Loving Unconditionally

0:00:00.680 --> 0:00:03.880 You're ready for a comeback, and with Purdue Global, you 0:00:03.920 --> 0:00:07.080 can do more than take classes. You can take charge 0:00:07.400 --> 0:00:11.440 of your story, of your career, of your life, Earn 0:00:11.480 --> 0:00:13.480 a degree you can be proud of, and get an 0:00:13.600 --> 0:00:18.439 education employer's respect. It's time, your time, not just to 0:00:18.480 --> 0:00:20.880 go back to school, but to come back and move 0:00:20.960 --> 0:00:25.760 forward with Purdue Global, Purdue's online university for working adults. 0:00:26.360 --> 0:00:29.840 Start your comeback at Purdueglobal dot edu. 0:00:30.680 --> 0:00:32.400 Hi, this is Joel and Victoria. 0:00:32.479 --> 0:00:35.519 Thanks for listening to our podcast and thanks for supporting 0:00:35.520 --> 0:00:38.479 the ministry. If you enjoy today's message, why don't you 0:00:38.520 --> 0:00:41.320 be a blessing and share it with a friend. Reappreciate 0:00:41.360 --> 0:00:53.320 you and pray for God's very best in your life. 0:00:55.960 --> 0:00:56.920 God bless you. 0:00:57.200 --> 0:00:59.760 It's always a joy to come into your homes, and 0:01:00.080 --> 0:01:02.840 if you're ever in our area, please stop by and 0:01:02.880 --> 0:01:05.280 be a part of one of our services. I promise 0:01:05.319 --> 0:01:07.520 you we'll make you feel right at home. But thanks 0:01:07.520 --> 0:01:09.800 so much for tuning in today, and thank you again 0:01:09.840 --> 0:01:12.560 for coming out. I'd like to start with something funny. 0:01:12.840 --> 0:01:15.440 I heard about this elderly man. He had had a 0:01:15.480 --> 0:01:18.959 serious hearing problem for many years. He went to the 0:01:19.040 --> 0:01:21.920 doctor and was fitted with this state of the art 0:01:22.360 --> 0:01:25.080 high tech hearing aid to where he could hear one 0:01:25.120 --> 0:01:28.640 hundred percent. He went back a month later for a checkup. 0:01:29.040 --> 0:01:32.600 The doctor said, wow, your hearing is perfect. Your family 0:01:32.680 --> 0:01:36.240 must be so excited that you can hear again. He said, no, 0:01:36.480 --> 0:01:40.040 I haven't told my family yet. I just sit around 0:01:40.080 --> 0:01:43.000 and listen to the different conversations, and I've changed my 0:01:43.080 --> 0:01:48.160 will three times. Hold up your Bible. Say it like 0:01:48.200 --> 0:01:50.920 you mean it. This is my Bible. I am what 0:01:50.960 --> 0:01:53.400 it says I am. I have what it says I have. 0:01:53.920 --> 0:01:56.440 I can do what it says I can do. Today 0:01:56.560 --> 0:01:59.240 I will be talked the word of God. I boldly 0:01:59.320 --> 0:02:03.200 confess my mind is alert, my heart is receptive. I 0:02:03.240 --> 0:02:07.120 will never be the same. In Jesus' name, God bless you. 0:02:08.440 --> 0:02:12.040 I want to talk to you today about loving unconditionally. 0:02:13.000 --> 0:02:15.680 It's easy to love people that are just like us, 0:02:16.120 --> 0:02:20.200 people that look like us, dress like us, worship like us. 0:02:20.560 --> 0:02:23.720 That doesn't take a lot of effort. But what about 0:02:23.760 --> 0:02:27.720 people that are different than us, People that we don't understand, 0:02:28.200 --> 0:02:31.480 we don't agree with as far as we're concerned, they're 0:02:31.480 --> 0:02:35.080 making poor choices. It's easy to size them up from 0:02:35.160 --> 0:02:38.160 the exterior, put them in a box and think they're 0:02:38.200 --> 0:02:38.680 not from me. 0:02:39.040 --> 0:02:39.680 They're odd. 0:02:39.960 --> 0:02:43.600 I'm going to keep my distance. But God's love is 0:02:43.639 --> 0:02:44.720 not exclusive. 0:02:45.080 --> 0:02:46.120 It's inclusive. 0:02:46.840 --> 0:02:50.560 It doesn't exclude people that are different. It doesn't write 0:02:50.560 --> 0:02:53.639 people off because they're not where they should be in life. 0:02:54.240 --> 0:02:57.960 It doesn't ignore someone because they're not meeting our standards 0:02:58.720 --> 0:03:03.160 unconditional loves. I'm going to love you even if I 0:03:03.200 --> 0:03:06.720 don't agree with you. I may not agree with your lifestyle, 0:03:07.200 --> 0:03:10.760 your doctrine, how you're raising your children, the friends you're choosing. 0:03:11.160 --> 0:03:11.959 But I know this. 0:03:12.520 --> 0:03:15.680 You are made in the image of Almighty God, and 0:03:15.800 --> 0:03:17.400 I am not called to judge you. 0:03:17.639 --> 0:03:18.839 I am called to love you. 0:03:19.680 --> 0:03:23.799 And we have to realize every person is on a journey. 