Keep Strife Out of Your Life

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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 --> 0:01:05.039 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 units 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. 0:01:31.120 --> 0:01:34.880 Hi, this is Joel and Victoria. Thanks for downloading our podcast. 0:01:35.120 --> 0:01:37.959 We enjoy spending this time with you. I hope you'll 0:01:38.000 --> 0:01:41.360 leave Inspire. Make sure you subscribe to get new messages 0:01:41.400 --> 0:01:44.440 every week. We appreciate your support. It helps keep the 0:01:44.480 --> 0:01:45.280 ministry going. 0:01:45.680 --> 0:01:58.120 Enjoy the message. 0:01:58.760 --> 0:02:01.400 Well, God bless you. It's always a joy to come 0:02:01.400 --> 0:02:03.840 into your homes. And if you're ever in our area, 0:02:03.920 --> 0:02:05.960 please stop by and be a part of one of 0:02:06.000 --> 0:02:08.919 our services. I'll promise you we'll make you feel right 0:02:09.000 --> 0:02:11.360 at home. But thanks so much for tuning in, and 0:02:11.680 --> 0:02:14.040 thank you again for coming out today. And I like 0:02:14.120 --> 0:02:16.639 to start with something funny and I heard about these 0:02:16.680 --> 0:02:19.919 two ladies that died and went to heaven. Peter met 0:02:19.919 --> 0:02:21.760 them at the gate and said, you'll be. 0:02:21.720 --> 0:02:24.799 Happy here if you follow one main rule. 0:02:25.280 --> 0:02:28.239 Don't step on a duck. If you step on a duck, 0:02:28.280 --> 0:02:31.519 they make a terrible racket. A week later, one of 0:02:31.560 --> 0:02:34.919 the ladies accidentally stepped on a duck. Peter came up 0:02:34.919 --> 0:02:40.200 to her with this extremely unattractive man, nothing appealing about 0:02:40.240 --> 0:02:43.280 him whatsoever, said is your punishment. You're going to be 0:02:43.360 --> 0:02:46.640 chained to this man. Seeing this, the other lady was 0:02:46.840 --> 0:02:50.280 very careful. A month later, Peter came up to her 0:02:50.560 --> 0:02:54.760 with this incredibly handsome man, amazing physique, looked like a 0:02:54.800 --> 0:02:56.440 movie star, chained them together. 0:02:57.080 --> 0:02:58.200 The lady was thrilled. 0:02:58.520 --> 0:03:01.040 She said to him, I don't know what I did 0:03:01.080 --> 0:03:03.959 to deserve getting chained to you. He said, I don't 0:03:04.000 --> 0:03:06.239 know what you did, ma'am, but I stepped on a duck. 0:03:09.520 --> 0:03:12.040 Say it like you mean it. This is my Bible. 0:03:12.440 --> 0:03:14.720 I am what it says I am. I have what 0:03:14.760 --> 0:03:17.160 it says I have. I can do what it says 0:03:17.200 --> 0:03:19.880 I can do. Today I will be taught the word 0:03:19.919 --> 0:03:23.840 of God. I boldly confess my mind is alert, my 0:03:23.960 --> 0:03:24.960 heart is receptive. 0:03:25.280 --> 0:03:28.360 I will never be the same. In Jesus's name. 0:03:29.520 --> 0:03:32.480 I want to talk to you today about keeping strife 0:03:32.600 --> 0:03:36.040 out of your life. One of the biggest challenges we 0:03:36.120 --> 0:03:38.960 all face is getting along with people. 0:03:39.000 --> 0:03:40.440 Because everyone is different. 0:03:41.040 --> 0:03:46.120 We have different personalities, different temperaments, we come from different backgrounds. 0:03:46.880 --> 0:03:50.200 When somebody doesn't agree with us, or they do something 0:03:50.200 --> 0:03:54.680 we don't like, it's easy to get in conflict with them, argue, 0:03:55.320 --> 0:03:56.400 try to straighten them. 0:03:56.280 --> 0:03:57.560 Out, prove our point. 0:03:58.160 --> 0:04:02.520 Before long, we're at odds, mad at each other, living offended, 0:04:02.920 --> 0:04:06.920 their stress, tension in the home. What's happened We've allowed 0:04:07.000 --> 0:04:10.920 strife in Strife is a spirit, just like. 0:04:11.000 --> 0:04:12.080 Peace is a spirit. 0:04:12.920 --> 0:04:16.039 You've walked into a place before. You don't know anybody, 0:04:16.360 --> 0:04:19.359 you've never been there, but you can feel the tension 0:04:19.440 --> 0:04:24.279 in the room, in the atmosphere, there's stress, discord. Nobody 0:04:24.400 --> 0:04:27.400 said anything, but you know something is not right. 0:04:28.000 --> 0:04:30.400 That's the spirit of strife. 0:04:30.640 --> 0:04:33.400 If we would see it as the destructive force that 0:04:33.480 --> 0:04:37.200 it is, we would be more careful about allowing it 0:04:37.279 --> 0:04:42.720 in our lives. After all, it's easy to argue, especially 0:04:42.760 --> 0:04:44.080 with those closest to you. 0:04:44.880 --> 0:04:47.800 Let's be real, your spouse can get on your nerves. 0:04:48.360 --> 0:04:51.600 You love the man, you can't live without him. Sometimes 0:04:51.640 --> 0:04:54.720 you feel like choking him. A reporter asked. 