No More Distractions

0:00:00.200 --> 0:00:02.880 No one likes to talk about money. Am I saving enough? 0:00:02.960 --> 0:00:05.040 Can I buy a house? Am I paying too much 0:00:05.040 --> 0:00:07.760 in taxes? Will I be able to retire? What if 0:00:07.760 --> 0:00:10.360 you could unlock insights about your finances in less than 0:00:10.400 --> 0:00:12.840 five minutes, with a clear picture of where you stand 0:00:12.880 --> 0:00:15.720 today and where your money can work harder. Now you 0:00:15.760 --> 0:00:18.759 can visit facet dot com to take the free quiz 0:00:18.800 --> 0:00:23.400 and get your financial wellness score today. That's Facet dot com. 0:00:23.400 --> 0:00:25.360 This ad is sponsored by Facet. Fast Wealth in Corporated 0:00:25.440 --> 0:00:27.280 is an sec registered investment advisor. This is not an 0:00:27.320 --> 0:00:29.080 offer to buy your self securities or is it investment, 0:00:29.160 --> 0:00:30.080 legal or tax advice. 0:00:30.760 --> 0:00:33.960 You're ready for a comeback, and with Purdue Global you 0:00:34.000 --> 0:00:37.200 can do more than take classes. You can take charge 0:00:37.520 --> 0:00:41.520 of your story, of your career, of your life, Earn 0:00:41.560 --> 0:00:43.559 a degree you can be proud of, and get an 0:00:43.680 --> 0:00:48.559 education employer's respect. 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Download the uns stap and use the 0:01:18.800 --> 0:01:20.840 code I heeart fifty at sign up to receive a 0:01:20.880 --> 0:01:23.400 fifty dollars bonus when you find your account. That's code 0:01:23.400 --> 0:01:26.400 iHeart fifty when you sign up at unest dot co 0:01:26.760 --> 0:01:29.319 for a fifty dollars bonus. See terms and conditions at 0:01:29.400 --> 0:01:30.120 uness dot co. 0:01:31.120 --> 0:01:35.200 Don't get stuck in tradition. God has blessings you've never seen, 0:01:35.800 --> 0:01:40.240 increase that you've never imagined. I'm asking you to get 0:01:40.400 --> 0:01:44.520 rid of any distractions. No more living to please people, 0:01:45.080 --> 0:01:48.280 no more worried about what others think. No more fighting 0:01:48.360 --> 0:01:52.080 battles that don't matter. This is your hour, This is 0:01:52.160 --> 0:01:55.560 your time. Make up your mind. You're going to set 0:01:55.640 --> 0:01:58.920 your face. You're going to become who God created you 0:01:59.000 --> 0:02:02.920 to be. HI. This is Joel and Victoria. Thanks for 0:02:03.040 --> 0:02:06.640 downloading our podcast. We enjoy spending this time with you. 0:02:06.960 --> 0:02:09.560 I know you're going to leave encouraged and inspired. 0:02:09.800 --> 0:02:12.760 Make sure you subscribe to get new messages every week 0:02:12.880 --> 0:02:15.519 and follow us on social media to stay connected. 0:02:15.720 --> 0:02:19.120 We appreciate your support. It helps keep the ministry going. 0:02:19.560 --> 0:02:26.440 Enjoy the message. Well, God bless you. It's a joy 0:02:26.600 --> 0:02:28.760 to come into your homes. And if you're ever in 0:02:28.840 --> 0:02:31.520 our area, please stop buying. Be a part of one 0:02:31.520 --> 0:02:34.400 of our services. I promise you we'll make you feel 0:02:34.480 --> 0:02:37.480 right at home. I like to start with something funny 0:02:37.520 --> 0:02:40.760 and heard about this mother. She had two young boys 0:02:40.960 --> 0:02:45.399 that were known for their mischievous behavior. Anytime trouble occurred, 0:02:45.639 --> 0:02:48.440 they were certain to be a part. She decided to 0:02:48.480 --> 0:02:51.280 take them to see their pastor one at a time. 0:02:51.720 --> 0:02:55.040 Pastor said to the first young boy, son, where is God? 0:02:55.560 --> 0:02:58.880 He sat there silently, He asked again, where is God? 0:02:59.280 --> 0:03:02.760 Still no reply. Third time he asked, The boy bolted 0:03:02.800 --> 0:03:05.359 out the door, ran home and said to his brother, 0:03:05.720 --> 0:03:09.839 God is missing. And they think we did it. Say 0:03:09.880 --> 0:03:12.720 it like you mean it. This is my Bible. I 0:03:12.760 --> 0:03:15.200 am what it says I am. I have what it 0:03:15.240 --> 0:03:17.720 says I have. I can do what it says I 0:03:17.760 --> 0:03:20.960 can do. Today I will be taught the word of God. 0:03:21.440 --> 0:03:25.880 I boldly confess. My mind is alert, my heart is receptive. 0:03:26.160 --> 0:03:30.000 I will never be the same. In Jesus' name, God 0:03:30.040 --> 0:03:33.519 bless you. I want to talk to you today about 0:03:33.919 --> 0:03:37.880 no more distractions. The older we get, the more we 0:03:37.920 --> 0:03:41.680 realize we're not going to be here forever. Life is 0:03:41.800 --> 0:03:45.120 flying by. Seems like just the other day I was 0:03:45.160 --> 0:03:48.680 in high school. Now that I'm thirty five, I think, 0:03:49.760 --> 0:03:54.320 where has this time gone? I'm kidding, y'all, I'm thirty nine. 0:03:55.520 --> 0:03:59.240 But when you realize how fast time is going, it 0:03:59.280 --> 0:04:02.760 should bring a sense of urgency, a sense of focus. 