You Can Have The Last Laugh

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The unit stap 0:00:41.760 --> 0:00:44.280 makes it easy for grandparents and family friends to give 0:00:44.320 --> 0:00:47.040 funds to a child's investment account for a limited time. 0:00:47.159 --> 0:00:49.279 Download the uns stap and use the code I heeart 0:00:49.360 --> 0:00:51.640 fifty at sign up to receive a fifty dollars bonus 0:00:51.640 --> 0:00:54.200 when you fund your account. That's code iHeart fifty when 0:00:54.200 --> 0:00:57.200 you sign up at unest dot co for a fifty 0:00:57.240 --> 0:00:59.960 dollars bonus. See terms and conditions at uns dots. 0:01:00.880 --> 0:01:03.600 No one likes to talk about money. Am I saving enough? 0:01:03.680 --> 0:01:05.760 Can I buy a house? Am I paying too much? 0:01:05.760 --> 0:01:08.480 In taxes, will I be able to retire? What if 0:01:08.520 --> 0:01:11.080 you could unlock insights about your finances in less than 0:01:11.120 --> 0:01:13.600 five minutes, with a clear picture of where you stand 0:01:13.600 --> 0:01:16.399 today and where your money can work harder. Now you 0:01:16.520 --> 0:01:19.480 can visit Facet dot com to take the free quiz 0:01:19.520 --> 0:01:24.120 and get your financial wellness score today. That's Facet dot com. 0:01:24.160 --> 0:01:26.080 This add a sponsored by Facet. Facet Wealth in Corporated 0:01:26.200 --> 0:01:28.040 is an SEC registered investment advisor. This is not an 0:01:28.040 --> 0:01:30.080 offer to buy yourself security snor is it investment, legal 0:01:30.200 --> 0:01:30.800 or tax advice. 0:01:31.280 --> 0:01:34.039 Hi, this is Joel and Victoria. Thanks for listening to 0:01:34.080 --> 0:01:37.200 our podcast and thanks for supporting the ministry. If you 0:01:37.280 --> 0:01:39.880 enjoy today's message, why don't you be a blessing and 0:01:39.959 --> 0:01:42.600 share it with a friend. We appreciate you and pray 0:01:42.600 --> 0:01:56.800 put God's very best in your life. Well, God bless 0:01:56.840 --> 0:02:00.280 you always a joy to come into your homes. We 0:02:00.400 --> 0:02:02.920 love you, And if you're ever in our area, I 0:02:02.960 --> 0:02:04.920 hope you'll stop by and be a part of one 0:02:04.960 --> 0:02:08.280 of our services. I give you a personal invitation. I 0:02:08.440 --> 0:02:10.919 promise you we'll make you feel right at home. These 0:02:10.960 --> 0:02:13.359 are the finest people in all of Houston, right here 0:02:13.360 --> 0:02:17.240 at Lakewood, so come sea. Sometimes I like to start 0:02:17.280 --> 0:02:20.239 each week with something funny. And I heard about this pastor. 0:02:20.560 --> 0:02:23.200 He was raising money for a new auditorium, and he 0:02:23.280 --> 0:02:27.119 told the congregation anyone that will give one thousand dollars 0:02:27.400 --> 0:02:30.640 can pick out the next three hymns. Little old lady 0:02:30.639 --> 0:02:32.760 in the back stood up and said, Pastor, I'll do it. 0:02:33.040 --> 0:02:35.960 He was so excited. He said, that's great. Now, which 0:02:36.000 --> 0:02:38.919 three hymns would you like? She looked over the congregation 0:02:39.040 --> 0:02:43.760 said I'll take him and him and him. All right, 0:02:43.919 --> 0:02:46.160 hold up your bible, say it like you mean it. 0:02:46.520 --> 0:02:49.359 This is my Bible. I am what it says I am. 0:02:49.919 --> 0:02:52.280 I have what it says I have. I can do 0:02:52.360 --> 0:02:54.880 what it says I can do. Today I will be 0:02:54.960 --> 0:02:58.840 taught the word of God. I boldly confess. My mind 0:02:58.919 --> 0:03:02.240 is alert, my heart is receptive. I will never be 0:03:02.320 --> 0:03:06.799 the same. In Jesus' name, God bless you. I want 0:03:06.840 --> 0:03:09.280 to talk to you today about how you can have 0:03:09.480 --> 0:03:13.359 the last laugh. We all go through situations where we're 0:03:13.400 --> 0:03:17.280 not being treated fairly. Maybe somebody's talking behind our back 0:03:17.440 --> 0:03:20.720 trying to make us look bad, or we were overlooked 0:03:20.760 --> 0:03:24.120 for a promotion, perhaps even cheated in a business deal. 0:03:24.800 --> 0:03:26.960 I talked to a young man that was being made 0:03:26.960 --> 0:03:30.360 fun of at school, who was constantly being ridiculed and 0:03:30.720 --> 0:03:33.440 given a hard time because he wasn't in a certain group. 0:03:34.120 --> 0:03:36.920 Another lady told how she was looked down on at 0:03:36.960 --> 0:03:40.720 work and not given the credit she deserved because she 0:03:40.760 --> 0:03:44.600 wouldn't go to lunch each day and gossip and complain 0:03:44.760 --> 0:03:47.280 with the rest of the coworkers. They thought she was 0:03:47.320 --> 0:03:49.800 too good for them. Didn't have anything to do with that. 0:03:50.280 --> 0:03:53.120 She just didn't want the poison to go on the inside. 