ANNOUNCER: THE FOLLOWING PROGRAM IS PAID FOR
BY THE FRIENDS AND PARTNERS OF JOYCE MEYER MINISTRIES.
[MUSIC]
JOYCE: WELL, I WOULD LIKE TO WISH YOU
A VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS.
AND AS WE CELEBRATE THE BIRTH OF CHRIST TODAY, LET'S REMEMBER
EVERYTHING THAT HE'S DONE FOR US.
ONE OF THE GREAT THINGS THAT HE'S DONE FOR US IS HE
TELLS US IN HIS WORD THAT WE CAN FORGET WHAT LIES BEHIND
AND WE CAN PRESS ON TO THE GOOD THINGS THAT ARE
AHEAD.
2 CORINTHIANS 5:17 SAYS: "IF ANYBODY IS IN CHRIST,
HE IS A NEW CREATURE.
OLD THINGS PASS AWAY, AND ALL THINGS BECOME BRAND NEW."
YOU KNOW, THIS IS REALLY GOOD NEWS.
IT'S GOOD NEWS FOR YOU TO KNOW THAT YOU DON'T HAVE TO LIVE
IN THE PAST.
SO, I PRAY THAT YOU WILL ENJOY THE TEACHING TODAY THAT ACTUALLY
SHARES MORE ABOUT THIS TOPIC.
THANK YOU FOR BEING WITH US TODAY.
[AUDIENCE APPLAUDING]
JOYCE: WELCOME TO "ENJOYING EVERYDAY LIFE."
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR TAKING TIME TO BE WITH US TODAY.
NOW, LET ME JUST SHARE WITH YOU THAT ANYTHING THAT YOU GIVE
TO GOD, HE ALWAYS MULTIPLIES IT BACK TO YOU.
SO, IN GIVING YOUR TIME TO STUDY THE WORD WITH US THIS MORNING,
I BELIEVE THAT TIME WILL BE MULTIPLIED BACK TO YOU, AND YOU
ARE GONNA HAVE AN EASIER DAY THAN YOU WOULD HAVE HAD IF YOU
WOULDN'T HAVE PUT GOD FIRST IN YOUR MORNING,
OR YOUR EVENING, OR WHENEVER IT IS YOU'RE WATCHIN'.
PHILIPPIANS CHAPTER 3, VERSE 10 IS WHAT I WANT TO TALK ABOUT
TODAY, AND IT ACTUALLY IS A VERY, VERY,
VERY POWERFUL VERSE.
PART OF WHAT I'M TRYING TO DO IN DOING THESE TEACHINGS HERE
IN THE STUDIO IS TO CONNECT WITH ALL OF YOU ON A LITTLE MORE
UP-CLOSE AND PERSONAL LEVEL, AND HOPEFULLY HELP YOU
UNDERSTAND HOW VERY IMPORTANT IT IS TO NOT JUST READ
THE BIBLE, BUT TO STUDY THE WORD.
AND I JUST FEEL LED TO ENCOURAGE YOU, DON'T THINK THAT YOU
CAN'T STUDY THE WORD.
SOME OF YOU MAY THINK, "WELL, I'M NOT SMART ENOUGH TO STUDY
THE WORD," OR, "HOW WOULD I KNOW IF I HAVE IT RIGHT?"
YOU KNOW, FIRST OF ALL, IF YOU WANNA STUDY THE WORD,
THE HOLY SPIRIT WILL HELP YOU.
AND HE IS YOUR TEACHER, AND HE CAN REVEAL THINGS TO YOU.
BUT ONE OF THE GOOD THINGS IS, IS TO DIGEST THE WORD SLOWLY.
I LOVE WHAT IT SAYS IN PSALMS SEVERAL TIMES.
AT THE END OF A PSALM, IT'LL SAY, "PAUSE
AND CALMLY THINK ABOUT THAT."
AND I DON'T THINK WE DO THAT ENOUGH IN OUR LIFE.
I THINK WE GET VERY CAUGHT UP IN TRYING TO SEE HOW MUCH WE
CAN READ FOR QUANTITY RATHER THAN QUALITY.
SO, TODAY, MY TEACHING IS ALL COMING FROM ONE VERSE
IN THE BIBLE, PHILIPPIANS 3:10,
AND I'M GONNA READ THE VERSE FIRST OUT OF
THE AMPLIFIED TRANSLATION, AND THEN WE'LL BEGIN TO LOOK
AT THE POINTS I BELIEVE THAT IT MAKES, AND WE'LL LOOK AT A FEW
OTHER SCRIPTURES AS OFFSHOOTS OF THAT.
THE APOSTLE PAUL SAID: "[FOR MY DETERMINED PURPOSE IS]
THAT I MIGHT KNOW HIM [AND THAT I MIGHT BECOME
MORE DEEPLY AND INTIMATELY--]"
WELL, HE SAID, "[THAT I MAY PROGRESSIVELY BECOME MORE DEEPLY
AND INTIMATELY ACQUAINTED WITH HIM, PERCEIVING
AND RECOGNIZING AND UNDERSTANDING THE WONDERS
OF HIS PERSON MORE STRONGLY AND MORE CLEARLY],
AND THAT I MAY IN THAT SAME WAY COME TO KNOW THE POWER
OUTFLOWING FROM HIS RESURRECTION [WHICH IT EXERTS
OVER BELIEVERS], THAT I MAY SO SHARE HIS SUFFERINGS
AS TO BE CONTINUALLY TRANSFORMED [IN SPIRIT INTO HIS LIKENESS
EVEN] INTO HIS DEATH," AND THEN IT GOES ON
TO THE NEXT VERSE, WHICH WE'RE NOT GONNA LOOK AT
RIGHT NOW.
