ANNOUNCER: THE FOLLOWING PROGRAM IS PAID FOR
BY THE FRIENDS AND PARTNERS OF JOYCE MEYER MINISTRIES.
JOYCE: NOW, YOU KNOW, WE'RE GONNA DIG
A LITTLE BIT DEEP HERE FOR A FEW MINUTES
AND WHEN YOU START TALKING ABOUT MOTIVES,
I MEAN THE CROWD GETS REALLY QUIET.
AND YOU KNOW WHY?
BECAUSE IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT WE SPEND ENOUGH TIME
THINKING ABOUT.
[MUSIC]
JOYCE: I'VE HAD QUITE A JOURNEY WITH GOD
AND, MAN, WAS I A MESS.
WHOO, I WAS SUCH A MESS.
WHEN I LOOK BACK AND THINK HOW GOD
HAS CHANGED ME AND, YOU KNOW, THE CHANGES HAVE BEEN INTERNAL.
EVEN WHEN I HAD SO MANY PROBLEMS IN MY LIFE, IT WASN'T SO MUCH,
YES, WE DIDN'T HAVE ALL THE MONEY WE WOULD LIKE
AND, YOU KNOW, MY BACK GAVE ME PROBLEMS,
AND THERE'S ALWAYS THINGS THAT WE DON'T LIKE
BUT MOST OF OUR PROBLEMS IS WHAT'S GOING ON IN OUR SOUL.
IT'S HAVING A MIND THAT'S MESSED UP, AND EMOTIONS
THAT ARE OUT OF CONTROL, AND ALWAYS WANTING
WHAT YOU DON'T HAVE, AND NEVER BEING SATISFIED
WITH ANYTHING THAT YOU DO HAVE.
AND JESUS IS THE ONLY ONE REALLY THAT CAN GET DOWN INSIDE OF US
AND HEAL THE BROKEN HEARTS AND THE WOUNDEDNESS IN US.
AND SO, I STARTED A JOURNEY WITH GOD AND I WANT TO CLARIFY
THAT IT IS A JOURNEY BECAUSE I'VE BEEN AT THIS
40 YEARS AND I'M TALKING BEING A PRETTY SERIOUS STUDENT
OF THE WORD OF GOD.
I'M SURE THAT THERE'S BEEN DAYS THAT I'VE MISSED BUT I'VE SPENT
A LOT TIME STUDYING THE WORD.
NOW, PART OF THE THING THAT WAS TO MY BENEFIT
WAS THAT GOD CALLED ME TO TEACH BECAUSE I'M A VERY RESPONSIBLE
PERSON SO HE KNEW THAT I WOULDN'T GET UP
AND TRY TO TEACH IF I DIDN'T AT LEAST BELIEVE
I KNEW WHAT I WAS TALKING ABOUT.
SO, I HAD TO DO A LOT OF STUDY AND THAT ACTUALLY HELPED ME
BEFORE IT HELPED ANYBODY ELSE.
AND SO, I'VE LEARNED SO MUCH OVER THIS PERIOD OF TIME.
AND I MEAN, TRYING TO DO A SERIES
ON MY FAVORITE SCRIPTURES COULD BE NEVER ENDING, I'M SURE,
BUT I TRIED TO CHOOSE THE ONES THAT I FELT LIKE JUST HAD
A REALLY MAJOR IMPACT ON MY LIFE.
AND SO, THE FIRST THING THAT I WANT TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT
THIS MORNING IS MOTIVES.
WAY, WAY, WAY, BACK WHEN I FIRST STARTED MY JOURNEY WITH GOD,
HE LED ME TO A SCRIPTURE IN 1 CORINTHIANS ABOUT MOTIVES.
NOW, I DON'T KNOW IF-- I MEAN I HAD A LOT OF PROBLEMS
AND SO I DON'T KNOW WHY HE PICKS MOTIVES BUT I EITHER
HAD A WHOLE BUNCH OF BAD ONES OR HE WANTED TO MAKE SURE
THAT I KNEW HOW IMPORTANT THAT IS.
AND I DON'T THINK THIS IS SOMETHING
THAT WE TALK ABOUT ENOUGH.
YOU KNOW, IT'S LIKE OUR MOTIVES ARE WHY WE DO WHAT WE DO.
WHAT MOTIVATES US, WHY DO WE TAKE THE ACTION
THAT WE TAKE?
WHY DO WE DO SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE DO?
WHY ARE OUR LIVES SO OVERLOADED AND STRESSED OUT?
I'MMA GIVE YOU A GOOD ANSWER TO ALL THAT TODAY.
AND SO, LET'S FIRST LOOK AT THIS SCRIPTURE
THAT WAS VERY IMPACTING TO ME, 1 CORINTHIANS 3:10 THROUGH 15.
