Staying Free Of Offenses

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See terms and conditions at UNEs 0:01:29.760 --> 0:01:30.080 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 friends, reappreciate you and pray for 0:01:42.720 --> 0:01:56.800 God's very best in your life. Oh God, bless you. 0:01:57.200 --> 0:01:59.600 It is always a joy to coming to your homes. 0:02:00.080 --> 0:02:02.480 We love you and we're believing from good things in 0:02:02.560 --> 0:02:05.560 your life. God rewards the people that seek after Him. 0:02:05.960 --> 0:02:07.920 I believe that's you and all of you, or you 0:02:07.920 --> 0:02:10.480 wouldn't have taken time to join with us today. But 0:02:10.520 --> 0:02:11.920 God bless you. If you ever in our erea, come 0:02:11.960 --> 0:02:13.600 out and see us. We'd love to have you be 0:02:13.639 --> 0:02:16.040 a part of one of our services. I like to 0:02:16.080 --> 0:02:18.360 start each week with something kind of funny. And I 0:02:18.360 --> 0:02:21.640 heard about this man named Bubba. He was feeling really 0:02:21.680 --> 0:02:24.120 down and discouraged, and he went to his little country 0:02:24.240 --> 0:02:26.920 church and the pastor said, what's wrong, Baba? He said, 0:02:26.919 --> 0:02:29.720 I need you to pray for my hearing. The pastor 0:02:29.840 --> 0:02:32.640 very earnestly put both hands on his ears, and he 0:02:32.720 --> 0:02:35.760 prayed and prayed and prayed and prayed, and finally he 0:02:35.800 --> 0:02:38.440 got finished and he said, okay, now how's your hearing? 0:02:38.760 --> 0:02:41.200 Baba said, I don't know. It's not till Tuesday morning. 0:02:43.520 --> 0:02:46.120 All right, hold up your Bible, say it like you 0:02:46.240 --> 0:02:50.120 mean it. This is my Bible. I am what it says. 0:02:50.120 --> 0:02:53.280 I am. I have what it says I have. I 0:02:53.320 --> 0:02:56.120 can do what it says I can do. Today I 0:02:56.160 --> 0:02:59.600 will be taught the word of God. I boldly confess. 0:03:00.120 --> 0:03:04.000 My mind is alert, my heart is receptive. I will 0:03:04.040 --> 0:03:09.760 never be the same. I am about to receive the incorruptible, indestructible, 0:03:10.120 --> 0:03:13.880 ever living seed of the Word of God. I'll never 0:03:13.960 --> 0:03:17.959 be the same, never, never, never, I'll never be the same. 0:03:18.480 --> 0:03:22.560 In Jesus' name, God bless you. I want to talk 0:03:22.600 --> 0:03:26.000 to you today about keeping your heart free from offenses. 0:03:26.919 --> 0:03:30.120 Every day we're going to have opportunities to get upset 0:03:30.160 --> 0:03:33.960 and offended. People are going to say things we don't understand. 0:03:34.520 --> 0:03:37.520 Maybe somebody's rude to you at the grocery store, or 0:03:37.560 --> 0:03:41.200 a coworker leaves you out of an important meeting. Offenses 0:03:41.320 --> 0:03:44.040 are going to come. That's just a part of life. 0:03:44.720 --> 0:03:47.800 So many people are living with their feelings on their shoulders. 0:03:48.160 --> 0:03:52.320 They're easily offended. They let the smallest things upset them. 0:03:52.760 --> 0:03:56.160 Somebody cuts them off in traffic. They don't even know 0:03:56.280 --> 0:03:59.520 the person, but their blood pressure shoots sky high. The 0:03:59.560 --> 0:04:02.800 next two or three hours, they're all uptight and on edge. 0:04:02.920 --> 0:04:05.600 But if we're going to live in victory, we've got 0:04:05.640 --> 0:04:10.040 to learn how to not take these offenses. Just because 0:04:10.160 --> 0:04:13.320 an offense comes doesn't mean it has to affect us. 0:04:13.640 --> 0:04:16.120 It all depends on what we do with it. The 0:04:16.160 --> 0:04:18.640 other day, our son Jonathan and I were at a 0:04:18.680 --> 0:04:21.880 department store. We wanted to buy some sporting goods, and 0:04:21.920 --> 0:04:24.640 I tried and tried to get somebody to help us. 0:04:25.160 --> 0:04:28.920 I could see three or four employees over there, talking, laughing, 0:04:29.000 --> 0:04:31.000 having a good time, and so I just went over 0:04:31.000 --> 0:04:33.479 there and very politely asked if one of them could 0:04:33.480 --> 0:04:36.720 assist us. They no more gave us the time of day. 0:04:37.279 --> 0:04:40.679 They totally ignored us and just kept talking and talking. 0:04:40.880 --> 0:04:43.799 And the longer it went, the more I could feel 0:04:43.839 --> 0:04:47.440 myself wanting to get upset. I could feel that offense 0:04:47.640 --> 0:04:50.440 trying to take root. I had to dig my heels 0:04:50.480 --> 0:04:52.560 in and say, no, I am not going to lose 0:04:52.600 --> 0:04:55.840 my joy. I am not gonna let their sour attitude 0:04:56.200 --> 0:04:58.599 ruin the rest of my day. And after I told 0:04:58.640 --> 0:05:03.760 the manager, I shook it off. I'm just kidding, I didn't. 0:05:05.480 --> 0:05:08.960 The word offense in the scripture comes from a Greek 0:05:09.000 --> 0:05:12.760 word that means bait. It's used in reference to how 0:05:12.800 --> 0:05:16.360 they would catch animals. Was actually the bait that lured 0:05:16.360 --> 0:05:20.200 the animal into the trap. When you're tempted to be offended, 0:05:20.640 --> 0:05:25.960 somebody's rude to you, somebody's inconsiderate, somebody ignores you, recognize 0:05:26.320 --> 0:05:29.760 that's the enemy offering you his bait, he saying, come on, 0:05:29.880 --> 0:05:33.520 get upset, get angry, argue you let it sour your day. 0:05:34.360 --> 0:05:37.640 Many people don't know any better. They swallow that bait, hooked, 0:05:37.640 --> 0:05:42.799 line and sinker. They go around day after day, upset, bitter, offended. 