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Chapter 1: What is the importance of focusing on God and our destiny?
Hi, this is Joel and Victoria. Thanks for listening to our podcast and thanks for supporting the ministry. If you enjoyed today's message, why don't you be a blessing and share it with a friend? We appreciate you and pray for God's very best in your life. We are believers in this place. We love you this morning. Amen. When I was a little girl, I loved to go to the beach with my family.
We would get to the beach and I remember so well, we had this huge red umbrella that we drilled down in the sand. We'd put our beach blanket out, get our ice chest, get our spot ready for a day at the beach. And as soon as it was set, I'd take off to the water. I could spend hours out in the waves just having such a good time. And one day I had been out there, seems like for several hours.
In fact, I had made it to the second sandbar. Now, if you know what those sandbars are, they're deep spots and then you get on the sandbar and it's like you're on the shore. You can be way out and you can be just up to your knees. So I had made my way all the way out to the second sandbar. I wanted my family to see me from shore because I thought I am really done well today.
So I stood up and I began to wave my hands looking for my family.
Chapter 2: How can personal experiences shape our understanding of life's challenges?
I was searching everywhere for where our spot was, where we had set that red umbrella. when I realized I could see a lot of people, I could see a lot of things, but I couldn't spot my family. Well, I got kind of panicking as a little girl. I thought, I got to find my family. Where did they go?
So I swam as quick as I could, worked really hard to make it to shore, looking for my family, I walked to the left all the way as far as I could, couldn't find them, turned around, walked to the right, looking and looking for my family. went at a distance, I spotted that red umbrella. And can I tell you, as a little girl, that was a happy moment for me.
I thought, there they are, I'm safe and everything is okay. You see, what I didn't realize was when I was out in that water, Those undercurrents were slowly taking me down the beach. It was so subtle. I was playing, minding my own business, but they just drug me all the way down the beach, about 200 to 300 maybe more feet down the beach. I didn't even realize what was happening to me.
You know, in life, it can be much like that. There are undercurrents in life trying to drag us off, get us off course from where we are supposed to be. I hear these comments a lot. I was raised in church. My whole life I went to church. I don't know how I got so far away from God. Spoke to a woman the other day. She was telling me how happy her marriage was.
until they begin to argue, until they begin to not be able to see eye to eye. She said, we were so happy at first. She said, but now we've drifted apart. We've separated. Things just aren't the same. You see, those are the results of the undercurrents that are trying to destroy our life, to get us off course.
And those are the things that we need to pay attention to because they can be so subtle. We don't even realize that they're happening. Undercurrents can be many different things. Can be hanging around with the wrong people, the wrong friends. Go in places and being with people that don't have the same values that you do. You know, this is what the Bible says about that.
It says bad company corrupts good character. It actually says don't be misled. Don't be misled. Undercurrents can be bad attitudes. can be selfishness, laziness, anger. See, these are the things that can separate families. These are the things that can cause us to lose good jobs, successful careers. You see, if I would have just paid attention,
to where I was in relation to where that red umbrella was, I could have kept my position. See, the undercurrents were there and they were dragging me off because undercurrents will always have that tendency to drag us, but I could have made the necessary adjustments to get back in line. See, I could have positioned myself back to where I needed to be. I think about Samson in the Bible.
Many of you know his story. The prophets predicted his birth. He was a man that had an amazing destiny lined out for him. He had this supernatural strength that God had given him. He was talented. God had positioned him in an amazing position. but he was weak in his morality. He got his eyes on the wrong things. He let his guard down. You see, he didn't keep the position that he had.
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Chapter 3: What are the undercurrents in life that can lead us off course?
You see, just like that red umbrella marked my spot, if I would have just set my mind on it, I could have kept my position. We've got to set our mind on honoring God. Set our mind on living a life of integrity. Set our mind on... fulfilling the dreams that God has put in our heart. Don't think they're too big. You've just got to set your mind on them and they'll come out of you.
You know, today, let me just say this. The Bible says, lay aside those weights, those sins that so easily Come against us to get us off course. Listen, God knows how easy it is. You are not a failure if you have sinned. You're not a failure if you've moved out of your direction. There is no mistake that you've made today that will take you from your destiny.
God loves you with an everlasting love. And He's saying it is easy. So you have to set... Your mind. Maybe you need to ask for forgiveness today. Maybe you need to go to a family member and say, hey, listen, I have messed up. I'm going to set my mind, set my heart on being a good husband, wife, father, whatever it is today. You can start and begin again.
I believe that you've got an amazing future in store for you. I believe that God is saying to you, I know it's easy, but I've given you the power to overcome the currents of life. You may have to wade in these currents, but you can control your life in these currents. I believe and declare today that God has a bright future in store for you, bigger than you can ever ask, think or imagine.
He's going to open new doors of opportunities for you. He's going to make up lost time for you. He's going to get you to where you need to be in Jesus name. And if you believe that, shout a great big amen.
Amen.
It's easy to feel stuck in life, wondering why things aren't changing and worrying if it'll ever happen, but there's a better way to wait. I'd love to send you my new resource called Pray It Forward. This book is a collection of prayers and promises from the scripture to help you pray boldly to strengthen your faith.
While you're waiting, it's important to keep your mind filled with hope and expectancy. When you pray in faith, believe in what God promised, that's what moves the hands of God. That's when you'll see doors open, healing begins to come, breakthroughs in your family. Don't let doubt hold you back. Pray it forward.
As our way of saying thank you for your gift of any amount, we'd love to send you a copy of Pray It Forward, guided prayers for faith and breakthrough. Inspired by real-life answered prayers, Pray It Forward will help you speak God's promises over your life and over the people you love, trusting that when you ask in faith, God is already at work preparing victory ahead of you.
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