1 00:00:00,480 --> 00:00:04,640 If you're confused at why God has isolated you, there's 2 00:00:04,640 --> 00:00:07,280 something very. Important I want you to know 3 00:00:07,280 --> 00:00:09,000 but. Before we get to that. 4 00:00:09,240 --> 00:00:11,040 As you can see, I've got. Some coffee. 5 00:00:11,040 --> 00:00:12,280 In the background. Now. 6 00:00:12,440 --> 00:00:14,280 For those of you. Who are new to the channel? 7 00:00:14,280 --> 00:00:17,400 This is my second channel. My channel, which is aimed just 8 00:00:17,680 --> 00:00:19,960 at Christians Off the Curb Ministries, is. 9 00:00:19,960 --> 00:00:22,320 My main channel. Where I try and reach Christians 10 00:00:22,560 --> 00:00:24,160 and non Christians alike with the. 11 00:00:24,160 --> 00:00:27,520 Gospel, but this one is just for the believers. 12 00:00:27,520 --> 00:00:28,680 Of the world. And. 13 00:00:29,000 --> 00:00:31,480 If you are watching today, I know many of you have been 14 00:00:31,480 --> 00:00:33,720 requesting. Come on, Joe, I want to drink a 15 00:00:33,720 --> 00:00:37,160 coffee with you again. I want a nice cup of Joe with. 16 00:00:37,160 --> 00:00:39,400 Joe So I've brought my coffee today. 17 00:00:40,080 --> 00:00:42,720 I'm not downstairs in my kitchen because if I'm honest. 18 00:00:42,880 --> 00:00:44,440 We haven't done the dishes. So I. 19 00:00:44,720 --> 00:00:48,400 Won't want to embarrass me or my wife at the state we're living 20 00:00:48,400 --> 00:00:51,480 at the moment, but we're just normal people and that's. 21 00:00:51,480 --> 00:00:52,720 Really. What this channel is? 22 00:00:52,760 --> 00:00:53,600 A little bit. About. 23 00:00:53,600 --> 00:00:56,320 Me just talking to you? About some things the Lord has 24 00:00:56,320 --> 00:00:57,800 laid on my heart. Recently. 25 00:00:58,080 --> 00:01:00,800 And we just share those things here anyway. 26 00:01:01,040 --> 00:01:05,440 This is a. French Press and it's. 27 00:01:05,720 --> 00:01:10,560 Booze, coffee, booze, coffee. So you probably won't have heard 28 00:01:10,560 --> 00:01:11,760 of that. Well, you definitely won't have 29 00:01:11,760 --> 00:01:13,760 heard of it if you're overseas. If you're from the. 30 00:01:13,760 --> 00:01:16,440 South of England. You probably have never heard of 31 00:01:16,440 --> 00:01:19,320 booze coffee. Either, and it's something up 32 00:01:19,320 --> 00:01:22,200 here in the north. So let's. 33 00:01:22,200 --> 00:01:24,520 Give this a try. By the way, this is your 34 00:01:24,520 --> 00:01:27,560 opportune moment. Now to pause the video. 35 00:01:27,800 --> 00:01:31,200 Go and grab yourself a cup of tea, a cup of coffee, whatever 36 00:01:31,200 --> 00:01:32,720 you fancy. Pause the video. 37 00:01:32,920 --> 00:01:35,760 And come back. And I'll be waiting for you with 38 00:01:35,760 --> 00:01:54,360 this Bible study. So has God recently isolated 39 00:01:54,360 --> 00:01:56,120 you? As he left. 40 00:01:56,120 --> 00:01:59,920 You alone, do you feel like? Why all of a sudden have all the 41 00:01:59,920 --> 00:02:02,280 people? I once leaned on all the. 42 00:02:02,280 --> 00:02:05,600 People I was close to. Why are they just disappearing, 43 00:02:06,000 --> 00:02:08,880 and why is it just me alone? Well, there's a few things I 44 00:02:08,880 --> 00:02:11,360 want to say about this. One of the first things is this. 45 00:02:11,360 --> 00:02:14,120 You did know that some of the godliest Saints of the. 46 00:02:14,120 --> 00:02:17,120 Past they were. All very lonely people. 47 00:02:17,480 --> 00:02:20,400 Kori Tamboon. Very, very lonely in those 48 00:02:20,400 --> 00:02:21,640 camps. All alone. 49 00:02:21,920 --> 00:02:23,800 Eric Liddle. The video we just covered. 