Bless you and we welcome you all to Lakewood today. Thanks so much for coming out. How many of you are ready to worship the Lord today? God’s been good to you this week? I know you can say like me it’s another day the Lord has made. Nobody made us come; we’re choosing to rejoice, choosing to be glad, so thanks for coming out. I tell you often but the Scripture says when you’re planted in the House of the Lord, you will flourish. That’s what you’re doing today so when you leave today you can go out saying God I want to thank you that I’m going to flourish this week in my relationships, with ideas, in my finances, in every good area.
It’s good to know that God’s pleased with you. He saw you take the journey to come out. And many of you are watching, as well. But I believe that when you know that God is for you that’s when you can really receive everything God has in store. Too many people grew up thinking well God I’ve made too many mistakes but that’s not the way I believe our Heavenly Father is. We all make mistakes. God’s still working on us. The fact is you’re here today. God saw you take time to come and He’s saying I’m pleased with you, get ready, I want to reign down some strength and healing and favor and blessing. God’s plans for us are for good and not evil. Let’s be believers and not doubters.
How many of you are visiting today? Slip your hands up. Welcome to you, so happy to have you here. I hope you will all make yourselves at home. Shake off anything that’s holding you back. Any kind of discouragement or anything you’ve got big coming up this week. The Bible says you’ve got to put on a garment of praise. Got to put on that garment of Thanksgiving, stir up what’s on the inside.
We’ve got our youths and young adults that are going to be leading us today. Got a great young adult choir up in here today. So you may not be 21 years old like me but you can at least act like you’re young today and celebrate God’s goodness. We’re so glad to have you this morning.
Victoria:
That is good. It’s great to have you in Church this morning. I want to remind you what it says in Hebrews 11. It says you have to come to God in faith. Alright. It says you have to believe that He exists because He’s a rewarder of those who seek after him. So come to God in faith, believing that He exists and that He’s a good God. I want to welcome you to the presence of Almighty God. He’s here today. He said when you’re gathered in my name, I’m right there in the middle of you. Come to Him in faith, believe that He’s right here with you, and that whatever’s going on your life He can help you with.
In fact, He delights in helping you. He is running through you; He is not running away from you. So, open your heart to Him today and let Him embrace you. Because He wants to do a miracle in your life, even now. Amen.
Father, thank you for every person here. We acknowledge your greatness in this place. We acknowledge that you exist and that you’ve created all things. Now Father you know what we need in our life and you know Father God what we have already asked you for.
You said you know our down-sitting and our uprising, you know our thoughts from afar. So God we thank you that we can entrust you with what concerns us, with what we need, and that God in your hands you can make beautiful things. So we love you today and we want to show you that we can love you even more by the celebration of praise that comes out of our mouth. We celebrate your presence and your existence today, in Jesus’ name. And everyone says, Amen. Thank you, Lord.
Announcer:
Sing praise to the Lord, you saints of His. And give thanks at the remembrance of His holy name. For His anger is but for a moment, His favor is for life. Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning.
You have turned for me my mourning into dancing. You have put off my sackcloth and clothed me with gladness, to the end that my glory may sing praise to you and not be silent. Oh Lord my God, I will give thanks to you forever.
Joel:
We appreciate our young adults and our choir and our whole worship team today. The Scripture says, from generation to generation we will praise Him. I said it earlier. Our children are going ot be mighty in the land. They’re going to have an excellent school year, be leaders, and do mighty things. Carry on God’s work and so thank you for being here and celebrating with all us today.
How many of you are visiting, one more time? Just want to welcome you and God bless you. So glad to meet you. I’d love to meet you after the service; I’ll be in the lobby back there by the bookstore. If you’re not in a hurry, it’d be a joy and honor to shake your hand. We appreciate you all coming out.
As we go into this fall, I tell you often, we always have something good for you at Lakewood. I promise we’ll have some good food. You get out, get planted in the House of the Lord. Reach out to those you work with. You can reach people that I’ll never reach. That is, you know, in your workplace. You have a relationship. 90% of the people that don’t come to Church have never been invited. So all you have to do is invite them. You may have to pick them up. But that’s how we’ll change, you know, the city and change the world, as well. So thank you for being a part of Lakewood. You make Lakewood what it is. We love having you here.
I’m going to ask you. When you see yourself on the big screen can you give our TV audience a great bit Lakewood welcome?
Well, God bless you, it’s always a joy to come into your home and if you’re ever in our area please stop by and be a part of one of our services. I promise you we’ll make you feel right at home. But thanks so much for tuning in and thank you again for coming out.
I’d like to start with something funny. One day up in heaven God said to the men, I want you to form 2 lines. One line for the men who were the head of the house. The other line is for the men who let the woman be the head of the house. The line where the woman ran the house was 100 miles long. There was only one man in the other line. God said, men I’m ashamed of you. I created you to be the head but you let the woman run the house. Only one man stood up to make me proud. He looked at him and said, son, tell them how did you manage to be the only one in this line? The man looked confused and said, I don’t know, my wife told me to stand here.
