WEBVTT 1 00:00:01.080 --> 00:00:04.639 I want to begin today with two questions. The two 2 00:00:04.719 --> 00:00:11.039 questions survey okay, and the first question is this, be honest, 3 00:00:11.560 --> 00:00:16.239 don't lie. How many of you have ever run out 4 00:00:16.239 --> 00:00:19.960 of gas? Can I see your hands? Great? All right? 5 00:00:20.239 --> 00:00:24.239 The rest of you I hate? Okay, all right, you 6 00:00:24.280 --> 00:00:26.120 are my kind of people. Those you raise your hand. 7 00:00:26.480 --> 00:00:28.199 The rest of you you didn't raise your You can 8 00:00:28.199 --> 00:00:30.559 go home right now. You don't need this message. You 9 00:00:30.559 --> 00:00:34.840 are too perfect, and I envy you. You're honestly in 10 00:00:34.840 --> 00:00:38.479 my hall of fame. Now here's the second survey question. 11 00:00:39.200 --> 00:00:42.439 Everybody can raise their hands on this one. How low 12 00:00:42.479 --> 00:00:47.679 do you let your gas tank get before you refill? Okay, 13 00:00:48.039 --> 00:00:54.159 so when you refill after a quarter of a tank low? 14 00:00:54.280 --> 00:00:57.240 How many of you do that? You can go home 15 00:00:57.320 --> 00:01:00.560 right now. You don't need this message. All right. When 16 00:01:00.640 --> 00:01:03.280 your tank is half empty, how many of a refill? 17 00:01:04.239 --> 00:01:07.159 All right? When your tank is three quarters of an 18 00:01:07.239 --> 00:01:11.239 tank empty? Raise your hand? All right? All right? Uh, 19 00:01:11.439 --> 00:01:14.200 when you are five miles past empty, raise your hand. 20 00:01:15.000 --> 00:01:18.120 You need to stay. Okay, those of you raise your 21 00:01:18.120 --> 00:01:23.560 hand that you need to stay for this message. Now, 22 00:01:23.599 --> 00:01:25.920 what I want us to do today as we start 23 00:01:26.239 --> 00:01:29.879 in this next message of the series, strategies for stressful 24 00:01:29.879 --> 00:01:32.719 time is I want us to look at how do 25 00:01:32.799 --> 00:01:37.599 you keep your tank filled instead of running on empty? 26 00:01:38.280 --> 00:01:43.359 And before we do the antidote the solutions to staying 27 00:01:43.439 --> 00:01:48.359 spiritually and emotionally and relationally filled so that your tank 28 00:01:48.480 --> 00:01:52.519 is full, I first need to identify the ten reasons 29 00:01:53.000 --> 00:01:55.519 that you run out of gas. Okay, I want get 30 00:01:55.519 --> 00:01:58.040 out your pencil and write this down, the ten reasons 31 00:01:58.079 --> 00:02:00.840 you run out of gas. Because each of these reasons 32 00:02:00.879 --> 00:02:03.560 why we run out of gas in our car actually 33 00:02:03.640 --> 00:02:07.920 parallels the reasons the ten reasons why you feel spiritually 34 00:02:07.959 --> 00:02:13.479 empty or emotionally empty too, so as I give them 35 00:02:13.479 --> 00:02:15.520 to you. As we go through this list of ten things, 36 00:02:16.000 --> 00:02:19.960 I want you to circle the number of reasons that 37 00:02:20.039 --> 00:02:23.240 actually apply to your spiritual or emotional condition if you're 38 00:02:23.240 --> 00:02:26.639 feeling a little low, a little running on empty right now? Okay, 39 00:02:26.680 --> 00:02:29.439 here they are. Number one. First reason we run out 40 00:02:29.479 --> 00:02:33.520 of gas is not starting out with a full tank. 41 00:02:34.719 --> 00:02:38.280 Not starting out with a full tank. Now, we're gonna 42 00:02:38.319 --> 00:02:40.039 look at some of the antidotes to these later on, 43 00:02:40.400 --> 00:02:44.319 but how you start your day sets your day. Not 44 00:02:44.479 --> 00:02:47.719 starting out every day with a full tank means you're 45 00:02:47.719 --> 00:02:50.560 going to be on empty much of the day. Number two, 46 00:02:51.520 --> 00:02:56.520 being too busy to stop and refuel. That's the second 47 00:02:56.599 --> 00:02:59.280 reason we run out of gas when you're too busy 48 00:02:59.520 --> 00:03:02.560 to stop up and refuel. And some of you can 49 00:03:02.599 --> 00:03:05.719 relate to that in your emotional life and your relational life, 50 00:03:05.719 --> 00:03:11.479 in your spiritual life. Number three, ignoring the owner's manual 51 00:03:12.439 --> 00:03:16.039 and pushing my car farther than it was created to go. 52 00:03:17.080 --> 00:03:19.520 You got a ten gallon tank or fifteen gallon tank 53 00:03:19.639 --> 00:03:21.560 or twenty gallon tank or whatever it is, you need 54 00:03:21.599 --> 00:03:24.120 to know what the owner's manual says. When you push 55 00:03:24.199 --> 00:03:28.439 it passed further than the owner's manuel tells you, you're 56 00:03:28.439 --> 00:03:30.879 gonna run out of gas. Now, I hate tell you this, 57 00:03:30.960 --> 00:03:34.400 but you're not superman. You're not superwoman. You have limits. 