God Will Use Your Limitations

0:00:00.160 --> 0:00:02.880 No one likes to talk about money. Am I saving enough? 0:00:02.960 --> 0:00:05.040 Can I buy a house? Am I paying too much 0:00:05.040 --> 0:00:07.760 in taxes? Will I be able to retire? What if 0:00:07.760 --> 0:00:10.360 you could unlock insights about your finances in less than 0:00:10.360 --> 0:00:12.840 five minutes, with a clear picture of where you stand 0:00:12.880 --> 0:00:15.720 today and where your money can work harder. Now you 0:00:15.760 --> 0:00:18.759 can visit facet dot com to take the free quiz 0:00:18.800 --> 0:00:23.400 and get your financial wellness score today. That's Facet dot com. 0:00:23.440 --> 0:00:25.360 This ad is sponsored by Facet. Fast Wealth in Corporated 0:00:25.440 --> 0:00:27.280 is an sec registered investment advisor. This is not an 0:00:27.320 --> 0:00:29.080 offer to buy your self securities or is it investment, 0:00:29.160 --> 0:00:30.080 legal or tax advice. 0:00:30.520 --> 0:00:33.120 Are you ready to move your career forward? Make your 0:00:33.159 --> 0:00:36.640 comeback with Perdue Global and get college credit for your work, school, life, 0:00:36.720 --> 0:00:39.840 or military experiences. With these credits, you may have already 0:00:39.840 --> 0:00:42.680 completed up to seventy five percent of your undergraduate degree. 0:00:42.720 --> 0:00:44.800 You've worked hard to get where you are. It's time 0:00:44.840 --> 0:00:46.920 to get the recognition you deserve and earn a degree 0:00:47.000 --> 0:00:49.600 you'll be proud of, one that employers will trust and 0:00:49.720 --> 0:00:51.840 respect when you take the next step in your life 0:00:51.880 --> 0:00:55.040 and career. Make it count with Perdue Global produce online 0:00:55.120 --> 0:00:59.720 University for working adults. Start your comeback at Purdueglobal dot edu. 0:01:00.240 --> 0:01:02.200 He'll forget about the video game you gave him on 0:01:02.240 --> 0:01:02.800 his birthday. 0:01:03.120 --> 0:01:05.000 Wow, thanks Grandpa, but. 0:01:05.000 --> 0:01:07.200 He'll never forget how you invest it in his future 0:01:07.280 --> 0:01:08.240 with the uns stapp. 0:01:08.760 --> 0:01:10.400 Wow, thanks Grandpa. 0:01:11.040 --> 0:01:13.560 The unit stap makes it easy for grandparents and family 0:01:13.600 --> 0:01:16.280 friends to give funds to a child's investment account for 0:01:16.319 --> 0:01:18.720 a limited time. Download the uns stapp and use the 0:01:18.720 --> 0:01:20.800 code I heeart fifty at sign up to receive a 0:01:20.840 --> 0:01:23.319 fifty dollars bonus when you find your account. That's code 0:01:23.360 --> 0:01:26.320 iHeart fifty when you sign up at unest dot co 0:01:26.720 --> 0:01:29.280 for a fifty dollars bonus. See terms and conditions at 0:01:29.360 --> 0:01:30.080 UNEs dot co. 0:01:31.200 --> 0:01:33.959 Hi, this is Joel and Victoria. Thanks for listening to 0:01:34.000 --> 0:01:36.759 our podcast and thanks for supporting the ministry. 0:01:36.880 --> 0:01:39.240 If you enjoy today's message, why don't you be a 0:01:39.280 --> 0:01:40.800 blessing and share it with a friend. 0:01:41.120 --> 0:01:43.840 We appreciate you and pray for God's very best in 0:01:43.880 --> 0:01:51.760 your life. 0:01:55.720 --> 0:01:56.800 Oh God, bless you. 0:01:57.400 --> 0:02:00.320 It's a joy to come into your homes. I love 0:02:00.360 --> 0:02:03.080 you and we know God has great things in store. 0:02:03.240 --> 0:02:05.600 If you're ever in our area, please stop buying be 0:02:05.640 --> 0:02:07.880 a part of one of our services. I promise you 0:02:08.000 --> 0:02:10.120 we'll make you feel right at home. But thanks so 0:02:10.240 --> 0:02:12.600 much for tuning in. Thank you again for coming out. 0:02:13.000 --> 0:02:15.480 I like to start with something funny. I heard about 0:02:15.520 --> 0:02:19.040 these passengers on an airplane that was about to take off. 0:02:19.480 --> 0:02:23.680 The announcement came over the intercom saying, welcome to the 0:02:23.720 --> 0:02:26.720 first totally automated commercial flight. 0:02:27.520 --> 0:02:29.320 This plane has no pilots. 0:02:29.720 --> 0:02:34.400 It's being completely controlled by the most advanced computers available today. 0:02:34.919 --> 0:02:39.000 It's been tested and retested. You have nothing to worry about. 0:02:39.400 --> 0:02:42.640 Just sit back and enjoy the flight. Enjoy the flight. 0:02:43.080 --> 0:02:44.640 Enjoy the flight. 0:02:45.480 --> 0:02:47.720 Hold up your Bible. Say it like you mean it. 0:02:48.240 --> 0:02:50.959 This is my Bible. I am what it says. I am. 0:02:51.400 --> 0:02:53.720 I have what it says I have. I can do 0:02:53.840 --> 0:02:56.360 what it says I can do. Today I will be 0:02:56.400 --> 0:02:59.919 taught the word of God. I boldly confess. My mind 0:03:00.280 --> 0:03:03.480 is alert, my heart is receptive. I will never be 0:03:03.560 --> 0:03:08.000 the same. In Jesus' name, God bless you. I want 0:03:08.000 --> 0:03:10.679 to talk to you today about how God will use 0:03:10.720 --> 0:03:17.240 you with your limitations. Every person has weaknesses, faults, even 0:03:17.320 --> 0:03:20.359 things that we would consider to be a handicap. If 0:03:20.360 --> 0:03:24.080 I just wasn't so short, if I had a better personality, 0:03:24.680 --> 0:03:28.080 if I was a different nationality, or maybe if I 0:03:28.120 --> 0:03:31.280 controlled my temper better, if I was a little more patient. 