Defining Moments

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That's code iHeart fifty when 0:01:24.319 --> 0:01:27.280 you sign up at unest dot co for a fifty 0:01:27.319 --> 0:01:30.120 dollars bonus. See terms and conditions at UNEs dot co. 0:01:31.120 --> 0:01:34.880 Hi, this is Joel and Victoria. Thanks for downloading our podcast. 0:01:35.160 --> 0:01:37.959 We enjoy spending this time with you. I hope you'll 0:01:38.000 --> 0:01:41.360 leave Inspire. Make sure you subscribe to get new messages 0:01:41.400 --> 0:01:44.440 every week. We appreciate your support. It helps keep the 0:01:44.480 --> 0:01:45.280 ministry going. 0:01:45.680 --> 0:02:00.120 Enjoy the message. 0:02:00.240 --> 0:02:02.800 Well, God bless you. It's always a joy to come 0:02:02.800 --> 0:02:05.280 into your homes. And if you're ever in our area, 0:02:05.360 --> 0:02:07.280 please stop buy and be a part of one of 0:02:07.320 --> 0:02:09.920 our services. I promise you we'll make you feel right 0:02:09.960 --> 0:02:12.280 at home. But thanks so much for tuning in, and 0:02:12.639 --> 0:02:15.120 thank you again for coming out today. And I like 0:02:15.200 --> 0:02:17.760 to start with something funny and I heard about this lady. 0:02:18.360 --> 0:02:21.720 She saw this little old man sitting on his front porch, 0:02:21.840 --> 0:02:24.359 rocking in his rocking chair, and it always seem to 0:02:24.400 --> 0:02:27.400 be so happy. She finally went over to him, said, 0:02:27.639 --> 0:02:30.920 can't help but notice you're always smiling, always in a 0:02:30.960 --> 0:02:33.919 good mood. Tell me what is your secret for such 0:02:33.960 --> 0:02:37.919 a long happy life. He said, that's easy. I smoke 0:02:38.040 --> 0:02:41.440 three packs of cigarettes every day, I eat nothing but 0:02:41.560 --> 0:02:45.519 junk food, and I never exercise. She said, that's amazing. 0:02:45.560 --> 0:02:50.320 How old are you he said, twenty six. Hold up 0:02:50.320 --> 0:02:52.920 your Bible. Say it like you mean it. This is 0:02:53.000 --> 0:02:55.760 my Bible. I am what it says I am. I 0:02:55.840 --> 0:02:58.160 have what it says I have. I can do what 0:02:58.240 --> 0:03:00.840 it says I can do. Today I will be taught 0:03:00.919 --> 0:03:04.920 the word of God. I boldly confess. My mind is alert, 0:03:05.280 --> 0:03:08.080 my heart is receptive. I will never be the same. 0:03:08.520 --> 0:03:13.000 In Jesus' name, God bless you. I want to talk 0:03:13.040 --> 0:03:17.440 to you today about defining moments. We all make hundreds 0:03:17.480 --> 0:03:20.919 of decisions each day, and most of them are routine. 0:03:21.160 --> 0:03:24.240 We don't think much about them. But there are certain 0:03:24.320 --> 0:03:28.840 decisions that carry much more weight. They not only affect us, 0:03:29.200 --> 0:03:33.680 they affect our children and future generations. And sometimes what 0:03:33.760 --> 0:03:37.760 we think is an ordinary decision, no big deal. It's 0:03:37.840 --> 0:03:42.440 really a defining moment. When you're in a situation where 0:03:42.480 --> 0:03:46.600 you're tempted to compromise, to get upset, to be bitter. 0:03:47.440 --> 0:03:49.720 You know, to make the right choice, you have to 0:03:49.720 --> 0:03:53.040 dig your heels in, be disciplined, not go by what 0:03:53.080 --> 0:03:57.520 you feel. That's not just another routine choice. That's a 0:03:57.560 --> 0:04:02.720 defining moments you make in these tough times. When you 0:04:02.760 --> 0:04:06.000 feel like doing the easy thing, you feel like telling 0:04:06.040 --> 0:04:09.560 somebody off, you feel like being offended. You have to 0:04:09.600 --> 0:04:13.720 remind yourself this is a defining moment. It's going to 0:04:13.760 --> 0:04:16.520 impact my destiny. So I'm going to dig my heels 0:04:16.560 --> 0:04:20.680 in and do the right thing, even though it's difficult. See, 0:04:20.680 --> 0:04:24.560 the pain of discipline is much less than the pain 0:04:24.720 --> 0:04:28.880 of regret. It's better to be uncomfortable for a little 0:04:28.920 --> 0:04:32.600 while than to make a poor choice and be uncomfortable 0:04:32.640 --> 0:04:35.880 for a long time and giving into what we feel, 0:04:36.040 --> 0:04:39.240 what we want, taking the easy way out. That pleasure 0:04:39.760 --> 0:04:44.440 is only temporary, the pain lasts much longer. But in 0:04:44.480 --> 0:04:46.520 the heat of the moment, every voice will tell you 0:04:46.680 --> 0:04:49.359 it doesn't matter, it's no big deal, just do it. 0:04:49.440 --> 0:04:52.640 Not going