Divine Connections

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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. 0:01:31.280 --> 0:01:33.040 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 --> 0:01:39.039 the ministry. If you enjoy today's message, why don't you 0:01:39.120 --> 0:01:41.200 be a blessing and share it with a friend. We 0:01:41.360 --> 0:01:56.320 appreciate you and pray for God's very best in your life. Well, 0:01:56.400 --> 0:01:59.000 God bless you. It's always a joy to come into 0:01:59.000 --> 0:02:01.960 your homes. And if you're ever in our area, please 0:02:01.960 --> 0:02:04.360 stop by and be a part of one of our services. 0:02:04.680 --> 0:02:06.960 I promise you we'll make you feel right at home. 0:02:07.200 --> 0:02:09.400 But thanks so much for tuning in, and thank you 0:02:09.440 --> 0:02:11.960 again for coming out today. And I like to start 0:02:11.960 --> 0:02:14.120 with something funny each week, and I heard about this 0:02:14.200 --> 0:02:16.079 airplane it was about to land. 0:02:16.560 --> 0:02:17.880 The flight attendant came over. 0:02:17.840 --> 0:02:20.399 The loud speaker and said, we'd like you to help 0:02:20.480 --> 0:02:23.560 welcome our new co pilot. He's about to make his 0:02:23.720 --> 0:02:27.120 first commercial landing, so when the plane stops, give him 0:02:27.120 --> 0:02:29.840 a big round of applause. A few minutes later, the 0:02:29.880 --> 0:02:33.840 plane made an extremely bumpy landing, bouncing up and down. 0:02:34.280 --> 0:02:36.680 She came back on said thanks for flying with us today, 0:02:36.960 --> 0:02:39.720 and don't forget to tell our new copilot which one 0:02:39.760 --> 0:02:43.880 of his three landings you like best. All right, hold 0:02:43.960 --> 0:02:46.480 up your Bible, say it like you mean it. This 0:02:46.680 --> 0:02:49.320 is my Bible. I am what it says I am. 0:02:49.880 --> 0:02:52.560 I have what it says I have. I can do 0:02:52.639 --> 0:02:55.440 what it says I can do. Today I will be 0:02:55.480 --> 0:02:59.720 taught the word of God. I boldly confess. My mind 0:02:59.800 --> 0:03:03.480 is alert, my heart is receptive. I will never be 0:03:03.560 --> 0:03:08.359 the same. In Jesus' name, God bless you. I want 0:03:08.400 --> 0:03:12.800 to talk to you today about divine connections. I believe 0:03:12.960 --> 0:03:15.600 if you will stay in faith and be a person 0:03:15.639 --> 0:03:19.160 of excellence, God will always bring the right people into 0:03:19.200 --> 0:03:22.680 your life. Just as He's put the dreams and desires 0:03:22.720 --> 0:03:26.080 in your heart. God has already lined up the people 0:03:26.160 --> 0:03:29.640 you need to help bring those dreams to pass. God 0:03:29.760 --> 0:03:33.040 knows who you need to know. He knows who's going 0:03:33.120 --> 0:03:35.320 to need to give you a break. Ten years from now, 0:03:36.120 --> 0:03:39.560 you single, people, God already has your mate lined up. 0:03:39.760 --> 0:03:43.640 He's already picked out the perfect person. One man received it. 0:03:45.440 --> 0:03:48.040 You don't have to struggle, You don't have to try 0:03:48.120 --> 0:03:49.240 to make things happen. 0:03:49.680 --> 0:03:52.040 All you have to do is stay in faith. 0:03:52.440 --> 0:03:55.440 If you'll keep being your best day in and day out, 0:03:55.720 --> 0:03:59.600 God will give you divine connections. But too often we 0:03:59.680 --> 0:04:02.640 try to make things happen in our own strength. How 0:04:02.680 --> 0:04:05.440 many people at the office play up to the boss, 0:04:05.600 --> 0:04:08.880 play politics to try to get that promotion. I've known 0:04:08.920 --> 0:04:12.520 people they're friends with a person only because of the 0:04:12.600 --> 0:04:15.880 other people that person knows they're using one person to 0:04:15.880 --> 0:04:19.120 get to another. Usually when that happens, we end up 0:04:19.160 --> 0:04:22.240 letting them control us. But there's a real freedom when 0:04:22.279 --> 0:04:26.040 you realize God wants to give you divine connections. That 0:04:26.200 --> 0:04:28.720 means you don't have to play up to someone to 0:04:28.720 --> 0:04:30.960 try to get them to like you. You don't have 0:04:31.040 --> 0:04:33.719 to worry because you haven't met the man or woman 0:04:33.800 --> 0:04:36.919 of your dreams. You don't have to live frustrated because 0:04:36.960 --> 0:04:39.800 you don't have all the connections you need right now. No, 0:04:39.960 --> 0:04:42.880 God has it all planned out. As long as you 0:04:42.960 --> 0:04:46.400 stay in faith, he'll bring the right people across your path. 0:04:46.560 --> 0:04:50.720 He'll give you divine connections. Now. Divine connection is when 0:04:50.760 --> 0:04:53.320 you know it had to be God. He calls you 0:04:53.360 --> 0:04:55.359 to be at the right place at the right time. 0:04:56.040 --> 0:04:59.000 I remember a few years ago, Victoria and I were 0:04:59.160 --> 0:05:01.400 out of state, take in a few days off, and 0:05:01.480 --> 0:05:03.120 I got up early one Sunday morning. 0:05:03.440 --> 0:05:06.559 I watched this minister on television. He was very good. 0:05:06.920 --> 0:05:09.080 I said, Victoria, let's go to his church today. 