Living a No-Excuses Life

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Apply now at Mentalhealth Coach 0:01:56.520 --> 0:01:59.880 dot org again that's Mentalhealth Coach dot Org. 0:02:02.000 --> 0:02:05.760 Hi, this is Joel and Victoria. Thanks for downloading our podcast. 0:02:06.040 --> 0:02:08.840 We enjoy spending this time with you. I hope you'll 0:02:08.919 --> 0:02:12.280 leave Inspire. Make sure you subscribe to get new messages 0:02:12.320 --> 0:02:15.320 every week. We appreciate your support. It helps keep the 0:02:15.400 --> 0:02:16.200 ministry going. 0:02:16.600 --> 0:02:25.120 Enjoy the message. 0:02:29.320 --> 0:02:32.079 Well, God bless you. It is always a joy to 0:02:32.240 --> 0:02:35.320 come into your homes. We love you and we're believing 0:02:35.400 --> 0:02:37.079 this is going to be your best year so far. 0:02:37.560 --> 0:02:39.880 If you're ever in our area, stop buy and see us. 0:02:40.000 --> 0:02:42.080 I promise you will make you feel right at home. 0:02:42.360 --> 0:02:44.600 But thanks for tuning in. Thank you again for coming 0:02:44.600 --> 0:02:47.240 out today. I'd like to start with something funny and 0:02:47.520 --> 0:02:50.320 I heard about this husband. He was quietly reading the 0:02:50.360 --> 0:02:53.240 newspaper when his wife walked up behind him and hit 0:02:53.360 --> 0:02:55.000 him on the head with a frying pan. 0:02:55.760 --> 0:02:56.960 He said, what was that for? 0:02:57.639 --> 0:02:59.600 She said, that was for the piece of paper I 0:02:59.600 --> 0:03:02.400 found it your pocket with the name Mary Lou on it. 0:03:02.840 --> 0:03:05.040 He said, oh, honey, that's just one of the horses 0:03:05.040 --> 0:03:07.920 that I bet on at the racetrack last week. She 0:03:08.040 --> 0:03:11.520 apologized and went about her business. Three days later, she 0:03:11.560 --> 0:03:13.720 walked up and hit him with a bigger frying pan. 0:03:14.440 --> 0:03:16.240 When he came to he said, what in the world 0:03:16.320 --> 0:03:21.840 was that for? She said, your horse just called. All right, 0:03:22.520 --> 0:03:24.600 hold up your bible. Say it like you mean it. 0:03:25.160 --> 0:03:28.119 This is my Bible. I am what it says I am. 0:03:28.800 --> 0:03:31.280 I have what it says I have. I can do 0:03:31.360 --> 0:03:33.960 what it says I can do. Today I will be 0:03:34.040 --> 0:03:38.240 taught the word of God. I boldly confess. My mind 0:03:38.320 --> 0:03:41.880 is alert, my heart is receptive. I will never be 0:03:42.000 --> 0:03:47.119 the same. In Jesus' name, God bless you. I want 0:03:47.120 --> 0:03:51.080 to talk to you today about living a no excuses life. 0:03:51.800 --> 0:03:54.040 It's easy to come up with the reason why we 0:03:54.080 --> 0:03:57.680 can't be our best now. I found most people have 0:03:57.920 --> 0:04:01.560 what they think is some kind of handicap, something that's 0:04:01.600 --> 0:04:05.560 holding them back. It may be something about their personality 0:04:05.680 --> 0:04:08.680 or something about their looks that they don't like, or 0:04:08.720 --> 0:04:12.800 maybe they've been through an unfair situation, a divorce, a 0:04:12.800 --> 0:04:16.560 business partner cheated them, they got a bad break. I've 0:04:16.560 --> 0:04:19.960 had people tell me, Joel, I'm just the wrong nationality, 0:04:20.279 --> 0:04:23.560 I come from the wrong family. We all have things 0:04:23.600 --> 0:04:27.160 that we feel like could be a disadvantage, things that 0:04:27.240 --> 0:04:30.160 make it harder on us. It may even be a 0:04:30.200 --> 0:04:33.880 physical handicap where you can't get around like you used to, 0:04:34.360 --> 0:04:38.320 you can't see as well, you're physically challenged in some area. 0:04:39.040 --> 0:04:43.400 But just because you have a quote disadvantage, just because 0:04:43.440 --> 0:04:46.440 you've been through a tough time, that doesn't mean you're 0:04:46.480 --> 0:04:50.159 supposed to sit back and settle where you are. God 0:04:50.240 --> 0:04:53.839 still has something great for you to do. You may 0:04:53.839 --> 0:04:57.160 not look like everyone else, you may not be able. 0:04:56.960 --> 0:04:58.280 To do what others can do. 0:04:58.880 --> 0:05:01.800 But if you will stay in faith and not get 0:05:01.920 --> 0:05:06.800 negative toward yourself or negative towards your future, then what 0:05:06.880 --> 0:05:10.400 you think is a liability is going to turn out 0:05:10.440 --> 0:05:14.200 to be an asset. What you think is a disadvantage 0:05:14.440 --> 0:05:17.800 God is going to turn around to be an advantage. 0:05:17.800 --> 0:05:20.760 Many of you know who Joyce Meyer is. She's a 0:05:20.760 --> 0:05:24.520 great minister, a good friend. She told how in her 0:05:24.560 --> 0:05:28.120 early days she couldn't stand the sound of her voice. 