← Victory Church: Paul Daugherty
Victory Church: Paul Daugherty
DON'T WASTE THIS | PAUL DAUGHERTY | JESUS IS COMING BACK SOON PT. 5
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Come on, everybody, say, Jesus is coming back soon. If you got a Bible, go to Matthew 25, verse 14. And I want to talk to you today in this continuation of our series. We're going to finish it next week, but I want to talk to you today about the thought. Don't waste this. Don't waste this. If you're taking notes, note takers are history makers, world changers, culture shapers. Write on your notes, don't waste this. Don't waste this. Tell the person next to you, don't waste this. Jesus is talking about our lives and how we're going to be judged at the end of time, what it's going to be like at the end of days when we see our world being made new and there's a new earth and a new Jerusalem. Jesus says there's a judgment day coming, and here's what it's going to be like in those end days. It will be like a man going on a journey who called his servants and entrusted his wealth to them. Pause. Jesus is talking right here about God's entrustment, investment in us, that one day we will be asked, what did you do with what I gave you? We've all been given time, we've been given resources, we've been given breath in our lungs. And one day we will give an account with what we did while we were here on this earth. It will be like a man going on a journey who called his servants and entrusted his wealth to them. To one, he gave five bags of gold. To another, two bags of gold, and to another, one bag each according to his ability. Now, all of us start off with an ability, and that's great. All of us start off with a certain capacity. But you don't have to stay at that place. You can maximize your gifts. You can develop what God's put inside you. Potential is God's gift to you, but what you do with that potential is, is your gift back to God. There's a lot of us that just stop at potential. Like, oh, he's got a lot of potential. That's great. But what is he doing with that potential? Some of you are dating potential right now, and you need to challenge that potential. You're dating. We gotta do something. We gotta increase our capacity to grow into who God's called us to be. To one, he gave five bags. To another, two to another one according to his ability. Then he went on his journey, and the man who had received five bags of gold at once put his money to work. Everybody say work. It don't waste it. God gives us something to work with, not to waste. Too many of us are distracted by our screens. We're distracted by, like, literally just frivolous things that are stealing our attention and killing our work ethic. And this man, instead of being distracted, instead of complaining, why didn't God give me more? Why didn't I get the opportunities he got? He put it to work and he gained five bags. In other words, he multiplied it. So also the one with two bags of gold, he didn't complain, saying, why didn't I get the five bags like the other guy? He put it to work and he made two more. But the man who had received one bag went off and he dug a hole in the ground. We're either digging holes or we are building the kingdom. We are either hiding our opportunities and squandering and wasting our time, or we are maximizing it. When he went off and dug a hole in the ground, he hid his master's money. And after a long time, the master of these servants returned. In other words, Jesus is returning. He's coming back soon. And he settled. Everybody say settled accounts. Now, these two words are important. This means that God will hold us accountable. Accountable is one of those words you don't always like to hear in our culture and society doesn't like to hear. But God will hold you and I accountable for the words we speak, for the actions we do for the people we reached, and the things God put in our hands to use for his kingdom. He will ask, what did you do with what I gave you? That's really the question. This parable is stirring up the man who had received five bags. He brings the other five. He says, master, you entrusted me. You invested in me. By the way, when you make an investment, you're coming back for your roi. You're wondering, what is going to be my return on this investment? What is this investment going to do? This man says, you invested in me. You entrusted me, me with five bags of gold watch. I have gained five more. I didn't just maintain it, I multiplied it. You gave me a ministry, I doubled it. You gave me a marriage, I cultivated, I treated my wife right. God's going to ask, what did you do with the relationships I gave you, the money, I gave you, the resources I gave you. And his master replies to him, well done, good and faithful servant. This is where we hear this phrase in scripture, nowhere else. This parable is where we hear the words, well done, thou good and faithful servant. At the end of our life, God won't say, well done, thou good and faithful dad. Although that's a great title. He won't say, well done, well done, thou good and faithful Mom. Although that's an awesome title. He won't say, well done, thou good and faithful multimillionaire or CEO or cfo. He will say, well done, thou good and faithful servant. This is the greatest title we can get on earth. Friends, we didn't come to earth to be served. We came to serve when we follow the mission of Jesus. Jesus said, I didn't come to be served. If you're gonna break like, Jesus is not coming back for an entitled church. He's not coming back for a selfish church. He's not coming back for a church that's like, serve me, serve me, serve me, me, me, me, me. My needs, my wants. He's coming back for a church with a servant's heart. And we need to flip the script on what the enemy tries to stir up in our hearts. Because the enemy will always stir up a spirit of what's in it for me. I deserve more. What about me, me, me? A very narcissistic way of looking at life. Not the world revolves around me. But listen, God is gonna come back and he's gonna