WEBVTT 1 00:00:02.359 --> 00:00:06.440 Hello, everybody. This is Pastor Rick's Daily Hope with Rick Warren. 2 00:00:06.679 --> 00:00:10.400 I'm really glad you're here today. We're continuing our series 3 00:00:10.439 --> 00:00:14.480 from Psalm twenty three called living in the Goodness of God. 4 00:00:14.679 --> 00:00:17.600 It's all about how God's goodness meets you right where 5 00:00:17.640 --> 00:00:22.199 you are and brings hope even in difficult seasons. Up next, 6 00:00:22.440 --> 00:00:26.239 part two of a message called Relaxing in God's. 7 00:00:25.960 --> 00:00:30.679 Goodness Ecclesiastes, chapter four. And remember Solomon was the wisest 8 00:00:30.679 --> 00:00:33.479 man who ever lived, and he says this, here's another 9 00:00:33.520 --> 00:00:38.119 thing I've seen on earth that makes no sense. Some 10 00:00:38.159 --> 00:00:42.880 people don't have any kids, or family or even friends. 11 00:00:42.960 --> 00:00:48.560 In other words, no relationships. Yet they work obsessively, never 12 00:00:48.880 --> 00:00:54.000 taking a break. There's no end to their toil, and 13 00:00:54.039 --> 00:01:00.520 they're never content with what they've done or earned. They ask, 14 00:01:00.600 --> 00:01:03.679 and then he asked them very important questions that if 15 00:01:03.719 --> 00:01:05.120 you're in this category you probably. 16 00:01:04.840 --> 00:01:05.719 Not ask them yourself. 17 00:01:06.840 --> 00:01:10.159 They never asked, why am I always working to do more? 18 00:01:10.719 --> 00:01:12.719 Why am I always doing that? Why am I always 19 00:01:12.959 --> 00:01:16.879 working to do more? And why don't I let myself 20 00:01:17.599 --> 00:01:20.319 enjoy life? And here's a big one. 21 00:01:20.400 --> 00:01:22.519 Who cares? Who cares? 22 00:01:22.920 --> 00:01:25.680 Who will get what I leave behind. I don't have 23 00:01:25.719 --> 00:01:29.200 any relationships, So what's this big career that I'm working 24 00:01:29.239 --> 00:01:33.000 for in a massive accomplishments and achievements and a pile 25 00:01:33.040 --> 00:01:35.760 of money. Who cares? Who's going to get what I 26 00:01:35.840 --> 00:01:40.159 leave behind? What a senseless and miserable way to live. 27 00:01:41.840 --> 00:01:45.200 He says, You're better off having someone to enjoy and 28 00:01:45.280 --> 00:01:49.439 share the rewards of your work. When I value achievement 29 00:01:50.200 --> 00:01:53.599 more than relationships. God did not put you on earth 30 00:01:53.760 --> 00:01:58.040 to mark things off your to do list. He put 31 00:01:58.120 --> 00:02:01.000 you here to learn how to love. He says it 32 00:02:01.000 --> 00:02:03.920 over and over in scripture, to learn to love God 33 00:02:03.920 --> 00:02:05.560 with all your heart and soul and mind and strength, 34 00:02:06.200 --> 00:02:08.560 and to learn to love your neighbors yourself. Tom preached 35 00:02:08.560 --> 00:02:12.159 a classic sermon on this three weeks ago that that's 36 00:02:12.240 --> 00:02:16.439 what matters, not how many accomplishments I have in life, 37 00:02:16.680 --> 00:02:19.840 not how many achievements I check off in life, not 38 00:02:19.960 --> 00:02:22.879 how many goals I reach in life. When you get 39 00:02:22.960 --> 00:02:25.000 to heaven, God isn't going to say, tell me your 40 00:02:25.000 --> 00:02:28.560 goals and did you reach them. He's just not going 41 00:02:28.560 --> 00:02:30.520 to say that. When you get to heaven, God's going 42 00:02:30.560 --> 00:02:34.599 to say, tell me about your relationships. Did you get 43 00:02:34.599 --> 00:02:37.039 to know me? Did you get to know my son 44 00:02:37.159 --> 00:02:40.639 Jesus Christ? Did you love God with all your heart 45 00:02:40.639 --> 00:02:42.840 and soul on my strink? And how about other people? 46 00:02:43.759 --> 00:02:47.520 How did you score on relationships with other people? Because 47 00:02:47.960 --> 00:02:50.800 you had home runs all day and strike out in 48 00:02:50.840 --> 00:02:55.479 relationships and God saying ah wrong answer, Sorry, you missed it. 49 00:02:55.520 --> 00:02:58.879 I did not put you on earth simply to accomplish goals, 50 00:02:59.000 --> 00:03:01.439 to make a lot of money, to do really cool things. 