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Touching Lives with James Merritt

James Merritt - Prayer 301

January 26, 2025 | S25:E4

James Merritt - Prayer 301
Touching Lives is the international broadcast ministry of Dr. James Merritt.
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Touching Lives with James Merritt | James Merritt - Prayer 301 | January 26, 2025
  • ...
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  • Male announcer: welcome to the international broadcast ministry
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  • Of "touching lives" with dr. james merritt.
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  • Here at "touching lives," our mission is to touch the lives of
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  • The lost and enrich the faith of the found.
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  • And now here is pastor, author, and speaker, dr. james merritt.
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  • ♪♪♪
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  • James merritt: if you google the word "list," and i'm a google
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  • Guy, but if you google the word "list," you'll find the most
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  • Popular list on google or what is called top 10 list.
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  • And that really shouldn't surprise you in a way because in
  • 00:00:38.787 --> 00:00:41.590
  • A way if you think about it, 10 is kind of a, it's kind of a
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  • Magical number.
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  • So for example, go back to your childhood.
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  • The first thing you learn to do as a child mathematically is you
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  • Learn to count to 10.
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  • Most humans have 10 fingers and 10 toes.
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  • God in his wisdom gave us 10 commandments.
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  • You count large numbers in multiples of 10.
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  • If you are a football fan of which, as you know i am, you
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  • Want your team to be one of the top 10 teams at the end of the
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  • Season, you want your team to have a top 10 recruiting class.
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  • If you want to gain a first down, you've got to go 10 yards.
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  • So i don't know what it is, but there's just something kind of
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  • Magical and different about the number 10.
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  • Well, i'm gonna put a top 10 list up here right now.
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  • I want you to read them, each one, and i want you to see
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  • If you can figure out what is this list?
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  • What is this top 10 list all about?
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  • So just bear--
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  • Well, i think most of you have figured it out.
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  • First, inflation; number two, the affordability of
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  • Health care.
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  • Number three, the ability of democrats and republicans to
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  • Work together.
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  • Number four is drug addiction, which may be why we have drug
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  • Addiction because they can't get along, gun violence.
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  • Number five, violent crime, the federal budget deficit, the
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  • State of moral values, illegal immigration and the quality of
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  • Public k-12 schools.
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  • What do you think that list comprised of?
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  • It's what we're worried about.
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  • Those are the top 10 things that americans are saying today,
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  • "that's what worries us."
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  • This is what keeps us awake at night.
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  • This is what makes us walk the floor.
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  • Now, if you're one of those rare birds and you're sitting there
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  • And you're saying, "none of those things worry me."
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  • No worries.
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  • There are a lot of other things you can worry about.
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  • Let me give you an example.
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  • You like to be out in the sun?
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  • Well, just a word of caution.
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  • It does cause skin cancer.
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  • You like working in a nice, plush office?
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  • Did you know in most office buildings, there are vents that
  • 00:02:58.694 --> 00:03:01.797
  • Are blowing these lung clotting mold spores that can give
  • 00:03:01.797 --> 00:03:04.900
  • You cancer?
  • 00:03:04.900 --> 00:03:06.902
  • You like potato chips?
  • 00:03:06.902 --> 00:03:08.237
  • They got too many carbs.
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  • You like vegetables, they got too many toxins.
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  • I mean, without even--i mean, prime ribs got too much fat.
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  • So without even trying, i mean, people will give you things to
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  • Worry about.
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  • Now, if you are one of those weirdos who say, "i don't worry
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  • About anything."
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  • You worry me, i'm worried about you.
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  • I just don't understand people that don't ever worry
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  • About anything.
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  • As a matter of fact, if you say i'm not worried about anything,
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  • You should be worried about yourself.
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  • You need therapy, you need help.
  • 00:03:42.604 --> 00:03:44.840
  • Now, if you're like me and the vast majority of you are, i'll
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  • Be honest.
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  • Worry is a problem.
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  • There's something pastors have trouble with and we have to work
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  • On it.
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  • I've got to work at all my ministry because, you know,
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  • We--although i don't--i'm not clark kent, and i don't become
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  • Superman on sunday.
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  • I don't have a red phone next to my desk.
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  • It's a hotline to god any more than you do.
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  • I shop at walmart and go to kroger just like you do.
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  • We do subliminally think we can't let our guard down.
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  • We don't let people think there's any chink in our arm--
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  • You know, after all i'm the pastor.
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  • Well, i wanna be very transparent.
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  • My achilles heel is worry.
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  • That's my emotional achilles heel.
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  • I've been a worrier all of my life.
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  • My mom was a worrier.
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  • I'm not saying it's hereditary.
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  • My mom was a worrier.
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  • I am a worrier.
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  • As a matter of fact, there are times in my life that i get to a
  • 00:04:35.057 --> 00:04:37.626
  • Point when i'm not worried and then i'm worried that i'm
  • 00:04:37.626 --> 00:04:40.195
  • Not worried.
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  • So, i mean, i'm just telling you, worry is a problem and as
  • 00:04:41.563 --> 00:04:45.334
  • You get older, it doesn't really get better.
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  • So if you're one of those people that maybe you wake up worried
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  • And during the day you walk in worry and then at night you go
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  • To bed worried.
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  • Don't worry because this message is for you and for me and i am
  • 00:04:58.380 --> 00:05:04.419
  • So grateful that jesus had a lot to say about worry.
  • 00:05:04.419 --> 00:05:08.190
  • As a matter of fact, in the greatest sermon that he
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  • Ever preached--
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  • If you're a guest of ours today, by the way, we've been in this
  • 00:05:12.027 --> 00:05:13.895
  • Series, i hope you've enjoyed as much as i have that we're
  • 00:05:13.895 --> 00:05:15.964
  • Calling "get used to different."
