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Keeping Strife Out Of Your Life

Joel Osteen
April 22, 2021 31m 7s

About this sermon

If we’re going to keep strife out of our lives, we have to learn to give people the benefit of the doubt. When you do your part to keep the peace, God will make sure you never miss out on the blessings He has for you.  Your best days are still ahead, and together we can make a difference in this world with the message of God's hope and love. To give visit JoelOsteen.com/GiveHope See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Source: Joel Osteen

Transcript

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This is 0:01:27.800 --> 0:01:29.360 not an offer to buy your self securities, nor is 0:01:29.360 --> 0:01:30.760 it investment, 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 --> 0:01:36.759 our podcast and thanks for supporting the ministry. 0:01:36.920 --> 0:01:39.240 If you enjoy today's message, why don't you be a 0:01:39.280 --> 0:01:40.800 blessing and share it with a friend. 0:01:41.120 --> 0:01:43.840 We appreciate you and pray for God's very best in 0:01:43.920 --> 0:01:48.040 your life. 0:01:55.640 --> 0:01:58.360 Oh God, bless you. It is always a joy to 0:01:58.480 --> 0:02:01.480 come into your home that God has good things in 0:02:01.560 --> 0:02:02.120 store for you. 0:02:02.440 --> 0:02:05.480 He rewards the people that seek after Him, and we 0:02:05.600 --> 0:02:07.720 just counted an honor to spend this next half hour 0:02:07.880 --> 0:02:08.520 or so with you. 0:02:08.600 --> 0:02:10.040 So thanks for tuning in. 0:02:10.080 --> 0:02:12.120 And if you're ever in our area, I hope you'll 0:02:12.120 --> 0:02:14.400 stop by and be a part of one of our services. 0:02:14.560 --> 0:02:17.079 It's a lot better in person that it is on TV, 0:02:17.360 --> 0:02:19.079 So come out and be a part of one of 0:02:19.120 --> 0:02:20.800 these and we'd love to have you. But glad to 0:02:20.840 --> 0:02:23.440 have you joining us by TV today. And I like 0:02:23.480 --> 0:02:25.400 to start with something funny each week. And I heard 0:02:25.440 --> 0:02:28.240 about this pastor that was walking down the street and 0:02:28.280 --> 0:02:30.960 he came upon this group of young boys that were 0:02:30.960 --> 0:02:33.680 surrounding this little dog, and he asked them what they 0:02:33.680 --> 0:02:36.720 were doing, and they said, we're having a contest. Whoever 0:02:36.800 --> 0:02:40.000 can tell the biggest lie can keep the dog. He 0:02:40.040 --> 0:02:42.760 went into a ten minute sermon, beginning with don't you 0:02:42.840 --> 0:02:45.919 know lying is a sin? And ending with when I 0:02:45.960 --> 0:02:47.800 was your age, I never told a lie. 0:02:48.280 --> 0:02:49.600 There was complete silence. 0:02:50.080 --> 0:02:51.840 Just when he thought he'd gotten through to them, the 0:02:51.880 --> 0:02:53.440 youngest boy spoke up and said, all. 0:02:53.440 --> 0:02:54.640 Right, give him the dog. 0:02:57.480 --> 0:02:59.480 All right, hold up your Bible. Say it like you 0:02:59.560 --> 0:03:03.120 mean it. This is my Bible. I am what it says. 0:03:03.120 --> 0:03:06.200 I am, I have what it says I have, I 0:03:06.240 --> 0:03:08.760 can do what it says I can do today. 0:03:08.880 --> 0:03:10.560 I will be talked the word of God. 0:03:11.080 --> 0:03:15.799 I boldly confess my mind is alert, my heart is receptive. 0:03:16.240 --> 0:03:19.920 I will never be the same. In Jesus' name, God 0:03:19.960 --> 0:03:20.440 bless you. 0:03:21.200 --> 0:03:23.760 I want to talk to you today about the importance 0:03:23.880 --> 0:03:28.080 of being a peacemaker. If we're going to have healthy relationships, 0:03:28.320 --> 0:03:30.639 then we've got to learn how to keep the strife 0:03:30.680 --> 0:03:34.600 out of our lives. And probably the greatest opportunity that 0:03:34.639 --> 0:03:37.600 we have for conflict is in dealing with people. 0:03:37.960 --> 0:03:39.160 Because we're all different. 0:03:39.560 --> 0:03:43.080 We have different personalities and different temperaments, and we've got 0:03:43.080 --> 0:03:45.760 to learn to give everybody a little bit of room. 0:03:46.320 --> 0:03:49.800 I've discovered just because somebody is not like me, and 0:03:50.240 --> 0:03:53.040 just because they don't agree with every decision that I make, 0:03:53.640 --> 0:03:56.560 that doesn't necessarily mean that I'm right and they're wrong. 0:03:56.680 --> 0:03:59.960 We're just different and it takes maturity to get along. 0:04:00.920 --> 0:04:04.720 It takes maturity to not start something over a little issue, 0:04:05.240 --> 0:04:08.440 takes a mature person to not go around offended all 0:04:08.480 --> 0:04:11.160 the time. And if we're going to keep the strife 0:04:11.200 --> 0:04:13.720 out of our lives, then we've got to learn how 0:04:13.760 --> 0:04:15.920 to give people the benefit of the doubt. 0:04:16.279 --> 0:04:18.599 We've got to learn how to overlook some things. 