say, how did you serve the world? How did you serve the kingdom of God? How did you use your gifts and talents and opportunities to be a faithful servant? You have been faithful. Watch what he says. He says, well done, good and faithful servant. Because you've been faithful with a few things, I'm gonna make you in charge of many things. In other words, stewardship gets rewarded, good stewardship gets rewarded. And stewardship is basically, what are you doing with something that's not yours? How are you treating something that's not yours? How are you and I treating the thing that God's given us that's really not ours? We are not owners of this. We are stewards. If you were to loan me your car and you said, paul, you could borrow my car, take Ashley out on a date, and if I returned your car and it's like the bumper is missing, the headlights are out, the mirrors have fallen off, the front window is cracked. The you gave it to me full of gas, and I return it empty with no gas in it, and there's trash on the floor and gum on the seats, you're going to be like, I am never loaning you my car again. You destroyed it, right? I'm not being a good steward because I didn't own the car. You let me borrow it for A moment and the same thing here. Friends, we are on borrowed time. This time we've been given this life, we've been given this body you've been given. All that we have belongs to God. God's going to ask, what did you do with what I gave you? What I gave you? The second guy comes and he says, you gave me two bags of gold. See, I have gained two more. I multiplied it. I was a good steward. His master tells him the same thing. God's not gonna ask you what your neighbor did. He's not going to judge you according to someone else's ability. Like, I remember getting in a comparison trap because I looked at my friend Mike Todd, who's a pastor in Tulsa, and Mike is a good friend. And I remember just thinking, Mike is like a five talent guy, and I'm a two talent guy. I wish I could write these New York Times bestseller books. And he's making movies. And I heard the Lord say, I'm not judging you according to what Mike Todd is called to do. I'm judging you according to what you're called to do. Success is not keeping up with another man's ability. Success is not keeping up with the Joneses. Success is not a bigger something like a bigger house or a nicer car or a New York Times bestseller book. Success is obedience to God. Success equals obedience to God. If you're taking notes, that's a good thing to put in your notes. Success. Everybody say, success equals obedience to God. That's it right there. God is not going to ask you, did you become a millionaire? Did you get a thousand followers on Instagram? Or 100,000? He doesn't care about numbers. He cares about obedience. God's not like, how many books did you sell? He's going to ask, did you write the book I told you to write? We're not in charge of the results. We are in charge of obedience. Success equals obedience to God. So the second man, God, Jesus, tells this story. And these are letters in red. In other words, these are Jesus words. He says, well done, thou good and faithful servant. You have been faithful with a few things. This is a strategy for multiplication, a strategy for growing what God has put in your hands. Whether you're a business person, whether you are a college student, whatever season of life you're in, God has given us something to be faithful to, because you've been faithful. Everybody say faithful. Don't waste this. You've been faithful with this season. You've been faithful in your 20s. You've been faithful as A teenager. You've been faithful with your instrument. You've been faithful with that relationship. You've been faithful in the areas that God's. You've been a diligent, hard worker. I will put you in charge of of many things. The reward for faithfulness is more work. The reward for stewardship is more opportunity. Come and share your master's happiness. I think God wants us to realize that he has more in store for us. He's watching to see how we're treating the things that we have right now. And God wants to multiply what he's put in your hands, but he's looking to see how are you working it. The man who had received one bag of gold came and he said, master, I knew that you are a hard man harvesting where you have not sown. Now watch this. We're seeing a glimpse of this man's view of God. Your view of God says everything I need to know about you. Because if you view God as a harsh God, a stingy God, a mean God, a God that doesn't want to supply all your needs, you will live your life with a scarcity mindset. You will live your life in fear. We're either driven by fear or we're driven by faith. We either live with an abundance mindset or a scarcity mindset. We're either working the thing we've got because we believe that God can multiply it and that God wants to bless us with more, to be a blessing to more people, or we will hide what we have, digging holes and hiding it. He says, listen, you take things that aren't even. You gather where you have not scattered seed. So I was afraid. That's an important part right there. Multiplication begins in the mind. You either maintain or you multiply. You're either a steward or you are hiding and squandering and wasting what God has for you. He says, I was afraid. I went out and I hid your gold in the ground. See, here it is. All that belongs to you. His master replied, you wicked, lazy servant. Now, if you are mad at this, you need to email Jesus because these are his words. You're like, that is a harsh thing to say. Why doesn't he give everybody the same? Why don't we just spread it out? Mandated government, socialism. Socialism never fixed the country. Communism never made a country better. And our nation needs to hear this parable more now than ever, especially New York City. Can I tell you something, friends? God rewards hard work and he condemns laziness. I don't like that. It's biblical. It's a principle in the earth. Our nation is electing officials right now