WEBVTT 1 00:00:02.439 --> 00:00:06.280 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 --> 00:00:14.759 continuing our series called the Habits of Happiness. In this series, 4 00:00:14.880 --> 00:00:17.879 Rick dives into the Book of Philippians and helps you 5 00:00:18.000 --> 00:00:22.600 discover God's path to true and lasting happiness. And now 6 00:00:22.679 --> 00:00:25.000 let's jump right in for the final part of a 7 00:00:25.039 --> 00:00:28.079 message called grow Healthy Relationships. 8 00:00:28.679 --> 00:00:29.760 You might write this down. 9 00:00:31.399 --> 00:00:37.679 Positive praying is more effective than positive thinking. You know, 10 00:00:37.799 --> 00:00:41.159 people read all these books about positive thinking. Well, okay, 11 00:00:41.240 --> 00:00:43.479 there's nothing wrong with that. I mean, I'm sure I'd 12 00:00:43.520 --> 00:00:45.439 rather have you thinking positively than negatively. 13 00:00:46.640 --> 00:00:47.840 But all the. 14 00:00:47.840 --> 00:00:50.479 Positive thinking in the world isn't going to change your 15 00:00:50.560 --> 00:00:55.679 husband or your wife, or your child, or your friend. 16 00:00:55.920 --> 00:00:58.679 Or your situation. Positive thinking is not enough. 17 00:00:58.920 --> 00:01:02.320 Positive thinking can change you, but it can't change somebody else. 18 00:01:03.640 --> 00:01:09.239 But positive prayer can. So positive prayer is more powerful 19 00:01:09.400 --> 00:01:11.719 than positive thinking. So I want you to write this down. 20 00:01:11.719 --> 00:01:16.200 Here's my little happiness hint. The quickest way to change 21 00:01:16.200 --> 00:01:20.400 a bad relationship to a good one. The quickest way 22 00:01:20.719 --> 00:01:24.879 start praying for them. Start praying for It'll change you 23 00:01:25.200 --> 00:01:28.719 and it can change them. Start praying for them. You say, well, 24 00:01:28.719 --> 00:01:30.799 what do I pray? Well, I would encourage you to 25 00:01:30.840 --> 00:01:34.680 pray what Paul prayed, and in verses nine to eleven, 26 00:01:34.719 --> 00:01:37.159 we have what Paul prayed. Here's what he says, and 27 00:01:37.200 --> 00:01:40.840 this is my prayer. That your love may abound more 28 00:01:40.840 --> 00:01:44.200 and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that 29 00:01:44.280 --> 00:01:47.519 you may be able to discern what is best. That 30 00:01:47.560 --> 00:01:49.879 you may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ, 31 00:01:50.079 --> 00:01:51.719 and that you may be filled with the fruit of 32 00:01:51.799 --> 00:01:54.920 righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ to the glory and 33 00:01:54.959 --> 00:01:55.560 praise of God. 34 00:01:55.760 --> 00:01:56.439 What does he say? 35 00:01:56.680 --> 00:01:59.840 Four things you can pray? Write these down four things pray, 36 00:02:00.040 --> 00:02:03.000 and I would say, pray these for your kids. Pray 37 00:02:03.040 --> 00:02:06.439 these for your friends, Pray these for your boyfriend, your girlfriend, 38 00:02:06.799 --> 00:02:11.000 Pray these for your boss, Pray these for me, anybody. 39 00:02:10.520 --> 00:02:13.039 You care about. Pray with joy for the people. 40 00:02:12.800 --> 00:02:15.039 In your life. And you pray these four things. First, 41 00:02:15.080 --> 00:02:20.360 pray they will grow in love. Pray that they will 42 00:02:20.400 --> 00:02:24.560 grow in love. Paul says that your love will grow 43 00:02:24.639 --> 00:02:29.400 more and more. Number two, he says, pray that they 44 00:02:29.439 --> 00:02:36.199 will make wise choices. Pray that the people in your 45 00:02:36.240 --> 00:02:39.520 life and your family and your friends and your pray 46 00:02:39.560 --> 00:02:42.960 that they will make wise choices. Verse nine and ten 47 00:02:43.039 --> 00:02:47.240 says that you will know and fully know and understand. 48 00:02:47.000 --> 00:02:48.800 How to make the right choices. 