0:05:09.600 --> 0:05:11.800 We called the front desk and they said it was 0:05:11.839 --> 0:05:13.120 over an hour away. 0:05:13.400 --> 0:05:14.760 We didn't have time to make it. 0:05:15.240 --> 0:05:18.160 And normally when we're on vacation, we may not typically 0:05:18.200 --> 0:05:20.440 go to church because we're in church all the time. 0:05:20.480 --> 0:05:23.120 But for some reason, I grabbed the phone book and 0:05:23.160 --> 0:05:25.520 I opened it up and I saw this other minister 0:05:25.600 --> 0:05:28.560 that I recognized. I'd never met him, but I'd seen 0:05:28.640 --> 0:05:31.280 him a few times before. We found out his church 0:05:31.360 --> 0:05:33.440 was just a few minutes down the road. So we 0:05:33.480 --> 0:05:36.560 went to the service, and afterwards the pastor came up 0:05:36.560 --> 0:05:39.440 to say hello. I didn't talk to that man for 0:05:39.560 --> 0:05:42.760 ninety seconds before I knew this was a divine connection. 0:05:43.520 --> 0:05:44.960 Some people you just. 0:05:44.880 --> 0:05:47.920 Feel good about. You just know it's right down in here. 0:05:48.440 --> 0:05:50.720 I felt like I'd known that man for ten years. 0:05:51.040 --> 0:05:53.479 When we left that day, I knew that was God 0:05:53.600 --> 0:05:54.720 directing my steps. 0:05:54.920 --> 0:05:56.239 We became close friends. 0:05:56.640 --> 0:05:59.320 Well. A few years later, I was going somewhere with 0:05:59.400 --> 0:06:03.800 him and he introduced me almost in passing, to a 0:06:03.839 --> 0:06:08.600 person that he knows that's very knowledgeable in the publishing industry. 0:06:08.680 --> 0:06:11.520 It was that connection that led to me writing my 0:06:11.560 --> 0:06:14.200 first book. What I want you to see is God 0:06:14.279 --> 0:06:17.000 has it all lined up. This door's gonna close so 0:06:17.080 --> 0:06:19.479 you can meet this other man. He's gonna introduce you 0:06:19.560 --> 0:06:21.599 to his friend who's gonna give you a break, and 0:06:21.720 --> 0:06:24.760 on and on. God is in control of our lives. 0:06:25.160 --> 0:06:27.960 He's got the people you need to bring your dreams 0:06:27.960 --> 0:06:31.560 to pass. Why don't you quit worrying, Why don't you 0:06:31.640 --> 0:06:35.400 quit trying to make everything happen, and instead just stay 0:06:35.440 --> 0:06:38.400 in faith. When you do that, the scripture says God 0:06:38.480 --> 0:06:41.800 will give you the desires of your heart. Looking back 0:06:41.839 --> 0:06:44.960 over my life, I can see every major break that 0:06:45.000 --> 0:06:48.360 I've gotten. When I met a lifelong friend where I 0:06:48.440 --> 0:06:52.320 met Victoria, where somebody showed me favor and opened the door. 0:06:52.680 --> 0:06:55.880 Not one of those times did I have to struggle 0:06:55.920 --> 0:06:58.400 and try to make it happen. Not one time did 0:06:58.440 --> 0:07:01.240 I have to manipulate someone and try to talk them 0:07:01.240 --> 0:07:02.400 in to giving me a break. 0:07:02.880 --> 0:07:05.960 Now, every time things just fell into place. What am 0:07:06.000 --> 0:07:06.440 I saying? 0:07:07.040 --> 0:07:10.640 Trust God to bring you divine connections. You don't have 0:07:10.680 --> 0:07:13.040 to play up to someone to try to make them 0:07:13.240 --> 0:07:15.800 like you. If someone doesn't want to be your friends, 0:07:15.880 --> 0:07:18.880 you know what, it's their loss, not yours. You don't 0:07:18.960 --> 0:07:22.720 need them to fulfill your destiny. God has the right 0:07:22.800 --> 0:07:26.360 people already lined up for you. If they don't want 0:07:26.360 --> 0:07:28.600 to be in relationship with you. Of course you can 0:07:28.640 --> 0:07:32.160 be kind and respectful, but your attitude should be I 0:07:32.200 --> 0:07:34.080 don't have to have you to get to where I 0:07:34.160 --> 0:07:34.560 need to be. 0:07:35.000 --> 0:07:36.560 I know God is in control of. 0:07:36.520 --> 0:07:38.880 My life and at the right time, He's going to 0:07:38.920 --> 0:07:42.000 bring the right people to help me fulfill my destiny. 0:07:42.600 --> 0:07:46.520 We all go through different seasons, even in friendships. Maybe 0:07:46.560 --> 0:07:49.120 for ten or fifteen years you were best friends with 0:07:49.160 --> 0:07:53.040 the person you enjoyed spending that time together, but now 0:07:53.120 --> 0:07:56.320 it's a new season. Of course, you can still be friends, 0:07:56.320 --> 0:08:00.280 but maybe you can't spend as much time together. Kids 0:08:00.280 --> 0:08:03.440 aren't in the same school, You're going in different directions. Well, 0:08:03.560 --> 0:08:06.160 that season is over now God wants to bring you 0:08:06.240 --> 0:08:11.360 new friends. The scripture says in Ecclesiastes three eleven, everything 0:08:11.680 --> 0:08:15.440 is beautiful in its time. Hey, you say, Joel, this 0:08:15.480 --> 0:08:17.280 guy was dating the girl I was dating. 0:08:17.360 --> 0:08:18.360 She broke up with me. 0:08:18.480 --> 0:08:21.800 And I'm so discouraged. No, that just means God has 0:08:21.800 --> 0:08:25.480 somebody better in store for you. Recognize that season is over, 0:08:26.120 --> 0:08:29.520 be grateful for it. Now keep pressing forward. Hell, I 0:08:29.560 --> 0:08:32.920 really wanted this promotion, but my supervisor didn't put any 0:08:32.960 --> 0:08:35.160 good word for me, and I didn't get it. O. 0:08:35.320 --> 0:08:36.560 God's still in control. 