"THE WORK OF EACH [ONE]
WILL BECOME [PLAINLY, AND OPENLY] KNOWN
(SHOWN FOR WHAT IT IS); FOR THE DAY [OF CHRIST]
WILL DISCLOSE AND DECLARE IT."
YOU KNOW, WHEN WE THINK ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WE ARE NOT GETTING
ANYTHING PAST GOD.
HE KNOWS US, I'M TALKING ABOUT KNOWS US.
AND NO MATTER WHAT WE HIDE FROM EVERYBODY ELSE,
EVEN FROM OURSELVES, WE GET REALLY GOOD
AT HIDING THINGS EVEN FROM OURSELVES, GOD KNOWS.
AND THIS SCRIPTURE SAYS THAT WHEN CHRIST COMES BACK AGAIN,
THAT EVERYTHING IS GONNA BE BROUGHT OUT
IN THE OPEN AND MADE PLAIN AND CLEAR AND EVERYTHING
IS GOING TO BE DISCLOSED.
CAN YOU IMAGINE LIKE PEOPLE, MANY OF THEM ARE UNBELIEVERS
WHO HAVE LIVED SO DISHONESTLY AND THOUGHT THEY WERE
GETTING BY WITH SO MUCH.
CAN YOU IMAGINE ON THAT DAY WHEN EVERYTHING
IS PUT OUT IN THE OPEN HOW SHOCKING THAT'S GOING TO BE
FOR PEOPLE?
AND I'LL TELL YOU THE TRUTH, I THINK WE NEED TO THINK
A LOT MORE ABOUT THE SECOND COMING OF CHRIST
AND I THINK WE NEED TO THINK MORE ABOUT JUDGMENT DAY
BECAUSE IT IS GOING TO HAPPEN.
WE ARE ALL, EVERY ONE OF US, GOING TO SOMEDAY
STAND BEFORE GOD AND GIVE AN ACCOUNT
OF OUR LIVES.
AND THAT'S NOT MEANT TO FRIGHTEN ANYONE.
IT'S MEANT TO SOBER US UP AND LET US BE MORE SERIOUS
ABOUT WHAT IT IS WE'RE DOING WITH OUR LIFE HERE
AND WHAT WE'RE DOING WITH OUR TIME.
WHAT ARE YOU DOING WITH YOUR LIFE?
YOU'VE ONLY GOT ONE, IF YOU WASTE IT,
YOU CAN'T GO BUY ANOTHER ONE SOMEWHERE.
EVERY DAY THAT GOES BY IS A DAY THAT WE NEVER GET BACK.
WHY DO SOME PEOPLE ACCOMPLISH SO MUCH
WHILE OTHERS DO ABSOLUTELY NOTHING WITH THEMSELVES?
IT'S CHOICE.
WE ALL HAVE THE SAME AMOUNT OF TIME.
PEOPLE THINK, "I JUST NEED MORE TIME.
I NEED MORE TIME."
NO, GOD KNOWS HOW MUCH TIME WE NEED
AND HE'S GIVEN EVERY SINGLE ONE OF US THE EXACT SAME AMOUNT
SO IT'S A MATTER OF LEARNING HOW TO DO THE RIGHT THING
WITH THE TIME THAT YOU HAVE AT THE RIGHT TIME
RATHER THAN WASTING TIME AND THEN BEING JEALOUS OF
SOMEBODY WHO'S GOT A GREAT LIFE BECAUSE THEY DID THE RIGHT THING
WITH THEIRS WHEN THEY SHOULD HAVE DONE IT.
PREVIOUS TO THIS, BEGINNING IN VERSE 13
PAUL HAD SAID THAT HE HAD LAID A FOUNDATION IN PEOPLE'S LIVES
AND THAT THAT FOUNDATION IS CHRIST.
SO, NOTHING GOOD HAPPENS UNTIL WE RECEIVE JESUS
AS OUR SAVIOR AND HE BECOMES THE FOUNDATION
OF EVERYTHING ELSE.
BUT, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE RECEIVE CHRIST,
WE STILL DON'T KNOW ANYTHING.
WE KNOW THAT OUR SINS HAVE BEEN FORGIVEN,
BUT WE DON'T KNOW HOW TO LIVE.
AND JESUS WANTS TO TEACH US, THROUGH HIS WORD,
HOW TO LIVE AND NOT JUST TO GET UP EVERY DAY AND BREATHE
AND TAKE UP SPACE ON THE PLANET, BUT HOW TO ACTUALLY LIVE A LIFE
THAT IS GOING TO BE FULFILLING TO US
AND BENEFICIAL TO HIS KINGDOM, AMEN?
[AUDIENCE APPLAUDING]
JOYCE: NOBODY CAN REALLY BE TRULY HAPPY IF ALL THEY DO
IS LIVE FOR THEMSELVES.
YOU KNOW WHY?
BECAUSE THAT'S NOT WHAT GOD CREATED US FOR.
