REBECCA LAMB WEISS: I'M HERE WITH DALE AGAIN. I'M SO HAPPY THAT YOU'RE BACK.
IT'S GREAT TO BE BACK WITH YOU.
AND I WANT YOU TO JUST SHARE WHATEVER IS ON YOUR HEART, BECAUSE YOU JUST HAVE SO MUCH WISDOM INSIDE YOU, AND I WANT YOU TO LEAD IN THE DIRECTION.
OKAY. I WOULD LIKE TO TALK ABOUT HONOR AND HOW HONOR OPENS UP OUR FUTURE. AND A LOT OF PEOPLE, IT'S A MYSTERY. BECAUSE IT'S LIKE, I DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW HONOR WORKS. I WANT TO GIVE YOU A SCRIPTURE OUT OF MARK 6. IT SAYS -- IT SAID, JESUS SAID, A PROPHET IS NOT WITHOUT HONOR EXCEPT IN HIS OWN HOMETOWN. AND IT THERE, HE SAID HE COULD DO NO MIRACLES. NOW, I WANT YOU TO THINK ABOUT HEAVEN'S BEST. JESUS. JESUS WITH NO HONOR IS EQUAL TO NO MIRACLES.
HM, I NEVER THOUGHT ABOUT THAT.
NO HONOR ACTUALLY STOPPED JESUS FROM PERFORMING MIRACLES. SO IF WE UNDERSTAND THIS REALM OF THE SPIRIT THAT AFFECTED JESUS, WHAT THE ENEMY WANTS TO DO IS REMOVE HONOR FROM OUR LIFE SO THAT MIRACLES CANNOT HAPPEN THROUGH OUR LIFE. SO IF LACK OF HONOR COULD STOP JESUS, WHAT WOULD IT DO TO US? THE SAME. SO IN IT, WHAT WE SEE IN HEAVEN, WHEN LUCIFER FELL, HE CHOSE NOT TO GIVE HONOR TO FATHER GOD. SO WHEN HE COMES DOWN TO EARTH, HE TRIES TO GET US NOT TO GIVE HONOR TO GOD OR HONOR TO PEOPLE.
NOW, SEE, WE, REALLY, WE WORSHIP GOD, AND WITH OUR WORSHIP, WE HONOR GOD. WE DON'T WORSHIP PEOPLE, BUT HONOR, BECAUSE WE'RE MADE IN THE SAME IMAGE AND LIKENESS OF GOD, WITHOUT HONOR, WE CANNOT LIVE A MIRACULOUS LIFE. SO THE ENEMY WILL TRY TO BRING IN A SERIES OF DEHONORING EVENTS TO ACTUALLY LIVE WITHIN OURSELVES INSTEAD OF LIVING IN THE MIRACLES OF HEAVEN.
WOW. MAN.
SO EVERY ATTACK AGAINST YOUR VALUE, EVERY ATTACK TO TAKE HONOR OFF OF YOU IS A DEMONIC PLOT TO STEAL THE MIRACLES FATHER GOD HAS ORCHESTRATED AND DETERMINED TO BE PART OF YOUR LIFE. AND A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE WAITING FOR SOMEONE TO HONOR THEM. BUT THE BIBLE SAYS, WHATEVER WE SOW, WE REAP. SO IF YOU REALLY WANT TO EXPERIENCE HONOR, YOU START SOWING HONOR. NOW, YOU CANNOT FLATTER.
IN OTHER WORDS, FLATTERY WOULD BE COMING TO SOMEBODY AND SAYING, YOU'RE THE MOST BEAUTIFUL, YOU'RE THE MOST WISE, OR YOU'RE THE MOST IMPORTANT PERSON ON THE EARTH. WHENEVER YOU SAY MOST, THAT'S COMPARATIVE. HOW ABOUT JUST SAYING YOU'RE BEAUTIFUL? YOU'RE WISE? WHY DO YOU HAVE TO BE THE MOST? THIS IS NOT COMPETITION. SO WHEN YOU SAY THINGS THAT ARE NOT FLATTERY BUT THAT ARE TRUTHFUL, YOU BRING HONOR ON PEOPLE. SO IF I SAY TO YOU, REBECCA, YOU HAVE AN AWESOME HEART.
YOU HAVE A HEART FOR GOD, YOU HAVE A HEART FOR PEOPLE, YOU HAVE AN AWESOME HEART. SEE, I THINK THAT'S ONE OF YOUR GIFTS, IS TO HAVE A HEART THAT CAN CONNECT TO PEOPLE, CONNECT TO GOD. AND SO YOU HAVE TO PROTECT THAT, BECAUSE IT'S A GIFT. NOW, IN IT, AS I HONOR THAT. BUT IF I SAID TO YOU, YOU'RE JUST SUCH A GREAT BALLERINA, LIKE, WHAT'S HE TALKING ABOUT?
YEAH.