Hold up your Bible. Say it like you mean it. This is my Bible. I am what it says I am. I have what it says I have. I can do what it says I can do. Today, I will be taught the word of God. I boldly confess; my mind is alert, my heart is receptive, I will never be the same. I am about to receive the incorruptible, indestructible, ever living seed of the word of God. I’ll never be the same, never, never, never, I’ll never be the same, in Jesus’ name. God bless you.
If you’d like to open your Bibles to 1 Peter 1:7, you’re welcome to. 1 Peter 1:7. While you’re turning, I’d like to remind you we’re going to have a great Spanish-speaking service at 1:45 this afternoon. Pastor Danilo and the whole Spanish team. Some amazing people. 7:00 tonight Pastor Nick and Summer have a great young adult service. You’ll see these guys and a lot of fun out here on Sunday nights. Wednesday night, Pastor John Grey will be ministering. Always have something good, as I said earlier.
One last favor that I always ask. Unless you have to go to work or catch a plane, please stay until the very end of the service, if you can, just to keep the House of the Lord in order. I appreciate it very much.
I want to talk to you today about staying on the potter’s wheel. We all face situations that we don’t like, where we’re uncomfortable, we’re not getting our way, somebody’s not treating us right, traffic’s backed up, a person gets on our nerves. It’s easy to get frustrated. Think, God when are you ever going to change this?
But I’ve learned you can’t pray away every difficulty. Some of the things that are uncomfortable in your life right now, if God removed them, you wouldn’t be prepared for the promotion that He has in store. God uses difficulties to do a work in us. The Scripture says, He is the potter, we are the clay. When God is spinning us around on that potter’s wheel and He comes across a lump of impatience, of pride, of jealousy, He’ll put us in a situation to bring those impurities to light. Nothing randomly happens. Every traffic jam, every person that irritates you, every time you’re tempted to worry, to be critical, to be jealous, that’s an opportunity for you to be refined. In the difficult times, we prove to God what we’re made of. That’s when our quality is tested. If you’ll work with God and stay on the potter’s wheel, be moldable, pliable, willing to change, then your character will come up higher. As your character is developed, God will release more of His blessings and favor.
But too many people, when they’re in an uncomfortable situation, instead of doing the right thing, keeping a good attitude, forgiving the wrong, being patient, they try to get off the potter’s wheel. They complain, get upset, offended, impatient. I don’t have to put up with this. I’m going to give them a piece of my mind. They respond the same way, year after year. That’s why they get stuck.
This is what happened with the Israelites. They were headed toward the promise land; it was an 11-day journey. No big deal. But they started complaining. It’s hot, we’re tired, we don’t like the food. Moses, it’s uncomfortable out here. Can’t we just go back to Egypt? They kept getting off the potter’s wheel. That 11-day journey ended up taking over 40 years and they never did make it into the promise land. They kept going around the same mountain, again and again. If they would’ve just recognized, yes this is uncomfortable, we don’t like it, but we know God wouldn’t have us here unless we needed it. He’s using it to refine us, to prepare us, to make us tougher, stronger. It’s not working against us, it’s working for us.
If they were to pass those tests, let God find them, their character would have come up higher; their whole life would have been so much better. My challenge to us today is don’t do like they did and go the next 40 years responding to the uncomfortable situations the same way. Getting upset, offended, impatient, feeling sorry for yourself. No, stay on the potter’s wheel.
Next time you get stuck in traffic, instead of letting that sour your day, have a new approach. God, I feel you’re guiding and directing my steps. You have me at the right place at the right time. So, I’m going to stay in peace and stay where I am. That’s passing the text.
That’s letting God refine you. When you go through a disappointment, an unfair situation, instead of being discouraged, living in self-pity, no God you said you’d give me beauty for ashes, you said what’s meant for harm is made for my advantage. So I’m going to stay in faith and get ready for the new thing that you have in store.
Well Joel I always get upset when I can’t find my car keys. I always get offended when my spouse does a certain thing. I always get discouraged when my friend doesn’t call. Whatever the always is for you, the next time it comes up respond differently. Start passing these tests. Life is flying by. You don’t have time to spend another year going around that same mountain. Your destiny is waiting on you.
God has amazing things He wants to release. New opportunities, new levels. But it depends on the quality of our character. None of us like uncomfortable situations. Here’s the key. If God is not removing it, that means we must need it. He’s using it to refine us, to purify us, to get us prepared for new levels of our destiny. And if you’re still responding to difficulties the same way you did 5 years ago, getting upset, offended, I say this respectfully, you need to grow up. Don’t go another 5 years letting those same things keep you from God’s best. Recognize that’s a test. You’re on the potter’s wheel. God’s giving you an opportunity to get up higher.
Instead of complaining about that person at work that gets on your nerves, have a new perspective. That person is there to help you develop your character. The next time you see them, they say something rude and disrespectful, instead of responding the same way, letting it upset you, or saying something rude back to them, no stay on the potter’s wheel. Let it bounce off of you. Don’t pay it any attention. Just smile and say I hope you have a great day.
Here’s beauty. The next time you do it, it’ll be a little bit easier. The next time, even easier. If you keep at it, you’ll look up in a year or two, it won’t bother you at all. What happened? Your character came up higher. They didn’t change; you changed.
