It's All Good

0:00:00.240 --> 0:00:02.640 You and your dog are close, like watch each other 0:00:02.680 --> 0:00:04.960 go to the bathroom close, But you could be even 0:00:05.000 --> 0:00:08.880 closer with BarkBox. Every month, BarkBox brings dogs and their 0:00:08.920 --> 0:00:12.639 humans together with original toys and delicious treatment. Sign up 0:00:12.640 --> 0:00:14.880 now at BarkBox dot com. Slash iHeart. 0:00:15.400 --> 0:00:18.119 No one likes to talk about money. Am I saving enough? 0:00:18.200 --> 0:00:20.239 Can I buy a house? Am I paying too much 0:00:20.280 --> 0:00:22.960 in taxes? Will I be able to retire? What if 0:00:23.000 --> 0:00:25.600 you could unlock insights about your finances in less than 0:00:25.600 --> 0:00:28.080 five minutes, with a clear picture of where you stand 0:00:28.080 --> 0:00:30.880 today and where your money can work harder. Now you 0:00:31.000 --> 0:00:34.000 can visit Facet dot com to take the free quiz 0:00:34.040 --> 0:00:38.640 and get your financial wellness score today. That's Facet dot com. 0:00:38.640 --> 0:00:40.600 This ad is sponsored by Facet. Facet Wealth in Corporated 0:00:40.680 --> 0:00:42.519 is an SEC registered investment advisor. This is not an 0:00:42.560 --> 0:00:44.600 offer to buy yourself security snor is it investment, legal 0:00:44.680 --> 0:00:45.280 or tax advice. 0:00:45.760 --> 0:00:48.360 Are you ready to move your career forward? Make your 0:00:48.360 --> 0:00:51.880 comeback with Purdue Global and get college credit for your work, school, life, 0:00:51.960 --> 0:00:55.080 or military experiences. With these credits, you may have already 0:00:55.080 --> 0:00:57.880 completed up to seventy five percent of your undergraduate degree. 0:00:57.960 --> 0:01:00.000 You've worked hard to get where you are. It's time 0:01:00.120 --> 0:01:02.200 to get the recognition you deserve and earn a degree 0:01:02.200 --> 0:01:04.840 you'll be proud of, one that employers will trust and 0:01:04.920 --> 0:01:07.119 respect when you take the next step in your life 0:01:07.120 --> 0:01:10.280 and career. Make it count with Purdue Global Produce online 0:01:10.319 --> 0:01:25.680 University for working adults. Start your comeback at Purdueglobal dot edu. 0:01:28.160 --> 0:01:30.560 Well, God bless you. It's a joy to come into 0:01:30.560 --> 0:01:33.479 your homes and you're ever in our area. Please stop 0:01:33.520 --> 0:01:35.559 buy and be a part of one of our services. 0:01:35.760 --> 0:01:38.360 I'll promise you we'll make you feel right at home. 0:01:39.040 --> 0:01:41.480 I'd like to start with something funny, and I heard 0:01:41.480 --> 0:01:44.640 about this airplane that was about to crash. There were 0:01:44.680 --> 0:01:49.320 four passengers, but only three parachutes. The first passenger said, 0:01:49.640 --> 0:01:53.120 I'm a leading heart surgeon. My patients need me, and 0:01:53.320 --> 0:01:56.640 he took the first parachute and jumped. Second passenger said, 0:01:56.840 --> 0:01:59.960 I'm a rocket scientist, one of the smartest men alive. 0:02:00.280 --> 0:02:03.360 My country needs me. Took the second parachute and jumped. 0:02:03.760 --> 0:02:07.280 The third passengers Pope John Paul. He said to the 0:02:07.320 --> 0:02:10.600 fourth passenger, a ten year old boy scout son, I'm 0:02:10.639 --> 0:02:13.239 old and frail. I don't have much time left. You 0:02:13.280 --> 0:02:16.079 can have the last parachute. The boy scout said, don't 0:02:16.080 --> 0:02:19.160 worry about it, sir, there are still two parachutes left. 0:02:19.480 --> 0:02:22.239 You see the smartest man alive. He just jumped out 0:02:22.360 --> 0:02:27.080 with my backpack. Say it like you mean it. This 0:02:27.280 --> 0:02:29.639 is my Bible. I am what it says I am. 0:02:30.160 --> 0:02:32.440 I have what it says I have. I can do 0:02:32.520 --> 0:02:35.000 what it says I can do. Today I will be 0:02:35.080 --> 0:02:38.800 taught the word of God. I boldly confess. My mind 0:02:38.880 --> 0:02:42.120 is alert, my heart is receptive. I will never be 0:02:42.240 --> 0:02:47.359 the same. In Jesus' name, God bless you. I want 0:02:47.360 --> 0:02:50.959 to talk to you today about it's all good. Life 0:02:51.000 --> 0:02:54.680 is full of things that we don't like. Disappointments. A 0:02:54.720 --> 0:02:58.640 friend betrayed us, we didn't get the promotion. We see 0:02:58.639 --> 0:03:02.400 these things as being naggad thinking that was bad. Didn't 0:03:02.440 --> 0:03:06.280 work out, my prayers weren't answered. But God won't allow 0:03:06.360 --> 0:03:10.400 a difficulty unless he's going to somehow use it for 0:03:10.480 --> 0:03:15.040 our good. This means everything that happens in life. We 0:03:15.160 --> 0:03:18.720 may not understand it, but if you'll keep the right attitude, 0:03:19.120 --> 0:03:23.919 it'll push you further into your destiny. Every closed doors, 0:03:24.400 --> 0:03:27.960 the delays the person that did you wrong, The loan 0:03:28.040 --> 0:03:31.959 that didn't go through. God says, it's all good. I'm 0:03:31.960 --> 0:03:35.760 in control. It may not feel good, but trust me 0:03:36.240 --> 0:03:38.880 and I'll use it for your good. And when you 0:03:39.000 --> 0:03:43.080 understand this principle, life is much more free. You don't 0:03:43.080 --> 0:03:46.960 get upset because a coworker is playing politics trying to 0:03:47.040 --> 0:03:50.840 keep you down. You know it's all good. God allowed it, 0:03:50.960 --> 0:03:53.720 and he's going to use it. You tried, but the 0:03:53.800 --> 0:03:57.040 business didn't make it. You don't give up on your dreams. 