WEBVTT 1 00:00:02.439 --> 00:00:06.200 Hey, thanks for joining us today on Pastor Rick's Daily Hope, 2 00:00:06.320 --> 00:00:10.080 the Bible Teaching Ministry of Rick Warren, and today we're 3 00:00:10.119 --> 00:00:14.640 continuing our series called that Habits of Happiness. In this series, 4 00:00:14.759 --> 00:00:17.760 Rick dives into the Book of Philippians and helps you 5 00:00:17.879 --> 00:00:22.800 discover God's path to true and lasting happiness. Okay, here's 6 00:00:22.879 --> 00:00:25.399 the final part of a message called how to keep 7 00:00:25.440 --> 00:00:26.640 from Stressing out? 8 00:00:28.800 --> 00:00:31.960 If I want to reduce the stress in my life, 9 00:00:32.560 --> 00:00:36.719 I worry about nothing, I pray about everything, I thank 10 00:00:36.719 --> 00:00:39.039 God in all things. And number four, I think about 11 00:00:39.399 --> 00:00:44.359 good things. I think about good things. Now this is 12 00:00:44.439 --> 00:00:48.840 extremely important because the stress and your war with stress 13 00:00:48.880 --> 00:00:51.920 in your life, that war, that battle is going on 14 00:00:52.320 --> 00:00:56.600 between your ears. The stress isn't out there, it's in here. 15 00:00:56.679 --> 00:01:00.479 It's inside. It's between your ears. The battle is in 16 00:01:00.920 --> 00:01:06.560 your brain. It's in your thought life. It's in your mind. 17 00:01:07.120 --> 00:01:09.120 And your war with stress or won or lost in 18 00:01:09.159 --> 00:01:13.239 your mind, and what you fill your mind with will 19 00:01:13.280 --> 00:01:17.319 determine the level of stress in your life. If you 20 00:01:17.519 --> 00:01:21.640 want peace of mind, now listen closely. If you want 21 00:01:21.680 --> 00:01:24.599 peace of mind, you're going to have to start controlling 22 00:01:24.680 --> 00:01:31.000 what you allow in it. Most people they just their 23 00:01:31.079 --> 00:01:35.680 mind's like a freeway. Anything can drive through it. And 24 00:01:35.719 --> 00:01:38.879 they fill their mind with poison and garbage and stuffing 25 00:01:38.959 --> 00:01:41.280 and all kinds of things. And you know, the mind 26 00:01:41.359 --> 00:01:45.040 is like a computer. It's gigo, garbage in, garbage out. 27 00:01:45.200 --> 00:01:46.079 Whatever you put. 28 00:01:46.000 --> 00:01:48.280 In your mind is going to come out in your life. 29 00:01:49.840 --> 00:01:52.319 And so they go and they see movies they shouldn't see, 30 00:01:52.359 --> 00:01:54.319 and they watch shows they shouldn't watch, and they read 31 00:01:54.400 --> 00:01:56.760 novels they should and they listen to gossip they shouldn't 32 00:01:56.760 --> 00:01:59.640 listen to, and they just let anything in their mind. 33 00:02:00.040 --> 00:02:03.079 Worry about water pollution, They worried about food pollution, they 34 00:02:03.079 --> 00:02:05.400 worry about air pollution, but they're not worried at all 35 00:02:05.400 --> 00:02:08.199 about mind pollution. And yet that's the most serious pollution. 36 00:02:10.639 --> 00:02:12.840 They said, well, I'm just trying to be open minded. 37 00:02:14.439 --> 00:02:18.520 Some people are so open minded their brains fall out, 38 00:02:19.560 --> 00:02:23.120 and they will allow anything into their lives and let it. 39 00:02:23.439 --> 00:02:27.520 Now here's what the Bible says, Philippians four eight. Fill 40 00:02:27.560 --> 00:02:33.599 your mind with those things that are true and good 41 00:02:34.159 --> 00:02:38.039 and right. Think about there it is fill your minth. 42 00:02:38.120 --> 00:02:44.319 Think about things that are pure and beautiful and respected. 43 00:02:45.840 --> 00:02:51.199 If anything is excellent, if anything is worthy of honor. 