NOW, THAT'S A LOT, AND IT'S
VERY POSSIBLE THAT PEOPLE HAVE READ THAT NUMEROUS TIMES
AND MAYBE DON'T EVEN HAVE A CLUE WHAT IT'S SAYIN'.
SO I WROTE DOWN NINE THINGS THAT I CLEARLY SEE
OUT OF THIS VERSE, AND WE'RE GONNA GO OVER THEM.
FIRST OF ALL, PAUL SAYS, "BE DETERMINED."
NOW, YOU KNOW, WE DON'T GET ANYTHING FROM GOD
JUST BY DETERMINATION.
BUT I THINK IT MIGHT ALSO BE PRETTY SAFE TO SAY WE DON'T GET
MUCH FROM HIM EITHER WITHOUT SOME DETERMINATION.
YOU KNOW WHY?
BECAUSE THE DEVIL IS ALIVE AND WELL ON PLANET EARTH,
AND ANY TIME THAT YOU TRY TO MAKE ANY KIND OF PROGRESS
IN YOUR WALK WITH GOD, HE IS RIGHT THERE TO TRY AND STOP YOU.
I MEAN, EVEN IF YOU DECIDE, "OH, MAN, I LIKE THIS TEACHING.
I'M GONNA WATCH JOYCE'S PROGRAM EVERY DAY, AND I'M GONNA BRING
MY BIBLE, AND I'M GONNA BRING A NOTEBOOK," WELL, I CAN
GUARANTEE THAT WHEN THE NEXT DAY COMES FOR YOU TO WATCH,
THERE PROBABLY WILL BE SOMETHING THAT THE ENEMY WILL COME UP
WITH, AND YOU MAY NOT EVEN RECOGNIZE IT AS THE ENEMY.
IT MAY JUST BE SOMEBODY THAT ABSOLUTELY HAS TO TALK
TO YOU RIGHT THAT MINUTE.
WELL, YOU KNOW, BELIEVE IT OR NOT, YOU COULD PUT YOUR PHONE
AWAY FOR 30 MINUTES, AND I DOUBT THAT THE WORLD WOULD STOP
TURNING ON ITS AXIS IF YOU DIDN'T HAVE ACCESS
TO YOUR PHONE.
LISTEN, I REMEMBER THE DAYS WHEN, YOU KNOW, IF YOU WANTED
TO MAKE A PHONE CALL, AND YOU WERE OUT ON THE ROAD DRIVING,
YOU HAD TO STOP AND GO TO A PAYPHONE ON THE SIDE
OF THE ROAD AND MAKE YOUR CALL.
AND I REMEMBER WHEN I WAS A TEENAGER, WE HAD
A FOUR-WAY PARTY LINE IN OUR HOUSE, AND PEOPLE DIDN'T
HANG ON THE PHONE ALL DAY, LET ALONE CARRY THE THING AROUND
WITH 'EM ALL THE TIME LIKE THEY WERE GONNA FALL APART
IF THEY DIDN'T HAVE IT EVERY TIME IT RANG.
AND WHEN YOU GOT ON THE PHONE, YOU STATED YOUR BUSINESS
AND GOT OFF BECAUSE THERE WERE OTHER PEOPLE WAITING TO GET ON.
A LOT OF TIMES, YOU PICKED THE PHONE UP, THERE WAS SOMEBODY
ALREADY TALKIN' ON IT.
THEN YOU HAD TO FIGHT THE TEMPTATION OF BEING NOSY
AND SEE WHAT THEY WERE SAYIN'.
[AUDIENCE LAUGHING]
JOYCE: AND THINGS HAVE CHANGED SO DRASTICALLY, AND WE
LOVE ALL THE CONVENIENCES THAT WE HAVE TODAY, BUT DON'T
LET YOUR PHONE AND SOCIAL MEDIA CONTROL YOU, ESPECIALLY DON'T
LET IT TAKE YOU AWAY FROM TIME WITH GOD, BECAUSE THERE'S
NOTHING MORE IMPORTANT THAN STUDYING HIS WORD.
SO, YOU GOTTA BE DETERMINED.
YOU JUST HAVE TO BE DETERMINED.
I HAVE A FAIR AMOUNT OF THAT DETERMINATION
IN MY PERSONALITY FROM GOD, AND I ACTUALLY REALLY FEEL
FOR PEOPLE WHO JUST ARE SO DRIVEN BY THEIR FEELINGS
THAT THEY ALWAYS JUST DO WHAT THEY FEEL LIKE DOING
RATHER THAN WHAT THEY KNOW THEY SHOULD DO.
THE NEXT THING HE SAYS IS, "TO REALLY KNOW HIM."
"I'M DETERMINED TO REALLY KNOW HIM."
NOW, WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?
WELL, HERE'S THE THING.
YOU KNOW, THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT KNOW ABOUT GOD.
A LOT OF 'EM, YOU KNOW, "DO YOU BELIEVE IN GOD?"
"OH, YEAH, I BELIEVE IN GOD."
A LOT OF PEOPLE KNOW ABOUT HIM, BUT THEY DON'T KNOW HIM.
THERE'S A BIG DIFFERENCE.
AND YOU KNOW WHAT?
YOU DON'T WANNA HAVE A SECONDHAND FAITH.
DON'T BELIEVE IN GOD BECAUSE YOUR MAMA BELIEVED IN GOD.
DON'T BELIEVE IN GOD BECAUSE YOUR GRANDMAMA BELIEVED IN GOD.