50 00:02:23,800 --> 00:02:25,560 Literally. Last week he was. 51 00:02:25,560 --> 00:02:28,120 So lonely after winning a gold medal in the. 52 00:02:28,120 --> 00:02:31,160 Olympics. And then all alone in China. 53 00:02:31,440 --> 00:02:35,520 And then we've got Elijah alone in those caves, alone in the 54 00:02:35,520 --> 00:02:39,760 wilderness, all alone with only the Lord, with only those Ravens 55 00:02:39,760 --> 00:02:41,880 to come down and give him some food. 56 00:02:42,160 --> 00:02:44,960 Moses. You remember Moses, don't you, 57 00:02:45,600 --> 00:02:47,640 Moses? Remember, at times he's, you 58 00:02:47,640 --> 00:02:49,040 know, he's got all of the people. 59 00:02:49,040 --> 00:02:51,520 Moaning against him. And he has to go to the. 60 00:02:51,520 --> 00:02:53,960 Lord, all alone. And then come back to. 61 00:02:53,960 --> 00:02:55,960 The people, these people that took. 62 00:02:55,960 --> 00:03:00,000 Out their anger, all of their complaints on him, and then 63 00:03:00,000 --> 00:03:02,240 Joseph. You remember Joseph? 64 00:03:02,800 --> 00:03:06,880 He felt alone because God had placed a certain anointing on 65 00:03:06,880 --> 00:03:09,040 his life. And he would tell his brothers 66 00:03:09,040 --> 00:03:11,120 these dreams, and I'll be honest, if I was one of his 67 00:03:11,120 --> 00:03:13,960 brothers and I was told, you know, you're going to one day 68 00:03:13,960 --> 00:03:14,800 bow down. To me. 69 00:03:14,920 --> 00:03:16,440 I too would. Be pretty annoyed. 70 00:03:17,120 --> 00:03:20,000 And yet Joseph was alone. He was sold. 71 00:03:20,400 --> 00:03:24,080 He spent time alone in a pit. He spent time alone in prison, 72 00:03:24,360 --> 00:03:27,120 time alone, working in a foreign country in Egypt. 73 00:03:27,440 --> 00:03:30,000 In Potiphar's house. And then, yes, he was a ruler. 74 00:03:30,000 --> 00:03:31,520 But again. He was still. 75 00:03:31,520 --> 00:03:36,000 The only one there from Israel, the only one there who loved the 76 00:03:36,000 --> 00:03:40,840 true living God, all alone. And then we've got Saints like 77 00:03:40,840 --> 00:03:44,160 Isaiah, Jeremiah. Ezekiel all these. 78 00:03:44,160 --> 00:03:47,840 Men who were given a tough ministry some of. 79 00:03:47,840 --> 00:03:51,000 Them were even told. The Lord said to them, You're 80 00:03:51,000 --> 00:03:54,240 going to preach now and no one is going to listen. 81 00:03:54,680 --> 00:03:56,880 And that's often. Those kind of messages. 82 00:03:56,880 --> 00:03:57,880 That help us as. Street. 83 00:03:57,880 --> 00:03:59,600 Preachers. I remember in my younger days, 84 00:04:00,000 --> 00:04:02,480 I'd stand there for hours and hours, all on my own. 85 00:04:02,480 --> 00:04:05,400 No one was interested. Not even the seagulls. 86 00:04:05,400 --> 00:04:07,600 Were listening. And I've actually got seagulls 87 00:04:07,600 --> 00:04:10,360 on my T. Shirt today, but they weren't. 88 00:04:10,360 --> 00:04:12,320 Listening No. One was listening. 89 00:04:12,360 --> 00:04:16,640 And yet I remembered, Yes, Isaiah would preach and no one 90 00:04:16,640 --> 00:04:18,760 would listen. The people's hearts would be. 91 00:04:18,760 --> 00:04:20,600 So hardened to. The word of. 92 00:04:20,600 --> 00:04:24,360 God, they wouldn't listen. And then we've. 93 00:04:24,360 --> 00:04:27,600 Got our Saviour, the Lord Jesus. Christ. 94 00:04:28,160 --> 00:04:31,800 He often withdrew. He spent time alone in in the 95 00:04:31,800 --> 00:04:34,200 secluded places and the quiet. Places. 96 00:04:34,840 --> 00:04:35,600 And he could. Never. 97 00:04:35,600 --> 00:04:38,640 Yes, He had the disciples, but He knew that they would all 98 00:04:38,640 --> 00:04:39,840 scatter. They'd all leave. 