51 00:03:01.719 --> 00:03:04.000 I put you on earth first of all to learn 52 00:03:04.039 --> 00:03:06.400 to love. And you can't learn to love if you 53 00:03:06.479 --> 00:03:13.479 don't have any deep relationships. Wow, this is why we 54 00:03:13.520 --> 00:03:18.719 don't relax. Misplaced identity. I base my worth on my work, 55 00:03:19.560 --> 00:03:22.960 so I pour all my energy into that, or materialism. 56 00:03:23.000 --> 00:03:24.560 I always want more, so I got to get more 57 00:03:24.599 --> 00:03:27.080 money to get more, or envy. I want to be 58 00:03:27.159 --> 00:03:30.080 like what other people are like, and so I'm following 59 00:03:30.159 --> 00:03:37.199 their ridiculous lifestyle too, and they're stressed out. Or I 60 00:03:37.319 --> 00:03:41.400 value achievement over relationships. He goes, why am I doing this? 61 00:03:41.800 --> 00:03:43.759 They never ask why I A'm I always working to 62 00:03:43.800 --> 00:03:46.439 do more? Why don't I let myself enjoy life? And 63 00:03:46.479 --> 00:03:47.159 who cares? 64 00:03:47.280 --> 00:03:50.639 Who's going to get what's left behind? Anyway? 65 00:03:51.360 --> 00:03:58.039 There's a fifth reason that people don't relax, and it's insecurity. 66 00:03:58.919 --> 00:04:03.360 It's insecurity insecurities when I'm afraid I won't have enough. 67 00:04:05.159 --> 00:04:07.879 I was once sitting at a dinner table with some 68 00:04:07.960 --> 00:04:13.360 people who were fabulously wealthy in the multi million dollar category, 69 00:04:14.360 --> 00:04:18.079 and I asked that person, so, how much more do 70 00:04:18.120 --> 00:04:21.720 you think you need to be secure? And the guy 71 00:04:21.759 --> 00:04:23.160 looked at me straight in the eyes and he said 72 00:04:23.279 --> 00:04:28.120 about twenty thirty million more. I'm going he has no 73 00:04:28.199 --> 00:04:29.879 idea that when he gets that, he's gonna say it's 74 00:04:29.920 --> 00:04:34.360 not enough, because it's never enough. You cannot have security 75 00:04:34.879 --> 00:04:37.000 if it can be taken from you, and you can 76 00:04:37.040 --> 00:04:39.120 have a lot, a lot of money, and it could 77 00:04:39.120 --> 00:04:45.439 be taken from you, but it's always more. And I'm insecure, 78 00:04:45.480 --> 00:04:47.160 and I'm afraid that I'm not gonna have enough. So 79 00:04:47.199 --> 00:04:50.120 I keep working, keep working, keep working, keep working. Here's 80 00:04:50.120 --> 00:04:52.240 what the Bible says, please you ask me six y seven. 81 00:04:53.480 --> 00:04:56.680 I love this in the message, we worked to feed 82 00:04:56.800 --> 00:05:00.439 our appetites, but meanwhile our souls go hungry. 83 00:05:00.639 --> 00:05:05.360 Bam, our souls go hungry. 84 00:05:05.560 --> 00:05:08.680 Does that sound familiar. I'm so afraid I'm not gonna 85 00:05:08.680 --> 00:05:13.839 have enough physically, materially that I'm giving up my spiritual 86 00:05:13.920 --> 00:05:17.399 depth in order to get it. We work to feed 87 00:05:17.399 --> 00:05:20.959 our appetites, but meanwhile our souls go hungry. Or how 88 00:05:21.000 --> 00:05:23.720 about this verse p One twenty seven, Verse two, God 89 00:05:23.759 --> 00:05:30.000 says this living Bible, it is senseless, senseless for you 90 00:05:30.079 --> 00:05:34.720 to work so hard from early morning until late at night, 91 00:05:35.600 --> 00:05:39.319 fearing and worrying. There's the reason insecurity, fearing and worrying 92 00:05:39.600 --> 00:05:43.160 that you won't have enough for God. Let's read this 93 00:05:43.199 --> 00:05:46.920 aloud together, for God wants his loved ones to get 94 00:05:47.160 --> 00:05:50.279 their proper rest. So go home right now and take 95 00:05:50.279 --> 00:05:54.800 a nap. All right, that's probably some of all you need. 96 00:05:55.120 --> 00:05:58.839 As we looked at the causes of our difficulties. So 97 00:05:58.879 --> 00:06:01.720 how do you do this? How do I learn to relax? 