Secret Frustrations

0:00:00.160 --> 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 0:00:10.360 --> 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. 0:00:23.440 --> 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. 0:00:30.520 --> 0:00:33.120 Are you ready to move your career forward? Make your 0:00:33.159 --> 0:00:36.640 comeback with Perdue Global and get college credit for your work, school, life, 0:00:36.720 --> 0:00:39.840 or military experiences. With these credits, you may have already 0:00:39.840 --> 0:00:42.680 completed up to seventy five percent of your undergraduate degree. 0:00:42.720 --> 0:00:44.800 You've worked hard to get where you are. It's time 0:00:44.840 --> 0:00:46.920 to get the recognition you deserve and earn a degree 0:00:47.000 --> 0:00:49.600 you'll be proud of, one that employers will trust and 0:00:49.720 --> 0:00:51.840 respect when you take the next step in your life 0:00:51.880 --> 0:00:55.040 and career. Make it count with Perdue Global produce online 0:00:55.120 --> 0:00:59.720 University for working adults. Start your comeback at Purdueglobal dot edu. 0:01:00.240 --> 0:01:02.200 He'll forget about the video game you gave him on 0:01:02.240 --> 0:01:02.800 his birthday. 0:01:03.120 --> 0:01:05.000 Wow, thanks Grandpa, but. 0:01:05.000 --> 0:01:07.200 He'll never forget how you invest it in his future 0:01:07.280 --> 0:01:08.240 with the units stapp. 0:01:08.760 --> 0:01:10.400 Wow, thanks Grandpa. 0:01:11.040 --> 0:01:13.560 The unit stap makes it easy for grandparents and family 0:01:13.600 --> 0:01:16.280 friends to give funds to a child's investment account for 0:01:16.319 --> 0:01:18.720 a limited time. Download the uns stapp and use the 0:01:18.720 --> 0:01:20.800 code I heeart fifty at sign up to receive a 0:01:20.840 --> 0:01:23.319 fifty dollars bonus when you find your account. That's code 0:01:23.360 --> 0:01:26.320 iHeart fifty when you sign up at unest dot co 0:01:26.720 --> 0:01:29.280 for a fifty dollars bonus. See terms and conditions at 0:01:29.360 --> 0:01:30.080 UNEs dot co. 0:01:31.200 --> 0:01:33.959 Hi, this is Joel and Victoria. Thanks for listening to 0:01:34.000 --> 0:01:37.120 our podcast and thanks for supporting the ministry. If you 0:01:37.240 --> 0:01:39.840 enjoy today's message, why don't you be a blessing and 0:01:39.880 --> 0:01:42.640 share it with a friend, reappreciate you and pray for 0:01:42.720 --> 0:01:58.120 God's very best in your life. Well, God bless you. 0:01:58.440 --> 0:02:00.640 It's always a joy to come into your homes. And 0:02:01.000 --> 0:02:03.600 if you're ever in our area, please stop buying be 0:02:03.640 --> 0:02:05.960 a part of one of our services. I promise you 0:02:06.080 --> 0:02:08.160 will make you feel right at home. But thanks so 0:02:08.280 --> 0:02:10.400 much for tuning in today, and thank you again for 0:02:10.440 --> 0:02:13.280 coming out. I like to start with something funny, and 0:02:13.400 --> 0:02:16.040 I heard about this little girl. She was sitting in 0:02:16.080 --> 0:02:20.000 her grandfather's laugh and she noticed how wrinkled his face was. 0:02:20.639 --> 0:02:25.160 As she contemplated the difference between his and hers, she asked, granddaddy, 0:02:25.440 --> 0:02:28.680 did God make you? He gotta laugh and said, yes, honey, 0:02:28.760 --> 0:02:31.720 he made me a long time ago. She then asked, 0:02:31.880 --> 0:02:34.600 did God make me? He said yes, he made you 0:02:34.720 --> 0:02:37.200 just a little while ago. Thought about it a moment, 0:02:37.240 --> 0:02:42.760 said granddaddy. God's getting better, isn't he. Hold up your bibles, 0:02:42.880 --> 0:02:45.360 say it like you mean it. This is my Bible. 0:02:45.760 --> 0:02:48.000 I am what it says. I am. I have what 0:02:48.080 --> 0:02:50.440 it says I have. I can do what it says 0:02:50.480 --> 0:02:53.160 I can do. Today I will be taught the word 0:02:53.200 --> 0:02:57.160 of God. I boldly confess. My mind is alert, my 0:02:57.240 --> 0:03:00.400 heart is receptive. I will never be the same. In 0:03:00.560 --> 0:03:05.240 Jesus's name, God bless you. Want to talk to you 0:03:05.280 --> 0:03:10.200 today about secret frustrations. We can be blessed in many 0:03:10.320 --> 0:03:15.040 areas with good health, good family, a good job, but 0:03:15.120 --> 0:03:18.720 then just have one thing that's not right. One temptation. 0:03:18.960 --> 0:03:21.560 We can't seem to overcome her one thing in a 0:03:21.639 --> 0:03:26.440 relationship that's not fulfilling, or maybe one nagging health issue. 0:03:26.639 --> 0:03:29.840 Nobody can see it. On the outside, we seem fine, 0:03:29.919 --> 0:03:32.040 but on the inside we're frustrated. 