[ LAUGHING ]
OKAY. OR THAT IF I SAY SOMETHING THAT IS NOT TRUE OR SOMETHING THAT IS EXAGGERATED, IT'S FLATTERY TO TRY TO GAIN A CONTROL, IN OTHER WORDS. SO LIKE IT'S HONOR'S REALLY IMPORTANT. I HAD A GUY COME UP TO ME AND HE SAID TO ME, HE SAID, DALE, YOU KNOW THAT PROPHETIC THING, YOU'RE REALLY GREAT AT IT. NOW, SEE, THIS IS WHERE WE LEARNED SOMETHING: HOW TO HANDLE HONOR. SEE, I USED TO SAY, OH, THAT WAS NOTHING. WELL, WHAT AM I SAYING? IS WHAT GOD DID THROUGH ME NOTHING?
AND NOW I'M PUTTING DOWN GOD, NOT ME. WELL, I'LL SAY, WELL, IT'S ALL GOD, I'M NOTHING. WELL, THAT MEANS THAT WHAT GOD CREATED WAS NOTHING, SO I'M PUTTING DOWN HIS CREATIVITY. SO THAT'S REALLY STUPID. AND WHEN YOU PUT YOURSELF DOWN, THE DEVIL WILL TAKE ADVANTAGE OF IT. SO WHAT WE HAVE TO DO IS, WE HAVE TO LEARN WHEN PEOPLE HONOR US, WE SAY THANK YOU, THAT REALLY IS ENCOURAGING TO ME BECAUSE ENCOURAGEMENT IS A GIFT. AND THANK YOU FOR ENCOURAGING ME.
I HAD A YOUNG MAN SAY, AGAIN, THAT PROPHETIC THING YOU'RE REALLY GOOD AT, I SAID, I KNOW, THAT'S WHAT GOD MADE ME FOR. I ONLY HAVE ONE QUESTION: WHAT DID HE MAKE YOU FOR? BECAUSE WHATEVER IT IS, YOU'RE REALLY GOOD AT IT. AND IF WE START TO REALIZE THAT WE BRING OTHER PEOPLE UP, WE HONOR OTHER PEOPLE AND WE HONOR GOD. AND THEN I SAY, LORD, I WANT TO HONOR YOU THAT YOU'D GIVEN ME WISDOM. WITHOUT YOU, I WOULDN'T HAVE ANY WISDOM.
ONE DAY, I WAS FEELING REALLY WISE AND I WAS THANKING GOD, I SAID, GOD, I JUST THANK YOU FOR THE WISDOM YOU GAVE ME. I WAS REALLY FEELING GOOD. IT WAS ONE OF THOSE DAYS, AND I THINK I WAS HAVING A LITTLE WALK IN MY FLESH. BUT ANYWAY, I SAID, LORD, THANK YOU FOR WISDOM. AND HE SAID, DALE, COULD WE TALK ABOUT IT? I SAID, YEAH. HE SAID, YOU KNOW THAT OVER THERE? HE SAID, THAT WAS ME. THAT WASN'T YOU. AND HE SAID, REMEMBER THAT OVER THERE? HE SAID, THAT WAS ME THAT GAVE YOU THAT THOUGHT.
THAT WASN'T YOU. HE SAID, REMEMBER WE WERE AT THAT OVER THERE? I SAID, YEAH. DIDN'T I GO TO THAT? HE SAYS, THAT WAS YOU WITHOUT ME.
[ LAUGHING ]
AND I JUST LAUGHED AT HIM, AND IT WAS TRUE, BECAUSE I RECEIVED WISDOM, HE'S MADE ME WISE. BUT IT'S HIM, IT'S NOT ME JUST BEING WISE. AND SO EVERYTHING I AM, EVERYTHING I DO, I GIVE HIM WORSHIP. BUT THE THING IS, YOU CAN HONOR THE WISDOM IN ME, BUT I GIVE HIM THE WORSHIP FOR GIVING IT TO ME. SO WE LEARN NOT TO TAKE, HOW CAN I SAY WORSHIP? WE DON'T SHOPLIFT GLORY. WE GIVE IT ALL TO HIM. AND THEN HE GIVES US MORE. SO YOU HAVE A GIFT. AND YOU'RE STILL VERY YOUNG.
SO I DIDN'T KNOW I COULD WRITE BOOKS UNTIL I WAS AFTER 60. I DIDN'T KNOW I WAS GOOD AT IT. BECAUSE I HAD A JUDGMENT AGAINST MYSELF.
WHAT WAS THAT?
WELL, IT WENT, HM, WELL, COULD BE WHEN I WAS IN FIFTH GRADE, I FAILED, I HAD TO TAKE SUMMER SCHOOL. THAT WASN'T A GOOD HELP. BUT WHEN I WENT INTO SEVENTH GRADE, AND MY SISTER, A YEAR OLDER, MADE STRAIGHT A'S, I GO INTO HISTORY CLASS. AND THE FIRST DAY, HE SAID, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A QUIZ. NO, HE DIDN'T SAY WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A QUIZ. HE SAID, READ THESE SEVEN PAGES. I NEVER READ AHEAD. I WAS LIKE, I'LL LISTEN, LEARN, AND GIVE THE ANSWER. I NEVER READ AHEAD. SO THEY GIVE US A POP QUIZ.
I DIDN'T READ IT, SO I GOT AN F. HE COMES IN FRONT OF MY DESK, MR. HILL, CARL HILL, HE COMES UP AND SAYS, YOU MAY BE A MAST, BUT YOU'RE NOT YOUR SISTER. AND HE PUT DOWN, IT HAD A BIG RED F, AND LIKE, OKAY. AND HE SAID IT OUT LOUD, SO I FELT LIKE A FAILURE.
