Hi? This is Joel and Victoria thanks for listening to our podcast and thanks for supporting the ministry. If you enjoy today's message, why don't you be a blessing and share it with a friend? We appreciate you and pray for God's varies best in your life. Well, God bless you always a joy to come into your home. We've got good good news. God is on your side. He rewards people that seek after him. So thanks for tuning in today and if you're ever in our area, I hope you'll stop by and be a part of one of our services. We give you a personal invitation. I promise you will make you feel right at home, but thanks again for tuning in today I got a little funny email to that kind of short, so see what you think, a police, Recruit, was asked during his final exam. What would you do if you had to arrest your own mother in law?

He thought about it a moment and then said call for backup all right hold up your bibles and say it like you mean it ready. This is my bible. I am what it says. I am. I have what it says I have. I can do what it says I can do today. I'll be taught the word of God, I boldly confess my mind is alert. My heart is receptive. I will never be the same. I am about to receive the incorruptible indestructible ever living seed of the word of God. I'll never be the same. Never never never I'll, never be the same in Jesus's name, God bless you, you sound great as usual. I want talk to you today about being a person of diligence in not having a lazy, passive attitude

it so easy to get complacent in life to where we sort of wish. We had something, but we really not doing anything about it. We're not actively taken steps toward well. I I had his physique I wish I had muscles like that man, The problem is while, at home at night watching tv, even a little popcorn he's The GM workin out he's diligent in that area in we're passive, when you're diligent you do. What you know is right and not just what you feel. I do when you're diligent, you are determined to just keep on keeping on no matter what comes against you, You don't have that weak, not able to attitude. You dont give get discourage, because something is hard because it's not happening as quickly as you would like. No deal gent person just digs his heels in and keeps on pressing forward. Two men

People today want everything, easy and so they and fallen into that trap of Heaven, a lazy, complacent attitude, wish for a whole lot, but they're not doing anything about it. Would you all. I wish I knew more scriptures my house was clean or our, Wish my hair look like her hair. No quit is. and start doing something about especially nowadays. If you're here is dark, you can make it light, If it's straight, you can make it curly. If you don't have any, you can go, buy some quit. Looking at your neighbor, my father at the age of seventy five, he still had real, pretty light brown. Hair one day. Somebody ask him how he did it. Why wasn't grey? He said? Listen brother faith, works is dead. You gotta put some actions behind your faith in what I'm saying today is quit being passive and start doing something about it, who can live a healthier life

you can be more successful. You can have a better attitude. You can have a deeper relationship with God, but let me tell you is gone some hard work is guaranteed some time some effort, some energy use, have to get up early and stay up late. You go to pour your blood, sweat and tears into it. But friends the fact is: you've Do not get something for nothing in lie. You can attic back to live in victory without being willing to put something into it's. Gonna take extremely diligent and I realize most of you here today are hard workers. W would not say that you have a problem with being lazy, but I've found but we can be diligent in certain areas at the same time Passive and complacent in other areas You may be very diligent about getting to work on time and provide a great living for your family your lazy when it comes to guard in your mind and think in the right thoughts.

or maybe you would never have a house- that's not need in clean your deal. in that area. You tend to be lazy. When it comes to Can care of your finances are lazy when it comes to taking care of yourself spiritually. We all have areas that we can improve it like I. It is so easy to get complacent whale jaw. It just my lot and lie not even We're trying to change now you got to shake yourself out of that passive mentality. Anything in life that is worthwhile number one is going, take some work and number two. it's not gonna happen overnight. You ve gotta, be in this for the long haul. Anybody be excited at the beginning. That's easy, but it takes diligent parson. To finish you gotta, be determined and learn D. Through the disappointments in life. You gotta, us through those dry seasons when you see anything happening. You gotta through the difficult times when you don't feel