0:05:28.680 --> 0:05:30.119 Her voice is very deep. 0:05:30.839 --> 0:05:33.720 In fact, when people used to hear her on the radio. 0:05:33.760 --> 0:05:35.040 They thought she was a man. 0:05:35.839 --> 0:05:39.360 She gets so discouraged, say God, why do I have 0:05:39.440 --> 0:05:42.200 such an odd voice? God, why can't I just have 0:05:42.240 --> 0:05:46.919 a nice, polite, feminine voice. But over the years she 0:05:47.040 --> 0:05:51.160 begin to realize that her voice is so distinct it 0:05:51.240 --> 0:05:54.919 makes her stand out. When people hear it, it draws 0:05:55.000 --> 0:05:59.320 their attention. What she thought was a liability ended up 0:05:59.440 --> 0:06:02.279 being an apple set. You need to quit looking at 0:06:02.360 --> 0:06:07.520 yourself as being odd and start seeing yourself as being unique. 0:06:08.320 --> 0:06:11.800 You are not too tall or too short. You are 0:06:11.920 --> 0:06:15.160 just the right size. You have just the right personality, 0:06:15.760 --> 0:06:19.640 just the right looks, just the right talents. When God 0:06:19.680 --> 0:06:23.599 made you, he wasn't having a bad day. He made 0:06:23.640 --> 0:06:27.679 you like you are on purpose. When God got finished 0:06:27.680 --> 0:06:30.440 creating you, he stepped back and said that was good. 0:06:30.760 --> 0:06:35.080 I like that another masterpiece. And sure there are things 0:06:35.160 --> 0:06:38.000 about us that we may not like, things that we 0:06:38.080 --> 0:06:41.200 wish were different, But you can allow that to cause 0:06:41.240 --> 0:06:44.840 you to get sour and keep you from pursuing your dreams. 0:06:45.360 --> 0:06:48.760 I think about my mother. She had polio as a child. 0:06:49.240 --> 0:06:50.800 She had to wear braces. 0:06:50.440 --> 0:06:51.200 On her legs. 0:06:51.640 --> 0:06:54.120 Today, one of her legs is much smaller than the 0:06:54.160 --> 0:06:57.440 other one. When she goes to buy shoes, she has 0:06:57.480 --> 0:07:01.280 to buy two pairs because her feet are two different sizes. 0:07:01.800 --> 0:07:04.840 But one thing I've always loved about my mother is 0:07:04.880 --> 0:07:08.320 she has never let that stop her from pressing forward. 0:07:09.120 --> 0:07:12.080 She could have easily been kind of embarrassed by it. 0:07:12.720 --> 0:07:15.280 She could have shrunk back and tried to hide it, 0:07:15.920 --> 0:07:18.720 let it cause her to feel less than, but she 0:07:18.760 --> 0:07:24.160 never did that. She has this no excuses mentality. She 0:07:24.360 --> 0:07:28.080 knows she's been made in the image of Almighty God. 0:07:28.880 --> 0:07:32.560 Growing up. That never stopped her from wearing shorts, never 0:07:32.600 --> 0:07:36.080 stopped her from wearing dresses. She still wears dresses today, 0:07:36.560 --> 0:07:39.200 seventy five years old, still showing off her legs. 0:07:41.680 --> 0:07:45.440 That don't let her fool you. She loves it. 0:07:47.600 --> 0:07:50.280 That never stopped her from doing things like working. 0:07:49.960 --> 0:07:53.520 In the yard. It never stopped her from praying for 0:07:53.680 --> 0:07:55.240 other people that needed healing. 0:07:55.800 --> 0:07:57.880 She could have thought, I can't pray for them to 0:07:57.920 --> 0:08:01.240 get well, my legs are not well. No, you don't 0:08:01.280 --> 0:08:04.000 have to be perfect for God to use you. You've 0:08:04.040 --> 0:08:06.560 got to take the hand that you've been dealt and 0:08:06.600 --> 0:08:09.679 make the very most of it. Believe that God turns 0:08:09.720 --> 0:08:13.400 it around. Believe that he'll bring healing. But even if 0:08:13.440 --> 0:08:17.440 it doesn't happen, you can still honor God by being 0:08:17.520 --> 0:08:20.200 the best that you can be right where you are. 0:08:21.280 --> 0:08:24.520 My sister Lisa was born with something like cerebral palsy. 0:08:25.120 --> 0:08:27.679 The doctors told my parents that she'd never. 0:08:27.560 --> 0:08:30.720 Be able to walk, never be able to feed herself. 0:08:31.240 --> 0:08:34.000 They said, you might as well get prepared to take 0:08:34.040 --> 0:08:35.720 care of a disabled child. 0:08:36.400 --> 0:08:38.240 Of course, my parents were devastated. 0:08:38.640 --> 0:08:42.400 They prayed, they believed, they stood in faith, and little 0:08:42.440 --> 0:08:46.880 by little, Lisa got better and better. Today she's perfectly normal. 0:08:47.200 --> 0:08:50.720 She's on staff with us here, ministers for us many times. 0:08:51.240 --> 0:08:51.320 Now. 0:08:51.360 --> 0:08:54.600 I have another friend by the name of David Ring. 0:08:55.200 --> 0:08:59.080 You may know him. He's a minister like Lisa. He 0:08:59.200 --> 0:09:03.160 too was born with sebral palsy, but God's plan for 0:09:03.240 --> 0:09:04.559 his life was different. 