Investing In People

0:00:00.440 --> 0:00:03.040 Are you ready to move your career forward? Make your 0:00:03.040 --> 0:00:06.520 comeback with Perdue Global and get college credit for your work, school, life, 0:00:06.640 --> 0:00:09.760 or military experiences. With these credits, you may have already 0:00:09.760 --> 0:00:12.560 completed up to seventy five percent of your undergraduate degree. 0:00:12.640 --> 0:00:14.720 You've worked hard to get where you are. It's time 0:00:14.720 --> 0:00:16.880 to get the recognition you deserve and earn a degree 0:00:16.880 --> 0:00:19.520 you'll be proud of, one that employers will trust and 0:00:19.600 --> 0:00:21.799 respect when you take the next step in your life 0:00:21.800 --> 0:00:25.480 and career. Make account with Purdue Global produce online university 0:00:25.520 --> 0:00:29.600 for working adults. Start your comeback at Purdueglobal dot edu. 0:00:30.160 --> 0:00:32.120 He'll forget about the video game you gave him on 0:00:32.120 --> 0:00:32.680 his birthday. 0:00:33.000 --> 0:00:35.360 Wow, Thanks Grandpa. 0:00:34.720 --> 0:00:36.680 But he'll never forget how you invest it in his 0:00:36.760 --> 0:00:38.080 future with the uns stapp. 0:00:38.680 --> 0:00:40.640 Wow, Thanks Grandpa. 0:00:40.920 --> 0:00:43.479 The units stap makes it easy for grandparents and family 0:00:43.520 --> 0:00:46.199 friends to give funds to a child's investment account for 0:00:46.360 --> 0:00:48.880 limited time. Download the uns stapp and use the code 0:00:48.920 --> 0:00:51.280 iHeart fifty at sign up to receive a fifty dollars 0:00:51.280 --> 0:00:53.960 bonus when you fund your account. That's code iheard fifty 0:00:54.000 --> 0:00:57.160 When you sign up at unest dot co for fifty 0:00:57.200 --> 0:00:59.880 dollars bonus see terms and conditions at UNS dot c. 0:01:00.840 --> 0:01:03.560 No one likes to talk about money. Am I saving enough? 0:01:03.640 --> 0:01:05.720 Can I buy a house? Am I paying too much 0:01:05.720 --> 0:01:08.440 in taxes? Will I be able to retire? What if 0:01:08.440 --> 0:01:11.039 you could unlock insights about your finances in less than 0:01:11.080 --> 0:01:13.520 five minutes, with a clear picture of where you stand 0:01:13.560 --> 0:01:16.360 today and where your money can work harder? Now you 0:01:16.440 --> 0:01:19.440 can visit facet dot com to take the free quiz 0:01:19.480 --> 0:01:24.080 and get your financial wellness score today. That's Facet dot com. 0:01:24.080 --> 0:01:26.040 This add a sponsored by Facet. Facet Wealth in Corporated 0:01:26.120 --> 0:01:27.959 is an sec registered investment advisor. This is not an 0:01:28.000 --> 0:01:29.759 offer to buy your self securities, nor is it investment, 0:01:29.840 --> 0:01:30.760 legal or tax advice. 0:01:31.240 --> 0:01:33.959 Hi, this is Joel and Victoria. Thanks for listening to 0:01:34.000 --> 0:01:37.160 our podcast and thanks for supporting the ministry. If you 0:01:37.240 --> 0:01:39.840 enjoy today's message, why don't you be a blessing and 0:01:39.880 --> 0:01:42.559 share it with a friend. We appreciate you and pray 0:01:42.560 --> 0:01:56.480 for God's very best in your life. Oh God, bless 0:01:56.520 --> 0:02:00.240 you always our joy to come into your homes. We 0:02:00.320 --> 0:02:02.680 love you and we know God has great things in 0:02:02.760 --> 0:02:04.960 store for each one of you. If you're ever in 0:02:05.040 --> 0:02:07.040 our area, I hope you'll stop by and be a 0:02:07.040 --> 0:02:09.720 part of Lakewood. I say it often, but these are 0:02:09.760 --> 0:02:13.359 the finest people in all of Houston ride here at Lakewood, 0:02:13.400 --> 0:02:14.760 So come on out whenever you can. 0:02:15.919 --> 0:02:17.440 I like to start with something funny. 0:02:18.000 --> 0:02:20.960 I heard about this hill billy family that had never 0:02:21.120 --> 0:02:24.840 left their small town, never watched television, never listen to 0:02:24.880 --> 0:02:27.919 the radio. One day they decided to take a vacation 0:02:28.160 --> 0:02:31.119 to New York City. The first day, the father took 0:02:31.120 --> 0:02:35.200 his son to see a famous skyscraper. They were so impressed. 0:02:35.600 --> 0:02:39.200 They were especially intrigued by the elevator. They didn't know 0:02:39.280 --> 0:02:42.600 what it was. They saw this very old woman walk 0:02:42.680 --> 0:02:44.200 up and punch the button. 0:02:44.680 --> 0:02:46.680 All of a sudden, the walls opened up. 0:02:47.000 --> 0:02:49.800 She stepped into this small room, and the walls closed 0:02:49.800 --> 0:02:52.919 back up. They sat there contemplating what they had just seen. 0:02:53.480 --> 0:02:56.560 About that time, the walls opened back up and out 0:02:56.639 --> 0:02:58.280 stepped a beautiful. 0:02:57.960 --> 0:02:59.320 Twenty four year old woman. 0:03:00.800 --> 0:03:04.400 Almost in disbelief, the son said, Dad, what just happened? 0:03:04.680 --> 0:03:06.760 The dad said, I don't know, son, but go get 0:03:06.800 --> 0:03:09.919 your mother all ride. 0:03:10.320 --> 0:03:12.680 Hold up your bible say it like you mean it. 0:03:13.280 --> 0:03:16.280 This is my Bible. I am what it says, I am, 0:03:16.840 --> 0:03:19.280 I have what it says. I have, I can do 0:03:19.400 --> 0:03:22.000 what it says I can do. Today, I will be 0:03:22.040 --> 0:03:26.120 taught the word of God. I boldly confess my mind 0:03:26.200 --> 0:03:28.440 is alert, my heart is receptive. 