Have A Spirit Of Excellence

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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 --> 0:01:08.280 with the uns stapp. 0:01:08.800 --> 0:01:10.480 Wow. 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 --> 0:01:34.039 Hi, this is Joel and Victoria. Thanks for listening to 0:01:34.080 --> 0:01:37.200 our podcast and thanks for supporting the ministry. If you 0:01:37.280 --> 0:01:39.880 enjoy today's message, why don't you be a blessing and 0:01:39.959 --> 0:01:42.600 share it with a friend. We appreciate you and pray 0:01:42.640 --> 0:01:57.720 for God's very best in your life. Well, God bless you, 0:01:57.760 --> 0:02:00.600 and thanks for letting us come into your home. We 0:02:00.720 --> 0:02:03.120 love you, and if you're ever in our area, please 0:02:03.120 --> 0:02:05.520 stop by and be a part of one of our services. 0:02:05.800 --> 0:02:08.040 I promise you we'll make you feel right at home. 0:02:08.280 --> 0:02:10.560 But thanks so much for tuning in and thank you 0:02:10.560 --> 0:02:13.080 again for coming out. I like to start with something 0:02:13.080 --> 0:02:16.400 funny and heard about these two little boys, ages four 0:02:16.560 --> 0:02:19.840 and six. They were brothers. They were spending the night 0:02:19.880 --> 0:02:22.600 at their grandmothers and she told them before they went 0:02:22.639 --> 0:02:24.959 to bed to make sure they said their prayers. 0:02:25.440 --> 0:02:27.440 They went to their room, got down on their knees. 0:02:28.000 --> 0:02:32.120 The youngest boy started praying at the top of his lungs. God, 0:02:32.200 --> 0:02:35.120 I pray for a new bicycle. I pray for a 0:02:35.160 --> 0:02:36.919 new PlayStation. I pray for. 0:02:36.919 --> 0:02:37.600 A new DVD. 0:02:37.840 --> 0:02:39.840 His brother punched him and said, why are you screaming? 0:02:40.120 --> 0:02:43.200 God isn't death. He said, I know that, But grandmother 0:02:43.360 --> 0:02:47.840 is hold up your bible. Say it like you mean it. 0:02:48.360 --> 0:02:51.160 This is my Bible. I am what it says I am. 0:02:51.639 --> 0:02:54.040 I have what it says I have. I can do 0:02:54.160 --> 0:02:56.680 what it says I can do. Today I will be 0:02:56.760 --> 0:03:00.480 taught the word of God. I boldly confess. My mind 0:03:00.560 --> 0:03:03.760 is alert, my heart is receptive. I will never be 0:03:03.880 --> 0:03:08.720 the same. In Jesus' name, God bless you. I want 0:03:08.720 --> 0:03:12.120 to talk to you today about having an excellent spirit. 0:03:13.040 --> 0:03:16.919 We live in a society where mediocrity is the norm. 0:03:17.360 --> 0:03:20.760 Many people do as little as they can to get by. 0:03:20.919 --> 0:03:24.000 They don't take pride in their work and pride in 0:03:24.040 --> 0:03:28.160 who they are. If somebody is watching, they'll perform one way, 0:03:28.760 --> 0:03:31.720 but when nobody is watching, they'll cut corners and. 0:03:31.680 --> 0:03:33.240 Take the easy way out. 0:03:33.520 --> 0:03:36.480 And if we're not careful, we'll get pulled into this 0:03:36.600 --> 0:03:40.680 same mentality, thinking that it's okay to show up late 0:03:40.720 --> 0:03:43.680 to work and not look our best, not give it 0:03:43.720 --> 0:03:44.119 our all. 0:03:45.000 --> 0:03:46.240 But I've learned. 0:03:46.280 --> 0:03:51.480 God doesn't bless mediocrity. God blesses excellence. When you have 0:03:51.600 --> 0:03:55.120 an excellent spirit, you do the right thing, whether anyone 0:03:55.240 --> 0:03:56.040 is watching or not. 0:03:56.640 --> 0:03:59.280 You go the extra mile, You do more than you 0:03:59.360 --> 0:03:59.720 have to. 0:04:00.640 --> 0:04:04.360 Other people may complain, they may go out looking sloppy 0:04:04.680 --> 0:04:09.320 cutting corners, but don't sink down to that level. Well, join, 0:04:09.440 --> 0:04:13.280 everybody's doing it. Everybody slacks off when the boss is 0:04:13.320 --> 0:04:19.000 gone at my company. Everybody compromises at my school. Everybody 0:04:19.040 --> 0:04:22.160 doesn't take care of their yards in my neighborhood. Now 0:04:22.200 --> 0:04:25.839 here's the key. You're not everybody. You're a cut above. 0:04:26.360 --> 0:04:29.440 You are called to be excellent. God wants you to 0:04:29.480 --> 0:04:33.920 set the highest standard. You should be the example your 0:04:34.000 --> 0:04:38.320 company uses as the model employee. Your boss should be 0:04:38.360 --> 0:04:41.360 able to say to the new hires, watch this person 0:04:41.960 --> 0:04:44.080 develop their skills, learn their habits. 0:04:44.279 --> 0:04:46.040 They are the cream of the crop. 0:04:46.560 --> 0:04:50.200 They're always on time, they always have a good attitude. 