AND ANYTIME WE'RE TRYING TO DO SOMETHING OTHER THAN
WHAT WE WERE CREATED FOR, WE'RE NEVER GONNA FEEL SATISFIED
AND FULFILLED.
NO WONDER SATAN FIGHTS BY THROWING SELFISHNESS
AND SELF-CENTEREDNESS AT US ALL THE TIME.
HE WANTS US TO JUST BE ALL CLOSED UP IN OURSELVES
AND MAKE SURE THAT WE NEVER REACH OUT TO ANYBODY ELSE
BECAUSE SOMETHING AMAZING MIGHT HAPPEN IF WE ALL REALLY
PUT OURSELVES IN GOD'S HANDS AND START HELPING EACH OTHER.
SO, PAUL SAID, "I LAID THE FOUNDATION."
LAST NIGHT WE HAD 804 PEOPLE RECEIVE CHRIST AS THEIR SAVIOR.
SO, THOSE PEOPLE, THEY HAD-- A FOUNDATION WAS LAID
IN THEIR LIFE.
BUT NOW PAUL SAYS, "THE WORK OF EVERY ONE OF US
THAT WE'RE BUILDING ON THAT FOUNDATION."
AND IT SAYS THAT YOU CAN BUILD WITH HAY, WITH STRAW,
WITH STUBBLE, WITH GOLD, WITH PRECIOUS METALS.
IT'S A MATTER WHAT KIND OF LIFE ARE WE BUILDING?
SO, "WELL, I'M DOING THIS, AND I'M DOING THAT,
AND I'M DOING THIS, AND I'M DOING THAT,
OR I'M DOING NOTHING."
BUT THEN HE TAKES IT EVEN FURTHER AND HE SAYS,
"WHATEVER YOU ARE DOING, WHATEVER KIND OF BUILDING
YOU ARE BUILDING ON THIS FOUNDATION,
IT'S GONNA BE SHOWN UP FOR WHAT IT REALLY IS
BECAUSE IT WILL BE REVEALED WITH FIRE, AND THE FIRE
WILL TEST AND CRITICALLY APPRAISE THE CHARACTER
AND WORTH OF THE WORK THAT EACH PERSON HAS DONE."
SO, I DON'T KNOW EXACTLY HOW THAT FIRE'S GONNA TURN OUT
BUT I HAVE A FEELING, YOU KNOW, IN REVELATION IT SAYS
THAT JESUS HAD EYES OF FIRE.
AND SO, I HAVE A FEELING WHEN WE PASS BEFORE THOSE EYES,
IT'S NO LONGER GONNA BE, "OH WOW, LOOK AT ME, YOU KNOW,
I WAS ON TV, AND I WAS WELL KNOWN,
AND I WAS THE BOSS AT THE COMPANY,
AND I WAS, YOU KNOW, I WAS A TOP MODEL."
IT'S GONNA BE--WE'RE GONNA SEE NOT WHAT WE DID,
BUT WHY WE DID IT IS GONNA BE REVEALED.
COME ON, WHY DID I DO IT?
SO, WHY AM I HERE TODAY?
IS MY DESIRE TO--NOW, YOU KNOW, WE'RE GONNA DIG
A LITTLE BIT DEEP HERE FOR A FEW MINUTES
AND WHEN YOU START TALKING ABOUT MOTIVES,
I MEAN THE CROWD GETS REALLY QUIET.
AND YOU KNOW WHY?
BECAUSE IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT WE SPEND ENOUGH TIME
THINKING ABOUT.
I MEAN, EVERY SINGLE PERSON NEEDS TO GO HOME
AND HAVE A MEETING WITH YOURSELF AND YOU NEED TO START
ASKING YOURSELF, WRITE DOWN EVERYTHING YOU'RE DOING,
AND START ASKING YOURSELF, "WHY AM I DOING THIS?
WHY AM I DOING IT?
NOT WHAT AM I DOING, AM I DOING WHAT I'M DOING
TO IMPRESS SOMEBODY ELSE, OR AM I DOING IT
BECAUSE I REALLY FEEL LIKE THIS IS WHAT GOD WANTS ME TO DO
AND I'M DOING IT IN OBEDIENCE TO HIM
AND TO HELP OTHER PEOPLE?"
AND SO, IT'S NOT--SEE, I HAVE TO MAKE SURE,
AND I THINK ONE OF THE REASONS WHY GOD GAVE ME--THIS WAS
ACTUALLY ONE OF THE SECOND SCRIPTURES THAT GOD REALLY
REVEALED TRUTH TO ME FROM.
THE FIRST ONE IS, "YOU SHALL KNOW THE TRUTH
AND THE TRUTH WILL MAKE YOU FREE."
AND I'VE ALREADY TAUGHT ON THAT ONE IN THIS SERIES.