0:03:24.639 --> 0:03:27.240 Where they are right now is not where they're going 0:03:27.280 --> 0:03:30.440 to end up. They're not a finished product. They're still 0:03:30.480 --> 0:03:34.480 on the Potter's will. But so often we judge people 0:03:34.600 --> 0:03:37.320 for where they are today. We write them off and 0:03:37.400 --> 0:03:39.320 think I'm not going to associate with them. 0:03:39.720 --> 0:03:42.240 They're a mess. They're done now. 0:03:42.360 --> 0:03:45.960 God will use you to plant seeds in their heart. 0:03:46.280 --> 0:03:49.720 Your love, your friendship, your encouragement is a part of 0:03:49.760 --> 0:03:53.800 the plan God has designed for their life. God is 0:03:53.960 --> 0:03:57.480 counting on us to make a difference. Don't have a 0:03:57.520 --> 0:04:02.520 holier than now attitude. Take off the judgmental glasses. If 0:04:02.560 --> 0:04:04.920 not for the grace of God, you could be right 0:04:04.960 --> 0:04:08.040 where they are, the same things that we're tempted to 0:04:08.080 --> 0:04:12.000 be judgmental and critical about. If not for God's goodness, 0:04:12.480 --> 0:04:13.119 we could. 0:04:12.920 --> 0:04:14.320 Be struggling with as well. 0:04:15.200 --> 0:04:18.120 If you had walked in their shoes, been raised in 0:04:18.200 --> 0:04:21.400 their family, fought the battles that they fought, you would 0:04:21.480 --> 0:04:25.320 understand why they are where they are. The areas that 0:04:25.360 --> 0:04:28.000 you're strong in. You didn't just happen to be strong. 0:04:28.360 --> 0:04:32.159 That's the mercy of God on your life. When we 0:04:32.279 --> 0:04:36.920 show this unconditional love, people may not respond right away, 0:04:37.560 --> 0:04:40.000 may not seem like it's doing any good. They keep 0:04:40.040 --> 0:04:44.840 making poor choices. But here's the key. Those seeds never die. 0:04:45.839 --> 0:04:49.120 Researchers found seeds not long ago that were over four 0:04:49.200 --> 0:04:53.400 thousand years old. They had been sealed in an airtight coffin. 0:04:54.000 --> 0:04:57.480 When they planted that seed, much to their amazement, it 0:04:57.520 --> 0:05:01.760 took root and grew still alive thousands of years later. 0:05:02.560 --> 0:05:06.720 In the same way, the seeds of hope, mercy, encouragement 0:05:06.880 --> 0:05:08.360 that you plant in other people. 0:05:08.680 --> 0:05:11.080 They never die. It may look like. 0:05:11.080 --> 0:05:14.159 It's not doing any good, but the reason they're not 0:05:14.320 --> 0:05:18.320 growing is because the soil of their heart it's hard 0:05:18.480 --> 0:05:22.920 and rocky, that seed could not take root. The good 0:05:22.960 --> 0:05:26.720 news is the seed is still alive, and at the 0:05:26.839 --> 0:05:31.360 right time, God will soften their heart, loosen up that soil, 0:05:31.760 --> 0:05:35.040 and the seeds you've sown will take root and bring 0:05:35.040 --> 0:05:39.880 a harvest. Nothing you're doing has been wasted. Every time 0:05:39.920 --> 0:05:40.680 you show. 0:05:40.480 --> 0:05:42.520 Love, you are sowing these seeds. 0:05:43.440 --> 0:05:46.720 But sometimes we think that we have to convict people, 0:05:47.160 --> 0:05:49.479 we have to tell them what they're doing wrong, pouring 0:05:49.480 --> 0:05:52.920 out all their faults, make sure they really feel guilty. No, 0:05:53.080 --> 0:05:56.400 the Holy Spirit is the one that convicts you. Just 0:05:56.520 --> 0:06:00.440 keep sowing these seeds, showing unconditional love, and at the 0:06:00.520 --> 0:06:04.239 right time they will come to life. Not long ago, 0:06:04.600 --> 0:06:06.920 I was able to pray with one of the leading 0:06:07.040 --> 0:06:08.400 pop stars. 0:06:07.920 --> 0:06:10.719 Of our day. This person is world. 0:06:10.600 --> 0:06:15.560 Famous, very popular, but also a little different, a little 0:06:15.640 --> 0:06:18.560 far out, and I could have had a holier than 0:06:18.560 --> 0:06:21.200 now approach and thought I am not going to be 0:06:21.240 --> 0:06:26.800 associated with them. People will criticize, people won't understand. This 0:06:26.880 --> 0:06:30.800 person seemed to stand for just the opposite of what 0:06:30.839 --> 0:06:35.120 we stand for. But Jesus said, it's the sick who 0:06:35.160 --> 0:06:38.680 need a doctor, not the healthy. And I have learned 0:06:39.720 --> 0:06:43.680 I'm not here to judge. I'm here to love. We 0:06:43.760 --> 0:06:46.880 don't have to straighten everybody out. All we have to. 0:06:46.839 --> 0:06:51.600 Do is sow the seeds. The scripture says love never fails. 