to hurt anything. Don't believe those lies. It's 0:04:52.640 --> 0:04:57.520 going to impact your destiny. Jesus said, pray that you 0:04:57.600 --> 0:05:02.360 don't enter into temptation. Whatever area that you struggle in. 0:05:02.880 --> 0:05:06.400 Before you leave the house, you need to pray. God 0:05:06.560 --> 0:05:09.400 help me to keep my cool today, or God helped 0:05:09.440 --> 0:05:12.000 me to keep my eyes on the right things. God 0:05:12.080 --> 0:05:16.200 helped me to resist this addiction, to not compromise. Then 0:05:16.279 --> 0:05:19.400 all through the day you have to guard your mind. 0:05:20.240 --> 0:05:24.039 Every temptation starts with a thought. This is where the 0:05:24.080 --> 0:05:27.960 real battle is taking place. And when those tempting thoughts come, 0:05:28.600 --> 0:05:32.239 don't dwell on it, don't give it the time of day. 0:05:32.440 --> 0:05:35.000 If you allow it to stay, it'll draw you in 0:05:35.520 --> 0:05:39.320 and can lead you to compromise. This is what Joseph 0:05:39.360 --> 0:05:42.360 had to do. He was working as a slave at 0:05:42.440 --> 0:05:46.320 the house of a man named Potterphar. He continued to excel. 0:05:46.920 --> 0:05:51.080 Eventually Potterphar put him in charge of his whole household well. 0:05:51.160 --> 0:05:54.720 Joseph was a good looking young man, tall, dark and handsome. 0:05:55.520 --> 0:05:58.880 One day he was walking through the house minding his 0:05:58.960 --> 0:06:02.960 own business when Potterphar's wife came up and tried to 0:06:03.000 --> 0:06:07.720 seduce him. She made advances toward him here. Joseph was 0:06:07.760 --> 0:06:11.279 a slave. He had been betrayed by his brothers, thrown 0:06:11.320 --> 0:06:15.120 into a pit. He could have thought, God's forgotten about me. 0:06:15.800 --> 0:06:19.960 What's it gonna matter if I compromise. Besides, it's her idea. Anyway, 0:06:20.480 --> 0:06:22.640 I'm tired of being stuck as a slave. I'm ready 0:06:22.680 --> 0:06:25.040 to have some fun. He could have let his guard down, 0:06:25.520 --> 0:06:28.360 taken the easy way out, but he didn't do it. 0:06:28.920 --> 0:06:33.400 He realized it was a defining moment. He wouldn't compromise. 0:06:34.120 --> 0:06:37.000 She grabbed him by the sleeve and pulled him close. 0:06:37.480 --> 0:06:41.760 The scripture says he tore himself away and took off running. 0:06:42.839 --> 0:06:46.960 Notice how determined he was. Sometimes to stay on the 0:06:47.040 --> 0:06:50.039 high road, you have to take drastic measures. 0:06:50.560 --> 0:06:50.680 Now. 0:06:50.720 --> 0:06:53.520 I know it's not very macho to run from a woman, 0:06:53.800 --> 0:06:57.480 but you gotta do what you gotta do. When he 0:06:57.560 --> 0:07:01.160 turned and ran away, she part of his coat off. 0:07:01.839 --> 0:07:05.960 She lied about him. She falsely accused him. Joseph went 0:07:06.040 --> 0:07:08.960 to prison, but when it was all said and done, 0:07:09.080 --> 0:07:11.760 he was put in charge of all the affairs of Egypt. 0:07:12.640 --> 0:07:16.200 What you do in your defining moments will make you 0:07:16.440 --> 0:07:19.760 or break you. If Joseph would have taken the easy 0:07:19.760 --> 0:07:23.679 way out. Given into the temptation, I'm not so sure 0:07:23.920 --> 0:07:26.520 he would have made it to the throne God would 0:07:26.560 --> 0:07:30.400 have forgiven him. Of course, God always gives us another chance. 0:07:31.120 --> 0:07:34.440 But to reach your highest potential, you have to pass 0:07:34.800 --> 0:07:39.600 these certain tests. And the scripture says to run from temptation. 0:07:40.520 --> 0:07:44.280 It doesn't say to just casually get away, be careful, 0:07:44.360 --> 0:07:50.800 watch out. God specifically says run. There's a sense of urgency. 0:07:50.840 --> 0:07:54.880 This means don't play games. Your destiny is at stake. 0:07:55.840 --> 0:07:59.320 That person at the office that's overly friendly towards you, 0:08:00.000 --> 0:08:03.679 they're making advances. God has a word from the Lord 0:08:03.720 --> 0:08:07.880 for you today. Run and joel, I'm not gonna do anything. 