49 00:02:50.240 --> 00:02:52.080 Third thing to pray for the people in your life, 50 00:02:52.240 --> 00:02:57.439 pray they will live with integrity. Pray that they will 51 00:02:57.800 --> 00:03:06.000 live with integra. Paul says, I pray that you may 52 00:03:06.039 --> 00:03:10.800 live pure and blameless lives until Christ returns. And the 53 00:03:10.840 --> 00:03:14.360 fourth thing to pray is pray that they will become 54 00:03:14.840 --> 00:03:23.080 like Jesus. Parents, there's your prayer agenda right there. Husbands, wives, friends, 55 00:03:23.120 --> 00:03:25.319 there's your prayer agenda right there. Pray that they will 56 00:03:25.360 --> 00:03:28.560 become like Christ. Verse eleven, that you will be filled 57 00:03:28.560 --> 00:03:32.199 with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ 58 00:03:32.479 --> 00:03:34.639 to the glory and praise of God. 59 00:03:34.719 --> 00:03:35.039 Circle. 60 00:03:35.039 --> 00:03:37.879 The word Fruit's what the fruits he talk about there, Well, 61 00:03:37.919 --> 00:03:41.080 we call it the fruit of the spirit. The fruit 62 00:03:41.080 --> 00:03:43.919 of the spirit is the character of Jesus. In Glatians 63 00:03:43.960 --> 00:03:46.759 five twenty two and twenty three says this, The fruit 64 00:03:46.759 --> 00:03:51.400 of the spirit is love and joy and peace and 65 00:03:51.479 --> 00:03:55.479 patience and kindness. The fruit of the spirit is goodness 66 00:03:55.479 --> 00:03:58.680 and faithfulness. Fruit of the spirit is gentleness and self control. 67 00:03:58.719 --> 00:03:59.159 What is that? 68 00:03:59.199 --> 00:04:04.639 It's a perfect picture of Jesus. Now, these four things 69 00:04:05.560 --> 00:04:07.159 you can pray for me any day of the week. 70 00:04:07.280 --> 00:04:09.159 Pray that I will grow in love. Pray that I 71 00:04:09.199 --> 00:04:12.000 will make wise choices. Pray that I will live with integrity. 72 00:04:12.039 --> 00:04:14.120 Pray that I will become more and more like Jesus. 73 00:04:14.759 --> 00:04:16.639 You can pray these for yourself. You can pray these 74 00:04:16.680 --> 00:04:18.839 for your spouse. And you know what, you can know 75 00:04:18.959 --> 00:04:21.240 they will be answered. Why, because they're in the Bible. 76 00:04:23.360 --> 00:04:25.439 This is not a prayer if it's your will, God, 77 00:04:25.560 --> 00:04:28.519 this is God's will. It's in the Bible, so you 78 00:04:28.600 --> 00:04:31.920 know God wants to answer that prayer. So the first 79 00:04:31.920 --> 00:04:33.759 thing I do have to be grateful for the people 80 00:04:33.800 --> 00:04:37.439 in my life. And second, I have to pray and 81 00:04:37.519 --> 00:04:42.199 actually pray joyfully, not with complaining, not with criticism like, 82 00:04:42.199 --> 00:04:44.279 oh God, why can't you get this man in mind 83 00:04:44.399 --> 00:04:53.000 in shape. That's not praying joyfully, that's praying whinily, crankily. No, 84 00:04:53.240 --> 00:04:57.480 pray joyfully, and here's what you pray. Number three, here's 85 00:04:57.519 --> 00:05:00.920 the third habit, Paul says, and it's in the next verse. 86 00:05:01.199 --> 00:05:06.519 I must expect the best from people in my life. 87 00:05:06.639 --> 00:05:09.480 I must expect the best. Now, these things are so 88 00:05:09.519 --> 00:05:11.439 simple for me. To teach you, but they are so 89 00:05:11.720 --> 00:05:16.079 hard to turn into habits. We don't normally expect the 90 00:05:16.120 --> 00:05:18.439 best from the people around us. We expect the worst. 91 00:05:18.920 --> 00:05:21.759 We expect them to let us down because we have 92 00:05:21.800 --> 00:05:25.639 a track record. Now he's saying, you want to make 93 00:05:25.680 --> 00:05:31.279 a habit of believing in people rather than criticizing them. 94 00:05:31.519 --> 00:05:34.399 Expect the best Philippians want and in the verse six 95 00:05:34.759 --> 00:05:39.120 is the next verse, he says this, I am confident 96 00:05:39.360 --> 00:05:46.120 of this, that God, who began a good work in you, 97 00:05:47.839 --> 00:05:52.839 will carry it to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. 98 00:05:52.839 --> 00:05:55.759 Now circle the word confident. I am confident of this, 99 00:05:56.319 --> 00:05:58.959 that God, who began the good work in you, will carry. 