0:08:36.760 --> 0:08:39.200 If you'll stay in faith, when God wants you to 0:08:39.240 --> 0:08:42.439 be promoted, He'll make sure the right people come along 0:08:42.679 --> 0:08:46.480 to get you promoted. Instead of getting discouraged, I'm trying 0:08:46.480 --> 0:08:49.160 to force everything to happen, It's much better to just 0:08:49.240 --> 0:08:52.840 say God, I'm trusting you to bring me divine connections, 0:08:53.120 --> 0:08:55.840 people that will further me in my dreams, and not 0:08:56.000 --> 0:08:59.760 people that will distract and hold me back. We have 0:08:59.840 --> 0:09:02.800 to be sensitive with whom we get in relationship with 0:09:03.760 --> 0:09:06.640 just because someone is important or they have a circle 0:09:06.679 --> 0:09:09.120 of friends that we would like to know, it doesn't 0:09:09.160 --> 0:09:12.920 necessarily mean that they're right for us. There's this one 0:09:12.960 --> 0:09:15.960 door that I've been praying that God would open again 0:09:16.240 --> 0:09:19.400 and again. It involves a certain person, and in the 0:09:19.520 --> 0:09:22.720 natural it seems like a perfect fit. I can't see 0:09:22.720 --> 0:09:25.960 any reason why it wouldn't open. But I've learned that 0:09:26.000 --> 0:09:28.880 God knows what's best for us. And sometimes when a 0:09:28.920 --> 0:09:32.280 door's not opening, it's because God doesn't want it to open. 0:09:32.920 --> 0:09:33.760 It may be. 0:09:33.520 --> 0:09:36.280 Because it's gonna do us more harm than good, or 0:09:36.320 --> 0:09:39.200 it's gonna limit our growth. And one of the main 0:09:39.320 --> 0:09:43.000 prayers I pray every day is God, bring the right 0:09:43.080 --> 0:09:46.400 people into my life and weed out those that shouldn't 0:09:46.400 --> 0:09:49.559 be there. I believe the second part is just as 0:09:49.600 --> 0:09:52.520 important as the first part because God can bring the 0:09:52.640 --> 0:09:55.880 right people, but if we're still attached to the wrong people, 0:09:56.280 --> 0:10:00.280 it's gonna hinder our progress. Stay sensitive and way for 0:10:00.320 --> 0:10:05.120 God to bring you divine connections. Really, life is too 0:10:05.160 --> 0:10:09.040 short to get in relationship with the wrong people. They 0:10:09.080 --> 0:10:11.760 may be important, or it may look impressive to be 0:10:11.840 --> 0:10:14.240 seen around them, but you have to get past all 0:10:14.280 --> 0:10:17.079 the surface and see what you're feeling right down in here. 0:10:17.520 --> 0:10:20.880 Listen to the still small voice. I know this couple. 0:10:21.240 --> 0:10:24.439 They seem to be fine people. They come from good families, 0:10:24.800 --> 0:10:27.439 and they've got a lot going for them. They're very influential, 0:10:28.120 --> 0:10:30.520 and in the natural they would be good people for 0:10:30.559 --> 0:10:32.760 me to get to know. Maybe they could introduce me 0:10:32.800 --> 0:10:36.400 to some other influential people. And over the years, I've 0:10:36.440 --> 0:10:39.240 had numerous opportunities. 0:10:38.520 --> 0:10:39.560 To get close to them. 0:10:40.080 --> 0:10:42.559 I've had friends that know them real well and they 0:10:42.600 --> 0:10:45.079 want to set up dinner engagements so we can get 0:10:45.080 --> 0:10:48.440 better acquainted. But every time I just don't feel good 0:10:48.480 --> 0:10:51.760 about it. I can't quite put my finger on it. 0:10:51.760 --> 0:10:54.679 Doesn't mean that they're bad people, doesn't mean there's something 0:10:54.720 --> 0:10:57.600 wrong with them, but I'm sensitive enough to know down 0:10:57.600 --> 0:11:00.720 in here they're just not right for me. I've learned 0:11:00.760 --> 0:11:03.880 to wait for divine connections, for God to bring the 0:11:04.000 --> 0:11:08.080 right people into my life. Too often we'll just jump 0:11:08.120 --> 0:11:11.640 into something because somebody's influential or because they know the 0:11:11.679 --> 0:11:15.080 boss real well. All that time we can feel the 0:11:15.120 --> 0:11:17.600 alarm down and here we can feel that unrest. 0:11:18.280 --> 0:11:19.960 Too many times we just ignore that. 0:11:20.800 --> 0:11:23.920 I found out several years later that couple had some 0:11:24.040 --> 0:11:26.360 questionable things concerning their integrity. 0:11:26.920 --> 0:11:28.280 They were bitter toward. 0:11:28.080 --> 0:11:31.760 Another person, talking behind their back. Now I can see why. 0:11:32.080 --> 0:11:35.280 Now God closed that door. We can only see on 0:11:35.320 --> 0:11:38.360 the surface, but God looks at a person's heart. If 0:11:38.360 --> 0:11:39.280 you don't feel good. 0:11:39.120 --> 0:11:42.520 About someone or something, it's not because God's trying to 0:11:42.559 --> 0:11:45.440 hold you back. It's because He's trying to keep you on. 0:11:45.360 --> 0:11:46.120 His best path. 0:11:47.080 --> 0:11:51.520 And we have to realize that spirits are transferable. When 0:11:51.559 --> 0:11:54.960 you get in relationship with someone, you don't just get 0:11:54.960 --> 0:11:58.680 the natural or the physical, you get the spiritual as well. 0:11:59.280 --> 0:12:01.960 In other words, if if you hang around someone that's jealous, 0:12:02.320 --> 0:12:05.400 that jealous spirit can get off on you. If you're 0:12:05.559 --> 0:12:08.680 around someone that has a lack of integrity, that spirit 0:12:08.720 --> 0:12:10.240 of compromise can affect you. 0:12:10.840 --> 0:12:13.840 Or maybe they don't treat people right, they're rude and disrespectful. 