Your Father's World

Pastor Joel @ Lakewood Church

Wealthy man had a baby later in life than he expected. At first he was conflicted until he had the baby...then he couldn't wait to give the child his world.

God has lined up good things for me. 

"So don't be afraid, little flock. For it gives your Father great happiness to give you the Kingdom.

Luke 12:32 NLT

The great love 

Yet the Lord longs to be gracious to you; therefore he will rise up to show you compassion. For the Lord is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait for him!

Isaiah 30:18 NIV

Sometimes God will give to you promises so unusual they seem laughable. You don't see how it could happen.

So she laughed silently to herself and said, "How could a worn-out woman like me enjoy such pleasure, especially when my master—my husband—is also so old?"

Genesis 18:12 NLT

God is merciful that he doesn't punish us for our disbelief.

Then the Lord said to Abraham, "Why did Sarah laugh? Why did she say, 'Can an old woman like me have a baby?' Is anything too hard for the Lord ? I will return about this time next year, and Sarah will have a son."

Genesis 18:13‭-‬14 NLT

One day we'll be laughing in amazement

And Sarah declared, "God has brought me laughter. All who hear about this will laugh with me. Who would have said to Abraham that Sarah would nurse a baby? Yet I have given Abraham a son in his old age!"

Genesis 21:6‭-‬7 NLT

He will once again fill your mouth with laughter and your lips with shouts of joy. Those who hate you will be clothed with shame, and the home of the wicked will be destroyed."

Job 8:21‭-‬22 NLT

Get ready for some "who would have ever said" blessings.

When the Lord brought back his exiles to Jerusalem, it was like a dream! We were filled with laughter, and we sang for joy. And the other nations said, "What amazing things the Lord has done for them." Yes, the Lord has done amazing things for us! What joy!

Psalms 126:1‭-‬3 NLT

Stay in faith.

Joseph went through very unfair situations that put him in a strategic position to bless God's people. God saw the big picture.

When Joseph's brothers arrived for donations they didn't recognize their brother bur Joseph recognize them and was able and willing to show favor to them. We will have similar people in our lives.

Esther was an orphan.

If you keep quiet at a time like this, deliverance and relief for the Jews will arise from some other place, but you and your relatives will die. Who knows if perhaps you were made queen for just such a time as this?"

Esther 4:14 NLT

Samuel went to anoint David as the next king. 

In the same way all seven of Jesse's sons were presented to Samuel. But Samuel said to Jesse, "The Lord has not chosen any of these." Then Samuel asked, "Are these all the sons you have?" "There is still the youngest," Jesse replied. "But he's out in the fields watching the sheep and goats." "Send for him at once," Samuel said. "We will not sit down to eat until he arrives." So Jesse sent for him. He was dark and handsome, with beautiful eyes. And the Lord said, "This is the one; anoint him." So as David stood there among his brothers, Samuel took the flask of olive oil he had brought and anointed David with the oil. And the Spirit of the Lord came powerfully upon David from that day on. Then Samuel returned to Ramah.

1 Samuel 16:10‭-‬13 NLT

Our father's world is a big world.

Keeping Your Joy

Pastor Joel @ Lakewood Church

There's countless reasons to get upset but we always have a choice.

So with you: Now is your time of grief, but I will see you again and you will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy.

John 16:22 NIV

Some people are constantly giving away their joy.

Don't let things that you can't control sour your day. We can only control our response.

You have to love some people from a distsnce.

Joseph's brothers were ordained to betray him;  if they never betrayed him then he would have never made it to the palace.

You get  involved in battles that don't matter and then get distracted.

Blessed are the meek,  for they will inherit the earth.

Matthew 5:5 NIV

Meeknes is strength under control. You have the strength to fight but you choose not to.

Give these inconsequential things to God and he will vindicate you. 

From there Elisha went up to Bethel. As he was walking along the road, some boys came out of the town and jeered at him. "Get out of here, baldy!" they said. "Get out of here, baldy!" He turned around, looked at them and called down a curse on them in the name of the Lord . Then two bears came out of the woods and mauled forty-two of the boys. And he went on to Mount Carmel and from there returned to Samaria.

2 Kings 2:23‭-‬25 NIV

That You may grant him [power to calm himself and find] peace in the days of adversity, Until the pit is dug for the wicked and ungodly.

PSALM 94:13 AMP

You may have been trained to respond negatively by your upbringing but you can choose to do something different.

Many people are like garbage trucks. They are full of negstivity that gets piled up and they need to unload it every once in a while. It's nothing personal so we shouldn't take it that way. 

We have enough of our own to deal with. Keep your lid on tight so that any garbage that others throw out way bounces off.

Our time is limited, don't waste it.

Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.

James 4:14 NIV

Be happy where you are. Make up your mind to enjoy your day.

Pastor Joel left late for a meeting and met several MORE delays but in the big picture those were insignificant.

Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls,  yet I will rejoice in the Lord , I will be joyful in God my Savior.

Habakkuk 3:17‭-‬18 NIV

Victoria Osteen @ Lakewood Church

Undercurrents

She loved beach days and they'd put up a big red umbrella to mark their spot. One day she'd been out for several hours and made it to the second sandbar then looked back and couldn't see the red umbrella. She panicked.

The undercurrents were slowly taking her down the beach so she wasn't in line with her family's spot so once she got to shore she had to walk miles down the beach until she finally made it back. 

That's how life is. Undercurrents slowly move you away. It's so subtle that you don't realize it's happening.

Undercurrents can be bad attitudes, bad situations, or bad company.

Do not be misled: "Bad company corrupts good character."

1 Corinthians 15:33 NIV

She could have made the necessary adjustments to get back in line. 

Sampson

Life is full of undercurrents. Every once in a while we have to look around and make sure that we are on course and not make excuses.

A lot of things seem small. The way that we speak up others when upset, misusing company time ar work (surfing the internet, etc)

Catch for us the foxes, the little foxes that ruin the vineyards, our vineyards that are in bloom.

Song of Songs 2:15 NIV

Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.

Colossians 3:2 NIV

The family's red umbrella is what Victoria should have at her mind on the way that we should set our mind on Jesus.

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

Hebrews 12:1‭-‬3 NIV

an underlying feeling or influence, especially one that is contrary to the prevailing atmosphere and is not expressed openly.

a current of water below the surface, moving in a different direction from any surface current.