BUT ONE OF THE SECOND THINGS I REMEMBER HIM SHOWING ME,
SO THIS WOULD HAVE BEEN BACK IN 1977 OR 1978
AND HE HAD CALLED ME TO TEACH AND I FELT LIKE I HAD
A WORD FROM GOD THAT SOMEDAY I WAS GONNA HAVE
A VERY LARGE MINISTRY.
BUT YOU SEE, IF GOD WAS GONNA BUILD SOMETHING ON THIS
FOUNDATION OF CHRIST IN MY LIFE, THEN HE WANTED TO MAKE SURE
THAT IT WAS SOMETHING THAT WOULD LAST AND BE ENDURING
AND SOMETHING THAT I COULD ACTUALLY, IF I'M GONNA SPEND
MY WHOLE LIFE DOING THIS, THAT I CAN END UP
WITH HIS REWARD IN MY LIFE WHEN ALL IS SAID AND DONE.
WHO WANTS TO GET TO THE END OF YOUR LIFE
AND JUST FIND OUT THAT YOU DID A BUNCH OF STUFF
BUT GOD'S NOT IMPRESSED?
[AUDIENCE APPLAUDING]
JOYCE: I MADE THIS STATEMENT SEVERAL MONTHS AGO
AND I HAVEN'T REALLY TAUGHT AROUND IT YET BUT I FELT
LIKE THE LORD PUT ON MY HEART, "YOU NEED TO TELL PEOPLE
TO MAKE SURE THEY'RE NOT SO RELEVANT
TO SOCIETY THAT THEY BECOME IRRELEVANT TO ME."
[AUDIENCE APPLAUDING]
JOYCE: SEE, THAT'S A HUGE WORD TODAY.
WE ALL WANT TO FIT IN.
WE ALL WANT TO BE APPROVED AND ACCEPTED,
AND SO WE WANT TO BE RELEVANT TO OUR CHANGING SOCIETY.
WELL, YOU KNOW, I AGREE THAT WE NEED TO MEET PEOPLE
WHERE THEY'RE AT AND WE MADE A LOT OF CHANGES
IN OUR MINISTRY SEVERAL YEARS AGO, BUT WE DIDN'T
CHANGE THE MESSAGE.
WE MAYBE CHANGED OUR METHODS, BUT WE DIDN'T CHANGE
THE MESSAGE.
WE CHANGED THE LOOK ON THE PLATFORM,
WE GOT YOUNGER BANDS IN BECAUSE WE WANTED YOUNGER PEOPLE
TO COME, BUT WE NEVER CHANGED THE MESSAGE.
I HAVE NEVER VEERED AWAY FROM PREACHING THE TRUTH.
AND SO, THERE ARE THINGS THAT YOU CAN CHANGE TO BE RELEVANT,
BUT THERE'S OTHER THINGS THAT WE CANNOT CHANGE
TO BE RELEVANT BECAUSE IF WE DO,
WE CAN QUICKLY FIT IN SO WELL WITH EVERYBODY ELSE
AND EVERYBODY-- WE DON'T BOTHER ANYBODY.
WE DON'T RUFFLE ANYBODY'S FEATHERS, YOU KNOW,
WE PREACH A MESSAGE THAT EVERYBODY CAN BE
COMFORTABLE AND GO AWAY.
WELL, I HOPE THAT I MAKE SOME PEOPLE UNCOMFORTABLE
WITH WHAT I'M GONNA SAY TODAY.
[AUDIENCE APPLAUDING]
JOYCE: AND SOME OF YOU ARE ALREADY THINKING ABOUT
TURNING ME OFF, THE TV, BUT I'M ON A LOT OF STATIONS
SO YOU MAY FIND ME ON THE NEXT ONE YOU GO TO.
[AUDIENCE APPLAUDING]
JOYCE: SEE, THE TRUTH-- IT BOTHERS US.
HOW MANY OF YOU UNDERSTAND THAT THERE'S A NATURAL PART OF US
THAT WANTS EVERYBODY TO APPLAUD FOR US,
AND CLAP, AND LIKE US, BUT YOU KNOW JESUS
WAS QUITE A REBEL.
HAS ANYBODY NOTICED THAT, THAT HE CAME ALONG
AND STIRRED UP THE ESTABLISHMENT, AMEN?
AND SO, MAN, WE GOTTA BE SO CAREFUL ABOUT
JUST FITTING IN WITH EVERYTHING.
WE GOTTA LEARN TO FOLLOW OUR HEARTS
AND GET BACK TO THE WORD OF GOD.
IT'S NOT A MATTER OF WHAT THE GOVERNMENT SAYS,
WHAT DOES GOD SAY?
DID YOU HEAR ME?
MATTER OF FACT, THAT WAS SO GOOD I'M GONNA SAY IT AGAIN.
I DON'T NEED THE GOVERNMENT TO TELL ME
WHAT'S RIGHT AND WHAT'S WRONG.
I NEED TO READ MY BIBLE AND FIND OUT
WHAT'S RIGHT AND WHAT'S WRONG.
