Since 1972, Pastor and Evangelist Greg Laurie has been teaching the simple yet life changing message of the Gospel. Each week, enjoy down to earth messages from Greg's church in Riverside, California.
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Harvest with Pastor Greg Laurie | Greg Laurie - How To Be Happy (Part 1) | April 23, 2026
- ...
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- Greg laurie: god wants you to be happy.
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- I don't think that's the view many people have of god.
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- They think that he is just the ultimate party crasher.
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- He's out to rain in your parade.
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- He's out to make your life miserable.
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- Nothing could be further from the truth.
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- ♪♪♪
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- ♪ this is the day, ♪
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- ♪ the day when life begins ♪
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- ♪ this is the day, ♪
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- ♪ the day when life begins ♪♪
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- Greg: so here's the question.
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- Are we happy?
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- According to a recent study, americans are less happy
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- Than they were 30 years ago.
- 00:00:49.759 --> 00:00:52.162
- Well, maybe we should start by trying to define happiness.
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- What exactly is happiness?
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- Over the years?
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- Many have opined on the topic.
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- Charles m. schulz, the creator of peanuts,
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- Summed it up this way.
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- "happiness is a warm puppy."
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- Okay?
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- That's one definition.
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- Albert schweitzer said, "happiness is nothing more than
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- Good health and a bad memory."
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- George burns, comedian said, quote, "happiness is having
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- A large, loving, caring family in another city.
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- Okay.
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- Oscar wilde said, quote, "some cause happiness
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- Wherever they go.
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- Others cause happiness whenever they go."
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- Dave chappelle, the comedian said, "the higher up i go,
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- For some reason, the less happy i am."
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- You've heard of shakira.
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- She's experienced global success and fame of happiness.
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- She said, quote, "it's reserved for a very select number
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- Of people.
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- And i can't say i'm part of that club at the moment."
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- End quote.
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- So what is happiness exactly?
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- Why can't shakira find happiness?
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- Why does dave chappelle say the higher up he goes,
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- The less happy he is?
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- Well, let's start by saying where you won't find happiness.
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- You will not find happiness by pursuing it in and of itself.
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- You won't find happiness in any object.
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- You won't find happiness in anything this world,
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- Or this culture has to offer.
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- It's been said, quote, "there are two sources of unhappiness
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- And life.
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- One is not getting what you want, and the other is
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- Getting it."
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- You know, you've heard the expression, "careful what you
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- Wish for," and many have all of their dreams realized, and
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- They have all the things that this world promises will bring
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- Happiness and they find that is not the case.
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- Money can buy you some things, but it cannot buy you the most
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- Important things.
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- Money can buy you a bed, but it cannot buy you
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- A good night's sleep.
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- Money can buy you books, but it can't buy you brains.
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- It can buy you a house, but it can't buy you a home.
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- Money can buy medicine but not health.
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- Money can buy amusement, but it can't buy happiness.
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- C.s. lewis summed it up this way, and i quote,
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- "god designed the human machine to run on himself.
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- He himself is the fuel for our spirits, that they were designed
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- To burn or the food our spirits were designed to feed on.
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- There is no other way.
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- This is why says lewis,
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- "it's just no good asking god to make us happy in our own way
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- Without bothering about faith.
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- God cannot give us a happiness and peace apart from itself
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- Because it's not there, there is no such thing."
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- End quote.
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- And that's so true.
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- One of the foremost experts on happiness made this candid
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- Admission, and i quote, "i don't have a religious or a spiritual
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- Bone in my body, yet i have to acknowledge that studies reveal
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- That people with faith in god are the happiest."
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- End quote.
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- So it really comes down to this happiness does not come
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- From what you have, it comes from who you know.
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- And the bible emphatically says, happy are the people
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- Whose god is the lord.
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- Why is the christian faith a happy faith?
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- The christian faith is a happy faith because it's a hopeful
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- Faith, because we have hope in this life, and we have hope
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- In a better life to come.
- 00:04:42.325 --> 00:04:44.494
- And here's something that might surprise some people,
- 00:04:44.494 --> 00:04:47.363
- God wants you to be happy.
- 00:04:47.363 --> 00:04:49.699
- I don't think that's the view many people have of god.
- 00:04:49.699 --> 00:04:52.869
- They think that he is just the ultimate party crasher.
- 00:04:52.869 --> 00:04:56.906
- He's out to reign in your parade.
- 00:04:56.906 --> 00:04:59.042
- He's out to make your life miserable.
- 00:04:59.042 --> 00:05:01.110
- Nothing could be further from the truth.
- 00:05:01.110 --> 00:05:03.880
- The fact is, god wants you to be happy.
- 00:05:03.880 --> 00:05:07.717
- Now, when i say that god wants you to be happy, that doesn't
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- Mean that you walk around with a phony smile permanently
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- Plastered on your faith-- face rather.
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- So like when you're going to the dentist to get a root canal,
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- You're smiling.
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- You're waiting in line at the dmv for the third hour,
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- You're smiling.
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- Wherever you go, you're smiling.
- 00:05:31.107 --> 00:05:32.775
- You're gonna look mentally ill, not happy.
