Step Into The Unknown

0:00:00.240 --> 0:00:02.640 You and your dog are close, like watch each other 0:00:02.680 --> 0:00:04.960 go to the bathroom close, But you could be even 0:00:05.000 --> 0:00:08.880 closer with BarkBox. Every month, BarkBox brings dogs and their 0:00:08.920 --> 0:00:12.639 humans together with original toys and delicious treatment. Sign up 0:00:12.640 --> 0:00:14.880 now at BarkBox dot com. Slash iHeart. 0:00:15.400 --> 0:00:18.119 No one likes to talk about money. Am I saving enough? 0:00:18.200 --> 0:00:20.239 Can I buy a house? Am I paying too much 0:00:20.280 --> 0:00:22.960 in taxes? Will I be able to retire? What if 0:00:23.000 --> 0:00:25.600 you could unlock insights about your finances in less than 0:00:25.600 --> 0:00:28.080 five minutes, with a clear picture of where you stand 0:00:28.080 --> 0:00:30.880 today and where your money can work harder. Now you 0:00:31.000 --> 0:00:34.000 can visit facet dot com to take the free quiz 0:00:34.040 --> 0:00:38.600 and get your financial wellness score today. That's facet dot com. 0:00:38.640 --> 0:00:40.720 This ad is sponsored by fast Fast Wealth Incorporated is 0:00:40.720 --> 0:00:42.720 an sec registered investment advisor. This is not an offer 0:00:42.760 --> 0:00:44.559 to buy your self securities snoor is it investment, legal 0:00:44.680 --> 0:00:45.280 or tax advice. 0:00:46.000 --> 0:00:49.199 You're ready for a comeback, and with Purdue Global you 0:00:49.240 --> 0:00:52.440 can do more than take classes. You can take charge 0:00:52.720 --> 0:00:56.760 of your story, of your career, of your life. Earn 0:00:56.800 --> 0:00:58.800 a degree you can be proud of, and get an 0:00:58.920 --> 0:01:03.760 education employeer respect. It's time, Your time, not just to 0:01:03.800 --> 0:01:06.199 go back to school, but to come back and move 0:01:06.280 --> 0:01:11.039 forward with Purdue Global, Purdue's online university for working adults. 0:01:11.680 --> 0:01:15.160 Start your comeback at Purdueglobal dot edu. 0:01:15.760 --> 0:01:19.200 Welcome to the Joe lous Deine Podcast. Help let's continue 0:01:19.240 --> 0:01:21.760 to share the message of hope with those all over 0:01:21.800 --> 0:01:25.880 the world. Visit Joeloustin dot com slash give hope to 0:01:25.959 --> 0:01:36.080 give a gift today. 0:01:38.319 --> 0:01:41.360 Well, God bless you. It's joy to come into your homes, 0:01:41.360 --> 0:01:43.960 and if you're ever in our area, please stop by 0:01:44.360 --> 0:01:46.720 be a part of one of our services. I promise 0:01:46.760 --> 0:01:49.400 you we'll make you feel right at home. I'd like 0:01:49.440 --> 0:01:52.360 to start with something funny, and I heard about this pastor. 0:01:52.840 --> 0:01:56.280 He'd been out bear hunting all day long, searched and 0:01:56.360 --> 0:01:59.800 searched through the woods with no sign of a bear. Finally, 0:01:59.800 --> 0:02:02.600 in frustration, he threw his gun on the ground and 0:02:02.640 --> 0:02:05.480 he went down to the stream to cool off. About 0:02:05.480 --> 0:02:09.600 that time, he sees this huge, grizzly bear running toward 0:02:09.680 --> 0:02:13.120 him full speed, about one hundred yards away. He falls 0:02:13.160 --> 0:02:17.000 on his knees and said, God, I need protection, Please 0:02:17.120 --> 0:02:21.720 convert this bear into a Christian. Miraculously, the bear froze 0:02:21.720 --> 0:02:24.480 in his tracks, put both paws up toward the heavens 0:02:24.680 --> 0:02:27.000 and said, thank you Lord for this food I'm about 0:02:27.000 --> 0:02:30.800 to eat. Say it like you mean it. This is 0:02:30.880 --> 0:02:33.640 my Bible. I am what it says I am. I 0:02:33.720 --> 0:02:36.000 have what it says I have. I can do what 0:02:36.080 --> 0:02:38.720 it says I can do. Today I will be taught 0:02:38.800 --> 0:02:42.680 the word of God. I boldly confess. My mind is alert, 0:02:43.000 --> 0:02:45.720 my heart is receptive. I will never be the same. 0:02:46.040 --> 0:02:50.519 In Jesus' name, God bless you. I want to talk 0:02:50.560 --> 0:02:55.120 to you today about stepping into the unknown. When I 0:02:55.160 --> 0:02:58.880 type an address in my navigation system, there's an option 0:02:59.040 --> 0:03:03.280 that comes up says route overview. If you click that, 0:03:03.720 --> 0:03:06.320 it will give you all the details of your trip. 0:03:07.040 --> 0:03:11.000 There may be fifteen different instructions. Travel six miles on 0:03:11.040 --> 0:03:14.480 this freeway, get off at exit forty three, go four 0:03:14.560 --> 0:03:18.600 hundred feet, turn left on the intersection. Your whole route 0:03:18.720 --> 0:03:22.160 is clearly laid out. You know where you're going, how 0:03:22.160 --> 0:03:25.920 long it's going to take, what to expect. Knowing these 0:03:25.960 --> 0:03:30.240 details makes us comfortable where we can relax. And in 0:03:30.280 --> 0:03:34.480 the same way, God has a route overview for your life. 0:03:35.320 --> 0:03:38.640 Before you were formed in your mother's womb, he laid 0:03:38.640 --> 0:03:42.880 out your plan. He not only knows your final destination, 0:03:43.520 --> 0:03:46.120 but he knows the best way to get you there. 