JOC: Keep Believing For Your Loved Ones | 繼續相信你所愛的人 |喬爾·奧斯汀

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>> 喬爾·奧斯汀：上帝保佑你。
>> JOEL OSTEEN: GOD BLESS YOU. IT'S A JOY TO COME INTO YOUR HOMES, 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. I LIKE TO START WITH SOMETHING FUNNY AND, I HEARD ABOUT THIS MAN NAMED BUBBA. HE LIVED WAY OUT IN THE COUNTRY, AND THERE WAS A STRAY DOG THAT KEPT SHOWING UP AT HIS HOUSE, AND HIS WIFE SAID, "BUBBA, YOU HAVE TO PUT THE DOG IN THE TRUCK, TAKE HIM OUT TO THE WOODS, AND DROP HIM OFF. THAT'S WHERE HE LIVES." BUBBA DROVE HIM A MILE DOWN THE ROAD, DROPPED HIM OFF. WHEN HE CAME HOME, THE DOG WAS WALKING UP THE DRIVEWAY, PRACTICALLY BEAT HIM BACK. HAPPENED AGAIN AND AGAIN, HIS WIFE SAID, "BUBBA, YOU HAVE TO TAKE HIM WAY OUT, DRIVE HIM AROUND IN CIRCLES, GET HIM MIXED UP." BUBBA DROVE AN HOUR AWAY CRISS-CROSSED COUNTRY ROADS HE'D NEVER DRIVEN BEFORE, DROPPED HIM OFF. TWO HOURS LATER HE CALLED HIS WIFE FROM THE TRUCK, SAID, "DID THE DOG COME BACK?" SHE SAID, "YEAH, HE'S WALKING UP THE DRIVEWAY." HE SAID, "DO ME A FAVOR, PUT HIM ON THE LINE. I NEED DIRECTIONS." 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 IN JESUS'S NAME, GOD BLESS YOU. I WANT TO TALK TO YOU TODAY ABOUT KEEP BELIEVING FOR YOUR LOVED ONES. WE ALL HAVE SOMEONE THAT WE'RE HOPING WILL CHANGE, A FAMILY MEMBER THAT'S OFF COURSE, A CHILD THAT'S NOT MAKING GOOD DECISIONS, OR A FRIEND THAT'S STRUGGLING WITH AN ADDICTION. WE'VE BEEN PRAYING, BELIEVING, BUT IT DOESN'T LOOK LIKE IT'S MAKING ANY DIFFERENCE, AND IT'S EASY TO GET FRUSTRATED AND THINK THAT WE'RE WASTING OUR TIME. BUT IF THEY'RE GOING TO REACH THEIR DESTINY, THEY NEED SOMEONE WHO WILL WAIT ON THEM, SOMEONE THAT WILL KEEP PRAYING, KEEP ENCOURAGING, KEEP SPEAKING FAITH INTO THEIR FUTURE, TELLING THEM YOU MAY BE OFF COURSE, YOU MAY BE COMPROMISING, BUT I STILL BELIEVE IN YOU. I KNOW YOU HAVE SEEDS OF GREATNESS. THE HAND OF GOD IS ON YOUR LIFE. THEY NEED SOMEONE THAT WILL STAND IN THE GAP, THAT WILL BELIEVE FOR THEM WHEN THEY CAN'T BELIEVE FOR THEMSELVES, SOMEONE THAT WILL COVER THEM WITH MERCY, NOT JUDGE THEM, NOT FIND FAULT, BUT THAT WILL HELP LOVE THEM BACK INTO WHOLENESS. WE WRITE PEOPLE OFF TOO EASILY. WHERE THEY ARE NOW IS NOT WHERE THEY'RE GOING TO END UP. DON'T JUDGE THEM BY THE PRESENT. BEFORE THE APOSTLE PAUL WAS A FOLLOWER OF CHRIST, BEFORE HE WROTE HALF OF THE NEW TESTAMENT, HIS NAME WAS SAUL, AND HE HATED BELIEVERS. HE WAS THE BIGGEST ENEMY OF THE CHURCH. HE WENT FROM CITY TO CITY HAVING BELIEVERS ARRESTED AND EVEN KILLED. IF WE WOULD'VE SEEN HIM, WE'D HAVE THOUGHT THIS GUY DOESN'T HAVE A CHANCE, HE'S A TERRORIST, HE'S AGAINST EVERYTHING WE STAND FOR. YET GOD TOLD ANANIAS, "GO PRAY FOR SAUL. HE'S A CHOSEN VESSEL TO BEAR MY NAME." SOME OF THE PEOPLE WE'RE TEMPTED TO WRITE OFF ARE CHOSEN VESSELS, THEY'RE GOING TO ADVANCE THE KINGDOM, THEY'RE GOING TO DO GREAT THINGS, ALL THEY NEED IS FOR SOMEONE TO WAIT ON THEM. SOMEONE TO SAY YEAH, THEY'RE OFF COURSE, BUT I'M GOING TO SEND THEM A TEXT AND LET THEM KNOW THAT I'M PRAYING FOR THEM. I'M GOING TO INVITE THEM TO LUNCH NOT TO STRAIGHTEN THEM OUT, NOT TO JUDGE THEM, BUT TO LET THEM KNOW THAT I LOVE THEM, THAT I BELIEVE IN THEM, THAT IF THEY NEED ANYTHING ALL THEY HAVE TO DO IS ASK. WILL YOU WAIT ON SOMEONE WHILE GOD IS CHANGING THEM? JOHN CHAPTER 4 JESUS WAS IN SAMARIA WAITING BY A WELL. HE HAD SENT THE DISCIPLES INTO THE CITY TO GET FOOD. WHILE HE WAS WAITING, A SAMARITAN WOMAN CAME OUT TO GET SOME WATER. BACK THEN THE JEWS AND SAMARITANS DIDN'T HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH EACH OTHER, BUT JESUS ASKED HER FOR A DRINK OF WATER. SHE SAID, "SIR, YOU'RE A JEW, I'M A SAMARITAN. WHY ARE YOU ASKING ME FOR SOMETHING?" JESUS SAID, "IF YOU KNEW WHO I AM, YOU WOULD ASK ME, AND I WOULD GIVE YOU LIVING WATER." SHE SAID, "SIR, PLEASE GIVE ME THIS WATER." JESUS ASKED HER TO GO CALL HER HUSBAND. SHE TOLD HIM THAT SHE DIDN'T HAVE A HUSBAND. JESUS SAID YOU'RE RIGHT, YOU'VE HAD FIVE, AND THE MAN YOU'RE LIVING WITH IS NOT YOUR HUSBAND. SHE SAID, "SIR, YOU MUST BE A PROPHET. WE KNOW ONE DAY THE MESSIAH WILL COME." JESUS LOOKED AT HER AND SAID, "I AM THE MESSIAH." THIS WOMAN WENT BACK HOME, TOLD EVERYONE WHAT HAD HAPPENED, AND THE SCRIPTURE SAYS MANY SAMARITANS BELIEVED IN JESUS BECAUSE OF HER. WHAT'S INTERESTING IS JESUS COULD'VE GONE INTO THE CITY TO GET FOOD WITH THE DISCIPLES. HE WAS HUNGRY, BUT HE CHOSE TO WAIT AT THIS WELL. NOTICE, WHO HE WAS WAITING FOR, A WOMAN THAT DIDN'T HAVE A GOOD REPUTATION. HE WAITED FOR A WOMAN THAT HAD BEEN MARRIED FIVE TIMES, A WOMAN THAT HAD BLOWN IT. I'M SURE PEOPLE HAD WRITTEN HER OFF, THOUGHT THIS LADY IS MESSED UP. WHEN SHE WALKED BY, I CAN HEAR THEM WHISPER THERE SHE IS, WONDER WHO SHE'S