0:03:32.840 --> 0:03:32.920 Now. 0:03:33.040 --> 0:03:35.920 Talk to a lady last week. She volunteers as one 0:03:35.960 --> 0:03:38.760 of our prayer partners. She and her husband have been 0:03:38.800 --> 0:03:41.880 believing to have a baby for many years with no success, 0:03:42.640 --> 0:03:46.160 and every so often during the services, she'll pray for 0:03:46.280 --> 0:03:50.160 people in that same situation to have a child, and 0:03:50.240 --> 0:03:53.760 over time, again and again, they'll bring their babies back 0:03:54.160 --> 0:03:58.520 so happy she sees their prayers being answered, but her 0:03:58.560 --> 0:04:01.840 own prayers not being anty. She looks like she's on 0:04:01.920 --> 0:04:05.480 top of the world. She's beautiful, successful, great husband. But 0:04:05.560 --> 0:04:09.880 what you can't see is this secret frustration that one 0:04:09.960 --> 0:04:15.800 thing she can't understand. Life is full of contradictions. You're 0:04:15.800 --> 0:04:19.080 helping other people get well, but you don't feel that well. 0:04:19.800 --> 0:04:23.640 Your coworkers are all being promoted, you're working just as hard, 0:04:23.720 --> 0:04:28.640 producing just as much, but nobody notices you. If we're honest, 0:04:28.920 --> 0:04:32.760 we all have these secret frustrations, things that we know 0:04:32.960 --> 0:04:36.200 God could change. We know he could open the door 0:04:36.760 --> 0:04:39.719 he could remove the temptation. He could give us the 0:04:39.800 --> 0:04:43.760 baby we've been dreaming about, but it's not happening. We 0:04:43.880 --> 0:04:48.200 have to realize God is a sovereign God. We're not 0:04:48.240 --> 0:04:52.520 going to understand why everything happens. There are some things 0:04:52.600 --> 0:04:57.080 that God doesn't remove. Some situations he waits a long 0:04:57.240 --> 0:05:01.200 time to change. You have to trust that He knows 0:05:01.400 --> 0:05:05.839 what's best for you. Everything that's not changing, what he's 0:05:05.920 --> 0:05:09.680 not removing. If you'll keep the right attitude, it won't 0:05:09.680 --> 0:05:13.600 work against you, It will work for you. Don't let 0:05:13.720 --> 0:05:17.400 the contradictions of life cause you to be sour, give 0:05:17.480 --> 0:05:21.359 up on your dreams. The Apostle Paul wrote over half 0:05:21.440 --> 0:05:25.000 of the New Testament. He came from an influential family, 0:05:25.440 --> 0:05:30.120 was highly educated. God used him in incredible ways. But 0:05:30.240 --> 0:05:34.919 as effective as Paul was, he had this secret frustration. 0:05:35.480 --> 0:05:39.320 He called it a thorn in his flesh. Scholars have 0:05:39.400 --> 0:05:43.080 debated for years whether that was a physical condition, some 0:05:43.200 --> 0:05:46.719 kind of illness, or whether it was emotional the people 0:05:46.760 --> 0:05:51.800 coming against him, the persecution. Whatever this thorn was, whatever 0:05:51.960 --> 0:05:56.120 was bothering Paul, he asked God three times to remove it. 0:05:56.800 --> 0:06:00.840 One version says he implored God to take it away. 0:06:00.960 --> 0:06:04.159 That means he gave it his best argument. God, you 0:06:04.279 --> 0:06:08.159 know I'm being my best serving you writing all these books. 0:06:08.320 --> 0:06:11.760 The least you could do is heal me. If anybody 0:06:11.839 --> 0:06:15.120 had pulled with God, it would have been Paul. But 0:06:15.200 --> 0:06:19.960 what's interesting is God didn't remove the thorn. He said, Paul, 0:06:20.240 --> 0:06:24.680 my grace is sufficient for you. My power shows up 0:06:24.720 --> 0:06:29.919 best in weakness. Is there something you've been imploring God 0:06:30.040 --> 0:06:34.680 to change? Situation in your health, your finances, a relationship 0:06:35.000 --> 0:06:39.520 You've asked again and again, nothing's improving. I'm not saying 0:06:39.760 --> 0:06:43.760 to give up and settle there. What I'm saying is 0:06:43.880 --> 0:06:47.599 until God removes it, don't let it still your joy. 0:06:48.160 --> 0:06:51.200 Don't let it sour your life. You have the grace 0:06:51.320 --> 0:06:55.560 to be there. The right attitude is, I'm not going 0:06:55.600 --> 0:06:59.359 to let this secret frustration, this thorn in my flesh, 0:06:59.440 --> 0:07:03.880 so to speak, frustrate me anymore. God, I believe your 0:07:04.000 --> 0:07:07.440 grace is sufficient. Now. I know at the right time, 0:07:07.560 --> 0:07:10.960 you'll change it. But even if you don't change it, 0:07:11.160 --> 0:07:14.680 I'm still going to be my best and honor you. 0:07:14.680 --> 0:07:17.920 You have to make up your mind that if your 0:07:17.960 --> 0:07:22.720 spouse never changes, if your health never improves, if you 0:07:22.800 --> 0:07:25.040 have to put up with that grouchy boss the rest 0:07:25.080 --> 0:07:28.200 of your life. You are not going to complain. You're 0:07:28.200 --> 0:07:30.800 not going to use it as an excuse to slack off. 0:07:31.320 --> 0:07:34.680 You're going to tap into this grace. It is sufficient 0:07:34.760 --> 0:07:39.440 for you. Here's the key. Don't stay focused on the frustration. 