0:03:57.320 --> 0:04:00.320 You know it's all good. It's a part of the process. 0:04:00.840 --> 0:04:04.360 Even simple things. You get stuck in traffic, you don't 0:04:04.440 --> 0:04:07.119 let it frustrate you. Ruin the rest of your day. 0:04:07.520 --> 0:04:10.880 You know God is directing your steps. He may be 0:04:11.000 --> 0:04:14.080 keeping you from an accident, or he may be developing 0:04:14.160 --> 0:04:18.360 patience in you. Whatever it is, keep the right perspective, 0:04:18.720 --> 0:04:24.200 it's all good. This boils down to trusting God. We're 0:04:24.240 --> 0:04:28.000 never going to understand everything that happens in life. If 0:04:28.000 --> 0:04:30.880 you try to figure it all out, you'll be frustrated. 0:04:31.600 --> 0:04:34.919 God has an advantage. He can see the big picture 0:04:35.000 --> 0:04:38.400 for our lives. He knows where the dead ends are, 0:04:39.000 --> 0:04:43.280 where the shortcuts are, where the bumpy roads are, and 0:04:43.360 --> 0:04:47.279 sometimes he'll close a door that we're asking him to 0:04:47.360 --> 0:04:50.800 open because he knows it would be a waste of 0:04:50.839 --> 0:04:55.000 time when you're a mature person. Instead of getting bitter, 0:04:55.279 --> 0:04:58.880 you say, God, I trust you. I may not like it, 0:04:59.000 --> 0:05:02.320 but I believe you know what's best for me. Some 0:05:02.480 --> 0:05:05.000 of the things that God has in your future, if 0:05:05.000 --> 0:05:07.920 he gave them to you right now, you couldn't handle it. 0:05:08.640 --> 0:05:11.800 He loves you too much to let it happen. He's 0:05:11.880 --> 0:05:16.560 developing your character, growing you up. That boss that gets 0:05:16.560 --> 0:05:19.839 on your nerves doesn't treat you right. You keep trying 0:05:19.880 --> 0:05:23.520 to pray him away. The reason he's not going anywhere 0:05:24.200 --> 0:05:28.240 is because God's using him like sandpaper to rub the 0:05:28.279 --> 0:05:31.040 rough edges off of you. Now as you keep doing 0:05:31.080 --> 0:05:35.679 the right thing, keeping your mouth closed, being respectful, that's 0:05:35.720 --> 0:05:39.200 doing a work in you. You couldn't develop your character 0:05:39.400 --> 0:05:42.800 without him. You may not like it, but it's good. 0:05:43.320 --> 0:05:46.320 It's getting you prepared for the next level. God is 0:05:46.360 --> 0:05:50.279 asking us, do you trust me with your closed doors? 0:05:51.080 --> 0:05:54.320 Do you trust me with your unanswered questions, with the 0:05:54.320 --> 0:05:58.960 things you don't understand? Instead of fighting everything you don't like, 0:05:59.400 --> 0:06:02.279 why don't you have this new perspective? It's all good. 0:06:03.160 --> 0:06:05.800 This grouchy boss, I can't stand him, but I know 0:06:05.960 --> 0:06:09.240 he's good for me. This child that's hard to raise, 0:06:09.800 --> 0:06:13.560 this sickness. I'm dealing with this dream that's taken forever. 0:06:13.920 --> 0:06:16.559 I don't like it, but I'm not going to live bitter. 0:06:16.960 --> 0:06:19.679 I know God is on the throne. He's in control 0:06:19.720 --> 0:06:22.400 of my life. It may have been meant for my harm, 0:06:22.640 --> 0:06:25.720 but he's promised he will use it to my advantage. 0:06:26.360 --> 0:06:30.960 That's what Paul said in Romans. All things work together 0:06:31.320 --> 0:06:35.080 for good to those that love the Lord. Not some things, 0:06:35.120 --> 0:06:38.640 but all things. They may not be good at the time. 0:06:39.480 --> 0:06:43.120 It's painful to go through a loss, discouraging when a 0:06:43.200 --> 0:06:47.839 dream doesn't work out by itself. That may not be good, 0:06:48.279 --> 0:06:51.440 but God is promised he's going to bring it all together. 0:06:52.000 --> 0:06:56.040 One day you'll look back and say that was good. Well, Joel, 0:06:56.120 --> 0:06:59.200 I'm discouraged because I lost a loved won er. I'm 0:06:59.200 --> 0:07:02.480 bitter because of business partner cheated me. That wasn't good. 0:07:03.120 --> 0:07:07.880 The problem is you're isolating that one incident. God hasn't 0:07:07.920 --> 0:07:11.760 brought it all together yet. If that difficulty was going 0:07:11.800 --> 0:07:14.760 to keep you from your destiny, God would have never 0:07:14.800 --> 0:07:19.520 permitted it. That setback was really a setup for God 0:07:19.560 --> 0:07:21.960 to show out in your life. So you have to 0:07:22.000 --> 0:07:26.920 get rid of a victim mentality and have a victor mentality. 0:07:27.200 --> 0:07:30.320 When you have this attitude, that is all good. You 0:07:30.360 --> 0:07:33.120 don't go around with a chip on your shoulder because 0:07:33.120 --> 0:07:36.720 you had some bad breaks. You know, no weapon formed 0:07:36.720 --> 0:07:40.160 against you will prosper. You know. Weeping indoors for a night, 0:07:40.240 --> 0:07:43.200 but joy's coming in the morning. You know, it's just 0:07:43.240 --> 0:07:46.600 a matter of time before God brings it all together. 