0:09:05.160 --> 0:09:08.760 David Ring didn't get healed. When he talks, it. 0:09:08.800 --> 0:09:11.520 Takes him three or four times as long to get 0:09:11.520 --> 0:09:15.320 the words out. When he walks. His legs and arms 0:09:15.400 --> 0:09:18.800 don't function like most of ours. He could have easily 0:09:18.840 --> 0:09:21.880 sat at home and thought, too bad for me. I've 0:09:21.880 --> 0:09:25.319 got this disability. My speech is slow. I can't get 0:09:25.360 --> 0:09:28.600 around God. I thought you wanted me to do something great. 0:09:29.160 --> 0:09:31.360 I thought you wanted me to be a minister. I 0:09:31.440 --> 0:09:34.839 must have been wrong. I've got this handicap. No, you've 0:09:34.880 --> 0:09:37.920 got to know David Ring. There's nothing that slows him down. 0:09:38.360 --> 0:09:42.520 He goes all over the world, speaking to thousands of people, 0:09:42.880 --> 0:09:46.280 telling them about the goodness of God and about how 0:09:46.320 --> 0:09:50.520 they too can overcome any obstacle. When he gets up 0:09:50.559 --> 0:09:54.200 to speak, it's very difficult to understand. As I said, 0:09:54.240 --> 0:09:57.200 he speaks very slowly, but I love the way he 0:09:57.280 --> 0:10:02.000 always starts. He says, my name is David Ring. What's 0:10:02.040 --> 0:10:03.240 your excuse. 0:10:04.240 --> 0:10:04.960 Think about this? 0:10:05.559 --> 0:10:09.800 Lisa was healed from cerebral palsy and she's honoring God 0:10:09.880 --> 0:10:14.080 with her life. David Ring is living with cerebral palsy 0:10:14.400 --> 0:10:16.560 and he's honoring God with his life. 0:10:17.120 --> 0:10:17.960 What am I saying? 0:10:18.800 --> 0:10:21.520 You've got to take what God's given you and make 0:10:21.559 --> 0:10:25.040 the very most of it. You cannot sit around thinking 0:10:25.400 --> 0:10:28.120 why did this happen to me? Why did she get 0:10:28.160 --> 0:10:31.000 healed and I didn't get healed? Why did my marriage 0:10:31.040 --> 0:10:33.920 not work out? Why do my neighbors have power? And 0:10:33.960 --> 0:10:39.480 I still don't quit focusing on all the wise Faith 0:10:39.679 --> 0:10:43.000 is all about trusting God even when you don't understand it. 0:10:43.800 --> 0:10:47.040 And the fact is God could have healed David just 0:10:47.160 --> 0:10:50.439 like he healed my sister Lisa. But God is a 0:10:50.480 --> 0:10:54.120 sovereign God. I don't claim to understand it all, but 0:10:54.200 --> 0:10:57.320 I do know this. God is a good God. He 0:10:57.400 --> 0:11:00.720 has a great plan for your life, destiny for you 0:11:00.800 --> 0:11:04.760 to fulfill. And no matter how many disadvantages come your way, 0:11:05.160 --> 0:11:08.720 no matter how many setbacks try to pull you down, if. 0:11:08.600 --> 0:11:11.439 You'll shake off the self pity, shake off. 0:11:11.280 --> 0:11:14.760 The blame, dig your heels in, and keep pressing forward, 0:11:15.320 --> 0:11:19.559 then no setback, no disadvantage, no handicap can keep you 0:11:19.840 --> 0:11:24.559 from becoming everything that God's created you to be. And 0:11:24.679 --> 0:11:28.599 I'm asking you today to get rid of the excuses. 0:11:29.360 --> 0:11:33.680 Quit dwelling on your disappointments and how unfair it was 0:11:33.840 --> 0:11:35.560 and who hurt you. 0:11:35.559 --> 0:11:35.640 No. 0:11:35.760 --> 0:11:39.520 God has something great right where you are. There are 0:11:39.559 --> 0:11:43.760 no handicaps except in our mind. But too many people 0:11:44.000 --> 0:11:47.720 are waiting for God to remove everything and make them perfect. 0:11:48.160 --> 0:11:50.480 Then they're going to pursue their dreams. Then they're going 0:11:50.559 --> 0:11:53.160 to go after their destiny. Now you need to go 0:11:53.240 --> 0:11:57.040 after your destiny right now. Honor God with what you have. 0:11:57.840 --> 0:12:00.800 He wants to take that liability and turn it into 0:12:00.880 --> 0:12:01.440 an asset. 0:12:02.080 --> 0:12:03.640 But here's what you have to accept. 0:12:04.200 --> 0:12:07.719 God may not remove it, but he will use it 0:12:07.840 --> 0:12:11.360 to your advantage. In the scripture, there was a man 0:12:11.440 --> 0:12:15.800 that was born blind. Some people were asking Jesus why 0:12:15.920 --> 0:12:16.400 was he born? 0:12:16.480 --> 0:12:20.160 This way. Whose fault was it his or his parents? 0:12:20.640 --> 0:12:23.840 They were trying to find somebody to blame, some reason, 0:12:24.280 --> 0:12:26.920 some excuse. We tend to do the same type of 0:12:26.960 --> 0:12:30.559 things today. But I love the way, Jesus answered, It's 0:12:30.600 --> 0:12:33.880 found in John nine, verse three. He said, it's not 0:12:33.960 --> 0:12:38.480 anybody's fault, not his nor his parents. The reason he 0:12:38.600 --> 0:12:41.760 was born this way was so that the goodness of 0:12:41.880 --> 0:12:46.520 God could be displayed. Jesus is saying, when you have 0:12:46.600 --> 0:12:50.920 a setback, when life deals you a tough blow, don't 0:12:50.920 --> 0:12:55.559 get better, don't settle there, recognize you are a prime 0:12:55.880 --> 0:12:59.080 candidate for God to show his favor and goodness through. 