WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.320 --> 00:00:03.160 Now, the truth is, it's really quite easy to lose 2 00:00:03.600 --> 00:00:07.360 your internal peace. I mean, one minute you're all everything's 3 00:00:07.440 --> 00:00:10.080 cool and you're kicked back and you're laid back and 4 00:00:10.119 --> 00:00:12.480 it feels good and you're in serenity, and the next 5 00:00:12.519 --> 00:00:14.960 minute you get a phone call and you're stressed out. 6 00:00:15.439 --> 00:00:18.679 It's very easy to lose your peace. I've written there 7 00:00:18.719 --> 00:00:21.440 on your outline three ways that people most often get 8 00:00:21.440 --> 00:00:25.519 anxious or stressed when their circumstances are uncontrollable. You feel 9 00:00:25.559 --> 00:00:29.480 helpless when people around them are unchangeable. They won't cooperate. 10 00:00:29.600 --> 00:00:31.359 Have you ever tried to change somebody who didn't want 11 00:00:31.359 --> 00:00:34.479 to be changed. That's stressing, isn't it. Have you ever 12 00:00:34.520 --> 00:00:37.479 done a little personal improvement plan on your husband or wife, 13 00:00:38.520 --> 00:00:40.600 are your kids and they won't get with the action 14 00:00:40.719 --> 00:00:42.479 and say, hey, come on, get with the plan. This 15 00:00:42.560 --> 00:00:44.719 is for your own good and fastest way to get 16 00:00:44.759 --> 00:00:46.840 stressed out is try to change somebody. You can't even 17 00:00:46.960 --> 00:00:49.880 change your own self most of the time. And then 18 00:00:49.920 --> 00:00:52.719 the third is when problems are unexplainable. You can't figure 19 00:00:52.719 --> 00:00:57.000 out why something doesn't work. That is stressing that causes anxiety. 20 00:00:57.719 --> 00:01:00.799 Now today we're going to look at what in all 21 00:01:00.840 --> 00:01:04.840 three of those situations, When your circumstances are uncontrollable, when 22 00:01:04.879 --> 00:01:08.840 people around you won't change, they're unchangeable, And when problems 23 00:01:08.840 --> 00:01:13.239 are unexplainable, you need to pray the prayer of surrender. 24 00:01:13.719 --> 00:01:16.280 It's Matthew six, verse ten. Let's read it aloud together. 25 00:01:17.400 --> 00:01:21.640 May your Kingdom come, May your will be done on 26 00:01:21.760 --> 00:01:25.040 earth as it is in heaven. Now, this may be 27 00:01:25.159 --> 00:01:28.439 the most misunderstood phrase in the Lord's prayer. What does 28 00:01:28.480 --> 00:01:31.920 it mean, your kingdom come? What in the world does 29 00:01:31.959 --> 00:01:35.719 that mean? May your kingdom come, May your will be done? 30 00:01:36.719 --> 00:01:39.799 What is God's kingdom? Well, God's kingdom is his plan 31 00:01:40.079 --> 00:01:43.599 for history. It is the rule and reign of God 32 00:01:43.719 --> 00:01:46.400 in the world. It's all that he wants to do. 33 00:01:46.680 --> 00:01:50.000 All his purposes are accomplished in the Kingdom of God. 34 00:01:50.439 --> 00:01:53.239 You say, well, where is the kingdom of God? It 35 00:01:53.319 --> 00:01:57.120 is wherever Jesus is allowed to be king. Now, since 36 00:01:57.200 --> 00:01:59.359 Jesus is king in heaven right now, the Kingdom of 37 00:01:59.359 --> 00:02:02.239 God is in he One day, when Christ comes back 38 00:02:02.280 --> 00:02:04.640 on earth, the Kingdom of God will be on earth. 39 00:02:05.040 --> 00:02:07.319 And Jesus said, when I'm king in your heart, the 40 00:02:07.400 --> 00:02:10.639 Kingdom of God is within you. So the kingdom of 41 00:02:10.680 --> 00:02:14.479 God is wherever Jesus is allowed to be king. Actually, 42 00:02:14.520 --> 00:02:18.199 the second phrase, thy will be done explains the first phrase, 43 00:02:18.439 --> 00:02:24.560 Thy Kingdom Come. God's kingdom is wherever God's will is done. 44 00:02:24.639 --> 00:02:26.560 And so if God's will is being done in your life, 45 00:02:26.599 --> 00:02:28.759 guess where the kingdom of God is. It's inside you, 46 00:02:28.919 --> 00:02:31.719 says Jesus. Now, today we're going to look at how 47 00:02:31.759 --> 00:02:36.840 this phrase thy Kingdom, come, Thy will be done, How 48 00:02:36.879 --> 00:02:40.759 that can bring personal peace in your life. It may 49 00:02:40.800 --> 00:02:43.879 be a life changing message for you when you understand 50 00:02:43.960 --> 00:02:46.520 this truth. But first, before we can look at it, 51 00:02:46.639 --> 00:02:48.840 you have to settle one thing. And here it is 52 00:02:49.560 --> 00:02:54.960 God is God and you're not. All right now, I 53 00:02:55.000 --> 00:02:58.919 know that's a little simple, but we forget it very easily. 