Your Place Of Blessing

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See terms and conditions at UNEs dot co. 0:01:32.360 --> 0:01:35.120 Hi, this is Joel and Victoria. Thanks for listening to 0:01:35.160 --> 0:01:37.920 our podcast and thanks for supporting the ministry. 0:01:38.040 --> 0:01:40.399 If you enjoy today's message, why don't you be a 0:01:40.440 --> 0:01:41.959 blessing and share it with a friend. 0:01:42.280 --> 0:01:45.000 We appreciate you and pray for God's very best in 0:01:45.040 --> 0:01:50.280 your life. God bless you and it's great to be 0:01:50.400 --> 0:01:53.160 with you today, and I hope you'll stay connected with 0:01:53.240 --> 0:01:56.800 us during the week through our daily podcast, our YouTube channel, 0:01:56.920 --> 0:01:59.960 social media, and you can come visit us in person. 0:02:00.320 --> 0:02:02.360 We love to have you be a part of one 0:02:02.360 --> 0:02:05.440 of our services. I like to start with something funny, 0:02:05.440 --> 0:02:08.680 and I heard about this senior citizen. He was driving 0:02:08.720 --> 0:02:11.720 down the freeway in his brand new Corvette with the 0:02:11.760 --> 0:02:15.079 top down, going eighty miles an hour when he saw 0:02:15.160 --> 0:02:18.760 flashing red lights in his rearview mirror from a state trooper. 0:02:19.200 --> 0:02:21.800 Without thinking about it, he floored it. Took it up 0:02:21.840 --> 0:02:24.160 to one hundred miles an hour, and he heard the 0:02:24.200 --> 0:02:26.960 soeigns behind him and finally came to his senses and 0:02:27.000 --> 0:02:30.239 pulled over. He said, officer, I'm so sorry. I don't 0:02:30.280 --> 0:02:33.640 know what I was thinking. The officer said, listen, it's Friday, 0:02:33.880 --> 0:02:37.079 four o'clock. My shift is over in thirty minutes. If 0:02:37.120 --> 0:02:39.440 you tell me a reason you're speeding that I've never 0:02:39.480 --> 0:02:42.520 heard before, I'll let you go. The man thought about it, 0:02:42.560 --> 0:02:45.560 he said, Officer, years ago, my wife ran off with 0:02:45.600 --> 0:02:48.280 a state trooper, and I thought you were bringing her back. 0:02:50.240 --> 0:02:53.880 He said, have a great weekend. Say it like you 0:02:53.960 --> 0:02:56.720 mean it. This is my Bible. I am what it 0:02:56.760 --> 0:02:59.239 says I am. I have what it says I have, 0:03:00.000 --> 0:03:02.680 can do what it says I can do. Today I 0:03:02.720 --> 0:03:04.400 will be taught the word of God. 0:03:04.800 --> 0:03:09.239 I boldly confess my mind is alert, my heart is receptive. 0:03:09.560 --> 0:03:13.200 I will never be the same. In Jesus' name, God 0:03:13.240 --> 0:03:16.880 bless you. I want to talk to you today about 0:03:17.040 --> 0:03:21.480 your place of blessing. There are specific places where God 0:03:21.560 --> 0:03:24.760 has designed for you to be blessed, places where He 0:03:24.800 --> 0:03:30.520 has favored opportunity provision waiting for you. Your destiny is 0:03:30.600 --> 0:03:34.400 connected to certain places. You can have faith, you're can 0:03:34.440 --> 0:03:36.920 have a great attitude, but if you're not in the 0:03:37.040 --> 0:03:40.080 right place, you can miss what God has in store. 0:03:41.040 --> 0:03:44.520 The Book of Acts, Jesus told five hundred people to 0:03:44.600 --> 0:03:47.160 go to the Upper Room and wait for the promise 0:03:47.240 --> 0:03:50.240 of the Holy Spirit, but only one hundred and twenty 0:03:50.280 --> 0:03:54.080 people showed up. When the Holy Spirit came like a rushing, 0:03:54.200 --> 0:03:58.400 mighty wind, three hundred and eighty people missed the blessing 0:03:58.880 --> 0:04:02.520 simply because they weren't in the right place. You have 0:04:02.600 --> 0:04:05.680 to be sensitive to what you're feeling on the inside. 0:04:06.400 --> 0:04:09.480 Listen to what God is saying to you, that still 0:04:09.600 --> 0:04:13.800 small voice, that's not random, it's not just your idea. 0:04:14.160 --> 0:04:18.200 That's God leading you into your place of blessing. And 0:04:18.279 --> 0:04:21.760 sometimes he'll close a door and move you out. You 0:04:21.800 --> 0:04:25.800 don't understand. It looks like a setback. The truth is 0:04:25.960 --> 0:04:29.200 it's setting you up. He's moving you to a place 0:04:29.240 --> 0:04:33.440 of promotion, a place where you'll meet divine connections, people 0:04:33.520 --> 0:04:37.719 who are instrumental in your purpose. Other times, God will 0:04:37.760 --> 0:04:41.839 have you stay where it's uncomfortable. You're not seeing any growth, 0:04:42.240 --> 0:04:45.400 you're being overlooked. You'll be tempted to leave. I don't 0:04:45.440 --> 0:04:48.720 have to put up with this. Sometimes the right place 0:04:48.960 --> 0:04:52.880 is a difficult place, an unfair place, a place where 0:04:52.880 --> 0:04:56.160 you're doing the right thing, but the wrong thing is happening. 