0:03:46.800 --> 0:03:50.600 But one difference between God and a navigation system is 0:03:50.720 --> 0:03:55.040 God doesn't show you the route overview. He doesn't tell 0:03:55.040 --> 0:03:57.480 you how it's going to happen, how long it's going 0:03:57.560 --> 0:03:59.960 to take, where the funds are going to come from, 0:04:00.120 --> 0:04:03.520 who you're going to meet. He leads you one step 0:04:03.560 --> 0:04:07.360 at a time. If you'll trust him and take that 0:04:07.480 --> 0:04:10.920 step into the unknown, not knowing how it's going to 0:04:10.960 --> 0:04:14.480 work out, then he'll show you the next step. Step 0:04:14.600 --> 0:04:18.800 by step, he'll lead you into your destiny. The challenge 0:04:18.839 --> 0:04:22.400 is we like details. We wouldn't have any problem taking 0:04:22.440 --> 0:04:25.840 that step of faith, starting that new business, going back 0:04:25.880 --> 0:04:29.240 to school, moving to that new location. If we knew 0:04:29.440 --> 0:04:32.040 where the money was coming from, how long it was 0:04:32.080 --> 0:04:34.599 going to take, that the right people would be there. 0:04:35.240 --> 0:04:38.400 We had all the details, it'd be easy to step out. 0:04:39.160 --> 0:04:43.279 Here's the key. God doesn't give us details. He's not 0:04:43.360 --> 0:04:45.960 going to show you a blueprint for your whole life. 0:04:46.680 --> 0:04:50.080 If you had all the facts, you wouldn't need any faith. 0:04:50.760 --> 0:04:55.040 He's going to send you out not knowing everything. If 0:04:55.040 --> 0:04:59.000 you'll have the boldness to step into the unknown, do 0:04:59.120 --> 0:05:02.279 what he's asking you to do. Doors will open that 0:05:02.360 --> 0:05:05.280 you could have never opened. The right people will show up, 0:05:05.520 --> 0:05:09.159 You'll have the funds, the resources that you need. The 0:05:09.200 --> 0:05:13.120 scripture puts it this way. God's word is a lamp 0:05:13.320 --> 0:05:17.240 unto our feet and a light unto our path. A 0:05:17.320 --> 0:05:20.719 lamp implies you have just enough to see in front 0:05:20.760 --> 0:05:23.719 of you. God is not giving you the light for 0:05:23.760 --> 0:05:27.359 the next fifty years. It's like the headlights on your car. 0:05:27.800 --> 0:05:30.440 When you're driving at night. You can only see one 0:05:30.520 --> 0:05:33.160 hundred feet in front of you, so you don't pull 0:05:33.200 --> 0:05:36.799 over because you can't see your destination fifty miles away. 0:05:37.560 --> 0:05:41.200 You keep driving. As you go further, then you will 0:05:41.200 --> 0:05:44.800 see more. Will you take that step with the light 0:05:44.880 --> 0:05:48.479 that you have? If you're waiting for all the details, 0:05:48.760 --> 0:05:51.719 you're going to be waiting your whole life. We all 0:05:51.760 --> 0:05:55.200 want to be comfortable, but being in God's perfect will 0:05:55.520 --> 0:05:59.880 will make you a little uncomfortable. There's a healthy tension 0:06:00.480 --> 0:06:03.359 to where you have to stretch, you have to pray, 0:06:03.600 --> 0:06:06.640 you have to believe, you're not sure how it's going 0:06:06.680 --> 0:06:10.560 to work out. That's when you're growing, That's when you're 0:06:10.640 --> 0:06:14.599 learning to trust God in a greater way. God is 0:06:14.640 --> 0:06:19.200 not just interested in the destination. He's teaching you along 0:06:19.240 --> 0:06:24.080 the way. He's getting you prepared, growing you up on purpose. 0:06:24.360 --> 0:06:27.679 God will put us in situations where we're over our head, 0:06:28.360 --> 0:06:31.160 where our friends can't help us, where we don't have 0:06:31.240 --> 0:06:35.359 the experience. Too often we swink back, think I'm not 0:06:35.400 --> 0:06:38.680 going there, I'm not qualified, I'm too nervous. What if 0:06:38.680 --> 0:06:41.920 it doesn't work out. God knew you would be nervous. 0:06:42.279 --> 0:06:46.080 He knew you wouldn't feel qualified. That's a test. Are 0:06:46.120 --> 0:06:48.480 you going to talk to yourself out of it? Are 0:06:48.480 --> 0:06:50.800 you going to let the fear of what you can't 0:06:50.839 --> 0:06:53.839 see hold you back? Or are you going to be 0:06:53.960 --> 0:06:58.400 bold and step in to the unknown. In the unknown 0:06:58.680 --> 0:07:01.960 is where miracles happen. In the unknown is where you 0:07:02.040 --> 0:07:05.279 discover ability that you didn't know you had. In the 0:07:05.440 --> 0:07:09.080 unknown is where you'll accomplish more than you ever dreamed. 0:07:10.120 --> 0:07:13.520 Just because you don't have the details doesn't mean God 0:07:13.600 --> 0:07:17.120 doesn't have the details. He has the route overview for 0:07:17.240 --> 0:07:20.000 your life. He wouldn't be leading you there if he 0:07:20.040 --> 0:07:23.440 didn't have the favor, the provision, everything you need to 0:07:23.520 --> 0:07:26.640 go to the next level. One thing I like about 0:07:26.680 --> 0:07:31.400 my navigation system is it gives me exact details. Go 0:07:31.600 --> 0:07:35.600 nine point three miles down this freeway. Then it counts 0:07:35.640 --> 0:07:39.320 down the whole way, eight miles left, seven miles, six miles. 