Take Your Seat

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It's time 0:01:00.160 --> 0:01:02.200 to get the recognition you deserve and earn a degree 0:01:02.200 --> 0:01:04.840 you'll be proud of, one that employers will trust and 0:01:04.920 --> 0:01:07.119 respect when you take the next step in your life 0:01:07.120 --> 0:01:10.280 and career. Make it count with Purdue Global Produce online 0:01:10.319 --> 0:01:14.920 university for working adults. Start your comeback at Purdueglobal dot edu. 0:01:15.680 --> 0:01:19.240 Welcome to the Joe Lostine Podcast. Help leu's continue to 0:01:19.280 --> 0:01:22.160 share the message of hope with those all over the world. 0:01:22.680 --> 0:01:26.240 Visit Joelostin dot com slash give Hope to give a 0:01:26.240 --> 0:01:28.400 gift today. 0:01:38.440 --> 0:01:41.280 Well, God bless you. It's a joy to come into 0:01:41.319 --> 0:01:44.160 your homes, and if you're ever in our area, please 0:01:44.200 --> 0:01:46.840 stop by and be a part of one of our services. 0:01:46.959 --> 0:01:49.520 I promise you we'll make you feel right at home. 0:01:50.120 --> 0:01:52.800 I like to start with something funny. I heard about 0:01:52.840 --> 0:01:53.560 this mom. 0:01:53.880 --> 0:01:57.200 She was cooking breakfast for her two young boys. Ryan 0:01:57.440 --> 0:01:59.360 was five and Kevin was three. 0:02:00.040 --> 0:02:00.640 They begin to. 0:02:00.680 --> 0:02:04.080 Argue over who should get the first pancake. She saw 0:02:04.120 --> 0:02:08.080 this as an opportunity to teach them a lesson. She said, boys, boys, 0:02:08.280 --> 0:02:11.480 if Jesus were here, he would say, let my brother 0:02:11.600 --> 0:02:14.960 have the first pancake. Ryan turned to his younger brother 0:02:15.000 --> 0:02:19.280 and said, Okay, Kevin, you be Jesus. Say it like 0:02:19.320 --> 0:02:22.160 you mean it. This is my Bible. I am what 0:02:22.240 --> 0:02:24.800 it says I am. I have what it says I have. 0:02:25.360 --> 0:02:27.960 I can do what it says I can do. Today 0:02:28.080 --> 0:02:31.440 I will be taught the word of God. I boldly confess. 0:02:31.919 --> 0:02:35.360 My mind is alert, my heart is receptive. I will 0:02:35.360 --> 0:02:39.040 never be the same. In Jesus' name, God bless you. 0:02:40.320 --> 0:02:43.160 I want to talk to you today about keep your seat. 0:02:44.040 --> 0:02:46.760 In the Old Testament, the priest had to go into 0:02:46.800 --> 0:02:50.519 the temple at certain times a year and make sacrifices 0:02:50.720 --> 0:02:54.560 for the people's sins. That's how they had forgiveness. It 0:02:54.680 --> 0:02:57.880 was all based off of works. There were no chairs 0:02:57.960 --> 0:03:01.840 in the tabernacle, no reason or seats. The priests couldn't 0:03:01.840 --> 0:03:05.800 sit down. They lived under constant pressure. Their work was 0:03:05.919 --> 0:03:10.919 never done. Another sacrifice was always required. But when Jesus 0:03:11.040 --> 0:03:14.720 was crucified, he said on the cross, it is finished. 0:03:15.480 --> 0:03:18.760 He was talking about the old way of having to 0:03:18.840 --> 0:03:23.840 constantly work for God's goodness. The scripture says he sat 0:03:24.000 --> 0:03:27.760 down at the right hand of the Father. Him sitting 0:03:28.000 --> 0:03:31.760 is a picture of rest under the Old Covenant. The 0:03:31.800 --> 0:03:35.480 priests were constantly working, trying to cover the sins, trying 0:03:35.520 --> 0:03:38.480 to be good enough, trying to make things happen under 0:03:38.520 --> 0:03:43.240 the New Covenant. Jesus is sitting and resting. Here's the beauty, 0:03:43.760 --> 0:03:48.120 Paul said in Ephesians. We are seated with Christ in 0:03:48.160 --> 0:03:52.800 heavenly places. There is a seat of rest that belongs 0:03:52.840 --> 0:03:56.520 to you. You don't have to go through life wrought 0:03:56.640 --> 0:04:00.680 up on the inside, worried about your finances, trying to 0:04:00.720 --> 0:04:04.440 make a family member do what's right, Frustrated because a 0:04:04.520 --> 0:04:06.040 dream hasn't come to pass. 0:04:06.440 --> 0:04:07.560 Do yourself a favor. 0:04:07.960 --> 0:04:12.920 Take your seat, enter into this rest. When you live seated, 0:04:13.160 --> 0:04:16.479 you're in peace. You may have problems, but you know 0:04:16.800 --> 0:04:20.320 God is fighting your battles. People may have done you wrong, 0:04:20.640 --> 0:04:23.200 You're not trying to pay them back. You know God 0:04:23.279 --> 0:04:27.200 is your vindicator. He'll make your wrongs right. You're struggling 0:04:27.200 --> 0:04:30.800 with an illness. The medical report doesn't look good. You 0:04:30.839 --> 0:04:35.440 could go around upset worried. Instead you stay seated. You 0:04:35.560 --> 0:04:37.920 know God has you in the palm of his hand. 0:04:38.360 --> 0:04:41.120 You know the number of your days he will fulfill. 