0:04:50.560 --> 0:04:52.120 They do more than they have to. 0:04:53.200 --> 0:04:56.520 When you have an excellent spirit like that, you're not 0:04:56.560 --> 0:04:59.960 only going to see promotion, but you are honoring God. 0:05:00.000 --> 0:05:00.279 God. 0:05:01.000 --> 0:05:02.800 A lot of times we think, let me go to 0:05:02.920 --> 0:05:05.640 church to honor God, let me read my Bible and 0:05:05.680 --> 0:05:06.720 pray to honor God. 0:05:06.720 --> 0:05:08.200 And yes that's true. 0:05:08.720 --> 0:05:11.240 But do you know it honors God to get to 0:05:11.279 --> 0:05:15.240 work on time. It honors God to be productive each day. 0:05:16.040 --> 0:05:19.880 It honors God to go out looking your best. When 0:05:19.920 --> 0:05:23.960 you are excellent, your life is giving praise to God. 0:05:24.320 --> 0:05:26.880 That's one of the best witnesses we could ever have. 0:05:27.760 --> 0:05:30.960 Because some people will never come to church, they'll never 0:05:31.040 --> 0:05:34.760 listen to a minister. They're not reading their Bible. They're 0:05:34.800 --> 0:05:39.160 reading your life. They're watching how you live. Now, don't 0:05:39.200 --> 0:05:42.360 be sloppy when you leave the house, whether you're wearing 0:05:42.400 --> 0:05:45.159 a suit or a pair of shorts, make sure you 0:05:45.240 --> 0:05:48.680 look the best that you possibly can. You are representing 0:05:48.800 --> 0:05:53.320 Almighty God. When you have a spirit of excellence, you 0:05:53.440 --> 0:05:54.240 do more. 0:05:54.000 --> 0:05:54.800 Than you have to. 0:05:55.680 --> 0:05:59.000 You don't just do the minimum amount required, you go 0:05:59.120 --> 0:06:03.240 the extra mile. In fact, this phrase comes from the scripture. 0:06:03.880 --> 0:06:06.960 Jesus said it in Matthew five point forty one. If 0:06:06.960 --> 0:06:10.440 someone asked you to walk a mile with them, do more, 0:06:10.960 --> 0:06:15.240 go two miles. Back in those days, a Roman soldier, 0:06:15.480 --> 0:06:18.680 when they were traveling through the city, they could require 0:06:18.839 --> 0:06:22.680 by law a person to carry their armor for one mile. 0:06:23.400 --> 0:06:26.000 After that mile, they would have to find somebody else. 0:06:26.800 --> 0:06:29.200 Jesus said, if they ask you to carry it for 0:06:29.279 --> 0:06:33.560 a mile, go beyond the call of duty. Do more 0:06:33.640 --> 0:06:36.200 than is expected, carry it two miles. 0:06:36.760 --> 0:06:38.280 That's the attitude we should have. 0:06:39.080 --> 0:06:41.400 Not I'm going to go to work and do as 0:06:41.440 --> 0:06:43.719 little as I can to try to keep this job. 0:06:44.000 --> 0:06:46.359 Now I'm a person of excellence, I'm going to go 0:06:46.440 --> 0:06:48.040 beyond the call of duty. 0:06:48.080 --> 0:06:50.440 I'm going to do more than is expected in me. 0:06:51.360 --> 0:06:54.039 That means, if you're supposed to be at work at eight, 0:06:54.520 --> 0:06:57.440 you show up ten minutes early. You do more than 0:06:57.480 --> 0:07:00.919 you have to. You don't start shutting the thirty minutes 0:07:01.000 --> 0:07:03.840 before the day's over. No, you go the extra mile. 0:07:05.040 --> 0:07:08.599 Some people go to work fifteen minutes late, walk around 0:07:08.600 --> 0:07:11.160 the office, get a cup of coffee, get to their 0:07:11.160 --> 0:07:14.320 desk about eight thirty, spend the next half hour surfing 0:07:14.320 --> 0:07:18.240 the internet, making personal phone calls. They wonder why they 0:07:18.240 --> 0:07:23.280 don't get promoted. Here's why God doesn't reward sloppiness. God 0:07:23.360 --> 0:07:28.520 rewards excellence. One time in the scripture, Abraham told his 0:07:28.600 --> 0:07:32.240 assistant to go to a foreign country and find a 0:07:32.360 --> 0:07:36.000 wife for his son Isaac. He said, the way you 0:07:36.160 --> 0:07:39.560 know you will find the right girl is when you 0:07:39.640 --> 0:07:42.080 go to the well. She'll not only offer you something 0:07:42.120 --> 0:07:45.640 to drink, but she'll offer to get your camel's water 0:07:45.840 --> 0:07:49.240 as well. This assistant got to the foreign land. He 0:07:49.360 --> 0:07:52.720 was at the well about sunset. Here comes this beautiful 0:07:52.760 --> 0:07:56.920 young lady named Rebecca. He said, ma'am, I've been traveling 0:07:56.960 --> 0:08:00.160 all day. I'm so thirsty. Would you mind lower in 0:08:00.200 --> 0:08:04.200 your bucket and getting me some water to drink? She said, sure, 0:08:04.240 --> 0:08:07.040 I will, but let me get your camels something to 0:08:07.120 --> 0:08:08.280 drink as well. 0:08:08.760 --> 0:08:09.800 Here's what's interesting. 0:08:10.440 --> 0:08:13.920 A camel after a long day's walk can drink thirty 0:08:14.000 --> 0:08:14.920 gallons of water. 0:08:15.520 --> 0:08:18.640 This man had ten camels within If. 0:08:18.480 --> 0:08:20.960 She had a one gallon bucket, she was saying, yes, 0:08:21.040 --> 0:08:23.560 I'll dip down once and get you something to drink. 