0:04:19.240 --> 0:04:23.440 See, every person has faults, every one of us has weaknesses, 0:04:23.880 --> 0:04:27.000 and we should not expect the people we're in relationship 0:04:27.080 --> 0:04:30.080 with to be perfect, no matter how great of a 0:04:30.120 --> 0:04:32.840 person they are, no matter how much you love them, 0:04:33.160 --> 0:04:35.440 if you're around them long enough, you will have an 0:04:35.440 --> 0:04:39.039 opportunity to be offended. You'll have an opportunity to get 0:04:39.040 --> 0:04:42.279 into strife. There's no such thing as a perfect spouse, 0:04:42.720 --> 0:04:46.640 a perfect boss, or even a perfect pastor. Although I'm 0:04:46.760 --> 0:04:52.520 very close, and what are you all laughing at? But 0:04:52.600 --> 0:04:56.880 if we're putting these unrealistic expectations on people, expecting them 0:04:56.880 --> 0:05:00.720 to be perfect, not only is that not fair that person, 0:05:01.080 --> 0:05:03.320 but it's going to be a source of frustration for us. 0:05:03.520 --> 0:05:06.080 We're always going to be disappointed. And I know people 0:05:06.080 --> 0:05:08.440 that kind of have the attitude, well, I love you 0:05:08.760 --> 0:05:10.680 as long as you never hurt me, as long as 0:05:10.720 --> 0:05:13.320 you never make a mistake, or I'll be your friend, 0:05:13.480 --> 0:05:15.800 as long as you treat me just right, as long 0:05:15.839 --> 0:05:17.920 as you do it my way, then I'll accept you. 0:05:18.040 --> 0:05:20.960 Then I'll be happy. You know, that's very unfair. That's 0:05:21.040 --> 0:05:24.120 way too much pressure on that person. And the scripture 0:05:24.160 --> 0:05:29.720 says that love makes allowances for people's weaknesses. Love covers 0:05:29.760 --> 0:05:32.640 a person's faults. In other words, you've got to give 0:05:32.680 --> 0:05:35.680 people a little room. You've got to learn to overlook 0:05:35.760 --> 0:05:40.440 some things. Quit picking at people, Quit demanding perfection out 0:05:40.440 --> 0:05:42.839 of your spouse, out of your children, out of the 0:05:42.839 --> 0:05:44.440 people you're in relationship with. 0:05:44.760 --> 0:05:46.279 Learn to show a little mercy. 0:05:46.760 --> 0:05:49.919 I know, even with Victoria, I couldn't find a better wife. 0:05:50.440 --> 0:05:54.000 I couldn't find a more loving, caring, generous person. And 0:05:54.080 --> 0:05:56.960 yet there are some things I have to overlook. There 0:05:56.960 --> 0:05:59.480 are some things that I have to make allowances for. 0:05:59.560 --> 0:06:02.720 It nothing wrong with her, She's just human. But if 0:06:02.760 --> 0:06:05.680 I were a fault finder, if I were critical and 0:06:05.880 --> 0:06:09.160 picking out things here and there, and keeping an account 0:06:09.200 --> 0:06:12.640 of everything she did wrong, then our relationship wouldn't be 0:06:12.760 --> 0:06:13.640 what it is today. 0:06:14.120 --> 0:06:15.080 You know as well as I do. 0:06:15.200 --> 0:06:17.279 All that does is open up the door to strife, 0:06:17.760 --> 0:06:21.479 and before long we'd bid odds with each other, arguing, fighting, 0:06:22.040 --> 0:06:25.800 No make allowances for each other's weaknesses, and learn not 0:06:25.960 --> 0:06:29.599 to wear your feelings on your shoulder. Don't be easily offended. 0:06:30.080 --> 0:06:33.080 There is nothing worse than living with a touchy person. 0:06:33.520 --> 0:06:36.480 And if somebody offends you, if somebody. 0:06:36.240 --> 0:06:37.080 Does you wrong. 0:06:37.240 --> 0:06:39.120 You've got to learn to just shake it off and 0:06:39.160 --> 0:06:44.920 move on. The scripture says love believes the best in people. Hey, 0:06:44.960 --> 0:06:47.200 you said, Joel, my husband, he hardly even spoke to 0:06:47.240 --> 0:06:49.400 me this morning, or he didn't even thank me for 0:06:49.440 --> 0:06:52.760 cooking dinner the other night. Well, that's a great opportunity 0:06:52.800 --> 0:06:56.880 to show him some mercy. Love covers a fault instead 0:06:56.920 --> 0:06:59.360 of going through the day all offended and all upset. 0:07:00.080 --> 0:07:02.279 Have you ever thought about the fact that maybe he 0:07:02.400 --> 0:07:04.960 wasn't feeling enough to part, Maybe he's under a lot 0:07:04.960 --> 0:07:07.480 of pressure at work, Maybe he's a little stressed out. 0:07:07.920 --> 0:07:09.840 Why don't you give him the benefit of the doubt. 0:07:10.320 --> 0:07:13.600 Why don't you believe the best in him? My father 0:07:13.720 --> 0:07:16.720 used to say, everybody has the right to have a 0:07:16.760 --> 0:07:18.360 bad day every once in a while. 0:07:19.120 --> 0:07:21.000 If somebody does something you don't. 0:07:20.840 --> 0:07:24.080 Like, if they're rude, or they walk by without speaking, 0:07:24.360 --> 0:07:25.800 let me tell you you're gonna have to be the 0:07:25.800 --> 0:07:28.920 bigger person. You got to swallow your pride and say, 0:07:28.920 --> 0:07:31.160 you know what, I don't believe they really meant to 0:07:31.240 --> 0:07:31.560 do that. 0:07:31.800 --> 0:07:33.480 I'm gonna overlook it and move on. 0:07:34.360 --> 0:07:37.760 See what I'm saying is instead of immediately going to 0:07:37.800 --> 0:07:40.560 the negative and seeing the worst. Let's get in a 0:07:40.600 --> 0:07:43.440 habit of immediately going to the positive. Let's get in 0:07:43.480 --> 0:07:46.080 a habit of believing the best in people. That's what 0:07:46.120 --> 0:07:46.920 it means. 0:07:46.640 --> 0:07:47.760 To cover a fault. 0:07:48.240 --> 0:07:51.560 And the scripture says here in First Corinthians thirteen, verse five, 0:07:52.080 --> 0:07:55.960 that love keeps no record of wrongs done to it. 0:07:56.600 --> 0:07:59.240 And some of you would see your relationships go to 0:07:59.320 --> 0:08:01.680 a whole new lefs if you just get rid of 0:08:01.680 --> 0:08:05.160 the record book. I know people that have a mental 0:08:05.240 --> 0:08:08.520 list of everything anybody's done wrong to them for the 0:08:08.600 --> 0:08:11.920 last twenty years. I mean, they'd make a great accountant. 0:08:12.160 --> 0:08:15.640 They've got a detailed record every time their spouse hurt them, 0:08:16.120 --> 0:08:18.520 every time their boss was a little rude, and every 0:08:18.560 --> 0:08:20.920 time their parents missed the grandkid's ballgame. 