<i>♪ MUSIC ♪</i> >> WELCOME TO <i>GOSPEL TRUTH</i> WITH ANDREW WOMMACK, A TEACHING MINISTRY THAT FOCUSES ON GOD’S UNCONDITIONAL LOVE >> AND GRACE. > I LOVE THE STRAIGHTFORWARDNESS AND THE SIMPLICITY THAT... > THAT HE USES TO TEACH. > HIS TEACHINGS ARE VERY SIMPLE > FOR EVERYBODY TO UNDERSTAND. > IF IT HADN’T BEEN FOR THIS MINISTRY, > I DON’T KNOW WHERE I WOULD BE. >> AND NOW, HERE’S ANDREW. WELCOME TO OUR MONDAY'S BROADCAST OF<i> THE GOSPEL TRUTH.</i> THIS IS THE BEGINNING OF MY SECOND WEEK TO TEACH ON <i>LIVING IN GOD'S BEST.</i> THE SUBTITLE IS, <i>DON'T SETTLE FOR LESS.</i> AND BASICALLY WHAT I DID LAST WEEK, WAS JUST SHARE THAT GOD IS LOOKING THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE EARTH FOR SOMEONE WHO HE CAN RELEASE HIS POWER THROUGH. GOD WANTS US TO PROSPER IN EVERY AREA OF OUR LIVES MORE THAN WE WANT TO PROSPER, BUT ONE OF THE BIGGEST PROBLEMS IS WE ARE CONTENT TO LIVE WITH LESS THAN GOD'S BEST. AS LONG AS YOU ARE CONTENT TO LIVE AT A SUBSTANDARD LEVEL, YOU WILL. BUT WHEN YOU GET SICK AND TIRED OF BEING SICK AND TIRED AND YOU JUST SAY, I'VE HAD IT, YOU WILL START SEEING GOD RELEASE HIS POWER IN YOUR LIFE AND YOU'LL SEE THINGS WORK. AND SO I USED 2 CHRONICLES 16:9, WHERE IT SAYS, THE EYES OF THE LORD RUN TO AND FRO THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE EARTH, TO SHOW HIMSELF STRONG IN BEHALF OF THOSE WHO ARE PERFECT IN HIS SIGHT. PERFECT IN HIS SIGHT IS JUST TALKING ABOUT PEOPLE WHO ARE COMMITTED TO HIM, COMMITTED TO RECEIVING HIS BEST HE'S LOOKING FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE DISSATISFIED WITH LIVING A SUBSTANDARD LIFE. IF YOU HAVE A HOLY DISSATISFACTION, PRAISE GOD, BECAUSE THAT MEANS GOD'S STIRRING YOU UP AND WANTING YOU TO REACH OUT FOR MORE. AND THEN I BEGAN TO USE EXAMPLES AND THESE ARE EXAMPLES THAT MOST PEOPLE DON'T LIKE, BUT THAT'S THE REASON THAT I'M USING THEM IS TO SHOW HOW THAT SUBTLY WE'VE JUST BEEN BRAINWASHED AND WE'VE BEEN TAUGHT TO EXPECT LESS THAN GOD'S BEST. I TALKED ABOUT FINANCES, HOW THAT WE GO IN DEBT AND WIND UP PAYING FOR THINGS TWICE WHAT THEY ARE WORTH BECAUSE WE CAN GET IT QUICKLY, BUT THEN WE S...WE MORTGAGE OUR FUTURE. WE PUT OURSELF UNDER PRESSURE THAT CAUSE PHYSICAL PROBLEMS, MARITAL PROBLEMS, ALL KINDS OF PROBLEMS AND...AND TEND TOWARDS POVERTY WHEN YOU GO IN DEBT. DEUTERONOMY 28, ROMANS, CHAPTER 13, OTHER PLACES, TALK ABOUT OWE NO MAN ANY THING, AND YET THE AVERAGE AMERICAN... OF COURSE, THIS PROGRAM'S BEING SEEN ALL OVER THE WORLD, BUT ALL OVER THE WORLD DEBT IS JUST EMBRACED. THAT'S NOT GOD'S BEST. NOW I'M NOT CONDEMNING ANYBODY WHO IS IN DEBT. I'VE USED EXAMPLES ABOUT HOW I'VE BEEN IN DEBT, BUT THAT'S NOT GOD'S BEST. THAT'S NOT WHAT I'M SHOOTING FOR, THAT'S NOT WHAT I'M BELIEVING FOR, AND AS...AS QUICKLY AS I CAN I GET OUT OF DEBT. I ALSO USED LAST FRIDAY TALKING ABOUT SICKNESS, THAT PEOPLE HAVE BEEN TAUGHT TO TOLERATE SICKNESS. THEY EXPECT SICKNESS. THEY EXPECT TO GET SICK EVERY WINTER. IT'S FLU SEASON. THEY EXPECT TO START HAVING PROBLEMS WHEN THEY GET OLDER. THEY EXPECT TO HAVE POOR EYESIGHT, THEY EXPECT THEIR HEARING TO GO THEY WILL TALK ABOUT IT AND THEY... BECAUSE THEY ARE ANTICIPATING AND IN A SENSE, EMBRACING THESE THINGS, THEY MAY NOT WANT IT, BUT THEY ACCEPT IT. THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS THAT WE DON'T HAVE BETTER HEALTH. AND I TELL YOU, I COULD AMPLIFY ON THOSE THINGS MUCH, MUCH MORE THAN I HAVE. LET ME TURN OVER TO 1 CORINTHIANS, CHAPTER 