0:08:23.920 --> 0:08:27.880 Plus I'll dip down three hundred more times to get 0:08:27.880 --> 0:08:29.680 your camel's water as well. 0:08:29.840 --> 0:08:33.800 That's going way beyond the call of duty. Now, notice 0:08:33.800 --> 0:08:34.520 what happens. 0:08:35.040 --> 0:08:38.880 She is chosen to marry Isaac, who comes from the 0:08:38.920 --> 0:08:42.920 wealthiest family of that day. I doubt she had to 0:08:43.040 --> 0:08:47.520 draw three hundred gallons of water. Ever again, friends, God 0:08:47.800 --> 0:08:51.960 rewards excellence. When you do more than what's required of you, 0:08:51.960 --> 0:08:56.000 you'll see God's goodness in a new way. Well, you say, Joel, 0:08:56.040 --> 0:09:00.439 I'm declaring God's favor. I'm declaring promotion and increasing it's coming. 0:09:00.679 --> 0:09:03.040 That's great. That's one part of it. 0:09:03.559 --> 0:09:06.320 But the second part is are you getting to work 0:09:06.360 --> 0:09:09.160 on time? Are you doing more than you have to? 0:09:09.920 --> 0:09:13.000 Are you better this year than you were last year? 0:09:14.080 --> 0:09:18.720 Your company shouldn't get along nearly as well without you. 0:09:18.720 --> 0:09:22.760 You should be so skilled, so productive, so valuable, so 0:09:22.960 --> 0:09:25.160 needed they can't afford. 0:09:24.760 --> 0:09:26.160 To lose you. 0:09:26.200 --> 0:09:30.200 See, we live in a very competitive marketplace. If you're 0:09:30.240 --> 0:09:36.160 not growing, improving, learning new skills, you're falling behind. If 0:09:36.160 --> 0:09:39.000 you're at the same skill level today that you were 0:09:39.040 --> 0:09:42.400 five years ago, you're at a disadvantage. 0:09:42.480 --> 0:09:44.079 You need to take steps to. 0:09:44.160 --> 0:09:48.360 Grow whatever you do, get better at it. If you're 0:09:48.360 --> 0:09:53.840 a carpenter, an architect, a computer programmer, take classes, find 0:09:53.880 --> 0:09:57.880 a mentor study ways that you can be more productive, 0:09:58.160 --> 0:10:03.320 more efficient. Don't get it's stagnant and excellent person keeps growing. 0:10:04.559 --> 0:10:08.440 Sunday afternoons, after our final service, I'll sit with an 0:10:08.600 --> 0:10:13.319 editor and I still edit my sermons for the television broadcast. 0:10:13.520 --> 0:10:17.720 I've done five hundred and sixty messages, thirteen years worth. 0:10:18.160 --> 0:10:21.280 You'd think, surely I don't need to watch another one. 0:10:21.360 --> 0:10:23.160 If I haven't learned how to do it by now, 0:10:23.240 --> 0:10:25.720 I'm never going to get it right. No. I study 0:10:25.840 --> 0:10:28.960 each one of them to see what's good and what 0:10:29.080 --> 0:10:32.280 could be better. This point was a little long. That 0:10:32.400 --> 0:10:35.800 section was really great. I'm talking too fast there. I'm 0:10:35.880 --> 0:10:41.880 constantly evaluating, analyzing not only my part, but the production, 0:10:42.520 --> 0:10:47.240 the lighting, the camera angles. My attitude is there's always 0:10:47.400 --> 0:10:48.679 room for improvement. 0:10:49.160 --> 0:10:50.760 We can always get better. 0:10:51.800 --> 0:10:55.360 People that watch on television say, Joel, we never hear 0:10:55.400 --> 0:10:59.000 you make a mistake, You never stumble, you never stutter, 0:10:59.080 --> 0:11:02.160 nothing at all. Always tell them the truth. It's because 0:11:02.200 --> 0:11:06.520 I know how to edit. That's what I did for seventeen. 0:11:06.080 --> 0:11:07.880 Years behind the scenes for my father. 0:11:08.240 --> 0:11:10.560 I know how to cut out the stutters, the mistakes, 0:11:10.600 --> 0:11:14.560 the stumbles. The truth is I don't have to It's 0:11:14.600 --> 0:11:17.480 fine the way it goes out live. Nobody has ever 0:11:17.520 --> 0:11:19.839 complained about it. But I want it to be the 0:11:19.880 --> 0:11:23.240 best that it can possibly be. I don't want to 0:11:23.280 --> 0:11:25.640 be at this same level next year as I am 0:11:25.720 --> 0:11:29.439 right now. I want to be more effective, more annointed, 0:11:29.679 --> 0:11:34.360 more skill making a greater difference. When you're a person 0:11:34.400 --> 0:11:39.600 of excellence, you don't get stagnant. You're always taking steps 0:11:39.640 --> 0:11:41.720 to improve, looking. 0:11:41.440 --> 0:11:44.600 For ways that you can be better. Here's what I found. 0:11:45.000 --> 0:11:48.439 Favor and excellence go hand in hand. 0:11:48.960 --> 0:11:53.760 Increase promotion, reaching your highest potential. It is all tied 0:11:54.120 --> 0:11:58.480 to a spirit of excellence. I say this respectfully, but 0:11:58.960 --> 0:12:01.800 some people are driving car that hasn't been washed in 0:12:01.880 --> 0:12:04.800 six months. Used to be a two tone, now it's 0:12:04.840 --> 0:12:08.520 a four tone. Well, Joel, it's an old piece of junk. 0:12:08.720 --> 0:12:11.680 I'll do it when I get something better now. If 0:12:11.679 --> 0:12:14.960 you don't take care of what God's given you, how 0:12:14.960 --> 0:12:18.280 can God bless you with more. I've been in mud 0:12:18.360 --> 0:12:23.280 huts in Africa, no running water, a dirt floor, yet 0:12:23.320 --> 0:12:29.680 the place is spotless, everything is clean, organized perfectly in place. 