0:04:54.520 --> 0:04:57.279 Billy Graham if he'd ever thought about divorce. 0:04:57.800 --> 0:05:00.000 He said, divorce, no, but murder, yeah. 0:05:00.040 --> 0:05:00.160 Yes. 0:05:02.200 --> 0:05:05.039 But when we let our guard down and say things 0:05:05.080 --> 0:05:10.760 that are hurtful, disrespectful, demeaning, that's not only damaging the relationship, 0:05:11.200 --> 0:05:16.159 that's opening the door to strife. That's inviting that destructive. 0:05:15.600 --> 0:05:19.719 Spirit into our life. That's why the scripture says, give 0:05:20.000 --> 0:05:21.760 no place to the enemy. 0:05:21.880 --> 0:05:25.800 Strife can't just come in when it wants bring division, disharmony, 0:05:26.080 --> 0:05:27.440 tear relationships apart. 0:05:28.000 --> 0:05:29.279 We have to open the door. 0:05:30.160 --> 0:05:32.719 And I'm not saying that we should never have an argument, 0:05:33.279 --> 0:05:34.560 never say a wrong word. 0:05:35.120 --> 0:05:36.160 That's not reality. 0:05:36.920 --> 0:05:39.520 But when it comes a part of who we are, 0:05:40.320 --> 0:05:46.160 it becomes common. We're constantly arguing, fighting, being disrespectful. 0:05:46.440 --> 0:05:47.960 That means we've gone way too far. 0:05:48.720 --> 0:05:52.400 And Jesus said in March chapter three, a home filled 0:05:52.440 --> 0:05:53.680 with strife and. 0:05:53.640 --> 0:05:56.120 Division destroys itself. 0:05:57.000 --> 0:05:59.839 If you allow the spirit of strife in, it'll tear 0:06:00.080 --> 0:06:03.599 part relationships, tear apart your marriage, your family. 0:06:04.279 --> 0:06:09.680 I've seen lifelong friendships destroyed over one disagreement. That's strife 0:06:09.720 --> 0:06:13.040 doing what it does best. Now, you said, Joel, I 0:06:13.040 --> 0:06:13.880 wouldn't get. 0:06:13.680 --> 0:06:17.880 So upset if my coworker wouldn't be disrespectful to me. 0:06:18.680 --> 0:06:21.760 I wouldn't argue if my spouse wouldn't push my buttons. 0:06:22.040 --> 0:06:24.960 That's why we fight all the time. No, you have 0:06:25.040 --> 0:06:29.119 to be the bigger person. Just because somebody is doing 0:06:29.160 --> 0:06:33.679 wrong doesn't mean you have to engage. That's the spirit 0:06:33.800 --> 0:06:39.159 of strife baiting, you saying, come on, let me in argue, fight, 0:06:39.600 --> 0:06:42.320 be disrespectful, don't take the bait. 0:06:43.200 --> 0:06:44.680 It takes a mature. 0:06:44.320 --> 0:06:47.920 Person to overlook an offense and say, no, I'm not 0:06:48.000 --> 0:06:48.800 taking that bait. 0:06:49.120 --> 0:06:54.799 I'm staying in peace. It takes maturity to apologize, even 0:06:54.800 --> 0:06:57.640 when it wasn't your fault. If you're going to. 0:06:57.720 --> 0:07:00.800 Keep strife out, you have to get good at walking 0:07:00.880 --> 0:07:04.640 away when everything in you says to let them have it. 0:07:05.839 --> 0:07:09.040 There will be times when you know you're right, the. 0:07:09.040 --> 0:07:12.760 Other person is being disrespectful, they're not telling the truth, 0:07:13.080 --> 0:07:14.280 but for the sake of. 0:07:14.280 --> 0:07:15.720 Peace, you let it go. 0:07:16.920 --> 0:07:21.960 Jesus said, blessed are the peacemakers. He didn't say blessed 0:07:22.240 --> 0:07:26.120 are the people who are right. Sometimes you have to 0:07:26.200 --> 0:07:29.320 let the other person think they're right, even when you 0:07:29.440 --> 0:07:32.720 know they're wrong. We think, well, if i'm right, I'm 0:07:32.760 --> 0:07:35.240 not going back down. I'm gonna prove to them that 0:07:35.280 --> 0:07:37.840 I'm right. I'm gonna win this battle. Can I tell 0:07:37.880 --> 0:07:42.640 you being right is overrated. You can be right and 0:07:42.720 --> 0:07:46.280 be miserable. You can be right and sleep on the couch. 0:07:47.680 --> 0:07:50.560 You can be right your whole life and have nobody 0:07:50.600 --> 0:07:54.640 at your funeral. You can prove your point always win 0:07:54.720 --> 0:08:00.000 the battle, but you don't realize it's damaging your relationships. 0:08:00.000 --> 0:08:02.640 We're in I don't always agree. One of my. 0:08:02.680 --> 0:08:06.400 Strengths is I won't argue. Things start to get a 0:08:06.400 --> 0:08:10.160 little heated, I walk away. It takes two people to fight. 0:08:10.800 --> 0:08:14.120 You don't have to engage. I would rather have peace 0:08:14.520 --> 0:08:16.040 than have my way. 0:08:16.160 --> 0:08:17.080 I would rather have. 0:08:17.000 --> 0:08:21.160 A loving, kind, fun atmosphere in my home than to 0:08:21.240 --> 0:08:22.080 win the battle. 0:08:22.520 --> 0:08:24.880 But be so miserable, I don't want to be there. 0:08:25.840 --> 0:08:28.680 I've learned if you'll let God do it his way, 0:08:29.000 --> 0:08:31.239 he'll change what needs to be changed. 