100 00:05:58.720 --> 00:05:59.959 It on to completion until the day. 101 00:06:00.560 --> 00:06:04.720 I'm expecting the best from the people in my life. 102 00:06:04.879 --> 00:06:07.639 Now, Paul is a pro at bringing. 103 00:06:07.319 --> 00:06:10.399 Out the best in people, and I want to teach 104 00:06:10.439 --> 00:06:11.079 you how to do it. 105 00:06:11.160 --> 00:06:11.680 Right now. 106 00:06:12.319 --> 00:06:14.399 There are three things that you do to bring out 107 00:06:14.439 --> 00:06:17.199 the best in people, and Paul does all three of them. 108 00:06:17.399 --> 00:06:21.040 In this verse he says, here's how I bring out 109 00:06:21.040 --> 00:06:23.519 the best people. Number one, he just write this down. 110 00:06:23.639 --> 00:06:27.240 He believed in people. He believed in people. He says, 111 00:06:27.319 --> 00:06:32.360 I am confident and he gave them confidence. Do you 112 00:06:32.439 --> 00:06:34.360 give the people in your life confidence or do you 113 00:06:34.399 --> 00:06:38.079 tear them down? Do you build them up or do 114 00:06:38.120 --> 00:06:40.079 you tear them down? Do you give the people in 115 00:06:40.120 --> 00:06:44.000 your life confidence? In the last series, I gave you 116 00:06:44.040 --> 00:06:46.319 an illustration about what a good parent does when a 117 00:06:46.399 --> 00:06:49.680 child stumbles. Do you remember I said, if a child 118 00:06:49.759 --> 00:06:51.800 is running a race and you're at the track watching 119 00:06:51.839 --> 00:06:53.920 him run a race at school, and all of a 120 00:06:53.920 --> 00:06:57.120 sudden they really mess up and they stumble, and they 121 00:06:57.160 --> 00:06:59.560 fall flat on their face and they embarrass themselves, and 122 00:06:59.600 --> 00:07:01.720 you're in the stand as a parent, what do you do. 123 00:07:02.560 --> 00:07:04.519 You don't get up and say, oh, I'm so embarrassed, 124 00:07:04.560 --> 00:07:09.519 I'm leaving. You know how pathetic you are. A bad 125 00:07:09.600 --> 00:07:13.160 parent would do that. But what does a good parent do. 126 00:07:13.639 --> 00:07:16.360 A good parent stands up and yells even more. 127 00:07:16.519 --> 00:07:20.279 You can do this. Get up. I believe in you. 128 00:07:20.360 --> 00:07:22.319 I know you can do it. Come on, come on, 129 00:07:22.560 --> 00:07:23.000 get up. 130 00:07:23.199 --> 00:07:25.600 I know this is just a minor thing. No, don't 131 00:07:25.600 --> 00:07:27.199 worry about it, don't worry about anybody else. 132 00:07:27.240 --> 00:07:28.160 Just keep on running. 133 00:07:30.000 --> 00:07:34.040 That's what God does with you when you stumble. That's 134 00:07:34.079 --> 00:07:36.040 what God wants you to do with people in your 135 00:07:36.079 --> 00:07:39.600 life when they stumble. That's what it means to be 136 00:07:39.639 --> 00:07:43.240 like Jesus. Paul says, I believe in people. I give 137 00:07:43.279 --> 00:07:46.839 them confidence, I help them grow. I am confident that 138 00:07:46.920 --> 00:07:48.519 what God has started in your life, he's going to 139 00:07:48.560 --> 00:07:51.160 continue to do. You see, we all need people to 140 00:07:51.240 --> 00:07:56.279 believe in us because it's how we change. You can't 141 00:07:56.360 --> 00:08:01.399 change unless somebody believes in you and you believe in yourself. 142 00:08:02.920 --> 00:08:08.759 Acceptance always precedes transformation. That's why I always say, you know, 143 00:08:08.879 --> 00:08:10.639 don't tell it like it is, Tell it like it 144 00:08:10.639 --> 00:08:11.000 could be. 145 00:08:12.199 --> 00:08:12.639 Sometimes. 146 00:08:12.680 --> 00:08:15.839 You know, I trained pastors in preaching, and sometimes pastors say, 147 00:08:15.879 --> 00:08:16.199 well I. 148 00:08:16.240 --> 00:08:17.279 Just tell it like it is. 149 00:08:17.319 --> 00:08:21.680 I said, well, okay, but that doesn't change anybody. Tell 150 00:08:21.720 --> 00:08:25.759 it like it could be is preaching for faith. I 151 00:08:25.759 --> 00:08:28.399 could get up here and say, you know, you're all 152 00:08:28.399 --> 00:08:29.920 not doing a good job, and I could tell you 153 00:08:29.920 --> 00:08:31.560 all the errors you're not doing a good job in. 154 00:08:33.039 --> 00:08:33.600 What would it do? 155 00:08:33.840 --> 00:08:37.240 Just make you defensive? It wouldn't change you one bit, 156 00:08:38.200 --> 00:08:39.840 and next week you go, oh, let's go back and 157 00:08:39.879 --> 00:08:45.559 have requipus some more. Some some people acts as spiritual massacres. 