0:12:29.840 --> 0:12:33.959 Why is that they have a spirit of excellence? Whether 0:12:34.040 --> 0:12:36.960 you have a lot or a little, whether it's new 0:12:37.200 --> 0:12:40.400 or old. Take pride in what God has given you. 0:12:41.679 --> 0:12:44.120 After the service, I walk up to the visitors area 0:12:44.160 --> 0:12:46.720 and if I ever see a piece of paper on 0:12:46.800 --> 0:12:51.400 the floor, a gum wrapper, a bulletin, I automatically pick 0:12:51.440 --> 0:12:55.520 it up. I don't have to, somebody will eventually get it. 0:12:55.920 --> 0:12:57.480 But when you have a spirit of. 0:12:57.400 --> 0:13:02.520 Excellence, it's ingrained in you. Sometimes in between services on 0:13:02.640 --> 0:13:06.000 Sunday in the nursery hallways, there'll be a cracker on 0:13:06.040 --> 0:13:09.400 the floor that's all crumpled up. I'll always ask Johnny 0:13:09.640 --> 0:13:12.360 if he'll call the cleaning crew because I want to 0:13:12.360 --> 0:13:15.280 get it cleaned up before that next group comes in. 0:13:16.120 --> 0:13:16.400 See. 0:13:16.400 --> 0:13:21.600 I realize this building represents Almighty God. That's why we 0:13:21.640 --> 0:13:23.679 do our best to take care of it in a 0:13:23.720 --> 0:13:27.679 first class way. We make sure it's painted, the lawn 0:13:27.760 --> 0:13:31.360 is perfect, the hallways are spotless, the equipment works, the 0:13:31.400 --> 0:13:32.000 cameras are. 0:13:31.960 --> 0:13:32.640 State of the art. 0:13:32.679 --> 0:13:37.200 Why we represent God and God is not sloppy. God 0:13:37.280 --> 0:13:40.480 is not run down. God is not second class. He 0:13:40.679 --> 0:13:45.560 is an excellent God. And that doesn't mean that you 0:13:45.679 --> 0:13:48.640 have to have the best to represent God. It simply 0:13:48.720 --> 0:13:52.400 means whatever God has given you, take care of it. 0:13:52.880 --> 0:13:54.720 The best you possibly can. 0:13:56.000 --> 0:13:58.800 Sometimes a can of paint can make a world a difference, 0:13:59.320 --> 0:14:03.160 pulling some cleaning the carpet, being more organized. Do what 0:14:03.360 --> 0:14:08.040 you can to represent God in an excellent way. When 0:14:08.080 --> 0:14:11.400 our children were younger, we used to take them to Disneyland. 0:14:11.920 --> 0:14:16.600 That place is always spotless. I have never once seen 0:14:16.640 --> 0:14:17.679 a piece of gum. 0:14:17.520 --> 0:14:18.480 Stuck to the floor. 0:14:19.320 --> 0:14:22.240 Hundreds of thousands of people go through every year, and 0:14:22.280 --> 0:14:23.720 it still looks brand new. 0:14:24.080 --> 0:14:25.440 I thought, how do they do this? 0:14:26.240 --> 0:14:28.680 One day I was there and I saw these men 0:14:28.760 --> 0:14:31.320 going around with tools to scrape up gum. 0:14:32.000 --> 0:14:33.840 That's all they do all day long. 0:14:34.800 --> 0:14:39.280 If Disney can keep their parks that first class, that clean, 0:14:39.600 --> 0:14:42.200 how much more should we keep God's house. 0:14:42.200 --> 0:14:49.160 Clean and first class? Now take this to your own life, 0:14:49.280 --> 0:14:50.240 your house. 0:14:50.440 --> 0:14:53.320 Your car, your close, your cubicle. 0:14:52.920 --> 0:14:53.680 Your office. 0:14:54.120 --> 0:14:56.680 I'm not asking you to spend a lot of money. 0:14:56.760 --> 0:14:59.720 It's all in how you choose to take care of 0:14:59.760 --> 0:15:02.320 what God has given you. I'm asking you to do 0:15:02.400 --> 0:15:08.000 it with excellence, knowing that you represent Almighty God. Years ago, 0:15:08.120 --> 0:15:10.120 I was driving to church when it was at the 0:15:10.160 --> 0:15:13.880 other location, and when I got close, for some reason 0:15:13.920 --> 0:15:18.160 that day, I noticed how many people didn't take care 0:15:18.320 --> 0:15:22.680 of their homes. The yards weren't mode, Weeds were everywhere, 0:15:23.240 --> 0:15:26.640 things were stored all over the place. I'm not being critical. 0:15:26.640 --> 0:15:28.280 I'm sure they're fine people, but I. 0:15:28.280 --> 0:15:31.120 Couldn't help but notice it just one house after another, 0:15:31.320 --> 0:15:32.800 as sloppy as could be. 0:15:33.520 --> 0:15:36.920 As I continued driving in the midst of all those houses, 0:15:37.520 --> 0:15:42.400 one home stood out. The yard was immaculate, the house 0:15:42.600 --> 0:15:47.560 was clean and painted, beautiful flowers out front, everything perfectly 0:15:47.640 --> 0:15:48.200 in place. 