0:07:40.280 --> 0:07:42.920 If Paul would have gone around thinking, God, why want 0:07:42.960 --> 0:07:46.280 you remove this thorn? Why want you change my child? 0:07:46.440 --> 0:07:48.880 Why want you to help my business grow? If he 0:07:48.920 --> 0:07:51.960 would have stayed focused on the wives of life, he 0:07:51.960 --> 0:07:56.480 would have never fulfilled his destiny. Faith is trusting God 0:07:56.840 --> 0:08:02.040 when life doesn't make sense. Named Smith Wigglesworth was one 0:08:02.040 --> 0:08:05.680 of the great ministers of the early nineteen hundreds. He 0:08:05.680 --> 0:08:09.400 would have large meetings where he would see hundreds of people. 0:08:09.480 --> 0:08:14.680 Healed all kinds of miracles, but most of Wigglesworth's life 0:08:15.000 --> 0:08:19.240 he suffered from kidney stones. Many times he would leave 0:08:19.320 --> 0:08:22.520 the services in so much pain that he couldn't walk, 0:08:23.120 --> 0:08:25.840 have to go home, lay on the floor hour after hour, 0:08:26.200 --> 0:08:29.000 try to get some kind of relief. Here he had 0:08:29.080 --> 0:08:32.640 just seen all these great miracles, but he didn't receive 0:08:32.760 --> 0:08:35.840 his own miracle. He could have gotten bitter God, this 0:08:35.960 --> 0:08:38.240 is not fair you heal them? Why don't you heal 0:08:38.280 --> 0:08:42.800 me now? He had this attitude. Your grace is sufficient 0:08:42.920 --> 0:08:47.400 for every situation, even when I don't understand it, even 0:08:47.440 --> 0:08:51.080 when it doesn't make sense. God, I trust you. I'm 0:08:51.120 --> 0:08:54.679 not going to let this secret frustration keep me from 0:08:54.760 --> 0:08:58.680 my destiny. If you're going to reach your highest potential, 0:08:59.080 --> 0:09:01.560 you can't be a week clean. You have to be 0:09:01.760 --> 0:09:06.400 a warrior. There will be things you don't understand, things 0:09:06.400 --> 0:09:09.800 that don't make sense. But God knows what he's doing. 0:09:10.440 --> 0:09:14.080 His ways are better than our ways. He is the potter. 0:09:14.600 --> 0:09:17.520 We are the clay. When it's time to be removed, 0:09:17.720 --> 0:09:21.200 he will remove it. Until then, dig your heels in 0:09:21.400 --> 0:09:23.960 and fight the good fight of faith. You have the 0:09:24.040 --> 0:09:29.520 grace you need for every situation. When Jesus healed the 0:09:29.559 --> 0:09:32.520 man that had been crippled for thirty eight years thereby 0:09:32.520 --> 0:09:35.880 the pull of Bethesda, he told him to get up, 0:09:36.000 --> 0:09:39.600 take up his bed, and walk. I believe it was 0:09:39.679 --> 0:09:43.400 significant that he asked him to take his bed with him. 0:09:44.080 --> 0:09:47.880 He didn't need it anymore after all. But God was saying, 0:09:48.280 --> 0:09:51.880 this thing that's held you back, this thing that's kept 0:09:51.920 --> 0:09:54.840 you from being your best for so many years, I 0:09:54.920 --> 0:09:58.040 want you to take it with you as a reminder 0:09:58.440 --> 0:10:01.520 of what I've done in your life. Even though he 0:10:01.559 --> 0:10:04.959 couldn't walk, even though he didn't need the bed, it 0:10:05.040 --> 0:10:09.040 remained a part of his life. It was a contradiction. 0:10:09.720 --> 0:10:12.760 I'm healed, I'm healthy, i can walk, but I've still 0:10:12.840 --> 0:10:16.400 got my bed. Can imagine him going to help someone 0:10:16.480 --> 0:10:19.000 else that was struggling. They look at him and say, 0:10:19.320 --> 0:10:21.880 how can you help me? You've still got the bed. 0:10:22.480 --> 0:10:24.720 You're still carrying around that thing that held you back. 0:10:24.840 --> 0:10:27.960 He said, Now, it's not what you think. It's not 0:10:28.040 --> 0:10:32.360 a limitation to slow me down. It's a testimony of 0:10:32.400 --> 0:10:36.920 what God has done in my life. This bed may 0:10:37.000 --> 0:10:41.679 look like a liability, but really it's an asset. Every 0:10:41.720 --> 0:10:44.880 time I see it, it reminds me to give God praise. 0:10:45.440 --> 0:10:48.760 It reminds me where he brought me from. It reminds 0:10:48.800 --> 0:10:50.720 me that if He did it for me once, he 0:10:50.720 --> 0:10:53.680 can do it for me again. What am I saying? 