:23.760 --> 0:24:27.840 was not fair. They didn't get bitter, they didn't talk 0:24:27.880 --> 0:24:31.679 badly about the people they went out and started Lakewood 0:24:31.920 --> 0:24:35.879 with ninety people in a rundown feed stories. It was 0:24:35.960 --> 0:24:39.960 just a fraction of the amount they had before, but 0:24:40.080 --> 0:24:44.359 they just kept loving those people, caring for them, faithful 0:24:44.560 --> 0:24:48.159 when it didn't make sense. At nine months old, my 0:24:48.240 --> 0:24:51.679 sister Lisa lifted her head off the bed for the 0:24:51.720 --> 0:24:55.239 first time, something my parents were told she'd never be 0:24:55.280 --> 0:24:58.240 able to do. Little by little she got better and better. 0:24:58.280 --> 0:25:01.000 Of course, you know today Lisa's perfectly healthy, one of 0:25:01.040 --> 0:25:04.720 our leaders on staff, one of our pastors. The critics 0:25:04.720 --> 0:25:07.680 said that Lakewood would never make it, but sixty five 0:25:07.800 --> 0:25:12.560 years later, still going strong. Here's my point. There never 0:25:12.640 --> 0:25:17.359 would have been a Lakewood without a Leah, an ugly situation. 0:25:17.920 --> 0:25:22.040 My parents didn't like it, but Leah was necessary. Without 0:25:22.040 --> 0:25:25.840 my sister's birth injury, my father would have never discovered 0:25:25.880 --> 0:25:29.360 the fullness of the spirit. That's what launched him into 0:25:29.400 --> 0:25:32.479 who we are today. And God doesn't send the trouble, 0:25:32.880 --> 0:25:35.960 he doesn't send the sickness, but if he allows it, 0:25:36.200 --> 0:25:39.719 he's going to somehow use it for good. And you 0:25:39.760 --> 0:25:44.359 may be facing Aliah today something you don't understand. You know, 0:25:44.480 --> 0:25:47.840 God promised you, Rachel, but things haven't turned out the 0:25:47.880 --> 0:25:51.160 way you thought. Looks like God didn't keep his word. 0:25:51.560 --> 0:25:55.840 Can I encourage you? Rachel is still coming. God is 0:25:55.920 --> 0:25:59.359 working behind the scenes. This is a task. This is 0:25:59.400 --> 0:26:01.720 when you have to prove to God that you're not 0:26:01.760 --> 0:26:05.119 going to get discouraged and give up. What if you 0:26:05.240 --> 0:26:08.640 knew it had to happen that you couldn't reach your 0:26:08.680 --> 0:26:12.960 destiny without Leah. Now know we love Rachel, the beautiful, 0:26:13.000 --> 0:26:16.359 the comfortable, but without Leah you want to see the 0:26:16.400 --> 0:26:20.159 greater things God has for you. It was through Leah's lineage, 0:26:20.680 --> 0:26:24.280 through her son Judah, that we have the Messiah. God 0:26:24.359 --> 0:26:28.520 knows how to bring beautiful things out of ugly situations. 0:26:28.920 --> 0:26:31.960 I'm asking you to trust Him when you don't understand, 0:26:32.760 --> 0:26:36.200 do the right thing when you're uncomfortable. One day you'll 0:26:36.200 --> 0:26:39.879 look back and say, like Jacob, bury me next to Leah. 0:26:40.200 --> 0:26:42.960 All those things you didn't like, you had to endure 0:26:43.440 --> 0:26:47.560 suffer through you realize they made you into who you are. 0:26:48.240 --> 0:26:51.920 If you'll do this, I believe and declare, like God 0:26:51.960 --> 0:26:54.639 did for Jacob, You're not only going to see your 0:26:54.720 --> 0:26:59.200 Rachel's the blessing, favor, healing, but God's going to take 0:26:59.240 --> 0:27:03.440 those ugly situations and make something amazing out of them. 0:27:03.840 --> 0:27:08.520 You will rise higher, accomplish dreams, and reach the fullness 0:27:08.560 --> 0:27:12.760 of your destiny in Jesus' name. And if you receive it, 0:27:13.040 --> 0:27:16.560 can you say amen? I'd like to give you an 0:27:16.560 --> 0:27:20.160 opportunity to make Jesus the Lord of your life. Would 0:27:20.200 --> 0:27:23.919 you pray with me? Just say, Lord, Jesus, I repent 