0:03:28.760 --> 0:03:32.400 I will never be the same. In Jesus' name, God 0:03:32.480 --> 0:03:33.040 bless you. 0:03:33.919 --> 0:03:37.280 I want to talk to you today about investing in people. 0:03:38.080 --> 0:03:40.920 When we hear the word invest we often think of 0:03:41.320 --> 0:03:45.600 investing in the stock market, investing in real estate, investing 0:03:45.640 --> 0:03:49.560 for retirement. And that's good, but all of those investments 0:03:49.840 --> 0:03:54.400 will eventually fade away. The only investments that are going 0:03:54.440 --> 0:03:58.360 to last is our investments in other people, and we 0:03:58.400 --> 0:04:03.760 are all leaving a legacy see either intentional or unintentional. 0:04:04.360 --> 0:04:07.160 When it's unintentional, we just live life and wait to 0:04:07.200 --> 0:04:10.600 see what's going to happen. But when it's intentional, we're 0:04:10.640 --> 0:04:15.120 constantly looking for ways that we can invest in somebody else. 0:04:16.200 --> 0:04:19.559 Lou Holtz, the famous football coach, said, when I die, 0:04:20.000 --> 0:04:24.960 my accomplishments will eventually be forgotten, but what I've invested 0:04:25.120 --> 0:04:29.520 in my players will continue to live on. The best 0:04:29.600 --> 0:04:33.720 legacy is not what we leave for people. It's what 0:04:33.760 --> 0:04:41.800 we leave in people. We all have things that we've learned, skills, talents, life, experiences, wisdom. 0:04:42.440 --> 0:04:45.560 You have a wealth of knowledge that God has entrusted 0:04:45.600 --> 0:04:49.400 you with. You are not supposed to keep that to yourself. 0:04:50.040 --> 0:04:54.320 You should be passing that on to somebody else. We 0:04:54.400 --> 0:04:58.280 have a responsibility to transfer what we know to. 0:04:58.279 --> 0:05:02.080 The next generation. Are you taking time to invest in 0:05:02.120 --> 0:05:04.799 your children? Are you mentoring someone? 0:05:05.640 --> 0:05:09.640 Are you training that coworker, teaching them the skills you've learned. 0:05:10.040 --> 0:05:13.560 Are you sharing your wisdom, your experience, your insight with 0:05:13.640 --> 0:05:16.760 a neighbor, a friend, a young person so they don't 0:05:16.800 --> 0:05:18.520 make them the same mistakes. 0:05:18.120 --> 0:05:19.279 That you made. 0:05:19.560 --> 0:05:23.560 God expects us to impart to others and friends. You 0:05:23.600 --> 0:05:27.200 and I have an opportunity to leave a mark that 0:05:27.360 --> 0:05:31.400 cannot be erased. Yes, eventually we're all going to die, 0:05:31.520 --> 0:05:34.000 but when you invest in somebody else. 0:05:34.279 --> 0:05:35.960 You will continue to live on. 0:05:36.800 --> 0:05:40.800 Your life can have influence for generations to come if 0:05:40.880 --> 0:05:44.760 you will take time to invest in people. You remember 0:05:44.760 --> 0:05:47.880 the story Jesus told about the talents. Two of the 0:05:47.920 --> 0:05:50.920 men took their talents and went out and multiplied them. 0:05:51.320 --> 0:05:55.000 The master was very pleased, but this third man buried 0:05:55.120 --> 0:05:58.240 his talent in the ground. You could say he took 0:05:58.279 --> 0:06:02.000 his talent to the grave. He didn't share it with anyone. 0:06:02.440 --> 0:06:06.719 He didn't multiply it. He just lived to himself Luke, 0:06:06.839 --> 0:06:11.600 nineteen twenty two. The Master calls him an unfaithful servant. 0:06:12.400 --> 0:06:15.159 And when we're not taking time to share what we know, 0:06:15.720 --> 0:06:21.280 we're not mentoring, training, teaching, developing modeling, then we are 0:06:21.320 --> 0:06:25.000 not being faithful with what God has given us. The 0:06:25.040 --> 0:06:29.240 next generation should not have to start over. They shouldn't 0:06:29.279 --> 0:06:33.039 have to relearn what you've already learned. You should be 0:06:33.120 --> 0:06:37.520 pouring everything you know into your children, into a young person, 0:06:37.960 --> 0:06:41.360 into that coworker that's under you at the office. Well, 0:06:41.400 --> 0:06:44.080 you say, Joel, I'm busy. That takes a lot of time. 0:06:44.240 --> 0:06:47.159 I'm trying to reach my own goals. No, when you 0:06:47.279 --> 0:06:51.600 help others accomplish their dreams, God will help you accomplish 0:06:51.680 --> 0:06:56.279 your dreams. He'll multiply your time, He'll multiply your talents. 0:06:56.480 --> 0:06:59.960 He'll make sure that you rise higher. Now I've discovered 0:07:00.000 --> 0:07:03.559 and you never stand taller than when you reach down 0:07:03.920 --> 0:07:08.480 and help somebody else succeed. When you add value to others, 0:07:08.839 --> 0:07:12.240 you are adding value to yourself. Don't go to your 0:07:12.280 --> 0:07:16.440 grave with your talent buried. Find somebody to share it with. 0:07:17.360 --> 0:07:20.280 After all, none of us got to where we are 0:07:20.680 --> 0:07:25.120 by ourselves. From the moment we were born. Somebody was 0:07:25.160 --> 0:07:29.400 investing in us. Somebody was sharing their gift. The doctor 0:07:29.680 --> 0:07:33.120 that delivered you, the nurse that wrapped you up, the 0:07:33.120 --> 0:07:36.800 mother that loved you, the Sunday school teacher that trained you, 0:07:37.320 --> 0:07:40.680 the coach that taught you, the neighbor that befriended you, 0:07:41.160 --> 0:07:43.760 the boss that gave you a good break. None of 0:07:43.840 --> 0:07:47.360 us got to where we are on our own. Somebody 0:07:47.680 --> 0:07:52.720 took time to train us. Somebody sacrifice so we could succeed. 