Getting Prepared For Promotion

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This is not an 0:00:57.520 --> 0:00:58.920 offer to buy your self securities sn or is it 0:00:58.960 --> 0:01:00.000 investment legal or tax fives. 0:01:00.320 --> 0:01:02.240 He'll forget about the video game you gave him on 0:01:02.280 --> 0:01:02.840 his birthday. 0:01:03.160 --> 0:01:05.119 Wow, thanks Grandpa. 0:01:04.880 --> 0:01:07.280 But He'll never forget how you invested in his future 0:01:07.319 --> 0:01:09.240 with the uns stapp. Wow. 0:01:09.720 --> 0:01:10.480 Thanks Grandpa. 0:01:11.080 --> 0:01:13.600 The units stap makes it easy for grandparents and family 0:01:13.640 --> 0:01:16.319 friends to give funds to a child's investment account for 0:01:16.360 --> 0:01:18.760 a limited time. Download the uns stap and use the 0:01:18.800 --> 0:01:20.840 code I heeart fifty at sign up to receive a 0:01:20.880 --> 0:01:23.400 fifty dollars bonus when you fund your account. That's code 0:01:23.400 --> 0:01:26.400 iHeart fifty when you sign up at unest dot co 0:01:26.760 --> 0:01:29.319 for a fifty dollars bonus. See terms and conditions at 0:01:29.440 --> 0:01:30.120 UNEs dot co. 0:01:31.280 --> 0:01:33.040 Hi, this is Joel and Victoria. 0:01:33.120 --> 0:01:36.120 Thanks for listening to our podcast and thanks for supporting 0:01:36.160 --> 0:01:39.080 the ministry. If you enjoy today's message, why don't you 0:01:39.120 --> 0:01:41.240 be a blessing and share it with a friend. We 0:01:41.360 --> 0:01:53.080 appreciate you and pray for God's very best in your life. 0:01:56.560 --> 0:01:59.360 God bless you. It's a joy to come into your home. 0:02:00.000 --> 0:02:01.920 I stayed often, but we come with good news. 0:02:02.120 --> 0:02:04.680 We know God rewards people that seek after Him, and 0:02:04.920 --> 0:02:07.120 I believe that's you. Or you wouldn't be tuned in today, 0:02:07.160 --> 0:02:09.080 but thank you for tuning in. If you're ever in 0:02:09.120 --> 0:02:11.280 our area, I hope you'll stop by and see us. 0:02:11.400 --> 0:02:13.320 I promise you. We'll make you feel right at home. 0:02:13.480 --> 0:02:15.639 These are the finest people in all of Houston, right 0:02:15.639 --> 0:02:17.880 here at Lakewood, So come by and see us sometime. 0:02:18.160 --> 0:02:21.080 But thank you again for tuning in. I like to 0:02:21.120 --> 0:02:23.040 start each week with something kind of funny. And of 0:02:23.080 --> 0:02:25.320 course y'all know these are just jokes, so don't write 0:02:25.360 --> 0:02:29.000 me a letter, all right. A couple celebrating their fiftieth 0:02:29.000 --> 0:02:32.360 wedding anniversary had never had an argument. They were asked 0:02:32.400 --> 0:02:35.480 about the secret of their success. The men explained, as 0:02:35.520 --> 0:02:38.240 they were leaving the church on their honeymoon, the wife's 0:02:38.280 --> 0:02:41.200 horse refused to go. She got off, looked him in 0:02:41.240 --> 0:02:44.000 the eyes and said, that's one. He went a little 0:02:44.000 --> 0:02:47.360 further and stopped again. She got off and said that's two. 0:02:47.760 --> 0:02:49.880 He went a little more, but once again he stopped. 0:02:50.080 --> 0:02:52.880 This time, she got off, pulled out her revolver, and 0:02:52.919 --> 0:02:56.200 shot the horse dead. The husband was appalled. He said, 0:02:56.200 --> 0:02:57.800 what do you think you're doing. You can't just shoot 0:02:57.800 --> 0:03:00.000 an animal. She looked him in the eyes and said, honey, 0:03:00.240 --> 0:03:07.440 that's one. They never had an argument after that. All right, 0:03:07.520 --> 0:03:09.800 hold of your Bible. Say it with me, ready. This 0:03:09.919 --> 0:03:12.679 is my Bible. I am what it says. I am. 0:03:13.280 --> 0:03:15.800 I have what it says I have. I can do 0:03:15.880 --> 0:03:18.560 what it says I can do. Today, I will be 0:03:18.639 --> 0:03:22.519 talked the word of God. I boldly confess. My mind 0:03:22.639 --> 0:03:26.120 is alert, my heart is receptive. I will never be 0:03:26.200 --> 0:03:31.280 the same. I am about to receive the incorruptible, indestructible, 0:03:31.600 --> 0:03:34.120 ever living seed of the Word of God. 0:03:34.600 --> 0:03:38.520 I'll never be the same, never, never, never, I'll never 0:03:38.560 --> 0:03:39.200 be the same. 0:03:39.640 --> 0:03:44.320 In Jesus' name, God bless you. We've been talking about 0:03:44.400 --> 0:03:47.320 being our very best right where we are, and how 0:03:47.320 --> 0:03:50.280 we need to be productive in spite of our adversities. 0:03:50.760 --> 0:03:54.120 When you're in a difficult situation and something's going on 0:03:54.280 --> 0:03:57.640 that you don't like, very often that is simply a 0:03:57.720 --> 0:04:00.840 test of your faith, and the key of coming out 0:04:01.280 --> 0:04:03.640 is to just stay right where you are with a 0:04:03.680 --> 0:04:07.840 good attitude until God changes things. You have to stay 0:04:07.960 --> 0:04:11.440 under what God has you under until He releases you. 0:04:12.120 --> 0:04:15.120 And we all have times where we're not getting our way, 0:04:15.240 --> 0:04:19.120 or somebody is mistreating us, or we're kind of uncomfortable, 0:04:19.480 --> 0:04:21.960 and the easy thing is to just run from it. 0:04:22.320 --> 0:04:24.679 The easy thing is to say, well, I'm out of here. 0:04:24.839 --> 0:04:26.720 I don't have to put up with this boss. I'll 0:04:26.720 --> 0:04:28.960 go find me another job, or I don't have to 0:04:28.960 --> 0:04:31.080 put up with this marriage he's not treating me right, 0:04:31.720 --> 0:04:33.880 or I'm not going to work in this children's ministry 0:04:34.040 --> 0:04:37.720 nobody ever appreciates me. Now, those are all tests of 0:04:37.760 --> 0:04:41.400 your faith, and you cannot just run from everything that's difficult. 