0:10:54.600 --> 0:10:58.360 Even though God frees you from certain things, you may 0:10:58.440 --> 0:11:02.040 still have your bed. You may still be tempted in 0:11:02.120 --> 0:11:06.000 that same area. The weakness, the limitation may not totally 0:11:06.040 --> 0:11:10.520 go away. One reason God doesn't remove the bed totally 0:11:10.800 --> 0:11:13.520 not to slow you down, give you an excuse to 0:11:13.559 --> 0:11:17.280 go back, but rather to remind you of where you 0:11:17.400 --> 0:11:20.720 came from. That bed is not there to discourage you, 0:11:21.040 --> 0:11:25.360 but to inspire you. I've been ministering now for close 0:11:25.400 --> 0:11:28.160 to fifteen years, and when I started, I was so 0:11:28.360 --> 0:11:33.199 nervous and intimidated. I was insecure and I didn't really 0:11:33.240 --> 0:11:36.480 feel qualified. And over the last few years, of course, 0:11:36.520 --> 0:11:40.839 I've grown become more confident. But the truth is God 0:11:40.880 --> 0:11:44.120 didn't make me into a different person when I get 0:11:44.200 --> 0:11:46.640 up here. You may not see it, but I still 0:11:46.679 --> 0:11:51.160 have my bed. Those weaknesses, those limitations come back from 0:11:51.200 --> 0:11:54.720 time to time, but I don't see them the same way. 0:11:55.200 --> 0:11:59.640 They don't intimidate me. They remind me of my dependency 0:11:59.760 --> 0:12:06.120 on God. Another reason God doesn't totally remove the bed 0:12:06.480 --> 0:12:08.920 because if you think you can do it all on 0:12:08.960 --> 0:12:11.600 your own, you got it all figured out, you don't 0:12:11.640 --> 0:12:14.240 need his help. Before long, you'll be right back to 0:12:14.280 --> 0:12:17.720 where you were. But if you'll see the weakness, the 0:12:17.800 --> 0:12:21.480 temptation as a reminder to ask God for his help, 0:12:21.920 --> 0:12:25.400 to show your dependency on him, then you will continue 0:12:25.440 --> 0:12:28.360 to rise higher in spite of what comes against you. 0:12:29.559 --> 0:12:31.920 Now I can say I've got my bed, but I'm 0:12:31.960 --> 0:12:34.360 the pastor of the church. Got my bed, but I'm 0:12:34.360 --> 0:12:40.200 living healthy, happy, victoriously the Old Testament. God told Moses 0:12:40.240 --> 0:12:42.599 to go tell Pharaoh to let the people go, and 0:12:43.400 --> 0:12:46.880 Moses said, God, how will he know that you sent me? 0:12:47.679 --> 0:12:50.560 Don't come from an influential family. What makes you think 0:12:50.640 --> 0:12:53.840 Pharaoh is going to listen to me. God told Moses 0:12:53.920 --> 0:12:56.920 to throw his staff on the ground. When he did, 0:12:57.080 --> 0:12:59.840 it turned into a snake. He picked it back up, 0:13:00.120 --> 0:13:03.520 it turned back into a staff. He told him to 0:13:03.559 --> 0:13:05.760 put his arm in his coat, and when he pulled 0:13:05.760 --> 0:13:08.720 it out, it was filled with leprosy. Put it in, 0:13:08.840 --> 0:13:11.160 pulled it back out. It was clean as can be. 0:13:12.160 --> 0:13:15.000 God was showing him these signs, so he would go 0:13:15.080 --> 0:13:18.559 in with confidence, knowing that Pharaoh would listen to him. 0:13:19.480 --> 0:13:22.760 But Moses had another concern. He said, God, I can't 0:13:22.800 --> 0:13:26.800 stand before Pharaoh. I stuttered. I've got a problem with 0:13:26.880 --> 0:13:30.760 my speech. You would think, since God just showed him 0:13:30.800 --> 0:13:34.720 these great, miraculous signs, God would simply touch his tongue 0:13:35.200 --> 0:13:39.520 make his normal take away the stuttering. But God didn't 0:13:39.520 --> 0:13:43.680 do that. He didn't remove the problem. He was saying 0:13:43.679 --> 0:13:47.280 to Moses what he said to Paul my power shows 0:13:47.360 --> 0:13:51.040 up best in weaknesses and Moses. If I needed to 0:13:51.120 --> 0:13:54.959 remove that stuttering so that you could fulfill your destiny, 0:13:55.280 --> 0:13:58.880 I would have removed it. Are you waiting for God 0:13:58.920 --> 0:14:02.640 to remove something before you can be happy, before you 0:14:02.679 --> 0:14:06.080 can pursue a dream, before you can finish school? Or 0:14:06.120 --> 0:14:10.360 if God hasn't removed it, it's not an accident. You 0:14:10.400 --> 0:14:13.080 don't have to put your life on hold because you 0:14:13.160 --> 0:14:17.080 have a secret frustration. You have everything you need to 0:14:17.200 --> 0:14:22.000 fulfill your destiny. The scripture talks about how we have 0:14:22.160 --> 0:14:28.360 treasure in these earthen vessels. All of us have imperfections 0:14:28.400 --> 0:14:31.680 in our clay vessels. In other words, there's probably at 0:14:31.760 --> 0:14:35.560 least one thing that God is not removing that we 0:14:35.600 --> 0:14:39.920 could easily be irritated by. Live frustrated Joel. If I 0:14:39.920 --> 0:14:42.520 didn't have this back pain or have to struggle with 0:14:42.560 --> 0:14:45.320 this weight issue, didn't I have this coworker that gets 0:14:45.360 --> 0:14:49.360 on my nerves, this legal problem? Or how about if 0:14:49.400 --> 0:14:52.960 I hadn't gone through a bad childhood, the divorce, the hurt, 0:14:53.040 --> 0:14:57.280 the pain, whatever your thorn is, God is saying to 0:14:57.400 --> 0:15:01.160 us what he said to Paul, my grave is sufficient. 