  • 00:05:15.964 --> 00:05:17.432
  • It is on the greatest sermon ever preached, which is the
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  • Sermon on the mount.
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  • And what's very interesting is you would have never
  • 00:05:21.670 --> 00:05:24.039
  • Thought this.
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  • But before jesus preached this sermon, if you'd said to jesus,
  • 00:05:25.407 --> 00:05:28.176
  • "what portion of the message will be the longest portion?
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  • What will you talk about the most in that message?"
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  • It's worry.
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  • This is the biggest portion of the sermon on the mount.
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  • And evidently jesus knew that he--we're going to have an issue
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  • With worry.
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  • So if you brought your booklet, many of you bring your booklets.
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  • Now, just turn to matthew chapter 6, and before we get
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  • Into what jesus says about worry, let me clarify one
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  • Difference because i don't want you to misunderstand what
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  • Worry is.
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  • Let me tell you what i'm not talking about, all right?
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  • There's a difference between worry and concern.
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  • For example, if you're a parent, you ought to be concerned if you
  • 00:06:04.212 --> 00:06:09.918
  • Have a prodigal child.
  • 00:06:09.918 --> 00:06:12.821
  • You ought to be concerned that your child is getting a
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  • Quality education.
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  • You ought to be concerned that your kids are hanging around
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  • With the right kids.
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  • You know, you ought to be.
  • 00:06:22.898 --> 00:06:24.733
  • If you're wanting to get married, if you're thinking
  • 00:06:24.733 --> 00:06:27.736
  • About getting married, you're single, you ought to be
  • 00:06:27.736 --> 00:06:30.405
  • Concerned about finding the right person, finding a godly
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  • Husband, finding a godly wife.
  • 00:06:34.042 --> 00:06:36.545
  • So finding somebody that really means that when they say one
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  • Day, "till death do us part sickness or in health or
  • 00:06:39.414 --> 00:06:42.150
  • Whatever, we're in this for the long haul."
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  • If you desire to retire someday, you ought to be concerned about
  • 00:06:45.787 --> 00:06:49.624
  • Saving enough money so you can have an income in your
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  • Twilight years.
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  • So i want you to understand there's a difference between
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  • Worry and concern.
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  • So to really make it simple for you to understand, let me put it
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  • To you this way, a worried person sees a problem.
  • 00:07:01.636 --> 00:07:07.809
  • A concerned person does something about it.
  • 00:07:07.809 --> 00:07:11.046
  • A worried person sees a problem but a concerned person solves
  • 00:07:11.046 --> 00:07:15.750
  • The problem.
  • 00:07:15.750 --> 00:07:17.085
  • And by the way, let me just before i get into anything else,
  • 00:07:17.085 --> 00:07:19.821
  • Let me just kinda skip ahead and just kind of get you
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  • To think about something during this message.
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  • There are really only two things you can worry about, not that
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  • You should, but there's only two things you can; you can worry
  • 00:07:29.965 --> 00:07:33.902
  • About things you can't control and you can worry about things
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  • You can.
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  • Now just think about this for a minute.
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  • If you're worried about something right now and you have
  • 00:07:39.908 --> 00:07:42.244
  • No control over it, why are you worried?
  • 00:07:42.244 --> 00:07:44.513
  • Can't do anything about it?
  • 00:07:44.513 --> 00:07:46.281
  • Now, if you're worried about something you can't control, why
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  • Are you worried?
  • 00:07:48.583 --> 00:07:49.951
  • Don't do something about it.
  • 00:07:49.951 --> 00:07:51.286
  • So when you think about it, there's really nothing we should
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  • Worry about.
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  • And i know you know that and you know i know that but it's still
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  • Difficult to overcome.
  • 00:07:57.659 --> 00:07:59.628
  • So as we listen to this advice from jesus, who, by the way, not
  • 00:07:59.628 --> 00:08:04.065
  • Only tells us why we shouldn't worry, but he is absolutely the
  • 00:08:04.065 --> 00:08:08.036
  • Greatest reason we should not worry.
  • 00:08:08.036 --> 00:08:10.772
  • I'll be the first to admit--i'm gonna be honest.
  • 00:08:10.772 --> 00:08:12.874
  • It's a lot easier to talk about overcoming worry than it is to
  • 00:08:12.874 --> 00:08:17.913
  • Overcome it.
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  • Matter of fact, again, i'm gonna be very transparent.
  • 00:08:19.247 --> 00:08:22.150
  • I'm real worried right now.
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  • What are you worried about?
  • 00:08:24.786 --> 00:08:26.154
  • I'm worried that my sermon won't help you quit worrying.
  • 00:08:26.154 --> 00:08:28.356
  • So i'm already worried.
  • 00:08:28.356 --> 00:08:29.691
  • I'm concerned.
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  • I mean, i really am worried.
  • 00:08:31.059 --> 00:08:32.394
  • So i wanna start today with the simple truth that jesus is gonna
  • 00:08:32.394 --> 00:08:35.497
  • Teach us today.
  • 00:08:35.497 --> 00:08:36.865
  • Very simple.
  • 00:08:36.865 --> 00:08:38.199
  • Here's what jesus is gonna say.
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  • "the trouble with worry is it's not worth the trouble."
  • 00:08:39.568 --> 00:08:41.636
  • That's the trouble.
  • 00:08:41.636 --> 00:08:43.004
  • The trouble with worry is it's not worth the trouble.
  • 00:08:43.004 --> 00:08:46.308
  • I wanna give you three very simple reasons why.