like having a good attitude. You don't feel like having a smile on your face. Some of you today. You are just about to give up on the dreams it God is put in. Your heart it's been so long and you Aven'T, seen any results, and now starting to get past. Maybe have struggled with an illness for a long time, and once you really believed you were gonna get where I want. You were very aggressive about it. But now you ve gotten complacent and you're learning to live with, or maybe at one time you were determined to get added, did you were so determined to get ahead financially, but now you don't think it's ever gonna happen. You've had so much come against you, but no don't get passive. Don't be complacent! you, gotta stay diligent, you gotta keep doing the right thing, even though you may not be seeing the right results. You gotta you coming to charge. Even when you feel like stay at home in baby, you got it pray in believe and keep that smile on your face, even though you feel like just given up

see you got learned to press past the things that are trying to pressure you into Quinton Adela. Parson just keeps on keeping, and let me tell you Any time you try to go forward in life. You go have opposition anytime, you try to make progress, the enemy is going to come against. You he's go roll out the red carpet and just let you fulfil your destiny. You're gonna have to Determined you gotta, Persistent. We need to have that bulldog mentality Our attitude should be this way. tough and I may not like it. Nothing may be going my way, but you know what I am not going to give up. I'm gonna dig my heels in and keep fighting the good fight of faith. Some of you today you have just about given up on one of your loved ones. You used to pray and believe that person You would go out of your way to so those seeds of hope and encouragement in his heart it's been so long.

Haven't seen any results and now you're kind of getting tired. That's that old, lazy, passive spirit trying to come on you Well, yes, I do. I just don't think he's really ever going to change. No I want a lot of new fire on the inside of you today. You got it's your zeal back kitchen enthusiasm back, anything worthwhile. Is gonna be some hard work? You gotta Pick up your mind and say you know what I'm going to stick with this thing. Until I see it come to pass I don't care how I feel I don't care what everybody else's say in a more just keep on keeping on I'm keep believe in for gods very best and understand, but or something gets better many times is going to force get worse. You may be praying and praying for your marriage to get better but don't be surprised if you dont have more adversity than ever. That's too the enemy works. He wants you to just give up and settle for mediocrity, or maybe your and for a child to change, and you get up early you're doing with a new can, but it seems

like the more you do, the worse. He acts there. where's grades. He gets the worse. He treaty, Listen, that is a test of your fine. Are you going to give up? Are you going? complacent and so at least I tried Are you gonna be diligent? Did you keep all keep in all this picture says innovations when you ve done everything. You know how to do. Just keep stand in strong there, be plenty of things in life that we don't understand. They're going to be many of things that don't make any sense, but attitude should be God, even though I dont know why this is happening to me. I do know that you're still in control, and so I'm not going Discouraged If a smile on my face My head held high and I'm just gonna, keep stand in farm. Remember this, the inner always fight you the hardest. When he know God has something great in store for you, so you need it

you mind today. You gotta, keep on believe in no matter. What comes against you, you gonna, keep pray and you're gonna keep coming to charge. You going to keep doing the right thing, even though you may not be seeing the right result, prince don't ever lose the fire. That's on the inside of you. Don't ever lose your zeal. It says in Romans, never be lazy but serve the Lord with enthusiasm, but the truth is takes a lot of hard work to live a life of victory. You gotta, be disciplined in your thoughts, discipline, in your actions the planned in the word you speak, I mean it full time, job Why so many people just take the easy way out their attitude. Is I don't wanna hear stand, strong, I want to have. Get up early and read my bible and pray, or I don't want to have to treat that person right, that's being rude, Dumay Man, no, you gotta, shake off that old, complacent mentality and start haven't some backbone, dig your heels in and if you have to start

talking to yourself, the Bible says that day, encouraged him sail in the Lord he's. Gone you feel that all past added to trying to come on time, You lazy and get all discouraged in down you needed to say I'm not this thing defeat me it may be tough, but I know this too shall pass. No. can withstand this. I can overcome in any situation so got to talk herself and just keep fighting the good fight. A faint one of the keys to live in and victory is consistency You gotta be diligent day in and day out. You sure not be up one day and down a couple of days have some stability in July, beacons distant and don't We're tell yourself that you can't do knows all negative depressing thoughts come to your man and they will tell him that you're not gonna make it. I'm going to ever get any good breaks. Your dreams are not gonna come to pass.

