The Secret to Solving Problems

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See terms and conditions at 0:01:29.360 --> 0:01:30.080 UNEs dot co. 0:01:31.000 --> 0:01:35.280 Now it's time to go be a blessing. Look around, 0:01:35.680 --> 0:01:38.560 where is a need you can meet? Go pray for 0:01:38.640 --> 0:01:42.800 that neighbor that's not feeling well. Go encourage that coworker 0:01:42.840 --> 0:01:47.680 that's struggling. Go help that friend accomplish their dream. As 0:01:47.720 --> 0:01:50.880 you're helping others, you may not be able to see it, 0:01:51.160 --> 0:01:54.880 but God is helping you. He's lining up the promotion, 0:01:55.280 --> 0:01:59.440 the breakthroughs, the healing. You can't sow a seed without 0:01:59.520 --> 0:02:03.919 leaping off ARMI Hi, this is Joel and Victoria. Thanks 0:02:03.920 --> 0:02:07.720 for downloading our podcast. We enjoy spending this time with you. 0:02:08.040 --> 0:02:10.600 I know you're going to leave encouraged and inspired. 0:02:10.880 --> 0:02:13.840 Make sure you subscribe to get new messages every week, 0:02:13.960 --> 0:02:16.600 and follow us on social media to stay connected. 0:02:16.800 --> 0:02:20.200 We appreciate your support. It helps keep the ministry going. 0:02:20.600 --> 0:02:27.280 Enjoy the message. Well, God bless you. It's a joy 0:02:27.400 --> 0:02:30.200 to come into your homes. If you're ever in our area, 0:02:30.440 --> 0:02:33.480 please stop vibe be a part of one of our services. 0:02:33.639 --> 0:02:36.320 I promise you we'll make you feel right at home. 0:02:37.000 --> 0:02:39.280 I like to start with something funny, and I heard 0:02:39.320 --> 0:02:42.560 about this pastor and song leader that weren't getting along, 0:02:42.960 --> 0:02:46.639 and it started to spill over into the services. One Sunday, 0:02:46.680 --> 0:02:51.079 the pastor talked about the importance of being a giver. Afterwards, 0:02:51.120 --> 0:02:53.840 the song leader got up and led the song Jesus 0:02:53.880 --> 0:02:57.320 paid it all. The next week, the pastor talked about 0:02:57.360 --> 0:03:00.320 not gossiping and watching your tongue. The song leader god 0:03:00.400 --> 0:03:03.720 up in lad, I love to tell the story. Another week, 0:03:03.760 --> 0:03:07.200 he talked about being willing to change. The songleader got 0:03:07.280 --> 0:03:10.640 up and lad, I shall not be moved. The pastor 0:03:10.760 --> 0:03:14.919 was so frustrated he resigned told the congregation, Jesus brought 0:03:14.960 --> 0:03:17.959 me here, and Jesus has taken me away. The song 0:03:18.040 --> 0:03:21.320 leader then led, what a friend we have in Jesus. 0:03:22.440 --> 0:03:24.960 Say it like you mean it. This is my Bible. 0:03:25.320 --> 0:03:27.760 I am what it says I am. I have what 0:03:27.840 --> 0:03:30.320 it says I have. I can do what it says 0:03:30.360 --> 0:03:33.160 I can do. Today I will be taught the word 0:03:33.240 --> 0:03:37.480 of God. I boldly confess my mind is alert, my 0:03:37.640 --> 0:03:42.200 heart is receptive. I will never be the same. In Jesus' name, 0:03:42.600 --> 0:03:45.960 God bless you. I want to talk to you today 0:03:46.040 --> 0:03:51.040 about the secret to solving problems. We all face challenges 0:03:51.080 --> 0:03:54.360 and things we're believing will turn around. A child that's 0:03:54.480 --> 0:03:57.960 off course, a sickness, we're dealing with, a dream that 0:03:58.080 --> 0:04:04.320 seems impossible. Been praying, believing, but nothing is changing. Sometimes 0:04:04.680 --> 0:04:08.520 God won't allow you to solve your own problem. The 0:04:08.600 --> 0:04:13.000 secret is you have to help someone else solve their problem. 0:04:13.400 --> 0:04:16.599 You have to take the focus off yourself and be 0:04:16.760 --> 0:04:20.200 good to others in your time of need. As you 0:04:20.320 --> 0:04:23.440 sow that seed, that's what's going to bring the harvest 0:04:23.560 --> 0:04:26.480 that you're waiting for. But you'll be tempted to think 0:04:26.680 --> 0:04:30.159 I can't help them Joel have my own problems. I 0:04:30.240 --> 0:04:32.919 need to spend my energy to try to fix my situation. 