0:06:52.240 --> 0:06:57.760 When you show love, you're showing God when you're merciful, understanding, 0:06:58.120 --> 0:07:03.039 accepting that heals, that restores, that brings new life. And 0:07:03.120 --> 0:07:06.760 for too long, the church in general has been known 0:07:06.839 --> 0:07:10.240 for what we're against. We're against this and against that, 0:07:10.640 --> 0:07:12.920 and if you live like this, you're not welcome here. 0:07:13.080 --> 0:07:15.680 We've been good at telling people what we don't like. 0:07:16.440 --> 0:07:18.760 But I don't want to be known for what I'm against. 0:07:19.120 --> 0:07:21.800 I want to be known for what I'm for. I 0:07:21.840 --> 0:07:28.080 am for people. I'm four new beginnings. I'm for second chances. 0:07:28.440 --> 0:07:31.760 I'm for you becoming everything God's created you to be. 0:07:32.560 --> 0:07:35.640 See that young pop star where they are right now 0:07:36.080 --> 0:07:39.720 is not where they're going to end up. That seed 0:07:39.840 --> 0:07:42.760 may take root in a week, in a year, or 0:07:42.880 --> 0:07:43.720 thirty years. 0:07:43.840 --> 0:07:46.360 It's not up to me. It's up to God. He's 0:07:46.440 --> 0:07:48.280 designed to plan for their life. 0:07:48.520 --> 0:07:52.440 Our part is to simply keep showing this unconditional love. 0:07:53.200 --> 0:07:55.800 Not I'll love you if I agree with you. 0:07:56.240 --> 0:07:59.040 I'll accept you if you fit into my little box. 0:08:00.080 --> 0:08:03.760 Our attitude should be if you have good morals or 0:08:03.840 --> 0:08:05.040 no morals. 0:08:04.680 --> 0:08:05.840 I'm still going to love you. 0:08:06.520 --> 0:08:09.880 If you're clean and sober, or you're strung out and addicted, 0:08:09.960 --> 0:08:13.400 I'm still going to love you. If you're gay or straight, 0:08:13.880 --> 0:08:20.200 Republican or Democrat, black or white, Muslim or Christian, believer 0:08:20.640 --> 0:08:21.960 or atheist, doesn't matter. 0:08:22.000 --> 0:08:22.960 I'm still going to love you. 0:08:24.720 --> 0:08:29.640 Jesus said, by this, we'll all men know that you're 0:08:29.680 --> 0:08:34.360 my disciples if you have love one for another. Notice 0:08:34.360 --> 0:08:37.280 he didn't say it's by how spiritual we are, how 0:08:37.280 --> 0:08:39.760 many times we come to church, how many scriptures we 0:08:39.800 --> 0:08:42.120 can call it, how many miracles take place. 0:08:42.800 --> 0:08:45.880 No, they'll know by our love for other people. 0:08:46.640 --> 0:08:50.000 What would this world be like if instead of judging people, 0:08:50.200 --> 0:08:53.600 we'd really start loving people. So they don't look like you, 0:08:54.240 --> 0:08:58.120 they're not supposed to. God made them different. Maybe they're 0:08:58.160 --> 0:09:01.320 not where they should be in life right now. That's okay. 0:09:01.440 --> 0:09:05.160 They're on a journey. They're not a finished product. Perhaps 0:09:05.200 --> 0:09:09.760 they don't worship like you. They come from a different denomination, 0:09:10.280 --> 0:09:14.520 a different culture, maybe even a different faith. That's okay, 0:09:14.720 --> 0:09:17.800 don't shut them out. Our God is the God of 0:09:17.840 --> 0:09:21.520 the whole earth. He's not a white God, a Black god, 0:09:21.640 --> 0:09:26.280 a Mexican god, a Korean God. He's simply God and 0:09:26.360 --> 0:09:30.520 the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob loves the Muslims 0:09:30.600 --> 0:09:32.920 just as much as he loves the Christians. He loves 0:09:32.960 --> 0:09:34.640 the Hindus, the Atheists. 0:09:34.679 --> 0:09:38.600 He's the God of all flesh. But so many times 0:09:38.720 --> 0:09:41.160 we have this narrow view of God. 0:09:41.480 --> 0:09:45.320 We have our little circle of what we believe, who 0:09:45.400 --> 0:09:49.160 we think is right, and we exclude everyone else. We 0:09:49.200 --> 0:09:51.800 point out their faults, what they're doing wrong. 0:09:51.880 --> 0:09:53.079 Where we don't agree. 0:09:53.240 --> 0:09:56.440 Well, they don't baptize like we baptize, they don't take 0:09:56.440 --> 0:09:57.559 communion like we do. 0:09:58.000 --> 0:10:00.680 We focus on the things that set rate us. 0:10:01.440 --> 0:10:05.040 The longer I live, the more I realize how big 0:10:05.280 --> 0:10:08.800 God's circle is, how wide. 0:10:08.120 --> 0:10:09.600 His mercy extends. 0:10:10.080 --> 0:10:12.559 When we get to heaven, we're going to be surprised 0:10:12.559 --> 0:10:16.239 at who's there. Well, Joel, what about their false doctrine? 0:10:16.280 --> 0:10:20.960 What about your false doctrine? Nobody is correct one hundred percent. 0:10:21.800 --> 0:10:25.680 The reason denominations were established in the first place was 0:10:25.720 --> 0:10:27.200 to try to protect the. 0:10:27.160 --> 0:10:29.079 Doctrine that they believed was right. 