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. JOEL: GOD BLESS YOU. IT'S GREAT TO BE WITH YOU TODAY. I HOPE YOU'LL STAY CONNECTED WITH US DURING THE WEEK, THROUGH OUR DAILY PODCAST, OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL, SOCIAL MEDIA. WE'LL KEEP YOU ENCOURAGED AND INSPIRED. I LIKE TO START WITH SOMETHING FUNNY. I HEARD ABOUT THIS MAN; HE WAS THE ONLY PROTESTANT IN A LARGE CATHOLIC NEIGHBORHOOD. EVERY FRIDAY DURING LENT, WHILE HIS NEIGHBORS WERE EATING COLD FISH, HE WAS GRILLING A STEAK IN HIS BACKYARD. THEY COULDN'T STAND THE TEMPTATION AND DECIDED TO TRY TO CONVERT HIM TO CATHOLICISM. HE FINALLY AGREED. A PRIEST CAME OVER, SPRINKLED WATER ON HIM, SAID “YOU WERE BORN A BAPTIST, YOU WERE RAISED A BAPTIST, BUT NOW YOU'RE A CATHOLIC.” THE NEXT YEAR ON THE FIRST FRIDAY OF LENT, THEY SMELLED THE SAME SMELL. THEY RUSHED TO HIS HOUSE. HE WAS IN HIS BACKYARD SPRINKLING WATER OVER HIS STEAK, SAYING, “YOU WERE BORN A COW, YOU WERE RAISED A COW, BUT NOW YOU'RE A FISH.” 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' NAME. GOD BLESS YOU. I WANT TO TALK TO YOU TODAY ABOUT YOUR MOVE WHEN LIFE'S UNFAIR. WE ALL GO THROUGH DISAPPOINTMENTS, THINGS THAT DON'T MAKE SENSE. A FRIEND WALKED OUT ON YOU, YOU WERE OVERLOOKED FOR THE PROMOTION, YOU CAME DOWN WITH AN ILLNESS. I TALKED TO A YOUNG LADY THAT GREW UP IN A HOME FILLED WITH ABUSE. NOBODY WAS THERE TO GUIDE HER. THE PEOPLE THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN HELPING HER WERE DOING JUST THE OPPOSITE. SHE DIDN'T UNDERSTAND WHY SHE WAS RAISED IN SUCH HURT AND DYSFUNCTION. IT'S EASY TO LET WHAT'S UNFAIR BE AN EXCUSE TO NOT PURSUE OUR DESTINY. “I CAN'T BE SUCCESSFUL, I HAD A ROUGH CHILDHOOD. I'LL NEVER BE HAPPY, I LOST A LOVED ONE. I CAN'T ACCOMPLISH MY DREAM JOEL, THE PANDEMIC SLOWED ME DOWN, THIS COMPANY LET ME GO, I DIDN'T GET THE SCHOLARSHIP.” HERE'S THE KEY. IT'S NOT YOUR FAULT THAT YOU GOT KNOCKED DOWN, BUT IT IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY TO GET BACK UP. THAT WAS WRONG THAT THEY HURT YOU. THAT WASN'T FAIR THAT YOU WENT THROUGH THE INJUSTICE. THAT WASN'T RIGHT THAT THEY WALKED AWAY. I'M NOT LESSENING WHAT YOU'VE BEEN THROUGH, I'M NOT EXCUSING THEIR BEHAVIOR. BUT I AM TELLING YOU, YOU HAVE TO GET BACK UP. YOUR MOVE WHEN UNFAIR THINGS HAPPEN, IS TO GO FORWARD IN FAITH, TRUSTING THAT GOD WILL MAKE IT UP TO YOU. IT'S TEMPTING TO STAY DOWN, LIVE BITTER, GIVE UP ON YOUR DREAMS. AFTER ALL YOU HAVE A GOOD EXCUSE. YOU MAY HAVE A REASON, BUT YOU DON'T HAVE A RIGHT. GOD STILL HAS A GREAT PURPOSE IN FRONT OF YOU. HE SAW WHAT HAPPENED. HE SAW WHAT THEY DID, WHO LEFT YOU OUT, WHAT YOU LOST. HE SAID, “HE WOULD PAY YOU BACK DOUBLE FOR THE UNFAIR THINGS.” HE SAID, “HE HAS BEAUTY FOR THOSE ASHES.” BUT THERE'S SOMETHING YOU HAVE TO DO THOUGH. YOU CAN'T SIT AROUND IN DEFEAT, NURSING YOUR WOUNDS, “WHY DID THIS HAPPEN TO ME?” DON'T PUT A QUESTION MARK WHERE GOD HAS PUT A PERIOD. PART OF FAITH IS TRUSTING WHEN LIFE DOESN'T MAKE SENSE. WE'RE NEVER GOING TO UNDERSTAND EVERYTHING THAT HAPPENS. YOU CAN'T LET ONE BETRAYAL, ONE DIVORCE, ONE BAD SEASON SOUR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE. I KNOW IT WASN'T FAIR, I KNOW IT WAS PAINFUL. IT WASN'T YOUR FAULT, BUT YOU CAN'T STOP THERE. YOU HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO GET BACK UP. THAT MEANS QUIT RELIVING THE HURTS, QUIT THINKING ABOUT WHAT THEY DID, QUIT BELIEVING THE LIES THAT YOU'VE SEEN YOUR BEST DAYS. GOD KNOWS HOW TO MAKE IT UP TO YOU. WHEN HE SEES YOU MOVING FORWARD, WHEN YOU COULD BE SITTING IN DEFEAT, YOU'RE PRAISING WHEN YOU COULD BE COMPLAINING, YOU HAVE A SMILE WHEN YOU COULD BE DEPRESSED, YOU'RE BEING GOOD TO SOMEONE EVEN THOUGH YOU'VE BEEN THROUGH HURTS. YOU BETTER GET READY; GOD IS GOING TO SHOW OUT IN YOUR LIFE. YOU WILL SEE GREATER FAVOR BECAUSE OF THE UNFAIR THINGS. THE ENEMY MEANT IT FOR HARM, BUT GOD IS GOING TO TURN IT TO YOUR ADVANTAGE. A MAN TOLD ME RECENTLY HOW HIS BUSINESS PARTNER DIDN'T KEEP HIS WORD. IT LEFT HIM WITH ALL THIS DEBT, NOW HIS BUSINESS IS STRUGGLING TO MAKE IT. HE WAS SO DOWN. HE SAID, “JOEL THIS MAN HAS RUINED MY CREDIT. HE'S DAMAGED MY REPUTATION. HE TOOK MY MAIN CLIENTS. HE'S BASICALLY RUINED MY LIFE.” IT'S OKAY TO FEEL HURT, TO FEEL WRONGED, TO FEEL VIOLATED. GOD MADE US WITH FEELINGS. I'M NOT SAYING YOU HAVE TO BE SUPERMAN AND NEVER FEEL ANYTHING. BUT IF YOU'RE GOING TO SEE THE BEAUTY FOR THE ASHES, IF YOU'RE GOING TO SEE GOD PAY YOU BACK FOR THE WRONGS, AT SOME POINT YOU HAVE TO RULE OVER THOSE FEELINGS. GET YOUR PASSION BACK AND START MOVING FORWARD. IF YOU USE IT AS AN EXCUSE, IT WILL KEEP YOU FROM YOUR PURPOSE. ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE EXCUSE IS A NEW LEVEL OF YOUR DESTINY. IF THAT PERSON THAT DID YOU WRONG, COULD IN FACT RUIN YOUR LIFE, THEY WOULD BE MORE POWERFUL THAN GOD. THAT'S NOT POSSIBLE. THE BAD BREAK, THE INJUSTICE, THE LOSS DID NOT STOP GOD'S PLAN FOR YOUR LIFE. IT WASN'T YOUR FAULT THAT YOU GOT KNOCKED DOWN, BUT IT IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY TO GET BACK UP. THE WAY YOU MOVE FORWARD IN FAITH IS KNOWING THAT GOD IS WORKING ALL THINGS FOR YOUR GOOD. IT MAY NOT HAVE BEEN GOOD, IT WAS UNFAIR, IT WAS HURTFUL, BUT GOD KNOWS HOW TO TURN IT FOR YOUR GOOD. HE'S NOT GOING TO LEAVE YOUR LIFE IN A BROKEN PLACE, IN A DAMAGED PLACE, IN AN UNJUST PLACE. THAT MAY BE THE REASON YOU ARE WHERE YOU ARE, THAT'S YOUR EXPLANATION BUT DON'T MAKE IT YOUR EXCUSE. HAVE A NEW PERSPECTIVE. “YES, I HAD SOME BAD BREAKS, THAT'S WHY MY BUSINESS IS DOWN, BUT THIS IS NOT HOW MY STORY ENDS. I WENT THROUGH A LOSS, IT WAS PAINFUL, BUT I KNOW WEEPING ENDURES FOR A NIGHT, BUT JOY IS COMING IN THE MORNING. I HAD A LOT OF DYSFUNCTION GROWING UP, I DIDN'T GET OFF TO A GOOD START, BUT I KNOW MY LATTER DAYS WILL BE BETTER THAN MY FORMER DAYS.” NOTHING THAT'S HAPPENED TO YOU IS A SURPRISE TO GOD. HE WOULDN'T HAVE ALLOWED IT IF IT WAS GOING TO STOP YOUR PURPOSE. YOU MAY HAVE GONE THROUGH LOSS, THINGS THAT ARE NOT FAIR, BUT WHAT YOU NEED TO FULFILL YOUR PURPOSE IS NOT IN WHAT YOU'VE LOST, IT'S IN WHAT YOU HAVE LEFT. TAKE THE HAND YOU'VE BEEN DEALT AND MAKE THE MOST OF IT. IN 1 SAMUEL 30, DAVID AND HIS MEN WERE LIVING IN THE CITY OF ZIKLAG. THEY HAD BEEN ON A MISSION FOR SEVERAL DAYS. WHEN THEY WERE RETURNING HOME, THEY NOTICED SMOKE BILLOWING IN THE AIR IN THE DIRECTION OF ZIKLAG. THEY PICKED UP THE PACE, WORRIED THAT SOMETHING WAS WRONG. AS THEY GOT CLOSER, THEIR WORST FEARS CAME TRUE. AMALEKITE BANDITS HAD COME IN AND RAIDED THE CITY. THEY KIDNAPPED ALL THEIR WIVES AND CHILDREN, STOLE ALL THEIR POSSESSIONS AND BURNED DOWN THEIR HOUSES. IT WAS THE WORST DEFEAT DAVID HAD EVER SUFFERED. HE WAS OUT DOING THE RIGHT THING, PROTECTING GOD'S PEOPLE, AND HIS WHOLE WORLD FELL APART. THE SCRIPTURE SAYS, “HE AND HIS MEN WEPT UNTIL THEY COULD NOT WEEP ANYMORE.” IF THAT WASN'T BAD ENOUGH, DAVID'S MEN WERE SO UPSET, THEY STARTED BLAMING DAVID. THEY TALKED ABOUT STONING HIM. IT WASN'T FAIR THAT DAVID WAS DOING THE RIGHT THING, BUT THE WRONG THING HAPPENED. IT WASN'T FAIR THAT HIS POSSESSIONS WERE STOLEN, HIS FAMILY WAS TAKEN, HIS MEN WERE TURNING ON HIM. BUT GOD DOESN'T PROMISE US THAT LIFE WILL ALWAYS BE FAIR. HE DOESN'T SAY IF YOU DO THE RIGHT THING THEN THE WRONG THING WILL NEVER HAPPEN. LIFE HAPPENS TO US ALL. IT'S WHAT WE DO IN THESE UNFAIR TIMES THAT DETERMINE WHETHER WE GET STUCK AND LET IT SOUR THE REST OF OUR LIVES OR WHETHER WE MOVE FORWARD AND SEE GOD MAKE IT UP TO US. DAVID WAS AT A CRITICAL POINT. HE COULD HAVE BEEN BITTER, “GOD I DON'T UNDERSTAND IT, HOW COULD YOU LET THIS HAPPEN?” IF HE WOULD HAVE STAYED IN A DEFEATED MINDSET, THIS WOULD BE THE LAST WE'D HEAR OF DAVID. BUT HE UNDERSTOOD THIS PRINCIPLE. IT WASN'T HIS FAULT THAT HE GOT KNOCKED DOWN. HE HAD NO CONTROL OVER THAT, BUT IT WAS HIS RESPONSIBILITY TO GET BACK UP. HE KNEW IF HE STAYED IN THE ASHES, RELIVING HIS DEFEAT, FEELING SORRY FOR HIMSELF, IT WOULD KEEP HIM FROM HIS DESTINY. YES, HE HAD A GOOD EXPLANATION FOR WHY HE WAS DOWN. NOBODY WOULD HAVE DISAGREED IF HE WOULD HAVE GIVEN UP ON HIS DREAMS, FADED OFF INTO THE SUNSET, BUT HE DIDN'T LET HIS EXPLANATION BECOME HIS EXCUSE. “I WOULD HAVE BEEN A GREAT KING, BUT WE GOT ATTACKED AT ZIKLAG. I WOULD HAVE LEFT MY MARK, BUT THESE PEOPLE DID ME WRONG. I WOULD HAVE BEEN A HERO OF FAITH, BUT ALL THESE UNFAIR THINGS HAPPEN TO ME.” ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THAT EXCUSE IS EXPANSION. THERE'S A NEW LEVEL OF YOUR DESTINY. ARE YOU GOING TO STICK WITH THE EXCUSE OR ARE YOU GOING TO SEE THE EXPANSION? IT DEPENDS ON IF YOU TAKE RESPONSIBILITY AND GET BACK UP WHEN YOU GET KNOCKED DOWN. I KNOW IT WASN'T FAIR, I KNOW THEY DID YOU WRONG, YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND IT. LEAVE THAT ALL IN GOD'S HANDS. JUST DO YOUR PART AND GET YOUR PASSION BACK, GET YOUR FAITH BACK, GET YOUR DREAMS BACK. THIS IS WHAT MADE DAVID A CHAMPION. NOT THAT HE DIDN'T HAVE INJUSTICE, NOT THAT HE NEVER HAD BAD BREAKS, THINGS THAT WEREN'T FAIR, PEOPLE THAT DID HIM WRONG, HE KNEW HOW TO GET BACK UP. HE DRIED HIS TEARS, HE SHOOK OFF THE DEFEATED MINDSET AND TOLD HIS MEN, “GET UP, WE'RE GOING TO GO ATTACK THE ENEMY.” HE DIDN'T STAY ON THE DEFENSIVE, THINKING HE'D SEEN HIS BEST DAYS. HIS ATTITUDE WAS, “I HAVE A DESTINY TO FULFILL. THIS BAD BREAK DIDN'T STOP MY PURPOSE. I KNOW THAT GOD WILL MAKE IT UP TO ME.” THAT'S HOW YOU MOVE FORWARD WHEN IT'S UNFAIR. NOT LOOKING TO PEOPLE, NOT HOPING THAT YOUR BOSS WILL FEEL SORRY FOR YOU, NOT COUNTING ON YOUR FRIEND TO MAKE IT UP TO YOU. LOOK UP TO YOUR CREATOR. LOOK UP TO THE MOST HIGH. HE'S THE ONE THAT HAS BEAUTY FOR THE ASHES. HE'S THE ONE THAT CAN BRING OUT BETTER THAN YOU WERE BEFORE. DAVID AND HIS MEN HEADED OUT. THEY DIDN'T KNOW WHERE THE AMALEKITES WERE. BUT ALONG THE WAY, THEY FOUND A MAN THAT WAS VERY SICK. THEY GAVE HIM FOOD AND WATER AND ASKED WHO HE WAS. HE SAID HE WAS A SLAVE OF THE AMALEKITES. THEY HAD LEFT HIM BEHIND BECAUSE HE WAS TOO WEAK TO TRAVEL. DAVID SAID, “TELL ME WHERE THEY ARE AND I'LL SPARE YOUR LIFE.” HE LED THEM STRAIGHT TO THE AMALEKITE'S CAMP. GOD KNOWS HOW TO PUT THE RIGHT PEOPLE IN YOUR PATH. HE KNOWS HOW TO GET YOU TO WHERE YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO BE. THE AMALEKITES WERE HAVING A BIG PARTY, CELEBRATING THEIR VICTORY. SOMETIMES THE ENEMY CELEBRATES TOO SOON. DON'T WORRY IF YOU SEE THEM CELEBRATING, GOD IS NOT FINISHED. DAVID AND HIS MEN ATTACKED THEM. THE SCRIPTURE SAYS, “THEY RECOVERED EVERYTHING THEY LOST.” ALL THEIR WIVES AND CHILDREN WERE UNHARMED. THEY GOT ALL THEIR POSSESSIONS BACK. NOT ONLY THAT, THEY GATHERED UP ALL THE SPOILS FROM THE AMALEKITES. THAT'S WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU DON'T LET AN INJUSTICE, A BAD BREAK, A LOSS CAUSE YOU TO GET DISCOURAGED AND SETTLE WHERE YOU ARE. WHAT STOPS US MANY TIMES IS WE HAVE A GOOD REASON TO BE SOUR, A GOOD REASON TO GIVE UP ON OUR DREAMS. WE HAD A BAD CHILDHOOD, A PERSON WALKED AWAY, THE COMPANY LET US GO. IT WASN'T OUR FAULT THAT WE GOT KNOCKED DOWN. I UNDERSTAND THAT BUT WHAT I'M SAYING IS IT IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY TO GET BACK UP. WE WOULDN'T BE TALKING ABOUT DAVID IF HE'D USED THAT BAD BREAK AS AN EXCUSE. HE WAS HONORING GOD. HE WAS NOT TAKING REVENGE AGAINST KING SAUL. HE DIDN'T GET BITTER WHEN HIS FAMILY LEFT HIM OUT. IT WOULD HAVE BEEN DIFFERENT IF HE WAS SLACKING OFF, COMPROMISING, DOING WHATEVER HE FELT LIKE, BUT HE WAS BEING HIS BEST, A PERSON OF INTEGRITY AND YET THE BOTTOM FELL OUT. THAT'S A TEST. ARE YOU GOING TO LET IT BE AN EXCUSE THAT KEEPS YOU FROM YOUR GREATNESS? OR ARE YOU GOING TO GET BACK UP, KNOWING THAT GOD IS STILL ON THE THRONE, THAT HE HAS GOOD PLANS FOR YOU, THAT WHAT TRIED TO STOP YOU WAS ONLY SETTING YOU UP FOR SOMETHING GREATER. THREE DAYS AFTER DAVID'S BIGGEST DEFEAT, THREE DAYS AFTER HE LOST EVERYTHING, HE NOT ONLY RECOVERED IT ALL, BUT KING SAUL WAS KILLED IN A BATTLE AND DAVID WAS MADE KING. WHEN YOU FACE YOUR BIGGEST BATTLES, THE MOST UNFAIR, UNJUST, THAT'S A SIGN THAT YOU'RE CLOSE TO SEEING YOUR GREATEST VICTORIES, YOUR BIGGEST ACCOMPLISHMENTS, YOUR MOST REWARDING RELATIONSHIPS. THE ENEMY ALWAYS FIGHTS YOU THE HARDEST WHEN HE KNOWS YOU'RE CLOSE TO A NEW LEVEL OF YOUR DESTINY. DON'T SETTLE WHERE YOU ARE, RELIVING THE HURT, THINKING ABOUT WHAT DIDN'T WORK OUT, “GOD WHERE WERE YOU?” GOD