0:04:33.720 --> 0:04:36.839 But if you'll take your hands off of your problem 0:04:37.240 --> 0:04:40.400 and be good to someone else, God will put his 0:04:40.600 --> 0:04:44.200 hands on your problem and make things happen that you 0:04:44.279 --> 0:04:48.799 couldn't make happen. While you're working on their situation, God 0:04:48.920 --> 0:04:52.800 is working on your situation. A friend of mine struggled 0:04:52.800 --> 0:04:56.039 for many years with his teenage son. It was like 0:04:56.080 --> 0:04:59.280 they were on different wavelengths. He tried his best to 0:04:59.320 --> 0:05:04.560 be loving, kind, understanding, they just didn't get along. Invariably 0:05:04.920 --> 0:05:08.640 end up in an argument. Everything was so contentious. He 0:05:08.680 --> 0:05:12.279 had prayed about it quoted scripture, asked God to help him, 0:05:12.480 --> 0:05:15.599 but nothing was getting better. He was the coach of 0:05:15.640 --> 0:05:18.680 the neighborhood baseball team. There was a young man on 0:05:18.760 --> 0:05:22.520 his team that came from a single parent family. He 0:05:22.600 --> 0:05:26.360 wasn't doing good in his schoolwork. When this father learned that, 0:05:27.000 --> 0:05:30.359 he took that young man under his wing. He started 0:05:30.360 --> 0:05:33.960 bringing him home from baseball practice with his son and 0:05:34.040 --> 0:05:37.400 he would help him do his homework. He tutored him, 0:05:37.880 --> 0:05:41.640 mentored him, became a father figure in his life. That 0:05:41.800 --> 0:05:45.240 young man looked up to him, admired him in a 0:05:45.279 --> 0:05:49.960 great way. About six months after this father started doing that, 0:05:50.560 --> 0:05:54.920 his relationship with his own son began to improve. They 0:05:55.000 --> 0:05:59.479 got closer, started doing things together. Today they're the best 0:05:59.480 --> 0:06:03.400 of friends. You can't keep them apart. The secret to 0:06:03.560 --> 0:06:08.960 solving his problem wasn't in praying more, wasn't in working harder. 0:06:09.440 --> 0:06:13.640 It was in helping someone else solve their problem. The 0:06:13.680 --> 0:06:18.240 scripture says, when Job prayed for his friends, his healing 0:06:18.520 --> 0:06:22.240 quickly came. Don't you know how many times Job prayed 0:06:22.279 --> 0:06:27.000 for himself when he wasn't feeling well. God, please restore 0:06:27.040 --> 0:06:30.479 health back into me. God, please free me from this pain. 0:06:30.760 --> 0:06:34.920 And that's good. That's releasing your faith. I'm simply saying, 0:06:35.440 --> 0:06:39.960 don't stop there, because there are times your breakthrough is 0:06:40.040 --> 0:06:44.960 connected to helping someone else get their breakthrough. Now, maybe 0:06:45.000 --> 0:06:49.520 you've been praying diligently, standing in faith so strong, but 0:06:49.600 --> 0:06:54.040 nothing is improving. Now it's time to go be a blessing. 0:06:54.960 --> 0:06:58.600 Look around, where is a need you can meet. Go 0:06:58.680 --> 0:07:01.800 pray for that neighbor and it's not feeling well. Go 0:07:01.960 --> 0:07:06.520 encourage that coworker that's struggling. Go help that friend accomplish 0:07:06.600 --> 0:07:10.480 their dream. As you're helping others. You may not be 0:07:10.560 --> 0:07:13.720 able to see it, but God is helping you. He's 0:07:13.800 --> 0:07:18.520 lining up the promotion, the breakthroughs, the healing. You can't 0:07:18.560 --> 0:07:22.240 sow a seed without reaping a harvest. When I was 0:07:22.280 --> 0:07:26.000 ten years old, Lakewood was in an auditorium that held 0:07:26.000 --> 0:07:29.840 a thousand people. The church was growing. We needed to 0:07:29.920 --> 0:07:34.160 expand the building. My father asked the congregation to be 0:07:34.280 --> 0:07:37.600 praying about what they could give toward it. And there 0:07:37.640 --> 0:07:41.440 was a small Spanish speaking church about six blocks down 0:07:41.440 --> 0:07:45.120 the road from Lakewood. They had started construction on a 0:07:45.160 --> 0:07:48.760 new building. It was an auditorium to hold one hundred people. 0:07:49.440 --> 0:07:53.880 My father noticed that the construction had stopped for several months. 0:07:53.920 --> 0:07:57.360 No one was working. He didn't know anyone there. He 0:07:57.400 --> 0:08:02.080 had never met the pastor. But one after afternoon, leaving Lakewood, 0:08:02.320 --> 0:08:05.840 he pulled in and talked with some people. They told 0:08:06.080 --> 0:08:10.720 how they started construction but had complications. It was costing 0:08:10.960 --> 0:08:13.680 more than they thought. Now they had run out of 0:08:13.720 --> 0:08:18.440 funds and the building was just sitting there indefinitely. Well, 0:08:18.440 --> 0:08:22.680 my father was believing to raise the funds to expand Lakewood. 0:08:23.160 --> 0:08:27.880 We needed the finances, but he told the congregation instead 0:08:27.880 --> 0:08:30.720 of giving money for our building. He was going to 0:08:30.760 --> 0:08:35.439 take up an offering for their building. Lakewood gave the finances. 