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Harvest with Pastor Greg Laurie | Happiness - Where To Find It | June 2, 2022
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- Greg Laurie: God always completes what he has started.
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- With men you have unfinished books, unfinished songs,
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- unfinished buildings.
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- And why?
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- Well, maybe it's a lack of resources or power,
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- but more often than not it's just a lack of desire.
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- You lose interest in it.
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- You have marriages falling apart,
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- "Well, I just lost interest in it."
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- God always finishes what he starts because God,
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- he has unlimited resources, he has unlimited power,
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- and listen to this, he has unlimited interest in you.
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- See, he loves you.
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- ♪ This is the day, the day when life begins ♪
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- ♪ This is the day, the day when life begins ♪
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- Greg: The title of my message is "Happiness: Where to Find It.
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- Philippians Chapter 1."
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- Let me ask you a question.
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- Have you ever met someone who has said,
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- "I really don't want to be happy.
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- Happiness may be good for some people,
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- but it's not really good for me."
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- Now, you won't find many people like that.
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- Most people deep down inside want to be happy.
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- My goodness, it's even in our declaration of independence.
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- That we want to be happy in the United States of America.
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- And to the point, even those who say they don't want to be happy
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- but rather they want to be unhappy find a certain happiness
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- in their unhappiness.
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- A case in point, have you ever seen a Woody Allen movie?
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- It's sort of like celebrating misery and making it funny too.
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- Well, that's because deep down inside we all want to be happy.
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- It's been said, quote, "There are two things
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- that are true of every person.
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- We all want to be happy and we're all going to die."
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- By the way, you may be surprised to know that God wired you
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- that way, and this goes back for centuries.
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- Augustine in A.D. 397 said, quote, "Everyone,
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- whatever his condition, desires to be happy," end quote.
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- Nearly 13 centuries later, French philosopher
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- and mathematician Blaise Pascal wrote, "All men seek happiness.
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- This is without exception."
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- I read in the newspaper a while back the lead singer of one
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- of the most well-known rock bands in the world,
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- and he was quoted to say this: "You ask me if I'm happy.
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- Listen, I bought myself a Rolls Royce,
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- I'm part of the biggest band in the world,
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- and I'm about to move into a luxurious mansion.
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- Am I happy with that?
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- No, I am not. I want more."
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- See, some things never really change.
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- When comedian Dave Chappelle was making millions of dollars,
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- he found he was not happy, and he was quoted to say,
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- "The higher up I go, the less happy I am."
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- So is happiness a lost cause?
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- Marilyn Manson said, quote, "Anyone who thinks they're happy
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- should really go see a doctor because there's no reason
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- to be happy," end quote.
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- Milton Berle, the comedian, said, quote,
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- "A man doesn't know what true happiness is
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- until he gets married, then it's too late."
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- So only I would quote Marilyn Manson, Dave Chappelle,
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- and Milton Berle in the same sermon right, okay,
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- but I'm just trying to show you this spectrum of opinions
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- on the topic.
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- George Burns, another comedian from years gone by, he said,
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- "Happiness it's having a large, loving, caring,
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- close-knit family in another city."
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- Okay, so there was always a punch line with those guys,
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- but listen, despite what all these people tell us,
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- according to the Bible, you can be happy,
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- according to the Bible, you should be happy,
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- and you just need to look for it in the wrong--
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- in the right place.
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- And the problem is far too many people look in the wrong place
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- and then they conclude, if they don't find it there,
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- that happiness cannot be found.
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- Before I tell you what happiness is and where to find it,
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- let me tell you where you will not find happiness.
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- Number one, being beautiful or handsome
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- will not bring personal happiness.
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- Let me say that again.
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- Being beautiful or handsome will not bring you
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- personal happiness.
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- I know this from experience.
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- That wasn't a joke.
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- That kind of hurt a little bit, honestly.
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- I mean, to be laughed at in the face.
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- No, I meant it as a joke.
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- You know, because I think people think, you know,
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- "If I was as beautiful as the girls I see
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- in the magazines and the ads or if I was
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- as handsome as the movie stars, et cetera, I'd be happy."
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- Eighty-five percent of women over 40 say they're not
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- as attractive as the average women--woman,
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- and that's why last year Americans spent $11.4 billion
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- on cosmetic surgeon fees.
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- And that was Newport Beach alone.
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- [laughter]
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- I've seen some, and I'm thinking, "Really?"
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- You say, "Well, I want to look like the model in the magazine."
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- Newsflash, the model doesn't even look like the model
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- in the magazine.
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- Haven't you ever heard of Photoshop, little airbrushing?
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- The 2014 Annual Academy of Facial Plastic and
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- Reconstructive Surgery survey blamed the rise of the selfie.
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- They said we're taking so many photos of our self
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- more than ever before.
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- We use Photoshop, Instagram filters, and other enhancements
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- to look our best, and they say plastic surgery
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- is the next logical step.
