(Joyce) ARE YOU AWARE THAT EVERY CHOICE YOU MAKE IN LIFE IS A SEED YOU SOW THAT WILL PRODUCE A HARVEST? I WANT TO REALLY ENCOURAGE YOU TO BE MORE SERIOUS ABOUT THE DECISIONS THAT YOU MAKE BECAUSE WHETHER THEY’RE GOOD OR BAD, THEY WILL BRING A RESULT. THAT’S NEXT ON “ENJOYING EVERYDAY LIFE.” (music)
(Joyce) SOMETIMES WE DO ALL THESE THINGS THAT MAKE US FEEL SPIRITUAL AND THE FLESH LIKES THAT. YOU HAVE TO UNDERSTAND THE FLESH LIKES TO FEEL SPIRITUAL, BUT IF YOU’RE GOING TO DO WHAT THE WORD SAYS TO DO, THEN IT’S GOING TO TAKE SOME SELF-CONTROL BECAUSE THE FLESH DOESN’T MIND HOW MUCH YOU PLAN TO DO GOOD, BUT WHEN YOU START DOING IT, HE DOESN’T ROLL OUT THE RED CARPET, HE DECLARES WAR. THAT’S WHY SO OFTEN WHEN WE GO INTO THESE FOREIGN COUNTRIES WE’RE PRETTY STUBBORN; WHEN WE DECIDE TO DO SOMETHING, WE DON’T JUST GO AND MAKE A PASS AT IT TO SAY WE’VE BEEN THERE. WE GO IN AND START TEARING STUFF UP. AND WE GO BACK AGAIN AND AGAIN AND AGAIN, OR IF WE CAN’T GO, WE SEND SOMEBODY. WE TRANSLATE BOOKS INTO THEIR LANGUAGE AND WE GIVE THEM AWAY ALL OVER THE PLACE. WE GET RESOURCES INTO THE PASTORS’ HANDS. THE DEVIL DOESN’T LIKE THAT STUFF BECAUSE ANYBODY WHO’S PERSISTENT IS GOING TO BRING CHANGE, SO A LOT OF TIMES WE GET ATTACKED IN A VARIETY OF WAYS. IF YOU KNEW THE STUPID STUFF THAT COULD HAPPEN TO US IN ONE LONG OVERSEAS MINISTRY TRIP, YOU WOULD BE AMAZED. IT DOESN’T BOTHER ME ANYMORE. I ALMOST TAKE IT AS GOOD NEWS. SOMETIMES IF THE DEVIL’S NOT BOTHERING YOU, MAYBE YOU OUGHT TO ASK IF YOU’RE BOTHERING HIM. (applause)
SELF-CONTROL. JESUS GAVE THEM THE ANSWER. TO GET FROM WHAT YOU KNOW IS RIGHT TO DOING IT CAN SOMETIMES SEEM LIKE AN AWFULLY LONG JOURNEY BUT IT REALLY IS ALMOST SO SIMPLE THAT IT’S FRIGHTENING AND I THINK THAT’S WHY WE MISS IT. I STUDY AND EVEN AGAIN THIS MORNING AND I SEE IT EVERYWHERE I GO.