0:04:03.280 --> 0:04:07.800 Your assignment has an expiration date. Your time on this 0:04:07.920 --> 0:04:11.600 earth is not unlimited. And when Jesus was about to 0:04:11.640 --> 0:04:16.200 be crucified, the scripture says he set his face toward 0:04:16.360 --> 0:04:21.160 Jerusalem because his hour had come. No more go into 0:04:21.200 --> 0:04:24.640 the desert feeding the five thousand, no more waiting for 0:04:24.720 --> 0:04:28.080 the woman at the well, no more stopping by Zachiah's 0:04:28.120 --> 0:04:31.400 house for dinner. Those things were fine for a season, 0:04:31.880 --> 0:04:35.760 but now he didn't have time for distractions. His hour 0:04:35.880 --> 0:04:40.400 had come. God is saying to you, your hour has come. 0:04:41.000 --> 0:04:44.040 If you're going to reach your highest potential, you have 0:04:44.120 --> 0:04:48.040 to do like Jesus and set your face. You can't 0:04:48.120 --> 0:04:51.800 be distracted by things that are keeping you from your purpose. 0:04:52.480 --> 0:04:56.200 You don't have time to waste worried about what people 0:04:56.240 --> 0:05:00.640 think about you. Your time is too valuable to respond 0:05:00.760 --> 0:05:05.200 to every critic, every negative comment, try to convince people 0:05:05.200 --> 0:05:09.960 that you really are. Okay, those are distractions. Everyone is 0:05:10.000 --> 0:05:13.359 not going to like you. Everyone's not going to accept you. 0:05:14.160 --> 0:05:18.760 Quit trying to convince someone to understand you that's determined 0:05:19.040 --> 0:05:23.200 to misunderstand you. Some people don't want to be for you, 0:05:23.600 --> 0:05:28.320 and that's okay. You don't need them to fulfill your destiny. 0:05:28.520 --> 0:05:32.240 But the enemy would love for us to spend time 0:05:32.400 --> 0:05:36.080 and energy trying to win someone over that's never going 0:05:36.120 --> 0:05:39.440 to be one over. You have to set your face. 0:05:39.920 --> 0:05:42.520 The people that need to be for you will be 0:05:42.680 --> 0:05:46.000 for you. God has already lined up the right people, 0:05:46.240 --> 0:05:49.120 people that will celebrate you, people that will cheer you on, 0:05:49.680 --> 0:05:53.320 people that stick with you through thick and thin. But 0:05:53.360 --> 0:05:56.480 too often we're trying to convince people to be our 0:05:56.520 --> 0:06:00.240 friend and convince them to spend time with us. If 0:06:00.240 --> 0:06:03.520 someone doesn't see the gift that you are, if they 0:06:03.520 --> 0:06:08.120 don't recognize your talents, value your friendship, do yourself a 0:06:08.160 --> 0:06:11.960 favor and move on no offense. But they are not 0:06:12.160 --> 0:06:15.559 a part of your destiny. You don't have to play 0:06:15.640 --> 0:06:19.760 up to people. Let them manipulate you. Hope that they call. 0:06:20.440 --> 0:06:23.800 Maybe they'll include you in their group. Though, the people 0:06:23.880 --> 0:06:26.920 God has for you don't have to be talked in 0:06:27.000 --> 0:06:30.120 to liking you. You won't be able to keep them away. 0:06:30.640 --> 0:06:33.200 They'll light up when you walk in the room. They 0:06:33.240 --> 0:06:35.880 can't wait to spend time with you. They'll go out 0:06:35.880 --> 0:06:39.000 of their way to do you favors. Now, don't waste 0:06:39.080 --> 0:06:43.200 another minute trying to convince someone to like you, to 0:06:43.320 --> 0:06:46.120 call you, to come see you. If you have to 0:06:46.200 --> 0:06:48.960 talk them into it, they are not for you. They 0:06:49.000 --> 0:06:52.920 are a distraction. Well, Joe, these people at work are 0:06:52.960 --> 0:06:55.920 saying negative things about me. They're trying to make me 0:06:55.960 --> 0:06:59.360 look bad. It's not your job to straighten them out. 0:07:00.120 --> 0:07:04.080 Let God fight your battles. Let God be your vindicator. 0:07:04.920 --> 0:07:09.440 You're not supposed to engage in every conflict. Don't fight 0:07:09.560 --> 0:07:13.600 battles that are not between you and your destiny. Most 0:07:13.680 --> 0:07:17.240 of the things that come against us are simply distractions. 0:07:17.840 --> 0:07:21.640 You have to keep your face set. Takes discipline to 0:07:21.760 --> 0:07:24.720 say I am not going to respond, not going to 0:07:24.760 --> 0:07:28.160 waste my valuable time. I have a destiny to fulfill. 0:07:28.480 --> 0:07:33.760 My hour has come. Proverb says, avoiding a fight is 0:07:33.800 --> 0:07:39.360 a mark of honor. It's easy to get in conflict, upset, offended, 0:07:39.600 --> 0:07:43.120 want to pay people back. That doesn't take any discipline. 