54 00:02:59.560 --> 00:03:03.199 God is God and you're not. You cannot pray this 55 00:03:03.319 --> 00:03:07.080 prayer and you cannot be at peace until you accept 56 00:03:07.120 --> 00:03:10.080 that fact. And when you learn that, then you're ready 57 00:03:10.080 --> 00:03:13.639 to pray what I call the prayer of surrender. Now, 58 00:03:13.680 --> 00:03:18.520 what does it mean to pray thy Kingdom Come, Thy 59 00:03:18.599 --> 00:03:23.120 will be done? It means three things. Number one, it 60 00:03:23.240 --> 00:03:28.919 means I accept God's plan. I accept God's plan instead 61 00:03:28.919 --> 00:03:31.680 of my own plan for my life. I accept his purpose, 62 00:03:32.000 --> 00:03:35.599 his will for my life. Now, part of this, and 63 00:03:35.680 --> 00:03:38.039 a big part of it, is something that's very difficult, 64 00:03:38.039 --> 00:03:41.919 and that is accepting the things you can't change. And 65 00:03:41.960 --> 00:03:43.680 there are a lot of things in your life. In fact, 66 00:03:43.680 --> 00:03:45.840 most of the major things you didn't choose your birth 67 00:03:45.919 --> 00:03:48.000 or your death. A lot of those things you don't 68 00:03:48.039 --> 00:03:51.039 choose what other people do to you. So you have 69 00:03:51.120 --> 00:03:54.159 to accept the things that can't be changed. Now, of course, 70 00:03:54.199 --> 00:03:56.919 you change the things you can, But what about all 71 00:03:56.960 --> 00:03:59.560 those things you can't change. How do you have peace 72 00:03:59.759 --> 00:04:03.840 when when you're frustrated by something that is unchangeable, Well, 73 00:04:04.039 --> 00:04:08.039 worrying doesn't work. That certainly doesn't give you peace. Resenting 74 00:04:08.080 --> 00:04:13.080 what you can't change won't give you peace. Feeling guilty 75 00:04:13.199 --> 00:04:15.960 about what you can't change in the past or whatever 76 00:04:17.000 --> 00:04:20.839 won't give you peace. Having a pity party about what 77 00:04:20.920 --> 00:04:25.800 you can't change won't give you peace. All those things 78 00:04:25.800 --> 00:04:27.360 you don't like in your life. I didn't like the 79 00:04:27.399 --> 00:04:29.160 parents I got, I don't like the way I look, 80 00:04:29.279 --> 00:04:33.199 I don't like the talents I've given. All those things 81 00:04:34.399 --> 00:04:37.839 you can't change them. There's only one thing that will 82 00:04:37.920 --> 00:04:43.519 work when you can't change something, and that is this acceptance, acceptance. 83 00:04:43.800 --> 00:04:48.240 I must accept God's will in my life. Thy Kingdom Come, 84 00:04:48.519 --> 00:04:50.360 Thy will be done. Now. Not everything that happens in 85 00:04:50.399 --> 00:04:52.319 your life is God's will. I am not saying that, 86 00:04:52.600 --> 00:04:54.959 but you say, God, I want your will in my 87 00:04:55.079 --> 00:04:56.839 life when there are things that are out of my 88 00:04:56.959 --> 00:05:01.279 control and I can't change them. Paul understood this in 89 00:05:01.319 --> 00:05:05.639 Philippians chapter four. He says this, I've learned to be 90 00:05:05.720 --> 00:05:09.000 satisfied with the things that I have and with everything 91 00:05:09.040 --> 00:05:11.439 that happens. Wait just a minute, how many of you 92 00:05:11.519 --> 00:05:13.800 could say I've learned to be satisfied with everything that happens. 93 00:05:15.000 --> 00:05:18.120 I couldn't raise my hand on that one, Paul saying, 94 00:05:18.319 --> 00:05:21.279 I have learned to be content, to be satisfied with 95 00:05:21.360 --> 00:05:23.519 the things I have and everything that happens. I know 96 00:05:23.560 --> 00:05:24.959 how to live when I am poor, and I know 97 00:05:25.000 --> 00:05:27.160 how to live when I have plenty. I've learned the 98 00:05:27.199 --> 00:05:31.680 secret of being happy at any time in everything that happens. Wow. 99 00:05:32.399 --> 00:05:36.279 I can do all things through Christ because He gives 100 00:05:36.319 --> 00:05:39.800 me strength. Now I want you to notice first, you 