0:07:47.640 --> 0:07:51.920 We celebrated Good Friday recently. We call it good today, 0:07:52.600 --> 0:07:56.679 But two thousand years ago, when Jesus was crucified didn't 0:07:56.720 --> 0:08:00.320 look like a good Friday. The disciples thought it was 0:08:00.360 --> 0:08:03.840 the worst day of their lives. Their dreams were shattered, 0:08:04.360 --> 0:08:07.119 the man they had given their lives to was gone. 0:08:08.000 --> 0:08:11.280 Doubts filled their mind. Maybe he wasn't who he said 0:08:11.320 --> 0:08:14.520 he was. Maybe he tricked us and we wasted all 0:08:14.560 --> 0:08:18.800 this time. Can imagine Mary, the Mother of Christ, weeping 0:08:18.960 --> 0:08:21.840 and weeping as she sees her son on the cross. 0:08:22.440 --> 0:08:28.080 She's heartbroken, in so much pain. If someone would have suggested, Mary, 0:08:28.400 --> 0:08:31.200 this is a good Friday, she'd have thought, what are 0:08:31.240 --> 0:08:34.440 you talking about? Good? Look what's happening. But we all 0:08:34.520 --> 0:08:39.320 face these times when life doesn't make sense, a dream dies, 0:08:40.000 --> 0:08:42.680 a relationship comes to an end, or we come down 0:08:42.720 --> 0:08:47.959 with an illness. Nothing about the situation seems good. Good 0:08:48.080 --> 0:08:50.679 would have been the last word we would have used 0:08:50.720 --> 0:08:55.240 to describe this Friday. Better description would have been tragic Friday, 0:08:55.880 --> 0:09:00.800 lonely Friday, betrayed Friday in the heat of the easy 0:09:00.840 --> 0:09:04.600 to get discouraged. The disciples could have said, God, why 0:09:04.600 --> 0:09:07.559 did you let Judas betray him? Why did you let 0:09:07.559 --> 0:09:10.800 the soldiers crucify him? God, why did you abandon your 0:09:10.880 --> 0:09:14.800 son in his time of greatest need. But a few 0:09:14.880 --> 0:09:18.960 days later, after he arose from the grave and cooked 0:09:19.000 --> 0:09:21.760 them breakfast on the beach, appeared to them in the 0:09:21.840 --> 0:09:25.800 upper room. They realized he was who he said he was. 0:09:26.760 --> 0:09:30.560 They looked back on that Friday and said, it wasn't 0:09:30.559 --> 0:09:35.960 what we thought. It wasn't depressing Friday. It wasn't tragic Friday. 0:09:36.320 --> 0:09:38.960 It was all a part of his plan. It was 0:09:39.080 --> 0:09:42.680 good Friday. They looked back on what they thought was 0:09:42.720 --> 0:09:45.600 the darkest day of their lives, and they called it good. 0:09:46.559 --> 0:09:50.040 What am I saying? It's all good? May not be 0:09:50.120 --> 0:09:53.240 good right now? May not make sense on its own, 0:09:53.559 --> 0:09:57.120 but God knows how to bring it all together. And 0:09:57.200 --> 0:10:00.760 what you think is going to stop you hold you can. 0:10:00.800 --> 0:10:03.480 I tell you, if you will stay in faith, one 0:10:03.559 --> 0:10:06.319 day you will look back and say that it was good. 0:10:07.400 --> 0:10:11.400 If Judas had not betrayed Jesus, we wouldn't have salvation. 0:10:12.520 --> 0:10:17.080 God used the betrayal to move Jesus toward his destiny. 0:10:17.200 --> 0:10:20.920 The betrayal at the time didn't seem good. Hurts when 0:10:20.960 --> 0:10:24.959 somebody does you wrong, walks out on you, breaks your heart. 0:10:25.720 --> 0:10:28.480 You may not see it at the time, but without 0:10:28.600 --> 0:10:33.199 that betrayal, like Jesus, you couldn't become who you were 0:10:33.240 --> 0:10:37.720 created to be. If they left you, you didn't need them. 0:10:38.040 --> 0:10:41.160 If they walked away, they weren't a part of your destiny. 0:10:41.960 --> 0:10:45.400 It may be painful Friday right now, but keep moving forward. 0:10:45.600 --> 0:10:49.160 Sunday is coming. New beginnings are on the way. A 0:10:49.280 --> 0:10:54.720 resurrection is in your future. When God brings it all together, 0:10:55.440 --> 0:10:58.640 when you meet that person of your dream, somebody better 0:10:58.760 --> 0:11:01.880 than you ever imagine, you'll look back and say with 0:11:02.000 --> 0:11:05.040 a smile, it was a good Friday. When that old 0:11:05.040 --> 0:11:09.320 goat left, I mean, when that man left, that supervisor. 0:11:09.360 --> 0:11:12.600 That's tried to keep you down for years. You didn't 0:11:12.640 --> 0:11:16.400 realize it, but staying there with a good attitude, giving 0:11:16.440 --> 0:11:19.400 it your best, doing the right thing when the wrong 0:11:19.480 --> 0:11:23.560 thing was happening. That was developing your character, getting you 0:11:23.640 --> 0:11:26.560 prepared for the next level. You wouldn't be who you 0:11:26.679 --> 0:11:30.760 are today without that difficulty. You may not have liked it, 0:11:30.840 --> 0:11:33.240 but you can look back and say, that was a 0:11:33.280 --> 0:11:37.400 good Friday. That's what happened to us. Twice we tried 0:11:37.400 --> 0:11:41.360 to buy property to build a new sanctuary. On both 0:11:41.520 --> 0:11:45.200 times the property was sold out from under us. The 0:11:45.200 --> 0:11:49.480 first one, we had worked for six months doing soil samples, 0:11:49.559 --> 0:11:52.880 preliminary drawings. We went to close on the property real 0:11:52.960 --> 0:11:56.280 early in the morning. The secretary came out said, I'm sorry. 