0:07:39.360 --> 0:07:42.200 It's all right in front of me. God is just 0:07:42.280 --> 0:07:45.800 the opposite. He'll tell you go down this road. The 0:07:45.840 --> 0:07:49.040 first thing we do is ask for details. How far 0:07:49.080 --> 0:07:51.880 do you want me to go? No answer? What do 0:07:51.920 --> 0:07:54.840 you want me to take? No answer? Who's going to 0:07:54.840 --> 0:07:58.160 be there to meet me? No answer? Can you endure 0:07:58.200 --> 0:08:02.360 the silence of not knowing everything? Will you trust God 0:08:02.480 --> 0:08:05.240 even though you don't have all the details. Will you 0:08:05.320 --> 0:08:09.480 take that step of faith even when you're uncomfortable, You're nervous, 0:08:09.600 --> 0:08:12.680 not sure how it's going to work out. This is 0:08:12.720 --> 0:08:16.800 what Abraham did. God told him to leave the place 0:08:16.840 --> 0:08:20.080 he was living, pack up his family, his belongings, and 0:08:20.160 --> 0:08:22.800 head out to the land that God was going to 0:08:22.840 --> 0:08:27.440 give him his inheritance. The only problem was God didn't 0:08:27.440 --> 0:08:31.720 give him any details. The scripture says Abraham went out 0:08:32.320 --> 0:08:36.360 not knowing where he was going. I can imagine Abraham 0:08:36.480 --> 0:08:40.120 telling his wife Sarah, Honey, I've got great news. We're 0:08:40.160 --> 0:08:43.240 going to move. God promised me He's taking us to 0:08:43.320 --> 0:08:45.800 a better land where we're going to be blessed in 0:08:45.840 --> 0:08:49.760 a new way. I can hear Sarah saying, that's so exciting. 0:08:49.840 --> 0:08:52.920 I can't wait. Where are we going? Abraham says, I 0:08:52.960 --> 0:08:56.120 don't know. He didn't tell me. She asked, well, what 0:08:56.200 --> 0:08:59.360 should I wear? Will it be cold or hot? He says, 0:08:59.640 --> 0:09:03.800 I'm not sure. Well, Abraham, are you sure God told 0:09:03.840 --> 0:09:06.800 you this? How we going to provide for our family? 0:09:07.240 --> 0:09:09.160 Where are we going to get food for our staff 0:09:09.160 --> 0:09:12.680 and animals? This seems like a mistake. If you're going 0:09:12.720 --> 0:09:15.959 to step into the unknown, it's going to take boldness. 0:09:16.360 --> 0:09:19.520 It's not always going to make sense. People may not 0:09:19.679 --> 0:09:22.920 understand it. Your own thoughts will tell you you better 0:09:22.960 --> 0:09:26.040 play it safe. This is too big a risk. What 0:09:26.120 --> 0:09:31.000 if it doesn't work out. Abraham understood this principle that 0:09:31.240 --> 0:09:34.640 just because he didn't have all the answers, just because 0:09:34.679 --> 0:09:38.360 he was nervous, didn't mean he wasn't supposed to do it. 0:09:39.120 --> 0:09:43.000 The scripture says, the steps of a good person are 0:09:43.120 --> 0:09:46.520 ordered by the Lord. If you'll take the first step 0:09:46.960 --> 0:09:50.400 not knowing all the details, trusting that God knows what 0:09:50.520 --> 0:09:53.600 he's doing, then every step of the way there will 0:09:53.679 --> 0:09:56.840 be provision. There will be favor, there will be wisdom. 0:09:57.200 --> 0:10:02.240 And yes, it's uncomfortable not knowing. You have to stretch, pray, believe. 0:10:02.880 --> 0:10:06.360 But each step you not only have God's blessing, but 0:10:06.400 --> 0:10:11.000 you're growing, You're getting stronger. In the scripture, Peter was 0:10:11.040 --> 0:10:14.480 the only one that walked on the water, and he 0:10:14.559 --> 0:10:17.600 was the only one willing to get out of the boat. 0:10:18.320 --> 0:10:21.320 I'm sure the other disciple said, Peter, you better stay 0:10:21.320 --> 0:10:24.840 in here with us. Look at those waves. It's dangerous. 0:10:24.880 --> 0:10:28.400 You could drown. But when Jesus asked him to come, 0:10:28.960 --> 0:10:32.800 he had the courage to step into the unknown, and 0:10:32.880 --> 0:10:36.160 he walked on the water. Well, Joey, but he sank. Yeah, 0:10:36.160 --> 0:10:38.360 but he walked more than you. He walked more than me. 0:10:40.040 --> 0:10:45.959 What's familiar staying in the boat. Although that's comfortable, Instead 0:10:46.000 --> 0:10:50.840 of being a blessing, it can become a curse. Familiarity 0:10:51.160 --> 0:10:54.320 can keep you from your destiny, what you're used to, 0:10:54.840 --> 0:10:57.679 how you were raised, the job you've been at for years. 0:10:58.120 --> 0:11:02.120 Don't let your comfort keep you from becoming all God 0:11:02.200 --> 0:11:05.960 created you to be. If Abraham would have put his 0:11:06.160 --> 0:11:11.000 comfort above fulfilling his purpose, we wouldn't be talking about him. 0:11:11.800 --> 0:11:15.200 You cannot play it safe your whole life and reach 0:11:15.320 --> 0:11:19.000 the fullness of your destiny. Don't let the what ifs 0:11:19.040 --> 0:11:21.600 talk you out of it. What if I fail? What 0:11:21.679 --> 0:11:24.240 if they say no? What if I don't have the funds? 0:11:24.640 --> 0:11:28.600 You'll never know unless you try. When you come to 0:11:28.640 --> 0:11:32.000 the end of life, will you have more regrets from 0:11:32.040 --> 0:11:34.680 the risks that you took or from the risk that 0:11:34.760 --> 0:11:37.079 you didn't take. What if I get in this new 0:11:37.120 --> 0:11:40.080 relationship Joe and I get hurt again, that's what happened 0:11:40.160 --> 0:11:42.439 last time. What if you get in it and you're 0:11:42.480 --> 0:11:45.480 happier than you've ever been. What if it's a divine connection. 0:11:46.320 --> 0:11:48.920 What if I take this position and I'm not good 0:11:48.960 --> 0:11:51.480 at it, I'm not successful. What if you take it 0:11:51.679 --> 0:11:54.960 and you excel. What if you discover talent you didn't 0:11:55.000 --> 0:11:58.880 know you had. What if it opens doors to more opportunities. 0:11:59.440 --> 0:12:04.960 I can tell you every significant accomplishment in my own life, 0:12:05.000 --> 0:12:09.360 every major victory. I've had to step into the unknown. 