Pastor Joel @ Lakewood Church
He told many stories in the form of parables, such as this one: "Listen! A farmer went out to plant some seeds. As he scattered them across his field, some seeds fell on a footpath, and the birds came and ate them. Other seeds fell on shallow soil with underlying rock. The seeds sprouted quickly because the soil was shallow. But the plants soon wilted under the hot sun, and since they didn't have deep roots, they died. Other seeds fell among thorns that grew up and choked out the tender plants. Still other seeds fell on fertile soil, and they produced a crop that was thirty, sixty, and even a hundred times as much as had been planted!
Matthew 13:3-8 NLT
Thorns: Toxic Friends
Weeds: Messy Coworkers
Rocks: Negative Family members
People are contagious. Don't spend a lot of time with people who have things that you don't want to catch.
It's not enough to focus on self-development, you have to focus on soil development.
God will never ask you to give something up without giving you something else in return.
The Lord had said to Abram, "Leave your native country, your relatives, and your father's family, and go to the land that I will show you. So Abram departed as the Lord had instructed, and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he left Haran.
Genesis 12:1, 4 NLT
God told Abraham to leave with ONLY his immediate family but he took his nephew Lot.
Lot means veil or covering.
Are you holding on to what God asked you let go of?
Be selective about what you can.
When Jesus arrived at the official's home, he saw the noisy crowd and heard the funeral music. "Get out!" he told them. "The girl isn't dead; she's only asleep." But the crowd laughed at him. After the crowd was put outside, however, Jesus went in and took the girl by the hand, and she stood up!
Matthew 9:23-25 NLT
In 1896, Henry Ford attended a convention in Manhattan Beach, New York, where the honorary guest of honor was no other than the renowned Thomas Edison. During the night, a friend pointed out Ford to Edison telling him, "There's a young fellow who has made a gas car." The defining moment of the evening came after Edison asked young Ford poignant questions and showed his satisfaction by banging his fist down on the table. "Young man," he said, "that's the thing! You have it! Your car is self contained and carries its own power plant."
Nay sayers are a dime a dozen. You have to find the 20% of positive people.
Find a mentor.
Peter and John looked at him intently, and Peter said, "Look at us!" The lame man looked at them eagerly, expecting some money. But Peter said, "I don't have any silver or gold for you. But I'll give you what I have. In the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, get up and walk!" Then Peter took the lame man by the right hand and helped him up. And as he did, the man's feet and ankles were instantly healed and strengthened. He jumped up, stood on his feet, and began to walk! Then, walking, leaping, and praising God, he went into the Temple with them.
Acts of the Apostles 3:4-8 NLT
You need friends who won't just pray but they will also lift you up.
Sometimes you can't go to the next level without someone pulling you up. Adicted people can't help adicted people. Maybe you need to change who you're spending time with. Stay away from people who are enabling the dysfunction.