0:15:49.000 --> 0:15:51.280 When I got to church, I commented to someone about 0:15:51.280 --> 0:15:51.840 that house. 0:15:52.200 --> 0:15:54.880 They said, oh, yeah, Joel, that's so and so's house. 0:15:55.080 --> 0:15:58.440 There's some of our most faithful members. I thought, that 0:15:58.440 --> 0:16:02.640 doesn't surprise me. Lake people are people of excellence. They 0:16:02.640 --> 0:16:07.160 were a cut above. They stood out in the crowd. 0:16:08.360 --> 0:16:11.680 Now they could have had the attitude. Nobody takes care 0:16:11.680 --> 0:16:14.840 of their loans in our neighborhood. Why should we know 0:16:14.960 --> 0:16:17.400 they have a spirit of excellence. 0:16:18.320 --> 0:16:19.120 You may be in a. 0:16:19.080 --> 0:16:25.680 Situation where everybody around you it's a little lazy, indifferent, undisciplined. 0:16:26.080 --> 0:16:28.800 Don't let that rub off on you. You be the 0:16:28.840 --> 0:16:32.040 one to have an excellent spirit like this family. You 0:16:32.160 --> 0:16:35.320 be the one to stand out in the crowd. Well, 0:16:35.360 --> 0:16:37.680 you said, Joel, you mean, I drove all the way 0:16:37.720 --> 0:16:40.600 here today. I tuned in to hear you tell me 0:16:40.720 --> 0:16:44.920 to clean up my house. No, not just that, mow 0:16:45.000 --> 0:16:50.720 your lawn too. But seriously, what kind of witness is 0:16:50.760 --> 0:16:54.440 it to our friends, our neighbors, our co workers. If 0:16:54.440 --> 0:16:57.920 our yard is sloppy, our car is never washed, we're 0:16:57.960 --> 0:17:01.960 always running late everywhere we go. That's not a good representation. 0:17:02.440 --> 0:17:05.160 And the truth is, that's not who you really are. 0:17:05.840 --> 0:17:10.000 God made you as a person of excellence. Maybe all 0:17:10.040 --> 0:17:13.840 you've seen modeled is mediocrity. But God is calling you 0:17:13.880 --> 0:17:16.720 to a higher standard. He's going to take you places 0:17:16.760 --> 0:17:19.120 you've never dreamed of. But you've got to do your 0:17:19.200 --> 0:17:22.600 part and stir up the excellence that's on the inside. 0:17:23.320 --> 0:17:26.560 Don't make excuses or this is the way I've always been, 0:17:26.880 --> 0:17:29.639 you know, take this challenge to come up to a 0:17:29.760 --> 0:17:34.640 higher level of excellence. Even in our personal appearance, how 0:17:34.680 --> 0:17:37.640 we dress, how we present ourselves. 0:17:38.280 --> 0:17:41.320 There are all different styles, we have different taste. 0:17:41.920 --> 0:17:44.119 One is not right and the other is wrong. You 0:17:44.160 --> 0:17:46.640 may not like to wear a suit, that's fine. The 0:17:46.640 --> 0:17:50.680 main thing is make sure you present yourself in a 0:17:50.720 --> 0:17:54.400 way that you're proud of. Don't leave the house feeling sloppy, 0:17:54.840 --> 0:17:57.920 feeling less than your best, knowing that you didn't take 0:17:58.000 --> 0:18:01.159 time to look as good as you could have. You 0:18:01.359 --> 0:18:05.120 are a temple of the most high God, God lives 0:18:05.160 --> 0:18:09.520 in you. Take time to take care of yourself. Some 0:18:09.600 --> 0:18:12.760 of you ladies, you're very good at taking care of others. 0:18:13.200 --> 0:18:16.520 You put the children first. You're a great wife. You're 0:18:16.560 --> 0:18:20.040 running the household. But you need to start taking time 0:18:20.400 --> 0:18:21.760 to take care of yourself. 0:18:22.359 --> 0:18:25.639 Go get your nails done, get your hair done, get. 0:18:25.520 --> 0:18:28.400 A massage, Go work out, go to the mall, Go 0:18:28.480 --> 0:18:30.000 have some fun with some of your friends. 0:18:30.280 --> 0:18:32.440 It's scriptural to. 0:18:32.440 --> 0:18:35.840 Take care of yourself in an excellent way. Some of 0:18:35.880 --> 0:18:38.520 you men haven't bought yourself any new. 0:18:38.400 --> 0:18:43.040 Clothes in twenty seven years. That your you wear has 0:18:43.040 --> 0:18:45.280 been in and out of style already three different times. 0:18:46.440 --> 0:18:50.560 You're an excellent worker. You're a great provider for your family. 0:18:51.080 --> 0:18:52.320 I'm simply saying. 0:18:52.280 --> 0:18:54.680 Make sure you take care of yourself. 0:18:55.880 --> 0:18:57.919 One time, Victoria asked me to run up to the 0:18:57.920 --> 0:19:01.040 grocery store to pick up something so she could. 0:19:00.880 --> 0:19:02.040 Finish making dinner. 0:19:02.720 --> 0:19:05.960 I just worked out, and I was very hot and sweaty, 0:19:06.000 --> 0:19:09.080 and it's wearing an old T shirt. And run down 0:19:09.400 --> 0:19:11.359 jim shorts that I used to wear around the house. 0:19:11.520 --> 0:19:14.480 I didn't look good at all, but I didn't feel 0:19:14.520 --> 0:19:17.520 like cleaning up, so I decided to just run up 0:19:17.520 --> 0:19:19.600 to the grocery store and hopefully. 