Hi, this is Joel in 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 very best in your life. Oh, God bless you. It is always a joy to come into your homes. We love you and we're believing from good things in your life. God rewards the people that seek after Him. I believe that's you and all of you, or you wouldn't have taken time to join with us today. But God bless you. If you ever in our area, come out and see us. We'd love to have you be a part of one of our services. I like to start each week with something kind of funny. And I heard about this man named Bubba. He was feeling really down and discouraged, and he went to his little country church and the pastor said, what's wrong? Babba? He said, I need you to pray for my hearing. The pastor very earnestly both hands on his ears, and he prayed and prayed and prayed and prayed, and finally got finished and he said, okay, now, how's your hearing. But I said, I don't know. It's not till Tuesday morning. All right, hold up your Bible. Say it like you mean it. 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 will 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 name God bless you. I want to talk to you today about keeping your heart free from offenses. Every day, we're going to have opportunities to get upset and offended. It people are gonna say things we don't understand. Maybe somebody is rude to you at the grocery store, or a coworker leaves you out of an important meeting. Offenses are going to come. That's just a part of life. So many people are living with their feelings on their shoulders. They're easily offended. They let the smallest things upset them. Somebody cuts them off in traffic. They don't even know the person, but their blood pressure shoots sky hide. The next two or three hours, they're all uptight and on edge. But if we're going to live in victory, we've got to learn how to not take these offenses. Just because an offense comes doesn't mean it has to affect us. It all depends on what we do with it. The other day, our son Jonathan, and I were at a department store. We wanted to buy some sporting goods, and I tried and tried to get somebody to help us. I could see three or four employees over there, talking, laughing, having a good time, and so I just wand over there and very politely ask if one of them could assist us. They no more gave us the time of day. They totally ignored us and just kept talking and talking. And the longer it went, the more I could feel myself wanting to get upset. I could feel that offense trying to take root. I had to dig my heels in and say, no, I am not gonna lose my joy. I am not gonna let their sour attitude ruin the rest of my day. After I told the manager I shook it off and moved on. I'm just kidding, I didn't. The word offense in the scripture comes from a Greek word that means bait. It's used in reference to how they would catch animals, was actually the bait that lured the animal into the trap. When you're attempted to be offended, somebody's rude to you, somebody is inconsiderate, somebody ignores you, recognize that's the enemy offering you his bait. He said, come on, get upset, get angry, argue, let it sour your day. Many people don't know any better. They swallow that bait, hook line, and sinker. They go around day after day, upset, bitter, offended. But we need to be aware of what's happening. The next time you have an opportunity to be offended, instead of falling into that same trap, just say no thanks, I'm not gonna take the bait. I'm smarter than that. I'm gonna live my life free. I'm gonna enjoy this day. One of the best things we can learn to do is forgive quickly. And somebody does you wrong, learn to immediately let it go. Don't play that offense over and over in your mind and dissect it and try to figure out what they really meant. Don't go call your friends and get their take on it. Can you believe how rude they are? Can you believe what they said to me? Or just drop it. The quicker you let it go, the easier it will be, and some of you would see your life go to a whole new level if you just start acticing this simple principle forgive quickly, don't allow the offense to take root. We cannot stop offenses from coming, but we can keep them from dragging us down. The longer you dwell on it, the more it poisons you, and the harder it is to get free. I had some stain remover out the other day. I was trying to clean a little spot on our carpet, and I noticed the direction said, get to the spot as quickly as possible, hopefully while it's still wet. Why Because the longer it stays there, the more difficult it is to remove. It's the same way with us when an offense comes. If you allow that stain to stay in your mind, so to speak, hour after hour, day after day, it's getting harder and harder to get rid. Of it's so much easier to forgive right when it happens. I mean, if somebody offends you at ten o'clock in the morning, and now it's ten fifteen, your attitude should be I'm moving on. That's not called sour the rest of my day. Somebody cuts you off at traffic at four o'clock, well now it's four oh five. That's over and done. I'm not taking the bait. I'm living my life right. And the Bible talks about how we have to put on the armor of God. One of the most important pieces is our shoes of peace. But I found too many people are going around barefooted. They're always upset and been out of shape about something. Offended at the neighbor because they weren't invited to play little league, Offended at the department store because they wouldn't take something back, Offended at their spouse because he left in such a hurry. What's the problem They're not putting on their shoes, apiece. You have to make a decision first thing in the morning that no matter what comes against you, you're not gonna get upset, You're not gonna get offended. You're gonna stay in peace. Have the attitude. If somebody ignores me, that's all right. They're probably just having a bad day. I'm will give them the benefit of the doubt and move on. Somebody is rude to meet, No big deal. I'm an eagle. I can rise above it. Somebody's talking behind my back, trying to make me look bad, that's all right. God is my vindicator. I'm not gonna sit down to their level start arguing. I know God will fight my battles for me. We have to have a made up mind that we're gonna stay in peace. We're gonna live our lives free. But too many people are constantly taking the bait, just like it was