99 00:04:39,840 --> 00:04:40,480 Him. He. 100 00:04:40,480 --> 00:04:43,480 Knew one of them. Would betray him and. 101 00:04:43,520 --> 00:04:46,680 Jesus even said this. He said he didn't want to get. 102 00:04:46,680 --> 00:04:51,840 Close to men because he knew what was inside men's hearts. 103 00:04:52,560 --> 00:04:55,520 There is an. Evilness in my heart. 104 00:04:56,040 --> 00:04:57,160 There's an evilness in your heart. 105 00:04:57,160 --> 00:04:58,880 No matter. Whether you are. 106 00:04:58,880 --> 00:05:00,960 Saved and you love the Lord Jesus Christ. 107 00:05:00,960 --> 00:05:03,560 You read the word of God. Daily there is. 108 00:05:03,560 --> 00:05:05,520 Evilness. There's pride. 109 00:05:05,880 --> 00:05:09,920 There's jealousy, selfish ambition, all these sins that we 110 00:05:09,920 --> 00:05:12,400 constantly have to. Keep coming to the Lord and 111 00:05:12,400 --> 00:05:14,760 confessing and turning from because we'll. 112 00:05:14,760 --> 00:05:16,600 Never be the. Finished article on this Earth. 113 00:05:16,600 --> 00:05:19,440 You know that I know that we'll never be perfect. 114 00:05:19,440 --> 00:05:21,120 No, it will keep failing. God. 115 00:05:21,760 --> 00:05:24,040 And yet there is this inside of us. 116 00:05:24,520 --> 00:05:26,240 That made the. Lord Jesus Christ, sort of. 117 00:05:26,720 --> 00:05:30,040 Flunch back from From Men and women because he knew there was 118 00:05:30,040 --> 00:05:39,920 a darkness there when I first became a Christian. 119 00:05:40,640 --> 00:05:45,240 This is really when I first knew what it was to be isolated for 120 00:05:45,240 --> 00:05:54,480 the Lord I I was. I know this is going to sound a 121 00:05:54,480 --> 00:05:56,600 little bit cringy, but I'm just going to be completely 122 00:05:56,600 --> 00:06:00,800 transparent and tell the truth. When I was at school, I had a 123 00:06:00,800 --> 00:06:02,960 sort of a mixed bag at. Times I was. 124 00:06:02,960 --> 00:06:05,520 Bullied and I was on my own, but then there was times when I was. 125 00:06:05,520 --> 00:06:08,800 Popular more to the end. Of high school and and into. 126 00:06:08,800 --> 00:06:09,760 College. I was quite. 127 00:06:09,760 --> 00:06:13,440 Popular and I remember in our friendship group that I was in 128 00:06:13,480 --> 00:06:15,040 just before I became a Christian. 129 00:06:15,480 --> 00:06:16,760 I know this is cringy to say, but. 130 00:06:16,760 --> 00:06:17,960 I was. The popular one. 131 00:06:17,960 --> 00:06:19,280 You know, I was the one that had. 132 00:06:19,280 --> 00:06:21,480 Friends everywhere. And I was the one that made 133 00:06:21,480 --> 00:06:22,800 everyone laugh. I was loud. 134 00:06:22,800 --> 00:06:25,800 I was confident all of this, but I remember. 135 00:06:25,800 --> 00:06:29,200 Very specifically. The moment I became a Christian, 136 00:06:29,560 --> 00:06:31,720 suddenly little things used to happen. 137 00:06:32,120 --> 00:06:34,800 Like, no longer was, you know. The other kind of leader of the 138 00:06:34,800 --> 00:06:36,920 group saying come and. Sit in the front seat of. 139 00:06:36,920 --> 00:06:39,160 The car next to me. As I drive no Joe. 140 00:06:39,400 --> 00:06:42,200 You just get in the back. Suddenly, I was. 141 00:06:42,200 --> 00:06:45,240 Laughed at. I was ignored suddenly, you know 142 00:06:45,240 --> 00:06:46,920 when my friends would go to? The pub. 143 00:06:47,440 --> 00:06:50,240 I wouldn't get an invite. And you know, that's another 144 00:06:50,240 --> 00:06:52,200 conversation where the Christians can drink. 145 00:06:52,400 --> 00:06:54,320 That's a completely another conversation. 