0:03:31.919 --> 0:03:36.200 So often we let our faults and weaknesses be excuses 0:03:36.360 --> 0:03:40.200 to settle for mediocrity. We think I can't do anything great. 0:03:40.480 --> 0:03:44.640 I've got these limitations. But the good news is God 0:03:44.720 --> 0:03:46.720 doesn't just use perfect people. 0:03:47.320 --> 0:03:49.320 If he did, none of us would have a chance. 0:03:50.080 --> 0:03:53.480 God's calling on your life is not put on hold 0:03:54.000 --> 0:03:58.000 until you overcome in every area and perform perfectly one 0:03:58.080 --> 0:03:59.400 hundred percent of the time. 0:03:59.840 --> 0:04:00.000 God. 0:04:00.000 --> 0:04:03.640 God will use you while you're growing, while you're changing. 0:04:04.240 --> 0:04:07.480 Don't let that weakness be an excuse to settle where 0:04:07.520 --> 0:04:11.840 you are. In the scripture, Peter was far from perfect. 0:04:12.200 --> 0:04:16.280 He was hot tempered, used bad language, cursed people out. 0:04:16.800 --> 0:04:17.440 One time, he. 0:04:17.400 --> 0:04:20.279 Got so upset he pulled out his sword and cut 0:04:20.320 --> 0:04:23.560 off the ear of a soldier. Later, he was so 0:04:23.680 --> 0:04:27.440 afraid he denied that he knew Christ. He had plenty 0:04:27.440 --> 0:04:30.560 of areas to come up higher in yet he was 0:04:30.640 --> 0:04:32.760 a chosen disciple. 0:04:32.720 --> 0:04:34.360 One of jesus right hand men. 0:04:35.440 --> 0:04:38.359 Not long after he cut the soldier's ear off, he 0:04:38.440 --> 0:04:42.480 stood up to minister and three thousand people became believers 0:04:42.800 --> 0:04:44.480 the most recorded in the scripture. 0:04:45.200 --> 0:04:46.400 You would think. 0:04:46.320 --> 0:04:52.120 God would use somebody more polished, more disciplined, more mature. No, 0:04:52.320 --> 0:04:55.280 God doesn't just use people that have it altogether. 0:04:56.279 --> 0:05:00.000 God is a god of hearts. He looks on the inside. 0:05:00.800 --> 0:05:04.640 He doesn't just judge us based on our performance. When 0:05:04.680 --> 0:05:08.040 you have a heart to please God, you may make mistakes. 0:05:08.520 --> 0:05:10.760 You may have areas you need to come up higher in, 0:05:11.400 --> 0:05:15.360 but that doesn't disqualify you from doing something great along 0:05:15.400 --> 0:05:19.560 the way. In fact, the scripture says God's power shows 0:05:19.640 --> 0:05:24.280 up greatest in our weakness. Peter wasn't perfect yet at 0:05:24.279 --> 0:05:27.920 one point his shadow touched a crippled man and the 0:05:27.960 --> 0:05:32.240 man was instantly healed. If God can use him in 0:05:32.360 --> 0:05:36.719 such a great way with his weaknesses his shortcomings, surely 0:05:36.760 --> 0:05:40.599 God can use you in me. I've learned some weaknesses 0:05:40.920 --> 0:05:44.680 God will never remove. If he did, we wouldn't need him. 0:05:45.480 --> 0:05:48.599 So if you're waiting to feel good about yourself until 0:05:48.640 --> 0:05:52.679 you overcome in every area and perform perfectly one hundred 0:05:52.720 --> 0:05:55.240 percent of the time, you're going to be waiting your 0:05:55.240 --> 0:05:59.280 whole life. You have to give yourself permission to have 0:05:59.320 --> 0:06:03.000 some flaw. You'll never be happy if you don't give 0:06:03.040 --> 0:06:06.480 yourself the right to have some weaknesses. And I'm not 0:06:06.560 --> 0:06:09.160 saying that we should take the easy way out and 0:06:09.240 --> 0:06:13.720 just accept things. No, we should always be growing, improving, 0:06:13.960 --> 0:06:17.920 striving to do better. But in the meantime we should 0:06:17.960 --> 0:06:20.960 not beat ourselves up because we haven't arrived. 0:06:21.839 --> 0:06:24.000 There will always be some area. 0:06:23.800 --> 0:06:26.680 That God's dealing with you in about coming up higher. 0:06:27.400 --> 0:06:32.000 The scripture says we are God's workmanship. It indicates it's 0:06:32.040 --> 0:06:36.640 an ongoing process, and just because we haven't arrived doesn't 0:06:36.680 --> 0:06:39.839 mean we're supposed to sit on the sidelines until. 0:06:39.600 --> 0:06:40.520 We get it all together. 0:06:41.120 --> 0:06:45.280 God wants to use us with our limitations, and all 0:06:45.320 --> 0:06:48.760 through the scripture we see people just like Peter. They 0:06:48.760 --> 0:06:52.520 didn't have it all together. They made mistakes, they weren't perfect, 0:06:52.560 --> 0:06:56.599 they had handicaps. Yet God used them to do amazing things. 