158 00:08:45.679 --> 00:08:47.759 O pastor, that's such a great sermon. It made me 159 00:08:47.759 --> 00:08:52.320 feel so bad. I don't going what no, No, that's 160 00:08:52.320 --> 00:08:57.240 not it. Nobody changes by nagging. Doesn't happen in the 161 00:08:57.240 --> 00:08:59.639 pulpit or anywhere else. So don't tell it like it is. 162 00:08:59.679 --> 00:09:01.639 Tell it like it could be. If I helped draw 163 00:09:01.679 --> 00:09:04.519 a picture, say this is what you could become, this 164 00:09:04.679 --> 00:09:07.519 is what you could be with God's power in your life, 165 00:09:08.039 --> 00:09:11.279 then you get excited. Paul says, I'm confident I believe 166 00:09:11.320 --> 00:09:13.159 in you. The second thing he did is he gave 167 00:09:13.240 --> 00:09:17.519 people vision, and the vision was you're gonna keep growing. 168 00:09:17.720 --> 00:09:20.639 God's not gonna what God starts, he finishes. He's not 169 00:09:20.639 --> 00:09:23.559 gonna leave you halfway out there. He gave people vision. 170 00:09:23.840 --> 00:09:27.159 He painted a picture of the future. Now why is 171 00:09:27.159 --> 00:09:29.799 that important? Because study after study after study shows that 172 00:09:29.840 --> 00:09:32.320 we tend to live up to the expectations of other people. 173 00:09:34.840 --> 00:09:36.840 When people expect the best of you, you tend to 174 00:09:36.840 --> 00:09:39.279 do better. When teachers expect to be the best of 175 00:09:39.320 --> 00:09:42.480 their students, they always perform better than teachers who don't 176 00:09:43.320 --> 00:09:45.480 expect the best from their students. That has been proven 177 00:09:45.600 --> 00:09:49.840 over and over again in studies that we tend to 178 00:09:49.879 --> 00:09:52.080 become what we believe the most important people in our 179 00:09:52.080 --> 00:09:56.519 lives think about us. So Paul says, I expect the 180 00:09:56.559 --> 00:09:59.320 best from people. I believe in people. I give people vision. 181 00:10:00.879 --> 00:10:02.799 And the third thing, this is really important. You write 182 00:10:02.799 --> 00:10:07.120 this down from this verse. He was patient with people's progress. 183 00:10:08.679 --> 00:10:12.120 I am confident to what God's begun in you. He's 184 00:10:12.200 --> 00:10:14.879 going to keep on and he's going to carry it 185 00:10:14.879 --> 00:10:17.600 to completion until the Jesus Day of Jesus Christ. He 186 00:10:17.759 --> 00:10:22.759 was patient with people's progress. Now, why is that I 187 00:10:22.799 --> 00:10:24.399 am so important to your happiness? 188 00:10:25.679 --> 00:10:28.200 I'll tell you why. 189 00:10:28.279 --> 00:10:31.200 If you insist on perfection in people, you're going to 190 00:10:31.240 --> 00:10:36.000 be miserable the rest of your life because there's nobody perfect, 191 00:10:37.159 --> 00:10:42.279 especially you. And if you're always expecting perfection in people 192 00:10:42.320 --> 00:10:46.279 before you can enjoy them, then you're never going to 193 00:10:46.360 --> 00:10:49.039 be happy because nobody's perfect. 194 00:10:49.639 --> 00:10:55.399 Paul says, I am patient with people's progress. Now, let 195 00:10:55.440 --> 00:10:57.919 me give you a little happiness hit on this one. 196 00:10:57.960 --> 00:11:00.720 You write this one down if you want to really 197 00:11:00.759 --> 00:11:03.399 be happy in your relationships, if you want to have 198 00:11:03.440 --> 00:11:08.639 happier relationships, helpier relationships, Celebrate how far people have come 199 00:11:09.200 --> 00:11:11.879 rather than judging them for how much they still have 200 00:11:11.960 --> 00:11:16.159 to go. Celebrate people for how far they've come, rather 201 00:11:16.240 --> 00:11:21.399 than judging how far they still have to go. You 202 00:11:21.519 --> 00:11:28.080 got to be patient with people's progress. When my kids 203 00:11:28.080 --> 00:11:30.639 were little, they would draw me pictures and they would 204 00:11:30.639 --> 00:11:31.960 bring it to me and they'd say, what do you 205 00:11:32.000 --> 00:11:35.679 think of this, Daddy? And I would say, that's perfect, Amy, 206 00:11:35.879 --> 00:11:38.720 that's perfect, Josh, that's perfect, Matthew. 