When Joel’s Dream Collapsed

When the offense comes up, don’t go there. Keep your mind on the positive. Think on things that are good, wholesome, uplifting. It’s not doing anything productive to think about something negative that was said about you, relive how that person walked away, rehearse all the pain and disappointment, go back over all the sorrow. That’s going to keep you from healing. Let it go. That’s in the past. God saw what happened. He heard what they said. He knows what you lost, what wasn’t fair. If you’ll let it go, He’ll make it up to you. He’ll give you beauty for the ashes.

Few years after I started ministering, the church began to grow and we needed a larger auditorium.
My father said he would never move the church. We looked for property around the original location.
We found 100 acre tract of land right off the freeway. About two miles away seemed perfect.
It was a big sign that said for sale.
We talked to the owner and told him we wanted to purchase it.
He said that it had been on the market for 20 years and he had never had one offer.
I thought, wow, God, you saved this property just for us.
We were so excited and he told us we could do our soil samples and preliminary drawings while we got the contract drawn up.
Couple of months later, we went to sign the contract. We had an eight o’clock appointment.
We arrived at 7 45. His secretary came out and said, sorry. The owner sold the property last night.
I couldn’t believe it didn’t keep his word. I was so discouraged.
I went home and told Victoria, she said, listen here, Joel, that means God has something better.
We’re gonna trust him. He hadn’t brought us this far to leave us. She started preaching one of my messages.
I didn’t want to hear that. I wanted her to be depressed with me.
Misery loves company, but it’s good to have friends that pull you up and not join you in defeat.
A few months later, we found another large tract of land.
This seemed even better, had more access to it.
When the owners found out, they told the people that owned the property on one side, they called and said they wanted to donate 10 acres to us.
Now, I knew it was God. People were giving us property.
We went to close on the 100 acres and the same thing happened, they sold it the day before.
I thought God, this is a big problem. There are no more large tracts of land. We’re stuck.
We have no room to grow.
I didn’t see any options, but just because we run out of options, doesn’t mean God has run out of options.
He won’t let you get in a problem that he can’t bring you out of.
And the reason it’s not working out your way is because God has something better.
Six months later, a friend called, hadn’t spoken to him in a long time.
He said, Joel, the Houston Rockets basketball team is moving out of the compact center.
You should try to get that for your church.
When I heard that something came alive on the inside, I called the mayor.
He was a friend of my parents and I was so nervous.
I told him what I wanted, didn’t know how he would respond.
He said, Joel, I think Lakewood having the compact center would be great for our city.
I nearly passed out, things fell into place.
And three years later, we had the building never dreamed we could be here.
This was far beyond what I had in mind. Sometimes God closes doors because you’re thinking too small.
He doesn’t let your plans work out because he has much bigger plans.
You were hoping to get that new position. Move up one notch. God is about to catapult. You ahead.
You’re believing to feel a little bit better. God’s going to heal you completely.
You’re hoping your child will just stay out of trouble.
God’s gonna use him to do great things to leave his mark and don’t be discouraged because you’re still in the problem.
Things aren’t improving, doors are closing. People aren’t changing. Those lives will start whispering. It’s never gonna get better.
You’ll never get well, never break this addiction, never accomplish that dream. No, that problem didn’t show up alone.
That problem came with a purpose with a promotion with a blessing. I hope you enjoyed watching this clip.
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