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- You're always going to find someone more beautiful than you.
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- Beauty and handsomeness, physical attractiveness
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- will not make you happy.
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- Number two, personal possessions will not bring
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- personal happiness.
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- They can improve your life, make your life more comfortable,
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- but they will not bring the real happiness you're searching for.
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- There was an article in Time magazine that had the title
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- of the real truth about money, and it said, quote,
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- "Clinical depression is three to ten times as common today
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- than two generations ago.
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- Money jingles in our wallets and purses as never before,
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- but we are no happier for it.
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- In fact, for many, more money leads to more depression."
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- Maybe that's why Proverb 27:20 says, "Hell and destruction
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- are never full, and so is the heart of man never satisfied."
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- Having relationships will not make you happy.
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- Now look, you're wired for relationship.
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- You're wired to have someone that you will love
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- and marry one day.
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- That's not a bad thing, but if you say marriage
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- is going to make you happy, you're going to be in
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- for a big shock maybe even before the honeymoon
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- is over, and, you know, because we're asking a person
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- to do something a person simply cannot do.
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- And we as a person can't meet all the needs of another person
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- because people let us down.
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- Parents let down children.
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- Children let down parents.
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- Husbands let down wives.
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- Wives let down husbands.
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- Cat al--cats always let down their owners.
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- Dogs do better.
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- Number four, pursuing pleasure will never bring
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- personal happiness.
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- Pursuing pleasure.
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- I didn't say you can't have happiness in pleasure.
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- There are many fine pleasures in life that are good.
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- You know, a nice meal, a beautiful sunset,
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- time with people you love, those are good pleasures,
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- but then there are perversed pleasures,
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- are pleasures that are sinful.
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- And the Bible even says there can be a little fun
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- in the pleasure for a time, but then comes
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- the repercussions of it.
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- And, you know, you think, "Well, if I just, you know,
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- try this drug, or if I drank a little bit more,
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- or I had this experience."
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- No, none of those things in and of them self will make you happy
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- because after the rush and excitement wear off,
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- the deadness kicks in.
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- That's why the Bible says in 1 Timothy 5:6,
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- "She that lives for pleasure is dead while she's living."
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- You want to be a real zombie, not like you see on TV but
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- a walking dead person, be a person that lives for pleasure.
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- It'll never make you happy.
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- In fact, living for pleasure is one of the most unpleasurable
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- things you can do.
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- It's been said the best cure for hedonism is an attempt
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- to practice it.
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- female announcer: Greg Laurie's new book titled
- 00:09:06.789 --> 00:09:08.758
- "Lennon, Dylan, Alice, & Jesus" traces the rise, fall, and
- 00:09:08.758 --> 00:09:12.995
- sometimes redemption journeys of famous rock gods who are brought
- 00:09:12.995 --> 00:09:17.266
- to their knees and look up to finally meet the one true God.
- 00:09:17.266 --> 00:09:21.637
- Greg uses his own memories, interviews,
- 00:09:21.637 --> 00:09:24.240
- and observation to draw from the lives of rock legends.
- 00:09:24.240 --> 00:09:27.843
- Request your copy of "Lennon, Dylan, Alice, & Jesus"
- 00:09:27.843 --> 00:09:32.982
- when you give today.
- 00:09:32.982 --> 00:09:35.017
- Greg: Hey, everybody.
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- Let me just say a few things about contentment.
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- Listen to this.
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- What you have in Christ is far greater than
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- what you don't have in life.
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- Conventional wisdom is, "If I get this thing or this
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- promotion," or whatever it is you think will make you content,
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- you'll be happy, but studies have shown clearly
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- that these things do not bring contentment.
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- Listen to this.
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- Contentment does not come from what you have.
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- It comes from who you know.
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- The Book of Hebrews says, "Be content with the things
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- that you have.
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- For he has said, 'I will never leave you or forsake you.'"
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- It's knowing that Christ is in my life and he's forgiven me
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- of my sins that will bring the ultimate contentment.
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- Things come and go.
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- We come into this world with nothing, we leave with nothing,
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- but our relationship with God is everything.
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- So find your contentment in Christ.
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- Greg: All right, happiness doesn't come from those things.
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- And where does it come from?
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- Where do you find personal happiness?
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- Simple answer, the only place to find real,
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- lasting happiness is in a relationship with God.
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- The people that know God are the happiest people.
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- One of the world's foremost experts on the topic of
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- happiness made this statement: "I don't have a religious
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- or spiritual bone in my body, yet I have to admit that
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- the study show that people with faith in God are happier."
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- And why is that?
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- Well, when you have faith, you have hope because
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- you know life is not just a span on this earth.
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- You know there's an afterlife, and if you put your faith
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- in Christ, you have the hope of heaven.
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- If you are a believer in Jesus Christ,
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- you will by nature be a forgiving person.