YEAH.
AND I REMEMBER TEACHING IT 30 YEARS LATER AT A PLACE, AND I SAID, I WISH I WAS A GOOD TEACHER, BECAUSE THAT, IF I WASN'T A GOOD STUDENT, I COULDN'T BE A GOOD TEACHER. NOW, YOU KNOW WHAT'S INTERESTING IS, I FORGOT THAT I MADE STRAIGHT A'S IN HIS CLASS AFTER THAT F BECAUSE I LOVED HISTORY. MR. CARL HILL, IT'S IN MY BOOK, HE INVITED ME TO SPEAK TO HIS MEN'S GROUP, AND HE SAID, DALE WAS ONE OF MY BEST STUDENTS. YOU KNOW WHAT I REMEMBER? THE F. I DIDN'T REMEMBER THE A'S OR THAT.
BUT WHEN HE INVITED ME, I PUT IT THIS WAY: HE HELPED ME OVER THAT HILL THAT I WAS A GOOD STUDENT AND I COULD BE A GOOD TEACHER. AND YOU KNOW WHAT I DID? I STARTED STUDYING BETTER AND IT LED ME TO BE AN AUTHOR OF BOOKS BECAUSE THAT JUDGMENT WAS AGAINST MY IDENTITY, IT WAS AGAINST MY GENIUS. AND MY BOOK,AND DAVID PERCEIVED HE WAS KING , IS NOW IN NINE, IT'S GOING INTO TWO MORE LANGUAGES, INTO VIETNAMESE AND INTO FRENCH. BUT I HAD TO BREAK THAT JUDGMENT AGAINST MY IDENTITY.
SO WHEREVER YOU ARE CALLED TO MAKE IMPACT, THE DEVIL WILL SEND DISHONORING EVENTS TO LITERALLY TRY TO STEAL YOUR FUTURE, YOUR DESTINY. AND SO I'M A PROPHET. I PASTORED 40 YEARS, BUT I TRAVELED AS A PROPHET.
AN EVANGELIST WARS FOR YOUR SOUL. A PROPHET WARS FOR YOUR DESTINY. WHAT YOU'VE BEEN SAVED FOR IS GREATER THAN WHAT YOU'VE BEEN SAVED FROM, BUT YOU STILL HAVE TO BE SAVED FROM IT. SO WHAT DID GOD SAVE BEFORE? SEE, PART OF IT, HERE YOU ARE WITH A MICROPHONE, AND PART OF WHAT YOU'VE BEEN SAVED FOR IS TO COMMUNICATE HOPE TO OTHER PEOPLE. AND WHEN YOU START TO UNDERSTAND THAT, THEN YOU'LL APPROACH IT NOT -- YOU'LL APPROACH IT AS PART OF YOUR GENIUS. YOU'LL START ASKING GOD FOR MORE INSIGHT.
YOU'LL START RECEIVING MORE REVELATION. AND ACTUALLY, YOU'LL GET CLOSER TO HIS FACE, AND THE CLOSER YOU GET TO HIM, THE MORE YOU START LOOKING LIKE YOUR FATHER. AND THEN YOU START TALKING LIKE HIM, YOU START THINKING LIKE HIM. AND HIS HEART IS IN YOUR HEART. HIS THOUGHTS ARE IN YOUR THOUGHTS. HIS VOICE IS IN YOUR VOICE. AND THEN LIFE GETS TO BE EXCITING. GETTING DRUNK ON A WEEKEND, ANYBODY CAN DO THAT. BUT TO LIVE WITH GOD, I MEAN, THAT'S AN ADVENTURE.
[ CHUCKLES ]
HOW DID YOU REALLY START GETTING THE DOWNLOAD OF YOUR IDENTITY TO YOU?
WELL, GO BACK TO MY GRANDFATHER WAS AN ORPHAN. MY FATHER WAS THE OLDEST CHILD RAISED BY AN ORPHAN.
OH, NO.
YEAH. AND SO MY FATHER, YEAH, MY FATHER GAVE ME MORE THAN HIS FATHER GAVE HIM. BUT NOT ENOUGH. AND I DIDN'T REALIZE IT WHEN I WAS WRITING MY FIRST BOOK, AND DAVID PERCEIVED HE WAS KING , UNTIL I GOT TO THE END, I WROTE, AN IDENTITY, AND GOD SAID, THIS WHOLE BOOK IS ON IDENTITY BECAUSE YOU'VE STRUGGLED WITH THIS. I DIDN'T EVEN GET IT UNTIL THE END. SO I HAVE TO GO BACK THROUGH THE WHOLE BOOK AND WRITE IT. WE'RE NOT ALWAYS THE BRIGHTEST LIGHT ON THE STREET, BUT WE CATCH ON.
[ LAUGHING ]
SO I WENT BACK AND WROTE IT THROUGH, AND THEN I STARTED SEEING MY WHOLE LIFE WAS ABOUT IDENTITY. THE STRUGGLE. THAT, THAT WAS MY STRUGGLE, BUT THAT'S MY STRENGTH TO GIVE TO OTHER PEOPLE.