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- As a christian, we will have times of sorrow.
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- The bible even says, "there's a time to laugh and there's a time
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- To cry."
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- As christians, we will still face tragedy.
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- But what the bible is saying overall, you can have happiness,
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- But we have to come to this, god's definition is probably
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- Different than our definition of happiness.
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- And it's laid out before us here in the greatest sermon
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- Ever preached, "the sermon on the mount."
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- This is effectively the worldview of jesus christ.
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- And it's important to know that everybody has a worldview.
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- The question is, do you have a biblical worldview?
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- What does that mean?
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- That means as i become familiar with the bible, as i read the
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- Bible, as i memorize the bible, as i internalize the truth
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- Of scripture, my thinking begins to change and i start thinking
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- Biblically, and i see things through a biblical lens, hence
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- I have a biblical worldview.
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- So if you wanna know what the worldview of jesus is, read
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- "the sermon on the mount."
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- We cover so many topics in it.
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- Jesus talks about what happiness is.
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- Jesus talks about the purpose of marriage.
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- Jesus talks about prayer.
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- Jesus talks about worry.
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- Jesus talks about what foundation your life is
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- Built on, and so much more.
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- You wanna know what jesus thinks?
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- Read this sermon.
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- And by the way, you can read the entire "sermon on the mount"
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- In one sitting.
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- You wanna know how his heart really beats?
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- Study this sermon.
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- You wanna know how he feels about living in life in general,
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- Read this sermon.
- 00:07:23.152 --> 00:07:24.487
- By the way, "the sermon on the mount"
- 00:07:24.487 --> 00:07:26.622
- Is the longest recorded message that jesus ever gave.
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- It's also one of the most beautiful and best known
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- Portions of scripture.
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- There's a lot of phrases that have entered our vernacular that
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- Are popular in culture today that all come from "the sermon
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- On the mount," like, "turn the other cheek."
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- That's from the sermon.
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- "go the extra mile."
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- That's also from "the sermon on the mount."
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- "the golden rule."
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- All from this sermon.
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- Now, "the sermon on the mount" begins with what we often call
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- "the beatitudes" they've been described as the beautiful
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- Attitudes or attitudes that should be.
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- Another way you could sum them up is, the be happy attitudes.
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- Now, the first four beatitudes deal with our relationship
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- With god.
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- The second four deal with our relationships with others.
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- And we're gonna focus on the first four in this message.
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- And i want you to remember that the word blessed, each beatitude
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- Begins with the word "blessed."
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- The word blessed is interchangeable
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- With the word happy.
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- Alright?
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- So basically jesus is saying, if you wanna be happy,
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- Be these things and do these things, alright?
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- So let's read them together.
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- We're gonna read matthew chapter 5, verse 2 down to verse 9,
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- "then he opened his mouth and taught them," that would be the
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- Disciples, "saying, 'blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs
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- Is the kingdom of heaven.
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- Blessed are they that mourn, for they shall be comforted.
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- Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.
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- Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
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- For they shall be filled.
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- Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.
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- Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see god.
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- Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called
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- The sons of god."
- 00:09:30.713 --> 00:09:32.548
- So there are the first beatitudes.
- 00:09:32.548 --> 00:09:35.484
- And it's interesting that the word blessing is used again
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- And again.
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- You know, people use these words, even people who are not
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- Believers, they'll talk about blessings.
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- Well, only the believer can genuinely experience blessing.
- 00:09:45.928 --> 00:09:51.133
- I think sometimes we use the word bless to get rid
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- Of someone.
- 00:09:54.370 --> 00:09:55.705
- Someone's talking too long, we say, great seeing you.
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- God bless you.
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- This says, go away now, right?
- 00:09:59.108 --> 00:10:03.245
- But here's point number one, god wants you to be blessed
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- And happy.
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- God wants you to be blessed and happy.
- 00:10:10.953 --> 00:10:13.723
- Jesus both began and concluded his earthly ministry,
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- Blessing people.
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- When he met those two downhearted disciples
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- On the emmaus road, after he was crucified,
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- We read that he blessed them.
- 00:10:24.533 --> 00:10:27.003
- When children came to him, he took them into his arms
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- And he blessed them.
- 00:10:29.939 --> 00:10:31.674
- After his resurrection, we read that he lifted his hands
- 00:10:31.674 --> 00:10:35.378
- And he blessed them.
- 00:10:35.378 --> 00:10:36.712
- So god wants to bless you.
- 00:10:36.712 --> 00:10:38.614
- We see this from genesis to revelation.
- 00:10:38.614 --> 00:10:42.985
- There was a blessing that the priests were to pronounce
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- Over the people of israel.
- 00:10:46.022 --> 00:10:47.790
- And they would say, "the lord bless you.
- 00:10:47.790 --> 00:10:50.092
- The lord keep you, and may his face shine upon you
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- And be gracious unto you.
- 00:10:52.895 --> 00:10:54.730
- The lord turn his face toward you and give you peace."
- 00:10:54.730 --> 00:10:58.100
- God wants to bless you.
- 00:10:58.100 --> 00:10:59.869
- Let me take it a step further.