146 00:06:54,920 --> 00:06:58,200 In a nutshell, yes they can. But in moderation but I. 147 00:06:58,200 --> 00:07:00,400 Personally, don't. I'll just give you that now if 148 00:07:00,400 --> 00:07:02,480 you want to know my own opinion on that. 149 00:07:02,960 --> 00:07:04,680 But you know, I wasn't. Invited to go. 150 00:07:04,680 --> 00:07:06,800 To the pub and I would. Have gone to the pub if I was. 151 00:07:06,800 --> 00:07:09,320 Invited and you know, maybe got a coffee or. 152 00:07:09,320 --> 00:07:11,680 Something else like that, but suddenly I. 153 00:07:11,680 --> 00:07:15,600 Felt very. Very isolated and I found myself 154 00:07:15,920 --> 00:07:19,920 from going to being very, very popular to having no friends 155 00:07:20,120 --> 00:07:21,720 whatsoever. Over to you. 156 00:07:21,720 --> 00:07:24,600 Talk to me now. I reckon some of you listening 157 00:07:24,600 --> 00:07:27,640 right now, you've had exactly the same experience. 158 00:07:28,000 --> 00:07:30,120 Where you you probably had. Lots of friends. 159 00:07:30,120 --> 00:07:32,720 And then suddenly. They all disappeared. 160 00:07:32,720 --> 00:07:35,680 As soon as you aligned yourself with the Son of God. 161 00:07:36,240 --> 00:07:39,080 You were hated without of. Course, like Jesus said, if. 162 00:07:39,080 --> 00:07:42,240 They hated me. Well, they will hate you also 163 00:07:42,720 --> 00:07:44,280 when you experienced that first hand. 164 00:07:44,280 --> 00:07:49,480 I remember very recently another guy you know who I met at church 165 00:07:49,480 --> 00:07:50,720 a little while ago. And you know when. 166 00:07:50,720 --> 00:07:51,600 You. Can sort of tell when. 167 00:07:51,600 --> 00:07:54,280 Someone's cool. You know us dudes, we have a 168 00:07:54,320 --> 00:07:57,200 dude, Radar where we can tell that guy's a dude, you know? 169 00:07:57,800 --> 00:07:59,760 And he was a. A dude, this guy. 170 00:07:59,760 --> 00:08:01,960 He was a cool guy. He used to go to the music. 171 00:08:01,960 --> 00:08:03,560 Festivals. You know the way he carried 172 00:08:03,560 --> 00:08:04,680 himself. You. 173 00:08:04,680 --> 00:08:07,240 Know he had a few tattoos. Not saying these things 174 00:08:07,240 --> 00:08:09,200 necessarily make you cool, but he was. 175 00:08:10,000 --> 00:08:12,480 And he said to me when he first got saved. 176 00:08:12,480 --> 00:08:13,800 He had a. Wonderful opportunity. 177 00:08:13,800 --> 00:08:16,520 He had all these friends who are non Christians and he could 178 00:08:16,520 --> 00:08:20,680 share his testimony with them. And then I approached him a few 179 00:08:20,680 --> 00:08:23,840 weeks later and said how did it go, you know, sharing the gospel 180 00:08:23,840 --> 00:08:25,840 with them? And he said, well that didn't 181 00:08:25,840 --> 00:08:29,520 turn out well. Pretty soon they all ditched me 182 00:08:29,520 --> 00:08:31,160 and didn't want anything to do with me. 183 00:08:31,520 --> 00:08:34,400 And now yeah, I. Revisited his church. 184 00:08:34,400 --> 00:08:38,280 And I saw he was alone, sitting on his own in church. 185 00:08:38,760 --> 00:08:41,840 I'm sure he does have friends in in the church, but you get what 186 00:08:41,840 --> 00:08:42,679 I'm trying to. Say that. 187 00:08:42,880 --> 00:08:44,840 There's a loneliness. That that Christians. 188 00:08:44,840 --> 00:08:50,360 Have to to walk. I also remember now. 189 00:08:50,640 --> 00:08:52,680 I have talked about. This quite a bit on my main 190 00:08:52,680 --> 00:08:58,720 channel, but I remember when I was then a Christian, I then 191 00:08:58,720 --> 00:09:00,600 went through many years of being a Christian. 192 00:09:00,600 --> 00:09:03,800 I then got a secular job and then I went into ministry. 