WEBVTT 1 00:00:02.439 --> 00:00:06.120 Hey, thanks for joining us today on Pastor Rick's Daily Hope, 2 00:00:06.240 --> 00:00:09.919 the Bible Teaching Ministry of Rick Warren. And today we're 3 00:00:09.960 --> 00:00:14.400 continuing our series called the Habits of Happiness. In this series, 4 00:00:14.519 --> 00:00:17.440 Rick dives into the Book of Philippians and helps you 5 00:00:17.559 --> 00:00:22.039 discover God's path to true and lasting happiness. And now 6 00:00:22.039 --> 00:00:24.399 we bring you the final part of a message called 7 00:00:24.519 --> 00:00:26.320 how to Keep your Heart Happy. 8 00:00:26.839 --> 00:00:31.160 The third exercise to maintain a healthy or happy heart 9 00:00:31.239 --> 00:00:35.679 is this. This is a big one. Keep my conscience clear. 10 00:00:37.960 --> 00:00:41.600 That's verse fifteen. Because one of the things that causes 11 00:00:41.679 --> 00:00:47.039 us to lose our happiness is feeling guilty or feeling ashamed. 12 00:00:47.920 --> 00:00:50.119 And the Bible says, if you want to be happy, 13 00:00:50.640 --> 00:00:53.479 you gotta get rid of guilt. You gotta get rid 14 00:00:53.560 --> 00:00:56.119 of guilt. You cannot be guilty and happy at the 15 00:00:56.119 --> 00:01:00.560 same time. So you got to maintain a clear. Look 16 00:01:00.600 --> 00:01:04.359 at these verses Philippians two fifteen. You are to live 17 00:01:04.439 --> 00:01:11.760 clean and pure lives as children of God in a 18 00:01:11.920 --> 00:01:16.560 broken and corrupted generation. You know that was written two 19 00:01:16.599 --> 00:01:20.599 thousand years ago. Generations are still broken and corrupted, aren't they. 20 00:01:21.239 --> 00:01:24.719 Human nature doesn't change. Everything else does, but human nature doesn't. 21 00:01:25.280 --> 00:01:27.439 You're to live clean and pure lives as children of 22 00:01:27.480 --> 00:01:31.400 God in a broken and corrupted generation ration. You are 23 00:01:31.480 --> 00:01:37.040 to shine like stars lighting up a dark world on 24 00:01:37.120 --> 00:01:41.439 a beautiful image that you live such a clean life. 25 00:01:41.519 --> 00:01:43.799 You live, such a life of integrity, You live such 26 00:01:43.799 --> 00:01:46.599 a life of purity. You live with a clear conscience, 27 00:01:46.640 --> 00:01:49.359 You live with such authenticity. Your life is an open 28 00:01:49.400 --> 00:01:51.920 book in such a way. When people look at you, 29 00:01:52.000 --> 00:01:57.079 go man, they are a star. And it's like when 30 00:01:57.079 --> 00:02:00.799 you take diamonds, a jeweler will always with diamonds on 31 00:02:00.879 --> 00:02:04.799 black velvet. Why because they shine brighter against a black backdrop. 32 00:02:06.599 --> 00:02:12.400 And as the world and culture becomes more dark, as 33 00:02:12.520 --> 00:02:18.120 cultures crumble, Christians are to shine brighter and brighter. Let 34 00:02:18.159 --> 00:02:19.680 me show you a couple of other verses that say 35 00:02:19.719 --> 00:02:22.719 the same thing. Psalone nineteen one and two says, this 36 00:02:23.240 --> 00:02:28.039 happier those who live pure lives, who follow the Lord's teaching, 37 00:02:28.240 --> 00:02:30.759 keep his rules, and who try to obey him with 38 00:02:30.879 --> 00:02:35.360 their whole heart. Jesus said it like this, Blessed are 39 00:02:35.400 --> 00:02:39.360 the pure in heart, for they shall see God. You 40 00:02:39.360 --> 00:02:41.199 know what the word blessed means. It's the word for 41 00:02:41.240 --> 00:02:45.400 happy in Greek. When Jesus gets up and does the beatitudes. 42 00:02:45.439 --> 00:02:47.639 Blessed to you when you do this, Blessed to the meek, 43 00:02:47.680 --> 00:02:49.960 Blessed to the poor and spirit you know, blessed her 44 00:02:50.039 --> 00:02:52.599 you and you hunger and thirst for righteous. He's saying, 45 00:02:52.680 --> 00:02:54.919 let me give you eight ways to be happy. He 46 00:02:55.000 --> 00:02:58.039 starts a sermon, the greatest sermon ever on eight ways 47 00:02:58.080 --> 00:03:01.280 to be happy, and he says, Blessed are the pure 48 00:03:01.280 --> 00:03:03.199 in heart, for they shall see God. You're going to 49 00:03:03.199 --> 00:03:08.280 be the happier your heart is. It's because it's a 50 00:03:08.319 --> 00:03:13.599 pure heart. It's a clean heart. Psalm thirty two, verse 51 00:03:13.599 --> 00:03:15.360 one tells us what to do when we don't have 52 00:03:15.400 --> 00:03:19.000 a clean heart, because a lot of us you say, well, 53 00:03:19.000 --> 00:03:21.080 wait a minute, I'd like to be happy, but how 54 00:03:21.080 --> 00:03:23.400 can I keep my conscience clear when it's not clear? 