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<v Speaker 2>Hey, everybody.

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<v Speaker 1>Welcome to Pastor Rick's Daily Hope. Well, we're talking about

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<v Speaker 1>your money. That's right. We're continuing a powerful series called

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<v Speaker 1>Financial Fitness. Rick is opening God's Word and showing us

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<v Speaker 1>how to manage what we've been given with wisdom, faith,

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<v Speaker 1>and purpose. And I know if you apply these biblical principles,

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<v Speaker 1>you'll start to experience true financial freedom and lasting peace.

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<v Speaker 1>What do you say we join Rick for the final

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<v Speaker 1>part of a message called The Law of Contentment?

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<v Speaker 2>You know, one of my favorite things to do is

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<v Speaker 2>I put this ratty old chair, deck chair, on our slope.

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<v Speaker 2>We'd had this jet chair, I don't know, 10, 15 years,

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<v Speaker 2>maybe 20 years. I think I bought it at Target,

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<v Speaker 2>so it's not an expensive thing, and it sat in

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<v Speaker 2>the sun, and it's kind of, a couple of the

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<v Speaker 2>slats are broken on it, and I put it over

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<v Speaker 2>on the slope, and what I like to do is

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<v Speaker 2>climb over my fence and sit in that ratty chair

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<v Speaker 2>and watch the sun come up. This gives me great pleasure.

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<v Speaker 2>when I do this, to watch the sun come up

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<v Speaker 2>and just sit there in that ratty chair. Now, would

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<v Speaker 2>I have any more joy if it were a diamond-encrusted

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<v Speaker 2>Barca lounger instead of a ratty Target chair? No, no.

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<v Speaker 2>It would not increase my joy one bit. In fact,

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<v Speaker 2>there's an advantage to not having a diamond-encrusted Barca lounger.

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<v Speaker 2>It's better to have a ratty chair on a slope. Why?

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<v Speaker 2>Nobody steals it. I mean, if it were something fancy,

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<v Speaker 2>you know, people pick it up. But, you know, workers

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<v Speaker 2>and gardeners walk by and who wants that thing? You know,

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<v Speaker 2>so they just leave it there. What I'm saying is

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<v Speaker 2>you need to ask yourself, what do I enjoy that

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<v Speaker 2>I never think about it and I should take advantage

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<v Speaker 2>of it and I should be grateful for what I've got?

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<v Speaker 2>Now one of the benefits of having sent about 15,000

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<v Speaker 2>of you overseas on peace trips is you got to

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<v Speaker 2>see how the rest of the world lives. And that

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<v Speaker 2>makes you a whole lot more grateful. Because when you've

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<v Speaker 2>been to the places where I've been, into the favelas

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<v Speaker 2>of Brazil and the slums of Africa and the barrios

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<v Speaker 2>and the ghettos in the major cities of the world,

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<v Speaker 2>you see real poverty. And it makes me grateful for

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<v Speaker 2>stuff That we take for granted. You know what I'm

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<v Speaker 2>grateful for? What I enjoy? I enjoy hot water. Hot water.

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<v Speaker 2>I mean, for me, a shower is a spiritual experience.

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<v Speaker 2>I'm in there singing and Kay's going, shut up. No,

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<v Speaker 2>she's not. She doesn't. She's never once said that. She

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<v Speaker 2>sings harmony with me. And I just, I love hot water.

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<v Speaker 2>But I got a friend in Rwanda who told me

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<v Speaker 2>that during the war, he went nine months without a shower.

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<v Speaker 2>You know what I appreciate, what I'm grateful for? Ice.

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<v Speaker 2>Because if you've traveled anywhere in the world, you know

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<v Speaker 2>most of the world doesn't have ice. And they serve

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<v Speaker 2>you drinks at room temperature. I like my drinks cold.

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<v Speaker 2>I don't want to drink a room temperature Coke. or

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<v Speaker 2>room temperature water. I like ice. I'm grateful for ice.

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<v Speaker 2>You know what I enjoy? Internet access. You know, when

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<v Speaker 2>I travel, I don't need a fancy hotel. I mean,

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<v Speaker 2>you can put me up in the no-tell motel for

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<v Speaker 2>all I care. Doesn't really matter what I, but you

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<v Speaker 2>better have internet access. Because that's my connection. You think

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<v Speaker 2>about these things and you start being grateful and you

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<v Speaker 2>start enjoying the stuff you take for granted. You know

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<v Speaker 2>what I'm grateful for? Toilet paper. Toilet paper. You don't

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<v Speaker 2>know what you've got till it's gone. And I have

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<v Speaker 2>been a few places in the world where it was gone.

