ANNOUNCER: THE FOLLOWING PROGRAM IS PAID FOR BY
THE FRIENDS AND PARTNERS OF JOYCE MEYER MINISTRIES.
JOYCE: YOU CAN'T GET BEYOND IT IF YOU DON'T FACE IT.
OTHERWISE, YOU'RE JUST GONNA BE RUNNING FROM YOURSELF YOUR
WHOLE LIFE.
SOME OF YOU STILL ARE SO AFRAID THAT SOMEBODY'S GONNA FIND OUT
WHAT YOU DID IN THE PAST.
WELL, IF I WERE YOU, I'D FIND A TRUSTED FRIEND AND I'D TELL
'EM 'CAUSE IT'S OUR SECRETS THAT MAKE US SICK.
[MUSIC]
JOYCE: LET'S START IN VERSE 22.
"BUT HE ROSE UP THAT [SAME]
NIGHT AND TOOK HIS 2 WIVES, AND HIS 2 WOMEN SERVANT, AND HIS
11 SONS AND HE PASSED OVER THE FORD [OF THE] JABBOK.
AND HE TOOK THEM AND HE SENT THEM ACROSS THE BROOK; AND ALSO
HE SENT OVER ALL THAT HE HAD."
I LIKE TO KIND OF IMAGINE THIS.
IT WAS LIKE HE HAD COME TO A POINT IN HIS LIFE WHERE HE
WASN'T WILLING TO GO ON ANYMORE THE WAY HE WAS.
I WONDER IF THERE'S ANYBODY HERE THAT'S NOT WILLING TO GO ON
ANYMORE THE WAY YOU ARE, WHATEVER THAT MIGHT MEAN
TO SOMEBODY.
IT'S LIKE, "I'VE HAD ENOUGH OF THIS AND I DON'T WANNA LIVE LIKE
THIS ANYMORE.
I'M NOT GONNA--I'M NOT GONNA LIVE WITHOUT PEACE IN MY LIFE.
I'M NOT GONNA LIVE WITH--I'M NOT JUST GONNA GO THROUGH LIFE.
I'M GOING TO LEARN HOW TO ENJOY MY LIFE."
[AUDIENCE CHEERING]
JOYCE: WHATEVER IT MIGHT BE.
WHATEVER VICTORY IT IS YOU'RE LOOKING FOR FROM GOD, YOU'VE
GOTTA BE DETERMINED THAT YOU WANT IT.
IT CAN'T BE A WISHY-WASHY-- YOU'VE GOTTA BE DETERMINED
THAT IF ANYBODY CAN HAVE THE BEST THAT GOD HAS
TO OFFER, YOU CAN.
AND SO I PERSONALLY LIKE THE FACT THAT IT SAYS HE CAME TO
THAT RIVERBED, I GUESS, AND IT SAYS HE SENT--HE WALKED AWAY
FROM EVERYTHING THAT HE HAD.
HE WAS READY TO CONFRONT HIS ISSUE.
SOMETIMES YOU'VE GOT TO GET LIKE THAT.
YOU'VE GOT TO BE, LIKE, "I DON'T CARE WHAT IT COSTS ME.
I DON'T--I'M WALKING AWAY FROM EVERYTHING AND I'M GONNA FIND
OUT WHAT IT'S GONNA TAKE TO GET THIS LIFE FIXED."
I'M TELLING YOU, IF YOU GET SERIOUS ENOUGH, EVERYBODY IN
THIS ROOM CAN HAVE ALL THE VICTORY YOU COULD POSSIBLY WANT
BUT YOU CAN'T JUST THINK THAT YOU'RE GONNA GET IT SOME
DRIVE-THROUGH BREAKTHROUGH.
TODAY WE CAN GET EVERYTHING DRIVE-THROUGH.
YOU CAN DRIVE THROUGH AND GET ABSOLUTELY EVERYTHING, BUT WITH
GOD YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO GO THROUGH.
[AUDIENCE APPLAUDING]
JOYCE: SO VERSE 24: "AND JACOB WAS LEFT ALONE,
AND A MAN," CAPITAL "M," WHICH JUST BASICALLY MEANS
THAT THIS WAS AN APPEARANCE OF JESUS WHO CAME IN THE FORM
OF AN ANGEL, THE ANGEL OF THE LORD, AND HE "WRESTLED
WITH HIM UNTIL DAYBREAK."
HAVE YOU EVER WRESTLED WITH GOD?
'COURSE YOU HAVE.
"AND WHEN [THE MAN] SAW THAT HE DID NOT PREVAIL AGAINST [JACOB],
HE TOUCHED THE HOLLOW OF HIS THIGH; AND JACOB'S THIGH WAS PUT
OUT OF JOINT AS HE WRESTLED WITH HIM.
AND THEN HE SAID--" SO THIS ANGEL OF THE LORD
SAYS TO JACOB, "LET ME GO, FOR DAY IS BREAKING.