0:12:10.200 --> 0:12:12.560 When my dad went to be with the Lord. I 0:12:12.600 --> 0:12:16.360 had never ministered before I stepped up to pastor the church. 0:12:16.960 --> 0:12:19.120 I didn't know how it was going to work out. 0:12:19.760 --> 0:12:22.120 I didn't know if I could minister. I didn't know 0:12:22.160 --> 0:12:25.720 if anybody listened to me. Every thought told me, Joel, 0:12:25.800 --> 0:12:29.040 don't do it. It's a big mistake. You're going to 0:12:29.080 --> 0:12:31.760 get up there and not know what to say. I 0:12:31.840 --> 0:12:35.040 knew I was over my head. I knew I didn't 0:12:35.080 --> 0:12:39.280 have the experience. But I also knew when we are weak, 0:12:39.640 --> 0:12:44.200 God's power shows up the greatest. I couldn't see way 0:12:44.240 --> 0:12:47.240 down the road. I couldn't see any of this that 0:12:47.320 --> 0:12:50.400 we're doing today. All I could see was right then, 0:12:50.720 --> 0:12:53.920 step up and pastor the church. If God would have 0:12:53.920 --> 0:12:55.920 shown me all of this, I'd have said, no way, 0:12:56.200 --> 0:13:00.600 I can't do that. Sometimes the reason God doesn't tell 0:13:00.679 --> 0:13:04.080 us what's in our future is because he knows we 0:13:04.120 --> 0:13:07.440 would talk ourselves out of it. What God has in 0:13:07.520 --> 0:13:11.000 store for you is going to boggle your mind. The 0:13:11.080 --> 0:13:13.880 places he's going to take you, the people you're going 0:13:13.920 --> 0:13:17.160 to influence, the dreams you're going to accomplish. It's going 0:13:17.200 --> 0:13:21.439 to be bigger than you've imagined. You know where it is. 0:13:22.160 --> 0:13:25.120 It's in the unknown. It's in what you can't see 0:13:25.200 --> 0:13:28.280 right now. It's in what you don't feel qualified for. 0:13:29.160 --> 0:13:31.840 When you find yourself in a situation where you're over 0:13:31.880 --> 0:13:34.440 your head, you don't think you have what it takes. 0:13:34.880 --> 0:13:38.600 That's God stretching you. He can see things in you 0:13:38.920 --> 0:13:42.280 that you can't see in yourself. It may be uncomfortable, 0:13:42.440 --> 0:13:46.840 but don't shrink back. Keep stretching, keep believing, keep dreaming. 0:13:47.160 --> 0:13:51.640 Step by step, God is leading you. Some of you 0:13:52.160 --> 0:13:55.520 are about to step in to the next level. You've 0:13:55.520 --> 0:13:58.920 been on that step long enough, you pass the test. 0:14:00.120 --> 0:14:02.600 The next step is coming. It's going to be a 0:14:02.600 --> 0:14:05.440 new level of influence, a new level of talent, a 0:14:05.440 --> 0:14:09.840 new level of creativity, a new level of your destiny. 0:14:10.640 --> 0:14:13.120 Victoria and I were driving to another city the other 0:14:13.200 --> 0:14:16.559 day and had my navigation system on, and at one 0:14:16.600 --> 0:14:19.160 point we were on this country road for about one 0:14:19.240 --> 0:14:22.760 hundred miles stretch, and there were all these intersections and 0:14:22.800 --> 0:14:25.440 different roads that veered off, and I kept thinking that 0:14:25.480 --> 0:14:27.960 I had missed my turn, and I had to keep 0:14:28.000 --> 0:14:32.160 looking at the navigation system. I noticed that as long 0:14:32.320 --> 0:14:35.080 as I was on the right path, the lady on 0:14:35.120 --> 0:14:39.200 the GPS system didn't say anything. I wish you had 0:14:39.280 --> 0:14:42.720 come on, said you're doing good, John, keep going forward. 0:14:42.760 --> 0:14:47.320 But she never said a thing until it was time 0:14:47.560 --> 0:14:52.600 to do something different. Sometimes God is silent, you don't 0:14:52.600 --> 0:14:55.200 hear him saying anything, and see he didn't think. I 0:14:55.280 --> 0:14:58.160 must be off course, something must be wrong. He's not talking. 0:14:58.480 --> 0:15:01.680 But like the lady on the g system, that means 0:15:01.680 --> 0:15:04.520 you're on the right course. Keep doing the right thing, 0:15:04.720 --> 0:15:09.280 keep praying, believe in stretching. The next step is coming, 0:15:09.920 --> 0:15:13.200 but you have to pass the test of being faithful 0:15:13.280 --> 0:15:16.600 where you are being your best with what you have. 0:15:17.040 --> 0:15:20.000 Then the next step will be a favor step, a 0:15:20.000 --> 0:15:24.520 promotion step, a healing step, a breakthrough step. When Joshua 0:15:24.600 --> 0:15:27.520 and the Israelites came to the Jordan River, there was 0:15:27.560 --> 0:15:31.120 no way to get across. They had heard how Moses 0:15:31.400 --> 0:15:33.600 held up his rod and the Red Sea parted, and 0:15:34.000 --> 0:15:36.920 I'm sure Joshua thought the same thing would happen for him. 0:15:37.360 --> 0:15:41.280 But God had a different plan. He told Joshua to go, 0:15:41.360 --> 0:15:45.400 tell the priest to walk into the river, and then 0:15:45.440 --> 0:15:49.360 the waters would part. I'm sure the priest thought, Joshua, 0:15:49.760 --> 0:15:52.520 that doesn't make sense. You want us to walk into 0:15:52.560 --> 0:15:55.520 the water. We could drown. The priest got up to 0:15:55.560 --> 0:15:58.240 the shore and nothing happened to the water. They got 0:15:58.240 --> 0:16:01.200 a couple feet from the bank, still nothing. Thoughts started 0:16:01.240 --> 0:16:04.240 telling them, what if it doesn't part? What if Joshua 0:16:04.360 --> 0:16:06.480 made a mistake. What if you get out there and 0:16:06.520 --> 0:16:09.800 you can't come back. They could have talked themselves out 0:16:09.840 --> 0:16:14.040 of it. Instead, they dared to step into the unknown. 