The Danger of Self-Powered Faith: A Critique of ‘Packed Bags’ Theology

• Faith vs. Sight [00:28:34 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor uses the story of Elisha to illustrate that while physical circumstances may look overwhelming, the spiritual realm is filled with God's angels and power.
• Mental Energy and Focus [00:30:26 ▶️ 📄]
  > The speaker argues that mental energy is finite and must be directed toward belief and praise rather than worry, as both require the same amount of effort.
• Prayer and Intercession [00:31:14 ▶️ 📄]
  > The segment transitions to corporate and individual prayer, encouraging the congregation to cast their cares on God and share praise reports or requests.
• Divine Equipping and Sufficiency [01:07:33 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor argues that God knows every challenge a believer will face and has already provided the necessary gifts, talents, and strength to handle them, citing Psalm 23.
• Mindset Shift: Lacking vs. Loaded [01:09:52 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor contrasts a 'lacking mindset' (feeling unqualified or deficient) with a 'loaded mindset' (believing one has everything needed), using David as an example of the latter.
• Overcoming Feelings with Truth [01:10:33 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor advises that while feelings of inadequacy are normal, they are fickle and must be overridden by the truth of God's Word and promises.
• Trust in God's Sovereign Planning [01:13:43 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor connects the illustration of packing for a trip to God's foreknowledge, asserting that God plans our days and 'packs our bags' with necessary grace and strength.
• Divine Provision and Preparation [01:14:21 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor argues that God plans every season and 'packs your bags' with the specific faith, wisdom, and fortitude needed before challenges arise, removing the need for worry.
• Mindset: Lacking vs. Loaded [01:15:11 ▶️ 📄]
  > He contrasts a 'lacking mindset' (believing God forgot something or you are not enough) with a 'loaded mindset' (trusting that God has provided everything necessary, citing David as an example).
• Overcoming Imposter Syndrome [01:18:03 ▶️ 📄]
  > He addresses the enemy's deception that believers are unqualified or lack talent, urging them to recognize that God does not make mistakes in equipping His people.
• Hidden Potential and Growth [01:20:50 ▶️ 📄]
  > He explains that God packs gifts and strengths that may be hidden until needed, and that believers will 'unpack' new levels of grace and ability as they step into new seasons.
• Biblical Examples (Gideon and David) [01:25:55 ▶️ 📄]
  > He uses Gideon's story to illustrate how feelings of inadequacy can suppress the 'mighty hero' God has placed inside, and David's story to illustrate living with a 'loaded' confidence.
• Divine Equipping and Sovereignty [01:27:01 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor asserts that God does not call individuals to tasks without providing the necessary strength, strategy, and ability, emphasizing that God planned the challenges and equipped the believer beforehand.
• Deficit Mentality vs. Faith [01:28:11 ▶️ 📄]
  > The speaker contrasts living with a sense of lack and fear (like Gideon) with stepping out in faith, arguing that feelings of inadequacy are lies that push down the 'mighty hero' God has placed inside.
• Biblical Illustrations of Equipping (Gideon and Moses) [01:28:28 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor uses Gideon's excuses and Moses' stutter as examples of believers who felt unqualified, highlighting God's response that He provides the strength and tools (like the staff) needed for the task.
• Transformation of the Ordinary [01:31:26 ▶️ 📄]
  > The concept that ordinary talents, courage, or opportunities, when breathed on by God, become extraordinary tools for victory and breaking generational limitations.

• Sermon Illustration [00:28:34 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor recounts the biblical story of Elisha and his servant being surrounded by the Syrian army. The servant was panicked by the visible enemy, but Elisha prayed for his eyes to be opened to see the 'unseen realm' of angels and chariots surrounding them, illustrating that God's forces outnumber the enemy.
• Sermon Illustration [01:11:24 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor uses an analogy of planning a surprise 40-day anniversary vacation for his wife, Victoria. He describes packing four suitcases with specific items for different locations (mountains, beach, hiking, city) so that she would have exactly what she needed for every occasion without having to pack herself. He uses this to illustrate how God, knowing the 'itinerary' of our lives, has already 'packed our bags' with the necessary spiritual resources for every season.
• Sermon Illustration [01:16:43 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor shares a personal anecdote about preparing for a 'Night of Hope' event where he forgot to pack his dress socks. His friend Johnny offered him his own socks, which the pastor humorously notes might have transferred a 30-year toe fungus, but used to illustrate that while humans forget to pack essentials, God never leaves anything out.
• Sermon Illustration [01:19:22 ▶️ 📄]
  > He recounts a friend who was unexpectedly called to care for his elderly parents while maintaining a successful career. The friend initially felt he lacked the time and energy, but discovered God had 'multiplied his time' and packed the necessary grace and strength for the task.
• Sermon Illustration [01:21:20 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor shares his own journey from working behind the scenes in television production to pastoring the church after his father's death. He describes feeling unqualified and intimidated, but stepping up in courage and favor, leading to the church's growth and the acquisition of the Compact Center.
• Sermon Illustration [01:23:22 ▶️ 📄]
  > He details how God orchestrated specific people to help the church, including his brother Paul returning from surgery, his brother-in-law Don from politics, and an influential, non-religious city consultant who used his connections to secure city council votes for the new building.
• Sermon Illustration [01:25:55 ▶️ 📄]
  > He retells the biblical story of Gideon hiding in a wine press, feeling inadequate and 'lacking,' while God called him a 'mighty hero.' The illustration highlights Gideon's mistake of judging himself by his feelings rather than recognizing the strength God had already placed within him.
• Sermon Illustration [01:28:28 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor recounts the story of Gideon, who felt unqualified and made excuses about what he lacked, but was told by the angel to go in the strength he had, leading to his victory over the Midianites.
• Sermon Illustration [01:29:49 ▶️ 📄]
  > The story of Moses, who hid in the desert for 40 years feeling done, and later felt inadequate due to his stutter. God reminded him that He made his tongue and used Moses' ordinary staff to perform miracles like parting the Red Sea.
• Sermon Illustration [01:27:34 ▶️ 📄]
  > An analogy comparing the believer's situation to packing a bag: God has already 'packed your bags' with mercy, new beginnings, strength, and strategy for the journey, just as He prepared Moses and Gideon.

• Pastoral Charge [00:31:14 ▶️ 📄]
  > Come to the front of the sections for prayer during the next song.
• Pastoral Charge [00:27:10 ▶️ 📄]
  > Say 'amen' and recite the provided declaration of faith.
• Pastoral Charge [00:36:10 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor commands the congregation to actively transfer their burdens and worries onto God.
• Pastoral Charge [00:37:31 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor encourages the congregation to engage in prayer, asserting its power.
• Pastoral Charge [01:33:27 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor asks the congregation to verbally affirm ('say amen') their reception of the message and the promised spiritual breakthroughs.

[00:00:00] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_10]
[00:00:00] Hey, welcome to Lakewood. Thanks for coming out. How many of you are ready to worship the Lord this morning?

[00:03:04] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_06]
[00:03:04] God's been good to all of us, brought us through a new week, and I love coming out hearing about the victory that we have because of what He's done.
[00:03:11] And so, blessed to be with faith-filled people and favor-filled people.
[00:03:16] That person on your left and on your right, they are a VIP. They brought God with them, faith with them, victory with them.
[00:03:23] So we just welcome all of you here in the building.
[00:03:25] So many watch all over the world online and live on Sirius XM.
[00:03:29] But I really believe your new week is going to go better because you've taken time to honor God and to put Him first place.
[00:03:36] And I love, you know, coming to church.
[00:03:39] It helps us to kind of get back in tune.
[00:03:42] Sometimes the week can get you out of tune a little bit.
[00:03:44] You know, you got some stuff happening.
[00:03:46] There's always something to worry about or something going on in the world.
[00:03:49] but I love coming back really the start of each day and just saying, God, I know you're on the throne, you're in control. And just really the scripture says, release the weight of the worries
[00:04:00] as you release those negative things. You know, it can be guilt. It can be, you know, the worried about what's going to happen this week. But if you can just release all that and come back to a
[00:04:09] place of peace and trust and faith, that's how God works in your life when you're believing and trusting. So that's why we start off each service with just this celebration of praise, thanking God for what he's done, reminding ourselves that we're in the palm of his hand, that he's fighting
[00:04:24] our battles today. And it's always our prayer that not one of us are going to leave the same way you came in. You're going to go out of here with more joy, more faith, and more victory. So