58 00:03:35.120 --> 00:03:37.840 And one of the limits that God puts in your 59 00:03:37.879 --> 00:03:41.800 life is actually in the Ten Commandments, and it says this, 60 00:03:42.520 --> 00:03:48.919 Every seventh day is for worship, rest, and relaxation. It's 61 00:03:48.919 --> 00:03:51.960 called the Sabbath. And if you ignore the Sabbath, you 62 00:03:52.039 --> 00:03:55.680 don't take a day for worship, rest and relaxation, then 63 00:03:55.800 --> 00:03:58.280 you're gonna pay for it, and you're gonna be running 64 00:03:58.280 --> 00:04:01.439 on empty most of your life. Here's the fourth cause 65 00:04:01.800 --> 00:04:04.800 that we run out of gas emotionally and spiritually, not 66 00:04:04.879 --> 00:04:10.360 just in our cars. Number four being unaware of hidden 67 00:04:10.400 --> 00:04:18.279 links leaks. Being unaware of hidden leaks that are draining me. Now, 68 00:04:18.720 --> 00:04:22.839 most common causes of leaks in your life, because you 69 00:04:22.959 --> 00:04:27.879 are draining energy all the time, are your relationships. They 70 00:04:28.000 --> 00:04:33.759 drain you, and your responsibilities they drain you. I don't 71 00:04:33.759 --> 00:04:36.720 know if you realize this, but conflict drains you of energy. 72 00:04:38.120 --> 00:04:44.800 Criticism drains you of energy. Disappointment drains you of energy. 73 00:04:46.279 --> 00:04:51.120 Frustration drains you of energy. You've experienced all of these 74 00:04:51.160 --> 00:04:54.560 during the pandemic. Grief when you have a loss, drains 75 00:04:54.600 --> 00:04:59.879 you of energy. These are common leaks that empty your soul. Right, 76 00:05:00.560 --> 00:05:03.360 and when you're not unaware of the hidden leaks in 77 00:05:03.399 --> 00:05:07.040 your life, you're gonna run out of gas pretty quickly, 78 00:05:07.199 --> 00:05:13.519 emotionally and spiritually. Okay. Number five being in a hurry. 79 00:05:14.199 --> 00:05:20.800 Being in a hurry drains your tank. Now you already know, 80 00:05:24.439 --> 00:05:29.319 you already know that going fast waste more gas. I 81 00:05:29.319 --> 00:05:32.439 mean you know that when you're driving really fast, rapid acceleration, 82 00:05:32.800 --> 00:05:35.439 speeding up. You know when the light turns green, that 83 00:05:35.519 --> 00:05:38.759 burns a lot of gas. Faster and the faster I drive, 84 00:05:39.560 --> 00:05:43.000 the faster, I'm gonna run out of of gas and 85 00:05:43.040 --> 00:05:45.319 my tank is gonna go low. Now the same is 86 00:05:45.360 --> 00:05:49.720 true with your soul. That when you're in a hurry 87 00:05:50.519 --> 00:05:55.240 and you don't pause enough to refill, then you're gonna 88 00:05:55.319 --> 00:05:57.759 your your tank is gonna go empty. Quicker and the 89 00:05:57.800 --> 00:06:00.959 faster you go in life, the faster the pace of 90 00:06:01.000 --> 00:06:04.240 your life. Are you hearing me, The faster the pace 91 00:06:04.279 --> 00:06:07.800 of your life, the quicker you are gonna get too 92 00:06:07.839 --> 00:06:12.120 empty on the e of your of your gauge. So 93 00:06:12.240 --> 00:06:17.079 y'at ask yourself, what is the speed of my life today? 94 00:06:17.199 --> 00:06:19.759 If I'm running on empty, if I'm running on fumes, 95 00:06:19.839 --> 00:06:23.040 if I feel a little low, I feel down, I 96 00:06:23.079 --> 00:06:26.360 feel a little discouraged, then maybe you're maybe you're still 97 00:06:26.399 --> 00:06:29.759 going too fast in this pandemic? What is the speed 98 00:06:29.800 --> 00:06:34.759 of my life? Number six six common cause of running 99 00:06:35.000 --> 00:06:39.120 on empty and having an empty tank is not paying 100 00:06:39.160 --> 00:06:44.759 attention to my gauges. Not paying attention to my gauges. Now, 101 00:06:44.959 --> 00:06:47.199 those of us like me who have a d D, 102 00:06:47.600 --> 00:06:50.680 