AND [JACOB] SAID, I WILL NOT LET YOU GO UNLESS YOU DECLARE
A BLESSING ON ME."
[AUDIENCE CHEERING]
JOYCE: DO YOU SEE THAT?
I MEAN, TALK ABOUT BOLD AUDACITY.
AFTER THE WAY HE HAD LIVED AND WHAT HE HAD DONE, HE DETERMINED
TO GET IT RIGHT WITH GOD AND HE'S WRESTLING WITH GOD
AND HE SIMPLY SAYS TO GOD, "I AM NOT GONNA GIVE UP.
I AM NOT GONNA LET YOU GO.
THIS THING IS GONNA BE FIXED AND DONE WITH.
I WILL NOT LET YOU GO UNLESS YOU BLESS ME."
NOW LISTEN, "AND [THE MAN] ASKED HIM," THE MAN BEING
THE ANGEL OF THE LORD, "WHAT IS YOUR NAME?
AND [IN SHOCK OF REALIZATION, WHISPERING] JACOB SAID,
HIS NAME IS JACOB."
AND THEN THE AMPLIFIED BIBLE TELLS US WHAT THAT MEANS:
"SUPPLANTER, SCHEMER, TRICKSTER, SWINDLER."
SO IT'S KIND OF LIKE AT THIS POINT NOW GOD IS MAKING HIM FACE
WHO HE WAS AND IT'S LIKE A TYPE OF REPENTANCE.
I MEAN, GOD ALREADY KNEW WHAT HIS NAME WAS.
HE DIDN'T HAVE TO ASK HIM WHAT HIS NAME WAS BUT HE WANTED HIM
TO SAY IT.
HE WANTED HIM TO GET IT OUT OF HIM AND TO FACE IT.
YOU KNOW WHAT?
YOU CAN'T GET BEYOND IT IF YOU DON'T FACE IT.
OTHERWISE, YOU'RE JUST GONNA BE RUNNING FROM YOURSELF YOUR
WHOLE LIFE.
SOME OF YOU STILL ARE SO AFRAID THAT SOMEBODY'S GONNA FIND OUT
WHAT YOU DID IN THE PAST.
WELL, IF I WERE YOU, I'D FIND A TRUSTED FRIEND AND I'D TELL 'EM
'CAUSE IT'S OUR SECRETS THAT MAKE US SICK.
IT'S ALL THE STUFF THAT WE THINK WE'VE GOT TO HIDE FROM THAT
WE'RE AFRAID TO TALK ABOUT AND TELL ANYBODY AND I WOULD HAVE A
BIG CONVERSATION WITH GOD ABOUT IT AND THEN I'D FIND SOMEBODY
THAT I CAN TRUST AND I WOULD TELL THEM, "I WANNA TELL YOU
WHAT I DID IN MY PAST."
THEN YOU CAN START REALLY REJOICING IN WHAT GOD HAS DONE
FOR YOU.
[AUDIENCE APPLAUDING]
JOYCE: NOW LOOK WHAT HAPPENS.
THE POWER OF REPENTANCE.
"AND HE SAID, YOUR NAME SHALL NO LONGER BE CALLED
JACOB [SUPPLANTER], BUT ISRAEL [CONTENDER WITH GOD]; FOR YOU
HAVE CONTENDED AND HAVE POWER WITH GOD AND WITH MEN
AND YOU HAVE PREVAILED."
[AUDIENCE CHEERING]
JOYCE: AND I ALWAYS LIKE TO SAY, SOMEHOW OR ANOTHER JACOB
GOT A LIMP OUT OF IT BUT HE LIMPED AWAY WITH HIS BLESSING.
AND YOU KNOW WHAT I THINK THAT MEANS?
I THINK WE ALL MAY HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF A LIMP IN OUR LIFE FROM
SOME OF THE SINS IN OUR PAST BUT THAT DOESN'T MATTER.
I'LL BE HONEST WITH YOU.
I BELIEVE THAT JESUS HAS COMPLETELY HEALED ME FROM MY
PAST BUT THERE ARE SOME THINGS THAT I STILL DEAL WITH FROM TIME
TO TIME AND THERE ARE PROBABLY SOME THINGS THAT, YOU KNOW, I
JUST, I MEAN, I DON'T KNOW WHAT I'M MISSING FROM NOT HAVING
A FATHER.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT I'M MISSING FROM NEVER BEING ABLE TO SIT ON
MY FATHER'S LAP AND REALLY FEEL LIKE A SPECIAL LITTLE GIRL.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT I'M MISSING FROM THAT BUT THE POINT IS, IS I
MAY HAVE A LITTLE LIMP BUT I'M LIMPING AWAY WITH MY BLESSINGS,
AMEN?
[AUDIENCE CHEERING]
JOYCE: WHOO, JESUS!
NEXT VERSE.