no. You need to write them not in light of unity, immediately get that go to your mind, quit dwelling on those thoughts, start dwelling on thoughts of faith in victory this, say it in your mind, father. Thank I can do all things through Christ. thank you that you have good things in store. I know this is gonna, be a great year. Can already see. My victory is on its way, see the first place, we lose. The battle is in our own thinking in summer, you need to reprogram your mental computer today. You need it thanking those or negative, defeated thoughts and start thinkin. Some can do thought. It says they're in proverbs. Twenty one verse bad in the amplified. The thoughts the steadily diligent all ways towards plenteous miss, in other words when you're, really diligent you thoughts are only going in one direction and that's forward you're, not lazy, you're, not complain. when you're diligent you thought

should be towards success too. crossing the finish line toward being all that. God created you to be as I said, some of you are just about to give up on what God's put in your heart. My today. Is you got to get your fire back? You got to show I'll that lazy, complacent spirit and start pressing forward start believing for gods. Very best will you say Joel it so hard and I've been doing it for so long, but no but he said it was gonna happen overnight. Nobody said it was going to be easy. It may be difficult now, If you will do the right thing anyway, then later on, you will reap the benefits, I was thinking about a good friend demand he's in the television business in many years ago. We were editing this project together. And we need some real, warm Piana, music, and he said that's no big deal. Let me get to a piano and I'll see what I can come up with. How do you need

could play the piano and he came right down here and got on this Piana and he played like nobody had ever heard before and it may- and that was great. I wish I could do that. He said, oh Joel, you could. It just took me about fifteen years to learn, he's While you were out Guph at all, when you were gonna play ball Heaven front with your friends, I was piano. Lessons learned how to play In other words, he was willing to pay the price he was willing to do something that I wasn't willing to do he was saying in effect some blood, sweat and tears into this thing. This took my time, effort my energy and see your inspiration, to always be backed up with perspiration. Really there two kinds of people in life. There are dreamers and then our doers You may have a big dream for your lap. I hope you do all it is is a dream. If you're not willing to put any action behind in a lot

people today worn a nice lie, but they're not will to do anything about. and when you see some body that has what you or don't you dare get jealous, would you dare say? Well, I don't know why they get all the good breaks I don't know why they are so talented? What are they get to drive that nice car. Why are they always happy? No, You can have just what they have if you are willing to pay the price. If you are willing to make the same sacrifices wins, God is no respecter of persons. He gave every one of us an equal chance. and yes, I realise in one sense something are born with more advantage, but I know people then have come from overseas to this kind. without a penny to their name. Yet today, they're happy they're fulfilled their living at the top of their field. The point is: no matter what family you come from, no matter what right you did or didn't get in life. Don't use it as an excuse. You can live a life of victory.

you can be happy and fulfil. You can see your dreams come to pass. If you want it bad enough, but you go. Have to be disciplined when it was to how you spend your time you ve gotta be disciplined, with who you hang around with if you hang around with other lazy, undisciplined people. people with no goals are dreams for their lie. They want to steal the dream right out of your heart. You gotta, be discipline in what you give yourself to be the planned when it comes to how you handle your finances. People say all the time which all I wish I had some money in the bank will possible, but it may be a little painful you may have to suffer a a little while and not go out to eat, and not that new outfit and not overstretched with a car payment, you can't really afford what I'm saying it could be a little uncomfortable. It could, Painful is gonna, take discipline, but if you

make the sacrifices right now then later own, you gonna reap the rewards and have found to the time we're concerned about later on. So we just do what we feel like right now, Joe. I don't feel, working hard at the office this week, will later on. When they go to promote some body they may pass you buy. Why don't realize taken time for my spouse. I don't feel communicating with her, will later on that may very well cause you some major problems. You gotta pay them. Eyes today to have a happy life later on it is not always going to be easy. You're. Not. We're gonna be comfortable, but you gotta discipline your sale to do that thing even though nobody's watching you and even though nobody is cheering you on, for instance, when you go to the office this week, you should work hard, even though the boss isn't in and even though, all the other co workers are Guph and waste in their day, Will you say joy? Everybody else is doing it. Why can't? I know you,