0:08:31.800 --> 0:08:37.199 God is the potter. We can't change people. Only God can. 0:08:37.920 --> 0:08:40.640 These are tests that we must pass. 0:08:41.040 --> 0:08:43.600 Well, you stay on the high road and bite your 0:08:43.640 --> 0:08:47.520 tongue even when you feel like telling somebody off. Will 0:08:47.559 --> 0:08:51.280 you put your ego down and let somebody else. 0:08:51.080 --> 0:08:53.840 Be right even when you know they're wrong. 0:08:54.600 --> 0:08:58.320 The scripture says one can chase a thousand, but two 0:08:58.640 --> 0:09:03.160 can put ten thousand to flight. When you're in unity, 0:09:03.880 --> 0:09:07.439 the favor on your life is increased. You are ten 0:09:07.559 --> 0:09:11.720 times more powerful when you're in agreement. This means you 0:09:11.840 --> 0:09:17.200 have ten times the strength to withstand attacks, to overcome obstacles. 0:09:17.559 --> 0:09:22.480 You can accomplish dreams ten times bigger, ten times more rewarding. 0:09:23.120 --> 0:09:26.160 You will go so much further if you will keep 0:09:26.320 --> 0:09:30.240 unity in your home. Some of the obstacles you can't 0:09:30.280 --> 0:09:33.480 seem to overcome, the doors that are not opening. 0:09:34.000 --> 0:09:36.079 It may be because. 0:09:35.720 --> 0:09:40.120 You're operating with the strength of one their strife and division. 0:09:40.679 --> 0:09:43.840 You need the ten times power to reach the fullness 0:09:43.840 --> 0:09:47.199 of your destiny. And that person God put in your 0:09:47.240 --> 0:09:50.600 life is not just there for companionship. 0:09:50.960 --> 0:09:54.600 There is a spiritual force released when you live in 0:09:54.679 --> 0:09:55.720 peace and harmony. 0:09:56.480 --> 0:09:59.680 When Victoria and I first got married, like all couples, 0:10:00.120 --> 0:10:01.720 we had to work through some things. 0:10:02.200 --> 0:10:06.480 The scripture says, the two shall become one. You don't 0:10:06.520 --> 0:10:07.600 become overnight. 0:10:08.120 --> 0:10:11.200 It takes some time. Twenty eight years later, I'm still 0:10:11.280 --> 0:10:14.280 training her. I mean she's still training me. But we 0:10:14.400 --> 0:10:17.959 made a decision early on in our relationship that we 0:10:17.960 --> 0:10:19.119 were going to keep. 0:10:18.960 --> 0:10:22.520 Strife out of our home. It didn't happen automatically. 0:10:23.080 --> 0:10:26.600 We're two different people, have two different ways of doing things. 0:10:27.120 --> 0:10:31.800 We had to grow together make allowances overlook some things. 0:10:32.600 --> 0:10:35.800 Had we not stayed on the offensive and worked to 0:10:35.880 --> 0:10:40.079 keep strife out, not only would we not still be together, 0:10:40.320 --> 0:10:43.160 but we wouldn't be where we are. When we were 0:10:43.160 --> 0:10:46.680 believing for this place, the former Compact Center, it was 0:10:46.720 --> 0:10:49.960 going to take more than just my faith. I needed 0:10:49.960 --> 0:10:53.720 that ten times power. This dream was so big the 0:10:53.840 --> 0:10:57.000 only way it could be accomplished is for somebody else 0:10:57.200 --> 0:10:58.760 to come into agreement. 0:10:59.160 --> 0:10:59.959 Says in Psalm. 0:11:00.280 --> 0:11:04.439 Where there's unity, there is a commanded blessing on your life. 0:11:04.640 --> 0:11:07.920 That's when you'll accomplish things that you could not accomplish 0:11:07.960 --> 0:11:12.120 on your own. If we realized what we were giving 0:11:12.240 --> 0:11:17.920 up by allowing all these petty things to tear us apart, strife, discord, 0:11:18.200 --> 0:11:21.120 being at odds with each other, if we really saw 0:11:21.160 --> 0:11:24.520 how that was holding us back, we would work over 0:11:24.640 --> 0:11:28.559 time to keep peace in our life. God has big 0:11:28.600 --> 0:11:31.520 things in your future, but it's going to take more 0:11:31.600 --> 0:11:34.040 than just your faith. You're going to need the ten 0:11:34.160 --> 0:11:37.559 times power that comes from having unity in your home. 0:11:38.360 --> 0:11:42.840 Think about what your children can accomplish when you are 0:11:42.840 --> 0:11:46.600 in agreement with your spouse. Ten times the influence, ten 0:11:46.640 --> 0:11:50.240 times creativity, ten times the power. This is one of 0:11:50.240 --> 0:11:53.040 the things that holds us back. It's not our lack 0:11:53.080 --> 0:11:56.679 of talent, education, the background we come from. It's the 0:11:56.720 --> 0:12:01.120 fact that we're operating on one tenth the power. What 0:12:01.160 --> 0:12:03.520 would happen if you would draw the line in the 0:12:03.679 --> 0:12:07.800 sand and say that's it from this day forward, I'm 0:12:07.880 --> 0:12:11.840 keeping strife out of my life. No more arguing, no 0:12:11.960 --> 0:12:16.000 more petty fights, no more saying disrespectful things. 