MARRIED TO THIS WEEK? THEY'D LAUGH, GOSSIP. WE LOOK DOWN ON HER BECAUSE SHE WAS MARRIED SO MANY TIMES. THE TRUTH IS THIS WOMAN HAD BEEN REJECTED BY MEN. SHE'D BEEN PUSHED DOWN BY LIFE. JESUS WAITED FOR A WOMAN THAT DIDN'T FEEL VALUABLE, A WOMAN THAT HAD VERY LITTLE SELF WORTH. YOU WOULD'VE THOUGHT HE WOULD WAITED FOR THE MAYOR OF THE CITY, FOR SOMEONE WITH PROMINENCE AND INFLUENCE. AFTER ALL, JESUS WAS BUSY. HE HAD A LOT OF DEMANDS, BUT HE CHOSE TO WAIT FOR A WOMAN THAT DIDN'T HAVE IT ALL TOGETHER. HE DIDN'T JUDGE HER, HE DIDN'T CONDEMN HER, HE SPOKE LIFE INTO HER, HE LIFTED HER, HE VALUED HER. IT'S SIGNIFICANT THAT THE SAMARITANS DIDN'T WORSHIP JEHOVAH, THEY WORSHIPED IDOLS. THEY HAD STONE GODS THAT THEY PRAYED TO. JESUS WAITED FOR A WOMAN THAT CAME FROM A DIFFERENT FAITH, A WOMAN THAT DIDN'T WORSHIP THE GOD OF ABRAHAM, ISAAC, AND JACOB. THE FIRST PERSON JESUS EVER TOLD HE WAS THE MESSIAH WASN'T THE RELIGIOUS LEADERS, WASN'T THE CHIEF PRIESTS, WHEN JESUS WANTED TO ANNOUNCE ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS HE WOULD EVER SAY, HE ANNOUNCED IT TO THIS WOMAN. SOCIETY SAID FORGET ABOUT HER, SHE'S DONE, SHE DOESN'T MAKE GOOD DECISIONS. GOD SAID, "NO, I'M NOT ONLY GOING TO WAIT ON HER, I'M GOING TO HONOR HER BY TELLING HER WHO I AM." I THINK ABOUT HOW MANY TIMES GOD HAS WAITED ON US. HE WAITED WHEN WE WERE OFF COURSE, HE WAITED WHEN WE WOULDN'T FORGIVE, HE WAITED WHEN WE WERE ADDICTED, WHEN WE WERE COMPROMISING, WHEN WE HAD A BAD ATTITUDE. HE COULD'VE SAID, "THAT'S IT, I'M DONE WITH YOU," BUT HE WAITED, HE SHOWED US MERCY. HE PICKED US UP WHEN WE FELL. HE KEPT THE ADDICTION FROM TAKING OUR LIFE. HE PROTECTED US WHEN WE CHOSE THE WRONG FRIENDS. HE KEPT THAT ACCIDENT FROM TAKING US OUT. HE WAITED WHEN WE DIDN'T BELIEVE. HE WAITED WHEN WE IGNORED HIM. HE WAITED WHEN WE WERE BITTER. AND SOMETIMES IT'S GOOD TO LOOK BACK AND SAY LORD, THANK YOU FOR WAITING ON ME. LORD, THANK YOU FOR GIVING ME ANOTHER CHANCE. THANK YOU FOR CLEANING UP THE MESS I MADE. THANK YOU FOR COVERING ME WHEN I DIDN'T DESERVE IT. GOD HAS WAITED ON ALL OF US, NOW HE'S ASKING WILL YOU WAIT ON SOMEONE FOR ME? WILL YOU WAIT ON THAT FRIEND THAT'S NOT MAKING GOOD DECISIONS? WILL YOU CALL THEM, ENCOURAGE THEM, LET THEM KNOW THAT YOU CARE? WILL YOU WAIT ON THAT NEIGHBOR THAT DOESN'T BELIEVE IN ME, THAT MAKES FUN OF YOUR FAITH? WILL YOU STAND IN THE GAP, KEEP LETTING YOUR LIGHT SHINE? OR WILL YOU WAIT FOR THAT FAMILY MEMBER THAT'S BEEN OFF COURSE FOR YEARS, STRUGGLING WITH ISSUES, SEEMS LIKE THE MORE YOU PRAY THE WORST THEY GET? YOU'RE READY TO GIVE UP, GOD IS SAYING WAIT ON THEM, KEEP PRAYING, KEEP LOVING, KEEP ENCOURAGING. MY MOTHER PRAYED FOR A MAN NAMED BILL NASH FOR MANY YEARS. BILL WAS A COUNTRY WESTERN SINGER. HE GREW UP IN CHURCH. HIS PARENTS WERE MISSIONARIES TO MEXICO, AND HE HAD A STRONG FOUNDATION OF FAITH, BUT IN HIS TEENS HE GOT OFF COURSE AND STARTED RUNNING WITH THE WRONG CROWD, AND HE ENDED UP STRUGGLING WITH DRUGS AND ALCOHOL. INSTEAD OF SINGING IN CHURCH, HE WAS SINGING IN BARS AND CLUBS. DEEP DOWN HE WAS UNHAPPY. HE KNEW HE WAS RUNNING FROM GOD, BUT HE COULDN'T GET OUT ON HIS OWN. DRIVING DOWN THE FREEWAYS, MY MOTHER WOULD SEE HIS NAME ON THE MARQUEES AT THE CLUBS WHERE HE WAS PLAYING. EVERY TIME SHE WOULD PRAY FOR HIM, LORD, BRING BILL BACK HOME. HELP HIM TO FULFILL HIS DESTINY. THIS WENT ON FOR YEARS, DIDN'T LOOK LIKE ANYTHING WAS HAPPENING, BUT WHEN YOU PRAY, THINGS ARE HAPPENING THAT YOU CAN'T SEE. YOUR PRAYER MAY BE WHAT'S KEEPING THEM FROM SINKING DEEPER. BECAUSE YOU'RE STANDING IN THE GAP, THAT'S WHY THE ENEMY CAN'T TAKE THEM OUT. ONE SUNDAY MORNING, BILL WAS FLIPPING THROUGH THE CHANNELS, AND HE CAME ACROSS MY FATHER ON TELEVISION. HE WAS TALKING ABOUT HOW GOD IS FULL OF MERCY AND HOW HE'S BIGGER THAN ANY MISTAKE. THAT SUNDAY BILL SHOWED UP AT LAKEWOOD. HADN'T BEEN TO CHURCH IN MANY YEARS, SAT IN THE VERY BACK. SOMEONE NOTICED HIM AND BROUGHT HIM DOWN TO SEE MY MOTHER. HE DIDN'T KNOW THAT SHE HAD BEEN PRAYING ALL THOSE YEARS. THAT DAY BILL RE-COMMITTED HIS LIFE TO CHRIST. THE FAITH THAT WAS PLANTED IN HIM AS A LITTLE BOY CAME BACK TO LIFE. SEVERAL MONTHS LATER, BILL GAVE HIS FIRST CHRISTIAN CONCERT AT LAKEWOOD. NOW HE AND HIS WIFE, KIM, HAVE AN OUTREACH TO TEENAGERS TO HELP THEM STAY ON TRACK. PROVERBS SAYS TRAIN UP A CHILD IN THE WAY THEY SHOULD GO, AND WHEN THEY ARE OLD THEY WILL NOT DEPART FROM IT. YOU MAY HAVE A CHILD THAT'S OFF COURSE. THE GOOD NEWS IS YOU'VE TRAINED THEM UP TO KNOW THE LORD. THAT FAITH WAS DEPOSITED IN THEIR SPIRIT. THE PROMISE IS IN THE END THEY WILL NOT DEPART FROM IT. NOW, IT DOESN'T SAY ANYTHING ABOUT THE MIDDLE. THEY MAY MAKE SOME WRONG TURNS. LIKE BILL, THERE MAY BE TIMES YOU DON'T SEE HOW THEY'RE GOING TO GET BACK ON TRACK. WHAT