55 00:03:23.479 --> 00:03:26.319 Right now? Well, then you need to do what. Psalm 56 00:03:26.319 --> 00:03:31.719 thirty two to one says, what happiness for those whose 57 00:03:31.719 --> 00:03:37.800 guilt has been forgiven? What joys when sins are covered over? 58 00:03:38.520 --> 00:03:44.120 What relief for those who have confessed their sins and 59 00:03:44.280 --> 00:03:49.400 God has cleared their record. That's I call that the 60 00:03:49.439 --> 00:03:52.719 soap dish verse of the Bible. It just cleans us. 61 00:03:53.080 --> 00:03:56.800 Now circle the word happiness and joy, and relief. You know, 62 00:03:56.879 --> 00:03:59.199 those are three things that everybody is looking for in life. 63 00:03:59.479 --> 00:04:01.039 We all want to be happy, We all want to 64 00:04:01.080 --> 00:04:03.479 be we all want to enjoy life, and we all 65 00:04:03.520 --> 00:04:07.680 want relief from our pain. And the Bible says it 66 00:04:07.840 --> 00:04:14.960 comes from purity, and purity comes from forgiveness, from God's grace. 67 00:04:15.919 --> 00:04:19.959 What happiness? What rejoy? What relief? For those who confess 68 00:04:20.040 --> 00:04:23.279 their sins and God has cleared their record. So here's 69 00:04:23.279 --> 00:04:27.959 a third exercise to maintain a happy heart. I got 70 00:04:27.959 --> 00:04:30.399 to keep a clear conscience. That means I keep short 71 00:04:30.480 --> 00:04:34.079 accounts with God. That means at the beginning and at 72 00:04:34.120 --> 00:04:37.480 the end of every day, I do a spiritual inventory 73 00:04:37.519 --> 00:04:40.199 and I say, God, is there anything between me and you? 74 00:04:40.279 --> 00:04:43.920 I'm not going bed tonight with junk. I had some 75 00:04:44.079 --> 00:04:48.240 garbage today that I picked up from bad attitudes, bad reactions, 76 00:04:49.079 --> 00:04:51.360 things I said, things I did, And I'm not going 77 00:04:51.439 --> 00:04:54.519 to climb into bed tonight with this sack of garbage 78 00:04:54.759 --> 00:04:57.439 and get up in the morning and carry it off again. No, no, no, 79 00:04:57.560 --> 00:05:02.839 I'm gonna deal with it. You practice what's called spiritual breathing. 80 00:05:05.040 --> 00:05:08.720 You breathe out your sins in confession. You breathe them in. 81 00:05:09.560 --> 00:05:13.240 You breathe them in a breathe in God's power and cleansing. 82 00:05:14.800 --> 00:05:17.879 If we confess our sins, He's faithful and just to 83 00:05:17.920 --> 00:05:22.600 cleanse us from all unrighteousness. God has promised us. So 84 00:05:22.639 --> 00:05:25.959 I keep my conscience clear, I keep short to counsel God. 85 00:05:26.160 --> 00:05:28.439 I don't what would it How would your house smell 86 00:05:28.480 --> 00:05:32.800 if you took out the garbage once a week? Pretty stinky. 87 00:05:33.439 --> 00:05:36.839 You usually have to take it out every day, and 88 00:05:36.879 --> 00:05:39.120 you need to do that spiritually too. You need to 89 00:05:39.199 --> 00:05:41.879 take out the garbage every day. And if you do that, 90 00:05:42.240 --> 00:05:45.000 you'll have a happier heart. You have confession to God 91 00:05:45.040 --> 00:05:47.839 every day, and you get cleansing and forgiveness. Number four. 92 00:05:48.560 --> 00:05:52.360 The fourth exercise to maintaining a happy heart is the 93 00:05:52.399 --> 00:05:55.920 next verse, verse sixteen. And this is that I need 94 00:05:55.959 --> 00:06:01.720 to memorize God's word and live it now. This is 95 00:06:01.759 --> 00:06:08.120 an extremely important habit of happiness. I've told you many 96 00:06:08.160 --> 00:06:13.639 times that if you're feeling depressed, if you're acting depressed, 97 00:06:13.639 --> 00:06:17.439 it's because you feel depressed. And if you're feeling depressed, 98 00:06:17.759 --> 00:06:22.720 it's because you're thinking depressed thoughts. If you want to 99 00:06:22.759 --> 00:06:25.720 get out of your depression, you change the way you 100 00:06:25.800 --> 00:06:29.560 