0:06:57.400 --> 0:07:02.320 Jacob was a cheater, David had an affair, Noah got drunk, 0:07:03.080 --> 0:07:09.080 Paul was a murderer. Jonah ran from God, Gideon was insecure, 0:07:09.120 --> 0:07:14.040 Miriam was a gossip, Mary was a worrier, Thomas was 0:07:14.080 --> 0:07:20.800 a doubter, Sarah was impatient, Elijah was moody, Moses stuttered, 0:07:21.360 --> 0:07:26.600 Zach kids was short, Abraham was old, and Lazarus was dead. 0:07:28.880 --> 0:07:33.760 Now my question is, what's your excuse? Why can't God 0:07:33.920 --> 0:07:37.800 use you? Why can't you do something great? Why can't 0:07:37.840 --> 0:07:41.360 you accomplish the dream God's placed in your heart? If 0:07:41.400 --> 0:07:45.520 God used people that doubted and worried and cheated and 0:07:45.600 --> 0:07:49.640 got drunk and were impatient and stuttered and had handicaps, 0:07:50.040 --> 0:07:50.800 what makes you. 0:07:50.840 --> 0:07:52.240 Think God can't use you? 0:07:53.160 --> 0:07:55.960 Well, Joel, I don't come from an influential family. I 0:07:56.000 --> 0:07:58.000 don't have all the connections. I don't know all the 0:07:58.080 --> 0:08:01.600 right people. That's what Gideon said, But God called him 0:08:01.880 --> 0:08:05.720 a mighty man of fearless courage. God stirred him out 0:08:05.800 --> 0:08:08.320 of that inferiority. He went on to help save the 0:08:08.360 --> 0:08:11.880 people of Israel. Well, i've got this problem with my temper. 0:08:12.400 --> 0:08:15.640 That's why I'm on the sidelines. That's why I feel unqualified. 0:08:16.120 --> 0:08:19.680 That's the same problem Peter had, Yet he was so anointed. 0:08:19.960 --> 0:08:24.000 His shadow touched someone and they got healed. What makes 0:08:24.040 --> 0:08:27.040 you think you're any different than Peter? If God didn't 0:08:27.040 --> 0:08:29.520 write him off, why would God write you off? 0:08:30.320 --> 0:08:32.319 Well, I've got this addiction. I've got a. 0:08:32.280 --> 0:08:35.800 Problem with alcohol. I'm all washed up or so did Noah. 0:08:36.000 --> 0:08:38.000 But he got free and he went on to do 0:08:38.080 --> 0:08:41.800 something great. Well, I've had some moral failures. I haven't 0:08:41.800 --> 0:08:44.720 been faithful in my relationships. Neither was David. 0:08:45.040 --> 0:08:45.880 But he repented. 0:08:46.240 --> 0:08:48.680 God forgave him, restored him, and he went on to 0:08:48.720 --> 0:08:53.080 fulfill his destiny. Whatever it is you think is holding 0:08:53.120 --> 0:08:57.319 you back, a limitation, a failure, a fault, a weakness, 0:08:57.679 --> 0:09:01.679 I can tell you with confidence it has not disqualified 0:09:01.720 --> 0:09:04.880 you from the amazing future God has in front of you. 0:09:06.640 --> 0:09:08.560 But you got to do your part and get in 0:09:08.600 --> 0:09:12.200 agreement with God. Get rid of the guilt, get rid 0:09:12.240 --> 0:09:15.880 of the condemnation. Don't go around feeling bad about yourself. 0:09:16.559 --> 0:09:19.800 As long as you feel wrong on the inside, it 0:09:19.840 --> 0:09:23.200 will keep you from God's best. Many times, the enemy 0:09:23.200 --> 0:09:25.880 doesn't have to condemn us. We condemn ourselves. 0:09:26.720 --> 0:09:26.960 Well. 0:09:27.040 --> 0:09:30.959 I blew my diet yesterday, lost my temper last week, 0:09:31.160 --> 0:09:32.920 should have spent more time with my children. 0:09:32.960 --> 0:09:34.240 I'm so undisciplined. 0:09:35.040 --> 0:09:38.520 If you stay focused on your weaknesses, on your faults, 0:09:38.760 --> 0:09:41.280 on how you didn't measure up, that's not going to 0:09:41.320 --> 0:09:44.400 help you improve. That's just going to drag you down 0:09:44.520 --> 0:09:47.880 and cause you to do worse. The scripture says, our 0:09:48.000 --> 0:09:53.800 faith is made effective when we acknowledge everything good. If 0:09:53.840 --> 0:09:58.000 you're acknowledging everything wrong with you, your faith is not going. 0:09:57.840 --> 0:09:58.559 To be effective. 0:09:59.360 --> 0:10:03.480 If your folk on your flaws and you're reliving every 0:10:03.559 --> 0:10:06.640 mistake you've made for the last thirty years, and you're 0:10:06.679 --> 0:10:09.280 down on yourself because you're not where you want to 0:10:09.320 --> 0:10:13.559 be because you're acknowledging what's wrong, it'll keep you from 0:10:13.600 --> 0:10:17.120 moving forward. One of the worst mistakes we could make 0:10:17.640 --> 0:10:22.440 is to go through life being against ourselves. There's already 0:10:22.520 --> 0:10:26.520 enough people against us, enough circumstances against us. Don't be 0:10:26.640 --> 0:10:33.240 against yourself. Quit beating yourself up. Quit over analyzing your faults, 0:10:33.800 --> 0:10:37.400 Quit taking inventory of everything you don't like about yourself. 0:10:38.400 --> 0:10:41.040 So often we spend more time looking. 0:10:40.840 --> 0:10:43.160 At what's wrong with us than we do looking at 0:10:43.200 --> 0:10:44.360 what's right with us. 0:10:44.880 --> 0:10:46.679 It should be just the opposite. 