we don't pay attention to the gauges. I rarely see 103 00:06:50.720 --> 00:06:52.399 that gauge. I've got to have a big light come 104 00:06:52.399 --> 00:06:55.439 on gone. You are stupid and you're on empty, and 105 00:06:55.480 --> 00:06:57.600 you need to stop and get some gas right now. 106 00:06:57.839 --> 00:07:01.920 I don't pay attention to my gauges, but the same 107 00:07:02.040 --> 00:07:05.519 is true in life. Did you know that you have 108 00:07:05.680 --> 00:07:08.800 gauges in your life that can tell you if you're 109 00:07:08.800 --> 00:07:13.879 getting you're empty? You can What are the spiritual and 110 00:07:13.920 --> 00:07:16.920 emotional gauges in your life? Let me just give you 111 00:07:16.920 --> 00:07:22.920 a few of them. Your sleep, your sleep pattern. When 112 00:07:22.959 --> 00:07:26.759 you're not getting enough sleep, guess what you're heading toward empty? 113 00:07:28.160 --> 00:07:33.920 Another gauge. Your irritability when everybody around you notices you're 114 00:07:33.959 --> 00:07:38.720 more irritable than normal. Guess what. That's a gauge. It's 115 00:07:38.720 --> 00:07:41.360 a gauge that says you're running on fumes. You're running 116 00:07:41.519 --> 00:07:44.920 on empty. You're a lot less irritable when your tank's full. 117 00:07:45.120 --> 00:07:50.560 Emotionally and spiritually, your relationships are a gauge. How are 118 00:07:50.600 --> 00:07:54.439 you getting along in your relationships? That's a gauge in 119 00:07:54.480 --> 00:07:57.519 your life to tell me tell you whether you're on 120 00:07:57.639 --> 00:08:01.079 empty or whether you've got a full tank. I hate 121 00:08:01.120 --> 00:08:05.600 say this, but your weight. Your weight is a gauge 122 00:08:06.040 --> 00:08:10.600 of how you're handling life. How about your attitudes? Okay, 123 00:08:11.040 --> 00:08:15.600 your attitudes. How about your generosity? Generosity, you're much more 124 00:08:15.639 --> 00:08:17.959 generous when you've got a full tank. When you don't 125 00:08:18.000 --> 00:08:20.839 have a full take, you're not very degenerous in life 126 00:08:21.079 --> 00:08:25.839 with your time, your money, or what anything. Worship attendance 127 00:08:26.000 --> 00:08:29.920 is a gauge. When people start falling off and stop 128 00:08:30.279 --> 00:08:33.360 going up going to church services, going to worship, that's 129 00:08:33.399 --> 00:08:38.799 a gauge. They're all kinds of patients. How patient are 130 00:08:38.840 --> 00:08:43.559 you that that's a good indicator of whether you've got 131 00:08:43.559 --> 00:08:46.639 a full tanker or you're heading toward empty. Each of 132 00:08:46.720 --> 00:08:51.879 these are gauges of how empty or full your soul is. Now. 133 00:08:51.960 --> 00:08:58.879 The seventh common cost of being over being empty gas 134 00:08:59.000 --> 00:09:04.639 wise out of gas is this being overloaded. Being overloaded 135 00:09:04.759 --> 00:09:08.000 when your car is carrying too much weight, it uses 136 00:09:08.039 --> 00:09:10.120 more gas than when there isn't as much weight in 137 00:09:10.159 --> 00:09:14.600 the car. The heavier the load you carry in a vehicle, 138 00:09:15.679 --> 00:09:18.919 the sooner you're going to run out of gas. I 139 00:09:18.960 --> 00:09:22.320 can tell you from personal experience. Years ago, I borrowed 140 00:09:22.759 --> 00:09:27.200 a vacation trailer to take my young family on a vacation. 141 00:09:27.919 --> 00:09:30.600 So I attached the trailer to my car. I'd never 142 00:09:30.720 --> 00:09:33.480 pulled a trailer before, and I headed north for a 143 00:09:33.519 --> 00:09:37.879 family vacation, and I did not consider that carrying more 144 00:09:38.000 --> 00:09:41.759 weight behind my car meant that I was going to 145 00:09:41.799 --> 00:09:45.559 get fewer miles per gallon. I thought, well, I just 146 00:09:45.600 --> 00:09:47.960 get the normal miles per gallon. I can go this far. 147 00:09:48.399 --> 00:09:55.159 But I didn't realize that. And climbing climbing up the Grapevine, 148 00:09:55.240 --> 00:09:58.159 you know the mountains north of LA, and you're going 149 00:09:58.279 --> 00:10:02.039 up the mountains out of l with very strong winds 150 00:10:02.080 --> 00:10:07.720 coming against you. I helplessly watched my gas gauge goo. 151 00:10:10.080 --> 00:10:13.679 