44 00:02:51.520 --> 00:02:55.039 Think about those things. Now. 45 00:02:55.199 --> 00:02:58.520 Notice the Bible gives us eight tests on whether we 46 00:02:58.560 --> 00:03:01.599 should allow something in our mind or not. He says, 47 00:03:01.599 --> 00:03:03.039 if you want to lower the stress, you're gonna have 48 00:03:03.080 --> 00:03:05.319 to change what you think about, in control what you 49 00:03:05.400 --> 00:03:09.000 allow into your mind. And the eight tests are before 50 00:03:09.039 --> 00:03:11.639 I listen to or watch or talk or say or 51 00:03:11.680 --> 00:03:13.599 hear this, I should say, is it true? 52 00:03:14.560 --> 00:03:19.560 Is it good? Is it right? Is it pure? 53 00:03:21.000 --> 00:03:28.599 Is it beautiful? Is it respected? Is it excellent? Is 54 00:03:28.639 --> 00:03:36.280 it worthy of honor? Now he says, here, think on 55 00:03:36.439 --> 00:03:38.319 things that are good and pure and right. Let me 56 00:03:38.319 --> 00:03:41.000 give you a verse to write down. Proverbs fourteen to nine. 57 00:03:41.039 --> 00:03:44.120 This isn't in your outline Proverbs fourteen nine, it's here 58 00:03:44.159 --> 00:03:48.439 on the screen. It says this, fools make fun of sin. 59 00:03:50.080 --> 00:03:53.560 That's foolish. That's foolish. Now, when you think about these 60 00:03:53.599 --> 00:03:59.520 things true, good, right, pure, beautiful, respected, excellent, worthy, you 61 00:03:59.520 --> 00:04:00.240 know what that is. 62 00:04:01.319 --> 00:04:04.319 It's a picture of God. And what he's really saying 63 00:04:04.439 --> 00:04:07.439 is think about God. 64 00:04:07.960 --> 00:04:11.199 Here's what Isaiah says. There on your outline, you Lord 65 00:04:11.479 --> 00:04:14.039 will keep in perfect peace. Wouldn't you like to live 66 00:04:14.080 --> 00:04:16.279 in perfect peace? Would you like to be less stressed? 67 00:04:16.319 --> 00:04:16.519 Out? 68 00:04:16.839 --> 00:04:20.399 You Lord, will keep in perfect peace all who trust 69 00:04:20.759 --> 00:04:24.920 in you, whose thoughts are fixed on. 70 00:04:26.800 --> 00:04:27.040 You. 71 00:04:27.439 --> 00:04:30.680 If you fix your thoughts on God, he says, I 72 00:04:30.720 --> 00:04:35.639 will keep you in perfect peace. You see, what you 73 00:04:35.839 --> 00:04:38.279 think about is going to determine how stressed and how 74 00:04:38.319 --> 00:04:40.959 worried you are. You know, I've told you the story 75 00:04:40.959 --> 00:04:45.279 of Corey tin Boom. Corey tin Boom was a Dutch 76 00:04:45.639 --> 00:04:50.079 Christian young woman during World War Two. Her family the 77 00:04:50.160 --> 00:04:53.240 ten Boom family. Her dad was a clockmaker and they 78 00:04:53.279 --> 00:04:58.040 lived in Amsterdam during World War two and they made 79 00:04:58.040 --> 00:04:59.560 a story that she wrote a book about and the 80 00:04:59.560 --> 00:05:01.920 actually made it movie of her life called The Hiding Place. 81 00:05:02.360 --> 00:05:04.560 And during World War Two, the ten Boom this Christian 82 00:05:04.560 --> 00:05:08.839 family took in Jewish friends and hid them in what 83 00:05:08.920 --> 00:05:11.319 was called the Hiding Place in their house for many 84 00:05:11.399 --> 00:05:14.680 years to prevent them from being captured by the Nazis 85 00:05:14.680 --> 00:05:19.160 and shipped off to death camps. One day, the Nazis 86 00:05:19.319 --> 00:05:23.480 found out and not only took the Jewish friends, but 87 00:05:23.560 --> 00:05:27.079 took Corey and her family and they went were taken 88 00:05:27.120 --> 00:05:32.480 to death camps in Poland and Corey lost her entire family. 89 00:05:32.519 --> 00:05:33.920 She was the only one that survived. 90 00:05:34.759 --> 00:05:37.240 And it's a very wonderful story, and in it she 91 00:05:37.319 --> 00:05:40.079 says something I've never forgotten. She said, if you look 92 00:05:40.120 --> 00:05:44.279 at the world, you'll be distressed. If you look within, 93 00:05:44.680 --> 00:05:48.399 you'll be depressed. But if you look at Christ, you'll 94 00:05:48.399 --> 00:05:52.079 be at rest. It all depends on what you have 95 00:05:52.160 --> 00:05:56.000 your eyes on. You know, people said, well look within, 96 00:05:56.079 --> 00:05:59.439 Well I did. I didn't like what I saw. I 97 00:05:59.439 --> 00:06:01.079 don't want to look. But then I want to look without. 