Turn Off The Flow

0:00:00.920 --> 0:00:02.440 Hi, this is Joelan Victoria. 0:00:02.759 --> 0:00:05.560 Thanks so much for listening to the podcast and thanks 0:00:05.600 --> 0:00:08.360 for supporting the ministry. We believe you're going to have 0:00:08.400 --> 0:00:12.760 an awesome twenty twenty four, healthy, productive, and favor filled. 0:00:13.039 --> 0:00:15.920 God bless you today and enjoy the message. Well, God 0:00:15.960 --> 0:00:16.520 bless you. 0:00:16.880 --> 0:00:19.279 It's great to be with you today, and I hope 0:00:19.320 --> 0:00:21.840 you'll stay connected with us during the week through our 0:00:21.920 --> 0:00:25.880 daily podcast, our YouTube channel, social media, and you can 0:00:25.920 --> 0:00:28.319 come visit us in person. We'd love to have you 0:00:28.400 --> 0:00:30.240 be a part of one of our services. 0:00:30.680 --> 0:00:32.320 But I like to start with something funny. 0:00:32.320 --> 0:00:34.800 And I heard about this man that died and went 0:00:34.840 --> 0:00:38.560 to heaven and Saint Peter escorted him down this long 0:00:38.640 --> 0:00:42.839 hallway filled with thousands of clocks on the wall. The 0:00:42.920 --> 0:00:46.440 hands on the clock were moving at different speeds. Peter 0:00:46.560 --> 0:00:49.599 explained that every person has a clock and when they 0:00:49.680 --> 0:00:51.080 send the clock ticks. 0:00:51.760 --> 0:00:54.600 One clock was barely moving. That was Billy Graham's clock. 0:00:55.000 --> 0:00:58.040 Another clock was creeping along Mother Teresa's clock. 0:00:58.320 --> 0:01:00.560 The man said, curiously, can I see my clock? 0:01:01.040 --> 0:01:03.400 Peter said, yeah, we keep yours in the office and 0:01:03.520 --> 0:01:07.959 use it as a fan. All right, y'all say it 0:01:08.040 --> 0:01:10.960 like you mean it. This is my Bible. I am 0:01:11.000 --> 0:01:13.440 what it says I am. I have what it says 0:01:13.480 --> 0:01:16.080 I have. I can do what it says I can do. 0:01:16.520 --> 0:01:19.319 Today I will be taught the word of God. I 0:01:19.480 --> 0:01:23.800 boldly confess. My mind is alert, my heart is receptive. 0:01:24.120 --> 0:01:27.959 I will never be the same. In Jesus' name, God 0:01:28.000 --> 0:01:31.520 bless you. I want to talk to you today about 0:01:31.760 --> 0:01:34.720 turn off the flow. We live in a day where 0:01:34.720 --> 0:01:39.480 there's all kinds of gossip, slander, people spreading rumors. They 0:01:39.560 --> 0:01:42.000 can post it on social media and don't even have 0:01:42.040 --> 0:01:42.960 to put their name. 0:01:42.760 --> 0:01:45.319 On it, hide behind being anonymous. 0:01:45.840 --> 0:01:49.640 They're busy bodies, have an opinion about everything. They go 0:01:49.680 --> 0:01:52.840 around saying things that are half truth, out of contact, 0:01:53.160 --> 0:01:56.800 disparaging others. But you and I should live by a 0:01:56.880 --> 0:02:01.640 higher standard. Proverbs ten says to slander is to be 0:02:01.720 --> 0:02:02.200 a fool. 0:02:02.880 --> 0:02:04.120 Don't talk too much. 0:02:04.560 --> 0:02:08.399 It causes you to sind be sensible, and turn off 0:02:08.440 --> 0:02:12.080 the flow. How much higher could we go if we 0:02:12.080 --> 0:02:15.560 would simply turn off the flow, not have an opinion 0:02:15.600 --> 0:02:19.160 about everything, not repeat things that are going to make 0:02:19.200 --> 0:02:22.600 someone look bad, not be nosy, and try to find 0:02:22.639 --> 0:02:26.280 the lady's scoot so we can pass it along well joel. 0:02:26.320 --> 0:02:30.280 Everyone's doing it, yes, but you're not everyone. You're a 0:02:30.320 --> 0:02:34.000 cut above. God created you to be like an eagle, 0:02:34.560 --> 0:02:38.959 to rise above all the negative chatter, the backbiting, the gossip, 0:02:39.440 --> 0:02:42.320 and to use your words to bless people, not to 0:02:42.400 --> 0:02:45.919 curse people. If you can't say anything good, don't say 0:02:45.960 --> 0:02:50.200 it to slander, to spread rumors, to make. 0:02:50.120 --> 0:02:52.800 People look bad. The scripture says it is to be 0:02:52.840 --> 0:02:53.320 a fool. 0:02:54.160 --> 0:02:57.839 The reason it's foolish is because what you sow you're 0:02:57.840 --> 0:03:02.799 going to read. If you're so hurtful words, disparaging remarks, 0:03:03.080 --> 0:03:06.720 talking bad behind their back, it's going to happen to you. 0:03:06.720 --> 0:03:09.399 You can save yourself a lot of heartache, a lot 0:03:09.400 --> 0:03:12.959 of trouble if you'll just turn off the flow. You're 0:03:13.000 --> 0:03:15.760 called to be an eagle. Now, don't go around like 0:03:15.800 --> 0:03:20.280 a crow. A crow is always making noise in everybody 0:03:20.280 --> 0:03:24.320 else's business, trying to stir up trouble. But one of 0:03:24.320 --> 0:03:28.200 the seven things the scripture says that God hates is 0:03:28.240 --> 0:03:32.800 someone that sows discord, someone that's always stirring things up, 0:03:33.320 --> 0:03:39.560 bringing division, saying things they know are going to cause strife, jealousy, damage, 0:03:39.560 --> 0:03:44.040 a reputation. Hate is a strong word could have said 0:03:44.040 --> 0:03:47.960 that God dislikes it. God encourages us not to do it. 0:03:48.680 --> 0:03:52.800 But God doesn't take this lightly. You can't slander people 0:03:52.880 --> 0:03:56.440 and be blessed. You can't discredit someone and. 0:03:56.360 --> 0:03:57.360 See God's favor. 