0:07:43.720 --> 0:07:49.520 Avoiding a fight, not taking debate, not being drawn into conflict. 0:07:49.840 --> 0:07:53.800 That takes your face being set. And next time something 0:07:53.840 --> 0:07:58.080 comes against you, ask yourself, is this a battle worth fighting? 0:07:58.600 --> 0:08:02.480 Or is it simply a distraction? That person that cuts 0:08:02.480 --> 0:08:05.840 you off in traffic is it worth getting upset over 0:08:06.200 --> 0:08:09.960 when you're never going to see them again? That coworker 0:08:10.160 --> 0:08:13.680 that leaves you out doesn't give you credit. Do you 0:08:13.840 --> 0:08:18.040 think they can stop your destiny? That somehow they're more 0:08:18.120 --> 0:08:23.000 powerful than what God has ordained for you. They're distractions. 0:08:23.560 --> 0:08:26.320 The only way they can hinder you is if you 0:08:26.400 --> 0:08:31.160 get baited into conflict. Best thing you could do, ignore it, 0:08:31.520 --> 0:08:34.640 don't give it the time of day. When David heard 0:08:34.679 --> 0:08:39.640 Goliath taunting the Israelites, he asked what the reward was 0:08:40.040 --> 0:08:43.480 for killing the giant. He didn't just run out and 0:08:43.480 --> 0:08:47.640 fight him because he was saying negative things. Sure David 0:08:47.640 --> 0:08:51.520 didn't like that, but he understood this principle. He didn't 0:08:51.520 --> 0:08:55.920 get involved in battles that weren't between him and his destiny. 0:08:56.920 --> 0:09:00.520 They told him whoever killed the giant would get the 0:09:00.640 --> 0:09:04.200 King's daughter as his wife, and their family would be 0:09:04.240 --> 0:09:09.360 exempt from taxes. With that one victory, David's whole family 0:09:09.440 --> 0:09:13.360 line would change. They would go from a low income 0:09:13.679 --> 0:09:17.840 family of shepherds to royalty. They would be in the 0:09:17.960 --> 0:09:22.920 King's family. David thought, this is a battle worth engaging, 0:09:23.320 --> 0:09:26.920 This is worth spending my time and energy. Now. I'm 0:09:26.960 --> 0:09:30.120 not saying to be passive and don't fight any battles. 0:09:30.400 --> 0:09:34.360 I'm saying to look at what the spoils are. Will 0:09:34.400 --> 0:09:37.760 it just feed your ego you paid them back, you 0:09:37.840 --> 0:09:41.240 made them look bad, or will it propel you into 0:09:41.280 --> 0:09:45.640 your destiny. We fight too many battles that don't matter. 0:09:46.559 --> 0:09:48.920 They're talking about me. I'm gonna go straighten them out. 0:09:49.559 --> 0:09:52.160 After you straighten them out, someone else will start talking. 0:09:52.840 --> 0:09:56.600 Here's what I've learned. Nobody talks about people that aren't 0:09:56.640 --> 0:10:01.439 doing anything. Nobody tries to discredit, so that doesn't have 0:10:01.520 --> 0:10:06.000 any influence. The reason they're talking about you is because 0:10:06.200 --> 0:10:09.920 you're a difference maker. You're a world changer. They can 0:10:09.960 --> 0:10:13.959 see the gifts, the influence, the fever on your life, 0:10:14.120 --> 0:10:17.760 the brighter the light, the more the heat. The higher 0:10:17.800 --> 0:10:22.319 God takes you, the more people are going to see you. Sometimes, 0:10:22.640 --> 0:10:26.760 instead of celebrating you, people will get jealous, try to 0:10:26.800 --> 0:10:30.840 pull you down, get you into conflict. Don't take the bait. 0:10:31.400 --> 0:10:35.880 It's a distraction. Keep your face set, stay focused on 0:10:35.920 --> 0:10:40.840 your purpose. Before David faced Goliath, his father asked him 0:10:41.120 --> 0:10:44.080 to take lunch to his brothers that were in another 0:10:44.160 --> 0:10:48.000 city on the battlefield. David arrived and gave the lunch 0:10:48.040 --> 0:10:52.120 to his oldest brother. He was jealous of David. He said, 0:10:52.160 --> 0:10:55.520 in front of everyone, what do you do in here? David? 0:10:56.040 --> 0:10:58.560 What did you do with those few sheep you're supposed 0:10:58.559 --> 0:11:02.440 to be taken care of. Instead of thanking David for 0:11:02.520 --> 0:11:07.960 traveling several days, he insulted him, tried to belittle him. Now, 0:11:08.040 --> 0:11:10.800 David had killed a lion and a bear with his 0:11:10.920 --> 0:11:14.240 own hands. He was young, but he was not a weakling. 