0:27:23.960 --> 0:27:27.560 of my sins, Come into my heart. I make you 0:27:27.680 --> 0:27:31.160 my Lord and savior. If you prayed that simple prayer, 0:27:31.280 --> 0:27:34.040 we believe you got born again. We'd love to send 0:27:34.080 --> 0:27:36.639 you some free information on your new walk with the Lord. 0:27:37.119 --> 0:27:39.360 You can text the number on the screen or go 0:27:39.400 --> 0:27:41.959 to the website. But I hope you'll get into a 0:27:42.000 --> 0:27:54.679 good Bible based church and keep God first place. This 0:27:54.880 --> 0:27:57.640 is my Bible. I am what it says I am. 0:27:57.960 --> 0:28:00.639 I have what it says I have. And this is 0:28:00.640 --> 0:28:03.520 the first Bible that my parents gave me I was 0:28:03.560 --> 0:28:06.840 six years old. They taught me the importance of believing 0:28:06.960 --> 0:28:09.960 what God says about you and letting that determine your 0:28:09.960 --> 0:28:13.119 self image. How through the Scripture you can learn to 0:28:13.480 --> 0:28:17.600 handle challenges and pursue your dreams. Some people tell me 0:28:17.640 --> 0:28:20.199 that the Bible's not practical for them and how they 0:28:20.200 --> 0:28:23.520 don't understand it. We've created a new resource called how 0:28:23.560 --> 0:28:27.080 to Read Your Bible and Enjoy It. It provides twelve 0:28:27.119 --> 0:28:29.639 distinct lenses that will help you see the Bible with 0:28:29.720 --> 0:28:33.119 fresh eyes, so you can discover the hidden treasures that 0:28:33.240 --> 0:28:36.639 increase your faith, practical truths that will help you in 0:28:36.680 --> 0:28:39.880 your everyday life. When you tap into the power of 0:28:39.920 --> 0:28:42.840 God's Word, there's no limit to where He'll take you. 0:28:43.520 --> 0:28:45.880 As our way of saying thank you for your gift 0:28:45.920 --> 0:28:48.680 of any size to the ministry this month, Joel would 0:28:48.720 --> 0:28:52.840 like to send you this inspiring new resource. Sometimes reading 0:28:52.840 --> 0:28:56.360 the Bible can feel confusing, out of touch, or even 0:28:56.440 --> 0:29:00.600 produce more fear than faith. But now with this new resource, 0:29:00.880 --> 0:29:03.680 how to Read your Bible and Enjoy It, it will 0:29:03.720 --> 0:29:06.600 make the Word of God come alive in new ways. 0:29:07.160 --> 0:29:10.680 You'll discover fresh inspiration on every page of your Bible. 0:29:10.960 --> 0:29:14.160 The twelve lenses give you the power to see the 0:29:14.200 --> 0:29:17.719 Scripture in a whole new light. When you experience the 0:29:17.840 --> 0:29:21.280 right way to approach God's Word, it will ignite renewed 0:29:21.320 --> 0:29:22.520 passion in your life. 0:29:22.960 --> 0:29:25.719 When you get God's Word down in you, it brings 0:29:25.800 --> 0:29:29.280 life and victory. This has a great Bible reading plan 0:29:29.560 --> 0:29:33.320 plus introductions to each book. It'll help you enjoy reading 0:29:33.360 --> 0:29:36.000 the Bible. Thanks so much for being a part of 0:29:36.040 --> 0:29:38.680 the ministry. Victoria and I pray for you and your 0:29:38.720 --> 0:29:42.320 family every day, and we appreciate your prayers and support. 0:29:42.720 --> 0:29:46.120 Remember you can watch the services online every Sunday morning, 0:29:46.560 --> 0:29:50.160 download our daily podcast, watch on YouTube, or we have 0:29:50.240 --> 0:29:53.520 a new Joel Osting Television network twenty four hours a day, 0:29:53.560 --> 0:29:56.720 and of course SYRIXXM as well. Until we see you 0:29:56.760 --> 0:29:59.520 next time, May the Lord bless you and keep you. 0:30:00.200 --> 0:30:02.680 Be sure to request your copy of How to Read 0:30:02.720 --> 0:30:06.840 Your Bible and Enjoy It today. Visit joelostein dot com 0:30:06.960 --> 0:30:10.760 or call eight eight eight five six seven Joel call 0:30:10.880 --> 0:30:15.080 or click anytime, twenty four hours a day.