Travel Steadily

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This is not an 0:00:57.520 --> 0:00:58.920 offer to buy your self securities sn or is it 0:00:58.960 --> 0:01:00.000 investment legal or tax fives. 0:01:00.320 --> 0:01:02.240 He'll forget about the video game you gave him on 0:01:02.280 --> 0:01:02.840 his birthday. 0:01:03.160 --> 0:01:05.200 Wow, thanks Grandpa. 0:01:04.880 --> 0:01:06.840 But he'll never forget how you invest it in his 0:01:06.880 --> 0:01:08.280 future with the units stapp. 0:01:08.800 --> 0:01:10.840 Wow, Thanks Grandpa. 0:01:11.080 --> 0:01:13.600 The units stap makes it easy for grandparents and family 0:01:13.640 --> 0:01:16.319 friends to give funds to a child's investment account for 0:01:16.360 --> 0:01:18.760 a limited time. Download the uns stap and use the 0:01:18.800 --> 0:01:20.840 code I heeart fifty at sign up to receive a 0:01:20.880 --> 0:01:23.400 fifty dollars bonus when you find your account. That's code 0:01:23.400 --> 0:01:26.400 iHeart fifty when you sign up at unest dot co 0:01:26.760 --> 0:01:29.320 for a fifty dollars bonus. See terms and conditions at 0:01:29.440 --> 0:01:30.120 UNEs dot co. 0:01:31.040 --> 0:01:34.680 God has awesome things in your future, but the only 0:01:34.760 --> 0:01:37.839 way you'll see them is if you keep being consistent, 0:01:38.480 --> 0:01:42.039 not moved by what's not happening, not discouraged because it's 0:01:42.080 --> 0:01:45.520 taking longer, not slacking off because you don't see any 0:01:45.600 --> 0:01:49.040 sign of it. When you travel steadily, You're going to 0:01:49.080 --> 0:01:53.760 come into blessings and favor because of your faithfulness, not 0:01:53.880 --> 0:01:57.760 because you have great talent, great courage, great faith, but 0:01:57.920 --> 0:02:01.840 because you keep doing the thing. Hi, this is Joel 0:02:01.880 --> 0:02:06.120 and Victoria. Thanks for downloading our podcast. We enjoy spending 0:02:06.160 --> 0:02:08.520 this time with you. I know you're going to leave 0:02:08.600 --> 0:02:09.840 encouraged and inspired. 0:02:10.200 --> 0:02:13.160 Make sure you subscribe to get new messages every week 0:02:13.240 --> 0:02:15.919 and follow us on social media to stay connected. 0:02:16.080 --> 0:02:19.519 We appreciate your support. It helps keep the ministry going. 0:02:19.919 --> 0:02:23.080 Enjoy the message. God bless you. It's great to have 0:02:23.200 --> 0:02:26.000 you with us today. I hope you'll stay connected with 0:02:26.080 --> 0:02:29.280 us throughout the week. We have a new daily podcast. 0:02:29.560 --> 0:02:32.520 You can listen to the messages anytime, or you can 0:02:32.560 --> 0:02:36.120 go to our YouTube channel, follow us on Instagram, Facebook, 0:02:36.320 --> 0:02:39.200 But thanks again for tuning in. I like to start 0:02:39.200 --> 0:02:42.359 with something funny, and I heard about this mother. One 0:02:42.400 --> 0:02:45.760 Sunday morning, she went to her son's bedroom and said, son, 0:02:45.840 --> 0:02:49.000 wake up, it's time to go to church. He said, no, Mom, 0:02:49.120 --> 0:02:51.720 I'm not going to church today. She said why not? 0:02:52.360 --> 0:02:55.280 He said, I'll give you two good reasons. Number one, 0:02:55.400 --> 0:02:58.440 I don't like the people, and number two, they don't 0:02:58.560 --> 0:03:01.119 like me. She said, all right, I'll give you two 0:03:01.120 --> 0:03:04.760 better reasons why you should go. Number one, you're forty 0:03:04.800 --> 0:03:09.160 nine years old, and number two, you're the pastor say 0:03:09.200 --> 0:03:12.280 it like you mean it. This is my Bible. I 0:03:12.320 --> 0:03:14.640 am what it says I am. I have what it 0:03:14.680 --> 0:03:17.120 says I have, I can do what it says I 0:03:17.160 --> 0:03:20.600 can do. Today I will be taught the word of God. 0:03:21.120 --> 0:03:25.240 I boldly confess my mind is alert, my heart is receptive. 0:03:25.560 --> 0:03:29.360 I will never be the same. In Jesus' name, God 0:03:29.400 --> 0:03:32.680 bless you. I want to talk to you today about 0:03:32.800 --> 0:03:36.400 travel steadily. We all have things that we're waiting on. 0:03:36.840 --> 0:03:39.360 Waiting for a dream to come to pass, waiting for 0:03:39.400 --> 0:03:42.320 a health to improve, waiting to meet the right person. 0:03:43.000 --> 0:03:45.720 When it's taken longer than we thought, we don't see 0:03:45.720 --> 0:03:49.280 anything changing. It's easy to get discouraged and think that 0:03:49.320 --> 0:03:52.640 it's not meant to be. But David said in Psalm 0:03:52.680 --> 0:03:56.360 thirty seven, don't be impatient for the Lord to act. 0:03:56.840 --> 0:04:00.960 Travel steadily along his path. He will honor you and 0:04:01.040 --> 0:04:04.800 give you the land. Just because it hasn't happened yet 0:04:05.120 --> 0:04:08.160 doesn't mean that it's not going to happen. What God 0:04:08.240 --> 0:04:12.400 promised you is still en route. The waiting period is 0:04:12.480 --> 0:04:15.760 simply a test. Are you going to get discouraged and 0:04:15.840 --> 0:04:19.839 quit believing? Or are you going to keep traveling steadily, 0:04:20.440 --> 0:04:24.359 keep praying, keep thanking God, keep being your best at work, 0:04:24.760 --> 0:04:28.400 keep being good to other people. There's power in doing 0:04:28.440 --> 0:04:33.160 the right thing consistently. You're not moved by what's not changing. 