0:04:41.760 --> 0:04:44.680 You've got to stay under where God has you until 0:04:44.720 --> 0:04:47.880 he releases you. And if you'll do that, God will 0:04:47.880 --> 0:04:50.040 not only bring you out, he'll bring you out with 0:04:50.040 --> 0:04:50.560 the promotion. 0:04:50.960 --> 0:04:52.920 He'll bring you out better off than you were before. 0:04:53.480 --> 0:04:56.679 And the scripture says here in one Peter five, verse six, 0:04:56.920 --> 0:05:00.719 to humble yourself under the mighty hand of God God, 0:05:00.839 --> 0:05:01.280 and in. 0:05:01.279 --> 0:05:03.520 Due time he will exalt you. 0:05:04.320 --> 0:05:07.039 Notice what will happen If we'll just swallow our pride 0:05:07.480 --> 0:05:10.360 and do the right thing, even though the wrong thing's happening, 0:05:10.640 --> 0:05:14.720 Then God promises, in due season he will exalt us. 0:05:14.760 --> 0:05:16.040 He will promote us. 0:05:16.320 --> 0:05:19.360 But human nature is to run from everything that makes 0:05:19.440 --> 0:05:20.360 us uncomfortable. 0:05:20.680 --> 0:05:22.320 To leave a marriage that's. 0:05:22.160 --> 0:05:24.680 Difficult, to get out of a job where we're not 0:05:24.720 --> 0:05:27.960 being treated right, or even just to avoid a person 0:05:28.040 --> 0:05:30.960 in our life that kind of irritates us. Well, Bless God, 0:05:31.000 --> 0:05:32.680 I don't have to put up with you. I'm a 0:05:32.760 --> 0:05:35.560 child of God. I'm out of here. But really our 0:05:35.600 --> 0:05:38.760 attitude should be God, I'm gonna humble myself under your 0:05:38.839 --> 0:05:41.760 mighty hand. I may not understand all that's going on 0:05:41.800 --> 0:05:43.760 in my life, but God, I do know this. 0:05:44.040 --> 0:05:46.919 You're big enough to bring me out of this difficulty. 0:05:46.640 --> 0:05:49.800 And at the right time, after I've passed the test, 0:05:50.080 --> 0:05:52.520 after you've done the work in me, I know, beyond 0:05:52.520 --> 0:05:54.359 a shadow of a doubt that you're gonna bring me 0:05:54.440 --> 0:05:56.120 out better off than I was before. 0:05:56.720 --> 0:05:57.000 See. 0:05:57.000 --> 0:06:01.200 God exalts the humble in due time, and humility almost 0:06:01.320 --> 0:06:03.920 always means we're going to have to come under some 0:06:04.040 --> 0:06:07.080 kind of authority or some kind of situation that we 0:06:07.200 --> 0:06:09.839 don't like and we're not getting our way, and in 0:06:09.960 --> 0:06:11.520 the natural we're going to just want to do our 0:06:11.560 --> 0:06:14.200 best to try to get out of there. But understand, 0:06:14.400 --> 0:06:17.839 you cannot just pray away everything uncomfortable in your life. 0:06:18.360 --> 0:06:21.160 And so often when times get tough, we pray, we resist, 0:06:21.200 --> 0:06:24.240 we rebuke, then we get kind of frustrated because we 0:06:24.279 --> 0:06:28.200 don't see anything changing. But the truth is, sometimes God 0:06:28.240 --> 0:06:31.120 allows us to go through a difficulty in order to 0:06:31.160 --> 0:06:34.360 do a work in us. That's when we grow, that's 0:06:34.400 --> 0:06:37.560 when our character is really being developed. We don't grow 0:06:37.600 --> 0:06:40.680 when everything's easy. We don't grow when we're always getting 0:06:40.720 --> 0:06:43.680 our way. We grow in the tough times. That's when 0:06:43.720 --> 0:06:46.599 we're being stressed. That's when God is doing a work 0:06:46.600 --> 0:06:49.479 in us. If you're ever going to get promoted, you 0:06:49.600 --> 0:06:52.599 have to first pass the test. You have to stay 0:06:52.600 --> 0:06:55.599 where you are with a good attitude and just keep 0:06:55.640 --> 0:06:58.640 being your best day in and day out, even though. 0:06:58.440 --> 0:07:00.000 You don't see anything getting better. 0:07:00.520 --> 0:07:04.160 You have to humble yourself under God's mighty hand, knowing 0:07:04.200 --> 0:07:06.480 that at the right time, he's going to change things. 0:07:06.760 --> 0:07:09.000 But in the meantime, he's doing a work in you. 0:07:09.279 --> 0:07:11.520 He's going to get some good out of that. If 0:07:11.560 --> 0:07:14.600 you're in tough times today, you need to just recognize 0:07:14.720 --> 0:07:16.560 that's an opportunity to come up higher. 0:07:16.840 --> 0:07:18.480 That's God trying to promote you. 0:07:19.000 --> 0:07:21.760 And no, God doesn't necessarily send the trouble, but he 0:07:21.800 --> 0:07:25.640 will use it. And the fact is before promotion there 0:07:25.680 --> 0:07:29.000 will always be some kind of testing. And the good 0:07:29.040 --> 0:07:32.000 news is God will never allow you to be at 0:07:32.000 --> 0:07:34.880 a certain place, even if it's unfair, even if it's difficult, 0:07:35.320 --> 0:07:38.400 without giving you the strength and the ability to be 0:07:38.480 --> 0:07:41.120 there with a good attitude. God will always give you 0:07:41.160 --> 0:07:44.080 the help you need. I have this friend that pastors 0:07:44.080 --> 0:07:46.480 a church in another state, and he had really been 0:07:46.520 --> 0:07:49.800 praying and believing for years for his church to grow, 0:07:50.240 --> 0:07:53.000 and he did everything he possibly could do, but it 0:07:53.040 --> 0:07:55.800 seemed like they were stuck. They had leveled off with 0:07:55.840 --> 0:07:58.720 a couple hundred people. Nothing wrong with that, but he 0:07:58.760 --> 0:08:01.280 had a much bigger vision in his heart, and that 0:08:01.360 --> 0:08:03.960 whole time he did his best not to get discouraged, 0:08:04.200 --> 0:08:05.480 and he just kept giving. 0:08:05.240 --> 0:08:07.240 It all he had day in and day out. 0:08:07.720 --> 0:08:10.160 But one day he and his family moved to another 0:08:10.240 --> 0:08:13.240 house in that same area. And so now every time 0:08:13.360 --> 0:08:15.680 he goes to his church, the only way to get 0:08:15.720 --> 0:08:18.600 there was to pass by one of the largest churches 0:08:18.640 --> 0:08:19.200 in the area. 0:08:19.720 --> 0:08:22.760 And so not only would he see the beautiful. 