0:15:01.640 --> 0:15:05.560 Quit fighting it, quit letting it. Still your joy. When 0:15:05.600 --> 0:15:09.360 it's time to be removed, God will remove it. Until then, 0:15:09.680 --> 0:15:14.000 tap into this grace. God, my life is in your hands. 0:15:14.480 --> 0:15:18.200 You know what I want. You know my dreams, you 0:15:18.280 --> 0:15:21.960 know what's bothering me. I may not understand it, it 0:15:22.000 --> 0:15:26.120 may not make sense, but God, I trust you. Here's 0:15:26.160 --> 0:15:29.680 the key. If God is not removing it, it's not 0:15:29.800 --> 0:15:34.040 an accident. There is a reason Paul thought the thorn 0:15:34.120 --> 0:15:36.760 in his flesh was to keep him from being puffed 0:15:36.840 --> 0:15:39.640 up and too proud. Maybe that was true. Only God knows. 0:15:40.040 --> 0:15:43.960 But that secret frustration may just be a time of 0:15:44.080 --> 0:15:47.720 testing where you have to prove to God that you're 0:15:47.760 --> 0:15:51.320 going to be content and do your best even though 0:15:51.320 --> 0:15:54.520 it's not going your way. You're going to keep giving, 0:15:54.840 --> 0:15:59.400 even though you're not receiving. You're going to keep honoring him, 0:15:59.520 --> 0:16:03.080 even though you're not seeing things change. God could be 0:16:03.240 --> 0:16:07.000 using that to grow you up and develop your character. 0:16:08.000 --> 0:16:12.360 Some things we can only learn through experience, can't learn 0:16:12.400 --> 0:16:15.440 through reading a book listening to a message. The Scripture 0:16:15.480 --> 0:16:19.440 says our faith is tried in the fire of affliction. 0:16:20.000 --> 0:16:23.840 That's where our spiritual muscles are developed. You can't get 0:16:23.880 --> 0:16:27.880 stronger if you're not put under any pressure, you have 0:16:27.960 --> 0:16:32.840 to work out, exercise your faith. It may not be comfortable, 0:16:33.040 --> 0:16:35.360 you may not like it, but if you'll stick with 0:16:35.440 --> 0:16:40.480 it, it's not working against you. It's working for you. You're growing, 0:16:41.040 --> 0:16:45.680 you're coming up higher, You're getting prepared for new levels. See, 0:16:45.720 --> 0:16:50.640 you can't be promoted without preparation. God won't give you 0:16:50.760 --> 0:16:54.440 a one hundred pound blessing if he knows you can 0:16:54.480 --> 0:16:57.560 only lift fifty pounds. If he gave you the one 0:16:57.640 --> 0:17:00.720 hundred pounds, it wouldn't be a blessing, it would be 0:17:00.760 --> 0:17:03.600 a burden, wouldn't help you, It would hurt you. He's 0:17:03.640 --> 0:17:07.320 got to get you prepared. Your gifts can take you 0:17:07.400 --> 0:17:10.080 to a certain level, but if you don't have the 0:17:10.280 --> 0:17:14.200 character to match, you won't stay there very long. And 0:17:14.440 --> 0:17:18.159 character is developed in the tough times when we're not 0:17:18.400 --> 0:17:21.280 getting our way, but we keep doing the right thing. 0:17:22.280 --> 0:17:24.879 Like Paul, we've asked God lot more than three times 0:17:24.920 --> 0:17:27.960 to remove it. God, get this person out of my 0:17:28.040 --> 0:17:31.159 life that gets on my nerves. God give me that child. 0:17:31.320 --> 0:17:35.760 God change my spouse now while God is changing it 0:17:36.280 --> 0:17:39.320 until he removes it. If you will stay in faith, 0:17:39.960 --> 0:17:43.399 not get bitter, not give up on your dreams, here's 0:17:43.440 --> 0:17:48.680 the beauty. Even if the situation doesn't change, you will change. 0:17:49.240 --> 0:17:52.800 God is growing you up, getting you prepared for new 0:17:52.880 --> 0:17:57.959 levels of your destiny. Now I've learned your character is 0:17:58.000 --> 0:18:01.399 more important than your talent. You can have all the 0:18:01.520 --> 0:18:04.720 talent in the world, but if you don't have strong character, 0:18:05.200 --> 0:18:07.800 you're not going to go very far. And we can 0:18:07.840 --> 0:18:11.400 all trust God in the good times. That's easy. I'm 0:18:11.440 --> 0:18:15.760 asking you. Can you trust him with the secret frustrations, 0:18:16.280 --> 0:18:19.359 the things that are not changing. You prayed and believe, 0:18:19.440 --> 0:18:23.280 but he's not removing it. The question is not only 0:18:23.520 --> 0:18:28.400 can you trust God, but more importantly, can God trust you? 0:18:29.200 --> 0:18:32.520 Will you pass the test? Stay in faith even when 0:18:32.520 --> 0:18:36.560 you don't understand it. My parents started Lakewood Church with 0:18:36.760 --> 0:18:40.440 ninety people in nineteen fifty nine. A few years later, 0:18:40.920 --> 0:18:43.840 my father put somebody else in charge so he could 0:18:43.920 --> 0:18:47.440 leave the church and travel the world. He would go 0:18:47.800 --> 0:18:51.680 hold these large crusades, fifty thousand people in other countries. 