0:13:00.000 --> 0:13:02.560 In other words, if you feel like you have a disadvantage, 0:13:02.840 --> 0:13:05.760 if you feel like you have a disability, a handicap, 0:13:06.160 --> 0:13:09.120 instead of saying, oh man, it's not fair God, No, 0:13:09.240 --> 0:13:10.880 your attitude should be God. 0:13:10.880 --> 0:13:11.440 I'm ready. 0:13:11.840 --> 0:13:15.640 I know you have something great in store, and I refuse. 0:13:15.320 --> 0:13:17.160 To live defeated and depressed. 0:13:17.600 --> 0:13:22.240 I know this disadvantage is simply another opportunity for you 0:13:22.320 --> 0:13:25.960 to show up and show out. That's exactly what a 0:13:26.000 --> 0:13:29.400 young man did by the name of Tony Melendez. He 0:13:29.520 --> 0:13:33.440 was born without any arms. As a little boy, he 0:13:33.520 --> 0:13:36.760 had a desire to play the guitar. Something on the 0:13:36.760 --> 0:13:40.480 inside said you're supposed to sing and write music. 0:13:41.120 --> 0:13:42.480 Tony didn't know any better. 0:13:43.000 --> 0:13:45.920 Instead of saying, too bad for me, I'd love to 0:13:45.920 --> 0:13:48.839 play the guitar, but I don't have any arms. No, 0:13:48.960 --> 0:13:52.200 his attitude was, I may not have any arms, but 0:13:52.240 --> 0:13:55.079 I do have feet. I may not have any fingers, 0:13:55.360 --> 0:13:58.720 but I do have ten toes. Tony learned to play 0:13:58.720 --> 0:14:00.560 the guitar with his feet. 0:14:01.000 --> 0:14:01.920 You may have seen him. 0:14:02.120 --> 0:14:04.480 He can play better with his feet than most of 0:14:04.520 --> 0:14:05.760 us can play with our hands. 0:14:06.200 --> 0:14:07.000 What am I saying? 0:14:07.600 --> 0:14:10.720 When God puts a dream in your heart, when he 0:14:10.800 --> 0:14:16.319 puts a promise on the inside, he deposits in you everything. 0:14:15.840 --> 0:14:17.840 You need to accomplish that dream. 0:14:18.480 --> 0:14:22.240 God wouldn't have given Tony the desire without giving him 0:14:22.240 --> 0:14:26.440 the ability. It just wasn't the quote normal way, the 0:14:26.480 --> 0:14:29.760 way most of us would be used to. Tony had 0:14:29.760 --> 0:14:32.520 to be bold enough to say, I am living a 0:14:32.600 --> 0:14:33.840 no excuse his life. 0:14:34.560 --> 0:14:36.400 Yes, this may look like a handicap. 0:14:36.720 --> 0:14:40.080 Yes, in the natural I may have a disadvantage, but 0:14:40.200 --> 0:14:43.640 I know with God there are no handicaps. I know 0:14:43.720 --> 0:14:46.720 when God made me, he wasn't having a bad day. 0:14:47.120 --> 0:14:50.520 He made me with a purpose, with a destiny to fulfill, 0:14:50.880 --> 0:14:53.480 and I'm gonna do my best to bring honor to him. 0:14:53.960 --> 0:14:57.440 He has that can do mentality For some of you 0:14:57.480 --> 0:15:01.840 today are sitting there thinking of all the reasons why 0:15:01.880 --> 0:15:05.800 you can't become everything God's created you to be. Well, Joel, 0:15:05.880 --> 0:15:08.440 I'm not tall enough, I'm not that talented. 0:15:08.520 --> 0:15:09.640 My voice is odd. 0:15:10.480 --> 0:15:10.560 Know. 0:15:10.760 --> 0:15:15.120 All those things that you think or disadvantages are really 0:15:15.360 --> 0:15:19.920 advantages just waiting to come to life. Today Tony has 0:15:20.040 --> 0:15:24.760 unprecedented favors, all kinds of opportunity to sing and share 0:15:24.800 --> 0:15:28.880 his story of faith. What's happening because he had this 0:15:29.200 --> 0:15:33.520 no excuses mentality, because he didn't see himself as handicap. 0:15:34.080 --> 0:15:36.360 God's using him to do great things. 0:15:37.240 --> 0:15:40.080 And the truth is none of us will ever have 0:15:40.200 --> 0:15:44.920 to face, most likely anything that dramatic. Our biggest issue 0:15:45.240 --> 0:15:47.720 is we think our nose is too big, or we're 0:15:47.760 --> 0:15:50.560 too short, or I went through a divorced Joel, that's 0:15:50.600 --> 0:15:51.320 my handicap. 0:15:51.360 --> 0:15:54.520 That's why I'm coasting. No, you've got to shake that off. 0:15:55.120 --> 0:15:56.000 If you will have. 0:15:55.920 --> 0:16:01.400 This no excuses mentality and keep pressing full, God will 0:16:01.440 --> 0:16:05.040 take every liability and he'll turn it into an asset. 0:16:06.120 --> 0:16:10.040 I remember, even when I first started ministering, I didn't 0:16:10.320 --> 0:16:13.000 think that I had the right personality to do this. 0:16:13.800 --> 0:16:18.080 I'm really laid back and easygoing. My mother has said 0:16:18.480 --> 0:16:22.160 she has never seen me angry a day in my life. 0:16:22.640 --> 0:16:24.800 And in my mind, to be a good minister, you 0:16:24.880 --> 0:16:27.560 needed to get mad every once in a while. You 0:16:27.600 --> 0:16:31.880 needed to have that dynamic, outgoing personality. I said, God, 0:16:32.440 --> 0:16:35.800 you're going to have to change me. I have a disadvantage. 