  • 00:08:46.308 --> 00:08:50.145
  • None of this is profound.
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  • You probably have heard this somewhere before.
  • 00:08:51.846 --> 00:08:53.748
  • You probably know it before you need to say something more than
  • 00:08:53.748 --> 00:08:56.585
  • Once to really get it down.
  • 00:08:56.585 --> 00:08:58.119
  • So if you are a worry wart and, by the way, i don't want you to
  • 00:08:58.119 --> 00:09:00.989
  • Have to raise your hand because everybody'll look at you and
  • 00:09:00.989 --> 00:09:02.724
  • Wonder what are you worried about.
  • 00:09:02.724 --> 00:09:04.059
  • But if you are worried about something right now, i don't
  • 00:09:04.059 --> 00:09:06.394
  • Know what it is.
  • 00:09:06.394 --> 00:09:07.729
  • But you said, boy, you--i need this, okay?
  • 00:09:07.729 --> 00:09:09.197
  • You need to write these three things out and you need to
  • 00:09:09.197 --> 00:09:12.100
  • Remember these.
  • 00:09:12.100 --> 00:09:13.468
  • They will help you go to sleep tonight.
  • 00:09:13.468 --> 00:09:14.803
  • Number one, jesus said, worry is unreasonable.
  • 00:09:14.803 --> 00:09:18.974
  • Worry is unreasonable.
  • 00:09:18.974 --> 00:09:20.575
  • Now, i want you to notice something up front about
  • 00:09:20.575 --> 00:09:22.277
  • This passage.
  • 00:09:22.277 --> 00:09:23.645
  • Jesus repeats three words and he repeats it three times.
  • 00:09:23.645 --> 00:09:26.414
  • We're in matthew chapter 6 verse 25.
  • 00:09:26.414 --> 00:09:29.317
  • "therefore i tell you."
  • 00:09:29.317 --> 00:09:30.685
  • Everybody say that out loud.
  • 00:09:30.685 --> 00:09:33.121
  • "do not worry."
  • 00:09:33.121 --> 00:09:35.790
  • But then he says it again.
  • 00:09:35.790 --> 00:09:37.125
  • "so do not worry."
  • 00:09:37.125 --> 00:09:40.395
  • Third time.
  • 00:09:40.395 --> 00:09:41.730
  • Therefore--now three times, jesus says, "do not worry."
  • 00:09:41.730 --> 00:09:47.302
  • Now, i think you would agree that if jesus says something one
  • 00:09:47.302 --> 00:09:50.205
  • Time, you take it to the bank.
  • 00:09:50.205 --> 00:09:53.808
  • But now jesus says something three times, you better perk up,
  • 00:09:53.808 --> 00:09:57.245
  • You better pay attention, you better sit up and listen.
  • 00:09:57.245 --> 00:10:00.615
  • Now, why do you think jesus said three times, "do not worry, do
  • 00:10:00.615 --> 00:10:06.121
  • Not worry, do not worry?"
  • 00:10:06.121 --> 00:10:07.889
  • Again jesus is the brilliant psychologist, the
  • 00:10:07.889 --> 00:10:10.558
  • Master psychiatrist.
  • 00:10:10.558 --> 00:10:12.093
  • He knows exactly what he's doing.
  • 00:10:12.093 --> 00:10:14.229
  • The reason i believe why jesus said do not worry three times is
  • 00:10:14.229 --> 00:10:18.600
  • Because there are three days we worry about all the time.
  • 00:10:18.600 --> 00:10:22.604
  • We worry about yesterday, we worry about today and we worry
  • 00:10:22.604 --> 00:10:27.108
  • About tomorrow.
  • 00:10:27.108 --> 00:10:28.476
  • We worry about them all the time.
  • 00:10:28.476 --> 00:10:29.811
  • We worry about yesterday, we worry about today, we worry
  • 00:10:29.811 --> 00:10:33.248
  • About tomorrow.
  • 00:10:33.248 --> 00:10:34.582
  • For example, there's some of you right now, you're worried
  • 00:10:34.582 --> 00:10:36.217
  • About yesterday.
  • 00:10:36.217 --> 00:10:38.353
  • I just got a text just before i walked into this building.
  • 00:10:38.353 --> 00:10:42.157
  • I just got a text from a man who underwent cat scan and an mri on
  • 00:10:42.157 --> 00:10:47.295
  • His brain and he is worried about the results of that
  • 00:10:47.295 --> 00:10:51.633
  • Cat scan.
  • 00:10:51.633 --> 00:10:53.001
  • He's worried about something that actually took place
  • 00:10:53.001 --> 00:10:55.136
  • Yesterday, or actually, like, this past friday.
  • 00:10:55.136 --> 00:10:57.472
  • He had the mri of the cascade.
  • 00:10:57.472 --> 00:10:58.973
  • He's worried about yesterday.
  • 00:10:58.973 --> 00:11:01.543
  • The fender bender.
  • 00:11:01.543 --> 00:11:02.877
  • Maybe you got into a fender bender this past week.
  • 00:11:02.877 --> 00:11:04.746
  • You're worried about that fender bender.
  • 00:11:04.746 --> 00:11:06.648
  • Maybe you made a mistake at work or your boss got on to you.
  • 00:11:06.648 --> 00:11:09.417
  • So you're afraid you might lose your job.
  • 00:11:09.417 --> 00:11:10.852
  • It happened yesterday.
  • 00:11:10.852 --> 00:11:12.821
  • Well, let me just stop right there.
  • 00:11:12.821 --> 00:11:14.155
  • Let's just take yesterday for a moment.