0:18:52.080 --> 0:18:55.639 He was living his dream. Life was good. But around 0:18:55.760 --> 0:18:58.880 nineteen sixty six he knew he was supposed to come 0:18:58.920 --> 0:19:03.160 back and pass Lakewood once again. My mom said, John, 0:19:03.200 --> 0:19:05.880 when Houston hears your back, they're gonna come out by 0:19:05.920 --> 0:19:10.200 the thousands. Well, Houston heard, but Houston didn't care. They 0:19:10.240 --> 0:19:14.639 stayed away by the thousands. Now, instead of speaking to 0:19:14.960 --> 0:19:17.600 big crowds like my dad was used to, he was 0:19:17.640 --> 0:19:21.520 speaking to these ninety people three times a week, year 0:19:21.640 --> 0:19:25.080 after year. He thought, God, I know I have more 0:19:25.200 --> 0:19:28.000 in me. I'm being my best, I'm honoring you, But 0:19:28.720 --> 0:19:33.159 nothing's changing. I'm not seeing any growth. A secret frustration. 0:19:34.000 --> 0:19:38.280 But what my father didn't realize is something was changing. 0:19:38.720 --> 0:19:42.920 Not the size of the congregation. He was changing. He 0:19:43.000 --> 0:19:47.119 was developing character. He was proving to God that he 0:19:47.160 --> 0:19:50.439 would be faithful in the tough times. If you're not 0:19:50.720 --> 0:19:54.280 faithful in the wilderness, how can God trust you to 0:19:54.359 --> 0:19:58.399 be faithful in the promised land. My father on the 0:19:58.440 --> 0:20:02.320 outside was happy, gave his best to those ninety people, 0:20:02.760 --> 0:20:06.399 but deep down he had to deal with this secret frustration. 0:20:07.240 --> 0:20:10.480 Nineteen seventy two, it was like God opened up a fawcet. 0:20:10.920 --> 0:20:13.879 People started coming to Lakewood from all over the city 0:20:14.160 --> 0:20:17.440 grew and grew to a church of thousand, still growing today. 0:20:17.760 --> 0:20:20.480 But maybe, like my father, you're doing the right thing 0:20:20.960 --> 0:20:25.120 but not seeing any growth, not being promoted. It's frustrating. 0:20:26.000 --> 0:20:29.080 It may not look like anything's happening on the outside. 0:20:29.119 --> 0:20:32.240 But if you'll keep being your best, something is happening 0:20:32.359 --> 0:20:36.720 on the inside. God is changing you. He's growing you up, 0:20:37.080 --> 0:20:40.720 He's getting you prepared. Now, keep doing the right thing, 0:20:41.440 --> 0:20:44.640 keep being good to other people, keep having that spirit 0:20:44.760 --> 0:20:50.119 of excellence. Too many people let these secret frustrations, causing 0:20:50.200 --> 0:20:53.440 to get bitter, give up on their dreams, lose their passion. 0:20:53.920 --> 0:20:57.840 Recognize it's a test. If you will stay in faith, 0:20:58.080 --> 0:21:00.280 God will get you to where you're supposed to to be. 0:21:01.520 --> 0:21:05.359 Genesis chapter twenty nine. There's the story of two sisters, 0:21:05.680 --> 0:21:10.800 Rachel and Leah. When a young man named Jacob saw Rachel, 0:21:11.119 --> 0:21:14.280 he fell head over heels for her. It was love 0:21:14.480 --> 0:21:19.280 at first sight. You see, Rachel was extremely attractive. The 0:21:19.320 --> 0:21:23.320 scripture says she was beautiful in every way, with a 0:21:23.440 --> 0:21:27.280 lovely face and a shapely figure. Let me tell you, 0:21:27.440 --> 0:21:31.240 when God says you're fine, you were bad to the bone. 0:21:31.600 --> 0:21:36.800 Rachel had it going on Jacob. He didn't even think twice. 0:21:36.840 --> 0:21:40.040 He went straight to her dad, Laban and said, can 0:21:40.080 --> 0:21:43.840 I marry your daughter? Laban said yes, you can, but 0:21:43.920 --> 0:21:46.639 you have to first work for me for seven years. 0:21:47.240 --> 0:21:50.600 He worked those seven years was so excited. But Laban 0:21:50.840 --> 0:21:54.280 tricked Jacob. At the wedding. In those days, they wore 0:21:54.400 --> 0:21:57.840 very thick veils. You couldn't tell who was in there, 0:21:58.240 --> 0:22:00.760 and of course he thought it was Rachel, but in 0:22:00.840 --> 0:22:05.520 fact it was Leah. The scripture says Leah had weak 0:22:05.560 --> 0:22:10.280 eyes and was dull looking. I'm not sure what weak 0:22:10.320 --> 0:22:14.640 eyes means, but I know what dull looking is. I've 0:22:14.640 --> 0:22:23.000 got a brother named Paul who I couldn't resist no 0:22:23.040 --> 0:22:27.360 offense to Leah, but Rachel got the looks in the family. 