But too often we’re praying change my children they’re getting on my nerves, change my boss he’s driving me crazy, change the traffic it’s making me upset. I’ve learned God is more interested in changing me than He is in changing my circumstances. Sometimes we’re trying to trade away the very thing that God wants to use. The reason He’s not removing it is He’s waiting for us to change. That person that irritates you, God can use them like sandpaper to rub the rough edges off of you. That neighbor that’s hard to get along with, God can use them to teach you how to be merciful, kind, understanding. Or that loved one that says things that are useful; God can use them to toughen you up, to learn not to be easily offended. They’re not there by accident. God has them there on purpose.
Why don’t you look inside and say, God how can I change, how can I be more patient? More forgiving, more loving, more understanding? How can I come up higher? See, don’t every pray for God to change somebody else, without first saying God change me.
The question I ask myself often is how much have I grown in the last 5 years? Do I have a better attitude? Do I forgive quicker? Do I treat people better? Am I kinder? Am I more considerate? We shouldn’t be at the same place now where you were 5 years ago.
If you’re still letting the same things upset you, the same people offend you, the same circumstances steal your joy, this is a wakeup call. I’m sounding the alarm. You don’t have time to waste a year going around the same mountain. Your assignment is too important. Your time is too valuable. Your destiny is too great.
You can’t afford 40 years like the Israelites to learn a lesson that we could learn in a fraction of the time.
You’ve got to put your foot down and say that’s it, I’m done going around this mountain. I’m done having a bad attitude when I don’t get my way. I’m done gewtting stressed in traffic. I’m done arguing with my spouse over insane, petty things. This is a new day. I’m not waiting for anyone or anything to change; I’m going to change.
The Scripture talks about how there are different levels we can grow into. Vessels of clay, vessels of wood that are used for ordinary purposes. But if you’ll stay willing to change and not get stuck in one level in your attitude, in how you treat people, in how you respond to difficulties, but you’ll let God keep refining you, then you will become a vessel of gold used for His highest purposes.
We all start off at the same place in life. Like a lump of clay, you have impurities. Impatience, selfishness, anger. God would put us in situations to work that out of us. The key is to pass those tests. Don’t fight against everything you don’t like. That’s an opportunity to come up higher. If you don’t pass the test, the good news is, you get to take it again, and again, and again. It’s not going to go away until God does the work in us. The sooner you deal with what you know God is bringing to light, the better off you are going to be.
When Victoria and I were first married, when we were about to go someplace I would ask her if she was ready to leave, when she would tell me yes, I would go get in the car and wait, and wait, and wait, and wait. I’d get frustrated, go back in, I thought you said you were ready? She would say, I am ready. I would say, well would you mind walking to the car? This happened time and time again. Uptight, and I was praying to God, you’ve got to change her, make her more this, make her more that. I had her on my potter’s wheel. One day I realized I’m not the potter, God is. The funny thing is, God didn’t change her, God used her to change me.
Took a couple of years. I kept going around the same mountain, again and again. Finally, it dawned on me, life is too short to let this stress me out. She may not ever change so, you know what, I’m going to change. I learned how to be patient, to stay calm, be peaceful. Today, it’s no big deal. When she says I’m ready I know that means in general she’s ready. It’s like the 2 minute warning in football; the clock officially says 2 minutes but if you know football it’s going to take 15 minutes. Now when she says I’m ready I’ll go sit down watch some television, get something to eat, mow the lawn, wash the car. She doesn’t realize it but, I’m not looking that way, God’s used her to refine me, to make me better.
Are there things that you keep letting upset you, stress you out? Do you keep going around the same mountain, again and again? This may be hard to swallow but that other person may not every change, why don’t you change? God wouldn’t have put you in that situation if you didn’t need it. He is not going to be content with you staying a vessel of clay, a vessel of wood, not even a vessel of silver. He’s going to keep spinning around on that wheel, until he brings out all of those impurities and you become the vessel of gold he’s created you to be.
Now our job is to recognize that every challenge, every delay, every offence, as an opportunity to be refined. You can’t just pray it away. God’s not going to remove every difficult person from your life. You’ve got to learn to overlook the faults, to stay on the high road. He’s not going to shield you from every negative, derogatory comment. You’ve got to learn to keep your walls up and not be easily offended. He’s not going to keep us from every delay, inconvenience, setback; you’ve got to learn to believe that He’s directing our steps, and go with the flow. Be aware of what you’re dealing with this week. Don’t let the same things continue to hold you back. If you’re going to become this vessel of gold, you’ve got to stay on the potter’s wheel and be willing to change. Keep growing, keep letting God refine you.
I was in New York City a few years ago and went to diner early in the morning to eat breakfast. There was a gentleman sitting a couple of tables over. He came and told how when he came in the restaurant that morning, it was very windy outside. The person in front of him let the door slam in his face. The person clearly saw him, looked around at him; it was almost like he did it on purpose.