98 00:06:01.959 --> 00:06:04.120 How do I live a more sane life, a more 99 00:06:04.160 --> 00:06:09.920 balanced life, a less stressed and more blessed life instead 100 00:06:09.920 --> 00:06:12.319 of living a restless life. How in the world do 101 00:06:12.360 --> 00:06:17.120 I live a rest filled or RESTful life. Well, I'm 102 00:06:17.120 --> 00:06:19.519 gonna show you the antidotes to all five of these, 103 00:06:19.560 --> 00:06:22.279 because God in his word gives us the antidote to 104 00:06:22.319 --> 00:06:25.199 every one of these causes. So let's look at the solution. 105 00:06:26.000 --> 00:06:29.839 If you want to get off the rat race. If 106 00:06:29.879 --> 00:06:32.879 you want to relax in God's goodness, you want to 107 00:06:33.319 --> 00:06:37.600 have a more rest filled life, regardless of the way 108 00:06:37.639 --> 00:06:38.519 it's been in the past. 109 00:06:39.040 --> 00:06:40.839 What do you do well? 110 00:06:41.079 --> 00:06:45.439 You trust your shepherd. The Lord is my shepherd. I 111 00:06:45.519 --> 00:06:49.000 will lack nothing, I have everything I need. He makes 112 00:06:49.079 --> 00:06:54.040 me lay down in green pastures and he will lead 113 00:06:54.120 --> 00:06:55.879 me beside still waters. 114 00:06:56.040 --> 00:06:58.680 If you're following God, if you're following. 115 00:06:58.439 --> 00:07:01.839 The good shepherd Christ, he's not going to lead you 116 00:07:02.600 --> 00:07:04.920 in the pathway of the rat race. He's going to 117 00:07:05.040 --> 00:07:08.519 lead you to lay down in green pastors and he's 118 00:07:08.560 --> 00:07:12.639 gonna lead you beside stillwaters signs of tranquility and peace. 119 00:07:13.240 --> 00:07:16.680 How does he do that? Here are the five antidotes. 120 00:07:17.319 --> 00:07:23.399 Number one, remember my value to God. That's the starting 121 00:07:23.439 --> 00:07:29.720 point for getting a more sane schedule. Remember my value 122 00:07:30.439 --> 00:07:33.600 and my worth to God. This is the exact opposite 123 00:07:33.680 --> 00:07:38.120 of basing your worth on your work. It's the opposite 124 00:07:38.160 --> 00:07:41.720 of basing your identity on your career. Now this is 125 00:07:41.720 --> 00:07:44.319 so counterculture because when you go to a meeting and 126 00:07:44.360 --> 00:07:47.120 somebody says who are you, one of the first things 127 00:07:47.160 --> 00:07:50.199 they ask is what do you do? As if what 128 00:07:50.240 --> 00:07:53.199 you do is your identity. And the first thing you 129 00:07:53.199 --> 00:07:56.120 tell him is your job. You don't tell him about 130 00:07:56.160 --> 00:07:58.839 who you are. You tell him about what you do. 131 00:08:00.000 --> 00:08:02.160 But he says, if you want to get off the 132 00:08:02.800 --> 00:08:06.480 rat race, remember my value to God. 133 00:08:07.360 --> 00:08:09.920 Okay, how valuable are you? Let's think about this. 134 00:08:11.800 --> 00:08:16.120 The Heavenly Father created you, which means God doesn't create 135 00:08:16.120 --> 00:08:19.360 anything without value. And God doesn't create anything without purpose. 136 00:08:19.680 --> 00:08:22.439 And God doesn't create anything without intention. The fact that 137 00:08:22.480 --> 00:08:25.160 you're alive means God loved you and wanted you alive. 138 00:08:25.639 --> 00:08:29.000 So the Heavenly Father created you. That's your value. You're priceless, 139 00:08:29.040 --> 00:08:30.000 You're a masterpiece. 140 00:08:30.240 --> 00:08:30.879 You're unique. 141 00:08:31.040 --> 00:08:33.879 Nobody's ever made like you. God didn't make any clones 142 00:08:33.960 --> 00:08:38.720 or copies, So the Heavenly Father created you. Jesus died 143 00:08:38.799 --> 00:08:43.519 for you. That shows your value. Jesus didn't die for junk. 144 00:08:43.919 --> 00:08:47.120 And the Holy Spirit lives in you. God puts his 145 00:08:47.200 --> 00:08:51.960 spirit inside you when you trust him. All three of 146 00:08:51.960 --> 00:08:56.159 those show incredible value, incredible worth. I want you to 147 00:08:56.159 --> 00:08:58.519 write this down in your outline. It's not what I 148 00:08:58.639 --> 00:09:01.159 do that gives me worth, but who I belong to. 149 00:09:02.600 --> 00:09:06.200 It's not what I do that gives me my worth, 150 00:09:07.639 --> 00:09:10.360 because what happens. If you're disabled, then all of a sudden, 151 00:09:10.399 --> 00:09:12.960 you have no value anymore. Now it's not what I 152 00:09:13.080 --> 00:09:16.639 do that gives me my worth, but who I belong 153 00:09:16.759 --> 00:09:19.759 to and I For some of you, this is going 154 00:09:19.840 --> 00:09:23.759 to be a major change in your thinking because you 155 00:09:23.840 --> 00:09:30.039 grew up feeling I'm a nobody. I'm not priceless, I'm 156 00:09:30.080 --> 00:09:31.240 not a masterpiece. 