Start A Blessing

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What if 0:01:08.520 --> 0:01:11.080 you could unlock insights about your finances in less than 0:01:11.120 --> 0:01:13.600 five minutes, with a clear picture of where you stand 0:01:13.600 --> 0:01:16.440 today and where your money can work harder. Now you 0:01:16.520 --> 0:01:19.480 can visit facet dot com to take the free quiz 0:01:19.520 --> 0:01:24.120 and get your financial wellness score today. That's Facet dot com. 0:01:24.160 --> 0:01:26.080 This add a sponsored by Facet. Facet Wealth in Corporated 0:01:26.200 --> 0:01:28.040 is an sec registered investment advisor. This is not an 0:01:28.040 --> 0:01:30.080 offer to buy yourself securities snor is it investment, legal 0:01:30.200 --> 0:01:30.800 or tax advice. 0:01:30.920 --> 0:01:31.679 You can be the. 0:01:31.600 --> 0:01:34.680 One to set your family on a new course. You 0:01:34.720 --> 0:01:38.440 can start a blessing. You can start freedom, You can 0:01:38.480 --> 0:01:42.800 start wholeness. You can start victory. When you make decisions 0:01:42.800 --> 0:01:46.920 that honor God. When you're generous, when you're faithful, your 0:01:47.000 --> 0:01:50.520 life is not only going to be more rewarding, more fulfilling, 0:01:50.880 --> 0:01:55.120 but that faithfulness, that obedience, is being credited to your 0:01:55.200 --> 0:01:59.240 children's account, to your grandchildren, to future generations. 0:02:00.000 --> 0:02:01.440 This is Joel and Victoria. 0:02:01.520 --> 0:02:04.560 Thanks for listening to our podcast and thanks for supporting 0:02:04.560 --> 0:02:05.240 the ministry. 0:02:05.360 --> 0:02:07.720 If you enjoy today's message, why don't you be a 0:02:07.760 --> 0:02:09.600 blessing and share it with a friend. 0:02:09.600 --> 0:02:12.320 We appreciate you and pray for God's very best in 0:02:12.360 --> 0:02:18.320 your life. Well, God bless you. Great to have you 0:02:18.440 --> 0:02:21.280 with us today. I hope you'll stay connected with us 0:02:21.360 --> 0:02:24.360 throughout the week. We have a daily podcast that you 0:02:24.400 --> 0:02:27.320 can download, or you can go to our YouTube channel 0:02:27.320 --> 0:02:30.360 and watch the messages anytime, or you can follow us 0:02:30.400 --> 0:02:33.560 on social medium. I promise you we'll keep you encouraged 0:02:33.600 --> 0:02:36.200 and inspired. But thanks for tuning in. Thanks again for 0:02:36.280 --> 0:02:39.120 coming out. I like to start with something funny, and 0:02:39.480 --> 0:02:42.360 I heard about this man. He was quietly reading the 0:02:42.400 --> 0:02:45.560 newspaper when his wife snuck up behind him and hit 0:02:45.639 --> 0:02:47.320 him on the head with a frying pan. 0:02:48.000 --> 0:02:49.480 He said, what was that for? 0:02:50.000 --> 0:02:51.960 She said, that was for the piece of paper I 0:02:52.000 --> 0:02:54.960 found in your pocket with the name Mary Lou on it. 0:02:55.440 --> 0:02:58.000 He said, oh, honey, that's just one of the horses 0:02:58.040 --> 0:03:00.320 that I bet on at the racetrack last week. 0:03:00.840 --> 0:03:03.240 She apologized and went about her business. 0:03:03.600 --> 0:03:05.720 Two days later, she hit him on the head with 0:03:05.760 --> 0:03:09.280 a bigger frying fan. After he woke up, he said, 0:03:09.280 --> 0:03:12.119 what in the world was that for? She said, your 0:03:12.160 --> 0:03:16.480 horse just called say it like you mean it. This 0:03:16.560 --> 0:03:19.160 is my Bible. I am what it says. I am 0:03:19.639 --> 0:03:22.040 I have what it says I have. I can do 0:03:22.120 --> 0:03:24.800 what it says I can do. Today I will. 0:03:24.639 --> 0:03:26.040 Be talked the word of God. 0:03:26.520 --> 0:03:30.960 I'll boldly confess my mind is alert, my heart is receptive. 0:03:31.240 --> 0:03:34.960 I will never be the same. In Jesus' name, God 0:03:34.960 --> 0:03:38.240 bless you. I want to talk to you today about 0:03:38.520 --> 0:03:42.760 start a blessing. The decisions we make don't just affect 0:03:42.800 --> 0:03:46.880 our lives, They affect generations to come. The way you 0:03:47.040 --> 0:03:50.360 live can make it easier on your children, or it 0:03:50.400 --> 0:03:53.360 can make it more difficult. You can be a stepping 0:03:53.400 --> 0:03:56.600 stone for them to do greater things, or a stumbling 0:03:56.640 --> 0:04:00.840 block that holds them back. No person lives and dies 0:04:01.040 --> 0:04:05.240 unto himself. The blessing and favor that you're walking in today, 0:04:05.560 --> 0:04:09.320 it didn't just happen because of you. Somebody went before 0:04:09.360 --> 0:04:12.800 you that sowed seeds so you could be blessed. A 0:04:12.840 --> 0:04:16.840 praying mother, a grandfather that honored God, a great, great 0:04:16.920 --> 0:04:20.719 relative that you never met, but they gave, they served, 0:04:20.920 --> 0:04:23.560 and now you're reaping a harvest of what they planted. 