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<v Speaker 1>Hey, thanks for joining us today on Pastor Rick's Daily Hope,

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<v Speaker 1>the Bible Teaching Ministry of Rick Warren, and today we're

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<v Speaker 1>continuing our series called the Habits of Happiness. In this series,

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<v Speaker 1>Rick dives into the Book of Philippians and helps you

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<v Speaker 1>discover God's path to true and lasting happiness. All right,

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<v Speaker 1>we're ready to get into today's message. Here is the

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<v Speaker 1>final part of five daily habits for happiness.

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<v Speaker 2>So the second habit is I remember what matters most.

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<v Speaker 2>Tom's going to come and talk about the third habit

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<v Speaker 2>for happiness.

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<v Speaker 3>The third habit is get to know Jesus better. Get

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<v Speaker 3>to know Jesus better. You should start every morning when

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<v Speaker 3>you wake up saying, Lord, if I don't get anything

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<v Speaker 3>else today, anything else done, I want to get to

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<v Speaker 3>know you a little bit better. I want to love

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<v Speaker 3>you a little bit more. Listen, you were made. I

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<v Speaker 3>was made to live in relationship with God. And if

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<v Speaker 3>I think I can be joy without getting to know

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<v Speaker 3>Him better the thing I was made for, I'm just

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<v Speaker 3>fooling myself. A lot of you, you've had a taste

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<v Speaker 3>of joy here or there, and you're just reaching for

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<v Speaker 3>it all the time. Where is the joy found in

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<v Speaker 3>our lives. It's found in the number one thing we

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<v Speaker 3>were created for, getting to know.

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<v Speaker 4>God a little bit better. Paul discovered that.

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<v Speaker 3>He says in Philippians three ten, I want to know

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<v Speaker 3>Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship

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<v Speaker 3>of sharing in his suffering, becoming like him in his death,

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<v Speaker 3>so that somehow I might be raised to life. So

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<v Speaker 3>it's this thing of knowing Christ. And you've got to

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<v Speaker 3>understand the difference between knowing about someone and knowing someone.

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<v Speaker 3>He says, I want to know Christ knowing about someone.

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<v Speaker 3>I know about Justin Bieber, I know about Kim Kardashian,

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<v Speaker 3>I know about those people, but I don't know those people.

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<v Speaker 3>I know my wife, I know my kids because I've

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<v Speaker 3>spent time with them. I have a relationship with him.

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<v Speaker 3>Paul says, I know Christ because I've spent time with him.

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<v Speaker 2>I have this.

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<v Speaker 4>Relationship with him. I love this.

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<v Speaker 3>In the amplified version, it says there, for my determined

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<v Speaker 3>purpose is that I may know Christ, that I may

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<v Speaker 3>progressively become more deeply and intimately acquainted with Him, perceiving

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<v Speaker 3>and recognizing and understanding him more.

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<v Speaker 4>Strongly and more clearly.

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<v Speaker 3>That phrase determined purpose the truth of the matter is

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<v Speaker 3>you don't get to know Christ by accident. You don't

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<v Speaker 3>just wake up one morning and just sort of accidentally

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<v Speaker 3>fall into knowing Jesus Christ better. It's a determined purpose.

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<v Speaker 3>It's something you have to do something about. You have

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<v Speaker 3>to invest your time in it. Your money is not

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<v Speaker 3>going to grow just sitting there. You have to invest

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<v Speaker 3>it somewhere in order for it to grow. We all

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<v Speaker 3>know that. Well, your relationship with God's not going to

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<v Speaker 3>grow unless you, like any other relationship, invest time in

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<v Speaker 3>that relationship. If you meet someone who has a strong

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<v Speaker 3>relationship with God's strong relationship with Jesus, I will guarantee

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<v Speaker 3>you they have spent a lot of time investing in

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<v Speaker 3>talking to him and letting him talk to them. You

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<v Speaker 3>don't grow a relationship without investing time in a relationship.

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<v Speaker 4>This is a little marriage.

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<v Speaker 3>Advice too, but it's also true in everything that we do.

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<v Speaker 3>It's purposeful, it's progressive.

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<v Speaker 4>And what's the trap.

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<v Speaker 3>Well, we're talking about spending time with someone, so the

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<v Speaker 3>trap is an obvious trap. The trap with this one

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<v Speaker 3>is the trap with all of our relationships, all of

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<v Speaker 3>our time that needs to be spent. It is busyness.