157 00:09:31.480 --> 00:09:34.559 I'm not unique. I'm not extremely valuable. 158 00:09:34.679 --> 00:09:38.600 Yes you are, but growing up, somebody told you, maybe 159 00:09:38.679 --> 00:09:42.159 a teacher, or maybe a peer, or maybe even a parent, 160 00:09:43.759 --> 00:09:46.919 said you're nothing. You're nobody, you're worthless, You're never going 161 00:09:47.000 --> 00:09:49.039 to mount to anything. And in the back of your 162 00:09:49.120 --> 00:09:52.919 mind you filed that tape, and ever since then you've 163 00:09:52.919 --> 00:09:58.440 been saying, I'll show them, I'll show my mom, I'll 164 00:09:58.480 --> 00:09:59.200 show my dad. 165 00:10:00.159 --> 00:10:04.360 And that is driving you to work, work, work, work, work, 166 00:10:04.399 --> 00:10:05.600 And that's the true of everybody. 167 00:10:05.919 --> 00:10:08.679 But for some of you, this is the motivation, that 168 00:10:08.720 --> 00:10:11.559 little voice that says, you've got to prove you matter. 169 00:10:12.639 --> 00:10:15.399 You got to prove you're not normal, you're not ordinary, 170 00:10:15.440 --> 00:10:19.919 you're not average, You're a superstar. Maybe you were even 171 00:10:19.960 --> 00:10:23.480 compared to a brother or sister. Are you compared to 172 00:10:23.559 --> 00:10:26.039 your parent or your dad or your mom, Why can't 173 00:10:26.080 --> 00:10:29.840 you be like And that has driven you and driven 174 00:10:29.879 --> 00:10:34.039 you to overwork, and years later you still hear that 175 00:10:34.120 --> 00:10:37.360 inner voice, And the truth is you can't afford to 176 00:10:37.399 --> 00:10:41.120 take time off because you've got to keep paddling. And 177 00:10:41.159 --> 00:10:43.720 you're paddling up a stream and the stream is come 178 00:10:43.759 --> 00:10:48.159 in the opposite direction. And you have to prove your worth. 179 00:10:49.879 --> 00:10:52.240 No, you don't. You don't. 180 00:10:52.919 --> 00:10:56.720 You don't have to prove your worth. You're already extremely value. 181 00:10:57.120 --> 00:11:00.440 God created you, Jesus died for you. The spirit lives 182 00:11:00.440 --> 00:11:03.559 in you. You're unique. You don't have to prove anything 183 00:11:03.600 --> 00:11:06.960 to anybody. You don't need their approval to be happy. 184 00:11:07.320 --> 00:11:11.320 You don't need their approval to be worthwhile. God says 185 00:11:11.679 --> 00:11:16.200 you're worthwhile, Jesus death says you're worthwhile. The spirit living 186 00:11:16.240 --> 00:11:19.919 in you says you're worthwhile. What in the world are 187 00:11:19.919 --> 00:11:26.399 you afraid of? The antidote to this building? My worth 188 00:11:26.440 --> 00:11:30.559 on my work is to remember my value to God. 189 00:11:31.320 --> 00:11:33.399 You'll never be any more valuable to God than you 190 00:11:33.440 --> 00:11:36.639 are right now. You'll never be any less valuable to 191 00:11:36.759 --> 00:11:37.879 him because. 192 00:11:37.519 --> 00:11:39.440 He made you. He's your father. 193 00:11:40.960 --> 00:11:43.240 My kids are valuable to me, not because of what 194 00:11:43.279 --> 00:11:47.799 they do because I created them with my wife and 195 00:11:47.879 --> 00:11:50.639 I love them. And it doesn't matter who they are, 196 00:11:50.759 --> 00:11:58.200 what they've done. It's they're my creations. You are God's creation. James, 197 00:11:58.320 --> 00:12:01.519 Chapter one, verse eighteen. This is what God says about you. 198 00:12:02.720 --> 00:12:06.960 God decided to give us life, that's a big deal, 199 00:12:07.600 --> 00:12:11.120 through the word of truth, the word is Christ, so 200 00:12:11.240 --> 00:12:15.840 that we might be circle this the most important of 201 00:12:15.919 --> 00:12:18.720 everything God has created. Do you realize you're more important 202 00:12:18.720 --> 00:12:20.759 than the moon? Do you realize you're more important in 203 00:12:20.799 --> 00:12:23.159 the milky way? Do you realize that in God's eyes 204 00:12:23.200 --> 00:12:26.759 you're more important than all of the extinct animals combined? 