0:04:24.440 --> 0:04:27.640 In the same way, negative things we're dealing with have 0:04:27.720 --> 0:04:33.160 been passed down addictions, anger, depression that didn't start with you. 0:04:33.600 --> 0:04:36.720 The good news is it can stop with you. You 0:04:36.800 --> 0:04:39.240 can be the one to set your family on a 0:04:39.279 --> 0:04:43.440 new course. You can start a blessing. You can start freedom, 0:04:43.839 --> 0:04:47.560 you can start wholeness. You can start victory. When you 0:04:47.640 --> 0:04:51.919 make decisions that honor God. When you're generous, when you're faithful, 0:04:52.440 --> 0:04:55.040 your life is not only going to be more rewarding, 0:04:55.400 --> 0:05:00.560 more fulfilling, but that faithfulness, that obedience is being to 0:05:00.640 --> 0:05:04.960 your children's account, to your grandchildren, to future generations. 0:05:05.920 --> 0:05:09.440 Just as the negative gets passed down, how much more 0:05:09.520 --> 0:05:10.200 the positive. 0:05:11.000 --> 0:05:14.320 We hear a lot about generational curses, But there's something 0:05:14.440 --> 0:05:19.279 called a generational blessing. God is keeping an account of 0:05:19.400 --> 0:05:23.159 every good thing you do, the times you forgive when 0:05:23.160 --> 0:05:26.440 you could stay bitter, the times you're being your best 0:05:26.800 --> 0:05:28.560 when nobody's given you the credit. 0:05:29.200 --> 0:05:31.000 That's not being overlooked. 0:05:31.480 --> 0:05:37.560 It's accruing mercy, favor, blessing into your family's account. Grandchildren 0:05:37.600 --> 0:05:40.800 that have not yet been born, great great grandchildren that 0:05:40.839 --> 0:05:44.039 you'll never meet yet, because of you, they will be 0:05:44.120 --> 0:05:47.920 born with a blessing on their life, born with favor 0:05:48.240 --> 0:05:52.039 they didn't have anything to do with. It's because you 0:05:52.240 --> 0:05:56.160 started a blessing. You took the high road. You broke 0:05:56.200 --> 0:06:00.800 the addiction, you resisted the temptation, you prayed bold prayers. 0:06:01.480 --> 0:06:03.839 Not only are you going to see God take you 0:06:04.000 --> 0:06:08.479 where you've never dreamed, but generations later your family will 0:06:08.520 --> 0:06:12.200 be walking in the blessing. Your descendants will see favor 0:06:12.360 --> 0:06:16.760 and victory because of you. How this should challenge us 0:06:16.920 --> 0:06:19.920 to live a life of faith, a life of excellence, 0:06:20.200 --> 0:06:24.120 a life of generosity. I want my descendants to do 0:06:24.200 --> 0:06:27.400 great things because of me, not in spite of me. 0:06:28.400 --> 0:06:29.320 Our children have. 0:06:29.400 --> 0:06:31.880 Enough to overcome without adding. 0:06:31.640 --> 0:06:33.040 Our negative baggage. 0:06:33.600 --> 0:06:35.800 I want them to look back and say about you, 0:06:36.320 --> 0:06:39.120 He put me further down the road. She took our 0:06:39.160 --> 0:06:42.400 family to a new level. They're the reason God blessed 0:06:42.440 --> 0:06:47.600 me so much. Genesis chapter fourteen, Abraham learned that his 0:06:47.640 --> 0:06:51.200 nephew Lot and all of his workers had been captured 0:06:51.240 --> 0:06:54.880 by these bandits. Abraham called his men together to go 0:06:54.960 --> 0:06:58.200 help Lot. They chased after them in the middle of 0:06:58.240 --> 0:07:01.800 the night. They attacked them from all different sides. They 0:07:01.880 --> 0:07:05.640 rescued Lot and all of his family and possessions, plus 0:07:05.680 --> 0:07:07.640 they gathered up the enemy's spoils. 0:07:07.800 --> 0:07:09.120 It was a great victory. 0:07:09.960 --> 0:07:14.560 As they were returning, mel Kezedek the high priest met 0:07:14.600 --> 0:07:19.720 Abraham to congratulate him. Verse twenty says Abraham gave mel 0:07:19.840 --> 0:07:23.200 Kezedek a tenth of everything he recovered. 0:07:23.840 --> 0:07:25.120 That's the first place. 0:07:24.840 --> 0:07:27.960 In the scripture that we see the tithe ten percent 0:07:28.080 --> 0:07:32.160 of our income. Abraham didn't have to do that, it 0:07:32.240 --> 0:07:36.240 wasn't required, but he was a giver. He recognized that 0:07:36.360 --> 0:07:39.920 every good thing came from God. That seemed like a 0:07:40.000 --> 0:07:43.400 nice thing to do, just being generous, But it was 0:07:43.480 --> 0:07:47.840 more significant than that. Abraham had a son named Isaac. 0:07:48.400 --> 0:07:51.520 Isaac had a son named Jacob. Jacob had a son 0:07:51.640 --> 0:07:57.000 named Levi. Levi was four generations from Abraham. The scripture 0:07:57.040 --> 0:08:02.000 says in Hebrews, Levi paid tithes to Melkezedak through his 0:08:02.160 --> 0:08:07.080 ancestor Abraham. For although Levi was not yet born, the 0:08:07.160 --> 0:08:11.320 seed from which he came was in Abraham's loins when 0:08:11.320 --> 0:08:16.000 he gave the tithe to Melkezedak. This is saying Abraham 0:08:16.120 --> 0:08:20.480 gave that gift he honored God, and his great grandson, 0:08:21.000 --> 0:08:24.600 a young man he never met, was credited with paying tithes. 