[00:04:34] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_05]
[00:04:34] we bless you today. Thanks for coming out. Yes, it is a good time to be in the house of the Lord, isn't it? We are so grateful that you guys are here. And you know, I love that song that we
[00:04:45] started out with, I've got the victory. And I like when it says, they're going to hear me say, I got the victory. You know, you think about it. What does your situation hearing you talk about?
[00:04:57] What is it hearing you saying? Doubt, unbelief, I'm never going to make it. This problem's too big.
[00:05:03] Are you looking at those situations in your life and saying, no, I got the victory. I got the victory in Jesus Christ. You see what, what we're saying about our situation is so important because
[00:05:16] it not only builds us up, but it also just causes us to move forward and not get stuck in the things that would try to hold us back. So this morning when we're singing, we got the victory. Let that
[00:05:30] sink down in your heart because God is saying, I've already given you the victory. I've called you to be more than a conqueror in Christ Jesus. And you know, it's so interesting because he calls
[00:05:41] us a conqueror. That means we're going to have some things to conquer. See, as long as we're on this earth, life is going to come at us. There's going to be people, there's going to be situations,
[00:05:51] but we've got to learn to say, no, I've got the victory because I know the one who holds my future. So this morning, let's let him know how much we love him. Let's sing our praises to him
[00:06:04] and magnify who He is this morning because when we magnify Him, all that other stuff just seems to take care of itself.
[00:06:11] Amen?
[00:06:12] Father, thank You so much for this day and the fact that we can come together, that, Lord, we can share in this moment of praise to You.
[00:06:21] Father, thank You for building up our faith and just causing us to know who we are in Christ Jesus.
[00:06:27] And, Father, when we look at situations, let us be the first to say, no, I've got the victory.
[00:06:32] So thank you, Father, for all you're doing in us.
[00:06:35] And, Father, let our praise go up to you just like a sweet-smelling aroma.
[00:06:40] Father, let your eyes be looking at us because we are praising you.
[00:06:44] And it's in Jesus' name.
[00:06:46] And everyone said?

[00:06:47] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_10]
[00:06:47] He'll give us beauty for the ashes.

[00:17:14] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_08]
[00:17:14] And I love in the song that he says he'll give us, instead of shame, he'll make it glorious.
[00:17:20] That's the God that we serve.
[00:17:22] We serve a God that can turn things around in our favor.
[00:17:26] I love that the scripture says, whatever the enemy meant for evil, God can turn it around.
[00:17:31] Come on, do we have anybody in here that believes that God can turn things around?
[00:17:35] I love that one of the words that we use to define worship is to magnify.
[00:17:44] Basically, what magnify means is to make great, to put our focus and make things greater.
[00:17:52] And I don't know if you're like me, but sometimes we tend to magnify the wrong things.
[00:17:58] for example magnify the sickness instead of magnifying the healer we will magnify the chaos in our life instead of magnifying the giver of peace we will magnify i don't know how we're gonna do this i don't know why i'm so overwhelmed instead of magnifying the way maker the one that
[00:18:26] makes a way where it seems like there is no way. So I don't know what you're going through today and I just want to tell you the only way to change it or how you can change it instead of magnifying
[00:18:38] that you can look up and magnify God. So whatever you're going through this morning if you feel overwhelmed if you feel like you can't make it you might feel like you're surrounded life is beating
[00:18:51] you down, I'm here to tell you this morning that the enemy is outnumbered, not you. So let's take this moment right here, right now, to magnify the Lord together. Amen.

[00:19:39] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_06]
[00:19:39] We thank you that you're on the throne, that you're in control. And Lord, we're not here with a sad song. We're here with a song of praise. Lord, we know you're bigger than anything that
[00:23:53] we're facing. Lord, that you've got us all in the palm of your hand. Lord, we come back to a place of peace and a trust, a faith in you. Lord, we know you being for us is more than anything trying
[00:24:05] to stop us. Lord, we believe what we're seeing, that the enemy is outnumbered in our life. And Lord, we thank you that you're turning things in our favor even now, that every force that's tried to stop us, Lord, I thank you that it has been broken in the name of Jesus. Any kind of
[00:24:22] mental illnesses or addictions or bad habits, whether it's trouble at work, at home, in our finances. Lord, I thank you that today is a breakthrough day, that you're doing what only you can do. Lord, we know you haven't brought us this far to leave us where we are. So Lord,
[00:24:40] we thank you today just for your angels bringing the victory even right now. Lord, we thank you.
[00:24:46] You're doing what we can't do, but Lord, you're the way maker. You're the provider. You know how to get us to where we're supposed to be. So Lord, as we start off this new week, we say it publicly,
[00:24:58] you're our Lord, our God, and our Savior. Make us and mold us into who you want us to be. Lord, I thank you that we're full of your wisdom, that we have the power to obey, the grace to make good
[00:25:11] decisions that honor you, that our spiritual ears and eyes are open and sensitive to your voice, that we can clearly hear what you're saying, Lord, that we'll keep moving forward, stepping into all that you've called us to be, that we won't get stuck or stagnant. But Lord, we're letting go of
[00:25:30] the old, the disappointments, what people that did us wrong, what somebody said, mistakes that we've made. Lord, we leave that in the past and we let today be a new beginning in our lives. Lord, I
[00:25:43] speak fresh vision over your people, fresh anointing, fresh momentum, fresh growth, fresh attitudes. Lord, we believe you're doing a new thing. We can receive it into our hearts. And Lord, I thank you that you will get us to where we're supposed to be. And Father, I do lift up
[00:26:01] those that are fighting battles in their health, here in the building, watching and listening.
[00:26:06] Lord, we know you're Jehovah Rapha, the Lord, our healer, that there's nothing too hard for you, that you made our bodies. Lord, that you can even do what medicine cannot do. So Lord, I thank you
[00:26:17] right now that healing is flowing into all those that need it. Lord, that the number of our days you will fulfill, that even today the tide of the battle would begin to turn in your people's health
[00:26:30] in the name of Jesus. And Lord, not just physically, but I lift up those that have gone through loss, and those that are in tough times.
[00:26:39] Father, you said you're close to the brokenhearted.
[00:26:42] Lord, I ask that they'd feel your presence right now, that you would comfort them, you'd give them that peace that only you can give.
[00:26:50] And Lord, it may be a dark season, but you said weeping endures for a night, but joy is coming in the morning.
[00:26:57] So Lord, I thank you for the new beginnings that are on the way, turning things the morning into dancing.
[00:27:03] Lord, you've done it in the past.
[00:27:05] do it again for your people in the future. Lord, we thank you for another great day to be alive.
[00:27:10] And Lord, we believe 2026 will be another blessed, prosperous, favor-filled year that we are victors and never victims in Jesus' name. And if you receive it, can you say amen today? So good to have you here today. Come on, let's make our declaration of faith. I am blessed, prosperous,
[00:27:33] redeemed, forgiven, healthy, whole, talented, creative, confident, secure, disciplined, focused, prepared, qualified, motivated, valuable, free, determined, equipped, empowered, anointed, accepted, and approved. Not average, not mediocre. I am a child of the Most High God. I will become
[00:28:02] all I was created to be in Jesus name. Amen. I love those songs. We were seeing that last one.
[00:28:13] It says the enemy is outnumbered in our lives. And you know, sometimes you think, I don't know about that, Joel. I mean, look at this medical report or look at this situation with my child
[00:28:23] or in my career, but you got to know that there's a, there's a world that we can't see with our physical eyes. And really that, that song comes through, uh, from a story in the old Testament.
[00:28:34] And y'all remember when this enemy surrounded Elisha, his assistant woke up one morning, he went outside and he looked and he was surrounded by the Syrian army, just thousands, tens of thousands, no doubt. The assistant ran back in, he was panicked. He said, Elijah,
[00:28:50] what are we going to do? We're outnumbered, we're surrounded. But Elijah was a man of faith.
[00:28:56] He said, Hey, don't worry. There are more for us than there are against us. And I'm sure that young man probably did what a lot of us would do. Hey, wait a minute, Elijah, it's just me and
[00:29:07] you. You got to go and see what I saw. But Elisha said, Lord, open his eyes. Let him see into this unseen realm. He went back and looked a second time. This time he could see angels and heavenly
[00:29:19] hosts and chariots. They were surrounding the enemy that was surrounding them. So the thought is that, yeah, you may feel surrounded, but you got to know in the unseen realm, the most high God is surrounding. What's trying to stop you. I like to say it this way. God has the final say
[00:29:38] you keep doing the right thing. You keep believing, you keep standing on what God promised.
[00:29:44] And you know what? You'll see that God is faithful to his word. Like we are seeing those angels are bringing the victory. Even now let's, let's be believers and not doubters. Sure. I know we all
[00:29:55] have situations where, you know, it may look like, how could that all, how could that work out? But Let me remind you, you don't have to figure it out. All you have to do is believe. Just say,
[00:30:05] God, hey, I don't see a way, God, but don't stop there. But God, I know you have a way.
[00:30:10] Like Romero, Victoria were saying, let's magnify God and not our problems. The bigger you make God, the smaller your problems become. Now I've learned this. You know, you're going to be using your energy for something. I'm talking about your mental energy. You're going to be thinking about
[00:30:26] something. The mind's always working most of the time. So don't use your energy to worry. Use your energy to believe. It takes the same amount of energy to say, oh man, I don't know, Joel, I don't
[00:30:37] see how it can happen. It takes the same amount of energy to do that. Or you can say, Lord, I thank you that you're fighting my battles, that healing's on the way, that as for me and my house, we will
[00:30:47] serve the Lord. Come on, let's stay people of faith. Let me tell you, 2026, not a get by year, but a blessed year, a year of God's favor, where he's going to do some unusual things in your life
[00:30:59] in Jesus name. Well, we take a moment in every service to pray individually. So if you need prayer today here in the building, we'd love to stand in agreement with you. There'll be prayer partners all over the building at the front of the sections. Anyone's welcome to come down for
[00:31:14] prayer during this next song. And we'd be honored to pray with you. The rest of you, you're welcome to be seated if you'd like, and we'll take this moment to pray. Our beautiful online family
[00:31:24] listening live on SiriusXM, thanks for always being a part. We love you. We pray for you every day. And my friend Sarah is there to speak a blessing over you today. Well, hello. Good morning