  • 00:11:14.155 --> 00:11:15.924
  • I want you to consider how you can use yesterday to help you
  • 00:11:15.924 --> 00:11:19.494
  • Face today and tomorrow when it comes to worry, okay?
  • 00:11:19.494 --> 00:11:23.231
  • So here's the simple question i want to ask you--i want you to
  • 00:11:23.231 --> 00:11:26.601
  • Ask yourself right now.
  • 00:11:26.601 --> 00:11:28.236
  • I want you to ask yourself this question.
  • 00:11:28.236 --> 00:11:31.873
  • I'm here now, right?
  • 00:11:31.873 --> 00:11:34.843
  • I mean, you are here right now.
  • 00:11:34.843 --> 00:11:36.945
  • So, i mean up, to this moment yesterday has not taken you out.
  • 00:11:36.945 --> 00:11:41.883
  • And the point is if god could take care of you
  • 00:11:41.883 --> 00:11:44.486
  • Yesterday, don't you think god can take care of you today?
  • 00:11:44.486 --> 00:11:50.859
  • I mean, before you were born, think about this, before you
  • 00:11:50.859 --> 00:11:55.563
  • Were born god took care of you.
  • 00:11:55.563 --> 00:11:59.601
  • Every day you live, god is taking care of you.
  • 00:11:59.601 --> 00:12:03.705
  • When you come to the end of your life, god will still be taking
  • 00:12:03.705 --> 00:12:07.275
  • Care of you.
  • 00:12:07.275 --> 00:12:08.610
  • See, your life is kind of like two covers of a book and every
  • 00:12:08.610 --> 00:12:12.547
  • Page in between has god's name written on it.
  • 00:12:12.547 --> 00:12:15.083
  • So from the cradle to the grave, god was there, god is there and
  • 00:12:15.083 --> 00:12:20.555
  • God will always be there taking care of you.
  • 00:12:20.555 --> 00:12:23.825
  • Now, jesus knows--even he knows.
  • 00:12:23.825 --> 00:12:26.127
  • You know what, i can tell you till i'm blue in the face.
  • 00:12:26.127 --> 00:12:29.364
  • Do not worry, do not worry, do not worry.
  • 00:12:29.364 --> 00:12:32.200
  • Don't worry about yesterday, don't worry about today.
  • 00:12:32.200 --> 00:12:35.036
  • Don't worry about tomorrow.
  • 00:12:35.036 --> 00:12:36.404
  • Jesus knows i can tell you till
  • 00:12:36.404 --> 00:12:38.206
  • I'm blue in the face and "i'm jesus," but you're still going
  • 00:12:38.206 --> 00:12:42.343
  • To worry.
  • 00:12:42.343 --> 00:12:43.678
  • So jesus says, let me just give you a couple of practical
  • 00:12:43.678 --> 00:12:46.815
  • Examples why you should not worry.
  • 00:12:46.815 --> 00:12:50.018
  • Let me just show you how unnecessary worry is.
  • 00:12:50.018 --> 00:12:53.755
  • And then again, jesus is so brilliant.
  • 00:12:53.755 --> 00:12:57.058
  • Jesus says, let me tell you what i want you to if you were in his
  • 00:12:57.058 --> 00:12:59.694
  • Office right now and he was counseling you, he was trying to
  • 00:12:59.694 --> 00:13:02.497
  • Tell you how, you know, to get rid of worry.
  • 00:13:02.497 --> 00:13:05.233
  • Here's what he would do.
  • 00:13:05.233 --> 00:13:06.768
  • He would take you to a window and he'd say just look out
  • 00:13:06.768 --> 00:13:10.505
  • The window.
  • 00:13:10.505 --> 00:13:11.840
  • So here's what he says, "look at the birds of the air, they do
  • 00:13:11.840 --> 00:13:15.410
  • Not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly
  • 00:13:15.410 --> 00:13:20.915
  • Father feeds them.
  • 00:13:20.915 --> 00:13:22.283
  • Are you are not much more valuable than they?"
  • 00:13:22.283 --> 00:13:26.855
  • Now it's raining today and i understand that kind of dreary.
  • 00:13:26.855 --> 00:13:30.525
  • But maybe today when you get home and you're worried about
  • 00:13:30.525 --> 00:13:32.760
  • Something and when the sun comes back out, just look out at the
  • 00:13:32.760 --> 00:13:37.198
  • Trees and just look at the birds and then i want you to ask a
  • 00:13:37.198 --> 00:13:41.870
  • Question, do those birds look worried to you.
  • 00:13:41.870 --> 00:13:46.774
  • You know, i did my homework.
  • 00:13:46.774 --> 00:13:48.109
  • You know, that's what you pay me to do.
  • 00:13:48.109 --> 00:13:49.444
  • I study things that you would never know.
  • 00:13:49.444 --> 00:13:51.713
  • Did you know--this is a fact.
  • 00:13:51.713 --> 00:13:53.381
  • Did you know, there has never been a bird in medical history,
  • 00:13:53.381 --> 00:13:57.085
  • Treated for hypertension?
  • 00:13:57.085 --> 00:14:00.421
  • Never.
  • 00:14:00.421 --> 00:14:01.956
  • Did you know no bird has ever died of a stroke?
  • 00:14:01.956 --> 00:14:05.426
  • Never happened.
  • 00:14:05.426 --> 00:14:06.794
  • When you look at the birds, they don't have a care in the world.
  • 00:14:06.794 --> 00:14:10.331
  • No birds ever had a panic attack.
  • 00:14:10.331 --> 00:14:12.867
  • You know what jesus is saying?
  • 00:14:12.867 --> 00:14:14.235
  • Jesus is really saying, worry is so worthless.
  • 00:14:14.235 --> 00:14:17.438
  • It's not even for the birds.