193 00:09:04,480 --> 00:09:07,440 One of the hardest things I ever went through is you've probably. 194 00:09:07,440 --> 00:09:10,200 Heard of a midlife crisis? Well, I went. 195 00:09:10,200 --> 00:09:14,640 Through 1/4 life crisis at 25. And I'm not the only one. 196 00:09:14,840 --> 00:09:19,120 When I talk to people, they seem to go through a sense around the 197 00:09:19,120 --> 00:09:24,880 ages of 242526, even 27. There seems to be something 198 00:09:24,880 --> 00:09:28,200 where this. As Jesus said, you know anyone 199 00:09:28,200 --> 00:09:30,000 who puts their hand on the plow and looks. 200 00:09:30,000 --> 00:09:31,320 Back. Is not fit. 201 00:09:31,320 --> 00:09:34,040 For the Kingdom. And yet often. 202 00:09:34,400 --> 00:09:36,800 There's many. Christians around that age. 203 00:09:37,080 --> 00:09:39,440 Who if something happens to them where they are? 204 00:09:39,440 --> 00:09:41,040 Tempted to look? Back. 205 00:09:41,320 --> 00:09:44,800 They are tempted. To think my youth is going here 206 00:09:45,600 --> 00:09:47,200 and that really did happen to me. 207 00:09:47,200 --> 00:09:50,640 I was married young at 22 and my wife would. 208 00:09:50,640 --> 00:09:53,880 Go out to work, I was. In ministry on my own, writing 209 00:09:53,880 --> 00:09:57,840 sermons, in my office on my own, I was giving out leaflets on 210 00:09:57,840 --> 00:10:00,120 thousands. Of doors, 3000 doors. 211 00:10:00,440 --> 00:10:03,080 I remember in just a couple of months I was posting Christian 212 00:10:03,080 --> 00:10:05,280 leaflets. Through I was trying to chat to 213 00:10:05,280 --> 00:10:06,920 people. As I said, ignored on the. 214 00:10:06,920 --> 00:10:09,800 Streets. And my only friends were older 215 00:10:09,800 --> 00:10:13,080 Christian men who were just being kind to me, you know, but 216 00:10:13,080 --> 00:10:14,840 they weren't, you know, buddies as such. 217 00:10:15,320 --> 00:10:17,920 And I remember feeling so, so lonely. 218 00:10:18,320 --> 00:10:22,000 And then I'd see, you know, non Christian friends of mine on 219 00:10:22,000 --> 00:10:24,640 Facebook and they were going to Australia. 220 00:10:24,640 --> 00:10:26,400 They were having fun. They were at Wild. 221 00:10:26,400 --> 00:10:29,760 Parties they were. Living this lifestyle and I 222 00:10:29,760 --> 00:10:30,680 just. Could see. 223 00:10:30,800 --> 00:10:34,080 I wasn't having fun. There was seriousness, you know, 224 00:10:34,240 --> 00:10:37,160 It was always. Just seemed so dour, so serious. 225 00:10:37,440 --> 00:10:41,480 So alone all the time, feeling guilty, because at that time I 226 00:10:41,480 --> 00:10:44,440 was living in besetting sin and I kept returning to it. 227 00:10:44,680 --> 00:10:46,200 There was always that. Guilt there. 228 00:10:47,440 --> 00:10:49,360 And I was alone. Another friend I. 229 00:10:49,360 --> 00:10:53,960 Had he actually was isolated? For a very interesting reason, I 230 00:10:53,960 --> 00:10:58,040 remember he used to come to my church and he wasn't a Christian 231 00:10:58,040 --> 00:11:00,360 and he was a bit older than me and I used to look up to him and 232 00:11:00,360 --> 00:11:02,520 think this guy's really, really cool. 233 00:11:03,040 --> 00:11:07,800 And anyway, he went to a a party one night and he fell out with 234 00:11:07,800 --> 00:11:10,160 one of his friends. He was again popular in this 235 00:11:10,160 --> 00:11:12,360 group. And his. 236 00:11:12,360 --> 00:11:15,760 Friends all turned on him and they got into a, you know? 237 00:11:15,840 --> 00:11:18,840 A fist fight. And it made him lose all of his 238 00:11:18,840 --> 00:11:22,080 friends, and he had no friends, so he came to church. 