0:10:30.160 --> 0:10:32.959 Victoria was raised in the church that believed that they 0:10:32.960 --> 0:10:36.640 were the only ones going to heaven. When we got married, 0:10:36.679 --> 0:10:38.880 I asked her, can I please go to heaven too? 0:10:40.840 --> 0:10:44.920 Galatians File says, don't think that your group is the. 0:10:44.800 --> 0:10:45.719 Only one that's right. 0:10:46.640 --> 0:10:49.760 I heard somebody say thinking that your church is the 0:10:49.760 --> 0:10:53.559 only church is like filling your bathtub with water and 0:10:53.600 --> 0:10:55.199 calling it the Pacific ocean. 0:10:56.120 --> 0:10:57.720 We're all missing it somewhere. 0:10:58.120 --> 0:11:00.960 The main thing is we agree that Jesus is the 0:11:01.000 --> 0:11:03.720 son of God. He rose from the dead, and now 0:11:03.760 --> 0:11:08.560 he's our savior. My love for you is bigger than 0:11:08.600 --> 0:11:09.880 a theological difference. 0:11:10.480 --> 0:11:13.640 It's bigger than what church you belong to. It's bigger 0:11:13.640 --> 0:11:15.280 than what faith you practice. 0:11:15.720 --> 0:11:19.880 It's even bigger than a political or philosophical difference. I 0:11:19.960 --> 0:11:22.440 don't have to see eye to eye with you in. 0:11:22.440 --> 0:11:23.400 Order to love you. 0:11:23.920 --> 0:11:26.080 And if you draw a circle to shut me out, 0:11:26.320 --> 0:11:28.679 I'm gonna draw a bigger circle to shut you in. 0:11:30.559 --> 0:11:35.760 When you love unconditionally, you have a wide circle. You're 0:11:35.760 --> 0:11:38.600 not judging everybody to see if they fit into your 0:11:38.679 --> 0:11:42.040 little box. And that's the amazing thing about lakewoll That's 0:11:42.080 --> 0:11:59.760 what makes this place so great, the variety. There are whites, Blacks, Hispanics, Asians, Indians, rich, poor, young, old, Democrats, Republicans, Protestants, Catholics, Longhorns, Aggies, Jewish, Buddhists, 0:12:00.240 --> 0:12:03.280 all kinds of people here. This is what heaven is 0:12:03.320 --> 0:12:06.920 going to be like. We might as well learn to 0:12:07.080 --> 0:12:10.960 like people down here. That person you think has so 0:12:11.240 --> 0:12:14.680 much false doctrine, they're so far off course, you better 0:12:14.760 --> 0:12:15.680 learn to like them. 0:12:15.840 --> 0:12:18.080 They'll probably be next door to you in heaven. 0:12:19.160 --> 0:12:21.199 There's going to be a lot of people there we 0:12:21.200 --> 0:12:28.000 weren't expecting. God's mercy is from everlasting to everlasting. It's bigger, broader, 0:12:28.360 --> 0:12:32.679 far reaching. But a lot of times religion tries to 0:12:32.760 --> 0:12:37.520 push people away. God is always pulling people in. It's 0:12:37.600 --> 0:12:40.920 not about do you keep all the rules? Have you 0:12:41.320 --> 0:12:45.280 performed perfectly your whole life? It's about the condition of 0:12:45.320 --> 0:12:48.480 your heart. Do you have a heart to please God? 0:12:48.760 --> 0:12:53.400 Do you believe in this resurrected Savior. It's interesting when 0:12:53.480 --> 0:12:57.240 Jesus was on the cross, there was a criminal hanging 0:12:57.320 --> 0:13:01.120 next to him being crucified as well. This man had 0:13:01.160 --> 0:13:03.440 done a lot of wrong lived a life that he 0:13:03.559 --> 0:13:04.280 wasn't proud of. 0:13:04.960 --> 0:13:06.360 But before he died. 0:13:06.240 --> 0:13:10.360 He looked at Jesus and said, please remember me when 0:13:10.360 --> 0:13:15.880 you come into your kingdom. He simply acknowledged who Jesus was. 0:13:16.800 --> 0:13:19.480 He in effect called on the name of the Lord. 0:13:20.200 --> 0:13:23.479 Jesus said, this day I will see you in paradise. 0:13:24.200 --> 0:13:28.400 That criminal he didn't pray a long sinner's prayer, never 0:13:28.440 --> 0:13:32.760 got baptized in water, never attended church. That was simply 0:13:33.000 --> 0:13:37.160 the mercy of God. It doesn't always fit into heart theology. 0:13:38.120 --> 0:13:41.679 I was reading about Steve Jobs, the founder of Apple, 0:13:42.040 --> 0:13:45.000 one of the most brilliant minds that's ever lived. He 0:13:45.080 --> 0:13:49.080 was adopted as a child and raised a Lutheran. He 0:13:49.160 --> 0:13:52.120 went to church every week growing up, but at the 0:13:52.160 --> 0:13:56.760 age of thirteen he started questioning his faith. He eventually 0:13:56.880 --> 0:14:00.480 dropped out a church. He gave up on Christianity tried 0:14:00.520 --> 0:14:04.760 different religions. Years later, at the age of fifty six, 0:14:05.200 --> 0:14:09.880 he was lying on his deathbed with pancreatic cancer. Just 0:14:10.000 --> 0:14:12.880 as he was about to pass with his family all 0:14:12.920 --> 0:14:16.959 around him, taking his final breath, he opened his eyes, 0:14:17.160 --> 0:14:21.760 looked up and said three times, oh wow, oh wow, 0:14:21.960 --> 0:14:26.360 oh wow. I don't know for sure, But that seems 0:14:26.400 --> 0:14:29.840 to me like he was seeing heaven. If he was 0:14:29.880 --> 0:14:34.200 seeing Hell, he wouldn't have been saying oh wow, he. 0:14:34.160 --> 0:14:36.160 Would have been saying oh no, oh no. 0:14:37.520 --> 0:14:41.720 He looked up with amazement, in great anticipation. 