- 00:10:59.869 --> 00:11:01.537
- God loves to bless you.
- 00:11:01.537 --> 00:11:03.839
- Sometimes we think god is stingy.
- 00:11:03.839 --> 00:11:06.709
- He's holding back his blessings.
- 00:11:06.709 --> 00:11:09.712
- Do you know a stingy person?
- 00:11:09.712 --> 00:11:12.214
- No, you can't have that.
- 00:11:12.214 --> 00:11:14.717
- Do you know a generous person?
- 00:11:14.717 --> 00:11:16.619
- Yes, you can have that, and even more.
- 00:11:16.619 --> 00:11:18.788
- God is generous, not stingy.
- 00:11:18.788 --> 00:11:20.823
- Bringing me to point number two: happy people are humble people.
- 00:11:20.823 --> 00:11:27.430
- Happy people are humble people.
- 00:11:27.430 --> 00:11:31.667
- Now, this has been wrongly understood to be saying blessed
- 00:11:31.667 --> 00:11:34.904
- That are the poor, this is not what jesus said.
- 00:11:34.904 --> 00:11:37.707
- He said, "blessed that are the poor in spirit."
- 00:11:37.707 --> 00:11:40.843
- There is no blessedness in being rich or poor in and of itself.
- 00:11:40.843 --> 00:11:45.981
- The bible does not commend poverty, nor does it
- 00:11:45.981 --> 00:11:49.418
- Condemn wealth.
- 00:11:49.418 --> 00:11:51.420
- It does say the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil.
- 00:11:51.420 --> 00:11:54.990
- People sometimes say the bible says money is the root
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- Of all evil.
- 00:11:57.460 --> 00:11:58.828
- I don't know what bible you're reading, but my bible doesn't
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- Say that.
- 00:12:00.563 --> 00:12:01.931
- My bible says the love of money is the root of all kinds of
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- Evil, which while some have coveted after and they've erred
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- From the faith.
- 00:12:07.670 --> 00:12:09.004
- Money is neutral.
- 00:12:09.004 --> 00:12:10.339
- Money can be good.
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- Money can help.
- 00:12:11.707 --> 00:12:13.042
- Money can do things for the kingdom of god.
- 00:12:13.042 --> 00:12:15.478
- Money can be problematic.
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- It can even be evil.
- 00:12:17.346 --> 00:12:18.681
- It can destroy a person's life.
- 00:12:18.681 --> 00:12:20.616
- It all depends on your attitude to it.
- 00:12:20.616 --> 00:12:23.819
- What jesus says is, "blessed are the poor in spirit."
- 00:12:23.819 --> 00:12:28.457
- What does this mean?
- 00:12:28.457 --> 00:12:29.992
- Blessed is the man, blessed is the woman.
- 00:12:29.992 --> 00:12:33.395
- Happy is the person who sees himself as they really are,
- 00:12:33.395 --> 00:12:38.234
- Lost, hopeless, and destitute, and desperately in need of god.
- 00:12:38.234 --> 00:12:44.974
- That's what it means to be poor in spirit.
- 00:12:44.974 --> 00:12:47.910
- So you have to see yourself for who you are.
- 00:12:47.910 --> 00:12:51.447
- You have to see yourself as a sinner who really needs
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- A savior.
- 00:12:55.684 --> 00:12:57.086
- And this is hard for some people to call themselves what
- 00:12:57.086 --> 00:13:00.990
- They are, to see themselves as they are.
- 00:13:00.990 --> 00:13:03.159
- I mean, this is counter to culture today.
- 00:13:03.159 --> 00:13:05.127
- We're told things like you're more than enough.
- 00:13:05.127 --> 00:13:08.330
- Self love is the greatest love.
- 00:13:08.330 --> 00:13:10.800
- You're a winner at our games for our children.
- 00:13:10.800 --> 00:13:14.537
- You know, we don't keep score because everyone's a winner.
- 00:13:14.537 --> 00:13:17.606
- Everyone is not a winner.
- 00:13:17.606 --> 00:13:19.842
- There are losers in life.
- 00:13:19.842 --> 00:13:22.378
- We're not all that and a bag of chips as some think.
- 00:13:22.378 --> 00:13:26.315
- Self love is not the greatest love.
- 00:13:26.315 --> 00:13:29.051
- You are not more than enough, you need help.
- 00:13:29.051 --> 00:13:32.955
- You're a sinner, as i am, as we all are.
- 00:13:32.955 --> 00:13:36.859
- ♪♪♪
- 00:13:36.859 --> 00:13:40.496
- Greg: hey, greg laurie here, welcome to my podcast.
- 00:13:40.496 --> 00:13:42.665
- I have a very special guest, joel rosenberg.
- 00:13:42.665 --> 00:13:47.002
- Levi, thanks for being on my podcast.
- 00:13:47.002 --> 00:13:48.737
- Michael franzese.
- 00:13:48.737 --> 00:13:50.339
- Thank you for making time for me.
