[Audience applauding]
[Joel] God bless you
it's great to be with you today and
I hope you'll stay connected with us
during the week. Our daily podcast,
or YouTube channel, social media,
and you can come visit us in person.
We'd love to have you be apart
of one of our services.
I like to start with something funny and
I heard about these brothers
ages 4 and 6.
They were spending the night
at their grandmothers house and
she told them before they went to bed
to make sure they said their prayers.
They went to their bedroom and
got down on their knees and
the youngest brother started praying
at the top of his lungs.
God, I pray for a new bicycle, pray for a
PlayStation. I pray for a puppy .
His brother stopped and said
Why are you screaming?
God is not deaf. He said I know that.
But grandmother is.
[Audience laughing]
Say it like you mean it. This is my bible
I am what it says I am
I have what it says I have
I can do what it says I can do.
Today I will be taught the word of God.
I boldly confess, my mind is alert,
my heart is receptive,
I will never be the same.
In Jesus name. God bless you.
I want to talk to you today about
not getting sidetracked. God has a best
track for all of our lives.
A path that leads to our divine purpose.
It's filled with opportunity, favor and
protection.
But along the way their will be forces
trying to get us off course.
That will compromise.
Hanging around the wrong people, living
offended. These are all distractions to
keep us from our destiny.
The enemy cannot stop your purpose
but if he can get you sidetracked,
entangled, fighting battles that
don't matter. Busy doing good things but
not the best. Then he can keep you
from your purpose.
Proverbs 4 says "look straight ahead,
stick to the path and stay safe.
Do not get sidetracked."
God knew there would be all these
opportunities to get off course. If your
going to reach your highest potential
you have to recognize what's a
distraction and what's important.
What you should spend your time on,
what's valuable, what's making you better,
causing you to grow and what's dragging
you down. Causing you to compromise.
Paul said in Ephesians "To make the most
of your time, not living vague, but with
purpose, in every step."
Time is one of the most valuable things
that you have.
Once we live this day, you can never
get it back.
Just like you spend your money, you are
spending your time.
But your time is more valuable than money.
You can make more money but you can't
make more time.
Are you investing your time, living with
purpose, on course, pursing your dreams
or are you wasting your time?
Living vague, distracted playing on
social media, taking the easy way out.
This day is a gift from God,
We have a responsibility to live focused,
wisely, making the most of it.
On a regular basis, you need to evaluate
how you're spending your time.
Are you on that best path?
Honoring God. Doing what he put in your
heart. Or have you gotten sidetracked?
Holding a grudge, mad at that
family member, jealous of that coworker.
Trying to outperform them. Hanging around
friends that bring out the work in you.
The fact is we've all gotten of course
at times. Made mistakes, been distracted.
The good news is that you can get back on
course. It's not too late. You haven't
gotten too far off. You can still become
who you were created to be.
Now you have to do your part and make
a course correction.
Recognize what is a distraction.
An entanglement, what's got you busy
spinning wheels, but not going anywhere.
Make the necessary adjustments.
You have a destiny to fulfill.
There's a calling on your life.
An assignment for you to accomplish.
How you spend your time, will determine
whether you fulfill that best plan, see
God do more than you can imagine or
whether you get stuck and having to settle
for a life mediocrity.
In the scripture, Samson's birth was
predicted by the prophets. His mother was
bearing and an angel appeared.
Said she would bear a son and
He would leave the Israelites.
That his hair was never to be cut.
Long hair was a sign that he was dedicated
to God.
She gave birth to Samson and I can imagine
as a little boy. She told him Samson
there is a calling on your life.
An angel appeared to me, you're going
to do something great.
He'd heard this since he was a child.
One time when he was a young man
he was walking down a road
and this Lion attacked him
The scripture says "The spirit of the Lord
powerfully took control of him."
He ripped the Lion apart with his
bare hands.
That was the first time he recognized
there was something different about him.
He knew he had this incredible calling.