0:12:14.400 --> 0:12:17.319 Or don't be surprised if before long you're the same way. 0:12:17.640 --> 0:12:21.000 We become just like the people we associate with. You 0:12:21.120 --> 0:12:23.959 have to pay attention to what you're feeling down in here. 0:12:24.360 --> 0:12:27.040 If it doesn't feel right, Sure, you can still be 0:12:27.160 --> 0:12:30.480 friends from a distance. You can still be kind and courteous, 0:12:30.679 --> 0:12:33.360 but you should not allow them to get close to you, 0:12:33.559 --> 0:12:35.559 don't let them into your inner circle. 0:12:35.880 --> 0:12:37.359 God has the right. 0:12:37.360 --> 0:12:40.319 People to bring into your life. But if you're spending 0:12:40.320 --> 0:12:43.000 all your time with the wrong people, you're not going 0:12:43.080 --> 0:12:45.319 to be where you should be when the right people 0:12:45.360 --> 0:12:46.360 come across your path. 0:12:47.200 --> 0:12:48.800 You may be thinking, Joel, where are all. 0:12:48.679 --> 0:12:51.600 My divine connections? I'm not getting these breaks that you're 0:12:51.640 --> 0:12:54.880 talking about. Well, could it be that you're still hanging 0:12:54.880 --> 0:12:57.440 around the wrong people. Maybe you need to make some 0:12:57.520 --> 0:13:00.600 adjustments and just be honest and say God, God, I 0:13:00.679 --> 0:13:03.560 know this friend is pulling me down, or I know 0:13:03.679 --> 0:13:06.800 I got into this relationship for the wrong reason and I. 0:13:06.760 --> 0:13:08.080 Still don't feel good about it. 0:13:08.360 --> 0:13:11.880 So God, I'm gonna make some changes and start trusting 0:13:11.920 --> 0:13:14.400 you to bring the right people into my life. 0:13:15.200 --> 0:13:16.199 When you obey that. 0:13:16.320 --> 0:13:21.000 Still small voice, God's blessings will chase you down. You 0:13:21.040 --> 0:13:23.760 won't have to try to find new friends. You won't 0:13:23.840 --> 0:13:26.320 have to manipulate people into giving you a break. 0:13:26.679 --> 0:13:27.640 Now, when you walk in. 0:13:27.640 --> 0:13:30.600 Obedience, you won't be able to outrun the good things 0:13:30.600 --> 0:13:32.760 of God. People will want to be good to you 0:13:33.040 --> 0:13:35.920 and they don't even know why. It's because you have 0:13:36.000 --> 0:13:38.840 the favor of God on your life. I was thinking 0:13:38.880 --> 0:13:43.760 about the apostle Paul. He spent years persecuting Christians. One day, 0:13:43.800 --> 0:13:47.280 God supernaturally turned his life around, and now he had 0:13:47.320 --> 0:13:50.560 a message to share with God's people. But the problem 0:13:50.760 --> 0:13:53.360 was nobody would have anything to do with Paul. 0:13:53.520 --> 0:13:55.080 They were all afraid of him. 0:13:55.520 --> 0:13:59.200 But the scripture says God brought Barnabas across Paul's path 0:14:00.360 --> 0:14:03.679 this friendship. Barnabas went back to the people and said. 0:14:03.520 --> 0:14:06.480 It's okay, let Paul come. He's for real. 0:14:07.120 --> 0:14:10.560 In other words, he used his influence to open a 0:14:10.640 --> 0:14:13.320 door to Paul for a whole new group of people. 0:14:13.920 --> 0:14:16.240 Paul went on to write over half of the New Testament. 0:14:16.720 --> 0:14:20.040 But think about if Barnabas had not come along and 0:14:20.080 --> 0:14:23.120 put his stamp of approval on Paul, Paul may not 0:14:23.160 --> 0:14:24.640 have had the impact. 0:14:24.200 --> 0:14:24.760 That he had. 0:14:25.360 --> 0:14:28.800 But no, God always has a plan. God already had 0:14:28.880 --> 0:14:32.360 Barnabas lined up. You may be thinking, Joel, how can 0:14:32.400 --> 0:14:35.600 I fulfill my dreams? How can I get that promotion? Listen, 0:14:35.880 --> 0:14:38.160 all God has to do is send to Barnabas across 0:14:38.200 --> 0:14:38.640 your path. 0:14:39.120 --> 0:14:40.920 He did it for Paul, he can do it for you. 0:14:41.560 --> 0:14:44.640 Remember, all it takes is one touch of God's favor, 0:14:45.520 --> 0:14:48.240 one person putting in the right word for you at 0:14:48.240 --> 0:14:50.560 the right time, you'll go to a whole new level. 0:14:51.320 --> 0:14:54.440 One person introducing you to their friend, and all of 0:14:54.480 --> 0:14:56.880 a sudden you met the man or woman of your dreams. 0:14:57.320 --> 0:15:00.600 Just one Barnabas coming across your path to say, hey, 0:15:00.840 --> 0:15:03.760 let me use my influence. Now all these other doors 0:15:03.800 --> 0:15:06.680 open up. I don't know about you, but I'm believing 0:15:06.800 --> 0:15:09.600 for some Barnabases in my life, people that will want 0:15:09.600 --> 0:15:12.360 to help me, people that will open up doors that 0:15:12.440 --> 0:15:15.880 would not have normally been opened. And when God gives 0:15:15.880 --> 0:15:18.560 you a Barnabas, when he gives you one touch of 0:15:18.600 --> 0:15:21.680 his favor, that'll do more in a split second than 0:15:21.720 --> 0:15:24.200 you could do in your whole lifetime. I was reading 0:15:24.240 --> 0:15:27.920 about Billy Graham back in nineteen forty nine. He was 0:15:27.960 --> 0:15:32.680 a young minister traveling the country holding meetings in large auditoriums. 