0:11:14.760 --> 0:11:17.240 I have no doubt he could have taken care of 0:11:17.280 --> 0:11:22.120 his brother. But David thought, what are the spoils? What 0:11:22.200 --> 0:11:24.800 good is it going to do me If I embarrassed 0:11:24.800 --> 0:11:27.640 my brother in front of his peers like he did me. 0:11:28.480 --> 0:11:32.199 He realized all that would do was feed his ego. 0:11:32.559 --> 0:11:36.600 There was no reward. The scripture says David turned and 0:11:36.760 --> 0:11:41.160 walked away. He ignored it. One reason we're talking about 0:11:41.240 --> 0:11:45.200 him is he knew which battles to fight. He didn't 0:11:45.240 --> 0:11:50.240 engage in every conflict. Paul said in Romans, as far 0:11:50.400 --> 0:11:55.040 as you can live at peace with everyone, it doesn't 0:11:55.080 --> 0:11:58.480 say that you're always going to have peace with every 0:11:58.559 --> 0:12:03.560 person don't want to have peace with you. David's brother 0:12:03.800 --> 0:12:07.840 didn't want peace. He was jealous, he was small minded, 0:12:07.960 --> 0:12:11.400 he wanted to stir things up. David had to accept 0:12:11.640 --> 0:12:14.199 that his brother was not going to be at peace 0:12:14.280 --> 0:12:17.760 with him. Well, Georg, shouldn't I go the extra mile? 0:12:18.240 --> 0:12:21.760 Shouldn't I be the bigger person? Yes? But if you 0:12:21.880 --> 0:12:25.240 do all that and they still don't want peace, you 0:12:25.360 --> 0:12:28.840 need to move on. You have a destiny to fulfill. 0:12:29.280 --> 0:12:33.160 Your assignment is waiting on you. You can't worry about 0:12:33.200 --> 0:12:36.640 people that don't want to have peace with you. And 0:12:36.720 --> 0:12:39.480 I'm all for being nice, but at some point you 0:12:39.559 --> 0:12:42.200 have to put your foot down and say you may 0:12:42.240 --> 0:12:46.000 have a problem with me, no disrespect, but I don't 0:12:46.040 --> 0:12:48.800 have time to have a problem with you. I don't 0:12:48.840 --> 0:12:52.280 have time to play petty games to try to convince 0:12:52.320 --> 0:12:56.440 you that I'm okay. Life is too short to try 0:12:56.440 --> 0:12:58.960 to have peace with people that don't want to have 0:12:59.040 --> 0:13:02.600 peace with you. And some of your relatives, you love them, 0:13:02.760 --> 0:13:05.880 but you have to love them from a distance. Don't 0:13:05.920 --> 0:13:09.520 frustrate yourself trying to make things happen that they don't 0:13:09.559 --> 0:13:13.560 want to happen. And that's not being disrespectful, that's being 0:13:13.640 --> 0:13:18.160 responsible with the gifts God has given you. My nature 0:13:18.440 --> 0:13:21.959 is to be a peacemaker. I want everybody to be happy. 0:13:22.320 --> 0:13:25.280 I'll go the extra mile four hundred times to make peace. 0:13:26.000 --> 0:13:29.760 But some people have their own issues. They don't get 0:13:29.800 --> 0:13:32.760 along with themselves. How are they going to get along 0:13:32.800 --> 0:13:35.800 with you? They don't like who they are, how are 0:13:35.800 --> 0:13:38.880 they going to like who you are? No matter what 0:13:38.960 --> 0:13:41.800 you do, it's not going to be enough. They're going 0:13:41.880 --> 0:13:45.120 to find fault, be critical, try to make you feel 0:13:45.160 --> 0:13:49.920 guilty if you keep trying to appease them, keep bending 0:13:49.960 --> 0:13:54.200 over backwards, spending all your time and energy. All that's 0:13:54.280 --> 0:13:58.840 doing is letting them control you. Be nice, but don't 0:13:58.840 --> 0:14:02.760 get distracted trying to have peace with someone that doesn't 0:14:02.800 --> 0:14:06.400 want peace. We all have people in our life, like 0:14:06.520 --> 0:14:10.959 David's brother. They don't like seeing you happy, rising higher, 0:14:11.280 --> 0:14:15.280 going places. It's not about you. It's about the favor 0:14:15.360 --> 0:14:18.560 on your life. It's about the blessing God put on you. 0:14:19.280 --> 0:14:23.640 Don't take it personally. Keep your face set. You want 0:14:23.720 --> 0:14:28.320 fulfill your destiny. If you're trying to keep everyone happy, 0:14:28.560 --> 0:14:32.280 and some people that make the most withdrawals put in 0:14:32.360 --> 0:14:37.040 the least deposits. They're high maintenance people. They expect you 0:14:37.160 --> 0:14:40.680 to always be there to help them, to encourage them 0:14:41.160 --> 0:14:44.600 to meet their every demand. But when you need something, 0:14:44.800 --> 0:14:49.080 they're never around. They're too busy. If that friendship is 0:14:49.120 --> 0:14:52.480 one sided, they're doing all the taking and none of 0:14:52.520 --> 0:14:56.040 the giving. You need to make a change. I've heard 0:14:56.080 --> 0:14:59.800 it said, quit swimming across an ocean to be good 0:14:59.800 --> 0:15:03.480 to someone that won't jump across a puddle to be 0:15:03.560 --> 0:15:07.240 good to you. And if they get offended because you 0:15:07.280 --> 0:15:12.200 don't meet every expectation, they weren't a true friend. They 0:15:12.320 --> 0:15:15.359 just want you for what you can do for them. 0:15:15.640 --> 0:15:20.160 Those are distractions you need to gradually break away from 0:15:20.160 --> 0:15:24.600 people like that. You were not created to be controlled, 0:15:25.200 --> 0:15:27.960 to never have