0:14:42.320 --> 0:14:45.480 What am I saying? The mercy of God is wide? 0:14:46.200 --> 0:14:48.080 Why do we try to make it so narrow and 0:14:48.120 --> 0:14:51.560 think my loved one's never going to make it? Joel, 0:14:51.640 --> 0:14:53.800 my coworker, he didn't have a chance. You should hear 0:14:53.880 --> 0:14:57.720 him talk. No, they're on a journey. God is using 0:14:57.760 --> 0:14:59.720 you to plant seeds. 0:14:59.360 --> 0:14:59.960 In their heart. 0:15:00.640 --> 0:15:04.200 They don't need to hear another sermon. You don't have 0:15:04.320 --> 0:15:07.520 to tell people what they're doing wrong. They already know that. 0:15:08.120 --> 0:15:11.400 Just love them. Let your life be the sermon. 0:15:11.960 --> 0:15:15.080 At the right time, those seeds will come to life. 0:15:15.160 --> 0:15:15.720 We don't know. 0:15:15.800 --> 0:15:19.040 Some people may be on their dying bed and God 0:15:19.080 --> 0:15:22.960 will reveal himself to them. They will feel this unconditional 0:15:23.000 --> 0:15:26.880 love pulling them in. I received a poem in the 0:15:26.880 --> 0:15:32.960 mail called Heaven's Surprise goes something like this. I was shocked, bewildered, 0:15:33.080 --> 0:15:37.680 and confused when I entered Heaven's door, not by the beauty, 0:15:37.960 --> 0:15:42.000 nor the lights, nor its decor. It was the people 0:15:42.120 --> 0:15:46.320 in heaven that made me sputter and gasp, the sinners, 0:15:46.560 --> 0:15:50.600 the cheaters, the liars, and the trash. There stood the 0:15:50.680 --> 0:15:55.360 kid from second grade that stole my lunch money twice. 0:15:55.680 --> 0:16:00.520 Next to him was my neighbor who never said anything nice. Herb, 0:16:00.720 --> 0:16:04.200 who I thought would be rotting in hell, was sitting 0:16:04.280 --> 0:16:09.080 on cloud nine doing quite well. I asked, Jesus, what's 0:16:09.160 --> 0:16:12.200 the deal. I'd love to hear your take. How do 0:16:12.240 --> 0:16:15.560 all these sinners get up here? Must have been a mistake, 0:16:16.160 --> 0:16:19.560 and why is everyone so quiet, so somber. 0:16:19.840 --> 0:16:21.880 Please give me a clue. 0:16:22.000 --> 0:16:25.000 Jesus said, it's because they're all in shock. 0:16:25.440 --> 0:16:27.200 They never thought they'd be seeing you. 0:16:30.440 --> 0:16:33.560 We can all say, where would we be without the 0:16:33.600 --> 0:16:37.800 mercy of God? When we didn't deserve it, when we 0:16:37.920 --> 0:16:43.040 made mistakes, God showed us his unconditional love. He's asking 0:16:43.160 --> 0:16:46.640 us to show this same love to other people. Don't 0:16:46.680 --> 0:16:49.480 look at them through eyes of judgment, look at them 0:16:49.520 --> 0:16:52.680 through eyes of mercy. Well, Joel, I don't think she 0:16:52.760 --> 0:16:54.320 should be wearing that in church. 0:16:54.440 --> 0:16:55.480 That's not appropriate. 0:16:56.120 --> 0:16:58.720 Maybe not, but I would rather her be in here 0:16:58.920 --> 0:16:59.920 than out in the clubs. 0:17:01.760 --> 0:17:03.720 You don't know what she's been through. 0:17:04.560 --> 0:17:08.600 You haven't walked in her shoes before you judge her. 0:17:09.040 --> 0:17:11.720 Get to know her before you write her off. 0:17:12.160 --> 0:17:13.320 Listen to her story. 0:17:14.000 --> 0:17:17.160 There's usually a good reason people are the way they are, 0:17:17.680 --> 0:17:19.760 and we've got to give them room while they're in 0:17:19.800 --> 0:17:23.840 the process of changing. If we're judgmental, holier than now, 0:17:24.040 --> 0:17:25.960 look down on them, that's not going to help them 0:17:25.960 --> 0:17:30.160 to move forward. That's conditional love. If you meet all 0:17:30.280 --> 0:17:31.920 my demands, then I'll love you. 0:17:32.200 --> 0:17:33.879 Then I'll accept you. 0:17:33.920 --> 0:17:34.000 Now. 0:17:34.119 --> 0:17:39.200 God freely gave us mercy, Let's freely give other people mercy. 0:17:39.880 --> 0:17:41.200 I heard about this young couple. 0:17:41.480 --> 0:17:44.399 They were eating breakfast at a small diner one morning. 0:17:44.920 --> 0:17:47.040 They had their one year old baby boy in the 0:17:47.119 --> 0:17:50.600 high chair. As they were eating, the little boy started 0:17:50.640 --> 0:17:55.280 smiling real big, hitting the table very excited. The mom 0:17:55.359 --> 0:17:58.040 turned around to see what was causing all the excitement. 