WEBVTT 1 00:00:02.439 --> 00:00:06.240 Hello, and welcome to Pastor Rick's Daily Hope. This is 2 00:00:06.320 --> 00:00:09.320 the Bible teaching ministry of Rick Warren. Hey, We're so 3 00:00:09.439 --> 00:00:13.439 glad you've joined us today. We're continuing a powerful series 4 00:00:13.480 --> 00:00:18.480 called radicalis Developing Spiritual Roots. And in this series, Rick 5 00:00:18.519 --> 00:00:20.800 will show you how to grow deep in your faith, 6 00:00:21.039 --> 00:00:25.199 stay grounded in God's word, and become everything He created 7 00:00:25.280 --> 00:00:28.039 you to be. And now here's part two of a 8 00:00:28.079 --> 00:00:30.600 message called radical gratitude. 9 00:00:31.039 --> 00:00:34.719 What is the definition of radical gratitude? Well, turn your 10 00:00:34.759 --> 00:00:38.079 outline over and the Bible tells us of first Thesalonians 11 00:00:38.159 --> 00:00:43.200 five eighteen. This is the definition of radical gratitude. He's 12 00:00:43.240 --> 00:00:45.600 not talking about just saying well, I'm thankful for my 13 00:00:45.759 --> 00:00:49.240 parents or my family. Anybody can do that. I'm thankful 14 00:00:49.280 --> 00:00:53.200 for pumpkin pie. Anybody can say that I'm thankful for 15 00:00:53.479 --> 00:00:57.520 freedom and health. Anybody can say that. Takes no intelligence, 16 00:00:57.560 --> 00:01:00.359 no character, no faith to be grateful for the good 17 00:01:00.359 --> 00:01:06.120 things in your life. Radical gratitude is this one Thesalonians 18 00:01:06.159 --> 00:01:13.599 five eighteen. Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is 19 00:01:13.680 --> 00:01:18.760 God's will for you in Christ Jesus. That's radical gratitude. 20 00:01:19.200 --> 00:01:23.400 In all circumstances. Give thanks for this is God's will 21 00:01:23.640 --> 00:01:26.159 for you in Christ Jesus. Now, friends, this is such 22 00:01:26.159 --> 00:01:28.120 an important verse. I want to tear it apart word 23 00:01:28.120 --> 00:01:32.200 by word. Here First, it says give thanks. That means gratitude. 24 00:01:32.359 --> 00:01:37.200 It means appreciation, It means recognition, it means praise. It 25 00:01:37.200 --> 00:01:41.239 means given credit to people where credit is due. In everything, 26 00:01:41.560 --> 00:01:43.920 give thanks. By the way, the phrase gift thanks here 27 00:01:44.200 --> 00:01:47.959 in the Greek word is the word eucharistaas Actually if 28 00:01:48.000 --> 00:01:51.480 ukuli stayo yukari stayal is the word. 29 00:01:51.280 --> 00:01:52.359 We get eucharist from. 30 00:01:52.480 --> 00:01:55.719 Has anybody ever heard this word eucharist? Eucharist is one 31 00:01:55.760 --> 00:01:58.200 of the words that we call the Lord's supper. It's 32 00:01:58.200 --> 00:02:01.439 called communion, it's called the lord Lord's supper, it's called 33 00:02:01.599 --> 00:02:04.439 the Eucharist. What does that mean? That's the Greek word 34 00:02:04.480 --> 00:02:07.359 that simply means give thanks. And when we take the 35 00:02:07.400 --> 00:02:11.400 Lord's Supper together, we're giving thanks to God for his salvation, 36 00:02:11.680 --> 00:02:14.840 for his forgiveness, for our home in heaven, and all 37 00:02:14.879 --> 00:02:17.919 of these things. We're just giving thanks. Now it says 38 00:02:18.000 --> 00:02:22.560 give thanks in circle the word in, and then it 39 00:02:22.639 --> 00:02:26.919 says all circle the word all. Now first notice, give 40 00:02:27.039 --> 00:02:30.479 thanks in all circumstances. It does not say give thanks 41 00:02:30.599 --> 00:02:36.520 for all circumstances. Big difference doesn't say four. It says 42 00:02:37.039 --> 00:02:41.520 in you don't have to be thankful for the bad 43 00:02:41.759 --> 00:02:44.919 in your life. You don't have to be thankful for evil. 44 00:02:45.120 --> 00:02:47.080 And there's a lot of evil in the world. If 45 00:02:47.120 --> 00:02:51.800 a little girl gets kidnapped and molested and killed, you 46 00:02:51.840 --> 00:02:54.719 don't ever have to be thankful for that. If a 47 00:02:54.759 --> 00:02:57.199 woman gets raped, you don't ever have to be thankful 48 00:02:57.199 --> 00:03:01.479 for that. When a car by a drunk