0:08:25.400 --> 0:08:28.640 Levi came out of the wound with a blessing he 0:08:28.720 --> 0:08:31.800 had nothing to do with. He was born with favor 0:08:32.200 --> 0:08:36.520 because his great grandfather was generous. He had this advantage 0:08:36.760 --> 0:08:40.880 because someone in his family line, someone that went before him, 0:08:41.440 --> 0:08:46.320 started a blessing. When Abraham gave, didn't just bless him, 0:08:46.600 --> 0:08:50.359 he didn't just see favor, but that obedience was credited 0:08:50.400 --> 0:08:55.520 to Levi's account. Four generations later, God said, I still 0:08:55.559 --> 0:08:59.439 remember the good that your great grandfather did. I still 0:08:59.480 --> 0:09:03.480 remember how he served me, how he was generous. Now 0:09:03.720 --> 0:09:07.560 I'm going to bless you because of him. The scripture 0:09:07.600 --> 0:09:11.800 says in Malachi, when you tithe your income, when you're generous, 0:09:12.000 --> 0:09:15.199 you put God first place, he will open the windows 0:09:15.200 --> 0:09:18.920 of heaven and pour out a blessing that you cannot contain. 0:09:19.960 --> 0:09:22.320 That doesn't just mean that you'll have overflow. 0:09:22.840 --> 0:09:26.360 It means you can't contain it in your generation. It's 0:09:26.400 --> 0:09:29.160 going to flow down to the next generation, in the 0:09:29.200 --> 0:09:33.400 next because you honor God, because you do the right 0:09:33.440 --> 0:09:37.760 thing when it's hard, because you give you sacrifice, God 0:09:37.840 --> 0:09:41.000 is crediting that to your account and to your family 0:09:41.080 --> 0:09:44.600 line's account, blessings that you cannot contain. 0:09:45.559 --> 0:09:46.720 David put it this way. 0:09:47.280 --> 0:09:51.240 My cup runs over not just where I have an abundance, 0:09:51.480 --> 0:09:54.120 but it runs over to my children runs over to 0:09:54.160 --> 0:09:59.920 my grandchildren born with an advantage because of you. You started, 0:10:01.040 --> 0:10:06.080 You started freedom, you started abundance. Every right decision you 0:10:06.200 --> 0:10:09.120 made is being a crude to your descendants. 0:10:09.800 --> 0:10:11.840 Don't get talked out of doing the right thing. 0:10:12.480 --> 0:10:16.480 Keep honoring God, keep giving, keep taking the high road. 0:10:16.679 --> 0:10:20.400 You're storing up blessings, storing up mercy, storing up favor. 0:10:21.360 --> 0:10:24.120 I've seen this in my own life. I didn't get 0:10:24.120 --> 0:10:27.319 to where I am by myself. People that went before 0:10:27.360 --> 0:10:31.800 me honored God. My grandmother on my mother's side, was 0:10:31.840 --> 0:10:35.960 a godly woman, so kind and loving. She always prayed 0:10:35.960 --> 0:10:40.400 for me. My grandfather, her husband, was a giver. He 0:10:40.640 --> 0:10:44.559 lived to help others. He was raised very poor. His 0:10:44.640 --> 0:10:47.839 father died when he was eight. He wasn't treated right 0:10:47.960 --> 0:10:50.960 by the people that took him in, but he never complained. 0:10:51.640 --> 0:10:55.600 He was a hard worker. He spent his whole career working. 0:10:55.320 --> 0:10:58.720 At the refinery in Baytown, never missed a day of work. 0:10:59.440 --> 0:11:01.640 When he re hired, he would come to the church 0:11:01.760 --> 0:11:04.719 during the week and do repairs. I would see him 0:11:04.800 --> 0:11:08.319 under the portable buildings working on the plumbing, fixing some 0:11:08.400 --> 0:11:11.480 kind of problem. When he passed away at the age 0:11:11.520 --> 0:11:15.240 of ninety, six. We found a book where he kept 0:11:15.240 --> 0:11:19.280 a record of all of his giving, all handwritten. It 0:11:19.360 --> 0:11:22.360 had the date, the amount he gave, and where he 0:11:22.400 --> 0:11:26.880 gave it. Thirty dollars to Lakewood, twenty dollars to Central Baptist, 0:11:27.120 --> 0:11:31.440 twelve dollars to the Building Fund. Decades of giving listed 0:11:31.480 --> 0:11:32.320 in this book. 0:11:32.960 --> 0:11:35.520 No wonder I'm blessed. No wonder. 0:11:35.520 --> 0:11:38.920 I've stepped into houses that I didn't build, vineyards that 0:11:39.000 --> 0:11:42.920 I didn't plan. People that went before me honored God. 0:11:43.800 --> 0:11:48.560 Now I'm walking in the blessing in part because of them. 0:11:48.920 --> 0:11:51.280 My grandfather couldn't contain it all. 0:11:51.679 --> 0:11:54.719 His generation, couldn't hold all that God wanted to do. 0:11:55.280 --> 0:11:57.880 His cup ran over and spilled unto me. 0:11:58.760 --> 0:12:02.160 That's what happens when you're fithful, when you're generous, when 0:12:02.240 --> 0:12:05.040 you keep God first place, you start a. 0:12:05.000 --> 0:12:07.200 Blessing that you can't contain. 