0:08:21.440 --> 0:08:24.520 Now get rid of your record book. Let those things go. 0:08:25.120 --> 0:08:27.800 Somebody told me the other day, Joel, every time my 0:08:27.920 --> 0:08:30.960 wife and I have a little disagreement, she brings up 0:08:31.000 --> 0:08:33.880 every mistake I've made for the last ten years. Well, 0:08:33.960 --> 0:08:36.600 you did this last year, and ten years ago, you 0:08:36.720 --> 0:08:37.760 did that last month. 0:08:37.840 --> 0:08:38.320 You hurt me. 0:08:39.000 --> 0:08:41.280 Know, as long as you're bringing up all that junk, 0:08:41.520 --> 0:08:44.320 you're going to have strife in your life. You say, Joel, 0:08:44.360 --> 0:08:47.120 it's true. I'm telling now I'm the one that's right. Well, 0:08:47.200 --> 0:08:49.040 let me ask you, do you want to be right 0:08:49.200 --> 0:08:51.160 or do you want to have peace? Do you want 0:08:51.160 --> 0:08:52.800 to have your way all the time? Or do you 0:08:52.840 --> 0:08:56.320 want to have healthy relationships? Many times we can't have both. 0:08:56.960 --> 0:09:00.240 I heard somebody say any married man should forget his 0:09:00.320 --> 0:09:03.640 mistakes because there's no point in two people remembering the 0:09:03.679 --> 0:09:04.160 same thing. 0:09:05.840 --> 0:09:08.440 You get the message. Get rid of those record books. 0:09:09.440 --> 0:09:12.800 And in our relationship, especially in our marriages, it's so 0:09:12.880 --> 0:09:15.000 important that we not keep score. 0:09:15.559 --> 0:09:16.600 I've heard people say. 0:09:16.480 --> 0:09:18.920 Well, I took out the trash last week, I did 0:09:19.000 --> 0:09:21.600 the dishes and I changed the diapers. You have it. 0:09:21.640 --> 0:09:23.480 I had to go to work, I dealt with the boss, 0:09:23.520 --> 0:09:26.800 I put up with the traffic. Now put away your scorecard. 0:09:27.480 --> 0:09:30.240 All that does is make you more competitive. It's going 0:09:30.280 --> 0:09:33.760 to bring out bitterness and resentment, and before long you're 0:09:33.760 --> 0:09:35.600 going to be treating that person less than you know 0:09:35.679 --> 0:09:39.800 you should. You've got to work together, be respectful, and 0:09:39.880 --> 0:09:42.400 learn not to pick at little things here and there. 0:09:43.160 --> 0:09:46.840 Friends, there is strength in unity. There is strength when 0:09:46.880 --> 0:09:47.800 you're in agreement. 0:09:48.480 --> 0:09:51.200 You and your spouse are more powerful together than you 0:09:51.280 --> 0:09:54.640 are apart, and sometimes in order to keep the peace, 0:09:54.920 --> 0:09:57.439 you just got to be the bigger person. And overlook 0:09:57.520 --> 0:10:00.760 some things you say, Joe, and my husband is lazy 0:10:00.800 --> 0:10:03.400 and he does this and he does that. Well, that 0:10:03.520 --> 0:10:05.640 may be true, but that tells me you got your 0:10:05.679 --> 0:10:09.000 record book out. That tells me you're keeping a detailed account. 0:10:09.760 --> 0:10:12.880 I'm asking you today to throw that thing away. I'm 0:10:12.920 --> 0:10:16.160 asking you to make allowances for the sake of peace. 0:10:16.920 --> 0:10:19.240 And even if you don't do it for yourself, do 0:10:19.320 --> 0:10:21.880 it for your family, do it for your children. 0:10:22.400 --> 0:10:23.320 Lets some things go. 0:10:23.880 --> 0:10:25.679 I mean, you got to make an effort to keep 0:10:25.720 --> 0:10:28.839 strife out of your life. I heard about this lady 0:10:28.920 --> 0:10:32.080 that was driving through an intersection. She accidentally turned too 0:10:32.120 --> 0:10:35.960 sharply and she sideswiped this other car and she couldn't 0:10:35.960 --> 0:10:39.240 believe it. It was her brand new car, a wedding gift. 0:10:39.640 --> 0:10:42.360 She was so upset. So she pulled over to the 0:10:42.400 --> 0:10:44.559 side of the road and this older. 0:10:44.240 --> 0:10:46.560 Gentleman got out of his car and he began to 0:10:46.559 --> 0:10:48.920 examine the damage, and it was pretty beat up. The 0:10:48.920 --> 0:10:51.560 front bumper was messed up, and so he went over 0:10:51.640 --> 0:10:54.040 to where she was and she was sitting in her 0:10:54.080 --> 0:10:57.680 car there just crying, so distraught, and she said, you know, 0:10:57.920 --> 0:11:01.480 I just got married and gave me this car as 0:11:01.480 --> 0:11:03.959 a wedding gift, and he is going to be so upset. 0:11:04.320 --> 0:11:06.160 I don't know what I'm going to do. And that 0:11:06.240 --> 0:11:09.440 older gentleman tried to console her. He said, no, it'll 0:11:09.480 --> 0:11:12.560 be okay. I'm sure he'll understand. And after they talked 0:11:12.559 --> 0:11:14.559 for a few minutes, he said, if I could just 0:11:14.600 --> 0:11:17.880 get your insurance information and we'll exchange that and be 0:11:18.000 --> 0:11:20.240 on our way. And she said, you know, I don't 0:11:20.240 --> 0:11:23.079 even know if I have an insurance card, and he said, well, 0:11:23.080 --> 0:11:24.280 it's usually in the glove compartment. 0:11:24.320 --> 0:11:25.000 Why don't you check. 0:11:25.360 --> 0:11:27.240 She opened it up and sure enough it was there, 0:11:27.800 --> 0:11:31.200 and attached to the little envelope that the insurance card 0:11:31.320 --> 0:11:34.559 was in, there was a note. It said, honey, just 0:11:34.600 --> 0:11:38.120 in case you ever have an accident, please remember I 0:11:38.240 --> 0:11:42.080 love you and not the car. That's the kind of 0:11:42.080 --> 0:11:43.680 people we need to strive to be. 0:11:44.480 --> 0:11:50.080 Show mercy. Don't keep a record of every mistake. Learn 0:11:50.160 --> 0:11:52.520 to cover some of those weaknesses. 