This man had been hot-tempered his whole life. Normally he would have gone over there and told him, told him what he thought. He’d been watching us on television for a few years. He heard me talk about this subject, growing, not letting the same things hold us back. Just as he was about to give them a piece of his mind, he said Joel I heard your voice saying let it go and God will fight your battles. He did just that. He ignored what that person did, went down and sat down with a good attitude, started eating his breakfast. When he did, he said that he felt this incredible joy buzzing up on the inside. Something that he’d never felt before.
when you pass these tests, when you make a decision I’m not going around this mountain responding the same way, I’m going to bite my tongue even though I feel like telling them off, I’m going to stay peaceful even though I feel like being stressed. I’m going to forgive even though they did me wrong.
When you do the right thing when it’s difficult, like this man, you will feel a new sense of joy down in your spirit. You will know the Creator of the Universe is smiling down on you. I read about how up in the northeast fishing for codfish had become a huge commercial business. There was a huge market for codfish all over the United States. They had a major problem with the distribution. At first, they tried freezing the codfish, shipping it all over the same as their other products. But for some reason when the codfish is frozen it didn’t have any more taste. Next, they tried shipping it alive in big containers with fresh seawater. They thought that would certainly solve the problem. But that only made it worse. Because the codfish just sat there, inactive in the water, they became soft and mushy, they lost their taste.
Someone came up with an interesting idea. They decided to put a catfish in each container with the codfish. The catfish is the natural enemy of the codfish. So the whole time the codfish si being shipped it had to stay alert and active, looking out for this catfish. It solved the problem. When the codfish arrived at their destination they were just as fresh and tasty as they were up in the northeast.
What’s my point? Sometimes what looks like an enemy is really an asset. That person that gets on your nerves, that neighbor that doesn’t treat you right, that traffic that gets you stressed out, what you think is there to defeat you, the truth is, God put it there to make you better. To refine you, to promote you, to bring you into the fullness of your destiny.
Nothing in your life happens by accident.
The people you encounter, the delays, the grouchy clerk, the slow waiter, the child that never stops. They are divinely orchestrated by the Creator of the Universe to help make you and mold you into that vessel of gold. Now how you respond is what makes the difference. If you get upset, impatient, offended, feel sorry for yourself, you’ll get stuck. Pay attention to what you don’t like in your life, what you’re praying for God to remove, what you’re fighting against. Recognize that catfish is there to make you better, not to defeat you but to promote you.
Now you may work with a catfish, you may be married to a catfish. You say, Joel my mother-in-law, she’s not a catfish, she’s a great white shark. God wouldn’t have put you there if you didn’t need it. Like iron sharpens iron, that’s going to sharpen you. Stay on the potter’s wheel. God’s using that to strengthen you, to refine you, to polish you, to develop your character.
Several years ago, Victoria and I were heading to an important meeting that started at 7:30. We got delayed at home and were running a little late. But I knew we could still make it on time if I caught all of the lights just right and didn’t run into any traffic.
Everything was going great, we were making good time, until I saw these flashing red lights at the railroad track. A train was coming up. We had never seen a train there at that particular time of day. I was convinced this was the enemy trying to delay me. I prayed, I rebuked, I confessed. It seemed like the more I prayed the slower the train went. It went slower and slower. Finally it stopped and started backing up. About 10 minutes later it had changed direction and was just about to clear the road so we could go. I heard this loud train horn. I thought, that’s strange, they don’t sound the horn at the end of the train. I looked up and another train was coming on the second set of tracks; I didn’t even know there were 2 sets of tracks.
I finally got the message and said, you know what, I’m just going to relax. God is still in control, life is too short to let this stress me out. You know what that train was? A catfish. God allowed it to be there, not to just delay me, not to just make my life miserable, but to refine me, to make me better. For years I thought that was the enemy attacking me. Now, I realize that was God attacking my impatience. I’ve learned to stay on the potter’s wheel. My attitude is, God you can have it your way, it doesn’t have to change, I’ll change.
The Scripture says in 1 Peter, our faith is tried in the fire of affliction as fire purifies gold. You don’t really know what’s in you until you’re put under pressure. The pressure brings to light what we need to deal with. Peter said, Jesus I’ll never deny you, I’m your biggest follower. But a few days later when Peter was under pressure he denied that he knew Jesus 3 times. When you find yourself in an uncomfortable situation, where you feel like being impatient, you feel like telling somebody off, you’re tempted to be upset, offended, that’s when you have to recognize this is a test. I’m here for a reason. I’m not going to go around this same mountain, responding the same way. I’m going to come out higher. I’m going to keep my cool. I’m going to forgive, even though they didn’t me wrong. I’m going to stay in peace.
If you’ll stay on that potter’s wheel and let God keep refining you, you are headed towards that vessel of gold. That’s when God can release some of the amazing things He has in your future. But it all depends on the quality of our character. You can have gifts, you can have talents, but your character is what matters. Can God trust you with more responsibility, with greater influence, with new levels? If you’ll see these catfish, so to speak, in the right way, recognize each one is a test and respond properly, you’ll see God take you places that you’ve never imagined.
Years ago, the government of Thailand wanted to build a new highway but right in the middle of their path was a huge religious statue that had been there for decades. It stood over 40 ft. tall and was made out of clay. This statue was greatly endeared by the people; they knew they had to move it with extreme caution. Got their crane, and very delicately and carefully started to lift the statue. But even as hard as they tried, some of the clay began to crack. They stopped and readjusted, tried to do it more carefully. But then again the clay started to break off.