that are outspoken and bold about it, unapologetic, that they want to bring communism, socialism to America. And friends, we've got to wake up and realize we've got to teach the next generation the principles of the kingdom of God. Don't waste. Don't live off demanding everyone else to feed you. Give everything. And this is not a cop out for us to not live with compassion and generosity, because that's a totally different topic right now. This topic is fixed on how are you going to live your life in light of what God has placed in your hands? Will you live as a good steward? Will you live with compassion? Will you multiply what's put in your hands? Jesus says these words, you wicked, lazy servant. You knew that I had that I harvest where I've not sown and I gather where I've not scattered seed. He says, well, then you should have put my money on deposit. And someone in the room might be going, why are we talking about money in church? Because Jesus talked about money in church. These are Jesus words. He's talking about bankers, investment interest, money. He says, listen, you could have put it on deposit with the bankers so that when I return, I would not have. I would have received it back with interest. So take the bag of gold. Now this is really intense. Take the bag of gold from the guy who did nothing with it and give it to the one who has 10 bags. If you don't obey God in the area he's called you to obey. He will give what he was giving you to somebody else to do. I remember sitting down with Oral Roberts before he died. I was a little kid. We were eating at a restaurant in town called Goldie's, and we were having a burger. It wasn't just me and him. You're like, just you and Orel? No, it was like my mom and dad, my sisters, my brother. I was sitting next to Oral Roberts. I was maybe 7 or 8 years old. I was blown away by how big his ears were. I was touching his ears. I was just like, playing with his earlobe. And he's like, what's going on with this kid over here? Billy Joe, get this kid under control. I was like, I just love his ears. Anyways, he's saying these words. He says these words. He says, I wasn't the first guy that God called to build him a university. He said, in fact, God told me, you're the 11th guy. The first 10 that I gave the dream to, did nothing with it. Maybe one or two of them went to the bank to try to get a loan to see what would happen. But they gave up at the first sign of rejection. Friends, hard work means you're going to keep on pressing through. You're going to keep pressing through. Don't give up. Don't waste this. Whoever has will be given more and they will have an abundance. Everybody say abundance now. God wants us to be a blessing to our community. The only reason victory is able to feed the hungry, clothe the naked, visit the prisoners, minister to the poor, is because God has blessed us. The blessing of God is not just for you, it's for the people. God wants to bless through you. So listen, God is not like a God. That's like, I want all of Christians in the world to be poor and impoverished so they can do nothing for their community. No, God wants us to be blessed, to be. Be a blessing to the nations of the earth. And the more that we can walk in that mindset, the more that we can live with that understanding that God has called me to be the head and not the tail, the lender and not the borrower, above and not beneath. More than a conqueror that he placed me on this earth, not to eke my way through life like a worm and barely survive and live with the poverty mindset. Never have enough money to help the missionaries. No, no, no. God wants you to be a blessing to the nations of the earth. We are heirs of Abraham's covenant. And you and I are called to multiply, not to maintain, not to. Not to shrink back, not to waste our talents, but to be good stewards. Whoever does not have. Whoever does not have. Go back to that last one. Whoever does not have, even what they have, will be taken from them. Then the last verse, this one's really intense. Throw that worthless servant outside into the darkness where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. That's really intense. Let's talk about what this parable is teaching us. First of all, it teaches us we are stewards, not owners. We are stewards, not owners. This is the most critical lesson in this parable. Everything we have ultimately belongs to God, our master. Even the gospel message itself. This has been entrusted to us by God to do something for his glory, to use what he's given us for his glory. Secondly, action is required and laziness is condemned. In this parable, Jesus is asking, how did you act with the things that I gave you? How did you act in obedience? How did you Treat the things, the life, the dreams, the ideas, the callings. Prophetic words are great, but prophetic words without prophetic work leads to nothing. I remember when I was 16 years old and someone prophesied, someday, Paul, you will be a pastor. You will be a preacher. Now, if I just was like, that's an awesome prophetic word. I've got potential. I just walk around, I'm like, I got potential. I got potential. I got potential. I'm a man of potential. People like, okay, Paul's a man of potential. What am I doing to cultivate those things? I gotta go to school. I gotta get in ministry classes. I gotta read my Bible. I gotta study my Bible. I gotta practice preaching. I've gotta be around people, ministering to people, praying. You've gotta work the gift that God has prophesied over your life. Action is required. Laziness is condemned. Fear or faith. Here's the third lesson we learned from this parable. Fear or faith will lead your life. Fear or faith will lead your life. And lastly, we will all be held accountable for how we stewarded this life. We will all be held accountable for how we stewarded this life. God will ask, what did you do with what I gave you? There was a young woman named Martha Berry, and she was a lady with a vision to help children that were poor. She wanted to start a school for poor