0:12:16.280 --> 0:12:20.760 I'm staying on the high road. I'm not allowing division, discord, 0:12:20.840 --> 0:12:23.960 tension in my home. I'm going to be a peacemaker. 0:12:24.679 --> 0:12:30.040 When you do that, God will release the ten times power, favor, increase, 0:12:30.120 --> 0:12:33.560 blessing like you've never seen. Well, Joel, If I don't 0:12:33.559 --> 0:12:36.320 stand up for myself, if I don't tell people what 0:12:36.400 --> 0:12:37.400 I think, that's. 0:12:37.200 --> 0:12:39.880 Going to make me look weak. It's just the opposite. 0:12:40.520 --> 0:12:43.800 When you go the extra mile to keep strife out 0:12:43.800 --> 0:12:47.160 of your home. That's not being weak. That's a sign 0:12:47.200 --> 0:12:47.760 of strength. 0:12:48.760 --> 0:12:52.080 The most mature person is the one that walks away 0:12:52.120 --> 0:12:52.880 from the argument. 0:12:53.600 --> 0:12:57.000 The most mature person is not always the one that's right. 0:12:57.559 --> 0:12:59.120 It's the one that keeps the peace. 0:13:00.160 --> 0:13:02.680 And you know what, arguing and having to be right 0:13:02.800 --> 0:13:04.840 really boils down to pride. 0:13:05.559 --> 0:13:07.240 I'm not going to let them get the best of me. 0:13:07.840 --> 0:13:11.079 You have to put your ego down and say, I'd 0:13:11.160 --> 0:13:14.320 rather have peace in my life. I would rather have 0:13:14.400 --> 0:13:16.200 the ten times blessing. 0:13:16.240 --> 0:13:17.200 Than just being right. 0:13:18.000 --> 0:13:20.080 This couple I know had been trying to have a 0:13:20.120 --> 0:13:23.680 baby for many years with no success. The lady took 0:13:23.720 --> 0:13:28.400 the infertility treatments. They were praying, believing, doing everything they could, 0:13:28.640 --> 0:13:32.200 but still no child. One day, the man was flying 0:13:32.240 --> 0:13:35.360 home from India. He's a minister and he'd been over 0:13:35.400 --> 0:13:36.440 there teaching the people. 0:13:37.000 --> 0:13:38.359 He was very discouraged. 0:13:38.960 --> 0:13:42.600 Sitting on the flight all alone, he said under his breath, 0:13:42.960 --> 0:13:46.400 God is not fair. I'm over here doing what you've 0:13:46.440 --> 0:13:50.040 asked me to do. Why won't you give us a baby? God, 0:13:50.080 --> 0:13:53.679 I don't understand why we can't have a child. God 0:13:53.760 --> 0:13:55.920 said something back to him, not out loud, but in 0:13:55.960 --> 0:13:58.960 his spirit. He said, son, you're not going to have 0:13:59.000 --> 0:14:02.000 a baby until you start treating your wife better. 0:14:03.080 --> 0:14:05.360 He was a good man, he loved the Lord. 0:14:05.840 --> 0:14:07.959 When you see him out in public, they seemed as 0:14:07.960 --> 0:14:11.960 happy as can be. But deep down he knew he 0:14:12.040 --> 0:14:14.360 wasn't treating his wife the way he should be. 0:14:15.120 --> 0:14:17.760 Wasn't anything big, just little things. 0:14:18.400 --> 0:14:22.760 He'd become disrespectful, saying things that he'd know he shouldn't say, 0:14:23.520 --> 0:14:27.680 become argumentative. Where he used to overlook things let it go, 0:14:27.920 --> 0:14:31.080 now he'd keep it stirred up. He'd become hard to 0:14:31.080 --> 0:14:36.320 get along with, unfriendly, not putting any effort into the relationship. 0:14:37.200 --> 0:14:40.520 The good news is he was willing to change. He 0:14:40.560 --> 0:14:43.640 took it to heart. He made the adjustments. A couple 0:14:43.720 --> 0:14:46.680 of years later, his wife gave birth to a beautiful 0:14:46.760 --> 0:14:47.440 baby daughter. 0:14:47.960 --> 0:14:51.360 Maybe, like my friend, you know you're not being your 0:14:51.440 --> 0:14:54.960 best in this area. You drifted down the wrong path. 0:14:55.640 --> 0:14:59.080 God is not here to condemn us to make us 0:14:59.120 --> 0:15:02.720 feel bad about our ourselves, but he will convict us 0:15:03.200 --> 0:15:08.120 and challenge us to come up higher. Condemnation pushes us down. 0:15:08.320 --> 0:15:11.520 Conviction is there to push us up. But we have 0:15:11.640 --> 0:15:13.880 to do like my friend and say okay, I'm willing 0:15:13.920 --> 0:15:14.680 to change. 0:15:14.960 --> 0:15:16.359 I can make some adjustments. 0:15:16.640 --> 0:15:16.760 Now. 0:15:16.800 --> 0:15:18.880 Don't sit here and think, boy, I wish my husband 0:15:18.880 --> 0:15:22.040 would have come today. He really needs this. No, God 0:15:22.120 --> 0:15:25.880 has the right people here. Don't ask how God can 0:15:25.960 --> 0:15:27.160 change somebody else. 0:15:27.760 --> 0:15:31.960 Look inside and say, God, how can I change? How 0:15:32.000 --> 0:15:35.200 can I get along better with people? Or maybe God, 0:15:35.480 --> 0:15:38.560 what am I doing that's keeping my spouse and eye 0:15:38.920 --> 0:15:39.400 from that. 0:15:39.360 --> 0:15:40.440 Ten times blessing? 