205 00:12:28.799 --> 00:12:31.159 Did you know that in God's book you're more important 206 00:12:31.200 --> 00:12:35.200 than all of the rare flowers and all of the 207 00:12:35.240 --> 00:12:39.000 trees and all the beauty of all the other creation. 208 00:12:39.120 --> 00:12:41.559 Look at that verse again. God decided to give us 209 00:12:41.679 --> 00:12:43.600 life through the Word of Truth, so that we might 210 00:12:43.639 --> 00:12:49.480 be the most important of everything God created. You matter 211 00:12:49.679 --> 00:12:52.159 more than the rest of creation. So what does it 212 00:12:52.200 --> 00:12:57.159 matter what somebody else says about you? If God likes you, 213 00:12:57.279 --> 00:12:59.039 they got a problem. 214 00:12:59.399 --> 00:13:00.399 So you can relax. 215 00:13:01.320 --> 00:13:02.919 And one of the reasons you don't have to work 216 00:13:03.039 --> 00:13:06.360 is you don't have to prove yourself. I'm a daughter 217 00:13:06.559 --> 00:13:10.159 of God. I'm a son of God. I'm a child 218 00:13:10.440 --> 00:13:13.720 of God. He made me, he made me, he wanted me, 219 00:13:14.440 --> 00:13:18.039 he loves me. He created me, and he made me 220 00:13:18.159 --> 00:13:19.840 just the way He made me to be. And I 221 00:13:19.879 --> 00:13:23.879 don't have to be somebody else. I remember my value 222 00:13:24.240 --> 00:13:30.039 to God Isaiah forty eight, Verse sixteen. God says, I 223 00:13:30.159 --> 00:13:34.679 have engraved you on the palms of my hands. And 224 00:13:34.759 --> 00:13:39.440 we've talked about this cherished verse many times. When Jesus 225 00:13:39.559 --> 00:13:42.240 Christ was nailed to the cross and those nails went 226 00:13:42.279 --> 00:13:48.159 through his hands, God permanently showed how much. 227 00:13:48.039 --> 00:13:50.919 You matter to him. When you get to heaven, the. 228 00:13:50.799 --> 00:13:54.000 Only person in heaven who's gonna have scars is Jesus Christ. 229 00:13:55.200 --> 00:13:56.840 So for the rest of your life you will be 230 00:13:56.840 --> 00:13:59.360 able to see in eternity, you'll be able to see 231 00:13:59.440 --> 00:14:02.240 how much you matter God. I love you this much 232 00:14:02.320 --> 00:14:04.519 you mattered to me. I have engraved you on the 233 00:14:04.559 --> 00:14:07.919 palms of my hand. That's how valuable you are. God 234 00:14:08.120 --> 00:14:13.279 has a tattoo of you. When people fall in love, 235 00:14:13.320 --> 00:14:16.919 sometimes they'll get a tattoo of their lover their girlfriend, 236 00:14:17.000 --> 00:14:20.840 or their husband, their wife. God has a permanent tattoo 237 00:14:20.840 --> 00:14:23.360 of you. I have engraved you on the palms of 238 00:14:23.440 --> 00:14:25.720 my hands. Why in the world are you trying to 239 00:14:25.759 --> 00:14:30.399 prove your worth through your work? You're already infinitely valuable 240 00:14:30.519 --> 00:14:34.919 according to the Cross. And at the Cross he says, 241 00:14:35.200 --> 00:14:37.440 this is how much you matter. I want everybody right 242 00:14:37.440 --> 00:14:39.360 now to just close your eyes. Okay, just close your 243 00:14:39.360 --> 00:14:43.039 eyes for a minute and think inside yourself and take 244 00:14:43.039 --> 00:14:46.639 a deep breath, and just say, Father, help me to 245 00:14:46.720 --> 00:14:49.559 feel loved by you. 246 00:14:49.639 --> 00:14:53.519 Just say that, Father, help me to feel your love. 247 00:14:56.080 --> 00:15:01.360 And then say Jesus, help me to feel how valuable 248 00:15:01.399 --> 00:15:07.840 I am to you. And then say, Spirit of God, 249 00:15:08.480 --> 00:15:12.679 help me to feel how important I am to you. 250 00:15:18.240 --> 00:15:20.320 Amen? All right? 251 00:15:21.039 --> 00:15:23.600 So the anidote to looking for the work as you're 252 00:15:23.639 --> 00:15:27.399 worth is it just realize how worthwhile you are to God. 253 00:15:28.360 --> 00:15:29.600 Are you broken? Yeah? 254 00:15:30.039 --> 00:15:30.759 Are you a sinner? 