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- You see?
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- It's been said, "The first to apologize is the bravest,
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- the first to forgive is the strongest,
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- the first to forget is the happiest," end quote.
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- And that's true.
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- When you forgive and you forget, that will bring you happiness.
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- So because we have hope, because we forgive,
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- because we have faith, it gives us a happier state.
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- So I just need to get right with God, I need to forgive those
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- that have wronged me, and I need to start thinking biblically,
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- and then I will discover true and lasting happiness.
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- So it starts with getting right with the Lord.
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- And then you have to begin there.
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- So let's dig in.
- 00:12:11.507 --> 00:12:12.875
- That was the introduction, by the way.
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- Now let's have a Bible study.
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- Grab your Bible, or your phone, or your tablet device,
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- or if the person sitting in front of you has Philippians 1
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- tattooed on their head, you can read that.
- 00:12:28.390 --> 00:12:31.360
- Philippians 1, and we're going to read verses 1 to 6,
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- "Paul and Timothy, bond servants of Jesus Christ,
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- to all the saints in Christ Jesus who are in Philippi,
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- with the bishops and deacons: grace to you and peace
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- from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ.
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- I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, always
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- in every prayer of mine, making request for you all with joy,
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- for your fellowship in the gospel from the first day
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- until now; being confident of this very thing,
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- that he who has begun a good work in you will complete it
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- unto the day of Jesus Christ."
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- We'll stop there.
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- Let's start with verse 1, "To the saints
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- in Christ Jesus who are in Philippi."
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- You know, it's very easy when we read epistles to sort of skip
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- over the opening statements as though they have no relevance
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- to us, but we don't want to do that because really,
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- Paul gives us the door to the life of happiness.
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- You must be one of the saints.
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- So if you want to be happy, be a saint.
- 00:13:40.329 --> 00:13:43.866
- "Well, that leads me out.
- 00:13:43.866 --> 00:13:46.535
- I'm not Mother Teresa, you know.
- 00:13:46.535 --> 00:13:49.038
- I'm a sinner."
- 00:13:49.038 --> 00:13:50.372
- Y'all, I know that.
- 00:13:50.372 --> 00:13:51.707
- We're all sinners, but you have to understand
- 00:13:51.707 --> 00:13:53.375
- what the word saint means.
- 00:13:53.375 --> 00:13:55.144
- It's an interchangeable word with the word believer.
- 00:13:55.144 --> 00:13:59.014
- How many of you are believers in Jesus Christ?
- 00:13:59.014 --> 00:14:01.617
- Raise your hand up.
- 00:14:01.617 --> 00:14:02.985
- I--they're therefore-- saint, all of you.
- 00:14:02.985 --> 00:14:06.121
- See, but I didn't even need to do that.
- 00:14:06.121 --> 00:14:07.656
- You're already saints.
- 00:14:07.656 --> 00:14:08.991
- If you're a believer, you're a saint.
- 00:14:08.991 --> 00:14:11.026
- If you're a saint, you're a believer.
- 00:14:11.026 --> 00:14:13.963
- In fact, we read when the Lord told Ananias to go pray for the
- 00:14:13.963 --> 00:14:18.701
- newly converted Saul of Tarsus, later to become
- 00:14:18.701 --> 00:14:21.670
- the apostle Paul, Ananias responded,
- 00:14:21.670 --> 00:14:24.440
- "Lord, I've heard how much harm this man did to your saints
- 00:14:24.440 --> 00:14:27.977
- in Jerusalem."
- 00:14:27.977 --> 00:14:30.079
- Remember Paul would chase down Christians and arrest them
- 00:14:30.079 --> 00:14:32.915
- and sometimes even murder them.
- 00:14:32.915 --> 00:14:35.050
- He presided over the death of the first martyr of the church,
- 00:14:35.050 --> 00:14:38.888
- Stephen.
- 00:14:38.888 --> 00:14:40.522
- But the reference is to the saints.
- 00:14:40.522 --> 00:14:42.391
- So if you're in Christ Jesus, you are a saint,
- 00:14:42.391 --> 00:14:45.394
- but notice it's a saint in Christ Jesus, in Christ Jesus.
- 00:14:45.394 --> 00:14:49.698
- Believers are not saints because they're perfect.
- 00:14:49.698 --> 00:14:53.502
- Believers are saints because they're in Christ,
- 00:14:53.502 --> 00:14:57.172
- and Jesus imputes his righteousness to them
- 00:14:57.172 --> 00:15:01.143
- as a result.
- 00:15:01.143 --> 00:15:02.478
- Listen to me.
- 00:15:02.478 --> 00:15:03.812
- I'm a righteous man.
- 00:15:03.812 --> 00:15:05.347
- "Well, I don't know, Greg, I've seen you drive."
- 00:15:05.347 --> 00:15:06.949
- Yeah.