They were very distressed that they were damaging this important religious statue. They finally got it to this new destination but as they were lifting it off of the crane, off of the truck with the crane, a huge piece of clay fell off.
One of the men noticed something shiny underneath the clay. He went over to examine it. Much to their amazement, underneath the clay the whole statue was made out of solid gold. The clay was never supposed to be permanent; it was just a façade to protect the clay, to protect the gold, yet it had been there for hundreds of years. They thought originally the statue was worth 30 or 40,000 dollars. But in fact it was worth millions and millions in solid gold.
In the same way, we all start off as vessels of clay. We have flaws and weaknesses. Impatience, selfishness, pride. All we can see is the clay. But underneath that clay is a vessel of gold. God made you to shine; as you grow, you let Him keep refining you, little by little that clay is going to come off.
Maybe you used to get offended by that coworker that said hurtful things, and it ruined your day. You tried to pay them back but then you started overlooking it, staying in peace, taking the high road, letting God fight your battles. Now it doesn’t bother you anymore. What’s happening? The clay is coming off. The gold is starting to shine through. Maybe like me you used to be impatient in traffic, stressed when your plans didn’t work out, but now you’ve learned to go with the flow knowing God’s in control, it’s no big deal. What’s happening? More and more of that clay is coming off. Your gold is getting brighter and brighter.
Or perhaps you used to rely on compliments, peoples’ approval to feel good about yourself, that’s how you gain your value, your self-worth. But now you know that God approves you. That He’s made you valuable. That you’re a masterpiece. So you put your shoulders back, you live with confidence, knowing that you’re one of a kind. What’s happening, the low self-esteem, the insecurity is breaking off, and your gold is starting to shine forth.
We all have areas where we can come up higher. All of us still have some clay, some dirt left on us. Don’t get discouraged. The Scripture says, He that began a good work in you will continue to perform it until it’s complete. The good news is you’re not a finished product. God is still working on you. Don’t beat yourself up because you’re still dealing with some weaknesses. Just stay on the potter’s wheel.
Just keep improving. Every person fails from time to time; the key is to get back up again. Don’t you dare settle for the clay. You have gold in you. You were made in the image of Almighty God. He created you to shine, to live free, happy, secure, peaceful, confident, calm. That’s what’s on the inside. I’m asking you to work with God to bring it out. Don’t try to pray away every uncomfortable situation. Recognize that’s an opportunity for more clay to come off. Don’t complain about the catfish; God put it there. It’s not there to defeat you, it’s there to make you better.
If you make this decision that you’re going to stay on the potter’s wheel, let God refine you, see these as opportunities to grow, then you will not stay a vessel of clay, a vessel of wood, nor a vessel of silver. But I believe and declare, you will become a vessel of gold, used for His highest purposes. You will not only enjoy your life more but you will see His favor in amazing ways and become all that He has created you to be. I declare it, in Jesus’ name. If you receive it, can you say Amen today?
We never like to close our broadcast without giving you an opportunity to make Jesus the Lord of your life. Would you pray with me? Just say, Lord Jesus, I repent of my sins, come into my heart, I’ll make you my Lord and Savior.
Friends, if you prayed that simple prayer, we believe you got born again. Get in a good Bible-based Church, keep God in first place, He’s going to take you places that you’ve never dreamed.
Let me pray for you, as well. If you can stay with me for 5 minutes, we’ll be done but let’s seal it in prayer. Lord, thank you for what we’ve heard today. I know Lord God you see every person that has taken time to come out and even those who are watching and Lord we go out committed today that we’re going to stay on the potter’s wheel. We’re not going to keep responding the same way as we’ve done in the past. But Lord we let you make us and mold us, believing that you’re at work, even in the uncomfortable times.
Lord, I pray that every person that goes out of here, they don’t have an average week but they have an exceptional week. That your favor is surrounding them like a shield in a new way. With our heads bowed in prayer, just a couple of quick questions. If your heart stopped beating in the next few minutes, are you at peace with the Almighty God? Do you know where you’d spend eternity if you died a moment or two from now? If not, I would love to pray with you. I’m not here to condemn anybody. I’m here to help you find a new beginning. And I know that comes from a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.
In just a moment, if you’re not at peace with the Lord, or maybe you are a Christian but you’ve grown cold toward God, in your heart of hearts you know you need to rededicate, recommit yourself to life; you need a fresh new start. If that’s you, in just a moment, I’m going to ask you to take a step of faith and stand right where you are. And we’re going to pray together.
I can’t think of a better time to get on the road to victory than right now. The good news is, God is not mad at you. Your sins have already been forgiven. All you’ve got to do is accept the free gift of Christ salvation. Will you do it today? The enemy in your thoughts will always tell you do it later, do it next week, you can’t stand up, he’ll give you excuses. But listen the Bible says today is the day of salvation. Don’t put it off. It’s so easy.