There's no place to turn around. Okay, there's no place 152 00:10:13.679 --> 00:10:17.159 to turn around. There are no gas stations. And when 153 00:10:17.200 --> 00:10:20.320 we did run out of gas inevitably on the Grapevine, 154 00:10:20.519 --> 00:10:22.559 I had to leave can the kids in the car 155 00:10:23.000 --> 00:10:26.720 and hike up the mountain to the nearest town, which 156 00:10:26.799 --> 00:10:29.960 was Gorman. You all know where that is, and Gorman 157 00:10:30.240 --> 00:10:33.320 and get a thing of gas and then hike back down. 158 00:10:34.639 --> 00:10:37.279 And some of you are making that mistake right now, 159 00:10:38.039 --> 00:10:41.600 when you're carrying a heavier load than you normally carry, 160 00:10:42.679 --> 00:10:47.080 you're running out of gas sooner. Reminds me of a 161 00:10:47.120 --> 00:10:49.759 story I heard the other day about a pet delivery 162 00:10:49.799 --> 00:10:53.559 truck and there was guys going down El Toro Road 163 00:10:53.759 --> 00:10:56.679 in his car behind him watching this happen, and this 164 00:10:57.120 --> 00:11:00.840 pet delivery truck. At every stoplight, the driver of the 165 00:11:00.840 --> 00:11:03.639 truck gets out with a big tube before and starts 166 00:11:03.679 --> 00:11:07.000 beating on the side of the truck. And when it 167 00:11:07.039 --> 00:11:08.919 turns green, he would get back in the truck and 168 00:11:08.960 --> 00:11:10.600 he would go. But he gets to the next light, 169 00:11:10.679 --> 00:11:13.200 red light, he gets out, he beats the truck with 170 00:11:13.360 --> 00:11:15.720 a tube before gets back in the truck. He does 171 00:11:15.759 --> 00:11:18.200 this three or four times, and finally the guy falling 172 00:11:18.240 --> 00:11:21.240 behind him gets too curious and at the next light 173 00:11:21.279 --> 00:11:24.799 he stops and says, what are you doing? And the 174 00:11:24.919 --> 00:11:28.279 driver explained, well, this is a two ton truck and 175 00:11:28.360 --> 00:11:33.320 I'm transporting four tons of canaries, so I have to 176 00:11:33.399 --> 00:11:35.120 keep half of him in the air all the time. 177 00:11:36.799 --> 00:11:41.039 Some of you feel like that you got so many 178 00:11:41.080 --> 00:11:44.720 things in the frying pan, you got so many things 179 00:11:44.759 --> 00:11:47.000 on your agenda, you gotta keep half of them in 180 00:11:47.039 --> 00:11:51.720 the air all the time because you're overloaded. And if 181 00:11:51.720 --> 00:11:54.799 you're trying to say to yourself, I can't handle this, 182 00:11:56.600 --> 00:12:01.679 it's too much, you may need to load. Okay, that's 183 00:12:01.799 --> 00:12:06.480 a typical cause of running on empty. Okay, too big 184 00:12:06.519 --> 00:12:10.759 of a load. Number eight. The eighth common cause of 185 00:12:10.879 --> 00:12:15.679 running out of gas emotionally, spiritually in your life is this, 186 00:12:16.279 --> 00:12:22.480 assuming the limits of my tank don't apply to me. Now, 187 00:12:22.519 --> 00:12:26.799 I happen to have a big SUV, a big Ford suv. 188 00:12:26.879 --> 00:12:28.679 You know, I've driven one all my life, and it 189 00:12:28.759 --> 00:12:32.600 holds like twenty six gallons. Some of you your car 190 00:12:32.639 --> 00:12:37.120 doesn't hold half that amount. But when you think that 191 00:12:37.200 --> 00:12:40.240 your tank is bigger than it really is, and you 192 00:12:40.360 --> 00:12:43.159 assume that it doesn't apply to you, there's a word 193 00:12:43.159 --> 00:12:45.120 for that. When I take on more than I could 194 00:12:45.120 --> 00:12:52.120 really handle, it's called pride. Pride, And honestly, you, guys, 195 00:12:52.240 --> 00:12:55.120 I meet a lot of people who are proud of 196 00:12:55.159 --> 00:13:00.519 being workaholics. They all live in Orange County, California. They 197 00:13:00.559 --> 00:13:04.759 are proud of how hard they work, and they think 198 00:13:04.759 --> 00:13:09.759 they're invincible. But the truth is they're running on empty. 199 00:13:10.759 --> 00:13:17.279 Pride drains your tank. Humility refills your tank, all right. 