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<v Speaker 2>And it made me really grateful to have it when

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<v Speaker 2>I got back home. You need to ask yourself, what

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<v Speaker 2>am I not enjoying right now? You see, most of

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<v Speaker 2>us get into this, what I call, when and then thinking.

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<v Speaker 2>When and then, when this happens, then I'll be happy.

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<v Speaker 2>When I get a boyfriend, then I'll be happy. When

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<v Speaker 2>I get married, then I'll be happy. When I have kids,

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<v Speaker 2>then I'll be happy. When my kids go off to school,

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<v Speaker 2>then I'll be happy. When I get married again, then

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<v Speaker 2>I'll be happy. And on and on and on. It's

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<v Speaker 2>the when and then thinking. Listen, you are as happy

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<v Speaker 2>as you choose to be. Happiness is a choice. And

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<v Speaker 2>if you're not happy now, you're not gonna be happy later.

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<v Speaker 2>You are as happy as you choose to be. I

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<v Speaker 2>could take you to some of the worst places in

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<v Speaker 2>the world and show you two people living right next

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<v Speaker 2>door to each other and one is miserable and one's happy. Why?

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<v Speaker 2>Happiness has nothing to do with your circumstances. It has

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<v Speaker 2>everything to do with your attitude. You are as happy

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<v Speaker 2>as you choose to be. And if you're not happy

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<v Speaker 2>living on what you're living on right now, I can

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<v Speaker 2>guarantee you, you're not gonna be happy with any more.

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<v Speaker 2>Because you're always gonna want a little bit more. Happiness

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<v Speaker 2>is a choice. Happiness is something you choose to do.

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<v Speaker 2>And it doesn't cost anything to be happy. Friday was

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<v Speaker 2>Grandparents' Day. So Kay and I went to Grandparents' Day.

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<v Speaker 2>And you know, you go and you sit down at

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<v Speaker 2>these little tables with these little chairs where you got

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<v Speaker 2>one cheek on the chair, you know. And you color

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<v Speaker 2>and you play and we had a lot of fun.

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<v Speaker 2>And then we came to my favorite part of school,

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<v Speaker 2>which was recess. And so Kaylee and Cassidy and I

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<v Speaker 2>went out onto the field at recess, and we started playing,

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<v Speaker 2>you know, red light, green light, where, you know, there's

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<v Speaker 2>a fence which is safe, and you turn around and

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<v Speaker 2>you say, you know, green light, green light, green light,

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<v Speaker 2>and you're walking, and as you further get away, they're

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<v Speaker 2>coming to see how close you can get. Then you say,

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<v Speaker 2>red light, and you turn around, and they've got to

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<v Speaker 2>get back to the fence before you can tag them.

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<v Speaker 2>So I'm playing this with my kids. my granddaughters, and

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<v Speaker 2>after about three times, I got 50, 100 kids out

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<v Speaker 2>there playing red light, green light with Pastor Rick. And

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<v Speaker 2>so I'm walking across the field going green light, green light,

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<v Speaker 2>green light, red light, and 100 kids are screaming running back,

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<v Speaker 2>and I'm chasing them back. And we're having a good time,

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<v Speaker 2>we're doing this, and then I turn them into a

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<v Speaker 2>conga line. And we got 100 kids in the conga line, dun-dun-dun-dun-dun-dun, dun-dun-dun-dun-dun-dun.

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<v Speaker 2>Red light, and they all go running back, And everybody's

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<v Speaker 2>having fun. I'm having fun. My granddaughters are having fun.

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<v Speaker 2>The kids are having fun. All of the parents are

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<v Speaker 2>having fun videotaping Pastor Rick look like an idiot. The

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<v Speaker 2>teachers are having fun because the kids are having a

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<v Speaker 2>great time. You know how much that cost me? Zero.

