WEBVTT 1 00:00:01.320 --> 00:00:04.519 Human beings are the only animal that God created that 2 00:00:04.559 --> 00:00:06.839 when you pat them on the back, their head swells. 3 00:00:09.919 --> 00:00:12.800 So we want to talk about the danger of pride 4 00:00:13.199 --> 00:00:16.879 and arrogance and ego when you're successful, because it's easy 5 00:00:16.879 --> 00:00:19.199 to forget God. This is just as much a test 6 00:00:19.519 --> 00:00:22.039 as all the tough times you go through, and it's 7 00:00:22.120 --> 00:00:25.760 one that we often don't understand. But Daniel chapter four 8 00:00:25.879 --> 00:00:29.640 tells us how King nebecan Nezer that we've been looking 9 00:00:29.640 --> 00:00:33.159 at for several weeks now, literally lost everything because of 10 00:00:33.200 --> 00:00:37.359 his pride, his arrogance, and his ego. And so his 11 00:00:37.479 --> 00:00:40.920 life just collapses in a very public and humiliating way, 12 00:00:41.240 --> 00:00:43.479 and we see it all the time. In fact, the 13 00:00:43.520 --> 00:00:48.000 news love to cover this kind of stuff. But God 14 00:00:48.039 --> 00:00:53.280 has mercy on nebecon Ezer. And after this period of humiliation, 15 00:00:53.399 --> 00:00:55.200 whether it's two and a half years or a couple 16 00:00:55.240 --> 00:00:58.880 of years or seven years, we don't know, he restored 17 00:00:58.880 --> 00:01:02.000 his mind. I want you to see now the steps 18 00:01:02.039 --> 00:01:06.840 nebucan Azer's hook back to sanity. First, look up to God, 19 00:01:07.599 --> 00:01:11.879 Look up to God. And the Bible says in Daniel four, 20 00:01:11.959 --> 00:01:15.879 verse thirty four, at this time, after this time had passed, 21 00:01:15.920 --> 00:01:19.959 you know when he had lost his mind. I Nebucanzar, 22 00:01:20.359 --> 00:01:23.519 he's given the testimony. This chapter is his testimony. I 23 00:01:23.680 --> 00:01:31.040 nebican Azer, looked up to heaven and my sanity returned. Literally, 24 00:01:31.319 --> 00:01:33.920 it says in the Hebrews, he lifted up his eyes 25 00:01:34.079 --> 00:01:36.760 to heaven. Do you need to do that today? The 26 00:01:36.840 --> 00:01:39.200 second thing he did is he woke up. Here's the 27 00:01:39.200 --> 00:01:44.560 second step. Wake up to God's greatness and start worshiping. 28 00:01:45.400 --> 00:01:48.959 Wake up to God's greatness, not your own greatness, but 29 00:01:49.040 --> 00:01:52.439 God's greatness, and start worshiping him. Worshiping me just means 30 00:01:52.439 --> 00:01:56.799 focus on God. Verse thirty four, Neber says, my sanity 31 00:01:56.959 --> 00:02:01.480 returned and I praised and were shipped the most high, 32 00:02:01.560 --> 00:02:05.239 that's God, and I honored the one who lives forever. 33 00:02:05.319 --> 00:02:08.800 This is the second step to recovery. My sanity returned 34 00:02:08.840 --> 00:02:11.360 when I started praising and worshiping and you know, being 35 00:02:11.400 --> 00:02:13.560 grateful for the things God has done in my life. Now, 36 00:02:13.639 --> 00:02:16.039 I want you to write this down. I don't know 37 00:02:16.039 --> 00:02:18.879 what bad thing you're going through right now, but I 38 00:02:18.879 --> 00:02:22.599 will tell you this. We get better. We get better 39 00:02:22.840 --> 00:02:28.159 when we replace pride with praise. We get better in 40 00:02:28.240 --> 00:02:31.520 any area of our lives when we replace pride in 41 00:02:31.599 --> 00:02:37.240 ourselves with praise to God. Are they going to just think, Hey, 42 00:02:37.240 --> 00:02:41.039 look how cool we are I am, or look how 43 00:02:41.080 --> 00:02:44.759 cool God is. I would not have any of this 44 00:02:45.039 --> 00:02:48.759 if it weren't for God. You know, about a thousand 45 00:02:48.840 --> 00:02:52.759 years before this event. This happened about two five hundred 46 00:02:52.800 --> 00:02:55.800 years ago. A thousand years for this event, Moses said 47 00:02:55.840 --> 00:02:58.120 the same thing to the Jews, who were coming out 48 00:02:58.159 --> 00:03:01.319 of four hundred years slavery in Egypt. God had promised 49 00:03:01.360 --> 00:03:04.759 for generations, I'm going to save you, and I'm going 50 00:03:04.800 --> 00:03:07.080 to take you out of slavery from Egypt, and I'm 51 00:03:07.120 --> 00:03:08.840 going to give you a