any time to pursue what God put 0:15:28.000 --> 0:15:31.200 in your heart. Well, Joel, what if they get upset 0:15:31.720 --> 0:15:35.000 what if I hurt their feelings. I would rather disappoint 0:15:35.040 --> 0:15:39.040 a few people than to disappoint God, because when you 0:15:39.080 --> 0:15:41.800 come to the end of life, you won't give an 0:15:41.840 --> 0:15:45.360 account to people of what you did with your time, 0:15:45.680 --> 0:15:49.200 your talents, your resources. You'll give an account to God. 0:15:50.400 --> 0:15:55.360 Romans thirteen says, Oh, no person anything except to love them. 0:15:56.320 --> 0:15:59.400 The only thing you really owe people is to love them. 0:16:00.320 --> 0:16:02.720 But if you think you have to keep everyone happy 0:16:02.760 --> 0:16:05.240 and I got to keep this one cheered up, and 0:16:05.320 --> 0:16:07.080 I got to call this one every day or they'll 0:16:07.080 --> 0:16:09.840 get upset. I got to play up to my coworker 0:16:10.040 --> 0:16:13.120 or they won't be my friend. You are carrying a 0:16:13.200 --> 0:16:17.600 debt that you don't owe go through life trying to 0:16:17.640 --> 0:16:21.640 please everyone. If you try to keep every person happy, 0:16:21.960 --> 0:16:25.680 the one person that won't be happy is you come 0:16:25.720 --> 0:16:29.520 out from under that debt. Be nice, go the extra mile, 0:16:30.000 --> 0:16:33.400 but don't be a people pleaser. This was hard for 0:16:33.520 --> 0:16:36.480 me because I want people to like me. I'll go 0:16:36.560 --> 0:16:40.680 out of my way do everything I can. But some people, 0:16:41.040 --> 0:16:43.720 no matter what you do, it's not going to be enough. 0:16:44.560 --> 0:16:48.640 It's very free when you realize you are not responsible 0:16:49.040 --> 0:16:54.680 to keep other people happy. You're responsible for your own happiness. Now. 0:16:54.680 --> 0:16:57.600 I don't mean to live selfish and only think about you, 0:16:58.040 --> 0:17:01.920 but don't take that false sense of responsibility thinking that 0:17:02.000 --> 0:17:06.280 other people's happiness depends on you. There was this couple 0:17:06.400 --> 0:17:09.800 I knew years ago. I went out of my way 0:17:09.920 --> 0:17:12.720 to be good to them. They moved to another city 0:17:12.760 --> 0:17:16.600 and I helped them move. I gave them money. I 0:17:16.600 --> 0:17:19.800 would call and check on them if they needed anything. 0:17:20.400 --> 0:17:23.720 I was always available. But the feeling I got from 0:17:23.760 --> 0:17:27.760 them is I was never doing enough. They were never satisfied. 0:17:28.359 --> 0:17:32.240 They always had a complaint here. I was going overboard 0:17:32.320 --> 0:17:36.320 to be kind and generous, but they were constantly finding fault, 0:17:36.600 --> 0:17:39.879 trying to make me feel guilty. I was concerned that 0:17:39.880 --> 0:17:41.760 they would get upset and they weren't going to be 0:17:41.840 --> 0:17:45.520 my friend. One day I realized what I'm telling you. 0:17:46.080 --> 0:17:51.600 They were only making withdraws, never any deposits. I was nice, 0:17:52.000 --> 0:17:55.680 but I quit letting them control me. When I stopped, 0:17:55.960 --> 0:17:59.200 you would have thought i'd taken their firstborn child. They 0:17:59.280 --> 0:18:02.480 tried to make me feel so guilty, so ashamed. But 0:18:02.520 --> 0:18:06.000 my attitude was I love you, but I don't know you. 0:18:07.119 --> 0:18:11.840 If someone is controlling you, it's not their fault. It's yours. 0:18:12.560 --> 0:18:15.600 You have to put your foot down, make a change. 0:18:15.760 --> 0:18:20.080 This is your hour. You cannot reach your destiny dragging 0:18:20.119 --> 0:18:23.960 people along, trying to keep everyone happy. And I know 0:18:24.119 --> 0:18:27.959 people that spend more time worried about what other people 0:18:28.040 --> 0:18:31.639 think about them than they do pursuing their own dreams 0:18:31.680 --> 0:18:35.440 and goals. And it's great to get free from addictions, 0:18:35.720 --> 0:18:39.439 free from depression, but one of the greatest freedoms is 0:18:39.480 --> 0:18:43.680 to get free from people. Because everyone has an opinion. 0:18:45.040 --> 0:18:50.359 These days, with social media, it's easier to express than ever. 0:18:50.880 --> 0:18:53.800 People will tell you what to wear and how to 0:18:53.880 --> 0:18:57.040 raise your kids, and what you're doing wrong and what 0:18:57.200 --> 0:18:59.600 to drive. They're quick to tell you how to run 0:18:59.640 --> 0:19:03.040 your life. Sometimes they can't even run their own life. 0:19:03.760 --> 0:19:06.520 And it's good to take advice, it's good to listen 0:19:06.560 --> 0:19:10.760 to wise counsel, but nobody can hear what you hear 0:19:10.920 --> 0:19:15.160 on the inside. Other people may mean well, but they 0:19:15.160 --> 0:19:18.520 don't know what God put in you. They don't know 0:19:18.600 --> 0:19:22.159 the gifts, the dreams, the calling. You have to have 0:19:22.240 --> 0:19:25.520 a boldness to follow what God's put in your heart. 