0:08:07.960 --> 0:08:10.320 I just like the attention they give me. No, if 0:08:10.360 --> 0:08:13.760 you mess with fire, you're going to get burned. That 0:08:13.960 --> 0:08:18.680 temporary pleasure is not worth the long term pain. He 0:08:18.720 --> 0:08:22.800 may be tall, dark, handsome, and rich. She may be hot, fine, 0:08:22.840 --> 0:08:25.960 good looking, beautiful. It's not worth missing your destiny over. 0:08:26.920 --> 0:08:29.600 Let me make it more practical. Maybe you're trying to 0:08:29.600 --> 0:08:32.319 lose weight. You're up at the mall and you walk 0:08:32.360 --> 0:08:38.760 by the cinnabon booth. Run, don't go over there thinking 0:08:38.800 --> 0:08:42.200 you're just gonna look and see, the spirit is willing, 0:08:42.360 --> 0:08:46.040 the flesh is weak. If you go over there, you're 0:08:46.040 --> 0:08:48.360 gonna end up eating three and taking four to go. 0:08:50.360 --> 0:08:53.320 When you turn the computer on and that ad pops 0:08:53.400 --> 0:08:56.920 up that you know is not healthy, run don't go 0:08:57.000 --> 0:08:59.559 check it out. You may need to turn the computer 0:08:59.640 --> 0:09:03.240 off and go take a good run. When your spouse 0:09:03.280 --> 0:09:06.320 says something that irritates you, you're ready to give him 0:09:06.320 --> 0:09:09.360 a piece of your mind. Tell him all right, then, 0:09:09.720 --> 0:09:13.080 just like Joseph, you need to turn run away. You 0:09:13.080 --> 0:09:17.160 can explain it later. What am I saying. Get out 0:09:17.200 --> 0:09:22.200 of compromising situations as quickly as you can. God will 0:09:22.240 --> 0:09:25.400 give you the grace to overcome what you can't get 0:09:25.400 --> 0:09:28.280 away from, but he won't give you the grace to 0:09:28.360 --> 0:09:32.640 overcome what we can get away from. Sometimes we keep 0:09:32.679 --> 0:09:36.360 falling into the same temptation, the same compromise, again and again. 0:09:36.920 --> 0:09:39.800 It could all change if we would do our part 0:09:40.040 --> 0:09:43.800 and get out of those situations. One time, David was 0:09:43.840 --> 0:09:46.520 at home and he'd been resting most of the day, 0:09:46.559 --> 0:09:49.160 and around dusk he decided to go up on his 0:09:49.240 --> 0:09:52.880 rooftop and get some fresh air. When he did, he 0:09:52.920 --> 0:09:56.720 looked out and saw this beautiful young lady taking a bath. 0:09:57.720 --> 0:10:01.439 Instead of running from the temptation, he said, thank you Jesus. 0:10:02.880 --> 0:10:07.960 The scripture says, with every temptation God will make a 0:10:08.000 --> 0:10:12.640 way of escape. There will always be a moment of grace. 0:10:13.200 --> 0:10:15.280 There will be a time where you have the strength 0:10:15.800 --> 0:10:20.160 the ability to resist and walk away. But here's the key. 0:10:20.559 --> 0:10:25.200 The moment of grace doesn't last hour after hour. Right 0:10:25.280 --> 0:10:27.800 at the start, you got to dig your heels in, 0:10:28.080 --> 0:10:31.480 be disciplined to do the right thing. David let his 0:10:31.559 --> 0:10:34.760 guard down, had an affair with the woman, then he 0:10:34.840 --> 0:10:39.440 had her husband killed. One compromise led to another. It 0:10:39.480 --> 0:10:42.080 could have all been avoided if it had done like 0:10:42.200 --> 0:10:48.320 Joseph and simply ran from the temptation. Joseph's father was Jacob. 0:10:49.080 --> 0:10:53.200 Joseph had a twin brother named Esau. One time, Esau 0:10:53.360 --> 0:10:57.120 was very hungry, been out hunting, couldn't find anything to eat. 0:10:57.760 --> 0:11:00.920 All of a sudden he smelled this great aroma in 0:11:01.000 --> 0:11:04.400 the air. It was the stew that Jacob had made. 0:11:05.040 --> 0:11:07.840 He went over and said, Jacob, I'm famished. Can I 0:11:07.880 --> 0:11:10.960 have some of your stew? I'm so hungry. You would 0:11:11.000 --> 0:11:14.280 think Jacob would say, sure, Esau, you're my brother, you 0:11:14.280 --> 0:11:17.280 can have as much as you want. But Jacob never 0:11:17.320 --> 0:11:21.839 missed an opportunity to take advantage of someone. He said, Esau, 0:11:22.120 --> 0:11:24.920 I'll be glad to give you some stew if you'll 0:11:24.920 --> 0:11:30.480 trade me your birthright for it. The birthright was extremely valuable. 0:11:31.040 --> 0:11:34.560 It belonged to the firstborn son. It gave them a 0:11:34.600 --> 0:11:38.520 double portion. Esau was the oldest son. He had the birthright, 0:11:39.240 --> 0:11:42.680 but he was so hungry. He said, what good is 0:11:42.720 --> 0:11:45.640 this birthright going to do me? If I starved to death. 0:11:46.840 --> 0:11:49.960 When we let our feelings rule us, we never make 0:11:50.000 --> 0:11:54.320 good decisions. Esau wasn't going to starve. He was a 0:11:54.360 --> 0:11:57.840 skillful hunter. It was just a matter of time before 0:11:57.880 --> 0:12:00.800 he found something to eat. But he would so moved 0:12:00.840 --> 0:12:04.200 by his feelings, he said, okay, Jacob, you got a deal. 0:12:04.640 --> 0:12:07.800 I'll trade you my birthright for your pot of stews. 