land of your own. It's 52 00:03:08.840 --> 00:03:11.759 called the Promised Land, and it's a cool place. And 53 00:03:11.759 --> 00:03:14.520 they spent forty years walking across the desert where God 54 00:03:14.680 --> 00:03:21.280 tests them many times. And Moses actually more afraid of 55 00:03:21.319 --> 00:03:24.599 the success in the Promised Land than he is of 56 00:03:24.639 --> 00:03:28.840 the slavery in Egypt. He's much more worried. He says, 57 00:03:28.960 --> 00:03:30.680 I'm afraid you guys are going to stop depending on 58 00:03:30.759 --> 00:03:33.280 God when things are going good, when you're in the 59 00:03:33.280 --> 00:03:36.280 gravy years of your life. And so he says this. 60 00:03:36.400 --> 00:03:38.960 He gives this warning before they go into the Promised 61 00:03:39.039 --> 00:03:46.080 Land Deuteronomy eight, verse two. Remember how God led you 62 00:03:46.199 --> 00:03:48.919 through the wilderness these past forty years. He's talking to 63 00:03:49.120 --> 00:03:53.759 the Jews have been slaved, enslaved, and freed. He humbled 64 00:03:53.800 --> 00:03:56.680 you while you're out there in the wilderness by letting 65 00:03:56.719 --> 00:04:01.759 you go hungry. You know, sometimes God humbles you by 66 00:04:01.840 --> 00:04:05.280 letting you go hungry. You're hungry for a relationship you 67 00:04:05.319 --> 00:04:08.439 don't have. You're hungry for a need or a job 68 00:04:08.520 --> 00:04:11.159 or something that you don't have. And God lets you 69 00:04:11.319 --> 00:04:15.000 go hungry in order to humble you. He said, he 70 00:04:15.039 --> 00:04:19.319 humbled you, and he said he tested you with hardships 71 00:04:19.399 --> 00:04:22.120 many times. We're all familiar with that, to test your 72 00:04:22.199 --> 00:04:24.800 character and to see if you will obey whatever he 73 00:04:24.839 --> 00:04:26.879 commands you to do. Will you obey God when things 74 00:04:26.920 --> 00:04:30.759 aren't going good? Now, he says, here comes the other test, 75 00:04:30.800 --> 00:04:34.279 the test of success. Now God is bringing you into 76 00:04:34.319 --> 00:04:37.480 a good land. This is the Promised land, a land 77 00:04:37.519 --> 00:04:39.879 with plenty of water. I'm gonna have all you want, 78 00:04:40.360 --> 00:04:45.519 with bountiful crops, with orchards full of fruit, with abundant 79 00:04:45.600 --> 00:04:47.639 copper and iron in the ground, so you can build 80 00:04:47.680 --> 00:04:52.199 your tools, make your tools, and you will lack nothing. 81 00:04:53.279 --> 00:04:55.160 Your bank account will be big enough. You're not worried 82 00:04:55.160 --> 00:04:59.040 about paying your bills anymore. So, he says, when you're 83 00:04:59.079 --> 00:05:05.040 full and you're satisfied and you're prospering, praise the Lord. 84 00:05:06.000 --> 00:05:09.639 Praise the Lord with gratitude for all he has given you. 85 00:05:10.000 --> 00:05:13.920 The attitude of gratitude is the first line of defense 86 00:05:14.560 --> 00:05:19.160 against falling into ego and arrogance. The more grateful you are, 87 00:05:19.399 --> 00:05:23.279 the more humble you will be. The more prideful you are, 88 00:05:23.519 --> 00:05:26.920 the less grateful you are, So, he says, praise God. 89 00:05:27.360 --> 00:05:29.720 Remember you got two choices. When things are going good 90 00:05:29.720 --> 00:05:32.199 and you're like, praise God or be proud of myself, 91 00:05:33.240 --> 00:05:36.279 he says. When you're full and satisfied, be grateful to God. 92 00:05:36.319 --> 00:05:40.480 But he says, be careful. This is a warning danger 93 00:05:40.480 --> 00:05:44.360 Will Robinson, warning that you do not forget the Lord, 94 00:05:45.920 --> 00:05:49.040 that you continue always to obey every command of God. 95 00:05:49.279 --> 00:05:53.560 It's so easy to forget God when things are going good. Otherwise, 96 00:05:53.839 --> 00:05:58.560 when you have built your fine houses, and your gold 97 00:05:58.600 --> 00:06:01.199 and silver have multiplied, you got money in the bank, 98 00:06:02.000 --> 00:06:07.000 your stock portfolio is doing good, your heart will become proud. 