0:10:47.200 --> 0:10:51.720 Start acknowledging everything good about you. Let me help you. 0:10:51.720 --> 0:10:54.920 You came to church today, that was good. You turn 0:10:54.960 --> 0:10:55.720 the television on. 0:10:56.000 --> 0:10:59.640 That was good. You were on time at work this week. 0:10:59.760 --> 0:11:00.559 That was good. 0:11:01.080 --> 0:11:04.400 You overlooked an offense that was good. You stop by 0:11:04.440 --> 0:11:05.880 your neighbors and encourage them. 0:11:06.000 --> 0:11:08.199 That was good. Listen there is. 0:11:08.160 --> 0:11:11.920 A lot right about you start focusing on the good. 0:11:12.240 --> 0:11:16.280 That's what makes your faith affective. When you're for yourself 0:11:16.800 --> 0:11:19.880 instead of against yourself, you're in agreement with God. 0:11:20.280 --> 0:11:21.840 He'll breathe in your direction. 0:11:22.120 --> 0:11:26.760 You'll be stronger, more focused, more disciplined, more determined. That 0:11:26.800 --> 0:11:29.480 will help you overcome anything that's holding you back. 0:11:30.040 --> 0:11:32.080 And the scripture says in Ephesian. 0:11:31.800 --> 0:11:36.800 Six, put on the breastplate of God's approval. If we're 0:11:36.800 --> 0:11:40.520 going to live in victory, instead of condemning ourselves, we 0:11:40.640 --> 0:11:46.240 need to start approving ourselves. Something powerful happens when you say, 0:11:46.760 --> 0:11:48.240 I like who I am. 0:11:49.080 --> 0:11:50.000 I'm not perfect. 0:11:50.360 --> 0:11:53.320 I've got some faults areas I need to improve in, 0:11:53.720 --> 0:11:57.480 but I know i'm growing, I'm improving, and since God 0:11:57.520 --> 0:12:01.480 approves me, then I approve myself. When you put on 0:12:01.600 --> 0:12:06.200 the breastplate of God's approval like that, in the unseen realm, 0:12:06.480 --> 0:12:11.040 chains are broken, chains of inferiority, chains of guilt, chains 0:12:11.080 --> 0:12:14.920 of low self esteem. Those strongholds are broken and God's 0:12:14.920 --> 0:12:18.400 favor is released. But some of you have never once 0:12:18.480 --> 0:12:22.400 said I like myself. I like my personality, I like 0:12:22.480 --> 0:12:25.400 my looks, I like my gifts. I'm happy with who 0:12:25.440 --> 0:12:28.439 I am well, Hell, Joel, that's kind of far out. 0:12:28.480 --> 0:12:30.319 I'm not going to say I like myself. 0:12:30.559 --> 0:12:33.120 No, if you don't like yourself, then other people are 0:12:33.120 --> 0:12:36.760 not going to like you. You project what you believe on 0:12:36.840 --> 0:12:40.640 the inside. If you feel wrong about yourself, you'll project 0:12:40.679 --> 0:12:44.679 low self esteem, inferiority, unhappiness, discontentment. 0:12:44.800 --> 0:12:46.000 That'll drive people away. 0:12:47.040 --> 0:12:51.200 If you don't respect yourself, other people will not respect you. Now, 0:12:51.200 --> 0:12:54.000 I'm not saying to go around high minded, but I 0:12:54.040 --> 0:12:57.400 am saying not to go around inferior like a weak 0:12:57.440 --> 0:13:00.040 worm of the dust. I can't do anything right. I 0:13:00.080 --> 0:13:02.200 got so much wrong with me. I wish I was 0:13:02.280 --> 0:13:05.640 like those people. Those people that you think have it 0:13:05.679 --> 0:13:08.920 all together. They don't have it all together. Nobody does. 0:13:09.200 --> 0:13:12.840 They've just learned this principle to not beat themselves up 0:13:13.080 --> 0:13:15.320 while they're in the process of changing. 0:13:16.080 --> 0:13:17.120 Our attitude should be. 0:13:17.640 --> 0:13:20.439 I'm no better than anybody else, but I'm no worse 0:13:20.480 --> 0:13:26.840 than anybody else. I'm a child of the most high God, approved, accepted, redeemed, forgiven. 0:13:27.200 --> 0:13:29.240 Listen, there's something special about you. 0:13:30.200 --> 0:13:35.120 Don't go around feeling wrong on the inside, acknowledging every mistake, 0:13:35.520 --> 0:13:39.840 every flaw, every weakness, every imperfection. Sure, you may have 0:13:39.960 --> 0:13:42.760 areas you need to improve in we all do. You 0:13:42.840 --> 0:13:45.000 may not be where you want to be, but you're 0:13:45.000 --> 0:13:47.520 not where you used to be. Put your shoulders back, 0:13:47.600 --> 0:13:50.920 hold your head up high. God calls you a masterpiece. 0:13:51.400 --> 0:13:53.760 Now be proud of who God made you to be. 0:13:55.120 --> 0:13:56.520 I saw a story about. 0:13:56.360 --> 0:13:58.720 This man and his small son. 0:13:58.920 --> 0:14:01.040 They were out taking a walk through the mountains, and 0:14:01.360 --> 0:14:04.480 at one point the little boy slipped and slid about 0:14:04.480 --> 0:14:06.960 thirty feet down the mountain side, and he was able 0:14:07.000 --> 0:14:09.800 to grab on to a tree branch. He screamed out, 0:14:10.160 --> 0:14:14.640 help me. This voice boom back, help me. He looked around, 0:14:14.760 --> 0:14:18.240 kind of confused. He said, who are you? The voice 0:14:18.240 --> 0:14:21.960 boom back? Who are you? He got aggravated. He said, 0:14:22.080 --> 0:14:25.160 you're a fool. The voice boom back. You're a fool. 0:14:25.600 --> 0:14:28.840 He said, you're a coward. It shouted back, you're a coward. 