0:17:58.560 --> 0:18:01.880 There was an elderly man sitting at the table behind her. 0:18:02.440 --> 0:18:06.359 This man looked to be homeless. His hair was disheveled, 0:18:06.760 --> 0:18:11.880 hatting shaved, closed, very dirty, smelled really bad. He said 0:18:11.880 --> 0:18:15.320 to the little boy, very loudly, how you doing, little buddy. 0:18:16.119 --> 0:18:19.000 Everybody in the restaurant turned to see what was going on. 0:18:19.720 --> 0:18:22.359 The mom was kind of embarrassed, and she nodded at 0:18:22.359 --> 0:18:25.439 the man, then turned back around to her table and 0:18:25.680 --> 0:18:28.920 tried to get her baby's attention away from him, but 0:18:28.960 --> 0:18:33.440 the man kept talking to him, playing Peekaboo and patty Cake. 0:18:33.720 --> 0:18:37.880 This little baby was being totally entertained, totally taken by 0:18:37.920 --> 0:18:39.080 this man sowhat. 0:18:39.160 --> 0:18:40.280 So instead of just. 0:18:40.240 --> 0:18:44.800 Smiling now, the baby was cackling, laughing out loud. The 0:18:44.880 --> 0:18:47.520 parents bowed their heads and just ate as fast as 0:18:47.520 --> 0:18:50.320 they could tried to get finished. They finally were through 0:18:50.359 --> 0:18:54.440 with breakfast was raining outside. The husband went to pull 0:18:54.480 --> 0:18:57.600 the car up front. The mom got up from the table, 0:18:57.640 --> 0:19:00.399 picked up her little baby, and headed toward the counter 0:19:00.520 --> 0:19:04.760 to pay. Under her breath, she thought, God, please help me. 0:19:04.760 --> 0:19:07.000 To get out of here without any more commotion. 0:19:07.880 --> 0:19:11.359 But about that time, the homeless man got up and 0:19:11.400 --> 0:19:15.200 stood in line behind her. When the little baby saw 0:19:15.280 --> 0:19:20.080 him step out, he put out both arms, leaned away. 0:19:19.800 --> 0:19:22.040 From the mother, and reached out to the man. 0:19:22.880 --> 0:19:25.760 Before you knew it, the baby was in a total 0:19:25.840 --> 0:19:30.800 stranger's hand. It looked like they were old friends. At 0:19:30.800 --> 0:19:33.560 one point, the little baby laid his head on the 0:19:33.600 --> 0:19:38.480 homeless man's shoulder. The homeless man closed his eyes, just taking. 0:19:38.200 --> 0:19:40.400 It all in his hands. 0:19:40.640 --> 0:19:44.560 Dirty rough full of grime, patted the little boy softly 0:19:44.600 --> 0:19:48.639 on the back. The mother stood and watched, all in amazement. 0:19:49.160 --> 0:19:52.800 A couple moments he handed the little boy back and said, gently, 0:19:53.160 --> 0:19:54.800 you take care of this little boy. 0:19:55.760 --> 0:19:58.280 She said, with a lump in her throat. I will. 0:19:59.160 --> 0:20:02.159 She walked towards the door to leave, and small tears 0:20:02.200 --> 0:20:06.480 started running down her cheeks. She said, God, please forgive me. 0:20:07.480 --> 0:20:12.879 She had just witnessed unconditional love shown through the innocence. 0:20:12.440 --> 0:20:13.360 Of a little baby. 0:20:14.320 --> 0:20:18.880 The baby didn't see the man's dirt, the man's grime, 0:20:19.160 --> 0:20:23.040 the man's disheveled hair. The baby saw the man through 0:20:23.040 --> 0:20:26.000 eyes of love. The mother saw the man. 0:20:25.920 --> 0:20:30.160 Through eyes of judgment. My prayer is, God, help. 0:20:30.000 --> 0:20:33.320 Us to have this same innocence of a little baby 0:20:33.400 --> 0:20:36.680 and not judge people by the exterior, by what they wear, 0:20:37.000 --> 0:20:40.200 by the mistakes they've made. But God, let us see 0:20:40.240 --> 0:20:45.000 people through eyes of love. The scripture says to the purer, 0:20:45.520 --> 0:20:48.919 all things are pure. One way to know how pure 0:20:48.920 --> 0:20:51.760 your heart is is how much do you judge? 0:20:52.520 --> 0:20:53.679 When your heart is pure. 0:20:54.200 --> 0:20:56.679 You don't have a critical spirit, you don't have a 0:20:56.680 --> 0:20:58.240 holier than thou attitude. 0:20:58.400 --> 0:21:00.359 You're full of mercy. 0:21:00.520 --> 0:21:04.119 You give people the benefit of the doubt. Now, I 0:21:04.200 --> 0:21:07.720 found much of our judgment is simply the culture we 0:21:07.720 --> 0:21:11.199 were raised in. When our son Jonathan was eight or 0:21:11.200 --> 0:21:14.120 ten years old, he liked to wear his hair real messy, 0:21:14.600 --> 0:21:16.119 looked like he just got out of bed. 0:21:16.240 --> 0:21:17.119 That was the style. 