- 00:15:06.949 --> 00:15:09.919
- Listen, I'm not righteous because of what I do.
- 00:15:09.919 --> 00:15:12.855
- I'm righteous because what-- of what he has done for me.
- 00:15:12.855 --> 00:15:15.925
- And he's put his righteousness into my spiritual bank account,
- 00:15:15.925 --> 00:15:20.296
- so to speak.
- 00:15:20.296 --> 00:15:21.630
- That's called being justified.
- 00:15:21.630 --> 00:15:23.332
- I'm positionally righteous.
- 00:15:23.332 --> 00:15:25.234
- Now, living it out, that's another story.
- 00:15:25.234 --> 00:15:27.036
- That's where the word sanctification comes in.
- 00:15:27.036 --> 00:15:29.405
- You ever heard that word?
- 00:15:29.405 --> 00:15:31.040
- Sanctification is living out justification.
- 00:15:31.040 --> 00:15:33.876
- And those are sort of words that we may not understand,
- 00:15:33.876 --> 00:15:36.345
- but justified is being made right with God;
- 00:15:36.345 --> 00:15:39.181
- I'm in a right standing with God, but sanctification
- 00:15:39.181 --> 00:15:41.784
- is living that out day-to-day in a practical way.
- 00:15:41.784 --> 00:15:46.355
- But I am righteous and I am a saint.
- 00:15:46.355 --> 00:15:49.191
- Now, you don't have to call me Saint Gregory if you
- 00:15:49.191 --> 00:15:50.993
- don't want to, but I might call you saint something.
- 00:15:50.993 --> 00:15:54.964
- And why am I a saint?
- 00:15:54.964 --> 00:15:56.298
- Because I'm in Christ.
- 00:15:56.298 --> 00:15:58.100
- A Buddhist does not speak of himself as being in Buddha,
- 00:15:58.100 --> 00:16:02.004
- nor does a Muslim speak of himself as being in Mohammed,
- 00:16:02.004 --> 00:16:06.041
- nor does a Mormon speak of himself as being
- 00:16:06.041 --> 00:16:08.277
- in Joseph Smith.
- 00:16:08.277 --> 00:16:10.546
- They may try to follow the teachings of these people,
- 00:16:10.546 --> 00:16:13.449
- but they're not in them, but a Christian is a saint
- 00:16:13.449 --> 00:16:17.653
- because he's in Christ, in Christ.
- 00:16:17.653 --> 00:16:22.524
- The Bible says, "If any man be in Christ,
- 00:16:22.524 --> 00:16:25.828
- he is an altogether different kind of person.
- 00:16:25.828 --> 00:16:28.597
- Old things have passed away.
- 00:16:28.597 --> 00:16:30.699
- Everything becomes fresh and new."
- 00:16:30.699 --> 00:16:32.935
- So I bring this up for this reason.
- 00:16:32.935 --> 00:16:34.737
- The Book of Philippians and for that to the point the rest
- 00:16:34.737 --> 00:16:39.141
- of the New Testament has nothing to say to the world
- 00:16:39.141 --> 00:16:43.245
- that does not believe in Jesus Christ.
- 00:16:43.245 --> 00:16:45.114
- Here's what God says to the world,
- 00:16:45.114 --> 00:16:47.716
- "Repent and believe in Jesus."
- 00:16:47.716 --> 00:16:50.586
- That's our message to the world.
- 00:16:50.586 --> 00:16:52.254
- "Come to Jesus."
- 00:16:52.254 --> 00:16:54.123
- And so when people say, "Oh, I found the Bible is
- 00:16:54.123 --> 00:16:56.191
- just the greatest self-help book ever written and it tells you
- 00:16:56.191 --> 00:16:59.361
- how to have a better marriage and how to have a happier life,"
- 00:16:59.361 --> 00:17:03.499
- no, that's actually not accurate 'cause the Bible is not given
- 00:17:03.499 --> 00:17:06.301
- to non-believers to take the principles and try to live
- 00:17:06.301 --> 00:17:09.304
- by them.
- 00:17:09.304 --> 00:17:10.639
- No.
- 00:17:10.639 --> 00:17:11.974
- The Bible is given to God's people.
- 00:17:11.974 --> 00:17:13.575
- It's come to show us we need God.
- 00:17:13.575 --> 00:17:15.911
- The point of entry is your admission of your sin
- 00:17:15.911 --> 00:17:18.347
- and your need for God, and then it results
- 00:17:18.347 --> 00:17:22.418
- in you putting your faith in Christ.
- 00:17:22.418 --> 00:17:24.420
- And 2 Timothy 3:16 tells us what the Bible's for.
- 00:17:24.420 --> 00:17:28.390
- It's here to teach us what is true,
- 00:17:28.390 --> 00:17:30.826
- to make us realize what's wrong in our lives.