[00:31:39] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_01]
[00:31:39] to all of our online family. It is such an honor and a privilege for me to be here with you this morning and just to remind us all of the Word of God and to hear what's on your heart, what you
[00:31:50] are asking God for. And then for us as a family to be in agreement with you for those petitions that you're sending up to God. So it's not too late to put your request in, maybe a praise report,
[00:32:02] something God is doing that's incredible in your life that you're so thankful for and you want us to celebrate with you. And also those things that are really weighing on you. You know, the Bible
[00:32:11] says that if we cast, and one translation says that Hebrew word meant to throw violently our cares upon him and he will take care of us. So right now in this time, cast your cares upon the
[00:32:22] Lord, cast your cares, um, put them out there and then just release them and trust that God is fighting our battles. Amen. You know, we just prayed about it, that we are, uh, that the enemy
[00:32:32] is outnumbered. This morning I was reading on my Bible app. The scripture was second Corinthians two 19. And God was reminding us, my grace is sufficient for you. My strength is made perfect in your weakness. So some of you may be feeling weak because of your circumstances, but just
[00:32:49] trust that this is when God, as we sang this morning, that He will show up and fight our battles for us. That when we're at the end of our own strength, that's when He steps in. So
[00:33:00] just want to encourage you with that this morning. I always like to start with some praise reports.
[00:33:06] And we have Sheila. You wrote in saying that your son just received a new job. And Mia, you said that you are going to be a grandma. And I love it that these two were pulled as a mother
[00:33:19] of three boys and also a grandma. I understand that. Mia, enjoy those grandbabies. And it is a big deal for our children. We want to see our children succeed and even to do better, greater
[00:33:32] things than we ever thought imaginable. So we celebrate with you that your son is flourishing and that God has his hand upon him.
[00:33:40] And we just believe right now that anyone out there with children, the Bible says in Isaiah 43, well, now I can't quote, I've quoted all my life, but it says that all of our children will be taught by the Lord
[00:33:51] and great shall be their peace.
[00:33:52] So we speak that of your children and we celebrate what God is doing in their lives.
[00:33:57] So keep going, God.
[00:33:59] We have a prayer request over family, and this is from Ruth.
[00:34:05] Ruth, you're asking for your children to all serve the Lord.
[00:34:10] And again, I'll go back to that scripture, over all of our children will be taught by Him.
[00:34:15] You know, every promise concerning our family and our children is found in the Word of God.
[00:34:19] And I want to encourage you that as we're praying, there's nothing more powerful than praying the Word of God.
[00:34:25] It's reminding Him and boasting of Him about the promises He's already made to us.
[00:34:30] I just believe that as a father's heart, I know as a mother's heart, when my children come up to me and remind me of something I said or remind me of a promise that, first of all, I think,
[00:34:40] well, they were actually listening to me.
[00:34:42] And then they hold me.
[00:34:44] I love it when they come to me and trust that I will prove good on my word.
[00:34:48] And so your Father in Heaven wants to do the same.
[00:34:52] Patty, youngest son, just graduated, praying that God guides him in this next season.
[00:34:58] We disagree right now that God is guiding your son in the next season.
[00:35:01] And for anybody that has a child that maybe isn't walking with the Lord right now, in Hebrews, it says three times in the word that today, when you hear the voice of the Lord, not if, but when you hear the voice of the Lord, to run to him.
[00:35:16] And don't get stuck because you might be embittered by your circumstances, but that run to God.
[00:35:21] So we speak that over all children that are represented here, that today, when they hear the voice of the Lord, that they will run to God.
[00:35:29] And Patty, we're agreeing over your son and also Ruth with your children.
[00:35:35] We have some for healing requests.
[00:35:37] God is in the healing business.
[00:35:39] Whether that is in your heart, your mind, maybe it's restoration over a situation in your family or with friends.
[00:35:47] God is in the healing and restoration business.
[00:35:51] So John, you're asking for healing from glaucoma.
[00:35:54] And Cece, her husband is in the hospital and praying for that healing.
[00:35:58] So we just agree right now for anyone in the sound of our voice that is struggling with a health issue, we just believe that God is present, He is near, and again, He is fighting
[00:36:09] our battles.
[00:36:10] Turn, cast that care upon God.
[00:36:12] You know, I believe that may His name be famed in everything we say and everything we do.
[00:36:19] Let God fight the battle of healing so that His name can stand out as the one who did the one who was faithful, the one who can do what he says he can do. So we just believe in healing
[00:36:29] over everyone that's asking for it. Financial areas, we have a financial breakthrough. Andrea, you're asking for financial breakthrough. And Sherry, praying to acquire her own house and to come out of debt. And I agree with you ladies on this. You know, the Bible tells us
[00:36:48] over and over in His Word that we cannot give God.
[00:36:52] And I'm a big believer.
[00:36:53] I've seen it in my own life that we cannot give God.
[00:36:56] That as we do our part in the natural and giving of our tithes and giving to others in need, even when we may not think we have it, that God will come right back and pour
[00:37:06] out blessings upon us that we can't even contain.
[00:37:10] So I want to encourage you to trust God with your finances.
[00:37:12] Put Him first in everything you do.
[00:37:16] Again, I heard early this morning, J.J. Moses said, the prayers of the righteous availeth much.
[00:37:21] And that means you.
[00:37:22] And you may not be feeling very righteous today, or maybe you did something wrong, but trust that if you believe in Jesus, that his righteousness of God lives inside of us.
[00:37:31] So pray to God and they will availeth much.
[00:37:34] Enjoy the rest of the service and know that we're praying for you every day.
[00:37:37] God bless.

[00:37:37] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_05]
[00:37:37] We're our provider in the wilderness and our God on the mountaintop as well.
[00:38:54] We are so grateful that we serve a God like that. Amen? Amen. We love you guys. Thank you for being here today, all you who are visiting. Thank you for coming. We hope you feel right at home and
[00:39:06] that you're being blessed this morning. You know, all throughout Scripture, we read story after story of people who walk through unfair situations, disappointment, failures, things that looked impossible. Yet over and over again, we see the faithfulness of our God bringing purpose, healing,
[00:39:29] and redemption out of it all. You know, no mistake, failure, or unfair situation is greater than the mercy and grace of our God. And when we place our lives in His hand, He can do the
[00:39:43] impossible and turn things around for good. There's a woman in Scripture named Ruth. She lost her husband at a young age, and in a moment, the future she had dreamed about seemed to fall apart. She had hoped to build a family and a life with a man she loved, but suddenly
[00:40:03] everything felt uncertain. In those days, her husband represented security, provision, and it was her entire future. Ruth could have become bitter. She had the opportunity to turn away from God and go in a completely different direction. But instead, she chose to
[00:40:24] stay faithful and keep moving forward in obedience to God, even when she didn't understand what he was doing. Think about how hard that must have been. She didn't know how her story would end.
[00:40:39] She only knew to trust God one step at a time, and little by little, God began to provide for her.
[00:40:47] He healed her.
[00:40:49] He healed those hurts and those broken places in her life.
[00:40:54] And he guided her into a future far greater than she could have ever imagined.
[00:41:00] What looked like an ending was really a beginning of his restoration in her life.
[00:41:08] Rue's story reminds us that when we stay faithful to God, even in the hardest seasons, He knows how to turn things around in ways that we could never imagine.
[00:41:18] I think about Peter.
[00:41:20] He loved Jesus deeply.
[00:41:22] But in a moment of pressure and weakness, he denied even knowing him.
[00:41:27] I'm sure Peter thought, it'll never be the same.
[00:41:30] I have really messed up this time.
[00:41:33] But Jesus didn't turn his back on Peter.
[00:41:36] Do you know what he did?
[00:41:37] He called him.
[00:41:38] He looked for him.
[00:41:39] and He met him with grace and restored him and still used him in powerful, incredible ways.
[00:41:48] You know, I love these stories because they remind us that the same God who worked in their lives is still working in our lives today. He's the God of the turnaround. He can take difficulty,
[00:42:03] He can take hardship, He can take bad decisions, and He can work for good. He is still working miracles in our lives today. He's still opening doors that we thought were slammed shut.
[00:42:19] Listen, God can bring healing. He can bring just amazing balm of healing to those hurt places, to those places that you think are so far lost and so far gone. In fact, Joel 2.25 says
[00:42:35] that God can restore the years the locusts have eaten.
[00:42:40] You know what, in other words, God knows how to turn it around in your life.
[00:42:43] He can bring beauty out of ashes.
[00:42:46] He can turn pain into a beautiful person, purpose.
[00:42:51] He can take any mess and make it into a masterpiece.
[00:42:56] You know, maybe your journey hasn't looked the way you thought it would.
[00:43:00] Maybe there have been some disappointments, setbacks, or maybe some mistakes along the way.
[00:43:07] But God is still able to do amazing things in your life.
[00:43:10] He's still able to make beauty out of ashes.
[00:43:14] He's still able to do more than you could ask, think, or imagine.
[00:43:20] And that's exactly what He did in the story that you're about to see.
[00:43:24] The goodness and the faithfulness of God for a family who put their trust and hope in Him.