99 00:06:07.319 --> 00:06:11.639 Here's praise and pride contrasted, and you will forget that 100 00:06:11.680 --> 00:06:14.560 it was God who saved and delivered you out of 101 00:06:14.600 --> 00:06:17.399 your slavery and gave all this to you. Have you 102 00:06:17.439 --> 00:06:23.279 forgotten that? And when you become successful, do not think 103 00:06:24.519 --> 00:06:27.160 I did this all by my own strength, and I 104 00:06:27.279 --> 00:06:31.079 became rich by my own power. You know, Look how 105 00:06:31.079 --> 00:06:35.680 cool I am. I'm Entrepreneur of the year. Instead, remember 106 00:06:35.759 --> 00:06:40.199 that it is God, your Lord, who gives you the 107 00:06:40.240 --> 00:06:44.759 ability and strength to produce wealth. Those guys, those of 108 00:06:44.759 --> 00:06:46.600 you who are entrepreneurs, you need to write that verse 109 00:06:46.639 --> 00:06:48.920 down and put it in your car and on your 110 00:06:49.439 --> 00:06:52.360 desk and in your mirror. That it is God who 111 00:06:52.399 --> 00:06:55.600 gives you the ability to strength to produce wealth. That 112 00:06:55.759 --> 00:06:58.519 is a gift from God. That is a gift from God, 113 00:06:58.560 --> 00:07:00.439 and you need to thinking for it. He says. I 114 00:07:00.519 --> 00:07:04.639 warn you if you ever forget God and you begin 115 00:07:04.759 --> 00:07:07.839 turning things into idols that you worship. I turned my 116 00:07:07.959 --> 00:07:10.160 car into an idol, and I turned my boat, and 117 00:07:10.600 --> 00:07:13.920 I turned my career. I turned things that we've created 118 00:07:14.439 --> 00:07:19.360 into idols instead of worshiping the creator of everything, He says, 119 00:07:19.399 --> 00:07:21.560 I warn you if you ever forget God and begin 120 00:07:21.639 --> 00:07:24.839 turning things into idols that you worship, God will destroy 121 00:07:24.920 --> 00:07:31.079 it all and your nation, just as He has destroyed 122 00:07:31.160 --> 00:07:36.000 other nations before you who forgot God. I don't know 123 00:07:36.120 --> 00:07:38.959 another verse on the Bible that is needed by America. 124 00:07:39.000 --> 00:07:47.519 Then that verse right now our nation has forgotten God. 125 00:07:48.560 --> 00:07:52.839 Let's just remember this nation was founded by believers, Christians 126 00:07:52.920 --> 00:07:56.439 who came to America. They were called pilgrims, to start 127 00:07:56.519 --> 00:08:00.000 a new country, a new land where they could worship 128 00:08:00.079 --> 00:08:04.000 God freely. They came for religious readers reasons they were 129 00:08:04.040 --> 00:08:07.399 called pilgrims. They're the pilgrim fathers of this jurch. And 130 00:08:07.480 --> 00:08:10.720 for three hundred years, the Bible was taught in every 131 00:08:10.920 --> 00:08:16.079 single classroom in America for three hundred years. It's only 132 00:08:16.120 --> 00:08:20.839 been taken out of schools about the past seventy five years. 133 00:08:23.240 --> 00:08:28.439 And we've forgotten God. And I shuddered to think what 134 00:08:28.560 --> 00:08:33.720 could happen to our nation, to our country. What is 135 00:08:33.720 --> 00:08:38.039 he saying here? Success is dangerous? He saying, be careful. 136 00:08:38.399 --> 00:08:40.840 There is a danger when you experience the blessing of God. 137 00:08:41.120 --> 00:08:43.919 You see, let me just put this perspective for you. 138 00:08:43.919 --> 00:08:47.240 Your greatest test in life not maybe when you lose 139 00:08:47.279 --> 00:08:51.720 your job, but when you get a new job and 140 00:08:51.720 --> 00:08:53.720 all of a sudden, you're so involved in it, you 141 00:08:53.840 --> 00:08:57.159 forget God and church and worship and service and ministry 142 00:08:57.440 --> 00:09:01.000 and all these other things. You're great. A spiritual test 143 00:09:01.080 --> 00:09:03.200 in life may not be when you go into debt, 144 00:09:03.240 --> 00:09:07.000 but when you get a raise and you go out 145 00:09:07.000 --> 00:09:09.320 and you buy some stuff to keep you from thinking 146 00:09:09.320 --> 00:09:13.440 about God because you're so busy. You know, out say look, 147 00:09:13.440 --> 00:09:14.799 we're this week and we're not going to church. We're 148 00:09:14.799 --> 00:09:20.240 gonna do recreation. We're gonna wreck creation at the lake, 149 00:09:20.279 --> 00:09:22.399 at the beach, at the river. We're gonna go w 150 00:09:22.399 --> 00:09:29.000 rec creation. And so you get a raise. Let me 151 00:09:29.080 --> 00:09:31.440 just tell you here's what you do. When God blesses 152 00:09:31.480 --> 00:09:35.600 your life. You welcome it. Thank you God for this blessing. 