0:08:35.679 --> 0:08:39.480 It was enough to finish their auditorium. In the natural, 0:08:39.920 --> 0:08:43.680 it didn't make sense. We needed the finances. We had 0:08:43.720 --> 0:08:47.960 the problem. But my father understood this principle. When you 0:08:48.120 --> 0:08:53.720 helped solve somebody else's problem, God will help solve your problem. Now, 0:08:53.800 --> 0:08:58.440 sometimes it's not going to make sense. Proverbs says it 0:08:58.559 --> 0:09:02.480 is possible to give a way and have more. It 0:09:02.559 --> 0:09:06.880 is also possible to hold on too tightly and lose everything. 0:09:07.640 --> 0:09:11.760 God's ways are not our ways. Everything in you will say, 0:09:12.240 --> 0:09:15.440 stay focused on getting out of my problem, Joel, I 0:09:15.520 --> 0:09:20.000 can't help others until this problem is solved. No, helping 0:09:20.080 --> 0:09:23.560 others is what's going to cause that problem to turn around. 0:09:24.120 --> 0:09:28.199 Giving your time, energy, resources, that's what's going to open 0:09:28.240 --> 0:09:31.200 the windows of heaven and cause your dream to come 0:09:31.240 --> 0:09:35.440 to pass. You would have thought giving away those funds 0:09:35.800 --> 0:09:39.360 would have kept Lakewood from expanding the building. It was 0:09:39.600 --> 0:09:43.160 just the opposite. The funds came in for the foundation. 0:09:43.520 --> 0:09:46.440 We paid it all. The funds came in for the steel, 0:09:46.880 --> 0:09:50.360 the lights, the chairs, the sound system. The building was 0:09:50.400 --> 0:09:56.080 built debt free, no delays, no complications, and not just 0:09:56.240 --> 0:10:01.200 that building. Over the years, my father built building after building, 0:10:01.520 --> 0:10:06.840 expansion after expansion. He paid cash every time. He never 0:10:06.920 --> 0:10:11.080 lacked resources, never lack the funds. I believe it all 0:10:11.120 --> 0:10:15.080 started when he helped that Spanish church. He had a need, 0:10:15.480 --> 0:10:18.120 he had a problem. He didn't just pray about it, 0:10:18.400 --> 0:10:22.880 he didn't just believe. He helped solve someone else's problem. 0:10:23.640 --> 0:10:27.640 When you make sacrifices to help other people's dream come 0:10:27.720 --> 0:10:31.800 to pass, God will make sure your dream comes to pass. 0:10:32.760 --> 0:10:38.199 Don't live only focused on yourself, my goals, my problems, 0:10:38.360 --> 0:10:42.040 my trouble at work. Get your mind off yourself and 0:10:42.080 --> 0:10:47.040 go be a blessing. Sow acede doesn't have to be finances. 0:10:47.160 --> 0:10:50.880 You can sow encouragement. Go visit that loved one in 0:10:50.920 --> 0:10:55.120 the hospital. Cheer them up, Call that friend and speak 0:10:55.240 --> 0:10:59.880 life into their dreams. Take that elderly neighbor dinner each night. 0:11:00.440 --> 0:11:04.520 Make an extra plate for them. The scripture says, when 0:11:04.520 --> 0:11:08.240 it's in your power to do good, don't withhold it 0:11:08.280 --> 0:11:12.000 from others. That means, when you know you can be 0:11:12.040 --> 0:11:15.880 a blessing, you have the resources to help that person 0:11:15.960 --> 0:11:19.200 in need, you can teach them the skills that you've learned. 0:11:19.720 --> 0:11:23.520 Don't put it off. When you help solve their problem. 0:11:23.920 --> 0:11:27.040 You're not just being good to them, you are setting 0:11:27.080 --> 0:11:31.560 a miracle in motion for yourself. When you show favor. 0:11:31.880 --> 0:11:35.600 The scripture says, fever will come to you. And here's 0:11:35.640 --> 0:11:40.040 the beauty. When you help others, what you give is 0:11:40.120 --> 0:11:42.760 going to come back to you, but not in the 0:11:42.800 --> 0:11:48.720 same proportion. Pressed down, shaking together, running over. My father 0:11:49.120 --> 0:11:53.160 helped that Spanish church that one time, but the blessing 0:11:53.320 --> 0:11:57.040 from that obedience is still coming. When you're in a 0:11:57.080 --> 0:12:00.280 difficult time, more than ever, you need to look for 0:12:00.400 --> 0:12:05.920 opportunities to do good. When your dream seems impossible, find 0:12:06.000 --> 0:12:10.120 someone and help their dream come to pass. It's good 0:12:10.120 --> 0:12:13.760 to pray, believe, work hard, but some things are not 0:12:13.840 --> 0:12:18.000 going to happen if you're only focused on yourself as 0:12:18.040 --> 0:12:21.920 you bless others, God will bless you. As you show favor, 0:12:22.160 --> 0:12:25.800 favor will come to you. The last Sunday that we 0:12:25.880 --> 0:12:29.680 had services at our old location, I was driving down 0:12:29.720 --> 0:12:34.120 the road that final time, leaving the services, feeling so 0:12:34.320 --> 0:12:38.280 grateful for all that God had done. My mind was 0:12:38.320 --> 0:12:42.200 flooded with good memories and overwhelmed with where God was 0:12:42.240 --> 0:12:46.280 taking us. I looked up and saw a beautiful rainbow 0:12:46.440 --> 0:12:50.240 in the sky. It's as if God was smiling on us, 0:12:50.600 --> 0:12:54.520 saying this chapter is finished, but another great chapter is beginning. 