NOW THERE'S ACTUALLY THREE VERSES
THAT I WANNA PUT TOGETHER HERE AND I WANNA START BY JUST
SAYING I THINK ONE OF THE MOST AMAZING THINGS ABOUT OUR
RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD IS THAT IF YOU LOVE HIM AND YOU TRUST HIM,
NOW I DIDN'T SAY IF YOU BEHAVE PERFECTLY, I DIDN'T SAY IF YOU
NEVER MAKE MISTAKES, I DIDN'T SAY IF YOU GO TO CHURCH EVERY
SUNDAY AND NEVER MISS ONE, IF YOU READ YOUR BIBLE THROUGH
THREE TIMES A YEAR.
I SAID, IF YOU TRUST GOD AND YOU LOVE HIM, I DON'T CARE WHAT HAS
HAPPENED OR WHAT DOES HAPPEN, GOD WILL TAKE IT AND MAKE IT
SOMEHOW OR ANOTHER WORK OUT FOR YOUR GOOD.
[AUDIENCE APPLAUDING]
JOYCE: NOW, BOY, TO ME, THIS IS ONE OF THE MOST EXCITING
THINGS ABOUT OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD.
THAT DOESN'T MEAN IT'S GONNA FEEL GOOD.
THAT DOESN'T MEAN WE'RE GONNA LIKE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE
HAVE TO GO THROUGH.
THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT.
BUT I--AND I DON'T KNOW HOW HE DOES IT, GOD CAN TAKE A BAD
THING AND WE MAY NEVER WANNA SAY THE THING WAS GOOD BUT SOMEHOW
OR ANOTHER GOD CAN MIRACULOUSLY WORK IN THAT THING AND HE CAN
MAKE US A BETTER PERSON.
I MEAN, IF YOU DON'T GET ANYTHING ELSE OUT OF A PROBLEM,
YOU GET MORE COMPASSION AND YOU BEHAVE DIFFERENTLY WHEN SOMEBODY
ELSE TELLS YOU THEY'VE GOT A PROBLEM.
HAVE YOU EVER TRIED TO TALK TO SOMEBODY ABOUT YOUR PROBLEM
THAT IS--DOESN'T HAVE ANY?
[AUDIENCE LAUGHING]
JOYCE: OH MAN, THEY'RE QUICK TO TELL YOU, "WELL, I'D DO THIS
AND I'D DO THAT," AND IT SOUNDS SO SIMPLE FOR THEM.
AND YOU JUST WANT SOMEBODY TO SAY, "OH MY GOSH, I KNOW WHAT
YOU'RE GOING THROUGH.
I KNOW HOW HARD IT IS."
AND THEN IT'S FINE TO TELL THEM WHAT GOD CAN DO FOR THEM BUT
THERE'S NOTHING WORSE THAN SOMEBODY WHO HAS NO COMPASSION.
ALL THEY CAN EVER GIVE YOU IS A SCRIPTURE.
[AUDIENCE APPLAUDING]
JOYCE: DON'T BE THAT KIND OF A CHRISTIAN.
SOMETIMES, SOMEBODY JUST NEEDS YOU TO CRY WITH THEM.
SOMETIMES THEY NEED YOU JUST TO UNDERSTAND.
EVERYBODY WHO COMES TO YOU FOR HELP DOESN'T ALWAYS WANT
AN ANSWER.
SOMETIMES, THEY JUST WANT YOU TO UNDERSTAND.
DID YOU HEAR WHAT I SAID?
EVERYBODY WHO COMES DOESN'T WANT AN ANSWER.
THEY DON'T WANT A SERMON.
THEY JUST WANT SOMEBODY TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THEY'RE
GOING THROUGH.
AND THE BEST WAY I KNOW TO GET A BOATLOAD OF COMPASSION IS
TO GO THROUGH STUFF YOURSELF.
[AUDIENCE APPLAUDING]
JOYCE: AND I'LL BE HONEST WITH YOU, IF YOU'RE GONNA BE
USED BY GOD VERY MUCH, YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO HAVE SOME
COMPASSION AND THAT MEANS YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO HAVE SOME
EXPERIENCE.
[AUDIENCE LAUGHING]
JOYCE: I'M GLAD YOU'RE STILL SMILING.
[AUDIENCE LAUGHING]
JOYCE: AND I KNOW THERE ARE TRAGIC THINGS HAVE HAPPENED
TO PEOPLE.
I MEAN, I KNOW YOU'RE PROBABLY THINKING, "WELL, YOU KNOW, THIS
HAPPENED OR THAT HAPPENED AND HOW CAN YOU POSSIBLY TELL ME GOD
CAN WORK GOOD OUT OF THAT?" I DON'T KNOW HOW HE DOES IT
BUT I KNOW IF WE LOVE HIM AND IF WE TRUST HIM.
AND OBVIOUSLY, THAT INCLUDES HAVING A DECENT ATTITUDE BUT,
YOU KNOW, I DON'T UNDERSTAND THIS, GOD, BUT I TRUST YOU AND I
BELIEVE THAT YOU CAN WORK IT OUT FOR MY GOOD.