That God had raised him up to save his
people.
Whenever you have a great assignment
the enemy will always come with
distractions, temptations, opportunities
to compromise. He will bring people
to try to bait you into conflict.
That is not a part of your destiny.
His goal is to get you sidetracked,
of course. Where you're not focusing on
what your called to do. You're entangled
in things that don't matter.
You may wonder why people come against you
and you struggle with that same tempation,
you don't feel like being disciplined.
It's because there is a great calling on
your life.
The enemy would leave you alone if he
didn't know you were a threat.
He's not fighting you for where you are,
he is fighting you for where you are going
He knows there is greatness in you.
Sometimes he can see our potential better
than we can.
He knows you're a giant killer,
a history maker, your destined to take
your family to new levels.
So, what's his strategy?
Get you distracted, jealous, compromised,
busy doing things that are not a part
of your destiny.
You would think Samson that since
he had this supernatural strength.
He heard about the angel prophesize his
birth. He would go out of his way to make
good decisions, be responsible with God
had given him.
He let his guard down, started hanging
around the wrong people. He married a
girl from the city of Tenma.
She was a philistine. The philistine's
were the ones oppressing the Israelites.
He was supposed to deliver the from
the philistines instead he's sleeping with
a philistine. He had this incredible gift
all this power. What does he do?
He starts telling riddles to the enemy.
He made a bet, if you can figure out
my riddle. I'll give you 60 white robes
and if not, you give me 60 robes.
Playing games, not focused on the
destiny, he was called to.
This led to all kinds of conflict.
He killed 1,000 philistines.
He tore the gates of the city and carried
them off. They couldn't figure out how
to stop him.
He fell in love with another philistine
women named Delilah.
She kept asking him about where
his power came from. He would make up
things and tease her.
Would never tell her the secret was his
long hair.
she nagged him and nagged him
and nagged him. A man can only take so
much nagging that he finally gave in.
The philistines cut his hair while he was
sleeping.
They came to capture him.
He stood ready to fight but this time
there was no supernatural strength.
No power to overcome.
He had lost what God had given him.
I can imagine many times along the way
he heard a still small voice saying
come on Samson get back on course,
quit playing around with your destiny.
Be responsible for what I entrusted
you with.
God will always give us opportunities
to have a course correction.
He doesn't hold our faults against us
he doesn't say man you're done, you
made too many mistakes. There will come a
time where that window of grace
will close.
Where if you're not going to be
responsible with the gifts, the favor, the
opportunity. God will force things
to change.
Doesn't mean you're not going to have
another chance but he is not going
to let you stay of course
and be comfortable.
Just ask Jonah, sitting in the belly
of a whale.
Samson could always count on this
supernatural strength.
Thinking I can tell riddles, I can
compromise, hangout with the enemy,
no big deal. I've got a secret weapon.
But Paul said I do not frustrate the
grace of God.
God will never run out of grace,
never run out of mercy but if you take it
for granted. It may not be there in the
same way.
Samson's story is not in the scripture to
depress us. It actually has a good ending.
It's there to challenge us, to make
course corrections.
Pay attention to the still small voice.
That thing that is bother your conscience
You know that friend is not good for you
or you need to spend more time with
your children. Less on the computer,
or you need to ignore that coworker that
gets on your nerves.
Not let is upset you everyday.
That's the enemy trying to get you
sidetracked. You don't have time for that.
The angel may have not prophesized your
birth like Samson but before you were
formed in your mother's womb, the most
high God knew you and planned out your day
he has given you gifts, talents,
opportunities. Are you making the most of
each day? Spending your time wisely,
or have you gotten sidetracked?
Like Samson playing with the enemy,
compromising, not serious about your gifts
This is time for course correction.
To get focused, to be on purpose, to make
decisions that honor God.
Life is going by so fast it seems like
just yesterday I graduated from
high school. I look up now I'm 39
years old. [Audience laughing]
We don't have time to be distracted.