0:04:33.600 --> 0:04:37.120 You consistently have a good attitude. You're not up one 0:04:37.200 --> 0:04:41.159 day and down two days. You're consistently in a good mood. 0:04:41.640 --> 0:04:44.040 You don't work hard for a month and then slack 0:04:44.080 --> 0:04:48.560 off the next month. You're consistently excellent. Everything may not 0:04:48.680 --> 0:04:52.520 be perfect. You're dealing with challenges, but you're not complaining. 0:04:52.800 --> 0:04:59.440 You're consistently thanking God, consistently declaring his promises, consistently expecting 0:04:59.480 --> 0:05:04.200 his favor. That's what it means to travel steadily. God 0:05:04.320 --> 0:05:08.360 never promised things would turn around instantly, and promises would 0:05:08.400 --> 0:05:11.080 come to pass in two weeks. There will be a 0:05:11.160 --> 0:05:17.480 waiting period. Don't be impatient. God rewards faithful people, people 0:05:17.520 --> 0:05:20.520 that keep doing the right thing, and the only thing 0:05:20.600 --> 0:05:24.960 that's holding some people back is the consistency. What would 0:05:25.040 --> 0:05:28.360 happen if you would consistently get to work on time, 0:05:28.960 --> 0:05:35.480 consistently treat your spouse with respect, consistently exercise, or consistently 0:05:35.720 --> 0:05:40.360 put God first place. When you're consistent, you're not ruled 0:05:40.360 --> 0:05:43.880 by your feelings. Feelings will be up one day and 0:05:43.960 --> 0:05:47.680 down the next. Feelings want to tell people off. Feelings 0:05:47.760 --> 0:05:50.400 want to eat the whole gallon of ice cream. Feelings 0:05:50.400 --> 0:05:53.440 want to sit around in self pity. Don't let those 0:05:53.480 --> 0:05:57.040 feelings run your life. You have a destiny to fulfill, 0:05:57.440 --> 0:06:00.720 an assignment for you to accomplish, you have to put 0:06:00.760 --> 0:06:03.520 your foot down and say, feelings, you are not going 0:06:03.560 --> 0:06:06.719 to control me. I'm in control. I'm going to make 0:06:06.800 --> 0:06:10.000 decisions that honor God. I'm going to do the right 0:06:10.080 --> 0:06:12.719 thing when it's hard. I'm going to go to work 0:06:12.760 --> 0:06:15.039 when I don't feel like it. I'm going to treat 0:06:15.080 --> 0:06:18.320 these people with respect even though they don't deserve it. 0:06:19.000 --> 0:06:23.480 If you will keep traveling steadily, being consistent, you're going 0:06:23.520 --> 0:06:27.360 to see God show out in your life. Paul said 0:06:27.440 --> 0:06:31.720 in First Corinthians, we should always be abounding in the 0:06:31.760 --> 0:06:35.240 work of the Lord. What can you say about yourself 0:06:35.400 --> 0:06:40.960 that's always? Are you always worried, always late, always hot tempered? 0:06:41.440 --> 0:06:45.159 Why don't you change those always? If you're consistent in 0:06:45.200 --> 0:06:48.360 the wrong areas, it will keep you from your destiny. 0:06:49.040 --> 0:06:53.280 I know people. Their circumstances aren't perfect, they have challenges, 0:06:53.600 --> 0:06:58.359 but they're always joyful, always encouraging, always at church, always 0:06:58.400 --> 0:07:01.919 helping others. They made this choice that they're going to 0:07:01.960 --> 0:07:06.960 travel steadily. God has awesome things in your future, but 0:07:07.080 --> 0:07:09.800 the only way you'll see them is if you keep 0:07:09.840 --> 0:07:14.440 being consistent, not moved by what's not happening, not discouraged 0:07:14.480 --> 0:07:17.920 because it's taking longer, not slacking off because you don't 0:07:17.960 --> 0:07:21.640 see any sign of it. When you travel steadily. You're 0:07:21.680 --> 0:07:26.080 going to come into blessings and favor because of your faithfulness, 0:07:26.640 --> 0:07:30.240 not because you have great talent, great courage, great faith, 0:07:30.600 --> 0:07:34.960 but because you keep doing the right thing. Many of 0:07:35.000 --> 0:07:39.120 you have been doing this. You've consistently made decisions that 0:07:39.240 --> 0:07:43.480 honor God, sacrificing to raise those children, putting your own 0:07:43.600 --> 0:07:47.600 dream on hold. You've stayed faithful in that marriage that's difficult. 