think you be transformed by the renewing of your mind, 101 00:06:30.319 --> 00:06:32.519 and you have to change your mind. And how do 102 00:06:32.560 --> 00:06:36.399 you do that? How do I wash out the depressive 103 00:06:36.439 --> 00:06:40.279 thoughts in my minds? Well, there are many ways. Sometimes 104 00:06:40.319 --> 00:06:43.720 there's a chemical way, you know, if there's a chemical reaction, 105 00:06:44.079 --> 00:06:46.879 and sometimes there's an emotional way, and sometimes there's a 106 00:06:46.920 --> 00:06:51.160 relational way, and sometimes there's a spiritual way. The Bible 107 00:06:51.240 --> 00:06:54.720 talks about the washing of the water of the word. 108 00:06:56.000 --> 00:06:59.519 If I choose to dwell on a worry, have you 109 00:06:59.519 --> 00:07:02.639 noticed when you dwelling worry, it gets bigger. It don't 110 00:07:02.680 --> 00:07:05.079 gets smaller. The more you worry about something. The more 111 00:07:05.120 --> 00:07:08.399 you worry, it gets bigger and bigger and bigger. Now, 112 00:07:09.079 --> 00:07:11.319 if you know how to worry, you already know how 113 00:07:11.360 --> 00:07:16.199 to meditate on the Word of God. Because worry is 114 00:07:16.240 --> 00:07:18.199 when you take a negative thought and you think on 115 00:07:18.240 --> 00:07:19.800 it over and over and over and over and over 116 00:07:19.800 --> 00:07:22.240 and over and over. That's called worry. When you take 117 00:07:22.279 --> 00:07:24.680 a passage of scripture and you think on it over 118 00:07:24.680 --> 00:07:26.800 and over and over and over and over, that's called meditation. 119 00:07:28.040 --> 00:07:32.439 And God has promised many, many wonderful benefits in your life. 120 00:07:32.519 --> 00:07:34.759 If you will meditate on the Word of God and 121 00:07:34.839 --> 00:07:38.360 then do it. You'll hear it and you'll study it 122 00:07:38.399 --> 00:07:40.360 and you memorize it. Do you remember when we did 123 00:07:40.399 --> 00:07:44.120 forty days on the Word. Do you remember the hand illustration. 124 00:07:44.399 --> 00:07:45.839 That might be a good idea to just go here 125 00:07:46.160 --> 00:07:51.319 and review that hand illustration. Okay, there are six ways 126 00:07:51.839 --> 00:07:54.560 that you can fill your mind with God's word. There 127 00:07:54.560 --> 00:07:57.480 are six ways you can get a grasp on God's Word. 128 00:07:57.680 --> 00:08:00.360 You can hear it, you can read it, you can 129 00:08:00.399 --> 00:08:03.319 study it, you can memorize it, you can meditate it 130 00:08:03.800 --> 00:08:07.120 on it, and you can apply it. Now look up here. 131 00:08:08.600 --> 00:08:11.199 If all you do, if your only intake of the 132 00:08:11.199 --> 00:08:13.000 Word of God is hearing the Word of God, you 133 00:08:13.000 --> 00:08:14.920 don't have a very good grip on the word. For instance, 134 00:08:15.040 --> 00:08:16.879 if I am trying to hold on the Word of 135 00:08:16.879 --> 00:08:20.000 God with just my pinky, Satan come along, he can 136 00:08:20.000 --> 00:08:22.920 easily pull that out. It's very easy to pull it out. 137 00:08:22.959 --> 00:08:25.480 Why because we forget ninety to ninety five percent of 138 00:08:25.480 --> 00:08:28.720 everything we hear within seventy two hours. That's why I 139 00:08:28.759 --> 00:08:31.319 never teach without handing you one of these things. Because 140 00:08:31.360 --> 00:08:34.759 this is going to last longer than your memory. And 141 00:08:34.840 --> 00:08:37.159 if you don't take notes, you're going to forget everything 142 00:08:37.159 --> 00:08:41.639 I've said by Wednesday except maybe five percent. And if 143 00:08:41.639 --> 00:08:44.159 you've never taken notes, you could have spent it saddle 144 00:08:44.159 --> 00:08:46.799 back for thirty years and only remembered five percent of 145 00:08:46.840 --> 00:08:52.600 everything I've said. And that's probably the jokes. So if 146 00:08:52.639 --> 00:08:54.600 all you do is hear the Word of God, your 147 00:08:54.679 --> 00:08:58.360 only intake of the Bible is coming to church, you 148 00:08:58.519 --> 00:09:00.639 have no grip on the Word of God, and it 149 00:09:00.720 --> 00:09:03.279 can be pulled out of your mind very very easily. 