0:11:52.720 --> 0:11:55.200 You said, Joel, my spouse and I we're just not 0:11:55.320 --> 0:11:56.400 really that compatible. 0:11:56.480 --> 0:11:58.880 We just can't get along. We are so different. 0:11:59.559 --> 0:12:02.440 No do you know, God puts you with someone different 0:12:02.480 --> 0:12:03.760 than you are on purpose. 0:12:04.280 --> 0:12:05.400 That is not a mistake. 0:12:05.640 --> 0:12:10.160 Opposites attract. God knew what you needed. You have strengths 0:12:10.200 --> 0:12:13.560 and weaknesses. That other person has strengths and weaknesses, and 0:12:13.640 --> 0:12:17.200 most likely your strengths make up for their weaknesses, and 0:12:17.240 --> 0:12:21.160 their strengths make up for your weaknesses. You compliment each other. 0:12:21.720 --> 0:12:24.360 You should not compete with that other person. You should 0:12:24.400 --> 0:12:25.720 complete that other person. 0:12:26.200 --> 0:12:27.760 Really, you need each other. 0:12:28.160 --> 0:12:30.800 But you've got to learn to get along and not 0:12:30.920 --> 0:12:35.200 allow these little weaknesses or little quirks in people's personalities 0:12:35.320 --> 0:12:39.400 to cause conflict cause strife. For instance, maybe you're a 0:12:39.520 --> 0:12:42.440 very neat and a tidy person. You like everything put 0:12:42.480 --> 0:12:45.920 perfectly into place. But your husband, he's a little more sloppy. 0:12:46.440 --> 0:12:49.320 He tends to leave things lying around, and you've told 0:12:49.360 --> 0:12:51.840 him a thousand times to not leave his shoes in 0:12:51.840 --> 0:12:54.320 front of the TV. So you go in there one night, 0:12:54.360 --> 0:12:57.280 and sure enough, there they are. That just really aggravates you, 0:12:57.679 --> 0:12:59.679 and so you make the mistake of going in there 0:12:59.679 --> 0:13:00.520 and find him. 0:13:00.679 --> 0:13:01.080 You stay. 0:13:01.400 --> 0:13:03.320 When are you ever going to start picking up your shoes? 0:13:03.720 --> 0:13:05.400 All I do is clean up around here. I'm so 0:13:05.520 --> 0:13:08.520 tired of working at this house. Oh, that's the wrong approach. 0:13:08.679 --> 0:13:10.840 Why don't you be the peace banker, Why don't you 0:13:10.880 --> 0:13:12.920 be the bigger person. You need to learn to just 0:13:13.000 --> 0:13:16.040 pick the shoes up and put them away quietly so. 0:13:16.080 --> 0:13:17.880 You can enjoy the rest of your evening. 0:13:18.440 --> 0:13:20.880 What I'm saying is, don't make a big deal out 0:13:20.920 --> 0:13:23.440 of things that are not a big deal. That really 0:13:23.600 --> 0:13:26.560 is not worth allowing strife into your home, that is 0:13:26.600 --> 0:13:28.440 not worth starting an argument over. 0:13:28.800 --> 0:13:30.120 Why don't you just let that go? 0:13:30.840 --> 0:13:32.600 Well, you said, Joe, and my wife, I've told her 0:13:32.640 --> 0:13:35.400 a thousand times to put the garage down when she 0:13:35.480 --> 0:13:38.120 comes home, but she forgets, and that just aggravates me. 0:13:38.200 --> 0:13:39.280 That gets on my nerves. 0:13:39.559 --> 0:13:42.040 Oh, why don't you cover for Why don't you make 0:13:42.080 --> 0:13:44.520 allowances for her weaknesses. 0:13:44.120 --> 0:13:45.120 Like she does yours. 0:13:45.320 --> 0:13:47.680 But you said, Joel, when's she ever gonna change? When's 0:13:47.720 --> 0:13:49.400 he ever going to change? Let me tell you when 0:13:49.440 --> 0:13:51.880 people are going to change. They'll change when you quit 0:13:51.960 --> 0:13:54.959 nagging them. They'll change when you keep a good attitude 0:13:55.000 --> 0:13:57.880 and quit complaining about it. And see if you'll do 0:13:58.040 --> 0:14:01.120 your best to cover a weakness and go out of 0:14:01.160 --> 0:14:03.400 your way to keep strife out of your life. 0:14:03.520 --> 0:14:04.320 You know what you're doing. 0:14:04.840 --> 0:14:07.600 You're so in a seed for God to change that person. 0:14:08.360 --> 0:14:11.439 You can't change people, only God can. You can nag 0:14:11.559 --> 0:14:13.960 them night and day, but it's only going to make 0:14:14.040 --> 0:14:16.520 matters worse. It's only going to bring more strife and 0:14:16.640 --> 0:14:20.240 more division. And the scripture in Romans twelve, verse sixteen 0:14:20.360 --> 0:14:24.160 says we need to adapt and adjust. 0:14:24.040 --> 0:14:25.200 In order to keep the peace. 0:14:26.000 --> 0:14:30.280 It doesn't say that everybody should adapt and adjust to us. Now, 0:14:30.400 --> 0:14:32.760 we've got to be willing to change if we're going 0:14:32.840 --> 0:14:34.000 to have peace in our lives. 0:14:34.680 --> 0:14:36.680 That means you can't have the attitude. 0:14:37.240 --> 0:14:39.320 If my wife starts doing what I ask her to, 0:14:39.600 --> 0:14:42.200 then we'll have peace in our home. If my husband 0:14:42.240 --> 0:14:44.840 will start putting his stuff away, then we'll begin to 0:14:44.880 --> 0:14:47.720 get along. Or if my boss will start treating me better, 0:14:48.000 --> 0:14:51.280 then I'll start treating him. Okay, now you have to 0:14:51.440 --> 0:14:54.560 make adjustment in order to keep the peace. In other words, 0:14:54.600 --> 0:14:56.880 you've got to just swallow your pride and go put 0:14:56.880 --> 0:14:59.680 the shoes away, and then don't go announce to him 0:14:59.720 --> 0:15:02.080 that you, well, I picked up your shoes again. I've 0:15:02.080 --> 0:15:03.920 done it a thousand times. I don't know when you're 0:15:03.920 --> 0:15:06.760 ever going to learn. No, just put the stinking shoes 0:15:06.800 --> 0:15:11.200 away and move on. We'll make sure you get it today. 