THE BLESSED LIFE BY JOYCE MEYER

IF YOU HAVEN’T HAD A PROMOTION THOUGH, I THINK WE OUGHT TO ASK OURSELVES A QUESTION THIS MORNING.  ARE YOU READY? (Yes.) MAYBE YOU SHOULD ASK YOURSELF IF YOU’RE REALLY A GOOD EMPLOYEE WHO REALLY DESERVES A PROMOTION. “WELL, OF COURSE I AM!” (laughing) EH-EH-EH-EH-EH. WAIT A MINUTE. WAIT, WAIT, WAIT, WAIT. ARE YOU HONEST? DO YOU TAKE THE COMPANY RUBBER BANDS AND PAPER CLIPS HOME? (laughing) DO YOU RUN ALL YOUR COPIES FOR YOUR WEEKLY SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON THROUGH THE COPY MACHINE AT WORK? (Whoa!) IT’S ALRIGHT IF YOU ASK THEM AND THEY SAID YOU COULD THAT’S GREAT BUT SNEAKING AROUND DOING IT…. ANYTHING YOU HAVE TO HIDE AND DO OUGHT TO TELL YOU THERE’S SOMETHING WRONG WITH IT.

HELLO, CHURCH! I SAID: ANYTHING WE HAVE TO HIDE AND DO, WE NEED TO KNOW RIGHT AWAY THERE’S SOMETHING WRONG WITH THIS. (applause) THEN HERE COMES A LITTLE CONVICTION AND NOW THE EXCUSE: WELL, BLESS GOD, THEY DON’T PAY ME ENOUGH ANYWAY! (laughing) I’LL LEAVE THAT THERE FOR NOW. WE MIGHT TALK ABOUT THAT MORE TOMORROW. DO YOU WORK EIGHT HOURS FOR EIGHT HOURS’ PAY? “YES, PRAISE GOD, I CLOCK IN AT 8:00 AND I CLOCK OUT AT 5:00.” WELL, YOU KNOW WHAT? IF YOU’RE SUPPOSED TO BE AT WORK AT 8:00 AND YOU CLOCK IN AT 8:00 THEN YOU’RE NOT WORKING AT 8:00. (laughing) NO, BECAUSE BY THE TIME YOU GET YOUR COAT OFF, YOU GET YOUR STUFF PUT AWAY, YOU GET YOUR COFFEE, AND YOU SAY GOOD MORNING TO EVERYBODY, NOW IT’S 8:15. (laughing) AMEN? (Amen!) IF YOU’RE CLOCKING OUT AT 5:00, THEN YOU’RE PROBABLY STARTING TO GET READY ABOUT 20 TILL 5:00. (laughing) “WELL, I DIDN’T COME HERE FOR YOU TO MESS UP MY LIFE!” (laughing)

THAT’S EXACTLY WHAT YOU NEED IS SOMEBODY TO MESS IN YOUR LITTLE LIFE! “WELL! IF I ACTUALLY WORK TILL 5:00, I WON’T BE THE FIRST ONE OUT OF THE PARKING LOT.” (laughing) “THEN I’LL HAVE TO WAIT IN THE LINE AT MCDONALD’S AND I WON’T GET HOME IN TIME TO WATCH MY FAVORITE TV SHOW.” BUT YOU KNOW WHAT? YOU WILL BE NOTICED IN HEAVEN. YOU WILL BE SOMEBODY NOTICED IN HEAVEN AND GOD WILL SAY “THAT’S SOMEBODY WE MAYBE OUGHT TO WATCH BECAUSE THEY’RE GOING – UH-OH! – THAT LITTLE THING IN THE BIBLE – THE EXTRA MILE.” WOW!  WHERE ARE THOSE PEOPLE TODAY WHO ACTUALLY GO THE EXTRA MILE? WHAT ABOUT THOSE ONES WHO WOULD WORK A LITTLE OVERTIME AND WOULDN’T EVEN DEMAND PAY AND A HALF? TIME AND A HALF OR WHATEVER IT IS.