0:21:17.760 --> 0:21:20.000 One time we were going somewhere and I said, Jonathan, buddy, 0:21:20.119 --> 0:21:22.359 you need to comb your hair. He looked at me 0:21:22.400 --> 0:21:25.920 strains and said, Dad, I just did. He would come 0:21:25.920 --> 0:21:28.159 home from the mall with victorians, say, Dad, look at 0:21:28.160 --> 0:21:31.199 these new blue jeans. They'd have holes in the knees 0:21:31.280 --> 0:21:35.040 and torn, faded, worn out, looked like they're twenty years old. 0:21:35.680 --> 0:21:37.720 I used to always ask, did you have to pay 0:21:37.760 --> 0:21:43.119 for those things? Cultures change? Too often we judge what 0:21:43.200 --> 0:21:47.680 we don't understand. When my father was growing up back 0:21:47.680 --> 0:21:50.879 in the nineteen thirties, he wore what they called a 0:21:51.000 --> 0:21:54.280 zoot suit. The pants came way up here, almost to 0:21:54.359 --> 0:21:57.760 your chest. The jackets were real long. Daddy had his 0:21:57.880 --> 0:22:01.479 hat cocked perfectly to the side. Out of his pocket. 0:22:01.520 --> 0:22:05.600 He had this long gold chain. As a teenager, he'd 0:22:05.600 --> 0:22:09.000 walk around swinging that chain. Like a cool cat. He 0:22:09.160 --> 0:22:13.720 had blem before we called it blem. In his day, 0:22:14.320 --> 0:22:16.960 he was the one that was far out. Yet God 0:22:17.040 --> 0:22:20.040 called him to become a pastor. It's the founder of 0:22:20.080 --> 0:22:24.200 our church. Before you judge that young person that has 0:22:25.080 --> 0:22:28.960 wild hair, crazy clothes, wearin bleen, No. 0:22:29.080 --> 0:22:31.240 You don't know how God is going to use them. 0:22:31.920 --> 0:22:35.720 They may be your next pastor, your next doctor, the 0:22:35.800 --> 0:22:40.119 next president. John seven twenty four says, be honest in 0:22:40.160 --> 0:22:43.920 your judgment of people. Do not decide at a glance, 0:22:44.560 --> 0:22:49.000 superficially and by appearances. How many times do we look 0:22:49.000 --> 0:22:51.920 at someone and in a split second we decide whether 0:22:52.000 --> 0:22:54.560 or not we're going to light them. Well, he's got 0:22:54.600 --> 0:22:58.200 a tattoo, he's going to hell. He's got long hair, 0:22:58.240 --> 0:23:01.560 he's a troublemaker. He's wearing bling. I'm sure he's out 0:23:01.600 --> 0:23:02.480 stealing somewhere. 0:23:02.880 --> 0:23:07.760 Now, give everybody room to become who God's created them 0:23:07.760 --> 0:23:07.960 to be. 0:23:09.040 --> 0:23:12.520 I heard about this man. He visited a very formal, 0:23:13.160 --> 0:23:17.840 high end church. He was wearing blue jeans, a cowboy hat, 0:23:18.040 --> 0:23:21.480 and old cowboy boots. He walked in on a Sunday 0:23:21.520 --> 0:23:23.440 morning and sat on the third row. 0:23:23.920 --> 0:23:25.679 The congregation was appalled. 0:23:26.240 --> 0:23:30.120 Many of them sent notes to the pastor expressing their concerns. 0:23:30.720 --> 0:23:34.199 After the service, the pastor told the man that he 0:23:34.280 --> 0:23:37.760 needed to ask God what he should wear before he 0:23:37.800 --> 0:23:40.960 comes back to his church. The man showed up the 0:23:41.000 --> 0:23:43.320 next Sunday dressed exactly the same. 0:23:44.040 --> 0:23:45.480 The pastor's colded. 0:23:45.160 --> 0:23:47.800 Him, said, I told you to ask God what to 0:23:47.840 --> 0:23:51.040 wear before you come back to my church. The man said, 0:23:51.359 --> 0:23:54.320 I did ask God, but he told me he didn't 0:23:54.400 --> 0:23:56.600 know because he's never been here before. 0:24:00.000 --> 0:24:03.000 So what's my point? You know my point? 0:24:04.720 --> 0:24:09.920 Don't judge by the exterior I found. Whether I wear 0:24:09.920 --> 0:24:12.760 a suit or whether I wear blue jeans, it doesn't 0:24:12.760 --> 0:24:16.840 affect the anointing. It's not affected by cotton or denim, 0:24:17.280 --> 0:24:22.199 for my brother Paul's sake, or polyester. What affects the 0:24:22.240 --> 0:24:27.000 anoying is the attitude of our heart. They don't look 0:24:27.119 --> 0:24:29.000 like you, dress like you, act like you. 0:24:29.080 --> 0:24:29.760 That's all right. 0:24:29.800 --> 0:24:33.920 They're on a journey. They're not a finished product. Jesus 0:24:33.960 --> 0:24:37.600 made it really simple. Don't judge and you won't be judged. 0:24:38.440 --> 0:24:41.280 You may not understand someone, but you don't have to 0:24:41.400 --> 0:24:43.400 understand them to love them. 0:24:43.920 --> 0:24:46.480 You don't have to agree with them to accept them. 0:24:46.840 --> 0:24:51.520 That's why it's called unconditional love. I heard a story 0:24:51.560 --> 0:24:54.440 about a lady and her husband. They had a dog 0:24:54.560 --> 0:24:58.760 named Lucky. Whenever they had company for the weekend, they 0:24:58.760 --> 0:25:01.400 would always warn their g asked to make sure they 0:25:01.400 --> 0:25:05.640 didn't leave their suitcases open, because Lucky loved to sneak in, 0:25:06.040 --> 0:25:08.800 get something out, and take it down to the basement 0:25:08.880 --> 0:25:11.359 where his toy box was so he could play with 0:25:11.400 --> 0:25:14.560 it later. And they were always finding their belongings down there. 