0:05:43.200 --> 0:05:46.080 But we need to be aware of what's happening. The 0:05:46.120 --> 0:05:49.360 next time you have an opportunity to be offended, instead 0:05:49.360 --> 0:05:52.520 of falling into that same trap, just say no, thanks, 0:05:52.720 --> 0:05:55.040 I'm not gonna take the bait. I'm smarter than that. 0:05:55.400 --> 0:05:58.560 I'm gonna live my life free. I'm gonna enjoy this day. 0:05:59.760 --> 0:06:04.200 The things we can learn to do is forgive quickly, 0:06:04.279 --> 0:06:07.880 and somebody does you wrong, learn to immediately let it go. 0:06:08.720 --> 0:06:11.599 Don't play that offense over and over in your mind 0:06:11.680 --> 0:06:14.160 and dissect it and try to figure out what they 0:06:14.240 --> 0:06:17.080 really meant. Don't go call your friends and get their 0:06:17.120 --> 0:06:19.720 take on it. Can you believe how rude they are? 0:06:20.040 --> 0:06:22.040 Can you believe what they said to me? No, just 0:06:22.160 --> 0:06:25.440 drop it. The quicker you let it go, the easier 0:06:25.520 --> 0:06:28.080 it will be, and some of you would see your 0:06:28.120 --> 0:06:30.320 life go to a whole new level if you just 0:06:30.360 --> 0:06:35.560 start practicing this simple principle. Forgive quickly, don't allow the 0:06:35.640 --> 0:06:39.560 offense to take root. We cannot stop offenses from coming, 0:06:39.960 --> 0:06:42.920 but we can keep them from dragging us down. And 0:06:42.960 --> 0:06:45.840 the longer you dwell on it, the more it poisons you, 0:06:46.160 --> 0:06:49.040 and the harder it is to get free. I had 0:06:49.120 --> 0:06:51.800 some stain remover out the other day. I was trying 0:06:51.839 --> 0:06:54.359 to clean a little spot on our carpet, and I 0:06:54.400 --> 0:06:57.640 noticed the direction said, get to the spot as quickly 0:06:57.720 --> 0:07:02.240 as possible, hopefully while it's ill wet. Why because the 0:07:02.320 --> 0:07:05.920 longer it stays there, the more difficult it is to remove. 0:07:06.279 --> 0:07:09.320 It's the same way with us when an offense comes. 0:07:09.800 --> 0:07:12.680 If you allow that stain to stay in your mind, 0:07:12.760 --> 0:07:16.160 so to speak, hour after hour, day after day, it's 0:07:16.200 --> 0:07:19.080 getting harder and harder to get rid of. It's so 0:07:19.200 --> 0:07:22.800 much easier to forgive right when it happens. I mean, 0:07:22.800 --> 0:07:25.360 if somebody offends you at ten o'clock in the morning, 0:07:25.720 --> 0:07:28.320 and now it's ten point fifteen, your attitude should be 0:07:28.360 --> 0:07:30.560 I'm moving on. That's not going to sour the rest 0:07:30.600 --> 0:07:33.400 of my day. Somebody cuts you off at traffic at 0:07:33.440 --> 0:07:36.200 four o'clock, well, now it's four oh five. That's over 0:07:36.240 --> 0:07:38.520 and done. I'm not taking the bait. I'm living my 0:07:38.600 --> 0:07:41.880 life free, and the Bible talks about how we have 0:07:42.000 --> 0:07:44.840 to put on the armor of God. One of the 0:07:44.840 --> 0:07:49.120 most important pieces is our shoes of peace. But I 0:07:49.240 --> 0:07:52.960 found too many people are going around barefooted. They're always 0:07:53.080 --> 0:07:56.320 upset and bent out of shape about something offended at 0:07:56.320 --> 0:07:58.760 the neighbor because they weren't invited to play little league, 0:07:59.160 --> 0:08:02.120 Offended at the apartment store, because they wouldn't take something back, 0:08:02.280 --> 0:08:04.640 Offended at their spouse because he left in such a hurry. 0:08:05.040 --> 0:08:08.000 What's the problem They're not putting on their shoes of peace. 0:08:08.920 --> 0:08:11.280 You have to make a decision first thing in the 0:08:11.320 --> 0:08:14.440 morning that no matter what comes against you, you're not 0:08:14.480 --> 0:08:17.320 gonna get upset. You're not gonna get offended. You're gonna 0:08:17.360 --> 0:08:21.280 stay in peace. Have the attitude. If somebody ignores me, 0:08:21.720 --> 0:08:24.440 that's all right. They're probably just having a bad day. 0:08:24.760 --> 0:08:26.680 I'm gonna give them the benefit of the doubt and 0:08:26.800 --> 0:08:30.040 move on. Somebody's rude to meet, no big deal. I'm 0:08:30.080 --> 0:08:33.240 an eagle. I can rise above it. Somebody's talking behind 0:08:33.240 --> 0:08:35.800 my back, trying to make me look bad, that's all right. 