[00:43:35] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_00]
[00:43:35] Julian and I had met in 1998, so we had been dating for a little bit.
[00:43:40] When I found out I was pregnant, I was 18 years old.
[00:43:43] It was just a scary season just because we didn't know the what-ifs or how we were going to be able to do it.
[00:43:50] Were we going to be able to provide for my daughter to be able to take care of her the way that she deserved?
[00:43:56] I remember the day that we looked at the pregnancy test, and it was positive.
[00:44:00] And just looking at him, like, what are we going to do?
[00:44:03] but him reassuring me that, you know, we're in this together.

[00:44:07] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_07]
[00:44:07] It was a little tough to explain it to her parents and to, you know, be young parents as well and not knowing exactly what we're going to do and how we're going to provide and having a stable job and just being able to support everything.
[00:44:22] It was tough, you know, not knowing if we were going to have 100% support from everybody.

[00:44:26] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_00]
[00:44:26] We're high school sweethearts.
[00:44:28] We left school early and went to the courthouse on a rainy day and got married.
[00:44:32] it was just him and I we didn't even have witnesses I remember us running out of there we didn't even have a single picture of that day we weren't prepared as as most people are we heard about this pregnancy help center in the Katy
[00:44:48] area so when we went there they welcomed us in like if they knew us like we were family they took us into a room that had all the maternity clothes and said you know choose whatever you need we always believed in God but we were unchurched
[00:45:04] together we decided to start going to Lakewood this was in 2005 I remember the day that we gave our lives to Jesus and we were never the same after that I think it's definitely the plot twist to the story that we would have these two
[00:45:20] children that you know serve God wholeheartedly that know whose they are are that love Jesus because we started them off so young in the church to this day they still serve we've made such incredible memories serving all four of us within the church and they're always
[00:45:38] with us in the warehouse helping us and so to be able to see them now as adults and still serving just the impact that they see in the communities and hearing what's happening with these donated
[00:45:53] items that are going out to these organizations. It's a full circle moment for me. As for me and my family, we will serve the Lord. I already had the scripture on our door and I would see it
[00:46:04] often because I wanted to be able to give them a better future. And once we've tasted what it

[00:46:11] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_05]
[00:46:11] was like to be with God, we never wanted anything else. Something here, living proof, the choppers, Adriana, Julian, and their beautiful children of what God can do when you put Him first place in your life.
[00:46:34] Adriana, tell me real quick, you know, God used all of this, but He didn't just stop there.
[00:46:40] He used your family as well.
[00:46:43] You serve Him, you serve with Him, and your family is all involved.
[00:46:49] And just tell us a little bit about what you're doing and how excited you are about that.

[00:46:54] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_00]
[00:46:54] Yes, thank you so much.
[00:46:55] I'm so grateful for Lakewood this has been our church home for 21 years I've been on staff with Lakewood Church for 17 years now and I am just so it's such a privilege and honor
[00:47:09] to be able to be part of the staff and our relief and outreach ministry here at the church I know what it feels like to be on the other side of things and to be able to do now today
[00:47:21] what to be able to bless other moms and to be able to be His hands and feet and go out into the community and serve is such a huge, huge blessing and such a gift for me. And this week, we were
[00:47:35] able to partner with our midweek service, and we packaged 2,500 bags for our moms. And it's just an incredible gift because to be able to serve these moms, you know, that might be in the same
[00:47:53] position that I was many years ago and feeling fear and uncertainty and just being able to give them hope is just such a, just, it's a circle moment for me and it's such a gift. Yeah. Oh,

[00:48:06] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_05]
[00:48:06] that's just incredible. You know, out of your, out of what you needed now, you're able to give back in abundance in so many ways. And if there's someone maybe watching today or out here in the
[00:48:16] audience is saying, you know, I feel uncertain about my future. I feel like God really can't do anything with the mess that I'm in. What would you tell them? I would say, don't ever give up

[00:48:28] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_00]
[00:48:28] hope. God has a plan and a purpose for everything. He makes all things beautiful in His timing. And if I would have given up, I wouldn't be able to see such a huge blessing that I see now in my
[00:48:39] family and just surrounding us, the favor and the love that we have. Okay, Julian, I have to

[00:48:46] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_05]
[00:48:46] just honor you today because, you know, as a man, he was committed. He stuck with it.
[00:48:53] He could have run. He could have said, I'm out of here, but he didn't. He said, I'm part of this plan with you. And I think that's tremendous. And we really do honor you today.
[00:49:04] Tell me, just looking back, you know, how did your faith play a role in staying so committed through every season? Because I'm sure we, as all of us, we have difficult seasons, even though at the end it's great. How did you stay so committed? Tell us about your faith.

[00:49:20] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_07]
[00:49:20] Well, a little bit for me, it was, I didn't know much of what I was doing, but I did know that I wanted to do the right thing for my kids, my wife, the family. Being in it from a broken home,
[00:49:33] I didn't, I knew the examples that was set for me. I just saw God tell me, hey, you know what, this, you're going through this and these are tough times, but this is how you don't want to
[00:49:47] be. You want to be set a good example. Um, and that's, you know, God's grace, of course, that's covered us and has able to leave us with a beautiful family and a beautiful home church to

[00:49:59] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_05]
[00:49:59] have. Well, what an inspiration you both are. And I loved your children. Will you introduce

[00:50:04] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_00]
[00:50:04] them to us and brag on them a little bit? This is my daughter, Celeste, and my son, Julian.
[00:50:11] They are my greatest blessing, our greatest blessing.
[00:50:15] Thank you so much for kids' life, for raising them, for helping me raise them.
[00:50:20] But they are amazing.
[00:50:23] Celeste just graduated college, and my son's graduating this summer as well.
[00:50:28] Oh, wow.
[00:50:29] Y'all's crowning glory.

[00:50:30] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_05]
[00:50:30] Crowning glory.
[00:50:31] And I want to mention, too, because Adrian's mother and father are sitting right here on the front row, and I'm sure as grandparents, you couldn't be more happy.
[00:50:41] And we just honor you for just supporting your children and sticking with them.
[00:50:45] So thank you so much.
[00:50:47] What a powerful story, right?
[00:50:49] I hope that this has just touched your heart.
[00:50:51] And I hope that it's ministered to you in more ways than you can imagine.
[00:50:55] Because our God deserves the glory.
[00:50:58] When we give our life to Him, when we follow after Him, even when we don't understand everything, and when it feels messy and difficult, if we will stay by His side, He will walk us into a great and glorious future.
[00:51:13] In fact, today, if there's anything in your life that you feel uncertain about, let's just give it to God.
[00:51:17] If there's some things that you think, God, I know, I hear it, but can it happen for me?
[00:51:22] I want to pray for you right now because I know it can happen for you because God is no respecter of persons.
[00:51:29] And what He did for the Chapa family, He will do for you.
[00:51:33] So let's pray right now.
[00:51:34] Father, I thank you right now for first this testimony, this beautiful story, the thing that you molded and shaped it, is having a generational impact, Lord.
[00:51:44] I thank you, Father, that we can see it, that you've let these tests of other people's be a testimony to minister to us.
[00:51:52] And so, Father, I thank you that we're going to take that personally, saying, God, you can do it for me because you've done it for them.
[00:51:59] Lord, I don't know what anybody out there is facing, but you do.
[00:52:03] you know everything about them. You know every hair on their head. You know their heart. You see into their future. And you said, Father, in your promises that you will give them a future and a hope that you are a good and mighty God. So, Father, I pray right now that their eyes
[00:52:19] would be open to a vision, to a future that is bright with you. And then, God, that they would have the strength, the endurance, and the resilience to walk to that place that you have
[00:52:31] for them, that place called there, that promised land. God, we thank you that you are working miracles in our midst even now, Father. You're turning things around, Father, in the future that we're going to run right into those beautiful things that you have stored up for those who love
[00:52:49] you. So thank you, Father, for taking care of our children, our great possession, Father, our children that you so blessed us with. Let our families grow and become all you've created us to