101 00:05:39.800 --> 00:05:41.600 know the amazing thing about this verse. Paul wrote it 102 00:05:41.639 --> 00:05:45.720 when he's in prison. He's in Rome, chained to a 103 00:05:45.759 --> 00:05:48.920 guard in a dungeon, and he's saying, I've learned how 104 00:05:48.920 --> 00:05:50.920 to be happy no matter what's going on in my life. 105 00:05:51.160 --> 00:05:54.360 He couldn't change his circumstance, but he says, I've learned 106 00:05:54.360 --> 00:05:56.920 to be content. And I want you to notice three things. First, 107 00:05:57.600 --> 00:06:03.160 this accepting of God's plan is a learned experience. You 108 00:06:03.199 --> 00:06:05.879 are not, by nature a contented person. Neither am I. 109 00:06:06.639 --> 00:06:10.199 By nature, we are discontented. And God says contentment is 110 00:06:10.240 --> 00:06:13.800 something you learn. You learn to accept the things that 111 00:06:13.839 --> 00:06:17.040 you can't change. And Second, it's a choice. He says, 112 00:06:17.240 --> 00:06:20.959 I choose to be happy in spite of my circumstances. 113 00:06:21.199 --> 00:06:25.040 And third, he says it's possible only through Christ's strength. 114 00:06:26.399 --> 00:06:28.600 Now you need to learn this first step of the 115 00:06:28.639 --> 00:06:31.480 prayer surrender that I accept God's plan even when I 116 00:06:31.519 --> 00:06:36.120 don't understand it. Why. Because the truth is, most of 117 00:06:36.160 --> 00:06:38.720 the things that happen in your life, God doesn't explain 118 00:06:38.800 --> 00:06:43.000 why they happen. Most of the things in your life, 119 00:06:43.240 --> 00:06:46.720 God's not going to give you an explanation. He's going 120 00:06:46.800 --> 00:06:49.639 to remain silent when you're going through that problem, through 121 00:06:49.680 --> 00:06:52.800 that trial, through that difficulty, through that circumstance that you 122 00:06:52.920 --> 00:06:56.800 don't like Now. I know this is going to be 123 00:06:56.839 --> 00:06:58.560 hard for some of you, but can you think back 124 00:06:58.920 --> 00:07:03.000 to when you were in grade school. In grade school, 125 00:07:03.000 --> 00:07:06.279 the teacher would pass out the test, you would sit 126 00:07:06.360 --> 00:07:08.240 down and start taking the test, and he or she 127 00:07:08.319 --> 00:07:11.600 would sit at the front in silence while you took 128 00:07:11.600 --> 00:07:17.040 the test. The teacher is always silent when the test 129 00:07:17.319 --> 00:07:22.959 is being given. Now, that's true in life. It's true 130 00:07:22.959 --> 00:07:26.279 with God. Anytime you're going through a tough time and 131 00:07:26.399 --> 00:07:29.600 God is silent, you're praying, God, why is this happening? 132 00:07:29.639 --> 00:07:32.279 What's going on in my life? Help? Help? And God 133 00:07:32.360 --> 00:07:40.000 is silent. This is a test, all right. Anytime God 134 00:07:40.079 --> 00:07:43.759 is silent in your life, this is a test. God 135 00:07:43.800 --> 00:07:45.800 is saying, are you gonna trust me even when you 136 00:07:45.839 --> 00:07:48.399 don't feel me? Are you gonna trust me even when 137 00:07:48.399 --> 00:07:50.560 you can't see me, hear me? I feel like I'm 138 00:07:50.560 --> 00:07:55.199 a million miles away. Will you accept my plan, my wisdom, 139 00:07:55.279 --> 00:08:00.600 my love, my goodness even when there's nothing emotionally feel 140 00:08:00.600 --> 00:08:03.240 any goosebumps, you don't feel anything special in your life? 141 00:08:03.399 --> 00:08:08.399 Will you test trust me when I am silent? God 142 00:08:08.480 --> 00:08:12.040 tests you like that all the time, and he wants 143 00:08:12.120 --> 00:08:15.040 you to pray When you're in those situations, that's when 144 00:08:15.079 --> 00:08:19.079 you need to pray the prayer of surrender, High Kingdom, Come, 145 00:08:19.839 --> 00:08:22.439 Thy will be done God. I don't know what's going 146 00:08:22.480 --> 00:08:24.839 on in my life. I don't know where you're taking me. 147 00:08:25.120 --> 00:08:26.920 I don't know where I'm going to end up. But 148 00:08:27.000 --> 00:08:30.079 I'm going to say this even in advance, Thy will 149 00:08:30.120 --> 00:08:33.480 be done. That, my friends, is the prayer of surrender, 150 00:08:33.639 --> 00:08:36.759 and it's the first key to peace, where you say, 