0:07:53.400 --> 0:07:57.040 Now our job is to reach back and help someone 0:07:57.120 --> 0:08:00.600 else succeed. I think about all the people that have 0:08:00.720 --> 0:08:05.760 invested in me. My grandfather was very disciplining. He had 0:08:05.800 --> 0:08:06.720 a very. 0:08:06.520 --> 0:08:07.920 Strong work ethic. 0:08:08.480 --> 0:08:12.440 He taught me by example the importance of being diligent 0:08:12.840 --> 0:08:17.320 and giving every job my very best. My grandmother, she 0:08:17.520 --> 0:08:20.400 was so full of joy. I never saw her upset. 0:08:20.960 --> 0:08:23.920 She constantly had a song of praise coming. 0:08:23.680 --> 0:08:26.239 Up out of her heart. And she is a big 0:08:26.320 --> 0:08:29.400 part of who I am today. She's one of. 0:08:29.320 --> 0:08:32.480 The main reasons why I smile practically all the time. 0:08:33.600 --> 0:08:36.880 I can still remember my basketball coach in seventh grade. 0:08:37.400 --> 0:08:40.640 I was the smallest player on the team. One day, 0:08:40.640 --> 0:08:42.520 I was in the hallway at school with all of 0:08:42.520 --> 0:08:45.880 my friends and he called me over. He's a big, 0:08:45.960 --> 0:08:48.920 gruff guy. I never showed much emotion. He looked me 0:08:48.920 --> 0:08:51.480 in the eyes and he said, Joel, it's not the 0:08:51.520 --> 0:08:54.440 size of the person that matters, it's the size of 0:08:54.520 --> 0:08:56.960 their heart. And let me tell you, you have a 0:08:56.960 --> 0:09:00.199 big heart. You're going to do great this year. When 0:09:00.240 --> 0:09:03.480 he said that, it was like I turned into Michael Jordan. 0:09:05.440 --> 0:09:06.719 That did more for my. 0:09:06.800 --> 0:09:10.920 Confidence, more for my self esteem than he could ever imagine. 0:09:11.240 --> 0:09:13.520 What was he doing investing in me? 0:09:14.440 --> 0:09:16.959 If you could see all the people that have made 0:09:17.000 --> 0:09:19.839 me into who I am today, the line would be 0:09:19.880 --> 0:09:26.240 one hundred yards long. Parents, grandparents, coaches, Sunday school teachers, aunts. 0:09:26.000 --> 0:09:28.760 Uncles, relatives, even my brother Paul. 0:09:30.280 --> 0:09:33.480 He has taught me by example, what not to wear, 0:09:33.679 --> 0:09:35.040 how not to play sports. 0:09:35.360 --> 0:09:36.520 Paul's invested in me. 0:09:37.920 --> 0:09:41.440 Growing up, my mother not only loved and cared for 0:09:41.520 --> 0:09:44.760 us children, but every day before we left for school, 0:09:45.120 --> 0:09:48.440 she would say, Father, thank you that my children have 0:09:48.600 --> 0:09:53.040 your favor wherever they go. I learned to expect God's 0:09:53.080 --> 0:09:55.880 favor from my mother. You know what I'm doing today 0:09:56.080 --> 0:10:00.560 telling other people to believe for God's favor. Take the 0:10:00.559 --> 0:10:03.600 gift that she gave me and bury it. I'm gonna 0:10:03.640 --> 0:10:06.960 pass it on to my children, my friends, my colleagues, 0:10:07.080 --> 0:10:08.160 my associates. 0:10:08.800 --> 0:10:09.840 My father was. 0:10:09.840 --> 0:10:13.160 Constantly telling me how great he thought I was and 0:10:13.200 --> 0:10:17.000 how I could do anything. He took time to mentor me. 0:10:17.640 --> 0:10:21.319 He was busy, but he gave me his attention. As 0:10:21.360 --> 0:10:23.240 a little boy, he used to go up to the 0:10:23.280 --> 0:10:26.240 hospital to visit people that were sick. He would always 0:10:26.559 --> 0:10:29.880 take me with him. He'd have me join hands with 0:10:29.960 --> 0:10:33.560 the family when we prayed. As a teenager, I would 0:10:33.640 --> 0:10:36.360 come down to the church during the summer and sit 0:10:36.440 --> 0:10:37.520 in meetings with him. 0:10:37.400 --> 0:10:40.239 At the office. Half the time I didn't. 0:10:40.000 --> 0:10:42.400 Know what was going on, but on the way home 0:10:42.440 --> 0:10:44.400 he had always explained it, Joe, this is what we 0:10:44.440 --> 0:10:46.640 were doing, this is the reason we were doing it. 0:10:47.160 --> 0:10:49.920 He didn't have to, he had a lot going on. 0:10:50.280 --> 0:10:54.160 But he understood this principle that he had a responsibility 0:10:54.440 --> 0:10:57.280 to pass on everything he possibly could. 0:10:57.800 --> 0:10:58.640 It's kind of funny. 0:10:58.640 --> 0:11:03.280 My father knew nothing about mechanics and how things operated. 0:11:03.360 --> 0:11:04.600 That wasn't one of his strengths. 0:11:04.600 --> 0:11:08.080 And one day our back doorknob the whole unit messed up, 0:11:08.120 --> 0:11:10.200 and so we went to the hardware store and bought 0:11:10.200 --> 0:11:12.520 a new one. I was about twelve years old and 0:11:12.880 --> 0:11:15.120 I was there trying to help him get the new 0:11:15.120 --> 0:11:15.560 one on. 0:11:15.640 --> 0:11:18.960 And my father worked and worked, and he couldn't get 0:11:18.960 --> 0:11:19.720 the old one off. 0:11:19.760 --> 0:11:22.280 And he had the hammer and he was beating that doorknob, 0:11:22.320 --> 0:11:27.800 and we ended up using kitchen utensils, knives, forks, fatulists. Finally, 0:11:27.880 --> 0:11:30.800 after about two hours, Daddy got that new doorknob, that 0:11:30.840 --> 0:11:33.600 whole unit on. He was so proud, he said, Joel, 0:11:33.640 --> 0:11:35.760 I told you, if you just stick with it, you'll 0:11:35.800 --> 0:11:38.000 get it done. He went to slam it and to 0:11:38.040 --> 0:11:39.520 shut it to show me how it worked. And when 0:11:39.559 --> 0:11:42.640 he did that doorknob hit the wood frame, it chipped, 0:11:42.679 --> 0:11:44.280 the trim bounced back open. 0:11:44.520 --> 0:11:46.959 He had put the whole thing on totally backwards. 