Join Pastor Greg Laurie for a time of encouragement, worship, and Bible study.
#Emotion
#Joy
#Peace
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#Blessing
#IdentityinChrist
#Sin
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#Repentance
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Harvest with Pastor Greg Laurie | Greg Laurie - How To Be Happy (Part 1) | September 23, 2025
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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.
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- 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.
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- And here's something that might surprise some people,
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- God wants you to be happy.
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- I don't think that's the view many people have of god.
- 00:04:50.689 --> 00:04:53.859
- They think that he is just the ultimate party crasher.
- 00:04:53.859 --> 00:04:57.896
- He's out to reign in your parade.
- 00:04:57.896 --> 00:05:00.032
- He's out to make your life miserable.
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- Nothing could be further from the truth.
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- The fact is, god wants you to be happy.
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- 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.
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- 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 city.
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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.
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- By the way, "the sermon on the mount"
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- 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."
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- So there are the first beatitudes.
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- 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.
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- I think sometimes we use the word bless to get rid
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- Of someone.
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- 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?
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- 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.
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- 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.
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- When children came to him, he took them into his arms
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- And he blessed them.
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- After his resurrection, we read that he lifted his hands
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- And he blessed them.
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- So god wants to bless you.
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- We see this from genesis to revelation.
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- There was a blessing that the priests were to pronounce
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- Over the people of israel.
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- And they would say, "the lord bless you.
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- The lord keep you, and may his face shine upon you
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- And be gracious unto you.
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- The lord turn his face toward you and give you peace."
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- God wants to bless you.
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- Let me take it a step further.
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- God loves to bless you.
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- Sometimes we think god is stingy.
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- He's holding back his blessings.
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- Do you know a stingy person?
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- No, you can't have that.
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- Do you know a generous person?
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- Yes, you can have that, and even more.
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- God is generous, not stingy.
- 00:11:19.778 --> 00:11:21.813
- Bringing me to point number two: happy people are humble people.
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- Happy people are humble people.
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- Now, this has been wrongly understood to be saying blessed
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- That are the poor, this is not what jesus said.
- 00:11:35.894 --> 00:11:38.697
- He said, "blessed that are the poor in spirit."
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- There is no blessedness in being rich or poor in and of itself.
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- The bible does not commend poverty, nor does it
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- Condemn wealth.
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- It does say the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil.
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- People sometimes say the bible says money is the root
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- Of all evil.
- 00:11:58.450 --> 00:11:59.818
- I don't know what bible you're reading, but my bible doesn't
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- Say that.
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- 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.
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- Money is neutral.
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- Money can be good.
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- Money can help.
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- Money can do things for the kingdom of god.
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- Money can be problematic.
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- It can even be evil.
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- It can destroy a person's life.
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- It all depends on your attitude to it.
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- What jesus says is, "blessed are the poor in spirit."
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- What does this mean?
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- Blessed is the man, blessed is the woman.
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- Happy is the person who sees himself as they really are,
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- Lost, hopeless, and destitute, and desperately in need of god.
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- That's what it means to be poor in spirit.
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- So you have to see yourself for who you are.
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- You have to see yourself as a sinner who really needs
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- A savior.
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- And this is hard for some people to call themselves what
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- They are, to see themselves as they are.
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- I mean, this is counter to culture today.
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- We're told things like you're more than enough.
- 00:13:06.117 --> 00:13:09.320
- Self love is the greatest love.
- 00:13:09.320 --> 00:13:11.790
- You're a winner at our games for our children.
- 00:13:11.790 --> 00:13:15.527
- You know, we don't keep score because everyone's a winner.
- 00:13:15.527 --> 00:13:18.596
- Everyone is not a winner.
- 00:13:18.596 --> 00:13:20.832
- There are losers in life.
- 00:13:20.832 --> 00:13:23.368
- We're not all that and a bag of chips as some think.
- 00:13:23.368 --> 00:13:27.305
- Self love is not the greatest love.
- 00:13:27.305 --> 00:13:30.041
- You are not more than enough, you need help.
- 00:13:30.041 --> 00:13:33.945
- You're a sinner, as i am, as we all are.
- 00:13:33.945 --> 00:13:37.849
- ♪♪♪
- 00:13:37.849 --> 00:13:40.485
- Greg: you know, if you wanna be a happy person,
- 00:13:40.485 --> 00:13:42.687
- It's gonna require that you stop doing some things
- 00:13:42.687 --> 00:13:45.590
- And start doing other things.