0:12:08.960 --> 0:12:13.640 Esau chose to satisfy a short term appetite, but it 0:12:13.760 --> 0:12:18.800 cost him a lifetime blessing. He gave away something extremely 0:12:18.920 --> 0:12:23.280 valuable because he was uncomfortable. He wanted to be happy 0:12:23.400 --> 0:12:27.080 right then. He didn't think about the long term. He 0:12:27.080 --> 0:12:30.920 didn't realize that was a defining moment. You can't get 0:12:30.960 --> 0:12:33.400 on board with your feelings. Your feelings will lead you 0:12:33.480 --> 0:12:38.520 down the wrong path. Hebrews says. Esau had no chance 0:12:38.679 --> 0:12:42.000 to recall the choice he made, even though he sought 0:12:42.080 --> 0:12:46.199 for it with bitter tears. I wonder how many times 0:12:46.679 --> 0:12:51.120 we're missing God's best because we're making decisions based on 0:12:51.200 --> 0:12:54.880 the short term, what we want, what we feel. The 0:12:54.960 --> 0:12:58.080 flesh likes to be comfortable. I know I should bite 0:12:58.080 --> 0:13:00.840 my tongue, but it feels good to tell him all. 0:13:00.920 --> 0:13:03.560 I know it should be faithful in this relationship, but 0:13:03.640 --> 0:13:06.560 I like hanging with this other person. Or I know 0:13:06.760 --> 0:13:09.720 I should have integrity in my business dealings. But Joel, 0:13:09.760 --> 0:13:13.520 this is an easy way to get ahead. The decisions 0:13:13.559 --> 0:13:17.560 you make in your defining moments will determine how high 0:13:17.760 --> 0:13:20.800 you will rise. Will you be a Joseph and do 0:13:20.920 --> 0:13:24.000 the right thing when it's hard, or will you be 0:13:24.040 --> 0:13:29.760 an Esau and compromise to accommodate how you feel. Esau 0:13:29.960 --> 0:13:33.200 was so furious with Jacob for tricking him out of 0:13:33.200 --> 0:13:37.440 his birthright, he was planning on killing him. Jacob got 0:13:37.440 --> 0:13:40.040 word that his life was in danger and took off running. 0:13:40.800 --> 0:13:44.800 Many years later, Jacob had become so prosperous that the 0:13:44.880 --> 0:13:48.240 land couldn't sustain all of his animals. He wanted to 0:13:48.280 --> 0:13:52.600 go back home. The problem was the only route was 0:13:52.640 --> 0:13:56.840 through the land that Esau owned. Jacob decided to take 0:13:56.880 --> 0:14:01.000 a chance. He sent messengers to give gifts to Esau. 0:14:01.880 --> 0:14:05.640 The messengers came back and said, Esau is coming to 0:14:05.679 --> 0:14:09.359 see you, and he's bringing four hundred men with him. 0:14:09.800 --> 0:14:13.520 Jacob thought that means one thing, revenge. He's gonna pay 0:14:13.559 --> 0:14:17.240 me back. Jacob was so full of fear and so 0:14:17.520 --> 0:14:22.920 uptight this time. He sent hundreds of animals ahead of him, 0:14:23.200 --> 0:14:26.560 hoping that when Esau saw all the sheep, the camel, 0:14:26.680 --> 0:14:30.320 the goats, that his heart would be softened. Finally, the 0:14:30.360 --> 0:14:34.280 big moment arrived. They see Esau and four hundred men 0:14:34.400 --> 0:14:38.320 coming toward them. Jacob's heart starts beating ninety to nothing. 0:14:38.800 --> 0:14:41.680 The adrenaline is flowing. He's about to see the man 0:14:41.720 --> 0:14:47.480 he cheated, deceived, stole his double portion. Jacob told someone 0:14:47.800 --> 0:14:52.640 to take his family, including his young son Joseph, over 0:14:52.720 --> 0:14:56.520 to the side, hopefully so they wouldn't get hurt. This 0:14:56.680 --> 0:15:00.480 little boy, Joseph is watching all the drama take place. 0:15:01.400 --> 0:15:05.920 He knows his father cheated his uncle Esau. He knows 0:15:05.960 --> 0:15:10.040 his dad has done wrong. He's heard the stories. Esau's 0:15:10.080 --> 0:15:13.520 a couple hundred yards coming toward them. In an act 0:15:13.520 --> 0:15:17.720 of humility, Jacob went out and bowed down seven times 0:15:17.800 --> 0:15:22.360 before Esau. When Esau recognized it was Jacob, he took 0:15:22.400 --> 0:15:26.400 off running toward him. Jacob thought, oh great, I'm done. 0:15:26.440 --> 0:15:30.040 This is it wasn't what he thought. When Esau got there, 0:15:30.280 --> 0:15:34.560 he grabbed Jacob and gave him a big hug. The 0:15:34.600 --> 0:15:37.920 scripture says he threw his arms around his neck and 0:15:38.040 --> 0:15:42.120 kissed him and embraced him. They both begin to weep 0:15:42.240 --> 0:15:46.840 and weep. Finally, Esau looked up, said, Jacob, who are 