- 00:17:30.826 --> 00:17:33.328
- It straightens us out and teaches us to do what is right.
- 00:17:33.328 --> 00:17:38.534
- So this is who it is written to, to saints.
- 00:17:38.534 --> 00:17:41.670
- So you must be a saint or, another way to put it,
- 00:17:41.670 --> 00:17:44.873
- you must be a believer.
- 00:17:44.873 --> 00:17:47.309
- So who in particular is Paul offering these principles
- 00:17:47.309 --> 00:17:50.979
- of happiness to?
- 00:17:50.979 --> 00:17:52.815
- He's offering to those who have believed in Jesus.
- 00:17:52.815 --> 00:17:56.952
- Now, I want you to notice a wonderful promise
- 00:17:56.952 --> 00:17:59.888
- that is given to the saint.
- 00:17:59.888 --> 00:18:02.224
- Verse 6, "He who has begun a good work in you
- 00:18:02.224 --> 00:18:05.627
- will complete it unto the day of Jesus Christ."
- 00:18:05.627 --> 00:18:10.399
- God always finishes what he begins.
- 00:18:10.399 --> 00:18:13.836
- Greg does not always finish what he begins.
- 00:18:13.836 --> 00:18:16.872
- Greg starts projects and doesn't always finish projects.
- 00:18:16.872 --> 00:18:20.042
- Maybe you're the same way, but God always completes
- 00:18:20.042 --> 00:18:23.712
- what he has started.
- 00:18:23.712 --> 00:18:25.447
- With men you have unfinished books, unfinished songs,
- 00:18:25.447 --> 00:18:29.251
- unfinished buildings.
- 00:18:29.251 --> 00:18:31.253
- And why?
- 00:18:31.253 --> 00:18:32.588
- Well, maybe it's a lack of resources or power,
- 00:18:32.588 --> 00:18:36.024
- but more often than not it's just a lack of desire.
- 00:18:36.024 --> 00:18:38.560
- You lose interest in it.
- 00:18:38.560 --> 00:18:40.295
- You have marriages falling apart,
- 00:18:40.295 --> 00:18:41.830
- "Well, I just lost interest in it."
- 00:18:41.830 --> 00:18:43.699
- You have something else falling apart,
- 00:18:43.699 --> 00:18:45.367
- "Well, I just didn't care anymore."
- 00:18:45.367 --> 00:18:46.869
- God always finishes what he starts because God,
- 00:18:46.869 --> 00:18:50.839
- he has unlimited resources, he has unlimited power,
- 00:18:50.839 --> 00:18:55.110
- and listen to this, he has unlimited interest in you.
- 00:18:55.110 --> 00:18:59.414
- See, he loves you and he sees the finished work.
- 00:18:59.414 --> 00:19:05.554
- He sees the finished painting.
- 00:19:05.554 --> 00:19:07.289
- He sees the finished sculptor.
- 00:19:07.289 --> 00:19:08.857
- He sees the finished you.
- 00:19:08.857 --> 00:19:10.759
- He sees the ultimate you, who you will become one day.
- 00:19:10.759 --> 00:19:14.363
- You just see the flaws.
- 00:19:14.363 --> 00:19:16.598
- You just see there are shortcomings.
- 00:19:16.598 --> 00:19:18.200
- You ever look in one of those magnify mirrors?
- 00:19:18.200 --> 00:19:21.470
- Oh, I hate those.
- 00:19:21.470 --> 00:19:23.472
- They're just horrible because they expose your flaws
- 00:19:23.472 --> 00:19:28.310
- and they magnify your flaws, right, but God sees your flaws.
- 00:19:28.310 --> 00:19:33.248
- He knows everything about you.
- 00:19:33.248 --> 00:19:34.950
- He knows your flaws better than you know your flaws, trust me,
- 00:19:34.950 --> 00:19:38.387
- but he also sees your potential, and he sees his plan,
- 00:19:38.387 --> 00:19:42.157
- and he sees the end game that he has for each of you.
- 00:19:42.157 --> 00:19:46.061
- He's going to bring what he started in your life
- 00:19:46.061 --> 00:19:48.430
- to completion.
- 00:19:48.430 --> 00:19:49.798
- Hebrews 12 says we are to look to Jesus,
- 00:19:49.798 --> 00:19:52.000
- the author and finisher of your faith.
- 00:19:52.000 --> 00:19:55.270
- So I have good news.
- 00:19:55.270 --> 00:19:56.805
- You're going to make it.
- 00:19:56.805 --> 00:19:58.607
- You're going to make it to the end.
- 00:19:58.607 --> 00:20:00.342
- Isn't that good news?
- 00:20:00.342 --> 00:20:01.677
- Go ahead and clap for that.
- 00:20:01.677 --> 00:20:03.679
- Now--because maybe you say, "Oh, this world is such
- 00:20:03.679 --> 00:20:08.717
- a horrible place and the devil is so powerful.