207 00:11:38.879 --> 00:11:42.240 It looks great. And when I said that perfect, but 208 00:11:42.320 --> 00:11:43.279 I mean its a Picasso. 209 00:11:43.399 --> 00:11:47.879 No, it was perfect for that stage in their life. 210 00:11:48.279 --> 00:11:50.759 God doesn't wait until you're mature for him to start 211 00:11:50.799 --> 00:11:54.120 loving you, So you shouldn't do that with others either. 212 00:11:55.559 --> 00:11:57.679 You got to love them worts and all. You got 213 00:11:57.679 --> 00:12:01.080 to be patient with their progress. Now, what is the 214 00:12:01.159 --> 00:12:05.639 key to patience? How do I celebrate how far people 215 00:12:05.679 --> 00:12:08.120 have come rather than judging how far they still let go? 216 00:12:08.679 --> 00:12:12.519 The key to patience is love, and Paul says in 217 00:12:12.559 --> 00:12:15.360 the next verse, verse seven, it is right for me 218 00:12:15.480 --> 00:12:17.399 to feel this way. In other words, I expect the 219 00:12:17.440 --> 00:12:20.600 best from you. It's right for me to feel this 220 00:12:20.639 --> 00:12:25.000 way about you since I have you in my heart. 221 00:12:25.000 --> 00:12:28.759 Circle that phrase in my heart. This is a real 222 00:12:28.840 --> 00:12:33.440 key to happiness and it's real key to healthy relationships. 223 00:12:33.519 --> 00:12:35.480 You got to have people in your heart. You know 224 00:12:35.480 --> 00:12:40.200 what I've discovered if people aren't on my heart, they're 225 00:12:40.200 --> 00:12:45.960 on my nerves. And if I want to get them 226 00:12:46.000 --> 00:12:48.519 off my nerves, I gotta get them on my heart. 227 00:12:50.039 --> 00:12:52.240 If I'm praying for somebody, they just don't bug me 228 00:12:52.279 --> 00:12:56.519 as much. They just don't bother me as much. If 229 00:12:56.559 --> 00:13:00.440 they're on my heart, they're not on my nerves. But 230 00:13:00.519 --> 00:13:02.960 if I'm not praying for them, I get perturbed by 231 00:13:02.960 --> 00:13:07.600 them pretty easily. He says, I have you in my heart. 232 00:13:08.600 --> 00:13:11.759 You see, so many of the relationship problems that you have, 233 00:13:13.799 --> 00:13:16.639 that you have over and over and over, is because 234 00:13:16.679 --> 00:13:19.919 we all tend to react with our head, not with 235 00:13:19.919 --> 00:13:24.000 our heart, and that's the wrong place to go in relationships. 236 00:13:24.360 --> 00:13:27.720 That's you know, somebody comes you, let's say men, let 237 00:13:27.720 --> 00:13:29.240 me talk to them in for a minute. Your wife 238 00:13:29.279 --> 00:13:32.679 comes to you and says, honey, this really frightens me, 239 00:13:33.360 --> 00:13:37.759 This really worries me. This thing really concerns me. And 240 00:13:37.799 --> 00:13:39.720 you react not with your heart. You react with your 241 00:13:39.759 --> 00:13:41.799 head and go, well, that's illogical, that's dumb. You shouldn't 242 00:13:41.799 --> 00:13:46.840 feel that way. Well that was helpful. No, No, did 243 00:13:46.879 --> 00:13:49.720 that really build a bridge? No, no, it did at all, 244 00:13:49.799 --> 00:13:54.720 because you're reacting with your head rather than with your heart. 245 00:13:56.120 --> 00:13:59.039 When people say, and you've had people say this to 246 00:13:59.080 --> 00:14:04.320 you before, I just don't understand. You just don't understand. 247 00:14:04.960 --> 00:14:09.440 You just don't understand. They're not really talking about understanding. 