THAT'S THE HOPE I TAKE FROM THAT, BECAUSE I USED TO BE DISCOURAGED BY LIKE MY OWN BROKENNESS AND MY OWN STRUGGLE UNTIL I REALIZED THAT GOD WILL SHOW YOU THE PATH TO HEALING. IT'S NOT SOMETHING YOU DO ON YOUR OWN, YOU DO IT WITH HIM, AND HE WILL TAKE WHAT THE STRUGGLE IS AND USE IT TO HELP OTHER PEOPLE. BECAUSE EVERY PERSON THAT I INTERVIEW, WHATEVER THEIR PROBLEM OR THEIR STRUGGLE WAS, THAT'S HOW GOD USES THEM TYPICALLY TO HELP OTHER PEOPLE.
YEAH. YOU PROBABLY HAVEN'T GOTTEN PEOPLE OFF OF HEAVY DRUGS, COCAINE, HEROIN.
YEAH.
[ LAUGHING ]
I HAVEN'T.
AND I HAVEN'T.
[ LAUGHING ]
NOW, I NEVER DID IT. I THINK I DRANK BOOM'S FARM ONCE OR TWICE. AND MY DRINKING CAREER, YOU COULD PUT IN THE END OF A -- SO I NEVER GET PEOPLE HEALED. I HAVE FRIENDS, PASTORS, THAT WERE INTO ALL KINDS OF CRAZY STUFF IN THE '70S, AND THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE GETTING DELIVERED IN THEIR CHURCH. SO IN IT, NOW, THINK OF IT THIS WAY, WHAT YOU FACE WHEN YOU UNDERSTAND IT AND YOU OVERCOME IT, YOU BECOME A GIFT TO HELP OTHER PEOPLE OVERCOME THE SAME THING.
WOW.
AND I ASKED THIS QUESTION: WOULD YOU RATHER HAVE WHAT JESUS HAS OR WOULD YOU RATHER HAVE JESUS? OKAY. SO JESUS IS A GIFT. THE GIFTS HE GIVES ARE THE EXTRAS. UNTIL YOU SEE YOURSELF AS THE GIFT, YOU'LL NEVER SHOW UP THE RIGHT WAY.
YOU KNOW WHAT PEOPLE WOULD SAY TO THAT, THOUGH.
WHAT?
THEY WOULD SAY, OH, YOU SEE YOURSELF AS A GIFT? THAT'S PRIDEFUL.
NO. I SEE MYSELF AS A GIFT FROM FATHER GOD, AND THAT'S HUMBLE.
SEE, THAT'S THE SWITCH IN THE THINKING.
I'M NOT GIVING MYSELF, HE GAVE ME. GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD, HE SENT HIS SON. GOD LOVES THE WORLD, HE SENDS HIS SONS AND DAUGHTERS AS GIFTS TO GIVE TO OTHER PEOPLE, TO HELP -- A GIFT IS NEVER ABOUT YOU, IT'S ABOUT BLESSING SOMEONE ELSE. DO YOU GET WHAT I'M -- SO LIKE IF I GIVE A --
IT'S KINGDOM THINKING, THAT'S WHAT I CALL IT.
KINGDOM THINKING. SEE, BECAUSE WE'RE SO CARNALLY INVADED THAT TO SAY THAT SOMEBODY IS A GIFT, BUT PEOPLE SAY THAT. YOU'RE A GIFT TO ME. WHAT DOES IT MEAN? WHO YOU ARE HELPS ME BECOME WHO I AM. SO IN IT, WHEN YOU REALIZE YOU'RE A GIFT, AND I'LL TELL YOU WHAT THE ADVANTAGE IS. YOU'RE NOT LOOKING FOR ACCEPTANCE, YOU'RE LOOKING FOR INFLUENCE AND TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE.
YEAH. YOU DON'T NEED PEOPLE TO ACCEPT YOU, SO YOU'RE NOT CONTROLLED BY THEM.
NO. MY GOAL IS HERE IS TO MAKE YOU FEEL LOVED, AND WHOEVER IS LISTENING TO FEEL IMPORTANT, NOT TO SAY HOW IMPORTANT I AM. I ONLY SHARE MY STORY TO LET YOU KNOW THE STRUGGLE I HAD TO GET HERE TO ENCOURAGE YOU THE STRUGGLE WAS WORTH IT. MY STORY WILL NOT KEEP YOU FROM THE STRUGGLE. A LOT OF TIMES, I HEAR PEOPLE SAY, I WANT TO TELL YOU MY STORY TO KEEP YOU FROM THE STRUGGLE. I SAY, NO, NO.
THAT'S CRAZY. MY STORY IS TO KEEP YOU STRUGGLING WHILE YOU'RE STRUGGLING UNTIL YOU WIN BECAUSE I STRUGGLED UNTIL I WON. AND LAST WEEK, I HAD TO DEAL WITH A LITTLE BIT OF DEPRESSION, IT TOOK ME BACK TO SOMETHING IN MY CHILDHOOD. AND I REALIZED I DEALT WITH IT AND GOD SAID, WELL, WE'RE NOT QUITE DONE WITH IT BECAUSE, SEE, WHENEVER I HAD PAIN, I DON'T RUN FROM IT, I RUN TOWARD IT BECAUSE WHEN YOU GO TO THE DOCTOR, WHAT'S THE FIRST QUESTION THEY ASK YOU?