plows into 49 00:03:01.520 --> 00:03:03.800 somebody and a family dies, you don't have to be 50 00:03:03.879 --> 00:03:07.319 thankful for that. The Bible does not say be thankful 51 00:03:07.439 --> 00:03:09.800 for all evil. There's a lot of evil that would 52 00:03:09.840 --> 00:03:13.599 make God a sicko. Everything that happens in the world 53 00:03:13.759 --> 00:03:17.280 is not God's will, because well it must be God's 54 00:03:17.319 --> 00:03:21.000 will blowney. Most of the times God's will is not done, 55 00:03:21.159 --> 00:03:23.639 My will is done. That's why we're to pray Thy 56 00:03:23.759 --> 00:03:25.800 will be done on earth as it is in heaven, 57 00:03:25.960 --> 00:03:28.919 because in heaven God's will is always done, and on 58 00:03:29.000 --> 00:03:33.439 earth God's will is rarely done. So don't blame God 59 00:03:33.520 --> 00:03:35.400 for all the evil in the world. And you certainly 60 00:03:35.479 --> 00:03:37.599 don't have to thank God for it. He doesn't say 61 00:03:37.680 --> 00:03:40.319 thank God for it, he says thank God in it. 62 00:03:40.719 --> 00:03:44.240 Why can I thank God in every circumstance. Well, there's 63 00:03:44.280 --> 00:03:46.599 a number of reasons. One, I know God is in control. 64 00:03:46.719 --> 00:03:48.879 I know God can bring good out of evil. I 65 00:03:48.919 --> 00:03:51.280 know even the stupid mistakes I make, God can turn 66 00:03:51.319 --> 00:03:53.159 it around. I know that I'm not gonna have to 67 00:03:53.159 --> 00:03:55.199 live on earth forever. I know I'm gonna go to 68 00:03:55.280 --> 00:03:57.479 Heaven one day. I know I can't lose my salvation. 69 00:03:57.840 --> 00:03:59.960 I know that no matter what happens, God isn't gonna 70 00:04:00.039 --> 00:04:02.400 stop loving me. I could think of one hundred things 71 00:04:02.400 --> 00:04:06.000 that I can be thankful for in the circumstance, even 72 00:04:06.039 --> 00:04:10.879 when the circumstance stinks. It doesn't say for everything. It 73 00:04:10.879 --> 00:04:14.960 says in now, It says in all things now. That 74 00:04:15.039 --> 00:04:17.639 word there all circumstances all. The Greek word is the 75 00:04:17.639 --> 00:04:23.399 word poss and posse means any all everything, anyone, all 76 00:04:23.439 --> 00:04:28.199 the time, anywhere, everywhere, the whole thing. It means no exception, 77 00:04:28.399 --> 00:04:32.160 no excuses, no exemptions. God expects you to be grateful 78 00:04:32.439 --> 00:04:39.920 in every circumstance. That's called radical gratitude. Anybody can be 79 00:04:40.000 --> 00:04:43.959 grateful for the nice presence somebody just gave you. But 80 00:04:44.079 --> 00:04:49.959 to be grateful in all circumstances is radical gratitude. In 81 00:04:50.399 --> 00:04:53.800 give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will 82 00:04:54.079 --> 00:04:56.839 for you. In Christ Jesus, people say, I need to 83 00:04:56.879 --> 00:04:57.600 know God's will. 84 00:04:57.680 --> 00:04:58.279 There it is. 85 00:05:00.160 --> 00:05:01.759 What God wants me to do with my life. There 86 00:05:01.800 --> 00:05:05.040 it is in everything. Give thanks. This is God's will 87 00:05:05.079 --> 00:05:07.319 for you. He say, What am I supposed to do 88 00:05:07.360 --> 00:05:09.199 in the next decade. Am I supposed to get a 89 00:05:09.199 --> 00:05:11.519 new job. Am I supposed to go to school? Am 90 00:05:11.519 --> 00:05:15.040 I supposed to get married? Am I supposed to move overseas? 91 00:05:15.040 --> 00:05:17.160 What am I supposed to do? God says, I'll tell 92 00:05:17.199 --> 00:05:21.759 you number two when you start doing number one. Okay, 93 00:05:22.000 --> 00:05:25.720 all those other number twos will work on those three, four, five, six, 94 00:05:25.759 --> 00:05:28.399 But first let's work on this one. I want you 95 00:05:28.519 --> 00:05:33.360 to in everything learn to give thanks for this is 96 00:05:33.439 --> 00:05:35.759 My will for you. Once you got that one done, 97 00:05:35.879 --> 00:05:38.759 we'll start talking about number two, three, four, five, and six. 98 00:05:39.560 --> 00:05:43.480 This is clear. In everything, give thanks. This is God's 99 00:05:43.480 --> 00:05:44.000 will for you. 100 00:05:44.360 --> 00:05:47.279 Now? Why why is that true? 101 00:05:47.920 --> 00:05:51.279 Why is it always God's will no matter what happens 102 00:05:51.279 --> 00:05:54.120 in my life, that I am to give thanks not 103 00:05:54.240 --> 00:05:58.560 for the circumstances. But in the circumstance, why is that 104 00:05:58.639 --> 00:05:59.240 God's will? 105 00:06:00.199 --> 00:06:00.560 Reasons? 