You say yeah Joel but it’s embarrassing to stand here in front of everyone. Listen to what Jesus said. If you won’t be ashamed of me before people I won’t be ashamed of you before my Father in heaven. I’m going to give you a great opportunity to show God you’re not ashamed of Him. When I ask you if you’re not at peace with the Lord or you just need to rededicate, recommit your life to Christ, you need that fresh new start, that new beginning. If that’s you, would you be bold and take that step of faith? Stand right where you are and we’ll pray together. Would you do that?
Come on Lakewood let’s give them a hand as they stand all over the building. Come on, don’t put it off. How about way up at the top? I feel like there ought to be a few more. Will you be bold, will you take a step of faith today? Don’t go home without peace.
Well God bless you and please remain standing. Let me tell you we’re proud of you. More importantly, I know the angels are rejoicing in the heavens right now. God saw each one of you stand and He’s never going to be ashamed of you. We prayed it once but let’s pray it one more time if you would, please.
Lord Jesus, I repent of my sins, come into my heart, wash me clean, I’ll make you my Lord and Savior. Amen.
Remain standing one more moment if you would. Let me tell you how much we love you. We’re going to be praying for you. I want to give you a personal invitation and a challenge to come back and be with us on a regular basis. We ask new believers, give us at least a year of your life. Make a commitment to come every time you possibly can, whether you feel like it or not. And I’ll make a promise to you, your life will never be the same, for the better.
There’s a great reception out here; my brother Paul would love to meet you. It’s called New Beginnings. He’ll be there with some other people from Lakewood. As I mentioned, I’ll be in the lobby over here. Stop by if you can. Can’t do it today? I’m out there after any service I minister. Do me a big favor. When you come back next week, don’t come alone. Bring your friends, your family members. Reach out to them.
Last thing. The moment you stood up, God washed away all your mistakes, your sins, your failures. You’re starting with a fresh, clean slate. Write it down in your Bible. August 24, 2014, a new day of victory in your life. Amen.
Well let’s all stand together, if you would please. Thanks so much for coming out. How many of you are going home better off than you were before? Amen. Alright, let us speak a blessing, until we meet again. May the Lord bless you and keep you, may the Lord show you His favor, and have mercy on you, and may the Lord watch over you and give you His peace. God bless you. We love you very much. Have a faith-filled week and we’ll see you back soon.
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– your presence, with humbled hearts, thanking you for all that you have done for us. Lord, we thank you that your love is washing over each one of us right now. I thank you Lord that you’re reigning down healing and health and peace and joy. You said in your presence is fullness of whatever we need. So, Lord, like a sponge we just soak up your goodness right now. I thank you that all fear is gone and anxiety and depression, Lord that you’re bigger than cancer and any kind of sickness and disease. That even today that you’re fighting our battles for us, refreshing and restoring each one of us. I thank you Lord that we won’t leave this place the same way we came in. We know that if you be for us, who dare be against us.
You said the moment we pray, the tide of the battle turns. So Lord I thank you that every chain has been broken off of us. Every stronghold has come down. I thank you that depression and legal situations and financial difficulty and trouble at work and whatever it may be that those powers are broken right now in the name of Jesus. That you’re releasing your goodness, your favor, like a flood. Lord we know it’s not by our might, not by our power, but it’s by your spirit at work in each one of our lives. Lord, we trust you today. We put our hope, our trust and our confidence in you, the true and the living God. We say, make us and mold us into who you want us to be.
Lord, give us wisdom to make good decisions this week. I ask Lord that you’d open the right doors, close the wrong doors. Bring the right people across our path. Weed out those that should not be there. Lord, help our spiritual ears and eyes to be sensitive, open, responsive to your voice. Help us to be quick to obey, quick to resist the temptation, to fulfill the best plan that you’ve laid out for each one of us. Lord, for the mistakes we’ve made, we ask for your forgiveness. We receive your mercy right now. We don’t go into a new week, guilty, condemned, beating ourselves up. We let go of the old and get ready for the new.
Lord, we know your mercy is bigger than any mistake. That you can still get us to where we’re supposed to be, so Lord we shake off anything that’s holding us back and we get ready for a blessed week, for a prosperous week, for a week where there’ll be a blessing wherever we go. I declare it for all of us. We are strong in the Lord. We are healthy and whole. We are competent, secure, blessed, prosperous, redeemed, forgiven, talented, creative, confident, secure, prepared, qualified, motivated, equipped and empowered, anointed, accepted and approved. Not average, not mediocre, but children of the Most High God. Victors, never victims. In Jesus’ name. If you receive it, can you give the Lord a shout of praise today?
Let me tell you what you already know. 2014’s going to be your best year so far. It’s going to be a year where you see an abundance of God’s favor, abundance of rain. One thought before we pray this morning. I’ve learned that God meets us at the level of our expectations. You know, life will try to keep you in a rut, push you down. Well Joel you know I’ve had this addiction for a long, long time. I guess that’s my lot in life. Or I’ve been struggling with this sickness or I’ve been single so long I’ll never meet anyone. It’s easy to kind of get your expectations thinking well it’s never going to happen. But I encourage you, you’ve got to stir up your faith. Your expectations set the limits for your life.