0:03:53.600 --> 0:03:57.640 When we're being mistreated, somebody on purpose is trying to 0:03:57.640 --> 0:04:00.640 make us look bad, on purpose, talking behind our back. 0:04:01.240 --> 0:04:04.280 The natural thing to do is get in there, defend ourselves, 0:04:04.320 --> 0:04:07.280 set the record straight. If you talk about me, I'm 0:04:07.280 --> 0:04:10.080 gonna talk about you. You stab me in the back, 0:04:10.440 --> 0:04:12.440 you better watch out. Who can play at that game. 0:04:12.600 --> 0:04:16.680 Your time is coming. Human nature wants to get revenge. 0:04:16.720 --> 0:04:20.760 We like to get even. But the scripture says vengeance 0:04:20.920 --> 0:04:25.200 is mine, says the Lord. That means God will make 0:04:25.240 --> 0:04:28.640 your wrongs right. God wants to pay you back for 0:04:28.760 --> 0:04:32.640 every unfair thing that's happened. He is a god of justice. 0:04:33.320 --> 0:04:36.560 People may be making light of you, not giving your credit, 0:04:36.600 --> 0:04:40.479 you deserve treating you poorly. Bottom line is this, God 0:04:40.520 --> 0:04:43.280 wants you to have the last laugh. Here's how it 0:04:43.320 --> 0:04:48.960 can happen. Romans twelve nineteen says, never avenge yourself, but 0:04:49.120 --> 0:04:53.159 leave the way open for God. Notice you can either 0:04:53.200 --> 0:04:56.720 avenge yourself or you can let God be your avenger. 0:04:57.200 --> 0:05:00.920 But you cannot have it both ways. You take matters 0:05:00.960 --> 0:05:03.720 into your own hands, and you're always trying to get 0:05:03.800 --> 0:05:06.760 even and pay people back, prove to them that you're 0:05:06.839 --> 0:05:09.600 right and they're wrong. Then God's going to step back 0:05:09.720 --> 0:05:11.640 and say you go ahead, you do it your way, 0:05:11.680 --> 0:05:14.440 you don't need my help. But on the other hand, 0:05:14.720 --> 0:05:16.680 if we can learn to stay on the high road, 0:05:17.320 --> 0:05:20.360 and no matter how great the opportunity to make somebody 0:05:20.400 --> 0:05:22.920 look bad, no matter how much we want to pay 0:05:22.960 --> 0:05:26.440 them back, we rule over our emotions and say no, 0:05:27.080 --> 0:05:29.640 I'm going to let God be my avenger. I'm going 0:05:29.680 --> 0:05:32.840 to trust God to bring justice into my life. When 0:05:32.920 --> 0:05:35.680 you do that, that's when God will show up and say, 0:05:35.680 --> 0:05:38.880 all right, let me go to work. I remember one time, 0:05:38.960 --> 0:05:42.039 many years ago, my father received a letter from another 0:05:42.080 --> 0:05:46.719 minister that was very mean, very critical, very hurtful. He 0:05:46.800 --> 0:05:50.080 accused my father of things that were totally false, no 0:05:50.200 --> 0:05:53.440 truth to them whatsoever. And when my father read it, 0:05:53.839 --> 0:05:56.599 he was not only extremely hurt, but he was a 0:05:56.600 --> 0:05:59.640 little angry. He thought to himself, I'm going to give 0:05:59.640 --> 0:06:02.720 this guy a peace of my mind. He sat down 0:06:02.760 --> 0:06:06.559 and wrote back the meanest, ugliest letter he possibly could. 0:06:07.040 --> 0:06:09.480 He said, brother, you don't know what you're talking about. 0:06:09.800 --> 0:06:13.160 How dare you accuse me of these things? He sealed it, 0:06:13.560 --> 0:06:15.359 walked to the end of the driveway, put it in 0:06:15.400 --> 0:06:18.719 the mailbox, and mailed it. In a few minutes, he 0:06:18.720 --> 0:06:21.799 heard a voice right down in here saying, you got even, 0:06:21.880 --> 0:06:24.960 didn't you. Daddy said, yeah, God, even you feel better, 0:06:25.000 --> 0:06:27.640 don't you? Yeah? Feel better? You paid him back, didn't you? 0:06:27.720 --> 0:06:27.920 Yeah? 0:06:28.160 --> 0:06:31.200 Paid him back. Then the voice said, you sure did. 0:06:31.640 --> 0:06:36.000 You paid him back? Evil for evil. My father gulped. 0:06:36.160 --> 0:06:38.840 He could feel that conviction. He knew it was God 0:06:38.960 --> 0:06:42.599 speaking to him. He realized he didn't respond the right way. 0:06:43.000 --> 0:06:45.200 He went back to the mailbox, got the letter out, 0:06:45.360 --> 0:06:48.440 tore it up. He never sent it, never said another 0:06:48.480 --> 0:06:51.600 word about it. You know what he was doing choosing 0:06:51.680 --> 0:06:54.680 to let God be his avenger. He was choosing to 0:06:54.760 --> 0:06:58.919 let God make his wrongs right. Sixteen years later, my 0:06:59.040 --> 0:07:02.279 father received a call from the man. He was weeping 0:07:02.400 --> 0:07:06.120 and weeping. He said, Pastor ostein that letter I sent you, 0:07:06.480 --> 0:07:09.400 it was so wrong. I feel so bad. Can you 0:07:09.520 --> 0:07:13.200 forgive me? Friends, God knows how to bring justice in 0:07:13.280 --> 0:07:16.800 your life. It may not happen overnight, but it will happen. 