  • 00:14:17.438 --> 00:14:19.574
  • Even they don't worry.
  • 00:14:19.574 --> 00:14:21.142
  • And so, you know, ornithologist, let me tell you how great a
  • 00:14:21.142 --> 00:14:24.712
  • Statement this is.
  • 00:14:24.712 --> 00:14:26.047
  • Now, they didn't know this when jesus said this, but you gotta
  • 00:14:26.047 --> 00:14:27.982
  • Know it.
  • 00:14:27.982 --> 00:14:29.350
  • Ornithologists now define there are at least 18,000 species of
  • 00:14:29.350 --> 00:14:34.489
  • Birds in the world, 18,000.
  • 00:14:34.489 --> 00:14:37.692
  • Do you know how many total different birds there are in the
  • 00:14:37.692 --> 00:14:40.695
  • World right now?
  • 00:14:40.695 --> 00:14:42.063
  • There are over 400 billion birds in the world.
  • 00:14:42.063 --> 00:14:47.201
  • Now, that amounts to between 40 to 60 birds a person.
  • 00:14:47.201 --> 00:14:51.239
  • Now, if you are a bird watcher-- by the way, if you're a bird
  • 00:14:51.239 --> 00:14:55.043
  • Watcher, don't tell anybody.
  • 00:14:55.043 --> 00:14:56.711
  • But if you are a birdwatcher, if you were to say, "you know what,
  • 00:14:56.711 --> 00:15:01.249
  • I'm gonna look at one new species of bird every single
  • 00:15:01.249 --> 00:15:04.519
  • Day," it would take you 50 years to see all of the birds that
  • 00:15:04.519 --> 00:15:08.990
  • There are in existence right now.
  • 00:15:08.990 --> 00:15:11.793
  • And the point jesus is making is if god can take care of
  • 00:15:11.793 --> 00:15:16.064
  • 400,000--400 billion birds every day, don't you think he
  • 00:15:16.064 --> 00:15:21.402
  • Can take care of you?
  • 00:15:21.402 --> 00:15:24.038
  • So he says, "just look at the birds."
  • 00:15:24.038 --> 00:15:27.075
  • And then jesus says, "hey, just keep looking out the window.
  • 00:15:27.075 --> 00:15:29.510
  • I want you to move from, from the trees to the ground."
  • 00:15:29.510 --> 00:15:33.348
  • So he says this, "why do you worry about clothes?
  • 00:15:33.348 --> 00:15:36.951
  • See how the flowers of the field grow.
  • 00:15:36.951 --> 00:15:39.187
  • They do not labor or spin.
  • 00:15:39.187 --> 00:15:40.755
  • I tell you that not even solomon in all his splendor was dressed
  • 00:15:40.755 --> 00:15:44.125
  • Like one of these.
  • 00:15:44.125 --> 00:15:45.493
  • If that is how god clothes the grass of the field, which is
  • 00:15:45.493 --> 00:15:48.663
  • Here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he
  • 00:15:48.663 --> 00:15:51.065
  • Not much more clothe you--you of little faith?"
  • 00:15:51.065 --> 00:15:57.071
  • You ever seen a rose garden?
  • 00:15:57.071 --> 00:15:59.640
  • Sure you have.
  • 00:15:59.640 --> 00:16:01.476
  • I remember i was talking to my buddy.
  • 00:16:01.476 --> 00:16:03.111
  • I got my buddy with me, spent the week as a pastor in
  • 00:16:03.111 --> 00:16:06.047
  • New york city.
  • 00:16:06.047 --> 00:16:07.715
  • One of my best buddies in the world.
  • 00:16:07.715 --> 00:16:09.083
  • And we were talking about the--i was talking about visiting
  • 00:16:09.083 --> 00:16:11.753
  • President bush in the oval office back when i was
  • 00:16:11.753 --> 00:16:14.022
  • Sbc president.
  • 00:16:14.022 --> 00:16:15.423
  • And i was talking about how i went over to the desk and i was
  • 00:16:15.423 --> 00:16:17.592
  • Standing at the desk and i was looking out at the rose garden.
  • 00:16:17.592 --> 00:16:19.961
  • I let people get to do that and and i was looking at the rose
  • 00:16:19.961 --> 00:16:22.864
  • Garden and i was--as i was telling him that story
  • 00:16:22.864 --> 00:16:24.799
  • Yesterday, you know what hit me?
  • 00:16:24.799 --> 00:16:26.868
  • I went back to that time that i was looking at that rose garden.
  • 00:16:26.868 --> 00:16:31.172
  • I didn't see one rose walking back and forth.
  • 00:16:31.172 --> 00:16:34.842
  • I didn't, i didn't see one drop of sweat falling off of one
  • 00:16:34.842 --> 00:16:38.913
  • Rose petal.
  • 00:16:38.913 --> 00:16:40.314
  • They were so serene, they were so quiet.
  • 00:16:40.314 --> 00:16:43.284
  • They were so peaceful because you will never see a rose worry.
  • 00:16:43.284 --> 00:16:46.854
  • Well, think about this.
  • 00:16:46.854 --> 00:16:48.222
  • There are 369,000 different specs of flowers all over the
  • 00:16:48.222 --> 00:16:54.028
  • World, 369,000.
  • 00:16:54.028 --> 00:16:57.698
  • And what jesus is saying is, if god makes sure that all the
  • 00:16:57.698 --> 00:17:02.670
  • Flowers on earth not only have all the clothes they need to
  • 00:17:02.670 --> 00:17:06.240
  • Wear, but, oh by the way, he makes sure they have the right
  • 00:17:06.240 --> 00:17:09.210
  • Color and they match.