150 00:09:03.679 --> 00:09:05.600 But if you begin to hear it and you read it, 151 00:09:05.720 --> 00:09:07.879 now you read it every day, Now you got a 152 00:09:07.879 --> 00:09:10.600 better grip. Okay, you got a little bit better grip, 153 00:09:10.759 --> 00:09:13.200 and it's harder for Satan to pull it away because 154 00:09:13.240 --> 00:09:15.159 you're not just hearing it, you're reading it. You got 155 00:09:15.159 --> 00:09:18.519 a better grip. Okay. But if you hear it and 156 00:09:18.559 --> 00:09:20.279 you read it and you study it, and we talked 157 00:09:20.279 --> 00:09:22.240 about that in forty days a word, now you got 158 00:09:22.279 --> 00:09:26.039 a better grip. But if you start memorizing it, thy 159 00:09:26.080 --> 00:09:27.960 word have I hid in my heart that I sin 160 00:09:28.000 --> 00:09:30.519 against you? And you meditate on it, you really think 161 00:09:30.559 --> 00:09:32.559 about it, You're not gonna pull it out of my hand. 162 00:09:34.240 --> 00:09:36.720 And if I apply it, then I have a solid 163 00:09:36.799 --> 00:09:40.240 grip on the Word of God. Now why is that important? Well, 164 00:09:40.320 --> 00:09:43.519 let's look at what scripture says. Look at these look 165 00:09:43.559 --> 00:09:48.480 at these verses. The Bible says in verse sixteen, Well, 166 00:09:48.519 --> 00:09:54.279 beIN two sixteen, hold tightly to the Word of Life. 167 00:09:54.600 --> 00:09:56.039 And that's what I was just saying. You got a 168 00:09:56.080 --> 00:09:58.159 hold tightly. You got to get a good grip on it. 169 00:09:58.399 --> 00:10:00.840 You don't have a good grip on the b unless 170 00:10:00.879 --> 00:10:06.000 you're doing all six habits, hearing it, reading it, studying it, 171 00:10:06.159 --> 00:10:09.600 memorizing it, meditating on it. Then it can't be pulled out. 172 00:10:09.759 --> 00:10:13.159 Hold tightly, the Bible says, to the Word of God. 173 00:10:14.039 --> 00:10:17.000 Why should I do that? P Someone nineteen sixteen says, 174 00:10:17.480 --> 00:10:23.559 your principles make me happy, so I never forget your word. 175 00:10:23.960 --> 00:10:26.720 Now look at that verse for just a minute. Question 176 00:10:27.679 --> 00:10:32.399 you want to be happy? Obviously you do principles. God's 177 00:10:32.399 --> 00:10:36.440 principles make us happy. How do I remember God's principle? 178 00:10:36.600 --> 00:10:39.960 I never forget circle never forget. That means you need 179 00:10:40.000 --> 00:10:43.279 to memorize. You need to memorize. And you know that's 180 00:10:43.279 --> 00:10:46.200 why we do this a lot in services. Will memorize 181 00:10:46.519 --> 00:10:50.200 a verse in service because it's the only way you're 182 00:10:50.240 --> 00:10:53.360 never going to forget it is to memorize it and 183 00:10:53.399 --> 00:10:55.360 look at the next verse, lead me in the path 184 00:10:55.399 --> 00:10:59.480 of your commands, because that is where my happiness is 185 00:10:59.720 --> 00:11:04.960 fo Usually we're looking for happiness in all the wrong places. 186 00:11:06.480 --> 00:11:11.080 God says, happiness is found where in the path of 187 00:11:11.159 --> 00:11:15.759 God's commands. The fourth exercise is to maintain a happy 188 00:11:15.799 --> 00:11:19.840 heart by memorizing God's word and then living it. Get 189 00:11:19.879 --> 00:11:23.559 a grip hold tightly to the Word of life, Paul says. 190 00:11:24.440 --> 00:11:28.559 Now there's one more, and the fifth exercise in Paul's 191 00:11:28.639 --> 00:11:32.960 workout for a happy heart is this. It's the last verse, 192 00:11:33.480 --> 00:11:39.399 use my life to serve God by serving others. If 193 00:11:39.440 --> 00:11:43.440 I'm serious about happiness, and happiness is a serious subject, 194 00:11:44.279 --> 00:11:47.360 if I'm serious about being happy, I need to use 195 00:11:47.519 --> 00:11:52.840 my life to serve God by serving others. Now, the 196 00:11:52.879 --> 00:11:55.519 only way you can serve God is by serving others. 