151 00:08:36.799 --> 00:08:39.240 I'm going to accept your plan even when I don't 152 00:08:39.320 --> 00:08:44.000 understand it. Now, why does this bring peace of mind? Well, 153 00:08:44.039 --> 00:08:47.919 I'll tell you because the greatest barrier to your peace 154 00:08:47.919 --> 00:08:54.000 of mind is your demand for an explanation. Anytime you 155 00:08:54.039 --> 00:08:57.960 ask God why, you are setting yourself up to be disappointed, 156 00:08:58.120 --> 00:09:01.159 because God's not going to explain why everything happens in 157 00:09:01.200 --> 00:09:05.720 your life. Whenever you start saying why, why is this 158 00:09:05.799 --> 00:09:08.440 happening to me? Why didn't this happen? Why did he 159 00:09:08.519 --> 00:09:13.159 allow this? Why? Why? Why? Explanations are setting yourself up 160 00:09:14.159 --> 00:09:16.879 are questions like that, you're setting yourself up to be 161 00:09:17.200 --> 00:09:20.000 not at peace, but to be anxious, to be in turmoil. 162 00:09:20.519 --> 00:09:23.759 It always robs your peace. And the truth is you're 163 00:09:23.799 --> 00:09:27.159 probably not going to get an explanation from God. Now, 164 00:09:27.360 --> 00:09:30.639 there are three reasons for that. Number One, God doesn't 165 00:09:30.639 --> 00:09:34.080 owe you an explanation. Remember, God is God and I'm 166 00:09:34.159 --> 00:09:38.200 what not? Yeah, okay, So God doesn't have to explain 167 00:09:38.279 --> 00:09:40.759 to me why he does everything. He doesn't have to 168 00:09:40.799 --> 00:09:42.279 report it to me and say, by the way, would 169 00:09:42.279 --> 00:09:45.399 this be okay with you? If I do this? Is 170 00:09:45.440 --> 00:09:47.720 it okay? If I make this little change here. He 171 00:09:47.759 --> 00:09:50.720 doesn't report to you. You report to him. God is 172 00:09:50.759 --> 00:09:53.480 God and you're not. So God doesn't owe you an 173 00:09:53.519 --> 00:09:56.799 explanation for why everything happens in your life. He's good, 174 00:09:57.000 --> 00:10:01.639 he's loving, and he knows what's best. Number Two, you 175 00:10:01.720 --> 00:10:04.120 probably wouldn't understand the explanation even if he gave it 176 00:10:04.159 --> 00:10:08.279 to you. The reason why is God thinks through eternity. 177 00:10:08.440 --> 00:10:10.919 He sees everything that's happened in the past, and he 178 00:10:10.960 --> 00:10:12.879 sees everything that's going to happen in the future, and 179 00:10:12.919 --> 00:10:14.639 he knows what's going on in your life right now. 180 00:10:14.720 --> 00:10:18.799 And God thinks in terms of generations. We only tend 181 00:10:18.840 --> 00:10:20.720 to think of what's happened in my life, not even 182 00:10:20.759 --> 00:10:23.279 in my whole life, but what's happening at this very moment. 183 00:10:24.120 --> 00:10:25.759 I can't even see what happened a year ago or 184 00:10:25.759 --> 00:10:27.440 what's going to happen to year in the future. I'm 185 00:10:27.440 --> 00:10:30.759 only thinking about my pain right now. God is taking 186 00:10:30.799 --> 00:10:34.360 it all in the in the perspective of the progress 187 00:10:34.440 --> 00:10:38.080 of eternity. And so if God tried to explain to 188 00:10:38.080 --> 00:10:41.720 you why things happen to you, you're just a cog 189 00:10:41.840 --> 00:10:47.320 in the wheel in the huge panorama of history, in 190 00:10:47.399 --> 00:10:49.960 the huge panorama of history, and so God would not 191 00:10:50.000 --> 00:10:53.279 be able to explain to you why why this happens 192 00:10:53.279 --> 00:10:55.600 before this, before this, and how that thing that happened 193 00:10:55.639 --> 00:10:58.159 one hundred years ago is influencing this today, and what 194 00:10:58.200 --> 00:10:59.799 you're doing right now is going to influence one hundred 195 00:10:59.840 --> 00:11:03.279 years from today and on and on. So you probably 196 00:11:03.279 --> 00:11:06.279 wouldn't understand it. But a third reason why God probably 197 00:11:06.320 --> 00:11:10.279 won't give you an explanation is this, Explanations never comfort us. 198 00:11:11.639 --> 00:11:15.200 Some of you have had pain in your past, and 199 00:11:15.279 --> 00:11:18.960 through reading or therapy or counsel or talking with friends, 200 00:11:19.200 --> 00:11:22.559 you figured out why certain things