  • 00:17:09.210 --> 00:17:12.346
  • Why in the world are you worried about anything?
  • 00:17:12.346 --> 00:17:16.451
  • Jesus said when you add all these things up, when you just
  • 00:17:16.451 --> 00:17:19.320
  • Look at the birds of the-- in the tree and the flowers in
  • 00:17:19.320 --> 00:17:22.924
  • The ground, worry, it's unreasonable.
  • 00:17:22.924 --> 00:17:27.528
  • But then jesus says something else.
  • 00:17:27.528 --> 00:17:30.465
  • He says not only is worry unreasonable,
  • 00:17:30.465 --> 00:17:33.501
  • Worry's unnecessary.
  • 00:17:33.501 --> 00:17:35.369
  • So this is what he says in verse 34.
  • 00:17:35.369 --> 00:17:37.605
  • He says, "therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow
  • 00:17:37.605 --> 00:17:42.877
  • Will worry about itself.
  • 00:17:42.877 --> 00:17:44.946
  • Each day has enough trouble of its own."
  • 00:17:44.946 --> 00:17:48.316
  • Remember i told you earlier, there are three days that we
  • 00:17:48.316 --> 00:17:50.818
  • Worry about--we worry about yesterday, what we did, the
  • 00:17:50.818 --> 00:17:53.087
  • Mistake we made, we're worried about today.
  • 00:17:53.087 --> 00:17:56.023
  • You know, we're gonna get our test results back from the
  • 00:17:56.023 --> 00:17:58.126
  • Doctor today or we're worried about tomorrow.
  • 00:17:58.126 --> 00:18:00.862
  • You know, "will i still have a job, or whatever, tomorrow?"
  • 00:18:00.862 --> 00:18:04.332
  • Well, there's just something to remember about those three days
  • 00:18:04.332 --> 00:18:07.034
  • And always remember this, okay?
  • 00:18:07.034 --> 00:18:08.469
  • Number one, yesterday is gone.
  • 00:18:08.469 --> 00:18:12.006
  • You can't change it.
  • 00:18:12.006 --> 00:18:14.575
  • Tomorrow is not even here.
  • 00:18:14.575 --> 00:18:17.345
  • It's just a maybe, you may not even be here tomorrow.
  • 00:18:17.345 --> 00:18:20.448
  • So why worry about it?
  • 00:18:20.448 --> 00:18:22.416
  • Because all you can really do is live in the present and by the
  • 00:18:22.416 --> 00:18:25.419
  • Way, and i've done this so many times.
  • 00:18:25.419 --> 00:18:30.091
  • Why do we ruin today because of a yesterday that's already gone
  • 00:18:30.091 --> 00:18:35.630
  • And a tomorrow that may not come?
  • 00:18:35.630 --> 00:18:37.398
  • Why do you do that?
  • 00:18:37.398 --> 00:18:39.400
  • Why would you even--why would you even waste your time?
  • 00:18:39.400 --> 00:18:41.769
  • It is so unnecessary.
  • 00:18:41.769 --> 00:18:44.505
  • I love this definition of worry.
  • 00:18:44.505 --> 00:18:46.874
  • "worry is the interest we pay in advance today for trouble that
  • 00:18:46.874 --> 00:18:49.744
  • May never come tomorrow."
  • 00:18:49.744 --> 00:18:51.345
  • Worry is the interest we pay in advance today for trouble that
  • 00:18:51.345 --> 00:18:54.382
  • May never come tomorrow.
  • 00:18:54.382 --> 00:18:56.117
  • See, most of the time we're worried about what might happen
  • 00:18:56.117 --> 00:19:00.488
  • Or what might not happen in the future.
  • 00:19:00.488 --> 00:19:03.591
  • So there's something you've got to do or you're gonna be a
  • 00:19:03.591 --> 00:19:06.761
  • Worry wart, the rest of your life, you're gonna ruin every
  • 00:19:06.761 --> 00:19:09.063
  • Day that you live.
  • 00:19:09.063 --> 00:19:10.398
  • And what you've gotta do is you've got to leave
  • 00:19:10.398 --> 00:19:12.433
  • Tomorrow alone.
  • 00:19:12.433 --> 00:19:14.168
  • You can't presume about tomorrow.
  • 00:19:14.168 --> 00:19:16.804
  • How many people went to bed last night, worried about today and
  • 00:19:16.804 --> 00:19:22.944
  • Died in their sleep, were killed in an automobile crash, had a
  • 00:19:22.944 --> 00:19:27.215
  • Fatal heart attack?
  • 00:19:27.215 --> 00:19:28.616
  • It may not even come.
  • 00:19:28.616 --> 00:19:30.851
  • See when it comes to god.
  • 00:19:30.851 --> 00:19:32.186
  • Here's what god does.
  • 00:19:32.186 --> 00:19:33.554
  • God's only made one promise.
  • 00:19:33.554 --> 00:19:34.889
  • God says, "i will give you the strength and i'll give you the
  • 00:19:34.889 --> 00:19:38.192
  • Grace that you need for today.
  • 00:19:38.192 --> 00:19:42.563
  • I will not give you grace for tomorrow.
  • 00:19:42.563 --> 00:19:45.333
  • I will not give you strength for tomorrow because the only day
  • 00:19:45.333 --> 00:19:49.337
  • I'm gonna give you is today."
  • 00:19:49.337 --> 00:19:51.339
  • Why do you think the bible says today is the day of salvation?
  • 00:19:51.339 --> 00:19:54.508
  • Because tomorrow may not come.
  • 00:19:54.508 --> 00:19:57.044
  • You can't get saved yesterday.