106 00:06:00.639 --> 00:06:05.439 You might write these down number one, because it honors God. 107 00:06:06.279 --> 00:06:13.639 Gratitude honors God. Anytime you thank anyone, you honor them. 108 00:06:13.720 --> 00:06:16.680 For instance, if I say to my wife, Honey, I 109 00:06:16.720 --> 00:06:20.120 am so grateful for that great Thanksgiving dinner you made, 110 00:06:20.199 --> 00:06:23.000 I have just honored my wife. When I say to 111 00:06:23.040 --> 00:06:26.920 her mom, Mom, I want to thank you for having 112 00:06:27.000 --> 00:06:30.160 ka so I could marry her, I am honoring her. 113 00:06:30.680 --> 00:06:33.600 When I say to you, thank you for opening the 114 00:06:33.639 --> 00:06:36.680 door for me, or thank you for coming to another service, 115 00:06:36.800 --> 00:06:39.519 or thank you, But what I am honoring you. Anytime 116 00:06:39.560 --> 00:06:43.079 you express gratitude, you honor that person. The Bible says 117 00:06:43.120 --> 00:06:47.040 this about God giving thanks is a sacrifice that truly 118 00:06:47.399 --> 00:06:51.519 honors me. When you sacrifice your giving thanks, what are 119 00:06:51.519 --> 00:06:54.240 you sacrificing your time, your money, your thought? It takes 120 00:06:54.279 --> 00:06:57.879 time to think of things to be grateful for. Now, 121 00:06:59.240 --> 00:07:01.439 my life likes for me to say thank you for 122 00:07:01.519 --> 00:07:04.000 the things she does for me. But if that's all 123 00:07:04.079 --> 00:07:07.240 I ever did, she'd begin to wonder does. 124 00:07:07.079 --> 00:07:07.839 He really love me? 125 00:07:07.959 --> 00:07:09.560 Or does he just love me for the things I 126 00:07:09.560 --> 00:07:13.720 do for him? At some point I have to start 127 00:07:13.759 --> 00:07:16.800 moving to the higher level of thanksgiving, which is not 128 00:07:16.879 --> 00:07:20.600 just thanking my wife for what she does, but thanking 129 00:07:20.680 --> 00:07:24.560 my wife for who she is. That's a higher level 130 00:07:24.560 --> 00:07:28.040 of thanksgiving. If my kids came to me and the 131 00:07:28.079 --> 00:07:30.120 only time they thank me is when I give them 132 00:07:30.120 --> 00:07:32.399 an allowance, I begin to wonder do they love me 133 00:07:32.519 --> 00:07:35.959 or do they just love the money. Now, if all 134 00:07:36.000 --> 00:07:38.800 you do is thank God, God, thank you for letting 135 00:07:38.800 --> 00:07:41.519 me get into this class. God, thank you for giving 136 00:07:41.560 --> 00:07:44.759 me this food. Thank you God for the things you 137 00:07:44.839 --> 00:07:48.759 do for me, God starts going, do you really love 138 00:07:48.800 --> 00:07:50.319 me or do you just love the things I do 139 00:07:50.439 --> 00:07:54.079 for you? You need to learn to thank God not 140 00:07:54.199 --> 00:07:56.439 just for what he does, but who he is. 141 00:07:57.040 --> 00:07:57.360 God. 142 00:07:57.519 --> 00:08:00.800 I thank you that you're smarter than me. I thank 143 00:08:00.839 --> 00:08:02.839 you that your wisdom is greater. I thank you that 144 00:08:02.920 --> 00:08:05.160 you know it'll make me happy more than I do. 145 00:08:05.480 --> 00:08:05.720 God. 146 00:08:05.759 --> 00:08:08.519 I thank you that you're consistent when I'm inconsistent. I 147 00:08:08.639 --> 00:08:11.000 thank you for your love. I thank you for your mercy. 148 00:08:11.240 --> 00:08:14.160 I thank you God that you're always fair. I thank 149 00:08:14.199 --> 00:08:16.519 you that even when I don't understand it, you have 150 00:08:16.600 --> 00:08:17.959 my best interest at heart. 