0:07:18.320 --> 0:07:22.320 God knows every person that's done you wrong. He sees 0:07:22.400 --> 0:07:26.280 every time you've been hurt. He's keeping the records. If 0:07:26.320 --> 0:07:28.320 we can just learn to stay on the high road 0:07:28.760 --> 0:07:31.720 and not waste our time trying to pay people back, 0:07:31.920 --> 0:07:35.120 trying to get even, then God promises he will be 0:07:35.160 --> 0:07:38.200 our vindicator. And I don't believe we would be here 0:07:38.200 --> 0:07:41.560 today if my father had not learned how to pass 0:07:41.680 --> 0:07:45.720 those kinds of tests. God will only release favor and 0:07:45.800 --> 0:07:49.280 promotion in our lives when he knows our character can 0:07:49.280 --> 0:07:52.840 handle it. If you get upset every time somebody does 0:07:52.880 --> 0:07:56.360 you wrong and you live your life trying to vindicate yourself, 0:07:56.920 --> 0:07:59.080 that you're not going to get to where God wants 0:07:59.080 --> 0:08:02.800 you to be. And it's interesting. In the scripture, David 0:08:03.000 --> 0:08:06.480 was anointed to be king many years before he ever 0:08:06.520 --> 0:08:09.440 took the throne. He had to go through a period 0:08:09.560 --> 0:08:13.640 of testing during this time, King Saul was trying to 0:08:13.760 --> 0:08:17.880 kill him. Was very unfair. David had done nothing but 0:08:18.000 --> 0:08:21.520 good for Saul, but Saul had turned it around, and 0:08:21.560 --> 0:08:25.800 at one point David had an opportunity to end Saul's life. 0:08:26.040 --> 0:08:28.760 He could have put an end to his frustration and misery. 0:08:29.160 --> 0:08:32.680 But do you know David would not do it. He said, Saul, 0:08:33.040 --> 0:08:36.240 may the Lord avenge me of the wrongs you have done, 0:08:36.559 --> 0:08:40.160 but my hands will not touch you. No wonder. David 0:08:40.240 --> 0:08:43.480 was a champion, no wonder, he was promoted. He knew 0:08:43.640 --> 0:08:46.920 how to let God be his avenger. Now I wonder 0:08:47.160 --> 0:08:50.360 how many people just like David have been anointed to 0:08:50.400 --> 0:08:53.400 do something great in life, to be in a position 0:08:53.559 --> 0:08:57.880 of leadership, a place of honor, fulfill their God given dreams. 0:08:58.240 --> 0:09:02.280 But the problem is they never pass the test. They're 0:09:02.280 --> 0:09:05.000 always trying to pay back the Sauls in their life. 0:09:05.720 --> 0:09:09.079 They don't realize the saws. That is, the people that 0:09:09.559 --> 0:09:12.280 on purpose do you wrong, The people that are constantly 0:09:12.320 --> 0:09:17.840 criticizing they are simply distractions. That is a trap to 0:09:17.920 --> 0:09:20.720 try to get you to lose focus, where you spend 0:09:20.760 --> 0:09:23.319 all your time and energy trying to pay them back 0:09:23.800 --> 0:09:26.280 when you should be using your time and energy to 0:09:26.360 --> 0:09:30.560 move forward into your God given destiny, and understand you 0:09:30.640 --> 0:09:34.800 cannot avenge yourself like God can avenge you. You may 0:09:34.800 --> 0:09:38.280 think you can, but God's ways are bigger and better 0:09:38.400 --> 0:09:41.120 than our own. God can take those people that are 0:09:41.160 --> 0:09:44.000 making fun of you right now and use them to 0:09:44.040 --> 0:09:47.480 be the people that promote you, instead of having to 0:09:47.520 --> 0:09:50.880 work for that boss that's always putting you down, never 0:09:50.920 --> 0:09:54.520 giving you any credit. You don't know when God vindicates you, 0:09:54.880 --> 0:09:57.920 that boss may be working for you. That person that 0:09:57.960 --> 0:09:59.760 won't give you the time of day, never listen to 0:09:59.800 --> 0:10:03.400 your opinion. When God avenges you, they'll hang on every 0:10:03.440 --> 0:10:06.040 word you say. They'll do whatever they can to spend 0:10:06.040 --> 0:10:09.520 time with you. They may be laughing now, but when 0:10:09.559 --> 0:10:12.679 God brings justice, you're gonna have the last laugh. Now, 0:10:12.679 --> 0:10:15.600 our attitude should be this may not be fair, they're 0:10:15.600 --> 0:10:18.120 not treating me right, but I'm not taking matters into 0:10:18.160 --> 0:10:20.840 my own hands. I'm gonna let God be my avenger. 0:10:21.280 --> 0:10:21.400 Now. 0:10:21.440 --> 0:10:24.760 I know when God vindicates me, I'm gonna come out 0:10:24.840 --> 0:10:28.079 smelling like a rose. You may look down on me now, 0:10:28.440 --> 0:10:30.760 but one day you'll look up to me. You may 0:10:30.760 --> 0:10:32.480 not give me the time of day. Now, but one 0:10:32.559 --> 0:10:35.720 day you'll wish you had my time. I may not 0:10:35.840 --> 0:10:38.560 have much today, but one day you'll wish you had 0:10:38.679 --> 0:10:41.480 what I have. I love the way David put it, 0:10:41.520 --> 0:10:45.720 Psalm twenty three, Verse five. God prepares a table before 0:10:45.840 --> 0:10:49.440 us in the presence of our enemies. That means God 0:10:49.480 --> 0:10:52.360 will not only avenge you, he'll not only make your 0:10:52.400 --> 0:10:55.960 wrongs right, but he will bless you in front of 0:10:56.000 --> 0:10:59.880 your enemies. He could promote you anywhere, but he'll promote 0:10:59.880 --> 0:11:02.240 you in front of the people that we're trying to 0:11:02.280 --> 0:11:04.959 make you look bad. He'll give you favor on a 0:11:05.080 --> 0:11:08.120 recognition in front of the people that we're trying to 0:11:08.120 --> 0:11:11.520 bring you down. That person that stabbed you in the back, 0:11:11.960 --> 0:11:14.680 betrayed you, tried to keep you from rising higher. Don't 0:11:14.679 --> 0:11:18.000 worry about it. One day they'll be