0:11:56.760 --> 0:12:00.360 The owner sold the property last night to someone else. 0:12:01.280 --> 0:12:04.240 It had been on the market for twenty years. We 0:12:04.240 --> 0:12:06.960 were so disappointed. I went home told Victoria is no 0:12:07.040 --> 0:12:10.800 place to build a new sanctuary. There didn't seem like 0:12:10.920 --> 0:12:15.120 anything good about that owner, not keeping his word, not 0:12:15.280 --> 0:12:17.640 selling us that property. If you would have told me 0:12:17.760 --> 0:12:20.719 it was a good friday, I'd have told you go 0:12:20.800 --> 0:12:24.880 jump in a lake. A few months later, we found 0:12:25.000 --> 0:12:29.120 another one hundred acre tract of land. Thought, Boy, this 0:12:29.200 --> 0:12:32.120 is even better. I prayed more fervently. Lord, Thank you 0:12:32.200 --> 0:12:34.959 for your favor. Thank you for opening this door. Same 0:12:35.040 --> 0:12:38.880 thing they sold it out from under us didn't make 0:12:38.960 --> 0:12:43.480 sense to me. I've learned God's ways are better than 0:12:43.520 --> 0:12:48.720 our ways. The right way to pray is God, this 0:12:48.800 --> 0:12:51.720 is what I want, this is what I'm believing for. 0:12:52.120 --> 0:12:55.640 But God, you know what's best for me. I trust you. 0:12:56.520 --> 0:12:59.240 If you're only going to be happy if God does 0:12:59.280 --> 0:13:03.520 it your way, that's not really trusting. That's not praying. 0:13:03.760 --> 0:13:06.480 That's giving God orders. God, Here's what I want you 0:13:06.520 --> 0:13:07.880 to do, when to do it, where to do it, 0:13:07.920 --> 0:13:11.080 here's who to use. I found God doesn't take orders. 0:13:12.080 --> 0:13:14.040 But this is one of the main reasons we get 0:13:14.040 --> 0:13:17.520 frustrated to discouraged because it's not happening in our way. But 0:13:17.640 --> 0:13:20.840 when you develop this trust, you let God do it 0:13:20.920 --> 0:13:25.720 his way. You know it's all good. If the door opens, 0:13:25.800 --> 0:13:29.319 you thank God. If it doesn't open, you still thank him. 0:13:29.920 --> 0:13:34.360 About six months after that last property sold, we received 0:13:34.400 --> 0:13:38.400 word that this place was coming available, the former Compact Center. 0:13:39.040 --> 0:13:43.240 I realize now the reason God closed those doors is 0:13:43.320 --> 0:13:48.000 because he had something much better in store. God can 0:13:48.040 --> 0:13:51.920 see things that we can't see. Now, I thank him 0:13:51.960 --> 0:13:55.360 for those closed doors. I look back and say, that 0:13:55.520 --> 0:13:59.320 wasn't a defeated Friday, after all, that was a good Friday, 0:14:00.200 --> 0:14:03.440 God keeping me from less than what he had in mind. 0:14:04.679 --> 0:14:09.080 Sometimes God will close a door because we're believing too small. 0:14:10.080 --> 0:14:13.160 You may have dreams that haven't worked out yet. You 0:14:13.280 --> 0:14:17.800 too have had some disappointed Fridays. Don't get discouraged. God 0:14:17.920 --> 0:14:22.160 knows what he's doing. Keep honoring him. Your Sunday is coming. 0:14:22.440 --> 0:14:25.960 He's going to open doors bigger, better than you ever imagine. 0:14:27.120 --> 0:14:30.560 My father went through a great disappointment. He had pastored 0:14:30.560 --> 0:14:33.240 this church for many years and given his life to 0:14:33.280 --> 0:14:36.080 the people. They had just built a new sanctuary. The 0:14:36.200 --> 0:14:38.960 church was growing. He was on the state board for 0:14:39.040 --> 0:14:43.200 his denomination on his way up. His future looked very bright, 0:14:44.000 --> 0:14:48.000 but my sister Lisa was born with something like cerebral palsy. 0:14:48.760 --> 0:14:51.880 My dad began to search the scriptures with a new 0:14:51.920 --> 0:14:55.760 set of eyes, fresh eyes, and he saw how Jesus 0:14:55.800 --> 0:14:59.160 went about healing people and how we're supposed to live 0:14:59.200 --> 0:15:04.360 in abundant, overcoming, victorious life. He went back and shared 0:15:04.360 --> 0:15:08.240 this with his congregation, thinking that they would be excited too. 0:15:08.680 --> 0:15:12.440 It was just the opposite. They didn't like his new message. 0:15:12.840 --> 0:15:17.000 It didn't fit in with their denominational teaching. He ended 0:15:17.080 --> 0:15:21.160 up having to leave that church. My mother had lifelong 0:15:21.280 --> 0:15:26.600 friends that never spoke to her again. They felt betrayed, discouraged. 0:15:27.160 --> 0:15:30.360 Nothing seemed good about having to leave a position you'd 0:15:30.360 --> 0:15:34.000 work so hard for and leave people that you'd grown 0:15:34.080 --> 0:15:38.600 to love. Seemed like a dark Friday, a lonely Friday, 0:15:38.760 --> 0:15:43.560 a betrayed Friday. But just as God opens doors, God 0:15:43.640 --> 0:15:47.480 closes doors. And God knew my father would never become 0:15:47.880 --> 0:15:51.400 who he was created to be in that limited environment. 0:15:52.000 --> 0:15:55.200 And we love the open doors. We celebrate God's favor, 0:15:55.760 --> 0:15:59.560 but when the door closes, it takes maturity to say, 0:16:00.080 --> 0:16:03.080 I don't understand it, but I'm not going to fight it. 0:16:03.400 --> 0:16:05.880 I'm not going to get bitter God. I trust you. 0:16:06.760 --> 0:16:10.480 My parents, instead of sitting around in self pity thinking 0:16:10.480 --> 0:16:13.640 about what they had lost, they went out and started 0:16:13.760 --> 0:16:17.480 Lakewood Church in an abandoned feed store with ninety people. 