0:12:55.280 --> 0:12:59.720 About that time, I passed that small Spanish church that 0:12:59.760 --> 0:13:03.360 my father and Lakewood at help over forty years earlier. 0:13:04.120 --> 0:13:08.280 Their little sign outside said thank you Lakewood for giving 0:13:08.360 --> 0:13:12.360 us our building. My mind flashed back to that time 0:13:12.400 --> 0:13:15.640 when I was a little boy. I wondered would I 0:13:15.720 --> 0:13:19.280 be going to the Compact Center if my father had 0:13:19.280 --> 0:13:21.640 not helped them in their time of need? Would I 0:13:21.760 --> 0:13:25.920 be seeing the favor, the growth, the influence that it 0:13:25.960 --> 0:13:29.400 could have thought? We got big problems. We need it 0:13:29.440 --> 0:13:32.600 more than they do. We have all these challenges. But 0:13:32.720 --> 0:13:36.800 he didn't withhold the good when he had the opportunity. 0:13:37.000 --> 0:13:40.200 Much of this comes down to trusting God, Joel. I 0:13:40.240 --> 0:13:43.280 can't help somebody else. I got my own problems. I 0:13:43.320 --> 0:13:46.080 can't give away what I need from my dreams. I'm 0:13:46.120 --> 0:13:49.960 counting on that when you give your time, your energy, 0:13:50.160 --> 0:13:54.200 your resources, your talent, you will never end up with less. 0:13:54.640 --> 0:13:57.440 That is a seed you're sewing that's going to keep 0:13:57.480 --> 0:14:01.480 coming back to you. I am reaping a harvest from 0:14:01.600 --> 0:14:06.000 seeds of obedience that my parents sowed fifty years ago. 0:14:07.280 --> 0:14:11.560 When you live a life of generosity, making sacrifices for 0:14:11.679 --> 0:14:15.080 others to come up higher, that's not only going to 0:14:15.160 --> 0:14:18.440 impact you for the good. It's going to impact your children, 0:14:18.920 --> 0:14:22.680 your grandchildren. Those seeds are going to keep on producing. 0:14:23.600 --> 0:14:27.960 Second King's nineteen King, Hezekiah was on the throne of Israel. 0:14:28.360 --> 0:14:32.160 He was one of David's descendants. The Assyrian army had 0:14:32.200 --> 0:14:35.560 surrounded the people of Judah and were about to attack. 0:14:35.920 --> 0:14:40.720 They were much bigger and stronger. Hezekiah didn't stand a chance. 0:14:41.440 --> 0:14:45.480 Isaiah the Prophet told him, the Assyrian army will not 0:14:45.840 --> 0:14:49.680 enter Jerusalem. They will not shoot their arrows over the 0:14:49.720 --> 0:14:54.560 city wall, but they will return home in defeat. That night, 0:14:54.920 --> 0:14:58.800 the Angel of the Lord destroyed one hundred and eighty 0:14:58.840 --> 0:15:02.280 five thousand of the enemy troops. The rest of them 0:15:02.480 --> 0:15:07.800 went back home, just like Isaiah prophesied. Hisekiah was so thrilled. 0:15:08.400 --> 0:15:11.600 I can imagine he wondered why God blessed him in 0:15:11.640 --> 0:15:14.000 such a way and why he showed him so much favor. 0:15:14.400 --> 0:15:18.920 Isaiah said in verse thirty four, Hisekiah, God didn't do 0:15:18.960 --> 0:15:23.480 this because of anything you did, he protected you for 0:15:23.600 --> 0:15:28.000 the sake of his servant, David. This was three hundred 0:15:28.040 --> 0:15:32.200 and five years after David had died. Yet those seeds 0:15:32.200 --> 0:15:36.040 of obedience, seeds of being good to people were still 0:15:36.120 --> 0:15:41.440 producing in their family line. Every time you help someone 0:15:41.480 --> 0:15:44.800 in need, it's not only going to help you, but 0:15:44.920 --> 0:15:48.680 you are storing up blessings for your children. Every time 0:15:48.720 --> 0:15:53.080 you helped solve someone's problem, every time you make sacrifices 0:15:53.360 --> 0:15:56.480 to help them go further, you're so in a seed 0:15:56.960 --> 0:15:59.800 not only for you to go further, but for those 0:15:59.880 --> 0:16:03.440 that come after you in your family line to go further. 