It’s really simple. When you go out each day, you need to say God I may not see a way but I’m expecting something good to happen to me today. Listen, it’s just as easy to expect nothing as it is to expect something great. Hey, how do you know, today could be the day you meet the person of your dreams. Today could be the day you are totally set free from that addiction. Today could be the day you see a promise come to pass. A dream fulfilled. Why don’t you start believing? I know sometimes people say well Joel what if I do it and nothing happens? What if you do it and something does happen? I can tell you if you’re expecting little you’re going to receive little.
Let’s take the limits off of God in 2014 and expect the abundance of rain. Favor raining down, healing. Opportunity. New levels. Unprecedented favor. Listen, I’m expecting our children to be mighty in the land. I’m expecting us to be debt free, to be a blessing to others. I’m expecting us to be healthy and whole, live a long satisfied life. I’m expecting us to be a bigger blessing, wherever we go.
For God to use us in a greater way. Again, let’s take the limits off of God and let me just declare it again. You’re not going to have an average week, you’re going to have a blessed week. You’re going to see God’s favor. God’s going to reward you for seeking after Him. How many of you all are believers this morning and not doubters? I know you all are. I can feel the victory in the place this morning.
We’re going to take a moment to pray. If there’s something that’s trying to weigh you down, there’ll be a prayer partner at the front of your section. During this next song, anyone’s welcome to come for prayer. You don’t have to be a member. Just come on down in faith. The rest of you, of course, you’re welcome to be seated or you can stand. We’re going to sing a couple more songs but let’s stay in this attitude of worship, so glad to have you today.
Victoria:
Amen, amen. All of you 3 people, you can be seated. Thank you Lord. Thank you for every person here today. God, I think you know them by name. You know every hair on their head and you love them in everlasting love. It’s good to be in a presence of a mighty king. Amen. You know, God has given each one of us gifts and talents. He’s put in us everything we need today to succeed, to increase, and to become everything that He’s called us to be. You know, we’re not lacking in anything but to increase we have to use what we have. See, God wants us not to look at what we don’t have; He wants us to look at what we do have.
And Jesus illustrates this story so beautifully in the Gospels. He tells a story about a wealthy man who is going on a long journey. And he took 3 of his employees, his entrusted employees, and he distributed to them, each one, the amount of talent that he saw fit. Now talents in those days happened to be money but he distributed to them what he saw fit. And he said, now I want you to invest this and make the most out of it. And on my return we’ll see what you’ve accomplished. When he came back, 2 of his employees they had doubled their investments. They had used it wisely and they had doubled what he had given them.
He was well pleased. But the last man, he told the wealthy man, he said, you know what, I was afraid. So I didn’t know what to do, I just buried it. I just buried it and all I have is what you gave me. You know, that’s interesting because when you stop and you think about these 3 men, they weren’t given the same amount of talents but they were given the same opportunity to use their talents. See, it wasn’t about how much they had but what they did with what they had. The man that came with the excuses, you know, the Bible says he says I’m afraid.
We’ve all been afraid and we know that encompasses a great deal of emotions, a great deal in our life. I don’t know if it was the fact that he looked at his talents and then looked at what his friends had and said no I don’t have as much as they do so I probably won’t get as much as they have in return so maybe I should just shrink back. Maybe I shouldn’t even try. Or maybe he just looked at his opportunities and said, you know what, I have this in my hand but I don’t feel I can use this, I don’t really think I can actually do something with it.
Whatever that fear was, whatever that voice that told him he couldn’t succeed, whether it was comparison – Listen, comparison, comparison is a thief; when you compare, you’re robbing yourself. Let me tell you, when we compare, usually what we do, is we look at our weakness, the thing that we think that we don’t have or we’re lacking in our ability, and we compare it with someone else’s strength. See, that’s not an equal comparison. We’re cheating ourselves. You’re putting what you think is weak against what you think is someone else’s greatest asset, greatest strength. Of course you’re not going to amount up to what you think you are because it’s what you think you are. When you’re tempted to do that, you need to let that go. You need to say, I’m not going there.
Look at your strength. Put your strength up against their strength, if that’s what it takes to get out of that situation. But surely don’t put your weakness and put it up against their strength. Comparison is a thief. And whatever that man’s fear was, whatever it was that held him back, it robbed from him.
You see, in a similar manner, that’s exactly what God does to us. He gives each one of us gifts and talents, maybe not in the same proportion, but He watches to see what we’ll do with those. And then He says when they use what they have, you know what, I can give them more. I can trust them with more, I can set them up to win. See, God is never going to set you up to lose. He’s never going to give you more than what you’re going to accomplish. He said, no good thing will I withhold from those who walk uprightly, from those who use what I have given them so I can set them up. Listen, God wants you to be overflowing with joy. He wants your experiences to be full. He wants you to feel successful.
He wants you to feel accomplished. Not only for yourself. Not only for can do for you. But for what it does for other people. When you see someone else that’s doing well, you know what it does? It sharpens you. You think, you know what, I need to up my game. You know what, I can do that. You know what, God’s given me great things. See, it even acts as a sharpener. See, God gets no benefit out of us not succeeding. There is no game out of us not succeeding.