0:14:29.400 --> 0:14:31.920 About that time, his father got down there, and the 0:14:31.920 --> 0:14:33.720 little boy looked at him and said, Dad, who is that. 0:14:34.240 --> 0:14:35.240 The dad kind of laughed. 0:14:35.320 --> 0:14:39.040 He said, son, that's called an echo, but really it's 0:14:39.120 --> 0:14:39.760 called life. 0:14:40.320 --> 0:14:41.960 He said, son, let me show you something. 0:14:42.320 --> 0:14:45.720 The dad shouted out, You're a winner, it shouted back, 0:14:45.840 --> 0:14:47.720 You're a winner, he shouted out. 0:14:47.760 --> 0:14:50.520 You've got what it takes. It boom back. You've got 0:14:50.520 --> 0:14:53.280 what it takes. You're going to make it. It came back. 0:14:53.320 --> 0:14:56.280 You're going to make it, he said, son, That's how 0:14:56.320 --> 0:14:59.760 it is in life. Whatever you send out always comes 0:14:59.760 --> 0:15:04.360 back to you. Let me ask you, what are you 0:15:04.520 --> 0:15:08.520 sending out about yourself? Well, I'm clumsy, I can't do 0:15:08.600 --> 0:15:11.200 anything right. Nobody wants to be around me. I got 0:15:11.200 --> 0:15:15.560 all these faults. No start sending out I'm approved, I'm accepted, 0:15:15.640 --> 0:15:18.320 I'm talented, I'm creative, I'm a masterpiece. 0:15:18.640 --> 0:15:22.120 What you send out will come back, and some of. 0:15:22.080 --> 0:15:24.680 You would go to a new level if you would 0:15:24.720 --> 0:15:30.120 just start accepting and approving yourself. God made you like 0:15:30.240 --> 0:15:33.360 you are on purpose. He knew what family you would 0:15:33.400 --> 0:15:36.920 come from, what personality you would have, how tall or 0:15:36.960 --> 0:15:39.640 short you would be. He even knew the areas that 0:15:39.680 --> 0:15:44.560 we would struggle in. Don't be against yourself. Instead, start 0:15:44.600 --> 0:15:49.640 accepting and approving yourself. So often, what we think is 0:15:49.680 --> 0:15:53.440 our greatest liability, the thing we like about us the least. 0:15:53.720 --> 0:15:57.280 Really it's our greatest asset. In the Scripture, there was 0:15:57.320 --> 0:16:00.880 a man named zach Kius. His problem handicap. What he 0:16:00.920 --> 0:16:04.840 didn't like was he was very short. While other people 0:16:04.920 --> 0:16:07.440 could reach up on a shelf and grab something, he'd 0:16:07.480 --> 0:16:10.120 have to get a ladder. Growing up, he heard all 0:16:10.160 --> 0:16:13.360 the short jokes in school. Couldn't play on the ball teams, 0:16:13.440 --> 0:16:17.720 he was too little, all these disadvantages because of his size. 0:16:18.320 --> 0:16:21.720 I can imagine he said, God, it's not fair. Why 0:16:21.720 --> 0:16:24.120 didn't you make me taller? Why didn't you make me 0:16:24.320 --> 0:16:27.800 like everyone else. One day he heard that Jesus was 0:16:27.840 --> 0:16:28.800 coming through his town. 0:16:29.160 --> 0:16:30.560 He really wanted to see him. 0:16:30.960 --> 0:16:33.400 He rushed out to the main road, but it was 0:16:33.480 --> 0:16:36.680 already packed with people thirty or forty feet deep, and 0:16:36.760 --> 0:16:39.360 everybody was on their tiptoes trying to catch a glimpse 0:16:39.400 --> 0:16:42.320 of Jesus. Of course, Zachias was so small he'd have 0:16:42.400 --> 0:16:44.800 to be on the front row. He could have gone 0:16:44.800 --> 0:16:48.720 back home defeated. Thought, just my luck, never get any 0:16:48.760 --> 0:16:53.040 good breaks. I've got this disadvantage. Now, zach Kius did 0:16:53.200 --> 0:16:56.040 what he had always done. He climbed up in the 0:16:56.120 --> 0:17:00.000 tree so he could look over the crowd. Wasn't anything 0:17:00.160 --> 0:17:03.600 knew for him. He was used to doing that. Jesus 0:17:03.640 --> 0:17:07.520 came through, thousands of people were calling Jesus' name, trying 0:17:07.560 --> 0:17:10.399 to get his attention. But out of all those people, 0:17:10.800 --> 0:17:13.200 Jesus looked up in the tree and said, Hey, that 0:17:13.359 --> 0:17:14.359 kis come on down. 0:17:14.680 --> 0:17:16.520 I want to go have dinner with you today. 0:17:17.440 --> 0:17:21.280 What zach Keas thought was his greatest liability turned out 0:17:21.320 --> 0:17:25.320 to be his greatest asset. Friends, God doesn't make any mistakes. 0:17:26.040 --> 0:17:31.080 Your size, your personality, your gifts, your skin color. Nothing 0:17:31.320 --> 0:17:35.640 about you is by accident. You have been fearfully and 0:17:35.680 --> 0:17:39.359 wonderfully made. If you needed to be taller, God would 0:17:39.359 --> 0:17:43.159 have made you taller. If you needed a different personality. 0:17:42.760 --> 0:17:43.960 God would have given you one. 0:17:44.880 --> 0:17:48.120 You have been equipped for the race that has been 0:17:48.160 --> 0:17:52.880 specifically designed for you. I think about Moses. God told 0:17:52.960 --> 0:17:57.360 him to go tell Pharaoh let my people go. Moses said, God, 0:17:57.440 --> 0:17:58.159 I can't do that. 0:17:58.600 --> 0:17:59.280 I stutter. 