0:16:17.640 --> 0:16:20.240 It grew and grew to a church of thousands. We're 0:16:20.280 --> 0:16:25.080 still going strong today. Looking back years later, my father 0:16:25.160 --> 0:16:29.320 would tell you that betrayal getting pushed out. That was 0:16:29.360 --> 0:16:32.800 a good Friday in his life, that pushed him into 0:16:32.840 --> 0:16:36.280 the fullness of his destiny. At the time, it didn't 0:16:36.360 --> 0:16:40.800 seem good. When you're hurting, disappointed, every thought will tell 0:16:40.840 --> 0:16:43.640 you this isn't fair. God, Why did you let this 0:16:43.720 --> 0:16:48.040 happen to me. I'm asking you to trust him. God 0:16:48.160 --> 0:16:51.640 knows what he's doing. It may not seem good, but 0:16:51.760 --> 0:16:55.520 when he brings it all together, you'll look back and say, 0:16:55.560 --> 0:16:58.080 it was a good Friday. I couldn't see it at 0:16:58.080 --> 0:17:00.760 the time, but it was good that they sold the 0:17:00.840 --> 0:17:04.600 property out from under us. Jesus would tell you it 0:17:04.680 --> 0:17:08.200 was good that Judas betrayed me. My father would tell 0:17:08.240 --> 0:17:10.919 you it was good that I got pushed out of 0:17:10.920 --> 0:17:15.800 that position. See, sometimes your enemies will do more to 0:17:15.840 --> 0:17:20.600 promote you than your friends. If my critics had not 0:17:20.760 --> 0:17:23.680 been so vocal, I would have never learned to pray 0:17:23.800 --> 0:17:26.439 like I pray when my dad went to be with 0:17:26.480 --> 0:17:29.280 the Lord. If I had not overheard people say, and 0:17:29.359 --> 0:17:32.080 he can't do it, the church is never going to last, 0:17:32.359 --> 0:17:35.879 I would have never had so much determination. Some of 0:17:35.880 --> 0:17:38.240 my critics, I need to write them a check. They 0:17:38.320 --> 0:17:41.639 thought they were going to stop me, discourage me, intimidate me. 0:17:42.119 --> 0:17:45.280 They don't realize God's use them to light a fire 0:17:45.359 --> 0:17:51.920 on the inside. They helped me learn how to pray 0:17:51.960 --> 0:17:55.720 bold prayers, how to declare God's favor, how to be 0:17:55.760 --> 0:17:58.440 a victory and not a victim, how to stand strong 0:17:58.520 --> 0:18:00.960 and fight the good fight of faith. Day. Mint it 0:18:01.040 --> 0:18:04.360 for harm, God, use it to my Advantish what am 0:18:04.400 --> 0:18:10.800 I saying? It's all good? Even your enemies quick complaining 0:18:10.880 --> 0:18:13.800 about the opposition. The people trying to push you down, 0:18:14.040 --> 0:18:17.560 make you look bad. They don't control your destiny. God does. 0:18:18.960 --> 0:18:22.280 You may be in a Friday today. Nothing in your 0:18:22.320 --> 0:18:26.520 life seems good, dealing with an illness, struggling in a relationship, 0:18:26.640 --> 0:18:30.080 you have people coming against you. It seems dark, lonely, discouraging. 0:18:30.640 --> 0:18:33.119 You don't see how it could ever work out. Stay 0:18:33.160 --> 0:18:36.840 in faith. God wouldn't have allowed that if it wasn't 0:18:36.840 --> 0:18:40.840 going to move you toward your destiny. You're in Friday. 0:18:41.040 --> 0:18:45.439 The good news Sunday is coming. When you see your resurrection, 0:18:46.119 --> 0:18:50.000 when God vindicates you, promotes you, healed you, restores you, 0:18:50.359 --> 0:18:53.720 when He pays you back double for that unfair situation. 0:18:54.400 --> 0:18:58.760 That's what turns defeated Friday into good Friday. No more 0:18:58.800 --> 0:19:04.000 betrayed Friday, no more disappointed Friday. Now it's blessed Friday. 0:19:04.320 --> 0:19:08.679 It's joyful Friday, It's victorious Friday. Friend of mine told 0:19:08.760 --> 0:19:11.320 about this couple. They would go up to the hospital 0:19:11.400 --> 0:19:14.399 every week to visit people and encourage them. And one 0:19:14.480 --> 0:19:16.720 day the man had just parked his car and he 0:19:16.880 --> 0:19:20.480 was walking across the street to the main entrance. This 0:19:20.640 --> 0:19:24.920 car came around the corner very fast, almost out of control, 0:19:25.160 --> 0:19:27.880 and hit the man, knocked him up on the hood, 0:19:28.200 --> 0:19:31.080 over the car and down to the pavement. He was 0:19:31.160 --> 0:19:34.320 rushed to the emergency room, where they discovered that he 0:19:34.359 --> 0:19:37.560 had bleeding on his brain. They had to take a 0:19:37.600 --> 0:19:41.159 full body scan to see if there were any more injuries. 0:19:41.720 --> 0:19:44.200 They were looking a course for broken bones, for any 0:19:44.240 --> 0:19:47.720 more bleeding. That was all fine, but they did find 0:19:47.880 --> 0:19:51.480 a tumor on his kidney. They did a biopsye and 0:19:51.520 --> 0:19:54.600 found out that it was cancer. A few days after 0:19:54.680 --> 0:19:59.240 the swelling went down, he had surgery to remove the kidney. 