Favor Connections

Joel Osteen @ Lakewood Church 

Joel was in relationship with his father so after being pulled over for speeding the officer recognized his name and let him go with a warning.

Am I connected to people who have what I want?

And the Lord said, "I will wipe this human race I have created from the face of the earth. Yes, and I will destroy every living thing—all the people, the large animals, the small animals that scurry along the ground, and even the birds of the sky. I am sorry I ever made them." But Noah found favor with the Lord .

Genesis 6:7‭-‬8 NLT

Since Noah found favor, his family benefited.

Disconnect from people who are hindering your growth.

You need people who are soaring in your life. 

God uses others to enlarge your thinking. When God puts you with a bunch of eagles, don't have a chicken mentality.

You need people who think bigger than you. 

Now do as I tell you—take a bath and put on perfume and dress in your nicest clothes. Then go to the threshing floor, but don't let Boaz see you until he has finished eating and drinking. "The Lord bless you, my daughter!" Boaz exclaimed. "You are showing even more family loyalty now than you did before, for you have not gone after a younger man, whether rich or poor.

Ruth 3:3‭, ‬10 NLT

The annointing you expect is the announting you will get. 

Be inspired and not discouraged. You're only on competition with yourself. Pulling someone else down will never move you any higher.

As iron sharpens iron, So a man sharpens the countenance of his friend.

Proverbs 27:17 NKJV

Elisha and Elijah

There was favor on Elijah's life even though Elisha was born into an influential family. Elijah offered Elisha an assistant job.

And so it was, when they had crossed over, that Elijah said to Elisha, "Ask! What may I do for you, before I am taken away from you?" Elisha said, "Please let a double portion of your spirit be upon me."

II Kings 2:9 NKJV

You could be one relationship away from a new level.

There are people placed in my life to connect with. 

When He had stopped speaking, He said to Simon, "Launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch." But Simon answered and said to Him, "Master, we have toiled all night and caught nothing; nevertheless at Your word I will let down the net." And when they had done this, they caught a great number of fish, and their net was breaking. So they signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink.

Luke 5:4‭-‬7 NKJV

Due to Peter's obedience his blessings overflowed onto his partners.

There are blessings that belong to me connected to people I'm in (or need to be in) relationship with.

Fwd: It's Payback Time

---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: Jeanicia Elder <jenirojacq@gmail.com>
Date: Sun, Oct 14, 2018, 12:39 PM
Subject: It's Payback Time
To: Jeanicia Rochelle Elder <JeniroJacq@gmail.com>

Pastor Joel @ Lakewood Church

We all go through unfair situations and it's easy to get discouraged thinking that we can't do anything about it but our God of justice can and will.

For we know the one who said, "I will take revenge. I will pay them back." He also said, "The Lord will judge his own people."

Hebrews 10:30 NLT

God sees what happened and he'll use it to increase you. 

Honoring God keeps you on His payroll. One touch of his favor will catapult you ahead so keep doing the right thing when the wrong thing is happening.

The Israelites had been in slavery for over 100 years so it was easy for them to think that's  how it will always be. But God said that's enough.

Then the Lord told him, "I have certainly seen the oppression of my people in Egypt. I have heard their cries of distress because of their harsh slave drivers. Yes, I am aware of their suffering. So I have come down to rescue them from the power of the Egyptians and lead them out of Egypt into their own fertile and spacious land. It is a land flowing with milk and honey—the land where the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites now live.

Exodus 3:7‭-‬8 NLT

Don't believe lies about yourself when you know God's truth.

Some of the Payback is from my forefathers...blessings that have been accruing in your family's account.

"The Lord your God will soon bring you into the land he swore to give you when he made a vow to your ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. It is a land with large, prosperous cities that you did not build. The houses will be richly stocked with goods you did not produce. You will draw water from cisterns you did not dig, and you will eat from vineyards and olive trees you did not plant. When you have eaten your fill in this land,

Deuteronomy 6:10‭-‬11 NLT

God is keeping the records.

You don't have to live worried. Know that unfair situations qualify you for double.

Instead of your shame you will receive a double portion, and instead of disgrace you will rejoice in your inheritance. And so you will inherit a double portion in your land, and everlasting joy will be yours.