0:15:46.880 --> 0:15:50.960 all these people around us? Jacob said, this is my family, 0:15:51.600 --> 0:15:54.880 These are my children. In fact, there's your little nephew, 0:15:55.120 --> 0:15:59.320 Joseph over there. I can imagine Esau going over and 0:15:59.400 --> 0:16:03.720 hugging Joseph. It was a defining moment not only in 0:16:04.000 --> 0:16:07.440 Esau's life this time he passed the test, but it 0:16:07.520 --> 0:16:11.760 was a defining moment in Joseph's life. He saw his 0:16:12.000 --> 0:16:16.320 uncle show mercy to his father. He saw him forgive 0:16:16.360 --> 0:16:20.440 a wrong take the high road. This incredible act of 0:16:20.560 --> 0:16:26.400 kindness left an indelible mark on Joseph's heart. Fast forward 0:16:26.440 --> 0:16:30.360 many many years later, This little boy Joseph is a 0:16:30.400 --> 0:16:34.760 grown man. He's been sold into slavery, He's been thrown 0:16:34.800 --> 0:16:38.680 into a pit, he's been through prison. Now he's the 0:16:38.760 --> 0:16:42.560 leader of a great nation, second in command only to 0:16:42.600 --> 0:16:47.560 the Pharaoh. There's a terrible famine throughout the land. Joseph 0:16:47.760 --> 0:16:50.120 is in charge of the food supply, one of the 0:16:50.120 --> 0:16:54.800 most powerful people of that time. One day, his brothers, 0:16:55.600 --> 0:16:58.520 the same ones that threw him into a pit, the 0:16:58.560 --> 0:17:01.920 same ones that sold him into slavery, made his life 0:17:01.960 --> 0:17:06.960 so miserable, were now standing right before him. They were 0:17:07.000 --> 0:17:10.159 trying to get food for their family. It had been 0:17:10.280 --> 0:17:14.440 so many years. They don't recognize that it's their other Joseph. 0:17:15.080 --> 0:17:20.000 They all bowed down before Joseph in humility. Joseph suddenly 0:17:20.040 --> 0:17:23.520 flashes back to that time when he was a little 0:17:23.600 --> 0:17:28.680 boy and he saw Jacob, his father, bow down to Esau. 0:17:29.320 --> 0:17:32.960 All these emotions come flooding up in his heart. It's 0:17:33.040 --> 0:17:36.560 like the same scene is playing out, but this time 0:17:37.080 --> 0:17:42.080 he's in Esau's position. He remembers how Esau showed his 0:17:42.119 --> 0:17:47.159 father mercy. He remembers how Esau forgave the wrong treated 0:17:47.240 --> 0:17:50.520 him with kindness, even though his father didn't deserve it. 0:17:51.520 --> 0:17:55.200 Joseph looked at his brothers when he could have gotten revenge, 0:17:55.800 --> 0:17:59.159 when he could have paid them back, But because of 0:17:59.200 --> 0:18:02.919 a defining moment that happened when he was a little boy, 0:18:03.119 --> 0:18:07.360 he too was full of mercy. He treated his brothers 0:18:07.800 --> 0:18:11.919 like Esau treated his father. Genesis says. He threw his 0:18:12.080 --> 0:18:16.439 arms around their necks, hugged them, embraced them. They wept together. 0:18:17.359 --> 0:18:21.480 Joseph moved all of his brothers, seventy family members, including 0:18:21.520 --> 0:18:25.119 his father, back to Egypt. He gave them the best 0:18:25.160 --> 0:18:29.000 part of the land. What am I saying? The decisions 0:18:29.040 --> 0:18:33.000 you make in your defining moments not only affect you, 0:18:33.640 --> 0:18:37.240 they affect your children. How you respond to a wrong 0:18:37.280 --> 0:18:40.720 that's been done to you, how you handle a disappointment, 0:18:41.320 --> 0:18:44.760 your attitude in the tough times. That's leaving a mark 0:18:44.920 --> 0:18:48.280 on those around you. And sometimes you have to do 0:18:48.320 --> 0:18:51.159 the right thing, not because you feel like it, but 0:18:51.320 --> 0:18:56.040 because you're setting an example for your children. That defining 0:18:56.119 --> 0:18:59.960 moment will live on. Maybe you get a negative medical 0:19:00.720 --> 0:19:04.159 you feel like falling apart, but in that defining moment, 0:19:04.600 --> 0:19:08.720 you stay in peace. You know God's in control the 0:19:08.840 --> 0:19:12.720 number of your days he will fulfill. When your children 0:19:12.920 --> 0:19:15.639 hit a tough time, you know what they'll do. Stay 0:19:15.640 --> 0:19:20.399 in peace. They'll follow your example. Your response in the 0:19:20.480 --> 0:19:26.160 defining moments speaks volumes. This is what's creating your legacy. 