ARE YOU SUPPOSED TO DO? WAIT ON THEM, KEEP LOVING, KEEP ENCOURAGING, KEEP PRAYING. WELL, JOEL, THEY WON'T LISTEN TO ME. THEY DON'T TAKE MY ADVICE. THEY WON'T RETURN MY CALL. DON'T WORRY, GOD KNOWS HOW TO GET THEIR ATTENTION. YOU KEEP PRAYING AND THINGS ARE HAPPENING. IN THE END, THEY WILL NOT DEPART. THEY MAY BE OFF COURSE NOW, BUT YOUR DECLARATION SHOULD BE THEY'RE COMING BACK. AS FOR ME AND MY HOUSE, WE WILL SERVE THE LORD. NOW, YOU DON'T HAVE TO FORCE PEOPLE TO CHANGE. WHEN THEY'RE GROWN, YOU CAN'T MAKE THEM DO WHAT'S RIGHT. DON'T ALWAYS BE TRYING TO CORRECT THEM, THREATEN THEM, TEACH THEM A LESSON. SOMETIMES YOU JUST NEED TO LOVE THEM. THE SCRIPTURE SAYS LOVE NEVER FAILS. YOU CAN LOVE THEM BACK ON TRACK. LOVE THEM WHEN THEY DON'T DESERVE IT. LOVE THEM WHEN THEY WON'T LISTEN. LOVE THEM WHEN THEY'RE MAKING POOR CHOICES. IT'S EASY TO WRITE 'EM OFF, THINK YOU KNOW BETTER. I'M NOT GOING TO HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH YOU. NO, GOD WAITED ON YOU, WILL YOU WAIT ON THEM? IN THE STORY OF THE PRODIGAL SON, THE YOUNG MAN TOOK HIS INHERITANCE, LEFT HOME, AND WASTED IT ALL LIVING WILD, PARTYING. HE GOT SO LOW HE ENDED UP IN A HOG PEN, DESPERATE, BARELY EVEN SURVIVING. HE DECIDED TO GO BACK HOME AND TRY TO GET A JOB AS A HIRED SERVANT AT HIS FATHER'S HOUSE. THE SCRIPTURE SAYS WHEN THE FATHER SAW THE SON COMING A LONG WAY OFF, HE TOOK OFF RUNNING TOWARD HIM. NOTICE THE FATHER WAS WAITING. I CAN IMAGINE SEVERAL TIMES A DAY HE WENT OUT TO THE END OF THE DRIVEWAY AND LOOKED, SAID, "FATHER, THANK YOU FOR BRINGING MY SON BACK HOME. THANK YOU FOR PROTECTING HIM. THANK YOU THAT HE'LL FULFILL HIS DESTINY." HE RAN OUT AND GAVE HIS SON A HUG. HE TOLD HIS STAFF, "WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A PARTY AND CELEBRATE THE FACT THAT MY SON HAS COME BACK HOME." NEVER ONCE DID THE FATHER BRING UP THE SON'S PAST. HE NEVER WENT INTO AN I TOLD YOU SO SPEECH, YOU CAN LIVE HERE, BUT YOU DON'T REALLY DESERVE IT. HE WAS FULL OF MERCY. I'VE LEARNED EVERYONE IS ON A JOURNEY. WHERE THEY ARE NOW IS NOT WHERE THEY'RE GOING TO BE IN 10 YEARS. GIVE THEM ROOM TO CHANGE. THEY MAY NOT BELIEVE LIKE YOU. THEY MAY NOT HAVE YOUR SAME VIEWS. THAT'S OKAY, JUST KEEP LOVING THEM. SOMETIMES WE THINK WE'RE SUPPOSED TO CONVICT PEOPLE, TELL THEM EVERYTHING THEY'RE DOING WRONG, STRAIGHTEN THEM OUT, BUT THE HOLY SPIRIT IS THE ONE THAT CONVICTS. OUR JOB IS TO JUST PLANT THE SEEDS. THAT SEED MAY FALL ON HARD SOIL. THEIR HEART MAY NOT BE OPEN. THE GOOD NEWS IS THE SEED NEVER DIES. I READ WHERE A SEED WAS FOUND THAT WAS 4,000 YEARS OLD, IT HAD BEEN IN AN AIR-TIGHT COFFIN. THEY PLANTED IT, AND THE SEED BLOSSOMED. IT WAS STILL ALIVE. ALL IT NEEDED WAS THE RIGHT SOIL. THOSE SEEDS YOU'VE BEEN PLANTING IN PEOPLE'S HEARTS, THEY ARE STILL ALIVE. THE SOIL MAY NOT BE READY YET, BUT AT THE RIGHT TIME, GOD WILL SOFTEN THEIR HEARTS. SOME OF THE PEOPLE THAT LISTEN TO ME DON'T BELIEVE IN GOD. SOME COME FROM DIFFERENT FAITHS, BUT THAT NEVER BOTHERS ME. I'M JUST SOWING SEEDS, TELLING PEOPLE THAT GOD IS FOR THEM, THAT THEY'RE MADE IN HIS IMAGE, THAT THEY HAVE A PURPOSE AND DESTINY TO FULFILL. I KNOW AT THE RIGHT TIME, THE SEEDS WILL TAKE ROOT. WHAT AM I SAYING? DON'T JUDGE PEOPLE BY WHERE THEY ARE NOW. THEY'RE IN THE PROCESS OF CHANGING. I KNOW A YOUNG LADY THAT CAME FROM A DIFFERENT FAITH. SHE WAS RAISED IN ANOTHER COUNTRY AND BROUGHT UP IN A DIFFERENT RELIGION. SHE'D BEEN WATCHING US ON TELEVISION. THE MESSAGE HAS REALLY HELPED HER. THEN HER WORK MOVED HER TO HOUSTON. SHE STARTED ATTENDING LAKEWOOD. SHE WOULD SIT UP AT THE TOP. AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, THIS WAS VERY NEW TO HER. SHE EXPECTED TO HEAR ABOUT HOW WRONG HER RELIGION WAS, TO BE CONDEMNED FOR HOW SHE WAS RAISED. SHE NEVER HEARD ANY OF THAT. SHE HEARD ABOUT THE GOODNESS OF GOD, ABOUT HOW HER SINS HAD ALREADY BEEN FORGIVEN, ABOUT HOW SHE COULD LIVE A VICTORIOUS, ABUNDANT LIFE. SHE EVENTUALLY GAVE HER LIFE TO CHRIST. SHE SAID, "I CAME FROM A DIFFERENT FAITH, AND IT TOOK ME TWO YEARS TO MAKE MY JOURNEY TO JESUS." YOU KNOW WHY THAT HAPPENED? WE WAITED ON HER, WE DIDN'T CONDEMN HER, WE DIDN'T SAY BE LIKE US OR YOU'RE OUT. WE GAVE HER ROOM TO CHANGE. YOU HAVE TO GIVE PEOPLE TIME TO BECOME WHO THEY WERE CREATED TO BE. TOO OFTEN WE WANT TO CRAM THINGS DOWN PEOPLE'S THROATS AND MAKE THEM BELIEVE, BUT SOME THINGS DON'T HAPPEN OVERNIGHT. WILL YOU WAIT ON THAT FRIEND, KEEP ENCOURAGING THEM EVEN THOUGH THEY'RE NOT CHANGING AS FAST AS YOU WOULD LIKE? WOULD YOU WAIT ON THAT NEIGHBOR THAT DOESN'T BELIEVE, KEEP SOWING SEEDS OF LOVE, KEEP BEING GOOD TO THEM? JESUS SAID THE WAY PEOPLE WILL KNOW YOU'RE HIS DISCIPLE IS BY YOUR LOVE ONE FOR ANOTHER, NOT BY OUR DOCTRINE, NOT BY HOW MANY SCRIPTURES WE CAN