0:03:58.240 --> 0:04:00.840 Well, Joel, what I'm saying is all true. I'm not 0:04:00.960 --> 0:04:04.480 making it up. But do you need to repeat it? 0:04:04.520 --> 0:04:07.600 Is it necessary? Is it benefiting anything? 0:04:08.320 --> 0:04:10.240 Or is it just putting them in a bad light. 0:04:11.040 --> 0:04:13.880 I read this quote, have you heard a word against 0:04:13.880 --> 0:04:17.880 your neighbor? Then let it die within you. This is 0:04:17.920 --> 0:04:21.120 saying have you heard some gossips? Have you read something 0:04:21.240 --> 0:04:24.640 juicy on the internet? Has a friend given your inside 0:04:24.680 --> 0:04:29.200 information about someone that failed, that cheated, that got into trouble. 0:04:29.520 --> 0:04:31.000 Here's what you do. 0:04:31.000 --> 0:04:33.960 Don't run to the phone and call three friends, don't 0:04:33.960 --> 0:04:36.920 get on the internet and expose them, don't email all 0:04:37.000 --> 0:04:41.400 your cousins. Let it die within you, keep it to yourself. 0:04:42.200 --> 0:04:44.000 This is going to show what kind of. 0:04:44.000 --> 0:04:44.760 Person you are. 0:04:45.400 --> 0:04:49.960 Are you a big person, an eagle, You're honorable, you 0:04:50.040 --> 0:04:53.080 stay on the high path, you cover for people, you 0:04:53.160 --> 0:04:57.880 show mercy. Or are you a small person, a crow, noisy, 0:04:58.120 --> 0:05:03.120 a busy body. All people stir up trouble. Small people 0:05:03.560 --> 0:05:08.120 spread bad news. Small people feed off of others' mistakes 0:05:08.120 --> 0:05:11.800 and failures. That's not you. You're not a crow, be 0:05:11.960 --> 0:05:13.880 the eagle God created you to be. 0:05:14.839 --> 0:05:16.600 When you let it die within. 0:05:16.360 --> 0:05:20.200 You, you're not just doing them a favor, You're doing yourself 0:05:20.279 --> 0:05:25.960 a favor. God will not promote gossips, fault finders, busy bodies. 0:05:26.720 --> 0:05:27.719 And I've heard it said. 0:05:27.560 --> 0:05:31.719 That every person carries a bucket of gasoline and a 0:05:31.720 --> 0:05:37.080 bucket of water. When you hear gossip, rumors, juice the information, 0:05:37.800 --> 0:05:40.880 you can either pour gasoline on it, add fuel to 0:05:40.920 --> 0:05:44.920 the fire, make it bigger, cause it to spread, or 0:05:45.000 --> 0:05:47.479 you can pour water on it and help put out 0:05:47.480 --> 0:05:52.640 the fire. Too many people use their gasoline. They're justifying it. 0:05:52.720 --> 0:05:56.520 Joy is true. I'm just stating the facts. They did wrong. 0:05:57.279 --> 0:06:01.000 They may be guilty, but the scripture says love covers 0:06:01.080 --> 0:06:02.120 a person's faults. 0:06:02.960 --> 0:06:04.360 Love doesn't expose them. 0:06:04.920 --> 0:06:07.800 Love doesn't go call five friends, love doesn't put it 0:06:07.839 --> 0:06:12.000 on Facebook. The mercy you show others is the mercy 0:06:12.080 --> 0:06:12.680 that's going to. 0:06:12.640 --> 0:06:13.360 Be shown to you. 0:06:14.279 --> 0:06:20.480 If you're harsh, judgmental, you expose people's failures, magnify their mistakes, 0:06:21.080 --> 0:06:23.479 that same judgment is going to come back to you, 0:06:24.560 --> 0:06:27.320 and you may know things that are true about people 0:06:27.920 --> 0:06:29.320 that could make them look bad. 0:06:29.560 --> 0:06:32.280 That's a test. Can God trust. 0:06:32.000 --> 0:06:35.840 You to not damage their reputation, to let it die 0:06:35.920 --> 0:06:39.279 within you, or you're going to open that faucet and 0:06:39.360 --> 0:06:43.040 go around spreading everything you know. That's going to limit 0:06:43.400 --> 0:06:44.479 how high you will go. 0:06:45.520 --> 0:06:47.760 In the Book of Genesis, Noah. 0:06:47.640 --> 0:06:50.320 Was on the ark for one hundred and ninety days 0:06:50.760 --> 0:06:54.880 with his family and all the animals. You can imagine 0:06:55.240 --> 0:06:58.400 how he must have felt being cramped up, not only 0:06:58.520 --> 0:07:03.039 with the animals, with his family for six months, nowhere 0:07:03.080 --> 0:07:07.480 to go, always with each other. Someone pointed out the 0:07:07.520 --> 0:07:09.840 first thing Noah did when he got off the arc 0:07:10.200 --> 0:07:10.960 was get drunk. 0:07:11.880 --> 0:07:13.640 Now I'm not saying that was right, but he had 0:07:13.640 --> 0:07:17.240 had enough. Some of you have a hard time at the. 0:07:17.200 --> 0:07:21.800 Family reunion for one day, imagine six months, Noah went 0:07:21.800 --> 0:07:22.280 to his tent. 0:07:22.520 --> 0:07:23.760 He had too much to drink. 0:07:24.360 --> 0:07:28.240 He was lying on the floor, passed out, not wearing 0:07:28.280 --> 0:07:32.760 any clothes. His youngest son, Ham came in and saw 0:07:32.840 --> 0:07:37.240 him there on the ground totally naked. Instead of covering 0:07:37.280 --> 0:07:42.880 for his father, trying to protect his reputation, he poured gasoline. 