[00:53:02] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_06]
[00:53:02] be in Jesus name. Amen and amen. God bless you. Amen. That's so good. I love that. Isn't that amazing how the very thing that Adriana came out of, now she's back helping those pregnant women
[00:53:14] again. That's the way God is. He, he, you know, nothing's wasted in our life and we celebrate what God's done in your life. Thanks for letting us share your story. And then Wednesday night, Pastor Nick spoke, and after he shared about kindness and reaching out, all the crowd went
[00:53:27] out and we put together all those packages for the pregnancy center. And that's what my nephew, Matt, he runs our humanitarian outreach. And Matt, just tell us a little bit more about that

[00:53:37] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_04]
[00:53:37] connection there. Yeah, absolutely. You know, first of all, it's such a blessing to have Adriana on staff. She's on our team. And when we got Adriana, we didn't just get Adriana, we got her entire family. And it's amazing to watch them serve as a family together. But you know, we've
[00:53:52] had a really a focus in the month of May for the past few years on really trying to help vulnerable mothers in our community and it's such a special privilege that we actually have a 67 year old
[00:54:04] church where we get to stand on the shoulders really of everyone that came before us and so we get to work on a foundation that's been laid before us to make an impact with partners that
[00:54:15] I never even could have come up with but one of which is one that my grandmother really helped so into. And there was a congregant in the 90s who was part of Lakewood. Her name was Sylvia B.
[00:54:25] Johnson. And she wanted to start a crisis pregnancy center. And so my grandmother helped pastor her and also helped provide her the initial funding that she needed to open her pregnancy center.
[00:54:36] And so it's the downtown Houston Pregnancy Center. They now have three locations and they see over a thousand moms a month. Because, you know, that's just one of 10 crisis pregnancy centers that we're getting to work with this month. And we're also getting to work with the one that helped Adriana.
[00:54:54] And we're going to work with 32 schools this month. And we're also going to provide every single teen mom in HISD's Teen Mom Program with a car seat and a stroller for the third year
[00:55:07] in a row. And you know, this is just a testament to your faithfulness. And you know, we talk about the 2,500 bags that are going to be assembled, what that represents is 2,500 Adrianas, 2,500
[00:55:23] opportunities for us as a church to show a mom who is in a state of anxiety and crisis that she's valuable, that she has everything that she needs to be who God has called her to be, and that there
[00:55:34] is a church called Lakewood that can serve as their home and that cares about them and loves them right where they're at. Every one of those stories has your fingerprints all over it because you're the ones who are so faithful to support our ability to do it. So I just want to say thank
[00:55:52] you so much for everything you do to support our ministry, but also to support moms just like

[00:55:56] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_06]
[00:55:56] Adriana all over our city. That's so good. Come on, give Matt and the Chopper family a thank.
[00:56:01] Gregory, thank you. Thanks, guys, for coming out. Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful. Well, every service we take a moment to worship the Lord with our tithes and our offerings, and we'll do that right now. But thanks, guys, for being so generous. We always like to show you,
[00:56:14] you know things that your funds are doing here in the city and you know it goes all over the world but it happens because of faithful people and like Matt mentioned you know 67 years ago the church
[00:56:24] started so many faithful through the years and now you guys and watching and listening you keep it all going and I know God sees it he sees the sacrifices he sees your consistency and I think
[00:56:36] about that scripture in Malachi it talks about bring your tithes and your offerings to the storehouse. And God said, see if I will not open the windows of heaven and pour out blessings that you cannot contain. And that's what we pray over each one of you, because you do bring your tithes.
[00:56:50] You give offerings and donations. And so, you know, when you give, how about giving in faith and say, God, I'm going to give to honor you, to put you first. And Lord, I just thank you that I
[00:57:00] live under the open windows of heaven. You know, that means plenty of wisdom to make good decisions.
[00:57:06] how about good health? How about great relationships? And how about the finances you need to fulfill your dreams, to send your children to college and do what God's called you to do. There's even that scripture somewhere in the new Testament. It talks about you'll be
[00:57:20] blessed in such a way that you can be a blessing to every good work. And that's our prayer for, you know, we have plenty for ourselves, but you know what? We can bless the pregnancy centers
[00:57:29] and the other things that, you know, God brings across our path. So that's you. So know that we appreciate your giving, but more importantly, God sees your giving and you are living under the open
[00:57:39] windows of heaven. We just believe 2026 and an abundant year in your finances, in your career,

[00:57:46] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_05]
[00:57:46] in your resources, in Jesus' name. Amen. I receive it. Don't you receive that?
[00:57:52] Tell you what, let's keep our eyes on God. And I love the fact that we can help people and we can give them a leg up because we've all needed help and support in our life. And
[00:58:04] When we give to someone else in need, God says He will always give back to us.
[00:58:09] And just like Adriana was given to, and it enriched her life, now she can give back.
[00:58:16] So God is such a full circle God.
[00:58:19] He's not a one-way street.
[00:58:21] God is a two-way street.
[00:58:23] He just blesses us when we give.
[00:58:25] So know today that you're helping women.
[00:58:28] You're helping, actually, generations.
[00:58:31] You're helping families.
[00:58:33] You're helping build the church of god. So thank you for all that you do We love you and know that we pray for you every single day. Yeah, I want to speak a blessing right now

[00:58:42] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_06]
[00:58:42] Lord, thank you for the generous givers here at lakewood in the building watching and listening Lord, we don't give because we have to we give because we want to to honor you lord We recognize you gave us breath to breathe today. You've given us these resources
[00:58:56] Lord as we bring our tithes and our offerings we bring it in faith and we thank you for what you promised Lord the open windows of heaven let our gifts and talents come out to the full Lord I thank you that
[00:59:08] your people will have ideas and creativity and skillful expertise anointed effective at what you've called them to do Lord bring them contracts and opportunities and ways that we can't do on our own Lord we just thank you that you're the blesser
[00:59:24] that we will lend and not have to borrow that we are above and not beneath, that we will continue to build your kingdom. And Lord, you're just multiplying back these seeds that are sown today. We love you, Lord Jesus, and we give in faith in Jesus' name.
[00:59:39] Amen and amen. God bless you as you give today. Here are some ways you can give. Using your

[00:59:46] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_03]
[00:59:46] smartphone, scan the QR code located on the screen. Then select the online giving option that is most convenient for you.
[00:59:55] Go to lakewoodchurch.com slash give.
[00:59:58] Text GIVEHOPE to 77977.
[01:00:03] Mail a check to P.O. Box 27450, Houston, Texas 77227.
[01:00:11] Or call us toll free at 888-567-JOEL.

[01:00:15] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_10]
[01:00:15] I'm desperate for a holy chain.
[01:00:26] Tired of a stagnant faith.
[01:00:28] let's all stand one last time if you would please but what an honor to have you here i receive that