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<v Speaker 3>We just get too busy. We get too busy, and

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<v Speaker 3>busyness destroys relationships. It destroys relationships with your husband, your wife,

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<v Speaker 3>with your kids, It destroys your relationship with God. You

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<v Speaker 3>don't spend time with him. To get to know Jesus,

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<v Speaker 3>you got to make time and spend time with him.

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<v Speaker 3>But let me tell you, it doesn't take a lot

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<v Speaker 3>of time. If you'll just set aside ten fifteen minutes

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<v Speaker 3>in the morning. You know this in any relationship, if

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<v Speaker 3>you just a few minutes of focused time can make

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<v Speaker 3>all the difference in the world. So I'm not talking

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<v Speaker 3>about hours and hours. If you spend just a few

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<v Speaker 3>minutes in the morning, evening, afternoon, whatever's best for you.

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<v Speaker 3>But in that time, there's something you have to do.

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<v Speaker 3>You have to not be busy. You have to do

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<v Speaker 3>what Psalm forty six ten talks about.

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<v Speaker 4>You have to be still.

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<v Speaker 3>Some of you, those are terrifying words to you. I

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<v Speaker 3>know you're busy all the time. Be still, and when

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<v Speaker 3>you're still, then you know that he has gone. If

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<v Speaker 3>you want to get to know God better, you got

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<v Speaker 3>to spend time with him. If you want to spend

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<v Speaker 3>time with him, you got to make time for him.

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<v Speaker 2>Now. The fourth habit that you need to develop, and

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<v Speaker 2>as I said, you can do all of these in

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<v Speaker 2>about fifteen minutes a day, is this review where I

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<v Speaker 2>need to grow. You need to every day do a

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<v Speaker 2>little personal review of your life. Take a couple minutes

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<v Speaker 2>out of every day during your quiet time with God,

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<v Speaker 2>and you do a spiritual daily checkup. You take your

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<v Speaker 2>spiritual pulse. You can do it during your quiet time.

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<v Speaker 2>You say, Lord, where do I need to grow? What

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<v Speaker 2>do I need to work on? Where am I weak?

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<v Speaker 2>Where do you want me to be stronger. A good

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<v Speaker 2>verse you might write this verse down is Psalm one

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<v Speaker 2>thirty nine, twenty three and twenty four. Psalm one thirty nine,

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<v Speaker 2>verse twenty three and twenty four be a good verse

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<v Speaker 2>to memorize. It goes like this, search me, Oh God,

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<v Speaker 2>and know my heart, try me, test me and know

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<v Speaker 2>my thoughts. See if there's anything evil or wicked in

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<v Speaker 2>my life, and lead me in the way that's everlasting.

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<v Speaker 2>That's a good verse. I call it the search light verse.

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<v Speaker 2>And I usually say this in the morning. I say, Okay, God,

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<v Speaker 2>do a little heart check right now, do a little

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<v Speaker 2>spiritual eeg and ekg and tell me what I need

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<v Speaker 2>to work on today? Where do I keep growing? This

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<v Speaker 2>takes humility, but it's a habit that will lead to happiness.

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<v Speaker 2>You see, following Jesus is a decision followed by a process.

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<v Speaker 2>The rest of your life, you can't follow without walking.

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<v Speaker 2>You've got to have movement. So following Jesus is a

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<v Speaker 2>decision followed by process. A lot of you have made

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<v Speaker 2>the decision, but you haven't continued in the process. Some

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<v Speaker 2>of you men, in particular, you're in the family of God.

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<v Speaker 2>You said, yes, I've trusted Jesus for my salvation. I

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<v Speaker 2>know there's no way I'm going to go to Heaven

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<v Speaker 2>on my own merit. But you've never really grown, You've

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<v Speaker 2>never taken You're too far to the beginning part. You

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<v Speaker 2>haven't moved on. It's like the mom who heard about

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<v Speaker 2>her thud in the middle of the night and she

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<v Speaker 2>gets something, goes into the bedroom and finds out her

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<v Speaker 2>son has fallen out of bed on the floor, and

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<v Speaker 2>she said, how did you do that? He said, well,

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<v Speaker 2>I guess I stayed too close to where I got in.

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<v Speaker 2>And some of you have stayed too close to where

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<v Speaker 2>you got in, and you haven't grown in your Christian life.

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<v Speaker 2>You're saved, but you're not growing, And this is where

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<v Speaker 2>you need to do a daily checkup. Say where do

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<v Speaker 2>I need to grow today? I need to work on anger?