0:19:19.240 --> 0:19:20.159 Nobody would see me. 0:19:21.600 --> 0:19:24.520 When I pulled in the parking lot, I heard God 0:19:24.720 --> 0:19:27.480 speak to me, not out loud, but you know, just 0:19:27.480 --> 0:19:30.840 an impression down in here. He said, Joel, don't you 0:19:31.040 --> 0:19:34.399 dare go in there looking like that. Don't you know 0:19:35.320 --> 0:19:38.960 you represent me. I am the King of Kings, the 0:19:38.960 --> 0:19:40.240 creator of the universe. 0:19:40.520 --> 0:19:42.719 I deserve respect and honor. 0:19:43.840 --> 0:19:46.880 I turned around, went back home, took a shower, comb 0:19:46.880 --> 0:19:48.280 my hair, put on clean clothes. 0:19:48.640 --> 0:19:49.520 I went back up. 0:19:49.400 --> 0:19:52.119 To the grocery store and picked up those TV dinners 0:19:52.160 --> 0:20:00.840 at Victoria. Warning, but understand, I'm not gonna look that way. 0:20:01.640 --> 0:20:07.560 We represent Almighty God, and God does not like sloppiness, 0:20:08.480 --> 0:20:10.800 even around the house. Of course, we all like to 0:20:10.880 --> 0:20:14.840 be super casual. But make sure you still look good 0:20:14.960 --> 0:20:19.080 for your children, still look good for your spouse. Ladies, 0:20:19.119 --> 0:20:21.800 you may need to get rid of that bathrobe that 0:20:22.000 --> 0:20:25.840 was passed down to you by your great great grandmother and. 0:20:25.880 --> 0:20:26.800 Get you something new. 0:20:26.960 --> 0:20:30.399 Oh, Joel, it's so comfortable, it's so sentimental. I've had 0:20:30.440 --> 0:20:32.320 it for so many years. Let me tell you what 0:20:32.400 --> 0:20:33.240 nobody will tell you. 0:20:33.480 --> 0:20:34.119 It's ugly. 0:20:36.280 --> 0:20:39.560 The truth is you're too beautiful to wear that thing. 0:20:40.880 --> 0:20:44.880 Get your husband's credit card, Go up to the mall. 0:20:47.320 --> 0:20:51.600 There's a certain store. I don't want to give away 0:20:51.600 --> 0:20:57.840 any free advertisement, but it starts with my wife's first name, Victoria. 0:20:58.680 --> 0:21:05.639 I can't tell you the rest secret. Find something that 0:21:05.760 --> 0:21:08.399 makes you look like the masterpiece God made you to be. 0:21:11.560 --> 0:21:16.080 Now you men can thank me later. When you're at 0:21:16.080 --> 0:21:19.480 the store shopping and something accidentally falls off the rack, 0:21:20.000 --> 0:21:21.800 don't act like you don't see it and just leave 0:21:21.840 --> 0:21:24.879 it there. A person of excellence picks it up and 0:21:24.880 --> 0:21:27.480 puts it back. When you're shopping for groceries and you 0:21:27.560 --> 0:21:30.200 decide you don't want the cereal anymore, don't just stick 0:21:30.240 --> 0:21:31.439 it over by the detergents. 0:21:32.680 --> 0:21:35.280 A person of excellence takes it where it belongs. 0:21:36.280 --> 0:21:38.960 Somebody that has a spirit of excellence doesn't park in 0:21:39.000 --> 0:21:42.040 a handicapped spot because they don't feel like walking. Bottom 0:21:42.080 --> 0:21:45.520 line is this, When you have this spirit of excellence, 0:21:45.680 --> 0:21:48.640 you do the right thing, not because somebody's watching you, 0:21:49.119 --> 0:21:51.760 not because they're making you do it, you do it 0:21:52.000 --> 0:21:55.679 to honor God. At our house, we used to have 0:21:55.760 --> 0:21:59.879 these five gallon containers of water. They come in big 0:22:00.119 --> 0:22:02.200 last barrels and they have a neck on the top, 0:22:02.240 --> 0:22:04.359 and you have to flip it over and put it 0:22:04.400 --> 0:22:06.520 on a dispenser, and that's how the water comes out. 0:22:06.920 --> 0:22:09.639 Well. Victoria lights everything super clean. 0:22:10.400 --> 0:22:12.720 And even though the place where the water comes out 0:22:12.880 --> 0:22:16.120 is sealed, the receptor goes way up into the neck. 0:22:16.320 --> 0:22:18.920 It's no way germs could get up in there. Didn't matter. 0:22:19.160 --> 0:22:22.679 Victoria lights to wipe down the whole bottle with soap 0:22:22.840 --> 0:22:26.080 and water. Well, even after you dry it off, it's 0:22:26.320 --> 0:22:30.560 very slippery, which makes it extremely difficult to get up there. 0:22:31.280 --> 0:22:34.879 I had debated with her several times about why we 0:22:35.000 --> 0:22:38.040 do not need to wipe down the whole bottle, just 0:22:38.119 --> 0:22:40.080 maybe the end, but couldn't convince her. 0:22:40.440 --> 0:22:42.320 I gave her my word that I would do it. 0:22:42.840 --> 0:22:45.679 But there were plenty of times I was in the 0:22:45.720 --> 0:22:48.160 pantry all by myself. 0:22:48.920 --> 0:22:50.080 Nobody could see me. 0:22:50.720 --> 0:22:53.480 I'm tired, I don't feel like struggling with this bottle 0:22:53.520 --> 0:22:53.840 of water. 