0:08:36.040 --> 0:08:38.719 God is my vindicator. I'm not gonna sink down to 0:08:38.760 --> 0:08:41.600 their level start arguing. I know God will fight my 0:08:41.679 --> 0:08:45.080 battles for me. We have to have a made up 0:08:45.160 --> 0:08:47.400 mind that we're gonna stay in peace. We're gonna live 0:08:47.440 --> 0:08:51.720 our lives free. But too many people are constantly taking 0:08:51.800 --> 0:08:55.319 the bait, just like it was candy. They're always being offended. 0:08:55.960 --> 0:08:59.720 They don't realize they're allowing the enemy to control them. 0:09:00.000 --> 0:09:02.760 It's just like a puppet. He's behind the scenes saying, 0:09:03.000 --> 0:09:05.480 let's have this person cut him off in traffic. This 0:09:05.520 --> 0:09:09.120 person ignored him. This person be rude all day long, upset, 0:09:09.520 --> 0:09:12.320 getting their feelings hurt, getting in his strife, trying to 0:09:12.320 --> 0:09:16.200 pay people back. No, keep your peace. When the enemy 0:09:16.280 --> 0:09:20.440 can upset you, he can't control you. When you're in peace, 0:09:20.800 --> 0:09:24.200 you're in a position of power. When people do you wrong, 0:09:24.440 --> 0:09:27.200 just leave it up to God. Trying to get revenge, 0:09:27.240 --> 0:09:30.040 trying to pay people back, getting all upset, that just 0:09:30.080 --> 0:09:33.240 makes matters worse. I heard about this man that had 0:09:33.240 --> 0:09:36.000 been bitten by a dog, and at the doctor's office 0:09:36.040 --> 0:09:39.760 they told him he had tested positive for rabies. He 0:09:39.800 --> 0:09:42.880 immediately began making out this list, and the doctor said, 0:09:42.880 --> 0:09:45.280 oh no, sir, you don't need to make out a will. 0:09:45.440 --> 0:09:47.480 You're not going to die. We have a vaccine for it. 0:09:47.880 --> 0:09:50.440 The man said, no, this is not my will. These 0:09:50.440 --> 0:09:55.240 are all the people I'm going to bite. Just let 0:09:55.320 --> 0:09:58.880 it go. Don't try to pay people back. The scripture 0:09:58.920 --> 0:10:01.960 says in First Corinthia Hin thirteen, verse five in the 0:10:02.000 --> 0:10:08.120 amplified love is not easily offended, Love is not touchy. 0:10:08.280 --> 0:10:11.079 If we're going to have healthy relationships, we've got to 0:10:11.080 --> 0:10:15.520 give people a little room. Don't expect everyone to perform 0:10:15.600 --> 0:10:19.000 perfectly all the time. The other day I was talking 0:10:19.000 --> 0:10:21.920 on the telephone to someone and Victoria came into the 0:10:22.000 --> 0:10:24.480 room where I was. And every once in a while, 0:10:24.520 --> 0:10:27.559 when she hears the conversation, she'll want to join in. 0:10:28.240 --> 0:10:31.760 The only problem is she doesn't have a phone, so 0:10:31.800 --> 0:10:34.520 she'll communicate to me in this year what I'm supposed 0:10:34.520 --> 0:10:36.320 to tell them. And the whole time I was trying 0:10:36.320 --> 0:10:38.640 to listen to them and listen to her and keep 0:10:38.679 --> 0:10:41.960 my sanity. After a few minutes, I finally put the 0:10:42.000 --> 0:10:45.079 phone down. I said, Victoria, I cannot listen to you both. 0:10:45.679 --> 0:10:47.520 And I said it very nice, but I said it 0:10:47.640 --> 0:10:51.000 very firm. About two hours later, when I noticed Victoria 0:10:51.080 --> 0:10:56.320 was not speaking to me, I had to preach this 0:10:56.440 --> 0:11:00.480 message to her and reminds her to show mercy that 0:11:00.600 --> 0:11:04.959 not everybody's perfect, and don't be easily offended. She always 0:11:05.000 --> 0:11:09.480 gets my messages before you do. My father used to 0:11:09.480 --> 0:11:12.760 say everyone has the right to have a bad day 0:11:12.800 --> 0:11:16.240 every once in a while. Being in relationship with people 0:11:16.320 --> 0:11:20.360 day in and day out, things can be misunderstood, comments 0:11:20.360 --> 0:11:22.920 can be taken wrong, or maybe they're just having a 0:11:22.920 --> 0:11:26.000 bad day. But you know what, that's okay. There are 0:11:26.040 --> 0:11:29.680 no perfect people. Learn to let some things go to 0:11:29.760 --> 0:11:32.880 keep the poison out of your relationship. Some of you, 0:11:32.960 --> 0:11:36.600 this is exactly what's holding you back. You're too easily offended. 