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<v Speaker 2>And I didn't need a video game. I didn't need

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<v Speaker 2>to take them to Disneyland. I was just having fun

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<v Speaker 2>with them. Kaylee turns around to all the classmates and says,

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<v Speaker 2>wherever Papa goes, he starts a party. Just being grateful

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<v Speaker 2>in the situation you're in, enjoying the day you've got.

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<v Speaker 2>I mean, really, would doubling your income double your joy?

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<v Speaker 2>Absolutely not. I probably know a dozen billionaires. Maybe more,

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<v Speaker 2>maybe 20. I could bring any one of them in here,

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<v Speaker 2>and they'd tell you this, money is a tool, Money

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<v Speaker 2>can make your life easier, but money will ultimately not

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<v Speaker 2>satisfy your life. Because no matter how much you've got,

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<v Speaker 2>when you can finally afford to buy everything you want,

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<v Speaker 2>that still won't make you happy. Because happiness is not found.

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<v Speaker 2>It's not life, liberty, and the purchase of happiness. Happiness

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<v Speaker 2>cannot be bought. It's internal. Happiness is a choice. We

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<v Speaker 2>always think, I don't have enough, I don't have enough,

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<v Speaker 2>I don't have enough. There's two ways to have enough.

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<v Speaker 2>One's hard and one's easy. Here's how you have enough.

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<v Speaker 2>Work more or want less. That's your choice. You could

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<v Speaker 2>work more or you can want less. That's how you're

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<v Speaker 2>gonna have enough. Well, I don't have enough. Well, here,

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<v Speaker 2>you got two choices. Work more or want less. The

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<v Speaker 2>law of contentment. I can't teach you these other principles

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<v Speaker 2>that we're gonna look at in the weeks ahead until

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<v Speaker 2>you get this one down. Now, 1 Timothy 6 says this,

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<v Speaker 2>verse 17. Command those who are rich in this present world.

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<v Speaker 2>Now let me just stop right there. That's you. You're rich.

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<v Speaker 2>You say, not me, I'm not rich. Oh yeah, you are.

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<v Speaker 2>If you live in America, you're rich. Let me put

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<v Speaker 2>this in perspective. If you have any coins in your pocket, any,

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<v Speaker 2>a few pennies, nickels, any coins in your pocket or

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<v Speaker 2>your purse, if you have any coins in a little

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<v Speaker 2>tray in your car, if you have any coins in

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<v Speaker 2>a saucer at home, you're already wealthier than about 78%

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<v Speaker 2>of the world. If you have a refrigerator, you're like

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<v Speaker 2>in the top 5%. You're wealthy. So get over it.

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<v Speaker 2>You're wealthy. You're rich. Now he says this. command those

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<v Speaker 2>who are rich in this present world to not be arrogant,

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<v Speaker 2>nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain,

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<v Speaker 2>but to put their hope in God, who richly provides

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<v Speaker 2>us with everything for our, notice, enjoyment. Now, I didn't

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<v Speaker 2>have time to put this other verse on your outline,

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<v Speaker 2>so look up here on the screen. The next verse,

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<v Speaker 2>verse 8 18, says this. Tell them to use their

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<v Speaker 2>money to do good. He's talking about to rich people.

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<v Speaker 2>They should be rich in good works and should give

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<v Speaker 2>generously to those in need, always being ready to share

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<v Speaker 2>with others whatever God has given them. Questions? Is it

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<v Speaker 2>possible to be wealthy and not materialistic? Yes. Yes, it is.

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<v Speaker 2>It is possible to be wealthy and not materialistic. As

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<v Speaker 2>long as you meet these four preconditions in 1 Timothy 6, 17,

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<v Speaker 2>and 18. He says as long as you don't become

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<v Speaker 2>proud of your wealth, you don't flaunt it, you don't

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<v Speaker 2>think you're better than anybody else. We always laugh about

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<v Speaker 2>how I wear this watch Thought I paid 17 bucks

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<v Speaker 2>for it at Walmart. You know what? It ticks just

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<v Speaker 2>as fast as your Rolex. I buy watches to tell time,

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<v Speaker 2>not to go. Okay? Don't show off. Don't become proud

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<v Speaker 2>of your wealth. Don't think you're better than somebody. Don't

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<v Speaker 2>put your hope in money because you can lose it. Says,

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<v Speaker 2>use your money to do good, and then he says,

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<v Speaker 2>share it with others. Giving is the antidote to materialism.