everybody else you need is so as seed for later on if you will do the right thing today, then later on, you'll be going places, while those other people are unfortunately just stuck there in mediocrity if you'll train. people right today, even though they don't deserve it later on. You will reap the benefits, see. is keeping all the records He sees everything the to do. He sees the morning you get up early to do the right thing, even though you don't feel like it. He said the times you by your tongue, even though you fail, Tell him somebody all God sees them and when you just keep so, and those seeds of discipline lie you doing the right thing day in and day out, one day You gonna, see things begin to change in your favour. One day you will see your dreams begin to come to pass. What you say I've been doing the right thing for so long and I'm not seeing any result. I don't they is ever going to get any better.

This challenge it again, you gotta, dig you heels in and keep on, keep an eye on this. Picture says in Galatian. Sixty nine get tired of doing what's right for in due season, you shall read if you faint now I love it doesn't say you might read it says you shall re, that's a promise from Almighty god I like to think of it kind of life. This big bolder that you're trying to, like into, and you got big sledge hammer and every time you do the right thing. You're taken another swing at that rock every time you discipline yourself do not boss. something that you wanted. Where every time you get up early to pray for that child every time, You treat somebody right, even though they didn't deserve it, Tom you do it. You taken another swing you have today as your diligent to pray, through the disappointments and you just press past that you don't see anything happening every time you do it that's another swing and you may look that rock

you know what I'm not even getting this thing, I'm just wasting my time. It's never going to break into, but no One day you to take another swing. One day you going to do the right thing, one more time and all the sudden net rocks won't break right into, but the fact is It wasn't just that last swing did it. It was all those other swings day after day, been being diligent that caused it walked a bright open. And even though you didn't see anything happening on the outside on the inside, changes were taken place on the inside, progress was being made, good really, You saw the results all at one time, but that was com, a nation of all the right choices that you had discipline to make and see when you're diligent to just keep on keep it all. You just keep playing you keep believing you keep doing the right thing you may, not see anything happening with your natural ups, but you can rest assured in unseen room in the spiritual world change.

are taken place. The miracle is said into motion for every see you so God says you are going to reap a harvest. and so my message today is you gotta. Keep on keeping all don't fall in trap of being complacent. Don't it lays you dont get person, you got it aggressive, Anything in life worthwhile is going, is going to take some time and effort, it's energy to some blood, sweat and tears is gone. you're doing some things that you just don't really feel like do always remember when you're tempted to give up just so you know what never We're gonna happen, I'm just wasting my time. No, we You stand in faith one more day could be the day. The whole thing breaks open. It could just one more time of doing the right thing. You don't know how close you could be to your victory, so just keep it keep it all don't allow yourselves to.

lazy and complacent, and to have that passive attitude really in America. In one sense, we ve gotten kind of spoiled Willie, in a right? now society we wanted everything immediately ve got microwave ovens, food, restaurant, overnight delivery. Have you noticed how everything is geared towards speed and ease? You don't have to get up to change the channels on the tv anymore got that remote control the whole house would shut down. If you lose a Roma, we can order our groceries now through the internet and have them delivered to our house. Don't even have to get our thinking all the convenience is that we have today that people seventy or eighty years ago didn't have. I know my father when up on the farm. They didn't have electricity, they didn't air conditioners, I didn't have washers and drivers There have been so many great advances made over the last few years:

that have made our lives so much easier in so much more comfortable, and I think it's great I am all for we're so blessed but I do believe we have to be careful that we don't allow all these conveniences to call is to develop a wrong way of thinking where we can get lazy and we expect- everything to be easy and we want everything right now. Friends. There is no substitute for good. the old fashioned, hard work. You gotta be willing to pay the price Well, you say Joel. I had to drive thirty minutes to get to church today in my your condition. Car sit Norma, nice, padded, leather seeds, or I got to go home today and mow my lawn on my riding lawn mower. With my city player play music in my ears or I got a sink full of dishes. I got to take them out of the sink and put them into the dishwasher and hit the start button and that's a lot of trouble. I'm exaggerated, but you get my point I heard about.