DON'T EVEN BELIEVE IN GOD BECAUSE I BELIEVE IN GOD
OR BECAUSE YOUR PREACHER BELIEVES IN GOD.
BELIEVE IN GOD BECAUSE YOU KNOW HIM.
THE BIBLE SAYS THAT WE ARE TO EXPERIENCE HIM IN OUR LIVES.
AND, YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES WHEN YOU USE THE WORD "EXPERIENCE,"
PEOPLE GET, "OH, WELL, YOU KNOW, WE GOTTA DO EVERYTHING BY FAITH,
NO EXPERIENCE."
WELL, YOU KNOW WHAT?
I TOTALLY AGREE THAT FAITH HAS TO COME FIRST, BUT GOD WANTS US
TO EXPERIENCE HIS GOODNESS, HIS LOVE, AND ONE OF THE WAYS
THAT YOU CAN REALLY EXPERIENCE THE LOVE OF GOD IN YOUR LIFE IS
TO WATCH FOR IT, TO BE CONSCIOUS AND AWARE OF IT, TO WATCH GOD
GIVE YOU FAVOR AND TO WATCH HIM OPEN DOORS FOR YOU.
GOD WANTS YOU TO HAVE AN EXPERIENTIAL RELATIONSHIP
WITH HIM.
NOT THAT YOU DEPEND ON EXPERIENCE.
IF I DON'T SEE SOME BIG THING HAPPEN EVERY DAY, I DON'T SAY,
"WELL, I GUESS, GOD'S NOT HERE.
I KNOW HE'S HERE BECAUSE THE WORD SAYS HE'S HERE."
BUT WE NEED THOSE TIMES IN OUR LIFE WHEN IT GETS
A LITTLE MORE REAL TO OUR SENSES.
AND SOME OF YOU HAVE TRIED TO BE A CHRISTIAN, OR YOU HAVE BEEN
A CHRISTIAN FOR 30, 40 YEARS,
AND YOU COULD NEVER REALLY SAY THAT YOU HAVE HAD AN EXPERIENCE
OF KNOWING, "THAT IS GOD WORKING IN MY LIFE.
HE OPENED THAT DOOR AND WOW, AM I AMAZED."
DON'T LET YOUR WALK WITH GOD JUST BE DEAD-LETTER LAW
FOLLOWING RULES AND REGULATIONS, BUT GET TO KNOW HIM, TO REALLY,
REALLY, REALLY KNOW HIM.
AND PAUL SAYS, AND THIS IS SO IMPORTANT FOR YOU TO REALIZE,
"TO PROGRESSIVELY KNOW HIM."
YOU SEE, GOD WORKS ON THE LAW OF GRADUAL GROWTH.
IT'S ALL OVER THE EARTH.
YOU CAN'T--A FLOWER, FOR EXAMPLE, GROWS SO SLOWLY
THAT IF YOU WATCH IT, YOU WON'T SEE IT GROW.
UNLESS YOU'RE LOOKIN' THROUGH A MICROSCOPE,
THEN YOU CAN MAYBE SEE IT.
WE SEE THOSE TV SHOWS WHERE YOU CAN SEE THEM GROW.
BUT NOW, IF YOU PLANT YOUR SEED AND YOU GO ON
ABOUT YOUR BUSINESS, YOU WATER YOUR SEED, YOU KEEP THE WEEDS
FROM CHOKING IT OUT, YOU COME BACK AT THE RIGHT
SEASON--EVERYBODY SAY, "THE RIGHT SEASON."
AUDIENCE: THE RIGHT SEASON.
JOYCE: YOU COME BACK AT THE RIGHT SEASON,
YOU'RE GONNA GO, "WOW, ALL THAT FROM A SEED."
WELL, LET ME TELL YA SOMETHIN'.
IT IS THE SAME WAY IN YOUR WALK WITH GOD.
YOU MAY NOT BE SEEING DRASTIC, MAJOR CHANGES IN YOU
OR IN YOUR LIFE OR YOUR CIRCUMSTANCES,
OR EVEN YOUR KIDS.
THAT'S WHERE YOU NEED TO HAVE FAITH AND PATIENCE.
YOU NEED TO BELIEVE THAT SOMETHING IS HAPPENING.
THE BIBLE SAYS, "WE PLANT, WE WATER, AND GOD GIVES
THE INCREASE."
I'VE BEEN THINKIN' ABOUT THAT JUST EVEN AGAIN THIS LAST WEEK.
WE PLANT, WE WATER, GOD GIVES THE INCREASE.
YOU KNOW, I JUST HAD SOMETHIN' HAPPEN RECENTLY WHERE I HAD BEEN
PRAYIN' FOR A CERTAIN INDIVIDUAL ABOUT A CERTAIN THING
10, 12 YEARS, I DON'T KNOW HOW LONG.
AND, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU'VE BEEN PRAYIN' FOR THE SAME THING
FOR A LONG TIME, AND, YOU KNOW, MAYBE ONCE IN A WHILE, YOU SEE
A LITTLE CHANGE, AND THEN THINGS SEEM TO FALL IN THE PIT AGAIN.
AND THEN YOU SEE A LITTLE CHANGE, AND THEN--YOU KNOW,
AFTER 12 YEARS, YOU CAN HAVE A DAY.
[AUDIENCE LAUGHING]
JOYCE: HOW MANY OF YOU KNOW ABOUT HAVIN' A DAY?
YOU KNOW, IT'S LIKE, "LORD, ARE YOU DOIN' ANYTHING OR NOT?"
WELL, I ACTUALLY GOT PRETTY DISCOURAGED ON ONE DAY.