0:22:28.280 --> 0:22:31.760 At the wedding, Jacob had a little too much to drink. 0:22:32.280 --> 0:22:35.320 He woke up the next morning, looked over in bed, 0:22:35.640 --> 0:22:38.960 and there was weak eyes staring back at him. He 0:22:39.040 --> 0:22:42.600 nearly passed out. He ran to Laban's house. What do 0:22:42.640 --> 0:22:45.159 you mean this is not the deal we cut. I 0:22:45.200 --> 0:22:48.720 wanted Rachel, not Leah, he said. I understand, Jacob, but 0:22:48.800 --> 0:22:51.840 it's our custom that the oldest daughter has to get 0:22:51.840 --> 0:22:55.720 married off. First worked for me another seven years, and 0:22:55.760 --> 0:22:58.640 I'll let you marry Rachel. He did it, finally got 0:22:58.680 --> 0:23:03.800 to marry her. You do dumb things, but I'm sure 0:23:03.920 --> 0:23:07.800 when people saw Rachel around town, so beautiful, so friendly, 0:23:08.080 --> 0:23:12.720 they thought that's one blessed woman. She's so stunning. She 0:23:12.800 --> 0:23:15.159 has a husband that adores her, she comes from a 0:23:15.200 --> 0:23:18.960 good family. But what they couldn't see was Rachel had 0:23:19.040 --> 0:23:23.000 a secret frustration. Her dream was to have a baby, 0:23:23.400 --> 0:23:27.120 but she was barren. She couldn't conceive. Year after year, 0:23:27.280 --> 0:23:30.560 no baby. I can hear her every night. God, Please 0:23:30.640 --> 0:23:34.240 give me a child. Please remove this baronness. God, I 0:23:34.320 --> 0:23:38.240 want a baby. On the other hand, her sister Leah 0:23:38.520 --> 0:23:44.080 gave Jacob one son after another, four boys, strong, handsome, 0:23:44.400 --> 0:23:48.200 good looking. Life was good for Leah. She was seeing 0:23:48.240 --> 0:23:52.040 a dream come to pass, a healthy family. But Leah 0:23:52.080 --> 0:23:57.120 too had a secret frustration. The scripture says that Jacob 0:23:57.359 --> 0:24:02.439 loved Rachel more than Leah. I can hear Leah every night, God, 0:24:02.720 --> 0:24:05.840 why I want my husband love me more. The point 0:24:06.000 --> 0:24:10.360 is everyone is dealing with something. Whether you're a Rachel 0:24:10.800 --> 0:24:14.080 blessed in this area or a Leah blessed in this area. 0:24:14.480 --> 0:24:17.639 There will be things that can frustrate you. Things that 0:24:17.720 --> 0:24:21.679 you don't understand, things that God is not removing. You 0:24:21.760 --> 0:24:24.440 have to make up your mind. You are not going 0:24:24.480 --> 0:24:27.560 to let it sour your life. Do what you can 0:24:28.160 --> 0:24:31.719 trust God to do. What you can't the right attitude. 0:24:32.040 --> 0:24:35.600 If this never changes, if I never have a child, 0:24:35.760 --> 0:24:39.560 I'm still going to be happy. If my marriage never improves, 0:24:40.000 --> 0:24:43.080 I'm still not going to be sour. If I see 0:24:43.119 --> 0:24:47.040 somebody that's more talented, more beautiful, has more, I'm not 0:24:47.119 --> 0:24:50.800 going to be endious, jealous. I'm at peace with who 0:24:50.840 --> 0:24:55.040 I am. When you stay in peace, not trying to 0:24:55.040 --> 0:24:57.520 figure out why they could have the baby, why she's 0:24:57.520 --> 0:25:00.960 more beautiful, why her husband loves her more. Let that go. 0:25:01.600 --> 0:25:05.080 You're never going to understand it. If you'll live in peace, 0:25:05.400 --> 0:25:08.760 God will remove what needs to be removed. He will 0:25:08.840 --> 0:25:12.720 change what needs to be changed. This is what happened 0:25:12.720 --> 0:25:18.000 with Rachel. Years later, God removed the bearingness. She had 0:25:18.040 --> 0:25:22.040 a son named Joseph. That secret frustration was taken away. 0:25:22.920 --> 0:25:25.880 For most of my father's life, he struggled with high 0:25:25.920 --> 0:25:29.520 blood pressure. He was constantly trying to find new medicine 0:25:29.560 --> 0:25:32.840 to control it. Many times the side effects would make 0:25:32.920 --> 0:25:36.480 him feel bad. Nobody knew the scripture more than my dad. 0:25:36.560 --> 0:25:39.960 Nobody had any more faith. But for some reason, God 0:25:40.000 --> 0:25:43.640 didn't take it away. But I never heard my father complain. 0:25:44.119 --> 0:25:47.080 His attitude was God, I'm going to be my best 0:25:47.400 --> 0:25:49.960 whether you heal me from this by blood pressure or 0:25:50.000 --> 0:25:53.960 whether you don't. He had a made up mine. Toward 0:25:54.000 --> 0:25:56.600 the end of his life, the medicine would make him dizzy. 