0:07:42.280 --> 0:07:42.840 On the fire. 0:07:43.360 --> 0:07:47.040 He went out and started talking, spreading all the juicy news. 0:07:47.280 --> 0:07:50.040 Told his brothers, you won't believe what I saw. 0:07:50.480 --> 0:07:53.720 Dad's making a fool of himself. He's drunk, he's naked, 0:07:53.800 --> 0:07:55.920 He's on the floor, on and on. 0:07:56.720 --> 0:08:02.600 Noah's other two sons, Sham and Jayfa, did just the opposite. 0:08:02.640 --> 0:08:04.920 They got a robe and went to the tent. 0:08:05.600 --> 0:08:09.440 They held up that robe and walked in backwards so 0:08:09.480 --> 0:08:12.320 they wouldn't see their father. They didn't want to look 0:08:12.360 --> 0:08:16.360 at him in that state, even though he was drunk, naked, 0:08:16.760 --> 0:08:21.360 passed out. He had done wrong, made mistakes. These two 0:08:21.480 --> 0:08:26.680 sons wouldn't dishonor their father. They walked backwards and placed 0:08:26.720 --> 0:08:31.400 the robe over him to cover him. One son exposed 0:08:31.400 --> 0:08:35.360 his father went out and told everyone. These two sons 0:08:35.760 --> 0:08:39.480 covered their father. They had their bucket of water, they 0:08:39.480 --> 0:08:40.760 were putting out the fire. 0:08:41.160 --> 0:08:42.440 They heard something juicy. 0:08:42.880 --> 0:08:46.240 They saw their father had failed, but they chose to 0:08:46.360 --> 0:08:47.960 let it die within them. 0:08:48.440 --> 0:08:49.280 Which son are you? 0:08:50.559 --> 0:08:53.200 One lesson that I love here is to stick up 0:08:53.240 --> 0:08:56.760 for your family, the people that you live with. 0:08:57.080 --> 0:09:00.480 The people God's connected you to. They're gonna make the stakes. 0:09:01.160 --> 0:09:04.640 They're gonna say things they shouldn't do things that can 0:09:04.679 --> 0:09:05.800 bring embarrassment. 0:09:06.520 --> 0:09:09.600 It's tempting to be like ham. Look what they've done. 0:09:09.720 --> 0:09:10.720 They're a fool. 0:09:11.080 --> 0:09:15.120 No, that's your family, that's your blood, that's who God 0:09:15.280 --> 0:09:18.600 ordains you to be related to. You need to defend 0:09:18.640 --> 0:09:23.360 your family, protect their reputations. There may be things said 0:09:23.880 --> 0:09:27.199 behind closed doors, but outside. 0:09:26.960 --> 0:09:28.679 You need to be their biggest cheerleader. 0:09:29.600 --> 0:09:33.319 Don't call your friends and tell all the negative things about. 0:09:33.040 --> 0:09:36.160 Your son, your daughter. Don't tell your. 0:09:35.960 --> 0:09:39.280 Classmate how bad your brother is, how he can't get 0:09:39.320 --> 0:09:42.520 it together, no matter how much they don't deserve it. 0:09:42.920 --> 0:09:46.040 You need to honor your family in front of other people. 0:09:46.880 --> 0:09:49.640 You may have a private challenge, but don't let it 0:09:49.679 --> 0:09:50.320 go public. 0:09:50.559 --> 0:09:51.760 Stick up for your family. 0:09:52.280 --> 0:09:56.760 Defend those that God has given you. Proverb says a 0:09:56.800 --> 0:09:59.520 friend is loyal, but a brother is. 0:09:59.480 --> 0:10:02.079 Born for times of adversity. 0:10:02.120 --> 0:10:06.079 In tough times, your son needs you, your mother, your father, 0:10:06.200 --> 0:10:10.560 your sister. They need you, not your judgment, not the 0:10:10.679 --> 0:10:13.280 harsh critical you should have known better. 0:10:13.800 --> 0:10:17.680 You deserve to be exposed. You embarrass yourself. No, get 0:10:17.720 --> 0:10:19.400 the robe and cover them. 0:10:20.240 --> 0:10:24.560 They don't need more guilt, more condemnation. They already know 0:10:24.640 --> 0:10:25.480 what they did wrong. 0:10:26.160 --> 0:10:27.080 They got enough. 0:10:26.880 --> 0:10:31.840 People talking, fault finders, gossipers. They need someone that will 0:10:31.840 --> 0:10:36.280 show mercy, someone that will love them back into wholeness. 0:10:36.800 --> 0:10:40.079 God is counting on you to be that bigger person, 0:10:40.840 --> 0:10:44.400 to cover a mistake, to not hold what happened in 0:10:44.440 --> 0:10:48.040 the past against them. It's easy to look down on 0:10:48.160 --> 0:10:51.400 people who are close to us because we know their faults, 0:10:51.840 --> 0:10:55.360 we've seen their shortcomings. This is when mercy has to 0:10:55.400 --> 0:10:59.400 step in. If your family can't count on you, who 0:10:59.400 --> 0:11:02.560 can they count on. If you don't take up your father, 0:11:02.960 --> 0:11:06.320 your son, your sibling, who's going to do it. There 0:11:06.320 --> 0:11:11.239 are plenty of people outside trying to disparage, discredit, expose. 0:11:11.760 --> 0:11:15.479 Your family needs you. Be a healer, be a restorer, 0:11:15.800 --> 0:11:16.440 be a lifter. 0:11:17.559 --> 0:11:22.000 When Noah woke up and found out what happened, he 0:11:22.080 --> 0:11:25.960 said to him, the son that exposed him, Your children 0:11:26.320 --> 0:11:28.560 and grandchildren will always struggle. 