153 00:09:36.279 --> 00:09:40.440 You celebrate God's blessing in your life. You celebrate the successes, 154 00:09:40.840 --> 00:09:42.720 But then you get on your knees and you're humble 155 00:09:42.759 --> 00:09:44.600 yourself as a god. I realize I wouldn't have any 156 00:09:44.600 --> 00:09:46.519 of this warnt for you. I could have been born 157 00:09:46.879 --> 00:09:54.240 in Sudan or Biafra, Pakistan, me and mar. I could 158 00:09:54.240 --> 00:09:57.240 be a homeless kid on the streets somewhere. I didn't 159 00:09:57.279 --> 00:09:59.120 choose when and where I was born. I didn't choose 160 00:09:59.120 --> 00:10:01.639 my natural giftedness. I didn't choose my talents. I didn't 161 00:10:01.679 --> 00:10:05.120 choose the freedoms that I have to excel. It all 162 00:10:05.159 --> 00:10:09.080 comes from you, God, and you humble yourself. 163 00:10:21.679 --> 00:10:24.080 If you want to live a life full of purpose 164 00:10:24.200 --> 00:10:27.799 and joy, then you need to transform the way you think. 165 00:10:28.080 --> 00:10:31.240 And to help you do this, Pastorick created a brand 166 00:10:31.320 --> 00:10:34.960 new set of scripture cards with fifty two hand selected 167 00:10:35.039 --> 00:10:40.159 verses from his series Rethinking Your Life. These verses will 168 00:10:40.200 --> 00:10:43.919 guide you into a deeper understanding of your purpose and faith, 169 00:10:44.200 --> 00:10:48.120 and you'll find yourself gaining the strength to overcome temptation 170 00:10:48.480 --> 00:10:52.879 and conquer discouragement. When you allow God's word to transform 171 00:10:52.960 --> 00:10:56.279 your mind, you'll see your life through his eyes, apply 172 00:10:56.480 --> 00:11:00.759 his wisdom, and step into a life of purpose and joy. 173 00:11:00.799 --> 00:11:04.360 This set of beautifully designed cards will help you memorize 174 00:11:04.360 --> 00:11:07.639 scripture so you can recall God's word when you need 175 00:11:07.639 --> 00:11:11.039 it the most. And today, when you give a gift 176 00:11:11.120 --> 00:11:14.000 to help daily hope, take the hope of Jesus to 177 00:11:14.080 --> 00:11:17.399 a world in need, will send you the Rethinking your 178 00:11:17.440 --> 00:11:20.519 Life scripture card set to say thanks. 179 00:11:29.799 --> 00:11:33.919 Now. While while nebican Ezer is going through this recovery, 180 00:11:34.039 --> 00:11:36.519 he learns four things about God he wants to tell 181 00:11:36.559 --> 00:11:38.919 the whole world about him. And the next four statements 182 00:11:38.960 --> 00:11:41.559 I want you to write down because these are statements 183 00:11:41.559 --> 00:11:45.399 that will stabilize your life. Whether you're going through success 184 00:11:45.720 --> 00:11:48.440 or suffering, doesn't matter good times or bad times. You 185 00:11:48.559 --> 00:11:51.120 need to always remember these four things that God is 186 00:11:51.159 --> 00:11:54.919 in control. Write these down. Four things Nebcanzer says about 187 00:11:54.919 --> 00:11:59.039 God that he learned in his fall. Number one, God's 188 00:11:59.120 --> 00:12:04.720 kingdom will outlast everything I do. God's Kingdom will outlast 189 00:12:04.840 --> 00:12:09.840 everything I do. So if you want to make a 190 00:12:10.000 --> 00:12:14.320 lasting impact with your life, bet on the Kingdom of God. 191 00:12:15.200 --> 00:12:19.360 Your career is not going to last, but the Kingdom 192 00:12:19.360 --> 00:12:22.720 of God is going to last forever. Verse thirty four. 193 00:12:22.799 --> 00:12:26.759 God's rule is ever lasting and his kingdom is eternal. 194 00:12:27.039 --> 00:12:29.840 That's why Jesus said, seek first, make your number one 195 00:12:29.879 --> 00:12:32.799 priority the Kingdom of God. And all this other stuff 196 00:12:33.120 --> 00:12:36.559 that you need, the passion, the pleasure of the position, 197 00:12:36.799 --> 00:12:38.559 all the stuff you need, it'll be taken care of. 198 00:12:39.039 --> 00:12:40.879 Seek first the Kingdom of God, and all these things 199 00:12:40.919 --> 00:12:43.519 will be added under. You said, make your number one 200 00:12:43.519 --> 00:12:46.440 priority something that's going to last. Not my career, not 201 00:12:46.559 --> 00:12:50.600 my reputation, but God's Kingdom. Build your life on God's kingdom. 