- 00:13:50.339 --> 00:13:52.074
- Because you deal with some pretty weighty heavy subjects
- 00:13:52.074 --> 00:13:54.276
- And i think when you can bring humor in
- 00:13:54.276 --> 00:13:56.745
- It actually helps the viewer to take in all that information.
- 00:13:56.745 --> 00:14:01.016
- ♪♪♪
- 00:14:01.016 --> 00:14:04.753
- Greg: is it hard to be a man of faith in what you do?
- 00:14:04.753 --> 00:14:08.991
- Male: it's not, in fact, it's the only way
- 00:14:08.991 --> 00:14:10.926
- I'm allowed and enabled to do this job.
- 00:14:10.926 --> 00:14:14.096
- ♪♪♪
- 00:14:14.096 --> 00:14:16.165
- Male: hollywood's not the hope of the world,
- 00:14:16.165 --> 00:14:17.499
- The local church is the hope of the world,
- 00:14:17.499 --> 00:14:19.134
- And i've always felt like it's my job to set a volleyball
- 00:14:19.134 --> 00:14:21.871
- That can be spiked at the local level.
- 00:14:21.871 --> 00:14:24.673
- Greg: no one is beyond the reach of god.
- 00:14:24.673 --> 00:14:26.876
- I mean if god can reach michael franzese,
- 00:14:26.876 --> 00:14:29.478
- Who can god not reach?
- 00:14:29.478 --> 00:14:31.280
- ♪♪♪
- 00:14:31.280 --> 00:14:35.317
- Greg: "blessed are the poor in spirit."
- 00:14:37.419 --> 00:14:40.923
- Blessed are those that see themselves as they really are.
- 00:14:40.923 --> 00:14:45.761
- Oh, we can spend a life chasing after happiness and
- 00:14:45.761 --> 00:14:49.765
- Never finding that.
- 00:14:49.765 --> 00:14:51.267
- We say i need to find myself.
- 00:14:51.267 --> 00:14:53.068
- I'm leaving this marriage.
- 00:14:53.068 --> 00:14:54.737
- I'm not happy anymore.
- 00:14:54.737 --> 00:14:56.372
- I need to find myself.
- 00:14:56.372 --> 00:14:58.407
- Oh, shut up.
- 00:14:58.407 --> 00:15:02.111
- You wanna find yourself?
- 00:15:02.111 --> 00:15:04.647
- Jesus says lose yourself, deny yourself.
- 00:15:04.647 --> 00:15:08.317
- The bible is counter to all the things the culture tells us.
- 00:15:08.317 --> 00:15:12.655
- Jesus says humble yourself, lose yourself
- 00:15:12.655 --> 00:15:15.724
- And you'll find yourself.
- 00:15:15.724 --> 00:15:18.127
- The bible tells us humble yourself under the mighty hand
- 00:15:18.127 --> 00:15:20.729
- Of god, and he'll exalt you in due time.
- 00:15:20.729 --> 00:15:24.266
- If you wanna try, if you wanna find true happiness, you must be
- 00:15:24.266 --> 00:15:28.070
- Poor in spirit.
- 00:15:28.070 --> 00:15:29.405
- See yourself as you really are.
- 00:15:29.405 --> 00:15:32.141
- Classic example of a guy who is poor in spirit is a man who went
- 00:15:32.141 --> 00:15:35.611
- Into the temple to pray.
- 00:15:35.611 --> 00:15:36.979
- Jesus told the story, two men went in the temple to pray.
- 00:15:36.979 --> 00:15:40.149
- One was a sinner, one was a pharisee.
- 00:15:40.149 --> 00:15:43.752
- Actually, the sinner was a publican, not a republican,
- 00:15:43.752 --> 00:15:47.456
- A publican.
- 00:15:47.456 --> 00:15:49.825
- And that meant he was a tax collector.
- 00:15:49.825 --> 00:15:52.494
- So they were not looked upon favorably at that time.
- 00:15:52.494 --> 00:15:56.732
- They're not looked unfavorably in this time, but they both want
- 00:15:56.732 --> 00:16:01.003
- To pray a sinner and a pharisee who is of the highest order of
- 00:16:01.003 --> 00:16:06.375
- Religious accomplishment.
- 00:16:06.375 --> 00:16:09.178
- And so the pharisee starts his prayer like this,
- 00:16:09.178 --> 00:16:12.715
- "god i thank you that i'm not like other people."
- 00:16:12.715 --> 00:16:16.185
- Man you know your prayers are messed up when you say something
- 00:16:16.185 --> 00:16:18.754
- Like that.
- 00:16:18.754 --> 00:16:20.122
- And then he takes it a step, "especially not like this dude
- 00:16:20.122 --> 00:16:22.925
- Over here."
- 00:16:22.925 --> 00:16:26.295
- And then jesus said, "and the sinner wouldn't even lift
- 00:16:26.295 --> 00:16:29.231
- His eyes.
- 00:16:29.231 --> 00:16:30.599
- He just beat his chest and said, 'god be merciful to me,
- 00:16:30.599 --> 00:16:32.935
- A sinner.'"
- 00:16:32.935 --> 00:16:34.303
- And then he even said in actually, in the original
- 00:16:34.303 --> 00:16:36.872
- Language, it would be, "god be merciful to me, the sinner."