0:12:08.040 --> 0:12:11.040 What God has in mind is much bigger than what 0:12:11.120 --> 0:12:13.760 you have in mind. It's not going to be limited 0:12:13.800 --> 0:12:16.800 to your generation. It's going to get passed down to 0:12:16.920 --> 0:12:21.720 future generations. Not long before my grandfather passed, he came 0:12:21.760 --> 0:12:23.760 over to our house one evening for dinner. 0:12:24.360 --> 0:12:25.800 Victoria and I had been married for. 0:12:25.800 --> 0:12:28.440 A few years and we were living in this two 0:12:28.480 --> 0:12:30.360 story house that we had just built. 0:12:31.000 --> 0:12:33.760 He looked around. It was so hard for him to 0:12:33.800 --> 0:12:34.320 take it in. 0:12:35.000 --> 0:12:38.600 He built his house for twenty seven hundred dollars back 0:12:38.640 --> 0:12:39.840 in the nineteen thirties. 0:12:40.320 --> 0:12:40.880 They lived there. 0:12:40.920 --> 0:12:45.400 Their whole life was very comfortable, but very small. He 0:12:45.480 --> 0:12:47.880 was so amazed that we had a two story home 0:12:47.960 --> 0:12:51.160 and how there was plenty of room. At one point 0:12:51.200 --> 0:12:54.400 he came to the back window and saw our garage. 0:12:54.480 --> 0:12:57.240 It was detached from the house, about twenty feet away. 0:12:57.679 --> 0:13:01.040 He said, Joel, who lives there now? I kind of laughed. 0:13:01.080 --> 0:13:03.920 I said, Granddaddy, that's our garage. That's a part of 0:13:03.920 --> 0:13:07.800 our house. He said, my goodness, Joel, you have another building. 0:13:08.760 --> 0:13:12.199 That's what happens when you start a blessing. Your children, 0:13:12.600 --> 0:13:17.280 your grandchildren are going to step into blessings favor influence 0:13:17.640 --> 0:13:21.360 like you've never dreamed. What you can't contain is going 0:13:21.400 --> 0:13:24.440 to spill over unto them. Let me show you how 0:13:24.520 --> 0:13:30.360 powerful this generational blessing is. Levi made mistakes in life. 0:13:30.400 --> 0:13:33.439 His sister was taken advantage of by a man named 0:13:33.440 --> 0:13:37.480 Shechem that lived in another city. Levi was so angry 0:13:37.720 --> 0:13:41.600 he wanted revenge, and against his father's advice, he went 0:13:41.640 --> 0:13:45.439 with his brother and killed all the men of that city. 0:13:45.600 --> 0:13:48.040 His father, Jacob was so upset. 0:13:48.800 --> 0:13:52.320 Years later, when Jacob was about to pass, instead of 0:13:52.400 --> 0:13:57.400 pronouncing a blessing on Levi, Jacob declared a curse. He said, 0:13:57.440 --> 0:14:00.520 because you were hot headed and shed so much blood, 0:14:00.840 --> 0:14:02.880 you and your descendants. 0:14:02.280 --> 0:14:07.040 Will always be cursed. You will live a hard, burdensome life. 0:14:07.080 --> 0:14:09.840 It looked like he had lost the blessing, lost the 0:14:09.880 --> 0:14:11.880 favor because of poor choices. 0:14:12.520 --> 0:14:14.880 But years later Moses came. 0:14:14.720 --> 0:14:18.720 Down the mountain after receiving the Ten Commandments. He saw 0:14:18.760 --> 0:14:23.240 the Israelites worshiping a golden cap, partying, doing all kinds 0:14:23.240 --> 0:14:26.920 of wrong things. He was so upset he shouted, who 0:14:27.000 --> 0:14:30.200 is on the Lord's side? He was saying, Who's going 0:14:30.240 --> 0:14:32.480 to take a stand for what's right? Who's going to 0:14:32.520 --> 0:14:36.760 honor God? The scripture says the sons of Levi rose 0:14:36.840 --> 0:14:40.360 up and said, we are on the Lord's side. After 0:14:40.480 --> 0:14:45.640 being cursed by their grandfather, after their father Levi made mistakes, 0:14:46.160 --> 0:14:48.800 you would think they had too much going against them, 0:14:49.160 --> 0:14:54.040 too much to overcome, But five generations back, their great 0:14:54.160 --> 0:14:59.880 great grandfather Abraham honored God, he gave, he sacrificed, and 0:15:00.000 --> 0:15:02.840 and that was all accredited to their account. 0:15:03.320 --> 0:15:06.080 Moses said to them, from now on, you will be 0:15:06.160 --> 0:15:08.920 the priest. You will have the highest positions. 