God says, I want your light to shine brighter and brighter and brighter till the full day. I want you to go from glory to glory because when you are shining bright, guess what, that glorifies me. That changes people’s lives. That changes family, destiny. When you are at your best, you literally have the potential to change the legacy of your life. Listen, God wants you to shine brightly. I have seen this happen in my own life. I’ve seen this happen with my children. For over 10 years we’ve been taking our children to every night of hope.
We’ve literally been dragging them there. No. Since they were 4 years old, you know, Alexandra’s been standing up in the front and after every service on the night of hope she’s been singing her simple song. She grew up standing there singing her simple song.
Our son used to come up and give a Scripture, give a commentary, just as cute as he could be. He got a little too old to be doing that, and Joel and I said he’d better be doing something else. So we gave him the job of playing the guitar. But listen 10 years they never complained. They never complained. They did their little job. You know what, I believe God honored them. I believe God increased them. Now they’re up here leading their own mother in worship.
I remember when Joel and I were married we went on trips with his father. We went everywhere with his dad, and we chose very remote places in India and Asia, I mean remote places. Places where you slept on a cot with a net over you because there’s big lizards on the wall. You go outside to go the restroom. You didn’t drink water, ever, ever. I’m saying, remote places. And Joel’s father loved us being there. We were a great comfort to him. I remember he used to say, isn’t it wonderful here? Isn’t it awesome? And Joel and I would just look at each other and we would go, oh yeah. I mean we would spend like 15 days, I think we spent 20 days one time. But we brought great comfort to him.
In fact, last Thursday I believe, it would have been his 93rd birthday. We honor that man. One Sunday morning I was in the back and his father, years ago, had a hairdresser that would do his hair for the television production when we filmed. And one day she came in and she said Pastor Osteen I’m so sorry to tell you that we’re moving. My husband got transferred and we’re having ot move out of state so I won’t be able to come anymore. And he looked at her and I thought to myself, ah that’s too bad. And then he turned to look at me and he said, can you do my hair?
And I thought to myself, I have never been trained to do hair, I don’t know how to do hair, but what came out of my mouth was, yes, of course I can do your hair. Now, I want to tell you something, if you go back and look at those old tapes, I want you to know when the hair looked good that’s when I did it. But the truth of the matter is, I did his hair. You know, I did it week in and week out. I’ll never forget, my family, my mother’s family, which comes from Georgia, was going to have a big family reunion, everybody was so excited, you’re going to be there, right, right? And it happened to be over the weekend and I said, no I can’t be there we’re taping this weekend and I fix Joel’s dad’s hair and I need to be there.
It got back to me one of my cousins said, I can’t believe that’s all she does with her life. Funny now but it hurt my feelings. It hurt my feelings. It made me think, yeah, where is this leading me? You know, where is this taking me? And you know, sometimes what we do doesn’t measure up to what’s on the inside of us. We feel like this task that we’re doing is insignificant compared to what our desires are, to what our dreams are. And you know what when I heard those words it made me feel even smaller. And it made me feel like I really didn’t have that much to offer. But, you know what, I remained faithful. And I can just tell you this, you know, all those years of travelling, all those years of being with him, one on one, talking, doing his hair, picking him up to take him to Church, increased me, blessed me, gave me something I would have never had, had I not had that opportunity.
When God gives you something to do, it may be beneath what you feel like you can do. But I want to encourage you to be faithful in it. When your boss asks you to do something, and you feel it’s below your paygrade, you’re not working into him, you’re working into Almighty God. Choose what you have. Do what you can do. Invest it. When you invest it, that’s when it can grow. That’s when it can increase. Listen, don’t despise the day of small beginnings. You may be greeting; you may think I have more in me. I could get up there, I could preach, I could take a class. You keep greeting because it’s a matter of time before God opens the door to you. You keep doing what you know to do. Listen, if you’ll be faithful in the small things, God will make you ruler over much, Amen. Amen. He’s an awesome God, a God of increase.
We’re going to continue to worship Him as we bring you our tithes and our offerings. Thank you for your faithful gifts. I say thank you for your faithful gift because when you bring your tithe to God, you’re bringing it because it’s His. Ok, so you’re bringing it back to God. Return to God what is His. But God didn’t tell you. He said, put it in the storehouse, He didn’t tell you what storehouse. And, you know, a storehouse really translates out to the local Church. A place that feeds people. A storehouse is a place that holds the blessings. Holds the resources.
And the reason I thank you is because I believe it’s very important the seed that you plant your tithes into – see God says bring it because it’s His but He just says plant it in the storehouse but He doesn’t tell you what storehouse. I’m saying to you today that the storehouse that you should plant it in in the house that has the richest soil. And how do you test the soil? You test the soil by seeing how the soil enriches you. You test the soil by seeing how it changes those around you.
You test the soil by seeing what is coming out of that soil. That’s where you want to plant your seed. Because that’s where you’re going to get your greatest harvest. And I believe that the soil of this house is rich, it’s ripe, and God is bringing glory to his name, lives are being changed, destinies are being renewed and legacies are being continued because of your faithful gifts. And I know that God has a blessing in store for you.
So be encouraged and know that we thank you.
This family thanks you. And God thanks you. Amen. We love you. God bless you as you give.