Hi, this is Joel in Victoria. Thanks for listening to our podcast and thanks for supporting the ministry.

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We appreciate you and pray for God's very best in your life.

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 you and all of you are taking time to join with us today. God bless you. If you're 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. I heard about this man named Bubba. He was feeling really down and discouraged and he went to his little country church.

The pastor said, what's wrong, Bubba? He said, I need you to pray for my hearing. The pastor very earnestly put both hands on his ears and he prayed and prayed and prayed and prayed. Finally he got finished and he said, okay now, how's your hearing?

Bubba said, I don't know. It's not till Tuesday morning. All right, hold up your bivoules. 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.

People are going to say things we don't understand. Maybe somebody's 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 high. 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. Now try and try to get somebody to help us.

I could see three or four employees over there talking, laughing, having a good time. So I just went over there and very politely asked 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. 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 going to lose my joy. I am not going to 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. It was actually the bait that lured the animal into the trap.

When you're tempted to be offended, somebody's rude to you. Somebody's inconsiderate. Somebody ignores you, recognize that's the enemy offering you his bait.

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