248 00:14:10.080 --> 00:14:12.679 What they're really saying is you don't feel my pain. 249 00:14:14.720 --> 00:14:17.360 You don't feel what I'm feeling. Has nothing to do 250 00:14:17.399 --> 00:14:21.000 with understanding. It has everything to do with empathy. You're 251 00:14:21.000 --> 00:14:24.519 not sympathetic. You're not empathetic, you don't care, you're not 252 00:14:24.759 --> 00:14:28.720 feeling my feelings. And I say, you don't understand. We 253 00:14:28.759 --> 00:14:31.159 try to logic, get out and say, well, let me understand. No, 254 00:14:31.200 --> 00:14:35.000 it's not logic, it's it's feelings. Feelings are just feelings. 255 00:14:35.000 --> 00:14:37.320 They're not right or wrong, they're just they're just feelings. 256 00:14:38.559 --> 00:14:41.399 And so when Paul says, I have you on my heart, 257 00:14:41.720 --> 00:14:45.960 loving from the heart begins with understanding, and it means 258 00:14:46.000 --> 00:14:48.279 you know why they tick, you know how they tick, 259 00:14:48.840 --> 00:14:50.480 and you don't judge them for. 260 00:14:50.480 --> 00:14:52.840 Ticking that way. 261 00:14:53.600 --> 00:14:58.200 You just listen and you accept, and you listen and 262 00:14:58.279 --> 00:15:01.559 you understand moods and you respond accordingly. And that leads 263 00:15:01.639 --> 00:15:04.399 us to the fourth big habit. And this one is 264 00:15:04.440 --> 00:15:07.919 the granddaddy of them all. And Paul says, this is 265 00:15:07.919 --> 00:15:12.440 the fourth secret. I must love people in my life 266 00:15:13.639 --> 00:15:17.639 like Jesus does. I must love people in my life 267 00:15:17.919 --> 00:15:20.480 like Jesus does. I must be grateful for the people 268 00:15:20.519 --> 00:15:22.440 in life. I must pray for the people in my 269 00:15:22.480 --> 00:15:25.840 life with joy. I must expect the best from the 270 00:15:25.840 --> 00:15:28.399 people of my life. And I must love people in 271 00:15:28.440 --> 00:15:30.519 my life like Jesus does. Now again, I told you 272 00:15:30.679 --> 00:15:33.080 it's easy for me to teach it. It's incredibly hard 273 00:15:33.080 --> 00:15:38.080 for you to do this because you're not Jesus, and 274 00:15:38.159 --> 00:15:39.960 we tend to be self centered. We tend to look 275 00:15:40.000 --> 00:15:42.279 at our own needs and all of the things that 276 00:15:42.799 --> 00:15:44.519 have happened in their life. But I've got to love 277 00:15:44.960 --> 00:15:47.200 people like Jesus does. 278 00:15:47.960 --> 00:15:48.480 Verse eight. 279 00:15:49.240 --> 00:15:53.159 Here's the fourth thing Paul says about relational habits. 280 00:15:53.519 --> 00:15:56.679 God is my witness. 281 00:15:57.720 --> 00:16:01.559 That I tell the truth when I say that my 282 00:16:01.840 --> 00:16:05.960 deep love for you, my deep love for you, all 283 00:16:07.320 --> 00:16:13.600 comes from the heart of Christ, Jesus himself. I love 284 00:16:13.639 --> 00:16:18.799 this verse so much because I identify with it. See, 285 00:16:18.879 --> 00:16:23.519 Paul started the Philippian Church. He was the first member, 286 00:16:24.440 --> 00:16:28.679 he was the first pastor, and so I identify with 287 00:16:28.799 --> 00:16:33.679 how he felt about this church as I do about you. 288 00:16:35.200 --> 00:16:38.360 I want you to know that I am grateful for you, 289 00:16:39.320 --> 00:16:41.840 just like Paul was. I want you to know that 290 00:16:41.919 --> 00:16:46.159 I pray for you with joy. I want you to 291 00:16:46.240 --> 00:16:49.200 know that I believe in you, I have confidence in you, 292 00:16:51.279 --> 00:16:53.080 and I want you to know that it is an 293 00:16:53.120 --> 00:16:58.679 honor to serve you. First, John three point sixteen says this. 294 00:16:58.679 --> 00:17:04.079 This is how we know what real love is. Christ 295 00:17:04.880 --> 00:17:09.440 gave his life for us, so then we ought to 296 00:17:09.519 --> 00:17:12.960 give our lives for who for others? 297 00:17:13.279 --> 00:17:15.720 Now? What is that reference? Again? Look at it? 298 00:17:15.759 --> 00:17:19.880 What is it? It's first John three sixteen. Does that 299 00:17:19.920 --> 00:17:23.960 remind you of any other verse? John three sixteen? Same 300 00:17:24.000 --> 00:17:27.960 guy wrote, both, you know what the problem with relationships 301 00:17:28.039 --> 00:17:32.319 is today? People who know John three point sixteen ignore 302 00:17:32.440 --> 00:17:33.799 first John three sixteen. 