255 00:15:30.879 --> 00:15:31.159 Yeah? 256 00:15:31.200 --> 00:15:34.519 So am I Are you perfect? Absolutely not? Are you 257 00:15:34.559 --> 00:15:35.559 deeply loved by God? 258 00:15:35.639 --> 00:15:35.960 Yes? 259 00:15:36.720 --> 00:15:40.919 Are you flawed yes? But are you infinite value yes? Also, 260 00:15:41.279 --> 00:15:43.600 I've engraved you in the palms of my hand. Why 261 00:15:43.639 --> 00:15:47.200 are you trying to throw or feel your work a 262 00:15:47.320 --> 00:15:51.480 worth through your work? You don't need to Number two 263 00:15:53.080 --> 00:15:56.840 second step and this is the anidote to materialism, which 264 00:15:56.879 --> 00:15:57.799 is always wanting more and. 265 00:15:57.799 --> 00:16:00.600 More, And it says, enjoy what I already have. 266 00:16:02.720 --> 00:16:07.440 If you'll learn to enjoy what you've already got, then 267 00:16:07.480 --> 00:16:10.679 you can get off the rat race. Now this is 268 00:16:10.679 --> 00:16:15.559 called being content. Contentment does not come natural to human beings. 269 00:16:15.840 --> 00:16:18.759 You are not, by nature a contented person. By nature, 270 00:16:18.840 --> 00:16:23.639 we are discontented. By nature, we are not resting sheep. 271 00:16:23.879 --> 00:16:27.559 We are restless sheep. And by nature we are discontented. 272 00:16:27.600 --> 00:16:31.000 We always want more, we always want something different, And 273 00:16:31.080 --> 00:16:33.200 yet it can be learned. In Philippians four. Up Here 274 00:16:33.200 --> 00:16:37.679 on the screen verse twelve thirteen, Paul says, I've learned. Notice, 275 00:16:38.240 --> 00:16:39.480 contentment is something you learn. 276 00:16:39.960 --> 00:16:41.039 You can be educated in it. 277 00:16:41.480 --> 00:16:46.000 I've learned the secret of being content And every situation, 278 00:16:46.919 --> 00:16:49.200 whether I'm well fed or hungry, whether I'm living in 279 00:16:49.240 --> 00:16:52.480 plenty or in want, I can do everything through Him. 280 00:16:52.519 --> 00:16:54.840 That's Christ who gives me strength. 281 00:16:56.440 --> 00:16:59.080 So learning contentment means I don't have to have this 282 00:16:59.159 --> 00:17:03.039 incessant graph for more, grabbing for more, grabbing for more. 283 00:17:05.079 --> 00:17:07.440 Can we become so preoccupied in getting more we don't 284 00:17:07.519 --> 00:17:11.279 enjoy what we have? Yeah, yes, of course, you know. 285 00:17:11.319 --> 00:17:14.839 It's amazing. In southern California. You go down to the 286 00:17:14.839 --> 00:17:18.960 beach or just any place, and you find these amazing homes, 287 00:17:20.079 --> 00:17:26.160 over the top, beautiful homes everywhere, but the people are 288 00:17:26.160 --> 00:17:29.640 never around to enjoy them, because there are always a 289 00:17:29.680 --> 00:17:33.079 work because somebody's got to make the payments on those 290 00:17:33.119 --> 00:17:38.480 massive house mortgages. That's what I call the saddleback syndrome, 291 00:17:38.519 --> 00:17:42.119 and I've watched it for over thirty years, and what 292 00:17:42.160 --> 00:17:45.599 it is is we get extended with the desire to acquire. 293 00:17:45.640 --> 00:17:47.400 I gotta have that, I gotta have that, I gotta 294 00:17:47.559 --> 00:17:50.680 and the desire to acquire pushes you to buy something 295 00:17:50.720 --> 00:17:54.680 you really can't afford, particularly a mortgage that's over your head. 296 00:17:55.160 --> 00:17:59.000 And then you get over extended financially, and then you 297 00:17:59.039 --> 00:18:01.519 have to constantly hust to make ends meet because you're 298 00:18:01.519 --> 00:18:06.480 overextended financially, and soon, because you're over extended financially, your 299 00:18:06.759 --> 00:18:11.279 relationships start to deteriorate, and then you don't really even 300 00:18:11.319 --> 00:18:15.720 have a reason for that fancy home. The Bible says 301 00:18:15.759 --> 00:18:18.880 this Ecclesiastes for six up here on the screen, a 302 00:18:18.920 --> 00:18:23.359 little food eaten in peace. It's far better than happened. 