watching you receive 0:11:18.080 --> 0:11:21.360 the credit you deserved. When people talk about me, I 0:11:21.400 --> 0:11:24.920 don't get discouraged. I know God just sent the angels 0:11:24.920 --> 0:11:28.480 to the grocery store. Somebody lies about you, No big deal. 0:11:28.640 --> 0:11:32.160 I can see Gabriel setting the table, somebody spreading rumor, 0:11:32.240 --> 0:11:35.800 somebody criticizing. I'm not upset. I know God just turned 0:11:35.800 --> 0:11:39.240 the oven on. I'm getting ready for my meal. Not alone, 0:11:39.679 --> 0:11:42.840 not by myself, not with just my friends. There's going 0:11:42.920 --> 0:11:45.160 to be some onlookers. There's going to be a few 0:11:45.200 --> 0:11:48.640 people that can smell the food, they can see the 0:11:48.679 --> 0:11:52.439 beautiful table, they can hear the laughter. But this time 0:11:52.559 --> 0:11:55.040 they're not a part of the party. You're having the 0:11:55.120 --> 0:11:59.400 last laugh. They're watching you enjoy what God has prepared. 0:12:01.000 --> 0:12:05.040 In other words, they're seeing you be promoted. They said 0:12:05.040 --> 0:12:07.800 you'd never meet anyone, but they're watching you get married. 0:12:08.360 --> 0:12:10.520 They said you don't have what it takes, but they're 0:12:10.520 --> 0:12:13.600 watching you accomplish your dreams. They said you'd never get 0:12:13.600 --> 0:12:15.960 out of the hospital, but they're watching you walk out, 0:12:16.000 --> 0:12:19.280 healthy and home. They said you're too slow, too small, 0:12:19.400 --> 0:12:23.160 not talented enough, but they're watching you receive honor stepping 0:12:23.200 --> 0:12:26.920 into that winter circle. You need to get ready. Many 0:12:26.960 --> 0:12:30.720 of you have done the right thing. You have overlooked offenses, 0:12:31.080 --> 0:12:35.080 you've shaken off negative words. You've blessed your enemies. You 0:12:35.120 --> 0:12:38.160 need to know today your dinner is almost ready. The 0:12:38.240 --> 0:12:41.679 food is cooked, the table is set. It's just a 0:12:41.679 --> 0:12:43.880 matter of time till you step up to the plate. 0:12:45.480 --> 0:12:48.960 What am I saying? Don't get discouraged, Just keep doing 0:12:49.000 --> 0:12:52.800 the right thing. I've learned. If the enemy can't stop 0:12:52.840 --> 0:12:56.560 your dinner, he'll try to sour your party. He already 0:12:56.600 --> 0:12:59.400 knows God's gonna vindicate you. He knows you're going to 0:12:59.440 --> 0:13:02.040 have the last he can see the table is set, 0:13:02.640 --> 0:13:05.480 but he'll do everything he can to try to steal 0:13:05.520 --> 0:13:09.080 your joy. Convince it's never gonna work out. You're never 0:13:09.160 --> 0:13:13.440 gonna be vindicated. Now, just keep shaking that off. Any moment, 0:13:13.679 --> 0:13:16.640 you're gonna hear the dinner bell ringing. Those people that 0:13:16.679 --> 0:13:19.880 are hindering you, trying to bring you down, they're gonna 0:13:19.880 --> 0:13:22.800 see you stepping into a new level. They're gonna see 0:13:22.840 --> 0:13:25.920 God's favor and goodness in your life in a greater way. 0:13:26.760 --> 0:13:29.480 I was talking to a gentleman that was a mechanic 0:13:29.520 --> 0:13:32.559 at a big diesel shop. He told how for years 0:13:32.600 --> 0:13:36.400 he was treated unfairly there. It's a very negative environment, 0:13:36.720 --> 0:13:39.480 who were constantly making fun of him. They thought he 0:13:39.559 --> 0:13:41.400 was kind of stiff because he wouldn't go party with 0:13:41.480 --> 0:13:44.679 them after work, and year after year he had to 0:13:44.880 --> 0:13:48.400 put up with this injustice, this ridicule, and he was 0:13:48.440 --> 0:13:51.199 one of the top producers, one of the best mechanics 0:13:51.240 --> 0:13:54.199 at that company. But in seven years he had never 0:13:54.280 --> 0:13:58.360 had a promotion, a raise, a bonus, nothing, because his 0:13:58.480 --> 0:14:01.920 supervisor didn't like him. He could have easily gone around 0:14:01.920 --> 0:14:05.440 with the chip on his shoulder negative discouraged. But no, 0:14:05.720 --> 0:14:09.680 he understood this principle. He knew God was his vindicator. 0:14:10.040 --> 0:14:13.240 He knew the food was being prepared, the table was set. 0:14:13.440 --> 0:14:16.920 In any moment, God was going to bring justice. One day, 0:14:17.000 --> 0:14:19.760 out of the blue, the owner of the company called him. 0:14:20.200 --> 0:14:23.200 He had never met the man before. The owner wasn't 0:14:23.240 --> 0:14:26.400 involved in the day to day operations. For some reason, 0:14:26.440 --> 0:14:29.120 he called this man and talked about how he wanted 0:14:29.160 --> 0:14:31.560 to get out of the business, and he offered to 0:14:31.680 --> 0:14:34.760 sell the company to this man. Men said, I don't 0:14:34.760 --> 0:14:37.200 have bunny to buy your company. The owner said, you 0:14:37.200 --> 0:14:39.600 don't need money. I'm going to loan it to you. 0:14:40.280 --> 0:14:43.240 Long story short, he took the offer, and today that 0:14:43.400 --> 0:14:46.800 man owns the company free and clear. What happened, His 0:14:46.840 --> 0:14:49.760 dinner was served Now those people that used to make 0:14:49.800 --> 0:14:51.800 fun of him, that don't make fun of him anymore. 