NEVER LEFT YOU. HE'S BEEN RIGHT BY YOUR SIDE. THAT'S HOW YOU MADE IT THROUGH. MY QUESTION IS NOT WAS IT UNFAIR, DID THEY DO YOU WRONG, WERE YOU LEFT OUT. WE ALL AGREE THAT IT WASN'T RIGHT, THAT YOU GOT KNOCKED DOWN. MY QUESTION IS ARE YOU GETTING BACK UP. IT'S NOT YOUR RESPONSIBILITY TO FIX EVERYTHING, TO STRAIGHTEN THEM OUT, TO PROVE THAT YOU'RE OKAY. LEAVE THAT UP TO GOD. YOUR PART IS SIMPLY MOVE FORWARD IN FAITH. NOT LOOKING BACK. NOT LETTING EXCUSES KEEP YOU FROM DREAMING AGAIN. NOT BITTER OVER WHAT DIDN'T WORK OUT. YOU KNOW IT'S ALL IN GOD'S HANDS. YOU TRUST THAT HE'S WORKING ALL THINGS FOR YOUR GOOD. ALL THINGS MEANS THE UNFAIR THINGS. THE THINGS YOU HAD NO CONTROL OVER. YOU WERE DOING THE RIGHT THING AND THE WRONG THING HAPPENED. ALL THINGS ARE THE BETRAYALS, THE TIMES YOU WERE LEFT OUT, THE TIMES THEY SAID SOMETHING THAT SET YOU BACK, YOU DIDN'T GET THE PROMOTION, YOUR FAMILY MEMBER DIDN'T MAKE IT. IT WASN'T FAIR, IT DIDN'T MAKE SENSE, BUT YOU GOT BACK UP. YOU'RE MOVING FORWARD. LIKE WITH DAVID, YOU'RE GOING TO SEE GOD SHOW OUT IN YOUR LIFE. HE'S GOING TO DO SOMETHING UNUSUAL, OUT OF THE ORDINARY, THAT CATAPULTS YOU TO A NEW LEVEL. IN THE 1950'S, MY FATHER WAS PASTORING A THRIVING CHURCH. THEY HAD JUST BUILT A BEAUTIFUL NEW SANCTUARY. HE WAS ON THE STATE BOARD FOR HIS DENOMINATION. HIS FUTURE LOOKED VERY BRIGHT. MY SISTER, LISA, WAS BORN WITH SOMETHING LIKE CEREBRAL PALSY. THE DOCTORS TOLD MY PARENTS SHE WOULD PROBABLY NEED CONSTANT CARE. MY FATHER WENT TO A HOTEL DOWNTOWN FOR A FEW DAYS TO BE ALONE AND STUDY THE SCRIPTURE. HE TOLD HOW HE TOOK OFF HIS DENOMINATIONAL GLASSES AND HE READ THE BIBLE LIKE HE WAS READING IT FOR THE FIRST TIME. HE SAW HOW JESUS WENT AROUND HEALING PEOPLE, HOW HE WAS A GOD OF MIRACLES. HE CAME BACK TO HIS CHURCH WITH HIS NEW MESSAGE OF FAITH AND VICTORY. HE THOUGHT THEY WOULD BE SO EXCITED, BUT IT WAS JUST THE OPPOSITE. IT DIDN'T FIT INTO THEIR TRADITION. THERE WAS SO MUCH DIVISIVENESS THAT MY FATHER ENDED UP HAVING TO LEAVE THE CHURCH. HE WAS DEVASTATED. HE AND MY MOTHER HAD POURED THEIR HEART AND SOUL INTO THOSE PEOPLE FOR YEARS AND NOW IT WAS ALL GONE. MY MOTHER HAD LIFELONG FRIENDS THAT NEVER SPOKE TO HER AGAIN. WHEN YOU COME TO THESE PLACES THAT ARE NOT FAIR, IT'S A CRITICAL TIME. IT'S EASY TO GET BITTER, GIVE UP ON LIFE, LET THAT BE AN EXCUSE TO NEVER DO ANYTHING GREAT. YOU HAVE TO DIG DOWN DEEP AND SAY, “GOD, THIS IS PAINFUL. IT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE, BUT I KNOW YOU'RE STILL IN CONTROL. YOU WOULDN'T HAVE ALLOWED IT IF YOU DIDN'T HAVE A PURPOSE FOR IT.” IT WASN'T MY FATHER'S FAULT THAT HE GOT KNOCKED DOWN, THAT WAS AN INJUSTICE, BUT IT WAS HIS RESPONSIBILITY TO GET BACK UP. HE AND MY MOTHER WENT OUT AND STARTED LAKEWOOD ON MOTHER'S DAY IN 1959 WITH NINETY PEOPLE. THEY HAD JUST COME FROM THIS BIG, BEAUTIFUL SANCTUARY, NOW THEY WERE IN AN OLD, RUN DOWN FEED STORE. IT HAD HOLES IN THE FLOOR, CRACKS IN THE CEILING, BEAT UP CHAIRS. BUT YOU HAVE TO TAKE THE HAND YOU'VE BEEN DEALT AND MAKE THE MOST OF IT. YOUR DESTINY IS NOT IN WHAT YOU LOST BUT IN WHAT YOU HAVE LEFT. ANYTHING YOU'VE LOST, YOU DIDN'T NEED TO BECOME WHO YOU WERE CREATED TO BE. FRIENDSHIPS, PEOPLE, CONTRACTS, OPPORTUNITIES. IF YOU LOST IT, DON'T SWEAT IT. WHAT YOU HAVE LEFT IS WHAT GOD IS GOING TO USE TO TAKE YOU INTO YOUR PURPOSE. MY PARENTS LOST THE BIG, PRESTIGIOUS SANCTUARY. YOU WOULD THINK THEY WOULD BE LIMITED. ALL THEY HAD WAS THIS OLD FEED STORE. BUT GOD WILL TAKE WHAT YOU HAVE LEFT, BREATHE ON IT AND IT WILL MULTIPLY. ALL YOU MAY HAVE IS FIVE LOAVES AND TWO FISH. THE DISCIPLES ASKED, “WHAT IS THIS AMONG SO MANY?” BUT WHEN GOD BREATHES ON IT, WHEN HE FAVORS YOU, WHEN HE VINDICATES YOU, WHEN HE RESTORES YOU, THE LITTLE WILL BECOME MUCH. NEW DOORS WILL OPEN, OPPORTUNITIES WILL FIND YOU, THE RIGHT PEOPLE WILL SHOW UP. GOD IS NOT LIMITED BY WHAT YOU LOST. YOU HAVE WHAT YOU NEED TO FLOURISH, TO BLOSSOM, TO SUCCEED, TO DO SOMETHING AWESOME. THOSE NINETY MEMBERS OVER TIME, TURNED IN TO NINE HUNDRED, THEN NINE THOUSAND. THAT OLD FEED STORE WAS REPLACED BY A LARGER SANCTUARY, THEN A LARGER AND ANOTHER