QUOTE, NOT BY HOW RIGHT WE ARE, BUT BY HOW MUCH WE LOVE THEM. YOU DON'T JUDGE PEOPLE, YOU DON'T LOOK DOWN BECAUSE THEY DON'T BELIEVE LIKE YOU, YOU JUST KEEP LOVING THEM, KEEP BEING GOOD TO THEM. A LADY TOLD ME HOW SHE HAD BEEN AN ATHEIST HER WHOLE LIFE. SHE DIDN'T HAVE ANY KIND OF FAITH AND JUST WASN'T RAISED TO BELIEVE IN GOD AT ALL. ONE DAY HER DAUGHTER WAS IN AN AUTOMOBILE ACCIDENT. SHE RUSHED UP TO THE HOSPITAL. HER DAUGHTER WAS INJURED, BUT SHE WAS FINE. IT WASN'T LIFE THREATENING. LATER THAT EVENING, THE MOTHER WENT BACK HOME, AND SHE WAS SO STRESSED AND SO OVERWHELMED FROM SUCH A DIFFICULT DAY. SITTING IN HER DRIVEWAY, SHE LOOKED UP AND SAID VERY FRUSTRATED, "GOD, WHY DID YOU DO THIS TO ME?" SHE SAID SHE HEARD THE MOST LOVING VOICE, NOT OUT LOUD, BUT IN HER HEART. IT SAID, "THAT WAS THE FIRST TIME YOU'VE EVER SPOKEN TO ME." SHE FELT A LOVE LIKE SHE HAD NEVER FELT, A PEACE THAT SHE HAD NEVER EXPERIENCED. THAT WAS THE GOODNESS OF GOD OVERWHELMING HER. THE SCRIPTURE SAYS IF YOU'LL DRAW CLOSE TO GOD, HE'LL DRAW CLOSE TO YOU. WE THINK IF SOMEONE DOESN'T HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH GOD, GOD WILL SAY, "FINE, SEE IF I EVER HELP YOU." GOD IS NOT LIKE THAT. HE'S AS CLOSE AS THE BREATH YOU BREATHE. ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS CALL OUT TO HIM. HE IS RIGHT THERE. HE'S NOT HOLDING YOUR PAST AGAINST YOU. HE'S NOT UPSET BECAUSE YOU IGNORED HIM. HE'S NOT PUT OFF BECAUSE YOU DIDN'T BELIEVE IN HIM. HE'S WAITING FOR YOU. HE HAS HIS ARMS HELD OPEN WIDE. HE'S AT THE END OF THE DRIVEWAY LOOKING, THINKING MAYBE TODAY YOU'LL COME BACK HOME, MAYBE TODAY WILL BE THE TURNING POINT. ARE YOU WRITING SOMEONE OFF 'CAUSE THEY DON'T BELIEVE, THEY'RE NOT MAKING GOOD DECISIONS, THEY'RE AGAINST WHAT WE STAND FOR? THAT'S RIGHT WHERE SAUL WAS BEFORE HE BECAME THE APOSTLE PAUL. WHY DON'T YOU START WAITING ON THEM, SHOWING MERCY INSTEAD OF JUDGMENT. IT'S EASY TO HAVE A HOLIER THAN THOU ATTITUDE. I CAN'T BELIEVE WHAT THEY'RE DOING. WHAT ARE THEY THINKING? LISTEN, IF IT WASN'T FOR THE GRACE OF GOD, YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU WOULD BE DOING. THE LONGER I LIVE, THE LESS JUDGMENTAL I AM. I REALIZE EVERYONE DIDN'T GET WHAT I GOT. EVERYONE WASN'T RAISED IN A HEALTHY ENVIRONMENT, IN A HOME FILLED WITH FAITH AND LOVE WITH PARENTS AND FRIENDS AND FAMILY THAT SPOKE VICTORY INTO ME. SOME PEOPLE CAME OUT OF DYSFUNCTION, WITH PEOPLE THAT WERE ADDICTED, ANGRY, DEPRESSED. ALL THEY'VE SEEN IS MEDIOCRITY, COMPROMISE. IT'S TEMPTING TO JUDGE THEM, LOOK DOWN ON THEM, BUT IF WE WERE IN THEIR SHOES, WE COULD BE MAKING THE SAME DECISIONS. INSTEAD OF FINDING FAULT WITH THEM, CONDEMNING THEM, WHY DON'T YOU SPEND THAT SAME TIME PRAYING FOR THEM. THEY'RE IN YOUR LIFE BECAUSE GOD IS COUNTING ON YOU TO HELP THEM. IF YOU'LL START ENCOURAGING THEM, SPEAKING FAITH INTO THEM, LOVING THEM, THEY'LL STEP INTO THEIR DESTINY. AND EVERY SEED YOU SOW WILL COME BACK TO YOU. THE MERCY YOU SHOW OTHERS IS THE MERCY PEOPLE ARE GOING TO SHOW YOU. BUT SOMETIMES WE'RE WAITING FOR PEOPLE TO CHANGE, AND THEN WE'LL ACCEPT THEM. WHEN THEY START DOING RIGHT, THEN I'LL HAVE A BETTER OPINION. BUT GOD DOESN'T ASK US TO CLEAN OURSELVES UP AND THEN WE CAN COME TO HIM. HE SAYS, "COME JUST AS YOU ARE, AND I'LL HELP YOU TO GET CLEANED UP." NOW, GOD WAITED ON US WHEN WE WERE OFF COURSE. HE SHOWED US MERCY WHEN WE WEREN'T AT OUR BEST. LET'S TAKE THAT SAME MERCY AND SHOW TO SOMEONE ELSE. ONE TIME JESUS WAS TRAVELING THROUGH THE CITY OF JERICHO. WORD QUICKLY SPREAD THAT HE WAS THERE, AND EVERYONE CAME OUT TO SEE HIM. THEY HAD HEARD OF THE MIRACLES AND ALL THE AMAZING THINGS JESUS HAD DONE. NOW, THE STREETS WERE PACKED, YOU COULD BARELY MOVE. THERE WAS A MAN NAMED ZACCHAEUS, HE WAS THE CHIEF TAX COLLECTOR. THEY WERE KNOWN FOR BEING DISHONEST, FOR CHEATING PEOPLE, FOR TAKING ADVANTAGE. ZACCHAEUS WANTED TO SEE JESUS, BUT HE WAS SO SHORT HE COULDN'T SEE OVER EVERYONE, SO HE CLIMBED UP IN A TREE, GOT IN PERFECT POSITION. JESUS CAME PASSING BY, THERE WERE THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE SHOUTING, WAVING, ALL KINDS OF COMMOTION. SUDDENLY JESUS STOPPED, LOOKED UP IN THE TREE, AND SAID, "ZACCHAEUS, COME DOWN. I WANT TO GO TO YOUR HOUSE AND HAVE DINNER." WHAT'S INTERESTING IS THE NAME ZACCHAEUS MEANS PURE ONE. JESUS SAID IN FRONT OF EVERYONE, PEOPLE THAT DISLIKED ZACCHAEUS, PEOPLE THAT KNEW HE WAS A CHEAT, YET JESUS CALLED HIM PURE ONE. THE PRINCIPLE IS YOU HAVE TO CALL PEOPLE WHAT THEY CAN BECOME BEFORE THEY'LL EVER CHANGE. THE SCRIPTURE SAYS CALL THINGS THAT ARE NOT AS IF THEY WERE. IF YOU KEEP CALLING YOUR CHILD DISRESPECTFUL, THEY'LL STAY DISRESPECTFUL. IF YOU KEEP CALLING YOUR LOVED ONE ADDICTED, THEY'LL STAY ADDICTED. YOU'RE PROPHESYING THEIR