13, AND WHAT I WANT TO USE HERE IS A DEFINITION OR DESCRIPTION OF WHAT GOD'S KIND OF LOVE IS LIKE, AND THE REASON I'M DOING THIS IS TO SHOW THAT WE SETTLE FOR LESS THAN GOD'S BEST IN THE AREA OF LOVE. YOU KNOW, MANY OF US HAVE BEEN RAISED IN REJECTION, HATRED, STRIFE, AND WE THINK THIS IS NORMAL AND BECAUSE OF IT WE TOLERATE LEVELS OF STRIFE THAT WE SHOULD NEVER TOLERATE. FOR INSTANCE, OVER IN JAMES, CHAPTER 3, VERSE 16, IT SAYS, WHERE ENVYING AND STRIFE IS, THERE IS CONFUSION AND EVERY EVIL WORK. IT DIDN'T SAY SOME EVIL WORKS, IT SAYS, EVERY EVIL WORK. ENVY AND STRIFE IS A KILLER, AND YET THE AVERAGE PERSON HAS BEEN TAUGHT TO TOLERATE IT. YOU KNOW, I ACTUALLY HAD A GUY IN ONE OF MY CHURCHES WHO CAME FROM A REALLY BAD BACKGROUND, AND HE CAME INTO OUR CHURCH. HE GOT BORN AGAIN. I LED HIM TO THE LORD AND HE CAME INTO THE CHURCH, BUT THERE WAS PROBLEMS. HE...HE HAD AN ATTITUDE. ALL OF THIS BACKGROUND WAS JUST COMING OUT OF HIM AND PEOPLE IN OUR CHURCH LOVED HIM, AND WE TRIED TO REACH OUT TO HIM, BUT HE WASN'T RECEIVING VERY WELL AND ANYWAY, AFTER A FEW MONTHS HE CAME TO ME AND HE SAYS, I'M LEAVING. I'M GETTING OUT OF HERE. THERE'S STRIFE IN THIS CHURCH. AND HE SAYS, I JUST CAN'T TOLERATE IT. I'M...I'M GOING TO STAY WITH THE LORD, BUT I'M LEAVING THIS CHURCH. AND I TOLD HIM, I SAID, YOU KNOW WHAT, YOU'RE RIGHT, THERE IS STRIFE IN THIS CHURCH, AND I SAID, YOU'RE THE SOURCE OF IT, AND IT SHOCKED HIM. HE SAYS, WHAT DO YOU MEAN? I SAID, YOU CAME IN HERE... YOU CRITICIZE EVERYTHING. THIS GUY CRITICIZED PEOPLE BECAUSE WHEN THEY ATE POTATOES, THEY WOULD PEEL THE POTATOES AND HE SAYS THE PO...POTATO PEEL HAS THE MOST NUTRIENTS IN IT, SO ANYBODY WHO DID THAT, HE'D CONDEMN THEM. YOU'RE...YOU'RE EVIL, YOU'RE WRONG, YOU'RE GETTING RID... THIS IS THE WRONG THING TO DO. HE WOULD CRITICIZE THEM FOR USING SOAP. HE HAD BEEN A HIPPIE AND LIVING IN A NUDIST COLONY FOR THREE YEARS BEFORE I LED HIM TO THE LORD AND ANYWAY, HE SAYS, YOU SHOULDN'T USE SOAP, THAT'S NOT NATURAL, AND I TELL YOU WHAT, THIS GUY COULD HAVE USED SOME SOAP. HE CRITICIZED PEOPLE OVER SHAMPOO. HE COULD HAVE USED SOME SHAMPOO. BUT HE JUST CAME IN NITPICKING AND THERE WAS STRIFE IN THE CHURCH, AND HE WAS THE SOURCE OF IT AND I SAID, YOU ARE THE REASON THAT THERE'S SO MUCH STRIFE, AND ANYWAY, THIS GUY... I WAS BRACED FOR HIM GETTING MAD AT ME, BUT TO MY SURPRISE HE BROKE DOWN, AND HE...HE BEGAN TO REPENT AND HE SAYS, I'M SORRY. HE SAID, I DON'T EVEN REALIZE I'M DOING THIS. AND I SAID, YOU NEED TO WALK IN LOVE TOWARDS PEOPLE. YOU NEED TO LOVE PEOPLE IF THEY HAVE A DIFFERENT STANDARD THAN YOU DO ABOUT HYGIENE OR HOW DO YOU EAT YOUR FOOD AND STUFF LIKE THIS. AND ANYWAY, THIS GUY HAD A STATEMENT THAT JUST SHOCKED ME, BUT HE SAYS, IF YOU WERE TELLING ME TO ACT HEALED WHEN I'M SICK, I COULD DO IT, BECAUSE I'VE FELT WELL, BUT HE SAYS, YOU'RE ASKING ME TO LOVE AND I'VE NEVER FELT LOVE. I DON'T KNOW HOW TO DO IT, AND THEN HE EXPLAINED TO ME THAT HE WAS THE FIRST PERSON IN THE HISTORY OF CALIFORNIA THAT WAS INDICTED BY A GRAND JURY THREE TIMES BEFORE HE WAS A TEENAGER. HE GREW UP IN REFORMATORIES. HE LIVED A TERRIBLE LIFE AND HE SAYS, YOU'RE TELLING ME TO WALK IN LOVE. I DON'T KNOW HOW TO LOVE PEOPLE I'VE NEVER FELT LOVE. AND MY POINT IN BRINGING ALL THAT UP IS, THAT SEE, A PERSON LIKE THAT WHO HAS GROWN UP WITH TERRIBLE HATRED AND REJECTION AND STRIFE, WHAT HE THINKS IS NORMAL IS WAY ABNORMAL, TO WHAT GOD SAYS AND I BELIEVE THAT ALL OF US TO SOME