- 00:16:36.872 --> 00:16:41.176
- He said, man, i'm the worst of the lot.
- 00:16:41.176 --> 00:16:43.612
- God be merciful.
- 00:16:43.612 --> 00:16:44.980
- That's all he said.
- 00:16:44.980 --> 00:16:46.315
- Jesus said, who do you think went down justified?
- 00:16:46.315 --> 00:16:49.318
- Wasn't that pharisee.
- 00:16:49.318 --> 00:16:51.387
- It was a man who saw his real condition.
- 00:16:51.387 --> 00:16:53.822
- Blessed are the poor in spirit.
- 00:16:53.822 --> 00:16:56.992
- Beatitude number two, point number three, happy people are,
- 00:16:56.992 --> 00:17:02.464
- I'll put in quotes, "unhappy people."
- 00:17:02.464 --> 00:17:04.967
- Happy people are "unhappy people."
- 00:17:04.967 --> 00:17:07.503
- Point number one, happy people are humble people.
- 00:17:07.503 --> 00:17:10.205
- Number two, happy people are unhappy people.
- 00:17:10.205 --> 00:17:12.875
- Verse four, "blessed are they that mourn, for they shall
- 00:17:12.875 --> 00:17:15.744
- Be comforted."
- 00:17:15.744 --> 00:17:17.079
- You could also translate this, "happy are the unhappy."
- 00:17:17.079 --> 00:17:21.250
- What?
- 00:17:21.250 --> 00:17:22.751
- That doesn't make any sense to us.
- 00:17:22.751 --> 00:17:24.286
- So to be happy, i need to be sad?
- 00:17:24.286 --> 00:17:26.989
- Yes.
- 00:17:26.989 --> 00:17:28.757
- In this way, you have to see yourself as you really are.
- 00:17:28.757 --> 00:17:32.094
- I'm a sinner who needs a savior, and i'm sorry for what
- 00:17:32.094 --> 00:17:36.532
- I've done, and i want to change, so i mourn over my condition.
- 00:17:36.532 --> 00:17:42.337
- Listen, better to mourn now and laugh later, than to laugh now
- 00:17:42.337 --> 00:17:46.475
- And mourn later.
- 00:17:46.475 --> 00:17:48.744
- Some people, all they wanna do is laugh.
- 00:17:48.744 --> 00:17:51.480
- All they wanna do is get drunk and party, and laugh, and laugh,
- 00:17:51.480 --> 00:17:54.817
- And laugh.
- 00:17:54.817 --> 00:17:56.151
- They don't even know what they're laughing at.
- 00:17:56.151 --> 00:17:57.519
- Everything's funny to a drunk.
- 00:17:57.519 --> 00:18:00.622
- But really, what is that all about?
- 00:18:00.622 --> 00:18:02.591
- Solomon went on a sin binge basically trying everything
- 00:18:02.591 --> 00:18:07.362
- The world has to offer.
- 00:18:07.362 --> 00:18:08.897
- And he said in ecclesiastes 2, "when i said, 'come on,
- 00:18:08.897 --> 00:18:12.034
- Let's give pleasure a try.
- 00:18:12.034 --> 00:18:13.368
- Let's look for the good things in life.
- 00:18:13.368 --> 00:18:15.070
- But i found it was meaningless.'"
- 00:18:15.070 --> 00:18:16.939
- Solomon says, "it's silly to be laughing all the time.
- 00:18:16.939 --> 00:18:20.442
- What good does it do to only seek pleasure?"
- 00:18:20.442 --> 00:18:24.179
- You know, some people, they suppress tears.
- 00:18:24.179 --> 00:18:26.215
- They should be crying and instead they're laughing.
- 00:18:26.215 --> 00:18:30.152
- Before he died of aids, freddie mercury,
- 00:18:30.152 --> 00:18:33.188
- The lead singer of queen recorded a song called party,
- 00:18:33.188 --> 00:18:37.459
- And in the song he sings quote,
- 00:18:37.459 --> 00:18:39.695
- "we were up all night singing and giving a chase.
- 00:18:39.695 --> 00:18:42.464
- The next morning, everybody was hung over.
- 00:18:42.464 --> 00:18:45.067
- And then in the refrain, he repeatedly implores his party
- 00:18:45.067 --> 00:18:48.504
- Mates to come back and play."
- 00:18:48.504 --> 00:18:51.073
- End quote.
- 00:18:51.073 --> 00:18:52.441
- But see, here's the problem.
- 00:18:52.441 --> 00:18:53.775
- There comes a time when the party is over.
- 00:18:53.775 --> 00:18:55.611
- All the laughing is behind you, and it really has led
- 00:18:55.611 --> 00:18:58.347
- To nothing.
- 00:18:58.347 --> 00:18:59.715
- It's better to be sad over your condition, because the bible
- 00:18:59.715 --> 00:19:03.519
- Says in 2 corinthians 7:10, "the kind of sorrow god wants us to
- 00:19:03.519 --> 00:19:07.756
- Experience leads us away from sin and results in salvation.