[AUDIENCE APPLAUDING]
JOYCE: SOMEBODY WAS TELLING ME SOMETHING THE OTHER DAY,
MY DAUGHTER WAS TELLING ME THIS.
SHE WATCHED SOME DOCUMENTARY AND I MAY NOT GET THIS EXACTLY
RIGHT, BUT YOU'LL GET THE POINT.
SHE WAS--IT WAS ABOUT PEOPLE LYING OR TELLING THE TRUTH
AND WHAT WOULD MOTIVATE THEM TO BE TRUTHFUL,
AND IT WAS ABOUT WHY SO MANY PEOPLE LIE.
AND SO, THEY WERE GIVING PEOPLE THESE REAL SIMPLE MATH TESTS
AND TRYING TO FIND OUT HOW MANY PEOPLE WOULD CHEAT
IF THEY HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO OR HOW MANY PEOPLE
WOULD BE REALLY TRUTHFUL?
AND SO, THEY DID DIFFERENT THINGS BEFORE THE TEST
JUST TO SEE HOW IT AFFECTED PEOPLE.
SO, ONE OF THE THINGS THEY DID BEFORE ONE OF THE TESTS
WAS THEY JUST SIMPLY SAID, THEY ASKED PEOPLE,
"WRITE DOWN HOWEVER MANY OF THE TEN COMMANDMENTS
YOU CAN REMEMBER."
WELL, SOME PEOPLE COULDN'T REMEMBER ANY.
THEY DIDN'T KNOW ANY OF THEM AT ALL.
SOME PEOPLE KNEW ONE OR TWO.
BUT THE INTERESTING THING WAS THE VERY MENTION
OF THOSE TEN COMMANDMENTS, NOT ONE PERSON CHEATED
ON THAT TEST THAT DAY.
[AUDIENCE LAUGHING]
[AUDIENCE APPLAUDING]
JOYCE: AND THESE WERE PEOPLE A LOT OF THEM DIDN'T EVEN KNOW
THE TEN COMMANDMENTS, DIDN'T HAVE ANY KIND--BUT THEY
HAD SOME CONNECTION THERE OF THEY TELL ME WHAT'S RIGHT
AND WHAT'S WRONG.
WELL, WHAT DID WE DO WHEN WE SAT BACK,
DIDN'T UNDERSTAND WHAT WAS GOING ON,
AND MADE NO NOISE AT ALL WHEN THE TEN COMMANDMENTS
WERE TAKEN OUT OF THE CLASSROOMS OFF THE WALLS BECAUSE WE DIDN'T
WANT TO OFFEND ANYBODY?
[AUDIENCE APPLAUDING]
JOYCE: DO YOU KNOW ALL WE'D HAVE TO DO IS JUST GO
PUT THE TEN COMMANDMENTS ON THE WALL IN EVERY CLASSROOM.
YOU WOULDN'T EVEN HAVE TO TEACH THEM TO PEOPLE
IF THEY WERE JUST THERE.
THEY'RE A MESSAGE TO LIVE BETTER.
WHAT IS IT THAT WE THINK WE'RE DOING
TAKING ALL THE SCRIPTURE AND EVERYTHING THAT'S GODLY
OUT OF THE EARTH?
YOU KNOW WHAT?
IF SOMEBODY DOESN'T WANT TO SERVE GOD,
THAT'S THEIR RIGHT TO DO THAT BUT THEY HAVE NO RIGHT
TO TRY TO KEEP ME FROM IT, NOR DO THEY HAVE ANY RIGHT
TO TRY TO KEEP YOU FROM IT.
[AUDIENCE CHEERING]
JOYCE: DON'T LET ANYBODY BUT GOD TELL YOU WHAT IS RIGHT
AND WHAT IS WRONG.
WE'RE IN GREAT DANGER IF WE DO THAT.
IT'S GOING A LITTLE DIFFERENT THAN WHAT I PLANNED
BUT THERE YOU HAVE IT SO THERE.
WE HAVE TO BE VERY CAREFUL ABOUT OUR MOTIVES, WHY?
AM I JUST DOING THIS, AM I DOING THINGS
THAT I KNOW ARE NOT RIGHT JUST BECAUSE I WANT TO FIT IN,
BECAUSE I DON'T WANT TO BE JUDGED AND I DON'T
WANT TO BE CRITICIZED?
YOU KNOW WHAT?
WE HAVE TO COME TO THE POINT WHERE WE WOULD RATHER BE HATED
BY EVERY HUMAN BEING ON THE EARTH
THAN TO NOT HAVE A RIGHT RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD.
[AUDIENCE APPLAUDING]
JOYCE: 'CAUSE LET ME TELL YA SOMETHING,
THIS JOURNEY HERE, I MEAN EVEN IF EVERYBODY LIVED
TO BE A HUNDRED, WHICH IT'S VERY UNLIKELY,
BUT EVEN IF EVERYBODY LIVED TO BE A HUNDRED, THAT IS NOTHING
COMPARED TO ETERNITY.
WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND THAT JESUS IS COMING BACK
AND IT'S NOT ALL ABOUT WHAT'S HERE.
WE NEED TO SPEND HERE GETTING READY FOR THERE.
[AUDIENCE APPLAUDING]
JOYCE: RIGHT?
SO, I HOPE YOU'RE KIND OF SQUIRMING
A LITTLE BIT IN YOUR SEAT AT THE VERY THOUGHTS
OF GOING HOME AND HAVING A MEETING
WITH YOURSELF AND CHECKING ALL YOUR MOTIVES.
VERSE 14, "IF THE WORK WHICH ANY PERSON HAS BUILT
ON THIS FOUNDATION, IF [ANY PRODUCT OF HIS EFFORTS
WHATEVER] SURVIVES [THIS TEST]
OF FIRE, HE WILL THEN GET HIS REWARD.
BUT IF ANY PERSON'S WORK IS BURNED UP [UNDER THE TEST],
HE WILL SUFFER THE LOSS [OF IT ALL, LOSING HIS REWARD],
ALTHOUGH HE HIMSELF WILL BE SAVED,
BUT ONLY AS [ONE WHO HAS PASSED]
THROUGH THE FIRE."
NOW SEE, I LIKE THAT BECAUSE OUR SALVATION
IS NOT BASED ON OUR WORKS, BUT OUR WORKS ARE IMPORTANT.
AND IF WE WANT TO GET THE REWARD OF THOSE WORKS,
THEN THEY HAVE TO BE PURE WORKS AND IF THEY'RE NOT PURE WORKS,
THEN EVERYTHING WE'RE DOING IS WASTED.
IS EVERYBODY ON THE SAME PAGE AS I AM THIS MORNING?
[AUDIENCE APPLAUDING]
JOYCE: ALL RIGHT, MATTHEW 6:1 THROUGH 7:
"TAKE CARE NOT TO DO YOUR GOOD DEEDS PUBLICLY
OR BEFORE MEN, IN ORDER TO BE SEEN BY THEM."
SO, HERE WE HAVE MOTIVE AGAIN.
IT'S NOT THAT YOU CAN'T DO GOOD THINGS IN FRONT OF PEOPLE.
YOU DON'T HAVE TO HIDE EVERY GOOD THING THAT YOU DO
BUT THE MOTIVE CAN'T BE, "OH, NOTICE ME,
ADMIRE ME, COMPLIMENT ME."
"IF YOU DO, YOU'LL HAVE NO REWARD
[RESERVED FOR AND AWAITING YOU]
WITH AND FROM YOUR FATHER WHO IS IN HEAVEN.
THUS, WHENEVER YOU GIVE TO THE POOR,
DO NOT BLOW A TRUMPET BEFORE YOU, AS THE HYPOCRITES
IN THE SYNAGOGUES AND IN THE STREETS LIKE TO DO,
THAT THEY MAY BE RECOGNIZED AND HONORED AND PRAISED BY MEN.
TRULY I TELL YOU, THEY HAVE THEIR REWARD
IN FULL ALREADY.
BUT WHEN YOU GIVE TO CHARITY, DO NOT LET YOUR LEFT HAND
EVEN KNOW WHAT YOUR RIGHT HAND IS DOING."
NOW, YOU KNOW, FOR ME, I THINK WHAT THAT MEANS IS THAT
WHEN WE DO SOMETHING GOOD, WE DON'T NEED TO GO HOME
AND MENTALLY WALLOW AROUND IN HOW GOOD WE WERE.
YEARS AGO I REMEMBER PRAYING AND THINKING,
I WAS JUST BEGGING GOD TO MAKE MY MINISTRY GROW,
MAKE MY MINISTRY GROW.
WE--EVERYTHING'S ABOUT NUMBERS FOR US, YOU KNOW?
MAKE MY MINISTRY GROW.
AND THE LORD SPOKE TO MY HEART AND SAID, "IF I ASKED YOU TO GO
DOWN BY THE RIVERFRONT AND MINISTER TO 50 PEOPLE
THAT LIVE ON THE STREET THE REST OF YOUR LIFE,
WOULD YOU DO IT?"
SEE, SOMETIMES THE THINGS THAT SEEM THE SMALLEST TO PEOPLE
ARE THE GREATEST TO GOD.
[AUDIENCE APPLAUDING]
JOYCE: SO, YOU DON'T NEED TO BE OVERLY IMPRESSED
WITH THE PEOPLE ON THE PLATFORM.
THE ONLY THING YOU NEED TO BE CONCERNED ABOUT
IS, ARE YOU DOING WHAT GOD WANTS YOU TO DO
WITH A RIGHT MOTIVE, WHICH IS TO OBEY HIM
AND HELP PEOPLE?
