IF WE GOSSIP, AND JUDGE, AND CRITICIZE OTHER
PEOPLE, THEN THE BIBLE SAYS THAT'S WHAT WE'RE GONNA
GET BACK.
SO, WE DO IT SO MUCH, TO BE HONEST, WE DON'T EVEN REALLY
SEE THE PROBLEM WITH IT.
IT'S JUST LIKE WE JUST THINK THAT'S FINE TO JUST TRY TO RUN
EVERYBODY ELSE'S LIFE.
WELL, LET ME JUST THROW THIS OUT.
I HAVEN'T GOT TO SAY THIS FOR AWHILE.
YOU KNOW WHAT?
YOU COULD IMPROVE YOUR LIFE A LOT IF YOU JUST MIND YOUR
OWN BUSINESS.
[AUDIENCE APPLAUDING]
JOYCE: MAN, WE GET INVOLVED IN OTHER PEOPLE'S STUFF
AND IT'S JUST SO SILLY.
WE HAVE SO MANY OPINIONS ABOUT WHAT OTHER PEOPLE SHOULD
AND SHOULDN'T DO.
SAVE YOURSELF A LOT OF TROUBLE AND JUST MIND YOUR OWN BUSINESS,
AND IF YOU REALLY FEEL LIKE THAT SOMEBODY'S DOING SOMETHING
THAT'S AGAINST THE WORD OF GOD, PRAY FOR THEM AND DON'T GO TELL
SOMEBODY ELSE WHAT THEY'RE DOING.
COME ON, THIS IS JUST GOOD, PLAIN, BIBLE TEACHING.
AND SO, HERE'S THE THING.
THE DEVIL'S NOT JUST LOOKING FOR AN OPEN DOOR IN YOUR LIFE.
HE'S LOOKING FOR ANY LITTLE TINY CRACK HE CAN CRAWL THROUGH.
AND THE MORE OPPORTUNITY YOU HAVE TO DO THINGS FOR GOD,
THE NARROWER YOUR PATH IS GONNA BECOME.
[AUDIENCE APPLAUDING]
JOYCE: CAN I TELL YOU SOMETHING?
THERE MIGHT BE THINGS THAT YOU COULD DO AND YOU WOULDN'T HAVE
THE SAME REPERCUSSION THAT I WOULD IF I DID IT BECAUSE
OF WHAT I'M DOING AND WHAT I'M TEACHING.
THE BIBLE SAYS, "DON'T LET MANY OF YOU BECOME TEACHERS BECAUSE
THERE WILL BE MUCH GREATER CONDEMNATION FOR THOSE THAT ARE
TELLING OTHER PEOPLE WHAT TO DO IF THEY DON'T DO IT."
WHEN I STAND UP HERE AND TELL EVERYBODY ELSE HOW THEY SHOULD
RUN THEIR LIVES, MY PATH GETS NARROWER, AND NARROWER,
AND NARROWER.
THE BIBLE SAYS IN MATTHEW 7, "STAY ON THE NARROW PATH THAT
LEADS TO LIFE AND OFF THE BROAD PATH THAT LEADS TO DESTRUCTION."
AND I REMEMBER ONE TIME MURMURING TO GOD LIKE, "WELL,
YOU KNOW, I JUST FEEL LIKE MY PATH GETS NARROWER AND NARROWER
ALL THE TIME." HE SAID, "THAT'S RIGHT, THERE'S
NO ROOM ON IT FOR YOUR FLESHLY BAGGAGE, SO JUST DROP IT."
[AUDIENCE APPLAUDING]
JOYCE: YOU KNOW, WE WANNA HAVE ALL THE PRIVILEGES TO STILL
DO DUMB STUFF, AND THAT'S JUST NOT GONNA WORK.
NOW, NONE OF THIS MEANS GOD DOESN'T LOVE US.
HE LOVES US, BUT NONETHELESS, A PARENT WHO LOVES US IS NOT
GONNA STAND BY AND JUST LET US DO ALL KINDS OF GOOFY STUFF
AND NOT BRING ANY KIND OF CORRECTION IN OUR LIFE.
WHOM THE LORD LOVES, HE CHASTISES.
AND IN REVELATION, IT SAYS, "BE ENTHUSIASTIC WHEN GOD
SHOWS YOU YOUR FAULTS." IN THE AMPLIFIED BIBLE
IN REVELATION 3, "SO BE ENTHUSIASTIC AND FULL OF ZEAL
WHEN GOD SHOWS YOU YOUR FAULTS, BECAUSE IT'S JUST A SIGN
OF HIS LOVE." WELL, SOMETIMES I'VE THOUGHT,
"COULD YOU LOVE ME A LITTLE LESS?
MAYBE GO LOVE DAVE A LITTLE MORE."
[AUDIENCE LAUGHING]
[AUDIENCE APPLAUDING]
JOYCE: "DON'T JUDGE AND CRITICIZE AND CONDEMN OTHERS,
SO THAT YOU MAY NOT BE JUDGED AND CRITICIZED AND CONDEMNED
YOURSELVES.