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<v Speaker 2>Do I need to work on patients? Do I need

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<v Speaker 2>to work on getting rid of jealousy? Do I need

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<v Speaker 2>to work on watching my words? Do I need to

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<v Speaker 2>work on being more relaxed in your grace? Philippians twelve

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<v Speaker 2>three verses twelve and thirteen. Paul talks about this fourth habit.

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<v Speaker 2>He says, I don't mean to say I'm perfect. Course

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<v Speaker 2>he wasn't because none of us are. He says, I'm

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<v Speaker 2>not saying I'm perfect. I still haven't learned all I should.

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<v Speaker 2>In other words, he realizes it's a growth process. I'm

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<v Speaker 2>not perfect, I haven't learned all I should. But I

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<v Speaker 2>keep working. I keep working toward that day. I keep

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<v Speaker 2>working toward that day when I will finally, finally be

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<v Speaker 2>all that Christ saved me for and wants me to be. Now,

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<v Speaker 2>dear brothers, I'm still not all I should be now

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<v Speaker 2>to me. That verse is one of the most amazing

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<v Speaker 2>verses in the Bible because it's written by the guy

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<v Speaker 2>who wrote most of the New Testament. Paul is an

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<v Speaker 2>older man. He's elderly, he's in prison in Rome, he's

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<v Speaker 2>at the end of life. He's an incredibly mature person,

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<v Speaker 2>and yet he says, I haven't arrived. If anybody had

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<v Speaker 2>the right to say I've arrived spiritually, I would think

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<v Speaker 2>it'd be the guy who wrote most of the New Testament.

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<v Speaker 2>But Paul says, no, I haven't arrived. I'm up in

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<v Speaker 2>the years. I'm up in age. I'm still growing, I'm

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<v Speaker 2>still learning, I'm still becoming more like Christ. I'm not

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<v Speaker 2>just sitting on my blessed assurance and waiting out the

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<v Speaker 2>end of my life. No, no, it says, I'm humble,

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<v Speaker 2>and I keep growing and keep growing. Now, what's the

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<v Speaker 2>trap that'll keep you from doing this? Write it down? Pride?

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<v Speaker 2>Pride will keep you from growing because when I pretend

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<v Speaker 2>that I've got it all together, then I don't have

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<v Speaker 2>it all together. Now we already know you don't have

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<v Speaker 2>it all together. God knows you don't have it all together.

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<v Speaker 2>You're the only one who won't admit you don't have

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<v Speaker 2>it all together. So you might as well stop being

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<v Speaker 2>prideful because we already know you don't have it all together.

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<v Speaker 2>And you're not teasing anybody. It's not like you know

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<v Speaker 2>the Wizard of Oz paying no attention to the man

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<v Speaker 2>behind the curtain. We know you don't have it all together.

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<v Speaker 2>And humility leads to happiness because it makes you teachable.

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<v Speaker 2>Happy people never stop growing. Happy people never stop learning.

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<v Speaker 2>Happy people never stop discovering, never stop stretching, never stop learning.

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<v Speaker 2>If you've stopped growing, I can tell you you're miserable

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<v Speaker 2>because you were made to grow, You were made to learn.

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<v Speaker 2>You were made to be better next year than you

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<v Speaker 2>are this year. And if you're just coasting, whenever you're coasting,

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<v Speaker 2>your headed downhill. Every time you coast, you're heading downhill.

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<v Speaker 2>So really, if you want to be happy, happiness and

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<v Speaker 2>humility go together because humility says I'm teachable. Where do

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<v Speaker 2>I need to learn? Okay, how can I be a

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<v Speaker 2>better husband this next year? How can I be a

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<v Speaker 2>better dad this next year? How can I be a

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<v Speaker 2>better boss this next year? How can I be a

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<v Speaker 2>better employer? How can I be a better employee? How

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<v Speaker 2>can I be a better friend to my friends this

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<v Speaker 2>next year? And you're doing this daily habit of reviewing

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<v Speaker 2>where do I need to grow? I relax? In God's grace.