151 00:08:18.759 --> 00:08:20.199 That's thanking God for who. 152 00:08:20.160 --> 00:08:22.680 He is and you need to get beyond the thank 153 00:08:22.720 --> 00:08:26.720 you God for food, to thank you God for who 154 00:08:26.800 --> 00:08:31.120 you are. That's taking your roots deeper. It honors God. 155 00:08:32.360 --> 00:08:37.279 Develop the attitude of gratitude. Doctors have shown in many 156 00:08:37.320 --> 00:08:42.159 many reports that gratitude is the healthiest human emotion. That 157 00:08:42.240 --> 00:08:45.559 the more grateful you are in life, the healthier will 158 00:08:45.600 --> 00:08:48.600 be actually physically, it's good for your physical health. The 159 00:08:48.639 --> 00:08:51.759 more ungrateful you are in life, the more it actually 160 00:08:51.799 --> 00:08:55.399 affects your health. Gratitude is good for your health. It's 161 00:08:55.440 --> 00:08:58.039 good for your heart. And if you say, God, I'm 162 00:08:58.039 --> 00:08:59.519 not going to put my feet on the ground in 163 00:08:59.519 --> 00:09:01.159 the morning, I'm gonna sit on the edge of my 164 00:09:01.240 --> 00:09:03.759 bed and before I do anything else, I'm gonna stop 165 00:09:03.840 --> 00:09:08.159 say thank you. And I would say, just start this week. 166 00:09:08.440 --> 00:09:11.039 Every day, sit on the side of your bed and 167 00:09:11.320 --> 00:09:13.320 think of ten things to thank God for before you 168 00:09:13.360 --> 00:09:16.679 get out of bed. It'll change your attitude. It'll change 169 00:09:16.679 --> 00:09:19.559 your day. The first five minutes of your day sets 170 00:09:19.559 --> 00:09:21.440 your mood for the rest of the day. And if 171 00:09:21.480 --> 00:09:24.960 you start it with gratitude, you'll be healthier, you'll be happier, 172 00:09:25.240 --> 00:09:27.759 you'll be closer to God. Your deep roots will be 173 00:09:27.799 --> 00:09:30.480 going deeper. He just start saying, God, let me just 174 00:09:30.519 --> 00:09:33.360 think of who you are, what you've done, how much 175 00:09:33.399 --> 00:09:35.559 you've done for me. And I make a list and 176 00:09:35.600 --> 00:09:37.080 I think of ten things, and I think of ten 177 00:09:37.120 --> 00:09:37.720 more things. 178 00:09:38.480 --> 00:09:40.559 Give thanks. It honors God. 179 00:09:40.799 --> 00:09:44.120 The second thing it does is why is God's gratitude 180 00:09:44.159 --> 00:09:50.440 God's will? Because it creates fellowship. It creates fellowship. What 181 00:09:50.919 --> 00:09:57.360 I mean by that it builds relationships. Gratitude always builds 182 00:09:57.720 --> 00:10:00.840 deeper relationships between you and other people, not just between 183 00:10:00.840 --> 00:10:04.519 you and God, but between you and other people. Now, listen, 184 00:10:05.919 --> 00:10:10.519 whoever you want to get closer to, start expressing gratitude 185 00:10:10.519 --> 00:10:13.960 to that person, and you'll get closer. If you've started 186 00:10:13.960 --> 00:10:17.519 moving away from your husband or your wife, you know 187 00:10:17.559 --> 00:10:19.240 what you need to do. You need to start doing 188 00:10:19.279 --> 00:10:22.639 what you did during dating. Express gratitude. Start writing little 189 00:10:22.679 --> 00:10:26.240 kind notes, making calls during the day, do the things 190 00:10:26.279 --> 00:10:30.039 you did at first. The reason you've lost that love 191 00:10:30.039 --> 00:10:33.279 and feeling is because you've stopped doing the things that 192 00:10:33.360 --> 00:10:37.440 created that love and feeling early on. And you take 193 00:10:37.480 --> 00:10:40.519 each other for granted, and you want to rebuild that 194 00:10:40.600 --> 00:10:44.399 relationship with a friend, with a parent, with a spouse, 195 00:10:45.600 --> 00:10:47.960 with people in your small group, whoever you want to 196 00:10:48.000 --> 00:10:51.519 get closer to start spending more time expressing gratitude to them. 197 00:10:51.679 --> 00:10:53.600 You want to build your small group. Don't just go 198 00:10:53.639 --> 00:10:56.879 to a small group during the week. Text them, email them, 199 00:10:57.080 --> 00:11:00.000 call them, write them. See you know, I'm grateful for you, 200 00:11:00.200 --> 00:11:03.080 and here's why I'm grateful. And you'll find that the 201 00:11:03.120 --> 00:11:06.759 more grateful you are for your group, the more your group. 