0:04:42.160 --> 0:04:46.279 David said, though I am surrounded by trouble, my heart 0:04:46.360 --> 0:04:49.400 will know no fear, for the Lord will bring me 0:04:49.480 --> 0:04:53.560 safely through. He was saying, even though everything has come 0:04:53.600 --> 0:04:57.200 against me, I should be worried and upset, but I 0:04:57.240 --> 0:04:58.080 know a secret. 0:04:58.360 --> 0:05:00.320 The battle is not mine, the. 0:05:00.279 --> 0:05:03.359 Battle is the Lord's. So I'm going to take my seat. 0:05:04.360 --> 0:05:06.880 But when you try to make everything happen in your 0:05:06.920 --> 0:05:11.400 own strength, pay people back, fix this problem. Live worried 0:05:11.440 --> 0:05:15.839 about a child. When you stand up, God steps back. 0:05:16.600 --> 0:05:17.880 As long as you're. 0:05:17.720 --> 0:05:19.760 Working, he'll rest. 0:05:19.960 --> 0:05:22.839 But when you sit down, God will stand up, so 0:05:22.960 --> 0:05:25.760 to speak, he'll go to work. That's why he told 0:05:25.800 --> 0:05:30.039 the Israelites again and again, be still, and you will 0:05:30.080 --> 0:05:33.840 see the deliverance of the Lord. He was saying, take 0:05:33.880 --> 0:05:34.320 your seat. 0:05:34.880 --> 0:05:37.760 I've got this. I'm bigger than what you're facing. 0:05:38.480 --> 0:05:41.640 This doesn't mean that we don't do anything. We sit back, 0:05:41.680 --> 0:05:45.640 passive all day long. We should be responsible. We have 0:05:45.720 --> 0:05:49.599 to pray, believe, dream, but do it from a place 0:05:49.640 --> 0:05:53.920 of rest. You can work hard with a rest on 0:05:53.960 --> 0:05:57.440 the inside, knowing that you're doing your best. 0:05:57.240 --> 0:05:59.640 And God will get you to where you're supposed to be. 0:06:00.600 --> 0:06:04.280 Not working hard, frustrated thinking when am I going to. 0:06:04.240 --> 0:06:06.520 Get good breaks? Why isn't this changing? 0:06:06.720 --> 0:06:10.479 Everybody's passing me up. Don't take your seat. Work from 0:06:10.520 --> 0:06:13.800 a place of rest, knowing that God's fever is on 0:06:13.920 --> 0:06:17.919 your life, that He's breathing in your direction, that goodness 0:06:17.960 --> 0:06:22.160 and mercy are chasing you down. Inner rest is just 0:06:22.240 --> 0:06:26.440 as important as outer rest. Your physical body may rest, 0:06:26.680 --> 0:06:29.839 but if your mind never rest. If you live wrought 0:06:29.960 --> 0:06:33.760 up on the inside, fighting everything you don't like, that's 0:06:33.800 --> 0:06:37.880 going to wear you out, even things we should stand against, 0:06:38.240 --> 0:06:43.840 an addiction, a sickness, dysfunction. If you're always in fight mode, 0:06:44.080 --> 0:06:47.720 pressured thinking, I've got to change this, constantly working, it's 0:06:47.760 --> 0:06:51.440 going to drain your joy, drain your energy. You're living 0:06:51.640 --> 0:06:55.400 under the old covenant under works. If I can work 0:06:55.440 --> 0:06:58.359 hard enough, if I can make myself change, if I 0:06:58.400 --> 0:07:01.960 can make this problem go away. Your heart is right, 0:07:02.320 --> 0:07:05.480 but your approach is wrong. Why don't you approach it 0:07:05.600 --> 0:07:09.040 from a place of rest. God, I can't change this. 0:07:09.080 --> 0:07:11.200 On my own. I need your help. 0:07:11.520 --> 0:07:13.880 I'm going to be my best and God, I know 0:07:14.120 --> 0:07:17.240 you're the potter and i'm the clay. In your time 0:07:17.440 --> 0:07:19.760 and in your way, you will help me to change. 0:07:20.520 --> 0:07:26.000 Instead of doing doing, doing the right attitude is done, done. 0:07:25.840 --> 0:07:27.360 Done, it is finished. 0:07:27.960 --> 0:07:32.320 God has already defeated every enemy. He's already planned out 0:07:32.400 --> 0:07:35.960 your days for good. Now take your seat. Live from 0:07:36.000 --> 0:07:38.640 a place of rest, a place of peace, a place 0:07:38.680 --> 0:07:42.440 of trust. When I first started ministering, I would get 0:07:42.480 --> 0:07:45.480 so nervous. I knew I was supposed to step up 0:07:45.520 --> 0:07:48.680 and pasture the church, but I dreaded having to get 0:07:48.760 --> 0:07:51.760 up in front of people. All through the week, I'd 0:07:51.760 --> 0:07:54.040 have to fight these thoughts. What if I don't know 0:07:54.080 --> 0:07:57.400 what to say? What if nobody comes, What if people 0:07:57.440 --> 0:08:00.760 don't listen to me. When I would finish message on 0:08:00.800 --> 0:08:04.080 a Sunday morning, for about thirty minutes, I would be 0:08:04.120 --> 0:08:07.800 so relieved and so grateful. Then I would start thinking 0:08:07.840 --> 0:08:11.040 about the next week. What am I gonna say next Sunday? 0:08:11.240 --> 0:08:14.280 What if I can't come up with anything. After about 0:08:14.400 --> 0:08:18.400 six months, I thought, I am not living like this anymore. 