0:16:04.040 --> 0:16:09.200 Like Hezekiah, they will see blessings, favor protection because you 0:16:09.320 --> 0:16:14.040 made decisions that honored God. In the scripture, Joseph had 0:16:14.080 --> 0:16:17.560 a big problem. As a teenager. God gave him a 0:16:17.640 --> 0:16:21.160 dream that he would be in leadership and do great things. 0:16:21.720 --> 0:16:24.720 But his brothers were jealous of him. They didn't like 0:16:24.800 --> 0:16:28.560 his big dream. They threw him into a pit. They 0:16:28.560 --> 0:16:31.080 were going to tell their father that he was eaten 0:16:31.160 --> 0:16:35.400 by a wild animal. They ended up selling him into slavery. 0:16:36.120 --> 0:16:39.720 Joseph worked for a man named Potterphar in Egypt, and 0:16:39.840 --> 0:16:43.040 even though Joseph had a big problem. Even though his 0:16:43.200 --> 0:16:46.600 dreams were shattered, What did he do sit around in 0:16:46.680 --> 0:16:51.200 self pity blaming God? Know In the midst of that problem, 0:16:51.520 --> 0:16:56.000 he started helping Potterphar with his problem. He ran his 0:16:56.160 --> 0:17:01.280 whole household, organized all his staff, made sure the grounds 0:17:01.280 --> 0:17:06.720 were clean, the property secure, the supplies in place. Instead 0:17:06.760 --> 0:17:10.280 of just focusing on his problem, he was being good 0:17:10.359 --> 0:17:14.879 to someone else. At one point, Joseph was falsely accused 0:17:14.960 --> 0:17:19.440 and put in prison. Surely now he would be bitter, discouraged. 0:17:20.119 --> 0:17:23.600 But in the prison, two of his cell mates had 0:17:23.600 --> 0:17:27.280 a problem. They had a dream and didn't understand what 0:17:27.320 --> 0:17:32.359 it meant. Joseph didn't say, too bad for you. I'm depressed, 0:17:32.920 --> 0:17:35.679 I don't want to be here. I don't like you anyway. 0:17:35.880 --> 0:17:39.479 He said, I can interpret dreams. Let me help you 0:17:39.640 --> 0:17:43.760 with your problem. He interpreted their dreams. One of the 0:17:43.800 --> 0:17:48.240 cell mates was released from prison. Two years later, the pharaoh, 0:17:48.720 --> 0:17:51.320 the leader of the country, had a dream that he 0:17:51.400 --> 0:17:55.760 didn't understand. The former cealmates said, I know someone that 0:17:55.880 --> 0:18:00.440 can interpret dreams. Joseph came before the pharaoh and told 0:18:00.520 --> 0:18:02.840 him how the dream had to do with the food 0:18:02.960 --> 0:18:06.440 supply and how there were years of famine coming and 0:18:06.520 --> 0:18:09.800 how important it was to store up grain and get 0:18:09.800 --> 0:18:13.919 everything prepared for the drought. Pharaoh looked at him and said, Joseph, 0:18:14.280 --> 0:18:17.280 you're the right man for the job. Nobody could do 0:18:17.320 --> 0:18:20.440 it better than you. He made Joseph second in command 0:18:20.600 --> 0:18:25.240 of Egypt. What was Joseph doing for Pharaoh? Solving a 0:18:25.320 --> 0:18:31.240 problem strategically getting everything lined up, using his talent, his skill, 0:18:31.560 --> 0:18:36.120 his expertise to help the people that were holding him captive. 0:18:36.760 --> 0:18:40.359 He was so excellent that people from other nations came 0:18:40.760 --> 0:18:45.600 to study his operation. And I'm sure Joseph was grateful 0:18:45.920 --> 0:18:49.120 to be out of prison to have this influential position, 0:18:49.920 --> 0:18:54.119 but he still missed his family. Deep down, he thought 0:18:54.160 --> 0:18:57.480 he would never see his father again, whom he loved 0:18:57.560 --> 0:19:01.840 so much. He'd already accepted it was too late. But 0:19:01.920 --> 0:19:06.080 as he was helping Pharaoh with his problem. Back home 0:19:06.200 --> 0:19:10.760 in Israel, his brothers were loading up their camels about 0:19:10.760 --> 0:19:14.120 to head to Egypt to look for food. They had 0:19:14.200 --> 0:19:17.880 heard the only place that had supplies was at the 0:19:17.920 --> 0:19:22.480 palace where Joseph was in charge. Noticed what was happening. 0:19:22.840 --> 0:19:26.879 While Joseph was working on Pharaoh's problem, God was working 0:19:26.960 --> 0:19:30.040 on Joseph's problem. He couldn't see it at the time. 0:19:30.520 --> 0:19:33.879 Everything looked just the same. But what Joseph didn't know 0:19:34.640 --> 0:19:38.080 was the camels were coming. His brothers were on the way. 0:19:39.000 --> 0:19:42.240 I can imagine one evening, there was a knock on 0:19:42.320 --> 0:19:46.080 the palace gates. The guards looked outside and saw this 0:19:46.280 --> 0:19:49.639 caravan of camels. They asked the people what they wanted. 