98 00:06:01.120 --> 00:06:02.480 I want to look at God. I want to look 99 00:06:02.480 --> 00:06:06.720 at Christ. Think about good things. Now there's one other step. 100 00:06:07.319 --> 00:06:12.639 That's number five. Be content with anything. The Bible tells 101 00:06:12.720 --> 00:06:16.480 us to be content with anything. This is the fifth 102 00:06:16.600 --> 00:06:21.519 key to living a reduced stress life, where God says, 103 00:06:21.560 --> 00:06:23.519 if you do these things, you'll have God's peace in 104 00:06:23.560 --> 00:06:26.160 your life. Now, let me explain contentment, because a lot 105 00:06:26.240 --> 00:06:28.720 of people misunderstand the meaning of contentment. A lot of 106 00:06:28.720 --> 00:06:31.279 people think means content and means I have no ambition. 107 00:06:32.319 --> 00:06:33.279 No, no, no, no. 108 00:06:34.040 --> 00:06:36.639 Paul who wrote this book, Remember, he's probably one of 109 00:06:36.639 --> 00:06:39.480 the most ambitious men who ever lived. He single handedly 110 00:06:39.560 --> 00:06:42.720 takes the good News the Gospel all across the Roman Empire. 111 00:06:42.839 --> 00:06:44.600 He's one of the most ambitious people ever. And he 112 00:06:44.639 --> 00:06:47.040 says I've learned to be content, so it has nothing 113 00:06:47.079 --> 00:06:51.720 to do with ambition. That's not contentment. Contentment is not laziness. 114 00:06:52.720 --> 00:06:59.079 Contentment is not apathy. Contentment is not complacency. Contentment is 115 00:06:59.120 --> 00:07:03.759 not fatalism. What will be will be case. Contentment is 116 00:07:03.759 --> 00:07:09.399 not lacking ambition. Content Here's what contentment is. It's enjoying 117 00:07:09.519 --> 00:07:15.319 what I have right now, rather than waiting for something 118 00:07:15.360 --> 00:07:17.680 else to happen in order for me to be happy. 119 00:07:18.800 --> 00:07:19.600 Does that make sense? 120 00:07:20.439 --> 00:07:22.920 It's enjoying what I've got right doesn't mean I don't 121 00:07:22.920 --> 00:07:24.959 want to progress, doesn't mean I don't have goals. 122 00:07:25.000 --> 00:07:26.360 The Bible says you should have goals. 123 00:07:26.519 --> 00:07:29.120 It means I'm not waiting for something to happen in 124 00:07:29.120 --> 00:07:33.319 my life in order to be happy. Contentment is the 125 00:07:33.360 --> 00:07:37.399 opposite of coveting. Coveting is when and then thinking, when 126 00:07:37.439 --> 00:07:40.800 this happens, then i'll be happy. When this happens, then 127 00:07:40.839 --> 00:07:43.839 i'll be happy. And when that happens, then I'll be happy. 128 00:07:45.040 --> 00:07:50.920 That's when and then thinking. Contentment is actually independence from circumstances. 129 00:07:51.279 --> 00:07:55.439 It means my joy is not connected to what's happening 130 00:07:55.519 --> 00:07:59.279 in my life right now. My joy, my happiness is 131 00:07:59.319 --> 00:08:04.759 not based on my happenings. It's not based on my circumstances. 132 00:08:05.079 --> 00:08:08.199 It means I've learned to enjoy whatever I've got right now, 133 00:08:08.319 --> 00:08:11.399 and I'm not waiting for something or someone to make 134 00:08:11.439 --> 00:08:12.079 me happy. 135 00:08:13.360 --> 00:08:13.439 Now. 136 00:08:13.519 --> 00:08:16.319 Here's what Paul says in the next two verses, verse 137 00:08:16.319 --> 00:08:20.839 eleven twelve. He says, I've learned. I've learned to be 138 00:08:21.079 --> 00:08:26.000 content circle the word learned. Contentment is not natural. I'm 139 00:08:26.000 --> 00:08:29.360 about my nature content. You're not by nature content. You 140 00:08:29.399 --> 00:08:31.040 have to learn it, just like you have to unlearn 141 00:08:31.120 --> 00:08:33.039 worry and you have to learn happiness. 142 00:08:33.120 --> 00:08:34.120 You have to learn. 143 00:08:33.960 --> 00:08:37.840 Contentment, something that we get educated on. I've learned to 144 00:08:37.879 --> 00:08:41.200 be content whatever the circumstances, he says, I know how 145 00:08:41.200 --> 00:08:44.519 to live on almost nothing, or I know how to 146 00:08:44.559 --> 00:08:46.919 live with everything. And in the original Greek here he 147 00:08:47.039 --> 00:08:49.200 said I know how to live in poverty and I 148 00:08:49.279 --> 00:08:50.440 know how to live in luxury. 