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<v Speaker 2>You know, Okay, I relax in God's grace and I

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<v Speaker 2>let God show me his love, and I remember what

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<v Speaker 2>matters most, and I make the number one goal of

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<v Speaker 2>my life to get to know Jesus every day. But

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<v Speaker 2>during that time, I also say, okay, where do I

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<v Speaker 2>need to keep growing? Now? The secret to growth is

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<v Speaker 2>to be honest about yourself and to keep evaluating where

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<v Speaker 2>you are. And this is what Paul says. Look at

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<v Speaker 2>Two Corinthians thirteen to five. Paul says, test yourselves. Do

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<v Speaker 2>you ever do that? Test yourselves to make sure you're

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<v Speaker 2>solid in the faith. In other words, do a daily checkup,

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<v Speaker 2>review where you need to grow, take your spiritual pulse.

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<v Speaker 2>Don't drift along taking everything for granted. Give yourselves regular checkups.

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<v Speaker 2>You need firsthand evidence, not mere hearsay that Jesus Christ

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<v Speaker 2>is in you. Test it out, and if you fail

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<v Speaker 2>to test, do something about it. I love that in

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<v Speaker 2>the message. Now there's one other habit, and this is

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<v Speaker 2>the fifth daily habit for hapingpiness found in Philippians chapter three,

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<v Speaker 2>and it's this every day, forget what can't be changed

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<v Speaker 2>and focus on the future. That is a habit of

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<v Speaker 2>happiness every day. Forget what can't be changed, and focus

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<v Speaker 2>on the future, not on the past. Your past is past,

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<v Speaker 2>it's over, it's done, and all the worrying won't change

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<v Speaker 2>the past at all one bit. So forget what can't

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<v Speaker 2>be changed and focused on the future. Now, let's just

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<v Speaker 2>be honest. You have been hurt a lot in your past.

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<v Speaker 2>I'm sorry. As your pastor as somebody who loves you,

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<v Speaker 2>as somebody who prays for you, I know that you

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<v Speaker 2>have been hurt a lot, and I've heard the stories

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<v Speaker 2>many people hurt severely emotional abuse, physical abuse, sexual abuse,

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<v Speaker 2>financial abuse, and You've been heard in many, many, many ways,

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<v Speaker 2>and I'm sorry about that. Happiness requires letting go and

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<v Speaker 2>learning to forget. Happiness requires letting go of the hurt

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<v Speaker 2>and learning to forget.

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<v Speaker 4>You.

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<v Speaker 2>See, you can hold onto your pain. Nobody's going to

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<v Speaker 2>force you to let it go. You can hold onto

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<v Speaker 2>that pain, you can hold onto that memory, or you

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<v Speaker 2>can be happy. But you can't be both. So you

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<v Speaker 2>got to choose. So why don't you choose today? I'm

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<v Speaker 2>going to stop letting the pain of my past control

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<v Speaker 2>of my happiness in the present. Let it go, Let

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<v Speaker 2>it go. Happiness involves learning to forget. Here's what Paul

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<v Speaker 2>says in verse thirteen and fourteen. I am focusing all

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<v Speaker 2>my energies on this one thing, forgetting the past and

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<v Speaker 2>looking forward to what lies ahead. I strain to reach

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<v Speaker 2>the end of the race and receive the prize for

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<v Speaker 2>which God through Christ Jesus is calling us up to heaven.

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<v Speaker 2>Now circle the phrase focusing all my energies. You only

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<v Speaker 2>have a limited amount of energy. You don't have unlimited energy.

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<v Speaker 2>That's why you get tired, That's why you get fatigued.

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<v Speaker 2>That's why you get worn out, because you don't have

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<v Speaker 2>an unlimited supply of energy. You're a human being. Since

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<v Speaker 2>you only have a limited supply of energy, I highly

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<v Speaker 2>recommend you not waste any of it on the past.

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<v Speaker 2>Don't waste any emotional energy. Don't waste another second of

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<v Speaker 2>your life on the past. The past is past. Would

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<v Speaker 2>you like to change it? Yeah? Can you know?

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<v Speaker 4>So?

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<v Speaker 2>Forget it? Forget it. Use all your emotional energy on today,

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<v Speaker 2>because that's all you've got. You can't even use it

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<v Speaker 2>on tomorrow because you're not there yet. Don't waste I

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<v Speaker 2>focus all my energy by forgetting the past and looking

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<v Speaker 2>forward to what lays ahead. Now. This habit is so

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<v Speaker 2>important to your happiness. There are three traps you have

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<v Speaker 2>to be aware of, and you're gonna have to deal

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<v Speaker 2>with these in order to live a happy life. Number

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<v Speaker 2>one is the trap of regret. You gotta let go

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<v Speaker 2>of regrets. That's stuff that I wish I'd done differently,

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<v Speaker 2>you know, and we all second guess ourselves. Are there

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<v Speaker 2>things I wish I'd done differently in your life and life?