0:19:50.040 --> 0:19:52.639 They said they were looking for food. One of the 0:19:52.680 --> 0:19:56.160 guards went to Joseph, said there's a group that just arrived. 0:19:56.280 --> 0:19:58.919 They want to purchase some grain. It was late in 0:19:58.960 --> 0:20:02.560 the Dayjoseph was tired. He was about to say tell 0:20:02.600 --> 0:20:06.000 them to leave, don't bother us, But for some reason 0:20:06.400 --> 0:20:09.359 he changed his mind and went out to meet them. 0:20:09.920 --> 0:20:13.840 He couldn't believe it. It was his brother's You would 0:20:13.880 --> 0:20:17.760 think that Joseph would want to get revenge. The truth 0:20:17.920 --> 0:20:21.000 is he was so grateful to see them. He was 0:20:21.119 --> 0:20:26.520 overwhelmed with emotion. They didn't recognize him. Eventually he told 0:20:26.560 --> 0:20:30.480 them who he was, and they all wept together. He 0:20:30.560 --> 0:20:34.280 asked them if their father was still alive. They said 0:20:34.280 --> 0:20:39.199 that he was. All those years Joseph spent working on 0:20:39.320 --> 0:20:43.119 other people's problems, doing the right thing, even when it 0:20:43.200 --> 0:20:48.480 wasn't fair that whole time God was watching. God sees 0:20:48.520 --> 0:20:53.119 your faithfulness. He sees you helping others when you need help. 0:20:53.720 --> 0:20:57.320 He sees you encouraging that friend when you need encouragement, 0:20:57.840 --> 0:21:01.240 praying for that neighbor that's not well. When you're fighting 0:21:01.280 --> 0:21:05.200 in illness, may seem like nothing is happening, but God 0:21:05.480 --> 0:21:09.400 is working. What you can't see is the camels are 0:21:09.440 --> 0:21:13.239 being loaded up. What you thought would never happen is 0:21:13.280 --> 0:21:18.560 still on the way. Joseph's father and whole family came 0:21:18.640 --> 0:21:22.840 to Egypt to live with Joseph. His father thought that 0:21:22.960 --> 0:21:27.400 Joseph was dead. Joseph thought that his father had already passed. 0:21:27.840 --> 0:21:31.879 Now the two of them are embracing, weeping. It's a 0:21:32.000 --> 0:21:37.160 dream come true. Joseph's problem is finally solved. It didn't 0:21:37.200 --> 0:21:40.359 happen the way Joseph thought. He didn't go back home 0:21:40.400 --> 0:21:44.400 to Israel, but his family came to Egypt. They were 0:21:44.440 --> 0:21:47.880 able to enjoy all the blessings and honor that God 0:21:47.920 --> 0:21:51.440 had given Joseph. But none of this would have happened 0:21:51.760 --> 0:21:55.880 if Joseph would have lived in grown. Not gonna help 0:21:55.920 --> 0:22:00.920 this man, Potiphar got my own problems. Help these prisoners. 0:22:00.960 --> 0:22:03.399 They've never done anything for me. I'm not going to 0:22:03.480 --> 0:22:07.240 interpret the pharaoh's dream, use my expertise to run the 0:22:07.240 --> 0:22:11.040 food supply. They need to do something for me. Joseph 0:22:11.160 --> 0:22:15.560 understood this principle. When you're working on someone else's problem, 0:22:15.960 --> 0:22:19.399 God is working on your problem. It may seem like 0:22:20.040 --> 0:22:24.160 you could never get well, never break the addiction, never 0:22:24.240 --> 0:22:28.119 accomplish your dream. It's been too long. But if you'll 0:22:28.119 --> 0:22:31.520 do like Joseph and just keep being good to people, 0:22:32.040 --> 0:22:35.680 keep helping solve their problems, keep helping their dreams come 0:22:35.720 --> 0:22:39.719 to pass. What you can't see is the camels are coming. 0:22:40.280 --> 0:22:43.960 What God started, he's going to finish. It's going to 0:22:44.040 --> 0:22:47.359 surprise you. There's going to be a knock at the door. 0:22:47.840 --> 0:22:51.280 You didn't see it coming, Like when Joseph's brother showed 0:22:51.359 --> 0:22:55.600 up unexpectedly. Healing is going to come to you unexpectedly, 0:22:56.200 --> 0:23:01.320 freedom from addictions, unexpectedly. Suddenly the right person finds you, 0:23:02.040 --> 0:23:06.040 Suddenly that door of opportunity opens. You thought it was 0:23:06.080 --> 0:23:09.520 too late, But the whole time you were helping others, 0:23:09.920 --> 0:23:14.679 the camels were en route. God has not forgotten about you. 0:23:15.520 --> 0:23:20.320 Those seeds you've sown have not gone unnoticed. Those times 0:23:20.359 --> 0:23:24.040 you've come to church, served in the kids ministry while 0:23:24.080 --> 0:23:27.159 you had problems at home. Those times you've sung in 0:23:27.200 --> 0:23:30.719 the choir ushered, prayed for others when you were fighting 0:23:30.760 --> 0:23:34.080 in illness. You could have stayed home. God, when you 0:23:34.160 --> 0:23:36.439 do something for me, then all be my best. But 0:23:36.520 --> 0:23:40.560 you just kept being your best, kept making sacrifices to 0:23:40.680 --> 0:23:44.280 help others, giving away what you really needed for your dreams. 