0:08:18.560 --> 0:08:21.360 I'm going to take my seat. If I had not 0:08:21.560 --> 0:08:24.040 made that decision, I wouldn't have made it to forty 0:08:24.120 --> 0:08:29.440 years old. You weren't created to carry those heavy burdens, 0:08:30.040 --> 0:08:34.760 weighted down with worry, stress, frustration. This is the reason 0:08:35.000 --> 0:08:38.160 some people have health issues. They can't sleep at night, 0:08:38.559 --> 0:08:43.160 they have digested problems. How blood pressure it's because there's 0:08:43.240 --> 0:08:46.600 no inner rest. They haven't learned how to take their 0:08:46.679 --> 0:08:50.720 seat on the inside. They're constantly worried about their child, 0:08:51.160 --> 0:08:55.160 trying to figure everything out, frustrated because it's taken so long. 0:08:56.080 --> 0:08:59.680 The psalm is said, be still and know that he 0:08:59.800 --> 0:09:04.320 is God. This infers if you're not still, if you're 0:09:04.400 --> 0:09:07.439 not seated, you won't really know that he is God. 0:09:08.040 --> 0:09:10.960 You won't see his favor, his blessings, his goodness like 0:09:11.000 --> 0:09:15.080 you should when things come against you. Like with me, 0:09:15.600 --> 0:09:19.000 it's easy to let your mind constantly play all. 0:09:18.840 --> 0:09:22.280 The what ifs. What if it doesn't work out. 0:09:21.920 --> 0:09:25.800 What if the report isn't good, what if they don't change. Remember, 0:09:26.360 --> 0:09:31.280 when you're working, God is resting. If you'll start resting, 0:09:31.800 --> 0:09:35.520 turning that over to God, then he'll start working. He 0:09:35.679 --> 0:09:39.440 sees what's happening. He knows how big the challenge is. 0:09:39.960 --> 0:09:42.960 He knows who did you wrong. The good news is 0:09:43.520 --> 0:09:47.240 he already has the solution. He's not going to just 0:09:47.320 --> 0:09:50.120 bring you out. He's going to make the enemy pay 0:09:50.520 --> 0:09:53.640 and bring you out better than you were before. Now 0:09:53.679 --> 0:09:57.520 do your part. Take your seat. Quit trying to figure 0:09:57.600 --> 0:10:02.679 everything out. Some situationations there is no logical solution. 0:10:03.720 --> 0:10:06.240 You have to turn your mind off in one sense. 0:10:06.480 --> 0:10:10.920 The scripture says, lean not to your own understanding, and 0:10:10.960 --> 0:10:13.400 it's okay to say God, I don't see how this 0:10:13.480 --> 0:10:15.960 can work out. I don't see a way, but don't 0:10:15.960 --> 0:10:18.880 stop there. Follow it up with but I know you 0:10:19.000 --> 0:10:20.040 have a way. 0:10:20.160 --> 0:10:22.680 I know this is not a surprise to you. 0:10:22.679 --> 0:10:25.800 You had the solution before I had the problem. So 0:10:25.920 --> 0:10:28.280 I'm not going to worry. I'm going to live from 0:10:28.320 --> 0:10:32.760 a place of peace. David said, God will make your 0:10:32.880 --> 0:10:37.200 enemies your footstools. A footstool, of course, is something you 0:10:37.280 --> 0:10:41.560 put your feet upon. It's another picture of rest. God 0:10:41.640 --> 0:10:44.640 could have said he would make our enemies like grass 0:10:44.880 --> 0:10:47.440 so we could walk on them, or like sand. So 0:10:47.520 --> 0:10:52.200 it's sought. God used footstools to remind us to stay 0:10:52.240 --> 0:10:57.000 at rest. When you face challenges, things you don't understand, 0:10:57.080 --> 0:10:59.600 things that are not fair, one of the first things 0:10:59.600 --> 0:11:02.480 you need to do is put your feet up, come 0:11:02.559 --> 0:11:05.000 back to a place of peace. You have to do 0:11:05.080 --> 0:11:08.680 this by faith, because every voice will tell you why 0:11:08.679 --> 0:11:11.040 it's not going to work out. You're not going to 0:11:11.080 --> 0:11:14.600 get well. You saw the diagnosis. Your family will never 0:11:14.679 --> 0:11:18.640 be restored. There's too much strife. That's the enemy trying 0:11:18.640 --> 0:11:22.760 to deceive you in the standing up. He'll do everything 0:11:22.840 --> 0:11:27.360 he can to keep you from staying seated. He knows 0:11:27.520 --> 0:11:31.960 when you're seated in peace, trusting God, he doesn't have 0:11:32.000 --> 0:11:35.200 a chance. When you live from a place of rest, 0:11:35.679 --> 0:11:39.360 all the forces of darkness cannot stop you. God has 0:11:39.400 --> 0:11:42.960 the final say. It may have been meant for your harm, 0:11:43.240 --> 0:11:46.200 but God is going to turn it into a footstool, 0:11:46.800 --> 0:11:50.000 not just a place of rest, but instead of being 0:11:50.040 --> 0:11:53.000 a stumbling block to stop you, it's going to become 0:11:53.240 --> 0:11:56.120 a stepping stone to take you to the next level. 0:11:57.160 --> 0:12:01.079 It says in Hebrew's labor to in in to the 0:12:01.120 --> 0:12:05.640 rest of God. That sounds like a contradiction, labor to rest, 0:12:06.440 --> 0:12:10.880 But God used the word labor because he knew it's going. 0:12:10.720 --> 0:12:12.640 To take work to stay seated. 