0:19:59.520 --> 0:20:03.560 Today cancer free. The surgeon told him if they had 0:20:03.600 --> 0:20:06.679 not found that cancer, it was the type that spread 0:20:06.800 --> 0:20:10.879 very quickly, most likely would have taken his life. My 0:20:10.960 --> 0:20:14.280 point is, it's all good, even things that at the 0:20:14.359 --> 0:20:18.520 time seem bad. Going to the hospital to volunteer and 0:20:18.560 --> 0:20:20.960 you get hit by a car man seemed like you 0:20:21.040 --> 0:20:24.680 got bad luck. Nothing good happened for you. No, God 0:20:24.720 --> 0:20:27.560 wouldn't have allowed it if he wasn't going to use 0:20:27.600 --> 0:20:30.680 it for good. We may not always see it, Ay, Joe, 0:20:30.720 --> 0:20:33.120 I don't believe this because I've had things happen and 0:20:33.200 --> 0:20:35.960 it did nothing but pull me down. You don't know 0:20:36.000 --> 0:20:38.960 what God was doing behind the scenes, or maybe God 0:20:39.080 --> 0:20:42.720 hasn't brought it all together yet. This is what faith 0:20:42.840 --> 0:20:47.440 is all about. When things happen that we don't like, disappointments, 0:20:47.520 --> 0:20:51.560 bad breaks, betrayal, we can get negative, live bitter, or 0:20:52.000 --> 0:20:55.359 we can say God, I trust you. I don't understand it, 0:20:55.600 --> 0:20:58.440 but I believe when you bring it together, it's going 0:20:58.480 --> 0:21:03.040 to work for me against me. Two young men were 0:21:03.080 --> 0:21:06.680 traveling to Kenya to work on a missions projects. They 0:21:06.680 --> 0:21:10.480 were both former college basketball players. This was their first 0:21:10.520 --> 0:21:14.640 trip overseas. They were so excited. They prayed that everything 0:21:14.640 --> 0:21:17.920 would go smoothly, but when the plane tried to land 0:21:18.040 --> 0:21:23.240 in London, it was too foggy. They missed their connecting flight. Felt, 0:21:23.240 --> 0:21:25.480 oh gray, what a way to start. They had to 0:21:25.480 --> 0:21:28.720 spend the night in the airport. The next flight, the 0:21:28.760 --> 0:21:32.000 only seats available were up in first class. They put 0:21:32.000 --> 0:21:35.719 them right up front. About midway through the flight, the 0:21:35.760 --> 0:21:39.960 plane took a nose dive started heading straight toward the ground. 0:21:40.000 --> 0:21:44.000 People screaming, panicking. They thought they were going to die. 0:21:44.040 --> 0:21:47.840 These young men heard some noise in the cockpit, seemed 0:21:47.880 --> 0:21:50.880 like a commotion. This was before nine to eleven, which 0:21:50.920 --> 0:21:53.560 you could go up front. They went into the cockpit. 0:21:53.960 --> 0:21:58.560 This deranged man had taken over the controls of the plane. 0:21:58.720 --> 0:22:00.760 The pilots were trying to get it off, but they 0:22:00.760 --> 0:22:05.760 were very small. These basketball players stood over six foot six, big, strong, 0:22:05.800 --> 0:22:09.000 tough guys. They ripped him off, the controls, tied him up. 0:22:09.440 --> 0:22:13.320 The plane had descended from thirty eight thousand feet down 0:22:13.359 --> 0:22:16.439 to four thousand feet. Another few minutes, I don't know, 0:22:16.520 --> 0:22:20.240 maybe seconds, they would have all been killed. That delay 0:22:20.359 --> 0:22:23.159 didn't seem like a good thing, but really it was 0:22:23.200 --> 0:22:26.400 a good thing. They didn't like it didn't fit into 0:22:26.440 --> 0:22:30.600 their plans. But God held them back on purpose so 0:22:30.640 --> 0:22:34.240 they could save the whole plane. And sometimes God will 0:22:34.240 --> 0:22:40.040 inconvenience us so we can help somebody else. Instead of 0:22:40.080 --> 0:22:44.159 being frustrated when our plans don't work out. We have 0:22:44.240 --> 0:22:47.640 to remember it's not all about us. We had Joe. 0:22:47.720 --> 0:22:51.440 These people at work, they're negative, they complained, they compromise. 0:22:51.560 --> 0:22:53.879 When is God ever going to move me out? If 0:22:53.920 --> 0:22:57.159 you ever thought about maybe God has you there on 0:22:57.280 --> 0:23:00.840 purpose to let your light shine. May God's counting on 0:23:00.960 --> 0:23:04.400 you to be a good influence on them, Quit fighting it. 0:23:04.920 --> 0:23:08.400 The Psalmist said, the steps of a good person are 0:23:08.520 --> 0:23:12.040 ordered by the Lord. If God has you there, he's 0:23:12.160 --> 0:23:17.440 ordered your steps. The delays, the inconveniences, the bad breaks. 0:23:17.760 --> 0:23:21.640 We may not like it, it may be uncomfortable. But 0:23:21.720 --> 0:23:25.880 instead of trying to pray it away, instead of resisting it, 0:23:26.320 --> 0:23:29.520 why don't you embrace it and say, God, this is 0:23:29.560 --> 0:23:32.119 where you have me right now. So I'm gonna be 0:23:32.320 --> 0:23:35.000 my best. I'm gonna keep a good attitude. I may 0:23:35.040 --> 0:23:38.160 not like it, it seems bad, but I know a secret. 0:23:38.320 --> 0:23:42.200 It's all good. This is what Joseph did in the scripture. 0:23:42.480 --> 0:23:46.199 Nobody had more bad breaks than him. As a teenager, 0:23:46.520 --> 0:23:50.160 his brothers betrayed him, threw him into a pit. They 0:23:50.280 --> 0:23:53.840 ended up selling him into slavery. He was lied about, 0:23:54.080 --> 0:23:57.720 falsely accused. He spent years in prison for something that 0:23:57.760 --> 0:24:00.800 he didn't do. It was one bad break after another. 