- 00:13:45.590 --> 00:13:47.559
- Psalm 1 tells us about the happy man as the blessed man.
- 00:13:47.559 --> 00:13:51.462
- It says, "he doesn't walk in the council of the ungodly,
- 00:13:51.462 --> 00:13:54.532
- Or stand in the way of sinners,
- 00:13:54.532 --> 00:13:56.034
- Or sit in the seat of the scornful."
- 00:13:56.034 --> 00:13:57.869
- That's what he doesn't do.
- 00:13:57.869 --> 00:13:59.204
- But what he does do is he meditates
- 00:13:59.204 --> 00:14:01.339
- In the word of god day and night.
- 00:14:01.339 --> 00:14:04.142
- And here's the promise.
- 00:14:04.142 --> 00:14:05.476
- If you do this, you'll be like a tree planted
- 00:14:05.476 --> 00:14:08.213
- By the rivers of water.
- 00:14:08.213 --> 00:14:09.747
- You'll bring forth fruit in your season.
- 00:14:09.747 --> 00:14:11.950
- Whatever you do will prosper.
- 00:14:11.950 --> 00:14:14.118
- Stop some things, start other things.
- 00:14:14.118 --> 00:14:16.788
- As one person put it, an old preacher from the 1700s.
- 00:14:16.788 --> 00:14:21.092
- It's the expulsive power of a new affection,
- 00:14:21.092 --> 00:14:25.463
- The expulsive power of a new affection.
- 00:14:25.463 --> 00:14:27.699
- When you love jesus with all of your heart you will in turn
- 00:14:27.699 --> 00:14:32.003
- Not want to do those things that will keep you from him.
- 00:14:32.003 --> 00:14:34.706
- Greg: "blessed are the poor in spirit."
- 00:14:38.409 --> 00:14:41.913
- Blessed are those that see themselves as they really are.
- 00:14:41.913 --> 00:14:46.751
- Oh, we can spend a life chasing after happiness and
- 00:14:46.751 --> 00:14:50.755
- Never finding that.
- 00:14:50.755 --> 00:14:52.257
- We say i need to find myself.
- 00:14:52.257 --> 00:14:54.058
- I'm leaving this marriage.
- 00:14:54.058 --> 00:14:55.727
- I'm not happy anymore.
- 00:14:55.727 --> 00:14:57.362
- I need to find myself.
- 00:14:57.362 --> 00:14:59.397
- Oh, shut up.
- 00:14:59.397 --> 00:15:03.101
- You wanna find yourself?
- 00:15:03.101 --> 00:15:05.637
- Jesus says lose yourself, deny yourself.
- 00:15:05.637 --> 00:15:09.307
- The bible is counter to all the things the culture tells us.
- 00:15:09.307 --> 00:15:13.645
- Jesus says humble yourself, lose yourself
- 00:15:13.645 --> 00:15:16.714
- And you'll find yourself.
- 00:15:16.714 --> 00:15:19.117
- The bible tells us humble yourself under the mighty hand
- 00:15:19.117 --> 00:15:21.719
- Of god, and he'll exalt you in due time.
- 00:15:21.719 --> 00:15:25.256
- If you wanna try, if you wanna find true happiness, you must be
- 00:15:25.256 --> 00:15:29.060
- Poor in spirit.
- 00:15:29.060 --> 00:15:30.395
- See yourself as you really are.
- 00:15:30.395 --> 00:15:33.131
- Classic example of a guy who is poor in spirit is a man who went
- 00:15:33.131 --> 00:15:36.601
- Into the temple to pray.
- 00:15:36.601 --> 00:15:37.969
- Jesus told the story, two men went in the temple to pray.
- 00:15:37.969 --> 00:15:41.139
- One was a sinner, one was a pharisee.
- 00:15:41.139 --> 00:15:44.742
- Actually, the sinner was a publican, not a republican,
- 00:15:44.742 --> 00:15:48.446
- A publican.
- 00:15:48.446 --> 00:15:50.815
- And that meant he was a tax collector.
- 00:15:50.815 --> 00:15:53.484
- So they were not looked upon favorably at that time.