0:12:13.400 --> 0:12:16.520 It's easy to stand up, it's easy to be offended, 0:12:16.800 --> 0:12:18.000 try to pay people back. 0:12:18.520 --> 0:12:21.400 It's easy to live worried, discouraged by problems. 0:12:21.920 --> 0:12:25.600 That's why it says labor to enter His rest is 0:12:25.640 --> 0:12:28.080 going to take effort. And this is one of the 0:12:28.120 --> 0:12:31.360 few times that God tells us to work, and it 0:12:31.400 --> 0:12:35.440 doesn't say work to straighten out your neighbor. Work to 0:12:35.520 --> 0:12:39.360 make the problem go away, he said, work to stay seated. 0:12:40.320 --> 0:12:42.960 Maybe you're trying to break an addiction. Yes, you have 0:12:43.040 --> 0:12:46.480 to be disciplined, you have to be determined. But if 0:12:46.480 --> 0:12:49.959 there's a war going on on the inside where you're 0:12:50.040 --> 0:12:54.720 upset with yourself, frustrated because you're not further along trying 0:12:54.720 --> 0:12:57.760 to force it to happen in your own strength, you're 0:12:57.760 --> 0:13:01.960 not tapping into the grace that's a available today. You're 0:13:02.080 --> 0:13:04.640 like that priest that had to make a sacrifice again 0:13:04.800 --> 0:13:09.119 and again. No, you're under the new Covenant. Christ defeated 0:13:09.240 --> 0:13:13.079 every enemy. The price has already been paid. You are 0:13:13.080 --> 0:13:16.920 not working to get the victory. You are working from victory. 0:13:17.559 --> 0:13:21.120 When you know that you've already won. There's a rest. 0:13:21.840 --> 0:13:24.719 You don't live worried, you don't lose sleep at night. 0:13:24.800 --> 0:13:28.240 You know the outcome. God said, He always causes you 0:13:28.280 --> 0:13:31.679 to try umph and it may not turn out every 0:13:31.679 --> 0:13:34.320 time the way you thought or on your timetable. 0:13:34.760 --> 0:13:37.680 But God's ways are better than our ways. This is 0:13:37.720 --> 0:13:39.439 what trust is all about. 0:13:39.720 --> 0:13:42.120 What I'm saying is when you live from a place 0:13:42.160 --> 0:13:45.920 of peace, you'll not only enjoy your life more, but 0:13:46.000 --> 0:13:49.079 God will make things happen that you couldn't make happen. 0:13:49.920 --> 0:13:54.440 My parents started Lakewood in nineteen fifty nine with ninety people. 0:13:55.080 --> 0:13:59.199 For about thirteen years, the church didn't really grow. They 0:13:59.240 --> 0:14:02.240 had less than two one hundred people. My father had 0:14:02.320 --> 0:14:06.199 much bigger things in his heart. At seventeen years of age, 0:14:06.280 --> 0:14:08.599 he knew one day he was going to pastor a 0:14:08.720 --> 0:14:11.520 church with thousands, but he wasn't seeing any of that. 0:14:12.440 --> 0:14:14.760 His friends would come by and say, John, what are 0:14:14.760 --> 0:14:19.080 you doing out here? Still pastoring this little church. They 0:14:19.160 --> 0:14:23.040 meant well, but sometimes your friends can be discouraging. They 0:14:23.040 --> 0:14:25.560 were saying, John, why don't you stand up, Why don't 0:14:25.600 --> 0:14:27.320 you make something happen? Why don't you do it in 0:14:27.360 --> 0:14:31.480 your own strength. My father's attitude was, I'm going to 0:14:31.560 --> 0:14:34.240 keep doing what I know God asked me to do. 0:14:34.880 --> 0:14:38.120 I'm not going to be frustrated because it's not growing. 0:14:38.520 --> 0:14:41.280 I'm not going to slack off because it hasn't turned 0:14:41.320 --> 0:14:42.200 out my way. 0:14:42.440 --> 0:14:44.440 I'm going to keep my seat. 0:14:45.000 --> 0:14:48.200 He lived from this place of rest, knowing that God 0:14:48.280 --> 0:14:50.239 is in control, that God. 0:14:50.000 --> 0:14:51.120 Is keeping the records. 0:14:52.120 --> 0:14:55.120 These are tests that we have to pass. One of 0:14:55.160 --> 0:15:00.520 them is being faithful when nothing is changing right thing, 0:15:01.080 --> 0:15:04.960 when it's not growing. It's easy to get frustrated. God, 0:15:05.000 --> 0:15:07.880 I've got bigger things in me. Why isn't it changing? No, 0:15:08.200 --> 0:15:13.479 keep your seat. God is watching you. He sees your faithfulness. 0:15:13.840 --> 0:15:16.440 He sees you doing the right thing when it's hard, 0:15:17.000 --> 0:15:21.040 and at the appointed time in your due season. God 0:15:21.120 --> 0:15:25.000 is going to catapult you further than you can imagine. 0:15:25.040 --> 0:15:29.800 You are not falling behind. You are being prepared. God 0:15:29.840 --> 0:15:34.480 is getting you ready. Everything you went through deposited something 0:15:34.520 --> 0:15:39.280 on the inside. The delays made you stronger. The fact 0:15:39.320 --> 0:15:41.360 that you're not as far along as you would like 0:15:41.560 --> 0:15:45.400 that was ordained by God. Those people that didn't support you, 0:15:45.800 --> 0:15:49.600 the people that walked away, you could have become bitter. Instead, 0:15:49.840 --> 0:15:53.160 you stayed seated. You kept your peace. Now get ready. 