FUTURE. CHANGE WHAT YOU'RE CALLING PEOPLE. CALL YOUR CHILDREN BLESSED, CALL THEM RESPECTFUL, CALL THEM SUCCESSFUL. THAT FRIEND THAT'S STRUGGLING WITH AN ADDICTION, START CALLING THEM FREE, WHOLE, VICTORIOUS. JESUS COULD'VE SAID TO ZACCHAEUS, "HEY, YOU, HEY, GUY UP IN THE TREE, HEY, TAX COLLECTOR." ON PURPOSE HE CALLED HIS NAME, NOT ONLY SO OTHERS COULD HEAR IT, BUT SO HE COULD HEAR IT. EVERYTHING FELL SILENT, YOU COULD HEAR A PIN DROP. ALL THE EYES TURNED UP TOWARD ZACCHAEUS. CAN IMAGINE HE NEARLY PASSED OUT. HE WHISPERED, "DID JESUS JUST CALL MY NAME?" SOMEBODY NODDED THEIR HEAD YES. HE THOUGHT TO HIMSELF, "HOW DOES HE KNOW MY NAME?" AND SOMETIMES WE THINK PEOPLE THAT ARE SO FAR OFF COURSE, MAKING SUCH BAD DECISIONS, GOD WOULD HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH THEM. THE TRUTH IS GOD KNOWS THEIR NAME. HE'S COMING AFTER THEM. JESUS SAID IT'S THE SICK WHO NEED A DOCTOR, NOT THE HEALTHY. THERE WERE CITY LEADERS IN THE CROWD, THERE WERE PRIESTS, ELDERS IN THE SYNAGOGUE. JESUS BYPASSED ALL OF THEM AND SAID, "I WANT TO GO TO ZACCHAEUS'S HOUSE." HE WAS SAYING, "ZACCHAEUS, I'VE BEEN WAITING FOR YOU. I KNEW YOU WOULD BE HERE." HE HAD DINNER WITH ZACCHAEUS, HE DIDN'T CONDEMN HIM, HE DIDN'T TELL THEM EVERYTHING HE WAS DOING WRONG, JESUS SIMPLY LOVED HIM, SHOWED HIM MERCY. HE BECAME HIS FRIEND. AND THAT DAY WAS A TURNING POINT FOR ZACCHAEUS. HE SAID, "FROM NOW ON, I'M NOT GOING TO CHEAT PEOPLE, NOT GOING TO BE DISHONEST. I'M GOING TO START HELPING OTHERS." ZACCHAEUS CHANGED HIS WAYS NOT BECAUSE HE WAS SHAMED INTO IT, BUT BECAUSE HE WAS LOVED INTO IT. THE SCRIPTURE SAYS IT'S THE GOODNESS OF GOD THAT LEADS PEOPLE TO REPENTANCE. AND GOD HAS PEOPLE IN YOUR LIFE RIGHT NOW BECAUSE HE'S COUNTING ON YOU NOT TO JUDGE THEM, NOT TO FIND FAULT, BUT TO STAND IN THE GAP. AND SOME OF THE PEOPLE WE THINK ARE FURTHEST OFF COURSE, LIKE ZACCHAEUS, LIKE SAUL, THEY ARE CHOSEN VESSELS. DON'T GIVE UP ON THAT CHILD. IT'S BEEN YEARS, KEEP WAITING. THEY'RE GOING TO DO SOMETHING GREAT. DON'T QUIT BELIEVING FOR THAT NEIGHBOR. THEY WON'T GIVE YOU THE TIME OF DAY, KEEP WAITING. GOD IS IN CONTROL. FRIEND OF MINE HAS A NEIGHBOR THAT'S AN OLDER GENTLEMAN. FOR AS LONG AS HE'S KNOWN HIM, THIS NEIGHBOR HAS BEEN VERY SKEPTICAL, VERY CYNICAL, NEGATIVE. AS A LITTLE BOY, HE WENT TO CHURCH, BUT NOW HE WOULDN'T HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH GOD. HE WAS BITTER AGAINST THE CHURCH AND ALL THAT IT STANDS FOR. YEAR AFTER YEAR, MY FRIEND JUST KEPT LOVING HIM, KEPT BEING GOOD TO HIM AS THE NEIGHBOR GREW OLDER, SEEING IF THERE WAS ANYTHING THAT HE NEEDED. ONE DAY HE FOUND OUT THAT THIS NEIGHBOR HAD BEEN WATCHING US ON TELEVISION AND WAS GOING TO ATTEND OUR NIGHT OF HOPE. MY FRIEND COULDN'T BELIEVE IT. HE DIDN'T SEE THAT COMING. BUT YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT GOD IS DOING BEHIND THE SCENES. JUST 'CAUSE YOU DON'T SEE ANYTHING HAPPENING, DOESN'T MEAN GOD IS NOT WORKING. THOSE SEEDS YOU'VE BEEN PLANTING ARE STILL ALIVE. THE MORNING AFTER THE NIGHT OF HOPE, MY FRIEND WENT TO THE NEIGHBOR'S HOUSE. HIS WIFE HAD BIG TEARS RUNNING DOWN HER CHEEKS. SHE SAID, "LAST NIGHT WHEN JOEL ASKED PEOPLE TO STAND TO RECEIVE CHRIST, MY HUSBAND STOOD UP." WHAT'S INTERESTING IS THIS MAN HAD HAD A STROKE. FOR YEARS, HE HAD NEVER STOOD ON HIS OWN, BUT THAT NIGHT BY HIMSELF HE WAS ABLE TO STAND UP. TODAY, HE'S LIKE A DIFFERENT PERSON. I'M ASKING YOU TO WAIT ON SOMEONE. JOEL, THEY'RE OFF COURSE, THEY'RE NOT MAKING GOOD DECISIONS, NEITHER WAS THE PRODIGAL SON, BUT THE FATHER WAITED ON HIM. WELL, THEY COME FROM A DIFFERENT FAITH, SO WAS THE WOMAN AT THE WELL, BUT JESUS WAITED ON HER. WELL, I'VE BEEN WAITING A LONG TIME FOR THIS FRIEND. HE'S NEVER GOING TO CHANGE. NO, YOUR PRAYERS ARE WORKING. THINGS ARE HAPPENING THAT YOU CAN'T SEE, KEEP WAITING, KEEP SHOWING THEM MERCY, KEEP STANDING IN THE GAP. IF YOU'LL DO THIS, I BELIEVE AND DECLARE YOU'RE GOING TO SEE ALL YOUR LOVED ONES COME TO KNOW THE LORD, THOSE THAT ARE OFF COURSE, CHILDREN, FRIENDS, NEIGHBORS, RIGHT NOW THEY'RE BEING DRAWN IN. AS FOR YOU AND YOUR HOUSE, YOU WILL SERVE THE LORD, IN JESUS'S NAME. IF YOU RECEIVE IT, CAN YOU SAY AMEN TODAY? I'D LIKE TO GIVE 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 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 AND KEEP GOD FIRST PLACE. > JOEL: THANKS FOR WATCHING THIS MESSAGE. I HOPE YOU ENJOYED IT. WE UPLOAD NEW VIDEOS EVERY WEEK TO KEEP YOU INSPIRED AND ENCOURAGED. SO DON'T FORGET TO HIT THE LIKE BUTTON AND MAKE SURE YOU SUBSCRIBE TO OUR CHANNEL. > VICTORIA: LET US KNOW IN THE COMMENTS BELOW HOW THIS MESSAGE HAS ENCOURAGED YOU. WE WOULD LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU. WE'RE PRAYING FOR YOU AND YOUR FAMILY. WE'LL SEE YOU NEXT TIME!