AND, YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES, WHEN YOU GET DISCOURAGED,
YOU JUST THINK, "I AIN'T PRAYIN' ABOUT THAT NO MORE."
YOU EVER DO THAT?
"I AM NOT PRAYIN' ABOUT THAT ANYMORE.
I'M FINISHED PRAYIN', GOD.
IF YOU WANNA DO ANYTHING, YOU DO IT, BUT I'M NOT PRAYIN'
ANYMORE."
WELL, WE USUALLY GET OVER THAT THE NEXT DAY BECAUSE GOD WANTS
US TO BE PERSISTENT IN PRAYER.
BUT LO AND BEHOLD, ON A DAY WHEN I THOUGHT GOD WAS DOING NOTHING
BECAUSE I WASN'T FEELING ANYTHING OR SEEING ANYTHING,
I HEARD THAT THE VERY THING THAT I HAD BEEN PRAYIN' FOR
FOR 12 YEARS HAD HAPPENED.
YOU SEE, WE PLANT, WE WATER, AND GOD IS WORKING
BEHIND THE SCENES AND DOING THINGS THAT WE DON'T SEE
UNTIL ALL OF A SUDDEN, ALL OF A SUDDEN,
THEN WE SEE THE RESULT OF IT.
SO, IT'S LIKE THAT LITTLE FLOWER.
YOU KNOW, IF YOU TRY TO WATCH SOMEBODY CHANGE--
[AUDIENCE LAUGHING]
JOYCE: "WELL, YOU'RE NOT CHANGIN'.
WELL, MAYBE A LITTLE.
WELL, NO, I DON'T THINK YOU'RE CHANGIN' AT ALL."
OR IF YOU TRY TO WATCH YOURSELF CHANGE.
YOU KNOW, TRYIN' TO WATCH YOURSELF CHANGE IS LIKE PLAYIN'
THAT GAME, "WHACK-A-MOLE."
IT'S LIKE YOU, YOU KNOW, YOU BEAT DOWN ONE THING, AND IT
POPS BACK UP SOMEWHERE ELSE.
AND SO, WE HAVE TO GIVE GOD TIME TO WORK IN OUR HEARTS
AND TO CHANGE OUR HEARTS.
AND ALWAYS REMEMBER THAT HE WORKS
BY THE LAW OF GRADUAL GROWTH.
2 CORINTHIANS 3:18 SAYS THAT: "AS WE LOOK
INTO THE WORD OF GOD, AS WE CONTINUE," IT SAYS,
"TO LOOK INTO THE WORD OF GOD."
EVERYBODY SAY, "CONTINUE."
AUDIENCE: CONTINUE.
JOYCE: SAY IT AGAIN.
AUDIENCE: CONTINUE.
JOYCE: IF YOU'RE WHERE YOU CAN TALK RIGHT NOW, SAY,
"CONTINUE."
THAT'S ALL RIGHT, YOU CAN DO IT AGAIN, SEE,
CONTINUE, AS WE CONTINUE, AND WE DO IT OVER AND OVER AND OVER
AND OVER AND OVER AND OVER AND OVER AND OVER, WELL,
YOU KNOW, I'VE GOT A LOT OF VICTORY IN MY LIFE NOW,
BUT I'VE BEEN DOIN' THIS 40 YEARS, 40 YEARS.
AND SO, SOME OF YOU MIGHT BE ON DAY 1, AND YOU'RE THINKIN',
"40 YEARS, MY GOSH."
WELL, BUT IT'S NOT THAT I ALL OF A SUDDEN HAD NOTHING
HAPPENING FOR 40 YEARS, AND NOW ALL OF A SUDDEN I'VE GOT
THIS DOWNLOAD OF VICTORY.
YOU KNOW, THINGS CHANGE LITTLE BY LITTLE.
SOMETIMES, IT'S SO LITTLE THAT YOU DON'T EVEN
PAY ATTENTION TO IT LIKE YOU SHOULD.
THAT'S WHY I THINK WE NEED TO CELEBRATE EVEN OUR TINY
VICTORIES MORE THAN WE DO, MORE THAN WE DO.
YOU KNOW, MARILYN, ONE OF THE PEOPLE
HERE IN THE STUDIO TODAY, SHE HAD AN ILLNESS,
HORRIBLE PAIN, LOTS OF PROBLEMS, YEAR AND A HALF, 2 YEARS,
WHATEVER IT WAS, NUMBER OF SURGERIES, ON AND ON
AND ON, AND NOW SHE'S WELL.
WELL, YOU KNOW WHAT?
I STILL, COUPLE TIMES A WEEK, THANK GOD FOR MARILYN'S HEALING.
SOMETIMES WE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE BEGGIN' GOD TO HELP US, AND BOY,
WE CAN SURE BE DILIGENT IN THAT.
WE'RE DETERMINED TO KEEP AT BEGGING GOD TO HELP US.
BUT THEN WE GET OUR VICTORY AND WE MIGHT BE THANKFUL
FOR A COUPLE DAYS, AND THEN WE GO ON TO ANOTHER PROBLEM WE
NEED GOD TO HELP US WITH.
AND I THINK IT'S GOOD TO KEEP A LIST OF THE THINGS THAT GOD
HAS DONE FOR US.
SO, ESPECIALLY ON THOSE DAYS WHEN WE'RE DISCOURAGED ABOUT
SOME NEW PROBLEM, WE CAN GO BACK TO THAT AND SAY, "YOU KNOW WHAT?
IF GOD DID IT ONCE, HE CAN DO IT AGAIN."
AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO SAY,
AND I SAY MYSELF, IS,
"GOD IS WORKING."