0:23:44.720 --> 0:23:48.119 Get ready for some surprises. Get ready for God to 0:23:48.200 --> 0:23:51.479 show out in your life. Get ready for something that 0:23:51.520 --> 0:23:56.239 you haven't seen. It's going to be unusual, uncommon, and 0:23:56.280 --> 0:23:59.720 it's going to thrust you into your destiny. When I 0:23:59.760 --> 0:24:03.439 were for my father here those seventeen years doing the 0:24:03.480 --> 0:24:07.480 television production, my goal was to make my father look 0:24:07.560 --> 0:24:10.760 the best that I could. When I started, I didn't 0:24:10.800 --> 0:24:13.719 have a lot of experience, so I found the best 0:24:14.000 --> 0:24:18.399 lighting consultants, the best camera people. The first year, we 0:24:18.520 --> 0:24:21.879 hired an older gentleman that used to produce the Today Show. 0:24:22.320 --> 0:24:25.240 I was with him every minute he trained me how 0:24:25.280 --> 0:24:29.000 to put the program together. I would spend hours trying 0:24:29.040 --> 0:24:32.400 to improve the lighting and making sure the platform looked 0:24:32.400 --> 0:24:36.200 the best that it possibly could. At one point we 0:24:36.200 --> 0:24:39.639 were going to remodel the platform area. We had some 0:24:39.800 --> 0:24:42.760 top designers come in to help us. We were going 0:24:42.800 --> 0:24:45.920 to make a new podium as well, so I had 0:24:46.000 --> 0:24:49.760 them mock up a temporary podium just so we could 0:24:49.840 --> 0:24:52.560 check the size and see how it fit my father. 0:24:53.200 --> 0:24:55.439 I had him come down and he stood behind it 0:24:55.480 --> 0:24:59.160 and we looked at it on camera and made several adjustments. 0:25:00.000 --> 0:25:02.879 I wanted it to fit him just right. I wanted 0:25:02.880 --> 0:25:05.560 the stage area to be as perfect as can be. 0:25:06.400 --> 0:25:10.680 When we finished the remodel, it looked so beautiful on camera. 0:25:11.160 --> 0:25:15.159 I was so proud. It made my father shine. A 0:25:15.240 --> 0:25:18.160 year later, my father went to be with the Lord. 0:25:18.880 --> 0:25:22.280 I never dreamed one day I would be standing behind 0:25:22.280 --> 0:25:25.240 that podium. One day I would be the one on 0:25:25.359 --> 0:25:29.240 that beautiful platform. I thought I was building it for 0:25:29.400 --> 0:25:33.800 my father. Really I was building it for me. When 0:25:33.840 --> 0:25:38.400 you're helping other people, you think you're doing them a favor. 0:25:38.720 --> 0:25:42.520 Really you're doing yourself a favor. As you help someone 0:25:42.600 --> 0:25:46.160 else shine, God is going to make sure that you shine. 0:25:46.760 --> 0:25:50.080 As you help others come up higher, God will cause 0:25:50.119 --> 0:25:53.160 you to come up higher. That's a seed you're sewing 0:25:53.400 --> 0:25:57.439 for where you're going. My friends, Robin Laura Coke, pastor 0:25:57.480 --> 0:26:02.200 a great church in Austin, Texas. Years ago, their sixteen 0:26:02.280 --> 0:26:06.199 year old son was killed in an automobile accident. It 0:26:06.240 --> 0:26:09.760 wasn't easy, but they didn't get bitter. They didn't give 0:26:09.840 --> 0:26:14.280 up on life. They kept moving forward. Eventually they started 0:26:14.280 --> 0:26:18.679 a charity in his name called the Caleb Foundation. They 0:26:18.800 --> 0:26:23.879 built hospitals, schools, orphanages, done great work all over the world. 0:26:24.680 --> 0:26:29.080 One of their orphanages in Haiti called Caleb's House. Some 0:26:29.240 --> 0:26:32.040 young men grew up there and were about to graduate 0:26:32.080 --> 0:26:34.880 from high school. They were going to bring a few 0:26:34.880 --> 0:26:38.200 of them to Austin to be interns at their church. 0:26:38.800 --> 0:26:41.879 One of those young men that came noticed Rob and 0:26:42.000 --> 0:26:47.119 Laura's daughter. They started dating, ended up falling in love. Now, 0:26:47.160 --> 0:26:51.280 a few years ago their daughter married the young man 0:26:51.400 --> 0:26:54.600 that grew up in the orphanage that they started in Haiti. 