FOR JUST AS YOU JUDGE AND CRITICIZE AND CONDEMN OTHERS,
YOU WILL BE JUDGED AND CRITICIZED AND CONDEMNED, AND IN
ACCORDANCE WITH THE MEASURE THAT YOU [USE WHEN] YOU DEAL OUT TO
OTHERS, IT WILL BE DEALT BACK OUT TO YOU."
GALATIANS 6:7, "BE NOT DECEIVED AND DELUDED, GOD IS NOT MOCKED.
FOR WHATSOEVER MAN SOWETH, THAT AND THAT ONLY IS WHAT HE
SHALL REAP.
IF YOU SOW TO THE FLESH, YOU'LL REAP FROM THE FLESH RUIN,
DECAY, AND DESTRUCTION.
IF YOU SOW TO THE SPIRIT, YOU WILL REAP FROM THE SPIRIT LIFE
AND LIFE ETERNAL." NOW, LET ME GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE
CONCERNING THE WORDS OF YOUR MOUTH.
I BELIEVE THAT WHEN WE TALK THE WAY WE'RE SUPPOSED TO,
BEING CAREFUL NOT TO BE CRITICAL AND DOWNGRADING OF OTHER PEOPLE,
AND BEING MORE CAREFUL ABOUT JUST SAYING NEGATIVE THINGS,
I THINK IT ADDS TO OUR JOY.
I THINK WE JUST HAVE HAPPIER DAYS.
YOU KNOW, THE BIBLE SAYS, "A MAN HAS JOY IN MAKING A RIGHT
AND AN APT ANSWER." AND I ALSO BELIEVE THAT
SOMETIMES WHEN PEOPLE ARE DEPRESSED, AND THEY'RE JUST
HAVING A BAD DAY, AND THEY JUST FEEL ALL DOWN, AND THEY'RE LIKE,
"I DON'T KNOW WHAT'S WRONG.
I JUST GOT A HEAVINESS.
I GOTTA REBUKE THE DEVIL," I THINK A LOT OF IT'S CAUSED
JUST BY THE WAY WE TALK.
COME ON, YOU'RE NOT GONNA GO TO CHURCH ON SUNDAY, SIT AT THE
LUNCH TABLE AT WORK ON MONDAY AND GOSSIP ABOUT EVERYBODY AT
THE OFFICE, AND THEN GO HOME AND FEEL HAPPY.
[AUDIENCE APPLAUDING]
JOYCE: WE'RE IN THE WORLD, WE'RE NOT OF IT.
YOU DON'T GET TO ACT LIKE EVERYBODY ELSE, AMEN?
AUDIENCE: AMEN.
JOYCE: WHOO-HOO, WE'RE HAVING FUN.
[AUDIENCE LAUGHING]
JOYCE: OKAY, NOW, A PERSON CAN DO EVERYTHING RIGHT, THOUGH,
AND STILL STUFFER.
1 PETER 2:19-20 ARE SOME SCRIPTURES THAT I JUST REALLY
WISH WERE NOT IN HERE.
[AUDIENCE LAUGHING]
JOYCE: BUT THEY ARE.
"FOR ONE IS REGARDED FAVORABLY (IS APPROVED, AND ACCEPTABLE,
AND THANKWORTHY) IF, AS IN THE SIGHT OF GOD, HE ENDURES
THE PAIN OF UNJUST SUFFERING.
[AFTER ALL] WHAT KIND OF GLORY [IS THERE IN IT] IF, WHEN YOU DO
WRONG AND YOU'RE PUNISHED FOR IT, YOU TAKE IT PATIENTLY?
BUT IF YOU BEAR PATIENTLY WITH SUFFERING [WHICH RESULTS] WHEN
YOU DO RIGHT AND THAT IS UNDESERVED, NOW THIS IS
ACCEPTABLE AND PLEASING TO GOD." AND I WROTE OUT BESIDE THAT
SCRIPTURE, "VERY PAINFUL."
[AUDIENCE LAUGHING]
JOYCE: WHAT KIND OF A GOD IS IT THAT WOULD BE HAPPY IF
I'M SUFFERING UNJUSTLY?
IT DOESN'T REALLY SAY THAT HE'S HAPPY IF WE SUFFER UNJUSTLY;
IT SAYS HE'S HAPPY IF WE KEEP A GOOD ATTITUDE WHEN WE SUFFER
UNJUSTLY.
COME ON, LET'S DON'T MISREAD IT.
[AUDIENCE APPLAUDING]
JOYCE: HE SAYS, "LOOK, ANYBODY CAN HAVE A GOOD ATTITUDE
IF THINGS ARE GOING THEIR WAY." BUT WHEN YOU'RE SUFFERING WHEN
YOU'RE DOING RIGHT, WHEN YOU'RE ON YOUR BEST BEHAVIOR, AND
YOU'RE THE ONE SERVING GOD, AND YOU GIVE OFFERINGS, AND YOU WALK
IN THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT, AND YOU HELP OTHER PEOPLE, AND NOW
THE WRONG THINGS ARE HAPPENING TO YOU, GOD IS PLEASED IF EVEN
IN THOSE TIMES IF WE KEEP A GOOD ATTITUDE AND WE HOLD OUR TEMPER.