0:15:12.440 --> 0:15:15.440 But you may not realize when you do your part 0:15:15.680 --> 0:15:18.680 to keep strife out of your home, you are honoring God. 0:15:19.280 --> 0:15:21.840 And when you honor God, God will always honor you. 0:15:22.520 --> 0:15:24.760 And now, I believe one of the main keys is 0:15:24.880 --> 0:15:28.480 we have to adapt. We have to make adjustments. Quit 0:15:28.560 --> 0:15:31.240 waiting for the other person to change. You be the 0:15:31.280 --> 0:15:35.520 peacemaker in your family. And sometimes we allow strife in 0:15:36.080 --> 0:15:40.080 over the smallest, most insignificant things. We argue over things 0:15:40.120 --> 0:15:43.400 that don't even matter, little petty things. I remember one 0:15:43.440 --> 0:15:45.920 time Victoria and I were driving out of our neighborhood 0:15:46.200 --> 0:15:48.280 and we stopped to look at this new house that 0:15:48.400 --> 0:15:51.440 was being built, and I simply made the comment, I 0:15:51.480 --> 0:15:53.360 wonder why they put the garage over there. 0:15:53.400 --> 0:15:54.720 That's not the way I would have done it. 0:15:55.200 --> 0:15:57.720 And Victoria said, well, I think he did that so 0:15:57.760 --> 0:15:58.920 he'd give him more room. 0:15:58.760 --> 0:15:59.360 On his lot. 0:16:00.080 --> 0:16:01.640 I kind of studied it and I said, no, that 0:16:01.680 --> 0:16:03.840 wouldn't give him any more room. She said, sure, would 0:16:03.880 --> 0:16:05.360 Joe give him a whole lot more room? 0:16:05.760 --> 0:16:06.120 Do you know? 0:16:06.280 --> 0:16:09.360 Fifteen minutes later, we were still debating why that guy 0:16:09.360 --> 0:16:12.400 put his garage where he did. Our voice tones were 0:16:12.400 --> 0:16:16.200 getting louder, our words were getting sharper. Finally it dawned 0:16:16.240 --> 0:16:18.360 on me, why are we arguing over where this guy 0:16:18.400 --> 0:16:20.720 put his garage. We don't even know who the man is. 0:16:22.640 --> 0:16:25.480 That's not worth losing our joy over. That's not worth 0:16:25.520 --> 0:16:29.600 losing your peace over. And I'm asking you today to 0:16:29.720 --> 0:16:32.960 let go of all of this petty stuff. I'm asking 0:16:33.000 --> 0:16:36.640 you to quit arguing over things that don't matter. You know, 0:16:36.760 --> 0:16:40.200 I know people that have gotten a divorce all because 0:16:40.280 --> 0:16:42.680 they stayed stirred up over these. 0:16:42.560 --> 0:16:45.840 Little insignificant things. They allow it to fester. 0:16:46.480 --> 0:16:49.400 It takes root, and before long they're living at each 0:16:49.440 --> 0:16:52.720 other's throat. And the funny thing is, they know, deep 0:16:52.800 --> 0:16:55.640 down in here they really love each other. But through 0:16:55.680 --> 0:16:58.880 the years they've allowed strife to get in. They didn't 0:16:58.880 --> 0:17:02.600 take it seriously. They begin to argue, They started treating 0:17:02.600 --> 0:17:07.600 each other disrespectfully, and sure enough, eventually that relationship was destroyed. 0:17:08.400 --> 0:17:09.080 Jesus said in. 0:17:09.080 --> 0:17:13.440 The Book of Matthew, a house divided is continually being 0:17:13.480 --> 0:17:18.120 brought to destruction, and it will not stand notice. Jesus said, 0:17:18.359 --> 0:17:22.040 if you allow strife into your relationship, it is being 0:17:22.280 --> 0:17:26.400 brought to destruction. In other words, it may not happen overnight, 0:17:27.000 --> 0:17:29.200 may not happen in a couple of months or even 0:17:29.240 --> 0:17:32.240 a couple of years. But if you allow strife to 0:17:32.320 --> 0:17:36.879 stay and you don't think anything about arguing, holding grudges 0:17:37.040 --> 0:17:40.320 and keeping the record book and making sarcastic remarks, you 0:17:40.359 --> 0:17:43.399 may not realize it, but that relationship is in the 0:17:43.480 --> 0:17:47.479 process of being destroyed. That strife is chipping away at 0:17:47.520 --> 0:17:51.879 your foundation. And unfortunately, unless you make a decision to 0:17:51.920 --> 0:17:54.320 do something about it, you could very well look up 0:17:54.359 --> 0:17:56.679 one day and think to yourself, man, what in the 0:17:56.720 --> 0:18:00.159 world have I done now? I'm challenging you today to 0:18:00.200 --> 0:18:03.680 do whatever it takes to keep strife out of your life. 0:18:04.040 --> 0:18:07.520 Don't be hard headed, don't be stubborn. Some of you 0:18:07.960 --> 0:18:10.359 have been at odds with people in your life, month 0:18:10.480 --> 0:18:13.840 after month after month, not speaking to them, giving them 0:18:13.880 --> 0:18:16.880 the cold shoulder. Listen, you need to make things right. 0:18:17.400 --> 0:18:19.400 Life is way too short to live it that way. 0:18:19.920 --> 0:18:21.800 I talked to a man a while back, and he 0:18:21.880 --> 0:18:23.800 was so broken, so defeated. 0:18:24.200 --> 0:18:25.359 I asked him what was wrong. 0:18:25.880 --> 0:18:28.879 He explained how he and his father got at odds 0:18:28.920 --> 0:18:32.040 with each other over a business decision, and they hadn't 0:18:32.080 --> 0:18:35.359 spoken in over two years time, and he said, Joel, 0:18:35.440 --> 0:18:37.800 I knew deep down in here that I needed to 0:18:37.840 --> 0:18:40.520 make it right, but I just kept putting it off 0:18:40.600 --> 0:18:43.040 and putting it off and putting it off. And earlier 0:18:43.080 --> 0:18:45.440 that week he had got a call from somebody telling 0:18:45.520 --> 0:18:47.600 him that his father had had a heart. 0:18:47.400 --> 0:18:49.520 Attack and was no longer with us. 0:18:49.760 --> 0:18:52.640 You can imagine what he has to deal with now. 0:18:52.680 --> 0:18:55.600 Don't wait until you cannot do it, do it today. 