WHEN YOU FEEL THE MOST DISCOURAGED, OPEN YOUR MOUTH
AND SAY, "GOD IS WORKING."
AND I BELIEVE THAT WITH ALL MY HEART BECAUSE IF
YOU'RE FAITHFUL AND YOU LOVE GOD AND YOU'RE PRAYIN',
AND TO THE BEST OF YOUR ABILITY, YOU'RE TRYIN' TO SERVE HIM,
AND YOU'RE NOT SEEING ANY FRUIT, THEN MAYBE YOU NEED TO WATCH
A LITTLE BIT MORE CLOSELY AND CELEBRATE
YOUR LITTLE VICTORIES.
SOME OF YOU TODAY ARE PROBABLY REALLY DISCOURAGED
OVER SOMETHING YOU DID.
LIKE, "WELL, AM I EVEN SAVED?
YOU KNOW, I DON'T EVEN KNOW IF I'M SAVED.
HOW CAN I BE SAVED AND EVEN ACT LIKE THAT?"
WELL, NOW, WAIT A MINUTE.
LET'S THINK ABOUT THE WAY YOU USED TO BE A LONG TIME AGO.
AND I'LL TELL YOU WHAT, GOD HAS CHANGED ME, MAN.
I WAS TELLIN' SOMEBODY THIS MORNING, WHEN I
FIRST STARTED WALKIN' WITH GOD, I WAS NOT ALL THAT FRIENDLY.
I WAS A PRETTY--I MEAN, IT WASN'T LIKE A MEAN THING,
BUT I WAS JUST PRETTY INTENSE, AND INTO MYSELF, AND, YOU KNOW,
I JUST DIDN'T WANNA MESS WITH IT, YOU KNOW?
ESPECIALLY BEIN' FRIENDLY WITH STRANGERS.
I MEAN, WHO WANTS TO TALK TO A STRANGER?
I DIDN'T WANNA TALK TO A STRANGER.
I DIDN'T WANNA BE FRIENDLY WITH SOMEBODY ON A ELEVATOR
THAT I DIDN'T KNOW OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
AND GOD HAS CHANGED ME SO MUCH THAT I WALK NOW EVERY MORNING,
AND I'VE STARTED CARRYIN' DOG TREATS WITH ME.
I AM FRIENDLY WITH THE DOGS ON THE STREET.
[AUDIENCE LAUGHING]
JOYCE: I MEAN, THERE'S WOODY, AND THERE'S FIONA, AND ALL
THESE DOG FRIENDS I HAVE NOW.
AND SO, I HAVE EVEN NOW GOT TO WHERE I FELLOWSHIP
WITH OTHER PEOPLE'S DOGS.
I MEAN, THAT'S GOIN' TO THE RADICAL EXTREME
OF BEIN' FRIENDLY.
EVERYBODY SAY, "GOD IS CHANGING ME."
AUDIENCE: GOD IS CHANGING ME.
JOYCE: AND GOD IS CHANGING YOU TOO.
AND IF YOU DON'T HAVE A RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD
THROUGH CHRIST, LET ME TELL YA, HE WANTS TO WORK IN YOUR LIFE.
AND THERE'S GONNA BE A NUMBER ON YOUR SCREEN.
AT THE END OF THIS PROGRAM, YOU CAN CALL IT, OR IF YOU WANT TO,
YOU CAN CALL IT RIGHT NOW BECAUSE YOU RECEIVING CHRIST IS
MORE IMPORTANT THAN EVEN HEARING THE REST OF WHAT I'M GONNA SAY.
AND YOU JUST--SOMEBODY THERE, YOU SAY, "I WAS WATCHIN'
THE PROGRAM, AND I WANNA RECEIVE CHRIST.
I WANT YOU TO PRAY WITH ME," AND SOMEBODY ON THAT PHONE
IS GONNA PRAY WITH YOU AND LEAD YOU INTO A RELATIONSHIP
WITH JESUS CHRIST.
DON'T LIVE A LONELY, ALONE LIFE TRYIN' TO DO EVERYTHING
YOURSELF.
GOD WANTS TO HELP YOU.
HE'S CONCERNED ABOUT EVERYTHING THAT CONCERNS YOU,
BUT IT'S A PROCESS.
DON'T GET DISCOURAGED IF YOU'RE NOT WHERE YOU NEED TO BE.
ENJOY WHERE YOU'RE AT ON THE WAY TO WHERE YOU'RE GOING.
DID YOU HEAR ME?
ENJOY WHERE YOU'RE AT ON THE WAY TO WHERE YOU'RE GOING.
IT'S TRAGIC TO NOT ENJOY
YOURSELF.
KNOW HIM DEEPLY IS ANOTHER POINT.
THAT'S POINT NUMBER FOUR.
KNOW HIM DEEPLY.
YOU KNOW, IF YOU WANNA DO AN INTERESTING BIBLE STUDY
SOMETIMES, AND ONE OF THE WAYS TO STUDY THE BIBLE IS TO USE
A CONCORDANCE.
I MEAN, IT'S SO EASY TODAY.
ALL YOU GOTTA DO IS GET ONLINE AND JUST PUT IN, "WHAT DOES
THE BIBLE SAY ABOUT DEEP RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD?"
I MEAN, YOU CAN ASK ANYTHING AND JUST GET A WHOLE LIST
OF SCRIPTURES.
YOU'D BE SURPRISED.
EVEN SOME OF MY STUFF COMES UP ON THERE.
[AUDIENCE LAUGHING]
JOYCE: YOU WRITE ON THERE, "QUOTES ABOUT RELATIONSHIP
WITH GOD," AND THERE IT COMES, LIKE, A LOT OF PEOPLE, AND I'M
ONE OF 'EM, THAT CAN TELL YOU ALL KINDS OF THINGS.