197 00:11:55.559 --> 00:11:58.559 You can't see God here on earth. He's invisible. So 198 00:11:58.600 --> 00:12:00.720 how do you serve God when you can even see him? 199 00:12:00.919 --> 00:12:03.679 You serve God by serving others. Jesus said in Matthew 200 00:12:03.720 --> 00:12:06.440 twenty five. Inasmuch as you've done it under the least 201 00:12:06.440 --> 00:12:09.279 of these, my brethren, you did it to me said, 202 00:12:09.279 --> 00:12:11.120 even if you give a cup of cold water in 203 00:12:11.200 --> 00:12:13.480 my name, He says, it as if you did it 204 00:12:13.519 --> 00:12:16.759 to me. When you're polite to people, when you're nice 205 00:12:16.799 --> 00:12:19.559 to people, when you're friendly, when you're helpful, when you 206 00:12:19.600 --> 00:12:24.679 serve others, God says, it's like serving me. Now, how 207 00:12:24.679 --> 00:12:27.759 does this bring happiness in my life? Because God wired 208 00:12:27.799 --> 00:12:31.960 the universe that happiness does not come from status. I 209 00:12:31.960 --> 00:12:33.919 know a lot of people's status who are very unhappy. 210 00:12:34.120 --> 00:12:36.639 Happiness does not come from your salary. I know a 211 00:12:36.679 --> 00:12:39.200 lot of wealthy people who aren't happy. It didn't come 212 00:12:39.240 --> 00:12:42.080 from status. It didn't come from salary. It doesn't come 213 00:12:42.120 --> 00:12:46.639 from sex, it doesn't come from success. It comes from service. 214 00:12:47.879 --> 00:12:51.360 God wired the universe that you are most happy when 215 00:12:51.360 --> 00:12:54.519 you were giving your life away. Why because He wants 216 00:12:54.559 --> 00:12:59.559 us to become like him. It's all about love. So 217 00:12:59.759 --> 00:13:01.840 the more I give my life away, the more I 218 00:13:01.879 --> 00:13:04.480 serve others, And the more I serve God by serving others, 219 00:13:04.759 --> 00:13:09.480 the happier I'm gonna be. Here's what Jesus said, If 220 00:13:09.519 --> 00:13:12.279 you insist on saving your life for yourself, you will 221 00:13:12.279 --> 00:13:16.360 lose it. Only those who sacrificially give away their lives 222 00:13:16.360 --> 00:13:18.720 for my sake. And for the sake of the good News, 223 00:13:18.720 --> 00:13:22.519 we'll ever know what it means to really live. And 224 00:13:22.600 --> 00:13:27.480 this is the fifth secret of a happy heart. You 225 00:13:27.600 --> 00:13:34.279 have to practice service and generosity every day. Practice service 226 00:13:34.879 --> 00:13:39.519 and generosity every day. Jesus said it like this. I 227 00:13:39.559 --> 00:13:43.279 didn't come to be served, but I came to serve 228 00:13:43.559 --> 00:13:47.480 and to give my life as a ransom for many. Jesus, 229 00:13:47.480 --> 00:13:49.519 that I came to serve and I came to give. 230 00:13:51.720 --> 00:13:53.759 Those are the two things that will bring more happiness 231 00:13:53.759 --> 00:13:58.480 in your life than anything else. Status won't. Success, won't, salary, 232 00:13:58.559 --> 00:14:02.919 won't sex, won't. Service will Jesus that I came to 233 00:14:03.000 --> 00:14:06.639 give and to serve. That those two words define what 234 00:14:06.720 --> 00:14:10.360 it means to follow Jesus. If you're not serving, if 235 00:14:10.440 --> 00:14:14.919 you're not giving, you're not following Jesus. It's just very simple. 236 00:14:15.440 --> 00:14:18.639 But Jesus wired the universe in such a way that 237 00:14:18.679 --> 00:14:23.360 the more I give myself away, the more God gives 238 00:14:23.399 --> 00:14:27.559 to me, the more I'm blessed, and the happier I am. 239 00:14:27.960 --> 00:14:33.200 Now notice this verse Philippians two seventeen and eighteen. Paul says, 240 00:14:34.440 --> 00:14:42.399 your faith makes you offer your lives as a sacrifice 241 00:14:42.600 --> 00:14:46.480 in serving God. Your faith makes you offer your lives 242 00:14:46.559 --> 00:14:50.039 as a sacrifice in serving God. That's using my life 243 00:14:50.080 --> 00:14:54.000 to serve God by serving others. But then Paul adds, 244 00:14:54.279 --> 00:14:56.799 if I have to offer my own blood, remember he's 245 00:14:56.840 --> 00:14:59.799 in jail, he's in prison, he's getting ready for execution. 246 00:15:00.120 --> 00:15:02.200 If I have to offer my own blood as a sacrifice, 247 00:15:02.200 --> 00:15:04.960 I'll be happy and full of joy, and you should 248 00:15:05.000 --> 00:15:08.759 be happy and full of joy with me too. I 249 00:15:08.799 --> 00:15:11.759 want you to circle the word sacrifice in that verse. 