0:16:35.840 --> 0:16:40.720 I'm quiet, I'm soft spoken, I'm more reserved. Even my father, 0:16:41.200 --> 0:16:43.520 he was more of a fireball, and he could get 0:16:43.560 --> 0:16:47.040 the crowd worked up. I've seen these other ministers and 0:16:47.080 --> 0:16:52.600 they have great voices. They preach these deep theological messages 0:16:52.640 --> 0:16:56.600 that are so eloquent. They can move the whole congregation 0:16:56.800 --> 0:17:00.000 just the way they enunciate the words, and they're so dramatic. 0:17:00.640 --> 0:17:03.440 And I think, here, I've got this Southern draw and 0:17:03.840 --> 0:17:06.679 I just get up here and talk so normally. And 0:17:06.760 --> 0:17:09.480 when my father went to be with the Lord, I said, God, 0:17:09.520 --> 0:17:13.040 I don't know, I'll try. I'll see what happens. But 0:17:13.160 --> 0:17:16.320 what I thought would be a liability turned out to 0:17:16.320 --> 0:17:22.439 be an asset. I realized that God made me, I 0:17:22.520 --> 0:17:27.360 begin to realize that God made me like this on purpose. 0:17:28.240 --> 0:17:31.280 No I don't have the booming voice. No I don't 0:17:31.400 --> 0:17:35.080 have the dynamic personality. No I don't preach the fancy sermons. 0:17:35.240 --> 0:17:37.520 But one thing I do have is the good looks. 0:17:39.760 --> 0:17:45.919 All right, I couldn't resist. Oh boy, I hope you 0:17:46.000 --> 0:17:46.679 know I'm kidding. 0:17:46.720 --> 0:17:53.280 But listen, God uses what we think are weaknesses. Do 0:17:53.320 --> 0:17:55.199 you know how many people write and say Joel, the 0:17:55.240 --> 0:17:58.360 reason we like to listen is because your messages are 0:17:58.359 --> 0:18:01.879 so easy to understand, because you're calm, because your voice. 0:18:01.640 --> 0:18:02.400 Is so soothing. 0:18:03.160 --> 0:18:06.280 Well, let me ask you, what is it that you 0:18:06.400 --> 0:18:09.840 think is your handicap? What is it that's keeping you 0:18:09.880 --> 0:18:13.719 from really believing in yourself, really pressing in to your 0:18:13.760 --> 0:18:18.560 divine destiny. Hell, I'm not tall enough, I'm not that attractive, 0:18:19.040 --> 0:18:22.040 or Joel, I've made a lot of mistakes. Or I 0:18:22.119 --> 0:18:24.560 wasn't raised in a good environment like you were. 0:18:24.840 --> 0:18:25.199 Listen. 0:18:25.440 --> 0:18:28.200 God knew the way you would be raised. He knew 0:18:28.240 --> 0:18:31.359 the mistakes that you would make. God knew all the 0:18:31.440 --> 0:18:35.240 issues we would have to face, our struggles, our weaknesses, 0:18:35.520 --> 0:18:36.800 our inadequacies. 0:18:37.040 --> 0:18:38.760 We are no surprise to God. 0:18:39.520 --> 0:18:43.399 And many times what you think is a handicap is 0:18:43.440 --> 0:18:46.359 the very thing God will use to get you into 0:18:46.400 --> 0:18:50.200 your divine destiny. In the Scripture, there was a man 0:18:50.240 --> 0:18:53.440 by the name of zach Kius. He had a liability, 0:18:53.520 --> 0:18:56.960 he had a disadvantage. Something was holding him back. You 0:18:57.000 --> 0:19:00.480 know what it was. He was too short and measure 0:19:00.560 --> 0:19:03.440 up to everyone else. This is something that he had 0:19:03.480 --> 0:19:07.040 to deal with his whole life, no doubt. Growing up 0:19:07.280 --> 0:19:10.080 in school, the other children kind of teased and made 0:19:10.080 --> 0:19:13.399 fun of him. Hey, shorty, hay, peanut, how's the weather 0:19:13.520 --> 0:19:16.960 down there. I can imagine year after year he goes 0:19:17.000 --> 0:19:20.760 around kind of feeling like on the inside something's wrong 0:19:20.840 --> 0:19:24.200 with him, a little bit insecure, thinking God, why can 0:19:24.280 --> 0:19:27.280 I be normal? Why can I be like everyone else? 0:19:27.680 --> 0:19:31.320 But understand, God makes us like we are on purpose. 0:19:31.920 --> 0:19:35.000 Many of you know who Cindy Crawford is. She's a 0:19:35.040 --> 0:19:38.240 famous model. She's the one that has that very distinct 0:19:38.359 --> 0:19:41.280 mole on her face. Now I read where when she 0:19:41.359 --> 0:19:46.120 first started modeling, some of the advisers, different makeup artists, 0:19:46.480 --> 0:19:49.440 they tried to get her to remove the mole. They 0:19:49.480 --> 0:19:52.879 saw it as a blemish, as a distraction, as something 0:19:52.920 --> 0:19:54.760 that made her less than perfect. 