candy. They're always being offended. They don't realize they're allowing the enemy to control them, just like a puppet. He's behind the scenes saying, let's have this person cut him off in traffic. This person ignored him. This person be rude all day long, upset, getting their feelings hurt, getting in the strife, trying to pay people back. Now, keep your peace. When the enemy can upset you, he can't control you. When you're in peace, you're in a position of power. When people do you wrong, just leave it up to God, trying to get revenge, trying to pay people back, getting all upset. That just makes matters worse. I heard about this man that had been bitten by a dog, and at the doctor's office they told him he had tested positive for rabies. He immediately began making out this list, and the doctor said, oh, no, sir, you don't need to make out a will. You're not gonna die. We have a vaccine for it. The man said, no, this is not my will. These are all the people I'm going to bite. Just let it go. Don't try to pay people back. The scripture says in First Corinthians thirteen, verse five in the amplified love is not easily offended, love is not touching. If we're going to have healthy relationships, we've got to give people a little room. Don't expect everyone to perform perfectly all the time. The other day I was talking on the telephone to someone and Victoria came into the room where I was, And every once in a while, when she hears the conversation, she'll want to join in. The only problem is she doesn't have a phone, so she'll communicate to me in this ere what I'm supposed to tell them, and the whole time I was trying to listen to them and listen to her and keep my sanity. After a few minutes, I finally put the phone down. I said, Victoria, I cannot listen to you both. And I said it very nice, but I said it very firm. About two hours later, when I noticed Victoria was not speaking to me, I had to preach this message to her and reminds her to show mercy that not everybody is perfect and don't be easily offended. She always gets my messages before you do. My father used to say everyone has the right to have a bad day every once in a while. Being in relationship with people day in and day out, things can be misunderstood, comments can be taken wrong, or maybe they're just having a bad day. But you know what, that's okay. There are no perfect people. Learn to let some things go to keep the poison out of your relationship. Some of you, this is exactly what's holding you back. You're too easily offended. You need to toughen up. Don't wear your feelings on your shoulder, don't be so sensitive to where people have to walk on egg shells around you. Afraid they're gonna hurt your feelings, afraid they're gonna get you upset. That's a very selfish way to live, and you need to draw the line in the sand and say that's it. I'm done with being offended. I'm done with losing my joy every other hour. I'm gonna live my life free. And I realize there are times when we need to bring things up and say, hey, that's hurting my feelings. I wish you wouldn't do that. We don't overlook everything, but I believe that our relationships and our level of joy would go to a new level if we just given everybody a little room and not be overly sensitive. I found most of the time people don't really mean to hurt our feelings. We just take things wrong. We either too sensitive or we're a little insecure. I know people that have a personality that's very direct. They're very bold, very straightforward. They think nothing of telling you exactly what they think. They may see you before work and say, you know what, your hair doesn't look right today. You need to fix it. They think they're doing you a favor. They say it in all honesty and all sincerity, and sure they could be more diplomatic. They could be a little more tactful, but that's just who they are. We need to be secure enough and be big enough that we don't get offended too often though we get a little bit sour and we may not say it to him, but we'll look at them and think, well, honey, your hair doesn't look too hot either, and one day those clothes you're wearing may come back in style. Now, just shake it off, don't take debait, don't get upset, and just let it go. Here's a key. If you're always getting your feelings hurt, if you're always upset and offended about something, it's not anybody else's fault. It's your own fault. You are responsible for your own happiness. Where you said, Joel, you don't know my boss, you don't know my husband, you don't know the traffic I drive in. No nobody can make you drink that poison. If you'll stop allowing yourself to get upset and start putting on your shoes, apiece, you can come up to a whole new level. I think about the Apostle Paul. The scripture talks about how he had to work to keep offenses out of his life. People were always coming against him, doing him wrong, but he refused to take the bait. He said, one time, Alexander the Coppersmith did me great wrong, but I'm not worried about it. I know God will pay him back. That's the attitude we need to have. Somebody does you wrong, maybe at work they take advantage of your cheat you out of commission. Don't live your life offended. Don't go around all upset. Do what Paul did and just turn it over to God, knowing that he's promised he will make you wrongs right. I know a person that got offended at a shoe store. He bought these shoes and they came apart. He tried to take them back, but they didn't allow him to. And one time, years later, we were walking down the mall together. We're going to our car, and all of a sudden, he said, let's go this way, and I said, well, our cars right down here. He said no, and he pointed to the shoe store and he said, I don't walk by that shoe store. They did me wrong. And I thought to myself, does he really think he's hurting that shoe store? Do you really think they're looking down the mall said, oh man, we're depressed. He's not coming by today. Friends, life is too short to live it that way. Angry, offended, bitter. I've made up my mind. I'm gonna stay in peace. It doesn't matter what people do to me. It doesn't matter what they may say. You cannot offend me, Joel, I don't really like that suit you're wearing today. We'll find God bless you anyway. Well, the service was kind of long, the music was kind of loud. Fine, God bless you. I hope you come back next week. Well, I didn't get anything out of that message. You'll fine. I