0:04:57.040 --> 0:05:00.320 This is what happened with Hagar. She was Abraham and 0:05:00.360 --> 0:05:04.120 Sarah's maid. When they couldn't have a baby, Sarah told 0:05:04.200 --> 0:05:08.920 Abraham to sleep with Hagar. They had a son named Ishmael. Well, 0:05:08.960 --> 0:05:11.799 you'd think Sarah would be happy. It was her big idea, 0:05:12.240 --> 0:05:15.640 but she got upset with Hagar. She started treating her 0:05:15.680 --> 0:05:21.080 so badly, putting her down, making rude comments. Finally, Hagar said, 0:05:21.120 --> 0:05:23.920 I'm out of here. She took her son and went 0:05:23.960 --> 0:05:27.800 off into the desert. The problem was she left her 0:05:27.839 --> 0:05:31.159 place of blessing. God never told her to lead. She 0:05:31.320 --> 0:05:34.880 was just upset. She had no food, no water, no 0:05:34.960 --> 0:05:38.280 way to live out there. An angel appeared to her 0:05:38.520 --> 0:05:41.920 and said, go back to Sarah and continue to serve her. 0:05:42.640 --> 0:05:45.520 He was saying, go back to your place of blessing. 0:05:46.640 --> 0:05:49.880 Sometimes you have to stay when it's hard. You have 0:05:50.000 --> 0:05:52.719 to forgive those that did you wrong. You have to 0:05:52.760 --> 0:05:55.440 be good to people that are not being good to you. 0:05:56.200 --> 0:05:59.760 But notice how merciful God is. When she left that place. 0:06:00.279 --> 0:06:03.120 God didn't say, fine, hay Gar, you blew it. You 0:06:03.160 --> 0:06:06.200 should have known better. I'm done with you. No, God 0:06:06.279 --> 0:06:09.240 send an angel to get her back to the right place. 0:06:10.160 --> 0:06:13.120 And at times we're all gonna miss it, leave where 0:06:13.160 --> 0:06:16.240 we're supposed to stay, or stay when God wants us 0:06:16.320 --> 0:06:19.760 to leave. The good news is God's going to send 0:06:19.760 --> 0:06:22.680 that angel. He's not going to let you miss your 0:06:22.720 --> 0:06:26.360 place of blessing. He's going to keep whispering to you. 0:06:26.360 --> 0:06:29.640 You're going to hear that still small voice, that knowing 0:06:29.760 --> 0:06:33.680 on the inside, telling you what to do. Don't ignore it. 0:06:34.200 --> 0:06:38.080 Be sensitive to what you're feeling. See the scripture says 0:06:38.360 --> 0:06:42.240 God is ordering your steps. Ordering is not an option. 0:06:43.000 --> 0:06:47.000 He's not suggesting. He's not saying, if you perform perfectly, 0:06:47.200 --> 0:06:49.760 then I'll guide you. If you don't get off course, 0:06:50.120 --> 0:06:53.960 then I'll bless you. No, your steps are ordered. He's 0:06:53.960 --> 0:06:57.120 going to keep leading you into places of blessing and 0:06:57.520 --> 0:07:03.320 places that he's already lined up favor, promotion, opportunity. Stay 0:07:03.360 --> 0:07:07.960 open for change, don't fight the closed doors. Don't get 0:07:08.000 --> 0:07:11.520 discouraged when you get pushed out, Joel, I don't understand it. 0:07:11.960 --> 0:07:14.800 I was doing the right thing. Why didn't this work out? 0:07:15.440 --> 0:07:19.640 God's leading you to a place of greater blessing. I've 0:07:19.720 --> 0:07:22.920 learned being in the right place is better than getting 0:07:23.000 --> 0:07:26.960 your way. God knows what's best for you. You may 0:07:26.960 --> 0:07:29.760 not see it now, but later on you're going to 0:07:29.840 --> 0:07:33.200 see how God was shutting one door to open a 0:07:33.240 --> 0:07:37.120 better door. You would have never reached your potential if 0:07:37.120 --> 0:07:40.200 he didn't stop one place of blessing and move you 0:07:40.280 --> 0:07:41.320 to a different place. 0:07:42.280 --> 0:07:42.320 What. 0:07:42.480 --> 0:07:46.560 Perhaps you feel stuck, You're not making any progress. You're 0:07:46.720 --> 0:07:51.040 tempted to force a door to open, manipulate things. No, 0:07:51.240 --> 0:07:54.600 be still and know that he is God. If the 0:07:54.680 --> 0:07:58.840 door hasn't opened, then shine where you are. That's your 0:07:58.880 --> 0:08:02.119 place of blessing. Right now. You may not be seeing 0:08:02.160 --> 0:08:05.760 any growth, any favor. You're in a time of testing. 0:08:06.440 --> 0:08:09.160 You have to prove to God who you are that 0:08:09.240 --> 0:08:11.560 you're not going to get bitter. You're not going to 0:08:11.600 --> 0:08:14.480 start slacking off. You're going to do the right thing 0:08:14.560 --> 0:08:18.640 when it's hard. That's passing the test. You keep doing that, 0:08:19.000 --> 0:08:23.160 you're going to see new levels of your destiny. Matthew. 0:08:23.240 --> 0:08:27.840 Chapter one, Joseph was engaged to his fiance Marian. She 0:08:27.960 --> 0:08:31.360 became pregnant with Jesus, and of course he didn't understand. 