202 00:11:06.559 --> 00:11:08.320 Will coalesce together. 203 00:11:09.320 --> 00:11:13.039 The Bible says this, encourage one another and build each 204 00:11:13.159 --> 00:11:15.240 other up. So I will encourage you to be more 205 00:11:15.240 --> 00:11:18.440 intentional in expressing gratitude to the people in your small 206 00:11:18.440 --> 00:11:21.360 group this week. Write some notes, you know, send some 207 00:11:21.440 --> 00:11:24.960 text or emails, and just tell people how grateful you are. 208 00:11:25.159 --> 00:11:27.559 It brings you closer together. Number three. 209 00:11:27.960 --> 00:11:30.039 The third reason why it's God's will for you to 210 00:11:30.080 --> 00:11:39.000 be radically grateful is it develops faith. It develops my faith. Now, 211 00:11:38.799 --> 00:11:42.600 how does gratitude develop my faith? Well, it happens when 212 00:11:42.639 --> 00:11:47.120 times are tough, when things don't make sense, when you 213 00:11:47.200 --> 00:11:51.360 can't figure it out, when your prayers are unanswered, when 214 00:11:51.440 --> 00:11:54.679 everything is going the way you didn't want it to go, 215 00:11:56.399 --> 00:12:00.559 and yet you thank God in that circumstances. God, I 216 00:12:00.600 --> 00:12:02.960 know You're in control. I know you love me, and 217 00:12:03.000 --> 00:12:04.559 I know you can bring good out of this, and 218 00:12:04.639 --> 00:12:07.679 I'm just thanking you. I'm not thankful for this situation. 219 00:12:07.799 --> 00:12:10.840 I just got fired, but I'm thankful in the situation 220 00:12:11.159 --> 00:12:13.639 that you're bigger than my problem and you can turn 221 00:12:13.679 --> 00:12:16.039 off one faucet and turn on another just as easily, 222 00:12:16.240 --> 00:12:19.360 and I'm thanking you for that. That is an evidence 223 00:12:19.440 --> 00:12:24.279 of trust. And when you learn anybody can thank God 224 00:12:24.360 --> 00:12:27.240 for good things, but if you can thank God even 225 00:12:27.320 --> 00:12:31.720 in the bad things, your faith grows and your roots 226 00:12:32.039 --> 00:12:33.200 go deeper. 227 00:12:34.440 --> 00:12:37.240 It's also an evidence of humility. 228 00:12:37.399 --> 00:12:39.759 You see when you thank God in a situation you 229 00:12:39.759 --> 00:12:42.039 don't understand, you're saying God, I don't understand this, but 230 00:12:42.080 --> 00:12:44.159 I'm humble enough to know I'm. 231 00:12:43.919 --> 00:12:46.440 Not God and you are. 232 00:12:47.200 --> 00:12:50.519 And I trust you, and I'm humble enough to admit 233 00:12:50.559 --> 00:12:53.679 it that you know what's best for me. Now, there's 234 00:12:53.720 --> 00:12:57.120 a guy in the Bible named Hubakuk, and I always 235 00:12:57.159 --> 00:12:59.000 like to bring these guys from the little books the 236 00:12:59.039 --> 00:13:01.440 Old Testament end because one day you're going to get 237 00:13:01.480 --> 00:13:03.120 to heaven and the back is going to come up 238 00:13:03.159 --> 00:13:05.120 to you and say, hey, how'd you like my book? 239 00:13:06.919 --> 00:13:08.559 And I don't want you to look like a dude. 240 00:13:08.559 --> 00:13:10.519 It's like, oh, oh, mister Becker guy didn't even know 241 00:13:10.519 --> 00:13:12.879 you were in the Bible, So I want to make 242 00:13:12.919 --> 00:13:13.399 sure you. 243 00:13:13.440 --> 00:13:15.320 Know who these guys are. So you need to get 244 00:13:15.360 --> 00:13:15.639 to heaven. 245 00:13:15.679 --> 00:13:18.840 You're not embarrassed, and you could say, oh, you know, 246 00:13:18.879 --> 00:13:21.279 I really liked what you said in chapter three, abacky, 247 00:13:21.320 --> 00:13:21.799 that was good. 248 00:13:21.840 --> 00:13:23.679 That was really good. Okay. 249 00:13:24.120 --> 00:13:26.080 And here's what a backack said. He was going through 250 00:13:26.120 --> 00:13:29.440 tough times. And he says, you know, even though the 251 00:13:29.480 --> 00:13:33.320 fig trees have no fruit, and no grapes are growing 252 00:13:33.360 --> 00:13:36.960 on the vine, and even though the olive crop failed, 253 00:13:37.840 --> 00:13:40.480 and even though the fields produced