0:25:57.080 --> 0:25:59.320 He couldn't sleep a lot of nights, but he would 0:25:59.359 --> 0:26:02.480 come in on some preach his heart out. Nobody even 0:26:02.560 --> 0:26:05.199 knew it. He could have thought, God, I've served you 0:26:05.280 --> 0:26:07.840 for over fifty years. Least you could do is answer 0:26:07.880 --> 0:26:12.520 my prayer. No, he didn't let the secret frustration keep 0:26:12.600 --> 0:26:16.480 him from his destiny. He trusted God when it didn't 0:26:16.520 --> 0:26:19.679 make sense. When he was seventy seven years old, he 0:26:19.760 --> 0:26:22.880 had to go on dialysis and he couldn't sleep one night, 0:26:22.920 --> 0:26:25.600 and he called my brother in law Gary and asked 0:26:25.600 --> 0:26:28.280 if he'd come over and visit with him. Round one 0:26:28.280 --> 0:26:31.800 in the morning. They were talking and Gary asked my 0:26:31.880 --> 0:26:35.639 father what he thought about the difficulties he was going through. 0:26:36.440 --> 0:26:39.399 My dad said, Gary, I don't understand it all, but 0:26:39.520 --> 0:26:44.520 I know this his mercy endures forever. Those were the 0:26:44.600 --> 0:26:48.520 last words my father ever spoke. A few seconds later, 0:26:48.880 --> 0:26:51.040 he had a heart attack, went to be with the Lord. 0:26:51.440 --> 0:26:54.000 But I love the fact that even though God didn't 0:26:54.040 --> 0:26:57.600 remove it, that he didn't get bitter. He died in faith. 0:26:58.640 --> 0:27:02.679 Whatever seek you're with, frustration you're facing, you have to 0:27:02.720 --> 0:27:06.080 make this decision like my father, that even if it 0:27:06.160 --> 0:27:10.120 never changes, you're going to keep believing, we too are 0:27:10.160 --> 0:27:14.600 going to die in faith. This is what three teenagers 0:27:14.640 --> 0:27:17.359 did in the scripture. They wouldn't bow down to the 0:27:17.480 --> 0:27:20.520 king's golden idol, and he was so furious he was 0:27:20.560 --> 0:27:24.280 going to have them thrown into a fiery furnace. They said, King, 0:27:24.520 --> 0:27:28.080 we're not worried. We know our God will deliver us. 0:27:28.840 --> 0:27:32.000 But even if he doesn't, we're still not going to 0:27:32.000 --> 0:27:36.600 bow down. That's the key. Believe for your dreams. Believe 0:27:36.680 --> 0:27:39.560 for God to turn the situation around. Then't take it 0:27:39.600 --> 0:27:43.760 one step further. Even if it doesn't happen my way, 0:27:43.880 --> 0:27:46.840 even if I don't get delivered God, I'm still going 0:27:46.880 --> 0:27:49.520 to be happy. God. If you turn it around, I'm 0:27:49.560 --> 0:27:52.080 going to give you praise. And if you don't turn 0:27:52.119 --> 0:27:54.800 it around, I'm still going to give you praise. You 0:27:54.920 --> 0:27:58.080 live like that, and all the forces of darkness cannot 0:27:58.080 --> 0:28:03.199 stop you. Friends, don't let these secret frustrations keep you 0:28:03.240 --> 0:28:06.480 from your destiny. Have a new perspective. You have the 0:28:06.560 --> 0:28:10.280 grace you need for every situation if God is not 0:28:10.400 --> 0:28:13.720 removing it, there's a reason. Don't try to figure it out. 0:28:14.040 --> 0:28:17.280 Trust him. If you do this, I believe and declare 0:28:17.640 --> 0:28:20.640 God is going to change what needs to be changed. 0:28:20.920 --> 0:28:23.880 He's going to remove what needs to be removed. You're 0:28:23.920 --> 0:28:28.919 going to rise higher, overcome obstacles, and become everything God's 0:28:28.920 --> 0:28:32.439 created you to be in Jesus' name. If you receive it, 0:28:32.600 --> 0:28:36.560 can you say in men today? We never like to 0:28:36.560 --> 0:28:39.880 close our broadcast without giving you an opportunity to make 0:28:40.000 --> 0:28:43.080 Jesus the lord of your life. Would you pray with me? 0:28:43.880 --> 0:28:48.920 Just say, Lord, Jesus, I repent of my sins. Come 0:28:48.960 --> 0:28:54.320 into my heart. I make you my Lord and savior. Friends, 0:28:54.320 --> 0:28:56.800 if you prayed that simple prayer, we believe you got 0:28:56.800 --> 0:29:00.240 born again. Get in a good Bible based church, God 0:29:00.320 --> 0:29:02.960 first place. He's going to take your places that you've 0:29:02.960 --> 0:29:07.400 never dreamed. Thank you for listening to the Joel Osteine podcast. 0:29:07.760 --> 0:29:10.400 Help us continue to share the message of hope with 0:29:10.520 --> 0:29:11.840 those all over the world. 0:29:12.160 --> 0:29:15.840 Visit joelostin dot com slash give Hope to give a 0:29:15.880 --> 0:29:16.560 gift today. 0:29:17.840 --> 0:29:20.760 Thanks so much for listening to today's message. I hope 0:29:20.760 --> 0:29:24.160 you'll subscribe so you can receive the latest podcast to 0:29:24.240 --> 0:29:27.440 keep you inspired all through the week. We're praying for you. 0:29:27.600 --> 0:29:30.040 I know God's best is still ahead. We'll see you 0:29:30.120 --> 0:29:30.640 next time.