0:14:53.840 --> 0:14:58.120 Instead of instead of calling him names, they called him boss. 0:14:59.560 --> 0:15:02.520 What is 's at God's serving him dinner in the 0:15:02.560 --> 0:15:06.400 presence of his enemies. God promoted him right in front 0:15:06.480 --> 0:15:08.960 of the people that were doing him wrong. They used 0:15:09.000 --> 0:15:11.240 to look down on him, Now they look up to him. 0:15:11.720 --> 0:15:13.480 They used to blow him off and not give him 0:15:13.480 --> 0:15:15.480 the time of day. Now they have to make an 0:15:15.480 --> 0:15:18.960 appointment if they want to see him. Friends, God knows 0:15:19.040 --> 0:15:19.800 how to avenge. 0:15:19.840 --> 0:15:19.960 You. 0:15:20.400 --> 0:15:23.520 Don't take matters into your own hands. If you'll let 0:15:23.560 --> 0:15:27.480 God be your vindicator, he'll not only bring justice, but 0:15:27.600 --> 0:15:30.560 he will promote you right in front of the people 0:15:30.560 --> 0:15:33.280 that were trying to make you look bad, says in 0:15:33.320 --> 0:15:38.280 proverb sixteen. When God approves your life, your enemies will 0:15:38.320 --> 0:15:41.240 end up shaking your hand. I met a man in 0:15:41.280 --> 0:15:43.880 the lobby not long ago. He said, Joel, I was 0:15:43.920 --> 0:15:48.240 your biggest critic. I was always talking about you, blogging 0:15:48.320 --> 0:15:50.680 against you, and I came to one of your services 0:15:50.680 --> 0:15:53.520 to find something else to criticize. But I liked it 0:15:53.560 --> 0:15:55.960 so much I came back the next week. That's been 0:15:56.080 --> 0:15:58.840 six months. I hadn't missed a service yet. Now I'm 0:15:58.840 --> 0:16:01.680 your biggest supporter. He reached out and shook my hand. 0:16:04.400 --> 0:16:08.640 That's God causing your enemies to shake your hand. You 0:16:08.680 --> 0:16:10.920 may have people right now that you're at odds with 0:16:11.480 --> 0:16:14.320 somebody at work that won't speak to you, perhaps a 0:16:14.360 --> 0:16:18.000 family member that's gotten bitter towards end. Even though you're 0:16:18.000 --> 0:16:20.960 doing your best to be kind and respectful, they're just 0:16:21.000 --> 0:16:24.280 the opposite. The more kind you are, the more hateful 0:16:24.320 --> 0:16:27.160 they are. You have pure motives, you want to do 0:16:27.200 --> 0:16:31.360 what's right, but they're always twisting your intentions. It'd be 0:16:31.400 --> 0:16:34.600 easy for you to get bitter. Say fine, if you 0:16:34.640 --> 0:16:36.680 want to treat me like that, I'll treat you like that. 0:16:36.800 --> 0:16:39.560 See if I'm ever nice to you again. Now, don't 0:16:39.600 --> 0:16:42.760 sink down to their level. Just keep doing the right thing. 0:16:43.320 --> 0:16:46.600 God is a god of justice. He knows how to 0:16:46.680 --> 0:16:49.920 change people's hearts. It may be a week, it may 0:16:49.960 --> 0:16:52.240 be a year, it may be twenty five years, but 0:16:52.280 --> 0:16:54.880 God promises one day they're going to reach out and 0:16:54.920 --> 0:16:57.600 shake your hand. One day they're going to give you 0:16:57.680 --> 0:17:00.880 the respect that you deserve. I know a friend that 0:17:01.400 --> 0:17:03.840 worked for this company, and he always gave it one 0:17:03.920 --> 0:17:07.359 hundred percent. It's got a great attitude, but the owner 0:17:07.359 --> 0:17:11.440 of this company had something against him, never treated him fairly. 0:17:11.960 --> 0:17:15.439 Even though this young man is very talented, very bright, 0:17:15.720 --> 0:17:18.360 he would never take his opinion, never given the time 0:17:18.400 --> 0:17:22.120 of day, just kind of dismissed him as inferior. This 0:17:22.200 --> 0:17:25.000 young man never got better. He didn't try to prove 0:17:25.080 --> 0:17:27.439 to everybody who he was. He just kept being his 0:17:27.480 --> 0:17:30.800 best day in and day out, and eventually this owner 0:17:31.280 --> 0:17:34.560 unjustly fired him. He let him go for no reason. 0:17:34.840 --> 0:17:37.280 The young man went out on his own and started 0:17:37.320 --> 0:17:42.320 his own real estate company and became extremely successful. He 0:17:42.359 --> 0:17:45.239 never thought much more about his former boss, how he 0:17:45.320 --> 0:17:48.879 wasn't treated right. He had totally let it go, didn't 0:17:48.880 --> 0:17:52.600 have any ill will toward anyone. But God is a 0:17:52.600 --> 0:17:56.399 god of justice. He never forgets what you are owed. 0:17:56.920 --> 0:17:59.520 You may let it go, but God doesn't let it go. 0:18:00.040 --> 0:18:04.080 He's gonna make sure you get everything you deserve. Several 0:18:04.160 --> 0:18:07.199 years later, his former boss, the one that treated him 0:18:07.240 --> 0:18:10.679 so bad, he was downsizing his company. He needed a 0:18:10.720 --> 0:18:13.520 new building to put his business in, and it just 0:18:13.560 --> 0:18:16.600 so happened he wanted to rent the building that this 0:18:16.760 --> 0:18:20.320 young man owned. When he walked in and saw his 0:18:20.840 --> 0:18:23.720 former employee, the one that he fired as the owner, 0:18:24.000 --> 0:18:27.400 he nearly passed out. This time, he hung on every 0:18:27.440 --> 0:18:30.439 word he said. He treated him with respect and honor. 