0:11:47.760 --> 0:11:51.360 But what I appreciated about my father is he did 0:11:51.440 --> 0:11:55.520 his best to teach me everything he knew, and even 0:11:55.559 --> 0:12:00.000 sometimes things he didn't know. That I'm constantly telling my children, 0:12:00.400 --> 0:12:03.640 you're not only getting everything I have, not only everything 0:12:03.679 --> 0:12:07.520 I know, but you're getting everything Granddaddy imparted into me, 0:12:07.960 --> 0:12:11.600 everything grandmother gave me. They put it in and I'm 0:12:11.600 --> 0:12:13.560 going to do my best to pour it into you. 0:12:14.600 --> 0:12:17.640 Think about how high our children would go if we 0:12:17.679 --> 0:12:20.920 would all live like this. This is the way it's 0:12:20.960 --> 0:12:24.720 supposed to be. Every generation should build on the next. 0:12:25.640 --> 0:12:29.360 My children shouldn't have the same struggles that I've struggled with. 0:12:29.960 --> 0:12:33.640 They're starting at a higher level. There's more wisdom, more depth, 0:12:33.960 --> 0:12:36.960 more experience in our family line. They should take what 0:12:37.080 --> 0:12:40.080 I know and run with it. The only way this 0:12:40.200 --> 0:12:42.800 is going to happen is if we are taking time 0:12:43.120 --> 0:12:47.120 to invest. We have to transfer what we know into them. 0:12:47.800 --> 0:12:51.880 And really, I believe this is the best inheritance we 0:12:52.000 --> 0:12:56.440 can leave them, not leaving something for them, but leaving 0:12:56.480 --> 0:12:59.719 something in them. Don't get me wrong, I'm all for 0:13:00.080 --> 0:13:03.679 even resources, but that's not all I'm gonna leave. I'm 0:13:03.679 --> 0:13:07.440 gonna make sure I teach them everything I know about life, 0:13:07.800 --> 0:13:13.760 about ministry, about marriage, business economics, anything I know. I'm 0:13:13.760 --> 0:13:17.439 gonna pour it into them. My prayer and my declaration 0:13:17.600 --> 0:13:20.320 for all of our children is that they are going 0:13:20.400 --> 0:13:23.800 to start where we finish, and God's going to take 0:13:23.840 --> 0:13:27.160 them places we've never even dreamed of. Our children are 0:13:27.160 --> 0:13:31.760 gonna be mighty in the land, but so often today, 0:13:32.080 --> 0:13:35.840 instead of investing in our children and giving them the 0:13:35.920 --> 0:13:40.440 attention they need, we give them activities. We're running them 0:13:40.640 --> 0:13:44.080 here and there, taking them to this activity, and got 0:13:44.080 --> 0:13:45.960 to give them back to this special function and then 0:13:46.000 --> 0:13:47.160 to this other activity. 0:13:47.200 --> 0:13:48.920 It's like we're running a bus service. 0:13:49.480 --> 0:13:52.680 And we sit back and watch them play sports, and 0:13:52.960 --> 0:13:55.600 watch them do ballet, watch them in the school play 0:13:56.240 --> 0:13:56.840 And that's fine. 0:13:56.880 --> 0:13:58.160 I've played a lot of sports. 0:13:58.760 --> 0:14:05.520 But if we're not careful, we will substitute activity for attention. Understand, 0:14:05.679 --> 0:14:10.199 your children need you more than they need another activity. 0:14:10.720 --> 0:14:14.000 Studies tell us by the age of five, our children 0:14:14.280 --> 0:14:17.880 have already developed their sense of reasoning. By the age 0:14:17.920 --> 0:14:21.640 of twelve, ninety five percent of who they are and 0:14:21.680 --> 0:14:26.080 what they believe has already been established. Don't let the 0:14:26.160 --> 0:14:31.600 television be a babysitter for your children. Don't allow sports, 0:14:32.280 --> 0:14:36.200 ballet and band to take the time from you spending 0:14:36.280 --> 0:14:39.920 with them and you imparting into them. Well, you say, Joel, 0:14:39.960 --> 0:14:42.120 I really wanted to hear about my dreams today, not 0:14:42.200 --> 0:14:45.440 somebody else says no, your dreams are. 0:14:45.280 --> 0:14:46.720 Connected to other people. 0:14:47.160 --> 0:14:50.480 If you will help someone else rise higher, God will 0:14:50.480 --> 0:14:54.400 help you to rise higher. Take time to invest in others, 0:14:54.920 --> 0:14:59.360 share what you know, even in simple things. I think 0:14:59.440 --> 0:15:03.880 about how Victoria's family they've had a special recipe that's 0:15:03.920 --> 0:15:06.800 been in the family line for four or five generations. 0:15:07.200 --> 0:15:11.360 It's called Senator Russell's sweet potatoes. They're the best sweet 0:15:11.400 --> 0:15:14.320 potatoes in the world. They've got a crust of cinnamon 0:15:14.400 --> 0:15:18.000 and sugar and nuts. We don't even like the sweet potatoes, 0:15:18.040 --> 0:15:22.640 We just like the crust. But what happened is generations back, 0:15:22.760 --> 0:15:25.960 somebody came up with that great recipe. They cut a 0:15:26.040 --> 0:15:28.800 fat this is my special dish. I'm just gonna keep 0:15:28.840 --> 0:15:32.080 it to myself. No, they were living with this mindset, 0:15:32.400 --> 0:15:35.520 I've got to pass down everything good I possibly can. 0:15:36.160 --> 0:15:39.360 So one day that mother taught her daughter the recipe, 0:15:39.520 --> 0:15:42.320 and that daughter taught her daughter. Eventually it got down 0:15:42.360 --> 0:15:45.680 to Georgi, my mother in law. She taught her daughter Victoria. 