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

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I like to start with something funny. I heard about this pastor. He'd been out bare hunting all day long and he searched and searched through the woods with no sign of a bear. Finally in frustration, he threw his gun on the ground and he went down to the stream to cool off.

About that time, he sees this huge grizzly bear running toward him full speed about a hundred yards away. He falls on his knees and said, God, I need protection. Please convert this bear into a Christian.

Miraculously, the bear frozen his tracks, put both paws up toward the heavens and said, thank you Lord for this food I'm about to eat.

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 in Jesus' name. God bless you.

I want to talk to you today about stepping in to the unknown. When I type an address in my navigation system, there's an option that comes up that says route overview. If you click that, it will give you all the details of your trip. There may be 15 different instructions. Travel six miles on this freeway. Get off at exit 43. Go 400 feet. Turn left on the intersection.

Your whole route is clearly laid out. You know where you're going. How long it's going to take? What to expect? No in these details makes us comfortable where we can relax. In the same way, God has a route overview for your life. Before you were formed in your mother's womb, he laid out your plan. He not only knows your final destination, but he knows the best way to get you there.

But one difference between God and a navigation system is God doesn't show you the route overview. He doesn't tell you how it's going to happen, how long it's going to take, where the funds are going to come from, who you're going to meet, he leads you one step at a time.

If you'll trust him and take that step into the unknown, not knowing how it's going to work out, then he'll show you the next step. Step by step, he'll lead you into your destiny.

The challenge is we like details. We wouldn't have any problem taking that step of faith, starting that new business, going back to school, moving to that new location if we knew where the money was coming from, how long it was going to take?

That the right people would be there. We had all the details, it'd be easy to step out. Here's the key. God doesn't give us details. He's not going to show you a blueprint for your whole life.

If you had all the facts, you wouldn't need any faith. He's going to send you out, not knowing everything. If you'll have the boldness to step into the unknown, do what he's asking you to do, doors will open.

The doors will open, that you could have never opened. The right people will show up. You'll have the funds, the resources that you need.

The scripture puts it this way. God's Word is a lamp unto our feet and a light unto our path. A lamp implies you have just enough to see in front of you. God is not giving you the light for the next 50 years.

It's like the headlights on your car. When you're driving at night, you can only see 100 feet in front of you. You don't pull over because you can't see your destination 50 miles away.

You keep driving as you go further than you will see more. Will you take that step with the light that you have?

If you're waiting for all the details, you're going to be waiting your whole life. We all want to be comfortable, but being in God's perfect will will make you a little uncomfortable.

There's a healthy tension to where you have to stretch, you have to pray, you have to believe, you're not sure how it's going to work out. That's when you're growing. That's when you're learning to trust God in a greater way.

God is not just interested in the destination. He's teaching you along the way. He's getting you prepared, growing you up. On purpose, God will put us in situations where we're over our head, where our friends can't help us, where we don't have the experience.

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