0:18:00.119 --> 0:18:02.560 Let me take my brother and he can speak for me. 0:18:03.240 --> 0:18:06.760 In other words, God, I've got this handicap. I don't 0:18:06.840 --> 0:18:09.680 speak like other people. I could never do anything great. 0:18:10.480 --> 0:18:13.119 Now God was saying, Moses, I can use you with 0:18:13.320 --> 0:18:16.320 your limitations. Moses, I wouldn't have asked you to do 0:18:16.359 --> 0:18:19.479 this if you were not already equipped and well able. 0:18:20.280 --> 0:18:22.960 Moses finally got his confidence up. He went in there 0:18:23.000 --> 0:18:26.480 and spoke to Pharaoh. See, Moses just needed somebody to 0:18:26.560 --> 0:18:30.600 remind him that his weaknesses didn't have to hold him back. 0:18:31.600 --> 0:18:33.480 God told Jeremiah that he was. 0:18:33.440 --> 0:18:35.720 Going to be a prophet to the nations, that he 0:18:35.760 --> 0:18:39.040 is going to do great things. Jeremiah said, God, I 0:18:39.040 --> 0:18:42.240 can't do that. I'm too young. I wouldn't know what 0:18:42.400 --> 0:18:46.960 to say. I've got these limitations. God answered back quickly, Jeremiah, 0:18:47.440 --> 0:18:47.920 say not. 0:18:48.320 --> 0:18:49.240 That you're too young. 0:18:50.000 --> 0:18:53.200 In other words, Jeremiah, quit talking about your limitations. 0:18:53.560 --> 0:18:55.400 Quit thinking you don't have what it takes. 0:18:55.640 --> 0:18:58.919 Don't settle for mediocrity, Jeremiah, when I've called you to 0:18:58.960 --> 0:19:04.159 do something great. On and on, God used imperfect people 0:19:04.640 --> 0:19:08.520 that were felt unqualified, that made mistakes, that had weaknesses 0:19:08.880 --> 0:19:13.239 to accomplish amazing things like Jeremiah, like Moses. We can 0:19:13.280 --> 0:19:16.480 all come up with excuses, Juel, I'm too tall or 0:19:16.520 --> 0:19:20.200 I'm too short. I come from a dysfunctional family, I'm 0:19:20.200 --> 0:19:23.199 a single parent. If I had a better personality, if 0:19:23.240 --> 0:19:26.439 I just didn't stutter. Now we need to start seeing 0:19:26.480 --> 0:19:30.600 ourselves the way God sees us. You may have made mistakes, 0:19:30.800 --> 0:19:34.840 but God says you're redeemed and forgiven. You may feel weak, 0:19:35.040 --> 0:19:38.439 but God says you're strong. You may not feel qualified, 0:19:38.680 --> 0:19:39.720 but God says you're. 0:19:39.560 --> 0:19:40.879 Equipped and empowered. 0:19:41.280 --> 0:19:44.199 You may not feel valuable, not feel very important, but 0:19:44.320 --> 0:19:46.240 God says you're a masterpiece. 0:19:46.480 --> 0:19:48.040 You're his prize possession. 0:19:48.560 --> 0:19:52.040 Now quit focusing on what you're not and start focusing 0:19:52.200 --> 0:19:53.520 on who God says you are. 0:19:54.040 --> 0:19:54.359 Friends. 0:19:54.440 --> 0:19:58.119 God doesn't choose the way people choose. He doesn't judge 0:19:58.160 --> 0:20:02.560 the way people judge. God looks beyond the weakness, beyond 0:20:02.600 --> 0:20:06.320 the dysfunction, beyond the failure, and he sees what we 0:20:06.400 --> 0:20:11.320 can become. When Jesus chose the twelve Disciples, it's interesting 0:20:11.720 --> 0:20:15.680 he didn't choose the most qualified men, the most talented, 0:20:16.119 --> 0:20:20.480 the most educated. No, he chose ordinary people that had 0:20:20.520 --> 0:20:24.520 weaknesses and flaws, people that had made mistakes. When he 0:20:24.600 --> 0:20:28.879 chose Peter and Andrew, he didn't see rough fishermen. He 0:20:28.920 --> 0:20:33.080 saw men who could change the world. When he chose Matthew, 0:20:33.640 --> 0:20:36.160 he didn't see a despised tax collector. 0:20:36.640 --> 0:20:38.359 He saw what he could become. 0:20:39.600 --> 0:20:42.679 What if Jesus would have used a consulting firm to 0:20:42.760 --> 0:20:46.160 help pick the twelve Disciples, I can imagine it would 0:20:46.160 --> 0:20:48.960 have come back something like this. We've run the test 0:20:49.119 --> 0:20:51.800 on the twelve men you've submitted, and we're sorry to 0:20:51.840 --> 0:20:55.080 say none of them is qualified to be in management. 0:20:55.520 --> 0:20:59.399 Peter is emotionally unstable and given to fits of rage. 0:21:00.000 --> 0:21:04.359 Amas has a doubting spirit that undermines morale. Matthew is 0:21:04.440 --> 0:21:07.920 known to be dishonest and has already been blacklisted by 0:21:07.960 --> 0:21:13.240 the Greater Jerusalem Better Business Bureau. If God chose us 0:21:13.480 --> 0:21:17.480 just based on our background, on our past performance, or 0:21:17.520 --> 0:21:20.120 even our talent and our ability, none of us would 0:21:20.119 --> 0:21:23.280 have a chance. He doesn't choose us because of what 0:21:23.320 --> 0:21:27.040 we are. He chooses us because of what we can become. 