happen in your life. 201 00:11:22.679 --> 00:11:25.799 Did that comfort you? No, It gave an explanation, It 202 00:11:25.840 --> 00:11:30.159 gave you wisdom, but it didn't relieve the pain. Explanations 203 00:11:30.240 --> 00:11:33.399 rarely comfort us. And that's why when God lets you 204 00:11:33.440 --> 00:11:36.480 go through a situation, he doesn't always explain it. Instead 205 00:11:36.519 --> 00:11:40.320 of offering an explanation, he offers himself his presence, because 206 00:11:40.360 --> 00:11:44.519 what you need when you're in pain is God's presence, 207 00:11:44.960 --> 00:11:48.320 not an explanation. And God has said I will be 208 00:11:48.440 --> 00:11:50.799 with you always. I am always with you. I care 209 00:11:50.840 --> 00:11:53.279 about you. You will never go through anything on your own. 210 00:11:55.039 --> 00:11:57.519 And this is the first step to the prayer of 211 00:11:57.559 --> 00:12:02.080 surrender Thy Kingdom, Come be done, God. I want your 212 00:12:02.120 --> 00:12:07.000 plan in my life now. Many people pray the Serenity prayer. 213 00:12:07.120 --> 00:12:10.360 Millions of people pray the Serenity Prayer on a daily basis. 214 00:12:10.519 --> 00:12:13.720 But did you know that the Serenity Prayer has been edited. 215 00:12:14.279 --> 00:12:16.600 It has been shortened, and most people only know the 216 00:12:16.639 --> 00:12:20.559 first three lines. The actual prayer has eight more lines, 217 00:12:20.600 --> 00:12:24.200 and that's where the power is. I'd like for us 218 00:12:24.240 --> 00:12:29.600 to read the Serenity Prayer aloud together. Let's read it. 219 00:12:30.840 --> 00:12:34.840 God grant me the serenity to accept the things I 220 00:12:34.919 --> 00:12:39.240 cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, 221 00:12:39.840 --> 00:12:43.879 and the wisdom to know the difference living one day 222 00:12:43.919 --> 00:12:48.679 at a time, enjoying one moment at a time, accepting 223 00:12:48.840 --> 00:12:53.879 hardship as a pathway to peace, Taking as Jesus did, 224 00:12:54.279 --> 00:12:58.039 this sinful world as it is, not as I would 225 00:12:58.120 --> 00:13:02.080 have it, Trusting that you will make all things right 226 00:13:02.759 --> 00:13:06.159 if I surrender to your will, so that I may 227 00:13:06.200 --> 00:13:11.399 be reasonably happy in this life and supremely happy with 228 00:13:11.519 --> 00:13:16.559 you forever in the next. Amen. Now, the rest of 229 00:13:16.600 --> 00:13:19.519 that passage explains a whole lot about the first three. 230 00:13:19.639 --> 00:13:22.120 You're not going to have the serenity of the serenity 231 00:13:22.120 --> 00:13:25.639 prayer unless you pray the rest of it. Peace comes 232 00:13:25.679 --> 00:13:30.600 through notice, accepting, trusting, and surrender. Those are the three 233 00:13:30.679 --> 00:13:37.240 things that bring peace. Accepting, trusting, and surrender. When you 234 00:13:37.279 --> 00:13:40.159 face an uncontrollable circumstance, you tend to do one of 235 00:13:40.200 --> 00:13:42.679 two things, and these are the extremes, and most of 236 00:13:42.799 --> 00:13:45.759 us tend to do one or the other. Some of you, 237 00:13:46.039 --> 00:13:48.639 when you face things are out of your control, you 238 00:13:48.799 --> 00:13:51.720 just redouble your efforts. You try harder, you say, I'm 239 00:13:51.759 --> 00:13:54.799 going to make this thing work. And the more your 240 00:13:54.799 --> 00:13:57.799 life tends to spend out of control, the more controlling 241 00:13:57.960 --> 00:14:03.799 and compulsive you become. When you feel like you're threatened 242 00:14:03.799 --> 00:14:07.360 by I can't control the situation, you start and react 243 00:14:07.720 --> 00:14:11.759 by trying to control everybody and everything in your life, 244 00:14:11.799 --> 00:14:13.480 and you become compulsive about it, and you want to 245 00:14:13.480 --> 00:14:15.360 control this, you want to control that, and you are 246 00:14:15.360 --> 00:14:20.759 a hyper controller, and you're certainly not at peace because 247 00:14:20.759 --> 00:14:24.000 you're trying to run the whole world out of the 248 00:14:24.000 --> 00:14:28.200 fear of what's uncontrollable in your life. The others of you, 249 00:14:28.200 --> 00:14:30.639 you do the exact opposite. You throw in