0:08:31.760 --> 0:08:35.000 He was going to quietly break off the engagement when 0:08:35.040 --> 0:08:38.000 an angel appeared to him in a dream and told 0:08:38.080 --> 0:08:41.000 him to go through with the marriage. They were living 0:08:41.080 --> 0:08:44.720 in Nazareth, planning on having the baby there, but the 0:08:44.840 --> 0:08:48.680 Roman Emperor called for a senses everyone had to travel 0:08:48.720 --> 0:08:53.000 back to their original hometown. Well, Joseph was from Bethlehem. 0:08:53.480 --> 0:08:57.800 That was a ninety mile journey. Mary was nine months pregnant. 0:08:58.679 --> 0:09:02.440 I can imagine telling Vic at nine months pregnant, Hey, babe, 0:09:02.480 --> 0:09:04.640 we're going to get on a donkey and travel for 0:09:04.679 --> 0:09:07.360 a week, camp out along the way. It's gonna be 0:09:07.400 --> 0:09:12.960 so fun. I'd be your former pastor. Mary was bouncing 0:09:13.040 --> 0:09:17.400 up and down, hot outside, her feet were swollen, back 0:09:17.559 --> 0:09:21.960 was hurting. She is uncomfortable. She didn't understand it. But 0:09:22.080 --> 0:09:26.080 God wasn't just making them miserable, having them suffer. He 0:09:26.240 --> 0:09:30.400 was taking them to a place of blessing. Micah prophesied 0:09:30.600 --> 0:09:34.000 seven hundred years earlier that the Messiah would be born 0:09:34.120 --> 0:09:38.760 in Bethlehem. Wasn't a coincidence that the Emperor called for 0:09:38.840 --> 0:09:42.160 the senses at this particular time. He could have called 0:09:42.160 --> 0:09:44.440 for it three months later, they would have had the 0:09:44.480 --> 0:09:48.120 baby in Nazareth. It was all a part of God's plan, 0:09:48.559 --> 0:09:53.079 strategically moving them to where they needed to be. Joseph 0:09:53.120 --> 0:09:56.840 and Mary were admiring their new son when three wise 0:09:56.880 --> 0:10:00.800 men showed up. They had traveled a great distance following 0:10:00.840 --> 0:10:04.320 the Eastern Star. When they saw Jesus, they fell on 0:10:04.320 --> 0:10:07.560 their knees and begin to worship him. Mary and Joseph 0:10:07.640 --> 0:10:10.760 were standing there in awe. The wise men opened up 0:10:10.800 --> 0:10:14.640 their treasure chest, these boxes filled with gold and jewels, 0:10:14.640 --> 0:10:18.240 and they gave them all these gifts. Think about Mary 0:10:18.240 --> 0:10:22.560 and Joseph traveling to Bethlehem at the same time. God 0:10:22.600 --> 0:10:26.160 had these wise men headed that way. They met at 0:10:26.160 --> 0:10:29.680 the place of blessing, where God designed them to see 0:10:29.679 --> 0:10:32.960 his favor in a new way. It was difficult for 0:10:33.080 --> 0:10:37.000 Joseph and Mary to get there was in an inconvenient time. 0:10:37.679 --> 0:10:41.440 They didn't understand it. But God was ordering their steps, 0:10:41.840 --> 0:10:44.120 and he was ordering the steps of the wise men, 0:10:44.640 --> 0:10:49.080 the people bringing the provision. God is not only ordering 0:10:49.120 --> 0:10:52.880 your steps, but he's ordering other people's steps to meet 0:10:52.920 --> 0:10:56.920 you at your place of blessing. You may not understand it. 0:10:57.400 --> 0:11:01.040 You're uncomfortable. You had to leave Nadys, so to speak. 0:11:01.400 --> 0:11:04.240 But your time is coming. You're going to see what 0:11:04.400 --> 0:11:08.920 God was up to. The door closing wasn't random. The 0:11:08.960 --> 0:11:13.240 person that forced you out. The unexpected change wasn't happenstance. 0:11:13.640 --> 0:11:17.280 It was strategic. It was the hand of God moving 0:11:17.360 --> 0:11:21.840 you to a place of greater blessing, greater favor, greater fulfillment. 0:11:23.040 --> 0:11:26.360 King Herod heard about this baby Jesus, that he might 0:11:26.440 --> 0:11:29.160 be the Messiah. He was afraid that he was going 0:11:29.200 --> 0:11:32.120 to lose control. He wanted to get rid of Jesus, 0:11:32.160 --> 0:11:34.840 but he couldn't find him, so he had all the 0:11:35.280 --> 0:11:39.440 male Hebrew babies killed. But an angel came to Joseph 0:11:39.559 --> 0:11:42.120 in a dream and told him to flee to Egypt 0:11:42.240 --> 0:11:45.000 with his family. In the middle of the night, they 0:11:45.040 --> 0:11:48.760 took off Jesus was just a few weeks old. Mary 0:11:48.920 --> 0:11:51.920 was still getting over the birth. They wanted to enjoy 0:11:52.000 --> 0:11:54.400 their new baby, but they were on the run to 0:11:54.480 --> 0:11:59.120 a foreign country. This wasn't just another bad break, another 0:11:59.200 --> 0:12:04.760 inconvenient This was prophecy being fulfilled. It was prophesied, I 0:12:04.840 --> 0:12:09.240 have called my son out of Egypt. Herod died and 0:12:09.280 --> 0:12:13.800 they moved back to Nazareth. Another prophecy fulfilled that Jesus 0:12:13.840 --> 0:12:17.840 would be a Nazarene. There was an old man named Simeon. 