- 00:20:08.717 --> 00:20:11.153
- I might just fall away."
- 00:20:11.153 --> 00:20:12.654
- Well, really?
- 00:20:12.654 --> 00:20:15.624
- Do you want to fall away?
- 00:20:15.624 --> 00:20:16.959
- "Well, no."
- 00:20:16.959 --> 00:20:18.327
- Do you want to continue on as a follower of Jesus?
- 00:20:18.327 --> 00:20:20.562
- "Well, yes."
- 00:20:20.562 --> 00:20:22.231
- Well, then you will because as we read, it is God
- 00:20:22.231 --> 00:20:25.534
- that works in us both to will and do of his good pleasure.
- 00:20:25.534 --> 00:20:29.705
- God wants to do it.
- 00:20:29.705 --> 00:20:31.940
- If you want to do it, friend, we have a game plan.
- 00:20:31.940 --> 00:20:35.611
- Now, if you're sabotaging what God is doing,
- 00:20:35.611 --> 00:20:38.680
- if you're resisting what God is doing,
- 00:20:38.680 --> 00:20:41.450
- if you're fighting with God, even then he won't give up
- 00:20:41.450 --> 00:20:43.852
- on you, even then he will patiently bring you along,
- 00:20:43.852 --> 00:20:47.356
- but if you're determined to rebel against his plan,
- 00:20:47.356 --> 00:20:51.126
- well, yeah, you can end it, but that's not God's fault.
- 00:20:51.126 --> 00:20:54.162
- That's your fault, but listen, the bottom line is
- 00:20:54.162 --> 00:20:56.498
- you're going to make it if you want to make it.
- 00:20:56.498 --> 00:20:59.334
- If you're willing to desire and to go forward as a Christian,
- 00:20:59.334 --> 00:21:01.937
- then you will.
- 00:21:01.937 --> 00:21:04.172
- It is God that works in you.
- 00:21:04.172 --> 00:21:06.174
- And I want you to also notice that he's working in you
- 00:21:06.174 --> 00:21:09.745
- to will and do of his good pleasure; Philippians 2:13.
- 00:21:09.745 --> 00:21:14.883
- Good pleasure.
- 00:21:14.883 --> 00:21:17.019
- God's plan for you is good.
- 00:21:17.019 --> 00:21:20.088
- The last time I taught this series was in January of 2008.
- 00:21:20.088 --> 00:21:24.960
- So I keep all of my notes on my computer, and I go back
- 00:21:24.960 --> 00:21:28.597
- and review old notes, and then I'll rebuild the messages,
- 00:21:28.597 --> 00:21:32.334
- and sometimes I'll pull elements from the last time
- 00:21:32.334 --> 00:21:35.137
- I gave the message.
- 00:21:35.137 --> 00:21:36.505
- And this is very interesting because I'm looking
- 00:21:36.505 --> 00:21:39.041
- at this whole section that I wrote on all things
- 00:21:39.041 --> 00:21:41.877
- working together for good,
- 00:21:41.877 --> 00:21:43.545
- and we don't know our future, and we need to trust God,
- 00:21:43.545 --> 00:21:46.915
- and I even wrote in my notes, you know, sometimes that seem
- 00:21:46.915 --> 00:21:50.419
- like they are bad will ultimately turn out to be good.
- 00:21:50.419 --> 00:21:54.289
- And I thought, "When did I write this?"
- 00:21:54.289 --> 00:21:56.291
- And I saw oh, wow, January 2008.
- 00:21:56.291 --> 00:21:59.995
- And I wish I could just say to Greg of 2008,
- 00:21:59.995 --> 00:22:03.198
- "Greg, you have no idea what's ahead of you, buddy."
- 00:22:03.198 --> 00:22:06.802
- Because that same year is the year our son died
- 00:22:06.802 --> 00:22:09.237
- in an automobile accident.
- 00:22:09.237 --> 00:22:11.606
- So I went back over my old notes, and I thought,
- 00:22:11.606 --> 00:22:13.809
- "Do I still agree with the old Greg.
- 00:22:13.809 --> 00:22:16.511
- Was Greg right when he wrote these things?
- 00:22:16.511 --> 00:22:18.213
- Are these things actually theologically true,
- 00:22:18.213 --> 00:22:21.083
- and are they also true practically?
- 00:22:21.083 --> 00:22:24.186
- I mean, have I known these things to be true?"
- 00:22:24.186 --> 00:22:27.089
- And I had to look back and see, "You know what?
- 00:22:27.089 --> 00:22:28.724
- I don't disagree with anything I said."
- 00:22:28.724 --> 00:22:31.159
- And it's not because I said it.
- 00:22:31.159 --> 00:22:32.894
- It's not because I wrote it.
- 00:22:32.894 --> 00:22:34.696
- It's because it's in the Bible.