0:15:33.040 --> 0:15:36.640 He was having good success, but he was not nationally known. 0:15:37.320 --> 0:15:41.040 And that summer he was conducting a crusade in Los Angeles, 0:15:41.440 --> 0:15:44.040 and it just so happened one night there was a 0:15:44.080 --> 0:15:47.960 gentleman in the audience by the name of William Randolph Hurst. 0:15:48.560 --> 0:15:50.880 Mister Hurst was a newspaper Magnet. 0:15:51.240 --> 0:15:54.560 He owned newspapers all across the country, and he was 0:15:54.600 --> 0:15:57.960 so impressed with Billy Graham that night he sent word 0:15:58.000 --> 0:16:02.720 to all of his newspapers to write favorable articles concerning 0:16:02.760 --> 0:16:06.640 doctor Graham. The next week, the whole country was talking 0:16:06.680 --> 0:16:11.120 about this young minister. Billy Graham came into national prominence 0:16:11.320 --> 0:16:15.720 practically overnight, all because of this one man. What happened, 0:16:16.040 --> 0:16:20.200 God sent a Barnabas across his path. That one favorable 0:16:20.280 --> 0:16:24.400 word did more for him to gain influence and credibility 0:16:24.640 --> 0:16:26.480 than he could have done on his own in his 0:16:26.560 --> 0:16:31.680 whole lifetime. Understand, our destiny is connected to other people. 0:16:32.160 --> 0:16:35.400 But the good news is God already has them lined up. 0:16:36.080 --> 0:16:38.960 You don't have to worry, you don't have to struggle. 0:16:39.240 --> 0:16:42.680 God has all the Barnabases you're ever gonna need. The 0:16:42.760 --> 0:16:45.960 key is to just stay in faith, keep believing, knowing 0:16:46.000 --> 0:16:48.520 that God has it all planned out. A few years 0:16:48.520 --> 0:16:51.600 after Victoria and I were married, we needed some tax 0:16:51.680 --> 0:16:54.560 at vice. The person that had been doing our taxes 0:16:54.600 --> 0:16:57.440 lived out of state. He wasn't familiar with a certain 0:16:57.520 --> 0:16:59.960 law in Texas, and it looked like we may owe 0:17:00.160 --> 0:17:01.880 some back taxes, and we. 0:17:01.760 --> 0:17:04.399 Were so discouraged. We were a young couple. 0:17:04.520 --> 0:17:07.160 It was Christmas time and we didn't know what to do. 0:17:07.840 --> 0:17:11.679 Long story short, we came across this tax attorney and 0:17:11.720 --> 0:17:14.679 we just hit it off. He was a very good man, 0:17:14.880 --> 0:17:17.719 not only knowledgeable, but he was fun to be around. 0:17:18.119 --> 0:17:21.199 We ended up becoming close friends. He took care of 0:17:21.200 --> 0:17:24.320 that situation and it ended up working out to our favor, 0:17:24.760 --> 0:17:27.359 and over the next few years we didn't talk to 0:17:27.440 --> 0:17:30.480 him that often, maybe once or twice a year, but 0:17:30.600 --> 0:17:33.280 every time we did it was like old times, like 0:17:33.320 --> 0:17:34.560 we'd been together forever. 0:17:35.119 --> 0:17:35.280 Well. 0:17:35.320 --> 0:17:39.000 Several years after that, a once in a lifetime business 0:17:39.000 --> 0:17:42.480 opportunity came across our path, and Victoria and I knew 0:17:42.520 --> 0:17:45.080 we wanted to pursue it, but we didn't even know 0:17:45.119 --> 0:17:48.320 where to start. So we just called our old friend, 0:17:48.680 --> 0:17:51.600 this tax attorney, and even though it wasn't in his. 0:17:51.600 --> 0:17:54.280 Field, he said, sure, Joel, I'll help you. And he 0:17:54.359 --> 0:17:55.160 took that deal. 0:17:55.400 --> 0:17:59.800 He negotiated it, wrote the contracts, convinced all the different parties. 0:18:00.119 --> 0:18:01.679 Before long, it all came together. 0:18:02.640 --> 0:18:06.360 I know now looking back, that man was a divine connection. 0:18:07.160 --> 0:18:10.760 God brought him into our lives several years earlier, just 0:18:10.800 --> 0:18:13.959 so we could develop that relationship with him. Had we 0:18:14.040 --> 0:18:16.840 not been familiar with him, had we not known that 0:18:16.880 --> 0:18:19.480 we could trust him, I don't think this other deal 0:18:19.520 --> 0:18:20.679 would have ever come together. 0:18:21.480 --> 0:18:24.480 The truth is God used the tax issue. 0:18:24.200 --> 0:18:26.880 To get him into our life. If we'd never had 0:18:26.920 --> 0:18:30.240 that problem, we would have never met that man. What 0:18:30.280 --> 0:18:34.600 I'm saying is, sometimes when it looks negative, sometimes what 0:18:34.720 --> 0:18:37.960 looks like a disappointment is really God just getting you 0:18:38.040 --> 0:18:41.199 prepared for what He has in store. You may not 0:18:41.240 --> 0:18:43.119 see how it's going to work out right now, but 0:18:43.200 --> 0:18:45.680 if you'll stay in faith, I believe. 0:18:45.440 --> 0:18:46.640 God will turn it around. 0:18:47.000 --> 0:18:50.080 He will still use that to your advantage. Now I'm 0:18:50.119 --> 0:18:53.359 asking you today to believe that God is in control 0:18:53.440 --> 0:18:56.160 of your life. Believe that He's going to bring. 0:18:56.000 --> 0:18:58.000 The right people at the right time. 0:18:58.680 --> 0:19:01.560 And even when it looks like a disappointment, even when 0:19:01.560 --> 0:19:05.600 your plans didn't work out, remember God is still directing 0:19:05.640 --> 0:19:08.919 your steps. You don't know who you're gonna meet like 0:19:08.960 --> 0:19:11.280 we did. That's gonna help you years down the road. 0:19:11.720 --> 0:19:12.600 Just stay in faith. 