走進您的家是一種快樂，如果您曾經

在我們的地區，

請停下來並成為我們

服務的一部分。

我向你保證，我們會讓你有

賓至如歸的感覺。

我喜歡從一些有趣的

事情開始，而且我聽說過這個

名叫 BUBBA 的人。

他住在鄉下，家裡經常出現一隻流浪

狗

，

他的妻子說：“布巴，

你必須把狗

放在卡車上，把它帶到樹林裡，然後把它扔掉


關。

那是他住的地方。”

布巴開著他走了一英里，把他放下了

。

當他回到家時，那隻狗正

走上車道，

幾乎把他打回去了。

一次又一次地發生，他的

妻子說，“布巴，你


必須把他帶出去，繞著他轉圈，把他弄混

。”

BUBBA 開了一個小時

的路程，穿過了他以前從未開過的縱橫交錯的鄉村道路，把他放下了


。

兩個小時後，他從卡車上打電話給他的

妻子，說：

“狗回來了嗎？”

她說：“是的，他正在

走上車道。”

他說，“幫我個忙，讓他上

線。

我需要方向。”

照你的意思說：這是

我的聖經，我就是它所說的我

，我有它所說的我有的，

我能做它所說的我能做的。

今天我將學習

上帝的話語。

我大膽地承認我的頭腦是

警覺的，我的心是樂於接受的。

以耶穌的名義，我將永遠不會一樣

，上帝保佑你。

我今天

想和你談談繼續相信你

所愛的人。

我們

都有一個希望改變的人，一個

不在課程中的家庭成員，

一個沒有做出正確

決定的孩子，或者一個正在與成癮作鬥爭的朋友

。

我們一直在祈禱、相信，但看起來並沒有什麼不同，而且很容易感到沮喪並認為我們在浪費




時間。

但是，如果他們要達到他們的命運

，他們需要有人會

等待他們，有人會繼續祈禱，繼續

鼓勵，對


他們的未來保持信心，告訴他們

你可能會偏離軌道，你可能會

妥協，但是 我仍然

相信你。

我知道你擁有

偉大的種子。

上帝之手在你的生命中。

他們需要一個能站在

差距中的人，

當他們不能

相信自己時，會為他們相信，有人會以

仁慈覆蓋他們

，不評判他們，不找錯誤，但這

將有助於愛他們

恢復完整。

我們太容易寫人了。

他們現在在哪裡，而不是

他們最終會去哪裡。

不要以現在來判斷他們。

在使徒保羅是

基督的跟隨者之前，在他

寫下新約一半之前，

他的名字是掃羅，他討厭

信徒。

他是教會最大的

敵人。

他從一個城市到另一個城市，

逮捕甚至殺害了

信徒。

如果我們見過他，我們會認為

這個人沒有機會

，他是恐怖分子，

他反對我們所支持的

一切。

然而上帝告訴亞拿尼亞，“去為掃羅祈禱吧

。

他是被揀選的以我的名字命名的器皿

。”

我們很想註銷的一些人

是被選中的船隻，他們將推進王國，他們將做偉大的事情，他們

所需要的只是有人等待



他們

。 有人說是的，他們不在球場上

，但我

要給他們發一條短信，讓他們

知道我在為他們祈禱。

我要請他們


吃午飯，不是為了糾正他們，不是為了評判他們，而是為了

讓他們知道我愛

他們，我相信他們，

如果他們需要什麼，

他們要做的就是問。

當

上帝改變他們時，你會等待他們嗎？

約翰福音第 4 章 耶穌

在撒瑪利亞的井邊等著。

他派門徒

進城去取食物。

在他等的時候，

一個撒瑪利亞婦人出來

取水。

那時

，猶太人和撒瑪利亞人彼此沒有

任何關係，

但耶穌向她要

水喝。

她說：“先生，您是猶太人，

我是撒瑪利亞人。

您為什麼要問我

什麼？”

耶穌說：“如果你知道我是誰，你會問

我，我

會給你活水。”

她說：“先生，請給我

這水。”

耶穌讓

她去叫她丈夫。

她告訴他她沒有

丈夫。

耶穌說你是對的，你有

五個人，而和你一起

生活的人不是你的丈夫。

她說：“先生，你一定是個

先知。

我們知道有一天彌賽亞會來

。”

耶穌看著她說：“我是

彌賽亞。”

這個女人回到家裡，告訴

每個人發生了什麼事，

聖經說許多

撒瑪利亞人因為她而信了耶穌

。

有趣的是，耶穌可以


進城與門徒們一起吃飯。

他餓了，但他選擇在

這井等著。

注意，他在等誰，

一個名聲不好的女人

。

他在等一個結過五次婚的女人，一個毀了它的女人


。

我

敢肯定人們已經把她寫下來了，以為這位女士搞砸了

。

當她走過時，我能聽到他們在耳語她在那兒，想知道


她

這週嫁給了誰？

他們會笑，八卦。

我們看不起她，因為她

結婚了很多次。

事實是這個女人被

男人拒絕了。

她被生活壓倒了。

耶穌在等一個覺得自己不值錢的女人，一個自卑的女人


。

你會認為他會

等待

市長，

等待有聲望和影響力的人。

畢竟，耶穌很忙。

他有很多需求，但他

選擇等待一個不具備所有條件的

女人。

他沒有評判她，他沒有

譴責她，他對她講了生命

，他舉起了她，

他珍視了她。

很重要

的一點

是，撒瑪利亞人不崇拜耶和華，他們崇拜偶像。

他們有他們

祈禱的石神。

耶穌等待一個

來自不同信仰

的女人，一個不

敬拜亞伯拉罕、以撒和雅各的上帝的女人

。

耶穌第一個



告訴他是彌賽亞的人，不是宗教領袖，不是大祭司，當耶穌想要宣布


他會說的最重要的事情之一時

，他

向這個女人宣布了這一點。

社會說忘記她，

她已經完成了，她沒有做出

好的決定。

上帝說：“不，我不僅要

等待她，我還要告訴她我是

誰來榮耀她

。”