- 00:15:53.484 --> 00:15:57.722
- They're not looked unfavorably in this time, but they both want
- 00:15:57.722 --> 00:16:01.993
- To pray a sinner and a pharisee who is of the highest order of
- 00:16:01.993 --> 00:16:07.365
- Religious accomplishment.
- 00:16:07.365 --> 00:16:10.168
- And so the pharisee starts his prayer like this,
- 00:16:10.168 --> 00:16:13.705
- "god i thank you that i'm not like other people."
- 00:16:13.705 --> 00:16:17.175
- Man you know your prayers are messed up when you say something
- 00:16:17.175 --> 00:16:19.744
- Like that.
- 00:16:19.744 --> 00:16:21.112
- And then he takes it a step, "especially not like this dude
- 00:16:21.112 --> 00:16:23.915
- Over here."
- 00:16:23.915 --> 00:16:27.285
- And then jesus said, "and the sinner wouldn't even lift
- 00:16:27.285 --> 00:16:30.221
- His eyes.
- 00:16:30.221 --> 00:16:31.589
- He just beat his chest and said, 'god be merciful to me,
- 00:16:31.589 --> 00:16:33.925
- A sinner.'"
- 00:16:33.925 --> 00:16:35.293
- And then he even said in actually, in the original
- 00:16:35.293 --> 00:16:37.862
- Language, it would be, "god be merciful to me, the sinner."
- 00:16:37.862 --> 00:16:42.166
- He said, man, i'm the worst of the lot.
- 00:16:42.166 --> 00:16:44.602
- God be merciful.
- 00:16:44.602 --> 00:16:45.970
- That's all he said.
- 00:16:45.970 --> 00:16:47.305
- Jesus said, who do you think went down justified?
- 00:16:47.305 --> 00:16:50.308
- Wasn't that pharisee.
- 00:16:50.308 --> 00:16:52.377
- It was a man who saw his real condition.
- 00:16:52.377 --> 00:16:54.812
- Blessed are the poor in spirit.
- 00:16:54.812 --> 00:16:57.982
- Beatitude number two, point number three, happy people are,
- 00:16:57.982 --> 00:17:03.454
- I'll put in quotes, "unhappy people."
- 00:17:03.454 --> 00:17:05.957
- Happy people are "unhappy people."
- 00:17:05.957 --> 00:17:08.493
- Point number one, happy people are humble people.
- 00:17:08.493 --> 00:17:11.195
- Number two, happy people are unhappy people.
- 00:17:11.195 --> 00:17:13.865
- Verse four, "blessed are they that mourn, for they shall
- 00:17:13.865 --> 00:17:16.734
- Be comforted."
- 00:17:16.734 --> 00:17:18.069
- You could also translate this, "happy are the unhappy."
- 00:17:18.069 --> 00:17:22.240
- What?
- 00:17:22.240 --> 00:17:23.741
- That doesn't make any sense to us.
- 00:17:23.741 --> 00:17:25.276
- So to be happy, i need to be sad?
- 00:17:25.276 --> 00:17:27.979
- Yes.
- 00:17:27.979 --> 00:17:29.747
- In this way, you have to see yourself as you really are.
- 00:17:29.747 --> 00:17:33.084
- I'm a sinner who needs a savior, and i'm sorry for what
- 00:17:33.084 --> 00:17:37.522
- I've done, and i want to change, so i mourn over my condition.
- 00:17:37.522 --> 00:17:43.327
- Listen, better to mourn now and laugh later, than to laugh now
- 00:17:43.327 --> 00:17:47.465
- And mourn later.
- 00:17:47.465 --> 00:17:49.734
- Some people, all they wanna do is laugh.
- 00:17:49.734 --> 00:17:52.470
- All they wanna do is get drunk and party, and laugh, and laugh,
- 00:17:52.470 --> 00:17:55.807
- And laugh.
- 00:17:55.807 --> 00:17:57.141
- They don't even know what they're laughing at.
- 00:17:57.141 --> 00:17:58.509
- Everything's funny to a drunk.
- 00:17:58.509 --> 00:18:01.612
- But really, what is that all about?
- 00:18:01.612 --> 00:18:03.581
- Solomon went on a sin binge basically trying everything
- 00:18:03.581 --> 00:18:08.352
- The world has to offer.
- 00:18:08.352 --> 00:18:09.887
- And he said in ecclesiastes 2, "when i said, 'come on,
- 00:18:09.887 --> 00:18:13.024
- Let's give pleasure a try.
