THE BIBLE BY JOYCE MEYER

JOYCE MEYER ONLINE – WE MAY LIKE TO VISIT DISNEYLAND BUT WE CAN’T LIVE THERE; WE HAVE TO LIVE IN REALITY. AMEN? (laughing) RIGHT? (Right!) OUR PROBLEMS ARE NOT OTHER PEOPLE; THEY’RE IN US. IT’S NOT EVEN OUR CIRCUMSTANCES. IT’S THE WAY WE LOOK AT OUR CIRCUMSTANCES. IT’S OUR ATTITUDE TOWARD OUR CIRCUMSTANCES. THE ISRAELITES DID NOT STAY IN THE WILDERNESS 40 YEARS TRYING TO MAKE AN 11-DAY TRIP BECAUSE OF ALL THE “ITES.” (laughing) THERE WERE THE HITTITES AND THE GIRGASHITES AND THE PERIZZITES AND THE HIVITES AND THE JEBUSITES AND A WHOLE BUNCH MORE. IT AMAZES ME ALL THE “ITES.” IF YOU CHECK IT OUT IN THE BIBLE, IT’S JUST LIKE THIS HUMONGOUS LIST OF “ITES.” WELL, WE ALL HAVE OUR OWN BRAND OF “ITES” – THE GROUCHY NEIGHBOR-ITES, THE BACKACHE-ITES, THE BAD KID-ITES, THE POVERTY-ITES, THE POOR ME-ITES. (laughing) COME ON!  SO WHAT DO WE DO? WE WANDER AROUND IN THE WILDERNESS WHEN WE COULD BE LIVING IN THE PROMISED LAND. FORTY YEARS JUST LIKE THEY DID, GOING AROUND AND AROUND THE SAME STUPID MOUNTAINS: O GOD, I DON’T KNOW WHAT’S WRONG WITH MY LIFE, GOD. (laughing) I JUST WISH, GOD, YOU’D CHANGE ALL THESE PEOPLE AROUND ME WHO GIVE ME SO MUCH TROUBLE. GOD, IF YOU COULD JUST GET ME IN A BETTER ATMOSPHERE AND GET ME A BETTER HOUSE, AND OH GOD, IF YOU COULD JUST CHANGE THIS PERSON I’M MARRIED TO AND CHANGE MY KIDS, GOD. (cheering) (applause)

JOYCE MEYER – WELL, I’LL TELL YOU SOMETHING: HERE AGAIN SOMETHING GOD TOLD ME:  YOU CAN’T BE PITIFUL AND POWERFUL AT THE SAME TIME. I WANTED TO GET UP IN THE PULPIT AND BE GOD’S WOMAN OF POWER FOR THE HOUR AND THEN GO HOME, FEEL SORRY FOR MYSELF, AND TRY TO MAKE DAVE FEEL GUILTY BECAUSE HE WANTED TO GO OUT AND HAVE A GAME OF GOLF OR WATCH FOOTBALL. WELL, WHAT ABOUT ME? (laughing) WELL, WHAT ABOUT ME? (laughing) HE’D SAY: WHY DON’T YOU COME WATCH IT WITH ME? I DON’T LIKE SPORTS! I DON’T WANNA. DON’T LIKE IT. (laughing) THEN I FINALLY FIGURED OUT IT’S NOT HIS FAULT I DON’T LIKE IT SO I JUST DO SOMETHING ELSE I LIKE WHILE HE’S DOING THAT. I WAS FIGHTING A LOSING BATTLE ANYWAY. I KEPT TRYING TO MAKE HIM GIVE UP SPORTS BECAUSE I DIDN’T LIKE THEM AND ONE DAY I WALKED INTO THE ROOM — AND I AM NOT EXAGGERATING — HE WAS WATCHING FOOTBALL, LISTENING TO BASEBALL, AND SHINING HIS GOLF CLUBS ALL AT THE SAME TIME. (laughing) I MEAN, ALL AT ONCE! HAD ONE ON TV, ONE ON THE RADIO AND HE’S SHINING HIS GOLF CLUBS. I THOUGHT:  YOU KNOW WHAT? WHAT I’M DOING IS NOT WORKING. (laughing) AT LEAST WE OUGHT TO GET SMART ENOUGH IF WE’RE JUST WEARING OURSELVES OUT AND WE’RE GETTING NO RESULTS, WE OUGHT TO JUST GET A NEW PLAN. HOW MANY OF YOU HAVE TRIED TO CHANGE SOMEBODY IN YOUR LIFE SO LONG AND YOU’RE FINALLY READY TO SAY TONIGHT:  YOU KNOW WHAT? IT’S NOT WORKING. (Amen!)

Joyce Meyer Ministries – Father, we pray for our viewing audience today. I know that many of them probably have been convicted, maybe realized that they need to come up higher in this area.