200 00:13:17.799 --> 00:13:20.720 A ninth cause of why you run out of gas 201 00:13:20.879 --> 00:13:26.399 emotionally and spiritually and even relationally. Ninth cost is not 202 00:13:26.559 --> 00:13:30.759 knowing where to find a filling station. Now, this isn't 203 00:13:30.799 --> 00:13:33.279 such a big problem anymore because we all have smartphones 204 00:13:34.080 --> 00:13:36.759 and you've got Google Maps and Apple Maps and all 205 00:13:36.759 --> 00:13:38.879 these other things. But before that happened, you remember, you go, 206 00:13:38.919 --> 00:13:41.720 where in the world's a gas station? And you had 207 00:13:41.799 --> 00:13:44.039 no idea where what, Especially if you're out on a 208 00:13:44.039 --> 00:13:45.600 long trip, you go, I have no idea, is their 209 00:13:45.639 --> 00:13:49.320 gas station in the next town? And you know, when 210 00:13:49.360 --> 00:13:54.679 you don't know where you could get refilled, that's problem. 211 00:13:55.799 --> 00:13:58.559 But spiritually and emotionally, a lot of people don't know 212 00:13:58.600 --> 00:14:01.080 where to get refilled to. And now, of course filling station, 213 00:14:02.240 --> 00:14:05.519 Saddleback Church and all the other good churches that preach 214 00:14:05.600 --> 00:14:09.080 the Bible teach the Bible, they are emotional and spiritual 215 00:14:09.360 --> 00:14:13.080 filling stations. But you know, during COVID, a lot of 216 00:14:13.120 --> 00:14:17.120 people are running on empty emotionally because they've gotten out 217 00:14:17.120 --> 00:14:20.720 of the habit of going to their filling station, and 218 00:14:20.759 --> 00:14:23.759 so they're not getting refilled at least on a weekly 219 00:14:24.039 --> 00:14:27.879 basis through the church service. Sometimes I look like you 220 00:14:27.960 --> 00:14:29.759 coming in here, and I see you, you know, on 221 00:14:29.799 --> 00:14:32.240 a Saturday or Sunday, and I feel like you come 222 00:14:32.360 --> 00:14:34.200 walking in just really drained, and I feel like I've 223 00:14:34.200 --> 00:14:36.600 got jumper cables and it's my job to attach them 224 00:14:36.639 --> 00:14:39.000 to you and go and get all right, get out there, 225 00:14:39.039 --> 00:14:41.840 go for another week. Hang on. You know, I'm like 226 00:14:41.879 --> 00:14:44.519 a spiritual coach. I'm like the guy slapping Rocky in 227 00:14:44.519 --> 00:14:47.879 the corner going pouring water on. Go go, go guy, man, 228 00:14:47.960 --> 00:14:49.759 you can do it. I know you get out there 229 00:14:49.759 --> 00:14:52.960 and do another round. And I know you're getting beat 230 00:14:53.039 --> 00:14:56.639 up on a weekly basis, and you know I love 231 00:14:56.679 --> 00:14:59.080 you as your pastor, and I feel like my job 232 00:14:59.519 --> 00:15:02.279 is to to be a spiritual filling station, is to 233 00:15:02.320 --> 00:15:06.639 help you get recharged and refilled emotionally and spiritually for 234 00:15:06.759 --> 00:15:09.240 the weekend. But if the people who've gotten out of 235 00:15:09.240 --> 00:15:12.120 the habit of coming don't do that, they're just getting 236 00:15:12.159 --> 00:15:17.679 more and more drained. Finally, the tenth reason, and this 237 00:15:17.759 --> 00:15:20.360 really has to do more with if you've never driven 238 00:15:20.360 --> 00:15:22.879 a car, and that is not knowing how to refill 239 00:15:22.919 --> 00:15:26.960 my tank. I have to admit that when I got 240 00:15:27.080 --> 00:15:31.720 my newer car, I didn't know how to open the 241 00:15:31.759 --> 00:15:34.840 gas tank. I kept looking for the thing to pop 242 00:15:35.000 --> 00:15:37.320 for it to open, and I couldn't figure it out, 243 00:15:37.320 --> 00:15:39.200 and then finally figured out, oh, you just press on 244 00:15:39.240 --> 00:15:41.399 it and it opens up on its own. But I 245 00:15:41.440 --> 00:15:45.840 didn't know how to refill my tank for several days. Now, 246 00:15:46.720 --> 00:15:52.200 the feeling of emptiness during COVID pandemic is at an 247 00:15:52.200 --> 00:15:54.399 all time high. A lot of people are feeling empty 248 00:15:54.440 --> 00:15:57.200 right now, They're feeling drained. But I want to tell 249 00:15:57.200 --> 00:16:03.279 you this, everybody, listen, what we're going through is not new. 250 00:16:04.200 --> 00:16:08.879 People have gone through periods of draining and feeling empty 251 00:16:09.639 --> 00:16:12.679 for centuries and actually millennia. Let me just show you 252 00:16:12.840 --> 00:16:15.279 a couple of things on the in scripture from the Bible, 253 00:16:15.279 --> 00:16:19.759 look up here on screen. In Lamentations, chapter two, verse eleven, 254 00:16:20.039 --> 00:16:26.240 Jeremiah says this, my eyes have no more tears, and 255 00:16:26.320 --> 00:16:31.720 I'm sick to my stomach, and I feel empty inside. 