0:26:55.040 --> 0:26:58.399 All birthed out of the loss of their son. But 0:26:58.520 --> 0:27:01.639 what if Rob and Laura wouldn't have reached out to 0:27:01.760 --> 0:27:04.960 help others in their time of need. They could have 0:27:05.040 --> 0:27:08.560 been better. We're not going to help somebody. We lost 0:27:08.560 --> 0:27:12.280 our son. We're in pain. Somebody needs to help us. Instead, 0:27:12.400 --> 0:27:16.480 their attitude was yes, we're hurting. But God, we know 0:27:16.680 --> 0:27:20.000 when we help others, you will help us. We know 0:27:20.119 --> 0:27:23.399 when we work on their problems, you'll work on our problems. 0:27:23.720 --> 0:27:27.800 They started sowing all these seeds, taking care of orphans, 0:27:28.280 --> 0:27:31.720 giving an education to the less fortunate, being good to 0:27:31.800 --> 0:27:36.600 people without expecting anything in return. When they built that 0:27:36.800 --> 0:27:40.600 orphanage in Haiti, they never dreamed their son in law 0:27:40.720 --> 0:27:44.399 would grow up there. They never dreamed he would marry 0:27:44.440 --> 0:27:48.200 their daughter and become a part of their family. When 0:27:48.240 --> 0:27:52.160 you're helping others, you think you're just doing good for them, 0:27:52.600 --> 0:27:55.480 but you don't know what God is up to. You 0:27:55.560 --> 0:27:58.920 can't be good to others without God being good back 0:27:58.960 --> 0:28:02.520 to you. You don't know the favor and blessings that 0:28:02.560 --> 0:28:07.320 are connected to you helping others rise higher. I wonder 0:28:07.960 --> 0:28:12.000 how much we miss by living in grown. We only 0:28:12.040 --> 0:28:14.440 focus on what we lost and how we've been hurt. 0:28:14.480 --> 0:28:16.960 And God, I've got this big problem. You've got to 0:28:17.000 --> 0:28:21.240 help me. Go be a blessing. Your miracle is waiting 0:28:21.280 --> 0:28:25.199 for you as you help others. Sometimes the reason you 0:28:25.240 --> 0:28:29.159 can't solve your problem is because what you need is 0:28:29.240 --> 0:28:34.200 found in solving someone else's problem as you help them succeed. 0:28:34.920 --> 0:28:38.200 Like with Robin Laura, your son in law will show up. 0:28:38.520 --> 0:28:41.720 Things will happen that you weren't expecting. Now. I know 0:28:42.000 --> 0:28:44.720 many of you have been doing this, going out of 0:28:44.760 --> 0:28:48.280 your way to be good to others, making sacrifices to 0:28:48.320 --> 0:28:52.400 help solve their problems. Get ready, the camels are coming. 0:28:52.880 --> 0:28:56.600 What you've been praying about is already in route. I 0:28:56.760 --> 0:29:00.960 believe and declare those seeds you've been sowing are about 0:29:01.000 --> 0:29:05.760 to come back to you. Press down, shaking together, running over. 0:29:06.200 --> 0:29:09.040 It's going to be more than you can imagine. Promotion, 0:29:09.360 --> 0:29:12.960 breakthrough is healing the right people, the fullness of your 0:29:13.000 --> 0:29:16.960 destiny in Jesus's name, and if you receive it, can 0:29:17.000 --> 0:29:20.680 you say amen? Today I'd like to give you an 0:29:20.680 --> 0:29:24.400 opportunity to make Jesus the lord of your life. Would 0:29:24.480 --> 0:29:29.360 you pray with me? Just say, Lord, Jesus, I repent 0:29:29.400 --> 0:29:34.120 of my sins. Come into my heart. I make you 0:29:34.240 --> 0:29:38.680 my Lord and savior. If you prayed that simple prayer, 0:29:38.720 --> 0:29:41.560 we believe you got born again. Get in a good 0:29:41.600 --> 0:29:45.440 Bible based church, and keep God first place. Thanks so 0:29:45.520 --> 0:29:48.800 much for listening to today's message. I hope you'll subscribe 0:29:49.040 --> 0:29:51.760 so you can receive the latest podcast to keep you 0:29:51.840 --> 0:29:53.960 encouraged and inspired all through the week. 0:29:54.160 --> 0:29:56.360 Help us to continue to share the message of hope 0:29:56.400 --> 0:29:59.560 with those all around the world. Visit Joelosting dot co. 0:30:00.080 --> 0:30:03.160 Click the link in the description to partner with us today. 0:30:03.440 --> 0:30:05.880 We hope you'll share this message with a friend and 0:30:05.960 --> 0:30:08.760 be sure to follow us on social media. We're praying 0:30:08.840 --> 0:30:11.920 for you. I know God's best is still ahead. We'll 0:30:11.960 --> 0:30:12.800 see you next time. 0:30:14.840 --> 0:30:17.320 More than ever before, people are turning to the church 0:30:17.400 --> 0:30:21.120 for their mental health struggles. Unfortunately, the church has largely 0:30:21.200 --> 0:30:24.440 been ill equipped to help. That is until now. 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