0:19:55.160 --> 0:19:57.520 They even showed her how easy it would be. 0:19:57.480 --> 0:20:01.280 To remove it electronically, but she would never allowed them. 0:20:01.160 --> 0:20:01.600 To do it. 0:20:02.080 --> 0:20:04.800 She said, if you take away this mold, I'll just 0:20:04.880 --> 0:20:06.560 look like every other pretty girl. 0:20:07.359 --> 0:20:10.199 I love the fact that she liked her mold. 0:20:10.640 --> 0:20:13.040 Other people saw it as odd, but she saw it 0:20:13.080 --> 0:20:16.440 as unique. She saw it as something God gave her 0:20:16.840 --> 0:20:20.159 that made her distinct. Instead of looking at what you 0:20:20.280 --> 0:20:22.680 think is a liability, you need to get a new 0:20:22.720 --> 0:20:26.480 perspective and start seeing how it could be an advantage. 0:20:26.960 --> 0:20:31.480 I realize now my personality of being paid back, easygoing, 0:20:31.600 --> 0:20:33.880 soft spoken, that's not a liability. 0:20:34.240 --> 0:20:35.120 That's an asset. 0:20:35.680 --> 0:20:38.120 And for me to change and try to be something 0:20:38.200 --> 0:20:42.600 else that would end up being a disadvantage. Your personality 0:20:42.680 --> 0:20:45.080 may be just the opposite. And you think, man, why 0:20:45.119 --> 0:20:47.640 am I so bold? Why am I straightforward? And to 0:20:47.680 --> 0:20:51.520 the point, listen, you have what you need to succeed. 0:20:52.240 --> 0:20:54.080 You have the looks you need. 0:20:54.600 --> 0:20:57.320 Quit looking at that birthmark and thinking, oh, man, if 0:20:57.359 --> 0:20:59.960 I just didn't have this birthmark, and of all play, 0:21:00.000 --> 0:21:03.440 he says on my face, now that makes you distinct? Well, 0:21:03.480 --> 0:21:06.800 if I just wasn't so short, no, I read we're short. 0:21:06.840 --> 0:21:09.600 People live an average of ten years longer than tall. 0:21:09.600 --> 0:21:14.080 People quit complaining if you're tall, that just means you're 0:21:14.080 --> 0:21:16.560 going to go to heaven ten years before us quit complaining. 0:21:18.480 --> 0:21:22.879 What I'm saying is there are no disadvantages with our God. 0:21:23.920 --> 0:21:27.200 One day, zaki has heard that Jesus was coming through 0:21:27.240 --> 0:21:29.919 his town. All the people were lined up on the 0:21:29.920 --> 0:21:33.280 streets trying to get a glimpse of him. Here Zakias 0:21:33.359 --> 0:21:36.520 didn't have a chance. He's standing at the back. He 0:21:36.560 --> 0:21:39.879 can't see over anyone. He could have easily thought, just 0:21:40.000 --> 0:21:42.840 my luck, God, I can't stand being short. 0:21:42.880 --> 0:21:44.120 Why'd you make me this way? 0:21:45.119 --> 0:21:48.399 No, Zakiah simply did what he had done his whole life. 0:21:48.960 --> 0:21:51.600 When he couldn't reach what others could reach, he'd get 0:21:51.600 --> 0:21:54.840 a ladder. When he couldn't see over others, he would 0:21:55.040 --> 0:21:58.320 find a stool. It's a pain, It was a disadvantage, 0:21:58.680 --> 0:22:01.720 but watch how God work. There wasn't a ladder out there. 0:22:01.760 --> 0:22:05.159 Obviously he couldn't find a stool, so he climbed up. 0:22:05.040 --> 0:22:05.879 In a tree. 0:22:06.480 --> 0:22:09.480 Now he's got the prime view. He's sitting at the 0:22:09.520 --> 0:22:13.560 fifty yard line. Isn't it interesting? Any of those other 0:22:13.600 --> 0:22:16.280 people could have climbed up in a tree. Matter of fact, 0:22:16.320 --> 0:22:17.800 they probably could have got up there. 0:22:17.640 --> 0:22:20.239 Easier than he did. They didn't need to. 0:22:20.840 --> 0:22:25.760 His disadvantage was turned into an advantage. When Jesus came 0:22:25.800 --> 0:22:29.199 walking down the street, he saw hundreds of people, but 0:22:29.280 --> 0:22:32.120 when he looked up and saw zach Heeas in the tree, 0:22:32.200 --> 0:22:34.920 that got his attention. He said, Hey, zach Kis, come 0:22:34.920 --> 0:22:36.639 on down. I'm going to go to your house and 0:22:36.680 --> 0:22:40.640 have dinner. Here's my point. If Zachias would have been 0:22:40.680 --> 0:22:44.880 a quote normal size, he wouldn't have been noticed. Jesus 0:22:44.880 --> 0:22:50.560 passed by hundreds, possibly thousands, But because Zacheus had what 0:22:50.680 --> 0:22:53.400 he thought was a handicap, it caused him to do 0:22:53.480 --> 0:22:56.880 something differently, and it ended up not being a liability 0:22:57.160 --> 0:23:01.240 but an asset. I read about this young His dream 0:23:01.480 --> 0:23:03.159 was to play professional baseball. 0:23:03.560 --> 0:23:06.880 He was extremely gifted. All through junior. 