DEGREE HAVE GROWN UP WITH AN ABNORMAL STANDARD, AND THERE'S PEOPLE THAT TOLERATE STRIFE THAT YOU SHOULDN'T. AGAIN, I GO BACK TO JAMES 3:16, WHERE ENVYING AND STRIFE IS, THERE IS CONFUSION AND EVERY EVIL WORK. THERE'S PEOPLE THAT THEY JUST THEY PICK AT EACH OTHER, THEY CRITICIZE EACH OTHER. IT'S NORMAL TO SHOUT AND YELL AT EACH OTHER AT HOME AND THEY JUST THINK THAT THAT'S NORMAL. NO, THAT'S STRIFE AND IT OPENS UP A DOOR TO EVERY EVIL WORK. YOU KNOW, EVERY EVIL WORK, THAT INCLUDES CANCER, THAT INCLUDES POVERTY, THAT INCLUDES TERRIBLE THINGS. YOU KNOW, I HAD A FAMILY ONE TIME, THAT I WENT TO THIS CHURCH WHO HAD JUST STARTED BELIEVING THAT IT WAS GOD'S WILL TO HEAL EVERY SINGLE TIME, THAT IT WAS A PART OF THE ATONEMENT, AND SO THIS CHURCH HAD BELIEVED GOD COULD HEAL...IT WAS ASSEMBLIES OF GOD CHURCH. THEY BELIEVED THAT GOD COULD HEAL, BUT THEY JUST BELIEVED IT WAS UP TO GOD. WELL, THEY HAD TAKEN A STEP AND HAD STARTED PREACHING THAT IT'S GOD'S WILL TO HEAL EVERY SINGLE TIME, AND NOT VERY LONG AFTER THEY STARTED DOING THAT A BOY IN THE CHURCH WENT INTO A COMA. THE WHOLE CHURCH WENT TO FASTING AND PRAYING AND BELIEVING FOR HIM TO BE HEALED, AND AFTER A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME, HE DIED, AND I GOT THERE TWO DAYS AFTER THIS BOY'S FUNERAL AND THE WHOLE CHURCH WAS IN TURMOIL. THE FAMILY OF THE BOY WAS SAYING, IF IT'S GOD'S WILL TO HEAL, WHY WASN'T HE HEALED? WE FASTED, WE PRAYED, WE DID EVERYTHING WE KNEW AND YET HE DIED, AND I TOLD THEM, I SAID, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE PROBLEM IS, BUT IT'S NOT GOD THAT MISSED IT IT'S US THAT MISSED IT. IT WASN'T GOD'S WILL FOR YOUR TEENAGE SON TO DIE. SO I WENT OUT WITH THEM EVERY DAY THAT I WAS THERE FROM...I THINK IT WAS SUNDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY, AND I WENT OUT TO EAT WITH THEM EVERY DAY, AND I TALKED TO THEM AND TRIED TO MINISTER TO THEM AND I FOUND OUT AFTER A FEW DAYS THAT THERE WAS SO MUCH STRIFE IN THAT HOME THAT THEY WERE ACTUALLY ON THE VERGE OF GETTING A DIVORCE. THEY HAD ALREADY TALKED ABOUT GETTING A DIVORCE AND THE STRIFE WAS NOT JUST BETWEEN THE HUSBAND AND WIFE, BUT THIS TEENAGE BOY, YOU KNOW, HE WAS HAVING PROBLEMS AND HE CAME TO HIS MOTHER AND THEY HAD A FIGHT AND SHE SAID TO HIM, GET OUT OF MY SIGHT, I DON'T EVER WANT TO SEE YOU AGAIN. SO THE BOY WENT TO SCHOOL WITH THAT STRIFE AND AT SCHOOL, HE BROKE THE RULES OF SCHOOL, HE LEFT SCHOOL DURING THE SCHOOL TIME. WENT OVER TO A HOUSE WITH A FRIEND, AND THEY WERE PLAYING WITH A GUN, AND PLAYING RUSSIAN ROULETTE AND HE SHOT HIMSELF IN THE HEAD, AND THAT'S THE REASON THAT HE WAS IN A COMA AND THAT'S THE REASON THAT HE DIED, AND THEY WERE PRESENTING IT AS, OH, YOU KNOW, IT WAS JUST THIS THING AND WE WERE BELIEVING, BUT WHERE ENVYING AND STRIFE IS THERE IS CONFUSION AND EVERY EVIL WORK. THEY HAD OPENED UP A DOOR TO THE DEVIL THROUGH THE STRIFE IN THIS HOME THAT ACTUALLY COST THEM THEIR SON. I'M NOT CONDEMNING THEM. I'M SAYING THAT GOD LOVES THEM, BUT YOU KNOW WHAT? YOU CAN'T JUST THROW THE DOOR WIDE OPEN TO THE DEVIL AND LET THE DEVIL COME IN TO STEAL, KILL AND TO DESTROY, AND THEN WITH YOUR FAITH JUST OVERCOME IT. SEE, THAT'S NOT GOD'S BEST AND YET, THERE ARE PEOPLE THAT JUST THINK THAT STRIFE IS NORMAL. YOU KNOW, IN MY FAMILY, I HAD A GOOD FAMILY. I WA...I PRAISE GOD FOR THE HOME I WAS RAISED IN, BUT STILL IT WASN'T PERFECT AND I REMEMBER ONE OF THE THINGS. I HAD SOME FRIENDS THAT WERE GOING TO GO TO A