the towel, 250 00:14:31.000 --> 00:14:32.759 you give up, You throw your hands up and say 251 00:14:32.879 --> 00:14:35.759 forget it. I'm a victim. I'm gonna roll over and 252 00:14:35.759 --> 00:14:38.399 play dead. I'm a victim of despair. And you play 253 00:14:38.639 --> 00:14:46.279 Mary martyr. You swallow and wallow, You swallow your anger 254 00:14:46.519 --> 00:14:50.399 and you wallow in self pity. Both of those choices, 255 00:14:50.559 --> 00:14:53.519 trying to control everything and everybody around you and giving 256 00:14:53.559 --> 00:14:56.879 in and saying I'm just a victim, those are stupid, 257 00:14:57.080 --> 00:15:00.000 foolish choices. What you need to do is the alternative. 258 00:15:00.120 --> 00:15:03.960 If what you need to do is pray the prayer 259 00:15:03.960 --> 00:15:09.799 of surrender, Thy Kingdom Come, Thy will be done in 260 00:15:09.840 --> 00:15:14.080 my life. Thy will be done on earth as it 261 00:15:14.120 --> 00:15:16.559 is in heaven. Why do we pray that Thy will 262 00:15:16.559 --> 00:15:18.480 be done on earth as it is in heaven, Because 263 00:15:18.519 --> 00:15:22.679 in heaven God's will is done perfectly. Is God's will 264 00:15:22.720 --> 00:15:26.320 done perfectly on earth? Absolutely not. In fact, most of 265 00:15:26.360 --> 00:15:28.559 the things that happen on earth are not God's will. 266 00:15:29.840 --> 00:15:32.000 God's will is not always done. That's why we have sin, 267 00:15:32.519 --> 00:15:35.679 That's why people get hurt. But when you pray thy 268 00:15:35.799 --> 00:15:40.559 will be done, you're saying, first, I accept your plan, 269 00:15:41.200 --> 00:15:45.039 and second you're saying, I surrender to your control. That's 270 00:15:45.039 --> 00:15:47.919 the second part of the prayer of surrender. I surrender 271 00:15:48.159 --> 00:15:50.919 to God's control. I don't just accept a plan. I 272 00:15:50.960 --> 00:15:53.879 say not only am accepting your plan, I accept what 273 00:15:53.919 --> 00:15:56.840 you want to do with me. You're in control now. 274 00:15:56.879 --> 00:15:59.840 We don't like this word surrender, oh man. We don't 275 00:15:59.879 --> 00:16:04.960 like it because surrender means raising the white flag. Surrender 276 00:16:05.039 --> 00:16:08.320 means giving up. It means forfeiting the game. It's saying 277 00:16:08.559 --> 00:16:12.799 I've lost, you've won. Surrender sounds too much like that 278 00:16:12.879 --> 00:16:17.440 other word. We hate submission, and we don't like either 279 00:16:17.440 --> 00:16:21.240 of those words. But it's the only pathway to peace. 280 00:16:22.039 --> 00:16:25.879 I surrender to your control. God. You see, every morning 281 00:16:25.919 --> 00:16:28.399 you get up, you make a decision. Who's going to 282 00:16:28.480 --> 00:16:32.559 run your life? You are God? Whose agenda are you 283 00:16:32.600 --> 00:16:36.759 going to follow today? Yours? Or God, who's going to 284 00:16:36.840 --> 00:16:42.919 be calling the shots. You are God. Now, sometimes you 285 00:16:43.240 --> 00:16:47.440 and I think we know better, and sometimes you say, 286 00:16:47.600 --> 00:16:49.320 you know, I know there's some verses in the Bible, 287 00:16:49.360 --> 00:16:51.440 but I want to ignore those ones because they don't 288 00:16:51.440 --> 00:16:55.440 fit my agenda. And I know what God says here. 289 00:16:55.440 --> 00:16:57.919 But you know what I'm I'm just gonna pretend that 290 00:16:58.039 --> 00:17:00.679 verse isn't in the Bible. I'm going to ignore it 291 00:17:00.799 --> 00:17:02.799 and do what I want to do. I'm going to 292 00:17:02.879 --> 00:17:05.839 make up my own rules. And when we do this, 293 00:17:06.000 --> 00:17:09.480 we always use the same phrase, here's the excuse, but 294 00:17:09.599 --> 00:17:14.359 God wants me to be happy. Anytime you hear somebody 295 00:17:14.359 --> 00:17:17.440 say that, but God wants me to be happy, it 296 00:17:17.559 --> 00:17:21.599 means they're probably justifying something that this book says don't do. 297 00:17:23.759 --> 00:17:27.119 Almost inevitably, they're going to be justifying. It's trying and 298 00:17:27.759 --> 00:17:30.279 rationalized in their mind what God says not to do. 299 00:17:30.319 --> 00:17:37.000 And you know what to rationalize is rationalies. Rationalize means 300 00:17:37.039 --> 00:17:40.039 I tell with my head what my heart says is wrong, 301 00:17:40.599 --> 00:17:42.960 but I know in my heart is wrong. But God 302 00:17:43.000 --> 00:17:46.359 wants me to be happy. You're not going to be 303 00:17:46.400 --> 00:17:48.480 happy unless you do what God wants you to do. 304 00:17:49.440 --> 00:17:51.960 And the truth is This is the real reason you're 305 00:17:52.079 --> 00:17:55.079 under stress. This is the real reason you're in turmoil. 