0:21:28.040 --> 0:21:30.639 Some of you are sitting on the sidelines of life, 0:21:31.160 --> 0:21:35.000 not pursuing your dreams, your goals, because of mistakes in 0:21:35.040 --> 0:21:39.359 the past, because of weaknesses. You feel unqualified. But God 0:21:39.440 --> 0:21:43.600 is saying, I hand pitch you, not because you were perfect, 0:21:44.160 --> 0:21:47.200 not because you had it all together. I chose you 0:21:47.600 --> 0:21:50.960 because I can see the potential on the inside. 0:21:51.080 --> 0:21:52.879 I know what you can become. 0:21:53.600 --> 0:21:56.160 Now you've got to get back in the race, get 0:21:56.200 --> 0:21:59.560 your fireback, get your dreams back. You're not supposed to 0:21:59.600 --> 0:22:03.240 sit on the sidelines until you're perfect. God wants to 0:22:03.359 --> 0:22:06.600 use you with your limitations. He wants to bless us 0:22:06.840 --> 0:22:10.280 in spite of our weaknesses. That way, when we rise 0:22:10.320 --> 0:22:12.679 to a new level, God will get all the credit. 0:22:12.960 --> 0:22:16.640 We'll know that it's him and not us. I read 0:22:16.680 --> 0:22:20.840 something interesting about a golf ball. It's designed on purpose 0:22:21.200 --> 0:22:23.760 with dimples in it, with imperfections. 0:22:24.240 --> 0:22:25.600 It seems like you would want a. 0:22:25.520 --> 0:22:29.840 Perfectly smooth ball so it would roll better, be more accurate, 0:22:30.080 --> 0:22:34.439 travel further, But it's just the opposite. Engineers say a 0:22:34.520 --> 0:22:39.240 perfectly smooth golf ball will travel about half the distance 0:22:39.320 --> 0:22:42.760 off the tee than a ball with dimples. The dimples 0:22:42.840 --> 0:22:47.159 or the imperfections create less wind resistance, which allows the 0:22:47.160 --> 0:22:51.240 ball to go much further. Same principle in life. God 0:22:51.400 --> 0:22:52.840 is the master designer. 0:22:53.280 --> 0:22:54.320 He's the engineer. 0:22:55.040 --> 0:22:59.159 Everything about you has been designed to help you go further. 0:23:00.080 --> 0:23:03.520 We may see it as an imperfection, a weakness, this 0:23:03.600 --> 0:23:04.440 mistake I made. 0:23:04.680 --> 0:23:05.760 It's holding me back. 0:23:06.160 --> 0:23:08.680 Now, if you'll keep your trust in Him with the 0:23:08.760 --> 0:23:14.320 right attitude, every mistake, every imperfection, every hindicap will not 0:23:15.000 --> 0:23:18.240 decrease you. It will increase you. That's the way God 0:23:18.280 --> 0:23:23.200 designed it. That imperfection may be like Peter, a hot temper, 0:23:23.760 --> 0:23:27.000 a bad habit, some area you need to improve in. 0:23:27.000 --> 0:23:29.959 Instead of seeing it as a liability, start seeing it 0:23:30.000 --> 0:23:33.840 as a dimple. In other words, this hot temper is 0:23:33.880 --> 0:23:37.040 not designed to hold me back. I know it's designed 0:23:37.040 --> 0:23:39.560 to thrust me forward. So I'm going to work with 0:23:39.800 --> 0:23:42.359 God and let him make me and mold me. 0:23:43.080 --> 0:23:43.880 When you come up. 0:23:43.880 --> 0:23:47.840 Higher and overcome that weakness, instead of defeating you, it 0:23:47.920 --> 0:23:48.919 is going to promote you. 0:23:49.920 --> 0:23:53.199 That mistake you made. It may look like a setback 0:23:53.480 --> 0:23:55.439 that the truth is it's just a dimple. 0:23:55.840 --> 0:23:59.200 It's designed to help you go further. That's what it says. 0:23:59.400 --> 0:24:01.880 What was meant it for your harm? God will use 0:24:01.920 --> 0:24:04.920 to your advantage. Instead of going around thinking, oh I 0:24:05.000 --> 0:24:06.080 got so much wrong with me. 0:24:06.600 --> 0:24:08.120 I don't know why I'm like this. 0:24:08.400 --> 0:24:10.880 No, our attitude should be I've just got a bunch 0:24:10.880 --> 0:24:13.800 of dimples. That means I'm gonna travel further. It's not 0:24:13.920 --> 0:24:18.200 working against me, it's working for me. This article stated 0:24:18.720 --> 0:24:22.359 the apparent flaw in the golf ball causes it to 0:24:22.400 --> 0:24:25.800 go further. We all have things that we think are 0:24:25.880 --> 0:24:29.239 apparent flaws. And if I was taller, if I had 0:24:29.240 --> 0:24:32.840 a better personality, if I was more outgoing. Now, what 0:24:32.880 --> 0:24:35.960 we think are apparent flaws have been put there on 0:24:36.160 --> 0:24:38.240 purpose so that we can increase. 0:24:38.800 --> 0:24:39.560 You have been. 0:24:39.520 --> 0:24:43.880 Specifically designed by the creator of the universe to reach 0:24:43.920 --> 0:24:45.159 your highest potential. 0:24:45.840 --> 0:24:48.400 Nothing about you is by accident. 0:24:49.400 --> 0:24:52.960 I heard about this lady, an elderly Chinese woman. She 0:24:53.080 --> 0:24:56.159 had two large pots that hung on the end of 0:24:56.200 --> 0:24:59.600 a pole that rested on her neck. Every day she 0:24:59.600 --> 0:25:02.720 would from her house down to the stream to get 0:25:02.760 --> 0:25:05.800 some fresh water. One of the pots had a small 0:25:05.880 --> 0:25:09.440 crack in it. The other pot was perfect. When she'd 0:25:09.480 --> 0:25:12.280 come back from the long walks from the stream, the 0:25:12.320 --> 0:25:15.320 pot with the crack would only be about half full 0:25:15.400 --> 0:25:18.680 of water because it leaked out. This went on week 0:25:18.680 --> 0:25:22.520 after week, month after month. The perfect pot was very 0:25:22.560 --> 0:25:26.399 proud of its accomplishments, always bringing a full pot of water. 