0:18:30.760 --> 0:18:34.399 He valued his opinion. He ended up renting that facility 0:18:34.720 --> 0:18:37.679 and today he pays rent to the young man he 0:18:37.800 --> 0:18:41.159 unjustly fired. That's God causing your enemies to have to 0:18:41.200 --> 0:18:44.560 shake your hands. That's God giving you the last laugh. 0:18:46.320 --> 0:18:48.359 I think about the people that didn't want us to 0:18:48.400 --> 0:18:53.000 have this facility. Some of them made fun, mocked, ridiculed, 0:18:53.200 --> 0:18:55.720 we don't want a church down there. Of all things, 0:18:55.760 --> 0:18:59.080 on and on. They did whatever they could to stop us. 0:18:59.440 --> 0:19:03.480 But unders and no person can stand against our God. 0:19:04.000 --> 0:19:07.320 No obstacle is too big, no enemy is too powerful. 0:19:08.760 --> 0:19:13.080 What God has ordained cannot be stopped by people, by 0:19:13.080 --> 0:19:16.840 the economy, by governments, by injustice. God always has the 0:19:16.880 --> 0:19:20.840 final say. And now when the critics and naysayers drive 0:19:20.960 --> 0:19:24.240 up and down the freeway and see our beautiful facility, 0:19:24.440 --> 0:19:27.560 you know what that is. God's serving us dinner in 0:19:27.640 --> 0:19:32.320 the presence of our enemies. God wants to promote you. 0:19:33.560 --> 0:19:37.440 Not in private, not alone, not just with your supporters. 0:19:37.760 --> 0:19:40.760 God wants to promote you in front of your opponents. 0:19:41.440 --> 0:19:45.560 Part of His justice is vindicating you. So the people 0:19:45.600 --> 0:19:49.200 that said you would fail, see you succeed. The people 0:19:49.240 --> 0:19:51.480 that said you don't have what it takes, see you 0:19:51.480 --> 0:19:55.440 accomplish in your dreams. I remember when my father died 0:19:55.520 --> 0:19:59.199 and I first started ministering. Ninety nine percent of the 0:19:59.240 --> 0:20:03.440 people were totally for me, totally encouraging. But there were 0:20:03.600 --> 0:20:07.280 certain people that told being around about way they didn't 0:20:07.320 --> 0:20:09.919 think I would make a good minister. I was too 0:20:10.040 --> 0:20:13.000 much of this, too much of that. Really, they wanted 0:20:13.040 --> 0:20:15.840 someone else to take over. And some of these people 0:20:15.880 --> 0:20:18.719 I'd known for a long long time, I thought they 0:20:18.720 --> 0:20:21.639 were my friends. I thought they would surely support me 0:20:21.880 --> 0:20:25.560 and encourage me. After all, it was hard enough going 0:20:25.560 --> 0:20:28.399 through the loss of my father and stepping up trying 0:20:28.400 --> 0:20:31.560 to do something new. The last thing I needed were 0:20:31.560 --> 0:20:34.119 people that I thought were on my side trying to 0:20:34.160 --> 0:20:37.400 pull me down. From time to time, I heard reports 0:20:37.440 --> 0:20:39.879 that they were talking and trying to stir things up. 0:20:40.520 --> 0:20:43.000 But I made a decision early on that I was 0:20:43.040 --> 0:20:45.480 going to stay on the high road. I said, God, 0:20:45.880 --> 0:20:48.600 they're talking about me, but I'm not gonna talk about them. 0:20:48.920 --> 0:20:51.880 I'm not gonna try to defend myself, and I'm certainly 0:20:51.960 --> 0:20:54.280 not going to change and try to fit into their mold. 0:20:54.520 --> 0:20:56.760 I'm just gonna be who you created me to be. 0:20:57.520 --> 0:21:01.440 And today, ten years later, I can say God has 0:21:01.440 --> 0:21:04.399 brought justice into my life. Now I don't say this 0:21:04.520 --> 0:21:07.679 arrogantly in any sense. But God has given me the 0:21:07.760 --> 0:21:13.680 last laugh. They said that, They said that I didn't 0:21:13.760 --> 0:21:17.000 have what it takes, but God knew otherwise. They said 0:21:17.040 --> 0:21:18.840 I was too much of this or not enough of that, 0:21:19.359 --> 0:21:21.919 but I knew God didn't make a mistake when he 0:21:22.000 --> 0:21:25.840 created me. Now, I didn't have their approval, but I 0:21:25.920 --> 0:21:28.520 had God's approval, and that's all that really matters. 0:21:30.240 --> 0:21:30.520 Now. 0:21:32.960 --> 0:21:37.120 Practically, every time they turned the television on, at least 0:21:37.200 --> 0:21:40.480 on Sunday, they can't help but see me. Some of 0:21:40.520 --> 0:21:45.720 you are watching right now. I can see you. They 0:21:45.800 --> 0:21:48.879 may flip it off to another station, but you don't know. 0:21:48.920 --> 0:21:52.960 I may be on that station next. What am I saying? 0:21:53.760 --> 0:21:56.639 We don't have to defend ourselves. We don't have to 0:21:56.680 --> 0:22:00.160 have everybody's approval. If you'll stay on the high road 0:22:00.280 --> 0:22:03.240 and let God be your vindicator, he'll not only give 0:22:03.280 --> 0:22:06.160 you the last laugh, but he'll put an exclamation point 0:22:06.200 --> 0:22:08.960 on it. He'll promote you in front of your critics. 