0:15:09.640 --> 0:15:13.160 In the book of Genesis, they were cursed by their grandfather, 0:15:13.720 --> 0:15:16.880 but in the book of Leviticus, the Levites were the 0:15:16.880 --> 0:15:23.120 most blessed honored people. This generational blessing will override mistakes 0:15:23.160 --> 0:15:26.960 that you've made. It will supersede negative things that were 0:15:27.000 --> 0:15:29.600 said about you. It will put you on a course 0:15:29.760 --> 0:15:34.000 for blessing, for favor that cannot be stopped in the 0:15:34.040 --> 0:15:38.720 generations to come. Because you started the blessing, your family 0:15:38.800 --> 0:15:41.640 line is going to see God's goodness in ways that 0:15:41.720 --> 0:15:45.360 don't make sense. Favor they didn't deserve mercy when they 0:15:45.440 --> 0:15:50.440 made mistakes. Maybe you have children, grandchildren that are off course, 0:15:50.920 --> 0:15:54.560 family members that are not making good decisions. Don't worry, 0:15:54.720 --> 0:15:58.240 they're coming back. The scripture talks about how you can 0:15:58.280 --> 0:16:03.440 store up mercy for your children and future generations because 0:16:03.440 --> 0:16:06.720 you're doing the right thing. Mercy is going into your 0:16:06.760 --> 0:16:10.280 family line's account. Every time you sing in the choir, 0:16:10.920 --> 0:16:13.320 you serve in kid's life, you take care of that 0:16:13.480 --> 0:16:14.360 elderly neighbor. 0:16:14.720 --> 0:16:16.840 You just deposited mercy. 0:16:16.920 --> 0:16:19.600 When you go the extra mile at work, you have 0:16:19.640 --> 0:16:21.840 a good attitude when things aren't going your way. 0:16:22.480 --> 0:16:24.200 You sacrifice to give. 0:16:24.160 --> 0:16:26.920 When you could use those funds for something you want 0:16:27.600 --> 0:16:29.880 that doesn't go unnoticed. 0:16:29.320 --> 0:16:32.680 By our God. You're not only going to see a harvest, 0:16:32.840 --> 0:16:34.680 but you're storing up mercy. 0:16:35.080 --> 0:16:39.520 Twenty three years after David died, his son, King Solomon 0:16:39.680 --> 0:16:43.320 was on the throne. He wasn't making good decisions. He 0:16:43.400 --> 0:16:46.800 married foreign wives and started worshiping their idols. 0:16:47.080 --> 0:16:50.160 He knew better, but he let his guard down. This 0:16:50.200 --> 0:16:53.320 could have been the end. We never hear about him anymore. 0:16:54.000 --> 0:16:57.680 But God said in first King Solomon, I would normally 0:16:57.840 --> 0:17:00.600 take this kingdom away from you've done. 0:17:00.400 --> 0:17:01.480 Wrong in my sight. 0:17:01.960 --> 0:17:06.359 However, I will not do it for your father David's sake. 0:17:07.440 --> 0:17:11.879 David started a blessing, and even after he died, his 0:17:12.040 --> 0:17:16.280 children were walking in the blessing. They received mercy because 0:17:16.280 --> 0:17:19.920 of how he lived. Three hundred and five years after 0:17:20.040 --> 0:17:24.520 David was gone eight generations, one of his descendants was 0:17:24.560 --> 0:17:25.320 on the throne. 0:17:25.680 --> 0:17:27.040 King Hezekiah. 0:17:27.480 --> 0:17:31.000 Jerusalem was surrounded by a huge army and about to 0:17:31.040 --> 0:17:35.080 be attacked. It looked like Hezekiah was done no way out, 0:17:35.720 --> 0:17:38.879 but God sent an angel that destroyed one hundred and 0:17:38.960 --> 0:17:42.679 eighty five thousand of the enemy's troops in a split second. 0:17:42.960 --> 0:17:46.320 The army was defeated. Hezekiah's life was spared. 0:17:47.119 --> 0:17:50.400 I can imagine Hezekiah said, God, what did I do 0:17:50.560 --> 0:17:53.680 to deserve that kind of favor, that kind of protection? 0:17:54.480 --> 0:17:56.840 God said, Hezekiah, it wasn't. 0:17:56.600 --> 0:17:57.600 Anything you did. 0:17:58.160 --> 0:18:01.080 But there was a man in your family life named David. 0:18:01.720 --> 0:18:05.000 He honored me with his life. He started a blessing, 0:18:05.359 --> 0:18:09.240 He stored up mercy. Now three hundred and five years later, 0:18:09.680 --> 0:18:13.520 you're walking in the favor, the protection, the blessing that 0:18:13.600 --> 0:18:17.960 he deposited into your account. There are people in your 0:18:18.040 --> 0:18:21.680 family line that are going to see mercy because you 0:18:21.800 --> 0:18:26.320 started a blessing. You're the David. You're honoring God. He 0:18:26.440 --> 0:18:29.360 sees you taking the high road. He sees you're going 0:18:29.359 --> 0:18:31.479 out of your way to be good to that friend. 0:18:31.880 --> 0:18:35.240 He sees you're resisting the temptation. He sees you getting 0:18:35.320 --> 0:18:38.199 up early to thank him. He's not only going to 0:18:38.240 --> 0:18:41.760 show you blessings, but that blessing you're not going to 0:18:41.800 --> 0:18:44.480 be able to contain. It's going to spill over to 0:18:44.560 --> 0:18:48.639 your children, your grandchildren, to people in your family line. 0:18:49.200 --> 0:18:52.440 They're going to be born with a blessing because of you, 0:18:53.280 --> 0:18:57.160 Born with favor, because you're a giver, Born with mercy, 0:18:57.440 --> 0:19:01.240 because you showed mercy, born within it, advantage, because of 0:19:01.320 --> 0:19:05.480 your faithfulness. I met a man after the service when 0:19:05.480 --> 0:19:08.400 he was in his early twenties. He lost his way 0:19:08.560 --> 0:19:11.840 in life, and he was discouraged and didn't know what 0:19:12.040 --> 0:19:16.239 to do. One evening, he was walking around downtown with 0:19:16.359 --> 0:19:19.720 no purpose. My father was going to an event and 0:19:19.800 --> 0:19:23.320 saw him across the street. He felt compassion toward him, 0:19:23.320 --> 0:19:26.040 so he went over there and started talking to him. 0:19:26.480 --> 0:19:29.520 He told him how God had a plan for his life, 0:19:30.000 --> 0:19:32.359 how the dreams he'd put on the inside could still 0:19:32.359 --> 0:19:34.720 come to pass, and that he had a bright future. 