0:16:14.560 --> 0:16:18.040 The scripture says the moment their feet touched the water, 0:16:18.640 --> 0:16:22.360 the waters upstream began to pile up. On the other side. 0:16:22.440 --> 0:16:26.760 It flowed downstream. Before long, the whole river bed was empty. 0:16:27.200 --> 0:16:30.560 They were able to walk across on dry ground. Notice 0:16:30.640 --> 0:16:35.320 the miracle happened along the way. We think God part 0:16:35.400 --> 0:16:39.200 the river, and then I'll go. God says, go, then 0:16:39.240 --> 0:16:43.120 I'll part the river. If you will step into the unknown. 0:16:43.640 --> 0:16:47.440 Along the way, you'll see miracles along the way. The 0:16:47.520 --> 0:16:50.760 right people will show up. Along the way. Doors will 0:16:50.760 --> 0:16:54.200 open that you could have never opened. God could have 0:16:54.400 --> 0:16:57.760 just as easily parted the waters before they stepped in. 0:16:58.440 --> 0:17:01.560 He was showing us this principle. When you don't see 0:17:01.560 --> 0:17:04.720 how it can work out, every voice says you better 0:17:04.720 --> 0:17:07.800 play it safe. But you take that step of faith 0:17:08.200 --> 0:17:11.040 and do what God's asking you to do. You too, 0:17:11.640 --> 0:17:15.520 We'll see Jordan Rivers part and God on purpose puts 0:17:15.600 --> 0:17:18.920 us in situations where we can't do it on our own. 0:17:19.440 --> 0:17:23.680 It looks impossible. That's a test of our faith. If 0:17:23.680 --> 0:17:26.200 we stay in the boat, we'll never walk on water, 0:17:26.640 --> 0:17:29.920 We'll never see the fullness of our destiny. And if 0:17:29.960 --> 0:17:33.080 God would have parted the water first, that would have 0:17:33.080 --> 0:17:35.760 been a lot less stressful for them. They wouldn't have 0:17:35.800 --> 0:17:39.280 had to stretch and pray and believe. But here's the key. 0:17:39.840 --> 0:17:43.600 God uses the journey to get us prepared for where 0:17:43.600 --> 0:17:47.359 we're going. When you have to stretch your faith, believe 0:17:47.440 --> 0:17:49.760 that He's making a way, and thank him that things 0:17:49.800 --> 0:17:54.159 are changing in your favor. Your spiritual muscles are getting stronger. 0:17:54.359 --> 0:17:57.639 You're developing a greater trust, a greater confidence in God. 0:17:58.680 --> 0:18:01.639 When we received words that this place, the form of 0:18:01.680 --> 0:18:04.960 compact center where the Rockets used to play basketball, was 0:18:05.000 --> 0:18:08.760 coming available, something came alive on the inside of me. 0:18:09.160 --> 0:18:12.080 I knew this was supposed to be ours. What I 0:18:12.160 --> 0:18:16.159 didn't know was how complicated it would be trying to 0:18:16.200 --> 0:18:19.720 acquire it. God will give you the first step, but 0:18:19.800 --> 0:18:22.840 he won't tell you everything. I was excited about the 0:18:22.840 --> 0:18:26.600 possibility of moving Lakewood here. This was more than I 0:18:26.640 --> 0:18:30.199 could ask or think. But what I didn't know was 0:18:30.240 --> 0:18:32.840 it was going to cost one hundred million dollars to 0:18:32.880 --> 0:18:36.639 renovate I didn't know a company would file a lawsuit 0:18:36.960 --> 0:18:40.680 to try to stop us. Sometimes it's good to be naive. 0:18:41.200 --> 0:18:44.719 That's called having childlike faith. All I knew was that 0:18:44.840 --> 0:18:47.800 dream was alive in my spirit, and I did what 0:18:47.880 --> 0:18:51.639 I'm asking you to do. I stepped in to the unknown. 0:18:52.320 --> 0:18:55.800 This facility was owned by the City of Houston, my 0:18:55.960 --> 0:18:59.360 parents and our family. We knew the mayor. I called him, 0:18:59.600 --> 0:19:02.480 and the was in favor of Lakewood having it. The 0:19:02.520 --> 0:19:06.440 first miracle, we needed ten votes from city council members. 0:19:06.720 --> 0:19:11.440 We only had nine, But the night before the main vote, 0:19:11.480 --> 0:19:15.120 a council member, after being against us for two years, 0:19:15.400 --> 0:19:18.240 suddenly changed his mind and voted for us, and we 0:19:18.320 --> 0:19:22.880 got the building. Another miracle. A week later, a large 0:19:22.960 --> 0:19:25.840 company filed a lawsuit to try to keep us from 0:19:25.840 --> 0:19:28.800 moving in. We were told it could be tied up 0:19:28.840 --> 0:19:31.640 in the court system for up to ten years. Here 0:19:31.680 --> 0:19:34.560 I had already announced it to the church, people had 0:19:34.600 --> 0:19:37.280 given funds. I would wake up in the middle of 0:19:37.280 --> 0:19:40.439 the night sweating thoughts, telling me, Joe, you're going to 0:19:40.440 --> 0:19:42.280 look like a fool. This is going to be a 0:19:42.280 --> 0:19:44.280 big mess when you have to give it all back. 0:19:44.800 --> 0:19:49.480 But like Joshua, along the way, miracles kept happening. The 0:19:49.520 --> 0:19:53.199 CEO of this large company flew in from out of 0:19:53.240 --> 0:19:56.040 town to meet with us. We were told by our 0:19:56.119 --> 0:19:58.800 attorneys that it was a ploy just to confuse things. 