0:11:29.240 --> 0:11:29.920 There will be a. 0:11:30.000 --> 0:11:33.280 Curse on your descendants because you dishonored me. 0:11:34.000 --> 0:11:35.480 You damage my reputation. 0:11:35.960 --> 0:11:40.400 You didn't defend me, you exposed me, Noah said to 0:11:40.480 --> 0:11:43.680 Shim and Jacob, the two sons that covered him. 0:11:44.160 --> 0:11:48.240 You and your descendants will always be blessed. You will prosper. 0:11:48.720 --> 0:11:52.480 You will rule over cities, Your land will increase. You 0:11:52.480 --> 0:11:54.640 will always have God's favor. 0:11:54.679 --> 0:11:58.320 Because you showed me honor. The principle is. 0:11:58.559 --> 0:12:05.560 Whenever we're gossiping, exposing, making people look bad, we're on hamside. 0:12:05.600 --> 0:12:09.040 We step out from under the blessing. Well, Joel, I 0:12:09.160 --> 0:12:12.320 just talk a lot. It's not hurting anything. No, that's 0:12:12.400 --> 0:12:17.199 limiting your future. There's a hindrance, a barrier that will 0:12:17.280 --> 0:12:21.360 keep you from excelling. Get out from under hamside and 0:12:21.440 --> 0:12:23.040 come over to the blessed side. 0:12:23.760 --> 0:12:26.800 When you show honor, even when honor is. 0:12:26.760 --> 0:12:30.679 Not due, like these brothers, you choose to cover a fall. 0:12:31.280 --> 0:12:34.800 You stick up for your family, You defend that coworker. 0:12:35.200 --> 0:12:37.880 You let that gossip die within you. 0:12:37.880 --> 0:12:41.880 You pour water instead of gasoline. God says to you 0:12:42.040 --> 0:12:43.560 what he said to the two brothers. 0:12:43.840 --> 0:12:44.920 You're gonna be blessed. 0:12:45.360 --> 0:12:48.800 You will be honored, You will see favor and increase. 0:12:49.600 --> 0:12:50.960 But a lot of them. 0:12:50.760 --> 0:12:55.480 Negative, juicy things we hear about friends and coworkers. There 0:12:55.520 --> 0:12:58.760 may be a small truth to it, but it's slanted 0:12:58.960 --> 0:13:02.280 to make the person look bad. It's taken out a context. 0:13:02.679 --> 0:13:06.800 The negative is magnified. That's how rumors get started. Now 0:13:06.800 --> 0:13:09.520 there are three different versions. By the time it gets 0:13:09.600 --> 0:13:11.680 to us, it's a fraction of the truth. 0:13:12.600 --> 0:13:14.480 Don't believe everything you hear. 0:13:15.320 --> 0:13:18.960 Don't go around repeating things you're not sure or accurate. 0:13:19.720 --> 0:13:21.439 A lot of people are busybodies. 0:13:22.000 --> 0:13:26.240 They live disturb things up the nosy, always trying to 0:13:26.280 --> 0:13:27.440 find the latest scoop. 0:13:27.600 --> 0:13:30.560 Did you hear about so and so. You don't need 0:13:30.720 --> 0:13:34.920 people in your life like that. Spirits are transferable. 0:13:35.760 --> 0:13:38.520 If you hang around to gossip, you're going to become 0:13:38.559 --> 0:13:41.920 a gossip. If you hang around people that find fault, 0:13:42.600 --> 0:13:46.880 complain about the boss, disparage their spouse, that's going to 0:13:46.880 --> 0:13:47.720 get off on you. 0:13:48.880 --> 0:13:50.479 If they talk bad about. 0:13:50.240 --> 0:13:53.439 People in front of you, they'll talk bad about you. 0:13:53.480 --> 0:13:56.760 In front of others. David said it this way, Psalm 0:13:56.760 --> 0:13:57.640 one oh one. 0:13:57.720 --> 0:14:02.920 I will not tolerate people that slander their neighbor. He 0:14:03.040 --> 0:14:06.959 was saying, I'm not going to associate with gossipers, backbiters, 0:14:07.240 --> 0:14:12.040 people that spread rumors. Your destiny is too important, Your 0:14:12.080 --> 0:14:15.720 time is too valuable to spend it with crows, with 0:14:15.840 --> 0:14:19.800 busy bodies, people that have an opinion about everything, always 0:14:19.800 --> 0:14:21.120 trying to stir something up. 0:14:21.800 --> 0:14:23.160 You need to be around. 0:14:22.880 --> 0:14:28.160 Other eagles, eagles are too busy pursuing their own dreams to. 0:14:28.160 --> 0:14:30.080 Worry about what everyone else is doing. 0:14:31.160 --> 0:14:35.840 If you're around nosy, busy bodies, that's going to distract 0:14:35.880 --> 0:14:37.120 you from your assignment. 0:14:37.760 --> 0:14:41.240 It will keep you from the greatness God put in you. 0:14:41.240 --> 0:14:43.680 You shouldn't sit at lunch every day with people that 0:14:43.960 --> 0:14:47.240 bad mouth the company and find fault with everyone. 0:14:47.440 --> 0:14:48.640 That's a sign they. 0:14:48.480 --> 0:14:52.040 Are jealous, they're insecure, they're small minded. 0:14:52.800 --> 0:14:55.440 If you don't make a change, that poison will get 0:14:55.480 --> 0:14:58.440 off on you. You have to put up some boundaries. 0:14:59.200 --> 0:15:01.360 Men came up to me one times at Joey, did 0:15:01.400 --> 0:15:04.000 you hear about so and so? And I could tell 0:15:04.040 --> 0:15:06.040 the way he was saying it it wasn't gonna be good. 0:15:06.880 --> 0:15:09.080 I just smiled and said, no, I didn't hear anything, 0:15:09.400 --> 0:15:10.040 And if it's. 0:15:09.960 --> 0:15:13.080 Not good, I don't really want to hear it. Your 0:15:13.200 --> 0:15:16.760 ears are not garbage cans. Don't let people. 