LARGER. PEOPLE SAID LAKEWOOD WOULD NEVER MAKE IT BUT HERE WE ARE SIXTY-THREE YEARS LATER IN THE FORMER COMPAQ CENTER, STILL GOING STRONG. WHO KNOWS WHERE GOD IS GOING TO TAKE YOU AND YOUR CHILDREN IF YOU'LL JUST GET BACK UP AGAIN. IN THE SCRIPTURE, GOD TOLD SAMUEL TO ANOINT YOUNG MAN NAMED SAUL TO BE THE FIRST KING OF ISRAEL. SAUL WASN'T TRAINED IN LEADERSHIP. HE DIDN'T COME FROM AN INFLUENTIAL FAMILY. I CAN SEE SAMUEL TAKING SAUL UNDER HIS WING, ENCOURAGING HIM, TRAINING HIM, GIVING HIM ADVICE AND COUNSEL. HE WANTED HIM TO SUCCEED SO BADLY. SAUL STARTED OFF GOOD, HE WAS MAKING THE RIGHT DECISIONS, BUT OVER TIME HE GOT OFF COURSE, STARTED COMPROMISING. HE LOST THE KINGDOM. GOD TOLD SAMUEL, “I REGRET THAT I EVER MADE SAUL KING.” YOU CAN IMAGINE HOW SAMUEL MUST HAVE FELT. HE HAD POURED HIS TIME AND ENERGY INTO SAUL, NOW IT SEEMED LIKE IT WAS ALL A WASTE. HE WAS SO FOCUSED ON WHAT HE'D LOST, WHAT DIDN'T WORK OUT, WONDERING WHY SAUL DIDN'T DO BETTER. GOD SAID TO SAMUEL, “HOW LONG ARE YOU GOING TO MOURN OVER SAUL?” LIKE SAMUEL, YOU MAY HAVE DONE YOUR BEST, YOU GAVE IT YOUR HEART AND SOUL, BUT YOU DIDN'T GET THE POSITION, THE RELATIONSHIP DIDN'T MAKE IT, THE BUSINESS DIDN'T SUCCEED.” GOD IS SAYING TO YOU, “HOW LONG ARE YOU GOING TO MOURN OVER WHAT YOU LOST, OVER WHAT DIDN'T WORK OUT, OVER WHAT WASN'T FAIR?” GOD TOLD SAMUEL, “FILL YOUR HORN WITH OIL, FOR I HAVE CHOSEN ANOTHER KING FOR YOU TO ANOINT.” GOD WAS SAYING, “SAMUEL YOU'RE FOCUSED ON WHAT YOU'VE LOST. YES, IT WASN'T FAIR, IT WASN'T YOUR FAULT, BUT YOUR DESTINY IS NOT IN WHAT YOU LOST, IT'S IN WHAT YOU HAVE LEFT.” IT'S SIGNIFICANT THAT AFTER KING SAUL WAS REJECTED, AFTER SAMUEL'S FIRST CHOICE DIDN'T WORK OUT, HIS NEXT CHOICE WOULD BE DAVID, THE GREATEST KING THAT EVER LIVED. IF YOU'LL STOP MOURNING OVER WHAT YOU LOST, THEN LIKE SAMUEL, YOU'LL COME INTO SOMETHING GREATER, SOMETHING BETTER, SOMETHING MORE FULFILLING THAN YOU'VE EVER IMAGINED. MY FRIEND DAN WAS ONE OF MY BASEBALL COACHES GROWING UP AND SUCH A FINE MAN. I WAS GOOD FRIENDS WITH HIS SON, DANNY. WHEN WE WERE IN OUR LATE TEENS, DAN'S WIFE OF MANY YEARS WAS DIAGNOSED WITH A SERIOUS ILLNESS. WE ALL PRAYED AND BELIEVED, WE STOOD IN FAITH, BUT SHE WENT TO BE WITH THE LORD. DAN WAS DEVASTATED. THEY HAD BEEN MARRIED FOR MANY YEARS, HAD SEVERAL BEAUTIFUL CHILDREN. SHE WAS THE LOVE OF HIS LIFE. IT DIDN'T SEEM FAIR THAT SHE WAS TAKEN AT SUCH A YOUNG AGE. IT WASN'T DAN'S FAULT THAT HE GOT KNOCKED DOWN. THEY'RE GOOD PEOPLE, THEY LOVED GOD, THEY HELP OTHERS. BUT WHEN WE GO THROUGH LOSS, IT IS OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO GET BACK UP. YES, THERE'S A TIME FOR MOURNING, BUT YOU CAN'T LET A SEASON OF MOURNING TURN INTO A LIFETIME OF MOURNING. DAN WAS RETIRED FROM THE PHONE COMPANY. INSTEAD OF SITTING AROUND THE HOUSE DEPRESSED, THINKING ABOUT WHAT HE HAD LOST, HE WOULD GO TO THE FUNERALS WHERE MY FATHER WAS DOING THE CEREMONY. NOBODY ASKED HIM TO, HE DIDN'T KNOW THE PEOPLE, BUT HIS ATTITUDE WAS, “I'VE BEEN THROUGH WHAT YOU'RE GOING THROUGH. I CAN ENCOURAGE YOU; I CAN LET YOU KNOW THAT YOU'RE GOING TO MAKE IT.” HE GOT KNOCKED DOWN, BUT HE DIDN'T STAY DOWN. MY FATHER NOTICED HIM AT ALL THE FUNERALS. HE ASKED DAN TO COME ON STAFF AND LEAD THE COMFORT MINISTRY THAT HELPS THOSE THAT ARE GOING THROUGH LOSS. A FEW YEARS LATER, DAN MET A BEAUTIFUL YOUNG LADY NAMED SHIRLEY. THEY'VE BEEN HAPPILY MARRIED FOR MANY YEARS, SEEING GOD'S BLESSING AND FAVOR, STILL SERVING HERE AT LAKEWOOD. I CAN'T PROMISE YOU THAT YOU WON'T GET KNOCKED DOWN IN LIFE, THAT THERE WON'T BE TIMES WHEN IT'S NOT FAIR. BUT I CAN PROMISE YOU, IF YOU'LL GET BACK UP, GOD WILL GIVE YOU BEAUTY FOR THE ASHES. HE WILL PAY YOU BACK FOR THE WRONGS. WHEN DAVID WAS A TEENAGER, THE PROPHET SAMUEL CAME TO HIS HOUSE TO ANOINT ONE OF JESSE'S SONS AS THE NEXT KING OF ISRAEL. HIS FATHER, JESSE, DIDN'T CALL DAVID IN FROM THE SHEPHERD'S FIELDS. HE THOUGHT DAVID WAS TOO YOUNG, NOT TALENTED ENOUGH. DAVID HAD TO DEAL WITH REJECTION, BETRAYAL, RIDICULE. EVEN AFTER SAMUEL ANOINTED HIM, DAVID WENT BACK TO THE SHEPHERD'S FIELDS. YOU NEVER READ WHERE DAVID COMPLAINED, HE SLACKED