0:15:53.400 --> 0:15:56.800 Your time is coming. God has something bigger than you think, 0:15:57.400 --> 0:16:00.920 more rewarding than you can imagine. He's going to exceed 0:16:01.400 --> 0:16:05.320 your expectations. That's what happened to my father. He ended 0:16:05.400 --> 0:16:09.720 up pastoring a church with thousands and thousands. But sometimes 0:16:10.240 --> 0:16:13.880 the reason we're frustrated is we're trying to change things 0:16:14.040 --> 0:16:17.920 that only God can change. You can't make people do 0:16:18.000 --> 0:16:22.320 what's right. You can pray for them, you can encourage them, 0:16:22.480 --> 0:16:25.800 but they have their own free will. Don't let them 0:16:25.840 --> 0:16:31.120 steal your joy. You are not responsible for other people's happiness. 0:16:31.800 --> 0:16:35.520 You cannot keep everyone in your life happy. You are 0:16:35.600 --> 0:16:39.560 responsible for your own happiness. And I don't mean to 0:16:39.600 --> 0:16:44.000 live selfishly, but sometimes we take on a false sense 0:16:44.040 --> 0:16:47.280 of responsibility. We think we have to keep all of 0:16:47.280 --> 0:16:50.440 our neighbors happy, all of our co workers happy, all 0:16:50.440 --> 0:16:52.080 of our friends, all of our family. 0:16:52.480 --> 0:16:56.440 I've learned some people don't want to be happy. They 0:16:56.560 --> 0:16:57.600 just want your attention. 0:16:58.240 --> 0:17:01.120 They want you to cater to them and come run 0:17:01.120 --> 0:17:05.240 and every time they call. If you don't, they'll try 0:17:05.240 --> 0:17:08.560 to make you feel guilty for not meeting all your demands. 0:17:08.720 --> 0:17:12.600 What they really want is to control you. Don't fall 0:17:12.640 --> 0:17:16.159 into that trap. Be nice, be kind, but don't be 0:17:16.240 --> 0:17:19.639 a doormat. You have a destiny to fulfill, you have 0:17:19.680 --> 0:17:24.960 an assignment. It's very easy to let people cause us 0:17:24.960 --> 0:17:28.960 to stand up, lose our peace, live frustrated, no sit, 0:17:29.040 --> 0:17:32.520 back down, stay at rest. I had to learn this 0:17:32.680 --> 0:17:36.439 lesson because I always felt responsible to keep everyone around 0:17:36.480 --> 0:17:39.840 me happy. It was easy when I was young, had 0:17:39.880 --> 0:17:42.679 a few friends, a few family members, But as I 0:17:42.720 --> 0:17:48.159 got older and had more family, more friends, cousins, relatives, colleagues, neighbors. 0:17:48.720 --> 0:17:51.840 I ended up spending half my time putting out fires, 0:17:52.320 --> 0:17:55.920 calming this one down, cheering this one up, running over 0:17:55.960 --> 0:17:58.520 here so this one wouldn't be offended. One day I 0:17:58.640 --> 0:18:03.120 realized I can't become who I'm created to be if 0:18:03.119 --> 0:18:06.760 I'm trying to please everybody around me. I had to 0:18:06.880 --> 0:18:10.400 draw that line in the sand and say I'm sitting down, 0:18:11.119 --> 0:18:13.960 I'm staying in peace now. I'm not going to let 0:18:14.080 --> 0:18:19.000 people who won't take responsibility for their own happiness make 0:18:19.080 --> 0:18:22.520 me feel guilty and try to control me. And I'm 0:18:22.520 --> 0:18:25.560 a nice person. I sound mean, but I'm not. I 0:18:25.600 --> 0:18:29.720 will go the extra mile. But some people are high maintenance. 0:18:30.560 --> 0:18:34.280 They will drain all the life, the energy, the goodwill 0:18:34.400 --> 0:18:36.280 out of you if you allow them to. 0:18:37.280 --> 0:18:38.520 They are not being. 0:18:38.320 --> 0:18:42.760 Disciplined to manage their own life, their own emotions. They'll 0:18:42.800 --> 0:18:46.680 expect you to keep them fixed. But you cannot fulfill 0:18:46.720 --> 0:18:51.120 your destiny. You can't accomplish your assignment unless you put 0:18:51.240 --> 0:18:54.840 up some boundaries and not let people pull you out 0:18:54.840 --> 0:18:58.879 of rest, make you feel guilty, get your upset like 0:18:59.000 --> 0:19:01.639 you have to keep them happy. That is a co 0:19:01.880 --> 0:19:07.160 dependent relationship. They can't be happy without you. That's not healthy. 0:19:07.840 --> 0:19:12.040 Be nice, but be firm. You have to labor to 0:19:12.280 --> 0:19:16.320 enter into this rest. God wouldn't have said labor if 0:19:16.359 --> 0:19:19.040 it wasn't going to be uncomfortable at times. 0:19:19.320 --> 0:19:20.199 I know you're like me. 0:19:20.280 --> 0:19:22.760 You don't want to hurt people's feelings, but you are 0:19:22.800 --> 0:19:26.320 not doing them a favor by catering to them. You 0:19:26.400 --> 0:19:30.840 are enabling their dysfunction, and that's keeping you from moving forward. 0:19:31.280 --> 0:19:34.240 They have to set some boundaries. I'm not going to 0:19:34.320 --> 0:19:37.320 come run and every time they call, I'm not gonna 0:19:37.400 --> 0:19:40.440 change my plans and not spend time with my family 0:19:40.760 --> 0:19:43.680 to go help them for the four hundredth time this month. 