0:19:35.440 --> 0:19:38.520 It was like something woke up on the inside. His 0:19:38.680 --> 0:19:42.720 passion and purpose came back to life. My father handed 0:19:42.800 --> 0:19:46.000 him one hundred dollars bill. He hugged him and walked away. 0:19:46.800 --> 0:19:50.119 That young man began to weep. He told how that 0:19:50.280 --> 0:19:53.200 was a turning point in his life. He got back 0:19:53.240 --> 0:19:56.160 on his feet. He went back to school and finished 0:19:56.160 --> 0:19:59.960 his college education. He went on to medical school, and became. 0:20:00.000 --> 0:20:01.680 I'm a surgeon today. 0:20:01.720 --> 0:20:06.359 He's very successful, a leader in his field. He said, Joel, 0:20:06.440 --> 0:20:07.000 I never. 0:20:06.880 --> 0:20:09.560 Got to thank your father, but I wanted to at 0:20:09.640 --> 0:20:13.600 least thank you. He handed me a check for the ministry, 0:20:13.920 --> 0:20:16.679 many times more than the one hundred dollars my father 0:20:16.760 --> 0:20:20.840 gave him. How many times have I looked back and said, 0:20:21.240 --> 0:20:25.760 thank you, Daddy, you made my life easier. Thank your Granddaddy, 0:20:26.000 --> 0:20:30.679 your sacrifices put me further down the road. Thank your grandmother, 0:20:31.040 --> 0:20:34.840 Thank your mother, your prayers, your love, your devotion has 0:20:34.960 --> 0:20:38.480 thrust me where I can't go on my own. I've 0:20:38.480 --> 0:20:41.600 had a lot of people put good things into my account, 0:20:42.119 --> 0:20:44.800 nothing I had anything to do with. Now, I'm going 0:20:44.880 --> 0:20:48.960 to make sure I keep that blessing going. I'm not 0:20:49.000 --> 0:20:52.440 going to compromise and take the easy way out. I'm 0:20:52.480 --> 0:20:55.000 not going to live selfishly and only think of me. 0:20:55.640 --> 0:20:58.360 I'm not going to be average. I'm going to be exceptional. 0:20:58.720 --> 0:21:00.919 I'm not going to settle for me deiocrity. I'm a 0:21:01.040 --> 0:21:05.080 bleed big I'm gonna take bold steps. I want to 0:21:05.119 --> 0:21:08.359 live my life in such a way that years from now, 0:21:08.720 --> 0:21:12.920 my children, my grandchildren will look back and say I'm 0:21:12.960 --> 0:21:16.200 better off because of Joel. He was a giver, He 0:21:16.320 --> 0:21:20.240 was excellent, he was faithful, He set new standards. How 0:21:20.320 --> 0:21:23.720 this should challenge us to be our very best, not 0:21:23.880 --> 0:21:30.520 get sidetracked by petty things, offended, trying to pay people back, compromising, 0:21:30.760 --> 0:21:34.840 giving into the same temptations, mediocre. I don't feel like 0:21:35.000 --> 0:21:36.480 being my best, Joel, I'm tired. 0:21:36.720 --> 0:21:40.679 No, start a blessing. Make your life count. You are 0:21:40.720 --> 0:21:42.560 affecting generations to come. 0:21:43.280 --> 0:21:49.199 You can pass down blessings, favor, generosity, faithfulness, or you 0:21:49.240 --> 0:21:55.080 can pass down dysfunction, bitterness, mediocrity. That may be what's 0:21:55.119 --> 0:21:57.680 been passed to you. You may not have had a 0:21:57.760 --> 0:22:00.720 lot of good things put into your account. That means 0:22:01.000 --> 0:22:04.320 you're the one to start the blessing. You're the one 0:22:04.320 --> 0:22:07.760 to start the favor, to start the freedom. God is 0:22:07.800 --> 0:22:10.600 counting on you to raise the bar, to take your 0:22:10.640 --> 0:22:15.720 family to a new level. In the scripture, Isaac's wife, 0:22:15.760 --> 0:22:21.120 Rebecca was very dishonest. She manipulated her children, had her 0:22:21.119 --> 0:22:24.960 son Jacob dress up like his brother Esau to trick 0:22:25.000 --> 0:22:28.879 their father. She deceived her husband to get her way. 0:22:29.040 --> 0:22:33.720 Her son Jacob turned out just like her. He was deceptive, dishonest. 0:22:34.200 --> 0:22:38.000 He tricked his brother out of his birthright. Jacob's uncle, 0:22:38.320 --> 0:22:40.600 a man named Laban, had the same problem. 0:22:41.119 --> 0:22:42.159 He deceived Jacob. 0:22:42.640 --> 0:22:46.480 That was a spirit of deception that kept getting passed 0:22:46.480 --> 0:22:50.760 from generation to generation. Wasn't a coincidence that the mother 0:22:50.840 --> 0:22:52.120 had it, the son. 0:22:52.200 --> 0:22:52.760 The uncle. 