I KINDA GET A KICK OUT OF IT WHEN I'M ASKIN' THE COMPUTER
A QUESTION, AND IT GIVES ME MY ANSWER.
[AUDIENCE LAUGHING]
JOYCE: I THINK THAT'S PRETTY FUNNY.
"JOYCE MEYER SAID," AND I'M LIKE, "OH, DID I SAY THAT?"
[AUDIENCE LAUGHING]
JOYCE: BUT IT'S NOT HARD TO STUDY NOW.
I MEAN, MY GOODNESS, STUDYIN' 40 YEARS AGO WAS
A WHOLE DIFFERENT THING THAN STUDYIN' NOW.
I MEAN, WE HAVE GOT A WEALTH OF INFORMATION AND KNOWLEDGE
RIGHT AT OUR FINGERTIPS.
IT'S ALMOST LIKE SO WRONG TO NOT STUDY THE WORD
BECAUSE IT'S REALLY NOT HARD.
ALL YOU NEED TO DO IS JUST SET ASIDE SOME TIME FOR IT.
JUST SET ASIDE A LITTLE BIT OF TIME.
BUT ANYWAY, YOU COULD TAKE SOMETHING LIKE,
"WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY ABOUT A DEEPER RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD?"
AND BOY, ALL THESE SCRIPTURES ARE GONNA COME UP
ABOUT DEPTH, DEPTH.
DON'T BE JUST A SURFACY, FLESHLY PERSON.
GET SOME DEPTH IN YOUR LIFE, WHERE YOU LOOK BEYOND THE WAY
THINGS LOOK LIKE TO WHAT THEY REALLY ARE, AND YOU GET TO KNOW
HIM DEEPLY.
KNOW HIS CHARACTER.
KNOW WHO HE IS.
PAY ATTENTION TO THE THINGS THAT HE'S DOING IN YOUR LIFE.
THE BIBLE SAYS, "WE ARE TO BE ROOTED AND FOUNDED
DEEP IN THE LOVE OF GOD," DEEP IN THE LOVE OF GOD.
THAT MEANS THAT YOU SHOULD KNOW SO CERTAINLY THAT GOD LOVES YOU
THAT NO TRIAL, NO TRAGEDY, NO DIFFICULTY, NO DRY TIME WITH GOD
CAN EVER TAKE AWAY THE TRUTH THAT YOU BELIEVE
THAT GOD LOVES YOU.
AND LET ME TELL YA SOMETHIN', THAT'S WHAT THE WORLD
IS LOOKIN' FOR.
THAT'S WHAT IT'S LOOKIN' FOR.
KNOW HIM DEEPLY.
KNOW HIM INTIMATELY.
AND I LOVE THAT.
LISTEN, DON'T HAVE ANY ROOMS IN YOUR LIFE CLOSED OFF TO GOD.
LET HIM INTO EVERY AREA.
YOU KNOW WHAT? CAN I TELL YOU A SECRET?
HE KNOWS EVERYTHING ANYWAY.
[AUDIENCE LAUGHING]
JOYCE: HE KNOWS EVERYTHING ANYWAY.
DON'T EVER THINK, "WELL, I DON'T THINK I'LL TELL GOD THAT."
GUESS WHAT? HE KNOWS.
"KNOW HOW WONDERFUL HE IS," PAUL SAID.
OH, MY GOSH, HE IS SO WONDERFUL, SO AMAZING.
YOU SHOULD TALK TO HIM ABOUT HOW WONDERFUL HE IS.
I JUST MADE A QUICK LIST.
MAKE YOUR OWN LIST.
HE'S FAITHFUL, HE'S GOOD, HE'S KIND, HE'S MERCIFUL, HE'S
FORGIVING, HE'S LOVING, HE'S POWERFUL, HE'S UNDERSTANDING,
HE'S A GOD OF JUSTICE, HE'S BEAUTIFUL, AMAZING.
HE HEALS, HE RESTORES, HE RENEWS, HE REVITALIZES.
HE'S SO WONDERFUL.
I SCRATCH MY HEAD IN TOTAL LACK
OF UNDERSTANDING OF WHY ANYBODY WOULD NOT WANT A RELATIONSHIP
WITH GOD.
I DO NOT UNDERSTAND THE WAY THE WORLD IS GOING TODAY,
WHERE PEOPLE ARE--YOU KNOW, I'M WORKING REALLY HARD IN MY LIFE,
AND HAVE GIVEN MY LIFE TO HELPING PEOPLE KNOW GOD
AND TO HAVE FAITH IN GOD.
AND YOU KNOW THAT THERE ARE PEOPLE THAT ARE ACTUALLY WORKING
ABOUT AS HARD AS I AM TRYING TO GET PEOPLE NOT TO BELIEVE
IN GOD?
IT'S LIKE, I MEAN, IT IS A DEMONIC THING THAT'S GOIN' ON
IN OUR WORLD TODAY.
AND LET ME TELL YA SOMETHIN'.
YOU GOT NOTHIN' IF YOU DON'T HAVE GOD IN YOUR LIFE.
BECAUSE LET ME TELL YA SOMETHIN', THIS IS ALL
GONNA BE OVER SOMEDAY.
EVERYTHING THAT WE CURRENTLY SEE, THE BIBLE SAYS,
IS ALREADY PASSING AWAY.
YOU DIDN'T BRING ANYTHING INTO THE WORLD, AND YOU'RE NOT
GONNA TAKE ANYTHING OUT.