kids who didn't have the money to learn how to read or write. And so she had no books, she had no building, and she had no money. She would call herself a one talent girl. She had a dream and she had a work ethic. She was willing to work hard when no one else would work. She one day set up a meeting to go and talk to Henry Ford. This was in the 1930s. Henry Ford is the owner of Ford automobiles. Back then, he was like the big guy. He was like the Elon Musk of his time. He was the billionaire. He was the man that if you had a dream and you wanted money, people would go and try to meet with him. She shared her dream in front of him, and he laughed in her face. He threw a dime. He flicked a dime at her face. Most people would have been insulted. He's a multimillionaire. At least he could give her 100 bucks. All he did was flicker a dime. Martha picked the dime off the floor. I'm reminded of the story in the Bible where Jesus says, bread should not be given to the dogs. And a young woman says, even the dogs eat the bread crumbs that fall to the floor. Martha. Instead of being insulted, she picks up the dime, holding back tears in her eyes. She goes to a shop nearby that sells flowers and seeds. Back then, you could buy a bag of seeds for a nickel. She bought two bags of seeds, she planted those seeds, and she started a garden. She got her first crop, and she bought more seeds and she expanded her garden. She got her second crop and she kept expanding it. By her fourth crop, she had made up enough money to buy the building to start her school for kids that were poor. Over time, she kept teaching her kids how to plant seeds and how to produce crops. And she went back to Henry Ford. Eight years later, she said, here's what I've done with your dime. I was able to buy a building. I've started my school. I'm teaching boys and girls to read and write. He was so inspired. He didn't just cry tears. He wrote her a check in 1938 for a million dollars. Friends, that's like $100 million in 2025. Why did he give her more money? Because she was faithful with a little. She was a good steward with a little. But so God, listen, God multiplies stewardship. God rewards faithfulness. And really, here's the principles we see at play behind these principles. I really think there's four things we've got to do to not waste what God has placed in our hands. So I want to give you four ways to not waste what God has given you. Number one, you got to work it out in your mind. As a man thinketh, so is he. If you're going to accomplish big dreams, you got to have a big mindset. I remember hearing the story about this little boy that was fishing in a pond, and he kept on, you know, casting his reel out there, casting his line out there, and all of a sudden he catches something big. It takes him 20 minutes to reel it in. And by the time he gets it in, y', all, it is a massive bass. It gets bigger every time I tell the story. This was a huge bass, and this old man was watching from the side. He comes running over to him. The boy's looking at the bass, takes the hook out, throws it in the pond. Before the old man can get there, he goes. The old guy says, why did you just do that? The little boy says, because my frying pan is only 9 inches. He said, I only got a frying pan that can handle a 9 inch fish. The fish is too big. My frying pan, my mindset is too small to handle a big church. My Mindset is too small to handle a big job. My frying pan is too small to handle something bigger that God wants to bring into my life. God will not entrust you with larger things until you expand your mindset. The battle is between the ears. You think small, you live small. You think scarcity, you live scarcity, you think defeated, you live defeated. Romans 12:2 says, Be transformed on the outside by renewing the inside. Do not be conformed to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of of your mind. You've got to win on the inside. Friends. The room you're sitting in was a dream. Forty years ago in 1981, my mom and dad started Victory Church. And they started with just a group of people that were ready to meet and worship and study the word of God together. And the church that God had put in my mom and dad's heart. It was a dream. It was a vision on the inside that one day we're going to reach our city and reach the world from Tulsa, Oklahoma. And that first year the church began to grow. And God gave my mom and dad more because they were faithful with a little and more people kept coming. It went from 500 to 1,000 to 1,500 to 2,000 people. And then my mom and dad, as they were talking and dreaming, God gave them a vision to start a Bible college. So we went from one bag of gold, one entity to two entities. A church and a Bible school. A Bible college. Then that same year, God dropped a dream in my dad's heart. Start a Christian school, kindergarten through 12th grade. All of a sudden we from one church to now a Bible college to a Christian school, kindergarten through 12th grade. Then God wasn't finished. God started stirring in my heart. My parents hearts go to the highways and the byways. Minister to the hurting, the broken, the lost. Believe for a permanent location to help the poor in your city. Then God gave us the dream center. So we went from a church to a school to a college, to a dream center. Even in the last four years now, we've multiplied the dream center to two dream centers in our city. But God wasn't done. In the 90s, God started stirring my parents hearts as they were faithful with a little believe for a camp one day, 50 to 100 acres. A camp that would have canoeing and zip lines and fishing and chapel services and swimming and all kinds of activities. And God gave us Camp Victory. See, when you're faithful with a little bit, God continues to trust you with more. When our church got out of debt. We started building things on a cash basis. Friends, everything you see at Victory now is debt free. The school is debt free. The camp is debt free. The college is debt free. The Dream center is debt free. The