0:15:16.480 --> 0:15:20.920 Fill you with a bunch of rumors, gossip, who fell, 0:15:21.240 --> 0:15:22.120 who's in trouble? 0:15:23.000 --> 0:15:24.479 Proverbs eleven says. 0:15:24.480 --> 0:15:28.880 A gossip goes around spreading rumors, but an honorable person 0:15:29.360 --> 0:15:33.600 tries to quiet them. When you're honorable, you pour water 0:15:33.680 --> 0:15:37.080 on the fire. You take up for people. You defend 0:15:37.120 --> 0:15:40.480 your family. The enemy would love to draw us in 0:15:40.560 --> 0:15:42.760 to gossip, spreading rumors. 0:15:43.000 --> 0:15:46.000 Be in a busy body. That's a sure way to 0:15:46.120 --> 0:15:47.880 miss your destiny. 0:15:47.960 --> 0:15:51.560 In these days, there's more noise than ever, people saying 0:15:51.640 --> 0:15:55.440 things that aren't true, trying to discredit make you look bad, 0:15:56.240 --> 0:15:58.400 tempting to think, hey, two can play at this game. 0:15:58.960 --> 0:16:01.680 Let me tell you what I think about you. If 0:16:01.720 --> 0:16:03.360 we're not careful, we'll. 0:16:03.240 --> 0:16:05.720 Get drawn into battles we're not supposed to fight. 0:16:06.560 --> 0:16:09.560 We'll end up critical, disparaging. 0:16:08.960 --> 0:16:12.680 Others, saying things that aren't true about them. Let God 0:16:12.800 --> 0:16:16.480 fight your battles. You don't have to defend yourself. You 0:16:16.640 --> 0:16:20.920 have a defender. Your reputation is in God's hands, and 0:16:20.960 --> 0:16:24.880 he has never lost a battle. Ignore the negative chatters. 0:16:25.320 --> 0:16:28.000 Don't try to come back. The lies, the rumors, the 0:16:28.040 --> 0:16:32.680 innu windows. You'll never stop all that. That's a distraction 0:16:33.320 --> 0:16:36.520 to get you to spend your time and energy trying 0:16:36.560 --> 0:16:39.320 to prove to people who you are, how you're. 0:16:39.160 --> 0:16:41.640 Not what they said. Those are lies, those are rumors. 0:16:42.000 --> 0:16:45.840 Can I tell you they are misunderstanding you on purpose. 0:16:46.680 --> 0:16:49.280 They're never going to be for you. The good news 0:16:49.400 --> 0:16:53.560 is you don't need them to fulfill your destiny. But 0:16:53.640 --> 0:16:57.040 one test that we all have to pass is to 0:16:57.040 --> 0:17:00.920 not be critical toward people who are critical of us, 0:17:01.600 --> 0:17:04.520 to not disparage those that are trying to make us 0:17:04.560 --> 0:17:05.080 look bad. 0:17:05.880 --> 0:17:08.160 See, an eagle never fights with a crow. 0:17:08.920 --> 0:17:12.000 When a crow is pestering him, all the eagle does 0:17:12.240 --> 0:17:15.480 is go up higher. A crow can't fly at the 0:17:15.560 --> 0:17:19.879 altitude an eagle can fly out, quit fighting and go 0:17:19.960 --> 0:17:20.520 up higher. 0:17:21.240 --> 0:17:24.080 Ignore it. It can't stop your destiny. 0:17:24.880 --> 0:17:28.000 If you're going to reach your furthest potential, you have 0:17:28.080 --> 0:17:30.640 to be comfortable being misunderstood. 0:17:31.600 --> 0:17:32.840 Jesus did no wrong. 0:17:33.560 --> 0:17:37.000 He raised people from the dead, healed the sick, he 0:17:37.119 --> 0:17:43.160 fed the multitude. Yet people slandered him, mischaracterized him, spread 0:17:43.240 --> 0:17:47.040 rumors all on purpose. They knew he was doing good, 0:17:47.480 --> 0:17:52.080 but they were jealous, small minded, insecure. They couldn't handle 0:17:52.160 --> 0:17:56.960 who he was. Some people can't handle your success. They're 0:17:56.960 --> 0:17:59.480 going to lie, slander, disparage. 0:18:00.040 --> 0:18:01.320 Don't seek down to their level. 0:18:01.920 --> 0:18:05.000 It may not feel good, but they can't stop your purpose. 0:18:05.640 --> 0:18:10.480 You stay honorable, stay faithful, stay trustworthy, and God will 0:18:10.520 --> 0:18:13.800 take care of all the negative chatter. He may not 0:18:13.960 --> 0:18:18.320 stop it, but he won't let it stop you, you'll continue. 0:18:17.960 --> 0:18:18.879 To rise higher. 0:18:19.960 --> 0:18:22.760 A few years after I started pastoring, there was a 0:18:22.760 --> 0:18:27.399 couple that attended Lakewood that owned a transportation company, and 0:18:27.440 --> 0:18:30.120 they had such big hearts and they wanted to help 0:18:30.160 --> 0:18:34.080 people in need. So every Sunday they would drive their 0:18:34.119 --> 0:18:39.000 big stretch limousines to the homeless shelters and bring people 0:18:39.040 --> 0:18:42.359 to church, drive them to the open door mission, to 0:18:42.440 --> 0:18:46.240 the battered women's home. They treated these people like royalty. 0:18:46.880 --> 0:18:49.560 Some had never been in a limousine, but they brought 0:18:49.600 --> 0:18:52.639 them to church and we gave them seats down front 0:18:52.680 --> 0:18:56.920 and told them who they are children of Almighty God. Well, 0:18:56.960 --> 0:19:00.240 these limousines were so big they didn't have any were 0:19:00.240 --> 0:19:00.960 to park them. 0:19:01.119 --> 0:19:03.080 Of course, they wouldn't fit in a normal spot. 0:19:03.760 --> 0:19:06.600 I told that couple to park them right in front 0:19:06.640 --> 0:19:10.600 of the old church on the main driveway. Some Sundays 0:19:10.760 --> 0:19:13.240 there would be a half a dozen of these long 0:19:13.520 --> 0:19:15.680 stretched limousines in front of the building. 