0:23:06.600 --> 0:23:09.400 High and high school, he was by far the most 0:23:09.440 --> 0:23:13.600 talented player in his league. Professional scouts were regularly at 0:23:13.600 --> 0:23:17.080 his games. But one day he had a farming accident 0:23:17.480 --> 0:23:20.520 and he lost his whole four finger in most of 0:23:20.560 --> 0:23:23.080 his middle finger. It was on the hand that he 0:23:23.160 --> 0:23:26.399 threw the ball with. It looked like his baseball days 0:23:26.400 --> 0:23:30.360 were over, but this young man had this no excuse 0:23:30.480 --> 0:23:33.679 his mentality. He learned how to throw the ball without 0:23:33.720 --> 0:23:36.800 these two fingers. If you know anything about baseball, those 0:23:36.800 --> 0:23:40.600 are your two main throwing fingers. He'd always been a 0:23:40.640 --> 0:23:44.600 third baseman, but one afternoon during practice, the coach was 0:23:44.640 --> 0:23:47.320 standing behind him, and as he threw the ball from 0:23:47.400 --> 0:23:51.000 third to first base, the coach noticed how much movement 0:23:51.080 --> 0:23:53.560 there was on the ball, and he thought, if the 0:23:53.600 --> 0:23:57.240 ball moves that much, how could a batter possibly hit it? 0:23:57.800 --> 0:24:00.800 So he moved him from the third base to theer's position. 0:24:01.680 --> 0:24:04.800 Mordecai Brown went on to become one of the great 0:24:04.880 --> 0:24:07.120 pitchers in all of Major League baseball. 0:24:07.800 --> 0:24:08.440 Think about it. 0:24:08.760 --> 0:24:12.159 What he thought was a liability turned out to be 0:24:12.200 --> 0:24:15.560 an asset. The way he threw the ball without these 0:24:15.600 --> 0:24:20.280 two fingers gave him an edge. Only God knows how 0:24:20.359 --> 0:24:23.399 to take what should be a disadvantage and turn it 0:24:23.400 --> 0:24:26.440 into an advantage. There are things in all of our 0:24:26.480 --> 0:24:29.919 lives that we feel like are liabilities. It may not 0:24:30.119 --> 0:24:33.480 be something physical, but even the way we were raised, 0:24:34.040 --> 0:24:38.120 a disappointment, we went through a setback. We think, if 0:24:38.160 --> 0:24:41.240 only that had enough happened, if only I could do 0:24:41.280 --> 0:24:45.920 it again. No, if you'll stay in faith. Nothing in 0:24:46.000 --> 0:24:49.919 life will happen to you. It'll happen for you. We 0:24:50.000 --> 0:24:52.520 need to get rid of all the if only thoughts. 0:24:52.800 --> 0:24:55.520 If only I didn't have that accident, then I could 0:24:55.560 --> 0:24:59.000 pursue my dreams. If only I were taller, Joel, then 0:24:59.040 --> 0:25:01.760 i'd feel good about my If only I were a 0:25:01.800 --> 0:25:03.080 different nationality. 0:25:03.760 --> 0:25:06.520 No, those thoughts will keep you from your destiny. 0:25:07.320 --> 0:25:10.720 Tony Melendez could be sitting at home right now thinking, 0:25:10.840 --> 0:25:14.399 if only I had arms, if only I was quote normal, 0:25:14.840 --> 0:25:15.960 then I could play the guitar. 0:25:16.400 --> 0:25:17.800 Then I could touch a lot of people. 0:25:18.520 --> 0:25:21.919 David Ring could be thinking, if only I didn't have 0:25:21.960 --> 0:25:25.679 this cerebral palsy, if only my speech wasn't so slow, 0:25:26.240 --> 0:25:30.200 then I bet I'd make a great minister. No, let's recognize, 0:25:30.640 --> 0:25:34.600 as far as God is concerned, there are no handicaps. 0:25:35.280 --> 0:25:36.879 What you think is trying. 0:25:36.600 --> 0:25:39.600 To pull you down may very well be the thing 0:25:39.680 --> 0:25:41.520 that God uses to lift you up. 0:25:42.160 --> 0:25:44.320 This is just what happened to Joseph. 0:25:44.640 --> 0:25:47.879 He spent thirteen years in prison for something that he 0:25:47.920 --> 0:25:52.480 did not do. It was a terrible disadvantage, a terrible injustice. 0:25:52.840 --> 0:25:55.840 But do you realize that's what God used. 0:25:55.520 --> 0:25:56.640 To promote him. 0:25:57.000 --> 0:25:59.800 It may look like a handicap in our eyes, but 0:26:00.119 --> 0:26:03.479 with God, there are no handicaps. That is not going 0:26:03.560 --> 0:26:06.679 to keep you from your destiny. If you'll stay in faith, 0:26:06.800 --> 0:26:09.919 it's going to launch you into your destiny. I have 0:26:10.040 --> 0:26:13.320 people write me from other countries a lot. They say 0:26:13.359 --> 0:26:17.320 things like, Joel, if only I lived in America, if 0:26:17.400 --> 0:26:21.440 only I had that kind of opportunity. And I understand 0:26:21.440 --> 0:26:23.880 what they're saying, because this is a great place to live. 0:26:24.400 --> 0:26:27.920 But you have to realize God has given you what 0:26:28.040 --> 0:26:31.800 you need to succeed right where you are. God knew 0:26:31.880 --> 0:26:35.159 where you would be born, He knew what nationality you 0:26:35.160 --> 0:26:38.840 would be. He knew the obstacles you would have to overcome. 0:26:39.480 --> 0:26:42.600 And the good news is God has already equipped you. 0:26:43.080 --> 0:26:47.400 He has already empowered you. You are anointed, you are strong, 0:26:47.800 --> 0:26:50.280 You have the favor of God surrounding you. 0:26:50.359 --> 0:26:51.439 Right now. 0:26:52.480 --> 0:26:55.879 Don't make a mistake of waiting till you get to 0:26:55.920 --> 0:26:59.000 another location before you decide to become. 