0:15:46.080 --> 0:15:50.160 Now every Thanksgiving, Victoria and our daughter are in the 0:15:50.240 --> 0:15:53.240 kitchen making Senator Russell's sweet potatoes. 0:15:53.840 --> 0:15:55.600 Let me ask you, are. 0:15:55.480 --> 0:16:00.960 You transferring your wisdom, your experiences, your shortcuts, your recipes 0:16:01.440 --> 0:16:04.320 down to the next generation so they can start ahead 0:16:04.360 --> 0:16:07.400 of you. Do you have skills and gifts that you're 0:16:07.440 --> 0:16:08.440 just keeping to yourself. 0:16:08.480 --> 0:16:11.480 You're kind of taking that for granted. No pass them down. 0:16:12.320 --> 0:16:15.000 Just the other day, I was talking to our son Jonathan, 0:16:15.480 --> 0:16:18.800 he's fourteen, about how to prepare a message and how 0:16:18.840 --> 0:16:22.320 to study and how to communicate. I thought, I've been 0:16:22.360 --> 0:16:24.480 doing this for ten years. I want to make sure 0:16:24.520 --> 0:16:27.320 he at least knows what I know. You may think, well, Joel, 0:16:27.320 --> 0:16:29.920 I don't have any special expertise. 0:16:30.000 --> 0:16:32.680 I don't know that much. Sure you do. You know 0:16:32.800 --> 0:16:36.240 about life. You know what works and what doesn't. 0:16:36.800 --> 0:16:39.080 You know the mistakes you've made and what you've learned 0:16:39.080 --> 0:16:43.600 from it. You have experience, you have skills. Many times, 0:16:43.680 --> 0:16:46.200 what we take for granted is a big deal to 0:16:46.240 --> 0:16:49.640 someone else. Remember this older lady that used to come 0:16:49.680 --> 0:16:52.560 to Lakewood. Now she's since going to be with the Lord. 0:16:52.600 --> 0:16:54.480 And she wasn't very. 0:16:54.360 --> 0:16:58.680 Wealthy, She didn't have a quote expertise. Not many people 0:16:58.720 --> 0:17:02.000 would consider her to be very successful, but she was 0:17:02.040 --> 0:17:03.560 an expert in one thing. 0:17:04.280 --> 0:17:07.720 This lady knew how to pray. She used to come 0:17:07.760 --> 0:17:10.639 to the services early, sit in her chair and pray. 0:17:11.200 --> 0:17:13.399 I was eight or nine years old, and when she 0:17:13.440 --> 0:17:16.160 would see me walking through the auditorium, she would call 0:17:16.240 --> 0:17:17.800 me over and say, Joel. 0:17:17.560 --> 0:17:19.200 Come over and let me pray for you. 0:17:19.800 --> 0:17:21.800 I'd sit there for three or four minutes, and she 0:17:21.840 --> 0:17:25.800 would pray God's blessings, God's favor, God's wisdom, God's victory 0:17:25.800 --> 0:17:28.800 in my life, that lady not only taught me how 0:17:28.840 --> 0:17:33.000 to pray, but she modeled for me the importance of 0:17:33.080 --> 0:17:37.560 reaching out to others and speaking faith into their lives. 0:17:38.119 --> 0:17:40.560 She didn't have to call me over. In fact, I 0:17:40.640 --> 0:17:42.360 never wanted to go. 0:17:43.080 --> 0:17:46.000 It embarrassed me. I wanted to be out playing with 0:17:46.000 --> 0:17:46.720 my friends. 0:17:47.040 --> 0:17:50.720 I tried to avoid that, but invariably she would seek 0:17:50.760 --> 0:17:53.520 me out. Joel, come over, just give me five minutes. 0:17:54.119 --> 0:17:56.600 I'd walk over toward her like I was so excited. 0:17:57.440 --> 0:18:00.159 Down deep, I was thinking why did I come this way? 0:18:00.200 --> 0:18:00.680 Not again? 0:18:02.720 --> 0:18:07.160 But all that time, even subconsciously, I was taking it in. 0:18:07.760 --> 0:18:10.520 It was being ingrained in me. Reach out to others, 0:18:10.560 --> 0:18:12.320 speak faith into their lives. 0:18:12.840 --> 0:18:18.720 She never prayed fancy prayers, she never prayed anything super spiritual. 0:18:19.119 --> 0:18:22.000 She just said, God, give Joel wisdom, help him to 0:18:22.040 --> 0:18:26.439 fulfill his destiny for his life. What's my point? She 0:18:26.480 --> 0:18:29.840 had a gift, she had a skill. No, she wasn't 0:18:29.840 --> 0:18:33.000 a computer expert. She wasn't a master mechanic, she wasn't 0:18:33.000 --> 0:18:37.360 a medical doctor, but she was a prayer warrior. Now 0:18:37.359 --> 0:18:40.040 I don't know if that lady had children of her own, 0:18:40.560 --> 0:18:41.439 but I know this. 0:18:41.440 --> 0:18:44.840 Today, she is living on on the inside of me. 0:18:45.520 --> 0:18:48.439 Every time I get up and speak faith into people, 0:18:48.880 --> 0:18:50.359 a part of her is alive. 0:18:51.000 --> 0:18:53.439 She put something in me. She didn't have to. 0:18:53.760 --> 0:18:56.560 She could have prayed at home, she could have prayed silently, 0:18:57.119 --> 0:19:00.919 but she took time to invest in others. What do 0:19:01.000 --> 0:19:04.159 you have that you could be passing on may be 0:19:04.320 --> 0:19:08.440 a great gift. Maybe you're skilled in the arts and music, 0:19:08.800 --> 0:19:10.360 communication and cells. 0:19:10.840 --> 0:19:12.440 Pass it on to somebody else. 0:19:13.200 --> 0:19:15.600 Maybe your gift is what you'd consider to be something 0:19:15.960 --> 0:19:19.480 more simple, like this, lady, You've got a gift of kindness. 