0:07:48.000 --> 0:07:51.000 You've been your best at that job, going the extra mile. 0:07:51.520 --> 0:07:54.520 You've done the right thing, But you haven't seen what's 0:07:54.560 --> 0:07:58.520 in your heart. Your time is coming. God is about 0:07:58.560 --> 0:08:02.480 to do something unused promotion that thrusts you to a 0:08:02.520 --> 0:08:06.040 new level. That problem you've struggled with for years is 0:08:06.080 --> 0:08:09.520 about to suddenly turn around. It's going to happen sooner 0:08:09.600 --> 0:08:14.640 than you think because you stayed faithful, consistent. The scripture 0:08:14.680 --> 0:08:17.920 says God is going to give you the land. You're 0:08:17.920 --> 0:08:20.520 not going to have to make it happen. Blessings are 0:08:20.520 --> 0:08:23.200 going to find you. The right people are going to 0:08:23.240 --> 0:08:26.080 track you down. Healing is going to come knocking at 0:08:26.080 --> 0:08:30.360 your door. Don't be impatient for God to act. Those 0:08:30.440 --> 0:08:33.760 dreams He's placed in your heart are still on the schedule. 0:08:34.240 --> 0:08:37.320 Those promises he's whispered to you in the night, they're 0:08:37.440 --> 0:08:42.160 still in your future. And sometimes the reason it's taking 0:08:42.200 --> 0:08:46.040 so long is what God has for you is bigger 0:08:46.080 --> 0:08:49.839 than you've imagined. He's getting you prepared to carry the 0:08:49.880 --> 0:08:53.760 weight of the blessing, the weight of the influence. As 0:08:53.760 --> 0:08:58.280 you keep traveling steadily, you're getting stronger. Your faith is growing, 0:08:58.520 --> 0:09:02.560 your character is being developed. This is what David did. 0:09:02.920 --> 0:09:06.400 At seventeen years old. He was out in the shepherd's fields, 0:09:06.760 --> 0:09:10.320 taking care of his father's sheep, just minding his own business. 0:09:10.720 --> 0:09:14.080 When he was called in to his father's house, the 0:09:14.080 --> 0:09:18.199 prophet Samuel chose him out of his seven other brothers 0:09:18.480 --> 0:09:22.880 to become the next king of Israel. What's interesting is 0:09:23.000 --> 0:09:26.160 David didn't go to the palace that day. He didn't 0:09:26.160 --> 0:09:29.560 step into leadership. They didn't put a royal robe on him. 0:09:30.000 --> 0:09:33.640 He went back to the shepherd's fields. When God gives 0:09:33.640 --> 0:09:37.080 you a promise, there will always be a waiting period. 0:09:37.840 --> 0:09:41.240 What we do while we're waiting will determine whether the 0:09:41.320 --> 0:09:45.480 promise will come to pass if we wait. Discouraged, upset, 0:09:45.679 --> 0:09:47.960 why is this taking so long? We're going to get 0:09:48.040 --> 0:09:53.719 stuck where we are. David was anointed, but he wasn't appointed. 0:09:54.320 --> 0:09:57.320 He had to go through this season of proving, a 0:09:57.400 --> 0:10:00.959 season of testing. Will you do that right thing when 0:10:01.000 --> 0:10:04.240 you're not getting your way? Will you keep serving others 0:10:04.360 --> 0:10:07.440 when you know you have more in you. David could 0:10:07.480 --> 0:10:11.199 have slacked off, taken the easy way out. Nobody was 0:10:11.280 --> 0:10:15.559 watching him in the shepherd's fields, but David understood this principle. 0:10:16.000 --> 0:10:18.920 To see promises come to pass, you have to keep 0:10:19.000 --> 0:10:22.200 traveling steadily. You have to do the right thing when 0:10:22.240 --> 0:10:25.319 nobody is watching. You have to be your best when 0:10:25.360 --> 0:10:28.160 you're not getting the credit. You have to thank God 0:10:28.320 --> 0:10:32.560 even though doors are not opening. Month after month, David 0:10:32.640 --> 0:10:36.320 kept taking care of those sheep, fighting off wild animals, 0:10:36.559 --> 0:10:40.640 making sure they were fed and protected. His father didn't 0:10:40.679 --> 0:10:44.480 invite him into the house when Samuel first came. David 0:10:44.520 --> 0:10:47.360 didn't get bitter. He didn't have a chip on his shoulder. 0:10:47.480 --> 0:10:51.280 He shook it off and kept traveling forward. His brothers 0:10:51.400 --> 0:10:53.760 made fun of him when he took him their lunch. 0:10:54.160 --> 0:10:57.240 They tried to make him feel small. David didn't take 0:10:57.240 --> 0:11:02.320 the bank. He walked away. After David defeated Goliath, King 0:11:02.440 --> 0:11:05.679 Saul was jealous and tried to kill David, chased him 0:11:05.679 --> 0:11:09.320 through the desert. It was unfair, but David didn't try 0:11:09.320 --> 0:11:12.120 to get revenge. He could have killed Saul, but he 0:11:12.120 --> 0:11:15.880 wouldn't do it. He wasn't impatient for God to act. 0:11:16.480 --> 0:11:20.000 He knew if he would keep traveling steadily, doing the 0:11:20.120 --> 0:11:24.440 right thing, God would give him the throne. Thirteen years 0:11:24.480 --> 0:11:27.920 after David was anointed, King Saul was killed in a 0:11:28.000 --> 0:11:32.320 battle and David became king. When God puts a promise 0:11:32.360 --> 0:11:35.200 in your heart, no matter who tries to stop you, 0:11:35.679 --> 0:11:38.520 no matter how big the giants are, no matter how 0:11:38.640 --> 0:11:41.920 unfair it is or how long it's been, if you'll 0:11:42.000 --> 0:11:47.120 just keep traveling, steadily, passing the test, not bitter because 0:11:47.160 --> 0:11:50.280 people did you wrong, not giving up because it's taken 0:11:50.320 --> 0:11:54.120 a long time, not slacking all because things aren't improving, 0:11:54.600 --> 0:11:58.000 then like David, God is going to give you the land. 0:11:58.400 --> 0:12:00.840 He's going to move the wrong peace out of the way. 0:12:01.360 --> 0:12:05.160 He'll give you favor to defeat giants. He'll make ways 0:12:05.480 --> 0:12:09.640 where you don't see away. The key is don't be impatient. 