303 00:18:23.400 --> 00:18:28.599 Twice as much earned from over work and chasing the wind. 304 00:18:30.559 --> 00:18:32.720 You know, it's better to have a little in peace. 305 00:18:34.359 --> 00:18:40.920 The greatest things in life aren't things. I couldn't count 306 00:18:40.960 --> 00:18:43.279 the number of deathbeds that I've stood by where people 307 00:18:43.359 --> 00:18:46.920 took their last breath. And in all the years that 308 00:18:46.960 --> 00:18:50.920 I've been a pastor, I've never had anybody say in 309 00:18:50.960 --> 00:18:53.039 their dying breath, man, I wish I'd spent more time 310 00:18:53.079 --> 00:18:58.720 at the office. I've never heard that one man, I 311 00:18:58.759 --> 00:19:03.279 wish I'd spent more time work. And I've never ever 312 00:19:03.359 --> 00:19:06.480 actually had anybody ask for a particular object or thing 313 00:19:06.759 --> 00:19:10.079 that they loved, value to worship. Please bring me my 314 00:19:10.200 --> 00:19:12.440 bowling trophy. I want to see it one more time. 315 00:19:14.920 --> 00:19:18.839 Please bring me my degree from community college. Please bring 316 00:19:18.920 --> 00:19:22.480 me I want to see my coin collection. Nobody's ever 317 00:19:22.519 --> 00:19:26.200 said that in their dying moments, nobody ever asks for 318 00:19:26.319 --> 00:19:30.799 things in the final moments of their life. They always 319 00:19:30.839 --> 00:19:37.400 ask for people, because eventually everybody learns that it's all 320 00:19:37.400 --> 00:19:41.839 about relationships. I just hope we learn it before the deathbed. 321 00:19:43.960 --> 00:19:46.680 You're gonna learn this one day when you're dying. You're 322 00:19:46.680 --> 00:19:49.400 not gonna ask for any Show me my car one 323 00:19:49.440 --> 00:19:58.200 more time, show me my fancy television screen, are my house. No, 324 00:19:58.240 --> 00:20:00.640 you're not going to ask for it. At the very 325 00:20:00.720 --> 00:20:02.559 last moment of your life, you're going to realize it's 326 00:20:02.599 --> 00:20:06.640 all about people you love, loving God, and loving your neighbors, yourself. 327 00:20:07.640 --> 00:20:13.039 Can we not learn that sooner? It's you're relieve an 328 00:20:13.039 --> 00:20:17.839 awful lot of stress. It would sure make life more fulfilling. 329 00:20:19.079 --> 00:20:26.079 It's not about achievements. It's not about accomplishments. It's about relationships. 330 00:20:27.480 --> 00:20:29.519 You know, I've said this many times. You're not gonna 331 00:20:29.519 --> 00:20:32.880 take anything with you. You never see a hearse pulling 332 00:20:32.880 --> 00:20:39.599 a U haul. If you laughed at that, kay, they 333 00:20:39.720 --> 00:20:46.240 laughed it. How many times have you heard me say that? Thousands, 334 00:20:46.480 --> 00:20:47.359 thousands of times? 335 00:20:47.359 --> 00:20:48.079 That's what I thought. 336 00:20:48.480 --> 00:20:50.599 You're never going to see a hearse pulling a U haul. 337 00:20:51.279 --> 00:20:56.359 You're not taking it with you. You know, it's so funny. 338 00:20:58.079 --> 00:21:02.720 In America, it's considered a track entity to quote die penniless. 339 00:21:03.960 --> 00:21:05.799 You know, Oh she died penniless. 340 00:21:05.960 --> 00:21:11.079 What a better time to go? I mean, really, the 341 00:21:11.160 --> 00:21:13.680 moment you've been your last set boom, I'm out of here. 342 00:21:14.839 --> 00:21:19.200 I call that wise, not stupid. I'm out of money. 343 00:21:19.559 --> 00:21:24.160 Let's go. That's just brilliant living. If you ask me, 344 00:21:27.400 --> 00:21:29.640 and then it still irks me. You can still see 345 00:21:29.640 --> 00:21:32.640 those bumper stickers around everyone. He who dies with the 346 00:21:32.680 --> 00:21:37.279 most toys wins? Are you kidding me? We need the 347 00:21:37.319 --> 00:21:40.359 bumper sticker. He who dies or the most toys still dies, 348 00:21:44.039 --> 00:21:47.480 and he didn't win anything all likely he probably lost 349 00:21:47.519 --> 00:21:51.960 a lot of relationships building up those toys. Ecclease ask 350 00:21:52.039 --> 00:21:56.079 these three thirteen says this, all of us should enjoy 351 00:21:56.559 --> 