OFF, HE TALKED BADLY ABOUT HIS FATHER. HE KEPT BEING HIS BEST WHEN NO ONE WAS WATCHING. IT WASN'T FAIR THAT HIS OWN FATHER DIDN'T BELIEVE IN HIM. IT WASN'T FAIR THAT HIS BROTHER'S MADE FUN OF HIM WHEN HE TOOK THEM LUNCH ON THE BATTLEFIELD. IT WASN'T FAIR THAT HE WAS LEFT OUT IN THE SHEPHERD'S FIELDS. BUT DAVID UNDERSTOOD THIS PRINCIPLE, HE JUST KEPT GETTING BACK UP, DOING THE RIGHT THING. HE KNEW NO PERSON, NO BAD BREAK, NO INJUSTICE COULD KEEP HIM FROM HIS DESTINY. KING SAUL SUFFERED FROM BOUTS OF DEPRESSION. HIS STAFF TOLD HIM THAT WHEN THESE ATTACKS CAME, HE NEEDED SOMEONE TO PLAY MUSIC AND IT WOULD HELP HIM FEEL BETTER. SAUL AGREED AND ASKED THEM TO FIND SOMEONE. THEY SAID, “WE KNOW A YOUNG MAN NAMED DAVID, HE'S THE SON OF JESSE. HE EXCELLENT IN PLAYING THE HARP.” THE SCRIPTURE SAYS THAT SAUL SENT A MESSAGE TO JESSE SAYING, “SEND ME YOUR SON, DAVID, THE SHEPHERD.” HE DIDN'T SEND IT DAVID, HE SENT IT TO JESSE, THE VERY ONE THAT LEFT HIM OUT, THE VERY ONE THAT DISCOUNTED HIM. PEOPLE MAY OVERLOOK YOU, BUT GOD SEES YOU. THEY MAY PUSH YOU DOWN, BUT GOD WILL LIFT YOU UP. THEY MAY LEAVE YOU OUT, BUT GOD WILL CALL YOU IN. IMAGINE JESSE HEARING A KNOCK ON HIS DOOR. HE ANSWERS AND IT'S OFFICIALS STANDING BEFORE HIM FROM THE PALACE, DRESSED IN ROYAL UNIFORMS, HORSES AND CHARIOTS OUTSIDE. JESSE THINKS, “WHAT IN THE WORLD ARE THEY DOING AT MY HOUSE? DID I DO SOMETHING WRONG? AM I IN TROUBLE?” THE OFFICIAL SAYS, “THE KING WANTS YOUR SON, DAVID, TO COME WORK FOR HIM IN THE PALACE.” JESSE NEARLY PASSED OUT. HE THOUGHT, “DAVID, THE ONE I DIDN'T THINK WOULD AMOUNT TO MUCH.” GOD KNOWS HOW TO VINDICATE YOU. HE KNOWS HOW TO MAKE UP FOR THE WRONGS. SOMEONE MAY HAVE PUT YOU AT A DISADVANTAGE, BUT PEOPLE DON'T HAVE THE FINAL SAY. DON'T LET AN EXCUSE KEEP YOU FROM GOING TO THE PALACE. “THEY NEVER GIVE ME CREDIT, THEY OVERLOOK ME, THEY DID ME WRONG.” THEY CAN'T STOP YOUR DESTINY. QUIT MOURNING OVER WHAT YOU'VE LOST, WHO WASN'T FOR YOU, WHAT WASN'T FAIR. GOD SEES IT. HE KNOWS WHAT'S HAPPENING. IF YOU'LL MOVE FORWARD IN FAITH, THE RIGHT PEOPLE WILL COME LOOKING FOR YOU, OPPORTUNITY WILL COME TRACKING YOU DOWN, PROMOTION WILL COME KNOCKING ON YOUR DOOR. IT'S NOT YOUR FAULT THAT THEY WEREN'T FOR YOU, IT'S NOT YOUR FAULT THAT YOU HAD BAD BREAKS, BUT IT IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY TO GET BACK UP. WHAT YOU'VE BEEN THROUGH MAY BE YOUR EXPLANATION AS TO WHY YOU ARE WHERE YOU ARE, BUT DON'T LET IT BE YOUR EXCUSE TO STAY WHERE YOU ARE. THIS IS A NEW DAY. GOD IS DOING A NEW THING. HE'S ABOUT TO PAY YOU BACK FOR WHAT WASN'T FAIR. HE'S ABOUT TO OPEN DOORS YOU NEVER DREAMED WOULD OPEN. THE BEST PART OF YOUR LIFE IS STILL IN FRONT OF YOU. NOW HERE'S THE KEY: THE ENEMY WOULD LOVE FOR YOU TO GET STUCK, FOCUSED ON YOUR HURTS, WHAT THEY DID, WHAT YOU DIDN'T GET. DON'T FALL INTO THAT TRAP. YOUR MOVE WHEN LIFE IS UNFAIR IS TO GO FORWARD IN FAITH KNOWING THAT GOD IS STILL ON THE THRONE AND THAT HE'S GOING TO WORK IT ALL OUT FOR YOUR GOOD. IF YOU'LL DO THIS, I BELIEVE AND DECLARE, LIKE WITH DAVID, GOD IS GOING TO PROMOTE YOU IN FRONT OF PEOPLE THAT TRIED TO HOLD YOU BACK. LIKE WITH MY FATHER, OUT OF THAT REJECTION IS GOING TO COME NEW LEVELS OF YOUR DESTINY. LIKE WITH SAMUEL, SAUL MAY NOT HAVE WORKED OUT, BUT IT'S GOING TO OPEN THE DOOR TO DAVID, TO SOMETHING BETTER THAN YOU'VE IMAGINED, IN JESUS' NAME. IF YOU RECEIVE IT, CAN YOU SAY AMEN? 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.” IF YOU PRAYED THAT SIMPLE PRAYER, WE BELIEVE YOU GOT BORN AGAIN. WE'D LOVE TO SEND YOU SOME FREE INFORMATION ON YOUR NEW WALK WITH THE LORD. YOU CAN TEXT THE NUMBER ON THE SCREEN OR GO TO THE WEBSITE. I HOPE YOU'LL GET INTO A GOOD BIBLE-BASED CHURCH AND KEEP GOD FIRST PLACE.