0:22:09.200 --> 0:22:12.280 He'll give you honor and favor in front of the 0:22:12.359 --> 0:22:15.800 people that said you didn't have what it takes. And yes, 0:22:16.000 --> 0:22:18.639 they may continue to talk bad about you, but all 0:22:18.720 --> 0:22:22.439 they're really doing is preparing the way for God to 0:22:22.440 --> 0:22:25.680 bless you more. The more they talk, the more God 0:22:25.720 --> 0:22:28.600 sends the angels to the grocery store, the bigger meal 0:22:28.680 --> 0:22:33.199 he prepares. Somebody lies about you. Just imagine God just 0:22:33.280 --> 0:22:37.280 turned the oven on. Somebody is spreading rumors, betrays you. 0:22:37.760 --> 0:22:41.240 Gabriel just left to the grocery store. Instead of being 0:22:41.280 --> 0:22:44.640 discouraged by it, you should be encouraged knowing that part 0:22:44.640 --> 0:22:47.560 of God's vindication is to not only bring you out, 0:22:47.640 --> 0:22:51.119 but to bring you out promoted, increased in front of 0:22:51.160 --> 0:22:54.800 your opponents. I was talking to a minister the other day. 0:22:55.160 --> 0:22:58.240 He's an older man now. For fifty or sixty years, 0:22:58.320 --> 0:23:00.800 he went all over the world doing so much good. 0:23:01.280 --> 0:23:04.840 Everywhere he went people received him and loved him so much. 0:23:05.240 --> 0:23:09.159 But in his own hometown, the local newspaper did not 0:23:09.440 --> 0:23:12.960 like him at all. They were always finding something wrong. 0:23:13.520 --> 0:23:16.240 He could do one hundred things right, they wouldn't report 0:23:16.240 --> 0:23:18.560 on that. They'd find the one thing he did wrong 0:23:18.680 --> 0:23:20.560 and make a big deal about it. This went on 0:23:20.720 --> 0:23:25.080 year after year. He had an interesting perspective. He said, 0:23:25.440 --> 0:23:28.560 if it had not been for that newspaper, I would 0:23:28.560 --> 0:23:31.800 not have accomplished so much. They not only kept me 0:23:31.840 --> 0:23:34.600 on my knees. They not only gave me fuel to 0:23:34.640 --> 0:23:39.800 prove them wrong, but their critical spirit that injustice, put 0:23:39.840 --> 0:23:42.960 me in a position to receive God's favor in a 0:23:42.960 --> 0:23:46.439 greater way. He went on to build a big university 0:23:46.520 --> 0:23:50.080 in that town. Thousands of young people have attended. It 0:23:50.200 --> 0:23:53.240 seemed like the least likely place for him to be blessed, 0:23:53.640 --> 0:23:56.880 the least likely place for him to accomplish his dreams, 0:23:57.080 --> 0:24:00.960 where he had the most opposition, the most criticism. But no, 0:24:01.119 --> 0:24:04.440 God says, that's where I prepare the table. That's where 0:24:04.440 --> 0:24:06.480 I want to increase you. That's where I want to 0:24:06.520 --> 0:24:10.680 show you unuse your favor. Not necessarily just in front 0:24:10.680 --> 0:24:13.400 of all your supporters, all the people that celebrate you, 0:24:14.000 --> 0:24:16.919 But God wants to promote you in the presence of 0:24:16.960 --> 0:24:21.200 your enemies. Here's what this means. Practically, at work, somebody 0:24:21.320 --> 0:24:24.520 is doing you wrong. You just thank God if you'd 0:24:24.520 --> 0:24:28.000 give me another job. These people are against me. Now understand, 0:24:28.400 --> 0:24:31.119 you don't have to leave there to be blessed. God 0:24:31.160 --> 0:24:34.280 wants to bless you right where you are. He wants 0:24:34.280 --> 0:24:39.600 to promote you, not only in spite of the opposition. 0:24:40.000 --> 0:24:43.080 He wants to promote you in front of the opposition. 0:24:43.640 --> 0:24:47.400 That's the way God brings justice, That's how he vindicates us. 0:24:48.320 --> 0:24:50.760 One time in the scripture, there was a great famine 0:24:50.800 --> 0:24:53.720 in the land, no water, no food, month after month, 0:24:53.760 --> 0:24:56.760 and Isaac was about to pack up and move to 0:24:56.840 --> 0:24:59.640 another place. But God said, no, Isaac, I don't want 0:24:59.640 --> 0:25:02.440 you to live there. I'm gonna bless you right where 0:25:02.480 --> 0:25:06.280 you are. And so Isaac went out and planted his fields. 0:25:06.760 --> 0:25:10.240 The Philistines, the people that lived there, they already didn't 0:25:10.320 --> 0:25:13.600 like Isaac, they already were jealous of him. This just 0:25:13.640 --> 0:25:17.359 added fuel to their fire. I can imagine them making 0:25:17.400 --> 0:25:21.000 fun of him, mocking him, ridiculing Isaac. What in the 0:25:21.040 --> 0:25:23.560 world are you doing? Are you a fool? Planning and 0:25:23.600 --> 0:25:26.720 a time of famine, nothing's gonna grow, there's no water. 0:25:27.400 --> 0:25:30.000 I'm sure he was the laughing stock of the community. 0:25:30.560 --> 0:25:33.959 But Isaac understood this principle. He didn't get in there 0:25:34.000 --> 0:25:36.719 and try to prove his point, try to set them straight. 0:25:37.119 --> 0:25:41.120 He just stayed in peace. In fact, his name means laughter. 