00:21:58.359 what we have worked for. 352 00:21:58.799 --> 00:22:00.000 It is God's gift. 353 00:22:00.119 --> 00:22:02.240 God says, enjoy what you've got while you got it. 354 00:22:03.359 --> 00:22:07.039 Enjoy what you have while you've got it. Well, look 355 00:22:07.079 --> 00:22:08.680 at this verse up here on the screen, Matthew six 356 00:22:08.799 --> 00:22:09.240 thirty one. 357 00:22:09.720 --> 00:22:10.160 I love this. 358 00:22:10.240 --> 00:22:12.680 In the message PayPhrase, Jesus says, you know what I'm 359 00:22:12.720 --> 00:22:17.240 trying to do here is get you to relax, to 360 00:22:17.319 --> 00:22:22.720 not be so preoccupied with getting, so you can respond 361 00:22:22.759 --> 00:22:27.519 to God's giving. Did you realize that relaxation is a 362 00:22:27.559 --> 00:22:35.680 spiritual issue, That resting is a part of trusting. Resting 363 00:22:35.839 --> 00:22:40.640 is a part of trusting. Resting is the way to 364 00:22:40.759 --> 00:22:41.240 bless him. 365 00:22:47.000 --> 00:22:50.319 What a great message from Pastor Rick today. There's something 366 00:22:50.400 --> 00:22:53.799 I always take away from his message. Here's Rick to 367 00:22:53.880 --> 00:22:56.559 tell you how you can help support this ministry. 368 00:22:56.920 --> 00:22:59.680 Jesus told his disciples that they should live their lives 369 00:23:00.000 --> 00:23:03.119 already to five specific purposes. He said, you've got to 370 00:23:03.200 --> 00:23:06.480 love God with all your heart. That's worship, and love 371 00:23:06.519 --> 00:23:10.440 your neighbors yourself. That's ministry. That's called the Great Commandment. 372 00:23:10.880 --> 00:23:14.519 And then Jesus said, go make disciples. That's evangelism. Baptize 373 00:23:14.519 --> 00:23:17.440 them into the Family of God. That's fellowship, a sign 374 00:23:17.440 --> 00:23:20.039 of fellowship. And then he said, teach them obey everything 375 00:23:20.079 --> 00:23:23.599 I've taught you. That's discipleship. And we call that the 376 00:23:23.640 --> 00:23:27.920 Great Commission. We believe it daily hope that a great 377 00:23:27.960 --> 00:23:32.319 commitment to the Great Commandment and the Great Commission will 378 00:23:32.319 --> 00:23:36.319 produce a great Christian, a great church, a great company, 379 00:23:36.759 --> 00:23:39.960 a great community. You know, I started Daily Hope so 380 00:23:40.000 --> 00:23:42.559 I could spread the good news about Jesus, not just 381 00:23:42.599 --> 00:23:47.079 across America, but all around the world. And we want 382 00:23:47.119 --> 00:23:49.880 people to know that God's word is filled with hope 383 00:23:50.240 --> 00:23:53.400 and truth, and the power that we need to follow 384 00:23:53.480 --> 00:23:56.119 him every day is available to every single one. You 385 00:23:56.200 --> 00:23:57.920 know as well as I do, that the Word of 386 00:23:57.920 --> 00:24:00.799 God changes lives. It's a lie if it's active, and 387 00:24:00.839 --> 00:24:03.640 it breathes new life and new love. Into all of 388 00:24:03.640 --> 00:24:07.160 our lives. So wherever you listen to this, whether you 389 00:24:07.200 --> 00:24:10.000 listen on the website, whether you listen on a radio station, 390 00:24:10.359 --> 00:24:13.160 or whether you listen to a podcast, you're a part 391 00:24:13.200 --> 00:24:16.240 of the Daily Hope family and I need your help. 392 00:24:16.880 --> 00:24:19.359 We could not do this without your support. We're one 393 00:24:19.400 --> 00:24:23.200 hundred percent listener funded. Would you continue to pray for 394 00:24:23.319 --> 00:24:26.839 this broadcast and would you continue to support us and 395 00:24:26.920 --> 00:24:28.519 let it write to me, let me hear from you. 396 00:24:28.640 --> 00:24:32.359 I absolutely love reading the stories that are sent to me. 397 00:24:33.200 --> 00:24:36.920 So write me, pray for me, and support this ministry, 398 00:24:37.599 --> 00:24:39.720 and God will bless it, and God will bless you, 399 00:24:40.039 --> 00:24:41.880 and we'll get to heaven, and we'll thank God for 400 00:24:41.920 --> 00:24:44.279 all the people going to be in heaven because you cared. 401 00:24:44.599 --> 00:24:47.440