149 00:08:50.480 --> 00:08:53.759 I know them both. I know how to be happy. 150 00:08:53.759 --> 00:08:57.559 And either in poverty and luxury and nothing or with everything, 151 00:08:57.759 --> 00:09:03.159 I've learned the secret of contentment in every situation, whether 152 00:09:03.200 --> 00:09:06.279 I'm well fed or hungry, or whether I have more 153 00:09:06.320 --> 00:09:09.639 than I need or when I don't have enough. Now, 154 00:09:09.799 --> 00:09:13.480 he says there I have learned to be content. How 155 00:09:13.519 --> 00:09:16.840 do I learn contentment? Let me give you a couple 156 00:09:16.840 --> 00:09:18.600 of three ways. You might just write these down. They're 157 00:09:18.639 --> 00:09:20.279 not in your notes, so just write them down. The 158 00:09:20.360 --> 00:09:28.159 first way you learn contentment is this, stop comparing. Stop comparing. 159 00:09:28.279 --> 00:09:34.919 That's so important because the source of all discontent is comparison. 160 00:09:37.000 --> 00:09:39.000 I remember many, many years ago, when I was a 161 00:09:39.000 --> 00:09:41.679 little boy and got up on Christmas morning and my 162 00:09:41.799 --> 00:09:47.159 parents had given me the gift of my lifetime, a 163 00:09:47.279 --> 00:09:48.519 Stingray bicycle. 164 00:09:50.720 --> 00:10:00.200 Okay, well, these butterfly handles get your motor runing banana. 165 00:10:00.840 --> 00:10:02.879 I thought it was so cool, and I thought I 166 00:10:03.039 --> 00:10:06.039 was so cool until I saw my neighbor got a 167 00:10:06.080 --> 00:10:12.360 better one, and my happiness went out the door. Now, 168 00:10:12.480 --> 00:10:14.840 the Bible tells us over and over and over it's 169 00:10:14.919 --> 00:10:17.399 foolish to compare yourself to anybody else. 170 00:10:17.399 --> 00:10:18.279 Why Two reasons. 171 00:10:18.480 --> 00:10:22.559 One, you're always gonna find somebody who's doing a better 172 00:10:22.639 --> 00:10:25.000 job than you, and somebody who. 173 00:10:24.879 --> 00:10:27.080 Has more than you, and you're gonna get discouraged. 174 00:10:27.600 --> 00:10:30.879 Two you're always gonna find somebody you're doing a better 175 00:10:30.960 --> 00:10:33.159 job then, and you have more then, and you get 176 00:10:33.200 --> 00:10:36.960 full of pride. Either way, you're dead in the water. 177 00:10:37.240 --> 00:10:39.080 God takes you out of the game and you sit 178 00:10:39.120 --> 00:10:43.039 on the sidelines for the rest of the game. Discouragement 179 00:10:43.080 --> 00:10:45.360 and pride are the two things that take you, knock you. 180 00:10:45.320 --> 00:10:49.159 Out of life. So he says, don't do that. God says, 181 00:10:49.200 --> 00:10:50.840 I called you to be you. I made you to 182 00:10:50.879 --> 00:10:52.519 be you. If you don't be you, who's gonna be you? 183 00:10:53.679 --> 00:10:55.320 When you get to heaven, God is gonna say, why 184 00:10:55.320 --> 00:11:01.200 weren't you more like your sister, or why weren't you 185 00:11:01.200 --> 00:11:02.480 more like your mom or your dad? 186 00:11:02.559 --> 00:11:05.559 Or what God didn't? Why don't you be you? I 187 00:11:05.679 --> 00:11:06.440 made you to be you. 188 00:11:06.519 --> 00:11:08.720 Most of us start off as originals and end up 189 00:11:08.720 --> 00:11:13.840 as carbon copies. God never makes copies of anything. 190 00:11:13.879 --> 00:11:16.799 No two snowflakes are like. No two human beings are like. 191 00:11:16.840 --> 00:11:20.600 You have a unique thumb print, handprint, voice print, footprint, ieprint. 192 00:11:21.000 --> 00:11:21.919 You are unique. 193 00:11:21.960 --> 00:11:27.120 Even identical twins aren't really identical. They're different in millions 194 00:11:27.120 --> 00:11:32.080 of ways. God never makes a repeat. God man makes clones. 