0:12:10.400 --> 0:12:12.960 It may not happen as fast as you would like 0:12:13.720 --> 0:12:17.680 while you're waiting. That's a test. David had to prove 0:12:17.800 --> 0:12:20.480 to God that he would be faithful taking care of 0:12:20.559 --> 0:12:24.000 sheep before God would trust him to take care of 0:12:24.040 --> 0:12:27.480 his people. And those times where you're doing the right 0:12:27.559 --> 0:12:32.240 thing but nothing is improving, that's a proving season. You 0:12:32.360 --> 0:12:35.319 have to show God that you're not going to get discouraged. 0:12:35.720 --> 0:12:38.120 You're not going to give up on your dream. You're 0:12:38.160 --> 0:12:40.800 not going to let what didn't work out cause you 0:12:40.880 --> 0:12:45.640 to lose your passion. Like David, you may know you're anointed. 0:12:46.000 --> 0:12:49.199 God has put promises in your heart. He's spoken things 0:12:49.240 --> 0:12:52.560 to you, but you're not appointed yet. You're in that 0:12:52.760 --> 0:12:57.000 season where you're in the shepherd's field. Nothing is happening. God. 0:12:57.080 --> 0:13:00.760 You said you would restore health unto me still struggling 0:13:00.760 --> 0:13:03.920 with this sickness. You said I would lend and not borrow, 0:13:04.280 --> 0:13:06.959 but I can barely get ahead. You said you'd give 0:13:07.000 --> 0:13:10.160 me beauty for these ashes, but no new doors are opening. 0:13:10.960 --> 0:13:13.800 It's easy to get discouraged, but if you're going to 0:13:13.840 --> 0:13:17.959 go from anointed to appointed, you have to keep thanking 0:13:18.040 --> 0:13:21.800 God when you don't see anything happening, praising when you 0:13:21.840 --> 0:13:24.800 could be complaining, coming to church when you feel like 0:13:24.880 --> 0:13:28.000 staying home, being good to people that are not being 0:13:28.080 --> 0:13:31.640 good to you. If you'll not be moved by what's 0:13:31.679 --> 0:13:34.600 not working out, but you keep doing the right thing, 0:13:35.040 --> 0:13:38.640 then you're going to go from anointed to appointed. You're 0:13:38.679 --> 0:13:41.160 going to come out of the shepherd's fields into the 0:13:41.200 --> 0:13:45.400 fullness of what God has in store. My father started 0:13:45.480 --> 0:13:49.360 Lakewood in nineteen fifty nine with ninety people. He had 0:13:49.360 --> 0:13:53.560 traveled overseas and held meetings with thousands of people, seen 0:13:53.679 --> 0:13:56.360 great favor, but he knew he was supposed to come 0:13:56.400 --> 0:13:59.480 back and past through these ninety people. God put a 0:13:59.520 --> 0:14:02.959 big dream in his heart. He believed one day Lakewood 0:14:03.000 --> 0:14:07.080 would have thousands and impact the world. My father was 0:14:07.120 --> 0:14:11.320 a great minister, a great leader. But what's interesting is 0:14:11.400 --> 0:14:15.920 Lakewood didn't grow. Year after year went by, still ninety people. 0:14:16.600 --> 0:14:19.840 My father could have been discouraged. God, you put bigger 0:14:19.880 --> 0:14:24.160 things in my heart, Why am I not seeing increase? Instead, 0:14:24.560 --> 0:14:27.560 he preached to those ninety people like he was preaching 0:14:27.600 --> 0:14:31.600 to thousands, not just once a week Sunday morning, Sunday night, 0:14:31.840 --> 0:14:35.760 Wednesday night. He was faithful. He wasn't moved by what 0:14:35.960 --> 0:14:40.160 wasn't changing. He didn't get sour because he wasn't seeing increase. 0:14:40.520 --> 0:14:45.120 He just kept traveling, steadily, consistently, doing the right thing. 0:14:46.080 --> 0:14:49.280 In nineteen seventy three, it was like God opened up 0:14:49.320 --> 0:14:53.320 a fawcet. People started coming to Lakewood from all over 0:14:53.360 --> 0:14:56.800 the city. It grew to a church of many thousands. 0:14:57.480 --> 0:15:00.880 But those thirteen years my father didn't s any growth. 