0:25:15.359 --> 0:25:18.520 One day, the lady was diagnosed with breast cancer. She 0:25:18.640 --> 0:25:21.800 was in the hospital for three weeks. The husband would 0:25:21.840 --> 0:25:25.280 take Lucky on his nightly walks, but it just wasn't 0:25:25.280 --> 0:25:29.439 the same. Lucky loved this lady, stayed with her in 0:25:29.480 --> 0:25:33.080 the house everywhere she went. She came home after the 0:25:33.160 --> 0:25:36.600 surgery and was very weak, and lady couldn't make it 0:25:36.680 --> 0:25:39.639 upstairs to the bedroom, so she just laid down on 0:25:39.720 --> 0:25:43.280 the couch. Lucky was right by her side. You could 0:25:43.359 --> 0:25:47.520 tell that Lucky didn't like this lady. Feeling badly, and 0:25:47.560 --> 0:25:50.600 the lady dozed off to sleep. She woke up an 0:25:50.600 --> 0:25:52.680 hour later and it was hard to breathe. 0:25:53.280 --> 0:25:55.040 She was hot and felt. 0:25:54.880 --> 0:25:58.640 All these things poking her, and she began to panic, thought, 0:25:58.640 --> 0:26:02.840 what's happening to me? Soon her concern gave way to 0:26:02.920 --> 0:26:06.639 a smile. Lucky had gone down to the basement and 0:26:06.680 --> 0:26:09.760 got all of his toys and brought them back and 0:26:09.800 --> 0:26:13.119 placed them on the lady while she was sleeping. He 0:26:13.240 --> 0:26:16.399 made trip after trip trying to make her feel better. 0:26:17.119 --> 0:26:22.080 Now she was literally covered with his love. That's my 0:26:22.240 --> 0:26:26.760 challenge to us today. Start covering people with love. It's 0:26:26.840 --> 0:26:30.840 easy to cover people with judgment, cover with condemnation, cover 0:26:31.000 --> 0:26:35.840 with guilt. But let's start covering people with love. Love heels, 0:26:36.480 --> 0:26:40.639 Love brings down barriers. Love puts people back on their feet. 0:26:41.520 --> 0:26:45.399 You may not understand someone, but that's okay. Have a 0:26:45.440 --> 0:26:50.480 wide circle of love. Remember they're on a journey. Where 0:26:50.480 --> 0:26:53.200 they are is not where they're going to end up. 0:26:53.920 --> 0:26:56.720 God is counting on us to make a difference, to 0:26:56.800 --> 0:27:01.480 push them forward, show mercy, be un understanding, give them 0:27:01.520 --> 0:27:06.200 the benefit of the doubt. If you'll have this unconditional love, 0:27:06.480 --> 0:27:09.080 not only will you help others, but your own life 0:27:09.160 --> 0:27:13.480 will improve. You'll have more joy, better relationships, and I 0:27:13.600 --> 0:27:17.480 believe and declare you will overcome every obstacle and live 0:27:17.560 --> 0:27:21.240 the life of victory. God has in store in Jesus' name. 0:27:21.680 --> 0:27:23.240 If you receive it, can you say. 0:27:23.119 --> 0:27:23.720 Him in today? 0:27:25.560 --> 0:27:28.680 We never like to close our broadcast without giving you 0:27:28.720 --> 0:27:31.960 an opportunity to make Jesus the Lord of your life. 0:27:32.400 --> 0:27:36.480 Would you pray this simple prayer with me? Just say, Lord, Jesus, 0:27:37.520 --> 0:27:38.880 I repent of my sins. 0:27:40.040 --> 0:27:43.800 Come into my heart. I make you my Lord in savior. 0:27:45.080 --> 0:27:47.600 Friends, if you prayed that simple prayer, we believe you 0:27:47.680 --> 0:27:50.680 got born again. Get in a good Bible based church. 0:27:51.040 --> 0:27:53.880 Keep God first place. He's going to take your places 0:27:53.960 --> 0:27:55.040 that you've never dreamed of. 0:27:55.800 --> 0:27:59.240 Thank you for listening to the Julus Dean podcast. Help 0:27:59.320 --> 0:28:02.040 us continue to share the message of hope with those 0:28:02.160 --> 0:28:06.040 all over the world. Visit Joeloustein dot com slash give 0:28:06.119 --> 0:28:07.800 Hope to give a gift today. 0:28:09.080 --> 0:28:11.520 Thanks so much for listening to today's message. 0:28:11.640 --> 0:28:14.400 I hope you'll subscribe so you can receive the latest 0:28:14.440 --> 0:28:15.880 podcast to keep you. 0:28:15.920 --> 0:28:18.959 Inspired all through the week. We're praying for you. I 0:28:19.000 --> 0:28:20.600 know God's best is still ahead. 0:28:20.800 --> 0:28:21.840 We'll see you next time. 0:28:29.040 --> 0:28:31.760 With millions of books on Amazon, there's a reading feeling 0:28:31.840 --> 0:28:36.320 for everyone. 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