no grain. In other words, 254 00:13:40.519 --> 00:13:43.440 I'm going through recession. My business is in the tank. 255 00:13:44.600 --> 00:13:47.320 And even though the sheep are all dying and the 256 00:13:47.399 --> 00:13:51.320 cattle stalls are empty. In other words, he said, my 257 00:13:51.519 --> 00:13:55.159 portfolio has hit the skids. My four oh one K 258 00:13:55.240 --> 00:13:58.360 has become a one oh one k. He goes, even 259 00:13:58.399 --> 00:14:03.759 though all this is happening, I will still, I will still, 260 00:14:04.440 --> 00:14:06.840 I will still be. 261 00:14:07.039 --> 00:14:08.480 Joyful and glad. 262 00:14:10.159 --> 00:14:13.279 Why now, he's not thanking God for all the bad 263 00:14:13.320 --> 00:14:16.120 things that have gone wrong, not for those things. He's saying, 264 00:14:16.159 --> 00:14:18.879 what's his cause of gratitude? I will be joyful and 265 00:14:18.919 --> 00:14:23.480 glad because here's the cause. The Lord is my savior. 266 00:14:23.919 --> 00:14:26.480 Everything else thinks in life. But I can be grateful 267 00:14:26.480 --> 00:14:30.000 because the Lord is my savior. He will pull me out, 268 00:14:30.159 --> 00:14:32.679 He'll bring me through this, He'll help me out. I'm 269 00:14:32.679 --> 00:14:35.279 not on my own. I'm not by myself. He hadn't 270 00:14:35.360 --> 00:14:38.879 left me abandoned. I'm not an orphan, He's saying, I 271 00:14:39.039 --> 00:14:43.440 will still give thanks to God. That is the ultimate 272 00:14:43.519 --> 00:14:47.639 test of faith. Can you thank God when life stinks. 273 00:14:50.360 --> 00:14:53.080 That's the test of whether you're a shallow Christian or 274 00:14:53.120 --> 00:14:56.559 a deep one, whether you've got spiritual roots or you're 275 00:14:56.639 --> 00:15:02.240 just superficial. Can you think God God even when life stinks, 276 00:15:02.679 --> 00:15:07.600 when everything's going wrong, He says, if I'm going through 277 00:15:07.679 --> 00:15:10.960 tough times, what I need to do is not look 278 00:15:10.960 --> 00:15:14.360 at what's lost. I need to look at what's left. 279 00:15:15.440 --> 00:15:17.240 I need to look at what's left, and I need 280 00:15:17.279 --> 00:15:19.919 to be grateful for that. And no matter how bad 281 00:15:20.000 --> 00:15:24.600 things are in my life, there's always always thousands of 282 00:15:24.639 --> 00:15:28.000 things I can be grateful for. And no matter how 283 00:15:28.039 --> 00:15:30.840 bad things are in my life, there's always always the 284 00:15:30.919 --> 00:15:33.200 fact that I can be thankful to God just for 285 00:15:33.279 --> 00:15:37.159 being God, and that he has promised to see me 286 00:15:37.279 --> 00:15:40.639 through these situations, to help me out, to strengthen me, 287 00:15:40.759 --> 00:15:43.960 to care for me, to do miracles, to answer prayers. 288 00:15:44.279 --> 00:15:46.879 He's always promised, even when things don't go my way, 289 00:15:47.360 --> 00:15:49.840 that he can work it for good in my life. 290 00:15:50.519 --> 00:15:55.440 And so ultimately the plan is in action. That is faith. 291 00:15:56.320 --> 00:16:00.320 God's will is gradical gratitude in all things, give things why. 292 00:16:00.480 --> 00:16:05.039 It honors God, It creates fellowship, It develops faith Number. 293 00:16:04.759 --> 00:16:07.039 Four, It serves others. 294 00:16:08.600 --> 00:16:12.159 Radical gratitude, the attitude of gratitude that says, I'm just 295 00:16:12.200 --> 00:16:15.759 going to walk through life being grateful in every situation, 296 00:16:16.200 --> 00:16:21.240 no matter what, times of plenty, times of tightness, good, bad, right, wrong, whatever, 297 00:16:21.279 --> 00:16:24.320 I'm just going to be grateful in every situation. He says, 298 00:16:24.360 --> 00:16:28.919 that actually serves others. It becomes a ministry. Did you 299 00:16:29.039 --> 00:16:32.080 know we've talked about this many times that every Christian, 300 00:16:32.159 --> 00:16:35.600 every believer, is a minister. You are a minister, you 301 00:16:35.639 --> 00:16:38.159 have a ministry. You're not a pastor, but every Christian 302 00:16:38.240 --> 00:16:39.840 is a minister. What does that mean? It means we 303 00:16:39.919 --> 00:16:44.679 are to serve other people. We're saved to serve, and 304 00:16:44.720 --> 00:16:48.559 you can have a ministry called the ministry of appreciation. 