WHAT HURTS?
WHERE DOES IT HURT? OKAY. SO YOU SAY WHERE DOES IT HURT? IN MY MIND, OKAY, I HAVE THIS MEMORY. WHAT IS THE PAIN, IF I WAS TO PUT WORDS TO THAT PAIN, WHAT WOULD IT SAY? I'M NOT IMPORTANT. YOU'RE IN THE WAY. I WISH SOMEBODY ELSE WOULD HAVE COME. I WISH YOU COULD BE MORE LIKE YOUR SISTER, I WISH YOU COULD BE MORE LIKE YOUR BROTHER. I WISH MY HAIR WAS STRAIGHT, I WISH IT WAS CURLY, I WISH I WAS TALLER, I WISH I WAS SHORTER.
IT'S LIKE, I HAVE A GOOD FRIEND, AND HE'S 6'6", AND HE SAID, I WISH I WAS SHORTER. I SAID, DO YOU REALIZE HOW MANY PEOPLE WISH THEY WERE TALLER?
[ LAUGHING ]
ISN'T THAT FUNNY, THOUGH?
AND IT'S LIKE, AND SAY WHEN WE WISH WE WERE SOMETHING ELSE, WHAT ARE WE SAYING TO GOD?
THAT HE DIDN'T MAKE US CORRECTLY.
THAT WE'RE TRYING TO TELL THE CREATOR HOW HE SHOULD HAVE CREATED US. NOW, DON'T YOU THINK IT'S A LITTLE BIT INSULTING?
YES.
LIKE WHEN YOU WERE MAKING ME, DID YOU HAVE YOUR CUP OF COFFEE THAT MORNING? WERE YOU HAVING GOOD THOUGHTS OR BECAUSE WHY DIDN'T YOU GIVE ME THIS TALENT? WHY DIDN'T YOU GIVE ME THAT VOICE? I ALWAYS WANTED TO BE IN WORSHIP. AND I WAS A WORSHIP LEADER. WHY DIDN'T YOU GIVE ME A VOICE SO I COULD MAKE RECORDS? BUT HE GAVE ME A GOOD ENOUGH VOICE TO BE A WORSHIP LEADER, TO HAVE A SPIRIT OF WORSHIP, BUT NOT ONE SO GOOD THAT I'D BE CONFUSED THAT I SHOULD MAKE ALBUMS.
EXACTLY. BECAUSE YOU'RE DOING WHAT YOUR CALL IS NOW. YOU KNOW WHAT'S SO INTERESTING IS THAT ONE OF THE FEW TIMES WHERE I FELT LIKE GOD'S ANGER WAS WHEN I WAS 18 AND I HAD SURRENDERED MY, BECAUSE I WENT WAYWARD IN COLLEGE, I SURRENDERED MY LIFE, AND I REMEMBER WHEN -- I HEARD THE TESTIMONY OF A MISSIONARY, AND SO I WAS SO MOVED BY HIS TESTIMONY AND SEEING JESUS, IT THREW HIM. I GAVE MY LIFE TO THE LORD AND I SAID, HERE'S MY LIFE.
AND IMMEDIATELY GOING THROUGH MY MIND, ALL THE COMPARISONS I MADE GROWING UP, OH, YOU'RE NOT LIKE THIS PERSON, YOU'RE NOT LIKE THIS PERSON. AND SO I HAD SUCH A LOW SELF-VIEW OF MYSELF, SUCH LOW VALUE, SELF-WORTH. AND I SAID, I GIVE YOU MY LIFE, BUT I CAN'T DO ANYTHING. SO AND I WAS LIKE, HERE'S A WORTHLESS PERSON, AND I FELT GOD'S ANGER, AND I REMEMBER HIM SAYING, I DIDN'T MAKE YOU LIKE THAT PERSON FOR A REASON. I MADE YOU THE WAY YOU ARE FOR A REASON.
AND SO RIGHT WHEN I GAVE MY LIKE SURRENDERED MY LIFE TO GOD, THAT WAR FOR IDENTITY WAS RIGHT THERE. BUT HE WAS ANGRY. I REALIZED YEARS LATER WHEN I HAD MY OWN CHILDREN, HE WASN'T ANGRY AT ME, HE WAS ANGRY THAT I BELIEVED A LIE ABOUT MYSELF BECAUSE HE WAS MY FATHER.
YEAH. THAT WOULD BE LIKE ANY CHILD LOOKING UP AT THEIR PARENT AND SAY, I REALLY APPRECIATE YOU, BUT I WISH I DIDN'T LOOK LIKE YOU.
OH, THAT WOULD BE SO HURTFUL.
YEAH, THAT'S WHAT WE'RE SAYING TO FATHER.
WOW.