0:19:59.200 --> 0:20:02.840 But he said, I watch you on television. My son 0:20:02.880 --> 0:20:05.600 in law is a youth pastor. Let's work something out. 0:20:06.080 --> 0:20:09.399 Two days later we had an agreement. The lawsuit was dropped. 0:20:09.520 --> 0:20:12.600 We were on our way. When you go out not knowing, 0:20:13.160 --> 0:20:17.000 you'll see Jordan Rivers Park, You'll see compact centers fall 0:20:17.040 --> 0:20:20.040 into place. God will make things happen that you could 0:20:20.119 --> 0:20:23.440 never make happen. Don't get stuck in the boat. Don't 0:20:23.520 --> 0:20:26.240 let the fear that you can't see all the details 0:20:26.240 --> 0:20:30.119 hold you back. You're not supposed to see everything. God's 0:20:30.240 --> 0:20:34.360 leading you step by step. When you're in the unknown, 0:20:34.560 --> 0:20:38.040 you're having to stretch, pray and believe. That's when you're 0:20:38.080 --> 0:20:41.320 really growing. Those three years we were in the battle 0:20:41.400 --> 0:20:44.280 over this place, that's when I learned to pray like 0:20:44.320 --> 0:20:47.359 I had never prayed. If I'd known how long it 0:20:47.440 --> 0:20:49.960 was going to take, how much it was going to cost, 0:20:50.280 --> 0:20:53.439 I just said, no, thanks God. I don't want that responsibility. 0:20:53.680 --> 0:20:57.159 I'm too young. I don't have the experience. God knows 0:20:57.280 --> 0:21:01.160 what's in you. He uses these steps to stretch you, 0:21:01.640 --> 0:21:05.119 to develop you, to get you prepared for the next level. 0:21:05.640 --> 0:21:10.159 The journey is more important than the destination, because if 0:21:10.200 --> 0:21:13.240 you don't get prepared on the journey, if you don't 0:21:13.320 --> 0:21:16.439 learn what you're supposed to learn along the way, you 0:21:16.520 --> 0:21:20.359 won't be able to handle where God has taken you. See. 0:21:20.400 --> 0:21:23.720 God could have given us the Compact Center the first 0:21:23.720 --> 0:21:27.200 week we prayed, or at least the first month we prayed. 0:21:27.760 --> 0:21:30.119 That would have saved me a lot of stress. I 0:21:30.119 --> 0:21:33.200 wouldn't have had to stretch, pray, believe why d wait 0:21:33.280 --> 0:21:36.879 three years? He was getting me prepared. I was learning 0:21:36.880 --> 0:21:40.600 to trust him. My faith was being increased, my character 0:21:40.880 --> 0:21:45.159 was being developed. What's interesting in those three years, like 0:21:45.240 --> 0:21:48.760 the lady on the GPS, I never heard anything new. 0:21:49.520 --> 0:21:52.360 I never heard God say, don't worry, Joel, I got 0:21:52.400 --> 0:21:54.960 you covered. It's all going to work out. I had 0:21:54.960 --> 0:21:58.480 to trust him when he was silent. I had to 0:21:58.520 --> 0:22:01.440 believe he was in control. Oh, when I didn't see 0:22:01.440 --> 0:22:04.879 any sign of it, I had to keep reminding myself 0:22:05.119 --> 0:22:08.440 the steps of a good person are ordered by the Lord. 0:22:08.960 --> 0:22:12.240 I took that step knowing that God put the dream 0:22:12.280 --> 0:22:15.040 in my heart. I didn't know how it would turn out. 0:22:15.560 --> 0:22:18.760 I didn't know if we'd be successful, but I believed 0:22:18.880 --> 0:22:21.480 I was doing what God asked me to do. And 0:22:21.560 --> 0:22:25.040 here's the key. Even if you miss it, even if 0:22:25.040 --> 0:22:27.879 it doesn't turn out the way you thought, God knows 0:22:28.000 --> 0:22:31.360 how to use it for your good. God would rather 0:22:31.440 --> 0:22:34.040 you take a step of faith and miss it every 0:22:34.040 --> 0:22:36.560 once in a while than to play it safe your 0:22:36.560 --> 0:22:40.080 whole life and never make a mistake. In the times 0:22:40.119 --> 0:22:42.720 we make mistakes, we miss it, we get off course 0:22:42.760 --> 0:22:45.399 the closed doors. That's all a part of God's plan. 0:22:45.960 --> 0:22:49.359 That's getting us prepared for the open doors. But if 0:22:49.400 --> 0:22:51.640 you're so concerned you're going to miss it, you'll never 0:22:51.680 --> 0:22:54.520 get off a dead sinner. I like what my friend 0:22:54.600 --> 0:22:58.040 Joyce Myers, she was praying. She said, God, what if 0:22:58.080 --> 0:23:01.159 I miss you? God said, Joe, don't worry. If you 0:23:01.280 --> 0:23:05.560 miss me, I'll find you. But sometimes we let the 0:23:05.600 --> 0:23:09.920 fear of the unknown hold us back. Being in God's will, 0:23:10.240 --> 0:23:13.400 there will be a not knowing factor. You're not going 0:23:13.440 --> 0:23:16.240 to know all the details how it's going to work out. 0:23:16.560 --> 0:23:19.440 You have to have this boldness to step in to 0:23:19.560 --> 0:23:23.240 the unknown. This is what my brother Paul. Did you know? 0:23:23.359 --> 0:23:27.080 He's a medical doctor. For thirteen years, he was the 0:23:27.160 --> 0:23:30.639 chief of surgery at a hospital in Arkansas. He had 0:23:30.680 --> 0:23:33.879 a successful practice. Look like that's how he would spend 0:23:34.000 --> 0:23:37.600 his life. But when Daddy died in nineteen ninety nine, 0:23:38.119 --> 0:23:41.360 Paul felt the Lord leading him to come back home 0:23:41.400 --> 0:23:45.679 to Houston to help us pastor the church. His colleagues 0:23:45.720 --> 0:23:49.600 thought he was having a midlife crisis. They told him 0:23:49.640 --> 0:23:52.040 to wait at least a couple of years, get over 0:23:52.119 --> 0:23:56.000 my father's death, not make an emotional decision. But deep down, 0:23:56.359 --> 0:24:00.159 Paul knew that's what he was supposed to do. In 0:24:00.200 --> 0:24:04.120 his mind, it didn't make sense leaving your medical practice, 0:24:04.400 --> 0:24:07.959 giving up all that training. Thoughts started telling him what 0:24:08.000 --> 0:24:10.920 if it doesn't work out, What if you don't like it, 0:24:11.440 --> 0:24:14.040 What if they don't like you? What if you get 0:24:14.040 --> 0:24:16.000 down there and Joel makes fun of you all the time? 0:24:17.200 --> 0:24:20.080 In the natural, it seemed like he was making a mistake. 