305 00:16:49.759 --> 00:16:52.919 Do you know what the word appreciation means. Well, if 306 00:16:52.919 --> 00:16:59.120 you've ever bought a car, you know the meaning of depreciation. Okay, 307 00:16:59.320 --> 00:17:01.919 the moment you drive it off the lot, it's worth 308 00:17:02.080 --> 00:17:04.640 less than you paid for it. Even if it's brand new, 309 00:17:04.839 --> 00:17:08.920 you take it back, it's worthless. Depreciation it means to 310 00:17:09.039 --> 00:17:13.039 decrease in value. If you've ever bought a house, you 311 00:17:13.119 --> 00:17:17.519 know the meaning of both appreciation and depreciation. You've see 312 00:17:17.599 --> 00:17:20.480 the value go up, and you have seen the value 313 00:17:20.640 --> 00:17:26.480 go down. To appreciate means to raise in value. And 314 00:17:26.599 --> 00:17:31.200 this is a ministry. When you appreciate your husband, you 315 00:17:31.359 --> 00:17:36.519 raise his value. When you appreciate your wife, you raise 316 00:17:36.839 --> 00:17:42.079 her value. When you appreciate your kids, you raise their value. 317 00:17:42.240 --> 00:17:46.440 When you appreciate your coworkers, your staff, the people you 318 00:17:46.480 --> 00:17:50.319 work with in the office, you raise their value to 319 00:17:50.440 --> 00:17:53.640 you and to the company. When you appreciate your boss, 320 00:17:54.039 --> 00:18:00.559 you raise her value or his value. The ministry of 321 00:18:00.599 --> 00:18:04.480 appreciation raises the value of people. And that's why God 322 00:18:04.519 --> 00:18:08.799 says radical gratitude is a ministry. He and just go 323 00:18:08.839 --> 00:18:11.319 around making a ministry out of raising the value of 324 00:18:11.359 --> 00:18:16.759 people simply by appreciating them, going around, and you know 325 00:18:16.759 --> 00:18:19.319 One of the things I've discovered is that everybody in 326 00:18:19.359 --> 00:18:24.400 life needs massive doses of encouragement. I've never met anybody says, 327 00:18:24.440 --> 00:18:27.759 oh no, I don't need a compliment. I have too many. 328 00:18:27.799 --> 00:18:32.720 Please stop, please really, please, please stop. I'm too affirmed. 329 00:18:32.799 --> 00:18:34.359 Please don't don't give me anymore. 330 00:18:35.440 --> 00:18:42.559 You have an unqualified need to be affirmed, to be loved, 331 00:18:42.599 --> 00:18:46.400 to be appreciated to people express gratitude for and you can, 332 00:18:46.480 --> 00:18:48.720 and so does everybody else. And if you want to 333 00:18:48.759 --> 00:18:53.079 be used of God, here's a little secret. Affirm everybody. 334 00:18:54.000 --> 00:18:59.079 Appreciate everybody, show gratitude to everybody. You know, the team 335 00:18:59.079 --> 00:19:01.799 that I travel with that we have a little pack 336 00:19:02.119 --> 00:19:04.319 that we're just going to leave a trail of gratitude 337 00:19:04.359 --> 00:19:06.559 wherever we go in the world, and we're going to 338 00:19:06.599 --> 00:19:10.519 express appreciation to the people that everybody else ignores. And 339 00:19:10.599 --> 00:19:12.599 so we make it a little game. We make sure 340 00:19:12.880 --> 00:19:17.920 that the maid services who are fixing the sheets in 341 00:19:18.000 --> 00:19:21.319 the in the motel, or the taxi driver or the 342 00:19:21.359 --> 00:19:24.799 bellman or the clerk or the ticket agent, that we 343 00:19:25.119 --> 00:19:28.240 express appreciation to them in the middle of their busy day. 344 00:19:28.400 --> 00:19:31.160 That we're not going to have contact with any person 345 00:19:31.359 --> 00:19:36.480 on the road without saying thank you. And I'm pretty 346 00:19:36.480 --> 00:19:39.599 good at it. But Steve, he is a pro. He's 347 00:19:39.640 --> 00:19:43.240 almost embarrassingly good at it, you know. I mean, he's 348 00:19:43.319 --> 00:19:46.599 just he is so good at expressing appreciation to people. 