303 00:17:36.079 --> 00:17:38.240 We all know John three sixteen. Most of you could 304 00:17:38.319 --> 00:17:38.680 quote it. 305 00:17:38.799 --> 00:17:41.880 God so loved the world that he gave his only 306 00:17:41.960 --> 00:17:45.160 son that whoever believes in him should not perish but 307 00:17:45.240 --> 00:17:48.039 have everlasting life. That's the way to salvation. It's a 308 00:17:48.039 --> 00:17:50.519 way to have past forgiven purpose for living home in heaven. 309 00:17:50.839 --> 00:17:53.759 God says, I sent my son. That's how much I 310 00:17:53.799 --> 00:17:57.200 love you. And we're all grateful for God's love for 311 00:17:57.279 --> 00:18:00.200 us John three sixteen. But we want to ignore one 312 00:18:00.400 --> 00:18:03.920 John three point sixteen. It says, and this is real love. 313 00:18:05.480 --> 00:18:07.319 God gave his life for us. He gave his son 314 00:18:07.400 --> 00:18:13.640 for us, and we must do the same thing. If 315 00:18:13.680 --> 00:18:15.559 we would do that, we would not have any relational 316 00:18:15.640 --> 00:18:19.119 problems because we wouldn't be thinking about ourselves, we'd be 317 00:18:19.119 --> 00:18:20.119 thinking about other people. 318 00:18:21.839 --> 00:18:28.039 That's bower Heads. Which of these four habits. 319 00:18:27.680 --> 00:18:32.079 Do you need to work on? Who do you need 320 00:18:32.160 --> 00:18:37.279 to be more grateful for? Who in your life have 321 00:18:37.359 --> 00:18:41.240 you taken for granted? Who have you failed to appreciate? 322 00:18:42.240 --> 00:18:45.359 Who have you because of their faults or flaws you 323 00:18:45.480 --> 00:18:51.119 have not been grateful for them? That's the first habit 324 00:18:51.160 --> 00:18:56.640 of happiness. Be grateful for the people in my life. 325 00:18:56.920 --> 00:19:02.480 Number two, are you praying for the people in your life? 326 00:19:02.839 --> 00:19:05.799 And are you praying with joy? Are you praying with complaining? 327 00:19:05.880 --> 00:19:13.480 God fix that person? Are you praying with joy? I'm 328 00:19:13.519 --> 00:19:15.839 going to encourage you to make a prayer list and 329 00:19:15.920 --> 00:19:19.400 write down some names and pray the four things that 330 00:19:19.440 --> 00:19:23.000 Paul prayed. That people will grow in love, that they 331 00:19:23.000 --> 00:19:25.440 will make wise choices, that they'll live with integrity, that 332 00:19:25.480 --> 00:19:30.440 will become like Jesus. Let me ask you this, are 333 00:19:30.440 --> 00:19:34.839 you patient with the progress of the people in your life, 334 00:19:35.240 --> 00:19:40.640 or do you demand perfection? It's never good enough. So 335 00:19:40.599 --> 00:19:43.000 I said, if people have to be perfect for you 336 00:19:43.039 --> 00:19:48.759 to enjoy them, you're never going to enjoy them. And 337 00:19:48.839 --> 00:19:51.279 number four, who do you need to start loving from 338 00:19:51.319 --> 00:19:58.240 the heart rather than from the head? Now, in this series, 339 00:19:58.279 --> 00:20:04.480 we're going to talk about the habits of happiness. Desire 340 00:20:04.519 --> 00:20:08.480 will get you started, but the habits will keep you going. 341 00:20:09.920 --> 00:20:12.119 So I want you to first make a commitment to 342 00:20:12.119 --> 00:20:14.839 be a part of this series. And why don't you, 343 00:20:14.880 --> 00:20:16.480 in your heart right now say God, I really do 344 00:20:16.559 --> 00:20:19.000 want to be happy and I want to learn the 345 00:20:19.039 --> 00:20:20.640 habits of happiness. 