我在想上帝在我們

身上等待了多少次。

當我們不在球場上時

，他在等待，當我們不願原諒時

，他在等待


，當我們上癮時，當我們妥協時，當我們態度惡劣時，他在等待

。

他本可以說，“就是這樣，

我已經完成了你的工作，”但他

等待著，他向我們展示了憐憫。

當我們跌倒時，他把我們抱起來。

他阻止了

我們的生活上癮。

當我們選擇了

錯誤的朋友時，他保護了我們。

他沒有把我們帶

出去。

當我們不相信時，他一直在等待

。

當我們無視他時，他一直在等待。

當我們痛苦時，他一直在等待。

有時回過頭來說

一聲上帝，謝謝你等

我，這很好。

主啊，謝謝你再給我一次機會

。

謝謝你

收拾我弄的爛攤子。

感謝您在我

不值得時為我提供掩護。

上帝一直在等待我們所有人，現在

他問你會

為我等待某人嗎？

你會

等待那個沒有做出正確

決定的朋友嗎？

你會打電話給他們，鼓勵

他們，讓他們知道你

在乎嗎？

你會等待那個

不相信我，

取笑你的信仰的鄰居嗎？

你會站在差距，

繼續讓你的光芒閃耀嗎？

或者你會等待

那個多年來一直不在課程中的家庭成員

，

與問題作鬥爭，你似乎越

祈禱他們得到的最壞的結果？

你已經準備好放棄了，上帝在

說等待他們，繼續

祈禱，繼續愛，

繼續鼓勵。

多年來，我母親一直為一個名叫比爾·納什的男人祈禱

。

比爾是一位鄉村西部

歌手。

他在教會長大。

他的父母是

墨西哥的傳教士，他有堅強的

信仰基礎，但在他



十幾歲的時候，他偏離了道路，開始與錯誤的人群一起跑步，最後他與毒品


和酒精作鬥爭。

他

不在教堂唱歌，而是在酒吧和俱樂部唱歌。

在內心深處，他不快樂。

他知道他是在逃避上帝，

但他不能靠自己

出去。

在高速公路上行駛時，我

母親會在他

踢球的俱樂部的大門罩上看到他的名字

。

每次她都會為他

祈禱，上帝，把比爾帶

回家。

幫助他完成他的命運。

這種情況持續了多年，看起來沒有發生

任何

事情，但是當你祈禱時，你看不到的

事情正在發生

。

您的祈禱可能是使

他們免於

下沉的原因。

因為你

站在差距中，這就是為什麼敵人

不能把他們趕出去。

一個星期天的

早晨，比爾在電視頻道裡翻來覆去，

他

在電視上碰到了我父親。

他在談論上帝

如何充滿憐憫，以及他如何比

任何錯誤都大。

那個星期天的賬單出現在

萊克伍德。

很多年沒去過

教堂，坐在後面。

有人注意到了他，帶他

下來見我母親。

他不知道這些年來她一直在

祈禱。

那天比爾重新將他的

生命交託給了基督。

當一個小男孩恢復生機時，在他心中種下的


信念。

幾個月後，比爾在萊克伍德舉辦了

他的第一次基督教音樂會

。

現在，他和他的妻子

KIM 向青少年伸出了援手，幫助

他們走上正軌。

諺語說以

他們應該去的方式培養孩子

，當他們老了他們

不會離開它。

你可能有一個

不在課程中的孩子。

好消息是你訓練

他們認識主。

信心是

存留在他們的靈裡的。


承諾最終他們不會離開它。

現在，它沒有說任何

關於中間的事情。

他們可能會做出一些錯誤的轉變。

像比爾一樣，有時您可能看不到

他們將如何重回

正軌。

你應該做什麼？

等待他們，繼續愛，繼續

鼓勵，繼續祈禱。

好吧，喬爾，他們不會聽

我的。

他們不聽我的建議。

他們不會回我的電話。

別擔心，上帝知道如何

引起他們的注意。

你繼續祈禱，事情正在

發生。

最後，他們

不會離開。

他們現在可能不在課程中，

但您的聲明應該是

他們回來了。

至於我和我的家，我們會

事奉主。

現在，您不必

強迫人們改變。

當他們長大後，你不能

讓他們做正確的事。

不要總是試圖

糾正他們，威脅他們，

給他們一個教訓。

有時你只需要愛

他們。

聖經說愛永遠不會

失敗。

你可以愛他們回到正軌。

在他們不

值得時愛他們。

在他們

不聽的時候愛他們。

在他們做出

糟糕的選擇時愛他們。

把它們寫

下來很容易，認為你知道得更好。

我不會和你有任何

關係。

不，上帝等著你，你會

等著他們嗎？

在浪子的故事中

，年輕人繼承了他的


遺產，離開了家，荒廢了所有的生活，

聚會。

他

變得如此低落，

最終陷入了豬圈，絕望，甚至勉強生存。

他決定

回家，並嘗試在他父親的家裡找一份僱傭僕人的工作

。

聖經說，

當父親看到兒子

從很遠的地方跑來時，他就跑向他

。

注意父親在等。

我可以


想像他一天有好幾次走到車道盡頭看著

，說：“父親，謝謝你

帶我兒子

回家。謝謝你保護他。

謝謝你，他會完成

他的命運。”

他跑出去給了兒子

一個擁抱。

他告訴他的工作人員，“我們將舉辦

一個派對，

慶祝我兒子回家的

事實。”

父親從來沒有提起過

兒子的過去。

他從來沒有參加過我告訴過你的

演講，

你可以住在這裡，但你真的不值得。

他滿懷慈悲。

我了解到每個人都

在旅途中。

他們現在在哪裡，而不是

10 年後他們會在哪裡。

給他們改變的空間。

他們可能不相信你。

他們可能沒有

你相同的觀點。

沒關係，請繼續愛

他們。

有時我們認為我們

應該定人的罪，告訴他們他們做錯的一切，糾正


他們，

但

聖靈是定罪的人。

我們的工作就是

播種。

種子可能落在堅硬的土壤上。

他們的心可能不會敞開。

好消息是種子永遠不會

死。

我在哪裡發現了一顆

4000

年前的種子，它被放在一個密封的棺材裡。

他們種下了它

，種子開花了。

它還活著。

所需要的只是合適

的土壤。

那些你一直在人們心中種下

的種子，它們

還活著。

土壤可能還沒有準備好，

但在正確的時間，上帝會

軟化他們的心。

有些

聽我的人不相信上帝。

有些人來自不同的信仰，

但這從不打擾我。

我只是在播種，告訴

人們上帝是為他們服務的，

他們是按照他的形象造的，

他們有一個目標

和命運要實現。

我知道在正確的時間

，種子會生根發芽。

我在說什麼呢？

不要以人們現在在哪裡來判斷他們

。

他們正處於

改變的過程中。

我

認識一位來自不同信仰的年輕女士。

她在另一個

國家長大，並

在不同的宗教中長大。

她一直

在看我們的電視節目。

這條信息真的

幫助了她。

然後她的工作把她

搬到了休斯頓。

她開始參加萊克伍德。

她會坐在最上面。

你可以想像，這

對她來說是非常新鮮的。

她


希望聽到她的宗教信仰有多麼錯誤，因為她的成長方式而受到

譴責。

她從來沒有聽說過。

她聽說了

神的

恩慈，她的罪已經被赦免了，她如何能過

得勝、

豐盛的生活。

她最終將自己的生命

獻給了基督。

她說：“我

來自不同的信仰，

我花了兩年時間才

踏上通往耶穌的旅程。”

你知道為什麼會這樣嗎？

我們等著她，我們沒有

譴責她，我們沒有說要

像我們一樣，否則你就出局了。

我們給了她改變的空間。

你必須給人們時間

成為他們被創造成為的

人。

我們

常常想把事情塞進人們的喉嚨，讓

他們相信，但

有些事情不是一夜之間發生的。

你會等待那個朋友，


繼續鼓勵他們，即使他們的變化沒有

你想要的那麼快嗎？

你會等待那個

不相信的鄰居，繼續

播下愛的種子，繼續善待

他們嗎？

耶穌說人們

知道你是他的門徒的方式是通過

你對另一個人的愛，而

不是我們的教義，不是

我們可以引用多少經文，不是我們有多正確，而是我們有多


愛他們。

你不評判人，你不看不起，

因為他們

不相信你，你只是繼續愛

他們，繼續

對他們好。

一位女士告訴我她

一生都是無神論者。

她沒有任何

信仰，只是根本沒有

長大相信上帝。

有一天，她的女兒出

車禍了。

她急忙趕到醫院。

她的女兒受傷了，

但她很好。

這不是危及生命。

那天晚上晚些時候，母親


回家了，她在如此艱難的一天中壓力山大，

不知所措。

坐在她的車道上，她

抬起頭，非常沮喪地說：

“上帝，你為什麼要這樣

對我？”

她說她聽到了最有愛的

聲音，不是大聲的，

而是在她的心裡。

它說：“那是你第一次和

我說話。”

她感受到了一種她

從未感受過的愛，一種她

從未體驗過的平靜。

那是神的

美意壓倒了她。

聖經說，如果你

親近上帝，他就會

親近你。

我們認為，如果有人

與上帝沒有任何關係，上帝會說

：“好吧，看看我是否能

幫助你。”