We have a purpose to fulfill.
It's interesting what Jesus told about the
talents. One man had 1, another had 2,
and the 3rd had 5.
They all went out and doubled what
they had.
Expect the man with 1. He was afraid
and hid his talent.
The owner said take from him the one
and give to the one who has five.
The scripture says the man who has used
well, what has given him.
The point is if you don't use well
what's been given to you.
Eventually it will be taken away.
That is what happened to Samson.
He didn't fulfill the best plan.
Having his eyes gouged out, the enemy
making fun of him. That was not God's best
I don't want us to come to the end of life
and be like Samson.
Man, I made it but were beat up,
broke, addicted, lonely.
That is not your destiny.
Samson would have had a different story
if he had not gotten sidetracked.
This should stir us up to stay focused.
To stay on course, to deal with things
that we know are not right.
There is no shame in getting of course,
were human, we make mistakes.
There is shame in staying off course.
No matter what you've done, how much
time you wasted.
You can still get back on course.
You are in a window of grace today.
You have not missed your chance, you
would not be hearing this if God wasn't
giving you the mercy, the grace, and the
power to make changes.
Let's not be a Samson, have all this power
favor, anointing, and then get
sidetracked.
Waste our time, rather than invest it.
If you will use well what God has given
you. You know what will happen?
God will give you more.
When he can trust you to be a good
steward of your gifts, time, and
you stay focused. You get rid of
distractions. He will take you further
than you ever dreamed.
But sometimes it's not the major things,
like way we got way off course like Samson
It can be little things like time
and energy.
Jealous of a coworker, competing with them
, trying to prove your worth and prove
your talent.
If you live with that proving mentality,
it's like you're on a treadmill that's
never going to stop.
Because there will always be someone more
talented, more attractive, more successful
That's a distraction. You're not running
their race. The only person you should
compete with is yourself.
Have a goal to be better next year,
than you are right now. Be healthier,
smarter, kinder, more generous, to be
closer to God.
You'll never reach your potential if your
competing with others, basing your
worth and value on how you measure
up to them.
Successful people are so focused on what
their doing, they don't have time to look
around at others.
One translation of Proverbs 4 says
"Don't look to the left or to the right,
stay focused on the goal."
Quit competing, quit comparing, and
run your race."
I talked to a gentleman after service and
he told how a relationship he was in
didn't last. He had given it his best but
the woman had other ideas and walked
away. Broke his heart, so angry and bitter
I realize that's very painful.
Things happen in life that we
don't understand. There is a time where we
have to heal and give ourselves grace to
get strong again.
You can't let a season of mourning
turn into a lifetime of mourning.
If you don't let it go, it will poison
your life.
He was so upset, I thought it happened
a mother ago. I asked him when it happened
He said this happened in 1997.
I didn't say anything but I calculated in
my mind. 2007, 2017, 2020.
That was 27 years ago. Yes, we all have
hurts. Disappointments, bad breaks but at
some point you have to move on with your
life. The enemy would love to use that
hurt to get you sidetracked.
To where you live bitter, bitter, chip
on your shoulder, never expecting
anything good. The problem with not
letting it go is that it's going to poison
the next relationship.
God said he would give you
beauty for those ashes.
I've learned you have to let go of the
ashes before you'll see the beauty.
You're not making the most of each day
if you're holding on to unforgiveness
trying to pay people back. They hurt you
once, don't let them continue to hurt you.
It takes a lot of emotional energy
to think about what they did and how
that wasn't right. You need that energy
to love the people God had given you now.
To play with your children, to purse your
dreams.
Maybe the course correction for you is
to forgive the person who did you wrong.
Forgive your parents for what they
did not give you.
Forgive the business partner that cheated
you.
Life's too short to carry around
the bitterness.
You'll always have these offences, people
saying things that aren't true, somebody
walks away. You can't stop that from com-
ing but you don't have to let it stop you.
You don' have to get sidetracked, you can
stay on the best path and trust God to
make it up to you.