306 00:17:55.319 --> 00:18:00.519 You're at war with God. Anytime you try to play God, 307 00:18:01.160 --> 00:18:04.880 then you're in opposition to the real God. And the 308 00:18:04.920 --> 00:18:07.200 Bible's very clear about the effect of that. Look at 309 00:18:07.200 --> 00:18:09.839 the next verse. Well, first, the Bible says and sal 310 00:18:09.839 --> 00:18:13.599 I'm thirty seven to seven. Surrender yourself to the Lord 311 00:18:13.799 --> 00:18:17.240 and wait patiently for him. That's the key to peace. Now, 312 00:18:17.279 --> 00:18:18.759 what happens if we don't do it? Look at the 313 00:18:18.799 --> 00:18:23.680 next verse Roman's eighty six. If a person's thinking is 314 00:18:23.720 --> 00:18:27.880 controlled by a sinful self, there is death. But if 315 00:18:27.920 --> 00:18:31.640 his thinking is controlled by the spirit, there is read 316 00:18:31.640 --> 00:18:35.880 it with me, life and peace. How do you get 317 00:18:36.000 --> 00:18:39.519 life and peace by being controlled by the spirit, by 318 00:18:39.559 --> 00:18:44.200 surrendering yourself to the Lord and waiting for him. Now, obviously, 319 00:18:44.480 --> 00:18:48.440 in a war with God, you're gonna lose. Anybody want 320 00:18:48.440 --> 00:18:51.279 to disagree with that one? Yeah, I didn't think so. 321 00:18:51.759 --> 00:18:55.799 Your arms are too short to box with God. You're 322 00:18:55.799 --> 00:18:57.720 gonna lose if you get in a war with God. 323 00:18:58.359 --> 00:19:01.359 And so whenever you fight God God and say I'm 324 00:19:01.359 --> 00:19:02.839 going to do what I want to do instead of 325 00:19:02.880 --> 00:19:04.920 what you want me to do. You're going to have anxiety, 326 00:19:05.079 --> 00:19:08.799 you're going to have stress, you're gonna have depression, you're 327 00:19:08.839 --> 00:19:15.960 gonna have worry. You're gonna have everything except peace because 328 00:19:15.960 --> 00:19:19.880 you're at war with God. Now, if you want personal peace, 329 00:19:20.400 --> 00:19:22.720 the Book of Job, chapter twenty two tells us how 330 00:19:22.720 --> 00:19:28.720 to get it. Stop quarreling with God. If you agree 331 00:19:28.759 --> 00:19:32.000 with him, you will have peace at last, and things 332 00:19:32.039 --> 00:19:36.480 will go well for you. You see, God says, I 333 00:19:36.519 --> 00:19:39.160 want to bring your bring you peace, but you've got 334 00:19:39.160 --> 00:19:41.519 to accept my plan, and you've got to surrender to 335 00:19:41.519 --> 00:19:45.319 my control because I am God and you're not. Now, 336 00:19:45.359 --> 00:19:47.440 you know what is the greatest barrier to this? What 337 00:19:47.640 --> 00:19:53.519 keeps you from surrendering your life totally to God? Resentment? 338 00:19:55.839 --> 00:19:59.240 Resentment against God. Now you may not want to admit this, 339 00:19:59.359 --> 00:20:01.519 but there's some things in your life you're mad at 340 00:20:01.559 --> 00:20:07.640 God about. You still blame him for those disappointments. You're 341 00:20:07.720 --> 00:20:10.599 upset with him because life hasn't turned out the way 342 00:20:10.640 --> 00:20:14.319 you wanted it to. And that underlying resentment keeps you 343 00:20:14.359 --> 00:20:18.000 from totally surrendering to God. You're mad at God, you're 344 00:20:18.000 --> 00:20:22.519 blaming him for your unhappiness. Now, let's just get real 345 00:20:22.599 --> 00:20:25.759 practical What is it in your life that you're still 346 00:20:25.799 --> 00:20:28.720 angry at God about? Can a Christian be angry God 347 00:20:28.799 --> 00:20:33.039 all without a doubt, without a doubt? Some of you 348 00:20:33.079 --> 00:20:36.839 are angry at the way God made you look. You 349 00:20:36.880 --> 00:20:39.240 don't like your appearanceshaf God bade me? Look? Why didn't 350 00:20:39.240 --> 00:20:42.359 God make me more beautiful? Why didn't God make me 351 00:20:42.480 --> 00:20:49.400 like pastor Rick? Then my life would be great? I mean, 352 00:20:49.440 --> 00:20:56.079 he's a hunk, a hunk of burning love. Yay baby. 353 00:20:58.960 --> 00:21:00.400 And you don't like the way you look? And you 354 00:21:00.480 --> 00:21:02.839 know what, you're still mad at God because God made 355 00:21:02.880 --> 00:21:05.559 you the way you look. Some of you are still resentful. 