0:08:22.280 --> 0:08:25.200 Campus and all the success they were having, but on 0:08:25.280 --> 0:08:28.480 Sunday mornings, he would get stuck in their traffic and 0:08:28.520 --> 0:08:30.760 he'd have to sit there and wait and wait and 0:08:30.800 --> 0:08:33.520 fight through the cars and thousands of people going to 0:08:33.559 --> 0:08:35.760 this other church just so he could get to his 0:08:35.840 --> 0:08:37.560 church and preach to a few hundred people. 0:08:37.679 --> 0:08:39.520 I mean, it was like rubbing salt on the wound. 0:08:39.920 --> 0:08:42.240 And he told how he was so tempted to think, God, 0:08:42.320 --> 0:08:44.439 this just didn't fair. Why don't you have a few 0:08:44.520 --> 0:08:46.440 hundred of these people come to my church. That's all 0:08:46.480 --> 0:08:48.760 I'm asking for. I mean, you talk about a test 0:08:48.800 --> 0:08:51.320 of his faith. But no, this young man made a 0:08:51.320 --> 0:08:53.319 decision that he was just going to keep a good 0:08:53.360 --> 0:08:54.640 attitude when. 0:08:54.520 --> 0:08:56.040 He drove there on Sundays. 0:08:56.200 --> 0:08:59.840 Instead of complaining, instead of getting sour, he just humbled 0:08:59.880 --> 0:09:02.959 it and he said, Father, I pray that you bless 0:09:03.040 --> 0:09:06.880 this church, bless the pastor increase them, give them even more. 0:09:07.360 --> 0:09:09.720 And he did that faithfully. 0:09:09.200 --> 0:09:12.200 Month after month, even for several years. And this whole 0:09:12.240 --> 0:09:15.080 time his church didn't grow one bit. He didn't see 0:09:15.120 --> 0:09:17.800 anything getting better. But he just kept on blessing them. 0:09:18.400 --> 0:09:21.040 See that was a time of testing in his life. 0:09:21.480 --> 0:09:25.040 Before promotion, there's going to be a test, and fortunately 0:09:25.240 --> 0:09:26.800 he just kept passing that test. 0:09:27.000 --> 0:09:30.079 He didn't get bitter, he didn't let it still his joy. 0:09:30.360 --> 0:09:33.400 He just stayed under where God had him, with a 0:09:33.400 --> 0:09:36.400 good attitude. And do you know, one day, for no 0:09:36.600 --> 0:09:39.960 apparent reason, his church took off. I mean month after 0:09:40.000 --> 0:09:43.080 month they got bigger and bigger. And today he too 0:09:43.240 --> 0:09:46.559 is preaching to thousands. He's seeing those dreams come to pass. 0:09:46.880 --> 0:09:49.600 But my point is we have to be faithful right 0:09:49.640 --> 0:09:53.240 where we are and keep a good attitude even when 0:09:53.240 --> 0:09:56.720 it doesn't seem fair, even when we don't see anything happening. 0:09:57.160 --> 0:09:59.559 And another important thing is don't ever. 0:09:59.480 --> 0:10:03.160 Be jealous of other people's successes. If you are jealous, 0:10:03.200 --> 0:10:04.959 you will never get to where God wants you to be. 0:10:05.679 --> 0:10:07.960 Hell, Joel, I just don't understand it. I deserve it 0:10:07.960 --> 0:10:08.600 more than they do. 0:10:09.040 --> 0:10:11.960 Well, maybe that's true, but have you ever thought about 0:10:12.080 --> 0:10:15.360 that could be a test of your faith. And don't 0:10:15.360 --> 0:10:18.960 be surprised if you're believing for something to change in 0:10:18.960 --> 0:10:21.719 your life, something to improve that if four or five 0:10:21.760 --> 0:10:23.920 of your friends don't show up and have the exact 0:10:23.960 --> 0:10:24.560 same thing. 0:10:24.440 --> 0:10:25.400 That you were believing for. 0:10:25.960 --> 0:10:27.680 I talked to a man the other day, and he 0:10:27.760 --> 0:10:30.400 had been really standing in faith that God would bring 0:10:30.440 --> 0:10:32.560 the right person into his life. He really wanted to 0:10:32.559 --> 0:10:34.400 get married, and so he told me how he had 0:10:34.440 --> 0:10:37.800 been praying and believing and confessing ten or twelve years. 0:10:38.280 --> 0:10:40.280 But a good friend of his that had just been 0:10:40.280 --> 0:10:43.520 praying for like six months had just met somebody beautiful 0:10:43.559 --> 0:10:45.640 and they fell in love and they're about to get married. 0:10:45.880 --> 0:10:48.720 He was so down. He said, Joe, I don't understand it. 0:10:48.720 --> 0:10:49.679 It's just not fair. 0:10:50.080 --> 0:10:52.959 I said, no, listen, whatever you do, be happy for him, 0:10:53.400 --> 0:10:57.320 rejoice with him. Nothing will keep our dreams from coming 0:10:57.360 --> 0:10:59.319 to pass any quicker than being. 0:10:59.200 --> 0:11:00.960 Jealous of somebody else's success. 0:11:01.760 --> 0:11:04.160 Well, Joel, they got the promotion that I was praying 0:11:04.200 --> 0:11:05.560 for and they don't even go to church. 0:11:05.559 --> 0:11:06.400 I don't understand that. 0:11:07.520 --> 0:11:09.920 Or Joel, they just bought a brand new house and 0:11:09.960 --> 0:11:11.560 they don't even give in the offering. 0:11:11.679 --> 0:11:16.400 I know I watch them. No first thing is quit 0:11:16.440 --> 0:11:17.240 being so nosy. 0:11:18.800 --> 0:11:22.520 The second thing is quit comparing your situation and learn 0:11:22.640 --> 0:11:24.920 to be happy for other people's successes. 0:11:25.320 --> 0:11:27.240 That's the only way you'll ever go up higher. 0:11:27.360 --> 0:11:30.480 You have to pass that test. I know this lady 0:11:30.520 --> 0:11:32.680 that was saving up for a certain kind of coat. 0:11:33.120 --> 0:11:35.320 This was many years ago, and they didn't have much money, 0:11:35.360 --> 0:11:38.920 and she saw this real nice long coat in a magazine, 0:11:39.000 --> 0:11:41.160 and so she had been really saving her money and 0:11:41.200 --> 0:11:42.599 doing everything she could. 