0:19:26.160 --> 0:19:30.119 You can't worry about what everybody else thinks, Joe, what 0:19:30.160 --> 0:19:33.440 if they get upset? What if they don't agree. If 0:19:33.480 --> 0:19:37.680 someone gets offended because you're not taking their advice, that's 0:19:37.720 --> 0:19:41.680 not your problem. If you live by the opinion of others, 0:19:41.920 --> 0:19:45.720 you will never become who you were created to be, 0:19:45.720 --> 0:19:48.479 because people will try to keep you in their box 0:19:48.840 --> 0:19:52.040 in who they want you to be. There was this grandfather. 0:19:52.480 --> 0:19:55.800 He and his small grandson were taking a trip into town. 0:19:56.320 --> 0:20:02.000 He started off, letting the grandson ride the donkey. Walking alongside. 0:20:02.080 --> 0:20:05.320 Someone passed by and said, look at that selfish little 0:20:05.320 --> 0:20:08.880 boy making that old man walk. He took the boy 0:20:09.000 --> 0:20:11.000 off and put him on the ground. He got on 0:20:11.080 --> 0:20:14.920 the donkey. The boy was walking alongside. Somebody passed by 0:20:15.200 --> 0:20:18.119 and said, look at that man making that little boy 0:20:18.240 --> 0:20:21.119 walk while he rides. He picked the boy up and 0:20:21.200 --> 0:20:24.040 put him on the donkey with him. A few minutes 0:20:24.280 --> 0:20:27.199 someone passed and said, how cruel of the two of 0:20:27.200 --> 0:20:31.160 you to place that heavy load on the donkey. By 0:20:31.160 --> 0:20:33.960 that time they got to town, the grandfather and grandson 0:20:34.160 --> 0:20:39.280 were carrying the donkey. And everybody has a right to 0:20:39.400 --> 0:20:42.560 have their opinion, and you have the right not to 0:20:42.680 --> 0:20:46.439 take it. No matter what you do. Someone is not 0:20:46.560 --> 0:20:52.359 going to understand are you carrying the donkey? Are you 0:20:52.520 --> 0:20:55.359 being pressured into doing what people want you to do. 0:20:55.920 --> 0:20:59.359 Not want to disappoint anything. It's time to put the 0:20:59.400 --> 0:21:02.960 donkey down. The donkey look doesn't look good on you. 0:21:03.320 --> 0:21:06.720 Start running your own race, Start following what God put 0:21:06.760 --> 0:21:09.720 in your heart. My father went to be with the 0:21:09.760 --> 0:21:13.240 Lord twenty one years ago. This week, when I stepped 0:21:13.280 --> 0:21:15.760 up to pastor the church, I had a lot of 0:21:15.800 --> 0:21:19.280 people giving me advice, telling me how to run the church, 0:21:19.680 --> 0:21:23.919 how to minister, which direction we should go. One minister 0:21:24.080 --> 0:21:27.400 that we've known a long time and very prominent, he 0:21:27.440 --> 0:21:30.240 called me and told me what I should do. He's 0:21:30.280 --> 0:21:34.200 a good man. I respect him, but nothing he said 0:21:34.640 --> 0:21:38.399 bore witness. On the inside, I felt pressured to be 0:21:38.720 --> 0:21:41.199 who he wanted me to be, and pressured to be 0:21:41.280 --> 0:21:44.560 who someone else wanted me to be. All these good 0:21:44.560 --> 0:21:49.280 opinions from good people, But deep down I knew which 0:21:49.359 --> 0:21:52.159 direction I was supposed to go. I didn't know if 0:21:52.200 --> 0:21:54.400 it was going to work out, but I wasn't going 0:21:54.440 --> 0:21:58.120 to be squeezed into somebody else's mold. Now. I told 0:21:58.119 --> 0:22:01.040 that minister is that's not what I felt on the inside, 0:22:01.080 --> 0:22:04.560 and he didn't agree. He thought I was making a mistake. 0:22:05.080 --> 0:22:07.560 But I knew when I came to the end, he 0:22:07.600 --> 0:22:10.440 wouldn't be on the throne. I wouldn't have to answer 0:22:10.520 --> 0:22:13.399 to him. I followed what God put in my heart, 0:22:13.720 --> 0:22:16.320 and God has taken me further than I've ever dreamed. 0:22:17.600 --> 0:22:22.919 Don't let people squeeze you into their mold. God is 0:22:23.000 --> 0:22:25.800 doing a new thing. He is going to take you 0:22:26.000 --> 0:22:29.920 further than your parents, further than those that have gone 0:22:29.960 --> 0:22:34.320 before you. Listen to their advice, but be strong to 0:22:34.400 --> 0:22:39.040 follow that still small voice on the inside. Nobody can 0:22:39.080 --> 0:22:43.399 hear God's direction for your life like you. God won't 0:22:43.400 --> 0:22:47.720 give someone else more insight into your destiny than he 0:22:47.760 --> 0:22:51.440 does you. Sure some people may see things, but God 0:22:51.520 --> 0:22:56.720 speaks directly to your spirit. Some people won't understand you. 0:22:57.400 --> 0:22:59.719 They'll get upset when you break out of the box. 0:23:00.280 --> 0:23:03.800 Someone told me, Joel, I like the old days. You've 0:23:03.800 --> 0:23:07.159 forgotten where we've come from. I thought, I haven't forgotten. 