0:18:56.400 --> 0:19:00.320 Swallow your pride and apologize, even if it wasn't your fault. 0:19:01.119 --> 0:19:03.800 Quit having to have the last word in every argument. 0:19:04.560 --> 0:19:07.320 How many times have we heard the still small voice 0:19:07.400 --> 0:19:10.919 right down in here tell us walk away, keep the peace, 0:19:11.040 --> 0:19:13.919 just let it go, But we ignore it. We end 0:19:14.000 --> 0:19:16.920 up getting into a great, big argument, and all kinds 0:19:16.920 --> 0:19:19.680 of turmoil could have been avoided if we'd just been 0:19:19.720 --> 0:19:23.679 the bigger person and walked away. And understand, it's not 0:19:23.800 --> 0:19:27.680 always about being right. It's about keeping strife out of 0:19:27.720 --> 0:19:31.520 your life. Because you can win every argument in the world, 0:19:32.200 --> 0:19:34.840 but if it opens the door to turmoil, if it 0:19:34.880 --> 0:19:37.720 brings division and tears you the part, in the end, 0:19:37.880 --> 0:19:40.359 you really didn't win at all. You'd been much better 0:19:40.400 --> 0:19:42.919 off to just let it all go and some of 0:19:42.960 --> 0:19:46.359 you today. If you don't make some changes, if you 0:19:46.400 --> 0:19:49.879 don't heed what's being said, then that relationship is not 0:19:49.960 --> 0:19:53.080 going to last. And I believe that God always gives 0:19:53.160 --> 0:19:56.080 us a warning. God always gives us a wake up call, 0:19:56.560 --> 0:20:01.000 and he's simply saying today, quit being so argument, quit 0:20:01.080 --> 0:20:04.640 being a fault finder, quit keeping your record books, let 0:20:04.680 --> 0:20:08.680 all that stuff go, and start being a peacemaker. Well, 0:20:08.720 --> 0:20:10.280 you say, Joel, I'll do it as soon as my 0:20:10.359 --> 0:20:13.200 husband changes. I'll do it as soon as my boss 0:20:13.200 --> 0:20:16.320 starts treating me better. No, if you wait for somebody 0:20:16.359 --> 0:20:19.000 else to be the peacemaker in your life, you may 0:20:19.000 --> 0:20:23.000 wait around your whole lifetime. Peace starts with you. You've 0:20:23.040 --> 0:20:26.600 got to make the first move. Well, Joel, I apologize first, 0:20:26.680 --> 0:20:27.200 last time. 0:20:27.240 --> 0:20:28.000 That's not fair. 0:20:28.320 --> 0:20:31.560 It's his turn to apologize. Well, it may not be fair, 0:20:31.640 --> 0:20:34.919 but it can keep you together. Swallow your pride, be 0:20:35.040 --> 0:20:38.040 the bigger person. Do it anyway. When you do that, 0:20:38.280 --> 0:20:40.880 you're so in a seed. When you do it, you're 0:20:40.960 --> 0:20:43.640 passing the test. Let me tell you, God will always 0:20:43.640 --> 0:20:46.200 make it up to you. I think about the story 0:20:46.280 --> 0:20:49.000 of Abraham. One time he moved to a new land 0:20:49.320 --> 0:20:52.400 with his nephew Lot, but the land wasn't big enough 0:20:52.400 --> 0:20:55.000 to support both of them, and the Bible says in 0:20:55.160 --> 0:20:59.880 Genesis thirteen, verse seven that Lot's herdsman begin to get 0:20:59.880 --> 0:21:03.600 it to strife with Abraham's herdsman. Well, what did Abraham do? 0:21:04.160 --> 0:21:07.640 He immediately begin to deal with it. He knew if 0:21:07.640 --> 0:21:11.000 he allowed that strife to continue before long, it would 0:21:11.040 --> 0:21:13.840 not only be affecting the herdsman, but it would affect 0:21:13.840 --> 0:21:17.280 his relationship with Lot. He knew that strife would eventually 0:21:17.359 --> 0:21:21.040 bring turmoil to the whole family, and so Abraham. 0:21:20.600 --> 0:21:21.520 Took the high road. 0:21:22.280 --> 0:21:24.800 He said in verse eight, Lot, I don't want there 0:21:24.800 --> 0:21:27.639 to be any strife between you and me, and he 0:21:27.800 --> 0:21:31.639 let Lot choose the best piece of land. In other words, 0:21:31.840 --> 0:21:36.280 to avoid strife. He allowed Lot to be right. He 0:21:36.359 --> 0:21:40.119 allowed Lot to have it his way, even though technically Abraham, 0:21:40.600 --> 0:21:43.000 he was the older gentleman, he should have been able 0:21:43.040 --> 0:21:45.679 to choose the best piece of land. My point is, 0:21:46.119 --> 0:21:48.840 sometimes you're gonna have to let the other person be 0:21:49.000 --> 0:21:52.600 right simply for the sake of peace. Sometimes you're gonna 0:21:52.600 --> 0:21:55.120 have to swallow your pride, and no matter how much 0:21:55.119 --> 0:21:57.240 it hurts. You got to let the other person do 0:21:57.320 --> 0:22:00.159 it their way just so you can keep strife out 0:22:00.200 --> 0:22:00.640 of your life. 0:22:01.400 --> 0:22:02.560 It may not be fair. 0:22:03.280 --> 0:22:05.359 You may know beyond a shadow of a doubt that 0:22:05.440 --> 0:22:07.040 you're right and they're wrong. 0:22:07.320 --> 0:22:07.920 Doesn't matter. 0:22:08.080 --> 0:22:10.800 You got to just bite your tongue, let it go, 0:22:11.119 --> 0:22:13.600 and trust God to make it up to you. The 0:22:13.640 --> 0:22:17.800 Bible says that because Abraham kept the peace because he 0:22:17.880 --> 0:22:21.560 refused to get into strife, God turned it around and 0:22:21.640 --> 0:22:22.560 honored him. 0:22:22.680 --> 0:22:24.080 By giving him the whole country. 0:22:24.840 --> 0:22:27.200 And you too, If you will make a decision to 0:22:27.320 --> 0:22:30.880 keep the peace, even though it's not your fault, even 0:22:30.960 --> 0:22:33.040 though somebody's done you wrong and you've got a good 0:22:33.119 --> 0:22:35.640 cause to get in there and argue. If you'll keep 0:22:35.680 --> 0:22:38.200 the peace anyway, let me tell you, God will honor 0:22:38.240 --> 0:22:40.800 you and bring you out with an abundance. 