202 00:12:50.639 --> 00:12:53.759 It's far more important than your career. God didn't put 203 00:12:53.840 --> 00:12:56.919 you here just for your career, So he says, I 204 00:12:57.039 --> 00:12:59.039 learned God's kingdom is going to outlast everything I do. 205 00:12:59.120 --> 00:13:02.039 Second thing he learned was this, God's approval matters more 206 00:13:02.039 --> 00:13:06.039 than all the others. Everybody else's may disapprove of me, 207 00:13:06.080 --> 00:13:08.360 but if God approves of me, doesn't really matter. You 208 00:13:08.399 --> 00:13:12.200 only need one person's approval, God's. If God likes you 209 00:13:12.240 --> 00:13:14.240 and you like you, it doesn't matter what anybals thinks. 210 00:13:15.120 --> 00:13:17.480 You don't need other people's approval to be happy. You 211 00:13:17.600 --> 00:13:21.039 just need God's approval. In Verse thirty five, says all 212 00:13:21.039 --> 00:13:24.320 the people on the earth are nothing compared to him. 213 00:13:25.600 --> 00:13:27.879 Who do you want when you die? Who do you want? 214 00:13:27.919 --> 00:13:31.960 Saying good job? The people around you are God, You 215 00:13:32.080 --> 00:13:33.919 made your life count. Who do you want saying that 216 00:13:34.000 --> 00:13:38.080 God are just a bunch of people. Third thing he learned, 217 00:13:38.240 --> 00:13:46.799 God's power is absolute, which means He's big enough for 218 00:13:46.879 --> 00:13:51.080 any problem you're going to face. In your success verse 219 00:13:51.120 --> 00:13:55.559 thirty five and thirty seven, Nebukanezer says this he God 220 00:13:55.799 --> 00:13:59.000 has the power to do whatever he pleases. He can 221 00:13:59.039 --> 00:14:01.480 do it Among the angels and he can do it 222 00:14:01.480 --> 00:14:04.320 with those who live on earth. Okay, his power is absolute. 223 00:14:04.559 --> 00:14:08.159 No one can stop him or challenge him or even 224 00:14:08.240 --> 00:14:13.679 question what he does. And those who walk in pride, 225 00:14:13.799 --> 00:14:18.360 he is able to humble and Nebukanazar would have said, 226 00:14:18.440 --> 00:14:23.399 and I'm exhibit a. Okay, I was the most prideful 227 00:14:23.480 --> 00:14:27.399 man on the planet, and God humbled me. Now look 228 00:14:27.399 --> 00:14:30.840 at verse the next verse, verse thirty six. Yeah, thirty 229 00:14:30.879 --> 00:14:35.639 six said when God restored my sanity, he also gave 230 00:14:35.720 --> 00:14:38.679 me back my honor and kingdom. This is true. This 231 00:14:38.720 --> 00:14:42.279 is what happened. And all my leaders returned to me, 232 00:14:43.840 --> 00:14:48.639 and my kingdom became greater than ever, he said, all 233 00:14:48.679 --> 00:14:51.240 my leaders returned to me, my kingdom became greater than ever. 234 00:14:51.559 --> 00:14:55.360 So now I praise, and I exalt and I glorify. 235 00:14:55.519 --> 00:14:59.759 That's called worship the King of Heaven. That's God, he said. 236 00:14:59.799 --> 00:15:02.519 I'm king, but he's the King of Heaven because everything 237 00:15:02.639 --> 00:15:07.080 he does. God does is always right, it's always true, 238 00:15:07.519 --> 00:15:09.879 and it's always fair. Now that means here's the fourth 239 00:15:09.919 --> 00:15:12.519 thing he learned. Write it down. God never makes any mistakes. 240 00:15:14.159 --> 00:15:18.840 We do, but he doesn't. We don't understand why everything's happening. 241 00:15:19.000 --> 00:15:23.159 But we do he does, and we don't have to understand. 242 00:15:23.519 --> 00:15:25.399 I'm sure the people in Babylon said, wait a minute, 243 00:15:25.480 --> 00:15:28.279 we got a leader who went insane for seven years. 244 00:15:30.720 --> 00:15:34.000 God's still in control. All these things are saying God 245 00:15:34.159 --> 00:15:38.840 is in control. So what does he do? He looks 246 00:15:38.960 --> 00:15:42.840 up to God and then he wakes up to his 247 00:15:42.919 --> 00:15:46.399 greatness and he's in control, and he worships God. And 248 00:15:46.440 --> 00:15:48.480 then the third thing that the king did, and you 249 00:15:48.519 --> 00:15:51.039 need to do this when you're going through a failure. 