AND SO WHAT WE HAVE TO DO, YOU'LL NEVER FIND YOUR IDENTITY LOOKING IN A MIRROR. YOU HAVE TO LOOK IN YOUR FATHER'S FACE. UNTIL YOU CAN SEE FATHER GOD'S FACE IN PART OF YOUR FACE, THEN YOU CAN'T -- YOU'RE REALLY NOT GOING TO BE A GIFT. BUT WHEN YOU SAY OKAY, LORD, YOU'VE GIVEN ME PATIENCE TO TALK WITH PEOPLE, TO LISTEN TO PEOPLE, TO COUNSEL PEOPLE, TO HELP PEOPLE.
I'M NEVER GOING TO BE ON A STAGE SINGING WITH A LOT OF PEOPLE LISTENING UNLESS IT'S AFTER THE MINISTRY AND I'M JUST GRAB A MIC AND DO IT. YOU KNOW HOW SOME PEOPLE, THEY'RE PASTORS, THEY'LL SING ALONG WITH THE CHOIR, AND THEN THEY'LL TURN HIS MIC DOWN AND THEY TURN UP THE CHOIR.
YEAH.
[ LAUGHING ]
TRYING TO HELP HIM OUT.
YES!
HE MAY LIKE THE MIC, THE MIC DOESN'T LIKE YOU.
YEAH.
[ LAUGHING ]
I HAD A GOOD FRIEND, I ALWAYS TALK ABOUT JOE. HE HAD SUCH A GREAT SPIRIT OF WORSHIP. I LOVED TO STAND BESIDE HIM WHEN HE WORSHIPED. HE WOULD SING OFF-BEAT. HE'S THE ONLY GUY I STOOD BESIDE WHO COULD SING A WHOLE SONG AND NOT HIT ONE NOTE. AND HE SANG LOUD. HE SANG SO LOUD THAT WHEN I STOOD BESIDE HIM, I COULD NOT SING ON TUNE. BUT THE SPIRIT OF JOY COMING OFF OF HIM BEAT EVERYBODY ON THE WORSHIP TEAM. BUT GOD, PLEASE DON'T GIVE HIM A MIC BECAUSE EVERYTHING WILL GO DOWN.
BUT HE HAD A SPIRIT OF WORSHIP. AND THE THING IS, DON'T EVER JUDGE YOURSELF, I CANNOT DO THIS BECAUSE I DON'T HAVE THAT. AND IT BUBBLED OUT OF HIM. IF THERE WAS ANYBODY I WANTED TO STAND BESIDE, IT WAS JOE. BECAUSE HE DIDN'T CARE. ALL HE COULD SEE WAS GOD. AND WHEN YOU LOOKED IN HIS FACE, THE GLORY WAS SO STRONG. AND HE WASN'T EVEN CONCERNED ABOUT HITTING ANY NOTE. NOT EVEN BEING ON -- HE JUST WAS, AND HE'S THE WORST SINGER I'VE EVER MET. BUT YOU KNOW WHAT I LOVED?
HE DID IT LIKE NOBODY WAS LISTENING BUT HIS FATHER. AND IT WAS SO REFRESHING TO BE AROUND SOMEBODY LIKE THAT AFTER BEING AROUND PEOPLE TRYING TO BE PROFESSIONAL ON A MIC. IT IS JUST HIM AND THE FATHER. AND SO I'D JUST ENCOURAGE PEOPLE: LIVE LIKE IT'S YOU AND THE FATHER. IT'S SUCH A GIFT.
WHEN YOU FELT THAT SADNESS AND WHEN YOU FEEL PAIN COME UP IN YOUR LIFE, BECAUSE I THINK THIS IS SUCH AN IMPORTANT TOPIC, I THINK PEOPLE THINK THAT, OH, I GET SAVED AND EVERYTHING IS SETTLED, BUT, REALLY, ONCE THE MOMENT YOU GET SAVED, THE JOURNEY BEGINS OF HEALING WITHIN THE SOUL. WHAT DO YOU DO WHEN YOU FEEL THAT PAIN? BECAUSE I THINK SOME PEOPLE, BECAUSE THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO, THEY RUN FROM IT.
I THINK SOME PEOPLE THINK I HAVE TO FIGURE THIS OUT MYSELF WHEN IT'S NOT SOMETHING YOU DO ON YOUR OWN. WHAT DO PEOPLE DO WHEN THIS STUFF COMES UP?
YES. WELL, FIRST OF ALL, WHEN PAIN COMES UP, THAT MEANS IT'S TIME TO DEAL WITH IT. OKAY. DON'T EVER THINK, OKAY, I NEED TO FIX MY LIFE. NO, NO. JUST WAIT UNTIL THE PAIN COMES, THE OPPORTUNITY, BECAUSE GOD KNOWS WHAT YOU NEED TO FACE AND WHEN YOU'RE READY TO DEAL WITH IT. ACTUALLY, GOD WILL BRING UP SITUATIONS HE BROUGHT UP WHEN YOU FIRST GOT SAVED PROBABLY 15 YEARS DOWN THE ROAD AT A LEVEL OF GREATER DEPTH BECAUSE NOW YOU'RE MATURE ENOUGH TO SEE IT, YOU'RE ALSO HAVE THE STRENGTH TO HANDLE IT.