AMEN, COME ON.
[AUDIENCE APPLAUDING]
JOYCE: SO, HE SAYS, "WHEN YOU GIVE,
DON'T BE OVERLY IMPRESSED WITH YOURSELF, JUST DO IT,
BE HAPPY YOU HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO HELP SOMEBODY.
GO ON ABOUT YOUR BUSINESS TO THE NEXT THING THAT GOD
PUTS IN FRONT OF YOU TO DO."
VERSE 4, "SO THAT YOUR DEEDS OF CHARITY MAY BE IN SECRET;
AND YOUR FATHER WHO SEES IN SECRET
WILL REWARD YOU OPENLY."
YOU KNOW, IT IS REALLY HARD TO GO DO SOMETHING REALLY GOOD
AND NOT TELL ANYBODY.
[AUDIENCE APPLAUDING]
JOYCE: I KNOW EXACTLY WHAT YOU'RE THINKING,
"WELL, WHAT FUN IS THAT?"
[AUDIENCE LAUGHING]
JOYCE: WELL, BUT SEE, OUR FLESH CRAVES THAT ATTENTION.
AND, YOU KNOW, LIKE I SAID, YOU DON'T HAVE TO GO AROUND
TRYING TO HIDE EVERYTHING YOU DO,
BUT YOU KNOW WHAT?
WE NEED TO BE CAREFUL ABOUT BRAGGING.
AND BOY, IT WAS HARD ON MY FLESH TO GET THIS STUFF EMBEDDED.
IT'S HARD TO WANT TO DO GOOD THINGS AND JUST KEEP
YOUR MOUTH SHUT ABOUT IT.
BUT YOU KNOW WHAT?
IF GOD WANTS SOMEBODY TO KNOW, THEN HE HAS WAYS
OF MAKING THAT HAPPEN OR IF YOU HAVE A GOOD REASON
FOR TELLING SOMEBODY, THEN THAT'S ANOTHER STORY.
YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES I DO SHARE THINGS IN MY LIFE
BECAUSE I'M TRYING TO USE THEM AS A TEACHING EXAMPLE,
BUT GOD KNOWS MY HEART THAT I'M NOT JUST TRYING
TO GET ATTENTION.
SO, IT ALWAYS GOES BACK TO YOUR HEART,
BACK TO YOUR HEART, BACK TO YOUR HEART.
WHAT IS YOUR MOTIVE FOR EVERYTHING THAT YOU DO?
AND THEN HE TALKS ABOUT PRAYING.
YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU PRAY, VERSE 5, "YOU MUST NOT
BE LIKE THE HYPOCRITES, FOR THEY LOVE TO PRAY
STANDING IN THE SYNAGOGUES AND ON THE CORNERS
OF THE STREETS, THAT THEY MAY BE SEEN BY PEOPLE.
TRULY I TELL YOU, THEY HAVE THEIR REWARD
IN FULL ALREADY.
WHEN YOU PRAY, GO INTO YOUR [MOST] PRIVATE ROOM,
AND, CLOSING THE DOOR, PRAY TO YOUR FATHER,
WHO SEES IN SECRET, AND HE WILL REWARD YOU IN THE OPEN."
I LOVE THAT.
WHATEVER YOU DO IN SECRET WITH A RIGHT MOTIVE,
GOD WILL REWARD YOU IN THE OPEN, COME ON.
WHATEVER YOU DO IN SECRET WITH A RIGHT MOTIVE,
GOD WILL REWARD YOU IN THE OPEN.
"AND WHEN YOU PRAY DO NOT HEAP UP PHRASES,"
I LOVE THAT, "(MULTIPLY WORDS, REPEATING THE SAME ONES
OVER AND OVER)."
"OH GOD, FORGIVE ME.
GOD, PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE, FORGIVE ME GOD.
OH GOD, IF YOU'LL JUST FORGIVE ME.
JUST ONE MORE TIME, GOD, IF YOU'LL FORGIVE ME."
WHY IS IT THAT WE THINK THE MORE WE SAY,
THE MORE GOD LISTENS?
YOU OUGHT TO TRY SOMETIME JUST ASKING GOD
FOR WHAT YOU WANT WITH THE FEWEST AMOUNT
OF WORDS POSSIBLE.
THAT JUST, NOBODY GOT THAT AT ALL, DID THEY?
[AUDIENCE LAUGHING]
JOYCE: OKAY, HEY.
[AUDIENCE LAUGHING]
JOYCE: IF WE GET LOUDER, THAN GOD PAYS MORE ATTENTION.
IF WE SOUND MORE ELOQUENT, THEN GOD PAYS MORE ATTENTION,
YOU KNOW?
NO, HEART.
"GOD, I'M SO SORRY THAT I SINNED, FORGIVE ME.
THANK YOU," PERIOD.
YOU GOT IT RIGHT.