239 00:11:22,680 --> 00:11:25,440 Because he wanted some friends, someone to talk to. 240 00:11:26,320 --> 00:11:28,800 And after going to church, what do you think happened? 241 00:11:29,240 --> 00:11:31,480 He heard the message. Of the cross, the Lord Jesus 242 00:11:31,480 --> 00:11:33,080 Christ. And he wonderfully. 243 00:11:33,080 --> 00:11:35,720 Got saved. So the question is, why does God 244 00:11:35,720 --> 00:11:38,280 isolate us? Sometimes He does. 245 00:11:38,280 --> 00:11:39,320 Do this, yes. To to. 246 00:11:39,320 --> 00:11:41,280 Bring us. To Jesus sometimes. 247 00:11:41,280 --> 00:11:44,200 We have to, as they say, cut off the fact all those things. 248 00:11:44,200 --> 00:11:45,160 That are hindering. Us. 249 00:11:45,360 --> 00:11:47,360 All those things that are stopping us from coming to the 250 00:11:47,360 --> 00:11:49,560 Lord Jesus Christ, he'll stop that. 251 00:11:50,120 --> 00:11:53,280 I remember when I when I before I became a Christianist. 252 00:11:53,480 --> 00:11:56,840 So I got saved at 18. At 17 years old, there was a 253 00:11:56,840 --> 00:11:59,120 sort. Of inward battle, going on where 254 00:11:59,360 --> 00:12:01,040 I wanted to. Trust in Christ. 255 00:12:01,240 --> 00:12:02,640 I was scared of dying. I was. 256 00:12:02,640 --> 00:12:05,320 Scared of the. Hell, that awaited me, but I 257 00:12:05,320 --> 00:12:07,720 kept. Putting it off because I had 258 00:12:07,720 --> 00:12:09,880 all. These friends, and you know, I'd 259 00:12:09,880 --> 00:12:11,880 also. Bought. 260 00:12:11,880 --> 00:12:14,040 Something I won't go. Into too many details. 261 00:12:14,040 --> 00:12:16,920 But I'd bought something with my friends. 262 00:12:16,920 --> 00:12:19,400 We'd all got some money together and we'd bought something that 263 00:12:19,400 --> 00:12:21,920 was wrong. And there was a night when I 264 00:12:21,920 --> 00:12:23,640 remember I. Felt like I should. 265 00:12:23,640 --> 00:12:24,800 Draw No. Close to. 266 00:12:24,800 --> 00:12:28,760 The Lord Jesus Christ, I should trust in him, but because I put. 267 00:12:28,960 --> 00:12:31,480 Some money into buying this certain thing. 268 00:12:31,840 --> 00:12:35,640 I wanted to go away on that weekend and to enjoy this thing 269 00:12:35,640 --> 00:12:39,400 with those friends of mine. And so that put me off coming to 270 00:12:39,400 --> 00:12:42,320 Christ. And I needed to lose those 271 00:12:42,320 --> 00:12:45,240 things. But sometimes, Sometimes. 272 00:12:45,240 --> 00:12:49,160 There are a bigger purposes. Why the Lord God might isolate 273 00:12:49,200 --> 00:12:49,840 us if. You've got a. 274 00:12:49,840 --> 00:12:53,520 Bible there, please. Would you turn to one Samuel 275 00:12:53,960 --> 00:12:57,520 chapter 17, one Samuel chapter 17? 276 00:12:57,800 --> 00:13:00,680 And we're going to read verses 28 to 29. 277 00:13:00,680 --> 00:13:03,000 And I'm just going to have some coffee because I know I'm 278 00:13:03,200 --> 00:13:05,600 talking a lot right now and I'm sure you're enjoying. 279 00:13:05,600 --> 00:13:23,000 Your coffee. One Samuel 17 verses 28 to 29 280 00:13:24,360 --> 00:13:28,120 Now Eliab. His oldest brother heard. 281 00:13:28,120 --> 00:13:31,720 When he spoke to the men and Eliab's anger was aroused 282 00:13:31,720 --> 00:13:33,720 against David. And he said. 283 00:13:34,200 --> 00:13:36,920 Why did you come down here and with? 284 00:13:36,920 --> 00:13:40,120 Whom have you left those few? Sheep in the wilderness. 285 00:13:40,560 --> 00:13:42,920 I know your pride. And the insolence? 286 00:13:42,920 --> 00:13:45,400 Of your hearts for you. Have come down to. 287 00:13:45,400 --> 00:13:49,120 See the battle? And David said what? 288 00:13:49,120 --> 00:13:51,240 Have I done? Now is there. 