other Dream center is debt free. But you know, God rewards faithfulness. He rewards. Just be faithful. Just keep doing it. And you gotta believe in your mind. You gotta trust that God is up to something. Can I tell you guys kind of a crazy story? Okay. This is kind of wild. And I gotta make sure I get it right. There was a woman named Debbie. Y' all probably know who this lady is. Y' all know Debbie. She was a housewife with no business experience. And everyone told her a cookie store would fail. Come on, little Debbie. In 1977, Debbie Fields loved baking chocolate chip cookies. Her friends encouraged her. Experts laughed at her. Cookies can't be a business, they said. But watch what happens next. The cookie industry, owned by Oreos and Chips Ahoy. No one sold fresh baked cookies alone. Banks refused to give her a loan. So her husband was the only one who believed in her. They risked everything they had with a $50,000 loan. A 600 square foot store in Palo Alto. Rent was 800 bucks a month. Failure was not an option. August 18, 1977. Doors opened. Cookies smelled amazing. By noon, not one sale. Debbie began to panic. Then she got this idea. She grabbed a tray of cookies. She stood outside the store. Try one of my cookies, they're free. Crowds formed. People love free cookies. Within hours, the cookies were sold out. Debbie baked fresh cookies every two hours. Never sold day old cookies. If they sat too long, she gave them away. Advisors hated it. Customers loved it. By 1978, she had $200,000 in sales. A second store was open. Soon, San Francisco malls and beyond. The cookie fad became a phenomen. By the 1990s, she had 600 plus stores worldwide. $500 million in annual sales. The premium cookie category was born. Debbie proved everyone wrong. Listen, sometimes the sweetest ideas are the ones that nobody else believes in. Can I tell you guys something? God will give you an idea. A dream. For Oral Roberts, it was a university. For Billy Joe and Sharon, it was a church. For some of you in the room, it's a business, it's a book, it's a company. God won't ask you how much you made. He will ask you, were you obedient with God? What I put in your hands, you gotta work it out in your mind. Number two, you gotta work it out in your morals. I remember sitting down with John Maxwell, the author of Hundred leadership Books. And I said, what is the key to success? He said, talent will get you in the room, but morals and character will keep you in the room. Talent is never enough. You're going to have to be a boss of your convictions. You're going to have to be a boss over your feelings and temptations. You're going to have to practice the art of telling yourself to no. Because your character matters more than the pleasures of that moment. You gotta work it out in your morals. A lot of people don't want to be told what to do. But what we see is we'll see young, talented people build something big and fast. And it's incredible. And then it crashes and people go, what happened? Someone was not practicing morality characters. I've got to get in the word of God. And here's the good news. We've all missed it. We've all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. He is full of mercy and grace to help us get back on track and to get our morals founded in the word of God. And say, God, from this point forward, I am following you and I'm living with integrity. How to not waste this stuff that God has given you. Work it out, number three. Work it out in your mouth. These are all M words. I want to make it simple for you. Come on. We got the mind, we got the morals, number three. We got the mouth. We got the mouth. Imagine that there was a recorder for every word you spoke, every single day. Would you be proud of the words that you listened back to that you said over yourself and you said over others. You're either talking yourself into victory or you're talking yourself into defeat. You're either speaking life or you're speaking death. You're either declaring hope or you are declaring defeat. And the power of our words matters. Our tongue literally can determine the course of our life. I gotta begin to speak prophetically over my future. My best days are right in front of me. God is not finished with me yet. God has given me victory. I am the head and not the tail. I am above and not beneath. This is the day the Lord has made. I will rejoice and be glad in it. Listen. I will live and not die and declare the works of the Lord. I am the lender and not the borrower. I am blessed coming in and blessed going out. My family is blessed. I have the protection of God. You need to begin to speak just like Erica began to speak to the doctor to say God is up to something. My God is a healer. You go, well, what if nothing good happens? Well, then you didn't waste your words speaking death. I'd rather speak life. And nothing changes than speak death. And things get worse. I just call it like I see it. How about calling it like how God wants you to see it? Work it out in your mouth. Number four, fourth point, right here. Work it out in your motion. Work it out in your motion. In other words, work hard with what you've got. Act on the thing that God has put inside of you. You know, I think about the story of David, and when I look at David's life, a lot of people focus on him and Goliath, but I want to focus on the story right before Goliath. We forget about how David first started as a musician. 1st Samuel 16, verse 14 tells the story of how Saul gets tormented by a spirit and his friends. All the people around Saul, he's in a wealthy palace. They start telling him, you need somebody to soothe your soul when you start having these headaches and these bad dreams. So in verse 17, Saul says these words. Find someone who plays well. I'm looking for a musician who's not a beginner. I'm looking for a musician who's been working hard on his gift, on his talent. Find somebody who plays. How do you become somebody who plays well? Practice. And we're not talking about a keyboard or, like an acoustic guitar, y'.