0:19:44.720 --> 0:19:48.200 Some people are alarmist every time they call it to 0:19:48.200 --> 0:19:51.359 a major crisis. A major emergency is gonna be dealt 0:19:51.359 --> 0:19:54.399 with right then. I don't know about you, but I 0:19:54.480 --> 0:19:57.480 have enough drama in my own life. I don't need 0:19:57.520 --> 0:20:02.800 somebody else's drama. Drama, Queen, call my brother Paul, He'll. 0:20:02.680 --> 0:20:03.800 Help you out. 0:20:04.720 --> 0:20:06.760 Years ago, I had this friend I went to high 0:20:06.800 --> 0:20:10.320 school with. We played basketball together, and he's a fine 0:20:10.359 --> 0:20:13.600 young man. I enjoyed being around him, but he started 0:20:13.640 --> 0:20:17.359 becoming overly dependent on me. I had to call him, 0:20:17.600 --> 0:20:19.240 I had to tell him what all of our friends 0:20:19.280 --> 0:20:21.600 were doing. I always had to go pick him up. 0:20:22.080 --> 0:20:25.080 I felt pressured. I was young, didn't know any better. 0:20:25.119 --> 0:20:27.800 I did it, but he got married. I got married 0:20:27.840 --> 0:20:30.159 and I didn't have the time like I had before. 0:20:30.640 --> 0:20:34.399 He couldn't understand it. He would get upset. I tried 0:20:34.440 --> 0:20:36.239 to keep him happy. I'd go see him, Let's go 0:20:36.280 --> 0:20:37.680 play basketball, let's hang out. 0:20:37.880 --> 0:20:40.639 It was never enough. He'd call back again. 0:20:40.800 --> 0:20:43.320 Upset got to the point where when I saw his 0:20:43.480 --> 0:20:45.719 name on my phone, I didn't want to answer it. 0:20:46.400 --> 0:20:49.119 I felt guilty, so I did, but he'd tell me 0:20:49.240 --> 0:20:51.760 all the reasons why I wasn't being a good friend. 0:20:52.359 --> 0:20:54.600 One day I learned what I'm telling you. 0:20:54.960 --> 0:20:58.960 I am not responsible to keep everyone around me happy. 0:20:59.200 --> 0:21:02.280 And I was nine, But I stopped answering his call. 0:21:02.880 --> 0:21:05.240 And the funny thing is I didn't feel guilty. 0:21:05.320 --> 0:21:06.399 I felt good about it. 0:21:06.880 --> 0:21:10.680 I knew he was pulling me out of rest. There 0:21:10.720 --> 0:21:14.480 are some people you cannot stay seated with them in 0:21:14.520 --> 0:21:18.119 your life. If you don't make an adjustment, you'll be 0:21:18.240 --> 0:21:22.680 frustrated for the next twenty years. Be respectful, but put 0:21:22.760 --> 0:21:25.960 up some boundaries. Well, Joel, what if they get upset, 0:21:26.200 --> 0:21:28.520 What if they don't want to be my friend? Say 0:21:28.560 --> 0:21:30.719 thank you Jesus, they did you a favor. 0:21:31.760 --> 0:21:33.000 Here's the bottom line. 0:21:33.160 --> 0:21:35.720 When you get to heaven, you are not going to 0:21:35.800 --> 0:21:38.960 answer to people about what you did with your life, 0:21:39.440 --> 0:21:42.080 how you spent your time, how you used your gifts. 0:21:42.200 --> 0:21:43.480 You're going to answer to God. 0:21:44.119 --> 0:21:47.560 Your destiny is too important to let people control you. 0:21:48.320 --> 0:21:49.959 There are a lot of things in life that we 0:21:50.040 --> 0:21:53.520 can't change. We can't make people do what's right. We 0:21:53.600 --> 0:21:56.840 can't make ourselves get well necessarily, we can't make a 0:21:56.920 --> 0:22:00.600 dream come to pass. But we can change our approach. 0:22:01.000 --> 0:22:04.560 We can choose to not let these things upset us. 0:22:05.040 --> 0:22:09.080 We can make this decision to take our seats. Somebody 0:22:09.080 --> 0:22:12.320 cuts you off in traffic. It's tempting to stand up, 0:22:12.760 --> 0:22:14.879 tempting to get upset. Let me show them, let me 0:22:14.880 --> 0:22:18.120 blow my horn. They've already moved on, They're already in. 0:22:18.040 --> 0:22:18.840 The next lane. 0:22:18.880 --> 0:22:21.320 You might as well sit back down. Don't let a 0:22:21.440 --> 0:22:24.800 stranger pull you out of rest. It's not hurting them, 0:22:25.119 --> 0:22:28.400 it's souring your day. A lot of these things are 0:22:28.480 --> 0:22:31.760 simply test. Are we going to keep letting the same 0:22:31.840 --> 0:22:35.120 things upset us. The same people get on our nerves, 0:22:35.480 --> 0:22:39.639 the same delays sour our life. My message today is 0:22:39.760 --> 0:22:44.080 very simple, stay seated. This is a freeing way to live. 0:22:44.440 --> 0:22:48.040 When you know that God is in control, that nothing 0:22:48.080 --> 0:22:51.440 can happen without his permission, and that He is directing 0:22:51.480 --> 0:22:55.520 your steps. Takes the pressure off. You can live calm 0:22:55.880 --> 0:23:01.639 in peace, not fighting everything you don't like. Have a disappointment, 0:23:01.680 --> 0:23:04.679 the medical report is not good. I'm not going to worry. 