0:22:40.760 --> 0:22:41.639 And some of you today. 0:22:42.000 --> 0:22:44.159 The only thing that's keeping you from getting out of 0:22:44.160 --> 0:22:47.679 strife is the fact that you know you're right and 0:22:47.720 --> 0:22:50.240 you know the other person's wrong, and you just can't 0:22:50.320 --> 0:22:50.719 let it go. 0:22:50.760 --> 0:22:52.000 You think, Joel, that's not fair. 0:22:52.640 --> 0:22:55.120 Well, it may not be fair, But if you will 0:22:55.200 --> 0:22:57.880 just leave it up to God, take the high road 0:22:57.960 --> 0:23:01.760 like Abraham did, and just refused to get into strife. 0:23:02.160 --> 0:23:03.720 Then in the end, God's going to bring you out 0:23:03.760 --> 0:23:06.760 better off than you were before. The Bible doesn't say 0:23:06.800 --> 0:23:09.560 that if we're in strife as long as it's not 0:23:09.640 --> 0:23:12.720 our fault, and it's okay. Now, when we're in strife, 0:23:12.800 --> 0:23:14.840 no matter whose fault it is, it's going to bring 0:23:14.880 --> 0:23:18.520 destruction and turmoil. We have to make adjustments to keep 0:23:18.520 --> 0:23:18.880 the peace. 0:23:18.920 --> 0:23:20.080 We have to do our part. 0:23:20.840 --> 0:23:23.520 I heard about this couple that had made your problems 0:23:23.520 --> 0:23:26.560 in their marriage, and the truth is the man was 0:23:26.600 --> 0:23:30.280 the main cause. He was very selfish, very argumented it, 0:23:30.760 --> 0:23:33.680 and basically he was just a very hard to get 0:23:33.680 --> 0:23:37.880 along with, critical, negative person. And neither of these two 0:23:37.920 --> 0:23:40.720 people would give an inch. Now, this woman, she really 0:23:40.760 --> 0:23:44.040 loved God. She went to church every week and did 0:23:44.080 --> 0:23:46.720 her best to live a life of integrity. But the man, 0:23:46.760 --> 0:23:49.120 he was just the opposite, wouldn't have anything to do 0:23:49.400 --> 0:23:52.439 with the things of God, very cold and sarcastic about that. 0:23:53.119 --> 0:23:55.919 And so this lady prayed and prayed for God to 0:23:56.000 --> 0:23:59.520 change her husband. Year after year went by, nothing got better. 0:23:59.560 --> 0:24:02.200 They just can continued to live in strife. And one 0:24:02.280 --> 0:24:04.679 day she was praying and she said, God, why do 0:24:04.760 --> 0:24:07.280 I have to live in such a terrible environment. When 0:24:07.280 --> 0:24:09.960 are you ever going to change my husband? And God 0:24:10.119 --> 0:24:12.119 spoke something back to her, not out loud, but right 0:24:12.200 --> 0:24:14.560 down in here, and he said, I'm going. 0:24:14.560 --> 0:24:18.800 To change your husband as soon as you change. She said, God, 0:24:18.800 --> 0:24:19.120 what do. 0:24:19.119 --> 0:24:22.160 You mean, he's the problem, He's the one that mean 0:24:22.200 --> 0:24:25.520 inn argument if I go to church every Sunday. God said, no, 0:24:26.000 --> 0:24:28.560 you're not doing all you can to keep the peace. 0:24:29.080 --> 0:24:32.240 You become indifferent to this situation and you're being a 0:24:32.280 --> 0:24:35.080 part of allowing that strife to stay into your home. 0:24:35.720 --> 0:24:39.119 Then God said something very interesting. He said, I'm going 0:24:39.200 --> 0:24:43.080 to hold you responsible because you know the truth, you 0:24:43.240 --> 0:24:45.560 know the right thing to do, and when you start 0:24:45.600 --> 0:24:48.840 doing that, I'll begin to change your husband. See the 0:24:48.840 --> 0:24:52.840 scripture says to him that knows what's right and doesn't 0:24:52.840 --> 0:24:55.680 do it, then it's sin. And a lot of times 0:24:55.760 --> 0:24:57.800 we're waiting for the other person to change. We know 0:24:57.880 --> 0:25:00.480 they're wrong, we know they're at fault. We have to 0:25:00.560 --> 0:25:04.159 realize God is going to hold us responsible to do 0:25:04.240 --> 0:25:07.280 what we know to do. When we allow strife into 0:25:07.280 --> 0:25:10.320 our homes, we just simply opened up the door to trouble. 0:25:10.760 --> 0:25:13.240 A few years ago, Victoria and I and our two 0:25:13.359 --> 0:25:16.480 children went for a bike ride together out at the park, 0:25:16.960 --> 0:25:19.240 and this day had not gone real well for me. 0:25:19.600 --> 0:25:22.360 I was kind of aggravated at something Victoria had done. 0:25:22.680 --> 0:25:24.600 I didn't think it was right. It just kind of 0:25:24.640 --> 0:25:28.000 irritated me. I remember so clearly that I chose to 0:25:28.040 --> 0:25:31.359 hold on to it. I could have so easily overlooked it. 0:25:31.359 --> 0:25:32.560 It wasn't any big deal. 0:25:33.000 --> 0:25:33.720 I could have so. 0:25:33.680 --> 0:25:36.760 Easily just let it go and enjoyed the day at 0:25:36.800 --> 0:25:40.199 the park, but no, I chose to stay sour. I 0:25:40.280 --> 0:25:42.159 was kind of giving her the cold shoulder, didn't want 0:25:42.200 --> 0:25:43.879 to have too much to do with her. And so 0:25:43.920 --> 0:25:45.879 we're out at the park riding our bikes, and I 0:25:45.880 --> 0:25:48.720 gotten my little daughter, Alexandra on my bike seat behind me, 0:25:49.320 --> 0:25:51.560 and Jonathan had just learned how to ride his bike 0:25:51.600 --> 0:25:53.840 a few months earlier, so we had to go kind 0:25:53.840 --> 0:25:56.320 of slow. He wasn't real sure of himself, and I 0:25:56.359 --> 0:25:59.280 had gotten maybe fifty or one hundred yards ahead of 0:25:59.320 --> 0:26:01.480 he and Victim for you, and all of a sudden, 0:26:01.520 --> 0:26:04.520 this biker came riding the other way, had passed. 