AND HOW LONELY IT WOULD BE TO LIVE YOUR LIFE AND ACTUALLY
THINK THAT YOU STRUGGLE THROUGH LIFE, AND THEN THERE'S NOTHING.
I MEAN, THERE'S LIFE AFTER THIS LIFE HERE.
IT'S CALLED ETERNITY, AND YOU'RE GONNA SPEND IT SOMEWHERE.
[AUDIENCE LAUGHING]
JOYCE: AND I CAN TELL YA, THE OPTIONS ARE NOT TOO MANY.
IT'S HEAVEN OR HELL, AND I THINK THAT YOU DEFINITELY WANT TO PICK
HEAVEN.
YOU WANT TO SPEND ETERNITY WITH HIM.
AND JUST THINK ABOUT THIS.
HOWEVER YOU CHOOSE TO LIVE YOUR LIFE, IF YOU CHOOSE TO LIVE
IT GOOD, WHEN YOU PASS OUT OF THIS LIFE AND YOU STAND
IN FRONT OF GOD, YOU'RE GONNA BE ABLE TO STAND
THERE WITHOUT FEAR.
BUT IF YOU CHOOSE A WRETCHED LIFE OF SIN AND MISERY
AND TRYIN' TO MAKE EVERYBODY AROUND YOU MISERABLE, THE BIBLE
SAYS IN ROMANS 14:12 THAT: "THE TIME WILL COME
WHEN EVERY MAN," EVERY MAN, "WILL STAND BEFORE GOD
AND GIVE AN ACCOUNT OF HIMSELF."
AND I TELL YOU WHAT.
I WOULD NOT WANNA BE ONE OF THOSE PEOPLE WHO HAVE
SPENT THEIR LIFE TRYING TO GET PEOPLE NOT TO BELIEVE IN GOD.
SO, ONCE AGAIN, IF YOU DON'T HAVE A RELATIONSHIP WITH CHRIST,
THERE'S GONNA BE A NUMBER ON YOUR SCREEN.
YOU CALL THAT.
LET SOMEBODY TALK TO YOU ABOUT WHAT IT TRULY MEANS TO BE
A CHRISTIAN.
MAYBE YOU'VE HAD A BAD EXPERIENCE WITH CHURCH,
OR YOU'VE HAD A BAD EXPERIENCE WITH SOMETHING YOU THOUGHT
WAS GOD.
MAYBE YOU ASKED GOD TO HELP YOU AND YOU WENT TO A CHURCH
THAT JUST DUMPED ALL KINDS OF RULES AND REGULATIONS ON YOU.
OR MAYBE THEY WEREN'T EVEN FRIENDLY OR THEY DIDN'T WELCOME
YOU BECAUSE YOU HAD THINGS ABOUT YOU THAT THEY DIDN'T APPROVE OF.
BUT I CAN TELL YOU SOMETHIN'.
THAT'S PEOPLE, IT'S NOT GOD.
THAT IS NOT GOD.
AND HIS ARMS ARE OPEN WIDE TO YOU TODAY.
HE LOVES YOU SO MUCH.
HE WANTS TO HELP YOU.
HE WANTS TO GET INVOLVED IN YOUR LIFE.
AND ALL YOU NEED TO DO IS BELIEVE AND INVITE HIM
TO COME IN.
KNOW HOW WONDERFUL HE IS.
OH, AND I LOVE THE SEVENTH POINT.
KNOW HIS RESURRECTION POWER.
AND THE NEXT VERSE SAYS, "THAT LIFTS US OUT
FROM AMONG THE DEAD EVEN WHILE WE'RE IN THE BODY."
NOW, WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?
IT DOESN'T MEAN THAT I WON'T HAVE ANY ISSUES,
BUT HERE'S WHAT IT MEANS.
THERE'S A PLACE IN GOD THAT EVEN WHEN I AM HAVING TROUBLE, WHEN I
DON'T UNDERSTAND WHAT'S GOIN' ON IN MY LIFE, WHEN THINGS ARE NOT
WORKIN' OUT MY WAY, WHEN I'M SICK, WHEN I'M IN PAIN, THERE'S
A PLACE IN GOD THAT, ALTHOUGH I'M STILL HERE ON THIS EARTH
AND MY BODY IS SUFFERING, SPIRITUALLY, I CAN BE LIFTED
ABOVE THAT AND I CAN HAVE HOPE, HOPE.
I LOVE HOPE.
HOPE IS SO POWERFUL.
IT'S OUR INHERITANCE TO HAVE HOPE.
AND I CAN HAVE FAITH AND BELIEVE THAT GOD'S GONNA TAKE EVERYTHING
AND WORK IT OUT FOR GOOD, IN JESUS' NAME, AMEN,
EVERYTHING.
YOU CAN HAVE THAT HOPE.
YOU CAN HAVE THAT FAITH IN YOUR LIFE.
YOU KNOW WHAT?
I FEEL VERY STRONGLY TODAY THAT LOTS OF PEOPLE ARE GONNA
CALL AND GIVE THEIR LIFE TO CHRIST.
I FEEL THAT THERE'S SOME OF YOU, YOU JUST TURNED YOUR TELEVISION
ON TODAY AND YOU SAY, "WELL, I ACCIDENTALLY CAME
ACROSS THIS PROGRAM."
NO, YOU DID NOT ACCIDENTALLY DO ANYTHING.
GOD LED YOU, AND I'M ASKING YOU, PLEASE DON'T TURN AWAY FROM GOD
ONE MORE TIME AND THINK YOU CAN PUT IT OFF TILL SOME OTHER TIME.