- 00:18:13.024 --> 00:18:14.358
- Let's look for the good things in life.
- 00:18:14.358 --> 00:18:16.060
- But i found it was meaningless.'"
- 00:18:16.060 --> 00:18:17.929
- Solomon says, "it's silly to be laughing all the time.
- 00:18:17.929 --> 00:18:21.432
- What good does it do to only seek pleasure?"
- 00:18:21.432 --> 00:18:25.169
- You know, some people, they suppress tears.
- 00:18:25.169 --> 00:18:27.205
- They should be crying and instead they're laughing.
- 00:18:27.205 --> 00:18:31.142
- Before he died of aids, freddie mercury,
- 00:18:31.142 --> 00:18:34.178
- The lead singer of queen recorded a song called party,
- 00:18:34.178 --> 00:18:38.449
- And in the song he sings quote,
- 00:18:38.449 --> 00:18:40.685
- "we were up all night singing and giving a chase.
- 00:18:40.685 --> 00:18:43.454
- The next morning, everybody was hung over.
- 00:18:43.454 --> 00:18:46.057
- And then in the refrain, he repeatedly implores his party
- 00:18:46.057 --> 00:18:49.494
- Mates to come back and play."
- 00:18:49.494 --> 00:18:52.063
- End quote.
- 00:18:52.063 --> 00:18:53.431
- But see, here's the problem.
- 00:18:53.431 --> 00:18:54.765
- There comes a time when the party is over.
- 00:18:54.765 --> 00:18:56.601
- All the laughing is behind you, and it really has led
- 00:18:56.601 --> 00:18:59.337
- To nothing.
- 00:18:59.337 --> 00:19:00.705
- It's better to be sad over your condition, because the bible
- 00:19:00.705 --> 00:19:04.509
- Says in 2 corinthians 7:10, "the kind of sorrow god wants us to
- 00:19:04.509 --> 00:19:08.746
- Experience leads us away from sin and results in salvation.
- 00:19:08.746 --> 00:19:13.317
- There's no regret for that kind of sorrow.
- 00:19:13.317 --> 00:19:16.220
- But worldly sorrow, which lacks repentance,
- 00:19:16.220 --> 00:19:19.357
- Results in spiritual death."
- 00:19:19.357 --> 00:19:21.058
- In other words, hey, i'm sorry, and i'm sorry enough to stop.
- 00:19:21.058 --> 00:19:26.330
- See that the problem is we will minimize sin.
- 00:19:26.330 --> 00:19:29.867
- We'll say things like well, god loves me and accepts me as i am.
- 00:19:29.867 --> 00:19:34.305
- Hey, man, don't judge my journey, right?
- 00:19:34.305 --> 00:19:37.675
- Well, god does love you, and he does accept you as you are, but
- 00:19:37.675 --> 00:19:42.747
- He wants to change you, and he wants you to repent of your sin,
- 00:19:42.747 --> 00:19:46.984
- And he wants you to come into a right relationship with him.
- 00:19:46.984 --> 00:19:51.722
- When the prodigal son was away from his father, he was sad.
- 00:19:51.722 --> 00:19:55.860
- When he returned to his father in repentance, he was glad.
- 00:19:55.860 --> 00:20:00.665
- That brings us to point number four:
- 00:20:00.665 --> 00:20:03.568
- A happy person will be a meek person.
- 00:20:03.568 --> 00:20:07.004
- A happy person will be a meek person.
- 00:20:07.071 --> 00:20:09.640
- "blessed are the meek."
- 00:20:09.640 --> 00:20:12.610
- Now meekness is not celebrated in our culture, maybe because
- 00:20:12.610 --> 00:20:17.181
- We don't understand what it is.
- 00:20:17.181 --> 00:20:19.517
- For starters, meekness is not weakness.
- 00:20:19.517 --> 00:20:22.520
- The best definition of meekness is power under constraint.
- 00:20:22.520 --> 00:20:28.259
- It's interesting becomes, it describes the breaking
- 00:20:28.259 --> 00:20:31.762
- Of a powerful stallion.
- 00:20:31.762 --> 00:20:33.664
- So when you climb on a beautiful horse, how many of you love
- 00:20:33.664 --> 00:20:37.368
- To ride horses?
- 00:20:37.368 --> 00:20:38.703
- Now, we have a few equestrians out there.