195 00:11:32.159 --> 00:11:34.639 God never makes clones. When God made you, he broke 196 00:11:34.679 --> 00:11:37.440 the mold. God wants you to be you, And if 197 00:11:37.440 --> 00:11:40.039 you don't be you, who's gonna be you? And so 198 00:11:40.080 --> 00:11:44.200 he says, stop comparing and when you because when you compare, 199 00:11:44.279 --> 00:11:46.879 you get jealous and you get envious. Now, the Bible 200 00:11:46.919 --> 00:11:50.399 says this, look at this verse on your outline. Peace 201 00:11:50.399 --> 00:11:54.840 of mind makes the body healthy. But envy is like 202 00:11:54.879 --> 00:11:56.720 a cancer. In other words, it. 203 00:11:56.639 --> 00:12:00.240 Eats you up. It will eat you alive if you 204 00:12:00.279 --> 00:12:01.200 get envious. 205 00:12:01.559 --> 00:12:04.720 Now that phrase peace of mind makes the body healthy. 206 00:12:05.080 --> 00:12:08.639 Phrase that word piece of mind. Actually another translation is 207 00:12:08.639 --> 00:12:14.200 the word contentment. Contentment makes the body healthy. So stop comparing. 208 00:12:15.279 --> 00:12:20.759 Here's a second little tip for learning contentment. Stop thinking 209 00:12:20.840 --> 00:12:25.759 that having more is better. You see, there are three 210 00:12:25.799 --> 00:12:28.879 myths that we're taught by advertising in society. Having more 211 00:12:28.960 --> 00:12:32.039 will make me more happy, having more will make me 212 00:12:32.120 --> 00:12:35.200 more important, Having more will make me more secure. 213 00:12:35.600 --> 00:12:38.559 None of those are true. They're all lies. 214 00:12:39.399 --> 00:12:42.600 Having more will not make you more happy, having more 215 00:12:42.639 --> 00:12:45.679 will not make you more valuable, And having more will 216 00:12:45.679 --> 00:12:46.200 not make. 217 00:12:46.080 --> 00:12:48.120 You more secure. In the first place, you can lose 218 00:12:48.159 --> 00:12:49.519 it all. You can use billions. 219 00:12:49.519 --> 00:12:51.360 You can lose a billion dollars in a lot of ways. 220 00:12:52.840 --> 00:12:55.519 And your value is not based on your valuables, and 221 00:12:55.559 --> 00:12:58.360 your net worth is not based on your self. Worth 222 00:12:58.440 --> 00:13:00.679 is not based on your net worth. It's based on 223 00:13:00.759 --> 00:13:05.120 who You are not what you own. So stop thinking 224 00:13:05.120 --> 00:13:07.320 that having more will make me more happy, having more 225 00:13:07.360 --> 00:13:09.279 will make me more important, having more will make me 226 00:13:09.320 --> 00:13:09.840 more secure. 227 00:13:10.039 --> 00:13:11.519 None of those are true. 228 00:13:11.759 --> 00:13:14.320 You need to find your security in something that can 229 00:13:14.399 --> 00:13:15.639 never be taken from you. 230 00:13:17.519 --> 00:13:18.080 Well, I can't. 231 00:13:18.200 --> 00:13:20.200 If I put my security in my job, it can 232 00:13:20.240 --> 00:13:22.440 be taken from me. If I put security in my 233 00:13:22.720 --> 00:13:25.799 bank account, I can lose that. If I put my 234 00:13:25.840 --> 00:13:28.279 security in my health, I can lose that, or my 235 00:13:28.360 --> 00:13:30.600 good looks I can lose that. It has to put 236 00:13:30.600 --> 00:13:32.480 security and something can't be taken from me, and that 237 00:13:32.600 --> 00:13:37.399 is my relationship to God. I'll never forget Victor Frankel 238 00:13:38.360 --> 00:13:41.440 standing in a death camp. If you've never read his book, 239 00:13:41.840 --> 00:13:44.200 A Man Search for Me, It's terrific book. And he says, 240 00:13:44.240 --> 00:13:46.480 you know, they stripped me naked, they took away everything, 241 00:13:46.519 --> 00:13:49.000 including my wedding ring. And then he said, I realized 242 00:13:49.080 --> 00:13:51.000 that there was one thing that could never be taken 243 00:13:51.000 --> 00:13:57.840 away from me, my ability to choose my response. You 244 00:13:58.399 --> 00:14:00.440 cannot control everything that happens in your life, but you 245 00:14:00.480 --> 00:14:03.960 can't choose how you respond. That's your freedom. Now here's 246 00:14:04.000 --> 00:14:09.879 what the Bible says. Ecclesiastes chapter four it's better to 247 00:14:10.039 --> 00:14:14.000 only have a little with peace of mind than to 248 00:14:14.000 --> 00:14:16.039 be busy all the time with both hands trying to 249 00:14:16.080 --> 00:14:18.720 catch the wind. That's what I call the saddleback Center. 