0:11:37.040 --> 0:11:39.600 You need to toughen up. Don't wear your feelings on 0:11:39.640 --> 0:11:42.480 your shoulder. Don't be so sensitive to where people have 0:11:42.520 --> 0:11:45.760 to walk on eggshells around you, Afraid they're gonna hurt 0:11:45.800 --> 0:11:48.560 your feelings, Afraid they're gonna get you upset. That's a 0:11:48.720 --> 0:11:51.720 very selfish way to live. You need to draw the 0:11:51.760 --> 0:11:54.720 line in the sand and say that's it. I'm done 0:11:54.840 --> 0:11:57.440 with being offended. I'm done with losing my joy every 0:11:57.440 --> 0:12:00.640 other hour. I'm gonna live my life free. And I 0:12:00.720 --> 0:12:04.360 realize there are times when we need to bring things 0:12:04.440 --> 0:12:06.600 up and say, hey, that's hurting my feelings. I wish 0:12:06.640 --> 0:12:09.880 you wouldn't do that. We don't overlook everything, but I 0:12:09.960 --> 0:12:13.680 believe that our relationships and our level of joy would 0:12:13.720 --> 0:12:16.080 go to a new level if we just give everybody 0:12:16.120 --> 0:12:20.280 a little room and not be overly sensitive. I found 0:12:20.360 --> 0:12:22.960 most of the time people don't really mean to hurt 0:12:22.960 --> 0:12:26.400 our feelings. We just take things wrong. We either too 0:12:26.480 --> 0:12:29.800 sensitive or were a little insecure. I know people that 0:12:30.080 --> 0:12:34.640 have a personality that's very direct. They're very bold, very straightforward. 0:12:34.960 --> 0:12:37.839 They think nothing of telling you exactly what they think. 0:12:38.400 --> 0:12:40.319 They may see you before work and say, you know what, 0:12:40.360 --> 0:12:42.520 your hair doesn't look right today, you need to fix it. 0:12:43.440 --> 0:12:46.000 They think they're doing you a favor. They say it 0:12:46.040 --> 0:12:49.720 in all honesty and all sincerity. And sure they could 0:12:49.760 --> 0:12:52.360 be more diplomatic, they could be a little more tactful, 0:12:52.520 --> 0:12:55.320 but that's just who they are. We need to be 0:12:55.400 --> 0:12:59.040 secure enough and be big enough that we don't get offended. 0:13:00.120 --> 0:13:02.360 Often though, we get a little bit sour and we 0:13:02.440 --> 0:13:04.480 may not say it to him, but we'll look at 0:13:04.559 --> 0:13:06.120 him and think, well, honey, your hair doesn't look too 0:13:06.120 --> 0:13:09.760 hot either, And one day those clothes you're wearing may 0:13:09.760 --> 0:13:14.439 come back in style. No, just shake it off, don't 0:13:14.440 --> 0:13:16.640 take the bait, don't get upset, just let it go. 0:13:18.120 --> 0:13:21.440 Here's a key. If you're always getting your feelings hurt, 0:13:21.679 --> 0:13:24.880 if you're always upset and offended about something, it's not 0:13:24.960 --> 0:13:29.319 anybody else's fault. It's your own fault. You are responsible 0:13:29.440 --> 0:13:32.160 for your own happiness. Well, you say, Joe, you don't 0:13:32.160 --> 0:13:34.880 know my boss, you don't know my husband, you don't 0:13:34.920 --> 0:13:37.880 know the traffic I drive in. No nobody can make 0:13:37.920 --> 0:13:41.280 you drink that poison. If you'll stop allowing yourself to 0:13:41.320 --> 0:13:44.680 get upset and start putting on your shoes, apiece, you 0:13:44.720 --> 0:13:47.080 can come up to a whole new level. I think 0:13:47.080 --> 0:13:50.440 about the Apostle Paul. The scripture talks about how he 0:13:50.559 --> 0:13:53.400 had to work to keep offenses out of his life. 0:13:53.920 --> 0:13:57.440 People were always coming against him, doing him wrong, but 0:13:57.520 --> 0:14:00.640 he refused to take the bait. He said, one time, 0:14:01.200 --> 0:14:04.600 Alexander the Coppersmith did me great wrong, but I'm not 0:14:04.679 --> 0:14:07.120 worried about it. I know God will pay him back. 0:14:07.400 --> 0:14:10.680 That's the attitude we need to have. Somebody does you wrong, 0:14:11.360 --> 0:14:14.240 maybe at work they take advantage of your cheat you 0:14:14.280 --> 0:14:17.120 out of commission. Don't live your life offended. Don't go 0:14:17.160 --> 0:14:20.120 around all upset, do what Paul did and just turn 0:14:20.160 --> 0:14:23.120 it over to God, knowing that he's promised he'll make 0:14:23.160 --> 0:14:26.680 you wrongs. Right. I know a person that got offended 0:14:26.720 --> 0:14:30.080 at a shoe store. He bought these shoes and they 0:14:30.120 --> 0:14:32.360 came apart, and he tried to take them back, but 0:14:32.400 --> 0:14:35.640 they didn't allow him to. And one time, years later, 0:14:35.760 --> 0:14:38.160 we were walking down the mall together. We're going to 0:14:38.200 --> 0:14:39.960 our car, and all of a sudden, he said, let's 0:14:39.960 --> 0:14:42.160 go this way, and I said, well, our cars right 0:14:42.200 --> 0:14:44.880 down here. He said no, and he pointed to the 0:14:44.920 --> 0:14:47.600 shoe store and he said, I don't walk by that 0:14:47.600 --> 0:14:51.760 shoe store. They did me wrong. Now, I thought to myself, 0:14:51.960 --> 0:14:55.240 does he really think he's hurting that shoe store? Do 0:14:55.320 --> 0:14:57.480 you really think they're looking down the mall saying, oh man, 0:14:57.520 --> 0:15:01.680 we're depressed. He's not coming by today. Friend's life is 0:15:01.720 --> 0:15:05.320 too short to live it that way. Angry, offended, bitter. 0:15:05.720 --> 0:15:07.920 I've made up my mind. I'm gonna stay in peace. 