0:24:01.440 --> 0:24:04.639 He could have lived negative, bitter, but he understood this 0:24:04.760 --> 0:24:08.760 principle that even though it may look bad, feel bad, 0:24:08.800 --> 0:24:12.880 be unfair, when it comes together, God's going to use 0:24:12.920 --> 0:24:17.560 it for our good. After thirteen years of trouble, God 0:24:17.600 --> 0:24:21.280 not only vindicated Joseph, but he promoted him. He was 0:24:21.320 --> 0:24:25.520 put second in command of the whole nation. Looking back, 0:24:25.680 --> 0:24:29.240 Joseph would tell you that whole time that God was 0:24:29.320 --> 0:24:33.120 directing his steps. All those bad breaks were a part 0:24:33.119 --> 0:24:35.720 of God's plan to get him to where he was 0:24:35.760 --> 0:24:39.840 supposed to be. The betrayal felt bad, but the truth 0:24:39.960 --> 0:24:43.520 is it was good. It was another step toward his 0:24:43.680 --> 0:24:48.960 destiny being sold into slavery. That was unfair, That was wrong. 0:24:49.200 --> 0:24:52.480 He didn't like it, but he wouldn't change it. Without 0:24:52.560 --> 0:24:55.880 that disappointment, he would have never become who God created 0:24:55.920 --> 0:24:59.840 him to be. Quit fighting everything that you don't like. 0:25:00.320 --> 0:25:02.919 God wouldn't have allowed it if it wasn't going to 0:25:03.000 --> 0:25:06.800 move you forward. The right attitude is God, This doesn't 0:25:06.800 --> 0:25:09.720 make sense to me, but I believe when you bring 0:25:09.760 --> 0:25:13.200 it all together one day, it will make sense. Now, 0:25:13.200 --> 0:25:16.880 all those years Joseph was doing the right thing when 0:25:16.920 --> 0:25:20.480 the wrong thing was happening. That was getting him prepared 0:25:20.640 --> 0:25:25.399 for his destiny. He was developing his character, strengthening his 0:25:25.560 --> 0:25:29.200 spiritual muscles. He was proving to God that he could 0:25:29.200 --> 0:25:34.000 handle it. My friends, Craig and Samantha had two healthy children. 0:25:34.320 --> 0:25:38.439 When little Connor was born, they soon realized that Connor 0:25:38.560 --> 0:25:41.879 wasn't developing like the other children. He wouldn't talk to 0:25:41.920 --> 0:25:47.840 them and interact very much. Connor was diagnosed with autism. Craig, 0:25:47.880 --> 0:25:50.760 at that time was the head of our Children's ministry. 0:25:51.280 --> 0:25:54.040 He and Samantha are strong believers. They loved the Lord, 0:25:54.080 --> 0:25:57.639 but this was difficult on them. One day, Craig was 0:25:57.760 --> 0:26:02.159 very discouraged. He said, God, understand it. Why was my 0:26:02.320 --> 0:26:05.320 son born with autism? Why did this happen to me? 0:26:06.320 --> 0:26:09.440 He heard God say four words, do you trust me? 0:26:10.640 --> 0:26:14.600 That moment, Craig did what we all must do when 0:26:14.600 --> 0:26:18.320 we face things we don't understand. He quit seeing it 0:26:18.400 --> 0:26:21.880 as being negative and he embraced it as a part 0:26:21.920 --> 0:26:25.320 of God's plan for his life. God will never give 0:26:25.359 --> 0:26:29.720 you something that you cannot handle. When he made this 0:26:29.880 --> 0:26:33.800 shift in his thinking from I'm a victim I've had 0:26:33.800 --> 0:26:37.280 these bad breaks to God is in control of my life. 0:26:37.400 --> 0:26:41.400 He's entrusted me with this situation. That's when things begin 0:26:41.520 --> 0:26:45.760 to change. Not only did little Connor begin to defy 0:26:45.880 --> 0:26:49.919 the odds and begin to talk and interact more than expected, 0:26:50.480 --> 0:26:54.639 Craig started a ministry to help children with special needs 0:26:54.680 --> 0:26:57.800 called the Champions Club. There are over thirty Champions Clubs 0:26:58.040 --> 0:27:02.960 around the world. Pull Us. Craig and his associate have 0:27:03.080 --> 0:27:08.080 written the first ever faith based curriculum for special needs children. 0:27:08.520 --> 0:27:11.440 Looking back, Craig would tell you the same thing. Joseph 0:27:11.520 --> 0:27:16.920 said that difficulty looked like a setback, but really it 0:27:17.000 --> 0:27:20.760 was a set up to push him into his destiny. 0:27:20.880 --> 0:27:23.840 He would tell you that it's all good. You may 0:27:23.840 --> 0:27:26.119 not see it at the time, but the closed doors 0:27:26.160 --> 0:27:29.640 are good, The disappointments are good. The bad breaks they 0:27:29.720 --> 0:27:33.640 may be uncomfortable, but when God brings it all together, 0:27:34.080 --> 0:27:36.439 it's not going to work against you. It's going to 0:27:36.480 --> 0:27:40.840 work for you. I'm asking you to trust him. It 0:27:40.920 --> 0:27:43.920 may be Friday in your life you don't see anything good, 0:27:44.400 --> 0:27:48.480 don't worry. Sunday is coming. God is in control, and 0:27:48.600 --> 0:27:52.320 I believe and declare everything that was meant to stop you. 0:27:52.720 --> 0:27:55.040 God is going to use it to push you forward. 