346 00:20:21.480 --> 00:20:22.160 And I commit to. 347 00:20:22.200 --> 00:20:24.839 Being a part and not missing any of this series 348 00:20:25.839 --> 00:20:30.359 that I may learn the habits of happiness. If you've 349 00:20:30.359 --> 00:20:32.960 never invited Christ in your life, say Jesus Christ, thank 350 00:20:32.960 --> 00:20:34.920 you for loving me, Thank you for dying for me. 351 00:20:35.599 --> 00:20:38.720 I don't understand it all, but I want to get 352 00:20:38.720 --> 00:20:40.079 to know you and I want to learn to love 353 00:20:40.119 --> 00:20:45.240 you back. And then, Dear God, I ask you to 354 00:20:45.279 --> 00:20:49.200 give me the power to be grateful for the people 355 00:20:49.319 --> 00:20:52.960 in my life. Help me to remember the best and 356 00:20:53.000 --> 00:20:58.960 forget the rest, and on those bad relationships, help me 357 00:20:59.000 --> 00:21:04.039 to start praying for them and pray with joy. Pray 358 00:21:04.079 --> 00:21:07.039 that they grow in love and that they live with 359 00:21:07.079 --> 00:21:13.160 integrity to become like Jesus. Dear God, I want you 360 00:21:13.200 --> 00:21:15.720 to help me develop the habit of expecting the best 361 00:21:16.119 --> 00:21:19.920 from the people in my life rather than criticizing the worst. 362 00:21:21.480 --> 00:21:23.960 Help me to believe in people. Help me to be 363 00:21:24.079 --> 00:21:29.000 confident and build confidence. Help me to be patient with 364 00:21:29.039 --> 00:21:36.000 people's progress. Help me to recognize how far people have come, 365 00:21:36.079 --> 00:21:40.079 not how far they still have to go. Dear God, 366 00:21:40.119 --> 00:21:42.200 help me to have love in my heart and to 367 00:21:42.279 --> 00:21:47.119 love people not from the head. Men. You guys who 368 00:21:47.119 --> 00:21:49.759 are married, say God, help me to love my wife 369 00:21:49.759 --> 00:21:54.880 from my heart, not from my head. And help me 370 00:21:54.920 --> 00:22:00.119 to love people in my life like Jesus does. That 371 00:22:00.200 --> 00:22:03.119 I would be willing to lay down my life in 372 00:22:03.240 --> 00:22:08.400 sacrifice or in service. I pray this in Jesus' name. 373 00:22:09.440 --> 00:22:09.839 Amen. 374 00:22:15.920 --> 00:22:19.920 If you just prayed to receive jesus congratulations, we would 375 00:22:19.960 --> 00:22:22.440 love to send you some free materials to help you 376 00:22:22.480 --> 00:22:26.400 along on your spiritual journey. Just email Rick at Pastorick 377 00:22:26.480 --> 00:22:30.559 dot com. That's Rick at Pastorrick dot com. Here's Rick 378 00:22:30.640 --> 00:22:33.400 to tell you how you can help support this ministry. 379 00:22:33.799 --> 00:22:36.680 Jesus told his disciples that they should live their lives 380 00:22:36.680 --> 00:22:40.000 according to five specific purposes. He said, you've got to 381 00:22:40.079 --> 00:22:43.359 love God with all your heart. That's worship. And love 382 00:22:43.400 --> 00:22:47.319 your neighbors yourself. That's ministry. That's called the Great Commandment. 383 00:22:47.759 --> 00:22:51.400 And then Jesus said, go make disciples. That's evangelism. Baptize 384 00:22:51.440 --> 00:22:54.279 them into the Family of God. That's fellowship, a sign 385 00:22:54.319 --> 00:22:56.920 of fellowship. And then he said, teach them obey everything 386 00:22:56.960 --> 00:23:01.279 I've taught you. That's discipleship, and that the Great Commission. 387 00:23:02.160 --> 00:23:05.839 We believe it daily hope that a great commitment to 388 00:23:05.920 --> 00:23:09.599 the Great Commandment and the Great Commission will produce a 389 00:23:09.640 --> 00:23:14.680 great Christian, a great church, a great company, a great community. 390 00:23:15.279 --> 00:23:17.599 You know, I started Daily Hope so I could spread 391 00:23:17.799 --> 00:23:21.160 the good news about Jesus, not just across America, but 392 00:23:21.240 --> 00:23:24.720 all around the world. And we want people to know 393 00:23:24.960 --> 00:23:28.559 that God's word is filled with hope and truth, and 394 00:23:28.640 --> 00:23:30.880 the power that we need to follow him every day 395 00:23:30.960 --> 00:23:33.559 is available to every single one. You know as well 396 00:23:33.559 --> 00:23:35.920 as I do, that the Word of God changes lives. 397 00:23:36.319 --> 00:23:38.799 It's a live it's active, and it breathes new life 398 00:23:38.799 --> 00:23:42.359 and new love into all of our lives. So Wherever 399 00:23:42.440 --> 00:23:45.200 you listen to this, whether you listen on the website, 400 00:23:45.240 --> 00:23:47.680 whether you listen on a radio station, or whether you 401 00:23:47.720 --> 00:23:50.559