0:23:07.359 --> 0:23:10.159 I just didn't want to stay there. God is a 0:23:10.400 --> 0:23:15.640 progressive God. Don't get stuck in the past. Don't get 0:23:15.640 --> 0:23:19.480 stuck in tradition. What are they going to think? What 0:23:19.600 --> 0:23:22.560 if they don't accept me? What if they don't approve me? 0:23:23.160 --> 0:23:26.440 You don't need their approval the most time. God has 0:23:26.480 --> 0:23:31.400 approved you. The creator of the universe has already accepted you. 0:23:31.960 --> 0:23:35.840 Now you have to set your face. This is your hour. 0:23:36.520 --> 0:23:40.160 There is greatness in you. God is calling you out 0:23:40.280 --> 0:23:43.800 of the ordinary, out of what you're used to. He 0:23:43.880 --> 0:23:47.359 has things in your future that are going to break barriers. 0:23:47.800 --> 0:23:50.080 You're going to go where no one in your family 0:23:50.160 --> 0:23:54.960 has gone. It's going to be unusual, out of the ordinary. Sure, 0:23:55.440 --> 0:23:58.679 there will be people that find fault, try to discredit, 0:23:59.240 --> 0:24:02.760 think that you're missing it. That's okay. Nobody has ever 0:24:02.880 --> 0:24:07.919 done anything great without opposition, without critics, without people thinking 0:24:07.960 --> 0:24:11.720 they were missing it. Keep your face set. My father 0:24:11.800 --> 0:24:15.200 had always said that he would never move Lakewood from 0:24:15.200 --> 0:24:19.399 the original location. When I became pastor, I wasn't about 0:24:19.440 --> 0:24:22.119 to move it either. I was new and young, and 0:24:22.320 --> 0:24:25.080 I wasn't going to rock the boat. We needed a 0:24:25.080 --> 0:24:27.879 bigger place to meet, and we looked for land in 0:24:27.920 --> 0:24:32.679 that area, but nothing worked out. Then the Compact Center, 0:24:32.840 --> 0:24:36.359 this place became available. It's about twenty minutes from the 0:24:36.400 --> 0:24:40.479 original location. I knew it was supposed to be ours. 0:24:40.880 --> 0:24:44.159 I felt it so strongly in my spirit, but I 0:24:44.200 --> 0:24:47.680 didn't know what other people would think. They had heard 0:24:47.720 --> 0:24:50.880 my father say for many years that he would never 0:24:51.240 --> 0:24:55.160 move the location. Thoughts whispered Joe, this is not right. 0:24:55.440 --> 0:24:58.479 They're not going to understand. You better stay in your box. 0:24:59.000 --> 0:25:02.399 I felt something so strongly in my spirit, but my 0:25:02.520 --> 0:25:05.919 mind was telling me just the opposite. One day I 0:25:05.960 --> 0:25:09.760 heard something down in hearsay. Your father said he would 0:25:09.800 --> 0:25:12.719 never move it, but I never said you wouldn't move it. 0:25:13.920 --> 0:25:18.240 That's all I needed to hear. I announced that we 0:25:18.240 --> 0:25:22.200 were going to pursue the Compact center. Ninety nine point 0:25:22.280 --> 0:25:25.119 ninety nine percent of the people were for it. But 0:25:25.160 --> 0:25:27.520 there will always be that one jerk. I mean that 0:25:27.600 --> 0:25:32.480 one person. This man came up all being out of shape. Joe, 0:25:32.600 --> 0:25:36.400 your dad said he wouldn't move it. This is a mistake. 0:25:36.960 --> 0:25:39.959 If you move it, I'm not going to come. I 0:25:39.960 --> 0:25:46.119 wanted to say, you promise. Some people will not accept 0:25:46.600 --> 0:25:49.959 the new thing God puts in your heart. They're stuck 0:25:50.080 --> 0:25:53.280 in what was while God is telling you what he is. 0:25:54.080 --> 0:25:58.880 It's much bigger, it's new levels, it's greater influence, it's 0:25:59.000 --> 0:26:03.359 uncommon the it's something that you've never seen. Don't let 0:26:03.440 --> 0:26:06.320 the fear of what people are going to think keep 0:26:06.359 --> 0:26:10.040 you in your box. This is one reason King Saul 0:26:10.400 --> 0:26:13.719 lost the throne. God told him to do certain things. 