- 00:19:07.756 --> 00:19:12.327
- There's no regret for that kind of sorrow.
- 00:19:12.327 --> 00:19:15.230
- But worldly sorrow, which lacks repentance,
- 00:19:15.230 --> 00:19:18.367
- Results in spiritual death."
- 00:19:18.367 --> 00:19:20.068
- In other words, hey, i'm sorry, and i'm sorry enough to stop.
- 00:19:20.068 --> 00:19:25.340
- See that the problem is we will minimize sin.
- 00:19:25.340 --> 00:19:28.877
- We'll say things like well, god loves me and accepts me as i am.
- 00:19:28.877 --> 00:19:33.315
- Hey, man, don't judge my journey, right?
- 00:19:33.315 --> 00:19:36.685
- Well, god does love you, and he does accept you as you are, but
- 00:19:36.685 --> 00:19:41.757
- He wants to change you, and he wants you to repent of your sin,
- 00:19:41.757 --> 00:19:45.994
- And he wants you to come into a right relationship with him.
- 00:19:45.994 --> 00:19:50.732
- When the prodigal son was away from his father, he was sad.
- 00:19:50.732 --> 00:19:54.870
- When he returned to his father in repentance, he was glad.
- 00:19:54.870 --> 00:19:59.675
- That brings us to point number four:
- 00:19:59.675 --> 00:20:02.578
- A happy person will be a meek person.
- 00:20:02.578 --> 00:20:06.014
- A happy person will be a meek person.
- 00:20:06.081 --> 00:20:08.650
- "blessed are the meek."
- 00:20:08.650 --> 00:20:11.620
- Now meekness is not celebrated in our culture, maybe because
- 00:20:11.620 --> 00:20:16.191
- We don't understand what it is.
- 00:20:16.191 --> 00:20:18.527
- For starters, meekness is not weakness.
- 00:20:18.527 --> 00:20:21.530
- The best definition of meekness is power under constraint.
- 00:20:21.530 --> 00:20:27.269
- It's interesting becomes, it describes the breaking
- 00:20:27.269 --> 00:20:30.772
- Of a powerful stallion.
- 00:20:30.772 --> 00:20:32.674
- So when you climb on a beautiful horse, how many of you love
- 00:20:32.674 --> 00:20:36.378
- To ride horses?
- 00:20:36.378 --> 00:20:37.713
- Now, we have a few equestrians out there.
- 00:20:37.713 --> 00:20:40.282
- I prefer horsepower.
- 00:20:40.282 --> 00:20:42.618
- I like a throttle, and i decide when it starts and when
- 00:20:42.618 --> 00:20:46.788
- It stops, because i was on a horse once that wouldn't stop.
- 00:20:46.788 --> 00:20:51.893
- And that's kind of a scary process.
- 00:20:51.893 --> 00:20:53.695
- Like where's the emergency brake on this animal?
- 00:20:53.695 --> 00:20:56.131
- Right?
- 00:20:56.131 --> 00:20:57.499
- So the idea is that you're breaking the horse, as they say.
- 00:20:57.499 --> 00:21:00.335
- The horse is submitting its will.
- 00:21:00.335 --> 00:21:02.170
- It's not that it's lost its will.
- 00:21:02.170 --> 00:21:04.239
- It's not that it's not stronger than you, but it has surrendered
- 00:21:04.239 --> 00:21:07.676
- Its will to the rider.
- 00:21:07.676 --> 00:21:09.745
- So when the bible talks of weakness, it doesn't mean
- 00:21:09.745 --> 00:21:12.481
- A meekness.
- 00:21:12.481 --> 00:21:13.815
- It doesn't mean i'm weak.
- 00:21:13.815 --> 00:21:15.317
- It means, i know who's in charge, and i've surrendered
- 00:21:15.317 --> 00:21:18.787
- My will over to his.
- 00:21:18.787 --> 00:21:20.489
- But in our culture, we celebrate revenge.
- 00:21:20.489 --> 00:21:25.127
- You know, there are these films out with liam neeson called
- 00:21:25.127 --> 00:21:27.863
- "taken," right?
- 00:21:27.863 --> 00:21:30.132
- "taken."
- 00:21:30.132 --> 00:21:31.500
- There's three "taken" films.
- 00:21:31.500 --> 00:21:33.001
- What if they came out with a fourth film
- 00:21:33.001 --> 00:21:36.071
- In the "taken" series?
- 00:21:36.071 --> 00:21:37.572
- But it was different.
- 00:21:37.572 --> 00:21:38.940
- "taken: turning over a new leaf" and in the film, liam neeson
- 00:21:38.940 --> 00:21:44.179
- Picks up the phone and he says, "i have a particular set
- 00:21:44.179 --> 00:21:48.350
- Of skills,
- 00:21:48.350 --> 00:21:50.652
- Skills that make me a nightmare for a person like you.
- 00:21:50.652 --> 00:21:54.189
- I will pursue you, i will find you and i will forgive you."
- 00:21:54.189 --> 00:22:01.630
- Who would watch that?
- 00:22:01.630 --> 00:22:03.832
- That sounds good?