- 00:22:34.696 --> 00:22:37.065
- And, you know, when you're going through a bad thing--and someone
- 00:22:37.065 --> 00:22:39.801
- here listening to me is going through a bad thing right now.
- 00:22:39.801 --> 00:22:42.504
- I just know it.
- 00:22:42.504 --> 00:22:44.039
- Really bad thing.
- 00:22:44.039 --> 00:22:45.374
- You've lost a loved one.
- 00:22:45.374 --> 00:22:46.708
- You found out you have cancer.
- 00:22:46.708 --> 00:22:48.043
- You have some big trauma that's happened in your life.
- 00:22:48.043 --> 00:22:50.312
- Your husband or your wife told you they want to divorce you.
- 00:22:50.312 --> 00:22:53.014
- Something's happened with your kids.
- 00:22:53.014 --> 00:22:54.716
- Just all kinds of things.
- 00:22:54.716 --> 00:22:56.151
- I know something bad has happened.
- 00:22:56.151 --> 00:22:58.019
- And you think, "Okay, this is it.
- 00:22:58.019 --> 00:22:59.554
- This doesn't make sense."
- 00:22:59.554 --> 00:23:01.456
- Some even say, "I'm starting to lose my faith over this."
- 00:23:01.456 --> 00:23:05.193
- Listen, the faith that cannot be tested is a faith
- 00:23:05.193 --> 00:23:08.163
- that cannot be trusted.
- 00:23:08.163 --> 00:23:10.632
- Your faith is going to be tested and bad things are going
- 00:23:10.632 --> 00:23:14.102
- to happen in your life that are inexplicable,
- 00:23:14.102 --> 00:23:18.206
- but that doesn't mean God is not good and that does not mean
- 00:23:18.206 --> 00:23:21.410
- that God still does not work all things together for good.
- 00:23:21.410 --> 00:23:24.212
- What it does mean is bad things happen to good people,
- 00:23:24.212 --> 00:23:27.315
- and more to the point, bad things happen to godly people.
- 00:23:27.315 --> 00:23:30.385
- And that should not shake your faith because
- 00:23:30.385 --> 00:23:32.320
- God never promised you a pain-free life.
- 00:23:32.320 --> 00:23:35.924
- God never promised you a trauma-free life.
- 00:23:35.924 --> 00:23:38.627
- In fact, he promised you this,
- 00:23:38.627 --> 00:23:40.162
- "In this world, you will have tribulation."
- 00:23:40.162 --> 00:23:43.832
- But then he went on to say, "But be of good cheer.
- 00:23:43.832 --> 00:23:45.867
- I've overcome the world."
- 00:23:45.867 --> 00:23:47.402
- Greg: Maybe God has spoken to your heart
- 00:23:50.472 --> 00:23:53.241
- and you have seen your need for Jesus Christ.
- 00:23:53.241 --> 00:23:56.745
- Jesus Christ is the Son of God who came from heaven
- 00:23:56.745 --> 00:24:00.682
- to this earth.
- 00:24:00.682 --> 00:24:02.184
- He was born in a manger.
- 00:24:02.184 --> 00:24:04.186
- He died in a cross.
- 00:24:04.186 --> 00:24:05.854
- He rose again from the dead.
- 00:24:05.854 --> 00:24:07.322
- Why?
- 00:24:07.322 --> 00:24:08.657
- Because he loves you and he wants a relationship with you.
- 00:24:08.657 --> 00:24:11.426
- Listen, I'm not talking about religion.
- 00:24:11.426 --> 00:24:13.528
- I don't want to be a religious person.
- 00:24:13.528 --> 00:24:15.430
- I don't think you want to be one either.
- 00:24:15.430 --> 00:24:17.365
- I'm talking about relationship with God.
- 00:24:17.365 --> 00:24:20.769
- Jesus, who died and rose again, stands at the door of your life
- 00:24:20.769 --> 00:24:25.474
- and he knocks and he says if you'll hear his voice
- 00:24:25.474 --> 00:24:28.143
- and open the door, he will come in.
- 00:24:28.143 --> 00:24:30.345
- Question.
- 00:24:30.345 --> 00:24:31.680
- Have you asked Jesus Christ to come and live inside of you?
- 00:24:31.680 --> 00:24:34.683
- You might say, "Well, I think so.
- 00:24:34.683 --> 00:24:36.017
- I'm not sure."
- 00:24:36.017 --> 00:24:37.352
- Hey, if someone moved into your house in the middle
- 00:24:37.352 --> 00:24:39.154
- of the night, do you think you would be aware of it?
- 00:24:39.154 --> 00:24:41.890
- I'm sure you would.
- 00:24:41.890 --> 00:24:43.425
- And then the same way of Christ has come to live inside of you,
- 00:24:43.425 --> 00:24:46.428
- you will know, and if you don't know,
- 00:24:46.428 --> 00:24:48.697
- maybe he has not come in yet.