289 00:13:51,240 --> 00:13:54,040 Not a cause. Now you probably know this 290 00:13:54,040 --> 00:13:54,840 story. Well. 291 00:13:55,120 --> 00:13:57,480 Here, David comes down. He's sent to just bring a. 292 00:13:57,480 --> 00:13:59,560 Bit of food. By his father, Jacob. 293 00:13:59,760 --> 00:14:02,200 To his brothers. Who were down in this great big 294 00:14:02,200 --> 00:14:05,640 battle with? Goliath, this huge giant, and 295 00:14:05,640 --> 00:14:08,160 David, that little shepherd lad said. 296 00:14:08,640 --> 00:14:11,120 I'm not afraid. I'll fight him. 297 00:14:11,360 --> 00:14:14,320 Very often I've been able. To fight off wild animals. 298 00:14:14,560 --> 00:14:16,680 The Lord was with me then, he'll be with me now. 299 00:14:17,640 --> 00:14:19,800 And as he's saying this, as he's saying he's ready to. 300 00:14:19,800 --> 00:14:21,400 Do all of. This who should? 301 00:14:21,400 --> 00:14:25,280 Try and stop him but Eliab. His oldest brother. 302 00:14:25,680 --> 00:14:29,520 Now there's a big lesson. Here God does isolate us at 303 00:14:29,520 --> 00:14:32,400 times. God does at times bring us aside 304 00:14:32,400 --> 00:14:35,280 because there is a greater purpose He has, He has a 305 00:14:35,280 --> 00:14:37,680 greater. Anointing He has something in 306 00:14:37,680 --> 00:14:39,360 our mind. It might not be great in the 307 00:14:39,360 --> 00:14:40,200 world. 'S eyes. 308 00:14:40,600 --> 00:14:42,880 But to the Lord this is important. 309 00:14:43,320 --> 00:14:45,080 And when this? Happens you'll often. 310 00:14:45,080 --> 00:14:47,760 Find. That the nearest and dearest 311 00:14:47,760 --> 00:14:49,960 your friends and your. Family members. 312 00:14:50,320 --> 00:14:52,680 Will try. To demoralise you. 313 00:14:53,000 --> 00:14:55,480 They'll try to stop you. They'll try to say, oh, you're 314 00:14:55,480 --> 00:14:58,040 only doing it because of this, or you shouldn't do that. 315 00:14:58,240 --> 00:14:59,720 And they will. Stop you from. 316 00:14:59,720 --> 00:15:04,320 Fulfilling the Lord's mission in your life, now I am being. 317 00:15:04,320 --> 00:15:07,400 Very very personal here. And before I say this, I want 318 00:15:07,400 --> 00:15:11,400 you to know my wife is incredibly supportive of this 319 00:15:11,400 --> 00:15:13,680 YouTube channel right now. As I speak. 320 00:15:13,680 --> 00:15:16,520 She's gone out to let me film. Because we don't live in a 321 00:15:16,520 --> 00:15:17,920 massive. House, as you can hear. 322 00:15:18,480 --> 00:15:20,360 These walls this. Is the room that I always film 323 00:15:20,360 --> 00:15:22,520 in that they're very hollow and you? 324 00:15:22,520 --> 00:15:23,560 Can just hear. Anything. 325 00:15:23,560 --> 00:15:25,440 So my wife. Goes out when I film. 326 00:15:25,440 --> 00:15:27,560 She's very kind. I think she'll be getting a 327 00:15:27,560 --> 00:15:29,880 coffee now, probably somewhere and. 328 00:15:30,480 --> 00:15:32,640 And and she supports me a lot in my ministry. 329 00:15:32,640 --> 00:15:35,320 She helps me, she encourages me when I'm down. 330 00:15:35,320 --> 00:15:37,520 But. When I first started this 331 00:15:37,520 --> 00:15:39,680 YouTube. Channel Off the Curb ministries. 332 00:15:40,000 --> 00:15:42,120 She used to tell. Me, Joel, this is. 333 00:15:42,120 --> 00:15:44,640 Just a waste of time. You need to stop doing. 334 00:15:44,640 --> 00:15:46,520 It this is just a little hobby stop. 335 00:15:46,520 --> 00:15:49,200 Putting so much time. Into it, basically. 336 00:15:49,240 --> 00:15:51,120 It'll never amount into anything. 