250 00:14:18.799 --> 00:14:21.279 We go out and we buy things we can't afford 251 00:14:21.320 --> 00:14:23.240 with money, we don't have to impress people we don't 252 00:14:23.240 --> 00:14:27.240 even like, and then we get in debt. We have 253 00:14:27.279 --> 00:14:30.240 to become workaholics to pay for all the things we've bought. 254 00:14:30.399 --> 00:14:34.240 And if you own something and God told you to 255 00:14:34.279 --> 00:14:36.159 give it away, you don't own it. It owns you. 256 00:14:37.080 --> 00:14:39.320 A lot of people are possessed by their possessions. There's 257 00:14:39.320 --> 00:14:43.200 nothing wrong with possessions, nothing wrong with them, but unless 258 00:14:43.240 --> 00:14:46.480 you make it your God, and you cannot be possessed 259 00:14:46.519 --> 00:14:47.759 by your possessions. 260 00:14:48.960 --> 00:14:50.039 And he said, you know, if your. 261 00:14:49.960 --> 00:14:53.919 Whole life is trying to work harder to pay for stuff, 262 00:14:54.159 --> 00:14:57.519 he says, you're missing the point. A third day and 263 00:14:57.519 --> 00:15:00.679 I'll end with this is learn to learn to admire 264 00:15:00.759 --> 00:15:05.320 without having to acquire. I've found this personally fun for me. 265 00:15:05.960 --> 00:15:12.000 Learn to admire without having to acquire. In other words, 266 00:15:12.279 --> 00:15:14.519 I have learned that I don't have to own it 267 00:15:15.240 --> 00:15:20.559 in order to enjoy it. The fact is with ownership 268 00:15:21.000 --> 00:15:21.960 ownership's a lot. 269 00:15:21.799 --> 00:15:23.600 Of pain a lot of the times. 270 00:15:24.080 --> 00:15:25.840 I mean, you got to insure it, you got to 271 00:15:25.879 --> 00:15:27.720 maintain it, you gotta store it, you gotta haul it. 272 00:15:28.519 --> 00:15:29.720 I mean, let me give you an example. 273 00:15:30.120 --> 00:15:33.320 My family and my kids and my grandkids, we like 274 00:15:33.399 --> 00:15:35.919 the jet ski and we like to go down to 275 00:15:35.919 --> 00:15:38.279 Mission Bay in San Diego, particularly in jet ski We've 276 00:15:38.279 --> 00:15:41.639 done on several vacations, will go jet skiing. And because 277 00:15:41.639 --> 00:15:44.639 we've done this a lot as a family, I've offer thought, well, 278 00:15:44.639 --> 00:15:48.519 maybe I should go buy some jet skis, And then 279 00:15:48.799 --> 00:15:51.799 why in the world would I do that? I mean, 280 00:15:51.840 --> 00:15:54.919 then I got to insure it. Then I gotta maintain it. 281 00:15:55.519 --> 00:15:57.960 Then I gotta store it. Then I got to haul 282 00:15:58.039 --> 00:16:02.559 it back and forth. You know, if it's just down there, 283 00:16:02.600 --> 00:16:03.799 I go down there and use it. 284 00:16:04.039 --> 00:16:06.360 Rent it for an hour or two. I'm going to 285 00:16:06.440 --> 00:16:07.879 give you a true confession. I know it's going to 286 00:16:07.919 --> 00:16:08.320 shock you. 287 00:16:08.559 --> 00:16:13.360 I have never spent one hour of my life scraping 288 00:16:13.399 --> 00:16:14.879 barnacles off my boat. 289 00:16:18.559 --> 00:16:19.519 Because I don't know one. 290 00:16:20.399 --> 00:16:25.399 I just use yours. You gotta lodge it aspen. I'll 291 00:16:25.480 --> 00:16:28.600 jump up and down on your bed. You can ensure it, 292 00:16:28.679 --> 00:16:31.440 maintain it, and store it, and haul it and learn 293 00:16:31.519 --> 00:16:33.440 to admire without having to acquire. 