- 00:24:48.697 --> 00:24:51.500
- He's just a prayer away.
- 00:24:51.500 --> 00:24:53.235
- All you need to do is say,
- 00:24:53.235 --> 00:24:54.836
- "Jesus, I want this relationship with you.
- 00:24:54.836 --> 00:24:57.205
- I want you to forgive me of my sin.
- 00:24:57.205 --> 00:24:59.474
- I want to go to heaven when I die."
- 00:24:59.474 --> 00:25:01.676
- Would you like to do that?
- 00:25:01.676 --> 00:25:03.144
- Would you like Christ to come into your life?
- 00:25:03.144 --> 00:25:05.313
- If so, why don't you just pray this simple prayer with me?
- 00:25:05.313 --> 00:25:08.683
- You could pray it out loud or you can pray it in the quietness
- 00:25:08.683 --> 00:25:12.087
- of your heart, but this is a prayer where
- 00:25:12.087 --> 00:25:14.422
- you're asking Jesus Christ to be your Savior and Lord.
- 00:25:14.422 --> 00:25:17.826
- Pray this with me now.
- 00:25:17.826 --> 00:25:19.394
- "Lord Jesus, I know that I'm a sinner,
- 00:25:19.394 --> 00:25:22.430
- but I know that you're the Savior who died on the cross
- 00:25:22.430 --> 00:25:26.434
- for my sin and rose again from the dead.
- 00:25:26.434 --> 00:25:29.204
- Now come into my life.
- 00:25:29.204 --> 00:25:31.640
- I choose to follow you from this moment forward.
- 00:25:31.640 --> 00:25:36.244
- Thank you for hearing this prayer and answering this prayer
- 00:25:36.244 --> 00:25:39.681
- in Jesus's name.
- 00:25:39.681 --> 00:25:41.683
- Amen."
- 00:25:41.683 --> 00:25:43.018
- Did you just pray that prayer with me?
- 00:25:43.018 --> 00:25:45.153
- If so, I want you to know in the authority of Scripture
- 00:25:45.153 --> 00:25:47.789
- that Christ himself has come to live inside of you.
- 00:25:47.789 --> 00:25:51.226
- And I would love to send to you at no charge something
- 00:25:51.226 --> 00:25:54.663
- called the New Believer's Bible.
- 00:25:54.663 --> 00:25:56.998
- It's a very friendly translation of the New Testament
- 00:25:56.998 --> 00:25:59.768
- you'll find very understandable and it's filled with hundreds
- 00:25:59.768 --> 00:26:03.405
- of notes that I wrote that will encourage you in this commitment
- 00:26:03.405 --> 00:26:07.175
- you've just made to follow Jesus.
- 00:26:07.175 --> 00:26:09.244
- Let me send that to you at no charge,
- 00:26:09.244 --> 00:26:11.813
- and let me be the first to say to you congratulations
- 00:26:11.813 --> 00:26:15.850
- and welcome to the family of God.
- 00:26:15.850 --> 00:26:21.723
- announcer: From the bestselling author of,
- 00:26:25.594 --> 00:26:27.195
- "Johnny Cash: the Redemption of an American Icon"
- 00:26:27.195 --> 00:26:29.898
- and "Steve McQueen: the Salvation
- 00:26:29.898 --> 00:26:31.900
- of an American Icon" comes Greg Laurie's new book
- 00:26:31.900 --> 00:26:35.637
- titled "Lennon, Dylan, Alice, & Jesus,"
- 00:26:35.637 --> 00:26:39.174
- which traces the rise, fall, and sometimes
- 00:26:39.174 --> 00:26:41.810
- redemption journeys of famous rock gods who are brought
- 00:26:41.810 --> 00:26:45.447
- to their knees and look up to finally meet the one true God.
- 00:26:45.447 --> 00:26:50.385
- It's all in the pages of, "Lennon, Dylan, Alice, & Jesus."
- 00:26:50.452 --> 00:26:54.623
- You'll discover the excess in self-absorption,
- 00:26:54.623 --> 00:27:01.129
- but also a sweet salvation in the redemptive power
- 00:27:01.129 --> 00:27:04.733
- of Jesus Christ.
- 00:27:04.733 --> 00:27:06.568
- Greg uses his own memories, interviews,
- 00:27:06.568 --> 00:27:09.170
- and observation to draw from the lives of rock legends
- 00:27:09.170 --> 00:27:12.307
- as they descend to the depths of hell
- 00:27:12.307 --> 00:27:15.210
- before ascending to the highest heaven.
- 00:27:15.210 --> 00:27:18.213
- Request your copy of, "Lennon, Dylan, Alice, & Jesus"
- 00:27:18.213 --> 00:27:22.317
- when you give today.
- 00:27:22.317 --> 00:27:27.255