- 00:20:38.703 --> 00:20:41.272
- I prefer horsepower.
- 00:20:41.272 --> 00:20:43.608
- I like a throttle, and i decide when it starts and when
- 00:20:43.608 --> 00:20:47.778
- It stops, because i was on a horse once that wouldn't stop.
- 00:20:47.778 --> 00:20:52.883
- And that's kind of a scary process.
- 00:20:52.883 --> 00:20:54.685
- Like where's the emergency brake on this animal?
- 00:20:54.685 --> 00:20:57.121
- Right?
- 00:20:57.121 --> 00:20:58.489
- So the idea is that you're breaking the horse, as they say.
- 00:20:58.489 --> 00:21:01.325
- The horse is submitting its will.
- 00:21:01.325 --> 00:21:03.160
- It's not that it's lost its will.
- 00:21:03.160 --> 00:21:05.229
- It's not that it's not stronger than you, but it has surrendered
- 00:21:05.229 --> 00:21:08.666
- Its will to the rider.
- 00:21:08.666 --> 00:21:10.735
- So when the bible talks of weakness, it doesn't mean
- 00:21:10.735 --> 00:21:13.471
- A meekness.
- 00:21:13.471 --> 00:21:14.805
- It doesn't mean i'm weak.
- 00:21:14.805 --> 00:21:16.307
- It means, i know who's in charge, and i've surrendered
- 00:21:16.307 --> 00:21:19.777
- My will over to his.
- 00:21:19.777 --> 00:21:21.479
- But in our culture, we celebrate revenge.
- 00:21:21.479 --> 00:21:26.117
- You know, there are these films out with liam neeson called
- 00:21:26.117 --> 00:21:28.853
- "taken," right?
- 00:21:28.853 --> 00:21:31.122
- "taken."
- 00:21:31.122 --> 00:21:32.490
- There's three "taken" films.
- 00:21:32.490 --> 00:21:33.991
- What if they came out with a fourth film
- 00:21:33.991 --> 00:21:37.061
- In the "taken" series?
- 00:21:37.061 --> 00:21:38.562
- But it was different.
- 00:21:38.562 --> 00:21:39.930
- "taken: turning over a new leaf" and in the film, liam neeson
- 00:21:39.930 --> 00:21:45.169
- Picks up the phone and he says, "i have a particular set
- 00:21:45.169 --> 00:21:49.340
- Of skills,
- 00:21:49.340 --> 00:21:51.642
- Skills that make me a nightmare for a person like you.
- 00:21:51.642 --> 00:21:55.179
- I will pursue you, i will find you and i will forgive you."
- 00:21:55.179 --> 00:22:02.620
- Who would watch that?
- 00:22:02.620 --> 00:22:04.822
- That sounds good?
- 00:22:04.822 --> 00:22:06.457
- I will forgive you and give you a quick hug.
- 00:22:06.457 --> 00:22:09.527
- Wait, no, you kill them.
- 00:22:09.527 --> 00:22:13.264
- But before you kill them, you beat them mercilessly.
- 00:22:13.264 --> 00:22:16.334
- And that's the movie i wanna see, in slow-mo preferably.
- 00:22:16.334 --> 00:22:21.305
- But this is what the bible is saying.
- 00:22:21.305 --> 00:22:22.773
- It's forgiving.
- 00:22:22.773 --> 00:22:24.108
- One of the best examples of meekness, and forgiveness
- 00:22:24.108 --> 00:22:28.713
- In the bible is the story of joseph.
- 00:22:28.713 --> 00:22:31.415
- Sold by his blood brothers into slavery, ultimately exalted
- 00:22:31.415 --> 00:22:38.055
- To a powerful position where he could have had them
- 00:22:38.055 --> 00:22:41.025
- All summarily executed.
- 00:22:41.025 --> 00:22:42.927
- But instead he forgives them.
- 00:22:42.927 --> 00:22:45.563
- That is what meekness is.
- 00:22:45.563 --> 00:22:47.498
- But the ultimate example of meekness is jesus himself.
- 00:22:47.498 --> 00:22:52.169
- He laid down everything for us, and willingly went to the cross
- 00:22:52.169 --> 00:22:56.040
- And died in our place.
- 00:22:56.040 --> 00:22:58.008
- And the only autobiographical statement ever jesus gave,
- 00:22:58.008 --> 00:23:02.480
- He said in matthew 11:29, i am meek and lowly in heart.