IF THE LORD WOULD HAVE SHOWED ME EVERYTHING I NEEDED TO CHANGE WHEN I GOT SAVED, I WOULD HAVE DIED AT THE ALTAR RIGHT THERE, PASSED OUT, HAVE THE USHERS DRAG ME OUT, TAKE ME TO HEAVEN, JESUS, BECAUSE THIS WOULD BE OVER BEYOND. BUT GOD WILL SET UP A SERIES OF TESTS. PASSING YOUR MATH IN FIRST GRADE DOES NOT GIVE YOU A DIPLOMA IN HIGH SCHOOL. WHEN YOU COUNT TO 10, THE TEACHERS CLAP. WHEN YOU DO DIVISION, NOBODY CLAPS.
[ LAUGHING ]
THEY WERE JUST TRYING TO ENCOURAGE YOU. YOU THOUGHT YOU CONQUERED MATH. I GOT IT! OKAY. BUT
[ CHUCKLES ]
BE HAPPY THAT YOU COUNTED TO 10, BUT JUST REALIZE, THERE'S MANY MORE THINGS TO COME. AND JESUS IS SO COMMITTED TO MAKING US INTO HIS IMAGE, HE WILL BRING DIFFERENT EVENTS INTO OUR LIFE TO ACTUALLY SEPARATE OUR SPIRIT AND OUR FLESH.
WOW.
SO LIKE I WAS TELLING A STORY THAT WHEN I WAS OUT IN CALIFORNIA, I WAS YOUNG, AND I WAS IN LOVE WITH THE PASTOR'S DAUGHTER, AND WE WERE TALKING ABOUT GETTING MARRIED. AND SO SHE WENT OFF TO COLLEGE AND I WENT BACK TO DELAWARE, AND THEY INVITED ME BACK TO BE THE YOUTH PASTOR. AND I WAS GOING TO DO THIS. AND SO WHEN I CAME BACK, THEY DIDN'T HAVE A PLACE FOR ME TO STAY, SO I WENT AND STAYED IN THE PASTOR'S HOUSE IN HER BEDROOM. AND I HADN'T HEARD FROM HER IN A LONG TIME.
I KNEW SOMETHING WASN'T -- WE WERE PLANNING ON GETTING MARRIED. AND I HADN'T, AND I THOUGHT, WELL, MAYBE SHE'S IN COLLEGE, MAYBE I'LL SEE HER. SO I COME BACK, AND NOBODY MENTIONS HER NAME. AND NOBODY SAYS HER NAME FOR TWO WEEKS. AND THEN AFTERWARDS, AND THEY PRAYED, AND GOD BLESS KATHLEEN. AND SAID, OKAY, SOMEBODY SAID HER NAME. THEN A GOOD FRIEND SAID, DALE, I JUST THINK YOU SHOULD KNOW THIS. NOBODY WANTS TO HURT YOU, BUT WHEN KATHLEEN CAME HOME, SHE CAME HOME WITH TINY TIM.
AND OF COURSE, HE WASN'T TINY, HE WAS ABOUT 6'2". AND HE SAID, I THINK SOMETHING'S GOING ON THERE. AND I SAID, WELL THAT EXPLAINS THE LETTERS STOPPING. SO SHE CAME HOME FOR CHRISTMAS, AND HER PARENTS' 25TH WEDDING ANNIVERSARY. AND I WAS IN THE CHOIR. AND I SAID, KATHLEEN, LET'S JUST GO OUT AND HAVE A, GO OUT AND TALK. AND TINY TIM WAS THERE, I MET HIM, AND I THOUGHT, WELL, I COULD STILL BE A FRIEND.
AND WE WENT OUT AND HAD A GOOD TIME TALKING, WE WERE SHARING DIFFERENT THINGS, WHAT SHE'S GOING THROUGH, AND I THOUGHT, THIS IS GREAT, MAYBE I'M BACK IN THE RACE A LITTLE BIT.
IT MADE YOU FEEL LIKE YOU MAYBE HAD A CHANCE STILL.
YEAH, A LITTLE BIT OF A CHANCE. SO THE NEXT DAY WAS THEIR PARENTS' 25TH WEDDING ANNIVERSARY, AND WE'VE ACTUALLY TALKED ABOUT ANNOUNCING OUR ENGAGEMENT, HER AND ME, ON THEIR 25th WEDDING ANNIVERSARY. AND I HAD JUST HAD A MEAL WITH HER THAT NIGHT. AND SO I'M IN THE CHOIR AND HER PARENTS, THE PASTORS, WALK IN THE CHURCH AND THEY'RE CELEBRATING. AT THE END, THEY SAID, WE HAVE A VERY SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT. AND I'M SITTING THERE GOING, WE WANT TO ANNOUNCE THAT KATHLEEN AND TINY TIM ARE GETTING MARRIED.
AND AS SOON AS THAT WAS SAID, SHE TURNED AROUND AND LOOKED AT ME UNDER THIS BIG HAT AND SMILED, AND I'M LIKE, OKAY. SO I'M WALKING OUT, AND PEOPLE ARE SAYING, DALE, YOU HAVE TO BE A LITTLE BIT QUICKER NEXT TIME. EVERYBODY IN THE CHURCH KNEW WE WERE AN ITEM. AND ANOTHER PERSON SAID SOMETHING, AND I'M AT THE BACK DOOR AND I SAID, LORD, AND I SAID -- HE SAID, WHAT ARE YOU THINKING, DALE? I SAID, I'M OUT OF HERE. HE SAID, DALE, IF YOU START RUNNING NOW, WHEN WILL YOU STOP?