0:12:18.440 --> 0:12:21.040 It was prophesied that he would not die until he 0:12:21.080 --> 0:12:25.280 saw the Messiah. Mary and Joseph took baby Jesus to 0:12:25.360 --> 0:12:29.720 the temple to be dedicated. Just so happened. Simeon was there. 0:12:30.360 --> 0:12:33.160 He took the baby in his hands and said, oh man, 0:12:33.360 --> 0:12:36.280 now I can die in peace. I have seen the Savior. 0:12:37.520 --> 0:12:40.679 You look at all these different locations forced to lead 0:12:40.800 --> 0:12:45.439 Nazareth to Bethlehem, flee to Egypt, back to Nazareth, to 0:12:45.480 --> 0:12:51.160 the Temple. They weren't random, They were strategically orchestrated. Each 0:12:51.200 --> 0:12:55.600 step was their place of blessing, place of provision, place 0:12:55.640 --> 0:13:00.240 of protection. It wasn't the enemy dictating their life, the 0:13:00.280 --> 0:13:04.880 hand of God ordering their steps like with them. There 0:13:04.880 --> 0:13:08.719 are prophecies spoken over your life, things that God has 0:13:08.760 --> 0:13:13.600 already ordained for you favor. He's already lined up wise men. 0:13:13.640 --> 0:13:18.440 He's already scheduled doors opening, He's already arranged. But it 0:13:18.520 --> 0:13:21.920 may not all happen at the same place. There will 0:13:21.920 --> 0:13:27.040 be twist in turns, unexpected moves, people that walk away 0:13:27.559 --> 0:13:31.800 things that weren't fair. Instead of fighting change, learn to 0:13:31.920 --> 0:13:37.800 embrace change. Recognize that's God ordering your steps. He wouldn't 0:13:37.840 --> 0:13:40.760 be changing things if he wasn't leading you to a 0:13:40.800 --> 0:13:44.640 place of greater blessing. You may not see it right away. 0:13:45.280 --> 0:13:48.640 There are things that don't make sense. Seems like a setback. 0:13:49.000 --> 0:13:52.680 You have to go to Bethlehem. You are comfortable in Nazareth. 0:13:53.320 --> 0:13:57.080 Plus you're pregnant. It's the worst time. Then Herod starts 0:13:57.120 --> 0:14:01.360 making threats. People start coming against you. They cannot stop 0:14:01.400 --> 0:14:05.440 your destiny. God is using them like ponds to move 0:14:05.480 --> 0:14:08.040 you to where he wants you to be. You may 0:14:08.080 --> 0:14:11.360 not understand everything, but you can trust that God knows 0:14:11.360 --> 0:14:14.360 what he's doing. He'll have the wise men show up. 0:14:14.800 --> 0:14:19.040 The unexpected favor promotion that you didn't see coming. It 0:14:19.080 --> 0:14:22.400 won't happen anywhere it will happen at the place where 0:14:22.440 --> 0:14:26.040 God has ordained you to be blessed. After I finished 0:14:26.120 --> 0:14:29.680 high school, I went to or Roberts University to study 0:14:29.680 --> 0:14:33.200 television production. They had one of the best studios and 0:14:33.280 --> 0:14:36.160 the best equipment. First week I was there, I went 0:14:36.200 --> 0:14:38.880 to the production office and I applied for a job. 0:14:39.600 --> 0:14:42.000 I met this young man about twenty eight years old. 0:14:42.360 --> 0:14:45.600 He was the production manager in charge of all the hiring. 0:14:46.280 --> 0:14:49.120 I told him my background, that I had run camera 0:14:49.200 --> 0:14:52.640 and been involved in production at Lakewood. He and I 0:14:52.760 --> 0:14:55.480 hit it off like we were old friends. He showed 0:14:55.520 --> 0:14:59.920 me around the studios, cameras, the editing, and I was amazed. 0:15:00.240 --> 0:15:03.160 This was everything I dreamed of. I couldn't wait to 0:15:03.200 --> 0:15:05.320 be a party. I told him I don't have to 0:15:05.400 --> 0:15:08.200 run camera, I'll just pull cable. I just wanted to 0:15:08.200 --> 0:15:10.760 be in that environment. He said, Joe, we'd love to 0:15:10.800 --> 0:15:13.240 have you. I'll call you and get it all set up. 0:15:13.600 --> 0:15:16.480 And I left so excited. But a week went by 0:15:16.560 --> 0:15:20.400 and he didn't call him. Two weeks nothing. I called him, 0:15:20.520 --> 0:15:23.080 but he was always busy. I went back to the 0:15:23.120 --> 0:15:27.040 production office, left a message again and again, but I 0:15:27.080 --> 0:15:30.520 never heard a thing. I was so disappointed. I couldn't 0:15:30.600 --> 0:15:34.080 understand why that door wouldn't open well. I finished that 0:15:34.160 --> 0:15:37.400 first year of school, and I felt so strongly that 0:15:37.480 --> 0:15:40.040 I was supposed to come back to Lakewood and start 0:15:40.080 --> 0:15:44.040 a television ministry. My siblings had all gotten their degrees, 0:15:44.080 --> 0:15:46.720 but I knew this was what God was leading me 0:15:46.800 --> 0:15:50.160 to do. I came back and started the television outreach, 0:15:50.240 --> 0:15:54.120 and we saw the church begin to flourish. But looking 0:15:54.160 --> 0:15:57.680 back now, I realized if God had opened that door 0:15:57.720 --> 0:16:00.840 at the university, I would have gotten so caught up 0:16:00.840 --> 0:16:03.920 in what they were doing and so engrossed in the production. 