0:15:01.440 --> 0:15:05.120 They were very important years. They were years of testing, 0:15:05.520 --> 0:15:09.080 years of proving God was seeing what my father was 0:15:09.120 --> 0:15:11.840 made of. What was he going to do when things 0:15:11.840 --> 0:15:14.760 weren't going his way? What kind of attitude would he 0:15:14.840 --> 0:15:18.479 have when he wasn't seeing increase? Would he get discouraged, 0:15:18.840 --> 0:15:22.520 give up, try something else? If you're not faithful in 0:15:22.560 --> 0:15:26.440 the wilderness, how can God trust you to be faithful 0:15:26.480 --> 0:15:30.120 in the promised land. Maybe you're doing the right thing 0:15:30.440 --> 0:15:34.760 but not seeing any growth. You're praying, believing, working hard, 0:15:34.880 --> 0:15:38.480 but things aren't improving. If my father was here, he 0:15:38.520 --> 0:15:42.040 would tell you, don't get discouraged by what's not changing. 0:15:42.560 --> 0:15:46.280 Don't slack off because it hasn't happened yet. Keep doing 0:15:46.320 --> 0:15:51.200 the right thing consistently, God has not forgotten about you. 0:15:51.840 --> 0:15:55.720 What He's promised is still in your future. Past. The 0:15:55.760 --> 0:15:59.560 faithfulness test prove to him that you're not going to quit, 0:16:00.080 --> 0:16:02.240 You're not going to get sour, You're not going to 0:16:02.280 --> 0:16:05.800 get talked out of it. If you'll keep traveling steadily, 0:16:06.240 --> 0:16:09.280 God will give you the land. It's going to be 0:16:09.440 --> 0:16:13.280 easier than you thought. Yes, the waiting can be difficult, 0:16:13.680 --> 0:16:16.240 but when you come into favor, things are going to 0:16:16.280 --> 0:16:21.200 fall into place. Promotion, healing, increase that will thrust you 0:16:21.360 --> 0:16:24.560 to a new level. A while back, there was this 0:16:24.680 --> 0:16:27.160 challenge I was dealing with. It had to do with 0:16:27.240 --> 0:16:29.640 our ministry and what we were going to do in 0:16:29.720 --> 0:16:32.520 the future. I couldn't figure out how it was going 0:16:32.600 --> 0:16:35.960 to work out. I studied it and made phone calls, 0:16:36.200 --> 0:16:39.360 got other people's advice, but there was still no solution. 0:16:40.160 --> 0:16:42.360 Every time it came to my mind, it kind of 0:16:42.400 --> 0:16:44.640 bothered me. I thought, what are we going to do? 0:16:45.440 --> 0:16:49.360 I was tempted to live, stressed and worried. Finally, I said, God, 0:16:49.720 --> 0:16:52.520 I'm turning this over to you. I can't make this 0:16:52.640 --> 0:16:55.320 work out my way, but I know you already have 0:16:55.440 --> 0:16:58.640 a solution, so I'm not going to live uptight. I'm 0:16:58.640 --> 0:17:01.320 going to just keep being my bad as honoring you 0:17:02.200 --> 0:17:05.120 every time I was tempted to worry. Father, Thank you 0:17:05.440 --> 0:17:08.040 that my life is in your hands. Thank you that 0:17:08.080 --> 0:17:14.240 you're making my crooked places straight. Sometimes we're frustrated because 0:17:14.280 --> 0:17:18.200 we're trying to control things that only God can control. 0:17:18.480 --> 0:17:21.120 We're trying to figure something out that there is no 0:17:21.240 --> 0:17:25.080 answer to right now. That's when we get frustrated, can't 0:17:25.119 --> 0:17:28.720 sleep at night. The good news is God doesn't ask 0:17:28.800 --> 0:17:32.520 us to figure everything out. You have to know what's 0:17:32.560 --> 0:17:37.320 your job and what's God's job. Our job is to believe. 0:17:38.000 --> 0:17:40.800 Our job is to thank God. Our job is to 0:17:40.880 --> 0:17:45.479 walk in obedience. The scripture says God will work out 0:17:45.520 --> 0:17:49.800 his plan for our lives. God's job is to work 0:17:49.840 --> 0:17:53.080 things out that we can't work out. You're not on 0:17:53.119 --> 0:17:56.840 your own. The creator of the universe is working out 0:17:57.160 --> 0:18:00.880 his plan for your life. His job is to open 0:18:01.000 --> 0:18:04.760 doors we can't open. His job is to part red seas. 0:18:05.240 --> 0:18:08.560 His job is to heal sick bodies. His job is 0:18:08.600 --> 0:18:12.320 to make things happen that we can't make happen. Are 0:18:12.359 --> 0:18:16.400 you frustrated because you're trying to do God's job? Take 0:18:16.440 --> 0:18:19.679 the pressure off You don't have to make everything happen. 0:18:20.040 --> 0:18:24.680 You just have to keep traveling steadily, staying faithful, being 0:18:24.680 --> 0:18:29.440 good to people, keeping God first place. About two months ago, 0:18:29.880 --> 0:18:32.480 I was at the church and a staff member was 0:18:32.520 --> 0:18:35.480 passing by. He said, I meant to tell you that 0:18:35.640 --> 0:18:38.120 thing that we were working on we figured it out. 0:18:38.600 --> 0:18:40.960 I said, what do you mean. He said, I'll show you. 0:18:41.320 --> 0:18:43.840 I went in and looked at it. It was perfect. 0:18:44.040 --> 0:18:47.440 Couldn't have been any better. I thought this was going 0:18:47.480 --> 0:18:50.600 to be an ongoing challenge where it would take all 0:18:50.640 --> 0:18:54.280 this extra effort and energy on my part. But then 0:18:54.600 --> 0:18:57.840 without me even working on it, things fell into place. 