WHATEVER YOU MIGHT BE GOING THROUGH RIGHT NOW OR WHATEVER
YOU HAVE GONE THROUGH IN THE PAST, IF YOU'VE NEVER DONE
THIS BEFORE, I WANT YOU TO START BELIEVING TODAY THAT GOD CAN
TAKE THAT THING AND HE CAN MAKE IT WORK OUT FOR GOOD
IN YOUR LIFE.
[AUDIENCE APPLAUDING]
JOYCE: THIS IS A HAPPY DAY, AMEN?
ALL RIGHT NOW, GENESIS 50:20.
I'M NOT GONNA TELL YOU THE WHOLE STORY OF JOSEPH.
MOST OF YOU PROBABLY KNOW IT.
LET'S JUST SAY THAT HE WAS CRUELLY TREATED BY HIS BROTHERS.
THEY HATED HIM, THEY SOLD HIM TO SLAVE TRADERS, WHOLE BUNCH--A
SERIES OF BAD THINGS HAPPENED AS A RESULT OF THAT.
HE ENDED UP IN PRISON FOR MANY YEARS FOR SOMETHING
HE DIDN'T DO.
ALL THAT TIME HE KEPT TRUSTING GOD.
THERE WAS A FAMINE IN THE LAND.
HE WAS NOW IN CHARGE OF ALL THE FOOD.
IT'S AMAZING HOW THIS PERSON OVER HERE CAN MISTREAT YOU BUT
IF YOU PUT YOUR TRUST IN GOD HE CAN ACTUALLY PROMOTE YOU.
HE IS A GOD OF JUSTICE.
AND SO THERE WAS A FAMINE IN THE LAND AND SO THE BROTHERS CAME
TO GET FOOD AND THEY HAD TO GO THROUGH JOSEPH TO GET IT BUT
THEY DIDN'T KNOW IT WAS JOSEPH.
YOU KNOW, GOD CHANGED HIM SO MUCH HIS BROTHERS DIDN'T
RECOGNIZE HIM.
I'LL TELL YOU WHAT.
PROBABLY SOME OF THE PEOPLE THAT ABUSED ME WOULDN'T RECOGNIZE ME
TODAY EITHER, AMEN?
AND GOD'S DOING THE SAME THING IN YOUR LIFE.
AND SO WHEN THEY DID REALIZE IT WAS JOSEPH, THEN THEY WERE
AFRAID AND THEY THOUGHT, "WELL, THERE'S NO TELLING WHAT HE'S
GONNA DO TO US NOW HE'S GOT A CHANCE TO GET US BACK.
AND THIS IS WHAT JOSEPH SAID TO THEM, GENESIS 50:20: "AS FOR
YOU, YOU THOUGHT EVIL AGAINST ME, BUT GOD MEANT IT FOR GOOD,
TO BRING ABOUT THAT MANY PEOPLE SHOULD BE KEPT ALIVE,
AS THEY ARE THIS DAY."
IN OTHER WORDS, GOD USED THAT SITUATION, THAT CRUEL SITUATION,
TO GET JOSEPH INTO A PLACE WHERE HE COULD ACTUALLY USE HIM THEN
TO HELP THE WHOLE NATION WHEN THE TIME CAME AROUND
AND WAS RIGHT.
LET ME TELL YOU SOMETHING, YOU MAY BE HEADED SOMEWHERE AND
RIGHT NOW YOU FEEL LIKE YOU'RE HEADED IN THE TOTALLY WRONG
DIRECTION IN YOUR LIFE.
YOU MAY HAVE NO IDEA THAT THIS IS THE EXACT ROUTE THAT YOU NEED
TO GET WHERE YOU WANNA BE AND JUST DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW
YOU'RE GOING THIS WAY, C'MON.
[AUDIENCE APPLAUDING]
JOYCE: ACTS CHAPTER 7, VERSE 9.
I LOVE THIS.
"AND THE PATRIARCHS [JACOB'S SONS], BOILING WITH ENVY AND
HATRED AND ANGER, SOLD JOSEPH INTO SLAVERY IN EGYPT;
BUT GOD--" THOSE ARE TWO OF MY
FAVORITE WORDS IN THE BIBLE.
"BUT GOD."
DOESN'T MATTER WHAT ANYBODY ELSE DOES.
IF GOD BE FOR ME, WHO CAN BE AGAINST ME?
IF GOD IS ON MY SIDE, WHOM SHALL I FEAR?
[AUDIENCE CHEERING]
JOYCE: THEY DID ALL THIS STUFF TO HIM BUT GOD WAS
WITH HIM.
AND I'LL TELL YOU THE TRUTH.