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We're talking about a harp. Now, let me just explain this to you. Devin, will you stand up? A harp is a big instrument. Devin is basically a harp. This is a harp. Even bigger than this. Just stretch your arms out. Can you imagine how David had to carry his harp everywhere he went? Just get on my back. So this is David dragging his harp everywhere. He was practicing in the fields. How do you get better at something? You work at it. I don't want to lift a finger. I'm not practicing an instrument unless somebody's delivering the piano to my house. We live in the Amazon prime generation where it's got to be delivered or I'm not working for it. But David dragged his harp, and his harp weighed as much as Devin weighs on my back. How many times did David drag his harp and play his harp? Until the day. This harp is so heavy. Until the. All right, give Devin a big hand. Why are we giving him a big hand? Give me a big hand. Find somebody who plays well and bring him to me. And so David's been dragging. I just wrote these thoughts down here. How many times did a 15 year old boy have to drag his harp. He was dedicated to developing his potential. He was dedicating to developing his gift, his ministry. He was a 15 year old with a work ethic. Oh Lord, I pray that we raise up boys with that kind of work ethic. He was maximizing what was in his hands. All of us in this room have a deposit that God has placed in our hands. I don't have much in my house. You have way more than you realize. How many of y' all in this room have time on your hands? You have some time when you're not scrolling on TikTok. How many will have some extra time in your life? How many of you have resources in your life? You have relationships. You have something. And David was dedicated to developing the deposit that God put inside of him. You'll never discover the destiny God has for you until you develop the deposit that God's put inside of you. A lot of people want the benefits of a gift. They want to be invited to the palace. They want the opportunities that come with a gift, but they don't want the dedication, the sacrifice, the opposition, the diligence to develop the gift. A lot of people want the gifts that other people have worked for because it just looks so awesome. But a lot of the gifts that people have worked for, they come with. They come with a description on the back. I think about how Ashley will buy these presents at Christmas for our kids. And then when they open it up, there's this description, some assembly required. And she's like, there's your job, Paul. They're so excited for daddy to put together this toy. And it's about a two hour job to put this thing. Sometimes it takes about six hours to put together these. Some assembly. Everybody say some assembly required. Let me tell you one more story. And you guys probably know this guy too. I love this story. Here it is right here. Look at this guy. McDonald's fired this guy three times. Years later, they paid him millions of dollars for a song. His first job, first paycheck. He tasted chicken nuggets on the job. He couldn't resist. Manager comes in, catches a mid bite. Williams, you're fired. It happens a second time. Second location, second chance. Same story, same. Nuggets fired again. Third McDonald's, third strike. Pharrell is sitting in the break room with Nuggets. Manager walks in. Dude, you gotta stop eating the nuggets. Game over. Fired three times. He gives up on fast food, but he keeps on working. Listen, don't stop working just because you get fired. Don't stop working just because you have a bad break. Just because you fall. Keep getting back up. He gets up and he turns to music. He starts the Neptune starts producing for Jay Z and Justin Timberlake. Britney Spears hits everywhere. Watch what happens next. 2003, McDonald's calls him. Same company that fired him. Can you write us a jingle? They didn't know he had been fired there. Three times. He turns the German slogan into music. Three words, four notes. Ba da ba ba ba. Let's go. Mickey D's Justin Records. It gets 6 million for one vocal. Neptune's produce it. It becomes the most successful campaign that McDonald's ever had. Today I'm lovin. It has run for 22 years, played billions of times, created by the teenager they fired for nuggets. Rejection isn't the end. It's a reroute. Come on. When I look at the stories in the Word of God, I mean, let's just start with Adam and Eve. Did they blow it a little bit? Yeah. It's literally called the Fall. They kind of blew it. And then they had Cain and Abel and that was a rough situation. And the list goes on. I was talking with my kids this morning about the oldest man alive, Methuselah. Right. You can keep going through the list. And it's like stories of failure, disappointment, loss, rejection. Noah builds an ark, right? His family gets through the flood, but then Noah ends up drunk and naked, laying on the ground. That's another crazy story. God uses imperfect people, people that miss it, people that are broken, dysfunctional families. But God never gives up on humanity. So why should we give up on God? Why should we give up on the God dream that