[AUDIENCE APPLAUDING]
JOYCE: THANK YOU, ONE PERSON IS LISTENING.
[AUDIENCE APPLAUDING]
JOYCE: YOU KNOW WHAT?
WE TALK SO MUCH WHEN WE PRAY THAT WE GET TO THE POINT
WHERE WE DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT WE'RE SAYING.
[AUDIENCE LAUGHING]
JOYCE: WELL, NO MATTER WHAT YOUR SITUATION IS RIGHT NOW,
GOD'S WORD HAS THE ANSWER.
SO, I WANT TO ENCOURAGE YOU TO SPEND TIME WITH GOD DAILY,
STUDY THE WORD, AND ALLOW IT, ALONG WITH THE POWER
OF THE HOLY SPIRIT, TO CHANGE YOU.
WE CANNOT CHANGE OURSELVES, ONLY GOD CAN
AND HE USES HIS WORD TO DO IT.
TODAY, WE'RE OFFERING YOU FOUR TEACHINGS
THAT ARE VERY DEAR TO MY HEART, TOOK A LONG TIME TO DO THESE,
AND IT'S "MY FAVORITE SCRIPTURES."
THERE'S LOTS OF THEM AND TO BE HONEST,
I HAD TO STOP AT ONE POINT BECAUSE I WOULD NEVER
HAVE HAD ENOUGH CDS TO GET THEM ALL ON THERE.
BUT THESE ARE SCRIPTURES THAT WERE LIFE CHANGING TO ME,
NOT JUST SCRIPTURES THAT I LIKED,
BUT THEY WERE SCRIPTURES THAT AT A KEY TIME IN MY LIFE,
REALLY HAD AN IMPACT IN MY LIFE.
AND I THINK YOU'RE GONNA LEARN FROM THEM
AND I THINK SOME OF THEM ARE GONNA BECOME
YOUR FAVORITES TOO.
AND WE WANT EVERYBODY TO BE ABLE TO HAVE THIS
SO WE'RE OFFERING THIS TO YOU TODAY FOR YOUR GIFT
TO THE MINISTRY OF ANY AMOUNT.
I TRUST YOU, I BELIEVE YOU'LL DO YOUR BEST.
I'VE DONE MY BEST TO PRESENT THESE TEACHINGS IN A WAY
THAT I THINK CAN BE REALLY IMPACTING IN YOUR LIFE
AND I KNOW YOU'RE GONNA DO YOUR BEST TOO.
AND REMEMBER, THERE'S NOTHING LIKE THE TRANSFORMING POWER
OF GOD'S WORD, GOD BLESS YOU.
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: THE 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.
GINGER: WE ALL GO THROUGH TIMES
WHEN THE QUESTIONS IN OUR LIFE SEEM TO OUTWEIGH THE ANSWERS.
JOYCE MEYER WANTS TO HELP WITH THAT.
CHECK OUT HER NEW SHOW "EVERYDAY ANSWERS."
SEND US YOUR QUESTIONS AND JOIN US
AS WE DISCOVER LIFE'S EVERYDAY ANSWERS TOGETHER.
JOYCE: WELL, THERE'S REALLY NO SPECIAL FORMULA
TO SPENDING TIME WITH GOD.
IT'S JUST VERY IMPORTANT THAT YOU DO IT.
MAKING THIS A PRIORITY WILL CHANGE YOUR LIFE
LIKE NOTHING ELSE.
I KNOW IT HAS MINE AND NOW I WANT TO HELP YOU
ENRICH YOUR TIME WITH GOD BY SHARING SOME THOUGHTS
AND INSIGHTS FROM MY OWN LIFE IN MY BRAND-NEW DEVOTIONAL
CALLED, "MY TIME WITH GOD."
LET'S FOCUS ON HIM TOGETHER AND MY PRAYER
IS THAT THESE SCRIPTURES AND DECLARATIONS OF FAITH
WILL HELP YOU GROW DEEPER IN YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH CHRIST
A LITTLE BIT MORE EVERY SINGLE DAY.
ANNOUNCER: ORDER YOUR COPY OF JOYCE'S NEW DEVOTIONAL,
"MY TIME WITH GOD."
CALL...
OR GO TO JOYCEMEYER.ORG.
ANNOUNCER: THANK YOU, FRIENDS AND PARTNERS.
TOGETHER, WE'RE SHARING THE LOVE OF CHRIST AROUND THE WORLD.
TO FIND OUT MORE, PLEASE CONTACT US
OR VISIT US ONLINE AT JOYCEMEYER.ORG.
JOIN US IN PARTNERSHIP AS WE SHARE THE LOVE OF CHRIST
AROUND THE GLOBE.
[MUSIC]
ANNOUNCER: THE PRECEDING WAS PAID FOR
BY THE FRIENDS AND PARTNERS OF JOYCE MEYER MINISTRIES.
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