YOU DON'T EVEN NEED TO KNOW WHAT GOD'S GONNA DO, AS LONG AS YOU
KNOW THAT HE'S WITH YOU.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT ROUTE YOU'LL HAVE TO TAKE TO GET WHERE GOD
WANTS YOU TO BE BUT IF YOU KEEP LOVING HIM AND YOU KEEP TRUSTING
HIM, HE IS GONNA GET YOU INTO A PLACE THAT IS GONNA JUST LEAVE
YOU WITH JAW-DROPPING AWE.
[AUDIENCE APPLAUDING]
JOYCE: AND THEN, OF COURSE, ROMANS 8:28 WOULD GO ALONG
WITH THIS.
"WE ARE ASSURED AND KNOW THAT [GOD BEING A PARTNER IN THEIR
LABOR] ALL THINGS WORK TOGETHER AND ARE [FITTING INTO A PLAN]
FOR GOOD TO AND FOR THOSE WHO," WHAT?
"LOVE GOD AND WANT HIS WILL."
SIMPLE.
LOVE GOD.
ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS, PROBABLY THE FIRST THING, THAT I
SAY EVERY MORNING WHEN I WAKE UP IS, "I LOVE YOU, LORD."
I'LL TELL YOU WHAT, IF YOU JUST LOVE JESUS, IT GOES A LONG,
LONG, LONG, LONG WAY IN TAKING CARE OF EVERYTHING ELSE.
"I LOVE YOU, LORD.
I LOVE YOU."
TELL HIM THAT 100 TIMES A DAY, "I LOVE YOU, LORD.
I LOVE YOU, I LOVE YOU, I LOVE YOU, I LOVE YOU, I LOVE YOU."
THAT PRETTY MUCH SAYS IT ALL.
[AUDIENCE APPLAUDING]
JOYCE: NOW, THESE ARE THE--THE THINGS THAT I'M SHARING
WITH YOU, THESE ARE SOME OF THE SCRIPTURES THAT HAVE BEEN JUST
LIKE--NOT JUST LIKE A LITTLE NICE SCRIPTURE BUT THESE ARE
SOME OF THE TEACHINGS FROM THESE SCRIPTURES THAT HAVE BEEN
ABSOLUTELY LIFE-CHANGING FOR ME.
AND I WANT THEM TO IMPACT YOU IN SUCH A WAY THAT YOU'LL REMEMBER
THAT GOD IS NO RESPECTER OF PERSONS AND WHAT HE DOES FOR ONE
HE WILL ALSO DO FOR YOU.
[AUDIENCE APPLAUDING]
JOYCE: ALL RIGHT, NEXT THING I WANNA TALK TO YOU ABOUT IS
PSALM 27:4 THROUGH 8, AND I WOULD PROBABLY SAY THAT MAYBE IF
I HAD TO PICK A COUPLE OF SCRIPTURES THAT WERE REALLY
LIFE-CHANGING FOR ME, THIS WOULD BE RIGHT UP THERE,
MAYBE NUMBER TWO.
REALLY, REALLY, REALLY, REALLY, REALLY BIG FOR ME.
YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY WHEN WE'RE BORN AGAIN IT'S LIKE A MAJOR--
IT'S MAJOR IN OUR LIVES.
WHEN YOU FINALLY COMPLETELY TURN YOUR LIFE OVER TO GOD, YOU'RE
FILLED WITH HIS SPIRIT, BOY, THAT WAS, LIKE, WOW, HOO, MAN.
BUT THIS--WHAT THIS SCRIPTURE SAYS WAS ACTUALLY EVEN IN SOME
WAYS GREATER FOR ME NOT THAN THE NEW BIRTH BUT I HAD TO LEARN
THIS IMPORTANT LESSON AND YOU HAVE TO LEARN THIS IMPORTANT
LESSON BEFORE GOD CAN DO FOR YOU ALL THAT HE WANTS TO DO.
AND THIS IS WHAT IT IS.
"ONE THING HAVE I ASKED OF THE LORD, AND THAT WILL I SEEK."
SEEK IS A VERY POWERFUL WORD THAT MEANS GO AFTER WITH ALL
YOUR MIGHT.
WHAT IS IT THAT YOU'RE GOING AFTER IN LIFE?
OBVIOUSLY, GOD.
YOU WOULDN'T BE HERE ON A SATURDAY MORNING BUT THANKFULLY,
BECAUSE OF THE TV MINISTRY, I'M NOT JUST TALKING TO THIS ROOM
FULL OF PEOPLE, I'M HAVING THE PRIVILEGE OF TALKING TO PEOPLE
ALL OVER THE WORLD TODAY.
AND I JUST WANNA SAY, "WHAT ARE YOU SEEKING WITH ALL
YOUR HEART?" AND SO MAYBE YOU NEED TO ANSWER
THAT QUESTION, "WHAT IS IT THAT YOU'RE SEEKING WITH ALL OF
YOUR HEART?" IS IT MORE MONEY, A PROMOTION ON
YOUR JOB, MORE THIS, THAT, SOMETHING ELSE?
MORE POPULARITY?
ALL THAT STUFF IS FADING AWAY AND IT'S NOT GONNA BE AROUND
FOR VERY LONG.