0:19:27.080 --> 0:19:31.040 What you did in the difficult times, how you treated 0:19:31.080 --> 0:19:34.400 people that didn't treat you right. Any of us can 0:19:34.440 --> 0:19:36.560 do the right thing in the good times. That's easy. 0:19:37.080 --> 0:19:40.520 But to reach the fullness of your destiny, you have 0:19:40.600 --> 0:19:44.920 to pass the test of these defining moments. Years ago, 0:19:45.119 --> 0:19:48.840 my brother Paul was in Colorado skiing with his son, Matthew. 0:19:49.400 --> 0:19:52.280 Matt was eight years old and they'd been out skiing 0:19:52.320 --> 0:19:54.440 all day, and that night they went out to eat. 0:19:55.040 --> 0:19:57.960 Paul drove his rental car to the big shopping center. 0:19:58.320 --> 0:20:01.760 After they finished eating. There would a big storm was 0:20:01.800 --> 0:20:05.360 snowing really badly. The wind was blowing. You could hardly 0:20:05.400 --> 0:20:09.800 see anything like a blizzard. Hardly anyone else was out. 0:20:10.119 --> 0:20:13.359 While Paul was still in the parking lot, just maybe 0:20:13.359 --> 0:20:16.600 going five miles an hour, creeping along trying to find 0:20:16.640 --> 0:20:20.600 his way out, he noticed these flashing red lights behind him. 0:20:21.119 --> 0:20:24.440 He pulled over. It was the security guard. He came 0:20:24.520 --> 0:20:27.040 up to Paul's window, and he thought this man was 0:20:27.080 --> 0:20:30.680 going to advise him about the storm and maybe encourage 0:20:30.720 --> 0:20:33.399 him not to leave since it was a blizzard. But 0:20:33.520 --> 0:20:37.960 this man was very curt very matter of fact. He 0:20:38.080 --> 0:20:40.760 informed Paul that he had just run a stop sign 0:20:41.440 --> 0:20:44.480 there in the parking lot during the blizzard, and he 0:20:44.600 --> 0:20:47.280 was going to give him a ticket. When he saw 0:20:47.359 --> 0:20:51.439 Paul's driver's license, he said sarcastically, Oh, I guess stop 0:20:51.480 --> 0:20:56.360 signs don't mean anything in Texas. Paul was so irritated 0:20:56.680 --> 0:20:59.080 he was ready to give him a piece of his mind. 0:20:59.440 --> 0:21:05.120 See Paul's not as holy as I am. And Paul thought, here, 0:21:05.160 --> 0:21:08.199 I'm in a rental car in a different city, I 0:21:08.240 --> 0:21:11.119 don't know the roads, in a parking lot in the 0:21:11.160 --> 0:21:13.679 middle of a blizzard, and you're gonna give me a 0:21:13.720 --> 0:21:17.200 ticket for running a stop sign. He had this big 0:21:17.320 --> 0:21:20.280 speech all planned out for when the officer came back 0:21:20.280 --> 0:21:24.359 to his window. Then he looked over and noticed little 0:21:24.400 --> 0:21:27.879 Matt was taking all this in. Even though he was 0:21:27.920 --> 0:21:31.040 a young boy, Matt knew this was an unfair situation. 0:21:31.880 --> 0:21:36.160 When Paul realized that Matt was watching, it totally changed 0:21:36.200 --> 0:21:40.200 his perspective. He knew this was a defining moment. How 0:21:40.280 --> 0:21:44.240 he responded in this unfair time would not only affect him, 0:21:44.600 --> 0:21:48.120 but it would affect his son. When the officer came back, 0:21:48.280 --> 0:21:51.520 Paul was as friendly as can be. He said, I'm sorry, officer, 0:21:51.560 --> 0:21:54.160 I'll do better next time. He took the ticket and 0:21:54.160 --> 0:21:57.800 then tore it up. Now I'm just kidding, But Paul 0:21:57.920 --> 0:22:01.440 never said a negative word to Matt about the officer, 0:22:02.000 --> 0:22:05.040 didn't try to bad mouth him. He showed him respect 0:22:05.200 --> 0:22:09.120 and moved on. Today, Matt is a grown man, has 0:22:09.119 --> 0:22:13.479 his own child. He's never been anything but respectful to people. 0:22:14.119 --> 0:22:16.560 But what if Paul would have been rude and thought, hey, 0:22:16.560 --> 0:22:18.680 you know what, he's sarcastic to me, I'm gonna be 0:22:18.760 --> 0:22:22.600 sarcastic back to him. He would have been training his child. 0:22:22.600 --> 0:22:25.680 That's o k to be disrespectful, So kay to buck 0:22:25.760 --> 0:22:29.000 the system. You don't have to listen to authority. The 0:22:29.080 --> 0:22:33.640 defining moments carry much more weight. Make sure you're passing 0:22:33.680 --> 0:22:39.040 the test. No person lives or dies unto himself. People 0:22:39.119 --> 0:22:43.240 are watching you, not just your children, your coworkers, your neighbors, 0:22:43.359 --> 0:22:46.679 that person at the gym. What makes the biggest impression 0:22:47.400 --> 0:22:49.800 is not what we do in the good times, but 0:22:49.880 --> 0:22:53.960 it's how we respond in the difficult times. The next 0:22:54.040 --> 0:22:57.240 time you have an unfair situation, somebody does you wrong, 0:22:57.480 --> 0:23:00.359 your