0:26:13.960 --> 0:26:18.600 He did them partially. When Samuel confronted him, Saul admitted, 0:26:19.000 --> 0:26:23.359 I disobeyed the Lord's instructions because I was afraid of 0:26:23.400 --> 0:26:26.840 the people, so I did what they asked. God had 0:26:26.920 --> 0:26:30.560 greatness in Saul. He was going to take him amazing places, 0:26:30.880 --> 0:26:34.200 but Saul didn't want to disappoint the people. He didn't 0:26:34.200 --> 0:26:37.159 want to rock the boat. You can't be a people 0:26:37.240 --> 0:26:41.080 pleaser and reach your potential because people will try to 0:26:41.119 --> 0:26:44.600 squeeze you into who they want you to be. You 0:26:44.680 --> 0:26:47.480 may have to disappoint a few people in order to 0:26:47.520 --> 0:26:52.880 reach your destiny. Genesis twelve. God told Abraham to leave 0:26:52.920 --> 0:26:57.200 his country, his relatives, and his father's house and go 0:26:57.280 --> 0:27:01.280 to the land of Canaan. Abraham gathered up his belongings, God, 0:27:01.320 --> 0:27:04.240 his flocks and herds, and he left. But he took 0:27:04.280 --> 0:27:08.480 his nephew Lot with him. God just told him to 0:27:08.600 --> 0:27:12.680 leave his relatives. I don't know. Maybe he thought Lot 0:27:12.720 --> 0:27:16.000 will get his feelings hurt. He may be offended. He 0:27:16.080 --> 0:27:18.720 knew the right thing to do, but he was afraid 0:27:19.040 --> 0:27:24.240 someone wouldn't understand. When they arrived the land wouldn't sustain 0:27:24.440 --> 0:27:28.520 both he and Lot, all their flocks and herds. Their 0:27:28.560 --> 0:27:33.480 shepherds started arguing. There was strife and division, all because 0:27:33.800 --> 0:27:37.840 Lot wasn't supposed to be there in the first place. Finally, 0:27:37.920 --> 0:27:40.960 Lot moved to a different part of the country. The 0:27:41.040 --> 0:27:45.800 scripture says, after Lot left, God said to Abraham, look 0:27:45.840 --> 0:27:48.879 around all the lands you see, I will give it 0:27:48.920 --> 0:27:54.080 to you. It's interesting that God didn't speak until after 0:27:54.200 --> 0:27:58.320 Lot left, when Abraham finally did what he knew he 0:27:58.440 --> 0:28:02.720 was supposed to do when moved away. That's when Abraham 0:28:02.760 --> 0:28:06.680 stepped into the fullness of the blessing. Do you have 0:28:06.760 --> 0:28:10.439 some lots in your life? Are you letting the fear 0:28:10.600 --> 0:28:13.520 of what people think keep you from hearing the new 0:28:13.600 --> 0:28:16.879 thing God has for you? What if we move the church? 0:28:17.040 --> 0:28:19.800 What if they get upset? What if people don't understand? 0:28:20.119 --> 0:28:23.160 Why don't you get rid of the lots? Quit being 0:28:23.240 --> 0:28:26.640 afraid of the people. Quit letting them squeeze you into 0:28:26.680 --> 0:28:30.760 their mold. Don't get stuck in tradition. God has blessings 0:28:30.800 --> 0:28:35.440 you've never seen, increase that you've never imagined. I'm asking 0:28:35.480 --> 0:28:40.080 you to get rid of any distractions. No more living 0:28:40.160 --> 0:28:43.520 to please people. No more worried about what others think. 0:28:43.920 --> 0:28:47.600 No more fighting battles that don't matter. This is your hour, 0:28:48.200 --> 0:28:51.400 This is your time. Make up your mind. You're going 0:28:51.440 --> 0:28:54.680 to set your face. You're going to become who God 0:28:54.800 --> 0:28:57.840 created you to be. If you'll do this, I believe 0:28:57.920 --> 0:29:03.040 and declare, like with Abraham, You're about to see unprecedented favor. 0:29:03.640 --> 0:29:08.560 New doors are about to open, divine connections, breakthroughs, the 0:29:08.600 --> 0:29:12.600 fullness of your destiny in Jesus' name, and if you 0:29:12.640 --> 0:29:16.440 receive it, can you say him in Today? I'd like 0:29:16.520 --> 0:29:19.480 to give you an opportunity to make Jesus the lord 0:29:19.520 --> 0:29:23.520 of your life. Would you pray with me? Just say, Lord, Jesus, 0:29:24.800 --> 0:29:29.960 I repent of my sins. Come into my heart. I'll 0:29:30.000 --> 0:29:33.880 make you by Lord and Savior. If you prayed that 0:29:34.000 --> 0:29:37.360 simple prayer, we believe you got born again. Get in 0:29:37.400 --> 0:29:41.480 a good Bible based church, Keep God first place. We're 0:29:41.520 --> 0:29:44.080 excited about coming back to New York for our Night 0:29:44.120 --> 0:29:46.600 of Hope in Yankee Stadium. It's going to be a 0:29:46.640 --> 0:29:50.600 great night of encouragement and inspiration per special guest Kanye 0:29:50.720 --> 0:29:53.760 West and the Sunday Service Choir. Looking forward to seeing 0:29:53.800 --> 0:29:57.120 you there. May second in Yankee Stadium. Thanks so much 0:29:57.160 --> 0:30:00.160 for listening to today's message. I hope you'll subscribe JD 0:30:00.400 --> 0:30:03.080 so you can receive the latest podcast to keep you 0:30:03.200 --> 0:30:05.320 encouraged and inspired all through the week. 0:30:05.520 --> 0:30:07.720 Help us to continue to share the message of hope 0:30:07.720 --> 0:30:11.200 with those all around the world. Visit Joelosting dot com 0:30:11.320 --> 0:30:13.920 or click the link in the description to partner with 0:30:14.000 --> 0:30:14.520 us today. 0:30:14.760 --> 0:30:17.200 We hope you'll share this message with a friend and 0:30:17.320 --> 0:30:20.120 be sure to follow us on social media. 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