WHEN IT'S ALL OVER, THERE'S ONLY GONNA BE GOD SO THIS IS THE TIME
TO MAKE SURE YOU'VE GOT A GOOD RELATIONSHIP WITH HIM.
[AUDIENCE APPLAUDING]
JOYCE: SO "ONE THING WILL I ASK THE LORD, AND THAT WILL
I SEEK AFTER, INQUIRE FOR, AND [INSISTENTLY] REQUIRE: THAT I
MIGHT DWELL IN THE HOUSE OF THE LORD [IN HIS PRESENCE] ALL
THE DAYS OF MY LIFE, TO BEHOLD AND GAZE UPON THE BEAUTY
[THE SWEET ATTRACTIVENESS AND THE DELIGHTFUL LOVELINESS]
OF THE LORD AND TO MEDITATE, CONSIDER,
AND INQUIRE INTO HIS TEMPLE."
NOW, I HAVE TO STOP THERE AND GIVE YOU A LITTLE BACKGROUND ON
WHY THIS WAS SO IMPORTANT TO ME.
MOST OF US WHEN WE LEARN TO TRUST GOD AND I DON'T KNOW
THERE'S ANY WAY TO AVOID THIS.
MOST OF US WHEN WE LEARN TO TRUST GOD WE START TRUSTING HIM
FOR WHAT WE WANT.
WE START TRUSTING HIM FOR--TO FIX ALL OF OUR PROBLEMS.
WE PRAY ABOUT THOSE PROBLEMS.
WE'RE ALWAYS AFTER GOD TO CHANGE THIS PERSON SO WE CAN BE HAPPY
OR CHANGE THAT CIRCUMSTANCE SO WE CAN BE HAPPIER.
GIVE ME A BETTER JOB, GIVE ME MORE MONEY.
I NEED THIS, I NEED, I NEED, I NEED, I NEED, I WANT, I WANT,
I WANT, I WANT.
AND FOR MOST OF US, OUR LIST IS PROBABLY PRETTY LONG.
AND SO ACTUALLY WHAT WE REALLY WANT IS WE WANT GOD'S PRESENTS,
P-R-E-S-E-N-T-S.
YEAH, YOU KNOW WHERE I'M GOING.
[AUDIENCE APPLAUDING]
JOYCE: AND TO BE HONEST, HE'LL LET US DO THAT FOR A LONG
TIME BECAUSE HE IS ESTABLISHING RELATIONSHIP WITH US.
HE'S SHOWING US THAT HE'S GOOD, THAT HE WANTS TO TAKE CARE OF
US, THAT HE WANTS TO DO THINGS FOR US.
IT'S THE SAME WAY WE TREAT OUR CHILDREN WHEN THEY'RE LITTLE.
MOM AND DAD DO EVERYTHING, THE KID JUST RECEIVES.
THEY'RE NOT SATISFIED VERY LONG.
THEY WANT ANOTHER TOY, A NEW SOMETHING ELSE,
BUT THEY'RE KIDS.
WE GET IT, SO.
BUT YOU KNOW, THE TIME COMES WHEN YOUR KIDS GET TO BE CERTAIN
AGE WHERE YOU AIN'T LIKING THAT TOO MUCH ANYMORE.
[AUDIENCE LAUGHING]
JOYCE: IT'S LIKE, "HEY, MAYBE I'D LIKE YOU TO DO SOMETHING
FOR ME."
MAYBE I'D LIKE YOU JUST TO STOP BY SOMETIME JUST TO
SEE ME WITHOUT COMING JUST 'CAUSE YOU WANT SOMETHING,
C'MON.
IS ANYBODY IN THE HOUSE TODAY?
[AUDIENCE CHEERING]
JOYCE: AND SO I'M GOING ALONG, I'VE GOT MY LITTLE
MINISTRY.
IT'S PRETTY LITTLE BUT IT WAS--IT WAS GROWING A LITTLE BIT
AND I WAS UNHAPPY MOST OF THE TIME AND ALWAYS HAD A PROBLEM
WITH THIS, THAT, AND SOMETHING ELSE AND TELLING GOD, WELL, IF
HE'D DO THIS I'D BE HAPPY.
IF HE'D DO THAT, I'D BE HAPPY.
IF HE'D DO SOMETHING ELSE I'D BE HAPPY.
AND GOD JUST GOT THIS ACROSS TO ME.
YOU KNOW, FIRST OF ALL, WE ALL NEED TO SPEND TIME WITH GOD
AND WE KNOW THAT.
WE NEED TO SPEND REGULAR QUALITY TIME WITH GOD AND WE KNOW THAT.
BUT THE DEVIL FIGHTS PEOPLE ON THAT MORE THAN ANYTHING ELSE.
HE'D RATHER YOU GO TO CHURCH THREE TIMES A WEEK THAN TO SPEND
A HALF AN HOUR A DAY WITH HIM, JUST YOU AND HIM.