0:11:42.360 --> 0:11:43.280 To purchase that coat. 0:11:43.320 --> 0:11:45.920 One day and she had this neighbor that lived across 0:11:45.960 --> 0:11:48.280 the street that she didn't particularly care for. 0:11:48.760 --> 0:11:50.559 This lady was a little more well off. 0:11:50.400 --> 0:11:52.920 And she kind of liked to flaunt everything that she had. 0:11:53.320 --> 0:11:55.640 And one day, out of the clear blue, the neighbor 0:11:55.720 --> 0:11:58.480 rang her doorbell, and when she opened up the door, 0:11:58.520 --> 0:12:01.040 lo and behold she was were and the exact coat 0:12:01.120 --> 0:12:03.840 she'd been saving up for. And this neighbor knew nothing 0:12:03.840 --> 0:12:05.880 about it, and she was so excited, and she kind 0:12:05.880 --> 0:12:08.319 of twirled around and around. She said, look, you here 0:12:08.360 --> 0:12:10.679 what my mother just bought me, kind of modeling it. 0:12:10.920 --> 0:12:12.840 And then this lady she had to bite her tongue. 0:12:12.920 --> 0:12:15.240 She said, oh, yeah, that's kind of beautiful. But she said, 0:12:15.600 --> 0:12:17.120 in the back of her mind she was thinking I 0:12:17.160 --> 0:12:20.040 wanted to rip that coat off of her. She went 0:12:20.080 --> 0:12:21.840 inside and slammed the door and she said. 0:12:21.679 --> 0:12:23.080 God, that is not fair. 0:12:23.559 --> 0:12:26.040 I pray, I believe, I go to church, I save 0:12:26.120 --> 0:12:28.920 my money. When is anything good ever gonna happen to me? 0:12:29.400 --> 0:12:31.520 And she said God spoke to her write down in here, 0:12:31.720 --> 0:12:34.440 and he said, as soon as you quit being so jealous, 0:12:34.720 --> 0:12:35.520 as soon as. 0:12:35.360 --> 0:12:38.720 You get happy for other success. See, we gotta pass 0:12:38.800 --> 0:12:39.320 the test. 0:12:39.600 --> 0:12:42.440 We gotta stay under what God has us under with 0:12:42.520 --> 0:12:45.280 a good attitude. And there's gonna be plenty of times 0:12:45.280 --> 0:12:47.680 in life where we just got to swallow our pride 0:12:47.760 --> 0:12:49.960 and say, you know what, I don't understand this, but 0:12:50.000 --> 0:12:52.400 I'm not gonna be jealous. I'm not gonna be critical. 0:12:52.400 --> 0:12:55.320 I'm not gonna get upset. Even if I never get 0:12:55.320 --> 0:12:57.600 what I want, I'm gonna keep a good attitude and 0:12:57.720 --> 0:13:00.360 just keep being my very best. That's what it means 0:13:00.360 --> 0:13:03.080 to pass the test. That's when God can promote us. 0:13:03.600 --> 0:13:05.480 I was thinking about this young lady that I know. 0:13:05.800 --> 0:13:08.400 One time, she went through a very bitter divorce. It's 0:13:08.400 --> 0:13:11.240 a very dark time in her life. And every day 0:13:11.559 --> 0:13:14.040 on her way to work, she had to drive by 0:13:14.120 --> 0:13:17.200 the home of her ex husband. And she tried move, 0:13:17.280 --> 0:13:19.559 and she tried getting another job. It just didn't work out. 0:13:19.720 --> 0:13:22.079 And so every day she had to pass by that place. 0:13:22.520 --> 0:13:25.240 But see, that was a test of her faith. Was 0:13:25.240 --> 0:13:28.880 she gonna get angry? Was she gonna blame God? Was 0:13:28.880 --> 0:13:31.800 she gonna just relive all the hurts and pains or 0:13:32.040 --> 0:13:33.960 was she gonna let it go and just move on 0:13:34.080 --> 0:13:36.480 with her life? And don't you know, God could have 0:13:36.559 --> 0:13:40.079 opened up another path. God could have moved her ex husband. 0:13:40.280 --> 0:13:42.520 God could have given her a job in another city. 0:13:42.600 --> 0:13:43.880 I mean, after all, he's God. 0:13:44.400 --> 0:13:47.120 But no, that was a time of testing, and she 0:13:47.240 --> 0:13:50.120 had to stay under where God had her and pass 0:13:50.200 --> 0:13:52.840 that test before she could get promoted. And she did 0:13:52.880 --> 0:13:55.959 exactly that, and today she's seeing great things with her life. 0:13:56.520 --> 0:13:58.000 Well, what are you up against today? 0:13:58.559 --> 0:14:01.480 Maybe you're dealing with the situation that seems unfair and 0:14:01.720 --> 0:14:04.079 you've been there for a long time, and now you're 0:14:04.120 --> 0:14:04.880 starting to get a. 0:14:04.800 --> 0:14:05.800 Little bit discouraged. 0:14:06.240 --> 0:14:08.679 I challenge you to just make a decision that you're 0:14:08.720 --> 0:14:11.600 gonna stay right where you are with a good attitude 0:14:11.880 --> 0:14:13.280 until God turns it around. 0:14:13.679 --> 0:14:15.199 Let God be your vindicator. 0:14:15.640 --> 0:14:18.160 And sometimes even with a sickness or even with a 0:14:18.240 --> 0:14:21.520 major problem, we let it totally consume us and we 0:14:21.560 --> 0:14:25.160 spend every minute praying, believe and resistant. But I really 0:14:25.200 --> 0:14:28.160 believe a better way is to simply say, God, my 0:14:28.280 --> 0:14:31.280 life is in your hands. I know nothing's too difficult 0:14:31.320 --> 0:14:33.560 for you, and at the right time, you're gonna turn 0:14:33.640 --> 0:14:34.200 this around. 0:14:34.400 --> 0:14:36.960 But in the meantime, I'm gonna keep living my best life. 0:14:37.080 --> 0:14:39.480 I'm gonna keep being good to people. I'm gonna have 0:14:39.520 --> 0:14:44.560 a smile on my face. I'm gonna have a grateful attitude. 0:14:43.880 --> 0:14:45.400 In spite of these adversities. 0:14:45.760 --> 0:14:49.200 See, you shouldn't always be fighting on the inside, upset 0:14:49.280 --> 0:14:53.600 about this, worried about that, discourage because it's taken so long. Now, 0:14:53.600 --> 0:14:56.760 why don't you just relax and stay under where God 0:14:56.840 --> 0:15:00.240 has you until He changes things. And always remember this, 0:15:00.480 --> 0:15:04.040 God created the whole universe. He can turn any situation 0:15:04.160 --> 0:15:07.080 around in a split second of time. There's no sickness 0:15:07.120 --> 0:15:10.840 too big, no obstacle too high, no circumstance too difficult. 