256 00:16:32.120 --> 00:16:35.840 That's thousands of years ago. Guys, you may be feeling 257 00:16:35.840 --> 00:16:39.039 that today. Well. Jeremiah, who wrote that book, Jeremiah Lamentation, 258 00:16:39.279 --> 00:16:42.559 felt that. He said, I feel empty inside. How about 259 00:16:42.559 --> 00:16:45.960 this one? Look on the screen, Job chapter seven, verse three. 260 00:16:46.480 --> 00:16:51.159 Job says, I am given months that are empty. Sounds 261 00:16:51.159 --> 00:16:54.480 like a pandemic. I'm given months that are empty and 262 00:16:54.679 --> 00:16:59.559 nights of misery. So Job understands if you're feeling that way. 263 00:17:00.000 --> 00:17:02.200 How about this one In Isaiah, This is out of 264 00:17:02.200 --> 00:17:07.839 the amplified translation. Isaiah says this, I have labored, I 265 00:17:07.920 --> 00:17:11.279 have labored in vain, and I've spent my strength for 266 00:17:11.400 --> 00:17:16.839 nothing and in empty futility. He said, I'm feeling empty. 267 00:17:17.880 --> 00:17:20.559 Or how about this one one more second Samuel three 268 00:17:20.759 --> 00:17:25.519 thirty nine. David says this, even though I am the 269 00:17:25.559 --> 00:17:31.720 appointed King, I feel empty. So you may be on 270 00:17:31.839 --> 00:17:35.400 top of your game, you may be at the pinnacle 271 00:17:35.480 --> 00:17:38.839 of your career. You may get your cut name on 272 00:17:38.880 --> 00:17:41.839 the cover of some magazine. David says, even though I'm 273 00:17:41.880 --> 00:17:46.880 the King, I feel empty inside. Now, before we look 274 00:17:46.920 --> 00:17:49.160 at the solutions, I'm gonna pause right here, and I 275 00:17:49.240 --> 00:17:50.720 want you to look at that list of ten things 276 00:17:50.720 --> 00:17:52.400 on your outline, and I want you to go back 277 00:17:52.480 --> 00:17:56.240 and circle the numbers that apply to your life. All right, 278 00:17:56.559 --> 00:17:59.640 circle that. Look at that list and go through it again. 279 00:17:59.640 --> 00:18:02.319 All right, let's look at it again. If you'd say, 280 00:18:02.640 --> 00:18:05.319 not starting out with a full tank every day, that's me. 281 00:18:05.599 --> 00:18:08.480 Check that one. Circle it being too busy to stop 282 00:18:08.519 --> 00:18:12.119 and refuel. Circle that one ignoring the owners of Anuel, 283 00:18:12.160 --> 00:18:14.880 pushing my car or my life further than it was 284 00:18:14.920 --> 00:18:17.359 created to go. Being on number four, being unaware of 285 00:18:17.440 --> 00:18:20.880 hidden leaks, leaks, maybe you got conflict in your life. 286 00:18:21.759 --> 00:18:26.160 Number five being in a hurry uh. Number six, not 287 00:18:26.359 --> 00:18:28.839 paying attention to my gauges. Maybe you need to check 288 00:18:28.880 --> 00:18:32.559 that one. Number seven being overloaded. I got too much 289 00:18:32.640 --> 00:18:36.319 to do right now. Number eight, assuming that the limits 290 00:18:36.400 --> 00:18:40.079 of my tank don't apply to me. Number nine not 291 00:18:40.240 --> 00:18:43.240 knowing where to find a filling station. Obviously you know 292 00:18:43.319 --> 00:18:45.720 that one. You don't have to circle. Circle that. Number ten, 293 00:18:45.799 --> 00:18:48.079 not knowing how to refill my tank. If you circle 294 00:18:48.119 --> 00:18:51.599 the last one, you came to the right weekend, because 295 00:18:51.599 --> 00:18:54.119 that's what we're going to look at. How do you 296 00:18:54.519 --> 00:19:00.200 refill your tank? Now? What does Jesus have to say 297 00:19:00.200 --> 00:19:03.720 about all this? What does Jesus have to say when 298 00:19:03.799 --> 00:19:07.680 we come to him with an emptiness in our lives, 299 00:19:08.079 --> 00:19:14.440 an empty soul, an empty heart, empty of character. How 300 00:19:14.480 --> 00:19:17.880 does Jesus respond when you say, I got nothing to give, 301 00:19:20.039 --> 00:19:23.960 I'm all out of gas, I'm living on fumes. What 302 00:19:24.000 --> 00:19:27.240 does Jesus do when you come to him in your emptiness? 