0:16:04.520 --> 0:16:07.120 I would have never come back home. I know by 0:16:07.160 --> 0:16:11.640 personality you couldn't have convinced me to leave, and sometimes 0:16:11.720 --> 0:16:15.160 God closes doors that we don't understand. At the time, 0:16:15.840 --> 0:16:18.840 that didn't make sense to me. I had the experience 0:16:19.160 --> 0:16:22.800 they needed help. This man was my friend. But God 0:16:23.040 --> 0:16:26.680 is your doorkeeper. He knows the right doors to open 0:16:27.040 --> 0:16:30.320 and the right doors to close. What looked like a 0:16:30.360 --> 0:16:33.480 blessing to me would have kept me from the real 0:16:33.600 --> 0:16:36.600 blessing that God had in store. Not to work for 0:16:36.640 --> 0:16:39.920 another ministry my whole life, but to use my gifts 0:16:39.960 --> 0:16:43.240 and talents at the ministry God had given my family. 0:16:44.120 --> 0:16:47.280 When you don't understand it, you have to trust God. 0:16:47.400 --> 0:16:50.320 You know what's best for me. I'm gonna follow where 0:16:50.400 --> 0:16:53.880 you leave, when you open doors, when you push me out, 0:16:54.040 --> 0:16:57.760 I'm gonna take steps of faith with a good attitude God, 0:16:57.800 --> 0:17:01.000 when doors closed, when it seems like I'm stuck, I'm 0:17:01.000 --> 0:17:04.160 going to keep being faithful where I am. When you 0:17:04.200 --> 0:17:07.080 have that kind of attitude, God will keep you in 0:17:07.119 --> 0:17:11.199 your place a blessing. I worked seventeen years behind the 0:17:11.240 --> 0:17:13.879 scenes here at Lakewood, and at one point I had 0:17:13.920 --> 0:17:17.200 all these radio stations lined up to carry my father's 0:17:17.240 --> 0:17:21.480 weekly message. I'd arranged everything and got all the times 0:17:21.520 --> 0:17:24.879 and stations cleared. I asked my father if he would 0:17:24.880 --> 0:17:27.800 come down once a month and we'd make the openings 0:17:27.800 --> 0:17:30.640 and closings. Just take about an hour. No big deal, 0:17:31.480 --> 0:17:34.760 my father said, Joel. I'm seventy five years old. I'm 0:17:34.760 --> 0:17:37.480 not looking for more work. I just want to relax 0:17:37.600 --> 0:17:41.840 and pastor the church. I was so disappointed. I thought, God, 0:17:41.880 --> 0:17:44.640 you put big things in me. I'm young. I don't 0:17:44.680 --> 0:17:47.280 want to do less. I want to do more. I 0:17:47.280 --> 0:17:49.600 thought maybe it was time to move on and do 0:17:49.680 --> 0:17:53.000 something else. I had an opportunity for one of the 0:17:53.119 --> 0:17:56.560 largest ministries to come work for them. A big sports 0:17:56.640 --> 0:18:01.000 network offered me something. But when I got quiet, when 0:18:01.040 --> 0:18:04.160 I searched my heart, I could hear that still small 0:18:04.240 --> 0:18:07.639 voice saying, no, Joel, stay where you are. This is 0:18:07.640 --> 0:18:11.760 your father's ministry, this is his vision. Don't leave because 0:18:11.800 --> 0:18:15.000 you're not getting your way. Honor what he wants to do. 0:18:16.160 --> 0:18:18.600 I made a decision that I was not only going 0:18:18.680 --> 0:18:20.840 to stay, but I was going to stay with a 0:18:20.880 --> 0:18:25.880 good attitude. Wasn't going to get bitter, slack, awe be disgruntled. 0:18:26.560 --> 0:18:29.480 I kept being my best, doing what I could to 0:18:29.560 --> 0:18:33.280 make my father shine. I never dreamed that two years 0:18:33.320 --> 0:18:36.919 later my father would pass and suddenly I would become 0:18:36.920 --> 0:18:40.679 the pastor. That big vision God put in me it 0:18:40.760 --> 0:18:43.600 was still going to happen. It just wasn't the right time. 0:18:44.520 --> 0:18:47.480 Had I not honored my father and stayed in my 0:18:47.560 --> 0:18:51.679 place of blessing, I wouldn't be here today. Your place 0:18:51.720 --> 0:18:55.760 of blessing doesn't mean that everything's going your way. Everybody 0:18:55.760 --> 0:18:59.440 will celebrate you, all these doors are opening. It may 0:18:59.520 --> 0:19:03.200 mean that you serving another person's vision. You don't feel 0:19:03.200 --> 0:19:07.399 like you're using everything you have, You're being overlooked, not 0:19:07.480 --> 0:19:11.640 getting opportunities to share your gifts. Many times those are 