0:15:41.240 --> 0:15:43.600 What am I doing that's going to make it harder 0:15:43.680 --> 0:15:46.680 on my children? Passing down things that are going to 0:15:46.720 --> 0:15:51.280 hold them back. What we're modeling in our homes is 0:15:51.320 --> 0:15:54.400 the way our children are going to treat people they 0:15:54.400 --> 0:15:58.400 get in relationship with Mothers. If you want your son 0:15:58.920 --> 0:16:03.080 to have a healthy, loving relationship with his wife, then 0:16:03.120 --> 0:16:06.320 you have to sow a seed by treating your husband 0:16:06.600 --> 0:16:10.320 in a loving, healthy way. Fathers, if you want your 0:16:10.440 --> 0:16:13.760 daughter to be treated with respect and honor, like the 0:16:13.840 --> 0:16:17.600 queen that she is, then make sure you're treating your 0:16:17.640 --> 0:16:19.440 wife like the queen that she is. 0:16:19.760 --> 0:16:21.120 With respect and honor. 0:16:21.400 --> 0:16:26.160 That means not saying everything you feel like saying, not 0:16:26.360 --> 0:16:30.320 pushing the buttons, not allowing the spirit of strife in 0:16:30.360 --> 0:16:33.920 your home. If you don't do it, for yourself. At 0:16:34.000 --> 0:16:36.680 least do it for your children. Do it to make 0:16:36.720 --> 0:16:39.920 it easier on those that come after you. A lot 0:16:39.920 --> 0:16:43.800 of times we think I'll change when they change. When 0:16:43.800 --> 0:16:47.640 he starts treating me better, then I'll be nice to him, Joel, 0:16:47.640 --> 0:16:50.760 when she stops nagging me, then I'll be friendly again. 0:16:51.440 --> 0:16:52.240 Now here's the key. 0:16:52.720 --> 0:16:55.840 The bigger person is the one that makes the first move. 0:16:56.600 --> 0:16:59.680 God will reward you in a greater way if you'll 0:16:59.720 --> 0:17:02.760 take the first step. Pride will tell you. 0:17:02.840 --> 0:17:05.120 Don't do it. They don't deserve it. 0:17:05.640 --> 0:17:08.240 I'm not gonna treat them right when they're treating me wrong. 0:17:09.000 --> 0:17:12.040 You're not just doing it for them. You're doing it 0:17:12.119 --> 0:17:14.960 unto God. You're not just saying. 0:17:14.840 --> 0:17:18.600 I approve your behavior. It's okay to treat me this way. 0:17:19.320 --> 0:17:23.920 You're saying, God, I know the importance of keeping strife. 0:17:23.520 --> 0:17:24.359 Out of my life. 0:17:24.920 --> 0:17:27.320 Even though I don't like this, I'm going to stay 0:17:27.359 --> 0:17:30.760 on the high road and be a peacemaker, knowing that 0:17:30.800 --> 0:17:33.840 you will make it up to me. But human nature 0:17:33.880 --> 0:17:37.280 says to treat people the way they treat us. You 0:17:37.359 --> 0:17:40.320 want to be disrespectful, two people can play at that game. 0:17:40.960 --> 0:17:44.600 You want to be argumentative, unfriendly, sarcastic. You've met your match. 0:17:44.720 --> 0:17:47.960 Let's go. All that's gonna do is make matters worse. 0:17:48.800 --> 0:17:52.640 God brought the people in your life on purpose. It's 0:17:52.680 --> 0:17:56.000 not an accident. It's a part of his divine plan. 0:17:57.000 --> 0:18:01.320 No person is perfect. We all have flawed and weaknesses. 0:18:02.160 --> 0:18:06.200 If you blow that person off because of their issues, 0:18:06.520 --> 0:18:09.760 the problem is the next person you get in relationship 0:18:09.840 --> 0:18:13.199 with will have some kind of issues as well, something 0:18:13.240 --> 0:18:15.720 to get on your nerves. You have to learn this 0:18:15.840 --> 0:18:19.720 principle to rise above it and keep strife out of 0:18:19.760 --> 0:18:20.240 your home. 0:18:21.040 --> 0:18:22.760 You can be the difference. 0:18:22.359 --> 0:18:26.720 Maker when you honor your spouse, When you treat them 0:18:26.760 --> 0:18:29.719 with respect, even when they don't deserve it. 0:18:30.160 --> 0:18:32.120 That's what causes them to come up. 0:18:32.119 --> 0:18:38.040 Higher, not arguing, being disrespectful, pushing them down. It's like 0:18:38.119 --> 0:18:42.000 you're pouring water into a jar with a small cork 0:18:42.040 --> 0:18:42.320 in it. 0:18:42.920 --> 0:18:43.960 The more water you. 0:18:44.040 --> 0:18:48.480 Pour, the higher that cork will rise. Your spouse is 0:18:48.520 --> 0:18:52.879 the cork. Your honor is the water. The more honor 0:18:52.920 --> 0:18:57.600 you pour in, the higher your spouse will rise. Jesus said, 0:18:57.800 --> 0:19:02.280 a house divided is can continually being brought to destruction 0:19:02.920 --> 0:19:07.080 and will not stand when we allow strife in our life. 0:19:07.160 --> 0:19:08.160 Something is happening. 