0:15:11.200 --> 0:15:12.480 God is well able. 0:15:12.880 --> 0:15:15.680 We simply have to do our part and get prepared 0:15:15.760 --> 0:15:18.680 for that promotion. Let me ask you today, are you 0:15:18.800 --> 0:15:21.520 passing the test in your life? Are you keeping a 0:15:21.560 --> 0:15:24.760 good attitude even though you're not getting your way? Are 0:15:24.800 --> 0:15:28.360 you staying under the authority God has you under? By that, 0:15:28.400 --> 0:15:32.280 I mean are you respecting your boss, respecting your parents, 0:15:32.440 --> 0:15:35.960 respecting your spouse, respecting your leaders? I know when I 0:15:36.000 --> 0:15:38.840 worked here with my father for those seventeen years, I 0:15:38.920 --> 0:15:42.120 was in charge of the television ministry, and that was 0:15:42.200 --> 0:15:42.960 my passion. 0:15:43.000 --> 0:15:43.880 I love production. 0:15:44.400 --> 0:15:48.560 I love doing big events, concerts and live TV specials. 0:15:48.800 --> 0:15:51.240 I had a lot of ideas that I wanted to 0:15:51.240 --> 0:15:53.040 try and just had a heart to see the church 0:15:53.120 --> 0:15:56.160 really grow. But toward the end of my father's life, 0:15:56.280 --> 0:15:58.440 he didn't want to do much of that anymore. And 0:15:58.480 --> 0:16:01.000 one time I had all these radio stations lined up 0:16:01.040 --> 0:16:02.240 to carry our broadcast. 0:16:02.600 --> 0:16:04.160 I'd done a whole lot of work, and. 0:16:04.240 --> 0:16:06.200 I went to my father and said, Daddy, if you'll 0:16:06.240 --> 0:16:08.400 come down maybe once a week for just an hour, 0:16:08.760 --> 0:16:11.240 we can make these openings and closings, and this will 0:16:11.280 --> 0:16:13.680 go out all over the world and I'll never forget 0:16:13.880 --> 0:16:16.440 what my father said. He said, Joel, I don't want 0:16:16.480 --> 0:16:19.200 to do that. I'm seventy five years old, and I'm 0:16:19.200 --> 0:16:21.440 not looking for any more work. I just want to 0:16:21.480 --> 0:16:25.040 relax and enjoy my life and pastor this church man. 0:16:25.080 --> 0:16:27.800 I was kind of disappointed. I thought, here, I'm young, 0:16:28.360 --> 0:16:30.680 I've got big dreams. I don't want to do less. 0:16:30.720 --> 0:16:32.760 I want to do more. And I thought, maybe I 0:16:32.800 --> 0:16:35.160 should just go out and do my own thing. Maybe 0:16:35.200 --> 0:16:37.080 I should go get a job somewhere else. 0:16:37.720 --> 0:16:37.800 No. 0:16:37.920 --> 0:16:40.320 I made a decision that day that I was going 0:16:40.400 --> 0:16:43.120 to stay under where God had me. Even though I 0:16:43.200 --> 0:16:45.920 wasn't getting my way, I knew this was where I 0:16:46.000 --> 0:16:46.680 was supposed to be. 0:16:47.240 --> 0:16:49.800 Now, I thought, after all, this is my father's vision. 0:16:50.160 --> 0:16:53.600 He spent forty years building this place faithfully with God's 0:16:53.640 --> 0:16:56.280 health and I need to honor my father by doing 0:16:56.320 --> 0:16:58.680 what he wants and not by doing what I want. 0:16:59.120 --> 0:17:01.960 And in the natural, you know, I could have gotten discouraged. 0:17:03.400 --> 0:17:05.879 I could have just slacked off and kind of you know, 0:17:05.920 --> 0:17:07.720 did as little as I could to get by. But 0:17:07.880 --> 0:17:10.320 now I'll tell you I kept doing my very best 0:17:10.400 --> 0:17:13.000 day in and day out. Well, a couple of years later, 0:17:13.080 --> 0:17:15.160 Daddy went to be with the Lord, and I never 0:17:15.280 --> 0:17:17.480 dreamed that I would be up here. I never dreamed 0:17:17.520 --> 0:17:19.440 i'd be the pastor and I would be in charge. 0:17:19.760 --> 0:17:23.040 But looking back now, I realize God put those desires 0:17:23.080 --> 0:17:25.159 in my heart for my own ministry. 0:17:25.240 --> 0:17:27.320 It just wasn't the right time. Now. 0:17:27.320 --> 0:17:30.320 Had I not been faithful and stayed under that authority 0:17:30.720 --> 0:17:33.040 and just kept a good attitude and honored my father, 0:17:33.359 --> 0:17:35.919 I don't know if i'd be standing here today. 0:17:36.080 --> 0:17:37.679 You have to pass the test. 0:17:37.480 --> 0:17:40.360 Before you'll ever get promoted, and one of the tests 0:17:40.480 --> 0:17:44.120 is humbling yourself and staying where you know you're supposed 0:17:44.160 --> 0:17:47.040 to be even when you're not getting your way, even 0:17:47.119 --> 0:17:49.120 when it's not exciting, even when you. 0:17:49.200 --> 0:17:51.080 Don't see your dreams coming to pass. 0:17:51.359 --> 0:17:53.760 And so often, you know, we like to run from 0:17:53.840 --> 0:17:57.200 everything that's difficult, But I'm convinced many times all we're 0:17:57.200 --> 0:17:59.399 doing is keeping God from promoting us. 0:18:00.000 --> 0:18:01.760 I'm not saying we should never leave, of course not. 0:18:01.960 --> 0:18:04.919 I'm just talking today about not running from things that 0:18:04.960 --> 0:18:07.960 are hard in your life. Don't leave a marriage because 0:18:08.000 --> 0:18:10.440 your spouse is not perfect. If that was the case, 0:18:10.480 --> 0:18:14.240 we'd all leave. Don't leave a church because you didn't 0:18:14.240 --> 0:18:17.480 get your favorite parking spot or because the preacher preached 0:18:17.520 --> 0:18:18.320 a bad sermon. 0:18:18.600 --> 0:18:20.200 We know that doesn't happen around here, right. 0:18:21.840 --> 0:18:24.440 Don't leave a job because they didn't take your idea 0:18:24.520 --> 0:18:26.320 and now you got your feelings all hurt. 0:18:26.560 --> 0:18:29.720 No, stick with it. Be faithful, day in and day 0:18:29.720 --> 0:18:33.280 I keep passing that test. Think about in our marriages today. 0:18:33.600 --> 0:18:36.880 The biggest excuse we hear is we're just not compatible. 0:18:37.000 --> 0:18:39.399 That's the number one reason people get divorced. We just 0:18:39.440 --> 0:18:42.280 can't get along. But with all due respect. 