[01:04:24] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_06]
[01:04:24] we've been breathed on today by the most high god goodness mercy strength and peace i heard that song on the radio this week and torin sings it y'all remember torin of mighty man of god but uh
[01:04:35] I just received that and just what an honor to have you all in the house of the lord today at lakewood If you're visiting you're our special guest today, and we just speak blessings over you
[01:04:45] I'm gonna have a great summer here and hope you all stay plugged in and I was noticing on the web We got some great summer camps for your kids coming out. So Coming up, so I hope you'll check that out as well. And so just a blessing to have you all here
[01:04:59] I feel like I had one more thing but uh main thing is we're blessed to have you here. Well, I was going to tell you about the hope and life conference is coming up. That's for the youth and young adults,
[01:05:08] July, June 24th. That's just a few weeks away, but we have thousands of young people in the building and you know, we can put on that conference all free of charge again, because of you guys generosity, but watching online, you have youth groups. You want to come out and be a
[01:05:23] part of a great conference. We'd love to have you there, have you here, but thanks for being with us today. When you see yourself on the big screen, can you give our TV audience a great big Lakewood
[01:05:31] welcome. God bless you. It's great to be with you today. I hope you'll stay connected with us during the week through our daily podcast or YouTube channel, social media, and you can come visit us in person. We'd love to have you be a part of one of our services. I'd like to start
[01:05:50] with something funny. I heard about these two professional baseball players. They were discussing whether or not they thought there would be baseball up in heaven. They made an agreement that whoever died first would come back and tell
[01:06:03] if indeed there was baseball in heaven.
[01:06:06] A few months later, one of the players died, just like he promised.
[01:06:10] He came back, said to the other player, I got good news and I've got bad news.
[01:06:14] The good news is there is baseball up in heaven.
[01:06:18] The bad news is you're scheduled to pitch next Thursday.
[01:06:22] Say it like you mean it.
[01:06:24] This is my Bible.
[01:06:26] I am what it says I am.
[01:06:27] I have what it says I have.
[01:06:29] I can do what it says I can do.
[01:06:31] Today, I will be taught the word of God.
[01:06:34] I boldly confess, my mind is alert, my heart is receptive, I will never be the same.
[01:06:41] I'm about to receive the incorruptible, indestructible, ever-living seed of the word of God.
[01:06:48] I'll never be the same, never, never, never.
[01:06:51] I'll never be the same in Jesus' name.
[01:06:54] God bless you.
[01:06:56] If you'd like to open your Bibles to Psalm chapter 23, you'll know the scripture, but you're welcome to turn there. Psalm 23. And don't forget, we have great services all week.
[01:07:09] Monday night, we have the Bible study online. Wednesday night, we're back in person, Pastor Nick. And wow, we had a great time making all those bags this week. And Friday night, we have our movie night over on the fourth floor. And love to have you come out, free movie,
[01:07:23] meet some great people from Lakewood, but check the web out because there's a lot of great things going on. But again, honored to have you. I want to talk to you today about your bags are packed.
[01:07:33] We all face situations where we don't know if we have what it takes.
[01:07:38] We feel unqualified for the position.
[01:07:41] We don't think we have the strength to raise these children or the endurance to deal with these health issues.
[01:07:47] But God knew everything you would ever face, every problem, every setback, every dream.
[01:07:54] He put in you everything you would need to fulfill your purpose, the gifts, the talents, the wisdom, the strength.
[01:08:01] He's lined up the right people the good breaks the doors to open the giants to fall You will never face a situation where you don't have what you need You're not lacking You're not at a disadvantage
[01:08:17] The odds may be against you but god has already equipped and empowered you for every season David said it this way. The lord is my shepherd I shall not want One version says I have everything I need
[01:08:33] That's a powerful place to live from Not i'm not attractive enough and I don't have the talent. This problem's too big As long as you think you're lacking you're going to get stuck You have to change your mindset
[01:08:48] Get out of that not enough mentality can't do it too big Do like david having I have everything I need mentality. I am well able That's how david could defeat a giant with just a slingshot
[01:09:03] That's how he could outlast king saul who was so jealous That's why he didn't get discouraged when his father left him out in the shepherd's fields He knew number one. The lord is my shepherd. I'm not doing this by myself
[01:09:18] I have a protector a defender a way maker And number two, he believed that the lord his shepherd had put in him everything he needed that he wasn't lacking, that he wasn't deficient.
[01:09:32] He didn't go around thinking, I wish I had more courage, then I'd face that giant.
[01:09:38] Wish I had more talent, then I could become a king.
[01:09:41] If I had more strength, I could deal with Saul.
[01:09:44] We wouldn't be talking about David if he didn't believe that he had everything he needed for each season he was in.
[01:09:52] If you have a lacking mindset, it pushes down your potential.
[01:09:56] If you believe you're at a deficit it limits what god put in you When joel, I feel like i'm over my head. I don't know if I can do this God wouldn't have allowed the situation if you weren't well able
[01:10:09] It's a test Are you going to live with a lacking mentality or are you going to live with a loaded mentality?
[01:10:17] Are you going to shrink back because the obstacle feels too big or are you going to step up knowing that the courage, the strength, the favor is already in you? And I'm not saying you should never feel unqualified or feel intimidated. Feelings come
[01:10:33] to us all. That's not a lack of faith. That's normal. But here's the key. Feelings don't tell you the truth. Feelings are fickle. They can be up one day and down the next. You have to override
[01:10:46] those feelings by what you know. That is the Lord is your shepherd and you have everything you need for each season that you're in. Now don't verbalize your feelings. Verbalize what God says about you.
[01:11:00] Well, I can't raise this child. It's too difficult. No, I am strong in the Lord. I am well able.
[01:11:07] Well, I can't take this position. I'm not qualified. No, I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Well, Joel, this sickness is too much. I can't deal with the treatment. Turn it around. Greater is he that's in me than what's trying to stop me. You have the
[01:11:24] strength, the power, the favor for every season, not to just survive, but to thrive despite what comes against you. Imagine with me that I decided to take Victoria on a 40 day surprise vacation next year for our 40th anniversary. Now just imagine, because it's not going to happen.
[01:11:47] This is an illustration, Victoria. This is not a prophecy, but since it's a surprise, I have to pack her bags and I pick out all these great locations. We're going to spend a few days
[01:12:02] in the mountains where it's snowing. So I pack her coat, sweater, gloves, a scarf. Then we're going to head to a beach town, get some sun. I pack her shorts, tank tops, sandals, sunscreen.
[01:12:15] We love to hike. We're going to travel to this place where there are great trails. So I pack her hiking boots, blue jeans, backpack, water bottle. Then we're going to finish up the trip in a big city and go to a nice restaurant and go to maybe see a play afterwards. So I pack
[01:12:33] something formal, nice dress, high heels, fancy purse. She'll need her makeup. I'll take those four suitcases. And the morning of the trip, the morning of the trip, she wakes up and I tell her we're going on a surprise 40 day vacation. We leave in an hour. First thing she'll say is I
[01:12:53] can't go. I have to pack. I tell her, no, you don't have to. I pack for you. She'll say now I'm really not going, but we get to our first location. She looks in the bag and there's the
[01:13:06] coat, the sweater, the gloves that she needs. Get to the beach. A few days later, there's the shorts, sandals, and sunscreen. She thinks, man, I know Joel is good looking. I didn't know he's this
[01:13:18] smart. We go take our hike. She has all her gear, jeans, backpack, water bottle. Get to the big city.
[01:13:25] she looks in her bag. There's one of her nice dresses, perfectly folded. There's her high heels.
[01:13:30] It's all in there. Every place she went, she had just what she needed. How could I pack so perfectly? How could I have the right thing for every occasion? It's because I planned the trip.
[01:13:43] I knew the itinerary, where we were going, how long we're going to stay, what we're going to do, what the weather would be like. I took all that into account and made sure I packed exactly what
[01:13:55] she needed. The scripture says before you were born, God knew you and planned out your days.
[01:14:02] It says in Psalms that he has written every day of your life in his book. He knows where you're going, how long you're going to stay, what the conditions are going to be like, what you're
[01:14:14] going to need. The good news is God not only knows your itinerary, but he has packed your bags.
[01:14:21] There's not a location that you go to that you won't have what you need. There's not a season you'll be in where you don't have the strength, the courage, the favor to do what he's assigned
[01:14:33] you to do. He knows every battle you'll face, every valley, every mountain, that opportunity that seems over your head. He knew it was coming. He planned your trip. He's already put the faith, the wisdom, the fortitude in your bag. You don't have to live worried thinking, I don't know if I
[01:14:52] can handle this. It's over my head. No, it's in you. There's grace for every season. There is strength for your assignment, provision for your calling. Don't believe those lies that you had a deficit. It's too much. That's saying in effect, God, you forgot something. You left this out of
[01:15:11] my bag. You didn't take into account this trouble, this person that walked away, this new level in my career. No, God doesn't make mistakes. Whatever season you're in, it may be a surprise to you,
[01:15:26] but it's not a surprise to him. When you understand that God has packed your bags, You don't live with a lacking mindset. You live with a loaded mindset Like david even when you walk into seasons that don't make sense