0:23:04.800 --> 0:23:08.240 I'm staying seated. God is my healer. You have a 0:23:08.280 --> 0:23:10.880 set back in your finances, you lose a big client. 0:23:11.400 --> 0:23:14.240 Every voice will say, be worried, be upset. 0:23:14.359 --> 0:23:15.080 That's not fair. 0:23:15.760 --> 0:23:19.119 If you'll listen, you'll hear the still small voice saying, 0:23:19.400 --> 0:23:23.879 stay seated. God's working behind the scenes. Payback is coming, 0:23:24.240 --> 0:23:27.920 Abundance is on the way. I wonder how much more 0:23:28.000 --> 0:23:31.160 we'd enjoy life if we would learn to live from 0:23:31.160 --> 0:23:32.200 this place of rest. 0:23:33.320 --> 0:23:36.240 In the Scripture, it compares a believer. 0:23:36.240 --> 0:23:40.440 To an eagle, and it's interesting how an egle handles challenges. 0:23:40.880 --> 0:23:43.560 A crow is one of the eagle's biggest pest. 0:23:44.119 --> 0:23:45.800 When the eagle is flying. 0:23:45.520 --> 0:23:48.240 The crow will come up right behind it and pester it. 0:23:48.760 --> 0:23:50.040 Do things to annoy it. 0:23:50.600 --> 0:23:53.600 Even though the eagle is much bigger, it can't turn 0:23:53.760 --> 0:23:57.040 as fast as the crow, and so instead of fighting 0:23:57.040 --> 0:24:00.600 the crow getting upset trying to defend itself well, the 0:24:00.720 --> 0:24:06.040 eagle will simply stretch out its eight foot wingspan, catch 0:24:06.119 --> 0:24:10.840 the winds, and rise higher and higher. And eagle can 0:24:10.880 --> 0:24:14.680 fly at heights that no other birds can fly. At 0:24:14.720 --> 0:24:17.320 some point, the crow will have to fall away. He 0:24:17.440 --> 0:24:21.439 can't breathe at that altitude. In the same way, we 0:24:21.560 --> 0:24:25.359 all have some crows in life. 0:24:24.240 --> 0:24:25.960 Some chickens and turkeys too. 0:24:26.480 --> 0:24:30.160 People that want to irritate us get on our nerves 0:24:30.200 --> 0:24:32.879 and do things to try to bait us into conflict. 0:24:33.280 --> 0:24:37.720 It's easy to get upset try to straighten every crow out, 0:24:38.000 --> 0:24:41.920 but remember you're an eagle. You can go up higher, 0:24:42.240 --> 0:24:46.239 You can fly where the crows cannot fly. But if 0:24:46.280 --> 0:24:49.120 you stay down at their level, try to straighten out 0:24:49.160 --> 0:24:53.040 every crow and get involved in conflicts that don't matter, 0:24:53.520 --> 0:24:57.160 that will keep you from your destiny. The crows, the chickens, 0:24:57.200 --> 0:25:01.880 the turkeys, they are simply distractions. When an egle faces 0:25:01.920 --> 0:25:05.280 a storm there's bad weather in its path, it doesn't 0:25:05.320 --> 0:25:08.720 bury its head and try to force his way through it. 0:25:09.040 --> 0:25:11.480 Fight the winds, fight the rain, fight the thunder. 0:25:11.760 --> 0:25:16.320 Again, it catches the thermal winds and goes up higher 0:25:16.680 --> 0:25:20.080 until it's above all the turmoil. Like the eagle. 0:25:20.480 --> 0:25:23.040 We all face storms, we all have difficulties. 0:25:23.240 --> 0:25:27.320 The key is to rise above all the turboil. You 0:25:27.359 --> 0:25:30.119 don't have to fight your way through it. Don't let 0:25:30.200 --> 0:25:34.360 it get on the inside. Remain at rest, stay seated, 0:25:34.720 --> 0:25:38.720 and God will fight your battles. Too often we're fighting 0:25:39.160 --> 0:25:40.440 when we should be resting. 0:25:41.119 --> 0:25:44.399 We're standing when we should be sitting. And yes, I 0:25:44.480 --> 0:25:45.879 know we have to stand strong. 0:25:46.080 --> 0:25:49.320 I'm talking about in your spirit, even when it's stormy 0:25:49.400 --> 0:25:52.960 all around you, things happening that you don't understand. You 0:25:53.040 --> 0:25:55.760 need to have a rest knowing that God is still 0:25:55.760 --> 0:25:58.920 on the throne, that He is bigger than anything you're facing. 0:26:00.040 --> 0:26:02.959 When you're an eagle, when you've learned to rise above 0:26:03.000 --> 0:26:06.280 the challenges, you'll be at peace when you could be upset. 0:26:06.800 --> 0:26:10.000 You'll have a smile when you could be discouraged. You're 0:26:10.080 --> 0:26:12.000 showing God that you trust him. 0:26:12.359 --> 0:26:13.439 You're taking your seat. 0:26:14.440 --> 0:26:18.080 Sometimes after a long day, I'll be standing in my 0:26:18.200 --> 0:26:21.720 kitchen talking to Victoria and our children, and we can 0:26:21.760 --> 0:26:24.200 talk for a long time, and at some point I'll 0:26:24.240 --> 0:26:26.800 tell them I have to go get off my feet. 0:26:27.480 --> 0:26:29.240 I know when I'm done, when I need to sit 0:26:29.320 --> 0:26:33.360 down and relax. Maybe today you need to get off 0:26:33.400 --> 0:26:37.240 your feet. You're living worried about your health and stressed 0:26:37.240 --> 0:26:41.160 over your finances, upset because that child still hasn't changed. 0:26:41.600 --> 0:26:42.200 Why don't you. 0:26:42.200 --> 0:26:43.760 Come back to a place of peace. 