0:22:54.119 --> 0:22:55.960 I get it almost up. 0:22:55.880 --> 0:22:58.480 And I hear that still small voice, and Joel be 0:22:58.560 --> 0:23:00.760 a person of excellence the right thing. 0:23:01.000 --> 0:23:01.840 You gave your. 0:23:01.720 --> 0:23:03.720 Word, I'd have to put it down, go get the 0:23:03.760 --> 0:23:04.440 soap and water. 0:23:04.840 --> 0:23:05.560 What am I saying? 0:23:05.840 --> 0:23:09.880 A person of excellence does the right thing, even when 0:23:09.920 --> 0:23:14.159 nobody's watching, even when you don't agree, even when you 0:23:14.240 --> 0:23:18.639 don't think it's necessary. Sometimes you have to say, God, 0:23:18.960 --> 0:23:21.359 I don't feel like doing this, but I'm gonna do 0:23:21.400 --> 0:23:21.960 it under you. 0:23:22.800 --> 0:23:23.040 God. 0:23:23.119 --> 0:23:25.160 What my boss is asking me to do is not right, 0:23:25.320 --> 0:23:26.480 but I'm gonna do it under you. 0:23:26.840 --> 0:23:28.720 God. I didn't make the mess. I shouldn't have to 0:23:28.720 --> 0:23:30.520 clean it up, but I'm gonna do it under you. 0:23:31.680 --> 0:23:34.800 Some people are not seeing God's favor like they should 0:23:35.240 --> 0:23:37.879 because they're not passing the small test. 0:23:38.960 --> 0:23:40.119 Being more excellent. 0:23:40.720 --> 0:23:43.720 May not be some huge adjustment you need to make. 0:23:44.280 --> 0:23:47.680 May just be something small, like getting to work ten 0:23:47.720 --> 0:23:50.880 minutes earlier, not complaining when you have to clean up, 0:23:51.240 --> 0:23:53.680 doing the right thing even though you don't feel like it. 0:23:54.080 --> 0:23:57.920 The scripture says, it's the little foxes that spoil the vines. 0:23:58.520 --> 0:24:00.720 If I were to put that water on the dispenser 0:24:00.800 --> 0:24:04.200 week after week without washing it, nobody would have known 0:24:04.880 --> 0:24:08.439 except me and God. I could have gotten away with it. 0:24:08.880 --> 0:24:09.640 But here's the key. 0:24:10.280 --> 0:24:14.240 I don't want something small to keep God from releasing 0:24:14.280 --> 0:24:19.760 something big into my life. Are there areas where you 0:24:19.880 --> 0:24:23.560 know God's dealing with you about coming up higher? Anytime 0:24:23.680 --> 0:24:26.640 God asked you to do something, if you will obey 0:24:27.200 --> 0:24:28.200 a reward. 0:24:28.040 --> 0:24:28.679 We'll follow. 0:24:29.640 --> 0:24:31.720 One time I was in a parking lot and it 0:24:31.760 --> 0:24:34.840 was very windy outside, and when I opened my car door, 0:24:35.240 --> 0:24:38.320 several pieces of newspaper flew out, and as I reached 0:24:38.320 --> 0:24:40.879 down to pick them up, the wind caught them and 0:24:40.920 --> 0:24:44.600 they blew fifteen or twenty feet in different directions. I 0:24:44.640 --> 0:24:47.280 didn't feel like going picking that up. I looked in 0:24:47.359 --> 0:24:49.600 the parking lot. There was already a whole lot of 0:24:49.600 --> 0:24:52.320 other trash there. I was in a hurry. 0:24:52.640 --> 0:24:53.439 I was tired. 0:24:53.680 --> 0:24:56.600 I came up with all these excuses as to why 0:24:56.680 --> 0:24:59.600 I didn't need to pick up my trash. Almost convinced 0:24:59.640 --> 0:25:02.919 myself the last moment I decided to be a person 0:25:02.920 --> 0:25:03.600 of excellence. 0:25:04.160 --> 0:25:07.000 I ended up running around that whole parking lot. 0:25:07.280 --> 0:25:09.439 My mind was saying, Joel, what are you doing out here? 0:25:09.640 --> 0:25:12.600 It doesn't matter, just let it go. Finally got it 0:25:12.640 --> 0:25:15.439 picked up, came back to my car. What I didn't 0:25:15.520 --> 0:25:18.600 realize is there was a couple sitting in the car 0:25:18.720 --> 0:25:22.480 next to me watching all this take place. They rolled 0:25:22.480 --> 0:25:24.679 down their window and said, Joel, we watch you on 0:25:24.720 --> 0:25:25.920 television every week. 0:25:27.000 --> 0:25:29.960 I'll never forget what the lady said. We were watching 0:25:30.119 --> 0:25:33.160 to see what you were going to do. Thought, Oh, 0:25:33.280 --> 0:25:34.920 thank you Jesus. 0:25:37.680 --> 0:25:41.680 Whether you realize it or not, people are watching you, 0:25:42.640 --> 0:25:47.240 even in small areas. Make sure you're representing God in 0:25:47.280 --> 0:25:50.160 a great way. In the Book of Daniel, it talks 0:25:50.160 --> 0:25:54.440 about how he had an excellent spirit as a teenager. 0:25:54.960 --> 0:25:58.680 He was brought out of Judah into Babylon. The king 0:25:58.880 --> 0:26:01.959 was training all these young men, and the best ones, 0:26:02.160 --> 0:26:05.639 the smartest, the strongest, the most talented, would become the 0:26:05.640 --> 0:26:09.280 next leaders. They had a certain diet to eat, certain 0:26:09.320 --> 0:26:12.600 program to follow. But Daniel had made a vow to 0:26:12.720 --> 0:26:17.280 God that he would always honor him. The Babylonians were 0:26:17.320 --> 0:26:21.639 worshiping idols. Daniel was respectful, but he wouldn't eat the 0:26:21.760 --> 0:26:25.040 king's fancy food. He didn't just follow along and do 0:26:25.119 --> 0:26:26.639 what everyone else was doing. 