0:15:08.560 --> 0:15:11.200 It doesn't matter what people do to me, doesn't matter 0:15:11.240 --> 0:15:14.560 what they may say. You cannot offend me. Well, Joel, 0:15:14.600 --> 0:15:16.800 I don't really like that suit you're wearing today. Will 0:15:16.800 --> 0:15:21.080 find God bless you anyway. Well, the service was kind 0:15:21.080 --> 0:15:23.200 of long, the music was kind of loud. Fine, God 0:15:23.240 --> 0:15:25.720 bless you. I hope you come back next week. Well, 0:15:25.720 --> 0:15:27.960 I didn't get anything out of that message. You'll fine. 0:15:28.000 --> 0:15:31.880 I can't help it if you have a problem. I'm 0:15:31.920 --> 0:15:34.560 not gonna be offended. I'm not gonna wear my feelings 0:15:34.600 --> 0:15:38.920 on my shoulder. I found anytime you start seeing more 0:15:38.960 --> 0:15:42.000 of the negative than the positive, you need to check 0:15:42.000 --> 0:15:44.880 your own heart. I've come in here before on a 0:15:44.880 --> 0:15:48.000 Wednesday night to a service. I've had a long day, 0:15:48.120 --> 0:15:51.240 kind of stressed, maybe a little irritated. The first thing 0:15:51.280 --> 0:15:54.560 I see is, why is that light not adjusted? Who 0:15:54.600 --> 0:15:57.240 didn't shut those doors? The carpet looks like it's kind 0:15:57.240 --> 0:15:59.320 of dirty. I don't think the singers are standing where 0:15:59.320 --> 0:16:02.720 they're supposed to. I start seeing all the negative. When 0:16:02.760 --> 0:16:05.640 I do that, I realize there's something wrong with me, 0:16:06.400 --> 0:16:08.600 because ninety nine percent of the time when I come 0:16:08.600 --> 0:16:10.760 in here, I think, Wow, it sure is beautiful. This 0:16:10.840 --> 0:16:13.440 is how great it sounds, Look how fantastic that people look. 0:16:13.520 --> 0:16:16.520 I don't see any of the negative. The scripture says 0:16:16.920 --> 0:16:20.120 to the purer, all things are pure. But if you're 0:16:20.160 --> 0:16:23.600 offended at a person and bitter at the shoe store 0:16:23.640 --> 0:16:26.880 and mad at a coworker. You're going to see everything 0:16:27.080 --> 0:16:30.440 from a very tainted point of view. The problem is 0:16:30.480 --> 0:16:33.640 not your circumstances, it's not the people in your life. 0:16:33.800 --> 0:16:37.600 The problem is your own well has become polluted. And 0:16:37.600 --> 0:16:40.160 if you can just keep these offenses out of your heart, 0:16:40.360 --> 0:16:42.920 if you can keep it free from bitterness, it'll make 0:16:42.960 --> 0:16:46.120 it so much easier to live your life happy. We 0:16:46.160 --> 0:16:48.480 need to learn to give people the benefit of the 0:16:48.560 --> 0:16:51.960 doubt instead of believing the worst. Why don't we believe 0:16:52.000 --> 0:16:55.840 the best. Maybe they didn't mean something the way it sounded, 0:16:55.880 --> 0:16:59.200 Maybe we just took it wrong. I remember a while 0:16:59.240 --> 0:17:01.120 back I was at this big event in the city. 0:17:01.640 --> 0:17:05.240 There were all kinds of very well respected and influential 0:17:05.280 --> 0:17:08.120 people from all over the country. I was in the lobby, 0:17:08.280 --> 0:17:11.119 standing over the side, just talking with some friends, waiting 0:17:11.119 --> 0:17:13.639 for it to start. And here comes this man that 0:17:13.720 --> 0:17:16.960 I've really been warning to meet. I've always thought a 0:17:17.000 --> 0:17:20.119 lot of him. He's very well respected. And there was 0:17:20.160 --> 0:17:22.720 about ten of us in this line waiting, and just 0:17:22.760 --> 0:17:24.400 so happened to be that I was at the very 0:17:24.600 --> 0:17:27.040 last of the line. The men came along and he 0:17:27.080 --> 0:17:31.320 started shaking everybody's hand, very warm, very friendly, very kind. 0:17:31.720 --> 0:17:33.720 But when he got to me, all of a sudden, 0:17:33.760 --> 0:17:37.040 he stopped and looked away. Then he turned around and 0:17:37.119 --> 0:17:40.280 walked into the event. I couldn't believe it. He totally 0:17:40.320 --> 0:17:42.800 ignored me. I thought to myself, buddy, you don't know 0:17:42.880 --> 0:17:46.920 what you just missed. My attitude was I wouldn't meet 0:17:46.960 --> 0:17:49.000 him if they paid me to see, if I ever 0:17:49.040 --> 0:17:51.800 give him the time of day. All these holy thoughts 0:17:51.840 --> 0:17:55.560 were filling my pastoral mind. Well, the event took place, 0:17:55.600 --> 0:17:59.640 and it's interesting. Afterwards, I was making my way through 0:17:59.680 --> 0:18:03.240 a very crowded lobbying I saw this man walking toward me. 0:18:03.600 --> 0:18:06.440 He came right up to me, shook my hand and said, Joel, 0:18:06.480 --> 0:18:08.840 I've been wanting to meet you. My wife and I 0:18:08.920 --> 0:18:11.480 watch you every week went on and on. I thought 0:18:11.480 --> 0:18:13.600 to myself, you must have been in a trance thirty 0:18:13.680 --> 0:18:18.160 minutes ago. But the truth is he didn't even realize 0:18:18.200 --> 0:18:20.919 what he had done. He didn't realize that was me 0:18:21.040 --> 0:18:24.160 standing there earlier. Do you know how many times people 0:18:24.200 --> 0:18:27.679 are somewhere physically but their mind is somewhere else. That 0:18:27.840 --> 0:18:30.920 man no more meant to offend me. He just had 0:18:30.920 --> 0:18:33.639 his mind on something