I'M GONNA TELL YOU SOMETHING THAT I LEARNED A LONG TIME AGO
AND I THINK THIS WOULD BE UP ON THE TOP PART OF THE LIST OF SOME
OF THE THINGS THAT GOD'S GIVEN ME TO SAY TO PEOPLE THAT I THINK
ARE IMPORTANT AND VERY HELPFUL.
IN GALATIANS, IT SAYS, "BE NOT WEARY IN WELL-DOING,
FOR IN DUE SEASON, YOU SHALL REAP IF YOU FAINT NOT."
AND WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT DUE SEASON IS.
IT'S WHATEVER TIME GOD FEELS IS THE RIGHT TIME IN OUR LIFE.
AND THERE ARE TIMES WHEN GOD WILL LET THINGS GO ON LONGER
THAN WE WOULD LIKE THEM TO GO ON BECAUSE--FOR WHATEVER REASON,
YOU KNOW?
HE'S DOING SOMETHING IN US.
HE'S DOING SOMETHING IN SOMEBODY ELSE.
BUT I WANT YOU TO REMEMBER WHAT I'M GETTING READY TO SAY.
WHEN YOU CAN KEEP DOING WHAT'S RIGHT WHILE YOU'RE STILL NOT YET
GETTING THE RIGHT RESULT, YOU'RE GROWING SPIRITUALLY.
[AUDIENCE APPLAUDING]
JOYCE: CAN I GIVE YOU A SECRET?
WHEN YOU'RE GROWING SPIRITUALLY, IT USUALLY REALLY HURTS.
AMEN?
AUDIENCE: AMEN.
JOYCE: A LOT OF THINGS THAT FEEL GOOD MAY FEEL GOOD, BUT
THEY DON'T REALLY MAYBE HELP US ALL THAT MUCH.
BUT I CAN TELL YOU, SOMETIMES WHEN YOU'RE GOING THROUGH
REALLY, REALLY HARD STUFF, STUFF LIKE I'VE GONE THROUGH,
STUFF LIKE YOU'VE GONE THROUGH, EVEN THOUGH
YOU DECIDE TO TRUST GOD, YOU CAN HAVE A PAIN IN YOUR SOUL THAT
YOU JUST SOMETIMES FEEL LIKE YOU JUST CAN'T STAND.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I'VE COME TO REALIZE IS IT'S ALMOST
LIKE I CAN FEEL THAT DIGGING A DEEPER PLACE IN MY SOUL FOR
GOD TO COME AND RESIDE IN.
YOU'RE NEVER ALONE IN YOUR SUFFERING, AND WHEN YOU TRUST
GOD IN YOUR TIMES OF SUFFERING, THEY WILL NEVER BE WASTED
BECAUSE GOD WILL TAKE THEM, AND HE WILL WORK SOMETHING GOOD OUT
OF THEM, AND HE WILL MAKE YOU A BETTER PERSON THAN WHAT YOU
EVER THOUGHT THAT YOU MIGHT POSSIBLY BE, AMEN?
[AUDIENCE APPLAUDING]
JOYCE: HOW MANY OF YOU COULD SAY RIGHT NOW THAT YOU ARE
THE PERSON YOU ARE BECAUSE OF SOME OF THE PAINFUL THINGS THAT
YOU'VE GONE THROUGH IN YOUR LIFE?
I MEAN, I ABSOLUTELY HAVE TO SAY THAT THE THINGS THAT I'VE GONE
THROUGH IS PART OF WHAT HAS QUALIFIED ME TO HELP YOU.
YOU KNOW, ALL WE GOTTA DO IS LOOK AT JESUS.
IT SAYS THAT THE THINGS THAT HE WENT
THROUGH--THIS IS IN HEBREWS 5:8-9.
HE LEARNED OBEDIENCE THROUGH THE THINGS THAT HE SUFFERED.
WELL, HOW COULD YOU LEARN OBEDIENCE WHEN YOU'RE NEVER
DISOBEDIENT?
WELL, HE LEARNED THE COST OF OBEDIENCE.
AND YOU KNOW, OBEDIENCE IS COSTLY.
WHEN YOU DO THE RIGHT THING WHEN IT DOESN'T FEEL RIGHT, THERE'S
A PAIN INVOLVED IN THAT, AND WE DO THAT BECAUSE WE LOVE GOD.
THE REWARD MAY COME LATER, BUT RIGHT NOW, I'M DOING THIS.
I'M DOING THE HARD THING BECAUSE I LOVE GOD.
AND THEN IN THE AMPLIFIED BIBLE IN HEBREWS 5:8-9, IT SAYS THAT
HE LEARNED OBEDIENCE THROUGH THE THINGS THAT HE SUFFERED,
AND HIS COMPLETED EXPERIENCE EQUIPPED HIM.
OUR EXPERIENCE EQUIPS US.
HIS EXPERIENCE EQUIPPED HIM TO BECOME THE AUTHOR AND THE SOURCE
OF OUR SALVATION.