0:19:16.680 --> 0:19:19.399 One day I received the letter. It's a Joel. We 0:19:19.600 --> 0:19:21.679 came in from out of town to visit Lakewood. We 0:19:21.760 --> 0:19:23.560 loved it. We love what you're. 0:19:23.320 --> 0:19:26.800 Doing, but we just don't think it's right that your 0:19:26.880 --> 0:19:30.000 family would come to church in all those big limousines. 0:19:31.359 --> 0:19:36.639 Sometimes we're critical of things we don't understand. We're making 0:19:36.720 --> 0:19:38.840 judgments without knowing the facts. 0:19:39.640 --> 0:19:41.760 We formed these negative opinions. 0:19:42.200 --> 0:19:45.840 We say things but it's not what it looks like. 0:19:46.760 --> 0:19:49.879 We don't know the full story. We just see the limos. 0:19:50.000 --> 0:19:52.840 We don't know the motives, we don't know the reasons. 0:19:53.440 --> 0:19:57.120 We assume things that may not be true. And with 0:19:57.160 --> 0:20:00.159 all the ways to communicate these days, with all the 0:20:00.240 --> 0:20:04.080 chatter and social media, and this coworker said this, and 0:20:04.119 --> 0:20:06.240 my friend said that, and my neighbor told me this. 0:20:07.040 --> 0:20:13.000 Maybe we're judging things prematurely. Maybe we're finding fault without knowing. 0:20:12.800 --> 0:20:16.720 The details, even if it is true. Where is the mercy? 0:20:17.400 --> 0:20:20.560 Where is the grace to give people room to make mistakes, 0:20:20.720 --> 0:20:24.040 to not be perfect. Maybe God is dealing with them, 0:20:24.320 --> 0:20:27.960 Maybe they're gonna make better decisions. Instead of judging them 0:20:28.320 --> 0:20:31.359 talking behind their backs. Why don't you take that same 0:20:31.480 --> 0:20:35.440 time and pray for them, be a part of the solution. 0:20:35.480 --> 0:20:39.760 And not the problem. My father went to college back 0:20:39.760 --> 0:20:41.680 in the nineteen thirties. 0:20:42.240 --> 0:20:44.440 It was a new student that showed up that year 0:20:45.359 --> 0:20:48.040 dressed in the nicest suit they had ever seen. 0:20:48.320 --> 0:20:49.439 It was a zoot suit. 0:20:50.040 --> 0:20:52.600 The pants came up real high, and he had a 0:20:52.760 --> 0:20:57.159 vest a beautiful tie. Everyone commented on how good he looked. 0:20:57.440 --> 0:21:00.479 He was the talk of the school. He wore that 0:21:00.560 --> 0:21:03.840 same suit the next day, and the next and the next. 0:21:04.280 --> 0:21:07.399 After a couple of weeks, people noticed that suit was 0:21:07.440 --> 0:21:11.400 all he wore. A month later, they started talking, here 0:21:11.440 --> 0:21:12.960 he comes with the same suit. 0:21:13.400 --> 0:21:16.800 Let's see today. Yes, he's got it on. Once again. 0:21:17.119 --> 0:21:19.760 He was the talk of the campus, but this time 0:21:19.960 --> 0:21:23.600 everyone was making fun. They would snicker when he walked by, 0:21:24.240 --> 0:21:28.040 laugh and make more jokes. Three months later, my father 0:21:28.200 --> 0:21:31.160 noticed he was packing up his suitcase and he asked 0:21:31.160 --> 0:21:34.280 where he was going. He said, John, I'm going back home. 0:21:34.960 --> 0:21:38.199 My family is very poor. They saved up all they 0:21:38.240 --> 0:21:41.120 could to send me to school. We only had enough 0:21:41.160 --> 0:21:43.720 money to buy this one suit. It's all I had 0:21:43.720 --> 0:21:46.800 to wear. I was already self conscious about it, but 0:21:46.920 --> 0:21:48.800 now everyone makes fun. 0:21:49.320 --> 0:21:50.199 They ridiculed me. 0:21:50.440 --> 0:21:53.639 I can't deal with it anymore, dropped out and went home. 0:21:54.240 --> 0:21:56.960 Of course, when my father and the other students found 0:21:57.000 --> 0:21:57.760 out about. 0:21:57.480 --> 0:21:59.199 It, they felt about that big. 0:22:00.160 --> 0:22:03.119 If they had known the facts, they would have been forgiving. 0:22:03.800 --> 0:22:07.920 Understanding even helped them to buy some more clothes. How 0:22:07.920 --> 0:22:11.960 many times are we judging people without knowing the motives, 0:22:12.480 --> 0:22:15.880 without knowing the challenges, how they were raised, what they're 0:22:15.920 --> 0:22:19.760 dealing with. If we walked in their shoes most of 0:22:19.800 --> 0:22:24.760 the time, we'd be more understanding, more compassionate. It's easy 0:22:24.760 --> 0:22:28.240 to be critical, find fault, stir up the negative. 0:22:28.840 --> 0:22:31.399 That's being a crow. You're an eagle. 0:22:32.119 --> 0:22:35.000 Let's be people who are full of mercy, people like 0:22:35.119 --> 0:22:36.200 Sham and Japet. 0:22:36.600 --> 0:22:39.520 Even when they are wrong, we cover the fault. 0:22:40.480 --> 0:22:44.240 Paul said in First Thessalonians, make it your ambition to 0:22:44.320 --> 0:22:47.920 live a quiet life and to mind your own business. 