else. That's why we got to 0:18:33.680 --> 0:18:36.480 learn to give people the benefit of the day, believe 0:18:36.560 --> 0:18:39.520 the best in them. Even on the freeway, somebody zooms 0:18:39.560 --> 0:18:41.879 by you, cuts right in front of you, and you 0:18:41.960 --> 0:18:45.080 have to slow down. Instead of letting that upset you, 0:18:45.440 --> 0:18:48.760 why don't you show a little mercy, believe the best. 0:18:49.119 --> 0:18:52.480 Maybe they have an emergency, maybe their child sick at home, 0:18:52.840 --> 0:18:56.360 Maybe they're trying to meet an important deadline. Show mercy, 0:18:56.680 --> 0:18:58.800 not any of this Hong Kong. Get out of my way, 0:18:58.840 --> 0:19:03.760 you idiot. No, don't take the bank, y'all. Laugh when 0:19:03.760 --> 0:19:08.000 you know it's true now, or even you know you're 0:19:08.040 --> 0:19:11.719 waiting for a parking spot, clearly got your blinker on. 0:19:11.800 --> 0:19:14.879 Somebody comes in, it takes your parking spot. Instead of 0:19:14.920 --> 0:19:17.920 letting that sour you, just think, you know, maybe they 0:19:17.920 --> 0:19:20.639 can't walk from the very back, maybe they're in a 0:19:20.680 --> 0:19:23.440 big hurry, or maybe somehow they didn't see me. Next time, 0:19:23.440 --> 0:19:28.240 I'll shoot up a flare. Don't drive away complaining, y'all 0:19:28.280 --> 0:19:31.400 to drive away, praying for him, God, bless him, God, 0:19:31.400 --> 0:19:33.480 give them a good day, God give them your peace. 0:19:34.200 --> 0:19:39.600 We overcome evil by doing good. Love covers a person's faults. 0:19:39.960 --> 0:19:44.040 Love makes allowances for people's weaknesses. Here's the key. If 0:19:44.040 --> 0:19:46.639 you're not going to be easily offended, you have to 0:19:46.680 --> 0:19:50.680 stay full of mercy. It's funny how we can make 0:19:50.800 --> 0:19:54.560 excuses for ourselves. Well, I was rude because I was tired. 0:19:55.000 --> 0:19:57.720 I was unfriendly because my child was up all last night. 0:19:58.200 --> 0:20:00.520 I didn't invite you to that meeting because I'd busy. 0:20:00.520 --> 0:20:03.240 I got swamped, and I just forgot to It's easy 0:20:03.320 --> 0:20:06.560 to justify our own behavior, But why don't we show 0:20:06.680 --> 0:20:09.560 that same amount of mercy to other people? Why don't 0:20:09.560 --> 0:20:12.600 we believe the best in them? A few months ago, 0:20:12.840 --> 0:20:15.119 Victoria and I came across this man that we've known 0:20:15.240 --> 0:20:17.720 for a long time, and he's always been very kind 0:20:17.720 --> 0:20:19.840 and friendly to us. And we were in a room 0:20:19.880 --> 0:20:21.760 with a bunch of people, and I walked over to 0:20:21.840 --> 0:20:24.040 him and shook his hand and asked him how he 0:20:24.160 --> 0:20:26.800 was doing, and he said fine. But he wasn't his 0:20:26.920 --> 0:20:31.760 normal self. He was almost unfriendly, almost stand offish. I thought, 0:20:31.760 --> 0:20:34.040 maybe it's just me. I was able to talk to 0:20:34.080 --> 0:20:36.520 him a little later, but it was the same thing, 0:20:37.000 --> 0:20:41.040 very cold, very distant. Driving home, I even asked Victoria, 0:20:41.359 --> 0:20:43.800 well so and so friendly to you, She said, not 0:20:43.920 --> 0:20:47.359 at all. There was just something different about him. We 0:20:47.400 --> 0:20:50.080 began trying to figure out what it was. I thought, well, 0:20:50.080 --> 0:20:52.240 maybe it's because we didn't go to that event he 0:20:52.280 --> 0:20:54.840 invited us to, or maybe I haven't called him enough, 0:20:54.960 --> 0:20:57.639 or maybe somebody said something bad about us. And we 0:20:57.680 --> 0:20:59.480 were just trying to figure it all out. And the 0:20:59.560 --> 0:21:02.360 more we did, the more I could feel the offense 0:21:02.440 --> 0:21:05.280 trying to take root. That thought came up, We'll find 0:21:05.520 --> 0:21:07.280 if he doesn't want to be my friend, that's okay. 0:21:07.320 --> 0:21:10.680 I've got other friends. That was the enemy offering us 0:21:10.720 --> 0:21:15.320 his bait. But love covers a person's faults. Love believes 0:21:15.359 --> 0:21:19.520 the best. Finally, I caught myself and I changed my attitude, 0:21:19.520 --> 0:21:22.520 and I told Victoria, I don't know what it was, 0:21:22.560 --> 0:21:25.160 but I'm not gonna take it personally. I'm just gonna 0:21:25.160 --> 0:21:27.240 believe that he had a lot on his mind, or 0:21:27.359 --> 0:21:29.320 maybe he was having a hard day, but I know 0:21:29.400 --> 0:21:32.119 he's a good man. I just let it go, didn't 0:21:32.119 --> 0:21:35.399 think about it anymore. Well, several weeks later, I found 0:21:35.440 --> 0:21:39.560 out from a mutual friend earlier that week that man 0:21:39.680 --> 0:21:42.080 had learned that his wife had some kind of very 0:21:42.280 --> 0:21:46.520 serious illness. He was very distraught, very upset over it, 0:21:46.640 --> 0:21:48.760 but he just didn't want to tell anybody, And I 0:21:48.840 --> 