MOVIE AND MY FAMILY WASN'T BIG ON GOING TO MOVIES. WE DIDN'T FORBID IT, BUT WE CERTAINLY REALIZED THAT NOT ALL MOVIES WERE GOOD AND SO THEY WERE PRETTY STRICT ON WHAT I COULD GO SEE. AND I WANTED TO GO SEE THIS MOVIE. AND IT WAS THE PREACHER'S KID AND OTHERS, AND I THOUGHT, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE GOING TO GO, CAN I GO, AND I ASKED MY DAD AND MY DAD SAID, NO. AND I JUST BADGERED HIM WITH MY FRIEND STANDING IN FRONT OF ME AND I JUST, YOU KNOW, WAS LEANING ON HIM UNTIL FINALLY HE SAID, OKAY, GO. WELL, WHEN I GOT HOME, MY DAD WHOOPED ME BIG TIME AND HE SAYS, DON'T YOU EVER DO THAT. HE SAYS, I AM NOT GOING TO SIT HERE AND DO THIS IN FRONT OF YOUR FRIENDS AND MAKE IT LOOK LIKE THAT WE DON'T HAVE A GOOD FAMILY, BUT HE...WHEN I GOT HOME, BOY HE SAID, YOU NEVER DO THAT, AND I LEARNED THAT THERE'S A DOUBLE STANDARD. AGAIN, I HAD A GOOD HOME, BUT IT WASN'T PERFECT. AND I LEARNED THAT WHEN YOU'RE IN FRONT OF PEOPLE, THAT MY DAD WOULD ACT A CERTAIN WAY, HE WOULD TREAT ME A CERTAIN WAY BUT BOY, WHEN WE GOT INSIDE OF THAT HOUSE, HE LET HIS HAIR DOWN AND HE SAID THINGS AND HE WOULD DO THINGS BEHIND CLOSED DOORS THAT HE WOULDN'T DO IN PUBLIC. YOU KNOW WHAT THAT IS? THAT'S...THAT'S WRONG. I LEARNED THAT I COULD GET BY WITH CERTAIN THINGS OUT IN FRONT OF PEOPLE BECAUSE WE DIDN'T WANT TO BE PERCEIVED IN A CERTAIN WAY, BUT BOY, WHEN I WAS HOME, I COULDN'T GET BY WITH THOSE THINGS. AND I THINK THAT MOST PEOPLE HAVE KIND OF THAT DOUBLE STANDARD, THAT YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU'RE AT HOME, YOU LET YOUR HAIR DOWN. YOU WILL SAY THINGS. YOU WILL DO THINGS TO YOUR MATE THAT YOU WOULDN'T EVER DO OUT IN PUBLIC. I'VE HAD PEOPLE COME TO ME FOR MARRIAGE COUNSELING AND I REMEMBER THIS ONE GUY IN PARTICULAR, THAT THEY WERE DESCRIBING TO ME THE PROBLEMS THEY WERE HAVING IN THEIR MARRIAGE, AND THIS GUY WAS JUST A JERK. HE WAS DOING TERRIBLE THINGS AND SO I FINALLY JUST SAID, YOU KNOW WHAT? YOU ARE AN ABSOLUTE JERK THE WAY YOU'RE TREATING YOUR WIFE AND YOUR CHILDREN, AND YOU COULD TELL THIS DID NOT BLESS THIS GUY. I MEAN, HE STIFFENED UP, BUT HE CONTROLLED HIMSELF AND HE SAYS, YOU'RE PROBABLY RIGHT. HE SAYS, I THINK I'M WRONG. AND I SAID, I CAN TELL YOU PART OF THE PROBLEM IS THAT SEE, YOU CONTROLLED YOURSELF RIGHT NOW TALKING TO ME WHEN I SAID SOMETHING THAT OFFENDED YOU, BUT WHAT WOULD HAVE HAPPENED IF YOUR WIFE WOULD HAVE SAID THIS AT HOME? IT WOULD HAVE BEEN WORLD WAR III. AND SEE, THERE'S... THERE'S MANY PEOPLE, THAT TALKING TO A STRANGER, SOMEBODY TRYING TO COUNSEL YOU, YOU WILL CONTROL YOURSELF IN FRONT OF A STRANGER, BUT YOUR MATE, YOUR CHILDREN WHO YOU ARE SUPPOSED TO LOVE MORE THAN YOU LOVE ME, THEY SAY SOMETHING JUST THE SLIGHTEST LITTLE THING AND BOY, YOU WILL BLAST THEM. YOU WILL SAY THINGS THAT YOU WOULD NEVER SAY IN PUBLIC. I WAS ALSO IN A WOMAN'S HOME ONE TIME. THIS WAS BACK WHEN I USED TO TRAVEL AND I'D GO INTO PEOPLE'S HOME AND STAY WITH THEM WHILE I WAS HOLDING A MEETING AND SHE HAD TOLD ME ABOUT THE PROBLEMS THAT SHE WAS HAVING WITH HER TEENAGE SON, AND SO ANYWAY, IN THE MORNING I CAME DOWN TO BREAKFAST. HER SON WAS DOWN THERE AND SHE JUST YELLED AT HER SON, YOU GET UPSTAIRS AND YOU MAKE YOUR BED RIGHT NOW. YOU LAZY THING, AND SHE JUST BLASTED HIM, SO HE TRUDGED UPSTAIRS AND AFTER THE BOY LEFT I SAID, YOU WERE ASKING ME ABOUT, YOU KNOW, HOW TO DEAL WITH YOUR SON. I SAID, THAT RIGHT THERE IS PART OF THE PROBLEM. SHE SAYS, WHAT DO YOU MEAN? I