Isaiah 61:7 NIV

Laban cheats Jacob 

When God is ready to pay you back unfair situations can't stop you. He isn't limited by the laws of nature.

In fact, if the God of my father had not been on my side—the God of Abraham and the fearsome God of Isaac —you would have sent me away empty-handed. But God has seen your abuse and my hard work. That is why he appeared to you last night and rebuked you!"

Genesis 31:42 NLT

Lot Captured by Enemy

Abram recovered all the goods that had been taken, and he brought back his nephew Lot with his possessions and all the women and other captives.

Genesis 14:16 NLT

LOT wasn't even supposed to be there so Abraham had brought this problem on himself but God still blessed the situation. So even if a problem is my fault God won't forget me. 

Lepers Call Out for Mercy

He looked at them and said, "Go show yourselves to the priests." And as they went, they were cleansed of their leprosy.

Luke 17:14 NLT

Normally the person would only show themselves after that were healed but their healing counted on their obedience.

The Lord says, "I will give you back what you lost to the swarming locusts, the hopping locusts, the stripping locusts, and the cutting locusts. It was I who sent this great destroying army against you.

Joel 2:25 NLT

Once again you will have all the food you want, and you will praise the Lord your God, who does these miracles for you. Never again will my people be disgraced.

Joel 2:26 NLT

Woman with a felony lost her voting rights and could only get a job at a bar but someone was always spesking life into her. Now owns a restaurant and was pardoned by the Govenor

God's Supernatural Supply in Your Finances

Lisa "The Bomb" Osteen @ Lakewood Church

I need to elevate my thinking in reference to finances. There are blessings that follow those who believe in and serve God.

Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.  But his delight is in the law of the Lord ; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.  And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.

Psalms 1:1‭-‬3 KJV

What man is he that feareth the Lord ? him shall he teach in the way that he shall choose.  His soul shall dwell at ease; and his seed shall inherit the earth.

Psalms 25:12‭-‬13 KJV

We're meant to own property.

We're blessed to be a blessing.

The Osteen family obeyed God and gave $5000 to a missionary even though they could have really used it...it was shortly returned from someone else.

During a famine you can reap a great harvest when God is your source.

Then Isaac sowed in that land, and received in the same year an hundredfold: and the Lord blessed him.  And the man waxed great, and went forward, and grew until he became very great:

Genesis 26:12‭-‬13 KJV

Polo's business partner cheated him out of money and ended up owing $100,000. After speaking with an irate IRS representative they prayed her out and ended up settling the matter for $100.

You might need to do something different.

And Isaac digged again the wells of water, which they had digged in the days of Abraham his father; for the Philistines had stopped them after the death of Abraham: and he called their names after the names by which his father had called them.  And Isaac's servants digged in the valley, and found there a well of springing water.

Genesis 26:18‭-‬19 KJV

Grace comes with giving.

Tithe • Offering • Alms

There is that scattereth, and yet increaseth; and there is that withholdeth more than is meet, but it tendeth to poverty.  The liberal soul shall be made fat: and he that watereth shall be watered also himself.

Proverbs 11:24‭-‬25 KJV

Speak blessings over our finances. Agree with God's word.

Write my financial vision and pray about it. 

Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he.

Proverbs 29:18 KJV

Through knowledge its rooms are filled with all sorts of precious riches and valuables.

Proverbs 24:4 NLT

God is not limited.

Music Fuels Me!

Totally excited about Zumba Strong Training! Strong By Zumba is a high intensity interval class — think burpees, pushups, and other high-impact moves — synced to specific music. Just like the other class I'm certified to teach, Pound, instead of counting reps or keeping track of the clock your focused is shifted toward the rhythm and volume of the music because music can be a powerful force.

In fact, USA Track & Field, the U.S. governing body for running, barred the use of headphones and portable audio players like iPods at its official races in part to prevent runners from having a competitive edge. Music can energize and increase endurance; there's something about hearing Andy Mineo's voice over a hip hop beat declaring "YOU CAN'T STOP ME!" That's right burpee, you won't keep me down! With music, though you remain fully aware of the tremble in your arms during those last pushups, positive feelings about the intensity of that pushup increase!

Music readies the body for action, makes coordination more efficient, and draws our attention away from the negative aspects of tasks. So training is getting started and my BFF music is calling me!