294 00:16:33.679 --> 00:16:35.039 Learn that I don't. 295 00:16:34.840 --> 00:16:38.879 Have to own it to enjoy it. That's part of contentment. Now, 296 00:16:39.159 --> 00:16:42.399 these five strategies that I've just mean, they're very easy 297 00:16:42.480 --> 00:16:44.480 for me to explain, but they're very hard to do. 298 00:16:45.600 --> 00:16:51.120 It's not easy to worry about nothing. It's not easy 299 00:16:51.360 --> 00:16:56.519 to pray about everything. It's not easy to thank God 300 00:16:56.720 --> 00:17:03.240 in everything. It's not easy to think about good things, 301 00:17:04.799 --> 00:17:09.759 and it's not easy to be content with anything. So 302 00:17:09.839 --> 00:17:12.559 where in the world am I gonna get the energy 303 00:17:12.759 --> 00:17:16.079 to do these things that reduce the stress in my life? 304 00:17:16.279 --> 00:17:18.680 God says this, You come to me. 305 00:17:19.720 --> 00:17:22.039 You come to me, and I will give you the 306 00:17:22.119 --> 00:17:25.039 power and the ability to do what will help you 307 00:17:25.119 --> 00:17:29.200 do what is best for you. Paul ends this passage 308 00:17:29.200 --> 00:17:31.920 with verse thirteen. One of the most famous verses in 309 00:17:31.960 --> 00:17:37.000 the Bible is verse thirteen. I have the strength to 310 00:17:37.119 --> 00:17:43.640 face anything and everything by the power that Christ gives me. 311 00:17:44.559 --> 00:17:48.680 I can do all things through Christ, who strengthens me. 312 00:17:49.960 --> 00:17:55.759 I can worry about nothing when Christ strengthens me. I 313 00:17:55.759 --> 00:18:00.519 can pray about everything when Christ strengthens me. I can 314 00:18:00.599 --> 00:18:03.920 thank God in everything and all things. When Christ strengthens me. 315 00:18:04.400 --> 00:18:07.400 I can keep my mind on the right thing when 316 00:18:07.440 --> 00:18:11.039 God strengthens me, and I can be content with anything 317 00:18:12.039 --> 00:18:15.400 when Christ strengthens me. What we're talking to here is 318 00:18:15.440 --> 00:18:18.880 not about a religion. Religion about a relationship. You may 319 00:18:18.920 --> 00:18:21.759 be Buddhist, you may be a Baptist. You may be 320 00:18:21.799 --> 00:18:25.480 a Catholic or Protestant or Jewish, I mean, Muslim, or Mormon, 321 00:18:27.240 --> 00:18:30.359 or no religion at all. God has never made a 322 00:18:30.400 --> 00:18:32.240 person he doesn't love. God has never made a person 323 00:18:32.240 --> 00:18:34.599 he didn't die for. God has never made a person 324 00:18:34.880 --> 00:18:37.559 he doesn't have a purpose for. And he says, if 325 00:18:37.599 --> 00:18:39.720 you'll come to me, I will help you. I'm going 326 00:18:39.759 --> 00:18:43.240 to close this last verse job twenty two. Verse twenty 327 00:18:43.279 --> 00:18:48.839 one says this obey God and be at peace with him. 328 00:18:50.160 --> 00:18:53.799 This is the way to happiness. 329 00:18:54.240 --> 00:18:54.640 You see. 330 00:18:54.880 --> 00:18:58.000 The real reason you're not at peace is because you're 331 00:18:58.000 --> 00:19:00.880 at war with God. And until you make your peace 332 00:19:00.880 --> 00:19:03.000 with God, that's what the Bible says God sent Jesus 333 00:19:03.079 --> 00:19:05.160 to do, is to make peace with God for us. 334 00:19:06.960 --> 00:19:09.480 When you make peace with God, then you get the 335 00:19:09.519 --> 00:19:13.319 peace of God, and then you can have peace with others. 336 00:19:13.720 --> 00:19:15.359 They're not going to be peace in the world till 337 00:19:15.359 --> 00:19:16.519 the Prince of Peace. 338 00:19:16.680 --> 00:19:19.000 Is reigning in our hearts. 339 00:19:20.119 --> 00:19:22.160 So in order for you to have the peace of God, 340 00:19:22.200 --> 00:19:26.920 you have to first have the peace with God. And 341 00:19:27.039 --> 00:19:28.759 let's close of that, let's bow our heads. Would you 342 00:19:28.759 --> 00:19:31.559 bow your heads with me? And I'm going to lead 343 00:19:31.599 --> 00:19:36.079 you in a prayer. My blessing on you this week 344 00:19:37.319 --> 00:19:40.559 is Romans fifteen thirty three. It says, I pray that God, 345 00:19:40.799 --> 00:19:45.799 who gives peace, will be with you. So would you 346 00:19:45.839 --> 00:19:50.200 pray this simple prayer. It doesn't really matter what your 347 00:19:50.799 --> 00:19:53.079 words you say. If you just say, as I say this, 348 00:19:53.119 --> 00:19:56.839 you say me to God, me too, say, Dear God, 349 00:19:58.240 --> 00:20:01.640 I don't really want to be stressed out. I want 350 00:20:01.640 --> 00:20:05.960 to learn the habits of happiness. And you have promised 351 00:20:05.960 --> 00:20:09.319 that if I do these things, I will experience your peace. 