0:18:58.160 --> 0:19:01.400 I never dreamed it would be that. Ea, that's what 0:19:01.440 --> 0:19:05.320 the scripture says. If you'll keep traveling steadily, God will 0:19:05.359 --> 0:19:10.360 give you the land. That means you don't have to struggle, strive, 0:19:10.760 --> 0:19:14.360 manipulate things, try to force it to work out. It's 0:19:14.400 --> 0:19:17.120 going to be easier than you think. Things are going 0:19:17.160 --> 0:19:20.520 to fall into place. The right doors open, the right 0:19:20.560 --> 0:19:23.840 people show up, the school calls you with the scholarship. 0:19:24.160 --> 0:19:29.640 The medical report suddenly turns around. In the scripture, Joseph 0:19:29.800 --> 0:19:33.360 was engaged to a young lady named Mary. An angel 0:19:33.400 --> 0:19:35.600 appeared to her and said she was going to have 0:19:35.640 --> 0:19:38.159 a baby without knowing a man, and they were to 0:19:38.240 --> 0:19:41.800 name him Jesus. You can imagine how Joseph must have 0:19:41.880 --> 0:19:45.480 felt when Mary told him she was pregnant, not with 0:19:45.600 --> 0:19:49.720 his baby, but with the Messiah. I'm sure he thought, yeah, right. 0:19:50.480 --> 0:19:53.800 He was going to quietly call off the engagement. But 0:19:53.880 --> 0:19:56.920 that night, an angel appeared to him in a dream. 0:19:57.280 --> 0:20:00.800 He told Joseph that what Mary said was that he 0:20:00.960 --> 0:20:03.840 was to go ahead with the marriage. Joseph could have 0:20:03.920 --> 0:20:06.480 backed out, thought, God, I didn't sign up for this. 0:20:07.040 --> 0:20:10.520 I don't want my reputation ruined. Find somebody else. But 0:20:10.680 --> 0:20:14.840 Joseph did what the angel said. It was prophesied that 0:20:14.960 --> 0:20:19.240 Jesus would be born in Bethlehem. The Roman emperor decided 0:20:19.440 --> 0:20:22.880 to take a census. Everyone had to go to their hometown. 0:20:23.560 --> 0:20:27.320 Joseph was from Bethlehem. He loaded up Mary on a donkey. 0:20:27.760 --> 0:20:32.240 She was nine months pregnant. They traveled from Nazareth to Bethlehem. 0:20:33.000 --> 0:20:35.679 Would be one thing if this was across town, but 0:20:35.800 --> 0:20:39.119 this was a ninety mile journey. It would take about 0:20:39.240 --> 0:20:42.800 ten days. I've seen what it's like for Victoria to 0:20:42.840 --> 0:20:47.920 be pregnant. How uncomfortable, especially toward the end, her back 0:20:48.040 --> 0:20:52.080 was hurting, feet swelling. I can't imagine telling her, at 0:20:52.200 --> 0:20:56.199 nine months pregnant, Honey, to fulfill prophecy, we have to 0:20:56.200 --> 0:20:59.520 get on a donkey and go ninety miles. I think 0:20:59.560 --> 0:21:03.840 I would be hearing Welcome to Heaven. Sometimes God asks 0:21:03.880 --> 0:21:07.800 us to do things that are difficult. Mary could have said, 0:21:08.119 --> 0:21:12.160 not getting on that donkey. It's too bumpy, my feed hurt. 0:21:12.200 --> 0:21:15.520 You can go by yourself. But you never read where 0:21:15.520 --> 0:21:19.600 Mary complained. You never read where Joseph was sour. They 0:21:19.720 --> 0:21:23.800 just kept traveling, steadily, doing what God asked them to do, 0:21:24.200 --> 0:21:27.720 day after day, getting on the donkey, dealing with the heat, 0:21:28.240 --> 0:21:32.000 finding the place to sleep at night. God only spoke 0:21:32.040 --> 0:21:36.160 to them one time this whole trip, ninety miles. God 0:21:36.240 --> 0:21:39.720 never said anything. Would have been much easier if the 0:21:39.800 --> 0:21:42.600 angel would have come back and said, you're doing great. 0:21:43.320 --> 0:21:46.919 Keep going to Bethlehem. You're right on track. It's easy 0:21:46.960 --> 0:21:49.840 to follow God when you hear him speaking. You have 0:21:49.920 --> 0:21:53.440 clear direction. Things are going your way. But the real 0:21:53.560 --> 0:21:57.280 test is how do you respond when God is silent, 0:21:57.920 --> 0:22:00.720 you don't hear anything. You do it the right thing, 0:22:00.880 --> 0:22:03.840 but it's not improving. You're being your best, but doors 0:22:03.840 --> 0:22:07.639 aren't opening. Months have gone by, maybe years, and you 0:22:07.680 --> 0:22:12.040 don't hear anything. Here's the key. Keep doing the last 0:22:12.080 --> 0:22:15.840 thing God told you to do. Keep being consistent, keep 0:22:15.880 --> 0:22:21.080 being faithful. Joseph and Mary finally arrived at Bethlahem. I 0:22:21.119 --> 0:22:24.159 can imagine it was late at night. Mary was getting 0:22:24.160 --> 0:22:27.159 close to having the baby. Joseph walked up to the 0:22:27.320 --> 0:22:30.520 end the hotel. He said, Mary, wait here, I'll go 0:22:30.640 --> 0:22:35.040 arrange a room. The innkeeper said, I'm sorry, sir, we're full. 0:22:35.600 --> 0:22:38.879 We have no more room. Joseph could have thought, God, 0:22:39.400 --> 0:22:42.840 you said come to Bethlahem. You said this was your baby. 0:22:43.200 --> 0:22:47.440 Why is nothing working out? Instead, Joseph went back out 0:22:47.840 --> 0:22:53.160 told Mary to get back on the donkey. They were tired, disappointed, uncomfortable, 0:22:53.560 --> 0:22:58.920 but they just kept traveling steadily. God rewards faithful people, 0:22:59.359 --> 0:23:02.120 people that don't don't give up, people that don't let 0:23:02.200 --> 0:23:05.840 a disappointment cause them to be sour, people that don't 0:23:05.880 --> 0:23:09.320 let us set back a loss, a delay to stop 0:23:09.359 --> 0:23:13.520 their destiny when things happen that we don't understand. Our 0:23:13.560 --> 0:23:17.119 attitude should be Father, thank you that you are working 0:23:17.200 --> 0:23:21.200 out your plan for my life. You are ordering my steps. 