[AUDIENCE APPLAUDING]
JOYCE: AND SO I'M BUSY IN MINISTRY AND, YOU KNOW, I'M
DOING MY THING AND, YOU KNOW, I'M REAL HAPPY 'CAUSE I'M
WORKING FOR THE LORD.
PROBLEM WAS, WAS I WASN'T SPENDING ANY TIME WITH HIM.
AND THAT HAS TO BE THE FOUNDATION OF ANY LIFE THAT'S
GONNA BE REALLY POWERFUL AND SUCCESSFUL.
YOU CANNOT STAND WHAT COMES AT YOU WHEN YOU'RE A POWERFUL
PERSON IF YOU DON'T HAVE A STRONG RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD TO
GO BACK TO ALL THE TIME, 'CAUSE I CAN TELL YOU IF YOU THINK YOU
WANNA BE WELL KNOWN, THE MORE WELL KNOWN YOU ARE, THE MORE THE
DEVIL'S GONNA COME AGAINST YOU AND IF YOU DON'T KNOW THAT ONLY
GOD IS HOLDING YOU UP, IT'LL DESTROY YOU.
JOYCE: WELL, SOME OF THE SCRIPTURE VERSES THAT I'VE
SHARED WITH YOU TODAY TRULY HELPED CHANGE MY LIFE.
AND IT'S MY HOPE THAT YOU WILL STUDY GOD'S WORD AND FIND
SCRIPTURES OF YOUR OWN THAT HAVE GREAT PERSONAL MEANING TO YOU.
IF YOU APPLY THEM TO YOUR LIFE AND YOUR SITUATION, YOU WILL SEE
POWERFUL CHANGES IN YOUR LIFE.
TODAY WE'RE OFFERING YOU THESE FOUR TEACHINGS THAT ARE ALL
ABOUT SOME OF MY OWN FAVORITE SCRIPTURES.
THEY MAY NOT END UP BEING YOUR FAVORITE BUT I THINK THAT YOU
WILL GET A GREAT LESSON OUT OF EACH ONE OF THESE.
AND I'LL TELL YOU WHY I THINK THESE ARE GONNA BE SO GOOD.
WHEN SOMETHING MEANS A LOT TO ME, I SEEM TO HAVE A STRONGER
ANOINTING TO TEACH IT THAN AT ANY OTHER TIME, AND SO THESE
SCRIPTURES REALLY WERE VERY POWERFUL AND PERSONAL IN MY LIFE
AND I WANTED TO SHARE THEM WITH YOU.
SO WE'RE OFFERING IT TO YOU FOR YOUR GIFT TO THE MINISTRY
OF ANY AMOUNT TODAY.
THAT'S HOW MUCH WE WANT YOU TO HAVE IT.
WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY CAN GET IT.
SO YOU JUST SEND IN THE BEST OFFERING THAT YOU CAN AND WE
KNOW THAT YOU WILL DO YOUR BEST.
AND I WANNA THANK YOU FOR BEING WITH US TODAY.
AND BE SURE TO JOIN US AGAIN TOMORROW AS I CONTINUE TEACHING
ON MY FAVORITE SCRIPTURES.
ANNOUNCER: IN MORE THAN 42 YEARS OF TEACHING THE BIBLE,
JOYCE MEYER HAS EXPERIENCED THE POWER OF GOD'S WORD.
IN HER FOUR-CD SERIES, "MY FAVORITE SCRIPTURES,"
AND THE ACCOMPANYING BOOKLET, JOYCE SHARES SOME OF THE KEY
SCRIPTURES THAT CHANGED HER LIFE AND LED TO MAJOR TURNING POINTS
IN HER WALK WITH GOD.
JOYCE: BIBLE SAYS IN ZECHARIAH THAT IF WE WILL BECOME
PRISONERS OF HOPE THAT GOD WILL RESTORE DOUBLE EVERYTHING THAT
WE'VE EVER LOST.
SO IF WE, AS BELIEVERS IN CHRIST, WILL BECOME SO FULL OF
HOPE THAT NO MATTER WHAT THE ENEMY THROWS AT US, WE STILL
HAVE GOT A POSITIVE ATTITUDE, SOMETHING GOOD IS GONNA HAPPEN.
ANNOUNCER: IT'S JOYCE'S HOPE THAT YOU'LL BE INSPIRED TO STUDY
THE BIBLE YOURSELF AND DISCOVER YOUR OWN FAVORITE SCRIPTURES
THAT WILL LEAD YOU TO A LIFE-CHANGING ENCOUNTER
WITH GOD.
THIS SERIES IS AVAILABLE FOR YOUR GIFT OF ANY AMOUNT.
TO ORDER CALL US TOLL-FREE...
OR VISIT US AT JOYCEMEYER.ORG.
[MUSIC]
JOYCE: WELL, DURING THIS SPECIAL SEASON OF THANKFULNESS,
I'D LIKE TO SAY A VERY HEARTFELT THANKS TO YOU, OUR
FRIENDS AND PARTNERS.