356 00:21:05.799 --> 00:21:10.400 Why didn't God give me different parents? Why did I 357 00:21:10.440 --> 00:21:19.480 have to get my dad? My mom? They're looney? Some 358 00:21:19.519 --> 00:21:23.359 of you are disappointed in your marriage. It's not at 359 00:21:23.359 --> 00:21:26.039 all what you expected it to be, and you're blaming 360 00:21:26.079 --> 00:21:29.720 God for it. And some of you are still resentful 361 00:21:29.759 --> 00:21:35.440 about a handicap or a birth defect, or a business 362 00:21:35.440 --> 00:21:39.839 you started and failed, or a marriage that failed. For 363 00:21:39.960 --> 00:21:42.519 the fact that you're not married and you're still single. 364 00:21:43.839 --> 00:21:46.839 What are you caring resentment at God over? What are 365 00:21:46.880 --> 00:21:50.359 you still angry at God about? That kind of thing 366 00:21:50.519 --> 00:21:53.920 is keeping you in turmoil, keeping you at war with 367 00:21:54.039 --> 00:21:57.440 God and keeping you from experiencing the love and peace 368 00:21:57.559 --> 00:22:02.240 that He wants to pour out in your life, that 369 00:22:02.400 --> 00:22:07.440 unfulfilled dream, and you're mad at God about it. Don't 370 00:22:07.440 --> 00:22:14.920 blame God. Just relax and say God, Thy will be done, 371 00:22:15.200 --> 00:22:19.440 Thy will be done, Thy Kingdom Come. I accept your plan. 372 00:22:20.160 --> 00:22:25.559 I surrender to your control, because the war with God 373 00:22:25.640 --> 00:22:30.200 is keeping you from peace. Now. Sometimes you go out 374 00:22:30.519 --> 00:22:33.599 and in all sincerity, you pray, you work, you think 375 00:22:33.640 --> 00:22:36.000 you're doing the right thing, and you go out and 376 00:22:36.039 --> 00:22:38.079 you do what you think God wants you to do, 377 00:22:38.319 --> 00:22:44.279 and it just flat out bombs. What do you do 378 00:22:44.359 --> 00:22:49.799 with that? Don't worry. It's all a part of God's 379 00:22:49.839 --> 00:22:52.160 plan and he's moving you to where he wants to 380 00:22:52.160 --> 00:22:56.359 take you. The Bible says this in Isaiah twenty six 381 00:22:56.440 --> 00:23:01.839 y three. You Lord, give true peace to those who 382 00:23:01.960 --> 00:23:07.079 depend on you because they trust you. Now, your life 383 00:23:07.200 --> 00:23:11.440 is never going to be problem free. Ias is a 384 00:23:11.519 --> 00:23:16.480 reality of life. You all know ias. It's always something. 385 00:23:18.119 --> 00:23:22.079 Let's just say that together. It's always something. And if 386 00:23:22.160 --> 00:23:27.240 it's not one thing, it's, oh, you know this, it's 387 00:23:27.279 --> 00:23:30.799 always something. You see problems. Your life is like a 388 00:23:30.880 --> 00:23:34.480 big aircraft carrier. And the problems are like planes out 389 00:23:34.519 --> 00:23:38.359 there circling lined up waiting to land, and you have 390 00:23:38.480 --> 00:23:41.400 about ten or twelve or twenty or thirty planes waiting 391 00:23:41.480 --> 00:23:44.880 to land on your deck right now. And so just 392 00:23:44.960 --> 00:23:47.400 about the time you get one in and you get 393 00:23:47.440 --> 00:23:51.240 that plan, that problem solved. Number two plane moves up 394 00:23:51.279 --> 00:23:54.039 to number one position, and number three moves up to 395 00:23:54.160 --> 00:23:58.400 number two. The moment you get number two landed, guess 396 00:23:58.440 --> 00:24:02.319 what number three is now number one. And the rest 397 00:24:02.400 --> 00:24:04.960 of your life, you're going to have one problem after another, 398 00:24:05.119 --> 00:24:08.200 after another after another. You have to have learn You 399 00:24:08.279 --> 00:24:10.119 have to learn how to have peace in spite of 400 00:24:10.240 --> 00:24:13.799 your problems and in spite of conflict. If you're only 401 00:24:13.880 --> 00:24:16.640