- 00:22:03.832 --> 00:22:05.467
- I will forgive you and give you a quick hug.
- 00:22:05.467 --> 00:22:08.537
- Wait, no, you kill them.
- 00:22:08.537 --> 00:22:12.274
- But before you kill them, you beat them mercilessly.
- 00:22:12.274 --> 00:22:15.344
- And that's the movie i wanna see, in slow-mo preferably.
- 00:22:15.344 --> 00:22:20.315
- But this is what the bible is saying.
- 00:22:20.315 --> 00:22:21.783
- It's forgiving.
- 00:22:21.783 --> 00:22:23.118
- One of the best examples of meekness, and forgiveness
- 00:22:23.118 --> 00:22:27.723
- In the bible is the story of joseph.
- 00:22:27.723 --> 00:22:30.425
- Sold by his blood brothers into slavery, ultimately exalted
- 00:22:30.425 --> 00:22:37.065
- To a powerful position where he could have had them
- 00:22:37.065 --> 00:22:40.035
- All summarily executed.
- 00:22:40.035 --> 00:22:41.937
- But instead he forgives them.
- 00:22:41.937 --> 00:22:44.573
- That is what meekness is.
- 00:22:44.573 --> 00:22:46.508
- But the ultimate example of meekness is jesus himself.
- 00:22:46.508 --> 00:22:51.179
- He laid down everything for us, and willingly went to the cross
- 00:22:51.179 --> 00:22:55.050
- And died in our place.
- 00:22:55.050 --> 00:22:57.018
- And the only autobiographical statement ever jesus gave,
- 00:22:57.018 --> 00:23:01.490
- He said in matthew 11:29, i am meek and lowly in heart.
- 00:23:01.490 --> 00:23:05.694
- Does that mean jesus was weak?
- 00:23:05.694 --> 00:23:07.829
- Of course not.
- 00:23:07.829 --> 00:23:09.164
- He was the strongest man who ever lived.
- 00:23:09.164 --> 00:23:11.500
- With just a word, he could destroy his enemies.
- 00:23:11.500 --> 00:23:14.736
- When they arrested him in the garden of gethsemane, he said,
- 00:23:14.736 --> 00:23:18.740
- "who are you looking for?"
- 00:23:18.740 --> 00:23:20.108
- They said, "jesus of nazareth."
- 00:23:20.108 --> 00:23:21.443
- He said, "i am."
- 00:23:21.443 --> 00:23:22.811
- And the bible says they all fell backwards.
- 00:23:22.811 --> 00:23:24.880
- It's like dominoes.
- 00:23:24.880 --> 00:23:26.248
- "i am."
- 00:23:26.248 --> 00:23:27.582
- Those are the words of god from mount sinai to moses,
- 00:23:27.582 --> 00:23:30.485
- "i am that i am."
- 00:23:30.485 --> 00:23:32.554
- Jesus could have said, "i am and you were.
- 00:23:32.554 --> 00:23:35.190
- Bye."
- 00:23:35.190 --> 00:23:36.558
- The end.
- 00:23:36.558 --> 00:23:37.926
- Do that in slow motion.
- 00:23:37.926 --> 00:23:40.929
- But he did not act in that way.
- 00:23:40.929 --> 00:23:43.131
- He laid his life down for us.
- 00:23:43.131 --> 00:23:46.501
- Number four, a happy person passionately desires
- 00:23:46.501 --> 00:23:50.572
- A righteous life.
- 00:23:50.572 --> 00:23:51.940
- Excuse me.
- 00:23:51.940 --> 00:23:53.275
- That's number five: a happy person passionately desires
- 00:23:53.275 --> 00:23:56.645
- A righteous life.
- 00:23:56.645 --> 00:23:57.979
- Verse six, "blessed are they who hunger and thirst
- 00:23:57.979 --> 00:24:00.182
- For righteousness, for they shall be filled."
- 00:24:00.182 --> 00:24:03.185
- Now, this is talking about a spiritual hunger.
- 00:24:03.185 --> 00:24:05.420
- So let's put it all together.
- 00:24:05.420 --> 00:24:06.955
- First, i see myself as i really am, poor in spirit,
- 00:24:06.955 --> 00:24:10.625
- Spiritually destitute, a sinner in need of a savior.
- 00:24:10.625 --> 00:24:14.729
- I'm sorry for my condition.
- 00:24:14.729 --> 00:24:16.565
- I mourn over my condition.
- 00:24:16.565 --> 00:24:18.633
- I repent over my condition.
- 00:24:18.633 --> 00:24:20.869
- And then a true meekness enters into my life, a humility
- 00:24:20.869 --> 00:24:24.806
- As i've seen myself as i really am because i've seen god
- 00:24:24.806 --> 00:24:28.677
- For who he is.
- 00:24:28.677 --> 00:24:30.045
- And now i have a new hunger and a thirst for righteousness.
- 00:24:30.045 --> 00:24:35.283
- Let's summarize and close.
- 00:24:35.283 --> 00:24:37.252
- You must be poor in spirit.
- 00:24:37.252 --> 00:24:39.454
- Number one: see yourself as you really are.