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<v Speaker 2>People say, oh, I'm not materialistic. Well, how generous are you?

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<v Speaker 2>You know one of the signs of materialism, it's not

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<v Speaker 2>the only sign, but one of the signs that I'm materialistic,

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<v Speaker 2>I get irritated if somebody starts talking about tithing. That's

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<v Speaker 2>a sign I'm materialistic. Because the reason I don't tithe

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<v Speaker 2>is there's just things I'm not willing to do without.

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<v Speaker 2>There's a word for that, materialism. I'm not willing to

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<v Speaker 2>do without these things. In fact, God doesn't need my money.

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<v Speaker 2>The reason he asked me to tithe is to teach

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<v Speaker 2>me to break the grip of materialism in my life.

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<v Speaker 2>God doesn't need my money. He does it for me

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<v Speaker 2>to break the grip of materialism. Now number three, third

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<v Speaker 2>way to learn the secret of contentment. Remember, life is

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<v Speaker 2>not about things. Life is not about things. I gotta

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<v Speaker 2>maintain the right perspective about possessions or I'll be possessed

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<v Speaker 2>by my possessions. I gotta realize none of it's gonna last. Otherwise,

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<v Speaker 2>I'm gonna be dissatisfied and discontent. Jesus says this in

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<v Speaker 2>Luke 12, verse 15. Watch out and guard yourselves from

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<v Speaker 2>every kind of greed. Because your true life is not

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<v Speaker 2>made up of the things you own, no matter how

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<v Speaker 2>rich you may be. I've said this so many times,

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<v Speaker 2>never judge your self worth by your net worth. Never

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<v Speaker 2>think your value is related to your valuables. Realize that

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<v Speaker 2>the greatest things in life aren't things. He said, life

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<v Speaker 2>is not about the acquisition of things. I didn't bring

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<v Speaker 2>anything into the world. I'm not taking anything out of

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<v Speaker 2>the world. And the stupidest use of my life is

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<v Speaker 2>to spend it building a pile. That's dumb. To acquire,

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<v Speaker 2>life is not about acquisition. Life is not about achievement.

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<v Speaker 2>Life is about relationship. It's learning how to love. Learning

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<v Speaker 2>how to love God. Learning how to love other people.

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<v Speaker 2>Everybody knows the prayer of Jabez, God enlarge my borders.

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<v Speaker 2>But the prayer of Agur is just as important, A-G-U-R,

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<v Speaker 2>that's his name. Prayer of Agur, Proverbs 30 says this.

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<v Speaker 2>Oh God, I ask you for two things, two things

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<v Speaker 2>from you before I die. First, help me to never

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<v Speaker 2>tell a lie. Second, give me neither poverty nor riches.

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<v Speaker 2>Give me just enough to satisfy my needs. For if

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<v Speaker 2>I grow rich, I might deny you and say, you know,

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<v Speaker 2>who needs the Lord? Who's the Lord? And if I'm

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<v Speaker 2>too poor, I may steal and thus insult God's holy name.

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<v Speaker 2>Now this is what I call healthy, balanced perspective on wealth.

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<v Speaker 2>Most people are willing to pray the first half of

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<v Speaker 2>this prayer. God, don't make me too poor. And we'll

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<v Speaker 2>all pray that one. God, don't make me too poor.

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<v Speaker 2>Are you willing to pray the other half? God, don't

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<v Speaker 2>make me too rich. Because either extreme, can cause you

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<v Speaker 2>to forget God. Wealth can make you prideful, so who

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<v Speaker 2>needs God? And poverty can make you bitter. I need

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<v Speaker 2>to remember that my life is not about things. Finally,

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<v Speaker 2>number four, I focus on what will last forever. I

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<v Speaker 2>give my attention to permanent values. I build my life

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<v Speaker 2>on eternal priorities. I focus on what will last forever.