352 00:20:11.039 --> 00:20:15.559 So I'm gonna hold you at your word. Now. 353 00:20:15.559 --> 00:20:17.599 I don't have the strength to do these so Jesus Christ, 354 00:20:17.680 --> 00:20:19.119 I need you to give me that strength. 355 00:20:19.960 --> 00:20:22.799 Help me to worry about nothing. 356 00:20:24.400 --> 00:20:29.119 To remember it's unreasonable and unnatural and unhelpful and unnecessary. 357 00:20:29.319 --> 00:20:30.519 You're gonna take care of me. 358 00:20:32.200 --> 00:20:37.359 Dear God, help me to worry about nothing, and Dear God, 359 00:20:37.559 --> 00:20:41.839 help me to pray about everything instead of talking to 360 00:20:41.920 --> 00:20:46.319 myself to talk to you. Help me to thank God 361 00:20:46.440 --> 00:20:52.279 in all things. Help me to think about the good 362 00:20:52.359 --> 00:20:57.000 things and God, I ask you to help me to 363 00:20:57.039 --> 00:20:58.279 be content with anything. 364 00:21:00.200 --> 00:21:01.160 God. I want to have. 365 00:21:01.119 --> 00:21:06.799 Peace with you so I can have the peace of God. 366 00:21:08.240 --> 00:21:08.839 Jesus Christ. 367 00:21:08.920 --> 00:21:11.279 I don't understand it all, but as much as I 368 00:21:11.319 --> 00:21:14.079 know how, I say yes to you. I don't want 369 00:21:14.079 --> 00:21:17.160 a religion. I want a relationship. I just want to 370 00:21:17.160 --> 00:21:17.720 get to know you. 371 00:21:18.759 --> 00:21:19.359 And so I. 372 00:21:19.359 --> 00:21:23.319 Open my heart as humbly God, I say, make yourself 373 00:21:23.359 --> 00:21:27.279 real to me, and I pray this in your name. 374 00:21:28.319 --> 00:21:28.720 Amen. 375 00:21:35.079 --> 00:21:38.480 What a great message from Pastor Rick today. There's something 376 00:21:38.559 --> 00:21:42.039 I always take away from his message. Here's Rick to 377 00:21:42.119 --> 00:21:44.799 tell you how you can help support this ministry. 378 00:21:45.200 --> 00:21:48.000 Jesus told his disciples that they should live their lives 379 00:21:48.039 --> 00:21:51.400 according to five specific purposes. He said, you've got to 380 00:21:51.440 --> 00:21:54.720 love God with all your heart. That's worship, and love 381 00:21:54.759 --> 00:21:58.720 your neighbors yourself. That's ministry. That's called the Great Commandment. 382 00:21:59.119 --> 00:22:02.759 And then Jesus said, go make disciples, that's evangelism, Baptize 383 00:22:02.799 --> 00:22:05.640 them into the Family of God. That's fellowship, a sign 384 00:22:05.720 --> 00:22:08.279 of fellowship. And then he said, teach them obey everything 385 00:22:08.319 --> 00:22:11.880 I've taught you, that's discipleship, and we call that the 386 00:22:11.880 --> 00:22:16.200 Great Commission. We believe it Daily Hope, that a great 387 00:22:16.240 --> 00:22:20.559 commitment to the Great Commandment and the Great Commission will 388 00:22:20.599 --> 00:22:24.559 produce a great Christian, a great church, a great company, 389 00:22:25.000 --> 00:22:26.000 a great community. 390 00:22:26.640 --> 00:22:26.799 You know. 391 00:22:26.839 --> 00:22:29.480 I started Daily Hope so I could spread the good 392 00:22:29.519 --> 00:22:33.119 news about Jesus, not just across America, but all around 393 00:22:33.160 --> 00:22:36.880 the world. And we want people to know that God's 394 00:22:36.880 --> 00:22:40.559 word is filled with hope and truth and the power 395 00:22:40.599 --> 00:22:42.920 that we need to follow him every day is available 396 00:22:42.920 --> 00:22:45.440 to every single one. You know as well as I do, 397 00:22:45.599 --> 00:22:48.240 that the Word of God changes lives. It's a live 398 00:22:48.319 --> 00:22:50.759 it's active, and it breathes new life and new love 399 00:22:51.359 --> 00:22:54.759 into all of our lives. So wherever you listen to this, 400 00:22:55.039 --> 00:22:57.440 whether you listen on the website, whether you listen on 401 00:22:57.480 --> 00:23:00.000