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<v Speaker 2>Are you kidding me? Of course there are, but I

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<v Speaker 2>can't dwell on them because the past has passed and

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<v Speaker 2>I can't change it. It's done, so I'm not gonna

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<v Speaker 2>waste any emotion on regrets. That's the stuff I've done wrong.

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<v Speaker 2>The second trap is unforgiveness or resentment, and that's the

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<v Speaker 2>stuff that people have done to you. You've done bad things.

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<v Speaker 2>That's guilt, shame, regret, and people have done bad things

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<v Speaker 2>to you. That's resentment, unforgiveness and bitterness. Either way, you

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<v Speaker 2>get stuck in the past. What I've done wrong or

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<v Speaker 2>what other has done wrong to me. Either way you

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<v Speaker 2>get stuck in the past. Holding onto resentment is dumb.

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<v Speaker 2>It doesn't hurt anybody but you. The whole time you're

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<v Speaker 2>thinking about that person who hurt me so bad, they're

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<v Speaker 2>out there having a steak dinner. They're not even thinking

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<v Speaker 2>about you, So your resentment is not hurting them. The

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<v Speaker 2>only person you hurt with unforgiveness is you let it go.

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<v Speaker 2>For your own sake, you must forgive. Do they deserve it? No?

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<v Speaker 2>But do you deserve forgiveness from God?

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<v Speaker 4>No?

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<v Speaker 2>Those who experience grace are gracious, and you let them

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<v Speaker 2>off the hook. Why because God let you off the hook,

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<v Speaker 2>and because you don't want to hold onto the pain,

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<v Speaker 2>you want to let it go. There's one other thing

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<v Speaker 2>that's going to keep you stuck in the past and

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<v Speaker 2>cause you to be unhappy. And this one's going to

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<v Speaker 2>surprise you. But it's it's a trap, the trap of tradition,

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<v Speaker 2>tradition that it's the famous seven last words. We've always

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<v Speaker 2>done it that way, We've always got famous seven last words. Now,

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<v Speaker 2>have you noticed that things change? Yeah? Every day things change.

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<v Speaker 2>Have you noticed your body is changing? Not for the good? Okay,

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<v Speaker 2>your body is changing. Relationships change, the weather changes, culture changes.

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<v Speaker 2>Everything is constantly changing, and you cannot stop change. So

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<v Speaker 2>you have to decide. I can either get mad and

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<v Speaker 2>resist and resent these changes that are happening, or I

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<v Speaker 2>can choose to be happy. Happiness is a choice. Your

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<v Speaker 2>as happy as you choose to be. Remember, And so

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<v Speaker 2>even in the middle of changes I don't like, I

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<v Speaker 2>can choose to be happy. I saw a bumper sticker

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<v Speaker 2>the other day and said, if you dislike change, then

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<v Speaker 2>irrelevancy is going to appeal to you even less, because

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<v Speaker 2>if you don't change with the times, you become irrelevant. Now,

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<v Speaker 2>how you handle change in life reveals your spiritual maturity.

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<v Speaker 2>It reveals how connected to God you are. The more

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<v Speaker 2>connected to God you are, you're connected to the eternal.

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<v Speaker 2>So it doesn't matter what's changing down here. Anything that's

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<v Speaker 2>in style will be out of style tomorrow. One minute

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<v Speaker 2>you're a hero, the next minute you're a zero. Things

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<v Speaker 2>just constantly change. But if I'm geared and guided and

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<v Speaker 2>anchored to eternity that's never changing, and I'm tuned into God,

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<v Speaker 2>then change can take over place all around me, and

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<v Speaker 2>I can choose to be happy, and I don't resent

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<v Speaker 2>and regret and get mad and those kind of things.

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<v Speaker 2>If you want to be happy, Isaiah forty three says

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<v Speaker 2>this Tosday forty three seventeen eighteen. God says, forget the

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<v Speaker 2>former things and do not dwell on the past. See

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<v Speaker 2>I am doing a new thing. That's the fifth habit.

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<v Speaker 2>Let's bower heads. Happiness is a choice, and in many

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<v Speaker 2>ways it's a matter of the habits you choose to develop.