0:24:20.560 --> 0:24:24.439 But like Abraham, Paul went out not knowing how it 0:24:24.520 --> 0:24:27.280 was going to work out. He didn't have all the details. 0:24:27.440 --> 0:24:30.480 We didn't have a ten year strategy. All he knew 0:24:30.560 --> 0:24:33.560 was the first step go back home and help your family. 0:24:34.240 --> 0:24:37.360 What Paul didn't know was how the ministry was going 0:24:37.400 --> 0:24:41.199 to grow. He didn't know that after eight years of 0:24:41.280 --> 0:24:44.920 helping us faithfully past to the church, God would open 0:24:45.000 --> 0:24:47.960 the door for him to go to Africa several months 0:24:47.960 --> 0:24:51.800 at a time and operate on less fortunate people. That 0:24:52.040 --> 0:24:55.679 was his dream, to do medical missions. He thought he 0:24:55.840 --> 0:24:59.600 was walking away from medicine. What he couldn't see it 0:24:59.640 --> 0:25:02.320 was all part of God's plan. If he had not 0:25:02.480 --> 0:25:05.680 stepped into the unknown, he wouldn't have reached the fullness 0:25:05.680 --> 0:25:09.080 of his destiny. When you have this boldness to go 0:25:09.160 --> 0:25:12.600 out not knowing, your life will be more rewarding, more 0:25:12.640 --> 0:25:16.000 fulfilling than you could ever imagine. There was a young 0:25:16.040 --> 0:25:19.879 Jewish girl in the scripture named Esther. She was an orphan, 0:25:20.359 --> 0:25:24.000 didn't come from an influential family, but God raised her up. 0:25:24.280 --> 0:25:27.439 Now she was the queen living in the palace. A 0:25:27.480 --> 0:25:31.199 man named Hayman tried to secretly pass a law to 0:25:31.240 --> 0:25:35.120 get rid of all the Jewish people. Esther's uncle came 0:25:35.160 --> 0:25:37.840 to the palace and told her of the ploy. Said, 0:25:37.840 --> 0:25:39.640 you've got to go in and tell the king what's 0:25:39.680 --> 0:25:43.280 going on. The problem was in those days if you 0:25:43.359 --> 0:25:46.680 approached the king without him holding up his golden rod, 0:25:47.200 --> 0:25:50.280 then you could be killed. Esther said, I can't do that. 0:25:50.320 --> 0:25:52.040 What if he doesn't hold it up, that would be 0:25:52.080 --> 0:25:55.639 the end of me. God was asking her to step 0:25:55.680 --> 0:25:59.119 into the unknown. But the what if started coming. What 0:25:59.200 --> 0:26:01.320 if he doesn't hold it up. What if he's in 0:26:01.359 --> 0:26:04.840 a bad mood, what if he gets upset. Just when 0:26:04.880 --> 0:26:07.480 she was about to talk herself out of it, her 0:26:07.600 --> 0:26:12.040 uncle said, Esther, if you remain silent, deliverance for the 0:26:12.160 --> 0:26:15.480 Jews will come from someone else, But you and your 0:26:15.560 --> 0:26:19.080 family will perish. And who knows but that you've come 0:26:19.119 --> 0:26:22.440 to the kingdom for such a time as this. God 0:26:22.640 --> 0:26:24.399 was saying Esther, if you don't want to do it, 0:26:24.440 --> 0:26:27.600 that's fine, I'll get somebody else. But the problem is, Esther, 0:26:28.280 --> 0:26:32.120 you will miss your destiny. This opportunity will not come 0:26:32.160 --> 0:26:35.400 your way again. This was her chance to leave her mark. 0:26:35.560 --> 0:26:38.399 It was a now or never moment. I love what 0:26:38.640 --> 0:26:42.280 Esther did. She said, I will go before the king. 0:26:42.760 --> 0:26:45.600 If I perish, I perish. But I will not let 0:26:45.640 --> 0:26:50.359 this moment pass. Esther stepped into the unknown. She not 0:26:50.520 --> 0:26:53.600 only had favor with the king, but she was able 0:26:53.640 --> 0:26:56.560 to deliver her people. She became one of the heroes 0:26:56.560 --> 0:27:00.720 of faith. Like Esther, we all have opportunity these that 0:27:00.800 --> 0:27:04.000 won't pass our way again. When my dad went to 0:27:04.000 --> 0:27:06.159 be with the Lord, I had to make the choice 0:27:06.200 --> 0:27:09.080 to step up or play it safe. That was one 0:27:09.080 --> 0:27:12.639 of those now or never moments when they come your way. 0:27:13.160 --> 0:27:16.439 Don't shrink back, don't let fear talk you out of it. 0:27:16.800 --> 0:27:19.240 Don't let the what IFFs keep you in the boat. 0:27:19.280 --> 0:27:23.800 Be bold, be courageous, step in to the unknown. You 0:27:23.880 --> 0:27:26.480 may not have all the details. You're not sure how 0:27:26.480 --> 0:27:30.160 it's going to work out, but like with Joshua, along 0:27:30.240 --> 0:27:34.119 the way, miracles will happen. God will open doors that 0:27:34.200 --> 0:27:37.360 no man can shut. If you'll do this, I believe 0:27:37.440 --> 0:27:40.600 and declare, you're about to step in to a new 0:27:40.680 --> 0:27:44.360 level of favor, a new level of influence. Like Esther, 0:27:44.600 --> 0:27:47.840 You're going to leave your mark, accomplish your dreams, and 0:27:47.880 --> 0:27:51.959 reach the fullness of your destiny. In Jesus's name. If 0:27:52.000 --> 0:27:55.600 you receive it today, can you say amen, I'd like 0:27:55.680 --> 0:27:58.560 to give you an opportunity to make Jesus the lord 0:27:58.600 --> 0:28:01.760 of your life. Wouldn't you pray with me? Just say 0:28:02.160 --> 0:28:07.480 Lord Jesus, I repent of my sins, come into my heart. 