349 00:19:47.000 --> 00:19:49.000 I'm in awe of the guy how he does it 350 00:19:49.039 --> 00:19:51.880 on the phone and stuff like that. And I'm just 351 00:19:52.559 --> 00:19:55.519 and I have to be honest with you that we 352 00:19:55.640 --> 00:19:58.920 have actually missed planes because we were still busy thanking people. 353 00:20:00.160 --> 00:20:01.880 The nice thing about it is the people we think 354 00:20:01.920 --> 00:20:04.319 then help us get on the next plane. 355 00:20:04.960 --> 00:20:05.160 You know. 356 00:20:05.240 --> 00:20:06.960 I was gone for two weeks. I was a week 357 00:20:07.000 --> 00:20:10.000 in Africa and in Europe, then a week in Europe, 358 00:20:10.039 --> 00:20:13.920 and one day we were on one day I was 359 00:20:13.920 --> 00:20:16.640 speaking to pastors and we had breakfast in Brussels and 360 00:20:16.720 --> 00:20:20.359 lunch in Paris and dinner in Vienna and all in 361 00:20:20.440 --> 00:20:22.960 the same day. And I'm speaking to these groups of 362 00:20:23.000 --> 00:20:25.880 pastors and We're just leaving a little trail of people 363 00:20:25.920 --> 00:20:28.319 everywhere we go. It was so funny because in Vienna 364 00:20:28.480 --> 00:20:31.599 I was sitting in a taxi and an elderly lady, 365 00:20:32.000 --> 00:20:34.319 seventy nine year old woman, seventy nine year old woman 366 00:20:34.359 --> 00:20:35.880 and her husband coming knock on the window. 367 00:20:35.880 --> 00:20:36.599 I roll the window down. 368 00:20:36.640 --> 00:20:42.640 She goes, I'm a fan friend of yours on Facebook. 369 00:20:43.480 --> 00:20:46.079 I said, tell me your story. She says, well, I'm Romanian. 370 00:20:46.200 --> 00:20:49.000 I'm going now wait a minute, a Romanian eighty nine 371 00:20:49.079 --> 00:20:54.319 year old woman in Paris watching me on Facebook. It's 372 00:20:54.319 --> 00:20:58.559 a new world, friends, we got a radical change here. 373 00:20:58.880 --> 00:21:02.519 This is a radical and so it. 374 00:21:03.920 --> 00:21:07.519 Helps other people. In fact, the Bible says this, do 375 00:21:07.640 --> 00:21:10.000 not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouth. 376 00:21:10.039 --> 00:21:14.599 In other words, that's critical, complaining, negative, cynical, sarcastic, always 377 00:21:14.640 --> 00:21:16.839 putting other people down. Don't let that kind of stuff 378 00:21:16.839 --> 00:21:17.240 come out. 379 00:21:17.160 --> 00:21:17.559 Of your mouth. 380 00:21:18.000 --> 00:21:20.039 But only the only thing that should come out of 381 00:21:20.079 --> 00:21:22.720 your mouth is what is helpful for building others up. 382 00:21:22.880 --> 00:21:24.680 He says, you tell you need to talk, not what 383 00:21:24.759 --> 00:21:27.400 builds you up, but what builds others up according to 384 00:21:27.559 --> 00:21:31.759 their needs. That it may benefit not you, but those 385 00:21:31.759 --> 00:21:36.680 who listen. That's called the ministry of affirmation. So why 386 00:21:36.759 --> 00:21:40.680 is gratitude radical? Gratitude in every situation always God's will. 387 00:21:40.960 --> 00:21:45.119 It honors God, It creates fellowship, It brings you closer 388 00:21:45.119 --> 00:21:48.599 to people. It develops faith, particularly shows your trust in 389 00:21:48.640 --> 00:21:52.240 God in tough times. It serves other people and then 390 00:21:52.279 --> 00:21:53.119 there's a fifth one. 391 00:21:53.240 --> 00:21:54.079 It is a witness. 392 00:21:55.200 --> 00:21:58.519 It is a witness to unbelievers. The best way to 393 00:21:58.640 --> 00:22:02.799 share your faith with other people is a start with gratitude. 394 00:22:03.039 --> 00:22:05.519 You know what I'm grateful for about you? That'll blow 395 00:22:05.559 --> 00:22:12.319 their mind. Wow. 396 00:22:12.440 --> 00:22:15.759 What a great message from Pastor Rick today, and I 397 00:22:15.839 --> 00:22:18.559 have some exciting news to share with you. For just 398 00:22:18.599 --> 00:22:22.200 a limited time, you can get the Daily Hope Devotional 399 00:22:22.480 --> 00:22:26.160 three hundred sixty five days of Purpose, Peace and Promise 400 00:22:26.440 --> 00:22:31.079 in a beautiful special Leatherlok gift edition. This stunning Keepsake 401 00:22:31.160 --> 00:22:34.759