0:19:08.520 --> 0:19:13.360 We're continually going down our relationships, our dreams, our attitudes, 0:19:13.520 --> 0:19:17.640 our energy. You will make better decisions if you'll get 0:19:17.720 --> 0:19:22.280 rid of the discord. You'll be more creative, more productive, 0:19:22.560 --> 0:19:26.439 more successful. If you'll take these steps to keep peace 0:19:26.600 --> 0:19:31.760 in your home where there's unity, God's blessing, his favor, 0:19:31.920 --> 0:19:35.560 his anointing is on your life, your marriage, your career, 0:19:35.880 --> 0:19:36.840 your finances. 0:19:37.119 --> 0:19:39.199 There is power in agreement. 0:19:39.960 --> 0:19:42.920 There's power when you rise up and say, I'm going 0:19:42.960 --> 0:19:46.680 to do everything I can to keep unity in my home. 0:19:47.520 --> 0:19:51.560 My spouse may be argumentative, my children may be hard 0:19:51.600 --> 0:19:53.680 to get along with, But as for me. 0:19:54.080 --> 0:19:55.480 I'm going to be a peacemaker. 0:19:56.160 --> 0:19:59.800 Let me tell you, one peacemaker is more powerful than 0:19:59.840 --> 0:20:03.920 a dozen troublemakers. The piece you bring will have such 0:20:03.960 --> 0:20:07.800 an anointing on it. It will break the forces that 0:20:07.880 --> 0:20:11.520 are trying to tear your family apart. Years ago, Victoria 0:20:11.520 --> 0:20:14.000 and I went on a bike ride with our two children. 0:20:14.560 --> 0:20:17.159 Jonathan was eight years old and he was riding his 0:20:17.200 --> 0:20:20.760 own bike and Alexander was five. She was on the 0:20:20.800 --> 0:20:23.800 bike seat behind me on my bike. I'd had a 0:20:23.840 --> 0:20:28.160 long day. I was kind of irritated at something Victoria 0:20:28.240 --> 0:20:31.280 had done was no big deal, just a small thing. 0:20:31.720 --> 0:20:35.560 But I chose to hold onto it, magnify it, let 0:20:35.600 --> 0:20:36.320 it sour me. 0:20:37.119 --> 0:20:40.080 You know how sometimes it feels good to be ticked off. 0:20:40.760 --> 0:20:43.199 Now I knew it wasn't right, but the flesh loves 0:20:43.240 --> 0:20:45.879 to have its way. I remember thinking, I'm not in 0:20:45.960 --> 0:20:49.680 a good mood. You aggravated me. I'm miserable. I'm gonna 0:20:49.680 --> 0:20:52.240 make your life miserable. You know what I was doing, 0:20:52.760 --> 0:20:56.920 opening the door to trouble. I was inviting that destructive 0:20:57.000 --> 0:21:01.280 strife into our life. James three says, where there's strife, 0:21:01.560 --> 0:21:02.160 there will be. 0:21:02.359 --> 0:21:04.960 Discord, confusion, and trouble. 0:21:05.760 --> 0:21:08.400 So we were out riding on this bike trail, supposed 0:21:08.400 --> 0:21:11.639 to be having fun, but the tension was so thick 0:21:11.800 --> 0:21:14.480 you could cut it with a knife. I was giving 0:21:14.560 --> 0:21:18.399 Victoria the cold shoulder treatment. Not friendly, not talking it 0:21:18.600 --> 0:21:19.440 just matter of fact. 0:21:20.119 --> 0:21:22.200 She said, how was your day? Fine? 0:21:22.359 --> 0:21:25.240 Something wrong? Nothing's wrong? Why are you being unfriendly? I'm 0:21:25.240 --> 0:21:29.440 not being unfriendly, just being hard to get along with. Now, 0:21:29.480 --> 0:21:31.480 don't look at me like I'm the only one that's 0:21:31.480 --> 0:21:34.119 ever done to us. We're gonna let you confess your 0:21:34.160 --> 0:21:39.200 sins next. Jonathan wasn't real sure of riding his bike. 0:21:39.240 --> 0:21:41.080 He'd just been doing it for a little while, and 0:21:41.320 --> 0:21:44.359 we were on this five foot wide bike trail. I 0:21:44.400 --> 0:21:46.840 looked up about one hundred yards in front of me. 0:21:47.119 --> 0:21:50.720 There was this biker coming toward us full speed. He 0:21:50.800 --> 0:21:53.640 looked like a professional, like he was in training, had 0:21:53.680 --> 0:21:56.639 on all of his bike gear, and I said, Jonathan, buddy, 0:21:56.880 --> 0:21:59.440 stay over to the side. This man is coming really 0:21:59.480 --> 0:22:02.200 really fast. Jonathan got over and he was doing fine. 0:22:02.720 --> 0:22:05.480 But when the men got close to us, Jonathan looked 0:22:05.520 --> 0:22:07.879 at him and veered right into his path. 0:22:08.280 --> 0:22:10.520 They had this huge head on collision. 0:22:11.000 --> 0:22:13.760 Jonathan went flying off his bike and the other man 0:22:13.840 --> 0:22:16.840 tumbling over in the grass. And I jumped off my 0:22:16.960 --> 0:22:19.359 bike as fast as I could, and I thought for 0:22:19.440 --> 0:22:22.560 sure he had broken arms, broken legs, his whole bike 0:22:22.640 --> 0:22:27.280 frame was bent. Thankfully, all he had were scrapes and bruises. 0:22:27.640 --> 0:22:30.720 Both he and the other men were fine. As I 0:22:30.840 --> 0:22:34.439 was walking back to the car carrying his bike, I 0:22:34.520 --> 0:22:38.800 felt this impression in here, saying Joel, you opened the 0:22:38.840 --> 0:22:39.920 door to this trouble. 