0:21:51.159 was so glad that I didn't change my opinion of 0:21:51.240 --> 0:21:54.800 him and let that offense take root. We don't know 0:21:55.080 --> 0:21:58.639 what people are going through. Usually there's a reason why 0:21:58.880 --> 0:22:01.200 they act the way they act. And if somebody is 0:22:01.320 --> 0:22:04.040 rude and inconsiderate to you, if they don't treat you 0:22:04.119 --> 0:22:07.119 the way they normally do. Instead of being quick to 0:22:07.240 --> 0:22:10.080 judge and letting the offense take root, we need to 0:22:10.160 --> 0:22:13.840 learn to be more merciful because most of the time, 0:22:13.960 --> 0:22:16.560 if we really knew what they were going through, if 0:22:16.560 --> 0:22:18.919 we just walked in their shoes for a couple of weeks, 0:22:19.400 --> 0:22:22.960 we'd understand why they were uptight, why they were on edge, 0:22:23.000 --> 0:22:25.600 why they didn't treat us right. If we're going to 0:22:25.720 --> 0:22:28.440 keep our heart free from these offenses, we've got to 0:22:28.520 --> 0:22:31.000 learn to cover some faults. We've got to learn to 0:22:31.040 --> 0:22:34.919 overlook some insults. With the same amount of mercy you 0:22:35.000 --> 0:22:38.080 show other people, the same amount of grace you give them, 0:22:38.600 --> 0:22:40.640 that's the amount of mercy God's going to show back 0:22:40.640 --> 0:22:44.800 to you. The longer I live, the more merciful I become. 0:22:45.520 --> 0:22:48.800 The older I get, the less judgmental, I am. And 0:22:48.840 --> 0:22:51.680 the easier it is for me to forget. You know why, 0:22:52.119 --> 0:22:54.960 because I know people have gone through things that we 0:22:55.040 --> 0:22:59.160 know nothing about. They may smile, but on the inside 0:23:00.040 --> 0:23:03.600 will hurt and pain. We just see the surface. But 0:23:03.640 --> 0:23:06.120 if we could see their heart and know what they've 0:23:06.200 --> 0:23:10.200 endured and the battles they fought and the challenges they're facing, 0:23:10.560 --> 0:23:12.840 we would understand why they were a little hard to 0:23:12.840 --> 0:23:16.520 get along with. Now I'm asking us today, instead of 0:23:16.560 --> 0:23:20.920 being quick to judge, let's be quick to show mercy. 0:23:21.040 --> 0:23:23.879 Instead of playing the offense over and over and wondering 0:23:23.880 --> 0:23:27.560 why they did that, let's spend that same time praying 0:23:27.640 --> 0:23:30.800 for that person. If you'll pray for them and not 0:23:30.920 --> 0:23:34.320 let the poison take root, you'll not only be better off, 0:23:34.560 --> 0:23:37.159 but you can inspire them to come up higher. That 0:23:37.320 --> 0:23:40.840 means if a coworker, a boss early in the morning, 0:23:40.880 --> 0:23:42.639 the kind of rude to you, they jump down your 0:23:42.680 --> 0:23:46.000 throat for no reason at all, don't take it personal. 0:23:46.520 --> 0:23:49.320 Show some mercy. You don't know what they're going through 0:23:49.320 --> 0:23:51.840 at home, You don't know what kind of issues they're 0:23:51.880 --> 0:23:57.000 dealing with. Believe the best. After all, anybody can get offended. 0:23:57.600 --> 0:24:00.440 Anybody can be rude back to someone that's roots to us. 0:24:00.560 --> 0:24:04.840 That's easy. But love always takes the high road. Love 0:24:05.040 --> 0:24:08.120 is always a part of the solution and not the problem. 0:24:09.200 --> 0:24:12.600 The scripture says in Ephesians four two, we have to 0:24:12.640 --> 0:24:16.439 bear with one another. That means we're going to have 0:24:16.480 --> 0:24:19.320 to put up with some things, and throughout the day 0:24:19.800 --> 0:24:23.200 we're going to come across people that are inconsiderate, people 0:24:23.240 --> 0:24:26.320 that are selfish, people that are rude, people that are angry. 0:24:26.800 --> 0:24:29.840 We can either let them poison us and drag us down, 0:24:30.560 --> 0:24:33.240 or we can show mercy and help to lift them up. 0:24:34.160 --> 0:24:36.480 I was at a grocery store one time and there 0:24:36.520 --> 0:24:39.520 was a girl up at the register that was very sour. 0:24:40.119 --> 0:24:42.040 You could tell she did not want to be there. 0:24:42.359 --> 0:24:45.840 She was unfriendly and cold. She acted like everybody was 0:24:45.880 --> 0:24:49.080 bothering her, and I watched person after person in that 0:24:49.240 --> 0:24:53.080 line get offended. They were taking her poison left and right, 0:24:53.200 --> 0:24:57.000 leaving their upset and agitated. One lady when the young 0:24:57.040 --> 0:24:59.239 girl handed her her receipt, she just wadded it up 0:24:59.240 --> 0:25:01.000 and threw it back down. She said, I don't need 0:25:01.040 --> 0:25:03.639 that and stormed out of there. Well, when it was 0:25:03.680 --> 0:25:07.040 my time to check out, I was just my normal, 0:25:07.160 --> 0:25:12.680 friendly self. I said, how's everything going? She said, very coldly, terrible. 