[01:15:41] You have that faith that trust that the lord is my shepherd. I have everything I need This can save you a lot of frustration A lot of angst about the future because there's so much uncertainty
[01:15:55] It's easy to worry about what might happen and how am I going to handle college?
[01:16:01] Or what if I'm not good at raising these children?
[01:16:04] Or what if this company doesn't need me in the future?
[01:16:06] How will I make it?
[01:16:08] We don't know what the future holds.
[01:16:10] We don't know what we'll need and what we'll face.
[01:16:13] But you know what will help you sleep well at night and lay down in peace is when you know that your bags have been packed by your heavenly father.
[01:16:22] He knows everything.
[01:16:24] He planned your itinerary.
[01:16:26] He didn't just leave it up to us to figure out, come up with what we need. He packed your bags for you. He took into account every season in your life, your youth, your young adult, middle age, senior years. It's all there.
[01:16:43] You can live in peace knowing who packed your bags. One time I was at a night of hope, one of our events on the road and always wear casual clothes to the venue. And I changed into
[01:16:56] my suit right before the service starts. I'd been there an hour or so visiting with pastors and other guests. And about 15 minutes before the service, I ran back to change my clothes and my suit and shirt and tie were hanging there. And I looked in my bag and there were my shoes,
[01:17:13] my belt, but I couldn't find my socks anywhere. I looked in all the compartments and unzipped everything, pulled out all the other clothes, but no socks. All I had were my athletic socks. I was
[01:17:25] wearing with my tennis shoes. Well, my friend Johnny was with me. I've known him my whole life.
[01:17:30] He was already in his suit. He looked at me and said, do you want my socks? I said, if you don't mind. And we switched socks right there. I didn't tell him anything about that toe fungus I've had
[01:17:42] for 30 years, but God must've protected him. But here's my point. Sometimes we forget to pack things. I had done a couple hundred nights of hope, but that night I left something out.
[01:17:56] Can I encourage you? God never leaves anything out. He never forgets to pack what you need.
[01:18:03] Now, when you're in a difficult situations, thoughts will whisper, you're not qualified.
[01:18:08] You're not attractive enough. You're not talented enough. Do you think the creator of the universe, the God who flung stars into space, somehow made a mistake and forgot to pack what you need.
[01:18:21] That he somehow left out your socks, so to speak.
[01:18:25] Now you don't have the courage, the strength, the ability.
[01:18:29] That's the enemy.
[01:18:31] He'd love to deceive us into living with a lacking mentality.
[01:18:35] I'm not enough.
[01:18:36] I'm at a deficit.
[01:18:38] As long as you believe that, it's limiting what God put in you.
[01:18:42] the gifts, the talents, the strength is lying dormant. The way to unpack your bags and discover what's in you is to be like David and live from this. I have everything I need mentality, not because of what we've done, not because of how great we are, but because the Lord is our
[01:19:02] shepherd and he has packed us with courage, with influence, with leadership, with strategy.
[01:19:08] you're not lacking you can handle it if it's in your path you're equipped for it if it's in your future you don't have to worry God made the itinerary he's planned your days he's already
[01:19:22] packed everything you need when you get there you can open up that bag and there it is a friend of mine is taking care of his elderly parents he and his wife have several beautiful children
[01:19:35] And he's very successful in his career. They're always on the go He said joel if you would have told me five years ago That I would need to take care of my parents and bring them food each day and check on them and take them to appointments
[01:19:50] I would have thought there's no way I don't have the time or energy. I can't handle all that But he said it's so amazing at how I have the grace to do all this now
[01:20:02] I don't dread it. I enjoy it. It's like God has multiplied my time. Why was that?
[01:20:09] God had already packed the grace, the strength, the ability in his bag. God knows what you're going to need, when you're going to need it. You don't have to dread things and worry and convince yourself it's going to be so hard and what all you can't do. When you get there,
[01:20:27] the grace will be there. Well, Joel, it seems like it's over my head. It's too much for me.
[01:20:33] No, you haven't unpacked all this in your bag You've seen partial strength partial talent partial courage There's much more in you You can't judge your future by where you are right now Proverbs says the path of the righteous gets brighter and brighter
[01:20:50] As you step into new seasons where you need more strength more wisdom more grace You're going to unpack things. You didn't know were in you And some of what god is packed is hidden on purpose because you don't need it right now
[01:21:06] It's easy to think well, this is who I am. This is who i'll always be this same level of confidence strength influence Know your grace for where you are right now, but god has greater levels coming
[01:21:20] You're going to discover what he's packed in you that you didn't even know you had for 17 years I worked behind the scenes here at lakewood doing the television production and I enjoyed it Had a natural bend at cameras and lighting and producing
[01:21:37] But my father would always try to get me up to speak. He'd say joel. You'd be a good minister Why don't you help me pastor the church?
[01:21:46] That was always so strange to me. I thought man. I have my dad fooled There is no way I could get up in front of people. I wouldn't know what to say. I don't have that gift
[01:21:56] year after year I would tell him no but in 1999 my father had a heart attack and went to be with the Lord and all of a sudden I felt this desire to step up and pastor the church now thoughts told
[01:22:10] me you're not qualified you don't have the experience nobody's going to listen to you in years past I believed it lived intimidated too much no way but this time I felt this courage this strength, this favor that I'd never felt before.
[01:22:28] I stepped up.
[01:22:29] We never dreamed the church would grow.
[01:22:32] We were hoping if we could just maintain what my parents had built, that would be a great victory.
[01:22:37] But look what the Lord has done.
[01:22:39] 27 years later, here we are in the former compact center.
[01:22:44] I didn't know my father was gonna suddenly pass.
[01:22:49] I didn't know I could minister, but God knew what was coming.
[01:22:53] He knew what I was going to need.
[01:22:55] He had already packed my bags.
[01:22:57] You don't know what God has already packed in you.
[01:23:00] That's why you don't have to worry.
[01:23:02] What if this happens, Joel?
[01:23:04] I don't think I'm qualified.
[01:23:05] I don't have the talent.
[01:23:07] You have what you need.
[01:23:09] But this season, when you need more, it'll be there.
[01:23:12] God has already packed it.
[01:23:14] He's not only put things in you, but he's lined up the people you need and the doors to open, the good breaks.
[01:23:22] When my father passed, my brother Paul had been the chief of surgery at a hospital in Little Rock for 13 years.
[01:23:30] Driving home from the memorial service, he felt God telling him to come back home and help us pastor the church. My brother-in-law Don was working in politics in Washington. He came back and helped us to run the television station the church owned. I couldn't have made all this
[01:23:47] happen. God had it all lined up. When we were trying to acquire this building, the former Compact Center. It was owned by the city. We needed 10 city council members to vote for us.
[01:24:00] Well, I'd never done anything in city politics. I thought, man, where do we even start trying to convince people to be for us? Well, there was a consultant we were turned about, that we were
[01:24:11] told about, that was the most influential man in city politics. For decades, he had worked with council members and mayors. If you wanted anything done, people told us he was the person to get.
[01:24:25] Well, the thing about this man is he didn't have any kind of faith background, never done anything for a religious organization. And he was kind of known to be a partier and love to dream,
[01:24:37] stay out late, have a good time. His language was really out there, but you never know who God is going to use. Don't write people off because they're not just like you. And the first time
[01:24:49] I met with him, it was like this instant connection. God calls things to fall into place.
[01:24:55] He went out of his way to make things happen for us. He called on favors that people owed him and used it for us. It was uncommon. He told the newspaper, I love Joel. I'll do anything for him.
[01:25:09] I'd like to think i'm just that great but that was the favor god had already packed for us for that critical season Bringing the right people God knows what you need and he knows who you need
[01:25:23] As you keep moving forward honoring god, you're going to unpack gifts talents favor Opportunity the right people are going to show up God packed it for the right season You'll never be at a deficit never be lacking
[01:25:41] Like david you have everything you need for the season you're in Like god did for me You're going to come into these seasons where you unpack things that thrust you ahead that you didn't even know were in you
[01:25:55] This is what happened to gideon Judges chapter 6 the people of israel were being terrorized by the midianites they were bigger and stronger and every time the Israelites crops begin to flourish, they would come and take the harvest and steal
[01:26:12] their possessions. Well, Gideon was in hiding in a wine press, afraid and intimidated. An angel showed up and said, mighty hero, the Lord is with you. You are to deliver the Israelites from the army of Midian. I can imagine Gideon looking around thinking who he's talking about. I'm not
[01:26:33] a mighty hero. I'm not strong and confident. I'm afraid I'm hiding, but God doesn't just see you as you are. He knows what he put in you. There will be these times that he calls it out. Gideon
[01:26:47] said to the angel, how can I deliver the people? I come from the smallest tribe and I'm the least one in my father's house. He was saying, man, I'm lacking. I'm at a deficit. I would deliver the
[01:27:01] people if I had the courage, if I had the strength and the strategy, then I'd step up. But God will never ask you to do something and not give you the ability to do it. He won't open a door that
[01:27:14] you can't walk through. He won't let you face opposition that you can't overcome. He knew it was coming. He planned your days. He determined your itinerary. He knew the Midianites would show up, the trouble, the sickness, the loss. It may have surprised you, but it didn't surprise him.