0:22:40.640 --> 0:22:43.000 It could have been avoided if you would have kept 0:22:43.000 --> 0:22:44.200 the strife out. 0:22:44.680 --> 0:22:48.600 That's what the scripture says When we allow strife, it 0:22:48.680 --> 0:22:54.639 opens the door to unnecessary trouble. There will be conflicts, disappointment, 0:22:54.800 --> 0:22:57.440 setbacks that we didn't have to encounter. 0:22:58.480 --> 0:23:00.520 Don't be stubborn like I was. 0:23:01.280 --> 0:23:04.000 We have enough battles to fight in life where we 0:23:04.080 --> 0:23:07.480 don't have a choice. Don't make it harder on yourself 0:23:07.640 --> 0:23:11.159 by opening the door to trouble. Matthew five and the 0:23:11.240 --> 0:23:17.119 Amplified says, blessed are the makers and maintainers of peace. 0:23:17.920 --> 0:23:19.560 We know what it means to make peace. 0:23:20.359 --> 0:23:24.600 We make up after an argument, we apologize, forgive, move forward. 0:23:24.640 --> 0:23:28.479 That's important, but we need to be more aware about 0:23:28.640 --> 0:23:32.640 maintaining our peace. That means you stay on the high road, 0:23:33.240 --> 0:23:37.720 You bite your tongue, you let things go, you don't argue. 0:23:37.800 --> 0:23:42.560 I've found it's much easier to maintain your peace than 0:23:42.600 --> 0:23:46.880 to have to always try to make peace. Victoria aggravated 0:23:46.920 --> 0:23:48.440 me that day, big deal. 0:23:48.960 --> 0:23:49.600 She's human. 0:23:50.240 --> 0:23:54.160 There's not another person alive that you're in relationship with 0:23:54.640 --> 0:23:57.960 that at some point will not irritate you, offend you, 0:23:58.400 --> 0:24:01.640 hurt you, or get on your nerve. Instead of being 0:24:01.720 --> 0:24:06.440 upset every time things don't go your way, be an argumentative, 0:24:06.680 --> 0:24:09.560 giving them the cold shoulder. Why don't you try this 0:24:09.640 --> 0:24:14.359 new approach and start maintaining your peace. Don't open the 0:24:14.440 --> 0:24:18.040 door to strife. When you go the extra mile to 0:24:18.119 --> 0:24:21.439 keep unity in your home, you will not only have 0:24:21.560 --> 0:24:25.879 God's blessing and favor because of the power of agreement, 0:24:26.200 --> 0:24:29.800 but you will have his protection. He'll keep you from 0:24:29.960 --> 0:24:34.440 unnecessary trouble. This can save a marriage today, It can 0:24:34.480 --> 0:24:35.720 save a relationship. 0:24:36.160 --> 0:24:39.680 It's not always big things. Sometimes it's a small thing. 0:24:40.200 --> 0:24:43.320 If you will make these minor adjustments, they can make 0:24:43.400 --> 0:24:48.639 major improvements. Proverbs twenty says avoiding a fight is a 0:24:48.680 --> 0:24:52.800 mark of honor. Sometimes we think winning a fight is 0:24:52.800 --> 0:24:56.040 a mark of honor. We come back after an argument, 0:24:56.520 --> 0:24:59.240 give ourselves a high five and thank boy, I let 0:24:59.240 --> 0:24:59.800 them have it. 0:25:00.359 --> 0:25:03.919 I showed her who was boss. That's not really winning. 0:25:04.680 --> 0:25:07.679 You fed your ego, You made yourself feel good, but 0:25:07.880 --> 0:25:12.280 didn't strengthen the relationship. You may have won in one sense, 0:25:12.920 --> 0:25:16.080 but what did it costs you? How much damage was 0:25:16.119 --> 0:25:20.240 done When we say hurtful words, when we're disrespectful, that's 0:25:20.240 --> 0:25:24.399 a very heavy price. The way to really win is 0:25:24.440 --> 0:25:27.439 to avoid it, to stay on the high road, to 0:25:27.560 --> 0:25:28.159 walk away. 0:25:28.680 --> 0:25:31.840 That's a mark of honor. This takes humility. 0:25:32.480 --> 0:25:35.560 Pride will tell you have the last word, stay at it, 0:25:35.680 --> 0:25:38.680 let them have it. That verse goes on to say 0:25:39.200 --> 0:25:43.639 only a fool loves to argue. Instead of thinking about 0:25:43.880 --> 0:25:47.440 how you can win the argument, strategize and what you're 0:25:47.440 --> 0:25:51.520 gonna say, spend that same time thinking about how you're 0:25:51.520 --> 0:25:54.720 going to avoid the argument. Now, I'm not saying to 0:25:54.760 --> 0:25:58.800 not address issues, but there's a right way and there's 0:25:58.840 --> 0:25:59.720 a right time. 0:26:00.440 --> 0:26:01.119 You should do it. 0:26:01.160 --> 0:26:05.720 Calmly, express your concerns and then leave it there. If 0:26:05.760 --> 0:26:08.800 it starts to get heated disrespectful, that's the. 0:26:08.720 --> 0:26:09.760 Time to walk away. 0:26:10.680 --> 0:26:13.680 If you'll do it God's way, he'll fight your battles. 