- 00:23:02.480 --> 00:23:06.684
- Does that mean jesus was weak?
- 00:23:06.684 --> 00:23:08.819
- Of course not.
- 00:23:08.819 --> 00:23:10.154
- He was the strongest man who ever lived.
- 00:23:10.154 --> 00:23:12.490
- With just a word, he could destroy his enemies.
- 00:23:12.490 --> 00:23:15.726
- When they arrested him in the garden of gethsemane, he said,
- 00:23:15.726 --> 00:23:19.730
- "who are you looking for?"
- 00:23:19.730 --> 00:23:21.098
- They said, "jesus of nazareth."
- 00:23:21.098 --> 00:23:22.433
- He said, "i am."
- 00:23:22.433 --> 00:23:23.801
- And the bible says they all fell backwards.
- 00:23:23.801 --> 00:23:25.870
- It's like dominoes.
- 00:23:25.870 --> 00:23:27.238
- "i am."
- 00:23:27.238 --> 00:23:28.572
- Those are the words of god from mount sinai to moses,
- 00:23:28.572 --> 00:23:31.475
- "i am that i am."
- 00:23:31.475 --> 00:23:33.544
- Jesus could have said, "i am and you were.
- 00:23:33.544 --> 00:23:36.180
- Bye."
- 00:23:36.180 --> 00:23:37.548
- The end.
- 00:23:37.548 --> 00:23:38.916
- Do that in slow motion.
- 00:23:38.916 --> 00:23:41.919
- But he did not act in that way.
- 00:23:41.919 --> 00:23:44.121
- He laid his life down for us.
- 00:23:44.121 --> 00:23:47.491
- Number four, a happy person passionately desires
- 00:23:47.491 --> 00:23:51.562
- A righteous life.
- 00:23:51.562 --> 00:23:52.930
- Excuse me.
- 00:23:52.930 --> 00:23:54.265
- That's number five: a happy person passionately desires
- 00:23:54.265 --> 00:23:57.635
- A righteous life.
- 00:23:57.635 --> 00:23:58.969
- Verse six, "blessed are they who hunger and thirst
- 00:23:58.969 --> 00:24:01.172
- For righteousness, for they shall be filled."
- 00:24:01.172 --> 00:24:04.175
- Now, this is talking about a spiritual hunger.
- 00:24:04.175 --> 00:24:06.410
- So let's put it all together.
- 00:24:06.410 --> 00:24:07.945
- First, i see myself as i really am, poor in spirit,
- 00:24:07.945 --> 00:24:11.615
- Spiritually destitute, a sinner in need of a savior.
- 00:24:11.615 --> 00:24:15.719
- I'm sorry for my condition.
- 00:24:15.719 --> 00:24:17.555
- I mourn over my condition.
- 00:24:17.555 --> 00:24:19.623
- I repent over my condition.
- 00:24:19.623 --> 00:24:21.859
- And then a true meekness enters into my life, a humility
- 00:24:21.859 --> 00:24:25.796
- As i've seen myself as i really am because i've seen god
- 00:24:25.796 --> 00:24:29.667
- For who he is.
- 00:24:29.667 --> 00:24:31.035
- And now i have a new hunger and a thirst for righteousness.
- 00:24:31.035 --> 00:24:36.273
- Let's summarize and close.
- 00:24:36.273 --> 00:24:38.242
- You must be poor in spirit.
- 00:24:38.242 --> 00:24:40.444
- Number one: see yourself as you really are.
- 00:24:40.444 --> 00:24:42.746
- You must mourn for your sin.
- 00:24:42.746 --> 00:24:45.783
- Number three: you must have a change in attitude
- 00:24:45.783 --> 00:24:48.986
- And have a hunger and thirst for god who will satisfy you.
- 00:24:48.986 --> 00:24:52.623
- Happy are the people whose god is the lord.
- 00:24:52.623 --> 00:24:56.994
- It's hard to be happy when your conscience is racked with guilt.
- 00:24:56.994 --> 00:25:03.133
- Because the bible also says, "happy is the person whose sin
- 00:25:03.133 --> 00:25:06.437
- Is forgiven."
- 00:25:06.437 --> 00:25:08.005
- When your sin is forgiven, it changes everything.