[01:27:34] The psalmist said, God has armed you with strength for every battle. He's already packed your bags for that adversity. Yes, the enemy may look big, but what's in you is bigger. That challenge may be great, but greater is he that's in you. There's greater courage, greater faith, greater vision.
[01:27:53] You wouldn't be facing it if you weren't well able Gideon's mistake is he went by what he felt. I feel unqualified. I feel less than afraid That whole time he had a mighty hero on the inside a man of fearless courage
[01:28:11] This shows us what you're thinking can push down what god put in you If you live with this deficit mentality not enough disadvantage. You're not going to see that mighty hero come out. Gideon made all these excuses and
[01:28:28] told the angel what he didn't have, what he couldn't do. The angel said, Gideon, go in the strength you have. That was the key. He was saying, don't wait till your feelings change.
[01:28:40] Take a step of faith and you'll discover what God has already put in you.
[01:28:46] Sometimes we're like Gideon. When I feel more courage, Joel, when I see things begin to improve, When I don't have this doubt this insecurity then i'll step up But faith is about believing before you see it
[01:29:00] Gideon finally took that step He went out and defeated the midianites and he went on to become one of the heroes of faith I wonder if there are things god has packed in your bag, but
[01:29:14] Like gideon you're talking yourself out of it Thinking you're not qualified the opposition's too big. You don't have what it takes You wouldn't be there if you didn't have what it takes Your assignment may be bigger than your confidence, but it's not bigger than your calling
[01:29:31] God has already packed the mighty hero in you. He's already put greater confidence strength strategy To defeat the giants in your life to step into your purpose Moses had to learn this he'd been in the desert for 40 years
[01:29:49] Hiding because of a mistake he had made he felt like he was done he had missed his chance but God has taken into account every mistake every wrong turn he's already packed mercy and new beginnings and second chances nothing you've done
[01:30:08] has canceled your destiny God showed up in a burning bush and told Moses go tell the Pharaoh to let my people go. Moses said, God, I can't go. I stutter. I have a problem with my speech.
[01:30:24] I don't talk well. I love how God answered him. He said, Moses, who made your tongue?
[01:30:31] Who makes the deaf to hear? Who makes the blind to see? Is it not I, the Lord, your God?
[01:30:38] He was saying in effect, Moses, who packed your bags? You think I left something out that I'm asking you to do something you can't do? If you'll go in the strength you have, you'll discover what
[01:30:51] God has already packed. Moses went to the Pharaoh. At first, he wouldn't let the people go. God told him to throw his staff on the ground, this stick that he carried. When he did, it turned into a
[01:31:04] snake. He picked it up. It turned back into a staff, supernatural power. He held that stick up and the Red Sea parted.
[01:31:13] He used that stick to strike a rock and water came flowing out.
[01:31:18] Something he had that looked ordinary, just a stick, became a tool to see the extraordinary.
[01:31:26] And some of the things God has packed in your bags may seem ordinary to you.
[01:31:31] Ordinary talent, ordinary courage, ordinary opportunity, but when God breathes on them, they'll become extraordinary.
[01:31:38] Doors will open, healing will come, Generational limitations will be broken But moses almost talked himself out of it god. I stutter i'm at a deficit He didn't need a new mouth. He needed a new mindset
[01:31:54] Could that be you today?
[01:31:57] You have what you need, but your thinking is limiting you I know there are times that we feel over our head The obstacle looks too big the dream too great But you have to remind yourself that god not only planned your days
[01:32:12] He not only determined your itinerary, but he took it one step further and packed your bags You have the grace you need for this season that you're in And whatever you face in the future
[01:32:25] You don't have to worry Stress over things that you can't control wonder how it's going to work out You can stay in peace your heavenly father has taken all that into account He didn't forget to pack anything in your bag. He doesn't make mistakes
[01:32:42] Now don't live from a deficit mentality Not enough problem too big. There's a mighty hero in you There's courage strength new levels no more. I'm lacking but how about i'm loaded Not a gideon mentality. It's too much. But how about david? The lord is my shepherd. I have everything I need
[01:33:03] If you'll do this, I believe and declare like david you're going to see giants fall Healing freedom breakthroughs like gideon that mighty hero is going to come out the fullness of your destiny In jesus name and if you receive it, can you say amen?
[01:33:27] Let's pray together if you have five minutes, we'll just seal it in prayer lord. Thank you for what we've heard today I know it falls on great ground faithful people here at lakewood and I thank you today lord god that
[01:33:38] Strongholds have been broken in our mind lord. No more None of us living at a deficit at a disadvantage thinking that we're not enough lord Help us to put our shoulders back hold our head up high knowing that you put in us everything that we need
[01:33:55] That we are masterpieces chosen by you equipped and empowered and lord I just speak your victory into your people. Lord, help us to see ourselves the way you made us.
[01:34:06] Lord, as they go out this week and their children during the summer, thank you that your angels are protecting everyone, watching after them, giving them a blessed week in Jesus' name. With our heads bowed in prayer, just a quick question. If your heart stopped beating in the next few minutes,
[01:34:24] Are you at peace with god?
[01:34:28] Do you know where you'd spend eternity if you died a little while from now?
[01:34:33] If not, I would love to pray with you I'm, not here to condemn anybody I'm here to help you find a new beginning I know this comes from a personal relationship with jesus christ In just a moment if you're not at peace with the lord
[01:34:49] Or maybe you're a christian, but you've grown cold toward god and you know you need to rededicate your life. You need a fresh new start. If that's you, in just a moment, I'm going to ask you to take a step of faith and stand right where you are and we'll pray together.
[01:35:06] I can't think of a better time to get on the road to victory than right now. God is not mad at you.
[01:35:13] Your sins have already been forgiven. All you have to do is accept the free gift of Christ's salvation. Will you do it today? The enemy in your thoughts, he'll whisper, do it next week.
[01:35:26] Do it another time. Listen, the Bible says today is the day of salvation. You're not hearing this by accident. Well, Joel, it's embarrassing to stand in front of everyone. I have people at the house. I can't lift my hand. Listen to what Jesus said. If you won't be ashamed of me before people,
[01:35:44] Then I won't be ashamed of you before my father in heaven I'm going to give you a great opportunity to show god that you're not ashamed of him if you need to If you're not at peace with the lord or you need to rededicate your life
[01:36:00] You've grown cold. You need to recommit. You need that fresh new start that new beginning If that's you would you be bold take that step of faith and stand right where you are and we'll pray together
[01:36:11] Would you do that? Come on lakewood. Let's give him a hand as they stand all over the building. Come on, don't put it off.
[01:36:25] I feel like there ought to be a few more. Anybody else? Come on, Lakewood, let's cheer them in. Up top.
[01:36:31] Watching, listening. Anybody else?
[01:36:36] Well, God bless you.
[01:36:37] Please remain standing if you don't mind.
[01:36:40] Let me tell you how proud we are of you. More importantly, I know God saw you take this step of faith. He's never going to be ashamed of you because of this step you took today. We love you. We're going to be praying
[01:36:51] for you. The scripture says this, whoever calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. Let me help you to call. Do you mind all praying this after me? If you would please. Lord Jesus, I repent of my sins. Come into my heart.
[01:37:09] I make you my Lord and Savior. Amen. Or I mean, standing one more moment, I want to tell you again how much we love you. We're going to be praying for you. This next year of your life is an
[01:37:21] incredibly important time. And I want to give you a personal invitation, even a challenge to come back and be with us on a regular basis. Come get plugged in. If you'll do this, I'll make a promise
[01:37:33] before that year is over, your life will never be the same for the better. I know, you know, Sundays, a lot of times it's a day off and you could be resting or running errands, but can I
[01:37:43] tell you, there is a blessing on your life when you put God first place and you get into a community of faith. We'd love to have you here at Lakewood. If you can't come here, go some good place,
[01:37:54] but love to have you. People ask me, what's the next step? Well, right after service over here, there's a place called New Beginnings and you can meet some of our staff. They'll give you some
[01:38:03] resources. It just takes 15, 20 minutes, but it's a great place because here's the thing. I'd love you to meet some people from Lakewood, maybe join some of our teams. I'm not trying to give you more
[01:38:14] work, I want you to have some awesome friends that will keep you encouraged and built up. There's amazing people here at Lakewood and who you're spending your time with is going to make a big, big difference. And we'd love
[01:38:26] to get you, you know, get you to meet some of these people at Lakewood. They'll be lifelong friends.
[01:38:30] So it's right after there, but know this.
[01:38:32] I'm usually out in the lobby today.
[01:38:34] I can't, I have to leave, but I'd love to meet you sometime, but know this. The moment you stood up, God washed away all your sins, your mistakes, the failures.
[01:38:43] You are starting with the fresh, clean slate.
[01:38:46] Write it down in your Bible.
[01:38:47] May 31st, 2026, a new day of victory in your life.
[01:38:52] In Jesus' name, amen.
[01:38:54] Amen.
[01:38:55] Well, let's all stand together, if you would, please.
[01:38:58] Thanks for coming out today.
[01:39:00] How many of you are going home better off than you were before?
[01:39:02] Amen.
[01:39:04] Well, guys, we love you very much.
[01:39:06] And until we meet again, may the Lord bless you and keep you.
[01:39:09] May the Lord show you His favor and have mercy on you.
[01:39:12] and may the Lord watch after you and give you his peace.
[01:39:16] God bless you.
[01:39:17] Have a favor-filled week.
[01:39:19] See you back real soon.