250 00:15:51.320 --> 00:15:53.240 He looked up, he woke up, and then he spoke 251 00:15:53.320 --> 00:15:57.759 up about his recovery. Tell others how God has saved 252 00:15:58.000 --> 00:16:06.200 and changed me, others how God has saved and changed me. Now, 253 00:16:06.200 --> 00:16:09.039 I love the fact that this is a pretty humiliating 254 00:16:09.080 --> 00:16:12.039 experience to be the most important man in the planet, 255 00:16:12.200 --> 00:16:14.840 on the planet and now you're, as I said, out 256 00:16:14.840 --> 00:16:17.559 there drooling in the desert and you can't even put 257 00:16:17.600 --> 00:16:21.919 sentences together. He's not shy, he's not embarrassed about his fall. 258 00:16:22.480 --> 00:16:25.639 He's not embarrassed about how God restored him. In fact, 259 00:16:25.679 --> 00:16:28.879 he tells the entire world. He'll tell anybody who listens, 260 00:16:29.360 --> 00:16:33.120 And the Bible says this King nebukan Azar sent a 261 00:16:33.240 --> 00:16:37.480 letter to the people of every race and nation and 262 00:16:37.679 --> 00:16:41.240 language throughout the world. By the way, that letter, it's 263 00:16:41.279 --> 00:16:44.799 this chapter, it's this is his story. This is this 264 00:16:44.840 --> 00:16:49.559 is his story. This, by the way, is nebucan Azer's 265 00:16:49.639 --> 00:16:55.159 celebrate recovery story. It's his testimony. If nebuc we're here today, 266 00:16:55.279 --> 00:16:58.039 he'd stand up and he's say, hi, my name is 267 00:16:58.080 --> 00:17:03.480 nebucan Azer. I'm a believer who struck with pride. You 268 00:17:03.600 --> 00:17:07.960 realize he Nevks is going to be in heaven. You're 269 00:17:07.960 --> 00:17:10.559 going to meet him there. This Babylonian king is going 270 00:17:10.599 --> 00:17:13.680 to be there because he became a believer and a 271 00:17:13.680 --> 00:17:15.759 worshiper of the One True God. He's going to be 272 00:17:15.839 --> 00:17:19.279 there in heaven and you can meet him. And he says, 273 00:17:19.799 --> 00:17:22.079 I wrote this letter to the leaders of all the 274 00:17:22.119 --> 00:17:24.680 world throughout the nay, every nation. He said, this may 275 00:17:24.759 --> 00:17:27.640 you prosper. That's how he starts his letter. I want 276 00:17:27.680 --> 00:17:30.920 to tell you about the wonderful miracles that God has 277 00:17:31.000 --> 00:17:33.519 done for me. And then he tells his story to 278 00:17:33.640 --> 00:17:36.000 all the leaders of the world through a letter. I'd 279 00:17:36.079 --> 00:17:38.200 like getting a letter from the king of the greatest 280 00:17:38.240 --> 00:17:45.519 Empire telling you his testimony. He told other people he 281 00:17:45.599 --> 00:17:47.599 woke up, he looked up, he spoke up, and he 282 00:17:47.640 --> 00:17:52.039 looked up, and he woke up, and he spoke up. Now, 283 00:17:52.960 --> 00:17:55.640 let me ask you a question. Has God done anything 284 00:17:55.640 --> 00:18:02.720 for you? Has God saved you from many thing? Has 285 00:18:02.720 --> 00:18:06.319 He shown his grace to you in any way? Have 286 00:18:06.440 --> 00:18:11.799 you been changed by God in any way? Then? Who 287 00:18:12.200 --> 00:18:18.480 are you telling? Are you telling anybody how good God 288 00:18:18.519 --> 00:18:21.559 has been to you? Are you telling anybody how good 289 00:18:21.599 --> 00:18:26.839 God has been to you? Well? No, why not? Why 290 00:18:26.880 --> 00:18:30.559 have you not told your story to anybody else? Well, 291 00:18:30.599 --> 00:18:37.119 you know, kind of embarrassing to do that. That's called pride. 292 00:18:37.319 --> 00:18:40.119 That's your problem. That's the very problem that got this 293 00:18:40.160 --> 00:18:42.880 guy in trouble. When you are saying, well, I don't 294 00:18:42.880 --> 00:18:44.519 want to talk about God with my friends, with the 295 00:18:44.559 --> 00:18:49.000 people I work with, that's called pride. It's saying I'm 296 00:18:49.039 --> 00:18:52.519 embarrassed to say God has been good to me. I'm 297 00:18:52.559 --> 00:19:00.160 embarrassed to talk about how He's changed my life. That's pride. 