303 00:19:27.559 --> 00:19:31.759 Does he scold you no? Does he judge you no? 304 00:19:33.000 --> 00:19:36.279 Does he reprimand you say, oh, you should be full? No? 305 00:19:37.559 --> 00:19:41.119 In fact, he does the exact opposite. Jesus says this 306 00:19:42.359 --> 00:19:45.640 in Matthew chapter eleven. Look at this Matthew chapter eleven, 307 00:19:45.880 --> 00:19:53.559 Verses twenty eight to thirty. He says this, if you're tired, 308 00:19:54.839 --> 00:19:56.960 I would assume that includes a lot of people sitting 309 00:19:57.000 --> 00:19:59.920 here right now and those who are listening in Daily Hope. 310 00:20:00.200 --> 00:20:04.759 If you're tired, most people are tired today because of 311 00:20:04.920 --> 00:20:07.359 what we've been through the last eighteen months. If you're 312 00:20:07.480 --> 00:20:14.759 tired from carrying heavy burdens, come to me, Come to me, 313 00:20:17.519 --> 00:20:19.359 and I will give you a whole lot more to do. 314 00:20:21.240 --> 00:20:24.319 Oh no, that's not what he says. He doesn't say, 315 00:20:24.359 --> 00:20:25.680 come to me and I'll give you a whole bunch 316 00:20:25.720 --> 00:20:27.720 of new things to do. No, he says, I will 317 00:20:27.759 --> 00:20:33.880 give you what rest. Anybody like that. That's what Jesus says. 318 00:20:33.920 --> 00:20:36.039 When you come to in with your emptiness, come to 319 00:20:36.079 --> 00:20:39.200 me and I will give you r e st. Now 320 00:20:39.200 --> 00:20:42.079 he's not talking about physical rest. You can get that. 321 00:20:43.039 --> 00:20:46.599 He's talking about emotional and spiritual rest. You can be 322 00:20:47.640 --> 00:20:53.720 physically rested and still feel empty inside. We're not talking 323 00:20:53.759 --> 00:20:57.440 about physical emptiness today. You know the last two days. 324 00:20:57.440 --> 00:20:59.559 You know what I did each of our grandkids when 325 00:20:59.559 --> 00:21:02.599 they turn kay and I take them on a ten 326 00:21:03.160 --> 00:21:05.240 on a two day trip to wherever they want to go. 327 00:21:05.279 --> 00:21:09.640 In California, and it's on your tenth birthday. The last 328 00:21:09.680 --> 00:21:12.839 of our grandkids turned ten. Claire turned ten this week, 329 00:21:13.200 --> 00:21:15.519 and so we said, wherever you want to go in California. 330 00:21:15.559 --> 00:21:17.799 Some have gone to San Francisco, some have gone to Tahoe. 331 00:21:17.960 --> 00:21:24.319 Claire decided two days of Disneyland. I walk my tushy 332 00:21:24.440 --> 00:21:27.359 off for the last two days. First day, we walked 333 00:21:27.440 --> 00:21:31.279 nine point two miles. I measured it over thirty thousand 334 00:21:31.319 --> 00:21:35.400 steps in Disneyland. We've been on every ride you can 335 00:21:35.480 --> 00:21:39.519 possibly imagine, and we were there for two days. I'll 336 00:21:39.519 --> 00:21:43.759 be honest with you, guys, I'm tired today. But that 337 00:21:43.759 --> 00:21:46.880 didn't have to do with my emotional state. It doesn't 338 00:21:46.880 --> 00:21:51.599 have to do with my mental or physical or spiritual state. 339 00:21:51.920 --> 00:21:54.799 I'm just tired. So thank you guys, figuring it all 340 00:21:54.839 --> 00:22:00.720 out on your own. Goodbye. No. No, you know, you 341 00:22:00.759 --> 00:22:04.839 can be physically tired but not spiritually empty and not 342 00:22:05.160 --> 00:22:08.680 emotionally empty. Or you could be physically fit. Some of 343 00:22:08.680 --> 00:22:11.960 you are physically fit, you look like it, but you're 344 00:22:12.000 --> 00:22:17.279 emotionally empty or you're spiritually empty. So Jesus when he says, 345 00:22:17.279 --> 00:22:18.799 come to me and I'll give you rest, he's talking 346 00:22:18.839 --> 00:22:21.359 about rest for your soul. In fact, he says that 347 00:22:21.720 --> 00:22:26.720 later in the passage, if you're tired of carrying heavy burdens, 348 00:22:27.440 --> 00:22:31.799 come to me and I will give you rest. Take 349 00:22:32.400 --> 00:22:37.599 my yoke upon you. Then learn from me, for I'm 350 00:22:37.680 --> 00:22:41.960 gentle and humble in spirit, and you will find rest 351 00:22:42.079 --> 00:22:46.599 for your soul. That's the refilling your tank. For the 352 00:22:46.720 --> 00:22:50.880 yoke I share with