can't help it if you have a problem. I'm not going to be offended. I'm not gonna wear my feelings on my shoulder. I found any time you start seeing more of the negative than the positive, you need to check your own heart. I've come in here before on a Wednesday night to a service. I've had a long day, kind of stressed, maybe a little irritated. The first thing I see is why is that light not adjusted? And who didn't shut those doors? The carpet looks like it's kind of dirty. I don't think the singers are standing where they're supposed to. I start seeing all the negative. When I do that, I realize there's something wrong with me. Because of the time. When I come in here, I think, Wow, sure is beautiful this and how great it sounds, Look how fantastic the people look. I don't see any of the negative. The scripture says to the purer, all things are pure. But if you're offended at a person, and bitter at the shoe store and mad at a coworker, you're going to see everything from a very tainted point of view. The problem is not your circumstances. It's not the people in your life. The problem is your own well has become polluted. And if you can just keep these offenses out of your heart, you can keep it free from bitterness. It'll make it so much easier to live your life happy. We need to learn to give people the benefit of the doubt instead of believing the worst. Why don't we believe the best. Maybe they didn't mean something the way it sounded. Maybe we just took it wrong. I remember a while back, I was at this big event in the city. There are all kinds of very well respected and influential people from all over the country, I was in the lobby, standing over the side, just talking with some friends, waiting for it to start, and here comes this man that I've really been wanting to meet. I've always thought a lot of him. He's very well respected. And there was about ten of us in this line waiting, and just so happened to be that I was at the very last of the line. The men came along and he started shaking everybody's hand, very warm, very friendly, kind But when he got to me, all of a sudden, he stopped and looked away. Then he turned around and walked into the event. I couldn't believe it. He totally ignored me. I thought to myself, buddy, you don't know what you just missed. My attitude was I wouldn't meet him if they paid me to see, if I ever give him the time of day. All these holy thoughts were filling my pastoral mind. Well, the event took place, and it's interesting afterwards, I was making my way through a very crowded lobby and I saw this man walking toward me. He came right up to me, shook my hand and said, Joel, I've been wanting to meet you. My wife and I watch you every week went on and on. I thought to myself, you must have been in a trance thirty minutes ago. But the truth is he didn't even realize what he had done. He didn't realize that was me standing there earlier. Do you know how many times people are somewhere physically but their mind is somewhere else. That man no more meant to offend me. He just had his mind on something else. That's why we gotta learn to give people the benefit of the doubt, believe the best in them. Even on the freeway, somebody zooms buying and cuts right in front of you and you have to slow down. Instead of letting that upset you, why don't you show a little mercy, believe the best. Maybe they have an emergency, maybe their child sick at home, Maybe they're trying to meet an important deadline. Show mercy, not any of this Hong Kong. Get out of my way, you idiot. No, don't take the bait, y'all. Laugh when you know it's true now, or even you know you're waiting for a parking spot, clearly got your blinker on. Somebody comes in and takes your parking spot. Instead of letting that sour. You just think, you know, maybe they can't walk from the very back, maybe they're in a big hurry, or maybe somehow they didn't see me. Next time, I'll shoot up a flare. Don't drive away complaining you ought to drive away, praying for him, God bless him, God give him a good day, God give them your peace. We overcome evil by doing good. Love covers a person's faults. Love makes allowances for people's weaknesses. Here's the key. If you're not going to be easily offended, you have to stay full of mercy. It's funny how we can make excuses for ourselves. Well, I was rude because I was tired. I was unfriendly because my child was up all last night. I didn't invite you to that meeting because I'm so busy. I got swamped and I just forgot to. It's easy to justify our own behavior, But why don't we show that same amount of mercy to other people? Why don't we believe the best in them? A few months ago, Victory and I came across this man that we've known for a long time, and he's always been very kind and friendly to us. And we were in a room with a bunch of people, and I walked over to him and shook his hand and asked him how he was doing, and he said fine, but he wasn't his normal self. He was almost unfriendly, almost stand off fish. I thought, maybe it's just me. I was able to talk to him a little later, but it was a same thing, very cold, very distant. Driving home, I even asked Victoria, was so and so friendly to you? She said not at all. There was just something different about him. We begin trying to figure out what it was. I thought, well, maybe it's because we didn't go to that event he invited us to, or maybe I haven't called him enough, or maybe somebody said something bad about us. And we're just trying to figure it all out. And the more we did, the more I could feel the offense trying to take root. That thought came up, We'll fine. If he doesn't want to be my friend, that's okay. I've got other friends. That was the enemy offering us his mate. But love covers a person's faults, Love believes the best. Finally, I caught myself and I changed my attitude and I told Victoria, I don't know what it was, but I'm not gonna take it personally. I'm just gonna believe that he had a lot on his mind, or maybe he was having a hard day, but I know he's a good man. I just let it go, didn't think about it anymore. Well, several weeks later, I found out from a mutual friend earlier that week that man had learned that his wife had some kind of very serious illness. He was very distraught, very upset over it, but he just didn't want to tell anybody. And I was so glad that I didn't change my opinion of him and let that offense take root. We don't know what people