0:25:41.840 --> 0:25:44.280 I can imagine the more they made fun, the more 0:25:44.320 --> 0:25:47.679 they criticized, the more he stayed full of join just 0:25:47.720 --> 0:25:50.080 said God, I thank you that you're still on the throne, 0:25:50.359 --> 0:25:52.440 that you're gonna bring the promise to pass, that you're 0:25:52.440 --> 0:25:56.439 gonna give me this harvest. Several months later, all the 0:25:56.520 --> 0:26:00.000 people that were mocking and criticizing, they were standing there 0:26:00.040 --> 0:26:03.479 looking at his fields, scratching their heads. They couldn't believe it. 0:26:03.640 --> 0:26:07.760 The scripture says he received one hundred times more than 0:26:07.800 --> 0:26:11.680 he planted right there in the midst of the famine. 0:26:11.720 --> 0:26:16.160 His critics were dumbfounded, thinking, how does this guy get 0:26:16.160 --> 0:26:21.240 a harvest with no water? Friends, God specializes in blessing 0:26:21.240 --> 0:26:24.480 you in front of your enemies. Some of you are 0:26:24.560 --> 0:26:28.480 trying to run away from a situation that's difficult. Somebody's 0:26:28.560 --> 0:26:30.800 trying to make you look bad, talking behind your back. 0:26:31.200 --> 0:26:33.359 I want you to have a new perspective. You do 0:26:33.440 --> 0:26:36.200 not have to leave there in order to be blessed. 0:26:36.440 --> 0:26:39.000 God wants to bless you right where you are. Part 0:26:39.040 --> 0:26:43.320 of His vindication is promoting you so the opposition can 0:26:43.359 --> 0:26:47.280 see it. Our attitude should be. They may be laughing now, 0:26:47.400 --> 0:26:49.720 it may not be fair, but I'm not the least 0:26:49.760 --> 0:26:54.080 bit worried. I know their injustice is preparing the way 0:26:54.160 --> 0:26:56.720 for God to promote me. They meant it to hold 0:26:56.720 --> 0:26:58.760 me down, but God's going to use it to thrust 0:26:58.760 --> 0:27:02.639 me forward. You'd be discouraged. I should be trying to 0:27:02.640 --> 0:27:05.560 get even. But I know better. I know a secret. 0:27:05.920 --> 0:27:09.080 In fact, I can hear something in the distance. It 0:27:09.200 --> 0:27:12.600 sounds like a dinner bell is ringing. Not only that, 0:27:12.680 --> 0:27:15.800 I can smell something, I believe I can smell the 0:27:15.880 --> 0:27:19.639 pot ROAs, the corn bread, the chiladas, the fahdahs, the 0:27:19.640 --> 0:27:23.480 bluebell ice stream. What is that God preparing the dinner? 0:27:24.720 --> 0:27:28.200 And know this, when you are served, there's gonna be 0:27:28.240 --> 0:27:33.000 some onlookers, the critics, the naysayers, the opposition, the backbiters, 0:27:33.040 --> 0:27:35.679 the backstabbers, the ones that were jealous, the ones that 0:27:35.720 --> 0:27:37.679 said you'd never make it, the ones that said you 0:27:37.680 --> 0:27:40.640 don't have what it takes. You can be assured God 0:27:40.680 --> 0:27:43.399 will make sure they have a clear view of your table. 0:27:43.640 --> 0:27:47.040 He'll make sure they see you being promoted, you being honored, 0:27:47.240 --> 0:27:50.919 you accomplish in your dreams. So what's my encouragement today? 0:27:51.440 --> 0:27:55.200 Let God be your avenger. Let God make your wrongs right. 0:27:55.480 --> 0:27:57.600 Either he can do it or you can do it. 0:27:57.800 --> 0:27:59.800 And if you let him do it, you'll always come 0:27:59.800 --> 0:28:02.679 out better. He'll even cause your enemies to end up 0:28:02.680 --> 0:28:05.760 shaking your hand. They may be laughing right now, but 0:28:05.920 --> 0:28:08.800 know this, God is a faithful God. In the end, 0:28:09.040 --> 0:28:11.639 You're gonna have the last laugh. God's gonna bring justice 0:28:11.680 --> 0:28:13.960 into your life. Amen, do you receive it today? 0:28:15.880 --> 0:28:16.000 Well? 0:28:16.040 --> 0:28:18.600 We never like to close our broadcast without giving you 0:28:18.640 --> 0:28:21.240 an opportunity to make Jesus the lord of your life. 0:28:21.640 --> 0:28:25.359 Would you pray with me? Just say, Lord, Jesus, I 0:28:25.480 --> 0:28:29.800 repent of my sins. Come into my heart. I make 0:28:29.880 --> 0:28:33.280 you my Lord and savior. Friends, if you've prayed that 0:28:33.359 --> 0:28:36.080 simple prayer, we believe you got born again. Get in 0:28:36.119 --> 0:28:39.360 a good Bible based church. Keep God first place. He's 0:28:39.360 --> 0:28:41.440 gonna take your places you've never dreamed of. 0:28:42.240 --> 0:28:45.680 Thank you for listening to the Jolus Deine podcast. Help 0:28:45.760 --> 0:28:48.480 us continue to share the message of hope with those 0:28:48.600 --> 0:28:52.160 all over the world. Visit Jolus dein dot com slash 0:28:52.240 --> 0:28:54.240 give Hope to give a gift today. 0:28:55.520 --> 0:28:58.440 Thanks so much for listening to today's message. I hope 0:28:58.480 --> 0:29:01.840 you'll subscribe so you can reive the latest podcast to 0:29:01.920 --> 0:29:05.120 keep you inspired all through the week. We're praying for you. 0:29:05.280 --> 0:29:07.760 I know God's best is still ahead. 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