0:19:11.720 --> 0:19:15.800 tests God is seeing. Will you be faithful when you're 0:19:15.800 --> 0:19:18.800 not getting your way? Will you have a good attitude 0:19:19.040 --> 0:19:22.080 when they don't take your suggestions, they don't give you 0:19:22.119 --> 0:19:25.680 the credit. It's easy to leave, forget it, I'm out 0:19:25.680 --> 0:19:28.960 of here. You have to search your heart. If you 0:19:28.960 --> 0:19:31.960 don't feel that release to leave, you need to stay 0:19:32.520 --> 0:19:35.760 because you're not going to be blessed anywhere. Your blessing 0:19:35.920 --> 0:19:39.920 is connected to the place God called you to be. See. 0:19:39.960 --> 0:19:42.240 Think about David. He was out in the shepherd's fields 0:19:42.280 --> 0:19:45.480 taking care of his father's sheep. He knew he had 0:19:45.520 --> 0:19:48.399 big things in him, but he didn't try to force 0:19:48.480 --> 0:19:51.800 doors to open. He didn't get bitter because his father 0:19:51.960 --> 0:19:55.119 left him out. He didn't slack off because he was 0:19:55.160 --> 0:19:59.040 doing something less than he knew was in him. His 0:19:59.160 --> 0:20:02.040 father asked him to take lunch to his brothers, who 0:20:02.040 --> 0:20:05.800 were in another city, to do a menial task. David 0:20:05.800 --> 0:20:08.200 could have said, sorry, Dad, I'm not an errand boy, 0:20:08.760 --> 0:20:12.399 I have more in me. You'll have to find somebody else. No, 0:20:12.640 --> 0:20:16.520 David was faithful in small things when he wasn't getting 0:20:16.560 --> 0:20:20.439 his way. When doors weren't opening while he was taking 0:20:20.480 --> 0:20:25.320 his brother's lunch, something that seemed insignificant. That's where he 0:20:25.320 --> 0:20:29.800 heard Goliath taunting the Israelites. Had he not been faithful 0:20:29.840 --> 0:20:33.960 in the small he would have never defeated Goliath. Don't 0:20:33.960 --> 0:20:37.359 think your place of blessing has to be something super exciting, 0:20:37.800 --> 0:20:42.040 super important, where everyone sees you many times. Your place 0:20:42.080 --> 0:20:45.560 of blessing is being faithful with things that no one 0:20:45.600 --> 0:20:49.119 pays attention to see. David didn't go to the throne. 0:20:49.280 --> 0:20:52.960 He went back to the shepherd's fields. King Saul suffered 0:20:52.960 --> 0:20:56.280 with depression. He needed someone to play music for him. 0:20:56.840 --> 0:20:59.600 They asked David to come to the palace, not to 0:20:59.640 --> 0:21:03.200 be the king, not to be a trusted advisor, but 0:21:03.240 --> 0:21:06.600 to be a part time musician. Play the harp when 0:21:06.600 --> 0:21:10.159 we call you. Otherwise we don't need you. You have 0:21:10.240 --> 0:21:14.480 to recognize you're not working under people, You're working under God. 0:21:14.600 --> 0:21:18.440 He's keeping the records. The scripture says, he's taking you 0:21:18.480 --> 0:21:23.200 from glory to glory. Sometimes you're in between one glory 0:21:23.240 --> 0:21:26.000 and another glory. You could think, joeb this is not 0:21:26.119 --> 0:21:31.480 my place of blessing. Nobody appreciates me. I'm overlooked undervalued. 0:21:32.119 --> 0:21:34.800 I know I'm called to be in leadership, but all 0:21:34.840 --> 0:21:38.440 I'm doing is playing this heart. Well, here's how strategic 0:21:38.520 --> 0:21:41.280 God is. David had been in the shepherd's fields his 0:21:41.320 --> 0:21:44.639 whole life. All he had known was taking care of sheep. 0:21:45.160 --> 0:21:48.720 Now he's in the palace, in the presence of King Saul. 0:21:49.720 --> 0:21:52.600 God is showing him what it's like to be a king. 0:21:53.240 --> 0:21:58.440 He's getting him familiar with the palace, how a king operates, protocol, 0:21:58.760 --> 0:22:02.560 the staff that serves you. He doesn't realize, but this 0:22:02.680 --> 0:22:07.160 task of playing the harp is divinely orchestrated. God put 0:22:07.240 --> 0:22:10.399 him there to get him prepared for where he was going. 0:22:11.480 --> 0:22:14.280 All those years that I worked behind the scenes here 0:22:14.320 --> 0:22:18.159 at Lakewood, I had to edit my father's sermons. He 0:22:18.200 --> 0:22:20.920 would speak about forty minutes. I would have to cut 0:22:20.920 --> 0:22:23.760 them down to twenty five minutes for the television program. 0:22:24.280 --> 0:22:27.160 I would listen to each message four or five times, 0:22:27.560 --> 0:22:30.919 trying to get his train of thoughts. All the stories, 0:22:31.240 --> 0:22:34.879 the scriptures, the examples were going into me. I didn't 0:22:34.960 --> 0:22:39.440 realize God was getting me prepared for what I'm doing now. 0:22:39.720 --> 0:22:41.840 I couldn't see it at the time, but that was 0:22:41.920 --> 0:22:46.359 my place of blessing. It was a place strategically orchestrated 0:22:46.680 --> 0:22:49.919 to get me prepared for the fullness of my destiny. 