he's placed inside of us? Keep working the thing that God's put inside you. Keep bringing stuff to the altar. Keep maximizing the gifts and talents. So Abram gets this dream and he's like, it's just me and Sarah. We're kind of a two bag of gold family. Me, it's just me and her. And God goes, no, I'm going to multiply from two to three. You're going to have a son. You're going to. You're going to have a child. And that child is the child of promise. And then from him, you're going to have like millions of kids. You're going to be like a massive bag of gold type of family. You're going to multiply your gifts and talents. And Abram's like, I don't think so. God walks him outside, he's like count the stars if you can. Your name is no longer Abram, but Abraham. And then God begins to birth the dream inside of Abraham and Satan, Sarah, and then Isaac. And then you go to Jacob. And then from Jacob, you have the 12 tribes of Israel. And then Joseph is abandoned. He feels rejected, disappointed. But the dream is still alive. He's continuing to make the most of every season. Listen, don't waste this season. Don't waste these gifts. Don't waste the opportunities God has for you. Every person God used in the Bible had to make up their mind. I am not going to waste even the heartbreak, even the valleys of life. When Hannah couldn't have kids and it was just like one heartbreak after another, she just kept on bringing her tears to the altar, saying, God, listen, I don't only just want to multiply the gifts and talents. I also want to make the most of the valleys and the hardships and the pain. Because I know you're doing something in me. I know you can turn something bad into something good. I want you to stand your feet all over this place. Really. The message that Jesus gives us in the parable of the talents is a message of, what will you do with what he's given you? What will I do with what God's given me? Who will I become? What gifts will I multiply? What opportunities for David, he could have settled for like man, he lived a great life. He made mistakes. He sinned. But David could have said, all right, I'm going to end it here. You know what God challenged David to do? God challenged David. Create a legacy for your family. Create an account that one day your son Solomon can access this account of funds. That one day that you would leave behind an inheritance so that one day a temple would be built in my name. And so David keeps working even till his last dying breath, he's working for the next generation. Just because you get older doesn't mean you're supposed to stop working on what God's called you to do. Keep on multiplying your gifts and talents. Open the door for the next generation. Hold the door open for Solomon. Hold the door open for future generations. I love just hearing the testimony, even the story of Victor Day Jody saying, I want more families to experience God's presence in this house. Whatever age we are, God has an assignment for us to be faithful to. This is not a time to just sit back and go, okay, I'm done working. This is a time to lean in. We got work to do. With every head bowed, every eye closed, I just Want you to search your heart. And I really feel like God is speaking to some men today. Specifically. Specifically, God has placed a dream in your heart. God has been stirring up in you gifts and even prophetic words that were spoken over you at a young age. And God is asking you, what are you doing in light of what I've placed inside you? Jesus is coming back soon and we will give an account for how we treated our time, our money, our relationships, our days. God, deliver us from distraction. Deliver us from lazy living. Deliver us, God. From mindless scrolling on social media. God, I pray, Lord, that we would be fully alive in this season. Whether we're on a valley or a mountaintop, whether we're in a good season or a hard season. Help us, God, not to waste this. Not to waste this moment, not to waste this life that you've given us with heads bowed, eyes closed. If God is speaking to you, men or women, young or old, and you know in your heart there are areas in your life that this message is challenging you, convicting you to surrender, to say, God, I will begin to live with a faithful spirit in the area you've called me to multiply, not just maintain. God, I am ready to make the most of what you've placed in my heart, in my hands, in my life. I want you to raise your hand all over this room if that's you. Yes, sir. From the front to the back. Yeah, all over this room. Men and women, young and old, today is a day to say, God, I want to use every gift, every talent, every idea, every dream that you placed inside me. I don't want to die full of life. I want to die empty. I want to pour it all out. I want to open a door for a future generation. I want to obey you. Success is obedience. Lastly, you're here today. And maybe you're not right with Jesus. Maybe you've never made him Lord of your life. Salvation is here. He's knocking at the door of your heart. If you want to surrender to Jesus, today is your day. If that's you, just raise your hand. Just raise your hand across this room. Yes, sir. Yes, sir. Yes, ma'.