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<v Speaker 2>And nothing you see is gonna last forever. It's gonna

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<v Speaker 2>rust out, wear out, decay. Every possession is temporary. So

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<v Speaker 2>don't build your life on possessing possessions. This building will

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<v Speaker 2>one day decay, rust, and fall over. The trees out

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<v Speaker 2>here will one day die and shrivel. Everything is going

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<v Speaker 2>to vanish. In fact, the Bible says one day there'll

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<v Speaker 2>be a new heaven and a new earth. It's all

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<v Speaker 2>going away. There are only two things that are gonna

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<v Speaker 2>last forever. The word of God and people. The word

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<v Speaker 2>of God is gonna last forever. The Bible says heaven

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<v Speaker 2>and earth will pass away, but my word will never

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<v Speaker 2>pass away. The Bible says the grass withers, the flower fades,

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<v Speaker 2>but the word of God abides forever. This is why

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<v Speaker 2>you need to read this book, because if it's true,

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<v Speaker 2>it was a true 1,000 years ago, and it'll be

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<v Speaker 2>true a million years from today. Truth does not change. Now,

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<v Speaker 2>if I asked how many of you believe everything you

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<v Speaker 2>read in the newspaper, nobody raise your hand, or watch

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<v Speaker 2>on TV or the internet or in a magazine, But

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<v Speaker 2>if I asked how many believe what's in the Bible,

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<v Speaker 2>it's true, you'd raise your hand. Why do we spend

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<v Speaker 2>more time reading what we don't believe than what we do? Oh,

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<v Speaker 2>and there's one other thing that's gonna last forever, people.

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<v Speaker 2>One of two places, heaven or hell. You say, Rick,

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<v Speaker 2>you believe in heaven? No, of course I do, why?

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<v Speaker 2>Because Jesus said it's real, and Jesus is not a liar.

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<v Speaker 2>And he knows more about it than you or me.

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<v Speaker 2>And if there is no heaven or hell, then Jesus

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<v Speaker 2>coming and dying on the cross so you could go

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<v Speaker 2>there is a total waste. There is a real heaven,

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<v Speaker 2>there is a real hell. And we are to invest

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<v Speaker 2>our lives in people and building relationships and building love

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<v Speaker 2>with them. Look at this verse, 2 Corinthians 4. We

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<v Speaker 2>fix our attention, circle that, that means focus. Focus on

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<v Speaker 2>what's gonna last forever. We fix our attention, not on

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<v Speaker 2>the things that are seen, but the things that are unseen.

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<v Speaker 2>Because what can be seen only lasts for a little while, time.

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<v Speaker 2>But what can't be seen will last forever. So you

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<v Speaker 2>gotta decide, am I gonna build my life on acquisition

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<v Speaker 2>of things or relationships with people? Am I gonna focus

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<v Speaker 2>on people or am I gonna focus on possessions? Am

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<v Speaker 2>I gonna focus on riches or am I gonna focus

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<v Speaker 2>on relationships? So you got a choice to make and

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<v Speaker 2>that is where are you gonna get your lifestyle? Because

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<v Speaker 2>the world is telling you the exact opposite of everything

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<v Speaker 2>I've taught you today. Everything in the world, in fact

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<v Speaker 2>an entire advertising industry is built on the idea of

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<v Speaker 2>you gotta get more to be more happy, more successful,

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<v Speaker 2>more important, more valuable, more secure. So you gotta decide,

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<v Speaker 2>am I gonna listen to Madison Avenue or am I

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<v Speaker 2>gonna listen to the master? Am I gonna listen to

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<v Speaker 2>culture or am I gonna listen to Christ? Am I

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<v Speaker 2>gonna listen to the world or am I gonna listen

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<v Speaker 2>to the word? One will make you dissatisfied the rest

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<v Speaker 2>of your life, one will make you happy. Before we

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<v Speaker 2>can move to these other laws of financial freedom, you

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<v Speaker 2>gotta settle this issue of the law of contentment in

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<v Speaker 2>your life. And you have to ask yourself, what is

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<v Speaker 2>the primary purpose of my life? To just get more?

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<v Speaker 2>You gotta be kidding me. I'm leaving it all here anyway.

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<v Speaker 2>What do I think about, talk about, give my most to?

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<v Speaker 2>What am I living my life for? Just to get more?

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<v Speaker 2>There was a very famous philosopher woman millionaire in Orange

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<v Speaker 2>County died many years ago and at the funeral somebody said,

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<v Speaker 2>she took her life, she committed suicide. Somebody at the

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<v Speaker 2>funeral said, I don't understand it, she had so much

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<v Speaker 2>to live for. And I thought, no, wrong. She had

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<v Speaker 2>so much to live on, she had nothing to live for.