0:22:50.400 --> 0:22:54.200 What am I saying? Don't despise where you are right now. 0:22:54.960 --> 0:22:57.560 You don't know what God is up to. You can't 0:22:57.640 --> 0:23:00.800 see how He's making you and molding you, getting you 0:23:00.880 --> 0:23:07.200 ready for greater responsibility, greater resources, greater favor. One Kings, 0:23:07.240 --> 0:23:12.480 Chapter seventeen. The prophet Elijah told King Ahab that because 0:23:12.560 --> 0:23:15.800 the people had turned away from Jehovah because they started 0:23:15.800 --> 0:23:18.679 worshiping idols, there was going to be a drought in 0:23:18.720 --> 0:23:22.120 the land for three and a half years. God said 0:23:22.119 --> 0:23:26.120 to Elijah, leave here and go down to the brook Cherih, 0:23:26.600 --> 0:23:29.560 for I have commanded the ravens to feed you there. 0:23:30.840 --> 0:23:34.040 Notice there's a place where God has commanded you to 0:23:34.080 --> 0:23:39.520 be blessed. Not maybe hope so if the economy gets better. No, 0:23:39.640 --> 0:23:43.080 he's commanded the ravens to feed you. That means he's 0:23:43.160 --> 0:23:48.440 commanded provision, commanded resources, commanded the right people to be there. 0:23:49.160 --> 0:23:52.800 But here's the key. The blessing wasn't anywhere. It was 0:23:52.880 --> 0:23:56.600 at a specific place. The ravens were waiting for him 0:23:56.760 --> 0:24:01.200 at the brook. Elijah could have stayed in Samriat. God 0:24:01.280 --> 0:24:04.000 is faithful. I'm sure you'll take care of me here, 0:24:04.640 --> 0:24:08.040 but he would have missed the blessing. When God tells 0:24:08.080 --> 0:24:11.400 you to do something, don't reason it out, don't ask 0:24:11.440 --> 0:24:14.600 four friends, don't pray about it six months, don't come 0:24:14.680 --> 0:24:18.720 up with twelve excuses. Just do it. Be obedient to 0:24:18.800 --> 0:24:21.879 what you're hearing in your spirit. God is leading you 0:24:22.160 --> 0:24:26.160 to your place of blessing. Sometimes you have to leave 0:24:26.200 --> 0:24:29.760 a friend that's pulling you down, leave an environment where 0:24:29.760 --> 0:24:34.040 you're being poisoned, or leave a bad attitude, leave bitterness, 0:24:34.320 --> 0:24:37.479 leave what didn't work out, and move forward into the 0:24:37.520 --> 0:24:40.960 new things God has for you. Elijah went down to 0:24:41.040 --> 0:24:45.440 the brook just like clockwork. Every morning the ravens showed up. 0:24:45.960 --> 0:24:50.440 He had supernatural provision. I'm sure he was happy. God, 0:24:50.480 --> 0:24:53.240 you've been good to me. I found my place of blessing. 0:24:54.040 --> 0:24:57.280 But one day the raven's quit coming. The brook went 0:24:57.280 --> 0:25:00.160 from a stream to a trickle, to barely flow, going 0:25:00.480 --> 0:25:03.840 to nothing. What do you do when God leads you 0:25:03.920 --> 0:25:07.159 to a brook that drives up when what used to 0:25:07.200 --> 0:25:11.640 work doesn't work anymore. God was showing us just because 0:25:11.640 --> 0:25:14.720 it happened one way doesn't mean it's always going to 0:25:14.800 --> 0:25:19.040 happen that way. Stay open for change, be willing to 0:25:19.160 --> 0:25:22.120 accept the new thing God is doing. If you get 0:25:22.160 --> 0:25:24.240 set and think it's only going to happen one way, 0:25:24.480 --> 0:25:28.280 then you'll miss out. God told Elijah go to the 0:25:28.320 --> 0:25:32.119 city of Zaraphath, for I have commanded a widow to 0:25:32.200 --> 0:25:36.440 feed you there. Notice another place where God commanded him 0:25:36.480 --> 0:25:40.720 to be blessed, but a different location. Well, Zaraphath is 0:25:40.760 --> 0:25:45.280 where Ahab and his wife Jezebel lived. She didn't like Elijah. 0:25:45.480 --> 0:25:48.080 She wanted to get rid of him. Out Of all 0:25:48.119 --> 0:25:51.399 the places God could have told Elijah to go, he 0:25:51.560 --> 0:25:56.040 sent him to the enemy's territory. The way God does 0:25:56.080 --> 0:25:59.760 things always requires faith. He could have sent him to 0:25:59.760 --> 0:26:04.560 his friends, his relatives, his supporters. I'm sure Elijah thought, God, 0:26:04.880 --> 0:26:08.080 you know that lady is after me. Can't you extend 0:26:08.080 --> 0:26:11.400 my stay at the brook? Can't I get a late checkout? God, 0:26:11.440 --> 0:26:15.320 I'm comfortable here. To reach your destiny, you have to 0:26:15.359 --> 0:26:18.000 get out of your comfort zones. You have to take 0:26:18.040 --> 0:26:21.080 some steps of faith. Don't get stuck where the brook 0:26:21.080 --> 0:26:24.479 has dried up. Our God is a moving God, a 