0:25:13.280 --> 0:25:15.200 I said, well, I'm a minister and I would love 0:25:15.280 --> 0:25:17.880 to pray with you. I believe God can turn any 0:25:17.920 --> 0:25:21.719 situation around. She looked up at me so surprised her 0:25:21.760 --> 0:25:24.800 whole countenance changed. She said, are you serious? I said, 0:25:24.840 --> 0:25:27.280 I am. She said, I would love for you to 0:25:27.280 --> 0:25:30.199 pray for me. My little girl's in the hospital. We 0:25:30.280 --> 0:25:32.399 don't have insurance, and my husband and I were not 0:25:32.440 --> 0:25:34.320 getting along, and I don't know what I'm going to do. 0:25:35.040 --> 0:25:38.280 Right there at the cash register, we prayed. When I left, 0:25:38.320 --> 0:25:40.880 she had big tears running down her cheeks. She said, 0:25:40.920 --> 0:25:44.119 you'll never know what that meant to me. Most of 0:25:44.160 --> 0:25:47.680 the time, when somebody's rude or inconsiderate like that, they've 0:25:47.720 --> 0:25:51.480 got much deeper issues. They've got problems and heartaches we 0:25:51.520 --> 0:25:54.880 know nothing about. If we allow them to offend us 0:25:54.920 --> 0:25:58.199 and get upset, all we're doing is sinking down to 0:25:58.240 --> 0:26:01.159 their level. And you know what, I find, there's not 0:26:01.320 --> 0:26:04.320 enough mercy in our world. Where is the love that 0:26:04.359 --> 0:26:07.160 will overlook a fault, Where is the love that will 0:26:07.160 --> 0:26:09.760 give someone the benefit of the doubt. Where is the 0:26:09.800 --> 0:26:13.080 love that will lift the fault. Let's learn to be 0:26:13.200 --> 0:26:16.720 more merciful. What happened that day? I look beyond the 0:26:16.800 --> 0:26:20.760 surface to her heart. When somebody's dishing out that kind 0:26:20.800 --> 0:26:24.000 of poison, you can be assured they're crying out for 0:26:24.080 --> 0:26:27.880 help on the inside. Don't do like everybody else, take 0:26:27.920 --> 0:26:31.680 the bait and get offended. Sow a seed when you're 0:26:31.800 --> 0:26:34.960 kind to someone that's rude to you. When you're good 0:26:35.000 --> 0:26:37.480 to them even though they didn't deserve it, you're so 0:26:37.600 --> 0:26:41.240 in a seed of God's mercy. I believe the number 0:26:41.240 --> 0:26:44.040 one thing that's going to keep our heart free from 0:26:44.080 --> 0:26:48.280 offenses is when we stay full of mercy. Let me 0:26:48.320 --> 0:26:52.000 ask you today, are you making any allowances for people 0:26:52.040 --> 0:26:55.600 in your life? Are you covering any faults overlooking things? 0:26:56.320 --> 0:26:59.720 Or are you making everybody pay holding the line getting 0:26:59.760 --> 0:27:04.680 up getting offended. No, let's be more generous with our mercy. 0:27:05.600 --> 0:27:08.959 Some of you are getting upset way too easily. You 0:27:09.000 --> 0:27:12.080 need to start putting on your shoes of peace every 0:27:12.160 --> 0:27:14.919 morning when you get up, make a decision. I'm not 0:27:14.960 --> 0:27:18.280 gonna get upset. I'm not gonna get offended today. And 0:27:18.320 --> 0:27:23.400 when those offenses come and they will learn to forgive quickly, 0:27:23.680 --> 0:27:26.760 don't allow them to take root. If you'll do your 0:27:26.840 --> 0:27:30.880 part and keep your heart free from offenses, staying full 0:27:30.920 --> 0:27:34.160 of mercy, giving people the benefit of the doubt, you'll 0:27:34.160 --> 0:27:37.440 not only enjoy life more, but your relationships will get 0:27:37.440 --> 0:27:40.800 better and better. God will pour out his blessings, his favor, 0:27:40.800 --> 0:27:42.920 and you're going to live the life of victory he 0:27:42.960 --> 0:27:46.720 has in story. Amen, do you receive it today? We 0:27:46.840 --> 0:27:49.560 never like the curse on broadcast without giving you an 0:27:49.560 --> 0:27:52.840 opportunity to make Jesus the lord of your life. Would 0:27:52.880 --> 0:27:57.359 you pray with me? Just say, Lord Jesus, I'll repent 0:27:57.400 --> 0:28:02.080 of my sins. Come into my mind. I make you 0:28:02.160 --> 0:28:06.360 my Lord and savior. Friends, if you prayed that simple prayer, 0:28:06.400 --> 0:28:08.960 we believe you got born again. Get in a good 0:28:08.960 --> 0:28:12.040 Bible based church. Keep God first place. He's going to 0:28:12.119 --> 0:28:15.280 take your places that you've never dreamed of. Thank you 0:28:15.359 --> 0:28:17.800 for listening to the Joel Loustine podcast. 0:28:18.119 --> 0:28:20.760 Help us continue to share the message of hope with 0:28:20.880 --> 0:28:22.240 those all over the world. 0:28:22.520 --> 0:28:24.120 Visit joeloustin dot. 0:28:23.920 --> 0:28:26.960 Com slash give Hope to give a gift today. 0:28:28.200 --> 0:28:31.120 Thanks so much for listening to today's message. I hope 0:28:31.160 --> 0:28:34.520 you'll subscribe so you can receive the latest podcast to 0:28:34.600 --> 0:28:37.800 keep you inspired all through the week with praying for you. 0:28:38.000 --> 0:28:40.440 I know God's best is still ahead. We'll see you 0:28:40.480 --> 0:28:41.000 next time.