0:26:44.240 --> 0:26:48.119 God hasn't all figured out those enemies you're concerned about. 0:26:48.320 --> 0:26:51.320 Those obstacles, They're not going to stop you. They're going 0:26:51.359 --> 0:26:54.880 to become a footstool. And instead of laboring to try 0:26:54.880 --> 0:26:58.280 to fix everything, I'm asking you to labor to enter 0:26:58.320 --> 0:27:02.520 this rest created to carry the heavy burdens. There is 0:27:02.560 --> 0:27:04.960 a seat of rest that has your name on it. 0:27:05.600 --> 0:27:08.080 You may have been standing for a long time, but 0:27:08.200 --> 0:27:11.720 God is saying take your seat. Live from a place 0:27:11.760 --> 0:27:15.520 of rest, work hard, do your best, but on the inside, 0:27:15.840 --> 0:27:19.800 stay in peace. If you'll do this, I believe and declare, 0:27:20.040 --> 0:27:23.000 You're not only going to enjoy life more, but God's 0:27:23.000 --> 0:27:26.040 going to bring dreams to pass. Problems are about to 0:27:26.040 --> 0:27:31.600 turn around, health, wholeness, favor, victory, the fullness of your destiny. 0:27:31.480 --> 0:27:33.800 In Jesus' name. If you receive it. 0:27:33.920 --> 0:27:37.760 Can you say amen? Today, I'd like to give you 0:27:37.800 --> 0:27:40.840 an opportunity to make Jesus the Lord of your life. 0:27:41.040 --> 0:27:45.439 Would you pray with me? Just say, Lord, Jesus, I 0:27:45.600 --> 0:27:46.720 repent of my sins. 0:27:48.040 --> 0:27:48.960 Come into my heart. 0:27:50.040 --> 0:27:53.680 I'll make you my Lord and savior. Friends, if you 0:27:53.720 --> 0:27:56.720 prayed that simple prayer, we believe you got born again. 0:27:57.119 --> 0:28:00.960 Get in a good Bible based church, keep God first place, Victor, 0:28:01.000 --> 0:28:06.160 and I'll be right back to speak a blessing over you. Asa. 0:28:06.200 --> 0:28:08.760 Thank you for your support of our ministry. This month, 0:28:08.920 --> 0:28:11.320 Joel and Victoria would like to send you a copy 0:28:11.359 --> 0:28:15.240 of Joel's news series Five Ways to Live Amazed. You 0:28:15.280 --> 0:28:18.280 will discover that there is no limit to God's favor, 0:28:18.520 --> 0:28:22.159 God's goodness, and God's blessings in your life. 0:28:22.240 --> 0:28:25.679 God has things in store for you that you've never imagined. 0:28:25.960 --> 0:28:28.320 He can take you where you can't go on your own. 0:28:28.800 --> 0:28:31.080 You may think you've reached your limits, but if you'll 0:28:31.160 --> 0:28:34.280 keep honoring God, He's going to amaze you with his goodness. 0:28:34.440 --> 0:28:37.359 God's dream for your life is much bigger than your own. 0:28:37.720 --> 0:28:40.680 Request this resource. It will lift your faith and help 0:28:40.720 --> 0:28:42.320 you believe for an amazing year. 0:28:42.400 --> 0:28:45.880 Request your copy of five ways to live Amazed today 0:28:46.120 --> 0:28:49.280 at Joel Loustin dot com or call eight eight eight 0:28:49.520 --> 0:28:50.960 five six seven Joel. 0:28:51.160 --> 0:28:53.440 Eleven years ago, we were trying to add another child 0:28:53.480 --> 0:28:56.000 to our family. We soon found out that my wife 0:28:56.080 --> 0:28:59.240 had some medical issues. What we've learned through this ministry 0:28:59.440 --> 0:29:01.720 is that God, the God of the impossible. Not only 0:29:01.880 --> 0:29:03.880 is my wife healed and we were able to add 0:29:03.920 --> 0:29:06.560 a little baby girl to our family, but just recently 0:29:06.760 --> 0:29:07.880 we've added a baby boy. 0:29:08.760 --> 0:29:12.680 Your support is changing lives. Thanks so much for your prayer, 0:29:12.800 --> 0:29:15.840 for your generosity and being a part of the ministry. 0:29:16.200 --> 0:29:18.520 Special thank you to all of our Champion of Whole 0:29:18.640 --> 0:29:20.720 partners for all you do to make. 0:29:20.560 --> 0:29:21.800 The ministry possible. 0:29:22.200 --> 0:29:24.520 And be sure to stay connected with us on social 0:29:24.560 --> 0:29:29.680 media through Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, download our podcast. We'd love 0:29:29.720 --> 0:29:31.880 to inspire you all through the week and help you 0:29:31.960 --> 0:29:33.200 keep your thoughts going in. 0:29:33.200 --> 0:29:34.040 The right direction. 0:29:34.640 --> 0:29:37.640 Victoria and I pray for you and your families every day, 0:29:37.680 --> 0:29:40.160 and we believe you're going to see God's best in 0:29:40.200 --> 0:29:43.800 your life overcoming problems, and that God's going to exceed 0:29:43.920 --> 0:29:46.000 your expectations in twenty eighteen. 0:29:46.320 --> 0:29:48.960 Be a believer and not a doubter. God's got you 0:29:49.040 --> 0:29:49.920 in the palm of. 0:29:49.880 --> 0:29:52.960 His hand until we see you next time. Remember you're 0:29:53.000 --> 0:29:55.840 not average, You're not ordinary. 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