0:23:21.640 --> 0:23:24.440 You are opening doors that no man can shut. Thank 0:23:24.480 --> 0:23:27.080 you that you'll get me to where I'm supposed to be. 0:23:28.200 --> 0:23:32.719 Don't let a bad break, a delay, a pandemic, a 0:23:32.760 --> 0:23:36.040 person that did you wrong cause you to quit believing 0:23:36.119 --> 0:23:39.800 for your dreams and quit pursuing what God put in 0:23:39.840 --> 0:23:43.879 your heart. You are full of can do power. The 0:23:43.960 --> 0:23:48.639 same spirit that raised Christ from the dead lives in you. 0:23:48.640 --> 0:23:52.240 You are not weak. You are a warrior. Now dig 0:23:52.280 --> 0:23:56.120 your heels in and be consistent. Not just when everything 0:23:56.240 --> 0:23:59.080 is going your way, not just when there's room at 0:23:59.080 --> 0:24:03.240 the end. Business is flourishing, but when the door closes, 0:24:03.720 --> 0:24:06.879 when the contract doesn't go through, when the journey is 0:24:06.960 --> 0:24:10.520 longer than you thought. God is looking for people that 0:24:10.600 --> 0:24:14.639 are determined, people that have stammin out. You can't be 0:24:14.840 --> 0:24:18.800 weak and reach your destiny. You can't be half hearted 0:24:19.040 --> 0:24:23.080 and become who you were created to be. God will 0:24:23.080 --> 0:24:27.360 be silent at times you don't hear anything. Things are 0:24:27.400 --> 0:24:31.240 not improving. You're on that donkey, so to speak. Doors 0:24:31.240 --> 0:24:34.800 aren't opening. What are you to do? Keep being faithful, 0:24:35.359 --> 0:24:38.560 keep getting to work on time, keep singing in the choir, 0:24:39.040 --> 0:24:42.280 keep being good to those neighbors, keep thanking God when 0:24:42.280 --> 0:24:46.359 you feel like complaining. If it was going to happen instantly, 0:24:46.800 --> 0:24:50.400 you wouldn't need any faith. Don't be impatient for God 0:24:50.440 --> 0:24:54.400 to act. Just because the end is full doesn't mean 0:24:54.720 --> 0:24:57.160 there's not a place for your baby to be born. 0:24:57.960 --> 0:25:01.679 Just because you've had a setback, somebody walked away, the 0:25:01.720 --> 0:25:05.879 medical report isn't good, doesn't mean that your dream is 0:25:05.880 --> 0:25:09.480 not going to come to pass what God promised. You 0:25:09.920 --> 0:25:14.880 cannot be stopped by people, by circumstances, by bad breaks. 0:25:15.680 --> 0:25:18.960 God wouldn't have allowed the end to be full if 0:25:18.960 --> 0:25:22.600 he didn't have something better. My question is are you 0:25:22.640 --> 0:25:26.280 going to keep traveling steadily? Are you going to keep believing, 0:25:26.600 --> 0:25:31.000 keep praying, keep doing the right thing. Joseph and Mary 0:25:31.200 --> 0:25:35.800 packed up, got back on the donkeys, disappointed, but still 0:25:35.840 --> 0:25:41.400 moving forward, Tired, hungry, back, hurting, but still traveling steadily. 0:25:42.359 --> 0:25:45.439 Joseph looked up and saw this old barn where they 0:25:45.520 --> 0:25:49.680 kept animals. Wasn't a nice hotel, didn't have a bellman 0:25:49.760 --> 0:25:54.080 out front, no room service, just a manger where the 0:25:54.119 --> 0:25:57.920 sheep rest. It wasn't what they had in mind. But 0:25:57.960 --> 0:26:01.000 God doesn't always do things the way we have planned. 0:26:01.440 --> 0:26:04.879 His ways are not our ways. If you don't stay open, 0:26:05.320 --> 0:26:09.240 you'll be frustrated because they wouldn't let you in, upset 0:26:09.320 --> 0:26:12.760 because the door didn't open. Can I tell you God 0:26:12.880 --> 0:26:16.640 knows what he's doing. When it's time to birth your baby, 0:26:16.960 --> 0:26:20.520 all the forces of darkness cannot keep you out. There 0:26:20.560 --> 0:26:23.199 will be a place for you to shine, for you 0:26:23.280 --> 0:26:26.560 to flourish, for you to show this world what God 0:26:26.600 --> 0:26:29.840 put in you. Now, quit worrying about who wouldn't let 0:26:29.920 --> 0:26:33.560 you in, why this didn't work out. It wasn't fair. 0:26:34.160 --> 0:26:37.000 You weren't supposed to be in the end. They weren't 0:26:37.000 --> 0:26:40.240 supposed to have room for you. Your blessing is not in 0:26:40.320 --> 0:26:44.680 the end. It's in the manger. Your increase, your favor, 0:26:44.720 --> 0:26:48.040 your abundance is not in where you've been. It's in 0:26:48.040 --> 0:26:50.720 where God is taking you. It's not in where you 0:26:50.800 --> 0:26:53.919 were left out. It's in where you're going. Now do 0:26:54.040 --> 0:26:58.320 your part and start moving forward in faith. Not bitter 0:26:58.480 --> 0:27:02.679 over disappointments, not discourage over what didn't work out, Not 0:27:02.880 --> 0:27:07.040 upset because it's taken longer, there were delays and detours. 