0:19:13.359 --> 0:19:15.399 And I know some of you today are single and 0:19:15.680 --> 0:19:17.800 you have a desire to get married. Let me just 0:19:17.920 --> 0:19:21.920 encourage you again. God already has the right person picked out. 0:19:22.720 --> 0:19:25.560 You may be divorced, or maybe you're a widow, and 0:19:25.720 --> 0:19:28.040 you tempted to think, oh, Joel, it's too late for me, 0:19:28.119 --> 0:19:31.600 I'll never meet anybody. No, God still has a plan. 0:19:32.200 --> 0:19:35.600 God is concerned about you. God's the one that said 0:19:35.920 --> 0:19:37.080 it's not good. 0:19:37.240 --> 0:19:39.680 For a man or a woman to be alone. 0:19:40.080 --> 0:19:43.000 God doesn't want you to go through life lonely. You 0:19:43.040 --> 0:19:45.160 may have been divorced, or maybe you even. 0:19:44.960 --> 0:19:46.000 Lost your spouse. 0:19:46.600 --> 0:19:50.000 But if you have a desire to meet someone, God 0:19:50.080 --> 0:19:52.600 put that in your heart and he wants to bring 0:19:52.680 --> 0:19:55.920 the right person into your life. You may not see 0:19:55.920 --> 0:19:58.240 how it's gonna happen. But let me challenge you to 0:19:58.359 --> 0:20:01.600 just keep standing in faith. You've heard me tell how 0:20:01.640 --> 0:20:05.280 I met Victoria. I walked into her mother's jewelry store 0:20:05.400 --> 0:20:08.000 to buy a battery for my watch. Think of the 0:20:08.080 --> 0:20:11.840 chances of that. There are hundreds of jewelry stores in Houston. Men, 0:20:11.920 --> 0:20:17.080 Victoria must have really been praying. I'm trying to figure 0:20:17.119 --> 0:20:19.560 out was I her divine connection or was she my 0:20:19.640 --> 0:20:25.280 divine connection? But seriously, I know that was not a coincidence. 0:20:25.480 --> 0:20:29.679 That was God directing my steps. When you stay in faith, 0:20:29.960 --> 0:20:31.959 God will cause you to be at the right place 0:20:32.040 --> 0:20:34.679 at the right time. I think of the story of 0:20:34.760 --> 0:20:37.800 Ruth in the Bible. She was a widow, she lost 0:20:37.880 --> 0:20:41.360 her husband in a battle. I'm sure she was discouraged. 0:20:41.720 --> 0:20:43.720 I'm sure at times she didn't think she'd ever get 0:20:43.760 --> 0:20:47.840 married again. But do you know God was concerned about Ruth. 0:20:48.240 --> 0:20:51.280 His plan for her did not end just because something 0:20:51.440 --> 0:20:56.200 unfortunate happened. God brought another man into Ruth's life. Wasn't 0:20:56.240 --> 0:21:00.800 just anybody. His name was Boaz. He was a leader 0:21:00.880 --> 0:21:04.720 in his community. He was kind and generous. He was 0:21:04.840 --> 0:21:06.359 wealthy and good looking. 0:21:07.119 --> 0:21:07.600 Some of you. 0:21:07.600 --> 0:21:10.359 Today, you may be a widow, or maybe you've been 0:21:10.400 --> 0:21:12.639 through a divorce and you're thinking, Ah, too bad for me. 0:21:12.920 --> 0:21:15.800 But let me tell you God has another Boaz out there. 0:21:16.040 --> 0:21:17.440 You've got to get your hopes up. 0:21:17.800 --> 0:21:20.560 You get up every morning and say, Father, I want 0:21:20.560 --> 0:21:23.840 to thank you for bringing me divine connections, just like 0:21:23.880 --> 0:21:26.399 you did for Ruth. I believe you can cause me 0:21:26.680 --> 0:21:28.920 to be at the right place at the right time. 0:21:29.359 --> 0:21:32.040 I was reading an article about a lady that lost 0:21:32.080 --> 0:21:35.080 her husband in the war. This was many years ago. 0:21:35.560 --> 0:21:38.920 She had a three year old son, grieving and lonely. 0:21:39.240 --> 0:21:42.720 She moved back to her hometown, and she was doing okay, 0:21:43.000 --> 0:21:46.240 but it was especially difficult during the holidays. In this 0:21:46.280 --> 0:21:50.640 one particular Christmas, she saw an unusual ad in the newspaper. 0:21:51.160 --> 0:21:55.000 It said, would anyone with a small son be willing 0:21:55.119 --> 0:21:57.840 to come to Christmas dinner with my mother and me? 0:21:58.640 --> 0:22:02.199 That ad really touched the lady's heart. After debating it 0:22:02.280 --> 0:22:05.840 for several days, she finally called and accepted the invitation. 0:22:06.640 --> 0:22:07.800 This man and his. 0:22:07.720 --> 0:22:10.480 Mother were so good to her little boy. They gave 0:22:10.520 --> 0:22:13.120 him all kinds of gifts, treated him like a king. 0:22:13.800 --> 0:22:17.200 What this lady did not know was earlier that year 0:22:17.600 --> 0:22:20.840 that man had lost his wife and his young son 0:22:21.240 --> 0:22:25.439 in an automobile accident. He too was a widower. The 0:22:25.520 --> 0:22:28.520 lady told how that was one of the most memorable 0:22:28.600 --> 0:22:33.120 Christmases she had ever spent together. That day, those two 0:22:33.119 --> 0:22:37.280 broken families came together and experienced a happiness they thought 0:22:37.280 --> 0:22:38.200 would never return. 0:22:38.840 --> 0:22:39.240 She said. 0:22:39.240 --> 0:22:42.040 The best part was the joy was hers to keep. 0:22:42.640 --> 0:22:44.720 You see, a few months later the man that wrote 0:22:44.760 --> 0:22:48.160 the ad he became her husband. God brought the two 0:22:48.200 --> 0:22:52.520 families together, And no matter where you are, no matter 0:22:52.640 --> 0:22:56.040 what you've been through, God always has the right people. 