Years ago, I was driving with a friend
to his house after we came from the gym.
He invited some of us over and I jumped in
the car to ride with him. He had a real
nice sports car. Kept it super clean.
On the way to his house, I noticed that
he took the long way. 3 or 4 miles out of
the way. I asked him why?
He said my ex-girlfriend lives on this
street.
I always drive by to make sure she sees
what she missed out on.
They had been broken up for years but
he was still driving by every chance
he got.
Trying to prove he was worthy, successful
and trying to prove he could make it
without her.
He couldn't see it but he was distracted.
spending time and energy on something
that didn't matter. Don't let that be you.
Are you using well what God has given you?
Or have you gotten sidetracked?
Trying to prove to people who you are
jealous of that friend, offended by that
coworker. Your time is too valuable for
that.
The funny thing about my friend is that he
found out later that his ex-girlfriend
had moved to another state.
[Audience laughing]
He had been driving by that house 2 years
and she wasn't even there.
God has a sense of humor.
My prayer is God show us any areas
that we need to have a course correction,
where we don't realize.
Verse Samual 25. David and his 6 men were
living out in the countryside. This is
when Saul was chasing David.
There was a wealthy man named Nabel that
lived right next door. He had thousands
of sheep and cattle. David and his army
had been protecting Nabel by just being
that area. When bandits came and they saw
David's forces, they would naturally back
down. It was time for sheering the sheep,
the harvest season. David sent
messengers to Nabel since they have
watched over his property.
Nabel what very rude and harsh.
His name means fool and he lived up to it.
He said who is this man David?
I don't even know him. You tell him I am
not going to give him a penny.
He insulted David. When the men came back
with report David was furious.
He told his men to pack up their
belongings. They were going to go
take care of Nabel.
Your not supposed to fight every battle.
Many of the things that come against us
are simply distractions. If that battle
is not between you and your destiny
you need to ignore it.
That's the enemy trying to get
you sidetracked.
Involved in conflict that doesn't matter.
You have to ask yourself, are there any
spoils? If you win is it going to move you
towards your purpose?
or is it just going to feed your ego?
Make you feel better.
You don't have time to respond to every
critic. To try to straighten out
every coworker, make that friend stop
saying things that aren't true.
One of the enemy's favorite tools is
to bait you into conflict.
Get you stirred up. Don't fall into
that trap.
You're time in valuable, your energy,
your emotions. You have to be selective
what you give that to.
If you make the mistake of fighting
every battle.
Your not going to have the time or
the emotional energy to reach your purpose
The scripture says God will silence
the lying lips.
If you ignore it, God will take care of
your enemies.
David headed toward Nabel's house
so upset, full speed ahead.
About to make a mistake, that would affect
his destiny. Here's how good God is
Nabel's wife met David on the road with
all kinds of food and provision.
She bowed down before him. In verse 24
she said David, you were called to be the
king of Israel. Why would you even fight
with this fool? Don't let this needless
battle be a blemish on your record.
Notice she called it a needless battle.
He knew it was a distraction. David came
to his senses. He said Abagael the Lord
God Isreal has sent you to me today
for you have not kept me from
carrying out vengeance, not one of your
family members would be alive.
We're all going to encounter Nabel's
in life.
People that are rude, hard to along with,
stir up trouble. I'll ask you what
Abigail asked David.
Why are fighting with a fool?
Why are you in conflict with someone
that is not between you and your destiny?
They are a distraction. Trying to get you
off course. Wasting valuable
time and energy that you need to for
your dreams.
Had Abigail not intervened and kept David
out of that conflict.
We might not be talking about David
God will always send you an Abigail
to warn you when you're about to get
sidetracked.
Maybe today, I'm that Abigail.
God sent me to remind you not to get
baited into conflict.
You could be upset, offended, trying
to pay them back. All that is going
to do is get you off course.
and keep you from the great things God
has in store.
What they say can't stop your purpose.