0:22:53.400 --> 0:22:57.560 It will continue until someone makes the decision that they're 0:22:57.560 --> 0:23:00.320 going to start a blessing. They're not going to keep 0:23:00.320 --> 0:23:05.760 passing down the dysfunction, the addictions, the bitterness. Jacob came 0:23:05.840 --> 0:23:08.480 to this point where he was tired of living. 0:23:08.200 --> 0:23:10.359 That way his whole life. 0:23:10.440 --> 0:23:14.760 He'd been a deceiver, tricking people, being dishonest. He wanted 0:23:14.760 --> 0:23:17.399 to make things right. He went down to the brook 0:23:17.560 --> 0:23:21.080 to get alone with God. That night, an angel came 0:23:21.600 --> 0:23:23.400 and said, God is changing your name. 0:23:23.760 --> 0:23:26.920 You will no longer be called Jacob, which means trickster. 0:23:27.560 --> 0:23:31.320 Your new name will be Israel, which means prince with God. 0:23:32.040 --> 0:23:34.600 He left there with a new attitude and a new 0:23:34.680 --> 0:23:38.399 passion to do the right thing. He knew he needed 0:23:38.400 --> 0:23:42.200 to ask his brother Esau for forgiveness. They had been 0:23:42.359 --> 0:23:47.520 estranged for years. When Jacob stole his birthright, Esau was 0:23:47.560 --> 0:23:51.080 so angry Jacob had to flee for his life. Now 0:23:51.200 --> 0:23:54.960 years later, Jacob wanted to return home. The only way 0:23:55.000 --> 0:23:57.560 to get there was to go through the land owned 0:23:57.560 --> 0:24:02.879 by Esau. Jacob sent mes with gifts to ask Esau 0:24:03.320 --> 0:24:07.320 if he would see him. Esau agreed, he was coming 0:24:07.560 --> 0:24:12.040 with four hundred of his men. Finally, the big moment arrived. 0:24:12.560 --> 0:24:16.080 Jacob saw Esau coming with all of his men. He 0:24:16.160 --> 0:24:18.640 was about to meet the brother that he had cheated 0:24:18.840 --> 0:24:22.440 and took the double portion from the inheritance that belonged 0:24:22.440 --> 0:24:26.480 to him. I'm sure his adrenaline was flowing. He was 0:24:26.520 --> 0:24:31.199 on edge, wondering how Esau was going to respond. Jacob 0:24:31.280 --> 0:24:35.560 had someone take his family to the side, including his. 0:24:35.640 --> 0:24:36.800 Young son Joseph. 0:24:37.480 --> 0:24:40.840 As a little boy, Joseph was watching all this drama 0:24:40.920 --> 0:24:41.440 play out. 0:24:42.080 --> 0:24:44.160 He had, no doubt heard stories how. 0:24:44.000 --> 0:24:48.480 His father had cheated his uncle, how Esau was upset, how. 0:24:48.359 --> 0:24:49.720 He wouldn't speak to them. 0:24:50.080 --> 0:24:54.560 You can imagine how fearful little Joseph was. When Esau 0:24:54.720 --> 0:24:58.720 was a couple hundred yards away, Jacob bowed down seven 0:24:58.800 --> 0:25:03.520 times in humility. Esau took off running toward him. Jacob 0:25:03.520 --> 0:25:07.160 thought that's it, I'm done. But when Esau got to him, 0:25:07.400 --> 0:25:11.800 he grabbed Jacob and hugged him. The scripture says he 0:25:11.880 --> 0:25:15.639 threw his arms around Jacob and they kissed. They both 0:25:15.760 --> 0:25:20.200 begin to weep. I can imagine Esau looking over and asking. 0:25:20.359 --> 0:25:23.840 Who are all these people. Jacob said, that's my family. 0:25:24.320 --> 0:25:27.920 Well, who's that little boy. That's my son, Joseph, that's 0:25:27.960 --> 0:25:31.919 your nephew. I can see Esau walking over and hugging 0:25:32.000 --> 0:25:35.960 little Joseph. What Jacob thought would be strife and contention 0:25:36.640 --> 0:25:40.040 turned out to be an incredible act of kindness, an 0:25:40.040 --> 0:25:45.680 incredible show of mercy. Fast forward many years later. Now 0:25:45.720 --> 0:25:49.280 this little boy, Joseph is a grown man. He's been 0:25:49.320 --> 0:25:53.960 betrayed by his brothers, sold into slavery, falsely accused, and 0:25:54.040 --> 0:25:58.399 put in prison. After thirteen years, he was vindicated and 0:25:58.520 --> 0:26:02.159 promoted to the prime minister of Egypt. There was a 0:26:02.200 --> 0:26:05.560 great famine in the land, but because of the blessing 0:26:05.680 --> 0:26:06.800 on Joseph. 0:26:06.480 --> 0:26:07.840 He had great wisdom. 0:26:08.160 --> 0:26:11.560 He helped the Egyptians store up food, and they had plenty. 0:26:12.320 --> 0:26:15.480 One day, Joseph's brothers, the same ones that threw him 0:26:15.480 --> 0:26:18.840 into the pit, showed up at the palace looking for food. 0:26:19.560 --> 0:26:22.760 Joseph walked out to meet them, but they didn't recognize him. 0:26:23.080 --> 0:26:24.760 They hadn't seen him in years. 