plans don't work out. Instead of making a quick 0:23:00.400 --> 0:23:04.080 decision that you may regret later on, why don't you 0:23:04.119 --> 0:23:08.080 take a step back and say, Okay, I recognize this 0:23:08.119 --> 0:23:10.880 is one of my defining moments. I'm not gonna take 0:23:10.920 --> 0:23:13.840 the easy way out. I'm not gonna be rude because 0:23:13.840 --> 0:23:16.720 they were rude to me. I'm not gonna be discouraged 0:23:16.920 --> 0:23:19.840 because I went through a loss. I know God is 0:23:19.880 --> 0:23:22.720 still on the throne. This is not a surprise to him. 0:23:23.000 --> 0:23:25.399 So I'm gonna stay on the high road in peace 0:23:25.720 --> 0:23:28.399 and keep doing the right thing. When you do that, 0:23:28.920 --> 0:23:34.240 you're passing the test. That's what's creating your legacy, more 0:23:34.320 --> 0:23:39.639 than your accomplishments. Your character, your integrity, how you treat people. 0:23:39.960 --> 0:23:43.840 That's what's being passed down to your children, to future generations. 0:23:44.920 --> 0:23:47.199 And we may not always get it right. I'm not 0:23:47.320 --> 0:23:50.520 saying we should never make a mistake, but we should 0:23:50.560 --> 0:23:54.400 be improving. We should be better this year than we 0:23:54.400 --> 0:23:57.880 were five years ago. When I was twenty four years old, 0:23:58.280 --> 0:24:01.119 I was in the TV control room at the church. 0:24:01.840 --> 0:24:04.960 My father had just finished ministering. The service was just over. 0:24:05.520 --> 0:24:08.280 I was standing there talking with some of my friends, 0:24:08.320 --> 0:24:11.320 and we were laughing and just having a good time. 0:24:11.920 --> 0:24:14.960 My father came into the control room. I was very 0:24:15.000 --> 0:24:18.200 surprised to see him. He never came back after the service. 0:24:18.880 --> 0:24:22.800 He was very upset for some reason. He thought we 0:24:22.920 --> 0:24:26.600 had been laughing and making fun of things during the service, 0:24:27.160 --> 0:24:30.080 but we weren't. We'd been working like normal. I was directing, 0:24:30.119 --> 0:24:33.080 the other guys were running the cameras. My father told 0:24:33.160 --> 0:24:36.480 us how we shouldn't be disrespectful, how we shouldn't be 0:24:36.520 --> 0:24:38.800 making fun like that, and how we should take it 0:24:38.840 --> 0:24:42.080 more seriously. On and on. There were six of us 0:24:42.119 --> 0:24:45.159 in the room. The other young men weren't about to 0:24:45.200 --> 0:24:47.679 open their mouth and defend themselves. They just took it 0:24:47.720 --> 0:24:51.639 all in like they were guilty. But I said, very politely, Daddy, 0:24:51.800 --> 0:24:55.159 we didn't do anything wrong. It's not what you think. 0:24:55.600 --> 0:24:57.640 He didn't want to hear it. He kept chewing us out, 0:24:57.840 --> 0:25:00.920 letting us have it. I got home at an hour later, 0:25:01.440 --> 0:25:04.760 the phone rang. It was my father. He said, Joel, 0:25:05.160 --> 0:25:09.080 I blew it tonight. I'm so sorry. I was uptight 0:25:09.119 --> 0:25:11.560 about some other things. I want you to forgive me. 0:25:12.119 --> 0:25:14.600 I said, of course, I'll forgive you. Then he asked 0:25:14.600 --> 0:25:17.280 for the phone numbers of the other people in the room. 0:25:17.920 --> 0:25:20.680 He wouldn't go to bed until he made things right. 0:25:21.320 --> 0:25:23.920 I said, you don't have to call them, They're gonna 0:25:23.960 --> 0:25:27.160 be fine. He said, no, I need to take care 0:25:27.200 --> 0:25:31.040 of it right now. Eleven o'clock at night, hear this 0:25:31.440 --> 0:25:35.920 well respected sixty five year old pastor's calling these twenty 0:25:36.000 --> 0:25:38.600 year old old young men to say that he was sorry. 0:25:39.359 --> 0:25:42.920 To this day, my friend still talk about that time 0:25:42.960 --> 0:25:46.879 my father called to apologize. That was a defining moment. 