0:22:56.320 --> 0:22:58.840 For the right time in your life, whether you need 0:22:58.840 --> 0:23:01.800 a spouse, whether you need a friend, whether you need 0:23:01.800 --> 0:23:06.679 a barnabas. God is in control. Start believing. Thank him 0:23:06.720 --> 0:23:09.439 every day for divine connections. Thank him that He's going 0:23:09.520 --> 0:23:12.080 to cause you to be at the right place at 0:23:12.119 --> 0:23:15.719 the right time. Tewod King's chapter five, there's the story 0:23:15.760 --> 0:23:20.120 of Naeman. He was a very well respected and influential man. 0:23:20.320 --> 0:23:24.080 He was a captain in the army. But Naemen had leprosy. 0:23:24.600 --> 0:23:28.159 He couldn't fulfill his dreams with that disease. Do you 0:23:28.200 --> 0:23:31.600 know who God used? You know who his divine connection was? 0:23:32.240 --> 0:23:35.720 One of his servants, just a young maid that helped 0:23:35.720 --> 0:23:39.159 take care of his house. She said, Naeman, if you'll go, 0:23:39.240 --> 0:23:42.840 let the prophet Elisha pray for you, I know you'll 0:23:42.880 --> 0:23:46.520 be healed. It was that one word that turned Naeman's 0:23:46.560 --> 0:23:51.000 life around. What's my point. Don't overlook the so called 0:23:51.600 --> 0:23:54.160 insignificant people in your life, the. 0:23:54.119 --> 0:23:56.320 People you may kind of think are not that important. 0:23:56.520 --> 0:23:57.800 Oh he's just a student. 0:23:58.119 --> 0:24:01.320 He just mows the lawns, She just cleaned the house. Listen, 0:24:01.400 --> 0:24:05.040 anybody can be a divine connection. Doesn't matter their position, 0:24:05.440 --> 0:24:08.440 doesn't matter, their social standing, color of their skin. 0:24:09.000 --> 0:24:12.159 God uses every person. I know. 0:24:12.280 --> 0:24:15.080 The other day, I was leaving the offices and it 0:24:15.119 --> 0:24:18.080 had been one of those days where everything that could go. 0:24:18.119 --> 0:24:20.680 Wrong dead and I was kind of tired. 0:24:20.359 --> 0:24:23.840 And frustrated and even tempted to be a little discouraged. 0:24:24.240 --> 0:24:26.600 And where I park, I noticed a member of our 0:24:26.640 --> 0:24:29.920 maintenance staff, part of the cleaning crew. I don't think 0:24:29.960 --> 0:24:32.320 i'd ever seen this young man before, but he was 0:24:32.359 --> 0:24:35.119 wearing one of our uniforms, and I just said hello 0:24:35.240 --> 0:24:38.199 and smiled and walked on. A few seconds later, I 0:24:38.240 --> 0:24:40.960 saw him coming toward the car, and in the most 0:24:41.000 --> 0:24:43.480 sincere way you could imagine, he said. 0:24:43.359 --> 0:24:45.080 Joel, I've been wanting to meet you. 0:24:45.400 --> 0:24:48.119 I just want to tell you how much I appreciate 0:24:48.240 --> 0:24:51.600 you helping to change my life. Had big tears coming 0:24:51.680 --> 0:24:53.920 on the side of his face, and I thought, that's 0:24:54.119 --> 0:24:57.159 exactly what I needed to hear that day. I knew 0:24:57.400 --> 0:25:00.879 that was a divine connection, just like na and God 0:25:00.920 --> 0:25:03.760 sent the right person at the right time to give 0:25:03.800 --> 0:25:07.200 me an encouraging word. And you cannot let the seemingly 0:25:08.200 --> 0:25:12.800 insignificance of someone's position fool you, because God can use anybody. 0:25:13.119 --> 0:25:15.320 If Naemon would have been too proud, he might have 0:25:15.359 --> 0:25:18.160 missed out on his miracle. If I'd been too busy, 0:25:18.720 --> 0:25:21.080 too high minded, I might have missed out. 0:25:20.920 --> 0:25:23.520 On that encouraging word. That was a divine connection. 0:25:24.359 --> 0:25:27.200 Another important key is if you want God to give 0:25:27.240 --> 0:25:30.360 you divine connections, you have to be a divine connection. 0:25:31.080 --> 0:25:33.960 In other words, take time for people, show them that 0:25:34.040 --> 0:25:37.320 you care, be willing to meet a need, put in 0:25:37.400 --> 0:25:39.880 a good word for someone whenever you can. 0:25:40.760 --> 0:25:42.160 I mentioned Ruth earlier. 0:25:42.800 --> 0:25:46.000 I believe one reason God showed his favor and said 0:25:46.119 --> 0:25:50.760 Boaz was because Ruth was good to her mother in law, Naomi. 0:25:51.440 --> 0:25:53.680 She too was a widow, and when. 0:25:53.560 --> 0:25:56.640 Ruth's husband died, she could easily just bolt and move 0:25:56.680 --> 0:25:59.960 back home, but Ruth decided to stay there with me 0:26:00.119 --> 0:26:03.280 Naomi and help take care of her. See, she sowed 0:26:03.320 --> 0:26:06.880 a seed by being a divine connection, and God used 0:26:06.920 --> 0:26:10.280 that seed to bring a divine connection into her own life. 0:26:10.760 --> 0:26:13.520 A few weeks ago, Victoria was calling a friend. 0:26:13.240 --> 0:26:14.440 Of ours named Shannon. 0:26:15.000 --> 0:26:17.439 She died the number and this young lady answered the 0:26:17.480 --> 0:26:21.960 phone and seemed somewhat disturbed. Victoria said, Shannon, is this you? 0:26:22.680 --> 0:26:25.439 And she said kind of muffled, yes, it's me. And 0:26:25.480 --> 0:26:28.199 I'm going to be okay. You could tell she had 0:26:28.240 --> 0:26:31.680 been crying. Victoria was kind of confused. She said, is 0:26:31.720 --> 0:26:34.040 this Shannon so and so and called her last name. 0:26:34.480 --> 0:26:37.000 The young lady said, no, this is a different Shannon. 