298 00:19:00.839 --> 00:19:05.359 You need to think about that one. You need to 299 00:19:05.400 --> 00:19:07.720 tell the whole world if God has helped you. One 300 00:19:07.720 --> 00:19:10.000 of the ways you show your humility is by telling 301 00:19:10.079 --> 00:19:12.480 us who have you invited? The church recently? Who have 302 00:19:12.519 --> 00:19:15.160 you ever brought to church? Who have you ever said, Hey, look, 303 00:19:15.200 --> 00:19:16.680 God did something for me. I need to tell you 304 00:19:16.680 --> 00:19:22.599 about it. That's an act of gratitude. You know. The 305 00:19:22.640 --> 00:19:25.000 whole story that we've just looked at today boils down 306 00:19:25.000 --> 00:19:27.920 to God is God and you're not. He's in control. 307 00:19:28.160 --> 00:19:30.559 And when you remember that, whether you're in success or 308 00:19:30.599 --> 00:19:33.599 you're in suffering, it's going to keep you stable and 309 00:19:33.720 --> 00:19:36.240 keep you humble and keep you from falling. You won't 310 00:19:36.240 --> 00:19:40.880 forget God. That's bow our heads for prayer. So God, 311 00:19:40.920 --> 00:19:45.079 I don't want to get complacent and comfortable in my life. 312 00:19:46.480 --> 00:19:51.640 I want to pay attention to the warning signs and 313 00:19:51.680 --> 00:19:53.799 I want to stop putting off. What I know to 314 00:19:53.880 --> 00:19:59.400 do is write. I don't want to procrastinate anymore. I 315 00:19:59.400 --> 00:20:04.279 want to humb myself before you. I first take this step. 316 00:20:04.359 --> 00:20:08.200 I look up to God. Some of you this is 317 00:20:08.240 --> 00:20:10.559 the first time you've ever done this, say God, for 318 00:20:10.599 --> 00:20:13.119 the first time, I'm looking up to you. I've looked 319 00:20:13.160 --> 00:20:17.200 to myself and everybody else for the solution. But I'm 320 00:20:17.240 --> 00:20:22.480 saying today you are God and I'm not. And I'm 321 00:20:22.480 --> 00:20:25.599 sorry for the times I've acted like it. You know 322 00:20:25.640 --> 00:20:29.720 what's best and I don't say, God, I want to 323 00:20:29.799 --> 00:20:33.839 wake up to your greatness and I want to start 324 00:20:33.880 --> 00:20:36.680 worshiping you. I want to focus on you, not my problems, 325 00:20:39.599 --> 00:20:46.279 not my pain, and not even my successes. I want 326 00:20:46.279 --> 00:20:50.200 to replace pride in my life with praise. I want 327 00:20:50.240 --> 00:20:55.200 to stop focusing on me and focus on You. I 328 00:20:55.240 --> 00:20:59.200 want to recommit myself to being at worship. Nothing's more 329 00:20:59.240 --> 00:21:03.039 important than me getting to know you, Because God, your 330 00:21:03.119 --> 00:21:07.599 kingdom's going to outlast everything I do. I want my 331 00:21:07.759 --> 00:21:12.640 impact to last, and what you're doing is far more 332 00:21:12.720 --> 00:21:17.839 lasting than my own career or anything else. God, forgive 333 00:21:17.880 --> 00:21:21.400 me for worrying about the approval of other people. Help 334 00:21:21.440 --> 00:21:23.640 me to remember I don't need their approval to be happy, 335 00:21:25.160 --> 00:21:30.240 that your approval is all that really matters. Help me 336 00:21:30.279 --> 00:21:32.759 to remember that your power is the absolute, that you 337 00:21:33.000 --> 00:21:39.079 are in control, that history is your story, and You're 338 00:21:39.119 --> 00:21:44.039 bigger than any problem I'm going to face, and I'm 339 00:21:44.039 --> 00:21:46.559 going to trust you. I'm going to trust you because God, 340 00:21:46.559 --> 00:21:50.480 I believe you never make any mistakes. You're always true, 341 00:21:50.759 --> 00:21:57.720 just loving and right. And then Lord, help me to 342 00:21:57.759 --> 00:22:03.200 tell other people. Forgive me for my my shyness, my cowardice, 343 00:22:03.319 --> 00:22:08.240 my embarrassment, Lord, if I'm truly humble, I'm going to 344 00:22:08.319 --> 00:22:10.200 tell other people all the good you've done for me. 345 00:22:12.200 --> 00:22:14.039 Help me to tell others how you've saved me and 346 00:22:14.079 --> 00:22:20.000 you've changed me. If you've ever invited Jesus Christ to 347 00:22:20.039 --> 00:22:22.640 be the Lord, the Manager, the CEO of your life, 348 00:22:22.680 --> 00:22:25.519 say God, I opened my life to you today. Jesus Christ, 349 00:22:25.519 --> 00:22:29.720 you become the manager of my life. And I want 350 00:22:29.759 --> 00:22:32.400 your plan and purpose for me, not the one that 351 