上帝不是那樣的。

他和

你呼吸的呼吸一樣近。

你所要做的就是

打電話給他。

他就在那兒。

他沒有把你的過去與

你作對。

他不會因為你無視他而

難過。

他不會因為你

不相信他而推遲。

他在等你。

他張開雙臂。

他在車道盡頭

看著，想著也許今天

你會回家，也許

今天就是轉折點。

您是否因為

他們不相信，

他們沒有做出正確的

決定，他們反對我們的立場而取消

某人？

那

正是掃羅成為使徒保羅之前的所在

。

你為什麼不開始等待

他們，表現出憐憫而不是

判斷。

擁有比你的態度更神聖的事情

很容易。

我

不敢相信他們在做什麼。

他們在想什麼？

聽著，如果不是因為

上帝的恩典，你不

知道自己會做什麼。

我活得越久，我的

判斷力就越少。

我意識到每個人都沒有

得到我得到的東西。

每個人都不是

在一個健康的環境中長大的，不是在一個

充滿信仰

和愛的

家庭中長大的，父母、朋友和

家人都在向我訴說勝利。


有些人從功能障礙中走出來

，有些人上癮、憤怒、

沮喪。

他們所看到的只是平庸，

妥協。

評判他們，俯視他們是很有誘惑力的，但如果我們站在他們的立場上


，我們可能會做出同樣的

決定。


與其找他們的錯，譴責他們，

不如花同樣的時間

為他們禱告。

他們在你的生命中，因為上帝

指望你幫助他們。

如果你開始鼓勵

他們，對他們說信任，愛

他們，他們就會走向

他們的命運。

你播下的每一粒種子都會回到你身邊

。

你向他人展示的慈悲就是人們將要向你展示

的慈悲

。

但有時我們在

等待人們改變，然後

我們會接受他們。

當他們開始做正確的事時，

我會有更好的意見。

但上帝沒有要求

我們把自己清理乾淨，然後我們就可以來到他

面前。

他說：“照

你的樣子來，我會幫你

清理乾淨。”

現在，當我們離開課程時，上帝一直在等待我們

。

當

我們沒有處於最佳狀態時，他向我們展示了憐憫。

讓我們以同樣的憐憫向其他人

展示。

有一次，耶穌穿過

耶利哥城。

消息很快傳開了，他在

那裡，每個人都出來

見他。

他們聽說過

耶穌所行的神蹟和所有

奇妙的事。

現在，街道上擠滿了人，

你幾乎不能移動。

有一個人名叫撒該，

他是首席稅務官。

他們以

不誠實、欺騙他人和占便宜而聞名

。

撒該想見耶穌，

但他

太矮了，無法看到所有人，所以他爬上一棵樹，處於

完美的

位置。

耶穌經過，有

成千上萬的人在

喊叫、揮手，各種

騷動。

突然，耶穌停下來，抬頭

望向樹上，說：

“撒該，下來。我想去你家吃


晚飯。”


有趣的是ZACCHAEUS這個名字的意思是純一。

耶穌在

所有人面前說，人們不喜歡撒該，

人們知道他是個騙子，但耶穌稱他為純潔的人

。

原則是，


在他們改變之前，你必須打電話給人們，他們可以變成什麼樣子

。

聖經說的事情不像它們本來的

樣子。

如果你一直叫你的孩子不

尊重，他們就會保持不

尊重。

如果你一直打電話給你所愛的人

上癮，他們會一直

上癮。

你在預言他們的未來。

改變你對人們的

稱呼。

稱您的孩子為有福的，稱

他們為尊重的，稱他們為

成功的。

那個正在

與

上癮作鬥爭的朋友，開始稱他們為免費的，完整的，勝利的。

耶穌可以

對撒該說：“嘿，你，嘿，在樹上的傢伙，嘿，


稅吏。”

他故意叫他的名字，不僅讓

其他人能聽到

，而且他也能聽到。

一切都靜了下來，你可以

聽到一個針掉下來的聲音。

所有的目光都

投向了扎克修斯。

可以想像他幾乎昏倒了

。

他低聲說：“耶穌剛才

叫我的名字嗎？”

有人點頭同意。

他心想：“

他怎麼知道我的名字？”

有時，我們認為那些偏離正軌的人

，

做出如此糟糕的決定，上帝

不會

與他們有任何關係。

真相是上帝知道

他們的名字。

他正在追趕他們。

耶穌

說需要醫生的是病人，而不是健康人。


人群中有城市領袖，有

牧師，會堂中有

長老。

耶穌繞過他們

說：“我

想去撒該的家。”

他在說，“ZACCHAEUS，我一直在等

你。

我知道你會在這裡。”

他與撒該共進晚餐，他

沒有譴責他，他沒有

告訴他們他做錯的一切

，耶穌只是愛他，向他展示了

憐憫。

他成了他的朋友。

那一天是

撒該的轉折點。

他說，“從現在開始，我不會

欺騙別人，不會

不誠實。

我要開始

幫助別人。”

撒該改變了他的方式，不是

因為他被羞辱，而是因為他


被愛。

聖經說是

上帝的

良善引導人們悔改。

上帝現在在你的生命中擁有人，

因為他

指望你不要評判他們，不要找錯誤，而是要


站在差距上。

我們認為

有些人是最離經叛道的人，

像撒該，像索爾，他們

是被選中的器皿。

不要放棄那個孩子。

已經好幾年了，請繼續等待。

他們會做

一些偉大的事情。

不要放棄相信

那個鄰居。

他們不會給你

一天中的時間，請繼續等待。

上帝在掌控之中。

我的朋友有個鄰居，他是一位

年長的紳士。



自從他認識他以來，這個鄰居一直非常懷疑，非常憤世嫉俗，

消極。

作為一個小男孩，他

去教堂，但現在他

與上帝沒有任何關係。

他對

教會及其所代表的一切懷恨在心。

年復一年，我的朋友


一直愛著他，一直對他好，因為鄰居長大了，看看有

沒有

他需要的東西。

有一天，他發現這個鄰居



一直在看我們的電視節目，並準備參加我們的希望之夜。

我的朋友簡直不敢相信。

他沒有看到這一點。

但你不知道上帝

在幕後做了什麼。

只是因為你沒有

看到任何事情發生，並不意味著

上帝沒有工作。

你一直在種植的那些種子

還活著。


希望之夜過後的早晨，我的朋友去了

鄰居家。

他的妻子

淚流滿面。

她說，“昨晚當


喬爾要求人們站起來接受基督時，我丈夫站了起來。”

有趣的是這個人

中風了。

多年來，他從來沒有獨自站立，但那天晚上，

他自己站了起來


。

今天，他就像一個不同的

人。

我要你等一個

人。

喬爾，他們跑題了，

他們沒有做出好的

決定，

浪子也不是，但父親

一直在等他。

嗯，他們來自不同的

信仰，井邊的女人也是如此

，但耶穌等著

她。

好吧，我已經等了

這個朋友很久了。

他永遠不會改變。

不，你的祈禱是有效的。

正在發生的事情是你看不到的

，繼續等待，繼續向

他們展示仁慈，繼續

站在差距中。

如果你這樣做，我

相信並宣布你會看到

你所有的親人

認識主，那些不在路上的人

，孩子，朋友，

鄰居，現在他們正被吸引

進來。

至於你和你的家，你會

奉耶穌的名侍奉主

。

如果你收到了，你

今天能說阿門嗎？

我想給你

一個機會，讓

耶穌成為你生命的主宰。

你願意和我一起祈禱嗎？

只要說：主耶穌，我悔改我的

罪。

進入我的心。

我使你成為我的主和救主。

朋友們，如果你祈禱了那個

簡單的祈禱，我們相信你已經

重生了。

進入一個以聖經為基礎的良好

教會，把上帝放在首位。

> 喬爾：感謝

收看此

消息。 我希望

你喜歡它。

我們

每週都會上傳新視頻，讓

您

受到啟發和

鼓勵。

所以不要忘記點擊

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