0:26:59.119 --> 0:27:00.720 Everything's wed you to be. 0:27:01.720 --> 0:27:05.119 If you'll shake off the self pity and believe that 0:27:05.160 --> 0:27:09.160 God's directing your steps, Believe that you have what it takes. 0:27:09.600 --> 0:27:12.520 Believe that the most powerful force in the universe is 0:27:12.560 --> 0:27:16.720 on the inside. When you do that, every liability will 0:27:16.760 --> 0:27:20.879 be turned to an asset. I heard about this young man. 0:27:21.359 --> 0:27:24.439 He was born without a right hand. One day he 0:27:24.480 --> 0:27:27.080 was at the doctor's office having a physical so he 0:27:27.119 --> 0:27:30.959 could play football. The doctor asked him what his handicap was. 0:27:31.400 --> 0:27:34.439 He said, sir, I don't have a handicap. I just 0:27:34.480 --> 0:27:37.720 don't have a right hand. I love that attitude. I 0:27:37.760 --> 0:27:40.320 don't have a handicap. I just play the guitar with 0:27:40.359 --> 0:27:43.280 my feet. I don't have a handicap. I just speak 0:27:43.280 --> 0:27:45.840 a little slower. I don't have a handicap. I'm just 0:27:45.920 --> 0:27:49.520 not as tall as somebody else. Friends, I'm asking you 0:27:49.760 --> 0:27:53.600 to live this no excuse his life. That means you 0:27:53.640 --> 0:27:56.280 are not going to go around dwelling on what's wrong 0:27:56.320 --> 0:27:59.600 with you and all the reasons why you can't be happy. 0:28:00.119 --> 0:28:02.400 Well held you all my personalities. 0:28:01.640 --> 0:28:05.639 Odd I went through this breakup in a relationship. No, 0:28:05.800 --> 0:28:09.040 your destiny didn't get thrown out because you had a 0:28:09.080 --> 0:28:12.520 set back. You didn't get disqualified because you're to this 0:28:12.880 --> 0:28:16.040 or to that. God knew you would be where you 0:28:16.119 --> 0:28:19.239 are before the foundation of time. You need to get 0:28:19.280 --> 0:28:23.200 a new perspective, have the attitude. I refuse to live 0:28:23.240 --> 0:28:26.399 with a handicap mentality. This may not be fair, it 0:28:26.440 --> 0:28:28.960 may look like a disadvantage, but I'm not going around 0:28:28.960 --> 0:28:32.600 feeling sorry for myself. I'm shaking off self pity. I'm 0:28:32.640 --> 0:28:36.399 shaking off every disappointment, and I'm going to become everything. 0:28:36.080 --> 0:28:37.320 God has created me to be. 0:28:38.280 --> 0:28:41.200 If you'll live a no excuse his life, then no 0:28:41.280 --> 0:28:44.120 matter what comes your way, God will turn it around 0:28:44.200 --> 0:28:47.520 for your good. He will take every stumbling block and 0:28:47.560 --> 0:28:50.320 turn it into a stepping stone. It may look like 0:28:50.360 --> 0:28:53.600 a liability, but just like zach Is, in the end, 0:28:53.840 --> 0:28:56.560 it'll turn out to be an asset. Some of you 0:28:56.600 --> 0:29:00.200 today you've lost your fire, You've lost your enthusiasm. You 0:29:00.240 --> 0:29:02.720 need to stir up what God's put on the inside. 0:29:03.400 --> 0:29:06.760 Remember there are no disadvantages with our God. 0:29:07.240 --> 0:29:09.840 You have everything you need to succeed. 0:29:10.440 --> 0:29:14.040 No weapon formed against you is ever gonna prosper as 0:29:14.080 --> 0:29:17.520 you rise up with this no excuses mentality. Let me 0:29:17.600 --> 0:29:20.320 just declare over you what's gonna happen. You're gonna see 0:29:20.320 --> 0:29:23.680 God's favor in a greater way. New doors are gonna 0:29:23.680 --> 0:29:27.240 begin to open. Supernatural opportunities are come in your way. 0:29:27.640 --> 0:29:31.080 Divine connections. You're gonna be at the right place at 0:29:31.080 --> 0:29:34.240 the right time. What was meant for your harm, God's 0:29:34.280 --> 0:29:38.080 gonna use to your advantage. You're gonna overcome every obstacle. 0:29:38.120 --> 0:29:41.560 You're gonna defeat every enemy. You're gonna see every dream, 0:29:41.720 --> 0:29:44.600 every desire God's put in your heart. I declare it 0:29:44.680 --> 0:29:46.920 in the name of Jesus. It will come to pass. 0:29:47.200 --> 0:29:48.280 Do you receive it today? 0:29:50.320 --> 0:29:53.760 Thank you for listening to the Juelus Deine podcast. Help 0:29:53.840 --> 0:29:56.600 us continue to share the message of hope with those 0:29:56.680 --> 0:30:00.560 all over the world. Visit joelus Dein dot com give 0:30:00.680 --> 0:30:02.360 Hope to give a gift today. 0:30:03.640 --> 0:30:06.080 Thanks so much for listening to today's message. 0:30:06.200 --> 0:30:08.920 I hope you'll subscribe so you can receive the latest 0:30:09.000 --> 0:30:12.480 podcast to keep you inspired all through the week. We're 0:30:12.520 --> 0:30:15.120 praying for you. 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