00:22:32.599 --> 00:22:38.440 I've been trying to go on. And I humbly ask 352 00:22:38.519 --> 00:22:41.160 you to help me to live with an attitude of gratitude, 353 00:22:41.839 --> 00:22:46.720 realizing that everything comes from you. And I pray this 354 00:22:46.839 --> 00:22:59.599 in your name. Amen. One of the greatest joys of 355 00:22:59.599 --> 00:23:03.279 my day reading letters from our listeners. It truly is 356 00:23:03.319 --> 00:23:06.039 inspiring to see how God is working in your lives, 357 00:23:06.680 --> 00:23:10.079 and it encourages me just as much as I hope 358 00:23:10.119 --> 00:23:13.279 to encourage you. So today I want to share a 359 00:23:13.319 --> 00:23:17.400 note from Heather, who has been discovering the incredible benefits 360 00:23:17.759 --> 00:23:20.920 of studying God's word every day. Heather wrote to me, 361 00:23:20.960 --> 00:23:24.000 she said, Hi, Pastor Rick, a friend of mine recently 362 00:23:24.039 --> 00:23:27.240 sent me your podcast and I've been feeling lost and 363 00:23:27.279 --> 00:23:29.640 helpless and I didn't I wasn't sure what to pray, 364 00:23:29.720 --> 00:23:31.400 or how to pray, or when to pray, and it's 365 00:23:31.440 --> 00:23:33.799 like I hit a wall and I haven't been sure 366 00:23:33.839 --> 00:23:38.400 how to get back on track. Well, your message really 367 00:23:38.440 --> 00:23:41.880 spoke truth to me, and it made me realize the 368 00:23:41.960 --> 00:23:45.400 missing pieces I had in my life because I was 369 00:23:45.440 --> 00:23:49.279 not in God's Word daily. I was basically living my 370 00:23:49.319 --> 00:23:51.440 life without God and I was trying to do everything 371 00:23:51.440 --> 00:23:54.680 on my own. Well, Pastor Rick, it goes without saying 372 00:23:54.759 --> 00:23:58.640 that doing life without God has been miserable failure. So 373 00:23:58.799 --> 00:24:01.599 thank you for stirring the Holy Spirit in my heart 374 00:24:02.240 --> 00:24:05.599 with the words that I needed to hear. I have 375 00:24:05.799 --> 00:24:08.559 now made the commitment to read God's Word every day 376 00:24:08.640 --> 00:24:11.680 and to pray daily, and I even started praying in 377 00:24:11.720 --> 00:24:13.759 the cars I go about my day. Just like you, 378 00:24:14.039 --> 00:24:15.759 it's hard for me to close my eyes and not 379 00:24:15.839 --> 00:24:20.480 fall asleep. You were listening. Please keep doing what you're 380 00:24:20.480 --> 00:24:22.720 doing and reaching people who really need to hear about 381 00:24:22.799 --> 00:24:27.279 Jesus and God's love. Well, Heather, I am so glad 382 00:24:27.480 --> 00:24:30.079 to hear that you're back in God's Word and that 383 00:24:30.160 --> 00:24:32.599 you're making it a part of your daily life. There 384 00:24:32.640 --> 00:24:35.680 really isn't anything more important than deepening your relationship with Him. 385 00:24:35.720 --> 00:24:39.359 And I love the fact that you are praying every day, 386 00:24:39.599 --> 00:24:44.319 especially keeping your eyes open while you're driving. Do you 387 00:24:44.920 --> 00:24:50.079 or somebody know or even feel lost yourself like Heather 388 00:24:50.759 --> 00:24:53.680 once did? Well, the best way to find hope and 389 00:24:53.680 --> 00:24:56.200 strength is by staying connected to God every day. That's 390 00:24:56.240 --> 00:24:59.119 the purpose of Daily Hope, and that's why I started 391 00:24:59.119 --> 00:25:02.400 it to help people like Heather dive into God's Word 392 00:25:02.440 --> 00:25:07.519 and experiences encouragement on a daily basis. Now, our Daily 393 00:25:07.559 --> 00:25:12.279 Hope devotionals and our podcasts are completely free and they're 394 00:25:12.319 --> 00:25:16.960 delivered straight to your inbox every morning. So if you're 395 00:25:17.000 --> 00:25:21.559 not getting these, sign up today and start each day 396 00:25:21.599 --> 00:25:25.680 with biblical wisdom and encouragement from God's Word. 397 00:25:33.039 --> 00:25:35.480 If you want to live a life full of purpose 398 00:25:35.559 --> 00:25:39.200 and joy, then you need to transform the way you think. 399 00:25:39.440 --> 00:25:42.319 And to help you do this, Pastor Rick created a 400 00:25:42.359 --> 00:25:45.759 brand new set of scripture cards with fifty two hand 401 00:25:45.799 --> 00:25:51.279