0:19:19.680 --> 0:19:23.040 You're an excellent mother, You're a skilled cook, You're an 0:19:23.040 --> 0:19:27.040 expert when it comes to fixing things. Instill those qualities 0:19:27.240 --> 0:19:30.800 in those around you. Take time to share what you know. 0:19:31.840 --> 0:19:33.880 It was in the grocery store a while back, and 0:19:33.960 --> 0:19:37.679 I noticed how they now have something called seedless fruit. 0:19:38.480 --> 0:19:41.680 You can buy an orange without any seeds. We've eaten 0:19:41.720 --> 0:19:45.840 it our home many times. Seedless watermelon. It's not natural 0:19:45.880 --> 0:19:49.440 it's been organically altered, and it's nice to eat because 0:19:49.480 --> 0:19:51.520 you don't have to worry about the seeds, don't have 0:19:51.520 --> 0:19:53.200 to worry about swallowing anything. 0:19:53.520 --> 0:19:58.600 But the fact is, without the seeds, the fruit cannot reproduce. 0:19:59.320 --> 0:20:01.359 Once you eat, it's gone. 0:20:01.600 --> 0:20:02.680 The life is over. 0:20:03.560 --> 0:20:05.520 You know how a normal orange, if you ate it, 0:20:05.640 --> 0:20:07.240 you could take the seeds and plant them. 0:20:07.160 --> 0:20:07.719 In the ground. 0:20:08.200 --> 0:20:11.280 A certain amount of time, you'd have dozens and dozens 0:20:11.400 --> 0:20:16.080 more oranges. It would continue to live on, continue to perpetuate. 0:20:16.400 --> 0:20:19.960 That's the way God designed it. The problem with many 0:20:20.000 --> 0:20:24.719 people today is like this organically altered fruit, is they 0:20:24.760 --> 0:20:26.800 are living seedless lives. 0:20:27.520 --> 0:20:28.320 Yes they look. 0:20:28.240 --> 0:20:32.679 Successful, Yes they're accomplishing their dreams, but they're not sharing 0:20:32.800 --> 0:20:34.679 what they know with anyone else. 0:20:35.119 --> 0:20:36.840 They're just living to themselves. 0:20:37.400 --> 0:20:40.760 When their time is over, because they haven't sown any 0:20:40.760 --> 0:20:44.040 of these seeds, they won't continue to live on. They 0:20:44.080 --> 0:20:46.720 may leave a mark, but it will be quickly forgotten. 0:20:47.320 --> 0:20:49.720 I was reading about a young boy that was growing 0:20:49.800 --> 0:20:51.760 up in Ghana, West Africa. 0:20:52.200 --> 0:20:54.280 He was extremely poor, and at. 0:20:54.240 --> 0:20:58.159 Sixteen years old, he decided to leave home, determined to 0:20:58.200 --> 0:21:02.520 find some way to help better his people. Seven years later, 0:21:02.640 --> 0:21:05.280 he returned back to his village. The people were so 0:21:05.400 --> 0:21:08.120 excited they saw him coming down the road ran out 0:21:08.119 --> 0:21:12.200 to meet him. They were sure that he had brought wealth, riches. 0:21:11.880 --> 0:21:15.439 And abundance. They said to him, show us what you brought. 0:21:15.960 --> 0:21:19.159 Without saying a word, he reached into his pocket and 0:21:19.240 --> 0:21:23.560 pulled out three tiny seeds. They looked at him confused, 0:21:24.080 --> 0:21:26.640 They said, is this all you've brought us? You've been 0:21:26.680 --> 0:21:30.440 gone seven years, this is it. He planted those seeds 0:21:30.440 --> 0:21:34.000 in the ground. Not long after that, Ghana had its 0:21:34.040 --> 0:21:35.760 first cocoa plants. 0:21:36.080 --> 0:21:38.040 They multiplied and multiplied. 0:21:38.160 --> 0:21:41.440 Today, many years later, coco is one of the major 0:21:41.560 --> 0:21:45.959 products in Ghana. That young man left a mark that 0:21:46.160 --> 0:21:50.040 cannot be erased. How'd he do it by planting three 0:21:50.080 --> 0:21:54.440 simple seeds? Friends, you and I have the same opportunity 0:21:55.119 --> 0:21:59.320 when you live your life planting seeds in others, in 0:21:59.440 --> 0:22:03.040 parting what you know, your skills, your wisdom, your love, 0:22:03.160 --> 0:22:04.600 your kindness, your encouragement. 0:22:05.320 --> 0:22:07.760 Then as that seed takes root, it'll grow. 0:22:08.480 --> 0:22:11.719 That person will touch another person, and that person another, 0:22:11.760 --> 0:22:15.680 on and on. Before long, your life will be influencing 0:22:15.920 --> 0:22:20.520 thousands of people, even long after you've gone. What happened 0:22:20.960 --> 0:22:24.480 because you took time to invest in others, you will 0:22:24.520 --> 0:22:28.840 continue to live on. My grandmother is living on today 0:22:29.240 --> 0:22:32.880 through me. That coach that spoke faith into me, he's 0:22:32.960 --> 0:22:36.800 living on through me. Now I'm asking you to not 0:22:37.000 --> 0:22:41.720 live a seedless life that orange without seeds. It may 0:22:41.840 --> 0:22:45.960 taste good for a moment while it lasts, but once 0:22:46.000 --> 0:22:50.560 it's gone, it's over. The pleasure is far too temporary. 0:22:50.640 --> 0:22:56.760 It's the same way in life when we live without mentoring, training, teaching, modeling. 0:22:57.280 --> 0:23:01.240 We may have some success, but it's very short compared 0:23:01.280 --> 0:23:04.160 to what God had in store. When you reach out 0:23:04.240 --> 0:23:07.240 and touch others and they touch more people, all that's 0:23:07.280 --> 0:23:10.679 accumulated to your account. One day you'll look up and 0:23:10.720 --> 0:23:14.480 hear God say you left a mark that cannot be erased. 