  • 00:19:57.044 --> 00:19:58.646
  • You may not even be here tomorrow.
  • 00:19:58.646 --> 00:20:00.014
  • You better be saved today.
  • 00:20:00.014 --> 00:20:01.716
  • Same thing is true about any worry that you might have.
  • 00:20:01.716 --> 00:20:04.785
  • By the way, the reason why--you ever thought about why the
  • 00:20:04.785 --> 00:20:07.221
  • Calendar gives every day its own number?
  • 00:20:07.221 --> 00:20:10.124
  • Because you're supposed to live in that order.
  • 00:20:10.124 --> 00:20:13.027
  • This is the 21st.
  • 00:20:13.027 --> 00:20:14.395
  • We live on the 21st, not the 22nd.
  • 00:20:14.395 --> 00:20:17.064
  • And so just as god arranged the days on the calendar, god has
  • 00:20:17.064 --> 00:20:20.434
  • Not called you to worry about tomorrow.
  • 00:20:20.434 --> 00:20:22.670
  • God has called you to live today.
  • 00:20:22.670 --> 00:20:25.373
  • Do you understand that we're on a planet that is rotating on its
  • 00:20:25.373 --> 00:20:29.744
  • Axis at 1,000 miles an hour?
  • 00:20:29.744 --> 00:20:34.215
  • Just like clockwork.
  • 00:20:34.215 --> 00:20:35.549
  • That planet makes one full revolution every 24 hours.
  • 00:20:35.549 --> 00:20:41.055
  • If that's not enough, planet earth is moving around the sun
  • 00:20:41.055 --> 00:20:45.426
  • At speeds approaching 67,000 miles an hour, almost as fast as
  • 00:20:45.426 --> 00:20:52.300
  • Interstate 85 on a monday morning.
  • 00:20:52.300 --> 00:20:57.672
  • So, you know what you're going to do today?
  • 00:20:57.672 --> 00:20:59.540
  • You think you're sitting still, you think you're standing still?
  • 00:20:59.540 --> 00:21:03.344
  • Today we will travel through space 1.5 million miles.
  • 00:21:03.344 --> 00:21:13.287
  • Say, what's the point?
  • 00:21:13.287 --> 00:21:15.556
  • Let me ask you this.
  • 00:21:15.556 --> 00:21:19.593
  • Did you go to bed worried last night that maybe god would go to
  • 00:21:19.593 --> 00:21:22.730
  • Sleep and let the world slip out of its orbit?
  • 00:21:22.730 --> 00:21:27.802
  • Did you go to bed last night tossing and turning because you
  • 00:21:27.802 --> 00:21:30.137
  • Worried that maybe the rotation of the earth would slow down,
  • 00:21:30.137 --> 00:21:33.140
  • Which would end all of life?
  • 00:21:33.140 --> 00:21:35.810
  • I said you go to bed last night
  • 00:21:35.810 --> 00:21:37.178
  • Worried that maybe we would make it all the way around the sun?
  • 00:21:37.178 --> 00:21:42.183
  • Well, of course not, and you shouldn't, because every single
  • 00:21:42.183 --> 00:21:47.021
  • Day of your life and every single day since the day you
  • 00:21:47.021 --> 00:21:49.557
  • Came into this planet, every single day as the world turns,
  • 00:21:49.557 --> 00:21:55.563
  • It's another day to be reminded, god is not only taking care of
  • 00:21:55.563 --> 00:21:59.200
  • Us, there's nothing that god can't handle.
  • 00:21:59.200 --> 00:22:03.237
  • If god can spin a world on his finger at 1,000 miles an hour--
  • 00:22:03.237 --> 00:22:09.310
  • And while that world is spending, make it spin and
  • 00:22:09.310 --> 00:22:12.880
  • Rotate every 24 hours.
  • 00:22:12.880 --> 00:22:15.649
  • And if god can take that planet and move it at 67,000 miles an
  • 00:22:15.649 --> 00:22:21.021
  • Hour, and if god can take all of us little peons on this planet
  • 00:22:21.021 --> 00:22:25.559
  • And he'll let us travel $1.5 million every single day and we
  • 00:22:25.559 --> 00:22:30.464
  • Don't even know it, don't you think god can take care of you?
  • 00:22:30.464 --> 00:22:36.604
  • Don't you think god can handle every--yeah, give the lord a
  • 00:22:36.604 --> 00:22:39.407
  • Hand, don't you think?
  • 00:22:39.407 --> 00:22:43.377
  • But i haven't got to the best part yet.
  • 00:22:43.377 --> 00:22:46.514
  • If i still haven't convinced you, let me give it one
  • 00:22:46.514 --> 00:22:50.751
  • Last shot.
  • 00:22:50.751 --> 00:22:52.086
  • Because everything i've said pales in comparison to this.
  • 00:22:52.086 --> 00:22:58.058
  • There's a cross and there's an empty tomb that tells me that
  • 00:22:58.058 --> 00:23:05.065
  • God took care of the two greatest problems the human
  • 00:23:05.065 --> 00:23:07.601
  • Race faces.
  • 00:23:07.601 --> 00:23:10.471
  • At the cross, god took care of our sin.
  • 00:23:10.471 --> 00:23:18.679
  • At the empty tomb, god took care of death.
  • 00:23:18.679 --> 00:23:22.950
  • So you look at the sin, you look at the cross and you look at the
  • 00:23:22.950 --> 00:23:25.986
  • Empty tomb.
  • 00:23:25.986 --> 00:23:28.355
  • I don't go to bed at night worried about facing a holy god.
  • 00:23:28.355 --> 00:23:31.559
  • I don't go to bed at night worried about the sin that could
  • 00:23:31.559 --> 00:23:34.495
  • Condemn me, because i'll have no condemnation.