337 00:15:51,760 --> 00:15:53,800 My own mother. I love my mother to. 338 00:15:53,800 --> 00:15:56,720 Pieces as well. But she would say, oh, Joseph, 339 00:15:56,720 --> 00:15:59,560 you know, the Internet, it's a it's a dangerous place, you 340 00:15:59,560 --> 00:16:01,560 know, And she'd. She'd say all of these different 341 00:16:01,560 --> 00:16:03,280 things. And you know, at that point I'd 342 00:16:03,280 --> 00:16:05,000 been. Invited by about 3:00 or 4 343 00:16:05,000 --> 00:16:06,840 churches to. Become a pastor. 344 00:16:06,840 --> 00:16:07,600 And she was. Saying. 345 00:16:07,840 --> 00:16:09,440 Why wouldn't you consider that, Joe? 346 00:16:09,600 --> 00:16:11,400 Why wouldn't you consider being a pastor? 347 00:16:11,720 --> 00:16:13,840 Is that not what? The Lord is calling you to do 348 00:16:14,280 --> 00:16:17,800 and then even friends and family members you know, friends used. 349 00:16:17,800 --> 00:16:19,480 To sort of. Think it was a little bit 350 00:16:19,480 --> 00:16:23,960 indulgent what I was doing or you know, I remember one friend 351 00:16:23,960 --> 00:16:25,760 in particular. Basically. 352 00:16:25,760 --> 00:16:26,560 Said. He wanted me to. 353 00:16:26,560 --> 00:16:27,960 Stop, he said. Stop it. 354 00:16:28,320 --> 00:16:30,560 Just stop doing this you. Really shouldn't be doing this, 355 00:16:30,560 --> 00:16:32,920 just focus. On your street preaching. 356 00:16:33,440 --> 00:16:35,800 But at the time I did. This when I started my YouTube 357 00:16:35,800 --> 00:16:38,320 channel back in 2015. It wasn't. 358 00:16:38,560 --> 00:16:40,760 The, the, the, what's the word? The landscape. 359 00:16:40,760 --> 00:16:43,120 Was completely different. To what it is now. 360 00:16:43,360 --> 00:16:46,200 There was barely. Any Christian Youtubers I can? 361 00:16:46,200 --> 00:16:48,680 Think of maybe two that. Come to my mind. 362 00:16:48,960 --> 00:16:50,560 Maybe 3 at? Most, actually. 363 00:16:51,600 --> 00:16:55,440 And yeah, you know, I felt the Lord was leading me to. 364 00:16:55,440 --> 00:16:57,240 Do this. I felt a real. 365 00:16:57,240 --> 00:17:01,000 Desire to do this with my drama background and I you know I used 366 00:17:01,000 --> 00:17:03,920 to have props in my videos I. Actually have a video that I was 367 00:17:03,920 --> 00:17:06,359 going to film today but I didn't get time to with. 368 00:17:06,640 --> 00:17:09,280 Where I I was able to use the gifts the Lord had given. 369 00:17:09,280 --> 00:17:11,240 Me. And yet reach people with the 370 00:17:11,240 --> 00:17:13,880 gospel. And I just felt so cold. 371 00:17:13,880 --> 00:17:15,599 So. You know there. 372 00:17:15,640 --> 00:17:17,520 Was an impulse. Inside of me a drive. 373 00:17:17,520 --> 00:17:19,599 Inside of me I need. To do this. 374 00:17:19,880 --> 00:17:20,880 And it wasn't. Because I saw. 375 00:17:20,880 --> 00:17:22,040 All. These other people. 376 00:17:22,240 --> 00:17:24,280 You know, a lot of people. Get into YouTube now. 377 00:17:24,280 --> 00:17:26,200 Because they see all the numbers, they see the 378 00:17:26,200 --> 00:17:28,840 monetization. No, I just believed. 379 00:17:28,840 --> 00:17:31,440 No, this is what the Lord is calling me to do. 380 00:17:31,560 --> 00:17:33,400 And at the time as well. You probably know as well. 381 00:17:33,400 --> 00:17:36,480 I had bad knees and I thought, well, maybe one day I won't be 382 00:17:36,480 --> 00:17:39,160 able to stand. Up in a a pulpit and preach. 383 00:17:39,360 --> 00:17:41,360 Because my my legs. Will be so bad then. 384 00:17:41,360 --> 00:17:43,800 I think it was a bit over worrying back then, but I 385 00:17:43,800 --> 00:17:44,840 thought, you know, at least I could.