They may be loud, jealous, noisy. Their
just a Nabel.
You keep running your race, focused on
what God's called you to do.
And got will take care of the Nabel's in
your life.
[Audience applauding ]
Elijah in the scripture had an assistant
named Elijah. He left his family business
as a young man to take care of Elijah.
He served him faithfully through the years
When Elijah was about to pass, he asked
Elijah what he wanted. Elijah said
a double portion of his spirt.
That is what he received.
There are twice as many miracles recorded
for Elijah than Elijah.
Eljah had an assistant name Ghazia.
He served Elijah year after year.
Everything was going great. He was next
in line to do amazing things.
Being mentored by this great prophet.
One day a Capitan of the Syrian Army
came to Elijah. He had leprosy.
Elijah told him to go wash in the
Jordan River seven times and he would
be healed.
When he did, his skin was perfectly normal
He came back to Elijah so grateful,
so happy. He tried to pay him.
Do something to show his gratitude but
Elijah wouldn't take it.
He knew it was God that healed him
and not him.
The Capitan pleaded with him and said
please let me leave you some gold
or silver or something to help you.
Again, Elijah refused. Well, Ghazia
was there overhearing all this.
Captain and his entourage headed back home
Ghazia snuck out of the camp without
Elijah knowing. He caught up with him,
they were so surprised and
said what's wrong?
He said nothing, but we had some
unexpected guests show up. Elijah changed
his mind and would like some of those
gifts that you offered.
He got the money and headed back to the
house.
Thinking nobody knew anything but God sees
everything. He is the one that controls
the universe. Promotion doesn't come
from people, it comes from God.
Elijah called him in and said Ghazia
where have you been?
He said nowhere, I've just been here
hanging out.
The scripture says immediately,
Ghazia's skin was filled with leprosy.
What's interesting is you never read
anything more about Ghazia in
the scripture.
We hear all about Elijah, how great he was
Elijah and all the miracles he performed.
Ghazia was next in line. He should have
had 4 times the anointing of Elijah.
But distractions can keep you from your
purpose.
Being sidetracked can stop your destiny.
Ghazia thought man if I can get a few of
these gifts, without anybody knowing.
That will put me way ahead.
He didn't realize, God would have blessed
him in much greater ways by being a person
of honor.
Staying on that high road.
My father had a message about Ghazia
called the man who could've been.
Don't miss the greatness God put in you
because you got sidetracked.
Listen to the still small voice, pay
attention when your conscience is
bothering you. Learn to deal with
those things God brings to life.
We're not going to be here forever, let's
make the most of each day.
Well Joel, I think it's too late for me.
I'm like Ghazia, I think I missed
my chance. Let me show you
the beauty of our God.
Samson made mistakes year after year,
wasn't a good steward with what God gave
him, ended up lying, in captivity.
The scripture says, the spirt of God
came on Samson one more time.
Samson defeated more Philistines in his
death than he did his whole life.
That's what happens when you get back
on course.
God doesn't hold your mistakes against
you. Is there any area you need to make
a course correction?
Holding on to unforgiveness, trying
to prove your worth. Like Samson
playing around with your gift.
Don't go another week like that, you put
it off a week. It will turn into a year.
A year into twenty years.
You can get back on course today.
God's mercy, his grace is available.
You just have to tap into it.
If you do this, I believe and declare
God's going to help you get back
on the best path for your life.
The favor, the ability, the blessing.
You will fulfill your purpose and
become all you were created to be.
In Jesus name
and if you receive it, can you say amen
I'd like to give you an opportunity to
make Jesus the Lord of your life.
Would you pray with me?
Just say, Lord Jesus I repent of my sins
come into my heart, I make you my
Lord and Savior.
If you prayed that simple prayer,
we believe you got born again.
We'd love to send you some free
information on your new walk with the
Lord. You can text the number on the
screen or go to the website.
I hope you'll get into a good bible
based church.
and keep God first place.