HE'S REACHING OUT TO YOU RIGHT NOW, SAYING, "COME UNTO ME,
ALL YOU THAT LABOR AND ARE HEAVY LADEN,
AND I WILL GIVE YOU REST."
CALL, LET US HELP YOU.
KNOW HIS RESURRECTION POWER.
NOW, YOU'RE NOT GONNA LIKE THE EIGHTH POINT,
BUT IT'S IN HERE, SO I GOTTA TELL IT TO YOU.
"AND SHARE HIS SUFFERINGS SO AS TO BE CONTINUALLY
TRANSFORMED INTO HIS IMAGE."
NOW, WE'RE WILLING TO GO
THROUGH THINGS IF THAT'S WHAT IT'S GONNA TAKE FOR GOD
TO CHANGE US, AMEN?
AND EVEN IN OUR TROUBLES, I CAN TELL YOU THERE ARE
THOUSANDS UPON THOUSANDS UPON HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE
THAT WOULD TELL YOU THAT IN THEIR DARKEST HOUR
WAS WHEN THEY GOT TO KNOW GOD THE MOST, AMEN?
IS THAT TRUE?
THAT'S VERY TRUE.
AND SO, THEN YOU ACTUALLY COME TO THE POINT OF SAYIN',
"I WOULDN'T TRADE MY TROUBLES FOR ANYTHING, BECAUSE IT WAS
DURING THOSE TIMES THAT I HAD NOBODY BUT GOD AND I REACHED
OUT TO HIM AND HE DID AMAZING, AMAZING THINGS IN MY LIFE.
AND, YOU KNOW, I WISH WE HAD A LOT MORE TIME TODAY,
BUT WE DON'T.
BUT GOOD NEWS, WE HAVE TEACHING RECORDED FOR YOU THAT YOU
CAN GET AND YOU CAN LISTEN TO IN YOUR CAR, IN YOUR HOME.
PLEASE INVEST YOUR MONEY IN THE WORD OF GOD.
THERE'S--YOU'RE GONNA BUY SOMETHIN' PROBABLY TODAY.
YOU KNOW WHAT?
MAYBE IT'S SOMETHIN' THAT WON'T EVEN DO YA ANY GOOD.
WHY DON'T YOU THINK ABOUT INVESTING IN THE WORD OF GOD
AND LETTING THIS--LET THIS CONTINUE TO WORK IN YOUR LIFE?
THIS IS CALLED "HOW TO RELEASE GOD'S POWER IN YOUR LIFE,
HOW TO ACCESS HIS STRENGTH TO OVERCOME EVERY PROBLEM
THAT YOU FACE."
YOU KNOW WHAT?
IF THIS WASN'T MINE, I'D BUY IT MYSELF.
IT SOUNDS SO GOOD.
[AUDIENCE LAUGHING]
JOYCE: IT ACTUALLY PROBABLY WOULDN'T HURT ME TO LISTEN
TO SOME OF MY OWN STUFF SOMETIMES.
HEY, THANK YOU FOR JOINING US TODAY.
WE REALLY APPRECIATE YOU BEIN' WITH US, AND I'M LOOKING FORWARD
TO YOUR TESTIMONY OF VICTORY IN YOUR LIFE.
GOD BLESS YOU.
[AUDIENCE APPLAUDING]
ANNOUNCER: EVERYDAY LIFE IS OFTEN A BLEND OF GOOD TIMES
AND DIFFICULT MOMENTS.
YOU CAN DEPEND UPON GOD'S IMMEASURABLE HELP.
JOYCE'S FOUR-PART CD SERIES, "HOW TO RELEASE GOD'S POWER
IN YOUR LIFE," IS ESPECIALLY USEFUL WHEN YOUR CHALLENGES
SEEM MORE THAN YOU CAN HANDLE.
FOR A DONATION OF...OR MORE, YOU'LL RECEIVE
JOYCE'S FOUR-PART AUDIO SERIES, "HOW TO RELEASE GOD'S POWER
IN YOUR LIFE" BY CALLING OUR TOLL-FREE NUMBER...
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 WANNA 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.
JOYCE: REFUSE TO COMPROMISE.
NOW, I JUST WONDER WHEN I MAKE THAT STATEMENT WHAT KINDA
THOUGHTS THAT GIVES YOU.
YOU KNOW, A COMPROMISE ALWAYS LEADS
TO A LOW STANDARD OF LIVING, WHICH IS NEVER PLEASING TO GOD.
OUR GOAL SHOULD ALWAYS BE TO LIVE AN EXCEPTIONAL LIFE.
ANNOUNCER: YOU MEAN MORE TO US AT JOYCE MEYER MINISTRIES
THAN YOU MAY EVER KNOW.
WE APPRECIATE YOU, AND WE THANK OUR FRIENDS AND PARTNERS
FOR MAKING THIS WORLDWIDE MINISTRY POSSIBLE.
TOGETHER, WE'RE FEEDING THE HUNGRY, CLOTHING THE POOR,
AND PRESENTING THE GOSPEL TO THE NATIONS.
PLEASE CONTACT US OR VISIT JOYCEMEYER.ORG TODAY TO SHARE
YOUR PRAYER REQUESTS, FIND OUT MORE ABOUT OUR RESOURCES,
SEE JOYCE'S CONFERENCE SCHEDULE, AND TO JOIN US IN PARTNERSHIP
AS WE SHARE THE LOVE OF CHRIST AROUND THE GLOBE.
CC BY ABERDEEN CAPTIONING 1-800-688-6621 ABERCAP.COM
ANNOUNCER: THE PRECEDING WAS PAID FOR
BY THE FRIENDS AND PARTNERS OF JOYCE MEYER MINISTRIES.
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