0:18:41.920 --> 0:18:44.639 That is a cop out, because really, no two people 0:18:44.680 --> 0:18:48.280 are compatible. God made us all different on purpose. We 0:18:48.320 --> 0:18:52.600 are opposites. But have you noticed how opposites attract? That 0:18:52.680 --> 0:18:55.320 other person has what you need. That's why God has 0:18:55.359 --> 0:18:58.000 brought you together. And the whole key is we got 0:18:58.040 --> 0:19:00.760 to learn to adapt. We got to learn to adjust. 0:19:00.800 --> 0:19:03.359 We got to go the extra mile. The Bible talks 0:19:03.400 --> 0:19:07.160 about in marriages how we become one. That doesn't happen 0:19:07.200 --> 0:19:10.479 on the wedding day. That happens over time. And if 0:19:10.520 --> 0:19:13.119 you leave that marriage because you're uncomfortable and you're not 0:19:13.160 --> 0:19:16.160 getting your way, and you go get off into another one, 0:19:16.280 --> 0:19:18.200 there's a good chance you're gonna have the same problem. 0:19:18.600 --> 0:19:21.560 It would be far better to concentrate on making this 0:19:21.640 --> 0:19:24.640 marriage work than to run off and just bail out 0:19:24.640 --> 0:19:26.960 because you think you can't get along. And I know 0:19:27.080 --> 0:19:30.159 there are exceptions. I don't think we should live under abuse. 0:19:30.200 --> 0:19:32.800 I don't think that's God's best. But for the most part, 0:19:33.040 --> 0:19:35.560 people like to take the easy way out, thinking that 0:19:35.600 --> 0:19:38.200 the grass is greener on the other side. But that's 0:19:38.240 --> 0:19:40.520 not the case. The grass is not greener on the 0:19:40.560 --> 0:19:43.920 other side. The grass is not even greener on this side. 0:19:44.080 --> 0:19:47.120 The grass is only greener where you water it. Let 0:19:47.119 --> 0:19:48.960 me ask you today, what are you doing to make 0:19:49.000 --> 0:19:54.280 your marriage better. I'm not asking what your spouse is 0:19:54.320 --> 0:19:56.199 doing to make you happy. I'm asking what are you 0:19:56.320 --> 0:19:59.199 doing to make your marriage work? Are you going the 0:19:59.240 --> 0:20:02.439 extra mile? Are you being kind and considerate? Are you 0:20:02.520 --> 0:20:05.560 so in seeds for change, if you will treat your 0:20:05.600 --> 0:20:08.800 spouse differently, if you'll treat him or her better, they'll 0:20:08.800 --> 0:20:11.879 have to treat you differently. You will elicit a different response. 0:20:12.080 --> 0:20:14.080 And what I'm saying is, don't wait for somebody else 0:20:14.119 --> 0:20:14.680 to change. 0:20:14.720 --> 0:20:15.640 You have to change. 0:20:15.920 --> 0:20:18.679 In that situation with my father, I had to change. 0:20:18.760 --> 0:20:21.680 Daddy was the boss. I had to stay under his authority. 0:20:22.119 --> 0:20:24.920 And really, in a marriage, we're all under God's authority. 0:20:25.400 --> 0:20:27.840 We said at the very beginning till death, do us 0:20:27.840 --> 0:20:30.800 part for better or for worse. We made a commitment 0:20:30.840 --> 0:20:34.359 to each other, and really we made a commitment before God. Well, 0:20:34.400 --> 0:20:35.840 are you gonna keep your commitments? 0:20:36.040 --> 0:20:36.560 Husbands? 0:20:36.640 --> 0:20:39.280 Are you gonna honor your wife and stick with that woman, 0:20:39.840 --> 0:20:41.920 or are you gonna take the easy way out because 0:20:41.960 --> 0:20:44.439 you found somebody else, or because you want to go 0:20:44.480 --> 0:20:46.920 party with the guys every night. Now, be a real 0:20:47.040 --> 0:20:49.800 man and stay with that woman that God has given you. 0:20:50.240 --> 0:20:53.880 She's given her life for you, she's borne your children, 0:20:54.000 --> 0:20:55.440 she's been with you in the good. 0:20:55.240 --> 0:20:56.680 Times and the tough times. 0:20:57.040 --> 0:21:00.320 Why don't you start overlooking some of those differences, making 0:21:00.359 --> 0:21:03.240 a mountain out of a mole hill. Learn to let 0:21:03.280 --> 0:21:06.760 go of the unforgiveness. Learn to swallow your pride and 0:21:06.840 --> 0:21:09.879 just start treating each other with more respect. If you 0:21:09.960 --> 0:21:12.520 want your marriage to work badly enough, it can work. 0:21:12.840 --> 0:21:14.880 But if you make the mistake and just run off 0:21:14.880 --> 0:21:18.960 and marry somebody else, Unfortunately, studies tell us that eighty 0:21:19.000 --> 0:21:22.320 percent of second marriages don't work out. Either if you're 0:21:22.320 --> 0:21:25.080 in a second marriage today or a subsequent marriage. 0:21:25.160 --> 0:21:27.080 We're going to believe that you'll be the exception to 0:21:27.119 --> 0:21:27.520 the rule. 0:21:27.720 --> 0:21:30.400 But I'm just challenging each one of us to stick 0:21:30.440 --> 0:21:33.840 with our marriages. Divorce should not really be an option. 0:21:34.560 --> 0:21:37.720 Don't ever threaten your spouse with divorce. Don't ever even 0:21:37.760 --> 0:21:40.640 bring that up. God has brought you together and what 0:21:40.680 --> 0:21:43.800 God's brought together, don't let anybody tear apart now. I 0:21:43.840 --> 0:21:45.760 know it may be uncomfortable, and I know some of 0:21:45.800 --> 0:21:48.640 you are thinking right now, Joel, if you knew my marriage, 0:21:48.680 --> 0:21:50.600 if I could tell you about my husband, you'd be 0:21:50.640 --> 0:21:54.680 preaching a whole different sermon. I know it may be difficult, 0:21:54.760 --> 0:21:57.159 but I also know this. God has given you the 0:21:57.160 --> 0:21:59.120 grace you need to be right where you are. 0:21:59.480 --> 0:22:01.600 I said it earlier. God will not allow you to 0:22:01.640 --> 0:22:01.960 be in. 0:22:01.920 --> 0:22:05.399 A situation without giving you the strength and the ability 0:22:05.840 --> 0:22:09.800 to stand strong into overcome it. That this doesn't happen automatically. 