0:26:04.320 --> 0:26:06.520 Me, going very very fast, and. 0:26:06.200 --> 0:26:08.840 My first thought was, man, I hope Jonathan is careful, 0:26:08.840 --> 0:26:11.600 this guy is flying well. Sure enough, just as he 0:26:11.640 --> 0:26:14.159 got up there close to Jonathan, Jonathan saw him and 0:26:14.240 --> 0:26:16.800 he got spooked and he turned right into his path 0:26:17.000 --> 0:26:19.240 and they had head on. Now. I mean it was 0:26:19.280 --> 0:26:22.560 a loud collision. I thought for sure he had broken 0:26:22.600 --> 0:26:23.880 an arm or a leg or something. 0:26:23.880 --> 0:26:25.080 It just sounded so bad. 0:26:25.119 --> 0:26:27.560 And I set my bike down and I ran back 0:26:27.560 --> 0:26:29.560 there as fast as I could, and I picked up 0:26:29.600 --> 0:26:32.600 little Jonathan, and I was amazed that he wasn't hurt 0:26:32.640 --> 0:26:34.879 that badly. I mean, he was skinned up on his legs, 0:26:34.880 --> 0:26:38.040 in his arms, he didn't have any broken bones. Fortunately, 0:26:38.080 --> 0:26:41.080 that other writer was okay as well. But when everything 0:26:41.240 --> 0:26:44.760 kind of calmed down, something said on the inside of 0:26:44.800 --> 0:26:48.680 me so strongly, Joel, you brought all this on yourself. 0:26:49.400 --> 0:26:52.199 You had the choice to make things right. You had 0:26:52.280 --> 0:26:54.320 the choice to keep the strife out, but. 0:26:54.240 --> 0:26:55.159 You chose not to. 0:26:56.000 --> 0:26:58.560 And see, I knew better. I can relate to what 0:26:58.600 --> 0:27:01.280 that lady was saying. I knew I was holding onto 0:27:01.280 --> 0:27:04.520 the offense. I knew I wasn't treating Victoria right. And 0:27:04.600 --> 0:27:08.400 this is what happens. The scripture says, don't give any 0:27:08.440 --> 0:27:11.359 foothold to the enemy. All he's looking for is a 0:27:11.359 --> 0:27:15.399 little foothold of strife, a foothold of arguing, a foothold 0:27:15.520 --> 0:27:16.879 of hav an unforgiveness. 0:27:17.320 --> 0:27:18.400 And of course I'm. 0:27:18.200 --> 0:27:20.919 Not saying that every accident is because of this, but 0:27:21.040 --> 0:27:21.880 I knew I. 0:27:21.840 --> 0:27:23.560 Had brought this on ourselves. 0:27:23.760 --> 0:27:26.320 And see, when we choose to hold on to strife 0:27:26.760 --> 0:27:29.360 and to not forgive, and to be hard headed and 0:27:29.400 --> 0:27:33.000 to not overlook little things, what we're really doing is 0:27:33.000 --> 0:27:35.879 stepping out of God's protection. We're stepping out of God's 0:27:35.880 --> 0:27:38.879 blessings and favor. And that's why I'm challenging you today 0:27:39.119 --> 0:27:42.080 to do everything you can to keep strife out of 0:27:42.080 --> 0:27:44.679 your life. Don't be hard headed like I was, be 0:27:44.800 --> 0:27:48.200 the bigger person, Swallow your pride and keep the peace. 0:27:48.960 --> 0:27:51.840 Learn to overlook some things, give people the benefit of 0:27:51.880 --> 0:27:55.560 the doubt. Remember, you and I have to adapt and 0:27:55.600 --> 0:27:58.520 adjust if we're going to have peace. And again, it 0:27:58.560 --> 0:28:01.680 may not always be fair, but we have to ask ourselves, 0:28:01.880 --> 0:28:03.720 do I want to be right or do I want 0:28:03.760 --> 0:28:04.359 to have peace? 0:28:05.040 --> 0:28:07.040 And I know God's dealing with some of you right. 0:28:06.960 --> 0:28:09.800 Now, and I believe today can be a turning point 0:28:09.800 --> 0:28:12.119 in your life if you will just simply make a 0:28:12.160 --> 0:28:15.520 decision that you're gonna swallow your pride and you're gonna 0:28:15.560 --> 0:28:17.840 do everything it takes to keep the peace. Let me 0:28:17.840 --> 0:28:20.040 tell you, if you do that, God promises you're gonna 0:28:20.040 --> 0:28:23.440 be blessed. He said, blessed are the peacemakers. If you 0:28:23.480 --> 0:28:26.119 will have that kind of attitude, your relationships are going 0:28:26.160 --> 0:28:28.359 to get better and better. And I believe you're going 0:28:28.440 --> 0:28:31.040 to experience the life of victory that God has in store. 0:28:31.080 --> 0:28:33.600 Amen. How many to receive it today? But I know 0:28:33.640 --> 0:28:33.879 you do. 0:28:35.800 --> 0:28:38.800 We never like to close our broadcast without giving you 0:28:38.840 --> 0:28:41.600 an opportunity to make Jesus the lord of your life. 0:28:42.000 --> 0:28:43.000 Would you pray with me? 0:28:43.560 --> 0:28:48.920 Just say, Lord, Jesus, I repent of my sins, Come 0:28:48.920 --> 0:28:49.640 into my heart. 0:28:50.720 --> 0:28:52.440 I'll make you my Lord and savior. 0:28:53.720 --> 0:28:56.120 Friends, if you prayed that simple prayer, we believe you 0:28:56.160 --> 0:28:59.280 got born again. Get in a good Bible based church, 0:28:59.520 --> 0:29:02.280 keep God on first place. He's gonna take your places 0:29:02.360 --> 0:29:03.280 you've never dreamed of. 0:29:03.920 --> 0:29:07.360 Thank you for listening to the Joel Loustine podcast. Help 0:29:07.480 --> 0:29:10.200 us continue to share the message of hope with those 0:29:10.280 --> 0:29:14.160 all over the world. Visit joeloustein dot com slash give 0:29:14.280 --> 0:29:15.959 Hope to give a gift today. 0:29:17.240 --> 0:29:19.680 Thanks so much for listening to today's message. 0:29:19.800 --> 0:29:22.520 I hope you'll subscribe so you can receive the latest 0:29:22.600 --> 0:29:25.640 podcast to keep you inspired all through the week. 0:29:25.880 --> 0:29:28.719 We're praying for you. I know God's best is still ahead. 0:29:28.960 --> 0:29:30.000 We'll see you next time. 0:29:37.160 --> 0:29:39.920 With millions of books on Amazon, there's a reading feeling 0:29:39.960 --> 0:29:44.440 for everyone. 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