are going through. Usually there's a reason why they act the way they act, and if somebody is rude and inconsiderate to you, if they don't treat you the way they normally do. Instead of being quick to judge and letting the offense take root, we need to learn to be more merciful, because most of the time, if we really knew what they were going through, if we just walked in their shoes for a couple of weeks, we'd understand why they were uptight, why they were on edge, why they didn't treat us right. If we're going to keep our hearts free from these offenses. We've got to learn to cover some faults. We gotta learn and to overlook some insults. With the same amount of mercy you show other people, the same amount of grace you give them, That's the amount of mercy God's gonna show back to you. The longer I live, the more merciful I become. The older I get, the less judgmental I am, and the easier it is for me to forgive. You know why, because I know people have gone through things that we know nothing about. They may smile, but on the inside they're full of hurt and pain. We just see the surface. But if we could see their heart and know what they've endured, in the battles they fought and the challenges they're facing, we would understand why they were a little hard to get along with. I'm asking us today, instead of being quick to judge, let's be quick to show mercy. Instead of playing the offense over and over and wondering why they did that, let's spend that same time praying for that person. If you will pray for them and let the poison take root, you will not only be better off but you can inspire them to come up higher. That means if a co worker, a boss early in the morning, they're kind of rude to you, they jump down your throat for no reason at all, don't take it personal. Show some mercy. You don't know what they're going through at home, you don't know what kind of issues they're dealing with. Believe the best. After all, anybody can get offended, anybody can be rude. Back to someone that's rude to us, that's easy. But love always takes the high road. Love is always a part of the solution and not the problem. The scripture says and Ephesians four two, we have to bear with one another. That means we're going to have to put up with some things, and throughout the day we're gonna come across people that are inconsiderate, people that are selfish, people that are rude, people that are angry. We can either let them poison us and drag us down, or we can show mercy and help to lift them up. I was at a grocery store one time, and there was a girl up at the register that was very sour. You could tell she did not want to be there. She was unfriendly and cold. She acted like everybody was bothering her, and I watched person after person in that line get offended. They were taking her poison left and right, leaving their upset and agitated. One lady. When the young girl handed her receipt, she just waded it up and threw it back down. She said I don't need that and stormed out of there. Well, when it was my time to check out, I was just my normal friendly sell I said, Hi, how's everything going, She said, very coldly, terrible. I said, well, I'm a minister and I would love to pray with you. I believe God can turn any situation around. She looked up at me so surprised her whole countenance changed. She said, are you serious? I said I am. She said, I would love for you to pray for me my little girls in the hospital. We don't have insurance, and my husband and I were not getting along and I don't know what I'm gonna do. Right there at the cash registerr we prayed. When I left, she had big tears running down her cheeks. She said, You'll never know what that meant to me. And most of the time when somebody's rude, or inconsiderate like that. They've got much deeper issues. They've got problems and heartaches we know nothing about. If we allow them to offend us and get upset, all we're doing is sinking down to their level. And you know what I found, there's not enough mercy in our world. Where is the love that will overlook a fault. Where is the love that will give someone the benefit of the doubt. Where is the love that will lift the falling? Let's learn to be more merciful. What happened that day? I look beyond the surface to her heart. When somebody's dishing out that kind of poison, you can be assured they're crying out for help on the inside. Don't do like everybody else, take the babe and get offended. So a seed. When you're kind to someone that's rude to you, When you're good to them even though they didn't deserve it, you're sowing a seed of God's mercy. I believe the number one thing that's going to keep our heart free from offenses is when we stay full of mercy. Let me ask you today, are you making any allowances for people in your life? Are you covering any false overlooking things, or are you making everybody pay holding the line, getting upset getting offended. No, let's be more generous with our mercy. Some of you are getting upset way too easily. You need to start putting on your shoes apiece every morning when you get up, make a decision. I'm not gonna get upset. I'm not gonna get offended today. And when those offenses come and they will learn to forgive quickly, don't allow them to take root. If you'll do your part and keep your heart free from offenses, stay in full all of mercy, giving people the benefit of the doubt, you'll not only enjoy life more, but your relationships will get better and better. God will pour out his blessings, his favor, and you're gonna live the life of victory he has in story. Amen, do you receive it today? We never like the fos on broadcast without giving you an opportunity to make Jesus the lord of your life. Would you pray with me? Just say, Lord Jesus, I'll repent of my sins. Come into my heart. I make you my lord and savior. Friends, if you prayed that simple prayer, we believe you got born again. Get in a good Bible based church. Keep God first place. He's gonna take your places that you've never dreamed of. Thank you for listening to the Jue Oustein podcast. Help us continue to share the message of hope with those all over the world. Visit joel Oustein dot com slash give Hope to give a gift today. Thanks so much for listening to today's message. I hope you'll subscribe so you can receive the latest podcast to keep you inspired all through the week. We're praying for you. I know God's best is still ahead. We'll see you next time.