0:26:25.320 --> 0:26:30.360 They bowed down before Joseph in respect, in humility. Suddenly, 0:26:31.000 --> 0:26:34.280 Joseph's mind flashed back to that time as a little 0:26:34.359 --> 0:26:38.639 boy when he saw his father bowed down before Esau. 0:26:39.200 --> 0:26:43.280 It's the same scenario playing out, but this time he's 0:26:43.320 --> 0:26:47.840 not the little boy, He's in Esau's physition. He remembered 0:26:48.080 --> 0:26:52.320 how Esau had mercy on his father, how Esau treated 0:26:52.359 --> 0:26:56.560 them with kindness and respect. Joseph looked at his brothers 0:26:57.000 --> 0:26:59.200 when he could have paid them back, when he could 0:26:59.200 --> 0:27:04.480 have gotten revenge. Instead, he treated them like Esau treated 0:27:04.520 --> 0:27:08.399 his father. The scripture says he threw his arms around 0:27:08.440 --> 0:27:14.000 his brothers, embracing them and kissing them. Notice what God 0:27:14.040 --> 0:27:19.960 passed down mercy, forgiveness, kindness. If Esau would have tried 0:27:19.960 --> 0:27:23.440 to get even paid Jacob back, this scene. 0:27:23.320 --> 0:27:24.880 Would have been completely different. 0:27:25.440 --> 0:27:29.920 If he had passed down anger, bitterness, dysfunction, That's how 0:27:30.040 --> 0:27:33.440 Joseph would have responded. It would have gone from generation 0:27:33.640 --> 0:27:38.440 to generation. What made the difference. Esau started a blessing. 0:27:39.400 --> 0:27:43.000 Esau said, I am not going to live angry, offended, 0:27:43.359 --> 0:27:46.679 paying people back. I'm going to show mercy I'm going 0:27:46.760 --> 0:27:52.840 to model for my family, my children, my nephew's love, kindness, forgiveness. 0:27:53.560 --> 0:27:58.040 You may have a good reason to live angry, offended, dysfunctional. 0:27:58.480 --> 0:28:01.760 It's what you've seen modeled or somebody did you wrong. 0:28:02.400 --> 0:28:05.720 You can be an Esau. You can set your family 0:28:05.800 --> 0:28:09.280 on a new course. The decisions you may will affect 0:28:09.320 --> 0:28:13.720 generations to come. It just needs someone to start a blessing, 0:28:14.320 --> 0:28:18.399 to start, forgiveness, to start freedom, to start excellence. 0:28:18.960 --> 0:28:21.160 Why don't you let that be you. 0:28:21.160 --> 0:28:24.040 You wouldn't be hearing this if you weren't called to 0:28:24.119 --> 0:28:28.280 help your family come up higher in some way. Let's 0:28:28.320 --> 0:28:33.960 start passing down good things like Abraham. Let's pass down generosity. 0:28:34.400 --> 0:28:37.160 Let's make it easier on those that come after us 0:28:37.760 --> 0:28:42.160 like Esau. Let's break any generational curse, and let's start 0:28:42.160 --> 0:28:46.400 the generational blessing. Let's deposit good things into their accounts. 0:28:47.000 --> 0:28:48.640 If you'll do this, I. 0:28:48.680 --> 0:28:52.440 Believe and declare You're not only going to rise higher 0:28:52.720 --> 0:28:56.960 and see God's favor, but like with Levi, your children 0:28:57.280 --> 0:28:59.760 and future generations. 0:28:59.120 --> 0:29:00.800 Are going to have an advantage. 0:29:00.960 --> 0:29:04.200 They are going to be born with a blessing because 0:29:04.240 --> 0:29:07.440 of your faithfulness. They're going to go further. They're going 0:29:07.480 --> 0:29:10.440 to accomplish more. They're going to become all they were 0:29:10.440 --> 0:29:14.200 created to be in Jesus' name. If you receive it, 0:29:14.400 --> 0:29:15.200 can you say amen? 0:29:15.280 --> 0:29:15.600 Today? 0:29:16.960 --> 0:29:19.680 I'd like to give you an opportunity to make Jesus 0:29:19.720 --> 0:29:20.800 the Lord of your life. 0:29:21.240 --> 0:29:22.200 Would you pray with me? 0:29:22.840 --> 0:29:28.400 Just say, Lord, Jesus, I repent of my sins. Come 0:29:28.440 --> 0:29:32.320 into my heart. I'll make you my Lord and savior. 0:29:33.760 --> 0:29:36.440 If you've prayed that simple prayer, we believe you got 0:29:36.440 --> 0:29:37.160 born again. 0:29:37.680 --> 0:29:39.840 We'd love to send you some information on your new 0:29:39.880 --> 0:29:40.560 walk with the Lord. 0:29:40.640 --> 0:29:43.000 Just text the number on the screen or go to 0:29:43.040 --> 0:29:46.560 the website. I hope you'll get into a good Bible 0:29:46.640 --> 0:29:49.280 based church and keep God first place. 0:29:49.600 --> 0:29:52.160 Thanks so much for listening to today's message. 0:29:52.280 --> 0:29:55.080 I hope you'll subscribe so you can receive the latest 0:29:55.120 --> 0:29:58.560 podcast to keep you encouraged and inspired all through the week. 0:29:58.760 --> 0:30:01.000 Help us to continue to share the message of hope 0:30:01.000 --> 0:30:02.480 with those all around the world. 0:30:02.800 --> 0:30:05.560 Visit Joelosting dot com or click the link in the 0:30:05.600 --> 0:30:07.760 description to partner with us today. 0:30:08.000 --> 0:30:10.440 We hope you'll share this message with a friend and 0:30:10.560 --> 0:30:12.520 be sure to follow us on social media. 0:30:12.800 --> 0:30:16.040 We're praying for you I know God's best is still ahead. 0:30:16.360 --> 0:30:17.400 We'll see you next time. 0:30:19.520 --> 0:30:21.520 Summer is here and our sleep is just as important 0:30:21.520 --> 0:30:23.680 as our weekend plans. 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