- [40:07]
B
Am.
- [40:07]
A
Yes. Anyone else?
- [40:09]
B
Yeah.
- [40:10]
A
You're just saying I need to get right with God. I need to repent of my sins. I need to get back on the right path. If you raise your hand for either of those, would you leave your seat, come and join us at the altar. And we're going to cheer on brave men, brave women, moms and dads, husbands and wives, sons and daughters, Whatever season of life you're in, come on, let's bring it to the altar today. Today is a day of victory. Today is a day of salvation. Today is a day to talk yourself into victory, to walk yourself into victory. To say, I'm getting back up and I'm going to make the most of what God has placed in my hands. I'm going to live with an abundance mindset. I'm going to be a blessing to my family, to the nations of the earth. God, I believe anything is possible Lord, I believe you can do miracles and God, I believe you can do a miracle in me that I would be a living breathing miracle story in Jesus name. Let's just begin to worship him. Go ahead, Jeremiah. Let's just begin to sing to the Lord. Today.
- [41:20]
B
I fix my eyes on heaven God, I receive your vision God, I believe you working all things for good I still believe you're moving I still believe you're speaking God, I believe you're working all things work out I fix my eyes on every God, I receive your vision God, I believe you working and I still believe I still believe you're moving I still believe O God, I believe you fix my arms I speak my eyes oh God, I receive it God I believe you worthy all things for good we sing Come alive in the name of Jesus Come alive in the name of Jesus this is the house of healing we believe that we breathe every day to the feet of everything in the name of Jesus this is the house of miracles Come alive, come alive in the name of Jesus Come alive in the name of Jesus and this is the house of miracles we bring everything to the feet of Jesus Everything in the name of Jesus this is a house of me say I still believe and I still believe you moving I still believe God I believe you're working all things all things for good and I fix my eyes God I receive your being God, I believe you working whole thing is I still believe I still believe you're working I still believe you're speaking God, I believe you are working on things for good I fix my eyes on heaven God I receive your vision God, I believe you wor all things for good and we see Come alive in the name of Jesus in the name Lord Jesus this is a house of miracle and we bring everything to the feet of Jesus in the name of Jesus this is house of miracle Jesus.
- [45:07]
A
Come alive in the name of Jesus.
- [45:11]
B
Come alive in the name of Jesus this is we bring everything to the feet of Jesus Everything in the name of Jesus this is.
- [45:35]
A
Everybody say this with me, anything is possible with God. Anything is possible with God. I'm so inspired every time I walk into this room because I just. I feel like this is a room of faith. This is a room of miracles. And Ashla and I, we went to a concert not too long ago. This young guy is sitting down at a keyboard and a laptop, and he's in this big arena just packed with people, and he starts telling the story of how he would sit in his room as a teenager. Didn't have any connections, didn't have any music industry knowledge, but he would just sit down with his computer and pro tools, which is like a cheap program to make music. And he said, I would just think of, like, little ideas, little songs, and I'm about to have a good day. And he said, little did I know that God was watching how I was faithful with the little things. Today, Forest Frank has probably got more hits than any Christian artist in the Christian music world. He's not signed by a label. Nashville doesn't understand them. The music industry is kind of like, what. What do we do with this kid? But when you are faithful with a few things, God will begin to multiply your gifts and talents. God watches. Even just right now in this room, you come into church faithful with your time on Sunday, just saying, God, I want to spend time in your presence. I believe in this room, there are future leaders of our nation. I believe the future president of America might come out of victory, future vice president, congressman, senators. I believe there's billionaires in the room. I believe there's business leaders, pastors, missionaries, incredible mothers and fathers and marriages and families that will be testimonies to the world. I believe there's musicians and artists on this stage that will write songs that the world will sing. I believe victory is called to be a church to the nations. And I believe, Victory, that God has you here on divine assignment like Esther, for such a time as this. And God has put dreams inside you, ideas, and God's put gifts inside you. And maybe our job as a church is just to fan into flame those gifts, to say, what are you doing with those gifts? How are you serving? What are you doing to maximize your gifts? And are you taking care of your integrity? Are you getting in discipleship? Are you going down to the altar getting right with God? Because all of it matters, all of it one day will be looked at by God, and he will ask you, what did you do with what I gave you? So just pray this with me. Say, jesus, I'm all yours. My life is yours. Help me to be a good steward of what you've given me. I repent of sin. I receive your forgiveness. I confess that you are my Lord, my Savior. Use my life to bring you glory so that one day I will hear the words, well done, good and faithful servant. In Jesus name, amen. And Amen. I love you. God loves you. Be blessed.