0:25:26.840 --> 0:25:29.480 But this pot with the crack, it felt a little 0:25:29.480 --> 0:25:33.639 bit embarrassed, ashamed by its imperfection. One day, it said 0:25:33.640 --> 0:25:36.720 to the elderly woman, I really feel bad that it 0:25:36.800 --> 0:25:40.399 don't measure up. I'm only delivering about half of what 0:25:40.480 --> 0:25:44.560 I'm supposed to. The woman said, have you noticed that 0:25:44.600 --> 0:25:47.600 there are flowers on your side of the path from 0:25:47.600 --> 0:25:50.959 where the water has leaked out. That's because I've always 0:25:51.040 --> 0:25:54.879 known about your flaw, so I have planted seeds on 0:25:54.960 --> 0:25:58.480 your side. Every day we return from the stream, you 0:25:58.600 --> 0:26:02.720 water those seeds. For the last two years, I've picked 0:26:02.760 --> 0:26:04.000 flowers and. 0:26:04.040 --> 0:26:05.199 Decorated my house. 0:26:05.840 --> 0:26:09.159 Without you being just the way you are, there wouldn't 0:26:09.200 --> 0:26:12.439 be this beauty in my house. Every one of us 0:26:12.560 --> 0:26:14.399 has unique flaws and weaknesses. 0:26:14.760 --> 0:26:15.960 We could easily be. 0:26:16.040 --> 0:26:18.520 Down on ourselves and think why am I this way? 0:26:19.119 --> 0:26:22.520 But the good news is, just like this lady, God 0:26:22.640 --> 0:26:26.520 knows how to use cracked pots. He knows just where 0:26:26.560 --> 0:26:29.600 to plant the seeds so that nothing we're dealing with 0:26:29.840 --> 0:26:33.840 will ever be wasted. When you're tempted to be against 0:26:33.920 --> 0:26:38.199 yourself and focused on your flaws, always remember God is 0:26:38.240 --> 0:26:41.480 not finished with you. You may not realize it, but 0:26:41.640 --> 0:26:45.439 while God is working, he's picking the flowers. He's using 0:26:45.480 --> 0:26:49.000 that imperfection. It's a part of his design. God knows 0:26:49.000 --> 0:26:52.479 how to get good out of every situation. The truth is, 0:26:52.680 --> 0:26:56.720 we're all a bunch of cracked pots. We've all got faults. 0:26:56.400 --> 0:26:59.520 Weaknesses, things that we wish were different. But if we're 0:26:59.520 --> 0:27:01.080 going to live it victory, here's the key. 0:27:01.520 --> 0:27:04.720 You've got to be satisfied with your pot. Be the 0:27:04.760 --> 0:27:07.440 best that you can be with what God has given you. 0:27:07.840 --> 0:27:10.679 He didn't choose you because you're perfect. He chose you 0:27:10.800 --> 0:27:14.000 because He knows what you can become. Don't go through 0:27:14.040 --> 0:27:17.399 life being against yourself. Get up every morning, put on 0:27:17.440 --> 0:27:21.439 the breastplate of God's approval. Dare to say, I like 0:27:21.760 --> 0:27:22.920 who I am. 0:27:22.920 --> 0:27:24.600 Not perfect, but I'm growing. 0:27:25.200 --> 0:27:28.959 Start acknowledging everything good about you. That's what makes your 0:27:29.000 --> 0:27:32.600 faith effective. If you will do this, like the golf ball, 0:27:33.080 --> 0:27:36.960 those imperfections, those dimples won't cause you to go less. 0:27:37.119 --> 0:27:38.720 They'll cause you to travel further. 0:27:39.080 --> 0:27:42.119 And I believe and declare you will become everything God's 0:27:42.160 --> 0:27:45.560 created you to be. You're gonna have everything God intended 0:27:45.600 --> 0:27:46.040 for you to have. 0:27:46.160 --> 0:27:46.480 Amen. 0:27:47.600 --> 0:27:50.600 We never like to close our broadcast without giving you 0:27:50.640 --> 0:27:51.879 an opportunity to make. 0:27:51.800 --> 0:27:53.159 Jesus the lord of your life. 0:27:53.400 --> 0:27:57.399 Would you pray with me, just say, Lord, Jesus, I 0:27:57.520 --> 0:27:59.000 repent of my sins. 0:28:00.160 --> 0:28:03.359 Into my heart. I make you my Lord and savior. 0:28:04.720 --> 0:28:07.040 Friends, if you prayed that simple prayer, we believe you 0:28:07.119 --> 0:28:10.240 got born again. Get in a good Bible based church. 0:28:10.480 --> 0:28:11.600 Keep God first place. 0:28:11.840 --> 0:28:14.080 He's going to take your places you've never dreamed of. 0:28:14.760 --> 0:28:18.200 Thank you for listening to the Joel Oustine podcast. Help 0:28:18.280 --> 0:28:21.000 us continue to share the message of hope with those 0:28:21.119 --> 0:28:25.000 all over the world. Visit joelostin dot com slash give 0:28:25.080 --> 0:28:26.760 Hope to give a gift today. 0:28:28.040 --> 0:28:30.480 Thanks so much for listening to today's message. 0:28:30.600 --> 0:28:33.360 I hope you'll subscribe so you can receive the latest 0:28:33.400 --> 0:28:36.440 podcast to keep you inspired all through the week. 0:28:36.680 --> 0:28:39.560 We're praying for you. I know God's best is still ahead. 0:28:39.760 --> 0:28:40.840 We'll see you next time.