you is easy to wear, and 353 00:22:50.960 --> 00:22:54.720 it makes the load light. The load is light. Now. 354 00:22:54.759 --> 00:22:56.880 I want you to circle. If you're taking notes, circle 355 00:22:56.920 --> 00:23:02.839 the word come, circle the word take, and circle the 356 00:23:02.880 --> 00:23:09.920 word learn. These are the first steps. Ready, Step number one, 357 00:23:10.279 --> 00:23:14.640 get fed up with how I've been feeling. Get fed 358 00:23:14.759 --> 00:23:21.079 up with how I've been feeling. Nothing is gonna change 359 00:23:21.119 --> 00:23:24.200 in your life until you get this satisfied with it, 360 00:23:24.920 --> 00:23:28.240 dissatisfied with the way that you feel. Right now, you 361 00:23:28.359 --> 00:23:30.799 have to come to the point in your life, my friends, 362 00:23:31.160 --> 00:23:34.359 where you say, I'm not gonna live this way anymore. 363 00:23:35.640 --> 00:23:40.160 I've had enough. I'm not gonna stay this way anymore. 364 00:23:40.440 --> 00:23:44.720 I'm going to change. I'm gonna do something about the 365 00:23:44.759 --> 00:23:50.079 way that I feel. Nothing happens until you get desperate. 366 00:23:51.200 --> 00:23:55.319 You see, it's just too easy to put up with 367 00:23:55.440 --> 00:23:59.319 everything you're going through even when you don't like it, 368 00:23:59.359 --> 00:24:05.920 simply because it's familiar. It's uncomfortable, it may be even painful, 369 00:24:06.000 --> 00:24:09.880 it may be even empty, but is familiar. So what 370 00:24:10.119 --> 00:24:14.319 is it that's gonna cause you to finally get fed 371 00:24:14.400 --> 00:24:19.519 up with your current situation, your current circumstance, and the 372 00:24:19.559 --> 00:24:24.640 way that you've been feeling about it. I've talked to 373 00:24:24.720 --> 00:24:28.519 thousands and thousands and thousands of people about this issue 374 00:24:29.119 --> 00:24:32.880 over the last forty two years a saddleback pastor, and 375 00:24:32.960 --> 00:24:36.279 I've discovered that there are only three times when people 376 00:24:36.359 --> 00:24:42.799 really really change. Three things change people pain perspective and 377 00:24:42.839 --> 00:24:48.039 no other choice. Pain perspective and no other choice. You're 378 00:24:48.079 --> 00:24:51.480 not gonna change the situation you're in. You're not gonna 379 00:24:51.559 --> 00:24:54.000 change the way you feel until you either have enough 380 00:24:54.039 --> 00:24:58.680 pain or you change your perspective or there's no other choice. Now, 381 00:24:58.759 --> 00:25:02.240 let me show you just three Bible examples of what 382 00:25:02.319 --> 00:25:07.519 I just said. First, Solomon. Solomon says this about pain 383 00:25:07.920 --> 00:25:11.720 in Proverbs chapter twenty, verse twenty seven to thirty. He 384 00:25:11.759 --> 00:25:16.640 says this, the Lord gave us a conscience and a mind, 385 00:25:17.759 --> 00:25:20.640 so we cannot hide from ourselves. I know when I'm 386 00:25:20.640 --> 00:25:24.200 in pain, I know when I'm empty. But he says, 387 00:25:24.640 --> 00:25:29.240 sometimes it takes a painful situation to make us change 388 00:25:29.240 --> 00:25:33.759 our ways. Everybody agree with that. Sometimes it takes a 389 00:25:33.799 --> 00:25:36.920 painful situation to make us change our ways. You see, 390 00:25:37.400 --> 00:25:41.359 we don't change when we see the light. We change 391 00:25:41.519 --> 00:25:44.880 when we feel the heat, and when the heat's on. 392 00:25:45.359 --> 00:25:49.160 We never change until the fear of change is exceeded 393 00:25:49.200 --> 00:25:54.440 by the pain. And that's why you stay with situations 394 00:25:54.640 --> 00:25:58.240 and circumstances, and stay even with the feelings of emptiness 395 00:25:58.279 --> 00:26:01.680 and dissatisfaction in your own life, because you're not enough 396 00:26:01.720 --> 00:26:05.559 pain yet. You haven't hit the bottom. It hadn't gotten 397 00:26:05.559 --> 00:26:09.440 that bad yet for you. And until you get so discomfortable, 398 00:26:10.160 --> 00:26:15.119 so dissatisfied, we only change when our pain is greater 399 00:26:16.160 --> 00:26:20.720 than the problem or the fear of change. So pain 400 00:26:20.759 --> 00:26:25.960 will cause you to change. Number two, we get this 401 00:26:26.000 --> 00:26:28.920