0:23:14.760 --> 0:23:19.320 You sold so many seeds that three generations later, four generations, 0:23:19.320 --> 0:23:24.000 five generations, people are still being influenced by your life. 0:23:24.040 --> 0:23:27.160 And every one of us should have a project, someone 0:23:27.359 --> 0:23:31.359 that we've taken under our wing. We're encouraging them, we're 0:23:31.359 --> 0:23:35.160 teaching them our skills, we're giving them our advice. Should 0:23:35.200 --> 0:23:38.680 start with our own children, or another young person, a 0:23:38.720 --> 0:23:41.840 coworker at the office. They could easily make it to 0:23:41.880 --> 0:23:45.159 the next level. They just need a little mentoring, a 0:23:45.200 --> 0:23:49.399 little training, take time to invest. I've heard it said 0:23:49.920 --> 0:23:54.879 there is no greater occupation than in helping someone else succeed. 0:23:56.040 --> 0:23:59.520 Nineteen thirty two, a baby was born to an unwed mother. 0:24:00.280 --> 0:24:03.600 Six weeks later, he was adopted by this loving couple. 0:24:04.320 --> 0:24:08.480 The age of five, this adopted mother suddenly died. For 0:24:08.520 --> 0:24:10.800 the next ten years, the little boy with his father, 0:24:11.240 --> 0:24:14.679 traveled the country searching for work for the father. The 0:24:14.720 --> 0:24:17.720 little boy told how, growing up, his favorite thing to 0:24:17.760 --> 0:24:20.760 do was go out to eat and watch the other 0:24:20.840 --> 0:24:25.480 families sitting together enjoying each other. He became fascinated with 0:24:25.600 --> 0:24:28.520 restaurants and he began to study the menus. 0:24:28.160 --> 0:24:29.639 And how everything worked. 0:24:30.119 --> 0:24:32.959 At the age of fifteen, the owner of a local 0:24:33.000 --> 0:24:36.520 restaurant gave him a job. This man took him under 0:24:36.560 --> 0:24:39.240 his wing and he began to teach him everything he 0:24:39.320 --> 0:24:43.040 knew about the restaurant business. At eighteen, the young man 0:24:43.119 --> 0:24:46.439 got drafted. After serving our country for four years, he 0:24:46.760 --> 0:24:49.880 came back home and once again that gentleman gave him 0:24:49.880 --> 0:24:52.719 a job. This time he put him in charge of 0:24:52.800 --> 0:24:57.040 four of his restaurants. They continued to flourish in nineteen 0:24:57.119 --> 0:25:01.200 sixty nine, that gentleman sold his business, and this young 0:25:01.240 --> 0:25:04.960 man decided to take everything he had learned and start 0:25:05.000 --> 0:25:10.320 his own restaurant. He called it Wendy's Old Fashioned Hamburgers. 0:25:10.920 --> 0:25:12.600 Today there are over six. 0:25:12.400 --> 0:25:16.840 Thousand Wendy's, and the owner, the late Dave Thomas, is 0:25:16.880 --> 0:25:19.720 still one of the most beloved and endeared people in 0:25:19.840 --> 0:25:24.639 all of America. Mister Thomas gave millions and millions to charities. 0:25:24.960 --> 0:25:30.800 He started numerous foundations to help adoption agencies, children learn skills, 0:25:31.240 --> 0:25:35.840 mentoring programs, on and on. Dave Thomas made a huge 0:25:35.880 --> 0:25:39.280 difference with his life, But it would have never happened 0:25:39.600 --> 0:25:42.960 if that loving couple had not adopted him, and if 0:25:43.000 --> 0:25:46.480 that restaurant owner had not taken time to mentor him, 0:25:46.960 --> 0:25:50.080 to train him, to teach him his skills, to show 0:25:50.119 --> 0:25:54.720 him his shortcuts, to impart into a young man. They 0:25:54.720 --> 0:25:59.320 didn't leave something for Dave Thomas. They left something in 0:25:59.400 --> 0:26:03.680 Dave Thomas. By investing in this young man, they left 0:26:03.680 --> 0:26:05.840 a mark that will not be erased. 0:26:07.280 --> 0:26:09.120 Look around, is. 0:26:09.080 --> 0:26:12.600 There someone in your life that you could easily take 0:26:12.680 --> 0:26:16.200 under your wing. You could mentor them, you could teach 0:26:16.280 --> 0:26:20.360 them your skills, you could speak faith into them. There 0:26:20.440 --> 0:26:25.160 is no greater giving than the giving of yourself. It's 0:26:25.200 --> 0:26:28.760 great to give money, that's important, But when you give yourself, 0:26:29.200 --> 0:26:33.320 your time, your energy, your advice, that is the ultimate gift. 0:26:34.040 --> 0:26:37.720 Now I've learned this. The greater the giving, the greater 0:26:37.840 --> 0:26:41.640 the living. You will never be more fulfilled than when 0:26:41.640 --> 0:26:45.480 you're making a difference in somebody else's life. I have 0:26:45.560 --> 0:26:48.480 a good friend that was raised in a very dysfunctional home. 0:26:49.000 --> 0:26:52.040 Her father was never around and her mother had plenty 0:26:52.040 --> 0:26:55.120 of problems on her own. At the age of sixteen, 0:26:55.200 --> 0:26:58.560 she was basically raising her younger brother. The mother was 0:26:58.600 --> 0:27:02.159 not responsible, never at home. This young lady was just 0:27:02.240 --> 0:27:05.280 crying out for help on the inside. One day, a 0:27:05.280 --> 0:27:08.960 friend at school mentioned that her father owned a small 0:27:09.040 --> 0:27:10.840 store and maybe he would give her a job. 0:27:11.560 --> 0:27:12.480 She went and applied. 0:27:13.119 --> 0:27:15.639 This man not only gave her a job, but he 0:27:15.680 --> 0:27:18.400 began to watch after her like she was. 0:27:18.320 --> 0:27:19.480 His very own daughter. 