0:26:14.160 --> 0:26:17.640 He'll change what needs to be changed. Plus, we need 0:26:17.680 --> 0:26:20.880 to ask ourselves what am I arguing over? 0:26:21.680 --> 0:26:22.400 Is it worth it? 0:26:23.280 --> 0:26:27.159 Sometimes we argue over petty things that in the big picture, 0:26:27.520 --> 0:26:30.320 they don't really matter. You may have seen on the 0:26:30.359 --> 0:26:34.879 news a professional football player punched his teammate. 0:26:34.840 --> 0:26:36.920 The quarterback, and broke his jaw. 0:26:37.760 --> 0:26:40.679 He was upset because he had purchased a six hundred 0:26:40.640 --> 0:26:43.359 dollars ticket for the quarterback to come to his event. 0:26:43.920 --> 0:26:45.720 The quarterback wasn't able to make it. 0:26:46.320 --> 0:26:49.199 Instead of handling it the right way, he let his 0:26:49.280 --> 0:26:53.280 emotions take over led to this fight. When the coaches 0:26:53.359 --> 0:26:57.240 found out, he was immediately dismissed from the team. He 0:26:57.320 --> 0:27:01.679 lost his multi million dollar contract act. He let a 0:27:01.760 --> 0:27:07.760 six hundred dollars offense cost him several million dollars. While 0:27:07.760 --> 0:27:11.520 we may not lose millions from an argument, we can 0:27:11.640 --> 0:27:15.480 lose something even more valuable, the people God has put 0:27:15.520 --> 0:27:19.640 in our lives, your spouse, your children, your parents, your friends. 0:27:20.080 --> 0:27:23.720 It's easy to get at odds, let little things build up, 0:27:24.359 --> 0:27:28.439 Say hurtful things here, argue there, disrespectful. One day you 0:27:28.480 --> 0:27:32.679 look up and they're not there anymore. Don't take the 0:27:32.760 --> 0:27:36.160 people in your life for granted. Are you treating them 0:27:36.160 --> 0:27:41.640 with respect and honor? Do they feel treasured, valued, loved? 0:27:42.520 --> 0:27:47.600 Or are you hard to get along with? Unfriendly argumented friends? 0:27:47.720 --> 0:27:52.440 Life is too short to live that way. Where there's disharmony, 0:27:52.480 --> 0:27:56.959 you'll weakened, you won't reach your highest potential. I'm asking 0:27:57.000 --> 0:28:01.280 you today to be a maker and a maintainer of peace. 0:28:01.960 --> 0:28:04.960 Do what you can to keep the atmosphere in your 0:28:04.960 --> 0:28:09.800 home loving, friendly kind, be a person of honor, and 0:28:09.880 --> 0:28:13.560 avoid the fight. Remember one can chase one thousand two 0:28:13.600 --> 0:28:17.080 can put ten thousand to flight if you'll keep strife 0:28:17.080 --> 0:28:21.240 out because there's unity in your home. I believe and 0:28:21.320 --> 0:28:25.000 declare you're going to see that ten times blessing. God 0:28:25.080 --> 0:28:28.200 is going to increase you with more wisdom, more favor. 0:28:28.520 --> 0:28:31.920 You will accomplish dreams and reach the fullness of your 0:28:31.960 --> 0:28:35.800 destiny in Jesus's name. And if you receive it today, 0:28:36.040 --> 0:28:40.000 can you say amen? We never like to close our 0:28:40.000 --> 0:28:43.760 broadcast without giving you an opportunity to make Jesus the 0:28:43.840 --> 0:28:46.040 lord of your life. Would you pray with me? 0:28:46.720 --> 0:28:52.160 Just say, Lord Jesus, I'll repent of my sins. Come 0:28:52.200 --> 0:28:56.000 into my heart. I make you my Lord and savior. 0:28:57.640 --> 0:29:00.120 Friends, if you prayed that simple prayer, we believe if 0:29:00.120 --> 0:29:03.360 you got born again, get in a good Bible based church, 0:29:03.720 --> 0:29:04.920 keep God first place. 0:29:05.240 --> 0:29:07.680 He's going to take your places that you've never dreamed. 0:29:08.200 --> 0:29:11.640 Thank you for listening to the Joel Loustin podcast. Help 0:29:11.720 --> 0:29:14.440 us continue to share the message of hope with those 0:29:14.560 --> 0:29:18.440 all over the world. Visit Joeloustin dot com slash give 0:29:18.520 --> 0:29:20.200 Hope to give a gift today. 0:29:21.480 --> 0:29:23.959 Thanks so much for listening to today's message. 0:29:24.080 --> 0:29:26.800 I hope you'll subscribe so you can receive the latest 0:29:26.840 --> 0:29:29.920 podcast to keep you inspired all through the week. 0:29:30.120 --> 0:29:33.000 We're praying for you. I know God's best is still ahead. 0:29:33.200 --> 0:29:34.360 We'll see you next time. 0:29:41.280 --> 0:29:43.760 More than ever before, people are turning to the church 0:29:43.840 --> 0:29:47.560 for their mental health struggles. Unfortunately, the church has largely 0:29:47.600 --> 0:29:50.880 been ill equipped to help. That is until now. Join 0:29:50.960 --> 0:29:54.000 yourly fifty thousand people just like you who've enrolled in 0:29:54.040 --> 0:29:57.200 the Mental Health Coach training program and become equipped to 0:29:57.280 --> 0:29:59.840 help for a limited time. 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