0:27:55.359 --> 0:27:58.600 He's bringing it all together right now. You're coming into 0:27:58.640 --> 0:28:04.720 good Friday, bless Friday, Healthy Friday, Victorious Friday. In Jesus' name. 0:28:05.119 --> 0:28:07.960 If you receive it, can you say it? Men? Today, 0:28:09.359 --> 0:28:12.320 we never like to close our broadcast without giving you 0:28:12.359 --> 0:28:15.359 an opportunity to make Jesus the lord of your life. 0:28:15.400 --> 0:28:20.080 Would you pray with me? Just say Lord, Jesus, I'll 0:28:20.119 --> 0:28:24.800 repent of my sins. Come into my heart. I make 0:28:24.880 --> 0:28:28.320 you my Lord and savior. Friends, if you prayed that 0:28:28.400 --> 0:28:31.679 simple prayer, we believe you got born again. Get in 0:28:31.720 --> 0:28:35.280 a good Bible based church. Keep God first place. He's 0:28:35.280 --> 0:28:37.520 going to take your places that you've never dreamed. 0:28:38.880 --> 0:28:43.800 As a thank you for your support of our ministry 0:28:43.840 --> 0:28:46.360 this month, Joel and Victoria would like to send you 0:28:46.400 --> 0:28:49.800 a copy of Joel's new series, Expect the Unexpected. 0:28:50.160 --> 0:28:53.200 God can surprise you in ways you've never dreamed. He 0:28:53.360 --> 0:28:56.440 likes to do unusual things, things you don't see coming. 0:28:56.920 --> 0:28:59.960 Raise your expectations and get ready to see God's faith 0:29:00.280 --> 0:29:01.000 in new ways. 0:29:01.280 --> 0:29:03.920 You may have reached your limits, but God has no limits. 0:29:04.080 --> 0:29:07.040 Request this resource. It will help build your faith so 0:29:07.120 --> 0:29:09.400 you can see the fullness of what God has in 0:29:09.400 --> 0:29:09.840 his store. 0:29:10.360 --> 0:29:14.080 Request your copy of Expect the Unexpected Today at Joeloustein 0:29:14.160 --> 0:29:17.880 dot com or call eight eight eight five six seven Joel. 0:29:18.160 --> 0:29:20.680 Thirteen years ago, my family and I started listening to 0:29:20.760 --> 0:29:23.560 Joel's messages every week. Since then, we've learned about the 0:29:23.600 --> 0:29:26.240 power of prayer. We faced a challenge when my mom 0:29:26.320 --> 0:29:29.040 had to have two open heart surgeries. Because of what 0:29:29.040 --> 0:29:31.600 we've learned through this ministry, we were able to stand 0:29:31.640 --> 0:29:33.840 faith and we saw God heal her and do a 0:29:33.880 --> 0:29:35.200 great miracle in our lives. 0:29:35.640 --> 0:29:39.360 Your support is making a difference. Thanks for partnering with us, 0:29:39.600 --> 0:29:43.720 your prayers, your generosity is touching lives around the world. 0:29:43.880 --> 0:29:46.320 And a special thank you to our champion of Hope 0:29:46.320 --> 0:29:49.520 partners for all you do to make the ministry possible. 0:29:50.000 --> 0:29:53.080 Victoria and I pray for you and your family every day. 0:29:53.320 --> 0:29:56.320 We're believing for God's very very best that you're going 0:29:56.400 --> 0:30:00.760 to see a bountiful, fruitful, prosperous year. Yo, we meet again. 0:30:00.960 --> 0:30:03.800 May the Lord bless you and keep you. Remember you're 0:30:03.800 --> 0:30:07.440 not average, you're not mediocre. You're a child of the most. 0:30:07.160 --> 0:30:11.280 Time God to partner with Joe lostein ministries. Visit Joelostein 0:30:11.360 --> 0:30:13.400 dot com slash partner today. 0:30:18.880 --> 0:30:23.240 Be a barbecue Hero with delicious ultralownet carb Hero Bread 0:30:23.240 --> 0:30:26.480 buns and tortillas, soft and fluffy, high in fiber, and 0:30:26.560 --> 0:30:29.200 with zero grams of sugar end up to ten grams 0:30:29.240 --> 0:30:32.200 of protein, coming in at under one hundred calories per serving. 0:30:32.440 --> 0:30:35.320 Oh and did I mention they taste like their mouthwatering 0:30:35.360 --> 0:30:39.240 traditional versions. It's enough to have the neighbors asking for seconds. 0:30:39.520 --> 0:30:42.560 Use code IHM ten for ten percent off your first 0:30:42.560 --> 0:30:46.120 Hero Bread purchase at hero dot co. That's quote IHM 0:30:46.200 --> 0:30:48.760 ten for ten percent off at hero dot co. 0:30:49.440 --> 0:30:52.200 Enhance your child's reading journey with the Good and the 0:30:52.240 --> 0:30:55.800 Beautiful's Reading Booster program. Choose from three all in one 0:30:55.920 --> 0:30:59.560 kids for kindergarten, first or second grade at reading booster 0:30:59.720 --> 0:31:03.560 dot com. Each kit includes reading cards, books and games 0:31:03.760 --> 0:31:07.320 designed to create fun ways to learn phonics, site words, 0:31:07.360 --> 0:31:10.920 and vowel sounds. There's even a free ad free app 0:31:10.960 --> 0:31:14.480 with additional games and KidSafe content. Bring home a love 0:31:14.520 --> 0:31:17.920 of learning with the Good and the Beautiful. Visit readingbooster 0:31:18.080 --> 0:31:18.680 dot com. 0:31:18.680 --> 0:31:21.960 Today, more than ever before, people are turning to the 0:31:22.040 --> 0:31:25.600 church for their mental health struggles. Unfortunately, the church has 0:31:25.720 --> 0:31:28.880 largely been ill equipped to help. That is, until now. 0:31:29.200 --> 0:31:32.440 Join nearly fifty thousand people just like you who've enrolled 0:31:32.480 --> 0:31:35.600 in the Mental Health Coach training program and become equipped 0:31:35.640 --> 0:31:38.240 to help for a limited time. Apply for a full 0:31:38.320 --> 0:31:41.160 tuition scholarship and only pay a one time tech fee 0:31:41.160 --> 0:31:45.000 of fifty four dollars if accepted. Apply now at mentalhealth 0:31:45.080 --> 0:31:48.800 coach dot org. Again, that's mentalhealth coach dot org.