. 喬爾:上帝保佑你。 今天和你在一起真是太好了。 我希望您 在 本週通過我們的每日 播客、我們的 YouTube 頻道和社交媒體與我們保持聯繫。 我們會讓您受到鼓勵 和啟發。 我喜歡從 有趣的事情開始。 我聽說過這個人; 他是一個大型 天主教社區中唯一的 新教徒。 大 齋節期間的每個星期五,當他的鄰居們在吃 冷魚時,他正在他 的後院烤牛排。 他們無法忍受 誘惑,決定 嘗試讓他 皈依天主教。 他終於 同意了。 一位牧師走過來 ,把水灑在他 身上,說:“你生來是 浸信會,你是浸信 會教養的,但現在你是 天主教徒。” 第二年大 齋節的第一個星期五,他們聞到了同樣的 氣味。 他們 衝到他家。 他在 他的後院把水灑在他的牛排上 , 說:“你生來是一 頭牛,你養過一頭牛, 但現在你是一條魚。” 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。 我可以做它說我可以做的事情 。 今天,我將 學習上帝的話語。 我大膽地承認:我的頭腦很 警覺。 我的心很 容易接受。 以 耶穌的名義,我永遠不會是一樣的 。 上帝祝福你。 今天我想和你 談談你在生活 不公平時的舉動。 我們都經歷過 失望, 那些沒有意義的事情。 一個朋友離開了你, 你被忽視了 ,你 生病了。 我與一位 在充滿虐待的家庭中長大的年輕女士 交談。 沒有人來指導 她。 應該一直 幫助她 的人正在做相反的事情。 她不明白為什麼 她會在這樣的 傷害和功能障礙中長大。 讓 不 公平的事情成為不追求我們命運的藉口很容易。 “我不能成功,我有 一個艱難的童年。 我永遠不會快樂,我失去了 一個心愛的人。 我無法實現我的 夢想,喬爾,大流行讓我慢了 下來,這家公司讓 我走了,我沒有獲得 獎學金。” 這是 關鍵。 被擊倒不是你的 錯,但 你有責任重新站起來 。 那是錯誤的,他們 傷害了你。 你 經歷了不公正是不公平的。 他們 走開了是不對的。 我不會減少 你所經歷的,我 不會為他們的行為開脫。 但我告訴你,你 必須站起來。 當不 公平的事情發生時,你的行動是 憑著信心前進,相信 上帝會為 你解決的。 很想保持 冷靜,過著痛苦的生活,放棄 你的夢想。 畢竟你 有一個很好的藉口。 你可能有理由,但 你沒有權利。 神在你面前還有一個偉大的 目的。 他看到了發生了什麼。 他看到了他們做了什麼 ,誰讓你 離開了,你失去了什麼。 他說:“他會為不公平的事情付出雙倍的 代價。” 他說: “他對那些 灰燼有美感。” 但是 你 必須做一些事情。 你不能 坐以待斃,護理你的 傷口,“為什麼這會 發生在我身上?” 不要在 上帝放置了 一個時期的地方打上問號。 當生活沒有意義時,信仰的一部分就是 信任。 我們永遠無法 理解發生的 一切。 你不能讓一次背叛, 一次離婚,一次糟糕的季節影響 你的餘生。 我知道這不公平,我 知道這很痛苦。 這不是你的錯,但 你不能停在那裡。 您有責任重新振作起來 。 這意味著不要再 重蹈覆轍,不要再想他們做了什麼, 不要相信你已經度過了最美好的時光的 謊言。 上帝知道如何 補償你。 當他看到你 前進時,當你可以 坐以待斃時,當你可以 抱怨時,你在讚美,當你可以沮喪時,你微笑,即使你受過傷,你也 對某人好 . 你最好做好準備; 上帝會 在 你的生活中展現出來。 因為不公平的事情,你會得到 更大的 青睞。 敵人的本意是為了傷害 ,但上帝會轉而 對你有利。 一個男人最近告訴我 他的商業夥伴是如何不 信守諾言的。 它給他留下了 所有這些債務,現在他的企業正在努力實現 它。 他很沮喪。 他說:“喬爾,這個人 毀了我的信用。 他損害了我的聲譽。 他帶走了我的主要客戶。 他基本上毀了我的 生活。” 感到受傷、被委屈、被侵犯是可以的 。 上帝用感情造我們。 我不是說你必須 是超人,永遠不要有任何 感覺。 但是 , 如果你要看到美麗的灰燼,如果你要看到上帝為 你的 錯誤付出代價,那麼在某些時候你 必須控制這些感覺。 找回您的熱情並 開始前進。 如果 你用它作為藉口,它 會讓你遠離你的 目的。 藉口的另一邊是你命運的新 高度。 如果那個錯了你的人 ,事實上可能會毀了 你的生活,他們會比 上帝更強大。 那是不可能的。 壞事、不公、損失並沒有 阻止上帝對你生命的計劃 。 被擊倒不是你的 錯,但 你有責任重新站起來 。 你在信心中前進的方式 是知道 上帝正在為你做所有的 事情。 它可能不是很好, 它不公平,它是 有害的,但上帝知道如何 把它變成你的好。 他不會把 你的生命留在一個破碎的 地方,一個受損的地方, 一個不公正的地方。 這可能是你在哪裡的原因,這 是 你的解釋,但不要 以此為藉口。 有一個新的視角。 “是的,我經歷了一些 糟糕的休息,這就是為什麼我的生意不景氣,但這 不是我的故事的結局。 我 經歷了一次失敗,很痛苦,但我知道哭泣會持續一夜,但 快樂會在 早晨到來。 我在成長過程中遇到了很多 障礙,我沒有 一個好的開始,但我 知道我以後的日子會比以前 更好 。” 發生在你身上的任何 事情對上帝來說都是一個驚喜。 如果它要阻止 你的目的,他不會允許的。 你可能經歷過 損失,一些不 公平的事情,但你需要實現的目標 不 在於你失去了什麼,而在於你還 剩下什麼。 抓住你的手 ,充分利用它。 在 1 SAMUEL 30 中,大衛和 他的 手下住在齊克拉格市。 他們已經執行了幾天的 任務。 當他們 回到家時,他們注意到 ZIKLAG 方向的空氣中冒著滾滾濃煙。 他們 加快了步伐,擔心出了什麼問題 。 隨著他們越來越近,他們最 擔心的事情成真了。 亞瑪力土匪已經進入 並襲擊了這座城市。 他們綁架了他們所有的 妻子和孩子,偷走了他們所有的財產,燒毀了 他們的房屋。 這是 大衛經歷過的最糟糕的失敗。 他做了正確的 事,保護上帝的 子民,他的整個世界都 分崩離析。 聖經 說:“他和他的手下 一直 哭到哭不出來。” 如果這還 不夠糟糕的話,大衛的手下會非常沮喪,他們開始 責怪大衛。 他們談論用石頭砸死他 。 大衛在做正確的 事是不公平的,但錯誤的事情 發生了。 他的 財產被盜,他的家人被奪走,他的手下開始攻擊他,這不公平 。 但上帝並沒有應許我們 生活永遠是 公平的。 他沒有說如果你 做正確的事,那麼 錯誤的事情就永遠不會 發生。 生活發生在我們所有人身上。 正是我們在這些不公平的時期所做的事情決定了我們是否會陷入困境並讓它影響我們的餘生, 或者我們是否繼續 前進並看到上帝讓 我們承擔責任。 大衛處於關鍵 時刻。 他可能會很痛苦, “上帝,我不明白, 你怎麼能讓這種 事情發生?” 如果他 一直處於失敗的 心態,這將是 我們最後一次聽到大衛。 但他明白這個 原則。 他被擊倒不是他的 錯。 他無法控制這一點 ,但恢復原狀是他的 責任 。 他知道如果他留在 灰燼中,重溫他的失敗,為自己感到難過,這將使他遠離他的 命運。 是的,他很好地 解釋了他為什麼會 失望。 如果他放棄自己的 夢想,消失 在日落中, 沒有人會不同意,但他沒有讓他的解釋 成為他的藉口 。 “我本來可以成為一個偉大的 國王,但我們在 ZIKLAG 遭到襲擊。 我會留下我的印記, 但這些人 錯了。 我本來會是一個信仰英雄 ,但所有這些不 公平的事情都發生在我身上。” 藉口的另一面是擴張。 你的命運有了一個新的 層次。 你會堅持這個 藉口還是你會看到 擴展? 這取決於您是否承擔 責任並在被 擊倒時重新站起來 。 我知道這不公平,我 知道他們錯了, 你不明白。 把這一切都交給 上帝。 盡你的 本分,找回你的熱情,找回你的 信念,找回你的夢想 。 這就是讓大衛成為 冠軍的原因。 不是說他沒有 不公正,不是說他 從來沒有壞過, 不公平的事情 ,錯了他的人, 他知道如何恢復。 他擦乾了眼淚, 打消了被打敗的心態,告訴 他的手下: “起來,我們要去 攻擊敵人。” 他 沒有保持 防守,認為他已經看到了 他最好的日子。 他的態度是,“我有一個 命運要實現。 這次糟糕的休息並沒有阻止 我的目標。 我知道 上帝會補償我的。” 當 不公平時,這就是你前進的方式。 不 希望別人,不希望你的老闆會 為你感到難過,不 指望你的朋友補償 你。 仰望您的創作者。 仰望最高處。 他是那個為灰燼而 美麗的人。 他是一個 比以前更好的人 。 大衛和他的手下出發了 。 他們不知道 亞瑪力人在哪裡。 但一路上,他們發現了 一個病得很重的 男人。 他們給了他食物和 水,並問他是誰。 他說他是 亞瑪力人的奴隸。 他們把他留在了身後, 因為他太虛弱了,不能 旅行。 大衛說:“告訴我 他們在哪裡,我會饒 你一命。” 他帶他們 直奔亞瑪力人的 營地。 上帝知道如何把合適的 人放在你的道路上。 他知道如何把你帶到你應該去的地方 。 亞瑪力人正在舉行盛大的聚會,慶祝他們 的勝利 。 有時敵人 慶祝得太早了。 如果您看到他們在 慶祝,請不要擔心,上帝還沒有 完成。 大衛和他的手下襲擊了 他們。 聖經說: “ 他們把失去的一切都恢復了。” 他們所有的妻子 和孩子都安然無恙。 他們拿回了所有的財產 。 不僅如此,他們還 收集了 亞瑪力人的所有戰利品。 這就是當 你不讓不公正、糟糕的 突破、損失 導致你灰心喪氣並安頓下來時會發生的事情 。 很多時候讓 我們停下來的是,我們有充分的 理由感到不滿,有充分的 理由放棄我們的夢想。 我們有一個糟糕的 童年,一個人 走開了,公司 讓我們走了。 我們被擊倒不是我們的 錯。 我 明白這一點,但我要說的是你有責任恢復 。 如果他以那次糟糕的休息 作為藉口,我們就不會談論大衛了。 他是在榮耀上帝。 他沒有報復 掃羅王。 當他的家人把他丟在外面時, 他並沒有生氣。 如果他 懈怠、妥協、做任何他覺得喜歡的事情,情況會有所不同 ,但他是 最好的,一個正直的人,但 底線已經崩塌。 那是一個測試。 你 打算讓它成為一個讓你遠離你的 偉大的藉口嗎? 還是你要站起來 ,知道 上帝仍然在 寶座上,他對你有好的計劃,試圖阻止你的只是讓你為更偉大的事情做好準備 。 在 大衛最大的失敗三天 后,在他失去一切的三天后,他不僅恢復了一切 ,而且國王 掃羅在一場戰鬥中被殺, 大衛被封為國王。 當您面臨最大的 戰鬥、最不公平、最 不公正的戰鬥時,這表明您即將看到最偉大的勝利、 最大的 成就、最有價值的 關係。 當敵人知道 你的命運接近新的水平時 ,他總是會與你最激烈的戰鬥。 不要解決你在哪裡, 減輕傷害, 思考什麼沒有解決, “上帝你在哪裡?” 上帝 從未離開過你。 他一直在你 身邊。 這就是你成功的 方式。 我的問題不是不 公平嗎?他們做錯了嗎,你被 排除在外了嗎? 我們都同意這是 不對的,你被擊倒了 。 我的問題是你 能恢復嗎? 解決所有問題 ,糾正它們,證明你沒事,這不是你的責任 。 