Domestically, challenged husband, he wanted to wash his new sweat, you're, So we went into the utility room any harm our debts. Here's to his wife. What setting do I use on the washing machine? She said, depends: what does it say on your shower? He hollered back Dallas Cowboys, but seriously, if we're going to be all God wants us to be, we got to have more than good wishes. We got to have some backbone we gotta be diligent, be willing to work, hard, Don't always look for the easy way out determined and learn to stick with it, and Ecclesiastes five verse. Three, a dream comes to pass with much business in painful effort. I think my parents, they say forty years of their lie. With gods, building this other ministers used to come by say to my father: Pest roasting tell us the secret of your success. How Can we have a big church like yours, daddy? Would

always tell him the same thing. Spin, forty years porn your blood, sweat and tears into the parson of integrity, love people in your have just what we have but most of the time, that's not the answer. They were looking for. They wanted overnight. What took him forty years to bail they wanted immediate results without having to pay the price, but see you gotta be disciplined in I get investment in your future today live. is a marathon not spread daddy. Was committed? He didn't care, how hard it was hidden how much lost he didn't count the hours he just got the job done, he pries He felt like it or not. Whether there was eighty people or eight thousand people, he gave it as all he didn't think twice. This was his dream and he was determined to see it come to pass, and God rewarded his diligence, but really, I don't say this in a wrong sense, but a lot of people today have a give me something for nothing mentality, God.

put the dream in their heart, but they're sitting back waiting for God to hand it to him on a silver platter. They don't want to be inconvenienced. They don't want to break a sweat. They want all the benefits without making any of the sacrifices. I like what Thomas Edison said he said many people, but Miss opportunities, because those opportunities, come wearing overalls and looked like a lot of work, principle will be be, all God created has to be, we gotta be disciplined and we ve gotta be willing to work hard, and I realized There's a balance in what I'm saying. We should not work all the time, but we should have a diligent attitude and we should not back down because sometimes a lot of work I was reading about a certain kind of tree. A chinese bamboo when you at the seed of this tree. You, the water, it fertilize it every single day or it will not grow and for the future.

for years, even though your continually feeding and continually watering it, it barely even grows at all. But what first thing is in the fifth year. The tree will shoot up to ninety feet. Tall all in one year the problem we have many times. Is we want fifth year results without doing the four years of hard work, you gotta be willing to invest in your future. Today you gotta put forth some weeks, some months, maybe even years of hard work to develop your potential into really see those dreams come to pass. So let me you again dig your heels in and be a person of diligence. Shake that old, lazy, passive mentality and start a do and not just a dream, remember your inspiration has got to be back with your perspiration, Now, no God, speaking to some of the even now about areas where you been lazy and passive in this prayer today that a new for is being made on the inside

Did you go out to hear more determined than ever that you're not going just sit back? and settled for mediocrity. You're not go look for the easy way out, but you're going to stick with it and be all gods created you to be. If you will live a disciplined lie, impressed as the disappointments and the things that are trying to get you down they just so the seed for later on this guy it will reward. Your diligence will pour out his blessings and favor and you'll experience the victories that he hasn't strayed. Man, hey man, we're God bless you today and we never liked the clothes are broadcast without giving you an opportunity to make Jesus the Lord of July. Would you play with me just say Lord Jesus repentant lessons. Come into my heart. Make you my Lord inside you, friends. If you prayed that simple prayer, we believe you got born again, get in a good church, keep God first place. He'll take your places. that you ve never dreamed thing

you for listening to the Joel Osteen Podcast help us continue to share the message of hope with those all over the world visit Joe steam, dot com, slash, give hope to give a gift today thanks. Much for listening to today's message. I hope you'll subscribe so you can receive the latest podcast to keep the inspired all through the we were playing boy I know God's best is still ahead. We'll see you next time.