0:28:08.600 --> 0:28:12.199 I make you my Lord and save you. Friends, if 0:28:12.200 --> 0:28:15.399 you prayed that simple prayer, we believe you got born again. 0:28:15.880 --> 0:28:20.160 Get in a good Bible based church, Keep God first place. Victorian, 0:28:20.200 --> 0:28:22.760 I will be right back to speak a blessing over you. 0:28:23.800 --> 0:28:26.160 As a thank you for your support of our ministry 0:28:26.200 --> 0:28:28.720 this month, Joel and Victoria would like to send you 0:28:28.800 --> 0:28:33.080 a copy of Joel's new four part interactive resource Experience 0:28:33.040 --> 0:28:39.560 Experience Experience Experience Purpose, Her Experience, Passion, Passion and Experience Joy. 0:28:39.840 --> 0:28:44.760 Jenueis you never imagine. Get ready to experience God's best 0:28:44.880 --> 0:28:46.320 for your life. 0:28:46.400 --> 0:28:48.680 I found the more ways you get God's word in you, 0:28:48.840 --> 0:28:51.320 the more it stays with you. This is a great 0:28:51.320 --> 0:28:54.520 tool you can read, watch, and listen to. It will 0:28:54.560 --> 0:28:57.160 help you grow and experience the goodness of God. 0:28:57.360 --> 0:28:59.720 My father used to say, if you'll put God's word 0:28:59.720 --> 0:29:01.680 in your when you don't need it, then it will 0:29:01.680 --> 0:29:04.560 be there when you do need it. Request this resource. 0:29:04.720 --> 0:29:06.800 It will help build your faith so you can live 0:29:06.840 --> 0:29:09.040 a life of purpose, passion, and joy. 0:29:09.480 --> 0:29:13.360 Request your copy of Experience today at Joel Weinstein dot 0:29:13.400 --> 0:29:16.280 com or call eighty eight five sixty seven. 0:29:16.520 --> 0:29:20.840 Joel your support is changing lives. Thanks for being a 0:29:20.880 --> 0:29:24.680 part of the ministry. Your prayer, your generosity is what's 0:29:24.720 --> 0:29:27.600 helping to make a difference all over the world. Know 0:29:27.720 --> 0:29:30.600 that Victoria and I pray for you every day. We're 0:29:30.640 --> 0:29:34.320 believing you're going to see God's goodness in great, great ways. 0:29:34.640 --> 0:29:36.840 Don't forget. I have a new book out. It's called 0:29:36.880 --> 0:29:39.760 Blessed in the Darkness. Hope you'll pick up a copy 0:29:39.840 --> 0:29:42.760 for you and a friend. You'll really enjoy it until 0:29:42.760 --> 0:29:47.560 we meet again. Know that you're blessed, you're redeemed, you're forgiven, 0:29:47.680 --> 0:29:51.120 you're talented. Have a great week knowing that you're a 0:29:51.240 --> 0:29:53.000 child of the Most High God. 0:30:00.280 --> 0:30:04.600 Be a barbecue hero with delicious ultralownet carb hero Bread 0:30:04.640 --> 0:30:07.880 buns and tortillas, soft and fluffy, high in fiber, and 0:30:07.960 --> 0:30:10.600 with zero grams of sugar, end up to ten grams 0:30:10.640 --> 0:30:13.560 of protein, coming in at under one hundred calories per serving. 0:30:13.840 --> 0:30:16.720 Oh and did I mention they taste like their mouthwatering 0:30:16.760 --> 0:30:20.640 traditional versions. It's enough to have the neighbors asking for seconds. 0:30:20.920 --> 0:30:23.960 Use code IHM ten for ten percent off your first 0:30:23.960 --> 0:30:27.520 hero Bread purchase at hero dot Co. That's cade IHM 0:30:27.600 --> 0:30:30.160 ten for ten percent off at hero dot co. 0:30:30.640 --> 0:30:32.440 Did you learn anything fun today? 0:30:32.680 --> 0:30:35.240 Yeah, I'll bend to the jungle and learn a bunch 0:30:35.280 --> 0:30:36.880 of new words from an iguana. 0:30:37.360 --> 0:30:40.280 That's cool and that I want to a farm and 0:30:40.360 --> 0:30:41.240 dot to read. 0:30:41.080 --> 0:30:43.400 With a pig. Sounds like you're learning a lot. 0:30:43.800 --> 0:30:46.640 Watch your child's reading skills sore this summer when you 0:30:46.760 --> 0:30:48.760 use the good and the beautifuls all in one reading 0:30:48.800 --> 0:30:53.240 booster kits for kids kindergarten through second grade, reading cards, books, games, 0:30:53.280 --> 0:30:55.600 and a free compatible app are all included. 0:30:55.760 --> 0:30:58.160 Go to reading booster dot com to order yours today 0:30:58.280 --> 0:31:01.240 and bring home a love of learning at reading booster 0:31:01.440 --> 0:31:03.800 dot com. 0:31:03.840 --> 0:31:06.360 More than ever before, people are turning to the church 0:31:06.400 --> 0:31:09.959 for their mental health struggles. Unfortunately, the church has largely 0:31:10.040 --> 0:31:11.200 been ill equipped to help. 0:31:11.400 --> 0:31:12.720 That is until now. 0:31:12.920 --> 0:31:16.120 Join nearly fifty thousand people just like you who've enrolled 0:31:16.120 --> 0:31:19.040 in the Mental Health Coach training program and become equipped 0:31:19.040 --> 0:31:21.280 to help for a limited time. Apply for a full 0:31:21.320 --> 0:31:23.920 tuition scholarship and only pay a one time tech fee 0:31:23.960 --> 0:31:27.719 of fifty four dollars if accepted. Apply now at mentalhealth 0:31:27.720 --> 0:31:31.000 coach dot org. That's mentalhealthcoach dot org.