把它留給上帝吧。 你的職責就是憑著 信心向前邁進。 不回頭。 不要讓藉口讓 你不再做夢。 不要為沒有成功的事情而 苦惱。 你知道這一切都在上帝的 手中。 你相信他正在 為你做所有的事情。 一切都意味著不公平的 事情。 您無法 控制的事情。 你做了正確的 事,卻發生了錯誤的 事。 所有的事情都是 背叛,你被 排除 在外的時候,他們說一些讓 你退縮的時候,你沒有 得到晉升,你的 家人沒有成功 。 這不公平,沒有 任何意義,但你得到 了支持。 你正在前進。 就像 大衛一樣,你會看到 上帝在你的 生活中顯現。 他會做一些不 尋常的、不尋常的 事情,將 你提升到一個新的水平。 在 1950 年代,我父親 正在牧養一個興旺的 教會。 他們剛剛建造了一個 美麗的新避難所。 他是他教派的州委員會成員 。 他的未來看起來非常 光明。 我的 妹妹麗莎出生時患有腦癱。 醫生告訴我的 父母,她可能需要持續的 照顧。 我父親到 市中心的一家旅館呆了幾天,獨自研讀聖經。 他講述了他是如何摘下他的 教派眼鏡並像第一次 閱讀聖經一樣閱讀聖經的 。 他看到耶穌如何圍繞 醫治人,他如何 成為奇蹟之神。 他帶著信心和勝利的新信息回到他的教會 。 他以為他們會如此 興奮,但 事實恰恰相反。 這不符合他們的 傳統。 分歧如此之大,以至於我父親最終不得不離開 教會。 他被摧毀了。 多年來,他和我的母親傾注了他們的心血和靈魂,現在一切都煙消雲散了 。 我的母親有一輩子的 朋友,他們再也沒有和 她說過話。 當您 來到這些不公平的地方時,這是 一個關鍵時刻。 很容易變得痛苦, 放棄生活, 讓它成為永遠 不做任何偉大事情的藉口。 你必須深入 挖掘並說:“上帝,這很 痛苦。 這沒有任何意義,但 我知道你仍在掌控 之中。 如果你沒有這樣做的目的,你是不會允許的 。” 他被擊倒不是我父親的 錯,這是一種 不公正,但 他有責任重新站起來 。 1959 年母親節,他和我的 母親與 90 人一起出去創辦了萊克伍德。 他們剛從 這個又大又美麗的 避難所來,現在他們在 一個破舊的飼料店裡。 它的 地板上有洞,天花板上有裂縫,椅子被打爛了 。 但 你必須抓住你的手 ,並充分利用它。 你的命運不在於 你失去了什麼,而在於你還 剩下什麼。 無論你 失去了什麼,你都不需要 成為你被創造成為的人 。 友誼、人、 合同、機會。 如果您弄丟了,請不要擔心 。 你剩下的就是 上帝要用來帶 你進入你的目的的東西。 我的父母失去了大而 著名的避難所。 你會認為他們會 受到限制。 他們只有這家老 飼料店。 但是上帝會拿走你 剩下的,呼吸 它,它會成倍增長。 你可能 只有五個麵包和兩條魚。 門徒問:“ 這麼多人是什麼?” 但是 當上帝向它吹氣時 ,當他偏愛你時,當他為 你辯護時,當他 恢復你時, 小事就會變得很多。 新的大門會打開, 機會會找到 你,合適的人會出現 。 上帝不受 你失去的東西的限制。 你有你 需要蓬勃發展,開花,成功,做一些了不起的事情 。 隨著時間的推移,這 90 名成員變成了 900 人,然後變成了 9000 人 。 那家舊的飼料 店被一個更大的庇護所 取代,然後是一個更大的 庇護所。 人們說 萊克伍德永遠不會成功,但 63 年後,我們 在前 康柏中心工作,仍然很強大。 如果你能重新站起來,誰知道上帝會把你和你的孩子 帶到哪裡。 在聖經中,上帝告訴撒母耳膏立一個名叫掃羅的年輕人成為 以色列的第一位國王。 索爾沒有接受過 領導培訓。 他並非來自一個 有影響力的家庭。 我可以看到塞繆爾把 掃羅放在他的翅膀下, 鼓勵他,訓練他 ,給他建議和 忠告。 他 非常希望他成功。 索爾開局不錯,他做出了正確的 決定,但隨著時間的 推移,他 偏離了軌道,開始妥協。 他失去了王國。 上帝 告訴撒母耳,“我很遺憾我曾立掃羅為王 。” 你可以 想像 塞繆爾的感受。 他已經將自己的 時間和精力 傾注在索爾身上,現在看來這一切都是 浪費。 他非常專注於 他失去了什麼,什麼沒有成功 ,想知道為什麼 索爾沒有做得更好。 上帝對撒母耳說:“ 你要為掃羅 哀悼多久?” 像薩繆爾一樣, 你可能已經盡了最大的努力 ,你付出了你的 心和靈魂,但你 沒有得到位置 ,關係沒有成功 , 生意沒有成功。” 上帝在對你說:“ 你要為 你失去的、 沒有成功的、 不公平的事哀悼多久?” 上帝告訴撒母耳,“ 用油填滿你的角,因為我已經選擇了另一位國王讓你 膏抹。” 上帝在說, “塞繆爾,你專注於 你所失去的。 是的,這 不公平,這不是你的 錯,但你的命運 不在於你失去了什麼,而 在於你還剩下什麼。” 重要的是,在 掃羅王被拒絕 之後,在塞繆爾的第一個選擇 沒有成功之後,他的下一個 選擇將是大衛, 有史以來最偉大的國王 。 如果你不再為 失去的東西悲傷,那麼 就像塞繆爾一樣,你 會變得比你想像的更偉大、更好、更 充實。 我的朋友 丹是我成長過程中的棒球教練之一,他是個很好的人 。 我和他的 兒子丹尼是好朋友。 在我們十 幾歲的時候,丹的多年妻子被 診斷出 患有嚴重疾病。 我們都祈禱並相信, 我們堅持信仰,但她 去與主同在。 丹被摧毀了。 他們已經 結婚多年,有幾個 漂亮的孩子。 她是他一生的 摯愛。 她在這麼 年輕的時候被帶走似乎並不公平。 他被擊倒不是丹的錯。 他們是好人,他們 愛上帝,他們幫助別人。 但是,當我們經歷 損失時,我們有 責任重新振作起來 。 是的,有哀悼的時候 ,但你不能讓哀悼 的季節變成 一生的哀悼。 DAN 已從 電話公司退休。 他 不再沮喪地坐在屋子裡, 想著他 失去了什麼, 而是去參加我父親正在舉行儀式的 葬禮。 沒有人問他,他 不認識這個人,但 他的態度是,“我已經 經歷過你正在 經歷的事情。 我可以鼓勵你; 我可以 讓你知道你會成功的 。” 他被 擊倒了,但他沒有 留下來。 我父親在 所有葬禮上都注意到了他。 他要求丹加入工作 人員並領導 安慰部,幫助那些正在 經歷損失的人。 幾年後,丹遇到了一位名叫雪莉 的美麗年輕女士 。 他們已經幸福地結婚 多年, 看到上帝的祝福和 眷顧,仍然在萊克伍德服務 。 我不能向你保證 你不會 在生活中被擊倒,不會有 不公平的時候。 但我可以向你保證,如果 你能站起來,上帝 會給你美麗 的灰燼。 他會為你 的錯誤付出代價。 當大衛 還是個少年時,先知撒母耳來到他家,膏立杰西的一個兒子成為 下一任 以色列國王。 他的父親傑西沒有 從 牧羊人的地裡叫大衛。 他認為大衛 太年輕,沒有足夠的才華。 大衛不得不面對 拒絕、背叛和 嘲笑。 即使在撒母耳膏了他之後 ,大衛還是回到了 牧羊人的田地。 你從來沒有讀過大衛在哪裡 抱怨,他懈怠, 他說他 父親的壞話。 當沒有人在看的時候,他一直保持著最好的 狀態。 他自己的父親不相信他是不公平的 。 他哥哥在戰場上給他們吃午飯時 取笑他是不公平的。 他被遺棄 在牧羊人的地裡是不公平的 。 但大衛明白這個 原則,他只是不斷 地站起來,做 正確的事。 他知道沒有人 ,沒有壞事,沒有不公正可以讓他 遠離他的命運。 掃羅國王患有 抑鬱症。 他的工作人員告訴他, 當這些攻擊襲來時,他 需要有人演奏 音樂,這會幫助他 感覺更好。 掃羅同意並要求他們找人 。 他們說:“我們認識一個 叫大衛的年輕人,他是傑西的 兒子。 他在彈奏 豎琴方面表現出色。” 聖經說掃羅給傑西發了 一條信息 ,說:“把你的 兒子,大衛,牧羊人送給我。” 他沒有把它寄給大衛,他把 它寄給了傑西,正是 那個讓他離開的人, 正是那個讓他打折的人 。 人們可能會忽略 你,但上帝會看到你。 他們可能會把你推倒,但 上帝會讓你振作起來。 他們可能會把你排除在外,但 上帝會召喚你。 想像一下 傑西聽到敲門聲。 他回答說,站在他面前的是 官員 ,身著皇家製服, 馬和戰車在外面。 傑西想,“ 他們 到底在我家做什麼? 我做錯什麼了嗎? 我有麻煩嗎?” 官員說:“國王 希望你的兒子大衛到 王宮為他工作 。” 傑西幾乎昏倒了 。 他想,“大衛, 我沒想到會 這麼多。” 上帝知道如何為 你辯護。 他知道如何 彌補錯誤。 有人可能會讓您 處於不利地位,但 人們沒有最終決定權。 不要讓任何藉口阻止 你去 宮殿。 “他們從不給我信用, 他們忽視了我,他們做錯了 我。” 他們無法阻止 你的命運。 停止為 你失去的東西、誰不適合 你、什麼不公平而悲傷。 上帝看見了。 他知道發生了什麼。 如果你 懷著信心向前走,合適的人會來找你,機會會追上你,升職會敲你的門。 他們不適合你 不是你的錯,你有 壞的休息也不是你的錯,但你有 責任重新振作起來 。 你所經歷的 可能是 你為什麼在哪裡的解釋 ,但不要讓它成為 你留在哪裡的 藉口。 這是新的一天。 上帝正在做一件新事。 他要為你 不公平的事情報答你。 他 即將打開你做夢也想不到的大門 。 你生命中 最美好的部分還在你面前。 現在這是關鍵: 敵人會喜歡你被困,專注於你的傷害, 他們做了什麼, 你沒有得到什麼。 不要落入那個陷阱。 當生活 不公平時,你的行動是繼續前進, 相信上帝 仍然在寶座上,並且 他會 為你的好而全力以赴。 如果你這樣做,我 相信並宣布,就像 大衛一樣,上帝會 在 那些試圖阻止 你的人面前提升你。 就像我父親一樣,拒絕 會讓你的命運達到新的水平 。 就像塞繆爾一樣,掃羅可能還 沒有成功,但 它會為大衛打開 大門,以耶穌的名義,得到比你想像的更好的東西。 如果你收到了,你能說 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。” 如果你祈禱那簡單的 祈禱,我們相信你已經 重生了。 我們很樂意向 您發送一些 關於您 與主同行的免費信息。 您可以 在 屏幕上輸入號碼或訪問網站。 我希望你能進入 一個以聖經為基礎的良好 教會,並把上帝放在首位。