HE SAID, THIS IS JUST A TEST. WELL, I BECAME FRIENDS WITH TIM. AND HE ACTUALLY ASKED ME TO BE IN HIS WEDDING. HE SAID, DALE, HE SAID, IF I WANTED TO ASK THE OTHER GUY, YOU AND ME, WE GOT TO KNOW EACH OTHER, REALLY HAD A GREAT TIME, HE'S A GREAT GUY. AND HE SAID, I'D ASK YOU TO BE MY BEST MAN. AND I ACTUALLY TOOK PICTURES OF THEIR, THE STUFF AND ALL. AND GOD WAS SAYING, OKAY. AND I'M TELLING YOU, GOD FILLETED MY FLESH, HE TOOK THE RUN OUT OF MY SPIRIT.
THAT HAS ACTUALLY HELPED ME THROUGH MANY DIFFICULT SITUATIONS WHEN HE SAID, IF YOU START RUNNING NOW. AND YOU KNOW WHAT, I HAVE NOT RUN FROM SITUATIONS, AND THAT'S WHY I'M AT WHERE I'M AT. I KNOW A LOT OF PEOPLE, WHENEVER YOU RUN FROM A SITUATION, THAT'S WHERE YOUR LEVEL OF ANOINTING STOPS UNTIL YOU GET BACK IN THE RACE. IF YOU SAY, I'M OUT OF HERE OVER THIS, GOD SAID, WELL, I HAD MORE. BUT IF THAT'S WHERE YOU RUN, YOU'VE DETERMINED YOUR LEVEL.
DO YOU KNOW WHEN YOU QUIT IN COLLEGE, WHATEVER LEVEL YOU QUIT, THAT'S THE LEVEL YOU OPERATE AT? YOU CAN QUIT AFTER YOUR BAR EXAMS AND THEN OPERATE AS A LAWYER. YOU DON'T NEED TO GO BACK ANYMORE, YOU'VE PASSED THE TEST. BUT IF YOU QUIT IN THE MIDDLE OF IT, YOU CANNOT BE A LAWYER. SO I WANT TO ENCOURAGE PEOPLE, DON'T QUIT, IT'S WORTH IT.
IF GOD ALLOWS YOU TO GO THROUGH IT, HE KNOWS YOU CAN OVERCOME IT. I SAID, GOD, YOU DON'T HAVE TO HAVE SUCH A HIGH OPINION OF ME.
[ LAUGHING ]
I SAID, OKAY. OKAY, I'LL TAKE IT, I'LL TAKE THE HIGH OPINION, LET'S DO IT, LET'S ROCK. LET'S DO THIS, BECAUSE I'M NOT A CHICKEN, I'M AN EAGLE. AND I'M SERIOUS. IT'S LIKE, IF YOU'RE NOT RUNNING INTO PROBLEMS, YOU'RE NOT GOING TO ANYTHING GREAT. REBECCA: THAT'S SO GOOD. WELL, WE'RE OUT OF TIME. IS THERE JUST ONE FINAL THOUGHT YOU WANT TO SHARE BEFORE WE WRAP?
YEAH. I WOULD JUST SAY THIS: THAT IT'S SO IMPORTANT THAT YOU DO NOT RECEIVE ANY DISHONOR ON YOUR IDENTITY. IT'S THE PLAN OF THE DEVIL TO HIJACK YOUR IMPACT TO HELP SOMEBODY ELSE. AND I'M GOING TO SAY IT THIS WAY: IF YOU DON'T BREAK THROUGH, THERE'S OTHER PEOPLE THAT WILL NEVER MAKE IT BECAUSE THEY'LL NEVER LOOK AT YOU AND SAY, I CAN MAKE IT BECAUSE DALE MADE IT. I CAN MAKE IT. FILL IN THE NAME. JOHN. REBECCA. FILL IN THE NAMES. BECAUSE THEY PRESSED THROUGH, I CAN PRESS THROUGH.
IT'S SO IMPORTANT. JOSHUA PRESSED THROUGH BECAUSE HE SAW MOSES PRESS THROUGH. AND I WANT TO ENCOURAGE YOU, WHEN YOU FULFILL YOUR DESTINY, YOU OPEN IT UP FOR OTHER PEOPLE. AND LIVE A LIFE OF HONOR. THERE'S NOTHING LIKE IT, BUT START SOWING IT, AND WATCH THE HARVEST COMING IN. REBECCA: THAT'S BEAUTIFUL. WELL, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE, DALE. I'VE ENJOYED OUR TIME TOGETHER. AND I JUST SPEAK A BLESSING OVER PEOPLE.
AND I WANT TO SAY THIS: EVERYBODY UNDER THE SOUND OF MY VOICE, THERE'S SOMETHING VERY SPECIAL ABOUT YOU.
WELL, I LOVE THAT. WELL, IF YOU'VE REALIZED TODAY THAT YOU ARE SPECIAL, I WANT YOU TO COMMENT THAT DOWN BELOW. DALE, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE. AND THANK YOU FOR LISTENING TO THE REBECCA WEISS PODCAST .