0:26:24.560 --> 0:26:28.639 progressive God. He's taking you on a journey. That place 0:26:28.640 --> 0:26:31.520 of blessing is going to move. It may not always 0:26:31.520 --> 0:26:34.879 be physical. Sometimes it's in your thinking. You have to 0:26:35.000 --> 0:26:39.879 leave limited mindsets, quit telling yourself you're not qualified, and 0:26:39.960 --> 0:26:44.000 take that new position at work, teach that class, volunteer 0:26:44.040 --> 0:26:47.280 at the church. Quit thinking about the brook that dried up, 0:26:47.880 --> 0:26:51.400 what didn't work out? Who did you wrong? Had relationship 0:26:51.480 --> 0:26:55.199 that didn't make it? God is still in control. He 0:26:55.280 --> 0:26:57.680 knew it was going to dry up. That's why he's 0:26:57.720 --> 0:27:01.720 commanded another place for you to be blamed. As Elijah 0:27:01.880 --> 0:27:05.320 arrived at Zereaphath and just like promise, the widow was 0:27:05.359 --> 0:27:07.399 there to take care of him, and she did it 0:27:07.520 --> 0:27:10.920 until the drought was over. But how many of us 0:27:11.080 --> 0:27:14.280 are stuck by the brook waiting for what used to be, 0:27:14.800 --> 0:27:18.040 wondering why it's drying up. You have to leave where 0:27:18.080 --> 0:27:21.520 God was and go to where God is. That's the 0:27:21.560 --> 0:27:25.040 new place of blessing. That's where your provision is waiting 0:27:25.080 --> 0:27:29.480 for you. Is there something that God is asking you 0:27:29.560 --> 0:27:32.840 to do but you keep putting it off. You're afraid 0:27:32.840 --> 0:27:35.159 of the unknown and not sure how it's going to 0:27:35.240 --> 0:27:38.359 work out. You can't play it safe your whole life 0:27:38.600 --> 0:27:42.600 and become who God's created you to be. Maybe God 0:27:42.680 --> 0:27:46.520 is asking you to stay. You want to leave. Like David, 0:27:46.560 --> 0:27:49.320 you have more in you like Hagar. You're not being 0:27:49.320 --> 0:27:53.040 treated right. You're in a test. If you'll do the 0:27:53.119 --> 0:27:55.800 right thing when it's hard, you're going to see God 0:27:56.080 --> 0:28:00.000 begin to turn things in your favor. There are prophecies 0:28:00.440 --> 0:28:04.040 He has spoken over your life, things He's destined you 0:28:04.119 --> 0:28:08.679 to accomplish. You have not missed them. Keep trusting Him 0:28:08.960 --> 0:28:12.320 even when you don't understand. Don't fight the things that 0:28:12.400 --> 0:28:16.360 don't make sense. Your steps are being ordered. Things are 0:28:16.359 --> 0:28:20.280 happening right now behind the scenes that you cannot see. Now, 0:28:20.320 --> 0:28:24.120 be sensitive to what He's saying, and be quick to obey. 0:28:24.560 --> 0:28:27.760 If you'll do this, I believe and declare you will 0:28:27.800 --> 0:28:31.560 live in your place of blessing life with Mary and Joseph. 0:28:31.840 --> 0:28:34.919 The wise men are about to show up blessings you 0:28:34.960 --> 0:28:38.800 didn't see coming. Like Elijah. The ravens will be waiting 0:28:38.840 --> 0:28:44.720 for you. Supernatural provision, opportunity favor the fullness of your 0:28:44.760 --> 0:28:48.800 destiny in Jesus's name, And if you receive it, can 0:28:48.840 --> 0:28:53.280 you say amen, I'd like to give you an opportunity 0:28:53.360 --> 0:28:56.040 to make Jesus the Lord of your life. Would you 0:28:56.040 --> 0:28:59.760 pray with me? Just say, Lord Jesus, I repent of 0:28:59.840 --> 0:29:03.720 my sins, Come into my heart. I make you my 0:29:03.840 --> 0:29:07.360 Lord and Savior. If you prayed that simple prayer, we 0:29:07.480 --> 0:29:10.360 believe you got born again. We'd love to send you 0:29:10.440 --> 0:29:13.120 some new information on your walk with the Lord. You 0:29:13.160 --> 0:29:15.400 can text the number on the screen or go to 0:29:15.480 --> 0:29:18.120 the website. But I hope you'll get into a good 0:29:18.240 --> 0:29:22.520 Bible based church and keep God first place. Thanks so 0:29:22.600 --> 0:29:25.920 much for listening to today's message. I hope you'll subscribe 0:29:26.120 --> 0:29:28.800 so you can receive the latest podcast to keep you 0:29:28.920 --> 0:29:31.080 encouraged and inspired all through the week. 0:29:31.240 --> 0:29:33.440 Help us to continue to share the message of hope 0:29:33.480 --> 0:29:36.920 with those all around the world. Visit Joelosting dot com 0:29:37.040 --> 0:29:39.640 or click the link in the description to partner with 0:29:39.720 --> 0:29:40.240 us today. 0:29:40.480 --> 0:29:42.920 We hope you'll share this message with a friend and 0:29:43.040 --> 0:29:45.840 be sure to follow us on social media. We're praying 0:29:45.920 --> 0:29:49.000 for you. I know God's best is still ahead. 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