Hi, this is Joel in 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 very best in your life. Oh, God bless you. It is always a joy to come into your homes. We love you and we're believing from good things in your life. God rewards the people that seek after Him. I believe that's you and all of you, or you wouldn't have taken time to join with us today. But God bless you. If you ever in our area, come out and see us. We'd love to have you be a part of one of our services. I like to start each week with something kind of funny. And I heard about this man named Bubba. He was feeling really down and discouraged, and he went to his little country church and the pastor said, what's wrong? Babba? He said, I need you to pray for my hearing. The pastor very earnestly both hands on his ears, and he prayed and prayed and prayed and prayed, and finally got finished and he said, okay, now, how's your hearing. But I said, I don't know. It's not till Tuesday morning. All right, hold up your Bible. Say it like you mean it. 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 will 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 name God bless you. I want to talk to you today about keeping your heart free from offenses. Every day, we're going to have opportunities to get upset and offended. It people are gonna say things we don't understand. Maybe somebody is rude to you at the grocery store, or a coworker leaves you out of an important meeting. Offenses are going to come. That's just a part of life. So many people are living with their feelings on their shoulders. They're easily offended. They let the smallest things upset them. Somebody cuts them off in traffic. They don't even know the person, but their blood pressure shoots sky hide. The next two or three hours, they're all uptight and on edge. But if we're going to live in victory, we've got to learn how to not take these offenses. Just because an offense comes doesn't mean it has to affect us. It all depends on what we do with it. The other day, our son Jonathan, and I were at a department store. We wanted to buy some sporting goods, and I tried and tried to get somebody to help us. I could see three or four employees over there, talking, laughing, having a good time, and so I just wand over there and very politely ask if one of them could assist us. They no more gave us the time of day. They totally ignored us and just kept talking and talking. And the longer it went, the more I could feel myself wanting to get upset. I could feel that offense trying to take root. I had to dig my heels in and say, no, I am not gonna lose my joy. I am not gonna let their sour attitude ruin the rest of my day. After I told the manager I shook it off and moved on. I'm just kidding, I didn't. The word offense in the scripture comes from a Greek word that means bait. It's used in reference to how they would catch animals, was actually the bait that lured the animal into the trap. When you're attempted to be offended, somebody's rude to you, somebody is inconsiderate, somebody ignores you, recognize that's the enemy offering you his bait. He said, come on, get upset, get angry, argue, let it sour your day. Many people don't know any better. They swallow that bait, hook line, and sinker. They go around day after day, upset, bitter, offended. But we need to be aware of what's happening. The next time you have an opportunity to be offended, instead of falling into that same trap, just say no thanks, I'm not gonna take the bait. I'm smarter than that. I'm gonna live my life free. I'm gonna enjoy this day. One of the best things we can learn to do is forgive quickly. And somebody does you wrong, learn to immediately let it go. Don't play that offense over and over in your mind and dissect it and try to figure out what they really meant. Don't go call your friends and get their take on it. Can you believe how rude they are? Can you believe what they said to me? Or just drop it. The quicker you let it go, the easier it will be, and some of you would see your life go to a whole new level if you just start acticing this simple principle forgive quickly, don't allow the offense to take root. We cannot stop offenses from coming, but we can keep them from dragging us down. The longer you dwell on it, the more it poisons you, and the harder it is to get free. I had some stain remover out the other day. I was trying to clean a little spot on our carpet, and I noticed the direction said, get to the spot as quickly as possible, hopefully while it's still wet. Why Because the longer it stays there, the more difficult it is to remove. It's the same way with us when an offense comes. If you allow that stain to stay in your mind, so to speak, hour after hour, day after day, it's getting harder and harder to get rid. Of it's so much easier to forgive right when it happens. I mean, if somebody offends you at ten o'clock in the morning, and now it's ten fifteen, your attitude should be I'm moving on. That's not called sour the rest of my day. Somebody cuts you off at traffic at four o'clock, well now it's four oh five. That's over and done. I'm not taking the bait. I'm living my life right. And the Bible talks about how we have to put on the armor of God. One of the most important pieces is our shoes of peace. But I found too many people are going around barefooted. They're always upset and been out of shape about something. Offended at the neighbor because they weren't invited to play little league, Offended at the department store because they wouldn't take something back, Offended at their spouse because he left in such a hurry. What's the problem They're not putting on their shoes, apiece. You have to make a decision first thing in the morning that no matter what comes against you, you're not gonna get upset, You're not gonna get offended. You're gonna stay in peace. Have the attitude. If somebody ignores me, that's all right. They're probably just having a bad day. I'm will give them the benefit of the doubt and move on. Somebody is rude to meet, No big deal. I'm an eagle. I can rise above it. Somebody's talking behind my back, trying to make me look bad, that's all right. God is my vindicator. I'm not gonna sit down to their level start arguing. I know God will fight my battles for me. We have to have a made up mind that we're gonna stay in peace. We're gonna live our lives free. But too many people are constantly taking the bait, just like it was