0:26:27.000 --> 0:26:29.600 He made more excellent choices. 0:26:30.119 --> 0:26:35.360 In Daniel chapter six, it says Daniel so distinguished himself 0:26:35.960 --> 0:26:40.000 by his exceptional qualities that the king planned on putting 0:26:40.040 --> 0:26:43.159 him in charge of the whole kingdom. Notice it doesn't 0:26:43.160 --> 0:26:46.680 say that God distinguished Daniel and he got promoted. 0:26:47.320 --> 0:26:50.000 It says he distinguished himself. 0:26:50.880 --> 0:26:56.159 The message translation says he totally outclassed. 0:26:55.280 --> 0:26:56.800 Those around him. 0:26:57.320 --> 0:27:00.280 That's what happens when number one, you'll honor God with 0:27:00.359 --> 0:27:04.440 your life, and number two, you have a spirit of excellence. 0:27:04.840 --> 0:27:06.120 You don't compromise. 0:27:06.680 --> 0:27:09.560 You don't just go with the flow do what everybody 0:27:09.600 --> 0:27:14.800 else is doing. Like Daniel, you make the more excellent decisions. 0:27:15.440 --> 0:27:18.719 It goes on to tell how Daniel was ten times 0:27:18.720 --> 0:27:21.879 smarter than the other young men. When you have an 0:27:21.960 --> 0:27:28.480 excellent spirit, God will give you unprecedented favor, creativity, ideas 0:27:28.840 --> 0:27:32.640 that will cause you to stand out. You will outclass 0:27:32.800 --> 0:27:36.600 in humility those around you that are not honoring God. 0:27:37.760 --> 0:27:42.760 My question today, are you distinguishing yourself? Are you going 0:27:42.800 --> 0:27:46.240 the extra mile, doing more than you have to, making 0:27:46.240 --> 0:27:50.240 the more excellent choices. God is always dealing with us 0:27:50.480 --> 0:27:53.480 about some area to come up higher in. Maybe it's 0:27:53.520 --> 0:27:57.240 to be more excellent in how you treat people more excellent, 0:27:57.280 --> 0:27:59.480 and how you present yourself more excellent. 0:27:59.480 --> 0:28:02.480 When it comes to your career and improving your skills. 0:28:03.000 --> 0:28:04.560 Don't let something small. 0:28:05.000 --> 0:28:07.920 Keep God from releasing something big into your life. 0:28:08.080 --> 0:28:10.280 You are called to be a cut above. 0:28:10.760 --> 0:28:14.080 You have excellence on the inside, now stir it up 0:28:14.320 --> 0:28:16.960 and bring it to the outside. Now I believe and 0:28:17.040 --> 0:28:20.840 declare today because I'm looking at people of excellence. God 0:28:20.920 --> 0:28:24.800 is going to give you more wisdom, more ideas, more strength, 0:28:25.000 --> 0:28:26.000 more creativity. 0:28:26.400 --> 0:28:27.600 Like Daniel, You're going. 0:28:27.480 --> 0:28:31.680 To outclass, outperform, outshine. God is going to promote you, 0:28:32.040 --> 0:28:34.400 put you in a place of honor, and you will 0:28:34.560 --> 0:28:36.800 fulfill your God given destiny. 0:28:36.600 --> 0:28:39.760 In Jesus' name. If you receive it, can you say amen. 0:28:41.560 --> 0:28:42.320 We never like to. 0:28:42.240 --> 0:28:45.480 Close our broadcast without giving you an opportunity to make 0:28:45.600 --> 0:28:48.480 Jesus the lord of your life. Would you pray with me? 0:28:49.120 --> 0:28:54.680 Just say, Lord, Jesus, I repent of my sins. Come 0:28:54.720 --> 0:28:58.280 into my heart. I make you my Lord and savior. 0:29:00.120 --> 0:29:02.320 If you prayed that simple prayer, we believe you got 0:29:02.360 --> 0:29:05.680 born again. Get in a good Bible based church. Keep 0:29:05.720 --> 0:29:06.680 God first place. 0:29:07.000 --> 0:29:09.440 He's going to take you places that you've never dreamed of. 0:29:10.040 --> 0:29:13.480 Thank you for listening to the Joelos Deine podcast. Help 0:29:13.560 --> 0:29:16.280 us continue to share the message of hope with those 0:29:16.400 --> 0:29:20.280 all over the world. Visit Joeloustein dot com slash give 0:29:20.360 --> 0:29:22.040 hope to give a gift today. 0:29:23.360 --> 0:29:25.800 Thanks so much for listening to today's message. 0:29:25.920 --> 0:29:28.640 I hope you'll subscribe so you can receive the latest 0:29:28.720 --> 0:29:32.200 podcast to keep you inspired all through the week. We're 0:29:32.240 --> 0:29:34.840 praying for you. I know God's best is still ahead. 0:29:35.080 --> 0:29:36.200 We'll see you next time. 0:29:43.120 --> 0:29:45.640 More than ever before, people are turning to the church 0:29:45.680 --> 0:29:49.400 for their mental health struggles. Unfortunately, the church has largely 0:29:49.480 --> 0:29:52.720 been ill equipped to help. 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