- 00:25:08.005 --> 00:25:11.075
- Maybe i'm talking to somebody right now who was rocked
- 00:25:11.075 --> 00:25:13.677
- With guilt, because of something you've said, something
- 00:25:13.677 --> 00:25:16.547
- You've done.
- 00:25:16.547 --> 00:25:17.915
- You're saying, how do i get rid of this guilt?
- 00:25:17.915 --> 00:25:20.150
- We'll get to the source of it.
- 00:25:20.150 --> 00:25:21.886
- What is the source of your guilt?
- 00:25:21.886 --> 00:25:24.355
- The source of your guilt is sin.
- 00:25:24.355 --> 00:25:27.024
- So, if your sin is forgiven, your guilt is removed.
- 00:25:27.024 --> 00:25:30.828
- Guilt has its place.
- 00:25:30.828 --> 00:25:32.696
- I know sometimes people say, guilt is bad.
- 00:25:32.696 --> 00:25:34.598
- Well, guilt can be bad if it's the wrong kind of guilt.
- 00:25:34.598 --> 00:25:37.668
- But guilt can also be an indication that your conscience
- 00:25:37.668 --> 00:25:40.871
- Is working.
- 00:25:40.871 --> 00:25:42.239
- And you say, i shouldn't have done that.
- 00:25:42.239 --> 00:25:43.941
- I shouldn't have said that, and i have guilt.
- 00:25:43.941 --> 00:25:46.577
- But when your sin is forgiven, now, the guilt will be removed.
- 00:25:46.577 --> 00:25:50.481
- And the way that can happen is when you just come to god
- 00:25:50.481 --> 00:25:53.150
- And take step one of the beatitudes,
- 00:25:53.150 --> 00:25:55.286
- "blessed is the poor spirit."
- 00:25:55.286 --> 00:25:57.421
- Lord, i see myself as i am.
- 00:25:57.421 --> 00:25:58.822
- Forgive me of all of my sin.
- 00:25:58.822 --> 00:26:00.391
- ♪♪♪
- 00:26:00.391 --> 00:26:04.995
- Greg: have you ever wondered how to find personal happiness?
- 00:26:04.995 --> 00:26:08.399
- Hi, i'm pastor greg laurie.
- 00:26:08.399 --> 00:26:10.067
- Let me tell you a secret about finding happiness.
- 00:26:10.067 --> 00:26:13.370
- The least happy people are the people that live to be happy.
- 00:26:13.370 --> 00:26:17.675
- But here's the secret.
- 00:26:17.675 --> 00:26:19.610
- The bible says, "happy are the people whose god is the lord."
- 00:26:19.610 --> 00:26:24.481
- You will never find happiness from seeking it.
- 00:26:24.481 --> 00:26:27.484
- But if you come into a relationship with god
- 00:26:27.484 --> 00:26:29.787
- Through jesus,
- 00:26:29.787 --> 00:26:31.121
- You'll find the happiness you've been looking for in life.
- 00:26:31.121 --> 00:26:34.658
- He's just a prayer away.
- 00:26:35.859 --> 00:26:37.928
- There's a number on the screen, you can call that number,
- 00:26:37.928 --> 00:26:41.432
- And i wanna send you a free bible and tell you
- 00:26:41.432 --> 00:26:44.201
- How to be a happy person and come into a relationship
- 00:26:44.201 --> 00:26:47.805
- With god, so you have purpose in this life,
- 00:26:47.805 --> 00:26:50.808
- And the life to come.
- 00:26:50.808 --> 00:26:52.910
- You have the hope of heaven.
- 00:26:52.910 --> 00:26:54.645
- ♪♪♪
- 00:26:54.645 --> 00:26:59.583
- Female announcer: jesus says that where two or three are
- 00:27:01.585 --> 00:27:03.988
- Gathered in my name, there i am in the midst of them.
- 00:27:03.988 --> 00:27:08.425
- We are all different.
- 00:27:08.425 --> 00:27:09.793
- We have different interests, different personalities,
- 00:27:09.793 --> 00:27:12.930
- Different upbringings, and different ways we do life,
- 00:27:12.930 --> 00:27:16.867
- But here, we have a deep connection,
- 00:27:16.867 --> 00:27:20.404
- And you are welcome here.
- 00:27:20.404 --> 00:27:24.508
- This is harvest.
- 00:27:24.508 --> 00:27:24.508