0:26:37.040 --> 0:26:38.320 You must have the wrong number. 0:26:39.000 --> 0:26:41.800 And just as Victoria was about to hang up, something 0:26:41.840 --> 0:26:44.199 said to her, right down and here, you need to 0:26:44.240 --> 0:26:47.719 pray for this young lady here. Victoria didn't know her 0:26:47.720 --> 0:26:49.840 from Adam. She could have thought, I'm not going to 0:26:49.880 --> 0:26:52.879 get involved in her personal business. No, she followed that 0:26:53.000 --> 0:26:56.359 still small voice, and she said, Shannon, I know you 0:26:56.440 --> 0:26:59.119 don't know me, but would you allow me to pray 0:26:59.160 --> 0:27:02.800 for you? The girl began to weep and weep. She said, 0:27:02.800 --> 0:27:03.760 oh yes, please. 0:27:04.040 --> 0:27:07.240 My father just died and I'm so depressed. I don't 0:27:07.280 --> 0:27:08.119 know what I'm. 0:27:08.000 --> 0:27:08.359 Going to do. 0:27:09.160 --> 0:27:12.760 Victoria poured her heart of compassion into her, encouraged her, 0:27:12.840 --> 0:27:15.520 let her know that God was still in control. Just 0:27:15.560 --> 0:27:18.440 before the young lady hung up, she said, Victoria, you're 0:27:18.480 --> 0:27:21.760 my angel. I know now God still has a divine 0:27:21.800 --> 0:27:27.000 plan for my life. There was another divine connection. See, 0:27:27.040 --> 0:27:31.159 God already has the people to encourage you, the people 0:27:31.200 --> 0:27:34.080 to keep you filled with hope. But what if Victoria 0:27:34.119 --> 0:27:37.080 would have been not sensitive and too busy and just 0:27:37.160 --> 0:27:37.960 hung up the phone. 0:27:38.240 --> 0:27:41.280 You'll pay attention to the people around you. Live with 0:27:41.359 --> 0:27:45.240 the attitude who can I bless today? Who can I encourage? 0:27:45.359 --> 0:27:46.880 Where is a need I can meet? 0:27:47.480 --> 0:27:50.720 If you will sow acede by being a divine connection, 0:27:51.040 --> 0:27:55.040 you can rest assured God will always bring you divine connections, 0:27:55.640 --> 0:27:56.119 no doubt. 0:27:56.160 --> 0:27:56.880 Every one of. 0:27:56.840 --> 0:27:59.240 You can look back over your life like I did 0:28:00.200 --> 0:28:03.360 things that had to be the hand of God. Somebody 0:28:03.760 --> 0:28:06.719 introduced you to your spouse, You met somebody and they 0:28:06.760 --> 0:28:09.399 opened the door, gave you a new position, gave you 0:28:09.440 --> 0:28:10.080 that job. 0:28:10.720 --> 0:28:13.040 That had to be God working in your life. 0:28:13.520 --> 0:28:15.280 And if he did it for you in the past, 0:28:15.400 --> 0:28:18.040 he'll do it for you in the future. He's already 0:28:18.080 --> 0:28:21.200 got the people you need lined up. Stay in faith, 0:28:21.640 --> 0:28:24.800 get up every morning and thank him for divine connections. 0:28:25.119 --> 0:28:26.679 Don't try to force things to happen. 0:28:27.000 --> 0:28:29.840 Just believe he's gonna bring the right people into your life. 0:28:30.000 --> 0:28:32.800 And know this, He's got a Barnabas when you need 0:28:32.880 --> 0:28:35.960 a good break. He's got a bo As when you 0:28:36.000 --> 0:28:38.360 need a spouse or a friend. And he's got a 0:28:38.400 --> 0:28:41.959 servant girl when you did advice or a word of encouragement. 0:28:42.080 --> 0:28:44.600 Why don't you believe God's in control of your life? 0:28:44.840 --> 0:28:46.720 If you'll just keep doing your best day in and 0:28:46.800 --> 0:28:49.880 day out, God's promise He's gonna give you divine connections. 0:28:50.000 --> 0:28:52.320 He'll bring the right people for the right time in 0:28:52.360 --> 0:28:54.640 your life. And I know you're gonna live that life 0:28:54.680 --> 0:28:56.320 of victory he has in story. 0:28:56.360 --> 0:28:56.680 Amen. 0:28:58.280 --> 0:29:01.200 We never like to close our broadcast without giving you 0:29:01.240 --> 0:29:04.240 an opportunity to make Jesus the lord of your life. 0:29:04.480 --> 0:29:09.000 Would you pray with me? Just say, Lord, Jesus, I 0:29:09.160 --> 0:29:14.120 repent of my sins. Come into my heart. I make 0:29:14.160 --> 0:29:15.320 you my Lord and savior. 0:29:16.320 --> 0:29:18.840 Friends, if you prayed that simple prayer, we believe you 0:29:18.880 --> 0:29:21.880 got born again. Get in a good Bible based church, 0:29:22.280 --> 0:29:25.280 keep God first place. He's gonna take your places that 0:29:25.360 --> 0:29:26.280 you've never dreamed of. 0:29:26.520 --> 0:29:29.400 Thank you for listening to the joel OUs Deine podcast. 0:29:29.720 --> 0:29:32.360 Help us continue to share the message of hope with 0:29:32.480 --> 0:29:36.440 those all over the world. Visit Joeloustine dot com slash 0:29:36.520 --> 0:29:38.520 give Hope to give a gift today. 0:29:39.800 --> 0:29:42.240 Thanks so much for listening to today's message. 0:29:42.360 --> 0:29:45.120 I hope you'll subscribe so you can receive the latest 0:29:45.160 --> 0:29:46.600 podcast to keep. 0:29:46.440 --> 0:29:49.400 You inspired all through the week. We're praying for you. 0:29:49.560 --> 0:29:52.040 I know God's best is still ahead. We'll see you 0:29:52.080 --> 0:29:52.680 next time. 0:30:00.000 --> 0:30:00.040 S