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<v Speaker 2>These five habits in Philippians chapter three are all things

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<v Speaker 2>you can do in about fifteen minutes a day during

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<v Speaker 2>a daily quiet time. So I challenge you to make

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<v Speaker 2>this commitment right now, say, Dear God, just say this

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<v Speaker 2>in your mind. Dear God. I want to learn to

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<v Speaker 2>relax in your grace every day, to not try to

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<v Speaker 2>earn your approval, but to realize you already love me,

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<v Speaker 2>and you will never love me any less or any more.

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<v Speaker 2>I want to reject legalism, trying to prove my worth

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<v Speaker 2>by rules, restrictions, regulation. I want to live by grace

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<v Speaker 2>and I want to be gracious to everybody else. And then, Lord,

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<v Speaker 2>say this, help me to focus every day on what

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<v Speaker 2>matters most, To not believe the advertisements, to not spend

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<v Speaker 2>and waste and worry my life away on things that

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<v Speaker 2>aren't going to matter even a week from today, much

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<v Speaker 2>less in eternity. Help me to focus on the eternal,

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<v Speaker 2>what's going to last for eternity, not what's in style.

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<v Speaker 2>And Dear God, I want to make getting to know

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<v Speaker 2>Jesus better the number one goal of my life. And

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<v Speaker 2>every day I want to know you a little bit better,

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<v Speaker 2>and I want to love you a little bit more.

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<v Speaker 2>And I want to spend time with you every day

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<v Speaker 2>in a quiet time to read your word and to

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<v Speaker 2>pray and to listen in conversation with you. Dear God,

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<v Speaker 2>I want to start a daily spiritual checkup during my

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<v Speaker 2>quiet time. I'll just say, Lord, where do I need

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<v Speaker 2>to grow? And help me to forget what can't be

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<v Speaker 2>changed in my past and help me to let it

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<v Speaker 2>go and instead help me to focus in faith on

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<v Speaker 2>the future and what you have in store for me.

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<v Speaker 2>If you've never opened up your life to Christ, say

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<v Speaker 2>Jesus Christ, come into my life right now. I want

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<v Speaker 2>to get to know you. I want to learn to

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<v Speaker 2>love you, trust you. I don't want a religion. I

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<v Speaker 2>want a relationship with you. Father. I thank you for

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<v Speaker 2>your word that it's practical, it's relevant, and it leads

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<v Speaker 2>us to the happy life that you want us to live.

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<v Speaker 2>When we focus on what's eternal, not what's current. I

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<v Speaker 2>pray a blessing on all of our church family in

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<v Speaker 2>the name of the Father, and the Son and the

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<v Speaker 2>Holy Spirit. Amen. Wow.

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<v Speaker 1>Some powerful words from Pastor Rick today. And now this

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<v Speaker 1>is really one of my favorite parts of the broadcast.

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<v Speaker 1>This is letters from our listeners and now here's Rick.

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<v Speaker 2>Have you ever noticed that your day goes better when

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<v Speaker 2>you start with God's Word. That's been true in my life,

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<v Speaker 2>and I'm certain it'll make a difference in your life too,

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<v Speaker 2>when you choose to get into God's word first thing

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<v Speaker 2>every day. It's one of the most important habits you

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<v Speaker 2>can develop. Here's an email from a man named Jeremy

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<v Speaker 2>who says connecting with God every morning has made such

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<v Speaker 2>a big difference in his life. He says, you know, Rick,

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<v Speaker 2>daily hope fills my mind with truth. When I begin

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<v Speaker 2>each day at three a m. Wow, I realize that

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<v Speaker 2>daily hope helps fill my mind with the good stuff

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<v Speaker 2>and crowds out all the negative. Because truth and hope

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<v Speaker 2>have really changed my attitude throughout the day. So you

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<v Speaker 2>can take it from Jeremy. God's word at the start

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<v Speaker 2>of your day will change your day in a positive way.

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<v Speaker 2>Thanks for listening today. Everybody. I love you, I thank

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<v Speaker 2>God for you, and I'm praying for you.

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<v Speaker 1>Did you know that you can start every day with

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<v Speaker 1>hope and encouragement from Pastor Rick, Well, you can when

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<v Speaker 1>you sign up to receive his life changing Bible study

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<v Speaker 1>teaching delivered directly to your inbox. Just go to Pastorick

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<v Speaker 1>dot com and sign up for this free Daily Hope devotional.

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<v Speaker 1>You'll love it. Be sure to join us next time

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<v Speaker 1>as we look into God's Word for our daily hope.

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<v Speaker 1>This program is sponsored by Pastor Rick's Daily Hope and

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<v Speaker 1>your generous financial support