candy. They're always being offended. They don't realize they're allowing the enemy to control them, just like a puppet. He's behind the scenes saying, let's have this person cut him off in traffic. This person ignored him. This person be rude all day long, upset, getting their feelings hurt, getting in the strife, trying to pay people back. Now, keep your peace. When the enemy can upset you, he can't control you. When you're in peace, you're in a position of power. When people do you wrong, just leave it up to God, trying to get revenge, trying to pay people back, getting all upset. That just makes matters worse. I heard about this man that had been bitten by a dog, and at the doctor's office they told him he had tested positive for rabies. He immediately began making out this list, and the doctor said, oh, no, sir, you don't need to make out a will. You're not gonna die. We have a vaccine for it. The man said, no, this is not my will. These are all the people I'm going to bite. Just let it go. Don't try to pay people back. The scripture says in First Corinthians thirteen, verse five in the amplified love is not easily offended, love is not touching. If we're going to have healthy relationships, we've got to give people a little room. Don't expect everyone to perform perfectly all the time. The other day I was talking on the telephone to someone and Victoria came into the room where I was, And every once in a while, when she hears the conversation, she'll want to join in. The only problem is she doesn't have a phone, so she'll communicate to me in this ere what I'm supposed to tell them, and the whole time I was trying to listen to them and listen to her and keep my sanity. After a few minutes, I finally put the phone down. I said, Victoria, I cannot listen to you both. And I said it very nice, but I said it very firm. About two hours later, when I noticed Victoria was not speaking to me, I had to preach this message to her and reminds her to show mercy that not everybody is perfect and don't be easily offended. She always gets my messages before you do. My father used to say everyone has the right to have a bad day every once in a while. Being in relationship with people day in and day out, things can be misunderstood, comments can be taken wrong, or maybe they're just having a bad day. But you know what, that's okay. There are no perfect people. Learn to let some things go to keep the poison out of your relationship. Some of you, this is exactly what's holding you back. You're too easily offended. You need to toughen up. Don't wear your feelings on your shoulder, don't be so sensitive to where people have to walk on egg shells around you. Afraid they're gonna hurt your feelings, afraid they're gonna get you upset. That's a very selfish way to live, and you need to draw the line in the sand and say that's it. I'm done with being offended. I'm done with losing my joy every other hour. I'm gonna live my life free. And I realize there are times when we need to bring things up and say, hey, that's hurting my feelings. I wish you wouldn't do that. We don't overlook everything, but I believe that our relationships and our level of joy would go to a new level if we just given everybody a little room and not be overly sensitive. I found most of the time people don't really mean to hurt our feelings. We just take things wrong. We either too sensitive or we're a little insecure. I know people that have a personality that's very direct. They're very bold, very straightforward. They think nothing of telling you exactly what they think. They may see you before work and say, you know what, your hair doesn't look right today. You need to fix it. They think they're doing you a favor. They say it in all honesty and all sincerity, and sure they could be more diplomatic. They could be a little more tactful, but that's just who they are. We need to be secure enough and be big enough that we don't get offended too often though we get a little bit sour and we may not say it to him, but we'll look at them and think, well, honey, your hair doesn't look too hot either, and one day those clothes you're wearing may come back in style. Now, just shake it off, don't take debait, don't get upset, and just let it go. Here's a key. If you're always getting your feelings hurt, if you're always upset and offended about something, it's not anybody else's fault. It's your own fault. You are responsible for your own happiness. Where you said, Joel, you don't know my boss, you don't know my husband, you don't know the traffic I drive in. No nobody can make you drink that poison. If you'll stop allowing yourself to get upset and start putting on your shoes, apiece, you can come up to a whole new level. I think about the Apostle Paul. The scripture talks about how he had to work to keep offenses out of his life. People were always coming against him, doing him wrong, but he refused to take the bait. He said, one time, Alexander the Coppersmith did me great wrong, but I'm not worried about it. I know God will pay him back. That's the attitude we need to have. Somebody does you wrong, maybe at work they take advantage of your cheat you out of commission. Don't live your life offended. Don't go around all upset. Do what Paul did and just turn it over to God, knowing that he's promised he will make you wrongs right. I know a person that got offended at a shoe store. He bought these shoes and they came apart. He tried to take them back, but they didn't allow him to. And one time, years later, we were walking down the mall together. We're going to our car, and all of a sudden, he said, let's go this way, and I said, well, our cars right down here. He said no, and he pointed to the shoe store and he said, I don't walk by that shoe store. They did me wrong. And I thought to myself, does he really think he's hurting that shoe store? Do you really think they're looking down the mall said, oh man, we're depressed. He's not coming by today. Friends, life is too short to live it that way. Angry, offended, bitter. I've made up my mind. I'm gonna stay in peace. It doesn't matter what people do to me. It doesn't matter what they may say. You cannot offend me, Joel, I don't really like that suit you're wearing today. We'll find God bless you anyway. Well, the service was kind of long, the music was kind of loud. Fine, God bless you. I hope you come back next week. Well, I didn't get anything out of that message. You'll