- 00:24:39.454 --> 00:24:41.756
- You must mourn for your sin.
- 00:24:41.756 --> 00:24:44.793
- Number three: you must have a change in attitude
- 00:24:44.793 --> 00:24:47.996
- And have a hunger and thirst for god who will satisfy you.
- 00:24:47.996 --> 00:24:51.633
- Happy are the people whose god is the lord.
- 00:24:51.633 --> 00:24:56.004
- It's hard to be happy when your conscience is racked with guilt.
- 00:24:56.004 --> 00:25:02.143
- Because the bible also says, "happy is the person whose sin
- 00:25:02.143 --> 00:25:05.447
- Is forgiven."
- 00:25:05.447 --> 00:25:07.015
- When your sin is forgiven, it changes everything.
- 00:25:07.015 --> 00:25:10.085
- Maybe i'm talking to somebody right now who was rocked
- 00:25:10.085 --> 00:25:12.687
- With guilt, because of something you've said, something
- 00:25:12.687 --> 00:25:15.557
- You've done.
- 00:25:15.557 --> 00:25:16.925
- You're saying, how do i get rid of this guilt?
- 00:25:16.925 --> 00:25:19.160
- We'll get to the source of it.
- 00:25:19.160 --> 00:25:20.896
- What is the source of your guilt?
- 00:25:20.896 --> 00:25:23.365
- The source of your guilt is sin.
- 00:25:23.365 --> 00:25:26.034
- So, if your sin is forgiven, your guilt is removed.
- 00:25:26.034 --> 00:25:29.838
- Guilt has its place.
- 00:25:29.838 --> 00:25:31.706
- I know sometimes people say, guilt is bad.
- 00:25:31.706 --> 00:25:33.608
- Well, guilt can be bad if it's the wrong kind of guilt.
- 00:25:33.608 --> 00:25:36.678
- But guilt can also be an indication that your conscience
- 00:25:36.678 --> 00:25:39.881
- Is working.
- 00:25:39.881 --> 00:25:41.249
- And you say, i shouldn't have done that.
- 00:25:41.249 --> 00:25:42.951
- I shouldn't have said that, and i have guilt.
- 00:25:42.951 --> 00:25:45.587
- But when your sin is forgiven, now, the guilt will be removed.
- 00:25:45.587 --> 00:25:49.491
- And the way that can happen is when you just come to god
- 00:25:49.491 --> 00:25:52.160
- And take step one of the beatitudes,
- 00:25:52.160 --> 00:25:54.296
- "blessed is the poor spirit."
- 00:25:54.296 --> 00:25:56.431
- Lord, i see myself as i am.
- 00:25:56.431 --> 00:25:57.832
- Forgive me of all of my sin.
- 00:25:57.832 --> 00:26:00.068
- ♪♪♪
- 00:26:00.068 --> 00:26:04.005
- Greg: have you ever wondered how to find personal happiness?
- 00:26:04.005 --> 00:26:07.409
- Hi, i'm pastor greg laurie.
- 00:26:07.409 --> 00:26:09.077
- Let me tell you a secret about finding happiness.
- 00:26:09.077 --> 00:26:12.380
- The least happy people are the people that live to be happy.
- 00:26:12.380 --> 00:26:16.685
- But here's the secret.
- 00:26:16.685 --> 00:26:18.620
- The bible says, "happy are the people whose god is the lord."
- 00:26:18.620 --> 00:26:23.491
- You will never find happiness from seeking it.
- 00:26:23.491 --> 00:26:26.494
- But if you come into a relationship with god
- 00:26:26.494 --> 00:26:28.797
- Through jesus,
- 00:26:28.797 --> 00:26:30.131
- You'll find the happiness you've been looking for in life.
- 00:26:30.131 --> 00:26:33.668
- He's just a prayer away.
- 00:26:34.869 --> 00:26:36.938
- There's a number on the screen, you can call that number,
- 00:26:36.938 --> 00:26:40.442
- And i wanna send you a free bible and tell you
- 00:26:40.442 --> 00:26:43.211
- How to be a happy person and come into a relationship
- 00:26:43.211 --> 00:26:46.815
- With god, so you have purpose in this life,
- 00:26:46.815 --> 00:26:49.818
- And the life to come.
- 00:26:49.818 --> 00:26:51.920
- You have the hope of heaven.
- 00:26:51.920 --> 00:26:53.655
- ♪♪♪
- 00:26:53.655 --> 00:26:58.593
- Female announcer: jesus says that "where two or three
- 00:27:00.962 --> 00:27:03.365
- Are gathered in my name, there i am in the midst of them."
- 00:27:03.365 --> 00:27:07.802
- We are all different.
- 00:27:07.802 --> 00:27:09.170
- We have different interests, different personalities,
- 00:27:09.170 --> 00:27:12.307
- Different upbringings, and different ways we do life,
- 00:27:12.307 --> 00:27:16.244
- But here, we have a deep connection,
- 00:27:16.244 --> 00:27:19.781
- And you are welcome here.
- 00:27:19.781 --> 00:27:23.885
- This is harvest.
- 00:27:23.885 --> 00:27:23.885