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<v Speaker 2>You may have a lot to live on, do you

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<v Speaker 2>have anything to live for? Do you have a relationship

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<v Speaker 2>with God? You see, I invite you to get off

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<v Speaker 2>the treadmill today and adopt God's value system. You see,

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<v Speaker 2>the myth of the world is you can have it all.

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<v Speaker 2>The truth is, you can't have it all, and more important,

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<v Speaker 2>you don't need it all to be happy. You don't.

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<v Speaker 2>You're as happy as you choose to be. And the

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<v Speaker 2>secret of contentment, if you don't get anything else, get this,

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<v Speaker 2>the secret of contentment is finding my security and my

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<v Speaker 2>self and my satisfaction Not in what I have, but

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<v Speaker 2>in whose I am, who I belong to. You find

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<v Speaker 2>it in Christ. Closing verse on the screen, Psalm 17.

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<v Speaker 2>But as for me, in other words, as opposed to

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<v Speaker 2>all those who are buying into the Madison Avenue shtick,

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<v Speaker 2>but as for me, my contentment is not in wealth,

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<v Speaker 2>but in seeing you and knowing all is wealth. Between us,

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<v Speaker 2>you and me, God, that's where my satisfaction, that's where

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<v Speaker 2>my contentment comes from, being in tune with my creator.

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<v Speaker 2>And when I awake in heaven one day, I will

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<v Speaker 2>be fully satisfied, for I will see you face to face.

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<v Speaker 2>Let's bow our heads. Are you suffering from the effects

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<v Speaker 2>of always wanting more? What are those effects again? Well,

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<v Speaker 2>you're tired all the time. You're in debt. You have

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<v Speaker 2>added expenses. You worry about your finances. You have conflict

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<v Speaker 2>over money. You are dissatisfied and you are envious of

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<v Speaker 2>what others have. These are the signs that you have

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<v Speaker 2>not learned the law of contentment. Would you pray this

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<v Speaker 2>prayer in your heart? Dear God, I have been fooled

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<v Speaker 2>into thinking that having more would make me more happy.

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<v Speaker 2>And God, I've been so busy trying to get more

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<v Speaker 2>that I've had no time to be grateful and enjoy

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<v Speaker 2>what I already have. And you have given me so much.

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<v Speaker 2>Forgive me for comparing myself to others. Forgive me for

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<v Speaker 2>coveting and comparing. Help me to find my security in you,

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<v Speaker 2>not in possessions. and not in what other people think

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<v Speaker 2>about me. I don't wanna be materialistic. I wanna be

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<v Speaker 2>generous with others. And to help me remember that life

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<v Speaker 2>is not about things, I wanted to develop the habit

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<v Speaker 2>of tithing to you. Most of all, Lord, I wanna

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<v Speaker 2>find my security and myself and my satisfaction in you, Jesus.

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<v Speaker 2>My finances are out of control and I need a

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<v Speaker 2>life manager. Jesus Christ, become the manager of my life.

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<v Speaker 2>Guide me in this area and in every other area.

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<v Speaker 2>I want to learn to love and trust you in

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<v Speaker 2>your name. Amen.

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<v Speaker 1>Did you just pray with Pastor Rick to accept Jesus? Well,

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<v Speaker 1>if you did, congratulations. And if you email rick at pastorrick.com

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<v Speaker 1>and let us know that you prayed that prayer, we're

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<v Speaker 1>going to send you some free materials to help you

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<v Speaker 1>on your spiritual journey. All right, if you're looking for

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<v Speaker 1>daily encouragement from God's Word, I'd like to invite you

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<v Speaker 1>to download the Daily Hope app. It's designed to help

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<v Speaker 1>you grow in your faith every day. It has easy

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<v Speaker 1>access to devotionals, audio messages you can listen to anywhere,

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<v Speaker 1>and video teaching right at your fingertips. You can even

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<v Speaker 1>search for topics that matter to you and set a

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<v Speaker 1>daily reminder so you never miss time with God. Just

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<v Speaker 1>search Daily Hope in the Apple App Store or Google Play,

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<v Speaker 1>and I hope it's a real blessing to you. Be

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<v Speaker 1>sure to join us next time as we look into

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<v Speaker 1>God's Word for our Daily Hope. This program is sponsored

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<v Speaker 1>by Pastor Rick's Daily Hope and your generous financial support.