0:22:10.040 --> 0:22:12.119 We have to dig our heels in and say, you 0:22:12.119 --> 0:22:14.160 know what, I'm not gonna bail out of this marriage. 0:22:14.320 --> 0:22:15.399 I'm gonna stick with it. 0:22:15.440 --> 0:22:17.600 I'm gonna do whatever I can to make it work. 0:22:18.160 --> 0:22:20.080 I believe some of you today this can be a 0:22:20.119 --> 0:22:22.719 turning point in your marriage if you'll just make up 0:22:22.720 --> 0:22:24.560 your mind that divorce. 0:22:24.280 --> 0:22:25.040 Is not an option. 0:22:25.600 --> 0:22:27.679 And so I'm gonna start doing everything I can to 0:22:27.720 --> 0:22:30.119 make my marriage work. I'm gonna start getting home at 0:22:30.160 --> 0:22:33.200 a decent hour and spending more time with my family. 0:22:33.400 --> 0:22:35.680 I'm gonna start having a better attitude. I'm gonna start 0:22:35.680 --> 0:22:38.800 being more help around the house. I'm gonna treat people kinder, 0:22:39.040 --> 0:22:40.840 I'm going to be more considerate. I'm going to be 0:22:41.160 --> 0:22:44.240 more friendly to my family. See, you hold the key 0:22:44.520 --> 0:22:47.280 to what kind of relationship you're gonna have, not your spouse. 0:22:47.560 --> 0:22:47.840 You do. 0:22:48.400 --> 0:22:50.640 And when you do all you can do, you are 0:22:50.680 --> 0:22:53.640 passing the test. That's when God can bring that relationship 0:22:53.680 --> 0:22:56.200 of higher and really, when you think about it, if 0:22:56.240 --> 0:22:59.480 divorce is not an option, that'll change how you approach 0:22:59.560 --> 0:23:02.040 your marriage many times. In other words, if you think 0:23:02.080 --> 0:23:04.040 about the fact I'm gonna spend the rest of my 0:23:04.160 --> 0:23:06.520 life with this person, well I might as well just 0:23:06.560 --> 0:23:09.600 swallow my pride and do everything I can to make 0:23:09.640 --> 0:23:10.199 them happy. 0:23:10.520 --> 0:23:13.480 After all, the happier they are, the happier I'm gonna be. 0:23:14.160 --> 0:23:15.119 You know as well as I do. 0:23:15.160 --> 0:23:18.040 It's no fun to live in a home with strife, contention, 0:23:18.480 --> 0:23:22.000 stressed out, and everybody's at each other's throats. Now, he'd 0:23:22.000 --> 0:23:23.960 be far better to just make a decision and say, 0:23:24.000 --> 0:23:26.520 you know what, I'm gonna quit being so selfish. I'm 0:23:26.520 --> 0:23:29.600 gonna quit doing things that I know irritate them. I'm 0:23:29.600 --> 0:23:31.880 gonna quit pouting when I don't get my way. I'm 0:23:31.880 --> 0:23:33.840 gonna let go of the past. I'm not gonna keep 0:23:33.840 --> 0:23:35.160 a record of everything they've. 0:23:35.000 --> 0:23:35.600 Done to hurt me. 0:23:35.880 --> 0:23:38.360 I'm gonna be the bigger person and instead, I'm gonna 0:23:38.400 --> 0:23:40.840 do whatever I can to bring out the best in 0:23:40.880 --> 0:23:43.720 my spouse. That may be difficult, but as I've said, 0:23:43.720 --> 0:23:46.600 you've got to dig your heels in and do it anyway. 0:23:46.680 --> 0:23:49.679 Even Jesus, when he was about to be crucified, he 0:23:49.800 --> 0:23:53.439 was very uncomfortable, so much so he swept great drops 0:23:53.440 --> 0:23:56.280 of blood. But isn't it interesting? He didn't say, Oh God, 0:23:56.320 --> 0:23:59.000 I don't want to do this anymore. This is too hard. 0:23:59.040 --> 0:24:02.320 These people aren't treating me right. I've changed my mind. No, 0:24:02.480 --> 0:24:04.600 he dug his heels in, and he's stuck with it. 0:24:04.760 --> 0:24:05.880 He said, Father, not my. 0:24:05.920 --> 0:24:07.560 Will, but your will be done. 0:24:08.080 --> 0:24:11.120 And husbands and wives, we've made commitments to each other. 0:24:11.480 --> 0:24:14.000 Are we going to keep those commitments? You say, Joel, 0:24:14.040 --> 0:24:16.520 I found somebody else. Now I know I'm gonna really 0:24:16.560 --> 0:24:18.760 be happy. But I don't believe that's the case. I 0:24:18.760 --> 0:24:21.560 believe those are lies from the enemy. And some people 0:24:21.600 --> 0:24:24.080 today they're just playing with fire. They're about to get 0:24:24.080 --> 0:24:27.520 into a relationship outside their marriage. And listen, we've seen 0:24:27.640 --> 0:24:30.480 person after person do that and it ends up practically 0:24:30.560 --> 0:24:31.439 ruining their life. 0:24:31.640 --> 0:24:33.080 They lose the respect of their. 0:24:33.040 --> 0:24:36.639 Children, their home falls apart, and it's all because they 0:24:36.680 --> 0:24:38.880 wouldn't stay where it was uncomfortable. 0:24:39.000 --> 0:24:40.960 They just took the easy way out. 0:24:41.119 --> 0:24:43.480 Now, why don't you spend that same time and effort 0:24:43.480 --> 0:24:46.520 and energy on your own spouse. As I said, your 0:24:46.560 --> 0:24:49.680 marriage can work if you want too bad enough, if 0:24:49.680 --> 0:24:51.840 you're willing to do your part. And I'm not saying 0:24:51.840 --> 0:24:54.040 it's gonna be easy. You may have to go get 0:24:54.080 --> 0:24:56.480 some more counseling than this. All I'm trying to do 0:24:56.600 --> 0:24:59.040 is light a new fire in you today and say 0:24:59.040 --> 0:25:01.879 stick with it. Don't let the enemy terr you apart. 0:25:02.240 --> 0:25:04.959 You know, God has brought you together. Now you've got 0:25:05.000 --> 0:25:07.600 to do everything it takes to keep that marriage together. 0:25:08.320 --> 0:25:10.359 I think about David one time. He was in a 0:25:10.440 --> 0:25:14.639 very uncomfortable situation. He wasn't being treated right. The Prophet 0:25:14.680 --> 0:25:17.400 Samuel had anointed him to be the next king of Israel, 0:25:17.840 --> 0:25:20.359 but King Saul was so jealous of him he was 0:25:20.400 --> 0:25:23.240 trying to kill him. Here, David had done nothing wrong. 0:25:23.640 --> 0:25:26.720 In fact, he had always only honored Saul. He was 0:25:26.800 --> 0:25:29.080 the one that when Saul was not feeling well, he 0:25:29.119 --> 0:25:31.439 would bring his harp in and play it, try to 0:25:31.480 --> 0:25:33.439 console him, try to make him feel better. 