250 00:15:12.240 --> 00:15:15.240 Your faith makes you offer your lives as a sacrifice 251 00:15:15.279 --> 00:15:20.600 in serving. Those two words, sacrifice and serving are two 252 00:15:20.679 --> 00:15:28.639 of the keys to lifelong happiness, generosity and service. Giving 253 00:15:29.480 --> 00:15:33.399 my life and giving my resources. So let me ask 254 00:15:33.440 --> 00:15:38.879 you two very pointed questions. Number one, where do you 255 00:15:38.960 --> 00:15:44.840 sacrificially volunteer to serve others on a regular basis? I 256 00:15:44.919 --> 00:15:49.639 don't know. Would you like to be happier? Would you 257 00:15:49.720 --> 00:15:52.559 like more happiness in your life? You need to add 258 00:15:52.600 --> 00:15:57.679 sacrifice and serving in your life somehow. It's an essential 259 00:15:57.759 --> 00:16:01.600 exercise for a happy heart. I read two articles this week, 260 00:16:02.000 --> 00:16:04.519 one of them in an American medical journal and the 261 00:16:04.519 --> 00:16:07.320 other in Time magazine. One of them said that they 262 00:16:07.320 --> 00:16:12.879 have now proven that serving other people volunteering actually extends 263 00:16:13.279 --> 00:16:18.039 your physical life. You will live longer. If part of 264 00:16:18.080 --> 00:16:23.399 your life you give it away in unselfishly serving, sacrificing 265 00:16:23.440 --> 00:16:27.080 for others in some way, you will live longer. Studies 266 00:16:27.120 --> 00:16:31.559 have shown this. That's an amazing fact. And the other 267 00:16:31.559 --> 00:16:35.360 one was is that serving is one of the quickest 268 00:16:35.399 --> 00:16:40.720 ways to pull yourself out of depression. That's obviously not 269 00:16:40.799 --> 00:16:43.559 the only way, but it's one way to pull yourself 270 00:16:43.559 --> 00:16:48.639 out of depression by getting my focus off me and 271 00:16:48.720 --> 00:16:53.159 getting my focus on somebody else. God has wired the 272 00:16:53.240 --> 00:16:57.440 universe that through sacrifice and through serving, my joy goes 273 00:16:57.559 --> 00:17:02.600 up and my sorrow goes down. So where do you 274 00:17:02.639 --> 00:17:06.599 sacrificially volunteer to serve others on a regular basis? Let 275 00:17:06.599 --> 00:17:09.720 me ask you another one. Is your heart growing more 276 00:17:09.799 --> 00:17:14.319 generous every year? Are you more generous with your resources 277 00:17:14.319 --> 00:17:17.400 this year than you were a year ago? And are 278 00:17:17.440 --> 00:17:19.720 you more generous that year than you were the year before? 279 00:17:19.880 --> 00:17:23.119 Or are you stuck at the same level of generosity 280 00:17:23.319 --> 00:17:28.960 and wondering why you're stuck in unhappiness? Jesus said, it 281 00:17:29.000 --> 00:17:31.759 is more blessed to give than to receive. Remember what 282 00:17:31.799 --> 00:17:36.519 blessed means, Ma Carrios. It's happy. There's more happiness in 283 00:17:36.559 --> 00:17:42.160 giving than in receiving. Jesus says, my giving reveals the 284 00:17:42.160 --> 00:17:44.000 condition of my heart. He says, where your treasure is, 285 00:17:44.000 --> 00:17:47.720 your heart will be so. It only not only reveals 286 00:17:47.759 --> 00:17:50.839 my giving, reveals how happy my heart is. Giving also 287 00:17:51.039 --> 00:17:56.400 increases the happiness in my heart. It's an attitude. It 288 00:17:56.480 --> 00:18:01.920 is exercise and exercise that causes me to be happier. 289 00:18:02.119 --> 00:18:05.559 It is not an accident that the word miserable comes 290 00:18:05.559 --> 00:18:13.039 from the word miser duh. And the more miserly I am, 291 00:18:13.240 --> 00:18:15.359 it's mine, it's mine, it's mine. I'm gonna keep it, 292 00:18:15.359 --> 00:18:19.039 I'm gonna hold on tightly. The more miserable I'm going 293 00:18:19.119 --> 00:18:23.799 to be. You know my testimony this I don't have 294 00:18:23.839 --> 00:18:27.440 to tell you about this one that as God has 295 00:18:28.839 --> 00:18:31.279 challenged me every year, ca and I determined that we 296 00:18:31.319 --> 00:18:34.599 would be more generous than the year before, and it 297 00:18:34.640 --> 00:18:39.119 has created a lot of joy. Now let me just 298 00:18:39.200 --> 00:18:44.960 close before you begin these exercises, these five workouts that 299 00:18:45.400 --> 00:18:48.359 Paul gives for more happiness in your heart. You know, 300 00:18:48.400 --> 00:18:50.440 if you were going to go to an exercise program, 301 00:18:50.559 --> 00:18:52.480 they always say, the first thing you do is you 302 00:18:52.559 --> 00:18:56.200 need to check with your doctor about any pre existing condition. 