0:25:47.560 --> 0:25:51.800 Made a huge impression upon me. God doesn't expect us 0:25:51.840 --> 0:25:55.080 to be perfect, but what we do after we make 0:25:55.119 --> 0:25:59.120 a mistake speaks volumes. Are you secure enough to call 0:25:59.119 --> 0:26:04.040 and apologize? Do you have the humility to say I 0:26:04.160 --> 0:26:09.960 was wrong? I blew it? Forgive me, I'm sorry. Your children, 0:26:10.560 --> 0:26:15.000 your relatives, your coworkers, They'll never forget that. That defining 0:26:15.119 --> 0:26:18.320 moment will live on and when they make a mistake 0:26:18.680 --> 0:26:22.119 because of your example, they'll be inspired to do the 0:26:22.200 --> 0:26:26.679 right thing. Fifty six years ago was another defining moment 0:26:26.800 --> 0:26:29.880 in my family's life. My father had been the pastor 0:26:29.920 --> 0:26:32.840 of a large, successful church. They had just built a 0:26:32.880 --> 0:26:36.520 beautiful new sanctuary, but my father knew there was mour 0:26:37.000 --> 0:26:39.600 He came back and talked to his congregation about how 0:26:39.640 --> 0:26:42.439 God can heal and restore and how we should live 0:26:42.480 --> 0:26:46.119 an abundant, overcoming life. But some of the people in 0:26:46.160 --> 0:26:49.600 the congregation didn't like his new message of faith and 0:26:49.720 --> 0:26:53.720 hope and victory. Long story short, my father had to leave. 0:26:54.600 --> 0:26:57.879 Now this church that he'd poured his life into for many, 0:26:57.920 --> 0:27:01.640 many years was no longer his. He could have easily 0:27:01.920 --> 0:27:05.920 gotten discouraged, bitter and thought, God, that's doing the right thing. 0:27:06.000 --> 0:27:09.520 Why did this happen to me? But in that defining moment, 0:27:10.080 --> 0:27:13.840 he didn't give up. He didn't blame others, He didn't 0:27:13.840 --> 0:27:16.639 believe the lives that he was finished. He and my 0:27:16.800 --> 0:27:20.600 mother went out on Mother's Day in nineteen fifty nine 0:27:20.920 --> 0:27:25.840 started Lakewood Church with ninety people. Today we celebrate fifty 0:27:25.920 --> 0:27:30.520 six anniversary because somebody made a right choice in a 0:27:30.560 --> 0:27:36.840 defining moment. Friends, we all have unfair situations, We all 0:27:36.920 --> 0:27:41.200 have setbacks. The flesh lights to get discouraged, fall into 0:27:41.240 --> 0:27:44.920 self pity, blame others do like my father, don't get 0:27:44.960 --> 0:27:48.439 stuck there, move on to the next chapter of your life. 0:27:48.560 --> 0:27:51.160 That loss is to make room for a new beginning. 0:27:51.760 --> 0:27:55.119 Now all of us face these temptations, not to just compromise, 0:27:55.200 --> 0:27:57.960 but a temptation to get discouraged, to give up on 0:27:58.040 --> 0:28:02.240 your dreams. God has made a way of escape. There 0:28:02.359 --> 0:28:05.879 is a moment of grace for every difficulty. I'm asking 0:28:05.880 --> 0:28:09.719 you to step into it. Pass that test. Remember, the 0:28:09.760 --> 0:28:13.240 decisions you make in the defining moments not only affect you, 0:28:13.600 --> 0:28:17.399 they affect your family life. Choose wisely stay on the 0:28:17.480 --> 0:28:20.880 high road. If you do this, I believe and declare 0:28:21.359 --> 0:28:25.240 your defining moments won't defeat you. They'll promote you. You 0:28:25.560 --> 0:28:30.159 and your children will rise higher, accomplish dreams, and become 0:28:30.280 --> 0:28:34.600 everything God created you to be. In Jesus' name, if 0:28:34.600 --> 0:28:36.159 you receive it, can you say it? 0:28:36.240 --> 0:28:36.359 Men? 0:28:36.400 --> 0:28:42.040 Today, we never like to close our broadcast without giving 0:28:42.040 --> 0:28:45.080 you an opportunity to make Jesus the lord of your life. 0:28:45.400 --> 0:28:49.880 Would you pray with me? Just say, Lord Jesus, I'll 0:28:49.920 --> 0:28:54.920 repent of my sins. Come into my heart. I make 0:28:54.960 --> 0:28:58.640 you my Lord and savior. Friends, if you prayed that 0:28:58.720 --> 0:29:01.680 simple prayer, we believe you got born again. Get in 0:29:01.720 --> 0:29:04.840 a good Bible based church. Keep God first place. He's 0:29:04.880 --> 0:29:07.080 going to take your places that you've never dreamed. 0:29:08.240 --> 0:29:11.640 Thank you for listening to the Joel Lostine podcast. Help 0:29:11.760 --> 0:29:14.480 us continue to share the message of hope with those 0:29:14.560 --> 0:29:18.480 all over the world. Visit Joelostin dot com slash give 0:29:18.560 --> 0:29:20.240 Hope to give a gift today. 0:29:21.520 --> 0:29:24.440 Thanks so much for listening to today's message. I hope 0:29:24.440 --> 0:29:27.840 you'll subscribe so you can receive the latest podcast to 0:29:27.920 --> 0:29:31.120 keep you inspired all through the week. We're praying for you. 0:29:31.280 --> 0:29:33.720 I know God's best is still ahead. We'll see you 0:29:33.800 --> 0:29:34.280 next time. 0:29:41.320 --> 0:29:43.800 More than ever before, people are turning to the church 0:29:43.840 --> 0:29:47.600 for their mental health struggles. 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