BECAUSE OF YOUR LOVE AND SUPPORT IN 2017, TOGETHER WE WERE ABLE
TO HELP PEOPLE IN DESPERATE NEED AND SHARE CHRIST ALL OVER
THE WORLD.
WELL, THIS YEAR, GOD USED YOUR GENEROSITY TO BUILD WATER WELLS
AND CHURCHES IN INDIA AND AFRICA, PROVIDE MILLIONS OF
MEALS AT FEEDING CENTERS IN MANY NATIONS, AND YOU'VE HELPED US
EXPAND OUR CLASSROOMS OF HOPE IN SOUTH AFRICA AND INTO ZAMBIA.
MEN, WOMEN, AND CHILDREN THAT ONCE LIVED IN DEVASTATION NOW
LAUGH AND DANCE BECAUSE THEY RECEIVE CLEAN WATER, NOURISHING
FOOD, AND AN EDUCATION.
TOGETHER, THROUGH OUR PROJECT GRL INITIATIVE,
WE HAVE HELPED WOMEN AND GIRLS UNDERSTAND THEIR
VALUE IN CHRIST AND BUILD NEW LIVES AFTER THE HORRORS OF
HUMAN TRAFFICKING.
PEOPLE ALL OVER THE WORLD WITHOUT ACCESS TO BASIC MEDICAL
CARE RECEIVED HEALING OF THEIR BODY AND SOUL.
AND WE WERE ABLE TO EQUIP AND ENCOURAGE PASTORS IN CHINA,
SHARING THE GOSPEL IN THE MIDST OF PERSECUTION.
HERE IN THE UNITED STATES, HAND OF HOPE PARTNERED
WITH EAST COAST CHURCHES TO HOLD COMMUNITY
OUTREACHES FOR FAMILIES OF SPECIAL NEEDS, THOSE DEVASTATED
BY TRAGIC FLOODS, RECEIVING HELP REBUILDING, GIVING THEM
MUCH-NEEDED SUPPLIES.
AND ALSO, PRISONERS RECEIVE BIBLICALLY BASED
JOYCE MEYER MINISTRY RESOURCES REMINDING THEM THAT THEY
ARE NOT FORGOTTEN AND THAT GOD STILL LOVES
AND CARES FOR THEM.
YOUR SUPPORT HELPED SPREAD THE GOSPEL IN MORE THAN 90 LANGUAGES
AROUND THE WORLD THROUGH OUR MEDIA AND ONLINE CHANNELS.
THOSE DISTANT FROM GOD WERE REMINDED THAT GOD STILL HAS
A PLAN FOR THEIR LIFE AND THAT THEY COULD COME BACK HOME
TO HIM.
YOU KNOW, WE ARE SO GRATEFUL TO GOD FOR ALL THAT HE ALLOWS US TO
BE PART OF AND WE REALIZE THAT WE COULD NOT HAVE DONE ANY OF
THIS WITHOUT YOUR SUPPORT.
REALLY, THE ONES THAT ARE MOST THANKFUL ARE THE ONES THAT HAD
THEIR BASIC EVERYDAY AND SPIRITUAL NEEDS MET.
SO ON THEIR BEHALF, I ALSO WANNA SAY A VERY HEARTFELT THANK YOU,
THANK YOU, THANK YOU.
AND WE THANK GOD FOR EVERY DAY AND LOOK FORWARD TO WHAT GOD HAS
IN STORE FOR US, TOGETHER AS WE CONTINUE SHARING CHRIST
AND LOVING PEOPLE.
YOU'RE RIGHT THERE WITH US EVERYWHERE THAT WE GO.
GOD BLESS YOU.
ANNOUNCER: THIS CHRISTMAS YOU CAN HELP MAKE THE HOLIDAY SEASON
A LITTLE BRIGHTER FOR SOMEONE ELSE THROUGH THE HAND OF HOPE
CHRISTMAS CATALOG.
MAKE A DONATION AS A SPECIAL GIFT FOR SOMEONE YOU LOVE OR
SIMPLY GIVE BECAUSE YOU WANT TO AND CHOOSE THE AREA YOU WANT:
FEEDING PROGRAMS; WATER WELLS; EDUCATION INITIATIVES; OUR
GIRLS' AND WOMEN'S MINISTRY, PROJECT GRL; OR MEDICAL
AND DENTAL OUTREACHES, WITH THE HAND OF HOPE
CHRISTMAS CATALOG.
GO TO JOYCEMEYER.ORG/CHRISTMAS AND MAKE A WORLD OF DIFFERENCE.
CC BY ABERDEEN CAPTIONING 1-800-688-6621 WWW.ABERCAP.COM
ANNOUNCER: THE PRECEDING WAS PAID FOR BY
THE FRIENDS AND PARTNERS OF JOYCE MEYER MINISTRIES.
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