  • 00:23:34.495 --> 00:23:37.131
  • There is no condemnation to those who are in christ jesus.
  • 00:23:37.131 --> 00:23:40.868
  • I'm gonna face god not as my judge but as my father and as
  • 00:23:40.868 --> 00:23:44.705
  • My savior.
  • 00:23:44.705 --> 00:23:47.808
  • And i can tell you this right now, i do not fear death.
  • 00:23:47.808 --> 00:23:51.612
  • Matter of fact, the older i get in some ways, honestly, i look
  • 00:23:51.612 --> 00:23:54.682
  • Forward to it because i believe what the bible says--to be
  • 00:23:54.682 --> 00:23:57.952
  • Absent from the body is to be present with the lord.
  • 00:23:57.952 --> 00:24:00.321
  • So if my sin has been taken care of and my death has been taken
  • 00:24:00.321 --> 00:24:04.158
  • Care of,
  • 00:24:04.158 --> 00:24:05.526
  • You know what that means in the end?
  • 00:24:05.526 --> 00:24:07.394
  • Because of jesus, not just his words, but his work, not just
  • 00:24:07.394 --> 00:24:12.166
  • His life, but his death, not just his death, but his
  • 00:24:12.166 --> 00:24:14.835
  • Resurrection because of jesus, we have nothing to worry about.
  • 00:24:14.835 --> 00:24:22.576
  • So as you bow your heads, close your eyes just for a moment
  • 00:24:22.576 --> 00:24:25.546
  • Before--i don't anybody moved, nobody moved, stay still.
  • 00:24:25.546 --> 00:24:28.682
  • Just a minute. this is important.
  • 00:24:28.682 --> 00:24:30.551
  • I gotta tell you one last thing, i read this yesterday,
  • 00:24:30.551 --> 00:24:33.354
  • Just crushed me.
  • 00:24:33.354 --> 00:24:34.922
  • One out of three americans are worried about their money and
  • 00:24:34.922 --> 00:24:38.325
  • Their financial position.
  • 00:24:38.325 --> 00:24:40.895
  • Less than 10% are worried they might go to hell.
  • 00:24:40.895 --> 00:24:45.332
  • Let that sink in.
  • 00:24:45.332 --> 00:24:47.635
  • One out of three americans are worried about their money.
  • 00:24:47.635 --> 00:24:52.139
  • But less than 10% are so worried about going to hell.
  • 00:24:52.139 --> 00:24:56.143
  • I'm just gonna be honest, if you've never given your life to
  • 00:24:56.143 --> 00:24:59.179
  • Jesus, if you've never trusted jesus as your lord and savior,
  • 00:24:59.179 --> 00:25:01.916
  • You better be worried.
  • 00:25:01.916 --> 00:25:04.985
  • If you're facing death and you do not have the assurance of
  • 00:25:04.985 --> 00:25:07.521
  • Eternal life because of god's grace and your faith in jesus,
  • 00:25:07.521 --> 00:25:10.357
  • You better be worried.
  • 00:25:10.357 --> 00:25:13.794
  • You have even an ounce of a doubt that you're ready to
  • 00:25:13.794 --> 00:25:16.630
  • Meet god, you better be worried.
  • 00:25:16.630 --> 00:25:21.201
  • But i can help you get rid of that worry today.
  • 00:25:21.201 --> 00:25:23.671
  • You're watching me right now.
  • 00:25:23.671 --> 00:25:25.039
  • You're in this room.
  • 00:25:25.039 --> 00:25:26.674
  • If you'll just simply pray this prayer and mean it, "lord jesus
  • 00:25:26.674 --> 00:25:30.945
  • I'm a sinner.
  • 00:25:30.945 --> 00:25:32.413
  • I'm lost.
  • 00:25:32.413 --> 00:25:33.914
  • I need to be saved.
  • 00:25:33.914 --> 00:25:35.883
  • I cannot save myself.
  • 00:25:35.883 --> 00:25:37.818
  • I can't do it.
  • 00:25:37.818 --> 00:25:39.954
  • But i believe you died for my sins.
  • 00:25:39.954 --> 00:25:41.622
  • I believe god raised you from the dead.
  • 00:25:41.622 --> 00:25:43.157
  • I believe you're alive right now.
  • 00:25:43.157 --> 00:25:46.193
  • And i ask you to come into my heart.
  • 00:25:46.193 --> 00:25:48.362
  • I ask you to save me.
  • 00:25:48.362 --> 00:25:49.763
  • I ask you to forgive me of all of my sins.
  • 00:25:49.763 --> 00:25:54.068
  • I repent and turn away from my sinful ways.
  • 00:25:54.068 --> 00:25:57.738
  • I trust you as my savior.
  • 00:25:57.738 --> 00:25:59.974
  • I receive you as my lord.
  • 00:25:59.974 --> 00:26:02.876
  • Thank you, lord jesus, for hearing my prayer.
  • 00:26:02.876 --> 00:26:05.045
  • Thank you for saving me today.
  • 00:26:05.045 --> 00:26:09.450
  • Male announcer: to watch an extended version of today's
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  • Message from dr. james merritt, go to touchinglives.org.
  • 00:26:11.385 --> 00:26:16.323
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  • Of cultural confusion, political tension and
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  • Christian persecution.
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  • Today, we invite you to partner with "touching lives" with
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  • Dr. james merritt so we can keep broadcasting the truth of
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  • God's word around the globe.
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  • Male announcer: touching the lives of the lost and enriching
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  • The faith of the found.
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  • This is "touching lives" with dr. james merritt.
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