SAID, TALK TO ME THE WAY YOU TALKED TO YOUR SON. I SAID, I HAVEN'T MADE MY BED TODAY. NOW I WAS GOING TO. WHEN I STAYED IN PEOPLE'S HOME, I ALWAYS KEPT THINGS NICE, BUT I HADN'T MADE IT BEFORE I GOT DOWN TO BREAKFAST AND I SAID, WHY DON'T YOU YELL AT ME AND TELL ME TO GET UP THERE, YOU LAZY THING, WHY... AND SHE, OH, I'D NEVER DO THAT TO YOU. AND I SAID, THAT'S THE REASON... ONE OF THE REASONS THAT YOU'RE HAVING PROBLEMS WITH YOUR SON IS BECAUSE LOOK HOW YOU TALK TO HIM. WE SHOULD TREAT THE PEOPLE WE LIVE WITH BETTER THAN WE...WELL, ACTUALLY WE OUGHT TO TREAT EVERYBODY THE SAME, BUT IF YOU ARE GOING TO HAVE A DOUBLE STANDARD, YOU OUGHT TO TREAT THE PEOPLE YOU LIVE WITH BETTER THAN YOU TREAT PEOPLE OUT HERE. AND YET I'LL HAVE PEOPLE COME TO ME AND I CAN SAY THINGS TO THEM THAT IF THEIR MATE WOULD HAVE SAID IT, IT WOULD HAVE BEEN WORLD WAR III. SO SEE, WHAT I'M SAYING IS, MANY OF US HAVE JUST GROWN UP THAT AT HOME YOU SAY THINGS, YOU...YOU'RE A SLOB, YOU DO THINGS THAT YOU WOULD NEVER DO OUT IN PUBLIC, AND YOU KNOW WHAT THAT IS, THAT'S A DOUBLE STANDARD, IT'S WRONG. YOU TOLERATE THINGS IN YOUR HOME THAT YOU SHOULD NOT TOLERATE. SO HERE IN 1 CORINTHIANS, CHAPTER 13, IT TELLS US WHAT GOD'S KIND OF LOVE IS LIKE. EVEN IF YOU COME FROM A GOOD HOME, MOST OF OUR HOMES WERE NOT PERFECT, AND WE NEED TO GO BACK TO THE WORD OF GOD, AND WE NEED TO START USING THIS STANDARD. SO IN 1 CORINTHIANS 13:4, IT SAYS, CHARITY, THAT'S TALKING ABOUT GOD'S KIND OF LOVE, SUFFERS LONG, AND IS KIND. YOU KNOW, I COULD SPEND PROBABLY 30 MINUTES OR AN HOUR ON THIS ONE. JUST USE THIS TO EVALUATE ARE YOU OPERATING IN CHARITY, GOD'S BEST, OR HAVE YOU SETTLED FOR LESS? DO YOU HAVE A SHORT FUSE? DO YOU SUFFER LONG? ARE YOU KIND? BOY, IT'S AMAZING TO ME HOW MANY CHRISTIANS AREN'T KIND. I'VE SEEN CHRISTIANS THAT JUST TREAT PEOPLE BADLY, AND THEY THINK, WELL, THAT'S JUST BUSINESS. NO, IT'S JUST WRONG IS WHAT IT IS. GOD'S KIND OF LOVE SUFFERS LONG AND IS KIND. YOU KNOW, EVEN IF YOU HAVE TO CORRECT SOMEBODY, EVEN IF YOU'RE DOING BUSINESS WITH SOMEBODY, AND THEY DO SOMETHING WRONG, THERE'S A KIND WAY OF DOING WHAT'S RIGHT. YOU KNOW, I'VE HAD TO FIRE PEOPLE IN MY MINISTRY, WHICH I HATE THAT WITH A PASSION, BUT I'VE HAD TO FIRE PEOPLE, BUT WHEN I DO IT, I TRY AND BE KIND TO THEM. I REMEMBER ONE MANAGER THAT I HAD, THAT THIS GUY DID SOME REALLY, REALLY BAD THINGS. I'M NOT GOING TO SPEND TIME TO TELL YOU ALL OF IT, BUT I MEAN, HE DID THINGS THAT WERE EXACTLY OPPOSITE WHAT I TOLD HIM TO DO. HE WAS RUNNING HIS OWN MINISTRY INSTEAD OF MY MINISTRY, AND I HAD MORE THAN ENOUGH JUSTIFICATION FOR FIRING THIS GUY, AND YET WHEN I WENT TO HIM I SAID, YOU KNOW, IT'S JUST TIME FOR YOU TO GO. I SAID, IF YOU WERE THE ONLY PERSON ON THIS EARTH AND IF THE TWO OF US WERE THE ONLY TWO PEOPLE, I COULD GET ALONG WITH YOU. I SAID, I LIKE YOU, I KNOW YOU MEAN WELL, BUT YOU JUST AREN'T DOING WHAT I'VE SAID, AND SO ANYWAY, WHEN I SAID THAT I...I LEFT...LET HIM GO, I GAVE HIM A SEVERANCE PAY, I WAS NICE TO HIM AND EVERYTHING, AND HE BEGAN TO DUMP ON ME, AND HE BEGAN TO SAY, WELL, YOU AREN'T THE BEST PERSON TO WORK FOR, AND HE BEGAN TO CRITICIZE ME, AND YOU KNOW WHAT, I COULD HAVE GOT IN AND JUSTIFIED MYSELF, AND I COULD HAVE DEFENDED MYSELF, AND I COULD HAVE DONE SOME OTHER THINGS, BUT I JUST LET HIM DUMP ON ME. HE CAN SAY WHAT HE WANTS TO. I MEAN, IT WAS OVER, AND SO RATHER THAN SIT HERE AND RETALIATE AND DEFEND MYSELF AND RUN HIM DOWN, I JUST BLESSED