fine. I can't help it if you have a problem. I'm not going to be offended. I'm not gonna wear my feelings on my shoulder. I found any time you start seeing more of the negative than the positive, you need to check your own heart. I've come in here before on a Wednesday night to a service. I've had a long day, kind of stressed, maybe a little irritated. The first thing I see is why is that light not adjusted? And who didn't shut those doors? The carpet looks like it's kind of dirty. I don't think the singers are standing where they're supposed to. I start seeing all the negative. When I do that, I realize there's something wrong with me. Because of the time. When I come in here, I think, Wow, sure is beautiful this and how great it sounds, Look how fantastic the people look. I don't see any of the negative. The scripture says to the purer, all things are pure. But if you're offended at a person, and bitter at the shoe store and mad at a coworker, you're going to see everything from a very tainted point of view. The problem is not your circumstances. It's not the people in your life. The problem is your own well has become polluted. And if you can just keep these offenses out of your heart, you can keep it free from bitterness. It'll make it so much easier to live your life happy. We need to learn to give people the benefit of the doubt instead of believing the worst. Why don't we believe the best. Maybe they didn't mean something the way it sounded. Maybe we just took it wrong. I remember a while back, I was at this big event in the city. There are all kinds of very well respected and influential people from all over the country, I was in the lobby, standing over the side, just talking with some friends, waiting for it to start, and here comes this man that I've really been wanting to meet. I've always thought a lot of him. He's very well respected. And there was about ten of us in this line waiting, and just so happened to be that I was at the very last of the line. The men came along and he started shaking everybody's hand, very warm, very friendly, kind But when he got to me, all of a sudden, he stopped and looked away. Then he turned around and walked into the event. I couldn't believe it. He totally ignored me. I thought to myself, buddy, you don't know what you just missed. My attitude was I wouldn't meet him if they paid me to see, if I ever give him the time of day. All these holy thoughts were filling my pastoral mind. Well, the event took place, and it's interesting afterwards, I was making my way through a very crowded lobby and I saw this man walking toward me. He came right up to me, shook my hand and said, Joel, I've been wanting to meet you. My wife and I watch you every week went on and on. I thought to myself, you must have been in a trance thirty minutes ago. But the truth is he didn't even realize what he had done. He didn't realize that was me standing there earlier. Do you know how many times people are somewhere physically but their mind is somewhere else. That man no more meant to offend me. He just had his mind on something else. That's why we gotta learn to give people the benefit of the doubt, believe the best in them. Even on the freeway, somebody zooms buying and cuts right in front of you and you have to slow down. Instead of letting that upset you, why don't you show a little mercy, believe the best. Maybe they have an emergency, maybe their child sick at home, Maybe they're trying to meet an important deadline. Show mercy, not any of this Hong Kong. Get out of my way, you idiot. No, don't take the bait, y'all. Laugh when you know it's true now, or even you know you're waiting for a parking spot, clearly got your blinker on. Somebody comes in and takes your parking spot. Instead of letting that sour. You just think, you know, maybe they can't walk from the very back, maybe they're in a big hurry, or maybe somehow they didn't see me. Next time, I'll shoot up a flare. Don't drive away complaining you ought to drive away, praying for him, God bless him, God give him a good day, God give them your peace. We overcome evil by doing good. Love covers a person's faults. Love makes allowances for people's weaknesses. Here's the key. If you're not going to be easily offended, you have to stay full of mercy. It's funny how we can make excuses for ourselves. Well, I was rude because I was tired. I was unfriendly because my child was up all last night. I didn't invite you to that meeting because I'm so busy. I got swamped and I just forgot to. It's easy to justify our own behavior, But why don't we show that same amount of mercy to other people? Why don't we believe the best in them? A few months ago, Victory and I came across this man that we've known for a long time, and he's always been very kind and friendly to us. And we were in a room with a bunch of people, and I walked over to him and shook his hand and asked him how he was doing, and he said fine, but he wasn't his normal self. He was almost unfriendly, almost stand off fish. I thought, maybe it's just me. I was able to talk to him a little later, but it was a same thing, very cold, very distant. Driving home, I even asked Victoria, was so and so friendly to you? She said not at all. There was just something different about him. We begin trying to figure out what it was. I thought, well, maybe it's because we didn't go to that event he invited us to, or maybe I haven't called him enough, or maybe somebody said something bad about us. And we're just trying to figure it all out. And the more we did, the more I could feel the offense trying to take root. That thought came up, We'll fine. If he doesn't want to be my friend, that's okay. I've got other friends. That was the enemy offering us his mate. But love covers a person's faults, Love believes the best. Finally, I caught myself and I changed my attitude and I told Victoria, I don't know what it was, but I'm not gonna take it personally. I'm just gonna believe that he had a lot on his mind, or maybe he was having a hard day, but I know he's a good man. I just let it go, didn't think about it anymore. Well, several weeks later, I found out from a mutual friend earlier that week that man had learned that his wife had some kind of very serious illness. He was very distraught, very upset over it, but he just didn't want to tell anybody. And I was so glad that I didn't change my opinion of him and let that offense take root. We don't know what people