303 00:18:56.359 --> 00:19:00.640 Remember that they always said before attempting this, every book, 304 00:19:01.039 --> 00:19:04.839 every exercise, before attempting this, check with your doctor about 305 00:19:04.839 --> 00:19:10.720 any pre existing condition, because you might have a heart problem. Well, 306 00:19:10.720 --> 00:19:15.160 I'll tell you right now, spiritually, you have a heart problem. 307 00:19:15.240 --> 00:19:19.480 You got a coronary disease. It's called sin. And yes, 308 00:19:19.519 --> 00:19:22.279 you do have a heart problem. And that's why in 309 00:19:22.480 --> 00:19:25.680 order to before you can do these exercisees, you got 310 00:19:25.680 --> 00:19:32.440 to get your heart healed. The Bible tells us. You 311 00:19:32.480 --> 00:19:34.119 know what I love about the Bible, It's just honest. 312 00:19:34.119 --> 00:19:36.599 It always tells the truth, even when it's painful, even 313 00:19:36.599 --> 00:19:38.839 when you don't why, it tells us the truth. The 314 00:19:38.880 --> 00:19:41.400 Bible tells us that their hearts. Our hearts are often 315 00:19:41.400 --> 00:19:45.599 broken and bitter. The Bible tells us that our hearts 316 00:19:45.839 --> 00:19:50.319 are often sick and self centered. The Bible says that 317 00:19:50.359 --> 00:19:54.200 our hearts are often deceptive and discouraging, that we have 318 00:19:54.240 --> 00:19:58.359 an amazing ability to deceive ourselves. The Bible tells us 319 00:19:58.440 --> 00:20:03.000 that our hearts are often cold and calculating. The Bible 320 00:20:03.000 --> 00:20:06.240 tells us that our hearts are sometimes fearful, that sometimes 321 00:20:06.240 --> 00:20:11.279 our hearts are frustrating. We all have coronary disease. Spiritually, 322 00:20:13.279 --> 00:20:15.839 what we need is a new heart. What we need 323 00:20:15.960 --> 00:20:19.319 is a heart transplant. Now, I would like to recommend 324 00:20:19.359 --> 00:20:23.279 to you my favorite heart specialist. His name is doctor Jesus. 325 00:20:25.720 --> 00:20:30.160 All right, and let me tell you I've been going 326 00:20:30.240 --> 00:20:33.759 to him for like my whole life. Let me tell 327 00:20:33.759 --> 00:20:37.279 you why I like doctor Jesus as a heart specialist. 328 00:20:38.559 --> 00:20:43.160 He makes house calls. He has never lost a patient, 329 00:20:44.319 --> 00:20:50.359 not one. He doesn't charge anything. It's all grace. That's 330 00:20:50.400 --> 00:20:53.319 a good one. Uh, there's no way he will see 331 00:20:53.319 --> 00:20:58.279 you right now. He will see you right now. But 332 00:20:58.319 --> 00:21:03.799 the main thing is he species in heart transplants, you 333 00:21:03.839 --> 00:21:06.200 get a whole new heart. God doesn't just fix up 334 00:21:06.200 --> 00:21:09.400 your old one. He gives you a brand new heart. 335 00:21:09.640 --> 00:21:12.799 Ezekiel thirty six twenty six says this, I will give 336 00:21:12.839 --> 00:21:16.119 you a new heart with a new and right desire, 337 00:21:16.519 --> 00:21:18.799 and I will put a new spirit in you. And 338 00:21:18.880 --> 00:21:22.039 i will take out your heart hardened by sin, and 339 00:21:22.119 --> 00:21:28.240 I'll give you a new heart of love. Wow. Now, 340 00:21:28.240 --> 00:21:34.920 these are God's workout conditions for a happy heart. And 341 00:21:35.400 --> 00:21:38.880 remember the verse said you got to work out your 342 00:21:38.920 --> 00:21:42.839 salvation after what God has worked in. But you can't 343 00:21:42.839 --> 00:21:45.880 work on your salvation. You can't work out your salvation. 344 00:21:46.039 --> 00:21:49.720 You can't strengthen what God has given you until you've 345 00:21:49.720 --> 00:21:53.519 got it. You can't work out your salvation until God 346 00:21:53.559 --> 00:21:56.359 works it in you. How do I get it? Last 347 00:21:56.440 --> 00:22:00.880 verse on your outline, Acts four twelve can only be 348 00:22:00.920 --> 00:22:06.039 found in Jesus alone. In all the world. There's no 349 00:22:06.119 --> 00:22:09.839 other name. There is no one else whom God has 350 00:22:09.880 --> 00:22:15.000 given who can save us. So we start with that one. 351 00:22:15.240 --> 00:22:16.359 Let's bow our heads. 