HIM. I SAID, YOU'RE A GREAT GUY, I LOVE YOU, BUT IT'S TIME FOR US TO PART. AND YOU KNOW WHAT, I WAS KIND, AND I DIDN'T HAVE TO BE... MOST PEOPLE WOULD THINK IN A SITUATION LIKE THAT YOU HAVE TO DO SOMETHING ELSE, BUT GOD'S KIND OF LOVE, IT SUFFERS LONG AND IT'S KIND, AND I'M JUST AMAZED AT HOW MANY CHRISTIANS JUSTIFY BEING UNKIND FOR WHATEVER REASON. THERE IS NO EXCUSE FOR IT. GOD'S KIND OF LOVE ENVIES NOT, IT VAUNTETH NOT ITSELF, IS NOT PUFFED UP, DOES NOT BEHAVE ITSELF UNSEEMLY YOU KNOW, THIS IS IN THE AREA OF PHYSICAL LOVE, NOT JUST LOVE FOR YOUR NEIGHBOR, LOVE FOR A BROTHER AND SISTER IN THE LORD, BUT TALKING ABOUT LOVE BETWEEN A HUSBAND AND A WIFE. PEOPLE, I...I'VE MET MANY PEOPLE THAT YOU KNOW, THEY WOULD HAVE SEX BEFORE MARRIAGE. I'VE HEARD MANY TIMES THAT THE GUY WILL PRESSURE THE WOMAN, WELL, IF YOU REALLY LOVED ME, WELL THEN WE OUGHT TO GO AHEAD AND DO THIS. AND THEY SAY THAT IF WE ARE REALLY IN LOVE, WE JUST CAN'T CONTROL OURSELF. THIS SAYS GOD'S KIND OF LOVE DOES NOT BEHAVE ITSELF UNSEEMLY. THAT'S TALKING ABOUT INAPPROPRIATELY. DID YOU KNOW IT'S INAPPROPRIATE TO HAVE A SEXUAL RELATIONSHIP BEFORE MARRIAGE. THE BIBLE CALLS THAT FORNICATION. IT'S WRONG. AND THERE'S MANY PEOPLE THAT SAY, WELL, WE JUST CAN'T CONTROL OURSELF WE LOVE EACH OTHER SO MUCH. THAT'S NOT GOD'S KIND OF LOVE. GOD'S KIND OF LOVE DOES NOT BEHAVE ITSELF UNSEEMLY. ANYTIME SOMEBODY SAYS, I LOVE YOU SO MUCH, WE JUST CAN'T WAIT UNTIL WE'RE MARRIED, THAT'S NOT GOD'S KIND OF LOVE. THAT'S LUST, AND IT'S AMAZING TO ME HOW MANY PEOPLE HAVE SETTLED FOR LUST INSTEAD OF GOD'S KIND OF LOVE. YOU KNOW, I HAD AN INSTANCE WHERE A WOMAN WHO WAS A TEACHER, SHE WAS ABOUT 23, 24 YEARS OLD, FELL IN LOVE, QUOTE, UNQUOTE, LOVE WITH ONE OF HER HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS THAT WAS LIKE 16, AND THEY WERE GOING TO GET MARRIED, AND OF COURSE, THE PARENTS WERE UPSET, THEY CAME TO ME, AND I TALKED TO THEM, AND THEY SAID, BUT WE LOVE EACH OTHER. THEY WERE BOTH CHRISTIANS. WE LOVE...WE JUST CAN'T HELP IT. WE...WE JUST LOVE EACH OTHER SO MUCH. AND WHEN...ONCE YOU PLAY THE GOD CARD, AND SAY THAT GOD TOLD US, WHAT AM I GOING TO DO? SAY, NO, DON'T DO WHAT GOD TOLD YOU? I DIDN'T KNOW HOW TO RESPOND. I SAID, I DON'T AGREE WITH THIS I DON'T BELIEVE IT'S GOD, BUT YOU KNOW? IF GOD TOLD YOU, WHAT CAN I SAY? WELL, I WENT OUT TO EAT WITH THEM NOT LONG AFTER THAT AND THERE WAS ABOUT 10 OR 12 PEOPLE EATING, AND ALL OF A SUDDEN WE NOTICED THAT THIS BOY WASN'T THERE, AND WE ASKED WHAT HAPPENED, AND THE WOMAN WENT OUTSIDE AND HE WAS SITTING IN THE CAR CRYING, BECAUSE WHEN WE SAT DOWN, THIS WAS BEFORE ANYBODY KNEW THAT THEY WERE ATTRACTED TO EACH OTHER, THAT THE BOY WANTED TO SIT NEXT TO HER, HE LOVED HER SO MUCH, AND SOMEBODY SAT ON EACH SIDE AND HE WASN'T ABLE TO SIT NEXT TO HER, AND HE WAS OUT IN THE CAR CRYING BECAUSE HE COULDN'T SIT NEXT TO HIS WOMAN THAT HE LOVED SO MUCH. SO SHE CAME IN, AND ASKED EVERYBODY IF THEY WOULD MOVE, AND...BECAUSE THEY JUST LOVED EACH OTHER SO MUCH THEY COULDN'T SIT APART FROM EACH OTHER. BOY, ONCE THAT HAPPENED, I TURNED TO THIS VERSE AND I TOLD THEM, I SAID, THIS IS NOT GOD'S LOVE. GOD'S KIND OF LOVE DOESN'T BEHAVE ITSELF THAT WAY. IF YOU CAN'T CONTROL IT, IF YOU ARE JUST SO OVERWHELMED THAT YOU CAN'T STAND IT, IT'S LUST, IT'S NOT GOD'S KIND OF LOVE. WELL, DID YOU KNOW, AGAINST EVERYBODY'S INSTRUCTIONS, THEY WENT AHEAD AND GOT MARRIED AND THE GUY IS NOW IN PRISON. HE'S...THIS HAS BEEN 20 OR 30 