are going through. Usually there's a reason why they act the way they act, and if somebody is rude and inconsiderate to you, if they don't treat you the way they normally do. Instead of being quick to judge and letting the offense take root, we need to learn to be more merciful, because most of the time, if we really knew what they were going through, if we just walked in their shoes for a couple of weeks, we'd understand why they were uptight, why they were on edge, why they didn't treat us right. If we're going to keep our hearts free from these offenses. We've got to learn to cover some faults. We gotta learn and to overlook some insults. With the same amount of mercy you show other people, the same amount of grace you give them, That's the amount of mercy God's gonna show back to you. The longer I live, the more merciful I become. The older I get, the less judgmental I am, and the easier it is for me to forgive. You know why, because I know people have gone through things that we know nothing about. They may smile, but on the inside they're full of hurt and pain. We just see the surface. But if we could see their heart and know what they've endured, in the battles they fought and the challenges they're facing, we would understand why they were a little hard to get along with. I'm asking us today, instead of being quick to judge, let's be quick to show mercy. Instead of playing the offense over and over and wondering why they did that, let's spend that same time praying for that person. If you will pray for them and let the poison take root, you will not only be better off but you can inspire them to come up higher. That means if a co worker, a boss early in the morning, they're kind of rude to you, they jump down your throat for no reason at all, don't take it personal. Show some mercy. You don't know what they're going through at home, you don't know what kind of issues they're dealing with. Believe the best. After all, anybody can get offended, anybody can be rude. Back to someone that's rude to us, that's easy. But love always takes the high road. Love is always a part of the solution and not the problem. The scripture says and Ephesians four two, we have to bear with one another. That means we're going to have to put up with some things, and throughout the day we're gonna come across people that are inconsiderate, people that are selfish, people that are rude, people that are angry. We can either let them poison us and drag us down, or we can show mercy and help to lift them up. I was at a grocery store one time, and there was a girl up at the register that was very sour. You could tell she did not want to be there. She was unfriendly and cold. She acted like everybody was bothering her, and I watched person after person in that line get offended. They were taking her poison left and right, leaving their upset and agitated. One lady. When the young girl handed her receipt, she just waded it up and threw it back down. She said I don't need that and stormed out of there. Well, when it was my time to check out, I was just my normal friendly sell I said, Hi, how's everything going, She said, very coldly, terrible. I said, well, I'm a minister and I would love to pray with you. I believe God can turn any situation around. She looked up at me so surprised her whole countenance changed. She said, are you serious? I said I am. She said, I would love for you to pray for me my little girls in the hospital. We don't have insurance, and my husband and I were not getting along and I don't know what I'm gonna do. Right there at the cash registerr we prayed. When I left, she had big tears running down her cheeks. She said, You'll never know what that meant to me. And most of the time when somebody's rude, or inconsiderate like that. They've got much deeper issues. They've got problems and heartaches we know nothing about. If we allow them to offend us and get upset, all we're doing is sinking down to their level. And you know what I found, there's not enough mercy in our world. Where is the love that will overlook a fault. Where is the love that will give someone the benefit of the doubt. Where is the love that will lift the falling? Let's learn to be more merciful. What happened that day? I look beyond the surface to her heart. When somebody's dishing out that kind of poison, you can be assured they're crying out for help on the inside. Don't do like everybody else, take the babe and get offended. So a seed. When you're kind to someone that's rude to you, When you're good to them even though they didn't deserve it, you're sowing a seed of God's mercy. I believe the number one thing that's going to keep our heart free from offenses is when we stay full of mercy. Let me ask you today, are you making any allowances for people in your life? Are you covering any false overlooking things, or are you making everybody pay holding the line, getting upset getting offended. No, let's be more generous with our mercy. Some of you are getting upset way too easily. You need to start putting on your shoes apiece every morning when you get up, make a decision. I'm not gonna get upset. I'm not gonna get offended today. And when those offenses come and they will learn to forgive quickly, don't allow them to take root. If you'll do your part and keep your heart free from offenses, stay in full all of mercy, giving people the benefit of the doubt, you'll not only enjoy life more, but your relationships will get better and better. God will pour out his blessings, his favor, and you're gonna live the life of victory he has in story. Amen, do you receive it today? We never like the fos on broadcast without giving you an opportunity to make Jesus the lord of your life. Would you pray with me? Just say, Lord Jesus, I'll repent of my sins. Come into my heart. I make you my lord and savior. Friends, if you prayed that simple prayer, we believe you got born again. Get in a good Bible based church. Keep God first place. He's gonna take your places that you've never dreamed of. Thank you for listening to the Jue Oustein podcast. Help us continue to share the message of hope with those all over the world. Visit joel Oustein dot com slash give Hope to give a gift today. Thanks so much for listening to today's message. I hope you'll subscribe so you can receive the latest podcast to keep you inspired all through the week. We're praying for you. I know God's best is still ahead. We'll see you next time.