0:27:20.080 --> 0:27:22.480 He would make sure she would change the oil in 0:27:22.520 --> 0:27:24.960 her car at the right time, make sure she was 0:27:25.000 --> 0:27:27.840 doing okay in school, make sure she could balance the 0:27:27.920 --> 0:27:30.840 check book. He didn't realize it, but he was the 0:27:30.960 --> 0:27:35.080 father figure that she had so longed for years. Later, 0:27:35.160 --> 0:27:37.560 when the young lady went to get married, the father 0:27:37.720 --> 0:27:40.840 was still not around. You know who she chose to 0:27:40.840 --> 0:27:43.199 give her away at the wedding, The man from the 0:27:43.240 --> 0:27:44.000 small store. 0:27:44.760 --> 0:27:46.920 He took time to make a difference. 0:27:47.440 --> 0:27:50.320 He shared what he knew, he didn't take for granted, 0:27:50.400 --> 0:27:53.240 simple things like knowing when to change the oil in 0:27:53.320 --> 0:27:58.159 a car. And today I'm benefiting because this young lady 0:27:58.320 --> 0:28:02.120 is healthy and whole. Her friendship, her encouragement has made 0:28:02.200 --> 0:28:06.760 my life better. That man invested in her, she invested 0:28:06.800 --> 0:28:09.320 in me, and now I'm investing in others. 0:28:09.840 --> 0:28:12.320 He made a mark that cannot be erased. 0:28:13.040 --> 0:28:17.440 My challenge to you today is, don't live a seedless life. 0:28:18.040 --> 0:28:22.160 Take time to share what you know, mentor someone teach 0:28:22.200 --> 0:28:27.040 your skills. Invest in others. Friends, we're all leaving a legacy. 0:28:27.560 --> 0:28:31.680 Let's make sure it's an intentional legacy. Remember, we didn't 0:28:31.680 --> 0:28:34.920 get to where we are on our own. Somebody invested 0:28:34.960 --> 0:28:37.480 in us. Now make it a goal to invest in 0:28:37.520 --> 0:28:42.040 someone else. You can leave a mark that cannot be erased. 0:28:42.600 --> 0:28:48.040 If you will take time to invest in people, mentoring, teaching, training, modeling, 0:28:48.520 --> 0:28:51.760 than those seeds that you saw will be multiplied back 0:28:51.800 --> 0:28:55.360 to you. God will make sure you rise higher. He'll 0:28:55.360 --> 0:28:58.720 make sure you accomplish your dreams, you overcome your obstacles. 0:28:59.040 --> 0:29:01.640 I believe in the clar you will live that life 0:29:01.680 --> 0:29:03.680 of victory that He has in store. 0:29:03.680 --> 0:29:05.360 Amen, do you receive it today? 0:29:07.360 --> 0:29:10.040 Well? We never like to close our broadcast without giving 0:29:10.040 --> 0:29:12.920 you an opportunity to make Jesus the lord of your life. 0:29:13.160 --> 0:29:16.880 Would you pray with me? Just say, Lord, Jesus, I 0:29:17.000 --> 0:29:18.040 repent of my sins. 0:29:19.120 --> 0:29:22.160 Come into my heart. I make you my Lord and 0:29:22.240 --> 0:29:24.080 save you. Friends. 0:29:24.080 --> 0:29:26.360 If you prayed that simple prayer, we believe you got 0:29:26.360 --> 0:29:26.960 born again. 0:29:27.680 --> 0:29:31.120 Thank you for listening to the joel Oustine podcast. Help 0:29:31.200 --> 0:29:33.920 us continue to share the message of hope with those 0:29:34.040 --> 0:29:37.920 all over the world. Visit Joelustine dot com slash give 0:29:38.000 --> 0:29:39.680 Hope to give a gift today. 0:29:40.960 --> 0:29:43.400 Thanks so much for listening to today's message. 0:29:43.520 --> 0:29:46.280 I hope you'll subscribe so you can receive the latest 0:29:46.320 --> 0:29:49.800 podcast to keep you inspired all through the week. We're 0:29:49.840 --> 0:29:52.480 praying for you. I know God's best is still ahead. 0:29:52.680 --> 0:29:53.720 We'll see you next time. 0:30:00.960 --> 0:30:03.680 With millions of books on Amazon, there's a reading feeling 0:30:03.720 --> 0:30:08.720 for everyone. For example, Raquel's Whoa when she first entered 0:30:08.760 --> 0:30:12.960 the Kingdom by Dragonback is different to Ari's Whoa when 0:30:13.000 --> 0:30:15.760 he found out there was more than one crime scene, 0:30:16.280 --> 0:30:21.040 which is also different to Ava's Whoa The moment when 0:30:21.040 --> 0:30:25.560 the stable boy became a stable man. From Whoa to 0:30:26.000 --> 0:30:30.440 Whoa Twooo. Amazon books that reading feeling awaits. 0:30:32.000 --> 0:30:35.760 All inclusive vacations make life easy with endless aids, bottomless drinks, 0:30:35.760 --> 0:30:38.280 and never ending fun, so booking an all inclusive vacation 0:30:38.320 --> 0:30:41.560 should be easy too, write That's where Apple Vacations comes in. 0:30:41.720 --> 0:30:44.280 Book You're All Inclusive. Getaway with Apple Vacations and receive 0:30:44.360 --> 0:30:47.240 exclusive perks as select resorts. You'll find the best deals 0:30:47.240 --> 0:30:49.840 to secrets resorts in spas, in Mexico and the Caribbean, 0:30:49.880 --> 0:30:53.160 and enjoy a selection of exclusive NonStop vacation flights. Turn 0:30:53.200 --> 0:30:55.840 on Easymode at Apple vacations dot com or call your 0:30:55.840 --> 0:30:57.520 local travel advisor to get started. 0:31:01.160 --> 0:31:06.400 Nice Buns, soft, fluffy and ultralownetcarbs discover hero Bread, the 0:31:06.440 --> 0:31:10.920 delicious ultralow net carbbread with incredible taste and texture. Hero 0:31:11.080 --> 0:31:13.640 Bread has zero grams of sugar and is under one 0:31:13.680 --> 0:31:16.560 hundred calories per serving, plus high in fiber and up 0:31:16.560 --> 0:31:19.880 to ten grams of protein per serving. Available on Amazon 0:31:19.920 --> 0:31:23.040 dot com, Walmart dot com, and Hero dot co. That's 0:31:23.240 --> 0:31:26.040 h ro o dot Co. Order from Hero dot co 0:31:26.400 --> 0:31:29.200 now and get ten percent off your purchase with promo 0:31:29.280 --> 0:31:30.520 code IHM ten