YEARS AGO. HE'S PROBABLY STILL IN PRISON FOR MOLESTING CHILDREN AND STUFF. IT WASN'T GOD'S KIND OF LOVE, IT WAS LUST. GOD'S KIND OF LOVE DOES NOT BEHAVE ITSELF UNSEEMLY. LET ME JUMP DOWN HERE TO WHERE IT SAYS IN VERSE 7 IT BEARETH ALL THINGS, BELIEVES ALL THINGS, HOPES ALL THINGS, ENDURES ALL THINGS. CHARITY, GOD'S KIND OF LOVE, NEVER FAILS. I'VE HEARD PEOPLE SAY, I JUST CAN'T BEAR IT ANYMORE. I JUST DON'T HAVE ANY HOPE THAT THINGS ARE GOING TO WORK OUT. I CAN'T ENDURE THIS ANYMORE. ALL YOU'RE DOING IS SAYING THAT YOU AREN'T OPERATING IN GOD'S KIND OF LOVE BECAUSE GOD'S KIND OF LOVE BEARS ALL THINGS, BELIEVES ALL THINGS, HOPES ALL THINGS, ENDURES ALL THINGS. THE REASON I'M SAYING THIS IS TO SAY THAT WE HAVE SETTLED FOR LESS THAN GOD'S KIND OF LOVE. WE HAVE...WE HAVE SPENT SO MUCH TIME WATCHING TELEVISION AND MOVIES, AND READING NOVELS AND STUFF, THAT WE HAVE THIS PERVERTED, SKEWED IMPRESSION OF WHAT LOVE IS. IT'S NOT GOD'S KIND OF LOVE AT ALL. IT'S SELFISH, IT'S LUST, AND MOST PEOPLE HAVE SETTLED FOR THAT, AND THAT'S THE REASON THAT CHRISTIAN MARRIAGES ARE FAILING AT AN UNPRECEDENTED RATE IS BECAUSE THEY NEVER EVEN STARTED WITH GOD'S KIND OF LOVE. THEY'RE OPERATING IN THIS EMOTIONAL LUST THAT THE MOVIES HAVE GLORIFIED, AND I'M TELLING YOU...SO I... WHAT I'M TRYING TO DO IS TO SAY BEFORE I GET INTO TALKING ABOUT <i>LIVING IN GOD'S BEST,</i> YOU'VE GOT TO FIRST OF ALL IDENTIFY THAT WHERE YOU ARE IS NOT GOD'S BEST, AND EVEN THOUGH THIS IS UNPLEASANT AND SOMETIMES PEOPLE DON'T WANT TO DO IT, YOU'LL NEVER CHANGE UNTIL YOU GET DISSATISFIED WITH WHERE YOU ARE, AND START BELIEVING THAT THERE'S SOMETHING MORE, AND I'M TELLING YOU, IN NEARLY EVERY AREA OF OUR LIFE, IN OUR FINANCES, IN OUR PHYSICAL BODY, IN OUR CAREERS, IN OUR MARRIAGES, IN OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH OUR CHILDREN, IN OUR EMOTIONAL STATE, AND ON AND ON AND ON IT GOES, WE HAVE SETTLED FOR LESS THAN GOD'S BEST. AND SO, THE FIRST STEP IS TO GET SICK AND TIRED OF LIVING LIKE EVERYBODY ELSE IS, AND START LIVING UP TO THE STANDARD OF GOD. UNTIL YOU DO THAT, UNTIL YOU START PURSUING SOMETHING MORE, YOU'LL NEVER OBTAIN IT. AS LONG AS YOU CAN SETTLE FOR LESS, YOU WILL. BUT I WANT YOU TO LIVE IN GOD'S BEST. WE'VE GOT THIS BOOK. I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU TO PLEASE GET IT. I PROMISE YOU, IT WOULD CHANGE YOUR LIFE, IT WOULD HELP YOU. AND THEN WE HAVE CDs AND DVDs. UH...MY DVDS ARE TAKEN FROM OUR TELEVISION PROGRAMS, THE EXACT PROGRAMS YOU'RE SEEING. THE CDs WERE TAKEN FROM A LIVE MEETING. LISTEN TO OUR ANNOUNCER, HE'S GOING TO GIVE YOU INFORMATION ABOUT THIS. I KNOW IT'LL HELP YOU, SO PLEASE CALL OR WRITE TODAY. >> ANDREW'S ENTIRE SERIES, <i>LIVING IN GOD'S BEST,</i> IS AVAILABLE AS A BOOK IN EITHER ENGLISH OR SPANISH, AS A DVD ALBUM MADE FROM OUR DAILY TELEVISION BROADCAST, OR AS A CD OR DVD ALBUM RECORDED LIVE FROM A GOSPEL TRUTH SEMINAR. YOU CAN ALSO GET THIS TEACHING AS A COMPANION STUDY GUIDE. THE STUDY GUIDE WILL DEEPEN YOUR PERSONAL UNDERSTANDING AND IS PERFECT FOR HOME GROUPS OR SUNDAY SCHOOLS. EACH OF THESE VALUABLE RESOURCES ARE AVAILABLE FOR A GIFT OF ANY AMOUNT WHEN YOU CONTACT US. THIS ENTIRE SERIES IS ALSO AVAILABLE FOR AUDIO DOWNLOAD ABSOLUTELY FREE FROM OUR WEB SITE. GO TO AWMI.NET TO SEE ALL THE WAYS YOU CAN GET THIS TEACHING. THE INDIVIDUAL TOPIC HIGHLIGHTED ON TODAY'S BROADCAST IS AVAILABLE AS AN AUDIO CD FOR A GIFT OF ANY AMOUNT WHEN YOU WRITE OR CALL. WE ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO GIVE BECAUSE THERE IS A BLESSING IN GIVING, BUT IF YOU'RE SIMPLY UNABLE TO AFFORD IT, ANDREW AND HIS PARTNERS WILL PROVIDE TODAY'S TEACHING FREE OF CHARGE. THIS IS THE LAST DAY WE'LL BE OFFERING THIS TEACHING, SO BE SURE TO RESPOND TODAY. YOU CAN BECOME A GRACE PARTNER OR ORDER RESOURCES THROUGH OUR WEB SITE AT AWMI.NET. WHILE THERE, YOU CAN DISCOVER MORE PRODUCT DETAILS AND DOWNLOAD ADDITIONAL FREE RESOURCES. OR YOU CAN CALL OUR HELPLINE AT 719-635-1111. OUR HELPLINE IS OPEN MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY, 24 HOURS A DAY, AND SATURDAY AND SUNDAY FROM 7:30AM TO 6PM, MOUNTAIN TIME. TO WRITE US, USE THE ADDRESS ON YOUR SCREEN. WE APPRECIATE YOUR GENEROSITY AND HOPE TO HEAR >> FROM YOU TODAY. <i>♪ MUSIC ♪</i> >> YOU SAY, IN THE NAME OF JESUS, I'M NOT GOING BY WHAT I SEE. I GO BY WHAT THE WORD OF GOD SAYS. THERE'S MORE THAN JUST THIS PHYSICAL REALM. THERE'S ALSO A SPIRITUAL REALM. I DON'T CARE WHAT THIS LOOKS LIKE, >> I KNOW WHAT GOD'S WORD SAYS. >> THE DOCTORS TOLD ME IT WOULD BE A YEAR >> BEFORE I WOULD WALK NORMAL. >> I WAS BEING KILLED >> BY A CANCEROUS TUMOR. >> I WAS TOLD MY WIFE WOULD NOT >> LEAVE THE HOSPITAL ALIVE. >> MY NAME IS TERESA HOUGHTELING AND I'M FROM WOODLAND PARK, COLORADO. I WAS TOLD THAT I WOULD NEVER RECOVER FROM SJOGREN SYNDROME, LUPUS OR THYROID DISEASE. FOR YEARS I HAD TRIED EVERYTHING; MEDICAL TREATMENTS, HOLISTIC TREATMENTS, EVEN LOTS OF PRAYER, SPEAKING AND COMMANDING, BUT NOTHING SEEMED TO WORK. THAT'S WHEN I ENROLLED INTO CHARIS BIBLE COLLEGE AND MY FOCUS SHIFTED OFF OF MY SYMPTOMS AND ONTO THE FINISHED WORK OF JESUS. IN JUST A MATTER OF MONTHS I RECEIVED MY COMPLETE HEALING AFTER SITTING UNDER THE WORD AT CHARIS BIBLE COLLEGE, AND TODAY SEVERAL YEARS LATER I AM STILL WALKING IN THAT COMPLETE HEALING >> AND I AM NOT ALONE. >> I WAS WALKING NORMAL WITHIN A MATTER OF WEEKS AND TODAY >> I AM IN FULL TIME MINISTRY. >> TODAY I AM CANCER FREE AND I'M LIVING LIFE >> TO THE FULLEST. >> MY WIFE'S MIRACULOUS RECOVERY >> SHOCKED ALL THE DOCTORS. >> BECAUSE PEOPLE LIKE YOU PARTNERED WITH ANDREW WOMMACK MINISTRIES, WE HAVE ALL BEEN GIVEN OUR LIVES BACK. WE CANNOT THANK YOU ENOUGH FOR YOUR GENEROSITY, BUT THERE ARE STILL MILLIONS OF PEOPLE OUT THERE WHO NEED THE SAME TRUTH THAT SET US FREE. WON'T YOU PLEASE HELP US >> GET THAT MESSAGE TO THEM? >> PLEASE BE A PARTNER >> WITH THIS MINISTRY TODAY. >> BECOME A PARTNER TODAY. >> YOU KNOW, YOU MAY NOT KNOW THESE PEOPLE, BUT I KNOW EVERY ONE OF THESE PEOPLE THAT YOU JUST SAW THEM GIVE A TESTIMONY, AND I TELL YOU, JESUS CHANGED THEIR LIFE BECAUSE OF OUR PARTNERS. IF YOU'VE NOT YET JOINED WITH US AND BECOME A PARTNER, I ASK YOU TO PRAY ABOUT IT >> AND JOIN WITH US TODAY. <i>♪ MUSIC ♪</i> <i>♪ MUSIC ♪</i> >> I TELL YOU, I'M EXCITED. GOD IS GOING TO DO SOMETHING SPECIAL >> DURING THESE MEETINGS. >> I FELT THAT HE WAS JUST >> SPEAKING TRUTH. >> THE PERSPECTIVE IS SO DIFFERENT, IT'S SO NEW, AND THE...THE UNDERSTANDING >> RUNS SO DEEP. >> YOU HAVE TO GET TO WHERE YOU BELIEVE IN THE POWER OF WORDS EVERY MOMENT OF EVERY DAY. WHEN YOU START SPEAKING TO YOUR PROBLEM AND COMMANDING IT TO LEAVE, THAT'S WHEN YOU START SEEING >> GREAT THINGS HAPPEN. >> I KNOW THAT HE GETS BEFORE THE LORD AND THERE'S ALWAYS A FRESHNESS. THERE'S A TODAY >> END-TIME WORD. >> ANDREW'S TEACHING AND THE LOVE THAT HE HAS FOR GOD'S WORD AND TRUTH, >> IT IS THE GOSPEL TRUTH. <i>♪ MUSIC ♪</i> [END]