0:27:07.400 --> 0:27:12.199 God is saying, if you'll keep traveling, steadily, being faithful 0:27:12.359 --> 0:27:16.280 when nobody is noticing, doing the right thing when it's uncomfortable, 0:27:16.760 --> 0:27:20.400 not complaining because you don't see things changing. Then you're 0:27:20.440 --> 0:27:23.959 going to give birth to dreams bigger than you've imagined. 0:27:24.320 --> 0:27:30.360 God's going to do uncommon, unusual, extraordinary things. The night 0:27:30.440 --> 0:27:33.280 Mary gave birth, there were shepherds out in a field. 0:27:33.800 --> 0:27:37.000 An angel appeared to them and said, I have good news. 0:27:37.200 --> 0:27:40.600 The Messiah has been born in Bethlehem. This is how 0:27:40.640 --> 0:27:44.080 you will recognize him. You will find him lying in 0:27:44.160 --> 0:27:48.520 a manger. If the innkeeper had not turned Jesus away, 0:27:48.920 --> 0:27:51.800 he wouldn't have been in the manger. The shepherds wouldn't 0:27:51.840 --> 0:27:55.000 have found him. The inn was supposed to be full. 0:27:55.440 --> 0:27:59.280 The innkeeper was supposed to not let them in. Nothing 0:27:59.320 --> 0:28:02.760 that happens to you is a surprise to God. He's 0:28:02.960 --> 0:28:06.640 ordering your steps. If the door closed, it was supposed 0:28:06.640 --> 0:28:10.040 to close. If the person walked away, they were supposed 0:28:10.080 --> 0:28:14.840 to walk away. Don't get bitter, Keep traveling steadily, keep 0:28:14.880 --> 0:28:19.000 doing the right thing, Keep being good to people, keep expecting, 0:28:19.280 --> 0:28:22.600 keep believing. When you get to your manger, so to speak, 0:28:22.840 --> 0:28:26.560 the shepherds are going to find you. The blessings, the healing, 0:28:26.640 --> 0:28:31.400 the promotion will come to you. Now, my challenge, stay consistent, 0:28:31.880 --> 0:28:34.720 don't be ruled by your feelings. Make up your mind. 0:28:34.960 --> 0:28:37.200 You're not going to be moved by what's not changing. 0:28:37.640 --> 0:28:40.680 Not discouraged over how long it's taking. You're going to 0:28:40.760 --> 0:28:44.240 keep doing the right thing. Prove to God that you're 0:28:44.280 --> 0:28:49.000 going to be faithful if you'll keep traveling, steadily, honoring God, 0:28:49.320 --> 0:28:53.680 making good decisions. I believe and declare God is about 0:28:53.760 --> 0:28:57.000 to give you the land. He's about to open new doors, 0:28:57.400 --> 0:29:02.480 bring new opportunities. Problems are about to turn around, healing freedom, 0:29:02.760 --> 0:29:08.160 favor the fullness of your destiny. In Jesus's name. I'd 0:29:08.240 --> 0:29:11.000 like to give you an opportunity to make Jesus the 0:29:11.040 --> 0:29:15.520 Lord of your life. Would you pray with me? Just say, Lord, Jesus, 0:29:16.320 --> 0:29:20.080 I repent of my sins. Come into my heart. I 0:29:20.280 --> 0:29:23.600 make you my Lord and savior. If you prayed that 0:29:23.720 --> 0:29:27.240 simple prayer, we believe you got born again. We'd love 0:29:27.280 --> 0:29:29.880 to give you some free information on your new walk 0:29:29.920 --> 0:29:31.959 with the Lord. Just text the number on the screen, 0:29:32.200 --> 0:29:34.360 or you can go to the website. I hope you'll 0:29:34.400 --> 0:29:37.440 get into a good Bible based church and keep God 0:29:37.800 --> 0:29:41.480 first place. Thanks so much for listening to today's message. 0:29:41.600 --> 0:29:44.400 I hope you'll subscribe so you can receive the latest 0:29:44.440 --> 0:29:47.920 podcast to keep you encouraged and inspired all through the week. 0:29:48.080 --> 0:29:50.320 Help us to continue to share the message of hope 0:29:50.320 --> 0:29:53.760 with those all around the world. Visit joeloasting dot com 0:29:53.880 --> 0:29:56.479 or click the link in the description to partner with 0:29:56.560 --> 0:29:57.120 us today. 0:29:57.360 --> 0:29:59.800 We hope you'll share this message with a friend and 0:29:59.840 --> 0:30:02.320 be be sure to follow us on social media. We're 0:30:02.360 --> 0:30:05.440 praying for you. I know God's best is still ahead. 0:30:05.680 --> 0:30:06.720 We'll see you next time. 0:30:08.760 --> 0:30:11.240 More than ever before, people are turning to the church 0:30:11.320 --> 0:30:15.040 for their mental health struggles. 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