0:25:33.800 --> 0:25:35.440 But in return, Saul. 0:25:35.200 --> 0:25:38.120 Paid him back by chasing him through the wilderness, trying 0:25:38.160 --> 0:25:40.400 to get rid of him. And so David is running 0:25:40.440 --> 0:25:43.240 from cave to cave. He's trying to escape Saul's fury. 0:25:43.680 --> 0:25:46.200 And one night, Saul and his men were camped out, 0:25:46.600 --> 0:25:49.600 sleeping out there in the wilderness, and David's men saw 0:25:49.640 --> 0:25:52.000 this and they came running to David. They said, David, 0:25:52.280 --> 0:25:55.879 here's your big chance. You can put an end to Saul. 0:25:56.000 --> 0:25:58.000 You can put an end to all this heartache and 0:25:58.080 --> 0:25:59.359 pain he's been causing you. 0:26:00.000 --> 0:26:01.920 So do you know, David wouldn't do it. 0:26:02.200 --> 0:26:04.760 He knew that Saul was still the king, and he 0:26:04.880 --> 0:26:07.960 was still under his authority, and even though he wasn't 0:26:07.960 --> 0:26:10.760 treating him right, he knew he had to honor that 0:26:10.840 --> 0:26:14.920 authority and respect him anyway. In other words, David stayed 0:26:15.040 --> 0:26:17.640 under what God had him under. He just kept doing 0:26:17.640 --> 0:26:19.919 the right thing, kept passing the test. And you know 0:26:20.000 --> 0:26:22.280 the story. One day God took care of Saul and 0:26:22.359 --> 0:26:25.480 David was made the king. And you too may have 0:26:25.640 --> 0:26:29.000 a Saul in your life today, somebody that's not treating 0:26:29.000 --> 0:26:32.880 you right, a spouse, a boss, a teacher, and you've 0:26:32.920 --> 0:26:35.480 got a good reason to just bail out of that situation. 0:26:35.840 --> 0:26:39.560 You could easily justify just walking away, But I'm challenging 0:26:39.600 --> 0:26:42.000 you to do like David and just stick with it 0:26:42.160 --> 0:26:45.680 and treat them with respect anyway, Keep doing the right thing. 0:26:45.920 --> 0:26:49.159 Even though you don't see anything changing. God is watching 0:26:49.200 --> 0:26:53.400 you as you humble yourself under God's hand. In due season, 0:26:53.520 --> 0:26:56.679 he will exalt you, he said, Joe. When is due season? 0:26:56.840 --> 0:26:59.520 When's it going to change? When God knows you're ready? 0:27:00.000 --> 0:27:02.439 And only God knows that. God could have taken care 0:27:02.480 --> 0:27:05.240 of Saul many months before, but he must have known 0:27:05.359 --> 0:27:08.120 David needed that to be prepared for what he had 0:27:08.160 --> 0:27:10.879 in store. And so, wherever you are today, just make 0:27:10.920 --> 0:27:13.720 a decision. You're gonna be your very best. You're gonna 0:27:13.760 --> 0:27:16.680 keep passing the test. You're gonna keep being faithful day 0:27:16.720 --> 0:27:19.320 in and day out. When you're in tough times, you 0:27:19.359 --> 0:27:22.080 need to just remind yourself. God is getting me prepared 0:27:22.119 --> 0:27:25.600 for promotion. I'm coming up high. Our attitude should be 0:27:25.720 --> 0:27:28.440 I'm gonna stay under what God has me under until 0:27:28.480 --> 0:27:31.439 he's finished with it, until he changes things. So let 0:27:31.480 --> 0:27:34.119 me challenge you again. Stay where you are with a 0:27:34.160 --> 0:27:37.240 good attitude. Don't be jealous when you see other people 0:27:37.240 --> 0:27:40.679 being blessed. Learn to be happy for their successes, and 0:27:40.720 --> 0:27:43.960 don't just bail out of a difficult relationship. If you 0:27:44.000 --> 0:27:47.520 will humble yourself and stay where you know God wants 0:27:47.520 --> 0:27:50.359 you to be, then you are passing that test. And 0:27:50.400 --> 0:27:53.160 then at the right time, God promises he will promote 0:27:53.160 --> 0:27:55.680 you you'll come up high and you'll experience the joy, 0:27:55.800 --> 0:27:58.359 the peace, and the victories that He has in store. 0:27:58.400 --> 0:28:00.240 Amen, how many to receive it today? 0:28:00.600 --> 0:28:01.119 I know you do. 0:28:03.680 --> 0:28:06.639 We never like to close our broadcast without giving you 0:28:06.680 --> 0:28:09.560 an opportunity to make Jesus the lord of your life. 0:28:09.760 --> 0:28:13.879 Would you pray with me? Just say, Lord, Jesus, I 0:28:14.040 --> 0:28:18.600 repent of my sins. Come into my heart. I make 0:28:18.680 --> 0:28:22.000 you my Lord and savior. Friends, if you've prayed that 0:28:22.119 --> 0:28:24.879 simple prayer, we believe you got born again. Get in 0:28:24.960 --> 0:28:28.200 a good Bible based church. Keep God first place. He's 0:28:28.240 --> 0:28:30.480 going to take your places that you've never dreamed of. 0:28:31.200 --> 0:28:34.640 Thank you for listening to the Joel Oustine podcast. Help 0:28:34.720 --> 0:28:37.440 us continue to share the message of hope with those 0:28:37.560 --> 0:28:41.440 all over the world. Visit Joeloustine dot com slash give 0:28:41.520 --> 0:28:43.200 Hope to give a gift today. 0:28:44.480 --> 0:28:46.920 Thanks so much for listening to today's message. 0:28:47.040 --> 0:28:49.800 I hope you'll subscribe so you can receive the latest 0:28:49.840 --> 0:28:52.880 podcast to keep you inspired all through the week. 0:28:53.120 --> 0:28:56.000 We're praying for you. I know God's best is still ahead. 0:28:56.200 --> 0:28:57.240 We'll see you next time. 0:29:04.320 --> 0:29:06.320 Summer is here and our sleep is just as important 0:29:06.360 --> 0:29:08.480 as our weekend plans. So get the Sleep you Deserve 0:29:08.560 --> 0:29:10.640 with Lisa for a limited time, save up to seven 0:29:10.680 --> 0:29:13.560 hundred dollars off select mattresses plus two free pillows during 0:29:13.600 --> 0:29:16.280 our summer sale. 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