352 00:22:19.160 --> 00:22:19.279 Now. 353 00:22:19.319 --> 00:22:23.519 As I told you, it's easy to explain these five exercises. 354 00:22:24.000 --> 00:22:28.480 In Paul's work Out for a Happy Heart, he says 355 00:22:28.519 --> 00:22:32.279 you must continue to work out. You can't just stop, 356 00:22:32.880 --> 00:22:36.440 But he says, first, God's got to work in both 357 00:22:36.480 --> 00:22:40.759 the will and act according to His good pleasure. You 358 00:22:40.799 --> 00:22:42.440 may have gone to church all of your life, or 359 00:22:42.480 --> 00:22:44.640 maybe this is your first visit. It really doesn't matter. 360 00:22:44.680 --> 00:22:48.640 You may be a religious person. You may be Catholic, Jewish, Buddhist, Baptist, Mormon, 361 00:22:49.519 --> 00:22:52.839 you know, Moslim or Muslim, or no other religion whatever, 362 00:22:52.880 --> 00:22:58.039 maybe an atheist. You still need a heart transplant, and 363 00:22:58.119 --> 00:23:01.839 salvation can only be found in Jesus alone in all 364 00:23:01.880 --> 00:23:03.880 the world. There's no one else whom God has given 365 00:23:04.759 --> 00:23:07.880 who can save us. So why don't you, in just 366 00:23:08.119 --> 00:23:12.440 sincerity and humility, talk to God right now? So I 367 00:23:12.480 --> 00:23:13.960 don't know what to say, Well, let me give you 368 00:23:14.000 --> 00:23:17.720 words to say. Just say something like this, Dear God, 369 00:23:18.640 --> 00:23:26.839 I need a new heart. Mine has been broken, battered, embittered. 370 00:23:28.319 --> 00:23:32.039 It's been fearful and frustrated. It's been cold and calculating. 371 00:23:32.079 --> 00:23:39.920 Sometimes it's been deceptive, it's been discouraged. I've been fearful, 372 00:23:39.960 --> 00:23:42.640 and I've been frustrated, and sometimes I've been sick and 373 00:23:42.680 --> 00:23:49.000 self centered. And I need a heart transplant. Dear God, 374 00:23:49.319 --> 00:23:53.279 I want to become a new person inside. Jesus Christ, 375 00:23:53.400 --> 00:23:55.839 I ask you to do heart surgery on me today, 376 00:23:57.400 --> 00:23:59.000 as much as I know how. I ask you to 377 00:23:59.039 --> 00:24:03.480 come into my life life and work in me and 378 00:24:03.559 --> 00:24:07.039 give me both the desire and the ability to do 379 00:24:07.119 --> 00:24:11.559 the right thing. Lord, I can't do any of this 380 00:24:11.640 --> 00:24:15.880 work out until first you've done the working in. So 381 00:24:15.960 --> 00:24:19.680 I'm asking you to save me. I want to put 382 00:24:19.720 --> 00:24:21.519 my trust in you. I want to learn to love you, 383 00:24:22.039 --> 00:24:24.000 and I want to learn to follow you, Jesus, from 384 00:24:24.000 --> 00:24:28.519 this day forward as best I know how. And I 385 00:24:28.599 --> 00:24:31.440 pray this in your name Amen. 386 00:24:37.839 --> 00:24:41.839 If you just prayed to receive Jesus congratulations, we would 387 00:24:41.880 --> 00:24:44.319 love to send you some free materials to help you 388 00:24:44.359 --> 00:24:48.319 along on your spiritual journey. Just email Rick at Pastorick 389 00:24:48.400 --> 00:24:52.440 dot com. That's Rick at pastorrick dot com. Here's Rick 390 00:24:52.559 --> 00:24:55.279 to tell you how you can help support this ministry. 391 00:24:55.720 --> 00:24:58.559 Jesus told his disciples that they should live their lives 392 00:24:58.599 --> 00:25:01.920 according to five specific per He said, You've got to 393 00:25:01.960 --> 00:25:05.279 love God with all your heart. That's worship, and love 394 00:25:05.319 --> 00:25:09.240 your neighbors yourself. That's ministry. That's called the Great Commandment. 395 00:25:09.640 --> 00:25:13.279 And then Jesus said, go make disciples. That's evangelism. Baptize 396 00:25:13.319 --> 00:25:16.200 them into the Family of God. That's fellowship, a sign 397 00:25:16.240 --> 00:25:18.799 of fellowship. And then he said, teach them obey everything 398 00:25:18.839 --> 00:25:22.400 I've taught you. That's discipleship. And we call that the 399 00:25:22.400 --> 00:25:26.720 Great Commission. We believe it daily hope that a great 400 00:25:26.759 --> 00:25:31.079 commitment to the Great Commandment and the Great Commission will 401 00:25:31.119 --> 00:25:35.079