0:22:48.320 --> 0:22:51.960 What can distract us quicker than anything is minding. 0:22:51.720 --> 0:22:55.800 Everyone else's business. If he wears the same suit, that's 0:22:55.840 --> 0:22:56.960 his choice. 0:22:57.160 --> 0:22:59.359 If they have limousines at the front of the church, 0:22:59.680 --> 0:23:02.640 I don't don't know all the details. That's not my business. 0:23:03.200 --> 0:23:05.520 I have enough drama in my own life. I don't 0:23:05.560 --> 0:23:06.320 need your drama. 0:23:06.760 --> 0:23:09.680 I'm not gonna judge you, be critical, tell you. 0:23:09.640 --> 0:23:12.639 How to do everything well. If I was them, I 0:23:12.680 --> 0:23:15.200 wouldn't do that. If I was her, I wouldn't have 0:23:15.200 --> 0:23:17.480 married that guy. If I was him, I wouldn't have 0:23:17.560 --> 0:23:19.320 chosen that career. Here's the whole key. 0:23:19.560 --> 0:23:22.000 You're not them. You haven't walked in. 0:23:22.000 --> 0:23:26.400 Their shoes, you haven't experienced their pain, you haven't fought 0:23:26.440 --> 0:23:27.120 their battles. 0:23:27.480 --> 0:23:28.720 You don't have their background. 0:23:29.480 --> 0:23:33.919 It's tempting to be critical, judgmental, But maybe there's something 0:23:33.960 --> 0:23:38.080 you don't understand. Maybe those limousines are not what you think. 0:23:38.760 --> 0:23:40.960 Maybe wearing the same suit, he's got. 0:23:40.840 --> 0:23:41.560 A good reason. 0:23:42.440 --> 0:23:46.200 Don't be a hindrance, start cutting them down, be a help. 0:23:46.960 --> 0:23:50.920 Use your words to bless, to encourage, to speak life, 0:23:51.000 --> 0:23:54.679 to speak victory. I met a man after the service 0:23:54.680 --> 0:23:56.840 one time, and he was so bent out of shape. 0:23:57.200 --> 0:24:00.560 He said, Joe, my pastor back home, he just announced 0:24:00.560 --> 0:24:01.600 that he's going to take. 0:24:01.560 --> 0:24:04.960 Six weeks off this summer. That is not right. 0:24:05.320 --> 0:24:07.920 I don't understand why he would do that. I thought 0:24:07.960 --> 0:24:10.600 to myself, I know exactly why. To get away from 0:24:10.600 --> 0:24:15.880 people like you. Let people run their own life. If 0:24:15.880 --> 0:24:21.600 we're nosy, busybodies will end up critical, finding fault, saying 0:24:21.640 --> 0:24:25.040 things to put people down. Now run your race, focus 0:24:25.080 --> 0:24:28.040 on what God put in your heart. What other people 0:24:28.119 --> 0:24:30.840 do or don't do, that's none of our business. 0:24:30.920 --> 0:24:32.320 That's between them and God. 0:24:33.400 --> 0:24:38.040 In the scripture, Moses' sister, Miriam, didn't like who Moses 0:24:38.119 --> 0:24:41.919 was going to marry. She was Ethiopian, from a different 0:24:42.119 --> 0:24:46.400 nationality than Moses. Miriam started talking behind moses back. 0:24:47.000 --> 0:24:49.639 She said to her brother Aaron, why is he marrying 0:24:49.640 --> 0:24:51.560 this girl? She's not the right one. 0:24:51.600 --> 0:24:56.199 That's a big mistake, stirring up trouble, sewing discord. The 0:24:56.240 --> 0:25:01.359 scripture says God heard Miriam be in disrespect. She wasn't 0:25:01.400 --> 0:25:04.080 even talking to God, she was talking to her brother, 0:25:04.680 --> 0:25:08.119 but God heard it. Verse nine says the anger of 0:25:08.160 --> 0:25:13.800 the Lord burned against them. It's interesting when Jonah refused 0:25:13.800 --> 0:25:16.840 to go to Nineveh, did it exactly opposite of what 0:25:16.880 --> 0:25:20.240 God told him to do. Doesn't say God was angry 0:25:20.560 --> 0:25:24.679 when David had Uriah killed to cover his affair. Doesn't 0:25:24.720 --> 0:25:28.120 say that God was angry. But when Miriam talked bad 0:25:28.160 --> 0:25:32.600 about Moses, when she was critical and judgmental, it says 0:25:32.680 --> 0:25:34.080 God burned with anger. 0:25:35.119 --> 0:25:38.240 God doesn't take it lightly when we speak against people. 0:25:38.760 --> 0:25:42.080 It was none of Miriam's business who Moses chose to marry. 0:25:42.760 --> 0:25:44.760 But maybe Miriam was a busybody. 0:25:45.359 --> 0:25:48.919 She had an opinion and she expressed it when she did. 0:25:49.200 --> 0:25:52.840 The scripture says immediately she was struck with leprosy. 0:25:53.520 --> 0:25:55.200 Her skin was full of disease. 0:25:56.119 --> 0:25:59.439 She stepped out of the blessing in the ham side 0:26:00.119 --> 0:26:03.280 that opened the door to trouble. By the mercy of God, 0:26:03.359 --> 0:26:06.879 she was later healed. But this shows us how God 0:26:06.960 --> 0:26:10.959 sees slander, spreading rumors, being a busy body. 0:26:11.240 --> 0:26:14.840 Don't let that be you. Be an eagle. Stay on 0:26:14.880 --> 0:26:15.800 that high path. 0:26:16.240 --> 0:26:19.480 Put away your gasoline, keep your bucket of water. 0:26:19.480 --> 0:26:20.680 To put out the fires. 0:26:21.080 --> 0:26:26.200 Be trustworthy, be honorable, and quiet the gossip. You heard 0:26:26.200 --> 0:26:29.240 something juicy, let it die within you. 0:26:29.240 --> 0:26:30.840 You have a destiny to fulfill. 0:26:31.240 --> 0:26:34.680 There's a calling on your life. Don't get distracted by 0:26:34.720 --> 0:26:39.119 what others are doing. Run your race, focus on your assignment. 0:26:39.960 --> 0:26:43.000 God is counting on you to be the bigger person, 0:26:43.640 --> 0:26:44.800 to stick up for your. 0:26:44.640 --> 0:26:49.080 Family, to defend your friends, to cover some faults. If 0:26:49.119 --> 0:26:53.040 you will do this, I believe and declare what God 0:26:53.119 --> 0:26:57.160 promised Shim and Japhith, you and your descendants will always 0:26:57.200 --> 0:27:00.960 be blessed. You will prosper, you will be in leadership, 0:27:01.359 --> 0:27:05.639 Your land will increase, You will become all God created 0:27:05.640 --> 0:27:09.360 you to be in Jesus's name, And if you receive it, 0:27:09.560 --> 0:27:13.399 can you say amen, I'd like to give you an 0:27:13.400 --> 0:27:15.560 opportunity to make Jesus the Lord. 0:27:15.600 --> 0:27:17.600 If you're lie, would you pray with me? 0:27:18.320 --> 0:27:22.280 Just say, Lord, Jesus, I repent of my sins, Come 0:27:22.320 --> 0:27:23.520 into my heart. 0:27:23.680 --> 0:27:25.640 I make you my Lord and Savior. 0:27:26.440 --> 0:27:28.880 If you prayed that simple prayer, we believe you got 0:27:28.920 --> 0:27:29.560 born again. 0:27:30.119 --> 0:27:32.320 We'd love to send you some free information on your 0:27:32.359 --> 0:27:33.359 new walk with the Lord. 0:27:33.680 --> 0:27:35.760 You can text the number on the screen or go 0:27:35.800 --> 0:27:36.920 to the website. 0:27:37.080 --> 0:27:38.320 But I hope you'll get into a. 0:27:38.280 --> 0:27:41.919 Good Bible based church and keep God first place. 0:27:42.440 --> 0:27:46.359 God has put a specific dream in your heart. Maybe 0:27:46.440 --> 0:27:50.159 it's a dream for a better career, a blessing that 0:27:50.280 --> 0:27:53.720 enables you to bless others, to be in a healthy, 0:27:54.000 --> 0:27:58.400 loving relationship, to launch your own business or ministry. Endeavor 0:27:59.200 --> 0:28:02.880 we all have. But sometimes set backs and opposition can 0:28:02.960 --> 0:28:05.600 rob us of our dreams. So how do you make 0:28:05.680 --> 0:28:06.920 your dreams a reality? 0:28:08.160 --> 0:28:10.600 One way you know it's a God given dream is 0:28:10.640 --> 0:28:13.440 you can't accomplish it on your own. We never thought 0:28:13.520 --> 0:28:16.800 we'd be having church in a former basketball arena, but 0:28:16.880 --> 0:28:19.200 this is what can happen when you take the limits 0:28:19.200 --> 0:28:19.800 off of God. 0:28:19.960 --> 0:28:22.520 When you believe what God put in your heart. That's 0:28:22.560 --> 0:28:25.320 when He steps in and makes ways where you never 0:28:25.359 --> 0:28:25.960 saw ways. 0:28:26.080 --> 0:28:28.280 Now, I'd love to send you my newest book, It's 0:28:28.320 --> 0:28:29.480 Time to Dream Again. 0:28:29.920 --> 0:28:32.400 It'll help you to hold on to what God promised 0:28:32.400 --> 0:28:35.480 and now get discouraged by how impossible it looks or 0:28:35.520 --> 0:28:36.560 how long it's taken. 0:28:37.080 --> 0:28:40.160 You are closer than you think. God's working behind the 0:28:40.200 --> 0:28:43.400 scenes right now. Stay in faith, You're going to see 0:28:43.400 --> 0:28:46.200 the greatness of God bring your dreams to pass. 0:28:47.400 --> 0:28:49.720 As our way of saying thank you for your gift 0:28:49.760 --> 0:28:52.360 of any amount to the ministry this month, Joel and 0:28:52.480 --> 0:28:55.840 Victoria would like to send you this dream releasing, life 0:28:55.880 --> 0:28:59.840 affirming book, It's Time to Dream Again. You might sense 0:28:59.840 --> 0:29:02.600 that your dreams have been buried, but with this book, 0:29:02.800 --> 0:29:05.600 you'll see that they are actually a hidden treasure just 0:29:05.720 --> 0:29:09.240 waiting to be uncovered and come to life. God's plan 0:29:09.360 --> 0:29:12.600 for you is significant. His dreams for you are beyond 0:29:12.640 --> 0:29:16.600 what you could imagine. Don't wait another day. It's time 0:29:16.680 --> 0:29:17.480 to dream again. 0:29:18.800 --> 0:29:21.640 This book will help you gain a fresh perspective for 0:29:21.720 --> 0:29:24.840 your dreams and to believe for everything God has put 0:29:24.840 --> 0:29:25.520 in your heart. 0:29:25.840 --> 0:29:28.800 Victory and I pray for you and your family every day. 0:29:28.960 --> 0:29:31.800 Thank you so much for your prayer and support. Your 0:29:31.840 --> 0:29:35.760 generosity is making a difference around the world. Remember you 0:29:35.760 --> 0:29:39.800 can watch the services live online every Sunday. To download 0:29:39.840 --> 0:29:43.680 the daily podcast our YouTube channel, listen on serious exam. 0:29:44.040 --> 0:29:47.080 We will keep you encouraged and inspired, but until we 0:29:47.080 --> 0:29:49.760 meet again, let the Lord bless you and keep you. 0:29:50.640 --> 0:29:53.200 Be sure to request your copy of It's Time to 0:29:53.280 --> 0:29:57.600 Dream Again today. Visit joelostein dot com or call eight 0:29:57.600 --> 0:29:59.800 eight eight five six seven Joel 0:30:12.040 --> 0:30:12.200 Yes.